Neighbour Island Albium which was large and fruitful and in many places then uninhabited and also by reason of the Condition of those Inhabitants that were in it who were under several Kings at fewd one with another and consequently very weak That amidst those Discords 't were easy for them by supporting the weaker side to make themselves Masters of that large Country and that in this matter they would afford them their assistance The Narrowness of the Aebudae and the Lowness of their own Condition for so it then was made them give ear to this Counsel So that these Germans which were afterwards both by the Romans and their Neighbor-Nations called Picts Landing upon the Coasts of the Island bordering on the German Sea having expelled the Inhabitants which were but few and those at mutual Discord amongst themselves they brought a great part of that District under their Subjection and soon after in prosecution of the Friendship with the Scots so happily begun they took Wives from amongst them and so were in a manner compacted into one Nation with them By this mutual Intercourse betwixt them a great many Scots being either detained by their Allies who were yet but weak or else driven by Want and Penury or for loss of their Relations fixed their Habitations amongst the Picts The Picts at first were glad of their coming but when they grew numerous by degrees they began to fear lest if the Scots increased in strength they would become their Masters So that First in their secret Assemblings and afterward in their publick Councils they muttered That Care was to be taken That no stranger should hereafter be intermixed amongst them And some Way was to be found that the number of those who were already admitted might be lessened A Rumor also was spread abroad that it was revealed from Heaven to the Picts That their Nation should in time be extirpated by the Scots These Suspitions caused the Two Nations which before were very amicable to part companies The Scots betook themselves to the Mountainous places which were less fit for Culture in regard they were more addicted to Pasturage and Hunting And the Picts possessed the Low-lands which were more fertile and fit for Tillage situate near the German Sea Thus their Friendship before contracted by so many mutual Kindnesses did soon break forth into a terrible Civil War For the Seeds of a deadly hatred were sown between those Two Nations both of them being of fierce Dispositions thô the occasion at first was but trivial as some little Pets Chidings and some few Injuries sustained The Brittons being Enemies to both Nations having gotten this opportunity fomented the Dissensions and did freely offer Aid to the Picts even before they desired it against the Scots When the Scots perceived That these things were in Agitation against them they sent elsewhere for Aid and procured a Foreign King to assist them against so imminent a Danger The Commanders of the Islanders being almost all of equal Authority and scorning to stoop one to the other Fergusius the Son of Ferâ—hard was sent for with Forces out of Ireland being counted the most eminent Person among the Scots both for Advice and Action He by the publick Consent of the People was chosen King and charged to prepare his Army to undergo the Shock of a Battle if need required Just about the same time a Rumour was dispers'd abroad which came to the Ears both of the Scots and Picts That the Brittons were managing some ambiguous Counsels equally pernicious both Nations and That they would set upon the Conquered and Conquerors together with their Arms and destroying both or else driving them out of the Island they Themselves would enjoy the Whole This Report made both Armies doubtful What course to take and for a time kept them both within their Trenches At length they came to a Treaty and perceiving the secret Fraud of the Brittons they inclined to make Peace one with another which being confirmed the Three different Armies Returned home The Brittons having failed in their first Project attempt another Wile They privily sent in Robbers amongst the Picts who drove away their Cattle when the Picts demanded Restitution they answered That they should seek it from the Scots who were accustomed to Thieving and Plundering rather than from Them Thus they eluded the Ambassy and sent away their Ambassadors without their Errands so that the Matter did appear to be a plain Mockery Their fraudulent Counsels being thus more and more discover'd the late reproach did incense the Hearts of Both Nations against them more than the Relicks of their Anger for their former Injuries and therefore Levying as great an Army as they could both Kings Two several ways invaded the Coasts of the Brittons and destroying the Country with Fire and Sword returned home with a great Booty To revenge this Loss the Brittons enter Scotland and came as far as the River Don and having ravaged the Country thereabouts with greater Terror than Loss to the Inhabitants they pitched their Tents upon the Bank of the River Fergus having sent their Wives and Children and other portable things into the Mountains and Places inaccessible for Armies secured all the Avenues till the coming of the Picts with whom he at length joyned his Forces and communicating Counsels one with another they resolved to make a Diversion and lengthen the War by making an Incursion with vast Forces into their Enemies Country and so to weary them out But Coilus that was the name of the King of the Brittons understanding by his Spies the cause of their delay sends Five Thousand Men before to lye in ambush in the upper grounds and he determined to lead forth the rest of his Army directly against the Enemy When the Picts knew this they again consulted with the Scots and by way of Prevention they agreed to assault the Camp of the Brittons by night and accordingly drawing out their Forces the Scots in the Pront the Picts in the Rear attack their Enemies before day and by this means they made a great slaughter of the Brittons being as it were halfe asleep whom the former delays of their Enemies had made secure and confident In this Battel Coilus himself fell with the greatest part of his Army and made the Place in which it was fought Famous from his Name Fergus returning home a Conqueror the Scots setled the Regal Government upon Him and his Posterity by the Solemnity of an Oath Afterwards having quieted Matters in Scotland he returned back into Ireland to quell Seditions there where having composed all things as he was returning home a Tempest arising suddainly he was drowned not far from the Port called from him Fergus his Rock i. e. Knock-Fergus or Carrick-Fergus in the Twenty fifth Year of his Reign Historians say That his coming into Albium was at the time when Alexander the Great took Babylon about
they crowded and hindred one another in endeavouring to Ship themselves they were all slain to a Man Belus their King despairing to obtain Quarter slew himself Evenus having finished the War returns to the work of Peace and constitutes two Mart-Towns for Trade in convenient Places i. e. Ennerlochy and Ennerness each of them receiving their Name from Rivers gliding by them For Enner amongst the Ancient Scots signifies a Place whither Ships do usually resort He subdued the Inhabitants of the Aebudae who by reason of their long Wars were grown very Licentious and Quarrelsome He reconciled their Animosities and appeased their Disturbances and soon after died having Reigned Seventeen years Ederus the Fifteenth King EDERVS the Son of Dochamus was made King in his place who whilst he was reaping the sweet Fruits of Peace establish'd both at home and abroad and giving himself to the sport of Hunting according to the ancient Custom of the Nation had News suddenly brought him That one Bredius an Islander of Kin to the Tyrant Gillus was Landed with a great Navy of Souldiers and plundered the Country He presently gathered together a Tumultuary Army against him and marching as silently as he could in the Night he passed by the Camp of his Enemies and set upon their Ships in the Road which by this suddain surprize he easily mastered and killing the Guard he burnt the Navy In the Morning he led his Army against the Camp which he easily took finding the Souldiers negligent and in no order at all many were slain on the spot whilst they delay'd either to Fight or Fly The rest having their flight by Sea prevented by the burning of their Ships were there taken and Hanged The Prey was restored to the Owners that claimed them A few years after another of the kindred of Gillus and out of the same Island too raised the like Commotion which had the same Event and Success for his Army was overthrown his Fleet burnt the Prey recovered back and restored to the Right Owners Thus having settled a firm Peace being very old he fell Sick and died in the Forty Eight year of his Reign Evenus III. the Sixteenth King EVENVS the Third Succeeded him a Son unworthy of so Good a Father for not being contented with an Hundred Concubines of the Noblest Families he published his Filthiness and Shame to the World by Established Laws For he enacted That every Man might Marry as many Wives as he was able to maintain And also That before the Marriage of Noble Virgins the King should have one Nights lodging with them and the Nobles the like before the Marriage of Plebeians That the Wives of Plebeians should be common to the Nobility Luxury Cruelty and Covetousness did as they ordinarily do attend and follow this his flagitious Wickedness For his Incomes and Revenues not answering his Expence upon pretended Causes the Wealthier sort were put to Death and the King going snips with the Robbers by that means Theives were never punished And thus the Favour which he had obtain'd from corrupt youth by reason of his permission of Promiscuous Lust he lost by his Cruelty and Rapaciousness For a Conspiracy of the Nobles being made against him he soon perceived that the Friendship and seeming Union of Wicked Men is not to be relied upon For assoon as they came to Fight he was Deserted by his Souldiers and fell alive into his Enemies Hands by whom he was cast into the common Jail Cadallanus who Succeeded him demanding what Punishment he should have he was Condemned to perpetual Imprisonment But there one or other of his Enemies either out of some old Grudge for Injuries received from him or else hoping for Favour or at least Impunity for the Murder of the King Strangled him by Night in the Prison when he had Reigned Seven years The Murderer was Hanged for his Labour Metellanus the Seventeenth King METELLANVS Kinsman to Ederus Succeeded him in the Throne a Prince no less dear to all for his excellent Virtues than Evenus was hated by them for his flagitious Vices He was mightily Priz'd and Esteem'd for This That during his Reign there was Peace both at home and abroad But it was some allay to his Happiness that he could not abrogate the Filthy Laws of Evenus being hindred by his Nobility who were too much addicted to Luxury He deceased in the Thirtieth year of his Reign Caratacus the Eighteenth King METELLANVS dying without Issue the Kingdom was conferred on Caratacus Son of Cadallanus a young Man of the Royal Blood Assoon as he entred upon the Kingdom he quieted the People of the Aebudae Islands who had raised Commotions upon the Death of their last King but not without great Trouble Yet here I cannot easily beleive what our Writers following Orosius Eutropius and Bede do say viz. That the Orcades were subdued by Claudius Caesar in his Reign Not that I think it a very hard thing for him to attempt one by one a few Islands scatter'd up and down in the Stormy Sea and having but a few and those too unarmed Inhabitants to defend them and seeing they could not mutually help another to take them all in nor that I think it incredible That a Navy might be sent by Claudius on that Expedition he being a Man that sought for War and Victory all the World over But because Tacitus affirms that before the coming of Iulius Agricola into Britain that part thereof was utterly unknown to the Romans Caratacus Reigned Twenty years Corbredus the Nineteenth King CORBREDVS his Brother Succeeded him He also subdued the Islanders in many Expeditions a People that almost in every Inter-Regnum did affect Innovation and raise up new Tumults He also quite suppress'd the Banditti which most infested the Commonalty Having settled Peace he return'd to Albium and making his Progress over all Scotland he repaired the Places injured by War and departed this Life in the Eighteenth year of his Reign Dardanus the Twentieth King THE Convention of Estates set up Dardannus the Nephew of Metellanus in his stead passing by the Son of Corbredus because of his young and tender years No Man before him entred upon the Government of whom greater Expectations were conceived and no Man did more egregiously deceive the Peoples Hopes Before he undertook the chief Magistracy he gave great Proof of his Liberality Temperance and Fortitude So that in the beginning of his Reign he was an indifferent Good and Tolerable King but he had scarce sat Three years on the Throne before he ran head-long into all sorts of Wickedness The Sober and Prudent Counsellors of his Father he banish'd from his Court because they were against his lewd Practices Only Flatterers and such as could invent new Pleasures were his Bosom Friends He caused Cardorus his own Kinsman to be put to Death because he reproved him for his Extravagance in Lawless Pleasures and yet he had been Lord Chief Justice and Chancellor too under
the former King And a while after many other Persons as they did excel in Virtue or in Wealth were circumvented by him by one wile or other and so unjustly brought to their Ends. At last to free himself from the Fears of a Successor he took up a Resolution to destroy Corbredus Galdus his Kinsman with his Brothers who were Royally Educated in hopes of the Kingdom The Charge of this Assassination was committed to Cormoracus one of his Privado's He being laden with many Gifts but more Promises was sent away to perpetrate the Villany but attempting it with less Caution than such a Butchery required he was taken in the very Fact by some of Galdus his Train with a naked Fauchion in his Hand being Arraigned and put to the Torture he confessed the Author and the designed order of the whole Conspiracy and so was executed immediately When this wicked Plot was divulged abroad there was a general Combination of almost all sorts of People against the King insomuch that having slain many of those who were Panders to his Lust as they could be found at last they endeavoured to make their way to the King himself the Source and Fountain of their Mischief In the mean time Conanus one of the Kings Parasites a Man meanly descended but highly Respected and Trusted by his Master levied some Troops and had the Confidence to send them forth against the Nobles but being forsaken of his Men he was taken and Hang'd The Commons having now got Galdus for their General found out Dardanus who was privately lurking to secure himself while they were apprehending of him he endeavour'd to lay violent Hands on himself but being prevented he was brought to Galdus and immediately put to Death his Head was carried up and down in Mockery and his Body thrown into a Jakes after he had Reigned Four years Corbred II The Twenty First King COrbred the Second Sirnamed Galdus succeeded him a Prince equally dear to Lords and Commons both upon the account and early proof of his own personal Virtue and promising Ingenuity as for the Memory of his worthy Father Some imagin that he was That Galgacus who is mentioned by Tacitus and that he was Sirnamed Galdus by the Scots because he had been educated amongst the Britains For the Scots according to their Ancient Custom call all Strangers Galds or Galls as the Germans call them Wals as I shewed largely before After he had undertook the Government he increased the great Hopes which had been pre-conceived of him For making an Expedition into the Islands of Sky and Lewis he quelled the Seditions lately raised there and suffered to come to an head by the negligence of Dardanus and that with a due and prudent mixture of Mercy and Severity He slew the Captains of those Banditti and enforced the rest for fear of punishment either voluntarily to banish themselves or else to return to their former rural Employments He as I believe was the First of the Scotish Kings that ever advanced his Ensigns against the Romans who had by little and little propagated their Empire even to the very Borders For Petitius Cerealis first broke the Forces of the Brigantes and his Successor Iulius Frontinus conquered the Silures 'T is very probable that the Scots and Picts sent Aid to those Nations who were situate not far from their Borders Iulius Agricola succeeded the former Generals who having overcome the Ordovâ—ces and reduced the Island Man when he was come to the narrowest part of Britain thinking that it was not far to the end of the Island he was encouraged to the Conquest of it all And therefore in the Third Year of his Generalship he overcame and plundered the neighboring Countries of the Scots and Picts until he came to the River Tay And thô his Army was much distressed by Tempest yet he had time to build Forts in all places convenient for Defence by which means he defeated the Designs of his Enemies and withal brake their Force For before the Adverse party being Men inured to hardship what they lost in the Summer would many times recover in Winter when the Roman Legions were dispersed into Winter Quarters And somtimes they would assault and take their Enemies Castles and Garisons being not sufficiently fortified But at that time by the cunningness of Agrippa in Building his Forts and by his skill in making them defensible and withal by relieving them with his Forces every Year Their Arts were deluded In the Fourth Year of his Government perceiving that the Firths of Forth and of Clyd were severed but by a small Tract of Land having fortified that Place with Garisons he spoiled the Countries bending to the Irish Sea In his Fifth Year he sent a Fleet to Sea and made descents in many places and plundred the Maritime Coasts fortifying those that looked towards Ireland with Garisons not only for that present occasion but also that he might from thence more easily transport an Army to that Country By this prudence of Agricola the Scots and Picts being shut up in a narrow Angle and secluded from any commerce with the Britains prepared themselves for the last shock and rancounter Neither was Agricola less careful but commanding his Navy to fetch a compass about to discover the utmost parts of the Island he led his Army beyond the Forth and drew towards the Caledonians There their Enemies being ready as in a desperate Case to run their last hazard assaulted some of the Roman Garisons which struck such a Terror into them that some of the Romans as fearing either the Number of their Enemies or their Obstinacy by reason of their desperation gave their advice to retreat with their Army into a place of greater safety But their General being resolved to Fight when he was informed that the Enemy approached him in three distinct Brigades he also drew towards them having divided his Army into Three Squadrons also which Project was almost his total Ruin For his Enemies understanding his Design did with their whole Army assault one of his Legions by night and having killed the Sentinels had almost taken his whole Camp But being prevented by the coming in of other Legions after they had fought desperately till Day light at length being put to flight they returned into the Mountains and Woods Those things were acted about the Eighth Year of his Expeditions Both Parties prepare themselves as for their last Encounter against the next Spring The Romans as judging that the Victory would put an end to the War And their Enemies looking upon their All to be at stake and that they were about to fight for their Liberty Lives and for whatsover is to be accounted Dear and Sacred amongst Men Hereupon judging that in former Battels they were overcome by Stratagem rather than by Valour they betook themselves to the higher Grounds and at the foot of Mount Grampius waited for the coming of the Romans There
Iuletide substituting the Name of Iulius Caesar for that of Saturn The Vulgar are yet persuaded that the Nativity of Christ is then celebrated but mistakingly for 't is plain that they imitate the Lasciviousness of the Bacchanalia rather than the Memory of Christ then as they say born In the mean time the Saxons were reported to have pitched their Tents by the River Humber and Whether it were so or no Arthur marched towards them But in regard the Brittons were enfeebled by Pleasures by that means they were less fit for Military Services in so much that they did not seem the same Men who had overthrown the Saxons in so many Battels heretofore for by their Luxurious Idleness they had added so much to their Rashness as they had lost of their ancient Severity of Discipline Hereupon Advice was given by the wiser sort to send for Aid from the Scots and Picts Whereupon Ambassadors were sent and Aid easily obtained so that those whom Ambition had almost disjoined yet the mutual Care of Religion and Emulation too did so piece together That Forces were sent from either King sooner than could well have been imagined Lothus also that he might give a Publick Testimony of his Reconcilement brought his Sons Modredus and Galvinus with him into the Camp Galvinus he gave to Arthur as his Companion whom he received with so great Courtesie that from that Day forward they lived and died together The Army of the Three Kings being thus ready and their Camps joyned it was unanimously agreed between them That as the Danger was common to them all and the Cause thereof was also the same so they would drive out the Saxons and restore the Christian Rites and Religion which were profaned by them The Armies drawing near the one to the other Occa Son of a former Occa who was then General of the Saxons made haste to joyn Battel In the Confederate Army the Two Wings were allotted to the Scots and Picts the main Battel to Arthur The Scots at the first onset wounded Childerick Commander of that Wing of the Enemy which fought against them he falling by reason of his Wounds so terrified the rest that the whole Wing was broken In the other Wing Colgernus the Saxon after great Complaints made of the Perfidiousness of the Picts made an assault upon Lothus with great Violence who was easily known by his Habit and his Arms he dismounted him but he himself being environed in the midst of his Enemies was run through by Two Picts with Spears on both sides of his Body The main Battel where there was the sharpest Fight having lost both Wings did at length give Ground Occa being wounded was carried to the Sea-side with as many as could get on Shipboard with him and Transported into Germany of the rest of the Saxons Those who were most obstinate in their Errour were put to Death The rest pretending to turn to the Christian Religion were saved There were great Forces of the Saxons yet remaining in the Eastern part of England and in Kent The Summer after Arthur marched against them having 10000 Scots and Picts for his Assistance Congallus the Son of Eugenius commanded the Scots and Modredus the Son of Lothus the Picts both young Men of great Hope and who had often given good Testimonies of their Valour and Conduct This Army of Three Kings being about Five Mile from the Enemy and their Camps being distant one from another The Saxons being inform'd by their Spies that the Picts who were farthest distant from the other Forces were very careless and secure they made a suddain and unexpected Assault on them in the Night Modredus made a gallant Resistance for a time at last when things were almost desperate on his side he mounted on an Horse with Gallanus his Father-in-Law and so fled to King Arthur Arthur was nothing dismayed at the loss of the Picts but spent that Day in setling things which were discomposed after that his Army being commanded to march in the Third Watch he came upon the Enemy with a Treble Army and was at the Saxons Camp before they knew what the Matter was The Saxons being dismayed ran up and down having no time to take counsel or to arm themselves thus their Camp being entred they were slain by the Brittons and especially the angry Picts were cruel to all without distinction Some Writers of English Antiquities say That Arthur fought Twelve pitched Battels with the Saxons But because they give us only the Names of the Places where they were fought and nothing else I shall mention them no otherwise To speak briefly of his Famous Actions This is manifest That he wholly subdued the Forces of the Saxons and restored Peace to Britain And when he went over to settle Things in Lesser Britain in France he Trusted the Kingdom to Modredus his Kinsman who was to manage the Government as King till his Return I have no certainty of the Exploits he performed in Gaul As to what Geofry of Monmouth attributes to him there it hath no shadow much less likelyhood of Truth in it so that I pass them by as impudently forged and as causelesly believed But to return to the Matter Whilst Arthur was absent and intent on setling the Gallick Affairs there were sown the Seeds of a War most pernicious to Britain There was a certain Man in Arthurs Retinue named Constantine the Son of Cadoris who for the excellent Endowments both of his Body and Mind was highly in all Mens Favour He did secretly aim at the Kingdom and to make the People his Own Whereupon the Nobles at a convenient time when the King was free from business cast in Words concerning his Successor beseeching him to add this also to the other innumerable Blessings he had procured for his Country that if he died Childless he would not leave Britain destitute of a King especially when so great Wars were like to be waged against them Hereupon when some named Modredus as nearest of Kin and already accustomed to the Government both in Peace and War and One too who had given good Proof of himself in his Viceroy-Ship who also was likely to make no small Accession to the British Affairs These things being spoken the Multitude who favoured Constantine cryed out That they would not have a Stranger to be their King and that Britain was not so devoid of Men but that it would afford a King within its own Territories They added also That it was a Foolish thing to seek for that abroad which they might have at home Arthur knew before the Love of the People to Constantine and therefore though being a Man otherwise Ambitious yet he easily took part with the People and from that day shewed him openly and cherished in him the hopes of the Kingdom Modredus his Friends took this ill and looked upon it as a great wrong to him they alleged That by the League made by Arthur with Lothus
immediately after Congallus but there are More who insert Kinnatellus betwixt Them Aidanus The Forty Ninth King AIdanus being Nominated King by Kinnatellus and confirmed by the People received the Royal Habiliments from Columba For the Authority of that Man was so great in those days that neither Prince nor People would undertake any thing without his Advice And at that time after he had in a long Speech persuaded the King to rule Equitably over the People and the People to be Loyal to their King he earnestly pressed them Both to persist in the pure Worship of God for then Both of them would prosper but if they forsook it they must expect Destruction as the reward of their Offences Having perform'd this Service he returned into his own Country The first Expedition of Aidanus was against the Robbers who infested Galway coming thither he put their Commanders to Death and Fear restrain'd the rest but a greater Storm encountred him at at his Return For after he had had three Conventions of the Estates in Galway Abria or Loch-abyr and Caithness and thought all things were settled there there was a Tumult arose amongst them in Hunting that much Blood was spilt and the Kings Officers who came to punish the Offenders were repulsed and beaten The Authors for fear of Punishment fled into Lothian to Brudeus King of the Picts when Ambassadors were sent to him to deliver them up according to the League betwixt them they were refused whereupon a feirce War commenced betwixt the Scots and Picts but it was quickly ended by the means of Columba who was according to his Merit highly esteemed by both Nations In the mean time England was again divided into Seven Kingdoms and the Brittons were driven into the Peninsula of Wales but the Saxons not contented with such large Dominions stirred up a new War betwixt the Scots and Picts The Author and Kindler thereof was Ethelfrid King of Northumberland a Covetous Man and who was weary of Peace out of the desire he had to enlarge his Dominions He persuaded the Picts but with difficulty Brudeus hardly consenting thereto That they should drive away Preys out of the Scots Territories and so give an occasion to a War Aidanus understanding the Treachery of the Saxons that he might also strengthen himself with Foreign Aid renewed the ancient League with Malgo the Britton He sent his Son Grifinus and his Sisters Son Brendinus King of Eubonia now called Man a Military Man with Forces who joyning with the Brittons entred Northumberland and after Three days march came to the Enemy but the English refused to engage them because they expected new Succors which were reported to be neer at hand for indeed Ceulinus King of the East Saxons a very Warlike Man was coming to them with great Forces the Scots and Brittons fell upon him in his March and wholly destroyed the Front of his Army which was a long way before the rest together with his Son Cutha but they were afraid to engage the rest lest they should be circumvented by Ethelfrid who was not far distant The two Kings of the Saxons being joined together again renewed the Fight with much Slaughter on both sides wherein the Scots and Brittons were put to flight There were slain of the Scots Nobles Grifinus and Brendinus in the opposite Army Ethelfrid lost one of his Eyes and Brudeus was carried wounded out of the Field to the great Astonishment of his Party The next Summer after Ethelfrid uniting his Forces with the Picts marched into Gallway supposing he should find all things there in great Consternation by reason of their ill Success the last Year But Aidanus coming with his Forces thither sooner than his Enemies thought set upon the straggling Plunderers and drave them with great trepidation to their Camp Thus having chastized their Temerity supposing now they would be more quiet the Night after he passed by their Camp and joyned himself with the Brittons Both Armies having thus united their forces pitch'd their Tents in a narrow Valley of Annandale and their Enemies as now Cock-sure of their Destruction beset the passages entring into it But they having fortify'd their Camp as if they intended there to abide in the Night when the Tide was out marched thro' the Ford which was known to them amidst the quavering Sands into Cumberland and afterward into Northumberland making great Havock whithersoever they came The Enemie followed them at their Heels and when they came in fight of one another both Armies prepare themselves for the Fight The Scots and Britains added Four Commanders to those they had before who were noble Persons of great experience in Warlike affairs that so the rash-Headed Common Soldiers might be commanded by a greater Number of Captains of the Brittons there were added Constantine and Mencrinus of the Scots Calenus and Murdacus By their Conduct and Incouragement the Soldiers fell upon the Enemy with so great Violence that he was presently broken and put to flight There goes a Report that Columb being then in the Isle Icolumbkil told his Companions of this Victory the very same hour in which it was obtained Of the Saxon Nobles there were slain in this fight Cialinus and Vitellius both great Warriors and highly descended about Eleven years after this Victory the Saxons and Picts infested the adjacent Country whereupon a Day was appointed wherein the Brittons and Scots should meet and with their united Forces set upon the Saxons Aidanus tho' very old came to the place at the appointed time and staid for the Brittons but in vain for they came not yet he drove Preys out of his Enemies Country Ethelfrid having now gotten a fair Opportunity to act something in set upon the dispersed Scots and made a great slaughter amongst them Aidanus having lost many of his Men fled for his Life yet the Victory was not unbloody to the Saxons for they lost Ethelfrid's Brother and some of those Squadrons that followed him were almost wholly cut off Aidanus having received this overthrow and being also informed of the death of Columb that Holy Man whom he so highly honoured foreseeing to what Cruelty the Remainder of the Christians were likely to be exposed being worn out with Age and Grief did not long survive he Reigned 34 years and died in the Year of our Lord 604. In his Reign it was That a certain Monk Named Austin came into Britain being sent by Gregory Pope of Rome who by his Ambition in Preaching a New Religion mightily disturbed the Old for he did not so much Preach the Christian Religion as the Ceremonies of the Roman Church Yea the Brittons before his coming were Converted to and taught the Principles of the Christian Religion by the Disciples of Iohn the Evangelist and were instituted in the same by the Monks who were Learned and Pious in that Age. As for Austin He laboured to reduce all things to the
being often found in Adultery and admonished by the Judge of the Ecclesiastical Court yet not desisting he was at last Excommunicated by the Official as they call him of the Bishop of Glasgow Whereupon he as if he had received a grat deal of Wrong way-laid the Judge as he was going to Air and kept him so long a Prisoner until upon the Payment of a Sum of Money he had absolved him Twine being informed That Iames Douglas was extremely angry with him for this Fact and that he sought for him to have him punished for Fear of his Power he fled into France and there he addressed himself to Edward Baliol Son to Iohn who had been King of Scotland some few years informing him of the State of Affairs in Scotland and withal advising him by no means to omit so fair an Opportunity of recovering his Fathers Kingdom For said he Their King was now but a Child and he had many Enemies about him and readier to be Avengers of the hatred towards his Father than his Friends The Fathers of some were slain in a publick Convention at Perth others were banished and lost their Estates others were mulct with the Loss of a great part of of their Lands and besides many of the English race who were deprived of the Lands given them by his Father would be his Companions in the Expedition yea that there were Men enough needy and criminal who either for hope of gain or to avoid the punishment of the Law being desirous of Change and Innovation wanted nothing but a Leader to begin a Disturbance And moreover Iames Douglas being killed in Spain and Randolf by reason of his Sickness being unfit for the Government there was not a Man besides to whose Authority the giddy and disagreeing Multitude would as soon submit as to His. Baliol knew That what he had spoken was for the most part true and hearing also that Edward of England was sending great Forces into Scotland Thereupon the crafty Impostor easily persuaded Him who of himself was desirous of Empire and Glory to get what Ships he could together and so to bear a Part in that Expedition But before the coming of Baliol into England Edward had disbanded his Army Nevertheless â—he exiled Scots and those English who had been dispossessed of their Lands in Scotland flocked in to him and so he made up no inconsiderable Army Some say That he had but 600 men accompanying him in so great an Attempt which seems not very probable I rather think Their Speech is more agreeable to Truth who write That the English assisted him with 6000 Foot And they were all more encouraged in their designed Expedition when they heard That Randolf was dead whilst they were making their Preparations for that mightily erected their Minds as a good Omen of their Future Success With this Navy he came to Kinghorn and there Landed his Naval Forces in the Calends of August The Land Forces were led by David Cumins heretofore Earl of Athol as also by Mowbray and Beaumont and the Forces of the English by Talbot At the News of the arrival of this Fleet Alexander Seaton a Nobleman who happened to be in those Parts at that time strove to oppose them thinking that upon their disorderly Landing some Opportunity of Service might be Offered but in regard few of the Country came in to him he and most of his men were cut off Baliol allowed some Few Days to his Soldiers to refresh themselves after their troublesome Voyage and then marched directly towards Perth and pitched his Tents by the Water-Mills not far from the Water of Earn The Regent was beyond and Patrick Dunbar on this side the River each of them with Great Forces their Camps being five miles distant one from another Baliol thô upon the Coming in of Many to him on the bruit of his good Success he made up an Army of above Ten thousand men yet being between Two Armies of his Enemies and fearing to be crushed in the midst he thought it best to attack them severally and that on a sudden when they least expected any such thing and he resolved to set upon Marr the Regent first because it was likely That he being most remote from his Enemy would be less watchful and so more liable to a surprize He got Andrew Murray of Tullibardin to be hiâ— Guide who not daring to joyn himself openly with the English in the Night fastned and stuck up a Pole or Stake in the River where it was Fordable to shew Baliol's men the Way over They being covered with the Woods which grew on the other Side the River came near the Enemy before they were aware where they understood That they kept but a thin Watch and slender Guard and passed the Night as in no Expectation of an Enemy at all upon the Account of this their Negligence they marched by their Camp in great Silence thinking to make an Assault on the adverse part thereof where they supposed they should find them more secure But it happened That in that Part where they presumed the greatest negligence was That Thomas Randolf Earl of Murray Robert Bruce Earl of Carrick Murdo Earl of Monteath and Alexander Frazer kept the Guard and Watch. They gathering a lusty Band of their Friends together received the First Charge and Onset of the Enemy very Valiantly upon the Edge of a Ditch which the falling down of the Rain-Water had made In the mean time a great Noise and Tumult was made in the Camp each one hastening to his Arms and running in to the Conflict but rushing in rashly in no Order and without their Colours first they broke the Ranks of their own men who bore the Brunt of the Baliolans and so the Last push'd on the First who falling into the Ditch they also in a ruinous manner foll down upon them There many were slain by the Enemy but more both of Horse and Men pressed to death by their â—all and the most part were so weakened that they had hardly strength enough left either to Fight or Fly There fell of the Scots 3000 many of those that escaped fled to Perth but they being few and generally without Arms or Guides were easily taken by the pursuing English together with the City itself The next Day Dumbar hearing of the overthrow of the other Army and that Perth was taken and being informed also of the Paucity of the English marched directly towards the Town with an intent to Besiege it and destroy the Enemy whilst they were yet in want of all things but the Matter being debated amongst his Chief Commanders each one excused himself and so they departed without effecting any thing Baliol having performed so great Matters in so short a time even beyond his Hope was encouraged to attempt the rest of the Scots either to win them by Favour or to conquer them by Force And there being such a mighty concourse of People
have reason to believe 80 of the chief of the Family had left their Wives at home great with Child all of which in due time brought forth Male-Children and they all lived to Man's Estate At the same time the King of England heard that his Army was beaten and wasted in Scotland and that an Embassador was sent by the Regent to the King of France to acquaint him with the Victory and to desire Aid of him against the Demands and Threats of the King of England and likewise to inform against Lennox in Defamation of his Departure into England as for Aid he could scarce obtain any because the French knew for certain that Henry was about passing over with great Forces into France only they sent 500 Horse and 3000 Foot not so much to defend the Scots from the Incursions of the English as to hold them in play that they might not fall with their whole Strength upon France Henry that Summer did not think it fit to send greater Forces to the Borders of Scotland because he was of opinion that the Garisons there were sufficient to inhibit the Excursions of the Scots and besides he knew well enough that the Scots in such a perplexed State of their affairs could not raise a great Army that Year to attack any well-fortified places The Scotish Embassador in France objected some sorry matters against Lennox in his Absence scarce worth the answering as that he had concealed the Mony sent to him that by reason of his Dissensions with the Cardinal the cause of the Publick was betray'd and as for his Departure into England That he exaggerated most invidiously The King of France who by means of false Rumors had conceiv'd such an Anger against Lennox that he would by no means admit of any Compurgation or Apology against those Calumnies and who also had imprisoned Lennox's Brother unheard Captain of his Guards when the Truth began a little to appear as 't were in excuse for his temerarious Fault sought for some colour to hide it and commanded an Examination to be made of the Crimes objected against Lennox And the Enquiry was committed to Iames Montgomery of Lorge Commander of the French Auxiliaries a Man active and good enough but a bitter Enemy to Lennox 't was put into his Hands by the Procurement of the Guises because they were not able to separate the cause of their Sister from the Perfidiousness of the Cardinal Montgomery arriv'd with his French Auxiliaries lately mention'd in Scotland on Iuly the 3 d in the Year 1545. where by shewing the Letters and declaring the good Intentions of the King of France towards them in the Council he obtained that an Army should be levied but only of the better sort who were able to bear the charges of the War and they were to meet together upon a short day And accordingly at the time appointed there met 15000 Scots at Hadington and marching to the Borders they formed their Camp over against Work a Castle in England From thence almost every other day they marched with their Colours into England and did obtain great Booty the Enemy endeavour'd to resist their Incursions but in vain they made indeed some light Skirmishes but unprosperously so that the Scots wasted all the Country for six Miles round This they continued during ten Days never going further into the Enemies Country in the Day-time than they could return back to their Camp at Night In the Interim Montgomery and George Hume dealt earnestly with the Regent that he would remove his Camp to the other side of the Tweed that so they might make freer Inrodes upon the parts adjacent and spred the terrour of their Army to a greater Distance but their Solicitations were in vain For the Regent and those of the Council about him were against it because they were destitute of all Necessaries for storming of Castles so that they disbanded the Army and returned home The other took up their Winter-Quarters as every one thought fit but Montgomery went to Sterlin to the Court where knowing of the Calumnies raised against Lennox by his Enemies though he himself did highly disgust him too yet he grievously rebuked the Cardinal that without any considerable Provocation on Lennox's part he had loden so noble and innocent a Person with such calumnious Imputations and had compell'd him even against his Will to join himself with the Enemy About the same time Inroads were made on both sides on all parts of the Borders with various Events Robert Maxwel the Son of Robert a young Man of singular Valor was taken Prisoner by the English there was nothing memorable done besides At the beginning of the following Winter Montgomery return'd to France and the Cardinal carried about the Regent with him through the Neighbouring Provinces upon pretence to reconcile and heal the Seditions and Distempers of all Parties First they came to Perth where four Men were punish'd for eating Flesh on a day prohibited and also a Woman and her Infant were both put to Death because she refused to call upon the Virgin Mary for Aid in her Travel then they applied themselves to the Overthrow of all the Reformed universally they went to Dundee and as themselves gave out 't was to punish such as read the new Testament for in those days that was counted a most grievous Sin and such was the Blindness of those Times that some of the Priests being offended at the Novelty of the Title did contend that That Book was lately written by Martin Luther and therefore they desired only the Old There 't was told them that Patrick Grey chief of a noble Family in those parts was coming with a great Train and the Earl of Rothes with him The Tumult being appeased the Regent commanded both of them to come to him the day after but the Cardinal thinking it not safe to admit two such potent and factious Persons with so great a Train into that Town which was the only one highly addicted to the Reformed Religion persuaded the Regent to return to Perth The Noble-Men when they were ready for their Journy heard News that the Regent was gone for Perth whereupon they followed him thither and when they came in sight of the Town the Cardinal was so afraid that to gratify him the Regent commanded them to enter the City severally and apart and the next day after they were both committed to Prison yet Rothes was soon released but Grey was delivered with more difficulty afterwards because he was more hated and feared by them Before they went from thence the Cardinal thought good to abate the Power of Ruven Mayor of the City so that the Regent took away the Mayoralty from him and gave it to the Laird Kinfans a Neighbour-Laird Gray's Kinsman Ruven was envied by the Cardinal because he favoured the Reform'd Religion and as for Grey he was not wholly averse from the Reformed neither nor yet any great Friend of
upon the Kingdom as gotten by other Mens wickedness and danger now sure to himself did therefore shew them all the Countenance and Favour imaginable Whereupon all things were prepared for the Perpetration of the designed Murder whilst the King was hearing one of them relating the various Adventures of his Life and the rest were busy in running to see a wild Beast of an extraordinary bigness the other thrust him through the Breast with an Hunting Spear and so slew him Upon the committing of which horrible Fact there was a great Hubbub and Concourse of People some take up their dying King others persue the Murderers who were taken and deservedly executed yet they were not put to Death before they had been Rackt and by that means they confest the Design of Donaldus and the wickedness of Carantius who had withdrawn himself to dissemble the Matter This Carantius first sled to the Brittons but they hearing of the cause of his Banishment did detest so execrable a Guest whereupon he went to the Roman Camp Donaldus II The Thirty Second King THE best of Men as well as of Kings being thus slain by the detestable Treachery of his Brother in the Eleventh Year of his Reign Donaldus the youngest of his Three Brothers was set up King in his stead He whilst he was preparing to Revenge his Brothers Death Word was brought him that Donaldus the Islander had entred Murray not now carrying himself as a Robber but as a King Whereupon He with a few of his Soldiers which were near at hand having left a Command for the rest to follow marches directly towards the Enemy Donaldus being informed by his Spies That the King had but a small Force with him continued his March Day and Night and by that means prevented the news of his approach The King being thus surprized seeing he could not avoid Fighting performed more than could have been expected from so small a Number but at length was overcome by the multitude of his Enemies and being grievously wounded with Thirty more of the prime of his Nobility was taken Prisoner about 3000 Men were slain in the Fight and 2000 taken The King dyed within Three days either of his Wounds or for Grief of his overthrow having scarce Reigned One full Year Donaldus III. The Thirty Third King AFter his Death Donald the Islander who before without any Authority had assumed the Name of King did now manage all things as a Legitimate Prince being advantaged much by the fear of the Nobles who left their Kinsmen who were pâ—isoners with him should be slain which Donaldus did daily threaten to do durst not make any Insurrections against him He was a very Tyrant in his Government and Cruel to all his Subjects for he was not content by an Edict to forbid any others to bear Arms but his own Servants and Officers too and also he hurried the Nobility to violent Deaths whose Destruction he esteemed to be the establishment of his Government Yea He proceeded to sow Seeds of Discord amongst those who survived his Cruelty neither did he think any Sight more lovely than the mutual slaughter of his Subjects For he counted their Ruin was his Gain and judged himself to be freed of so many Enemies as were slain out of both Armies Neither was he afraid of any thing more than the union of his Subjects against him Hereupon he kept himself commonly within the Verge of his own Palace and being conscious of the wrong he had done to all as Fearful of them and Formidable to them he seldom went abroad These Miseries câ—ntinuing Twelve Years at length Crathilinthus the Son of King Findâ—chus with much ado was found out to revenge the publick Wrongs and Calamities He had been bred up privately with his Foster-Father and was thought to have been dead But having few about him equal to him in strength or cunning dissembling his Name and his Lineage he first applyed himself to Court and being received into near Familiarity by the King by the dexterity of his Wit he became his most intimate and greatest Favourite At last when all things succeeded according to his Desire he discover'd to a few of his Confidents Who he was and What he designed and gathering a small Party about him having got a convenient opportunity he slew Donaldus and departed privately with his Associates Crathilinthus The Thirty Fourth King WHen the Death of the Tyrant was divulged both the Fact itself and the Authors thereof too were entertained with a general Acclamation so that Crathilinthus upon the discovery and legal proof of his Stock was made King with more Unanimity and Applause than ever any King had been before him in regard he had been the Author not only of their Liberty but of their Safety too At the beginning of his Reign by Publick Consent he caused the Children and Kindred of the Tyrant to be put to death as if he would extirpate Tyranny from the very Root Afterwards he made a Progress over all his Kingdom to Administer Justice as accustomed he repaired as carefully as he could what was damaged by Donaldus Thus having established Peace at home and abroad after the Custom of the Nation he spent his time in Hunting In order to which Exercise being on Mount Grampius near the Borders of the Picts he Nobly entertained the young Gallants of the Picts that came to visit him yea he was not content with that Friendship that had been anciently betwixt them grounded on old Acquaintance and strengthened by a mutual Peace but he took them also into a nearer Courtship and Familiarity But that Familiarity had almost proved his ruin For the Picts having stoln a Dog of the Scotish Kings wherein he much delighted the Keeper having discovered the Place where he was concealed in going thereto and endeavouring to bring him back was slain Hereupon a great Outcry was presently made and a Multitude of both Parties were gathered together between whom there was a sharp Combat wherein many were slain on both sides amongst whom there were not a few of the young Nobility of both Nations by which means there were sown the Seeds of a most Cruel War betwixt them For from that Day forward each Nation did vex the other with Hostile Incursions and never gave over till they met together with full Armies Neither could Peace be made up between them upon any Terms though both Kings desired it For although they were not ignorant that it was to their Disadvantage to be at odds one another the Romans and Brittons being their perpetual Enemies and Assailants yet they were so madded by and so set upon the Desire of Revenge that whilst they were eager on that account they neglected the Publick Calamity impending on them both and unless Carantius a Roman Exile one of mean Descent but a good Soldier had interposed they had fought it out to the last Man even till both Nations had been destroyed This
of their Zeal for God and Godliness who preached the Doctrine of Christianity to the People inhabiting about the Rhene and that with so great Success that the People thereupon built Monasteries in many Places The Germans owe this to their Memory that even to our days Scots are the Governors over those Monasteries Though Achaius was desirous of Peace yet the Pictish concerns drew him on to a War For when Athelstan the English-Man had wasted the Neighbouring Lands of the Picts Hungus their King obtained the Aid of Ten Thousand Scots from Achaius who before was disgusted with the English He placed his Son Alpinus a Commander over them who was born to him by the Sister of Hungus by the assistance of those Auxiliaries he drove a great prey out of Northumberland Athelstan a feirce Warriour was almost at his Heels and overtook him not far from Hadington The Picts being dismayed at the suddain coming of their Enemies run to their Arms and keep themselves in their Stations till Night having set their Watches for the Night Hungus being inferiour in other things desired Aid of God and gave up himself wholly to Prayer At last when his Body was wearied with Labour and his Mind oppressed with Care he seemed to behold Andrew the Apostle standing by him in his Sleep promising him Victory This Vision being declared to the Picts filled them full of Hope so that they prepared themselves with great Alacrity to the Combate which otherwise they could not avoid The next day they came to a pitched Battel Some add That another Prodigy was seen in the Heavens a cross like the Letter X which did so terrifie the English that they could hardly bear the first brunt of the Picts Athelstan was slain there who gave Name to the place of Battel which is yet called Athelstan Ford. Hungus ascribed the Victory to St. Andrew to whom besides other Gifts he offered the Tithe of his Royal Demeasâ—s I am of Opinion that This was the Athelstan Commander of the Danish Nation to whom the English affirm That Northumberland was granted by Alured Achaius died the Thirty Second year of his Reign and in the Year of Christ Eight Hundred and Nine Congallus III. The Sixty Sixth King CONGALLVS his Cousin German succeeded him who Reigned Five years in Peace both at home and abroad Dongallus The Sixty Seventh King DONGALLVS the Son of Solvathius was next King to him The Soldiers not able to endure the Severity of his Government gathered themselves together to Alpinus the Son of Achaius and because they could not persuade him by fair means to undertake the Kingdom they compelled him by force and menaces to be seemingly on their side He having gathered together an Army and pretending to do as they would have him disappointed them and fled to Dongallus his coming was acceptable to the King but a great dismay to the Rebels and therefore they accuse him to the King as if Alpinus himself had persuaded them to Rebel The King well perceiving their Calumny suddenly prepared his Army and so prevented the rumour of his coming Those of them which he took he put to Death In the mean time Hungus died and his Eldest Son Dorstologus was slain by the Fraud of his Brother Eganus neither did the Murtherer long survive his Brother So that the Male-stock of Hungus being extinct his Sister's Son Alpinus as next Heir both by an ancient Law and in Right of Blood claimed the Kingdom The Picts disdained him as a Foreigner whereupon Dongallus sent Messengers to them to expostulate the matter but they refused to give them Audience but Commanded them to depart in four days Dongallus intended to make War upon them with all his might But in the preparation thereof as he was passing over the Spey whose Current was very violent the Vessel in which he was sunk and he was Drown'd after he had Reigned Six Years some say Seven Alpinus The Sixty Eighth King ALpinus the Son of Achaius led the Army raised by Dongallus against Frederethus who had seized upon and arrogated the Kingdom of the Picts to himself The Armies met at Restenot a Village of Angus the Fight was maintained with great Obstinacy and Cruelty even until Night the Victory was uncertain tho' the Death of Frederethus made it to incline to the Scots For when he saw his Men to fly in the Fight with a Troop of Noble Youngsters he brake through the main Battel of the Scots and being thus severed from his Men was there slain with the Flower of his Nobility Brudus was substituted in his place a Slothful Person and unfit for Military Affairs In his Reign the Scots drove Preys out of their Enemies Country without Resistance and the Picts raising up a Tumult on purpose amongst themselves slew Brudus before he had Reigned one Year Then they set up Kennethus another of Frederethus his Sons in his stead one neither Valianter nor more Successful than his Brother For when he had levied an Army and came in fight of his Enemies he privily stole away and so was slain by a Country Man who upbraided him as a Run-away not knowing Who he was The Picts having lost their King before their Enemies were sensible of it returned home and made another Person named Brudus King one of high Descent and Noble Atchievements He as soon as he entred upon the Kingdom set upon the straggling Plunderers and curbed their Rashness making a great Slaughter amongst them after that that he might strengthen his weak Forces by Foreign Aids he sent Ambassadors with great Gifts to the English which were nearest to him They received their Gifts and were large enough in their Promises of Assistance but though the Picts earnestly pressed them yet they put them off laying the fault on their own Combustions at home The Picts being disappointed of their Hope there levied all of their Own that were able to bear Arms and resolved to venture their All with this Resolution they marched directly toward the Enemy who were encamped not far from Dundee As soon as they met the Battel was so much the more sharp by reason of the old Hatred the recent Disgust the many mutual Slaughters and the frequent Injuries and Wrongs committed on both sides When the Conflict was a long time doubtful at last an Hundred Horse of the Picts rose out of an Ambush who that they might seem to be a greater Number did also Horse their Baggage Men and Attendants upon their Baggage Horses and so shewing themselves upon the tops of the Hills they wheeled about as if they would have set upon the Rear of the Army which was a Fighting That apprehension struck such a terrour into the Scots that they presently scattered and fled into the Neighbouring Woods by which many of them were saved alive only some few were slain in the Fight but more in flight by the nimble Baggagers who were set on Horseback King
thereupon He nevertheless persisted in his slothful kind of Life which gave opportunity to the Remainders of the Picts as if an hopeful Alarm had been given them even from the very bottom of Despair to address themselves to Osbreth and Ella Two of the most potent and prevalent Kings of the English for then England was divided into many Kingdoms They bewail'd their misfortune to them and craved earnestly their Assistance promising That they and all their Posterity would become Feudataries to the English in case they obtained the Victory over the Scots which they prejudg'd would be an easy one by reason of the slothful Nature of Donald The English were easily persuaded and having setled things at home they led out their Army into Merch from whence they sent Heralds to Donaldus requiring that the Lands which the Scots had forceably taken away from the Picts their Friends and Allies might be restored which unless he would do they would not neglect their old Confederates who had now also newly cast themselves upon them Donaldus by the advice of the Estates which in this time of imminent Danger he had thô unwillingly convened Levied an Army and met with the Enemy at Iedd a River of Teviotdale where he joyned Battel and overthrew Osbreth enforcing him to fly to the next Mountains From thence he marched on by Tweed unto the Sea side recovered Berwick which had been taken by the English and again deserted by them upon the ill news of the success of the Battel where he took all the Ships riding in the Mouth of the River and seized upon all the Enemies Provisions therein There he got an opportunity to renew his interrupted Pleasures and as if his Enemies had been wholly overthrown he drowned himself in all kind of Voluptuousness Whereupon the English who in the last Fight were rather scatter'd than subdued understanding by their Spies the Carelesness and Security of the Scots gathered together what Force they could out of the Neighborhood and by night set upon the Scots who were laden with Wine and fast asleep making a great slaughter amongst them but they took the King who was between sleeping and waking Prisoner From thence they followed the Course of their Victory and to make their Ravage more compleat they divided their Army into Two Parts and so marched into the Enemies Country Part of them when they came to the Forth got Vessels and essayed to pass over by Water into Fife but a great Number of them were Shipwrackt and drowned and the rest by the violence of the Storm were forced back to the Shore where they embarked from whence marching to Sterling and joyning with the rest of their Army they pass over the Forth on a Bridge The Scots after their flight gathered themselves into a Body thereabouts having the bare show rather than the strength of an Army and sent Ambassadors to the English for Peace which they did not refuse because their strength was weakened by the unsuccessful Battel of Iedd and also by their own Shipwrack The English propounded hard Conditions yet such as the present State of Affairs made to seem tolerable As that The Scots should yield up all the Land which was within the Wall of Severus That their Bounds should be beneath Sterling the Forth beneath Dunbarton the Clyd and between the Two Rivers the Wall of Severus Amidst such hard Terms of Peace yet this happened as joyous so unexpected to the Scots That no mention was made concerning the Reduction of the Picts For the English and Britains divided the Lands surrendred up betwixt them the River being a Boundary betwixt them both There are some who think the Money yet called Sterling was then Coined there The Lands being thus divided the Picts who thought to recover their own being eluded of their hopes passed over to the Cimbrians and Scandians i. e. as we now speak to Denmark and Norway Those few of them that staid in England were all put to death by them upon pretence that they would attempt Innovations by their soliciting of Forein Aid Donaldus after he had made Peace upon his Return was Honourably received partly out of Respect to his Ancestors and partly in hopes of his Repentance But he persevering in his wonted Slothfulness the Nobles fearing that so filthy and sluggish a Person who would neither hearken to the Counsels of his Friends nor be reclaimed by his own Calamities would lose that part of the Kingdom which remained cast him into Prison where either for Grief in having his Pleasure restrained or for Fear to be made a Publick Spectacle of Scorn he laid violent hands on himself in the Sixth Year of his Reign Others report that This Donaldus performed many Noble Exploits both at home and abroad and that he dyed a natural death at Scone in the Year of our Lord 858. Constantinus II. The Seventy First King COnstantinus the Son of Kennethus undertook the Kingdom after him at Scone he was a Prince of a great Spirit and highly Valorous He was desirous to obliterate the Ignominy received under Donaldus and to enlarge his Kingdom unto the Bounds left by his Father but he was otherwise advised by his Nobles because the greatest part of the Soldiery were slain under Donaldus and the remainder was grown so Corrupt that it was not fit to put Arms into their hands And thereupon the King first bent his care to amend the Publick Discipline and so he reduced the Order of Priests to their Ancient Parsimony by severe Laws in regard they had left off Preaching and had given up themselves to Luxury Hunting Hawking and to Courtly-Pomp He caused the Young Soldiers who were effeminated with Pleasures to lye on the Ground and to Eat but once a day Drunkards he punished with Death He forbad all sports but those who served to harden both Body and Mind for the Wars By these Laws the Soldiery of the Kingdom were reduced to a better pass And presently upon a certain Islander named Evenus whom he himself had made Governour of Loch-Abyr a Man of an unquiet Spirit and Ambitious of Dominion rose up in Arms who knowing That the Youthful Fry of Soldiers could not well bear the Severity of these New Laws First gathered together a small Number and then a greater complaining of the present State of Things And when he found his Discourse was acceptable to them he easily persuaded them to conspire for the Destruction of Constantine But being more active than cautelous in gathering strength to their Faction they were betrayed by some of their Own and slain before they knew any Forces were gathered together against them Evenus the head of the Conspiracy was hanged About this time it was That the Danes then the most Potent and Flourishing Nation amongst the Germans were solicited by the Picts against the Scots and also by one Buernus or as others write Verna whose Wife Osbreth had forceably
The Scots answered the Ambassadors That Berwick always belonged to Scotland till his Grandfather Edward had injuriously seized upon it At length when Robert Bruce their last King had recovered the rest of Scotland he took away that Town from Edward Father of him who now requires the Reddition of it and reduced it unto its Ancient Rightful Possessor and Form of Government yea not long ago Edward himself by the Advice of his Parliament had renounced all Right which He or his Ancestors might pretend to have over all Scotland in general or any of the Towns and Places therein in particular From that time they were not Conscious to themselves That they had acted any thing against the League so solemnly Sworn to and confirmed by Alliance of a Marriage Why then within the compass of a few Years were they assaulted by secret Fraud and by open War These things being so they desired the Embassadors to incline the Mind of their King to Equity and that he would not watch his Opportunity to Injure and Prejudice a young King in his absence who was both Innocent and also his own Sisters Husband As for Themselves they would refuse no Conditions of Peace provided they were Honourable but if he threatened them with an unjust Force then according to the Tutelage of the King committed to them they resolved rather to dye a Noble Death than to consent to a Peace prejudicial to Themselves or the Kingdom This was the Answer of the Council of Scotland But the King of England sought not Peace but Victory and therefore having encreased his great Army with Foreign Aid also he besieged Berwick by Sea and Land neither did he omit any thing which might Contribute to the Taking of it for having a Multitude of Men he gave his Enemy no rest Night nor Day Neither were the Besiegers behind hand with them but Valorously Sallied out upon them every day They threw Fire into their Ships which Anchored in the River and burnt many of them In which Skirmish William Seaton the Governors Bastard-Son was lost much lamented by all for his singular Valour For whilst he endeavoured to leap into an English Ship his own being driven too far off by the Waves he fell into the Sea neither in that Exigent could any Relief come to him And besides another Son of Alexanders begot on his Lawful Wife who out of eagerness to fight proceeded too far in a Sally was taken by the English But the Siege which was begun in the Ides of April had now lasted Three Months and the Defendants besides their Toil and Watchings were also in great want of Provisions so that they seemed hardly able to hold out the Town any longer but made an Agreement with the English That unless they were relieved by the Third of the Calends of August they would surrender up the Place And for this Thomas Alexanders Eldest Son was given in Hostage Whilst these things were acting at Berwick the Scots Indicted an Assembly to consult about their Affairs and in regard the Regent was Prisoner at Roxburgh that they might not be without a General they chose Archibald Douglas Captain-General they also Voted That he should have an Army to march into England that so by Foraging the Neighbouring Countrys he might draw off the King of England from the Siege Douglas according to this Order and Decree marched towards England but hearing of the Agreement which Alexander had made he changed his Mind and thô against the Advice of his most prudent Commanders he marched directly towards the English and on the Eve of Mary Magdalen came in Sight of them and was beheld both by Friends and Enemies The King of England tho' the Day was not come wherein it was agreed That the Town should be surrendred yet when he saw the Scots Forces so near he sent an Herald into the Town to acquaint the Governor That unless he presently Surrendred up his Garison he would put his Son Thomas to Death The Governor alleging That the Day appointed for the Surrender was not yet come and that he had given his Faith to stay till the time allowed by their Paction was expired but all was in Vain Hereupon Love Piety Fear and Duty towards his Country did variously exercise his Paternal and Afflicted Mind and the English to drive the Terror more home had set up a Gallows in a Place easily visible to the Besieged whither he caused the Governors Two Sons One the Hostage the Other a Prisoner of War to be brought forth to Execution At this miserable Spectacle his Fatherly mind was at a great stand and in this Fluctuation of his Thoughts his Wife the Mother of the Young Men a Woman of a Manly Courage came to him and put him in mind of his Faithfulness towards his King his Love towards his Country and the Dignity of his Noble Family upon all which grounds she endeavoured to settle his wavering Mind If these Children be put to Death said she you have others remaining alive and besides we are neither of us past Age You to beget and I to bear more If they escape Death yet it will not be long but that by some sudden Casualty or else by maturity of Age they must yield to Fate but if any Blot of Infamy should stick upon the Family of the Seatons it would remain to all Posterity and be a foul Blur even to their Innocent Offspring She further told him That she had often heard those Men much commended in the Discourses of the Wise who had given up Themselves and their Children as a Sacrifice for the safety of their Country but if he should give up the Town committed to his Trust he would betray his Country and yet be never the more certain of his Childrens Lives neither For how could he hope That a Tyrant who violated his Faith Now would stand to his Word for the Future And therefore she entreated him not to prefer an Vncertainty and if it should be obtained a Momentany Convenience before a certain and perpetual Ignominy By this Discourse she somewhat settled his Mind and that he might not Behold so dismal a Spectacle she carried him to another Place from whence it could not be seen The English King after this Punishment inflicted which was not very acceptable neither to some of his own men removed his Camp to Halidon-Hill near Berwick and there waits his Enemies coming Douglas who before would not hearken to the Advice of his Grave Counsellors as to the Foraging of the English Counties and so averting the Siege now was inflamed with raging Wrath and withal presuming That if after the Perpetration of so horrible a Wickedness almost before his Eyes he should draw off without Fighting it might be said That he was afraid of his Enemy was resolved to fight at any rate and so marched directly towards the Enemy and because the English kept their Ground and would
his Former Life and especially for his late and yet reaking Conquests was received with a great deal of Favour and had the Government of Roxburgh bestowed on him yea and the Sheriff-wick of all Teviotdale was also added to his Authority William Douglas took this mighty heinously that Ramsay was preferred before him in that Honour For seeing he had expelled the English from almost all Teviotdale he had sometimes presided over the Publick Assembly there thô without the Kings Command yet relying upon his Merits towards his Country the Nobleness of his Stock and the Power of his Family he hoped That no man would have been his Competitor for that Office Whereupon being wholly bent on Revenge he at present dissembled his Anger but in Three Months after he met with his Adversary holding an Assembly in the Church of Hawick and unawares assaulted and wounded him having also slain Three of his Followers who endeavoured to rescue him and so set him upon an Horse and carried him to the Castle of Hermitage where he starved him to Death About the same time William Bullock a Man of singular Loyalty to the King was put to the same kind of Death by David Berclay These Two Savage and Cruel Facts filled almost the whole Kingdom with Seditions and distracted it into several Parties These things did mightily exercise the King who was yet but Young and not accustomed to Men of Rough and Military Dispositions yet though he used great diligence to find out Douglas to bring him to Condign Punishment he by Means of his Friends of which he had procured Many by his Noble Exploits for the Liberty of his Country and especially of Robert Stuart the King's Son by his Sister obtained his Pardon And indeed the Magnificent yet True Report of his Famous Actions did much facilitate the Obtaining thereof together with the present Conjuncture of the Time wherein there being but an uncertain Peace abroad and Seditions at home Military Men were to be respected yea and honoured too Upon which Account he was not only pardoned but preferred also to the Government of Roxburgh and of Teviotdale too a Clemency which perhaps in the present Circumstances of Things might be useful but certainly of very ill Example for the Future David having thus settled Matters at Home the best he could denounces War against England the greatest Part of the Nobility dissuading him from that Expedition by reason of the great Scarcity of Provisions Yet he Listed an handsom Army and made Thomas Randolfe General thereof he himself accompanied him but in disguise that he might not be known to be the King This Army having wasted Northumberland for about Two Months time returned home with great Booty Within a few Days after he made another Inrode into the Enemies Country but then he did not disguise but openly professed Himself both King and General The English being inferior in Strength would not venture to give a set Battel whilst their King was absent in France but skirmished their Enemies with their Horse and so kept them from plundering much by a close March Five of the Chief Nobility whom David had lately raised to that Honour straggling too far from their Men were taken Prisoners their Followers being also killed or put to Flight So that David to spend no more time there in vain returned with his Army He made also a Third Expedition with what Force he could privately Levy that so he might fall upon his Enemy unawares But entring England in a stormy Autumn the small Brooks were so swollen with large Showres that they made all the Country unpassable and also hinder'd the Carriage of Provision so that Home he came again yet that he might not seem to have taken so much Pains to no purpose he demolished a few Castles Not long after Embassadors were sent to and fro in order to obtain a Truce for Two Years which the Scots consented to upon Condition That Philip King of France gave his Consent for That was one Article in the Treaty between the Scots and French That neither of them should make Truce or Peace with the English without the Other 's Consent For those Two Years Scotland was quiet About the Fourth Year after David's Return the French were overcome in a great Battel and Calais a Town of the Mâ—â—ini was besieged by them so that Philip pressed the Scots by his Ambassadors to Invade England and to so draw away some of their Force from Him Hereupon an Army was commanded to meet at Perth Thither they came in a great Abundance and there David Earl of Rosse waylaying Reginald Lord of the Aebudae his Old Enemy fell upon him in the Night and slew him with Seven Nobles in his Company This Murder did much weaken the Army for the Kindred and Tenants of both Parties yea the Neighbouring Inhabitants fearing a Civil War between Two such Potent Families returned to their own Homes And therefore William Douglas of Liddisdale earnestly persuaded the King to desist from his present Expedition and to compose Matters at Home His Counsel was refused and the King his Friendship to Philip overcoming his Love to his Country marches forward into England and destroyed all as he went by Fire and Sword And thus in Sixteen Days he came into the County of Durham where the English parly levied by Percy and partly sent back from the Siege of Calais made a great Body and shewed themselves to the Enemy in Battel-array sooner than ever the Scots could have imagined David who feared nothing less than the coming of the Enemy and therefore had sent abroad Douglas to forage the Neighbouring Country gave a Signal of Battel to his Souldiers Douglas fell unawares amongst his Enemies and having lost Five Hundred of his Men was put to slight and returned in great Fear to the Camp And the End of the Conflict was as unhappy as the Beginning For the Fight being sharply begun Randolfe's Men were routed at the first Onset and he himself slain The main Battel in which the King was was assaulted by Two Brigades of the English One that had conquered before and Another that was intire and had not yet charged who shattered it and cut it off quite They being resolved to die and therein almost all the Scotish Nobility were utterly lost and the King himself after his Arms were taken away was taken Prisoner by Iohn Copland but he struck out Two of his Teeth with his Fist though he himself was sorely wounded with two Arrows The Third Wing commanded by Robert Stuart and Patrick Dunber perceiving the Slaughter of their fellow-Souldiers withdrew themselves with little Loss The Nobility were so destroyed in this Fight that immediately after it Roxburgh Hermitage and many other Castles were surrender'd to the English And the Scots were enforced to quit their Claim to all the Lands they held in England and also to Merth Teviotdale Liddisdale and Lauderdale and the
of the Estates he was by a General Suffrage named Heir Presumptive of the Crown But this was done some Years after The King spent the next Five Years in appeasing the Discords at home in which time there happened Two great Calamities One reached but to a few by an Inundation of Water for the Heavens sent down so much Rain that Lothian seemed to be all a Float yea the force of the Water was such that it carried away Bridges Water-Mills Country Houses with their Owners and Cattle into the Sea it rooted up Trees and almost quite destroyed the Towns which stood near the Banks of Rivers This Misery was seconded by Another namely a grievous Pestilence which consumed many of all Ranks and Ages In the Year 1363. the state of things grew Calmer and then in the Assembly of the Estates the King propounded to the Lords of the Articles That the King of England or else his Son might be sent for into Scotland to undertake the Kingdom if he should chance to Die This he did either by his weariness of War or foreseeing That it would be for the Good of both Kingdoms or as others think because of his Oath which the English had made him to Swear but his Speech was so Unacceptable and Offensive to them all that before every ones Vote could be asked in order they all confusedly cried out upon it as an abominable Propose and it was almost come to That that they who had most freely spoken against it fearing his Displeasure were meditating a Revolt But he understanding their Fears abated his Anger and received them into Favour When he had quieted all things elsewhere yet the Highlanders continued still in Arms and did not only commit Outrages upon one another but also made Havock of the adjacent Countries The King tried all probable Means to bring them to a mutual Concord but being not able to do it his next Plot was To suborn some Crafty Fellows to foment and heighten their Dissensions that so when the feircest of them had destroyed one another the rest might become more Tractable and Pliant The King having performed these Exploits both at home and abroad departed this Life in the Castle of Edinburgh on the Seventh Day of Iune in the Forty Seventh Year of his Age about the Thirty Ninth of his Reign and of our Lord 1370. He was certainly a Man eminent in all kind of Virtue but especially in Justice and Clemency and though he had been exercised with Good and Bad Events alternately yet still his Fortune seemed rather to fail him than his Industry Robert II. The Hundredth King AFter David's Decease the Nobles met together at Linlithgo to Congratulate Robert at the beginning of his Reign who had before been designed King by his Uncle but here the Ambition of William Douglas had almost cast things into a Sedition and Uproar For he demanded the Kingdom as his Hereditary Right in regard he was descended from Baliol and the Cumins's But finding that his Suit was unacceptable to them all and especially to his most intimate Friends as the Two Brothers George and Iohn Dunbars of which one was Earl of Merch and the other of Murray as also to Robert Erskin Governor of the Three well-fortified Castles of Dunbarton Sterling and Edinburgh he desisted and promised to obey Robert as his Liege King and the King to oblige him in a more strict Bond of Friendship espoused his Daughter to Earl William's Son This year the Truce made for Fourteen years was broken by the English There was a great Fair usually kept the Third of the Ideâ— of August whether huge Numbers of both Nations even from very remote Places used to resort thither came the Inhabitants of Merch and it happened that one of Dunbar's Familiar Friends was slain there George according to the Law which was observed among the Borderers sent Heralds to demand the Murderers to be given up to him or else That they would Punish them Themselves but perceiving that Favour did outvy Equity he dissembles the Affront and against the next day appointed for the Fair he secretly prepared a Band of Men and setting upon the Town unexpectedly he slew all the Youngsters burnt the Houses and returned home with a great Booty The English to revenge this Injury did with like Cruelty ravage over all the Lands of Iohn Gordon a Noble Knight and not long after Gordon entred England and took away a great Prey of Men and Cattle but as he was returning home Iohn Lilburn met him with a far greater Force than he had A terrible Fight began betwixt them and Victory seemed a long time to flutter over both Parties with doubtful Wings but at last she inclined to the Scots The Commander of the English Forces was taken Prisoner with many of his Allies and Tenants Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland a Man of a great Spirit being then Lord Warden or Governour of the Eastern Marches or Borders took this Overthrow of his Countrymen in great Disdain and thereupon gathered together a Body of above 7000 Men and encamped at a Village called Duns remarkable for being the Birth Place of Iohn Scotus Sirnamed Subtilis rather than for any thing else There the Countrymen and Shepherds gathered themselves together having no other Arms but such Rattles and Gimcracks wherewith they frighten Stags and other Cattle which do pasture there up and down without any Keeper and so by night they placed themselves on some Risings of the Lamormore Hills which were near to the said Village of Duns The Form of the Gimcrack is This On the top of a long Spear or Pole they fasten some Staves or Hoops of Wood made crooked and bent into a Semicircle all over them they stretched a Skin after the same Form as the Lanterns which the Vulgar Parisians call Falots are made into these Lanterns or Concavities they put small Stones but very hard ones which when they are stirred and tumbled up and down make such a rattling noise as drives away the Beasts and Cattle from the Corn. With these Rattling Instruments they made a mighty Noise on the Hills hanging over Duns wherewith the English Horse were so affrighted that they broke the Headstalls they were tied with and ran up and down the Fields and so were taken by the Countrymen And in the whole Army there was such a Tumultuous Bustle that they cried out Arm Arm and thinking the Enemy had been at their Heels they passed that night without sleep But in the morning perceiving their mistake in regard they had lost many of their Baggage Horses as well as those for Service they retreated six Miles for that Place is so far distant from England on Foot leaving their Baggage behind them almost in the Posture of such as Fly away The same day that Percy retired back from Duns Thomas Musgrave Governor of Berwick had issued out of his Garison
the Efforts of the Enemy So that after they had lost a great many men they were worn out with Toils and Watchings and so broke up the Siege In the mean time the King levied an Army to relieve his distressed Friends but seeing he had not Strength enough to encounter the Douglasses he resolv'd to wait the coming in of Alexander Gordon to his assistance who had levy'd a good Force in the Northern Parts and was marching towards him but as he was coming thro Angus Craford with a considerable Body met and oppos'd him at Brechin where a sharp Battel was fought betwixt them when the King 's main Battel was giving ground as not able to indure the shock of the Angusians Iohn Colace who commanded the Left Wing forsook Craford having born him a Grudge and so left the main Body of the Army naked Hereupon those who were almost Conquerors being struck with terrour turn'd their Backs and sled away Thus Gordon unexpectedly got the Victory yet with much loss on his side his two Brothers and a great Number of his Friends and Followers being Slain of the Angusians also there fell several men of Note and amongst the rest the Earl's own Brother As for the Earl himself he turn'd his Wrath from the Enemy to those who had deserted him he storm'd their Castles and spoil'd their Lands with Fire and Sword and he had the better Opportunity so to do because that Gordon made a speedy Return into his own Country when he heard that the Earl of Murray was exercising all manner of Cruelty against his own Territories so that he was forced to march back with his Victorious Army where he not only revenged his Loss upon his Enemy but also quite expell'd him out of his Country of Murray These things were acted toward the End of the Spring In the interim the King by the advice chiefly of Iames Kennedy caus'd an Assembly of the Estates to meet at Edinburgh to which he Summon'd by an Herald the Earl of Douglas and the Nobles of his Party to come But he was so far from obeying him that the next Night he caus'd a Libel to be hung on the Church doors That he would not trust the King with his Life nor yield Obedience to him for the future any more who had sent for his Kinsman to Edinburgh and his Brothers to Sterlin under the Protection of the Publick Faith and there had perfidiously slain them without Hearing their Cause In this Assembly the Four Brothers of the late Earl which was slain Iames Archibald George and Iohn with Beatriâ— the Earls late Wife and Alexander Earl of Craford were declar'd Publick Enemies to the Common-wealth Many persons were advanc'd to be Noble men and Rewards were assign'd them out of the Rebels Estates An Army was levy'd to pursue the Enemy which after some devastation of the Country driving of Bootys and burning Corn in the Granarys was again dismist in Winter because the Soldiers could not then keep the Field and an Expedition was appointed against the Spring In the mean time Iames Douglas left the wealth of his Family which was mightily increas'd by rich Matches should pass away to others took Beatrix the Relict of his Brother to Wife and treats with the Pope to confirm the Marriage But the King by his Letters interpos'd and hindred him from giving his Ratification to it This Year and the next following there was Bandying between the Parties Lands were pillag'd some Castles overthrown but they came not to decide the main Controversy in a Set Battel the greatest Part of the damage fell on the Countys of Annandale Foress and the Neighbouring Countys of the Douglasses After this Devastation of the Lands there follow'd a Famine and after the Famine a Pestilence yet the Wisest of Douglas's his Friends sought many times to persuade him to endeavour a Reconciliation with the King and so to lay himself and all his Concerns at his Feet whom his Ancestors had before found very merciful Especially since he had a King who was easily exorable in his own Nature and moreover might be made more reconcilable by the Mediation of his Friends and that he would not suffer so noble a Family as His was to be extirpated by his Obstinacy nor betray the Lives of so many brave Men who follow'd his Party neither yet bring them to that Point of Necessity that after having suffer'd so many Calamities they should be forc'd to make Terms for themselves Whilst he was in a good Condition he might make an easy Pacification but if once his Friends deserted him there would then be no Hope for him to obtain his Pardon The Man being in his Youthful Age and of a Fierce Disposition too made Answer That he would never submit himself to their Power who were restrain'd by no Bonds of Modesty nor by any divine or human Law who under fair Promises had inticed his Cosins and his Brother to come to them and then perfidiously and cruelly Slew them In a Word he would suffer the height of all Extremities before he would ever put himself into their hands This his Answer was either approv'd or dislik'd according to every Man's Humour Those who were Violent or who made a Gain of the publick Miseries commended the Greatness of his Courage but the Wiser sort persuaded him to take Opportunity by the Forelock lest after his Friends had forsaken him he might complain that he had neglected the Time for a Pacification when 't was not to be redeem'd which is usually the end of Headlong Counsels But the Earl of Craford being weary'd out with so long a War and withal considering with himself the very Unjustness of his Cause together with the common Mutations of human Life as also knowing that Pardon might easily be Obtain'd if he did preoccupy the Kings Favour but very difficultly if he stood it out and besides being forsaken by some of his Friends and suspecting the Fidelity of the rest put himself into such an Habit as might most move Pity and thus bare-headed bare-footed in most humble manner he came to the King as he was passing thro' Angus he ingeniously confest the offences of his former Life he cast himself and all his concerns upon the King's Mercy having first prefaced something concerning the Fidelity and good Services which his Ancestors had performed to their Kings he was conscious that his fault had deserv'd the Extremity of Punishment but whatsoever hereafter he had either of Life or Fortune it would be a Debt wholly due to the Kings Clemency Having spoken these and other words of the same import not without Fear all the Spectators were much moved and affected especially some of the Nobility of Angus and tho' they themselves had in former times followed the Kings Party yet they were unwilling that so eminent and ancient a Family should be destroy'd Iames Kennedy carry'd himself at the same time like a good Bishop and
of all things and afterwards a Famine for the Sellers had rather suffer their Commodities to be spoil'd at Home than under a pretence of Sale to give them away to the Buyers But that all Commerce might not wholly cease amongst the People this one Remedy was found out for Bargainers and Chapmen That they should mention in their Contracts in what sort of Money the Payment should be made 'T is true some of our former Kings had Coin'd that kind of Money but 't was more for the necessary use of the Poor than for their own Gain and also Provision was made by a Law beyond what Sum Sellers might not be compell'd to take it in payment And thus the Buyers of small Commodities had a Benefit and also it seem'd sufficiently caution'd by the Law that the Richer Sort should have no Damage by this way of Change or Sale It was also objected against them That they had alienated the King's Heart from the Nobility and had set him a-gog upon Magick and had hurried him on to the Destruction of his own Kindred But that which made Cockran most envy'd was his Earldom of Merch which Country and Title the King had given to him or else had committed to his Trust upon the Death of the Youngest Brother When those Evil Counsellors were remov'd out of the way The King had no great Confidence in the Souldiery nor the Souldiery in him so that the Army was dismist and return'd Home and the King though for the present he supprest his Anger and made many large and fair Promises to the Nobility yet his Heart inwardly boiled with Blood Slaughter and Revenge And therefore as soon as he thought himself at Liberty he retired with some few of his Confidents into the Castle of Edinburgh and the Nobility not knowing what to think of it had also their Consultations apart The King of England gather'd Forces in the Winter-Season by the persuasion of Alâ—xander chiefly who inform'd him of the Dissension betwixt the King and his Nobles in Scotland and also assur'd him That as soon as ever he entred Scotland great Numbers of Horse and Foot would come in to him whereupon he made Richard his Brother Duke of Glocester General and commanded him to march into Scotland He began his March when it was about Midsummer and understanding in what Condition the Scotish Affairs were he turn'd aside to Berwick He was receiv'd immediately into the Town and left 4000 Men to besiege the Castle and with the rest of his Army he march'd directly to Edinburgh making a foul Devastation in all Places where he came But Alexander leading them on they entred the City without committing any Rapine and by a Publick Proclamation made in the Market-Place he advis'd Iames seeing he could not come to speak with him First to perform what he had promis'd to Edward and then that he would cause Satisfaction to be made for all the Wrongs and Injuries he had offered to the English and unless he would so do Richard Duke of Glocester would persecute him and his Country with Fire and Sword But Iames perceiving at present that he was not able to perform what was requir'd and on the other side that he was as unable to withstand the Power of the Enemy return'd no Answer at all either by Writing or Message But the Nobles of Scotland being thus forsaken of their King that they might not be wholly wanting to the Publick Safety Levy'd another Army and form'd a Camp at Hadington and that they might somewhat alleviate the imminent Danger and Pressure and stop the Enemy in his Career of Victory they sent Agents to the Duke of Glocester to desire That the Marriage so long promis'd might be consummate they were also to declare That it should not be their Fault if the Agreements made between the Nations were not punctually perform'd The English General knew That the Scots would not put things to the Hazard of a Battel in regard part of their Strength was with him upon the account of Alexander a popular Man and that the rest were divided into several Factions and therefore he made this Answer That he did not know what his King did resolve in reference to that Marriage but he thought it fit that the Money paid to Iames upon the account of the Dowry should be presently repaid to him and if they would have Peace they should promise to surrender up the Castle of Berwick or if they could not do that then to make a solemn Promise That they would not attempt to relieve the Besieged nor to hinder the Besiegers until it was either taken by Storm or surrendred upon Conditions The Scots return'd Answer by their Embassadors That 't was not their Fault the Marriage was not consummated but it happen'd because both Bride and Bridegroom were under Age That the Money was not yet due because the Day of Payment was not come and if there were not sufficient Security given for the payment thereof they would give more but the Castle of Berwick as being built by the Scots and that in the Scotish Soil and was and for many Ages had been under their Jurisdiction they could not part with and though the English had possest it sometimes by Force yet their Injury did not prejudice the Scots ancient Right but Glocester who was Superior in Strength resolv'd to carry the Point and to admit of no legal Dispute in the case The same Day Calen Cambel Earl of Argyle Andrew Stuart and the Bishops of St. Andrews and Dunblane sent to Alexander who was in the English Camp at Lethington a Chart sign'd with their Hands and Seals promising him if he would be Loyal to the King in the next Assembly they would take care that his Estate should be restor'd and an Amnesty given for what was past for the performance whereof they solemnly interpos'd their Faith Alexander acquainted Glocester with the thing who was very friendly and did dismiss him thereupon and so he return'd into his own Country where in the next Assembly of Estates he was made Regent by an unanimous Consent and presently a Proposition was made concerning raising the Siege of Berwick The wiser sort were of Opinion that in so dangerous a time when things were thus unsetled by reason of Domestick Seditions that if the Enemy were quiet yet Storms would rise amongst themselves that it was best to clap up a Peace upon any Terms for they saw plainly that if they should have the better of so powerful an Enemy yet it would rather provoke than dishearten him but if they themselves were overcome it was uncertain how an Enemy fierce by Nature and further elevated by Success would use his Victory Some that were more hot-spirited than they had then any Reason for did oppose this Opinion yet it was carry'd in the Parliament After many Conditions were canvast to and fro at length 't was agreed That on
Gordons a coming they were put into a Fright and so fled away scatteringly to escape their Enemies there were not many slain but several taken Prisoners Iames Lermont who was treating about a Peace at New-Castle had scarce received his answer but that the War might be carry'd on the more cunningly he was commanded to return in company of the English Army Moreover Iohn Erskin and .... were sent Ambassadors from Scotland to meet the said Army at York where they were detained by Howard the General and never dismissed till they came to Berwick Iames being assured by his Spies before the return of his Ambassadors of the marching on of the English Army formed his Camp at Falkirk about 14 Miles from the Borders but sent George Gordon before with ten thousand Men to prevent the plunderings of the English yet he did nothing considerable and had not so much as a light Skirmish with the Enemy The King of Scotland was mighty earnest to give Battel but the Nobility would not hear of it by any means so that he was full of Wrath and brake forth in a Rage against them calling them Cowards and unworthy of their Ancestors ever and anon telling them That seeing he was betrayed by them he himself and his own Family would do that which they had cowardly refused to do neither could he be appeased tho they came about him and told him That he had done enough for his Honour That he had not only kept the English Army which was so long time a levying and that had assaulted Scotland on a sudden and that with Threats to do great Matters from wandring up and down for depredation but also for the space of 8 Days that it remained in Scotland had so pent them up that they never marched above a Mile from the Borders for after they drew out of Berwick they went as far as Kelso up against the Stream and there being informed of the march of the Scotish Army they pass'd over the Ford being so fearful to ingage that they rush'd into the River scatteringly and in no order at all and as every one pass'd over they left their Colours and hastn'd home the nearest way they could Gordon in the mean time who saw this afar off not stirring at all nor making any attempt upon them in their Rear For which the King conceived against him an implacable hatred Maxwel to appease the King's Anger as much as he could promised if he might have ten thousand Men to march into England by the Solwaâ— and to do some considerable Service and he would have been as good as his Word unless the King being angry with his Nobles had given secret Letters and a Commission to Oliver Sinclare Brother to the Laird of Rosselin which he was not to open till such a prefixt time The Contents were That the whole Army should acknowledg him for their General Iames's Design therein was That if his Army had the better the Glory of the Victory might not redound to the Nobles When they were come into their Enemies Countrey and about 500 English Horse appeared on the Neighbour-Hills Oliver Sinclare was lifted up on high by those of his Faction and leaning upon two Spears caused the King's Commission to be read at which the whole Army was so offended and especially Maxwel that they broke their Ranks and ran in higly piggly one among another Their Enemies tho accustomed to Wars yet never hoped for so great an Advantage when from the upper Ground they beheld all things in such a Confusion amongst them ran in upon them with a great Shout as their manner is and so assaulted them as they were in a Fright and hovering between the design of Flying or Fighting and thus Horse Foot and Baggage were all driven confusedly into the next Marshes where many were taken by the English more by the Scotish Moss-Troopers and sold to the English When this loss of his Army was brought to the King who was not far off he was moved beyond measure with Indignation Anger and Grief insomuch that his Mind was distracted Two ways sometimes to take Revenge of the perfidiousness of his own People as he called it and sometimes to make Preparation for a new War and Retrieval of his Affairs But in that almost desperate state of things it seemed the best way to make a Truce with the English and to call back Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus on the best Conditions he could But his Body being worn out with Watching and Fasting and his Mind overwhelmed with Cares he dyed a few Days after on the 13 th of December leaving his Daughter his Heiress a Child of about five Days old he was buried the 19 of Ianuary in the Monastery of Holyrood near his first Wife Magdalene In his life-time his Countenance and the Make of his Body were very Comly his Stature indifferent Tall but his Strength above the Proportion of his Body his Wit was sharp but not sufficiently cultivated with Learning through the fault of the Times His Diet was sparing he seldom drank Wine he was most patient of Labour Cold Heat and Hunger he would often sit on Horse-back Night and Day in the coldest Winter that so he might catch the Thieves unawares and his Nimbleness struck such fear into them that they abstained from their ill Pranks as if he had always been present amongst them He was so well acquainted with the Customs of his Country that he would give just Answers concerning weighty Matters even on the High-way as he rode on a Journy with a great deal of Readiness and Prudence He was of easy Access even to the poorest But his great Virtues were almost equalled by as many Vices yet they had this Alleviation That they seemed imputable rather to the Time he lived in than to his own Disposition and Nature For such an universal Licentiousness had over-run All that Publick Discipline could not be retrieved but with a great deal of Severity and Strictness That which made him so covetous of Money was That when he was under the Tutelage of others he was educated in great Parsimony and as soon as ever he came to be of Age he entered into an empty Palace for all his Houshold-Stuff was embezill'd So that all the Rooms of his House were to be new-furnish'd at once and his Guardians had expended his own proper Patrimony on those uses which he wholly disapproved besides the Instructors of him in his Youth made him more inclinable to Women because by that means they hoped to have him longer under their Tuition A great part of the Nobility did not much lament his Death because he had banished some of them and kept many others in Prison and many for fear of his Severity a fresh Disgust being now added to their former Contempt chose rather to surrender themselves to the English King their Enemy than to commit themselves to the Anger of their own King The
Interim the English marched thorow to their intended Post without any hindrance They brought with them 300 fresh Men Powder and Bullet and such other Provision as the Garison stood in most need of Whilst these things were acted at Hadington which did not at all make to the Main of the War News was brought that the English had levied a compleat Army to raise the Siege Whereupon Dessius knowing that he was not able to encounter the Forces which were a coming removed his Leaguer farther off from the Town and sent back his Great Guns all but six small Field-Pieces to Edinburgh Upon the Coming of the English Army the Siege was raised because the Scots Commanders would not hazard the State of the Kingdom upon a single Battel so that the Scots marched every one the next way home the French also though much press'd upon by the English yet got well off The French Souldiers in their Return slew the Governour of Edinburgh and his Son together with some of the Citizens who joined with them because they refused to admit them into the Town with all their Forces in regard they knew they could scarce keep them from plundring Dessius in the Interim lest the Sedition should increase drew off and withal supposing that the Enemy would be more secure at Hadington because of their good Success resolved to make an Attempt to surprize it on a sudden Thither he marched all that Night and by break of Day slew the Sentinels and came up to the Walls they took the Fort before the Gate kill'd the Watch some endeavoured to break open the Gate they also seized upon the Granaries of the English In this hurry the Noise of those who were breaking open the Gates and the Huzza's of the French crying out Victory Victory rous'd up the English from their Sleep which they had newly fallen into In this great hurly-burly a Souldier set fire to a Brass Gun placed casually against the Gate that he might in a present Danger make Trial of a doubtful Remedy The Bullet broke through the Gate and made a Lane in the thick Ranks of the French so that what between the Exclamations of the Souldiers crying out Victory and the Noise of the Gates which were broken such a confused Clamor was carried to the Rear that they were surprized with Fear not knowing the Cause and so fled which occasioned the rest to follow after The French being thus repuls'd with Loss march'd into Teviotdale which the English had done great Damage to there under the Conduct of Dessius they drove the Enemy from Iedburgh and made many Inrodes into English Ground not without considerable Advantage At length when they had wasted all the Country besides their daily Duty they were also in great Want and the Commonalty pitied them the less because of their Prank at Edinburgh for they looked upon that seditious Attempt as a Step to Tyranny And from that time forward the French did nothing worth speaking of The King of France was made acquainted by Letter from the Regent and Queen Dowager how Dessius spent much time on light Expeditions and unprofitable ones and that he was more injurious to his Friends than Enemies and that the French Souldiers were grown so insolent since the Tumult at Edinburgh that by reason of the intestine Discord all was like to be ruined Whereupon Dessius was called back and Monsieur Paul Terms a good Souldier and prudent Commander was sent with new Supplies for Scotland Dessius thought it would be for his Honour to recover the Island Keith which was taken a few Days before and was begun to be fortified so that he got together a Fleet at Leith and went aboard with a select Company of Scots and French The Queen was a Spectator of the Action and egging them on sometimes particularly sometimes all in general after he had landed in the Island he drove the English into the highest Angle thereof kill'd almost all their Commanders and compell'd them to a Surrender but not without Blood This was his last noble piece of Service in Britain and then he surrendred up his Army to Termes Termes drew forth the Army out of their Winter-Quarters and commanded them to march towards the Northern Shires he himself Dessius being dismiss'd followed soon after and laid Siege to the Fort of Brockty and in a short time took it and also the Castle adjoining from the English putting almost all of both Garisons to the Sword When he was returned into Lothian his great Care was to hinder Provisions from being carried to Hadington when lo upon a sudden a great Army of English and Germans shewed themselves ready for the Encounter whereupon he drew his Men backward till he came to a Place of greater Safety In the Interim the Scots Cavalry which skirted upon the Enemy on every side perceiving the German Baggage to be unguarded plunder'd them in a moment In the mean time Provisions were carried into Hadington without any opposition During these Matters Iulian Romerus with a Troop of Spaniards was taken securely in his Quarters as if all had been at Peace and almost all his whole Party was destroyed Termes when the English Forces were march'd home resolv'd to return to the taking in of Hadington They were stout Men that defended the Town but in regard the Country was wasted all thereabouts and Provisions could not be brought from far but with great Hazard and sometimes certain Loss and besides the English were troubled with great Seditions at home and were further press'd upon by a War with France hereupon the Garison of Hadington having no hope of Relief burnt the Town and on the 1 st of October 1549 march'd away for England And moreover the Garison at Lauder was almost ready to surrender as being in great Distress for want of Necessaries when lo News was brought on a sudden of an Agreement made between the English and the French which was published in Scotland April the first 1550. And the May following all the French Souldiers were transported back into France That Peace as to a Foreign War lasted about three Years but it was as troublesom and pernicious as the hottest War For they who sat at helm the Regent and his Brother the Archbishop of St. Andrews were both extreamly cruel and avaritious and the Archbishop very licentious in his Conversation also for as if the Reins lay wholly loose on his Neck his own Will was his Law The first Presage of the ensuing Tyranny was the suffering the Murder of William Creighton an eminent Person to go unrevenged he was slain by Robert Semple in the Regent's own Palace and almost in his sight and yet the Murderer was exempted from Punishment by the Intercession of the Archbishop's Concubine who was Daughter to Semple This Archbishop as long as the King liv'd was one of his Confidents and pretended a great Zeal for the Reformed Religion but when the King
shew of whose Posterity there are yet Families remaining of good account both in Scotland and England But seeing Ludd hath such an intemperate Tongue that he cares not what he says provided he may abuse others I shall leave him and conclude this Book only giving him this Caution That Loripedem rectus derideat Aethiopem albus They that Faults in others blame Must not be guilty of the same The Third BOOK THô I have sufficiently demonstrated in the Two former Books how fabulous yea how portentous the Memoirs are which the Writers of the British Affairs have delivered concerning their Ancestors and have also shewn by plain and clear evidences that the Ancient Britains had their Original from the Gauls Yet because I perceive I have to do with Men that pertinaciously adhere to a manifest Falshood rather than with such as lapse by Rashness or Ignorance I thought it worth my labour if out of Writers of great Authority amongst all Learned Men I took off the edge of such Hair-brain'd Mens boldness and by that means supply'd Good Men and Lovers of Truth with sufficient Arms to restrain and curb their daring and affronting Impudence In the rank of such Classick Authors I judge Iulâ—us Caesar deserves the first Place both for his Diligence in searching his Certainty in knowing and Sincerity in declaring things to others He in the Fifth Book of his Commentaries concerning the Gallick War writing of Britain says thus The inner part of Britain is inhabited by such as they themselves record to be born in the Island and the Maritine Coasts by such as came out of Belgium either to make Incursions or Invasions and after the War was ended they continued in the Possessions they had gained and were called by the Names of the Cities from whence they came The Country is very populous and well-stored with Houses much like those of the Gauls They have great store of Cattle they use Brass for Money or Iron rings weighed at a certain rate In its Mediterranean parts there is found great quantity of Tin and in the Mountainous parts Iron thâ— but in a small quantity their Brass is brought in by other Nations They have all sort of Trees that they have in Gallia excepting the Beech and the Firr Their Religion will not suffer them to eat either Hare Hen or Goose notwithstanding they have of them all as well for novelty as variety The Country is more temperate and not so cold as Gallia The Island lyeth Triangular whereof one side fronteth Gallia on which side That Angle wherein Kent stands points to the East where almost all Ships arrive from France And the lower Angle to the South This side containeth above 500 miles The other Angle lyeth toward Spain and the Western Coast in that Circuit where also Ireland lyeth which is an Island half as big as England as some think and as far distant from it as Gallia In the Midway between England and Ireland lyeth an Island called Man besides many other small Islands of which some write That in Winter time for 30 days together they have a continual Night whereof we learned nothing by inquiry only we found by certain measures of Water that the Nights in England were shorter than in the Continent The length of this side according to the opinion of the Inhabitants containeth 700 miles The Third side lyeth to the North and open Sea saving that this Angle doth somewhat point toward Germany This side is thought to contain 800 miles And so the whole Island containeth in circuit 2000 miles Of all the Inhabitants they of Kâ—nt are most courteous and civil all their Country bordering upon the Sea and little differing from the fashion of Gallia Most of the Inland People sow no Corn but live upon Milk and Flesh they are clothed with Skins and have their Faces painted with a blew colour to the end they may seem more terrible in Fight They wear the Hair of their Heads long having all other parts of their Body shaven except their Head and upper Lip Their Wives are common to Ten or Twelve especially Brethren with Brethren and Parents with Children but the Children that are born are accounted His unto whom the Mother was first given in Marriage And awhile after he says By these He understood that Verulam Cassivellanus's Town was not far off fortified with Woods and Bogs and well stored with Men and Cattle The Britains call that a Town when they fortifie Woody Fastnesses with a Ditch and a Rampire and so make it a place of Retreat when they stand in fear of incursions from their Enemies Thither Caesar marched with his Army and found it well fortified both by Art and Nature And as he assaulted it in Two several places the Enemy stood to it awhile but at last were not able to bear the brunt and fury of the Assailants but made their escape a back way out of the Town Thus he took it and found therein great store of Cattle and in the onset slew and took prisoners many of the Britains Tacitus in the Life of Julius Agricola THE Site of Britanny and the Inhabitants thereof thó they have been already described by sundry Writers I purpose here to declare not to compare with them in careful Ingenuity but because it was then first thorowly subdued so that such things as our Ancestors without perfect discovery have polished with Pen shall now be faithfully set down upon Knowledge Britanny of all the Islands known to the Romans the Greatest coasteth by East upon Germany by West towards Spain and it hath France on the South Northward no Land lying against it but only a vast and broad Sea beating about it The Figure and fashion of all Britanny by Livy of the Ancients and Fabius Rusticus of the Modern the most eloquent Authors is likened to a long Dish or two-edged Axe and so is that Part shapen indeed on this side Caledonia Whereupon the Fame went of the whole as it seemeth But there is beside a huge vast tract of Ground which runneth beyond unto the furthermost Point growing narrow and sharp like a Wedge This point of the utmost Sea the Roman Fleet then first of all Doubling discovered Britanny to be an Island and withal found out and subdued the Isles of Orkney before that time never known Thyle also was discovered at aloof which Snow hither and Winter had covered The Sea thereabout they affirm to be dull and heavy for the Oar and not to be raised as others are with Winds belike because Land and Mountains are â—are which minister Cause and Matter of Tempests and because a deep Mass of continual Sea is slower stirred to Rage To examine the Nature of the Ocean and Tides pertaineth not to this Work and many have done it before One thing I will add and may safely avouch that the Sea no where in the World rageth and ruleth more freely carrying by Violence so much River Water hither
That Germany had so shakt of the Yoke having no Ocean Sea but only a River for their Defence That their cause of taking Arms was Urgent and Just their Wives and Children their Parents and Country that the Romans had nothing to move them to War but their own Covetousness and wanton Lust And that they would doubtless depart as Iulius Caesar had done if the Britains would imitate the Virtues of their Progenitors and not be dismayed with the doubtful event of one Skirmish or two That Men in Misery had more courage and vehemency to attempt more constancy to continue And now even the Gods seem'd to pity the Poor Britains Estate having sent the Roman Captain out of the way and confined the Army as it were into another Island That now being assembled to advise and deliberate together they had attained the hardest point in an action of that Nature wherein without question it were more danger to be taken consulting than doing With these and the like Speeches inciting one another by common consent they resolve to take Arms under the Conduct of Voadicea a Lady of the Blood of their Kings For in matter of governing in Chief they make no distinction of Sex And first pursuing the Soldiers which lay divided in Garisons and winning the Forts they invaded anon the Colony it self as being the Seat of their Slavery In Sacking whereof no kind of Cruelty was omitted which either Anger or the Rage of Victory might induce a barbarous People to practise And unless upon knowledge had of the Revolt Paulinus had come to succour with speed Britany had then been lost which with one prosperous Battel he restored to her former Obedience and patient bearing the Yoke some few keeping out and remaining in Arms whom the guilt of the Rebellion excluded from all hope of Pardon and some fear also of the Lieutenants private Displeasure Who though otherwise a singular Man yet seemed to shew too much haughty and hard dealing toward those which yielded themselves and to revenge in a sort his own Injury Whereupon Petronius Turpilianus was sent in his place as a more intreateable Person and a Stranger to their Faultâ— and therefore more ready to receive their repentance who having composed former Troubles and daring no further deliver'd to Trebellius Maximus the Charge Trebellius a Man unfit for Action and altogether unexpert in Service by a kind of courteous and mild Regiment kept the Country in quiet For now the Britains also had learned the good Manners not rudely to repulse the sugred assaults and flattr'ings of Vices and the disturbances of civil Dissensions ministred a lawful excuse for his doing nothing But the Soldier accustomed to warfare wax'd wanton with Ease and grew to be mutinous Trebellius by flying away and hiding himself eschewed their first indignation and anon resuming his place without Majesty without Authority he Ruled by way of Intreaty and at his Soldiers discretion And so coming as it were to a Capitulation the Army for Licence to do what them listed the Captain for safety of his own life the Mutiny ended without any Blood-shed Vectius Bolanus succeeded him in Place and in the same loosness of Discipline the Civil Wars continuing still like default against the Enemy like License in the Camp saving that Bolanus a good honest Man not odious for any crime instead of Obedience had gotten Good-will But when as Vespasian with the rest of the World recovered Britanny also Great Captains Good Soldiers were sent and the hope of the Enemy was greatly abated For straightways Petilius Cerealis struck a terror into them by invading upon his first Entry the Brigantes the most populous State of the whole Province Many Battels were fought and some bloody and the greatest part of the Brigantes were either conquered or wasted And whereas Cerealis would doubtless have eclipsed the Diligence and Fame of another Successor Iulius Frontinus a Great Man as he might well be called after that Predecessor sustained the Charge with Reputation and Credit subduing the puissant and warlike People of the Silures Where he had beside the valour of the Enemy to struggle with the straights and difficulties of the Places themselves Cicero in his Epistle to Trebatius in the 7th Book of his Familiar Epistles I Hear that in Britain there is neither Gold nor Silver If that be so yet I persuade thee to catch what thou canst and return speedily to us But if we can attain our desire without the help of Britain do thou act so that thou mayst be reckoned amongst my Familiar Friends Paulus Orosius speaking of Ireland hath these words THis Ireland being the nearest Island to Britain is narrower in circuit or space of ground than It but more commodious for temper of Soil and Air It is inhabited by the Nations of the Scots The Isle of Anglesey or rather Man is also near to it an Island not very large but of a good Soil which is also inhabited by the Scots The same Author says THe Conqueror Severus was drawn into Britain by the revolt of almost all his Allies after he had fought many great and notable Battels he judged it best to separate and divide that part of the Island which he had regained from the other unconquered Nations by a Wall And for this end he made a great Trench and a strong Wall fortified at the top with many Towers for the space of 130 mile from Sea to Sea Ado the Archbishop of Vienna speaks the same things almost word for word The mistake of both in the number of miles is to be corrected by writing 32 for 132. Out of the 35th Chapter of Solinus IT i. e. Britain is environed with many Isles and those not unrenowned whereof Ireland draweth nearest to it in bigness it is an uncivil Country by reason of the savage Manners of the Inhabitants but otherwise so full of Pasturage and Cattle that if their Herds in Summer time be not now and then restrained from feeding they would run a great danger of Over-eating themselves There are no Snakes there and but few Birds the People are inhospitable and warlike When they have overcome their Enemies they first besmear their Faces with the Blood of the slain Right and Wrong Good and Evil all is one to them If a Woman be delivered of a Man-child she lays his first Meat upon her Husbands Sword and putting it softly into his Mouth giveth him the first handsel of his Food upon the very point of the weapon praying according to the manner of the Country that he may not otherwise come to his end than in Battel and amongst Arms. They that love to be fine do trim the hilts of their Swords with the Teeth of Sea-calves for they make them as white and as clear as Ivory The Men do chiefly glory in the beauty of their Armour There is not a Bee amongst them and if a Man bring of the
Dovalian Faction without the Suffrages of the People The Nobles hearing of it though they judged Nothatus worthy of the worst of Punishments yet did not approve so bad an Example and they took it in greater disdain because a Publick Convention was not consulted but the choice of the chief Magistrate devolved on the Pleasure and Arbitrement of one Man Besides that it was not to be thought an Obliging Act in him thus to advance the young Man to the chief Power who was as yet unfit to Rule For such as look'd narrowly into the matter would find That only the Name of King would be given to Reutherus but the whole Power would reside in Dovalus However it did not much concern the Publick whether Nothatus or Dovalus were King unless perhaps they did hope for a more Tolerable Life under Him who being a private Man durst adventure to Murder his King and so to deliver over the Scepter to another private Man than under one who was not so extream or Cruel in his Government until by the Permission of the People he was back'd with Power and with the Terrour of an Army The Kindred of Nothatus hearing such things to be bruited abroad insinuating themselves into the Societies of those who did Regret such Evil Carriages at last gain'd this Point That War should be denounced against Dovalus and that Ferchard Nothatus his Son in Law should be General of their Army Neither did Dovalus refuse to give Battel They fought twice in one and the same Day the Dovalians though Superior in number yet were beaten and put to flight more of them being Slain in the pursuit than in the Battel For besides Dovalus himself and the chief of his Faction there fell also Getus the King of the Picts with many of his Men. Reutherus the new King was taken Prisoner and pardoned out of respect to his tender Age to the Memory of his Father and to the Royal Blood which ran in his Veins Neither was the Victory Un-bloody even to the Conquerors themselves almost all the chief of the Clans being Slain with many common Souldiers also This Conflict of the Scots and Picts brought matters to that low ebb in Britain that they who survived fled into Desert and Mountainous Places and even into the Neighbour Islands lest they should become a prey to the Brittons who having now gotten that opportunity which they long thirsted after peirced into the Country as far as Bodotria now called Forth without any resistance Afterwards having made a little Settlement of Things there they went forward against the Caledonians and having scattered those who were there gathered together to oppose them they seized upon the Champion Countries of the Picts and placing Garisons there thinking the War to be at an end they return'd home with their Army In the mean time the remainders of the Scots and Picts which had retired to the Mountains Woods and other inaccessible Places did vex the Governors of Castles and Garisons by Robbing them of their Cattle upon which they themselves also did Live and being increased by the accession of greater Forces from the Islands they sometimes burnt Villages and fetcht in Preys further off so that the Ground was left without Tillage in many places The Brittons either being detained by home-bred Dissensions or not thinking it adviseable or safe to lead their Army into such difficult and almost inaccessible Places where they could meet their Enemies with no Forces more numerous than they had to oppose them did by their slow Actings increase the boldness of their Contrariants The Scots and Picts being thus miserably afflicted for Twelve years at length a new Fry of Lusty Warlike Youths grew up who in so great streights that they had undergone were enured to Hardship those sent Messengerâ— all about and mutually exhorting one another they resolved to try their Fortunes Whereupon Reutherus sails out of Ireland into the Aebuaae and from thence into Albium and Landing his Forces at the Bay now called Lough Brien and there joyning with young Gethus the Son of old Gethus who was slain who was also his Wifes Brother they Consulted together concerning the Manage of the War The Issue of their Consult was That it was best to draw towards the Enemy unawares whilst he was unprepared assoon as they met the Service was so hot and the Fight so sharp that neither Army had reason to boast so that Both of them being wearied with Slaughter made Peace for some years Reuther or as Bede calls him Reuda returned to his ancient Seat of Argyle and the Scots were a long time after from him called Dalreudini for Daal in old Scotish signifieth a Part as some or a Meadow or Plain as others From whence he made a further Progress and in a short time enlarged his Dominions even to their Ancient Bounds After he had Reigned Twenty Six Years he died leaving a Son behind him named Thereus begot upon the Daughter of Gethus Reutha the Seventh King BEcause Thereus was yet scarce Ten Years old and so too young to undertake the Kingdom according to the Law long before made and observed concerning the Succession of Kings therefore his Uncle Reutha was declared King who being free from External Wars endeavoured to reduce the People who were grown almost wild by their former Sufferings and also insolent upon their late Victory though a bloody one into a milder Carriage and Deportment and accordingly he enacted many publick and profitable Laws of which not a few yet remain amongst the Ancient Scots Having Reigned Seventeen Years with so good a Decorum being reverenced and beloved of all either for want of Health to which he himself imputed it or else fearing the Ambitious Nature of his Kinsman Thereus he resigned up the Government the People being hardly brought to consent thereunto and at his Resignation there was a large Panegyrick made in his Praise Thereus the Eighth King THereus was substituted in his stead in the first Six Years of his Reign he so managed the Government that Reutha's Predictions concerning him seemed to be true But after That time was expired he ran headlong into all manner of Vice not by degrees but all at once insomuch that putting the Nobles to Death by False Indictments some lewd Fellows thereupon did without fear range over all the Kingdom using Rapines and Robberies at their pleasure The Phylarchae i. e. chief of the Clans bewailing the deplorable State of the Publick determined to proceed judicially against him which he having notice of fled to the Brittons where despairing of his return he ended his Days in great Contempt and Ignominy In the mean time Conanus a prudent and regular Person was elected Vice-Roy he restored and strengthened what the other had impaired and weakened he restrained Robberies and having composed Matters as well as he could he received News of the Death of Thereus whereupon in a Publick Assembly or Convention of the
Estates he abdicated the Magistracy about the Twelfth Year after Thereus began his Reign Josina the Ninth King JOsina Brother of the late King was raised to the Helm of Government He did nothing memorable one way or other only he had Physicians in very high esteem because when he was banished with his Father into Ireland they had been his great Intimates Whereupon the rest of the Nobility complying with the Humour of the King it came to pass that for many Ages there was scarce a Nobleman or Gentleman in Scotland which had not the Skill to cure Wounds For there was then little use of other parts of Physick amongst such Men who were educated parsimoniously and enured to much Labour and Toil. He died in a good old Age having Reigned Four and Twenty Years Finnanus The Tenth King HIS Son Finnanus succeeded him who walking in his Fathers Steps endeavoured nothing more than to accustom his Subjects to a just and moderate Government labouring to maintain his Kingly Authority more by Good Will than Arms And that he might cut up the Root of Tyranny he made a Decree That Kings should determine or command nothing of great Concernment without the Authority of their Great Council He was beloved both by his Subjects and by Foreigners He deceased having Reigned Thirty Years Durstus The Eleventh King NOthing did so much aggravate the Loss of Finnanus as the profligate and deboist Life of his Son Durstus who succeeded him For First of all he banished from his presence his Fathers Friends as troublesom Abridgers of his Pleasures Then he made the Corruptest Youngsters his Familiar and Bosom Friends giving up himself wholly to Wine and Women He drove away his Wife the Daughter of the King of the Britains who was prostituted to his Nobles At length when he perceived that the Nobility were conspiring against him as if he had been just then awakened out of a deep sleep foreseeing that he was not safe at home and knew not where to find a secure place abroad if he were banished in regard he was so hated both of his Subjects and Strangers too he therefore thought it his best course to dissemble a Repentance for his former Evil Life by that means thinking he might retain the Regal Government and in time be reveng'd of his Enemies too And thereupon in the first place he recalled his Wife and by that means endeavour'd to make fair Weather with the Britains He assembles the Heads of his Subjects and under a solemn Oath to do so no more he Enacts an Amnesty for what was past He commits Notorious Criminals to Prison as if he had reserved them for further Punishment And religiously promised That for the future he would Act nothing without the Counsel of his Nobles When by these Arts he had made others believe That he was a true Convert he celebrates this Reconciliation and Concord with Plays Feastings and other Divertisements proper for Publick Rejoycings Thus all Mens Minds being filled with Jollity he invites the Nobility to Supper and then shutting them up in one place being unarmed and fearing nothing he sent in Ruffians amongst them who destroy'd them every Man That Calamity did not so much abate and quell the Minds of the rest with fear as it raised and blew up their Languishing Anger into New Flames VVherefore gathering a great Army together they all conspired to rid the Earth of so foul a Monster Durstus perceiving that all other hope failed him resolved to try his fortune in a Battel with a few others whom the like fear of Punishment for the Wickedness of their former Lives had drawn in to joyn with him in which Fight he was slain after he had Reigned Nine Years Though all Orders and Estates were justly incens'd against him yet they gave so great Deference to the Name of King and to the Memory of his Ancestors that he was buried amongst his Royal Predecessors Evenus the Twelfth King AFter his Death in a Publick Assembly of the Nobles there was a very great Contest some alledging that according to their Oath made to King Fergus the ancient Custom was to be observed others fearing that if they made any one of the Kindred of Durstus King that either the Similitude of Manners would incline him to the same Wickedness or else the Propinquity of Blood would make him study Revenge At last Evenus Brothers-Child to Durstus being commended for his former Life and for his extream Hatred against the Tyrant whilst he was alive was sent for from amongst the Picts whither he had voluntarily banished himself out of hatred to Durstus and unanimously created King He is reported to be the first who made his Subjects to take an Oath of Allegiance to him which Custom is yet retained by the Heads of the Clans Evenus that he might rectifie the Manners of his Subjects which were depraved by the former King did first reduce Youth to the Ancient Parsimony in Diet Apparel and in their daily Conversation For by that means he judged they would be more Valiant in War and less Seditious in Peace He diligently viewed all the Parts of his Kingdom administring Justice with great Moderation and punishing Offenders according to their Demerits He assisted the King of the Picts with Aid against the Brittons betwixt whom there was fought a long and cruel Battel till Night parted them the Victory being so uncertain that both Armies departed with equal Slaughter and as equal Fear The Brittons went home The Scots and Picts retired into the next adjacent Mountains But the Day after from the High Grounds perceiving the departure or flight of their Enemies they came and gathered up the Spoils as if they had been Conquerors and so return'd home with their Army Evenus having repelled his Enemies again betook himself to the Arts of Peace And that it might not be troublesom to Kings to Travel over the Countries so oft for the Administring Justice which was then their Custom to do he divided the Kingdom into Circuits and setled Ordinary Judges to do that Work He also appointed Informers to bring in Accusations against the Guilty Which Office being found inconvenient was either abrogated by a Law or else grew obsolete by Custom He died in the Nineteenth Year of his Reign leaving a Base-born Son called Gillus behind him a Crafty Man and desirous of the Kingdom Gillus The Thirteenth King THere were yet living of the Blood-Royal as Heirs to the Crown Two Twins Dochamus and Dorgalius the Sons of Durstus Though their Age was not the Cause of the Difference yet there arose a deadly Fewd between them concerning the Kingdom which was also further increased by the Fraud of Gillus The Matter being referred to the Arbitration of their Kindred such was the Obstinacy of the Factions that nothing could be determined Gillus who advis'd each of them to kill one another when his Secret Counsel took no effect
gathered together the chief of the Nobles and his Kindred on pretence to end the Controversie into one place where he suborned Men fit for his purpose to raise a Tumult and to destroy them Both. And then as if he himself had been assaulted by Treachery he implored the Aid of all that were present and fled to Evonium a place fortified by King Evenus Having Garison'd that Fort with part of the Nobility and other Flagitious Persons out of an high place in the Castle he made a long Oration to the People who in great Multitudes were gathered about him concerning the Rashness and Obstinacy of the Two Brothers he declaimed also against those Assassins who killed them but at last he told them That he was left by Evenus the Guardian or Superior of the Kingdom as well as of his Domestick Affairs till a New King was chosen When the People heard this though they believed it to be false yet when they saw him fortified in a strong Garison for fear of a greater Mischief they instantly swore Fealty to him and declared him King He though he had strengthened himself in the Kingdom by the Consent of the People though unwillingly obtain'd yet not thinking himself safe from the Posterity of Durstus as long as any of them were alive resolved to destroy his Nephews There remained alive of them Lismorus Gormachus and Ederus the Sons of Dochamus Son of Durstus they were educated in the Isle of Man Thither Gâ—llus went on pretence to bring them home and to the Two Elder he behaved himself with great Reverence and Respect and carried them with him into Albium cunningly pretending That they be being of a Royal Stock should be educated in his Couâ—t sutable to their Princely Quality As for Ederus the younger â—he left Souldiers on pretence of a Guard to attend his Person to whom he gave Command on a certain appointed Day to kill him But the Disposition of Gillus being well known to all The Nurse suspecting Treachery to be hatching against the Child conveyed him secretly by Night into the Country of Argyle and so she eluded Gillus who â—ought in vain to find him out to destroy him for she bred him up for some years privately in a Cave under Ground whereupon â—he in fury put the Two elder Brothers of Ederus and also their Guard to Death But it being publickly reported That Ederus himself was conveyed into Ireland he made no further enquiry after him And yet his Cruelty rested not here though he had slain the Nephews of Durstus for not judging himself sufficiently secure as long as any one of the Royal Progeny was left alive he caused all those of Kin or Alliance thereto to be also put to Death The Nobles who were grieved at the present state of Affairs which was bad at present and fearing that it would be worse entred into a Combination against him and carried the Matter with so much secresie that a War was begun against Gillus before he had Notice that any Preparations were making towards It. But in Levying an Army against his Contrariants he soon perceived how inconstant the Fealty of Man is towards Wicked and Flagitious Princes For there were very few that came in to him at his Summons and those that did were Debauchees such as were afraid of Peace in regard of the Wickedness of their former Lives And therefore distrusting his Forces he left his Army and in a Fisher-Boat was wafted over into Ireland In the mean time the Scots that they might not be without a Legal Government made Cadvallus chief of those who conbined against Gillus their Vice-Roy to whom upon a Treaty the Forces of his Enemies did submit and were thereupon received into his Protection When Cadvallus understood that Gillus was about to renew the War and in order thereto was raising as many deboist Persons as he could he resolved to prevent him before he could gather together a just Army and so to pursue him whithersoever he fled First he Sailed into the Aebudae or Hebrides there he caused Ederus the only branch of the Family of Durstus yet alive to be brought to him and gave Order for his Liberal and Royal Education When Gillus heard of his March he retired again into Ireland there he engaged the Clans of that Nation with great promises of Reward to endeavour his Restitution to his Kingdom which if they could effect then he would give them the Aebudae Islands for their Reward By these Promises he gathered together a great Army Cadvallus having prepared all things for his Transportation was suddainly called back to clear himself from a false suspicion of affecting or aspiring to the Kingly Government Evenus II. The Fourteenth King IN which Case the first thing he did was to take care That Evenus an eminent Person the Son of Dovallus Brother to King Finnanus might by the Suffrages of the People be created King who having accepted the Government caused all Places which were commodious for his Enemies and especially the Maritime ones to be filled with strong Garisons that so his Enemies might not make a suddain descent into his Kingdom without opposition Gillus hearing of this did also alter his Resolution and sailed to the Isle Ila And there having wasted the Country far and near with Fire and Sword he returned back into Ireland Evenus sends a great Army thither under the Command of Cadvallus that so he might exhaust the Spring-head of the War Neither did Gillus refuse to fight him but being forsaken of his Men who followed him for Booty rather than for Love he changed his Apparel and with a small Company fled into a neighbor Wood The rest of his Army being thus deserted by their General and their Fellow Soldiers too yielded to Cadvallus After the Battel was ended they sought a long time for Gillus and at last found him in a blind Cave where he was slain the Third Year after he began his Reign and his Head was brought to Cadvallus Matters being thus happily setled in Ireland by Cadvallus as he was returning home he met not with the same Felicity for being toss'd up and down with a grievous Tempest he lost the greatest part of his Army and all the Prey they had gotten which strook him into such a damp that not long after he died of Grief The King indeed comforted him but all in vain and praising his Valour and Success in the War he cast all his Miseries upon the crosness of Fortune The new King being lifted up with this Success renewed a Peace with the Picts and in Confirmation thereof he took to Wife the Daughter of Getus the Third King of the Picts But the suddain Arrival and Landing of the Orkny-Men in Albium quickly disturbed this publick Joy But the King falling suddainly upon them drove them out of the Field to the Mountains and from thence to the Sea and there being in a fright and hurry whilst
with one or two of his Companions sought to run from their Fury but before he could execute his Project he was taken and slain after he had Reigned 36 Years This was done about the Sixth Year of the Reign of the Emperor Antoninus Pius Conarus the Twenty Fourth King COnarus his Son succeeded him who from an ill Beginning ended his wicked Reign with as unhappy a Conclusion For he was not only conscious and privy to but also a partner in the Conspiracy against his Father But to cover his Faults in the beginning of his Reign a War did fall out very opportunely for him For the Britains having passed Adrian's Wall took away great store of Men and Cattle Whereupon Conarus by the Advice of his Council joyning his Army with the Picts they passed over Adrian's Wall in many places and made great havock in the Britains Country and at last encountring their Enemy a great and bloody Battel was fought betwixt Them the Romans and Britains The Slaughter was almost equal on both sides which occasioned Peace between Them till the next Year Yet the Romans because they were not Conquerors looked upon themselves as in a manner Conquered Whereupon their own Forces being much lessened and Adrian putting no great Confidence in the Britains whom he saw to conceive some hopes of Liberty upon his Misfortunes he sent for Aid from Antoninus Pius laying the blame of the Violation of the Peace upon the Scots and Picts and of the loss and slaughter of his Men upon the Britains Lollius Vrbicus was sent over Lieutenant-General by the Emperor who overcame his Enemy in a bloody Battel and drove them beyond the Wall of Adrian which he again repaired Afterwards there was a Cessation of Arms for many Years as if a silent Truce had been made For the Romans had Work enough to keep the Enemy from ravaging and plundering and for that end their Camp was pitched on the Borders And Conarus who loved nothing in War but the Licentiousness obteined thereby made haste to return home That he might imploy that Vacancy wholly to immerge himself in Pleasures Whereupon those Vices which he had before concealed on design to gain the Love of others began now to appear bare-faced And when by this Dissimulating Art he judged the Kingdom sure to him what his Ancestors had gotten by great Pains and Labour he did as profusely spend on his own Lusts and Pleasures insomuch that in a very short time he was reduced to great want So that convening an Assembly of the Estates he made a long and plausible Oration of the Grandeur and Magnificence which was necessary for Kings and complained of the Lowness of his Exchequer Thus covering his Vices under the cleanly Names of Gallantry and Magnificence and he was also an earnest Suitor That a Valuation of every Mans Estate should be made and a proportionable Tax imposed on each Individual This Speech was unacceptable to all that heard it whose Answer was That the Matter was of more Moment than to be determined on a sudden Whereupon the Estates having obtained a short time for Consultation upon asking every particular Mans Opinion they soon found That this new Device of demanding such a vast Sum of Money did not proceed from the Nobles but from some Court-Parasites whereupon they Voted That the King should be kept Prisoner as unfit to Reign until upon his Abjuration of the Government they did substitute another When they met the next Day he who was first demanded to give his Vote made a sharp Speech and Invective against the Life of the former King saying That Bawds Parasites Minstrels and Troops of Harlots were not fit Instruments for Kings and Kingdoms as being useless in War and troublesom in Peace besides they were costly and full of Infamy and Disgrace He added The Complaint was false That the King's Revenue and Incom were not sufficient for his Expence for a great many of their former Kings who were famous Warriors and formidable to their Enemies had lived Nobly and Splendidly upon it in time of Peace But if any Prince be of Opinion That the Publick Revenue was too short then said he let a Supplement be made not out of the Subjects Purse but out of his own Domestick Parsimony He further added That the Measure of Expence was not to be taken from the Lust and Exorbitant Desires of Men which were infinite but from the Ability of the People and the Real Necessities of Nature And therefore it was his Opinion That those Villains upon whom the Publick Patrimony was conferred and for whose sake the King had undone so many Worthy Persons of good Rank and Quality by despoiling them of their Estates and putting them to Death should be compelled to refund That to the Lawful Owners which by their Flatteries they had unjustly robbed them of and that also they should be further punished to boot In the mean time he advised that the King should be kept a Prisoner till they could substitute another that would not only inure himself to Thrift but also teach others by his Example to live hardly and parsimoniously as his Forefathers had done that so the strict Discipline received from our Ancestors might be transmitted to Posterity This Speech as it was sharp enough of it self so it seemed more cutting to those who had Velvet Ears and were unaccustomed to hear such free and bold Discourses before Neither did the King endeavour to allay the Heats of his People by fair and gentle Words but rather by fierce and minatory Expressions which did more vehemently inflame and provoke them so that amidst these Quarrellings and Altercations a Tumult arising some that were next the King laid Hands on him and thrust him with some few others into a Cave under-ground Those Courtiers who had been the Authors of such wicked Counsels were presently put to Death and lest any Tumult of the Mobile should arise upon this Dissolution of the Bonds of Government One Argadus a Nobleman was made Vice-Roy till the People could conveniently meet to set up a New King He though in the beginning of his Administration he setled all things with great Equity and thereby had procured much Commendation by his moderate Deportment yet his Mind being corrupted by Prosperity he soon lost all the Credit of his former praise-worthy Life For he cherished Home-bred Seditions and strengthened his Authority by External Aid having such great Familiarity with the chief of the Picts that he took a Wife from amongst them and gave his Daughters to them in Marriage by which practice it soon appeared that he aspired to the Crown These things being laid to his Charge in a Publick Assembly wherein he was much blamed for his so sudden Degeneration and Apostacy he was altogether ashamed and knowing them to be True he brake forth into Tears and as soon as his Weeping gave him liberty to speak being unable to purge himself from the
the design could wholly extirpate the old Heathenish Rites and Ceremonies But the Expedition of Severus the Emperor falling out in his time did mightily disturb all his Measures both Publick and Private For Severus being very skilful in Military Affairs brought so many Forces into Britain in hopes to conquer the whole Island as never any Roman General had done before him There were also other Causes for this Expedition of his as the corrupt Life of his Sons by reason of the Vices reigning in Rome and the Effeminacy of his Army occasioned by sloath and lying still To remedy these mischiefs he thought it best to put them upon Action Upon his Arrival the private Tumults which were about to break forth were suppressed and the Scots and Picts leaving the Counties near the Enemy retreated to Places of greater safety and more difficult Access Severus that he might once for all put an end to the British Wars led his Army through all the waste places deserted by their Inhabitants against the Caledonians Though his Enemy did not dare to give him Battel in the Field he was much incommoded by the Coldness of the Country and underwent a great deal of Trouble to cut down Woods to level Hills and to throw vast heaps of Earth into the Marish Grounds and also to erect Bridges over Rivers to make a passage for his Army In the mean time the Enemy despairing of success if they should Fight so great a Multitude in a pitch'd Battel did here and there leave Herds of their Cattle on purpose as a Prey to them that so they might stop the Romans who in hopes of such Booties were inticed to stray far from their Camp And indeed the Romans besides those that being thus dispersed were taken in the Ambushes laid for them were also much prejudiced by continual Rains and being wearied with long Marches and so not able to follow were in many places slain by their own Fellows that so they might not fall alive into the Hands of their Enemies Yet notwithstanding though they had lost 50000 of their Souldiers as Dion writes they did not desist from their Enterprize till they had pierced even to the End and extream Bounds of the Island As for Severus himself though he was Sick during this whole Expedition and thereupon was fain to be carried in a covered Horse-Litter yet by his incredible Obstinacy and Perseverance he made his Enemies to accept of Conditions of Peace and to yield up to him no small part of their Country He built a Wall as a Mound to the Roman Empire between the Fiâ—ths of Forth and Clyd where Agricola before him had also determined to bound their Province That Wall where it toucheth the River Carron had a Garison thereon so situate and the Ways and Passages so laid out that it was like a small City which some of our Country-Men though mistakingly do think to be Maldon But it is more probable that This was the City which Bede calls Guidi A few years before the Writing hereof some footsteps of Trenches Walls and Streets did appear neither yet are all the Walls so demolished but that they discover themselves visibly in many places and when the Earth is a little digg'd up square Stones are quarried out which the owners of the Neighbouring Countries use in Building their Houses Yea sometimes Stones with Inscriptions on them are found which shew that it was a Roman Pile of Building Those Words of Aelius Spartianus do shew the Grandeur of this Structure He strengthened Britain says he with a Wall drawn Cross-ways or Thwart the Island from Sea to Sea which is the greatest Ornament of his Empire By which Words he seems to intimate That it was not a Trench as Bede would have it but a Wall especially since he gives such a Commendation to a Work which is shorter by half than Adrian's Wall Yea this Fortificatiâ—n where it is least distant yet is Eighty Miles off from the Wall of Adrian There are also other Indications of that Peace if I mistake not For a little below that â—arison of which I have spoken there is a round Edifice on the opposite side of the River Carron made of square Stones heaped on one another without Lime or Mortar 'T is no bigger than a small Pidgeon-House the Top of it is open but the other Parts are whole save that the upper Lintel of the Door wherein the Name of the Builder and Work is thought to have been inscribed was taken away by Edward the First King of England who did also invidiously deface all the rest of the old Scotish Monuments as much as ever he could some think and have Written accordingly that That Structure was the Temple of Claudius Casar But my Conjecture is rather That it was the Temple of the Heathen God Terminus There were also on the left Bank of the same River two Hillocks or Barrows of Earth raised as it sufficiently appears by the Hands of Men. A great part of the lesser one which inclines more to the West is swept away by the Washing and Over-Flowings of the River the Neighbouring Inhabitants call them yet Duni Pacis So that Peace being again procured by this Division of the Island and all Matters being in a sort accommodated Donaldus departed this Life having Reigned One and Twenty years Ethodius II. The Twenty Eighth King ETHODIVS the Second Son of the former Ethodius was substituted in his Room a Man almost stupid This is certain he was of a more languid and soft Disposition than was fit to have the Government of such a Feirce and Warlike People conferred upon him which being taken notice of the Nobles in a Convention bore that Reverence to the Progeny of King Fergus that they left the Name of King to Ethodius as sloathful as he was but yet not guilty of any Notorious Wickedness but set Deputies over all the Provinces to administer Justice therein whose Moderation and Equity did so regulate Matters that Scotland was never in a quieter State For they did not only punish Offenders but also made the immoderate Covetousness of the King to be no burden to the People This King in the Twenty first year of his Reign was slain in a Tumult of his own Officers Athirco The Twenty Ninth King ATHIRCO his Son manifesting greater Ingenuity than is usually found in such an Youthful Age was therefore made King For by his Manly Exercises in Riding throwing the Dart and vying with his young Courtiers in Feats of Arms as also by his Bounty and Courteous Demeanor he won to himself the Love of all But his Vices increasing with his Age by his profound Avarice Peevishness Luxury and Sloath he so alienated the Minds of Good Men from him that the more the Sons were delighted with his Nefarious Practices the more their Fathers were offended thereat At last a Conspiracy of the Nobles was formed against him occasioned by one Nathalocus a Nobleman whose
Carantius being sent to the Sea-Coasts of Bolognâ— by Dioclesian to defend Belgick Armorica from the Incursions of the Francs and Saxons after he had taken many of the Barbarians yet would neither restore the Prey to the Provincials the Right Owners nor yet send them to the Emperor hereupon a suspicion arose that he purposely allowed the Barbarians to plunder that so he might rob them at their return and thereby enrich himself with the Spoil For this Reason Maximianus commanded him to be slain but he taking Authority upon him seized upon Britany and to strengthen his Party against Bassianus the Roman Lieutenant-General he reconciled the Discords betwixt the Scots and Picts and entred into a firm League and Alliance with them Both. The Romans made many Attempts against him but by his Skill in Military Affairs he defeated all their Designs After he had restored the Scots and Picts into the possession of those Lands which they formerly held he was slain by his Companion Allectus after he had Reigned seven Years Allectus having Reigned three Years was slain by Asclepiodotus and thus Britanny was restored to the Romans in the Twelfth Year after its Revolt But neither Asclepiodotus nor he who succeeded him Constantinus Chlorus did any memorable thing in Britain but that this later begat Constantin afterwards Emperor on Helena his Concuâ—bne Amidst these Transactions Crathilinthus died after he had Reiigned 24 years Fincormachus The Thirty Fifth King FIncormachus his Cousin-German succeeded him who perform'd many excellent Exploits against the Romans by the aid of the Britains and Picts Yea some Battels he fought them without any Auxiliaries at all At length when the Romans were weakned by their Civil Wars at home and perpetual molestations abroad Matters being a little quieted the Scots were also glad to embrace Peace Who being thus freed from external cares did principally endeavour to promote the Christian Religion they took this occasion to do it because many of the British Christians being afraid of the cruelty of Dioclesian had fled to them Amongst which sundry eminent for Learning and Integrity of Life made their aboad in Scotland where they led a solitary Life with such an universal Opinion of their Sanctity that when they died their Cells were changed into Temples or Kirks From hence the Custom arose afterwards amongst the Ancient Scots to call Temples Cells This sâ—rt of Monks were called Culdees whose Name and Order continued till a later sort of Monks divided into many Sects did expel them Yet these last were as far inferiour to the former in Learning and Piety as they did exceed them in Wealth in Ceremonies and in Pomp of outward Worship whereby they please the Eye but infatuate the Mind Fincormachus having settled affairs in Scotland with great equity and reduced his Subjects to a more civil kind of Life departed this Life in the 47th Year of his Reign Romachus The Thirty Sixth King AFter his Death there was a great contest about the Kingdom between Three Cousin-Germans begot by the Three Brothers of Crathilinthus their Names were Romachus Fethelmachus and Augusianus or rather Romachus's Plea was that his Father was the Eldest of the Three Brothers of Crathilinthus and that his Mother was descended from the Blood-Royal of the Picts as also that he himself was of a stirring Disposition and likely to procure Friends and Allys That which made for Augusianus was his Age and Experience in the World as also his admirable Deportment to which was added the Favour of the People and that which was the principal of all Fethelmachus who was before his Competitor now voted for him By reason of this Sedition the matter being like to be decided by Arms nothing could be concluded in the First Convention of the Estates but That being dissolved the whole Kingdom was divided into Two Factions and Romachus who was least in the favour of the People called in the Picts Militia for his assistance that so he might strengthen himself by Foreign Aid Augusianus being informed that Ambushes were laid for him judged it better once for all to try the shock of a Battel than to live in perpetual solicitude and fear Whereupon gathering his Party into a body he fought with Romachus but being overcome by Him He and Fethelmachus fled together into the Aebudae Islands But perceiving he could not be safe there because on the account of his Victory he was formidable to the Heads of the Factions and that he was also amongst a people naturally venal and corrupted by the promises of Romachus he fled into Ireland with his Friends Romachus having thus removed his Rival and obtained the Kingdom rather by force than the good will of the People did exercise his Power very cruelly over his Enemies and to put a pretence of Law on the matter when he went about the Country to keep Assizes he took no Counsel of others as was accustomed but assumed all Capital causes to his own Arbitrement so that he made great Execution amongst the People and strook a general Terror into the hearts of all good Men. At length when all were wearied with the present state of Affairs the Nobility made a sudden combination against him and before he could gather his Forces together he was taken in his flight to the Picts and put to death in the Third year of his Reign His Head was carried up and down fasten'd to the Top of a Pole and afforded a joyful Spectacle to the People Angusianus The Thirty Seventh King HEreupon Angusianus was recalled by general consent to undertake the Kingly Government In the beginning of his Reign They which were the Ministers of Cruelty and Covetousness under Romachus being afraid to live under so good a King stirred up Nectamus King of the Picts to make War upon Him in revenge of his Kinsman Angusianus being a lover of Peace sent Embassadors to them very often to advise them That both Nations would be much prejudiced by those Divisions in regard the Brittons did but watch an Opportunity to destroy them both But they hearkned not unto them either out of confidence of their strength or out of anger and vexation of Spirit So that perceiving them to be averse from Peace he led forth his Army against them and after a sharp conflict obtained the Victory The King of the Picts made his escape with a few in his company and after he had a little master'd his fear being inflam'd with Rage and Fury he obtained but with great difficulty of his Subjects to raise him a new Army And when it was levied he marched into Caledonia Angusianus having again propounded Terms of Peace which not being hearkned unto he drew his forces towards the Enemy The Fight was maintain'd with equal obstinacy on both sides one striving to retain their acquired Glory and th' other endeavouring to wipe away their received Ignominy and Disgrace At length the Scots Angusianus being slain brake
their Ranks and ran away Neither was the Battel unbloody to the Picts Their King and all his Valiant Warriors being slain therein The Loss being in a manner equal on both sides occasioned a Peace between them for some short time Angusianus reigned little above an Year Fethelmachus The Thirty Eighth King FEthelmachus was made King in the room of Angusianus when he had fearce Reigned 2 years he levied an Army and made foul havock of the Picts Country As soon as the Enemy could meet him they fought with a great slaughter on either side For the main Battel of the Picts they having lost both their wings was almost all encompassed round and taken yet they died not unrevenged The King of the Picts three days after died of his wound The Scots making use of their Victory having no Army at all to withstand them made a great spoil all over the Picts Country For the Picts having received so great a blow never durst oppose them with their whole force only they appointed some small Partys of their Men in sit time and place to withstand the straggling Troops of their Enemy that so they might not plunder far from home In the mean time one Hergustus a crafty man having undertaken the Command of the Picts inasmuch as he was inferior in Force he applied himself to Fraud for he sent two Picts who pretending themselves to be Scots were to kill the King They according to their Instructions treated with a certain Musician about the Murder of the King For those sort of Creatures are wont to lodge in the Chambers of Princes and Noblemen to relieve them whilst awake and also to procure sleep Which custom still continues in all the British Isles amongst the old Scots so that on a Night agreed upon between them the Picts were introduced by this Minstrel and so slew the King as privately as they could yet they could not carry it so secretly but that the Kings Attendants were awaken'd at the hearing of his Death-groans and so pursued the Authors of the Villany and when they could fly no further the Kings Officers took them tho' they threw Stones at them to defend themselves from a steep Rock and brought them back to Execution Eugenius or Evenus I. The Thirty Ninth King FEthelmachus being thus slain in the third year of his Reign Eugenius or rather Evenus the Son of Fincormachus succeeded him About that time Maximus the Roman General being in hopes to conquer the whole Island if he could destroy the Scots and Picts both first of all he pretends many favourable respects to the Picts who were then the weaker Party and therefore by consequence more ready to treat with him Them he filled with vain promises That if they would persevere in their Alliance with the Romans besides many other innumerable advantages they should have the Scots Land to be divided amongst them The Picts were catched with this bait being blinded by Anger desirous of Revenge allured by Promises and regardless of future Events Hereupon they joyned their Forces with the Romans and spoiled the Scots Country Their first fight with them was at Cree a River of Galway the Scots being few in number were easily overcome by a more numerous Army and being thus put to slight the Romans pursued them every way without any order as being sure of the Victory In the mean time the Argyle Men and some other Forces of the remote Parts who were coming up to joyn with their vanquished Friends fell in good order upon the scatter'd Troops of the Romans and made a great Slaughter amongst their Enemies Eugenius gather'd up those whom he could recal from flight and calling a Council of War was advised That seeing his forces were not sufficient to carry on the War he should return back to Carrick But as Maximus was prosecuting his victory word was brought him That all was in a flame in the inner parts of Britain The Scots were glad of his departure as being eased of a great part of their Enemies and though they were scarce able to defend their own yet between Anger and Hope they resolved before the Summer was past to perform some great Exploit against their adjacent Enemies and thereupon they poured in the remainders of their Force upon the Picts As they marched they slew all they met without distinction and made all desolate with Fire and Sword Maximus tho' he threatned and spake contumeliously of the Scots yet being equally joyful at the destruction of both Nations as soon as he found an opportunity marched against the Scots upon pretence to revenge the Wrongs done by them to the Picts The Scots on the other side being now to fight not for Glory Empire or Booty but for their Country Fortune Lives and whatsoever else is wont to be dear to Men drew forth all that were able to bear Arms not the Men only but Women also according to the Custom of the Nation prepare themselves for their last encounter and pitched their Tents not far from the River Down and near their Enemies Camp Both Armies being set in order of Battel first of all the Auxiliaries set upon the Scots where some fighting in hope others incited by despair there was a very sharp tho' short encounter The Picts and Britains were repulsed with great loss and had been certainly wholly routed and put to flight if seasonable relief had not come to them from the Romans But Maximus bringing on his Legions the Scots being inferior in Number in the Nature of their Arms and in their Military Discipline were driven back and almost quite ruined King Eugenius himself fell in this Fight as not being willing to survive his Soldiers and the greatest part of his Nobles fell with him as loath to forsake their King Maximus having obtained this great Victory sooner than he hoped and scarce finding any on whom he might wreck his hatred mercifully returned to his former Clemency for marching over many Provinces of the Scots he took those that yielded themselves to Mercy and caused them to till the Land withal adding his Commands That they should be contented with their Own and not be offensive to their Neighbours The Picts taking this his Clemency in evil part did allege That the Romans and their Allys would never obtain a firm solid peace as long as the Nation of the Scots which were always unquiet and took all opportunities to plunder did remain alive adding further That Britanny would never be secure whilst any of the Scotish Blood remain'd in it That they were like wild Beasts who would be sweetned by no Offices of Love nor would they be quiet though they received never so many Losses so that there would be no end of War till the whole Nation was extinct Maximus replied many things in bar to such severities as That 't was the ancient Custom of the Romans if they overcame any Nation to be so far from extirpating them that they
made many of them Denizons of their City That though they had almost Conquered the whole World yet never any People or Nation were wholly eradicated by Them That he himself having slain their King with the flower of his Army had so quelled them that now they were no longer to be feared but rather pitied by their Enemies he further urged That his hatred of the Picts was as great as Theirs but if they considered the matter well it would be a joyfuller Spectacle to behold the Miseries of them being alive than the Graves of them being Slain yea that it was a more grievous Punishment to live a dying Life than by once Dying to put an end to all Miseries This was the Sum of the Discourse which he made not so much out of any Affection to the Scots as out of Hatred of the Picts Cruelty Moreover he had an Eye to the future as judging it extreamly hazardous to the Roman Province if the Force of the Picts upon the Extirpation of the Scots should be doubled But the Picts did so ply him with Complaints Supplications and Guifts that at length they obtained an Edict from him That all the Scots should depart out of Britain by a certain day and he that was found there after the time limited should be put to Death Their Country was divided betwixt the Picts and Britains Thus the surviving Scots as every Mans Fortune led him were scattered over Ireland the Aebudae Islands through Scandia and the Cimbrick Chersonesus and were in all places kindly received by the Inhabitants But the Picts though they made publick Profession of the Christian Religion yet did not forbear to commit Injuries against Priests and Monks which in that Age were had in great esteem So that those poor Ecclesiasticks were dispersed into all the Countries round about and many of them came into Icolumbkill one of the Aebudae Isles where being gathered together in a Monastery they transmitted an high Opinion of their Piety and Holiness to Posterity The rest of the Scots being thus afflicted by Wars exiled from their Countries and in despair of returning thither again The Inhabitants of the Hebrides being of a fierce and unquiet Nature idle poor abounding in Men yet wanting Necessaries thought That they ought to attempt something of themselves and so gathering a Navy of Birlins and small Ships together under Gillo their Commander they landed in the County of Argyle Having made their Descent there and dispersing themselves scatteredly amongst a Country almost wholly destitute of Inhabitants to fetch in Booty they were circumvented by the Picts who were sent to assist the Inhabitants and placed in Garison there and being kept from their Ships were slain every Man Their Navy was taken and reserved for Service against the Islanders And not long after they which fled to Ireland partly out of Remembrance of their Ancient Alliance and partly out of Commiseration of their Fortune did easily incite a Nation naturally inclined to War and Plunder to afford them Aid to recover their Country and Antient Patrimony Ten Thousand Auxiliaries were allowed them who landing in that part of Scotland which is opposite to Ireland struck a great terrour to the People over all the Country Being encouraged by their first happy Success when they were consulting how to carry on the War the Albian Scots well knowing the strength of the Romans and how much they exceeded other Nations in their skill about Military Affairs persuaded them to be contented with their present Victory and to return home with their Booty not staying till the whole force of Britain was gathered together to assault them And seeing that the Forces of all Ireland if they had been there could not withstand the Roman Army which by its Conduct and Valour had almost subdued the whole World therefore they were to deal with them not by open Force but by Subtilty That they were to watch opportunities and seeing they could not match their Enemies in Number Force or Warlike Skill that therefore they should weary them out with Toil and Labour And that This was the only Method for the managing the War with them The Irish-Scots on the other side did blame those of Albium whose former Valour was now so Languid That though they were the Off-Spring of those who had almost overthrown whole Armies of the Romans yet that they could not now look them in the Face Yea there were some of the Albine-Scots themselves of the same Opinion alleging That this Method of War propounded by their Country-Men was very vain and frivolous serving only to vex the Enemy but not to recover their own Country and that therefore they ought to follow their good Fortune and not to think of returning till she made way for them And if they would act thus then no doubt but God who had blessed them with such prosperous beginnings would by their Arms lessen the power of the Enemie either by raising up new Tumults amongst the Britains or by calling off the Roman Legions to a War nearer home That the Occasion now offered was not to be neglected lest hereafter it might be sought for in Vain This Opinion prevailed and so they joyfully returned to their Prey Thus whilst in hopes to recover what they had lost they indulged their own Will rather rashly than prudently being immediately overpowred by greater Forces they lost the best part of their Men. This Slaughter being made known in Ireland cut off all hopes of return from the Scots and made the Irish fear lest they also should not retain their Liberty long so that after many Consultations they could find no way more adviseable than that the Irish Scots should send Ambassadors into Britain to make Peace with the Romans upon the best Conditions they could procure Upon their arrival Maximus first of all did severely rebuke them in that without any Provocation they had causelesly excited the Roman Arms against them The Ambassadors in excuse laid the blame on the rude Rabble and so they obtained Pardon The Peace was made on these Conditions That the Hibernians after that day should never entertain or shelter any Enemies of the Romans That they should forbear to offer any Injury to their Allies and That they should manage their Government with a friendly Respect to the Romans The Hibernians having thus obtained better Terms than they expected returned joyfully home That which inclined Maximus to make this easie Pacification was not his fear of the Hibernians for he did not much value all the disturbance they could give him but because his Mind being intent upon hopes of greater matters he was willing to leave all Britain not only quiet and free from War but also affectionate and under an obligation to him For when he perceived after the Defeat and Slaughter of so many of their Armies that the Forces of the Roman Empire were shattered and weakned by their Civil Wars and that the Emperors were not
did severally make In-rodes upon them each from his own Coast that omitting the care of Foreign Affairs they called back their Armies into Italy to defend Rome it self the Seat of their Empire In the midst of these Commotions they who commanded the British Legions esteeming the Roman Affairs as desperate did each study their own Advantages and severally to establish their distinct Tyrannies Neither were they content to vex the Islanders with all kind of Cruelty and Avarice but they also harassed one another by Mutual Incursions So the Number of the Legionary Soldiers did daily decrease and the hatred of the Provincials against them did increase So that all Britanny would have rebelled against them if they had had Forces answerable to their Desires But above all their Miseries That was most prejudicial to the Britains which the Emperor Constantine the last General of the Roman Army caused them to endure For when he was made Emperor he withdrew not only the Roman Army but even the British Soldiers too and so left the whole Island disarmed and exposed to all Violence if they had had any Foreign Enemy to invade them This was the chief occasion which did mightily hasten the combination of the Scots When Affairs stood in this posture secret Messengers were sent betwixt the Scots and the Picts and a Peace struck up between them Whereupon they Both sent Ambassadors to call home Fergusius to undertake the Kingly Government as descending to him from his Ancestors Fergusius being a Military Man desirous of Honour and besides not so well pleased with his present Estate but encouraged with hopes of a better easily accepted the Terms When his return was noised abroad many of the Exiled Scots yea several of the Danes also his acquaintance and fellow-Soldiers being encouraged by the same hopes accompanied him also home They all landed in Argyle Thither all those Exiles which were in Ireland and the Circumjacent Islands having notice given them before of his coming resorted speedily to him and they also drew along with them a considerable number of their Clans and Relations and also several young Soldiers who were desirous of Innovation Fergusius II. The Fortieth King FErgusius having got these Forces together was Created the 40 th King of Scotland being Inaugurated according to the manner of the Country The Black Book of Pasley casts his return on the 6th Year of Honorius and Arcadius Emperours Others upon the 8th of their Reign that is according to the account of Marianus Scotus 403 according to Funccius 404 Years after the Incarnation of Christ and about 27 Years after the death of his Grand-Father Eugenius They who contend out of Bede That this was the First coming of the Scots into Britain may be convinced of a manifest untruth by his very History When the Assembly of the Estates was Dissolved Fergusius being born and bred to Feats of War and Arms judging it convenient to make use of the Favourableness of Fortune and the Forwardness of his Men and withal designing to prevent the Report of his coming demolished all the Neighbor-Garisons having not Soldiers enough to keep them and having recovered his own Kingdom as soon as the season of the Year would permit he prepared for an Expedition against his Enemy In the mean time the Brittons were divided into Two Factions some of them desirous of Liberty and weary of a Foreign Yoke were glad of their Arrival others preferred their present Ease thô attended with so many and great Inconveniencies before an uncertain Liberty and a certain War And therefore out of fear of the Danger hanging over their heads and withal being Conscious of their own Weakness they agreed upon a double Embassy one to the Picts another to the Romans That to the Picts was to advise them not to desert their old Allies the Romans and Brittons nor to take part with their ancient Enemies who were a company of poor hopeless and despicable Creatures They farther gave them grave Admonitions and made them many promises and added many Threats from the Romans whom said they they could never equal in Number or overcome though the whole strength of both Nations did jointly make Head against them much less could they noâ— Cope with them seeing one of them was exhausted by Draughts and Detachements of Souldiâ—rs and the other worn out with all manner of Miseries The Minutes of their Instructions to their Ambassadors sent to the Romans were these That they should send Aid to them in time whilst there was any thing left to defend against the rage of a Cruel Enemy which if they would do then Britain would still remain firm under their Obedience if not it were better for them to leave their Country than to endure a Servitude worse than Death under Savage Nations Hereupon the Romans though pressed upon by War on every side yet sent one Legion out of Gaul to defend their Province giving them Command to return assoon as they had settled matters in Britanny The Brittons having received such Aid did suddainly assault the plundring Troops of their Enemies who were carelesâ—ly struggling up and down and repelled them with great Slaughter The Confederate Kings having an Army well-appointed came to the Wall of Severus and meeting their Enemies by the River Carron a bloody Battel was fought between them Great Slaughter was made on both sides but the Victory fell to the Romans who being in a little time to return into Gallia were content only to have driven back their Enemies and to repair the Wall of Severus which in many places was demolished which when they had done and had Garisoned it with Brittons they departed The Confederate Kings though they were Superior to their Enemies in swift Marchings and enduring of Hardships yet being inferiour in Number and Force resolved not to Fight pitched Battels any more but rather to weary their Enemies by frequent Inrodes and not to put all at a venture in one Fight seeing they were not as yet of Force sufficient so to do But when they heard That the Romans were returned out of Britain they altered their Resolutions and gathering all their Forces together they demolished the Wall of Severus which was slightly repaired only by the Hands of Souldiers and but negligently guarded neither by the Brittons So that by this means having a larger Scope to Forage in they made the Country beyond the Wall which they were not able to keep for want of Men useless to the Brittons for many Miles It is reported that one Graham was the principal Man in demolishing that Fortification who transporting his Soldiers in Ships landed beyond the Wall and slew the Guards unawares and unprovided and so made a passage for his Men. 'T is not certain amongst Writers Whether this Graham were a Scot or a Britton but most think That he was a Britton descended of the Fulgentian Sept a Prime and Noble Family in that Nation as also That he was
their Enemies were enforced to maintain their needy Lives by Hunting or else to turn their course of Plunder from their Enemies upon their own Countrymen So that an Intestine War was almost like to ensue upon an External Peace Neither were they only the perpetual Enemies of Foreiners For thô they abstained from open Wars yet ever and anon they spoiled the Countries contiguous to them Also a Party of the Hibernians being encouraged by hope of Booty did vex the poor People who were already miserably enough distressed with their Marine Invasions Their last Calamity and the worst of all was Famine which did so cow the Hearts of that Warlike People that many of them voluntarily surrendred up themselves into their Enemies Hands At last those few of them that remained lurking in Caves and Dens were necessitated to peep abroad and so to scatter the wandring Troops of those Plunderers they also drove the Irish back to Sea and forced them to depart from Albium That Mischief was no sooner removed but a Calamity nearer hand began to press upon them The Scots and Picts their perpetual Enemies were not contented to drive Preys from them by stealth but watched an opportunity to attempt higher Matters For Eugenius the Son of Fergus who till that time had lain still under the Tutorage of another his Strength being increased by a long Peace and much augmented by a young Fry of Soldiers flocking in to him desired to shew himself and besides the weakness of the Brittons there happened likewise a private Cause of War Graham being his Grandfather by the Mothers-side and nobly descended as I spake before in his own Country was yet of that Faction which were desirous to free themselves from the bondage of the Romans For which Cause he was banished by the contrary Faction who were then more powerful and so he fled to the Scots his old Allies between whom many Civilities had formerly passed After his Death Eugenius by his Ambassadors demanded a Restitution of those fruitful Lands which were his Ancestors situate within the Wall of Adrian intimating plainly to them That unless they did restore them he would make War upon them When the Ambassadors had declared their Message in an Assembly of the Brittons there were such Heats amongst them that they came almost to blows They that were the fiercest of them cryed out That the Scots did not seek for Lands so much of which they had enough as for War and That they did not only insult over their new Calamities but also were resolved to try their Patience if the Lands were denied then a War would presently follow if they were restored then a cruel Enemy was to be received into their own Bowels and yet they should not have Peace even Then unless they imagined That their Covetousness would be satisfied with the Concession of a few Lands who were not contented with large Provinces which were parted with in the last War And that therefore it was good to obviate their immoderate and unsatiable Desires in the very beginning and to repress their Licentiousness by Arms lest by the Grant of small things their Desires might be enlarged and their Boldness encreased to ask more There was in that Assembly one Conanus a British Nobleman and eminent amongst his Countrymen on the account of his Prudence who discoursed many things gravely concerning the Cruelty of their Enemies and of the present State of the Brittons and that all their Soldiers were almost drawn out for Foreign Service adding withal That War abroad Seditions at home and Famine proceeding from Poverty or Want would consume or else weaken the miserable Remainders of his Countrymen As for the Roman Legions they were gone home to quell their own Civil Wars without any hopes of Return and therefore he gave his Advice That they should make Peace with their formidable Enemies if not an advantagious one yet the best they could procure This Counsel he gave as he alleged not out of any Respect to his private Interest but merely for the necessities of the Publick which appears said he by this That as long as there was any probability to defend ourselves against the Cruelty of our Enemies he never made any mention of Peace at all he added That he was not ignorant that this Peace which he now persuaded to would not be a lasting one but only prove a small Respite from War till the force of the Brittons weakned by so many losses and almost ruined might be refreshed and gather strength by a little intermission Whilst he was thus speaking a Noise arose in the whole Assembly which made him afraid For the Seditious cryed out That he did not respect the publick Good but only endeâ—voured to obtain the Kingdom for himself by means of Foreign Aid Whereupon he departing from the Council called God to witness That he had no private end of his own in persuading Peace but a Tumult arising amongst the Multitude he was there slain His Loss caused the wiser sort to refrain giving their Votes freely thô they evidently saw that the Destruction of their Country was at hand The Ambassadors returning home without their Errand The Scots and Picts left off all other Business and prepared wholly for War The Brittons foreseeing the same after their fit of Passion was somewhat over send Ambassadors to Scotland who upon pretence of making Peace were to put some stop to the War and to offer them Money giving the Scots hopes That they might get more from them by way of an amicable Treaty than they pretended to seek for by War That the Chances of War were doubtful and the issue uncertain That it was not the part of Wise Men to neglect the benefit which was in their view and upon uncertain hopes to cast themselves upon most certain and assured Dangers Nothing was obtained by this Ambassy for Eugenius was informed by his Spies That the Brittons did but dissemble the obtaining of a Peace abroad whilst they were intent upon high Warlike Preparations at home so that for that reason the Scots and Picts being inflamed with their old hatred and invited by the Calamities of the Brittons or else lifted up with Success would give them no Conditions but to yield up All so that both Armies prepared for the last Encounter The Confederate Kings having been Conquerors for some years were now erected to the hope of a greater Victory and the Brittons on the other side set before their Eyes all the Miseries that a fierce and conquering Enemy could inflict upon them In this posture of Affairs and temper of Spirit when both Parties came in sight of one another such a sharp Fight commenced between them as the Inhabitants of Britanny had never seen before it was so obstinately maintained that after very long and hot Service the Right Wing of the Scots was thô with difficulty enforced to give ground which Eugenius perceiving having before brought all his
other Reserves into Service he drew on also the Squadrons left to guard the Baggage into the Fight They being intire routed the Brittons which stood against them so that the Victory began on that side whence the fear of a Total overthrow did proceed The rest of the Brittons following the Fortune of the other Brigade ran away too and flying into the Woods and Marishes near to the place where the Battel was fought as they were thus straggling dispersed and unarmed their Enemies Baggage-men and Attendants slew abundance of them There fell of the Brittons in this Fight 14000 of their Enemies 4000. After this Fight the Brittons having lost almost all their Infantry send Ambassadors to the Scots and Picts Commissioning them to refuse no Conditions of Peace whatsoever The Confederate Kings seeing they had All in their Power were somewhat inclined to Mercy and therefore Terms of Peace were offered which were hard indeed but not the severest which in such their afflicted State they might have propounded The Conditions were That the Brittons should not send for any Roman or other Forein Army to assist them That they should not admit them if they came of their own accord nor give them Liberty to march thrâ— their Country That the Enemies of the Scots and Picts should be Theirs also vice versâ and That without their Permission they should not make Peace or War nor send Aid to any who desired it That the Limits of their Kingdom should be the River Humber That they should also make present Payment of a certain sum of Money by way of Mâ—lâ—t to be divided amongst the Soldiers which also was to be paid yearly by them That they should give an hundred Hostages such as the Confederate Kings should approve of These Conditions were entertained by the Brittons grudingly by some but necessarily by all and the same necessity which procured it made them keep the Peace for some years The Brittons being left weak and forsaken of Foreigners that they might have an Head to resort to for publick Advice made Constantine their Countryman a Nobleman of high descent and of great repute whom they had sent for out of Gallick Britanny King He perceiving that the Forces of the Brittons were broken both abroad by Wars and at home by Fewds Robberies and Discords thought fit to attempt nothing by Arms but during the Ten years he reigned he maintained Peace with his Neighbours at last he was Slain by the Treachery of Vortigern a Potent and Ambitious man He left Three Sons behind him of which Two were under Age the Third and Eldest as unfit for Government was thrust into a Monastery yet he was made King principally by the Assistance of Vortigern who sought to obtain Wealth and Power to himself under the Envy of another mans Name The Fields which were now tilled in time of Peace after a most grievous Famine yielded such a plentiful Crop of Grain that the like was never heard of in Britain before And from hence those Vices did arise which usually accompany Peace as Luxury Cruelty Whoredom Drunkenness which are more pernicious than all the Mischiefs of War There was no Truth or Sincerity to be found and that not only amongst the Vulgar but even the Monks and the Professors of an Holier Life made a mock at Equity Faithfulness and constant Piety of Life of which Bede the Anglo-Saxon and Gildas the Britton do make an heavy Complaint In the mean time the Ambassadors who returned from Aetius brought word That no relief could be expected from him for the Brittons had sent Letters to Aetius some Clauses whereof as they are mentioned by Bede I shall here recite both because they are a succinct History of the Miseries of that Nation and also because they demonstrate How much many Writers are mistaken in their Memoirs The Words are these To Aetius the third time Consul the Complaints of the Brittons And a little after The Barbarians drive us to the Sea the Sea beats us back again upon the Barbarians between These two kinds of Deaths we are either Killed or Drowned Now Aetius was joyned in his Third Consulship with Symmachus in the 450th year after Christ. Neither could there any Aid be obtained from him who was then principally intent upon the observing the Motions of Attila The rest of the Brittons being driven to this desperate point only Vortigern was glad of the publick Calamity and in such a general hurly-burly he thought he might with greater Impunity perpetrate that Wickedness which he had long before designed in his mind which was to cause the King to be Slain by those Guards which he had appointed about him and afterwards to avert the suspition of so foul a Parricide from himself in a pretended Fit of Anger as if he were impatient of delay in Executing Revenge he caused the Guards also to be put to death without suffering them to plead for themselves Thus having obtained the Kingdom by the highest degree of Villany he managed it with as little Sanctity For suspecting the Faithfulness of the People towards him and not confiding in his own strength which was but small he engaged the Saxons to take his part who then exercised Pyracy at Sea and infested all the shores far and near He procured their Captain Hengist with a strong Band of Soldiers to come to him with three Galleys and he assigned Lands to him in Britain so that now he was to fight not as for a strange Country but as for his own Demeasne and Estate and therefore was likely to do it with greater Alacrity When this was noised abroad such large Numbers of Three Nations the Iutes the Saxons and the Angles are reported to have flocked out of Germany into Britain that they became formidable even to the Inhabitants of the Isle First of all about the year of our Lord 449. Vortigern being strengthned by those Auxiliaries joyned Battel with the Scots and Picts whom he Conquered and drove beyond the Wall of Adrian As touching Eugenius the King of the Scots there goes a double Report of him some say he was slain in fight beyond the River Humber others that he died a natural Death However he came by his end this is certain he governed the Scots with such Equity that he may deservedly be reckoned amongst the Best of their Kings For tho' he spent the first Part of his Life almost from his Childhood in War yet he so profited under the Discipline of his Grandfather and his Mind was so established thereby that neither Military Freedom as it usually doth did draw him to Vice neither did it make him more negligent in conforming his Manners to the Rule of Piety nor did his prosperous Success make him more arrogant And on the other side the Peace and Calm he enjoyed did not abate the sharpness of his Understanding nor break his Martial Spirit but he managed his Life with such an equal and
Disposition as usually Kings have many such Parasites did often persuade him to take Arms yet he would never be induced thereunto First then he applied himself to correct the publick Manners neither did he attempt to reduce the Ancient Discipline till he had Created new Magistrates and by their means had abridged Suits and Controversies and restrained Thefts and Robberies Peace being setled at home he endeavoured to reclaim others to a civiller course of Life first of all by his own Example and if any took no Copy from him but persisted obstinately in their Evil Courses Such he either gently chastized and punished or else sleighted them as despicable and worthless Persons and thus he quickly reduced all things to their former state Seeing as I said before at the beginning of his Reign he gave up himself wholly to the study of Peace the Brittons began to persuade Aurelius Ambrosius to recover Westmorland from the Scots which they had possessed many years Hereupon several Embassys being sent to and fro betwixt them the Matter was like to be decided by the Sword if fear of the Common Enemy had not put an end to the Dispute so that the League made by Constantine was renewed and no Alteration made in reference to Westmorland Congallus had War with the Saxons all the time of his Reign but it was a slow and intermittent one as Parties fortuitously met in driving of their respective Preys in which kind of Fighting the Scots being nimble light and most Horsemen accounted themselves Superior to their Enemies but they never came to a pitch'd Battel For Congallus was of opinion That it was best to commit as few things as we could to the Arbitrement of Fortune and therefore he sent Part of his Forces to help Aurelius Ambrosius and with the rest he wearied his Enemy and never suffered him to rest Night nor Day Merlin and Gildas lived in the days of these and the next Kings They were both Brittons and obtained great Fame amongst Posterity for the Opinion conceived of them concerning Prophecies and Divinations Merlin was a little the Ancienter of the Two a Cheat and Impostor rather than a Prophet His Vaticinations are scattered up and down but they are obscure and contain no Certainty at all to encourage any ones hopes before their fulfilling or to satisfy them when they are so that upon neither account can you affirm them to be True And besides they are so framed that you may accommodate or apply them to different or contrary Events as you will your self Yet tho' they are dayly furbished up and also augmented by new Additions such is the Folly oâ— credulous men That what they understand not they are yet bold to affirm to be as True as Gospel and tho' they be taken in a notorious I â—e yet they will not suffer themselves to be convinced thereof Gildas was later than he a Learned and Good Man and one who was had in great Veneration both Alive and Dead for his Excellent Learning accompanied with Sanctity of Life The Prophecies which go under his Name are such Ridiculous Sentences and so course and ill-framed in Wording and also in the whole Series of their Composure that no Wise Man can esteem them to be His Yet each Prophet as you call them had a Patron suitable to his own Disposition Merlin had Vortigern for his Patron and after him Vter to whom he was a Pander for his Lust. Gildas had Aurelius Ambrosius a Person no less admirable for the Probity of his Life than for his Victories in War after whose Death Gildas retired unto Glastonbury in Sommerset-shire where he lived and died very devoutly Our Books of the Life of Aurelius Ambrosius do make mention of him After his Death Vter the youngest of Constantines Three Sons succeeded him in the Year of our Lord Five Hundred And the next year after Congallus King of Scotland departed this Natural Life in the Twenty Second year of his Reign Goranus The Forty Fifth King GORANVS his Brother Succeeded him who after his Example governed Scotland with great Piety and Justice as much as Foreign Wars would suffer him so to do for he not only travelled all over the Kingdom as the good Kings of old were wont to do to punish Offenders but also to prevent the Injuries which great Men did offer to the Poor who in such Cases dared not to complain and to curb their oppressive Domination over them he appointed Informers who were to find out such Miscarriages write them down and bring them to him a Remedy necessary perhaps for those times but in our days a very hazardous one He was the chief Means and Occasion that the Picts deserting the Saxons made a joint League with the Scots and Britains At that time Lothus was King of the Picts a Person who excelled the Princes of his time in all accomplishments both of Body and Mind Goranus dealt earnestly with him to break his Alliance with those Barbarous Nations alleging That he ought to remember his own Country in which they were all born and especially their common Religion That he was much deceived if he imagined that the Peace betwixt him and the Saxons would be faithfully kept when once the Brittons and Scots were overthrown seeing he had to do with Men of inhuman Cruelty and insatiable Avarice That they had given sufficient proofs how little they esteemed Leagues or any other thing when they wickedly slew the Nobility of the Brittons who had so well deserved of them upon Pretence of calling them out to a Conference That the Son in Law was saved alive by the Father in Law not for any releif of his Calamity but for upbraiding of the Enemy he added That the Sacredness of Leagues which amongst other Nations are accounted the firmest bonds of Union was amongst them as a Snare or Bait to catch the simple and unwary in To what purpose was it to run so many hazards to free themselves from the Tyranny of the Romans if they must spontaneously give themselves up to the much harder and baâ—er Servitude of the Saxons This were not to make a change of their Condition but of their Masters only Yea it was to prefer a Truculent and Barbarous One before One that was mild and gentle What a Foolish and Wild a thing was it to take away Lands from the Scots and Brittons and to deliver them to the Germans And so to despoil those who were but lately their Friends and endeared to them by many ancient Courtesies and Respects that they might enrich Pirates the common Enemies of Mankind even to their own Destruction That it ought to be esteemed the most grievous thing of all by one who was a true Christian to consent to that League whereby Christian Religion must be extinguished profane Rites renewed and wicked Tyrants Enemies of Piety and Humanity armed with Power against God and his Law Lothus knew all this to be true
which he had spoken and therefore he committed the whole affair to Goranus his Management he easily persuades Vter not only to make an Alliance but to contract an Affinity too with the Picts giving him Anna who was either his Sister or else his Daughter begotten in lawful Wedlock to Wife I am rather of their Opinion who think she was his Sister as judging that the Mistake arose from hence That Vter had another Natural Daughter called Anna by a Concubine After this League between these Three Kings many Victories were obtained over the Saxons so that the Name of Vter began to be great and formidable all over Britain After all the Commanders of the Saxons were slain and the Power of those that remain'd broken and so things made almost hopeless and desperate among them Vter might have been accounted one of the greatest Kings of his Age unless by one foul and impious Fact he had blurred all his other great Virtues There was one Gorlois a Noble Britton of great Valour and Power when Vter as yet was but a private Man he fell mightily in Love with his Wife named Igerne a very beautiful Woman but her Chastity being a long time a Guard against his Lust at last her Continency was conquered by Merlin an audaciously wicked Man and in this Adulterous course he begat a Son on her Named Arthur Vter his own Lawful Wife being Dead being now freed from Nuptial Bonds and made King and so as he thought free from Law too not being able to bear the absence of Igerne out of Love to her attempted a very Temerarious Project He framed an Accusation against Gorlois besieged his Castle took it slew him Married Igerne and owned Arthur for his own Son Educating him Nobly in hopes of the Kingdom And seeing the Infamy reflecting on him by reason of his Wife could not be concealed that he might somewhat extenuate it they broached a Tale not much unlike That which had been often Acted in Theatres about Iupiter and Alâ—mena viz. That Vter by the Art of Merlin was changed into the shape of Gorlois and so had his first Nights Lodging with Igerne and indeed this Merlin was a Man of that Kidney that he had rather be famous for a Wicked Deed than none at all Arthur thus begot by a stoln Copulation assoon as he grew up appeared so amiable in the Lineaments of his Body and in the Inclinations of his Mind that the Eyes of his Parents and of all his Subjects too were fixed upon him and he gave many Omens of his future Greatness that after his Fathers Death all designed him to be their King And his Father was so much pleased with this Humour of the People that he cherished it by all the Ars he could so that now it was the common Opinion That none but Arthur should be Heir to the Crown Vter died when he had Reigned 17 Years and presently Arthur was set up in his stead though Lothus King of the Picts did much oppose it grievously complaining that his Children for he had Two begotten on Arthur's Aunt who were now of years were deprived of their Kingdom and that a Bastard begotten in Adultery was preferred before them On the other side all the Brittons stood for Arthur and denied that he was to be counted Spurious because Vter Married his Mother at last though it were after his Birth and by that Marriage had treated him as his Legitimate Son and had always accounted him so to be But although they pretended this colour of Right yet that which stood Arthur in most stead was his great Ingenuity and those Specimens of his Virtue which he often shewed yea there was a tacite Impression as it were on the Minds of all Men presaging his future Greatness So that all ran in thick and threefold as we say to his Party in so much that Lothus being born down not only by that Pretence of Right which after that time was always observed in Britanny but by the Affections of the People running another way desisted from his Enterprize in demanding the Kingdom which he did so much the rather do because he was loth to trust his Children for whom That Kingdom was desired to the Brittons who had shewed themselves so averse to Them Besides the Intreaties of his Friends did prevail with him who all alledged That no Kingdom ought to be so dear to him as that for the sake thereof he should joyn in Affinity with Infidels to the overthrow of the Christian Religion who would no more Inviolably keep their League and Alliance with him than they had done before with the Brittons Moreover the Liberal and Promising Disposition of Arthur and the Greatness of his Mind even above his Age did much affect him Insomuch that the League made by former Kings betwixt the Scots Picts and Brittons was again renewed and thereupon so great a Familiarity ensued that Lothus promised to send Galvinus the youngest of his Two Sons unto the British Court as soon as he was old enough to endure Travel Arthur entred upon the Regal Government before he was full Eighteen Years of Age. But as his Courage was above his Age so Success was not wanting to his Daring Spirit for whereas his Father had divided the Kingdom by certain Boundaries with the Saxons and had made Peace with them on Conditions The fair Opportunity offered them by reason of the youthful Age of the King more prevailed with them to break the Peace than the Sanctity of the League to observe it Arthur that he might quench the Fire in the beginning gathered an Army together sooner than any Man could imagine and being assisted with Auxiliaries from the Scots and Picts he overthrew the Enemy in Two great Battels compelling them to pay Tribute and to receive Laws from him With the same eagerness and speed he took London the Metropolis of the Saxons Kingdom and having setled things there he marched his Army directly towards York But the report of Auxiliary Forces coming out of Germany and the approach of Winter compelled him to raise his Siege from thence But the next Summer after as soon as ever he came before York he had it immediately surrendred to him his unexpected Success the Year before had struck such a Terrour into the Minds of Men. He took up his Winter-Quarters there whither there resorted to him the prime Persons of the Neighbourhood and of his Subjects where they spent the later end of December in Mirth Jollity Drinking and the Vices which proceed therefrom so that the Representations of the old Heathenish Feasts dedicated to Saturn were here again revived but the Number of the Days they lasted were doubled and amongst the Wealthier sort trebled during which time they count it almost a Sin to treat of any serious Matter Gifts are sent mutually from and to one another Frequent Invitations and Feastings pass between Friends and Domestick Offenders are not punished Our Countrymen call this Feast
Alpinus and many of his Nobles were taken Prisoners and cruelly slain The Kings Head was fastned to a Pole and carried up and down the Army till at last they set it up for a Spectacle in the most eminent place of the greatest Town they had which then was Abernethy The place where he was slain as yet retains his Name being called Bas Alpin i. e. The Death of Alpin Kennethus II. The Sixty Ninth King ALpin being slain after he had Reigned Three Years his Son Kennethus succeeded him The next Summer the Picts having some hopes that if they did but endeavour it the Scots might easily be driven out of Britain as they had been heretofore hereupon they hired some Troops of the English and joyned them with what Forces of their Own they could make But a sudden Sedition arose betwixt the Commanders and that so outragious an One That King Brudus himself could not compose it so that the Army disbanded thereupon and Brudus died about Three Months after rather Heart-broken than of any Disease His Brother Druskenus was made King in his stead who in vain attempted to compose things at home but in the interim some Scotish Youngsters stole away the head of Alpinus from the place where the Picts had set it up and brought it to Kennethus he not only commended them for their Noble Exploit but also rewarded them with Lands Kennethus called together an Assembly to consult about War with the Picts and though the King himself and the forwardest of the Soldiers did advise to revenge the Treachery of such a perfidious People yet the Major part and especially the Graver sort thought it more adviseable to stay till their Forces which were weakned in former Wars had recovered themselves in the mean time they would neither seek Peace nor yet make War with the Picts till a better opportunity for either did offer it self This Opinion prevailed so that there was Peace betwixt the two Nations for Three Years as if it had been by common Consent But in the Fourth Year Kennethus desirous to renew the War yet finding few of the Nobles of his Mind invited them to a Banquet the Entertainment continued till late at Night so that they were all necessitated to lodge there which they might more easily do in regard every Man according to the custom of his Ancestors lay on the Ground and so they disposed of them in that large House having nothing under them but Leaves and Grass When they were gone to Bed the King suborned a Youth one of his Kinsmen commanding him to clothe himself with the Skins of Fishes dried in the Wind and so to enter by Night and to speak through a long Tube that the Voice might better reach their Ears at a distance and thus to exhort them to War as if a Message had been sent them from Heaven to that purpose The Nobles suddenly awoke at this Voice which at that time seem'd to them to be Greater and more August than a Mans many also were laden with Wine and the sudden flashing of Light from the Fishes Skins darting upon their drowsie Eyes and dazling them drove them into a great Astonishment in fine an un-wonted Apparition affected the Eyes of them all and a kind of Religious Consternation seized upon their Minds And That which increased the Admiration was That the Messenger stripping himself of his disguised Habit and by a secret Passage conveighing himself away as in an instant seemed to have vanished out of sight When the News hereof was brought to the King in the Morning and many did add to the Story as is usual in such Cases he also affirmed That the like Apparition was seen by him in his Sleep Hereupon a War was concluded upon by the general Consent of them all as if they were Commanded thereunto by God himself When the Armies were led forth to Battel as soon as ever they came in fight one of another every one ran upon the Enemy which stood next to him not staying for the Command of their Captains The Fight was as fiercely continued as it was eagerly begun At last the Victory inclined to the Scots Those in whom the Picts put most Confidence proved their Ruin For the English Troops seeing that all things were managed without Order and by Tumultuary Force withdrew themselves into the next Hill as if they had only been Spectators of other Mens Dangers There was a mighty Slaughter made of the Picts For the Scots were highly provoked against them not only by their ancient Hatred but by the remembrance of their later Cruelty against Alpinus and the rest whom they had taken Prisoners But that which chiefly inflamed their Minds was a Watch-Word spread abroad among the Scots That they should remember Alpinus From that very moment they spared neither Age nor Rank of Men The Hills covered the departure of the English and the Scots were so pertinaciously intent in revenging themselves on the Picts that they could not follow them This Victory reduced the Picts to so low an ebb and rendred their Condition so deplorable that though they endeavoured to make Peace yet all was in vain for the Scots would hearken to no Conditions but the full surrendring up of their Kingdom The next Year when all Places were surrendred up beyond Forth Northwards and Garisons placed in them as Kennethus was marching his Army against those on this side thereof word was brought That some of the Garisons which he had left behind were taken and the Souldiers slain Hereupon he marched his Army back against the Rebellious Picts of whom he spared neither Man Woman nor Child But wasted the whole Country with Fire and Sword Druskenus seeing the Picts were inraged almost like Mad-men at the Cruelty exercised over them and knowing now that they must fight not for their Kingdom but for their very Lives and the Lives of their Wives and Children gathered together all the Force that ever he could make and so passing the Forth came to Scone a Town situate on the Bank of the River Tay where he waited for the coming of the Scots There they again endeavoured to make a Pacification offering to surrender all the Country beyond the Forth but the Scots would have All or none The Fight as in such Circumstances of Necessity was very fierce At last the Pertinacy of the Picts was broken and the River Tay putting a stop to their flight was the cause of their Destruction For Druskenus and almost all his Nobility being not able to pass it were there slain And the Fortune of the common Souldiers was not better for as they crowded to the River in several places to save themselves they laboured also under the same incapacity of passing it and so they every one of them lost their Lives Hence it is as I judge that our Writers say We Fought with the Picts seven times in one Day The Force of the Picts was wholly broken by this Overthrow and
his room a man of no ill Disposition and yet not constant in Good neither The Danes who could incline Gregory and Donald the Two last Kings of the Scots by no Promises or Persuasions to take Arms against the English which were then Christians Now they easily wrought upon Constantine by Gifts and by the vain Hope of enlarging his Dominions to make a League with Them which lasted scarce Two years but the Danes deserting the Scots struck up a League with the English This League had scarce continued Four years before Edward of England gathered an Army speedily together and spoiled the Danes Country whereby they were reduced to such 〈◊〉 that they were enforc'd to return to the Scots whom they had lately deserted To whom they Swore most Religiously That they would for ever after observe the Amity most inviolably betwixt Them This Second League is reported to have been entered into with great Ceremony in the Tenth Year of Constantines Reign He gave the same year Cumberland to Malcolm Son of the last King which was as an honourable Omen to him that he should Reign after him And afterwards the same Custom was observed by some succeeding Kings to the manifest disanulling of the old way of Convening the Estates whose Free Suffrages ought not to have been thus abridged but this was like the Designation of the Consuls by the Caesars which put an end to the Roman Liberty A War being now commenced between Edward the Son of Alured and the Danes Constantine sent Aid to the Danes under the Conduct of Malcolm He joyned his Army with the Danes and being Superior in number they harassed the adjoyning Countries of the English and made great Devastation wheresoever they came to the end that they might force the English who had a far less numerous Army to Fight Yea they were so arrogantly confident of their Numbers that they thought their Enemy would never so much as look them in the Face so that now as secure of the Victory they began to talk of dividing the Spoil But as Prosperity doth blind the Eyes of the Wise so Adversity and the foresight of Danger is a good Schoolmaster even to the weaker side What the English wanted in strength they supplyed in Cunning and Skill Their Army was well seconded with Reserves and so they began the Fight the First Ranks being commanded so to do give ground and pretend a Discomfiture and Flight that so their Enemies following them in disorder they might again return upon them in that straggling posture Athelstan the Base-born Son of Edward was General of all the English Forces as our Writers affirm and Grafton also says the same thing They make this Athelstan guilty of Parricide for killing his Father and his Two Brothers Edred and Edwin whose Right it was immediately to succeed their Father in the Kingdom Fame doth increase the Suspicion that Edward was violently put to death because it accounts him a Martyr For that Fact he was hatâ—d and therefore to recover the Favour of the People by some eminent Undertaking he determined to expiate the Blood of his Kâ—ndâ—ed by shedding That of his Enemies And thereupon after he had fought stoutly a-while he gave Ground by little and little but afterward in greater Fear and Confusion as if he intended absolutely to run away The Danes and Scots supposing themselves Conquerors were unwilling to make any brisk pursuit lest the Cowardliest of the Soldiers should enjoy all the Prey and therefore they returned to plunder their Camp Hereupon Athelstan gave a Signal and the Engâ—ish returning to their Ensigns set upon them as they were scattered and laden with Booty and killed them like Dogs The greatest part of the Scotish Nobility was lost in this Fight who chose rather to dye on the spoâ— than to undergo the Ignominy of deserting their Companions Malcolm being much wounded was carried off the Field by his own Men and sent the doleful Tidings of the loss of his Army to King Constantine neither was the face of things more pleasant amongst the Danes Athelstan during this Astonishment of his Enemies took Cumberland and Westmerland from the Scots and Northumberland from the Danes Constantine having not force enough neither to wage War or to carry on matters in Peace called a Convention of the Estates at Abernethy and willingly resigned the Kingdom and betook himself to the Culdeâ— certain Hermits so called living in Cells Worshippers of God for so the Monks of that Age were called as into a Sanctuary amongst whom he lived the rest of his life at St. Andrews Here the English Writers who are profuse enough in their own Praises do affirm That Athelstan was the Monarch of all Britanny and that the rest who had the Names of Kings in Albium were but precariously so and his Feudataries only as taking an Oath of Fidelity to him as the supreme Lord. And they introduce many ignoble English Authors as Favourers of that Opinion And to procure the greater Credit thereunto they add also Marianus Scotus an Illustrious Writer indeed But here I desire the Reader to take notice that there is not the least mention of any such thing in that Edition of Marianus which was Printed in Germany but if they have another Marianus different from him who is publickly read and interpolated or foisted by them let them produce him if they can Besides they being Men generally unlearned do not in some Places sufficiently understand their own Writers neither do they take notice That Bede William of Malmesbury and Geffrey of Monmouth do commonly call that part Britain over which the Britains ruled i. e. That within the Wall of Adrian or when they stretched their Dominions furthest within the Wall of Severus so that the Scots and Picts are oftentimes reckoned by them to be out of Britain and not seldom are called Transmarine People And therefore when they read that the English sometime Reigned over all Britanny they understand the Authors so as if they meant all Britanny i. e. Albium or Albion whereas they do often Circumscribe Britanny within narrower limits as I have said before But of this I have spoken more largely in another place To return then to the Affairs of Scotland Malcolm I. The Seventy Sixth King COnstantine having retired himself into the Cloyster of the Monks Malcolm the Son of Donald was declared King Athelstan being dead and his Brother Edward Reigning Cumberland and Westmerland revolted from the English and returned to their old Masters Moreover the Danes who remained in Northumberland sent for Avalassus their Countryman of the Royal Progeny who was Banished into Ireland to make him King Edmund foreseeing what Clouds of War were gathering over his Head yielded up Cumberland and Westmerland to Malcolm upon this Condition That he who should next succeed in the Scotish Kingdom should take an Oath to the King of England as the Lord Paramount of that Country Afterwards he easily reduced the
Doctrine of Christ being then degenerated themselves from the Piety and Simplicity of their Ancestors enjoyned him those absurd and fallacious ones which Evil and Self-minded Men had devised for their own Gain and unwary People had as greedily received which were To bestow Gifts on Temples and Holy Places To visit the Sepulchres of Holy Men To Kiss their Reliques and to expiate his Sin by Masses and Alms and withal they enjoyned him to Respect and Reverence Monks and Priests more than he had done heretofore Neither did the King omit to perform all what they enjoyned him thinking to be healed in his Conscience by these Mock-Plaisters At length when he came to Mern to Worship and to do Reverence to the Bones of Palladius an Holy Person he turned aside to view a Neighbouring Castle called Fethercarn which was then as 't is reported very pleasant with shady Grows and Piles of curious Buildings of which almost no Footsteps remain at this day The Lady of that Castle was called Fenella of whom Mention is made before who bore the King a grudge not only for the Punishment of her Son Crathilinthus but also upon the account of her Kinsmen Constantinus and Grimus who by his New Law were excluded from the Succession to the Crown But dissembling her Anger she entertained the King very splendidly and with great Magnificence and after Dinner she carried him out to view the Pleasantness of the Place and the Structure of the Castle and amongst the rest she led him into a Privy Parlor to see a Brass Statue most Curiously and Artificially cast which was made with so much Ingeniousness as they say That when a String or Cord which was secretly bent therein was remitted and let go it would shoot out Arrows of its own accord and whilst the King was intent in viewing this Engine an Arrow privily darted out therefrom and slew him Iohannes Major and Hector Boetius do Both say That the King came thus to his End though in my Judgment it be not very probable For it is not likely That after the decay of Noble Arts amongst other Nations so curious a Statue should be then made and that in the remotest part of Britain too though Iohn Major writes That Edmond the Son of Eldred was slain by the same Artifice but Both Stories are Fabulous as I suppose Neither can I easily persuade my self That all Scotland did possess so many Jewels as Boetius affirms that One Lady was owner of And therefore I rather incline to the Opinion of some others amongst whom is Winton who write That the King was slain by some Horse-men placed in Ambush at the Command of Fenella He died in the Twenty fifth year of his Reign a Prince eminent for all other Things if the Murder of Malcolm and his too great Affection to his Kindred had not made such a foul Blot in his Escutcheon He Reigned Twenty five years and deceased in the Year of Christ 994. Constantine IV. The Eighty First King AFTER Kenneth his Death Constantine the Son of Culenus Sirnamed The Bald used so much Art and Canvasing to get the Kingdom as never any Man did before him For he insinuated himself into all sorts of People complaining That he and others of the Royal Blood were circumvented by the Fraud of Kennethus and so excluded from the hopes of the Kingdom upon the pretence of a most unjust Law to which he with others of the Blood were forced by Fear to Consent He further alleged That the Inconvenience of the Law was very Manifest and Visible in it self For What said he can be more Imprudent and Foolish than to take away One of the greatest concerns in Government from the Suffrage of the Wise and to leave it to the Liberty of Fortune And to bind themselves to Obey a Child because casually born of a King who perhaps might be ruled by some Woman and in the mean time to exclude Brave and Virtuous Men from sitting at the Helm He added further What if the Children of the King should have some Defect either of Mind or Body which made them unfit for Government If Children proceeded he had enjoyed the Kingdom in those days wherein we fought so many Battels with the Romans Britains Picts English and Danes the Question would not then have been Who should Rule over us But rather Whether we should have been any People at all to be governed by any Body Yea What can border more upon Madness than to bring That upon our selves by a Law which God threatens as the severest Judgment to the Rebellious and by this means either to despise the Threatnings and Predictions of the Almighty or to run into them of our own accord Neither said he is that True which the Flatterers of Kenneth please themselves with in urging i. e. That the Slaughters and Avarice of the Kings Kindred may be avoided hereby for the Kings Children whilst under Age have as much Reason to fear the Frauds of their Guardians as before they did the Plots of their Kindred And therefore now the Tyrant is removed let us valiantly recover the Liberty he took away and abrogating that Law which was enacted by Force and submitted to out of Fear if it may be called a Law and not rather a publick Enslavement and Prostitution of our Freedom Let us I say return to the ancient Institutions and Customs by which this Kingdom arose almost out of Nothing and which from small Beginnings have advanced it to that Splendour that it is inferiour to none of its Neighbours Yea and when it was at a low Ebb have erected it again And therefore let us not neglect or over-slip this present Opportunity which offers it self lest hereafter we seek it Vain By these and the like Harangues he cajolled some of the Nobles and drew a Multitude of the Commons to his Party who assembled at Scone Twelve days after the Funeral of Kennethus and declared him King In the mean time Malcolm who was busie about the Concern of his Fathers Funeral hearing that Constantine was made King called his Friends together to deliberate what was fit to be done Some were of Opinion That before he proceeded any further he should found how the Minds of the Nobles stood affected that so he might know what strength he was able to raise against a popular Man supported by so many Factions and Alliances and then according to the Number of his Forces to take a Resolution But those who were young and head-strong despised this Course as slow and dilatory alleging That it was best to obviate the Danger at its first Rise and to proceed against the Enemy before he was setled in his new Kingdom The King being young embraced the later Opinion as the more specious of the Two and having gathered an Army of about Ten Thousand Men together marches towards the Enemy Neither was Constantine defective in his Preparations for in a short
time he levied so great an Army that Malcolm at the news of his Approach disbanded his Soldiers and retired himself into Cumberland But Kennethus his Natural Brother begot on a Concubine judging that course to be very Dishonourable persuaded some of the most Valiant Troops to stay behind and so to stop the Enemy at the River Forth near Sterling which was the Boundary to both Armies There both Camps lay idle on the high Banks of the River which was Fordable but in few places by which means they were so afflicted with Pestilence and Famine both which Calamities did rage very much that Year that each Army was forced to Disband Thus the Kingdom being divided into Two Factions the Commonalty was miserably afflicted with Hunger Pestilence and frequent Robberies In the mean time during the absence of Malcolm who according to his League was assisting the English against the Danes Constantine thinking he had now got a convenient Opportunity to subdue the Faction opposite to him marches with great Forces into Lothian Kennethus who was left by his Brother to observe all Constantine's Motions gave him an halt at the Mouth of the River Almon. And because he was inferior in Number he supplyed that defect by Stratagem for he so ordered his Army that he had the advantage both of the Sun and Wind and besides his Army was flanked as much as it could with the River which was the chief Cause of his Victory For the Constantinians trusting to their Multitude rushed violently into the Battel having the Sun-beams darting into their very Faces and besides a Storm suddainly arising drove so much Dust into their Faces and Eyes that they could scarce lift up their Heads against their Enemies A great Slaughter was made in both Armies and both Generals themselves upon a Charge wounded and slew one another after Constantine had invaded the Kingdom an Year and Six Months Grimus The Eighty Second King GRimus the Son of King Duffus or as others say of his Brother Mogallus after Constantine's death was brought to Scone and there by the Men of his own Faction was made King He perceiving that some Nobles of his Party were already corrupted by Messengers sent from Malcolm and More of them were solicited by him to a Defection took some of those Messengers and committed them to Prison Malcolm being much inceased at the Imprisonment of his Embassadors as being done against the Law of Nations breaks forth into open War As Grimus was making head against him a suddain Rumor was dispersed through all Malcolm's Army of the Vastness of the Army coming against them so that all Malcolm's Measures were disturbed thereby many of his Soldiers ran privily away and many others making frivolous pretences did publickly desire to be dismissed The Fear first arose from the Merchants who preferring their Private Concerns before the Publick Good scattered the Report throughout the whole Army And besides there were Some among them who privately favoured Grimus his Party for indeed there were many things in him very attractive of the Vulgar as the Talness of his Stature his great Beauty accompanied with a singular Courtesie and a comely Meen in all his Actions Besides as there was occasion he was severe in punishing Offenders and he managed Matters with great Celerity and Prudence so that many promised themselves an Happy and an Honourable Calm under his Government In this Diversity and Combustion of Mens Spirits Malcolm not daring to commit any thing to an hazard in Battel by the Advice of his Friends dismissed the greatest part of his Army and with some select Troops resolved to stop the Enemies passage over the Forth In the mean time the Bishop of that Diocess Forthadus by Name of whom all had an high Opinion for his Sanctimony endeavoured by his Authority to compose Matters and passing to and fro betwixt both Parties at length he brought Matters to this pass That a Truce was made for Three Months Grimus being to go into Angus and Malcolm into Cumberland And also Arbitrators were to be chosen by both Parties by Consent who were to determine the main Controversie in Dispute Neither did Forthadus give over his Endeavours till Peace was made by them on these Conditions That Grimus should retain the Name of King as long as he lived And that after his Decease the Kingdom should return to Malcolm And for the future the Law of Kennethus for establishing the Succession in the King's Children should be observed as Sacred and Inviolate In the mean time the Wall of Severus was to be the Boundary to them Both. That which was within the Wall was to belong to Malcolm and That without to Grimus Both of them were to be contented with those Limits Neither being to invade each other or to assist the Enemies of one another Thus Peace was made to the great Joy of all Men which was Religiously observed for almost Eight Years Grimus was the first Occasion of the Breach for whereas since the beginning of his Reign in turbulent Times he had carried himself as a good Prince his Industry being slackened by the Quiet he enjoyed he wholly plunged himself in voluptuous Courses and that kind of Life being as usually it is a Life of Expence he was reduced to some Necessity and was thereby enforced to pretend Crimes against the Richer sort that so out of Covetousness he might enjoy their Estates Being told of the danger of this Course he was so far from Reforming it or from abating any thing of his former Vileness That he resolved to put his Monitors in Prison that so others being terrified by their Punishment might not use the like freedom in reproving Kings In order whereto he invited them kindly to his Court but they having notice of his Design by their Friends withdrew themselves at which Grimus was so enraged that he gathered a Band of Men together and made after them spoiling their Lands more than any Foreign Enemy could have done he spared neither Men Houses Cattle nor Corn and That which he could not carry away he spoiled That so it might be rendred useless to the Owners Thus he made a promiscous Havock of all things whether Sacred or Prophane by Fire and Sword Complaint hereof being made to Malcolm who was then busie in helping the English against the Danes he presently returned home for he was incensed not only at the undeserved Sufferings of so many brave and innocent Persons but much more at the Indignity offered him by Grimus who knowing that the Lands were shortly to pass over to another without any Respect to future Times had swept away the Fruits thereof as if it had been an Enemies Country There was a great Resort to Malcolm at his return insomuch that thô Grimus had for a time been Dear to and Beloved of the People yet now the greatest part of the Nobles forsook him Notwithstanding with what Forces he could make he made Head against his
Enemy When their Camps were near one another Grimus knowing that Malcolm would Religiously observe Asâ—ensiâ—n-day resolved then to attaque him hoping to find him unprâ—pared Malcolm having notice of his Design kept his Men in Arms and thô he did hope well as to the Victory in so good a Cause yet he sent to Grimus to advise him to defer Fighting for that day that so They being Christians might not pollute so Holy a Day with shedding the Blood of their Countrymen Yet he was nevertheless resolved to Fight alleging to his Soldiers That the Fear the Enemy was in thô pretended to be out of Reverence to so Holy a Feast was a good Omen of their Victory Hereupon a fierce and eager Fight began wherein Grimus being forsaken of his Men was wounded in the Head taken Prisoner and soon after had his Eyes put out Insomuch that in a short time out of Grief as well as his Wounds he Dyed in the Tenth Year of his Reign Malcolm carried it Nobly towards the Conquered and caused Grimus to be interred in the Sepulchres of his Ancestors The Faction which followed him he received into his Grace and Favour laying aside the Memory of past Offences Then going to the Assembly of Estates at Scone before he would undertake the Government he caused the Law made by his Father concerning the Succession to the Crown to be publickly Ratified by the Votes of the whole Parliament Malcolm II. The Eighty Third King AT the entrance into his Government he laboured to restore the State of the Kingdom which was sorely shaken by Factions And as he forgave all former Offences to himself so he took care that the Seeds of Faction and Discord amongst all different Parties might also be rooted out After this he sent Governors chosen out of the Nobility into all Provinces Just and Pious Men to restrain the Licentiousness of Robbers who in former times had taken great Liberty to themselves to Steal and Plunder By Them also the Common People were encouraged to Tillage and Husbandry so that Provisions grew cheaper Commerce between Man and Man safer and the publick Peace was better secured Amidst these Transactions Sueno the Son of Harald King of the Danes being banished from home came into Scotland He was oftentimes overcome made Prisoner by and Ransomed from the Vandals and having sought for Aid in vain from Olavus King of the Scandians and Edward King of England at last he came into Scotland and being turned Christian of whom before he was a most bitter Enemy there he received some small assistance and so returned into his own Country from whence soon after he passed over with a great Army into England First he overthrew the English alone and afterwards he had the same Success against them when the Scots assisted them whom he grievously threatned because they would not forsake the English and return into their own Country Neither were his Threatnings in vain for Olavus of Scandia and Enecus General of the Danes were sent by him with a great Army into Scotland They ranged over all Murray killed whomsoever they met took away all they could catch whether Sacred or Prophane at last gathering into a Body they assaulted Castles and other strong Places While they were Besieging these Fortresses Malcolm had gathered an Army together out of the Neighbouring Countrys and pitch'd his Camp not far from them The day after the Scots perceiving the Multitude of the Danes and their Warlike Preparations were struck with great Terrour The King endeavoured to encourage them but to small purpose at last a Noise was raised in the Camp by those who were willing to seem more valiant than the rest and when it was raised others received and seconded it so that presently as if they had been wild they ran in upon the Danes without the Command of their Leaders and rushed upon the points of their Swords who were ready to receive them After the forwardest were slain the rest fled back faster than ever they came on The King was Wounded in the Head and had much ado to be carried off the Field into an adjacent Wood where he was Horsed and so escaped with his Life After this Victory the Castle of Narn was surrendred to the Danes the â—arison being dismayed at the Event of the unhappy Fight yet they put them to Death after the surrender They strongly fortified the Castle because it was seated in a convenient Pass and of a Peninsule made it a convenient Isle by cutting through a narrow Chanel for the Sea to surround it and then they called it by a Danish Name Burgus The other Castles which were Elgin and Foress were deserted for fear of the Cruelty of the Danes The Danes upon this good Success resolved to fix their Habitations in Murray and sent home their Ships to bring over their Wives and Children in the mean time exercising all manner of cruel hardships over the Captived Scots Malcolm in order to prevent their further Progress gathered a stronger and more compact Army together and when they were gone into Marr he met them at a place called Mortlich both Armies being in great fear the Scots being afraid of the Cruelty of the Danes and the Danes fearing the Places which they did not know as being far from the Sea and fit for Ambushes more than their Enemies In the beginning of the Fight the Scots were much discouraged at the Slaughter of Three of their Valiant Worthies viz. of Kennethus Thane of the Islands of Grimus Thane of Strathearn and of Dumbar Thane of Lothian who all fell presently one after another so that they were forced to retreat and to retire into their old Fastness which was behind their backs There fencing their Camp with a Trench Ditch and huge Trees which they cut down in a narrow place they fronted and stopped the Enemy yea they slew some who as if they had fully gotten the Victory did carelesly assault them amongst whom Enecus one of their Generals fell His Loss as it made the Danes less forward to fight so it added Alacrity to the Scots who were crest-fallen before So that almost in a moment of time the Scene was quite altered The Danes were put to flight and the Scots pursued them Olavus the other of their Generals got some to guide him and bent his Course that night towards Murray Though Malcolm knew it yet having slain the forwardest of his Enemies and wounded many more he desisted from following the Chase. When News of this Overthrow was brought to Swain in England he bore it undauntedly and sent some of his old Soldiers and some that were newly come to him from his own Country under Camus their General to recruit his old and shattered Army in Scotland He first came into the Firth of Forth but being hindred by the Country who observed all his Motions from Landing he set Sail and made for the Red-Promontory of
to hear the Complaints of the Poor and as much as he could he would not suffer the Great men to oppress Them But as these Virtues did endear him to the Good so they lessen'd his Authority amongst the Lovers of Sedition so that his Clemency to the Former occasioned the Rage of wicked men against him The beginning of lessening and despising his Government hapned in Loch-Abyr upon the account of one Bancho Thane of that Country a strict Lover of impartial Justice some ill Men not enduring his Severity in Punishments made a Conspiracy against him Plundered him of his Goods and drove him away being wounded and almost dead As soon as ever his Wounds permitted him to endure the jogging of his body he took a Journy and complained to the King the King sent a publick Officer to do Justice upon the Offenders but he was grievously affronted and afterwards slain by them so great Security did they fancy to themselves by reason of the Lenity but as they interpreted it Sloth of a good King The chief of the Faction which raised the Rebellion was named Mac-duald who despairing of Pardon prepares himself for an open War He called in the Islanders to his assistance who were always prone to Sedition and also the forwardest of the Irish in hopes of Prey He told them That under an effeminate and slothful King who was fitter to rule Monks than Warriors there was no fear of Punishment but there might be great hopes of Advantage and that he did not doubt but the Scots who were as it were fettered with the Chains of a Long Peace under the former King when an Alarm was sounded to the War would come in to recover their Ancient Liberty These Exhortations were seconded with a successfull beginning which much heartned the Party There was one Malcolm of the Prime Nobility sent by the King against them with some Forces but his Army was presently overthrown by them and he himself being taken Prisoner had his head cut off by them The King being troubled at this Overthrow called a Council together to consult of what was fit to be done Some were very slow in delivering their Opinions but Mackbeth Kinsman to the King laid the blame of the Misfortune on the Sluggâ—shness of former times withal promising that if the Command or Generalship were bestowed on him and Bancho who was well acquainted with that Country he would quickly subdue all and quiet things This Mackbeth was of a sharp Wit and of a very lofty Spirit and if Moderation had accompanied it he had been worthy of a Command tho' an eminent one But in punishing Offenders he was so severe that having no respect to the Laws he seemed soon likely to degenerate into Cruelty When the chief Command of the Army was conferred upon him many were so terrified that casting aside their Hopes whch they had conceived by reason of the Kings Slothful Temper they hid themselves in Holes and Corners The Islanders and the Irish their Flight being stopp'd were driven into great Despair and in a fierce Fight were every one of them slain Macduala himself with a few others flying into a Neighbour Castle being past all hopes of Pardon redeemed Himself and His from the Opprobriousness of his Enemies by a voluntary death Mâ—ckbeth not content with that punishment cut off his Head and sent it to the King at Perth and hung up the rest of his Body for all to behold in a conspicuous place Those of the Red-shanks which he took he caused to be hanged This Domestick Sedition being appeased a far greater Terror succeeded and seized on him occasioned by the Danes For Sueno the powerful King of the Danes dying left Three Kingdoms to his Three Sons England to Harold Norway to Sueno and Denmark to Canutus Harold dying soon after Canutus succeeded him in the Realm of Scotland Sueno or Swain King of Norway being Emulous of his Brothers Glory crossed the Seas with a great Navy and Landed in Fifâ— upon the Bruit of his coming Machbeth was sent to Levy an Army Bancho the other General staying in the Interim with the King Duncanus or Donald as if he had been rouzed from a fit of Sluggishness was forced to go meet the Enemy They fought near Culross with such obstinate Courage that as One Party was scarce able to fly so the Other had no heart to pursue The Scots who look'd upon themselves as overcome rather by the Incommodiousness of the Place than by the Valour of their Enemies retreated to Perth and there staid with the Relicts of their conquered Forces waiting for the Motions of the Enemy Swain thinking That if he pressed eagerly on them all Scotland would speedily be his Own made towards Perth with all his Forces to besiege Duncan his Ships he sent about by the Tay to meet him there Duncan tho' he much confided in the present Posture of Affairs because Mackbeth was very near him with a new supply of Force yet being counselled by Bancho to piece out his Force by Stratagem he sent Messengers one to Mackbeth to desire him to stop where he was and another to Swain to treat about the Surrender of the Town The Scots desired That upon the Surrender They and Theirs might have Liberty to depart in safety Swain supposing their Request proceeded from the very bottom of Despair would hear of nothing but surrendring at Mercy upon this he sent other Messengers with unlimited Instructions and a Command to delay time in making Conditions who to ingratiate themselves the more told the Norvâ—gians That whilst the Conditions of Peace were propounding and setling their King would send abundance of Provisions into their Camp as knowing That they were not over-plentiful in Victuals That Gift was acceptable to the Norvegians not so much on the account of the Scots Bounty or their own Penury as that they thought it was a Sign their Spirits were cowed out and quite broken Whereupon a great deal of Bread and Wine was sent both Wine pressed out of the Grape and also strong Drink made of Barly-Malt mixed with the â—uice of a Poysonous Herb whereof abundance grows in Scotland called Somniferous Night-shade The Stalk of it is above two Fâ—ot Long and in its upper part spreads into Branches the Leaves are broadish acuminated on the outside and faintly Green The Berrys are great and of a Black Colour when they are ripe which proceed out of the Stalk under the bottom of the Leaves Their Taste is sweetish and almost insipid It hath a very small seed as little as the Grains of a Fig. The Virtue of the Fruit Root and especially of the Seed is Soporiferous and will make men mad if they be taken in too great Quantities With this Herb all the Provision was infected and they that carried it to prevent all suspition of Fraud tasted of it before and invited the Danes to drink huge Draughts thereof
that Avarice might be also bounded and forborn when the fear of Penury as it must be upon a Throne is removed Malcolm subjoyned That he had rather now make an ingenious Confession to him as his Friend than to be found guilty hereafter to the great damage of them both For my Self to deal plainly with you said he There is no Truth nor Sincerity in me I confide in no Body living but I change my Designs and Counsels upon every blast of Suspition and thâ—s from the Inconstancy of my own Disposition I use to make a Judgment of other Mens Whereupon Mackduff replyed Avant says he Thou Disgrace and Prodigy of the Royal Name and Stock worthier to be sent into the remotest Desert than to be called to a Throne and in a great Anger he was about to fling away Then Malcolm took him by the hand and declared the Cause of this his Dissimulation to him telling him That he had been so often assaulted by the Wiles of Mackbeth that he did not dare lightly to trust every body But now he saw no Cause to suspect any Fraud in Macduff in respect either of his Lineage his Manners Fame nor Fortune Thus they plighting their Faith one to another consulted concerning the destruction of the Tyrant and advised their Friends of it by secret Messages King Edward assisted him with Ten Thousand Men over whom Malcolm's Grandfather by the Mothers side was made General At the Report of this Armies March there was a great combustion in Scotland and many flock'd in daily to the new King Mackbeth being deserted by almost all his Men in so suddain a Revolt not knowing what better course to take shut up himself in the Castle of Dunsinnan and sent his Friends into the Aebudae and into Ireland with Money to hire Soldiers Malcolm understanding his Design makes up directly towards him the People praying for him all along as he went and with joyful Acclamations wishing him good Success His Soldiers took this as an Omen of Victory and thereupon stuck up green Boughs in their Helmets representing an Army Triumphing rather than going to Fight Mackbeth being terrified at the Confidence of his Enemy immediately fled and his Soldiers forsaken by their Leader surrendred themselves up to Malcolm Some of our Writers do here Record many Fables which are like Milesian Tales and fitter for the Stage than an History and therefore I omit them Mackbeth Reigned Seventeen Years In the first Ten he performed the Duty of a very good King in the last Seven he equalled the Cruelty of the worst of Tyrants Malcolm III. The Eighty Sixth King MALCOLM having thus recovered his Fathers Kingdom was Declared King at Scone the 25 th day of April in the Year of our Redemption 1057. At the entrance of his Reign he convened an Assembly of the Estates at Forsar where the First thing he did was to restore to the Children their Father's Estates who had been put to death by Mackbeth He is thought by some to have been the First that introduced New and Foreign Names as distinguishments of Degrees in Honour which he borrowed from his Neighbor-Nations and are no less Barbarous than the former were Such as are Dukes Marquesses Earls Barons Riders or Knights Mackduff the Thane of Fife was the First who had the Title of Earl conferred upon him and many others afterwards according to their respective Merits were honoured with New Titles Some write That at that time Noblemen began to be Sirnamed by their Lands which I think is false for that Custom is not yet received amongst the Ancient Scots and besides then all Scotland used their Ancient Rights and Customs but instead of a Sirname after the manner of the Greeks they added their Fathers Name to their own or else adjoyned a Word taken from some Event or from some Mark of Body or Mind and that this Custom did then obtain amongst the Gauls is plain by those Royal Sirnames of Crassus Calvus Balbus and also by the Sirnames of many Noble Families in England especially such as followed William the Conqueror and fixed their Habitations there For the Custom of taking Sirnames from Lands was received but lately amongst the other Gauls as appears by Frossard's History no mean Author Mackduff had Three Requests granted to him as a Reward for his Services One That his Posterity should place the King who was to be Crowned in the Chair of State Another That they should lead the Van of the Kings Armies And a Third That if any of his Family were Guilty of the unpremeditated slaughter of a Nobleman he should pay Four and Twenty Marks of Silver as a Fine if of a Plebeian Twelve Marks Which last Law was observed till the days of our Fathers as long as any of that Family were in being Whilst these things were acted at Forfar They who remained of the Faction of Mackbeth carryed his Son Luthlac to Scone who was Sirnamed Fatuus from his Disposition and there he was Saluted King Malcolm assaulted him in the Valley Bogian where he was slain three Months after he had Usurped the Name of King yet out of respect to his Kingly Race His and his Fathers Bodies were buried in the Royal Sepulchres in Ionia Afterwards he Reigned four years in Peace Then word was brought him that a great Troop of Robbers were Nested in Cockburn-Forest and that they infested Lothian and Merch to the great damage of the Husbandman Patric Dunbar with some Trouble overcame them losing Forty of his own Men in the Onset and killing 600 of Them Forty more of them were taken Prisoners and hanged Patric for this Exploit was made Earl of Merch. The Kingdom was now so settled that no open Force could hurt the King yet he was assaulted by Private Conspiracies The whole Plot was discovered to him whereupon he sent for the Head of the Faction and after much familiar Discourse he led him aside into a secret Valley commanding his Followers to stay behind There he upbraided him with the former Benefits bestowed on him and declared to him the Plot he had contrived against his Life adding further if Thou hast Courage enough why dost thou not now set upon me seeing we are both Armed that so thou mayst obtain thy desire by Valour not by Treachery He being amazed at this sudden Discovery fell down on his Knees and asked Pardon of the King who being a Merciful as well as Valiant Prince easily forgave him Matthew Paris makes mention of this Passage In the mean time Edgar to whom next to Edward the Crown of England belonged being driven by contrary Winds came into Scotland with his whole Family What I am to speak concerning this Person that it may be the better understood I shall fetch things a little higher Edmond King of England being slain by the Treachery of his Subjects Canutus the Dane who Reigned over Part of the Island presently seized upon
fear of Mackbeth had fled into the Aebudae was with great facility declared King for he had promised all the Islands to Magnus King of Norwey if by his Assistance he might enjoy the Kingdom of Scotland And in this his Obtainiâ—g of the Kingdom those were most assistant to him who did falsely accuse the former King for corrupting the Discipline of his Ancestors and withal who stomached that the Banished English should enjoy the Estates of Scots in Scotland Edgar in such a suddain Mutation of things being afraid and solicitous for his Sisters Children which were yet but young caused them to be transported to him into Englâ—nd But this Piety of the Good Man was calumniated by some For Orgarus an Englishman seeking to curry favour with King Rufus accused him that he had secretly boasted That he and his Kindred were Lawful Heirs of the Crown The Accuser was not able to make good his Allegation by any Witnesses and therefore the Matter was adjudged to be decided by a Duel wherein the Accuser was overcome by another Englishman who offered him the Combate instead of Edgar who was now grown old and also sickly All good Men who had a Veneration for the Memory of Malcolm and Margaret hated Donald who by Foreign Aid in Conjunction with those of his own Faction had seized on the Kingdom And he by his Rashness did much increase the Hatred conceived against him and by severe Threats which he uttered amongst his Familiars against the Nobles who would not Swear Allegiance to him And therefore they sent for Duncan a Base-born Son of Malcolm's who had served long with Credit in the Wars under William Rufus to oppose Donald At his coming many revolted from Donald so that he was diffident of his own State and therefore fled into the Aebudae about six months after he had Usurped the Throne Duncan The Eighty Eighth King NEither did Duncan Reign long for he being a Military Man and not so Skilful in the Arts of Peace carried it more Imperiously than a Peaceable and Civil Government required so that he quickly fell into the hatred of the Major part of his Subjects When Donaldus who observed all his motions heard thereof in his Banishment he corrupted Macpendir Earl of Mern and by him caused Duncan to be slain in the night in Monteath a year and six months after he began to Reign As for Donald he governed a troublesom Kingdom for about three years Good Men rather tolerating him for want of a better than approving him The English on the one side and the Islanders on the other in his time much molested Scotland The Envy also against him was heightned in that Magnus King of Norwey had seized on the Western Islands which though he seemed to have done by Force yet all Men smelt out the Cheat in regard Donald did not so much as stir at so great an Affront And at last the publick Indignation waxed hotter against him when the Vulgar understood That it was done by a Secret Paction and Agreement betwixt him and Magnus Edgar The Eighty Ninth King UPon those Disgusts secret Messengers were dispatched to Malcolm's Son That he would come over and be General in order to obtain the Kingdom and as soon as he appeared upon the Borders they promised to flock in to him And they were as good as their Words For Edgar being assisted with a small Force by Rufus at the instance of Edgar his Uncle had scarce entred Scotland before Donald being forsaken of his Men fled away but being pursued and taken was brought back to Edgar who committed him to Prison where he died soon after Edgar having recovered the Kingdom by the General Suffrage of all the Estates First of all he made Peace with William King of England and he dying without Children he renewed it with Henry his Brother He gave him Maud his Sister to Wife Sirnamed the Good from her Virtuous Manners as I said before By her he had William Richard Eufemia and Maud. Edgar Reigned Nine Years and Six Months in great Peace Reverenced and Beloved by Good Men and so formidable to the Bad that in all his Reign there were no Civil Tumults or Seditions nor any fear of a Foreign Enemy One Monument of his Praise was the Monastery of Coldingham Dedicated to St. Ebb the Virgin which he built in the Seventh Year of his Reign though afterwards it was transferred into the Name of Cutbert Alexander I. The Ninetieth King EDGAR dying without Issue his Brother Alexander Sirnamed Acer or the Feirce succeeded him In the very beginning of his Reign some Youngsters that loved to Fish in troubled Waters imagining that he would be a Peaceable or as they interpreted it a Sluggish King as his Brother was Conspired to take away his Life that so they might Rob and Plunder with more Freedom The Matter being discovered to him he pursued the Conspirators unto the furthest part of Ross When they came to the River Spey they thought to stop the Kings Pursuit by reason of the Rapidness of the River and besides the Kings Friends would not suffer him to enter the River because the Tide coming in they judged it unpassable yet he set Spurs to his Horse and was about to pass over The rest lest they might seem to forsake their King in a Danger so great following him But his own Men as I said drew him back so that he sent over Part of his Army under the Command of Alexander Carron the Son of that Alexander I mentioned before whose Miraculous Boldness in passing the River with his Forces struck such a Terrour into the Enemy that they presently betook themselves to their Heels Many were Slain in the Pursuit their Leaders were then taken or else afterwards brought to the King and were all Hanged up This Expedition procured him Peace even to the End of his Life As he was returning through Mern a Poor Woman met him grievously complaining That her Husband had been scourged with a Whip of Thongs by the Earl of Mern's Son because he had sued him for a Debt The King hearing it presently in great Disdain leapt from his Horse and would not stir from the Place till the Offender had received Condign Punishment Then he went to Envergoury or as some write to Edgar's Town some write That the Sirname of Acer was given him for those Exploits but others say it had a more Tragick Original viz. That some Thieves having corrupted one of his Bed-Chamber were privately admitted thereinto whilst he was asleep and their suddain Rushing in awakening him he first slew his Treacherous Servant and afterwards Six of the Thieves Whereupon an Hubbub was raised in the Court and the rest fled but Alexander pursued them so fiercely that most of them were slain Afterwards he turned his Thoughts to the Works of Peace he built Michael's Church in Scone from the very Ground The College of Priests which was
Henry was buried he stept into the Throne and the Two First Years reigned peaceably enough Whereupon growing insolent he began to neglect his Agreement made with the English and also to deal harsly with strangers After he had compelled all the English partly by Fear partly by fair Promises to take an Oath of Allegiance to him he sent Embassadors to David King of Scots to put him in mind to take the same Oath for the Counties of Cumberland Northumberland and Huntingdon which he held of him David returned Answer That he together with Stephen himself and the other Nobles of England had not long since bound themselves by an Oath to obey Maud their Lawful Queen And that he ought not nor would acknowledge any other King as long as she was alive When this Answer was brought to Stephen presently a War began The English entred upon the adjacent Scots the Scots doing as much for them The next Year an Army of Scots under the Conduct of the Earls of Merch of Menteith and of Argus entred England and met the English at the Town of Allerton whose General was the Earl of Glocester A sharp Battel was there fought with equal slaughter on both sides as long as the Army stood to it at last the English being overthrown many perished in the flight and many of the Nobility were taken Prisoners amongst whom was the Earl of Glocester himself Stephen being much concerned at this Overthrow lest the Friends and Kindred of the Captive Nobles might be alienated from him refused no Conditions of Peace The Terms were These That the English Prisoners should be released without Ransom That Stephen should quit all the Claim which as chief Lord he pretended to have over Cumberland But Stephen observed those Conditions no better than he did the Oath formerly taken to Maud his Kinswoman For before the Armies were quite Disbanded and the Prisoners Released he privately surprized some Castles in Northumberland and by driving away Bootys from the Scots Countrys renewed the War The Scots gathering a sudden Army together out of the Neighbour Countrys and despising the English whom they had overthrown in Battel the self same Year did rashly run on to the Conflict at the River Tees where they paid for their Folly in undervaluing the Enemy by receiving a great Overthrow and were also enforced to quit Northumberland David to retrieve this Loss and Ignominy gathered as great an Army as ever he could together and came to Roxburgh Thither Turstan or as William of Newberry calls him Trustinus was sent by the English to Treat concerning a Pacification and there being some hope of Agreement a Truce was made for Three Months upon Condition That Northumberland should be presently restored to the Scots But this Promise which was made by Stephen only to have the Army Disbanded was not performed so that David drove away a great Booty out of that Part of Northumberland which obeyed Stephen and Stephen gathering a great Force together pierced as far as Roxborough But understanding That the Nobility were averse and complained That they were intangled in an Unjust and Unnecessary War without performing any Memorable Exploit he retired into the heart of his Kingdom And the next Year fearing some intestine Sedition he sent his Wife Maud to David her Uncle to treat of Peace Upon her Mediation it was accorded That David from Newcastle where he commonly aboad and Stephen from Durham should send Arbitrators for composing of Matters to the Town of Chester in the street scituate in the Midway equally distant from Both Places David sent the Arch-Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgoe Stephen the Arch-Bishops of Canterbury and York Both Parties were the more inclineable to Peace because Stephen feared War from abroad and Seditions at home and the Scots complained That they were forced to bear the shock of a War made in the behalf of another whereas Maud for whose sake it was commenced did nothing at all in it The Peace was made on These Conditions That Cumberland as by Ancient Right should be possessed by David and that Northumberland unto the River Tees as William of Newberry the Englishman writes and Huntingtonshire should be enjoyed by Henry Davids Son upon the account of his Mothers Inheritance and That he should do Homage to Stephen for the same When things were thus composed David retired into Cumberland and Stephen into Kent This Peace was made in the Year of our Lord 1139. In which Year Maud being returned into England sent her Son Henry afterward King of England to Carlisle to David his Great Uncle that he might be instructed in Feats of Arms and also be made Knight by him who without doubt was the excellentest Warrior in his time which Matter in those days was performed with a great deal of Ceremony At that time there was so great a Disturbance in England by reason of Domestique Discords That no Part of it was free from a Civil War but That which David the King of Scots held And that he alone might not plead Exemption from the publick Calamity within Three Years after his Son the only Heir in hope of so much Power and Felicity dyed in the flower of his Age leaving Three Sons and as many Daughters behind him He left so great a Love behind for him both from the Scots and English that besides the publick Loss every one lamented his own private Misfortune also at his death For so great a Sincerity and Moderation of Mind shined forth in him even in that Age wherein Youth is accustomed to wantonize That every body expected most rare and singular Fruits from his Disposition when it was ripened by Age. His Fathers Grief was also further increased by reason of the tender Age of his Nephew and the Ambition and restless Disposition of Stephen and if he dyed he was troubled at the Fierceness of Henry's Spirit then in the fervor of his Youth who being the Son of Maud was to succeed in the Kingdom When the Thoughts of so many foreseen Mischiefs did assault his diseased and feeble Mind insomuch that all Men imagined he would have sunk under them yet he bore up so stoutly that he invited some of the Prime Nobility who were solicitous for him lest he should be too much afflicted as well they might to Supper and there he entertained them with a Discourse rather like a Comforter than a Mourner He told them That no new thing had hapned to him or to his Son That he had long since Learned from the Sermons of Learned and Holy Men That the World was Governed by the Providence of Almighty God whom it was a foolish and impious thing to endeavour to resist That he was not ignorant his Son was born on no other Terms but that he must also dye and so pay that Debt to Nature which he owed even at his very Birth And when Men were always ready to pay that Debt 't was
he as I said before after his overthrow fled into Ireland and from that time forward exercised Pyracy upon the Coasts of Scotland but now judging that a great Part of the Military Men being slain in Battel he might either get a rich Booty from those who would shun the hazard of Fighting or else an easie Victory from them who would stand to it gathered a great Band of Roysters together and arriving at the Firth or Bay of the River Clyde there made a Descent and Fortune at first favouring his Design he penetrated as far as Renfreu But there whilst he was more intent on Plunder than on the Safety of his Men he was surprized by a far less Number than his own and lost all his Soldiers he himself being saved and brought alive to the King for further Scorn and Punishment though some say That both he and his Son too were slain in the Battel These things were acted about the Year of Christ 1165. The Kingdom being thus quieted from all Tumults an Assembly of all the Estates was Indicted at Scone where many things were Decreed for the Confirmation of the State of the Kingdom and amongst the rest the whole Assembly unanimously made it their Request to the King That he would think of Marriage in regard he was now fit for it as being above Twenty Two years of Age and by that means he might beget Children to succeed him They told him It was a publick Debt due to the Kingdom as well as a private One to his Family and that he ought to mind not only the present time but to have a prospect to the Tranquillity of future Ages too His Answer was That ever since he had been capable to Order and Direct his own Life he had Solemnly Vowed to God to live a Continent and a Batchelor's Life which Vow said he I think was the more acceptable to God both because he gave me the strength to perform it and also because he hath prepared Heirs already to succeed me so that I am not compelled to break my Vow neither by any Weakness of my own Spirit nor by any other publick Necessity Thus dismissing the Parliament having Peace abroad he applied his Mind to the Arts of his Forefathers i. e. Building of Churches and Donations on Monks wherein he would have exceeded his Ancestors if God had given him a longer Life For he died not long after on the Fifth of the Ides of December in the Twenty Fifth Year of his Age and a little more than the Twelfth Year of his Reign and in the Year of our Redemption 1165. William The Ninety Third King HIS Brother William Succeeded him who entred upon the Kingdom Fifteen Days after Malcolm's Death He would Transact no Publick or Private Business of any weight till he had craved of Henry of England the Restitution of Northumberland Henry commanded him to come to London to do him Homage for the Counties of Cumberland and Huntingdon according to custom which he did not unwillingly yet desisted not from pressing to have Northumberland restored Henry gave him an Ambiguous Answer saying That in regard Northumberland was taken away from Malcolm and given to him by the States of the Kingdom he could not part from it without their Consent but he should come to the next Parliament and there expect Iustice to be done William though he expected no Good from the Parliament yet to cut off all occasions of Calumny from his Adversary resolved to wait in England for the Convening and Opening of it and in the mean time he accompanied Henry though against his Will to the War in France There he profited nothing by his daily Solicitations and foreseeing that the King would not speedily return into England with much ado he obtained a Convoy and returned into Scotland After his Return the first thing he did was to repress the Insolencies of Thieves and Robbers by punishing and clearing the Country of the Offenders Then he erected Castles and placed Garisons in convenient Places to prevent suddain Invasions At last he sent Ambassadors into England to demand Northumberland denouncing War in case of Refusal Henry being intangled in the French War yielded up to him that Part of Northumberland which William's great Grandfather held William took It but on this Condition That he would not remit his Right in or Claim to the rest The English King took this very heinously and being sorry he had parted with any of Northumberland before the Controversie was decided he made Incursions into the Scots Borders and thus sowed the Seeds of a new War and by this means he hoped to have taken away also the other Lands which he would have brought into dispute When Right was claimed by the Wardens of the Marches according to Custom the English complained That their Borders were molested by Scotish Robbers so that the Ambassadors were sent away without obtaining the thing they came for yea almost without an Answer The Scots to obtain that by Force which they could not do by fair means levied an Army and entred upon and wasted the bordering Lands of the English with Fire and Sword This being about Harvest the English in the absence of their King were content only to stand upon the Defensive what they could but then levied no Army yet the Winter following some Action passed and many Incursions were made The next Summer William listed a great Army and marched into the Enemies Country the English having few or no Forces ready to withstand them send Ambassadors to their Camp proffering a great Sum of Money for a Truce which if they could obtain they gave Hopes that all things would be accorded to Content William being a plain-Hearted Man and willing to preserve Peace if obtainable upon reasonable Conditions before a War though a just one gave Credit to their Fallacious Promises The English spent all the time of the Cessation in Preparations for War but in the mean time they plied the Scots with Ambassadors who made large Promises though their true Errand was to discover their Enemies Camp and finding the Scots on Confidence of the Truce re-miss and negligent and the greatest Part of their Army scattered to get in Forage they returned and gave their Army notice that now was a fair opportunity for Action which they urged them not to omit whereupon placing the greatest Part of their Army in Ambush about Four Hundred nimble Horsemen in the Third Watch a few hours before Sun-rising marched directly to Alnwick where the Scots Camp was pitcht there finding all things in greater Security than they expected they set upon the King who was riding up and down with Sixty Horse only as if there had been a setled Peace and before they could well be discerned whether they were Friends or Enemies for they disguised themselves with Scots Arms and Ensigns that they might pass for Scots They took him Prisoner in the Nineth Year of
Daughters The Eldest Named Margarite Married Alan of Galway a Man very powerful amongst the Scots The Second was matched to Robert Bruce Sirnamed the Noble of High English Descent and of a large Estate The Third was Married to Henry Hastings an Englishman also whose Posterity do deservedly enjoy the Earldom of Huntington at this day But to let him pass because he never put in for the Kingdom I shall confine my Discourse to the Stock Cause and Ancestry of Baliol and Bruce only Whilst William was King of Scotland Fergus Prince of Galway left Two Sons Gilbert and Ethred William to prevent the Seeds of Discord betwixt the Two Brothers divided their Fathers Inheritance equally betwixt them Gilbert the Eldest took this highly amiss and thereupon conceived an Hatred against his Brother as his Rival and against the King too for his unequal Distribution Thereupon when the King was Prisoner in England being then freed from fear of the Law he discovered his long-concealed Hatred against them both As for his Brother he took him unawares pulled out his Eyes cut out his Tongue and so not content with a single Death he put him to grievous and excessive Tortures before he dyed and he himself joyned with the English and preyed upon his Neighbors and Country-men as if they had been in an Enemies Country for he wasted all with Fire and Sword And except Rolland the Son of Ethred had gathered a Band of Countrymen who remained firm to the King together to resist his Attempts he had either wasted the neighbour Countries or drawn them all over to his Party This Rolland was a forward young Man of great Abilities both of Body and Mind he not only abated the Fury of his Uncle but many times fought valiantly and sometimes successfully with the English as he met them whilst he repressed their Plunderings or as he himself spoiled their Lands At last when the King was restored Gilbert by the Mediation of his Friends got a Pardon upon promise of a sum of Money for the Wrongs he had done and giving Pledges to that purpose But Gilbert dying a few days after those who were accustomed to Blood and Prey under him and who had given up themselves into the Protection of the King of England either out of the Inconstancy of their Dispositions or for fear of Punishment being stirr'd on by Gripes from an accusing Conscience for what they had formerly done took up Arms again under the Command of Gilpatrick Henry Kennedy and Samuel who before had been the Assistors and Companions to Gilbert in his Wickedness Rolland was sent with an Army against them and after a great Fight he slew their chief Leaders and a great Part of the common Soldiers They who escaped fled to one Gilcolumb a Captain of the Freebooters and Robbers who had made a great spoil in Lothian and much endamaged the Nobles and Richer sort of whom also he killed some Thence marching into Galway he undertook Gilbert's Cause when all others looked upon it as desperate He not only claimed his Lands as his Own but carried himself as the Lord of all Galway At last Rolland fought with him in the Calends of October about Three Months after Gilbert's Forces were defeated and slew him with the greatest part of his Army with very little loss of his own side amongst the slain there was found his own Brother a stout young Man The English being troubled at the overthrow of these Men who had put themselves under their Protection the Year before march'd with an Army to Carlisle thither also came Rolland being Reconciled to the King of England by the Mediation of William where he refuted the Calumnies of his Enemies and shewed That he had done nothing Maliciously or Causelesly against his own and the Publicks Enemy upon which he was honourably dismissed by the King William also returned home and calling to Mind the Constancy of his Father Ethred and how many Noble Exploits he had performed for the Good of the Publick he gave him all Galway And besides he bestowed Carrick on the Son of Gilbert though his Father had not deserved so well of him William of Newberry the English Writer Records these things as done Anno 1183. Rolland took to Wife the Sister of William Morvill who was Lord High Constable in Scotland who dying without Issue Rolland enjoyed that Office as Hereditary to him and his Family He had a Son called Alan who for his Assistance afforded to Iohn King of England in his Irish War was rewarded by him with large Possessions on which accompt by the permission of William of Scotland he was a Feudatary to the English King and swore Fealty to him This Alan took to Wife Margarite the Eldest Daughter of David Earl of Huntington By her he had Three Daughters the Eldest Dornadilla he Married to Iohn Baliol who was King of Scotland for some years But Robert Bruce Married Isabella Davids Second Daughter he came to be Earl of Carrick upon this Occasion Martha Countess of Carrick being Marriageable and the only Heiress of her Father who died in the Holy War as she was a Hunting cast her Eye on Robert Bruce the Beautifullest Young Man of all her Train whereupon she Courteously invited him and in a manner compelled him into her Castle which was near at Hand Being come thither his Age Beauty Kindred and Manners easily procuring mutual Love they were quickly Married in a private way When the King was informed thereof he was much offended with them Both because the Right of bestowing the Lady in Marriage lay in him yet by the Mediation of Friends he was afterwards Reconciled to them Out of this Marriage Robert Bruce was Born who afterwards was King of Scotland Thus having enlarged my self in this Prologue I come now to the Matter in Hand and to the Competitors of the Kingdom They were Dornadilla the Grand-child of David of Huntingdon by his Eldest Daughter and Robert Bruce Earl of Carrick Grand-son of the said David by his youngest Daughter Dornadilla's Pretensions were grounded on the Custom of the Country whereby he or she that was nearer in Degree had a better Right Robert Bruce insisted on the Sex that in a like degree of Propinquity Males ought to be preferred before Females so that he denied it to be just that as long as a Grand-son was alive a Grand-daughter should inherit her Ancestors Estate And though sometimes the contrary may be practised in the Inheritances of private Men yet the matter is far otherwise in those Estates which are called Feuds and in the Succession of Kingdoms And of this there was urged a late Example in the Controversie concerning the Dutchess of Burgundy which the Earl of Nevers who Married the Grand-child of the last Duke by his Eldest Son Claimed yet the Inheritance was adjudged to the Son of the Duke's younger Brother so that Robert contended That he was nearer in Degree as
Country he banished and sent the Scots Nobility whom he most suspected into the heart of England till his return Amongst which was Iohn Cumins Lord or Petty King of Badenach and Alan Longan a Man fit both for Advice and Action and having setled Matters after this sort he was so far from fearing any Insurrection in Scotland that he carried all his Army over along with him But hearing of the many Exploits of Wallace he thought there was need of a greater Force to suppress him yet that the Expedition was not worthy of a King neither as being only against a Roving Thief for so the English called Wallace and therefore he writes to Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland and William Latimer That they should speedily Levy what Forces they could out of the Neighbouring Parts and join themselves with Cressingham who as yet remained in Scotland to subdue the Rebellious Scots Thomas Walsingham writes that the Earl of Warren was General in this Expedition But Wallace who was then besieging the Castle of Cowper in Fife left his Army which he had increased against the coming of the English should be idle the English being near at hand marched directly to Sterlin The River Forth no where almost fordable may be there passed over by a Bridge of Wood though it be increased by the Addition of other Rivers and by the coming in of the Tide too There Cressingham passed over with the greatest part of his Army but the Bridge either having its Beams loosned and disjointed on purpose by the Skill of the Architect as our Writers say it was that so it might not be able to bear any great Weight or else being overladen with the heavy burden of so many Horse Foot and Carriages as passed over was broken and so the March of the rest of the English was precluded and hindred The Scots set upon Those who were passed over before they could put themselves into a Posture and having slain their General drove the rest back into the River the Slaughter was so great that they were all either killed or drowned Wallace returned from this Fight to the besieging of Castles and in a short time he so changed the Scene of Affairs that he left none of the English in Scotland but such as were made Prisoners This Victory wherein none of any eminency among the Scots fell save Andrew Murray whose Son some years was Regent of Scotland was obtained in the Ides of September in the year of Christ 1297. Some say that Wallis was called off to this Fight not from the Siege of Cowper but of Dundee whither he also returned after the Fight so Iohn Major and some Books found in Monasteries do relate By means of these Combustions the Fields lay untilled insomuch that after that Overthrow a Famine ensued and a Pestilence after the Famine from whence a greater Fear was apprehended than from the War Wallis to prevent this Mischief as much as he could called together all those who were fit for Service to appear at a certain day with whom he marched into England thinking with himself that their Bodies being exercised with Labour would be more healthy and that Wintring in an Enemies Country Provisions might be spared at home and the Soldiers who were in much want might reap some Fruit of their Labours in a rich Country and flourishing by reason of its continued Peace When he was entred into England no Man dared to attack him so that he staid there from the Calends of November to the Calends of February and having refreshed and inriched his Soldiers with the Fruits and Spoils of the Enemy he returned home with great Renown This Expedition as it increased the Fame and Authority of Wallis amongst the Vulgar sort so it heightned the envy of Nobles against him mightily For his Praise seemed a tacite Exprobration to them who being Men of great Power and Wealth either out of Slothfulness durst no◠or out of Perfidiousness would not attempt what He that was a Mean Man and destitute of all the Advantages of Fortune had not only valiantly undertook but also successfully performed Moreover the King of England finding the Business to be greater than could well be managed by his Deputies made some settlement of things in France and returned home and gathering together a great Army but hastily levied for he brought not back his Veteran Soldiers from beyond Sea and for the most part raw and unexperienced Men he marches toward Scotland supposing he had only to do with a disorderly Band of Robbers But when he saw both Armies in Battel array about 500 Paces one from another in the Plains of Stanmore he admired the Discipline Order and Confidence of his Enemies So that thô he himself had much the greater Force yet he durst not put it to the hazard of a Battel against such a Veteran and Experienced a Captain and against Soldiers inured to all hardships but turned his Ensigns and marched slowly back Wallace also durst not follow him for fear of Ambushes but kept his Army within their Trenches Having thus got the Victory thô Bloodless over so puissant a King his Enemies were so much the more enraged against him and caused Rumours to be scattered up and down That Wallis did openly affect a Supream or Tyrannical Power at which the Nobles especially Bruce and the Cumin's of the Royal Stock did mightily disdain for they said thus within themselves That if they must be Slaves they had rather be so under a Great and Potent King than under an Vpstart whose Domination was like to be not only base but also dangerous And therefore they determined by all means to undermine the Authority of Wallis Edward was not ignorant of these Disgusts and therefore the next Summer he Levies a Great Army consisting partly of English partly of Scots who had remained Faithful to him and came to Falkirk which is a Village built in the very Tract of the Wall of Severus and is distant from Sterling little more than 6 Miles The Scots Army were not far from them of sufficient strength for they were 30000. if the Generals and Leaders had agreed amongst themselves Their Generals were Iohn Cumins Iohn Stuart and William Wallace the most flourishing Persons amongst the Scots the Two former for their high Descent and Opulency the Later for the glory of his former Exploits When the Three Armies were ready to fight a new Dispute arose besides their former Envy Who should lead the Van of the Army and when all Three stood upon their Terms the English decided the Controversie who with Banners displaid marched with a swift pace towards them Cumins and his Forces retreated without striking a stroke Stuart being beset before and behind was slain with all that followed him Wallace was sorely pressed upon in the Front and Bruce had fetched a compass about an Hill and fell on his Reat yet he was as little disturbed
as in such circumstances he could possibly be but retreated beyond the River Carront where by the Interposal of the River he had Opportunity to defend himself and also to gather up the straggling Run-aways and Bruce desiring to speak with him he assented thereunto They Two alone stood over against one another where the River hath the narrowest Chanel and the highest Banks And First Bruce began and told Wallace He wondred what was in his Mind that being hurried on by the uncertain Favour of the Vulgar he should expose himself to such assiduous and imminent Danger against a King the most potent of that Time and who was also assisted by a great Number of the Scots and that to no purpose neither for if he overcame Edward the Scots would never Grant him the Kingdom and if himself were overcome he had no Refuge but in the Mercy of his Enemy To whom Wallas replyed I never proposed that Scope to my Designs and Labours as to obtain the Kingdom of which my Fortune is not capable neither doth my Mind aspire thereunto But when I saw my Countrymen by your slothfulness to whom the Kingdom doth rightly appertain destitute of Governors and exposed not to the Slavery only but even to the Butchery of a cruel Enemy I had pity on them and undertook the Cause which you deserted neither will I forsake the Liberty Good and Safety of my Countrymen till Life forsake me You who had rather chuse base Servitude with Security than honest Liberty with Hazard follow and hug the Fortune which you so highly esteem As for me I will willingly Dye in my Country which I have often defended and my Love to it shall remain as long as my Life continues Thus the Conference was broken off and each of them retired to their Forces This Battel was fought the 11 th of the Calends of August wherein there fell of the Scots 10000 amongst whom of the Nobles were Iohn Stuart Macduff Earl of Fife and of Wallis his Army Iohn Grame the valiantest Person of the Scots next to Wallis himself Of the English were slain Frere Briangy highly Fam'd and Notic'd for Military Skill After this unhappy Fight Wallis came to Perth and dismissed his Army giving Place to that Envy which he knew he could not resist and from that day forward he never acted as a General yet he ceased not with a few of his Friends who still stuck to him thô he renounced the Name of a General as often as a convenient Opportunity was offered to press upon the English Edward also after he had wasted all the Country beyond the Forth even unto Perth receiving into his Obedience all those who durst not as long as he was present make any Insurrection drew back his Army Those of the Scots who after the Enemies departure did most study the Liberty of their Country being a little heartned made Iohn Cumins Iunior their Regent He according to the Advice of the Council sent Embassadors to Philip Valois King of France to desire him that by the Mediation of his Sister who was then betrothed to Edward they might obtain at least a Truce By her Endeavours a Truce was obtained for Seven Months which yet was not faithfully observed For the English detained the Embassadors which were sent to Boniface the 8 th and committed them to Prison In the mean time the Scots who could neither bear the Tyranny of the English nor satisfie the cruel Mind of Edward by their Punishments nor yet obtain an equal Peace from him with obstinate Minds and in despair of Pardon resolved to Fight it out to the utmost First of all they expel all Edward's Governors who were English from all Towns and Castles next they afflict the Scots of their Faction as much as ever they could Things remained in this posture almost Two years and then Edward sent Ralph Confray with great Forces to subdue the Robbers as he called them and to make an end of the War They met with no Opposition but Preyed far and near till they came to Roslin 〈◊〉 place in Lothian about 5 Miles distant from Edinburgh and there they divided their Army into Three parts to make the greater Havock and so pitched their Tents Iohn Cumins with the assistance of Iohn Frazer the most potent Man in all Tivedale gathered 8000 Men together and marched towards the Enemy thinking to abridge the Limits of their plundering Excursions or otherwise if an happy Opportunity offered itself for Action not to be wanting to Fortune And indeed he met with a fairer Occasion than he hoped for For the English little expecting an Assault from an Enemy that they had so often Conquered and brought so low lived more stragglingly than they ought to have done in an Enemies Country so that their first Camp was soon taken by the suddain coming of the Scots and a great Slaughter made They who escaped carried the Noise into the next Camp They in a great Fear cryed out Arm Arm and they all exhorted one another to succor their fellow-Soldiers but perceiving That the designed Succor was too late they prepared for Revenge A fierce Fight was commenced betwixt them as Men eager and desirous of Victory and Revenge at last the English were routed and put to Flight and the Victory thô a bloody one remained to the Scots In the mean time the third Camp who was farther off came and occasioned some terror to the Scots For in regard many of them were wounded and the greatest Part wearied with the toil of a double Fight they saw that there was imminent Danger in Fighting and assured Destruction in flying away At length by the Command of their Leaders they slew all the Prisoners lest while they were busied with their Enemies they should rise up and set upon them in the Rear and arming their Servants with the Spoils of the Slain they made a Show of a greater Army than indeed they were Hereupon the Battel was begun and fiercely carried on by both Parties The Fight being a long time doubtful the Scots by the encouragement of their Leaders putting them in mind of their double Victory took fresh Courage and charged the Enemy with such Violence that they broke their Ranks and put them to flight This Fight was at Roslin the 6 th of the Calends of March in the Year 1302. As the Victory was the more Famous being obtained by but One Army over Three in one and the same day so it mightily incensed the Mind of Edward To blot out the Ignominy and to put an end at length to a long lasting War he therefore Levies an Army bigger than ever he had before and assaulted Scotland both by Sea and Land and made spoil of it even unto the uttermost Borders of Ross no Man daring to oppose so great a Force Only Wallis and his Men sometimes in the Front sometimes in the Rear sometimes in the Flanks would snap either
of his Men he durst not draw them forth into a Place of greater Disadvantage Hereupon he first sent an Herald to Bruce for a Truce wherein they might Treat of Terms of Peace The Truce being obtained Cumins made no more Mention of Peace but encreas'd his Forces as much as ever he could neither would he trust the Scots that were with him the Favour of many of them inclining to Robert but craved Aid from England In the mean time Bruce to remove the Contemptible Opinion which the English might conceive of him and to encourage the Spirits of his Friends was always nibbling at his Enemies Heels here taking some there others and surprizing their weakest Garisons he never staid long in a Place neither gave he Opportunity to the Enemy to fight him But about this time Simon Frazer and Walter Longan brave Soldiers Both and Lovers of their Country were taken by some of the Cuminian Faction delivered over to the English and put to Death at London And almost about the same time Iames Douglas joined himself with Bruce his Party He was the Son of William a young Man passing well instructed in all the Liberal Arts who when he was studying at Paris hearing that his Father was cast into Prison by the English where he soon after Died returned home to receive the Advice of his Friends how he might Order the Residue of his Life But being deprived of his Patrimony and all his Friends variously dispersed in great Want he repaired to William Lambert Bishop of St. Andrews by whom he was admitted as one of his Family and kindly entertained until King Edward came to Besiege Sterlin after he had Conquered almost all Scotland besides Lambert going thither to Salute the King carried Douglas along with him and having gotten a fit Opportunity he spake to the King to restore his Patrimony to take him into his Protection and to make Use of his Faithful Endeavours in his Service some other things he also added in Praise of the young Man the King hearing of his Name and Family spake very roughly concerning the stubbornness of William his Father withal adding That he intended not to make any use of his Son nor of any Assistance of his and as for his Paternal Estate he could not restore it if he would because he had gratified his Friends with it who had merited well of him Iames being thus dismissed by the King stayed with Lambert till Bruce came to Merne And then that might he omit no Occasion to prejudice Edward whose Mind he found was implacably bent against him he took away Lamberts Horses and some Money not without his Privity and came to Bruce and his Service was of great use to him in many sharp Storms afterwards Not long after Both Kings almost in the same Moment of time fell grievously Sick Edward being busie in Preparations for War against Scotland died within a few days at Lancaster leaving his Second Son Edward for his Heir who was called Edward of Carnarvon from the Place where he was Born he marching into his Enemies Country with the Army which his Father had recruited sent a Proclamation before to Dumfreiz That all the Scots should meet him there but there came in but a Few and those out of the Neighbouring Parts and very heavily too He being also informed That his Matters beyond Sea went not well on left a Force such as he thought sufficient to quell the Insurrection in Scotland and settling things as soon as he could he passed over into France In the interim Robert hearing of Edward's Death was somewhat relieved and began to hope better of his Affairs and so the strength of his Mind supported his weak Body But not being ignorant how much the sole Conduct of a General might contribute to a Victory he so prepared himself for the extreme Push of Fortune that he expected his Enemy and a Battel On the other side the English King coming back more slowly than his Friends hoped Iohn Cumins being greedy of the Glory That the War was ended by him hoping also that Robert was dead by reason of his sore Disease added to his other Hardships or at least that his Sickness would hinder him from being present in the Army gathered together all the Forces he could make and marched directly towards his Enemy On the other side Robert to encourage his Men caused himself to be set on Horseback His very Sight tho' he was supported by Two Men and could not stay long yet gave such Heart to his Men that they never began any Fight more Courageously than they did That Cumins who had placed the Hope of his Victory in the Sickness of his Enemy being not able to keep his Men together neither by Persuasions nor Punishments was forced to fly away in their Company many were taken in the pursuit and all courteously used This Victory gotten at Ennerury as it recovered the King from his Disease so it was the Omen of his future prosperous Proceedings for from that day forward he succeeded in All that he attempted A while after he marched into the Country of Argyle which he pillaged and forced Alexander the Lord of it to a Surrender who retiring into England in a little time there ended his miserable Life in great Want The same Year the Day before the Calends of Iuly Edward Bruce also had prosperous success at a Battel fought at Die a River of Galway Rolland a Noble Knight of Galway was slain in the Fight Donald the Islander was taken Prisoner as he was flying away and the whole Country of Galway was wasted far and near These Tumults rouz'd up Edward who was rather desirous to live in Peace to a War even against his Will for perceiving that his Affairs were ill-managed he the next Year with a great Army of English entred Scotland and there joyned a numerous Body of Scots who had not yet revolted from the English With those Forces he pierced as far as Ranfro◠and then retreated having performed no Memorable Act in his Expedition either because he himself was of a dull and unactive Nature or else because Robert besides the scarcity which did then generally afflict all Scotland had caused all the Provisions to be carried away from those Places thrô which his Army was to march and had laid them up more out of the way After his Departure Robert spent the rest of the Year in recovering those Castles which the English yet held of which Many surrendred before they were Besieged as despairing of any help from England The next Year which was 1310. Bruce to cry quits with the English for the damage they had done in Scotland marched twice into England with his Army and returned back laden with spoils without any Encounter at all The Two next Years he recovered almost all the strong Garisons which yet remained in the hands of the English He took Perth by Storm and put all the Garison
Soldiers both English and Scots promiscuously to the Sword and that others might be deterred from the like Obstinacy by their Example he razed their Walls and filled up their Trenches The Terror of that Example caused Dumfriez Lanerick Air and Bote and many other weaker Forts to Surrender At the beginning of the Spring Roxburgh was taken by Iames Douglas when the Garison was intent upon their Sports and Pastimes in those Revels which were wont to be celebrated at the beginning of Lent And not long after Thomas Randolph recovered the Strong Castle of Edinburgh The Isle of Man was also surrendred and the Castles thereof demolished that they might not again be a Receptacle to the Enemy In the mean time Edward Bruce closely besieged the Castle of Sterlin scituate on a Rock steep every way but one where the Passage to it lay It was defended by Philip Mowbray a vigilant Commander who perceiving the Success of the Brucians in Scotland and foreseeing a Siege had mightily stored and fortified it with Arms and Provisions before hand And therefore when Edward had fruitlessly spent many days in besieging it and had no hopes to carry it by force That he might not seem to be repulsed without doing any thing he enters into Conditions with Mowbray That if he was not relieved in an Year to commence from that very Day by the English then the Castle was to be surrendred and the Garison should have Liberty Bag and Baggage to march whither they pleased These Conditions did much displease the King yet that he might not detract from his Brothers Credit he resolved to observe them Yet in regard he did not doubt but the English would come at the time appointed he prepares as much as in so great a scarcity of things he was able to manage his last Encounter with his potent Enemy And indeed Edward considering that he was not only dispossessed of Scotland whose People his Father had left to him conquered and broken but that England was also in danger had a desire to root out so Rebellious Disobedient and Unquiet a Nation In order whereunto he levied an Army not only of English and such Scots who adhered to them but he increased it by supplys from his Transmarine Dominions which then were many great and opulent so that his Army was bigger than ever any King of England had before Yea he received also an Accession of Force from his Allyes beyond the Seas especially from Flanders and Holland whom his Father had strenuously assisted against Philip King of France They say it consisted of above 100000 Fighting men There followed also his Army a Multitude of Baggagers Attendants and Sutlers who carries Provision both by Sea and Land because they were to come into a Country not very fruitful of it self and besides which had so many years before been harassed with all the Miseries of War Moreover there was a Multitude of Such as were to set out or describe Colonies and to receive Dividends of Land who brought their Wives and Children along with them so that the Force of so Rich Powerful and Flourishing a Kingdom as England was being thus as it were abridged and epitomized into one Army the Consideration thereof produced such a Confidence in them all That now all the Discourse was not of Fighting but rather of Dividing the Spoil Bruce hearing of this great Preparation of the Enemy prepares also his Forces far inferiour in Number to so great a Multitude as being Thirty Thousand only but such as were inured to Hardships and the Toyl of a Civil War and who now carried the Hopes of their Lives Fortunes and of all that is dear to Men as it were on the Point of their Swords With this Army he sate down on the left Bank of the River Bannock This River hath steep Banks on Both sides and it had but a few and those too narrow Passages or Fords it is about Two Miles from Sterlin Below the Hills before it makes its influxe into the Forth it passeth thrô a little leveller Ground yet here and there it is Marshy In the Winter it usually runs with a rapid Torrent but in that hot Time of the Year the Water was but Low and Fordable in many Places Bruce by how much the Weaker in Force was so much the more Circumspect and therefore he used Art and Policy to make the Passage over the River more difficult to the English who possessed the right-hand Bank thereof In order whereunto he caused deep Trenches to be dug in level Places wherein he fastened sharp Stakes or Spikes and covered them with some light Turffs a top that so his Stratagem might not be discovered and moreover he caused Calthrops of Iron to be thrown up and down on the Ground in Places most convenient Wherefore when Camp was almost joyned to Camp as being on different Hills only a small River between them Edward sent 800 Horse a little before to Sterlin who marched a little off from the Camp Robert imagining that they were sent to plunder in the Neighbourhood gave command to Thomas Randolph to follow them with 500 Horse either to prevent the stragglers in wasting the Country or if a fit Occasion were offered to fight them The English seeing them desisted from their intended March to Sterlin and faced about The Fight was sharp and continued long the Victory inclining for a time to neither Party so that Iames Douglas being concerned for the Scots who were the fewer in Number earnestly desired Bruce That he might go and relieve them Bruce peremptorily denied him whereupon tho' at present a Spectator only from an Hill yet he resolved if the Scots were further distressed to succour them but perceiving the English to give back and the Scots to get Ground he stopped his March that so he might detract nothing from another mans Praise The English having lost but those Few out of so numerous an Army were not discouraged in their Spirits and also the Scots prepared themselves for the Encounter the next day as if they had already received an Omen of a compleat Victory The Night thô very short for the Battel was fought on the 9 th of the Calends of Iuly yet seemed long to both Parties for the Eagerness they had to Fight All the Scots were divided into Three Brigades The King led the Middle or Main Battel His Brother Commanded the Right Wing and Randolf the Left The English besides a multitude of Archers which they placed on the outside of Both their Wings had also Curiassiers out of France They speeding towards Randolf who stood on the Lower Ground and endeavouring to fall obliquely on his Flank fell suddainly into the Diâ—ches made by Bruce where they tumbled one upon another with great Slaughter both of Man and Horse They that first fell in were Slain by the pressure of Those that fell upon them and the last Ranks being discouraged at the loss of the
Two Fortified Towns on the Tine One nearer Wales which was Carlisle and the other about Fifty Miles lower called Newcastle The English had strongly Garisoned Both of them to hinder the Enemies Passage over the River but the Scots knowing where the River was fordable passed over without any noise and so deceived both the Garisons When the English were come into the Bishoprick of Durham from the Tops of the Hills they might see Fires afar off and then beginning to understand how near their Enemy was they tumultuously cryed Arm Arm as if they were presently to fall to it They drew forth their Army into a Threefold Order of Battel and marched directly to the Place where they saw the Smoak of the Fire the General denouncing a great Penalty on him that without his leave should stir from his Colours Thus they wearied themselves till the Evening and then mark'd out a Place for their Camp in a Wood near a certain River and there they placed their Baggage and Carriages which could not so swiftly follow the Flying Army The next day they marched in the same Order and towards Evening they were forced to abide in their Tents which they had pitched as conveniently as the Place would afford that so the Draught-Horses and the Foot might receive a little Refreshment There the Nobles came to the King and deliberated How they should bring the Scots to a Battel The most Part were of Opinion That the English Foot were never able to overtake the flying Horse of the Scots and if they did yet they could not compel them to Fight but in those Places which they themselves judged most Convenient But because there was such a general Devastation that they could not stay long in an Enemies Country they judged it best to pass over the Tine with all their Forces and to intercept the Enemy in his Return home And besides the Country beyond the Tine was plainer and fitter to draw up an Army in that so the whole Body of the Army might be put upon Service This Opinion was approved and a Command given to refresh Themselves and to do it as silently as ever they could That they might more easily hear the word of Command and the sound of the Trumpets That so leaving the Baggage behind every one should carry a Loaf a piece and as if the next day they were to fight the Enemy they were to await the Event of Fortune so that their Bodies being refreshed from the weariness of the day before a little after Midnight they took up their Arms and in good order begun their March But the Marishes and Hills by which they were to pass quickly made them to break their Ranks and he that could led the Van the Rest followed their Steps and their March was in such Disorder that many Horse and Carriage-Beasts did either stick in the Mud or else did tumble down from steep Places and oft times they cryed To your Arms and then all of them in great Trepidation ran to the Place from whence the Noise and Cry came without any Order at all But when they came to those that led the Van they understood That the Tumult was occasioned by a Multitude of Stags who being rouzed out of the Heath by the Noise of Men and afraid to see them ran up and down in great Confusion amongst the Brigades At last about Evening the Horse but without the Foot came to the Fords of Tine over which the Scots had passed and by which they would return as they hoped and at Sun-set they Forded over the round and slippery Stones which the River roles up and down much incommoding their Horse And besides they were afflicted with another Inconvenience They had few or none of them any Iron Tools to cut down Wood with so that after they had marched Twenty Eight Miles they were fain to lie in their Arms that Night on the bare Ground holding their Horses Bridles in one of their Hands for they could not cut down Wood to make Tents having brought none with them nor Huts nor so much as Stakes to tye their Horses to Early in the Morning assoon as it was light there fell such mighty showres of Rain that even small Brooks were hardly passable by Man or Horse and also they were inform'd by some Country Men which they took That the Neighbouring Country was so Barren and Desolate That no Provision was to be had nearer than Newcastle and Carlisle of which one was Twenty Four the other Thirty Miles off Thither they sent their Draught-Horses and Servants in the mean time they made use of their Swords to cut down Stakes to tye their Horses to and some Shrubs and small Trees to build them Huts with the Leaves whereof they fed their Horses and so that Night they were fain to Fast. Three Days after they that were sent to the Towns returned with some small Provisions which they brought along with them some Sutlers came also with them with Bread and Wine to make a Gain of but it was but little and also not Good yet such as it was the Soldiers were ready to fall out Who should have it first Having thus passed Seven days in great Want and being also much molested with continual Showres so that their Horse-Furniture was wet and their Horses Backs did Ulcerate and they themselves stood many of them Armed Day and Night in their wet Cloaths neither could they make any Fire by reason that the Wood was Green and besides it was wetted by the Rain water The Eighth day they resolved to repass the River at a more commodious Ford Seven miles above the Place where they were but there also the River was swoln by reason of the Showres so that they were much incommoded and some were drowned in their passage As soon as they had landed their Army upon the other side a great Reward was proposed to him Who could bring the first certain Tidings Where the Scots were The Two next Days their March lying thrô desolate places and ruined by late Fires they had Forage enough for their Horses but little Provision for Themselves On the Fourth Day One of the Fifteen young Men who scouted out to bring News where the Scots lay returned back and informed them That the Scots Army was about Three Miles distance from Theirs and that for Eight Days last past They had been as uncertain what became of the English as the Englâ—sh had been what became of Them This he affirmed for Truth as having been taken Prisoner by the Scots and freed without Ransom upon Condition he would go tell his King That they would wait for his Coming in that Place and That they were as willing to Fight as He. Upon the Receipt of this Message the King Commanded the Army to make an Halt that Man and Horse might take some Refreshment and so be ready for the last Encounter and thus in Three Brigades he marched slowly towards the Enemy
not come down into the Champion he placed all the Scots Army on a contrary Part of the Hill This his rash Counsel and Project had the like Event for as with great Difficulty they were getting up the Hill the Enemy with their Darts and the hurling down of Stones did wound them very sore before they came to handy Blows and when they came near they rushed upon them in such close Bodies that they tumbled them headlong over the steep Precipices There fell that day about Ten some say Fourteen Thousand of the Scots almost all such who escaped out of the unhappy Battel of Duplin were lost here The chief of them whose Names are recorded were Archibald himself the General Iames Iohn and Alan Stuarts Uncles to Robert who Reigned next after the Brucians Hugh Kenneth and Alexander Bruce the several and respective Earls of Ross Sutherland and Carrâ—ck Andrew Iohn and Simon three Brothers of the Frazers This Overthrow of the Scots happened on St. Mary Magdalens Day in the Year 1333. After this Fight all Relief was despaired of so that Alexander Seaton surrendred up the Town to the English and Patrick Dunbar the Castle upon Condition to march out with all their Goods Both of them were forced to Swear Fealty to the English and Patrick Dunbar was further enjoyned to Re-edifie the Castle of Dunbar at his own Charge which he had demolished that it might not be a Receptacle to the English Edward having staid there a few days Commended the Town and the Reliques of the War to Baliol and he himself retired into his own Kingdom leaving Edward Talbot in Scotland a Noble Person and very Prudent with a few English Forces to assist Baliol in subduing the rest of Scotland And indeed it seemed no great Task so to do in regard that almost all the Nobility were Extinct and of those few that remained some came in to the Conqueror others retired either into Desert or else Fortified Places The Garisons which remained Faithful to David were very few as on this side the Forth an Island in a Lough whence the River Down flows scarce big enough to bear a moderate Castle and Dumbritton beyond the Forth a Castle scituate in Lough Levin and also Kildrummy and Vrchart The next Year Ambassadors came from the Pope and from Philip King of France to end the disputes between the Kings of Britain The English were so puft up with the prosperous course of their Affairs that the King would not so much as admit the Ambassadors into his Presence for he thought That the Hearts of the Scots were so cowed and their strength so broken That for the future they durst not neither were they able again to Rebel But this great Tranquillity was soon changed into a most grievous War and that upon a very light Occasion where it was least expected viz. Upon a Discord arising amongst the English themselves at Perth Iames Mowbray had Lands given to his Ancestors in Scotland by Edward the First but they being lost by the various Changes of the Times he recovered them again when Edward Baliol was King He dying without Issue Male Alexander their Uncle Commenced a Suit against his Daughters for those Lands Those of the English Faction that maintained the Cause of the Females were Henry Beaumont who had Married one of them also Richard Talbot and David Cumins Earl of Athol Baliol took Alexanders part and decided or adjudged the Lands to him which so offended his Adversaries that they openly complained of the Injustice of the Decree and seeing that Complaints availed nothing they left the Court and went every one to his own home Talbot was going for England but being apprehended was carried to Dunbarton Beaumont Garisoned Dundury a strong Castle of Buchan and took Possession not only of the Lands which were in Controversie but also of all the Neighbouring Country Cumins went into Athol where he fortified some convenient Places and prepared to defend himself by force if he were attacked Baliol being afraid of this Conspiracy of such Potent Persons altered his Decree and gave the Lands in Question to Beaumont he also reconciled Cumins by giving him many Fertile Lands which belonged to Robert Stuart the next King Alexander being concerned at this injurious Affront joyns himself with Andrew Murray Regent of the Scots who had lately Ransomed himself from the English for a great Sum of Money These things were acted at several times yet I have put them together that the whole course of my History might not be interrupted In the mean time Baliol in another part of the Country attacked all the Forts about Renfrew some he took others he battered down and demolished Having settled Matters there according to his own Mind he Sailed over into the Island Bote and there fortified the Castle of Rothsay of which he made Alan Lisle Governour whom he had before made Chief Iustice for Matters of Law He diligently sought after Robert Stuart his Nephew or Grandchild to put him to Death but he by the help of William Heriot and Iohn Gilbert was wafted over in a small Vessel into the Continent on the other side where Horses stood ready for him which carried him to Dunbarton to Malcolm Fleming Governour of that Castle Baliol having setled things at Bote at his return took Dunâ—oon a Castle seated in Coval the Neighbouring Continent whereupon the Nobility of the Vicinage were struck with so great Fear that they almost all submitted to him Marching from thence the next Spring he bent all his care to besiege the Castle of Lough Levin but this project seeming too slow he left Iohn Sterlin a powerful Knight of his Party to besiege the Castle to whom he joyned Michael Arnold David Weemes and Richard Melvin with part of his Army They built a Fort over against it where the passage was narrowest and having in vain tried all ways to subdue it by force Alan Wepont and Iames Lambin Inhabitants of St. Andrews making such a vigorous Resistance at length they endeavoured to drown it by stopping up the passage of the River for the River Levin goes out from the Lake or Loch with a narrow Girt or Neck and an open Rock This Place they essayed to stop up by making a Wall or Bank of Stones and Turfs heaped upon one another but the Work proceeded on very slowly because as the Heat did incommode the Labourers so the Brooks which flowed into the Lake were then almost dry and the Water being far spread abroad received an increase by moderate Additions By this means the Siege was lengthned out to the Month of Iuly when there was an Holy Day kept in Remembrance of St. Margaret heretofore Queen of Scotland on which day there used to be a great Concourse of Merchants at Dumferlin where the Body of that Saint is reported to be buried Thither went Iohn Sterlin with a great part of his Men some for
that Feud for he had brought so Many of his Friends and Tenants along with him that he became formidable to all the rest and besides his Disposition which was various and mutable his vast Mind and the Noyse of the coming of the English with whom every one knew that Athol would join increased their Suspicions of him And indeed not long after Edward invaded Scotland with great Forces both by Sea and Land bringing Baliol along with him his Navy consisting of 160 Sail entred the Forth He himself marched by Land as far as Perth spoiling the Country as he went along and there waited for Cumins In the mean time Randolfe went to Iohn who challenged the Aebudae as his Own and not being able to draw him to his Party he was content in so troublesome a posture of Affairs to make a Truce with him for some months and thereafter returning to Robert the other Regent he found him dangerously sick So that it was as bad a time as could be for all the Burden to be cast upon his Own Shoulders and therefore he durst not Fight the English in a set Battel but divided his Force that so he might attack them by Parties And hearing that a strong Army of Gueldrians were coming through England to join the English in Scotland he waited for their coming on the Borders Where also Patrick Earl of Merch and William Douglas of Liddisdale met him together with Alexander Ramsay one of the most experienced Soldiers of that Age All these waited for the said Gueldrians in the Fields near Edinburgh Assoon as ever they came in sight one of another they fell to it immediately and after a sharp Conflict the Gueldrians were overcome and fled to the next Hill where there was an old ruinous Castle The next day having no Provision they surrendred themselves only upon Quarter for Life Randolfe out of respect to Philip Valois who was their singular good Friend as was then said did not only freely release them but accommodated them with Provisions for their March yea he himself undertook to be their Convoy in his march he was taken by an Ambush of the English Party and so brought to the King who was then besieging Perth with a powerful Army At the same time David Cumins who steered all his Counsels according to the Inclinations of Fortune being glad of the Distress of his Enemy comes to the King of England and promises him in a very short time to drive all the Brucians out of the Kingdom and the Truth is he was as active in performing his Promise For Perth being surrendred and the Walls thereof demolished the King prepared to return to England because Provision for his Army came but slowly in in regard That all the Scots upon notice of his coming were advised to drive their Cattle into the Mountains As for their other Provisions they should either convey them to some Fortified Places far remote or if they could not do so they should spoil them altogether Neither did his Fleet on which he most relied for Bread for his Army much relieve him For as soon as it arrived at the Forth and had destroyed a Monastery of Monks in the Isle Inch-colm as it rode at Anchor in the open Sea it was grievously turmoiled and suffered great Losses by a Tempestuous Storm so that part of the Ships could hardly get to Inch-Keith a desolate Island near adjoining Others were carried further by the Winds but as soon as they could recover themselves they imputed the Cause of the Tempest to the Anger of St. Columb because they had avaritiously and cruelly destroyed a Monastery of His and therefore whatever Prey or Plunder they had got they carried it thither as an Expiation for their Offence neither was any memorable Act performed by that Fleet the whole Year Though these Causes did much incline the King of England to return yet that which did most accelerate it was his Propension to the French War which was then most in his thoughts And therefore he marched back his Army and took Baliol with him as if the Scotish War had been almost at an end and left Cumins as Regent to perfect the Remainder thereof He to ingratiate himself to Both Kings and to avenge himself on his Enemy was extraordinary cruel in his Proceedings which Severity of his was the more resented because that lately he himself obtained his Pardon so easily when he was reduced to the lowest Ebb not many Months before There were scarce above Three of all the Scotish Nobility whom neither Promises could entice nor Dangers enforce to submit to the English Yoke and Those were Patrick Earl of Merch Andrew Murray and William Douglas These joined their Forces and march to Kilblane Forest against Cumins who was besieging Kildrummy Castle with him they had a sharp Fight Cumins was more in Number and a Few might easily be snapt by a great Many but the coming in of Iohn Craig Governor of the Castle with 300 Fresh Men decided the Controversy and gave an undisputed Victory to the Brucians All the Valiantest of Cumins his Army were slain either in the Fight or in the Pursuit Many were saved in a Neighbour Castle called Cameron belonging to Robert Meinze But seeing there were not Provisions for so great a Multitude pent up in so narrow a Room the next day it was surrendred and the Defendants upon their Submission confirmed by an Oath Pardoned There fell in this Fight besides the General himself Robert Brady and Walter Cumins Two of his intimate Friends Thomas his Brother being taken Prisoner was the next day put to death Upon this Victory in regard Randolfe was a Prisoner and Stuart was sick the Name and Power of Regent was confirmed on Andrew Murray by Military Suffrage For when Letters came from the King of France concerning a Truce the Nobles of the Brucian Party being forced to receive them did by unanimous Consent restore that former Honour to Murray which his Calamitous Misfortune had deprived him of He after the Truce for a few Months was ended laid Siege to the Castle of Lochindores which was held by the Wife of David Cumins She foreseeing what would happen had craved Aid of the English who shortly after landed some Forces in Murray and raised the Siege They also pierced as far as Elgin a Town situate by the River Lossy wasting all as they went with Fire and Sword As they were marching to Perth they burnt Aberdene and Garison'd the Castles in all Merss Dunoter Kinneff and Laureston They laid a Command on the six adjoining Monasteries to repair the Walls of Perth which were demolished and then committing the Affairs of Scotland to Edward Baliol who was returned thither they went back for England Upon the Departure of the English and the low Condition of the Scots Henry Beaumont thought it a fit Opportunity for him to stir to revenge the Death
of his Son in Law the Earl of Athole and therefore he killed all that he could take without any distinction who had been in the Fight of Kilblane in a very cruel manner Andrew Murray besieged him in Dâ—ngarg and enforced him to a Surrender and upon taking his Oath That he would return no more into Scotland in an Hostile manner he was dismissed Thus by one continued Course of Victory he took all the Strong Holds on the further side of the Forth besides the Castle of Cowper and the Town of Perth and casting out their Garisons he wholly demolished Them Afterwards he entred England where he got great Booty and somewhat relieved the Spirits of his Soldiers who had suffered much by reason of want in their own Country For in regard Scotland had been harassed that Year by the Injuries of War and wasted by the daily Incursions of both Parties the Fields lay untill'd and there was such a Famine that the English were enforced to desert the strong Castle of Cowper for want of Provisions And a Scotish Seaman who had been abused by them being employed to Transport the Garison-Soldiers by Night to Lothian Landed them upon a Bank of Sand which was bare when the Tide was out they thinking it had been the Continent went a little way and then met with Sea again which made them call again for the Vessel but in vain for they all perished there The next Year which was 1537. the English Besieged the Castle of Dunbar it was defended by Agnes the Wife of the Earl of Merch who was commonly Sirnamed the Black a Woman of a Manly Spirit The Besiegers were the Earls of Salisbury and Arundel the Siege lasted longer than any body thought it would so that Two divers Supplies were sent into Scotland to relieve Baliol the One led by Monfort the Other by Richard Talbot Lawrence Preston undertook Monfort and in a Fight slew him and routed his Army but he himself dyed soon after of the Wounds he there received which caused his Soldiers to wreck their Fury for the loss of their General on the Prisoners whom they inhumanly slew Talbot was taken Prisoner by William Keith and his Army routed yet the Siege of Dunbar continued still And the Sea being stopped by the English the Besieged were driven to so great a want of Victuals that without doubt it must have been surrendred if Alexander Ramsay by a seasonable thô bold Attempt had not relieved it He in the dead time of the Night slipp'd by the Watch which in Gallies of Genoa kept the Sea-Coast-side and came up to the Castle where he landed Forty choice Men and a great quantity of Provisions And then joyning part of the Garison with his own Men in the Covert of the Night he rushed in with such a noise on the English Guard that he made a great slaughter amongst them for they little expected a Sally from an Enemy whom they looked upon as almost Conquered and so the next Night he returned back as sâ—curely as he came Thus after Six Months the Siege of Dunbar was raised For Edward called back his Forces to the French War after they had wearied themselves and tryed all ways to become Masters of the Place Andrew Murray his Country being then almost freed from Foreign Soldiers attempted to reduce First Sterling then Edinburgh but was fain to depart from them Both without carrying them yet he subdued all Lothian and brought it under the King's Subjection In the mean time to give his wearied Mind a little Relaxation he went to see his Lands and Possessions beyond the Mountains where he fell Sick and Dyed he was Buried at Rosmark much Lamented and Desired by all Good Men. For in those Two Years and an halfe whilst he sate at Helme he performed such great Atchievements as might seem sufficient for the whole Life of One of the Greatest Captains in the World After him Stuart was made Regent till the return of David out of France he being yet but young did that Year get the better of the English in many light Skirmishes which were managed under the Conduct of William Douglas yet not without the great hazard and danger of Douglas himself who was often wounded He drove the English out of Teviotdale He took the Castle of Hermitage in Liddisdale and surprizing great store of Provision belonging to the Enemy at Mulross he fortified it too He had such a sharp and obstinate Encounter with Berclay That he himself with but Three in his Company hardly escaped and that by the benefit of the Night too He overthrew the Forces of Iohn Sterling in a bloody Onset yet He himself was a while after like to be taken by him but recovering himself after a fierce Encounter he put Sterling to flight slew Thirty of his Companions and took Forty of them Prisoners he so pressed upon William Abernethy by whom he had been worsted Five times in one Day That before Night he slew all his Men and brought him Prisoner along with him And he had as great Felicity in conquering Lawrence Vaux a stout Enemy At last he Sailed over to King David in France to acquaint him with the State of Scotish Affairs The next Year which was 1339. Stuart hoping to follow on his good Fortune Levied an Army and divided it into Four Parts and so attempts to reduce Perth but the English defended it so valiantly that he was wounded and beaten off After the Siege had lasted Three Months Douglas came to their Assistance when they almost despaired of Success he brought with him Five Pyratical Ships which he hired wherein there were some Soldiers and warlike Engines Part of the Soldiers were Landed but the rest were sent in their Ships to keep the Mouth of the River Tay. Douglas himself went to recover the Castle of Cowper which being deserted by the English was seized on by the Scots And William Bullock an English Priest who was Treasurer also made Governor Douglas agreed with him that he should have Lands in Scotland and so come over to his Party he was the more easily persuaded to it because he could expect no Aid from England and he had not much confidence in the Scots who were in Garison with him This Man was afterwards very faithful to the Scots and of great use to them The Siege of Perth had now lasted Four Months and would have continued much longer unless the Earl of Ross had drained the Water out of the Trench by Mines and subterraneous Passages so that by this means the Assailants came to the very Walls and threw the Defendants off their Works by the Darts sent principally from the Engins so that the English were forced to Surrender upon Terms To march out Bag and Baggage whither they pleased In a little time after Sterlin being Besieged was also Surrendren on the same Terms and Maurice Murray the Son
of Andrew was made Governor of the Castle Baliol was so terrified at this suddain Mutation of Affairs That he left Galway where he usually abode and went for England A while after the Castle of Edinburgh was taken not by Force but Stratagem Walter Curry a Merchant who then chanced to have a Ship laden with Provisions in the Bay or Firth of the River Tay at Dundee was sent for by William Douglas into the Forth There He and Bullock agreed That Curry should fain himself to be an Englâ—shman and should carry Two Bottles of his best Wine and some other Presents to the Governor of the Castle desiring his Leave to sell the rest of his Provision in the Garison and withal to inform him That if He or the Garison stood in any need of his Service he would Gratifie them as far as ever he was able Hereupon the Governor commanded him to bring some Hogsheads of Wine and a certain Number of Biskets and promised him Free Admittance whenever he came He for Fear of the Scots forsooth who often made Incursions into the neighbouring Parts promises happy be lucky to come betimes the next Morning That Night Douglas with Twelve Select Men accompanying him clad themselves in Mariners attire under which their Armour was hid and so carried Provisions into the Castle as for his Soldiers he laid them in Ambush commanding them to wait for the Signal to be given Douglas and Simon Frazer went before and commanded the rest to follow Them at a moderate distance When they were let by the Porter into the Fort which was made of Beames before the Gate of the Castle they observed That the Keys of the Doors hung on his Arms him therefore they killed and so opened the Castle-Gate and then as they had before agreed they gave the Signal to their Fellows by blowing an Horn the Noise whereof was a Sign to the One That the Castle was entred by their Friends To the Other That it was surprized by their Enemies Both Parties made all the haste they could the Scots cast down their Burdens in the very Passage of the Gate lest the Doors might be shut so they kept out from their Fellows who could march but slowly up on so steep an Ascent Here there happened a sharp Dispute with Loss of Both sides at length the Garison-Soldiers had the worst who were all slain except the Governor and six more It was this self same Year or as some say the next That Ramsay the most Experienced Soldier of all the Scots made his Expedition into England Men had so great an Opinion of his Skil in Military Affairs That every Body was accounted but a Fresh-Water Soldier who had not been disciplin'd under Him And therefore all the young Fry came in to him as the only School where the Art of War was to be taught He having before made many prosperous Expeditions into his Enemies Country thô but with small Forces their Affairs being now at a Low-Ebb in Scotland took heart to attempt greater Matters so that gathering together an handsom Army of his Tenants and Friends he spoiled and harassed Northumberland and upon his Retreat the English drew fotrh all their Force from the Country and Garisons and so followed him with a very great Army What was to be done in this case Alexander could not avoid Fighting and yet he perceived That his Soldiers were somewhat Crest-fallen by reason of the Multitude of the Enemy In these Circumstances he sent away his Booty before and placed his Foot in Ambush and commanded his Horse to straggle abroad as if they were Flying and when they came to the Place of Ambush then to rally again at Sound of Trumpet The English imagining That the Horse had fled in good earnest pursued them as disorderly and when the Signal was given to come together again they in a moment turned back upon Them The Foot also skipping out of their Ambushes which struck such a Consternation and Terrour into the English That they fled back faster than before they had pursued Many of them were slain many taken and the Prey carried home safe Amongst the Prisoners there was the Governor of Roxburgh who had drawn out almost all his Garison to follow him so that Alexander knowing the Town to be empty assaulted and easily took It at the First Onset and when he had taken the Lower Part of the Castle the Remainders of the Garison-Soldiers sled up into a strong Tower therein but being vigorously assaulted and having no hopes of Relief They surrendred up Themselves Some say That the Earl of Salisbury was there taken and exchanged for Iohn Randolf But most Writers whom I am rather inclined to follow affirm That Salisbury was taken Prisoner in France and that by French Troops Randolf going into Annandale took his Castle which was seated by Loch-Maban from the English And the Three Governors of the Borders Alexander Ramsay of the East William Douglas of the Mid-Border and Randolf of the West drove the English beyond their old Bounds which they had in the Reign of Alexander the Third and left them no footing at all in Scotland but only Berwick Some say That Roxburgh was taken by Ramsay in the Night who set Ladders to the Walls when the Watch was asleep in the Year 1342. the 30 th Day of March and the Black Book of Pasley says so too The same Year on the 4 th of the Nones of Iuly David Bruce and His Wife arrived at Ennerbervy Nine Years after his Departure His Coming was the more acceptable because the Affairs of Scotland were then at such a low Ebb. For Edward having made a Truce for Three Years with Philip King of France at Tournay and so being freed of his French War determined to invade Scotland with all his Force He had then in his Army Forty Thousand Foot and Six Thousand Horse and he had also Equipp'd out a Gallant Navy of Ships to carry Provisions for his Foot Soldiers that there might be no Want that way They set Sail in the Month of November but were encountred by so fierce a Tempest that after a long Distress at Sea they were cast upon the Belgick and German Shores and so were of no use to him in the present War In the Interim Edward and his Land Forces staid about New-Castle upon Tine in great want of Victuals Thither Embassadors came to him from Scotland desiring a Pacification for Four Months which they obtained upon Condition That if David came not to them before the Calends of June all the Scots would become Subjects to Edward but David hearing of the Preparation of the English had set Sail before the coming of Embassadors to him Amongst those who flocked in to gratulate the King at his Return as Many did from all Parts of the Kingdom there came Alexander Ramsay also who being eminent both for the splendid Atchievements of
Foreigners to aid them and that in such a conjuncture of Time when the French Themselves designed also to Land a vast Army in England whereupon he gathered a very puissant Army together consisting as the English Writers say of 60000 Foot and 8000 Horse with this Force he resolved so to tame the Scots that they should not in many Years after be able to Levy any considerable Army Besides he Rigged out a great Navy which were to bring Provisions into the Forth For he knew That part of Scotland wherein he was to make his Descent had been harassed for many Years by continual Wars And if any Provisions were left in it that the Inhabitants would convey them away into the neighbouring or other remote Places Add hereto he was secure of the French for he knew that they would not put to Sea in a Stormy Winter With those Forces he entred Scotland sparing no Place neither Sacred nor Profane no nor any Age nor Degrees of Men if they were capable to bear Arms. In the mean time Monsieur Vien being more mindful of his Kings Commands to him at his parting from him than of the present posture of Affairs in Scotland was earnest with Douglas to come to a Battel He still answered him That the Scots forbore to engage not out of any Alienation of Mind from the French but being Conscious of their own Weakness and thereupon he took him up into an high Place from whence he might safely take a view of the Enemy He then perceiving the long Train of the English in their March quickly turned to be of his Opinion Whereupon they both concluded That in the present circumstances the best and only Way for them to incommode the Enemy was to gather together what Force they could and so to invade England Thereupon they entred far from the Kings Army into Cumberland and made a great Havock therein and in the neighbouring Counties The English Winter being now at hand and the Country of Lothian being spoiled by the War for they durst not gâ—â—ar from their Ships lest Provisions should fail them consulted about their Return Some were of Opinion that it was best to follow after the Scots in the Rear and in their Return to compel them to Fight whether they would or no. But those who knew the Ways better through which they were to march replyed on the contrary That there would be great difficulty in passing over such Marshes and Mountains and sometimes narrow Places wherein there was also so much want of all things that a very few Men and those nimble ones too could carry Provisions enough with them thô but for a few days to finish the March and besides if they should overcome those Difficulties yet the next Country which was to receive them was not over-fruitful of itself and also it had been wasted by the War Again if they should wade through all those Inconveniencies yet they had to do with a nimble and shifting Enemy whom it would be more difficult to find and to bring to a Battel than to overcome and if they could find him out yet he would not be compelled to Fight but in his own Places of Advantage That Edward the Third his Grandfather had Experience hereof to the great Damage of his Own and little Inconvenience of the Scots Army Upon Hearing of this as also casting in their Minds what Miseries they might suffer in an Enemies Country in a cold Winter and in the mean time leave their Wives Children and what else was dear to them desolate at home they changed their Minds and marched back directly the same way that they came Thus both Armies had a free Time of plundering in their Enemies Country and each of them returned home again without seeing any Enemy The Scots well knowing That the English could not attempt another Expedition till the next Summer resolved to attack Roxburgh a Neighbour Town and the Garison there which was greatly annoyous to the Country thereabout When they were â—ome thither a dissension arose betwixt the Scots and the French about the Town even before it was taken The French alleging That seeing by a large Experience in Wars at home they were more skilled in the Methods of taking Towns than the Scots and moreover that they had spent a great deal of Mony in the War They therefore thought it but just That if the Town were carried it should be Theirs and remain under the Jurisdiction of France On the contrary the Scots urged That it was very unjust That Auxiliaries should reap the Reward and Benefit of the whole War and for what Expences they had been at it had been spent rather on Themselves than the Scots it being in order to distract and divide the Forces of England and so to avert Part of the War from France and if the Friendly Offices on Both sides were put in the Ballance the Scots might upon juster grounds demand the Charge of the whole War of the French than the French could challenge any Reward for their Assistance especially such a Reward as no History in the Memory of Man doth relate either to have been demanded or given by Allys one to or amongst another Yea The Unjustness of their Demand appeared by This That the Scots might have sate still in Peace without being prejudiced by the English and so might have been Spectators only of the Wars betwixt Two potent Kings but the French could not have Obtained the same Quiet unless they would have yielded up a good Part of their Country Neither could they see of what use that Town would be to the French if they had it save only to be as a Bridle that so the Arbitrement of War or Peace might be at their dispose and if That were their intent it were more for the Profit yea and for the Credit too of the Kings of Scotland to be without the Town than on a Trivial occasion to give up Themselves to a voluntary Servitude But if by so unequal a Postulation they thought to excuse their Return home which they sometime before attempted there was no need at all of such a Blind for as they freely came so they had Liberty always at their pleasure freely to depart neither was it adviseable in the Scots to stay Them in regard they might easily foresee their Service would be but small if they were detained against their Wills Hereupon They retreated from Roxburgh without attaquing it and whereas there had grievous Complaints been made betwixt Both Parties before so if matters should still continue at that Pass open Enmity did seem likely to arise The Original of the Dissension arose from the different Custom and Carriage of either Nation in managing of a War For the Scots and English Soldiers pay honestly for what they take at their Quarters and carry it amongst their Countrymen as moderately and soberly in War as in Peace But the French otherwise where-ever they march All 's their
what Country so great a Storm would fall and then according to the Enemies Motion they would steer their Couâ—se and as the Scots had done the Autumn before in reference to England so now they would enter into Scotland another Way and repay Loss for Loss In the interim they sent a Spy to inform themselves fully of the Enemies advance who was now so near them for they counted it highly conduceable to their affairs to know not only the Design but even the very last Words Resolves and Actions of their Enemies He that was sent differed nothing in Speech Habit or Armour from the rest and so was easily taken for a Scots Man So that having found out every thing which he desired to know he was going to a Tree where he had tied his Horse to fetch him and so to be gone but he found that some Body had stollen and carried him away before so that he was fain in his Boots Spurs and Riding-Apparel to undertake his Journey on Foot Hereupon the Matter began to be suspected and when he was gone a great way some Horsemen were sent after to bring him back as a Runagate when they came up to him and demanded Who or What he was and Why he went from his Colours in that Fashion he not being able to give a ready Answer they brought him back to the chief Officers of the Army to whom for fear of a greater Punishment he discovered all the designs of the English When the Scots heard this they also changed the Order of their Designs they divided their Army so That the greatest Part of it should march towards Carlisle and that the Kings Two Sons the Earls of Fife and Strathern should command them to whom were joyned Archibald Douglas of Galway and the Earls of Marr and Sutherland The other Part was to enter Northumberland under the Command of Iames Douglas and the Two Brethren Dunbars George and Iohn the One Earl of Murray the Other of Merch. Their Party consisted of 300 Horse and 2000 Foot besides Servants and Attendants on the Horse for every Horseman hath at least one Servant who being lightly armed can run almost as fast as an Horse and when occasion is offered can with his Fellows encounter an Enemy When their Forces were thus divided They who marched towards Cumberland and Carlisle carried all before them by reason of the Numerousness of their Army and met with no Enemy at all But Douglas in the Devastations which he made in the other Circuit had not the same Fortune for he had so ordered the Course of his Expedition as to take great and yet secret Marches and so passing over Tine to pierce as far as Durham before he gave his Army leave to spoil and plunder This he did with such Secrecy and Speed That the English did not know where their Enemies were but by the Smoke of the Fires they had made Percy the Elder was the Greatest man in Northumberland and the adjacent Countrys both for Wealth and Power When the News was brought to him he sends Two of his Sons Henry and Ralph very active Young men Both before to New-Castle commanding the rest to follow them thither His Intent was to stop the Scots in their Retreat and to keep them from returning But they having spoiled the Wealthy County of Durham returned home with a great Prey and repass'd the Tiâ—â— about Three Miles above New-Castle There the Commanders being nobly descended in their own Country as also desirous of Glory and besides lifted up with their present Success such as it was thought it an Inglorious thing in Them to strike terrour only into Rusticks and Plâ—beians if they did not also affright Cities Whereupon they marched to New-Castle and threatning to besiege it they endeavoured by Contumelies and Big Words to draw out the Enemy When they had staid there Two Days and some light Skirmishes with various Success had passed betwixt them There was one Combat which towards the Evening of the Last Day attracted the Eyes of all the Beholders And that was a Duel betwixt the Two Generals for they being in a sort equally matched in respect of Lineage Power Age and Courage had a mind to encounter each other in the Sight of both Armies Hereupon a Challenge was sent and they Both Iames Douglas and Henry Percy entred the Lists and ran at one another with their Spears Percy was unhorsed at first Brush and Douglas got his Spear but he could not touch his Person because the English came in to his Assistance He shook the Spear and cryed out aloud so as he might easily be heard That he would carry That as a Trophy into Scotland So the Combat being ended the Scots kept very diligent Watch in regard they were near a City well-Peopled and full of Enemies The Day after they retired towards Scotland but very slowly as being laden with Booty As their Prey moved leisurely on they themselves assaulted a Neighbour-Castle of the Enemies carried and demolished it and from thence they marched to Otterborn about Three Miles distant from Newcastle There they took Counsel concerning the Rest of their March The Major Part were of Opinion to March towards Carlisle to meet the other Army and so not to Fight singly as was at first agreed but to wait the Conjunction of Both Armies But Douglas was minded to stay Two or Three Days in that Place that so he might make a Real Confutation of the Vaunts of Percy who had boasted That they should never carry his Lance into Scotland In the mean time that they might not be idle they would attaque the Neighbouring Castle This Opinion though it was judged by Many none of the best yet for Douglas his sake they all submitted to it And therefore they fortified their Camp for the present Occasion which on one side was sufficiently guarded by Marishes and and then proceeded on to take the Castle But Percy being of a fierce Nature that he might blot out the Ignominy he had received would have followed him presently upon their Retreat with those Forces which he had about him but the Graver Sort detained him for fear of an Ambush for they did not think it probable that so small a Number of Scots would have appeared before so strong a Town unless they had more Forces near at hand hid in some secret Places That Day and the next they were busie in making Discoveries but finding that there was no Danger of the Greater Army as being far distant from Douglas his Party thereupon Percy immediately with Ten Thousand Fighting Men put himself upon the March without staying for the Bishop of Durham who that very Night was expected with some Forces for he thought he had Force enough to overcome his Enemies who were not half as many as He. When the English came in Sight some of the Scots were at Supper others being wearied at the Taking of the Castle had composed themselves
there were Ten thousand Horse and Foot from the Neighbouring Places a promiscuous multitude which came in They encouraged the Bishop to march the nearest way to the Enemy and to give him Battel alleging That He was so wearied with his yesterdays Fight and so many were wounded and the rest secure by reason of their late Victory that he might obtain an easie Conquest over them The Earl of Murray upon whom the Eyes of all were fixed when Douglas was gone was advertised of his coming by his Scouts whereupon he consulted with his Chief Commanders about the Prisoners To kill them in cold Blood after they had given them Quarter seemed cruel and to save alive a number of Enemies almost equal with their own seemed dangerous The Resolve was That they should all Swear not to stir whilst the Battel was fought and though their Friends might relieve them yet they should continue and own themselves as Prisoners still Upon these Terms they were left in the Camp with a small Guard who were commanded to fall upon them all if any one did stir This Matter thus setled the Scots being full of Courage by reason of their Former Victory marched out with their Army being fortified and secured in the Rear with Marshes and on the Right and Left with Trees which they cut down and moreover the Word of Command was given That as soon as the Enemy drew near every Man should blow his Horn which he carried behind him at his Back which would make such a mighty Noise and Sound as was terrible of it self but being multiplied by the Repercussion and Eccho of the Neighbouring Hills gave forth the Representation of a Greater Force than indeed they were The English had marched very fast and moreover were to fight amongst the dead Bodies of their own Men being astonished at that horrible Noise and also at the Alacrity of their Enemies who stood in good Order over against them and besides having no Skilful Commander over so tumultuary a Body and also the Commander not much confiding on such a Raw Soldiery they presently turned their Colours and marched back as they came In the mean time Lindsay who as I have said was taken Prisoner and left at Newcastle being seen and known by Redman was courteously treated by him and set at Liberty without Ransom The Scots having passed over this sudden Brunt so easily resolved to return home but before they dismissed Ralfe Percy who was much wounded so that he could not endure the Jogging of an Horse and sent him to Newcastle to be healed of his Wounds upon his Promise That as soon as ever he was able to ride he would wait on the Earl of Murray where he pleased to appoint and engaging his Faith thereto as the manner is he departed Seven hundred other Prisoners followed his example and were released on their Parol upon the same Terms Many of the Common Soldiers who were like to be more burdensom than beneficial was dismissed gratis Of the Nobler sort Henry Percy and almost 400 more were detained and carried into Scotland and shortly after upon Payment of a Ransom set upon their Heads they were all set at Liberty so that in that Age as Ennius says Men did not huckster out a War but fought it out as contending mainly for Liberty and Glory Three days after the Bodies of Douglas and the other Great Commanders that fell were carried to Mulross and there magnificently interred When the Tidings of these Matters were brought to the other Army which was wasting Cumberland it disturbed all their Mirth so that the Joy conceived for their good Success was turned into bitter Mourning The Loss of Douglas did so affect all Military Men that not only that Army which followed him but this Other also returned home in Silence and Sadness as if they had not been Conquerors but Conquered The Publick Sentiment was also further increased That he died without Children and in the Flower of his Age and that almost He alone was deprived of the Fruit of the Victory which he had gotten His Estate fell to Archibald Earl of Galway Sirnamed the Austere who also was a brave Cavalier in his days This is that memorable Fight of Otterborn remarkable not only for the Magnanimity and Hardiness of the Commanders and Soldiers therein and their Modesty in Victory but also for the various and changeable event of it That the Conqueror in the highest expectation of his Glory was taken off by Death and could not enjoy the Fruit of his own Labour And the Conquered General though then discomfited and made a Prisoner yet outlived this Battel many years in great Glory and Splendour It was Fought the 12th of the Calends of August in the year of our Lord 1388. By this Victory Matters were more composed and quiet both at home and abroad but in regard the King by Reason of his Age was not fit to manage Business and withal understanding of the Reflection that was made upon him by reason of the late Expedition which was undertaken without him and his eldest Son Iohn was of a slow nature and addicted more to Ease than to difficult Enterprizes he therefore Indicted an Assembly of the Estates and made Robert Earl of Fife Deputy of the Kingdom by the name of Governor yet they who managed that Office before him were usually called Custodes i. e. Keepers When Henry Percy eminent for Stock and Prowess was Prisoner in Scotland the Earl of Merch commonly called Earl Mareschal a Man fiercer in his Words than Actions was put in his Place He undervaluing the Scots Valour in the Fight of Otterborn and also grievously blaming the Cowardize of the English did thereby incur the Hatred of Both Nations And indeed Robert Vice-King of Scotland was so offended at his boasting Insolence That he thought it a just Cause to make an Expedition against him Hereupon he entred the Enemies Country and with Archibald Douglas then Earl of Douglas marches directly towards the Enemy who was reported to stay for him with a great Army when he came near him he gave him opportunity to engage which he declining he sent a Trumpeter to him to desire him to try it out in a plain Field but the Mareschal kept himself in his Fastnesses and Places unaccessible so that Robert after he had shewed his Army some hours to the Enemy sent them forth to pillage in the Neighbourhood and he ransacked those Places especially which the Mareschal was wont to have his Residence in and afterwards he marched them back laden with Booty without any Fight at all This Expedition though undertaken upon slight grounds yet was very pleasing both to the English and the Scots who Both rejoyced to see the vanity of the Man so to be confuted but he to excuse the Matter as often as Mention was made of it did allege That he did it for the Love of his Countrymen as being
fought with and slew him and some of his Followers Douglas took the Fact so hainously that he made a Solemn Oath never to rest till he had expiated the Murder by Colvil's Death Neither were his Threatnings in vain for he Storm'd his Castle took and plunder'd it and killed all therein that were able to bear Arms. This Fact though 't was performed against Law and Custom yet some did excuse and in effect commend as proceeding from Indignation a Passion not unbeseeming a Generous Mind Thus as it commonly happens in degenerate Times Flattery the perpetual Companion of Greatness did clothe the highest Offences with Honest and Plausible Names Moreover Douglas was so lifted up with the Flatteries of Fortune which did now incline to his Destruction that he had a great Ambition to make an Ostentation of his Power even to Foreign Nations as if the splendor of so great a Family oâ—â—ht not to be straitned within the narrow Theatre of one Island onâ—â— so that he had a Mind to go to Rome he pretended Religion but the principal design of his Journy was Ambition the Church of Rome had adopted the old Rites of the Iewish for as the Iewish Church every Fiftieth year was to forgive all the Debts of what kind soever to their Country Men and to restore all Pledges Gratis and also to set their Hebrew Servants at Liberty So the Pope taking an Example therefrom as Gods Vicar on Earth did arrogate the Power of forgiving all Offences For whereas at other times he trucked out his Pardons by Peice-Meal every Fiftieth Year he open'd his full Garners thereof and pour'd out whole Bushels full of them publickly to all yet I will not say Gratis Douglas with a great Train of Nobles who were desirous partly to see Novelties and partly allur'd by hopes of Reward sail'd over into Flanders From thence he Travelled by Land to Paris and took with him his Brother appointed Bishop of Caledonia who afterwards seeing Douglas had no Children was by the Kings Permission put in hopes to be his Heir In France he was highly caressed partly upon the account of their Publick League with the Scots and partly in Memory of his Ancestors Demerits from that Crown hereupon all Rome was filled with the Expectation of his coming About Two Months after his departure from Scotland his Enemies and Rivals began to lift up their Heads they durst not for Fear complain of him when he was present but now they laid open all the Injuries they had received from him And when it was once noised abroad that the Access to the King was easie and that his Ear was open to all just Complaints The Troop of Complainants lamenting their Sufferings did daily increase so that all the ways to the Palace were almost stopt by them The King could not well either reject the Petitions of the Sufferers nor yet condemn the Earl in his absence without hearing of him so that he gave a middle Answer which satisfi'd their Importunity for the present viz. That he would Command the Earls Proctor or Attorney to appear that so in his own Presence a fair Tryal might be had Whereupon the Proctor was summon'd but did not appear so that the Kings Officers were sent out to bring him in by force when he was brought to Court some alledged that he ought to be immediately punisht for disobeying the Kings Command in regard that by too much Patience the Kings Authority would be despis'd and run low even amongst the meaner sort for under the pretence of Lenity the Audaciousness of the Bad would increase and the Impunity of Offendors would open the way for more Crimes The King was not mov'd by those Instigations but remain'd constant to his Resolution which was rather to satisfie his greatest Accusers by the Compensation of their Losses than to satiate their Vindicative Minds with the spilling of his Blood Hereupon he caus'd the Earls Proctor to be brought out of Prison and to plead in his Masters behalf telling him That if he had any thing to allege in Purgation of the Crimes objected he should freely declare it without any fear at all When he was cast in many Suits and the King Commanded him immediately to pay the Damages The Proctor answer'd He would defer the whole matter till the return of the Earl who was expected in a few Months This he spake as 't was thought by the advice of Ormond and Murray the Earl's Brothers When the King was inform'd of his Resolution he sent William Sinclare Earl of the Orcades who was then Chancellor first into Galway and then into Douglasdale he appointed Sequestrators to gather up the Rents of Douglas's Estate and so to pay the Damages adjudg'd by Law But in regard Sinclare had not Power enough to inforce his Order some eluded others Contumeliously abus'd him so that he return'd without effecting his Business The King being provokt by this Contempt of his Authority Commands all the Favourers of Douglas his Faction to be Summon'd to appear which they refusing to do were declared Publick Enemies an Army was Levy'd against them which marcht into Galway At their first coming the Commanders were driven into their Castles but a small Party of the Kings Forces pursuing after the rest through Craggy Places were repuls'd and not without Ignominy driven back to the King The King taking it in great Indignation that a few Vagabond Thieves should dare to make such Attempts resolv'd to redeem their slighting of him by attempting their Strongs Holds he took the Castle of Maban with no great difficulty but his Soldiers were so much toil'd and weary'd in the taking of Douglas Castle that therefore he wholly demolisht it As for the Vassals and Tenants who had submitted themselves and their Fortunes to him he Commanded them to pay their Rents to his Treasurers till Douglas's Estate had fully satisfi'd what was awarded against him by Law And when this was almost done he dismist his Army having obtain'd a good Report for his Lenity and Moderation even amongst his very Enemies When these Matters were related to the Earl at Rome his great Spirit was mightily mov'd yea his Esteem did then abate amongst his own Attendants so that a great Part of them deserted him and he enter'd upon his Journy homewards with but a few Followers He came through England and drawing near to the Borders of Scotland he sent his Brother Iames to feel the Kings Pulse how he stood affected towards him And when the King was appeasable he return'd home and was kindly receiv'd only he was admonisht to abandon and subdue all Robbers especially those of Annandale who had plaid many Cruel and Avaritious Pranks in his absence Douglas undertook to do so and confirm'd his Promise by an Oath Whereupon he was not only restor'd into his former Grace and Favour but also made Regent over all Scotland so that every one was injoin'd to obey his Commands But
with his Army if he did they threatned to Excommunicate him with Bell Book and Candle For the Pope said they is wholly intent upon a War against the Common Enemy of Christendom and so would have the differences compos'd all over Europe that they might be free for that War and that they were sent before to give him Notice hereof but there was a more Solemn Embassy which would shortly arrive and which they believ'd was already come as far as France to decide the Civil Discords of England and to give satisfaction to the Scots for the Wrongs they had sustain'd The King did not imagine any Fraud in the Case and desiring nothing more than an Honourable Peace in regard things at home were not quite setled to his Mind Obey'd the Legate and Disbanded his Army He had scarce dismist it but he was advis'd from England that this suppos'd Embassador was a Cheat so that he gather'd again some Forces and because he could not joyn the Duke of York that he might keep off some of the King's Force from him and also revenge his own Wrongs he march'd directly to Roxborough the Town he took and destroy'd it at his first coming but whilst he was laying Siege to the Castle Embassadors came from York and his Associats informing him that their King was overcome and the War ended in England They gave him Thanks for his Good-Will and his Desire to assist them in the maintenance of their Lives and Honours and that they would in time be mindful to requite the Courtesie but at present they desir'd him to raise the Siege and draw off from the Castle and likewise to forbear any other Act of Hostility against England For otherwise they should be laden with great Envy amongst the People who could hardly be contain'd or satisfy'd but that an Army must presently march against the Scots Iames congratulated their Victory but ask'd the Embassadors Whether the Duke of York and his Allies had given them nothing in Command concerning restoring the Places promis'd He Answer'd Nothing Then said he before your last Embassy came to me I was determin'd to pull down that Castle which is built upon my Land neither since that time am I so much obliged by the Courtesies of that Faction as to give over an Enterprize which is begun and almost finisht As for the Threatnings made either by the People or by Them let them look to it goe you and tell them that I will not be remov'd hence by Words but Blows Thus the Embassadors were dismist without their Errand and whilst he did press upon the Besieg'd by all the hardships of War Donald the Islander came into his Camp with a great Band of his Country-men He to obtain the easier Pardon for his past Offences and fully to Atone and Reconcile the King promis'd him that if he would march forward into the Enemies Countries as long as he was there he would march a Mile before his Army and endure the sharpest and first of all Brunts and Hazards But he was Commanded to be near the King yet some of his Troops was sent out to prey upon the Country It happen'd also that at the same time Alexander Gordon Earl of Huntly brought in new Forces to the King This Accession of Strength made the King more resolute to continue the Siege tho' a strong Defence was made by Those within So that whereas before it was a Blockade only a well-laid and close Siege was now made when he had Soldiers enough some presently succeeded in the Places of others insomuch that the Garison Soldiers of whom many were Slain many Wounded and unfit for Service the rest tired out with continual Toil and Labour were not so eager to run into the Places of most Danger as before and to strike the more Terror into them the King gave Command to batter part of the Wall with Iron pieces of Ordnance which were then much us'd and were very terrible And whilst the King was busie about one of them to press on the work the Fire catcht within it and with its force drove out a wooden Wedg or Plug which immediately fell'd the King to the Earth and slew him without hurting any body else Those Courtiers who stood next him tho' they were terrify'd at this sudden Accident yet they cover'd his Body left if his Death were divulg'd the Common Soldiers should run away The Queen who that very Day came to the Camp did not give up her Mind to Womanish Lamentations bur call'd the Nobles together and exhorted them to be of good Courage and that so many valiant Men should not be so dismayed at the Loss of One as counting it dishonourable to desert a Business that was almost ended She told them She her Self would speedily bring them another King in the place of him that was slain in the mean time they should press with might and main upon the Enemy lest he might grow more resolute upon News of their Generals Death and so imagin that all the Courage of so many valiant Men was extinguisht in in the Fate of one Person only The Officers were asham'd to be exceeded in Courage by a Woman Whereupon they assaulted the Castle with such Violence that neither Party was sensible that the King was lost In the mean time Iames the King's Son being about 7 Years of Age was brought into the Camp and Saluted King And 't was not long after before the English being tired out with Watching and continued Service surrendred up the Castle to the new King upon Condition to march away with Bag and Baggage The Castle that it might be the Occasion of no new War was levell'd to the Ground This End had Iames the 2d in the Year of Christ 1460. a few Days before the Autumnal Equinox in the 29 th Year of his Age and the 23d of his Reign he had been exercis'd always even from his Youth with Domestick or Foreign Wars he bore Both Estates of Life the Prosperous and Adverse with great Moderation of Mind he shew'd such Valour against his Enemies and such Clemency to those that submitted themselves that All Estates were much afflicted for his Loss and his Death was the more lamented because 't was sudden and that in the Flower of of his Youth too after he had escap'd so many Dangers and when the Expectation of his Virtues was at the highest And he was the more miss'd because his Son was yet immature for the Government whilst Men consider'd what Miseries they had suffer'd for the last 20 Years the Ashes of which Fire were hardly yet rak'd up so that from a reflective Remembrance of what was Past they seemed to Divine the Estate of future Things The Twelfth BOOK James III. The Hundred and Fourth King JAMES II. as I have related being slain in his Camp to prevent all Controversy concerning the Right of Succession which had happen'd at other times his Son Iames a Child
of about 7 Years Old who was the younger of the Twins and surviv'd his Brother enter'd upon the Government in the Town of Kelsoe Afterwards when the Nobles according to Custom had taken their Oaths of Allegiance to him 8 Days after he began his Reign he left his Army and retir'd home â—o the Castle of Edinburgh to be under the Tutelage of his Mother till an Assembly of the Estates were Celebrated to determin of the Grand Affairs of the Kingdom The Assembly was Indicted later than ordinary because Matters was not compos'd in England and yet quiet in Scotland So that the Nobility were of Opinion That War was first of all to be thought on that so they might revenge old Injuries and punish their Enemies by some notable Loss who did always lye at catch to take Advantage of the Distresses of Others Hereupon they marched into the Enemies Country without any resistance where they committed much spoil and demolished many Castles from whence the Enemy was wont to make suddain Incursions the Chief of which was Wâ—rk situate on the Banks of the River Tweed formerly very injurious to the Country of Merch. The Army ravaged over the Enemies Country as far as they could for the time of the Year and at the very beginning of Winter returned home This Year Henry King of England was Taken by the Duke of York and brought to London there a Form of Peace was concluded betwixt them for Henry durst not deny any thing That He as long as he lived should bear the Name and Ensigns or Badges of a King but the Power of Government should be in York under the Name of a Protector And when Henry Died Then the Name also of King was to be transferred to Edward and his Posterity Whilst these Things were acted at London News was brought That the Queen was marching up with a great Army to Redeem her Husband out of Prison York went out to Engage her with about 5000 Men with him leaving the Earl of Warwick and King Henry behind he marched as far as Yorkshire and lest He who in France had Defended himself against great Armies not with Walls but with Arms should now shun a Battel with a Woman He Fought against a far greater Number than his Own and in the Fight He his youngest Son and a great many Nobles were slain The Heads of the Commanders were set up as a Spectacle upon the Gates at York The Queen thus Victorious and marching on further to Deliver the King the Earl of Warwick met her bringing the King along with him as if he would Defend the Pact made concerning the Kingdom under his good Omen Both Armies met at St. Albans which is thought to be the Old Verulam where the Queen was again Victorious She slew the Commanders of the adverse Army released her Husband and marched directly up for London but considering that the Earl of Pembroke was sent by Her to gather Forces as was also York's Son by his Father and that these Two had had a Fight in their March wherein Edward the Son of her Enemy was Victorious and withal knowing what cruel Hatred the Londoners bore against Her She withdrew towards Northumberland because She looked on that Part of England as the Seminary or Source of Her Strength There She was also Overcome in a Bloody Fight more than 36000 valiant Men being reported to be slain and the Enemy pressing upon Her and giving Her no Time to recollect Her Forces She her Husband and Son fled into Scotland The Conqueror call'd himself Edward the Fourth King of England Henry desired Aid in his Distress and by means of Iames Kennedye Archbishop of St. Andrews who then surpassed all in Scotland in point of Authority and Opinion of his Prudence he was Entertain'd with a great deal of Honour and Respect so that he was erected to some Hope of recovering his former Dignity and to nourish that Hope by all the actual good Offices which he could he restored the Town of Berwick to the Scots which the English had held ever since the Days of Edward I. The Scots upon this Obligation did assist Henry's Faction in all things not only in piecing up the Relicks of his former Misfortunes but promising him more Aid in time to recover his Own And that the Friendship now begun might be the more firmly established the Two Queens Both of Them of French Descent began to Treat concerning a Marriage between Iames his Sister and Henry's Son whom they called Prince of Wales tho' neither of them as yet were above Seven Years old Philip of Burgundy Uncle to the Queen of Scots but a Mortal Enemy to the Queen of England endeavoured by all means possible to hinder this Marriage For he sent Grathusius a Nobleman his Embassador for that purpose For Philip was at such deadly odds with Renatus Grandfather to the Lady by the Mother's side that he sought all Occasions to hinder his Stock from increasing so that in Favour of him the Matter was at that time rather delayed than broke off But the Fortune of Henry kept off the Event which Philip of Burgundy feared For being something encouraged by the Kindness of the Scots towards him and also by some comfortable Letters sent from his Friends out of England he sent his Wife beyond Sea to Renatus her Father to procure what Aid she could from her Foreign Friends She prevailed so much in France that her Faction were to have a safe Place of Retreat there but her Adversaries were excluded and moreover she obtained 2000 Men as Monstrelet says under Warren their General but as Ours and the English Writers to whom I rather assent 500 Commanded by Peter Brice or as some call him Brace a Britton rather as Companions for her Journy than as any Auxiliary Aid With this small Band she returned into Scotland and thought fit to attempt something not doubting but at the Noise of Foreign Assistance her Countrymen would rise and joiâ— with her whereupon she made a Descent at Tinmouth but this small Company being dismayed at the report of a great Force coming against them without the performance of any thing remarkable returned to their Ships where also as if Fortune had crossed them on all hands they were encounter'd with a grievous Tempest which drove the greatest Part of them who followed the Queen to Scotland into Berwick buâ— some few of them were cast upon the Isle Lindisfarm where they were taken by the Enemy and slain But the Manly spirited Queen was nothing discouraged at this Misfortune but levied a great number of Scots to join with her own Soldiers and resolves to try her Fortune once again Whereupon she left her Son at Berwick and she and her Husband entred Northumberland where she made great Devastation by Fire and Sword in all the adjacent Parts At the report of this new Army some of the Nobles as the Duke of
Somerset and Ralph Percy and many of Henry's old Friends besides who for fear of the Times had retired to King Edward came into Them but there was a far greater Confluence from the adjacent Parts of England of such Persons as had lived Rapacious Lives in hopes of some new Prey To appease this Commotion Edward makes great Military Preparation both by Land and Sea he commanded the Lord Mountague with a great part of the Nobility to march against the Enemy and he himself would follow with his whole Army Both Armies pitched their Tents not far from Hexham but the Common Soldiery who came in for Booty beginning to slip away Henry thought it best in such a desperate Case to put it to a Push and accordingly a Fight begun wherein he was overthrown his chief Friends were either slain or taken Prisoners and he himself made an hasty Retreat to Berwick of the Prisoners some had their Heads cut off presently and some a while after Edward having thus got the Day by the Generals of his Forces came himself to Durham that so he might prevent the Incursions of the Scots by the Terrour of his Neighbouring Army and also that by his Presence he might quell any Domestick Insurrections if any such should happen Whilst he was there he sent out part of his Army under several Commanders to take in the Places possessed by his Enemies of which having taken many by Storm or by Surrender at last he laid Siege to the Castle of Alnwick which was greater and better fortified than the rest and which was maintained by a Garison of French who defended the Castle very well in hopes of Relief from Scotland which was so near at hand But the Scots having lately had ill success in England an Army could not be so soon levyed as the present Exigent required for the raising of the Siege insomuch that whilst others were backward and delayed to give in their Opinion George Earl of Angus undertook with great Audacity the Matter which was so full of hazard He collected about 10000 Horse of his Friends Vassals and the Neighbouring Province of which he was Governor He came to the Castle and Horsed the French that were in Garison upon some empty Horses he had brought for that purpose and so brought them off safe even to a Man into Scotland whilst the English stood and looked on as amazed at the Boldness of his Miraculous Enterprize or thinking that Douglas had help near at hand or rather hoping to have the Castle given up without a Battel and so they would not put the Whole to an hazard by joining in Fight with that small though select Party Edward settled Guards at all convenient Places that so no Rebellious Troops might march to and again and then as if he had quieted the whole Kingdom he returned to London In the mean time Exiled Henry either on the Accompt of some Hope 's cast in by his Friends or else weary of his tedious Exile determines to shelter himself privately amongst his Friends in England But Fortunes Malice followed him to the last he was there known taken brought to London and committed Prisoner to the Tower And his Wife Margaret distrusting her present Affairs with her Son and a Few Followers left Scotland and Sailed over to her Father Renat into France To return then to the Affairs of Scotland The time for the Assembly which was Indicted to be held at Edinburgh was come where there was a Full Appearance but the Body of them was divided into Two Factions Part of the Nobles followed the Queen but the Major Part by far stuck to Iames Kennedy and George Douglas Earl of Angus the Heads of the contrary Faction The Queen lodged in the Castle the Bishop and the Earl lay in the Abby of Holy-Road-House at the furthest part of the Suburbs towards the East The Cause of the Dissension was That the Queen thought it equal and just for her to have the Tutelage or Guardianship of her Son the other Party judged it most fit that One should be chosen out of the whole Assembly for that careful Work The Queen alleged the Maternal Name her Interest and Propinquity the Adverse Party insisted on the old Law confirmed by perpetuated Custom In the Third day of the Assembly the Queen comes down from the Castle with her Followers and caused her self to be Decreed Tutrix of the King and Governess of the Kingdom by her own Faction and so returns into the Castle again When Kennedy heard of this he hastned with his Party into the Market-place and there in a long Speech he told the Multitude which was thick about him That he and his Associates did aim at nothing but the Publick Good and the Observation of their Ancient Laws but their Adversaries were â—â—d each one by his private advantage And That he would evidenâ—â—y make appear if he might have a Place Free to dispute the Poinâ— Having thus spoken he retired with his Followers to his Lodgiâ—â— but was not gone far from the Market-place before he heard That the other Party was coming down Armed from the Castle Douglas looked upon This as an intolerable Thing That Valiant Men should yield to the Threats of a Few and That their Retirement should be looked upon as a Flight and therefore was hardly kept in by Kennedy from assaulting the adjoining Gate of the City and Weaponless as he was to encounter Armed Men and unless the Three Bishops of Glasgo Galway and Dumblane upon Noise of the Uproar had come in his Indignation would not have been stopp'd till they had come to Blows But by the Mediation of those Bishops the Matter was so far composed That a Truce was agreed upon for one Month. Though the Chief of the Faction were thus quieted yet the Multitude could not be restrained from expressing their Wrath and Indignation in rough and cutting Language as that the Desire of the Queen was Dishonourable to the Kingdom and Undecent for Herself What said they is the Valour of the old Scots at so low an Ebb That amongst so many Thousand Men there is none worthy to Govern the Affairs of Scotland but a Woman must do it What was there no Man that could Rule over the Nation And That would live the greatest part of his Life in Arms What likelihood was there That those who had not been altogether Tractable to their King when weak should now yield Obedience to a Woman and that a Stranger too What had they undergone so much Labour and lost so much Blood these many years by Sea and Land That Men born and brought up in Arms should freely give up themselves to the Servitude of a Woman What if the English should invade them as they had often done at other times in revenge of their Losses with a great Army Who could in that case Give or Accept Terms of Peace or War These were the Discourses of the Commonalty
by the Ears one with another which his Assembling the Chief of the Nobility at Edinburgh made more plainly to appear For he called Douglas to him into the Castle and told him that he had now an Eminent Opportunity to revenge himself for if the Leaders of the Faction were apprehended and put to Death the rest would be quiet but if he omitted this Opportunity which was so fairly put into his hands he could never expect the like again Douglas who knew that the Kings Mind was no more reconcil'd to himself than to others did craftily reason with him concerning so cruel and so ruinous a Design alleging that all Men would judge it to be a base and flagitious Act â—f he should hurry so many Noble Persons to Death without any Hearing or Tryal to whom he had pardon'd their former Misdoings and now they also rested secure in that they had the Publick Faith given them for their Safety For the fierce Minds of his Enemies would not be broken by the Death of a Few but rather if his Faith were once violated all Hopes of Concord would be cut off and if once Men despair of Pardon their Anger will be turn'd into Rage and from thence a greater Obstinacy and Contempt both of the Kings Authority and of their own Lives too will ensue But if you will hearken to my Counsel said he I will shâ—w you a Way whereby you may salve the Dignity of a King and yet revenge yourself too For I will gather my Friends and Clans together and so openly and in the day time I will lay hold upon them and then you may try them where you will and inflict what Punishment you please upon them This Way will be more creditable and also much more safe than if you should set upon them secretly and by night for then 't would look as if they were murder'd by Thieves The King thought the Earl had been real in what he spake for he knew that he was able to perform what he had promised and therefore he gave him many Thanks and more Promises of great Rewards and so dismist him He presently acquainted the Nobility with their imminent Danger and advis'd them to withdraw themselves as he himself also did The King perceiving that his secret Projects were discover'd from that day forward would trust no Body but after he had staid a while in the Castle of Edinburgh he sailed over into the Countries beyond the Forth for they as yet remain'd firm in their Obedience to him and there levy'd a considerable Force And the Nobles who before had sought his Amendment not his Destruction now seeing all Hopes of any Agreement or Concord were cut off managed all their Counsels for his utter Overthrow and Ruin Only there was one difficulty which troubled them and That was Who should be their General that after the King was subdued might be Regent or Vice-King who might be acceptable to the People and on the account of the Honour of his Family would load the Faction with as little Envy as might be after many Consultations in the case at last they pitcht upon the King's Son He was entised thereunto by the Supervisors and Tutors of his Childhood and he did it out of this Fear that if he refus'd the Government and Command would pass over to the English the perpetual Enemies of their Family The King by this time had past over the Forth and pitcht his Tents by the Castle of Blackenes and his Sons Army was not far off ready for the Encounter when loe the matter was compos'd by the Intervention of the Earl of Athole the Kings Uncle and Athole himself was given up as an Hostage for the Peace to Adam Hepburn Earl of Bothwel with whom he remain'd till the Kings Death But Suspicions increasing on Both sides the Concord lasted not long however intercourse of Messengers passed between them and at last the Nobility gave this Answer That seeing the King did act nothing sincerely therefore a certain War was better than a treacherous Peace there was but one Medium left upon which they could agree And that was that the King should resign the Government and his Son be set up in his Place and if he would not assent to This 't was in vain for him to give himself the Trouble of any more Messages or Disputes The King communicated this Answer to his Embassadors which he sent to the French and to the English making it his Desire to them that they would assist him against the Fury of a Few of his Rebellious Subjects by their Authority and if need were by some Auxiliary Forces that so they might be reduc'd to their Obedience for they ought to look upon it as a Common Fortune and that the Contagion by this Example would quickly creep to the Neighbour-Nations There were also Embassadors sent to Eugenius the Eighth Pope of Rome to desire him that out of his Fatherly Affection to the Scotish Name he would send a Legat into Scotland with full Power by Ecclesiastical Censures to compel his Rebellious Subjects to lay down Arms and obey their King The Pope writ to Adrian of Castell then his Legat in England a Man of great Learning and Prudence to do his endeavour for the composing the Scotish Affair but these Remedies were too late For the Nobles who were not ignorant What the King was a doing and knew that he was implacable toward them resolv'd to put it to a Battel before any more Forces came in to him And though they had the Kings Son with them both to countenance their Matters with the greater Grace amongst the Vulgar and also to shew that they were not Enemies to their Country but to their Misled King only yet lest the Hearts of the People might be weakned by the Approach of Foreign Ambassadors they were solicitous night and day how to decide it by a Battel But the Kings Fearfulness was an hindrance to their hasty Design who having levied a great Strength in the Northern Parts of the Kingdom resolved to keep himself within the Castle of Edinburgh till those Aids came to him But he was taken off from that Counsel and Advice though it seem'd the safest for him by the Fraud or at least the Simplicity of those about him for in regard of the frequent Washes and Firths which gave delay to those who were coming in to him they persuaded him to go to Sterlin the only Place of the Kingdom fit to receive Aids coming from all Parts thereof And there he might be as safe as he was in the Castle of Edinburgh seeing his Enemies were unprovided of all Materials requisite for the Storming of Castles and also he might have his Fleet which he had rigg'd out against all hazards to ride in some convenient Harbour near adjoining This Counsel seem'd both faithful and also safe if Iames Shaw Governor of the Castle being corrupted by the contrary Faction
But at last when he perceived that he could not have Aid enough from her to recover his Kingdom being a Widow and old too he had solicited Neighbour-Kings and Nations desiring them to respect the common Chances of Man's Life and not to suffer Royal Blood to be oppressed by Tyrannical Violence and so himself to pine away with Grief Fear and Misery and that he though so the present afflicted with great Evils yet was not so dejected in his Mind but that he hoped the time would come that being restored to his Kingdom by the Aid of his Friends of whom he had many both in England and Scotland he should be able to consider every particular Man's Service and reward him accordingly especially if the Scots would join their Forces with His and if ever he was restored to his Kingdom by their Arms they should soon understand that they had won a fast Friend and that at such a time too when the trial of true Friendship is wont to be made for he and his Posterity would be so gratefully mindful of the Obligation that they would ever acknowledg that the accession of his better Fortune was due to them alone Besides he added many things in praise of the King part of them true and part accommodated to their present Condition Having thus said he held his Peace but the King called him up to him and bid him Take Heart for he would refer his Demands to the Council whose Advice in Grand Affairs he must needs have yet however they did determine he promised him faithfully That he should not repent that he made His Court his Sanctuary Upon this Peter quitted the Assembly and the Matter being put to a debate the wiser sort who had most experience in State-Affairs thought it best to reject the whole Business either because they judg'd he was a Counterfeit or else that they foresaw there would be more Danger by the War than Advantage by the Victory tho' they were sure of it But the major part either through unskilfulness in Affairs or inconstancy of Spirit or else to gratify the King argued that Peter's Cause was most just and that they greatly pittied the Man they added also That now Matters were in some confusion in England and Mens Minds were yet fluctuating after the Civil War and therefore it was good to lay hold of this Opportunity and that which the English were wont to do to them they themselves ought to try for once to make use of the Enemies Distractions for their own Advantage yea they foretold a Victory preconceived in their Minds before they had put on their Armour especially if great Forces of the English came in to join them nay if they should not come in in such Numbers as they hoped yet one of these two things must necessarily follow That either they should conquer Henry and so settle this new King on his Throne who in recompence for so great a Benefit must needs grant them all that they desired Or if they could end the Matter without Blows yet Henry upon the quelling Domestick Tumults not being yet fully settled in his Throne would submit to what Conditions they pleased But if he refused so to do when War was once begun many advantages might offer themselves which now were unforeseen This was the Opinion of the major part and the King himself inclined to them and his Vote drew in the rest And after this he treated Peter more honourably than before gave him the Title of Duke of York and as such shewed him to the People And not contented herewith he gave him Katharine Gordon Daughter to the Earl of Huntly to Wife a Woman of as great Beauty as Nobility of Stock by this Affinity erecting him to hopes of thriving and bettering his Condition And therefore by Advice of his Council he levied an Army and marched for England first of all carrying it warily and having his Troops ready to engage if any suddain Assault should be made upon him But afterwards when he understood by his Spies that the Enemy had no Army in the Field he sent out Parties to Plunder and in a short time wasted almost all Northumberland and the Countries thereabout He staid some days in those Parts and not an English-Man stirred in behalf of Peter And it being told him that an Army was levying against him in the adjacent Counties he thought it dangerous to venture his Souldiers who were loaden with Booty against the new and fresh Forces of the English and therefore he resolved to return into Scotland and there to leave their Booty and as soon as the time of the Year would permit to undertake a new Expedition Neither did he fear that the English would follow him in his retreat for he knew that new-raised Souldiers would not be long kept together neither would they make after him if they could through a Country so lately harassed and desolated by the Wars especially having no Provisions prepared before-hand And besides Peter was afraid that in regard none of the English came in to him as he hoped that if he staid any longer in his Enemies Country his Cheat would be discovered so that he himself seemed to approve of the King's Resolution came cunningly to him and composing his Speech and Countenance so as might best move Compassion he humbly besought him That he would not make such Havock in a Kingdom that was his own by Right and that he would not so cruelly shed so much Blood of his Subjects for no Kingdom in the World was of so much worth to him as for its sake to have his Peoples Blood so largely spilt and his Country so wasted with Fire and Sword to procure it The King began now to smell out and understand whither this unseasonable Clemency did tend and therefore told him That he feared he would preserve that Kingdom in which not a Man did own him as a Subject much less as a King not for himself but for his Capital Enemy and so by common consent they returned Home and the Army was disbanded Henry being made acquainted with the Invasion and also the Retreat of the Scots appointed an Expedition against them the Year after and in the mean time levied a great Army and that he might not be idle in the Winter-time he summons a Parliament who approved of his Design to make War on Scotland and granted a small Subsidy upon the People for that end That Tax raised up a greater flame of War upon him at Home than that which he designed to quench Abroad For the Commonalty complained that their Youth and Souldiery were exhausted by so many Wars and Impressments which had been made within these few Years that their Estates were impaired and ran very low But the Nobles and Counsellors to the King were so far from being moved with these Calamities that they sought to create new Wars in a time of Peace that so they might impose new Taxes on
them who were already in great Want and Necessity and thus whom the Sword had not consumed Famine and Poverty would These were the publick Complaints of all the Commons but the Cornish were more enraged than all the rest for they inhabiting a Country which is in great part barren are wont rather to gain than lose by Wars And therefore that warlike People having been accustomed rather to encrease their Estates by Military Spoils than to lessen them by paying Taxes and Rates first of all rose against the King's Officers and Collectors and slew them and then being conscious that they had engaged themselves in so bold an Attempt that there was no retreat nor hopes of Mercy the Multitude flocking in daily more and more to them with Arms in their hands they began their march towards London But 't is not my Business to prosecute the Story of this Insurrection it is enough for my purpose to tell you that the King was so busied this whole Year by the Cornish that the Army which he had designed against Scotland he was enforced to employ against them In the mean time Iames foreseeing That Henry would not let the Injuries of the former Year pass unrevenged and being also informed by his Intelligencers That he was raising great Forces against him He on the other side levied an Army to the intent That if the English invaded him first he might be in a posture to defend himself if not then he himself would make an inroad into his Enemies Country and there so waste and destroy the bordering Counties that the Soil poor enough of it self should not afford sufficient Necessaries even for the very Husbandman And hearing of the Cornish Insurrection he presently began his march and entered England with a great Army dividing his Forces into two parts one went towards Durham to ravage that Country and with the rest he besieged Norham a strong Castle scituated on a very high Hill by the River Tweed But neither here nor there was there any thing considerable done For Richard Fox Bishop of Durham a very prudent Person foreseeing that the Scots would not omit the Opportunity of attempting somewhat during the civil Broils in England had fortified some Castles with strong Garisons and had taken care that the Cattle and all other driveable and portable things should be conveyed unto places either safe by Nature or made so by the vicinity of Moors Rivers And moreover he sent for the Earl of Surry who had great Forces in Yorkshire to assist him and therefore the Scots only burnt the Country and not being able to take Norham which was stoutly defended by those within raised the Siege and without any considerable Action returned Home The English followed them not long after and demolished Aytown a small Castle seated almost in the very Borders and he returned out of their Enemies Country without any memorable performance also Amidst these Commotions both foreign and domestick Peter Hialas a Man of great Wisdom and as those Times were not unlearned arrived in England he was sent by Ferdinand and Isabel King and Queen of Spain The purport of his Embassy was That Katharine their Daughter might marry Arthur King Henry's Son and so a new Affinity and Friendship might be contracted betwixt them The English did willingly embrace the Affinity and therefore were desirous to finish the War with Scotland and because Henry thought it was below his Dignity to seek Peace at the Scots Hands he was willing to use him as a Mediator Peter willingly undertook the Business and came into Scotland there he plied Iames with several Arguments and at last made him inclinable to a Peace and then he wrote to Henry That he hoped a good Peace would be agreed without any great difficulty if he pleased to send down some Eminent Person of his Council to accord the Conditions Henry as one that had often tried the inconstancy of Fortune and that the Minds of his Subjects were grown fierce by these late Tumults as being rather irritated than wholly suppressed commanded Richard Fox who resided in his Castle at Norham to join Counsels with Hialas These Two had many Disputes about the Matter with the Embassadors of Scotland at Iedburgh and after many Conditions had been mutually proposed they could agree upon nothing The chiefest Impediment was The demand of Henry that Peter Warbeck should be given up to him for he judged it to be a very reasonable Proposition in regard he was but a Counterfeit and had been already the Occasion of so much Mischief Iames peremptorily refused so to do alledging That it was not honourable in him to surrender up a Man of the Royal Progeny who came to him as a Suppliant whom he had also made his Kinsman by Marriage against his Faith given to him to be made a Laughing-stock by his Enemies And thus the Conference broke off yet the hopes of an Agreement were not altogether cast off for a Truce was made for some months till Iames could dismiss Warbeck upon Honourable Terms according to his Promise For now by the Conference with the English and other evident Indications it plainly appeared that the Tale concerning Peter's State and Kindred was a mere Falsity and therefore the King sent for him and told him what singular good Will he had born him and how many Courtesies he had bestowed upon him of which he himself was the best Witness as first That he had undertaken a War against a Potent King for his sake and had now managed it a second Year to the great Inconvenience of his Enemy and the Prejudice of his own Subjects That he had refused an Honourable Peace which was freely offered him merely because he would not surrender him up to the English and thereby he had given great Offence both to his Subjects and his Enemy too so that now he neither could nor would any longer withstand their Desires And therefore whatever might ensue whether Peace or War he desired him to seek out some other and fitter Place for his Banishment for he was resolved to make Peace with the English and when it was once solemnly made to observe it as religiously and to remove from him whatsoever might be an Impediment or Disturbance thereto Neither ought he to complain That the Scots had forsaken him seeing the English had done so first in confidence of whose Assistance the Scots had begun the War And yet notwithstanding all these Circumstances he was resolved to accommodate him with Provisions and other Necessaries to put to Sea Warbeck was mightily troubled at his unexpected dismission yet he remitted nothing of his dissimulated height of Spirit but in a few days sailed over into Ireland with his Wife and Family From whence soon after he passed into England and there joined himself with the Reliques of the Cornish Rebels but after many Attempts being able to do no good he was taken and having confessed
mightily enriched by this Booty and thereupon omitted the severity of their Ancient Discipline yea there were some amongst them who counted That Gain as a Pious and Holy Fraud alleging That the Mony could never be better bestowed than to be given to Devout Persons that they might pray forsooth for the Redemption of their Souls out of Purgatory The Fight was carried on so obstinately that towards Night both Parties were weary and withdrew almost Ignorant of one anothers Condition so that Alexander Hume and his Souldiers who remained untouched gathered up a great part of the Spoil at their pleasure But the next day in the Morning Dacres being sent out with a Party of Horse to make discovery when he came to the place of Fight and saw the Scots Brass-Guns without a Guard and also a great part of the Dead unstripp'd he sent for Howard and so gathered up the Spoil at leasure and celebrated the Victory with great Mirth Concerning the King of Scotland there goes a double Report The English say he was slain in the Battel But the Scots affirm That in the Day of Battel there were several others cloathed in the like Coat of Armour and the Habit of the King which was done on purpose on a double account partly that the Enemy might principally aim at one Man as their chief Opponent on whose Life the safeguard of the Army and total ruin of the Enemy did depend and partly also if the King hapned to be slain that the Souldiers might not be discouraged nor sensible of his loss as long as they saw any Man armed and clothed like him in the Field and riding up and down as a Witness of their Cowardise or Valour And that one of these was Alexander Elphinston who in Countenance and Stature was very like the King and many of the Nobility perceiving him armed in Kingly Habiliments followed him in a Mistake and so died resolutely with him but that the King himself repassed the Tweed and was slain by some of Humes his Men near the Town of Kelsoe but it is uncertain whether it were done by his Command or else by the forwardness of his Souldiers who were willing to gratify their Commander for they being desirous of Innovation thought that they should escape Punishment if he were taken off but if he were alive they should be punished for their Cowardise in the Fight Some Conjectures are also added as that the same Night after this unhappy Fight the Monastery of Kelsoe was seized upon by Car an Intimate of Hume's and the Abbat thereof ejected which it was not likely he would dare to have done unless the King were slain and moreover David Galbreth one of the Family of the Hume's some Years after when Iohn the Regent questioned the Hume's and was troublesome to their Family is said to have blamed the sluggish Cowardise of his Allys who would suffer that Stranger to rule so arbitrarily and imperiously over them whereas he himself had been one of the Six that had put an end to the like Insolency of the King at Kelsoe But these Things were so uncertain that when Humes was afterward tried for his Life by Iames Earl of Murray the King 's Natural Son they did not much prejudice his Cause However the Truth of this Matter stands yet I shall not conceal what I have heard Lawrence Talifer an Honest and a Learned Man to report more than once He was then one of the King's Servants and was a Spectator of the Fight he saw the King when the Day was lost set upon an Horse and pass the Tweed many others affirmed the same thing So that the Report went currant for many Years after That the King was alive and was gone to Ierusalem to perform a Religious Vow he had made but would return again in due Time But that Rumor was found as vain as another of the same Batch which was heretofore spread abroad by the Brittons concerning their Arthur And but a few Years since by the Burgundians concerning Charles This is certain That the English found the Body of the King or of Alexander Elphinston and carried it into England and retaining an inexpiable Hatred against the Dead they left it unburied in a Lead Coffin I know not whether their Cruelty therein were more foolish or more barbarous because he had born sacrilegious Arms against Pope Iulius the Second whom the English then sought to curry favour with or else as some say because he was perjured as having contrary to the Oath and League between them taken up Arms against Henry the Eighth Neither of which Exprobrations ought to have been laid to his Charge especially by such a King who during his Life was not constant or tight in any one Religion nor by such a People who had took up Arms so often against the Bishop of Rome Not to speak of many of the Kings of England whom their own Writers do accuse as guilty of Perjury as William Rufus who is charged with That Crime by Polydore and Grafton Henry the First by Thomas Walsingham in his Description of Normandy King Stephen hath the like Brand inured upon him by Neobrigensis Grafton and Polydore Henry the Eighth by the same Newberry Grafton and Polydore Richard the First by Walsingham in his Hypodigma Neustriae Richard the Third by Grafton and Walsingham Edward the First by Walsingham I cull out these few for Example-sake not of the First Kings of the Saxon Race of which I might instance in a great Many but in Those of the Norman Family whose Posterity enjoy the Kingdom to this Day and who lived in the most flourishing Times of England's Glory to put them in mind not to be so bitter against Strangers who with so much Indulgence bore the Perjuries of their own Kings especially since the guilt of the Crime objected lies principally on those who were the first Violaters of the Truce But to return to the Matter Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey had gone off with great Renown for That Victory over the Scots if he had used his Success with Moderation but being a Man almost drunk with the Happiness of his prosperous Success and little mindful of the Instability of Human Affairs he made his Houshold Servants as the English custom is to wear a Badg on their left Arms which was a White Lyon his own Arms on the top of a Red one and rending him with his Paws God Almighty did seem to punish this his insolent Ambition for there were in a manner none of his Posterity of either side but dyed in great Disgrace and Ignominy But King Iames as he was dear to all whilst living so he was mightily lamented at his Death and the Remembrance of him stuck so fast in the Minds of Men as the like was not known of any other King that we have heard or read of 'T is probable that it hapned by making a Comparison with the bad Kings who preceded his Reign
also expose his Friends Kindred and Vassals whom he had engaged in the publick Cause and who had been almost worn out with toil and labour to Servitude and Torment under an impious and cruel Tyrant who as much as in him was had sold both Queen and Kingdom to the Enemy and who observed the Pacts and Promises he made to Men no more religiously than he did the Duties of Piety towards God for within a few Years he had changed his Religion Three times neither was it to be wonder'd at in him who looked upon Oaths and Promises not as Bonds obliging to Faithfulness but as lurking holes to hide Perfidiousness And therefore he moved earnestly That the King and those of his Council would consider whether in so great an Affair They would believe him all whose Ancestors had devoted themselves their Lives Honours and Fortunes for the increase of his Greatness and who indeed had been honoured and rewarded by him with many Benefits which yet were rather Testimonies of their good Acceptance than just Rewards and Compensations of their Labours or else a Man who would change his Friends and Foes at the blast of every Wind and who depended on the Arbitrement of Fortune alone Though many were not ignorant that his Allegations were true yet the French King was so influenc'd by the Guise's the Queen Dowager's Father and Unkle and who in all things endeavoured to promote her Concerns that his Heart and Ear were both shut against Lennox's Request insomuch that he would not permit Iohn Cambel a Man of approved Virtue sent by Lennox to have Audience or so much as to come into his Presence but kept him in the nature of a Prisoner and had Spies set upon him to watch him that so he might not write back any thing of the Designs agitated in the French Court yet notwithstanding this their Caution there were some who told him all When Lennox heard this by the Dispatches which were sent him his troubled Mind was variously hurried betwixt Anger and Shame he was ashamed to leave his Enterprize which he had begun unfinished and the rather because he thought that he was not able to satisfy the Love of his Friends and Kindred whom he had drawn with him into the same Danger but by the Sacrifice of his Life As for the rest his Anger was highly inflamed especially against the Queen-Dowager and the Cardinal by whose perfidious Contumely he was cast into these Straits but he was chiefly offended with the King of France complaining that he had brought him upon the Stage and now in the midst of his Acting had forsaken him and joined himself with his Enemies Whilst his Thoughts thus fluctuated not knowing where to fix News was brought him That all the Inhabitants on this side Mount Grantzbain who were able to bear Arms were commanded by Proclamation by such a Day to appear at Sterlin and to bring ten Days Provision along with them that they might be ready to march whithersoever the Regent should command them whither accordingly they came at the Day appointed and the Regent marched them to Glasgow There he besieged the Castle ten Days and battered it with his Brass-Guns but in vain yet at last a Truce was granted for a Day and the Guards tampered with so that the Castle was surrendered upon Quarter and Indemnity to the Garison-Souldiers yet notwithstanding all of them but One or Two were put to Death In the mean time Lennox being forsaken by the French King and also cut off from any hope of other Aid made trial by his Friends how the King of England stood affected towards him and finding it fair Weather there he resolv'd for England but before he went he had a great Mind to perform some notable Exploit against the Hamiltons and communicating his Design to William Cuningham Earl of Glencarn They two at a Day appointed with their Tenants and Adherents resolved to meet at Glasgow and from thence to make an inroad into the County of Clydsdale which almost all belonged to the Hamiltons When the Regent heard of this he resolved to be before-hand with them and so to seize upon Glasgow and thereby prevent the place of meeting but Cuningham with a great Party of his Men were entered the Town before and there expected the coming of Lennox but hearing of Hamilton's coming and of his Design he drew out his Men into the Fields adjoining and according to the number of those he had set them in array there were about 800 of them part of his own Clanship and part of the Citizens of Glasgow which favoured his Cause and thus with greater Courage than Force he joined Battel and fought so valiantly that he beat the first Rank of the Enemy back upon the second and took the Brass-pieces they had brought with them But whilst the Fight was hot about the Regent's Quarter and the Matter was in great Hazard there on a sudden Robert Boyd a valiant and brave Man came in with a small Party of Horse and thrust himself into the midst of the Fight where the hottest Service was He occasioned a greater Fear and Trepidation than so small a number need to have done for both Armies believed that great Assistance was come into the Hamiltons This Mistake quite changed the fortune of the Day whilst one thought the assistance was come into his Party the other to his Enemies There were slain in the Battel about 300 on both sides the greatest part was of the Cunningham's and amongst them two Sons of the Earl's gallant Men both Neither was the Victory unbloody to the Hamiltons for they lost considerable Persons on their side too But the greatest Mischief fell upon the Inhabitants of Glasgow for the Enemy not contented with the Blood of the Towns-men which they had killed nor with the Miseries of those who survived nor yet with the Plunder of their Houses they also took away the Valves and Shutters of their Gates and Windows and their Iron-Bars neither did they forbear any kind of Calamity but only the firing of their Houses which were so torn and deformed before The Event of this Battel wrought a great change in Mens Minds so that Lennox's Friends and Kinsmen refused to commit the Matter to the Hazard of a second Encounter not so much because their Enemies Force was increased and theirs lessened nor that because having lost so many valiant Men they could not speedily gather together a new supply from places so remote as that they were unwilling to give any new Provocation to Hamilton or by too much Obstinacy to offend him under whose Government they knew they must shortly come Lennox being thus deserted by the French and the greatest part of the Scots too made George Sterlin Governour of the Castle of Dunbarton and he himself with a few in his Company sailed for England against the advice of his best Friends who were willing he should have stayed some Months in
viz. about May 7. And the Cardinal was fortifying his Castle for Defence in so great haste that the Work-men continued at it almost Night and Day so that when the Porter early in the Morning opened the Gates to let in the Workmen Norman had plac'd two of his Men in Ambush in an House hard by who were to seize the Porter and when they had made themselves Masters of the Gate they were to give a Sign agreed on to the rest By this means they all entred the Castle without any Noise and sent four of their number to watch the Cardinal's Chamber-door that no Tidings might be carried in to him others were appointed to go to the Chambers of the rest of the Houshold to call them up for they well knew both the Men and the Place them they rouz'd up being half asleep and calling them all by their Names they threatned immediately to kill them if they made but the least Out-cry so that they led them all in great silence out of the Castle without doing them any hurt at all When all the rest were put out then they alone were Masters of the Castle whereupon those who watched at the Cardinal's Door knocked at it They within asked them their Names they told them and then they were let in having as some write past their words that they would hurt no body and when they were entred they dispatch'd the Cardinal with many Wounds In the mean time a Noise was spread about the whole Town that the Castle was taken insomuch that the Cardinal's Friends half drunk and half sleeping started out of their Beds and cried out Arm thus to the Castle they posted and called out with minacious and opprobrious words for Ladders other things they also brought necessary for a Storm They who saw them out of the Castle that they might blunt the present Impetuousness of their Minds and call back their mad Spirits to consider themselves crying out to them demanded why they made such a bustle for the Man was dead whom they sought to rescue and with that word they threw the dead Body out in the sight of them all even out of that very place where before he had rejoicingly beheld the Execution of George Wiseheart Whereupon many did revolve within themselves the Inconstancy of human Affairs and that unexpected Event many also were affected with the Prediction of George Wiseheart concerning his Death which then came into their Minds and many other things also which that holy Man had foretold not without the special Inspiration of God's Spirit as we have cause to believe and as the Event soon after made appear The Cardinal's Friends and Kinsmen being astonish'd at this unexpected sight soon sculk'd away When the matter was divulg'd all over the Kingdom Mens Minds were variously affected as they either hated or loved the Cardinal some thought it a brave others a nefarious Fact There were many also who being in a different way of Worship from him were afraid of their Lives and others were offended at his intolerable Arrogance these did not only approve the Fact but came to gratulate the Committers of it as the Restorers of their ancient Liberties and some of them ventured their Lives and Fortunes in their Quarrel The Court was grievously affrighted at the News as having lost part of their Council but by the advice of those which were present they sent forth a Proclamation that the Murderers should come in within six Days to give Sureties to answer matters at a Day which was to be nominated for that purpose But they had a strong Castle over their Heads and in it all the Cardinal's Mony and Housholdstuff and besides they had the Regent's eldest Son with them who was given in Hostage to the Cardinal as is related before so that they gave no credit to the Promises of their Enemies whose Levity and Perfidiousness they had sufficient Experience of before and therefore they refused to hearken to any Conditions of Peace whereupon they were Outlawed Thus the matter was protracted partly by the Threats and vain Promises of the one party and the Diffidence of the other from the Month of May till the Nones of December and then the Regent by the Importunity of the Queen-Mother and the malicious Clamors of the Priests took Arms and lay three whole Months before the Castle battering it with his Brass Guns but in the fourth Month almost at the End of Winter he dismiss'd his Army without carrying the Place and went to Edinburgh to be present at the Convention of Estates which he had before indicted to be held in February They who held the Castle being thus freed from fear of their Enemy did not only make frequent Excursions into the neighbouring Parts and commit Depredations with Fire and Sword therein but as if the Liberty gotten by their Arms were to be spent in Whoredoms Adulteries and such Vices they ran into all the Wickedness which idle Persons are subject to for they measured Right and Wrong by no other Rule but their own Lust neither could they be reclaimed by Iohn Knox who then came to them and often warn'd them that God would not be mocked but would take severe Punishments on those who were Violators of his Laws even by those whom they least dream'd of yet his Exhortations could not stop the Course of their Flagitiousness Besides this domestick Mischief raging even in the very Bowels of the Kingdom there was an Accession made by a War with England For the English had pass'd over the Solway with their Forces and made People terribly afraid they were not contented with the Pillage and Prey but they fired some Places took some Strong-holds and put Garisons in them Neither were Matters quieter in the other parts of the Borders Robert Maxwel upon whom the greatest part of the Storm fell came to Edinburgh to crave Aid when almost all was lost he alleged that the Country was desolated that their Garisons were taken and kept by their Enemies that the Husbandman was driven away from his Habitation and forc'd to live in much want on the Charity of his Friends and that they suffered all this because they would not change nor forfeit their Fidelity to their King but if no Course were taken for their Relief in some short time their Miseries would compel them to give themselves up to the English and so would their Neighbours too for fear they should undergo the like Hereupon Aid was promised him to recover his Own and the Regent marching his Army thither formed his Camp by the River Meggat There the Cardinal's Friends earnestly desired of him to call Norman's Father who was then in the Camp to his Answer and not to carry so potent a Man with him as his Companion in the War whose Faith was suspected or rather who was an open Enemy The Earl though the Time and Place did not favour it yet was willing immediately to put himself
parties every day six Miles round who burnt and destroy'd all within that Compass They attempted nothing considerable besides saving the fortifying the desolate Islands of Inch-Keith and Inch-Colm in the Bay of Forth and in the Bay of Tay they took the Castle Brockty and in their return by Land they took by Surrender the Castles of Fascastle and Hume which the Garisons out of Fear gave up and they raised Forts one at Lauder and another in the Ruins of Roxborough Castle Their sudden Departure gave some Relief to the Scots and a breathing-time for them to meet together to consult about the main chance The Regent presently after the Fight came with that part of the Nobles which were with him to the two Queens at Sterlin and to the Nobility attending there the Regent and his Brother were very sad and dejected for the Calamity which happen'd by their Default and the Queen Dowager gave forth many outward Signs of Grief in her Speech and Countenance but they which knew her Heart did judg that she was not much troubled to see the Arrogance of the Hamiltons so curbed but to be joyous in a publick Calamity they who use to cover the Faults of Princes under honest Disguises are wont to call Greatness of Mind Besides the Dowager ever since the Death of the Cardinal had used all ways and means to throw the Regent out of his Office and to invest the supream Authority in her self but she knew she could never effect it as long as They were uppermost and had all fortified places in their Hands In all her Discourse she heighten'd the Fear she had from the English and complained of the Weakness of their own domestick Forces and propounded the Dangers imminent from the civil Dissensions amongst them She communicated her Design to those who she knew were ill affected towards the Hamiltons When the Nobles were in Consultation about the grand Affairs of the Kingdom a Decree was made that the Queen should retire to Dunbarton whilst the Nobility did debate concerning the Estate of the Kingdom Iohn Erskin was made Governour of it an unquestionable Favourer of the Queen's Faction and William Levingston a Friend to the Hamiltons was join'd in Commission with him Embassadors were also sent into France to demand Aid of their King Henry against their common Enemy according to the League made with him Hopes was also given them that the Queen would come over into France and marry the Dolphin but the French were intent upon their own Affairs and therefore their Auxiliaries were slower than the present Danger required In the mean time the English entred Scotland on both sides of the Borders The Earl of Lennox as if he had been sent for by his Friends came to Dumfries for his Father-in-Law Angus and his old Friend Glencarne had promised him two thousand Horse and Foot of the neighbouring Parts to assist him if he would leave the English and come over to them but when he came at the Place appointed there were hardly Three hundred come together and those too of such who used to live on Robberies These and some other things of the like Nature being very suspicious and specially the wavering Mind of Iohn Maxwel who had already given Hostages to the English made Lennox believe that he was betrayed and therefore he resolved to circumvent his Enemies with the like Fraud he retained with him Glencarn Iohn Maxwel and other chief Men of the Scots who had treated with him concerning his Transition and Return into his own Country and in the middle of the Night march'd toward Drumlanerick with six hundred Horse part of the English and part of the Scots who had yielded to them when they came to the appointed Place he sent out five hundred to commit what Spoil they could in the neighbouring Parts that so he might draw out Iames Douglas Owner of the Castle into his Ambush he imagining such a thing kept within his Hold till 't was Day and then being out of fear of Treachery he marched out with his Men and pass'd over the River Nith and press'd straglingly upon the Plunderers charging their Rear as they were retreating They having got a convenient Time and Place to rally turn'd back upon him with great violence and struck such a Terror into them in the Straits of a Ford that they disordered their Ranks killed some and took many considerable Prisoners This light Expedition struck such a Terror into the greatest part of Galway that they strove which of them should yield first to the English partly to gratify Lennox and partly fearing lest being forsaken by their Neighbours they should lie open to all Affronts The Scotish Regent fearing lest in such a general Hurly-burly if he did attempt nothing he should altogether dispirit his Men who were discourag'd enough before besieg'd the Castle of Brockty and having laid before it almost three Months without performing any thing considerable he drew off his Men leaving only an hundred Horse under the Command of Iames Halyburton an active young Man to infest the neighbouring Places and to hinder any Provisions from being carried in by Land to Brockty or to the Garison which the English had plac'd on an Hill adjoining These Matters pass'd at the End of that Year In the beginning of the next which was 1548 the English fortified Hadington a Town in Lothian upon the Tine and burned the Villages and plundered the Country about which was the richest part of Scotland and they form'd another Garison at Lauder Lennox about the end of February having pass'd over the West-Border hardly escap'd an Ambush laid for him by Part of those who had yielded themselves but returning to Carlisle he revenged himself by punishing some of the Hostages especially Iohn Maxwel the chief Author of the Revolt according to the Contents of some Letters he had receiv'd from the King of England During these Transactions Henry of France who succeeded his Father Francis sent Forces to the Sea to be transported into Scotland about six thousand Men of which three thousand were German Foot commanded by the Rhine-grave about two thousand French and one thousand of divers Nations all Horse they were all commanded to obey Monsieur Dessy a French Man who had been a Commander in France some years and had done good Service there They landed at Leith and were ordered to quarter at Edinburgh till they had recovered their Sea-sickness The Regent and the Forces with him marched to Hadington where they beset all Passages and laid a close Siege to the Place He sent out a Proclamation into all Parts in pursuance whereof in a short time there came into him about eight thousand Scots There the Nobility assembled and the Consultation was renewed concerning the Queen's going into France and marrying the Daulphin a Council was called in a Monastery of Monks without Hadington in the very Camp In that Convention there were various Disputes some said that
the Queen to pardon his Son Iohn that being a young Man and ignorant of the Laws he had made his Escape out of Prison into which he was cast for no hainous Offence only for a Commotion which was not rais'd by him neither But the Queen urg'd that her Authority would be vilified unless his Son did return at least for some days into another Prison though a larger one that so his former Fault being as 't were expiated he might more creditably be dismiss'd Though it were but a slight Command yet Gordon who was willing to omit no opportunity of committing the design'd Fact did obstinately refuse to comply with it either because he might cast the blame of the Murder upon his Son if the Queen did not approve it when 't was done or because if the thing should be done in the Absence of his Son though she were not unwilling thereto yet he should be kept as an Hostage The Queen was so much offended at this Stubbornness of Gordon that when she was almost in sight of his House she turn'd aside another way so that the whole Plot so wisely contriv'd as they thought was now quite cast off the hinges till they came to Inverness For there besides Gordon's being Lord President for the Administration of Justice he also commanded the Queen's Castle which was seated on an high Hill and commanded the Town and besides the whole Country thereabouts were his Vassals The Queen determined to lodg in the Castle but was not suffer'd by the Guards being thus excluded she began to fear in regard she was to lodg all Night in an unfortified Town and in the mean time Huntly's Son had about a Thousand choice Horse now in Arms besides a promiscuous Multitude of the Parts adjacent But the Queen taking Counsel from her present Circumstances set a Watch at all Avenues into the Town she commanded the Ships which had brought her Provisions to ride ready in the River that if her Guards were beaten off she might have a Retreat to Them In the midst of the Night some Scouts was sent out by Huntly and the first Watch let them pass on purpose till they came to a narrow Passage there they were all surrounded and taken and of the Highlanders the Macintoshes Tribe as soon as they understood they were to fight against the Queen forsook Huntly and came to her the day after into the Town A great Multitude of the Highlanders when they heard of the Danger of their Prince part by Persuasion part of their own Accord came in and especially the Frazers and Monroes valiant Families in those Countries The Queen now being secure against any Force began to besiege the Castle The Besieged were not enough for Number neither was it well fortifi'd or prepared to indure a Siege so that it was surrendered to her the chief Defendants were put to Death the rest were sent to their own homes The Nobility came in on all parts upon the coming of some others were permitted to go home so on the 4 th day after with a Guard strong enough she returned to Aberdeen There being freed from Fear she was mightily inflamed with Hatred against Gordon and being eager to be revenged she again received her Brother outwardly into her Favour pretending that her Dependance was wholly on him Yea she indeavoured to persuade others that her Safety was bound up in his Life Hereupon Gordon perceiving that the whole Face of the Court was altered that the Earl of Murray lately design'd for the Slaughter was now in great Favour and that himself was fallen from the top of his Hopes into a mortal Hatred and perceiving he was gone further than would admit a Retreat and Pardon betook himself to desperate Counsels he thought no Remedy better for his present Danger than by all means to get the Queen into his Power and though he knew he should grievously offend her at present by the Attempt yet he did not despair but her womanly Heart might be made flexible by Observance Flattery and the Marriage of his Son of which her Uncles were supposed to be Contrivers This Design he communicated to his Friends and resolved by some means or other to remove Murray out of the way for if that were done there was none besides to whom the Queen would commit the Government or who was able to manage it His Spies gave him hope of the Feasibility of the thing and amongst others George Gordon Earl of Sutherland who was a daily Attendant at Court and pretending good Will to the Queen did fish out all her Counsels and by fit Messengers acquainted Huntly therewith yea he did not only observe the opportunities of Time and Place but also promised his Assistance to effect it Besides the Town was open on every side and fit for any private Attempt the Inhabitants either by Largesses won or by Alliances joined or with Fear terrified would attempt nothing to the contrary The High-landers were dismiss'd with the Earl of Murray there were but a few and they came too from remote parts whom he did not much fear to disoblige And seeing all the Neighbour-Countries were in his Power the matter might be transacted without Blood only one Man's Death might put the Queen into his Hands the other Wounds might be easily cured These things drove him on to attempt the Matter and when the Way to accomplish it was now fix'd some Letters of the Earl of Sutherland and Iohn Lesly were intercepted which discover'd the whole Intrigue Sutherland upon the Discovery fled for it but Lesly acknowledged his Fault and obtained his Pardon and ever after as long as he liv'd performed true and faithful Service first to the Queen then to the King Huntly who with a great Body of Men waited the Event of his Design in a place almost inaccessible by reason of the circumjacent Marishes by the advice of his Friends determined to retreat to the Mountains but many of the Neighbour Nobility then with the Queen being his Friends he trusted to their Promises and therefore altered his Resolution and determined to abide the Success of a Battel in that advantagious Place Murray had scarce an 100 Horse in which he could confide but there followed him of the Nobles then present Iames Douglas Earl of Morton and Patrick Lindsy with these he march'd forth against the Enemy the rest were Country-Men of the Neighbour-hood gathered together about 800 whom Huntly for the most part had corrupted before and were more likely to draw on Murray's Party to their Ruin than give them any Aid yet they made mighty Boastings in words promising That they themselves without any other help would subdue the Enemy Others should but look on and be Spectators only Some Horsemen were sent before to keep all Passages about the Marish that Huntly might not escape the rest march'd softly after and though the Night before many of the Gordonians had slipped away yet he had still with him
above 300 Men maintaining themselves in their Posts When Murray came thither he stood with his Party in Order and Rank on a small Hill where he overlook'd all the Marish the rest as they were advancing towards the Enemy gave evident Tokens of Treachery putting Boughs of Heath on their Helmets for that Plant grows in abundance in those Parts that they might be known by the Enemy When they came near the Huntleans secure of the Success hasten to them and seeing the adverse Army disordered by the Traitors and put to Flight that they might more nimbly pursue them they cast away their Lances and with their drawn Swords to terrify those Ranks that stood they cried out Treason Treason and made with great Violence at the Enemy The Traitors thinking that they should also put to Flight the standing Party made haste towards it But Murray perceiving no hope in Flight and that nothing remain'd but to dye nobly cried out to his Party to hold out their Lances and not to let those that were running away come in amongst them They being thus unexpectedly excluded from both Wings passed by in great Disorder But the Huntleans who now thought the matter ended and the Victory sure when they saw a Party though but small standing in a terrible manner with their Pikes forward they who were making towards them dispersedly and out of order and could not come to handy-strokes by reason of the length of their Spears being struck with a sudden Terror fled as swiftly as they had pursu'd before The Revolters perceiving this change of Fortune press'd upon them in their Flight and as if willing to expiate their former Fault what Slaughter was made that Day 't was They that did it There were 120 of the Huntleans slain and 100 taken Prisoners of the other Army not a Man was lost Amongst the Prisoners was Huntly himself and his two Sons Iohn and Adam the Father being an old Man corpulent and pussy dyed under the Hands of those that took him The rest late at Night were brought to Aberdeen Murray had appointed a Minister of the Gospel to wait for his Return where in the first place he gave Thanks to God Almighty who out of his Mercy alone beyond all Men's Expectation without any Strength or Wisdom of his own had delivered him and his Men out of so imminent a Danger afterwards he went to the Court where though many did highly congratulate him yet the Queen gave no Sign of Joy at all either in Speech or Countenance A few days after Iohn Gordon was put to Death not without the Trouble of many for he was a manly Youth very beautiful and entring on the prime of his Age not so much designed for the Royal Bed as deceived by the Pretence thereof and that which moved no less Indignation than Pity was that he was beheaded by an unskilful Headsman The Queen beheld his Death with many Tears but as she was prone to conceal and counterfeit Affections so various Descants were made upon her Grief and Passion and the rather because many knew that her Brother was as much hated by her as Huntly She pardoned Adam because he was but young George the eldest Son in this desperate case fled from his House to his Father-in-Law Iames Hamilton there to shelter himself or else by his Mediation to obtain his Pardon As for Gordon's Followers according to the Degrees of their Offences some were fined others banish'd the Land many sent packing into remote parts of the Kingdom that they might make no more Commotions at home Those who lighted upon powerful Intercessors were remitted their Offence and taken into former Grace and Favour Matters being thus settled or at least appeased for the present the rest of the Winter was spent in Peace The 26 th day of November Bothwel who had escap'd out of Prison was by a Proclamation commanded to render himself again and in Default thereof he not obeying was declared a publick Enemy When the Queen was returned from Aberdene to St. Iohnston's Iames Hamilton came to her to beg Pardon for George Gordon his Son-in-Law he received an Answer not wholly severe yet was forced to deliver up his Son-in-Law who was sent Prisoner to Dunbar and the next Year after which was 1563 on the 7 th of the Calends of February was brought to Edinburgh there condemned for Treason and sent back to Dunbar 'T was about this time that there came forth a Proclamation under a pecuniary Mulct That no Flesh should be eaten in Lent The pretence was not any thing of Religion but civil Advantage only The Arch-bishop of St. Andrews because he did not forbear to hear and say Mass after the Edict made at the coming in of the Queen was committed Prisoner to the Castle of Edinburgh Others guilty of the same Fault were punish'd but slightly yet were threatned to be more severely treated if they offended in the like sort again Now the time of the Parliament drew near which was summon'd to be held the 20 th day of May where the Queen with the Crown on her Head and her Royal Robes went in great Pomp to the Parliament-house a new Spectacle to many but that Men had been accustom'd to bear the Government of Women in her Mother's and Grandmother's Days In that Assembly some Statutes were made in Favour of the Reformed and some Coyners were punish'd the rest of the Summer the Queen spent in Athol in the Sport of Hunting At the end of Autumn Matthew Stuart Earl of Lennox by the Queen's Leave returned to Scotland having been unworthily deserted by the King of France the 22 d Year after his Departure as I said before And the next Year which was 1564 in the Month of Ianuary at a Convention of the Estates held almost on purpose for that very thing his Banishment was remitted and his Goods restored the Queen seconding that Remission with many favourable Words and repeating the many great Services the Earl had done her in her very Infancy she having been delivered out of her Enemies Hand and advanced to her Throne by his Means Afterwards Henry his Son came out of England into Scotland on the 12 th of February having there obtained a Convoy for three Months This Young Man being of an high Linage and very beautiful the Son of her Aunt the Queen of Scots received very courteously and delighting daily in his Society the common Speech was That she would marry him neither was the Nobility against it because they saw many advantages might redound to Britain by that Marriage if it might be made by the Queen of England's Consent Both of them were in an equal Degree of Consanguinity from her and she was so far from being against it that she was willing rather to seem the Author of it and so to lay some Obligation upon her in making the Match besides she thought it for her Advantage to humble
prosecuting them yea sometimes they were recompens'd with great Advantages but the Wrath of Princes was not to be quench'd but by Death only But Murray and Glencarn who understood that their discourse was not founded on the Good of the Publick but their own private Advantage for upon the Queen's death they were the next Heirs to the Crown did equally abhor the Princes death and Hamiltons Government too which they had lately experienc'd to be Avaritious and Cruel so that They were for milder Counsels and in regard 't was a civil Dissension wherein as yet there was no blood shed the Dispute having been hitherto managed by Votes not Arms they thought it fit if possible to end it by an honest Agreement Hereunto they thought many in the King's Army would hearken as being desirous of Peace and would not be wanting to plead for Those that in Defence of their Liberties were inforc'd to take up Arms. As for the King and Queen They being yet young might not perhaps be so Provident and for their Parts they had not yet so far transgrest as to indanger the Common-wealth as for smaller Injuries which affected their Names and Reputations only 't was fitter they were cured by other Remedies than Death For they remembred 't was an old Caution transmitted from their Ancestors for Imitation That in the Lives and Manners of Princes their hidden Vices ought to be concealed their doubtful Ones taken in the best sense and their open Ones so far born with as they did not endanger the Ruin of the Publick This Opinion pleased the most and the rest of the Hamiltons acquiesced therein and resolved to be quiet only Iames chief of their Family with 16 Horse remained with the Nobility who being lessened by the recess of the Hamiltons were not able to give Battel to the Enemy nor yet to break through each to his own Clan and therefore they yielded to the Times and came that Night to Hamilton and the next Day to Edinburgh to consult how to manage the War But in regard the Castle which commanded the Town continually plaid upon them and their Friends could not come in so soon from remote Parts as was requisite and moreover the King and Queen were reported to be near them with their Forces by the great Persuasions and Promises of Iohn Maxwel of Herreis they directed their Course towards Dumfreiz The King and Queen returned back to Glascow and left the Earl of Lennox their Lieutenant in the Country towards the South-West they themselves went afterward to Sterlin and thence into the middle of Fife They made the greatest part of the Nobility take an Oath That if any Commotion arose from England they would faithfully oppose it the rest were punish'd some by Fine some by Banishment The Goods of those who fled into England wherever they could find them were seized upon and they appointed Commissions of Oyer and Terminer to be held in all Counties to enquire into the Remains of the Rebellion On the 9 th of October they drew forth their Army out of Edinburgh and march'd towards Dumfriez Maxwel who till that time had pretended to be highly of the Party which was against the King thinking it now a fit opportunity to cater for himself went forth to meet them as if he would have interceded for Pardon for the whole Party He dealt with them to have part of his Father-in-Laws Estate which he had a great mind to have bestow'd upon him they look'd upon him as an active subtil Man fit for Counsel and Business and granted his Request whereupon he return'd to the Rebels and told them he could do them no good and therefore they must all shift for themselves England was near at hand if they would retire thither after he had settled his Affairs at home he would follow them and live and die with the Party In the interim he got a thousand Pounds from Murray upon the account of Mony which he alleged he had expended in listing some Horse For being commanded to raise some few Troops of Horse he caused all his Domesticks to appear as if they had been Souldiers formally listed The Rebels were terrified at the coming of the King and Queen and at Maxwels revolt from them So that the King and Queen hereupon did what they pleas'd They drove away most of the Leaders of the Faction and the rest were intent on the Event of their Danger so that about the end of October they return'd to Edinburgh and all things were quiet in Scotland till the beginning of the next Spring A Convention of all the Estates of the Kingdom was Indicted to be held in March that so the Goods of those who were banish'd might be Confiscate their Names struck out of the Roll of the Nobility and their Armorial Ensignes torn in Pieces neither of which the Kings of Scotland can lawfully do without an Act of Parliament In the interim David perceiving the Court to be empty of Nobility and thinking it an opportunity to shew and declare the Excessiveness of his Power did suggest severe Counsel to the Queen daily pressing her to cut off some of the chief of the Faction if a few of them said he were executed the rest would be quiet and in regard he thought the Queen's Guard being Scots-men would not easily consent to the cruel Murder of the Nobility he was very intent to have them thrown out of their Places and to introduce Foreigners into their Rooms a Project that is wont to be the beginning of all Tyranny first Mention was made of sending for some Germans over for that Service because that Nation were highly faithful to their Princes But when David had considered seriously with himself he thought it more conducive to his Interest to have Italians first because being his Country-Men he presumed they would be more at his Devotion next that being Men of no Religion they would be fitter to make Disturbances so that he thought they might easily be induc'd to venture upon any Design Right or Wrong for being wicked and indigent Persons born and bred up under Tyrants us'd to War and being far from their own home they car'd not what became of Britain and therefore seem'd most Proper to attempt Innovations Hereupon Souldiers of Fortune were privately sent for out of Flanders and other Countries of the Continent but they were to come in by Piece-meal as 't were One by One and at several times too that the Design might not be discover'd It would be more dangerous said he to offend any one of those Ruffians than the Queen her Self But as David's Power and Authority with the Queen did daily increase so the King grew Cheaper with her every Day for as She had been rashly precipitate in making the Marriage so She as soon repented and gave manifest Tokens of her alienated Mind For as presently after the Marriage was celebrated she had publickly Proclaim'd him King by an Herauld
were Those of the Nobility there present being very few and those Bothwel's Friends and Creatures too the rest being gone to their Homes were invited to Supper and so was Crocke the French Embassador but he though he were of the Guisian Faction and besides dwelt near the Place yet peremptorily refus'd to come he thought it suited not with the Dignity of that Person which he represented to countenance that Marriage by his Presence which he heard the Common People did abominate and curse and besides the Queen's Kindred did by no means approve it neither whilst 't was prosecuting nor yet when finish'd And the King of France and Queen of England did by their Embassadors declare against the Turpitude of the thing Though that was troublesom to her yet the silent Sadness of the People did so much the more increase the fierce Disposition of the Queen as things seen do pierce deeper than things only heard As they both went through the City none saluted them with wonted Acclamations only one said and that but once God Save the Queen whereupon another Woman near her spoke aloud once or twice so that the Standers-by might hear her Let every one have what his Desert is That Matter mightily inflam'd her Mind against the Edinburghers with whom she was angry before When she saw how disaffected People were to her both at Home and Abroad she took Advice with her Cabal How she might establish her Power and quell any Insurrection for the future First of all she determined to send an Embassador into France to reconcile those Princes and the Guises to her who she knew were offended with her precipitate Marriage William Bishop of Dunblane was chosen for that Service his Instructions were given him almost in these very Words First You shall excuse me to Those Princes and to my Uncle That they heard of the Consummation of my Marriage by vulgar Report before ever I had acquainted them with my purpose therein by Messengers of my own This Excuse is built as upon a Foundation on the true Narration of his Life and especially of the good Offices which the Duke of the Orcades hath done me even to that very Day wherein I thought good to make him my Husband You shall begin the Declaration of that Story as the Truth is taking your Rise from his very Youth Assoon as ever he came to be of Age after the Death of his Father one of the prime Noblemen of the Kingdom he wholly addicted himself to the Service of the Princes of this Land being otherwise of a very noble Family both by reason of its Antiquity and also the high Offices it held in the Kingdom as by Hereditary Right At that time he principally addicted himself to the Service of my Mother who then held the Scepter and was so constant an Adherent to her that though in a very short time a great many of the Nobility and many Towns also had revolted from her on the account of Religion yet he never faultred in his Loyalty neither could he be induc'd by any Proffers Promises or Threats nor by any Loss of his particular Estate to make a Defection in the least from her Authority nay rather than neglect her Service he suffer'd his House the Mansion-House of the Family and all his Goods which were many and precious to be plundred and his Estate made a Prey to his Enemies At last being destitute of my Aid and all other besides an English Army was brought in by domestick Enemies into the very Bowels of the Kingdom on purpose to inforce my Husband then Earl of Bothwel to leave his Estate and Country and to retire to France where he observed me with all Respect till my Return to Scotland Neither must his Military Exploits against the English be forgotten a little before my Return wherein he gave such Proofs of his manly Valour and great Prudence too that he was thought worthy though a young Man to command his Superiours in Age so that he was chosen chief General of the Army of his Country-men and my Lieutenant which Office he discharged so well That by many valiant Performances he left a noble Memorial of his Fortitude both amongst his Enemies and also his own Country-men After my Return he imployed all his Endeavours for the Enlargement of my Authority he spar'd no Danger in subduing the Rebels upon the Borders of England where having reduc'd things to great Tranquillity he resolv'd to do the same in other Parts of the Kingdom But as Envy is always the Companion of Virtue the Scots still desiring Innovations and some of them willing to lessen my Favour towards him did so ill interpret his good Services that they caused me to commit him to Prison which I did partly to gratify some who envied the Growth of his increasing Greatness and partly to allay the seditious Commotions which were then ready to break out to the Destruction of the whole Kingdom He made his Escape out of Prison and that he might yield to the Power of his Emulators he retir'd into France and there he abode almost Two years in which time the Authors of the former Seditions forgetting my Lenity towards them and their Duty towards me took up Arms and led an Army against me Thereupon I commanded him to return I restor'd him to his Honour and Estate and made him General over all my Forces by whose Conduct my Authority was again so restor'd that all the Rebels were quickly inforc'd to seek Shelter in England until a great part of them upon their own Request were again receiv'd by me into Favour How perfidiously I was treated by those Exiles which returned and by those whom I had oblig'd with greater Courtesies than they deserved my Uncle is not ignorant of and therefore I need say little of it yet I must not pretermit in silence with how great diligence he freed me from the Hands of Those who held me Prisoner and how speedily by his singular Conduct I escap'd out of Prison and the whole Faction of Conspirators being dissipated I recovered my former Authority On this Head I must acknowledg that his Services were so grateful that I could never suffer them to slip out of my Memory These things are Great in themselves yet he hath made such an Accession to them by his anxious Sedulity and Diligence that I could never expect greater Observance or Faithfulness in any Man than I have found in him even until after the Decease of my late Husband Since that time as his Thoughts seemed to aim higher so his Actions were a little more insolent and though the Matter was come to that pass that I must take all things in the best part yet I was much offended with his Arrogance in thinking I had ability to requite his Services no otherwise than by giving up my self to him as their Guerdon and Reward besides I did dislike his secret Designs against and at length his open
very Noise of her Coming would be packing away Whereas indeed the matter was far otherwise and in the present Circumstances nothing had been better for her than Delay for if she had kept her self in the Castle of Dunbar but three Days longer the Vindicators of Liberty being destitute of all Preparation for War as having attempted their Liberty in vain must have been forc'd to depart every one to his own House However she march'd from Dunbar being excited by bad Counsel and by vain hopes yet she march'd slowly because she distributed Arms to the Country-men that she gathered up by the way At length a little before Night they came to Seton and because they could not be quarter'd there they divided their Number into two Neighbouring Villages both called Preston From thence a fearful Alarm was brought to Edinburgh before Midnight and presently the Word was given To your Arms They rose out of their Beds and made all the haste they could into the Fields adjoining and there having gathered a good Body together by Sun-rising they set them in Battel-array thence they march'd to Musselburgh to pass the River Esk before the Bridg and Ford were possess'd by the Enemy that Village is but two Miles from Preston but meeting no body and perceiving no Noise at all they placed Guards and Sentinels and went to refresh themselves with Food In the mean time the Scouts which were sent for Espial seeing a few Horse-Men drove them into the Village but did not dare to follow them further for fear of an Ambush so that they brought back no certain News of the Army only that the Enemy was a marching Whereupon the Vindicators of Liberty marching out of Musselburgh saw the Enemy standing in Battel-array upon the brow of an Hill over against them and that they kept their Ground The Hill being so steep that they could not come at them without Prejudice they drew a little to the right both to have the Sun on their Backs as also to gain an easier Ascent and to fight upon a more advantagious Ground that Design of theirs deceived the Queen for she thought they had fled and were marching to Dalkeith a Neighbour-Town of the Earl of Morton's she was fully persuaded that the Terror of her Royal Name was so great that they durst not stand but she quickly found That Authority as 't is gotten by good Arts so may be quickly lost by bad and that Majesty destitute of Virtue is soon brought to nothing In their March the Dalkeithians brought them forth all manner of Provisions in Abundance When they had refresh'd themselves and quench'd their Thirst which much annoy'd them before as soon as ever they got a convenient place they divided their Army into two Bodies Morton commanded the first assisted by Alexander Hume and his Vassals The second was led on by the Earls of Glencarn Marr and Athol when they were thus ready to charge Crock the French Embassador came to them he prefaced to them by an Interpreter how he had always studied the Good and Tranquillity of the Scots and that he was now of the same Mind and therefore he earnestly desired if possible that the Controversy might be decided to the Satisfaction of both Parties without Force or Bloodshed wherein he offered his Service alleging That the Queen also was not averse from Peace and to incline them to believe it he told them she would give a present Pardon and Oblivion of what was done and she faithfully promised That they should all be indemnified for taking up Arms against the Supream Magistrate When Mr. Crock's Interpreter had thus spoken Morton answered They had not took up Arms against the Queen but against the Murderer of the late King whom if she would deliver up to Punishment or sever her self from him then she should understand They and their Fellow-Subjects desired nothing more than to persist in their Duty to Her Otherwise no Agreement could be made Glencarn added That they came not thither to receive Pardon for taking up Arms but to give it Crock seeing their Resolution and knowing well That what they spake was true and what they desired was just crav'd leave to depart and so went to Edinburgh In the mean time the Queen's Army kept it self within the ancient Camp-Bounds of the English it was a Place naturally higher than the rest and besides fortified with a Work and Ditch from whence Bothwel shewed himself mounted on a brave Steed and proclaim'd by an Herald that he was ready to fight a Duel with any one of the adverse Party Iames Murray a noble Young Man offer'd himself from the other Army he had done the same before by a Chartel but suppress'd his Name as I said before Bothwel refus'd him alleging That he was not a fit Match for him neither in Dignity nor Estate Then came forth Iames's elder Brother affirming that if Mony-Matters were subducted he was as powerful as Bothwel but in Antiquity of Family and Integrity of Repute his Superior He also was refused as being but lately made a Knight and of the second Rank many of the first Rank offered themselves especially Patrick Lindsy he desired it as the only Reward of all his Labours which he had undergone to maintain the Honour of Scotland that he might be permitted to fight with Bothwel Bothwel excepted against him too and not knowing how creditably to come off the Queen interposed her Authority and forbidding him to fight ended the Controversy Then marching through the Army on Horse-back she tried how they all stood affected Bothwel's Kindred and Friends desired to fight but the rest told her that there were many brave Souldiers in the adverse Army who being well exercised in Arms the Hazard of a Fight was dangerous As for themselves they were ready but the Commonalty of which they had a great many were averse from the Cause and therefore 't was much fitter that Bothwel himself should maintain his own Cause in a Duel than that he should expose so many brave Men and especially the Queen her self to so great Hazard but if she were fully resolved to fight yet 't was best to defer it till to Morrow For 't was said that the Hamiltons were a coming with 500 Horse and that they were not far off with the Conjunction of their Forces they might then more safely advise about the main for at that time the Earl of Huntly and Iohn Hamilton Arch-bishop of St. Andrews had gather'd their Clans together to Hamilton and the day after were coming to the Queen whereupon she gnash'd her Teeth and fell a Weeping casting out many Reproaches against the Nobles and by a Messenger desires of the contrary Army that they would send William Kircade of Grange to Her that she would speak with him about Conditions of Peace in the Interim the Army should not advance neither did the Army of the Vindicators proceed but they stood near and in a
Discourse In the mean time the Regent had an hot Debate in Council Whether they should stay where they were or else go to the King at Sterlin A great many were of opinion that 't was better to depart and they urg'd Arguments for it as that Hamilton was a Town near them full of People and all the Clanships of that Family lay round about it Besides the Queen had with her 500 Horse and it was reported many more were making towards her from remoter Parts whereas with the Regent there were only a few of his own Friends the rest having ran away to the Queen or gone privately home about their own Affairs as if all things had been quiet and tho the Citizens of Glasgow were faithful enough as being provok'd by the many and great Injuries they had receiv'd from the Hamiltons when in Power yet the Town it self was large not very Populous and every way approachable On the contrary Others reason'd That all depended on the first Beginning of things That his departure would be Dishonourable and look like running away That all Suspicion of fear was then principally to be avoided for they should heighten their Enemies thereby and discourage their Friends On the one side there were the Cuninghams and the Semples potent Families On the other side Lennox the King 's peculiar Patrimony from whence the next Neighbours might presently come in in a few Hours the rest the next or at furthest the Day after In the interim till further Aid came they had strength enough especially being assisted by the Townsmen This advice prevail'd in Council The French Embassador posted betwixt both Parties rather as a Spy than a Peace-maker which yet he pretended to be for perceiving that there was but a small Force at Glasgow at first and an Appearance of a great Multitude at Hamilton he earnestly excited the Queen to put it to a Battel presently The Regent had gathered a party from the Neighbourhood and expected those further off from Merch and Lothian there came in about 600 Horse choice and resolute Men he gave them one day to refresh themselves in and then determined to march out to Hamilton and to engage the Enemy immediately for he believed Delay was dangerous for him and advantagious to the Enemy whom the remote Parts of the Kingdom favour'd most Two days after he was inform'd That about the third Watch the Enemy was drawing together from all places where they quarter'd they trusted to their Number being about 6500 fighting Men and they knew the Regent had scarce 4000 but they resolved to march by Glasgow and to leave the Queen in Dunbarton-Castle and so either to fight or lengthen out the War as they pleased or if the Regent should be so bold as to stop their Passage which they believed he durst not do they would then fight and were confident they should beat Him But he having determined to urge them to fight before as soon as ever he could drew out his Men into the open Field before the Town the way that he thought the Enemy would come and there waited for them in Battel-array for some Hours But when he saw their Troops pass by the other side of the River he presently understood their Design and commanded his Foot to pass over the Bridg and his Horse to ford over the River which they might do it being low Water and so to march to Langside which was a Village by the River Carth where the Enemies were to pass scituated in the Foot of an Hill respecting the South-West on the East and North the Passage was steep but on the other side there was a gentle Descent into a Plain thither they hastned with such Speed that the Royalists had neer possest the Hill before the Enemy who aim'd at the same place understood their Design though they march'd thither by a nearer Cut But the Royalists met with Two Advantages which was a great Discouragement to their Enemies One that Gilespy Cambel Earl of Argyle who commanded in chief fell suddenly down from his Horse sick and by his Fall much delayed the March of his Party The Other that their Forces being plac'd here and there in little Vallies could never see all the Royalists at once whose Paucity as indeed they were not many made the Enemy to despise them and the Disadvantage of the place too At last when the Queen's Forces drew nigh and saw the Ground which they aim'd at possest by the Enemy they went to another little Hill over against them and there divided their Party into two Bodies Their chief Strength they plac'd in the First if they had overthrown their adverse Party there they knew the rest would be dismaid at their Flight and so they should overcome them without Fighting The King's Party also divided themselves into Two Wings Iames Douglas Earl of Morton Robert Semple Alexander Hume Patrick Lindsy each with his Clanship were placed in the Right In the left stood Iohn Earl of Marr Alexander Earl of Glencarn William Earl of Menteith and the Citizens of Glasgow The Musqueteers were in the Village and Gardens below near the high Way Both Armies thus placed in Battel-array The Queens Cannoneers and Foot were driven from their Posts by the King's Forces on the other side the King's Horse being fewer in Number were beat back by the Enemy after they had performed that Service they endeavoured also to break the Battalions of Foot in order whereunto they charg'd directly up the Hill but were beat back by the King's Archers and by some of those who after their Rout had rallied again and joined with the rest of their Body In the mean time the left Wing of the Enemy march'd by the High-way where there was a rising Ground lower down into the Vally where though they were galled by the King's Musqueteers yet passing by those Straits they opened and ranged their Body there 't was that the two Battailions held out a thick Stand of Pikes as a Brest-work before them and fought desperately for half an Hour without giving Ground on either side insomuch that they whose long Pikes were broke threw Daggers Stones Pieces of Pikes or Lances yea whatsoever they could come by into their Enemies Faces But some of the hindermost Ranks of the King's Forces being flying away whether for Fear or Treachery is uncertain no doubt their Flight had much disordered those who stood to it unless the Ranks had been so thick that the formost well knew not what the hindmost did Then they which were in the second Battailion taking notice of the Danger and perceiving no Enemy coming to charge them sent some whole Troops to wheel to the Right and to join with the first whereupon the adverse Party could not bear their Charge but were wholly routed and put to Flight many were so inrag'd with Wrath and Hatred against them that there had been a notable Slaughter in the Pursuit unless the Regent had sent
out Horse several ways to forbid the Execution The second Squadron of the Royalists stood so long till they saw the Enemy scattering and flying in a disorderly manner then they also brake their Ranks and pursued The Queen stood about a Mile from the Place to behold the Fight and after the Discomfiture fled with some Horsemen of her Party who had escap'd out of the Battel toward England the rest ran away as they could each to his own home There were but few slain in the Field but more fell in the Pursuit being wearied and wounded all along the High-ways and Fields The Number of the Slain was about 300 but there were more taken Prisoners Of the King's Forces there were not many wounded of the chief Commanders none but Alexander Hume and Andrew Stuart only one Man was slain the rest of the Army besides a few Horse-men who followed the Pursuit very far returned joyfully into the Town where after giving Thanks to Almighty God for prospering their just Cause against a double Number of their Enemies and for giving them in a manner an unbloody Victory mutually gratulating one another they went to Dinner This Battel was fought May the 13 th eleven Days after the Queen's Escape out of Prison The French Embassador expected the Event of the Fight and promis'd himself a sure Victory on the Queen's side but being thus disappointed of his Hope he put off his Vizard and without taking his Leave of the Regent to whom he pretended he was sent got a Party of Horse to guide him and with what Speed he could made for England In the way he was robb'd by Moss-Troopers but Iames Douglas Laird of Drumlanerick though he knew he was of the Enemies Party yet deferr'd so much to the Honour and Name of an Embassador that he caus'd his Goods to be restored to him The Regent spent the rest of the Day of Battel in taking a List of the Prisoners some he discharged gratis others upon Sureties the chief Commanders were retained especially of the Hamilton's Family and sent to Prison The Day after knowing how much that Sept was envied in the Neighbourhood he took only 500 Horse commanding the rest of the Army to abide in their Quarters and went into the Vale of Clydisdale where he found all Places naked and desolate the Inhabitants being run away as rather conscious to themselves what they had deserved than confiding in the Regents Clemency of which yet they had Experience before he took in the Castles of Hamilton and Draffin which were naked Places only in Hamilton-Castle some of the Houshold-Stuff of King Iames the 5 th was found The same Fear and Terror drove the Queen into England too either because she thought no Place in that Part of Scotland safe enough for her or else because she durst not trust Iohn Maxwel of Herreis When the Regent had setled all things as well as he could at present he summon'd an Assembly of the Estates to be held at Edinburgh in the Month of ..... The adverse Party plotted many Ways to hinder it Rumors were spread abroad of Aid from France neither were they altogether without Ground For some Troops were drawn down to the Sea-side under the Command of the Earl of Martigues a stout Man of the Luxemburgh's Family to be transported with all Speed into Scotland and they had been so unless the Civil Wars had on a sudden broke forth in France But that Assistance would not have been so prejudicial to the Regent as his Enemies thought for it would have alienated England from them and engaged It to him Moreover Argyle with 600 of his Clanship came to Glasgow there he had a Conference with the Hamiltonians and other Leaders of the Faction to hinder the Convention but finding no way to do it they went every Man severally home Huntly also had gathered together a thousand Foot against the Day of the Parliaments Sitting he came as far as Perth and there perceiving that the Fords of the River Tay were guarded by William Ruven and the Neighbouring Nobility who remained Loyal to the King he retired without doing any thing to Purpose About the same time there came also Letters from the Queen of England obtained by the Intercession of the adverse Party to the Regent to put off the Parliament she desired that Judgment might not be hastned concerning the Rebels till she were made acquainted with the whole Cause for she could not well bear the Injury and Affront which the Queen her Neighbour and near Kinswoman did pretend she had received from her Subjects Tho the Request was but small in it self yet if it should have been granted at the Instance of the Rebels they might have thought to have carried all either because such a Trifling and Delay seem'd to hearten them and weaken their Enemy especially seeing it might argue a Fear in the Royalists and also that they in the mean time resolv'd to Indict a Convention in the Name of the Queen But the Regent being sensible of what great Consequence it was to have the Parliament to sit yea though all the Force of the Enemy had combin'd against it resolved to keep his Day In that Parliament there was a great Debate Whether all those who had took Arms against the King and afterward had not obtained their Pardon should be condemn'd as Traitors and have their Goods confiscate But William Maitland who favoured the Rebels but covertly obtained that only a few of them should be condemn'd at present as a Terror to the rest and a Door of Clemency should be opened to others if they repented That Procedure did wonderfully incourage the Conspirators and increas'd their Obstinacy in regard they saw their Punishment was deferr'd and they were verily persuaded that the Queen of England being their Queen's Neighbour and Kinswoman nor the Guises who then were very powerful in the French Court nor the French King himself would suffer such an Encroachment to be made on the Royal Authority yea if they should be deserted by them yet they were not so weak of themselves as not to be able to maintain their Cause without foreign Aid as being superior in Number and Power so that nothing was wanting to the Victory but the empty Shadow of the Royal Name which was said they usurped by Force In the mean time the Regent minded only the publick Peace some of the Neighbouring Offenders he fined in small Sums and so took them into Favour the Earl of Rothes by his Friends Intercession was banish'd for three Years as for the rest he daily by Correspondents solicited them to repent and come in but perceiving That many of them were obstinate and inclined to Revenge he levied an Army and march'd into Annandale Niddisdale and lower Galway where he took some Castles and put Garisons into them others whose Owners were more refractary he demolish'd and in a short time he would have ran over the whole Country unless
be thus betrayed and forsaken by those very Men that had put them upon the War every one of them betakes himself to take care for his own Safety their Hopes for the time to come being all blasted So that so many cross Accidents unexpectedly falling out at one and the same time quite and clean disturbed all their Plots and Machinations but the sudden Approach of the English Army was It which most surprized them and therefore to see if they could put a stop to it they make use of two Embassies into England the One to Thomas Earl of Sussex to desire a Truce till such time as they had laid open the State of their Affairs to the Queen of England The Other Embassador carried Letters to the Queen containing many things as well for their own Cause as against the King's Faction especially by making their Brags of greater Forces than they had in reality and vilifying Those of their Adversaries thereby covertly threatning the English with a War For Maitland had made them believe That that Queen a Woman naturally timorous would do any thing rather than be brought to a War at a time when both the French and Spaniard were for many Reasons at Emmity with her and her own Affairs at home were scarce setled The Rebels desired that by the English Queens Arbitrement all the Ordinances of the last Two Years should be called in although many amongst them had subscribed them and that all things being as it were acted de novo a new Ordinance should by a general Consent be made And that they might better set forth the Potency of their Faction their Letter had all the great Mens Names that were of their Party subscribed to It and also for the greater Ostentation of their Multitude they set to it the Names of Many as well of the adverse Faction as of those that were Neuters in Hopes that the English by Reason of the great Distance and their Ignorance of things done so far off and that their Letters to the Queen would be exposed to the View but of few Persons would hardly be able to detect their Fraud About that time an Accident happened as they thought very advantagious to their Affairs as hoping that it would both make the English less forward and also terrify the Scotch Populacie viz. the Arrival of a certain French-Man however of a mean Condition who as being Lansack's Menial Servant was for his Master's sake entertained at that Court This Man brought a great many Letters all of the same Purport from the French King not only to the Heads of the Queen's Faction but likewise to Many who had not declared themselves for either Faction in which great Thanks were given to every one of them for their having hitherto taken the Queen's Part the King desiring them constantly to persist in so doing and he would send them Aid even greater than they had desired of him as soon as ever he could do it with Conveniencie He also that brought the Letters adds as from himself That all things were now at quiet in France Iaspar Colligny and the other Rebels being reduced to such Terms as to promise to depart from France lest their Presence should be a Hindrance to the Publick Peace And that he doubted not but that the Souldiers which were to be sent to assist them would all be raised before his Return The Wiser sort although they knew that these things were mostly nothing but vain Reports yet permitted the common Sort to be deluded by them When therefore the Minds of many People became by these Means to be erected their Joy was lessened by the unsuccessful Return of their Embassadors For Sussex could not by any Conditions they could offer him be induced to think it to be for the English Interest either to maintain an Army only to idle their Time away in Truces or wholly to desist from the War And the Queen having after Perusal caused their Letter to be sealed up again and sent back to the King's Party in Scotland which was done that the Expectation of an Answer from her should cause Delay in Affairs and thereby their Fraud be easily found out And for that their Letter contained nothing but vain Boasting and that the English were not ignorant of any thing that had been transacted in Scotland their Embassadors grievously abashed with Reproaches were forced to return Therefore being disappointed of that Hope and affrightned by the so sudden drawing near of the English Army to their very Borders and those who were to have assisted them being gone to defend their own Homes having also small Confidence in the Citizens and knowing that their Enemies would come to Edinburgh on the first of May They therefore departed thence and went to Linlithgo holding that Place to be very commodious for the sending for those of their Party from the most distant Places of the Kingdom as also for the hindring the Journies of the others that were going to the Assembly and for bringing about of those other things which were lately discussed at their Consultations From this Place the Hamiltons with their Friends and Vassals made the whole Road leading to Edinburgh very unsafe for Passengers and knowing that Iohn Erskin Earl of Marr was to come that Way they placed themselves on the Neighbouring Hills to hinder his Journy but he knowing how the Way was beset passed the River about two Miles above and so April 29 in the Evening he came safe to Edinburgh After that Day the King's Party abode at Edinburgh and the Queen 's at Linlithgo mutually charging and criminating one another as the Causes and Rise of these Civil Combustions But those at Edinburgh informed their Contrariants That they were willing to come to an easy Agreement upon other Heads as that if they had done any Man wrong they would give him just Satisfaction as indifferent Arbitrators should award provided always That this King's Authority might be secured and that both Parties might join to revenge the Murder of the last King and of the Regent To this Proposal they at Linlithgo gave no satisfactory Answer but instead thereof made an Edict That all Subjects should obey the Queen's Commissioners and the three Earls of Arran Argyle and Huntly Indicted an Assembly to be held at Linlithgo August 3. Whereupon the other Party sent Robert Petcarn their Embassador to the Queen of England to treat with her about suppressing the Common Enemy and to shew how well-affected the Scots stood towards her he was to inform her That they would chuse such a Regent as she should please to recommend or approve Thus whilst each Party was crossing one another's Design the English enter Teviotdale and spoil the Towns and Villages belonging to the Families of the Cars and of the Scots who had violated the Peace by making Excursions into England and giving Harbour to such English Fugitives as fled to them for Shelter wasting and burning
II. 306 His Duel with Henry Percy 316 Is slain fighting valiantly 318 His three last dying Requests ibid. James Douglas made Earl when William Douglas his Father was slain 386 He accuses the King and Nobles of Perfidiousness ibid. Proclaimed a publick Enemy 387 Marries Beatrix his Brother's Widow 388 Persuaded to a Reconciliation with the King which he refuses ibid. Being forsaken by his Friends he applies to England for Aid 389 And to Donald the Islander 390 Forsaken by his Wife ibid. James Douglas Earl of Morton and Alexander Hume take the Coronation-Oath for King James VI. in his Minority 214 He provides for the Common-wealth at his private Charge 215 Commands the King's Army against the Queen 220 Goes into England with the Regent 224 Sent Embassador into England 261 His Cheerfulness to encounter the Enemy 278 Taken Prisoner and then takes him Prisoner whose Captive he was before 282 James Haliburton taken Prisoner 281 James Hamilton Earl of Arran Admiral of a Navy under James IV. 16 He plunders Knockfergus in Ireland ibid. At last sails for France 17 Is chosen Regent 75 Opposes Archibald Douglas after his Return from France 39 Highly disgusted by King James V. 65 Compelled to change his Opinion concerning the Controverted Points of Religion 79 80 His shameful Flight Vanity and Inconstancy 84 86 Remiss in the Case of George Wiseheart 111 Corrupted by Avarice 112 Put from his Regency and made Duke of Chastle-herault 113 114 James Hamilton returns from France 229 Endeavours to engage Queen Elizabeth of England to make him Regent ibid. But without Success 232 He submits to the Regent 234 James Hamilton Son of the Archbishop of St. Andrews's Sister treacherously shoots Murray and kils him 245 246 James Hamilton a Bastard Brother to the Earl of Arran chosen Iudg against the Lutherans 68 He is tried condemned and executed 69 James Hepburn Earl of Bothwel committed to Prison 163 164 But escapes 167 Banished 66 A Rival to the Earl of Lennox 80 Called out of France by the Queen 171 172 Endeavours to supplant Murray 163 Divorced from his former Wife 198 Procures a Schedule from the Nobility about his Marriage with the Queen 196 Surprizes and marries the Queen 199 Outlawed 173 Accused of the King's Murder 194 His Mock-Trial 173 193 195 Wounded by an High-way Pad 184 Designs to destroy Murray 192 His Challenge answered 209 He flies 210 And dies distracted in Denmark 215 James Kennedy Archbishop an Adversary to the Douglasses 373 Retires from a corrupt Court 376 Disallows the Faction of the Queen-Mother 399 His Oration that Women ought not to govern 401 c. His Praise Death and Character 409 410 James Kennedy builds a vast Ship 420 James Levingston put to Death by the Douglassian Faction 375 376 Lindsy's Obstinacy in following his Enemies 319 James Macgil sent with others Embassador into England 224 261 James Macintosh unjustly put to Death 160 James the Son of Murdo burns Dumbarton 339 James Earl of Murray appointed Vicegerent 60 Settles the Borders 57 Sent into France 63 James Earl of Murray refuses to associate with the Queen and Bothwel 204 But chuses rather to leave the Land 205 He returns from Travel and is made Regent 213 His resolute Speech 217 He meets the Queen of England's Embassadors at York 224 Waylayed by his Enemies in his Iourny ibid. Goes to London 226 Where he manages the Accusation against the Queen 227 Whence honourably dismiss'd and his Transactions there approved in Scotland 233 He is deserted by his Friends 243 Too câ—â—eless of himself 245 Killed by one of the Hamiltons 246 His laudable Character 246 247 James Murray offers to encounter Bothwel hand to hand 209 James Sandiland Embassador from Scotland to France 150 James Sandiland sent against the Thieves 59 Carries Propositions from the Reformers to the Queen Regent 125 James Stuart marries Joan the Widow of James I. 364 Is banished 375 James Stuart the Queen's Brother puts the English to a Retreat 108 Hath threatning Letters sent him by the Queen 130 An Actor in reforming Religion 131 Made Earl of Marr and Murray 161 Iceni and Icium 10 Icolumbkil 26 Idleness the Source of Mischief 345 Idlers Isle or of the Otiosi 25 Ierna i. e. Ireland 69 Jews imitated by the Romanists 381 Issurt or Issert Isle 30 Igerne vitiated by Uter yet he afterwards marries her 149 Ignis Fatuus what 264 Ila Isle see Yla Ilan na Covihaslop 26 Images demolished at Perth 128 Immersi Isle 26 Impostors notorious ones 393 6 7 c. 58 Indigenae who 42 50 Indulfus King of Scots 181 Casually slain by the Danes 182 Indulgence over-much to Children punished 337 Informers though sometimes allowed yet dangerous Instruments in a State 148 Inhumanity to Prisoners 297 Innerlochy 20 Innerness 20 Interregnum in Scotland after Alexander the IIId's Death 245 Inundation of the River Tay at Perth 236 And great Ones in Lothian 305 John Annins writes the Original of the Brittons in Verse 42 Johannes Scotus sent for by Charles the Great 165 Johns or Jeans Isle 26 John Baliol his Genealogy 246 247 248 More solicitous for a Kingdom than a Good Name 250 Made King and surrenders himself and Kingdom to the King of England ibid. He confesses his Fault for so doing 251 Disgusts Edward of England 252 Overthrown by Edward made Prisoner and released 251 252 253 John King of England meditates a War against Scotland 235 Makes divers Leagues with the Scots 236 Enters Scotland 237 The Pope's Beneficiary ibid. Poisoned by a Monk 238 John Son of Alexander Brother to James III. Duke of Albany declared Regent when in France 31 He arrives in Scotland 32 Gets the Queen Mother into his Power 34 Goes into France appointing Governours in his Absence 37 Returns to Scotland 39 Raises an Army against England but makes a Truce 40 41 Goes again into France whence he returns with a great Navy 41 42 Marches into England and assaults Werk-Castle 45 Goes the third time into France and his Power is vacated in his Absence 46 John Erskin sent Embassador into France 63 Of the Queen's Faction 105 Made Governour of Edinburgh Castle 115 Sent Embassador into France 121 John Brother to King James III. put to death 421 John Erskin favours the Reformation 126 Afraid of the Queen Regent 128 Beats the Rebels out of Sterlin 282 Chosen Regent 283 Straitens Edinburgh 286 John Armstrong Captain of Thieves executed 57 John Earl of Athol marries Beatrix Douglas 301 He his Wife taken Prisoners by Donald 408 John Earl of Buchan aids the French King's Son 334 Made Lord High Constable of France 335 Slain there by the English 336 John Cumins marches into England and wasts Northumberland 253 His Treachery against Robert Bruce 2â—0 Which cost him his Life ibid. John Earl of Carick base Son to Robert II. 307 John Cockburn of Ormiston wounded and taken by Bothwel 140 John Cuningham imployed in surprizing Dumbarton-Castle 263 John Earl Douglas's Brother made Baron of
low place so that the Enemies Ordnance might not annoy them Whilst the Queen was conferring with Kircade Bothwel was bid to shift for himself for that was it which she aim'd at by pretending a Conference who made such fearful haste to Dunbar that he commanded two Horse-Men that accompanied him to return back again Such a Load of Guilt lay upon his Mind that he could hardly trust his own Friends The Queen when she thought he was out of Danger articled with Kircade that the rest of her Army should pass quietly home and so she came with him to the Nobles cloth'd only with a Tunicle and that a mean and thread-bare one too reaching but a little below her Knees Of the Van of the Army she was receiv'd not without Demonstration of their former Reverence but when she desir'd that they would dismiss her to meet the Hamiltons who were said to be coming on promising to return again and commanded Morton to undertake for her for she hoped by fair Promises to do what she would when she could not obtain it she brake forth into Bitterness of Language and upbraided the Commanders with what she had done for them they also heard her with Silence But when she came to the second Body there was an unanimous Cry from them all Burn the Whore burn the Parricide King Henry was painted in one of the Banners dead and his little Son by him craving Vengeance of God for the Murder that Banner two Souldiers stretch'd out betwixt two Pikes and set before her Eyes whithersoever she went at this Sight she swooned and could scarce be kept upon her Horse but recovering her self she remitted nothing of her former Fierceness uttering Threats and Reproaches shedding Tears and manifesting other Appendexes to Women's Griefs In her March she made what Delay she could expecting if any Aid might come from elsewhere but one of the Company cry'd out There was no reason she should expect the Hamiltons for there was not an arm'd Man in many Miles of the place At last a little before Night she entred Edinburgh her Face being covered with Dust and Tears as if Dirt had been cast upon it all the People running out to see the Spectacle she past through a great part of the City in great Silence the Multitude leaving her so narrow a Passage that scarce one could go a breast when she was going up to her Lodging one Woman of the Company prayed for her but she turning to the People told them besides other threatning Words That she would burn the City and quench the Fire with the Blood of the perfidious Citizens When she shewed her self weeping out of the Window and a great Concourse of People was made amongst whom some did commiserate her sudden change of Fortune The former Banner was held out to her whereupon she shut the Window and flung in When she had staid there two days she was sent Prisoner by the Order of the Nobles to a Castle scituated in Lough-Levin for Edinburgh-Castle was yet held by Balfure who though he favour'd the Vindicators yet he had not made any Conditions for the Surrender of the Castle In the mean time the Bishop of Dunblane who was sent Embassador into France to excuse the Queen's Marriage being ignorant of all that was done in Scotland after his Departure came to that Court at the time whilst these last Transactions were on foot and obtain'd a Day for Audience The very same day there came 2 Letters to the King and his Mother one from Crock his Embassador another from Ninian Cockerburn a Scot who had serv'd as Captain of Horse some years in France both of them discover'd the present Posture of Affairs in Scotland The Scots Embassador being admitted to the King's Presence made a long accurate Speech partly to excuse the Queen's Marriage without the Advice of her Friends partly to commend Bothwel to the Skies beyond all Right and Reason The Queen of France interrupted the vain Man and shew'd him the Letters she had receiv'd from Scotland how that the Queen was a Prisoner and Bothwel was fled whereupon he was astonish'd at the sudden ill News and held his Peace They who were present did partly jeer and partly smile at this unlook'd-for Accident there were none of them all but thought she suffer'd deservedly About the same time Bothwel sent one of his faithfullest Servants into the Castle of Edinburgh to bring him a silver Cabinet which had been sometimes Francis's King of France as appear'd by the Cyphres on the outside wherein were Letters writ almost all with the Queen 's own Hand in which the King's Murder and the things vvhich followed vvere clearly discover'd and 't was vvritten in almost all of them that as soon as he had read them he should burn them But Bothwel knowing the Queen's Inconstancy as having had many evident Examples of it in a few Years had preserv'd the Letters that so if any Difference should arise betwixt him her he might use them as a Testimony for himself and thereby declare That he vvas not the Author but only a Party in the King's Murder Balfure deliver'd this Cabinet to Bothwel's Servant but vvithal he inform'd the Chiefs of the adverse Party What he had sent Whither and by Whom vvhereupon they took him and found in the Letters great and mighty Matters contain'd which though before shrewdly suspected yet could never so clearly be made forth but here the vvhole vvicked Plot vvas visibly exposed to vievv Bothwel not speeding in any of his Affairs and being destitute of all Help or Hope to recover the Kingdom fled first to the Orcades then to the Schetland Isles and there being driven to great Want he exercis'd Piracy In the Interim many dealt vvith and desir'd the Queen to separate her Cause from Bothwel's for if he was punish'd she might easily be restor'd with the Good-Will of all her Subjects But the fierce Woman bearing as yet the Spirit of her former Fortune and inâ—ag'd vvith her present Troubles answer'd That she would rather live with him in the utmost Adversity than without him in the Royalest Condition But amongst the Nobles there were great Thoughts of Heart the Revengers of the Parricide hoped that at the noise of so famous a Business the Approbation of the Better Part if not All would have concurr'd with them but it fell out far otherwise for popular Envy being abated partly by space of Time and partly by the consideration of the Uncertainty of human Affairs was turn'd into Commiseration yea some of the Nobility did then no less bewail the Queen's Calamity than heretofore they had execrated her Cruelty Both which they did rather by Inconstancy of Mind than by any propense Affection to either side So that it evidently appear'd that in such troubled Waters they did not seek the Publick Peace but rather fish for their own private Advantage many also desir'd Quietness and they weighed within themselves