was memorable for nothing but his breaking with George Earl of March to whose daughter upon the payment of a great part of her portion which he never would repay he had promised his Son David for an husband to take the Daughter of Douglas who had a greater which occasioned the Earl of March to make many in-rodes with our Henry Hot-spur and a famous Duel of three hundred men a piece whereof of the one side ten remained and of the other one which was the onely way to appease the deadly Feuds of two Families The Inter-reign was governed by Robert who enjoying the power he had too much coveted little minded the libertie of his Nephew onely he sent some Auxiliaries into France who they say behaved themselves worthily and his slothfull Son Mordac who making his Sons so bold with indulgence that one of them kill'd a Faulcon on his fist which he denied to give him he in revenge procured the Parliament to ransom the King who had been eighteen years prisoner This James was the first of that Name and though he was an excellent Prince yet had a troublesom Reign first in regard of a great Pension raised for his Ransome next for Domestick Commotions and lastly for raising of money which though the Revenue was exhausted was called Covetousnesse which having offended Robert Graham he conspired with the Earl of Athol slew him in his Chamber his Wife receiving two wounds endeavouring to defend him This James left the second a boy of six years whose infancy by the mis-guidance of the Governour made a miserable People and betrayed the Earl Douglas to death and almost all that great Family to ruine but being supplanted by another Earl Douglas the King in his just age suffered minority under him who upon displeasure rebelled and was kill'd by the Kings own hand afterwards having his middle years perpetually molested with Civill broils yet going to assist the Duke of York against Henry the Sixth he was diverted by an English Gentleman that counterfeited himself a Nuncio which I mention out of a Manuscript because I do not remember it in our Stories and broke up his Army soon after besieging Roxburgh he was slain by the bursting of a Cannon in the twenty ninth year of his Age James the Third left a Boy of seven years governed by his Mothe afterwards the Boyds through the perswasions of Astrologers and Witches to whom he was strongly addicted he declined to Cruelty which so inraged the Nobility that headed by his son they conspired against him routing his Forces near Sterling wherein he flying to a Mill and asking for a Confessor a Priest came who told him that though he was no good Priest yet he was a good Leech and with that stabb'd him to the heart A Parliament approved his death and ordered Indemnities to all that had sought against him James the Fourth a Boy of fifteen years is made King Governed by the murtherers of his Father a prodigall vain-glorious Prince slain at Floddon Field or as some suppose at Kelsey by the Humes which as the Manuscript alledges seems more probability in regard that the Iron Belt a Ring to which he added every year which he wore in repentance for the death of his Father was never found and there were many the day of the Battell habited like him His Successor was his son James the Fifth of that Name a Boy of not above two years of age under whose minority what by the Mis-government of Tutors what by the factions of the Nobility Scotland was wasted almost into famine and solitude yet in his just age he proved an industrious Prince but could not so satisfie the Nobility but he and they continued in a mutuall hate till that barbarous execution of young Hamilton so fill'd him with remorse he dream-that Hamilton came and cut off his Arms and threatned after to cut off his Head and displeased the people that he could not make his Army fight with the English then in Scotland whereupon he dyed of grief having heard the death of his two sons who dyed at the instant of his Dream and leaving a Daughter of five dayes old whom he never saw This was that Mary under whose minority by the weaknesse of the Governour and ambition of the Cardinall the Kingdome felt all those woes that are threatned to them whose King is a Child Till at length the prevalency of the English Arms awakes for her Cause brought the great designe of sending her into France to perfection so at five years old she was tâ—ansported and at fifteen married to the Daulphin Francis after King whilest her mother daughter of the Guise in her Regency exercised all Rage against the Professours of the pure Religion then in the dawn who after two years left her a childlesse Widow so that at eighteen she returned into Scotland to succeed her Mother then newly dead in her exorbitoncies This young Couple in the transport of their Nuptiall solemnities took the Arms and Title of England which indiscreet Ambition we may suppose first quickned the jealousie of Elizabeth against her which after kindled so great a flame In Scotland she shewed what a strange influence loose education hath upon youth and that weaker Sex all the French effeminacies came over with her the Court lost that little severity which was left David Rize was the onely Favourite and it too much feared had those enjoyments which no woman can give but she that gives away her honour and chastity But a little after Henry Lord Darnly coming with Matthew Earl of Lenox his father into Scotland she cast an eye upon him and married him Whether it were to strengthen her pretension to England he being come of Henry the Sevenths Daughter as we shall tell anon or for to colour her Adulteries and hide the shame of an impregnation though some have whispered that she never conceived and that the son was supposititious or some Phrenzy of affection drew her that way certain it is she soon declined her affection to her husband and encreased it to David he being her perpetuall Companion at Board and managing all Affairs whilst the King with a contemptible train was sent away insomuch that some of the Nobility that could not digest this entred a Conspiracy which the king headed and slew him in her Chamber This turn'd all the neglect of her Husband into rage so that her chiefest businesse was to appease her Favorites Ghost with the slaughter of her Husband poyson was first attempted but it being it seems too weak or his youth overcoming it that expectation failed But the Devil and Bothwel furnish'd her with another that succeeded she intices him being so sick that they were forc'd to bring him in an horse-litter to Edenburgh where she cherisht him extreemly till the credulous young man began to lay aside suspition and hope better so she puts him in a ruinous House near the Palace from whence no news can be had brings in her
and he made up two factions which tore the Kingdome till at length Milcoms Bastard Brother himself being in Englaend assisting the Danes fought him routed his Army and with the losse of his own life took away his they dying of mutuall wounds Grime of whose birth they do not certainly agree was chosen by the Constantinians who made a good party but at intercession of Forard an accounted Rabbi of the times they at last agreed Grime being to enjoy the Kingdome for his life after which Milcolumb should succeed his fathers Law standing in force but he after declining into lewdnesse cruelty and spoil as Princes drunk with greatnesse and prosperity use to do the people called back Milcolumb who rather receiving battel then giving it for it was upon Ascention day his principall Holy-day routed his Forces wounded himself took him pulled out his eyes which altogether made an end of his life all factions and humours being reconciled Milcolumb who with various Fortune fought many signall Battels with the Danes who under their King Sueno had invaded in his latter end he grew to such Covetousness and Oppression that all Authours agree he was murthered though they disagree of the manner some say by Confederacy with his servants some by his Kinsmen and Competitours some by the friends of a maid whom he had ravished Donald his Grandchild succeeded a good natur'd and unactive Prince who with a stratagem of sleepy drink destroyed a Danish Army that had invaded and distressed him but at last being insnared by his Kinsman Mackbeth who was pricked forward by Ambition and a former vision of three women of a Sour-humane shape whereof one saluted him Thane of Angus another of Murray the third King he was beheaded The severity and cruelty of Mackbeth was so known that both the sons of the murthered King were forced to retire and yield to the times whilest he courted the Nobility with largesses The first ten years he spent virtuously but the remainder was so savage and Tyrannicall that Macduff Thone of Fife fled into England to Milcolm son of Donald who by his perswasions and the assistance of the King of England enterd Scotland where he found such great accessions to his party that Mackbeth was forced to fly his death is hid in a such a mist of Fables that it is not certainly known Milcolumb the third of that name now being quietly seated was the first that brought in those gay inventions and distinctions of Honours Dukes Marquesses that now are become so ayery that some carry them from places to which they have as little relation as any as Island in America and other from Cottages and Dovecoats his first trouble was Forfar Mackbeths son who claimed the Crown but was soon after cut off some war he had with that William whom we call falsly the Conquerour some with his own People which by the Intercession of the Bishops were taken up At length quarrelling with our William the second he laid Siege to Alnwick Castle which being forced to extremity a Knight came out with the Keys on a Spear as to present them to him and yield the Castle but he not with due heed receving them was runne through the eye and slain some from hence derive the name of Piercy how truly I know not his sonne and Successour Edward following his revenge too hotly received some wounds of which within a few dayes he died Donald Bane that is white who had fled into the Isles for fear of Mackbeth promised them to the Kings of Norway if he would procure him to be King which was done with ease as the times then stood but this Usurper being hated by the People who generally loved the memory of Milcomb they set Duncan Milcombs Bastard against him who forced him to retire to his Isles Duncan a Military man shewed himself unfit for Government so Donald waiting all advantages caused him to be beheaded and restored himself but his Reign was so turbulent the Islanders and English invading on both sides that they called in Edgar sonne of Milcolmb then in England who with small assistances possest himself all men deserting Donald who being taken and brought to the King died in Prison Edgar secure by his virtues and strengthened by the English alliance spent nine years virtuously and peaceably and gave the People leave to breathe and rest after so much trouble and bloudshed His Brother Alexander sirnamed Acer or the fierce succeeded the beginning of whose Reign being disturbed by a Rebellion he speedily met them at the Spay which being a swift River and the Enemy on the other side he offered himself to foard on horse-back but Alexander Car taking the imployment from him foarded the River with such courage that the Enemy fled and were quiet The rest of his Reign some say he had the name of Acer for that some Conspiratours being by the fraud of Chamberlain admitted into his Chamber he casually waking first slew the Chamberlain and after six of the Conspiratours not ceasing to pursue the rest till he had slain most of them with his own hands this with the building of some Abbeys and seventeen years Reign is all we know of him His Brother David succeeded one whose profuse prodigality upon the Abbeys brought the revenew of the Crown so prevalent was the superstition of those dayes almost to nothing he had many battels with our Stephen about the title of Maud the Empresse and having lost his excellent wife and hopefull Sonne in the flower of their dayes he left the Kingdome to his Grandchildren the eldest whereof was David a simple King baffled and led up and down into France by our Henry the second which brought them to such contempt that he was vext by frequent Insurrections especially them of Murray whom he almost extirpated the latter part of his Reign was spent in building of Monasteries he himself tyed by a Vow of Chastity would never marry but left his Successor his brother William who expostulating for the Earldom of Northumberland gave occasion for a War in which he was surprized and taken but afterwards releast upon his doing Homage for the Kingdom of Scotland to King Henry of whom he acknowledged to hold it and puting in Caution the Castles of Roxborough once strong now nothing but ruins Barwick Edinburgh Sterling all which notwithstanding was after released by Richard Ceur de Lyon who was then upon an expedition to the Holy War from whence returning both he and David Earl of Huntington brother to the King of Scots were taken Prisoners the rest of his Reign saving the rebuilding of Saint Johnstone which had been destroyed by the waters whereby he lost his eldest Son and some Treaties with our King John was little worth the memory only you will wonder that a Scottish King could Reign fourty nine years and dye in peace Alexander his sonne succeeded famous for little save some Expeditions against our King John some Insurrections and a Reign two years
longer then his Fathers His sonne was the third of that name a boy of eight years old whose Minority was infested with the turbulent Cumins who at riper age being called to accompt not onely refused but surprized him at Sterling governing him at their pleasure but soon after he was awaked by a furious Invasion of Acho King of Norway under the pretence of some Islands given him by Mackbeth whom he forced to accept a Peace and spent the latter part amidst the turbulencies of the Priests drunk at that time with their wealth and ease and at last having seen the continued funerals of his Sons David Alexander his wife and his daughter he himself with a fall from his horse broke his neck leaving of all his race onely a Grand-childe by his daughter which dyed soon after This mans family being extinguished they were forced to run to to another Line which that we may see how happy expedient immediate Succession is for the Peace of the Kingdom and what miseries it prevents I shall as briefly and as pertinently as I can set down David brother to King William had three daughters Margaret marryed to Allan Lord of Galloway Isabell marryed to Robert Bruce Lord of Annadale and Cleveland Ada marryed to Henry Hastings Earl of Huntington now Allan begot on his wife Dornadilla married to John Baliall after King of Scotland and other two daughters Bruce on his wife Robert Bruce Earle of Carick having married the heretrix thereof as for Huntington he desisted his claime The question is whether Balial in right of the eldest daughter or Bruce being come of the second but a man should have the Crown he being in the same degree and of the more worthy sex the Controversie being tost up and down at last was referred to Edward the first of that name of England he thinking to fish in these troubled waters stirs up eight other Competitors the more to entangle the business and with twenty four Councellors half English half Scots and abundance of Lawyers fit enough to perplex the matter so handled the business after cunning delayes that at length he secretly tampers with Bruce who was then conceived to have the better right of the businesse that if he would acknowledge the Crown of him he would adjudge it for him but he generously answering that he valued a Crown at a less rate then for it to put his Countrey under a Forraign yoke he made the same motion to Baliall who accepted it and so we have a King again by what right we all see but it is good reason to think that Kings come they by their power never so unjustly may justly keep it Baliall having thus got a Crown as unhappily kept it for no sooner was he Crowned and had done honage to Edward but the Abernethys having slain Macduffe Earl of Fife he not onely pardoned them but gave them a peice of land in controversie whereupon Macduffs brother complainis against him to Edward who makes him rise from his seat at Parliament and go to the bar he hereupon enraged denyes Edward assistance against the French and renounses his homage Edward hereupon comes to Berwick takes and kils seaven thosand most of the Nobility of Fife and Lowthian and after gave them a great defeat at Dunbar whose Castle instantly surrendred After this he marched to Montrosse where Baliall resined himself and Crown all the Nobility giving Homage to Edward Baliall is sent prisoner to London and from thence after a years detention into France Whilest Edward was possest of all Scotland one William Wallace arose who being a private man bestirred himself in the Calamity of his Countrey and gave the English severall notable foyles Edward coming again with an Army beat him that was overcome with envy and emulation as well as power upon which he laid by his Command and never acted after but slight Incursions but the English being beaten at Roslin Edward comes in again takes Sterling and makes them all render homage but at length Bruce seeing all his promises nothing but smoak enters into League with Cumen to get the Kingdome but being betrayed by him to Edward he stabbed Cumen at Drumfreis and made himself King This man though he came with disadvantage yet wanted neither patience courage nor conduct so that after he had miserably lurk'd in the mountains he came down and gathering together some force gave our Edward the second such a defeat near Sterling as Scotland never gave the like to our Nation and continued war with various fortune with the Third till at last age and Leprosie brought him to his grave His son David a Boy of eight years inherited that which he with so much danger obtained and wisdom kept In his minority he was governed by Thomas Randolf Earl of Murray whose severity in punishing was no lesse dreaded then His valor had been honoured but he soon after dying of poyson and Edward Balial son of John coming with a Fleet and strengthend with the assistance of the English and some Robbers the Governour the Earl of Mar was put to the rout so that Balial makes himself King and David was glad to retire into France Amidst these parties Edward the third backing Balial was Scotland pitifully torn and the Bruces in a manner extinguished till Robert after King with them of Argyle and his own Familie and Friends begin to renew the Claim and bring it into a War again which was carried on by Andrew Murray the Governour and after by himself that David after nine years banishment durst return where making often Incursions he at length in the fourth year of his return march'd into England and in the Bishoprick of Durham was routed fled to an obscure Bridge shewed to this day by the Inhabitants where he was by Iohn Copland taken prisoner where he continued nine years and in the thirty ninth yeare of his Reigne died Robert his sisters son whom he had intended to put by succeeds and first brought the Stewarts which at this day are a plague to the Nation into play This man after he was King whether it were age or sloth did little but his Lieutenants and the English were perpetually in Action he left his Kingdom to John his Bastard Son by the Lady More his Concubine whom he married either to Legittimate the three Children as the manner was then he had by her or else for old acquaintance his Wife and her Husband dying much about a time this John would be Crowned by the name of Robert his own they say being unhappie for Kings a wretched unactive Prince lame and onely governed by his brother Walter who having David the Prince upon the complaint of some exorbitancies delivered to him to take care of made him to be starv'd upon which the King intending to send his Son James into France the Boy was taken at Flamburgh and kept by our Henry the Fourth upon the hearing of which his Father swounded and soon after died His reign