instrument being first signed and sealed by king Alexander himselfe and afterwards by his Nobilitie was sent to the King of England at Christmasse following by the Prior of Tinmouth who had trauelled diligently and faithfully in this businesse to the honor and good liking of both parties And for further confirmation thereof another writing was sent to Rome to the end that this agreement accord might receiue the more strength frō his Holines This solemne league was established in the yeare of our Lord 1244. Whereupon Berwick was restored to the king of Scotland Carliele which had bin taken by the Scots in the raigne of king Iohn was likewise restored to king Henry the antient limits of the two kingdomes were bounded out by the Kings crosse in Steanmore as before at the agreement made with the Conqueror The often intermariages of the one nation with the other which is the surest band of friendship caused this good agreement so long between them for when at any time occasion of vnkindnesse was offered by eyther of the two kings the Nobilitie of both sides were so lincked one with the other in such an indissoluble vnion that they would not suffer the same to breake out into any hostilitie But to consummate and perfect as it were this Gordian knot within two yeares after the death of king Alexander the father which happened in the yeare 1249. his sonne Alexander that succeeded about eight yeares old when his father deceased was within two yeares after brought to Yorke where King Henry on Christmas day honoured him with the order of Knighthood and the day following he gaue him in mariage his Daughter the Lady Margaret according to the former agreement At this meeting the young King did homage in maner as before his father had done and the League was renewed betweene the two Nations which continued without any tainte many yeares after In the meane time at sundry meetings of the two kings and their Queenes much kindnesse and friendly demeanour passed betweene them to the great reioycing of their subiects on both sides And as occasion required the one would ayde and assist the other For during the troubles betweene King Henry and his Barons king Alexander did send vnto his ayde fiue thousand Scots vnder the leading of Alexander Cumine and Robert Bruis of whom the greater number was slaine in the quarrell of the Father and Sonne against their rebellious subiects King Henrie deceasing in the seauen and fiftie yeare of his raigne Anno 1272. the Scotish king and Queene came into England to the Coronation of king Edward his brother in law where hauing passed the time in great iollitie and acknowledged his allegiance hee was honourably attended into Scotland Shortly after his returne thither Queene Margaret his wife deceased and not long after her death their two sonnes Dauid and Alexander dyed also the elder brother hauing lately maryed the daughter of the Earle of Flanders but left no issue behind them The heauie hand of the Lord ceassed not here but finally inflicted well nere an vtter ruine and desolation on that kingdome by taking out of this world about twelue yeares after the king himselfe and his whole progenie if it bee true that is reported in the History of Scotland this calamitie may seeme to be prefigured in a prodigious apparition at the second marriage of king Alexander for as he was leading the Queene his Bride in a dance according to the manner of such solemnities there appeared to the whole assembly the similitude of an humaine Anatomy following and closing vp the traine of the Lords Ladies that accompanied them The same yeare viz. Ann. 1285. king Alexander was throwne frō off his horse and in the fall brake his necke At his death none remained liuing of his line saue onely one infant the daughter of his daughter Margaret Queene of Norway King Edward vnderstanding what had hapned in Scotland began to thinke with himselfe how exceeding beneficial it would be to both nations if by any good meanes they might bee vnited and made one monarchie wherevpon forthwith hee dispatched Ambassadors thether to make offer of mariage betweene the yong Lady the heire of Scotland his sonne Prince Edward heire apparant to the Crowne of England This was no sooner moued to the lords but forth-with euery mā gaue free consent esteeming it so happy a thing for that kingdome as nothing could be wished more The mariage was therefore readily concluded vpon these conditions That the Scotishmen should be gouerned by their owne Lords and lawes vntill the issue proceeding of them should be of age to take the gouernment vpon them And if it hapned that no issue should thereof spring or should die before ripe age to gouerne then the kingdom of Scotlād should descend to the next in bloud to the King last deceased Herevpon certaine Noble-men of Scotland were presently sent into Norway for the safe conduct of the yong Lady but it pleased not God at that time to giue so great a blessing to this Islād for at their returne home they brought heauy newes of her death also The posteritie of king William of Scotland grand-father to the last King being now extinguished great dissention arose about the title claime to the crowne The realme by this occasion being diuided into sundry factions was in great danger of an vtter subuersion This controuersie hauing depended a long time it was thought fit sithence there was none amongst themselues of powre authority to decide a matter of so great importance to refer the same to the hearing and award of the king of England generally reputed of all the competitors a fit iudge to determine thereof according as law and equity should direct him K. Edward being willing to bestow his trauell to so good purpose and holding himselfe in a sort bound therevnto in regard of his right of superioritie ouer that nation easily consented to their petitions appointing time place for the performance of his best indeuore to effect their desire In the meane time to the end it might appeare to the world that he tooke not this office in hand vpon warrant onely of the competitors intreaty hee caused all the ancient Chronicles records that could be found either in England or Scotland to be perused that if any question therof should arise his pretended interest in this action might be sufficiently approued But although this was made so manifest out of Marianus the Scot William of Malmesbury Roger Houeden Henry Huntingtō Ralph de Diceto others as none then liuing could gainsay it neuerthelesse the Scotish writers haue since that time much depraued the credit thereof by their bare surmises And therefore it shall not be impertinent for the better cleering of this point before I proceed any further in declaratiō of the matter in hand to examine how truely one of the best learned amongst thē hath not long since peremptorilie affirmed that there is nothing to show
in Holdernesse about the latter end of March who thinking it neither fit nor conuenient to suffer the same to passe any further without making the King acquainted there-with the yong Prince with his traine were forth-with conuaied to the Court then at Windesoure The Child beeing brought to the Kings presence presented vnto him a letter which the King his Father had giuen him to the end that if by chance he should be either taken at sea or forced by tempest to take land on the coast of England hee might thereby finde the more fauour with the King The tenure of which letter I haue here inserted as I finde it in the history of Scotland written by Hollinshead Robert King of Scottes to Henry King of England greeting Thy great magnificence humility and iustice are right present with vs by the gouernance of thy last armie in Scotland howbeit sic things had beene vncertaine to vs afore for though thou seemed as an enemie with most awefull incursions in our Realme Yet we found manie humilities and pleasires than damages by thy comming to our subdittes Speciallie to yame that receyuit thy Noblie Father the Duke of Longcastell in the time of his exile in Scotland Wee may not ceys yairfore while wee are in life but aye luys and loif the as maist Noble and Worthie Prince to ioys thy Realme For yocht Realmes and Nations contend amang themselues for conquestes of glorie and lands Èit na occasion is amang vs to inuade athir Realmes or lieges with iniuries bot euer to contend amang our selues quhay sall persew other with maist humanitie and kindnesse As to vs wee will meis all occasion of battell quhare any occurres at thy pleasure Forther bycause wee haue na lesse sollicitude in preseruing our Children fra certaine deidlie enemies than had sometime thy Noble Father wee ar constreined to seeke support at vncouth Princes hands Howbeit the inuasion of enemies is sa great that small defence occurres against yame without they bee preserued by amitie of Nobill men For the warld is sa full of peruersit malice that na crueltie nor offence may bee deuisit in erd bot the same may bee wrocht be motion of gold and siluer Herefore bycause wee knawe thy hienesse full of mony nobill vertues with sic pyssaunce and riches that na Prince in our daies may bee compard thairto wee desire thy humanitie and support at this time VVee traist it is not vnknowne to thy Maiestie how our eldest Sonne Dauid is slaine miserably inprison by our brother the Duke of Albaine quhome wee chesit to bee Gouernour quhan wee were fallen in decrepit age to our subditts and Realme beseek and thy hyenesse thairfore to bee sa fauorable that this bearer Iames our second and allnerly Sonne may haue targe to life vndâ—r thy faith and iustie to bee some memorie of our posterity knaw and the vnstable condition of mans life sa sodainly altered now flurisâ—â—d and sodenlie falling to vtter consumption for thir beliefe well quhan Kings and Princes hes na other beild bot in thair awin folkes thair Empire is caduke and fragil For the minde of common pepill ar euer flowaund and mair inconstant than wind Èœit quhen Princes ar roborate be amity of othir vncouth Kings thair brethir and Nieghbours na aduersity may occurre to eiect thaim fra thair dignity royall Forthire gif thy hienesse thinke nocht expedient as God forbeid to obtemper to thir our desiers Èœit wee request ane thing quhilk was ratifiet in our last trewes and condition of peace that the supplication made be ony of the two kings of England Scotland sall stand in manner of safe conduct to the bearer And thus we desire to be obseruit to this our allnerly Son And the gratious God conserue the maist Noble Prince The Scottish writers reporte that when King Robert had knowledge of the staie of his Sonne in England in the nature of a prisoner he tooke the matter so greeuously that being an aged sicklie man and of long time oppressed with malancholie hee died within three daies after There is some difference amongst the writers concerning the time when these things chaunced Harding placeth these occurreÌ„ts in the yeare 1408. Buchanan chargeth king Henrie to haue dealt iniuriouslie in detayning the young Prince not onely without respect had to the King his Fathers request but also while the truce yet continewed betweene the two Nations which as hee saith was lately taken for eight yeares But I do not see how that can be proued foâ— in the English Chronicles I finde no truce agreed vpon since the battaile of Homildon but once and that but for one yeare in the seauenth yeare of King Henries raigne Whereas it is manifest enough that aboue a yeare before this the Earle of Northumberland and the Lord Bardolfe after they had bin in Wales Flaunders and France to haue purchased aide against King Henry were returned into Scotland and now not aboue sixe or seauen weekes before the arriuall of the yong Prince in England were entred into the Realme with a power of Scottes and comming into Yorkshire were incountred and ouerthrowne by Sir Thomas Rooksbie then Sheriffe of the Shire on the nineteenth day of Februarie in the yeare 1407. The Earle himselfe was slaine in the field and the Lord Bardolfe sore wounded as beeing taken he died thereof shortlie after Hereby it appeareth that either there was no truce at al at this time or else the Scottes made small account thereof taking part with the enemies of the land against their natural King within his owne kingdome Howsoeuer the Sonnes captiuity did for the present trouble the sickly olde King his Father The Scottes haue had no cause sinne to bee much offended thereat For as it is confessed by themselues king Henrie tooke so great care for his education in all manner of discipline fit for his calling as that Realme had neuer before a Prince furnished with more excellent qualities No doubt king Henrie hereby sought in kindnesse to binde him and that Nation to a perpetuall acknowledgment of his singuler loue and fauor towards the one and the other But as the sequell showed the same was little or nothing regarded afterwards The death of king Robert made no alteration in the state of gouernment in Scotland with him died onely the title of king for the other Robert his brother the Duke of Albaine in manner as before so still he inioyed the soueraigne command ouer that Nation About this time or not long before Sir Robert Vnfreuille high admirall of England burnt the towne of Peples on the market day causing his men to make so good penie-worthes of the cloathes they got there as that therevpon the Scottes called him Robin mend market In the meane season the Castell of Iedworth which the Englishmen had held euer since the battaile at Durham was taken by Tyuidale men and throwne downe to the ground Shortly after the Earle of March who before at a Parliament was recommended
left to succeed him his onely child Prince Henry about as many months old as his father had raigned yeares Whose infancie was neuerthelesse mightily supported by the notable valiancie and policie of his two Vncles Humfrey Duke of Glocester and Iohn Duke of Bedford to the one was committed the protectioÌ„ of his person and kingdome to the other the managing of the warre continued in France The death of the two kings comming together within two months one after the other caused much alteration in the state wherein that nation presently stood For thervpon a great number of the French nobility who before had taken part with the EnglishmeÌ„ began to reuolt to Charles the Dolphine The Scotts also became now more ready to assist him then before thorow the hope they had of present aduancement which thing within two yeares after cost many of their liues first at the siege of Crauant in the County of Auxerre and in the yere following at the bloudy battaile of Vernoile fought on the 20. of August in the yeare 1424. At the former conflict besides 1800. Gentlemen of the French nation there were slaine of the Scots their partakers the Lord of Saint Iohns towne Sir Iohn of Bulgary S. Iohn Turnbull S. Iohn Haliburton Sir Robert Lisley S. William Coningham Sir William Dowglas Sir Alexander Hume S. William Lisly Sir Iohn Rotherford S. William Crayford S. Thomas Seaton S. WilliaÌ„ Hamilton his son Iohn Pillot the Earle Buchquhan maister of the French chiualry who in the sight lost his eie was takeÌ„ prisoner But at the battaile of Vernoile of the Scottes were slaine Archibald Earle Dowglas lately created by the Dolphine Duke of Turaine Iames Dowglas his Sonne Earle of Wigton Iohn Earle of Bowghen who as it seemeth had either escaped before out of the Englishmens hands or else had râ—â—â—eemed his liberty besides men of speciall note aboue two thousand In the meane time thorough dissention that arose betweene Mordo then the gouernour of Scotland after the decease of the Duke of Albaine his Father and his vnrulie Sonnes certaine Ambassadours were sent from thence into England to treate for the deliuery of Prince Iames of Scotland This young Gentleman was then greatlie inamored ouer a beautifull Ladie Sister to Iohn Duke of Somerset Neece to the Cardinall of Winchester and to the Duke of Excester and neere cousine to the yong King himselfe it was hoped that thorowe the alliance hee should haue in England by this marriage and the manifold fauours following the same the Prince should haue beene wonne to a perpetuall amity with this Realme which had beene now vnto him for the tearme of fifteene yeares a verie Sanctuarie for the safety of his person and an Academie for the instruction of his minde and vnderstanding The Lord protector and the Nobilitie of the Land were heereby mooued not onely vpon verie reasonable conditions to set him at liberty but also to yeeld him the fruition of her loue which happily the Prince preferred or at the least equally ballanced with the same Before his departure into Scotland hee did homage to the young king of England at Windsor Castell in the presence of three Dukes the two Archbishops twelue Earles ten Bishops twenty Barons and two hundred Knights and Gentlemen in these words viz. I Iames Steward King of Scots shall be true and faithfull to you Lord Henry by the grace of God King of England and to you I make my fidelity for the same kingdome of Scotland which I hold and claime of you And I shall beare you my faith and fidelitie of life and limme and worldly honour against all men And faithfully I shall doe to you seruice for the kingdome of Scotland So God me helpe c. This done King Iames with his Queene were honorably attended and accompanied into Scotland in the yeare of grace 1423. But not-with-standing this his solemne oath his princely education here and all the fauours hee had receiued both at his departure and during his captiuitie if it may be so tearmed whether it proceeded from a bad disposition in himselfe or as I rather take it from the malice of his Nobilitie who for the more part were French in affection this Prince of all other shewed least thankfulnesse for hauing forgotten the former courtesies hee entred into matrimoniall alliance with France then at defiance with that his late affinitie with England being euen then as it were most nearlie naturalized by his issue in bloud and kindred there-vnto Buchanan doth greatly labour his wittes there-with to wash out this blemish in the middest of the splendor and brightnesse of his manifold graces But sithence hee faileth as I take it in the very foundation of that his Apologie the frame which hee would thereon build must of necessitie fall to the ground For hee taketh it already granted that the king of England did both violate his owne faith and the lawes of all Nations by detaining the Prince as his lawfull prisoner vpon his arriuall here on the coast But it is apparant enough as before I haue shewed that either there was no truce at all betweene the two nations at that instant or if there were the same was notoriouslie broken by the Scottes in ioyning those their so great forces with the knowne enimies of this realme against their lawfull Soueraigne so farre within his owne kingdome Admit all that was done without the priuitie of the King him-selfe But how-so-euer the good aged man might iustly pleade his innocencie herein bearing as then the bare title of King how can the State bee excused against whose knowledge an enterprice of that importance could not possibly haue beene attempted if there were any hard measure offered herein by king Henrie neuerthelesse the same was so fully acquited by the inestimable benefit of his pretious education for as Buchanan himselfe reporteth thereof Tanta ingenij celeritas vigor in eo fuisse dicitur vt nullam homine ingenuo dignum artem ignorabat that truly such a captiuitie should neuer haue moued him to haue falne out with England vpon the mariage of the Lady Margaret the Scottish kings Daughter with Lewis the Dolphine some sturres arose betweene the Englishmen and the Scottes with equall losse on both sides but not of much reckoning King Iames neuer-the-lesse being there-with prouoked assembled a great powre and besieged the Castle of Roxbrough from whence he was remoued by the repaire of the Queene his wife thither that informed him of a very dangerous conspiracie against his owne person how-be-it shortly after his returne into Scotland hee was wickedly murthered by his subiects in the yeare 1436. leauing behind him a neuer dying memory of many royall vertues The young Prince his sonne Iames the second about seauen yeares olde at his fathers death hauing raigned aboue twentie yeares was slaine by misfortune at the siege of the same Castle where the King his Father had knowledge first giuen him of the plotte of his finall destruction In
which at the entreatie of the Scottish Duke he forbare to spoile contenting himselfe with those presents which the Marchants offered vnto him and his Captaines Here hee caused Garter King at armes by open proclamation to admonish King Iames who keeping himselfe within the Castell world not be spoken with-all to obserue and performe all such couenants promises and agreements as hee had formerly subscribed vnto and by his seale confirmed to the vse and behoofe of king Edward And also to make sufficient recompence to his subiects for all the domage they had sustained by the sundry inuasions of the Scottes whilest the league yet continued betweene the two nations and this to be done before the first day of August next following And further to restore his brother the Duke of Albanie to his former estate within the realme of Scotland not detracting or diminishing any part of his possessions offices and authoritie which at any time before hee held and inioyed within the same Otherwise if hee refused to satisfie the King of England in all and euery of those demands then hee the sayde Duke his Lieutenant generall would forth-with with fire and sworde pursue the destructioâ—â—â—â—d vtter spoile of him and his kingdome Here-vnto King Iames not knowing presently what answer to make was altogether silent But the nobilitie of Scotland who now were not in any great trust and fauour with their King hauing assembled their forces at Hadington and finding themselues vnable therewith to encounter the puissance of the English armie thought it best to offer a treatie of peace hopeing in the meane time by faire promises to allure the Duke of Albanie from his amitie with England Here-vpon by their Letters dated the second of August they signified to the Generall that it was all their desires that the former contract of mariage betweene the Prince of Scotland and the King of Englands Daughter should take place according to the couenants agreed vpon concerning the same And also that a firme peace betweene the two Nations might thence-forth bee duely obserued on both sides and that nothing had beene done by them tending to the breach thereof Here-vnto Duke Riâ—hâ—rd answered That for the matter of mariage hee was not acquainted with the King his â—â—others pleasure therein and therefore could say nothing to that point but hee had commission to demand such summes of money as their King had before receiued sithence hee no more respeâ—â—ed the obseruance of the couenants agreed vnto at the treatie of that marriage and that the bâ—each of one principall Article frustrated all the rest As for peace he answered flatly that hee would yeeld to none vnlesse the Castell of Berwike might immediatly be deliuered vp vnto him or at the least vnlesse they would binde them-selues by oath neither to remooue the siege nor to relieue the same till it were surrendred or taken by force The Scottish Lords vpon these demands sent vnto the Generall the Bishop of Murrey and the Lord Dernley with these instructions First as touching the repaiment of those summes of money which were by him demanded the same was not due the time being not yet come wherein it was to bee restored againe according to the agreement at the treatie of mariage for as yet both the parties were vnder age But if the Duke thought the former assurance insufficient they would do any thing as farre as reason required to satisfie him to his full contentment Secondlie as concerning the yeelding vp of Berwicke Castell the same was scituate within the antient confines of the realme of Scotland and properlie appertained there-vnto and therefore it could not with-out open wrong bee taken and kept from them The Duke not-with-standing this their plea would not harken to any motion of peace vnlesse that Castell were forth-with deliuered to the vse of the King his Brother The same daye beeing the third of August Coline Earle of Aâ—gile Andrewe Steward Lord Chancelor of Scotland and the two Bishoppes of Saint Andrewes and Dunkell sent to the Duke of Albaine vnto the English Campe then at Leuingtone besides Hadington an instrument in writing vnder their hands and seales contayning such offers of kindnesse towards the recouery of the king his brothers fauour and his former estate that hauing acquainted the Duke of Glocester therewithall and faithfullie assured him of his loyaltie in that behalfe he was presently withall kindnesse dismissed and so repayred to the Lords his countriemen who immediatlie assembling a Counsell he was by generall consent not onelie restored to his former dignities and possessions but withall was aduanced to the highest place of gouerment vnder the king and by open proclamation intituled Lord Leutenant of Scotland In this assemblie the question was propounded what was best to be done touching the dâ—â—â—nd of the Castell of Berwike It seemed good to the best aduised Lords and others amongst them in that dangerous time wherein the Realme was so greatlie preplexed by domâ—sticall dissentions rather to incline to peace though it were with some losse then otherwaies to prouoke so mightie an aduersarie as the king of England would bee vnto them That a good Neighbour according to the French prouerbe would bee a good moâ—â—oâ—â— It was therefoâ—e in the end resolued vpon without further delay to proceede to a conclusion of peace for the present time how deare soeuer they payed for it Herevpon a deed indented bearing date the foure and tweenteth day of the same month of August was presented vnto the Duke of Glocester contayning a contract betweene him Lieutenant generall for the king of England on the one part and the other Duke Lieutenant generall in like manner for the king of Scotland on the other part couenanting on the behalfe both of the one and other that an absteinance of warre should bee obserued by sea and land from the eight daie of September till the fourth of Nouember next following In which time the Scottish Duke did couenant to yeelde vp the towne and Castell of Berwike into the hands and possession of such as by the king of England or his deputie should bee therevnto appoynted According to which agreement the said Castell was deliuered to the custodie of Lord Standlie on the sixe and tweentith daie of the foresaid month hauing then beene in the possession of the Scottes neere one and tweentie yeares but hath euer since continewed English And it was further couenanted on the behalfe of the Scottish Duke that vpon knowledge giuen whether it was the king of England his pleasure to haue the intended marriage betweene his Daughter and the young Prince to take place or otherwise to be brokeâ— off that then he would proceede accordingly either to prepare the mony paiable vnto him or else to the present solemnization of the same But King Edward foreseeing what vnquietnesse was likely to arise in Scotland betweene the two brothers and happely fauoring the Duke more then the King resolued with himselfe to breake of the marriage in speech
seauen yeares after their returne out of Ireland in which time they had inlarged there kingdome South-ward vnto the Scottish sea now called the frith of Scotland About sixescore years after as may be gathered out of Beda the Northumbrian Saxons beeing at ciuile dissention amongst themselues and greatlie weakened by the often inuasion of the Danes the Scottes taking the aduantage entred further into the Land and inlarged their dominion ouer a great part of their Countrie which before was extended to the riuer of Cluide as by all antiquity is confessed Herevpon as Maister Camden well obserueth it commeth to passe that the Scottes who now inhabite the East coast called Low-land-men are descended from the English-Saxons and still speake the same language But the High-land-men Westward are naturall Scots and speake their ancient and peculiar Irish But for more manifest proofe that the Gothes which were sent hither by the foresaid Romaine Emperors were the very same people that were afterwards called Scottes it is not to bee omitted as Maister Camden also well obserueth that as the Lowe-land-men of Germanie call both Gothes and Scottes by one and the same name Scutten so the Britaine 's as appeareth out of their Histories called them both I-Scot King Alfread who translated Orosius aboue sixe hundred yeares agoe turned the Latine worde Scotos into Scittan And at this day our borderers call them Skitts and Sketts more often then Scots There are also certaine Islands beyond those of Orkney now called Scetlant which no doubt tooke that name of their inhabitants the Sketts Thus it appeareth plainely enough that the name Scott was first giuen them by the Pictes their next neighbours and confederates where-vpon the Saxons afterwards called their countrie Scotlandt in maner as they called the Isle from whence they came Gotlandt The Emperour Valentinian the younger being forced thorough want of oâ—her meanes to transport his bands from thence into Gaule for the defence thereof the wealth of this land was not only therby wasted but the strength also much abated by reason whereof the poore Britaines were left for a prey to their enemies the Pictes Scots against whom they were in the end compelled to call in the Saxons for their defence These strangers crossing the Easterne seas arriued here in great numbers and were friendly intertained of Vortigerne to whom the Brittaines had committed the soueraignty ouer them about the yeare of our Lord God 449. The enemy beeing repulsed and the Realme by their helpe reduced to a more quiet estate the Saxons became so farre in loue and liking with this Land that they had no good will to returne home againe Wherefore beeing growne to a mighty People for daylie they still flocked hither vnder some colourable pretence of quarrell they became friends for the time with the Pictes and Scots and bent all their force against the Brittaines Thus were they brought to a most miserable estate by them in whom they reposed greatest confidence not foreseeing how dangerous a thing it is for any nation to entertaine a forraine aide ouer-mighty to bee commanded at their pleasure For after some resistance made by those two Martiall British Princes Aurelius Ambrosius and King Arthur in the end they were expelled out off the more firtill parts into the Westerne corners of the Iland called thereupon by the Saxons Britwalsh and Cornwalsh now Wales and Cornwall where through the naturall strength by situation they might the better saue themselues from their enemies who neuer ceassed to pursue them The Saxon word Walsh signifieth Foraine accounting the Britaines aliens and strangers vnto theÌ„ Wales hath euen hitherto retained both the language and linage of the antient Brittaines but the Cornwalsh Brittaines being neither so many nor so well defended by the mountaines reliefe as the other were in short time forced to transport theÌ„selues to their Countrimen the Britaines on the other side of the Sea who not long before beeing caried ouer by Maximus the Vsurper as is aforesaid had by force planted themselues in that Prouince then called Armorica of the signification thereof as I haue already noted Of this transmigration of these first Brittaines Iulius Scaliger thus writeth Vicit Aremoricas animosa Britannia gentes Et dedit imposito nomina prisca iugo The Saxons being thus setled in this Iland deuided the same into seauen principalities or little Kingdomes which continued in that estate till Egbert the seuententh from Cerdicius the first King of the West Saxons subduing foure of the other Saxon Kings tooke vpon him the Soueraigntie ouer the whole ordaining that from thenceforth it shall be called Englandt about the yeare of our Lord God 810. After an hundred and fortye yeares from thence his successors brought vnder their subiection the two other Prouinces So that in the end the former Heptarchie was reduced to a Monarchie These Saxons were not all one people but consisted of three seuerall Nations viz. The Angles who as it appeareth by their possessions heere were the greatest number the Iutes the Saxons but they were all the Inhabitants of some part or other of Denmarke For proofe whereof besides the authoritie of Bede Maister Camden citeth an ancient Author Fabius Ethelwardus who writeth thus Anglia vetus sita est inter Saxones Giotos habens opidum capitale quod sermone Saxonico Sleswick secundum vero Danos Haithby that is The old England is situate between the Saxons and the Iutes whose chiefe Towne was cald by the Saxons Sleswick but by the Danes Hathbie And as Maister Camden well obserueth there is at this day a prouince in Denmarke thereabout called Angell from whence he supposeth that these Angells or Angles came hither These people were generally addicted to superstitious paganisme sacrificing humaine flesh to their Idolls among whom Wooden and Fria were of greatest account To him they dedicated the third day of the weeke to her the fift calling them after their names Woodensday Friday appropriated to the seruice of them through out the whole yeare Besides these they had an other Goddesse named Eoster in the honor of whoÌ„ they did yearely offer sacrifice in the month of Aprill wherupon the feast of the Pascall coÌ„ming alwaies in or nere that month was is still called Easter The word I take it commeth from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whoÌ„ the Latins called Aurora which is the first appearance of the Sun in the East which the Germaines call Oost whereupon I gather that their Eoster was the diuine worship which these Pagans gaue the Sun at his rising in that month reioysing at the approch of Sommer In imitation of whom the Christians haue since vsed in time of prayer to turne their faces towardes the East according to the manner of the standing of our Churches East West Hereby it appeareth that by the coÌ„ming of the Saxons the profession of Christ which before had taken some little roote was now exterpate plucked vp But after 150. years
Oxford As for the communalty they were well cased in their accustomed taxation paimēts And on those that liued in want he bestowed liberal maintenance To conclude his affability curtious speech his redinesse to heare others speake his indifferency and vpright carriage betweene party and party in matter of controuersie made him both beloued feared the best supporters of authority When the Duke of Normandy had inteligence of the death of the King what had followed thervpō in England he seemed not so much trobled with the losse of his Kinsman as to thinke that therewith he should loose a Kingdom wherof his cōfident hopes had already taken ful possessiō Wherfore he presently sent ouer some of his Counsell on ambassage to Harold to put him in minde of his former promise and accordingly to demand the Crowne as of right it appertained to him Wherevnto after some deliberation they receiued answer viz. First for the promise made by the late deceassed King it was of no force seeing it rested not in his powre alone to dispose of the Kingdome of England at his pleasure neyther though the King might haue done it was hee bound to yeeld therevnto because he came to the Crowne not by right of succession but by free election And as concerning his owne promise and oath hee was vnwillinglie in the time of captiuitie drawne therevnto by force fraud and feare of perpetuall imprisonment made to the preiudice or the Realme and the authotitie of the three estates of the same and therefore they were to bee reputed voide and of no validitie which hee neither ought to performe neither though he would had he any warrant thereto seeing the deceassed King was not acquainted therewith nor yet had his subiects consent vnto it Finally that the Duke had no reason to make claime to the Crowne of England considering he was a stranger to the Saxon bloud and linage he himselfe beeing now by generall consent and applause of the whole Nation lawfully established in that Throne The Duke was not a little displeased with this answer esteeming it a bare and badde excuse wherewith to colour his periurie Therfore hee forth-with sent ouer againe other Ambassadors more seriously to admonish him what conscience hee ought to make of an oath how odious the breach thereof was both to God and man not onely deseruing punishment in this life dishonor endlesse infamie but withall destruction of body and soule in the world to come Harold now vnderstanding that the Dukes daughter was dead who before was affianced vnto him vpon his former promise and oath and was the very foundation and ground-work for the same these men were entertained with lesse curtesy thē the former neither could they get other answer of him thē before he had made Now did al things tend to open war The Nauy was forth-with furnished of all complements pertaining there-to Souldiers were mustered watch and ward set alongst the sea-coast especially in places of most aduantage for the enemies landing and whatsoeuer else was thought commodious either for defence or offence was with all speede put in readines First of al Tosty the Kings brother besides al mens expectation gaue the on-set This Man being ambitiously minded sometimes gouerned in great authoritie ouer the Northumbrians but abusing his place by too much seuerity ouer his inferiors extreame arrogancie and pride towards his soueraigne and malice and enuie at the aduancement of his owne Brothers he was deseruedly banished by King Edward and liued afterwardes in France Tostie at the instigation of Baldwin Earle of Flanders and of the Duke of Normandie as it was thought both hauing married Baldwines daughters began nowe to pursue his Brother with open warre whom long before he had deadly hated in his heart His Nauie consisted of some threescore saile and loased from the Coast of Flanders wherewith arriuing at the Wight hee ouer-ran and wasted the Ile passing from thence he annoyed the Kentish Coast but being terrified with the approch of the Kings Nauie leauing those parts he directed his course to the Coast of Lincolne-shire where at his landing he was repulsed by Edwine and Morcar and forced to retire into Scotland there to repaire augment his forces Herevpon it was doubted that the Realme should bee assailed on that side from thence and on the other out off Normandy The terror hereof made the deeper impression by reason of a Comet which appearing in fearefull manner for the space of little lesse then a weeke together disposed mens mindes as in so troblesome a time it commeth often to passe to an opinion and expectation of some grieuous euent portended thereby But Harold hauing a vigilant eye to his busines on euery side strengthened the coasts all along the North parts with sufficient defence though not much doubting any inuasion that way because Malcolme King of Scotts had his hands full at home thorough the sedition of his owne subiects In the meane time the Duke of Normandie set all his wits on worke which way hee might best effect his indeauors Often he debated the matter with his best experienced Captaines whom he found alwayes verie forward in the enterprize for England The onely difficultie rested by what meanes money might be gotten sufficient for discharge of so costly a iourney For when at a publike assembly of the States called together for that purpose a subsidie was demanded answer was made that the countrie was so much inpouerished by the last warre with France that if a newe should arise it would bee hardly prouided to make defence for it selfe for the which it stood them vpon much more to make prouision then neglecting the same to hazard all for the getting of that which if they got at all they looked to come by at so deare a rate And though the quarell were iust yet the warre was not so necessary as dangerous Finally that the Normans were not bound to follow their Duke into any foraine seruice Thus by no meanes could they bee now perswaded to part with any thing although William Fitzosbert a man highly esteemed both of Prince and people labored the matter as much as possibly he could and thereby to drawe on others by his example hee franckly offred at his owne charge to furnish out forty ships towards this enterprice The Duke seeing hee could not preuaile this way tried what might be gotten by priuate intreaty for the richest men in all the coūtry being come before him he called ech one a part from the rest and so much preuailed by his faire words curtious behauiour that as if they had contended who should giue most euery one offred very liberally so that after the perticuler Items were cast vp accounted the totall summe far exceeded the Dukes expectatiō Hauing thus obtained so large a contribution of his own subiects he further attempted what aide might bee gotten of the Princes his allies neighbors the Earles of Aniou Poictou Le-Main and Bollogne to
whom he promised vpon his good successe great preferments in England Also he solicited Philip the French king offring that if he would assist him in the conquest of this Land to bind himselfe by oth to hold the crowne of him as of his Soueraigne Lord maister But because it seemed nothing cōmodious to France that the Dukedom of Normandy which then stood but in slender awe of the king should be strengthed by the addition of England for the ouer great powre of a neighbour nation is held amongst Princes a dangerous point Philip was so farre off from yeelding him any aide therin as that he did what he could to disswade him from it Neuerthelesse the Duke would not by any means be remoued from that he had alreadie so farre forth vndertaken but was the more forward being now also backed incoraged by the enterposed authority of Alexander Bishop of Rome who now first began to vsurpe a Soueraignty and command ouer Princes For his Holinesse ratifying the Dukes interest presented him with a hallowed banner as an assured token of happy successe wherfore hauing gathered his whole powre in redinesse at S. Valeries a little towne scituat at the entry of the riuer Some the Nauie attended a faire winde which because they could not haue so sone as they would the Normans weried the poore Saint Patron of that place with the multitude of vowes and did ouerload him with their continuall offerings Harold who had all this while with his people waited in vaine on the enemies landing determined with himselfe to dismisse his army and to dissolue his nauy for that time as well because his prouision of corne fayled as also hauing receaued letters frō the Earle of Flanders signifying that the duke purposed to stir no further that yeare which hee the rather beleeued because winter approaching for the sun was returned to his latter equinoctiall period the season was vnfit for nauigation But his armie was no sooner dismissed but he was constrained by an vnexspected occasion to gather together his dispearsed forces For Harold Harfager King of Norway playing the Pirat alongst the Northen coasts had alredy seized on the iles of Orkney intised thereunto by Tosty who had put him in hope of attayning the Crowne and were together entred the riuer of Tine with some few lesse then fiue hundred smale vessels There forces thus vnited they tooke spoile of the Countries adioyning passing from thence alongst the coast of Yorkshire till they entred the Riuer of Humber making what spoyle they could on ether side In the meane time the two Erles Edwine and Morcar gathering vp certaine disordred troopes such as the Country vpon a suddaine could afford made head against them but being repulsed by the Noruegians many of them together with there captaines saued them selues by flight but the greater mumber vnaduisedly rushing into the Riuer of Ouse thereby hoping to haue escaped perished in the water After this blowe they prepared to besiedg Yorke whether being come sooner then was looked the Cittie was surrendred and hostages deliuered on both sides Within fewe dayes Harold of England hauing in his passage gathered what forces he could commeth to Yorke from whence pursuing the Noruegians he found them very strongly incamped hauing on their backes the maine Ocean on their leaft hand the riuer of Humber where their ships lay at Ancre and vpon the right hand and a front they were pretily defended by the riuer Derwine All this not-with-standing Harold assailed them very couragiously The fight began vpon the bridge whereon it is said that a Noruegian alone a long time kept back the whole armie of the Englishmen from passing ouer vntill he was stroken thorow with a Dart. The armies being ioyned the fight continued a good while with doubtfull victory on either side but in the end the Noruegian hoast was wholy defeated of whom the greater number together with their King and his partaker Tostie were slaine in the battaile This victory brought also with it a rich bootie for besides much treasure they left behind them all their ships sauing some twentie of the worst which were bestowed on Paul Earle of the Iles of Orkney and on Oliue sonne to the Noruegian King therein to carry home their maimed souldiers hauing first taken an oath that from thence forth they should neuer molest this land againe Fortune thus smiling on our Harold made him esteeme very highly of himselfe for thinking that the Normans would now stand in feare of his mightinesse hee began to make lesse account of his souldiers not respecting how slenderly hee rewarded them for their late good seruice but reseruing to himselfe and some fewe of his fauorites the whole wealth attained by this victory he became odious to his owne subiects The North parts being thus distempered by this inuasion from Norway he wholy applied himselfe to set all things there in good order and safetie againe In the meane time the Duke of Normandy taking the offered oportunity about the ende of September hoised vp his sailes and with a fauorable winde landed his whole army at * Pemsey Peuensie in Sussex causing his ships to be set on fier thereby taking from his souldiers all hope of sauing thēselues by flight Hauing builded here some fortifications he marched from thence alongst the sea coast to Hastings where also hee raysed an other fortresse and furnished them both with sufficient strength for their defence Here be published the causes mouing him to vndertake this enterprise namely to bee reuenged on the outrage committed vpon his Cousin Alfred whom togither with diuerse Normans Godwine Father to Harold had wickedly murthered To take reuenge on Harold himselfe as well for causing Robert the Archbishop of Canterburie to be banished the Realme in the daies of King Edward as also for vniustlie detayning from him the kingdome of England contrary to his faithfull promise and oth But in any case hee strictly forebadde his Souldiers to inflict anie outragious calamities vpon the countrie people knowledge heereof was presently brought to king Harold who therevpon without further deliberation to the end hee might the more speedily incounter the Normans dispatched his postes into all the partes of the Realme intreating his subiects to perseuer in their loyaltie and duetifull obedience vnto him and hauing gathered what powre by al possible means hee could by long iorneyes hee came in fewe daies to London Hither the Duke sent his ambassador who demanding resignation of the kingdom vnto his maister very hardly escaped with life so much was Harold inraged against him For by his late victory ouer the Norwegians he was so encoraged that nothing could now appall daunt him He returned the Duke answere that vnlesse he would forth-with draw homewards it should be worsse for him But the Duke in modesty replied and in curtious manner dismissed the messenger Harold in the meane season mustering his men at London found that since the late conflict with the
of keeping order they pursued them more egarlie then warily which the enemy perceauing taking the exspected aduantage vpon a sudden turned againe and redily reducing his troopes into good order set vpon them a fresh made a great slaughter of them Many were beaten downe while they were thinking whether it were better to fight or to flie But the greater number keeping their stand close togither on the heigth of a hill and incoraging one the other not to shrinke manfully fought it out a long time as though they had purposely chosen that place to giue the more honor vnto their deaths In the end Harold being shot into the head with an arrow togither with Githe his brother yeelded vp their fainting spirits Edwine and Morcar with some fewe moe escaping by flight gaue place to time the diuine prouidence after the fight had continewed froÌ„ the first appearance of daylight vnto the shutting vp of the same In this battaile were slaine of Normans fewe lesse then sixe thousand but of the Englishmen a farre greater number The Duke hauing obtained this notable victory had no small cause to reioyce thereat neuerthelesse hee attrbuted the honour and glory thereof to the giuer of all happinesse and by publique thankesgiuing acknowledged the same Hee lodged that night in the field his pauilion being set vp in the middest of the deade bodies The next day taking order for the buriall of the dead on both sides he returned to Hastings as well to consult in what sort to prosecute his late victory as also to giue some refreshing to his wearied army But when the wofull relation of this ouerthrow was brought to the Citie of London and to other parts further of the whole realme was greatly perplexed therewith as being then men vtterly forlorne Githe the mother of Harold after the manner of women gaue ouer her selfe wholie to greeuous lamentations and with most humble petition obtaining of the Duke the dead bodies of hir two sonnes she caused them to be buried in the monasterie of Waltham Earle Edwine sent Algithe the Queenes sister into the furthest partes of the realme aduising both the Noblemen and commons to awaken their heauie spirits and to consult betimes vpon some good course for the present reliefe of their distressed languishing estate The Archbishop of Yorke the Londoners and officers of the Nauie thought it best to make Edgar Atheling their King and to gather new forces out of hand to incounter the Duke The two Earles Edwine and Morcar secretly practised how to set the crowne vpon one of their heads But the Bishops and Prelates and such other as stood in feare of the Popes thunder-botls and damning exsecrations held it best to submit themselues to the Duke and no further to prouoke the Conquerors haughty minde by taking armes afresh against him the successe whereof was doubtfull Neither would it auaile them any thing to contend with the diuine prouidence which for their outragious sinnes had giuen them into the hands of their enimies the Normans The Duke in the meane time leauing a garrison behind him at Hastings determined to go to London but to strike the more terror into the Englishmens hearts and to make all safe at his backe he deuided his forces into seuerall companies who ranging thorow some part of Kent Sussex Surrie Hamshire and Barkshire wasted and burned all the townes and villages that stood in their way carrying with them whatsoeuer they found worth the taking Then passing ouer Theames at Wallingford they filled euery place with horror trembling The great men were so possessed with inward distrust and enuy one at another that they wholy neglected the care they should haue taken for the good of the common-weale For to auoide the ecclesiasticall censure threats of the Bishop of Rome who now began to tyrannize not onely ouer the vulgar and inferior sort but also ouer mightie Kings and kingdomes the realme being false into a most desperate estate they so firmely resolued to yeeld themselues that therevpon many prouiding in time for their best safetie left the Citie to all aduentures Alfread Archbishop of Yorke Wolstaine Bishop of Worcester diuers other great Prelats together with Edgar Atheling Edwine and Morcar mette the Duke at Barkhamsteed giuing pledges for the assurance of their fidelitie submitted themselues vnto him Then posting presently to London he was with great ioy and solemne acclamation intertained and saluted with Viue le Roy. The Duke forthwith prepared al things fit for his coronation which by his appointment was solemnized the Christmas following In the meane time he wholy busied himselfe how to order euery thing for the more firme establishment of his newly atchieued conquereâ— kingdome Here ended the gouerment of the Saxon Kings ouer this land hauing continued 600. yeares Some did attribuâ—e this notoriouâ— alteration and change â—o the corruption in the magistrates and the superstitious cowardlinesse of the Cleargie others to the influence of a Coâ—et others immediatly referred the cause thereof to the diuine prouidence that disposeth of Kingdomes by an vnknowne but neuer vniust sentence and decree But they that more strictly examined that point and looked into the next appearing cause cast the blame chiefely vpon King Edward who thorough a vaine glorious showe of religious chastitie tooke no more care to raise vp seede vnto himselfe for want whereof his Kingdome after his death was left a prey to the ambition of man These Normanes were a mixt people of Noruâ—gians Suevians and Danes who in the time of Charles the great exercised piracie vpon these Coasts At length by strong hand they seated themselues in that part of France which they hold till this day about the mouth of the Riuer of Sene. That prouince was theÌ„ called Neustria and now Normandie of the name Norman giuen vnto them because they came out off the North parts These people so much preuailed afterwards against Charles of France surnamed the Simple that he was constrained to make peace with them by giuing his Daughter in marriage to Rollo their Prince together with that whole Prouince for her Dowrie whereof hee created him Duke from whom this Duke William was the fift in lineall descent that succeeded after him Hauing thus farre proceeded and brought this our most noble and florishing Iland of Brittaine vnder the seuerall gouernements of the two absolute Kings of England and Scotland my purpose is as briefly as I can to prosecute the ioynct History of these two Nations onely so farre sorth as the matter shall concerne them both whether it tendeth to warre and variance or to peace and amitie William the Conquerour King of England DVke William hauing by force of armes in manner aforesaid obtained the Soueraigntie ouer this land 1066. was with much solemnitie crowned King of England on Christmas day in the yeare of our redemption 1066. who taking vpon him the part of a Conqueror performed the same in his right kind
for abrogating the ancient lawes and customes of the land hee established others such as either he had brought out of Normandie or that he thought more fitte for the present gouerment of the English nation And further taking from the Englishmen their lands and possessions hee bestowed them on his followers and partakers in his conquest at his owne will and pleasure Herevpon as also by manie other extremities dayly offered more and more to all degrees and estates the great men especially who thorow the greatnesse of their mindes could worst indure so many indignities conuaied them-selues out of the realme some into one country some into another hoping to finde such fauour with forraigne Princes as with their helpe they might happily one day finde meanes to bee restored againe to their former estates and dignities in their natiue Countrie Amongst these Edgar Atheling whom this businesse concerned more then any of the rest purposing to haue sailed into Germanie to his friends and alliance there together with his mother and two sisters was by contrary windes as the Lord would haue it driuen into Scotland where they were curteously intertained of Malcolme surnamed Cammore the King of that Countrie the rather because they were of the bloud and linage of King Edward the Confessor by whose especiall meanes he had beene established in his Kingdome Shortly after in respect no doubt of the possibilitie wherein shee stood to come by the Crowne of England after her brother King Malcolme tooke to wife the Lady Marguerit the elder sister This marriage was solemnized about Easter next following in the yeare 1067. King William hearing what had passed in Scotland and fearing lest this alliance might worke him some displeasure for Edgar had many well-willers in England forth-with sent an Harold of Armes to King Malcolme for the deliuery of him which if it would not be granted then he should denounce open warre against him Answer was here-unto made that hee held it a very vniust thing yea a very wicked part for him to deliuer Edgar into his hands that onely for feare of the losse of his life was forced to flie out off England beeing of that innocent carriage and demeanor towards the King his Maister that euen his greatest aduersaries could no way touche him with the least suspition of disloyaltie Further that he was now bound besides the respect of ordinary humanitie in this case by more straight bands of neere alliance to tender his estate So as King Malcome was no whit terrified with these threats still intertaining Edgar his friends that dayly repaired into Scotland by whom King Malcome being incouraged tooke the oportunitie that was offered For whilest King William was occupied in pursuing the English Rebels he with his armie entred into England wasting and spoiling the countries of Theisdale and Cleueland and the lands of Saint Cutbert with diuers other in those parts For the suppressing of whom King William sent Gospatrike whom he had lately before made Earle of Northumberland in the place of Syward that tooke part against him with the Scottes and Englishmen their adherents Entring into those parts he made the like spoile as was before made by the Scottes so as those countries were grieuouslie afflicted on both sides But yet their miseries had no end for Gospatricke was no sooner returned but the Scots entring those countries againe exceeding their former cruelty vpon the poore inhabitance King William to giue end to these extremities hauing assembled a mighty armie in his owne person entred into Scotland about the middest of August pursuing the English rebels and their partakers into Galloway but they being not disposed to abide his approach fled vnto the Mountaines wherefore giuing them ouer hee turned his forces into Lothiane where he vnderstood that king Malcome was incamped with all his whole powre purposing to make a conquest of Scotland also But when these two puissant armies were euen ready to assaile one the other the Scottish king distrusting his strength and fearing the fortune of the Conqueror sent an Harrald of Armes to enter into treatie of a firme peace betweene the two Nations wherevnto king William was drawne at the length on these conditions First that king Malcome should doe homage vnto the king of England for the realme of Scotland On the other side that king William should pardon all those Englishmē which then tooke part with Malcome against him Further to auoide all occasion of quarrell that happily might afterwards arise about the limits bounds of the two kingdoms it was agreed vpon that a crosse of stone should be erected in Steenmore which tooke that name of the nature of the soile which was very stonie bearing the Armes and Image of the king of England on the South-side thereof and on the contrary-side the armes and Image likewise of the king of Scotland which while it stood for many yeares after was called the crosse of the kings Thus were they accorded and thence-forth continued in friendship while they liued together King William in his returne tooke the Earledome of Northumberland from Gospatricke on whom he had lately bestowed the same and gaue it to Waltheof the sonne of Siward deceased that held it in the right of Alfred his wife the daughter heire of Aldread some-time Earle of that Prouince Waltheof was in that fauour with the king that shortly after he gaue him to wife the lady Iudith his neece daughter to Lambert Earle of Leux with all the lands belonging to the honor of Huntington whereby he became Earle of Northumberland Huntington Notwithstanding these especial fauours Waltheof not long after entred into a conspiracy against the king which although he disclosed before it brake out into open warre king William was so highly offended thereat that he caused him to be beheaded not without some note of cruelty hauing reuealed the whole practise and submitted himselfe to the kings mercy Edgar Atheling returning out of Scotland obteined the kings fauour was highly aduanced but to auoid further danger in which case a Prince cannot be too circumspect he was not admitted without leaue to depart the Court while he liued King William the Conqueror being deceased in the 20. 1087. yeare of his raigne about 14. yeares after the former conclusion of peace whether it was to reuenge the death of Earle Waltheof his cousine germaine executed as before you haue heard or whether he was drawn on by an ambitious humor to inlarge his dominions or as some haue rather thought prouoked therevnto by some vnkindnes offred by K. Williā Rufus who succeeded his father here whatsoeuer the cause was King Malcolme taking the oportunitie while the King and his elder brother Robert Duke of Normandie were at some variance about the Crowne entred with his Armie into Northumberland preying vpon the inhabitants as farre as Chester in the street The King of England sent such forces against him as that entring into Scotland they tooke the Castell of Anwicke putting
all to the sword that made resistance where leauing a garrison for the defence thereof the army returned home And for the better restraint of further molestation on that side the King caused the City and Castell of Carleil which had beene ruinated by the Danes about 200. yeares before to be reedified and peopled againe granting many priuiledges to the inhabitants which they enioy to this day King Malcolme being not a little discontented with the losse of Anwicke shortly after gathered a new powre laide siege to the towne wherat both he himselfe and Prince Edward his eldest sonne by one misfortune or other for the writers agree not on that point lost their liues the whole army put to flight This came to passe in the 36. yeare of King Malcolme his raigne and in the sixt of King William Rufus 1093. Anno. 1093. Though this Malcome had in his time much disturbed the English nation by sundrie harmefull inuasions neuerthelesse by the meanes of his foresaid mariage with the sister of Edgar Atheling the realme of England became of an open and professed enemie an assured friend yea euen a very sanctuarie to his poore Orphaine children for their vncle Edgar a man of great sanctimonie and fidelitie wisely foreseeing and warily preuenting the danger wherein those babes stood vnder the vsurped gouernment of Donald their fathers brother sent presently for them into England The three sonnes Edgar Alexander and Dauid succeeded one the other in their Fathers kingdome Mawde the eldest Daughter surnamed the Good was afterwards maried to the first Henry King of England Mary the other daughter to Eustace Earle of Bulloine the base whose daughter named after her Mother was maried to Stephen King of England This happy progenie the more happy for the vertues of their deceased Mother and liuing Vncle were not onely educated at his charge and instructed in all good nurture beseeming their birth and linage but also when the young Prince Edgar was come to ripe age Edgar his Vncle obtained of king William Rufus a competent powre wherewith now the second time for once before hee had with the like helpe expulsed Donald and crowned Duncam king Malcomes base Sonne in his place hee vtterly expelled Donald and set Prince Edgar in full and peaceable possession of the Crowne of Scotland which hee enioyed during his life King William shortly after deceasing without issue his brother Henry the Conquerors yongest sonne was admitted king of England by the generall consent of the whole nation Anno 1100. King Edgar not onely renewed the league with him which before was continued with Rufus but for the more strengthning of the same he gaue the Lady Mawde his eldest sister vnto him in marriage as is aforesaid by whom he had issue that liued Mawde the Empresse Mother to Henry the second afterwards king of England The mutuall amitie that by this mariage was nourished betweene these two nations during the life of this Henry and the Queenes brothers Edgar and Alexander was confirmed by the mariage also of Dauid her yongest brother with an other Mawde the Daughter and heire of Waltheoff late Earle of Northumberland Huntingtō as before you haue heard by which mariage that Earldome with a great part of Northumberland and Westmerland were annexed to the Crowne of Scotland as afterwards shall better appeare Henry the first departing out of this life in the sixe and thirtith yeare of his raigne leaft to succeed him onely a Daughter for his sonnes were both drowned in their passage hither out of Normandie This Lady was first maried to the Emperor Henry the 4. who dying without issue she was maried againe to Geffery Plantagenet Earle of Aniou by whom she had issue while her father liued Henry the 2. afterwards king of England Notwithstanding that Stephen Earle of Boloigne nephew to the last deceased king for Adela his mother was one of the daughters of William the Conqueror had together with the rest of the nobility sworne vnto King Henry to admit his daughter the Empresse to succeed him as lawfull heire to the Crowne of England hee nothing regarding his oath made no scruple to intrude himselfe into the royall throne Immediatly whervpon he sent an Ambassage vnto K. Dauid of Scotland demanding homage as wel for that realme as for all other the lands signories which he held of him within England where-vnto K. Dauid answered that both Stephen he himselfe with all the nobility of England were all seuerally bound by oath to the obedience of the Empresse his neece as the only lawfull and liniall heire to King Henry her father whereof he for his part made that conscience as that during her life he would neuer acknowledge any other true inheritor to the crowne of Englād King Stephen not a little displeased with this his resolute answer inuaded the territories of Scotland where-vpon much trouble arose to both nations But after the warre had continued 2. or 3. yeares with equall losse on both sides in the end thorough the mediatiō especially of the Queene of England who was also Neece to K. Dauid by his other Sister Mary Countesse of Boloigne as hath beene afore-said a peace was concluded on these conditions That the Counties of Northmuberland and Huntington should remaine in the possession of Prince Henrie of Scotland as heire vnto them in the right of his Mother but Cumberland should bee thence-forth held and reputed the lawefull inheritance of king Dauid that both Father and Sonne should acknowledge and yeelde to king Stephen and his successours for the time being for these signories the accustomed seruices due for the same King Stephen was the more willing to yeelde herevnto by reason of his infinite trobles which daylie more and more increased by the plottes and practises of the friends of the Empresse neuer ceasing to worke him all the displeasure that possibly they could deuise the victory falling sometimes on the one side and sometimes on the other Such was the estate of this Land during his whole raigne for the space of eightene years In the meane season though king Dauid preferred the iust title of the Empresse before the colourable pretext of Stephen yet hee so much regarded the worde of a king that although hee was no doubt greatly solicited by the Empresse to breake of with her aduersary yet would hee not bee drawne at any time therevnto although that troublesome season offred him fit oportunity for his owne aduantage which commendable and Christian resolution well appeared in him when as afterward hee intertayned Prince Henry Sonne to the Empresse at Carliele who being come thither accompained with the Earles of Chester and Hereford and diuerse other noblemen and gentlemen of good account both of England and Normandie of purpose as it seemed to draw the king to their part whose assistance only wanted to the expelling of the vsurper hee would by no means breake his faith with England but resting quiet at home nothing was at
for the proofe of this pretended Superioritie ouer the Kings of Scotland praeter to vse his owne words veteres fabulas recentes iniurias besides old farlies late iniuries I will not stand vpon the testimonies fetched from beyond the Danish and some of the Saxon Kings because happilie they may seeme not much to the purpose beeing without the compasse of the last conquerors title vnder which the succeeding kings of England must make their claime but let vs see what interest they can deriue from and vnder him It is granted that all the kings of Scotland from the conquest till that time haue done homage one after other to the kings of England but not for the Realme of Scotland say they for what then forsooth for those landes and signories which they held of the kings of England with in England I would then gladly know when in the sixt yeare or there-about of the Conquerors raigne vpon the conclusion of peace betweene him and king Malcolme of Scotland for the auoiding of further controuersie in time to come the two kingdomes were seuered and diuided by markes and bounds in so memorable manner as is before declared what landes and possessions did king Malcolme then hold pertaining to the Crowne of England Cumberland saith Buchanane that part of Northumberland saith an other that lyeth betweene the riuer of Tweed Cumberland and Staenmore well but whatsoeuer they were were they not included and contained within those limits and bounds then erected If not to what purpose serued that notorious diuision of the two kingdomes either then haue the Sootish writers erred in the approbation of that most solemne particion or else must king Malcome then doe homage to the Conqueror for his kingdome of Scotland which being granted then let it bee showed how and when his heires after him were discharged of that seruice Againe how came it to passe that in the said sixt yeare of the raigne of the Conquerour Michael the elect Bishop of Glascoe receaued consecration at the hands of Thomas then the Atchbishop of Yorke as of the primate of Scotland binding himselfe by oath to the obedience of that Sea Tothade the Bishop of Saint Androwes did the like at the commandement of Malcome the third king of Scotland If then a Bishop of England had right to this supremacie ouer the cleargie of Scotland why should then the like preheminence bee denied to the kings of England at that time ouer the seculer state of the same kingdome Further what moued King William of Scotland together with Earle Dauid his brother and the Scotish Lords then present both temporall and spirituall to acknowledge and sweare fealtie to King Henry the second forsooth because his subiects loued him so well that for his redemption they would haue yeelded to any conditions whatsoeuer As though king Henry was so vnreasonable that contrary to the custome of all nations he would not accept of any other submissioÌ„ but that he should be the first king of ScotlaÌ„d that became his vassaile when was it euer heard before that kings haue so dealt one with another as though an vsuall ransome yea a very small sum seeing he was taken with the losse of little bloud or none at all would haue bin refused for his liberty I doubt much whether the Lords of Scotland would euer haue yeelded to an exacted subiection for the loue onely of their king especially hauing then amongst them the Lord Dauid a man of so worthy parts as he was no way inferiour to his brother Lastly what mooued king Alexander the third and his Lords to acknowledge the like allegiance to King Henry the third the two kingdomes being seperated in manner as at the agreement betweene the Conqueror and Malcolm Cammoir Therefore these are friuolous shifts because they will not seeme altogether mute in a matter so much importing as they take it the glory of their Nation But howsoeuer some others amongst them haue beene ouer-come with ouer vehement an affection towards their natiue countrie whereby many times they haue suppressed the trueth when it sounded somewhat too harshe for their hearing yet I cannot but maruell at Buchanan a man well learned and iudicious how hee could be drawne into so peruerse a conceit of King Edwards demeanure in this action Where-vnto it is now time to returne hoping a time will come when as this difference shall not be offensiue any more The King of England about Easter next according to his appointment repaired inâ—o the North-parts and beeing come to Norham hee caused all the Prelates and Barons of Scotland to bee called before him to whom he declared his readinesse to vnder-take the deciding of this great controuersie concerning a title to a kingdome That in requiring his assistance and making offer to stand to his finall sentence therein they had done no more then by the duty of their allegiance they were bound vnto whereof if any amongst them doubted they might be thorowly satisfied by taking a view of such records and obseruations as hee caused faithfully to bee gathered out of the best Historiographers of both Nations which then were openly read amongst them which being so fresh in memory no man made further question thereof Wherevpon King Edâ—ard was acknowledged Superior Lord of Scotland of all the competitours and a writing was drawne subscribed and confirmed with their hands and feales testifying this their voluntarie recognition in these words A toux iceulx qui ceste presente lettre verrunt ou orrunt c. To all them that this present writing shall see or heare Florence Earle of Holland Robert le Bruce Lord of Auuandale Iohn Cumine Lord of Badenowe Patrike de Dunbarre Earle of Marche Iohn de Balliol Lord of Galloway Iohn Hastings Lord of Abergeuennie Iohn de Vescie insteed of his Father Nicholas de Sules and Walter Rosse send greeting in our Lord. Whereas all we pretend to haue right to the kingdome of Scotland and intend to declare chalenge and proue the fame before him that hath the best authoritie iurisdiction and reason to examine our right and that the noble Prince the Lord Edward by the grace of God King of England by good and sufficient reasons hath informed vs that the superior domination of Scotland belongeth to him and that hee ought to haue the knowledge hearing examining and defyning of our right we of our free-willes without all violence and constraint do will consent and grant to receiue our right before him as the superiour Lord of our land We will also and promise that we shall haue and hold his deed for firme and stable and that hee shall haue the kingdome vnto whom before him best right shall giue the same In witnesse whereof we haue to these letters put our seales Yeuen at Norham the Tuesday next after the feast of the Ascension of our Lord in the yeare 1291. for the more strong ratification hereof the King further demanded full possession and seisure of the realme of
Scotland as also for the better strengthning of his estate to whome the same kingdome should be by him adiudged wherevnto they all agreed by writing also vnder their seuerall hands and seales as followeth A toux iceulx c. To all those which this present writing shall see or heare Florence Earle of Holland Robert de Bruce Lord of Annandale Iohn de Balliol Lord of Galloway Iohn de Hastings Lord of Abergeuennie Iohn Cumin Lord of Badenawe Patricke de Dunbarre Earle of Marche Iohn de Vescie insteed of his Father Nicholas de Sules and William de Ros send greeting in our Lord. Because that of our owne willes and common consents without all constraint we doe consent and grant vnto the noble Prince the Lord Edward by the grace of God king of England that he as superior Lord of Scotland may heare examine define determine our claimes chalenges petitions which we intend to shew and proue for our right to be receiued before him as superior Lord of the land promising moreouer that we shall take his deed for firme and stable and that he shall inioy the kingdome of Scotland whose right by declaration shall best appeare before him whereas then the sayd king of England cannot in this maner take knowledge nor fulfill our meanings without iudgement nor iudgment ought to be without execution nor execution may in due forme bee done without possession and seisme of the said lands and castels of the same We do will consent and grant that he as Superior Lord to performe the premisses may haue the seisure of all the land and Castels of the same till they that pretend title to the crowne be satisfied in the sute so that before he be put into possession and seisure he find sufficient surety to vs that pretend title to the wardens and to all the cōmonaltie of the kingdome of Scotland that he shal restore the same kingdom with all the royaltie dignitie signorie liberties customes rights lawes vsages possessions and all and whatsoeuer the appurtinances in the same state wherein they were before the seisme to him deliuered vnto him to whom by right it is due according to the iudgemēt of his Maiesty sauing to him the homage of that person that shall bee king And this restitution to be made within two months after the day in which the right shall be discussed and established the issues of the same land in the meane time shall be receiued laid vp put in safe keeping in the hands of the Chamberlaine of Scotland that now is of him whom the King of England shall to him ioyne and assotiate and this vnder their seales reseruing and allowing the reasonable charges for the sustentatiō of the land the Castles and officers of the kingdome In witnesse of all the which premises wee haue vnto these set our seales giuen at Norham the wednesday next after the feast of the Ascensiō of our Lord in the yeare 1291. Besides these two former deeds from the competitors themselues he receiued the like assurance from all the principall officers and Magistrates of that realme So as by a free and generall consent he was acknowledged their supreame Lord and was accordingly intituled in sundry Proclamations and publique Edicts directed forth in his name King Edward hauing receiued at their hands these instruments of allegiance as their proper and voluntary deeds and also their seuerall homages either in his owne person or by his deputies according to the order giuen in that behalfe he was finally put in full possession of the realme of Scotland and hauing occasion to returne presently into England to solemnize the exequies of his Mother hee committed the gouernment and custodie of the realme in his absence to the Bishops of Saint Androwes and Glascoe and to the Lords Iohn Cumin and Iames Steward who before had giuen the King possession At his returne out of England at Midsomer following hee sent out sommons to all those that made claime to the Crowne of Scotland to repaire vnto him and hauing heard what each one could say for himselfe hee perceaued that the question rested onely betweene Iohn Balliol and Robert Bruce so as that all the rest were thenceforth vtterly excluded and barred from all further title or claime These two deriued their titles from Dauid Earle of Huntington brother to William late King of Scottes in this maner This Dauid had issue by Mawde his wife one of the daughters of Hugh Bohune Earle of Chester as is aforesaid three daughters Margaret the eldest was maried to Alaine Lord of Galloway who had issue together three daughters also of whom the eldest named Dernagil was maried to Iohn Balliol the parents of this Iohn Balliol one of the two competitors Isabell the second daughter of the foresaid Dauid was married to Robert Bruce betweene whom was begotten this Robert Bruce the other competitour He claimed the Crowne as next heire male the other made claime in the right of his mother who was the next heire in bloud and as wee say in England heire at the common-lawe Bruce alleadged that hee was to bee preferred before the Mother of Balliol because the heire male must carry away the inheritance of a kingdome from the heire female meeting in the selfe same degree of bloud as in this case it stood betweene him and Dernagill To this end he alleadged a late president in the like controuersie about the Duchie of Burgundie which the Earle of Neuers claimed in the right of his wife grand-child to the last Duke by his eldest sonne which notwithstanding the brothers inheritance was adiudged to the Dukes yonger sonne King Edward hauing heard the allegations and answeres of both parties caused then to be inrolled but because the matter was of the greatest importance life onely excepted and therefore required good deliberation hee referred the further proceeding therein till Michaelmasse following and returned into England In the meane time for his better instruction he acquainted the most learned Lawyers as well of France as of this nation with the whole state of the cause and receaued their generall resolution therein At the time prefixed he repaired againe into the North-parts and comming to Berwicke hee called thither the two competitours together with the greater number of the Lords of Scotland to receiue there a finall end of this controuersie Out of this great assembly of the most graue and best experienced personages of both Nations hee made choise of a certaine number as well English as Scottish to whom as to a Iurie royall sworne and admonished to deale vprightlie the King gaue full authoritie to name him that vnto them appeared vpon the examination of their seuerall titles and the resolution of the Lawyers therevpon which was deliuered vnto them to haue the better right vnto the crowne of Scotland These men being put a part by themselues and hauing examined considered and sufficiently debated the prooues allegations and whatsoeuer could be said on either
side they all with one full consent and voyce pronounced Iohn Balioll the true and vndoubted heire to the Crowne of Scotland King Edward allowing their verdit gaue sentence accordingly Whervpon he was forthwith proclaimed king of Scotland on condition that if hee did not gouerne his kingdome with equitie iustice then vpon iust complaint thereof the king of England might put to his helping hand by some good meanes to procure reformation as he was bound therevnto by his right of Superioritie which in him was anciently inuested Further hee awarded out his writtes of deliuery of seisme at the sute of Balliol vnto the Bishops aforesaid and to Iohn Lord Cumin Iames Lord Steward and Brian Fitz-alline wardens of Scotland commanding them to deliuer vnto Iohn Balliol the full seisme and possession of that land sauing the relieues and other payments due to him of the issues and profits of the same vnto the day of the date of that writ being the xix of Nouember in the twentith yeare of the raigne of King Edward Anno Domi. 1291. also an other writte was likewise directed the same day to such as had the keeping of the Castels in forme following Edwardus dei gratia Rex Angliae c. Edward by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Aquitaine and Superiour Lord of the realme of Scotland To his welbeloued and faithfull seruant Peter Burdet Constable of the Castell of Berwicke sendeth greeting Whereas Iohn Balliol in Parliament lately holden at Berwick vpon Tweede came before vs and demanded the sayd realme of Scotland to be adiudged to him by vs and seisme of the same to bee to him deliuered as next heire to Margaret Daughter to the King of Norway Lady of Scotland by right of succession wee hauing heard and vnderstood the same petitions and reasons beeing diligently weyed and examined wee finde the sayde Iohn Balliol to bee next heyre to the Crowne of Scotland Where-vpon wee haue deliuered vnto him seisme and possession thereof Wee therefore command you that you deliuer vp vnto the sayd Iohn Balliol or to his Atturneys that shall bring with them these our Letters the seisme of the sayd Castell of Berwicke with all the appurtenances together with all other things to you deliuered by Indenture in manner as you receaued the same with the custodie of the sayd Castell to you committed and this without delay Witnesse our selfe at Berwicke vpon Tweede the nineteenth day of Nouember in the 20. yeare of our raigne In the same forme were writtes directed to all the keepers of the other Castels and manors belonging to the crowne of Scotland and being then in their custodie to whom K. Edward had before granted the same Then also in the presence of the new king and the nobles of Scotland the new seale which had bin before committed by King Edward to the gouernors of the realme of ScotlaÌ„d during the time of vacancie was broken and put vp to be reserued in the treasurie of the King of England in token of his superiority and the trust committed vnto him for the ending of this controuersie The next day the Scotish king did fealtie in the Castle of Norham vnto king Edward for his kingdome in manner following This heare you my Lord Edward King of England Soueraigne Lord of the Realme of Scotland That I Iohn Balliol king of Scotland which I hold and claime to hold of you shall be faithful and loyall and owe faith and loyaltie vnto you I shall beare of life and member and of earthly honour against all people and lawfully I shall acknowledge and doe the seruices which I ought to doe to you for the Realme of Scotland aforesaid So God mee helpe And for more testimonie hereof hee caused letters patents to bee sealed deliuered to King Edward in the presence of the Bishoppes of S. Andrewes and Glasco and of diuers others of the Nobilitie of both Nations This done King Edward appointed the bishop of Durham and the Lord Iohn S Iohn to attend Balliol into Scotland and to put him into the corporall possession of the Land which was performed accordingly For on S. Andrewes day following he was crowned at Scone in the Marble chaire in the Abbey the solemnities ended he returned backe to New-castle vpon Tine where king Edward kept his Christmasse that yeare and there vpon Saint Stephens daye the Scotish king did homage to king Edward in manner following My Lord Lord Edward king of England Superior Lord of Scotland I Iohn de Balliol king of Scotland doe acknowledge mee to bee your Liegeman of the Realme of Scotland with all the apurtenances and whatsoeuer belongeth thereto The which kingdome I hold and ought of right to claime to hold by inheritance of you and your heyres kings of England And I shall beare faith and loyaltie to you and to your heyres kings of England of life of member and earthly honour against all men which may liue and die The two kings hauing spent some time there together with much ioy and reuell tooke their leaues one of the other and parted in great kindnes Thus was this controuersie decided and taken vp which had continued from the death of Alexander the last king before him vnto this mans coronation sixe yeares and eight monthes nowe within that tearme of months ended by king Edward to the exceeding great benefit of that nation had not their inconstancie immediatlie afterwards bereaued them thereof and turned the good which they might haue gained therby well nere to their vtter coÌ„fusion as in the History following shall appeare The next yeare afâ—er that king Balliol was thus established in his kingdome a controuersie arose concerning titlâ— of Land betweene Macduffe Earle of Fife who in the time of the interraigne was one of the sixe to whom the gouernment of the Realme was committed and the familie of the Abernethes men of good place also one of these kild the Earle whose brother making complaint thereof to his king was not only little regarded therein but vpon the hearing of the matter in controuersie hee gaue iudgement against him Macduffes brother hauing lost both his land and found the King ouer-slow in taking reuenge for the iniury offered his familie appealed to the king of England where-vpon king Balliol was called to London to answer to the others accusatioÌ„ The two kings sitting together in Parlament the Plaintife propounded his coÌ„plaint The Scotish king beeing the partie defendant was intreated to remoue according to the order obserued in such cases into an inferiour place to answer and to plead for himselfe for it is not the manner of that most honourable asseÌ„bly to admit counsell on either side This disgrace saith Buchanan first moued king Balliol to breake off friendship with England for the warre beeing euen then in that Parliament renewed with France he was thereby the more easily drawne to enter into league and alliance with that Nation King Edward hauing had secret
was surrendred vpon the like condition The Castle of Striueling at the kings approach beeing left desolate and hauing the gates set wide open offered it selfe vnto his entrance King Edward following his good fortune passed from hence ouer the forth and about Midsomer came to the Towne S. Iohn While hee remained there king Iohn now dispayring to recouer by force his manifold losses sought by intreaty to be reconciled and receiued into grace which at length was granted so as king Iohn and his Nobilitie acknowledging their error resigned the kingdome of Scotland into the hands of king Edward in māner following Iehan per le grace de Dieu c. Iohn by the grace of God king of Scotland To all those that these present Letters shall see or heare sendeth greeting Because that wee through euill counsell and our owne simplicitie haue grieuously offended our Soueraigne Lord Edward by the Grace of God king of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine in many things that is to say In that whereas wee being and abiding vnder his faith and homage haue bound our selues vnto the king of France which then was his enemy yet is procuring a marriage with the Daughter of his Brother Charles de valois And that wee might vex our sayd Lord and aide the king of France withall our powre by warre and other meanes we haue at length by aduise of peruerse counsell defied our sayd Lord the King of England and haue put our selues out of his allegiance and homage and sent our people into England to burne houses to take spoiles to commit murther with many other damages and also in fortifying the kindome of Scotland which is of his fee putting armed men into townes Castells and other places to keepe the Land against him defraud him of his fee. For the which transgressions our sayd soueraigne Lord the king entring into the realme of Scotland with his powre hath conquered and taken the same notwithstanding all that we could do against him as by right hee might do and as appertained to a Lord ouer his fee because that wee did render vnto him our homage and yet neuerthelesse made the foresaid rebellion Wee therefore it being yet in our powre free-wil do surrēder vnto him the realme of Scotland and al the people of the same with the homages In witnesse whereof wee haue caused these our letters patentes to be drawne Giuen at Brechin the tenth day of Iuly in the fourth yeare of our raigne sealed with the cōmon seale of the kingdome of Scotland This done king Edward hauing receiued the Son of Balliol in pleadge of his fathers fidelity passed on further to see the moūtaine Countries the Bishop of Durham euer keeping a daies iornay before him after hee had passed thorowe the land of Murrey and was come to Elghin perceiuing al the Country quiet he returned to Berwicke whether he sommoned all the Noblemen of Scotland of whom he receiued their seuerall homages confirming the same vnder their hands and seales in forme following Atouz ceux qui cestes lettres verrent c. To all those that these present letters shall see or heare We Iohn Cumin of Badenaw c. Do hereby vowe and promise for vs and our heires vpon paine of body and goods and of all that we haue that wee shall serue the most Noble Prince and our dearest Lord Edward by the grace of God king of England c. well and truly against all men which may liue and die at all times when we shal be required or warned by our said Lord the king of England or his heires And that we shall not know of any hurt to be done vnto them but the same wee shall let and impeach with all our power and giue them warning thereof And these things to hold and keepe we bind vs our heires all our goods And further do receiue an oth thereof vpon the holie Euangelists And after all wee and euery one of vs haue done homage vnto our soueraigne Lord the king of England in these words I become your liedge man of life members earthly honour against all men which may liue and die And our sayd soueraigne Lord the king receiued this homage vnder this forme of words We receiue it for the land of the which you bee now seased the right of vs or others saued except the lands which Iohn Balliol sometime king of Scotland graunted vnto vs after that we did deliuer vnto him the kingdome of Scotland if happily he hath giuen vnto you any of those landes Moreouer al we and euery one of vs by himselfe haue done fealty to our sayd soueraigne Lord the king in these words I as a faithfull and leidge man shall keepe faith and loyaltie vnto Edward king of England and to his heires of life member and earthly honour against all men which may liue and die And shall neuer for any person beare armoure or shal be of counsell or aide any person against him or his heires in any case that may chaunce but shall faithfully acknowledge and do the seruice that belongeth to the tenements I clame to hold of him as God mee helpe In witnesse wherof these letters pattents are made and signed with our seales Giuen at Warke the 24. of March in the yeare of the raigne of our sayd Lord the king of England fiue and twentieth King Edward hauing appointed Iohn Warren Earle of Surrey warden of Scotland Hugh Cressingham Treasurer and William Drusbie chiefe Iustice and sent a conuenient companie to attend and safe conduct Iohn Balliol and some of the principall Lords of that realme into England he followed soone after him selfe Balliol had liberty to take recreation within the circuite of twenty miles about London the rest were charged on paine of death not to passe out of England till the king had made an end of his warre with France which now he was to vndertake and to that end after his returne home about the latter ende of summer hauing prepared all things fit for that iorney hee passed ouer into Flanders where hee remained vntill the next spring and then returned backe againe by reason of a rebellion allreadie begun in Scotland a little before his going ouer and now by his absence was growne more dangerous then it was at the first thought it could proue The chiefe Captaine hereof was one Wallais a Scotishman whose meane estate had well neere worne out the memorie of his ancestry yet neuerthelesse showed himselfe euen in his greatest penury of courage not incident to a vulgar and base spirit This gallant wearied with his obscure and abiect condition of life hauing nothing to loose besides it neither valewing the same at anie great price beganne to pluck vp his benummed spirites and to be-thinke him-self how to make way vnto the atchieuement of some famous and valorous exploite fortune was so fauorable vnto him that he was sodenly aduanced beyond al mens exspectation for the extraordinary
Earles he gaue Earledomes to Barons Baronies and to others according to their degrees About the beginning of the next yeare he returned to London He was no sooner out off Scotland with his army but presently there was a new Viceroy set vp one of the Cumines who began to raise new stirs there amongst some other they tooke the Castle of Striueling But vnderstanding that king Edward was gathering new forces wherewith to enter into Scotland againe they began to consult what was best to be done not only for the preuēting of his presēt approch but especially for the recouery of the kingdome which was now in great danger by cōquest to be annexed to the Crowne of Engl In the end they resolued with all speed to procure an abstinence from war to the intent that in the meane season the might labor Pope Boniface to take vpon him the protection of the realme of Scotland thereby to auoid shake off al maner of subiection to the king of England for the Pope had lately before so far preuailed alreadie with king Edward as that at his intreaty Iohn Balliol was committed to the custodie of the Bishop of Cambray who vndertooke in the Popes behalfe that his liberty should not preiudice the quiet estate of either nation Engl or Scotland According to this their resolution the lords of Scotl procured Philip de Valois the French king to effect this their desired truce which was granted for eleuen months to Whitsontide following beeing the more easilie cōpassed by him by reasō king Edward had lately before married his sister Hereupon for this time the army was dissolued being euen ready to haue entred into Scotlād In the meane time the Scotish lords sent Ambassadors to Rome presēting to the Pope a grieuous complaint of the proceedings of king Edward That hee was fully bent to make a conquest of their country vnlesse it would please his Holines by the vertue of his prerogatiue in such cases to cōpound order all differences as wel amongst thēselues as also betweene the king of Engl and them at his will and pleasure wherunto they would willingly submit themselues The Pope gaue eare to their petition hoping to gaine somthing by the bargaine for with him no peny no Pater noster And first he began to quarrel with king Edward because he would not at his intreatie restore vnto Edward Balliol those landes in England which descended vpon him by the death of Iohn Balliol his father now latelie deceassed Then he forbad him from thence-forth to make war with the Scots because they had submitted themselues to the protection of the Sea Apostolicall in whose power it now only rested to dispose of their kingdome as seemed best to the same And by way of preuention he further declared that al such homage fealtie as the kings of Scotland in former times had done to the kings of England was onely for Tiuidale Penreth and such other Lands as they held within England and not for the realme of Scotland as hee would haue it Lastly whereas the kings of Scotland had some-times serued the kings of England in their warres both at home and abroade and had bin sondry times present at their coronations al this proceeded of their voluntary accord and especial fauor towards them by reason of their neerenesse in bloud and not as he tooke it of any duty binding them thereto King Edward in his answere herevnto proued by euident reasons that the right of Superiority and command ouer the realme of Scotland did iustlie belong vnto him and that the allegations made to the contrarie were vaine and frivolous Besides the kings letters the Nobility also of the realme being now assēbled in Parliament at Lincolne ioyned in the framing of an other letter answering in the name of the three estates vnto that poynt of the Popes pretended right to intermeddle in the cause betweene the king their maister and the Lords of Scotland that it was neuer before knowne that the kings of England had answered or of right ought to answere for any thing they clamed before any iudge ecclesiasticall or seculer yea though the king would therevnto yeald yet wold they neuer giue their consentes vnto it seeing it would so much preiudice his dignity royall and the ancient customes and priuileges of the realme This letter bare date the twelft of February in the yeare of grace 1301. and was signed vnder the hands and seales of these Noblemen whose names follow viz. Iohn Earle Warren Thomas Earle of Lancaster Ralfe de Monthermer Earle of Glocester Herford Humfrey de Bohum Earle of Hereford and Essex and Constable of England Roger Bigod Earle of Norfolke Marshall of England Guie Earle of Warwick Richard Earle of Arundel Audomar de valence lord of Monterney Henry de Lancaster Lord of Monmouth Iohn de Hastings Lord of Bergeuenny Henry de Percy Lord of Topeliffe Edmond de Mortimer Lord of Wigmor Robert fitzwater Lord of Woodham Iohn de Saint Iohn Lord of Hannake Hugh de veer Lord of Swanestampe William de Brewse Lord of Gower Robert de Mounthault Lord of Hewarden Robert de Tateshal Lord of Wokeham Reignald de Grey Lord of Ruthin Henry de Gray Lord of Codnore Hugh Bardalfe Lord of Wormegaie Robert de Clifforde Chatellaine of Appleby Peter de Malow Lord of Mulgreene Philip Lord of Kine Robert Fitz Roger Lord of Claueringes Ioh. de Mohun Lo. of Dunester Almerick de S. Amonde Lord of Widehay Williā de Ferrers Lo. of Groby Alaine de Zouche Lo. of Asby Theobalde de Vernon Lo. of Webbeley Tho. de Furniuall Lo. of Schefield Tho. de Moulton Lo. of Egremont William Latimer Lo. of Corbie Tho. Lord Berkeley Foulke Fitzwarren Lo. of Mitingham Iohn Lo. Seagraue Edmond de Enicourt Lo. of Thurgerton Peter Corbet Lord of Cans William de Cantelow Lord of Rauensthorpe Iohn de Beauchampe Lo. of Hacchie Roger de Mortimere Lo. of Penkethlin Iohn Fitz Reinald Lord of Blenleuenie Ralfe de Neuell Lord of Rabie Brian Fitz-Alaine Lo. of Bedale William Marshall Lord of Heugham Walter Lo. Huntercombe Williā Martin Lo. of Camies Henrie de Thies Lord of Chilton Roger de Ware Lo. of Isefield Iohn de Riuers Lo. of Augre Iohn de Lancaster Lo. of Grisedale Robert Fitz-Paine Lo of Lumnier Henry Tregoz Lord of Garings Robert Pipard Lo. of Lomford Walter Lord Faucomberg Roger le Strange Lord of Ellesmere Iohn le Strange Lo. of Cuokin Tho. de Chances Lo. of Norton Water de Beauchampe lor. of Alecester Rich. Talbot lor. of Eccleswell Iohn Butetourt lord of Mendesham Iohn Eugain lor. of Colum Hugh de Poynes lor. of Corneualet Adam lord of Welles Simond lord Montacute Iohn lord Sulle Iohn de Moells lord of Candeburie Edmond Baron Stafford Iohn Louell lord of Hackings Edmond lor. of Elchimhonocks Ralfe Fitz-William lo. of Grimthope Robert de Scales lor. of Neusells William Tuchet lo. of Lewenhales Iohn Abadan lor. of Deuerstone Iohn de Hatterings lor. of Graston Robert
in the beginning of the fift yeare of his raigne hee intered into Scotland accompanied with the greater number of his Nobilitie amongst whom Peter Gauestonne whom he now created Earle of Cornewall was in greatest fauour with him on whom also hee bestowed the signorie of the I le of Man which within three yeares after Bruse recouered from him King Edward raunging his people in battell aray passed thorough the country as farre as Reufren and then returned againe with little or no resistance For Bruse beeing not yet of sufficient power to incounter his huge Armie kept himselfe out of his walke knowing king Edward could not tary long there because he had taken such order before that nothing remained wherwith to relieue so great a number He was no sooner turned home-ward but the Scots were ready to follow him at his heeles so as entring into Lothian they did great hurt to the inhabitants and returned at their pleasure before they could be ouertaken by the Englishmen King Edward comming to Berwicke stayed there all the next winter and fortified the Towne with a strong wall and ditch somewhat hee caused to be done likewise at Roxbrugh and Norham which two Castells he committed to the custodie of the Earles of Cornewall and Glocester and so the next spring returned into England and ceassing any further at this time to prosecute his affayres in Scotland he turned all his malice and fury against his own subiects amonst whome the Earles of Lancaster Glocester and Warwicke being not able any longer to indure the outragious pride and insolencie of Gauestone supported against them by the vnmeasurable and doting affection of the king towards him sought meanes to haue him apprehended and once againe banished or if they fayled therof then to bee reuenged some other way The king hauing knowledge of their intent conueied him to the Castle of Scarbrugh not so closely but that it was made knowne to the Lordes his aduersaries who pursuing him presentlie thither they forced him to yeelde himselfe into their handes and in conclusion without further aduisement Guye Earle of Warwick caused his head to bee stroken off The King not without cause tooke this their vnlawfull act in such scorne as that euer after though for the present he dissembled his displeasure hee fought occasion how to bee reuenged By reason of this priuie hart-burne betweene the king and his Nobles the Scotish affayres were neglected on all parts so as in the meane season Bruse had brought vnder his obedience the better part of that kingdome Wherefore it was now high time to do somewhat if the king made any reckoning to hold that nation in such state as it was left by the late deceassed king his Father Heerevpon hee once againe assembled a puissant and gallant armie such as for multitude gorgious aray was neuer seene before in Scotland purposing not onlie to make a full conquest thereof but to leaue behind him such store of English people as should be sufficient to inhabite those Countries which thorough the long continuance of warre were left well neere desolate Bruse vnderstanding of this great preparation forslaked no time to make what resistance hee could And by how much hee was ouer weake in power to resist his aduersarie it behooued him to bee so much the more circumspect by art and policie to get what aduantage hee could against him Hauing therefore brought his armie which consisted of some thirty fiue thousand such men as reposed theyr whole confidence for life landes and else whatsoeuer onely in the force and courage of their handes and hearts to the further banke of the Riuer Bannock there hee stayed the comming of the Conqueror This Riuer runneth into the Furth hauing very high and steepe bankes on both sides and here and there certaine straite and narrow passages ouer it some-what also beneath the cliftes before his fall it lieth flat but the passage ouer there was hindered thorough certaine suncken marrish grounds and quagmires neuerthelesse at that time of the yeare passable enough in many places In these plots he caused deepe ditches to bee cast and sharpe pointed stakes of wood to bee strucken downe in them in such manner as hauing their toppes couered with light turues they might easilie deceiue those that fore-cast no such perill And where the passage was more firme hee caused Caltroppes to bee scattered for the annoyance of the horsemen When euery thing was thus disposed and framed to his best aduantage the King of England approching with his royall Armie set his people in battaile araye on this side the riuer ouer-against the Scots The first day was spent with certaine light skirmishes betweene the horse-men not much to the losse or gaine of either partie Though the night at that time of the yeare was there very short or none at all being the xxiii day of Iune yet such was the earnest desire on eyther side to ioyne in fight as that vnto them both it seemed ouer-long Bruse lead the middle battaile hauing his brother on his right hand and Randolph on the left The English Armie was marshalled in the same manner thoroughly interlined with good store of Archers The men of Armes gaue the first onset and rushing together vpon the hidden points of those stakes that were set for that purpose they were all ouer-throwne before they could come neere the Scots who watching the expected aduantage and falling vpon them readily made an exceeding bloudy slaughter of them They that escaped made so confused a retraite as the maine battaile of foot-men that followed them was not a little thereby disordered The Scottes therewith ioyned with them hand to hand and maintained the fight very valiantly but the English Archers fot a time were very troublesome vnto them vntill certaine light horse-men assailing them at their backes ouer-threw a great number and dispersed the rest But yet the enemies force preuailed not so much as did his ftaud here againe for the rascall sort men women and boyes that attended their cariages mounting vpon their Cart-iades and other Draught-cattle with their sherts aboue their other garments and banners and flagges made of their sheetes and aprons and such like stuffe fastned to the tops of long poles shewed themselues a farre off descending from the top of an high hill as if it had beene a new Armie hasting to the ayde of their fellowes This sight stroke such a terror in those of the English Army that were neerest vnto it as that forth-with they betooke them to their heeles The rest supposing the danger greater then it was and beeing therwith much disordered fled all for feare they knew not whereof their Captaine 's not beeing able by any meanes to keepe them in Exceeding great slaughter was made of the common souldiers in the chase King Edward with some fifteene Earles in his companie with much difficultie escaped by flight being receiued by the Earle of Marche into his Castle of Dunbar from whence they were conueied by
sea to Berwicke Of the Nobilitie of England were slaine Gilbert Earle of Glocester Robert Lord Clifford the Lord Giles Argentine whose death Bruse much lamented for the great loue that was betweene thē afore-time in England the Lord Panie Tiptost the Lord William Marshall the Lord Reginold Damiecourt the Lord Edmond de Manley the kings Steward with other to the number of forty two Of knights threescore and seuen The Earle of Hereford the Lord Iohn Seagraue and others to the number of two and twentie men of name were taken prisoners Of the Scots were slaine about foure thousand amongst whom Sir William Weapont and Sir Walter Ros were the principall men of account This was the most notable victorie that euer the Scots had ouer the Englishmen which came to passe only by the misguiding and want of experience in their leaders and captaines presuming ouer much of their aduantage in number furniture of weapons neither were they so circumspect as it behoued them to be in the discouery of aduātage or disaduantage which the plot of ground where the battel was fought might afford to the one side more then to the other For they might haue coniectured euen by Bruse his abiding in the field with so small a power against so great a puissance being of Englishmē more then two to one Scot that he relied more vpon the successe of his hidden deceipts then of his owne strength This battell was fought on Midsummer day in the yeare 1314. Here-upon Striueling Castle was rendred vp Bruse his wife was vpon exchange sent home hauing beene in England about eight yeares After Bruse had thus fortunatlie recouered his kingdome he was by generall consent of his subiects confirmed and established in the same The Crowne was intailed vpon the heyres Males of his bodie lawfully begotten and for want of such issue to remaine to his brother Edward Bruse and the Heyres Males of his bodie and for default thereof the same should descend vpon the Ladie Margery the Kings eldest daughter whome onelie hee begat on his first wife sister to the Earle of Mar. Which Lady by the aduice of his Noblemen was bestowed in marriage on Walter high Steward of Scotland on whose posteritie the Crowne shortlie after descended and in the same familie continueth till this day taking that surname of the office which theyr Ancestors bare and was first bestowed on Walter the sonne of Fleance by King Malcolme Cammore for his notable seruice against the Rebelles of Galloway What thorough the losse of so many mens liues and the domage which our Nation susteyned at this last battell and the great dearth and death of man and beast that thorough the vnseasonable state of those times continued for the space of three yeares after small resistance or none at all was made against the Scots who taking the benefit of this aduantage ceassed not exceedinglie to annoye and trouble the Realme by their continuall incursions Hereof Pope Iohn the 22. taking compassion at the Kings sute sent ouer two Cardinalles Gancellino his Chancellor and Lucas de Frisco to mediate a peace betweene the two Nations But king Robert held it yet out of season to hearken thereunto hauing as he tooke it not sufficiently beene satisfied for his former losses and displeasures Whereupon these iollie Chaplaines proceeded against him with all extremitie denouncing him and all his fautors accursed and putting his kingdome whereof they accounted him but a vsurper vnder interdiction But all these bumbaced skarre-crowes nothing abated king Roberts corage who still following his good hap while the time best serued for it held on his former course so eagerlie as that in short time hee recouered the Castles and townes of Harbottle Warke Medford and Berwicke which last it is said was betrayed by Peter Spalding the Gouernor hauing remained English one and twenty yeares together Neither would king Robert limit his kingdome by the ancient boundes but inlarged the same euen vnto New-castle vpon Tine At this time also the Scots obtained diuers victories in Ireland thorough the manhood of Edward Bruse their kings brother who neuerthelesse in the end was slaine in battell and aboue fiue thousand Scots with him His head was brought ouer and presented to king Edward by Iohn Birmingha◠for the which good seruice now and at 〈◊〉 other times in Ireland the king gaue him the Earledome of Lowth to him his heyres Males and the Baronie of Athird to him and his heires generally of his body begotten The realme of England now being somewhat recouered of the hard estate it stood in the last three yeares King Edward was desirous to make triall if happily he might rubbe out the blemish of the late blowe receiued of his enemies in Scotland Hauing therefore assembled his Armie at Yorke who for the more patt were handy-crafts men and Artificers passing from thence he layde siege to Berwicke The Scottes in the meane time vnder the conduct of Thomas Randolph entring England on the other side put all to fire and sword little resistance being made against them for those countries lay well neere desolate since their inuasion the yeare before The Archbishop of Yorke could not indure the enimies approach so neere him being now come within two or three dayes marche of the Citie and therefore assembling such people as for the present hee could get men that were readiest at his command hee aduentured like a bold Champion to encounter the Scots of whom ouer-late he learned this lesson Ne sutor vltra crepidam For the greater number of these gallants some two thousand were knockt downe before they saw their enimies who by setting certaine Haystackes on fire and taking the winde of them were vpon them ere they knew what it meant The Archbishop and the Bishop of Elye Lord Chancellor with the Abbot of Selby escaped by flight but Nicholas Fleming the Maire of Yorke that stucke better to it was slaine This hapned on the 12 of October 1319. at a place called Mitton vpon Swaile And because this armie consisted most of Surplisse men it was in derision called the white battaile but most of them found it a black daie King Edward feareing least the Scotts intended some further mischiefe brake vp his siege and returned to Yorke where vnderstanding that the enemy was with-drawne home-ward he likewise tooke his way towards London The next yeare passed ouer without any stirring on either side the rather because the two Kings were disquieted at home by their owne subiects In the meane time at the procurement of King Edward the Pope sent hyther his leaden bulles which aduantaged him their weight in gold for hee is the best alchimist in Europe to the Archbishops of Canterburie and Yorke commanding them that vnlesse the Scottish king would fourth-with make satisfaction for the wronges done to the realme as well concerning the state ecclesiasticall as temporall they should proceede to the denouncing of sentence against him and all his adherentes But the Scottes made
thirteenth day of the same mōth wherein was slaine nowe and the night before besides the Regent himselfe Robert Bruse Earle of Carricke William Haie Constable and Robert Keithe Marshall of Scotland with diuerse other Lords and Leardes of good account in the whole to the number of aboue fiue thousand Hereupon diuerse of the Scottish Nobility submytting themselues to Balliol hee was forthwith proclamed and on the 25. day of this present month of August crowned King of Scotland in the yeare of our Lord GOD 1332. This his fortunate successe hauing within lesse then a month attayned a Kingdome greatlie daunted the aduerse partie who presently thereupon conuaied the young king together with his wife for their more safty into France hoping that by the helpe of Philip the French king his fathers especiall friend while he liued he should one day inioy his kingdome which for the present was thus vsurped by his aduersarie To which end his fauoreres in the meane time neuer ceased to oppose themselues against Balliol in so much as in December following they droue him out of Scotland forceing him to with-drawe himselfe into Westmerland where hee was honorablie entertayned of the Lord Clifford in requitall whereof hee promised that when hee was once established in his Kingdome hee would giue him Dowglasse-daile in as ample manner as his Ancestour had the same of the gift of King Edward the first which afterwardes hee performed accordinglie Balliol hauing renewed his forces in England about the beginning of the next yeare though King Edward would not openlie shewe himselfe a partie therein layed siedge to the towne of Berwike at which time the Brusian Scottes entred into Gelsland by the West Marches wasting the Countrie where they passed along The King of England being aduertised therof-thought himselfe sufficiently discharged there by of his promise passed aforetime to young Bruse but hee might better haue pleaded his nonage at the making thereof and therefore tooke it to bee nowe lawfull enough openlie to aide his Cousin Balliol in the recouerie of his pretended title to the Crowne of Scotland It is not to bee doubted but King Edward would not in this case haue preferred Balliol before Bruse who besides that hee had married his Sister was also in bloud nearer vnto him then the other had hee not hoped as it came to passe to take vp the controuersie betweene them to his owne aduantage Hauing therefore assembled a strong army hee came therewith to the siedge of Berwicke together with his brother Iohn of Eltham Earle of Cornewall and gaue assault to the same both by Land and sea The towne after it had beene besiedged about three monthes was not able longer to hold out which beeing well knowne to Archibald Dowglasse the new elected gouernour and head of the Brusian faction hee approched the assailants with all the power hee could make resoluing with himselfe against the aduice of the better experienced to try it out by dint of sword with out any more stay Being come within the view both of his friends and foes he imbattayled his army in three companies on a hill directly ouer against the English host which had the like aduantage of ground also After some pause the armies on both sides descended one towards the other At the first incounter the Englishmen of purpose giuing ground the Scottes pursued them so egarlie as that by recouering their former aduantage they did beate them downe-right before them so that what in fight and slight the slaughter was very great For besides their generall three valiant Gentlemen the Sonnes of Walter Steward Vncles to him that succeeded the Brusian linage in Scotland the Earles of Rosse Southerland and Carrike Andrewe Iames and Simon Frasier all well neere of the better sort to the number of aboue foure hundred were slaine in the battaile but of the common souldiers not so fewe as fourteene thousand This bloudie battaile was fought at Halidon hill besides Berwike on Mary Magdalines day in the yeare of our Lord 1333. Immediatly vpon this ouerthrowe Alexander Seaton and Patrike Dumbar despayring of any succour yeelded vp the towne and Castle to king Edward life and goods only reserued and binding themselues by oth thence-forth to become his true subiects Patrike Dūbar was further inioyned to re-edifie the Castell of Dumbar at his owne charge hauing latelie before throwne it downe because hee was vnable to defend it against the Englishmen readie to assault the same VVhat credit is here to be giuen to Hector Boetius charging King Edward to haue vniustlie executed two Sonnes of Sir Alexander Seatons the one a pleadge the other a prisonner because hee would not yeelde vp the towne at the approach of the gouernour I leaue it to the consideration of the indifferent reader For mine owne part I cannot but hold him much suspected his report alone carrying so little showe of truth for as it seemeth by the Scottish Cronicle Patrike Dumbar had as great a commaunde in Berwike as the other whose consent alone could not haue effected King Edwards desire so as hee might haue laied the fault vpon his companion and fellowe Comissioner in the gouernment of the towne and thereby haue iustly excused himselfe neither surely would hee haue brooked so great an iniurie at the kings hands much lesse euer haue acknowledged and continewed his sworne allegiance vnto him if hee had had the least sparke of that spirit wherewith Buchanan feyneth his wife to be possessed vpon that occasion The King of England after this his first and fortunate battaile in Scotland leauing sufficient forces behinde him with the Lord Richard Tailbote wherwith to aide Balliol in the pursute of this warre returned home-wards Balliol being thus strengthned passed at his pleasure thorough Scotland placing Englishmen and others his partakers in garrison in the greater number of the Castells fortresses of that Realme and in a Parliament called at Perthe in September following hee was further confirmed King of Scotland diuerse of the Scottish Nobility there assembled binding themselues by othes to continew his loyall and faithfull subiects Hereat hee repealed all such actes and graunts which Robert Bruse late King of Scotland had ratified for the disposing of the Lands and possessions of sundry Scottish Lords at his pleasure which were now restored to their former possessors acknowledging their allegiance and homages vnto him for the same After the purification of the Virgine Mary King Edward repayred to Yorke where Balliol by appoyntment should haue met him to haue don homage and fealty vnto him but because he feared to be surprised in his passage by his aduersaries hee sent his excuse by the Lord Henry Beumont and the Lord William de Montaigne The king therefore passing further Northwards held his VVhitsontide at Newcastell vpon Tine with great royaltie whether the Scottish king repayred and there did homage vnto king Edward for the Realme of Scotland and also sweare fealtie vnto him as to the superior Lord ouer the same
acknowleding to hold that Realme of him his heires and successors for euer At this meeting Balliol freelie gaue to king Edward the Castells and townes of Berwike Roxbrugh Peplies Dunfries Hadingtone and Gedworthe with the forestes of Silkerke and Etherike so as all the premises should bee thence-forth cleerelie seperated from the Crowne of Scotland and annexed to the Crowne of England all this was then firmely ratified and assured by oth writing and witnesse in the yeare 1334. King Edward being departed homewards Balliol was still set on worke by them of the Brusian faction in whose hands still remayned sundry strong Castells and fortifications as Dunbritanie Lochleuin Keldromie Vrquhart and the stronge pile of Lowdone so that as oportunitie serued one or other still reuolted from his obedience but at the approach of King Edward the next winter who was alwaies ready to relieue him in his extremities the country was well appeased and so committed to the keeping of Dauid Cumine Earle of Atholl while Balliol in the meane time accompanied the king into England This Earle was so egerly pursued shortly after their departure by the aduerse party that in the end hee was forced to reuolt from the English VVherevpon new sturres begā againe to arise especially thorough the prouocation of the Earle of Murrey and Robert Steward the principall men of the Brusian side For the suppressing hereof king Edward made his third voyage into Scotland the Summer following in the yeare 1335. His nauy at this time also for in his former iorneys thither hee was euer as well prouided by sea as by land consisted of some hundred and fifty saile well replenished with men munition and victualls By land he was accompanied with Balliol and his brother the Earle of Cornewall diuerse great Lords attending vpon them Being entred into Scotland they deuided themselues sometimes into two sometimes into three seuerall companies in which manner they passed at their pleasure without resistance aswell beyond the Scottish fourth as on this side the same In the meane time the Earle of Athol repaired to the king submitting himselfe againe to his obedience by whose example diuers other did the like but this Earle was shortly after slaine at the siedge of the Castell of Keldromie At the approach of winter king Edward with-drew himselfe to Newcastel where hee kept the feast of the Natiuity of our Lord. Immediatly after the Epiphany hee prepared to haue passed againe into Scotland especially to take reuenge for the death of the Earle of Atholl but in the meane time a truce was taken by mediation of the French king and the Pope which indured till the twenty seauenth of March 1336. In the meane season a Parliament was appointed to be held at London wherein a finall accord betweene the two nations should haue beene treated of and the kingdome of Scotland established Where the right which these two Scottish kings pretended should haue appeared most forcible VVhile this good course was intended and fully agreed vpon on all sides the Lord Maurice de Murrey slewe Sir Geffery de Ros a Scottish knight and Sheriffe of Aire and Leuarke one of Balliol his partakers because in time of warre hee had before slaine his brother By reason of this presumptious part and the frowardnesse of the Scottes on both sides still seeking reuenge one of the other this treatie tooke no effect The next Sommer about VVhitsontide the king sent an army into Scotland vnder the conduct of Balliol and diuers English Lords who finding the towne of Saint Iohns defaced by the enemies not able of themselues to hold it caused the same to be fortified at the charge of sixe of the next monasteries vnto it King Edward about this time was at a Parliament holden at Northamptone where leauing his Lordes and the rest to treate of such matters as were propounded amongst them hee posted into the North partes coming to Berwike from thence with a slender attendance hee arriued at Saint Iohns towne before any man there had heard of his intention Here hee found Balliol and the rest of his companie From hence the King passed forwards with some part of his army as farre as Elgen in Murrey-land thence to Inuernesse much further into Scotland then euer the King his grandfather had done before In the meane time the Earle of Cornewall with the power of Yorkeshire and Northumberland men and the Lord Anthony Lucie with those of Westmerland Comberland entred into Scotland wasted and spoyled the VVest partes as Carrick and others which obayed not Balliol The Lord Dowglasse by coasting the Englishmen did his best to hinder their course At length this armie hauing done what harme it could was sent home with great prey and bootie but the Earle of Cornewall with his owne people came thorow to Saint Iohns towne where he found the king returned from beyond the Mountaines Here some of the Scotish writers charge the King to haue slaine this Earle his brother for committing ouer great cruelty vpō the desolate Scottes in this his last iorney especially against the men of Religion it may be that the King was touched with a Christian compassion ouer the pore afflicted cōmonalty who cōmonly smart most for the obstinacy of the mightier mē But for any violence vsed by the king towards his brother it is so far from any colour of truth that euen the better sort of their own writers haue suppressed that report as a vaine and meere forgery For it wel appeareth by our own writers that this Earle died there of a natural disease his body was brought to England interred at Westminster with all solemnity therto belonging The king wholy spent these 2. last years in establishing of Balliol in the kingdō of Scotland because he was desirous to make all sure on that side whilest he followed his wars in France wheron now hee began to set al his thoughts At his departure out of Scotland some-what before the natiuity of our Lord Balliol withal his partakers bound themselues by an especial law that whensoeuer he his heires and successors kings of Eng. should make war either at home or abroad they their heires shold at their own charge for one whole yeare furnish him with 3. hundred horse-men one thousand foot-men wel apointed for seruice Shortly after the kings returne home war was proclaimed with France and all things forth-with were in preparing for that iorneye The next yeare the warre in Scotland proceeded with equall losse and disaduantage on both sides towards the end of the same yeare the king sent thyther an army of some twenty thousand men vnder the leading of the new created Earles of Salisbury Glocester and Derbie and of as many Barrones Percy Neuille and Stafford These besiedged the castell of Dumbar but to their small aduantage and lesse credit For hauing continewed the siedge about twenty weekes vnder the colour of a truce before it was distressed they gaue it ouer being more desirous to
attend the king their maister into France where there was more good to be done Scotland then affording nothing but hunger and blowes beare them of as they could About the middest of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1338. the king of England together with the Queene the Prince of Walles a great number of the Nobility that did attend them passed ouer into Flanders and were ioyfullie entertayned of the Duke of Brabant and others the Lords of the Empire his confederates towards the attayning of the crowne of France which he claimed as the next heire therevnto by Queene Isabel his mother Daughter to Philip surnamed the faire This quarrell happned well for Bruse for no doubte if king Edward had a while longer pursued the conquest of Scotland hee had now easilie brought the same vnder his soueraigntie France would haue offred him such conditions of peace by reason of his title therevnto as that if he had beene disposed he might quietly haue enioyed the Realme of Scotland both from Bruse and Balliol and withall greater possessions with in the French dominions then the kings of England after him should haue happely beene able to haue held long as the experience of the times following plainly showed in respect of which difficulty I esteeme the realme of Scotland a more conuenient and fit member of the Crowne of England then the one halfe of France how farre soeuer exceeding the other in wealth and magnificence The French king now perceauing it was not king Edwards meaning to accept of peace vpon any reasonable conditions and how much it stood him vpon to hinder his attemptes thought it would bee no small aduantage vnto him to keepe his enemy occupied nearer home and therefore as soone as the King was arriued in Flanders hee sent fiue tall shippes into Scotland furnished with men munition and armour and conducted by as many experienced Captaines ouer them These stood that nation in great steede For by such aide as was at this time and shortly afterwards sent thyther out of France in the behalfe of Bruse his party they so much preuailed as that within the space of three yeares after though not without some difficulty they not onely chased Balliol together with all the Englishmen out of Scotland but also put King Bruse into peacable possession thereof againe nine yeares after he had beene driuen out of his kingdome by Balliol and his partakers the Englishmen So as King Edward in the meane time got not so much on the other side of the sea as hee lost euen at his owne dores at home King Dauid Bruse hauing thus beyond all hope recouered his kingdome slacked no time while oportunity serued to take reuenge on the Englishmen for all the wrongs sustayned by them To which end within the first three yeares after his returne hee made three iourneyes into the land doing what harme he could to the coūtries bordering vpon Scotland but all was of no great reckning The French King in the meane season hauing receiued many shrowd blowes of the Englishmen and his strong towne of Callice beeing now besiedged thought with himselfe that there was no better way either happilie to remoue them or at the least to lessen their number then by procureing the Scottish King who rested wholie at his deuotion with some mighty power to inuade England whereof hee sent Ambassadours into Scotland who easiely obtained that fauour of King Dauid VVhen all things were prepared for so great an exploite hee entred the Realme with the whole power of Scotland hoping assuredly now in the Kings absence to atchiue some notable victorie as well to the inriching of himselfe as to the aduantage of his confederate the French King At his first entry hee made manie knights whereby to encorage them the more to showe their valiancie but amongst the rest for his former good seruice he created William Dowglas an Earle whose Father was slaine at Halidone hill as is aforesayd The number of Noble men and Gentlemen assembled at this time by the confession of their owne writers were verie neere two thousand in the whole as some write threescore thousand Within ten daies after their entrie they approached Durham committing whatsoeuer stood in their way to the fury of fire and sword in most hostile manner The Queene of England being then returned home to represse the insolency of the enemy gathered togither such forces as the Realme could then redily afford to the number of twelue hundred men of armes three thousand Archers and some seauen thousand other of whome a great part were Preestes and Prelates but good talle trencher-men such as were not afraide of a crackt crowne though they had no haire to hide those hurtes withall This army was ordered in this manner The first battaile was lead by the Bishoppe of Durham Gilbert de Vmfree ville earle of Anegos Henry Lord Percy and the Lord Scroope The second by the Archbishoppe of Yorke and the Lord Ralphe Neuille The third by the Bishop of Lincolne Iohn Lord Moubraie and the Lord Thomas de Rooksbie The fourth and last was lead by Edward Balliol nowe of a king of Scotland become gouernour of Berwike the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Ross Besides this the Lord Deain-court Robert de Ogle and some other attended vpon the Queenes person On the the other side the first battaile of the Scottes was gouerned by Robert Steward the Sonne of Margery King Dauids Sister that succeeded him and Patrike Dumbar Earle of March The second by Iohn Earle of Murrey and William Earle Dowglas In the third the King himselfe and his Nobility were placed Before the battaile the Queene of England sent an Harald of armes to King Dauid requiring him to stay from further anoying the Realme till some reasonable order might be taken for the conclusion of a finall peace betweene the two nations but hee made light reckning of her request In the morning earlie before the fight Dowglas issued fourth with certaine troopes of horse-men to discouer the behauiour of the Englishmen and vpon good occasion offred to skirmish with them But the Englishmen so behaued themselues as that the Earle hardly escaped by flight with the losse of fiue hundred of his company The two armies being come within sight one of the other Dauid Graham with a wing of fiue hundred horse gaue a full charge vpon the skert of the English Archers hoping thereby to haue distressed them But he was so sharply repulsed as that loosing many of his troopes hee had much adoe to recouer the maine battaile againe Not-with-standing these two foule foyles they presumed so much vpon their aduantage in number that forth-with they fiercely rushed vpon the Englishmen The fight begun about nine of the clocke and continued till noone at what time God gaue the victory to the Englishmen The Scotish writers attribute the losse of this battaile to the vnaduised retraite of the Earle of March and Robert Steward but where-so-euer the fault was
an exceeding great number of them was slaine Of Noblemen the Earle of Murrey the Earle of Stratherne the Constable Marshall Chamberlaine and Chancellor of Scotland were the principall men Together with King Dauid who fighting most couragiouslie was sore wounded before he would yeeld himselfe were taken prisoners the Earles of Dowglas Fife Southerland Wigton and Menteith This battaile was fought neere Durham at a place called Neuils-crosse on the xvii day of October in the yeare 1346. The English armie following their good fortune forthwith passed into Scotland tooke the Castels of Roxbrough and Hermitage and without resistance ouer-ran the countries of Anuandale Galloway Mers Tiuidale and Ethrike forrest extending their Marches at that time to Cockburne Pethe and 〈◊〉 bâ—dge King Dauid was shortlie after 〈◊〉 to Calice and presented to the King of England then lying at the siedge thereof who bestowed on Maister Copland that tooke him prisoner with the losse of two of his teeth at a blowe that the King gaue him fiue hundred pounds land by the yeare of inheritance The yeare following Balliol with the Earle of Northumberland made a roade together into Lowthian and Clidsdaile carrying from thence into Galloway a great bootie where Balliol remained a long time after By reason of this great slaughter now of the Scottes as also thorow an out-ragious mortalitie that followed the same by a generall infection of the Pestilence amongst them they were not able of many yeares after to shew them-selues againe in the field Neuerthelesse they ceased not in the mâ—ane-time vpon priuate quarrels after their vnchristian manner to prosecute one another euen vnto death About this time King Iohn of France vpon the death of Philip his Father did inherite together with his Crowne those troubles which then accompanied the same who to the end hee might thereby keepe the King of England occupied at home for hee was his ouerthwart neighbour in France sent certaine hands of French-men into Scotland vnder the leading of an expert Captaine Sir Edgeny de Gâ—â—rntiers of whome the Scottish Nobilitie receiuâ—â— as a present from the King their Maister forty thousand Crownes of the Sunne to bee imployde about the leuying and furnishing of some preperation against England This Gentleman preuailed so much with his faire words and franke promises as that amongst other fauours hee obtained thus much at their hands that they would come to no agreement with England without the allowance of his Maister Immediatly here-vpon while the Englishmen were busily employed in France about the conquest thereof the Scottes together with the ayde of the French-men made some light incursions with-in the English Marches some-what to their aduantage The same yeare viz. 1355. on the sixt of Nouember in the night they priuilie approched the Towne of Berwicke and being come to the walles before they were discouered they raised vp Ladders in such silence as that before day they entred and tooke the Towne but not without the losse of diuerse principall men amongst them namely Thomas Vaus Andrew â—cotte Iohn Gordon William Sienelere Thomas Preston and Alexander Mowbraye Knights Of the English Armie were also slaine Alexander Ogle Captaine of the Towne Thomas â—â—rcie Brother to the Earle of Northumberland and Edward Graye But the Castell was so well defended by those with in it as that it did abide the 〈…〉 of â—ing Edward to the succour thâ—â—â—bt at whose approach the Scottes knowing themselues vnable to withstand his puissance 〈◊〉 the towne walles set the houses on fire and so bâ—ake vp the siege which had continued ten weekes making as much hast home as they could The King hauing taken order for the repaire of the towne passed on with his armie to Roubrugh whether Balliol repairing resigned ouer vnto him all his right title and interest vnto the crowne of Scotland for more assurance thereof an instrument was drawne in writing signed sealed and deliuered by him vnto king Edward hearing date the fiue and twentith day of Ianuary This businesse being dispatched the King marcheth forward with his Armie till hee came to Halington burning and spoiling the country as he passed while hee was thus busied by land daily expecting the arriuall of his Nauy such a cruell tempest arose out of the North that manie of his ships perished there-with and 〈…〉 were dispersed in such maner that they could not readily bee brought againe together By this occasion the King could not for want of victualls and other necessaries proceed any further â—â— this time in his intended iourney who had purposed how to haue quieted that countrie for many yeares after At his returne hee brought Balliol with him into England thinking that 〈…〉 â—â—uld haue beene better appeased thereby Hee was no sooner departed out of Scotland but immediatly some busie spirits began to raise vp new troubles chasing out such as king Edward had left behind him in Galloway and Annandale And yet more to despight him withall the two Dowglasses Earle William and the Lord Archibald carrying ouer with them some three thousand Scottes ioyned with the French King against the Englishmen on that side the sea but they had better haue tarryed at home for at the battaile of Poytiers the yeare following wherein the French King was taken prisoner by the most valiant champion Edward Prince of Wales Andrew Steward Robert Gordone Andrewe Haliburton and Andrew Vaus Knights with diuerse other their countrymen were slaine the Earle escaped but his cousine Archibald was taken prisoner The yeare next following viz. 1357. vpon the conclusion of peace betweene England and France at the earnest entreatie of the Scottish Queene King Edwards sister her husband was set at libertie and the kingdome of Scotland restored vnto him which now rested at the disposition of king Edward hauing good oportunitie vpon this aduantage to haue made himselfe if hee had listed absolute king ouer the whole Iland But I cannot tell what hee would haue done if the Queene his Sister had dyed during her husbands captiuity as she did within â— while after King Dauid gaue for his ransome an hundred thousand markes sterling and daies were appointed for the payment therof Also he couenanted to acomplish certaine Castells bordering vpon England that might proue bad Neighbours vnto it which was performed accordingly Moreouer it seemeth by that which followed that he had also promised King Edward to make him his heire to the Crowne of Scotland beeing now without hope of any issue of his body For about seauen years before his death he propounded such a questioÌ„ to his Nobility assembled for that purpose but the king found them so vnwilling to harkeÌ„ vnto it that he prosecuted the matter no further But I am perswaded if King Edward had not coÌ„ceiued some such hope he would not so lightly haue laied of his hands now hauing the prey as it were in his pawes Much kindnes passed betweene these two Kings while they liued togither for the space of twelue years after the remainder of King
vnto him if by any good meanes a firme peace and amitie with England might bee obteined tooke occasiō now in the time of truce to send for the Bishop of Durham who was shortly after admitted by king Henry to repaire into Scotland Beeing come to the kings presence after much friendly speach hee made knowne vnto him his great desire to confirme a perfect peace and vnitie with England by takeing to wife the Lady Margaret eldest Daughter to the king his Maister The Bishop willingly promised his best indeuour to bring the matter to passe which about three yeares after was effected accordingly not-with-standing that in the meane season Prince Arthur the kings eldest sonne deceasing Prince Henry his brother remained onely a barre betweene her and the Crowne True it is that this Ladye was affianced and by proxie contracted to the Scottish king while Prince Arthur yet liued about sixe weekes after his marriage with the Lady Katherine of Spaine Neuer-the-lesse if king Henry had beene disposed vpon his sonnes death to haue broken and auoyded the same it had beene no difficult point for him to haue preuailed so much with the Pope who not long after dispenced in a matter of greater offence with the marriage I meane of king Henry the eight with the said Lady Katherine his brothers wife It is reported by Morgan that when the king of Englands Councell began to fore-cast some perill in this match with Scotland his Maiestie vpon good aduise answered that although that thing should come to passe hereby which they seemed to stand in doubt of namely the intitling of king Iames and his posteritie to the Crowne of England hee so little distrusted that any inconuenience should insue thereof vnto this realme as that for his part he thought nothing could happen more gratious to both nations which by that meane should be vnited and made one Monarchie And further that Scotland being much inferior in quantitie and qualitie vnto England should bee therefore reputed and held but a dependence on it as Normandie was at the time of the Conquest And lastlie when that should come to passe hee that by this mariage should be heire to both kingdomes would in his stile of regalitie preferre England before the other This was the ninth time that since the conquest the Scottish Kings haue married with the English Nation and for the more part with the bloud royall from all which some issue hath sprung two onely excepted For first Malcolme Cammoire king of Scotland married Margaret sister to Edgar Atheling whose sonne king Dauid married Mawde the Daughter and heire of Waltheolfe Earle of Northumberland whose sonne Prince Henry maried a Daughter of Earle Warham whose sonne king William married the Lady Ermangard the daughter of Richard Vicount Beaumont who was sonne to a Daughter of William the Conquerour Alexander the second their sonne married the Lady Iane Sister to King Henrie the second but had no issue by her Alexander the third his sonne married Margaret Daughter to King Henry the third whose posteritie ended in Margaret their grand-child the heire of Norway After this Dauid Bruse whose great Grand-mother was Daughter to Hugh Bohume Earle of Chester and wife to Dauid brother to King William of Scotland maried Iane Sister to King Edward the second but hee dyed with-out issue where-vpon the crowne of Scotland descended vnto the Noble and ancient familie of the Stewards the third king whereof Iames the first maried the Lady Iane Daughter of Iohn Earle of Somerset which Iames was great Grand-father to this Iames who now last of all maried the eldest Daughter of this King Henry from whom Iames the sixt now King is lineally descended in the third degree both by Father and Mother Though in the meane time none of our Kings haue maried with Scotland saue onely King Henrie the first whereby the Crowne returned to the Saxon bloud as hath beene declared yet diuers of our Nobilitie haue matched in the bloud royall of Scotland Hereby it appeareth how much that Nation hath alwayes sought to strengthen it selfe by alliance with England though France hath of late so much preuailed that therein it hath beene preferred before vs but with no very good successe as the sequell declareth During the life of King Henry which was within two months of sixe yeares after this marriage no occasion of quarrell was offered on either part but all loue and kindnesse that might bee desired passed betweene the two Kings Neither did king Henry the eight that succeeded his Father giue his brother in lawe king Iames anie iust occasion to breake friendshippe with him but it seemeth the same wholy proceeded from the subtile practise of France our ancient enemie as many times before that Nation had done the like for it hath beene euer their policie to sowe dissention betweene England and Scotland to the end they might set the king of England on worke at home fearing hee would otherwise be too busie with them This Henrie hauing with great felicity raigned neere foure and twenty yeares leaft behinde him vnto his Sonne king Henrie the eight so assured and setled a kingdome and withall such aboundance of treasure as neuer any of his predecessours did the like before him He died in the yeare of our redemption 1509. In the third yeare of this last king Henries raigne it fell out that Lewis the French king made sharpe warre on Pope Iulius in Ittalie wherevpon thorough the solicitation of Maximilian the Emperour and Ferdinand king of Spaine whose Daughter king Henrie had married by dispensation from that martiall Prelate hee was easilie drawne to ioyne with them in the Popes behalfe King Iames hauing not long before receiued manie fauoures of the French King and amongst the rest two shippes fraught with gunnes speares and all other kinde of munition for warre a good preparatiue to the practise following was thereby made more inclinable to the French faction And for a further spurre therevnto diuerse of his clergie who had likewise tasted of the liberality of king Lewis sought all occasiones where-by to prick him forward in that course This could not be compassed till such time as they had first alienated him wholie from his former affection towards England To which end the Bishoppe of Murrey a priuie man of that faction was sent to King Henrie now well-nere after nine yeares silence to demand a certaine pretious vestement and rich attire which as was pretended was giuen to the Scottish Queene by her brother Prince Arthur at his death King Henry distrusting some subtilty herein to the end hee would preuent all occasion of vnkindnesse answered that the king his brother should not onely haue at his hands that which was dewe but else whatsoeuer he desired of him The Bishoppe with this answere which was better happelie then he either wished or exspected returned home But howsoeuer King Iames regarded the message this Bishoppe was forth-with sent into France and after him certaine shippes well
kingdome Neither did King Henry forget by kind letters and messages to diuerse of that nation to second therein his Sisters designements signifying vnto them that he desired nothing more then perpetuall loue and concord betweene the two Neighbor Nations which thing as he had euer before wished yet much more at this time to the end all men might see how much hee tendred the state of their Reamle for the young kings sake his Nephew That if they would be perswaded to break of friendship with France he could finde in his heart to bestow the Lady Mary his only Child in marriage vpon their King whereby the two kingdomes should bee in great possibility to be made one Monarchy and that by the accesse of England vnto Scotland which would be the more honor to their nation That the like emulatioÌ„ malice hath bin heretofore known betweene the like neighbor countries which neuerthelesse by mariage entercourse trafique mutual kindnes hath bin vtterly suppressed buried in obliuion These exceeding kind offers of King Henry moued much debate argument at an assembly of the Scottish Lords amongst theÌ„selues On the one side it was obiected that as France was farre remooued by scituation from them so the people differed much from the Scottes in the whole course and manner of life But the Englishmen and they were bred and brought vp vnder one and the same climate and were so like in there language lawes manners customes complexion constitution of bodie and disposition of minde wherein societie especially consisteth that it seemed God and Nature had from the beginning purposed to make them one peculier people as they hade made there seate one soile by it selfe seuered from the maine continent Further by reason of the distance and dangerous passage betweene France them the one cannot receiue froÌ„ the other either much good being friends or much hâ—rme beeing enemies whereas out of England either the one or other wil be alwaies ready at hand accordingly as the Englishmen ar friends or foes vnto them For there is no other waie to walke in betweene France and them but thorow a dangerous part of the Ocean which either by furie of tempests may be hindered or by the enemy fore-stawled and clogged VVhereof was made good proofe not much aboue a yeare ago when as the Duke of Albanie was so pend vp in France with the English nauie that of al one whole Sommer they could receiue no succors from thence to their exceeding losse and discontentment Thus much was then alledged in fauour of the league with England whervnto not a few amongst them were well inclined though many other that either liued vpon rapine and spoile which alwaies followeth war or that were fed afore-hand by the French king which course hath euer much preuailed with that Nation obstinatly opposed themselues against this profitable and sound aduise But being not able by any show of reason to maintaine their friuolous allegations against the truth they subtilly brake of this conference with this caution that this weighty point could not be resolued without the general consent and approbation of the Estates assembled to that end For they were well assured that the Duke to whom especially the deciding of this question pertained would neuer giue consent to shake hands with England notwithstanding Queene Margaret so labored this point for the benefit she knew would therof come to her Sonne and his kingdom that in December following shee sent the Lord Gilbert Earle of Cassels Robert Cockburne Bishop of Dunkeld and the Abbot of Combuskeneth Ambassadours into England who comming to the Court on Christmasse eue the King gaue them audience to whom the Bishop made an eloquent Oration in Latine declaring the benefits of peace and the manifold discommodities of warre How happy a thing it were if by the marriage of their young King with the Lady Mary his Maiesties Daughter a perpetuall league and alliance might bee established betweene them The King liked well of this motion so as hee might obtaine his desire in two points First and especially that the Scottish Nobility would renounce the league with France Secondly that the young king his Nephew would come and remaine with him in England till he were of perfect age to marry his Daughter But because the Ambassadors had not commission to proceede so farre the Earle returned into Scotland to acquaint the Queene and Councell there-with The two other remained at London till his returne thither againe Here-vpon a Parliament was presently holden at Edenbrough from whence the Earle of Cassels was presentlie sent againe to the King of England with a fauourable answer to his two former demands But because that in the meane season Charles the Emperour renewed his former sute for the obtaining of the sayd Lady to his wife the King tooke a pawse therein for the present time prolonging the truce with Scotland for three yeares and a halfe and then the Ambassadours were all with much courtesie dismissed about the beginning of the yeare 1525. From hence-forward for the terme of about seauenteene yeares the league was still renued from time to time betweene the two Nations though now and then the borderers on both sides thorow the instigation of the Earle Dowglasse forsaken then of the Queene his wife and banished the realme againe made some out-roades one into the others Marches But all was quietly put vp and the two kings continued good neighbours one to the other In the beginning of the yeare 1534. amongst other proffers of marriage propounded by Charles the Emperour vnto king Iames who was desirous to match in his bloud a motion was made of his cousine Germaine the Ladye Mary king Henryes Daughter and Heire who as before you haue heard had beene in question but now for the space well neere of ten yeares had lien dead and no further dealt in King Iames answered in such sort as there-by it seemed that hee had a good will to hearken vnto it This Lady that was afterward Queene of England was once in speach as is before declared to haue beene marryed to the Emperour himselfe after that to Francis the French king But these motions were rather made I take it in policie then proceeding of any such meaning in eyther of those Princes neyther happilye had the King her Father any such purpose thinking her a fitter matche for his Nephew of Scotland then for eyther of them For in the latter end of this yeare the King sent thither the Bishop of Saint Dauies and the Lord William Howard brother to the Duke of Norffolke to intreate king Iames to appoint some time when the King their Maister and hee might meete together to conferre of matters of great importance tending much to the benefit of both the Realmes Further to tell him that it might come to passe if all things else sorted to his liking hee should espouse the Lady Mary his eldest Daughter for his other Daughter the Lady Elizabeth after her
sister Queene of England also was borne aboue a yeare before and with-all to make him thereby the Monarch ouer the whole Island if hee dyed with-out issue male And to the end hee should giue the more trust and credit to these his promises hee said more-ouer that hee would forth-with intitle him Duke of Yorke and his Vicar Generall ouer the whole realme of England King Iames as he had great reason so to do intertained these offers with great thankfulnesse appointing a time when he would meete the King his Vncle and so with many courtisies dismissed the Ambassadors All this notwithstanding he was so exceedingly laboured by his Prelates that they drew him quite from that resolution vpon this occasion A little before this Ambassage King Henry had sent the foresaid Bishop into Scotland with certaine English pamphlets concerning reformation of religion which being presented vnto his nephew with request that he would aduisedly read them ouer hee gaue them presently to some about him to keepe that were especiall fauorers of the Clergie and the religion of those times who had scantly turned ouer the first leafe but with open mouth they condemned those bookes for most impious hereticall libels telling the king they were glad from their hearts that he had not stained his eies with the very view of such pestiferous and damnable doctrine And for an infallible proofe of this their censure vpon those bookes it fell out about the same time that the Pope had sent a messenger into Scotland requiring king Iames to ioyne with him against the king of England whom hee had already adiudged an Heretike a Scismaticke and a wedlock-breaker for hee and Queene Katherine some-times his Brothers wife for the vnlawfulnesse thereof were then lawfully parted And further this Nuncio declared that for these heynous offences the Pope had depriued him of his kingdome which he bestowed for in such cases hee hath beene alwaies very liberall vnto Iames and other popish Princes his obedient sonnes Thus by the subtile practise of the Priests who to vphold their reputation in the world still buzzed in their kings eares that his Vncle sought nothing more by this his desired conference with him but to withdraw him from the profession of that ancient and Catholique religion wherein their Fathers and fore-elders had liued so many hundred yeares together in great happinesse and felicitie and withall being of him-selfe religiously giuen according to the knowledge of those ignorant times hee was the more easilie disswaded from this promised meeting Though King Henry had cause to take this part vnkindly at the others hands neuer-the-lesse hee was contented to put it vp imputing the fault to them especially that eyther of ignorance or vpon respect of their perticuler good neglected the benefit that might haue followed heereof vnto the weale publique of the whole Iland King Henry to shew how little hee was mooued with this manner of dealing bestowed on his Nephew the yeare following the Garter and according to the ceremonies thereto belonging he was installed at Windsor by his procurator the Lord Erskin Within the compasse of the other seauen yeares remaining of my former account king Iames had marryed two wiues out of France The former was the Lady Magdaline eldest Daughter to king Francis with whom hauing beene maried halfe a yeare shee deceased within little more then a moneth after her arriuall in Scotland The second was Daughter to the Duke of Guise and widdow to the Duke of Longeuille lately deceased Within a yeare after this latter mariage Queene Margaret his mother departed this life hauing first seene a young Prince her grand-child borne into the world but neither hee nor a second sonne liued to succeed their father in the kingdome King Henry knowing how much his Nephew was continually wrought to breake off friendship with him or at the least to vse the same for his owne aduantage onely was much affraide that happily hee might at length bee seduced and therefore was very desirous to haue conference with him and to establish the league that hitherto had continued betweene them To this end he once againe sent into Scotland to entreate him to meete him at Yorke where hee would communicate such matter with him as tended greatly to the good of both realmes This message thus deliuered by the Lord Thomas Howard King Iames and diuerse of his Nobilitie seemed willing enough to yeeld their consents to this iourney But contrariwise the Prelates mightily opposed them-selues against it Amongst other things they alleadged that King Henry went about which touched their free hold to perswade their King to take that course in Scotland which hee had done at home in his owne kingdome namely to expell the Pope to vsurpe his authoritie ouer the Church to dissolue religious houses and to seize vpon their lands and reuenues But rather then hee should bee drawne to vse any such vnlawfull meanes where-with to supplye his present wants they freely offered to giue him yearely out of their owne reuenues thirtie thousand Crownes and if that would not serue his turne they would vnder-take to aduantage him an hundred thousand more yearely out of the lands and possessions of them that were already falne from their due obedience to the sea of Rome These faire promises preuailed so much with King Iames that this meeting was also auoyded But with-all an Ambassadour was immediatly sent into England as well to excuse the King as to require that Commissioners might bee appointed of either partie to meete for the ordering of some controuersies then depending betweene the two Nations which was granted and performed accordingly on King Henries part Neuer-the-lesse when after sundry iniuries still offered by the Scottes the King of England had once or twice yeelded to all reasonable conditions and yet not-with-standing perceiued how little from time to time they were regarded at the length being not able to indure so many indignities he resolued to end all controuersies by open warre But first to the end it might appeare to the world how vnwillingly he was prouoked vnto it before hee would take armes against his neere kinsman hee caused a pamphlet to bee published in Print declaring what mooued or rather compelled him therevnto wherein hee charged King Iames especially with deepe dissimulation his words tasting of Honey but his deeds of Worme-wood After a serious complaint whereof he descendeth or rather ascendeth to a supposed title of Superioritie continued in a lineall succession of the Kings of England ouer that nation from Edward the first sonne to Alured king of England for aboue sixe hundred yeares together but hereof I haue spoken enough before This done a Nauie was sent to the Sea to take all such Scottish ships as fell into their walke of which they brought into the Portes of England eight and twentie fraught with many good commodities The Scottish King here-vpon sent into England to demand restitution seeing no warre was as yet proclaimed But king Henry answered
number the Queene of England should furnish them there-with leauing behinde them pleadges for their safe returne That Lieth should bee deliuered vp to the Scottes the walles and fortifications about it raised and throwne downe That the fortification erected by the Frenchmen before the Castell of Dumbar should be also cast downe Thus much beeing performed on the French partie the Englishmen should forth-with breake vp the siedge and depart That Mary Queene of Scottes with the consent of her husband should by an act made to that end bury in obliuion all attempts and actions done or interprised by the Scottish Lordes against their authoritie from the tenth day of Marche in the yeare 1558 to the first of August this present yeare 1560. which acte should bee ratified in Parliament then immediatlie to bee holden by the estates of Scotland with the approbation and allowance of the said King and Queene of France and Scotland That three-score French-men should still abide in the I le of Iuskeith and as many in the Castell of Dunbarre least otherwise the Queene might seeme to bee dispossessed of the whole Kingdome Lastlie that the King and Queene of France and Scotland should not from thenceforth vsurpe the title or beare the Armes of England sithence the same onely belonged of right to the Queene of England Whilest these Ambassadours were passing into Scotland the Queene Regent deceased at Edenbrough which happily gaue readier dispatch to this businesse Thus was that Nation disburthened of this seruitude to the Frenchmen amongst whome Monsieur la Brosse one of the chiefe Commanders vnder the Queene Regent aduised his maister the French King as by intercepting of his Letters was discouered to haue brought the Nobilitie of Scotland to vtter destruction and of their liuings and yearely reuenewes to maintaine a thousand men of Armes to keepe the commons in perpetuall bondage At the Parliament holden in August following the Acte of Obliuion according to the former articles was ratified and the question of Religion debated and there-vpon a confession of the faith established and published Shortly after the Earle of Morton the Earle of Glencarne and the young Leird of Ledington repayred to the English Court in the behalfe of the other Lords to render thankes to the Queene of England for the great fauour her Maiestie had done them in reducing their distressed countrie to a peaceable estate for the which they acknowledged them-selues bound vnto her for euer In December next Francis the French King deceased where-vpon Queene Mary returned into Scotland the twentith of August the Summer following in the yeare 1561. Presentlie after William Metlaine was sent into England to make knowne her safe arriuall and to recommend vnto her Maiestie most kinde salutations from the Queene his Mistresse and her great desire to continue amitie and concorde betweene their kingdomes Then hee presented to her letters from the Lords wherein after a due remembrance of thankefulnesse for the late receiued fauours they humbly intreated her Maiestie not onely to carry her selfe in such sort towards their Queene that shee might there-by bee mooued to continue amitie with her but that it would please her by as straight bands as possiblie might bee still to binde her more and more vnto her promising that for their parts they would let slippe no occasion as farre as it rested in their powers where-by to perpetuate the late league betweene the two nations Further that the most assured meane where-by to bury in perpetuall obliuion the memorie of all former dissention and clearlie to take away all occasion of future quarrell rested herein that it would please her by acte of Parliament to establish the succession of the crowne of England for want of issue of her owne body vpon the Queene their Mistresse who in bloud was next vnto it Hauing prooued by sundry arguments and examples that this their request was both iust and agreeable to the practise of the Kings ouer both these nations in former times hee concluded that their Queene expected that fauour at her hands Here-vnto the Queene of England answered I looked for another kinde of Ambassage from your Queene I maruell shee hath forgotten what at length shee promised before her departure out of France which was to ratifie the peace made at Leeth and that immediatly after her returne into Scotland I should bee certified thereof I haue now long enough said her Maiestie beene fed with faire words it is high time if your Queene regard her credit with vs that her deeds be answerable ther-vnto The Ambassador in her excuse answered that he was sent out of Scotland within few dayes after their Queenes returne that she had not then entred into the handling of any matter of State but was wholie busied in giuing intertainement to the Noblemen for the more part vnknowne vnto her neither were they all come at his departure whose aduice it was fitte shee should vse in a matter of that importance especially touching the establishing of Religion which how difficult a point it was shee her selfe knew by experience and without whose consents shee neither could nor ought to conclude of any thing The Queene of England beeing heere-with more mooued replyed What needeth I pray you any further consultation to effect that where-vnto your Queene hath already bound her selfe by her hand and seale what answere I should make here-vnto sayd hee for the present I know not hauing receiued no warrant here-in from our Queene who looked not that this point should haue beene so farre vrged now This is all I can say vnto it Your Maiestie may easilye see what iust occasion shee now hath to deferre that businesse vntill a more conuenient time when as I doubt not but you shall bee better satisfied After some further speech her Maiestie comming to the most materiall point of this ambassage I well remember saith shee what you haue deliuered vnto vs in your Oration from the Nobilitie of Scotland in the behalfe of your Queene First that shee is the next vnto vs in bloud and therefore I should shew greatest affection and loue towards her which wee neither will nor can denie For the whole world can witnesse with vs that in all our actions we neuer attempted any thing against the good and safetie of her selfe or of her kingdome that when she claimed and chalenged our kingdome and vsurped the armes of the same yet neuer-the-lesse wee could not bee perswaded but that it proceeded rather from some bad counsell about her then from her selfe But how-so-euer it was wee hope shee shall not bee able to take our Crowne from vs or from my issue if I leaue any such to succeed vs. If I dye with-out children shee shall not finde any thing done by vs that may preiudice her right to the Crowne of England What that is wee neuer yet thought it needfull to examine neither purpose wee heere-after to trouble our selfe there-with-all but wee leaue it to them to whom it pertaineth to looke vnto it