Between Barra and Vyist lie these small Islands following Orbansa Ovia or Eoy Hakerset Garulinga Flada Buiia the greater and Buiia the less Haia Heldisay Gega Linga Fara Fuda Heath Island From these towards the North lies Vyist Thirty Miles long and Six broad The Tide flowing into this Island in two places represents the appearance of Three Islands but when it Ebbs it again coalesces into One In it are many Lakes of fresh Water the biggest of which is Three Miles long The Sea wearing away the Land hath made it self a passage into this Lough neither can it be excluded by the Inhabitants no not by a Jitty or Bank of Sixty Foot high but that it insinuates it self between the Stones not well compacted together and there often leaves some small Sea-Fish behind There is a Fish taken in it in other respects like a Salmon save that his Belly is white and his Back black and he is without Scales like to Salmon Moreover there are in it abundance of Loughs of fresh Water It hath Caves in it covered with Heath which are lurking places for Robbers There are Five Parish-Churches in it for the performance of Holy Duties Eight Miles from thence towards the East lies Helscher Vetularum so called as I suppose because it belongs to the Nuns of the Island of Icolumkill A little further towards the North appears Havelschyer to which at certain seasons of the year many Sea-Calves or Seals do resort and are there taken About Sixty Miles beyond that to the North-West stands Hirta very fruitful in Corn Cattle and especially in Sheep which are here fatter than in any other of the Islands The Inhabitants are ignorant of all Arts and especially of Religion After the Summer solstice the Lord of the Island sends thither his Proctor or Steward to gather up his Rent or Tribute and with him he sends a Priest to Baptize all the Children which were born the year before but if the Priest come not then every Man baptizeth his own Children they pay to their Lord a certain number of Sea-Calves and of Muttons dried in the Sun and also of Sea-Fowl The whole Island doth not exceed a Mile in length and it is almost of equal bredth neither can any part of it be seen from any neighbouring Island besides Three Mountains which are on the Shore and these cannot be discerned neither but from the highest places of other Islands In those Mountains there are Sheep exceeding beautiful but by reason of the Violence and Rapidness of the Sea-Current and Tide they can scarce become at by any Body But to return to Vyist on the North Promontory thereof there is situate the Isle Valay a Mile broad and two Mile long Between that Promontory and the Isle Harrick these Islands are interjacent small indeed but not unfruitful viz. Soa Stromoy Pabaia Bernera Erisay Keligera Saga the less Saga the greater Hermodra Scarvay Gria Linga Gillan Hea Hoia Ferelaia Soa the lesser Soa the greater Isa Senna the less Senna the great Tarransa Slegana Tâ—ema and above Harick Scarpa and due West there are Seven Islands at Fifty Miles distance above Lewis which some call Flavanae others the Sacred or Sanctuary Islands they arise up into Grassy Mountains but are void of all human Culture neither are there in them any four-footed Beasts but only wild Sheep which the Hunters catch but eat them not when they have done For they esteem the Fat more palatable than the Flesh for the Flesh is so unpleasant that no Man will eat it unless enforced by extremity of Hunger Furthermore almost in the same Tract nearer to the North lie Garvellan i. e. the Craggy Island Lamba Flada and Kellasa the two Berneraes the great and the small Kirta Buiia the little Buiia the great Vexa Pabaia and Sigrama the great or Cunicularia so called from its plenty of Conies Sigrama the less and the Island of Pygmies in this last there is a Chapel where the bordering People do believe that Pygmies were heretofore buried for many Strangers digging deep into the Earth have found and yet do find little and round Heads and the small Bones of other parts of human Bodies nothing derogating from the ancient Reports concerning Pygmies In that Shore of the Island Lewis which looks toward the South-East Two Bays of the Sea do break into the Land one of which they call the South the other the North Lough both of them do yield abundance of Fish to those which take pains to catch them and that during the whole year From the same shore of Lewis more to the South stands Fable Isle then Adams Isle then the Isle of Lambs as also Huilin Viccoil Havera Laxa Erin the Isle of â—columkill Toray Iâ—â—ert Scalpa Fladâ— and Shevy At the East side of this Island there is a subterraneous passage Arched at Top longer than a Man can shoot an Arrow into Under which Vault small Ships use to shelter themselves making to it by Sails or Oars to avoid the Violence of the Tide which rages at the Neighbouring Promontory with a huge Noise to the extreme Terrour and Danger of the Mariners More to the East lies an Island which they call Schan Castle a place naturally fortified abounding with Corn and Fish and also affording sufficient Provision to the Inhabitants by Eggs of Sea-Fowl which there make their Nests At the Shore where Loch-Brien or Broom opens to the Land lies the Isle En which is almost all covered with Woods and good for nothing but to harbour Thieves in to rob Passengers More to the North is the Island Gruinorta being also full of Woods possessed by Robbers and Pyrates And looking towards the same Coast is an Island named the Island of Cleirach which beside Pasturage abounds with the Eggs of Sea-Fowl Next to that is Afulla and then Harary the Greater then Harary the Less and nigh it the Island of Horses or Naâ—stich and near that again the Isle Mertaâ—ka These Eight Islands are situate before the Mouth of the Bay which is vulgarly called Lough-Broom or Brian At some distance from these Islands which lie before Lough-Broom Harrick and Lewis run toward the North They are Sixty Miles in length and Sixteen in bredth These make but one Island for they are not distinguished by the Arms of the Sea that slow into it but by the Meers of the Land and the Possessions of their several Lairds But that part which is exposed to the South is wont to be called Harray In it there was a Monastery called Roadilla built by Maccloyd of Harray The Soil is fruitful of Corn but it yields its increase rather by digging than plowing The Pastures in it are very fit for Sheep especially one very high Mountain which is green with Grass even to the very Top. Donald Monro a Learned and Pious Man relates That when
fighting with their Enemies slew many of them and drove the rest beyond the limits of their Allies And thus having delivered them from their cruel Bondage they advised them to build a Wall within the Island between the two Seas which might be a Safeguard to them to repel their Enemies and then in great Triumph they returned home They hearkning to their advice erect a Wall as enjoined not so much with Stones as Turfs but having no eminent Artificers fit for such an undertaking it was good for little They made it between the two Seas or Bays of which I lately spake of the Sea for many Miles that so where the Waters were not a Defence there by the advantage of the Wall they might secure their Borders from the Inrodes of their Enemies The evident Marks and Footsteps of this high Wall and Work do remain to this day It begins at almost a Mile distant from the Monastery of Kebercurnig toward the West in a place called in the Picts Language Panuachel but in the English Penueltima and bending against the West it is terminated by the City Alcluyth But their former Enemies as soon as they perceived that the Roman Souldiers were departed being carried in Ships brake into their Borders killing and spoiling all before them and as if they were Corn ready for the Sickle they Mow Trample upon and Destroy them Hereupon the Brittons send a second Embassy to Râ—mâ— with redoubled Complaints and Lamentations desiring Aid lest their miserable Country should be wholâ—y Razed and the Name of a Roman Province wherewith they had been honoured so long should now grow cheap and precarious by the Invasion of Foreigners Hereupon another Legion was sent which according to Command arriving in Autumn made a great Slaughter of their Enemies and drove all that made their escape beyond the Seas who the year before drove all their Preys beyond those Seas without any Resistance Then the Romans told the Britains That they could come no more on such chargeable and toilsome Expeditions for their Defence but they advised them to take Arms themselves and Fight with their Enemies that were it not for their Sluggishness they might be as Valiant as They. Moreover they thought it advantageous to their Allies whom they must leave that a Wall was drawn directly from Sea to Sea between the Cities which were there built for fear of Enemies where also Severus made a Trench This Wall they built accordingly with firm Stone both with the publick and private Purse as is yet to be seen taking to their Assistance a Company of the Britains It was Eight Foot broad and Twelve high in a direct line from East to West Both are yet to be seen after they had built it they gave strict charge to the Inhabitants for their self-Defence and afforded them Examples for the Training up in Arms but in the South shore where their Ships were lodged because from thence they feared the Irruptions of the Barbarians they erected Towers at proper distances for the prospect of the Sea and so they took their leaves as never intending to Return And a little after In short they fly and are dispersed leaving their Cities and Walls their Enemies follow and make more cruel Slaughters than ever before For as Lambs are devoured by Wolves so were the poor Country-Men torn in pieces by their Enemies so that being ejected out of their Habitations and in danger to be Starved they exercised Robberies and mutual Rapacities to keep themselves alive Thus they increased external Slaughters by Domestick Broils till all the Country was quite despoiled of Food but what was got by Hunting Out of the Epistle of Gildas WHom he commanded to build a Wall between the Two Seas on the further side of the Island that it might be a Terrour to Enemies and a Defence to the Inhabitants And after The remainders of them sent lamentable Letters to Aetius a Man of great Authority in Rome beginning thus To Aetius thrice Consul the Groans of the Britains and a little after they complain The Barbarians repel us to the Sea The Sea beats us back to the Barbarians Between these Two kinds of Death we are either killed on Land or drowned at Sea neither have we any Fence or Releif against either of them The Fourth BOOK HAving undertook to write the History of our Nation that the Series thereof might appear more plain to the Reader I have in my former Books premised a few ancient Memoirs and especially Those which are freest from Fabulous Vanities and are also most Consonant to Old Writers First of all it is constantly reported and there are many Evidences to confirm the same That a great multitude of Spaniards being driven out of their own Country by their powerful Dons or else voluntarily departing by reason of their superabounding populousness transported themselves into Ireland and seized upon those Places of that Island which were nearest to them Afterward the healthiness of the Air and the fatness of the Pasturage invited many others to follow them especially seeing their Seditions at home and the Injuries offered them by Foreigners to which Spain was always subject drew many thither in hopes of a quieter Life which Voyage they were more easily persuaded to undertake because they looked upon themselves as going into an Island already possessed by their own People and by that means as it were their second Country This Stock of Spaniards did so flourish and increase in a Country fit for Propagation that now they were not contented within the bounds of Ireland but frequently made Emigrations into the lesser Islands near adjacent In the mean time the Scots for that was the general Name of the whole Nation propagating their bounds through the Islands of Aebudae and dispersing themselves by Tribes and Kindreds without either King or fixed Government A German or as Bede writes a Scythian Fleet came to the Coasts of Ireland being driven thither 't is very probable by stress of Weather for they had not their Wives or Children aboard with them They being very Poor having nothing left them by reason of so long a Voyage but only their Arms sent Ambassadors to the Scots desiring them that they might inhabit amongst them Answer was sent them That they themselves were compelled to seek their Habitations in those small Islands which by reason of the Barrenness of the Soil were also Unfruitful and if it were otherwise yet all of them if they should forsake them quite would not be sufficient to entertain so great a multitude But in regard they pitied the common Miseries of Mankind and were particularly affected with their Condition whom Divine Providence had so grievously afflicted and who did not seem to be wholly Strangers to their Lineage as by their Language and Customs appeared they would therefore give them their Advice and as far as they were able would assist them to execute it Their Advice to them was to Sail to their
and thither and is not content to Flow and Ebb so far as the Banks but inserteth and windeth it self into the Land shooting into the Mountains and Cliffs as to his own Chanel Now what manner of Men the first Inhabitants of Britanny were Foreign brought in or Born in the Land as among a barbarous People it is not certainly known Their Complexions are different and thence may some Conjectures be taken For the Red Hair of the dwellers in Caledonia and mighty Limbs import a German Descent The coloured Countenance of the Silures and Hair most commonly Curled and Site against Spain seem to induce a belief that the old Spaniards passed the Sea and possessed those places The nearest to France likewise resemble the French either because they retain something of the Race from which they descended or that in Countries butting together the same aspects of the Heavens do yeild the same Complexion of Bodies But generally it is most likely the French being nearest did People the Land In their Ceremonies and Superstitious Persuasions there is to be seen an apparent Conformity The Language differeth not much like boldness to challenge and leap into Dangers When Dangers are come like fear in refusing them saving that the Britains make more shew of Courage as being not mollifi'd yet by long Peace for the French also were once as we read redoubted in War till such time as giving themselves over to Peace and Idleness Cowardise crept in and Shipwrack was made both of Manhood and Liberty together And so it is also befaln to those of the Britains which were subdued of old the rest remain such as the French were before Their strength in the Field consisteth in Footmen some Countries make War in Wagons also The greater Personage guideth the Wagon his Waiters and Followers Fight out of the same Heretofore they were govern'd by Kings now they are drawn by Petty Princes into Parties and Factions And that is the greatest help we have against those Puissant Nations that they have no common Council together Seldom it chanceth that two or three States meet and concur to repulse the common danger So whilst one by one fighteth all are subdued The Sky is very Cloudy and much given to Rain without extremity of Cold. The length of Days much above the measure of our Climate the Nights light and in the furthermost part of the Island so short that between the going out and coming in of the Day the space is hardly perceived and when Clouds do not hinder they affirm that the Sun-shine is seen in the Night and that it neither Setteth nor Riseth but passeth along because belike the extream and plain parts of the Earth project a low Shaddow and raise not the darkness to an heigth so the Night falleth under the Sky and the Stars the Soil setting aside the Olive the Vine and the rest which are proper to warmer Countries taketh all kind of Grain and beareth it in abundance it shooteth up quickly and ripeneth slowly the Cause of them both is the same the overmuch moisture of the Soil and the Air. Britany beareth Gold and Silver and other Metals to inrich the Conqueror The Ocean bringeth forth Pearl also not Orient but duskish and wan which proceedeth as some do suppose for lack of skill in the Gatherers For in the Red Sea they are pulled out panting and alive from the Rocks but in Britany cast out by the Sea and so taken up For my part I do rather beleive the Nature of the Country not to yeild it than that our Covetousness could not find out the way to gather it aright The Britains endure Levies of Men and Money and all other Burdens imposed by the Empire patiently and willingly if Insolencies be forborn Indignities they cannot abide being as yet subdued to be Subjects not Slaves The first of the Romans which entred Britanny with an Army was Iulius Caesar who although he terrified the Inhabitants with a Battel which went on his side and gained the Shoar yet may seem rather to have shewed the place to Posterity than to have delivered to them the possession thereof The Civil Wars ensued and Bandyings of Men of great quality against the Republick of Rome and long after that lay Britany forgotten even in Peaceable Times Augustus termed it Policy and chiefly Tiberius so to do That Cajus had a meaning to invade Britanny it is certainly known but his rash running Head and hasty Repentance and chiefly his great Attempts against Germany turning to nothing averted that purpose Claudius did first with effect prosecute the matter transporting Legions and Aids and assuming Vespasian into the action which was the beginning of the Greatness whereunto he after attained Some Countries were subdued some Kings were taken and Vespasian made known to the World The first Lieutenant General was Aulus Plautius then Ostorius Scapula both Excellent Warriers And so by little and little was the nearest part of the Island reduced to the Form of a Province and besides a Colony of old Souldiers established there Certain Cities were also bestowed in pure Gift upon King Cogidunus who remained most Faithful even in our days according to an old Custom anciently received of the Romans to use even Kings themselves for Instruments of Bondage Then Didius Gallus succeeded who kept That which his Predecessors had gotten and builded some few Castles further in the Land to win by that means a Fame and Credit to his Office After Didius succeeded Verantius who died within one year Then Suetonius Paulinus for two years space behaved himself Fortunately subduing the Nations and establishing Garisons Upon Confidence whereof going to assail the Isle of Man which ministred supply to the Rebels he disfurnished the Country behind and laid it open to all opportunities of the Enemy For through the absence of the Lieutenant the Britains free of fear began to discourse the Miseries of Bondage to lay their Injuries together and aggravate them by Constructions and Inferences as That their Patience had profited them nothing save only to draw heavier Burdens upon themselves as Men willing to bear them That whereas in former times they had only one King now were there Two thrust upon them the Lieutenant to suck their Blood the Procurator their Substance whose disagreeing was the torment of the Subjects and their agreement their undoing the one vexing by Souldiers and Captains the other by Wrongs and Indignities That now their Covetousness and Lust laid hold without exception on all And whereas in Field he that spoileth is commonly stronger Now were they by Cowards and Weaklings for the most part dispossessed of their Houses berest of their Children injoyned to yeild Soldiers for other Mens behoof as though they were Men that knew to do nothing else save only to die for their own Country For otherwise what a small handful of Souldiers were come over if the Britains would fall to reckon themselves
the Father in Law of King Fergusius I am most inclined to be of this last Opinion The Wall then being thus Razed the Scots and Picts did Rage with most inhuman Cruelties over the Brittons without distinction of Age or Sex For as Matters then stood the Brittons were weak and unaccustomed to War so that they sent a lamentable Embassy to Rome complaining of the unspeakable Calamities they endured and with great humility and earnestness supplicating for Aid farther alleging That if they were not moved at the Destruction of the Brittons and the loss of a Province lately so splendid an one yet it became the Romans to maintain their own Dignity lest their Names should grow contemptible amongst those Barbarous Nations Hereupon another Legion was again sent for their Relief who coming as Bede says in Autumn an unexpected Season of the Year made great Slaughter of their Enemies The Confederate Kings gathered what Force they could together to beat them back and being encouraged by their Success in former Times and also by the Friendship and Alliance of Dionethus a Britton they drew forth towards the Enemy This Dionethus was well descended in his own Country but always an Adviser of his Countrymen to shake off the Roman Yoke and then especially when so fair an Opportunity was offered and the whole Strength of the Empire was engaged in other Wars whereupon he was suspected by his own Men as an Affector of Novelty and was hated of the Romans but was a Friend to the Scots and Picts who understanding That the Design of the Romans was first to destroy Dionethus as an Enemy near at hand and in their very Bowels to obviate their purpose made great Marches towards them and joyning their Forces with Those of Dionethus's began a a sharp Encounter with the Romans who over-powered by Numbers both in Front and Reer were put to Flight When the Ranks of the Legionary Soldiers were thus broken and gave Ground the Confederate King being too eager in pursuit fell amongst the Reserves of the Romans and the rest of their Army who stood in good Order and were repulsed by them with great Slaughter So that if the Romans being conscious of the smalness of their Number had not forbore any farther pursuit they had doubtless received a mighty Overthrow that Day but because the loss of some Soldiers in but a small Army was most sensible therefore they were less joyous at the Victory Maximianus so our Writers call him who commanded the Roman Legion being dismayed at this Check retired into the midst of his Province And the Opposite Kings returned each to his own Dominion Hereupon Dionethus took the Supreme Authority upon him and being clothed in Purple after the manner of the Romans carries himself as King of the Brittons When the Romans understood that their Enemies were dispersed they gathered what Force they could together and encreased them with British Auxiliaries and so marched against Dionethus who infested the Provinces adjoyning to him for they thought to subdue him from whom their Danger was nearest before his Allies could come to his relief But the Three Kings united their Forces sooner than he imagined and joyning all their Forces together they encouraged their Soldiers as well as they could and without delay drew forth their Armies to the Onset The Roman General placed the Brittons in the Front and the Romans in the Reserves The Fight was fierce and the Front giving Ground Maximianus brought on his Legion and stopt the Brittons in their flight and then sending about some Troops to fall on the Rear some Brigades of Scots being incompassed by them drew themselves into a Ring where they bravely defended themselves till the greatest part of their Enemies Army falling upon them they were every Man slain Yet their loss gave Opportunity to the rest to escape There fell in that Fight Fergus King of the Scots and Durstus King of the Picts Dionethus being wounded was with great difficulty carried off to the Sea and in a Skiff returned home This Victory struck such a Terrour to all that it recalled the memory of Ancient Times in so much that many consulted whither to betake themselves for their Place of Exile Fergusius died when he had Reigned Sixteen Years a Man of an Heroick Spirit and who may deservedly be called The Second Founder of the Scotish Kingdom yea perhaps he may be said to exceed the former Fergusius in this That he came into a void Country and that by the Concession of the Picts neither had he the unconquered Forces of the Romans to deal with but with the Brittons who though somewhat yet not much Superiour to them in Accoutrements and Provisions for War were yet their Inferiours in enduring the Hardships of the Field But this later Fergusius when almost all were slain who were able to bear Arms being also brought up in a Foreign Country and after the 27th Year of his Banishment from his Own being sent for as an unknown King by those Subjects who were as unknown to him marched with a mixed Army packed up of several Nations against the Brittons who were sometimes also assisted by the Forces of the Romans so that if God had not manifestly favoured his Designs he might seem to have undertaken a very Temerarious Attempt and bordering upon Madness it self When he was slain he left three Sons behind him very young Eugenius Dongardus and Constantius Graham their Uncle by the Mother's side was by Universal Consent appointed Guardian over them and in the mean time till they came to be of Age he was to manage the Government as Regent He was a Person of that Virtuous Temper that even in the most Turbulent Times and amidst a most fierce Nation who were not always obedient no not to Kings of their own Nation yet there hapned no Home-bred Sedition in his time though he himself were a Foreigner Eugenius or Evenus II The Forty First King EVgenius or Evenus the Eldest Son of Fergusias had the Name of King but the Power was in the Hands of Graham he caused a Muster to be made of the Soldiers all over the Land and when he found that his Militia was weakned by former Fights beyond what he thought he saw that nothing then was to be done and so ceased from making any Levies But the Roman Legion having releived their Allies and as they were Commanded being about to return into the Continent spoiled all their Enemies Country within the Wall of Severus and slew the Inhabitants 't is true they restored the Lands to the Brittons but they kept the Prey for themselves So that the Remainders of the Scots and Picts who supervived their late loss were again shut up between the two Firthâ— of the Sea Matters being reduced to this pass the Romans declared to the Brittons with how great and strong Armies they were beset who had conspired to destroy the Roman Name and Empire so that they were not
Vitiated which They being over-stocked with Youngsters at home easily assented to and so they transported themselves in a great Navy into Britain Their first Descent was in Fife there they slew all they met without distinction out of Hatred to the Christian Religion and dividing their Army they spoiled the Country two several ways Constantinus drew forth against them and first he set upon that Brigade which Hubba Brother to the Danish King commanded who being hindred to joyn with their Fellows by the sudden swelling of the River Levin were there easily overcome and slain except a few of his Men who could swim over the River who fled to their other Commander called Humber Constantinus followed after them as to a Prey not a Battel and overtook them not far from the Town of Carail but not before they had well fortify'd their Camp For the Danes being very provident after their late unhappy Fight had made a kind of Defensive Fortification upon some small Winding Rocks near the shore by heaping up a parcel of Stones together which lay thereabouts In that posture Constantine assaulted them where by reason of the Incommodiousness of the place and the Desperation of the Danes he paid dear for his Rashness for he lost a great Part of his Army he himself being taken Prisoner and haled into a little Cave hard by was there slain There are some Monuments of this Fight remaining to this day as the Cave the Circumference of their Camp which was not cut out regularly or by equal spaces but turning and winding according to the Bending of the Rocks Some lay the blame of this unlucky Accident upon the Picts who being admitted into Constantines Fealty and Army were the first that ran away and drew the greatest Part of the Army after them The Danes gathered up the Spoils and departed to their Ships The Kings Body was found the day after and carried to the Sepulchres of his Ancestors in the Island Icolumb-kil He possessed the Kingdom sixteen Years and died in the Year of our Lord 874. Ethus The Seventy Second King HIs Brother Ethus succeeded him from the Swiftness of his Feet Sirnamed Alipes he was elected King upon no higher or other Account but because he gathered together the Relicts of the Army which was scattered by the Danes Amongst the Prodigies of his Time they reckon those Sea-Fishes then appearing which are seldom seen and not after long Intervals of Time but they never appear but in Sholes nor without some unlucky Presage The Common People call them Monachi-marini i. e. Sea-Monks others give them the Title of Bassineti i. e. Hooded or Helmered Fish Ethus being unmindful both of his Brother and of his Ancestors giving up himself to all manner of Vices and drawing the young Soldiers easily seduceable along with him was taken Prisoner by a Combination of the Nobles made against him and after all the flagitious Acts of his Life had been declared to the People in a long Speech he was forced to abjure the Government in the second Year of his Reign Three days after he died in Prison for Grief That which chiefly offended the Martial Men was his slothful Unactiveness because that when the Danes were at War with the English and many bloody Battels had been fought between them yet he never bethought himself of the recovering the Country he had lost nor would he suffer himself to be put in mind thereof by others Some write that he was not inforced to relinquish his Kingdom but that he was wounded in a Combate by Gregorius who was emulous of the Kingdom and that he died Two months after Anno Christ. 875. Gregorius The Seventy Third King GRegorius the Son of Dongallus was set up in his stead a Man of a Royal Spirit in whom no Virtue requisite in a King was wanting First he reconciled all those to him who were against him in suing for the Kingdom and then he proceeded to compose the Discords of the Nobles amongst themselves He so tempered the Severities of his Government with Affability that he did more with his Subjects by Love than by Fear He restored the Old Laws concerning the Immunity of the Ministers of the Church who were but in the nature of Slaves under the Picts or else he made New to the same purpose His first Expedition was into Fife against the Picts left there by the Danes whilst they were employing their Arms against the English He drove them not out of Fife only but out of Lothian and Merch too The Danes when he came to Berwick fearing if they should have any Misfortune the English also would be upon their backs durst not join in a Field-fight with Gregory but sent Part of their Forces over the River into Northumberland commanding them to join with a small Brigade of their Country-men who had gathered themselves together and were newly landed there The Rest of them enter'd Berwick to strengthen the Garison there But the English who were but unwillingly under the Command of the Danes as being Men of a different Religion from them gave admission to the Scots in the night by which means all the Danes were put to the Sword From thence Gregory marched into Northumberland and fought a prosperous Battel against Hardnute wherein he made so great a slaughter of them that their Numbers which were lately formidable to all Britain were mightily diminished partly by Gregory of Scotland and partly by Alfrid of England Gregory took in all Northumberland and gave free leave to those English to depart who were willing so to do to the rest he very courteously distributed Lands The greatest part of the English staid behind partly out of love to their native Soil partly by reason of the Kings Bounty to them and partly also for fear of their Enemies For seeing they had now for many years had several cruel Fights with the Danes the Victory being many times uncertain Many of the English chose rather to be under the Dominion of the Scots who though formerly Enemies were yet Christians than either to fall into the power of the Bloody Danes or to hope for uncertain Aid from their own Countrymen especially since things were in such an hurly burly over all Britanny that the English knew not which Party to succour first After he had so chastised the Danes that he expected no more Trouble from them he turned his Arms upon the Brittons who as yet held some of the Scotish Dominions with These also he made Peace they restoring the the said â—ands and promising to assist him against the Danes if they did return Whereupon he disbanded his Army But the Brittons after their return home repented of the Peace they had made and entring Scotland again in an hostile manner they were driving away a great Booty but Gregory met them at Loch-Maban and after a bloody Fight overthrew them Constantine their King being also slain The Brittons having received this fruit of their
of Silver as a Largess being moved thereunto either out of Remembrance of his former Bounty to him or on the Consideration of his present Want Neither were ever the Scots and English more Gracious than at that time as many judge There William fell very Sick and a Rumour of his Death being noised abroad caused new Combustions in Scotland Harald Earl of the Orcades and of Caithnes hated the Bishop of Caithnes because as he alledged he was the Obstacle that he could not obtain what he desired of the King and therefore he took him Prisoner cut out his Tongue and also put out his Eyes The King returning home overthrew Harald in several Skirmishes and destroyed most of his Forces Harald himself was taken in his Flight and brought back to the King who when his Eyes also were first put out by way of Retaliation was afterwards hanged his whole Male-Stock were Gelded the rest of his Kinn and Companions of his Wickedness were deeply Fined These things are thus related by Hector Boetius and common Report confirms them yea the Hill receiving its Name from Testicles gives credit to the Relation so that it seems truer than what others Write in this matter These things happened in the Year of our Salvation 1198. in which Year the King had a Son named Alexander Born to him and Richard of England dying his Brother Iohn succeeded him Whereupon the King of Scots went into England to take his Oath to him for the Lands which he held in England and in the beginning of Iohn's new Reign his Coming was not more acceptable than his Departure displeasing because he refused to follow Iohn in his Expedition into France against Philip his old Friend So that as soon as Iohn returned out of France he sought Occasion for a War with the Scots and began to build a Fort over against Berwick William having in vain complained of the Injurie by his Embassadors gathered a Company together and demolished what was built thereof Upon which Armies were Levied on both sides but when their Camps were near to one another Peace was made by the Intervention of the Nobles on these Terms That William's Two Daughters should be given in Matrimony to Iohn's Two Sons assoon as ever they were Marriageable A great Dowry was promised and Caution made That no Fort should be built and Hostages also were given in the case William at his return fell into an unexpected Danger The greatest Part of the Town of Berth was swept away in the Night by an Inundation of the River Tay Neither was the King's Palace exempted from the Calamity but his Son an Infant with his Nurse and 14 more were drowned the rest hardly escaping Many also of the Promiscuous Multitude lost their Lives The King perceiving that the Water had overwhelmed the greatest part of the Ground on which the City stood and that almost every House in the Town had suffered thereby caused a new City to be built a little below in a more commodious place on the same River and making some small variation of the Name called it Perth in Memory as some say of one Perth a Nobleman who gave the King the Land on which the City was built About the same time the King took Gothered Makul Captain of the Rebels in the North who was betrayed to him by his own Men. When he was Prisoner he constantly abstained from all Food to prevent as 't is thought a more heavy Punishment This was in a manner the last memorable Fact of William's which yet in regard of his unweildy Age was acted by his Captains For he Dyed soon after in the 74 th year of his Age and the 49 th year of his Reign A. D. 1643. Not long before his Death Leagues were renewed with Iohn King of England almost every Year for he being a Man desirous to enlarge his Dominions thô he had War with the French abroad with the Romanists at home and moreover was never on sure Terms of Peace with the Irish or Welsh yet did not break off his Inclination to invade Scotland which had then an old Man for their King and the next Heir to him a Child Frequent Conferences happened on this Occasion rather to try what might be obtained than in hopes of any good Issue at length the Matter broke out into open Suspicion And after many Leagues made between Them at last William was called to Newcastle upon Tine Whither he came but there falling into a dangerous Disease he returned without doing any thing In fine a little before his Death he was invited to Norham on the Tweed and when his Sickness would not permit him to go his Son was desired to come in his stead which yet by the Advice of the Council was refused the Leagues established in those Interviews I shall not particularly mention for they almost all contain the same things having in them nothing New save that in One of them it was Articled That the Scotish Kings should not Swear nor be Feudataries to the Kings of England Themselves for the English Lands they held but their Children only The Mention of these things is wholly omitted by the English Writers also I believe for this very Cause Alexander II. The Ninety Fourth King WIlliam was succeeded by Alexander his Son begot on Emergard who was Kinswoman to the King of England and Daughter to the Earl of Beaumont He was but Sixteen years of age when he began to Reign entring upon the Government in troublesom Times he composed and setled things more prudently than could be expected from one of his years First of all he Indicted a Publick Convention of the Estates and therein by a Decree he confirmed all the Acts of his Father that good and prudent Prince His first Expedition was into England not out of any private Ambition but to bridle the Tyranny of Iohn and it was then said that he was sent for in by the Ecclesiasticks of that Kingdom He left Norham upon certain Conditions when he had begun to besiege it and piercing further into the Kingdom he carried it very severely against all the Royalists Upon his Return home Iohn invaded Scotland quickly after He made a mighty Devastation in Dunbar Hadington and all the Neighbouring Parts of Lothian and to spread the War and Ruin further he determined to return another Way Alexander being very desirous to decide it by a Battel pitcht his Tents between the Pentland Hills and the River Eske which way as it was bruited he would return but Iohn to avoid fighting marched along by the Sea and burnt the Monastery of Coldingham he also took and burnt Berwick which was then but meanly fortified As he thus marched hastily back Alexander followed him as fast as he could and making great havock all over Northumberland came as far as Richmond But Iohn by speedy marches having retreated into the heart of England Alexander returned by Westmorland and
the Ides of Iuly in the Year of Christ 1329. and of his Reign the Twenty Fourth The Ninth BOOK THE Nobles of Scotland having performed the Funeral Obsequies for the late King assoon as they could conveniently did Indict a Convention of the Estates for the Electing of a Regent where the Inclinations of the Publick easily pitched on Thomas Randolf Earl of Murray for even in the Kings Life Time he had for some Years managed that Office and the King at his Death had also Recommended him to the People by his last Will and Testament David II. The Ninety Eighth King THE Coronation of the King was deferred till the Eighth of the Calends of December the next Year following that so by the Permission of the Pope he might be Anointed and that new Ceremony be performed more Augustly amongst the Scots Assoon as the Regent was chosen he first of all ratified the Peace made with the English afterward he applied his Mind to settle quiet at home and to suppress publick Robberies In order whereto he kept a strong Guard of Armed Men about him which were ready on all Occasions so that when News was brought him as he was going to Wigton which is a Town in Galway that there was a strong Band of Thieves who beset the Highways and robbed Travellers in that Country he sent out his Guard against them even as he was in his Progress who took them every Man whom he caused to be put to Death He was Inexorable against all Murderers so that he caused a certain Man to be apprehended who had obtained the Popes Bull of Pardon for his Offence and thereupon thought himself secure to be apprehended alledging That the Pope might Pardon the Soul-Guilt but the Body-Punishment belonged to the King To prevent Robberies which were yet too frequently committed by reason of the remaining Contagion of the Wars he made a Law That the Country Men should leave their Iron Tools and Plough-Gear in the Field all Night and that they should not shut their Houses nor Stalls If any thing were stollen the Loss was to be repaired by the Sheriff of the County and the Sheriff was to be reimbursed by the King and the King was to be satisfied out of the Estates of the Thieves when they were taken There was one Country Man either over-greedy of Gain or else judging that Caution to be Vain and Frivolous who hid his Plough Iron in the Field and came to the Sheriff to demand Satisfaction as if it had been stollen the Sheriff paid him presently but inquiring further into the Matter and finding that he was the Author of the Theft himself he caused him to be Hanged and his â—oods to be Confiscate He restrained the loose Pack of Drolling Vagabonds and Minstrellers from wandring up and down the Country under most grievous Penalties If any one assaulted a Travellor or any Publick Officer in performing his Office he made it Lawful for any Body to Kill him So that when Thirty Assailants had been slain by the Companions of a certain Publick Minister at a Village called Halydon he pronounced That the Fact was just and Indemnified the Committers of it This Domestick Severiâ—y made him Formidable to flagitious Persons at home as his Valour did to his Enemies abroad And therefore the English who upon Roberts death watched all Occasions to revenge themselves perceiving That they could attempt nothing by open Force as long as Randolph was living turned their Thoughts to secret Fraud and Stratagem The speediest Way to be rid of their Enemy seemed to be by Poysoning him Neither wanted there a fit Minister to attempt it which was a certain Monk of that Class which are idly brought up and for want of Masters to teach them better they do many times pervert Good Wits to Evil Arts and Practices There were Two Professions joyned in him viz. Monkship and the Profession of Physick the First seemed proper to gain him Admittance the Second rendred him fit to perpetrate the Wickedness Hereupon he comes into Scotland giving out in all Places That as he had Skil in all other Parts of Physick so especially in curing the Stone by which means he obtained an easy Access to the Regent and being employed to cure him he mixed a Slow-working Poyson with his Medicine and then taking a few Days Provision with him he returned again into England as if he had gone only to get and prepare more Drugs and Medicines There he makes a Solemn Asseveration before Edward That Randolf would dye by such a certain day In Hopes whereof Edward levied a great Army and marching to the Borders found there as great an Army of Scots ready to receive him not far from his Camp whereupon he sent a Trumpeter to them upon Pretence to demand Reparation for Damages but he was enjoyned to inquire Who commanded the Scots Forces Randolph his Disease growing on and the Monk not returning at the Day appointed suspected all things for the worse and therefore dissembling his Grief as much as he could he sate in a Chair before his Tent Royally apparelled and gave Answer to the Demands of the Herald of Arms as if he had been a man perfectly Healthy and Sound The Herald at his Return acquainted the King with what he had seen and heard so that the Monk was punished as a Lying Cheat and Edward marched back his Army only leaving a Guard on the Borders to prevent Incursions Randolph also was hindred from marching forward by the Violence of his Disease but returning he disbanded his Army and at Musselborough about Four Miles from Edinburgh departed this Life in the year of our Salvation 1331. and the 13th of the Calends of August having managed the Regency Two years after Robert's death He was a Man no whit Inferiour to any of our Scotish Kings in Valour and Skill in Military Affairs but far Superiour to them in the Arts and Knacks of Peace He left Two Sons behind him Thomas and Iâ—hn Both worthy of so great a Father When Randolf Guardian of the Kingdom for so they then called him was dead Duncan Earl of Marr was chosen in his Place the 4th of the Nones of August The King being then Ten year old on which very Day a sad Message was brought to Court That the day before the Calends of that Month Edward Baliol was seen in the Firth of Forth with a Navy very Numerous To make all things more plain concerning his coming I must go a little back When King Robert died there was one Laurence Twine an English man of the Number of Those who having received Lands in Scotland as a Reward of their Military Service dwelt there He was of a Good Family but of a Wicked Life He conceiving Hope of greater Liberty upon the Death of One King and the Immature Age of Another gave himself up more licentiously to unlawful Pleasures so that
not come down into the Champion he placed all the Scots Army on a contrary Part of the Hill This his rash Counsel and Project had the like Event for as with great Difficulty they were getting up the Hill the Enemy with their Darts and the hurling down of Stones did wound them very sore before they came to handy Blows and when they came near they rushed upon them in such close Bodies that they tumbled them headlong over the steep Precipices There fell that day about Ten some say Fourteen Thousand of the Scots almost all such who escaped out of the unhappy Battel of Duplin were lost here The chief of them whose Names are recorded were Archibald himself the General Iames Iohn and Alan Stuarts Uncles to Robert who Reigned next after the Brucians Hugh Kenneth and Alexander Bruce the several and respective Earls of Ross Sutherland and Carrâ—ck Andrew Iohn and Simon three Brothers of the Frazers This Overthrow of the Scots happened on St. Mary Magdalens Day in the Year 1333. After this Fight all Relief was despaired of so that Alexander Seaton surrendred up the Town to the English and Patrick Dunbar the Castle upon Condition to march out with all their Goods Both of them were forced to Swear Fealty to the English and Patrick Dunbar was further enjoyned to Re-edifie the Castle of Dunbar at his own Charge which he had demolished that it might not be a Receptacle to the English Edward having staid there a few days Commended the Town and the Reliques of the War to Baliol and he himself retired into his own Kingdom leaving Edward Talbot in Scotland a Noble Person and very Prudent with a few English Forces to assist Baliol in subduing the rest of Scotland And indeed it seemed no great Task so to do in regard that almost all the Nobility were Extinct and of those few that remained some came in to the Conqueror others retired either into Desert or else Fortified Places The Garisons which remained Faithful to David were very few as on this side the Forth an Island in a Lough whence the River Down flows scarce big enough to bear a moderate Castle and Dumbritton beyond the Forth a Castle scituate in Lough Levin and also Kildrummy and Vrchart The next Year Ambassadors came from the Pope and from Philip King of France to end the disputes between the Kings of Britain The English were so puft up with the prosperous course of their Affairs that the King would not so much as admit the Ambassadors into his Presence for he thought That the Hearts of the Scots were so cowed and their strength so broken That for the future they durst not neither were they able again to Rebel But this great Tranquillity was soon changed into a most grievous War and that upon a very light Occasion where it was least expected viz. Upon a Discord arising amongst the English themselves at Perth Iames Mowbray had Lands given to his Ancestors in Scotland by Edward the First but they being lost by the various Changes of the Times he recovered them again when Edward Baliol was King He dying without Issue Male Alexander their Uncle Commenced a Suit against his Daughters for those Lands Those of the English Faction that maintained the Cause of the Females were Henry Beaumont who had Married one of them also Richard Talbot and David Cumins Earl of Athol Baliol took Alexanders part and decided or adjudged the Lands to him which so offended his Adversaries that they openly complained of the Injustice of the Decree and seeing that Complaints availed nothing they left the Court and went every one to his own home Talbot was going for England but being apprehended was carried to Dunbarton Beaumont Garisoned Dundury a strong Castle of Buchan and took Possession not only of the Lands which were in Controversie but also of all the Neighbouring Country Cumins went into Athol where he fortified some convenient Places and prepared to defend himself by force if he were attacked Baliol being afraid of this Conspiracy of such Potent Persons altered his Decree and gave the Lands in Question to Beaumont he also reconciled Cumins by giving him many Fertile Lands which belonged to Robert Stuart the next King Alexander being concerned at this injurious Affront joyns himself with Andrew Murray Regent of the Scots who had lately Ransomed himself from the English for a great Sum of Money These things were acted at several times yet I have put them together that the whole course of my History might not be interrupted In the mean time Baliol in another part of the Country attacked all the Forts about Renfrew some he took others he battered down and demolished Having settled Matters there according to his own Mind he Sailed over into the Island Bote and there fortified the Castle of Rothsay of which he made Alan Lisle Governour whom he had before made Chief Iustice for Matters of Law He diligently sought after Robert Stuart his Nephew or Grandchild to put him to Death but he by the help of William Heriot and Iohn Gilbert was wafted over in a small Vessel into the Continent on the other side where Horses stood ready for him which carried him to Dunbarton to Malcolm Fleming Governour of that Castle Baliol having setled things at Bote at his return took Dunâ—oon a Castle seated in Coval the Neighbouring Continent whereupon the Nobility of the Vicinage were struck with so great Fear that they almost all submitted to him Marching from thence the next Spring he bent all his care to besiege the Castle of Lough Levin but this project seeming too slow he left Iohn Sterlin a powerful Knight of his Party to besiege the Castle to whom he joyned Michael Arnold David Weemes and Richard Melvin with part of his Army They built a Fort over against it where the passage was narrowest and having in vain tried all ways to subdue it by force Alan Wepont and Iames Lambin Inhabitants of St. Andrews making such a vigorous Resistance at length they endeavoured to drown it by stopping up the passage of the River for the River Levin goes out from the Lake or Loch with a narrow Girt or Neck and an open Rock This Place they essayed to stop up by making a Wall or Bank of Stones and Turfs heaped upon one another but the Work proceeded on very slowly because as the Heat did incommode the Labourers so the Brooks which flowed into the Lake were then almost dry and the Water being far spread abroad received an increase by moderate Additions By this means the Siege was lengthned out to the Month of Iuly when there was an Holy Day kept in Remembrance of St. Margaret heretofore Queen of Scotland on which day there used to be a great Concourse of Merchants at Dumferlin where the Body of that Saint is reported to be buried Thither went Iohn Sterlin with a great part of his Men some for
of his Son in Law the Earl of Athole and therefore he killed all that he could take without any distinction who had been in the Fight of Kilblane in a very cruel manner Andrew Murray besieged him in Dâ—ngarg and enforced him to a Surrender and upon taking his Oath That he would return no more into Scotland in an Hostile manner he was dismissed Thus by one continued Course of Victory he took all the Strong Holds on the further side of the Forth besides the Castle of Cowper and the Town of Perth and casting out their Garisons he wholly demolished Them Afterwards he entred England where he got great Booty and somewhat relieved the Spirits of his Soldiers who had suffered much by reason of want in their own Country For in regard Scotland had been harassed that Year by the Injuries of War and wasted by the daily Incursions of both Parties the Fields lay untill'd and there was such a Famine that the English were enforced to desert the strong Castle of Cowper for want of Provisions And a Scotish Seaman who had been abused by them being employed to Transport the Garison-Soldiers by Night to Lothian Landed them upon a Bank of Sand which was bare when the Tide was out they thinking it had been the Continent went a little way and then met with Sea again which made them call again for the Vessel but in vain for they all perished there The next Year which was 1537. the English Besieged the Castle of Dunbar it was defended by Agnes the Wife of the Earl of Merch who was commonly Sirnamed the Black a Woman of a Manly Spirit The Besiegers were the Earls of Salisbury and Arundel the Siege lasted longer than any body thought it would so that Two divers Supplies were sent into Scotland to relieve Baliol the One led by Monfort the Other by Richard Talbot Lawrence Preston undertook Monfort and in a Fight slew him and routed his Army but he himself dyed soon after of the Wounds he there received which caused his Soldiers to wreck their Fury for the loss of their General on the Prisoners whom they inhumanly slew Talbot was taken Prisoner by William Keith and his Army routed yet the Siege of Dunbar continued still And the Sea being stopped by the English the Besieged were driven to so great a want of Victuals that without doubt it must have been surrendred if Alexander Ramsay by a seasonable thô bold Attempt had not relieved it He in the dead time of the Night slipp'd by the Watch which in Gallies of Genoa kept the Sea-Coast-side and came up to the Castle where he landed Forty choice Men and a great quantity of Provisions And then joyning part of the Garison with his own Men in the Covert of the Night he rushed in with such a noise on the English Guard that he made a great slaughter amongst them for they little expected a Sally from an Enemy whom they looked upon as almost Conquered and so the next Night he returned back as sâ—curely as he came Thus after Six Months the Siege of Dunbar was raised For Edward called back his Forces to the French War after they had wearied themselves and tryed all ways to become Masters of the Place Andrew Murray his Country being then almost freed from Foreign Soldiers attempted to reduce First Sterling then Edinburgh but was fain to depart from them Both without carrying them yet he subdued all Lothian and brought it under the King's Subjection In the mean time to give his wearied Mind a little Relaxation he went to see his Lands and Possessions beyond the Mountains where he fell Sick and Dyed he was Buried at Rosmark much Lamented and Desired by all Good Men. For in those Two Years and an halfe whilst he sate at Helme he performed such great Atchievements as might seem sufficient for the whole Life of One of the Greatest Captains in the World After him Stuart was made Regent till the return of David out of France he being yet but young did that Year get the better of the English in many light Skirmishes which were managed under the Conduct of William Douglas yet not without the great hazard and danger of Douglas himself who was often wounded He drove the English out of Teviotdale He took the Castle of Hermitage in Liddisdale and surprizing great store of Provision belonging to the Enemy at Mulross he fortified it too He had such a sharp and obstinate Encounter with Berclay That he himself with but Three in his Company hardly escaped and that by the benefit of the Night too He overthrew the Forces of Iohn Sterling in a bloody Onset yet He himself was a while after like to be taken by him but recovering himself after a fierce Encounter he put Sterling to flight slew Thirty of his Companions and took Forty of them Prisoners he so pressed upon William Abernethy by whom he had been worsted Five times in one Day That before Night he slew all his Men and brought him Prisoner along with him And he had as great Felicity in conquering Lawrence Vaux a stout Enemy At last he Sailed over to King David in France to acquaint him with the State of Scotish Affairs The next Year which was 1339. Stuart hoping to follow on his good Fortune Levied an Army and divided it into Four Parts and so attempts to reduce Perth but the English defended it so valiantly that he was wounded and beaten off After the Siege had lasted Three Months Douglas came to their Assistance when they almost despaired of Success he brought with him Five Pyratical Ships which he hired wherein there were some Soldiers and warlike Engines Part of the Soldiers were Landed but the rest were sent in their Ships to keep the Mouth of the River Tay. Douglas himself went to recover the Castle of Cowper which being deserted by the English was seized on by the Scots And William Bullock an English Priest who was Treasurer also made Governor Douglas agreed with him that he should have Lands in Scotland and so come over to his Party he was the more easily persuaded to it because he could expect no Aid from England and he had not much confidence in the Scots who were in Garison with him This Man was afterwards very faithful to the Scots and of great use to them The Siege of Perth had now lasted Four Months and would have continued much longer unless the Earl of Ross had drained the Water out of the Trench by Mines and subterraneous Passages so that by this means the Assailants came to the very Walls and threw the Defendants off their Works by the Darts sent principally from the Engins so that the English were forced to Surrender upon Terms To march out Bag and Baggage whither they pleased In a little time after Sterlin being Besieged was also Surrendren on the same Terms and Maurice Murray the Son
his Former Life and especially for his late and yet reaking Conquests was received with a great deal of Favour and had the Government of Roxburgh bestowed on him yea and the Sheriff-wick of all Teviotdale was also added to his Authority William Douglas took this mighty heinously that Ramsay was preferred before him in that Honour For seeing he had expelled the English from almost all Teviotdale he had sometimes presided over the Publick Assembly there thô without the Kings Command yet relying upon his Merits towards his Country the Nobleness of his Stock and the Power of his Family he hoped That no man would have been his Competitor for that Office Whereupon being wholly bent on Revenge he at present dissembled his Anger but in Three Months after he met with his Adversary holding an Assembly in the Church of Hawick and unawares assaulted and wounded him having also slain Three of his Followers who endeavoured to rescue him and so set him upon an Horse and carried him to the Castle of Hermitage where he starved him to Death About the same time William Bullock a Man of singular Loyalty to the King was put to the same kind of Death by David Berclay These Two Savage and Cruel Facts filled almost the whole Kingdom with Seditions and distracted it into several Parties These things did mightily exercise the King who was yet but Young and not accustomed to Men of Rough and Military Dispositions yet though he used great diligence to find out Douglas to bring him to Condign Punishment he by Means of his Friends of which he had procured Many by his Noble Exploits for the Liberty of his Country and especially of Robert Stuart the King's Son by his Sister obtained his Pardon And indeed the Magnificent yet True Report of his Famous Actions did much facilitate the Obtaining thereof together with the present Conjuncture of the Time wherein there being but an uncertain Peace abroad and Seditions at home Military Men were to be respected yea and honoured too Upon which Account he was not only pardoned but preferred also to the Government of Roxburgh and of Teviotdale too a Clemency which perhaps in the present Circumstances of Things might be useful but certainly of very ill Example for the Future David having thus settled Matters at Home the best he could denounces War against England the greatest Part of the Nobility dissuading him from that Expedition by reason of the great Scarcity of Provisions Yet he Listed an handsom Army and made Thomas Randolfe General thereof he himself accompanied him but in disguise that he might not be known to be the King This Army having wasted Northumberland for about Two Months time returned home with great Booty Within a few Days after he made another Inrode into the Enemies Country but then he did not disguise but openly professed Himself both King and General The English being inferior in Strength would not venture to give a set Battel whilst their King was absent in France but skirmished their Enemies with their Horse and so kept them from plundering much by a close March Five of the Chief Nobility whom David had lately raised to that Honour straggling too far from their Men were taken Prisoners their Followers being also killed or put to Flight So that David to spend no more time there in vain returned with his Army He made also a Third Expedition with what Force he could privately Levy that so he might fall upon his Enemy unawares But entring England in a stormy Autumn the small Brooks were so swollen with large Showres that they made all the Country unpassable and also hinder'd the Carriage of Provision so that Home he came again yet that he might not seem to have taken so much Pains to no purpose he demolished a few Castles Not long after Embassadors were sent to and fro in order to obtain a Truce for Two Years which the Scots consented to upon Condition That Philip King of France gave his Consent for That was one Article in the Treaty between the Scots and French That neither of them should make Truce or Peace with the English without the Other 's Consent For those Two Years Scotland was quiet About the Fourth Year after David's Return the French were overcome in a great Battel and Calais a Town of the Mâ—â—ini was besieged by them so that Philip pressed the Scots by his Ambassadors to Invade England and to so draw away some of their Force from Him Hereupon an Army was commanded to meet at Perth Thither they came in a great Abundance and there David Earl of Rosse waylaying Reginald Lord of the Aebudae his Old Enemy fell upon him in the Night and slew him with Seven Nobles in his Company This Murder did much weaken the Army for the Kindred and Tenants of both Parties yea the Neighbouring Inhabitants fearing a Civil War between Two such Potent Families returned to their own Homes And therefore William Douglas of Liddisdale earnestly persuaded the King to desist from his present Expedition and to compose Matters at Home His Counsel was refused and the King his Friendship to Philip overcoming his Love to his Country marches forward into England and destroyed all as he went by Fire and Sword And thus in Sixteen Days he came into the County of Durham where the English parly levied by Percy and partly sent back from the Siege of Calais made a great Body and shewed themselves to the Enemy in Battel-array sooner than ever the Scots could have imagined David who feared nothing less than the coming of the Enemy and therefore had sent abroad Douglas to forage the Neighbouring Country gave a Signal of Battel to his Souldiers Douglas fell unawares amongst his Enemies and having lost Five Hundred of his Men was put to slight and returned in great Fear to the Camp And the End of the Conflict was as unhappy as the Beginning For the Fight being sharply begun Randolfe's Men were routed at the first Onset and he himself slain The main Battel in which the King was was assaulted by Two Brigades of the English One that had conquered before and Another that was intire and had not yet charged who shattered it and cut it off quite They being resolved to die and therein almost all the Scotish Nobility were utterly lost and the King himself after his Arms were taken away was taken Prisoner by Iohn Copland but he struck out Two of his Teeth with his Fist though he himself was sorely wounded with two Arrows The Third Wing commanded by Robert Stuart and Patrick Dunber perceiving the Slaughter of their fellow-Souldiers withdrew themselves with little Loss The Nobility were so destroyed in this Fight that immediately after it Roxburgh Hermitage and many other Castles were surrender'd to the English And the Scots were enforced to quit their Claim to all the Lands they held in England and also to Merth Teviotdale Liddisdale and Lauderdale and the
Lewd Persons yet Innocent of that Particular Fact for which they suffered In the interim the King advised with his Friends how he might preserve Iames his Youngest Son for whose safety he was very solicitous and whom he had left in the custody of Walter Wardiloe Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews an honest man and faithful to him They gave their Opinion in the case that he could not be safe in any part of Scotland and that therefore it was best to send him over to Charles the IV. King of France the old Ally and only Friend of the Scotish Nation for he could be Educated no where more safely and honourably than there The fresh Example of David Bruce stuck yet in their Minds who in dubious and troublesome times at home had there for some years an Honourable retreat and Entertainment Hereupon a Vessel was prepared and he put on bord at the Basâ— a Rock rather than an Island Henry Sinclare Earl of the Oreades was sent with him as his Guide or Rector whilst they were compassing the shore he Landed at the Promontory of Flamburgh either driven in by Tempest or else to refresh himself on shore from his Sâ—â—-Vomit and Nauseation There he was detained by the English till they sent to their King who commanded that he should be brought up to Court So that neither the Law of the Truce which was made a little before for 8 years nor the supplicating Letters of his Father did prevail but he was kept as a Lawful Prisoner For his Father at his departure had sent Letters by him to the King of England if possibly he should be necessitated to land there wherein he made complaining and lamentable discourses both of his own and also of the common fortune of all Mankind But tho' the King of England were not ignorant of the Inconstancy of human affairs yet the old grudge against the Nation of the Scots more prevailed with him than either the respect of the Youth 's Innocent Age or the Tears of his grieved Father or the dignity of the Kingly Name or the Faith of the Pacification and Truce For having referred the matter to his Council how he should treat the Son of the King of Scots being arrived in his Dominions Those who had any regard to Equity and were weary of the present War inclined to the milder Opinion viz. That the Royal Youth who fled from the Cruelty of his own Countrymen and was now their Suppliant should be hospitably and Friendly Entertained That so a feirce Nation and unconquer'd by the War of so many Ages might be won and wrought over to a Reconciliation by Courtesie For this they thought was the most solid and firm victory not when Liberty was taken away by force but when Minds are united by the indissoluble bond of Amity Others were of contrary Opinion That he might be lawfully detained as a Prisoner either because many of the Scots Nobility had Personally assisted Percy in the Insurrection which he made against the King or because his Father had Entertained and Relieved Percy the Elder when he was Banished and Condemned as a Traitor in England This Opinion as commonly the worst things do prevailed thâ— they that were present at the Consult knew well enough that those Scots who fought against the English King in Percy 's Insurrection were not sent by any Publick Commission from the King but came out of their private Affection to Douglas who was then also in Percy 's Power They might also have remembred what Henry himself had answered to the Scots a few Years before when they demanded George Dunbar to be given up yet notwithstanding they stuck to this last Opinion as commonly in the Courts of Princes a false preâ—ence of Advantage doth weigh down Honest and Righteous Counsels Yet in one thing Henry dealt Nobly and Royally with his Captive That he caused him to be Educated in Learning and Good Discipline This Calamity of the Son was brought to his Fathers Ears whilst he was at Supper and did so overwhelm him with Grief that he was almost ready to give up the Ghost in the Hands of his Servants that attended him but being carried to his Bed-chamber he abstained from all Food and in 3 Days dyed for Hunger and Grief at Rothesay which is a Town in the Island Bote in the 16th Year of his Reign in the Calends of April and Year of Christ 1406. He was Buried at the Abby of Pasley This Robert for tallness of Stature and for the Beauty and Composition of his whole Body was inferior to none of his Contemporaries His Life was very harmless and there was no Virtuous Accomplishment fit for a private Man wanting in him so that it may be truly said of him That he was a better Man than a King After the King's death the Government of the Kingdom was setled upon Robert his Brother by the Decree of all the Estates who had many things in him worthy of that Office and Dignity if out of a blind Ambition to Rule he had not used unjust Courses to hasten to the Throne He was Valiant in War Prudent in Counsel Just in Judgment Liberal to the Nobles and Tender in Levying Taxes on the Commons The same Year Percy the Elder again entred into a Conspiracy against the King to revenge upon him the deaths of his Brother and Two Sons who had been slain but his Design was discovered many of his Accomplices taken and put to death and he himself for fear fled into Scotland that from thence he might pals over into Flanders and France to procure Auxiliaries to renew the War In the mean time Henry the King of Englands Son made great Incursions into Scotland both by Land and Sea when he was returned home with a great Booâ—y the Castle of Iedburgh which the Enemy had kept from the Fight in Darham to that day was taken by the Commons of Teviotdale Pillaged and then by the Governors Order wholly demolished And George Earl of Merch who had done much damage to his Countrymen in behalfe of the English being not able to procure from them Aid to recover his Own nor an honest Maintenance amongst them neither pacified the Governor by his Friends and so returned home yet he lost part of his Patrimony viz. his Castles in the Loch-Maban and Annandale which were given to Douglas for the Losses he had sustained and thus all Offences were forgiven on both sides and he passed the rest of his Life in great Concord with his Neighbours and faithful Subjection to his King The next Year Percy after he had made a vain and fruitless Peregrination over France and Flanders returned into Scotland to his old Friend the Earl of Merch by whom he was courteously Entertained and Accommodated according to his Estate There he Transacted by private Messengers about returning into his own Country and amongst the rest he wrot to Ralph Rokesby his Ancient
fought with and slew him and some of his Followers Douglas took the Fact so hainously that he made a Solemn Oath never to rest till he had expiated the Murder by Colvil's Death Neither were his Threatnings in vain for he Storm'd his Castle took and plunder'd it and killed all therein that were able to bear Arms. This Fact though 't was performed against Law and Custom yet some did excuse and in effect commend as proceeding from Indignation a Passion not unbeseeming a Generous Mind Thus as it commonly happens in degenerate Times Flattery the perpetual Companion of Greatness did clothe the highest Offences with Honest and Plausible Names Moreover Douglas was so lifted up with the Flatteries of Fortune which did now incline to his Destruction that he had a great Ambition to make an Ostentation of his Power even to Foreign Nations as if the splendor of so great a Family oâ—â—ht not to be straitned within the narrow Theatre of one Island onâ—â— so that he had a Mind to go to Rome he pretended Religion but the principal design of his Journy was Ambition the Church of Rome had adopted the old Rites of the Iewish for as the Iewish Church every Fiftieth year was to forgive all the Debts of what kind soever to their Country Men and to restore all Pledges Gratis and also to set their Hebrew Servants at Liberty So the Pope taking an Example therefrom as Gods Vicar on Earth did arrogate the Power of forgiving all Offences For whereas at other times he trucked out his Pardons by Peice-Meal every Fiftieth Year he open'd his full Garners thereof and pour'd out whole Bushels full of them publickly to all yet I will not say Gratis Douglas with a great Train of Nobles who were desirous partly to see Novelties and partly allur'd by hopes of Reward sail'd over into Flanders From thence he Travelled by Land to Paris and took with him his Brother appointed Bishop of Caledonia who afterwards seeing Douglas had no Children was by the Kings Permission put in hopes to be his Heir In France he was highly caressed partly upon the account of their Publick League with the Scots and partly in Memory of his Ancestors Demerits from that Crown hereupon all Rome was filled with the Expectation of his coming About Two Months after his departure from Scotland his Enemies and Rivals began to lift up their Heads they durst not for Fear complain of him when he was present but now they laid open all the Injuries they had received from him And when it was once noised abroad that the Access to the King was easie and that his Ear was open to all just Complaints The Troop of Complainants lamenting their Sufferings did daily increase so that all the ways to the Palace were almost stopt by them The King could not well either reject the Petitions of the Sufferers nor yet condemn the Earl in his absence without hearing of him so that he gave a middle Answer which satisfi'd their Importunity for the present viz. That he would Command the Earls Proctor or Attorney to appear that so in his own Presence a fair Tryal might be had Whereupon the Proctor was summon'd but did not appear so that the Kings Officers were sent out to bring him in by force when he was brought to Court some alledged that he ought to be immediately punisht for disobeying the Kings Command in regard that by too much Patience the Kings Authority would be despis'd and run low even amongst the meaner sort for under the pretence of Lenity the Audaciousness of the Bad would increase and the Impunity of Offendors would open the way for more Crimes The King was not mov'd by those Instigations but remain'd constant to his Resolution which was rather to satisfie his greatest Accusers by the Compensation of their Losses than to satiate their Vindicative Minds with the spilling of his Blood Hereupon he caus'd the Earls Proctor to be brought out of Prison and to plead in his Masters behalf telling him That if he had any thing to allege in Purgation of the Crimes objected he should freely declare it without any fear at all When he was cast in many Suits and the King Commanded him immediately to pay the Damages The Proctor answer'd He would defer the whole matter till the return of the Earl who was expected in a few Months This he spake as 't was thought by the advice of Ormond and Murray the Earl's Brothers When the King was inform'd of his Resolution he sent William Sinclare Earl of the Orcades who was then Chancellor first into Galway and then into Douglasdale he appointed Sequestrators to gather up the Rents of Douglas's Estate and so to pay the Damages adjudg'd by Law But in regard Sinclare had not Power enough to inforce his Order some eluded others Contumeliously abus'd him so that he return'd without effecting his Business The King being provokt by this Contempt of his Authority Commands all the Favourers of Douglas his Faction to be Summon'd to appear which they refusing to do were declared Publick Enemies an Army was Levy'd against them which marcht into Galway At their first coming the Commanders were driven into their Castles but a small Party of the Kings Forces pursuing after the rest through Craggy Places were repuls'd and not without Ignominy driven back to the King The King taking it in great Indignation that a few Vagabond Thieves should dare to make such Attempts resolv'd to redeem their slighting of him by attempting their Strongs Holds he took the Castle of Maban with no great difficulty but his Soldiers were so much toil'd and weary'd in the taking of Douglas Castle that therefore he wholly demolisht it As for the Vassals and Tenants who had submitted themselves and their Fortunes to him he Commanded them to pay their Rents to his Treasurers till Douglas's Estate had fully satisfi'd what was awarded against him by Law And when this was almost done he dismist his Army having obtain'd a good Report for his Lenity and Moderation even amongst his very Enemies When these Matters were related to the Earl at Rome his great Spirit was mightily mov'd yea his Esteem did then abate amongst his own Attendants so that a great Part of them deserted him and he enter'd upon his Journy homewards with but a few Followers He came through England and drawing near to the Borders of Scotland he sent his Brother Iames to feel the Kings Pulse how he stood affected towards him And when the King was appeasable he return'd home and was kindly receiv'd only he was admonisht to abandon and subdue all Robbers especially those of Annandale who had plaid many Cruel and Avaritious Pranks in his absence Douglas undertook to do so and confirm'd his Promise by an Oath Whereupon he was not only restor'd into his former Grace and Favour but also made Regent over all Scotland so that every one was injoin'd to obey his Commands But
had not refus'd to give him entrance so that the Enemy was almost at his Heels and before he knew whither to betake himself he was forc't with that Strength which he had to run the hazard of a Fight At the beginning they fought stoutly and the first Ranks of the Nobility's Army began to give ground but the Men of Annandale and the Neighbouring Parts inhabiting the West of Scotland came boldly up and having longer Spears than their Adverse Party they presently routed the Kings Main Battel he himself was weakned by the Fall of his Horse and fled to some Water-Mills near the place where the Battel was fought his Intent was as is suppos'd to get to his Ships which lay not far off there he was taken and a few more with him and slain there were Three that persued close after him in his Flight i. e. Patrick Grey the Head of his Family Sterlin Car and a Priest named Borthwick 't is not well known Which of them gave him his Deaths Wound When the News of his Death though as yet not fully certain was divulg'd through Both Armies it occasion'd the Conquerors to press less violently upon those who fled away so that there were the Fewer of them slain For the Nobles manag'd the War against the King not against their Fellow Subjects There was slain of the Kings Party Alexander Cuningham Earl of Glencarn with some Few of his Vassals and Kindred but there were many wounded of Both sides Thus Iames the Third came to his end a Man not so much of a bad Disposition by Nature as corrupted by ill Custom and Acquaintance For having at first given forth a Specimen of great and notable Ingenuity and of a Mind truly Royal he degenerated by degrees the Boyds being the first Occasion thereof into all manner of Licentiousness When the Boyds were taken off then Persons of the Lowest Sort were his Advisers to all kind of Wickedness and besides the Corruption of the Times and the evil Examples of his Neighbour Kings contributed not a little to his Overthrow and Ruin For Edward the Fourth in England Charles in Burgundy Lewis the Eleventh in France Iohn the Second in Portugal had all laid the Foundations of Tyranny in their respective Kingdoms also And Richard the Third exercised it most highly and cruelly in England His Death was also branded with this Ignominy that in the next Assembly the whole Parliament voted that he was justly slain and Provision was made for all that had born Arms against him that neither They nor their Posterity should be prejudic'd thereby He died in the Year of our Lord 1488 in the Twenty Eighth Year of his Reign and the Thirty Fifth of his Age. The Thirteenth BOOK JAmes the Third being thus slain near Sterlin in or about the Month of Iune they who were his Contrariants being as yet uncertain what was become of Him retreated to Linlithgo There Word was brought them that some Boats had passed to and fro from the Ships to the Land and that they had carried off the Wounded Men. Whereupon a Suspicion arose amongst them that the King himself also was gone a Shipboard which occasioned them to remove their Camp to Leith From thence the Prince for that 's the Title of the King of Scot's eldest Son sent some Agents to require the Admiral of the Fleet to come ashore to him His Name was Andrew Wood he was a Knight and being mindful of the King's Kindness towards him remained constant in his Affection to him even after he was dead but he refused to come ashore unless Hostages were given for his safe Return Seaton and Flemming two Noblemen were appointed as Hostages When he landed the King 's Council asked him if he knew where the King was and who were they that he carried off to his Ships after the Fight As for the King he told them he knew nothing of him but that he and his Brothers had landed out of their Boats that so they might assist the King and all his good Subjects but having endeavoured in vain to preserve him they then returned to the Fleet He added if the King were alive they resolved to obey none but him but if he were slain they were ready to revenge his Death He uttered also many reproachful Speeches against the Rebels yet nevertheless they sent him away in Safety to his Ships that so their Hostages might not suffer When the Hostages were returned the Inhabitants of Leith were called up to the Council and pressed by Promises of great Reward to rig out their Ships and subdue Andrew Wood. They all in general made answer that he had two Ships so fitted with all Things for a Fight and so well furnished with valiant Seamen and withal that he himself was so skilful in Naval Affairs that no ten Ships in all Scotland were able to cope with his Two So that that Consultation was put off and they went to Edinburgh There they were fully informed of the King's Death and appointed a magnificent Funeral to be made for him at Kambus-Kenneth a Monastery near Sterlin on the 25 th day of the Month of Iune IAMES the IVth the CV'th King IN the Interim an Assembly was summoned about creating a new King There were few which came together to perform this Service and those were mostly of the Party that had conspired against the former King The new King at his first entrance sent an Herauld to the Governour of Edinburgh-Castle for him to surrender it which he did and then he passed over to Sterlin and that Castle was also delivered up to him by the Garison-Souldiers When the Vogue was up in England how troublesom Matters were in Scotland five Ships were chosen out of that King's Fleet who entred into the Firth of Forth and there made havock of the Goods of all Merchants making many descents on both Shores they mightily infesting the Maritime Parts for they expected greater Disturbances on Land by the sidings of the Scots one against another For seeing the adverse Party were rather shattered than broken in the late Fight in regard they were not all there and of those that were there were but few slain they thought a feircer Tempest would have arisen from Minds which yet continued to be inflamed with Hatred and Envy and which were elevated by confidence in their own Strength And it encreased the Indignation that now the power over so many Noble and Eminent Persons was so easily fallen not into the King's but to a few particular Mens Hands for tho the King might retain the Name and Title of a King yet being but a Youth of 15 Years old he did not govern but was himself governed by those that killed his Father For the whole management of Matters would reside in Douglas Hepburne and Hume and their Confidence was the more encreased because all the Shores were infested with the two Fleets the Scottish and the English To obviate this
intent upon other Matters and Concerns were secure as to the King's Departure from them because they believed that now his Mind was fully reconciled to them by those Blandishments and immoderate Pleasures they had indulg'd him in And besides they thought if he had a mind to remove there was no Faction strong enough to oppose them neither was there any strong Garison whither to retire but only Sterlin Castle which was allotted to the Queen for her Habitation but then it was deserted for a time by the Queen's Officers when she hid her self for fear of the Douglasses and when the Tumult was a little appeased 't was somewhat fortified but rather for a Shew than for any real Defence The King having obtained some small Relaxation saw that this must be his only refuge and therefore he bargain'd with his Mother privately to exchange that Castle and the Land adjoyning for other Lands as convenient for her and providing all other Requisites as secretly as he could the Douglasses not being so intent as formerly in their Watch over him he retired by Night with a few in his Company from Falkland to Sterlin whither he soon sent for some of the Nobles to come to him and others hearing the News came in of their own accord so that now he seemed sufficiently secured against all Force There by the Advice of his Nobles he published a Proclamation that the Douglasses should abstain from all Administration of publick Affairs And moreover that none of their Kin by Blood or Marriage or of their Dependants should come within twelve Miles of the Court he that did otherwise was to lose his Life When the Edict was served upon the Douglasses as they were coming to Sterlin many were of opinion that they should go on in their Journey but the Earl and his Brother George thought it best to obey the Edict Thus they went back to Linlithgo resolving to stay there till they heard some more News from the Court. In the mean time the King with great Diligence sent Messengers even to the furthest parts of the Kingdom to call in all the Nobles who had a Priviledg of voting to an Assembly at Edinburgh to be celebrated Septemb. the 3 d. next ensuing In the Interim He at Sterlin and the Douglasses at Edinburgh gathered Forces about them but it was rather to defend themselves than offend one another At length Iuly the 2 d. the Douglasses departed out of the City and the King with his Forces and Banners display'd enter'd in but by the Mediation of Friends deprecating the King on their Behalf Conditions were offer'd to them which were That the Earl of Angus should be banished beyond the Spey That George his Brother and Archibald his Uncle should be kept in hold in the Castle of Edinburgh If they submitted to these Terms then there was hopes of the King's Mercy otherwise not These Terms being rejected by them they were commanded by an Herauld to attend the Parliament that was to be held at Edinburgh the 3 d. of Septemb. In the mean time their publick Offices were taken from them and Gawin Dunbar the King's Tutor was made Chancellor instead of the Earl He was a good and a learned Man but some thought him a little defective in Politicks and Robert Carncross was made Treasurer in the place of Archibald one more known for his Wealth than his Virtue The Douglasses being now driven to their last shifts endeavoured to seize upon Edinburgh which was void by the King's Departure and accordingly they sent Archibald thither with some Troops of Horse their Design was to keep out the King and so to dissolve the Parliament But on the 7 th of the Calends of September Robert Maxwell with his Vassals had by the King's Command prevented them and kept them from entring the City yea the Guards and Sentinels were mounted and disposed so carefully in all convenient places that things were kept there in great Tranquillity till the Parliament's time of Meeting Douglas being disappointed of this hope retired to his Castle of Tantallon about fourteen Miles distant from the City The same day that the King came out of Sterlin there fell such mighty Showers of Rain from the Heavens and the Brooks and Rivers did so overflow their Banks that the King's Retinue was scatter'd into many parties so that they came much harassed and late in the Night to Edinburgh They were so mightily batter'd with the Violence of the Storm that a very few Horse if they had charged them might have done them a great deal of Mischief In that Parliament the Earl of Angus George his Brother Archibald his Uncle and Alexander Drummond of Carnock their intimate Friend were out-lawed and their Goods confiscate This Edict or Clause was also added to their Condemnation that whosoever did harbor them in their Houses or give them any other Assistance should incur the same Punishment That which most of all moved the Court to condemn them was this because the King had affirmed upon Oath That as long as he was in the Power of the Douglasses he was afraid of his Life he also profess'd that his Fear was heightned and made a deeper Impression on him after George had given him such cutting Menaces before mention'd There was only one Man found in this Assembly by name Iohn Bannatine a Vassal of the Douglasses who was so bold as to make a publick Protestation against all that was acted against the Earl because as he alleged his Non-appearance at the day limitted was occasion'd by his just Fear A few days after William another Brother of the Earl's Abbat of the Monastery of Holy Rood died of Sickness trouble of Mind and Grief for the present Posture of Affairs Robert Carncross one meanly descended but well monyed bought that Preferment of the King who then wanted Mony eluding the Law against Simony by a new kind of Fraud The Law was that Ecclesiastical Preferments should not be sold but he laid a great Wager with the King that he would not bestow upon him the next Preferment of that kind that fell and by that means lost his Wager but got the Abbacy Thus the Douglasses seeing that all hope of Pardon was cut off betook themselves to open force and to the only Comfort they had left which was in Revenge for they used great Extremity and committed all sorts of Outrages upon the Lands of their Enemies they burnt Cousland and Cranston and every day skirted by the Gates of Edinburgh with their Horse so that the City was almost besieged and the Poor were made to suffer for the Offences of the great Ones During these Hurly Burlies on the 11th of the Calends of December A Ship called the Marina a brave Vessel in those days and richly laden by stress of Weather was forc'd upon the Shore of Enverwick part of the Lading was pillaged by Douglasses Horse who rang'd up and down
Ensigns of the Kings and that the Queen's Husband should be created King of Scotland according to Custom To whom the Embassadors answer'd in short That they had receiv'd no Commands concerning those Matters The Chancellor reply'd That no more was desir'd of them at present than what was in their Power viz. That when these Matters came to be debated in the Parliament of Scotland that they would give their Suffrages in the Affirmative and give it under their Hands that they would so do That demand seem'd to be fuller of Peremptoriness than the former and therefore they thought it best to reject it with great vehemency and disgust Insomuch that their Answer was That their Embassy was limited by certain Instructions and Bounds which they neither could nor would transgress but if they had been left free from any restriction at all yet it was not the part of faithful Friends to require That of them which they could not grant without certain Infamy and Treachery tho there were no danger of Life in the Case That they were willing to gratify the French their old Allies as far as the just Laws of Amity requir'd and therefore they desir'd them to keep within the same Bounds of Modesty in making their Demands Thus the Embassadors were dismiss'd the Court and tho they hasten'd home assoon as they could yet before they went a Ship-board four of the chief of them Gilbert Kennedy George Lesly Robert Reed and Iames Fleming all very virtuous and true Patriots departed this Life as also did very many of their Retinue not without suspicion of Poison It was thought that Iames the Queen's Brother had also taken the same Dose for altho by reason of the Strength of his Constitution and his youthful Age he escap'd Death at that time yet he lay under a dangerous and constant weakness of Stomach as long as he liv'd That Summer Matters were at that dubious pass in Britain that there seem'd rather to be no Peace than a War For there were Skirmishes on both sides Preys driven and Villages burnt Incursions were mutually made and not without Blood Two of the Nobility of Scotland were carry'd away Prisoners by the English William Keith Son to the Earl of Merch and Patrick Grey chief of a Family so call'd amongst the Scots the rest of the Military damages fell upon mean Persons About the same time the English sent a Fleet under the Command of Sir Iohn Clare to infest the Coasts of Scotland they came to the Orcades intending there to Land and to burn Kirkwall a Bishops See the only Town in that Circuit When they had made a descent with a good part of their Force a fierce Tempest suddenly arose which carry'd their Ships from the Coast into the Main where after a long contest with the Winds and Waves they at length made Sail for England back again They which were put a Shore were every one Slain by the Islanders This year and the year before the Cause of Religion seem'd to lie Dormant for it being somewhat crush'd by the Death of George Wiseheart one Party accounted themselves well satisfy'd if they could worship God in their own Tongue in private Assemblies and dispute soberly concerning Matters of Divinity and the other Party after the Cardinal was slain shew'd themselves rather destitute of an Head than undesirous of Revenge For he who succeeded in his Place did rather covet the Mony than the Blood of his Enemies and was seldom Cruel but when it was to maintain his Licentiousness and to expend on his Pleasures In April Walter Mills a Priest none of the most learned was yet suspected by the Bishops because he left off to say Mass whereupon he was haled to their Court Though he was weak by Constitution of Body and Age extream Poor and also brought out from a nasty Prison and lay under such high Discouragements yet he answer'd so stoutly and prudently too that his very Enemies could not but acknowledg That such greatness and confidence of Spirit in such an enfeebled Carkase must needs have a support from on High The Citizens of St. Andrews were so much affected at the wrong done him that there was none found who would sit as Judg upon him and all the Tradesmen shut up their Shops that they might sell no Materials toward his Execution which was the Cause of his Reprieve for one day more than was intended At last one Alexander Somerval a Friend of the Archbishop's was found out a naughty Fellow who undertook to sit as Judg upon him for that Day This is certain the Commonalty took his Death so hainously that they heap'd up a great Pile of Stones in the Place where he was Burnt that so the Memory of his Death might not end with his Life The Priests took Order to have it thrown down for some Days but still as they dissipated it one Day it was rais'd up the next till at last the Papists convey'd the Stones away to build Houses with about the Town Iuly the 20 th was the day appointed by the Bishops for Paul Meffen an eminent Preacher of God's Word in those days to come to his Answer There was a great Assembly of the Nobles at the time so that the Matter seem'd to tend towards a Tumult whereupon the Process was deferr'd to another time several were condemn'd but it was of those which were Absent who that they might not be terrify'd with the severity of the Punishment were commanded to come in by the 1 st of September and pardon was promis'd them if they recanted The same 1 st of September was St. Giles day whom the Inhabitants of Edinburgh do venerate as their Tutelar God carousing to him in great Goblets and making high Entertainments for their Neighbours and Guests The Regent fearing lest in such a confus'd Rable some Tumult should arise was willing to be present her self at the Wake The Papists were very glad of her Coming and easily persuaded her to see the Show and Pageant wherein St. Giles was to be carried about the City but St. Giles alas did not appear for he was stol'n out of his Shrine by some body or other However that St. Giles might not want a Pageant nor the Citizens a Show upon such a Festival Day there was another young Gilesling forsooth set up in his room After the Regent had accompanied him thro the greatest part of the Town and saw no danger of any Insurrection she retired weary as she was into an Inn to repose her self But presently the City-Youths pluck'd down the Picture of Giles from the Shoulders of those who carried him threw him into the dirt and spoiled the Glory of the whole Pageantry The Priests and Friars running several ways for fear created a belief of a greater Tumult but when they had understood that there was more Fear than Danger in the thing and that the whole Matter was transacted without Blood they crept again out
plunder seeing the Town fortifi'd and the Royalists ready for the Encounter return'd the nearest Way they could to their Own-homes and the Rebels with their Vassals and a Company of Foot retreat to Hawick never thinking that the Enemy would in the least attempt any thing against them there and their Hopes were increas'd by the Winter-season which was sharper than ordinary by reason of a great Quantity of Snow lately fallen which cover'd all the Ground But Ruven intended to make use of the Opportunity and in the third Watch drew out his Party and march'd so speedily towards Hawick that he was in a Mile of it before the Enemy took the Alarum They at Hawick were so amaz'd that there was no room for Counsel left but Foot and Horse were immediately drawn out and following the Current of the next River endeavour'd to retreat to a Place of more Safety But the Swiftness of their Pursuers prevented them the Horse knew the Country and made a shift to escape but the Foot were left for a Prey they possest themselves of a small Wood on a Rock near the River there they were surrounded by the Horse and not adventuring to stay till the Foot came up they all surrendred themselves at Mercy But seeing that other Dangers were to be prevented and they could not be carried up and down in so sharp a Winter having past their Words to return at an appointed Day and leaving some Hostages to that purpose they were sent home without their Arms When they were discharged Kircade made sleeveless Pretences to elude their Promises and so hinder'd them from returning at the time appointed The rest of the Winter and the following Spring was wholly spent in light Skirmishes wherein Few fell but more of the Rebels than Royalists For the Rebels when they saw an Advantage would draw out on the Hills near the City and before they had scarce begun a skirmish would retire sometimes again in to the City In the interim frequent Embassies came from England to reconcile the Factions but without effect For the Queen of England tho she most favour'd the King's Party yet she was willing so to make Peace as to ingage both Parties to her but the French were wholly inclin'd to the Queen's Cause and therefore by large Promises hindred Peace and advis'd to continue the War Some Mony they sent at present not enough to do the Business but only to feed Hope and a great Part of what was sent was still nibbled away by those that brought it In the mean time light Skirmishes past for some Months betwixt the Parties but not at all contributing to the main Chance Neither were other Parts of the Kingdom free from Plunderings and Firings Adam Gordon gather'd a Party and entring Angus besieg'd Douglas's House of Glembervy and finding that himself was absent they miserably Burnt and Destroy'd all that he left behind which struck such a Fear into those of Dundee that they call'd in the Garisons from the adjoining Parts of Fife to their Assistance they were Enemies to the Gordonians as having been highly Faithful continually to the King's Cause About this time Blackness was betray'd by the Governor thereof to the Hamiltons 'T is a Castle that hinders commerce betwixt Leith and Sterlin The Regent broke down all the Mills about Edinburgh he also garison'd all the Noble Men's Houses about it and stopt all Passages into the City many Prisoners were taken on both sides Archibald Douglas one of Morton's familiar Friends was apprehended on Suspicion which was increas'd upon him by the Baseness of his former Life and also by some Letters found about him yea even after he was taken entercourse of Letters past betwixt him and the Enemy which evidenc'd that he had assisted the Rebels by Advice and Action too as having transmitted to them both Mony and Arms. THE END An ALPHABETICAL TABLE of the Principal Matters contained in the foregoing HISTORY NB. FOR the Reader 's Ease and Conveniency in the speedy finding out of the Quotations in the following Table as also in the Catalogue of the Scotish Kings preceding this History he is desired to take notice That whereas a new Alphabet and Folio doth begin at the later Part of this History viz. at Book 13. and so continues to the End all the Quotations marked between Parentheses's do belong to the Folio's and Pages of the said later Part only The rest do all belong to the former Part. A Page ABercorn-Castle 22 Aberdeen 19 Famous for Salmon-Fishing ibid. Aberdone ibid. Aberbrothock or Abrinca ibid. Abernethy wherein was the old Palace of the Picts Kings 16 18 Abria or Abyr a Country or Shire the Etymology thereof 19 Abridic or Erisbach-Isle 25 Abthane an old Name of Magistracy and Dignity amongst the Scots See Thane 187 206 Achaius King of Scotland 164 He makes a defensive War against the Irish ibid. The First of the Scotish Kings that ever made a League with France 165 Achnar-Isle 26 Acho King of Norwey lands in Air with a great Fleet 241 Is overthrown and dies of Grief ibid. Achmode-Isles See Aebudae Adams Isle 30 Adamannus 161 Adam Huntly taken Prisoner by the Earl of Murray 170 Ado Viennensis quoted and corrected 87 Adrian passes out of France into Britain 112 His Wall ibid. Adrian the Pope's Legate in England 433 Advatici Who 10 Aebudae Islands 22 Their Number ibid. Aelius Pertinax in Britain 117 Aelius Spartianus quoted 118 Aemodae Isles the same with Aebudae Aeneia 18 170 Air 14 Aestions spake the British Language 50 They inhabited Prussia 77 Aetius the Britains crave Aid of him 93 Afulla Isle 31 Agnes Keith Daughter of the Earl of Merch married to James Earl of Murray 161 Agathyrsi painted their Bodies 53 Aidan King of Scots invested in that Dignity by Columb 155 Ailmer Edward of England's General overthrows Bruce 12 61 Air County 20 Alan of Lorn keeps his Brother Prisoner 407 408 He is imprisoned himself ibid. Albanact Son of Brute from him the Scots called Albani 42 Albinick the Scots so called 11 Albium or Albion Isle retains the Name of Britanny 1 More Islands than one anciently so called ibid. It s Etymology 11 12 Album or White the Name of Height as well as of Colour whence many Words are derived as Albingaunum Albula Albici Albini c. 11 Alcluyth 92 Alexander I. King of Scots 221 222 Why Sirnamed Acer ibid. His Iustice to a poor Woman 222 He is relieved by Hermites ibid. Alexander II. 237 Enters England and takes Carlile ibid. He and his Queen visit Henry of England 239 His Queen dies at London 239 He marries a French Lady ibid. Alexander III. 240 The Nobles combine against him 241 He hath an Interview with Henry of England 240 Is made Knight by him and espouses Margarite his Daughter ibid. Assists the King of England 243 He and his Queen present at the Coronation of King Edward I. He marries Joleta a French Lady 244 He forbids
h Lagos i Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Leon in Spain k Cape of St. Vincent in Portugal l Langroiâ—a m Dwelling by the River Anas in Portugal n Laâ—sanne o Monâ—briga p Santâ—ago de Lacem q Maâ—abriga r Inhabiting the Country of La Mancha in New-Castile s Villa de Capilla t Esâ—â—remedâ—ra u Inhabiting part of Algâ—bâ—a and Meaâ—na 〈◊〉 x Vaâ— de Nâ—bro y Valera z Almunâ—a a Spaniards lying beyond the River â—â—erus in Arragon and Castile b Segorve as Clasius thinks c Talega or Talâ—ga in Portugal d Alcantara e Braganza as some or rather Bâ—gâ—a de Regoa f The Gallicians living near Braga in Portugal g Inhabitants in and about Spire in High Germany h Dwelling in and about â—rianzon i Bregentz * Or Bavarians k Monti de Brianza l Bodensée or Lake of Constance m Inhabitants of Galway Waterford and Tipperary n Brianzon o Capo de Finâ— terrae or Nerium in Gaâ—icia * Almeria * Words compounded of Dunum * Or Lugdunensis the Country about Lâ—ons in France * Highlanders or Islanders a Autun in Burgundy b Chasteaudun c Melun d Lyons e St. Bertrand de Comminges f Noyon * Or Alsatians g Cadâ—nac h Lodun or London i Dunâ—e Roy. k Tours l Rodez * Or Roverguâ—â—â—s m Some take it for Chasteau London n Sela. o Campredon in Catalonia p Almondbury in Yorkshire as Cambden but West Chester as some others * The old Inhabitants of Yorkshire Lancashire Durham Westmerland and Cumberland q Maldon in Essex r Dorchester called also Durnium and Durnovaria from the River Vare gliding by it which ariseth at a Town some few Miles distant called Evarsholt i. e. the head of Vare and passing by Dorchester runs into an Arm of the Sea at Varbam i. e. a Town on the Vare now Warham s Old Inhabitants of Pembroke Cardigan and Carmarthen-Shires formerly called West-Wales a Yverdon b Sedan * Which Anciently comprehended Austria Stiria Carniola c. c Baâ—ryon d Korburgh e Linez or as some Gastenâ—al f Iudenburgh as some Idenaw as others but Windisch Matray as Sanson g Neumarck h Partenkirck i Kâ—rburgh k Semendria or Zinderin l Neupurgh * Words declined from Dur. m Metz. n Inhabitants of Pâ—ïs Messin o Wyck te Duersteden p Briare q Constance r Laufenburgh s Martenach t People of Gallia Narbenensis near the Rhosne a Psullendorff as some but Beyerne Castle as Cluverius b Korburgh c Olmuâ—z d Câ—stenitz e Instat f Fermosello g Duero h Guadalaviar near Valentia i Ledung in the West of Ireland k Inhabitants of Redborn in Hertfordshire l Of Rochester in Kent m Of Leneham in Kent n Of Canterbury o Godmanchester by Huntington p Dorsetshire Men. q Cirencester in Gloucestershire r Laiton in Essâ—x s Dorchester in Dorsetshire t Lutterworth or as some Longborough in Liecestersh u Vald ' Osta x Issoir y Auxerre * Names of Places ending in Magus z Badajox a City in Spain where once the Romans had a Colony 'T is also called Pax Augusta a Noviomagus is a Proper Name for so many places that it is hard to distinguish Them severally in English for it signifies Odenheim Newenburgh Nâ—mmegen Spire Solac Bourg c. b Xuntâ—gners in France c Inhabitants at Lisieux a Town in Normandy and the Country there about called Le-Lieuvin d Nivernois e About Spire f Living at St. Paul de trois Chasteaux a City in Daulphin g Living in and about Berry h Angiers i L'Anjouans k Roven l Beauvois m Beauvoisins n Tournois o Wormes p Living in Armagnac q Argenton r Memmingen s Chelmesford t Thetford u Wood-Cote near Croydon x Inhabitants of Surry as Leland of Sussex as Camden y People about Sterling or as some of Murray in Scotland z Ashwel in Hertford-shire as some or Dunstable in Bedford-shire as others a Ireland hath several Names b Camden thinks it to be the River Maâ—re in Munster in the County of Desmond but why not Loch-Earn in the County of Fermanagh c Earn arising out of Loch-Earn d Strath-Earn e Millain f Xantoign g D'Eureux h Duesburgh or Asburgh i Metelew k Lancaster as Lud Lanvellin in Mongomery-shire as Camden others Midland l Malck on the River Shanon m Wye n Râ—o d' Aves * Awe o Cabo de S. Vincem p Ban in the County of Wexford q Spurnhead in York-shire r Fermosel s Ocel-Hills t Esilles or Exilles u Lestâ—thiel in Cornwal x Cadenac in France y Or Tambre z Tamerton by the River Tamar in Cornwall a Or Ars. b Sarck or Sars in Annandale c Evora d S. Lucar de Barameda * Of d' Eureux * d ee or Die * Cornish * Caâ—â—hness-Men * Three Nations besides the Brittons anciently inhabited this Isle * Saxons invited in by the Brittons * Where by Stratagem they and their General treacherously Murder the English Nobility * Danes invade and Conquer Engâ—and under Swain * William the Norman Conquers the Danâ—s and is Crowned King of England * Three other Nations came into Bâ—itaiâ— * The Authors Ingenuity * Lud fâ—rther câ—nfuted * Mamertinus * All the Inhabitants oâ— iâ—â—Iâ—â—land anciently called Scots * Marcellinus divides the Picts into Dicaledones and Vecturiones See p. 18. * Caledonians Picts and Scots are sometimes called Britains * Bâ—â—tians a People oâ— Magna Grecia in Italy heretofore possessing the two Calalaprâ—â—â— * Romans inhabiting the District abouâ— Rome * 〈…〉 Men. * Scutabrigantes for Scotobrigantes according to Ioseph Scaâ—iger * Hector Boâ—tius mistaken Iron * Ludd censured * Aestiones inhabiting Pâ—ussia Livâ—nia a Miâ—esian Fables o◠〈◊〉 For the Inhabitants of Mâ—â—tum in 〈◊〉 were infamous for telling Tales so far from being true that they had not the least shadow oâ— Truth in them a When Marius by Sylla's Faction was driven out of Rome he hid himself stark naked in the Mud Weeds of the River Liru now Garigliano in the Kingdom of Naples where being found out he was carried to prison at Minturnae a Town hard by whither a Gaul or Cimber being sent to kill him he saw such a Majesty in his Countenance that he return'd without perpetrating the Homicide b Switz â—â— c Iron d Sicambri or Westphaâ—sâ—â—â—s Irony e Brennus's Two f Hector Boâ—tius and Lud compared and Both of them censured for some Mistakes 〈◊〉 taken by Caesar. The description of Britain according to Tacitus b It doth not appear how this resemblance holds and therefore some think those Autâ—â—rs to be better Historians than Resemblancers and indeed â—f the whole Island were not conquered by the Romans as confessedly it was not I do not see how they could give us the perfect Form and Shape thereof a Later Aâ—thoâ—â— can haâ—dly reconcile this reason with the Principles of