A TRUE HISTORY Of several Honourable Families of the Right Honourable NAME of SCOT In the Shires of Roxburgh and Selkirk and others adjacent Gathered out of Ancient Chronicles Histories and Traditions of our Fathers BY Capt. WALTER SCOT An old Souldier and no Scholler And one that can Write nane But just the Letters of his Name Edinburgh Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson Printer to His most Sacred Majesty City and Colledge 1688. To the Right Honourable and Generous Lord IOHN Lord YESTER Appearand EARL of TWEDDALE Son to Iean Countess of Tweddale who was Daughter to that Valiant Lord Walter Earl of Buckcleugh Your Honours worthy Grand-Father AS the Graces the Vertues the Senses and the Muses are embled or alluded to your noble Sect as all these have ample residence in your honourable and worthy Disposition to whom then but your felf being a person so compleat should I commit the Patronage of that worthy Lord Walter Earl of Buccleugh and though I an unliterate Souldier have not apparelled them in such Garments of Elocution and ornate Stile as befits their Honours and Eminency of the least part of their excellent Worthiness Yet I beseech your Honour to accept for your own Worth and their Worthiness for if it were not but that I am assured that your noble Disposition in all parts is suitable to the in-side of this Book I should never have dar'd to dedicate it to your Patronage as it hath an honest Intention so hath your Breast ever been fill'd with such thoughts which brings forth worthy Actions as it is a Whip or Scourge against all Pride so have you ever been an unfeigned lover of courteous Humanity and Humility I humbly beseech your Honour although the method and stile be plain to be pleased to give it a favourable Intertamment for Records and Histories do make memorable mention of the diversity of qualities of sundry famous persons Men and Women in all the Countries and Regions of the World How some are remembred for their Piety and Pity some for Iustice some for Severity for Learning Wisdom Temperance Constancy Patience with all the Virtues Divine and Moral God who of his infinite Wisdom made Man of his unmeasured Mercy redeemed him of his boundless Bounty immense Power and eternal Eye of watchful Providence relieves guards and conserves him It is necessary that every man seriously consider and ponder these things and in token of Obedience and Thankfulness say with David What shall I render c. Men shóuld consider why God hath given them a Being in this life no man is owner of himself My Age is Seventy three it is Fifty seven years since I went to Holland with your honourable Grand-father Walter Earl of Buckcleugh in the year 1629. I was at that time not full Sixteen years of Age or capable to carry Arms in so much a renown'd Regiment or Company as his Honours was I was in no more estimation than a Boy yet waited upon a Gentleman in his Honours own Company notwithstanding it is known that I am a Gentleman by Parentage but my Fathers having dilapidate and engaged their Estate by Cautionry having many Children was not in a capacity to educate us at School after the death of my Grand-Father Sir Robert Scot of Thirlstone my Father living in a highland in Esdail muir and having no Rent at that time nor Means to bring us up except some Bestial wherefore in stead of breeding of me at Schools they put me to attend Beasts in the Field but I gave them a short cut at last and left the Kine in the Corn aud went as aforesaid and ever since that time I have continued a Souldier abroad and at home till within these few years that I am become so infirm and decrip'd with the Gout which hath so unabled me that I am not able neither to do the King nor my self Service so this being entred into my consideration it is sufficiently known that my intention and meaning was not to make any Profite to my self for I know I do but little deserve by reason I could never write a Line in my life neither will my ability keep one to Write to me and I living two or three Mile from a School yet is constrain'd by my own wilful Will sometimes to hire one School-boy and sometimes another yet knows not whether they can spell true Scots or not by reason I cannot read their Hand and there is none by me that can for many times the Writer mistakes the Word from my deliverance Therefore I hope your Honour will excuse the failing of my unlearned Muse. Seek then Heavens Kingdom and things that are right And all things else shall be upon thee cast Holy days of Ioy shall never turn to night Thy blessed State shall everlasting last Live still as ever in thy Makers sight And let Repentance purge your Vices past Remember you must drink of Death's sharp Cup And of your Stewardship accompt give up Had you the Beauty o◠sair Absalom Or did your Strength the strength of Sampson pass Or could your Wisdom match wise Solomon Or might your Riches Craesus Wealth surpass Or were your Pomp beyond great Babylon The proudest Monarchy that ever was Yet Beauty Wisdom Riches Strength and State Age Death and Time will spoil and ruine it Health Happiness and all Felicity Unto the end may your attendance be Your Honours most obedient humble and devouted Servant WALTER SCOT A True History of several Honourable Families of the Right Honourable Name of Scot c. I Was once a man though now I 'm none but a poor decript one Fifty seven years Arms I did bear Abroad or in Scotland When I began on the twenty ninth I was a slender man Now when I end on the eighty eight I am not very strong I never was an Hour at School although these Lines I dite I never learn'd the Catechism and yet I none can Write Except the Letters of my Name which I scarcely understand These I was forc'd to learn for shame when I was in Command Of Shepherds Swains I mind to carp And valiant Tammerlane into the second Part My drowsie Muse is almost drown'd with care How she dare venture to climb Honours Stare The Honour 's little worth that 's purchas'd by Coyn Ioan made such a Market when she was Pope of Rome Honour hath gilded Wings and soars most high And does behold the steps of Majesty Honour the lofty Lyon of Renown Which is no Merchandize for Butcher or Clown Honour 's the greatest Favour a Prince can yield All true gain'd Honour is win into the Field He needs no complementing Book him to instruct That gains his Honour by valour and conduct Peasant bought Honour is like to those That puts a gold Ring in a Brood-sows nose Whereas other Mettal may serve as well Either Copper Brass Iron or Steill I wish true Honour still may be preserv'd For many gets Honour that n'ere does deserv't The
Iohn Grieve in Garwold He keeps both Board and Bed So doth Iames Grieve in Lennup And the Grieves on Common-side And it is true Iohn Robertson Is a Comerad good enough And for House-keeping he excels He dwells in Cauterscleugh Wheat-bread Salt-beef Mutton and old Cheese I rydding by he did my hunger ease With Capon and Lamb Brandy and good Ale He feasted me in May as I had been an Earl George Curror in Hartwood-myres He is a Religious Man So is Michael Andison in Annalshope And his Brother Iohn in Thirlston Iohn Tod that dwells in Tushilaw Can many Sheep afford And Thomas Anderson is not smal That dwells in the How-foord Unto my Dream these were the Men Which did appear to me They were four and twenty at the first But since I 've added three Dedicated to the Right Honourable Walter Earl of Tarras My Lord THe lives and deaths of Knights Lords and Earls This little Book unto your Honour tells Protection and acceptance if you give It shall as shall your self for ever live Of all the VVonders this vile VVorld includes I muse how Flatt'ry such high Favour gains How Adulation cunningly deludes Both high and low from Scepter to the Swain But if thou by Flattery could'st obtain More than the most that is possess'd by men Thou coul'dst not tune thy tongue to falshood strain Yet with the best can use both tongue and pen Thy secret Learning can both scan and ken The hidden things of Nature and of Art It 's thou hast rais'd me from Oblivions Den And made my Muse from obscure Sleep to start And to your Honours censure I commit The first-born Issue of my worthless Wit Fresh-water Souldiers sails in shallow Streams And Leith-wynd Captains venture not their lives A Brain disturb'd brings furth idle Dreams And guilded Sheaths have seldom golden Knives And painted Faces none but Fools bewitch My Muse is plain but witty fair and rich VVhen thou didst first to Agnanipa float VVithout thy knowledge as I surely think VVhere Grace and Nature filling up thy Fountain My Muse came flowing from Parnassus Mountain So long may she flow as it to thee is fit The boundless Ocean of a Christian wit For VVit Reason Grace Religion Nature Zeal VVrought altogether in thy working Brain And to thy VVork did set this certain Seal Pure is the Colour that will take no stain My Lord although I do transgress You know that I did never yet profess Until this time in print to be a Poet And now to exercise my VVit I show it View but the Intrals of this little Book And you will say that I some pains have took Pains mix'd with Pleasure Pleasure joyn'd with Pain Produc'd this Issue of my labouring Brain My dear Lord to you I owe a countless Debt VVhich though I ever pay will ne're be payed 'T is not base Coyn subject to Cankers fret If so in time my Debt might be defray'd But this my Debt I would have all Men know Is Love the more I pay the more I owe VVit Learning Honesty and all good parts Hath so possess'd thy Body and thy Mind That covetously thou steals away mens Hearts Yet 'gainst thy Shaft there 's never one repay'd My Heart that is my greatest worldlie Pelf Shall ever be for thee as for my self Thou that in idle adulating words Canst never please the humors of these days That greatest VVorks with smallest Speech afford VVhose wit the Rules of VVisdoms love obeys In few words then I wish that thou may'st be As well belov'd of all men as of me To Vertue and to Honour once in Rome Two stately Temples there erected was Where none might into Honours Temple come But first through Vertues Temple they must pass Which was an Emblem and an Document That Men by Vertue must true Honour win And how that Honour shall be permanent Which only did from Vertue first begin Could Envy die if Honour were deceas'd She could not live for Honours Envys food She lives by sucking of the noble blood And scales the lofty top of Fames high Crest Base thoughts compacted in the Objects breast The meager Monster doth neither harm nor good But like the wain or wax or ebb or flood She shuns as what her age doth most detaste Where Heaven-bred Honour in the noble Mind From out the Cavern of the Breast proceeds There Hell-born Envy shews her hellish kind And Vulture-like upon the Actions feed But here 's the odds that Honours-Tree shall grow When Envy 's rotten Stump shall burn in low My Lord I know your Honour knows That I must speak the truth Iohn Scot he was a Natural son To Walter Earl of Buckcleugh Begot on Madam Drummond A noble Lady by birth By Kindred Cousin-german To the Right Honourable Earl of Perth He promis'd her Wedlock and prov'd unto her so As Prince AEneas did to the Carthage Queen Did But yet let their Succession Live still in Memorie He was a worthy valiant Squire Iohn Scot of Gorinberrie At the Beauty of all the nine He hit the Mark And Married Sir Iohn Riddels Daughter Knight Barron and Barronet And betwixt these Worthy Couple procreat there be This present Francis Scot the good Laird of Gorinberry He hath gain'd the constant and true Penelopy He 's married to Sir Iohn Wachops Daughter That Old Barron of Niddrie Whose Names and Fames Birth and Antiquity Surpasses many Ladies of some Nobility I have declared the Family Of the worthy Lairds of Gorinberry And hopes his Honour thinks no shame For to be call'd a Shepherds Swain Our Father Adam's second son a Prince As great as any man begotten since Yet in his Function he a Shepherd was And so his mortal Pilgrimage did pass And in the sacred Text it is compil'd That he that 's Father of the Faithsul stil'd Did as a Shepherd live upon th' increase Of Sheep on Earth until his days did cease And in these days it was apparent then Abel and Abram both were Noblemen The one obtain'd his title righteously For his unfeigned serving the most High He first did offer Sheep which on Record Was Sacrifice accepted of the Lord Since Patriarchs were Shepherds In Arcadia and Greece I wish the Wool in Etherston-sheills May grow like Iasons Fleece Dedicated to the very Honourable and Right-worshipsul Sir Francis Scot of Thirlston SIr my weak Collections out hath took The Sum and Pith of sundry Chronicle-books For Pardon and Protection I intreat The Volumn's little but my presumption 's great Sir since all memorandums of fore-past Ages Sayings and Sentences of Antient Sages The Glory of Apollos radiant chine The Supporter of the sacred Sisters nyne The Attullus that all Historians do bear Throughout the World here and every where Who ever went behind you I would ken Whose worth throughout the spacious Nation ring Since Rennal-burn your Worships Kins-man near He hath those Sheep which Golden-Fleeces wear And it may be it is such Beast and Fleece Which Iason
valiant Earl of Buckcleugh when I was young To the Bush in Brabant with his Regiment came Which is the space of fifty nine years agone I saw him in his Arms appear Which was on the sixteen hundred and twenty seven year That worthy Earl his Regiment was so rare All Hollands Leagure could not with them compare Like Hannibal that noble Earl he stood To the great effusion of his precious Blood The Town was tane with a great loss of men To the States of Holland from the King of Spain His Honours praise throughout all Nations sprung Born on the wings of Fame that he was Mars's Son The very Son of Mars which furrowed Neptunes brow And over the dangerous deep undauntedly did plow. He did esteem his Countries honour more Than Life and Pelf which Peasants does adore His noble Ancestors their Memories Are born on wings of Fame as far as Titans rise And universally they are divulg'd from thence Through the circle of all Europes circumference Let their example be a Spur to you That you their worthy Vertues may pursue They were brave men I wish ye be so still They had good Courage guided with good Skill Which Skill and Courage Fortune Grace and Will I do beseech the Almighty to bestow On you their Osf-spring all both high and low Time hath recorded Buckcleughs matchless force By Sea or Land with valiant Foot or Horse He made France tremble and Spain to quake The foundation of Brabant they made shake And as true valour did inspire their breasts So victory and honour crown'd their crests Of both Walter Lord and Walter Earl In the Netherlands they did so much prevail I wish your good intention may contain And you may be like them in every thing That as your Parents are so you may be Rare patterns unto your Posteritie That all your foes with terror now may know Some Branches of Buckcleuch has beat them so True Honour Fame and Victory attend you And great Iehovah in your just cause defend you That immortality your Fames may Crown And God may have the Glory and Renown When brave Earl Walter he was dead and gone He left his son Earl Francis in his room Who married when he was but young Before he came to perfection His Age was twenty years and five When death depriv'd him of his life His Familie they were but twain He left them in the Mothers keeping So by experience we see every day That bad things do increase and good things do decay And vertue with much care from vertue breeds Vice freely springs from vice like stinking weeds Sardanapulus King of Babylon Was to his Concubine such a Companion That he in their attire did show and sign An exercise unfitting for a King These and a number more his fancy fed To compass which his shifts were manifold A bull a ram a swan a shour of Gold To dreadful thunder and consuming fire And all to quench his inward flames desire Apollo turn'd fair Daphne into bay Because she from his lust did flee away He loved his Hiacinth and his Loronis As fervently as Venus and Adonis So much he from his god head did decline That for a Wench he kept Dametus kine And many other gods have gone astray If all be true which Ovids books doth say Thus to fulfill their lusts and win their Trulls We see that these ungodly gods were Gulls The mighty Captain of the Mermidons Being captived to these base passions Met an untimely unexpected slaughter For fair Pollixena King Priamus's daughter Lucretius rape was Torquins overthrow Shame often payes the debt that sin doth ow What Philomela lost and Tyrus won It caus'd the lustful Father cat his Son In this vice Nero took such beastly joy He married was to Sperus a young boy And Piriander was with Lust so fed He with Melista lay when she was dead Pigmalion with an Image made of stone Did love and lodge I 'le rather ly alone Aristophanes joyn'd in love would be To Asheas but what an asse was he A Roman Appius did in Goal abide For love of fair Virginia where he dyed That second Henry aged childish fond On the fair feature of fair Rosamond That it raised most unnatural hateful strife Betwixt Himself his Children and his Wife The end of which was that the jealous Queen Did poyson Rosamond in furious spleen The fourth English King Edward lower did descend He to a Gold-smiths wife his love did bend This suggred fin hath been so general That it hath made the strongest Champions fall For Sichem ravisht Dina for which deed A number of the Sichemites did bleed And Sampson the prime of manly strength By Dalila was overcome at length King David frailly fell and felt the pain And with much sorrow was restor'd again Though Saul his foe he no way would offend Yet this sin made him kill his loyal friend A man with Thamar incest did commit And Absalom depriv'd his life for it And Solomon allow'd most royal means To keep three hundred Concubines By whose means to Idolatry he fell Almost as low as to the gate of Hell At last repenting he made declaration That all was vanity and sp'rits vexation Abundance of examples men may find Of Kings and Princes to this vice inclin'd Which is no way for meaner men to go Because their betters often wandred so For they were plagu'd of God and so shall we Much more if of their sin we partners be To shew what women have been plunged in The bottomless abyss of this sweet sin There are examples of them infinit Which I he're mean to read much less to writ To please the Reader though I 'le set down some As they unto my memory do come Now I leave the Familie and return again to brave Lord Walter and his Son Walter Earl in Scotland where these worthy Lords were born LOrd of Euckleuch into the Scots border Was high Lord Warden to keep them in good order On that border was the Armstrangs able men Somewhat unruly and very ill to tame I would have none think that I call them Thieves For if I did it would be arrant lies For all Frontiers and Borders I observe Where-ever they ly are Free-booters And does the enemy much more harms Than sive thousand marshal-men in arms The Free-booters venture both Life and Limb Good wise and bairn and every other thing He must do so or else must starve and die For all his lively-hood comes of the-Enemie His Substance Being and his House most tight Yet he may chance to loss all in a night Being driven to poverty he must needs a Free-booter be Yet for vulgar Calumnies there is no remedie An arrant liar calls a Free-booter a Thief A free-booter may be many a mans relief A free-booter will offer no man wrong Nor will take none at any hand He spoils more Enemies now and then Than many hundreds of your marshal-men Near to a Border Frontier in time of War
Allanbaugh Thomas Scot in Wester-groundiston brother to William Scot of Whitehaugh descended of the antient Family of Buckcleugh Iohn Scot in Drinkston descended of the antient Family of Robert-toun William Scot in Lies alias Millma called William Scot of Catslac-know descended from the antient family of Dryhop Robert Scot in Clarilaw descended from the antient house of Hassanden William Scot of Totchahaugh from the foresaid family of Bortoheugh Andrew Scot of Totchahill from the family of Robertoun Iohn Scot in Stowslie Scot of Whames descended from the North house Scot of Castlehill was of that kind Walter Scot of Chappel-hill he was half-brother to the Laird of Chisholm Robert Scot of Howford had the Lands of Cowd-house for his Service Robert Scot of Satchels had Southintig for his Service Robert Scot of Langup had the Land of Outter-huntly for his Service for several Ages there was one William Scot commonly call'd cut at the black he had the Lands of Nether-Delorian for his Service Walter Gledstanes had Whitlaw These twenty four were all of the Name of Scot except Walter Gledstancs of Whitlaw who was nearly related to my Lord this William Scot of Delorian commonly call'd cut at the black he was a brother of the antient house of Haining which house of Haining is descended from the antient house of Hassanden and from the foresaid William Scot of Delorain sprung the family of Scotstarbet and Elie now called Ardross their original being from Sir Alexander Scot of Hassanden that valiant knight was kill'd with his Prince king Iames the fourth at Flowden-field Now I come to Sir Wulter Scot of Buckcleugh who was Grand-father to Walter the good Lord of Buckcleugh These twenty three Pensioners all of his own Name of Scot and Walter Gledstanes of Whitlaw a near Cousin of my Lords as asoresaid they were ready upon all occasions when his Honour pleased cause to advertise them It was known to many in the Countrey better than it is to me that the Rents of these Lands which the Lairds and Lords of Buckcleugh did freely bestow upon their Friends will amount above twelve or fourteen thousand merks a year This I have thought good to let the Reader see the benefite which the younger Brethren of the Name had by their Cheif when he was but a Baron and Knight they were esteemed with more respect than they have been since Sir William Scot of Branksom who never survived to be Laird or Lord of Buckcleugh gave his Lady Dame Margaret Dowglas after him Countess of Bothwell above two and twenty thousand merks a year of Ioynture This with the Pensioners Revenues off the Estate was near thirty six thousand merks a year which his Son Lord Walter and his Son Earl Walter did truely pay all their times the Conjunct-fee Now lest you should think that I flatter or am a liar I will nominate the Lands and where they ly for the justification of my self AWake awake my Muse and me aver To give a just account of that Ioynture To the Piel and Hathern I will repair To Analshope and Glengeber To Whitup and to Black-grain To Commonside and Milsanton-hill And Eilridge is left all alone Except some Town Lands in Lanton Now my Muse to the East-country go we And talk of Eckfoords Baronie Which Barony she none did miss But all into her Ioynture was In Cumulo I do declare It 's above twenty thousand merks a year It was a worthy Conjunct-fee For a Knight to give to his Lady That worthy House when they were but Gentrie Exceeded far some of Nobilitie O cursed Helena that the Trojans did confound And laid Troys pleasant Walls flat on the Ground Her Daughter had not match'd with Priamus race But her Mothers perswasion made her him imbrace Thirty Lairds and Lords it s said hath been All of Buckcleugh yet it is uncertain Yet I believe it may be true I 've seen four my self and that I 'le avow The nine last Generations I declare Both whom they Married and who they were At Sir Arthur Scot we begin In 's time he was the Kings Warden A valiant Sp'rit for Chivalrie Married Lord Somervels Daughter of Cowdalie Sir Walter his Son did him succeed Whom the Borders both did fear and dread He was still fourty men when ever he rade He married with Dowglas of Drumlanrig Their Procreation remains unto this time The last honourable second brother that of that Familie came From that marriage Robert of Allan-haugh sprung It 's near two hundred years agone And since that time it 's known to be of truth There was ne're a lawful Brother married from Buckcleugh The more we may repent and sigh and groan That they 'r so Phaenix like still but one Sir William Scot was Sir Walter 's eldest Son And in his Heritage he did succeed to him A valiant Knight and of much renown He Married with the honourable house of Hume His Son Sir Walter that durst have shown his face To him that was as stout as Hercules He was inclin'd to Blood as was rehearst He was married to Ker of Ferni-harst To Venus her Sister he married again A beautiful Creature Dame Ianet Beaton Sir William Scot of Branksom call'd White-cloak He was son to Buckcleugh call'd wicked Wat As Fortune smil'd or frown'd Content that Worthy was He married a Sister of the House of Angus The good Lord Walter was Sir William's Son The better in Tiviot-dale shall never come For Valour Wisdom Friendship Love and Truth He married Ker a Sister of Roxburgh Earl Walter was Lord Walter 's Son A Mars for Valour Wisdom and Renown His Courage durst a Lyon fear His Frowns would terrifi'd a Boar He married a sister of Errol Earl Francis his Father Earl Walter did succeed Into his Earldom but not to his Head Yet he wanted neither hand head nor heart But could not Act like to his Fathers part His Fathers Acts were all Military And he was much inclin'd to study His Father scorn'd to suffer a stain Neither of himself nor of his Name With the House of Rothes married he An equal Match by Antiquitie She was but the relict of such a one The Son of a start-up Souldier new come home I have been through Scotland Holland and Sweden Yet ne're heard of a Gentleman in all his Kin Except one Switzer which did verifie He was Bacchus Nevoy the Uncle of Brandy That worthy Earl was soon by death assail'd 'Gainst whom no mortal ever yet prevail'd He had no Heirs-male but Daughters left behind For to enjoy his great Earldom and Land These Infants sweet left to their Guardians to keep Their Tutors oft suffered controul Their Mother was so impudent That she must alwayes have her intent The eldest Lady I confess she was not able for a man With Earl Tarras she did VVedd it was by perswasion of her Dame Alas she liv'd not very long There was no Procreation them between I wish to God there had been a Son It had been better
of that learned Man Mr. Arthur Scot who was stil'd of New-burgh than And Mr. Arthur was brave Simons son He who was Tutor to the Pupills of Thirlston And Iohn of Thirlston that brave fellow Was Son to David Scot of Howpaslaw And David was the first Sir Walters son So Iames thy Genealogy I have done And spoken nothing but the very truth Thy Original is from Buckcleugh Since Fates allow the harmless beasts such store I hope of Iasons Fleece thou shalt have more and more Dedicated to the Honourable and truly Noble Sir William Elliot of Stobs Knight and Barronet IT 's not in expectation of Reward That I this Book into your hands do tender But in my humble Duty in regard That I am bound my dayly thanks to render If my Verse be defective and my accent rude My Stile be harsh and my Learning slender I am defended against a multitude If that your Patronage be but my Defender This to avoid Hells-hatcht ingratitude My duteous Love my Lines and Life shall be To you devoted ever to conclude May you and your most vertuous Lady see Long happy dayes in honour still encreasing And after death true honour never ceasing Your Worships Parents were so well known by me That I 'm bold to show them to the fourth Degree These worthy Families I must needs commend From whom Sir William Elliot of Stobs did descend I here set down the number what they are And then I 'le nominate them in particular Thy thirty Ancestors I would have men to ken Thy eight great Grandsirs and thy eight great Grandames Thy Grandsirs and Grandames eight that makes twenty four Thy Goodsirs and Goodames four with Father and Mother Thy thirty Ancestors I have set down And thou thy self makes thirty and one This true account from whence your worship sprung Is just to the sourth Generation of your Kin Thy first great Grandsir and Grandam it 's of truth Was Elliot of Lariston and Scot of Buckcleugh To thy second great Grandsir and Grandam now I trot They were Scot of Hardin and Scot of Dryhop Thy third great Grandsir and Grandam to their name Was Dowglas of Cavers and a Sister of Cranston Thy fourth great Grandsir to his name Was Dowglas the Laird of Whittinghame I am not certain yet have heard some mean He was married to Hepburn a daughter of Waughton Thy fifth great Grandsir to whom I flee Was Sir Iohn of Cranston and Ramsey of Dalhousie Thy sixth great Grandsir and Grandam I set down Was Cranston of Moriston and Cockburn of Lanton Thy seventh great Grandsir and Grandam I reveal Was Lord Seton of Seton and Maxwel of Maxwel Thy eight great Grandsir and Grandam no less Then Earl Bothwel and Dowglas sister to the Earl Angus Now to the first Grandsir and Grandam I come Elliot of Stobs and Scot of Hardin To the second Grandsir and Grandam now I run Sir William of Cavers and Dowglas of Whittinghame Thy third Grandsir and Grandam I must proclaim Was William Lord Cranston and Sarah daughter to Sir Iohn Thy fourth Grandsir was the Lord Coldinghame Now to thy first Goodsir I do rehearse Which was Elliot of Stobs and Dowglas of Cavers Thy other Goodsir and Goodam of much renown Was Mr. of Cranston and daughter to Lord Coldinghame Thy Father and Mother who still lives by Fame Sir Gilbert of Stobs and sister to Lord Cranston Although I cannot write yet I have spent my breath In dilating thy Descent from good King Iames the fifth Earl Bothwel thy great Grandsir Was a valiant man He was King Iames the fifth His own Natural-son And now I humbly crave your Worthiness excuse For the boldness of my unlearned Muse That hath presumed so high a pitch to flee In praise of Vertue and Gentilitie I know this Task is fit for learned men For Homer Ovid or for Virgils Pen Boldly to write true Honours worthiness Whilst better Muses pleased to hold their peace And this much to the World my Verse proclaims That neither Gain nor Flattery are my ends But love and duty to your Familie Has caus'd my Muse these Lines to publish'd be And therefore I intreat your generous Heart To accept my duty and pardon my neglects Bear with my weakness wink at my defects Good purposes do merit good effects Poor Earthen-vessels may hold precious Wine And I presume that in this Book of mine In many places ye shall something find To please its noble well affected Mind And for excuse my Muse doth humbly plead That ye'll forbear to judge before ye read The Persians Egyptians and the Israelites And raging Razin King of Aramites Then the Assyrians twice and then again The Egyptians over-run them all amain Then the Chaldeans and once more they came Egyptian Ptolomey who them overcame Then Pompey next King Herod last of all Vespasian was their universal fall As in Assyria Monarchie began They lost it to the warlike Persian Of Nimrods race a race of Kings descended Till in Astiages his stock was ended For Cyrus into Persia did translate The Assyrian Soveraign Monarchizing State Then after many bloody bruising Arms The Persian yielded to the Greeks Alarms But smoak-like Grecian-glory lasted not Before 't was ripe it did untimely rot The Worlds Commander Alexander died And his Successors did the World divide From one great Monarch in a moment Springs Confusion Hydra-like from self-made Kings Till they all wearied slaughtered and forlorn Had all the Earth dismembred rent and torn The Romans took advantage of their fall And over-ran captiv'd and conquered all Thus as one Nail another out doth drive The Persians the Assyrians did deprive The Grecians then the Persian pride did tame The Romans then the Grecians overcame Whilst like a Vapour all the World was tost And Kingdoms were transferr'd from Coast to Coast And still the Iews in scattered multitudes Deliv'red were to sundry Servitudes Chang'd given bought and sold from Land to Land Where they not understood nor understand To every Monarchy they were made Slaves Egypt Aram Chaldea them out-braves Assyria Persia Grecia lastly Rome Invaded them by Heavens just angry doom Four Ages did the Sons of Heber pass Before their final Desolation was Their first Age aged Patriarchs did guide The second reverend Iudges did decide The third by Kings nought good bad worse and worst The fourth by Prophets who them blest or curst As their dread God commanded or forbid To curse or bless even so the Prophets did Good Reader I have writ these Lines to let thee know withall What Desolations did in former Ages fall And here within sixscore of year By many Families it doth appear Who were Men of note and their Substance did abound Yet to great Servitude their Children came But yet I think men should not fret For a Suspension never pays no Debt For if a man according to the Laws He be captivat for an onerous Cause And then from Bondage he again return This is no act