THe Scots by the most judicious Writers, and by those who have most carefully studied, not only their own Antiquities, but those of other Nations are acknowleged (although they be not of the greatest) to be undoubtedly among the most antient People in Europe. But to speak more par­ticularly of their antient Nation, we must know that the whole Island [...], it is a part, was at first called Albion, or Albium: As Theophrastus, Ptolomy, Tacitus and Seneca tells us, which Name the true race of the [Page 2] ancient Scots retain to this day, calling the ancient Country Albin, and themselves Albinich, always keeping their primitive Name notwithstanding of the many diffe­rent People, that have since inhabited it.

The Etymology of this Name is dispu­ted by many, but it seems to be really derived from Alb, or Alp, signifying a Hill or high place. The antient Inhabitants of the Northern parts of this Island were called Scots, who were divided into two sorts, the one who were the first Possessors, and this Posterity doth inhabit it to this day, were called the Scoto-Brigantes. Some have taken upon them to be very accurat, in giving an Account of their descent, and the manner of their coming hither, even from the far ends of the Earth; but with so little appearance of Truth, that I will not put my Reader nor my self to the trouble to refute it. The most probable Conjecture, and that which carrieth most Evidence with it is, that these first Inha­bitants came in Colonies from Spain to Ireland (nor is it improbable, that these Colonies were Originally from France) who either for want of Accommodation to live at home, or being thrust out by stron­ger hands came over to Ireland, where they continued long, for either them­selves or their Children desirous of new [Page 3] Habitations, transported themselves to the north Islands, where they continued in an unsetled Course of Life for a long time; the time of their entring Albion, is said to have been from the Crea­tion, about 3530 years. Note: Pect. Boet. Ralph l. 306. The first place they took Possession of was Argyle, they being divided into sundry Tribes, elected every Tribe their own Captain, to govern them in Peace and War, this very name they had in great Veneration.

Then after, about 150 (as some write) a German, or as Beda saith, a Scythian Na­vy arrived upon the coast of Ireland; be­ing as is probable, beat thither by a Tem­pest, having neither Wives or Children with them; the men were in want of every thing, having by tedious Sailing consum­ed all their Provision. They sent to the Inhabitants, desiring they might have a residence among which they told them, they could not afford in regard of the Bar­renness of the place, and the multitude of Inhabitants that possess it already; but that there was a habitable Land called Albion, not far from them, whether they might go; it being for the most part, as yet un-inhabited, and such as did inhabit it, like to ruin one another by civil Discords

Those men (afterward called Picts [Page 4] following their Advice, set Sail and came to that part of Albion that lyes toward Germany; and having Landed, soon beat out the Inhabitants, and made them draw themselves within less bounds. Possessing themselves of Caithness, Ross, Murray, Merus, Angus, Fiffe and Lothian, together with Orkney, which some say was their first Habitation. They were a civil People, Ingenious and Crafty, both in Peace and War.

Having fixed their residence, they sent Messingers to the Scots, desiring their Daughters in Marriage, alledging that if they condescended, it would highly con­duce to the Welfare of both of them; be­ing thereby made strong, for either an offensive or defensive War, with any of their Neigbours. This message the Scots at first rejected, but upon mature Deli­beration they condescended: So having agreed upon the Terms, which were that they should concur with all their Forces, when they were invaded, and as often as the Crown of Picts came to want an Heir, the next of the Womans blood should suc­ceed; the Scots gave their Daughters in Marriage to them: But the Brittons who inhabited the South parts of the Island, suspecting that this affinity between the Scots and the Picts, might tend to their [Page 5] prejudice, sent Ambassadors to the Picts, perswading them to break with the Scots; by this means the Scots suffered extreamly, many of their People who dwelt among the Picts, being surprized and cut off, in Compensation of which they cut off, as many of the Picts as they could catch; thus they for a long time wasted one ano­thers Country with continual Incursions, at last they resolved to put it to the ha­zard of a General Battle. The Scots as­sembling in Argyle, consulted what was fit to be done, and considering that they had not only to do with the Picts, but with the Brittons also; therefore it was agreed to send Ambassadors to Ire­land, to have the Advice and Assistance of their old Friends, and Progenitors in this Affair, and finding that by having many supreme Captains, Sedition and Division increased amongst them, they resolve to elect one to have the supreem Govern­ment over the rest.

Their Ambassadors arriving in Ireland, and representing their condition to Fer­chard King of Scots, he was much concer­ned at the wrongs done them, there­fore he sent his Son Fergus a wise and va­liant Prince, accompanied with many gal­lant Soldiers; sending with him also the fatal Marble Chair for his incouragement: [Page 6] Upon his arrival he called a Councel in Argyle, where having made an elegant Or­ation, he was by Unanimous Consent ele­cted King of the Scots.

1. Thus Fergus the first King of Scots, was Crowned in the fatal Marble Chair, which he brought with him from Ireland, in the year from the Creation 3641. before the coming of Christ 330. about the beginning of the fourth Monarchy, when Alexander the Great vanquished Darius the last Persian Mo­narch. Soon after the Picts assisted by the Brittons, invaded the Country against them, the King most valiantly took the Field with his fierce Scots; when the two Armies ap­proached one another, the Brittons stood off in Battle Array, resolving that when the Scots and Picts had sufficiently weakened one another in Battle, to break in upon them, and destroy them both; this by a Fugitive Britton was discovered to Fergus, where­upon he desired an interview with the King of Picts; wherein, representing the emi­nent hazard that both of them were in, by the Treachery of the Brittons, after mature Deliberation; it was determined that they both should convert their Arms against the Brittons, this resolution was most pleasing no doubt to the Picts Wives, to see their Husbands and their Fathers agreed. The Brittons seeing this disappointment of their [Page 7] hopes break upon the Picts, pillaging and spoiling at their Pleasure, which when Fergus heard of, he went against them, and with the Assistance of the Picts, he totally routed them killing their King, his Name was Coil with many of his Nobles: Upon this Victory the Nobles and Subjects agreed, that Fergus and his Posterity, should inherit the Crown of Scotland for ever, whereupon Charters and Evidences were granted to them, ratifying the same.

The Kingdom of Scotland being thus con­firmed to Fergus and his Successors, he with Advice and Consent of his Councel divided the whole Land, then inhabited by the Scots among his Nobles and Cap­tains, making many Laws to repress Vice and Disorders: Not long after he was cho­sen Arbitrator, to determine some high Controversies amongst his Friends in Ire­land; whereupon he went thither, ac­companied with many of his Nobles, and setled all their Debates. But returning home, he was by a tempestuous Storm driven upon a Rock in the Sea, where he and all the Nobles in his Company perished, this Rock is called after his Name Carrib-Fer­gus: Thus dyed this brave and valiant Prince, in the five and twentieth Year of his Raign, to the unspeakable Grief and loss of his Subjects.

[Page 8]2. Fergus being dead, left two Sons behind, him Ferlegus and Atainus, neither of which were capable presently to manage the Go­vernment, because of their tender years: Whereupon a Convention was holden by the Nobles, for electing of a King, where­in some were for choosing one of the late Kings Children; alledging, that they were bound by Oath to continue the Crown in Fergus his Succession; others aggravated the Danger both at home and abroad, un­der the Government of a Child. At length, after a long Debate it was enacted, that when it happened their King should dye, (the Heirs begotten of his Body, being Children) the nearest of the Royal Blood, being the best qualified for doing of Ju­stice should succeed, and possess the Crown for his time; and after his Death, the former Kings Son to succeed without any impediment, if he is found fit for Govern­ment. This Law was in Force till the Reign of King Malcom the third. Thus by this Law Feritharis Brother to Fergus the late King was chosen, who begun his Reign in the Year of the World 3666. before the coming of Christ 305 Years, from the beginning of the Reign of Scotland 26.

Feritharis Reigned fifteen years with such Equity and Modesty, that his Subjects found him an excellent King, and his Ne­phews [Page 9] an excellent Tutor; but at length Ferlegus having an itching after the Go­vernment, and having got some loose young Men upon his side, went to his Un­cle and boldly demanded the Kingdom from him, alledging that he enjoyed it, only by way of trust, during his Mino­rity. Feritharis upon this called a Con­vention of the Nobles, where he willing­ly offered to resign the Kingdom, in Fa­vours of his Nephew; but they being sen­sible how happy they had hitherto lived, under his Government, and knowing that the other was of a rude untractable dispo­sition, by no means would hear of it; soon after there was a Conspiracy discovered against the Kings Person, managed by Fer­legus and some others: Whereupon he was presently arraigned and found Guilty, but his Fathers memory, his Uncles desire to the Parliament, prevailed to have him par­doned, and committed only to the keeping of some, who were commanded to take special notice of all his Actions, but he found a way to deceive his Keepers, and make his escape; he first fled to the Picts, then to the Brittons, where he spent the rest of his days in great Misery, within a Month after, Feritharis dyed, not with­out Suspicion of being poysoned by some of his Nephews Accomplices, which so in­raged [Page 10] the Nation against him, that his ve­ry Memory was hateful.

3. Mainus Fergus his second Son, suc­ceeded, in the Year of the World 3680. before Christ 291. After the beginning of the Reign forty one. He was a noble Prince, and a severe Justitiary, he re­newed the old League, with Crinus King of Picts, he dyed peaceably the 29th. Year of his Reign.

4. His Son Dornadill succeeded him in the Government in the Year of the World 3079. before Christ 262. after the begin­ning of the Reign seventy, he followed his Fathers Foot-steps in Equity and Justice, but was more given to Pastimes; especially Hunting; he is said to have made several Laws about Hunting, which the Ancient Scots observe to this day, he dyed peaceably the 28. year of his Reign.

5. Dornadilles eldest Son, being yet a Child and not fit to Govern, the People set Hothat his Brother upon the Throne in the year of the World 3738. before Christ 233 after the beginning of the Reign 98. He proved a monstrous Tyrant, taking Pleasure in nothing more than in mur­thering his Nobility, and destroying his People by all the means that he could de­vise, till at last one Dowall a Gallaway man, having gathered together a Company of [Page 11] disaffected Persons came boldly to the King, telling him how grievous his Go­vernment was to the People, because of his Oppression, and therefore desired him to resign the Crown (which he was unfit to wear) to such as had a better Title to it; the King tho' surprized by his Ene­my, yet no ways daunted, told him, that whatever was done by him during his Go­vernment, was done by Royal Authority, and if it was grievous to the Subjects, they had their own obstinacy to blame for it, hereupon Dowall presently fell upon, and killed him after he had Reigned twen­ty years.

6. Rewther the Son of Dornadilles, was by Dowals Faction made King without the Peoples Consent, in the year of the World 3758. before Christ 213. after the Reign 118. the Nobles took this very ill. And as for Hothat, tho' they knew that he de­served the worst kind of Death, yet they did not approve of this Fact, as being of bad Example; they knew also, that what Dowal did, was for his own ends, as af­terward appeared. Hothat's Relations ta­king the advantage of the Peoples dissa­tisfaction stirred them up by all means, to make War upon Dowall; at length, they draw to Arms under the Command of Fer­guhort, Hothat's Son-in-Law, and Captain [Page 12] of Kintire and Lorn. Dowall came against them with great Power, accompanied with the young King, the King of Picts, and many others of his Friends. There fol­lowed a most cruel Battel, where after two several Engagements in one day, Dowall was utterly defeated, himself, the King of Picts, together with all the chief of the Claws were killed upon the place. Reuther the young King was pursued, and taken at the Castle of Callender, but very civilly used.

The consequences of this unhappy day, were most fatal both to Scots and Picts; not having Men enough left alive to inha­bit the Realm, or to withstand their Ene­mies, upon which the Brittons took occasi­on to invade them, but they no wise being in Case to resist them, after seve­ral bloody Skirmishes, were forced to be­take them to the Mountains; the King of Scots went into Ireland, and the King of Picts to Orkney, whereafter twelve years Misery, they resolved once more to try their For­tune, and returning home, the one from Ireland, the other from Orkney; they joyn­ed Battle with their old Enemies, the con­flict was so terrible, that none of the par­ties could boast much of the Victory. How­ever, the up-shot of the matter was, a Peace was concluded, and the Scots, and Picts re-installed in their old Possessions. [Page 13] This King dyed in the twenty six year of his Reign, having left one Son begotten by Gethus the King of Picts his Daughter.

7. But he being young and not fit to Reign, being scarcely ten years of age, Reutha his Fathers Brother succeeded in the year of the World 3784. before Christ 187. after the beginning of the Reign 144. he instituted divers Laws, which are in Force among the old Inhabitants to this day; and having Reigned seventeen years with great applause, either for his want of Health, or Love of Solitariness, or for fear of Thereus, Reuthers Son, whom he knew to have an itching after the Crown he resigned.

8. Thereus succeeded in the year of the World 3799. before Christ 171. after the Reign 158. The first six months he Go­verned pretty moderately, but he sudden­ly brake loose, giving reins to all kinds of of wickedness, causing Slanders and Ca­lumnies to be raised against his Nobles, and under this pretence cruelly Murthering them; but at last the people not able to en­dure his Tyranny, degraded him of all his Honours. Covan Captain of the Brigants, was made Governor, who Governed very wisely, about the space of eleven years, at which time being informed, that The­reus had dyed at York, he resigned the Government.

[Page 14]9. Josina the Kings Brother succeeded to the Crown, the year of the World 3818. before Christ 161. after the Reign 170. He was a peacable and good King, it is observed of him, that he highly esteem­ed Physitians, being himself very expert in that Science, whence it came to pass that for many Ages after, the Heads of Fa­milies and Men of worth, were for the most part excellent Physitians: He dyed in a good Age, after he had Reigned twen­ty four years.

10. To him succeeded his Son Finnan, in the year of the World 3834. before Christ 137. after the Reign 194. This Prince followed his Fathers Foot-steps, he studied nothing more than to gain the Hearts of his Subjects, and to maintain his Royal Dignity, more with Clemency than Force: That he might prove an effectual Enemy to Tyranny, he made a Law that Kings should command nothing of great weight, in the state without Advice of their Parliament, he dyed the thirtieth year of his Reign.

11. Durstius his Son succeeded Finnan, A. M. 3864. before Christ 107. after the Reign 224. A Flagitious and wicked Ty­rant, he banished his Fathers Friends from the presence, because they advised him to leave off his lewd Courses. Having pro­stituted [Page 15] his Wife, who was Daughter to the King of the Brittons to his Companions, he repudeated her. But soon after, it was discovered, that he was carrying on a Conspiracy against his Nobles, and know­ing that he could have no shelter, either at home or abroad; having been so cruel, he feigned a sincere Repentance of his for­mer wickedness, calling home his Queen, promising by Oath to his Nobles, that he would no longer follow his Irregular Cour­ses; which they readily believing, forgot all former Injuries, but not long after ha­ving invited them, to make them merry with him, when he got them all together, he caused a Company of Ruffians to fall upon them and Murther them. The noise of this heinous Act going all abroad, stir­red all the People to revenge, who killed him in Battle, after that he had Reigned nine years.

12. It was hotly debated among the No­bles, whether the next in Blood to Dur­stius should succeed, some were against it, fearing lest the Successor, if he were in kin to him, might be tempted to revenge the Death: Others were for keeping up his ancient Custom according to the Oath sworn to Fergus, at length they Conde­sended upon Ewen, Brother to Durstius, him they Crowned, A. M. 3873. before [Page 16] Christ 98. He is thought to have been the first, who caused his Subjects to give him their Oath of fidelity. He went with the Picts against the Brittons, where there was so cruel a Battle fought, that Night draw­ing on both Parties retired, but the Scots and Picts understanding that the Brittons had left the Field, they returned to their Camp, where they found great spoil, which they divided by Law of Arms, and return­ed home Victors, where Ewenus spent the rest of his days in Peace, he dyed the nine­teenth of his Reign, and was buried in Dunstaffage.

13. Durstius his two Sons, who were the nearest of the Royal Line, after Evenus his Death began to contend for the Crown, in the mean time Gillus, base Son to Eve­nus, having got together some Villains for his purpose, suppresseth them both, and Murthers them, then sets himself upon the Throne, A. M. 3802. before Christ 79. after the Reign 252. But not thinking him­self secure, so long as any of Durstius his Posterity, were extant resolved, to take off his three Nephews, who were in the Isle of Man; the eldest two he caught in his Snare, and killed, but the third was con­veyed away by his Nurse, in the Night time and carryed to Argyle, where she kept him for some years in a Cave for fear of [Page 17] the Tyrant, who was at last killed in Bat­tel in Ireland, whether he had fled, by Cal­debus the Captain of the Brigrands the se­cond year of his Reign.

14. Evenus the second King Finnans Ne­phew succeeded in the Government, A. M. 3894. before Christ 77. years; a good In­stitutor, he confirmed the Peace with the Picts, having married Gethus the third King of Picts his Daughter, he afterward overcame Belus King of Orkney in Battle, who finding no way to escape killed him­self: He also built Innerlosher, and Inner­ness, he dyed in the seventeenth year of his Reign.

15. Ederus Durstius his Brothers Son suc­ceeded in the Year of the World 3911. before Christ 60. after the Reign 271. Bredus of the Isles, Cousin to Gillus the Ty­rant, brake in upon the Country; the King went presently against him, and over­threw him and his followers, and burnt their Ships; he afterward assisted the Brit­tons against Julius Caesar in England, where by his means a Glorious Victory was ob­tained, he dyed in Peace the forty eight year of his Reign, and was buried in Dun­staffage.

16. To him succeeded Evenus the third his Son, A. M. 3959. before Christ 12. This man came to such a height of Luxury, [Page 18] that not being content, that he took an hundred noble Women to be his Concu­bines; he made an Act, that every Man should keep as many Wives as he pleased, so that he had an Estate to maintain them, and another, that the King should have the first Nights enjoyment of a Noble mans Lady, allowing the Noble men the same privi­ledge from their Inferiors: He was after­ward taken in Battle and imprisoned, where he was killed by a young Child the seventh year of his Reign.

17. Mettallan's Nephew to Ederus suc­ceedeed, A. M. 3966. before Christ 4. af­ter the Reign 326. A King universally be­loved, because that in his time there was universal Peace abroad, and Tranquility at Home; but yet he could not reduce his Nobles from the Riotous habit, that they acquired in his Predecessors time, he dyed Peaceably the thirty ninth year of his Reign.

18. To him succeeded, Garratacus his Sisters Son, A. M. 4005. A. D. 35. He first composed some Tumults, that were in the Isles upon the late Kings Death, then assisted his Neighbours against the Romans. Some report that in his time, Orkney was conquered by Claudius the Emperor, and the King and Queen of it sent in Triumph to Rome. After many bloody Battles fought [Page 19] with the Romans, he at last was desired by Vespasian to submit to them, and he should be reputed a Friend to the Senate, and en­joy great Honours, to which he answered, that the Kingdom of Scotland was as free to him, as the Kingdom of the Romans was to Caesar, he dyed Peaceably the twentieth year of his Reign.

19. To him succeeded his Brother Cor­bred, A. M. 4025. after Christ 55. after the Reign 385. The Islanders, who almost in every Interregnum stirred up Sedition, hoping for a Change therein, divers ex­peditions quite subdued by him: He sup­pressed Thieves, going frequently from place to place, doing Justice, he dyed in the tenth year of his Reign, and was bu­ried in Dunstaffage.

20. Corbred's Son being a Child, the Par­liament chused Dardan Nephew Metellan, A. M. 4042. after Christ 72. there were great hopes had of him at first, but within three years he degenerated, and became an odious Tyrant, murthering and destroy­ing all the wisest, and best of his Coun­cellors, and to compleat his Villainies, hir­ed a Ruffian to murther Corbred's two Sons, who were in the Isle of Man; but the Trai­tor being taken just ready to perpetrate the Villany, was forced to discover the whole Plot: Whereupon the Nobles Unanimously [Page 20] resolved, to revenge the Treason, but the King absconding himself, and his Forces being defeated by the Nobles, was at last taken, and his Head struck off the fourth year of his Reign.

21. Corbred the second, Surnamed Gal­dus cometh next to the Throne, after Christ 76. A Couragious and warlike Prince, in his days the Romans had greatly inlarged their Borders, for having quite routed the Brittons, they went as far North, as the River Tay, and had probably gone further, had not that Valiant warrier Agricola been called home by Domitian, who envied his Success, he was no sooner gone, but Cor­bred came with an Army, and made a great slaughter among the Romans, pursuing them from one place to another; till at length they were glad to beg their Peace, which was granted upon very Honourable terms. Corbred having spent the rest of his days in Peace, dyed the thirty fifth year of his Reign, and was buried in Dunstaffage.

22. Luctacus succeeded his Father Cor­bred, Anno Dom. 110. A most Flagitious man, given to all kinds of Lewdness and Cruelty; which his Nobles perceiving, at a Convention of the States, began to reprove him for his Wickness and Tyran­ny: He being inraged at this, commanded some of them to be put to Death; but in­stead [Page 21] of being obeyed, they fell upon him and his Complices, and killed them the third year of his Reign, he was buried in Dunstaffage.

23. To him succeeded Mogald, Corbred the second Sisters Son, A. D. 113. the be­ginning of his Reign was fortunate, for he Governed most Prudently and Successfully. He discharged the Romans from approach­ing the Confines of his Kingdom, and de­fended the Picts from them, he defeated Lucus with his Romans in Westmorland, and obtained a great Victory: In his time A­drian the Emperor came into Brittain, where he built Adrians Wall, from the mouth of Tyne, to the Flood of Esk four­score miles in length, he was killed in the thirty third year of his Reign.

24. Conar succeeded his Father Mogald, A. D. 149. Who became a cruei Tyrant, and was suspected to have had a hand in Conspiring his Fathers Death, he did greatly dilapidate the Rents of the Crown by his Extravagancies, being forced to call a Par­liament; he pressed mightily for Money, alledging that his Revenues was not an­swerable to his Charges, but his Nobles answered his demands in another manner, then he expected, for they presently de­graded and imprisoned him. Ardgad Cap­tain of Argyle made Governor: He dyed [Page 22] in Prison the fourteenth year of his Reign, and was buried in Dunstaffage.

25. After, him Ethod the first Sisters Son to Mogad began to Reign, A. D. 163. He highly applauded Ardgad his Government, keeping him still in great Trust with him­self. He sent him to the Isles, to allay some Tumults that were beginning to stir, which he did (as he thought) effectually, but he was not long gone, then they be­came worse than before; wherefore the King sent him thither again, where he was unfortunately killed, this so inraged the King that he went thither himself in Per­son, and made them soundly smoke for their Insolency. Having composed his Affairs at home and abroad, he began to give himself to ease, but soon after he was killed in his Chamber by an Irish Harper, whom he kept to make Musick to him, the thirty third year of his Reign.

26. Ethod having no Sons ripe for the Government, his Brother Satrael succeeded him, A. D. 199. He was so cruel, that he made it his Work to cut off all the anti­ent Nobility, but was at length stabbed by one of his Courtiers the fourth year of his Reign, and was buried in Dunstaffage.

27. His Brother Donald the first succeed­ed him, A. D. 199. A Prince famous for Princely Endowments, but especially, in [Page 23] that he was the first King, that imbraced Christianity in Scotland, and gave it his Royal Sanction, tho' for several years be­fore his time, the Gospel had it's Professors, tho' not publickly owned; he with the Concurrence of his Nobles made what Re­formation, he could, yet could he not du­ring his Life, get the People weaned from their old Heathenish Superstitions: In his time Sevesus the Emperor came into Brittain with a Prodigious Army, intend­ing no less than to Conquer the whole Island. The Scots and Picts at his coming, betake them to the Hills, and draws him after them, but his Army suffered griev­ously, having as one Writes, * Dion.lost 50000. Men in that ex­pedition, at length they came to a Peace with him, after which he built a great Wall, reaching from Forth to Clyde: Peace being concluded abroad, Donald re­turned home, and passed the rest of his days in Peace, he dyed the eighteenth year of his Reign and was buried in Dunstaffage.

28. Ethodius the second Son to Ethodius the first, succeeded Donald, A. D. 216. A man of a foolish and cross Temper, unfit to Govern that fierce People; but his No­bles managed the Government prudently, he at last was killed in a Tumult, made by his Domesticks the sixteenth year of his Reign and was buried in Dunstaffage.

[Page 24]29. His Son Athircus is made King, A. D. 231. At first he gave great grounds of hope, that he should prove an accomplish­ed Prince, but it proved quite contrary, he turned extreamly profligate, prostitu­ting Noble mens Daughters to his Com­panions: Upon which account one Hotho­locus a Noble man conspired against him, which he perceiving, that there was no way to escape, killed himself the twelfth year of his Reign.

30. Athircus being Dead, Hatholocus procured himself to be chosen King, A. D. 242. A cruel and lascivious Tyrant, be­ing acquainted that Ethircus his Children were with the Picts, he called the chief of the Nobility, whom he knew to have been Athircus his Friends, pretending he want­ed their Advice, in some matters of State; whent he had got them convened in one place, he caused them to be thrown in Prison, and soon after executed: Where­upon their Friends rebelled, and the King go­ing about to gather an Army to subdue them, was killed by one of his Courtiers the eleventh year of his Reign.

31. Hathalocus being thus dead, Athir­cus his children are called home and Fin­dochus, the eldest of them set upon the Throne, A. D. 253. a wise and valiant Prince; his first Expedition was against [Page 25] Donald, of the Isles who under pretence of revenging the late Kings death, had rais­ed an Army, him he subdued forcing him to flee to his Ships, where being hotly pursued, he got into a small Boat which being over loaden immediately sunk, and he perished, yet his Son whose name was Donald, keept up the quarrel against him. Hindoch, went with an Army entering the Islands wasted them so that they were left almost quite desolate. Donald finding his weakness betakes him to treacherous cours­es, and striking in with Carance the Kings brother, they instigated two Ruffians to Murther him, both which were tormented to death. The 11 th. year of his Reign he was buried in Dunstaffage.

32. To him succeeded his youngest Bro­ther Donald the 2 d A. D. 264. An excell­ent Prince, while he was preparing to re­veng his Brothers death he heard that Donald of the Isles had made an inroad up­on Murray, not in the quality of a Robber, but of a King. Where upon commanding the strength of the Kingdom to follow him, he went against him with those forces he had in readiness, which Donald hearing of, took such tedious marches that he was close upon the Kings Camp before any was a ware, which obliged the King to fight, but the inequality of their number was such, [Page 26] that the King was defeated, most of his men killed, himself being wounded, with sever­al of his Nobles were taken. He dyed the third day after, partly of his wounds and partly of Melancholy, the first year of his Reign, he was buried in Dunstaffage.

33 Donald, Lord of the Isles usurped the Crown A. D. 265. excercising much cruelty, none dared to oppose him having so many of the Nobility his prisoners whom he threatned upon every provocation to kill. At length Crathelinth Son to King Findochus, who having lurked long with his Nurse, and was believed to be dead, having gathered a few subtil men to­gether went directly to Donalds Court, who dissembling both his name and quali­ty became in a short time very intimate with him, but when he found his oppor­tunity he put an end to the Tyrants days, the 12 th year of his Reign, conveying him­self and his followers away undiscovered. There was all this time a sore Persecution of the Christians, under the Emperor Decius.

34. Crathelinth was set upon his Fathers Throne A. D. 277. A Valiant and reli­gious King. He first caused all the late Tyrants Race to be Razed to the found­ation for preventing the mischief might follow, he also purged the Land of Super­stitions, planting the true Christian Reli­gion. [Page 27] This King having peace on all sides, he addicted himself much to hunt­ing, one day as he was at his sport, one of the Picts stole away a Dog in which he greatly delighted; but the keeper of the Kings dogs being informed where he was kept, went to take him and striving to take him by force was killed in the place, which was the beginning of a sad war, that lasted a long time; but at last by means of one Caransius a Roman, (who was afterward King of Britain.) they made peace. King Crathelinth passed the rest of his days in peace, and dyed the 24 year of his Reign, he was buried in Dunstaffage.

35. To him succeeded his Cousin German Fincormach, A. D. 301. A Prince both Pious and Valiant, he Joyned with the Britains against the Romans, and after a most Bloody battel routed them, pursu­ing them as far as Yorke. Having procured Peace abroad he wholly applyed himself to the utter extirpating of Idolatry. In his days fell out the ninth Persecution under Aurelius, and the tenth under Dioclesian, which gave occasion to many Christians from divers parts of the Empire, now a second time to flee to Scotland, for re­fuge as they had done once before under Domitian. Among those Fugitives who fled thither for shelter, from the gener­al [Page 28] Massacre were many excellent men in Piety and Learning, whom the King not only did kindly receive but also imployed to assist him and his council in the further setling of Christianity in his Dominion, and in the total Extirpation of Idolatry out of it, which was so much the harder work because of the Druides, the principal false Prophets and Idolatrous Priests of those days who not only by their subtil Hypocrisy and sence pleasing Divine ser­vice but also by a cunning forcast having drawn into their hands the hearing and determining of Civel affairs, had so gain­ed upon the spirits of the Poor and Simple people, that they could not imagine how to be without them and live. The reso­lute care and labour of this gracious King and his Council, together with the help of these Pious and Learned men, prevail­ed at last utterly to overthrow, and abol­ish the Groves with the Alters under the Oaks, and all Idol service; and to Estab­lish the pure worship of God in all places of his Dominions, filling the Rooms of these false Prophets with Godly and Learn­ed teachers among the people, which was done in all places throughout the King­dom, but especially in the Islands which those Pious men took for their particular abode, as being most fit for a retired life [Page 29] and namely in the Isle of Man, the King caused a Church to be built to the honour of our Saviour, these Holy men were for their labouring so much in Gods worship called Colidei or Culdees. This good King dyed in peace the 47 year of his Reign and was buried in Dunstaffage.

36. Romach brothers Son to Crathelin­th, after a hot debate, by the assistance of the Picts, possessed himself of the Throne, A. D. 348. But proving a cruel Tyrant he was killed by his Nobles the 3 d year of his Reign; in his time Christi­anity began in Ireland.

37. Augustian Another of Crathelinth's Brothers sons succeeded, A.D. 351. a Valiant and peaceable King. The late Kings associ­ates, not thinking themselves secure fled to the Picts, whom they instigated to make War upon the Scots, in revenge of Romacks death: Augustian hearing of their purpose sent to Hertanus the King of the Picts, acquainting him how dangerous, a War betwixt them at that time might prove; The Romans and Britains being so apt to take advantage of them, when they are low; but all would not do, whereupon he went against them with his Forces and quite Defeated them, killing many of their Nobles. Afterward they renewed their strength, and came to the Wood of Came­lon [Page 30] where the King of Scots with his Army lay, where they fought a most bloody bat­tel on both sides, both the Kings were killed with many of their Nobles in the third year of his Reign. He was buried in Dunstaffage without Succession.

38. Fethelmack The youngest of Crathe­linths Brothers Sons Succeeded, A. D. 354. A Valiant Prince; he scarcely Reigned two years when having raised an Army he went against the Picts, and gave them a most fatal overthrow, killing their King in Battel, he was afterward Trayterously murthered in his bed, by two perfidious Picts, who insinuated themselves into his favour with the assistance of an Harper, the groans of the dying King being over heard by his Servants, they came rushing into the Room where they took the Villains in the very Act of their cruelty, who were afterward tormented to death. At this time St Andrews Church was built by the King of the Picts, at the request of St Re­well, he dyed the third year of his Reign, and was buried in Dunstaffage.

39. To him Succeeded Ewin the first Son to Fincormach. A. D. 357. A Valiant, Just, and good King. In his time the Ro­mans resolving to be Masters of the whole Island, and to destroy both Scots and Picts, first Communicate to the Picts, [Page 31] their purpose to Eradicat the Scots, and that if they would be assistant therein they should enjoy all their Lands, holding it of the Romans. They as a base ungratefull people accepted the proffer. So that the Scots had now to do with Romans, Britains and Picts. In the first Battel the Romans and the others were worsted, but soon after the Romans renewing their strength, with all their Adherents Eugen, (or Ewen) up­on the other hand convened all that could bear arms in his Dominions knowing they were to fight for no less then their Coun­try, and Liberty. They engaged at the River Dun, the Battel was most bloody, with doubtful success for a while, but at last the Scots being over powered with fresh supplies from the Romans, were forc­ed to fly, leaving the King and his Broth­er with fifty thousand of their men dead in the Field. They fled some to the Isles, some to Ireland and Scandia, they attempted several times to recover their Countrey but in Vain, till at length the King of Picts dying, the Roman Legat charged them that they should choose no other King but live under the Roman Government and by Roman laws, when they saw this they became some what sensible of their folly, and treach­ery to their best neighbours; resolving at length to call them home and Joyne forces [Page 32] them, that the one might recover their Country, the other their Liberty.

40. Echadius the Kings Brother (upon the late fatal defeat,) finding there was no shelter for him in his Country departed with his Son Hutha, and his Grandson Fer­gus to Scandia, there they were kindly entertained. In process of time Echadius and Hutha dying, Fergus became a most Valiant man, gained great fame in France, and Pannonia. To him the Picts sent Em­bassadors inviting him home, promised there assistance toward the recovering of his Country, which he readily accepted of, and having arrived with a few Danes and Goths in his company (the Scots, like­wise gathering to him,) he soon regained his Kingdom, being Victorious against the Romans in many Battels, at last he was kill­ed in Battel by the Romans, the sixteenth year of his Raigne, and was buried in I­colmkill, which was the burial place for the Kings till King Malhiscom Kanmors days; having left the Kingdom almost in as bad case as he found it.

41. To him Succeeded his son Eugenius the second, A. D. 420. A Valiant and Victorious Prince; he managed the Go­vernment by the help of the Valiant Grame, (whose father was banished out of Scotland, with Ethod Brother to King [Page 33] Eugenius the first) who married a Virgin of the Blood Royal of Denmark, She brought forth a daughter to him which was married to Fergus the second, Eugenius his Father. this Grame being the Kings Grandfather was mighty helpful to him against the Ro­mans: for he pulled down the wall of Aber­corn built by the Romans called afterward Grames Dick, as also Adrians Wall, over against the Irish Seas▪ By his help the Kings of Scots and Picts past with Fire and Sword through all the bounds between Tyne and Humber, here they fought a most bloody Battel in which there were 15000. Britains killed, together with most of their Princes and Nobles, but few of the Scots: by which means they totally expelled the Romans out of Britain, and brought the Britains under Contribution, reserving also to themselves the whole Land lying between Tyne and Humber. This Prince dyed the one and thirtyth year of his Reign, having the seventh year delivered his Country from the Romish Yoke, 496 years after that Julius Caesar brought them first under Tribute.

42. To him his Brother Dongard Suc­ceeded. A. D. 451- A Prince fitted both for war and peace, in his time the Pelagi­an Heresie infested the Church, for curing of which Celestine Bishop of Rome sent one [Page 34] Paladius into Scotland; he is said to have been the first who Instituted Bishops there, for untill that time the Church was governed by Monks ▪ this King dyed the fifth year of his Reign.

43. Constantine the first Succeeded to Dongard. A. D. 457. A man full of bad qualities, cruel to his Subjects, but fearful of his Enemies, given up also to all kind of Lasciviousness: the Picts seeing his un­worthiness broke with him, his Subjects also were at the very nick of Rebellion. He was slain in the two and twentyth year of his Reign by a Noble man of the Isles, whose Daughter he had defloured.

44. To him Succeeded Congall the first, A. D. 479. His first work was to re­duce his Subjects from the sottish and base customs to which his Father had inured them. The Britains seeing him inclin'd to peace, perswaded Aurelius Ambrosius, to demand restitution of Westmorland from him, which he denying to do, they draw to Arms on both sides, but being better advised, they again agreed that things should stand as Constantine left them. During the Reign of Congall he had Wars with the Saxons, but no great action, In his time lived those two famous Prophets, Merlin and Gildas. He dyed the two and twentyth year of his Reign.

[Page 35]45. His Brother Govan Succeeded him, A. D. 501. who governed the Kingdom with great discretion. In his time arriv­ed in Britain Occa and Passentius the Sons of Hengist, with an Army of German Souldi­ers against whom came King Ambrose and fought and routed them, but with small reason to boast of his Victory, for he lost the prime of his Nobility in that ingage­ment, he thereupon sent for the King of Scots and Picts to come to his assistance find­ing himself so much weakened Occa being advertised thereof, sent his Brother Passen­tius to Germany for assistance, who by con­trary winds being driven upon the coast of Ireland, gathered a considerable number of Souldiers of fortune and returned home. In the mean time Ambrosius was Poysoned by Occaes means to him Succeeded the Valiant King Arthur, who by assistance of the Scots and Picts, obtained several great Victo­ries against the Saxons. Govan having made peace with all his Neighbours return­ed home, He dyed the thirty fourth year of his Reign, not without suspicion of Treacherie in which Donald Captain of Athlo had no small hand.

46. Eugenius, (or Ewen) the third, Con­gallus the firsts Son Succeeded, A. D. 535. a wise and prudent Prince, he consulted with some of his Nobles about revenging [Page 36] the late Kings death, but found by their Coldness and Unconcernedness in the mat­ter ground of suspicion, that they them­selves were not Inocent of it, which made him dread their designes against Himself. Yet he managed the Government so wise­ly, that he dyed in Peace the twenty third year of his Reign.

47. To him Succeeded Congal the second his Brother, A.D. 558. A Prince of a very strict Life, contending even with the Monks themselves for Piety, he made ma­ny excellent Laws relating to Churches, and Churchmen. In his time lived these two Famous Men S. Colm and S. Mungo. He dyed in peace the eleventh year of his Reign.

48. Kinnatill Succeeded his Brother Con­gall, A. D. 569. At which time Aidan Govans Son come to Scotland, who being ntroduced to the King by S. Colm, was Graciously received with assurance that he should be the man who should Succeed to the Crown. He dyed in peace the first year of his Reign.

49. Aidan Accordingly Succeeds, A. D. 570. Soon after a Conspiracy being dis­covered, which some of his servants in­tended against his Person, the Conspira­tors fled to the Picts, who refusing to de­liver them up to Justice when demanded, [Page 37] he quite broke with them, and Confeder­ated with the Britains against them, and the Saxons, routing them in several Battels. about this time his good Friend S. Colm dyed to his great grief. Soon after Au­gustine the Monk came into Britain, being sent by Pope Gregory, who created much trouble by his innovations, in matters of Religion. This Prince dyed in peace the thirty fifth year of his Reign.

50. Kenneth the first, Congalls second Son Succeeded, A. D. 605. We have no­thing Recorded of him worth noting, He dyed in peace the first year of his Reign.

51. Ewen The fourth, Aidans second Son Succeeded, A. D 606. He was Edu­cated by S. Colm, but slighted his Injuncti­ons in one thing, for that he preferred War to peace, his hand was heavy upon the Rebellious and Stubborn, but yet a modest Conqueror, he dyed in peace the fifteenth year of his Reign.

52. To him Succeeded his Son Ferch­ard the first, A. D. 621. A Vitious Ty­rant, which his Nobility not being able to endure, called him to an account, but he refusing to submit was compelled; hav­ing laid before him how injurious he had been to his Country, and what an Enemy to Religion, abetting the Pelagian Heresie, [Page 38] with many such things, they degrad­ed him, and put him in Prison, where soon after he killed himself.

53. To him Succeeded his Son Donald the fourth, A. D. 632. He studied nothing more then to preserve and advance the Christian Faith, at home, and a­mong his Neighbours, he sent some Learned Divines to Northumberland, to restore the Christian Faith, which was much de­cayed. He perished (as some write) in Lochtay, being there at fishing the four­teenth year of his Reign, but others af­firm he dyed in his Bed.

54. His Brother Ferchard the second Succeeded, A. D. 646. A wicked Tyrant Impious toward God, and cruel towards Man, having strangled his Wife, and De­flowred his Daughters, his Nobles resolv­ed to call him to account, but were dis­swaded by one Colmar a Religious Monk who told them that Gods hand would soon be upon him which accordingly fell out, For being at Hunting he was Bitten by a Wolfe, which caused a dangerous Feav­our of which he dyed, declaring his sor­row for his former Life, the eighteenth year of his Reign.

55. To him Succeeded Malduin. Donald the fourths Son, A. D. 664. A wise and Religious Prince. the Argyle and Lenox [Page 39] men much infested the Country by their Animosities between themselves; the Lead­ers of the Sedition he put to death; at this time the Plague had over spread all Europe, whereof infinite multitudes dy­ed every where, but the Scots and Picts were preserved from it. This good King was strangled by his Queen, upon suspicion of Adultery the twentyth year of his Reign. She and her Servants were the next day burnt alive.

56. Ewin The first Malduins Brothers Son Succeeded, A. D. 684. Edfried, King of Northumberland Invaded Scotland, hav­ing the assistance of the Picts, but they de­serting him he was routed and ten Thous­and of his men killed. The next year Ed­fried Invaded the Picts, they pretending to fly drew him upon an Ambush where he and all his Army were cut off. The Scots and Britains also entering Northum­berland, so afflicted that King that he was never able to recover his losses. Ewin dyed the fourth year of his Reign.

57. Ewin the sixth, Ferchard the se­conds Son Succeeded, A. D. 688. A Religious and Learned King, he had neither cer­tain Peace nor certain War with his Neighbours. He dyed the ninth year of his Reign, It is said that in his time it rained Blood for seven days over all Bri­tan, [Page 40] that also the Milk Butter, and Cheese was turned into Blood.

58. Amberkelleth Succeeded, A. D. 697. At first he appeared a Sober Prince, but he soon put of the Mask, turning to all kinds of wickedness, he was killed by the Shot of an Arrow in the night time, the second year of his Reign.

59 To him Succeeded Ewin the seventh, his Brother, A. D. 699. He made peace with the King of Picts, and Marryed his Daugh­ter, who within a year after (being with Child) was Murthered in her Bed instead of the King, by two Brothers of Athols, who had Conspired the Kings death. He was a good and Religious King, he dyed the sixteenth year of his Reign.

60. Ewin A little before his death re­commended to the Nobles, Mordach Am­berkeleths Son, who was chosen A. D. 715. An Excellent Prince, he procured Peace over all Britain, he repaired many de­cayed Churches, and built the Monaste­ry of Whitehorne. He dyed the sixteenth year of his Reign.

61. To him Succeeded Etfin, Ewin the sevenths Son, A. D. 730. A Religious King and severe Justitiar, being aged, af­ter that he had Reigned 30 years, he e­lected four Regents, viz. the Thanes of Ar­gyle Athole Gallaway and Murray to go­vern [Page 41] his Subjects, but their Government was greivous. He dyed the thirty first year of his Reign.

62. Ewin the Eighth Mordachs Son Suc­ceeded A. D. 761. His first work was to put to death Donald, Lord of the Isles, and the Earle of Galloway, for their cru­elty in the Late Kings latter days. But he himself afterward degenerating into all Vices, was killed by his Nobles the third year of his Reign.

63. Fergus the third Etfins Son Succeed­ed, A. D. 764. He Married Ethiolia, Daughter to the King of Picts, who hav­ing several times admonished him of his adulteries at last with the help of some of his familiar Servants strangled him, and being accused thereupon confessed the fact, and presently stabbed her self to the Heart with a Dagger. The King was buried in Icolmkill the third year of his Reign.

64. Solwath Ewin, the Eighths Son Succeeded A. D. 767, A Valiant Prince, He was much troubled with the Gout, of which Donald a Bane, Captain of the Isles. taking advantage proclaimed himself King of the Isles, breaking also in upon the Conti­nent made great Havock, but at length was by Duchal Captain of Argyle and Duchal Captain of Athol beset in a Wood, [Page 42] where their was no way to Escape, their he and all his followers were cut to pieces. This good King dyed of the Gout, the twentith year of his Reign.

65. Acaius Etfins Son Succeeded A.D. 787. He made a new peace with the English and Picts, finding that the Irish intend­ed to make war against him, because of a slaughter that was committed in Kin­tire, upon some Irish Robbers, yet he sent Ambassadors to Ireland, shewing how lit­tle ground they had to denounce war, and how little it would tend to their Hon­our to revenge the quarrel of a pack of Thieves, but they not giving ear to his peaceable message, presently Rigged out a Fleet, which was not two Nights at Sea, when it was utterly ruined by a storme, which made the Irish now supplicate for a peace upon any terms, which the King readily granted. He soon after made a League with Charles the great King of France, and Emperor of Germany, which continues inviolated to this day. For the corroboration of which, Achaius sent his Brother William with Forty thousand Valiant warriours to assist the aforesaid Charles in his Wars, against the Infi­dels where he purchased great Fame, be­ing commonly called by the Princes of France: The Knight without Reproach. Be­fore [Page 43] this time also some Learned Men, passed from Scotland unto France, among which Johannes Scotus who was Charles's Tutor was singular for his Learning who together with Clemens another of his Country men, Founded the University of Paris. Achaius Marryed Fergusian Sister to Hungus, King of the Picts, who bore to him one Son called Alpine who after­ward Succeeded; to be King of Scotland, and Heir to the King of Picts; King Achaius dyed the thirty second year of his Reign.

66. To him Succeeded Congal, his Cousin German, A. D. 819. He Go­verned peaceably for five years.

67. Dongal Salvatius's Son Succeeded, A. D. 824. who having settled the peace at home, sent his Embassadors to the Picts, demanding the right of Successi­on in the name of Alpin, Son to King Achaius, being there own King dyed with­out Succession, which they refusing to do; Dongal denounced war against them but he Unfortunatly Perished in a Boat as he was passing over the river of Spey, in the seventh year of his Reign.

68. Alpin Acaius's Son succeeded, A-D. 831. A Valiant Prince, he led the Army, which was raised by Dongall, against the Picts, to assert his Title to [Page 44] their Crown, wherein a most bloody Battel, he with his own hand slew Feredech their King; then they Elected Brudus his Son, who was killed the first year of his Reign, in a Tu­mult raised by his Subjects: His Brother Kenneth succeeded to him, who coming with an Army against the Scots, rent off his Coat of Armour and fled to the Mountains, where he was shamefully killed by a Coun­try man (not knowing who he was) where­upon the Picts Elected Brudus, a fierce and valiant Prince to be their King, who sent his Ambassadors to Alpine desiring Peace; Al­pine answered that he would make no Peace, untill the Crown of the Picts were set upon his Head, as the Right inheritour of it. Brudus upon this raised a great Army, and came over the Bridge of Dunkell, marching to Augus, where Alpin with his Army did lye. The night before the Battel, he de­vised a cunning Stratagem; for having a great many Women in his Army, he cau­sed them to stand in Battel Array, with linnen Shirts above their cloaths, ordain­ing some Horse-men to Command them; he drew them into a Wood, Commanding none of them to appear, till the Armies had joyned Battel. King Alpin upon the Picts approach, presently led out his Men, and joyned Battel with them, then the a­foresaid reserve began to move from their [Page 45] Ambush: The Scots seeing them, apprehen­ded them to be a fresh Army of Picts, where­upon they immediately fled. In this Bat­tel King Alpine himself was taken, and be­headed the third year of his Reign.

69. To him his Son Keneth the second succeeded, A. D. 834. Now the Picts fully resolve, to banish the Scots quite out of their Country, for which purpose they procure help from England. But when they were at their full strength, they di­vided amongst themselves to such a height, that Brudus was forced to disband his Ar­my; he soon after dyed for Grief, Donsken his Brother succeeded, who made it his work to keep Peace on all hands. But Ke­neth after three years uncertain Peace, be­ing desirous at any rate to revenge his Fa­thers Death, and to recover the Crown, which by right did belong to him; Con­vened his Nobles, and consulted with them concerning the matter, but finding them not inclined to it, he invites them all to a great Feast, which he had prepared of purpose, where they were Royally enter­tained within his Pallace untill dark Night; after they had Liberally feasted, they were conveyed to several apartments within the Palace, and when deep sleep had seized upon them; the King caused some Men that he had ready for that end, to pass [Page 46] to their several Beds clad with Fish-skins, which did cast a dazling light in the dark; each man having a Hunting Horn in his hand, through which he spake. The No­bles being amazed at this sight, were de­sired by them, not to be terrified for that they were Angels sent from God, to the Princes and Nobles of Scotland, to cause them to obey the Kings Order; it being very Just and Right, and that they need­ed not to fear the Success, for they should be Victorious. Their Speeches being end­ed, they in an instant vanished: This mightily astonished the Nobles, not know­ing what to make on't. It was no sooner Day light, than they got up and enquired one for another; and having convened all together, every Man began to declare what appeared to him, which made them all presently conclude, that it was no Fan­cy, but a real Vision: The King also assured them, that the same Vision ap­peared to him at the same hour. Here­upon they Unanimously consented, that all who were able for Fighting, should meet the King upon a day appointed, which they did as the Picts did also upon the other hand; they fought most Valiantly on both sides, but the Picts were routed in one, and quite ruined in another Battel; their King and all his Nobles being killed. [Page 47] And their City Camelon after a long siege utterly destroyed, and razed; and the Picts Men, Women, and Children put to the Sword; after they had Reigned in Albion 1181 years. King Keneth brought the fatal Chair from Argyle to Scone, add­ing the Picts Dominions to his own, he dyed the twentieth year of his Reign.

70. Donald the fifth, Keneth the seconds Brother succeeded, having his Territories enlarged from the Orcades to Adrians Wall: He was a vicious and luxurious Prince, which gave the Fugitive Picts some ground to Hope, that they might recover their Lands, whereupon they requested Osbred and Ella two great Princes in England, to restore them, promising to pay Homage to them, they accepted the offer invading Scotland, with great Forces where they were miserably routed in a pitch'd Bat­tle. King Donald proud of this Victory, pursued them to the Water of Tweed with his Army; there he found two Ships laden with Wine, which he parted among his Souldiers, they not being much used to such Liquor drank of it, till they were not able to stir: Of which, when King Osbred was advertised, he came suddenly upon them, and killed 2000 of them, took the King himself, and carried him about in Derision. Osbred pursuing this Victo­ry [Page 48] conquered great Lands in Scotland: So that Sterling-bridge was made the march be­tween the Scots and the English. This Os­bred Coyned money in Sterling Castle, which was (as some think) the first beginning of Sterling money. King Donald being ran­somed, was soon after taken by his Nobles, and put in Prison, where he desperately kill­ed himself, the fifth year of his Reign.

71. To him succeeded Constantine the second, who was Crowned in Scone. A. D. 859. Soon after Hunger and Hubba with a great Fleet of Danes Land­ed in Fife, to shun whose Cruelty, ma­ny religious Persons, with Adrian their Bishop fled into the Isle of May, where they were all Cruelly put to Death by the unmerciful Danes. Constantine with his Army met them at the River of Levin, where he overthrew them, pursuing them toward Caryl, where their Ships lay; but the Scots being proud of this Victory, be­came too secure: Whereupon the Danes rallied upon them, where followed a ter­rible Battel, at last the Scots were de­feated; the King being taken, and dragged to a Cave was basely murdered, the fif­teenth year of his Reign.

72. To him succeeded Ethus his Son, Surnamed the Swift, A.D. 874. His wicked­ness and Cruelty, came to so great a [Page 49] heigth, that his Nobles were forced to im­prison him, where within three days he dy­ed of Melancholly, the second year of his Reign.

73. Gregory the Great Dungalls Son suc­ceeded, A. D. 876. A Prince of a Kingly Spirit; he made a Law, that all [...]ings hereafter, should at their Coronation, swear to defend the Christian Faith. His first expedition was into Fife, against the Picts and Danes which were left there, when Hungar went into En [...]land; them he expelled, not only out of Fife, but also out of Lothian, and the Mers. Coming to Berwick; the Danes durst not venture to Fight him; but leaving a Garrison in the Town, retired to Northumberland, to ga­ther more Forces. But Gregory in the Night time, being Guided by some English-men entred the City, and put all the Danes to the Sword; thence he went to Northum­berland, there he utterly routed the rest of them, which gave him occasion to in­large his Dominions with Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland; after which he entered in a League with the King of England, wherein his right to the foresaid Lands was ratified. His next expedition was against the Irish, who had Landed in Galloway, and committed great Insolen­cies, but at his coming they retired back [Page 50] to their own Country. He with a great Army followed them, where at his Land­ing, he overthrew Brennius and Cornellius, who were Guardians to the young King of Ireland, with their Nobles taking seve­ral Forts and Castles, at last he laid Seige to Dublin, where their young King was; which after some resistance yeilded. The King returning Conqueror from Ireland, dyed the eighteenth year of his Reign; by him the City of Aberdeen was built.

74. Donald the sixth, Constantine the se­conds Son succeeded, A. D. 894. He was a Religious and good King, fit for either War or Peace; he had some Ingagments with the Danes, and sent Assistance to the King of England against them, toward the latter part of his days, he was trou­bled with Intestine broils, for the Mur­rays, and Rosses invading one another, com­mitted great Insolencies; to quench this Fire the King came upon them with a great Army, and taking the Leaders of the Faction, put them to Death for an Exam­ple to others. He dyed the eleventh year of his Reign.

75. To him succeeded Constantine the third, Ethus's Son, A. D. 905. A Valiant, but unfortunate Prince; the perfidious Danes, having broken their League with him joyned with the English, but within [Page 51] four years they met with such measures, as made them glad to return to the Scots: Whereupon followed a hot and cruel War, wherein Constantine found himself so un­successful, that he resigned his Crown, and betook himself to a Monastery, where he dyed the fortieth year of his Reign.

76. Malcolm the first, Donald the sixths Son succeeded, A. D. 943. A valiant Prince, and severe Justitiar. A Peace being made with England, wherein Cumberland and Westmor­land were annexed to the Crown of Scot­land, to be holden in Fee of the Kings of England; this Prince passed the rest of his days, in executing of Justice, which he did with such strictness, that some Villains in Murray-Land conspired against him, where he was Traiterously killed, the ninth year of his Reign.

77. Indulf Constantine the thirds Son suc­ceeded, A. D. 952. A brave Warrior, the Danes Landing in the North with a huge Ar­my, he went against them, there in a pitch'd Battel, he routed them, but dyed himself in the Battel, the ninth year of his Reign.

78. To him succeeded Duff. Malcolm the first's Son, A. D. 961. A Prince who much studied the Peace of his Country; he went about his Northern Circuits, where he kept his Courts, severely punishing Ma­lefactors; coming at last to the Castle of [Page 52] Forress, suspecting no harm was Traite­rously murdered by the Captain, and his Wife, who were afterwards apprehended and put to a cruel Death.

79. To him succeeded Culen, Indulfs Son, A. D. 966. Who having revenged the late Kings Death, soon after became a most Flagitious and wicked Prince, de­flowring his own Daughters and Sisters: He was killed by Rodard a Noble man at Meffen, this Daughter he had deflowred the fourth year of his Reign.

80. Keneth the third, Duffs Brother suc­ceeded, A. D. 970. The beginning of his Reign, was good, executing of Justice se­verely, finding his Nobles averse, to de­liver up ther Friends and Vassals, who trou­bled the Peace, to Justice; he called a Con­vention of the States at Scone, where hav­ing Clandestinely conveyed, some Men in Arms, where the Nobles were convened, made them all Prisoners, telling them, that so it would be untill they did give up those Rebels to Justice; they finding them­selves thus hooked, sent to their Friends, to perform the Terms of their Liberation; thus in a short time he had five hundred notable Thieves, delivered up, them he caused to be every one hanged upon Gib­bets, close by the Castle of Berth. The Danes with a great Fleet of Ships Land­ing [Page 53] in Angus, destroyed all before them, till they came to Berth, where the King and his Army ran-countered with them; there followed a most bloody Battel, the Scots beginning to give Ground, were made to Rally by the means of one Hay and his two Sons, who hearing as they were at Plowing, not far from the Field, that the Scots fled, came each of them with a Club in his hand, and renewed the Battel, put­ting the Danes to flight, there they were all cut off, the King amply rewarded him, giving him so much of the best Land in Scotland as a Faulcon off a Mans hand, flew over, which was six miles in length, and four in breadth, this was the Original of the Noble and Ancient Surname of Hay. But that which darkned all this Noble Kings Acts, was his causing Malcolm Prince of Scotland to be Poisoned; making a Law, that the Eldest Son, or Nephew of the deceased Prince of what age soever he be, shall succeed to the Crown, with divers others Laws of the like Nature: At last coming to the Castle of Felercarne, the Lady Grof had the Kings Image in Brass, in the midst of the House with a Golden Apple in his hand; the King upon the Ladies desire, pulling the Apple out of the Images hand, was shot through the Body with an Engine, that was made in [Page 54] it for the purpose: He dyed the twenty fourth year of his Reign.

81. To him succeeded Constantine the fourth, Surnamed the Balde, A. D. 994. He came to the Crown by Usurpation, he was killed in Battel at Cramond in Lon­thian, the second year of his Reign.

82. Grimus, Duffs Son Usurped the Crown, A.D. 996. Malcolm whose Right it was, sent to the Nobles, acquainting them how far he was wronged; which Grimus hearing of, caused the Messengers to be cast into Prison, which was like to have been, the beginning of a War; yet they were seem­ingly agreed for that time by one Hortha­dus a Bishop, but not long after his Vices being intolerable, Malcolm was brought home from England, who killed him in Battel, the eighteenth year of his Reign.

83. Malcolm succeeded to the Crown, A. D. 1004. A Noble and Valiant Prince, in his time Sweno King of the Danes be­ing banished his Country, and coming to Scotland, was converted to Christianity, and supplyed with Men for reducing his Kingdom; yet to his great loss he soon after made War against Malcolm, who ut­terly routed his Army several times: This Prince was killed by a Conspiracy, of some of his Nobles in the Castle of Glames, the thirtieth year of his Reign, the Con­spirators [Page 55] flying in the Night, chanced to pass over the Pool of Forfar upon the Ice, where the Ice breaking, they all miserably perished.

84. Duncan the first, Malcolm the se­conds Grand-son, by his Daughter Beatrix succeeded, A. D. 1034. He was thought to be of too indulgent a Spirit, for Go­verning that fierce and untractable People: Bancho of whom are descended the Ancient and Royal name of Stewarts, was in his time Thane, or Earl of Lochaber: He was Traiterously murdered by his Cousin Mak­beth, the sixth year of his Reign.

85. To him succeeded Mackbeth, Mal­colm the seconds Daughters Son, A. D. 1040. Altho' he came to the Crown by Treachery and Blood-shed, yet he Gover­ned for a time pretty moderately, but at last brake out into all kind of Tyranny, and Cruelty, forcing his Nobles to the servilest of his Work; which they being not able to endure, Macduff Earl of Fife, Posts to England, where he found Malcolm the late Kings Son, at King Edwards Court, whom he invited home to revenge his Fa­thers Death, and possess the Crown which was his own by right: Malcolm suspect­ing Treachery, pretended several excuses to try Macduffs sincerity, but when he found him Cordial, he declared his Willingness: [Page 56] Whereupon getting assistance of Men from King Edward, he entred Scotland; Mac­beth hearing of his arrival, went about to oppose him, but Macduff surprizing him in his Castle of Dunfinnan, killed him with his own hand, the seventeenth year of his Reign.

86. Malcolm Surnamed Kanmor, Son to Duncan the first succeeded, A. D. 1057. He was a worthy Prince, and in Compen­sation of their Service and Loyalty, in his Restauration created many Earls, Lords, Barons and Baronets, commanding that their Lands should be called after their Names: He made also his Thanes Earls; many new Surnames began at this time, as Calder Lochbart, Gordoun, Seytown, Lan­der Kennethe, Meldrome, Schau, Liberton, Livermond, Cargill, Strachan, Ratray, Dun­dass, Meazeis, Mertine, Cockbourn, Lesly, Abercromby: At this time also William Duke of Normandy conquered England, which was the occasion that these Surnames (being expelled their Country) came to Scotland. viz. Ramsay, Vans, Lindsay, Lownal, Tow­res, Preston, Bissat, Foules, Wandlaw, Max­well, from France came the Names of Fra­zer, Sintcare, Boswel, Montray, Montgomry, Boyes, Campbel, Beaton. At this time Wal­ter Son to Fleance came to Scotland, who shortly after was created high Steward [Page 57] of the Kingdom. King Malcolm was killed at the siege of Anwick, by one Robert Moubray, who came from the Castle upon a light horse holding in his hand a Lance, with the Keys of the Castle upon the point of it. King Malcolm looking stedfastly to the Lance, the other run him through the Eye with it, escaping to the next Wood: Whereupon King William changed this Moubrey's Name to Percy: King Malcolm dyed the thirty sixth year of his Reign, and was buried in Dunfermling.

87. Donald the seventh, Sirnamed Bane, being Malcolm Kanmores Brother usurped the Crown, A. D. 1093. But within a year he was expelled by Duncan, base Son to the foresaid Malcolm.

88. Duncan the second usurped the Crown, but did not enjoy it long, being killed by Macpendar Earl of Mearnes at Taich, by procurement of Donald the se­venth, who after was Crowned King. He gave the North and West Isles, to the King of Norway for his assistance, to recover the Crown. He was taken Cap­tive by Edgar his Successor, and put in Prison, where after some years he dyed miserably.

89. Edgar, Malcolm, Kanmores Son suc­ceeded, A. D. 1098. He was the first anoin­ted King, Governing with great Wisdom [Page 58] and Sobriety: He dyed the nineteenth year of his Reign, and was buried in Dum­fermling.

90. To him succeeded Alexander the first, Sirnamed Fierce, A. D. 1107. Soon after his coming to the Throne, certain Traitors were by his Chamberlains means let in to his Chamber, intending to have killed him in Bed, but he being surprised at their noise, got out of Bed and caught a Sword in his hand, wherewith he kill­ed the Chamberlain, and six of the other Traitors; the rest hasted away, but be­ing pursued, and some of them overtaken Confessed, that divers of the Nobles were in the Conspiracy, them the King pursu­ed, killing some and taking others: He dyed in Peace the seventeenth year of his Reign, and was buried in Dumfermling.

91. To him succeeded his Brother Da­vid the first, A. D. 1124. He possessed Northumberland, and Cumberland, Huntington, and Westmorland. He married Maud Daugh­ter to the Earl of Northumberland, who dyed in the flower of her Age, for which the King took such Grief, that he resol­ved never to Marry again; but gave himself wholly to works of Charity. He purged his Court from all Vices, so that his whole Family were given to Vertu­ous Exercises, no Rioting nor Drunkeness, [Page 59] nor Lascivious, or wanton Songs were suffered: This Victorious and Religious King dyed in Carlyle, the twenty ninth year of his Reign, and was buried at Dumfermling; where King James the first visiting his Tomb, called him, a Sore Saint to the Crown.

92. Malcolm the fourth (Sirnamed the Maiden) next Heir after King David began his Reign, A. D. 1153. A just and mild Prince; in the beginning of his Reign, there was a great Famine in Scotland, whereof many dyed. Sumerled, Thane of Argyle, taking advantage of the present Calamity raised a Rebellion, purposing to make himself King; but he was soon crush't, his Friends killed, and himself forced to fly to Ireland; soon after, be­ing invited to London, by King Henry of England, under pretence of confirming him in his Title, to Northumberland, Cumber­land, and Westmorland; he carried him with him into France, where he had Wars for that time; he no sooner was returned home, then he made War with Eng­land, to the great loss of both Kingdoms: He dyed at Jedburgh, the twelfth year of his Reign.

93. To him succeeded William his Bro­ther, Sirnamed the Lyon, A. D. 1165. He demanded Northumberland, which by [Page 60] Right belonged to his Crown, to be re-de­livered to him, which the King of Eng­land (being taken up with Wars in France) durst not altogether refuse; but condes­cended to let him have such parts of it, as his Grand-father possest; but soon after he was by a Stratagem taken Prisoner at Alunick, and sent to France where the King of England was, whence not long after he was Ransomed with a sum of Money; being re­turned home, he expelled all the Murrays out of Murray-Land, for that they were Seditious and Tumultuous in his absence: About this time the Pope sent to King William a Sword, with the Sheath and Hilts all of Gold, set about with preci­ous Stones with a Hat, or Diadem, giving him the Title of the Defender of the Church. After this, he retired to Bertha, where he stayed not long, when by a sudden Inun­dation of two Rivers, Tay and Almond; the Towns Walls were beat down, the Castle demolished, the young Prince and his Nurse with several others drowned (the King himself narrowly escaping: He founded and built the City of Perth, granting to it several great and ample Priviledges. He dyed the forty ninth year of his Reign, and was buried in Aberbrothick.

94. His Son Alexander the second suc­ceeded [Page 61] to him, A. D. 1214. Having paci­fied all Rebellions at home, he led his Ar­my into England, where having made Peace with King John, he married his Si­ster: Afterward he went into France and renewed the old League with this Addi­tion, that neither of them should receive, or protect the Enemies of the others King­dom, nor Marry with any Stranger, without making one another privy there­to. In the mean time his Queen dyed without any Succession; within a year after he married Mary Daughter to In­gelram Earl of Coucy in France, who bare to him Alexander the third; in his time came Cardinal Egadius into Britain, to beg Money for the Holy War, of which he got a great deal, but going through France he spent it all, and told his Holi­ness, when he came to Rome, that he had been robb'd by the way: Whereupon presently another Legat was sent to Bri­tain. But the People hearing, how they were cheated of their Money by the last procured an Order, discharging this not to enter the Kingdom. King Alexander dyed in Peace, the thirty fifth year of his Reign, and was buried at Melross.

95. Alexander the third succeeded his Father, A. D. 249. Being nine years of Age at his Coronation. Ambassadors were [Page 62] sent to England, demanding Margaret King Henry the third's Daughter in Marriage for King Alexander, which was granted; the next year, the two Kings had a meet­ing at York, where the Marriage was So­lemnized. During his Minority the Realm was well Governed by his Nobles; tak­ing the Government upon himself, his first work was to summon the Earls of Mon­terth, Athole and Buchan, and the Lord Strabogy, who were all of the Name of Cumings; they not daring to appear, were denounced Rebels: They being now afraid, thought nothing so much for their safety, as the having the King in their Power, which they got, and confined him in the Castle of Sterling; but the Earl of Athel, who was the head of the Party, dying, their Hearts failed them, and (eve­ry one of them getting his Remission) they set the King at Liberty; soon after the Danes with a great Army invaded the Country, the King with his Forces went against them, and routed them, killing twenty four Thousand of them; the King returned to Norway with only four Ships, which was all that was left of his whole Fleet. At this time Alexander Earl of Carrick, passed to the Holy-Land, hav­ing a Daughter who succeeded to his E­state; she Married Robert Rance, Lord of [Page 63] Annaudale, and bare to him, that noble and invincible Champion Robert Bruce King of Scotland: King Alexander had two Sons by his Queen, viz. Prince Alexander and David, and one Daughter Margaret, who was married to the King of Norway; she bare to him Margaret called the Maiden of Norway. The King and Queen going to London, to the Coronation of King Ed­ward the first: David the second Son dy­ed in their absence; within a few years after the Prince dyed at Lundores, to the great Grief of the Nation, and not long after the King dyed by a fall from over a Rock at Kinghorn, the thirty seventh year of his Reign: Leaving none of his own direct Line to succeed him.

The Nobility having met upon this so important occasion, they put the King­dom into the hands of six Regents; for the South side Robert Arch-Bishop of Glas­gow: John Cumine, and John the great Ste­ward of Scotland. For the North, the Arch-Bishop of S. Andrews, Macdiff Earl of Fife, and Cumine Earl of Buchan. Edward of England, sends to demand the Daugh­ter Grand-Child in marriage, as next Heir to the Crown, which was agreed too, but the Death of the Lady frustrated all that Negotiation, by which means great con­tention arose between Bourn, and John [Page 64] Baliol. Baliol managing the English, and Bruce the French interest, Baliol be­ing in the second degree of relation and Bruce in the third; the one being David Earle of Huntingtons Grand Child, the other his great Grand Child: matters standing thus, the whole was referred to King Edward, who coming to Berwick and calling Lawyers to his assistance, pre­tends all equity, but raised up eight o­ther Competitors, the better to weaken the claim of the other two, and so handled the business that ( Bruce hav­ing refused the Crown in Homage to England,) upon his aceptance of these conditions.

96. John Balliol was declared King, A. D. 1293. In the fourth year of his Reign, an Appeal being made against him to King Edward, by Mac-Duff and he refusing to rise from his Seat to ans­wer it. King Edward enters Scotland masters the Country, takes Baliol and sends him Prisoner to London, and after­ward to France, where he dyed long after in Exile. About this time Sir Willi­am Walace arose, who to his Honour did so Heroically defend his Country, in its low condition, as made it easily ap­pear that if he had had as happy a for­tune to advance, as he had to relieve, he [Page 65] might have been Commemorated for as great a man as ever was in any age; for having upon a quarrel Slain a Young English Gentleman, and enforced to lurk in the Hills for safety of his life, he became inured to such hardness, that awaking his natural Courage, he be came the Head of all the Malecontents, and filled both the Kingdomes with his terror so that having gleaned up to a tumultuary Army, he became Baliols Viceroy; thus after some little skirmishes he reduced all beyond the Forts: after which he went to England, and Ranged up and down for some time, and return­ed without opposition; after which the English enters Scotland with a great Army, and finding the Scots disposed under three Leaders, (who disputed among themselves for Priority) quite routed them, but soon after they made a general insurrection, to oppose which, King Edward sent Ralph Conniers with a great army, who a by tripple Victory were defeated at Kolkin.

All this while Robert Bruce continued with King Edward, who weary of the Kings delays and offputs, at last strikes in with John Cumin, Baliols Cousin ger­man, they agreed that Bruce should have the Kingdom, and Cumine all Bruces Lands. Cumine notwithstanding communicates this [Page 66] agreement to King Edward, Bruce hath notice, and by shooing his Horse back­ward escapes to Lockambban, there he finds Cumines Letters advising to cut him off, upon which he hastens to Dumforess, where he heard that Cumin was, and after his exprobrating his infidelity, Stabs him dead in the Franciscan Monastery. About the same time Walace was traiterously Be­trayed by Sir John Monteits at Glasgow, and delivered to the English: and being brought to London was Cruelly executed in Smithfield, and his Limbs hung up in the most Eminent places.

97. Robert Bruce was (after he had stay­ed for the Popes absolution for defiling the Monastery, with the murder of Cumine) Crowned at Scone 1306. a Valiant and Heroick Prince, he had many Enemies both at home and abroad, which Edward taking advantage off, with the assistance of the Cumines, quite Routed him, forcing him to the Hills where he endured great Misery, to the great ruine and Slaughter both of his Family and Friends, but making to gether some little force, he took Carrick and Innerness, by surprisal, and by this means augmented his Train, so that he was in case to with­stand Edward, having obtained a consider­able Victory (though sick and forced to [Page 67] be held on horse back) this gave him time to take in the remaining strength, but they were within a year retaken from him, which incouraged Edward the second to enter with a great Army to Scotland, but had a great defeat at Bannokburn, which occasioned the loss of Berwick, and Bruces confirmation in Parliament; some few years after were spent in light Skirmishes, and Incursions. Robert having some rest convened his Nobles intending to determine the right of Inheritances, which some had unlawfully kept in these unsettled times; this begat a Conspiracy, which being detected, a meeting was held at Perth, there by their own Papers many were Convicted, and Executed but some Pardoned.

In the mean time a Legat came from Rome, armed with all the Thunderbolts of that See, to threaten the Scots into a Peace with England; but missing of his Errand, the Scots followed him with an Army, and marched as far as Stainmore; Edward in revenge raiseth a most power­full Army, Robert therefore considering that his force would not be in case to resist so great a Power, caused all the cat­tel to be carryed unto the Avious retreats of the Hills, that they might not be ser­viceable to the Enemy, whereupon the [Page 68] English for want of Victuals were forced to retire, Bruce pursues them as far as Yorke, there he obtained a great Victory. About this time the family of the Hamil­tons took their rise, one of them killing an English Gentleman, fled to Robert for Protection, who gave him lands which re­tain the name to this day. Bruce now having subdued his enemies, begins to compose himself to the cares of Peace, and by Act of Parliament settles the Crown upon his Son, (though a Child) and in case of his decease, to Robert Stewart his Grand-child by his Daughter, soon after Thomas Randolph, and James Dowglas were sent with a flying party of horse into England, from whence they returned without any considerable action, saving only that Dowglas with two hun­dred horse beat up the English quarters, cutting two ropes of the Kings Tent with his Sword, and made a good re­treat, Bruce finding himself wasted with Age, retyred to the Abby of Kilross, leaving these three Counsels behind him. First not to let one man Solely com­mand the Ebudae. Secondly never to put all their strength at one Hazard with the English. Thirdly never to make long Truces with them. Thus he dyed leav­ing Charge with the Valiant Dowglas, [Page 69] to go to Jerusalem (whither himself design­ed an Expedition) which the Dowglas per­forming, he afterward Joyned with the Christian Princes against the Turks and Saracens, where he obtained several great Victories. He purposing to re­turn home was driven by a Tempest upon the Coast of Spain, where he joyn­ed with the King of Aragon against the Saracens, and obtained great Victories, at last he was killed by an Ambushment that was laid for him of purpose, thus ended the Noble and Valiant Dowglas, one of the most renowned warriours that lived in his days; It is said that he was thirteen times Victorious against the Turkes and Sarazens, and fiftie seven times against the English. In the preceeding age there was a Gate in Dansick called the Dowglas port, in memory of this Dowglas. King Robert dyed at Cardross the twenty fourth year of his Reign, and was buried in Dumfermling.

98 To him Succeeded his Son David Bruce A. D. 1330. Being seven years of age, Thomas Randal who was continued Governour, kept the country in entire peace and prosperity, which King Ed­ward hearing of, hired a Monk to kill Randal by poyson, the Monk giving out that he had great skill in curing the [Page 70] Stone (where with the Government was sore troubled) came to be in favour with him, which gave him opportunity to perpetrate his Villany, how ever the Poyson did not take effect at first, but the Monk returned home and told King Edward that he had done his business, who immediately raising a great Army came to the border, of which the Go­vernour being advertised presently march­ed against him, (himself not being able to ride nor go, was carryed in a lit­ter; when King Edward heard that the Governour was there, in person, he sent an Herald under pretence of seeking peace, whom the Governour received with a very austere countenance, when Edward was by the Herald certified of the truth of his being alive, he returned home and burnt the Monk alive. The Governour returning home dyed at Musselbrough, af­ter his death the Earle of March and the Earle of Marr were chosen Governours, in which they were scarce warm when news was brought that Edward Balliol was seen in the Fryth with a formidable Fleet, his Army consisted of both English and Scotch, the Earle of Stafford with divers other English men of note were with him, the Governours raised two great Armies to oppose the Balliol, he [Page 71] came near the water of Hone, where he pitched his Tents, the Earle of Marr also encamped within view of him, but he slighting the smallness of their num­ber took little care of himself, the Balliol in the night time passed the water of Erne, having intelligence of the Ford by a stake set up for that purpose, and entering the Earle of Marrs Camp, kill­ed him in his Bed, with many other Noble men and Gentlemen; namely the Earle of Carrick, Sir William Hay Con­stable of Scotland, Alexander Frazier, al­so Robert Keith, Lord Marshal, Balliol past immediately and beseiged Perth and soon overcame it. The Earle of March being encamped at Ochterarder, and hear­ing of the Earle of Marrs death, and the taking the Town of Perth marched thither and beseiged it, but after he had filled the Ditches, and put himself in a case to make an assault, he most shame­fully left it thereupon.

99. Balliol usurped the Crown at Scone, A. D. 1332. coming from thence to Perth, they that adhered to David, Bruce be­seiged him and his party, upon the other hand his adherents wasted and destroyed the beseigers country, Perth being well fortified, was by the King committed to the Earle of Fiffe as Go­vernour [Page 72] of it, but the Sons of them who were killed with the Earle of Marr at Duplin, beseiged and took it com­mitting the Governour to the Castle of Killdrummie. Andrew Murry of Tulli­bardin, was Executed for fastning the stake in the Ford of the River Erne, whereby Balliol and the Englishmen were directed the Night wherein they Sur­prised the Earle of Marre. Therefore John Kandal Earle of Murry, and the Earle of Galloway gathered a great Ar­my and came against Balliol and quite routed him, killing many of his Nobles and taking many Prisoners, the Kingdom being thus divided the one part for Balliol, the other for Bruce, the King of England thinking it a fit time for him to make a full Conquest of Scot­land, raised a great Army and beseiged Berwick, mean while Archibald Dowglass raised an Army and entring the Borders, Burnt all before him to divert the King of England from the Seige, King Edward advertised of this, sent a Messenger to Sir Alexander Setonn, who was Gover­nour, telling him that if he did not pre­sently render he would hang his two Sons, whom he had in his hands, which he refusing to do the two Young Gentle­men were presently hanged then the [Page 73] Governour came with an Army to North­umberland where a most Bloody battel was fought on Halidown-hill, and the Governour himself with many Nobles killed, thereupon Berwick was render­ed, and Edward Balliol Established King, who sought by all means to have got­ten Robert Stewart in his hands, for he knew that (next to King David) his Title was best to the Crown. Soon after King Edward prepared an Army both by Sea and Land, to enter into Scotland, but the most part of his Ships Perished in Forth. The King returning with Balliol into England, left Cumin Earle of Athol Governour who seized upon all the Lands pertaining to Robert Stewart and his Friends, but Robert Stew­art took the Castle of Dunne, and kill­ed all the Englishmen therein▪ at this time the Earle of Murray came from France, who together with Robert reduced much of the Country to the obedience of King David chasing the Governour and his Followers to the Mountains, but the English entred with a great Army and (though a great part of their Army was routed) took Perth, but their Fleet be­ing harrast at Sea, were forced to re­treat, and the rather in design of a French War, but some of the Nobles [Page 74] still standing out, the English landed in Murray, and reduced all, and leaving Ba­lliol returned home, the next year the English beseiged Dunbar, and sent in two Parties under Talbot and Monford who were both routed, yet the seige continu­ed, at last they were forced to raise the seige, also having received great loss by the Valour of Robert Stewart.

Murray in the mean time dy­ing, Stewart was created Viceroy till Davids returne, who having the first year gained some Victories, did the next year take Perth, Sterling and the Castle of Edenburgh, the Scots gaining all their ground except Berwick. In the year 1336. David resolves upon an expedition into England, though much disswaded by his council, Making John Randolph Gener­al, himself going disguised, Soon after a peace for two years was treated of, which David would not accept without the consent of France, whereupon march­ing as far as the County of Durham, had his Army quite routed and himself taken Prisoner, his Kingdom also in a manner Depopulated with the Plague: by this time John of France was also made Prisoner in England; the Scots af­ter eleven years Captivity, ransomed their King, who at his returne punished some [Page 75] of those who had deserted him at Dur­ham, and endeavoured to remove the Succession of the Crown from Robert Stewart, to whom he was some years af­ter reconciled; he spent the last five years of his Reign in composing Do­mestick feuds, Queen Jane daughter to Edward the second of England dying, he Marryed Margaret Logy, Daughter to Sir John Logy, then he purposed to have past to Jerusalem, having provided all necessarys for his Voyage, but he fell sick of a Feavour in the Castle of Ed­inburgh, whereof he dyed in the fortyth year of his Reign, without Succession, and was buried in Holyrood-house.

100. Robert Stewart the first King of that Name, succeeded his mothers Bro­ther, A. D. 1378. A Valiant and worthy Prince, he Married Eupham Daughter to the Earl of Ross, who bare to him David, Earl of Strathern, Walter Earl of Athol, Alexander Earl of Marr, with several Daughters. After her Death, he marries Elizabeth Moor his own Concubine, the better to Legitimate Children he had by her, he honoured them with Titles, and declared them his Successors, two years after an Attempt is made upon Berwick ▪ and Sir John Lilbourn, and [...] grave Captains of it taken [...] Af­ter [Page 76] this, the Earl of Douglass came with twenty thousand Men, to the Fair of Pen­nire within England, spoiling all the Goods there; but carried away the Pe­stilence with him, whereof many dyed. To revenge this, the English came with a great Army over Solway, destroying all before them, mean while the Scots ga­thered together about five hundred Men. and lay in Ambush, till the English re­turned back; then with a sudden noise and Clamour, as they passed by they set upon them, forcing them back, till many were drowned in Solway. Not long after, Edward King of England dyed; where­upon the Duke of Lancaster came into Scotland, intreating to have a Peace for three years, which Peace being expired: My Lord of Galloway, laid siege to the Castle of Lochmaban, and made himself Master of it; defeating a strong party of English, who were coming from Carlyle to it's relief: King Richard fearing of it, sent the Baron of Gray-stock with a Body of Men, to fortifie Roxburgh, who being within a mile of it, he was taken by the Earl of March, and carried to Dunbar; the same year, the strengths of Teviot­dale were by the Earl of Douglas reco­vered out of the English hands, soon af­ter which he dyed. His Son James suc­ceeding [Page 77] to him, went by the Kings Or­der with an Army into England, whence he was presently after Counter-manded home, where he found the Admiral of France with two hundred and forty Ships well Man'd, come to their Assistance, with them they passed into England and took the Castles of Warkford, and Corwal. And laying siege to Roxburgh, and Carlyle; the Scots and French could not agree, in whose Names the strengths should be kept if they were won, which brought the business to nothing: Whereupon King Richard in revenge enters Scotland with a great Army, and marching through the Mers and Louthian, did much hurt. But the Earls of Fife, Douglas and Gallo­way followed him into England, and se­cretly passing the Water of Solway, came to Cokermouth; where in three days time they spoiled the whole Coun­try about, and returned safely with great Booty. In the year 1388. The King past again into England with an Army, at which time the Irish taking their advantage, entered Galloway, destroying all before them: Whereupon William the Lord of Galloways Son pursued them to Ireland, and burnt the Town of Car­lingfoord, and finding sixty Ships in seve­ral Harbors, loaded fifteen of them with [Page 78] the spoil of the Town, and burnt the rest: Returning home, he spoiled the Isles of Man. The next year, the King of England sent an Army into Scotland, which did much hurt in the Mers, revenging this affront: King Robert sent two Ar­mies into England, the one under the Command of the Earl of Fife, entred Cumberland; the other led by the Earls of Douglass, and March entred Northum­berland; the two Armies met within two miles of Newcastle. The Earl of Doug­lass chose out ten thousand Men to besiege Newcastle, wherein was the Earl of Northumberland with his two Sons, Henry Hotspur, and Ralph. Henry Chal­lenged the Earl of Douglass to fight with him, which Douglass accepted off, so be­ing mounted upon two starely Horses, they assaulted one another desperately, at last Douglass beat Peircy out of his Saddle, but he was presently rescued and brought into the Town. Immediately Douglass assaulted the Town, but it was so well defended by the English, that he was forced to retire and encamp at Ot­terburn, whither Henry Peircy immediately followed, there they fought a bloody Bat­tel, until the darkness of the Night par­ted them, but when the Moon began to appear, they joyned again with more [Page 79] Fierceness than before, Victory inclining sometime to one side, and sometimes to another; till at last Patrick Hepburn came with fresh Men to the Scots: Whereupon the English retreated, leaving eighteen hundred of their Men dead in the place, and a hundred and forty taken Prisoners; among which were the two Peircies above mentioned. But the Valiant Earl of Dou­glass dyed in this Battel, being thrice run through the Body, and Mortally wounded in his Head, which was a greater loss and Grief to his Nation, then the gain of this Victory could ballance. The next year a Parliament was called at Perth, wherein Robert Earl of Fife, the Kings second Son was elected Governor, the King himself by reason of his great Age, not being able to Govern. He was a Valiant, Victorious and fortunate Prince in all his Wars, for his Governours and Captains returned always with Victory. He was very constant, and a great Iusti­tiar, hearing patiently the Complaints of the Poor; causing all wrongs to be re­dressed. He dyed peaceably in the Castle of Dun-Donald, the seventy fifth year of his Age, and the nineteenth year of his Reign.

The same year John his eldest Son was called to succeed, who thinking that Name ominous to Kings (and there wan­ted [Page 80] not Examples) as of him of Eng­land, and him of France, and thinking something of the Felicity, of the two former Roberts, was Crowned by the Name of,

101. Robert the third, A. D. 1390. He was more remarkable, for his Peaceable­ness and Modesty, then for any other Vertue; the first seven years of his Reign were past in Peace, by reason of his Truce with England, but not without some fierce Fiends among his Subjects; especially, the Clankays, and Clanchattes, the King seeing the Difficulty of redu­cing them, made this Proposition to them, that three hundred of each side should try it by Dint of Sword before the King; the Conquered to be pardoned, and the Conqueror advanced, this being agreed to, a place was appointed upon the North-side of Perth; but when the Clans presented themselves, there was one of one side missing, whom then his party could not supply: A Trades-man steps out, and for half a French Crown, and promise of Maintenance during his Life, filled up the Company. The first was furious, but none behaved himself more furiously, then the other Mercenary Champion, who was the greatest cause of the Victory, for of his side their remain­ed [Page 81] ten grievously wounded, the other party had but one left; who not being wounded, yet being unable to sustain the stroak of the other, threw himself in the Tay, and escaped with his Life: By this means the fiercest of the two Clans, be­ing cut off, the remainder being Head­less were quiet: Two years after, the King in Parliament made his two Sons Dukes, which was the first time that Title, was known in Scotland. Next year Richard the second of England, be­ing forced to resign, Henry the fourth succeeded, in the beginning of his Reign, tho' the Truce was not expired; yet the Seeds of War began to bud, upon this occasion, George Earl of March betroth­ed his eldest Daughter to David the Kings eldest Son, Archibald Earl of Dou­glass incensed at this, got a Vote of Parliament to revoke this Marriage, and giving a greater sum of Money, got a Marriage confirmed in Parliament, be­twixt David and Mary his Daughter. The Earl of March nettled at this, de­mands Redress, but not being heard, he leaves the Court; and with his Fa­mily and Friends goes into England, to the Lord Percy, who with his Assistance did much hurt to the Lands of the Dou­glasses; the Scots declare the Earl of March [Page 82] an Enemy, and sends to demand him of the English, which they refusing, se­veral Incursions happened upon both sides, till at length Piercy was defeated by the Douglass's at Lynton-bridge. At this time, David Earl of Cravford, and the Lord Welles in England, ingaged to run certain Courses on Horse-back, with sharp Spears for Life and Death upon London-bridge, which they performed most gallantly. The People Perceiving the Earl of Cravford to sit so stifly, cryed, the Scotch man was lock'd in his Saddle; he hearing this, leapt out of the Saddle upon the Ground, and presently mounted again, to the great wonder of the Beholders: The second time they run without any hurt, but the third time the Lord Welles was beat out of his Saddle, and sorely hurt with the fall. By this time the Queen dying, her Son David, who for his Extravagancies was by her means kept under restraint, broke out into his former disorders, and committed all kind of Rapine, and wicked­ness; complaint being brought to his Fa­ther, he committed him to his brother Robert (this Design was to root out all that Off-Spring) the business was so or­dered, as that the young man was shut up in Faulkland Castle to be starved; which yet was for a while delayed, one [Page 83] Woman thrusting in some Oaten Cakes at a Chink, and another giving him Milk out of her Breasts, through a Trunk; but both these being discovered, the Youth being forced to tear his own Flesh dyed of a multiplyed Death, which Murder being whispered to the King, he was so abused by the false Representa­tions of his Brother; that Grief and Imprecations was all the relief that he had left him, and being now retired sick­ly, to Boot Castle, and unable to punish him. The King therefore Solicitous to preserve James his youngest Son, is re­solved to send him to Charles the sixth of France: And having taking shipping at the Bassas, he passed by the Promontory of Flambrough; and whether he was forced by a Tempest, or that he was Sea-sick, he was forced to Land there, he was taken by the English, and detained Prisoner, notwithstanding the eight years Truce; and tho' it came to be debated at the Councel Table, yet his Detention was carried in the Affirmative: But the News so struck his aged Father, that he had almost presently dyed; but being carried to his Chamber with voluntary abstinence and Sorrow: He dyed within three days, the sixteenth year of his Reign, and was buried in Pasley.

[Page 84]Upon this, the Parliament confirm Robert for Governour; about four years after, Donald of the Isles enters Ross as his pretended Inheritance, with ten thousand Men, which he easily subdued; thence he went to Murray and Ma­stered it also, and so went on to Aber­deen; to stop this Torrent, Alexander Earl of Marr, followed by most of the Nobility, met him at Harlaw, where they joyned in so bloody a Battel, and lost so many noble and considerable Per­sons, that tho' Night parted them, nei­ther could pretend to the Victory, to this year, the University of S. Andrews owes it's Rise: The English being taken up with a War with France, nothing considerable was acted between them and the Scots, for ten years after, at which time Robert the Governour dyes, and Murdoch his Son (a very unfit Person,) was put in his place; who suffered his Sons to come to that petulancy, that they were not only offensive to the Peo­ple, but with all disobedient to their Father; who having a brave Faulcon, which his Son Walter had often begged, but in vain, he snatched it out of his Fathers hand, and wrung off her Neck, for which his Father being angry Well says he, Since I cannot Govern thee: I will [Page 85] bring one shall Govern us both: And from that day, he ceased not to further the Redemption of the King, he Governed four years.

102. But the Nobles weary under this form of Government, the Gover­nour being also irritated by the Misde­meanor of his Children, all Unanimously determine without longer delays, to work the deliverance of their Native Prince James, fourth of England, which at length was effected, Anno. Dom. 1424. Ha­ving Ransomed him for the sum of for­ty hundred thousand Marks. He marri­ed Jane Daughter to the Duke of Somer­set, Son to John of Gaunt, who bare to him two Sons, Alexander who dyed shortly after, and James the second who succeeded to him.

The King having passed the Solemni­ties of Hasterat Edenburgh: He with his Queen came to Perth, and from thence to Scone; where he was Crowned in the twenty seventh year of his Age, after he held a Parliament at Perth, where the Tax was laid on to pay the sum promi­sed to England for his Ransome, from thence he went back to Edenburgh, where he called such as were Concerned with the Crown Rents together; he under­stood by their Accounts, that the most [Page 86] and best part of the Crown Lands were alienated, and wasted by the late Go­vernour, and his Sons, whereat he was exceedingly incensed; yet that time he smothered, and put a fair Countenance upon his Passion. But soon after, preg­nant Accusations were brought in against some of the Nobility; especially, the Go­vernours Friends, upon which some of them were made Prisoners, which occa­sioned much discontent and Jealousie on both sides, yet the King securing the Body of this Estate on his side, resolved to go on; and having Arrested the Go­vernour, with two of his Sons, and several others his Friends, they were all com­mitted to several Prisons: Whereupon James the Governours youngest Son, in a desperate rage accompanied with a num­ber of Out-laws, came to Dumbarton, and set on Fire, and killed John Stewart the Kings Uncle, with thirty others. This Insolency of the Son, quite diverted the Kings Clemency from his Father and Bre­thren: Whereupon he calleth a Parlia­ment at Sterling, where the Governour with his two Sons, and his Father-in-Law the Duke of Lenox, were Arraign­ed and Condemned, and soon after Exe­cuted; this highly perplexed some other Lords and Gentlemen, who were Priso­ners [Page 87] at the same time, fearing that they should also meet with the same measures; yet the King like a wise Physitian, be­ing not willing to take away more Blood, than he thought would take away the Disease of the Body, in a short time set them all at Liberty. The Wars conti­nuing between France and England, the French sent an Ambassador to renew the an­cient League with Scotland: But his main business was, to carry on a match between Lewis the Daulphine, tho' then very young; and Margaret Daughter to King James, this match the English neglected, but after­ward most earnestly sued for it.

The South parts of the Kingdom, being brought under Obedience, the King resolved to have the North follow their Example, for which end he went thither himself in Person, to keep his Courts: When he came there, he found things in a strange Condition, all going by strength of hand; the stronger over­throwing the weaker. The King not knowing well how to go about the tam­ing of these rude Villains, seemed to give small Faith to what he heard of them, allowing such of them, as seemed to come and see him a great deal of seeming Fa­vour, till at length he got forty of their Chiefs all at once, within the Castle of [Page 88] Innerness, whom he presently surprized, making them close Prisoners: Within a few days after, the King was convinced of this wickedness; Alexander Macrory, and John Macherter were hanged; John Campbel for murthering John of the Isles, was beheaded: The Earl of Ross being taken in this Trap, was brought by the King to Perth, where he was accused of Oppression and other things; yet the King pardoned him, and freely dismist him, taking his Oath of Fidelity. But as soon as he went home, he gathered together a Rabble of Out-laws, who came towards Innerness, burnt both Town and Castle to the Ground: Whereupon the King himself went with his Forces against him, at whose ap­proach all the Rebels fled: Alexander thus abandoned of his Forces, fled to the Isles; but finding that he was way-laid on all hands, and had no way left him to es­cape, he came disguised to Edenburgh: Whereupon Yesterday the King being at Church, he came wrapped in a mourning Garment and fell down at his Feet, beg­ing his Life, which at the Queens re­quest was granted; but to keep him from any more mischief, the Earl of August was appointed to take him into Custody, within Tanutallon Castle.

[Page 89] Donald Balloth Cousin-german to the Earle of Ross raised a great number of outlaws and invaded Lochaber, and in a Bloody Battel overthrew the Earles of Marr and Caithness at Innerlochy, the news coming to the King he came with a great Army to Dunstaffage, which when the Clans heard of, they tendred their Submission to the King, promising to break Balloth and his party, which the King accepted of, Balloth fled to Ireland where he was taken and his head chopt off and sent to King James.

Notwithstanding of the many Acts of Justice that were done upon these disor­derly outlaws, yet nothing frighted one Macdonald, who was Famous for all sorts of Villanies; among other Cruelties he is said to have nailed Horseshoes to the Soles of a Widdow, because that she swore to delate him to the King be­ing taken with twelve of his associates, and brought to Perth, the King caused them to be shooed in the same manner as he had served the woman, drag­ing him about for a Spectacle to the people for three days, then all of them were put to death. In this year A. D. 1430. the first of June was a terrible E­clipse of the Sun, at three of the clock in the afternoon, the day turning black for the [Page 90] space of half an hour, as though it had been night, which was afterward called by the common people The black Hour. The King having setled the Country, begins to look to his own affairs, and having advisedly perused all evidences and Charters belonging to the Crown, he recalls all such Lands as had been either alienated from it, or wrongfully usurped, about this time there came Am­bassadors from the King of Denmark re­quiring of King James a Yearly Tribute, due to him as King of Norway for the western Isles, the Ambassador was honourably entertained, and the old League renewed with Denmark; soon af­ter the French Kings Ambassadors came to have Margaret already betrothed to Lewis the Dauphin, delivered to them and conveyed to France, where they found the Lord Scroop earnestly dealing with the King, that he must bestow his daugh­ter upon King Henry the sixth of England, promising that if he would a­gree thereto, that the Town and Castle of Berwick should be delivered into the hands of the Scots, with all the Lands lying between Tweed and the Redcross in in Richmondshire, the French Ambassadors also proffered great and tempting things, withal puting the King in mind how [Page 91] true they have been to him for so many years, since the first making of the League.

The King and his Council after ma­ture deliberation, declare they will not break the Ancient League with France, whereupon the English Ambassadors turn­ed from Prayers to Threatnings, and being denied friendship denounced War. But the King no wise moved hereat pre­sently prepared his Ships, and with a company of able and skilful Mariners set his Daughter to Sea, and having escaped the English Fleet that waited for her, safely arrived at the Rochel, A. D. 1430.

The English to revenge this supposed afront invades Scotland both by Sea and Land; against their forces commanded by Henry Piercy of Northumberland, went James Dowglass Earle of Angus, with sever­al Gentlemen, their numbers were much about one, the lists of their meeting was Popperden, Adam Hepburn of Hales, and Alexander Elphinston led the Vanguard of the Scots, Sir Richard Piercy and Sir John Ogle of the English, Sir Alexander Ramsey of Dalehouse, and Henry Clidsdale kept the Rears, no sooner came they within distance of Joyning but the sounds of Drums and Trumpets, was out noised [Page 92] by the shouts of the Assailants; Guns being about this time invented were here first practised between the Scots and English in an open field, then the fight with equal order had been long main­tained on both sides, now the Scots then the English yielding ground, many of the Commanders at length began to fall, most of the English, then was the Piercy at once constrained to be both Com­mander and Souldier, but all would not do, at last Victory declared her self al­together for the Scots, two hundred Gentlemen and Common Souldiers of the Scots were slain here. Of the English dyed Sir Henry Cliddsdale, Sir John Ogle, Sir Richard Piercy with fifteen hundred Gentlemen and Common Souldiers, and four hundred taken prisoners, of which forty were Knights; King James resolv­ing to prosecute this War raised an ar­my, and cometh to Roxburgh, beseigeth the Castle defended by Sir Ralph Gray; But when he came so near his designe that they within were driven to terms to Surrender: The Queen in great hast com­eth to the Camp representing to her Husband a Conspiracy, which if not sud­denly prevented would indanger his per­son and Crown, this put the King in great astonishment, not knowing what [Page 93] to do, at last after many doubtful reso­lutions and conflicts in his thoughts, rais­eth the seige, disbandeth the Army, and accompanied with some chosen bands of his most assured friends, Perplexed Pen­sive and Sad returned to Perth, staied in the Convent of the Dominicans, indeav­ouring so secretly as was possible to find out the Conspiracy, but his close prac­tising was not unknown to the Conspira­tors, which made them hasten the mis­chief before tryal, or remedy could be thought upon.

The Conspirators were Robert Graham, Robert Stewart Nephew to Waller Earle of Athole, and one of the Kings sworn Domesticks, but he who gave motion to all was the Earle of Athole, he himself the Kings Fatthers Brother; this quar­rel was no less then a pretended Title to the Crown, and being animated by the Oracle of a Southsayer, who assured him that he would be Crowned in a so­lemn Assembly before his death, never doubted of success. These having associ­ated unto them the most audacious, whom hope of preferment might intice.

Thus Graham and Stewart which were accomplices guided with resolution, and guarded with the darkness of the Night, came to the Black-fryers of Perth, and [Page 94] having the way made open to them, entred the Gallery before the Kings cham­ber door, where they attended some of their Confederates, who should have stole away the bar by which means they might enter the chamber, but before their coming the occasion was put in their hands, for Walter Streater one of the Kings Cup bearers came forth of the Chamber and finding armed men, rush­ing rudely to force their entry, with a loud voice gave the alarum of Treason, while they were working his death a Maid of Honour got to the Door, and essayed to shut it, but the bar which should have made it fast was gone, she thrust in her Arm in the place of it but that easily broken, the conspirators rush into the Chamber, and slaying all such of the waiters as made defence, they at last stroke down the King, (whom while the Queen by interposing her body sought to save, she received two wounds) and he with twenty eight most toward the heart was left dead. The report of this Murther being spread abroad, wrought incredible Sorrow and Grief in the Hearts of his Subjects of all sorts, the Nobles of their own accord and motion Assembled to Edenburgh, and directed Troops of Armed men through all the [Page 95] quarters of the Kingdom, to aprehend the Murtherers; such diligence was used that within forty days all were taken and put to Ignominious Deaths: the common sort of the Conspirators were hanged upon Gibbits, the punishment of Athol was continued for three days, the first day he was Stript naked to his shirt, and by a Crane fixed in a Cart often hoisted aloft and thus dragged along the great street of the Town, on the second day he was mounted upon a Pillar in the Market-place, and crowned with a Diadem of burning Iron with this Inscrip­tion, the King of all Traytors, thus was his Oracle accomplished, the third day he was laid naked upon a Scaffold, his belly ript, his Heart and Bowels taken out and thrown in a Fire before his eyes, lastly his Head was cut of and fixed in the most Eminent place of the Town, his Body sent in quarters, to the most populous Cities of the Kingdom, to re­main a Trophy of Justice. His Nephew was not altogether so vigorously hand­led, being only hanged and quartered.

But it being notorious, that Graham had imbrewed his hands in the Kings Blood, a Gallows being raised in a Cave, he had his Right hand nailed to it, and as he was dragged along the Streets, [Page 96] Executioners with burning Pincers, tear­ing the most Fleshy part of his Carcass; being thus torn and flayed, his Heart and Intrals were thrown into a Fire, his Head set up, and his Quarters sent a­mong the Towns, to satisfie the wrath and sorrow of the injured People: Be­ing asked during his Torture, how he durst embrew his hand in his Princes blood, he made answer, that having Heaven and Hell before him, he dared leap from Hea­ven into Hell; an answer worthy for such a Villain.

Dueas Sylvius then Legat in Scoltand, from the Pope; having seen this sudden and Terrible revenge, being a Witness of the Execution: Said he could not tell, whether he should give them greater Commendations, that revenged the Kings Death, or brand them with a sharper Condemnation, that distained themselves with so Hainous a parricide. Thus dyed this Noble and Wise Prince, in the thir­teenth year of his Reign: He was buried in the Charter-house of Perth, which he himself had founded.

103. The three Estates of the King­dom, set the Crown upon the Head of James the second at Holy-rood-house; while yet a Child in the sixth year of his Age, A. D. 1437. The Government [Page 97] is intrusted to Alexander Levingston of Calander, and the Custody of the Kings Person, to Sir William Crichtoun: Where­upon Archibald Earl of Douglass, grudg­ing that these Honours had been con­ferred upon Men far below himself, re­tired home and gave Orders, that none of his Vassals should acknowledge the present Government; also he used all means to weaken the hands of the Chan­cellor, and Governour, sowing (by his Instruments) the Seeds of Division be­tween them, which accordingly answer­ed Expectation, they begin to cross and Counter-act one another, which made them at length that neither of them was obeyed, the Country, having u­surped a Licencious Liberty, doing what he thought best.

The Queen seeing things thus mis­managed betwixt them, and finding that the Chancellor was mostly to blame, she at last resolves to change the Game of State. To effect her design, she came to Edenburgh; and with fair Speeches prevailed with the Chancellor, to let her enter the Castle▪ and delight her self some days in the Company of her Son; after some days staying, where [Page 98] having fixed every thing for her pur­pose, she puts the King into a Trunck, as if he had been some Fardel of her Apparel, and conveys him by water to Sterling, presently after Proclamations are made against the Chancellor, and he Commanded to render the Castle, which he refusing to do, he is present­ly besieged. But the two Rulers be­ing better advised, considering that Douglass waited to see them undo one another, come to an agreement.

Much about this time, the Queen Dowager married James Stewart's Son, to the Lord of Lorn, the Governour fearing what might follow upon the No­vation, committed them both to the Castle of Sterling, then the Queen began to repent her, of her former Courtesies to the Governour, resolving once more to Face about; which the Chancellor ob­serving, lays hold upon the Opportu­nity, and strikes in with her present­ly, they contrived how to take the Prince out of the Governours hands, which they after effected thus, the King being one Morning hunting in the Park (the Governour being at Perth) the Chancellor coming to him by [Page 99] the Queens assistance, prevails with him to go to Edenburgh, and take the Go­vernment upon himself; which when the Governour hears of, he very calmly came to Edenburgh, where the Chan­cellor and he becometh Friends.

The great Confusions that were in the Country, did necessitate the the calling of a Parliament, where many grievous Complaints were brought against seve­ral Oppressors; and among the rest William Earl of Douglass, Son to Archi­bald; was represented as the Source, whence the Miseries of the Country sprang: The Parliament resolve to pro­ceed against him, by way of Rigour, but the Governor and the Chancellor ad­vise them rather to write a fair Let­ter to him, and invite him by fair means to come in and submit, which was ac­cordingly done, and wrought so effe­ctually upon him, that he resolves pre­sently to obey; hoping thereby to get himself set up: He upon his arrival, was together with his Brother David, and Sir Malcolm Flyming of Cumme­rald, with great Ceremony conducted by the Governour to the Castle of E­denburgh, where the King was; at this [Page 100] Table he was set to Dine, this so e­levated his Heart, that he Blessed himself with the Expectation of other Favours.

But amidst these Entertainments (be­hold the Instability of Fortune) near the end of the Banquet, the Head of a Bull (which was the sign of pre­sent Death in those days) is set down before him: At which sudden Specta­cle, he leapt from the Table all agast, but he is presently seized upon by arm­ed Men, who led him to the outer Court of the Castle, and notwithstand­ing the Tears and Crys of the young King, that they might spare his Life, he together with his Brother and Flym­ing, had their Heads cut off: This Act left Grief and Terror in the Hearts of the People, who ever after hated the Actors of the Tragedy.

The Kings Nonage being now near expired, he takes the Government up­on himself, and finding the two Rulers being so long settled in the Govern­ment; not to be Ambitious and Head­strong, he resolves to entertain ano­ther Faction more powerful than they: So setting his thoughts upon William [Page 101] Earl of Douglass Son to the Baron of Abercon, him he received into Favour. This sudden change of Court, moved the two Rulers to withdraw, after which they were both removed from their Offices; and at last summoned before the King, to answer such things as they should be Legally accused of. They finding that there was a design upon them, did not appear: Where­upon they were both forfeited.

This produced great Confusion in the State, all being divided into Facti­ons, and Parties: Whereupon followed much Effusion of Blood; especially, be­tween the Layndsays, and the Ogletives. Douglass to keep himself high, did much abett these Broils, making his own use of them; yet not long after, the Chan­cellor notwithstanding Douglass's pow­er, and Policy, is restored to his Fortune and Dignity.

The King being setled upon the Throne, married Mary Daughter to the Duke of Gnilders, soon after, the Peace with England expired, and the Borders of both Kingdoms, break and mutually invade each other, which issued in a [Page 102] Truce for seven yeers. But this Truce stood not long, both Nations being equally inclined to break it: Where­upon after several Incursions on both sides, at last they came to a Battel. The Scots were Commanded by the Earl of Ormond, the English, by the Earl of Northumberland, Magnus Red-beard; a man trained from his Youth in the Wars of France, who is said to have required no more for his Service to the Crown of England, then that by his own Valour, he must Conquer of Scotland. Here it is valiantly fought for a long time, with doubtful Victory, till at length Magnus being killed, it inclined to the Scots, the loss of the English was great, many brave Men being killed and taken Prisoners, upon their side, but the Scots lost few of any Note, except Cragy Wal­lace: This Battel brought on a Truce for three years.

This Victory no sooner was obtain­ed, and thereby Peace abroad, but presently they fall out at home; this Douglass being always the first mover of strife: But now finding himself over­powered by Adversaries, both at Court and in the Country; he leaveth the [Page 103] Kingdom and goeth to Rome, he was not long gone, but by the means of his Enemies, he is cited to appear before the Council upon several days together, with his Brother and Vassals, to answer such things as should be objected against them; and upon not appearing, are all denounced Rebels: the Earl of Douglass hearing of this unexpected News at Rome, takes a Journey, and comes to the Borders of Scotland; whence he sent his Brother to Court to know the Kings mind towards him. The King promised upon his Submission, to accept of him, which he performed, making him for his further Encouragement Lieutenant General of his Forces: But he stood not long privately in his Prosperity, for going to the Court of England up­on some design, the King was highly dissatisfied with him, yet upon his hum­ble Submission he is pardoned, but di­vested of all publick imployment with­in the Kingdom.

Thus being degraded from his Hon­nours, he gives himself wholly to study revenge, and that he might the more successfully effect his Design; he gets the Earls of Cranford, Ross-Murray, [Page 104] the Lord Balveny, with many other Ba­rons and Gentlemen, to enter in a Con­federacy, both offensive and defensive with him, after they broke out in un­sufferable Insolences; spoiling and plun­dering the Lands of such as were not of their Faction, and killing, and de­stroying such as offered to oppose them.

The King begins to be apprehensive of their Design; therefore thinks it high time to look to himself and his Coun­try: Whereupon he sent for Douglass, to come and speak with him at Sterling, which he at first feared to do, but up­on second Thoughts, he accompanied with many of the Confederates went to Court, where the King very Graciously received him; the day being far spent, the Gates of the Castle shut, all remov­ed except some of the Council, and the Guards, the King takes the Earls apart very friendly, and remembred him of Fa­vours received, and wrongs forgotten: Taxing him with the exorbitant abuses of his followers, then he told him of a Covenant, which he heard was made betwixt him and some of the other No­bility, and desired to know what he had to say. Douglass answered in plain terms, [Page 105] it was so, but that the Covenant was made for his own safety, the King fur­ther expostulated with him to break it, which he refusing to do, the King with his Dagger ended the Quarrel, killing him in the place.

About the end of this Tragedy, a pair of Spurs between two Platters, is directed to Sir James Hamilton, as a part of the Kings Banquet: Whereupon he and the rest takes the Allarum, and set­ting Fire to divers places of the Town, they make their escape; the King to vindicate himself, emits Declarations, shewing all his good Subjects the Rea­sons that moved him to take Douglass's Life, that it was not a fit of Passion, nor an Act of private revenge, but meerly to save the State from utter Ruin: Yet the Mobile were diversly affected some justifying the Fact, as Noble and Just, but others (as the greater number) as boldly Condemned it, as Inhumane and Cruel; these of the League missing no Opportunity that was for their In­terest, made it their work to sow Se­dition and Discord, and to encourage all Breaches and Contempt of the Laws, which encreased their number, so that [Page 106] the King was reduced to a very low condition, till at last Cranford one of the Confederates being routed, by the Earl of Huntly, he recovered some strength, and having called a Parlia­ment at Edenburgh, summoned the Con­federate Lords to appear before, which they scornfully refused to do: Whereupon the King levying an Army, forced them to retire; yet the Country suffered sad­ly, by their unbridled Fury. At length after much loss on both sides (the King daily prevailing, the Earl of Cranford submitted himself to his mercy, as se­veral others did afterward. Where­upon the Earl of Douglass fled to Eng­land, there having gathered together se­veral desperate Men, he made several inroads upon the Border.

The King having with much difficul­ty recovered the Royal Authority of his Ancestors, ( England in the mean time being at the point of utter ruine by the contest of Henry the sixth, and the Duke of York,) was much solicit­ed by both of them, but he told the Ambassadors that he had more rea­son to look to his own concerns, then to assist either of them which he intend­ed [Page 107] to do, thereupon raising a Powerful Ar­my he passed the Tweed, and besieged Rox­burgh, where having applyed his battery to the Castle, he began to storm it, but by the space of an over-charged Piece the King's thigh bone being broken was struck im­mediately Dead, the twenty Fourth year of his Reign, having left three sons James who succeeded Alexander Duke of Albany, and John Earl of Marre, and was buried at Holy-Rood house. After his death the Queen with her Son came to the siege and en­couraged the Nobles, who took and demolished the Castle, and also the Castle of Warke.

104. To him Succeeded his Son James the third, A. D. 1460. A good Prince corrupted by wicked Courtiers, who with advantage of his years being but seven years of age when he began to Reign, his education is intrusted to his Mother, the Government of the King­dom to the Earls of Anaudale Castle, Orkney and the Lords, Boyd and Graham, the Bishops of St. Andrews, Glasgow and Dnubek.

In this Princes Nonage great confusi­ons increased both at home and abroad, at home by the Islanders who extream­ly [Page 108] infested the country, and came as far as the Blairth of Athole and burnt S. Brides Church, where the Earl and his Lady took Sanctuary, carrying them to the Island Ila, from whence as these Savages were going further, they were all miserably destroyed by a tempest. Nor was it better abroad, England be­ing in a flame by the Civil Wars, Henry being taken and released again by his Queen, flees to Scotland desir­ing their assistance against his Enemies, and that he might be the better heard caused the Town of Berwick to be delivered to the Scots; thereupon the Queen who managed the War geting some supply, marched (taking the King with her) into England, but was soon overthrown at Durham.

A. D. 1466. the Queen of Scots dy­ed having left many sound and profit­able instructions to the King her Son, who now coming to fifteen years of age, is by his Regents committed to the Lord Boyds Brother to be Educated in the Excercise of Chivalry, by which means the Boyds became to darken all others in the State, nothing being done without them, the Kenedies who had [Page 109] been the Kings best Friends, seeing things go thus left the Court, after which the Glory of the Court and Country suffered a great Eclipse. The Lord Boyde to be yet higher gets the sole Government setled upon himself, which laid the Foundation of his ruine, and not satisfied with this, he obtains his Son to be Married to the Kings eldest Sister, this highly displeased the rest of the Nobility that his ambition should be so boundless, which gave matter to his former Enemies to work upon, all oppression and violence is winked at on purpose at last they procure Complaints from all parts of the Kingdom against the Boyds, which made the Kings af­fection begin to turn away from them.

A. D. 1468. A match being propos­ed and agreed upon between the King and Margaret Daughter to the King, of Denmark, the Boyds Enemies procures the Earl of Arran who had Married the Kings Sister to be sent to bring home the Queen; he was no sooner gone then his Interest at Court began to fall, for a Parliament being called; the Lord Boyd and his Brother Sir Alexander are summoned to appear there­upon [Page 110] he distrusting this Case fled to England, but his Brother was taken and Arraigned, the Earl of Arran also though absent is declared a Rebel. The Queen arriving with her fleet ar­riving in the Ferth, My Lady Arran went aboard in disguise and informed her Husband of the calamity of his House, perswaded him to do for him­self, whereupon he hoisted Sails and returned with his Lady to Denmark. The King sendeth Letters full of pro­mises and threatnings to move his sister to return to Scotland, which when she did she was constrained to be divorced from her Husband, and to Marry James Lord Hamilton; not long after the Earl of Arran dyed in great misery at An­twerp.

Queen Margaret the third year after her Marriage brought forth a Son who was named James, the King of Denmark to Congratulate the happy delivery of his Daughter, released all his claims to the Isles of Orkney and Sherland, but in the midst of this calm a cloud be­gins to overcast the Kings Splendor, for his Brothers being Princes of unquiet and restless spirits they set themselves [Page 111] altogether to study Novelties, and to bring him into contempt with his Subjects, to this end they had drawn away many of the young Nobility and Gentry to follow them. The King was Naturally Superstitious, giving much head to di­vinations which gave also his Brothers occasion to vilifie him, and incense his people against him, yea the Earl of Marre became so Insolent that in the Kings own presence, he began to raile against the Government of the state and Court, which the King highly re­senting, caused to Imprison him where he fell in a high Fever whereof he dyed. The Duke of Albany imputed the death of his Brother to the Court party, but while he was keeping his Cabals in order to an Insurrection, he was surprised and Imprisoned in the Castle of Edenburgh out of which he soon after made his escape to France, thence he came to England, and began to tam­per with King Edward, revealing to him the weakness of the Kingdom of Scot­land, and how easily it might be sub­dued, the Nobility not respecting the King but much affecting a change in the Government, which by his assistance might easily be effected, he promised [Page 112] also to settle a corespondence with the Nobles of Scotland which he did, then that they might get their design wrought, gives way for the breaking loose of the Borders, fierce incursions are made by the English upon Scotland and by the Scots upon the English, and the discon­tented Nobility blame the King for all, thereupon pretending the necessity of the times and the danger the Kingdom was in, they entered into a Bond of association after which they enter the Kings bed chamber, where they seized some of his Servants in his presence and put them to death, as incendiaries in the state.

About this time the Duke of Gloucester set forward toward Scotland with two and twenty thousand men, finding Ber­wick two strong for him he marches directly to Edenburgh, there by publick writings at the Market places he gave out high demands, all which King James being shut up in Edenburgh Castle an­swered with silence, the disatisfied Lords having obtained what they chiefly aim­ed at, wished the English at home a­gain therefore they desire a peace with them, which the Duke of Gloucester grant­ed [Page 113] upon condition that all his demands were satisfied (one of which was to re­install the Duke of Albany) which af­ter much debate was granted and he with his Army returned home.

The Duke of Albany having recover­ed his Estate and Honours, his first work was to restore the King to his Prero­gatives, reconciling him to his discontent­ed Lords; but he himself stood not long in his favour, for by the advice of some of his Enemies about the King a Plot is resolved upon to bring the Duke within compass of Law, which he being aware of fled to England to pre­sent to King Edward and the Duke of Gloucester his grievancies, in his absence he is convinced of many points of Treas­on whereupon he and the Lord Cright­ton his Associate are both forfeited, which when he heard he presently caused to give up the Castle of Dunbar, whereof he was Lieutenant, to King Edward, who immediately put a Garison in it. Not long after the said King Edward dyed, and his Brother Richard Duke of Gloucester Succeeded.

[Page 114]The Duke of Albany obtains five hundred Horse from King Richard with which he came with the old Earl of Douglass to Lochmabban to surprise a Fair which was held there, whereupon the Laird of Johnston who was warden dis­patched Posts about for supply of men with which he Encountred the Duke, here it is most Couragously fought on both sides but at last the English are quite routed, the Duke hardly by swift­ness of his Horse escaped, but the Earl of Dowglass is taken and brought in Triumph to Edenburgh where the King adjudged him to perpetual confinement, soon after followed a Truce with Eng­land for three years, but before the time was expired Henry Earl of Rich­mond came with some Companies out of France, (of which that Famous war­riour, Bernard Stewart, Lord Albany Brother to the Lord Darnly had the leading,) which by the resort of his Country men turned into an Army and Rencountred Richard at Bosworth where he was killed, and Henry Proclaimed King of England.

King James taking advantage of this change besieged Dunbar, which was soon surrendred [Page 115] upon Articles. After this King Henry sent Embassadors to King James, to agree if possible upon a lasting, and firm Peace between the two Crowns, at length after some difficulty they a­gree upon a Truce for seven years.

The King having settled a Peace with England, betakes himself to the Ex­ercise of Religion, having founded a Colledge for divine Service in the Ca­stle of Sterling ▪ he endeavoured to an­nex the Priory of Goldingham to it. The Priors of this Convent, having for ma­ny years been of the Name of Humea­ledged, that they were wronged of their Right: First they began to Petition, but finding this uneffectual, they began to associate with their Neighbours, giving it out that the King was a meer Ty­rant, not to be trusted, by which means many of the Hearts of the Subjects were alienated from the King. The King understanding how things stood he made choice of a Guard to defend his Person, resolving to live beyond the River Ferth; of which, when the Lords of the Insurrection were certified, they surprize the Castle Dunbar, and tumul­tuously over-run the Countries, besouth [Page 116] the Ferth: Thus coming to Lithgow, they resolved to make the Duke of Rothesay the Kings own Son their Head, whom having corrupted his Keepers with Bribes, they constrained to go with them.

But the King loosing neither Cou­rage, nor Councel passeth the Ferth, near Blackness with his Forces, before his arrival at this place, the Earls of Mon­tross, Gleancan, Lords, Maxwel, Ruth­wen with others, being advertised by Letters came to him, they of the Asso­ciation, having the Prince with them, to add Authority to their Quarrel. Ga­thered from all Quarters, the two Armies being in readiness to decide their Quarrel by Battel; the Earl of Athole the Kings Uncle, so travelled be­tween the Lords of either Party, that the King had a Suspension of Arms agreed on. The Earl rendring himself a pledge for the Accomplishment of the Kings part, of the Reconcilement to Lord Hails. Thus the King lost a good opportunity, the like of which was ne­ver again in his offer, for the Lords notwithstanding that was agreed upon, continued very troublesome to the Coun­try, [Page 117] the Town of Edenburgh, is pestered with Troops of armed Men. The King warned of his danger, fortifies the Ca­stle of Edenburgh for his defence; then he sent to the Lords, to understand their Intentions, and what they meant, they finding their offences flew higher than hope of pardon could reach, an­swered that nothing could secure them, nor the Kingdom until he had divested himself of all the Government of the Kingdom, and resigned the Crown in Favour of his Son. But he resolving to hazard all rather, then condescend to this, was advised by some of his Friends, to retire to the Castle of Ster­ling, where his Forces might have more easie Access to him, but this proved a a fatal advice for coming thither, the Treacherous Constable denyed him en­trance, in the mean time News came to him, that the Confederates were within six miles of him at Falkirk. The King to make a Vertue of necessity, re­soves to put all upon the hazard of a Battel; the Confederates were incamp­ed near the Torwood. The King set forward with his Army upon the other side of the Torwood. Both drew up in a plain field near Bannock-burn, and en­gaged [Page 118] most desperately: The first Charge is valiantly given, and Lance meeting with Lance, the Vant-Guard of the Lords began to yield ground. But the next Charge being given by Anan­dale Men, the middle of the Kings Army is beat back to the main Battel, notwithstanding of which it is fought a while with great obstinacy on both sides, until the Standard Royal was beaten down; then began the Kings Army to bow the Horsemen, obeying no Orders, begun to turn their backs. In this rout and Confusion of Horse and Foot, the King seeking to retire towards the River Ferth, by the fall of his Horse in leaping a Ditch, being sore bruised, was carried by such, who knew him not, to a Well at Bannock-burn; where he was killed in cold Blood, by Borthwick a Priest with some others, the twenty ninth year of his Reign, and was buri­ed at Kambush-Kenneth.

105. To him succeeded his Son James the fourth, who was Crowned at Eden­burgh, A. D. 1489. Being about sixteen years of age, a noble and Couragious Prince, and Godly; the beginning of his Government was most uneasie, [Page 119] the Death of the late King, being yet recent, his followers resolve to have it revenged. In the North, Alexander Lord Forbs displayed the Bloody shirt of the murthered King upon a Lance in Aberdeen, and other places of the North, inviting the Country as by an Herald to the revenge of his Murther. In the West, the Earl of Lennox hath the same resolution; also the Earl of Mar­shad, Lords, Goodore and Lyle, with the Confederates in other parts of the Kingdom. But the Lord Drumond rout­ed the Earl of Lennox at Telliemoss, and also Sir Andrew Wood, obtained a considerable Victory over the English (who pretended to revenge the late Kings death) at the mouth of Ferth. The Rumor of these Victories, so amazed Forbs and his Confederates, that they laid down their Arms, and put themselves into the Kings mercy, and were all received in­to Favour.

The Lords rejoyced greatly, that they had brought things to this pass, but the King gave no sign of Joy; yea upon the contrary, to give a Te­stimony to the World, of the Agony of his mind, for the Death of his Fa­ther; [Page 120] and that Remorse and Anguish he suffered for the Faults of those, who brought him to the Field against him, he girded himself with an Iron Chain, to which every third year thereafter, he added some Rings and weight, so long as he lived, and though this might threaten no good to some, yet they pass it by, not daring to Attempt ought against the common Peace.

Amidst this Grief and Sorrow of the Kings, Andrew Forman Secretary to Alexander the sixth Bishop of Rome, arrived in Scotland, with Instructions to the Clergy, in a Letter, from his Master, to the King and Nobles, ex­horting them to the mutual Duties of their Stations, after this some Head­strong Nobility dying, the Country en­joyed a great calm of Peace, the Seeds of Dissention, seeming to be quite ta­ken away. But the Borders keeping up their old fewds by new Accessions, make daily Incursions one upon another, which came at last to open Hostility: Whereupon King James enters England, and spoils all the North parts, and re­turns home without any considerable Action, not long after Ambassadors [Page 121] came from England, desiring a Peace; which is granted, and the Commissioners for both sides met at Edenburgh, where many Articles and conditions of the peace were hotly disputed, one of the Englishe's demands was an Interview between the two Kings at Newcastle, which being refer­red to King James his own arbitrement, he answered, that he meant to treat of a Peace, but not to go a Begging for it.

Much being said at last they conclude upon a Peace for some Months follow­ing; after which followed a match be­tween King James of Scotland with Lady Margaret the King of Englands Eldest Daughter, which was consummated at Edenburgh. King Henry bringeth his Daughter as far as Cokebiston in the way, and then resigning her to the Earl of Northumberland, who with a great train of Lords and Ladys brought her to Edenburgh to the King her Husband, where they for some days, were taken up with nothing but Banqueting, masks, and Tilting, with such other exercises; by this means the King wasted his Treasures greatly; then some of them set their wits awork, to squeeze the Sub­jects [Page 122] for Money, which occasioned great murmurings among the Poor.

A. D. 1507. James Prince of Scot­land and the Isles, was born at Holy-Rood-house the one and twentyth of Janu­ary but he soon after dyed at Sterling, the year following, the Queen brought forth another Son named Arthur, but he dyed also in the Castle of Edenburgh. Then she brought forth her third Son at Linlithgow, who Succeeded to the Crown and was named James.

About the same time Bernard Stewart came to Scotland, intreating that King James would make War with King Henry of En­gland, to keep him from molesting France, which at last he obtained: then began they to go to their old work of making in­cursions one upon another, till at last it breaks out to an open War. Whilst King James staied at Linlithgow attend­ing the gathering of an Army, now ready to set forward, as he was at his Devotion an Ancient man came in, in a very strange and Majestick manner, and of a comly and reverent aspect, who having enquired for the King, he intruded himself Prease, passing through [Page 123] till he eame to him with a Clounish Simplicity, leaning over the Canons Seat where the King Sat: Sir (said he) I am sent hither to intreat you for this time to delay your expedition, and to proceed no farther in your in­tended Journey. For if you do, you shall not prosper in your Enterprize, nor any of your Followers. I am further Charged to warn you, if you be so Refractory as to go forward, not to use the Acquaintance, Company, or Councel of Women, as you tender your Honour, Life and Estate. Having delivered his Commission, he withdrew himself among the croud, but could never be seen again; the Queen also did greatly shake his resolutions with her Tears and Prayers, acquaint­ing him with the Visions and affright­ments of her sleep, but he laughed at all these fancies, thinking them to be only the contrivance of such as hated the French and loved the English faction, so he gave present Orders to his Army to March over the Tweed, not staying till his whole Forces came to him, though they were upon their March, yet for all his hast when once he had passed the River, he trifled away his time so idly, that many of his Souldiers wanting ne­cessarie [Page 124] provision returned home, which the Nobility seeing, advised the King to returne also: having spoiled that Count­ry sufficiently already, but he would hear no such advice, though at last his Army was brought so low that he had none almost left but the Nobility and their Attendants. The English Ar­my Commanded by the Earl of Surrey consisting of twenty eight thousand men, were come by this time within three miles of the place, where the Scotish army was incamped, which made them draw to their arms. The Earl of Surreys Vanguard, passed the water of Till at Twysel Bridge, King James seeing them pass the water i­magineth that they intended to gain a hill between his Camp and them. To prevent which, he removed to another Hill; whilst the Scotish Army was removing, the English advance to the foot of Flondon Hill.

The fatal hour of the two armies ap­proaching one another, the English draw up in good order in two Battels, one of which was equal in number to the whole Scotish army, the Scots by their fewness of number, not being able to Order many Battalions, Marshal themselves in four, three of which to enter the Fight, and the fourth to at­tend [Page 125] for supply: the King commanded the middle, or main Battel; the Earl of Huntly, the Right wing, and the Earls of Cranford, and Montross the left; the third Battalion was commanded by the Earl of Lennox, and the Earl of Argyle, and the reserved, by the Earl of Bothwel.

The Earl of Huntly making down the Hill, where they incamped, encountred a wing of the English Van, led by Sir Edmund Howard; which after a furious and long Fight, he put to flight, the Battalion led by the Earls of Lennox & Argyle (being High-Land Men) incouraged with this glance of Victory loosing their Ranks, brake furious­ly upon the Enemy, invading them in the Face of them; they were not only valiant­ly received, but Hedged in on all hands, and miserably destroyed. The main Battel which the King led, being joyned by the Earl of Bothwel, fought it out couragiously Body against Body, and Sword to Sword; great numbers falling upon both sides, till the darkness of the Night, as it were by mutual Consent, forced a Re­treat; neither of them knowing unto whom Victory pertained.

Many brave Scots did here fall, esteem­ed to be above five thousand of the No­blest [Page 126] and worthiest Families of the Kingdom; neither was the loss of the English less in number, but most part of them being common Soldiers, was thought little of: About the daw­ning of the next Morning, the Lord Dacres with his Troops, taking a view of the Field, and seeing the Brazen Ordnance of the Scots, not carried off, sendeth speedy Advertisement to the pensive Army, inviting all to the set­ting up of Trophies.

What the Kings fate was, is uncer­tain, the English hold, that he was kill­ed in this Battel; the Scots, that many in like Arms, with the like Guards, were killed, every one of which was taken for the King: Among others, Alexander Lord Elphingston, one of his Favourites, be­ing not unlike the King in Face and Sta­ture, and representing him in his Armour in the Field, with the Valiantest, and most Couragious of the Army fought it out, and Acting heroically his part as a King, was killed, heaps of dead Bodies invironing his. In the search, where the fight was, the number, Tallness, and the Furniture of the dead Bodies being observed, their Faces, and Wounds [Page 127] viewed, His Body as if it yet breathed Majesty, was amidst the others selected, thought to be his Master, brought to Berwick and imbalmed. That it was not the Kings Body, his Iron Chain which he always wore, and was not there found about him, gave Testimony.

Others have recorded, that the Fortune of the day inclining to the English; four Tall men moun­ted upon lusty Horses, wearing upon the tops of their Lances for Cognizance, Streamers of Straw, mounting the King upon a Sorrel Hackney, conveyed him far from the place of fight, and after that he was seen beyond the Tweed, be­tween Kelso and Dunce, after which, what became of him was uncertain. Many think, that he was killed in the Castle of Hume, either by Intelligence, between the English and the Humes, or [Page 128] in hopes of great Fortunes, which would follow Innovations, and Confusions in the State. To this is added, that one Carbreth in the time of John Duke of Albanies Govern­ment, vaunted, that however the Go­vernour wronged the Humes, yet he was one of those who had abated the Insolency of King James, and made him know that he was a Mortal, all which, increased the Suspicion of many. The Gover­nour not long after, cut off the Heads of the Earl of Hume and his Brother, without any known cause. This noble Prince was lost the twenty fifth year of his Reign.

106. The fatal overthrow of the King and Nobility, filled the rem­nant of the State with great sor­row and perplexity; the Heads and fairest parts, which Majesty, Au­thority and Wisdom had made e­minent, were cut off, and nothing [Page 129] but some turbulent Church-men, Orphan-Noblemen, and timerous Ci­tizens, left to fill their Room. In this maze of perplexity, James the Prince is set upon the Throne, A. D. 1514. And is committed to the Tutelage of his Mother, together with the Government of the Realm.

But the Government of a Wo­man and a Child, over a Head­strong People, could not stand long firm: A hot Contest arose among the Clergy for the Archbishop-Prick of S. Andrews; three being put in at one time, one by the Pope, another by the Queen, and a third by the Chapter; the State was in as bad Case; Alexander ▪ Lord Gordon u­surping almost a Royal Authority, over the Countries benorth the Ferth, as the Lord Hume also did, upon the South-side. The Queen seeing her Authority contemned, privately, Marries the Earl of An­gus; [Page 130] looking upon him, as one who could Protect her, and hers in Ex­tremity; but this Match instead of heightning, weakened her Interest; the Nobility dividing in two Fa­ctions, the one pleading for the Earl of Douglass, and the other op­posing him (thinking him too high already) made choice of the Earl of Arran, but a third party steps in, of whom the Lord Chamber­lain was Chief, who carried the choice from both; pitching upon John Duke of Albany: When King Henry heard, that this Gen­tleman was like to carry the Day, he writes to Scotland, remonstra­ting to them, how dangerous this choice might prove to their State: Yet notwithstanding of all that could be said, they adhered to their choice, and sent to France to call home the Duke of Albany, who furnished with all necessa­ries by the French King, with eight well Rigg'd Ships, takes the [Page 131] Seas, and in the Month of May, arrived upon the West-coasts of Scotland, from whence with a great retinue of the Nobles and Barons of the Country, by easie Journies, the Queen meeting him, he came to the Town of Edenburgh, where he is restored in Parliament, to his Fathers inheritance.

At the Presence of this new Governour, the Face of the State turned more beautiful; Oppression is restrained, Justice sincerely exe­cuted; the Governour not willing to listen to every mans Advice, gave himself to follow the Coun­cel of John Hepburn Prior of S. An­drews; this man being of a subtle mind, Malicious and Crafty, repre­sented to him things as he pleased, representing the Factiousness of the Nobility, naming several, whom he said the Kingdom could not bear. Among others, he gave out, the Lord Chamberlain to be a man [Page 132] unpolish'd, Stubbornly Stout, migh­ty in Riches, and Power, of a working Mind, and vehement Spi­rit▪ that he spoke against the Chamberlain, &c. The Governour did presently lay hold on this, and changed in his affection toward him, which the Chamberlain per­ceiving, could not but reflect upon the Governours ingratitude; where­fore he resolved to Face about, and striking in with the Queen and her Husband, became very in­timate with them, he represented to them what hazard the Prince was in, the Governour being a man of such an unsatiable Spirit, that nothing but the Crown could set bounds to his Ambition: Advising the Queen to think of a way to prevent it; they concluded at last, that their only safety would be, that the Queen would transport her Son to England.

But as privately as the business [Page 133] was managed, it came to the Go­vernours ears, who presently sent a Troop of Horse, who surprized the Castle of Sterling, and in it the Queen with her two Sons. The Prince and his Brother are se­questred from their Mother, and committed to the keeping of four Noblemen: Whereupon the Queen, her Husband, and the Cham­berlain, with many others mis-trust­ing the Governour, fly to England; their sudden departure perplexed the Court exceedingly, which mov­ed the Governour to write to King Henry, representing to him, how little reason they had from him to depart the Kingdom; earnestly declaring his respects to the Queen; and that if she, and all that were with her should please to return, she should be very welcom; they hop­ing that they were sincere, at last were moved to yield to his desires, but when once he had got them within the Country, he re­solved [Page 134] to be revenged upon them; this bred new Confusions, for some of the Lords being imprisoned, their Friends break very loose, the Country is daily pestered and impo­verished, by Incursions and In­roads, till at last after great loss on both sides, they come to an Agreement, which was followed with the renewing of the Truce with England for some Months.

All things being thus seemingly calmed, both at home and abroad, the forementioned Prior of S. An­drews, begins to perswade the Go­vernour, that all his indeavours to settle the Realm, would prove vain, so long as the Earl of Hume was alive, whom neither re­wards could soften, nor Honours and preferments make constant, upon this the Governour begins to contrive how to get the Earl secu­red; wherefore he came to Eden­burgh, and called a Convention of [Page 135] the states, having intreated the Earl of Humes Friends, that he would not fail to be there, the mat­ters to be determined, concerned him dearly.

The Earl of Hume with his bro­ther David came to Edenburgh, the Night, before the Day appointed, who were received by the Gover­nour with great Ceremonies, and with more than ordinary Favours entertained, and shortly after, both imprisoned, and a day appointed for their Tryal: The first thing laid to their Charge, was the death of the late King, whom several Witnesses proved to have been seen coming to the Castle of Hume, from Flondon; this not being proved by pregnant Evidences, he was accu­sed of several other points of Trea­son, of which he not being able to clear himself to their satisfacti­on; the Judges prepared and di­rected by the Governour; pro­nounce [Page 136] him and his Brother guilty, and Condemn them to have their Heads chopt off; which Sentence was the next day put in Executi­on, and their Heads fixt upon the most Conspicuous places of the City. This Calamity of the Family of the Humes, bred Ter­rour and Astonishment in many of the Noblemen of the Kingdom, and greatly estranged their Hearts from the Governour.

Ambassadors being sent from France, to renew the Ancient League between the two Coun­tries: The Governour was chosen by the Nobility of Scotland, to pass into France for accomplishing this solemn Action. He was no sooner gone, but the Queen after she had stayed a year in England, Honourably dismissed by her Bro­ther came to Scotland: Sir Anthony Darcy, being by the Governour made Warden of the Mers, and [Page 137] Lothian, was slain by Sir David Hume of Wedderburn, coming to Dunce, to hold a Justice Court: Whereupon the Earl of Arran was declared Supream Warden, of the Marches, who soundly re­venged Darcies Death upon the Humes.

The Kingdom now began to be sensible of the offence of the Go­vernour; Factions increasing daily, the Nobility and Gentry deciding their Rights by their Swords; in­somuch, that the Earl of Arran, who was Provost of Edenburgh, having been with the Prince at Dalkeith upon his return had the Gates shut upon him; the Citi­zens pretending that, he intended to invade their Priviledges: Where­upon followed a Tumult in the City, which continued all Night, where a Deacon of the Crafts was killed by one of the Hamiltons, which did quite alienate the [Page 138] Citizens affection, from the Earl of Arran; and made them incline to the Earl of Angus; this made the Earls of Arran, and Angus be­gin to cross each other: Where­upon followed much Confusion in the Country, and much Blood-shed between the Douglasses and the Hamiltons; at last having encoun­tred one another with their fol­lowers, at Edenburgh they fight most desperately in the Street, till at length the Hamiltons were for­ced to retire, having left above fourscore of their number dead up­on the Street. These broils com­ing to the Governours ears in France, he made all the haste he could home; coming to Edenburgh, he set himself to amend the Enormi­ties, committed in his absence: a Parliament is called, to which ma­ny Noblemen and Gentlemen are cited to appear and answer, but some fearing the Event appeared not: Whereupon their Estates are [Page 139] forfeited; several fled into England, among which were the Humes, and the Cockburns, who were the Authors of Darcies death, others submitted and were pardoned.

The King of England being informed of the Condition of Scotland, sent thither an Embassa­dor requiring the Duke to avoid the Country, according to the Ar­ticles agreed upon, between him, and the King of France in their last Truce. To which he answer­ed, that what the Kings of France and England agreed upon in their Trea­ties of Peace, was to him uncer­tain, but of this he was most cer­tain that neither the King of England nor France, had Power to Banish him (a Foraigner over them where Authority did not reach,) his Na­tive Country, like over like hav­ing no Jurisdiction.

Whereupon King Henry gather­ed [Page 140] a great Army to Invade Scot­land. Now they draw to Arms on both sides, the Governour marches with his Army to Car­lile, where he pitched his Camp upon the River Esk, this struck great Terror to the Citizens of Carlile, who offered him divers presents for their safety of the Town, which were rejected, but the Nobility re­fusing to go upon English ground (suspecting that the Governour only played the Game of the French) he was forced to come to a Truce. However the Governour resolving to be revenged upon England, went to France where he obtain­ed from the King, Three Thou­sand Pikes, and One Thousand Lances, with which he returned home, and having raised an Army with them he Marches to Eng­land, and Besieges Wark, but is Repulsed; whereupon much against his will, a Truce for some Months is concluded on.

[Page 141]Soon after, the Administration of the Government was put upon the Prince himself, the Thirteenth Year of his age; the Governour returning to France, after which he never returned to Scotland. A Parliament is called, wherein a Peace is concluded with England, and eight Lords appointed to have the Custody of the Kings Person quarter­ly. Embassadors were sent to England, to treat for a Marriage between the King, and the King of Englands Daughter, which came to nothing. The State began of New to be tossed with the trouble­som factions of the Queen, and the Earl of Angus; the Queens Faction accused Angus of High Treason, for detaining the King a­gainst his will: to which the Earl moved the King to give an ans­wer, shewing that he was not kept against his will. But with all sent another Letter secretly, desiring by any means he might be remov­ed [Page 142] from the Earl; upon this ad­vertisment, the Queen, and they of her Faction Assemble what Forces they could raise, and with great expe­dition marched from Sterling to Edenburgh. The Earl of Angus, with the Citizens of Edenburgh, and the King (though against his will) Marched out against them, when the Leaders of the Queens Forces understood, that the King himself was in Person in the ad­vers Army they would advance no farther, but retired back again to Sterling, where they Disbanded, and returned every man to his own dwelling place; presently after the Queen sues for a Divorce from the Earl of Angus, which the Archbishop of S. Andrews granted with the Earls own consent.

The King wearied of his con­finement in the Earl of Angus his custody, consults with the Lord of Buccleugh, and some Borderers, how [Page 143] he might be set at Liberty; they Essayed it by Arms at Melross, but were put to the worst, then the Earl of Lenox undertook it, and raised some Forces for that end, but the Earl of Angus having gotten the assistance of the Earl of Arran, with several others, quite routed him near Costerphin where he was killed in cold Blood.

Now, the Earl of Angus thinks himself secure enough, having put all things in (as he thought) to rights, he takes a progress to Lo­thian, leaving the King at Faulk­land. Now the King amidst his Solitary walks in his Park, bethinks himself what a fair oportunity he had, resolved to essay by stratagem what the Factions of his Nobles could not perform by Force, there­upon he directeth the Forester of the Park to advertise such Gentlemen about as kept Hounds, to attend [Page 144] him next Morning, for he would have his Sport early; he Suppeth sooner then he used, Command­ing all to their rest; the waiters all shifted, and the Court hush'd, shutting his Camber door, in the Apparel of one of his Grooms, un­perceived, he passed the Guards to the stable, where with two who attended him with ready Horses, he posted to Sterline, where many of the Nobility and Gentry flock­ing to him, he discharged the Earl of Angus from all Publick Offices, whereat he was so exasperated, that he and his Friends, followed very extravagant Courses, but the King pursued them so, that after much misery at home, they were constrain­ed to fly into England, where they were Charitably received, and Honourably entertained by King Henry.

[Page 145]The next year the King visited the Bor­ders, holding Justice Courts, and execu­ting Justice upon all Oppressors, Thieves, and Out-Laws there in Ewsdale; He cau­sed eight and twenty famous Robbers to be Hanged, others he brought with him to Edenburgh, for more publick Executi­on and Example; yet the Borders were nothing the more Peaceable, for by the means of the Earl of Angus, the English make daily Incursions, and Spoiles the Country; the Scots likewise serving the English with the same Sauce, till at last, by the Mediation of the French King, a Peace is concluded on, during the Princes Lives, and one Year after the Decease of him who should Dye first.

About this time the Pope's Power began to Totter in England, King Henry having renounced all Subjection to him, because he would not Grant him a Divorce from his Queen Katharine, who had been before Married to his Brother, Prince Arthur, and then (by a Dispensa­tion from the Pope) to him. The Pope finding King Henry peremptory in his purpose, did, together with the Emperor, deal with King James to make War with England, and to this end sent an Ambas­sador privately to Scotland: King Henry went on with his Affairs in England, and [Page 146] Executed John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, for asserting the Pope's Supremacy in Eng­land: Upon this, the whole Conclave stirr'd up the Pope against King Henry, wherefore he sent another Ambassador to Scotland, most invectively Exclaiming a­gainst the King of England's Cruelty, and humbly desiring King James's assistance a­gainst him.

King James (to try his Uncle's Mind) send an Ambassador to England, to ac­quaint him with the Emperors and Popes Embassage. King Henry presently dis­patched William Lord Howard to Scotland, who made such hasty Journeys, that he prevented the News of his coming; he found the King at Sterline, a part of his Ambassage was, That the two Kings must have an interview at York; this so start­led the Church-men, fearing, that his Uncle might infect the King with the O­pinions of the new Reformers, that they opposed it with all their might: Yet the King and his Council proposed, that the Meeting might be at New-Castle, which the Lord Howard would, in no wise, hear of, but departed in a chafe.

King James having so many great Mat­ches in his offer, now resolves to accept of some one or other; wherefore Sailing from Kirkaldie in ten days, he arrived at [Page 147] Diep in Normandy, and from thence to Van­dosme, where the Lady Mary of Burbon was; but upon some considerations he set­led not his Affections upon her, though a great Beauty, but went to Paris, where he fell in Love with Magdalen, Daughter to King Francis, with her he was Mar­ried in the Church of Nostradam, with great Solemnity; and soon after Retur­ned with her to Scotland, but to his great Grief; she Dyed within a few Months after, and was Buried at Holyrood-House.

Not long after, the King (desirous of Succession) sendeth David Beaton, and the Lord Maxwel to France, to propose Mar­riage in his Name, to Mary of Lorrain. In the mean time, two Plots against his Life are discovered at Court, one by John, Eldest Son to the Lord Forbes, who thereupon was put to Death; yet the King was much Grieved afterward, fin­ding great probability, that he was accu­sed through Malice: The other was Jane Doughlass, with her Husband Archbald Campbel of Keepneeth, who, in the thoughts of many, were as groundlesly Accused as the first, yet both were found Guilty, and Dyed for it.

The King's Marriage with the foresaid Lady, being Concluded, they are Married by Proxie, and she Arrived in Scotland, [Page 148] A. D. 1538. Soon after the Queen Dowa­ger Dyed at Methwen, and was Buried in the Charter-House of Perth.

Now began the Kingdom to be divided in Matters of Religion, the Reformation breaking in upon them, which perplex­ed the King exceedingly, not knowing what course to take: His Council was a­gainst violent Courses to be followed, but the Prelates, who had most his Ear, gave him a quite contrary Advice; after which, most vigorous Inquisitions are established, and Punishments denounced against all such as departed from Popery; whereupon some are Burnt alive, others Banished, and ma­ny Imprisoned; amongst which, was that famous Poet and Historian, Master George Buchanan, who whilst his Keepers Slept, escaped by a Window of the Prison, the Muses holding the Rope.

The King of England, having by this time, so Irritated the Pope, that he was Excommunicated, sendeth again to his Nephew King James, desiring an Inter­view at York; the Nobility were clearly for it, but the Church-men fearing their Bacon, was as much against it, preten­ding, the hazard that his Person and King­dom would be lyable to. After long rea­soning upon both sides, it was agreed, That the King should not altogether re­fuse [Page 149] to meet his Uncle, but adhere to the first offer proposed to his Ambassador, concerning this Interview; which the King of England, rather than his Sute should take no effect, accepts: But an Incursion, which hapened upon the Borders, made him that he lost all heart to the Interview; here­upon he sendeth many Letters, excusing his stay, also representing his many Grie­vances and Wrongs; thus were the Seeds of Discord again sown amongst them.

The reformed Religion, by this time, begins to be professed by many; for the curbing of which, the Prelates presents Sir James Hamilton, natural Son to the Earl of Arran, to be Supream Judge of the Inquisition, which turned to his own Ruine; for while he is vigorously Perse­cuting all such as were suspected of the reformed Religion, having many in Jayles, and multitudes in Scrolls, to bring with­in the Labyrinth of a Process, the Supream Providence Arresteth himself: For having a Process against James Hamilton, She­riff of Lithgow, his own Couzen; the said James Accuses him of High Treason, for which (notwithstanding all that the Pre­lates could do in his Favour) he was Tryed, Condemned, and put to Death.

Not long after, divers of the Nobility became to Favor the Protestant Religion, [Page 150] which so perplexed the King, that he knew not what to do; he became very sullen and retired, that he would scarce suffer his own Domesticks to come near, to add to his perplexity, (as he lay in the Palace of Lithgow) in the midst of the Night he leaped out of his Bed, and called for Lights, commandeth his Ser­vants to search for Thomas Scot, his Justice Clerk, who (he said) stood by his Bed­side loaden with great Weights, cursing the time that ever he Served him; for by too much Obedience to him, he was by the Justice of God condemned to ever­lasting Torments. Soon after, News came, That the said Thomas Scot Dyed at Eden­burgh, much about the same Hour of the Night. Another Instance of the same nature was, Sir James Hamilton, a little after his Death, seemed to the King, to have appeared to him in a gastly man­ner, with a Sword in his hand, with which he thought he cut off both his Arms, ad­vertising him, he would come again short­ly, and be more fully revenged. The next day after the Vision, word came, that both his Sons were departed this Life almost in one hour.

King Henry finding himself disappoin­ted, by his Nephew, of their Meeting, and understanding the Church-men to have [Page 151] been the occasion of it, maketh Prizes of all the Scottish Ships that his Fleet could meet with by Sea, and Incursions with his garrisoned Souldiers by Land. King James directeth James Lermonth of Darsie to his Uncle, to give sufficient Reasons for his not meeting him at New-Castle, and to de­mand Restitution of his Ships. King Henry not only refuseth to restore the Ships, but also delaying the Answer of the Scot­tish Ambassador to gain time, sendeth Sir Robert B [...]wes, seconded with the Earl of Angus, and Sir George Douglass, in hasty manner, to invade Scotland: These to the number of Three Thousand, Burn and De­stroy all before them, till at last the Earl of Huntly, with some Borderers, meeting them at a Place called Valldanrigg, quite routed them, Killed many, and took some Prisoners.

The next Summer King Henry sent the Earl of Norfolk towards Scotland with an Army of Forty Thousand Men, accompa­nied with a great many of the English Nobility. King James advertised of their coming, Mustered an Army of Thirty Thou­sand Men on Falla-moor, to Oppose them. When the Duke of Norfolk understood that he was resolved to give him Battel, choosing rather to make an honourable Retreat, than give a doubtful Charge, he [Page 152] retireth off the Scottish ground: Where­upon King James encouraged his Nobi­lity and Army to follow them, and re­venge old Quarrels: The Nobles answer­ed, That to defend their Prince and Country, they would hazzard their Lives, or what­ever was dear to them. If the Enemy had stayed upon Scottish Ground, they would either make them retire, or Dung the Field with their Carcasses. But to Invade England, they did not think their Quar­rel just enough, neither had they Ammu­nition enough to Engage with so strong an Enemy in his own Country; that they thought it enough, that upon their ap­proaching, they made the English retire, if not fly; for whether they did fly or retire, they had suffered as much Wrong as they had done. The King finding them thus obstinate, returneth with his Army to Edenburgh, where he immediately Dis­banded them; he begins most bitterly to reflect upon the Noble mens refusing to Invade England, which was aggrava­ted and abetted by Cardinal Beat [...]n, Oli­ver Sinclave, and others. The Lord Max­nel seeing the King so highly Offended, desired His Majesty to give him Ten Thou­sand men, and he would ingage his Ho­nour, to effect something to the King's Satisfaction; the King thanketh him for [Page 153] his Offer, appointeth a Rendezvous upon the West Marches: No Proclamations are divulged for the levies of Men, but close Letters sent. The Cardinal, and the Earl of Arran, March towards Haddingtoun, and the East Borders; and several Earls, Lords, and Barons, accompanied with the King's Domestick Servants, ride to the West Borders: The Night before they rode, the King himself came to Lochmab­ban to attend the Event.

Sir Thomas Wharton, Warden of the Marches, much troubled at such a fre­quent Assembly of the Scottish Riders; raising the Power of the Country, placeth them by a Hill, where he might take a view of the Forces. The Scottish Lords beholding the English putting themselves in a Fighting posture, desire to know the King's Lieutenant-General; whereupon Oliver Sinclave is mounted upon crossed Pikes, and the Commission read, where­in he is designed to be Lieutenant, and all Commanded, in the King's Name, to follow him. No sooner began the Com­mission to be read, but such a Tumult, and confused Clamour arose in the Army, that there was no Order kept; every thing running in Confusion. The English taking advantage of the Disorder, brake in among them; while they stand in [Page 154] Amaze, doubting whether to Fly or Stand. Here is a general Surprize, most part willingly rendering themselves to the Eng­lish, without any shew of Defence; many of the Nobility and Gentry were taken and carried Prisoners to London, where they remained till after the King's Death.

The certainty of this voluntary Defeat coming to the King at Lockmabban, so Stupified and Astonished him, that he had neither Council nor Resolution what to follow; apprehending by this and their former Actions, that the Nobility had Conspired his overthrow. After which he came to Faulkland, where he gave him­self over to Sorrow: Now are his Thoughts busied with Revenge, as also with rage a­gainst his Nobility. Long Watchings, con­tinual Cares and Passions, abstinence from Food and Recreation, had so extenuated his Body, that pierced with Grief, An­guish, Impatience, Despair, he remained af­fixed to his Bed. To Comfort him, Let­ters came from Lithgow to him, That his Queen was delivered of a Daughter; when he heard it was a Daughter, he turned his Face from them that read the Letter, and Sighing a Farewel to the World: It will end as it began (sayes he) the Crown came by a Woman, and it will go with one. The Cardinal put some blank Papers in [Page 155] his hand, of which they Composed a Let­ter-Will, which, whether he Subscribed or not, is uncertain: After which he spoke not many Words that could be under­stood; he Dyed the Thirteenth of Decem­ber, Anno Dom. 1542. in the Thirty-Third Year of his Age, and Thirty-Second of his Reign; not without Suspition of having got an Italian Posset by the Cardinal's means.

The King was no sooner Dead (lea­ving his young Daughter, who was after­ward called Mary, to Succeed) then the Cardinal proclaimed his Last Will, where­in were expressed four Protectors or Re­gents, of whom himself was the First and Principal, and with him were joyned the Earls of Huntly, Argyle, and Murry. But within a Week after, the Chase was tur­ned: For the Earl of Arran being advi­sed by the Lord of Grange, who was Trea­surer, and Master Henry Balneaves, with some others, caused to Assemble the Peers of the Realm, representing to them his undoubted Title to the Government of the Kingdom, during the Minority of her, to whom, by Line, he should Succeed, if she want Succession of her own body. The Cardinal opposed himself, and all his Interest against Arran, but it was car­ried by many Voices; whereupon Arran [Page 156] was declared Governor, and with pub­lick Proclamation invested in his Office.

A Parliament soon followed, wherein the Clergy most violently pressed, That severe Edicts might be Published against those they called Hereticks: But others Propounding in Parliament, whether such, of the People, as could not speak Latine, might not have the Word of their Salva­tion in the Language they understood, as Lawfully as they that understood Latine, must have it in that Language; it was Voted Affirmative, and at last, after much debating, it passed into an Act, That it was free for all Men and Women to Read the Scripture in their own vulgar Tongue; and all Acts made to the contrary were rescinded.

King Henry (before the Parliament was ended) sent an Ambassador to Scotland, whose Embassage was to Contract a per­petual League and Amity between the Two Kingdoms; and that all Occasions of Wars might be taken away, a Match was proposed, by the Ambassador, be­tween young Prince Edward, and the Queen of Scotland; which was by the Go­vernour and Parliament Accepted; where­upon they sent their Ambassadors to Eng­land, where things came so far, that both Partyes declared their Agreement in all [Page 157] Particulars, except the time when the young Queen should be delivered to the English.

The Papists foreseeing what would pro­bably follow, if the Queen should be put in their Enemy, the King of England's hand; begin, with all their might, to Op­pose it: about this time the Governors base Brother, John Hamilton, came from France, who was very helpful to his bre­thren the Papists, in carrying on all their Affairs. At last, partly by few promises of great Things, and partly by Threat­ning to declare him an Enemy to Holy-Church, if he complied not, they make him Condescend to break with England; whereupon ensued great and bloody Wars between the Two Kingdoms; for King Henry immediately sent a strong Army to Scotland, who came as far as Edenburgh, committing great Hostilities. In compen­sation of which, the Scots enter England: Burning and Destroying all before them, returning again with great Spoil.

Mr. George Wishart, being by Cardinal Bea­ton, burnt Alive for the Protestant Religion; the said Cardinal was surprized by Norman Loslie Master of Rothes, William Kirkaldie of Grange, and John Loslie of Park-Hill, in his Castle of St. Andrews, and put to Death; Possessing themselves of the Castle [Page 158] for their Security, knowing that now they were to have many and powerful Enemies, which accordingly fell out; for the Papists procure an Army from France, under the conduct of Monsieur Deosel, who besieged the Castle, and soon after took it.

King Henry being now Dead, his Son King Edward sent an Army of Ten Thousand Men to Scotland: The Popish Party there procures the like number from France; these two Armies grievously infested the Country. The next Year the Queen was at Six years of Age Transported by the West Seas into France (escaping the English Fleet, that watched for her about Calice) and soon after Married to the Daulphine.

However, the Reformation goes on, not­withstanding the Queen-Mother, who is now stiled Queen-Regent her opposition. She was Assisted in her Designs by the French (as the Reformers were also by the English) but her Death put a stop to the Persecution; which gave the Prote­stants opportunity of putting things in order, relating to the Worship of God. Great Preparations were making in France, for invading of Scotland, and root out the Reformed Religion: This terrified the Reformers mightily; but while they were in a Consternation, not knowing what to [Page 159] do, the King of France Dyed, and their Queen remained a Widdow; this was a great Deliverance to them, for by his Death the intended Invasion came to nothing.

Soon after, the Queen comes Home, and sets up Mass in her Chappel, which the Reformers opposed. This bred much confusion in the State; but the Queen fin­ding that the Body of the People, with most part of the Nobility were against her Way, she became a little more calm, condescending that some Maintenance might be settled upon the Ministers.

About this time, the Earl of Huntly breaks out in a Rebellion in the North; to oppose which, the Queen went her self in Person, and Routed him, near Aber­deen, his Sons, and many of his Friends being Slain, himself also Dying in the place without any Wound.

The Easter following, Mass began to be very publick at Edinburgh, which so incensed the Lords and others, That they Imprisoned several Priests: The Queen began to Storm at this, but they told her, That what they did was according to Law, and they would Justify it in Par­liament.

In July 1564. The Earl of Lenox, with his Son Henry Stewart, Lord Darly, re­turn [Page 160] from England, and were very gra­ciously received by the Queen, who took such Affection to Darly, that she Posts a­way Lethington to Queen Elizabeth, shew­ing her, That she meant to Marry him: Queen Elizabeth (pretending her disliking of such Contracts of Princes with Subjects) labours to diswade her from it; but un­der-hand promotes it for her own ends. The Queen (with some difficulty) gets her intended Marriage ratified in Parlia­ment, which was afterward Proclaimed by name, Henry and Mary, King and Queen of Scotland, and Solemnized the Twenty-Seventh of July, 1565.

This procures great Alterations in the State; for several Lords and Gentlemen of the Reformation, being Summoned to Appear before the King and Queen; and upon Non-appearance, were declared Re­bels: Whereupon, the King and Queen presently take Armes; the Lords, with their Intention, fled into England, where they stayed a while under Queen Eliza­beth's Protection, who afterward dismis­sed them, writing to the King and Queen in their Favours; at length they came to an Agreement, which yet continued not long.

For the King beginning to be jealous of the daily resort of French-men to Court, [Page 161] and of their great Favor with the Queen, caused one of them, called Rizio, who from a Musitian, was advanced to be the Queen's Secretary for French, to be seized in her Chamber, and presently put to Death; and finding that this Acti­on brought him under the odium of the Pa­pists, he made a shew of turning Prote­stant, calling home several of the Bani­shed Lords and others: But however, from that day he began to be despised by the Queen, and Bothwel is advan­ced.

The Nineteenth of June, 1566. The Queen, at Edinburg, was Delivered of a Son, to the great Joy of all the Kingdom; he was Baptized at Sterlin, December the Seventeenth, and called James; the Witnes­ses were the Earl of Bedford for Queen Elizabeth, who in her Name presented a Font of pure Gold, valued at Three Thou­sand Crowns; the Count de Briance for the French King, and an Ambassador for the Duke of Savoy.

The King finding himself daily sligh­ted by the Queen, repaired to his Father at Glasgow, where, by the way, he was taken very Ill with a Pain in his Stomack; when he came to Glasgow his Body breaks out in blewish Blisters, which when the Physitians saw, they knew him to have [Page 162] been Poisoned; but with their Antidotes, and his own vigorous Youth, he Recove­red. Not long after, the Queen Visited him at Glasgow, and prevailed with him to come to Edinburg; he Lodged in the Kirk-Field for his Health (as was pre­tended): But many suspected that the Earl of Bothwel had a Design upon him, but few durst adventure to tell him of it: Yet the Earl of Orkney told him, That if he retired not hastily out of that Place, it would cost him his Life; this Advertise­ment moved the Earl of Bothwel to hasten forward his Enterprize, laying a Train of Powder under the House where the King lay, which in the Night time did Blow it up; but it was said, That the King was taken forth, and brought▪ Alive to a Stable, where a Napkin was stopped in his Mouth, and he therewith Suffocated.

Presently after, Bothwel obtains a Di­vorce from the Pope, to free him of his Wife, and was Married to the Queen, May the Fifteenth, 1567. Whereupon the Lords take Armes (the Queen and Bothwel be­ing at Dumbar) resolving to call him to an Account for what was past: the Queen also, and he, sent to their Friends to come to their Defence; the two Armies Faces each other at Seaton: Then Bothwel steps out upon Horse-back, between the Armies, [Page 163] offering to Fight with any that durst Charge him with that foul Aspersion of Murdering the King: James Murray of­fers the Combat, but he is refused, as not equal in Honour; then his Brother, the Laird of Tully-Bardine, Accepts the Challenge; him he refuseth, because he was not a Noble-man; then the Lord Lyndsay presents himself, telling him, That he was his Equal every way: but the Queen recalled Bothwel, and would not suffer them to Fight. In fine, the Queen finding the Confederates resolute, and their Number exceeding her own, she de­sires Bothwel to shift for himself, for that she would put her self in their Hands; which accordingly she did, and was by them conveyed to Edinburgh, and after to the Castle of Lochlevine. The Queen of England sends her Ambassador to the Lords, desiring, That the Queen might have her full Liberty; and that the Prince might be sent to England to be Educa­ted: At length Matters were wrought to that point, that she must of necessity re­sign the Crown to her Son

108. This young Prince was Crowned at Sterline, the Twenty-fourth of July, Anno Dom. 1567. at thirteen Months and eight days old. The Earls of Morteun and Hume, taking the Coronation Oath for [Page 164] him: Master Knox also Preached the Co­ronation Sermon. The Earl of Murray is, within a Month after, created Regent; he presently Summons a Parliament, where­in divers are Executed, as having Acces­sion to the late Kings Murder; which occasioned many Factions in the State, and much hatred to the Regent.

In the mean time the Queen was con­veyed out of Lochlavin, by George Dou­glass the Governours Brother, my Lord Seaton, and divers of the House of Hamil­tone, with their dependers waited to re­ceive her, and conveyed her to Hamil­toun: The Regent being at Glasgow, draws together what men he could so suddenly command, and with them Marches to Langsidemoor, where it was Fought most Briskly; but the Queen, though being more in number, was worsted; after which she lost all courage, never resting till she was in England: The Regent returned Vic­tor, and destributed the Spoyl among his Friends and Dependants.

The Queen of England sends Ambas­sadors to the Regent, desiring him to send Commissioners to her, to give her a rea­son of their thus proceeding against their Queen, upon which he himself went to Berwick for that purpose: After long rea­soning, they parted without concluding [Page 165] any thing. The Regent returning home, did not sit long Idle; for the Earl of Hamilton pretending a right to the Re­gency, conveins his friends at Glasgow, the Regent presently went against him. He finding himself disappointed of many that he expected to come to his Assistance, submitted himself, and is made priso­ner, Queen Mary, being by the Queen of Englands order conveyed to Carlisle. The Duke of Norfolk in hopes to get her in Marriage, became mighty for­ward to procure her liberation; which made Queen Elizabeth begin to grow jea­lous of him; whereupon he is commit­ted to the Tower, a Conspiracy being discovered, which he managed for reliev­ving the Queen of Scots.

The Regent having brought things to some order at home, the Hamiltons see­ing it impossible for them now to con­tend with him, Killed him most Trea­cherously and Basely, as he was passing through Lithgow, having shot him with a Hakbut, out at a Window, January the 22 d. 1569. About three Months af­ter Lennox, the Kings Grandfather is chosen Regent. Hamilton being by all re­fused, he marches with 5000 to Lithgow, to suppress the Queens Faction, they in­tended to call a Parliament; there great [Page 166] Confusion follows over all the Kingdom.

A Parliament being summoned by the Regent at Sterling, they began to reform abuses, which are very many; but they thinking themselves secure, took no care to keep Guards: Whereupon one George Bell marches from Edenburgh, in the Night time as guid to the Earl of Huntly; he commanded five hundred men, they sur­prised them all in their Beds, some esca­ped, and others were taken Prisoners; but the Regent himself was killed in the Tumult.

Those who were for the King, chose the Earl of Mar Regent; about this time the Duke of Norfolk was arraigned, and found guilty of Complotting with Queen Mary against Queen Elizabeth, and with­in four Months after had his Head chopt off upon Tower-Hill, where he confessed all the indictment: Mar about a year af­ter being chosen Regent, dyes at Sterline; to succeed whom, Mortoon was without controversie Elected.

The King was committed to the keep­ing of Alexander Arskine, and Mr. George Buchanan made his Tutor, none of the Queens Party being permitted to come near him. The Factious had by this time become very unnatural; the Mother a­gainst the Son, and the Son against the [Page 167] Mother. Edenburg Castle, which Kir­kaldie of Grange kept for the Queen, is be­sieged and taken by the Regent, and the Governour, with his Brother Hanged. The Regent proud of his Success, began to be somewhat extravagant, which was a forerunner of his downfall, which his Enemies improved to his disadvantage: Whereupon he is deposed.

The King seeing that things were turn­ing from bad to worse, took the Scepter in his own Hand, having the Assistance of twelve Noblemen, whereof M [...]rtoun was one: A Parliament soon after is cal­led at Edingburgh, where the King ap­peared to his People, being yet but twelve years Old. In this Parliament was rati­fied that Confession of Faith inserted in the late Test in Scotland.

Anno Dom. 1582. Fell out the Road of Ruthwen, where the King was Seized by some of his Nobles, and carried to Edin­burg, upon pretence, That he was Misled by bad Councils: They kept him under a sort of Restraint for above a Year; but at last, being at St. Andrews, he was Relieved by Collonel Stewart Captain of the Castle; for as the King had entred the Gate, the Collonel presently shuts it, and by this means shuts out the compa­ny that attended the King: Soon after, [Page 168] many of them are Imprisoned, but all obtain a Pardon, except the Earl of Goury, who was Arraigned, Condemned, and Executed, Anno Dom. 1584.

About which time there is a Plot disco­vered in England, to set the Queen of Scots at Liberty; in which the Lord Pag [...]t Throgmorton and others were concerned, who accordingly suffered for it. But the Suspition of all reflected upon Queen Mary, which hastened her ruine: Where­upon she was removed from her Fifteen Years Imprisonment under the Earl of Shrewsberry, to Sir Amias Pawlet, and Sir Drew Drury in Fothrengam Castle, on pur­pose to put her upon extremities of Re­dress against their extream Imprisoning: Whereupon she deals with the Pope and Spain to hasten the means of her Relief, but it proved the hastening of her de­struction.

The Council of England after long de­liberation what to do with Queen Mary, at last resolved to proceed against her upon Act 27. Eliz. Against Plotters or Contrivers of the Queens Death. To which purpose a Commission under the Great Seal issued out, Impowering twenty-four Noble-Men and others therein, who came to the Castle the 11th. of Octob. 1536. to Try her. The manner of her Tryal [Page 169] was thus. A Chair of State was set, as for the Queen of England, at the upper end of the Presence Chamber. Beneath against it was placed a Chair for the Queen of Scots; close to the Walls on both sides of the Cloath of Estate, seats were made for the Lords; next to these were the Knights, Privy Councellors. Forward before the Earls, sate the two Chief Justices, and on the other side, other two Justices. At a Table in the midst sate the Attorney General, the So­licitor, a Sergeant at Law, the Clerk of the Crown, and two Notaries.

The Inditement being read, she declin­ed their Jurisdiction, being a free Princess, and not a Subject to the Crown of Eng­land; to which it was Answered, That her declinator was in vain, for whosoever offends the Laws of England in Eng­land must be subject to the same, and ac­cordingly examined and Judged. So they proceeded to examine the Evidence, and after a long Tryal, and much spoken on both sides, she is found guilty. Not ma­ny dayes after a Parliament was called, wherein Queen Elizabeth was besought, that the Sentence against the Queen of Scots, might be put in Execution. The Queen desired that some other methods might be consulted for safely, and that [Page 170] poor distressed Queen spared; but they answer, What no other satisfaction▪ Whereupon the Sentence was Proclaimed throughout London and all the Kingdom▪ King James hearing of his Mothers condi­tion, writ several Letters to Queen Eli­zabeth, passionately desiring, that the Sen­tence might be reversed; but all to no purpose: for soon after she signed a War­rant for a Mandate fitted for the Great Seal for her Execution, which was per­formed upon Wednesday, the 8th. of Fe­bruary, 1586.

Queen Elizabeth immediately after Writes a Letter full of Apologies, and fair promises to King James; yet not­withstanding in great discontent, he calls home his Ambassadours from the Court of England. The States of Scotland urge him to a revenge: The King of Spain also, and the Pope promise him great assistance, if he would undertake it; but he thought fit to delay for a time, which made England the more suspitious of his Designs. Wherefore an Ambassadour was sent to him, earnestly desiring him to take off his adherence from Forreign Friend­ship, assuring him that his Mothers fate would be no prejudice to his right of Succession, which was a powerful Argu­ment with him.

[Page 171]The next Year, the Kings Marriage with the King of Denmarks Daughter was a­greed upon. In the mean time, the Po­pish Lords, such as Huntly, Cranford and A [...]rol, make a Rebellion in the North; to suppress which, the King himself went in Person; at his coming, the Rebels dis­perse; the Headers of them submitted to the Kings Mercy, and are commited close Prisoners, and not long after Tryed and found Guilty; but the Sentence was de­layed to an indefinite time, which at last turned to a Pardon.

The King hearing that his Marriage was consumated at Denmark by Proxie, and the Queen at Sea, was soon after surprised with the News, that her Navy was beat into Norway by a Storm: He pre­sently resolves to go thither, and meet Her, which he does very privately; leaving the Government of the Kingdom to his Council. Within five dayes he arrives at Norway, where he was solemnly Marryed the next Sunday. From thence he went with his Queen to Visit the Queen Mo­ther of Denmark; where they staid till April following: Then having sent for Shipping to return, they Landed at Leith the 20 th. day of May, Anno Dom. 1590. and a little after the Queen was solemnly Crowned at Holy-Rood-House.

[Page 172]Though the King made severe Laws against Feuds, yet were they not quite suppressed, for by reason of a quarrel be­tween the Earles of Huntly, and Murray the North broke very loose, as did the Kers also in the South; but they were soon suppressed, till Bothwel afterward (being Imprisoned, for consulting with Witches to take away the Kings Life, and having escaped, made an attempt up­on the Kings Lodgings, and was repul­sed;) being suspected to have been with Murray, the Earl of Huntly procures a Warrant to take him; and coming to Dunnibirsle, where Murray was, firing the House, Murray attempting to make his Escape was Barbarously Murdered.

Bothwel having so often been disap­pointed of his designes, at last having got some of the Lords on his side, he came in by the Postern-gate, under disguise of attending my Lady Athole, with another of his Companions armed, to the very Bed-Chamber; where he forced the King to grant him a Pardon, which was the next day repealed in Council, and Bothwel and his Associates forced to fly.

Anno Dom. 1593. The Queen was de­livered of her first Born in Sterli [...]g, where he was Christned in the Chappel Roval, by the Name of Henry Frederick. Two [Page 173] Years after, Princess Elizabeth was born at Edenburgh.

The King resolving to bring the Church of Scotland to a Conformity in Government, and Ceremonies, did occasion much con­fusion; for the Ministers strong opposed; having also a great part of the Nobility on their side. The Popish Lords and others unable to stand out any longer, submitted to the Censure of the Church. The next Year a Parliament is called, wherein the King will have some of the Ministers sit as representing the Church; being Church Affairs, as well as Affairs of State are handled there.

Anno Dom. 1599. John Earl of Goury, and his Brother Alexander, attempt to kill the King at Perth; but both of them dyed in the attempt, and had all their Lands seized for the Kings use. In com­memoration of which, the 5th. of August is annually celebrated.

The 26 th of February, 1600. Prince Charles was born at Domfermling, which afterward was King of Great Britain, &c. The Jesuits having no hope of Tole­ration in Scotland, all their Politicks hav­ing failed them, they went the old way to work. One Moubray at the Court of Spai [...], undertook to kill King James, but as he was upon his way to London, he [Page 174] was discovered by an Italian, who ac­cused him of his intended Murther; whereupon they were both taken, and sent to Scotland. Moubray was commit­ted to the Castle; where having found a way to break the Iron Grates of the Pri­son window, thought to have let himself down by a Rope; which proving too short, he fell from the precipice, and dashed out his braines upon a Rock.

Queen Elizabeths health beginning to decay, by reason of her age, and the great troubles she had undergone, removes from London to Richmond, where she dai­ly became weaker and weaker. The Lord Admiral, Lord Keeper, and Secretary Cecil came from the Council to know her plea­sure concerning her Successor. She answe­red, My Throne is for a King, none oth [...] shall Succeed me. Cecil asked her, What King? She said, What other King, than my Kinsman the King of Scots: Then after some time not stirring, she leasurely turn­ed her head about and dyed, the Seven­tyeth year of her Age, the 24th. of March. 1602.

Her eyes being shut, the same day the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being As­sembled, proclaimed her death, and de­clared King James her Successor: Pre­sently Posting Letters to him, acquaint­ing [Page 175] him with the Queens Death, and (be­ing a Body without a Head) humbly de­siring his Majesty to hasten to them, how soon, and in what manner he pleaseth. The King having communicated these Letters to his Privy-Council; returns them his acknowledgment of their duti­full Affection.

The King sets out for England, ordering the Queen to follow Twenty days after, the Princes Henry, Charles, and Princess Elizabeth at further Pleasure. He was most magnificently Entertained all the way, having a Gallant train of Scottish Noblemen and other Gentlemen, to con­vey him to Berwick, where he was most magnificently received by the English, and accompanied with Shouts and Acclama­tions of Joy by all ranks, in his Journey through England, till he came to London. His first Reception was in the Charter-House, where he stayed four days, having confered the Honour of Knighthood upon 80 Gentlemen. On St. Jameses's day the King and Queen were Crowned at West­minster in the Fatal Marble Chair.

Secretary Elphingston was within a few years after accused by the King, for Wri­ting Letters to the Pope in his Name; which he confessed, and was thereupon committed, but soon after pardoned.

[Page 176]The King was not allowed to enjoy the pleasure of his new Title with Peace, for soon after followed the Trea­son of the Lord Cobham and Gray, with Sir Walter Rawley, and others; for which, some of the number being condemned to dye, and brought to the very Block, obtained a Pardon.

His Majesty took upon him the Title of Great Britain, to take away every thing that might be occasion of discord amongst the Subjects of the two Kingdoms, and to that effect were sundry of his Majesties Chief Officers of Estate, sent for to Eng­land by Commission; viz. The Earl of Mo [...]rose Great Chancellour of Scotland. Francis Earl of Errol, Lord great Con­stable, Alexander Lord Urquhart and Fyve President. Sir Thomas Hamilton Advocate, the Lords, Lithgow and Roxburgh; with sundry others of the Nobility, with Sir John Sharp, and Sir Thomas Craig, Learn­ed Lawyers. These meeting with the Chancellour, Treasurer, Secretary, had many Learned Orations, Conferences, and Speeches, wherein the King assisted him­self sometime in person. This great meet­ing was dissolved without any great bu­siness done.

At this time came to England Don John de Velasco great Constable of Castile, and [Page 177] Extraordinary Ambassador from the King of Spain, to take Oath of the King for obser­vation of the Articles of Peace concluded between these two Kings. Like as Baron Howard of Essingham, and Earl of Not­tingham, and High Admiral of England, was sent into Spain, to take the King of Spain's Oath for observation of Peace. Like as Edward Baron of Beauchamp and Earl of Hartford, were sent into the low Countries for the same purpose. The Earl of Rutland was sent into Denmark, and sun­dry Noblemen and Gentlemen, to sundry Kings and Princes, and Common-wealths, his Confederates and Allyances. Tho­mas Percie, Robert Catesbee, Thomas Win­ter, by the instigation of some Jesuits, having intended to Overthrow the King, His Queen, and Posterity, at one blow, intended that most inhumane and barba­rous Treason, called, The Powder-Plot; and to that effect, associating themselves with Sir Edward Dick [...]ee, Ambrose Rock­wood, John Grant, the two Wrights, with sundry others fell to digging of the Vault, where after long travail, hearing that the Cellers were to Let, Hyring the Cellers which were under the Parliament House, to the use of Mr. Thomas Piercie one of the Kings Gentlemen Pensioners, and one of the chief Plotters; where conveying in [Page 178] the said Cellers under the Parliament-House, a great quantity of Gun-Powder, with Billets and Faggots, with sundry other combustible stuff, the principle Plotters removed themselves to Warwickshire, un­der pretence of a Match Hunting, and at that time to surprise Lady Elizabeth, then in the custody of the Lord Hading­ton, whom they meant to proclaim Queen, and in her Name to enter into Arms. But there is an eye in Heaven, that seeth mens actions, and lays them open to the view of the World, by weak means, and weak instruments: All things succeeding thus happily, as they thought; and lea­ving Faukes, alias Johnstoun to give Fire to the Train in the Night time by Torch: The Lord Monteagle going along in his Coach, an unknown Fellow presents him with a Letter: The tenor whereof was to withdraw his Lordship from that session of parliament, wherein there was some­thing to be done against the Catholicks, but there was a terrible blow to be gi­ven, and no man should know who should be the giver of it, and when the Letter was burnt, the Peril was ended. My Lord Monteagle, in Religion Popish, not­withstanding delivereth the Letter to Sa­lisbury, who acquainting my Lord Cham­berlain, and after my Lord Admiral, and [Page 179] the Earls of Worster, and Northampton, who not finding out the meaning of the Letter, and knowing that the KING was well seen in such hid misteries, present it to his MAJESTY in the privy Gallery: The King Reading it o­ver, and over again, Salisbury told him that he thought some Mad Fellow had written it: his Majesty asking the rea­son of Salisbury: He replyed, because he writ there was a terrible blow to be gi­ven, and no man should know who should be the giver: His Majestie answered, that the last sentence made the other more clear: That the Letter being burnt, the Pe­ril was ended, which the burning of the Letter could make to no purpose to hinder the Peril. The King assured him that is was some blowing up of powder, and therefore desired that his houses might be surveyed. After examinati­on, Wh [...]ngard, keeper of the Parlia­ment House, told that he had let the House to Mr. Thomas Perci [...]; & after some pains taken that same night, by the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Knevet, Mr. Dou­blede, found the foresaid Faukes with a Dark Lanthorn, ready to enter the House, but he being apprehended, the Blow was prevented; where swift fame carrying it down to the Country, the principal Plot­ters [Page 180] knew not where to flee to hide their heads. They surprize Warwick Castle, where being affrighted with drying of Gun-Pow­der, and other strange Dreams, seeing Castles and Towers blown up in the Air, they were at last besieged in the Castle of Warwick where Percie and Catesbee were both Shot with one Musquet, shot back to back, the rest were apprehended and brought to London, where after the Confession of all for the most part, and penitence and contrition in some, craving pardon of his Majestie and Countrie, for such an horrible and inhumane Fact, Catesbee, Grant, Winter, and Bates were Executed at the West of Pauls; as also, Winter, the two Wrights, and Faukes, and Ambrose Rockwood at Westminster. So here we see the God of light brought the deed of Darkness to light, and as they said by their Confession, to cast the asper­sion and Guilt of the Action upon the Puritanes, so the God of Heaven would have it to fall upon the Plotters them­selves.

After this followed the Nuptial of that Noble Lady, Lady Elizabeth, matched with the Prince Palatine of the Rhyne. At which time that Noble Prince, Prince Henry ▪ a prince so compleat of all Vertues, that Europe could not shew his second, a [Page 181] Prince so Mars-like, and so beloved of all military men, and so beloved of them; that true Moecenas of Vertue, and Learn­ing; as appeared by his Valiant, his Ac­tive, and his Princely prise, wherein he intituled himself by the Name, Moelia­des, Lord of the Isles; challenging the Gentrie of Great Britain; which was per­formed in the Hall of Whitehall by Torch Light; the challengers were with him, the Duke of Lennox, the Earls of Arundal, Southampton, Pembr [...]ke, Sir Thomas Somer­set, and Sir Richard Preston; where before the King, the Queen, the Peers of the whole Island, with the concurrence of all For­raign Ambassadors, where he gave testi­mony of his Activeness, Agility and Quick­ness, which cannot be expressed to the Life, how every thing was done in the Ac­tion, and performed, and the prises gi­ven to the defendants, where the chal­lengers and defendants were most Royal­ly Feasted the next day, as the prise and reward of their Vertue and Valour, gi­ven by the Noblest Lady of Britain, ac­cording to the Tennor of the challenge; and was given by Lady Elizabeth his sister, viz. 1. Philip Earl of Montgomerie. 2. Thomas Dearsie, son to the Lord Dear­sie. 3. Sir Robert Gordon of Lochinvar. This Triumph being ended to his no small [Page 182] Honour. Much more might be said of this great Prince, who was taken away in the prime of his Years, (to the great grief of all his Majesties most loving sub­jects) to eternal happiness: for our sun­set, ensued no night, by arising of the day star of our Britain, CHARLES our hope, who long may raign over us.

His Majesty being possest with a longing desire to see his Ancient native Kingdom; made Progress in Anno 1617. and did so much by easie journey, till he came to Ber­wick upon Tweed; where he reposed him­self two or three dayes. From thence he came to the Bound-Rod: The Earle Hume hereditary Sheriff of the Mers, welcomed his Majesty with a gallant train of Gentle­men, being three thousand well mounted. His Majesty alighted at the Rod, and recei­ved the Dukes of Lennox and Buckingham, the Earls of Arundale, Rutland, Pembroke, Southampton, Montgomery, and Carlile, with many others of his Court, very Royal­ly, making them welcome; and mounted his Horse again: He rode to Dunglasse the Earl of Hume his residence, where he was boun­tifully entertained. The next day he re­moved to Seaton, the residence of the Earl Winton, where he was most Royally enter­tained. The next day he rode forward to­wards Edinburgh, where compassing the [Page 183] Town, riding the way of the Long-gate, he entred the West Port, where the Provost, Bayliffs and Counsel attended him in their bounds; where Mr. John Hay, in name of the town, made an eloquent Oration, welcoming His Majesty, and was delivered to him a fair Bason with a thousand Pieces of Gold. Ri­ding along to the high Church, being con­ducted by the Trained Bands of the Town, being clad in Velvet and Satin with Parti­zados in their hands; and entring there he heard a Learned Sermon, by the Right Reverend Father in God the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews; where after Sermon, he mounted his Horse and going toward the Abby, where at St. Johns Cross, the Pro­vost taking leave of him, his Majesty Knighted him. And within few dayes his Majesty rode to his Parliament, with his Peers, Prelats, Barons, and Burgesses, and thereafter was most sumptuously feasted by the Town of Edinburgh. It is needless to set down in particulars what was done, be­cause I intend Brevity. His Majesty removed to Linlithgow, and so to Striviling; where he was feasted by the Earl of Marre: Thereafter he went to Dunfermling, Faulk­land, Scone, &c. Where by the way he was feasted at Dearcie the Arch-Bishops residence. It were tedious to rehearse the Learned Orations, Poetical Poems, which [Page 184] were presented to His Majesty and are extant in a Book, called, The Muses Wel­come. His Majesty crossing Tay to Angus, had every where most Royal Entertain­ment; and returning the same way to Sterling, and so to Glasgow, where he was received by the Town: Thereafter he went to Lochlowmount, where he hunted, and slew many Deer; and crossing the Ri­ver of Clyde to Pasiey, where he was En­tertained three dayes together by the Earl of Abercorne: From thence to Hamilton Pallace, where he was Honourably Enter­tained by the Marquess: From thence to Sanquihair, and so to Dumfries: Thereafter crossing the River of Eske, he went to Carlile, where he kept his fifth Day of August. And so taking along the West Sea Bank, through the Countries of Cumber, Westmerland, Lancashire, and Cheshire, and so crossing through the middle of England, he returned to London in health, with great joy and content of His Majesties loving Sub­jects; where he lived a long time after in great Tranquillity and Peace with the Christian Princes his Neighbours, bal­lancing the affaires of Europe, and labouring the peace and quiet of all Christen­dom. His Piety, Religion, Learning, Bounty and Mercy, would of it self take a Volume, but every one of these lives [Page 185] after him, and speaks for him, as may ap­pear by many excellent Poems he writ, as some part of Davids Psalmes, some part of Du Bartus Divine weeks, Lepanto, his Ba­silicon doron, his Book of Demonology, his premonition to Christian Princes, his Book against Conradus Vorstius, &c. are all suf­ficient of themselves to testify of him, and need no other blazing. He went to Eng­land the 36. of his Age, and brought with him his Queen, with a Goodly and Roy­al Progeny, bringing with him King­doms, Unity, Peace and Plenty, and end­ing his Pilgrimage (being full of dayes) at his House in Theobalds the 59th. Year of his Raigne, upon the Sabbath, to the everlasting Sabbath, where he rests. He was buried at Westminster.

This Illustrious Monarch having dyed in a good old Age, left the Diadem of Three Kingdoms, in Succession, to his Son Charles, the first of that Name, who was immediately Proclaimed, being on a Sun­day morning, when Doctor Laud then Bishop of St. Davids, was in the Pulpit at White-Hall, and broke off his Sermon upon the first Notion of the Fathers Death. He was set upon the Throne, A. M. 5682. Anno Dom. 1624. He Married Henrietta-Maria, Daughter to the French King, Henry the Fourth; and Sister to [Page 116] Lewes the Thirteenth, of the Family of the B [...]urbones, whom he had formerly seen, as he passed through France into Spain: Ha­ving gone to meet her at Dover, his first Complement to her, was, That he desired to be no longer Master of himself, than he was Servant to her, which he made good to the full.

He called his first Parliament at West­minster, which Assembled the Fifteenth of June following, Anno Dom. 1624, where­in the King declared his want of Money, and the great Charge he was like to be put to, upon several Accounts, both at Home and Abroad; especially to maintain the Army which was listed for recovering the Palatinate.

The Parliament having several Petiti­ons, which were presented to King James a little before his Death, un-answered; Petitioned his Majesty to Redress those Grievances which concerned Religi­on and Priviledge, without which they could come to no Conclusions for raising of Money; whereupon the King gave them full Assurance of all their Demands; so they immediately Granted two Subsidies from Protestants, four from Papists, and three from the Clergy.

After this the Parliament did not Sit long; for the last Subsidies not being e­nough [Page 187] to defray the King's necessary Charges, he urges the Parliament for more; but they, instead of answering his Just Demands, fall foul upon his Servants, who managed his Revenues, especially the great Duke of Buckingham: This came to such a Height in the Houses, that they came to the Canvasing his Commings in, his great Revenues of Crown Demeans, which they would Revoke, and Resume to supply the King's Wants; which made the King, in great Regret, resolve to give an end to their Sitting; and accordingly the next day Dissolved them. The City of London was at this time much wasted with a long Plague, which was the occasion of remo­ving Michaelmas Term to Redding. There was another Parliament called soon after, but they began where the former left; present Grievances, and impeach: Buck­ingham.

Upon May the Nineteenth, 1630. The Queen was Delivered of a Son at Saint James's, who was Christened Charles, and Preserved by Providence, to Succeed his Father, to the Royal Scepters of Three Kingdoms; the King of France, and the Prince Elector Palatine, represented by the Duke of Lennox, and the Marquess of Hamilton were his God-Fathers; and the Queen-Mother of France, represented by [Page 188] the Dutchess of Richmond his God-Mo­ther.

The King in the Year 1633. made a Journey to Scotland, attended with a splen­d [...]d Train of the Nobility of both King­doms; and upon June the Eighteenth, was solemnly Crowned King at Edinburgh; which Solemnity being over, his Majesty called a Parliament, and in which he pas­sed an Act, for Ratification of the old Acts; some suspecting, that the Confir­mation of Episcopacy was by it intended, with all their Strength opposed it, but in vain.

Not long before his Majesty went to Scotland, being desirous (if possible) to have it prevented, he Writ to a Lord, who had the Trust of the Crown, to bring it to England, that he might be Crowned there: But the Lord answered, That he durst not for his Life do it; but if his Majesty would be pleased to accept of it in its proper place, he should find his People there ready to yield him the highest Honour; but if he should put it off much longer, it might tend to his Majesties and their great Loss; neither could they be long without some to Govern them.

In the Year 1633. October the Thir­teenth, the Queen brought forth her second Son, who was Baptized James, and enti­tuled, [Page 189] Duke of York: Much about this time the Discontents in Scotland began to increase; some of the Nobility siding with the Male-contents; of which the Lord Balmirreno, the chief Secretary of State was one, who was thereupon Ar­raigned by his Peers, and found Guilty; but obtained the King's Pardon.

December the Twenty-Eighth, 1635. the Lady Elizabeth was Born; and now great Differences arose about Church-matters, chiefly occasioned by Arch-Bishop Laud's zealous injoyning of Ceremonies, as pla­cing the Communion-Table at the East end of the Church upon an Ascent, with Rails Altar-wayes, with many other things not formerly insisted on by the Church, but now obstinately opposed by many, which brought things into great confusion.

His Majesty earnestly desiring an Uni­formity in Religion in Scotland (a thing attempted before by King James) enjoy­ned the Scots the use of the Liturgy and Surplice, with all the English Ceremonies, and began first in his own Chappel; Pro­clamation being made, That the same Or­der should be kept in all Churches: The Bishops were satisfied with it, but the Ministers and People was so disconten­ted, that when the Dean of Edinburgh be­gan to read the Common-Prayer, the Women [Page 190] began to grumble; upon which, the Bishop of Edinburgh steps up into the Pulpit to command Silence; but this did but aug­ment their Fury to such a height, that they Assaulted him; some with Cudgels, others with Stones, and others (for want of better Weapons) were forced to pelt him with the Stools upon which they sat, to the great hazard of his Life: The Arch-Bishop of of St. Andrews (being then Lord Chancel­lor) interposing, was like to have been served with the same sawce: The like Disturbance happened in several other places; whereupon the Council emitted Proclamations to prevent Tumults; which was so little regarded by the multitude, that the Bishop of Galloway, going the next day to the Council, was by them pursued to the Council Chamber. They Seized also the City Magistrates, that they might not joyn with the Council to curb them. The Lords of the Council having at length, with fair words, in some mea­sure, pacified them, they presently emit Proclamations to keep the Peace, but pro­duced no such Effect; for they stifly pe­titioned against the service-book; which in­censed the King extreamly: Thus matters went in the Year 1637.

The next Year the Scots hearing, That the King was making preparations in Eng­land, [Page 191] to reduce them by force, they en­tred into a Covenant, to defend the Reli­gion they profest; whereupon, they sent for General Lesly, and other Officers from beyond Sea, putting themselves in a po­sture of Defence: But the Duke of Ha­milton obtained a Declaration from the King, discharging the use of the service-book, & the five Articles of Perth for a time; consenting also, that Church-matters may be ordered by general Assemblies. This Decla­ration▪ being published, and a general As­sembly convened at Glasgow; the Bishops are summoned to appear there as Guilty persons; but in answer to the Summons, the Bishops sent in a Protestation against their Assembly; which the Covenanters, for a while, would not vouchsafe to Read, until they had dispatched what business they pleased: The King, having notice of their Proceedings against the Bishops, or­dered their Assembly to be dissolved, which accordingly was done; but the Co­venanters presently emit a Protestation a­gainst it. In this Assembly they quite abo­lished Episcopacy: Whereupon, the King raises an Army in England, with which he marched in Person against the Scots; but while his Majesty stayed at York, by the mediation of some persons, a Treaty of Peace was agreed upon; wherein it [Page 192] was agreed, That the King should pub­lish a Declaration, ratifying, what his Commissioners had promised in his name: That a general Assembly, and a Parliament be held at Edinburgh within a short time: And lastly, That upon disbanding their Forces, and restoring the King to his Forts and Castles; the King was to recall his Fleet and Forces, and make Restitution of their Goods since the Breach.

The King not finding the Scots punctu­al to their Articles, returned to England, and Nullified the agreement resolving now to try other courses: Whereupon, the Scots apprehending their danger, pre­pared for their own defence. The King resolves upon a War; and with some difficulty compleateth his Army, where­of himself was Generalissimo. He be­gan his march to the North, July the Twentieth, 1640. by which time the Scot­tish Army was upon the Border: Where­fore the King sent the Lord Conway with Twelve Hundred Horse, and Three Thou­sand Foot, to secure the Passes upon the River Tyne. General Lesly being advan­ced thither, desired Leave to pass to the King with their Grievances, which was denied; whereupon he commands his Horse to take the Water (the Foot to their no small hazard following) and force [Page 193] their Passage; which they did, and put the Lord Conway to a disorderly Retreat. Soon after, they took New-Castle, and then Durham.

At last, His Majesty condescends to Treat with them, and to that end, re­ceives a Petition from them, containing their Grievances; for redressing of which, it was agreed, That sixteen English Lords should meet with as many Scots. Rippon was a place appointed for the Treaty; here they appointed another Treaty to be held at London for composing all diffe­rences.

Much about this time Montross fell off from the Covenanters, having by several private Letters tendered his service to the King, which came all to be discovered by the means of some that were about His Majesty. However, the Treaty went on at London, and at last was concluded: Where­upon the Scots, after five months abode in England, returned home.

By this time a Parliament was called at Westminster; wherein the breach was so far from being healed, that it was made wider. Divers of the Kings Favourites were impeached; amongst which, Arch-Bishop Laud was one, and soon after him the Earl of Strafford.

[Page 194]This Year 1641. His Majesty went to­wards Scotland, where he was entertained with great Demonstrations of Affection; and confirmed the Treaty between the two Nations, by an Act of Parliament, which he summoned himself during his a­bode there. In the mean time, the horrid Rebellion in Ireland broke out; wherein those cruel Butchers, did most barbarously murther about 200000. Protestants, Men, Women and Children. The King being then in Scotland, moved the Parliament to send thither Sir George Monroe with 2500. men to reduce the Rebels.

The King being returned from Scotland, (the Parliament then sitting at Westminster) the breach daily grew wider; wherefore the Scotish Commissioners interposed be­tween the King and Parliament, for com­posing their differences, which were now grown to such a height, that the King not long after left London, and returned to York.

Now began the Calamity of a sad War; for which they began Vigorously to make preparations on both sides. The Scots finding (as they pretended) that the King was refractory to an Agreement with his Parliament; and giving ear to those vile Libels that were spread abroad, which accused His Majesty of conniving [Page 195] at the Papists both in England and Ire­land (being called by the Parliament to their assistance) entred England, Jan. 16. 1643. their Army being in number 18000. Foot, and 2000. Horse.

In the mean time matters are fitting in Scotland, by James Earl (afterward Marquess) of Montross; who having re­ceived the Kings Commission by Sir Robert Spotswood, to be General Governour of Scotland, passed into the heart of the King­dom; where he raised what men he could for the Kings Service, resolving with them to divert the Covenanters. They upon the other side raised an Army to oppose him. Their first Rencounter was near Perth; where the Covenanters under the Command of the Lords Elcho, Tullibardine, and Drumond were quite routed; here the Atholmen and Irishmen, of which he had 1500. did him good service. From thence he marcht Northward, to Aberdeen; where at the Bridge of Dee, he defeated another Body of the Covenanters, under the Lord Burleighs command.

After this Victory, he went about most of the Northern Countries, and brought a great many of them under Subjection, though himself and his Army were re­duced to great straits by reason of the coldness of the weather, and scarceness [Page 196] of Victuals, yet he would not give over his enterprise. From thence he marched into Argileshire, where he burnt & destroy­ed all before him, and returned back a­gain to Lochabor. He stayed not long there; when hearing that Argile was com­ing against him, and was already the length of Innerlochy, He resolves (finding his men bent for't) to fight him, which ac­cordingly he did, and quite worsted him. Not long after, he had an absolute Victo­ry over General Major Hurry at a place in the Highlands, called Aldearn, which did very much weaken the Covenanters. And Baily resolving revenge, at Alford was served with the same sauce himself.

The next Victory that this Valiant Champion obtained, was at Kilsyth; a fa­tal day it was to the Covenanters: for here they lost a great many Gentlemen of Quality, besides a vast number of com­mon Souldiers: yea, such of their Lead­ers as escaped this bout, finding (as they thought) their strength quite gone, fled some to England, others to Ireland, and some also came in, and Submitted to Montross upon Mercy. Thus things being, in humane probability, brought to great order, Montross receives Orders from the King at Oxford, to march Southward with his Army: Where His Majesty pro­mised [Page 197] to send him some recruit of Horse to fight Sir David Lesly, who was com­ing from England against Montross: But L [...]sly preventing the Kings recruits, sur­prises Montross at Philiphaugh, where he quite routed him. Thus the wheele of For­tune turnes now upon this gallant Noble­man, who was Conqueror hitherto, and forces him with a very few followers to shift for himself, leaving many of his Friends dead in this fatal place. Montross by this loss, being brought very low, he marched toward the North with the few men he had; and after many endeavours to make up his Army again, he is surprised by a Message from His Majesty, Commanding him to lay down his Armes, and go into France, where he should stay till further Orders; which ac­cordingly he did, though with great re­luctancy, in the Year 1646.

But to return to the Scots Army in England: They after they had served the Parliament upon several occasions, and particularly at Marston-Moor, where they helpt them to obtain a Victory against Prince Rupert, retired to New-Castle. The King being brought so low, that he was hardly able to keep any thing of an Army in the Field, came thi­ther in disguise, acquainting the Scotish-General, [Page 198] That he would now commit him­self to him; looking upon him as a man of Honour, that would do nothing but what is Just and Loyal, in a matter of such weight; The General answered His Majesty, He would with all his heart serve him, and that the most effectual service that he thought he could do him, was to mediate a Peace between His Majesty and His Par­liament.

The Parliament being Advertised, that the King was in the Scotish Army; sent their Messengers thither, to know upon what account they detained the King of England in their Camp; who were only called in to assist the Parliament, but not to Act by themselves: Telling them fur­ther; That if the King were in Scotland, as he was then in England; they would not pre­sume to keep him up from his Subjects there, as the Scots did in England; the Com­mittee of the Army answered, That they knew very well the People of Englands Right to the King to be as good as theirs; neither did they detain His Majesty from them, but that he was with them as their King; in no wise under restraint, but at full Liber­ty as became his Majesty to be. And fur­ther, that it was their earnest desires to see a well-setled Peace between His Majesty and his two Houses. Presently after, they had [Page 199] another message, desiring them to return home; for that the Parliament had no further service for them; thanking them withal for the Service they had done. The Committee replyed, that they came not to England without the Parliaments call, and that the Terms upon which they were invi­ted thither, were not fulfilled by the Parlia­ment, their Army wanting almost 500000 l. of their Arrears: That upon payment of it, they would go home. At last it was agreed, that the Scots should have 200000 pound of their Arrears in hand, and the rest should afterward be sent after them. So that within—weeks after, they would draw the Army out of England. As for the Kings Person, it was agreed, That he should be kept by the English in Honour and Splendor suitable to his Roy­al Dignity, and that nothing should be transacted in England concerning His Ma­jesty, without the Advice and Consent of the Scots. Thus were they befooled by perfidious men, which brought a great reproach upon Them and their Posterity. Though it be false that they Sold him, yet it is a sad truth, that His Majesty told them, that the English would no longer stand to their Agreement, than they thought it for their Interest.

[Page 200]His Majesty being now in the English's hands, they at first carried themselves some­what respectfully to him; but they began soon after to appear like themselves; having purged the House of Commons of all such as they thought would oppose them, they began to keep His Majesty almost a close prisoner in the Isle of Wight.

The Scots hearing how the King was thus (contrary to the promise and engage­ment) abused by the English, sent their Commissioners to London, to put the Par­liament in mind of the agreement at New-Castle; but before they came, the Game was altered (the Parliament being purged by the Army) the barbarous Juncto prove unexorable; wherefore the Commissioners re­turn home, and acquainted the Nobili­ty how matters stood: Whereupon an Ar­my is presently listed under the Duke of Hamilton, with which he marches to En­gland, but is unfortunately overthrown at Preston; most of the Souldiers being kil­led, and himself taken prisoner, and brought up to London; where, not long af­ter, he, together with the Earl of Hol­land, and Lord Capel, were Executed on Tower-hill.

Within a few days, his Majesty is brought from the Isle of Wight to Windsor; du­ring his abode there, the Officers of [Page 201] the Army, and the Members they left in the House, proceeded to that height of Insolence, as to bring the King to a Try­al. Which, when it was Voted, and passed in the pretended House of Commons, they proceeded to make an Act for the Try­al of his Sacred Majesty; which they in­tituled, An Act of the Commons of England, assembled in Parliament, for Erecting of an High Court of Justice, for Trying and Judg­ing Charles Stewart King of England.

This Terrible form of proceeding a­gainst his Majesty, struck great terrour to the hearts of all sober and good men; yea, the Presbyterian Ministers, who before were against him, now declare themselves both in their Pulpits, and by earnest Pe­titions to the Parliament, to be zealous abhorrers of the Kings Death, and eve­ry where make publick Protestations a­gainst the Tryal; yet nevertheless the Juncto goes on: And upon Fryday Janu­ary the 19 th. 1648. his Majesty was brought by a strong Guard of Horse from Windsor to St. James's, and from thence to Westminster, where he was Tryed, and found Guilty, contrary to the Laws of God and Man: And upon January the 30 th. about two a Clock in the Afternoon, he submitted his Royal Neck to the Fa­tal stroak, upon a Scaffold Erected be­tween [Page 202] White-Hall Gate, and the Gate lead­ing to the Gallery to St. Jameses: The 24 th year of his Reign he was Interr'd, in St. Georges Chappel at Windsor.

His sacred Majesty that now Reigns, being at this time in France, with the Queen Mother, is by Unanimous consent of all his Subjects in Scotland, proclaimed at Edenburg, Charles the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland, &c. and presently after, they sent their Commissioners to treat with His Majesty, who was then in the Isle of Jerzey: After much debating on both sides, at last, Breda in Holland is agreed upon, as a fit place for a solemn Treaty. Here the Commissioners from the Church and State, met the King, and delivered the Propositions. During the Treaty, the above­mentioned Marquess of Montross was sei­zed in Scotland, and Executed, which troubled his Majesty so much, that it went nigh to break the Treaty; but at length, through the urgency of Affairs, it was concluded. And being brought to Eden­burgh, it was agreed, that another Mes­sage should be sent to invite the King o­ver, to take Possession of the Crown, which was his own by an unquestionable Title; but the English Parliament replyed, If they could hinder it, it should not be so. [Page 203] Wherefore they prepare an Army to in­vade Scotland, under the command of their General Oliver Cromwell. However, the Scots no wise daunted at the Storms threat­ned from England, resolved to adhere to his Majesty, (though upon their own terms).

The King arriving at the mouth of Spey, in the North, several Lords were sent to accompany him to Edenburgh; but in the mean time, Cromwell was advanced as far as Haddington against him. Sir David L [...]sly, sent Sir John Brown with a Party of Horse, which continued skirmish­ing for some while, but produced no great Effect: The next Rencounter was at Dumbar, where the Scots had a Bloody Overthrow from Cromwel; which did ex­ceedingly strengthen his Interest in Scot­land.

The first work that the Scots went a­bout after this disaster, was the Coro­nation of the King, which was done at Scone; with as great Solemnity, as the state of Affairs could allow: The Cere­mony being over, His Majesty removed to Sterling, resolving to debate his right to Cromwell, where people of all ranks flocked to him; insomuch, as in a short time, he had an Army of 22000 Men; but they dividing amongst themselves, [Page 204] gave Cromwel opportunity to pass over; & forthwith defeating a part of the Kings Army at Innerkething, possest himself of the whole Country: His Majesty seeing (af­ter the defeat) that Cromwel was like to Conquer all Scotland, makes choyce of his most faithful Friends, to venture with him into England; where he might with more safety and advantage hazard three Kingdoms, than in a Field; wherefore with 16000 men he privately marched to Eng­land, by the way of Carlyle; and with­out any considerable opposition, came to Lancashire; where at Warrington Bridge, some considerable Forces of the Parlia­ment were ready to cut down the Bridg, but the Scots were with them so sudden­ly, that they prevented the breaking down of the Bridg, & forced their way over the Planks. Hence his Majesty marched to Worcester in very good order. Cromwel hearing of his motions, sends Lam­b [...]rt with a select Party of Horse; after him the Parliament also raised numerous Forces in most Countryes in England; all which marched to Worcester against the King. In the mean time Lambert gained a most Advantagious Pass at Hop­ [...]on, by a desperate attempt, having cau­sed some of his Troopers to swim the River on Horseback, carrying their Houl­sters [Page 205] and Pistols in their hands, to save them from wet; whereby they put Major General Massey, and his men, to the re­treat: So that the Parliamentarians had a fair opportunity to make a Bridge o­ver the River, over which Cromwel pas­sed, and joyned the rest of the Army; which put the King upon a necessity of Fighting, (the City being attacked on all sides): Whereupon his Majesty march­ed out of the City with horse and foot against them. Where followed a most de­sperate engagement; insomuch that his Majesties Horse was twice shot under him; every man resolving to dye in the Bed of Honour, rather than to have their Prince and Country thus trod upon by the base Usurpers: But the Enemy still advan­cing with fresh supplies where there was need of them, so over powered the Kings Forces, that they were forced at last to give ground, after twice Rallying, to retreat to the City.

His Majesty seeing that all was lost, was forced to Retreat to the City by the same Gate he came out at, having left the Duke of Hamilton, Sir John Douglass, Sir Alexander Forbes, with many other Va­liant Gentlemen behind him. His Maje­sty was exceedingly troubled for the loss of Duke Hamilton; for that he did see [Page 206] him behave himself so Valiantly, and Fighting so desperately, even when he was incompassed with the Enemies Horse and Foot. It being impossible for His Majesty to keep the City long, the whole Nation almost being in Armes against him, he resolves to retire: Accordingly, with some few Attendants, he marched out at twelve a Clock at Night; and think­ing their Number might discover them, ordered every Man to shift for himself: Only with three or four in his Company, he came to a place called Boscobel, where he disrobed himself; and for want of Scis­sers, had his Hair cut off with a Knife; and so with the company of one Careless (who brought him Provision) he betook himself to a Wood, where he lodged in that Famous Royal-Oak: The Soldiers hun­ting about for him, and a Thousand Pounds promised to any that would take Him, either Dead or Alive.

Soon after, His Majesty rode from Bently to Bristol before Mistress Lane (she having a Pass for her self and her Ser­vants) whence He returned, and absconded a while in Sommersetshire, Wiltshire, and Hampshire; and at last came to Briggem­stone in Sussex, where He took Shipping, about the end of October, 1651. and was Safely wafted over to a Creek in Nor­mandie, [Page 207] whence he went to Diep, and there provided himself of such Necessaries as served him until He came to his Mother, who was at the French Court.

Cromwel hearing of Iretons Success in Ireland, and of Lieutenant General Monks Success in Scotland, makes a Mo­tion, That for the Security of the Com­mon-Wealth (as it was then called) the Parliament should be turned out, as a par­cel of Drunkards, Whore-Masters, and Op­pressors; which was accordingly done, and then a new Convention is called, July, 1653. where the Government is put up­on Oliver's Shoulders, by an Instrument delivered to him, by their Speaker Mr. Rouse.

In this Year and the next, were Five Bloody Engagements at Sea, between the English and the Dutch; the English for the most part having the Victory. In the Year 1656. Cromwel calls another Par­liament, which he had so far secured for his Interest, that they invite him to take the Imperial Crown of this Realm; which he, as a cunning Fox (knowing that this step of his Advancement would hasten his Ruine) with pretented modesty declined, contenting himself with being Lord-Pro­tector, which he was made three Years be­fore. Then they Petitioned him to ac­cept [Page 208] of Three-Hundred Thousand Pounds a Year for his Support; to have a New House of Lords; to name his own Suc­cessor: All which (with much ado) he ac­cepted of.

But when Fortune had set him so High, that all the World that heard of it were Astonished: Behold, in the midst of his Triumph he is snatched away by Death, upon September the Third, 1658. He lay in State, at White-Hall, about six Weeks, and then was, in great Splendor, Interred in Westminster Abby, among the Princes of the Royal Blood: His Son Richard was presently Installed in his Place, where­in he had hardly time to look about, when Fleetwood and Lambert, with the rest of the Army thrust him out, calling the Long-Parliament again; this Revolution was followed by another; for soon after, se­veral Gentlemen in Cheshire, under the conduct of Sir George Booth, rose for the Defence of their Priviledges, but were defeated by Lambert; he immediately af­ter turned out the Long-Parliament, and erected a Committee of Safety.

His Majesties Friends looked on with some Hope all this while, seeing all these Metamorphosing of Government, might tend to the opening a Door for His Majesties entring General Monk hearing in Scot­land, [Page 209] how matters went in England, drew his Army towards the Borders: Against him Lambert marched as far as New-Castle, resolving to Fight him; but his men had no heart to the Work, which forced him to give way. In the mean time the remainder of the Long-Parlia­ment, had again Convened with some difficulty, and Dissolved the Committee of Safety; inviting General Monk to march with his Army to London, which he ac­cordingly did; and to requite their kind­ness, gets them Dissolved.

In the Year 1660. Another Parliament was called at Westminster, where, by una­nimous Consent, His Majesty was invited Home; and accordingly, the Twenty-ninth of May following, His Majesty accom­panied with the Dukes of York and Glo­cester, and attended with a Gallant Train of Lords and Gentlemen, Arrived at Do­ver, whence He was conducted through London, in great State to White-Hall; where, by a Lineal Legal Succession, He possesses the Imperial Crown of Scotland, for almost Two Thousand Years: So that, for Royal Extraction, and Long Line of Just Descent, His Majesty may Reckon with any Monarch in the Christian World.