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THE 
HISTORIANS   OF   SCOTLAND. 

VOL.    X. 


THE 


HISTORIANS  OF  SCOTLAND 


VOL.  X. 


ODD  ofc  of 


EDINBURGH 
WILLIAM    PATERSON 

1880 

w 


73032 


of 

Iu0  c  at fcen 


EDITED  BY 


FELIX  J.   H.  SKENK 


VOL.  II. 


EDINBUKGH 
WILLIAM    PATERSON 

1880. 


EDINBURGH  :  T.  AND  A.  CONSTABLE, 
PRINTERS  TO  THE  QUEEN,  AND  TO  THE  UNIVERSITY. 


TABLE    OF   CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


INTRODUCTION, xix 

THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN  :— 

THE  WRITER'S  PREFACE, 1 

BOOK  VI. 

CHAPTER  XV. — Saint  Margaret's  descent,  according  to  Baldred 
the  abbot,  according  to  William  the  historian,  and  according 
to  Bishop  Turgot ;  on  the  authority  of  these  three  and  a 
great  many  historians  that  illustrious  lineal  succession  is 
brought  down  from  the  kingdom  of  the  Angles  to  the  lawful 
heirs  of  Saint  Margaret,         ......       4 

CHAPTER  XVI. — Alfred,  son  of  Ethelwlf,    ....       6 

CHAPTER  XVII. — His  brother  Ethelred  succeeds  him,  .  .  6 
CHAPTER  XVIII. — Malcolm,  King  of  Scots,  and  Henry  of 

England, 7 

CHAPTER  XIX. — King  Malcolm,  .....  9 
CHAPTER  XX. — Malcolm  conquers  the  petty  king  of  Argadia,  1 0 
CHAPTER  XXI. — Death  of  Malcolm  King  of  Scotland,  .  .11 
CHAPTER  XXII. — King  William,  brother  of  the  said  King 

Malcolm, 13 

CHAPTER  XXIII. — King  William  sets  out  for  Gaul  against  the 
wish  of  his  countrymen,         .          .         .         .         .         .14 

CHAPTER  XXIV. — Henry,  the  father,  out  of  hatred  for  Saint 
Thomas,  has  his  son  Henry  crowned,        .         .         .         .15 

CHAPTER  XXV. — War  between  the  father  and  son,  [Kings]  of 

England, .16 

CHAPTER  XXVI.— Capture  of  William  King  of  Scotland,        .      17 


Vlll  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

PACK 

CHAPTER  XXVII. — Reconciliation  of  the  Father  and  Son,  Kings 

of  the  English, .18 

CHAPTER  XXVIII.— Liberation  of  King  William,  .  .  .19 
CHAPTER  XXIX. — Rebellion  of  Galloway  and  fickleness  of  the 

men  thereof,  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .20 

CHAPTER  XXX.— The  noble  cleric  Gilbert  the  Scot,  .  .21 

CHAPTER  XXXI. — Certain  incidents  connected  with  this  matter,  24 
CHAPTER  XXXII. --Restoration  of  the  Earldom  of  Huntingdon 

to  King  William  of  Scotland,     ......     25 

CHAPTER  XXXIII.— Flight  and  Death  of  Henry  Fitz-Empress— 

King  Richard,          .         .         .         .  .         .         .26 

CHAPTER  XXXIV.,     .  ....     27 

CHAPTER  XXXV. — The  harmony,  peace,  and  happy  tranquillity 

between  William  King  of  Scotland  and  Richard,  of  England,  .  29 
CHAPTER  XXXVI. — The  King  of  England  does  homage  to  the 

King  of  France,  .  .  .  .  .  "  .  .  29 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. — Peace  between  the  Kings  of  France  and 

England, .  .30 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. — Quarrel  between  the  Kings  of  England  and 

France,  .         .          .          .         .         .         .   '      .         .31 

CHAPTER  XL. — Fickleness  and  faithlessness  of  the  English,        .     32 
CHAPTER  XLI. — Terms  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace,         .         .         .33 
CHAPTER  XLII. — Agreement  entered  into  over  and  above,          .     35 
CHAPTER  XLIII.- -Peace  between  the  Kings  and  Kingdoms  estab- 
lished and  sworn  again  for  the  third  time  at  Norham,    .         .36 
CHAPTER  XLIV.— King  William's  Death,       .         .         .         .38 

CHAPTER  XLV. — Copy  of  Apostolic  Bull  sent  to  King  William 

on  the  Privileges  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  .  .  .  39 
CHAPTER  XL VI. — Like  Privilege  granted  to  King  William,  .  40 

BOOK  VII. 

CHAPTER  I. — King  Alexander,  son  of  the  aforesaid  King  William,     42 
CHAPTER  IV. — David  of  Huntingdon  and  his  death — But  first 
certain  acts  of  King  Alexander  against  the  King  of  England,  .     43 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  ix 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  V. — David,  Earl  of  Huntingdon,  .  .  .  .44 
CHAPTER  VI. — The  Dauphin  Louis,  the  eldest  son  of  the  King  of 

France,  comes  to  England, 45 

CHAPTER  VTI. — Return  of  Louis  son  of  the  King  of  France,  .  4G 
CHAPTER  VIII. — Interdict  and  Excommunication  of  the  Kingdom 

of  Scotland, 47 

CHAPTER  IX. — King  Alexander's  nuptials,  .  .  .  .49 
CHAPTER  X. — Death  of  Philip  king  of  the  French,  .  .  .50 
CHAPTER  XI. — Mutual  love  between  the  kings  of  Scotland  and 

England  after  the  marriage  contracted  with  the  sister  of  the 

latter,    .         .         .         .         .         .         .  •       .         .         .52 

CHAPTER  XII. — Certain  events  ;  and  death  of  Alexander  IL,  .  53 
CHAPTER  XIII. — Tenor  of  the  Charter  of  Privileges  at  the 

instance  of  Maud  the  Good  Queen  of  England,  daughter  of  the 

Sainted  Queen  Margaret,  .  ..  ,  .  .  .  .54 
CHAPTER  XIIII. — Beginning  of  Alexander  in.  king  of  Scots,  .  54 
CHAPTER  XV. — Removal  of  the  ashes  of  the  body  of  the  most 

blessed  Queen  Margaret,    .         .         ...         .         .         .56 

CHAPTER  XVI.  — Marriage  of  King  Alexander  to  the  daughter  of 

Henry  in.  king  of  England, 57 

CHAPTER  XVII. — The  new  king's  counsellors  suspected,  .  .  58 
CHAPTER  XVIII. — What  manner  of  men  a  king's  counsellors 

should  be,       .........     60 

CHAPTER  XIX. — On  what  days  the  king  ought  to  wear  the 

crown,  etc.,    .........     62 

CHAPTER  XX. — Good  characteristics  and  points  in  a  king,  .  64 
CHAPTER  XXI. — The  counsellors  of  King  Alexander,  a  youth  of 

nine,  are  changed  by  the  advice  of  the  king  of  England,  .  65 
CHAPTER  XXII. — King  Alexander  is  seized  by  his  own  liegemen,  66 
CHAPTER  XXIII. — Battle  of  Largs,  and  victory  through  Saint 

Margaret,  '.  .  . 67 

CHAPTER  XXIIII. — Miracle  by  the  blessed  Margaret,  *.  .  70 
CHAPTER  XXV. — The  petty  king  of  Man  does  homage  to  the 

king  of  Scotland,  .  .  •-  I  .  .  .  .  .72 
VOL.  II.  I 


X  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

PACE 

CHAPTER  XXVI. — Treaty  between  the  kings  of  Scotland  and 
Norway  about  the  islands  of  Scotland — Battle  fought  by  the 
king  of  England  against  Simon  de  Montfort,  .  .  .73 

CHAPTER  XXVII. — Escape  of  Prince  Edward,  who  was  kept  in 
close  custody — Battle  fought,  .  .  .  .  .  .74 

CHAPTEB  XXVIII. — Certain  facts  connected  with  the  welfare 
and  the  history  of  the  realm,  .  .  .  .  .  .70 

CHAPTER  XXIX. — Council  of  Lyons — Birth  of  Sir  Robert  de 
Bruss  king  of  Scotland,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .77 

CHAPTER  XXX. — Breach  between  the  kings  of  England  and  Scot- 
land— Alexander  iv.,  son  of  the  king  of  Scotland,  .  .  .78 

CHAPTER  XXXI. — Cruelty  of  Edward  king  of  England  towards 
the  Welsh — Wailing  and  mourning  of  the  inhabitants  of  Scot- 
land for  the  death  of  the  king's  firstborn,  and  of  the  queen  of 
Norway  and  her  daughter,  who  were  the  heirs-apparent  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  .  ...  .  .  .79 

CHAPTER  XXXII. — This  tyrant  Edward  hinders  the  expedition 
or  passage  to  the  Holy  Land,  by  reason  of  his  ravenous  greed 
— Death  of  the  most  noble  King  Alexander  in.,  .  .  .80 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. — Good  character  and  government  of  this  king,     8 1 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. — Lament  for  the  king — Prophecy  of  the  seer 
Thomas  the  Rhymer,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .82 

BOOK  VIIL 
CHAPTER  I. — Election  of  six  wardens  to  the  government  of  the 

kingdom  after  the  death  of  the  most  noble  prince  Alexander  in.,     84 
CHAPTER  II. — Statement  of  the  right  of  these  parties — The  king 

of  England  chosen  supreme  judge  through  confidence  in  his 

good  faith,      .         .         *    •     •         *.  •       •         •         .         .85 
CHAPTER  III. — King  Edward  treacherously  has  the  nobles  of 

Scotland  summoned  to  the  Council  in  order  to  deceive  them,    .     87 
CHAPTER  IV.,    .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .89 

CHAPTER  V. — Decision  of  the  Parisian  doctors  learned  in  the  law, 

on  the  discussion  of  the  rights  of  the  said  litigants,         .         .     89 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  XI 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  VI. — The  same  continued  ;  the  king  of  England  mis- 
states the  case, 90 

CHAPTER  VII. — The  same  continued — View  taken  by  others,  .  92 
CHAPTER  VIII. — The  same  continued — Their  opinions,  .  .93 
CHAPTER  IX. — The  same  continued — Decision  in  favour  of  King 

Robert, 95 

CHAPTER  X. — The  same  continued,  .  .  .  .  .97 
CHAPTER  XI. — His  subtlety  and  devices,  .  .  .  .98 
CHAPTER  XII. — Their  arguments  at  the  council  of  the  king  of 

England  in  favour  of  the  vassalage  of  the  throne  of  Scotland,  .  100 
CHAPTER  XIII. — Brief  statement  of  the  genealogy  of  the  kings 

of  Scotland,   beginning  from    Saint    Margaret  down   to  the 

daughter  of  the  king  of  Norway,  .  .  .  .  .101 
CHAPTER  XIV. — The  same  continued,  ...  .  .102 
CHAPTER  XV. — The  second  daughter  of  David  of  Huntingdon,  .  103 
CHAPTER  XVI. — Saint  Margaret's  two  daughters,  .  .  .104 
CHAPTER  XVII. — Balliol  and  his  most'wretched  government,  .  105 
CHAPTER  XVIII. — Certain  incidents,  .  .  ,  .  .106 
CHAPTER  XIX. — Terms  of  the  alliance  between  the  kings  of 

France  and  Scotland,        .         .         .         .         .         .         .108 

CHAPTER  XX. — The  treaty  continued — Terms  of  the  principal 

clause,  as  inserted  in  the  royal  letter,  .         .         .         .109 

CHAPTER  XXI. — King  John  withdraws  the  homage   foolishly 

done  by  him  to  the  king  of  England,  contrary  to  the  privileges 

of  the  crown,  *         .         .         .         .         .         .         .111 

CHAPTER  XXII. — The  whole  of  the  beneficed  English  ousted  from 

the  kingdom  of  Scotland  by  Fresale  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews,  112 
CHAPTER  XXIII. — Robert  Bruce  and  Balliol — Their  partisans — 

Disunion  in  the  country,  .         .         .         .         .         .         .114 

CHAPTER  XXIV. — The  castles  of  Scotland  taken  by  King  Edward 

— John  Balliol  taken,       .         .         .         .         .         .         .114 

CHAPTER  XXV. — The  magnates  and  the  Estates  of  Scotland  are' 

forced  likewise  to  do  homage  to  the  king  of  England,  .  .  1 1 G 
CHAPTER  XXVI.— William  Wallace,  .  .  .  .  .117 


Xli  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XXVII. — He  destroys  Northumberland — Other  events,  118 
CHAPTER  XXVIIL— Battle  of  Varia  Capella  or  Falkirk,    .         .121 
CHAPTER  XXIX. — Truce  granted  by  Edward  king  of  England  to 

the  kingdom  of  Scotland  at  the  instance  of  the  king  of  France,   122 
CHAPTER  XXX. — Copy  of  the  papal  bull,        .         .         .          .123 

CHAPTER  XXXI. — Copy  of  the  pope's  letter  sent  to  the  king  of 
England,         .         .         .   '      .         .         .         .         .          .124 

CHAPTER  XXXII. — The  same  continued,          .         .         .          .127 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. — Answer  of  the  barons  of  England,  contain- 
ing a  great  falsehood  and  froward  disobedience,     .         .         .129 
CHAPTER  XXXIV. — Answer  of  the  king  of  England  to  the  papal 

bull,      .         . 130 

CHAPTER  XXXV. — These  allegations  continued,        .         .          .132 
CHAPTER  XXXVI. — Same  continued,     .         .         .         .         .133 
CHAPTER  XXXVII. — Same  continued,    .         .         .         .         .135 
CHAPTER  XXXVIII. — The   same   continued — Copies   of  divers 
letters  sent  to  our   lord   Boniface    viu.    by  the   said   King 
Edward,  to  palliate  his  proceedings  against  the  Scots,     .          .137 
CHAPTER  XXXIX. — Copy  of  another  letter,  of  Honorius  in., 
sent  by  the  king  of  England  to  Boniface  vin.,  against  the  king 

of  Scotland, 139 

CHAPTER  XL. — Copy  of  another  forged  letter,  .         .         .  139 

CHAPTER  XLI. — How  the  Scots  met  the  inventions  of  the  tyrant 

Edward  king  of  the  English, 140 

CHAPTER  XLIL — Instructions  sent  to  the  Court  of  Home  by  the 
prelates  and  barons  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  against  Edward 
king  of  England,     .         .         .  .         .         .          .  141 

CHAPTER  XLIII. — Same  continued,        .         .          .          .         .143 

CHAPTER  XLI V. — Same  continued,        .          .         .         .          .144 

CHAPTER  XLV. — Same  continued,  -  .         .         .          .147 

CHAPTER  XLVI. — Same  continued,         .         .         .•         .         .149 
CHAPTER  XLVII. — Same  continued,       .         .         .         .          .151 

CHAPTER  XL VIII. — Same  continued,     .         .         .         .         .152 

CHAPTER  XLIX. — Rescripts  of  Pope  Gregory,  and  answers,         .   154 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  xiii 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  L. — Same  continued,       .         .          .         .         .          .155 

CHAPTER  LI. — Same  continued, 156 

CHAPTER  LII. — Same  continued,   .         .          .         .         .          .159 

CHAPTER  LIII. — Same  continued,  .         .          .         .          .          .161 

CHAPTER  LIV. — Copy  of  a  letter  of  wailing  and  complaint  made 
by  the  barons  and  lords  of  Scotland  to  the  Roman  pontiff,  first 
setting  forth  and  showing  the  antiquity  of  the  noble  Scottish 
nation,  and  their  first  origin;  secondly,  concerning  their  de- 
parture from  Egypt  and  Greece,  and  the  settlements  they  made 
in  course  of  time  while  journeying  towards  Scotland,  and  the 
many   and    countless   troubles   and   misfortunes   they   passed 
through ;  and,  thirdly,  concerning  the  extraordinary,  tyrannous 
and  cruel  troubles,  assaults  and  lawless  ravages  inflicted  upon 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland  by  the   present  King  Edward  of 
England,         .         .         ...       .         .,        .          .         .163 

CHAPTER  LV.  to  CHAPTER  LXII. — Case  laid  before  the  supreme 
pontiff,  .         * 166 

BOOK  IX. 

CHAPTER  L — Engagement  at  Roslyn,  .  .  »  .  .  .168 
CHAPTER  II. — The  king  of  England  scours  the  country  and  brings 

the  people  (communitas)  of  Scotland  under  his  dominion,  .  169 
CHAPTER  III. — The  king  besieges  Stirling  Castle — Robert  Bruce,  171 
CHAPTER  IV. — League  between  Robert  Bruce  and  John  Cumyn 

— Accusation  of  Bruce,     .         .  *   >         .         .         .172 

CHAPTER  V. — Accusation  and  escape  of  Robert  Bruce,       .         .174 
CHAPTER  VI. — John  Cumyn  killed,        .         .         .         .         .175 

CHAPTER  VII. — Coronation  of  Robert  Bruce,  .          .         .          .176 

CHAPTER  VEIL— Battle  of  Methven,       .         .         .         .         .177 

CHAPTER  IX. — Rout  at  Slenach,    .         .         .         .         .         .179 

CHAPTER  X. — Edward  of  Carnarvon,      .         .          .         .         .180 

CHAPTER  XI. — Successes  of  King  Robert,        .          .         .         .182 

CHAPTER  XII. — Glorious  victory  gained  at  Bannockburn,  on  Saint 

John  the  Baptist's  Day,  by  God's  grace  alone,       .         .          .183 


XIV  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

I'AGK 

CHAPTER  XIII. — Hereditary  entail  aiid  succession  to  the  throne 

made  by  consent  of  the  Three  Estates,  .  .  .  .184 
CHAPTER  XIV. — Edward  Bruce  elected  king  of  Ireland,  .  .186 
CHAPTER  XIX. — Taking  of  the  town  of  Berwick  by  Thomas 

Randolph,       .  187 

CHAPTER  XX. — The  Black  Parliament  of  Scotland,  .         .         .188 
CHAPTER  XXI — The  king  of  Scotland  goes  across  to  England,    .   189 

CHAPTER  XXII. — King  David  Bruce, 190 

CHAPTER  XXIII.— Death  of  King  Robert  Bruce,      .         .         .192 
CHAPTER  XXIV. — Copy  of  an  entail  formerly  drawn  up  touching 

the  hereditary  right  to  the  throne  of  Scotland,  .  .  .193 
CHAPTER  XXV. — The  Earl  of  Murray  is  elected  guardian — Other 

events  at  this  time, .         .         .         .         .        .         .         .195 

CHAPTER  XXVI. — James  Douglas  carries  the  king's  heart  to  the 

Holy  Land,     .         .         ......         .         .190 

CHAPTER  XXVII.— Edward  Balliol,       .         .         .         ...  197 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. — King  David  Bruce  goes  over  to  France,       .  200 
CHAPTER  XXIX. — Letter  sent  by  the  lord  pope  to  the  kings  of 

France  and  of  England  for  peace,  .....  203 
CHAPTER  XXX. — Siege  of  Lochleven  Castle,  ....  205 
CHAPTER  XXXI. — Same  continued,  .....  206 
CHAPTER  XXXII. — His  successes,  and  other  events,  .  .  208 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. —Same  continued,     .         ,         .         .         .210 

CHAPTER  XXXIV.— Kilblein,      • 212 

CHAPTER  XXXV. — Recovery  of  the  castles  by  sir  Andrew  Murray,  214 
CHAPTER  XXXVI. — Same  continued — Black  Annes,  countess  of 

the  Marches,  .  .  .  .  *  .  .  .  .  .216 
CHAPTER  XXXVII. — Death  of  the  most  valiant  and  most  noble 

Andrew  Murray,  the  guardian,   .         .          .         .         .         .218 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII.— Siege  of  Stirling,          .        .         .         .219 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. — King  David's  return  from  France — His  acts 

in  the  beginning  of  his  rule,  .  •  .  .  •  '  .  .  .  221 
CHAPTER  XL. — Cressy — Battle  of  Durham  in  Scotland.  .  .  222 
CHAPTER  XLI. — William  Douglas  slain,  ....  226 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  XV 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XLII. — The  king  of  England  arrives  in  Scotland  after 
the  taking  of  Berwick — The  Balliols  resign  to  the  king  of 
England  their  pretended  right,  ......  227 

CHAPTER  XLIII. — Battle  of  Poitiers, 229 

CHAPTER  XLIV. — King  David  ransomed,        ....  230 
CHAPTER  XLV. — Return  of  the  king  of  England  into  France,     .  231 
CHAPTER  XLVI. — King  David,  on  being  instructed  to  do  so, 
urges  upon  the  three  estates  that  Lionel,  son  of  the  king  of 
England,  should  succeed  him  on  the  throne  of  Scotland,          .  232 

BOOK  X. 

CHAPTER  I. — Coronation  of  Robert  Stewart,    .          «.         .          .235 
CHAPTER  II. — Base  flight  of  Henry  Percy  earl  of  Northumber- 
land,      '«         .         .  237 

CHAPTER  III. — Ambassadors  of  the  king  of  France  sent  into 
Scotland,        ....        V"     :.         .         .         .239 

CHAPTER  IV. — Same  continued,    .        ..         .         .         .         .241 

CHAPTER  V. — An  English  peasant  attacks  and  slays  nobles  and 
magnates,       .........  243 

CHAPTER  VI. — Arrival  of  Henry  duke  of  Lancaster,  uncle  of  the 

king  of  England, 244 

CHAPTER  VII. — Arrival  of  the  French  into  Scotland  in  aid  of  the 
Scots  against  the  English,  .         .         .         .         .         .246 

CHAPTER  VIII.— Acts  of  Robert  Stewart  earl  of  Fife,        .         .  247 
CHAPTER  IX. — Battle  of  Otterburn,        .         .         .         .         .248 

CHAPTER  X. — King  Robert  of   Scotland,   being  of  great  age, 
appoints  his  younger  son,  Robert  duke  of  Albany,  governor 

of  Scotland,    .  251 

CHAPTER    XI. — Coronation   of    King   Robert  in.   and   Queen 

Anabella, 252 

CHAPTER  XIV. — Coronation  of  King  Henry  iv.,  .  .  .  255 
CHAPTER  XV. — Marriage  of  the  duke  of  Rothesay,  .  v  .  255 
CHAPTER  XVI. — Death  of  Black  Archibald  Douglas,  .  .256 
CHAPTER  XVII Betrayal  and  death  of  the  duke  of  Rothesay,  .  257 


XVI  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XVIIL— Fight  of  Nisbet, 259 

CHAPTER  XIX.— Siege  of  Cocklaw  Castle,  .  .  .  .260 

CHAPTER  XX. — Battle  of  Shrewsbury, 261 

CHAPTER  XXI. — Death  of  King  Robert  in.  and  capture  of  his 

eldest  son  King  James  i.,  ......  261 

CHAPTER  XXII. — Certain  events  at  this  time,  .  .  .263 

CHAPTER  XXIII. — Outbreak  of  war  between  England  and  the 

kingdom  of  Scotland,  through  Henry  v.  king  of  England,  .  264 
CHAPTER  XXV. — The  earl  of  Buchan  crosses  into  France,  having 

been  sent  by  the  governor  to  the  assistance  of  the  French,  .  265 
CHAPTER  XXVI. — Events  leading  up  to  the  above-mentioned 

battle  of  Baugd,      .  .         .         ...         .         .266 

CHAPTER  XXVII. — Madness  of  King  Henry  v.,  and  beginning 

of  his  mortal  pain,   ........   268 

CHAPTER  XXVIIL— Battle  of  Verneuil,          .      ..         .         .270 

CHAPTER  XXIX. — Description  of  the  battle,    .         .         .         .271 

CHAPTER  XXX. — Same  continued,         .         .  .         .273 

CHAPTER  XXXI. — Same  continued,        .         .         .         .         .275 

CHAPTER  XXXII. — Account  of  the  wonderful  girl  who  was  sent 

by  God's  providence  to  succour  France — Her  exploits,    .         .277 

BOOK  XI. 

CHAPTER  I. — King  James  i.,         .         .         .         .         .         .278 

CHAPTER  II. — Arrest  of  lords  for  the  crime  of  high  treason,  .  279 
CHAPTER  III. — Execution  of  the  duke  of  Albany  and  his  sons,  .  280 
CHAPTER  IV. — Consummation  of  the  marriage  between  the 

Dauphin  and  Margaret, 282 

CHAPTER  V. — Issue  of  the  king  and  queen,  ....  284 
CHAPTER  VI. — The  English  craftily  wish  to  break  the  league 

between  France  and  Scotland,    .         .         .         .         .         .285 

CHAPTER  VII. — How  King  James  i.  besieged  Roxburgh  Castle,  .  287 
CHAPTER  IX. — Death  of  King  James  i. — Measureless  grief  of  all 

Christendom  thereat,  .  .  .  .  .,,...  .  .  288 
CHAPTER  X. — Fearful  penalty  exacted  for  the  king's  death,  .  290 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  xvii 

NOTES. 

•     PAGE 

Notes  to  Book  vi., 293 

Notes  to  Book  vn., 295 

Notes  to  Book  vin.,  .......  297 

Notes  to  Book  ix.,  .  •       .         .         .         .         .         .  301 

Notes  to  Book  x.,         . 303 

Notes  to  Book  XL,  .         .         .                  .         .         .  304 

INDEX,    ...  .307 


INTRODUCTION. 

THE  fifteenth  century  dawned  in  Trance  upon  a  scene  of 
the  most  deplorable  anarchy  and  wretchedness.  The  hundred 
years'  war  with  England  was  fast  drawing  to  its  climax  of 
disaster  for  France.  The  spirit  of  patriotism  which  such  a  war 
might  have  aroused  had  been  crushed  by  the  misrule  of  a  line 
of  incapable  kings.  The  people,  ground  down  by  the  constant 
exactions  of  the  crown,  and  driven  to  desperation  by  the  tyranny 
of  the  nobles,  had  repeatedly  risen  in  revolts  characterised  by 
the  most  brutal  atrocities,  and  these  again  had  been  suppressed 
with  relentless  cruelty.  During  the  brief  intervals  of  truce 
companies  of  disbanded  soldiers  scoured  the  country,  commit- 
ting the  most  frightful  crimes,  and  living  upon  the  plunder  of 
the  defenceless  peasantry.  To  crown  all,  the  madness  of  King 
Charles  vi.  led  to  a  struggle  for  the  reins  of  government  between 
the  parties  of  Burgundy  and  Armagnac,  which  plunged  the 
country  into  the  horrors  of  a  civil  war  stained  with  mutual 
treachery  and  assassination. 

The  capture  of  Rouen  by  the  English  after  a  stubborn 
resistance  seemed  for  a  moment  to  rouse  what  national  spirit 
remained  in  France.  The  rival  factions  consented  to  forego 
their  differences  and  make  common  cause  against  the  foreign 
invader.  But  the  treacherous  murder  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy 
at  Montereau  by  the  Armagnacs  soon  put  an  end  to  all  hopes 
of  such  a  result,  and  threw  the  Burgundian  party  openly 
into  the  arms  of  England.  The  only  hope  for  France  now  lay 
in  the  Dauphin  Charles,  who  had  cast  in  his  lot  with  the 
Armagnacs.  The  resources  at  his  command  within  the  country 


XX  INTRODUCTION. 

were  miserably  inadequate  to  the  task  of  making  head  against 
the  formidable  alliance  of  the  English  and  Burgundians,  who, 
between  them,  were  in  possession  of  a  great  part  of  France ; 
and  his  proscription  for  the  murder  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy 
deprived  him  of  much  of  the  support  he  might  have  counted 
upon  from  the  remainder,  impoverished  and  exhausted  though  it 
was.  In  his  extremity,  despairing  of  help  at  home,  he  sought 
it  abroad.  The  attachment  of  Valentine  de  Milan,  duchess  of 
Orleans,  to  his  cause,  procured  him  a  contingent  of  Lombards, 
and  the  long-continued  friendship  between  France  and  Scot- 
land, combined  with  their  common  hostility  towards  England, 
led  him,  as  the  champion  of  France,  to  hope  for  help  from  the 
Scots.  Accordingly,  in  1420/416  sent  the  comte  de  Vendonie 
on  an  embassy  to  Scotland,  to  beg  assistance  in  terms  of  the 
ancient  league.2 

The  Dauphin  could  not  have  chosen  a  more  fitting  time 
for  his  request.  For  some  years  the  duke  of  Albany,  at 
the  head  of  affairs  in  Scotland,  had  pursued  a  policy  of  peace 
and  friendship  with  England.  The  English  king,  fully 
occupied  with  his  war  with  France,  was  anxious  to  secure  the 
neutrality  of  Scotland;  and  in  King  James  I.  and  Murdach 
Stewart,  Albany's  son,  who  had  been  taken  prisoner  at 
Homildon,  he  held  a  twofold  pledge  of  peace;  for  Albany, 
equally  afraid  of  the  king  of  England  putting  an  end  to  his 
regency  by  releasing  James  I.,  and  desirous  of  obtaining 
his  own  son's  freedom,  had  a  double  reason  for  wishing 
to  conciliate  him.  Thus,  during  a  long  interval  of  peace, 
a  generation  of  young  Scotsmen  had  grown  up,  tired  with  the 
traditions  of  their  fathers'  warlike  deeds,  yet  lacking  an  oppor- 


1  Bower  places  this  embassy  in  1419. 

2  George  Buchanan's  History  qf  Scotland.     Juvenal  des  Ursins  (Nouvette 
Collection  des  M&moires  pour  servir  d  th'tstoire  de  France,  etc.,  by  M.  M. 
Michaud  et  Poujoulat,  Paris,  1836,  vol.  ii.  p.  546)  states  that  Sir  William 
Douglas  and  one  whom  he  calls  "  messire  Thomas  Quelsatry  "  came  to  France 
in  1418  to  serve  the  Dauphin. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXI 

tunity  of  emulating  them.  The  opportunity  now  offered  itself. 
Albany,  since  his  son's  release  four  years  before,  was  more 
inclined  to  break  with  England.  In  case  of  war,  Henry  would 
see  the  advantage  of  keeping  James  in  his  power,  and  thus 
Albany's  authority  was  secured.  Moreover,  he  was  glad  to 
give  employment  to  the  restless  spirits  around  him ;  and,  by 
shifting  the  battle-ground  to  France,  he  would  avert  the  horrors 
of  war  from  his  own  country.  France  indeed  had  long  been 
the  favourite  resort  of  soldiers  of  fortune,  and  the  free  com- 
panies had  made  it  the  acknowledged  field  of  those  who  sought 
gain  or  distinction  by  the  sword.  A  body  of  70001  men  was 
therefore  readily  voted  by  the  Scottish  Estates,  and  sent  to 
France  under  the  command  of  John  earl  of  Buchan,  Albany's 
second  son,  accompanied  by  Archibald  Douglas,  earl  of  Wig- 
town, eldest  son  of  the  earl  of  Douglas,  Sir  Thomas  Seton 
and  Sir  John  Stewart  of  Darnley.  Their  headquarters  were 
fixed  at  Chatillon,  and  they  soon  gained  many  successes  over 
the  English. 

The  first  serious  encounter,  however,  was  at  Bauge*,  in  Anjou, 
in  the  year  1421.  The  duke  of  Clarence,  left  in  command  of  the 
English  forces  during  Henry's  temporary  absence  in  England, 
proposed  to  lay  siege  to  the  castle  of  Bauge  with  10,000  men. 
Thereupon  Buchan,  with  7000  Scots  and  Frenchmen,  marched 
to  Le  Lude,  four  miles  off,  to  give  him  battle.  As,  however, 
it  was  Good  Friday,  they  agreed  to  put  off  fighting  until 
after  Easter,  and  fixed  upon  a  time  and  place  for  the  battle.2 
Notwithstanding  this,  Clarence  attempted  to  surprise  the  Scots 
during  the  truce,  but  was  gallantly  repulsed  and  killed.  The 
description  of  the  battle  given  in  the  Book  of  Pluscarden  agrees 
in  the  main  with  the  other  accounts3  of  it.  Our  Chronicle,  how- 
ever, is  the  only  authority  for  a  statement  concerning  the  death 

1  Our  author  says  10,000.  2  Juvenal  des  Ursine,  p.  564. 

3  Ibid.,  Bower,  Monstrelet,  Berry's  Jfistory  of  Charles  VII.  (Alain 
Chartier),  George  Buchanan. 


XX11  INTRODUCTION. 

of  the  duke  of  Clarence,  who,  according  to  Bower,  followed  by 
Buchanan,  was  wounded  in  the  face  by  Sir  William  Swinton's 
lance,  and  despatched  by  the  earl  of  Buchan  with  a  mace.  The 
Book  of  Pluscarden  gives  the  following  account : — "  The  com- 
mon report  was  that  a  highland  Scot  named  Alexander 
Makcaustelayn  (Macausland),  a  native  of  Lennox,  of  the  house- 
hold of  the  lord  of  Buchan  (Buchanan),  killed  the  said  duke 
of  Clarence ;  for,  in  token  thereof,  the  aforesaid  Macausland 
brought  with  him  to  camp  a  golden  coronet  of  the  finest  gold  and 
adorned  with  precious  stones,  which  was  found  on  his  helmet 
upon  his  head  in  the  field ;  and  he  sold  it  for  a  thousand  nobles 
to  the  lord  Darnley,  who  afterwards  left  that  coronet  to  Eobert 
Houston  in  pledge  for  five  thousand  nobles  he  owed  him." l 

Buchanan  of  Auchmar2  states  that  the  Macausland  referred 
to  here  was  Sir  Alexander  Buchanan,  eldest  son  of  John,  son 
of  Sir  Walter,  eleventh  laird  of  Buchanan ;  and  he  adduces  as 
evidence  the  fact  that  after  the  battle  of  Baugd  there  was 
added  to  the  arms  of  Buchanan  "  a  second  tressure  round  the 
field,  flowered  and  counterflowered,  with  flower-de-luces  of  the 
second,  and  in  a  crest  a  hand  coupee  holding  a  duke's  coronet, 
with  two  laurel  branches  wreathed  round  the  same;  which 
addition  was  retained  by  the  family  of  Buchanan  in  all  time 
thereafter."3 


1  See  page  268  of  this  volume.     This  is  the  passage  quoted  by  George 
Buchanan,   which   identifies   our    Chronicle  as  the   Book   of    Pluscarden. 
Buchanan  says  : — "This  which  I  have  just  stated  is  the  mdre  common  report 
of  the  death  of  Clarence.     But  the  Book  of  Pluscarden  relates  that  he  was 
killed  by  Alexander  Macelselan,  a  knight  of  Lennox,  .  .  .  ;  and  it  says  that 
this  was  then  the  more  common  report." 

2  An  Inquiry  into  the  Genealogy  and  present  stale   of  Ancient  Scottish 
Surnames,  with  the  Origin  and  Descent  of  the  Highland  Clans  and  Family  of 
Buchanan,  by  William  Buchanan  of  Auchmar.     Glasgow,  1820. 

3  Ib.  p.  227.     Probably  the  expression  "  de  familia  domini  de  Buchania, " 
or   "Bouchane,"  as  it  stands  in  the  Glasgow  MS.,  should  be  translated 
"of   the   family  of    the  laird  of    Buchanan,"   as   the   chronicler   always 
speaks  of  the  earl  of  Buchan  as  "comes  Buchaniae."    Even  in  that  case, 
however,  the  expression  would  be  more  applicable  to  "a  cadet  of  the  family 
of  the  Lairds  of  Buchanan"  (see  Preface  to  vol.  i.  p.  xxii.)  than  to  Sir  Alex- 
ander Buchanan,  eldest  son  of  the  laird. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXlli 

The  account  Buchanan  of  Auchinar  gives  of  Sir  Alex- 
ander's family  is  briefly  as  follows.  In  consequence  'of  a 
general  massacre  of  the  Danes  in  Ireland  in  the  beginning  of 
the  eleventh  century,  Anselan  Buey  (or  Fair)  Okyan,  son  to 
Okyan  provincial  king  of  the  southern  part  of  Ulster,  being 
implicated  therein,  fled  to  Scotland.  He  came  over  in  1016, 
landed  on  the  northern  coast  of  Argyll,  near  the  Lennox,  and 
served  with  distinction  under  King  Malcolm  II.  against  the 
Danes.  In  reward  for  his  services  he  was  given  several  estates, 
among  which  were  Pitwhonidy  and  Strathyre.  He  married 
one  of  the  Denniestouns,  a  family  of  consequence  in  the 
Lennox,  and  she  brought  him  part  of  the  estate  of  Buchanan. 
Malcolm  granted  him  arms,  which  remained  unchanged  until 
the  addition  made  to  them  after  the  battle  of  Bauge. 

The  seventh  from  this  first  laird  of  Buchanan  was  Anselan, 
chamberlain  to  Malduin  earl  of  Lennox,  from  whom  he 
obtained  a  charter  of  the  island  of  Clareinch  (Clarines)  in 
Lochlomond  in  1225.1  This  island  was  the  "slugorn,"  or  call 
of  war,  proper  to  the  family.  His  son  Gilbert  was  the  first 
who  assumed  the  name  of  Buchanan. 

The  tenth  laird,  Sir  Maurice,  joined  the  earl  of  Lennox  and 
the  laird  of  Luss  in  their  patriotic  resistance  to  the  English, 
and  refused  to  sign  the  Eagman  EolL  "  There  is  a  traditional 
account  that  King  Robert  Bruce,  after  his  defeat  at  Dalree,  near 
Strathfillan,  by  Macdougal,  lord  of  Lorn,  and  his  adherents, 
came  all  alone,  on  foot,  along  the  north  side  of  Lochlomond 
(being  the  most  rugged  way  of  any  other  of  this  kingdom),  the 
day  after  that  battle,  to  the  castle  of  Buchanan,  where  being 
joyfully  received  and  for  some  days  entertained,  he  was 

1  Auchmar  mentions  this  charter  as  the  oldest  he  had  himself  seen,  the 
earlier  part  of  his  account  of  the  family  being  based  on  hearsay.  This  is 
likewise  the  earliest  of  the  Buchanan  charters  among  the  muniments  of  the 
Duke  of  Montrose,  reported  upon  by  Mr.  William  Fraser  in  the  appendix  to 
the  Third  Report  of  the  Historical  Manuscripts  Commission,  p.  386  ;  and 
Auchmar's  account  is  generally  borne  out  by  those  authentic  charters,  which 
are  numbered  4,  5,  22,  28,  29,  and  30  in  Mr.  Fraser's  Report. 


XXIV  INTRODUCTION. 

secretly  conveyed  by  the  earl  of  Lennox  and  Buchanan  to  a 
place  of  safety.  This  report  is  the  more  probable  in  regard  there 
is  a  cave  near  the  shore  of  Lochlomond,  in  Buchanan  parish, 
termed  the  King's  Cave,  it  being  reported  that  King  Eobert  lay 
over  night  in  that  cave  in  his  journey  towards  Buchanan."1 

The  grandson  of  this  Sir  Maurice  was  John,  who  never  suc- 
ceeded to  the  Buchanan  property,  as  he  died  before  his  father 
Sir  Walter.  John  married  the  heiress  of  Lenny,  and  had  three 
sons.  The  eldest,  Sir  Alexander,  according  to  Auchmar,  was 
the  hero  of  Baug^,  and  was  killed  at  Verneuil.  He  died 
unmarried.  The  second  was  Sir  Walter,  who  succeeded  to 
the  Buchanan  estate;  and  the  third,  John  of  Ballachondachy, 
succeeded  to  Lenny. 

Sir  Walter,  the  second  son,  married  Isobel,  daughter  of 
Murdach  duke  of  Albany  and  Isobel  heiress  of  Lennox,2  and 
had  three  sons,  Patrick,  his  successor,  Maurice  and  Thomas. 
The  second  son  was  the  Maurice  Buchanan  who  was  treasurer 
to  the  Princess  Margaret,  daughter  of  King  James  L  and  wife 
of  the  dauphin  Louis,  afterwards  Louis  XL,  and  who  accom- 
panied her  to  France.3  He  had,  however,  already  been  in 
France  with  Sir  John  Stewart  of  Darnley,  the  constable  of  the 
Scots  in  France,  who  is  mentioned  as  his  kinsman.4 

1  This  Maurice  is  spoken  of  as  Maurice  of  Boucbannane  in  a  charter  to  him 
by  King  David  n.  (No.  28  in  Mr.  Eraser's  Report),  and  is  said  by  Auchmar 
to  have  witnessed  a  charter  as  "  Maurice  Macausland,  dominus,  or  laird,  of 
Buchanan." 

2  Auchmar  says  this  is  attested  by  a  charter  of  1443  by  Isobel  duchess  of 
Albany,  which  is  witnessed  by,  amongst  others,  Walter  laird  of  Buchanan, 
her  son-in-law,  knight. 

8  GoodalTs  Bower,  1759,  voL  ii.  p.  485. 

4  See  vol.  i.  Preface,  pp.  xx,  xxi.  Murdach  married  Isobel  Lennox  in 
1392,  and  their  daughter  Isobel,  even  if  their  eldest  child,  could  hardly  have 
married  Sir  Walter  Buchanan  before  1410.  If  Maurice  was  her  second  son, 
he  could  not  have  been  born  before  1412  or  1413  at  the  earliest,  and  could 
hardly  have  been  spoken  of  as  Maitre  Morice  de  Boconan  in  1427.  Besides, 
Isobel  duchess  of  Albany  is  stated  to  have  outlived  all  her  children,  who  all 
died  without  issue.  Therefore,  if  Sir  Walter  Buchanan  did  really  marry 
Isobel,  daughter  of  the  duchess  of  Albany,  his  three  sons  must  have  been  the 
fruit  of  a  previous  marriage,  and  Maurice  must  have  been  the  stepson  of 
Stewart  of  Darnley's  niece  by  marriage.  This  connection  would  probably 
warrant  his  having  been  called  the  "  parent  dudit  connetable." 


INTRODUCTION.  XXV 

Now  the  anonymous  author  of  the  Book  of  Pluscarden  tells 
us  in  his  Prologue l  that  the  task  he  had  undertaken  was  to 
prepare  an  abridgment  of  Bower's  Chronicle,  adding  thereto 
such  facts  of  contemporary  history  as  he  could  ascertain, 
"  together  with  some  other  wonderful  things  which  I  who 
write  have  known,  seen  and  heard  out  of  this  country;2  as 
also,  lastly,  about  a  certain  marvellous  maid  who  brought 
about  the  recovery  of  the  kingdom  of  France  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  tyrant  Henry  king  of  England,  and  whom  I  saw  and 
knew,  and  in  whose  company  I  was  :  I  was  present  during  her 
endeavours  for  the  said  recovery  up  to  her  life's  end,"  etc. 
Again,  in  speaking  of  the  Dauphiness,  the  Princess  Margaret 
of  Scotland,3  who  went  to  France  in  1436  and  died  there  in 
1445,  he  says,  "  I  who  write  this  saw  her  every  day  alive, 
playing  with  the  king  and  queen  of  France,  and  going  on  thus 
for  nine  years.  But  afterwards,  at  the  time  of  the  contracting 
of  the  marriage  between  Henry  of  England  and  the  daughter  of 
the  king  of  Sicily,  brother  of  the  queen  of  France,  within  eight 
days  I  saw  her  in  good  health  and  dead  and  embowelled,"  etc. 

Thus  the  passages  in  the  Book  of  Pluscarden  for  which  the 
author  seems  to  claim  original  authority,  and  in  which  he  departs 
the  most  from  Bower's  account,  are  those  relating  the  incidents 
connected  with  the  Scottish  expedition  to  France  in  1420, 
down  to  the  death  of  Joan  of  Arc  in  1431,  and  with  the  life 
and  death  of  the  Princess  Margaret  there  from  1436  to  1445. 
If,  therefore,  as  is  assumed  in  this  edition,  the  author  was 
Maurice  Buchanan,  the  stepson  of  the  niece  of  the  Earl  of 
Buchan  and  Sir  John  Stewart  of  Darnley,  and  the  treasurer  of 
the  dauphiness,  his  position  and  opportunities  for  obtaining 
accurate  information  give  these  portions  of  his  work  a  high 
value  as  authentic  history.4 

1  See  this  vol,  p.  3.  *  Namely,  in  France. 

3  See  p.  288  of  this  volume. 

4  There  are  some  difficulties,  however,  in  the  way  of  accepting  concurrently 
Auchmar's  account  and  the  theory  that  the  Book  of  Pluscarden  was  written 

VOL.  II.  C 


XXVI  INTRODUCTION. 

To  return,  however,  to  the  fortunes  of  the  Scots  in  France. 
After  the  battle  of  Bauge",  we  next  hear  of  the  Scots  as  preparing 
to  dispute  the  passage  of  the  English  over  the  river  Loire  in 
1422,1  an  enterprise  which  the  latter,  however,  abandoned  on 
hearing  of  the  death  of  Henry  v.  Then  Buchan,  who  had  been 
made  constable  of  France,  took  Gallardon,  Avranches,  and 
several  other  places  in  the  north-west  of  France,  and  towards 
the  end  of  the  year  went  to  Scotland  for  reinforcements.  He 
returned  to  France  early  in  the  following  year,  accompanied  by 
Archibald  earl  of  Douglas  and  his  younger  son  James  (William 
earl  of  Wigtown,  the  elder  son,  being  left  at  home  sick),  and 
bringing  a  fresh  contingent  of  ten  thousand  men.2  Meanwhile 
Sir  John  Stewart  of  Darnley,  on  his  way  to  reinforce  some 
French  troops  which  had  been  driven  into  Mouson  by  Salisbury, 
turned  aside  to  attack  Crevant ;  but  not  being  prepared  for  a 

by  Maurice  Buchanan.  In  the  first  place,  according  to  Auchmar,  Maurice 
Buchanan  and  his  brothers  were  probably  the  stepsons  of  the  daughter  of 
Murclach  duke  of  Albany  and  Isobel  heiress  of  Lennox,  and  the  fact  of  this 
connection  is  supported  by  the  mention  of  Maurice  Buchanan  as  kinsman  to 
Sir  John  Stewart  of  Darnley,  who  had  married  Elizabeth,  the  younger  sister 
of  Isobel  of  Lennox.  But  it  is  hard  to  reconcile  it  with  the  meagre  terms  in 
which  Maurice  Buchanan,  if  indeed  he  be  our  author,  speaks  of  the  execution 
of  Murdach  duke  of  Albany  and  his  sons  ;  for  the  Chronicle  was  written 
in  1461,  when  there  probably  remained  no  political  reasons  for  reticence 
in  an  author  speaking  of  distinguished  men  so  nearly  related  to  him. 
Another  point  of  difficulty  is  the  expression  which  the  author  uses  in 
describing  the  Macausland  who  killed  the  duke  of  Clarence  at  Bauge\  If 
Auchmar  is  right  in  saying  it  was  Sir  Alexander  Buchanan,  and  if  Maurice 
is  the  author,  then  he  is  speaking  of  his  own  uncle  and  the  eldest  son 
of  the  head  of  his  own  house,  when  he  says  (vol.  i.  p.  356),  "  quidam 
Scotus  montanus,  Alexander  Makcaustelayn  nominatus,  de  Levenax 
oriundus,  de  familia  domini  de  Buchania"  (Buchanan).  The  expression  is 
strangely  inappropriate  to  the  supposed  facts  of  the  case,  and  points  rather  to 
the  probability  that  either  the  author,  whether  Maurice  the  Treasurer  or 
not,  was  not  the  nephew  of  Sir  Alexander,  or  the  Macausland  referred  to  was 
not  Sir  Alexander,  but  perhaps  a  certain  M'Beth,  Baron  M'Auselan,  whom 
Auchmar  mentions  as  "  a  person  of  uncommon  stature  and  strength,  who 
seems  to  have  been  a  contemporary  of  Sir  Alexander."  Auchmar  states  that 
the  Barons  M'Auselan  were  a  younger  branch  of  the  family,  descended  from 
the  second  son  of  the  first  Anselan. 

1  Alain  Chartier  (Berry),  ed.  1594,  p.  41. 

2  Jean  Chartier  (Hist,  de  Charles  VII.,  1661,  p.  7)  says  four  to  five  thousand, 
and  George  Buchanan  five  thousand,  though  the  latter  places  this  expedition 
before  the  death  of  Henry  in  1422. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXV11 

siege,  and  being  refused  the  siege  train  he  had  repeatedly  asked 
the  king  to  supply  him  with,  he  was  unable  to  take  it.  There- 
upon Salisbury  hastened  up  to  relieve  the  town,  and  gave 
battle  to  the  Scots  under  its  walls.1  The  two  armies  were 
separated  by  the  river  Yonne,  the  Scots  occupying  a  hill 
near  the  river,  with  Crevant  in  the  rear.  The  Scots  and  French, 
departing  from  the  tactics  that  had  proved  so  successful  at 
Bange",  allowed  the  English  to  cross  the  river  without  opposi- 
tion. The  English  attack  in  front  was  supported  by  a  sortie 
from  the  town  in  the  rear,  and  Darnley  and  Severac  were  totally 
defeated.  The  greater  part  of  the  Scots,  who  numbered  about 
3000  and  were  in  the  front  ranks,  were  either  killed  or  taken, 
and  several  gentlemen  of  note,  to  the  number  of  400,  were  made 
prisoners,  among  them  being  Stewart  of  Darnley.2 

The  next  great  battle  in  which  the  Scots  took  part  was  that 
of  Verneuil  in  1424.  Ivry,  in  Perche,  had  been  besieged  by  the 
duke  of  Bedford,  and  had  agreed  to  surrender  unless  relieved 
by  a  certain  day.  The  Scots  under  Douglas,  who  had  been 
made  duke  of  Touraine  and  lieutenant-general  of  the  king  of 
France,  and  the  French  under  d'Aumale  and  Narbonne,  hurried 
up  to  relieve  it,  but  arrived  too  late.  They,  however,  occupied 
Verneuil,  and  the  French  leaders  prudently  proposed  to  avoid 
a  pitched  battle  with  the  English,  but  to  leave  a  garrison 
there  and  employ  their  forces  in  less  hazardous  undertakings. 
The  Scots,  on  the  other  hand,  were  bent  upon  fighting,  and 
Bedford's  approach  soon  put  an  end  to  the  dispute.3  Bedford 
despatched  a  herald  to  Douglas  with  a  message  that  he  was 
coming  to  drink  with  him,  and  begging  him  to  stay  that  they 

1  Alain  Chartier  (Berry),  pp.  47-9. 

2  Monstrelet.    Jean  Chartier's  account  is  slightly  different.     He  says  the 
English  were  besieging  Crevant,  and  Darnley  and  Severac  were  defeated  in 
an  attempt  to  succour  the  town.     It  is  remarkable  that  the  chronicler  of 
Pluscarden,  if  Darnley's  kinsman,   should  give  no   account  of   the   battle 
in  which  his  kinsman  commanded  and  was  taken  prisoner.     Bower  (ii.  501) 
states  that  Darnley  lost  an  eye,  and  was  ransomed  for  30,000  crowns. 

3  Jean  Chartier. 


XXVlii  INTRODUCTION. 

might  drink  together.  Douglas  replied  that  he  was  most 
welcome,  for  he  had  come  from  Scotland  to  look  for  him 
in  France,  as  he  had  not  been  able  to  find  him  in  England  ; 
and  that  he  was  to  make  haste  and  come.  The  dispute  in  the 
allied  army,  however,  had  led  to  ill-feeling.  Contrary  to  the 
orders  of  Douglas,  who  wished  to  await  the  advance  of  the 
English,  Narbonne  rushed  out  on  foot  to  attack  them,  and 
Douglas,  fearing  the  result  of  his  rashness,  was  obliged  to  hurry 
up  to  support  him.  Thus  the  Scots  and  French  were  out  of 
breath  when  they  reached  the  enemy,  who  had  been  quietly 
waiting  for  them  j1  and  though  victory  hung  in  the  balance 
for  some  time,  the  English  finally  remained  masters  of  the  field. 
The  battle  is  very  fully  described  in  the  text,  and  all  the 
authorities  agree  very  nearly  in  the  accounts  they  give  of  it.2 
The  allied  army  lost  between  three  and  four  thousand  men,3 
and  Douglas,  Buchan,  James  Douglas,  Alexander  Lindsay, 
Robert  Stewart  and  Thomas  Swinton  were  among  the  slain.11 

The  battle  of  Verneuil  may  be  said  to  have  annihilated  the 
Scots  in  France,  though  some  few  still  remained  under  the 
command  of  Sir  John  Stewart  of  Darnley ;  and  we  hear  of  them 
at  intervals  during  the  next  few  years  as  taking  part  in  the 
gradual  liberation  of  the  country  from  the  yoke  of  England. 

The  following  year  after  this  decisive  battle  Charles  vn.  sent 
Darnley  and  the  archbishop  of  Rheims  to  Scotland  to  ask  the 
hand  of  the  Princess  Margaret  for  the  Dauphin;  and  these 
ambassadors,  after  having  successfully  fulfilled  their  mission, 
returned  to  France  with  a  reinforcement  of  4000  men.6 

1  Alain  Chartier  (Berry),  pp.  49-50. 

2  Bower  (ii.  463)    states  that,  early  in   the   battle,  when  fortune  was 
declaring  against  the  English,  they  were  only  prevented  from  surrendering 
by  having  learnt  that  Douglas  had  ordered  his  men  to  give  no  quarter. 

8  Jean  Chartier.     George  Buchanan  says  about  2000. 

4  George  Buchanan.  Auchmar  states  that  Sir  Alexander  Buchanan  was 
killed  here. 

6  Berry  (Alain  Chartier)  says  that  in  1424  Douglas  and  the  Archbishop  of 
Rheims  brought  4000  men  from  Scotland.  He  mentions  this  expedition 
before  the  battle  of  Verneuil,  and  evidently  mixes  up  the  embassy  of  Darnley 


INTRODUCTION.  XXIX 

We  next  hear  of  the  Scots  in  France  as  joining  the  French 
under  the  Sire  d'Orval  and  Dunois,  the  bastard  of  Orleans,  in 
raising  the  siege  of  Montargis  in  1426.  The  constable  Darnley 
was  not  with  them  on  this  occasion.  He  was  at  Jargeau  when 
the  news  reached  him,  and  was  much  incensed  at  his  troops 
having  acted  without  his  orders.1 

The  final  catastrophe,  however,  in  this  ill-starred  expedition 
was  the  death  of  Sir  John  Stewart  of  Darnley  in  1429,  at  the 
Battle  of  the  Herrings.  He  had  been  sent  with  20,000  men  to 
intercept  a  convoy  of  provisions  which  lord  Talbot  was  bring- 
ing from  Paris  to  supply  the  English  besiegers  of  Orleans. 
Darnley2  fell  in  with  the  convoy  at  the  village  of  Estre"e  Saint 
Denis  in  Beauce  on  the  12th  of  February  1428-9.  The  English 
entrenched  themselves  behind  their  wagons,  and  the  French, 
under  the  due  de  Bourbon,  proposed  to  surround  them  and 
starve  them  into  surrender.  Darnley,  however,  dismounting, 
attacked  them  at  once,  and  was  killed  in  an  attempt  to  rescue 
his  brother  William,  who  also  lost  his  life.  The  French  mean- 
while stood  aloof,  still  mounted,  and  gave  the  Scots  no  assist- 
ance ;  and  the  English  gained  a  complete  victory. 

Thus  ends  this  episode  of  Scottish  history.  The  Scots  came 
over  to  the  assistance  of  France  when  her  fortunes  were  at  the 
lowest  ebb,  and  on  them  for  many  years  lay  the  chief  burden 
of  the  task  of  achieving  her  independence.  Indeed  it  was  only 
when  a  more  powerful  arm  than  theirs,  that  of  the  inspired 
Maid  of  Orleans,  was  ready  to  take  up  the  cause  they  had  so 
long  upheld,  that  the  life  of  the  last  of  this  brave  band  was 
required  of  him.  The  family  of  Darnley,  as  lords  of  Aubigny, 
still  individually  kept  up  their  connection  with  France  for 

and  the  Archbishop  in  1425  with  the  first  arrival  of  Douglas  with  some 
troops  in  1423,  a  mistake  made  also  by  G.  Crawfurd  (Hist,  qf  the  Stewarts), 
who  says  Darnley,  Douglas  and  the  Archbishop  were  sent  to  Scotland  on 
this  embassy,  and  that  4000  men  were  sent  out  in  1426. 

1  Berry. 

2  Berry  speaks  of  him  as  having  just  returned  from  a  pilgrimage  to  the 
Holy  Sepulchre. 


XXX  INTRODUCTION. 

many  generations,  and  rose  to  the  highest  distinction  in  her 
service ;  but  the  record  of  the  enterprise  which  had  so  largely 
enlisted  the  sympathies  of  the  Scots  as  a  nation  was  closed  by 
the  death  of  the  Constable  in  1429. 

The  next  passage  of  Scottish  history  with  regard  to  which 
the  chronicler  of  Pluscarden  claims  to  be  an  original  authority 
is  the  marriage  of  the  Princess  Margaret  to  the  Dauphin  Louis. 
As  already  stated,  this  marriage  was  arranged  in  1425.  The 
contract  was  signed  at  Perth  on  the  19th  of  July  1428,  and  was 
ratified  at  Chinon  on  the  30th  of  October  following.1  The 
Dauphin  was  only  five  years  old  at  that  time,  and  the  Princess 
a  few  months  younger ;  and  for  the  next  eight  years  the  English 
did  all  in  their  power  to  frustrate  the  alliance.  They  sent  Lord 
Scroop  over  to  Scotland  to  ask  the  hand  of  the  Princess  for 
Henry  vi.;2  they  offered  to  enter  into  a  league  of  perpetual 
amity  with  the  king  of  Scotland ;  and  they  proposed  to  give 
up  to  him  Eoxburgh,  Berwick,  and  several  other  places. 
These  proposals  were  laid  by  King  James  before  the  Estates. 
The  clergy  indeed  were  divided  in  their  opinions ;  but  the 
nobles  decided  against  the  English  offers,  and  their  view 
was  adopted  by  the  king.3  At  length,  in  1436,  the  Princess, 
then  only  thirteen4  years  of  age,  embarked  at  Dumbarton,  and 
set  sail  for  France  to  join  her  future  husband.  She  was 
escorted  by  the  Bishop  of  Brechin,  Sir  Walter  Ogilvy  the  king's 
Treasurer,  Sir  Herbert  Harris,  Sir  John  Maxwell  of  Calder- 
wood,  Sir  John  Campbell  of  Loudon,  Sir  Thomas  Colville,  Sir 
John  Wishart  and  many  other  barons,  together  with  master 
John  Stewart  provost  of  Methven,  and  Maurice  Buchanan, 
Treasurer  to  the  Dauphiness,  clerics,  and  150  youthful  squires 
and  a  guard  of  1000  men-at-arms,  in  a  fleet  of  three  large  ships 

1  The  dowry  of  the  Dauphiness  was  to  be  only  12,000  livres,  but  3000 
livres  were  added  when  the  contract  was  ratified  by  Charles  VIT.     Duclos, 
Hist,  of  Louis  XL 

2  G.  Crawfurd's  Genealogical  Hist,  of  the  Stewarts,  Edin.  1710,  p.  23. 

3  Duclos,  Hist,  of  Louis  XI.  *  The  Book  of  Pluscarden  says  ten. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXI 

and  six  barges,1  under  the  command  of  Henry  Sinclair,  earl  of 
Orkney.  Some  English  ships  came  out  to  intercept  her,  but 
went  off  in  pursuit  of  a  Flemish  fleet  of  merchantmen  laden 
with  wine  from  Eochelle,  which  they  captured,  though  they 
were  afterwards  engaged  and  defeated  by  a  Spanish  fleet,  and 
were  forced  to  surrender  their  prizes.  Meanwhile,  however,  the 
Scottish  fleet  sailed  into  Rochelle  unmolested,  and  the  Princess 
landed  at  Neville  Priory,  where  she  was  received  by  Eeginald 
de  Chartres,  Archbishop  of  Eheims,  and  the  Bishop  of  Poitiers 
and  Xaintonge. 

Margaret  then  at  once  proceeded  to  Tours,  where  the  mar- 
riage ceremony  was  performed  by  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims. 
Jean  Chartier,  the  historiographer  of  Charles  VIL,  gives  a  very 
minute  and  graphic  account  of  her  reception : — 

"  In  the  same  year,  1436,  on  Sunday,  the  24th  day  of  June, 
the  day  and  feast  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  the  Lady  Margaret, 
daughter  of  James  king  of  Scotland,  entered  the  city  of  Tours 
as  Dauphiness,  with  a  brilliant  and  distinguished  suite,  and 
was  received  with  great  honour  by  the  townsfolk.  She  was 
mounted  on  a  most  richly  caparisoned  palfrey,  and  behind  her 
came  Madame  de  la  Roche  the  elder  on  another  palfrey,  and 
likewise  many  other  dames  and  damsels  of  Scotland.  Then 
followed  two  chariots  full  of  other  ladies  and  damsels. 

"  When  the  said  Dauphiuess  was  at  the  entrance  of  the 
town,  the  Sires  de  MaiUe*  and  de  Gamaches  came  on  foot  to 
meet  her,  and  took  the  said  lady's  palfrey  by  the  bridle,  one  on 
one  side  and  the  other  on  the  other,  and  thus  escorted  she 
reached  the  castle,  where  she  dismounted.  Then  my  lord  of 
Vendome  on  one  side  and  an  earl  of  Scotland  on  the  other  took 
her  and  brought  her  to  the  castle,  within  the  hall,  where  were 
the  queen  of  France,  the  queen  of  Sicily,  my  lady  Radegonde, 
the  king's  daughter,  my  lady  of  Vendome,  and  many  other 

1  Bower,  vol.  ii.  p.  485.  G.  Crawfurd  says  forty-six  ships.  The  Book  of 
Pluscarden  says  there  were  3000  men-at-arms — vol.  ii.  p.  282. 


XXX  ii  INTRODUCTION. 

lords,  ladies  and  damsels.  The  queen  of  Sicily  and  my  lady 
Eadegonde  came  to  the  end  of  the  hall  to  meet  her,  and  took 
her,  one  on  one  side  and  the  other  on  the  other,  and  led  her 
thus  before  the  queen,  who  was  seated  in  front  of  a  large  draped 
bench,  and  who,  when  she  saw  her  coming,  rose  and  went 
forward  four  or  five  steps  to  meet  her,  and  took  and  kissed  her. 
Meanwhile  my  lord  the  Dauphin,  who  was  in  his  chamber 
below,  came  into  this  hall  with  a  good  following  of  knights  and 
squires ;  and  as  soon  as  the  said  lady,  who  had  come  to  be  his 
wife  and  bride,  heard  that  he  was  coming  into  the  hall,  she 
went  to  meet  him,  and  they  kissed  and  embraced  each  other 
and  came  back  to  the  queen.  Afterwards  they  all  went 
together  to  the  queen's  chamber,  which  was  handsomely  draped 
and  decorated,  and  there  they  amused  themselves  until  supper 
time.  The  great  hall  was  all  most  richly  hung  with  tapestry 
from  top  to  bottom,  besides  four  chambers  in  like  manner  hung 
with  cloth  of  gold  and  tapestry  hangings.  The  day  after  the 
said  feast  of  St.  John  the  Baptist  the  king  arrived  at  Tours,  and 
was  present  in  person  at  the  blessing  of  my  lord  the  Dauphin 
and  the  said  lady  Margaret  of  Scotland.  The  king  that  day 
had  on  no  other  dress  than  that  he  rode  in  ;  but  my  lord  the 
Dauphin  was  clad  in  royal  apparel,  as  was  also  the  said  lady 
his  bride  ;  and  the  queen  was  attired  in  the  morning  in  a,  robe 
of  dark  grey  (perse)  velvet,  all  covered  with  large  sprigs  of 
goldsmiths'  work,  which  were  very  rich  and  beautiful.  There 
was  a  great  quantity  of  instruments  of  music. 

"  Renaud  de  Chartres,  archbishop  of  Rheims,  chancellor  of 
France,  married  the  said  lord  and  lady,  and  these  nuptials 
were  held  as  a  high  holiday  and  festival  in  that  city  of  Tours. 

"  Immediately  after  mass  was  celebrated  by  that  archbishop, 
the  king,  accompanied  by  the  queen,  the  newly-married  couple 
and  many  lords,  squires,  dames  and  damsels,  came  where  dinner 
was  to  be  served,  and  they  sat  down  to  dinner  in  the  following 
order.  First  sat  the  said  archbishop,  who  had  celebrated  the 


INTRODUCTION.  XXxill 

mass.  The  second  was  the  king ;  then  came  my  lady  the 
Dauphiness ;  then  the  queen  of  Sicily ;  the  queen  of  France 
was  fifth,  and  my  lady  of  Vendome  sixth ;  and  thus  this  table 
was  complete.  I  need  not  speak  of  the  dinner.  There  was 
great  store  of  all  the  viands  it  was  possible  to  find,  with  side 
dishes,  and  plenty  of  trumpets,  clarions,  minstrelsy,  lutes  and 
psalteries.  Heralds  and  pursuivants  also  were  there  in  great 
numbers,  and,  truth  to  say,  there  was  great  good  cheer  made." l 

We  have  very  few  notices  of  the  Princess's  short  and  un- 
happy married  life.  She  seems  to  have  been  much  neglected 
by  her  husband,  who  was  engaged  in  the  work  of  recovering 
his  father's  kingdom;  though  the  chronicler  of  Pluscarden2 
speaks  of  the  affection  in  which  she  was  held  by  the  king  and 
queen,  and  even  by  her  husband,  and  of  the  influence  she  had 
acquired  over  them  by  her  consummate  tact  and  wisdom.  She 
is  mentioned  by  contemporary  historians  as  having  been  pre- 
sent at  Nanci  in  1444,  at  the  festivities  on  the  occasion  of 
Margaret  of  Anjou  leaving  for  England  to  be  married  to 
Henry  vi. ;  and  she  died  the  following  year,  on  the  16th  of 
August,  when  only  twenty-two. 

The  circumstances  of  this  pathetic  event  are  given  by 
Duclos  in  his  History  of  Louis  XI, : — 3 

"Whilst  the  Court  was  at  Nanci,  Jametz  du  Tillay,  bailiff 
of  Vermandois,  went  one  evening  to  the  palace  of  the 
Dauphiness.  She  had  with  her  the  Sieur  de  Mainville,  and 
another  person  who  stood  at  some  little  distance.  The  chamber 
had  no  other  light  in  it  but  the  blaze  of  a  large  fire.  Du  Tillay 
said  that  it  was  a  shame  (paillardie)  they  should  leave  madame 
the  Dauphiness  so.  This  discourse  was  repeated  and  ill- 
construed,  though  Du  Tillay  afterwards  excused  himself  by 

1  Jean  Chartier,  Hist,  de  Charles  VII.,  1661,  p.  91. 

2  See  this  volume,  p.  288. 

3  It  is  remarkable  that  Jean  Chartier,  who  describes  Margaret's  marriage 
in  such  detail,  says  not  a  word  about  her  death.     It  was  probably  a  sore 
subject  at  the  French  Court. 

VOL.  II.  d 


XXXIV  INTRODUCTION. 

saying  that  he  never  meant  to  blame  any  other  than  the 
princess's  servants  for  their  negligence  in  not  lighting  up  her 
apartments.  However,  as  he  was  a  person  of  very  little  judg- 
ment, a  great  talker,  and  very  indiscreet,  a  kind  of  men  to  be 
dreaded  even  by  their  friends,  he  cast  several  odious  reflections 
upon  the  ladies  who  attended  on  the  Dauphiness,  and  particu- 
larly on  the  demoiselles  de  Salignac,  Pregente  and  Fillotte. 
What  he  began  by  indiscretion  he  further  carried  on  by 
treachery;  it  is  even  said  that  he  caused  several  anonymous 
letters  filled  with  calumnies  to  be  written  to  the  king.  The 
king  showed  by  his  silence  that  he  despised  them,  and  would 
have  had  them  concealed  from  the  knowledge  of  the  Dauphiness. 
She  was  long  the  subject  of  discourse  without  knowing  it,  but 
at  last  these  reproachful  speeches  reached  her  ears,  and  gave 
her  a  great  deal  of  trouble.1  However,  instead  of  seeking  to 
gratify  her  revenge,  she  lamented  in  secret,  and  sought  for 
consolation  in  religion.  One  hot  day,  walking  from  the  castle 
of  Sarry,  near  Chalons,  to  the  church  of  Notre  Dame  de  1'Epine, 
she  was  seized  with  a  pleurisy  which,  being  added  to  her 
former  grief,  carried  her  off  in  a  few  days.  During  her  illness 
she  made  continual  protestations  of  her  innocence  against  the 
calumnies  of  that  honest  man,  as  she  called  Du  Tillay. 

"  The  confessor  of  this  unhappy  princess  found  a  good  deal 
of  difficulty  to  prevail  upon  her  to  pardon  her  calumniator,  and 
her  last  words  were,  '  Out  upon  life  !  talk  of  it  to  me  no  more.'2 
She  was  interred  in  the  cathedral  church  of  Chalons,  and  four- 
and-thirty  years  after,  by  order  of  Louis  XL,  was  translated  to 
Tours,  where  she  was  deposited  in  a  chapel  which  herself  had 
founded.3 

1  The  words  of  Du  Tillay,  which  killed  her,  are  said  to  have  been,  "  Avez 
VOUB  point  vu  cette  dame  la?     Elle  a  mieux  manic-re  d'une  paillarde  que 
d'une  grancle  maitresse." — PINKERTON. 

2  The  princess  on  her  deathbed  could  hardly  be  persuaded  to  pardon  him, 
saying,  "  Now  he  has  gained  his  purpose." — PINKKRTON. 

3  She  was  transferred,  on  13th  December  1479,  to  a  chapel  in  the  abbey 
of  8.  Laon  at  Tours  (Duclos,  vol.  ii.  p.  272).     The  chronicler  of  Pluscanlen, 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXV 

"This  princess  was  generally  regretted.  The  clamours 
against  Du  Tillay  were  so  great  that  the  king  was  obliged  by 
letters- patent  (dated  May  27,  1446)  to  appoint  Tudert,  master 
of  the  requests,  and  Thiboust,  counsellor  in  parliament,  to 
inform  against  him.  The  queen  even  suffered  herself  to  be 
interrogated,  the  only  difference  between  her  interrogation  and 
that  of  the  other  witnesses  being  that  she  was  not  examined 
upon  oath,  and  was  interrogated  by  the  chancellor,  Juvenal 
des  Ursins,  assisted  by  William  Cousinot,  master  of  the 
requests.  Her  Majesty's  deposition  is  still  in  being  with  the 
other  informations,  which  charges  Du  Tillay,  if  not  with 
downright  calumny,  at  least  with  a  great  deal  of  indiscretion. 
Eeginald  du  Dresnay,  Louis  de  Laval,  and  several  others, 
apprehending  these  procedures  to  be  injurious  to  the  memory 
of  the  Dauphiness,  would  have  vindicated  her  honour  by  a 
duel,  but  Charles  vn.  would  not  admit  of  it;  he  even  pro- 
hibited all  those  who  had  distinguished  themselves  too  warmly 
upon  this  occasion  from  coming  to  court ;  and  thus  the  matter 
was  stifled."1 

Duclos  places  the  character  of  this  gentle  princess2  in  a 
most  amiable  light.  He  says,  "  Ingenuity  and  judgment,  noble 
sentiments  and  great  good-nature,  were  all  united  in  this 
princess ;  and  these  extraordinary  endowments,  which  gained 
her  universal  admiration,  were  further  set  off  with  a  graceful 
person,  which  rendered  them  amiable.  To  be  virtuous  was  the 

from  his  intimate  connection  with  the  Dauphiness,  would  certainly  have 
been  aware  of  this  event,  and  would  have  mentioned  it  in  the  version  of  his 
Chronicle  written  in  1489,  if  that  had  been  by  his  own  hand.  As,  however, 
such  is  not  the  case,  but,  on  the  contrary,  where  the  chronicler  speaks  of  her 
burial  at  Chalons  (voL  ii.  p.  288),  he  merely  adds,  "  and  the  king  said  that 
after  a  little  while  he  would  have  her  taken  up  and  placed  in  Saint  Denis, 
among  all  the  kings  and  queens  there,"  it  is  most  probable  that  he  died 
before  1479 ;  and  if  his  death  occurred  while  he  was  engaged  on  his  Chronicle, 
the  first  version  of  which  bears  date  1461,  that  might  account  for  the  un- 
finished state  of  the  chapter  on  Joan  of  Arc,  which  he  may  have  left  to  the 
last. 

1  Duclos,  Hist,  of  Louis  XL,  London,  1746,  vol.  i.  pp.  36,  37. 

2  Monstrelet  speaks  of  her  as  a  "  belle  et  bonne  dame." 


XXXVI  INTRODUCTION. 

proper  means  of  making  court  to  her ;  whoever  deserved  her 
favour  was  sure  to  obtain  it ;  and  it  oft  sufficed  to  stand  in 
need  of  it.  Being  informed  that  a  certain  knight,  who  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  a  tournament,  wanted  those  assistances 
of  fortune  which  are  always  needful  to  merit,  she  sent  him  a 
present  of  300  crowns,  a  very  large  sum  at  that  time  of  day, 
and  for  a  princess  who  often  wanted  necessaries.  She  was 
passionately  fond  of  learning.1  One  day,  seeing  Alain  Chartier 
asleep,  she  gave  him  a  kiss,  and  observing  the  people  about 
her  to  stand  in  amaze,  she  said  it  was  not  the  man  she  had 
kissed,  but  the  mouth  that  had  uttered  such  fine  discourses." 

It  would  thus  appear  that  her  easy  affability  and  frank 
friendliness  towards  those  who  courted  her  favour,  and  a 
certain  romantic  disregard  of  conventionalities  fostered  by  her 
assiduous  devotion  to  poetry,  left  her  an  easy  prey  to  ill-natured 
calumny,  under  which  her  sensitive  constitution,  enfeebled 
by  excessive  study,  rendered  her  unable  to  bear  up  ;  though 
all  agree  in  paying  a  loyal  tribute  to  the  sterling  worth  and 
purity  of  her  character. 

The  only  other  point  upon  which  our  author  seems  to 
promise  us  original  matter  is  the  episode  of  Joan  of  Arc.  The 
chapter2  concerning  her,  however,  breaks  off  after  a  few  lines, 
and  it  is  probable  that  he  never  lived  to  finish  it.8 

1  One  of  the  remarks  made  npon  her  by  Du  Tillay  was  that  her  illness 
arose  from  her  sitting  up  all  night  making  rondeaux  and  ballads. 

2  Vol.  ii.  p.  277.  3  See  p.  xxiv.,  note  3. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN. 


THE  WRITER'S   PREFACE. 

IN  recalling  to  mind  the  praiseworthy  deeds  of  the  great 
men  of  the  past,  not  only  do  we  profit  the  men  of  our  day  by 
rehearsing  events  of  interest  which  have  taken  place ;  nay,  we 
also,  by  the  lantern  of  truth,  as  it  were,  show  wayfarers  the 
path  of  virtue  through  the  example  of  able  men  of  yore ;  and, 
while  we  commemorate  their  merits,  afford  the  fortunate  in 
time  to  come  a  noble  opportunity  of  following  in  the  foot- 
steps of  their  revered  ancestors.  As,  then,  in  all  human  actions 
and  work  a  foundation  of  truth  (which  is  God,  without  whom 
nothing  is  strong,  nothing  is  holy)  must  first  and  before  all  be 
traced,  and  be  preferred  to  all  carnal  affections,  we  ought,  with 
all  care  and  quenchless  diligence,  unweariedly  to  aspire  after 
the  same  with  our  whole  might.  For,  where  truth  itself  is  not 
the  foundation,  there  cannot  the  edifice  of  any  good  work  be 
raised.  Man's  intellect,  however,  could  not  reach  unto  the 
acquisition  of  a  clear  knowledge  of  this  truth  by  the  light  of 
nature,  without  God's  grace  supernaturally  poured  into  it.  Let 
us,  therefore,  ask  it  of  the  Father  of  lights,  from  whom  cometh 
down  every  good  gift  and  perfect  gift  from  above,  for  He  alone 
giveth  wisdom,  and  out  of  His  mouth  is  knowledge  and  under- 
standing; beseeching,  with  the  holy  Solomon,  and  saying, 
"  Lord,  give  me  Wisdom,  that  sitteth  by  thy  throne ;  that, 
being  present,  she  may  labour  with  me,  that  I  may  know  what 
is  pleasing  in  thy  sight "  at  all  times ;  for  he  prayed,  and  under- 
standing was  given  him ;  he  called  upon  God,  and  the  spirit  of 


2          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   PROLOGUE. 

wisdom  came  unto  him.  To  the  obtaining  of  which  grace  let 
Him  deign  to  lead  us,  who  liveth  and  reigneth  without  end. 
Amen. 

The  same  continued. 

Moreover,  let  us  give  glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  praise  after 
death  to  those  all-conquering  and  invincible  Scotsmen  that  are 
no  more,  and  magnify  and  honour  those  living  ones  who  worthily 
and  nobly  hold,  guard  and  occupy  the  illustrious  throne  of 
Scotland  amid  such  changes  in  the  world,  such  disasters  and 
harassings,  such  defeats,  battles  and  warlike  exploits,  such  in- 
describable assaults  by  tyrants,  likewise  such  infamous  acts  of 
deceit  and  treachery  by  traitors :  notwithstanding  all  which, 
the  royal  house  of  Scotland  has  occupied  it  with  honour  and 
freedom  from  330  years  and  more  before  Christ's  Incarnation  to 
the  present  day,  without  change  of  nationality  or  subjection 
of  the  king's  majesty.  With  what  praises,  therefore,  I  may 
mention  these  men,  I  know  not;  but  I  set  myself  to  give 
thanks  without  ceasing  to  Almighty  God  for  them. 


PROLOGUE. 

ALTHOUGH  good  Chronicles  and  Gestes,  which  unfold  new 
facts  in  connected  narrative,  are  much  in  favour  and  please  the 
ears  of  their  hearers,  yet,  as  princes  and  prelates  and  other  men 
of  note,  engrossed  as  they  are  by  the  many  and  arduous  affairs 
as  well  as  unavoidable  and  multifarious  annoyances  of  worldly 
life,  may  not  without  serious  trouble  (which  oftentimes  brings 
weariness  and  quenches  out  of  the  hearers'  hearts  the  desire 
to  hear)  lend  their  ears  for  any  length  of  time  to  so  bulky  a 
volume  as  we  see  and  have  found  in  the  Great  Chronicle,1  it  is 
therefore  the  author's  intention,  under  correction  of  those  whom 
it  concerns  or  may  in  any  way  soever  concern  in  the  future,  to 
touch  briefly  and  succinctly,  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
working  with  him,  upon  every  profitable  and  fruitful  matter 
recorded  in  the  Great  Chronicle ;  and,  as  it  is  useless  to  do  by 
more  what  may  be  done  by  less,  to  pick  out,  extract  and  dis- 
entangle, like  a  honey-bee  among  the  flowers  of  the  field,  leaving 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   PROLOGUE.  3 

the  flower  uninjured,  whatever  on  each  point  seems  to  suffice 
for  the  effectual  showing  forth  of  the  truth  of  the  matter, 
without  long-drawn-out  verbiage,  which  not  unfrequently  pro- 
duces perplexity  and  weariness  ;  and  so  to  prepare  an  abridg- 
ment of  the  Chronicle,  at  the  desire,  order  and  commission  of 
the  venerable  father  and  lord  in  Christ  D ,  by  God's  per- 
mission now  reigning  abbot  of  the  monastery  of  Dunfermline, 
and  governing  the  said 2  monastery ;  and  to  wind  up  ulti- 
mately by  sifting  and  collecting,  as  best  I  might,  facts  happen- 
ing in  our  own  time,  leaving  out  useless  trifles  and  fruitless 
rubbish  not  pertinent  to  the  subject,  and  by  recording  and 
introducing  them  together  with  some  other  wonderful  doings 
which  I  who  write  have  known,  seen  and  heard  out  of  this 
country ;  as  also,  lastly,  about  a  certain  marvellous  maid  who 
brought  about  the  recovery  of  the  kingdom  of  France  out  of 
the  hands  of  the  tyrant  Henry  king  of  England,  and  whom  I 
saw  and  knew,  and  in  whose  company  I  was:  I  was  present 
during  her  endeavours  for  the  said  recovery  up  to  her  life's 
end,  etc. 

[Five  looks  and  fourteen  chapters  of  the  Sixth  Book,  which  are 
as  in  John  of  For  dun,  are  omitted  in  this  edition.] 

The  fourteenth  chapter  of  Book  VI.  concludes  as  follows:— 

BE  it  also  remarked  that  all  these  foregoing  incidents  were 
collected  and  compiled  by  the  distinguished  and  discreet  cleric, 
sir  John  of  Fordun;  but  the  rest,  here  following, — namely, 
down  to  the  time  of  King  James,  the  second  of  that  name, — 
by  the  venerable  father,  the  lord  abbot  of  Inchcolm,  who  in 
his  time  was  called  sir  Walter  Bowar,  as  we  find  it  stated  in 
the  Great  Chronicle.  May  their  souls  rest  in  peace !  Of  the 
remainder,  however,  it  will  be  known  at  the  end  of  this  present 
book  who  is  going  to  compile  them  ;  for  we  cannot  know  pre- 
cisely what  may  happen  in  the  future.  Wonder  not,  Eeader, 
if,  when  the  opinions  and  writings  of  divers  authors  and 
chroniclers  about  this  most  illustrious  line  of  kings  are  quoted 
in  the  present  little  work,  they  be  repeated  twice  or  thrice  ; 
for,  according  to  law,  a  conclusion  is  all  the  stronger  for  being 
proved  by  the  authority  of  a  great  many,  even  as,  in  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ,  one  and  the  same  history  is  proved  by  four 
Evangelists. 


BOOK  VI. 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

Saint  Margaret1  s  descent,  according  to  Baldred  the  abbot,  accord- 
ing to  William  the  historian,  and  according  to  Bishop 
Turgot ;  on  the  authority  of  these  three  and  a  great  many 
historians  that  illustrious  lineal  succession  is  brought  down 
from  the  kingdom  of  the  Angles  to  the  lawful  Jieirs  of 
Saint  Margaret. 

HAVING  said  thus  much  of  certain  kings  of  England,  who 
incidentally  belong  to  the  subject-matter,  we  must  next  go  on 
to  the  descent  of  the  illustrious  kings  of  the  noble  stock  of 
the  most,  blessed  Margaret  queen  of  Scots,  according  to  Turgot 
bishop  of  St.  Andrews ;  and  we  find  in  the  most  trustworthy 
and  ancient  histories  and  chronicles  that  they  are  lineally 
descended  from  Adam,  to  wit  the  father  of  all  rational  mortals. 
From  Adam's  son  Seth,  then,  who  was  born  unto  him  in  Abel's 
stead,  the  genealogy  of  this  sainted  family  is  brought  down  to 
Enoch,  who,  together  with  the  holy  Elias,  was  in  his  lifetime 
translated  by  God,  and  awaits  the  coming  of  Antichrist.3  We 
then  come  down  to  Noah,  who  alone,  with  his  sons  and  their 
wives,  was  found  worthy  to  be  saved  when  the  world  was 
perishing;  whose  firstborn,  Sem,  earned  a  blessing  from  his  father. 
From  Sem  the  genealogy  is  brought  down  to  Woden,  who  had 
so  much  authority  among  his  people  that  the  fourth  day  of  the 
week,  which  the  Eoman  Gentiles  used  to  call  Mercury's  day, 
they  dedicate  to  his  name,  and  they  call  it  Wodennisday  in  the 
English  tongue  to  this  day.  From  Woden  we  go  on  to  Geta, 
who  had  so  much  wisdom  and  authority  that  he  was  commemo- 
rated as  a  god  by  the  pagans.  Then  we  come  to  the  most 
Christian  kings  Ingels  and  Yne,  of  whom  Yne,  while  he  was 
sole  monarch  and  the  most  powerful  of  the  kings  of  England, 
left  his  kingdom  and  went  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Home,  where  he 
remained  until  his  death.  From  Ingels  we  go  on  to  Egbricht, 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VI. 

who  was  adorned  by  so  many  virtues,  and  was  of  so  great  prowess, 
that  he  entirely  subdued  and  united  under  his  rule  the  whole 
territory  and  tract  of  England  south  of  the  river  Humber, 
which  was  at  that  time  broken  up  and  subject  to  several  kings ; 
and  he  was  the  first  of  all  the  kings  of  England  to  be  styled 
"  monarch."  His  son  was  Ethelwlf,  that  most  bright  fountain- 
head  and  source  of  his  coming  race,  which  precious  root  has 
yielded  most  noble  and  holy  fruit.  He,  indeed,  in  his  earthly 
kingdom,  was  ever  mindful  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  and, 
after  a  good  life,  was  gathered  to  his  fathers,  not  losing  but 
exchanging  his  kingdom,  forsaking  the  temporal  and  gaming 
the  eternal. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Alfred,  son  of  Ethelwlf. 

THE  son  of  this  Ethelwlf  was  that  pride  of  the  English, 
that  gem  of  kings,  that  pattern  of  virtue,  Alfred  by  name,  less 
in  age  than  the  rest  of  his  brothers,  but  greater  in  valour. 
When,  after  the  death  of  his  brothers,  with  whom  he  reigned 
for  some  time,  the  whole  kingdom  devolved  upon  him,  he  did 
his  best  to  seem  to  fall  in  with  the  character  and  disposition  of 
all  men,  to  make  himself  useful  and  necessary  to  all ;  and,  what 
is  seldom  now  found  upon  earth  and  especially  befits  the 
dignity  of  king,  to  exercise  no  authority  in  Christ's  Church. 
But,  when  he  had  reigned  twenty-nine  years  and  six  months, 
he  went  up  from  his  earthly  kingdom  -to  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
and  left  his  son  Edward  to  inherit  his  kingdom  and  character. 
For  this  Edward  was  beneath  his  father  in  knowledge  of  letters, 
but  not  much  his  inferior  in  holiness,  and  far  superior  to  him 
in  kingly  power.  He  lived  twenty-four  years  upon  the  throne, 
and  begat  sons  and  daughters,  namely  Athelstan,  his  firstborn 
son,  of  a  most  noble  woman,  to  wit  Edwina ;  and,  of  Edith  the 
queen,  Edwin,  Edmund  and  Ethelred.  So  King  Edward  slept 
with  his  fathers,  and  his  son  Athelstan  reigned  after  him, 
walking  in  the  ways  of  his  fathers,  and  filled  with  all  virtue. 
Against*  him  did  the  remainder  of  the  Danes  lift  up  their 
infamous  head,  after  their  wont,  but  he  crushed  them  under 
foot.  When,  however,  he  had  lived  sixteen  years  upon  the 
throne,  he  died,  and  his  brother  Edmund  reigned  in  his  stead. 
This  Edmund  imitated  his  father  Edward  in  all  things,  was  a 
simple  and  upright  man,  fearing  God,  and  abiding  in  his 
innocence  unto  the  end ;  whereof  the  impious  pagans  took 


6  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VI. 

advantage,  refusing  to  submit  themselves  unto  him  and  unto 
the  Christian  religion  which  the  king,  beloved  of  God,  pro- 
fessed, and  laying  snares  for  his  death  in  some  way  or  other. 
He,  however,  when6  their  accursed  purpose  could  in  no  wise  be 
hid,  ill  brooking  that  the  seemliness  of  his  reign  should  be 
stained  by  their  worship  of  idols,  forcibly  wrested  from  their 
grasp  and  occupation  five  most  noble  cities  which  they  then 
inhabited,  namely  Lincoln,  Leicester,  Stamford,  Nottingham  and 
Derby,  and,  wiping  out  all  unbelief,  illumined  them  with  the 
light  of  the  Christian  faith.  Whilst,  therefore,  the  whole  of 
England  in  these  days  flourished  in  profound  peace  under  so 
great  a  father  rather  than  king,  he  met  with  an  untimely  death 
after  completing  five  years  and  seven  months  upon  the  throne, 
and  expired  suddenly  in  unlooked-for  pain  and  agony. 


CHAPTEE   XVII. 

His  brother  Uthelred  succeeds  him. 

His  brother  Ethelred6  succeeded  him  on  the  throne,  and 
walked  in  the  ways  of  his  father  Edward  and  his  brethren, 
complying  in  all  things  with  the  advice  and  injunctions  of  the 
blessed  Dunstan ;  and  a  precious  death  closed  his  praiseworthy 
life.  After  him  reigned  Edwin,  son  of  King  Edmund,  and  he 
walked  not  in  the  ways  of  his  fathers,  but  arose  like  another 
Herod  amid  all  that  race. 

But  as  so  much  concerning  this  line  of  kings  of  England, 
allied  in  blood  to  the  kings  of  Scots  through  the  blessed 
Margaret,  recapitulated  as  it  is  again  and  again  in  the  accounts 
of  the  oft-mentioned  historians  Baldred,  William,  and  Turgot, 
may  suffice  to  show  the  readers  the  truth,  it  would  now 
seem  best  to  go  on  to  what  follows,  leaving  out  fruitless 
trivialities. 

After  Saint  David,  therefore,  the  son  of  King  Malcolm  and 
the  blessed  Margaret,  had  gone  the  way  of  all  flesh  at  Carlisle, 
and  had  been  buried  with  due  honour  at  Dunfennline,  Malcolm, 
his  nephew7  through  his  brother,  came  to  the  throne;  and  in 
the  first  year  of  his  reign  the  petty  king  of  Argadia  (Argyll), 
by  name  Sumerled,  and  his  nephews,  the  sons  of  Malcolm 
Makheth,  being  joined  by  a  great  many  others,  rose  against 
him  and  disturbed  great  part  of  Scotland.  Now  this 
Makheth8  said  he  was  the  son  of  Angus  earl  of  Moray — though 
in  truth  he  was  not — who  in  the  time  of  King  David  was  slain, 
as  he  deserved  to  be,  by  the  Scots  at  Strucathioch  (Strickathrow 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VI.  7 

in  Forfar) ;  and  upon  his  death  this  Makheth  rose  against  King 
David,  as  it  were  a  son  avenging  his  father's  death  ;  and,  while 
bringing  rapine  and  slaughter  upon  the  neighbouring  districts, 
he  was  at  length  captured  and  thrust9  into  close  imprisonment 
in  Marchmont  Castle.  In  the  time  of  King  David,  likewise,  one 
of  Makheth's  sons,  Dovenald  by  name,  was  captured  at  Quhitt- 
harn  (Whithern)  by  some  of  the  king's  friends,10  and  imprisoned 
in  that  same  castle  of  Marchmont,  which  is  called  Roxburgh, 
together  with  his  father,  who  in  the  following  year  made  peace 
with  King  Malcolm,  while  Sumerled  still  went  on  in  his  vil- 
lainy. At  Paris  in  these  days  flourished  Peter  Lombard,  the 
Master  of  Sentences,  the  most  eminent  cleric  in  Theology ;  and 
contemporary  with  him  was  Peter  Commestor,  the  Master  of 
History.  In  the  year  115411  Louis  king  of  the  French 
received  the  submission  of  Henry  Fitz-Empress,  duke  of  Nor- 
mandy, who  shortly  afterwards  came  to  England  on  King 
Stephen's  death,  took  possession  of  the  whole  of  the  kingdom, 
and  restored  tranquillity.  The  same  year  William  Cumyn 
archbishop  of  York,  after  receiving  the  Eucharist  at  Mass, 
perished  through  the  treachery  of  his  clerics  by  a  dose  of  deadly 
poison  in  the  Ablutions. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

Malcolm,  King  of  Scots,  and  Henry  of  England. 

ON  the  death,  therefore,  of  Stephen  king  of  England,  Henry 
Fitz-Empress,  duke  of  Normandy,  was  made  king,  in  the  second 
year  of  Malcolm  king  of  Scotland.  But,  when  he  had  been 
raised  to  the  throne,  he  forgot  his  promise  and  oath  which  he 
had  previously  sworn  to  David,  the  uncle  of  his  mother  the 
said  empress,  and  laying  claim  to  Northumberland  and  Cum- 
berland, though  they  had  for  countless  years  past  yielded 
obedience  to  the  kings  of  Scots;  made  great  preparations  to 
invade  them ;  and  he  also  recognosced  the  earldom  of  Hunting- 
don into  his  own  possession.  Now  this  Henry  was  called  "  The 
Lion,"  on  account  of  his  fierceness.  So  when  he  saw  that  John 
bishop  of  Glasgow  was  discharging  the  duties  of  a  bishop 
throughout  Cumberland  as  usual,  and  would  not  on  that  account 
yield  obedience  to  him  as  his  feudal,  or  to  the  archbishop  of 
York  as  his  ecclesiastical,  superior,  he,  at  the  instance  of  Trustin, 
the  aforesaid  archbishop,  set  up  Edwald  by  main  force  as 
bishop  in  Cumberland  in  opposition  to  him  ;  for  there  was  none 
who  durst  at  that  time  withstand  him.  But  when  Bishop  John 


8  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.      BOOK  VI. 

heard  that  his  bishopric  was  thus  dismembered,  and  that  he 
could  in  no  wise  be  protected,  either  by  right  or  by  might, 
either  by  the  law  or  by  the  sword,  he  crossed  the  sea  and 
offered  himself  as  a  monk  at  the  monastery  of  Tirou.  King 
Malcolm  of  Scotland,  however,  by  authority  of  the  Pope,  from 
a  monk  again  restored  him  to  the  bishopric  of  Glasgow ;  and 
he  presided  over  it  for  twenty-eight  years  more,  and  died, 
and  lies  buried  at  Jedwort  (Jedburgh).  From  such  causes, 
be  it  observed,  namely  alliances  and  rivalries,  sprang  up  many 
evils  between  the  princes,  though,  through  the  intervention 
of  the  magnates  of  the  two  kingdoms,  a  peace  was  entered 
into  between  them  for  a  time;  but,  as  that  was  a  hollow 
peace,  it  did  not  last  long.  During  this  peace,  however,  King 
Malcolm,  who  was  young  and  knew  no  guile,  and,  like  an  inno- 
cent, believed  every  word,  did  homage  to  King  Henry  at  Chester 
— it  is  not  known  at  whose  instigation — in  the  same  way  as 
his  uncle12  King  David  had  been  the  liegeman  of  the  old  Henry 
king  of  England,  called  Beauclerk,  the  husband  of  Maud  the 
good  queen  of  England,  sister  to  the  said  King  David ;  for  by  so 
doing  King  Malcolm  hoped  to  be  left  in  more  free  and  peaceful 
possession  of  his  property  in  England.  This  was  without  pre- 
judice, however,  in  any  respect,  to  his  dignities  and  rights  as 
king.  At  that  place,  the  same  year,  the  king,  led  astray  by 
clever  trickery,  by  the  advice  of  some  who  had  been  bribed  with 
money  gave  up  Northumberland  and  Cumberland  to  the  king 
of  England,  without  taking  the  opinion  of  any  of  his  lords  save 
a  few ;  wherefore  this  same  king  restored  to  him  the  earldom 
of  Huntingdon.  On  account  of  this,  the  whole  commonalty 
of  the  whole  realm  of  Scotland  murmured  grievously  against 
their  king  and  his  corrupt  counsellors,  and  were  silently  stirred 
to  hatred.  Meanwhile,  the  following  year,  the  aforesaid  kings 
met  at  Carlisle  to  arrange  their  affairs,  but  did  not  come  to  any 
agreement.  Afterwards,  however,  in  the  seventh  year  of  the  said 
King  Malcolm  of  Scotland,  the  said  King  Henry  led  a  strong  army 
into  France  against  Toulouse ;  but  as  Louis  king  of  the  French 
protected  the  town,  he  was  baffled  in  the  chief  aim  he  had  in 
view,  and  returned ;  and  thus  out  of  the  most  profound  peace 
sprang  up  a  most  bitter  quarrel  between  them.  King  Malcolm, 
though  against  the  will  of  most  of  the  magnates  of  the  realm, 
was  at  that  time  in  King  Henry's  army,  and  on  the  way  back 
was  begirt  with  the  belt  of  knighthood  by  him  in  the  city  of 
Tours  in  France. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAEDEN.      BOOK  VI. 

CHAPTEE   XIX. 

King  Malcolm. 

THE  Scottish  chiefs,  however,  perceiving  that  their  king  was 
too  intimate  with  the  said  English  king,  were  sore  troubled, 
and  with  them  all  the  lords  and  other  folks  of  the  realm  of 
Scotland ;  for  they  feared  lest  his  too  great  familiarity,  which 
oftentimes  breeds  contempt,  should  beget  mischief  and  shame 
for  them.  So,  trying  in  all  earnestness  to  provide  against  this, 
they  sent  an  embassy  after  him,  saying,  "  We  will  not  have 
this  man  to  reign  over  us."  Thereupon  he  returned  from  the 
army  at  Toulouse,  and  came  to  Scotland;  and  by  his  royal 
authority  he  commanded  the  prelates  and  lords  to  assemble  at 
Perth  for  divers  pressing  matters.  Meanwhile  the  magnates  of 
the  countiy  were  roused,  and  six  earls,  namely  Ferchard  earl 
of  Strathern  and  five  others,  being  stirred  up  against  the  king, 
not  indeed  for  any  selfish  advantage,  or  through  treason,  but  for 
the  good  of  the  state  and  to  guard  the  privileges  of  the  realm, 
sought  to  arrest  and  take  him,  and  besieged  him  in  the  keep  of 
that  town.  They  were,  however,  for  the  time  foiled  in  their 
undertaking ;  and  many  days  had  not  gone  by  before,  through 
the  intervention  of  the  clergy  and  other  nobles  of  the  realm,  he 
was  reconciled ;  and  he  marched  thrice  in  the  same  year  into 
Galloway  against  certain  rebels.  These  he  overcame,  conquered, 
made  his  allies,  and  subdued,  and  at  length  he  came  back  in 
peace,  without  any  loss  to  his  own  men ;  and  he  afterwards  so 
held  them  in  subjection  and  curbed  their  mouths  with  bit  and 
bridle,  that  their  petty  king,  Fergus  by  name,  gave  his  son  and 
heir  to  the  king  to  govern  and  control,13  and,  renouncing  the 
insignia  of  knighthood,  became  a  canon  in  the  monastery  of 
Holyrood  at  Edinburgh.  In  these  days,  moreover,  the  king,  by 
the  advice  of  the  magnates  of  his  realm,14  gave  his  sisters 
Margaret  and  Ada  in  marriage,  Margaret  to  Conan  duke  of 
Brittany,  and  Ada  to  Florence  count  of  Holland.  At  this 
period,  also,  peace  was  restored  between  the  king  of  the  French 
and  the  king  of  England ;  and,  as  a  pledge  for  the  maintenance 
thereof,  Louis  king  of  the  French  gave  his  daughter,  barely  two 
years  old,  to  wife  to  the  English  king's  eldest  son,  not  yet  six 
years  old.  At  this  time  such  an  earthquake  occurred  by  night 
in  Burgundy,  that  many  buildings  fell  in  ruins.  In  these  days, 
likewise,  a  quarrel  broke  out  among  the  cardinals  after  Pope 
Adrian's  death,  whereby  a  great  schism  sprang  up  in  Christ's 
Church ;  and  Pope  Alexander,  then  canonically  elected,  by  his 


10          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

apostolic  authority  excommunicated  and  altogether  expelled 
from  the  Church  of  God  three  schismatics  who  had  been 
elected  at  the  treacherous  instigation  of  the  devil. 


CHAPTEK   XX. 

Malcolm  conquers  the  petty  king  of  Argadia. 

ABOUT  the  same  time,  in  consequence  of  the  perfidy  of  the 
men  of  Moray,  whose  lord,  namely  Angus  their  earl,  had, 
together  with  his  family,  been  formerly  slain,  the  king  with  a 
large  army  removed  all  the  Moravians,  as  well  beyond  the  hills 
as  this  side  thereof,16  and  took  them  across  out  of  the  land  of 
their  birth,  and  depopulated  it,  so  that  not  a  single  native  of 
that  land  remained  there;  and  he  placed  in  that  country  a 
peaceable  people  to  inhabit  the  said  land.  Sommerled,  however, 
the  petty  king  of  Argadia  (Argyll),  who  had  now  for  twelve  years 
been  impiously  fighting  against  his  lord  the  king,  was  at  length, 
through  God's  vengeance,  while  on  a  plundering  expedition 
with  a  strong  army  which  repaired  to  him  from  Ireland  by  sea 
and  from  among  his  own  lieges  by  land,  slain  by  the  king16  at 
Kenfrew,  together  with  his  son,  Gillecolam  by  name,  and  a 
large  number  of  his  men.  Now  when  this  King  Malcolm  grew 
up  to  be  a  young  man  at  the  age  of  puberty,  he  refused  to  take 
a  wife,  although  he  had  been  besought  by  his  councillors  and 
the  magnates  of  the  realm  and  by  the  entreaties  of  the  whole 
people,  and  even,  as  far  as  consistent  with  the  king's  dignity, 
advised  and  exhorted  to  marry ;  and,  dedicating  his  maiden- 
hood to  God,  he  abode  all  the  days  of  his  life  in  the  full  observ- 
ance of  chastity  and  self-controlled  modesty.  Although  he 
might,  on  the  strength  of  his  kingly  rank,  have  lain  even  with 
married  women,  as  is  often  the  case,  yet  he  never  would  violate 
the  chastity  of  maidenhood.  He  never  harmed,  but  kindly 
entreated,  any  who  wished  to  live  a  good  life ;  but  against  the 
prince  of  this  world,  the  enemy  of  mankind,  he  manfully 
warred,  supported  by  God's  help.  He  gave  up  carnal  for  the 
sake  of  eternal  joys,  and  his  whole  mind  was  bent  on  reigning 
with  Christ  for  ever.  For  this  cause  he  patiently  endured 
many  insulting  speeches  at  the  hands  of  his  friends  and  coun- 
trymen :  for,  according  to  the  words  of  Solomon,  Standing  in 
righteousness,  he  made  ready  his  soul  to  the  trial;  and  he 
in  his  spirit  firmly  laid  hold  of  the  fervour  of  divine  love,  so 
that,  rapt  in  the  contemplation  of  God  and  despising  earthly 
things,  he  almost  entirely  neglected  and  overlooked  the  duty  of 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.          11 

governing  devolving  upon  the  king's  majesty.  Wherefore  his 
people  were  so  dissatisfied  and  indignant  with  him,  that  his 
younger  brother  William — who,  ever  since  the  English  had 
taken  away  his  domain,  the  earldom  of  Northumberland,  had 
been  very  hostile  to  those  English,  and  had  become  their 
implacable  foe — was  proclaimed  and  appointed  warden  of  the 
whole  kingdom,  against  the  king's  will,  as  it  were,  and  even 
that  of  William  himself;  his  younger  brother  David  being  at 
that  time  earl  of  Huntingdon.  In  these  days  Pope  Alexander 
held  a  general  council  in  the  city  of  Tours  in  France,  and  ex- 
communicated Octavian  the  Antipope.  Cupar  monastery  was 
founded,  and  the  city  of  Milan  destroyed. 

Be  it  remarked  that  Conan,  count  of  Brittany  and  of  Eiche- 
mont,  begat  of  the  aforesaid  Margaret  one  daughter  named 
Constance,  who  was  given  in  marriage  to  the  English  king 
Eichard's  brother  Geoffroy  count  of  Anjou,  who  of  her  begat  a 
son  named  Arthur,  count  both  of  Anjou  and  of  Brittany, 
through  his  father  and  mother,  and  count  also  of  Poitou  by 
gift  of  Philip  king  of  France.  This  Arthur,  however,  was, 
with  many  other  nobles,  drowned  between  France  and  England, 
as  already  stated.17  Of  the  said  Margaret,  moreover,  this 
Conan  begat  another  daughter,  who  was  named  Alice,  and  who 
was  married  to  Peter  Mauclerk,  and  bore  a  son  named  John, 
afterwards  duke  of  Brittany,  of  whose  illustrious  line  have 
hitherto  come  the  celebrated  dukes  of  Brittany,  whose  posterity 
is  in  these  days  "  with  the  Scot  allied,"  to  wit  the  daughter  of 
King  James  I.,  Elizabeth  by  name,  wedded  to  the  duke  of 
Brittany,  Francis  by  name,  who  was  the  nephew  of  the  king 
of  the  French,  Charles  vn.,  and  who  of  her  begat  a  daughter 
whom  he  joined  in  wedlock  with  the  firstborn  of  the  count  de 
Montfort,  next  heir  to  the  said  duchy  of  Brittany  in  lineal 
descent  through  his  father.18  This  marriage  revives  the  recol- 
lection of  a  certain  prophecy  in  the  following  lines : — 

"  The  race  of  Brutus,  with  the  Scot  allied, 
Shall  crush  with  sword  and  famine  Anglia's  pride." 

I  find  these  stray  passages  in  the  Great  Chronicle,  and  have 
therefore  thought  it  well  to  introduce  them  here  incidentally. 


CHAPTEE   XXI. 

Death  of  Malcolm  King  of  Scotland. 

Now  in  these  days  King  Malcolm,  upon  whom  God  showered 
the  blessings  of  sweetness,  was  all  his  life  remarkable  for  spot- 


12          THE  BOOK  OF  PLDSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

less  chastity,  for  the  graces  of  lowliness  and  innocence,  for 
purity  of  conscience  and  holiness  and  staidness  of  behaviour, 
fervently  following  the  promptings  of  the  love  of  the  Most 
High ;  so  that  among  laymen,  with  whom  he  had  nothing  in 
common  but  his  dress,  he  seemed  as  it  were  a  monk,  and,  among 
the  men  he  ruled,  an  angel  upon  earth.  But,  when  he  had 
spent  twelve  years  seven  months  and  three  days  upon  the 
throne,  he  was  called  away  by  Christ  on  Thursday  the  9th  of 
December;  and  he  cast  off  the  flesh  for  the  fellowship  of 
angels,  for  the  world  was  not  worthy  of  him ;  and,  leaving  this 
world  in  the  flower  of  his  age,  he  went  to  heaven,  not  losing, 
but  exchanging,  his  kingdom,  and  passed  away  to  the  Lord. 
After  his  decease,  while  a  devout  cleric,  a  most  intimate  friend 
of  the  aforesaid  king  while  he  lived,  was  watching  and  spend- 
ing his  time  in  prayer  at  his  tomb,  for  the  love  he  bore  him, 
while  chanting  the  Psalms  a  sweet  sleep  crept  over  him,  and 
he  thought  there  appeared  to  him  this  same  king,  cheerful  and 
glad,  in  white  raiment,  and  bedecked  most  seemly  in  the 
insignia  of  royalty,  as  was  meet ;  and  he  conversed  with  him, 
answering  such  questions  as  he  asked. 

Here  follows  a  metrical  version  of  the  questions  put  by  the 
aforesaid  cleric  to  the  king : — 

Cleric.  A  king  thou  wast,  what  art  thou  now  ? 

King.  A  servant  once,  lo !  now  I  reign. 
C.  Why  lingers  still  thy  flesh  below  ? 

K.  My  spirit  seeks  the  heavenly  plain. 
C.  Art  thou  in  torment  or  content  ? 

K.  Nay,  not  in  pain.     I  rest  in  peace. 
C.  Then  what  hath  been  thy  punishment  ? 

K.  A  bitter  lot  ere  my  decease. 
C.  Where  art  thou,  friend  ?     Where  dwells  thy  sprite  ? 

K.  In  paradise  that  knows  not  woe. 
C.  Why  does  thy  raiment  gleam  so  white  ? 

K.  I  to  my  grave  a  maid  did  go. 
C.  Why  answerest  so  shortly,  friend  ? 

K.  My  life  is  eloquent  for  me. 
C.  Thy  days  thou  didst  in  sickness  spend. 

K.  But  now  from  sickness  I  am  free. 
C.  Why  lost  we  thee  ?     Why  did  we  part  ? 

K.  That  I  might  find  the  saints  on  high. 
C.  What  was  it  grieved  thy  gentle  heart  ? 

K.  This  wicked  world  is  all  a  lie. 
C.  Tell  me,  when  shalt  thou  come  again  ? 

K.  When  the  great  Judge  shall  judge  at  last. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.          13 

C.  Will  Scotia  for  thy  loss  complain  ? 

K.  Not  now,  but  when  this  time  is  past. 
C.  Wilt  leave  me  now  ?    What  dost  thou  fear  ? 

K.  The  burden  of  the  life  I  bore. 
C.  Hast  thou  no  word  thy  friends  to  cheer  ? 

K.  Bid  them  farewell  for  evermore.19 

When  he  had  said  this,  the  ghost  glided  away ;  and  the  cleric 
awoke  and  committed  these  lines  to  memory,  and  published  to  all 
men  the  king's  plight,  such  as  he  had  seen  it.  This  celebrated 
king  was  called  The  Maiden  ;  and  he  was  also  called  Malcolm 
Keanwourth,  to  distinguish  him  from  .his  great-grandfather 
Malcolm  Canmor.  So  he  died  at  Jedworth,  and  his  body, 
escorted  by  all  the  magnates  and  prominent  persons  of  the 
kingdom,  was  brought  to  Dunfermline  in  great  state,  and  there 
obtained  a  place  of  burial  in  the  middle  of  the  choir,  in  front 
of  the  high  altar,  on  the  right  of  his  grandfather  the  sainted 
King  David.  The  same  year,  in  the  month  of  August,  before 
sunrise  in  the  morning,  there  appeared  two  comets,  one  in  the 
south  and  another  in  the  north. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

King  William,  brother  of  the  said  King  Malcolm. 

THE  same  year,  on  the  fifteenth  day  after  the  said  King 
Malcolm's  death,  all  the  prelates  and  lords  of  the  realm  met  at 
Scone ;  and,  having  come  to  an  unanimous  agreement,  adopted 
as  king  the  said  King  Malcolm's  brother  William,  who  was  at 
that  time  earl  of  Northumberland,  and  was,  on  account  of  his 
admirable  life  and  uprightness  of  conduct,  called  the  Friend  of 
God,  the  Lion  of  Justice,  the  Paragon  of  Nobility.  So  on 
Christmas  Eve  he  was,  according  to  the  royal  custom,  raised  in 
state  to  the  regal  throne,  the  ceremony  being  performed  by 
Richard  archbishop  of  Saint  Andrews  and  other  prelates  and 
magnates.  The  following  year  the  king  of  England  crossed 
the  sea,  and  was  shortly  after  followed  by  the  said  William 
king  of  Scotland,  to  treat  of  divers  difficult  matters;  and  as 
the  said  Henry  king  of  England  expected  that  war  would  be 
made  against  him,  seeing  that  he  had  against  him  the  Welsh 
and  Matthew  count  of  Boulogne,  consort  of  King  Stephen's 
daughter,  as  well  as  the  French  nation,  he  thought  he  would 
secure  the  Scottish  nation  through  his  kinsman  King  William, 
and  with  honeyed  words  attract  it  to  himself  by  a  few  fair 


1 4  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VI. 

promises.  But  Matthew  assembled  a  fleet  from  all  parts :  he 
fitted  out  six  hundred  vessels,  it  was  rumoured,  which  he  was 
to  man  with  Flemings  and  lead  to  the  invasion  of  England 
the  following  year.  Therefore  there  was  a  great  stir  made 
throughout  England,  and  it  was  eagerly  sought  to  secure  friends 
everywhere.  For  in  these  days,  ever  since  Northumberland 
had  been  restored  to  Henry  king  of  England,  there  reigned 
between  the  kingdoms  no  settled  peace,  but  rather  some  frail 
truce,  many  a  time  broken  and  as  often  patched  up  again, 
whereby  the  contiguous  borders  of  the  kingdoms  suffered 
severely.  Wherefore,  on  these  and  other  grounds,  an  agree- 
ment was  drawn  up  by  commissioners  from  either  country  and 
confirmed  by  the  seal  of  each  king  and  of  all  the  lords,  that,  in 
order  to  recover  Northumberland  and  establish  an  indissoluble 
bond  of  everlasting  peace,  William  king  of  Scotland  should  go 
to  his  cousin  King  Henry,  then  at  Windsor,  awaiting  his 
coming  thither.  This  was  accordingly  done ;  and  on  his  arrival 
there  he  was  received  with  great  rejoicings.  But  just  as  the 
kings  were  talking  over  their  affairs,  all  of  a  sudden  untoward 
news  from  over  the  water  burst  upon  King  Henry's  ears ;  so 
when  he  had  learned  the  purport  thereof,  he  put  aside  all 
business  and  crossed  the  sea  at  the  head  of  a  huge  army. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

King  William  sets  out  for  Gaul  against  the  wisii  of  his 
countrymen. 

KING  William  of  Scotland,  however,  could  by  no  contrivance 
of  his  own  nobles  who  were  there  with  him,  or  of  any  one  else, 
be  restrained  from  setting  out  with  him  against  the  wish  of  all, 
so  that  he  might  witness  the  encounter  of  brave  warriors ;  and  in 
those  parts  he  gained  brilliant  honours  of  chivalry,  giving  before 
all  men  promise  of  uncommon  prowess.  And  thus,  having  first 
ratified  the  truce,  he  returned  to  his  own  kingdom  with  honour ; 
while  the  treaty  of  peace  which  was  to  have  been  arranged  was 
put  off  to  an  appointed  time  of  fitting  leisure.  Afterwards  war 
broke  out  again  between  the  French  and  English  kings  about 
the  city  of  Toulouse  and  for  sundry  other  reasons  on  either 
side,  so  that,  besides  many  other  evils,  the  county  of  Anjou 
and  the  province  of  the  Vexin  were  fearfully  ravaged  by  fire 
and  pillage,  while  the  king  of  the  French  tarried  four  days  in 
the  Vexin.  The  second  year  after  this,  however,  peace  was 
restored  between  them,  when  both  kingdoms  had  often  been 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VI.  1 5 

reduced  to  great  straits ;  and,  in  order  to  consolidate  this  peace, 
the  French  king's  other  daughter,  begotten  of  the  daughter  of 
the  king  of  the  Spaniards,  was  given  to  Eichard,  son  of  the 
king  of  England.  This  Richard,  moreover,  got  the  duchy  of 
Aquitaine  from  the  king  of  the  French,  and  did  homage  and 
swore  fealty  to  him  for  the  honour  of  the  duchy.  On  this 
account  also  Henry,  that  Richard's  brother  and  King  Henry's 
firstborn,  then  got  from  the  king  of  the  French  the  lordship  of 
Brittany,  together  with  the  province  of  Anjou  and  the  city  of 
Cenoman  (Le  Mans),  doing  homage  for  these  as  he  had  already 
done  for  the  duchy  of  Normandy. 

The  year  before,  that  is  in  1166,  Earl  Gospatrick  died,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son  Walter.  The  following  year  died 
Baldred  of  happy  memory,  third  abbot  of  Rivaulx,  who  com- 
posed the  little  book  on  the  Life  of  Saint  David  king  of  Scots ; 
and  he  was  succeeded  in  the  said  abbacy  of  Rivaulx  by  Silvan 
abbot  of  Dundranan.  The  same  year  also  died  the  Empress 
Maud,  daughter  of  the  Good  Queen  Maud  of  England,  and 
mother  of  Henry  II.  king  of  the  English ;  and  the  Emperor 
Frederick  I.  marched  upon  Rome,  and  thrust  a  certain  schis- 
matic into  the  church  of  Saint  Peter  by  force  of  arms.  In  the 
year  1169  died  Gregory  bishop  of  Dunkeld,  and  Humbald  prior 
of  Wenlock  brought  the  brotherhood  to  the  monastery  of 
Paisley,  which  Walter,  the  son  of  Alan  steward  of  the  king  of 
Scotland,  had  founded  shortly  before. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Henry,  thefatlier,  out  of  hatred  for  Saint  Thomas,  has  his  son 
Henry  croioned. 

IN  this  year  Henry  king  of  England  came  back  to  England 
from  Normandy,  and  on  the  way  back  many  of  his  men  perished 
by  shipwreck.  King  William,  however,  came  to  him  at  Windsor 
upon  the  same  business  as  before,  to  agree  about  arranging -a 
peace,  on  Easter  Eve,  the  day  appointed  by  their  agents,  and 
was  received  by  him  with  great  honours.  The  interview  began 
after  the  Festival ;  and  when  they  came  to  talk  over  the  condi- 
tions, with  regard,  that  is,  to  the  earldom  of  Northumberland, 
upon  which  the  king  of  England  had  promised  it  him  in  the 
former  negotiations,  he  asked  that  the  earldom  should  be  re- 
stored to  him ;  but  what  he  had,  as  already  said,  conceded  to 
fear  of  threatening  wars,  this  he  refused  to  give  up  now  that 
they  were  somewhat  allayed  and  to  some  extent  quieted  and  he 


1 6  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VI. 

was  as  it  were  safe  from  his  enemies.  Wherefore  King  William 
of  Scotland  went  away  unsatisfied,  with  none  of  the  business 
settled ;  and  he  returned  and  arrived  safely  in  Scotland.  In  the 
year  1 169,  Henry  king  of  England,  having  arranged  for  the  con- 
secration and  anointing  of  his  eldest  son  Henry,  son-in-law  to 
Louis  king  of  France,  by  the  archbishop  of  York,  out  of  hatred 
to  Saint  Thomas  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  in  violation  of  the 
privileges  of  the  said  church  of  Canterbury,  wickedly  and  arbi- 
trarily raised  him  to  the  throne,  and  drove  the  aforesaid  holy 
man  into  exile  in  France.  In  these  days  a  great  quarrel  and 
struggle  broke  out  between  Henry  the  father,  the  old  king,  and 
Henry  the  son,  the  young  king.  On  account  of  this  rupture, 
Henry  the  son  retired  with  his  two  brothers  from  England  to 
France,  to  the  king  of  the  French,  and  enticed  and  won  over  to 
his  cause  King  William  of  Scotland  and  many  others,  lords  of 
France,  who  shared  his  views  and  promised  him  help.  For  it 
was  hinted  to  the  son  that  his  father  repented  of  having  raised 
him  to  the  throne,  and  wished  silently  and  secretly  to  take  his 
aforesaid  son,  the  young  king,  and  consign  him  to  close  confine- 
ment in  some  strong  castle ;  and  when  the  son  heard  this,  he 
crossed  the  water  and  betook  himself  to  his  wife's  father  Louis 
king  of  the  French.  Trusting  then  in  his  help,  he  lost  no  time 
in  hatching  plots  and  wars  against  his  father  the  king  of  the 
English ;  but  it  was  an  evil  thing  to  do,  for  it  is  most  wicked 
for  son  to  rise  against  father.  Nevertheless  it  may  be  taken  for 
granted  that  it  came  to  pass  by  God's  permission,  on  account 
of  the  atrocities  erst  wickedly  inflicted  upon  the  blessed  Thomas 
the  Martyr.  , 


CHAPTER  XXV. 
War  between  the,  father  and  son,  [Kings]  of  England. 

IN  the  year  1173  the  aforesaid  Henry,  the  son,  king  of  Eng- 
land, supported  by  the  king  of  France  and  joined  by  Philip 
count  of  Flanders  and  many  others  from  both  England  and 
France,  led  an  army  into  Normandy  against  his  father,  and 
took  the  castle  of  Albemarle  and  imprisoned  the  count  of 
Albemarle,  whom  his  father  King  Henry  had  despatched  to 
that  place ;  and,  while  taking  and  storming  a  great  many  other 
places,  he  slew  many  nobles  of  that  country,  together  with  the 
count  of  Boulogne.  But  William  king  of  Scotland,  listening 
to  these  promises  of  this  new  king,  who  proffered  and  promised 
him  Northumberland  and  Cumberland,  and  hoping  to  repair 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VI.          17 

his  former  losses  and  wrongs  by  a  fresh  struggle,  took  the  field 
with  a  large  army  against  the  old  King  Henry ;  and  he  first 
laid  siege  to  Wark  Castle,  and  encamped  there,  and  then  marched 
upon  Northumberland  with  a  great  multitude  of  wild 20  Scots, 
and,  sparing  no  sex,  made  the  place  unrecognisable,  wasted  and 
consumed  with  fire  and  sword  everything  this  side  of  the  river 
Humber,  and  afterwards  retreated  to  Carlisle  and  attacked 21  the 
city  with  all  his  forces.  It  so  happened,  however,  that  at  this 
time  Eobert  earl  of  Leicester  was  put  at  the  head  of  a  great 
many  knights  by  the  young  King  Henry,  and  of  a  great  multi- 
tude also  of  Flemish  foot  who  embraced  his  cause,  and  was, 
together  with  his  wife  also  in  mail,  sent  into  England  to  King 
William's  support;  but,  before  he  could  reach  him  through 
England,  he  was  captured  by  the  adherents  of  the  old  king  of 
England,  and  great  part  of  his  army  was  slain,  while  he  was 
consigned  to  cruel  imprisonment  in  chains  of  iron  in  Por- 
chester  Castle.  But  when  King  William  at  Carlisle  heard  of 
this,  he  was  so  greatly  grieved  thereat  that  he  raised  the  siege 
and  went  home  again. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Capture  of  William  King  of  Scotland. 

IN  the  year  1 1 74  King  William  led  an  army  into  England, 
and  besieged  and  took  Appleby  and  subdued  Westmoreland. 
Thereupon,  for  a  sum  of  money,  the  Northumbrians  obtained  a 
peace  until  the  eighth  day  after  Whitsunday ;  and  thus  he  made 
a  raid  and  went  home  again  without  loss.  But,  after  tarrying 
there  a  little  while,  he  again  got  an  army  together  and  went 
back  into  England  and  took  Borough-under-Moor ;  so,  after 
having  wasted  Cumberland,  as  he  was  going  back  ravaging 
through  Northumberland,  he  came  before  Alnwick ;  and,  when 
bivouacking  there  with  a  few  knights,  while  the  greater  part  of 
the  army  were  scattered  here  and  there  over  the  country,  the 
enemy  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  arrived  and  took  him  pri- 
soner, on  the  1 3th  of  July,  in  the  tenth  year  of  his  reign,  and 
carried  him  off  with  hardly  any  of  his  men  being  aware  of  it. 
Meanwhile  Henry,  the  old  king  of  England,  came  to  England 
and  proceeded  ^  barefoot,  clad  in  sackcloth,  wailing  and  weep- 
ing, and  with  a  great  multitude  of  bishops  and  lords,  to  the 
tomb  of  Saint  Thomas,  doing  penance  for  his  sins  and  humbly 
beseeching  peace. 

But  in  the  morning  William  king  of  Scots,  having  been 

B 


1 8  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VI. 

taken  prisoner  as  aforesaid,  and,  by  the  ordering  of  God's 
loving-kindness,  rescued  from  the  shedding  of  man's  blood, 
not  only  that  his  own  fierceness  and  turbulence  might  be 
allayed,  but  also  that  peace  might  be  restored  to  the  French 
and  to  all  parts  over  the  water,  was  upon  his  capture  at  once 
taken  to  Eichemont  in  sorrow,  where  Saint  Thomas  was 
repeatedly  implored  to  befriend  him  ;  and  he  was  there  placed 
in  custody  and  reverently  kept  for  a  time.  But  when  the 
matter  came  to  the  ears  of  the  old  King  Henry  of  England,  he 
was  brought  before  him  by  his  orders  and  straightway  for- 
warded to  Normandy  and  confined  in  the  Tower  of  Falaise. 
David,  therefore,  his  younger  brother,  hearing  this,  at  once  left 
Leicester,  to  which  he  had  laid  siege,21  and  quickly  repaired 
to  Scotland  with  his  men.  At  this  time  the  Scots  and  the 
men  of  Galloway,  on  their  king  being  thus  seized,  ruthlessly 
massacred  their  English  neighbours  and  eaph  other,23  with 
mutual  slaughter,  by  frequent  attacks  and  invasions ;  and  both 
English  and  Gallowidians  were  most  wofully  hunted  down,  so 
that  no  sex  or  age  was  spared,  but  all  ransom  was  refused, 
and  they  were  put  to  death  without  distinction. 


CHAPTEE  XXVII. 

Eeconciliation  of  the  Father  and  Son,  Kings  of  the  English. 

MEANWHILE  Eouen  was  besieged  by  the  king  of  the  French 
and  by  the  young  King  Henry  and  Philip  count  of  Flanders. 
But,  when  the  old  King  Henry  discovered  this,  seeing  that  the 
whole  English  people  was  now  as  tranquil  as  he  could  wish, 
and  fast  secured  under  his  rule  by  a  treaty  of  peace,  he  hurried 
to  the  sea,  and  lost  no  time  in  crossing  over  to  support  his 
men  with  the  strong  hand;  and  he  drew  William  king  of 
Scots  from  confinement,  and  brought  him  with  him.  Upon 
learning  this,  all  his  foes  were  seized  with  fear,  so  that  those 
who  were  the  chief  instigators  of  the  quarrel  began  to  negotiate 
for  peace ;  and,  at  the  instance  of  some  good  men,  the  father 
and  son  were  set  at  one  by  a  secure  peace.  Thus  peace  was 
once  for  all  entirely  restored  on  both  sides  of  the  water,  and, 
at  the  intercession  of  the  king  of  France,  King  Henry  released 
and  liberated  all  the  prisoners  but  the  king  of  Scotland,  and 
gave  them  back  their  honours  and  goods.  Lo,  how  they  loved 
him,  the  king  of  Scots,  to  forsake  him,  all  of  them,  and  with 
one  accord  be  reconciled  in  peace  and  honour  !  Might  he  not 
say  with  the  prophet,  All  his  friends  departed  from  him,  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.          19 

there  was  none  to  comfort  him  of  all  his  dear  ones  ?  For  his 
seeming  friends,  who  in  the  time  of  their  need  appeared  to  be 
his  firmest  allies,  forsook  him  when  it  was  rumoured  that  he 
had  been  captured.  Behold  what  it  is  to  trust  in  the  alliance 
of  enemies  surrounded  by  troops  of  traitors,  who,  though  feign- 
ing peace  with  their  neighbour,  yet  have  evil  in  their  hearts 
and  the  poison  of  asps  under  their  lips  !  But  deservedly, 
by  the  judgment  of  God,  did  William  king  of  Scots  suffer 
these  things,  for  he  unnaturally  supported  an  impious  son 
against  his  father,  not  in  a  just  war,  nor  through  zeal  for 
justice,  but  rashly,  through  the  worthless  advice  of  young  men, 
without  being  guided  by  the  advice  of  the  lords  or  prelates  of 
his  realm  :  in  olirect  opposition  to  Solomon,  who  says,  He  that 
is  wise  hearkeneth  unto  counsel,  for  wisdom  dwelleth  in 
counsel  and  is  concerned  with  witty  inventions.  For  he  was 
ill  advised  to  abandon  and  forego  following  up  a  most  just 
cause  of  war  of  his  own,  and  afford  help  in  an  unjust  war  to  an 
unrighteous  son  who  proved  ungrateful  to  him  :  for  it  is  acknow- 
ledged that  William  himself  notoriously  had  an  undoubted 
hereditary  right  to  the  sovereignty  and  crown  of  the  whole 
kingdom  of  England.  But  the  young  King  Henry  was  un- 
grateful to  him ;  for  when,  by  the  intercession  of  his  father-in- 
law  the  king  of  the  French,  he  restored  the  other  prisoners  to 
freedom  and  honour,  one  word  of  his,  if  he  had  so  wished, 
could  have  freed  this  same  King  William  by  the  help  of  the 
said  king  of  the  French.  What  one  must,  in  greater  matters 
and  affairs,  think  of  those  who  ungratefully  fail  their  friends 
in  smaller,  I  leave  to  more  competent  judges  to  decide.  More- 
over, how  can  one  who  is  not  afraid  to  be  false  to  his  parents, 
who  are  dear  to  him,  be  trusted  to  be  true  to  his  word  or  friend- 
ship with  strangers  he  knows  not  ? 


CHAPTEE  XXVIII. 

Liberation  of  King  William. 

Now  when  the  other  magnates  had  been  released,  the 
bishops  of  Saint  Andrews  and  Dunkeld  and  a  great  many 
other  lords  and  prelates,  earls  and  barons  of  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  went  across  the  sea  to  King  Henry,  then  in  Nor- 
mandy, about  setting  their  king  free.  He  was  accordingly 
set  free,  and  went  home  again  about  the  Feast  of  Purification 
after  he  was  captured ;  and  he  straightway  made  over  to  the 
English  king  the  castles  of  Berwick,  Roxburgh  and  Edinburgh, 


20          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

and  wardens  were  appointed  thereto  under  the  dominion  of  the 
said  English  king ;  while  some  English  hostages  were  delivered 
to  the  Scots  King  William  himself  for  the  future  maintenance  of 
peace  and  the  unshaken  observance  of  other  conventions  drawn 
up  between  these  kings.  Afterwards,  on  the  15th  of  August,  all 
the  bishops  and  prelates  of  Scotland  were,  at  the  command  of 
their  King  William,  bound  by  virtue  of  an  oath  and  a  sacred 
promise  to  appear  at  York  in  a  body  before  the  English  King 
Henry ;  their  lord  the  king,  even  as  then  needs  behoved  him, 
bidding  them  to  do  so,  as  was  their  duty  in  right  of  homage, 
and  as  they  were  bound  by  the  tenor  of  their  fealty.24  I  find,25 
however,  in  various  chronicles,  that  Stirling  Castle  was  likewise 
at  that  time  handed  over  to  the  aforesaid  wardens ;  whence 
Baldred,  in  his  Ansvjers  to  the  Inventions  of  the  King  of  England, 
says  : — "  And  four  of  the  strongest  castles  of  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  were  given  to  the  king  of  England  as  security ;  and 
the  aforesaid  lords  and  prelates  assured  the  king  of  England  by 
oath  that  they  were  not  to  attack  these  castles,  nor  otherwise 
take  them,  until  King  William  should  be  set  free."  So  King 
William  came  home  again  in  the  year  1175. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Rebellion  of  Galloway  and  fickleness  of  the  men  thereof. 

IN  the  year  that  William  was  set  at  liberty,  and  even  during 
the  time  he  was  kept  in  confinement,  the  Gallowidians,  led  by 
Gilbert  son  of  Fergus,  conspired  together,  and,  seceding  from 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  ravaged  and  disturbed  all  the  lands 
on  their  frontiers.  Othred,  however,  a  son  of  this  very  Fergus, 
being  a  true  Scot,  who  could,  moreover,  in  nowise  be  turned 
against  the  king,  was  captured  by  his  aforesaid  brother  Gilbert 
and  imprisoned  and  loaded  with  chains ;  but  at  length,  as  he 
would  not  acquiesce  in  their  villainies,  his  tongue  was  cut  out 
and  his  eyes  were  torn  out  and  he  was  put  to  death.  But 
when  the  king,  on  being  released,  learnt  this,  he  made  ready 
an  army  against  them,  and,  penetrating  into  Galloway,  lay  in 
ambush  for  them.  Whereupon  the  said  Gilbert  came  with  his 
men  to  meet  him,  humbly  offering  restitution  and  amendment 
for  all  his  misdeeds,  and,  by  the  mediation  of  lords  and  prelates, 
a  complete  reparation  of  wrongs  was  made  by  a  money  pay- 
ment and  by  giving  hostages,  and  he  returned  to  his  allegiance. 
Later  on,  however,  after  the  next  winter  season,  the  king  of 
England  held  a  general  council  at  Northampton  on  the  29th  of 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VI.  2 1 

January,  where  King  William  of  Scotland  and,  at  the  command 
of  both  kings,  all  the  bishops  and  prelates  of  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  were  assembled ;  and  they  were  instructed,  on  one  side, 
under  a  threat  of  banishment,  and  on  the  other  it  was  insinu- 
ated to  them  by  crooked  persuasions  under  the  pretence  of 
advice,  that  they  should  submit  to  the  archbishop  of  York  as 
their  metropolitan.  But  the  prelates  and  all  the  Scots  strove 
hard  to  avert  the  threatened  danger;  and,  better  counsels 
prevailing,  the  proposal  was  unanimously  rejected  by  them, — 
by  having,  however,  recourse  to  delay.  Thereupon,  through 
the  tact  of  these  prelates,  the  pristine  dignity  and  ancient 
liberty  of  the  Scottish  Church  were  confirmed  by  apostolic 
authority  and  fortified  by  Pope  Alexander  with  more  important 
privileges.  In  the  year  1176,  before  the  aforesaid  council,  a 
certain  cardinal  priest  named  Vivian,  titular  of  Saint  Stephen 
in  Mount  Cselius,  came  as  legate  of  the  apostolic  see,  armed 
with  great  authority,  and  crushing  everything  in  his  way; 
and  he  thence  proceeded  to  Ireland  to  discharge  his  duties  as 
legate.  In  the  same  year  there  arose  a  dispute  between  Walter, 
abbot  of  Tirou,  and  John,  of  Kelso,  on  the  subject  of  which  of 
them  would  seem  to  be  the  greater ;  and  their  suit  is  said  to  be 
still  under  consideration.  The  aforesaid  Vivian,  however,  after 
holding  a  council  in  Ireland,  went  back  to  Scotland,  and  sum- 
moned all  the  prelates  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  to  the  Castle 
of  Maidens  (Edinburgh),  and  held  a  solemn  council  on  the 
1st  of  August,  where  he  revived  a  great  many  decrees  of  the 
ancients,  and  moreover  enacted  other  new  ones.  The  following 
year,  according  to  Vincent,  Saint  Thomas  of  Canterbury  was  can- 
onised by  Pope  Alexander.  In  these  days  also  a  certain  cleric, 
a  native  of  England,  was  elected  to  the  bishopric  of  Saint 
Andrews;  but  King  William  opposed  him,  and,  by  means  of 
reports  sent  by  him  to  the  Pope,  managed  to  get  his  own  chap- 
lain consecrated  bishop :  whence  there  arose  a  serious  dispute 
and  dangerous  quarrel. 


CHAPTEE  XXX. 

The  noble  cleric  Gilbert  the  Scot. 

Now,  in  that  aforesaid  council  held  at  Northampton  by  the 
English  king  in  the  presence  of  Eichard  and  Eoger,  arch- 
bishops of  Canterbury  and  York,  and  the  clergy  of  both  king- 
doms, a  certain  Scottish  cleric  named  Gilbert,  perceiving  their 
attempt  to  bring  the  Scottish  Church  under  subjection,  and 


22  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAUUEN.   BOOK  VI. 

having  heard  the  humiliating  words  they  had  hurled  at  the 
Scots,  was  almost  driven  mad ;  and,  though  against  the  wishes 
of  all  his  own  prelates  and  clergy,  yet,  as  he  was  admonished  to 
speak  out  whatever  he  liked  by  the  archbishops,  who  at  first 
thought  him  a  fool  and  said  within  themselves,  "The  Scot 
hath  pepper  up  his  nose ;  he  is  full  of  words,  and  the  wind  of 
his  stomach  is  griping  him ;  his  belly  is  like  new  wine  without 
a  vent-hole,  which  bursteth  asunder  the  new  bottles,"  he, 
glowing  like  red-hot  iron,  poured  forth  some  such  passionate 
words  as  these : — "  Ye  would,  indeed,"  said  he,  "  men  of  Eng- 
land, have  been  noble — yea,  nobler  than  the  men  of  wellnigh 
any  other  country — had  ye  not  craftily  changed  the  might  of 
your  nobleness  and  the  strength  of  your  dreaded  courage  into 
the  insolence  of  tyranny,  and  your  enlightened  wisdom  and 
knowledge  into  the  wily  quibbles  of  sophistry.  For  ye  trust 
not  yourselves  to  order  your  actions  aright  as  under  the  guid- 
ance of  reason ;  but,  both  puffed  up  by  your  teeming  hosts  of 
knights,  and  trusting  in  the  delights  of  wealth  and  all  manner 
of  substance,  ye  through  some  wrongful  lust  or  greed  of  mastery 
aim  at  subduing  to  your  sway  all  the  bordering  provinces  and 
nations,  nations  nobler  and  worthier  than  you — I  will  not  say 
in  numbers,  or  in  might — but  in  blood  and  in  antiquity ; 
nations  whom,  if  ye  study  the  writings  of  old,  ye  ought  rather 
humbly  to  obey,  or  at  least,  quenching  the  touchwood  of  all  ill- 
will,  henceforth  maintain  brotherly  love  with  and  reign  with 
for  aye.  And  now,  above  all  the  wickedness  which  ye  have 
wrought  in  your  pride,  ye  are  striving,  without  any  plea  of 
right,  but  by  brute  force  and  presumption,  to  crush  the  Scottish 
Church,  your  mother,  catholic  and  free  from  the  beginning, 
which,  while  ye  were  straying  through  the  pathless  wilds  of 
heathendom,  set  you  upon  the  steed  of  faith  and  brought  you 
back  to  the  way  of  truth  and  life,  Christ,  the  home  of  everlast- 
ing rest ;  washed  your  kings  and  princes  and  their  peoples  with 
the  water  of  holy  baptism ;  taught  you  God's  commandments 
and  instructed  you  in  morals;  and,  most  gladly  welcoming 
many  of  your  nobles  and  common  folk  who  took  delight  in 
giving  their  mind  to  reading,  took  care  to  bestow  upon  them 
their  daily  food  free  of  cost,  as  well  as  books  to  read  and 
masters  for  nothing.  She  likewise  consecrated,  appointed  and 
ordained  your  bishops  and  priests ;  and  Bede,  moreover,  bears 
witness  that  for  the  space  of  thirty  years  or  more  she  held  the 
primacy  and  the  summit  of  episcopal  dignity  north  of  the 
river  Thames.  What  return,  pray,  are  ye  making  to  one  who 
has  lavished  so  many  benefits  upon  you  ?  Is  it  not  the  subjec- 
tion of  bondage,  or  such  as  Jewry  gave  to  Christ,  evil  for  good 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAEDEN.   BOOK  VI.          23 

and  hatred  for  love  ?  I,  indeed,  cannot  hope  for  anything  else. 
How  art  thou  turned  to  bitterness,  O  alien  vine !  We  looked 
that  thou  shouldst  bear  grapes,  and  thou  hast  brought  forth 
wild  grapes !  We  looked  that  thou  shouldst  do  judgment  and 
justice,  and  lo  iniquity  and  injustice  and  a  cry !  But  if  thy 
will  should  be  followed  by  deeds,  thou  wouldst  bring  down  to 
the  utmost  wretchedness  of  bondage  her  whom  it  beseems  thee 
to  treat  with  all  worship  and  reverence.  Fie,  for  shame ! 
What  could  be  worse  ? 

Where  benefits  slide  off,  there  wrongs  will  cling. 

The  poison  which  snakes  spit  out  to  another's  hurt  they  hold 
without  hurting  themselves ;  but  not  so  the  vice  of  ingratitude : 
for  the  ungrateful  man  tortures  and  frets  himself,  hates  and 
decries  boons  he  must  return,  but  exaggerates  and  makes  the 
most  of  his  wrongs.  I  feel  the  truth  of  Seneca's  saying,  when 
he  declares  that  the  more  some  men  owe  the  more  they  hate, 
and  a  small  debt26  to  another  makes  a  great  enemy  of  the 
debtor.  But  what  sayest  thou,  David  ?  This,  I  trow — 'They 
have  rewarded  me  evil  for  good,  and  hatred  for  my  love/  It  is 
unjust,  says  Gregory,  to  serve  a  lord  whom  no  service  can 
please.  Therefore  thou,  also,  Anglican  Church, 

Dost  seek  forbidden  means  to  gain  thine  end ; 
nay,  even  to  seize  what  is  not  granted. 

Wish  what  is  just,  if  thou  would  have  thy  wish. 

So,  not  to  pester  my  hearers  with  any  further  words,  I  for 
my  part,  although  not  charged  with  this  duty,  yet  for  the  sake 
of  the  freedom  of  my  Scottish  Church,  even  though  the  whole 
clergy  of  Scotland  should  think  otherwise,  cannot  agree  to 
their  being  brought  under  subjection;  and  I  here  at  once 
appeal  to  our  apostolic  lord,  to  whom  the  said  Church  is  imme- 
diately subject ;  and  if  I  must  needs  die  for  her,  I  here  bow  my 
head  to  the  sword.  Nor  do  I  think  we  need  refer  the  matter 
to  my  lords  the  prelates  of  Scotland, — I  should  not  even  con- 
sent to  this:  because  it  is  more  straightforward  bluntly  to 
refuse  a  request  than  to  delay  and  put  off  to  some  distant  date ; 
for  he  who  is  quickly  refused  is  the  less  deceived."  At  these 
words  some  of  the  English,  both  prelates  and  magnates,  joined 
in  loud  praises  of  the  cleric,  in  that  he  had  fearlessly  vented 
the  feelings  of  his  heart  for  his  country's  sake,  nattering  none, 
nor  daunted  by  the  stern  looks  of  his  hearers, — indeed,  they 
also  beyond  measure  dreaded  the  apostolic  see,  by  reason  of  the 
severe  censure  it  had  shortly  before  meted  out  to  those  who 


24          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

were  disaffected  towards  the  liberties  of  the  Church  and  towards 
Saint  Thomas  of  Canterbury.  Others,  again,  because  he  had 
put  forward  what  went  against  their  wishes,  set  him  down  as  a 
vapouring  Scot,  and  hasty  by  nature. 


CHAPTEK  XXXI. 

Certain  incidents  connected  with  this  matter. 

BUT  Roger  archbishop  of  York,  who  was  the  prime  mover27 
in  the  plan  to  bring  the  Scottish  Church  under  his  own  metro- 
politan jurisdiction,  heaved  a  sigh  out  of  the  fulness  of  his 
heart  and  broke  up  the  council;  and,  rising  with  a  forced  smile 
on  his  lips,  he  patted  the  aforesaid  Gilbert  on  the  head  with  his 
right  hand,  and  said  laughing  to  the  bystanders — 

"  'Twas  not  from  his  own  quiver  came  that  shaft." 

Implying,  as  it  were,  "When  ye  stand  before  princes  and 
bishops  to  uphold  justice,  ponder  not  beforehand  what  ye  shall 
speak ;  for  it  will  be  given  you  in  that  hour  what  to  speak :  for 
it  is  not  ye  who  speak,  but  the  Holy  Ghost  that  speaketh  in 
you."  From  that  time  forward  King  William  so  loved  the 
aforesaid  cleric,  that  he  held  him  in  the  greatest  intimacy  in  his 
most  secret  actions  and  projects.  Some,  indeed,  say  that  this 
was  the  Gilbert  whom  the  king  afterwards  appointed  chamber- 
lain of  the  kingdom ;  and,  through  the  good  offices  of  the  king, 
our  lord  the  Pope  later  on  raised  him  to  the  bishopric  of  Caith- 
ness, and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  signalised  him  by  many 
miracles  after  his  life  had  run  its  course. 

In  the  year  1179  Louis  king  of  the  French,  then  seventy 
and  paralytic,  had  his  son  Philip  crowned  and  consecrated  in 
his  own  lifetime,  the  said  King  Philip  being  only  fourteen 
years  old ;  and  the  English  King  Henry  was  present,  from  the 
allegiance  he  owed  for  the  duchy  of  Normandy.  Philip  reigned 
forty  years  and  more  of  a  praiseworthy  life.  At  this  time 
King  William  founded  the  monastery  of  Arbroath,  and  his 
brother  David,  then  earl  of  Huntingdon,  the  monastery  of 
lindores.28 

In  these  days  King  William,  together  with  his  brother 
David  earl  of  Huntingdon,  marched  with  a  large  army  into 
Ross,  against  a  certain  rebel  named  Makwilliam  and  another, 
to  wit  Donald  Bane;29  and  he  there  planted  two  castles,  one 
that  of  Dunschath,  and  another  named  Edertoune.  But,  when 
the  king  had  returned  to  southern  parts,  these  same  tyrants 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.          25 

rebelled,  after  seven  years'  tranquillity ;  so  he  brought  a  fresh 
army  thither  and  slew  them,  together  with  a  great  number  of 
traitors  who  were  likewise  slain.  Having  thus  speedily  reduced 
the  whole  country  and  established  it  in  perfect  peace,  he  left 
it ;  and,  during  a  short  stay  at  Inverness  Castle,  he  ordered 
the  said  Donald  Bane's  head  to  be  fixed  there. 

In  these  days  William  and  his  brother  David  earl  of  Hunt- 
ingdon were  with  the  old  King  Henry  in  Normandy,  to 
transact  some  business  of  theirs,  and  they  lent  their  assist- 
ance30 to  the  French  king  against  the  Flemings,  who  had 
rebelled  against  him. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Restoration  of  tJte  Earldom  of  Huntingdon  to  King  William 
of  Scotland. 

IN  the  year  1185  the  patriarch  of  Jerusalem  came  to  Eng- 
land, and  was  honourably  received  by  King  Henry.  In  this 
year  also  Henry  king  of  England  restored  the  earldom  of 
Huntingdon  to  King  William  at  Windsor,  which  earldom  he 
had  formerly  extorted  from  him  as  his  ransom,  together  with 
the  earldoms  of  Northumberland,  Cumberland  and  Westmore- 
land and  the  earldom  of  Carlisle.31  This  earldom  of  Hunt- 
ingdon King  William  gave  and  granted  to  his  brother  David, 
to  be  holden  of  himself  for  ever.  It  should  be  observed  that, 
during  the  whole  time  that  King  William  was  a  prisoner, 
until  he  regained  his  freedom,  both  in  the  southern  and  in  the 
northern  tracts  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  the  inhabitants 
thereof  were  divided  among  themselves,  and  fought  against 
each  other  with  murderous  hate ;  and  the  cause  of  this  wretched- 
ness and  slaughter  was  Gilbert  the  son  of  Fergus,  who  had 
formerly  mutilated  and  killed  his  own  brother.32  By  the  will  of 
God  he  died ;  and,  after  his  death,  Eotholand  son  of  the  said 
mutilated  Othred,  being  supported  by  the  king's  help,  fought  a 
battle  with  a  man  of  the  name  of  Gilpatric  and  another  named 
Kened  and  a  third  named  Samuel,  who  were  the  chief  arch- 
tyrants  of  the  Gallowidians,  and  defeated  and  slew  them. 
This  same  Eotholand  also,  at  the  king's  command,  deprived 
alike  of  life  and  property  and  exterminated  a  certain  other 
tyrant  named  Gillecolum,  the  chief  of  the  freebooters  of  Lothian, 
together  with  his  companions  ;  and  he  cleared  the  country  of 
tyrants  and  restored  tranquillity.  After  this,  however,  Henry- 
king  of  the  English,  who  had  formerly  begun  to  support  the 


26          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

Gallowidians,  was  greatly  irritated  against  Rotholand  ;  and,  in 
consequence  of  the  reports  of  certain  persons  who  wished  him 
ill,  he  mustered  an  army  and  marched  against  him,  advancing 
as  far  as  Carlisle.  But  Kotholand  repaired  to  him  by  order  of 
his  lord  the  king,  and  was  honourably  received  on  his  arrival, 
and  they  were  set  at  one  and  reconciled.  But  King  William, 
in  consideration  of  Rotholand' s  meritorious  services  while  the 
king  was  a  prisoner,  and  on  account  of33  his  father's  loyalty  as 
well  as  his  own  fidelity,  gave  him  the  whole  land  of  his 
brother34  Gilbert,  as  also  the  land  which  he  formerly  owned 
by  hereditary  right,  to  hold  in  full  and  peaceful  possession. 
He  also  brought  about  peace,  love  and35  harmony  between 
him  and  the  son  of  the  said  Gilbert.  Moreover,  because  the 
son  of  the  said  Gilbert  obeyed  the  king  and  submissively  gave 
up  his  father's  land  to  the  said  Rotholand,  as  already  stated, 
King  William  granted  to  this  same  son  of  Gilbert  the  entire 
land  of  Carrick  and  its  pertinents. 

In  the  year  1186  Geoffrey,  the  English  King  Henry's  third 
son,  who  was  duke  or36  earl  of  Brittany,  died  at  Paris.  The 
same  year  Henry  king  of  England  gave  William  back  the 
Castle  of  Maidens  (Edinburgh),  which  he  had  kept  ever  since 
William  was  captured;  and  he  joined  unto  him  in  marriage 
his  kinswoman  Eymergarde,  daughter  of  the  earl  of  Beaumont, 
who  was  son  of  the  son37  of  William  the  Bastard's  eldest  son 
named  Eobert  Curtoiz.  Some  say,  indeed,  that  he  begat  of  his 
first  wife  a  daughter  named  Margaret,38  united  in  marriage 
with  the  first  Eobert  de  Bruce,  and  another  daughter  whom  he 
gave  in  marriage  to  the  earl  of  Leodulss.39 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

Flight  and  Death  of  Henry  Fitz-Empress — King  Richard. 


MOREOVER  Richard,  as  soon  as  his  coronation  was  over,  in  full 
parliament  and  with  the  consent  of  his  councillors  freed  and 
released,  by  an  unanimous  resolution,  all  his  friends  and  allies, 
both  English  and  French,  as  well  as  the  partisans  of  his  pre- 
deceased brother  Henry  the  younger  king  at  the  time  of  their 
wars  against  their  father,  from  whom  his  father  had  extorted 
any  taxes,  bonds,  or  contracts  whatsoever ;  and  he  also  of  his 
own  accord  gave  back  with  usury  the  lands,  property  and 
ransoms  and  all  other  goods  whatsoever  that  had  been  taken 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.          27 

from  them.  To  William  king  of  Scots  he  freely  restored  his 
castles  of  Roxburgh  and  Berwick, — the  Castle  of  Maidens 
(Edinburgh)  having  been  formerly  restored  to  him  by  the 
father, — and  he  proclaimed  the  king  himself  and  his  kingdom 
quitted  of  all  claim  of  subjection  and  servitude  for  ever ;  and 
he  moreover  released  King  William  himself,  the  kingdom  and 
inhabitants  for  ever  from  all  engagements  of  fealty,  sworn 
promises  and  sacred  covenants,  by  the  tenor  of  which  he  was 
anciently  or  otherwise  bound  to  his  father,  or  to  any  other 
former  kings  of  England  whatsoever,  for  whatever  cause, 
whether  for  the  liberation  of  his  body  or  otherwise  howsoever 
and  whatsoever  j40  and  he  freed  and  sent  him  back  to  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  all  the  hostages  given  to  his  father  on 
that  account.  He  also,  on  receiving  from  him  ten  thousand 
merks,  publicly  declared  and  pronounced  the  king  and  his 
successors,  the  kingdom  and  inhabitants  perpetually  free,  quit 
and  exempt  from  all  jurisdiction  and  subjection  to  dominion 
for  ever ;  and  all  the  writs,  charters,  instruments  and  deeds 
wherein  the  old  covenants  and  bonds  or  contracts  formerly 
wrongfully  extorted  from  him  for  any  cause  whatever  were 
set  out,  were  altogether  annulled,  destroyed  and  cancelled, 
and  delivered  up  in  full  to  the  aforesaid  King  William.  He 
also  had  fresh  writs,  charters,  proofs  and  instruments  drawn 
up  for  him  about  the  aforesaid  liberties,  exemptions,  quittances 
and  declarations  of  privileges,  under  the  seals  of  their  lordships 
the  prelates  and  lords  both  of  France  and  of  England  as  well  as 
of  Normandy  present  in  his  parliament,  and  his  own  Great  Seal : 
and  the  tenor  of  the  royal  letter  on  the  subject  is  as  follows : — 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

RICHARD,  by  the  grace  of  God  of  England  king,  duke  of 
Normandy  and  Aquitaine,  count  of  Anjou  and  Poitou ;  to  the 
archbishops,  bishops  and  abbots,  priors,  earls,  barons,  justiciaries, 
sheriffs  and  all  his  ministers  and  lieges  of  the  whole  realm  of 
England,  Greeting :  Know  ye  that  We  have  given  back  to  Our 
cousin  William,  by  the  grace  of  God  king  of  Scots,  his  castles 
of  Roxburgh  and  Berwick,  with  all  their  pertinents,  as  belonging 
to  him  by  right  of  inheritance,  to  be  held  by  him  and  his  heirs, 
successors  in  the  said  kingdom,  for  ever.  Furthermore  We  acquit 
him  of  all  customs  and  agreements  and  covenants  which  Our 
father  of  happy  memory,  Henry  king  of  England,  extorted  by 
fresh  escheats  through  his  capture.  Provided,  that  is  to  say,  that 
King  William  himself  do  wholly  and  fully  unto  Us,  for  his  lands 


28          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

which  he  holds  of  Us  in  England,  what  his  brother  King  Malcolm 
did  unto  Our  ancestors,  and  what  it  was  his  duty  by  law  to  do. 
In  like  manner  We  also  shall  do  unto  him  and  his  successors 
whatever  it  was  and  has  been  Our  predecessors'  duty  by  law  to 
do  unto  them,  namely  in  safe-conduct  while  coming  to  Our 
court  and  while  returning  from  court  and  while  tarrying  there, 
in  procurations  and  dignities  and  honours,  and  in  all  the  liber- 
ties of  the  same  due  by  law  from  old  time  (according  as  it  shall 
be  ascertained  by  four  lords  of  Ours  chosen  by  King  William 
himself,  and  four  lords  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  chosen  by  Us) 
since  William  the  Bastard,  the  conqueror  of  England,  obtained 
the  said  kingdom.  But  if  any  of  Our  men,  since  William  king 
of  Scots  was  taken  prisoner  by  Our  father,  has  in  any  wise 
seized  the  borders  of  the  marches,  or  the  marches  of  the  king- 
dom of  Scotland,  or  unlawfully  retained  them  without  a  judg- 
ment, We  desire  that  they  be  entirely  given  back  and  restored  to 
the  former  state  in  which  they  were  before  his  capture.  Further- 
more, touching  his  lands  which  he  has  in  England,  whether 
demesnes  or  fiefs,  either  in  the  earldom  of  Huntingdon  or  in 
any  other  place  whatsoever,  he  and  his  heirs  for  ever  may  hold 
them  as  freely  and  fully  as  his  brother  Malcolm  king  of  Scot- 
land held  them,  unless  the  aforesaid  King  Malcolm  feued  any  of 
the  said  lands  to  any  one :  Provided,  however,  that  if  any  were 
feued  afterwards,  the  services  of  these  fiefs  belong  to  him  and 
his  heirs.  And  whatever  Our  father  bestowed  on  the  aforesaid 
Malcolm  or  William,  We  hold  it  valid,  and  for  Us  and  Our  heirs 
confirm  it  for  ever,  and  will  hold  it  fast  for  ever.  We  also  give 
back  to  the  aforesaid  William  king  of  Scotland  the  allegiance  of 
his  vassals,  and  all  the  charters  which  Our  father  had  of  him  by 
reason  of  his  capture ;  and  if  any  other  charters  or  letters  are 
kept  back  through  forgetfulness,  or  shall  hereafter  be  found,  We 
decree  and  command  that  the  same  be  altogether  without  force. 
But  William  himself  has  become  Our  liegeman  for  all  his  lauds 
in  England,  for  which  his  ancestors  were  the  liegemen  of  Our 
ancestors,  and  he  has  sworn  fealty  unto  Us.  Witness  myself. 

Now  after  this  the  prelates 41  of  the  whole  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land gladly  divided  among  themselves  the  aforesaid  sum  of  ten 
thousand  merks,  and  paid  it  off  entirely,  at  no  small  cost,  at 
the  terms  fixed  by  the  king  of  England.  In  this  year  David 
earl  of  Huntingdon,  King  William's  brother,  took  to  wife  the 
daughter  of  Hugh  earl  of  Chester. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.         29 


CHAPTEE  XXXV. 

The  harmony,  peace  and  happy  tranquillity  between  William 
King  of  Scotland  and  Richard  of  England. 

Bur  King  William,  feeling  for  the  disaster  which  had  befallen 
his  cousin  Richard  on  his  way  back,42  sent  him  over  to  England 
two  thousand  merks  out  of  his  own  treasury,  and  there  was 
such  harmony,  peace,  love  and  mutual  intercourse  of  the  in- 
habitants between  the  kings  and  kingdoms,  that  the  one  was 
anxious  to  fulfil  the  wishes  of  the  other  in  all  things ;  and  in 
like  manner  the  two  peoples  were  reckoned  as  one  and  the 
same ;  for  the  English  throughout  Scotland,  and  the  Scots 
throughout  England,  as  often  as  and  however  they  pleased, 
both  beyond  the  highlands  and  on  this  side,  whether  on  foot 
or  on  horseback,  enjoyed  steady  peace  and  brotherly  love. 

In  these  days  King  William,  being  laid  up  with  sickness  at 
Clackmannan,  made  all  the  magnates  of  the  realm  take  the 
oath  of  fealty  to  his  daughter  Margaret  as  the  true  heir  to  the 
crown  of  Scotland,  at  least  in  case  that  king  had  not  afterwards 
a  son  and  heir.  This  daughter  of  his,  Margaret,  he  begat  of  the 
daughter  of  Adam  de  Hitusun.  Afterwards  his  daughter  Isabel, 
who  had  formerly  been  given  in  wedlock  to  Robert  de  Bruce, 
was  by  King  William  united  in  marriage  with  a  certain  Robert 
de  Ross  at  Haddington. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

The  King  of  England  does  homage  to  the  King  of  France. 

IN  these  days,  also,  King  William  led  an  army  into  the  earl- 
dom of  Caithness  against  certain  rebels,  whom  he  slew  ;  and  he 
restored  peace  and  won  back  to  his  friendship  the  Earl  Harrald, 
who,  egged  on  by  his  wife,  had  wrought  much  mischief.  The 
following  year,  that  is,  in  the  year  1197,  Harrald  rose  against 
the  king's  friends  in  Moray ;  and  Roderick,  who  had  been  left 
by  the  king  to  guard  the  country,43  and  many  others  fell  slain 
in  battle.  But  the  king  led  an  army  beyond  the  Highlands 
against  Harrald,  and  pursued  him  through  Moray,  Caithness 
and  Sutherland;44  and  he  at  length  took  him  and  imprisoned 
him  in  Roxburgh  Castle.  There  he  remained  until  he  had  made 
full  amends  and  softened  the  king's  wrath,  and  he  left  his  son 
Torfin  as  a  hostage  in  his  stead ;  but  the  latter  had  his  genitals 


30          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCATCDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

cut  out  and  his  eyes  plucked  out  on  account  of  his  father's  bad 
faith,  and  died  in  prison.  In  the  year  1198  was  bom  Alex- 
ander II.,  future  king  of  Scotland,  and  son  of  the  above-mentioned 
King  William,  amid  the  rejoicings  of  all  the  people  of  the  land, 
while  the  whole  clergy  solemnly  lifted  up  their  voices  in  honour 
of  the  day  and  praised  God.  He  was  born  of  Queen  Emergarde 
at  Haddington  at  the  Feast  of  Saint  Bartholomew;  and  the 
clergy,  clad  in  stoles,  went  about  at  primes  in  processions  in  the 
ecclesiastical  places  throughout  the  whole  kingdom,  rejoicing 
with  very  great  joy. 


CHAPTEE  XXXVII. 

Death  of  the  King  of  the  English. 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

Peace  between  the  Kings  of  France  and  England. 

IN  the  year  1200  peace  was  restored  between  the  two  kings 
of  France  and  England,  and  there  were  the  nuptials  of 
Louis,46  only  son  of  King  Philip  of  France,  with  Blanche, 
daughter  of  the  king  of  Castille  and  niece  of  the  king  of  the 
English ;  in  honour  of  which  marriage  John  king  of  England 
made  over  to  the  aforesaid  Louis  and  his  heirs  all  the  fortresses, 
castles  and  towns  and  the  whole  of  the  land  which  the  king  of 
the  French  had  taken  from  him,  as  well  as  the  whole  of  the  land 
which  the  said  king  of  England  had  in  French  parts,  namely 
Auvergne,  Berry  (as  the  French  now  call  the  duchy  of  Bituri- 
cum),  and  the  county  of  Evreux  into  the  bargain,  in  case 
he  died  without  a  true  and  lawful  heir.  On  his  return  to 
England  he  was  met  by  King  William,  who  did  homage  to  him 
at  Lincoln  expressly  and  only  for  his  lands  within  the  kingdom 
and  territory  of  England,  which  John's  father  had  formerly 
restored  to  him  in  England, — for  the  lands,  namely,  which  his 
predecessors  held  in  England, — without  prejudice  to  all  and 
sundry  his  lands,  dominions,  dignities,  liberties  and  royal 
privileges  and  honours,  without  any  jot  of  subjection,  or  of 
jurisdiction,  superiority,  or  dominion  over  the  king,  kingdom, 
or  inhabitants  of  Scotland. 

At  this  time  a  certain  earl  of  Orkney,  Harald  by  name,  was 
led  by  the  reports  of  certain  persons  to  believe  that  the  bishop 
of  Caithness  had  charged  him  before  the  king  with  being  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.          31 

king's  enemy ;  wherefore  the  said  earl  attacked  that  bishop  and 
put  out  his  eyes  and  cut  out  his  tongue.  But  when  he  had  placed 
himself  of  his  own  accord  unconditionally  at  the  disposal  of 
the  king  and  the  prelates  of  the  Church,  and  had  been  by  their 
sentence  obliged  to  make  full  amends,  the  king  and  clergy  for- 
gave him,  and  the  king  gave  him  back  his  earldom  of  Caith- 
ness, which  he  had  for  that  cause  invaded  and  withheld ;  and, 
on  paying  the  king  two  thousand  merks,46  he  freely  made  his 
peace  with  him.  In  the  year  1201  King  William  made  all  the 
magnates  of  the  realm  swear  fealty  at  Musselburgh  to  his  eldest 
son  Alexander  the  Second,  as  yet  but  three  years  old.  In  the 
previous  year  John,  legate  of  the  Church  of  Rome  and  cardinal 
of  Saint  Stephen's,  had  held  a  council  of  clergy  at  Perth,  and 
had  at  that  council  adjudged  by  an  ecclesiastical  sentence  that 
many  who  had  received  holy  orders  on  Sunday  were  to  be 
removed  from  ministration  at  the  altar,  and  had  deprived  them. 
.Then  this  cardinal  legate  retired  hence  to  Ireland,  taking  with 
him  the  abbot  of  Melrose,  whom  he  appointed  bishop  of  •.  Down. 


CHAPTEE  XXXIX. 

Quarrel  between  the  Kings  of  England  and  France. 


UNABLE  to  pour  out  his  wrath  upon  France  as  matters  then 
stood,  King  John,  to  vent  his  spleen,  though  most  unjustly, 
laid  a  snare  against  King  William  of  Scotland  and,  from  a  wish 
to  recover  Berwick,  directed  that  the  foundations  of  a  castle 
should  be  firmly  laid  at  Tweedmouth.  But,  when  the  masons 
and  the  other  things  needful  for  the  building  of  the  fortalice 
he  had  planned  had  been  brought  there,  King  William  of  Scot- 
land, who  would  by  no  means  allow  that,  twice  ignominiously 
routed  the  workmen,  slew  some  of  the  guards,  carried  off  others, 
and  razed  the  new  work  to  the  ground.  Wherefore  King  John 
was  fired  with  rage,  levied  an  army  to  try  with  all  his  might 
to  avenge  the  overthrow  of  the  new  work,  and  set  about  making 
war  upon  the  said  King  William ;  and,  when  he  had  reached 
Norham,  near  the  river  Tweed,  with  a  strong  force,  he  sent  to 
King  William,  who  was  at  Roxburgh,  ambassadors  to  defy  and 
ensnare  him.  King  William,  however,  who  was  fully  alive  to 
all  this,  and  was  nobly  supported,  prepared  on  his  side  to 
defend  himself,  his  people  and  his  rights.  So  a  great  many 
ambassadors  were  then  sent  backwards  and  forwards,  and 
letters  in  writing  despatched  and  received ;  but  King  William, 


32          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

knowing  he  had  a  just  quarrel,  stood  fast  in  a  spirited  defence 
of  his  right,  and  would  not  give  heed  to  any  idle  words  or 
cozening  pleas.  The  king  of  England,  however,  through  the 
medium  of  some  prelates,47  sent  the  said  William  many 
commands  and  exhortations  of  various  kinds,  which  were 
neither  true  nor  according  to  law,  nor  advantageous  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  realm,  but  altogether  contrary  to  the  king's 
majesty  and  the  freedom  of  the  realm  and  the  good  of  the 
inhabitants.  These  were  all  brought  to  nought,  disproved  and 
disallowed,  and  the  king  said  he  would  bring  forward  others 
greater  than  those ;  but,  notwithstanding  all  these  high-minded 
intentions,  a  friendly  reconciliation  was  brought  about,  by  the 
intervention  of  the  prelates47  and  other  peace-loving  lords  of 
both  kingdoms,  between  the  king  of  the  English,  who  had  more 
important  matters  to  attend  to  in  French  parts,  and  the  Scots 
king  his  cousin ;  but  it  did  not  last  long. 


CHAPTEE  XL. 

Fickleness  and  faithlessness  of  the  English. 

AFTER  King  William,  therefore,  who  was  afterwards  for  a 
long  time  grievously  sick,  had  recovered,  having  a  short  breath- 
ing-time of  peace  with  the  king  of  the  English,  he  held  a 
general  council  at  Stirling,  and  sent  back  some  nobles  as 
ambassadors  in  return  for  an  embassy  sent  to  the  aforesaid 
King  William  to  make  and  safely  establish  peace.  But  when 
King  John  heard  them  and  their  instructions,  he  raged  like  a 
madman,  and  broke  out  in  loud  vows  and  threats  against  the 
king  and  kingdom  of  Scotland ;  and  the  ambassadors  returned 
with  their  thankless  answer,  and  finding  King  William  at 
Forfar,  brought  him  back  unexpected  and  not  very  pleasant 
reports  and  news.  Upon  hearing  these,  King  William  straight- 
way took  counsel  and  with  great  energy  furnished  all  the  castles 
and  strongest  places  of  the  kingdom  both  with  troops  of  men- 
at-arms  and  with  plenty  of  provisions  and  other  things  needful 
for  the  defence  of  the  kingdom  and  inhabitants  ;  and  he  more- 
over commanded  a  large  army  of  knights  and  men-at-arms  to 
be  got  ready  in  all  the  borders  of  the  kingdom  to  meet  any 
hostile  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  said  king  of  England,  when- 
ever it  might  be  necessary  and  the  case  demanded  it.  When 
all  this  had  been  thus  accomplished,  King  William,  wishing  to 
regain  peace,  if  it  could  be  done  with  honour,  sent  back  again 
ambassadors  of  his  own  of  more  weight  than  the  former,  namely 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.          33 

the  bishops  of  St.  Andrews  and  Glasgow,48  together  with  the 
abbot  of  Melrose  and  some  knights  who  loved  peace,  and  wrote 
back  offering  everything  lawful  and  reasonable.  They  did  not, 
however,  find  the  king  of  England,  who  had  shortly  before 
marched  into  Wales  for  reinforcements  of  men-at-arms ;  so 
they  tarried  awhile  awaiting  him.  Meanwhile  the  earl  of 
Winton  and  two  knights  named  De  Ross  and  De  Quincy  came 
to  the  king  at  Edinburgh  on  behalf  of  the  king  of  England,  and 
sought  an  audience  with  the  view  more  of  delaying  the  Scottish 
king's  army  than  of  negotiating  for  a  treaty  of  peace ;  but  in 
the  meantime,  while  the  king  and  his  councillors  would  have 
granted  them  an  audience,  the  above-mentioned  bishops,49  with 
the  abbot  and  the  others,  returned  and  announced  that  the  king 
of  the  English  was  making  with  all  haste  for  the  borders  of  Scot- 
land, with  a  countless  force  of  men-at-arms.  Upon  hearing  this, 
King  William  soon  mustered  his  forces  and  forthwith  marched 
quickly  against  him  to  the  borders  of  the  Marches,  equally  with 
no  mean  force  of  men-at-arms,  and  prepared  to  give  battle 
without  delay  to  the  aforesaid  king  thus  on  his  way.  Never- 
theless, he  speedily  sent  back  the  aforesaid  bishops  and  abbot50 
to  that  king  to  retard  his  arrival  in  Scotland,  on  the  faith  of 
peace  and  concord,  and  delay  it  and  put  it  off  with  words  of 
peace  until  he  should  have  fully  got  his  army  together.  But 
when  the  king  of  England  with  his  army  had  reached  Barn- 
borough,  and  the  king  of  Scotland  was  at  Melrose  with  troops 
of  men-at-arms  pouring  in  to  him  from  all  parts  and  awaiting 
the  coming  of  the  enemy,  lo,  the  king  of  the  English,  seeing 
him  provided  with  so  great  a  number  of  men-at-arms,51 — through 
the  mediation  of  some  of  either  side  who  loved  peace,  the  king 
of  Scotland  agreed  to  the  said  English  king's  request,  without 
prejudice  to  the  rights  of  both  kingdoms,  and  peace  was 
restored. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

Terms  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace. 

THROUGH  the  intervention,  therefore,  of  the  chiefs  and  prelates 
of  both  kingdoms,  the  kings  were  at  length  committed  to  the 
following  condition  of  peace,  namely  that  King  William  of 
Scotland  should  hand  over  his  two  daughters,  Margaret  and 
Isabel,  into  the  hands  of  the  king  of  the  English  to  be 
married,  the  eldest,  Margaret,  to  Henry,  the  said  King  John's 
son,  when  they  became  of  full  age,  and  the  other  to  his 

c 


34          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

younger  brother  Eichard,  or  to  some  other  noble  lord,  as  might 
consist  with  her  father's  honour;  provided,  however,  that,  if 
either  of  King  John's  sons  died  before  he  took  a  wife,  the  sur- 
vivor should  marry  the  aforesaid  eldest  daughter.  In  like 
manner  it  was  determined  about  the  daughters  that,  if  either  of 
them  died  before  she  came  to  be  married,  the  other  should  wed 
the  English  king's  firstborn,  that  so  they  might  make  sure  of  one 
of  them  being  espoused  to  that  one  of  the  sons  to  whom  the 
inheritance  of  England  might  come.  After  this,  the  kings  and 
their  councillors  came  together  at  Norham  to  establish  a  secure 
and  lasting  peace,  and  it  was  agreed  that  the  castle  which  King 
John  endeavoured  to  construct  at  Tweedmouth  should  never 
thereafter  be  built ;  and,  for  the  indignity  which  King  William 
put  upon  the  said  King  John  by  razing  the  said  castle  to  the 
ground  in  spite  of  him,  the  said  King  William  was  to  pay  him 
four  thousand  pounds.  Moreover,  the  traders  of  Scotland  were, 
as  usual,  to  have  free  and  peaceful  access  to  England  to  transact 
any  business  and  trade  of  theirs  whatsoever, — always  without 
prejudice  to  the  ancient  privileges,  liberties  and  honours  of  the 
king  of  Scotland ;  and,  on  account  of  the  said  marriages,  the 
king  of  Scotland  was  to  pay  to  the  aforesaid  king  of  England 
ten  thousand  pounds  within  two  years,  at  four  terms,  besides 
the  aforesaid  sum  of  four  thousand  pounds,  that  all  and  sundry 
the  above  stated  points  might  abide  in  force.  Moreover, 
in  order  that  all  the  aforesaid  might  remain  the  more  secure 
and  stable,  two  knights  were  chosen  on  behalf  of  the  afore- 
said kings,  namely  William  Cumyn,  justiciary  of  Scotland,  on 
behalf  of  King  William,  and  Eobert  de  Vieupont  on  behalf  of 
the  king  of  England,  and  were  charged  with  the  duty  of  taking 
an  oath  on  the  agreement  with  their  hands  on  God's  holy  Gospel, 
by  the  souls  of  the  aforesaid  kings ;  and  in  like  manner  all  the 
chiefs,  prelates  and  men  of  quality  of  both  kingdoms  agreed  in 
gladly  taking  a  like  oath  to  do  their  best  to  maintain  peace ; 
and,  that  all  suspicion  to  the  contrary,  so  far  as  the  king  of 
Scotland  was  concerned,  might  be  removed  from  their  midst, 
the  king,  now  well  stricken  in  years,  reflecting  on  the  advan- 
tages of  peace,  for  further  security  that  peace  would  be  main- 
tained, gave  the  king  of  England  thirteen  hostages,  whom  he 
despatched,  together  with  the  aforesaid  girls,  to  the  aforesaid 
king  of  England  at  Carlisle,  and  delivered  into  the  hands  of 
that  king's  councillors. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VI.          35 

CHAPTEE  XLIL 

Agreement  entered  into  over  and  above. 

IN  the  year  1210  it  was  agreed  between  the  kings  that  the 
king  of  Scotland  should  resign  into  the  hands  of  the  king 
of  England,  purely  and  simply,  all  his  lands,  possessions  and 
domains  whatsoever,  which  he  had  from  old  time  held  within 
that  kingdom,  freely,  entirely  and  fully  of  the  kings  of  England ; 
and  that  the  said  king  of  England  should  give  back  the  said 
lands  to  the  Scots  king's  eldest  son,  Alexander,  to  be  held  of 
him  and  by  doing  homage.  This  was  done  at  Alnwick,  where 
the  said  Alexander  did  homage  of  fealty  to  the  aforesaid  king 
of  the  English,  without  prejudice,  however,  to  the  rights  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland ;  and  he  was  to  hold  them  as  freely, 
quietly,  honourably  and  fully  as  any  of  his  predecessors  what- 
soever had  formerly  held  the  same  of  the  said  kings  of  the 
English.  It  was  also  added  that  the  kings  of  Scotland  should 
never  thenceforth  do  homage  for  the  said  lands  to  the  said  kings 
of  England  or  their  successors  on  the  throne,  but  that  only  he 
who  was  the  heir  to  the  throne  for  the  time  being  should  do 
homage  for  the  said  lands.  Subsequently,  two  days  after,51 
the  aforesaid  covenants,  agreements  and  conditions  and  treaties 
of  peace  were  again  bindingly  sworn  at  Norham,  confirmed 
by  the  kings,  and  approved  by  their  authority  in  the  presence 
of  the  magnates  of  the  kingdoms,  prelates  and  lords ;  and  there, 
in  presence  of  the  queen  of  Scotland,  the  treaties  of  peace  and 
the  amicable  agreement,  which  were  to  stand  fast  for  ever, 
were  renewed  by  charters  and  bonds  drawn  up  on  either  part ; 
and,  in  order  to  knit  closer  the  bond  of  affection,  the  aforesaid 
king  of  England  girded  the  Scots  king's  aforenamed  eldest  son 
Alexander,  then  in  his  fourteenth  year,  with  the  belt  of  knight- 
hood in  London.  It  should  be  stated  that,  as  I  find  in  the 
Great  Chronicle,  this  King  John  received,  as  sovereign  lord, 
the  principal  and  mediate  homage  of  all  freeholders  what- 
soever in  the  kingdom,  from  whatever  baron,  duke,53  or  earl 
they  might  hold  their  land,  compelling  all  the  freeholders  of 
both  prelates  and  laymen  to  do  this. 

At  this  time  there  was  so  great  an  overflow  of  rain-water  at 
Perth,  and  elsewhere  likewise,  that  it  entirely  knocked  down  and 
carried  away  the  bridge  and  a  chapel.  In  this  year  also  King 
John  of  England  brought  the  greater  part  of  Ireland  under  his 
yoke.  The  same  year  was  founded  the  monastery  of  the  Insula 
Missarum,  otherwise  however  called  Inchafiray,  by  Gilbert 


36          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

earl  of  Strathern,  who  divided  his  said  earldom  into  three  equal 
parts,  gave  two-thirds  to  the  bishop  of  Dunblane  and  the  afore- 
said abbot,  and  kept  only  the  third  part  for  himself.  In  these 
days  also  King  John  made  an  inhuman  and  tyrannous  invasion 
of  Ireland,  and  subdued  the  greater  part  thereof,  and  carried  off 
with  him  the  sons  of  the  magnates  of  the  country  as  hostages ; 
and  about  this  time  fresh  hostilities  broke  out  between  King 
John  and  the  Welsh.  But  the  king  of  England  made  over  to 
Alan  of  Galloway,  constable  of  Scotland,  many  lands  in  Ireland 
to  be  held  of  him,  for  which  the  latter  did  homage  to  him  by 
King  William's  leave.  King  William,  however,  about  this 
time  led  a  large  army  against  a  certain  Macwilliam64  who  was 
tyrannising  it  in  Moray,  and  he  there  built  two  strong  castles ; 
and  Macwilliam  was  taken,  after  he  had  perpetrated  many 
atrocities,  was  dragged  at  a  horse's  tail,  beheaded  and  hung. 
Meanwhile  King  John  brought  Wales  under  his  yoke,  built 
there  three  very  strong  castles,  and  received  the  homage  of  the 
king  thereof,  retaining,  however,  the  new  castles  in  his  own 
hands. 

CHAPTEE  XLIII. 

Peace  between  the  Kings  and  Kingdoms  established  and  sworn 
again  for  the  third  time  at  Norham. 

AT  this  time  it  was  agreed  between  the  kings  of  Scotland 
and  England  that  they  should  have  an  interview  at  Norham, 
where  it  was  decided  that  peace  should  be  established  for  ever, 
and  some  persons  of  note  were  put  forward  to  swear  upon  the 
kings'  consciences  that  peace  should  be  cemented  afresh  and 
maintained,  and  also  that  each  should  lend  assistance  to  the 
other  in  a  just  cause  and  in  his  lawful  quarrels ;  and  that 
whichever  of  them  was  the  survivor  should  guard  and  defend 
the  other's  heir  as  he  would  his  own,  and  afford  him  help  and 
assistance.  When  all  this  had  been  thus  concluded  and  rati- 
fied and  made  valid  by  oaths  and  seals,  King  William  of  Scot- 
land received  a  promise  from  the  king  of  England  that  he, 
King  John,  would  give  in  marriage  to  the  Scottish  king's  first- 
born Alexander  a  lady  and  heiress  of  such  rank  and  power  as 
fitly  and  honourably  to  uphold  the  honour  of  both  kingdoms  and 
of  the  king's  majesty,  and  this  within  the  six  years  next  and 
immediately  ensuing.  So  King  William,  now  infirm  and  ad- 
vanced in  years,  above  measure  desiring  peace,  justice  and  quiet- 
ness between  the  inhabitants  of  the  two  kingdoms,  ceaselessly 
and  earnestly  laboured  for  the  boon  of  peace,  and  was  engaged 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VI.          37 

almost  beyond  his  strength,  making  no  sort  of  allowance  for 
his  age,  in  settling  differences.  But,  notwithstanding  divers 
treaties  of  peace  repeatedly  sworn  and  given  force  to  by  many 
a  seal,  the  king  of  England  determined  to  bring  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland  under  his  yoke  by  underhand  means,  and  annex  it 
to  his  crown,  as  he  had  formerly  done  with  Ireland,  and  to 
subject  it  to  the  bonds  of  slavery  for  ever,  as  was  afterwards 
most  clearly  apparent.  For  the  king  of  England  came  a  third 
time  to  Norham,  of  his  own  accord,  for  the  sake  of  a  more  in- 
dissoluble treaty  of  peace,  and  sent  word  to  the  king  of  Scot- 
land, who  had  previously  been  laid  up  with  a  long  illness  at 
Newbottle,  and  who  apologised  for  not  being  able  to  come 
further  than  Haddington  to  meet  him.  So  the  king  of  Eng- 
land, who  was  then  at  Norham,  seeing  that  King  William 
excused  himself  on  the  score  of  ill-health,  sent  him  back  word 
to  send  over  to  him  his  only  son  and  heir  Alexander,  and  pro- 
mised that  he  would  give  him  a  great  many  presents.  King 
William,  however,  understood  from  the  evidence  of  trustworthy 
persons  that  the  aforesaid  king  of  England  was  bent  upon  out- 
witting him  as  far  as  he  could,  under  the  cloak  of  confidence, 
as  already  intimated ;  and  this  was  afterwards  evident  to  him 
on  the  faith  of  his  own  eyes.  So  he  would  by  no  means  con- 
sent that  his  said  son,  the  prince  and  heir  to  the  throne,  should 
be  sent  over  to  him,  for  more  reasons  than  one ;  first,  because 
he  was  too  young  and  did  not  know  how  to  answer  well  enough 
the  many  questions  the  king  might  ask  him ;  secondly,  because 
he  feared  his  malice  aforethought ;  and,  thirdly,  because  he  was 
the  coming  king  of  the  kingdom  and  his  father's  heir,  and  the 
king  himself  in  his  old  age  was  suffering  from  illness,  ready  to 
die  any  day  or  hour,  and  was  not  sure  of  his  son's  return  in 
freedom.  So  the  king  of  England,  seeing  himself  foiled  in  his 
wishes,  was  greatly  indignant,  and  immediately  returned  to  Eng- 
land ;  and,  disguising  his  resentment,  he  tarried  there  awhile. 
But  though  he  durst  not,  for  many  reasons,  make  an  attempt 
upon  Scotland,  yet  not  the  less  was  mischief  in  his  thoughts. 
But  he  feared  the  boldness  of  the  Scots,  as  well  as  the  inroads  of 
the  Welsh,  and  moreover  the  rebellion  and  strife  of  the  nobles 
of  his  kingdom ;  and  he  also  feared  that  the  rebellion  he  had 
formerly  been  guilty  of  against  the  Apostolic  See  would  injure 
him.  In  these  days,  at  the  command  of  the  Apostolic  See, 
and  at  the  instance  of  its  legates,  numberless  nobles  of  Scot- 
laud  and  England  and  likewise  of  other  kingdoms  went  on  a 
crusade  to  the  Holy  Land  in  defence  of  the  faith. 


31  \    «"*    (T\ 
>2 


38          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

King  William's  Death. 

IN  the  year  1214  that  most  prosperous  King  William,  after 
his  recovery  from  the  illness  he  was  laid  up  with  at  Newbattle 
and  Haddington,  set  out  for  Moray,  so  as  to  leave  nothing 
in  his  kingdom  unsettled ;  and  there  he  patched  up  a  peace 
with  the  earl  of  Caithness,  and  brought  away  his  daughter  as 
a  hostage.  Then  with  great  difficulty  and  in  great  bodily 
weakness  he  got  to  Stirling,  where  he  purposed  remaining  on 
account  of  the  healthiness  of  the  air  (it  divides,  or,  as  it  was 
called  of  old,  connects,65  Scotland  and  Greater  Britain,  as  used 
of  old  to  be  clearly  seen  on  the  rim  of  the  seal  of  the  said  royal 
burgh  of  Stirling,  which  is  called  the  Common  Seal  of  the 
Burgh,  in  the  following  couplet : — 

Continet  hoc  in  se  pontem  castram  Strivelense. 
HSBC  armis  Bruti  stant,  hie  Scoti  cruce  tuti). 

Here  the  said  most  excellent  prince  lingered  for  some  time  in 
failing  strength  and  departed  this  life,  giving  his  body  into  the 
keeping  of  the  mother  of  all,  and  sending  back  his  soaring  spirit 
to  his  Maker  with  all  devoutness  and  thanksgiving.  He  slept" 
in  the  Lord  on  a  Thursday  in  December,  after  a  reign  of  forty- 
nine  years,  in  the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age,  leaving  King 
Alexander  as  his  heir.  Pope  Lucius,  however,  hearing  from  the 
royal  ambassadors  who  came  to  the  court  of  Rome,  as  well  as 
from  the  apostolic  nuncios  returning  from  his  court,  a  most 
noble  account  of  the  deceased  King  William,  that  he  had  the 
zeal  of  God  in  him,  as  he  understood  it,  and  took  great  pains 
to  uphold  his  kingdom's  laws,  sent  over  as  it  were  to  his 
orthodox  catholic  son,  together  with  God's  blessing,  a  marvel- 
lously-fashioned and  very  valuable  golden  rose  to  fix  upon  his 
sceptre  or  golden  wand.  Moreover  King  William,  perceiving 
the  fickleness  of  King  John  of  England,  took  back  one  of  his 
daughters  from  him,  and  gave  her  in  marriage  to  the  Count  of 
Boulogne.  The  preceding  year,66  he  gave  one  of  his  daughters 
to  one  Robert  de  Bruce ;  but  I  do  not  find  it  here  stated  who 
this  Robert  de  Bruce  was.  The  following  year  he  gave  another 
daughter  of  his  to  Patrick  earl  of  Lothian.  She  also  who  mar- 
ried Robert  de  Bruce  was  afterwards,  on  his  death,  married  to 
one  Robert  de  Ross,  as  stated  elsewhere.57 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.          39 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

Copy  of  Apostolic  Bull  sent  to  King  William  on  the  Privileges  of 
the  Church  of  Scotland. 

INNOCENT,  bishop,  servant  of  the  servants  of  God,  to  his  well- 
beloved  son  in  Christ,  William,  illustrious  king  of  Scots,  and 
to  his  successors  for  ever,  Greeting  and  apostolic  blessing : 
Though  all  Christ's  faithful  ought  to  find  patronage  and  favour 
with  the  Apostolic  See,  yet  it  is  meet  that  the  fostering  shelter 
of  its  protection  should  more  especially  be  extended  to  those  who 
have  given  the  most  ample  proof  of  faith  and  devotion,  so  that 
the  more  surely  they  know  themselves  to  have  sought  after  a 
token  of  its  good-will  and  favour,  the  more  they  may  be  stirred 
to  warmth  of  love  and  overmastered  by  a  devout  feeling  of 
reverence  towards  it.  Therefore,  well-beloved  son  in  Christ, 
bearing  in  mind  the  reverence  and  devotion  which  We  have  for 
a  long  time  back  known  thee  to  entertain  for  the  Church  of 
Eome,  We,  following  the  example  of  Pope  Celestine  of  happy 
memory,  Our  predecessor,  most  strictly  forbid,  by  the  terms  of 
this  present  writ,  that  any  but  the  Eoman  Pontiff,  or  a  legate 
despatched  a  latere,  should  be  allowed  to  proclaim  an  inter- 
dict or  sentence  of  excommunication  against  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland ;  and  We  pronounce  it  of  none  effect  if  so  proclaimed, 
seeing  that  the  Church  of  Scotland  is  immediately  subject  to 
the  Apostolic  See,  whose  daughter  she  especially  is, — wherein 
it  is  well  known  there  are  these  episcopal  sees,  namely  the 
Churches  of  Saint  Andrews,  Glasgow,  Dunkeld,  Dunblane, 
Brechin,  Aberdeen,  Moray,  Eoss  and  Caithness.  And  further- 
more We  add  that  it  shall  not  henceforth  be  lawful  to  any  one 
not  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  save  one  whom  the  Apostolic 
See  shall  have  specially  despatched  therefor  from  itself  person- 
ally, to  perform  the  duties  of  the  legateship  in  that  kingdom. 
We  also  forbid  that  any  disputes  which  may  arise  in  that 
kingdom  about  property  be  brought  under  the  consideration  of 
judges  outside  the  kingdom,  unless  there  is  an  appeal  to  the 
Church  of  Eome.  So,  if  any  writs  shall  be  found  to  have  been 
obtained  contrary  to  the  establishment  of  a  liberty  of  this  kind, 
or  any  shall  hereafter  happen  to  be  obtained  wherein  no  mention 
is  made  of  this  present  regulation,  neither  thou  nor  thy  succes- 
sors nor  the  kingdom  itself  shall  in  anywise  be  prejudiced 
with  regard  to  the  granting  of  this  prerogative.  Moreover,  We 
confirm  the  liberties  and  immunities  granted  both  to  thee  and 


40          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI. 

to  thy  kingdom  as  an  established  law58  by  the  Church  of  Rome, 
and  hitherto  observed ;  and  We  ordain  that  they  remain  unim- 
paired for  all  time  to  come,  always  saving  Our  Apostolic 
authority.  Let  no  man  therefore  at  all  infringe  these  the 
terms  of  our  grant,  confirmation  and  prohibition,  or  in  any- 
wise rashly  dare  to  go  against  them ;  and,  if  any  take  upon  him 
to  attempt  this,  he  will  know  that  he  will  fall  under  the  indig- 
nation of  Almighty  God  and  his  blessed  apostles  Peter  and  Paul 
Given  at  Rome,  etc. 


CHAPTER  XLVL 

Like  Privilege  granted  to  King  William. 

CELESTINE,  bishop,  servant  of  the  servants  of  God,  to  his 
well-beloved  son  in  Christ,  William,  illustrious  king  of  Scots, 
and  to  his  successors,  Greeting  and  apostolic  blessing :  Though 
all  subject  to  Christ's  yoke  ought  to  find  patronage  with  the 
Apostolic  See,  and  so  forth,  as  above,  down  to  entertain  for  the 
Church  of  Rome,  have  thought  it  right  to  establish  by  the  terms 
of  this  present  writ  that  the  Scottish  Church  ought  to  be  imme- 
diately subject  to  the  Apostolic  See,  whose  daughter  she  espe- 
cially is — wherein  it  is  well  known,  etc.,  down  to  So  if  any ;  then 
thus :  So,  if  any  writs  shall  be  found  to  have  been  obtained, 
or  shall  happen  hereafter  to  be  obtained,  contrary  to  the  estab- 
lishment'Of  a  liberty  of  this  kind,  neither  thou  nor  thy  kingdom 
shall  in  anywise  be  prejudiced  with  regard  to  the  granting  of 
this  prerogative,  etc.  Let  no  man  therefore,  as  above.  Given 
at  Rome,  at  the  Lateran,  March  1 3th,  of  our  Pontificate,  etc. 

About  this  time  the  general  interdict  was  renewed  in  Eng- 
land and  likewise  in  Wales  over  the  whole  universally ;  so 
that,  save  only  the  baptism  of  innocent  little  ones,  which  was 
performed  outside  the  church,  every  order,  every  religious 
brotherhood,  every  dignity,  fell  under  the  interdict,  and  no 
privileges  could  avail  them  aught.  Then  indeed  there  lay 
nnburied  outside  the  cemeteries  the  corpses  of  Christians 
without  number,  both  of  bishops  and  abbots  and  of  priests, 
clerics  and  laymen.  At  length  the' clergy  obtained  as  a  special 
favour  from  the  Pope  that  friars  and  conventual  cloisterers 
might  have  a  celebration  once  a  week  without  chanting  or 
ringing  of  bells,  and  with  closed  doors,  shutting  out  the  excom- 
municated and  interdicted.  During  this  interdict  a  good  many 
English  bishops  came  to  live  in  Scotland ;  and  King  William 
honourably  supplied  them  with  the  necessaries  of  life,  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VI.          41 

reverently  received  them  in  his  kingdom.  The  same  year  Alan 
of  Galloway,  son  of  Kotholand,  took  to  wife  Margaret  daughter 
of  David  earl  of  Huntingdon. 

At  the  above-mentioned  time  the  Emperor  Otho  was  raised 
to  the  imperial  throne ;  and  some  say  that  in  his  journey  to 
Rome  for  his  coronation  he  took  with  him  thirty  thousand 
knights  in  his  train.  Believe  it  who  can!  Thus  ends  the 
Sixth  Book  of  this  work. 


End  of  Book  VI. 


BOOK    VII. 

CHAPTER  I. 

King  Alexander,  son  of  the  aforesaid  King  William. 

UPON  the  death  of  that  mighty  prince,  William  king  of 
Scots,  at  Stirling,  as  before  stated,  he  was  buried  at  Arbroath 
with  great  honour  as  well  as  wailing,  accompanied  by  the  pre- 
lates and  lords  of  the  realm  and  a  very  large  body  of  nobles ; 
and  by  common  consent  all  the  chiefs,  prelates  and  lords  of  the 
realm  at  once  unanimously  raised  his  son  Alexander  to  the 
throne,  and  crowned  him  with  the  kingly  diadem  at  Scone,  on 
the  Feast  of  Saint  Nicholas;1  and  there  he  held  a  long  and 
solemn  royal  feast  in  great  state,  as  was  meet.  David  earl  of 
Huntingdon  and  the  mother  of  the  said  King  Alexander  joined 
in  the  feast,  and,  though  mourning  for  the  late  most  noble 
king,  yet  rejoiced  and  gave  thanks  to  God  for  the  new  king. 
It  was  indeed  only  just  that  Xing  William  should  be  buried  at 
the  said  monastery  of  Arbroath,  which  he  himself  had  built 
from  its  foundations,  founded  and  magnificently  endowed  with  a 
great  many  revenues  and  ornaments,  so  that  he  and  his  parents 
might  be  had  in  eternal  remembrance  in  the  prayers  of  the 
friars  and  the  intercession  of  the  saints. 

CHAPTER  II. 

King  Philip  of  France  defeats  the  Emperor  Otho  and  King  John 
of  England  in  battle. 

CHAPTER   III. 

King  John  of  England  makes  the  kingdoms  of  England  and 
Ireland  feudatory  to  the  Roman  Pontiff. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VII.          43 


CHAPTER   IV. 

David  of  Huntingdon  and  his  death — But  first  certain  acts  of 
King  Alexander  against  the  King  of  England. 

IN  these  days  the  barons  and  nobles  of  England,  who 
would  not  brook  the  grievances  and  misapplied  and  wrongfully 
assessed  customs  which  King  John  of  England  daily  heaped 
upon  them,  bound  themselves  by  a  common  oath  with  one 
accord  to  insist  upon  the  king's  maintaining 2  undamaged  and 
intact  the  ancient  liberties  and  privileges  of  the  realm  and  its 
approved  customs,  as  was  the  case  towards  both  church  and 
realm  in  the  time  of  Henry  Beauclerk  of  happy  memory ;  which 
privileges  and  liberties  that  King  Henry,  son  of  William  the 
Bastard,  granted  at  the  instance  of  his  queen  Maud,  the  Good 
Queen  of  England,  that  is  to  say  the  daughter  of  Malcolm 
king  of  Scotland  and  the  blessed  Margaret ;  and  for  love  of  her 
they  were  granted  and  confirmed  to  the  aforesaid  kingdom  for 
ever,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  said  King  Henry's  charter 
drawn  up  thereupon,  the  tenor  whereof  is  in  effect  as  follows, 
etc. ;  for  that  otherwise  they  would  withdraw  themselves  from 
his  authority  and  dominion.  But,  when  the  king  had  put  them 
off  with  repeated  delays  by  false  promises,  they  were  at  length 
with  one  accord  stirred  up  against  him,  refused  him  any  delay, 
avoided  an  interview  with  him,  and  were  minded  to  settle  the 
matter  by  arms ;  and  they  beset3  King  Alexander  of  Scotland 
and  Llewellyn  king  of  Wales  with  prayers  and  promises,  and 
bound  them  to  the  barons  of  England  by  the  same  ties  of  alli- 
ance, notwithstanding  that  the  king  of  Wales  had  before  this 
taken  the  said  King  John's  daughter  to  wife.  So  King  Alex- 
ander gathered  his  forces  together  and  marched  into  England ; 
and  he  brought  Northumberland  under  his  yoke  and  received 
the  homage  of  the  vassals  thereof.  When  King  John  heard  this, 
he  advanced  into  Scotland  with  a  host  of  retainers ;  and  he 
burnt,  destroyed  and  laid  waste  everything  he  came  across,  to 
wit  Dunbar  and  Haddington  and  many  other  places.  King 
Alexander,  however,  got  together  a  stronger  force  and  encamped 
at  Pentland,  longing  to  have  an  encounter  with  the  king  of  the 
English ;  but  King  John,  knowing  his  gallantry,  turned  aside 
and  went  back  to  his  own  country  by  another  way ;  but,  in  his 
rage  against  his  own  barons  from  the  cause  stated  above,  he 
laid  waste  with  sword  and  fire  and  rapine  all  their  lands  on  his 
return  journey,  beginning  at  Wark  and  Alnwick ;  and  he  burnt 
down  Mitford  and  Morpeth  and  many  other  towns.  At  Rox- 


44          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIL 

burgh  and  Berwick  he  spared  neither  sex  nor  order  nor  age, 
but  delivered  over  everything  to  fire  and  sword,  crucifying  the 
Scots  by  the  feet  and  hands,  and  some  by  the  fingers  and 
toes;  and,  after  plundering  the  Abbey  of  Coldingham,  King 
John  burnt  down  the  very  house  where  he  himself  had  lodged, 
setting  fire  to  it  with  his  own  hands,  in  defiance  of  kingly 
majesty  and  seemliness.  But  when  King  Alexander  heard  of 
his  retreat,  he  went  back  again  to  Northumberland,  desiring, 
it  is  said,  to  have  an  encounter  with  him  ;  and,  while  the  king 
of  England  made  the  best  of  his  way  to  the  midland  parts  of 
England,  King  Alexander  burnt  and  destroyed  all  the  country 
as  far  as  Carlisle. 


CHAPTEK  V. 

David,  Earl  of  Huntingdon. 
(This  chapter  should  come  before  the  one  immediately  preceding) 

ON  the  death,  as  before  stated,  of  that  mighty  prince  King 
William,  his  brother  David  earl  of  Huntingdon,  although  neither 
active  in  mind  nor  vigorous  in  body,  hastened  to  have  his 
nephew  Alexander  crowned  at  Scone  as  quickly  as  he  could, 
that  the  kingdom  might  have  a  ruler.  King  William  had  for- 
merly given  the  aforesaid  David,  his  brother,  the  earldom  of 
Huntingdon  to  hold  of  him,  the  earldom  of  Garioch  together 
with  Strabolgy  (Strathbogie),  and  the  town  of  Dundee,  Inver- 
bervie,  Lanforgonde  and  Inchmartin  and  Lindores,4  together 
with  many  other  broad  lands  and  estates.  His  wife  was  the 
daughter  of  the  earl  of  Chester  in  England  ;  and  of  her  he  begat 
three  sons,  one  of  whom  got  the  earldom  of  Chester,  and  a 
second  succeeded  him  in  his  other  domains;5  but  they  died 
childless.  Of  the  same  wife  also  he  begat  three  very  beautiful 
daughters:  Margaret  he  married  to  Alan  of  Galloway;  the 
second,  Isabel,  he  gave  to  Robert  de  Bruce  to  wife,  and  from 
her  the  present  line  of  kings  of  Scotland  is  acknowledged  to 
have  issued  ;6  Ada,  the  third  daughter,  he  wedded  to  Henry  of 
Hastings.  But  Earl  David,  after  having  founded  the  monastery 
of  Lindores,  was  overtaken  by  death  at  Jerdelay,  in  the  year 
1219,  bequeathing  and  intrusting  his  body  to  the  mother  of 
all  and  his  spirit  to  the  Lord  who  created  him,  and  lies  buried 
at  the  monastery  of  Sawtreia.  Of  the  descent  of  the  aforesaid 
daughters  of  the  said  David  of  Huntingdon  we  shall  speak 
presently. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          45 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

The  Dauphin  Louis,  the  eldest  son  of  the  King1  of  France, 
comes  to  England. 

MEANWHILE  the  noble  barons  of  England,  being  subjected  to 
the  yoke  of  fell  servitude  by  the  tyrant  king,  wrote  to  Philip, 
the  most  Christian  king  of  the  French,  to  send  them  over  his 
firstborn  Louis  the  Dauphin  of  Vienne,  whom  they  with  one 
accord  agreed  to  take  as  their  king,  discarding  the  tyrant  who 
filled  the  throne.  The  king  of  France  yielded  to  their  wishes, 
especially  to  restore  the  liberty  of  the  barons  and  the  Church ; 
and,  after  receiving  hostages  from  the  barons  of  England,  he 
despatched  to  England  his  son  Louis,  provided  with  arms  and 
accompanied 8  by  a  countless  armed  soldiery,  in  a  fleet  properly 
equipped  with  all  needful  necessaries.  Louis  therefore,  trusting 
that  King  Alexander  would  be  there  in  person,  owing  to  their 
time-honoured  alliance,  adopted  a  bold  course  and  landed  in 
England  on  an  island  called  Thanet.  The  king  of  England, 
however,  who  with  his  army  was  at  that  time  awaiting  him  at 
Sandwich,  about  the  nearest  harbour  to  the  aforesaid  island, 
durst  not  attack  them,  but  betook  himself  to  a  safer  spot.  So 
Louis  came  to  London  on  Whitsunday  in  the  year  1216,  the 
ninth  year  of  King  Alexander  of  Scotland,  and  he  and  his 
followers  were  received  by  the  barons  with  unspeakable  joy. 
King  Alexander  of  Scotland,  on  the  other  hand,  again  assembled 
a  fresh  army  and  entered  England  on  the  ninth  day  of  August,9 
injuring  no  one  but  the  hangers-on  of  King  John ;  and  he  found 
Louis,  the  Dauphin  of  France,  at  Dover,  and  was  honourably 
received  by  him  with  gladness ;  and,  after  tarrying  with  him 
fifteen  days  at  a  stretch  arranging  their  affairs,  he  set  about 
returning  to  Scotland.  In  the  meantime  King  John  had  broken 
down  the  bridges,  sunk  the  boats,  and  everywhere  cut  through 
the  fords,  and  was  striving  to  bar  his  progress  at  the  river 
Trent;  but  just  then,  as  he  was  devising  this  mischief,  God 
ordained  that  he  should  end  his  life  at  Newark  after  a  short 
illness.  King  Alexander  of  Scotland  then  broke  up  John's 
army,  overthrew  many  castles  and  plundered  his  enemy's  lands, 
and  returned  to  his  own  country  with  much  riches  and  great 
honour  and  glory,  and  without  any  loss.  John  was  succeeded 
by  his  son  Henry  in.,  as  appears  in  the  Catalogue.10 

None  for  King  John  a  mourning  heart  displays. 
He  did  no  good,  but  evil  all  his  days. 


46         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

CHAPTEE  VII. 

Return  of  Louis  son  of  the  King  of  France. 

Louis  then  landed  in  France  and  got  back  to  his  own  country 
without  loss.  At  this  same  time  King  Alexander  of  Scotland 
invaded  England,  and  took  and  fortified  Carlisle.  Next  we  read 
that  in  these  days  the  castle  of  Lincoln  was  besieged  by  the 
barons  of  England  and  the  partisans  of  Louis ;  but,  upon  the 
sudden  arrival  of  Gualo,  the  legate  of  the  Church  of  Home,  with 
the  army  of  Henry  the  new  king  of  England,  the  siege  was 
raised,  and  in  one  moment  of  time,  so  to  speak,  all  the  barons 
and  nobles  who  had  before  sided  with  the  above-named  Louis 
were  taken,  together  with  a  certain  French  count  deputed  by 
Louis  to  command  them:11  all  the  others  were  consigned  to 
close  imprisonment.  King  Philip,  however,  seeing  his  son  so 
played  with,  and  the  nobles  of  England  who  cleaved  to  him  so 
thrust  into  cruel  imprisonment,  and  relying  upon  KiDg  Alex- 
ander of  Scotland,  again  fitted  out  a  fleet,  and  prepared  to  give 
battle  to  the  English  once  more  ;12  but,  when  the  prelates  of 
England  and  other  lovers  of  peace  heard  this,  fearing  the  arrival 
in  England  of  the  powerful  king  of  Scots,  they  negotiated  a 
reconciliation,  and  made  a  peace  between  Louis  and  Henry  the 
new  king  of  England,  after  receiving  a  pledge  that  all  who  had 
risen  with  Louis  in  England  against  the  said  Henry  king  of 
England  or  against  his  father  would  be  restored  to  the  former 
state  in  which  they  were  before  the  beginning  of  the  quarrel. 
Thereupon  Louis  came  back  to  England  under  a  safe-conduct,13 
and  freed  with  honour  all  the  captives,  prisoners  and  those  in 
bonds,  and  all  their  property  and  goods  were  restored  to  them ; 
and,  having  thus  had  a  lesson  of  the  perfidy  of  the  English,  he 
went  back  to  France.  Let  therefore  the  Scots  princes  and  lords 
of  our  day  take  warning  by  them,  lest,  having  found  out  their 
deceit  of  old  and  their  wicked  treachery  and  dissimulation, 
they  be  rashly  and  guilelessly  deceived,  being  led  astray,  like 
others,  by  a  show  of  kindness.  For  their  dregs  are  not  yet 
drained  so  dry  but  that,  while  that  people  is  strong,  all  who 
trust  in  them  will  drink  thereof:  for  these  may  in  their 
character  be  likened  to  the  nature  of  a  most  foul  scorpion, 
pricking  with  poisoned  sting  and  killing  those  who  are 
most  neighbourly  to  them  and  shelter  them  in  their  bed. 
Let  then  the  Scottish  chiefs,  both  churchmen  and  lay,  rejoice 
that  the  Lord  hath  humbled  their  enemies  for  naught,  and  that 
his  hand  is  upon  them  that  afflict  them ;  for  He  hath  delivered 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VH.          47 

them  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  they  that  hate  them 
have  dominion  over  them.  For  such  a  thing  has  never  from 
everlasting  been  seen  as  that  the  most  mighty  king  of  the 
English,14  with  his  wife  and  firstborn,  and  many  English  chiefs 
in  their  utmost  need,  as  it  were  exiled  from  the  kingdom, 
should  come  to  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  and  ask  help  from 
the  king  and  barons;  and  moreover  they  met  with  so  much 
kindness  and  advice  and  help  and  favour  from  them,  that  they 
could  justly  say,  "  Salvation  from  our  enemies  and  from  the 
hand  of  all  that  hate  us."  For,  as  often  as  an  enemy  comes 
into  the  power  of  a  prince,  mercy,  favour  and  grace  are  due  to 
him  from  the  clemency  of  the  prince.  For  it  is  the  lion's 
noblest  attribute  to  spare  the  fallen.  So  also  the  Lord  saith, 
Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
Interdict  and  Excommunication  of  the  Kingdom  of  Scotland. 

IN  this  year  the  king  of  Scotland  besieged  the  castle  of 
Mitford  on  his  way  towards  Dover  to  Louis  ;  but,  on  hearing  of 
his  departure,  he  left  the  castle  and  returned  to  Scotland.  At 
this  time  Malcolm  earl  of  Fife  founded  the  monastery  of 
Culross,  and  the  following  year  he  founded  the  nunnery  of 
North  Berwick.  But,  because  King  Alexander  had,  for  love  of 
Louis  the  firstborn  of  the  king  of  the  French,  played  such  havoc 
in  England  with  his  army,  and  done  damage  beyond  measure, 
Gualo,  the  legate  of  the  Apostolic  See  in  England,  put  the  king- 
dom of  Scotland  under  an  interdict,  and  excommunicated  the 
king  and  all  the  inhabitants  generally  who  had  been  especially 
his  companions  in  the  crimes  committed  in  the  said  kingdom 
of  England.  But,  to  know  the  causes  of  this  excommunication 
and  interdict,  we  must  observe  that  the  first  reason  was  because 
the  said  king  of  Scotland,  with  his  army  and  other  inhabitants, 
had  had  dealings  with  John  king  of  the  English  at  the  time  of 
the  interdict  of  the  aforesaid  King  John  and  his  kingdom  ;  and 
also  all  the  prelates  of  .Scotland,  after  the  king  had  fallen 
under  the  sentence  of  excommunication  because  of  his  dealings 
with  the  king  of  the  English,  the  aforesaid  legate  excommuni- 
cated them  and  pronounced  them  excommunicated  by  virtue 
of  a  sentence  of  excommunication  passed  at  the  Lateran 
Council,  where,  after  the  reconciliation  of  John  king  of 
England,  because  he  made  himself  and  his  realms  feudatory  to 
the  Church  of  Eome,  the  Pope  excommunicated  all  who  fought 


48          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

against  him  and  his  realm.  The  second  reason  was  on  account 
of  the  favour  and  aid  which  he  extended  to  Louis,  the  son  of 
the  king  of  the  French,  against  the  aforesaid  King  John.  The 
third  reason  was  that  the  king  of  Scotland  had,  in  contempt  of 
the  king  of  England,  pulled  down  the  castle  built  by  the  king  of 
England  at  Tweedmouth,  opposite  the  castle  of  Berwick.  The 
fourth  reason  was  because  the  king  of  Scotland  would  not,  when 
directed  by  the  said  legate,  surrender  the  castle  and  town  of 
Carlisle  to  the  king  of  England,  as  being  his ;  but  the  afore- 
said legate  compelled  the  said  Alexander  king  of  Scotland  to 
restore  that  town  of  Carlisle,  together  with  other  estimated 
damages,  before  being  absolved,  after,  however,  a  perpetual 
alliance  of  peace  between  the  kings  and  kingdoms  had  been 
first  established  and  sworn :  for  the  said  king  was,  together 
with  those  who  were  bound  by  that  sentence,  absolved  at 
Tweedmouth  by  the  bishops  of  York  and  Durham.  After- 
wards, while  the  king  of  Scotland  was  at  Northampton  under 
the  safe-conduct  of  the  king  of  England,  he  did  that  king 
homage  for  the  lands  he  held  of  him  in  England,  and,  after  he 
had  done  homage,  personally  surrendered  him  back  Carlisle ; 
and,  after  peace  had  been  again  established  at  the  instance 
of  the  legate,  he  went  back  to  Scotland  in  kindness  and  love 
on  either  side,  and  with  the  legate's  blessing.  Nevertheless  he 
could  not  obtain  that  the  prelates  and  clergy  should  be  included 
under  the  protection  of  this  peace ;  but  shortly  afterwards  both 
a  sentence  of  excommunication  and  a  general  interdict  through- 
out the  whole  kingdom  of  Scotland  were  proclaimed  by  the 
said  legate,  through  what  motive  I  know  not ;  and  the  Scottish 
Church  left  off  divine  service,  except  those  religious  and  monks 
who  had  special  privileges.  Thus  the  aforesaid  legate  pro- 
nounced all  the  clergy  whatsoever,  both  religious  and  secular, 
excommunicated,  suspended  and  interdicted,  except,  however, 
the  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews,  who  was  out  of  the  kingdom  at 
the  time  of  the  offence.  At  length,  however,  a  good  while 
afterwards,  the  aforesaid  legate  by  his  commissaries,  the  bishops 
of  York  and  Durham,  granted  the  benefit  of  absolution  to  all 
the  prelates,  on  the  payment  of  some  money  and  the  giving  of 
a  pledge  that  they  would  abide  by  the  mandates  of  the  Church  ; 
and  such  as  had  not  the  amount  were  despatched  by  them  to 
the  Court  of  Rome  to  get  their  absolution.  Now  the  Scots 
prelates  and  clergy  let  the  aforesaid  extravagant  and  improper 
fines  pass,  to  the  detriment  of  the  Scottish  Church,  and  through 
slothfulness  behaved  lukewarmly ;  for  while  they  could,  on  the 
strength  of  their  privileges  which  they  carelessly  ignored,  have 
made  a  spirited  appeal  to  the  Roman  pontiff,  they  with  one 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          49 

accord  submitted  to  heavy  expenses  and  disgrace  to  the  Church, 
the  clergy  and  prelates,  as  well  as  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
kingdom ;  while  they  could  for  a  thousand  pounds  for  the 
prosecution  of  the  appeal  have  escaped  the  danger,  they  were 
unable  with  ten  thousand  pounds  at  all  to  satisfy  the  aforesaid 
golden  legate  and  the  commissaries  he  despatched  into  Scot- 
land. Hence  it  is  quite  clear  that  the  clergy  and  prelates  at 
that  time  were  greatly  found  wanting  towards  the  Church ;  for 
they  seem  to  have  yielded  obedience,  not  to  a  judge  of  their 
own,  but  to  the  legate  of  another  and  a  hostile  kingdom,  when 
they  could  have  lawfully  objected  to  him.  When,  therefore, 
some  of  the  excommunicated  came  to  the  Church  of  Eome  and 
craved  the  benefit  of  absolution,  a  certain  cardinal  said,  smiling, 
in  the  Pope's  presence,  "  It  is  natural  to  dutiful  minds  to  beg 
forgiveness  when  there  is  nothing  to  forgive."  Now,  while 
some  subdelegated  commissaries  were  returning  from  Aberdeen, 
they  put  up  at  Lindores  on  their  way ;  and  having  set  their 
room  on  fire  during  the  night,  they  were  so  frightened  that 
the  Prior  of  Durham  was  overtaken  by  death,  and  expired  at 
Coldingham.  After  this,  envoys  were  sent  by  King  Alexander 
to  the  Court  of  Eome,  that  the  privileges  and  liberties  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  might  be  expressly  renewed  and  confirmed 
by  the  Pope ;  and  the  aforesaid  privileges  were  restored  to  their 
former  state. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

King  Alexander's  nuptials. 

IN  the  year  1219,  in  which  Corradin,  son  of  Saladin  and 
Sultan  of  the  Turks,  destroyed  Jerusalem,  King  Henry  of 
England,  in  order  to  secure  the  peace  more  safely,  united  his 
very  beautiful  sister  in  marriage  with  Alexander  king  of 
Scots ;  and  to  draw  the  peaceful  alliance  still  closer,  the  said 
King  Alexander  handed  over  his  two  sisters  to  the  aforesaid 
king  of  England  to  marry  to  English  princes  of  the  highest  rank, 
the  king  of  England  promising,  in  the  presence  of  a  legate  of 
England  named  Pandulph  and  a  great  many  other  lords  of  the 
realms  who  were  present  and  bound  themselves  likewise  thereto, 
to  see  that  they  made  the  most  splendid  marriages  in  the 
kingdom,  with  all  becoming  honour,  as  if  they  were  his  own 
daughters.  The  same  year  and  the  next  the  king  assembled  an 
army,  and  marching  into  Galloway,  which  was  still  in  rebellion, 
severely  punished  it  ;15  and  he  afterwards  crossed  into  Argyll, 


50         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

which  was  transgressing  in  like  manner,  and  restored  order 
and  bestowed  the  confiscated  lands  and  goods  in  plenty  upon 
his  deserving  lieges  who  accompanied  him.  The  natives,  how- 
ever, forsook  their  estates  and  goods  and  fled  the  country.  The 
following  year  the  bones  of  Saint  Thomas  the  Martyr  were  trans- 
lated. In  the  year  1221  a  certain  canon  of  Paris  came  to  Scot- 
land as  legate  of  the  apostolic  see,  and  held  a  general  council  at 
Perth.  About  the  same  time  some  menials,  limbs  of  the  devil, 
smote,  wounded,  and  cudgelled  the  bishop  of  Caithness,  formerly 
abbot  of  Melrose,  and  burnt  him  with  fire  in  his  own  house ; 
and  they  consumed  with  fire  his  house  and  all  his  goods,  to- 
gether with  a  companion  of  his,  a  monk.  This  crime  King  Alex- 
ander punished  most  fiercely  and  cruelly,  and  he  put  to  death 
many  of  the  evil-doers  of  that  country ;  and  forasmuch  as  the 
earl  of  Caithness,  although  not  privy  to  it,  had  pretended 
ignorance  and  not  stopped  those  evil-doers,  or  done  his  best  to 
prevent  their  misdeeds,  the  king,  after  a  long  imprisonment,16 
disgraced  him,  and  dispossessed  him  of  half  of  his  inheritance, 
the  said  earldom ;  and  he,  moreover,  exacted  from  him  a  large 
sum  of  money.  And  the  Lord  of  all  would  not  let  the  earl's 
negligence  go  unpunished ;  for  He  shortly  after  gave  his  own 
men  the  power  and  means  to  slay  him  treacherously  in  his  own 
house,  and  then  burn  him  and  his  house  and  furniture  with  fire, 
as  had  been  the  case  with  the  murdered  bishop.  A  little  while 
after,  however,  Isabel,  King  Alexander's  sister,  notwithstanding 
the  aforesaid  promises  of  the  king  of  England,  went  back  to 
Scotland  to  her  brother  unmarried;  and  herein  observe  the 
fickleness  and  perfidy  of  the  English. 


CHAPTEE   X. 

Death  of  Philip  king  of  the  French. 

IN  the  year  1224  King  Alexander  imposed  upon  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland  a  tax  of  a  certain  sum,  namely,  ten  thousand  pounds 
sterling,  as  a  subsidy  for  the  marriage  of  his  sisters ;  but  no 
charities  were  charged  with  the  payment  of  any  part  of  the 
amount  of  this  subsidy.  In  the  year  1229  the  blessed  King 
Edward's  church  of  Bulmurinach  (Balmerino)  was  founded  by 
King  Alexander  and  his  mother,  Ermergarde  by  name.  The 
same  year  Malcolm  earl  of  Fife  died,  and  was  buried  at  Culross, 
in  Saint  Servanus  church,  which  he  himself  had  founded. 
This  King  Alexander  founded  the  priory  of  Pluscardyn  and  of 
Beauly.17  In  the  year  1231  King  Alexander  made  Walter, 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          51 

son  of  Alan  of  Galloway  (who  was  the  first  who  was  called 
Stewart  in  Scotland,  for  he  was  in  fact  the  Steward  thereof) — he 
made  him  Grand  Justiciary  of  Scotland.  The  brother  of  this 
Alan  of  Galloway,  who  was  earl  of  Athol,  died  and  was  buried 
at  Cupar.  The  same  year  John  earl  of  Caithness  was  slain  and 
burnt  in  his  own  house  by  some  menials,  as  aforesaid.  The 
following  year  the  earl  of  the  Marches  and  lord  of  Dunbar 
assumed  the  cowl  at  Melrose,  and  departed  this  life  not  long 
after.  The  same  year  the  churches  of  Arbroath,  Cupar  and 
Newbottle  were  dedicated.  The  same  year  Alan  of  Galloway 
gave  his  daughter  to  John  de  Balliol  to  wife,  and  his  sister  to 
Walter  de  Bisset;  and  William  Cumyn  earl  of  Buchan,  who 
founded  the  church  of  Deer,  died.  Louis  king  of  France  wedded 
the  daughter  of  the  count  of  Provence.  Saint  Edmund  was 
consecrated  archbishop  of  Canterbury.  Alan  of  Galloway,  son 
of  Eotholand  of  Galloway,  died  (this  Alan  was  at  that  time 
Constable  of  Scotland),  and  lies  buried  at  Dundrennan.  He  left 
three  daughters  as  his  heiresses,  the  first  of  whom  was  married 
to  Roger  de  Quincy  earl  of  Winchester,  the  second  to  John  de 
Balliol,  and  the  third  to  the  earl  of  Albemarle ;  and  the  land  of 
the  said  Alan  of  Galloway  was  divided  among  them.  This  was 
very  distasteful  to  the  tenants  of  the  said  lands,  who  would  rather 
have  had  his  natural  son  Thomas  be  his  heir ;  so  the  natives 
rose  and,  together  with  that  Thomas,  attacked  and  wasted  with 
fire  and  sword  all  the  neighbouring  lands  of  the  king,  because 
he  would  not  consent  to  this.  But  the  lord  king  afterwards 
peacefully  awed  them  into  submission.  At  this  period  the 
Gallwegians  rebelled  again,  and  the  king  made  their  leader,  the 
illegitimate  or  bastard  son  of  Alan  of  Galloway,  fly  the  kingdom 
into  Ireland ;  and  all  the  magnates  of  the  country  who  were 
his  abettors  humbly,  with  hangman's  ropes  round  their  necks, 
craved  the  king's  pardon.  So  the  mild  and  merciful  king, 
willing  that  mercy  should  prevail  over  severity,  granted  them 
pardon  and  peace,  following  the  prophet  who  saith,  "  Mercy 
and  judgment  will  I  sing  unto  thee,"  etc.  The  following  year 
this  Thomas,  the  bastard  of  Alan  the  Great  of  Galloway,  re- 
turned from  Ireland  accompanied  by  some  nobles  of  the  country, 
and  sued  the  king  for  pardon  and  peace ;  and  when  the  king 
wished  to  punish  and  chastise  him  in  the  Castle  of  Maidens 
(Edinburgh)  for  a  time — observe  this  ! — his  comrades,  together 
with  the  son  of  a  petty  king  of  Ireland,  plundered  Galloway, 
slew  many,  and  mutilated  and  killed  monks  at  Glenluce  and 
Tongueland ;  and  after  having,  on  their  way  back  through  the 
country  to  their  ships,  plundered  the  burgesses  of  Glasgow  and 
put  many  to  death,  they  went  back  to  Ireland.  Two  of  their 


52          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

chiefs,  however,  were  taken  and  brought  to  the  king,  and  were 
dragged  at  horses'  heels,  beheaded,  and  hung  on  the  gallows  at 
Edinburgh. 

CHAPTER  XL 

Mutual  love  between  the  kings  of  Scotland  and  England  after  tht 
marriage  contracted  with  the  sister  of  the  latter. 

IN  the  year  1237,  the  kings  of  Scotland  and  England  held  a 
solemn  feast  for  fifteen  days  at  York  with  their  queens,  and 
most  lovingly  and  harmoniously  treated  of  the  more  important 
affairs  of  the  kingdoms ;  and  afterwards  each  of  the  kings  went 
home  again  safely  to  his  own  country.  But  the  queen  of 
Scotland,  who  was  also  the  sister  of  King  Henry  of  England 
and  of  the  duke  of  Cornwall,  set  out  with  the  queen  of  England 
on  a  pilgrimage  to  Saint  Thomas  of  Canterbury;  and  she  departed 
this  life  during  the  said  journey,  and  is  buried  at  Tharent.  Else- 
where, however,  it  is  said,  and  with  more  truth,  that  this  queen 
of  Scotland  died  at  Cupar  in  Fife,  and  is  buried  at  Dunfermline 
Monastery,  near  the  sainted  King  David.  In  the  year  of  grace 
1239,  a  certain  cardinal  legate  a  later e  of  the  apostolic  see 
came  into  Scotland  and  held  a  council  at  Edinburgh.  The 
same  year,  also,  King  Alexander  of  Scotland,  not  having  any 
offspring  of  his  first  wife,  wedded  another  at  Eoxburgh,  the 
daughter  of  the  lord  de  Coucy,  Mary  by  name,  a  native  of 
France,  and  of  her  begat  a  son,  named  Alexander  after  his 
father,  in  the  forty-fourth  year  of  the  said  king's  age,  and  the 
twenty-seventh  of  his  reign.  In  this  year,  from  the  Sunday 
after  Christmas  to  the  Feast  of  the  Exaltation  of  the  Holy 
Cross,  no  rain  fell  upon  the  earth  in  these  parts ;  and  the  wines 
were  so  strong  that  no  one  could  easily  drink  them  without 
water.  Likewise,  about  the  same  time,  the  earl  of  Athol,  a 
most  handsome  youth,  was,  with  his  whole  household  and  two 
noble  companions  with  him,  villainously  and  treacherously 
burnt  by  night  in  his  lodging  at  Haddington,  by  some  ruffians 
not  devoid  of  inveterate  treachery  and  enmity ;  and  because 
one  William  Besat  was  suspected  of  this  deed,  the  king,  at  the 
request  of  the  friends  of  the  aforesaid  earl  of  Athol  at  Edin- 
burgh, that  he  should  bring  forward  the  said  William  Besat  to 
answer  to  them,  appointed  a  day.  Accordingly,  hosts  of  the 
friends  of  either  side  appearing,  they  proclaimed  William  Besat, 
as  also  his  friends  who  were  consenting  and  acting  parties,  con- 
demned to  perpetual  banishment  out  of  the  kingdoms  of  Scot- 
land, England,  and  France ;  and  all  their  lands  and  their  whole 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          53 

substance  were  confiscated  to  the  king.  The  king,  however,  being 
merciful  and  sparing  in  the  shedding  of  Christian  blood,  lightened 
the  punishment  of  the  misdeed,  and  bound  them  fast  by  an  oath 
to  go  to  the  Holy  Land  and  stay  there  for  life,  fighting  against 
Christ's  enemies.  About  the  year  1243  a  certain  Scottish 
traitor  maliciously  came  forward  at  the  court  of  the  English 
king,  flattering  him,  and  criminally  accusing  the  king  of  Scot- 
land, with  foul  lies  and  fawning  fabrications ;  and  he  so  pro- 
voked the  said  king  of  England  and  nearly  all  the  chiefs  of 
the  country  to  vengeance,  that  the  said  king  took  up  arms 
against  King  Alexander,  assembled  his  forces,  together  with 
other  magnates  of  the  kingdom,  at  Newcastle,  with  the  design 
of  invading  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  with  the  vast  hosts  of 
soldiery  gathered  together,  and  took  counsel  with  his  barons. 
For  he  had  so  exasperated  the  said  king  of  England  and  the 
chiefs  to  vengeance,  that  the  king  wished  to  make  every  effort 
to  bring  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  absolutely  under  his  yoke 
if  he  could.  Upon  hearing  this,  King  Alexander  straightway 
hastened  to  get  himself  ready  to  oppose  Mm  with  no  small 
number  of  men-at-arms,  and  encamped  at  Pentland  on  his  way 
towards  him.  But  when  King  Henry  of  England  heard  this, 
having  had  no  idea  that  the  king  of  Scotland  would  so  soon 
find  so  large  a  force  of  men-at-arms  ready,  he  yielded  to  the 
prayers  of  the  lovers  of  peace,  and  was  guided  by  the  opinion 
of  the  prelates  and  chiefs ;  and  so  peace  was  restored  between 
the  parties,  and  each  turned  his  horse's  head  and  sped  back  to 
his  own  country.  The  following  year  many  cities  of  Scotland 
were  burnt  down,  to  wit,  Eoxburgh,  Haddington,  Lanark,  Stir- 
ling, Perth,  Eorfar,  Montrose,  Aberdeen, — they  were  by  accident 
entirely  consumed  and  reduced  to  ashes. 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

Certain  events ;  and  death  of  Alexander  II. 

Now  a  bastard  son  of  the  late  Thomas  of  Athol,  and  late 
a  natural  brother  of  him  who  was  burnt,  committed  many 
incredible  atrocities  in  Ireland.  The  king  of  England,  therefore, 
being  angered  at  this,  asked  the  reason  thereof,  and  learnt  that 
all  this  was  done  to  take  revenge  on  one  John  Besat,  an  exile 
from  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  because  he  was  privy  to  his 
brother's  death.  So  the  king  of  England  wrote  to  King 
Alexander  to  send  that  bastard  to  him  to  punish ;  but  King 
Alexander  denied  that  he  was  his  vassal,  and  stated  by  letter 


54          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

that  he  was  a  vagabond  wandering  throughout  the  world,  and 
under  no  law.  In  the  year  1249,  that  most  renowned  king  of 
Scotland,  Alexander  II.,  who  hated  iniquity  and  loved  righteous- 
ness, while  marching  into  Argyll  to  allay  the  bickerings  of 
animosity,  was  there  seized  with  grievous  sickness  and  borne 
off  to  an  island  which  is  called  Carbery  (Kerrera) ;  and,  after 
duly  receiving  the  sacraments  of  eternal  salvation,  he  gave  up 
his  contrite  and  humbled  spirit  to  the  Lord,  and  passed  away 
in  happiness  from  this  life  to  his  eternal  inheritance.  He  rests 
in  happiness  inhumed  at  Melrose,  as  he  directed  in  his  last 
will ;  and  may  his  soul  abide  with  Christ  in  happiness.  He 
died  in  the  fifty-second  year  of  his  age,  and  the  thirty-fifth  of 
his  reign,  on  a  Thursday  in  July.  He  was  very  just,  long- 
suffering,  kindly,  mild,  and  merciful,  and  far-famed  for  every 
virtue.  He  left  behind  him  his  natural  son  Alexander  HI., 
who  was  at  the  early  age  of  eight  years  set  upon  the  royal 
stone  at  Scone  by  the  chiefs  and  prelates  of  the  country,  and 
crowned,  anointed18  and  consecrated  with  great  solemnity  and 
magnificence  in  the  presence  of  all  the  chief  magnates  and 
lords  of  the  realm ;  and  he  received  the  oath  of  fealty  from  all 
his  lieges. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Tenor  of  the  Charter  of  Privileges  at  the  instance  of  Maud  the 
Good  Qtieen  of  England,  daughter  of  the  Sainted  Queen 
Margaret. 
*  *  *  *  * 

HERE  endeth  the  copy  of  the  charter  of  the  privileges  of 
England,  which  privileges  and  liberties  were,  at  the  instance  of 
Maud,  daughter  of  the  blessed  Margaret  and  Malcolm  king  of 
Scotland,  and  called  the  Good  Queen  of  England,  granted  by 
her  husband,  Henry  king  of  the  English,  called  Beauclerk  in 
his  time,  etc.  Some  have  it  that  this  good  queen  rode  through 
the  streets  of  the  city  of  London  with  no  covering  but  the  hair 
of  her  head,  to  beg  the  above-mentioned  privileges  of  the  king ; 
and  she  was  dubbed  the  Good  Queen  of  England  on  account  of 
her  great  goodness. 

CHAPTER  XIIII. 

Beginning  of  Alexander  III.  king  of  Scots. 

WHEN  therefore,  as  already  said,  all  the  magnates,  prelates 
and  chiefs  of  the  realm  were  gathered  together  at  Scone, 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VII.          55 

King  Alexander  ill.  was,  after  his  father's  death,  unanimously 
raised  to  the  throne,  at  the  age  of  only  eight,  by  the  common 
consent  of  all,  and,  as  usual,  arrayed  in  the  insignia  of  royalty, 
anointed  and  crowned.  Afterwards,  however,  as  was  the 
custom  of  old,  they  led  the  king  in  all  his  royal  robes  to  a 
certain  cross  in  the  cemetery,  on  the  east  side,  with  the  whole 
multitude  of  the  people,  and  there  set  him  in  great  state  on 
the  royal  chair  of  stone  and  marble  which  was  brought  over 
from  Egypt.  It  is  of  that  stone  that  the  gods  of  the  Egyptians 
spake  when  they  said  that,  wherever  that  chair  should  be 
brought,  there  would  the  Scots  reign,  as  we  see  from  these 
lines : — 

"  Unless  the  fates  are  false,  the  Scots  will  reign 
Where'er  this  fatal  stone  they  find  again." 

And,  from  the  fact  that  the  said  chair  has  been  brought  over  to 
England,  it  follows  that  they  must  reign  there,  as  we  see  from 
the  words  of  the  venerable  Bede  in  certain  verses  already 
noticed  above.19  While,  therefore,  the  king  was,  as  already 
stated,  arrayed  in  the  insignia  of  royalty  and  seated  on  the 
aforesaid  chair,  there  appeared  before  him  a  certain  man  of 
some  consequence  from  the  upper  parts  of  the  kingdom,  who 
greeted  him  and  repeated  to  him  his  whole  pedigree,  all  the 
kings  one  by  one  and  by  name  since  they  started  from  the 
parts  of  Egypt  and  Greece — each  one  by  his  name,  according 
to  the  list  set  out  elsewhere.  Hence  we  see  that  that  most 
ancient  nation,  the  Scots,  sprang  chiefly  from  the  two  most 
renowned  countries  in  the  world,  and  abode  without  a  break 
with  its  own  natural  kings,  maintaining  unswerving  fidelity 
and  allegiance,  and  continuing  faithfully  in  its  natural  allegi- 
ance for  nearly  two  thousand  years,  without  the  bondage 
of  subjection  to  any  emperor  or  king,  which  has  seldom  or 
never  been  the  case  in  any  other  country.  The  aforesaid 
nation,  then,  took  its  rise  on  the  male  side  from  the  most 
renowned  province  of  the  Greeks,  to  wit  the  Athenians,  where 
the  discovery  of  all  natural  science  first  and  chiefly  had  and 
took  its  beginning,  and  Phoroneus  king  of  the  Greeks  first 
imparted  human  laws  to  the  Romans.  In  Egypt,  on  the  other 
hand,  pre-eminently  before  all  the  other  kingdoms  of  the  world, 
the  science  of  astronomy  first  and  chiefly  flourished.  The 
Lord  God,  also,  and  Almighty  Father  sent  His  beloved  Son, 
Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  his  mother  Mary  for  safety  into 
Egypt,  because  of  the  fury  of  the  tyrant  Herod ;  which  He 
would  not  have  done  had  he  not  delighted  in  the  country. 
Hence  all  the  famous  doctors,  wise  chroniclers  and  authors 


56          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

hold  that  Greece  is,  as  it  were,  the  mistress  of  the  other  king- 
doms, the  discoverer  of  sciences,  the  fountain-head  and  nurse 
of  morals  and  virtue,  the  flower  and  guide  of  chivalry  and 
arms,  whose  people  are  the  most  quick-witted,  the  most 
valiant  in  the  art  of  warfare,  endowed  with  the  gifts  of 
wisdom,  most  learned  and  most  eloquent  in  speech,  far-famed 
for  their  laws,  law-abiding,  merciful  and  kind  to  strangers, 
peaceful  towards  fellow-countrymen,  quiet  at  home,  gracious 
to  well-disposed  neighbours,  most  warlike  against  the  snares 
of  their  enemies  :  as  we  see  first  in  the  destruction  of  the 
city  of  Troy ;  secondly,  in  the  conqueror  Alexander  the 
Great ;  thirdly,  in  Constantino  the  Great,  who  spread  the 
Christian  religion  ;  fourthly,  in  Aristotle,  the  chief  of  philoso- 
phers and  the  flower  of  clerks  ;  fifthly,  in  that  most  stalwart 
Hercules,  who  planted  the  brazen  pillars  in  the  sea  of  Gades, 
in  the  western  borders  of  the  world,  and  in  his  wonderful 
strength,  which,  although  mentioned  last,  should  however,  by 
reason  of  antiquity  if  not  of  importance,  have  been  meutioned 
first. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Removal  of  the  ashes  of  the  body  of  the  most  blessed 
Queen  Margaret. 

IN  the  year  following  the  coronation,  namely  in  1250,  the 
king  and  the  queen  his  mother,  together  with  the  bishops  and 
abbots  and  other  lords  of  the  realm,  met  at  Dunfermline,  and 
there  took  up  the  bones  and  remains  of  the  glorious  Queen 
Margaret,  his  great-great-great-great-grandmother,  from  the 
stone  monument  wherein  they  had  rested  for  years  and  years, 
and  lifted  them  up  with  the  utmost  devoutness  and  honour  in 
a  silver20  shrine  set  with  gold  and  precious  stones ;  and  from 
her  earlier  tomb  was  given  out  a  most  sweet  smell,  so  that  one 
would  have  thought  the  whole  place  was  strewed  with  flowers 
and  spicy  balms.  Nor  was  there  lacking  a  miracle  of  divine 
grace  :  for,  after  that  far-famed  coffer  had  first  been  placed  in 
the  outer  church,  and  finally  easily  lifted  by  the  sacred  hands 
of  bishops  and  abbots,  that  it  might  be  placed  on  the  top  of 
the  high  altar  in  the  choir,  as  had  been  pre-arranged  in  order 
to  do  it  honour,  when  it  was  brought  in  procession,  with  organs 
chanting  and  voices  singing  in  chorus,  up  to  the  wicket  in  the 
chancel,  near  the  tomb  of  her  husband  King  Malcolm,  who  lay 
at  the  north  side  of  the  further  nave  of  the  church  under  an 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDLN.   BOOK  VII.          57 

arched  canopy,  on  the  opposite  side,  lo !  suddenly  the  arms  of 
the  bearers  became  as  it  were  exhausted  and  powerless,  so  that, 
from  the  weight  of  the  massy  burden,  they  were  unable  to 
move  the  bier  with  the  holy  relics  away  from  the  spot  any 
further ;  nay,  they  were  obliged,  whether  they  would  or  not,  to 
come  to  a  stop  at  that  spot  forthwith,  and  rest  the  heavy 
bier  on  the  ground  there.  After  this,  however,  they  brought 
bearers  stronger  than  the  former,  thinking  there  was  a  lack  of 
bodily  strength  in  the  bearers ;  but  the  more  they  strove  to  lift 
the  bier,  the  less  they  could  stir  it.  But  at  length,  while  the 
prelates  and  lords  wondered  much  what  this  strange  thing 
might  mean,  and  thought  they  were  unworthy  to  touch  or 
meddle  with  the  most  holy  burial  of  so  glorious  a  body,  lo ! 
straightway  the  inspired  voice  of  the  Lord,  as  is  believed, 
thundered  forth  from  one  of  the  bystanders,  announcing  plainly 
that  God  neither  wished  nor  would  allow  the  remains  of  the 
blessed  queen  to  be  moved  before  the  coffin  of  her  husband 
King  Malcolm  were  opened  and  his  body  moved  with  just  such 
honours,  since  they  were  one  flesh  while  they  were  in  the 
world;  and,  as  his  speech  pleased  all  the  bystanders,  it  was 
done  according  to  his  word.  So,  after  his  tomb  was  opened 
and  his  bones  were  taken  up,  both  biers  were  solemnly  and 
in  state  brought  to  the  appointed  places  without  any  trouble 
or  effort  because  of  their  weight,  on  the  19th  of  June  in  the 
above  year;  and,  because  of  her  worthiness  and  merits,  Almighty 
God,  who  is  marvellous  in  His  saints  and  glorious  in  His 
majesty,  wrought  many  miracles  in  the  said  place. 


CHAPTEE  XVI. 

Marriage  of  King  Alexander  to  the  daughter  of  Henry  III. 
king  of  England. 

IN  the  year  1251  the  magnates  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland, 
seeing  that  their  king  was  in  his  minority,  almost  in  his  cradle, 
feared  that  the  kingdom  would  suffer  loss  for  want  of  good 
government :  for  the  leading  men  of  nearly  the  whole  kingdom 
neglected  the  state  and  were  altogether  bent  on  promoting 
their  own  private  interests,  each  one  minding  his  own  business 
and  leaving  the  common  weal  to  itself.  Therefore  the  prelates 
and  lords  who  cared  for  the  common  weal,  after  exhorting  them, 
came  to  a  decision,  upon  mature  deliberation,  and  despatched 
envoys  to  the  king  of  England  both  for  a  renewal  of  the  treaty 
of  peace  and  also  for  the  cementing  of  the  bond  of  hearty  love 
and  friendship  by  a  marriage  to  be  contracted  between  the  said 


58         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

King  Alexander  and  the  daughter  of  Henry  king  of  England. 
These  envoys  were  received  most  graciously,  and  were  thanked 
and  rewarded  with  many  costly  gifts.  Envoys  were  likewise 
sent  back  into  Scotland  to  settle  the  marriage;21  and  they 
arranged  a  day  for  the  aforesaid  kings  to  meet  one  another 
with  their  counsellors — at  the  city  of  York,  on  the  following 
Christmas-day.  This  was  finally  carried  out  and  fulfilled 
with  the  greatest  solemnity,  state,  glory  and  honour,  both  as 
to  the  marriage  and  as  to  prolonging  the  treaty  of  peace  ;  and 
both  kings  and  the  prelates  and  barons  of  either  kingdom  swore 
solemnly,  after  laying  their  hands  upon  the  holy  Gospels,  that 
it  should  last  for  ever  and  ever.  This  oath,  moreover,  both 
kings,  with  their  chiefs,  prelates  and  lords,  kept  so  faithfully  and 
inviolably  to  the  end  of  their  lives,  that  hardly  ever  in  after 
times  were  any  differences,  quarrels,  or  dissensions  which  could 
distress  the  kingdoms  known  to  arise  between  them  or  their 
countrymen ;  nor  had  it  ever  been  known,  in  the  days  of  any 
king  whatever,  that  true  peace  and  love  and  unbroken  and 
spotless  fidelity  between  the  Scots  and  their  adversaries  should 
for  so  long  a  time  have  been  unfalteringly  kept  by  both  sides. 
For  the  said  King  Henry  was  always  looked  upon  as  a  faithful 
and  fast  friend,  both  in  the  time  of  the  father  of  the  said  King 
Alexander,  after  Alexander  n.  married  the  sister  of  the  said 
Henry,  and  also  in  the  time  of  his  son-in-law,22  the  said  Alex- 
ander in. ;  a  thing  which  had  seldom  if  ever  been  known  to 
happen  before  this,  either  in  the  time  of  the  Britons,  the  Picts, 
the  Norwegians,  or  the  English,  save  in  the  few  days  of  King 
Richard,  who  maintained  steady  fidelity  and  a  friendly  alliance 
with  King  William,  and  abode  unceasingly  in  true  friendship 
and  a  trustful  alliance  with  him  unto  his  life's  end.  Further- 
more, the  aforesaid  King  Henry,  to  show  the  greater  love  and 
intimate  friendship,  girded  King  Alexander,  while  only  nine 
years  old,  with  the  belt  of  knighthood  at  the  city  of  York,  and 
thereafter  brought  about  and  concluded  the  marriage  between 
the  aforesaid  King  Alexander  and  his  eldest  daughter,  named 
Margaret,  on  St.  Stephen's  Day,  the  day  after  Christmas,  with 
the  utmost  ceremony,  as  already  remarked.  And  after  the 
wedding  King  Alexander  straightway  took  his  queen  to  Scot- 
land with  him. 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

The  new  king's  counsellors  suspected. 

Bur,  when  the  king  had  come  to  his  own  kingdom,  after  his 
marriage  had  been   concluded,  the  prelates  and  barons  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          59 

other  magnates  and  lords  of  the  realm  who  cared  for  the 
common  weal  held  a  general  meeting,  and  dismissed  all  the 
king's  counsellors,  earls  as  well  as  all  others  who  were  under 
suspicion;  and,  by  the  choice  of  the  Three  Estates,  in  con- 
sideration of  the  king's  tender  age,  they  constituted  and  elected 
other  prelates  and  barons,  able,  prudent  and  discreet  men,  to 
represent  them ;  and  these  appointed  new  officers  in  place  of 
those  under  suspicion.23  They  were  dismissed  because24  these 
counsellors  were  so  many  kings  or  petty  kings,  who  converted 
and  disposed  of  the  revenues  of  the  kingdom  and  all  the  crown 
dues  to  their  own  private  use,  and  thought  only  of  their  own 
selfish  interests,  leaving  the  common  weal  to  itself,  and  ever 
enriching  themselves  and  trampling  others  under  foot.  They 
did  not  prevent  the  poor  being  ground  down ;  and,  with  some 
whom  they  envied,  they  would  even  find  some  trumped-up 
reason  for  confiscation,  and  appropriate  the  confiscated  lands  to 
themselves  by  the  king's  gift ;  with  others,  they  would  seek 
occasion  against  them  that  they  might  sell  some  land  of  theirs 
they  took  a  fancy  to,  and  would  force  them  to  sell  it  to  them ; 
they  concealed  robbers  with  whom  they  were  partakers,  sup- 
ported them,  and  got  them  pardons  from  the  king  for  their 
misdeeds,  such  as  sacrilege  and  manslaughter;  and  generally 
they  countenanced  and  shielded  all  evil  doers,  so  that  it  might 
not  without  cause  be  said :  Woe  to  thee,  O  land  whose  king  is 
a  boy ;  for  nought  is  holier  or  more  profitable  or  better  in  a 
kingdom  than  that  the  king  should  have  good  counsellors, 
whether  he  be  young  or  old.  For,  as  the  poet  says : — 

A  worthy  council  makes  a  lasting  realm. 

Now  counsellors  of  unrighteousness  are  the  king-'s  and  the 
kingdom's  foes,  whom  none  ought  to  encourage  by  silence, 
but  openly  to  chide,  impeach  and  prosecute;  for  we  all  by 
nature  have  obligations  towards  the  state,  and  especially 
towards  our  king.  But,  according  to  the  prophet,  those  who 
fail  in  their  duty  shall  the  Lord  number  with  the  workers  of 
iniquity.  Nothing  indeed  better  befits  the  dignity  of  king  than 
to  have  good  and  able  counsellors,  and  to  eschew  evil  advisers : 
for  unrighteous  counsellors  are  the  chief  foes  of  the  king  and 
the  kingdom,  as  already  said;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  good 
counsellors  are  the  pride  of  the  king  and  the  kingdom,  and  the 
safety  of  the  people.  Again,  according  to  Solomon,  In  the 
multitude  of  counsellors  there  is  safety :  for  there  are  as  many 
different  points  of  view  as  there  are  heads.  According  to 
Solomon,  again,  A  multitude  of  wise  men  is  the  health  of  the 
earth,  and  a  wise  king  is  the  stay  of  the  people.  Now  by  this 


60         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

is  the  king's  wisdom  known,  that  he  has  wise  and  prudent 
counsellors.  For  this  cause  were  a  hundred  senators  estab- 
lished at  Eome  for  the  government  of  the  state ;  and  in  like 
manner  at  Paris  a  hundred  counsellors  were  created  for  the 
government  of  the  realm  of  France;  for  a  community,  some 
say,  cannot  err.  All  the  senators  of  Paris  are  clerics  learned  in 
the  law  and  doctors  of  law  and  canon  law,  and  solemnly  sworn 
to  do  and  administer  judgment  and  true  justice ;  and  moreover 
they  are  so  secure,  prompt  and  resolute  in  doing  right,  that, 
though  some  of  them,  say  two  or  three,  should  wish  basely 
to  pervert  the  law  and  turn  aside  from  the  way  of  truth,  the 
others,  thus  clearly  perceiving  their  shuffling  and  unfairness, 
would  not  endure  them,  but  would  put  them  to  a  perpetual 
shame  and  banish  them  from  the  society  of  the  others ;  and, 
if  the  king  were  so  ill-advised,  or  rather  led  astray  by  self- 
interested  advice,  as  in  like  manner  to  pervert  judgment  and 
justice  and  countenance  such  unrighteousness,  so  as  himself  to 
upset  the  sentence  of  parliament,  all  these  senators  with  their 
followers  would  publicly  proclaim  that  no  more  causes  would 
be  heard  in  parliament,  and  the  bells  would  be  rung,  the  doors 
of  parliament  locked,  they  would  take  off  their  robes,  and  each 
would  go  back  to  his  own  home,  and  finally — never  to  return  or 
give  a  hearing  or  deal  with  any  cause  whatever,  until  the  king 
had  punished  the  shufflers,  begged  their  pardon,  and  made  full 
amends  in  parliament.  For  they  would  pervert  or  break 
through  the  law,  or  go  beyond  the  letter  of  the  law,  neither  for 
king  nor  for  queen,  nor  for  any  other  lord,  friend  or  kinsman, 
for  neither  prayer,  nor  love,  nor  money,  nor  fear,  nor  hate,  nor 
even  for  a  man's  life.  We  find,  moreover,  in  the  Gestes  of  the 
French  that  in  the  days  of  Philip  and  Louis,  kings  of  the 
French,  the  Saracens  passed  by  their  own  judges  and  left 
their  homes  and  came  to  Paris  to  submit  their  causes  and  com- 
plaints to  the  judgment  of  the  senators  of  the  parliament  there ; 
and  in  the  end  both  parties,  satisfied  with  their  sentences, 
returned  in  joy  and  harmony  to  their  own  country,  and  praised 
justice. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

What  manner  of  men  a  king's  counsellors  should  be. 

OBSERVE  that  a  good  and  righteous  king  ought  to  have  twelve 
characteristics.  The  first  is  that  he  ought  not  to  keep  with  him 
in  his  council  counsellors  who  are  miserly,  ambitious,  or  double- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.         61 

tongued,  or  inclined  to  evil.  The  second,  that  he  choose 
prudent  men,  loving  God  more  than  carnal  or  worldly  gain. 
The  third,  that  they  consider  the  poor  and  be  merciful  unto 
them,  compassionate  towards  their  neighbours'  woes,  truthful  in 
judgment  and  in  their  other  doings,  not  willing  to  tell  a  lie  for 
anything  in  the  world.  The  fourth,  that  the  king  himself  love 
God  above  all  things,  and  watch  over  himself  unceasingly  in 
leading  a  good  life  spiritually,  observe  God's  precepts,  maintain 
the  law  and  not  break  it,  direct  and  protect  and  love  the  good, 
and  guard  them  in  peace,  and  correct,  punish  and  chastise  the 
wicked.  The  fifth,  that  he  protect  God's  church  and  firmly 
believe  and  defend  the  catholic  faith,  uphold  clerics  and  priests 
in  their  suits,  and  save  them  harmless  in  body  and  substance, 
and  withstand  their  enemies.  The  sixth,  that  he  cherish  all 
maids  and  widows  and  wretched  folks  and  babes  and  orphans, 
nourish  them,  and  enfold  them  in  the  bosom  of  his  protection. 
The  seventh,  that  he  say  the  Hours  of  Our  Lady  daily,  and 
hear  three  masses  in  the  name  of  the  Trinity,  and  chant  the 
seven  penitential  psalms  with  the  Litany  and  Vigil  of  the  Dead 
when  he  has  leisure ;  and  if  he  said  the  canonical  Hours — would 
that  he  did  so  ! — it  would  always  go  well  with  him  in  this 
world.  The  eighth,  that  he  do  not  make  or  plunge  into  war 
unless  he  needs  must,  but  maintain,  seek  and,  so  far  as  he  might 
do  so  without  dishonour,  ensue  friendship,  peace  and  love  with 
all  his  neighbours ;  for  Peace  is  good  to  those  that  love  her,  and 
not  a  stumbling-block  unto  them,  seeing  that  blessed  are  the 
peacemakers,  and  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of  God. 
The  ninth,  that  he  confess  himself  and  consult  his  confessor 
daily,  or  at  least  once  a  week,  and  purify  and  purge  himself 
from  the  vices  and  taints  of  mortality,  and  say  the  Hours  to 
himself,  not  taking  his  ease  during  mass,  nor  letting  his  eyes 
wander,  nor  looking  back,  nor  busying  himself  with  or  attending 
to  affairs  before  divine  service,  bearing  in  mind  the  saying  of 
the  Lord,  who  says,  No  one  who  putteth  his  hand  to  the  plough 
and  looketh  back  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  tenth, 
that  he  diligently  sound,  inquire  into  and  subject  to  inspection 
the  diligence  of  those  who  manage  his  property,  as  also  the 
fidelity  of  all  his  officers,  and  acquaint  himself  with  the  character 
of  each  of  them ;  and  that  no  wicked  man  come  into  his  sight, 
and  that  the  unrighteous  remain  not  before  his  eyes  ;  that  the 
bad  heart  that  backbiteth  his  neighbour  cleave  not  unto  him  ; 
that  he  have  no  dealings  with  the  proud  eye  and  greedy  heart, 
but  that  his  eyes  be  ever  upon  the  faithful  in  the  land,  that  they 
may  sit  with  him  and  minister  unto  him,  walking  in  a  spotless 
way.  The  eleventh,  that  he  make  an  able  and  discreet  man  his 


62          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

Grand  Almoner,  and  have  all  the  almshouses  of  his  realm  re- 
formed and  restored  to  their  true  original  condition  when  they 
were  first  founded,  and  direct  and  see  that  his  charitable  dona- 
tions and  doles  be  distributed  in  his  own  presence ;  and  take  pity 
on  the  poor,  as  saith  the  prophet,  Blessed  is  he  that  considereth 
the  poor  and  needy ;  the  Lord  will  deliver  him  in  time  of  trouble. 
The  twelfth,  that  he  introduce  not  new  and  evil  customs  into  his 
realm,  to  the  detriment  and  prejudice  of  his  people  and  the 
state,  but  love  the  common  weal  above  all  things,  and  guard  it, 
else  he  will  never  be  beloved  by  his  subjects,  nor  by  God ;  for 
God  is  the  soul  of  the  state,  and  the  more  one  leans  to  the 
public  good  the  nearer  one  is  to  God,  and  the  more  beloved  by 
Him ;  for  the  king  is  only  the  state's  vicegerent  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  his  God,  and  unless  he  governs  it  well  he  is  not  worthy 
of  the  name  of  king.  This  is  gathered  chiefly  from  three  points 
which  are  touched  upon  by  Aristotle,  the  chief  of  philosophers, 
in  his  Ethics  :  namely  that,  firstly,  he  ought  to  govern  his  own 
self  virtuously,  as  regards  himself  personally ;  secondly,  that  he 
ought  to  govern  his  house  well,  as  regards  his  household ;  thirdly, 
that  he  ought  govern  his  province  or  country  well,  or  his  king- 
dom, if  he  be  a  king,  as  regards  the  common  weal  and  the  state, 
and  the  whole  people  subject  unto  him.  If  he  shall  do  these 
three  things  he  shall  deserve  to  be  called  king ;  and  then  shall 
his  Lord  say  unto  him,  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant ; 
because  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will  set 
thee  over  many ;  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord. 

CHAPTEK  XIX. 

On  what  days  the  king  ought  to  wear  the  crown,  etc. 

IT  was  the  custom  of  old,  as  is  stated  in  the  Great  Chronicle, 
that  the  king  should  wear  the  crown  on  his  head  at  certain 
solemn  festivals,  although  it  is  not  customary  in  modern  times, 
and  especially  in  France.25  It  is  said  here,  however,  that  it  is 
on  these  festivals,  to  wit  Christmas,  the  Epiphany,  Easter, 
Whitsunday,  Ascension  Day,  the  Assumption  of  Our  Lady,  the 
raising  of  the  Holy  Cross,  All  Saints ;  also  on  all  days  on  which 
he  holds  general  judicial  sittings  in  parliament,  and  on  days 
on  which  he  confers  knighthood  in  state. 

Furthermore,  ten  counsels  are  given  to  kings  by  the  Lord. 
The  first  is  that  the  king  ought  never  to  sit  alone  at  table,  but 
accompanied  by  some  distinguished  men,  wise  and  well-princi- 
pled, with  whom  he  shall  make  merry  and  solace  himself,  con- 
versing about  acts  of  wisdom,  prudence  and  justice,  that  he 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          63 

may  be  made  wiser  and  pass  the  time  well :  for  he  who  delights 
in  hearing  wisdom  shall  be  wise,  according  to  Solomon.  The 
second  counsel  is  that  after  dinner  he  should  stand  up  and 
broach  some  good  subject,  and  argue  with  the  clerics  in  his 
presence,  or  discuss  the  relative  merits  of  glorious  deeds  ;  and 
then  let  him  hear  the  opinions  of  others,  whence  he  shall 
understand  the  government  of  his  realm,  so  that  he  may  be- 
come more  prudent  and  careful.  The  third  counsel  is  that  in  all 
his  judicial  acts  he  always  temper  his  judgment  with  mercy, 
bearing  in  mind  the  saying  of  the  prophet,  who  says,  Of  mercy 
and  judgment  shall  I  sing  unto  thee,  0  Lord ;  for  the  king  ought 
not  suddenly  in  his  wrath  to  sentence  any  one,  lest  he  after- 
wards quickly  repent,  as  Solomon  says,  The  fool  vents  his  wrath 
at  once.  Fourthly,  that  he  ought  not  to  be  turned  aside  from 
the  path  of  right  reason  by  any  cause  whatever ;  for  a  wise  man 
may  be  likened  unto  the  sun,  who  is  always  shining,  and  has 
his  rays  direct ;  while  a  fool,  like  the  moon,  changes  daily. 
Fifthly,  that  the  king  beware  of  the  counsel  of  such  as  are 
interested  in  those  whose  cause  is  being  considered,  for  such 
make  justice  miscarry  and  pervert  the  law ;  and  especially 
misers,  for  avarice  is  thraldom  to  idols  and  the  root  of  all  evil, 
and  they  are  always  ready  to  barter  justice  and  poison  a  just 
king  with  the  venom  of  avarice.  Sixthly,  that  the  king  ought  to 
give  heed  to  the  words  of  able  men  and  to  the  advice  of  experi- 
enced men  as  to  what  handicrafts  he  has  need  of  in  his  kingdom, 
and  send  able  youths  over  to  foreign  parts  to  be  taught,  at  the 
expense  of  the  parents  and  the  boroughs  which  have  need  of 
such.  Seventhly,  that  the  king  should  make  men  of  influence 
in  the  realm,  both  churchmen  and  laymen,  furnish  fleets  of 
fishing-boats,  as  they  do  in  England  and  in  other  eastern  and 
northern  countries,  which  bring  in  much  profit  to  the  country. 
The  eighth,  that  the  king  make  a  point  of  letting  the  lands  of  the 
inhabitants  in  feu-farm  for  ever ;  for  it  is  easy  for  an  intelligent 
man  to  see  that  by  such  leases  the  country  and  the  inhabi- 
tants could  be  indefinitely  enriched;  and,  when  the  country 
and  inhabitants  are  enriched,  in  like  manner  also  will  the 
king  be  enriched.  For,  if  the  country  and  inhabitants  are 
poor,  the  king  will  be  poor ;  as  it  is  impossible  for  the  king 
of  a  poor  country  to  be  rich ;  or,  on  the  other  hand,  of  a  rich 
country  to  be  poor.  It  is  strange  that  the  whole  world  is 
leased  thus  save  only  the  kingdom  of  Scotland ;  but,  according 
to  Aristotle,  the  chief  of  philosophers,  Base  is  the  part  that  does 
not  harmonise  with  its  whole.  But,  if  they  knew  the  unparalleled 
advantage  ensuing  therefrom,  they  would  not  leave  off  until 
they  had  accomplished  it.  Ninthly,  that  the  king,  by  a  decree 


64          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

of  his  parliament,  have  his  laws  examined  and  weighed  and  com- 
pared with  the  acts  of  parliament  by  wise  men  learned  in  the 
law ;  and,  if  there  be  any  things  which  contradict  each  other, 
or  are  useless,  unreasonable,  or  fruitless,  that  they  be  amended 
by  certain  men  deputed  thereto  before  the  general  council,  and 
that  bad  customs,  if  there  be  any,  be  swept  away.  Tenthly, 
that  the  king,  when  he  wakes  in  the  middle  of  the  night  after 
his  first  lying  down,  should  first  render  thanks  to  Almighty 
God  and  invoke  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  then  recall 
to  mind  all  his  pressing  business,  and  ponder  what,  how,  by 
whom,  in  what  way  and  when,  he  ought  to  bring  to  due  accom- 
plishment what  he  has  to  do. 


CHAPTEE   XX. 

Good  characteristics  and  points  in  a  king. 

THE  best  point  in  a  prince  is  that  he  do  wisely  what- 
ever he  may  do,  and  that  he  look  to  the  end.  Another  point 
is  that  he  think  well  over  all  he  does ;  and  thus  he  will  not 
repent  after  the  deed  is  done:  for,  according  to  Solomon, 
wisdom  dwelleth  in  counsel,  and  mingles  with  witty  inven- 
tions. Another  point  is  that  in  administering  justice  he 
swerve  not  either  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left,  nor  take 
the  person  into  account  in  giving  judgment;  for  God  is  no 
respecter  of  persons.  Another  good  point  is  that,  if  the  king 
has  made  a  mistake,  when  he  finds  out  his  mistake  he  be  not 
ashamed  to  retract  it :  for  the  universal  pope  oftentimes  makes 
mistakes,  yet  he  says  he  is  not  ashamed  to  retract  his  mis- 
take. Another  point  is  that  he  do  nothing  rashly  in  hot  blood, 
but  put  off  vengeance  until  anger  is  past :  for  anger  prevents 
the  spirit  being  able  to  discern  the  true,  and  man's  anger 
works  not  God's  justice.  Another  point  is  that  he  do  not 
lightly  believe  stories,  flattery,  or  adulation,  against  his  better 
judgment,  until  he  hear  the  other  side ;  and  that  he  take  into 
consideration  the  cause  of  the  story,  and  the  persons,  and  the 
circumstances,  until  he  understands  the  foundation  and  the 
origin  whence  it  proceeds.  Another  very  good  point  is  that 
the  king  recognise  thoroughly  his  friends  and  foes,  and  take 
good  heed  to  whom  he  unfolds  the  secrets  of  his  heart;  for 
many  feign  friendship  and  have  the  poison  of  asps  under  their 
tongue ;  and  at  first  they  come  in  fawningly,  but  in  the  end 
bite  like  a  snake ; — and  especially,  according  to  Solomon,  Let 
him  guard  the  fastening  of  his  mouth  against  her  who  sleepeth 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.         65 

in  his  bosom.  Another  point  is  that  a  king  ought  not  to  be 
light  in  gesture,  or  overbearing,  or  too  talkative,  save  at  the 
right  time,  modestly,  eloquently  and  with  tact;  and  let  his 
words  be  wisely  placed,  for  when  they  have  been  uttered  he 
cannot  unsay  them.  Another  point  is  that  he  be  not  theatri- 
cally or  unbecomingly  clad,  or  defiled  with  disreputable  play ; 
yea  let  him  be  staid  and  sober  in  gesture,  motion,  look  and 
appearance,  and  in  dress  looking  such  as  he  is.  Another,  that 
he  be  not  too  familiar  or  humble,  for  such  things  beget  con- 
tempt and  are  put  down  to  foolishness ;  for,  where  humility  is 
too  much  kept  to,  authority  in  governing  is  broken  down. 
Therefore  let  him  so  keep  between  the  two  extremes  of  arro- 
gance and  humility,  that  he  be  feared  and  beloved ;  but  let  him 
wish  rather  to  be  loved  than  to  be  feared,  that  is,  that  he  be 
beloved  by  the  good  and  feared  by  the  bad.  Moreover,  another 
point  is  that  he  study  to  bring  back  to  brotherly  peace  those 
who  have  fallen  out.  Also  that  he  study  to  reform  his  cur- 
rency for  the  good  of  the  state.  Also  to  receive  strangers  with 
honour,  and  shield  and  keep  them  from  all  wrong  and  hind- 
rance, and  with  pleasure  grant  them  the  necessary  papers. 
Let  him  beware  of  having  dealings  with  the  excommunicated, 
of  listening  to  play-actors  and  jugglers ;  let  him  punish  scoffers, 
check  those  who  at  play  deny  God  and  blaspheme  the  saints, 
love  and  cherish  the  virtuous,  keep  out  the  vicious,  and  in  all 
things  uphold  righteousness  and  goodness. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  counsellors  of  King  Alexander,  a  youth  of  nine,  arc  changed 
by  the  advice  of  the  king  of  England. 

THE  same  year  King  Henry  of  England,  like  a  trusty  father 
to  King  Alexander  of  Scotland,  being  asked  to  confer  with  the 
prelates  and  lords  of  Scotland  upon  the  government  of  the 
realm,  came  as  far  as  Wark  Castle ;  and,  after  mature  delibera- 
tion there,  all  the  counsellors  and  great  officers  of  state  were 
dismissed  from  their  offices  and  places.  A  certain  chronicle, 
however,  relates  that  the  manner  of  their  dismissal  was  as 
follows.  At  that  time,  while  King  Alexander  was  in  his 
minority,  Earl  Patrick  of  Dunbar  and  Allan  Durwart  and  their 
party,  being  fired  with  zeal  for  the  state  against  Walter  Corny u 
and  the  other  magnates  of  the  realm  who  had  the  government 
of  the  king  and  kingdom  at  this  period,  because  they  governed 
the  state  improperly,  and  wishing  to  oust  them  from  the 

E 


66          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

government  and  council  of  the  kingdom  and  king,  with  the 
concurrence  of  the  king  of  England,  as  some  say,  came  privately 
to  the  Castle  of  Maidens  (Edinburgh),  accompanied  by  some 
counsellors  of  the  king  of  England,  entered  the  castle  unawares, 
drove  out  all  king  Alexander's  suspected  counsellors  and 
attendants,  and  intrusted  the  said  castle  and  the  king  and 
queen  to  the  keeping  of  knights  and  Serjeants  of  their  own ; 
and  a  few  days  afterwards  they  brought  the  king  and  queen 
of  Scotland  and  their  own  private  attendants,  with  a  line  army, 
to  the  king  and  queen  of  England,  who  had  for  this  purpose 
come  to  Wark.  There  the  said  kings  and  the  lords  and  coun- 
sellors of  their  two  kingdoms  held  a  lengthened  interview, 
and  they  enacted  many  statutes  there  which  were  far  from 
palatable  to  the  people.  Nevertheless  they  appointed  the 
bishop  of  Dunkeld  chancellor,  David  de  Lindsay  de  Crawfurd 
chamberlain  and  Alan  de  Durwart  grand  justiciary  under  the 
king  of  Scotland  for  seven  years  to  come,  and  set  them  and 
some  other  able  men  to  govern  the  king  and  kingdom.  When 
these  came  back,  however,  the  other  former  counsellors  of  the 
king  of  Scotland  and  governors  of  the  realm  had  a  serious 
difference  with  them  about  rendering  an  account  of  the  king's 
goods  for  the  period  of  their  government,  and  a  great  dispute 
arose  because  the  former  governors  would  not  give  an  account 
of  the  king's  receipts  and  expenditure. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

King  Alexander  is  seized  by  his  own  liegemen. 

IN  the  year  1257,  when  the  king's  new  counsellors  and 
governors  had  had  Walter  de  Comyn  earl  of  Menteith  and  his 
accomplices  summoned  before  the  king  for  certain  offences, 
and  repeatedly  proclaimed  and  marked  contumacious — for 
they  wanted  to  bring  various  crimes  and  complaints  against 
them,  and  the  latter  were  afraid  of  a  judgment  and  would  not 
appear — the  said  earl  of  Menteith,  Walter  de  Cumyn,  and  his 
underlings  seized  King  Alexander  in  bed  at  the  dead  of  night, 
about  midnight,  at  Kinross,  the  day  after  the  Feast  of  Saint 
Simon  and  Saint  Jude,  and  brought  him  to  Stirling  Castle, 
together  with  the  king's  Great  Seal  and  others  whom  they 
wanted  to  bring  with  them.  His  accomplices  were  Alexander 
Comyn  earl  of  Buchan,  William  earl  of  Mar,  John  Comyn, 
brother26  to  the  earl  of  Buchan,  Hugh  de  Abirnethy,  David  de 
Louchour,  Hugh  de  Berclay,  with  their  attendant  retainers  ; 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          67 

and  they  upset  all  the  good  government  of  the  past  counsellors 
and  governors,  plundered  the  churches,  wasted  the  inhabitants, 
oppressed  the  poor  and  in  a  word  perpetrated  every  misdeed, 
ravaged  the  whole  kingdom  and  plundered  the  inhabitants  in 
such  a  way  as  had  never  been  known  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland 
for  a  long  time.  Not  long  after,  however,  the  aforesaid  Walter 
de  Comyn  earl  of  Menteith  took  a  dose  of  poison  administered 
to  him  by  his  wife,  and  died  at  once — and  he  deserved  it, 
for  he  was  the  ringleader  of  those  who  brought  the  king  cap- 
tive to  Stirling,  and  that  the  word  of  God  spoken  by  the 
prophet  might  be  fulfilled,  who  says,  The  ungodly  shall  perish 
from  the  earth,  and  the  workers  of  iniquity  shall  be  taken  from 
it.  As  for  these  Comyns,  two  or  three  earls  of  that  name  used 
to  be  the  greatest  and  chiefest  in  the  realm ;  but  now,  lo !  I 
have  sought,  and  the  place  of  them  is  not  to  be  found,  though 
there  were  at  this  period  thirty-two  knights  of  that  name  of 
Comyn  alive  at  one  and  the  same  time.  But  this  curse  fell 
upon  them  through  the  vengeance  of  God,  for  they  laid  hands 
upon  the  lord  king,  in  spite  of  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  fealty. 
The  countess  his  wife,  however,  to  whom  belonged  the  aforesaid 
earldom  through  her  father,  was  dispossessed  and  sent  into 
perpetual  banishment  in  England  with  a  certain  man  of  low 
birth ;  and  the  aforesaid  earldom  was  made  over  to  one  Walter 
de  Bullok,  who  claimed  through  his  wife.  In  the  year  1260 
Pope  Urban  instituted  the  solemn  feast  of  Corpus  Christi ;  and 
by  the  grace  of  God's  bounty  such  a  measure  of  indulgence  was 
granted  to  celebrating,  hearing,  or  taking  part  in  that  solemnity 
both  on  the  first  day  and  on  the  days  of  the  following  octaves, 
that  it  stretches  well-nigh  to  fourteen  thousand  years.  The 
following  year  a  valuable  cross  was  found  at  Peebles  buried 
underground,  which  had  been  buried  about  a  thousand  years 
before ;  and,  with  the  consent  of  the  bishop  of  Glasgow,  the  king 
built  there  the  famous  church  of  Peebles  in  its  honour. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Battle  of  Largs,  aiid  victory  through  Saint  Margaret. 

IN  the  year  1263,  about  the  feast  of  the  blessed  Peter  ad 
Vincula  (Lammas  Day),  the  king  of  Norway,  Haco  by  name, 
arrived  at  Ayr  Castle  with  a  large  fleet  of  men-at-arms,  and 
with  the  view  of  invading  the  kingdom  strove  to  subdue  to 
his  sway  all  the  island  districts  :  for  he  maintained  that  all  the 
islands  lying  between  Scotland  and  Ireland  belonged  to  him  by 


68          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

right  of  inheritance.  So  lie  straightway  took  by  force  and  occu- 
pied the  royal  castles  of  Bute  and  Arran,  and  invaded,  plundered 
and  sacked  the  neighbouring  lands  of  Scotland  along  the  sea- 
board ;  nor  would  this  man,  out  of  honour  and  reverence  to 
Almighty  God,  respect  the  sacredness  of  the  churches,  but  he 
cruelly  harried  and  wasted  everything  with  lire  and  sword. 
But  when  he  had  come  further  in,  into  the  district  of  Cunyng- 
ham,  on  the  feast  of  the  nativity  of  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary, 
and  had  gained  the  laud  and  pitched  his  tents  at  a  place  which 
is  called  Largs  and  brought  his  fleet  to  the  sea-coast  there, 
behold !  a  most  mighty  battle-array  of  Scottish  men-at-arms 
approaching,  led  on  behalf  of  the  king  of  Scotland  by  that  noble 
knight  the  Lord  Alexander  Stewart  of  Dundonald,  great-grand- 
son of  the  first  Walter  Stewart.  This  Alexander  was  the  grand- 
father of  the  noble  Walter  Stewart  of  far-famed  memory,  who 
married  the  daughter  of  Eobert  de  Bruss.  So  this  Alexander, 
being  joined  by  other  nobles  of  that  country-side,  came  with 
such  as  he  could  get  at  a  moment's  notice,  set  upon  them 
manfully,  overthrew  their  army  and  humbled  their  pride ;  and 
through  God's  vengeance  he  fought  and  overcame  them  and 
punished  their  wicked  attempt.  A  great  number  of  them  were 
slain,  the  chief  men  of  the  rest  were  captured,  and  the  remainder 
he  forced  to  flee  to  the  sea-shore,  towards  their  fleet.  Among 
these  was  killed  a  man  of  great  valour,  a  noble  knight,  the 
nephew  of  the  said  king  of  Norway,  who  mourned  greatly 
thereat  and  was  wroth  beyond  measure.  But  when  they 
who  were  on  board  ship  saw  this,  they  were  sore  troubled ; 
and  when  they  would  have  come  on  shore,  lo!  suddenly  a 
strong  wind  burst  forth  from  the  west,  split  the  sails,  and 
owing  to  the  fearful  swell  of  the  sea,  the  aforesaid  ships 
dragged  their  anchors  and  were  tossed  by  the  dreadful  storm, 
so  that  some  parted  company,  some  again  were  dashed  and 
tossed  together,  went  to  pieces  and  foundered;  while  others 
were  cast  ashore  and  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  rocks  and 
strewn  in  small  fragments  along  the  sea-coast,  together  with 
their  booty;  and  the  men  were  drowned.  Those,  however, 
who  escaped  with  their  lives  safe  and  sound  engaged  our  men 
in  a  fresh  battle ;  and  straightway  all  but  the  king,  who  with  a 
few  men  fled  to  the  ships  in  the  greatest  haste,  were  overcome 
and  borne  down  through  the  grace  and  miracle  of  the  blessed 
Queen  Margaret  of  Dunfermline,  and  were  either  left  slain  on 
the  field,  or  brought  to  the  king  of  Scotland  as  captives  with 
the  Scottish  chiefs  ;  and  there  was  hardly  any  one  left  to  tell 
the  tale.  But  when  the  king,  who  had  barely  escaped  and  was 
on  board  ship  sorrowing  and  mourning,  beheld  his  disaster,  he 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VII..         69 

at  once  set  sail  for  the  Orkneys  and,  the  foggy  weather  coming 
on,  remained  there  awhile  to  rest,  awaiting  his  revenge.  He 
was  indeed  flaming  with  fury;  and,  in  order  to  avenge  his 
nephew's  death  and  other  wrongs  and  grievances,  he  wrote 
oft'  to  his  kingdom  and  prepared  to  lead  back  again  a  very 
large  army  against  the  king  of  Scotland  the  following  summer. 
While  awaiting  there  the  coming  of  a  fresh  fleet,  however, 
he  was  seized  with  a  short  illness  and  departed  this  life ;  and 
he  was  succeeded  by  his  son  named  Magnus,  a  man  of  letters, 
peaceful  and  distinguished  for  kindness,  and  of  great  wisdom 
in  the  eyes  of  all.  In  the  ancient  Gestes  of  Scottish  history 
it  is  written  how  the  kings  of  the  Scots  and  Picts  gained  a 
wonderful  victory  over  the  Norwegians  at  a  place  which  is 
called  Longcarty,  between  the  rivers  Tay  and  Almond.  At  this 
period  the  king  of  Norway  so  harried  and  wasted  the  kingdoms 
of  the  Picts  and  Scots,  that  nearly  the  whole  country  had  been 
occupied  and  subdued  by  them.  So  it  happened  that  they  came 
one  day  near  the  town  of  Perth,  which  was  then  called  Bertha, 
and  encamped  at  Longcardy.  The  kings  of  the  Scots  and  Picts, 
however,  had  recourse  to  a  stratagem.  They  mixed  two  casks  of 
wine  with  the  juice  of  the  black  hellebore,  which  is  commonly 
called  micklewort ;  and,  when  they  came  to  the  town,  they 
promised  it  them  on  the  morrow,  and  sent  them  the  casks,  as  of 
the  king's  bounty,  in  token  of  their  future  obedience.  There- 
fore the  Norwegian  king  and  his  whole  soldiery  rejoiced  above 
measure.  Afterwards,  however,  those  who  brought  and  pre- 
sented the  aforesaid  wine  took  the  first  draught  of  the  wine 
before  the  Norwegian  king,  as  the  custom  is,  to  taste  it,  and  it 
did  them  no  deadly  harm;  but,  when  the  others  afterwards 
tasted  the  wine,  sweetened  with  the  sweetness  of  the  said  helle- 
bore, they  drank  deeply,  but  did  not  serve  it  out  to  any  but  the 
king  and  the  chiefs  of  the  soldiery.  Nevertheless  friend  gave 
friend  a  draught  of  the  same,  secretly  or  openly,  so  that  there 
were  few  of  any  mark  who  had  not  drunk  their  fill ;  and  before 
nightfall  they  were  all  drunk  with  this,  liquor  and  slumbered 
and  slept.  But  before  sunrise  the  Scots  and  Picts  fell  upon 
them,  and  the  Lord  delivered  them  all  to  the  edge  of  the  sword, 
and  hardly  one  escaped.  For  both  the  king  and  the  nobles,  as 
well  as  all  their  men,  perished  utterly;  and  beholders  may 
plainly  see  the  marks  thereof  at  the  said  spot  to  this  day,  in 
some  mounds  for  the  burial  of  the  dead.  Nor  was  this  per- 
mitted by  God  without  reason :  for  it  is  said  that  from  old  time 
the  aforesaid  Northmen  had  so  invaded,  destroyed  and  laid 
waste  the  kingdoms  of  the  Picts  and  Scots,  that  nearly  the  whole 
country  had  been  occupied  by  them  ;  and  meanwhile  there 


70          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

occurred  many  disasters  and  countless  most  cruel  massacres  of 
the  people,  which  it  would  be  wearisome  to  recount  and  put 
down  in  writing. 


CHAPTER  XXIIII. 

Miracle  by  the  blessed  Margaret. 

IN  the  year  1263,  as  aforesaid,  the  king  of  Norway  landed  at 
Conyngham  with  a  very  great  host  of  warriors :  and  the  Scots 
assembled  their  forces  against  him  and,  under  the  command  of 
the  aforesaid  Alexander  Stewart,  made  ready  to  battle  to  oppose 
their  designs.  But  it  came  to  pass  at  that  time  that  a  certain 
knight  named  John  de  Wemyss  dreamt  that  he  went  into  the 
church  of  the  blessed  Queen  Margaret  of  Scotland  at  Dunferm- 
line,  and  saw  a  queen  coming  clad  in  gorgeous  apparel  of  gold, 
wearing  a  crown  on  her  head ;  and  with  her  a  most  comely 
king,  likewise  robed  in  kingly  raiment,  arrayed  in  bright 
armour,  wearing  a  most  costly  crown  on  his  helmet ;  and  three 
other  kings,  equally  clad  in  royal  robes  and  most  gorgeously 
armed,  accompanied  the  foregoing  queen  and  king.  The  lady 
herself  was  leading  the  first  king  by  the  right  hand,  keeping 
step  with  him,  while  the  others  followed  step  by  step  one 
after  the  other.  So  when  the  said  knight  beheld  them,  he 
marvelled  and,  kneeling  down  with  becoming  reverence,  said, 
"  O  glorious  lady,  I  beseech  thee,  deign  to  show  me  who  thou 
art,  and  these  who  accompany  thee,  and  whither  thou  art 
bound."  She  said  to  him  with  a  cheerful  countenance,  "  I," 
said  she,  "  am  Margaret  queen  of  Scotland ;  he  whom  I  lead  by 
the  hand  is  my  illustrious  husband  King  Malcolm ;  the  others 
who  follow  are  my  sons,  whilom  kings  of  this  realm ;  and  we  are 
hastening  with  them  to  a  place  called  Largs,  to  defend  our 
country  against  the  snares  of  the  enemy ;  and,  God  granting  us 
grace,  we  shall  gain  the  victory  over  that  tyrant  king  who  is 
striving  wrongfully  to  invade  our  realm  and  subdue  it  unto 
him  :  for,  as  thou  knowest,  I  have  had  this  realm  intrusted  to 
me  and  my  heirs  for  ever  by  God."  Then  said  the  knight  unto 
her,  "0  my  glorious  lady,  give  me  a  token  whereby  I  may 
know  this  and  that  others  may  believe  me."  "  Go,"  said  she, 
"  to  the  church  of  my  burial,  and  thou  shalt  straightway  recover 
from  thy  sickness."  So  the  knight,  who  had  long  been  laid  up 
and  suffering  from  some  incurable  feverish  sickness,  at  once 
awoke  out  of  his  sleep,  made  the  necessary  preparations,  and 
failed  not  to  accomplish  on  foot  a  pilgrimage  to  Dunfermline, 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.         71 

though  he  could  hardly  stir  in  bed  the  day  before.  But  when 
he  came  to  Dunfermline  and  gave  the  prior  and  the  other 
religious  a  set  account  of  the  vision,  he  was  brought  to  the 
blessed  Margaret's  bier,  touched  the  relics  and  prayed;  and 
straightway  from  that  hour  he  was  cured  of  all  his  sickness, 
and  the  fever  left  him.  Now  this  was  done  that  it  might  not 
be  thought  that  the  aforesaid  vision  was  brought  about  by  a 
trick  of  evil  spirits ;  but  it  was  in  very  truth  manifested  from 
heaven,  as  the  result  of  the  affair  most  clearly  showed;  for 
shortly  afterwards  the  king's  envoys  came  thither  and  brought 
word  of  the  splendid  victory  of  the  said  battle  of  Largs.  So 
they  rejoiced  thereat  with  great  gladness,  and  gave  praises  unto 
God  and  the  blessed  queen. 

Here  follows  concerning  the  wonderful  victory  against  the 
Norwegians,  both  those  who  were  on  board  the  fleet  of  the  king 
of  Norway  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tay,  near  the  place  which  is 
called  Drumlay,  and  also  those  who  escaped  from  the  battle  of 
Longcarty. 

Concerning  this  it  should  be  stated  that  when  fearful 
slaughter  had  been  made  at  the  battle  of  Longcarty,  as  already 
said,  in  which  victory  gluttonous  greed  and  the  love  of  drink- 
ing wine  were  the  cause  of  these  aforesaid  Northmen  being  put 
to  the  edge  of  the  sword,  for  the  Scots  and  ?icts  slew  without 
mercy  the  king  of  Norway  and  many  nobles  an'd  a  countless 
host  of  people, — after  this,  having  gained  the  victory  in  the 
field,  they  pursued  the  runaways  by  night  up  to  the  ships  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Tay,  and  set  fire  to  the  fleet  with  lighted 
torches,  lanterns  and  wax  tapers  and  other  firebrands  made  up 
of  flax,  hemp,  pitch  and  tar ;  and  they  came  ashore  again  in 
skiffs,  boats  and  small  vessels  and  divided  the  spoil.  In  a 
word,  their  ships  were  bodily  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea, 
and,  out  of  the  whole  host  of  the  Norwegians,  no  one  was 
known  to  have  escaped  death  save  one  only,  a  one-eyed  man 
whom  they  had  sent  off  to  bring  back  news  of  the  others. 
Because  of  this  victory  and  fearful  and  merciless  slaughter,  no 
noble  was  thereafter  girded  with  the  belt  of  knighthood  without 
first  swearing  the  great  oath  to  avenge  the  cruel  battle  of  Long- 
carty when  the  time  came  and  he  was  charged  to  do  so  by  their 
king.  And  although  their  wrath  is  somewhat  softened  by 
time,  yet  it  will  never  in  this  world  be  wholly  uprooted  and 
blotted  out  from  their  remembrance.  By  this  sea-fight  and 
the  sinking  of  the  ships  the  mouth  of  the  river  Tay  from  that 
day  became  almost  impassable  for  ships,  because  of  the  number 
of  ships  which  are  sunk  there,  whence  mounds  of  sand  are 
thrown  up  in  the  harbour  by  the  tossing  of  the  waves,  so  that 


72          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

ships  are  often  thereby  in  danger  of  sinking  at  the  said  spot ; 
and  this  indeed  gave  rise,  in  that  harbour  or  thereabouts,  to 
that  awful  whirlpool  which  is  called  Drumlay,  where  ships  are 
often  in  danger. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

TJie  petty  king  of  Man  does  homage  to  the  king  of  Scotland. 

IN  the  year  1264  there  was  born  unto  King  Alexander  in.  a 
son  named  Alexander  after  his  father;  and  the  whole  world 
rejoiced  thereat  exceedingly  with  great  gladness :  for  on  the 
same  day  on  which  he  was  baptised  news  came  to  the  kingdom 
that  the  king  of  Norway,  who  had  been  overcome  and  routed 
at  Largs  the  year  before,  had  died  at  the  Orkney  Isles ;  so  there 
was  an  end  of  the  war  which  he  was  thinking  of  making  against 
the  Scots  the  following  year.  Upon  hearing  this  news,  King 
Alexander  made  preparations  against  the  Isle  of  Man,  and 
brought  the  said  island  under  his  yoke,  receiving  the  homage 
of  its  petty  king  at  Dumfries,  while  on  his  way  towards  the 
island :  the  said  petty  king  met  him  there,  and  did  perpetual 
homage  to  him,  which  was  to  endure  for  all  time,  to  hold  his 
petty  kingdom  of  him  and  his  successors.  The  said  king,  on 
the  other  hand,  promised  the  aforesaid  petty  king  help  and 
succour  in  his  need,  if  any  one  should  want  to  subdue  him,  and 
also  that  he  and  Ms  should  find  safe  refuge,  counsel,  help  and 
favour  in  Scotland  as  often  as  they  might  wish,  and  especially 
against  the  king  of  the  Northmen  and  the  king  of  England ; 
and,  for  his  aforenamed  service,  the  king  of  Man  on  his  part 
was  to  furnish  the  king  of  Scotland  with  ten  galleys  as  often 
as  might  be  needed  and  he  might  be  requested  by  the  king  of 
Scotland.  It  should  be  stated  that  five  galleys  were  to  be  of 
eighteen27  oars,  and  the  other  five  of  twelve  oars.  These  he 
brought  with  him  then,  as  a  beginning,  and  he  went  with  his 
galleys  and  with  the  earls  mentioned  below28  to  the  islands  to 
punish  the  aforesaid29  traitors.  When  these  things  were  thus 
accomplished,  Alexander  earl  of  Mar  and  William  Cumyn  earl 
of  Buchan  at  King  Alexander's  command  levied  an  army  in 
the  west  country  against  certain  traitors  of  his  own  kingdom  of 
Scotland,  through  whose  encouragement  it  was  that  the  king 
of  Norway  came  to  Scotland ;  and  they  took  with  them  Alan 
Durwart,  Grand  Justiciary  of  Scotland.  Some  of  these  traitors 
they  slew,  some  they  hanged,  some  they  beheaded,  and  some 
they  thrust  bound  into  perpetual  imprisonment;  some  again 
they  forced  to  fly  to  the  Western  Isles,  and  they  pillaged  the 
Western  Isles  and  brought  their  plunder  with  them  to  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          73 

kingdom  of  Scotland.  The  same  year  Henry  king  of  England 
and  the  queen  and  their  son  Edward  crossed  the  sea  to  contract 
a  marriage  with  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  the  Spaniards; 
and  the  earl  of  Winchester,  who  was  Constable  of  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland,  died.  In  this  year,  on  Christmas  day,  Alexander 
invested  David,  earl  of  Athol,  and  Colban,  son  of  Malcolm  earl 
of  Fife,  together  with  many  other  lords'  sons,  with  the  insignia 
of  knighthood  at  Scone.  The  following  year  friars  of  the  order 
of  Carmelites  first  came.  In  that  year  a  great  quarrel  broke 
out  between  the  king  of  England,  father  of  the  queen  of  Scot- 
laud,  and  his  barons,  on  account  of  unjust  and  unusual  taxes 
and  customs  newly  provided  and  ordered  in  his  parliament 
held  at  Oxford. 


CHAPTEE   XXVI. 

Treaty  between  the  kings  of  Scotland  and  Norway  about  the 
islands  of  Scotland — Battle  fought  by  the  king  of  England 
against  Simon  de  Montfort. 

IN  the  year  1265  the  king  of  the  Northmen,  Magnus  by  name, 
son  of  the  King  Acho  who  died  at  the  Orkney  Isles,  sent  his 
chancellor,  Gilbert  bishop  of  Hamer,  to  Alexander  king  of 
Scots  at  Perth,  and  offered  him  the  islands  of  Bute  and  Arran 
in  peaceful  possession  for  ever ;  adding  this  condition,  that  he, 
the  king  of  Norway,  might  in  like  manner  be  in  peaceful  pos- 
session of  all  the  other  islands  which  his  father  Acho  had 
claimed  and  demanded.  The  king  of  Scotland  flatly  refused 
this  offer;  so  the  bishop,  seeing  that  he  had  laboured  in 
vain,  returned  to  his  king  and,  after  making  his  report, 
earnestly  advised  him  to  treat  with  the  Scots  for  peace  at  any 
price  and  come  to  a  final  reconciliation.  King  Magnus,  on 
his  side,  who  was  considered  a  man  of  good  disposition,  peace- 
ful and  just,  after  mature  deliberation  sent  back  his  aforesaid 
chancellor,  with  certain  other  magnates  of  the  kingdom  of 
Norway,  to  the  aforesaid  King  Alexander,  with  full  powers  to 
treat  for  a  perpetual  peace.  After  they  had  been  heard  and 
honourably  received,  it  was  settled,  as  a  final  agreement,  that 
all  the  islands  lying  between  Scotland  and  Ireland  should 
remain  in  the  possession  of  the  king  of  Scotland  for  ever: 
namely  all  and  several  the  islands  which  Acho,  father  of  this 
King  Magnus,  had  formerly  claimed  or  asserted  to  belong  to 
him ;  and  he  renounced  and  made  over  to  the  aforesaid  King 
Alexander  and  his  successors,  kings  of  Scotland,  for  ever  all 
right  and  claim  which  King  Magnus  himself,  or  his  father 


74          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

Acho,  ever  put  forward  to  the  said  islands,  or  which  any  of  his 
ancestors  whatever  might  claim  at  any  time  whatever,  whether 
past  or  to  come ;  and  he  left  it  in  perpetual  demesne,  and  quit- 
claimed it  for  himself  and  his  successors :  provided  that  the 
king  of  Scotland  should  pay  the  aforesaid  king  of  Norway  four 
thousand  merks  of  silver  within  two  years,  and  likewise  a 
hundred  merks  a  year  afterwards  to  him  and  his  heirs.  Never- 
theless this  treaty  displeased  many  of  the  magnates  and  lords 
and  others  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  seeing  that,  long  before 
the  Scots  came  to  Britain,  they  had,  under  one  Eugenius  de 
Eothay,  then  their  leader,  come  to  the  aforesaid  islands,  and 
had  inhabited  and  held  them  peacefully  for  ages  until  the  time 
of  the  breach  between  the  sons  of  Malcolm  Canmore  and  their 
uncle  Donald  Bane :  at  which  time  the  kingdom  was  wholly 
broken  up  and  laid  waste  by  their  strife ;  and  the  king  of  Nor- 
way, Magnus  by  name,  son  of  Olave  king  thereof,  perceiving 
this  breach  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  attacked  the  islands  of 
Scotland  in  force,  laid  waste  everything,  and  subdued  them  to 
his  dominion,  until  the  time  when  the  Scots  peacefully  recovered 
the  aforesaid  islands,  and  held  them  without  opposition.  The 
following  year  there  was  a  great  struggle  between  Henry  king 
of  England  and  his  son  Edward,  on  one  side,  and  Simon  de 
Montfort  earl  of  Leicester,  on  the  other,  backed  up  by  the 
barons  of  the  kingdom  of  England;  and  by  reason  of  this 
breach  the  said  earl,  with  the  consent  of  the  barons,  drove  out 
of  the  borders  of  England,  with  shame  and  confusion,  Eleanor 
queen  of  England  and  all  the  French  who  were  in  the  kingdom 
of  England.  But  the  king  of  England  and  his  son  Edward 
assembled  their  forces  and  gave  battle  to  these  their  adversaries 
at  a  place  which  is  called  Lewes  j30  and  in  this  battle  the  said 
Henry  and  his  son  were  vanquished,  overcome  and  taken 
prisoners  by  the  aforesaid  lords  of  the  realm,  and  great  slaughter 
was  made  on  either  side.  Of  the  nobles  of  Alexander  king  of 
Scotland,  whom  he  had  sent  over  to  reinforce  the  king  of 
England,  sir  John  Cumyn  was  captured,  and  many  other 
nobles ;  many  nobles  of  Scotland  were  slain,  and  others  were 
brought  to  London  and  consigned  to  prison. 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Escape  of  Prince  Edward,  who  was  kept  in  close  custody — 
Battle  fought. 

IN  the  year  126631  a  comet  appeared  in  England  and  lasted 
fifteen  days.     They  say  it  portends  the  death  of  a  prince.    The 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          75 

same  year  Prince  Edward  of  England,  who  was  being  kept  in 
close  custody,  escaped  from  prison  through  the  cleverness  of 
the  earl  of  Gloucester,  who  held  out  bribes  and  promises  to  his 
warders.  He  then  mustered  an  army  and  prepared  to  give 
battle  to  his  adversaries ;  and  he  overthrew  in  battle  and  slew 
the  said  earl  and  his  eldest  son,  and  many  of  the  nobles  of 
England  who  sided  with  them,  and  he  bestowed  their  inherit- 
ance upon  his  own  friends  and  partisans.  This  battle  was 
fought  at  Lewisham 32  on  the  Eve  of  the  Blessed  King  Oswald. 
The  king  of  Scotland,  however,  of  his  own  accord  sent  an  army 
over  to  England  to  reinforce  the  brother  of  the  queen  of  Scot- 
land, his  wife ;  but,  hearing  of  the  fall  of  Simon  earl  of  Leicester, 
Prince  Edward  sent  them  home  again  with  many  thanks.  The 
same  year  a  certain  legate  from  the  Court  of  Borne  was  sent 
into  England  to  negotiate  and  restore  peace  between  the  king 
and  his  adversaries ;  but  the  said  legate,  Ottobonus  by  name, 
seeing  that  he  had  utterly  failed  in  his  mission  on  this  point, 
sent  envoys  to  Scotland  commanding  the  clergy  and  prelates  to 
impose  and  levy  upon  the  several  churches  of  Scotland  a 
certain  sum  of  money,  and  send  it  to  him  to  meet  his  expenses, 
else,  if  they  would  not  do  so,  they  were  to  know  that  they 
would  incur  the  penalty  of  excommunication  and  interdict. 
The  clergy,  however,  after  mature  consideration,  as  the  law 
moreover  expressly  forbade  this,  refused  to  comply~with  his 
mandates  in  this  matter,  and  appealed  earnestly  to  the  apostolic 
see ;  but  notwithstanding  this  appeal  the  clergy  of  Scotland, 
with  the  king's  consent,  gave  his  lordship  the  legate  sixpence 
in  the  merk  for  his  expenses ;  and  the  excuses  of  the  clergy 
were  accepted  at  the  Curia,  and  the  kingdom  was  absolved 
from  the  legate's  impeachment.  Observe  that  in  these  days 
the  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews,  Garnelin  by  name,  on  account  of 
some  offence  committed  against  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the 
church,  excommunicated  some  knights  of  King  Alexander's, 
and  especially  sir  John  de  Dunmore ;  and  the  king  was  very 
angry  thereat.  But  because  the  said  bishop  Gamelin  was  a 
just  and  upright  man,  of  a  good  life  and  praiseworthy  con- 
science, and  had  a  righteous  quarrel,  he  bravely  and  manfully 
stood  out  against  the  gainsayers  of  the  church,  and  publicly 
pronounced  all  the  king's  counsellors,  except  himself  in  person 
and  his  children  and  queen,  excommunicated  until  they  should 
humbly  come  forward  with  full  amends,  and  earn  the  benefit 
of  absolution  at  his  hands.  King  Alexander  afterwards  loved 
him  exceedingly  and  made  him  his  most  intimate  counsellor. 
Thus  ought  every  wise  man  first  to  fortify  himself  against  his 
adversaries:  first,  he  should  have  a  just  quarrel;  secondly,  he 


76          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

should  have  a  sound  conscience ;  thirdly,  he  should  have  a  bold 
and  brave  spirit  of  resistance ;  fourthly,  he  should  be  well  pro- 
vided with  what  he  needs  requires ;  fifthly,  he  should  use  good 
and  due  diligence;  sixthly,  he  should  not  cease  praying  and 
asking  the  protection  of  Him  from  whom  cometh  down  every 
good  and  every  perfect  gift  from  above ;  and,  if  these  things  are 
brought  into  play,  it  is  impossible  for  such  an  one  to  be  van- 
quished. Moreover,  in  the  same  year  as  above,  Louis  king  ot 
France  and  his  firstborn  and  likewise  two  sons  of  the  king  of 
England  and  great  numbers  of  nobles  went  on  a  crusade  to  the 
Holy  Land ;  and  the  Pope  wrote  to  the  king  of  Scotland  to  pay 
the  king  of  the  English  for  their  expenses  every  tenth  penny 
of  the  revenues  of  the  churches  in  his  kingdom.  But  the  king 
and  the  clergy,  in  view  of  the  position  of  the  realm,  utterly 
refused  to  do  so,  seeing  that  he  likewise  sent  over  with  the 
aforesaid  expedition  against  the  infidels  an  adequate  force  of 
his  own  lords,  according  to  the  resources  of  the  kingdom — 
namely,  David  earl  of  Athol,  Adam  earl  of  Carrick.33  The 
same  year  died  the  petty  king  of  Man,  and  Malise  earl  of 
Strathern  married  his  widow,  the  daughter  of  the  lord  of  Argyll. 
David  earl  of  Athol  died  at  Carthage.  The  following  year  the 
church  of  Elgin  in  Murray  was  burnt  down. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Certain  facts  connected  with  the  welfare  and  the  history  of  the 

realm. 

THE  following  year,  upon  Adam  earl  of  Carrick  dying  in  the 
Holy  Land,  leaving  his  only  daughter  Martha  as  his  heiress, 
this  daughter,  the  countess  of  Carrick,  was,  of  her  own  accord, 
without  consulting  the  king's  majesty,  married  to  a  noble 
man,  Robert  de  Brass,  second  **  of  that  name,  the  future  lord 
of  Annandale  in  Scotland  and  Cleveland  in  England.  So  King 
Alexander,  being  angry  at  this,  recognosced  into  his  own  hands 
all  her  lands,  castles  and  domains.  By  means,  however,  of  the 
prayers  of  friends  and  by  money,  a  reconciliation  was  effected 
and  the  king's  favour  won.  Of  this  Martha  countess  of  Carrick 
the  said  Robert  de  Brass  begat  another  Robert  de  Bruss,  the 
third  of  that  name,  a  noble,  most  stout  and  successful  defender, 
protector,  champion,  propugner  and  most  undaunted  prince, 
most  peerless  and  illustrious  king  of  Scotland,  buried  at  Dun- 
fermline,  in  the  middle  of  the  choir, 

Whose  praises  by  his  deeds  shown  forth  resound, 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.  77 

so  that  the  remembrance  of  him  shall  not  be  blotted  out  for 
ever,  but  be  renewed  from  generation  to  generation.  His  father 
was  this  Robert  de  Bruss,  earl  of  Carrick  on  the  wife's  side. 
The  father  again  of  this  Eobert  de  Bruss  was  that 35  Robert  de 
Bruss  the  second,  and  this  second  Robert  was  the  son  of  the 
first  Robert  de  Bruss,  who  married  Isabel  daughter  of  David 
earl  of  Huntingdon,  who  founded  the  monastery  of  Lindores. 
This  daughter  was  the  second  daughter  of  the  aforesaid  earl. 
This  third x  Robert,  the  future  king,  was  born  in  the  sign-of 
the  Bull,  on  the  most  glorious  Feast  of  the  Translation  of  Saint 
Benedict;  and  in  a  happy  hour  for  the  Scots  was  he  born, 
God's  clemency  so  ordering  it,  for  he  delivered  us  from  immi- 
nent peril  of  subjection  and  perpetual  bondage.  In  the  year 
1272  a  great  drought  on  land  and  unfruitfulness  in  the  sea  fell 
upon  Scotland,  England  and  France,  and  a  murrain  of  man  and 
beast,  and  stormy  weather,  so  that  by  reason  of  much  wind 
houses  fell  in  ruins  and  smothered  in  their  beds  many  who 
were  asleep ;  and  in  the  height  of  this  storm  the  lightning  set 
divers  places  on  fire,  and  especially  the  church  of  Arbroath  and 
many  others.  This  drought  was  followed  by  a  sore  famine 
and  dearth. 

They  say  also  that  the  said  countess  took  this  Robert  de 
Bruss,  a  young  knight,  by  force  when  he  went  out  hunting, 
and  brought  him  with  her  to  her  castle  of  Turryberry  (Turn- 
berry)  ;  and,  being  enamoured  of  him,  she  kept  him  there  fifteen 
days,  and,  before  his  departure,  married  him,  without  consulting 
the  friends  of  either  party. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

Council  of  Lyons — Birth  of  Sir  Robert  de  Bruss  king  of  Scotland. 

IN  the  year  1274  was  born  the  third36  Robert  de  Bruss  of 
illustrious  memory,  a  most  valiant  king,  future  king  of  Scot- 
land. The  same  year  was  held  a  general  council  at  Lyons  in 
France,  where  almost  all  the  prelates  of  Christendom  were 
gathered  together,  and  where  were  nearly  all  the  prelates  of 
Scotland,  before  Pope  Gregory  x.  There  were  there  two  patri- 
archs and  fifty  bishops,  and  many  other  prelates.  The  same 
year  King  Edward  of  England  sent  envoys  to  King  Alexander 
of  Scotland  to  ask  that  he  himself  and  the  queen  his  sister 
should,  at  an  appointed  time  and  place,  be  in  London  to  do 
him  honour  at  his  coronation;  and  King  Alexander,  after 
making  the  accustomed  protests,  together  with  the  queen  took 


78  THE  UOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VII. 

part  in  the  aforesaid  coronation.  In  the  same  year  also  died 
the  said  queen  of  Scotland,  sister  of  the  king  of  England  and 
daughter  of  King  Henry  the  Peaceful.  In  the  year37  1275 
came  Master  Bagimund,  being  sent  by  our  lord  the  Pope 
to  tax  all  the  churches  and  raise  a  subsidy  for  the  relief  of  the 
Holy  Land,  to  wit  one-tenth  of  the  whole.  For  this  subsidy 
the  Cistertian  Order  granted  our  lord  the  Pope  forty  w  thousand 
merks  on  behalf  of  the  whole  order.  Bagimund,  however,  see- 
ing the  poverty  of  the  kingdom,  went  back  to  the  Eoman  Curia 
and  earnestly  entreated  our  lord  the  Pope  not  to  go  beyond  the 
ancient  taxation  of  the  churches.  The  following  year,  namely 
in  1276,  King  Alexander  did  homage  to  the  king  of  England  at 
Saint  Thomas's  for  the  lands  of  Penrith  and  other  lands  which 
he  had  given  him  as  a  marriage  portion  with  his  sister  the 
queen  of  Scotland,  saving  the  whole  rights,  privileges  and 
liberties,  as  also  saving  the  royal  dignities  of  the  crown  of  Scot- 
land ;  and  also  for  the  other  lands  granted  to  him  in  England 
from  old  time,  except  the  earldom  of  Huntingdon  which  he  actu- 
ally, though  not  rightfully,  kept  for  himself.  In  this  year  also 
a  reconciliation  was  brought  about  between  King  Edward  and 
Llewellyn  king  of  Wales,  who  did  homage  and  swore  fealty  to 
him.  At  the  same  time  the  king  of  Scotland  sent  envoys  to 
the  king  of  England  for  the  earldom  of  Huntingdon ;  but  they 
were  unsuccessful,  for  he  would  not  surrender  it.39  In  this 
year  likewise  a  great  dispute  arose  between  King  Alexander  of 
Scotland  and  King  Edward  of  England,  about  the  boundary 
of  the  Scottish  marches,  as  will  be  seen  later. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Breach  between  the  kings  of  England  and  Scotland — 
Alexander  IV.,  son  of  the  king  of  Scotland. 

IN  the  year  1278  the  prelates  and  nobles  of  either  kingdom 
met  at  Berwick  to  settle  the  dispute  between  the  kings.  The 
king  of  England,  however,  was  at  Tweedmouth  with  his 
retinue.40  But  news  came  from  Wales,  and  they  departed 
without  settling  the  matter.  In  this  year  King  Alexander's 
son,  named  David,  died  at  Stirling  and  was  buried  at  Dunferm- 
line.  The  following  year  Griffin,  brother  of  Llewellyn  king  of 
Wales,  engaged  in  a  murderous  war  against  King  Edward  of 
England.  In  the  following  year,  A.D.  1279,  Alexander,  son  of 
Alexander  in.,  and  son  also  of  Margaret  sister  of  Edward  Long- 
shanks  king  of  England,  married  the  daughter  of  the  count 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          79 

of  Flanders  at  Roxburgh,  where  the  solemn  feast  lasted 
fifteen  days.  But  he  did  not  live  long ;  for  he  died  at  Lindores 
in  the  year  1283,  in  the  twentieth  year  of  his  age,  and  was 
buried  with  his  brother  at  Dunfermline.  In  the  year  1281 
Margaret,  daughter  of  King  Alexander  in.,  was  betrothed  to 
King  Hanigow  of  Norway»— which  is  Henry  in  our  tongue; 
and  she  was  shortly  afterwards  married  and  crowned  queen  in 
great  honour  and  glory.  Of  two  ships  which  escorted  the  said 
queen  and  sailed  over  with  her  to  Norwegian  parts,  one,  with 
the  abbot  of  Balmerino  and  other  churchmen  on  board,  sank 
on  the  way  back,  while  the  other,  with  the  earl  of  Menteith 
and  other  nobles,  escaped.  Of  the  said  queen  Margaret  the 
king  of  Norway  begat  one  daughter,  also  named  Margaret ;  and 
the  queen  her  mother  did  not  live  long  after  this,  but  departed 
this  life  a  year  and  a  half  afterwards.  She  herself  likewise 
paid  the  debt  of  nature  before  she  had  fully  reached  the  years 
of  puberty. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Cruelty  of  Edward  king  of  England  towards  the  Welsh —  Wail- 
ing and  mourning  of  the  inhabitants  of  Scotland  for  the' death 
of  the  king's  firstborn,  and  of  the  queen  of  Norway  and  her 
daughter,  who  were  the  heirs-apparent  of  the  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land. 

UPON  the  death  therefore  of  Alexander  ni.'s  son,  Alex- 
ander iv.,  as  also  of  the  said  Alexander  iv.'s  sister,  the  queen 
of  Norway,  and  of  her  daughter  Margaret  who  died  at  the  age  of 
puberty,  this  was  a  source  of  grief  throughout  the  whole  king- 
dom of  Scotland:  and  not  for  these  only,  but  also  for  King 
Alexander's  second  son,  David  by  name,  who  died  at  Lindores, 
as  already  stated,  and  was  buried  at  Dunfermline.  After  the 
death  of  Alexander,  the  king's  firstborn,  envoys  were  at  once 
despatched  by  the  count  of  Flanders  to  send  him  home  his 
daughter,  the  widow  of  the  said  late  Alexander  the  king's  first- 
born. After  taking  counsel  on  the  matter,  they  at  length  agreed 
that  she  should  return  to  her  father  without  tendering  fealty  to 
the  king  of  Scotland  for  her  dower ;  and  this  was  accordingly 
done,  and  the  envoys  were  lavishly  rewarded  and  returned  home 
with  the  lady.  In  like  manner  the  king  of  Norway,  after  the 
death  of  his  wife  the  queen,  but  while  his  daughter  Margaret 
was  not  yet  dead,  sent  a  solemn  embassy  to  get  the  king 
to  pay  forthwith  for  the  use  of  his  niece,  the  daughter  of  the 


80          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

said  king  of  Norway,  'the  sum  of  seven  hundred  merks  of  silver 
due  to  her  according  to  their  bargain  and  agreement,  as  is  more 
fully  contained  in  their  bonds  bearing  the  seals  of  the  said 
king  of  Scotland.  These  ambassadors  were  graciously,  though 
sorrowfully,  received,  and  kindly  entreated ;  and,  by  the  advice 
of  the  prelates  and  lords,  they  were  speeded  and  satisfied,  and 
they  returned  to  their  own  country,  rewarded  with  gifts  beyond 
measure. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

This  tyrant  Edward  hinders  the  expedition  or  passage  to  the  Holy 
Land,  by  reason  of  his  ravenous  greed — Death  of  the  most  noble 
King  Alexander  III. 

THE  following  year,  namely  A.D.  1286,  King  Alexander  of 
Scotland  sent  a  solemn  embassy  over  to  France,  and  had 
Yolanda,  the  exceedingly  beautiful  daughter  of  the  count  de 
Driuz  (Dreux),  brought  over  to  Scotland  in  the  greatest  pomp, 
and  married  her  with  such  honours,  lustre  and  splendour  as 
had  seldom  been  seen  in  Scotland  in  times  past.  But  alas  !  as 
Solomon  hath  it,  The  laughter  of  this  world  shall  ever  be  mingled 
with  grief,  and  mourning  lurks  at  the  bottom  of  the  joy  thereof. 
For  that  same  year  the  king,  wishing  to  cross  over  to  Queens- 
ferry  in  Lothian,  was  prevented  by  an  exceeding  great  storm 
until  twilight  on  the  night  of  the  19th  of  March;  so  he 
changed  his  mind  and  straightway  flew  on  horseback  to  King- 
horn,  where  for  the  time  he  occupied  a  manor.  On  the  sea- 
shore to  the  westward,  however,  on  the  sandy  road,  the  king's 
horse  by  chance  suddenly  sank  his  forelegs  in  the  sand  in 
the  darkness  of  night,  and  stumbled ;  and,  when  pricked  by  the 
spur  and  striving  to  get  up  again,  he  fell  more  heavily  and 
crushed  the  king  under  him.  So,  for  want  of  proper  watch 
and  ward  on  the  part  of  his  companions,  this  most  noble  king 
died  of  a  broken  neck,  and  lies  entombed  at  Dunfermline,  in 
front  of  the  high  altar.  His  sudden  death  and  loss  were  so 
painful,  so  mournful,  so  disastrous  to  the  noble  realm  of  Scot- 
land, that  the  inhabitants  lost  all  hope  of  a  ruler,  and  nearly 
went  out  of  their  mind  and  senses.  But  let  no  good  catholic 
despair  of  the  salvation  of  the  king's  soul  because  of  the  sud- 
denness of  his  death ;  but  let  him  cherish  the  hope  of  eternal 
salvation,  bearing  in  mind  the  following  saying  of  the  holy 
doctors :  for  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  wise  and  has  often  been 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.         81 

shown  and  revealed  to  many  most  holy  men  that,  after  a  sudden 
and  unforeseen  death,  as  it  outwardly  seemed  to  men,  eternal 
salvation  of  the  soul  was  attained.  He  who  lives  well  cannot 
die  ill,  and  the  converse  is  generally  true,  as  is  shown  in  the 
following  lines : — 

A  sudden  death  need  not  the  just  distress  ; 
His  dying  thus  makes  not  his  merits  less. 

This  king  reigned  thirty-seven  years,  and  was  most  noble, 
righteous,  godly,  wise  and  kind,  mild  and  merciful,  and  did 
good  service  to  the  realm. 


CHAPTEK    XXXIII. 

Good  character  aiid  government  of  this  king. 

IN  all  the  early  days  of  the  life  of  the  said  king  the  catholic 
church  of  Christ  flourished  at  its  highest  in  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland,  justice  reigned,  vice  was  withered  up,  virtue  increased, 
and  the  state  grew  so  much  that  prosperity  and  peace  and 
abundance  of  wealth  and  the  pouring  in  of  money  and  fruitful 
plenty  prevailed  in  Scotland  during  all  his  time.  The  king, 
moreover,  was  adorned  by  every  virtue,  beloved  by  all  good  men, 
hated  by  the  wicked.  A  ruler  is  so  called  from  ruling  well ; 
for  where  there  is  no  rule,  there  is  no  ruler.  That  king  indeed 
so  behaved  towards  his  enemies  that  they  feared  him  with  the 
utmost  fear  and  loved  him  with  hearty  love ;  and  in  his 
country  he  maintained  unshaken  peace,  law  and  unbroken  pros- 
perity, so  that  the  inhabitants  thereof  abode  in  the  beauty  of 
peace,  in  the  tents  of  trustfulness  and  in  plenteous  ease  ;  and 
he  quelled  all  insolence,  disturbances,  rioting  and  rebellion. 
Now  he  had  this  habit,  that  he  was  wont  to  travel  every  year 
through  all  the  districts  of  his  kingdom  with  a  large  retinue,  to 
become  acquainted  with  his  people,  tp  reprove  shortcomings,  to 
administer  justice,  to  punish  rebels,  to  cherish  and  reward  the 
good,  and,  with  the  officers  of  each  district,  thoroughly  to  reform 
all  shortcomings.  He  would  not  allow  within  his  kingdom 
any  idlers  without  a  trade  or  means  of  livelihood.  When  the 
knights  and  officers  of  one  district  went  away  from  him,  the 
sheriff  of  another  district,  with  a  chosen  train  of  knights,  came 
to  meet  him.  Moreover  he  made  it  a  statute  of  the  realm  that 
every  one  should,  in  each  working  day,  dig  the  length  and 
breadth  of  his  own  body — that  is,  seven  feet — considering 
that  idleness  is  the  foe  of  virtue.  Likewise  he  would  not  allow 


82         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII. 

very  many  licenses  for  horses,  save  only  those  devoted  to  work, 
in  the  court  of  any  lord,  or  the  houses  of  the  rich;  for  too 
great  a  number  of  horses  destroys  the  sustenance  of  the  poor ; 
for  they  were  bred  neither  for  necessary  purposes  nor  for  profit. 
The  king  also  decreed  that  merchandise  should  not  cross  over 
by  sea  to  any  place  without  the  kingdom ;  for  so  many  ships 
were  distressed,  others  taken  by  foes  and  enemies,  that  the 
kingdom  was  much  impoverished  in  this  particular ;  and  there- 
fore he  decreed  that  up  to  a  certain  time  no  ship  should  pass 
out  of  the  realm  on  pain  of  loss  of  goods.  Thus,  notwithstand- 
ing it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  this  was  enforced,  yet  many 
ships  laden  with  all  manner  of  merchandise  would  come  in 
abundance  and  readily  to  the  country  in  these  days  without 
danger,  and  barter  all  their  merchandise,  goods  for  goods,  with- 
out the  medium  of  cash.  This  king  also  forbade  any  but  free 
burgesses  to  meddle  in  such  trade  at  all.  When  these  statutes 
had  been  in  force  for  a  time,  the  country  within  a  few  years 
so  flourished  in  fruitfulness  and  abundance  of  all  wealth,  in 
handicrafts  also,  and  in  metals  and  moneys  and  all  the  other 
advantages  of  policy  and  good  government,  that  numberless 
ships  and  merchants,  hearing  of  the  king's  justice  and  wisdom, 
poured  in  thither  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  said  they 
saw  in  the  country  better  and  greater  things  than  they  had 
heard  from  afar.  Accordingly  the  country  became  so  wealthy 
that  Lombards  came  from  the  borders  of  Italy,  bringing  into  the 
country  untold  gold  and  silver  and  precious  stones,  and  made 
the  king  an  offer  to  build  and  construct  a  city  in  the  country 
on  their  own  account,  on  Queensferry  hill  or  on  an  island  near 
Cramond,  if  the  king  would  see  that  they  got  the  due  and 
needful  privileges  and  liberties.  This  would  have  been  accorded 
to  them  had  not  death,  which  snatches  all  things  away,  so  soon 
carried  off  the  king  from  the  world,  leaving  no  lawful  offspring 
from  him  to  succeed  to  the  throne. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Lament  for  tlie  king — Prophecy  of  the  seer  Thomas  the  Rhymer. 

OH  how  painful,  how  bitter,  how  unexpected  and  unhappy 
the  day,  how  mournful  and  disastrous,  how  full  of  piteous 
calamity  and  woe,  how  full  of  trouble,  how  bodeful  of  anguish 
and  sorrow !  Rightly  might  it  be  said,  Woe  to  the  dwellers  in 
Scotland ;  for  this  is  the  beginning  of  all  her  woes.  Now  con- 
cerning this  sorrow  and  unexpected  misfortune  a  certain  rustic 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VII.          83 

seer,  named'  Thomas  the  Khymer — it  is  not  known  by  what 
spirit  he  was  moved — the  day  before  the  king  unfortunately 
fell,  said  to  the  earl  of  the  Marches  before  certain  English- 
men who .  were  there,  Woe  worth  to-morrow,  for  it  will  be  a 
day  of  disaster  and  woe,  a  very  great  and  bitter  day  in  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland ;  before  the  twelfth  hour  such  a  wind  shall 
blow  throughout  the  whole  kingdom  of  Scotland  as  has  never 
been  heard  of  for  a  long  time  past ;  and  the  blast  thereof  shall 
make  the  hearers  stand  aghast,  shall  humble  the  lofty  hearts 
and  level  the  high  and  rugged  places  of  the  mountains.  But 
the  earl  of  the  Marches,  who  was  at  Dunbar,  knew  not  what 
this  could  mean,  and  wondered  exceedingly ;  and  on  the  morrow, 
when  the  time  came,  seeing  no  sign  of  wind  in  the  air,  he 
thought  he  was  wrong  and  had  told  a  lie.  Nevertheless,  while 
he  was  at  dinner,  lo  suddenly  a  messenger  arrived  from  the 
north  in  hot  haste,  and  knocked  at  the  door  and  asked  to  come 
in ;  and  when  he  had  straightway  formally  related  the  king's 
death  the  night  before,  they  all  wondered  and  were  stupefied,  as 
though  fallen  into  a  trance.  Therefore  let  princes,  prelates  and 
magnates  remember  how  little  we  can  count  upon  this  earthly 
life,  how  unstable  it  is,  how  piteous  its  end,  how  wretched  its 
dissolution,  how  terrible  is  death ;  for  the  hour  thereof  is  most 
uncertain,  and  all  the  past  is  as  nought,  and  like  unto  the  wind. 

End  of  Book  VII. 


BOOK  VIII. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Election  of  six  wardens  to  the  government  of  tlie  kingdom  after 
the  death  of  the  most  noble  prince  Alexander  III. 

AFTER  the  death  therefore  of  that  mighty  prince  Alexander 
in.  and  of  all  the  children  procreated  of  his  body,  and  also  of 
all  the  lawful  heirs  and  kinsfolk  descending  from  King  William, 
the  common  ancestor,  lineally  or  in  any  other  way  laterally, 
except  one  little  girl,  named  Margaret,  daughter  of  the  king 
of  Norway  and  daughter  of  Margaret,  the  said  queen  of  Nor- 
way and  daughter  of  the  said  Alexander  king  of  Scotland,  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  was  without  the  government  of  a  king  for 
six  years  and  nine  months — as  was  erewhile  foretold  by  a 
certain  prophet  in  the  following  lines : — 

"  While  twice  three  years  roll  by,  and  moons  thrice  three, 
Without  a  prince  the  widow'd  land  shall  be." 

But  after  that  prince,  mourned  by  all,  was  interred,  the  pre- 
lates and  magnates  of  the  realm  took  counsel  together,  and, 
by  the  consent  of  all,  the  kingdom  was  governed  by  six  war- 
dens, to  wit  by  the  venerable  lord  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews, 
sir  William  Fraser,  the  lord  Duncan  earl  of  Fife  and  the 
lord  John  de  Cumyn  earl  of  Buchan,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
water  of  Forth  ;  and  on  the  south  side  there  were  three  others, 
to  wit  Robert  bishop  of  Glasgow,  sir  John  Cumyn  and  James 
Steward  of  Scotland.  But  Duncan,  the  said  earl  of  Fife, 
departed  this  life  shortly  afterwards,  and  another  was  appointed 
in  his  stead.  Within  this  period  of  six  years,  King  Edward 
called  Longshanks,  having  ascertained  that  the  aforesaid  Maid 
of  Norway,  Margaret  by  name,  his  sister's  daughter's  daughter, 
and  daughter  likewise  of  the  daughter  of  the  lately  deceased 
King  Alexander  in.,  was  the  true  and  lawful  heiress  of  the  king- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  85 

dom  of  Scotland,  and  earnestly  seeking  to  unite  and  annex  the 
aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland  to  his  own  kingdom  of  England, 
in  the  year  of  grace  1289  sent  into  Scotland  six  special  envoys 
to  the  aforesaid  six  wardens  for  a  marriage  between  his  son  and 
heir,  Edward  of  Carnarvon,  and  the  said  Maid  of  Norway, 
Margaret,  the  heiress  of  Scotland.  This  was  granted  him,  and 
ambassadors  for  this  purpose  were  sent  by  the  barons  and  clergy 
of  Scotland  to  the  said  kingdom  of  Norway  to  bring  the  said 
maid  and  contract  the  said  marriage  in  effect,  saving,  however, 
in  all  respects  from  any  claim  of  vassalage  or  service  for  ever 
the  rights,  privileges,  prerogatives  and  liberties  of  the  king's 
majesty  and  crown  of  Scotland,  which  were  to  be  in  as  good, 
free,  unconditioned  and  honourable  a  position  as  at  any  past 
time.  But,  as  the  said  maid  departed  this  life  while  the 
arrangement  was  pending,  the  aforesaid  ambassadors  returned 
to  their  own  country  without  having  finished  the  business. 
Now,  when  these  ambassadors  had  told  their  tidings  and  the 
maid's  death  became  known,  straightway  a  dispute  arose 
between  John  de  Balliol  and  Eobert  de  Bruce  as  to  which  of 
them  might  seem  to  have  precedence  and  to  be  the  nearer  in 
hereditary  right  to  the  throne.  As,  however,  there  were  three 
who  were  named  Robert  de  Bruce,  we  shall  speak  below  of  their 
right  and  of  the  difference  between  them. 


CHAPTEE  II. 

Statement  of  the  right  of  these  parties — TJie  king  of  England 
chosen  supreme  judge  through  confidence  in  his  good  faith. 

THE  nobles  of  the  realm  aforesaid,  therefore,  and  the  prelates, 
lords  and  wardens  above  mentioned  again  and  again  deliberated 
about  the  right  to  the  throne,  and  discussed  it  and  had  it  under 
consideration.  Nevertheless,  for  many  reasons,  they  would  not 
give  out  the  well-digested  opinions  they  had  formed  on  this  matter 
upon  mature  deliberation,  first,  because  it  was  a  very  difficult 
and  delicate  matter ;  secondly,  because  many  were  of  different 
opinions  as  to  the  right  of  succession  to  the  throne,  and 
wavered  on  many  points,  some  through  favour,  some  through 
fear,  and  some  through  ignorance ;  and  also  because  they  had 
no  head  or  superior  in  the  kingdom  who  durst  uphold  the  truth, 
or  would  duly  carry  their  sentence  into  execution  and  by  force 
compel  the  parties  to  comply  with  the  sentence.  At  length, 
all  things  considered,  they  decided  unanimously  to  send  ambas- 
sadors for  Edward  king  of  England,  as  being  the  friend  and  ally 


86  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

of  the  kingdom,  they  having  confidence  in  him  on  account  of 
the  previous  marriage,  and  most  earnestly  beseech  him,  as  the 
supreme  judge  chosen  by  the  consent  of  all  to  pronounce  as  to 
the  right  of  each,  that  he  should  take  upon  him  the  burden  of 
judging  between  the  aforesaid  parties  as  to  the  right  of  succes- 
sion to  the  throne  of  Scotland,  and  further  that  he  should,  with 
the  help  of  the  lords  of  the  realm,  by  might  and  force  of  arms 
in  case  of  refusal,  coerce  either  party  to  comply  with  the  sen- 
tence to  be  judicially  passed  and  pronounced  by  him  according 
to  the  requirements  of  justice.  This  was  accordingly  done. 
The  aforesaid  Edward,  on  being  requested  at  their  instance, 
came  to  Berwick,  and  summoned  for  a  given  day  all  who  had 
to  be  summoned  and  who  thought  they  had  an  interest  in  the 
said  cause ;  and  all  the  estates  of  the  realm  of  Scotland  met 
there,  protesting  in  a  body  that  this  summons  was  not  to  pre- 
judice the  kingdom  of  Scotland  in  any  way,  and  that  he  was 
not  thereby  to  presume  in  future  to  claim  any  overlordship,  in 
any  kind  or  shape,  over  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  or  believe  or 
allege  that  any  right  or  jurisdiction  accrued  to  him ;  and  that 
he  had  been  sent  for,  not  as  overlord  or  lawful  judge,  but  as  a 
friendly  peacemaker  and  arbitrator  and  the  most  powerful 
friend  in  the  neighbourhood,  besought  by  the  inhabitants  to 
allay  and  put  an  end  to  the  threatening  quarrel  by  his  wisdom 
and  power,  and  called  in  and  chosen  as  a  friendly  peacemaker  by 
way  of  an  alternative.  All  this  he  pledged  himself  to,  before  the 
day  and  the  commencement  of  the  suit,  by  a  plain  declaration 
and  by  his  letters -patent  delivered  to  the  councillors  and  war- 
dens of  Scotland.  When  therefore  all  the  freeholders  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  whose  duty  it  was  to  be  present,  or  who 
could  conveniently  be  so,  had  come  together  before  him,  the 
principal  parties  took  an  oath  that  they  would  unhesitatingly 
obey  the  decree  and  sentence  he  was  to  pronounce  in  determin- 
ing the  right  to  the  royal  succession ;  and  likewise  all  the  pre- 
lates, lords,  barons  and  others,  clergy  and  burgesses,  with  the 
other  aforesaid  wardens  and  representatives  of  communities, 
firmly  bound  themselves  in  like  manner  by  their  letters-patent 
sealed  with  their  seals,  and  also  by  a  public  and  authentic 
instrument,  one  and  all  to  obey,  as  their  king  and  overlord  in 
law  and  in  fact,  of  the  two  competitors  before  the  king  of  Eng- 
land, that  one  whom  he  should  declare  to  have  the  right  of 
reigning  over  the  kingdom  of  Scotland.  So,  when  this  had 
been  thus  settled,  the  said  King  Edward  of  England  chose 
twenty-four1  men,  distinguished  by  learning,  character,  age 
and  loyalty,  the  most  discreet  in  any  estate  or  rank,  to  the 
number  aforesaid,  twelve  of  whom  were  from  the  kingdom  of 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  87 

Scotland  aiid  the  other  twelve  from  the  kingdom  of  England  ; 
and,  after  these  had  taken  the  great  oath  to  speak  the  truth, 
he  charged  them  to  leave  out  all  the  others  who  claimed  a 
right  to  the  throne — for  there  were  many — and,  by  virtue  of 
the  oath  they  had  taken  and  at  the  peril  of  their  souls,  to 
faithfully  examine  and  judge  between  the  aforesaid  John  de 
Balliol  and  Kobert  de  Bruce  the  elder  and,  after  judging,  to 
make  known  their  decision  as  to  which  of  them  was  in  law, 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  kingdom,  the  nearer  to  the  suc- 
cession to  the  throne,  after  the  death  of  the  said  king  Alex- 
ander last  deceased. 


CHAPTEE  III. 

King  Edward  treacherously  has  the  nobles  of  Scotland  summoned 
to  the  Council  in  order  to  deceive  them. 

BUT  in  order  to  make  the  matter  clear,  and  free  it  from 
the  falsehood  in  which  they  had  wrapped  it  up,  it  should  be 
noted  that  in  the  year  1286  a  parliament  was  proclaimed  at 
Scone,  where  there  was  hot  and  keen  litigation  and  argument 
before  the  Estates  of  the  realm,  between  the  elder  Robert  de 
Bruce,  the  grandfather,  that  is  to  say,  of  the  great  king  Robert 
de  Bruce,  and  the  said  John  de  Balliol,  to  determine  the  right 
of  the  aforesaid  parties.  For  John  de  Balliol  said  he  rather 
ought  to  be  king,  inasmuch  as  he  was  sprung  from  Dorvorgilla, 
the  elder  sister 2  of  the  daughter  of  David  earl  of  Huntingdon ; 
and  his  mother,  that  is  to  say  the  eldest  sister,  was  still  alive. 
Robert  de  Bruce,  on  the  other  hand,  answered,  No ;  for,  though 
he,  Robert  de  Bruce,  proceeded  from  the  second  and  younger 
sister,  yet  he  was  the  first  male  of  David's  blood  surviving,  and 
his  grandson,  and  nearer  than  Balliol  by  one  degree  of  lineal 
consanguinity  ;  and  lie  argued  that  one  of  the  female  line  ought 
not  to  succeed  so  long  as  a  male  was  to  be  found,  nor  ought  a 
great-grandson  to  take  precedence  of  a  grandson.  So  when 
these  allegations  had  been  very  strongly  put  forward  on  either 
side  and  listened  to,  there  arose  a  great  division  in  the  country, 
among  both  clergy  and  people,  between  the  friends  and  support- 
ers of  the  parties  ;  for  some  said  that  the  said  John  de  Balliol, 
inasmuch  as  he  proceeded  from  the  elder  sister,  ought  to  be  king, 
because  of  the  age  of  his  ancestress  ;  while  others  said  that  the 
said  Robert  de  Bruce,  though  he  proceeded  from  the  second 
and  younger  sister,  yet,  forasmuch  as  he  was  the  first  male 
descended  from  the  said  family,  ought  to  be  king  on  the  grounds 


88  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

both  of  succession  and  of  propinquity,  because  he  was  one 
degree  nearer  to  the  parent  stem,  that  is  to  say  the  said  earl 
David  of  Huntingdon.  So,  on  account  of  these  divisions  and 
disputes,  in  order  to  avoid  a  threatening  danger,  all  the  mag- 
nates of  the  kingdom,  the  prelates,  chiefs,  lords  and  the  wardens 
of  the  kingdom,  and  also  with  one  accord  all  the  communities 
of  the  Three  Estates,  unanimously  agreed  on  King  Edward  of 
England,  as  stated  above,  in  manner  and  form  aforesaid,  for  the 
deciding  of  the  question  about  the  right  to  the  throne,  as  to  which 
of  them  ought  rightfully  to  be  king.  Thus  both  parties  referred 
the  matter  to  the  said  king  of  England,  and  decided  that  he 
should  determine  the  rights  of  the  two  parties  in  the  said  cause, 
and  duly  compel  that  party  against  whom  he  should  pass  and 
pronounce  his  sentence  to  comply  with  a  good  grace  and  abide 
by  it  firmly  and  steadfastly,  according  to  the  requirements  of 
justice.  So  when  this  was  settled,  three  nobles,  namely  the 
bishop  of  Brechin,  the  abbot  of  Jedburgh  and  Geoffroy  de 
Mowbray,  were  chosen  as  ambassadors  to  inform  the  king  of 
England  of  what  had  passed,  and  to  implore  his  advice  and 
assistance  in  the  matter,  and  also  with  regard  to  the  state  and 
governance  of  the  kingdom  and  the  recovery  of  the  lands  of 
Penrith  and  other  domains.  This  was  accordingly  done ;  and, 
having  got  an  answer  from  the  king  of  England,  they  went  back 
to  Scotland  and,  on  a  council  being  held  by  the  wardens  of  the 
kingdom  at  Clackmannan,  they  informed  them  of  the  king's 
answer  that  he  would  willingly  comply  with  their  request  as 
soon  as  he  conveniently  could.  The  king  of  England  mean- 
while quickly  sent  to  the  councillors,  prelates  and  lords  of  his 
realm,  and  informed  them  that  he  could  easily  bring  the  king- 
dom of  Scotland  and  its  people  under  his  sway,  considering 
their  disunion.  Nevertheless  he  revealed  his  intention  to  them, 
asking  their  opinion  upon  it,  namely  to  send  ambassadors  at 
once  over  to  France,  and  request  them  to  send  him  back  the 
opinion  of  some  of  the  most  skilful  lawyers  of  the  countiy ;  and 
this  likewise  was  accordingly  done.  As,  however,  the  case  was, 
through  an  unfair  and  false  suggestion,  not  put  candidly  before 
these  lawyers,  no  good  plea  or  advice  of  the  least  value  could 
come  of  it ;  for  the  inconsistencies  and  misrepresentations  in 
the  case  put  before  them,  proceeding  from  a  corrupt  intent, 
could  by  no  means  form  the  ground  of  a  correct  opinion  on  a 
doubtful  point  of  law.  The  substance  of  this  false  suggestion 
is  given  here  below  as  follows. 


THE  BOOK  OF  TLUSCAIIDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  89 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  king  of  a  kingdom,  being  not  crowned  nor  anointed,  but 
only  set  on  the  throne  by  the  earls,  prelates  and  lords,  in  the 
usual  place  of  coronation,  and  holding  that  kingdom  in  fee  by 
homage  from  another  king  as  the  direct  overlord  of  that  king- 
dom, in  course  of  time  dies  without  children  or  heirs  what- 
soever, being  lineal  descendants.  But  that  king,  who  is  the  direct 
overlord  of  that  kingdom,  on  there  compearing  before  him  many, 
each  of  whom  asserts  himself  to  be  the  heir  to  the  said  kingdom, 
that  superior  takes  that  kingdom  into  his  own  hands  until  it 
shall  have  been  discussed  before  him  by  process  of  law  which 
of  them  has  the  better  right,  and  is  the  nearer  to  the  succession 
to  the  said  kingdom.  Among  these,  however,  there  appear  two 
especially,  who  say  they  are  descended  from  the  brother  of  the 
grandfather  of  the  said  defunct  king.  One,  say  Cicius,  sprung  3 
from  the  daughter  of  the  said  brother  of  the  king's  grandfather, 
was  great-grandson  of  the  said  brother ;  and  the  other,  Senus, 
was  descended  from  the  second  daughter  of  the  said  brother,  and 
was  grandson  of  the  said  brother  :  and  thus  these  two  trace  to  the 
defunct  king  in  the  collateral  line.  But  Cicius  relies  upon  the 
right  of  primogeniture,  while  Senus  is  more  nearly  related  by 
one  step.  So,  supposing  that  kingdom  to  be  indivisible,  the 
question  is,  Which  of  these  ought  to  come  first  in  the  succession 
to  the  said  kingdom  ? 


CHAPTER  V. 

Decision  of  tJie  Parisian  doctors  learned  in  the  law,  on  the  discKS- 
•  sion  of  the  rights  of  the  said  litigants. 

THE  first  lawyer  was  the  bishop  of  Orleans,  who  draws  a 
distinction  and  asks  whether  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  on 
the  subject  of  the  succession  to  the  throne  thereof,  it  can  be 
laid  down,  upon  the  strength  of  settled  and  established  custom, 
that  in  any  line  whatever,  whether  descending,  ascending,  or 
collateral,  the  eldest  son.  or  the  issue  of  the  eldest  son  or 
daughter,  ought  to  come  first  in  the  succession  to  the  said 
throne ;  and  in  that  case  the  custom  must  be  adhered  to,  setting 
aside  all  law  or  any  other  right  whatever.  Or  there  is  in  the 
said  matter  no  settled  and  established  custom :  and  then  he  says 
one  must  have  recourse  to  the  common  or  imperial  law.  This 


90  TEIE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

law  lays  it  down  that,  when  two  claimants  4  to  a  given  throne 
trace  in  the  collateral  line  to  the  king  last  deceased,  and  are  not 
brothers  or  sons  of  brothers,  but  removed  a  step  further,  the 
one  a  step  nearer  stands  first  in  the  succession,  notwithstanding 
primogeniture  on  the  other  side.  The  same  view  and  the  same 
kind  of  view  was  held  by  master  Symon  Matifas,  bishop  of 
Paris,  by  the  lord  Peter  de  Capella,  bishop  of  Carcassonne,  by 
the  lord  John  de  Feritate,  by  master  John  de  Sylomonte,  and 
by  the  provost  of  Marseilles  :  for  they  say  that  in  such  a  case 
as  that  of  these  claimants  to  the  throne  of  Scotland,  both  by  the 
written  law  and  by  the  general  custom  of  the  kingdom  of  France 
among  high  and  low,  the  nearer  in  degree,  even  though  he  be  a 
second  sou  or  the  issue  of  a  second  son,  comes  before  one  a  step 
further  removed,  even  though  he  should  be  the  elder  or  the  issue 
of  the  elder.  Now  this  takes  place  5  in  the  case  of  the  king  of 
France  and  of  the  other  peers  of  his  court,  namely  if  the  eldest 
son  has  children  surviving,  and  dies  while  his  father  is  alive, 
and  then  his  father  dies,  the  second  son  succeeds  the  father, 
because  he  is  nearer  to  him,  and  the  eldest  son's  children,  who 
are  further  removed,  though  they  have  primogeniture  on  their 
side,  are  kept  out.  This  was  the  very  decision  which  Louis, 
the  last  king  of  France,  who  went  on  the  crusade  to  Tunis,  ex- 
pressly gave  before  his  baronage,  in  the  case  of  the  children  of 
his  eldest  son  Philip,  namely  that,  if  this  Philip  had  die d  during 
the  lifetime  of  his  father  Louis,  this  Philip's  children  would  not 
have  succeeded  King  Louis  on  the  throne  as  long  as  there  were 
left  any  other  sons  of  that  Louis.  These  persons,  however,  say 
that,  if  it  were  a  custom  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  that  primo- 
geniture in  whatever  degree  should  give  the  preference  in 
succession,  that  custom  ought  to  be  specially  adhered  to  in 
preference  to  all  other  laws,  whether  written  or  customary. 


CHAPTER  VI, 

The  same  continued  ;  the  king  of  England  misstates  the  case. 

ON  this  subject,  moreover,  these  lawyers  again  were  asked 
whether,  if  no  custom  has  yet  been  established  in  such  a  case  as 
that  of  these  claimants  to  the  oft-mentioned  throne  of  Scotland — 
for  the  case,  or  one  like  it,  never  arose  before  this  time  as  regards 
the  succession  to  the  crown  of  Scotland,  though  perhaps,  as 
regards  the  subjects  of  that  crown,  as  for  instance  earls,  barons 
and  others,  such  a  case  has  repeatedly  happened — whether  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  91 

succession  to  the  said  throne  shall  be  adjudicated  upon  according 
to  the  custom  established  with  regard  to  earldoms,  baronies6  and 
other  successions  in  the  said  kingdom.    No,  say  the  said  lawyers, 
because,  as  the  case  is  put  by  the  king  of  the  English,  the  crown 
of  Scotland  is  held  in  fee  of  the  crown  of  England.     This  is 
perfectly  false.     But,  if  it  were  so,  the  claimants  to  the  throne 
of  Scotland  claim  it  in  the  court  of  the  king  of  England,  and 
not  in  the  court  of  the  king  of  Scotland ;  and  thus  it  happens 
that  this  case  ought  to  be  adjudicated  upon  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  court  of  the  king  of  England,  which  would  apply 
to  the  peers 7  of  that  court.     Observe  in  this  connection  the 
remarkable  instance  of  the  duke  of  Burgundy.     The  duke  of 
Burgundy  had  an  eldest  son,  who  had  begotten  of  his  lawful 
wife  three  daughters,  the  first  of  whom  was  married  to  the 
comte  de  Nevers.   This  eldest  son  died  while  his  father  was  alive, 
and  at  the  latter's  death  a  younger  son,  who  was  afterwards  the 
duke,  claimed  the  dukedom  in  the  court  of  France,  as  next  heir 
to  his  father.     On  the  other  hand  the  comte  de  Nevers  in  like 
manner  claimed  the  dukedom  on  behalf  of  his  wife,  on  the  plea 
that  it  was  the  general  custom  in  the  kingdom  of  France  and 
throughout  the  whole  duchy  of  Burgundy  that,  so  long  as  there 
remain  any  more  sprung  from  the  eldest  son,  the  second  son 
shall  not  succeed,  though  he  be  a  step  nearer  the  father.     The 
opposite  side  owned  that  this  was  the  general  custom  in  that 
duchy  and  in  the  court  of  the  said  duke  with  regard  to  his 
subjects,  who  have  to  sue  out  their  right  to  any  succession 
whatever  in  his  court ;  but  this  proves  nothing  as  to  the  duke 
or  dukedom  of  Burgundy,  because  the  said  duke  sues  out  his 
right  to  the  said  dukedom  of  Burgundy  not  in  his  own  court, 
but  in  the  court  of  the  king  of  France,  as  one  of  the  peers  of 
the  realm  of  France.     Hence  the  judgment  to  be  given  as  to 
the  duchy  in  the  court  of  the  king  of  France  ought  to  be  in 
accordance  with  the  custom  of  the  court  of  the  kingdom  of 
France,  namely  that  which  is  observed  even  with  the  kings 
within  the  territory 7  of  the  crown  of  France.     While,  however, 
the  aforesaid  question  was  pending,  the  king  of  France  gave  his 
own  sister  to  wife,  in  Paris,  to  the  second  son,  who  was  after- 
wards the  duke ;  so  the  comte  de  Nevers,  thinking  the  matter 
over,  and  firmly  believing  that  the  king  of  France  would  not 
have  given  his  own  sister  to  any  one  without  property,  felt 
satisfied  that  the  final  sentence  would  be  a  judgment  given 
against  him,  and  withdrew  his  claim,  content  with  a  moderate 
sum  for  costs.     Thus,  therefore,  as  regards  the  Scottish  suc- 
cession, one  must  not  follow  the  custom  of  the  court  of  the 
king  of  Scotland,  which  is  observed  in  the  case  of  the  subjects 


92  THE  BOOK  OF  1'LUSCARDEN.      LOOK  VIII. 

of  that  crown,  such  as  earls,  barons  and  others ;  but  one  must 
rather  follow  the  custom  which  has  been  established  in  the 
court  of  the  king  of  England  with  regard  to  the  peers  of  that 
court.  But  if  no  custom  dealing  with  the  above  case  or  a 
similar  one  is  to  be  found  even  in  that  court,  recourse  must  be 
had  to  the  written  law,  whereby,  without  any  doubt,  the  nearer 
in  degree  of  relationship  would  be  preferred. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

TJie  same  continued. —  View  taken  by  otlwrs. 

MASTER  EGIDIUS  LAMBERTI,  dean  of  Saint  Martin's  of  Tours, 
being  questioned  upon  this  matter,  says  that  in  the  kingdom  of 
France  primogeniture  does  not  give  any  one  precedence  over 
others  in  succession,  except  when  there  are  several  of  the  same 
degree  of  relationship,  such  as  several  sons,  several  grandsons 
or  great-grandsons,  brothers  or  sisters,  or  several  sons  of 
brothers  or  sisters;  and  so  on  in  the  more  remote  degrees, 
descending  in  the  same  line  or  collaterally.  But  when  it  is  a 
question  of  several  persons  of  various  degrees,  the  nearer  in 
degree  of  relationship  straightway  has  precedence  in  the  suc- 
cession, notwithstanding  primogeniture,  as  we  see  in  the  case 
of  a  second  son,  who,  in  the  succession  to  the  father,  has  pre- 
cedence over  the  children  of  a  firstborn  brother  deceased  while 
the  father  was  living.  And  this  same  course  is  followed  in  the 
more  remote  degrees  in  the  same  line,  as  also  in  collateral  lines. 
Nevertheless,  if  it  should  be  the  custom  in  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  that  the  eldest,  or  the  issue  of  the  eldest,  though  a 
step  farther  removed,  must  have  precedence  in  the  succession 
to  the  father,  that  established  custom  is  to  be  complied  with 
before  all  things.  Furthermore,  on  being  told  that  other  great 
men  are  of  opinion  that,  in  this  case  of  the  succession  to  the 
throne  of  Scotland,  not  the  custom  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland, 
but  rather  the  custom  of  the  court  of  England,  which  is  in  force 
among  the  peers 7  of  that  court,  is  to  be  followed,  he  draws  this 
distinction  upon  this  point,  saying :  Either  we  are  dealing  with 
the  claim  to  this  throne  of  Scotland,  making  an  order  upon  the 
proceedings  themselves,  and  following  the  course  of  the  plead- 
ings,— and,  so  far  as  this  goes,  we  are  to  comply  with  the 
custom  of  the  court  of  the  king  of  England,  in  which  the  claim 
to  the  throne  of  Scotland  is  made ;  or  we  are  dealing  with  the 
decision  or  settlement  of  the  matter  itself,  in  which  case  we 
must  comply  with  the  custom  of  the  place  where  the  thing  in 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  93 

question  is  situated :  Hence,  as  the  question  is  as  to  the  throne 
of  Scotland,  as  regards  the  settlement  of  the  matter  and  the 
adjudication  of  the  right  to  the  throne  itself,  the  custom  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  is  to  be  followed.  Such  are  the  distinc- 
tions and  definitions  of  the  doctors  of  both  kinds  of  law  in 
that  matter.  Then  he  was  yet  further  asked  whether,  in  ad- 
judging the  kingdom  of  Scotland  to  one  of  the  claimants,  the 
custom  of  that  kingdom  ought  to  be  followed,  or  whether  the 
custom  which  has  been  established  with  regard  to  the  kings  of 
Scotland  personally,  as  to  the  succession  to  that  throne,  shall 
be  followed.  To  this  he  answers  that  the  custom  established 
in  the  case  of  the  kings  of  Scotland,  and  not  in  the  case  of  their 
subjects,  is  to  be  followed.  The  custom  with  regard  to  the  suc- 
cession in  the  case  of  the  kings  is  different  from  that  in  the 
case  of  their  subjects.  For  we  hold  this  as  a  rule  and  chief 
proposition,  that  custom  descends,  not  ascends,  which  must  be 
understood  to  mean  that  the  lower  ought  to  be  judged  by  the 
custom  of  the  higher,  and  not  contrariwise.  If,  therefore,  as 
regards  the  succession  to  this  throne,  no  custom  has  yet  been 
met  with  applying  to  the  kings  personally,  in  such  a  case  as 
that  of  the  said  claimants, — for  a  custom  is  nought  but  what 
is  often  accustomed  to  happen,  and  this  case  seems  never  to 
have  happened  before, — still  we  must  not8  have  recourse  to 
the  custom  established  in  the  successions  of  the  earls  and 
barons  of  that  kingdom;  but  in  that  case  we  must  have  re- 
course to  the  custom  of  the  superior  court,  namely,  to  the 
custom  of  the  court  of  England,  in  which,  according  to  the 
opposing  party,  the  succession  to  this  throne  has  to  be  adjudi- 
cated upon.  Now,  this  is  altogether  false  and  detestable,  for 
he  has  not  the  slightest  authority  of  superior  lord  or  judge,  nor 
any  jurisdiction  over  the  throne  of  Scotland;  only,  by  his 
treacherous  and  false  suggestion,  such  was  his  story  in  the  case 
he  put  to  the  learned  lawyers  of  France,  that  they  might 
believe  so. 


CHAPTEE   VIII. 

The  same  continued. — Their  opinions. 

MASTER  SALINUS,  master  Tancretus,  master  Eeverius  de  Senis, 
in  like  manner,  in  a  conference  on  this  subject,  after  having 
well  studied  the  book  De  Usibus  Feudorum,  found  many 
very  apposite  answers  to  the  questions  put  to  them,  and  said 
that  ascendants  shall  not  succeed  in  a  fief,  as  is  declared  in  the 


94  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

said  book,  under  the  heading  De  natura  successionis  feodi, 
chapter  first.  For  by  this  is  shut  out  the  claim  of  the  king  of 
Norway,  who  was  ascendant  to  the  succession  of  his  daughter 
Margaret,  who  was  at  that  time  heir-apparent  to  the  throne 
of  Scotland.  They  also  afterwards  found  that  a  natural  son, 
a  bastard,  though  he  shall  have  been  afterwards  legitimised, 
even  in  temporal  matters,  whether  by  a  subsequent  marriage  or 
otherwise,  shall  not  succeed  to  a  fief,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  said 
third  book,  in  the  last  chapter,  heading  Si  defeodo  defuncti,  and 
in  the  chapter  Naturales.  And  by  this  is  shut  out  Sir  William 
de  Eoss,  though  there  is  complete  evidence  of  the  legitimation 
of  his  ancestress  Isabella.  They  then  likewise  found  that  a 
woman,  or  issue  springing  from  her,  cannot  aspire  to  the  suc- 
cession to  a  fief,  as  is  laid  down  in  the  said  book,  heading  De 
gradu  successionis  infeodum,  chapter  first.  By  this  are  shut  out  the 
count  of  Holland,  Robert  de  Broys  and  John  de  Balliol,  as  these 
latter  lay  claim  to  the  said  throne  by  descent  from  two  sisters, 
and  the  count  of  Holland  by  descent  from  another.9  They  also 
found  a  case  expressly  excluding  Robert  de  Broys  and  likewise 
John  de  Balliol :  For  on  the  death  of  Titius  without  lawful  heir- 
male,  the  succession  to  this  fief  does  not  belong  to  the  paternal 
granduncle  of  this  Titius  nor  to  issue  descending  from  him,  as 
carefully  stated  under  the  said  heading  Successionis  in  feodum, 
chapter  first.  But  David  earl  of  Huntingdon,  the  ancestor  of 
the  said  Robert  and  John,  by  descent  from  whom  these  claim 
the  said  throne,  was  the  paternal  granduncle  of  King  Alex- 
ander last  deceased,  and  was  the  brother  of  the  illustrious  King 
William,  the  grandfather  of  the  said  Alexander ;  and  thus  the 
succession  to  this  fief  ought  not  to  belong  to  the  issue  descend- 
ing from  the  said  earl  David,  but  shall  revert  to  the  overlord 
of  that  fief.  They  also  found  that  recourse  is  had  to  the 
common  law  in  fiefs  only  when  no  custom  of  the  country  is  to 
be  found,  as  laid  down  in  the  same  book,  heading  De  cognicione 
feodi,  chapter  first,  at  the  end.  They  also  found  that  in  fiefs  the 
custom  which  is  in  force  in  the  greater  ought  also  to  be  in  force  in 
the  less ;  but  they  found  no  injunction  that  the  greater  be  bound 
by  the  custom  of  the  less ;  see  under  heading  De  natura  feodi, 
chapter  first,  at  the  end.  These,  however,  say  that  if  an  uniform 
custom  have  been  established  with  reference  to  the  succession  to 
the  throne  of  Scotland,  in  such  a  case  as  that  now  occurring,  or 
a  similar  one,  that  custom  is  to  be  adhered  to  and  all  laws  set 
aside;  but  if  not,  recourse  is  to  be  had  to  the  custom  of 
neighbouring  countries ;  and  if,10  in  such  a  case  as  this,  it  is 
not  to  be  found,  either  recourse  is  to  be  had  to  the  laws  De 
Usibus  Feodorum,  whereby  all  the  claimants  are  barred,  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  95 

the  throne  falls  to  the  overlord,  or  recourse  is  to  be  had  to  the 
common  and  imperial  laws,  whereby  a  succession  passing  over 
to  the  collateral  line,  beyond  brothers  and  sons  of  brothers,  un- 
doubtedly comes  to  the  nearer  in  degree  of  relationship,  not- 
withstanding primogeniture  is  with  another  person.  But  the 
doctors  master  John  de  Forcalcaria,  master  Syrardus  Pagii  and 
master  Eeverius  of  Florence  in  their  decisions  say  that,  both 
by  canon  and  civil  law,  seeing  that  these  claimants  are  con- 
nected with  the  king  last  deceased  in  the  collateral  line,  and 
also  because  they  are  further  than  brothers  or  sons  of  brothers, 
no  heed  must  be  paid  to  any  primogeniture,  but  the  nearer  in 
degree  has  the  preference.  This  is  true  unless  the  custom  of 
the  country  in  the  place  in  question  prescribes  something  else ; 
for  established  custom,  in  its  own  place,  comes  before  all 
law. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

The  same  continued. — Decision  in  favour  of  King  Robert. 

THE  LORD  WILLIAM  BONET,  the  highest  authority  in  canon  law, 
says  that,  if  either  of  Earl  David's  daughters  had  outlived  King 
Alexander  last  deceased,  the  succession  to  the  said  throne 
would  have  passed  over  to  her  and  to  her  descendants ;  but  if 
neither  of  them  had  outlived  the  said  king,  then  that  one  of  the 
two  claimants  who  was  born  first,  though  he  may  have  been 
descended  from  a  second  sister,  is  yet  to  take  precedence  in 
the  succession  to  the  said  throne,  because  he  thus  first  became 
the  kinsman  of  the  said  king.  There  is  almost  expressed 
authority  for  this,  in  a  passage  on  the  succession  of  kinsmen 
related  collaterally.  Reginald  Barbon,  bailiff  of  Normandy, 
leant  towards  the  view  of  the  dean  of  Tours  in  this,  namely, 
that  if  a  well-established  custom  is  in  force  in  the  case  of  the 
kings  of  Scotland  with  reference  to  the  succession  in  question, 
that  must  be  strictly  adhered  to,  and  the  custom  in  force  in  the 
successions  of  earls,  barons  and  other  subjects  of  that  realm 
must  not  be  followed.  But,  if  no  custom  as  to  the  succession 
to  the  said  throne  shall  have  been  established  with  regard  to 
the  kings  personally,  in  such  a  case  as  the  foregoing  or  the 
like,  then  recourse  must  be  had  to  the  custom  of  the  court  of 
England,  which,  according  to  the  false  suggestion  of  the  king 
of  England,  is  the  superior  court  in  which  the  question  of  the 
kingship  is  dealt  with.  But  if  no  custom  is  to  be  found  in 
the  English  court  with  regard  to  the  peers  7  thereof,  applicable 


90  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSC'ARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

to  the  foregoing  case  or  the  like,  the  king  of  England  can  have 
recourse  to  the  process  of  the  written  law,  or,  by  the  advice  of 
the  peers  of  his  court,  as  well  as  the  lords  and  magnates  of  his 
land,  he  may  make  u  a  new  law  to  meet  this  case  and  other 
like  cases  which  have  not  happened  before.  Sir  Thomas  de 
Wellaud,  however,  says  that,  unless  some  express  law  or 
custom,  applicable  to  the  foregoing  case  or  the  like,  exist  in 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland  as  to  the  succession  to  the  throne,  he 
considers  this  case  altogether  similar  to  a  case  of  like  nature 
having  reference  to  an  earldom  or  barony  in  the  kingdom 
of  England,  if  such  should  arise :  for  the  throne  of  Scotland, 
according  to  the  adverse  party,  is  held  of  the  throne  of 
England  in  fee  for  service,  just  like  an  earldom  or  barony  in 
the  kingdom  of  England.  But,  if  an  earldom  or  barony  in  the 
kingdom  of  England  had  fallen  into  this  predicament,  he  who 
had  sprung  from  the  eldest  sister  would  alone  get  the  name 
and  dignity,  and  would  also  get  the  chief  property  attached  to 
the  earldom,  whether  a  castle  or  some  other  property ;  while 
the  others,  who  had  sprung  from  the  other  sisters,  ought  to 
have  their  share  of  the  whole  inheritance  in  question,  for  all 
the  sisters,  as  many  as  there  may  have  been,  represent  one  heir 
of  their  father.  And  thus,  though  John  de  Balliol,  by  reason 
of  his  primogeniture,  ought  alone  to  have  the  name  of  the 
regal  dignity,  and  also  the  chief  place  of  the  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land, whether  it  be  town,  castle,  or  palace,  yet  nevertheless, 
seeing  that  John  de  Balliol  himself  and  Eobert  de  Broys 
and  John  de  Hastings  were  sprung  from  the  three  daughters 
of  Earl  David,  since  they  were  all  three  representatives  of  but 
one  heir  of  the  said  earl,  who  must  be  resorted  to 12  for  the 
right  to  the  said  throne,  the  said  Eobert  de  Broys  and  John 
Hastings  ought  to  have  their  share  of  all  property  in  whatever 
way  belonging  to  the  king  of  Scotland.  These  shares  they 
ought  to  hold  of  the  king  of  England  as  their  overlord,  grant- 
ing him  to  be  so,  and  of  no  one  else,  and  as  freely  as  the  other 
one  holds  the  chief  property ;  nor  shall  this  John  de  Balliol 
perform  any  kingly  function  as  regards  their  shares ;  and  this 
would  be  a  great  advantage  and  safeguard  to  the  overlord. 
Also,  when  he  was  asked  whether,  if  Sir  Eobert  de  Broys 
should  have  an  unfavourable  judgment  upon  his  claim,  in 
which  he  claims  the  whole  kingdom,  as  being  the  nearer  in 
degree,  he  could  afterwards  go  back  and  claim  his  share,  on  the 
grounds  stated  above,  namely,  that  his  mother  and  the  other 
two  sisters  were  one  heir  of  the  said  Earl  David,  he  answered 
that  he  could,  and  that  he  ought  to  get  his  share  by  a  final 
judgment. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  97 

CHAPTER   X. 

The  same  continued. 

THE  master-general  of  the  Minorites,  by  the  deliberate 
advice  of  his  whole  community  in  Paris,  answered  thus : — If 
any  custom  applicable  to  the  case  in  hand  shall  have  been 
established  in  the  kingdom  of  England  or  Scotland,  that  is  to 
be  observed  before  everything;  but,  if  not,  the  king  must 
employ  either  the  imperial  law  or  the  divine  law.  If  the 
former,  it  is  well  enough  known  to  lawyers  what  is  to  be  done. 
If  the  divine  law,  the  Bible  text  is  plain  enough ;  to  wit  in 
favour  of  him  who  is  the  nearer  in  degree ;  as  it  is  written  in  the 
Book  of  Numbers,  chapter  xxvii.,  at  the  beginning,  where  it  says : 
Then  came  the  daughters  of  Salphat,  and  stood  before  Moses 
and  Eleazar  the  priest  and  all  the  chiefs  of  the  people,  and  said, 
Our  father  died  in  the  wilderness.  He  had  no  male  children. 
Why  therefore  is  his  name  done  away  from  among  his  family, 
because  he  had  no  son  ?  Give  unto  us  these  possessions  among 
our  father's  kinsmen.  And  Moses  submitted  their  cause  to 
the  judgment  of  the  Lord,  who  said  unto  him :  The  daughters 
of  Salphat  make  a  just  demand ;  give  them  possessions  among 
their  father's  kinsmen,  and  let  them  succeed  their  father  in  his 
inheritance.  And  thou  shalt  speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel, 
saying,  If  a  man  die  and  have  no  son,  the  inheritance  shall 
pass  to  his  daughter ;  and,  if  he  have  no  daughter,  he  shall  have 
his  brethren  as  his  successors ;  and,  if  he  have  no  brethren,  the 
inheritance  shall  be  given  to  his  father's  brethren ;  (and,  if  he 
has  no  paternal  uncles,  the  inheritance  shall) 13  be  given  to  those 
who  are  next  of  kin  to  him.  And  this  shall  be  made  a  law  for 
ever  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  as  the  Lord  commanded  Moses. 
Thus  all  the  greatest  and  most  skilful  of  the  whole  order  said 
that  the  nearer  in  degree  is  by  all  means  to  take  precedence,  as 
is  manifest  from  the  Lord's  judgment.  Moreover,  another  said 
he  saw  in  Hainault  a  case  where  he  who  was  descended  from 
the  eldest  son  was  four  degrees  removed ;  and  the  other,  who 
came  from  the  second  son,  was  only  three  degrees  removed; 
and  the  inheritance  was  given  to  him  who  was  the  nearer.  So, 
after  these  consultations  had  been  held  and  digested,  as  afore- 
said, Edward  king  of  England  came  to  Norham  in  the  year 
1289,  and  had  all  the  magnates  and  wardens  of  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland  assembled,  together  with  the  prelates,  and  cajoled 
them  with  sweet  words,  urging  them  to  agree  unanimously 
upon  a  king,  and  make  peace  among  themselves;  that  he 
would,  as  they  saw,  be  most  greatly  rejoiced  "  that  no  stranger 

G 


98  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

should  intermeddle  among  you.  But  if  ye  are  unable  to  agree 
in  one  decision,  come  back  hither  on  such  a  day,  and  we  shall 
announce  to  you  what  God  shall  have  given  us  to  understand 
in  this  matter,  and  shall  administer  justice."  But  alas  that 
ever  the  single-minded,  faithful  and  truthful  lords  and  prelates 
of  the  Scots  should  have  so  put  faith  in  that  false,  deceitful 
and  mischief-making  king  of  the  English,  who  was  like  a 
wicked  enchanter  with  his  poisonous  blandishments  and  flattery, 
or  should  have  in  any  wise  sought  advice,  help,  or  assistance 
from  him,  while  the  wretched  people  of  this  realm  were  bereft 
of  a  shepherd  and,  as  it  were,  wounded  by  a  serpent !  For,  at 
the  instigation  of  the  devil,  through  greed  and  lust  of  power, 
and  to  subdue  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  to  his  sway,  he  spread 
the  snares  of  wickedness  for  the  guiltless,  and  infamously 
sowed,  as  it  were,  tares  in  the  Lord's  wheat, — the  incurable  and 
pestilential  venom  of  asps,  to  poison  the  whole  kingdom  and 
its  inhabitants  with  honeyed  lies  under  the  cloak  of  piety. 


CHAPTER  XL 

His  subtlety  and  devices. 

THE  following  year  great  dissension  and  strife  was  stirred  up 
among  the  magnates  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  among  both 
clergy  and  people,  between  those  who  sided  definitively  with 
the  aforesaid  parties,  those,  namely,  of  Bruce  and  of  BaUiol,  to 
the  exclusion  of  all  other  parties  who  claimed  a  right  to  the 
throne.  Meanwhile,  moreover,  gestes  and  chronicles  are 
searched  in  the  kingdoms  of  Scotland,  England,  Ireland  and 
France,14  at  the  suggestion  of  certain  adversaries  of  this  kingdom 
and  through  insinuations  breathed  by  wicked  Englishmen  into 
the  ears  of  the  king  of  England,  not  only  for  the  sake  of  inquir- 
ing into  the  law  and  custom  of  the  kingdoms,  in  order  to 
decide  the  question  between  Robert  Bruce  and  John  Balliol, 
but  also  rather  for  the  sake  of  investigating  and  examin- 
ing the  right  of  the  king  of  England  to  the  vassalage  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland.  In  this  year  all  the  chiefs  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  met  at  Upsetlington  in  England,  coming 
under  the  king's  safe-conduct  and  at  the  said  king's  request,  and 
were  gathered  together  at  the  parish  church  of  Norham.  Here 
the  king  of  England,  at  first  somewhat  mysteriously  and  lightly, 
and  as  if  not  seriously,  claimed  the  direct  suzerainty  over  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  which,  he  asserted,  belonged  to  him,  in 
the  same  manner  as  his  predecessors  had  it,  as15  he  could 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIIL         99 

openly  show  by  the  weighty  evidence  hitherto  brought  forward 
on  this  point.  He  was  briefly  and  at  once  answered  by  the 
bishop  of  Glasgow,  who  said  that  from  the  very  first  and  at  all 
times  from  of  old  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  had  been  free,  in 
such  wise  as  to  owe  no  one  any  homage  or  tribute  whatever, 
save  only  God  and  him  who  held  his  power  on  earth ;  and  the 
bishop  further  went  on  to  add,  saying,  "  0  king,  I  my  own  self 
have  gathered  from  the  books  and  chronicles  of  the  English, 
and  particularly  from  the  books  of  Gildas,  that  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  was  noble,  strong  and  powerful  among  all  the  king- 
doms of  the  earth ;  and  the  nobles  and  people  of  this  realm 
fought  mightily  and  manfully  against  the  following  nations, 
withstood  them  and  their  most  wicked  and  cruel  devices  and 
attacks,  and  in  the  end  drove  them  out  of  the  said  realm,  con- 
quered and  overcome ;  hence  the  lines, 

The  Britons,  Northmen,  Picts  and  Danes  repelled,16 
Nobly  the  Scots  their  country's  right  upheld." 

The  king,  hearing  this,  pretended  to  go  on  and  not  pay  much 
heed  to  the  bishop's  answer,  giving  all  his  attention  to  the 
restoration  of  the  Scottish  throne;  and,  as  though  no  longer 
caring  about  his  claim,  he  cunningly  brought  in  other  matter, 
and  besought  the  prelates  and  lords  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland 
to  meet  together  at  Berwick  on  a  certain  given  date,  and  there 
for  certain,  without  further  delay,  get  a  final  deliverance  upon 
the  subject,  namely  the  moot  point  as  to  the  right  to  the 
throne.  But  the  Searcher  of  hearts  knew  it  was  just  the 
opposite,  for  he  was  making  every  effort  to  create  discord  and 
not  agreement,  as  his  subsequent  acts  prove.  Nevertheless, 
the  magnates  of  the  realm  consented  unto  him  and  came  to- 
gether with  one  accord  at  Berwick,  and  chose  twenty-four  of 
the  most  discreet  and  prominent  and  able  men  of  the  kingdoms 
of  Scotland  and  England,  namely,  twelve  of  England  and  as 
many  of  Scotland,  and,  after  swearing  them  by  the  great  oath, 
appointed  them  to  determine  the  above-mentioned  point  as  to 
the  right  to  the  throne ;  and  these,  after  sifting  the  truth  of 
the  affair,  found  that  Eobert  Bruce  had  the  better  right  to  the 
government  of  the  kingdom.  The  king,  however,  had  the 
entry  to  the  elected  committee  as  often  as  he  liked,  and 
pried  into  and  learnt  all  their  secrets,  and  none  gainsaid  him ; 
so,  on  pondering  that  Eobert  Bruce  thus  had  right  on  his 
side  in  the  business,  he  repaired  to  his  privy  council,  and 
drawing  some  aside  informed  them  that  he  was  displeased  at 
their  agreeing,  and  wished  they  would  by  no  means  deliver 
judgment  finally  upon  the  right  to  the  throne  without  having 


100  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

first  promised  the  vassalage  of  the  throne  of  Scotland  in  every 
way  to  him  and  his  successors.17 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Their  arguments  at  the  council  of  the  king  of  England  in  favour 
of  the  vassalage  of  the  throne  of  Scotland. 

THE  questions  of  the  king  of  England  were  answered  by  an 
Englishman  named  Anthony  Beck,  who  spoke  as  follows : — 
"  If  Robert  Bruce,  who  is  of  the  best  stock  in  the  kingdom 
of  the  English,  were  to  be  king  of  Scotland,  where  would 
Edward  king  of  England  be  ?  For  this  Robert  is  also  very 
powerful  in  Scotland,  witness  the  many  and  numberless  woful 
disasters  inflicted  in  times  past  upon  the  kingdom  of  England 
by  the  kings  of  the  aforesaid  kingdom."18  The  king  was  as  it 
were  struck  by  this,  and  patting  him  on  the  head  answered  in 
French,  saying,  "  Par  le  sang  de  Dieu,  tu  as  bien  chante" !"  that 
is  to  say,  By  God's  blood,  thou  hast  well  sung !  "  but  I  promise 
thee  things  shall  go  otherwise  than  thou  hast  imagined,  my 
friend."  And  so  all  his  councillors,  one  after  another,  now 
openly,  now  in  secret,  said  that,  if  he  delivered  a  judgment 
without  the  vassalage  of  the  throne  of  Scotland,  he  would  be 
sowing  the  seeds  of  inconceivable  injury  to  the  kingdom  ot  the 
English,  its  kings  and  people :  and  such  was  the  conclusion 
finally  arrived  at.  Thereupon  he  sent  for  the  elder  Robert 
Bruce,  and  asked  him  whether  he  would  hold  the  said  throne 
from  him  in  chief,  as  his  overlord ;  and,  if  he  did  so,  he 
would  appoint  him  king  of  that  kingdom.  But  Robert  Bruce 
answered  him  respectfully  and  quickly,  saying,  "  If  I  can  get 
the  aforesaid  kingdom  by  hereditary  right,  well  and  good ;  if 
not,  I  desire  not  to  reign  over  that  kingdom,  even  if  I  could  do 
so  by  might.  But  to  bring  under  the  yoke  the  aforesaid  king- 
dom, which  all  the  kings,  my  predecessors,  from  the  beginning 
have  held  in  freedom,  and  have  with  such  toil  and  trouble 
defended  and  kept  until  now  from  all  thraldom  or  colour  of 
vassalage,  that  I  wholly  refuse."  On  hearing  this,  he  cleverly 
had  the  aforesaid  Robert  removed  without  any  noise ;  and, 
calling  the  said  John  Balliol,  he  spoke  to  him  as  above 
described,  and  addressed  him  in  similar  words,  tempting  him. 
The  latter,  after  a  short  consultation  upon  the  aforesaid  king's 
request,  speedily  complied  with  it,  and,  so  as  to  hold  the  afore- 
said kingdom  of  Scotland  of  him  and  his  successors,  he  secretly 
promised  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  fealty  to  him  there- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  101 

upon,  as  is  customary.  When  this  was  over,  the  king,  who 
had  intimidated  all  the  jurors,  summoned  the  parties,  and 
before  all  the  great  men  of  the  kingdoms  of  England  and 
Scotland  proclaimed  John  Balliol  king,19  as  having  full  right 
to  the  throne,  and  pronounced  him  the  true  heir  to  the  throne. 
But,  after  the  said  judgment  had  been  thus  delivered,  the  earl 
of  Gloucester  said  to  the  king  of  the  English  :  "  0  king,  think 
and  ponder  in  thy  mind  what  manner  of  judgment  thou  hast 
this  day  delivered  in  this  matter ;  for  thou  must  know  that,  in 
the  examination  at  the  last  judgment,  it  will  behove  thee  to 
answer  for  this  day's  judgment  before  the  Supreme  Judge." 
On  hearing  this,  Kobert  Bruce,  by  the  said  earl's  advice, 
retired  from  the  court ;  nor  did  he  ever  do  homage  or  tender 
the  oath  of  fealty  to  John  Balliol. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

Brief  statement  of  the  genealogy  of  the  Icings  of  Scotland,  begin- 
ning from  Saint  Margaret  down  to  the  daughter  of  the  king 
of  Norway. 

IN  order,  however,  that  with  reference  to  the  right  to  the 
throne  it  might  come  out  more  clearly  to  whom  it  ought 
to  belong,  there  is  introduced  here  a  brief  consecutive  state- 
ment of  the  succession  of  the  kings  of  Scotland,  beginning 
from  King  Malcolm  and  Saint  Margaret,  down  to  the  queen  of 
Norway,  who  was  the  daughter  of  King  Alexander  in.,  and 
after  whose  death  the  whole  succession,  whether  lineal  or 
collateral,  among  the  descendants  of  King  William,  came  to  an 
end.  On  this  subject,  therefore,  observe  that  Malcolm  king  of 
Scotland  espoused  the  blessed  Queen  Margaret  in  the  year 
1067,  and  took  her  to  wife,  and  of  her  begat  six  renowned  sons, 
namely  Edward,  Edmund,  Ethelred,  Edgar,  Alexander  and 
Saint  David,  and  also  two  daughters,  Matilda,  the  good  queen 
of  England,  and  Mary,  wedded  to  the  count  of  Boulogne.  Of 
these  six  sons  three  were  crowned  kings,  namely  Edgar,  Alex- 
ander and  David,  who  begat  one  son  only,  named  Henry, 
buried  at  Kelso,  who  was  earl  of  Huntingdon.  This  Henry 
begat  three  sons,  Malcolm,  who  died  a  maiden,  William  and 
David.  This  Henry  died  before  his  father ;  and  on  the  death 
of  his  father,  the  sainted  King  David,  his  grandson  Malcolm 
came  to  the  throne,  and  was  crowned  king  at  twelve  years  old 
only,  and  reigned  only  twelve  years.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  brother  King  William,  who  reigned  fifty-two20  years,  and 


102        THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII. 

died,  and  was  buried  at  Arbroath,  which  he  himself  had 
founded.  This  King  William  begat  Alexander  II.,  who  suc- 
ceeded him  on  the  throne,  and  reigned  thirty-six  years,  and 
died  at  Curlay  (Kerrera),  and  was  buried  at  Melrose.  This 
Alexander  n.  begat  Alexander  in.,  who  succeeded  his  father, 
and  likewise  reigned  thirty-six  years,  and  died  in  the  thirty- 
seventh  year  of  his  reign  at  Kinghorn,  and  was  buried  at  Dun- 
fermline.  This  Alexander  in.  begat,  of  the  queen  of  Scotland, 
the  sister  of  Edward  I.  king  of  England,  two  sons,  Alexander 
and  David,  who  both  died  childless  before  their  father.  He 
also  begat  of  her  one  daughter,  named  Margaret,  queen  of 
Norway.  Then  this  queen  of  Scotland  died,  and  was  entombed 
at  Dunfermline.  Of  this  Margaret  queen  of  Norway,  however, 
Eric21  king  of  Norway  begat  one  daughter,  named  Margaret, 
who  died  in  girlhood,  childless.  And  thus  with  her  the  whole 
family  is  exhausted  as  far  as  David  of  Huntingdon,  the  said 
King  William's  younger  brother,  to  whose  line  we  must  needs 
go  back. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  same  continued. 

DURING  the  successive  reigns  of  Kings  Malcolm  and  William, 
kings  and  brothers-german,  David  their  brother  married  the 
countess  of  Huntingdon,  of  whom  he  begat  three  daughters. 
The  first  of  these,  called  Margaret,  was  married  to  Alan  of 
Galloway,  son  of  Rotholand,  and  of  her  this  Alan  of  Galloway 
begat  two  daughters,  the  first  of  whom,  Dorvorgilla  by  name, 
married  John  Balliol,  who  of  her  begat  one  son,  likewise  bear- 
ing his  father's  name  John;  and  this  John  was  afterwards 
king  for  a  time,  though  not  rightfully,  and  was  disgraced  and 
degraded  by  reason  of  his  unworthiness.  This  King  John 
begat  Edward  Balliol,  with  whom  the  name  of  Balliol  came 
to  an  end,  for  there  was  no  further  issue  of  either  sex  from 
these.  But  the  said  John  Balliol  begat  of  the  said  Dorvor- 
gilla, daughter  of  the  said  Alan  of  Galloway,  one  daughter, 
by  name  Marjory,  who  married  John  Cumyn,  and  of  her  this 
John  begat  one  son,  likewise  bearing  his  father's  name  John, 
whom  Robert  Bruce  killed  at  Dumfries.  This  second  John 
Cumyn,  however,  begat  one  daughter,  who  married  David 
earl  of  Athol ;  and  of  her  he  begat  several  sons,  the  eldest  of 
whom,  David  by  name,  took  the  daughter  of  the  lord  Beau- 
mont to  wife,  and  of  her  begat  one  son,  named  David.  She 
indeed  was  one  of  the  heirs  of  John  Cumyn  earl  of  Buchan. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  103 

But  the  sister  of  the  said  Dorvorgilla,  who  was  the  daughter  of 
the  said  Alan  of  Galloway  and  Margaret,  daughter  of  the  said 
earl  of  Huntingdon,  married  Koger  de  Quincy,  and  of  her  the 
said  Koger  begat  three  daughters,  who  were  married  to  three 
nobles,  namely  one  to  sir  John  Ferrars,  another  to  Alexander 
earl  of  Buchan,  whose22  eldest  daughter  Henry  Beaumont  took 
to  wife,  and  the  third  was  married  to  the  lord  Zouche.  Of 
these  sprang  an  innumerable  issue. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

The  second  daughter  of  David  of  Huntingdon. 

Now  as  to  the  second  daughter  of  the  aforesaid  Earl  David, 
the  younger  brother  of  the  said  King  William,  namely  Isabella, 
sir  Robert  Bruce  the  elder,  who  took  her  to  wife,  begat  of 
her  one  son  named  Robert.  This  second  Robert  Bruce  begat 
a  third  Robert  Bruce,  who  was  earl  of  Carrick ;  and  this  third 
Robert,  the  earl  of  Carrick,  begat  a  fourth  Robert  Bruce,  the 
most  illustrious  king  of  Scotland,  and  Edward  Bruce,  and 
several  other  uterine  brothers,  who  all,  save  King  Robert,  died 
childless.  He  also  had  several  daughters,  one  of  whom  was 
married  to  Gartenay  earl  of  Mar,  who  of  her  begat  Donald  earl 
of  Mar,  who  was  called  Baan,  and  who  was  very  successful 
in  all  his  undertakings,  and  died  at  the  battle  of  Dupplin; 
and  he  was  one  of  the  wardens  of  the  kingdom.  This  Donald 
begat  Thomas  earl  of  Mar,  who  married  the  heiress  of  Menteith, 
who  was  divorced  from  her  husband  without  issue.  Another 
daughter  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Hugh  earl  of  Ross,  who 
begat  of  her  William,  likewise  earl  of  Ross.  But  Robert 
Bruce,  while  he  was  earl  of  Carrick,  took  to  wife  Isabella, 
the  sister  of  the  said  Gartenay  earl  of  Mar,  and  of  her 
begat  an  only  daughter  named  Marjory,  who  married  Walter 
the  steward  of  Scotland ;  and  of  her  this  Walter  begat  a  son 
named  Robert,  who  was  afterwards  king,  the  first,  to  wit,  of 
this  surname,  and  the  second  of  this  name.  This  Robert 
actually,  though  not  lawfully,  married  one  of  the  daughters  of 
Adam  de  Mure,  knight,  of  whom  he  begat  sons  and  daughters 
out  of  wedlock ;  and  afterwards,  through  the  apostolic  dispen- 
sation, he  joined  her  unto  him  in  wedlock  and  legitimised  his 
issue  by  the  forms  of  the  church  in  the  year  1349.  But  on 
the  death  of  the  aforesaid  daughter  of  the  earl  of  Mar  and 
sister  of  the  said  Gartenay  earl  of  Mar,  this  Robert  Bruce 
took  to  wife  the  daughter  of  Haymer  de  Burgh  earl  of  Ulster, 


104  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

and  of  her  the  said  Robert  Bruce,  then  king  of  Scotland, 
begat  Matilda  and  Margaret.  The  said  Margaret  married  the 
earl  of  Sutherland,  who  begat  of  her  an  only  son  named  John, 
who,  with  his  father,  was  afterwards  a  hostage  in  England  for 
the  release  of  King  David,  son  of  the  said  Robert  Bruce. 
His  mother  departed  this  life  immediately  after  his  birth.  Of 
the  aforesaid  Matilda  I  say  nothing  at  all,  for  she  did  nothing 
worthy  of  remembrance.  King  Robert  Bruce  also  begat,  in 
the  seventeenth  year  of  his  reign,  an  only  son,  named  David, 
who  was  afterwards  king  and  succeeded  him.  Let  wise  and 
skilful  men  therefore  think  which  of  them  had  a  right  to  the 
throne,  for  this  is  the  true  and  correct  lineal  course  of  the  pedigree 
of  the  whole  of  the  aforesaid  family.  It  should  be  observed  also 
that  John  Balliol,  the  spouse  of  the  aforesaid  Dorvorgilla, 
died  before  the  death  of  King  Alexander  in. ;  but  the  mother23 
survived  him.  The  third  daughter  of  the  said  Earl  David  of 
Huntingdon  married  Henry  of  Hastings,  and  was  named  Ada ; 
and  of  their  issue  no  niention  is  made  in  this  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Saint  Margaret's  two  daughters. 

Now  the  aforesaid  Malcolm  begat  of  the  aforesaid  blessed 
Margaret  two  daughters,  one  of  whom,  Matilda  by  name, 
married  Henry  Beauclerk,  son  of  William  the  Bastard,  king 
and  conqueror  of  England.  This  Henry  Beauclerk  king  of 
England  begat  of  the  aforesaid  Matilda  one  daughter,  called 
Matilda  like  her  mother,  and  she  married  the  emperor  Henry 
of  Germany,  who  lived  with  her  twenty  years  and  died  without 
issue.  After  his  death  the  empress  returned  to  her  parents,  still 
alive  in  England,  and  by  their  advice  afterwards  married  the 
count  of  Andegavia,  in  French  Anjou,  and  of  Pictavia,  in  French 
Poitou,  Geoffrey  by  name.  The  count  of  Anjou  and  Poitou 
begat  of  her  one  son,  likewise  named  Henry,  and  this  Henry, 
the  son  of  the  Empress,  afterwards,  upon  the  death  of  his 
grandfather,  the  king  of  the  English,  without  children,  suc- 
ceeded him  in  the  kingdom  of  England  and  duchy  of  Nor- 
mandy through  his  grandfather  Henry  Beauclerk  king  of  the 
English;  and  he  also  succeeded  his  father  Geoffrey  in  the 
counties  of  Anjou  and  Poitou. 

Saint  Margaret's  second  daughter,  namely  Mary,  married  the 
count  of  Boulogne,  who  of  her  begat  Matilda,  who  was  first 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  105 

countess  of  Mans24  and  afterwards  queen  of  England,  wife  of 
King  Stephen  of  England;  and  she  bare  a  son,  Eustace  by 
name,  who  would  have  been  king,  only  he  died  before  his 
father.  This  is  the  whole  lineage  of  the  said  Mary,  King 
Malcolm's  second  daughter. 

Now  Saint  Fiacre 25  was  the  son  of  a  certain  king  of  Scot- 
land ;  and  when  his  church  of  Brie  was  plundered  by  the  fol- 
lowers of  the  king  of  England,  the  latter  refused  to  restore 
when  requested  to  do  so.  Wherefore  it  is  commonly  held  in 
France  that  it  was  for  this  reason,  to  avenge  the  unexpiated 
sacrilege,  that  he  deservedly  caught  the  taint  of  this  malady 
through  his  own  unworthiness — as  he  publicly  confessed  a 
little  before  his  death,  saying,  "  See  how  bitter  is  the  atrocious 
cruelty  of  the  Scots,  which  not  only  wreaks  its  vengeance  on 
the  English  nation  during  life,  but  even  after  death  attacks  it 
with  its  accustomed  severity." 


CHAPTEE   XVII. 

Balliol  and  his  most  wretched  government. 

IN  the  year  1292,  on  the  last  day  of  November,  John 
Balliol  was,  with  the  help  of  the  king  of  England,  set  up  as 
king  at  Scone,  and  was  placed  on  the  royal  seat  of  stone,  as 
the  custom  is,  and  crowned;26  and,  on  Saint  Stephen's  day 
next  following,  he,  without  consulting  the  barons,  prelates,  or 
other  inhabitants  of  the  kingdom,  shamefully  and  most  fool- 
ishly did  homage  to  King  Edward  the  tyrant,  at  Newcastle,  for 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland  which  he  was  to  hold  of  him.  Such 
a  thing  had  never  been  seen  from  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
and  until  the  end  of  the  world  shall  not  the  disgrace  thereof 
be  wiped  out.  This  John  Balliol  was  crowned  in  the  year 
1 300  less  eight.  About  the  same  time  died  Eleanor  queen  of 
England,  and  the  king  of  England  levied  a  great  tax  in 
England,  from  both  the  clergy  and  the  laity,  for  the  expulsion 
of  the  Jews  from  England.  In  these  days  also  a  strong  wind 
did  much  damage  to  Scotland  and  England,  bursting  open, 
overthrowing  and  unroofing  houses,  burning  up  and  withering 
the  grass,  uprooting  and  tearing  up  the  trees  of  the  forest,  and 
doing  a  great  deal  of  damage  besides.  In  this  year  also  the 
English  engaged  the  French  in  a  piratical  sea-fight,  where  there 
was  great  slaughter  made  of  the  Normans,  and  a  fearful  war 
broke  out  between  the  kings  of  France  and  England.  On 
account  of  this,  therefore,  King  Edward  of  England  wrote  to 


106  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

that  most  mean  king,  John  Balliol,  that  he  should,  under 
due  penalties  by  virtue  of  his  oath  and  his  homage  as  liege- 
man, lend  him  succour  with  all  his  forces  to  attack  the  king 
of  France.  When  he  was  summoned,  however,  it  was  found 
in  parliament  ^  that  he  was  not  in  the  least  bound  thereby,  on 
account  of  the  oath  having  been  extorted  from  him  by  force 
and  intimidation,  and  of  his  having  been  compelled  to  this  by 
coercion.  And,  even  if  he  had  done  this  of  his  own  accord, 
yet,  seeing  that  he  did  it  without  consulting  the  three  estates 
of  the  realm,  a  private  oath  as  to  a  public  office  is  of  no  value : 
for  the  solemn  oath  taken  at  the  king's  coronation  to  rule  the 
state  duly  and  according  to  law,  as  is  meet,  cancels  and  annuls 
all  other  carelessly  taken  and  private  oaths  repugnant  to  the 
aforesaid  oaths.  Indeed  the  king,  in  his  private  acts,  is  only  as 
a  private  person  as  regards  careless  vows  and  promises  and  oaths: 
for  the  shortcoming  of  a  single  person  ought  not  to  redound  to 
the  detriment  of  the  whole  community ;  nor,  in  like  manner, 
could  the  oath,  promise,  or  vow  of  a  prelate  have  any  weight 
against  the  privileges  of  the  church  in  matters  affecting  the 
ecclesiastical  body  or  the  privileges  of  the  hierarchy :  for  many 
systems  of  law  agree  as  to  this.  So  neither  does  the  oath 
tendered  by  the  said  John  Balliol  to  the  king  of  England, 
being  contrary  to  the  public  and  solemn  oath  of  a  king,  prove 
anything  at  all  against  the  independence  of  Scotland.  More- 
over it  is  well  known  to  all  that  long  ago  an  alliance  was 
solemnly  entered  into  with  King  Charles  of  France,  with  the 
consent  of  the  estates  of  the  realm  of  Scotland,  and  confirmed 
by  the  apostolic  see ;  and  that  it  has  been  renewed  by  all  the 
longs,  both  of  France  and  of  Scotland,  on  the  death  of  a  king ; 
and  it  stands  as  an  imperishable  bond  of  love  for  ever.  The 
king  of  Scotland  who  first  entered  into  this  alliance  with  King 
Charlemagne  in  the  year  of  grace  687  ^  was  called  Achay ;  and 
it  has  lasted  unbroken  and  unshaken  to  the  present  time  of  the 
writing  of  this  little  work,  to  wit,  the  year  of  our  Lord  1489.29 
Because  of  this,  therefore,  was  help  denied  the  said  King 
Edward  against  the  king  of  France. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Certain  incidents. 

THE  same  year,  a  little  earlier,  the  earl  of  Fife,  by  name 
Macduff,30  was  murdered ;  and  the  murderers  of  the  earl,  with 
the  view  of  depriving  his  brother  of  his  fraternal  inheritance  of 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  107 

Kilconquhar,  had  him  summoned  on  this  ground  before  the 
king  of  Scotland  in  his  parliament,  and  sued  him.  As,  how- 
ever, it  seemed  to  the  other  party  that  the  king  showed  more 
favour  to  his  opponents,  the  said  earl's  murderers,  who  were 
called  Abernethy,  than  to  him,  he  appealed  to  the  tribunal 
of  the  king  of  England,  as  being  the  paramount  tribunal ;  and, 
in  prosecuting  the  aforesaid  appeal,  contrived  to  get  King  John 
summoned  before  the  parliament  of  the  king  of  England  in 
London.  When,  therefore,  King  John  appeared  there,  and  would 
have  answered  before  the  king  of  England  by  his  procura- 
tors, the  king  of  England  would  not  let  the  king  of  Scotland 
answer  thus  by  his  procurators  until  he,  King  John,  had  first 
answered  in  person  before  him  as  he  sat 31  on  the  bench ;  and 
afterwards  he  might,  on  asking  leave,  hand  over  the  prosecution 
of  his  cause  to  his  aforesaid  procurators.  So  King  John,  to 
fulfil  the  commands  of  the  king  of  England,  stood  on  his  trial 
before  him,  and  suffered  much  contumely  and  contempt  and 
countless  affronts.  At  length,  handing  over  his  cause  to  his  pro- 
curators, and  taking  his  leave,  he  went  home  again  utterly  dis- 
graced, and  was  received  by  the  magnates  and  lords  of  the  realm 
with  such  reverence  as  was  meet.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in  the 
country,  however,  he  called  the  chief  men  together  and  held  a 
parliament ;  and,  openly  setting  forth  before  all  of  them  all  the 
wrongs,  affronts  and  contumely  heaped  upon  him  by  the  said 
king  of  England,  he  publicly  requested  their  opinion  how  to 
set  the  matter  right,  and  promised  to  give  effect  to  it  by  all 
means  in  his  power.  At  length  it  was  settled  there  in  parlia- 
ment that  King  John  should  altogether  recall  the  homage 
tendered  and  fealty  promised  by  him  to  the  king  of  England, 
and  should  thenceforth  refuse  to  perform  them,  as  having  been 
extorted  from  him  by  force  and  intimidation;  and  that  he 
would  no  longer  obey  him  or  his  commands  on  these  and  other 
points  touching  the  vassalage  or  independence  of  the  kingdom. 
Meanwhile,  upon  war  breaking  out  between  this  king  of  the 
English  and  the  Welsh,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  king  of 
France,  on  the  other,  this  Edward  king  of  England  wrote  to  the 
aforesaid  John  king  of  Scotland  to  lend  him  assistance  against 
them ;  but  this  was  briefly  altogether  refused  him,  and  the  king 
of  England  was  therefore  very  wroth,  and  loudly  vowed  re- 
venge. In  the  meantime  the  chief  men  of  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  sent  over  in  all  haste  ambassadors  to  the  king  of 
France,  namely  the  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews  and  the  bishop  of 
Dunkeld,  together  with  two  knights,  the  lord  Soulis32  and 
Ingram  Humfraville,  to  arrange  a  marriage  between  a  niece  of 
that  king  of  France  and  Edward  Balliol,  son  of  the  said  king 


108  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

of  Scotland,  and  also  to  renew  the  already  existing  alliance  ; 
and  they  were  to  explain  to  him  in  set  terms  the  affair  with 
the  king  of  England.  These  ambassadors  were  received  with 
pleasure,  and  sent  on  their  way  rejoicing,  and  returned  with 
gladness  to  their  own  country. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Terms  of  the  alliance  between  the  kings  of  France  and  Scotland. 

PHILIP,  by  the  grace  of  God  king  of  the  French,  to  all  who 
shall  look  on  these  presents.  Among  all  those  things  whereby 
the  aggrandisement  of  rulers  and  kingdoms  is  brought  about, 
the  delights  of  peace  and  tranquil  quiet  are  gained  and  the 
happiness  and  prosperity  of  the  subject  are  consulted,  this 
seems,  on  attentive  consideration,  to  be  the  chief,  that  a  firmly 
cemented  and  loving  union  and  a  faithful  and  friendly  alliance 
be  nourished  between  kings  and  kingdoms,  so  that  kings  and 
princes  may,  when  the  case  demands,  evince  one  towards 
another,  especially  through  zeal  for  justice,  a  feeling  of  friendly 
affection  in  repelling  the  outrages  and  insolence  of  the  froward 
and  in  beating  back  hostile  attacks ;  that  each  willingly  help 
the  other  in  weal,  and  not  fail  him  in  woe :  so  that,  by  means 
at  least  of  a  timely  protection,  the  outrageous  assaults  of  the 
haters  of  peace  be  wholesomely  repressed  and  the  sweetness  of 
welcome  peace  be  brought  forth, — in  the  beauty  whereof  the 
devout  sons  of  peace  may  the  more  devoutly,  because  the  more 
calmly,  serve  the  Author  of  peace.  Accordingly,  the  renowned 
prince  John,  the  illustrious  king  of  Scots,  Our  particular  friend, 
having  regard  to  the  aforesaid  benefits  and  advantages,  has  sent 
unto  Us  the  venerable  fathers  William  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews 
and  Matthew  bishop  of  Dunkeld,  and  John  de  Soulis  and 
Ingram  de  Humfraville,  as  his  ambassadors  and  procurators, 
specially  appointed  therefor,  as  is  more  fully  contained  in 
certain  letters  procuratory  drawn  up  thereanent  and  sealed 
with  the  said  king's  seal,  to  arrange  a  treaty  of  alliance  and 
friendship.  So  We  with  hearty  good-will  concur  in  the  said 
king's  praiseworthy  wishes  on  this  point ;  and,  in  order  that  the 
closeness  of  the  alliance  and  the  bond  of  fruitful  friendship  may 
flourish  the  more  vigorously  and  last  the  more  steadfastly  the 
more  strongly  the  link  is  forged,  it  is  covenanted  and  agreed 
between  Us,  with  the  assent  and  concurrence  of  our  very  dear 
and  faithful  brother  Charles  count  of  Valois  and  Anjou,  and  the 
aforesaid  procurators,  as  procurators  on  behalf  of  the  aforesaid 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  109 

king,  that  a  marriage  be  arranged  between  Edward,  the  said  king's 
eldest  son  and  the  future  king  of  Scotland,  and  the  daughter 
of  our  aforesaid  brother ;  and  we  promise  to  give  the  said  king 
of  Scotland,  in  his  said  son's  name,  as  a  marriage  portion  with 
the  aforesaid  daughter,  twenty- five  thousand  livres  Tournois  in 
ready  money;  and  the  said  John  king  of  Scotland  aforesaid  shall 
be  bound  to  give  and  allot  fifteen  hundred  pounds  sterling  of 
yearly  rent  as  a  dower  or  portion  on  account  of  the  said  mar- 
riage, which  shall  be  a  charge  on  the  following  places,  namely, 
Ballieul,  Dampierre,  Olincourt  and  Hornoy  in  the  kingdom  of 
France,  and  Lanark,  Cadeouch,  Conynghame,  Haddington  and 
Doune  Castle  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  with  the  pertinents 
of  the  said  places,  together  with  all  manner  of  judicial  rights 
and  jurisdictions  not  connected  with  the  crown.33 


CHAPTER   XX. 

The  treaty  continued. — Terms  of  the  principal  clause, 
as  inserted  in  the  royal  letter. 

THIS  king,  moreover,  like  a  righteous  prince,  as  well  from  his 
zeal  for  justice  as  from  the  warmth  of  the  affection  which  he  is 
confidently  known  to  bear  towards  Us  and  the  people  of  Our 
kingdom,  taking  in  ill  part  the  grievous  wrongs,  extraordinary 
outrages,  hostile  attacks,  and  iniquitous  agressions  which  the  king 
of  England,  breaking  the  due  of  fealty  whereto  he  was  bound  unto 
Us,  is  known  to  have  in  many  and  sundry  ways  hitherto  in- 
flicted, and  is  ever  striving  and  endeavouring  to  inflict,  upon 
Us  and  Our  faithful  subjects,  and  being  prepared,  with  dis- 
interested friendliness,  to  give  us  effectual  and  powerful  help 
towards  the  wholesome  repression  of  these  outrages  and  the 
opposing  of  these  attacks,  so  that  a  feeling  of  mutual  love  may 
bind  Us  and  Our  successors  the  more  closely  to  him  and  his,  has 
confided  to  the  said  procurators,  and  the  procurators  themselves 
have,  in  the  king's  name  and  on  his  behalf,  expressly  promised 
Us,  that  the  said  king  of  Scotland  will,  in  the  present  war,  fight 
against  the  said  king  of  England,  his  abettors  and  allies,  the 
king  of  Germany  as  well  as  any  others  whatever,  if  need  be, 
arid  will  publicly  and  openly  help  Us  and  Our  successors,  if 
the  war  be  prolonged  to  their  time,  with  his  forces  and  those  of 
his  kingdom  both  by  land  and  sea,  and  will  give  Us  timely 
advice  and  assistance.  And,  as  the  outrageous  undertakings  of 
the  aforesaid  king  of  England  may  the  more  easily  be  foiled, 
and  the  said  king  may  the  more  quickly  be  forced  to  retreat 


110  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

from  his  froward  hostile  inroads  the  more  he  is  occupied  else- 
where, the  said  king  of  Scotland  will  make  it  his  business  to 
levy  and  carry  on  war  against  the  king  of  England  at  his  own 
charges  and  expense,  with  his  whole  force  and  that  also  of  the 
people  of  his  kingdom,  as  often  as  it  shall  be  convenient ;  while 
We  carry  on  and  keep  up  the  war  he  has  begun.34  Moreover, 
the  aforesaid  procurators,  as  procurators  on  behalf  of  the  said 
king  of  Scotland,  promised  that  as  well  the  prelates,  so  far  as 
they  are  called  upon  by  law  so  to  do,  as  also  the  earls,  barons 
and  town  communities  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  shall 
equally,  in  the  aforesaid  war,  bear  themselves  towards  Us  and 
Our  successors,  in  such  manner  in  every  respect  as  stated 
above;  and  they  shall  likewise  make  war  upon  the  king  of 
England  with  all  their  forces,  as  described  above.  To  insure 
this,  therefore,  the  prelates,  earls,  barons  and  other  nobles,  as 
well  as  the  whole  of  the  foremost  communities  **  of  the  said 
kingdom,  shall,  as  soon  as  may  be,  send  Us  their  letters-patent 
on  the  subject,  sealed  with  their  seals.  It  was  moreover  agreed 
between  Us  and  the  aforesaid  procurators  on  the  same  behalf, 
that,  if  it  should  haply  come  to  pass  that  the  before-mentioned 
king  of  England  should  assemble  his  forces  and  invade  the  king- 
dom of  Scotland,  personally  or  through  another,  after  such  war 
has  been  begun  by  the  said  king  of  Scotland  at  Our  request,  or 
after  the  close  alliance  now  entered  into  between  Us  and  the 
said  king  and  people  of  Scotland,  under  such  circumstances, 
provided  We  are  forewarned  of  it  in  proper  time  by  the  said 
king,36  We  should  help  him  by  keeping  the  said  king  of  England 
employed  elsewhere,  so  that  he  might  be  diverted  from  the  afore- 
said invasion  he  shall  have  undertaken,  or  by  sending  the  said 
king  of  Scotland  adequate  reinforcements,  at  Our  expense  until 
they  reach  Scotland.  Again,  if  perchance  the  king  of  England 
personally  should  leave  the  territory  of  England,  or  should  per- 
chance, during  a  war  between  Ourselves  and  him,  drain  the  said 
country  of  a  considerable  number  of  armed  infantry,  the  afore- 
said procurators,  as  procurators  on  the  said  behalf,  have  promised 
that,  especially  in  such  a  case,  the  said  king  of  Scotland  should 
not  fail  to  penetrate  into  the  land  of  England  as  widely  and  as 
far  as  he  can,  with  his  whole  forces,  and  make  war  and  do 
battle  in  the  field,  besieging,  devastating  and  fighting  against 
the  king  of  England  and  his  territory  in  all  the  aforesaid  ways 
in  his  power,  and  at  his  expense,  as  already  said.  Furthermore, 
it  is  settled  and  expressly  covenanted  between  Us  and  the  afore- 
said procurators,  on  the  said  behalf,  that  We  shall  not  come  to 
terms,  nor  do  we  intend  to  do  so,  in  a  war  which  the  aforesaid 
king  of  Scotland  and  his  successors  shall  wage  on  Our  behalf 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  Ill 

against  the  aforesaid  king  of  England,  after  they  shall  have  made 
such  war  at  Our  request ;  or,  in  case  the  king  of  Scotland  shall 
have  already  made  such  war,  on  account  of  the  tie  and  alliance 
entered  into,  or  the  king  of  England  against  him,  on  account  of 
the  foregoing,  neither  in  such  a  war  shall  we  do  so,  or  make  peace 
or  a  truce  with  the  aforesaid  king,  unless  they  are  included  in 
the  said  truce  or  treaty  of  peace ;  nor,  in  like  manner,  shall  they 
be  empowered  to  do  so  without  Us,  in  all  such  wars  as  above 
described.  For  all  and  sundry  which  above-stated  points  to  be 
kept  firmly  and  faithfully  fulfilled  and  inviolably  observed  We 
pledge  Ourselves,  for  Ourselves  and  Our  successors,  to  the  said 
king  of  Scotland  and  his  successors,  and  Our  heirs  and  suc- 
cessors, and  all  Our  and  their  property,  movable  and  immov- 
able, present  and  future,  wherever  and  in  whatever  place  it 
may  be.  And  it  is  for  the  said  king  of  Scotland  to  ratify  and 
approve  the  treaties,  covenants  and  agreements  and  all  and 
sundry  the  above  writings ;  and  he  shall  take  care  to  send  Us 
his  letters-patent,  sealed  with  his  great  seal,  as  soon  as  he  can, 
upon  the  ratification,  approval  and  renewal  of  the  above. 


CHAPTEE   XXL 

King  John  withdraws  the  homage  foolishly  done  by  him  to  the 
king  of  England,  contrary  to  the  privileges  of  the  crown. 

IN  the  year  1296 37  the  unhappy  King  John,  by  the  advice  of 
some  of  his  adherents,  marshalled  and  sent  all  the  nobles  and 
freeholders  as  well  as  the  rest  of  the  valiant  men  of  the  earldom 
of  Fife,  which  was  then  without  a  head  and  bereft  of  a  ruler,  to 
garrison  and  defend  the  town  of  Berwick,  where  the  danger  was 
the  most  threatening  at  the  time  ;  and  there  a  strong  fleet  of  the 
king  of  England  arrived,  laden  with  a  great  multitude  of  men- 
at-arms,  who  delivered  a  grand  assault  from  the  sea.  The  garri- 
son of  the  town,  however,  who  were  stout  fighters,  stalwart  and 
strong  and  of  fierce  courage,  by  main  force  drove  back  their 
assailants,  and  eighteen  ships  laden  with  men-at-arms ;  and 
these  they  burnt  with  fire,  after  having  slain  all  on  board.  But, 
in  the  following  year  after  this,  the  king  of  England,  who  was 
strongly  irritated  by  the  aforesaid  and  other  causes,  marched  in 
person,  with  a  large  force  of  men-at-arms,  to  the  said  town  of 
Berwick ;  and  although  he  could  not  take  the  town  by  force, 
yet  he  cast  about  to  circumvent  it  by  stratagem.  So,  after  he 
had  encamped  round  the  town  and  lingered  there  a  while,  he 
pretended  he  was  going  to  withdraw  thence  altogether,  struck 


112  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

his  tents,  and  made  a  feint  of  going  on.  But  on  the  29th 
of  March,  at  dawn  of  day,  hoisting  in  a  wood  near  the  town 
the  cunningly  imitated  and  counterfeited  banners  and  other 
standards  of  the  Scottish  nation,  he  approached  the  gates  of  the 
town  and  sent  messengers  to  those  who  were  in  the  town 
announcing  that  reinforcements  were  coming  from  the  king. 
When  the  Scots  saw  this,  they  were  glad,  being,  so  to  speak, 
simple-minded  and  free  from  guile ;  so,  seeing  their  true-seem- 
ing ensigns  and  tokens,  and  not  dreaming  of  trickery,  they 
opened  their  gates  before  them,  and  all  who  would  came  in. 
But  alas !  when,  soon,  they  found  out  the  trick  and  became 
aware  of  the  truth  and  strove  to  withstand  them,  they  were  at 
once  overwhelmed  by  a  multitude  of  foes  and  perished  in  sudden 
onslaughts  and  charges.  Then  the  king  of  England  directed  that 
neither  age  nor  sex  should  be  spared,  and  they  all  without  excep- 
tion were  put  to  the  sword.  So  long  indeed  did  the  slaughter 
last  in  that  most  woful  disaster,  that  streams  of  blood  from  the 
gore  of  the  slain  poured  out  and  flowed  for  some  days  through 
the  streets  and  squares  of  the  town.  The  number  of  the  bodies 
of  the  slain  was  seven  thousand  five  hundred,  in  addition  to 
others  not  found.  The  most  powerful  nobles  of  Fife  utterly 
perished  there. 


CHAPTEE  XXII. 

The  whole  of  the  beneficed  English  ousted  from  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  by  Fresale  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews. 

!• 

THE  same  year,  owing  to  most  unmistakable  proofs  of  plotting 
against  the  kingdom,  or  the  king,  or  the  state,  as  well  as  on 
suspicion,  all  the  beneficed  persons  of  English  birth  were  ex- 
pelled from  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  and  wholly  deprived  of 
their  benefices  by  "William  Fresale,  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews, 
and  his  vicars  in  spiritualities  ;  and  moreover  all  of  that  nation- 
ality, both  clergy  and  laymen,  of  whatever  condition  in  life, 
were,  without  exception,  cast  out  of  the  kingdom.  Nor  is  it  to 
be  borne  that  enemies  should  be  allowed  to  nestle  in  the  bosom 
of  friends ;  and,  even  though  the  pope  should  suffer  this,  the 
king  ought  not  to  allow  it,  to  nurse  fire  in  his  bosom.  Be  it 
observed  that,  according  to  the  chronicles,  the  bishop  of  Dun- 
blane has  a  just  title  to  the  domains  of  Appleby,  of  Congeres, 
of  Troclingham  and  of  Malemath,  by  a  grant  from  the  lord 
thereof,  whose  son  Saint  Blane  raised  from  the  dead.  Observe 
also  that  the  town  of  Berwick  was  given  to  the  monastery  of 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  113 

Durham,  and  King  Edgar  king  of  Scotland,  son  of  Saint  Mar- 
garet, took  it  back  for  the  crime  of  high  treason,  and  forfeited 
it  and  appropriated  it  again  to  the  crown,  because  of  the  un- 
•worthiness  of  the  bishop  of  this  place,  Ranulph  by  name.  Now 
William  Wallace  was  the  man  who  carried  into  execution  the 
sentence  of  the  church  against  the  deprived  English,  and  he 
expelled  them  altogether  from  the  country  by  force.  Saint 
Gely  Grange  also  and  Spitalton  were  a  domain  of  the  monks  of 
Holme;  but,  on  the  ground  likewise  of  high  treason,  King 
David,  son  of  Saint  Margaret,  deprived  the  said  monks  of  those 
lands  for  plotting  against  the  king's  majesty.  Other  confis- 
cated lands,38  moreover,  confiscated  for  the  same  reason,  he  gave 
to  the  lord  of  Eiccarton,  who  still  possesses  them.  On  similar 
grounds  also  of  ingratitude  and  the  crime  of  high  treason,  the 
priory  of  Coldingham,  which  previously  belonged  to  the  monas- 
tery of  Durham,  was  bestowed  upon  Dunfermline  Abbey  by 
King  Eobert,  as  could  be  most  fully  proved  by  proofs  pre- 
pared thereanent  and  shown  to  the  said  monastery.  The  king 
was  prompted  thereto  chiefly  by  a  prior  of  English  birth,  named 
Claxston,  having  revealed  certain  royal  secrets  of  the  most 
secret  council  of  the  realm  to  the  council  of  the  king  of  England, 
in  violation  of  the  oath  he  had  taken ;  together  with  many 
other  most  infamous  acts  which  prompted  the  king  thereto, 
such  as  the  bringing  base  coin,  both  gold  and  silver,  into  the 
country,  in  contravention  of  the  royal  edict  of  the  parliament  of 
Scotland.  Drax  and  Hakles,  too,  monks  of  Durham,  who 
thrust  themselves  into  the  said  priory,  were  afterwards,  for 
similar  reasons,  expelled  by  kings  and  governors  of  Scotland. 
But  after  these  things,  on  hearing  of  the  taking  of  Berwick,  the 
Scots  who  were  marshalled  by  King  John  for  the  rescue  of 
the  said  town  encountered  the  English,  on  the  27th  of  April,  at 
Dunbar,  near  a  place  called  Spot ;  and  here  fell  many  nobles  of 
Scotland.  Those,  however,  who  escaped  from  the  battle  after  it 
was  decided,  hoping  for  succour  and  fleeing  with  the  hope  of 
saving  their  lives,  though  they  were  gladly  welcomed,  to  the 
number  of  seventy  knights  with  the  nobles  in  their  train, 
among  whom  were  the  earl  of  Eoss,  Patrick  Graham 39  and  the 
earl  of  Menteith,  yet  an  infamous  traitor  treacherously  gave 
them  over  to  the  king  of  England,  like  harmless  sheep  led  to 
the  slaughter.  His  name  was  Kichard  de  Suard,  the  warden  of 
the  said  castle  of  Dunbar.  Therefore  no  one  need  wonder 
that  the  said  castle  and  domain  are  confiscated  in  the  king's 
hands,  for  many  evils  have  been  wrought  by  this  castle. 


114        THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VIII. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

Robert  Bruce  and  Balliol — Their  partisans — Disunion 
in  the  country. 

IN  the  words  of  Christ  in  the  Gospel  it  is  said  that  every 
kingdom  divided  against  itself  is  brought  to  desolation ;  and  we 
see  most  clearly  and  truly  that  this  took  place  in  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland  in  these  days.  For  there  sided  with  sir  Robert 
Bruce,  in  every  way  they  could,  the  prelates  of  the  realm,  the 
nobles,  and  especially  the  bishop  of  Glasgow  and  his  friends, 
together  with  the  earls  of  Athol  and  of  Mar ;  while  the  earl  of 
Buchan,  with  his  followers  the  Comyngs,  of  which  surname 
there  were  many  nobles  in  those  days,  sided  with  John  Balliol. 
These  parties  and  their  partisans,  with  their  followers,  waged  a 
deadly  war  against  one  another ;  whence  the  poor  people  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  suffered  much,  and  were,  by  reason  of  this 
strife,  devoured  and  ravaged  by  "the  fangs  of  maddened  wolves." 
But  after  the  victory  gained  in  the  battle  of  Spot  near  Dunbar, 
as  already  stated,  the  elder  Robert  Bruce  went  up  to  the  king 
of  England,  and  besought  him  not  to  fail  him,  but  to  help  him, 
as  he  had  promised,  in  getting  the  kingdom  of  Scotland ;  but 
that  old  serpent,  that  consummate  framer  of  treachery  and 
deceit,  with  no  little  indignation  and  with  a  savage  countenance, 
answered  him  in  French  on  this  wise, "  Non  avons  nous  autre  chose 
dfaire  que  d  vous  reaume  gargnier  ?"  that  is  to  say :  "  Have  We 
nothing  to  do  but  to  win  a  kingdom  for  thee  ? "  So  the  said 
Robert,  hearing  this,  and  turning  over  in  his  mind  the  crafti- 
ness of  the  adroit  answer,  without  further  remark  departed  from 
the  king  to  his  own  place,  namely  his  lands  in  England,  and 
never  afterwards  showed  himself  in  Scotland. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

The  castles  of  Scotland  taken  by  King  Edward — John 
Balliol  taken. 

THE  tyrant  King  Edward,  then,  marching  on  after  the  battle 
of  Dunbar,  and  having  taken  that  same  castle  of  Dunbar, 
came  to  Edinburgh,  and  the  castle  was  in  like  manner  sur- 
rendered into  his  hands,  as  also  the  castle  of  Stirling;  and 
thence  the  king  marched  on  after  John  Balliol  as  far  as  the 
castle  of  Forfar,  and  was  met  by  John  Cumyn,  lord  of  Strath- 
bolgy,  who  made  his  submission  to  him  and  brought  back  John 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  115 

Balliol  and  his  son  from  Aberdeen  to  Munross  (Montrose)  to 
meet  him.  Here,  at  Munross  castle,  the  said  John  Balliol, 
stripped  of  his  royal  robes  and  holding  a  white  wand  in  his 
hand,  having  been  craftily  won  over  to  the  king  of  England 
by  the  said  John  by  force  and  intimidation,  unconditionally  re- 
signed into  the  bands  of  the  said  king  of  England  all  right  and 
claim  he  himself  had  or  in  any  wise  might  have  to  the  throne 
of  Scotland,  and  made  it  over  by  his  letters-patent,  which  he 
produced,  signed  with  his  seal ;  the  terms  whereof  are  in  form 
and  effect  as  follows  : — 

John,  by  the  grace  of  God  king  of  Scots,  to  all  who  shall 
look  on  these  presents,  Greeting.  As  We,  lately  enticed  and 
foolishly  and  deceitfully  tricked  by  the  promptings  of  certain 
froward  persons  and  by  Our  corrupt  advisers,  have  grievously 
offended,  and  have  of  our  own  motion  provoked  and  stirred  to 
anger  Our  renowned  prince  and  lord,  the  lord  Edward,  by  the 
grace  of  God  king  of  England,  etc.,  in  various  ways,  and  espe- 
cially, among  other  things,  because  We,  while  abiding  in  fealty 
and  homage  and  security  with  him,  refusing  to  live  in  mere 
plenty  and  moderation,  or  rather  not  knowing  how  to  persevere 
to  the  end,  have  unadvisedly  entered  into  the  yoke  of  mutual 
ties  and  a  treaty  and  bond  of  alliance  with  the  king  of  France, 
and  have,  as  a  further  proof  of  this  alliance,  sought  the  daughter 
of  the  lord  Charles,  his  brother,  in  marriage  for  Our  son 
Edward,  the  heir  to  the  throne  of  Scotland,  thus  joining  the 
chiefest  foe  of  Our  said  king  of  England,  to  his  no  slight  injury 
and  grievance,  and,  to  the  hurt  and  detriment  of  his  royal 
majesty,  violently  assailing  him  and  his,  to  the  best  of  Our 
power,  by  destroying  his  lands,  plundering  his  people  and  sub- 
jects, and  by  the  fell  inroads  of  war ;  and,  passing  over  the 
rest,  these  crooked  intrigues  of  Ours  have  prevailed  to  such  an 
extent,  and  so  blinded  the  fierceness  of  Our  spirit,  that,  throwing 
off  with  unbridled  license  faith,  fealty  and  allegiance  to  Our 
said  lord,  and  wholly  and  altogether  refusing  and  scorning 
them,  without  mentioning40  the  extortions  of  evildoers  and  the 
plundering  ravages  of  war,  We  have  unpardonably  placed  Our 
men  and  the  subjects  of  Our  land  in  the  castles,  towns,  fortresses 
and  boroughs  freely  belonging,  or  which  ought  duly  to  belong, 
in  fee  to  Our  said  lord  by  right,  within  the  territory  of  Scot- 
land, in  order  to  break  down  Our  said  lord's  interests,  liberties 
and  feudal  authority  ;  so  Our  mischievous  acts  have  got  their 
deserts,  and  have  wantonly  roused  Our  said  lord's  most  bitter 
wrath  and  indignation,  so  that  Our  said  lord  has  with  a  strong 
hand  and  with  a  mighty  arm  made  a  hostile  advance  into  the 
territory  of  Scotland  with  a  force  of  men-at-arms,  and  has  fought 


1 1 6  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

against  it  with  his  utmost  might ;  and  he  has  brought  it  back 
under  his  sway  and  dominion,  Our  forces  and  power  being  of 
no  avail  whatever  to  withstand  this ;  We  therefore,  longing  to 
repair  this  mischief  to  his  satisfaction,  voluntarily  restore  and 
gratuitously  resign  to  Our  said  lord,  purely  of  Our  own  free 
will  and  with  free  and  full  control,  the  whole  aforesaid  land  of 
Scotland,  and  all  and  sundry  its  folk,  people  and  inhabitants, 
together  with  the  homage  and  allegiance  of  the  whole.  In  wit- 
ness whereof  We  have  caused  these  presents  to  be  drawn  up  at 
Munros,  on  the  10th  day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  1296, 
and  the  fourth  of  Our  reign. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

The  magnates  and  the  Estates  of  Scotland  are  forced  likewise  to 
do  homage  to  the  king  of  England. 

AFTER  this  the  king  of  England  had  the  said  John  Balliol, 
together  with  his  son  the  said  Edward,  brought  to  London,  and 
he  kept  them  imprisoned  there  for  a  while.  Afterwards,  how- 
ever, still  keeping  the  son,  he  released  the  father,  who  took  an 
oath  never  to  claim  a  right  to  the  throne  of  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland;  and  his  lands  of  Ballieul  only  were  restored  to 
him,  and  he  ended  his  days  in  France.  His  son  Edward  was 
allowed  to  enjoy  his  patrimony  in  France,  under  the  same  oath 
duly  administered  to  him ;  and  he  remained  there  after  his 
father's  death  until  his  preparations  for  the  campaign  which  he 
opened  at  Duplin.  But  Edward  king  of  England,  after  the 
invalid  resignation  of  the  throne  of  Scotland,  moved  to  Berwick, 
where  he  had  all  the  lords  and  prelates  of  Scotland  summoned 
before  him.  These  for  the  most  part  came  thither  and  did  him 
homage,  such  as  it  was,  after  their  wont,  though  compelled  by 
force  and  intimidation,  and  surrendered  unto  him  the  castles 
and  chief  strongholds  of  the  kingdom.  He,  however,  did  not 
change  the  captains  or  the  other  officers  of  justice;  biit,  having 
administered  an  oath  to  them,  he  put  each  one  of  them  in  the 
position  he  had  held.  Nevertheless,  the  captains  of  the  chief 
strongholds  he  did  change,  and  he  commissioned  other  wardens 
in  their  stead,  and  appointed  treasurers  and  other  receivers  of 
rents.41  Thereupon,  believing  himself  to  be  pretty  sure  of  the 
humble  obedience  of  the  Scots,  he  set  about  making  war  upon 
the  king  of  the  French.  But,  straightway  after  his  departure 
from  England  to  France,  all  the  magnates  of  Scotland,  as  well 
as  other  Scots  of  the  English  party,  were  gathered  together  at 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSUAUUEN.      BOOK  VIII.  1 1  7 

Scone,  and  opened  their  parliament  there.  Here  they  appointed 
twelve  wardens  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  or  peers  of  the 
realm,  for  the  guardianship  and  protection  of  the  realm  and  the 
defence  of  its  liberty ;  and,  in  order  that  such  appointment 
might  be  the  more  stable  and  strong,  they  all  with  one  accord 
were  sworn  together  by  the  great  oath  to  extend  favour,  advice 
and  help  one  to  another.  Then  they  repair  the  ruined  castles 
and  put  captains  and  wardens  in  the  strongest  and  securest 
places,  and  set  about  in  every  possible  way  bravely  to  withstand 
King  Edward's  villainous  cruelty  and  meet  his  violent  attacks 
and  encroachments.  One  of  the  chief  wardens,  moreover,  John 
Cumyn  earl  of  Buchan,  was  chosen  leader  and,  marching  into 
England  with  a  large  army,  wasted  the  northern  districts  of 
England  with  fire  and  sword,  burnt  two  monasteries,  and 
besieged  Carlisle ;  but  he  retreated  without  accomplishing  his 
purpose.  In  that  year  indeed,  in  1297,  the  aforesaid  Edward 
came  back  to  England  from  France  without  having  accom- 
plished his  purpose ;  for  he  was  then  unwilling  to  give  battle  to 
the  king  of  France,  for  there  was  an  arrangement  between 
them,  and  their  troth  was  plighted,  for  a  marriage  between 
Edward  king  of  England  and  Margaret  sister  of  King  Philip. 
So  he  assembled  a  strong  army  to  make  war  upon  the  nobles  of 
Scotland  to  the  best  of  his  power,  as  well  by  stratagem  and 
craft  as  by  main  force. 

CHAPTER   XXV. 

William,  Wallace. 

THE  same  year  that  renowned  champion  William  Wallace,  the 
terror  of  the  English,  the  son  of  a  noble  knight  of  the  same  name, 
rose  in  Scotland.  He  was  very  tall  of  stature,  of  great  bodily 
strength,  pleasant  and  merry  of  countenance,  of  kindly  seeming  to 
all  his  friends  but  terrible  to  his  foes,  bounteous  in  gifts,  most 
righteous  in  judgment.  Being  a  true  Scot,  he  loathed  the  English 
nation  and  their  ways ;  and,  at  the  outset  of  his  rebellion  against 
the  English  nation,  he  slew  the  sheriff  of  Lanark  and  many  others 
with  him.  From  that  time  there  were  gathered  unto  him  all 
who  were  bitter  in  spirit  and  weighed  down  by  the  burden  of 
most  wretched  thraldom  under  the  unbearable  domination  of 
the  English  nation.  He  became  their  leader  and  one  of  the 
wardens  of  Scotland  ;  for  he  was  a  man  of  wonderful  courage 
and  daring,  of  knightly  origin.  His  brother,  sir  Andrew  Wal- 
lace, was  girded  with  the  belt  of  knighthood,  and  was  a  very 
distinguished  and  gallant  knight ;  and  his  patrimony  is  still  in 


118  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

the  possession  of  his  descendants.42  He  himself,  however,  over- 
threw the  English  on  all  sides  and  was  always  successful  against 
them,  so  that  by  force  and  by  dint  of  his  prowess  he  in  a  short 
time  brought  all  the  magnates  of  Scotland  under  his  control, 
whether  they  would  or  no ;  and,  Tfrhen  all  had  thus  been  gained 
over,  he  held  out  manfully,  and  devoted  himself  with  all  his 
might  to  storming  the  stronger  castles  and  bringing  under  the 
sway  and  dominion  of  the  Scots  the  strongholds  where  the  Eng- 
lish were  in  power ;  for  his  aim  was  ever  skilfully  to  overthrow 
and  undo  the  English,  always  sagaciously  casting  about  to  com- 
pass by  tact  and  cunning  all  he  was  unable  to  achieve  by  force 
and  the  strong  hand.  In  all  his  doings,  and  in  the  carrying  out 
of  every  undertaking,  he  would  exhort  his  comrades  always  to 
have  the  cause  of  the  freedom  of  Scotland  before  their  eyes  in 
battle,  and  to  charge  iii  its  name.  He  also  told  them  off  by 
fives,  appointing  one  to  have  command  and  maintain  discipline 
over  four  under  him,  and  another  over  ten,  and  so  with  each  of 
them ;  and  he  gave  instructions  that  whoever  would  not  obey 
his  superiors  in  the  ordering  of  the  battle  should  be  summarily 
put  to  death;  and  so  on  up  to  twenty-five  and  fifty  and  a 
hundred  in  their  several  ranks,43  according  to  the  advice  given 
to  Moses  by  his  kinsman  Jethro,  both  in  the  administration 
of  justice  and  in  the  ordering  of  the  battle.  Would  that  our 
princes  now-a-days  would  take  care  to  adhere  to  such  an 
arrangement  in  matters  of  justice  and  war,  for  it  is  well  known 
to  be  of  the  highest  importance  to  a  general  in  war,  or  to  a  king 
or  governor  of  a  kingdom, — from  a  hundred  to  five  hundred, 
from  five  hundred  to  a  thousand,  to  ten  thousand  and  a  hundred 
thousand.  For  thus  said  Jethro  to  Moses,  who  used  to  sit  from 
morning  till  night  hearing  causes  in  all  matters  :  "  O  fool,  thou 
wilt  wear  thyself  out  with  over  many  cares,  for  thou  art  not  able 
to  master  everything.  Choose  therefore  out  of  the  whole  nation 
able  men,  who  fear  God,  hate  covetousness,  and  in  whom  is  truth, 
and  from  among  them  appoint  commanders  of  five  hundred, 
commanders  of  hundreds  and  commanders  of  tens,  to  judge  the 
people  at  all  seasons ;  and,  if  anything  is  too  great  for  them,  let 
it  be  brought  before  thee."  And  thus  he  himself  became  the 
general  and  the  leader  of  men. 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

He  destroys  Northumberland — Other  events. 

AT  length  the  renown  of  William  Wallace's  name  was  so 
spread  about,  that  the  noise  of  the  damage  done  by  him  to  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  119 

natives  of  England  reached  the  ears  of  the  king  of  England, 
who  sent  into  Scotland  a  large  force  of  men-at-arms,  with 
his  treasurer  Hugh  Cressingham,  to  curb  the  daring  of  this 
William  Wallace.  On  hearing  this,  William  Wallace,  who  was 
then  engaged  on  the  siege  of  Dundee  Castle,  intrusted  it  to 
the  burgesses  and,  mustering  his  forces,  set  himself  without 
much  ado  to  oppose  the  aforesaid  treasurer  with  all  haste.  He 
accordingly  engaged  him  at  Stirling  bridge  on  the  llth  of  Sep- 
tember 1297,  and  made  great  havoc  among  his  train.  Sir  Hugh 
was  killed  there,  and  the  remnant  of  his  army  who  escaped  were 
put  to  flight,  and  returned  to  England,  many  being  drowned  in 
their  flight.  So  the  said  William  happily  gained  the  victory  ; 
and  here  the  noble  Andrew  Murray  fell  by  the  sword,44  with 
a  few  others  of  Scottish  birth.  After  this,  however,  William 
Wallace  returned  to  the  siege  of  Dundee  Castle,  and  brought 
that  place  under  his  sway ;  and,  finding  there  much  treasure  of 
the  king  of  England,  he  generously  distributed  it  among  his 
companions  in  arms.45  Thereupon  so  great  fear  and  trembling 
fell  upon  the  enemy,  that  some  of  the  wardens  of  castles  left 
their  castles  and  fled  from  the  fortified  places,  while  others, 
after  sacking  the  castle,  demolished  the  strongest  towers  and 
withdrew  to  their  own  country.  Now  from  lack  of  grain  there 
was  a  great  dearth  before  the  autumn,  on  account  of  which  the 
general  gave  orders  that  the  army  should  make  its  way  into 
England  and  live  there  at  the  expense  of  the  enemy,  so  as  to 
save  their  own  provisions  and  keep  them  for  the  winter.  The 
aforesaid  William  Wallace  likewise  appointed  that  a  gallows 
should  be  set  up  in  every  domain,  so  that  all  under  orders  to 
fight,  if  absent  or  flying  from  battle  at  a  critical  time  without 
leave  or  reasonable  cause,  might  be  hanged  thereon  without 
mercy.  When  these  matters  had  thus  been  settled  and  com- 
pleted, he  made  his  way  towards  England,  and  overran  and 
ravaged  the  whole  of  Northumberland  as  far  as  Newcastle ;  and 
thus  he  wintered  in  England  at  the  expense  of  the  enemy,  and 
saved  his  country's  substance ;  and  he  got  home  again  safely 
with  much  riches  and  honour.  On  hearing  this,  the  king  of 
England  was  enraged  and  his  wrath  was  kindled,  and  he  was 
beside  himself  with  over  much  grief;  so  he  put  off  making 
war  against  the  king  of  France,  as  he  had  previously  intended, 
and  set  about  invading  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  with  all  his 
forces.  Accordingly  he  retired  from  Gaul  and,  having  addressed 
a  threatening  letter  to  William  Wallace,  assembled  a  large  army. 
But  William  Wallace,  on  the  other  hand,  gathered  together  the 
Scottish  lords  and  their  followers,  and  pushed  on  into  England ; 
and  he  ceased  not  to  attack  and  destroy  the  enemy's  country 


120  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

until  he  came  to  Staninure.  The  king  of  England  likewise 
arrived  at  this  place,  and  saw  William  Wallace,  the  Scottish 
leader,  with  such  a  host  of  men-at-arms  in  admirable  order  of 
battle  there  manfully  awaiting  him  that,  thinking  perchance  his 
cause  was  not  a  righteous  one,  or  that  the  territory  was  not  his 
own  property,  or  otherwise  having  a  presentiment  of  evil,  he 
turned  aside  from  the  straight  path  to  the  battle  nobly  and 
proudly  arrayed  against  him,  shifted  his  ground  by  the  advice 
of  certain  lovers  of  peace,  and  abandoned  his  undertaking. 
When  the  noble  champions  of  Scotland  saw  this,  by  the  help  of 
God's  grace  and  St.  Andrew  and  St.  Cuthbert,  they  glorified 
God,  and  asked  their  leader's  instructions  about  routing  them 
in  the  rear ;  but  with  steadfast  mind  he  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  "  By  no  means,  my  lords  and  brethren ;  for  it  is  the  most 
brilliant  victory  in  the  annals  of  the  struggles  of  war  that  the 
most  high  and  mighty  king  of  England  should,  on  ground  he 
said  was  his,  amid  his  stately  army  drawn  up  to  his  mind,  with  his 
satraps,  and  with  his  royal  and  most  excellent  equipments  of 
war,  have  been  panic-stricken  and  turned  and  fled  before  Scottish 
countrymen,  foes  he  scorns  and  holds  cheap,  while  his  foes 
never  even  drew  the  sword."  The  English,  however,  on  the 
other  hand,  say  that  the  king  was  not  there  in  person,  but 
another  resembling  him,  clad  like  him  in  a  coat  of  mail :  and 
thus  they  try  to  shield  the  king,  though  the  opposite  is  the 
truth.  But  after  this,  the  envy  of  the  devil,  by  whom  death 
came  into  the  world,  and  who  has  a  spite  against  a  good  reputa- 
tion and  is  the  foe  of  human  happiness,  was  hard  at  work  against 
the  good  luck  and  prosperity  of  the  said  warden  William,  through 
no  fault  or  deserving  of  his,  but  by  means  of  the  magnates  of  the 
realm,  among  whom  it  had  been  lurking  as  yet  undisplayed ;  and 
this  greatest  of  evils  is  constantly  and  inextinguishably  at  work 
in  Scotland  to  this  very  day.  Nevertheless,  during  the  time  of 
this  warden's  rule,  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  prospered  wonder- 
fully in  happiness  and  in  manifold  ways ;  and  every  one  dwelt 
in  safety  with  his  own,  and  agriculture  began  to  thrive  every- 
where. In  spite,  however,  of  all  his  good  deeds  and  deserts  in 
the  interests  of  the  state  and  the  independence  of  the  crown, 
certain  sons  of  wickedness  and  imps  of  the  devil  conspired  and 
devised  mischief  against  him,  framing  lies  and  backbiting  him 
behind  his  back  while  speaking  him  fair  to  his  face,  and  meditat- 
ing treachery,  saying  within  their  hearts,  We  will  not  have  this 
man  reign  over  us.  But  the  lower  orders  and  the  populace 
were  exceedingly  fond  of  him,  as  were  also  a  good  many  of  the 
older  and  wiser  of  the  great  men  of  the  kingdom.  For  God  of 
his  lovingkindness  sent  this  leader  to  snatch  them  from  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  121 

snare  of  the  fowler ;  and,  whereas  the  whole  of  Scotland  was 
unable  at  that  time  to  defend  herself,  he,  supported  by  the  help 
of  God  and  aided  by  the  assistance  of  Saint  Andrew  and  Saint 
Cuthbert,  did  his  best  to  free  her  from  the  chain  of  perpetual 
slavery  and  strove  to  exalt  her  with  uplifted  arm.  So  the  death 
of  the  guileless  lamb  was  devised  by  those  envious  haters  of  the 
happiness  of  mankind  ;  and  hard  upon  his  death  there  followed 
struggles,  the  shipwreck  of  the  clergy  of  Scotland,  the  ruin  of 
the  people,  the  downfall  of  the  kingdom  and  the  destruction 
of  the  state. 

CHAPTEE    XXVIII. 

Battle  of  Varia  Capella  01*  Falkirk. 

IN  the  year  1298  the  king  of  England,  taking  in  ill  part  the 
wrongs  inflicted  upon  him  by  the  Scots,  for  he  suffered  loss 
and  was  hard  pressed  on  all  sides,  assembled  a  very  large  army 
and  made  a  hostile  invasion  of  Scotland,  bringing  with  him  also 
some  nobles  of  Scotland  to  help  him.  Now  the  king  of  England 
never  did  anything  without  deceit ;  so  he  secretly  gained  over 
certain  magnates  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  who  had  a  lurking 
grudge  against  the  said  William  Wallace,  and,  when  they  en- 
countered one  another  at  Falkirk,  the  greater  part  of  those  on 
whom  the  warden  William  Wallace  relied  the  most  turned  and 
fled.  Here  many  of  the  nobles  and  the  populace  of  the  kingdom 
were  slain,  and  the  said  warden  himself  escaped  with  but  few ; 
and  he  nearly  went  out  of  his  mind  thereat,  wishing  rather  to 
throw  away  his  life  with  honour  than  to  live  most  wretchedly  in 
bondage  and  slavery  under  his  foes.  And  thus  a  severe  battle 
was  fought  at  the  said  place,  Falkirk,  on  the  22d  of  July, 
and  lost  through  the  spite  of  that  wicked  family  called  the 
Gummy ns,  and  other  traitors  to  the  state,  their  hangers-on, 
who  left  the  field  unhurt  and  retreated  in  a  body,  because  they 
bore  so  much  causeless  ill-will  towards  the  said  William  Wallace. 
So,  as  soon  as  he  had  perceived  and  was  aware  of  their  trick,  the 
said  William  likewise  escaped  on  the  other  side  of  the  field  and 
saved  himself,  seeing  nothing  else  for  it  as  matters  stood.  But 
Robert  Bruce,  the  future  king,  followed  William  Wallace  and 
took  him  to  task,  saying,  as  some  relate,  and  asking  who  ordered 
or  advised  him  to  make  such  an  attempt  and  so  foolhardily  struggle 
against  the  greatness  and  high-mightiness  of  the  king  of  England, 
yea,  and  of  the  greater  part  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  ?  But 
the  said  William  answered  him  saying,  "  0,  Robert,  Robert,  thy 
slothfulness  and  effeminate,  sluggish  idleness,  and  the  establish- 


122  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

ing  of  thy  right,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  nobleness  of  the  most 
noble  kingdom  of  Scotland,  which  is  ready  to  perish,  on  the 
other,  spur  me  on  to  this ;  but  thou  also,  now  but  half  a  man, 
do  thou  awake  from  thy  bed  unto  manhood,  come  forth  from 
the  shade  into  the  open,  and  quit  thee  manfully,  and  let  thy 
heart  be  strong ;  give  up  the  delicate  and  soft  and  delicious  life 
thou  art  used  to,  and  make  haste  to  inure  thyself  to  a  rough 
life  of  warfare,  to  free  thy  kingdom."  At  these  words  Robert 
Bruce,  roused,  as  it  were,  from  a  heavy  sleep,  so  pondered 
and  digested  the  force  of  his  words,  that  after  fleeing  from 
imminent  peril  and  betaking  himself  to  safer  paths,  he  felt 
encouraged  ;  and,  laying  up  all  these  words  in  his  heart,  he  set 
himself  to  taste  the  bitter  draught  of  warfare ;  **  and,  as 

"  No  low  pursuits  should  taint  the  lofty  soul," 

he  thenceforth  kept  himself  from  all  unmanly  and  contemptible 
pursuits,  aiming  at  higher  things,  and  elevating  his  spirit  in 
every  respect.  Moreover  he  set  himself  and  his  friends  and 
partisans  the  task  of  freeing  the  country  from  the  enemy,  with  a 
tireless  zeal  that  would  not  be  denied,  and  such  as  drives  away 
disaster  from  a  country,  sheltering  himself  in  the  mountains  and 
hills  and  the  hidden  coverts  of  woods  and  rocks,  with  sorry  food 
and  rough  raiment.  The  death,  however,  of  John  Stewart  and 
Macduff  earl  of  Fife  and  their  followers  in  the  battle  grieved  the 
king  greatly,  for  it  was  through  foul  play,  ill-will  and  quarrels 
of  the  people  of  his  own  kingdom,  and  never  otherwise,  that 
disaster  was  wont  to  overtake  us  in  battle.  After  this,  William 
Wallace  of  his  own  accord  and  by  his  free  wish  ceased  to  be 
warden  of  Scotland,  and  John  Cummyn  began  to  be  warden  in 
his  stead. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

Truce  granted  by  Edward  king  of  England  to  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  at  the  instance  of  the  king  of  France. 

IN  these  days  Philip  king  of  France  sent  Peter  de  Monsy 
and  John  de  Barris  to  the  king  of  England,  to  get  a  truce  for 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland ;  and  it  was  granted  for  half  a  year 
only.  The  kingdom  of  England,  however,  at  this  time  used  to 
pay  a  tithe  assessed  upon  the  kingdom  as  a  subsidy  against  the 
Scots ;  and  the  king  of  England,  before  granting  the  truce, 
intimated  to  the  ambassadors  of  the  king  of  France  and  made 
them  confess  that  he  was  not  granting  the  truce  by  way  of  an 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII.        123 

alliance ;  for,  notwithstanding  the  granting  of  the  said  truce, 
he  wished  to  levy  the  tax  of  church  tithes  which  he  wished  to 
levy  before  in  order  to  make  war  against  the  Scots.  But  the 
wardens  of  Scotland,  hearing  that  the  king  of  England,  in  levy- 
ing a  tithe  on  the  clergy  of  his  kingdom,  aimed  at  wholly  sub- 
verting the  kingdom  of  Scotland  and  bringing  it  under  his 
sway,  straightway  despatched  certain  prominent  clerics,  namely 
master  William  archdeacon  of  Lothian,  master  Baldred  Bisset 
and  William  Eglishame  as  procurators  and  special  envoys 
to  Boniface  VIIL,  then  supreme  pontiff,  to  inform  that  lord 
pontiff  and  lay  before  him  the  grievous  wrongs  and  annoy- 
ances and  villainous  outrages  inflicted  and  about  to  be  inflicted 
on  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  by  that  king  of  England,  and  to 
humbly  beseech  his  Holiness  that  a  fitting  remedy  might  be  pro- 
vided by  him :  as  will  more  fully  appear  hereafter.  These  men, 
therefore,  kept  themselves  quiet,  and  forearmed  themselves  with 
the  bulwark  of  their  own  powers  and  with  reasons,  points  of  law 
and  allegations  on  the  subject,  still  waiting  even  until  they 
should  be  placed  under  restraint  or  close  confinement  by  the 
said  king's  tyranny,  as  they  thought.  In  the  year  1 304  many 
Scottish  nobles  and  prelates,  such  as  William  Oliphant,  knight, 
warden  of  Stirling  Castle  while  it  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Scots,  which  place  the  king  of  England  had  formerly  taken 
after  a  long  siege  and  had  straightway  come  and  occupied  in 
defiance  of  his  plighted  word — observe  that  Edward  Long- 
shanks,  father  of  this  tyrant  Edward  now  living,47  came  and 
shamefully,  in  defiance  of  his  plighted  word,  took  the  castle  of 
Stirling  after  he  had  long  besieged  it — and  some  bishops, 
namely  those  of  Glasgow  and  Sodor,  as  also  some  others,  lay- 
men and  clergy,  were  arrested  and  ruthlessly  sent  and  com- 
mitted to  prison  by  the  said  tyrant.  Accordingly  when  this 
reached  the  ears  of  the  pope  by  way  of  complaint,  the  supreme 
pontiff  conferred  with  the  cardinals  and  addressed  to  the  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  his  bulls  executory  against  the  aforesaid 
tyrant  of  England,  and  sent  them  to  England  by  the  aforesaid 
procurators,48  in  the  following  terms. 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

Copy  of  the  papal  bull. 

BISHOP  BONIFACE,  etc.,  to  his  venerable  brother  the  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  Greeting  and  his  apostolic  blessing.  The 
repeated  statements  forced  upon  Our  notice  by  trustworthy 


124  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

persons,  as  also  the  substance  of  reports  going  about,  have  made 
known  to  Our  ears  the  outrages,  hardships,  troubles,  losses  and 
misfortunes  sought  to  be  inflicted  by  Our  son  in  Christ, 
Edward,  the  illustrious  king  of  England,  and  by  his  officers 
and  people  upon  the  king  of  Scotland  and  the  prelates  and 
clergy  and  ecclesiastics,  religious  and  secular,  as  also  the 
churches,  monasteries  and  other  religious  places,  together  with 
the  inmates  thereof  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  aforesaid  king- 
dom of  Scotland  and  their  property.  We,  therefore,  being  un- 
willing, as  neither  ought  We,  to  pretend  to  take  no  notice  of 
such  things,  most  earnestly  exhort  that  king,  by  another  letter 
of  Ours  which  thou  wilt  present  to  him,  to  have  those  clergy 
and  ecclesiastics  of  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland,  whom  he  is 
said  to  be  still  keeping  in  confinement,  restored  to  liberty  as 
before,  and  also  to  recall  the  officers  whom  he  is  stated  to  have 
placed  in  the  said  kingdom;  and  that  he  also  do  send  his 
procurators  and  ambassadors  to  appear  before  Us  with  all  his 
pleas  in  law  and  title  deeds,  if  he  think  he  has  any  right  to  the 
aforesaid  kingdom  or  to  any  part  thereof.  And  nevertheless 
any  suits,  disputes  or  questions  which  have  arisen,  and  which 
may  in  future,  from  any  of  the  above  causes,  arise,  between 
that  king  and  the  aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland  and  the  pre- 
lates, clergy  and  laymen  of  that  kingdom,  and  the  whole  matter 
We  do,  by  Our  aforesaid  letter,  bring  and  reserve  for  trial  and 
determination  by  the  apostolic  see;  and  if  any  one  should 
happen,  knowingly  or  unknowingly,  to  attempt  any  different 
action  in  this  respect,  We  pronounce  it  void  and  of  none  effect. 
Wherefore  We  do,  by  Our  apostolic  writ,  strictly  direct  and 
command  thee,  Our  brother,  in  virtue  of  thy  holy  allegiance 
and  on  pain  of  suspension  from  spiritual  and  temporal  minis- 
tration, to  present  Our  aforesaid  letter  to  the  said  king  without 
delay,  and  effectually  encourage  and  lead  him  to  acquiesce  in 
what  We  write  in  our  exhortation ;  and  to  contrive  faithfully 
and  effectually  to  let  Us  know,  by  thy  letters-patent  containing 
these  particulars,  the  day  on  which  thou  shalt  have  laid  this  Our 
letter  before  him,  and  whatever  else  thou  shalt  have  done,  and 
what  he  shall  have  answered  or  done  in  this  matter.  Given 
at  Avignon,  the  28th  of  June,  the  fifth  of  Our  pontificate. 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 

Copy  of  the  pope's  letter  sent  to  the  king  of  England,. 

BISHOP  BONIFACE,  servant  of  the  servants  of  God,  to  his  very 
dear  son  in  Christ,  the  illustrious  king  of  England,  Greeting 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII.        125 

and  his  apostolic  blessing.  We  know,  son,  for  the  teachings  of 
experience  over  a  long  space  of  time  have  taught  Us,  how  your 
reverent  zeal  had  displayed  your  royal  feelings  of  devotion 
towards  the  mother  church  of  Eome,  which  bears  you  in  the 
bowels  of  charity,  and  that  you  readily  acquiesce  in  her  good 
pleasure  and  comply  with  the  wishes  of  the  see  thereof. 
Wherefore  we  cherish  a  firm  hope  and  are  in  the  full  belief 
that  your  Eoyal  Highness  will  take  Our  words  kindly,  take  care 
to  understand  them  and  carry  them  out  with  good  will  It  may 
indeed  have  reached  your  Royal  Highness,  and  We  have  not  the 
least  doubt  it  is  contained  in  the  tablets  of  your  memory, 
that  from  old  time  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  has  belonged  in 
full  right,  and  is  still  well  known  to  belong,  to  the  aforesaid 
church  of  Rome,  and  that,  as  we  have  been  given  to  under- 
stand, it  is  not  a  fief  of  your  ancestors,49  the  kings  of  the 
kingdom  of  England,  or  of  yours ;  also  that  your  father  Henry 
king  of  England,  of  illustrious  memory,  at  the  time  of  the 
troubles  of  his  war  stirred  up  between  him  and  a  certain  Simon 
de  Montfort  and  his  partisans  and  accomplices,  asked  Alex- 
ander, of  treasured  memory,  king  of  that  same  Scotland  and 
son-in-law  of  the  said  Henry,  to  afford  him  assistance ;  and,  lest 
such  assistance  might  be  said  to  have  been  asked  or  rendered 
in  right  of  any  vassalage  or  duty,  the  aforesaid  Henry  thought 
good  to  grant  the  said  king  of  Scotland  his  letters-patent, 
whereby  he  unhesitatingly  acknowledged  that  he  had  received 
or  would  receive  the  aforesaid  help  only  as  a  particular  favour. 
Furthermore  when,  in  course  of  time,  you  would  fain  have  had 
the  aforesaid  king  of  Scotland,  your  sister's  husband,  then  living, 
be  present  at  the  ceremony  of  your  coronation,  you  took  care 
to  pledge  yourself  by  your  letters-patent  that  you  proposed  to 
have  him  present  at  that  ceremony  not  as  a  duty,  but  only  as 
a  favour.  And,  when  that  king  presented  himself  personally 
before  you  to  swear  you  the  customary  fealty  for  the  lands 
of  Tyndale  and  Penrith,  situated  in  the  kingdom  of  England, 
that  king,  in  tendering  such  fealty  publicly,  in  the  presence 
of  many,  declared  by  word  of  mouth  that  he  was  swearing  the 
said  fealty  only  for  those  lands  situated  in  England,  not  as  king 
of  Scotland,  nor  for  the  kingdom  of  Scotland.  Nay,  he  had 
openly  protested  that  he  ought  not  in  any  way  to  tender  or 
swear  fealty  to  you  for  that  kingdom,  as  being  in  no  wise 
whatever  subject  unto  you ;  and  you  admitted  this  manner  of 
fealty.  It  has,  moreover,  probably  escaped  your  memory  that, 
when  that  king  of  Scotland  was  taken  away  from  our  midst, 
leaving  as  his  heiress  the  late  maid  Margaret,  your  niece,  then 
under  age,  the  guardianship  of  that  kingdom  did  not  come  to 


126  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

you  as  lord,  but  certain  lords  of  that  kingdom  were  elected  to 
the  guardianship  of  the  same ;  and  afterwards,  when  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  apostolic  see,  for  arranging  a  marriage  between 
Our  beloved  son  Edward,  your  child,  and  the  aforesaid  Mar- 
garet while  she  was  living,  had  been  asked  and  obtained  if  the 
consent  of  the  lords  of  the  said  kingdom  were  got  and  given 
thereunto,  you  are  known  to  have  pledged  yourself  to  those 
lords  in  writing,  before  they  would  consent  to  such  a  marriage, 
that  the  said  kingdom  should  ever  remain  altogether  free,  and 
subject  to,  or  in  any  wise  under,  no  one ;  and  that  it  should  be 
quite  restored  to  its  former  condition  or  the  like,  if  it  should 
happen  that  no  children  were  left  of  the  marriage  about  to  be 
arranged;  and  that  they  should  retain  the  same  name  and 
position  as  before,  in  keeping  their  own  laws  for  themselves  and 
appointing  the  officers  of  the  said  kingdom,  as  well  as  in  hold- 
ing parliaments  and  dealing  with  causes  therein,50  and  in  no 
inhabitants  of  that  kingdom  being  summoned  for  trial  beyond 
its  limits :  all  which  is  well  known  to  be  more  fully  contained 
in  your  letters-patent  drawn  up  thereanent.  Moreover,  when 
the  aforesaid  Margaret  was  snatched  away  from  this  life,  and 
matter  for  dispute  at  length  arose  between  certain  parties  as  to 
the  succession  to  this  throne  of  Scotland,  the  lords  of  this  king- 
dom, fearing  that  under  such  circumstances  they  and  the  said 
kingdom  might  be  prejudiced,  would  not  come  into  your  presence 
outside  the  limits  of  that  kingdom  unless  you  pledged  yourself 
openly  in  writing  that  it  should  not  be  done  as  a  duty,  but  as  a 
particular  favour,  and  that  no  curtailment  of  the  liberties  of 
the  said  kingdom  could  be  threatened  thereby.  And  even  if, 
as  it  is  said,  some  innovations,  contrary  to  custom,  have  been 
introduced  affecting  the  constitution  of  the  said  kingdom  of 
Scotland,  or  the  freedom  it  formerly  enjoyed,  while  that  king- 
dom lacked  the  protection  of  a  defender,  by  the  lords  of  that 
kingdom  then,  so  to  speak,  without  a  head  and  not  having  the 
help  of  a  leader  or  guide,  or  by  him  to  whom  you  are  said  to  have 
intrusted,  though  unduly,  the  government  of  the  aforesaid 
kingdom;  yet  these,  as  having  been  brought  about  by  force 
and  fear  such  as  may  fall  upon  a  steadfast  man,  and  as  being 
unlawful,  ought  by  no  means  to  stand  in  law,  or  redound  to 
the  prejudice  of  that  kingdom. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  127 

CHAPTER   XXXII. 

The  same  continued. 

WE  have  no  manner  of  doubt,  however — nay  rather  We  are 
sure — that  when  the  paramount  authority  of  the  apostolic  see 
by  letter  intrusts  any  one  with  the  exercise  of  the  office  of 
legate  in  the  kingdoms  of  both  England  and  Scotland,  or 
enjoins  the  payment  of  a  tithe  for  any  cause  it  deems  reason- 
able, such  apostolic  letter  does  not  in  any  way  extend  to  the 
aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland;  because  the  special  privilege 
granted  to  the  Scots  by  the  aforesaid  apostolic  see  stands  in  the 
way,  as  clearly  happened  in  the  time  of  Pope  Adrian  of  happy 
memory,  Our  predecessor,  then  cardinal  deacon  of  Saint  Adrian, 
and  at  the  same  time,  in  virtue  of  the  letter  of  the  said  see, 
legate  in  those  kingdoms,  with  whom  We  were  then  on  intimate 
terms.  For  that  legate  was  on  no  account  admitted  to  the  afore- 
said kingdom  of  Scotland  until  the  office  of  legate  therein  was 
conferred  upon  him  by  a  special  apostolic  letter.  Furthermore 
your  Eoyal  Highness  may  know  that  the  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land was  won  and  converted  to  the  truth  of  the  catholic  faith 
by  the  honoured  relics  of  the  blessed  apostle  Andrew,  not 
without  a  plentiful  vouchsafing  of  protection  from  on  high ; 
and  also  that,  in  days  of  yore,  the  then  archbishop  of  York 
raised,  in  opposition  to  the  prelates  of  Scotland,  the  question  of 
metropolitan  jurisdiction,  in  which  he  mentions  that  it  was  said 
of  old, "  Remember  that  we  are  thy,"  etc.,  we  pass  over  in  silence 
what  follows  thereafter — and  was  unable,  nevertheless,  to  get  a 
decision  in  his  favour ;  and  though  there  are  many  and  various 
arguments  which  present  themselves  as  reasonable  propositions 
in  this  matter,  whereby  moreover  We  are  induced  to  write  to 
you,  let  us  pass  on,  lest  perchance  We  weary  your  overburdened 
royal  mind.  Indeed,  dearest  son,  it  behoves  you  to  ponder 
earnestly  and  diligently  give  your  mind  to  it  within  the  portals 
of  your  breast.  Hence  no  one  can  doubt  that  the  said  kingdom 
of  Scotland  belongs  in  full  right  to  the  aforesaid  church  of 
Rome ;  and  it  is  not  lawful,  nor  has  it  ever  been  lawful,  to 
subdue  it  by  force  and  bring  it  under  your  sway,  to  the  pre- 
judice of  that  church  and  of  many  persons.  Since,  however, 
as  trustworthy  rumour  has  already  repeatedly  dinned  even  into 
our  ears,  and  it  is  published  by  the  voice  of  anticipating  hear- 
say, you,  not  giving  full  weight  to  the  premises,  as  you  ought, 
nor  discussing  them  with  due  consideration,  vehemently  aspire 
to  occupy  and  subdue  to  your  royal  sway  that  kingdom,  for  the 


128        THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII. 

time  bereft  of  the  help  of  a  king,  and  at  length,  putting  forth  the 
powers  of  your  might  thereunto,  have  taken  and  consigned  to 
chains  and  imprisonment,  it  is  said,  Our  venerable  brothers 
Bishops  Robert  of  Glasgow  and  Maurice51  of  Sodor  and  some 
clergy  and  ecclesiastics  of  that  kingdom,  some  of  whom  are 
asserted  to  have  come  to  a  violent  end  through  the  filth  of  their 
dungeons,  and,  after  having  occupied  their  castles  and,  as  is 
reported,  razed  and  destroyed  a  great  many  monasteries  and 
other  religious  places,  and  inflicted  other  severe  losses  upon  the 
inhabitants  of  the  said  kingdom,  have  placed  in  that  kingdom 
your  royal  officers,  who  do  not  shrink  from  troubling  with 
manifold  annoyances  and  harassing  with  sundry  torments  the 
prelates  and  other  clergy  and  ecclesiastics  and  laymen  of  the 
said  kingdom,  to  the  offending  of  God's  majesty,  in  contempt  of 
the  before-mentioned  see,  to  the  grievous  impairing  of  your 
royal  welfare  and   good  name,  to  the  outraging  of  the  law 
and  the  exceeding  scandal  of  a  great  many  of  the  faithful ; 
therefore  We  beseech  your  Royal  Highness  and  earnestly  exhort 
you  in  the  Lord  and  entreat  you  in  Him  who  is  the  true  salva- 
tion of  all  that  you,  sensibly  giving  weight  to  the  fact  that  it  is 
the  duty  of  the  pastoral  office  which  rests  upon  Our  shoulders 
and  that  We  are  bound  carefully  to  preserve  the  property  and 
rights  of  the  church,  and  cannot  and  ought  not  to  defer  to  man 
rather  than  to  God,  do  kindly  cause  the  aforesaid  bishops  and 
ecclesiastics,  whom  your  royal  prison  still  shamefully  holds  in 
durance,  to  be  restored  to  liberty  as  of  old,  out  of  reverence  for 
God  and  the  apostolic  see  and  Ourselves,  and,  removing  any  diffi- 
culties or  delays  standing  in  the  way,  do  recall  the  said  officers 
from  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland.     And  We  do  hope  and  wish 
that  you  may  behave  with  prompt  and  effectual  zeal  in  this 
matter,  that  you  may  be  not  unworthy  to  be  rendered  the  more 
acceptable  and  find  the  greater  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the 
heavenly  King,  who  returneth  much  for  the  very  least,  and, 
besides  the  commendation  of  the  praise  of  men  which  will  flow 
thence  for  you,  you  may  the  more  richly  earn  the  grace  and 
favour  of  the  apostolic  see.     If,  however,  you  believe  you  have 
any  right  to  that  kingdom  of  Scotland  or  any  part  thereof,  We 
desire  that  you  fail  not  to  send  over  into  Our  presence  your 
procurators  and  ambassadors,  specially  appointed  therefor,  with 
all  your  titles  and  documents  connected  with  this  matter,  within 
six  months  to  be  reckoned  from  the  receipt  of  these  presents ; 
for  We  are  ready  fully  to  do  you,  as  our  beloved  son,  complete 
justice  in  the  premises,  and,  moreover,  to  keep  intact  any  rights 
you  may  have.     Therefore  We  do  from  this  time  by  these 
presents  bring  and  reserve  for  trial,  judgment  and  determina- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII.        129 

tion  by  this  see  any  suits,  disputes  and  controversies  which 
have  arisen,  or  which  may,  for  whatever  cause  in  the  past, 
hereafter  arise  between  you  and  the  said  king52  of  Scotland 
and  the  prelates  and  clergy  and  other  ecclesiastics  and  laymen 
of  that  kingdom,  as  also  the  whole  business  connected  with,  or 
in  any  way  affecting,  the  aforesaid  points,  or  any  of  them ;  and 
if  anything  different  should,  knowingly  or  unknowingly,  be 
attempted  by  any  one  in  this  matter,  we  do  pronounce  it  null 
and  void.  Given  at  Avignon,  the  27th  of  June. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

Answer  of  the  barons  of  England,  containing  a  great  falsehood 
andfroward  disobedience. 

To  the  most  holy  father  in  Christ,  etc.  The  holy  Roman 
church,  by  whose  ministry  the  catholic  faith  is  governed  and 
ruled,  in  all  its  doings,  as  we  firmly  believe  and  hold,  proceeds 
with  deliberation,  wishing  to  hurt  no  one,  but  to  save  harmless, 
as  though  by  a  catholic  law,  the  rights  of  each,  not  less  in 
others  than  in  herself.  Now,  when  a  general  parliament  was 
called  together  by  our  most  serene  lord  Edward,  by  the  grace 
of  God  the  illustrious  king  of  England,  and  held  at  Lincoln,  our 
said  lord  caused  a  certain  apostolic  letter  which  he  had  received53 
from  you,  upon  certain  matters  touching  the  condition  and  con- 
stitution of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  to  be  produced  in  our 
midst  and  publicly  read  out  at  length  to  us  all.  But  when  we 
had  heard  and  diligently  mastered  it,  we  perceived  that  there 
were  contained  therein  statements  astonishing  to  our  minds 
and  as  yet  unheard  of.  For  we  know,  most  holy  father,  and  it 
is  well  known  throughout  England  and  not  unknown  elsewhere, 
that,  from  the  first  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  England,  in 
the  days  of  both  the  British  and  the  English  kings  thereof, 
these  were  the  direct  overlords  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  and 
have  been  in  like  manner  the  direct  overlords  of  this  kingdom 
of  Scotland  in  after  times.  Nor  has  the  said  kingdom  in  any 
wise  in  times  past  belonged,  nor  does  it  belong,  to  the  church 
of  Rome  by  any  right ;  for  truly  that  same  kingdom  of  Scotland 
has  been  from  of  old  a  fief  of  the  forefathers  of  our  lord  the 
said  king  of  England,  and  of  his ;  nor  also  have  the  kings  and 
kingdom  of  Scotland  been  under,  or  been  wont  to  be  in  subjec- 
tion to,  any  other  than  the  kings  of  England.  And  the  kings 
of  England,  from  the  paramount  independence  of  their  royal 
rank  and  dignity  and  by  a  custom  religiously  observed  in  all 

I 


130  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

times,  have  not  been  amenable,  nor  ought  they  to  be  amenable, 
to  any  judge,  ecclesiastical  or  lay,  about  their  rights  over  the 
aforesaid  kingdom,  or  other  their  temporalties.  Hence,  after 
having  diligently  considered  and  deliberated  upon  the  contents 
of  your  before-mentioned  letter,  it  was,  is  and  will  steadfastly 
be  the  common,  concurrent  and  unanimous  agreement  of  all 
and  sundry  that,  God  willing,  our  aforesaid  lord  the  king  be 
not  in  future  in  any  wise  amenable  to  your  jurisdiction  about 
his  rights  over  his  kingdom  of  Scotland,  or  other  his  temporal- 
ties,  nor  in  any  way  undergo  sentence  or  have  his  aforesaid 
rights  called  in  question  by  you;  and  that  he  do  not  send  over  his 
procurators  or  ambassadors  to  appear  before  you  on  this  matter ; 
especially  as  this  would  manifestly  tend  to  the  abdication  of 
the  right  to  the  crown  of  his  kingdom  and  to  the  kingly  office, 
as  well  as  to  the  prejudice  of  the  independence,  customs  and 
laws  of  the  realm  and  to  the  overthrow  of  the  constitution 
thereof.  To  the  observance  whereof  we  are  bound  and  held  by 
the  obligations  of  an  oath  we  have  taken  and  firmly  and 
solemnly  entered  into,  and  we  are  bent  upon  holding  to  it  with 
all  our  might.  Nor  also  do  we  allow,54  nor  moreover  shall  we 
allow,  even  as  neither  could  we  lawfully  nor  ought  we  to  allow 
so  unusual  a  step.  Wherefore  we  reverently  and  humbly 
beseech  your  Holiness  kindly  to  allow  our  said  lord  the  king, 
who  is  conspicuous  among  the  other  princes  of  the  earth  for 
his  catholicity  and  devotion  to  the  church  of  Kome,  to  remain 
in  peaceful  possession  of  his  rights  and  his  royal  independence, 
customs  and  laws,  without  diminution  or  molestation,  and  that 
these  may  continue  unimpaired. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Answer  of  tlie  king  of  England,  to  the  papal  bull. 

To  the  most  holy  father  and  lord  in  Christ,  the  lord  Boniface, 
by  the  providence  of  God  supreme  pontiff  of  the  holy  and  uni- 
versal Roman  church,  Edward,  by  the  grace  of  God  king  of 
England,  lord  of  Ireland  and  duke  of  Aquitaine,  devoutly  kiss- 
ing his  blessed  feet.  We  send  the  underwritten  to  be  laid 
before  you,  not  formally  or  judicially,  but  altogether  extrajudi- 
cially,  to  relieve  the  mind  of  your  Holiness,  my  father.  The 
Searcher  of  hearts  in  the  highest  knows  that  it  is  indelibly  en- 
graved in  the  tablets  of  your  memory  that  our  ancestors  and 
forefathers  the  kings  of  England,  in  their  right  as  direct  over- 
lords, have,  from  the  most  remote  ages  past,  had  authority  over 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  131 

the  kingdom  of  Scotland  and  the  Mugs  thereof  in  the  tempor- 
alities thereof  and  what  is  connected  with  these ;  and  they  have 
received  liege  homage  and  oaths  of  fealty  from  the  said  kings 
and  kingdom  of  Scotland  whenever  they  wished  it.  We  likewise, 
continuing  in  the  possession  of  such  right  and  lordship,  have 
received  the  same  in  our  own  time  both  from  the  king  of  Scot- 
land and  from  the  lords  of  his  realm.  Indeed,  they  exercised 
such  a  prerogative  of  right  and  lordship  over  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  and  the  kings  thereof,  that  they  conferred  that  king- 
dom to  whomsoever  of  their  lieges  they  pleased,  and  for  just 
cause  removed  their  kings  and  appointed  in  their  stead  other 
kings  to  reign  under  them.  These  rights  and  peculiar  privi- 
leges no  doubt  have  from  ancient  times  been  and  are  well 
known,  though  perhaps  some  haters  of  peace  and  rebellious 
children  have  instilled  into  your  paternal  ears  and  falsely  given 
you  to  understand  that  it  is  otherwise ;  but  we  beg  that  your 
wisdom  may  reject  their  fabricated  and  imaginaiy  inventions. 

Here  follow  the  reasons  in  support  of  his  case.  The  first 
reason  is :  Because,  in  the  days  of  the  prophets  Eli  and  Samuel, 
a  certain  brave  and  distinguished  man,  Brutus  by  name,  of 
Trojan  birth,  arrived  with  a  strong  fleet  in  an  island  formerly 
inhabited  by  gia'nts,  which  was  called  Albion.  These  giants 
were  defeated  and  slain  by  the  might  of  him  and  his,  and  he 
called  this  country  Britain,  after  himself,  and  his  companions 
Britons  ;  and  he  built  a  great  city  which  he  called  Trinovant, 
and  which  is  now  called  London.  Afterwards  he  left  the  said 
kingdom  to  his  three  sons,  who  were  to  reign  after  him,  and 
divided  it  among  them — that  is,  to  Locrin,  his  firstborn,  he 
allotted  that  part  of  Britain  now  called  England  ;  to  Albanact, 
his  second  son,  that  part  which  was  then  named  Albania  after 
him,  but  is  now  called  Scotland  ;  and  to  Camber,  his  youngest 
son,  he  surrendered  that  part  which  they  called  Cambria  after 
him,  but  now  Wales  ;  but  the  dignity  of  king  he  reserved  to  his 
firstborn,  Locrin ; — and  thus  he  passed  away  to  the  Lord.  Two 
years  after  the  death  of  Brutus,  there  arrived  a  king  of  the  Huns, 
named  Humber,  who  slew  Albanact,  brother  of  King  Locrin; 
and,  on  hearing  this,  King  Locrin  pursued  him  and  put  him  to 
flight,  and  he  perished  by  drowning  in  a  river  which  got  its 
name  from  this  same  Humber.  Thus  Albion  reverted  to  its 
overlord  Locrin  king  of  the  Britons.  Moreover  Dunwallo 
king  of  the  Britons  slew  Staterius  king  of  Scotland,  who  had 
rebelled  against  him,  and  obtained  his  land  by  surrender.  Then 
Belinus  and  Brenius,  the  sons  of  Dunwallo,  divided  between 
them  their  father's  kingdom,  so  that  Belinus,  the  first  son,  had 
the  crown  of  the  whole  island,  both  Britain  and  Loegria  and 


132  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

Cambria;  while Brenius  was  to  reign  under  him,  and  had  Scotland 
in  possession :  for  the  Trojan  custom  prescribed  that  the  dignity 
in  an  inheritance  should  go  to  the  eldest  son.  Arthur  too, 
the  famous  king  of  the  Britons,  subdued  Scotland,  which  had 
rebelled  against  him,  and  swept  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  people  of  that  country ;  and  he  afterwards 
appointed  a  certain  Anguselus  king  of  Scotland.  Afterwards, 
when  that  king  Arthur  held  a  high  festival  in  Caerleon,  there 
were  present  there  all  the  kings  under  his  sway ;  among  whom 
Anguselus  king  of  Scotland  did  due  service  for  his  kingdom,  and 
bore  in  state  the  sword  of  King  Arthur,  in  the  sight  of  all 
present.  And  thus,  according  to  the  statement  of  the  other 
side,  all  the  kings  of  Scotland  were  successively  vassals  of  all  the 
kings  of  the  Britons.  But,  when  the  kings  of  England  succeeded 
to  the  said  island,  Edward,  called  the  Elder,  the  son  of  Alfred 
king  of  the  English,  had  as  vassals  under  him  the  kings  of  the 
Scots,  Welsh,  and  Cumbrians ;  and  Athelstan  king  of  England 
appointed  Constantino  king  to  reign  under  him. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

These  allegations  continued. 

MOREOVER  the  Scots,  being  defeated  in  battle,  submitted  to 
Edred  king  of  the  English,  and  swore  fealty  to  him  as  overlord ; 
and  that  king  of  England  appointed  one  Henry 55  king  to  reign 
over  them.  Edgar,  also,  king  of  England,  made  subject  unto  him 
Kenneth  king  of  Scotland  and  Malcolm  king  of  the  Cumbrians 
and  the  petty  kings  of  a  great  many  of  the  Isles,  such  as  Donald, 
Friskyn,  Jacob  and  Lugil  and  Hubal.  Edmund  also,  called 
Ironside,  and  Canute  the  Dane  held  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  in 
undisturbed  possession,  as  well  as  the  king,  Malcolm  by  name. 
Also,  Saint  Edward  the  king  bestowed  the  kingdom  of  Scotland 
upon  Malcolm,  son  of  the  king  of  the  Cumbrians,  to  be  held  of 
him.  William  the  Bastard,  too,  received  homage  from  Malcolm 
king  of  Scots,  as  from  his  own  liegeman,  subject  unto  him ; 
and  this  same  Malcolm  king  of  Scots  did  homage  to  William 
Rufus  king  of  the  English.  Also,  the  said  William  king  of 
England  for  just  cause  removed  Donald  king  of  Scotland  from 
the  throne  of  Scotland,  and  made  Duncan  son  of  Malcolm  king, 
and  received  the  oath  of  fealty  from  him ;  and  after  the  said 
Duncan  was  treacherously  slain,  he  drove  out  the  aforesaid 
Donald  who  had  usurped  the  throne  after  him,  and  appointed 
as  king  the  said  Malcolm's  son  Edgar,  who  was  succeeded  by 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  133 

his  brother  Alexander,  the  consent  of  the  king  of  England  having 
been  obtained  thereunto.  Moreover  David  king  of  Scotland  did 
homage  to  the  empress 56  Maud,  daughter  and  heiress  of  Henry 
the  aforesaid  king  of  England.  Also,  William  king  of  Scots  did 
homage  to  Henry  son  of  the  king  of  England,  during  the  father's 
lifetime,  on  the  morrow  after  his  coronation,  for  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland,  as  did  his  brother  Earl  David  and  the  barons  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland.  Moreover,  the  lords  of  the  county  of 
York  captured  King  William  of  Scotland  by  force,  while  he 
was  making  great  havoc  in  the  county  of  Northumberland,  and 
brought  him  captive  to  King  Henry  of  England.  He  accordingly, 
with  the  consent  of  the  prelates  and  lords  of  his  kingdom,  did 
homage  and  tendered  the  oath  of  fealty ;  and,  in  token  of  his  vas- 
salage, this  same  King  William  brought  a  horse  with  spear  and 
other  knightly  accoutrements  as  an  offering  to  Saint  Peter  in 
the  church  at  York ;  and  these  still  remain  in  that  church. 
The  bishops,  also,  abbots  and  earls  and  barons  of  the  said  king- 
dom of  Scotland  tendered  the  oath  of  fealty  to  the  said  Henry 
king  of  England  and  to  his  son  Henry,  who  also  was  crowned 
during  the  former's  lifetime ;  and,  even  if  the  said  William 
should  wish  to  break  the  oath  tendered  by  him,  they  would  rise 
against  him  until  he  again  respected  the  oath  promised  to  the 
said  king  of  the  English.  This  condition,  moreover,  Pope 
Gregory  ix.,  by  divers  letters  of  his  despatched  to  the  kings  of 
England  and  Scotland,  commanded  to  be  strictly  observed; 
and  in  these  letters  it  is  contained,  among  other  things,  that 
William  and  Alexander,  kings  of  Scots,  do  unto  John  and 
Henry,  kings  of  the  English,  the  liege  homage  and  swear  the 
oath  of  fealty  they  are  bound  to  render.  Pope  Clement,  also, 
wrote  to  the  king  of  England  on  behalf  of  a  certain  bishop  of 
Saint  Andrews,  John,  thrust  out  of  his  bishopric  by  the  king, 
that  he  should  move  and  force,  if  need  be,  the  said  king  of 
Scotland  to  reinstate  him  securely  in  the  bishopric,  and  at  the 
same  time  dismiss  ill  feeling  from  his  heart. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Same  continued. 

AGAIN,  after  the  aforesaid  covenant 57  in  the  church  at  York, 
before  the  aforesaid  kings  of  England  and  Scotland  and  David 
earl  of  Huntingdon,  brother  of  the  king  of  Scotland,  and  the 
whole  people,  the  bishops,  earls  and  barons  of  Scotland  in  like 
manner  swore  the  oath  of  fealty  to  the  said  king  of  the  English 


134  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

and  his  son,  as  their  liege  lords,  against  all  men.  Also  the  said 
William  of  Scotland,  by  command  of  the  king  of  England,  came, 
to  Northampton  M  to  his  parliament,  and  brought  with  him  all 
the  prelates  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland ;  and  again  another 
time  he  came  to  Normandy  by  his  command.  Again,  this  same 
William,  king  of  Scotland,  after  the  decease  of  the  aforesaid 
King  Henry,  came  to  Canterbury,  to  Richard  king  of  England, 
son  and  heir  of  the  said  King  Henry,  and  did  homage  to  him. 
And,  when  Eichard  went  the  way  of  all  flesh,  the  aforesaid 
William  did  homage  to  John  king  of  the  English,  brother  and 
heir  of  the  said  Richard,  outside  the  city  of  Lincoln,  upon  a 
certain  mountain,  in  the  sight  of  all,  and  tendered  the  oath  of 
fealty  upon  the  episcopal  cross  of  Robert  archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury ;  and  he  conceded  this  by  his  charter  patent,  and  that  his 
son  Alexander,  as  being  his  liegeman,  should  marry  according  to 
his  wishes ;  and,  among  other  things,  he  promised  faithfully  that 
he  and  his  said  son  Alexander  would  keep  true  and  loyal  to  him 
and  his  son  and  heir;  and  he  made  full  amends  to  the  king  of  Eng- 
land for  the  marriage  of  his  daughter  to  the  count  de  Boulogne 
without  his  consent.  Again,  Alexander  king  of  Scotland,  Our 
brother-in-law,  did  due  homage  both  to  Our  father  and  to  Us 
for  the  kingdom  of  Scotland.  But  afterwards,  when  the  throne 
was  vacant  through  the  death  of  the  said  King  Alexander,  and 
later,  after  the  death  of  Margaret,  daughter  of  that  king  and 
heiress  of  Scotland  and  Our  niece,  all  the  prelates  and  lords  and 
the  communities  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  flocked  to  Us  of 
their  own  free  will,  as  behoved  them, — to  their  lawful  lord  and 
protector,  their  liege  leader  and  guide,  and  the  chief  lord  of  that 
realm  thus  vacant,  and  unreservedly  and  unconditionally  and 
absolutely  acknowledged,  to  their  certain  knowledge,  Our  right 
and  that  of  Our  forefathers  and  ancestors  to  the  ownership  of  the 
direct  overlordship  to  their  kingdom,  and  the  vassalage  of  that 
kingdom.  And,  when  the  due  and  wonted  oaths  of  fealty  had 
been  tendered  by  them  to  Us  as  the  direct  overlord,  and  the 
cities,  burghs  and  castles  and  other  fortresses  of  the  kingdom 
had  been  surrendered  into  our  hands,  We,  in  the  exercise  of 
Our  royal  right,  deputed  certain59  officers  and  ministers  to  take 
care  of  them  and  of  the  kingdom ;  and  these  lords  of  the  realm, 
at  the  time  it  was  vacant,  were  obedient  unto  these  officers  and 
diligently  gave  heed  to  Our  instructions  and  royal  rights.  After 
this,  divers  persons  who  were  contending  for  the  succession  to 
the  said  throne  came  to  Us  as  the  overlord  of  the  kingdom, 
and  begged  Us  to  judge  between  them  as  to  their  right  to  the 
succession  to  the  said  throne,  being  willing  and  expressly  ask- 
ing and  agreeing  to  be  tried  before  Us  as  their  superior,  as 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  135 

already  stated,  and  to  abide  by  Our  judgment.  At  length,  when 
the  pleas  and  allegations  of  these  parties  had  been  judicially 
laid  before  Us,  as  above  stated,  and  heard  as  far  as  was  neces- 
sary, and  the  witnesses  had  been  sworn  and  examined  and 
diligently  understood,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  noble  prelates 
and  lords  of  that  same  kingdom  of  Scotland,  and  by  the  desire 
and  consent  of  those  parties  craving  judgment,  We  adjudged 
that  one  John  de  Balliol  stood  first  for  the  throne;  for  We 
found  he  was  the  lawful  heir  to  the  throne,  and  had  the 
best  right  thereto.  This  Our  sentence  all  the  prelates, 
barons  and  lords  and  the  communities  and  inhabitants  of  the 
kingdom  accepted,  promulgated  and  expressly  approved ;  and, 
on  the  said  John  having  first  tendered  to  Us  the  oath  of  fealty 
and  homage,  they  raised  him  to  the  throne  and  crowned  him 
king.  And  this  King  John,  also,  was  at  Our  parliament  as  Our 
subject,  like  Our  other  liegemen,  and  like  Our  other  subjects 
obeyed  Our  commands,  and  was  in  all  things  obedient  and  sub- 
missive unto  Us ;  until  this  same  King  John  and  the  other 
lords,  prelates  and  communities  of  the  aforesaid  kingdom,  of 
malice  aforethought  planned  and  plotted  against  Our  majesty, 
conspired  and  were  sworn  together  to  prejudice  Our  right  and 
put  Us  and  Our  heirs  out  of  our  inheritance,  in  defiance  of  the 
oath  of  fealty  that  bound  them,  and  wickedly  fell  into  the  crime 
of  high  treason. 


CHAPTER   XXXVII. 

Same  continued. 


WHEN  therefore  these  matters  had  reached  Our  ears  through 
a  faithful  report  that  was  corroborated  by  common  hearsay, 
wishing  to  guard  against  future  perils  to  Us  and  to  Our  king- 
dom and  to  the  people  of  Our  kingdom  which  might  in  all  like- 
lihood arise  from  others,  to  secure  Our  kingdom  We  came  to  the 
borders  of  the  two  kingdoms,  and  commanded  this  John,  who 
was  then  the  king,  and  a  good  many  others  to  come  to  Us  at  a 
certain  place  on  the  borders  of  the  aforesaid  kingdom,  to  hear 
what  We  and  Our  council  had  to  say  as  to  the  state,  peace  and 
tranquillity  of  both  kingdoms,  and  to  stand  his  trial  on  matters 
affecting  the  well-being  of  the  kingdoms.  King  John,  however, 
disobeyed  Our  orders  and,  contumaciously  persisting  in  his  con- 
tumacy and  treason,  girded  up  his  loins  and  turned  to  warlike 


136        THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII. 

preparations  to  make  war  upon  Us  and  the  people  of  Our  realm, 
together  with  the  bishops,  barons  and  lords  of  the  kingdom ;  and, 
proceeding  to  hostile  aggression  and  raids,  he  invaded  and  laid 
waste  Our  kingdom  and  Our  lands,  plundered,  burnt  and  sacked 
some  towns  and  boroughs,  slew  Our  men  and  set  fire  to  Our 
ships  ;  and,  having  taken  back  from  Us  his  fealty  and  homage, 
both  for  himself  and  for  the  inhabitants  of  his  kingdom  besides, 
in  words  of  defiance,  he  himself  and  by  his  agents  invaded  Our 
counties  of  Northumberland,  Cumberland  and  Westmoreland 
with  a  huge  army  and,  as  above  stated,  ravaged,  burned  and  plun- 
dered them,  and  slew  a  countless  multitude  of  men,  set  fire  to  a 
great  many  churches  and  also  monasteries,  and  committed  abomin- 
able sacrilege;. and  they  killed  and  barbarously  massacred  babes 
in  their  cradles  and  women  with  child  and  in  labour;  and, 
horrible  and  revolting  as  it  is  for  man  to  hear,  they  cut  off  the 
breasts  from  the  bosoms  of  some  women,  and  moreover  burnt 
to  death  the  little  choir-boys  learning  grammar  at  school,  to  the 
number  of  nearly  two  hundred,  after  blocking  up  the  doors  and 
windows.  We  therefore,  seeing  all  this  damage,  dishonour,  mis- 
chief and  outrageous  scandal  treasonably  inflicted,  to  the  ousting 
Us  from  Our  inheritance  and  the  destruction  of  Our  people,  and 
unwilling  to  bear  it  any  longer,  or  to  leave  Our  rights  undefended, 
and  because  this  King  John  and  the  men  of  Scotland,  who  are 
Our  subjects,  would  on  no  account  condescend  to  clear  themselves 
by  legal  means,60 — for  these  and  other  reasons  We  prepared  to 
make  war  against  the  said  contumacious  King  John  and  others 
his  accomplices  and  abettors ;  and,  as  We  rightfully  may  and 
ought,  according  to  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  realm,  by  the 
advice  of  the  lords  and  magnates  of  Our  realm  We  put  forth  the 
power  of  Our  might  against  them  as  traitors,  contumacious  and 
the  public  enemies  of  Our  realm,  and  conquered  them,  and  pun- 
ished them  when  conquered,  and  brought  that  kingdom  under  Our 
sway  as  belonging  to  Us,  and  in  right  of  ownership.  Accordingly 
the  said  King  John  himself,  as  a  penalty  for  his  contumacy  and 
the  crime  of  treason,  of  his  own  accord  openly  and  absolutely  sur- 
rendered and  resigned  entirely  and  unreservedly  into  Our  hands 
the  aforesaid  kingdom,  together  with  all  right  and  jurisdiction, 
so  far  as  he  actually  held  it,  and  publicly,  before  the  lords  of 
Our  realm,  confessed  and  acknowledged  his  crimes  so  committed 
as  already  stated.  So,  after  these  things  had  taken  place  as 
aforesaid,  the  prelates,  earls  and  barons  and  the  other  lords  of 
the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland,  as  far  as  their  rights  went,  ten- 
dered the  oath  of  due  homage  and  fealty  unto  Us  as  the  imme- 
diate and  proper  lord  of  the  said  kingdom  ;  and,  on  the  cities  and 
castles  and  other  strongholds  and  fortresses  of  the  said  kingdom 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  137 

being  straightway  surrendered  to  Us,  We  installed  new  officers 
therein,  as  We  rightfully  ought.  But,  as  We  are  in  possession 
of  that  kingdom  in  full  sovereignty,  We  cannet  omit,  nor  rightly 
ought  We  to  do  so  without  reasonable  cause,  to  repress  by  the  law, 
in  virtue  of  Our  royal  sovereignty,  as  shall  be  just  and  We  see 
most  fitting,  the  insolence  of  Our  rebellious  subjects,  if  We  find 
any.  Because,  therefore,  it  is  clearly  proved,  by  the  foregoing 
and  other  evidence,  and  is  well  known  that  the  aforesaid  kingdom 
of  Scotland,  on  the  grounds  both  of  title  and  of  possession,  belongs 
to  Us  in  full  right,  and  We  have  not  done  or  pledged  Ourselves 
to  anything,  in  writing  or  by  deed,  as  neither  can  We  do  so, 
which  could  or  ought  to  in  any  wise  impair  the  aforesaid 
right  and  possession,  We  therefore  earnestly  and  humbly  beseech 
your  Holiness  to  weigh  the  foregoing  with  careful  consideration, 
and  deign  to  mould  the  impressions  of  your61  mind  thereupon,  in 
no  wise,  if  it  so  please  you,  putting  faith  in  the  contrary  allega- 
tions made  or  to  be  made  to  you  by  Our  opponents  on  this  point ; 
but  rather  may  it  please  you  to  deign  to  have  Our  state62  and 
Our  aforesaid  royal  rights  commended  to  your  fatherly  sym- 
pathy ;  and  may  the  Most  High  preserve  you,  Our  father,  to 
rule  over  His  holy  church  for  many  happy  years.  Given  in  the 
year  of  Our  Lord  1301,  and  of  Our  reign,  etc. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

The  same  continued — Copies  of  divers  letters  sent  to  our  lord 
Boniface  VIII.  by  the  said  King  Edward,  to  palliate  his 
proceedings  against  the  Scots. 

THIS  was  the  letter,  containing  misrepresentation  and  perver- 
sion, which  the  king  of  England,  the  first  Edward  after  the 
Conquest,  called  the  Tyrant,  sent  over  to  our  lord  Pope  Boniface 
vni.  by  two  knights,  his  ambassadors,  together  with  the  copy  of 
a  letter  inserted  in  the  same  book,  at  the  twenty-fourth  chapter, 
as  to  how  John  of  Balliol,  induced  by  force  and  fear,  was  driven 
to  resign  to  him  unconditionally  and  unreservedly  all  right  and 
claim  which  he  had  or  could  have  in  the  kingdom  and  to  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  ;  which  letter  was  drawn  up  by  the  said 
king  of  England  to  suit  his  purpose,  and  was  therefore  of  no 
force  or  importance. 

Here  follow  copies  of  some  other  letters  of  supreme  pontiffs, 
namely  Honorius  in.  and  Gregory  ix.,  which  letters  also  were 
got  by  misrepresentation,  and  which  these  pontiffs  sent  to  King 


138  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARUEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

Alexander  n.  of  Scotland  on  behalf  of  King  Henry  the  Peaceful 
of  England. 

Copy. 

Gregory,  Pope,  etc.  If  your  Highness  consider  that  We 
are  bound  by  special  ties  of  affection  to  Our  very  dear  son  in 
Christ  Henry,  the  illustrious  king  of  the  English,  and  love  and 
embrace  you  in  sincere  charity,  you  will  consequently  recognise 
that  We,  even  though  particularly  requested,  neither  can  nor 
ought  to  fail  to  take  an  interest  in  keeping  the  peace  between 
you  and  him  for  ever,  and  to  render  efficient  aid  and  assistance 
thereto,  hoping  and  having  a  firm  trust  that  there  must  accrue 
in  both  kingdoms  much  advantage  to  the  state  from  such  a  good 
understanding.  That  king,  however,  has  lately  had  it  recounted 
in  Our  presence  that  some  time  ago  there  was  a  friendly  arrange- 
ment between  Henry  of  England,  of  illustrious  memory,  and 
John,  his  father,  on  the  one  hand,  and  your  father  William 
king  of  Scots,  on  the  other,  whereby  William  himself  did  liege 
homage  to  his  aforesaid  grandfather  and  father  and  to  the  said 
king,  and  you  to  his  father  and  to  him,  which  your  successors 
and  the  earls  and  barons  of  Scotland  are  likewise  bound  to 
render  to  him  and  his  successors ;  and  the  aforesaid  earls  and 
barons  were  to  side  with  the  said  kings  of  England  against 
the  king  of  Scotland  if  he  did  not  keep  to  this  arrangement. 
And  if  the  liegemen  of  one  fled  to  the  other's  kingdom,  through 
fear  on  account  of  a  crime  committed,  he  and  his  liegemen  were 
not  to  harbour  them  in  their  territory  ;  and  the  liegemen  of  each 
king  were  to  obtain  the  lands  they  had  or  had  had  by  arrangement 
in  the  kingdom  of  the  other.  Hence  that  king  humbly  besought 
Us  to  deign  to  ratify  the  aforesaid  arrangement  with  Our  apo- 
stolic sanction.  Wherefore  We  have  thought  right  to  ask  and 
exhort  you  to  turn  your  attention  to  the  things  of  peace  and 
wisely  avoid  such  things  as  are  well  known  to  belong  to  strife 
and  discord ;  diligently  studying  to  observe  the  arrangement 
which  was  then  made  and  accepted  and  voluntarily  embraced 
by  both  parties,  and  especially  as  it  is  said  to  be  most  expedient 
for  the  peace  and  tranquillity  of  both  kingdoms.  Given  at 
Perugia,  the  fourth  day  of  January  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1234, 
and  the  eighth  of  Our  pontificate. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  139 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

Copy  of  another  letter,  of  ffonorius  III.,  sent  by  the  king  of  Eng- 
land to  Boniface  VIII.,  against  the  king  of  Scotland. 

HONORIUS,  etc.,63  to  Alexander,  the  illustrious  king  of  Scots, 
and  to  his  accomplices,  the  spirit  of  sounder  counsel.  It  mars 
your  royal  good  name M  and  welfare  that  you  have  departed 
from  your  fealty  to  your  natural  lord  and  your  devotion  to 
your  mother  the  Roman  church,  by  treason  such  as  that  of 
conspirators,  not  blushing  to  forsake  both  at  once,  when  you 
ought,  if  need  were,  to  have  defied  imprisonment  and  banish- 
ment for  the  sake  of  maintaining  either  of  them.  We  therefore 
warn  your  discretion,  beseech  and  entreat  you  in  the  Lord,  and 
strictly  direct  and  command  you  by  Our  apostolic  writ  that, 
looking  to  the  tender  age65  of  Our  very  dear  son  in  Christ 
Henry,  the  illustrious  king  of  England,  and  having  due  regard 
for  the  Roman  church  itself,  to  whose  injury  this  plot  is  de- 
vised, you  do  forsake  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly  and  return  to 
your  fealty  to  that  king  and  your  devotion  to  the  apostolic  see, 
notwithstanding  the  unlawful  oaths  tendered  to  Louis,  the  son 
of  the  most  illustrious  king  of  the  French,  to  the  contrary. 
And,  if  you  turn  to  the  right  hand  and  sensibly  withdraw 
what  you  have  senselessly  attempted,  We  promise  you  Our 
special  grace  and  favour,  and  that  of  the  apostolic  see.  Never- 
theless We  promise  you  Our  apostolic  help  w  to  recover  com- 
pletely the  good-will  of  the  said  king  and  to  obtain  your 
rights.  Given  at  the  Lateran,  on  the  17th  day  of  January,  in 
the  year  of  Christ  1216,  and  the  first  of  Our  pontificate. 


CHAPTER    XL. 

Copy  of  another  forged  letter. 

THE  royal  dignity  requires  that,  the  more  it  excels  in  honour, 
the  more  diligently  it  should  keep  pure  in  its  dealings.  We 
indeed  understand  from  information  We  have  received  from 
Our  very  dear  son  in  Christ  Henry,  the  illustrious  king  of  the 
English,  that  whereas  you  are  his  liegeman  and  have  tendered 
to  him  an  oath  of  fealty  whereby  you  bound  yourself  chiefly 
not  to  make  any  attempt  whatever  to  his  detriment  or  to  that  of 


140  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIIL 

the  kingdom  of  England,  you  do  not  observe  it,  but  endeavour 
in  many  ways  to  impair  his  honour ;  and  We  cannot  help  being 
astonished  at  this.  As,  however,  We  cherish  the  said  king 
with  the  feelings  of  a  father,  as  especially  the  son  of  the  said 
apostolic  see,  and  embrace  thee  in  sincere  charity,  as  being  de- 
voted to  Us  and  the  Christian  church,  We  therefore  wish  that 
there  should  be  a  bond  of  union  between  you,  and  the  more 
ardently  because  a  misunderstanding  between  the  kingdoms 
would  grieve  Us  greatly  and  deeply  distress  Us.  Accordingly 
We  have  thought  it  right  to  ask  and  earnestly  exhort  your 
Excellency  to  endeavour  to  do  your  duty  more  thoroughly 
towards  the  aforesaid  king,  so  that  you  may  thereby  the  more 
richly  earn  that  king's  affection  and  love  and  find  Us  the 
more  favourable  and  well-disposed  towards  you  in  your  time 
of  need.  Given  at  Viterbo  the  27th  day  of  April,  in  the  year 
of  Christ  1236,  and  the  tenth  year  of  Our  pontificate. 

All  these  copies  the  procurators  of  Scotland  at  the  court  of 
Rome  sent  over  to  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  to  advise  and  con- 
sult upon,  and  to  answer;  and  the  councillors  of  Scotland, 
having  well  consulted  and  advised  thereupon,  sent  the  follow- 
ing instructions  to  the  Curia. 


CHAPTER  XLL 

How  the  Scots  met  the  inventions  of  the  tyrant  Edward 
king  of  the  English. 

COPIES  of  these  letters  and  several  others,  which  were  laid 
before  Pope  Boniface  and  presented  to  him  against  the  Scots, 
the  supreme  pontiff  ordered  to  be  set  forth  in  an  official 
document  by  his  special  notary,  and  he  directed  that  they 
should  be  brought  under  the  eyes  of  the  Scots  ambassadors,  to 
be  carefully  examined,  lest  anything  contained  therein  con- 
cerning the  principal  matter  should  happen  to  escape  their 
notice,  and  that  they  might  the  rather  be  able,  by  previous 
deliberation,  more  easily  and  more  maturely  answer  every  objec- 
tion touching  the  right  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  to  in- 
dependence. These  were  sent  to  Scotland  and  answered  after 
mature  deliberation ;  and  the  prelates,  barons  and  councillors 
of  Scotland  sent  them  back  to  the  Curia  with  the  following  in- 
structions, in  the  form  here  following  on  this  wise. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  141 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

Instructions  sent  to  the  court  of  Rome  ~by  the  prelates  and  barons 
of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  against  Edward  king  of  England. 

IT  is  well  known  that  the  lord  king  of  England,  seizing  a 
favourable  opportunity,  as  one  lying  in  wait  from  his  lurking- 
place,  to  injure  the  neighbouring  kingdom  of  Scotland,  which 
was  vacant  and  without  a  head  and  torn  to  pieces,  widowed,  so 
to  speak,  of  a  king  of  its  own,  and  which,  as  the  Roman  church 
was  then  vacant,  lacked  the  protection  of  any  defender,  and  was 
nevertheless  exposed  to  manifest  danger  of  twofold  persecution 
and  tribulation,  to  wit  its  own  internal  strife  and  the  external 
encroachment  of  the  above-mentioned  king  of  England,  so  near  a 
neighbour, — it  is  well  known  that  then  this  king  of  England 
first  of  all  attacked  it  and,  of  malice  aforethought,  unjustly 
disturbed  it  with  regard  to  the  peaceful  state  of  independence  it 
had  been  enjoying  before ;  and  afterwards  he  not  only  harassed 
the  people  of  that  kingdom  by  many  repeated  hostile  inroads, 
much  damage  and  outrage  and  divers  grievous  hardships,  but 
also,  casting  behind  hinl  the  fear  of  God,  with  sacrilegious 
daring  tyrannously  defiled  God's  very  church  in  that  kingdom ; 
and  as  for  the  prelates,  ecclesiastics  and  other  reverend  persons 
of  that  kingdom,  some  he  banished  and  others  he  consigned  to 
fearful  dungeons,  while  of  some  of  the  churches  of  the  aforesaid 
kingdom,  of  the  stately  cathedral  churches,  he  made  stables  for 
his  horses,  after  the  manner  of  the  Saracens ;  and,  besides  all 
this,  he  burned  down  many  churches  in  the  said  kingdom,  and 
wrought  and  committed  endless  other  barbarities,  crimes  and 
massacres,  of  which  we  say  nothing.  Accordingly  he  was 
summoned  to  appear,  by  a  given  time  allowed  him,  before  the 
apostolic  see,  by  his  procurators  and  ambassadors  furnished  with 
his  pleas  in  law  and  title-deeds,  in  order  to  state  his  right  to 
that  kingdom  of  Scotland,  if  he  claimed  to  have  any  to  it,  and 
submit  to  the  law  as  laid  down  by  the  supreme  pontiff,  the 
ordinary  and  competent  judge ;  for  the  whole  matter  about  that 
kingdom  was  solemnly  called  up  by  letters  apostolic  for  ex- 
amination and  determination  by  the  apostolic  see  upon  argu- 
ment, and  there  followed  an  apostolic  decree  that  he  should  do 
nothing  to  the  contrary.  That  king,  however,  did  not  trouble 
himself  to  appear  at  the  Curia,  as  he  ought  to  have  done,  by  the 
aforesaid  time  so  prescribed  unto  him,  or  to  make  any  satisfac- 
tory statement  as  to  his  right,  though  further  time  was  allowed 
him  for  this ;  nay,  after  the  lapse  of  four  months  from  the  time 


142  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

prescribed  unto  him,  without  the  procuratorial  mandate  neces- 
sary or  sufficient  in  the  case,  he  sent  only  his  bare  letter  to  our 
lord  the  supreme  pontiff  instead  of  proof  and  demonstration  of 
his  right,  of  every  kind,  which  he  asserted  to  belong  to  him  in 
the  aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland.  In  this  letter  of  his  he 
cunningly  ignored  the  most  conclusive  arguments  and  points  of 
law  previously  brought  forward  by  the  apostolic  writs,  which 
clearly  prove  the  independence  enjoyed  by  Scotland,  and, 
in  order  to  palliate  and  even  excuse  the  outrages  com- 
mitted in  these  days  by  him  in  that  kingdom  of  Scotland, 
he  had  recourse  to  giving  a  connected  account,  from  the  very 
beginning,  of  a  story  of  some  antiquity,  because  it  is  unknown 
and  uncertain.  Now  this  story,  though  it  is  given  from  remote 
times,  from  the  twin  egg,  so  to  speak,  seems  at  first  plausible 
and  smooth  on  the  surface,  and  fair  enough ;  yet,  when  one  goes 
thoroughly  to  the  root  of  the  matter  and  the  truth  of  the  affair 
lurking  in  the  kernel,  it  is  convicted  of  being  sophistical  and 
devoid  of  all  trustworthiness,  as  will  more  plainly  appear  below. 
For,  granting  that  these  forgotten  stories  of  long  ago,  touched 
upon  by  that  king,  about  Brutus  and  the  Britons  and  the 
Saxons,  had  any  truth  in  them  at  the  time,  still  they  cannot 
claim  to  apply  to  modern  times  or  relations  of  lord  and  vassal, 
as  having  been  swept  away  by  the  alterations,  changes  and  in- 
novations of  later  events  and  times ;  nor  is  it  just  for  that  king 
to  carry  on  any  traditions  of  the  Britons  by  these  high-handed 
acts  of  his  which  have  lately  taken  place  in  these  days  about 
the  aforesaid  constitution  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland.  For  no 
one  can  be  himself  at  once  witness,  suitor  and  judge  in  his  own 
cause,  or  by  his  own  writings  support  and  prove  the  justice  of 
his  own  cause.  No  wonder,  then,  if  one  who  has  nothing  true  to 
advance  fears  the  judgment  of  a  righteous  judge  and  the  result 
of  a  sentence  to  be  pronounced  against  him,  that  he  should  be 
silent  and  contumacious,  especially  if  his  proceedings  would  be 
sifted  justly  although  he  himself  were  absent.  At  first,  however, 
he  strove,  merely  through  his  own  statements,  to  avoid  trial  by 
the  apostolic  see,  to  escape  judgment  by  a  priest  of  the  race  of 
Levi  and  a  judge  who  probes  all  things,  the  Eoman  pontiff, 
doubtless  provided  by  God  as  the  one  last  refuge  on  earth  for 
those  crushed  down  by  might  and  so  wrongfully  dispoiled; 
and,  by  merely  begging 67  arguments,  unproved,  but  frivolous 
and  of  a  futile  antiquity,  and  on  his  own  bare  assertion  alone, 
he  strove  to  paralyse  the  working  of  the  reference  of  this  matter 
to  the  Curia  made  by  the  see  itself,  to  deprive  the  Scots  of  the 
remedy  of  the  right  of  relief,  and  of  the  help  of  the  said  see,  to 
which  this  kingdom  of  Scotland  belongs  ;  and  not  without  being 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII.        143 

in  contempt  of  the  apostolic  see  itself,  and  to  the  no  slight  pre- 
judice of  its  jurisdiction,  and  daring  to  narrow  the  wonted 
jurisdiction  of  the  said  Eoman  church,  especially  between  kings 
and  kingdoms,  and  the  very  large  powers  it  had  before ;  and 
moreover  not  without  the  baneful  result  of  a  distinct  evil,  to 
wit  the  opening  the  door  to  forbidden  subterfuges,  'and  to  the 
flagrant  damaging  of  the  law  by  showing  that,  without  any  pre- 
scription of  court  or  other  lawful  cause  put  forward  according 
to  law  by  a  procurator  duly  appointed  for  that  purpose,  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  ordinary  judge  could  be  defied. 


CHAPTEE  XLIII. 

Same  continued. 

Now  this  kingdom  of  Scotland,  which,  as  has  been  said,  is 
known  to  belong  directly  to  the  Roman  church,  by  common 
law,  according  to  which  an  equal  has  no  authority  over  his 
equal,  and  according  to  which  one  king  is  not  under  another 
king,  nor  one  kingdom  under  another  kingdom,  nor  one  consul 
under  another  consul,  nor  one  praetor  under,  another  prsetor, 
has  always  been  quite  independent  as  regards  this  king  of 
England,  and,  having  been68  in  enjoyment  of  this  independence 
from  time  immemorial  as  well  as  now,  is  fortified  against  him  on 
this  point  in  a  lawful  prosecution.  It  is  maintained  also  that  it 
is  not  a  fief  of  that  king's,  or  feudatory  to  him ;  and  there  is  and 
can  be  no  honest  belief  to  the  contrary.  So  no  other  fit  judge 
in 'the  said  matter  can  be  found,  but  the  Eoman  church  itself, 
to  whom  recourse  could  be  had  by  the  Scots  and  their  Scottish 
church,  so  grossly  injured  and  oppressed  by  the  said  king,  in 
order  to  obtain  justice  for  the  wrongs  and  damage  inflicted 
upon  them.  Nor  ought  the  aforesaid  allegations,  testimony,  or 
statements  of  the  said  lord  king,  which  he  addressed  to  the 
supreme  pontiff  on  his  own  behalf,  he  being  a  party  and  a 
sole  witness,  not  sworn,  to  be  believed  in  this  cause  of  his  own 
to  the  prejudice  of  another,  however  much  higher  that  king 
may  be  in  dignity ;  and  especially  in  the  absence  of  the  other 
party,  by  whose  allegations  and  by  the  mutual  conflict  of  the 
pleadings,  and  not  by  letters  and  libels,  the  merits  of  the  case 
are  brought  out.69  Moreover  that  king  could  not  be  a  fit  judge 
in  the  aforesaid  cause,  for  the  aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland 
is  altogether  not  subject  or  feudatory  unto  him,  as  has  been 
said.  Therefore  the  paramount  authority  of  the  apostolic  see, 
which  sees  that  its  subjects  are  dealt  with,  not  by  might,  but 


144  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

by  right,  and  has  never  been  wont  to  be  in  any  wise  slow  to 
right  those,  especially  its  own,  who  flee  to  it,  ought  not  to  be 
hindered  or  forbear,  on  the  pretext  of  what  was  brought  forward 
by  that  king  in  the  absence  of  the  party,  from  proceeding  justly, 
as  it  began,  in  the  aforesaid  matter  rightfully  so  referred  to  itself, 
and  doing  justice  as  to  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland;  especi- 
ally as  the  daring  acts  committed  by  the  said  king  of  England, 
as  being  a  sacrilegious  person,  come  under  the  censure  even  of 
a  judge  of  the  church,  and  his  manifold  wickedness,70  as  being 
an  aggressor,  should  be  punished  by  the  same  ecclesiastical 
judge.  And  it  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  do  full  justice 
against  him,  great  though  he  is,  to  any  injured  persons  who 
complain,  and  especially  to  churches  and  ecclesiastical  persons 
so  afflicted  and  oppressed  by  this  king  and  his  men ;  and  par- 
ticularly that  the  reference  of  this  matter  to  the  Curia  so 
deliberately  made  some  time  ago  by  the  see  itself  should  not, 
instead  of  being  a  very  acceptable  benefit,  become,  through  the 
said  king's  unproved  inventions  of  an  obsolete  antiquity  and  the 
attacks  carried  on  by  him  upon  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland, 
a  laughing-stock,  illusory,  of  none  effect  and  invalid,  the  cause 
not  being  heard  in  the  presence  of  the  parties;  but  should 
rather  remain  effectual,  stable  and  lasting,  enduring  as  a 
mighty  benefit  to  each  prince  and  to  the  said  see.  For  it 
would  clearly  detract  from  the  lustre,  honour  and  authority  of 
that  see  if  an  undue  and  forcible  union  of  the  kingdoms  so 
begun  should  go  on  underhand,  without  the  sanction  of  that 
see,  through  the  might  alone  of  the  said  king.  Such  an  union 
of  the  kingdoms  ought  by  no  means  to  be  brought  about  save 
by  the  see  itself.  Besides,  that  king's  aforesaid  letter  has 
notorious  falsehoods  annexed  to  it,  and  contains  some  even  in 
its  narrative;  and  these  make  his  assertions  and  the  whole 
contents  of  his  letter,  by  reason  of  the  admixture  of  these  false- 
hoods, notoriously  questionable,  and  justly  dispose  one  to  reject 
them,  even  as  a  little  leaven  leavens  the  whole  mass. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

Same  continued. 

HE  also  wrote  in  his  said  letter  addressed  to  the  supreme 
pontiff,  in  order  to  bring  out  more  strongly  his  right  to  the 
aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland,  what  the  whole  world  knows  to 
be  false,  that  he  was,  at  the  date  of  his  letter,  in  possession  of 
that  kingdom  of  Scotland  in  full  sovereignty;  whereas  it  is 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  145 

notorious  that  he  had  not71  in  that  kingdom  a  single  city,  or 
episcopal  see,  or  town  or  a  whole  diocese  out  of  the  twelve 
bishoprics  there  are  there,  that  kingdom  and  people  being  in  the 
almost  entire  enjoyment  of  their  pristine  independence.  Now 
on  account  of  the  taint  of  this  notorious  falsehood  annexed,  the 
said  king  ought  to  have  been  debarred  from  the  examination 
and  proof  of  the  remainder  of  his  assertions ;  but  more  par- 
ticularly from  the  fact  that  he  did  not  trouble  himself  to  appear 
at  the  Eoman  Curia  by  the  time  allowed  him,  or  to  adduce 
anything  satisfactory  as  to  the  right  which  he  claimed  to  have 
in  that  kingdom  over  the  independence  it  has  uninterruptedly 
enjoyed — that  kingdom  afterwards  so  defamed  and  disturbed  by 
him.  Now,  although  that  king  cannot  establish  his  point  from 
the  aforesaid  and,  in  view  of  the  above-mentioned  points  of 
law  and  arguments,  the  writings  he  wrote  ought  not  to  do  any 
harm  to  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  yet,  since  that  king,  in  order 
to  suit  his  purpose,72  coloured  and  garbled  history,  and  wrote  on 
many  points  shortly  and  plainly,  first  touching  upon  the  original 
state  of  Brutus  and  the  island  of  Britain  and  of  the  people  and 
kings  who  succeeded  Brutus  in  the  island  of  Britain, — and  how 
Brutus  himself  then  first  divided  the  island  into  three  parts, 
Cambria,  Albania  and  Locria,  among  his  three  sons,  Locrine, 
Camber  and  Albanact, — since,  therefore,  that  king  omitted  to 
write  the  truth  of  the  matter,  touching  only  upon  those  things 
that  seemed  to  suit  his  purpose,  and  suppressing  the  rest  of  the 
truth,  it  behoves  us  to  turn  our  attention  more  fully  to  the 
full  facts  of  the  story,  and  to  tell  what  he  has  as  yet  left  un- 
written. First,  how  that  island  of  Britain,  or  part  thereof, 
Albania,  lost  the  name  and  memory  of  its  British  race,  and  in 
place  of  it  Albania  got  the  new  name  of  Scotia  with  the  race  of 
the  Scots.  Now,  from  a  true  and  full  account  of  this  story  it 
will  be  seen  that  what  that  king  wrote  upon  this  subject  does  not 
advance  his  views,  but  rather  clearly  makes  against  him,  if  we 
bring  out  the  facts  of  the  story  that  lie  under  the  surface ;  and, 
if  the  mists  of  antiquity,  conjured  up  by  the  king,  are  dispelled, 
it  will  be  seen  that  these  mists  cannot  unduly  arrogate  to  them- 
selves the  place  of  light,  as  is  alleged.  After  that  most  ancient 
people  the  Scots,  then  so  called  after  a  woman  of  the  name 
of  Scota,  daughter  of  Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt,  had  come  out  of 
Egypt,  and  after  they  had  first  settled  in  an  island  in  the  ocean 
named  Hibernia,  so  called  from  that  river  of  Spain,  the  Hyber, 
and  driven  out  the  giants — Isidore  calls  it  the  island  of  the 
Scots — and  after  having,  according  to  Bede,  next  settled  in 
Argadia,  a  part  of  the  aforesaid  Britain  adjoining  Albania 
itself,  which  Argadia  was  then  and  even  to  this  day  called 

K 


146  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

Argyll,  from  Erk,  son  of  Scota,  and  Gael,  this  Scota's  husband, 
by  putting  the  two  names  together,  later  in  after  times  this 
people,  having  cast  out  the  Britons  from  Albania,  occupied 
Albania,  namely  that  aforesaid  part  Albania,  which  is  the  third 
division  of  Britain,  whereof  the  king  of  England  writes,  by  the 
same  right  and  title  as  that  whereby  Brutus  afterwards  occu- 
pied Britain,  the  Scots  themselves  bestowing  upon  that  part  of 
the  island,  so  occupied,  the  new  name  of  Scotia,  from  that 
Scota,  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  and  the  mistress  of  the  Scots. 
Hence  the  line — 

The  Scots  from  Scota,  Scotia  from  the  Scots. 

After  this  the  Scots  banished  the  Britons,  with  their  king, 
their  laws,  their  tongue  and  their  manners,  from  that  part  of 
the  island,  which  from  that  time  forward  changed  its  name  of 
Albania  and  received  a  new  name,  Scotia,  together  with  the 
nation,  tongue,  laws  and  manners  of  the  Scots,  as  is  notoriously 
evident  even  down  to  the  present  day,  who  hold  complete 
dominion  over  it ;  and  they  and  their  king  and  the  new 
domination  of  the  Scots  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  Britons. 
So  this  third  division  of  Britain,  at  first  called  Albania  from 
Albanact,  thenceforth  changed  its  name  and  condition  and  was 
called  Scotland,  and  for  this  reason  it  has  always  afterwards 
steadily  and  uninterruptedly  retained  this  name.  The  king, 
however,  not  without  reason,  omitted  to  put  this  down,  believ- 
ing it  would  rather  hinder  than  suit  his  purpose.  Further- 
more the  Scots,  having  thus  become  the  enemies  of  the  Britons, 
allied  with  themselves  the  stranger  people  of  the  Picts  by 
sharing  with  them  their  land  of  Scotland  so  obtained,  and  they 
so  harried  the  descendants  of  the  Britons,  and  so  harassed 
and  molested  that  other  part  of  Britain  near  them,  which  was 
then  called  Logria  and  now  England,  with  hostile  inroads,  that 
the  Britons,  the  inhabitants  of  that  part,  were  obliged  to  sub- 
mit to  a  fixed  tribute  to  the  Komans,  and  to  bespeak  their  help 
against  the  attacks  of  the  Scots  and  Picts.  Accordingly,  in 
the  time  of  the  Emperor  Severus,  certain  legions  of  Eomans 
were  sent  to  their  assistance,  to  defend  them  against  the  Scots 
and  Picts ;  and  these  built  that  most  ancient  stone  wall,  130 
miles  in  length,  which  stretches  through  the  middle  of  Britain 
from  sea  to  sea,  dividing  Scotia  from  Loegria,  with  pitfalls 
in  front  of  the  wall,  moats  and  towers,  and  gates  shutting  and 
closed  against  the  Scots  and  Picts ;  and  traces  of  these  walls 
may  clearly  be  seen  even  at  the  present  day.  What  we  know 
of  all  this  is  proved  clearly  enough  by  histories  above  sus- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  147 

picion,  as  likewise  it  will  be  plainly  evident  to  those  who  look 
at  the  Roman  remains. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

Same  continued. 

HENCE  it  is  plain  that  it  is  not  likely  that  the  Britons  built 
a  wall  so  costly  and  otherwise  useless  to  them,  save  only  for 
their  own  protection  against  the  Scots ;  and  they  would  by  no 
means  have  called  in  the  assistance  of  the  Romans  from  so  far, 
especially  if  the  direct  overlordship  of  the  whole  of  that  island, 
as  is  alleged  and  the  aforesaid  king  asserts,  or  the  sole  dominion 
over  the  said  island  had  remained  with  themselves,  or  the  Scots 
had  previously  been  subject  to  these  Britons.  Therefore  these 
writings  of  the  king's  as  to  those  early  British  times,  so  drawn 
up  in  order  to  support  or  further  the  purpose  he  had  in  his 
royal  view,  and  thereby  to  appropriate  to  himself  the  direct 
overlordship  of  Scotland  and  strengthen  the  foundations  of  his 
right  to  that  throne,  are  of  no  use,  and  do  not  rest  upon  any 
adequate  basis  of  truth.73  Moreover  it  may  be  clearly  gathered 
from  the  foregoing,  first,  that  the  right  alleged  to  have  been  pos- 
sessed in  the  time  of  the  Britons  has  not  passed  on  continuously 
down  to  this  king  or  his  family,  as  he  writes,  but  that  naturally, 
as  we  see  from  the  aforesaid  and  other  facts,  that  possession 
was  very  often  interrupted,  and  that  all  the  claim  that  the  king, 
on  the  subject  of  his  original  right,  alleges  he  has  in  that  realm 
of  Scotland,  on  the  score  of  his  having,  as  he  says,  succeeded 
the  Britons  in  the  kingdom  of  Loegria,  whereas  it  springs  from 
a  defective  source  of  dead  works  and  rests  upon  those  British 
times,  so  weak  a  foundation,  and  one  shortly  afterwards  done 
away  with,  and  later  on  interrupted  in  the  middle,  has  been  done 
away  with  and  invalidated  by  time ;  and  that  the  various  and 
sundry  consequences  apparently  based  thereon,  on  the  subject  of 
the  right  of  the  said  lord  king  to  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland, 
ought  justly  to  crumble  into  dust  when  the  truth  of  the  matter 
is  laid  bare  in  the  presence  of  the  parties ;  but  that,  inasmuch 
as  the  state  of  things  in  those  days,  as  it  then  was,  is  not  lasting 
any  more  than  that  of  now-a-days, — as  we  see  in  the  chronicles 
of  the  Romans,  who  sometime  ruled  over  the  whole  world,  and 
to  whom  the  empire  of  the  world,  as  it  were,  which  at  first 
belonged  to  the  Assyrians,  is  well  known  to  have  finally  come 
after  passing  from  nation  to  nation,  and  with  whom  it  still 
remains, — therefore,  if  at  first  by  any  right  the  kingdom  of 
Loegria  sometime  obtained  sole  dominion  over  the  whole  British 


148  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

island  of  Britain,  as  the  king  alleges,  though  it  is  not  true, 
when  that  original  state  of  things  in  those  days  was  altered 
and  the  Scots  afterwards  occupied  a  third  part  of  the  island 
of  the  Britons,  namely  Albania  aforesaid,  and  signally  swept 
away  thence  the  name  and  memory  of  the  Britons,  the  sole 
dominion  over  the  island,  if  it  ever  belonged  to  the  Britons,  had 
notoriously,  it  is  said,  in  course  of  time  long  ceased  to  be  theirs, 
and  it  is  moreover  known  not  to  have  remained  with  the  king- 
dom of  Loegria :  nay,  by  God's  providence  as  well  as  through 
the  devoutness  of  the  faithful  in  after  times,  it  undoubtedly 
passed  over  to  the  church  of  Eome  by  a  grant  of  Constantino 
the  Great,  and  clearly  is  vested  in  her.  Now  the  aforesaid 
church  may  well  perceive  how  greatly  this  king  of  England 
would  be  encroaching  on  her  rights  by  unduly  appropriating  to 
himself  the  sole  dominion  over  this  island,  which  is  not  his,  to 
another's  prejudice,  and  also  by  appropriating  to  himself  afresh, 
by  force  and  fear,  the  often-mentioned  acephalous  kingdom  of 
Scotland,  while  the  apostolic  see,  the  direct  mistress  of  that 
domain,  was  vacant  and  not  consulted,  and  may  see  how  serious 
an  injury  might  thereby  be  threatened  to  the  church  herself 
for  the  time,  if  one  king  reigned  in  this  island  of  Britain,  and 
the  royal  dignity,  so  obtained,  and  the  name  of  king  unduly 
came  to  an  end  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland.  The  kingdom  of 
Scotland,  always  from  days  of  old  a  danger  to  the  kingdom  of 
England,  is  not  known  or  proved  to  have  been  under  any  of  the 
British  or  Saxon  kings  whatever,  save  so  far  as  antiquity  relates 
that,  even  as  Arthur  subdued  Denmark  and  Gaul  and  Norway 
by  his  might,  so  also  did  he  subdue  Scotland,  during  his  own 
time  only;  and,  when  this  Arthur  was  slain  in  battle  by 
Mordred  son  of  Loth  king  of  Scotland,  Scotland  was  so  far 
restored  to  her  pristine  independence  thereby.  Again,  when 
the  Britons  were  afterwards  cast  out  of  Logria  by  the  Saxons, 
more  by  treachery  than  by  might,  power,  or  force  of  arms,  and 
again  when  the  Saxons  themselves  were  cast  out  of  the  said 
kingdom  of  Logria  by  the  Danes,  and  later,  when  the  Danes 
were  driven  out  thence  by  the  Saxons  and  the  former  name  of 
the  kingdom  of  Logria  was  changed  to  Anglia,  yet,  while  all 
these  changes  in  name  and  inhabitants  went  on  in  the  kingdom 
of  Logria,  Scotland  never  changed  its  name,  nor  the  Scottish 
people  their  name  or  state  of  independence ;  but  it  stood  fast 
and  immoveable,  and  we  read  that  it  was  not  subject  unto  any 
other  king  of  the  Saxons,  or  of  Logria,  of  Britain,  or  of  Anglia, 
but  unto  Arthur  alone,  during  his  time  only,  as  already  stated, 
whatever  the  aforesaid  king  of  England  may  presume  to  advance 
to  the  contrary. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  149 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 

Same  continued. 

Now  while  the  Saxons  were  endeavouring  to  crush  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  a  great  victory  over  them  was  granted  by 
God  to  the  allied  Picts  and  Scots  at  Athelstanford,  near  Had- 
dington,  through  the  honoured  relics  of  the  blessed  apostle 
Andrew,  which  were  miraculously  brought  over  by  sea  from 
Greece  to  Scotland,  where  King  Hungus  was  then  reigning ;  and 
it  was  on  that  account  that  the  Scots  first  firmly  received  the 
faith,  four  hundred  years  and  more  before  the  Saxons  or  Angles 
received  that  faith.  And,  for  obtaining  so  great  a  victory  mira- 
culously granted  by  God,  it  is  said  that  the  kings  of  those  days 
acknowledged  that  thenceforth  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland 
should  be  a  fief  of  the  church  of  Eome ;  and  the  church  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  far  as  it  was,  began,  through  a  great 
mystery  and  by  the  grant  of  God,  to  be  under  the  chief  of  the 
church  alone,  the  blessed  Peter  and  the  blessed  Andrew  his 
brother  and  his  successor  the  Eoman  pontiff,  without  any  other 
metropolitan  between ;  and  it  never  passed  into  another  branch 
of  the  head  metropolitan  church.  Afterwards,  indeed,  when  the 
kingdom  of  England  was  made  tributary  to  the  Eoman  pontiff 
and  his  church,  as  is  well  known,  Scotland  did  not,  like  Eng- 
land, bear  the  burden  of  such  tribute,  it  being  inapplicable  to 
her  under  any  right  of  overlordship ;  and  we  read  that  this 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  as  the  peculiar  and  especial  freehold  of 
the  church  in  full  right,  together  with  its  church  quite  separate 
from  England,  was  thenceforth  defended  by  that  church  of  Eome, 
with  the  whole  might  of  the  protection,  benefits  and  privileges 
of  the  apostolic  see,  against  the  Saxons  and  their  successors  the 
English,  always  very  hostile  to  the  Scots,  as  unbelievers  are 
wont  to  be  to  the  faithful.  In  other  parts  moreover  the  church 
of  Eome  sometimes  made  use  of  them,  like  Assur,  to  cow  the 
neighbouring  rebellious  nations ;  and  it  might  yet  perhaps  in 
course  of  time  need  their  use  and  help,  as  it  has  needed  it.  If 
therefore,  as  is  alleged,  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  were  a  depend- 
ency of  the  kingdom  of  England,  it  would  not  be  more  free 
than  the  latter  as  to  the  payment  of  taxes  and  other  things, 
nor  would  it  in  this  and  in  other  things  be  taxed  by  a  different 
system  from  it  at  all.  For,  as  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  did 
not  pay  a  certain  tax,  so  neither  did  the  counties  of  Cumber- 
land, Northumberland,  or  Westmoreland,  although  they  fell 
under  the  sway  of  the  English.  This  was  so  because  the  afore- 
said counties  were  altogether  subject  to  the  Scots  at  the  time 


150  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

this  tax  was  established,  and  thus  they  remained  altogether 
free  from  the  payment  of  this  tax.  And  it  was  through  no 
one  but  the  Scots,  the  first  teachers  of  the  faith  in  those  parts, 
namely  Saint  Columba,  Saint  Aydan,  Saint  Colman  and  Saint 
Finian,  together  with  others,  their  companions,  that  a  notion  of 
the  faith  and  the  knowledge  of  the  name  of  Christ  reached  the 
people  of  those  counties,  long  before  the  English;  nor  is  it 
called  in  question  that  the  Scots  king  Gregory,  son  of  Dongall, 
sometime  subdued  the  whole  of  England,  as  is  clearly  proved 
by  their  own  chronicles  in  the  Gestes  of  the  English.  Of  the 
subjection  of  the  Scots  to  the  Saxons,  however,  which  is  alto- 
gether denied,  there  is  no  proof  whatever  but  the  mere  and 
bare  assertion  of  the  aforesaid  king  of  England  and  his  forged 
and  suspicious  private  papers,  which  are  by  no  means  admis- 
sible as  evidence  for  himself.  Nor  is  there  authority  for  believ- 
ing that  saint's  miracles  or  revelations  which  he  alludes  to;  even 
if  he  were  a  martyr,  what  proof  is  there  that  these  revelations 
came  from  God  ?  The  proof  of  them  from  the  king's  letter  is 
not  conclusive,  nor  even  what  is  usual  for  judgments  in  our 
time,  seeing  that  we  read  that  Satan's  angel  transforms  himself 
into  an  angel  of  light,  and  that  the  witch  answered  Saul  in  the 
likeness  of  Samuel.  Now  no  one  has  ever  heard  that  there  has 
ever  been  talk  in  Scotland  of  any  revelation  made  to  that  Saint 
John  such  as  the  king  of  England  alleges  on  his  own  behalf 
from  his  own  sources.  However,  even  if  the  miracles  alleged 
by  that  king,  or  the  sundry  events  of  that  time,  could  then 
have  been  proved  true,  though  in  fact  they  were  false,  yet  we 
know  that  we  have  altogether  departed  from  that  old  state  of 
things,  and  that  this  kingdom  of  Scotland  has  from  time  imme- 
morial enjoyed  complete  liberty,  and  secured  it  by  prescription, 
being  borne  out  by  the  common  law  in  this ;  so  that  the  old 
facts  alleged  by  the  king,  even  if  they  had  been  true,  as  they 
are  false,  would  now  have  no  weight  whatever,  nor  could  they 
in  any  way  be  insisted  on,  seeing  that  when  the  sovereignty  of 
this  part  of  the  island,  Albania,  was  transferred  to  the  Scots,  a 
change  took  place  in  the  former  law  and  title,  and  has  lasted  for 
ever  after;  and  recent  events  and  subsequent  arrangements, 
which  must  be  borne  in  mind,  have  modified  these  things 
which  the  king  has  written  about,  and  whereof  neither  proof 
nor  even  remembrance  exists.  And  it  is  certain  that  the  king- 
dom of  Scotland  was  lately  proved  to  be  independent,  when 
Alexander  in.,  the  last  king  thereof,  died;  and  thus,  arguing 
from  a  short  time  ago  to  preceding  times  longer  ago,  as  the  law 
dictates,  it  is  presumed  to  have  been  independent  from  days 
of  yore ;  and  subsequent  events  indicate  that  it  really  is  so. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII.        151 

CHAPTER  XLVII. 

Same  continued. 

GOING  on,  then,  with  divers  statements  about  the  last  period 
of  the  Norman  kings  of  England,  as  of  the  preceding  kings, 
namely  the  Briton  and  the  Saxon,  and  their  times,  the  king  of 
England  put  down  much  that  suits  his  purpose  but  is  entirely 
devoid  of  truth ;  and  it  can  all  be  answered  categorically  and 
briefly.     For,  if  King  William  of  Scotland  did  fealty  or  homage 
to  any  king  after  the  arrival  of  the  Normans  in  England,  as  is 
alleged,  it  could  be  legally  proved  that  such  homage  was  not 
for  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  which  was  independent  by  common 
law  and  in  fact,  but  for  the  lands  situated  in  England,  which 
the  kings  of  Scotland  were  wont  to  have  in  England  at  that 
time.     Nor  is  this  traversed  by  the  story  of  the  reinstatement 
of  Duncan  and  Edgar,  kings  of  Scotland,  and  the  overthrow  of 
Dovenald,  touched  upon  by  the  king,  if  we  turn  our  attention 
more  fully  to  the  truth  of  the  matter  as  it  is ;  for  while  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  was  some  time  ago  in  the  hands  of  one 
Dovenald,  after  the  lawful  heirs,  the  sons  of  King  Malcolm  and 
the   blessed  Margaret,  had  been  driven  from  the  throne — 
Matilda,  the  daughter  of  this  Malcolm  and  Margaret  had  been 
married  to  Henry  I.  king  of  England,  called  Beauclerk — Duncan, 
the  natural  or  bastard  eldest  son  of  this  Malcolm,  supported 
perhaps   by  the   said  Henry  king  of  England,   as  being  his 
sister's  husband,  his  kinsman,  not  his  lord,74  is  known  to  have 
recovered  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  and  driven  out  thence  the 
aforesaid  Dovenald.     When  Duncan  was  afterwards  slain  and 
the  throne  was  again  a  second  time  filled  by  the  said  Dovenald, 
Edgar,  the  eldest  son  of  the  said  Malcolm  and  Margaret,  drove 
him  out  and,  likewise  perhaps  with  the  assistance  of  the  said 
king  of  England,  recovered  the  throne  of  Scotland.     In  like 
manner,  when  the  throne  of  England  was  similarly  unjustly 
filled  by  one  King  Stephen,  it  was,  through  David  king  of 
Scotland   and  by  his  help,  recovered  by  Henry  II.  king  of 
England,  the  son  of  the  Empress  Maud — which  Empress  Maud 
was  the  daughter  of  Matilda  the  good  queen  of  England,  the 
sister  of  the  said  King  David  of  Scotland,  and  was  then  lawful 
heiress  to  the  English  throne,  but  had,  together  with  her  afore- 
said son  Henry  n.,  called  the  Peaceful,  been  driven  from  the 
throne  by  the  said  King  Stephen ;  and  it  was  recovered  in  like 
manner  as  stated.     For  this  mutual  support,  however,  such  as 
is  wont  to  be  given  among  neighbours  as  well  as  kinsmen, 


152        THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII. 

who,  when  the  interests  of  either  are  involved  and  the  case 
requires  it,  aid  and  abet  each  other  mutually, — on  account  of 
this  it  is  unjustly  argued,  but  by  no  means  proved,  that  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  was  vassal  to  the  kingdom  of  England, 
or  in  some  measure  dependent  on  that  kingdom  of  England. 
The  truth  is  that  this  King  David  of  Scotland  held  at  that  time 
the  counties  of  Northumberland,  Cumberland  and  Westmore- 
land as  his  own  and,  as  is  certain  and  plain,  built  several  castles 
and  founded  several  monasteries  therein;  and  the  aforesaid 
King  David  of  Scotland  is  never  known  to  have  done  any 
homage  or  given  a  token  of  any  other  dependence  to  the  said 
king  of  England  for  the  aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland,  but 
only  for  those  lands  which  King  David  obtained  in  England, 
as  may  be  clearly  proved.  For,  while  Henry,  the  son  of  this 
David  king  of  Scotland,  and  deceased  before  his  father,  was 
earl  of  Huntingdon  in  England,  he  could  not  do  homage  for 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  as  the  king  of  England  alleges  he  did, 
his  father  being  yet  alive,  but  only  for  the  aforesaid  earldom  of 
Huntingdon,  which  was  situated  in  England,  and  which  he 
held  of  him ;  for  it  has  not  been  usual  for  a  son  to  do  homage 
for  his  father's  fief  while  the  father  is  alive  and  holds  the  fief. 
So  it  is  proved  that  this  is  how  we  must  understand  what  he 
introduces  further  on  about  the  homage  done  by  David  and 
William,  the  sons  of  that  Henry  earl  of  Huntingdon,  who,  while 
their  grandfather  David  king  of  Scotland  was  still  alive,  their 
father  Henry,  however,  being  dead,  did  due  homage  to, the  king 
of  England  for  these  lands  of  theirs  situated  in  England  on 
succeeding  their  father  the  said  deceased  Earl  Henry ;  for  the 
said  homage  done  by  the  aforesaid  Henry,  David  and  William 
cannot  refer  to  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  or  have  been  on 
account  of  that  kingdom,  while  the  aforesaid  David  king  of 
Scots  was,  as  already  stated,  still  alive.  But,  notwithstanding 
this,  the  king  of  England,  unaware  of  the  above  fact,  tries  to  in- 
troduce his  aforesaid  sophistical  statements  to  make  one  think 
otherwise. 


CHAPTER    XLVIII. 

Same  continued. 

Bur,  when  this  King  David  died  at  Carlisle,  being  then,  so  to 
speak,  in  peaceful  possession  of  Northumberland,  Cumberland 
and  Westmoreland,  and  the  throne  of  Scotland  was  then  vacant 
through  his  death,  in  the  absence  of  the  aforesaid  King  David's 
grandson  William,  the  then  heir  to  the  said  throne  and  sue- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  153 

cessor  to  the  said  King  David,  this  William  being  at  that  time 
at  the  wars  for  the  faith,  in  the  district  of  Toulouse,  against  the 
heretical  Albigenses,  the  son  of  the  Empress  Maud,  Henry  king 
of  England,  under  whom  suffered  Saint  Thomas  of  Canterbury, 
and  to  whom  this  David  had  brought  about  the  restoration  of 
the  throne  of  England,  ungratefully  returning  evil  for  good 
invaded  and  occupied  by  force  the  aforesaid  counties  of  Cum- 
berland, Northumberland  and  Westmoreland,  and  by  his  in- 
trigues erected  a  cathedral  church  in  the  city  of  Carlisle,  by 
the  authority  of  the  supreme  pontiff.75  This  church  had  before 
been  in  the  diocese  of  Glasgow,  and  had  been  converted  to  the 
faith  by  Saint  Kentigern,  who  was  a  Scot,  and  to  whose  memory 
and  honour  many  churches  were  built  and  dedicated  in  that 
diocese.  The  above-mentioned  William,  however,  after  he  was 
raised  to  the  throne,  being  strongly  desirous  of  recovering  these 
counties,  assembled  an  army ;  and  we  read  that  he  was  taken 
prisoner  in  England  and  brought  captive  to  Normandy,  to 
Henry  the  Elder,  king  of  England.  While  a  prisoner  there,  as 
the  king  now  alleges  in  his  paper,  to  gain  his  freedom  he  initiated 
many  extraordinarily  unseemly  measures  against  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  promising  while  in  prison 
things  which  he  afterwards  fulfilled,  and  giving  the  king  of 
England  four  of  the  strongest  castles  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland 
as  security.  But,  by  fulfilling  promises  of  this  kind  thus  made 
to  the  prejudice  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  he  ought  not 
thereby  to  damage  his  kingdom,  or  the  independence  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  seeing  that  he  was  kept  in  prison :  first, 
because  this  King  William,  thus  consigned  to  prison,  was  not 
free  or  independent ;  secondly,  what  he  then  promised  in  prison 
and  is  known  to  have  afterwards  performed  was,  however,  after- 
wards done  away  with  by  later  compacts,  which  were  contrary 
to  the  former  compacts,  whence  they  could  not  damage  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  as  already  stated,  or  the  independence 
thereof;  thirdly,  because  that  state  of  things  and  the  compacts 
and  agreements  thus  entered  into  were  afterwards  withdrawn 
from,  and  the  original  and  proper  independence  of  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland  was  reverted  to,  in  accordance  with  warranted  law- 
ful prescription ;  for  afterwards  this  King  William,  as  already 
stated,  or  other  kings  of  Scotland  rendered  invalid,  null  and 
void  the  several  compacts,  agreements  and  promises  made  by 
King  William  or  other  kings  of  Scotland,  if  such  had  been 
made  previously,  which  the  said  king  of  England  has  brought 
forward  against  the  independence  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland ; 
and  this  is  clearly  proved  by  the  fact  that  Richard  king  of 
England,  son  of  the  above-mentioned  King  Henry,  returning  to 


154  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

a  better  state  of  mind,  acknowledged  that  his  father  the  afore- 
said Henry  had  dealt  unjustly  with  William  king  of  Scotland 
and  his  realm ;  for  it  is  well  known  that,  on  receipt  of  a  large 
sum  of  money  from  him,  he  restored  to  the  said  King  William 
the  castles  which  his  father  held  in  Scotland  as  security  afore- 
said, and  also  altogether  released  the  said  King  William  from 
all  bonds,  compacts  and  promises  whatsoever  which  had  arisen 
from  the  aforesaid  captivity,  as  well  as  all  other  rights  which 
he  saw  belonged  to  him  over  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  from 
this  cause;  and  he  altogether  and  absolutely  freed  the  said 
King  William  from  the  same,  on  whatever  grounds  he  had  a 
hold  on  them,  whether  in  law  or  in  fact,  by  certain  public  deeds 
and  instruments  drawn  up  for  the  purpose.  Moreover  the 
vassals  of  Scotland  have  never  at  any  time  been  known  to  do 
homage  to  any  king  of  England  whatever,  except  in  case  of 
imprisonment,  such  as  the  foregoing,  or  any  other  compulsion, 
violence  or  lawlessness;  nay,  the  criminals  of  one  kingdom 
escaping  to  the  other  kingdom  have  always  found  a  refuge, 
which  they  would  not  have  found  if  one  of  the  kingdoms  had 
been  subject  to  the  other. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

Rescripts  of  Pope  Gregory,  and  answers. 

HENCE  it  follows  that  as  for  the  rescripts  of  Gregory  ix.  and 
Honorius  in.,  wherein,  according  to  the  representations  made 
by  the  king  of  England  on  the  point,  the  king  of  Scotland  is 
styled  the  liegeman  of  the  above-mentioned  king  of  England, 
either  this  must  be  understood  as  applying  to  his  lauds  which 
the  king  of  Scotland  held  from  him  in  England,  and  not  to  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  ever  and  entirely  independent ;  or  it  may 
be  understood  for  the  period  when  the  king  of  Scotland  was  a 
prisoner,  as  stated  above;  so  that  these  rescripts,  which  are 
known  to  have  been  got  by  the  representations  of  the  king  of 
England,  ought  not  to  prejudice  the  independence  of  the  king- 
dom of  Scotland  in  this,  nor  do  they  stand  in  the  way  of  it, 
having  been  clearly  abrogated,  quashed  and  declared  invalid 
by  the  latest  compacts  which  followed  them,  .and  by  subsequent 
releases  by  kings  of  England.  As  for  these  rescripts,  they  con- 
tain, according  to  the  practice  of  that  time,  only  the  statement 
of  the  king  of  England  to  suit  those  circumstances,  a  condi- 
tional conclusion  and  the  supreme  pontiff's  answer;  and  no 
one  can  be  prejudiced  thereby.  Nay,  it  is  clearly  proved  that 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEX.      BOOK  VIII.  155 

what  was  stated  in  that  rescript  afterwards  lost  its  force, 
because  there  are  no  such  agreements,  approved  or  authorised 
by  the  aforesaid  supreme  pontiffs, — to  wit,  that  any  vassals  of  the 
realm  of  Scotland  should  do  homage,  fealty  or  vassalage  to  any 
king  save  for  lands  situated  within  the  kingdom  of  England, 
as  already  stated,  which  the  lords  of  Scotland  used  to  hold 
from  the  king  of  England.  For  it  is  well  known,  and  nobody 
doubts  it,  that  these  agreements  and  compacts  were  voided,  and 
that  from  time  immemorial  there  has  been  a  place  of  refuge,  as 
said  above,  for  all  criminals  escaping  from  the  kingdom  of 
England  into  Scotland,  and  contrariwise ;  and  hence  it  is  not 
likely  that  one  kingdom  was  under  the  dominion  of  the  other. 
So  the  agreements,  if  any,  thus  entered  into  in  the  time  of 
King  William  were  voided  by  deed  or  by  usage,  and  the  very 
opposite  afterwards  ensued  and  was  in  force  for  a  very  long 
time.  Therefore,  as  the  force  of  those  statements  of  ancient 
facts  brought  forward  by  the  king  has  been  done  away  with, 
and  their  unproved  errors  exploded,  it  will  be  brought  out  in  a 
clearer  light,  both  by  common  law  and  by  lawful  prescription, 
as  also  by  the  latest  apostolic  privileges  and  rescripts  of  most 
complete  independence,  and  equally  so  by  the  doings  and  acts 
of  the  kings  themselves  last  reigning  in  England,  who  coun- 
tenanced and  approved  the  independence  of  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland,  of  both  the  kingdom  and  the  kings,  that  both  the 
king  and  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  are  entirely  independent  of 
the  king  of  England  and  his  kingdom,  as  is  shown  by  the  fol- 
lowing modern  proofs,  whereby  will  be  unanswerably  shown 
where  the  truth  lies. 

CHAPTER  L. 

Same  continued. 

KING  ALEXANDER,  son  of  this  King  William,  reigned  six-and- 
thirty  years  in  Scotland  as  king,  and  did  no  homage  to  any 
English  king  for  the  kingdom  of  Scotland ;  nor  has  the  king  of 
England,  nor  have  any  other  kings  his  predecessors  time  out  of 
mind,  ever  made  any  mention  at  all  of  any  homage  done  by  him 
as  by  the  king  for  the  kingdom  of  Scotland.  Alexander  in., 
too,  the  son  of  the  said  Alexander  IL,  and  now  late  king  of 
Scotland,  who  reigned  thirty-five  years  in  entire  independence 
after  his  father,  when  doing  homage  to  this  Edward,  the  now 
king  of  England,  only  for  the  lands  of  Penrith  and  Tyndale, 
situated  in  England,  wishing  to  act  cautiously  and  to  secure 
himself  in  the  rights  and  independence  he  enjoyed,  and  to  pre- 


156  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

serve  them  for  the  future  if  any  doubt  were  raised  on  the  point, 
publicly  declared  that  he  did  him  such  homage  in  no  way  for 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  but  for  the  aforesaid  lands,  therein 
named,  and  situated  in  England ;  and  this  present  King  Edward 
admitted  and  received  it  when  offered  thus  by  him,  and  made 
then  no  mention  nor  raised  the  question  of  the  vassalage  of  the 
throne  of  Scotland.  Hence  it  is  presumed  and  we  are  given 
to  understand  that  such  homage  and  the  like,  if  ever  done  to 
former  kings  of  England  by  the  kings  of  Scotland  in  those  times 
whereof  mention  is  made  in  the  present  letter  of  this  king  of 
England,  was  such  as  this  homage  last  done  for  lands  situated 
within  the  realm  of  England,  as  aforesaid,  approved  and  ad- 
mitted by  those  same  kings  of  England  in  those  times ;  for  the 
subjects  are  such  as  the  predicates  admit  of.  And  this  state  of 
independence  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  is  plainly  declared  and 
pointed  to  by  the  latest  chronicles  of  the  kingdom ;  and  various 
acts  and  divers  apostolic  rescripts  and  privileges  plainly  prove 
this  very  same  thing.  For,  in  the  first  place,  when  Henry,  the 
late  king  of  England,  besought  Alexander  king  of  Scotland,  his 
son-in-law,  to  lend  him  assistance  against  Simon  de  Montfort  and 
his  accomplices,  he  acknowledged,  as  a  security,  by  his  letters- 
patent  thereupon  given  to  the  king  of  Scotland,  that  he  did 
not  wish  to  have  his  assistance  aforesaid  to  the  prejudice  of  his 
independence  or  that  of  his  kingdom,  out  of  any  service  in  any 
way  whatsoever  due  to  him,  but  only  as  a  particular  favour  and 
grace.  This  King  Edward  also,  the  son  of  that  King  Henry  his 
father,  walking  in  the  footsteps  of  his  progenitor  and  giving  his 
countenance  to  what  had  been  done  before,  when  he  was  minded 
to  have  Alexander  king  of  Scotland,  his  sister's  husband,  pre- 
sent at  the  ceremony  of  his  coronation,  sent  over  to  the  said 
King  Alexander,  who  refused  to  go  thither  otherwise,  his 
letters-patent  that  he  was  not  doing  so  through  any  service  he 
owed,  but  only  granted  him  this  as  a  favour  and  kindness. 


CHAPTER   LI. 

Same  continued, 

WHEN,  afterwards,  the  guardianship  of  the  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land was  vacant  after  the  death  of  the  aforesaid  King  Alex- 
ander, it  did  not  devolve  upon  him  as  the  direct  overlord  of  the 
domain  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  as  usually  happens  with 
fiefs ;  but,  by  that  king's  advice,76  six  guardians  of  the  said 
kingdom  were  chosen  by  the  lords  of  that  kingdom.  When  that 


THE  BOOK  OP  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  157 

king  of  England  knew  this,  he  tolerated,  approved  and  assented 
to  the  government  of  these  guardians,  and  did  not  then  claim 
that  he  had  any  right  over  the  said  kingdom,  for  it  was  not  as  yet 
torn  in  pieces,  as  it  afterwards  was ;  and  no  obstacle  was  raised 
on  this  score  by  that  king  of  England  to  the  said  six  guardians 
for  the  space  of  six  years  or  more  during  which  they  had  the 
guardianship  of  the  said  kingdom,  until  and  down  to  the  time 
that  there  began  to  arise  in  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland  a  sub- 
ject of  dispute  between  certain  parties  about  the  right  of  succes- 
sion to  the  throne,  after  the  death  of  Margaret,  daughter  of  the 
king  of  Norway,  grand-daughter  of  the  said  King  Alexander,  and 
true  heiress  to  the  throne  while  she  lived,  though  she  died  in 
girlhood ;  for  after  her  death  a  great  quarrel  broke  out  between 
some  lords  of  the  realm  who  were  contending  as  to  who  had  the 
better  right.     By  reason  of  this  the  king  of  England,  at  first 
outwardly  pretending  that  he  wanted  to  set  them  at  one  and  to 
negotiate  for  peace  in  Scotland  between  the  opposing  parties, 
thus,  like  a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing,  thrust  himself  unasked  into 
the  negotiations  of  that  kingdom,  and  cleverly  drew  to  him  one 
party  of  the  contending  lords  of  the  kingdom ;  and  the  other 
party,  seeing  this,  would  not  withstand  him.     So  he  actually, 
though  not  by  right,  but  by  oppression,  force  and  fear,  which 
might  fall  upon  the  most  loyal  man,  usurped  the  guardian- 
ship of  that  kingdom  left  desolate  without  a  shepherd.     And, 
though  the  church  of  Rome  was  then,  on  behalf  of  that  kingdom 
of  Scotland,  named  before  him  as  the  mistress  of  that  kingdom, 
as  she  was,  yet  that  king  would  not  admit  such  a  pretension, 
but  is  known  to  have  said  in  the  presence  of  many,  so  that  he 
might  not  go  back  from  his  words,  If  any  Roman  priest  wanted 
to  say  anything  for  the  independence  of  Scotland,  so  far  as  he 
was  concerned,  he  should  come  to  London,  and  there  lay  before 
him  what  he  wanted.    Nor  also  did  that  king,  on  his  own  arrival 
then  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  succeed  in  getting  the  lords  of 
that  kingdom  to  present  themselves  before  him  outside  the 
borders  of  that  kingdom,  which  he  begged  them  as  a  favour  to. 
do,  until  he  had  first  given  security  by  letters-patent,  as  a  pledge 
for  the  independence  in  force  while  these  lords  were  still  split 
up  into  parties,  that  this  coming  to  him  out  of  the  kingdom 
would  not  redound  to  the  prejudice  of  that  kingdom,  and  that  it 
was  not  to  be  a  duty,  but  a  favour.     By  a  solemn  embassy  of 
his  also,  composed  of  bishops,  earls  and  barons  specially  com- 
missioned therefor,  the  aforesaid  king  of  England  solemnly  pro- 
mised, but  some  time  before,  while  the  throne  of  Scotland  was 
vacant,  that,  if  it  so  happened  that  no  issue  was  left  of  the 
marriage  spoken  of  above,  to  be  contracted  between  his  eldest 


158  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDF.N.      BOOK  VIII. 

son  Edward  and  Margaret,  the  heiress  and  mistress  of  the  said 
kingdom  of  Scotland,  then  alive,  he  would  freely,  without  any 
claim  of  vassalage  whatever,  restore  the  aforesaid  kingdom  of 
Scotland  to  the  lords  of  the  realm,  and  without  any  vassalage 
whatever;  and  we  could  soon  give  satisfactory  proof  of  this. 
So  it  is  not  likely  that  this  king  would  have  been  by  any  means 
willing  to  promise  this,  if  it  could  have  been  held  with  any 
show  of  reason  that  he  had  any  right  of  vassalage  or  overlordship 
over  the  aforesaid  king.     Many  other  things  besides,  indeed, 
which  cannot  be  set  down  shortly,  plainly  prove  the  independ- 
ence of  this  kingdom  of  Scotland,  which  rests  upon  the  strongest 
foundation  of  common  law ;  and  it  is  proved  to  be  supported 
by  ancient  and  modern  events,  and  by  many  other  apostolic 
rescripts  and  privileges,  which  have  been  uninterruptedly  in 
force  down  to  the  present  day.    Among  these,  Pope  Honorius  III., 
treading  in  the  footsteps  of  his   predecessors,  is  known  to 
have  granted  to  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  that  no  one  of  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  be  brought  for  trial  before  judges  abroad 
about  lands  and  property  situated  in  that  kingdom;  always,  how- 
ever, without  prejudice  to  the  authority  of  the  apostolic  see,  and 
that  too  when  appeals  to  that  see  are  interposed.  And  about  such 
lands  and  property  situated  in  Scotland  there  would  by  no  means 
be  an  appeal  to  that  see,  if  that  kingdom  were  subject  to  another 
king, — for  this  would  seem  to  be  contrary  to  common  law  and 
absurd ;  and  it  would  even  not  be  known  to  be  directly  subject 
to  the  Roman  church  in  temporalities.     But  it  is  proved  by  a 
late  example  that  this  kingdom  of  Scotland  is  directly  subject  to 
the  said  Roman  church  in  temporalities.     For,  in  the  cause  of 
the  earldom  of  Menteith,  situated  in  Scotland,  not  a  spiritual  or 
ecclesiastical  one,  but  rather  a  criminal  one  and  falling  under  the 
state  judicature,  there  was  an  appeal  from  a  judgment  which 
was  given  in  the  court  of  the  king  of  Scotland,  and  which  did 
not  stand  long,  to  the  aforesaid  apostolic  see  ;  and  the  appeal  is 
known  to  have  been  referred  by  that  apostolic  see  to  certain 
judges  to  decide.     It  is  thus  clear  that  the  king  of  England,  by 
not  then  opposing  this  in  the  least,  but  allowing  that  see  to  act 
and  dispose  of  it  freely,  has  thus  prejudged  what  was  before  com- 
petent to  him,  and  what  he  now  alleges  to  be  so.    And  it  is  not 
likely  that  the  apostolic  see  would  have  so  referred  the  appeal, 
if  the  direct  overlordship  of  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland  had 
been  vested  in  that  king  of  England  and  not  in  itself.     More- 
over God  and  the  whole  world  know  that,  so  long  as  Scotland 
was  not  without  a  king  and  a  subject  of  dispute  had  not  arisen 
in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  the  king  of  England  did  not  claim 
any  right  of  superiority  over  the  kingdom  of  Scotland ;  though 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII.        159 

now,  when  a  quarrel  has  broken  out,  he  has,  without  any  legiti- 
mate reason,  through  lust  of  power,  begun  to  harass  the  said 
kingdom  and  strive  to  bring  it  under  his  yoke  ;  and  it  is  only 
from  this  quarrel  that  his  weak  case  takes  its  origin. 

CHAPTEE  LII. 

Same  continued. 

WHEN,  moreover,  the  aforesaid  king  of  England  asked  for  a 
tithe  from  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  Innocent  refused  to  grant 
it,  adding  that  he  was  not  in  the  habit  of  granting  to  any  king 
whatever  a  tithe  from  a  foreign  kingdom.  It  is  plainly  hinted 
thereby  that  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  was  altogether  alien,  so 
far  as  that  king  of  England  was  concerned,  and  in  no  degree 
vassal  to  that  king  of  England.  Moreover,  when  this  Innocent 
then  granted  to  the  king  of  England  a  tithe  out  of  his  kingdom, 
out  of  all  his  subject-lands  or  those  under  his  jurisdiction,  as  it 
clearly  appears,  he  did  not  thereby  grant  a  tithe  of  the  king- 
dom of  Scotland  to  him,  but  to  quite  another,  indicating  clearly, 
that,  as  a  matter  of  right,  this  kingdom  of  Scotland  was  in 
no  wise  under  the  aforesaid  king  of  England  or  his  jurisdiction, 
and  that  the  king  of  Scotland  is  not  liegeman  to  the  king  of 
England  for  his  said  kingdom.  Again,  it  appears  from  the 
privileges  granted  by  the  apostolic  see  to  the  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land, and  it  is  well  known  to  our  lord  the  supreme  pontiff,  that 
the  Scots  are  not  bound  to  recognise  the  legate  of  the  apostolic 
see  upon  letters  apostolic  wherein  the  legateship  to  the  two 
kingdoms  of  England  and  Scotland  together  is  intrusted  to  any 
one.  Hence  we  see  clearly  that  one  kingdom  is  not  dependent 
on  the  other.  This  king  of  England,  however,  when  he  had  the 
guardianship  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  took  out  of  the 
treasury  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  public  muniments  existing 
in  that  treasury  about  all  these  and  other  defences,  liberties 
and  rights  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  and  carried  them  away 
with  him  into  England  by  force  and  fear,  together  with  many 
other  bulls,  charters  and  muniments  about  the  independence 
of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  whereby  the  above-mentioned 
privileges  and  liberties  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  were  con- 
firmed ;  and  together  with  that  most  ancient  royal  seat  or  chair, 
of  stone  or  marble,  upon  which  the  kings  of  Scotland  were  wont 
to  be  crowned,  craftily  filching  it  away  by  force  and  fear, 
and  taking  it  also  away  with  him  to  the  said  kingdom  of 
England.  All  these  and  many  other  things  by  which  he  could 
most  harm  the  kingdom,  and  every  ready  means  of  proof  whereby 


1 60  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

its  right,  independence  and  privileges  could  be  shown  against 
him  and  the  supremacy  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  defence  which 
the  king  of  Scotland  had  against  him,  he  took  them  all  out  of 
the  kingdom  while  he  held  the  castles  and  strongholds  of  the 
kingdom  in  his  hands,  and  destroyed  them ;  showing  clearly 
thereby  that  he  was  bolstering  up  an  unjust  cause  against  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  and  the  inhabitants  thereof.  It  is  believed 
that  this  filching  and  loss  of  muniments  can  still  perhaps  be 
proved  by  legitimate  witnesses  by  word  of  mouth.  But,  after 
this  had  been  achieved  by  that  king  of  England,  not  called  in 
by  the  Scots,  whatever  he  may  write,  nor  acknowledged  as  lord 
of  the  Scots,  save  only  through  fear  or  force,  at  a  time  when 
that  throne  was  vacant,  after  he  got  his  first  title,  such  as  it  was, 
and  entered  the  kingdom  and,  as  is  well  known,  extorted  the 
sovereignty  solely  by  the  intestine  quarrels  of  parties,  how,  while 
the  Scots  kept  always  appealing  to  their  former  independence, 
the  king  of  England,  without  a  decision,  took  the  law  into  his 
own  hands  as  to  a  matter  and  a  kingdom  altogether  foreign  to 
him,  by  his  sole  might  and  intrigues  and  by  force  and  fear, 
rashly  thrusting  his  sickle  into  another's  harvest,  and  then 
how  this  business  went  on,  it  is  impossible  to  describe,  or 
otherwise  to  shortly  answer  what  he  says,  for  the  case  is  too 
long ;  but  the  whole  world  knows  how  unjust  is  his  case  in  the 
matter,  on  which  he  relies,  if  it  is  brought  to  trial  before  a  just 
judge,  and  if  his  acts  are  rightly  weighed  one  by  one  in  the 
scales  of  justice.  If  he  had  thought  he  could  trust  to  it,  he 
would  by  no  means  have  declined,  as  he  does,  to  be  tried  by  a 
just  judge,  the  Eoman  pontiff,  that  at  least  the  truth  of  the 
matter  itself,  again  and  again  examined  in  the  light,  might 
shine  forth  the  more  in  favour  of  the  Scots,  and  that  the  baleful 
frowardness  and  craft  which  he  alleges  against  the  adverse 
party,  being  brought  to  judgment,  may  be  sore  chastened  by 
penance  or  condemned.  And,  as  he  is  not  upright  about  the 
truth,  no  wonder  he  makes  difficulties  and  flies  to  subterfuge, 
seeking,  while  absent,  to  render  his  unjust  cause  just  by  plausible 
statements.  For  nothing  can  be  more  certain  than  that  this 
king,  the  author  of  all  the  crimes  which  afterwards  ensued,  was 
the  first  to  sow  discord  between  the  kingdoms  from  day  to  day, 
and  then  was  the  first  to  fly  to  arms,  and  the  first  to  make  hos- 
tile inroads,  to  burn,  slaughter  and  wrong,  working  all  manner 
of  evil  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  as  the  taking  and  desolating 
of  the  town  of  Berwick,  with  the  fearful  massacre  of  innocent 
people  there  perpetrated,  clearly  show  forth.  And  after  his 
treacherous  and  most  base  capture  of  the  said  town  of  Berwick, 
and  that  most  cruel  and  monstrous  slaughter  of  eight  thousand 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  1 6 1 

persons  there  made,  when  women,  priests,  clergy  and  all  the 
little  ones  and  the  wretched  fled  in  a  body  to  a  fine  church,  the 
immunity  of  the  church  was  not  respected  when  they  sought 
refuge  there,  but  the  said  church  was  burnt  down,  and  neither 
age,  order,  nor  sex  was  spared,  but  they  were  all  ruthlessly  put 
to  death  together  in  that  church.  Other  churches,  too,  were 
robbed  of  their  ornaments,  and  defiled  and  polluted  with  the 
blood  of  the  slain  who  had  fled  thither,  and  were  made  into 
stables  for  horses,  alas,  after  the  manner  of  the  Gentiles,  by  that 
king  and  his  men.  And  if,  on  account  of  these  wrongs  and 
many  other  wrongs  inflicted  at  the  beginning,  the  Scots  should 
have  to  some  extent  actually  defended  themselves,  or,  being 
overcome  by  grief,  proceeded  to  take  vengeance,  they  cannot  be 
accused  of  the  crime  of  high  treason  by  the  king,  whose  subjects 
they  were  not ;  nor  could  a  voluntary  cession  of  that  kingdom 
to  him  be  proved,  for  such  is  not  presumed  by  law  to  be  made 
to  any  invader ;  and  it  is  publicly  known  that  this  kingdom  of 
Scotland  had  been  first  ravaged  in  many  ways  by  that  king  of 
England. 


CHAPTER  LIU. 

Same  continued. 

Now  because,  from  these  and  other  causes  and  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  it  could  not  be  satisfactorily  settled  save  by 
the  allegations  of  parties  who  are  present  and  by  the  proofs  of 
the  stories  being  given  before  a  competent  judge,  as  they  ought 
to  be,  and  not  without  due  deliberation,  the  whole  matter,  diffi- 
cult as  it  is,  was  duly  called  up  by  the  supreme  pontiff  for  trial 
before  the  apostolic  see,  that  the  whole  matter  might  there  be 
dealt  with  according  to  law ;  and  the  king  of  England  cannot, 
without  a  clearer  reason,  in  anywise  decline,  as  he  is  now  en- 
deavouring to  do,  a  trial  by  that  see,  fortified  also  by  a  judgment; 
and  especially  because,  after  he  had  notice  of  this  cause  being 
called  up,  he  has  already  twice  levied  an  army  and  made  a  fresh 
hostile  inroad  into  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland,  in  contempt 
of  the  said  apostolic  see  and  in  defiance  of  the  law,  and  to  the 
no  small  hurt  and  damage  of  the  said  kingdom  and  scandalising 
of  a  great  many  persons,  thereby  clearly  incurring  the  penalty 
of  that  statute  and  law,  Si  quis  in  tantum  etc.,  and  Meminerint 
cuncti,  whereby  he  no  doubt  must  be  deprived  of  all  right,  if  at 
first  he  had  any  therein.  Wherefore,  as  it  is  the  intention  of 
the  Scots  to  found  upon  common  law,  and  that  kingdom  is  in- 

L 


162  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

dependent  of  the  king  of  England  both  by  law  and  in  fact,  and 
has  peacefully  enjoyed  this  independence  time  out  of  mind,  and 
especially  during  the  whole  time  of  Alexander  of  illustrious 
memory,  the  late  king  of  Scotland,  and,  after  his  death  also, 
during  the  time  of  the  government  of  the  wardens  of  the  afore- 
said kingdom  for  the  six  years  and  more  that  the  throne  was 
vacant,  until  there  sprang  up  a  cause  of  disturbance  in  the 
kingdom ;  and  these  continuous  periods  make  up  a  very  long 
prescription;  and  it  is  also  well  known  that  this  king  of  England 
by  his  own  authority  improperly  burst  into  that  kingdom  of 
Scotland  at  the  time  of  the  vacancy,  and  by  sheer  might,  force 
and  fear  occupied  that  kingdom,  causing  endless  damage, 
ravages,  massacres  and  burnings  in  that  kingdom,  as  stated 
above,  committing  sacrilege  against  churches  and  ecclesiastical 
persons,  and  also  inhumanly  raging  against  the  laymen  and 
clergy  thereof,  irrespective  of  rank,  age,  or  sex,  and  without 
caring  for  a  just  title,  in  order  to  get  that  kingdom  by  force ; 
wherefore,  on  account  of  these  things,  the  kingdom  of  Scotland 
and  the  inhabitants  thereof  could  only  have  recourse  to  the 
Roman  Curia  and  the  apostolic  see  thereof  to  obtain  justice. 
Thus,  as  was  right  and  proper,  this  matter  was  referred  to  the 
church  of  Rome,  to  be  tried  by  the  see  thereof.  But,  in  con- 
tempt of  that  see,  disregarding  the  commands  he  received  from 
it  on  this  point,  this  king  of  England  presumed  by  repeated 
hostile  inroads,  as  is  well  known,  to  unjustly  invade  and  disturb 
the  aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland.  The  Scots  therefore  beseech 
our  lord  the  supreme  pontiff,  in  view  of  the  underhand  plausible 
statements  of  this  king  of  England,  which  are  partly  worn  out 
with  age  and  partly  notoriously  tainted  by  the  admixture  of 
shameful  falsehood,  as  already  said,  to  deign  iiot  to  receive  any 
part  of  that  information  save  what  it  is  proper  to  receive,  by 
reason  of  the  adverse  party's  suspicious  papers  and  demolished 
and  unproved  statements  of  old  facts ;  and,  since  that  see  has 
seen  fit  justly  to  refer  this  matter  to  itself  for  trial,  to  deign  to 
adhere  to  this  reference,  as  it  began  and  ought  to  do,  and  hear 
this  whole  matter,  cause  and  question  between  the  aforesaid 
parties  at  that  see,  and  settle  it  in  their  presence  by  its  apostolic 
decision,  as  a  perpetual  reminder,  also,  to  its  subjects  in  time 
to  come ;  your  fatherly  regard  meanwhile  providing  for  this 
kingdom  of  Scotland  and  its  church,  thus  afflicted  and  exposed 
to  ruin  by  that  king  of  England,  the  timely  remedy  of  the  law, 
to  the  end  that  the  system  of  hostile  inroads  which  he  has  pur- 
sued from  the  beginning  may  be  restrained  during  the  time  of 
the  discussion  of  this  matter  in  the  Roman  Curia,  so  that  the 
Scots  might  safely  and  freely  prosecute  their  cause  in  that  court. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  163 

Here  end  the  instructions  sent  by  the  guardians  and  the 
council  of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  to  the  procurators  of  the 
kingdom,  for  the  information  of  the  Eoman  Curia. 


CHAPTER   LIV. 

Copy  of  a  letter  of  wailing  and  complaint  made  by  the  barons 
and  lords  of  Scotland  to  the  Roman  pontiff ,  first  setting  forth 
and  showing  the  antiquity  of  the  noble  Scottish  nation,  and 
their  first  origin;  secondly,  concerning  their  departure  from 
Egypt  and  Greece,  and  the  settlements  they  'made  in  course  of 
time  while  journeying  towards  Scotland,  and  the  many  and 
countless  troubles  and  misfortunes  they  passed  through ;  and, 
thirdly,  concerning  the  extraordinary,  tyrannous  and  cruel 
troubles,  assaults  and  lawless  ravages  inflicted  upon  the  king- 
dom of  Scotland  by  the  present  King  Edward  of  England. 

(This  letter  ought  to  have  come  before  all  the  Instructions.) 

This  letter  is  headed :  The  race  of  the  Scots,  of  noble  prowess,  to 
our  most  holy  father  Pope  John  XII.,  supreme  pontiff  of  the 
Roman  see}1 

To  our  most  holy  father  and  lord  in  Christ,  the  lord  John, 
by  the  grace  of  God  supreme  pontiff  of  the  holy  and  universal 
church  of  Rome,  his  devoted  and  humble  sons  Duncan  earl  of 
Fife,  Thomas  Randolph  earl  of  Murray  lord  of  Man  and  Annan- 
dale,  Patrick  Dunbar,  earl  of  the  Marches  of  Scotland,  Malise 
earl  of  Strathern,  Malcolm  earl  of  Lennox,  William  earl  of 
Ross,  Magnus  earl  of  Caithness  and  Orkney,  William  earl  of 
Sutherland,  Walter  Stewart,  steward  of  Scotland,  William 
Soulis,  butler  of  Scotland,  James  Douglas,78  sir  David  Brechin, 
David  Graham,  Ingram  Umfraville,  John  Menteith,  guardian 
of  the  earldom  thereof,  Alexander  Fresale,  Gilbert  de  la  Hay, 
constable  of  Scotland,  Robert  Keith,  marshal  of  Scotland, 
Henry  Sinclair,  pantler  of  Scotland,  John  Graham,  David 
Lindsay,79  Patrick  Grahame,  John  Fenton,  William  Aber- 
nethy,  David  Wemis,  William  Montifex,  Fergus  Ardrossan, 
Eustace  Maxwell,  William  Ramsay,80  Alan  Murray,  Donald 
Campbell,  John  Cameron,  Reginald  Chein,  Alexander  Seton, 
Andrew  Leslie,  Alexander  Straton,  and  all  the  other  barons, 
lords  and  freeholders  of  the  aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland, 
and  all  the  burgesses  and  the  whole  estates  of  the  realm  of 
Scotland,  all  manner  of  worship  and  filial  duty,  kissing  his 


164  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII. 

blessed  feet.  We  know,  most  holy  father  and  lord,  and  gather 
from  the  gestes  and  writings  of  the  ancients  that,  among  the 
other  great  nations,  our  Scottish  nation  has  enjoyed  great 
celebrity.  Starting  from  the  borders  of  Greece  and  Egypt,  and 
passing  through  the  Tyrrhenian  sea  and  the  pillars  of  Hercules, 
it  first  settled  in  Spain  among  some  most  savage  people ;  and, 
abiding  there  for  a  long  course  of  years,  it  could  not  in  any  degree 
be  subjugated  by  any  of  the  heathen  barbarians  anywhere 
about.  Afterwards,  however,  one  thousand  two  hundred  years 
after  the  people  of  Israel  crossed  the  Red  Sea,  it  obtained  a 
settlement  in  the  west,  and  peopled  Ireland ;  and  this  country 
which  it  now  holds  it  gained  by  many  victories  and  endless 
toil,  after  first  driving  out  the  Britons  and  altogether  sweeping 
away  the  Picts,  as  they  well  deserved,  though  it  was  constantly 
attacked  by  the  Norwegians,  Danes  and  Angles ;  and  it  has 
always  kept  it  free  from  any  slavish  dependence,  as  the 
histories  of  the  ancients  publicly  testify.  In  their  kingdom 
one  hundred  and  thirteen  kings  of  their  royal  family  have 
reigned  down  to  the  present  day,  without  any  stranger  coming 
in  between;  and  their  noble  and  deserving  qualities,  even 
though  they  were  not  clear  from  other  things,  will  yet  be  quite 
clearly  brought  to  light  and  will  shine  forth  in  what  follows. 
For,  firstly,  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  Jesus  Christ, 
after  He  suffered  and  rose  again,  brought  these,  who  were 
settled  in  the  uttermost  borders  of  the  earth,  almost  the  first  to 
His  holy  catholic  faith,  and  would  con'firm  them  in  His  faith 
by  no  other  but  His  most  blessed  apostle  Andrew,  brother  of 
Peter,  the  chief  of  the  apostles,  although  second  or  third  in 
order,  and  wished  him  to  be  always  over  them  as  their 
shepherd  and  patron.  Therefore  the  most  holy  fathers  your 
predecessors,  earnestly  bearing  this  in  mind,  have  endowed 
this  kingdom  and  people,  thus  miraculously  converted  and  con- 
firmed, with  many  privileges  and  favours  and  prerogatives,  as 
being  peculiar  to  the  brother  of  the  blessed  Peter :  so  that  our 
nation  has  indeed  hitherto  lived  in  quietness  and  independence 
under  their  protection,  until  that  mischievous  prince,  Edward 
king  of  England,  father  of  this  present  king,  an  enemy  under 
the  guise  of  a  friend  an-i  ally,  harried  our  kingless  kingdom  and 
our  people  who  knew  no  guile  nor  evil,  and  who  were  then  un- 
used to  wars  and  the  clash  of  arms.  No  one,  unless  taught  by 
experience,  could  tell  or  describe,  or  even  fully  understand,  his 
lawlessness,  massacres,  annoyances,  violence,  ravages,  burnings, 
how  he  imprisoned  prelates  and  clergy,  burnt  down  monas- 
teries, plundered  and  killed  the  religious,  and  the  many  other 
enormities  and  numberless  cruelties  he  committed  in  the  said 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  VIII.        165 

kingdom,  sparing  neither  order,  age  nor  sex.  From  these 
countless  woes  we  were,  with  the  help  of  Him  who  cures  and 
heals  after  wounds,  delivered81  by  our  most  stalwart  prince 
and  lord,  King  Kobert  Bruce,  who,  to  deliver  his  people  and 
inheritance  from  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  like  another 
Maccabfeus  or  Joshua,  went  through  toil  and  trouble,  hunger 
and  peril,  which  he  bore  with  a  joyful  spirit ;  and  whom,  God 
so  ordaining  it,  according  to  our  laws  and  customs,  which  we  are 
determined  to  uphold  to  the  death,  both  the  inheritance  of  the 
right  and  the  due  consent  and  assent  of  us  all  have  made  our 
prince  and  king :  and  to  him,  as  being  he  by  whom  salvation 
was  wrought  for  our  people,  we  are  bound  and  desire  in  all 
things  to  adhere,  both  because  of  his  right  and  because  of  his 
personal  merits,  in  order  to  maintain  our  independence.  But, 
if  he  gave  up  his  undertaking  and  wished  in  anywise  to  put 
us  or  our  kingdom  under  the  English  king,  we  should  straight- 
way drive  him  out,  as  our  enemy  and  the  subverter  of  his  own 
right  and  ours,  and  should  set  up  some  one  else  as  our  king, 
who  would  be  equal  to  defending  us  and  the  kingdom :  for,  as 
long  as  a  hundred  of  us  remain  alive,  we  will  in  no  wise  be 
brought  under  the  dominion  of  the  English.  We  fight  not  for 
warlike  glory,  or  for  riches  and  honours,  but  only  for  our  in- 
dependence and  the  laws  of  our  fathers,  which  no  wise  man 
would  be  willing  to  give  up,  save  with  his  life.  Hence  it  is, 
most  holy  father  and  lord,  that  with  hearts  bowed  down  we 
beseech  your  holiness  to  recollect,  in  singleness  of  heart  and 
godliness  of  mind,  that,  with  Him  whose  vicar  on  earth  you 
are,  there  is  no  weighing  or  distinction  of  Jew  and  Greek, 
Scot  or  Englishman,  with  Him  who  is  no  respecter  of  persons, 
and  to  look  with  your  fatherly  eyes  upon  the  tribulation  and 
anguish  brought  upon  us  and  God's  church  by  these  English ; 
and  deign  to  admonish  and  exhort  the  English  king,  who 
ought  to  be  satisfied  with  what  is  his  as  his  own  property — for 
in  days  of  old  England  used  to  be  large  enough  for  seven  kings 
or  more — to  leave  us  in  peace,  who  live  in  the  small  island  of 
the  Scots,  beyond  which  there  is  no  human  habitation,  and 
who  covet  no  man's  right,  but  only  what  is  our  own ;  and  we 
are  willing — and  will  perform  it —  to  do  for  him  whatever  we 
can  under  the  circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed,  for  quiet- 
ness' sake.  It  is  for  you,  holy  father,  to  do  this,  for  you  behold 
the  fierceness  of  the  heathen  raging  against  the  Christians,  as 
the  Christians  deserve  for  their  sins,  and  the  area  of  Christen- 
dom narrowing  daily ;  and  you  would  see  how  much  it  would 
tarnish  the  memory  of  your  holiness  if,  which  God  forbid,  the 
church  should,  in  your  time,  suffer  eclipse  or  reproach  in  any 


166        THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  VIII. 

part  thereof.  Let  your  holiness  therefore  stir  up  the  Christian 
princes  who  put  no-cause  for  cause  and  pretend  they  cannot  go 
to  the  rescue  of  the  Holy  Land  because  of  wars  which  they 
have  with  their  neighbours.  The  truer  cause  of  this  hindrance 
is  that  it  is  deemed  that  the  advantage  is  more  proximate  and 
the  resistance  feebler  in  making  war  upon  one's  weaker 
neighbours.  But  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  from  whom  nothing 
is  hid,  knows  well  with  how  joyful  a  heart  our  said  lord  the 
king  and  we  should  go  thither,  if  the  king  of  the  English  left 
us  in  peace ;  and  this  we  declare  and  testify  to  you,  as  Christ's 
vicar,  and  to  all  Christendom.  So  if  your  holiness  should  too 
credulously  yield  a  sincere  belief  to  these  false  and  trumped-up 
stories  of  the  English,  and  not  leave  off  siding  with  them  to  our 
confusion,  the  destruction  of  bodies  and  the  ruin  of  souls  and  the 
other  evils  which  would  ensue,  which  they  would  do  to  us  and  we 
to  them,  would,  we  believe,  be  put  down  to  you  at  the  last  judg- 
ment before  the  Most  High.  And  now  we  are  and  will  be,  in  this 
and  other  our  bounden  duty,  as  obedient  sons  ready  to  please 
you  in  all  things,  as  being  His  vicar,  and  trusting  our  cause  to 
the  care  of  the  Creator  of  all  things,  as  the  supreme  judge,  in 
Him  hoping  and  casting  our  thoughts  on  Him,  and  making 
Him  our  strength  who  shall  bring  our  enemies  to  nought. 
May  the  Most  High  keep  your  holiness  in  good  health  for 
many  years.  Given  at  the  monastery  of  Arbroath  in  Scot- 
land, on  the  6th  day  of  the  month  of  April,  in  the  year  of 
grace  1320,  and  the  fifteenth  of  the  reign  of  King  Eobert. 

Here  follows  the  case  brought  in  in  the  Roman  Curia  by  the 
procurators  of  the  aforesaid  kingdom  of  Scotland,  and  par- 
ticularly by  one  master  Baldred  Bisset,  a  well-known  jurist  and 
cleric,  against  the  sophistical  assumptions  and  fabrications  of 
the  king  of  England. 


CHAPTER  LV.  TO   CHAPTER   LX1I. 

Cause  laid  before  the  supreme  pontiff.912' 

IT  should  be  noted  that  in  the  year  1 300  the  procurators  of 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland  complained  to  our  lord  the  pope  of 
the  unbearable  hardships  imposed  upon  the  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land and  its  inhabitants  by  Edward  king  of  England,  and,  being 
summoned  on  that  account  before  that  same  lord  pope  in  the 
following  year,  he  did  not  appear  either  in  person  or  by  pro- 
curators, and  indeed  absented  himself  contumaciously.  Baldred 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.      BOOK  VIII.  167 

Bisset,  however,  and  the  other  procurators  for  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland  at  the  Eoman  Curia  lucidly,  in  a  short  speech,  de- 
molished his  trumped-up  arguments,  and  proved  them  altogether 
devoid  of  truth,  and  refuted  and  repelled  all  his  fabrications  by 
most  clear  and  manifest  proof,  and  silenced  him.  "Wherefore 
the  Scots  were  encouraged,  and  their  guardians,  being  greatly 
overjoyed,  were  inspired  with  some  degree  of  daring,  more 
than  usual,  against  the  king  of  England,  on  the  strength  of 
which  they  had  that  encounter  at  Koslyn  in  defence  of  the 
kingdom,  where  the  English  were  defeated  thrice  in  one  day 
by  the  noble  John  Comyn  and  Simon  Fresale.  Also,  at  the 
same  time  or  in  the  year  following,  the  king  of  England  built 
the  fort  of  Linlithgow,  which  is  called  the  Peel. 

End  of  Book  VI I L 


BOOK    IX. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Engagement  at  Roslyn. 

AFTER  the  battle  he  had  lost  at  Falkirk,  the  king  of  England 
did  not  for  the  nonce  personally  come  north  of  the  Firth  of 
Forth  ;  but  he  sent  a  very  large  force,  which  ravaged  the  whole 
land  of  Fife  and  all  the  adjacent  lauds  of  the  town  of  Perth,  and 
killed  great  numbers  of  the  inhabitants  of  those  lands  ;  and, 
when  this  force  came  back,  the  said  king  and  his  men  went 
home  again  with  immense  booty.  This,  no  doubt,  was  God's 
doing  :  for,  if  then,  or  after  the  engagement  at  Dunbar  and  the 
capture  of  King  John,  he  had  tarried  in  the  country,  he  would 
either  have  subdued  to  his  sway  the  whole  land  of  Scotland  and 
its  inhabitants,  or  have  laid  it  waste,  all  but  the  water  and  the 
stones,  as  is  believed.  As,  however,  he  was  very  busy  else- 
where, he  could  not  attend  to  everything  at  one  and  the  same 
time.  So  he  and  his  men  went  back,  after  appointing  adminis- 
trators, officers  and  wardens  of  the  castles  in  Scotland,  in  the 
parts,  namely,  beyond  the  Forth,  which  part  of  the  country  was 
then  fully  under  his  dominion,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  out- 
laws of  the  nation  of  the  true  Scots,  who  lived  in  the  woods  and 
were  lurking  in  caves  in  rocks  and  glens,  and  who,  on  account 
of  the  slaughter  "and  losses  they  had  inflicted  on  both  English 
and  Anglicised  Scots,  durst  not  appear  openly  in  the  sight 
of  the  people.  But  at  this  time  John  Cumyn,  the  chief  warden 
of  Scotland,  and  his  son1  and  Simon  Fraser,  called  Fresail,  war- 
like men,  stalwart  and  endowed  with  every  virtue,  together  with 
their  partisans  and  followers  day  and  nighfc  lay  in  wait  for  the 
aforesaid  officers,  bailiffs  and  wardens  of  castles  of  the  king  of 
England,  and  greatly  harassed  the  aforesaid  English,  as  also  the 
Anglicised  Scots,  as  above  stated ;  and  for  four  years  or  more 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLCJSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         169 

they  kept  harrying  one  another  with  mutual  slaughter  and 
divers  scourges  and  torments.   When  this  therefore  was  reported 
to  King  Edward,  he  sent  over  a  famous  knight,  stalwart  in 
fight,  of  the  name  of  Ealph  Confrey,  into  Scotland  with  a  con- 
siderable army ;  and  these  pitched  their  tents  at  Eoslyn,  or 
thereabouts,  and  remained  divided  into  three  lines  of  battle. 
But,  when  the  wardens  of  Scotland,  to  wit  the  said  John  Cumyn 
and  Simon  Fresail,  learnt  this,  they  came  with  their  followers 
to  Biggar,  a  place  about  sixteen  miles  away  from  that  place 
Roslyn ;  and,  choosing  some  of  the  best  and  best  mounted  and 
best  armed  of  their  men,  these  leaders  suddenly  and  nimbly 
traversed  the  said  sixteen  miles  by  night,  straightway  fell  upon 
the  foe  unawares,  defeated  the  first  line  of  battle,  many  being 
slain,  taken  or  cut  down,  and  the  rest  they  drove  back  upon  the 
second  line  of  battle.     Thereupon,  while  they  were  dividing  the 
spoil,  lo  and  behold  a  second  line,  stronger  than  the  former,  of 
warlike  men,  very  stalwart  in  fight,  drawn  up  in  battle  array 
and  coming  to  fight.     On  seeing  this  battle,  the  Scots  killed  the 
prisoners  and  accoutred  their  unarmed  servants  in  the  spoils  of 
the  slain  ;  and,  being  boldly  encouraged  and  cheered  on  by  their 
leaders,  they  fearlessly  prepare  for  the  fray.  They  had  hardly,  by 
God's  grace,  at  length  defeated  them,  when  a  third  line  appeared, 
much  stronger  in  numbers  than  the  former  ones  ;  and  the  Scots, 
being  no  doubt  dismayed  and  somewhat  dazed  by  this,  yet  trust- 
ing to  their  good  cause  and  to  the  aid  of  the  apostle  Saint  Andrew, 
and  beseeching  God  to  help  them,  had  a  fearful  encounter  with 
them  and,  notwithstanding  they  were  fatigued  with  travelling, 
half-starved  and  drowsy  from  sleeplessness,  by  God's  grace  gained 
a  final  victory  over  the  third  line.    In  these  victories  the  bravery 
and  gallant  exhortations  of  their  leader  stood  them  in  good 
stead.     Now  the  battle  was  fought  on  the  Day  of  Saint  Matthew 
the  apostle,  who  is  the  patron  of  the  parish  church  of  that 
place.     It  should  be  noted  that  the  English  were  ten  thousand 
men-at-arms  strong  in  each  line,  while  the  Scots  were  hardly 
ten  thousand  strong  altogether ;  and  it  should  also  be  remarked 
that,  on  thoroughly  weighing  every  gallant  feat  of  arms  and 
dashing  exploit  in  battle  in  former  chronicles,  we  do  not 'find 
that  it  ever  happened  that  so  many  were  defeated  in  detail 
by  so  few  three  times  in  one  day,  without  any  interval  of 
refreshment. 


1  70         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 


CHAPTEK  II. 

The  king  of  England  scours  the  country  and  brings  the  people 
(communitas)  of  Scotland  under  his  dominion. 

IN  the  year  1 303  the  king  of  England  entered  Scotland  with 
a  very  large  force,  which  he  had  brought  with  him  from  both 
England  and  Wales,  Gascony,  Ireland  and  Savoy — the  count  of 
which  was  there  in  person,  as  well  as  the  prince  of  Wales, — 
both  by  land  and  by  sea,  in  revenge  for  the  foregoing  disasters, 
and  with  the  deliberate  design  of  peacefully  settling  in  that 
land  of  Scotland  altogether  and  subduing  it  for  ever,  or,  on  the 
other  hand,  entirely  sweeping  away  its  inhabitants  and  leaving 
the  said  land  a  waste.  The  said  king,  therefore,  scouring  the 
whole  country  over  hill  and  dale  as  far  as  Lochindorb,  received 
oaths  of  fealty  and  homage  from  all  the  inhabitants,  and  himself 
personally  brought  the  northern  parts  under  his  dominion. 
Then,  after  appointing  his  royal  officials  and  officers  in  the 
towns  and  castles,  the  king  went  about  exploring  the  country, 
and  brought  it  all  under  his  allegiance  and  dominion ;  and  he 
remained  at  Dunfermline  to  spend  the  winter,  and  no  one  in  all 
Scotland  hindered  him,  or  brought  force  to  bear  against  him ; 
but  he  rested  in  peace  until  Candlemas.  In  this  year  Edward 
of  Carnarvon,  then  Prince  of  Wales,  spent  some  time  in  the 
town  of  Perth,  and  during  the  whole  of  this  time  food  was  so 
plentiful  and  abundant  in  Scotland,  that  a  laggen  of  good  beer 
sold  commonly  for  twopence,  and  a  laggen,  Scottish  measure, 
of  good  wine  for  eightpence.2  The  same  year,  after  the  whole 
people  (communitas)  of  Scotland  had  made  its  submission  to  the 
king  of  England,  John  Cumyn,  then  head  warden,  and  all  the 
magnates  of  Scotland,  except  that  noble  leader,  William  Wallace, 
and  his  partisans  and  followers,  were  little  by  little  brought  by 
the  aforesaid  king  to  make  their  submission  and  swear  allegiance 
to  him,  giving  up  to  him  the  towns,  castles  and  all  the  strong- 
holds but  Stirling  Castle  and  its  garrison.  For  the  aforesaid 
noble  William  Wallace  greatly  feared  the  treachery  of  his 
countrymen,  some  of  whom  were  jealous  of  him  because  of  his 
prowess  ;  while  some,  who  had  been  won  over  by  the  promises 
of  the  English  through  greed  of  gain,  and  others  who  plied 
him  with  many  vague  persuasions,  strove  to  draw  him  on  to 
make  his  submission  to  the  king  of  England,  promising  him 
many  things  on  behalf  of  the  king  of  England,  broad  lands  and 
property  both  in  England  and  in  Scotland,  which  he  was  to 
choose  at  will.  He  spurned  them  all,  however,  like  a  true 
champion  and  unbending  propugner  of  the  kingdom  for  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         171 

independence  of  its  people,  and  they  bear  witness  that  he  thus 
answered  those  who  spoke  to  him :  "  0  unhappy  and  desolate 
Scotland,  too  easily  believing  words  of  falsehood,  weakly  and 
wretchedly  unprepared  for  the  calamities  in  store  for  thee,  if 
thou  felt  with  me  what  I  feel,  thou  wouldst  not  easily  put  thy 
neck  under  a  foreign  yoke,  and  especially  one  steeped  in  the 
venom  of  inveterate  hostility.  One  saying,"  says  he,  "  have  I 
learnt  in  my  youth  must  be  put  before  all  things : 

" '  Know  truly,  freedom  is  the  best  of  boons,' 

"  and  it  is  a  blessed  one.  And  thus  you  may  take  as  my  final 
answer  that,  even  though  all  the  nobles  of  Scotland  and  the 
whole  of  the  inhabitants  should  tender  fealty  and  allegiance  to 
the  king  of  England,  yet  I,  with  my  comrades  to  back  me,  shall 
never  to  my  dying  day  tender  fealty  or  allegiance  to  any  other 
than  the  true  king  of  Scotland,  or  one  filling  his  place  or  stead ; 
but  I  shall  unbendingly  stand  up  for  the  independence  of  Scot- 
land." That  same  year  the  king  of  England  held  his  parlia- 
ment at  Saint  Andrews,  and  remained  there  during  Lent ;  and, 
having  called  together  the  magnates  of  the  kingdom,  he  regu- 
lated the  constitution  and  government  of  the  kingdom  with  the 
view  of  holding  it  permanently. 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  king  besieges  Stirling  Castle — Robert  Bruce. 

JUST  after  the  Easter  festival  the  said  King  Edward  besieged 
Stirling  Castle  for  three  months  without  a  break;  and  he 
ordered  the  whole  of  the  lead  of  the  monastery  of  Saint  Andrews 
to  be  stripped  off  and  carried  to  Stirling  aforesaid  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  engines  for  the  siege.  At  length,  however,  the 
warden  of  the  said  castle,  William  Oliphant  by  name,  surren- 
dered the  said  castle  to  him  under  a  certain  condition  in  writing 
and  under  seal.  But,  notwithstanding  his  promise,  the  king, 
on  taking  the  castle,  belied  his  word  and  broke  through  the  con- 
dition by  taking  the  said  William  Oliphant,  the  warden  of 
the  said  castle,  in  bonds  with  him  to  London  and  consigning 
him  to  a  fearful  dungeon.  The  same  year  also,  when  he  had 
taken  castles,  towns  and  all  the  other  strongholds,  and  the 
whole  of  the  leading  lords  of  the  realm  had  made  their  submis- 
sion to  him  and  the  whole  of  the  castles  and  towns  formerly 
destroyed  had  been  rebuilt,  and  there  was  no  one  but  William 
Wallace  alone  who  remained  faithful  to  the  king  of  Scotland  ; 
and  after  he  had  appointed  wardens  and  officers  of  his  own 


172         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

there,  and  all  and  sundry  of  the  Scottish  nation  had  taken  the 
oaths  of  fealty  and  homage,  the  said  king,  together  with  the 
prince  of  Wales  and  their  armies,  went  hack  to  England,  leav- 
ing, however,  one  chief  warden  as  his  lieutenant,  to  put  down 
and  chastise  any  outbreaks  by  any  of  the  rest,  both  Scottish  and 
English ;  and  he  never  afterwards  showed  his  face  in  Scotland. 
After  his  departure,  the  English  nation  lorded  it  in  every  part 
of  Scotland,  harassing  the  Scots  in  many  and  manifold  ways, 
and  ruthlessly  doing  them  to  death  with  wrongs,  massacres  and 
stripes,  under  the  awful  yoke  of  slavery.  But  the  Almighty 
Lord,  the  pitying  and  merciful  God,  having  compassion  upon 
the  never-ending  miseries  of  the  Scots  and  the  cry  of  His 
church  and  people,  and  being,  as  usual,  stirred  by  a  feeling  of 
fatherly  pity,  raised  up  a  saviour  unto  them,  a  champion  and 
propugner,  one  of  their  fellows  from  that  same  kingdom,  of  the 
name  of  Robert  Bruce,  who  delivered  them  out  of  the  lake 
of  misery  and  the  slough  of  despond,  when  they  were  entirely 
bereft  of  all  hope  of  salvation  and  succour.  For,  being  inwardly 
touched  with  grief  of  heart  at  seeing  the  almost  unbearable 
woes  which-  the  people  of  Scotland  endured,  he  put  forth  his 
hand  unto  strength,  like  a  second  Maccabseus,  and,  in  order  to 
deliver  his  brethren,  underwent  without  stint  the  unbearable 
burden  and  heat  of  the  day,  cold,  hunger,  on  sea  and  land,  and 
endured  toils  and  snares  and  great  weariness  and  starvation  and 
perils,  not  only  from  enemies  but  also  from  false  brethren. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

League  between  Robert  Bruce  and  John  Cumyn — 
Accusation  of  Bruce. 

Now  in  the  year  1304  this  Robert  Bruce  earl  of  Carrick, 
while  riding  from  Stirling  one  day  accompanied  by  John 
Cumyn,  who  was  at  the  time  one  of  the  highest  in  the  land,  in 
order  effectually  to  carry  into  execution  what  he  had  gladly 
undertaken  on  behalf  of  the  state  and  the  common  weal — for 
he  was  indignant  at  the  cruel  bondage  of  the  kingdom  and  the 
ceaseless  ill-treatment  of  the  people — imparted  what  had  come 
into  his  pious  head  about  remedying  these  evils  to  this  John, 
his  brother  in  arms,  and,  asking  his  advice  and  assistance, 
faithfully  unfolded  it  while  riding  along.  And,  although  in 
law,  according  to  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  realm,  the 
honour  and  inheritance  of  the  dignity  of  king  and  the  govern- 
ment of  the  kingdom  were  acknowledged  to  belong  to  him 
before  all  others,  yet,  putting  the  common  good  before  his  right, 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAEDEN.   BOOK  IX.         173 

he  privately,  purely  and  sincerely  of  his  own  accord,  offered  this 
John  that  he  should  choose  one  of  two  things :  either  to  reign 
and  take  upon  himself  and  his  for  ever  the  government  of  the 
kingdom  altogether,  with  what  pertained  thereto  and  with  the 
honours  and  dignities  of  the  kingship,  granting  to  him,  Eobert, 
the  whole  of  his  own  lands  and  property;  or  that  he,  John, 
and  his  should  have  the  whole  of  the  said  Eobert's  lauds  and 
property  in  lawful  possession  for  ever,  leaving  Eobert  the  afore- 
said kingdom,  with  the  aforesaid  dignities,  prerogatives  and 
honours  of  the  kingship :  that  so,  through  their  mutual  advice 
and  assistance,  the  deliverance  of  the  Scottish  nation  from  the 
house  of  bondage  and  most  pitiable  thraldom  might,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  be  achieved,  and  that  there  might  be  between 
them  a  firm  and  lasting  alliance  of  fast  friendship  and  perpetual 
peace.  The  aforesaid  John  was  highly  pleased  with  the  latter 
of  the  aforesaid  alternatives,  as  at  first  sight  appeared,  and 
thereupon  a  covenant  was  made  and  confirmed  by  their  plight- 
ing their  word  to  one  another  and  by  oaths  and  by  their 
respective  seals,  and  secured  by  their  indentures.  Neverthe- 
less, the  aforesaid  John  Cumyn,  disregarding  his  oath  and 
breaking  his  word,  kept  accusing  the  said  Eobert  to  the  king 
of  England  by  his  go-betweens  and  private  letters,  basely 
revealing  that  Eobert  Bruce's  secret  plotting,  and  sent  that 
king  his  letters  about  the  aforesaid  covenant  and  league : 
thinking  that  thereby,  when  he  was  put  out  of  the  way,  he 
John  would,  by  means  of  the  king  of  England,  get  and  hold 
in  peace  the  government  of  the  whole  kingdom  of  Scotland 
without  any  difficulty.  However,  though  the  aforesaid  Eobert 
was  repeatedly  sounded  thereupon  by  the  aforesaid  king,  who 
showed  him  his  own  letter  about  the  said  covenant  and  league, 
yet  he,  being  inspired  by  God,  would  always  return  such 
answers  as  softened  that  king's  rage  by  merry  speeches  and 
peaceful  words  full  of  tact.  But  the  savage  mind  of  that  king, 
who  was  very  wily  and  shrewd  and  always  knew  how  to  put  on 
a  show  of  friendship,  mistrusted  him  much,  because  of  this 
John's  accusations  ;  and  he  was  all  the  more  had  in  suspicion 
by  the  aforesaid  king  because  he  was  the  true  heir  to  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland.  So,  because  of  this  suspicion,  this 
Eobert  was  commanded  to  stay  on  at  the  court  of  the  king  of 
England;  and,  though  the  king  did  think  of  straightway 
making  arrangements  for  his  death  or  perpetual  imprisonment, 
he  yet  put  it  off  for  this  reason — till  he  could  get  all  his 
brothers  together  back  into  his  keeping,  so  that  he  might  be 
able  to  punish  them  all  with  the  extreme  penalty  of  the  law 
once  and  for  all. 


174         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAEDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Accusation  and  escape  of  Robert  Bruce. 

As  the  aforesaid  John  kept  repeating  his  accusations,  at 
length  one  night,  while  the  wine  sparkled  in  the  glass,  or  bowl, 
and  the  king  of  England  with  his  most  confidential  bedcham- 
ber men  was  preparing  to  get  into  bed,  they  earnestly  dis- 
cussed the  death  of  this  Robert  Bruce ;  and,  after  weighing  it 
briefly,  he  determined  to  take  his  life  on  the  morrow.  But 
when  the  earl  of  Gloucester,  a  true  friend  of  Robert's  and  tried 
even  in  time  of  utmost  need,  heard  of  this,  he  hastily  sent  him 
secretly  late  at  night,  to  his  lodging,  twelve  pence  and  a  pair 
of  sharp  spurs  by  one  of  his  servants,  telling  him,  "  My  lord 
sends  you  this  with  thanks,  in  return  for  what  he  got  from 
you  yesterday."  But  when  Robert  Bruce  heard  this,  saga- 
ciously turning  it  over  in  his  mind,  he  at  once  made  a  shrewd 
guess  from  the  tokens  presented  to  hi  in,  and  got  an  idea  of  the 
imminent  danger  in  store  for  him.  So  he  straightway  thanked 
the  messenger,  rewarded  him  and  sent  him  back  to  his  lord ; 
and,  when  twilight  came  on  that  night,  he  got  ready  with  all 
haste  to  go  to  Scotland.  No  one,  however,  knew  of  this  but 
his  secretary  and  one  servant  whom  he  trusted  most.  Then  he 
called  his  steward  and  directed  him  to  make  meny  with  his 
household  and  give  them  plenty  of  wine  to  drink ;  and  he  shut 
himself  up  in  his  room  as  if  to  talk  over  some  difficult  business 
with  his  secretary.  He  then  had  the  horse's  shoes  fastened 
the  reverse  way,  for  fear  of  the  snow  which  was  falling  that 
night,  it  is  said,  so  that  no  one  might  see  his  horse's  tracks 
going  towards  Scotland,  but  rather  returning.  So,  taking  only 
the  secretary  and  a  groom  with  him,  they  stealthily  mounted 
their  horses,  and  he  took  the  road  to  Scotland  day  and  night 
without  stopping;  nor  did  he  leave  off  constantly  plodding 
along  on  his  journey  towards  that  country  until  he  was  back  in 
his  own  country,  beyond  the  reach  of  danger  and  safe  from  any 
foul  play  at  the  hands  of  the  said  king,  under  the  guidance  of 
Him  of  whom  it  is  written :  There  is  no  wisdom,  nor  prudence, 
nor  counsel  against  the  Lord,  who  knoweth  how  to  snatch  the 
godly  in  mind  from  temptation,  and  mercifully  deliver  from 
perils  such  as  trust  in  Him.  Some  indeed  say  that  Robert 
Bruce  was  summoned  before  the  king  and  questioned,  and 
that  he  asked  the  king  to  give  him  time  until  the  next  morn- 
ing, together  with  his  letter  about  the  league,  so  that  he  might 
think  it  over  that  evening  and  give  him  an  answer  in  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         175 

morning ;  and,  as  security  for  his  doing  so,  he  pledged  and 
pawned  to  King  Edward  all  and  sundry  his  lands  which  he 
held  of  him  in  England. 


CHAPTEK  VI. 

John  Cumyn  killed. 

Now  when  Robert  Bruce  had  come  near  the  borders  of  the 
marches,  he  caught  sight  of  a  foot  messenger  coming  from 
afar ;  and  on  looking  at  him  he  suspected,  both  from  his  gait 
and  from  his  dress,  that  he  was  a  Scot.  So  he  questioned 
him  as  to  whither  he  was  going  and  whence  he  came ;  but, 
while  the  latter  was  pouring  out  evasive  excuses  for  his  offences, 
the  said  Robert  Bruce  privily  hinted  to  his  attendant  that  he 
should  search  the  messenger  and  see  if  he  had  any  secret 
letter ;  and,  when  there  was  found  upon  him  a  despatch  from 
John  Cumyn  to  the  king  of  England  about  putting  Robert 
to  death  by  treachery,  the  messenger  had  the  letter  taken  from 
him  and  was  ordered  to  be  slain.  This  was  accordingly  done, 
and  the  messenger  was  beheaded;  and  the  Lord  of  all  was 
praised  for  His  guidance  during  the  journey.  But,  when  he 
came  to  Lochmaben,  he  found  there  his  brother  Edward 
Bruce  and  imparted  to  him  in  full  all  as  it  had  taken  place, 
and  how  the  said  John  Cumyn  had  sent  by  the  messenger  a 
letter  sealed  with  his  own  seal  about  his  death  and  betrayal ; 
and  when  he  heard  that  the  said  John  Cumyn  was  staying  at 
Dumfries,  the  said  Robert  Bruce  hastened  on  as  fast  as  he 
could  to  reward  him  for  his  past  kindness.  Having  found  him 
before  the  great  altar  in  the  friars  church  at  Dumfries  afore- 
said, the  said  Robert  Bruce  questioned  him  on  the  subject, 
and  showed  him  his  letter  sealed  with  his  own  seal ;  and  on 
Cumyn  answering,  "You  lie,"  he  straightway  stabbed  and 
mortally  wounded  him.  He  then  left  him,  and  the  brethren  of 
that  church  dragged  him  into  the  vestry  behind  the  altar. 
Hereupon  up  came  James  Lindsay  of  Kilpatrick3  and  asked 
what  was  the  matter;  and,  finding  that  he  was  not  quite 
dead,  but  only  wounded,  he  pressed  him  to  say  if  he  could 
recover.  Yes,  he  answered,  if  remedies  were  at  once  applied 
to  him.  So  James  Lindsay,  being  the  cousin  and  very  dear 
friend  of  the  said  Robert,  as  he  did  not  want  him  to  come  to 
life  again,  wounded  him  more  severely  than  before  and  de- 
spatched him.  This  took  place  in  the  year  1305  on  the  10th 
of  February.  About  this  time  the  noble  William  Wallace  was, 


1 76         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

through  deceit  and  treachery,  taken  prisoner  by  sir  John  Men- 
teith  at  Glasgow,  purely  out  of  the  most  foul  jealousy — for 
he  never  hurt  any  but  the  English  and  never  even  suspected 
him  of  any  harm — and  handed  over  to  the  king  of  England ; 
and  he  was  torn  limb  from  limb  in  the  city  of  London,  and  his 
limbs  were  hung  up  on  lofty  towers  in  various  places  in  Eng- 
land and  Scotland,  as  a  reproach  to  the  Scots.. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Coronation  of  Robert  Brwe. 

IN  the  year  1306,  a  few  days  having  elapsed  from  the 
death  of  John  Cumyn,  the  said  Robert  Bruce,  then  earl  of 
Carrick,  took  with  him  as  many  as  he  could  get  and  hastened 
to  Scone ;  and,  being  set  on  the  royal  seat  in  the  manner  in 
which  the  kings  of  Scotland  were  formerly  wont  to  be  invested, 
on  the  27th  of  March4  he  was  crowned,  undertaking  a  great 
task  and  taking  an  unbearable  burden  upon  his  shoulders. 
For  he  launched  into  a  struggle  against  the  power  of  the  king 
of  England  and  all  his  abettors  and  partakers  with  him  in  this 
matter,  not  only  English  but  also  Anglicised  Scots,  with  only  a 
very  few  friends  of  his,  who  counted  for  nothing  in  comparison 
with  the  others — as  a  drop  in  the  ocean.  His  mishaps,  escapes 
and  dangers,  hardships  and  toils,  hunger  and  thirst,  watchings 
and  fastings,  cold  and  nakedness,  snares  and  outlawries,  and 
the  seizing  and  imprisoning,  slaughter  and  ruin  of  those  most 
near  and  dear  to  him,  before  which  he  had  to  succumb,  routed 
and  overcome,  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  no  one  now  living 
nor  any  book  of  history  could  adequately  recall  or  recount. 
Moreover,  even  if  one  knew  and  went  over  his  own  single 
combats  and  triumphs  single-handed,  amid  all  the  misfortunes 
and  numberless  straits  he  went  through  with  a  glad  and 
dauntless  heart — the  unimportant  victories  and  unrecorded 
duels  whereby,  God  granting  it,  he  by  his  own  strength  and 
human  heroism  overcame  the  malice  of  his  enemies,  the  present 
chronicle  would  be  deemed  too  lengthy:  nor,  I  think,  could 
one  find  under  the  sun  any  prince  in  these  days  who  is  his 
match  in  the  art  of  war.  I  therefore  leave  it  to  abler  men  to 
relate  all  his  fine  achievements,  and  will  not  put  them  in  here. 
He  would  not,  however,  on  any  account  allow  himself  to  be 
crowned  on  the  coronation  day  until  he  had  earned  the  benefit 
of  absolution  from  his  sacrilege.  But,  though  we  shall  not  be 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         177 

able  to  recount  his  unimportant  exploits  and  deeds,  we  have  no 
intention  of  omitting  to  put  in  his  greater  and  more  remark- 
able deeds. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Battle  of  Methven. 

THE  same  year,  on  the  19th  day  of  the  month  of  June,  King 
Robert  was  defeated  and  put  to  flight  at  Methven  by  Odomar, 
then  warden  of  Scotland  on  behalf  of  the  king  of  England.  He 
was  called  Odomar  of  Valence,  and  was  at  that  time  staying  in 
the  well-walled  town  of  Perth  with  a  great  force  of  both  Eng- 
lish and  disloyal  Scots.  Now,  though  he  did  not  lose  many  of 
his  men  in  this  encounter,  yet  because  of  the  unsuccessful 
beginning,  which  is  often  crowned  by  an  unhappy  ending,  his 
friends  began  to  be  sore  disheartened  and  the  other  side  much 
emboldened.  Thereupon  all  the  wives  of  those  who  followed 
the  king  were  ordered  to  be  proclaimed  outlaws  by  the  crier, 
and  to  be  sent  into  exile  on  pain  of  death,  in  order  that  they 
might  follow  their  husbands ;  by  reason  whereof  many  women, 
both  married  and  single,  followed  the  king,  and  took  up  their 
abode  permanently  under  shelter  of  the  woods  and  coverts 
with  the  army,  on  whom  they  lavished  many  little  comforts. 
In  the  same  year,  on  the  llth  of  August  following,  while  the 
king  was  lurking  with  his  men  on  the  borders  of  Atholl  and 
Argyll  to  escape  his  enemies,  he  was  again  defeated  and  put  to 
flight  at  Dairy.  But,  though  here  also  he  did  not  lose  a  great 
many  of  his  men,  nevertheless  the  greatest  panic  seized  them 
all,  and  all  his  men  were  dispersed  and  scattered  through 
various  places.  The  queen  fled  to  Saint  Duthac  in  Ross,  and 
was  taken  by  William,  earl  thereof,  and  sent  over  to  the  king 
of  England ;  and  she  was  kept  in  close  custody  until  the  battle 
of  Bannockburn.  Nigel  Bruce,  again,  the  king's  brother,  to- 
gether with  a  great  many  gallant  men  and  ladies  and  damsels, 
took  refuge  at  Kildrummie  Castle,  and  was  there  made  welcome 
with  his  train ;  but  that  same  year  the  castle  was  treacherously 
betrayed  into  the  hand  of  the  English  by  the  Scots,  and  Nigel 
and  all  his  people  were  brought  prisoners  to  Berwick  and 
suffered  capital  punishment.  But  Thomas  and  Alexander 
Bruce,  other  brothers  of  the  king's,  were  hurrying  by  another 
way  to  Carrick  when  they  were  taken  at  Lochrian,  in  that  same 
year,  and  brought  to  Carlisle  and  beheaded ;  and  all  who  thus 
parted  from  the  king  were  either  put  to  death  or  thrown  into 
prison.  The  earl  of  Lennox  and  Gilbert  de  la  Hay  alone  among 

M 


1 78         THE  BOOK  OP  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

the  nobles  followed  the  king,  and  became  his  inseparable  com- 
panions in  all  his  troubles ;  and  though  sometimes,  when  hard 
pressed  by  the  enemy's  pursuit,  they  were  unwillingly  parted 
from  him  in  body,  yet  they  never  departed  from  their  good 
faith,  affection  and  loyalty  towards  him  under  any  pressure  of 
necessity.  It  should  be  noted  that,  on  account  of  these  services 
incessantly  rendered  with  pleasure  to  the  king  by  the  said 
Gilbert  de  la  Hay,  the  king,  not  unmindful  of  this  good  turn, 
bestowed  upon  him  and  his  for  ever  the  hereditary  office  of 
constable  of  Scotland,  together  with  some  lands  besides  of  John 
Cumyn's  in  the  earldom  of  Buchan.  But,  soon  after  this,  it 
came  to  pass  that  the  aforesaid  king  was  cut  off  from  his  men, 
and  underwent  endless  and  well-nigh  unbearable  hardships, 
and  laboured  and  was  tossed  in  countless  dangers,  left  some- 
times with  three  men,  sometimes  with  two,  sometimes  alone, 
almost  entirely  bereft  of  the  help  of  man.  He  sometimes  went 
a  whole  fortnight  without  taking  any  food  but  raw  herbs,  water 
and  milk,  and  lived  a  most  wretched  life  in  the  wilderness ; 
now  walking  barefoot  when  his  shoes  were  worn  out  with  age ; 
now  left  alone  in  the  islands;  now  alone,  unknown,  fleeing  from 
his  enemies ;  now  slighted  and  despised  by  his  own  servants, 
he  remained  utterly  deserted,  an  outcast  from  all  his  acquaint- 
ance. The  English  had  him  cried  in  the  churches,  like  a  thing 
lost  and  swallowed  up  without  hope  of  recovery,  or  purloined 
by  stealth.  And  thus  they  all  made  a  laughing-stock  of  him, 
Bo  that  he  is  said  by  some  to  have  at  times,  in  his  after  pros- 
perity, thus  spoken,  saying  that  if  the  independence  of  Scotland 
had  not  moved  him  to  go  through  such  things,  he  would  not 
for  the  whole  world  go  through  those  things  or  the  like  again. 
And  for  all  these  misfortunes  yet  was  he  not  at  all  vanquished 
in  heart,  or  overcome ;  but  he  was  ever  in  hopes  of  regaining 
the  kingdom  and  delivering  it  from  all  thraldom  of  vassalage 
and  leading  back  his  faithful  people  with  joy  to  peace  and 
prosperity.  While  therefore  he  was  thus  made  a  byword  and 
a  laughing-stock  for  all,  both  far  and  near,  to  hiss  at,  yet  the 
Almighty  Lord,  the  merciful  and  compassionate,  who  looks 
upon  the  lowly  and  knows  the  lofty  from  afar,  aided  him 
through  the  power,  advice  and  help  of  a  noble  woman,  Christiana 
of  the  Isles,  a  well-wisher  of  his ;  and,  after  many  and  sundry 
toils,  wanderings  and  hardships,  he  got  back  to  his  earldom  of 
Carrick  and  straightway  recovered  one  of  his  castles ;  and,  after 
putting  to  death  all  whom  he  found  there,  he  pulled  down  his 
aforesaid  castle,  razed  it  to  the  ground  and  divided  the  spoil 
among  his  followers.  Then,  being  greatly  cheered  by  such  a 
beginning  after  his  long  course  of  ill-luck,  the  king  got  his 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         179 

friends  together,  who  had  been  scattered  far  and  wide,  crossed 
the  hills  with  them  in  a  body,  reached  Inverness,  took  the 
castle  thereof  with  the  strong  hand,  slew  those  he  found  in 
it  and  levelled  it  with  the  ground.  And  he  dealt  in  the  same 
manner  with  the  other  castles  he  succeeded  in  taking,  situated 
in  the  northern  districts,  until  he  reached  a  place  called  Slenach, 
where  he  abode  awhile. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

Rout  at  Slenach. 

IN  the  year  1307  John  Cumyn  earl  of  Buchan,  with  many 
nobles  both  of  England  and  of  Scotland,  hearing  that  King 
Robert  was  at  Slenach  with  his  army,  advanced  to  meet  him 
in  order  of  battle.  But,  when  they  saw  the  king  and  his  men 
drawn  up  in  order  of  battle  over  against  them,  they  halted ; 
and  thus,  on  Christmas  Day,  overwhelmed  with  shame  and 
confusion,  they  went  back  again,  asking  for  a  truce,  which 
the  king  kindly  granted  them ;  and,  after  he  had  granted  the 
truce,  he  abode  there  eight  days,  and  rested  without  fear. 
Here,  however,  after  his  many  and  long-continued  privations, 
he  fell  into  a  sickness  so  severe  that  he  was  carried  in  a  horse- 
litter  with  his  army  day  by  day  whithersoever  he  had  occasion 
to  be  moved  in  shifting  his  quarters.  That  same  year  '7  died 
King  Edward  the  tyrant,  on  the  5th  of  April,  at  Burgh-upon- 
Sands.  This  king,  as  soon  as  he  had  become  a  knight,  stirred 
up  war,  scourged  the  English  with  dreadful  stripes,  and  cruelly 
threw  the  whole  world  into  confusion  with  his  villainy.  In 
his  day  he  kept  back  an  expedition  to  the  Holy  Land  by  his 
intrigues ;  he  harried  Wales  without  mercy  and  foully  and 
cruelly  destroyed  and  subdued  it;  he  subjected  Scotland  to 
fearful  calamities  without  a  cause,  and  cruelly  and  barbarously 
slaughtered  the  inhabitants ;  and  he  overcame  John,  its  king, 
by  force  and  fear,  and  unjustly  threw  him  and  his  son 
Edward  into  a  dismal  dungeon ;  he  desecrated  churches,  turn- 
ing them  into  stables  for  horses,  pulled  them  down,  or  else 
burnt  them  down ;  a  great  many  prelates  he  loaded  with  chains 
without  a  cause,  and  some  he  put  to  death  in  loathsome  dun- 
geons ;  he  took  the  lives  of  common  people  without  number, 
sparing  neither  sex,  age,  nor  class,  and  committed  and  per- 
petrated other  misdeeds  without  end.  On  his  death  he  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  Edward,  who  married  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Philip  king  of  France.  At  that  time  sir  John  Cumyn  earl 


1 80         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

of  Buchan,  William  Cumyn  and  John  Mowbray,  knights,  were 
in  a  great  measure  the  most  powerful  of  the  nobles  of  Scotland 
of  the  party  of  the  king  of  England ;  and  these,  being  joined 
by  both  Scots  and  Englishmen,  afterwards  fought  hard  against 
King  Robert,  and  more  than  once,  down  to  King  Edward's 
death,  placed  him  in  the  utmost  danger.  Now  this  Edward, 
while  on  an  expedition  to  Scotland  for  the  purpose  of  invading 
and  finally  destroying  it,  was,  through  God's  vengeance,  taken 
ill  on  Saint  John's  Eve ;  and  when  he  came,  lying  down  in  a 
carriage,  to  Burgh-upon-Sands,  he  expired  miserably  without  a 
sign  of  repentance.  In  this  same  expedition  an  English  knight 
of  the  name  of  William  Banlister  was  seized  with  a  grievous 
illness  and  fell  into  a  trance ;  and,  while  he  was  rapt  in  the 
spirit,  he  saw,  as  it  seemed  to  him,  the  said  King  Edward 
snatched  away  by  a  great  multitude  of  fiends  and  taken  to  the 
lower  regions  with  chaunting ;  and  he  was  so  exceedingly 
frightened  that  he  afterwards  renounced  the  world. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Edward  of  Carnarvon. 

AFTER  the  burial  of  Edward  Longshanks,  his  son  Edward  of 
Carnarvon  succeeded  him,  and  was  set  over  the  kingdom  of 
England  and  crowned ;  and  he  fell  into  the  tyranny  and  errors 
of  his  father  and,  putting  every  other  care  aside,  made  all 
haste  to  invade  Scotland.  In  the  first  place  he  had  all  the 
magnates  and  clergy  and  people  of  Scotland  summoned  before 
him  at  Dumfries,  to  tender  him  homage  and  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance. Of  these,  some  did  so,  but  others  drew  back  and  fell 
away  from  him.  On  the  arrival,  however,  of  ambassadors  from 
France  about  the  marriage  of  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  France, 
who  had  been  previously  promised  to  him  by  a  betrothal,  he 
left  wardens  and  governors  both  in  England  and  in  Scotland, 
and  hastened  to  France  without  delay,  and  married  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  king  of  France  at  Boulogne-sur-Mer.  Then  they 
came  back  to  England  the  same  year,  and  were  both  crowned 
in  London.  King  Robert,  however,  gathering  strength  from 
day  to  day,  kept  besieging  and  destroying  castles  and  fortresses, 
and  in  the  space  of  six  years  he  levelled  with  the  ground  as 
many  as  one  hundred  and  thirty,  from  a  counted  list.  At 
this  time  John  and  William6  Cumyn  and  John  Mowbray 
gathered  together  a  large  army  and  followed  after  King  Robert 
as  far  as  Inverury,  where  they  deployed  in  order  of  battle,  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  IX.         181 

were  much  stronger  than  the  said  king,  who  was  still  carried 
day  by  day  on  a  horse-litter  as  on  a  bier ;  but,  though  he  could 
not  get  along  on  horseback  alone  by  himself,  yet,  in  order  to 
encourage  his  people,  he  of  his  own  accord  made  two  men  hold 
him  up  on  his  horse  with  their  hands,  and  rode  on  to  the  field 
of  battle  with  a  bold  countenance,  as  it  seemed;  though  it 
was  not  without  bodily  danger  that  he  rose  and  ordered  his 
men  to  arm  themselves  and  set  him  on  horseback.  So  when 
this  was  done,  and  the  opposite  party  saw  him  in  person  pre- 
pared for  the  fray,  they  were  panic-stricken  at  the  very  sight  of 
him,  and  all  turned  and  fled  and  were  pursued  as  far  as  Fivy 
without  stopping,  about  twelve  leagues.  But  when  the  pursuit 
was  over,  he  consumed  the  whole  earldom  of  Buchan  with  fire, 
and  some  he  took  prisoners,  and  received  the  submission  of 
others,  and  whom  he  would  he  put  to  death.  It  should  be 
noted  that,  just  as  he  was  beyond  measure  unfortunate  from 
the  time  of  his  departure  from  England  until  the  taking  of  the 
castle  of  Carrick,  so  a  more  fortunate  man  could  hardly  be 
found  than  he  was  from  the  time  of  this  rout  at  Inverury  until 
his  life's  end.  For  thenceforth  he  kept  gathering  strength  in 
all  prosperity,  while  his  enemies  dwindled  away  and  vanished 
like  smoke.  The  same  year  Donald  of  the  Isles,  with  a 
great  multitude  of  Islanders,  Galloway  men  and  Englishmen, 
advanced  as  far  as  the  river  Dee,  a  brave  show,  thinking  to 
utterly  overwhelm  the  king's  forces ;  and  he  was  there  defeated 
by  Sir  Edward  Bruce,  the  king's  brother;  and  many  were 
slain,  and  the  rest  put  to  flight.  In  this  battle  fell  one  Botho- 
land  of  Galloway,  together  with  many  of  the  nobles  of  that 
country,  and  Englishmen  and  Islanders  in  great  numbers; 
and  he  also  seized  the  said  Donald  while  attempting  to  escape, 
and  thrust  him  into  prison ;  and  he  invaded  and  destroyed  his 
country  with  fire.  Then  it  came  to  pass  that  in  the  same  year, 
at  the  Feast  of  Saint  Peter  and  Saint  Paul,  within  the  Octave 
of  the  Assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  this  king  vanquished 
the  men  of  Argyll  and  subdued  the  whole  country ;  and  he  , 
besieged  their  leader,  Alexander  of  Argyll,  who  fled  to  his  castle 
of  Dunstaffnage,  and  who  surrendered  the  castle  to  him.  As, 
however,  he  refused  to  do  him  homage,  a  safe-conduct  was 
given  to  him  and  to  all  whom  he  wished  to  take  with  him,  and 
he  withdrew  to  England,  where  he  paid  the  debt  of  nature.  At 
this  time,  about  the  year  1310,  there  was  so  severe  a  famine 
and  dearth  of  victuals  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  by  reason 
of  these  events,  that  men  fed  on  the  flesh  of  horses  and  other 
unclean  beasts.  In  the  year  1310  the  king  of  England  pre- 
pared to  invade  and  conquer  Scotland  with  a  large  force ;  but, 


182         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

as  his  men  were  lukewarm  in  their  support  of  him,  when  they 
came  as  far  as  Renfrew  he  took  the  advice  of  certain  persons 
and  went  home  again. 


CHAPTEE  XI. 

Successes  of  King  Robert. 

IN  the  year  1311,  after  having  routed  and  vanquished  all  his 
foes  everywhere  he  went  and,  for  the  most  part,  taken  and 
levelled  to  the  ground  the  castles  and  forts  which  offered  him 
resistance,  King  Robert  twice  invaded  and  ravaged  England, 
making  great  havoc  with  fire  and  sword  and  bringing  untold 
plunder  back  to  Scotland.  And  thus,  by  the  power  of  God, 
that  faithless  English  nation,  which  had  again  and  again  un- 
justly tortured  many  a  man,  was  now  by  God's  righteous  judg- 
ment made  to  undergo  scourgings ;  and,  whereas  it  had  once 
been  victorious  over  other  kingdoms,  it  now  sank  vanquished 
and  groaning,  and  became  a  gazing-stock  to  others.  The  follow- 
ing year,  in  1312,  the  then  very  strong  walled  town  of  Perth 
was  taken,  and  all  in  it  were  put  to  the  sword,  some  drawn, 
some  beheaded,  some  slain  in  the  fight,  and  the  rest  hanged  on 
the  gallows.  But  the  king  was  moved  to  compassion  for  the 
guiltless  rabble,  and  forgave  them  and  received  their  submission. 
And  thus — 

"  Did  England  drink  the  gall  itself  had  brewed." 

Thereupon  he  destroyed  the  walls  and  moats  and  consumed  the 
buildings  with  fire.  The  same  year  the  castles  of  Bute,  Dum- 
fries and  Dalswinton  and  many  other  castles  and  fortalices  were 
taken  with  the  strong  hand,  sacked  and  levelled  to  the  ground. 
The  same  year,  also,  the  town  of  Durham  was  for  the  most  part 
burnt  down  by  the  Scots,  and  Piers  Gamerston  (Gaveston),  the 
great  adviser  of  King  Edward  the  Tyrant,  was  slain  by  the  earl 
of  Lancaster.  And  the  same  year  Edward,  called  of  Windsor,  the 
eldest  son  of  the  king  of  England,  was  born  at  Windsor,  of  the 
daughter  of  Philip  king  of  France ;  and  he  was  the  source  of 
many  woes.  For  never  is  good  fruit  brought  forth  from  a  tainted 
root.  Through  this  Edward  that  most  cruel  and  most  heinous 
war  with  France  broke  out.  Again,  on  Fasten's  Even  in  the 
year  1313,  Roxburgh  Castle  was  taken  by  James  Douglas  under 
cover  of  night ;  and  the  same  year,  on  the  1 4th  day  of  the 
month  of  March,  Edinburgh  Castle  was  taken  by  sir  Thomas 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         183 

Randolph  earl  of  Murray,  after  defeating,  taking  and  slaying  his 
foes.  The  same  year,  too,  the  king  entered  the  Isle  of  Man, 
took  all  the  castles,  and  brought  the  island  under  his  sway. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Glorious  victory  gained  at  Bannockburn,  on  Saint  John  the 
Baptist's  Day,  ty  God's  grace  alone. 

EDWARD,  the  new  king  of  England,  burning  with  rage  on 
seeing  the  countless  evils  brought  upon  him  and  his  by  King 
Robert,  and  brooding  over  his  glorious  deeds  and  achievements, 
roused  himself  to  revenge  them ;  and,  having  got  his  whole  forces 
together,  hastened  to  levy  war  afresh  against  Scotland.  He 
collected  troops  from  all  sides,  from  England,  Wales,  Ireland, 
Cornwall,  Normandy,  Picardy,  Flanders,  Almayne,  Gascony, 
Guelders,  Brabant  and  Holland  and  from  among  the  rest  of 
those  who  favoured  his  cause  and,  together  with  his  Anglicised 
Scots,  effected  a  hostile  entrance  into  the  country,  a  brave 
show,  with  every  appliance  for  settling  in  the  country  for  ever, 
and  tilling  it  with  his  husbandmen.  His  army  numbered  three 
hundred  thousand  men-at-arms,  besides  all  the  unarmed  fol- 
lowers and  traders  and  husbandmen  and  sutlers  on  foot;  and  thus, 
with  these  men  of  his,  who  were  all  skilled  in  warcraft,  he  scoured 
the  country  and  laid  it  all  waste.  Accordingly,  surrounded  by  this 
proud  host  and  trusting  in  the  glory  of  man's  might,  he  got  as 
far  as  a  place  called  Bannockburn,  and  pitched  his  tents.  But, 
trusting  in  the  Lord  and  making  God  his  strength,  and  asking 
the  blessed  apostle  Andrew  and  Saint  John  the  Baptist  to  help 
him  to  deliver  the  wretched  people  of  Scotland  from  undue 
bondage,  King  Robert,  with  an  army  small  in  comparison  with 
the  multitude  of  the  said  king  of  England,  fought  a  deadly 
battle  with  him  and,  by  the  help  of  the  Most  High,  to  whom  it 
belongeth  to  give  the  victory  and  in  whose  hand  are  all  the 
ends  of  the  earth,  put  him  to  flight  with  all  his  pomp  and 
countless  forces.  Here  the  earl  of  Gloucester  and  many  nobles 
of  England  fell  slain ;  some  were  killed  in  the  pitfalls  which  the 
Scots  had  made ;  some  again,  thinking  to  save  themselves,  were 
drowned  in  the  Firth  of  Forth ;  some  lost  their  lives  in  the  con- 
fusion of  the  crowd  while  escaping,  some  fled,  some  were  taken, 
some  were  slaughtered,  overtaken  by  sundry  kinds  of  death,  and 
were  destroyed  without  number  with  the  edge  of  the  sword.  .The 
earl  of  Gloucester  also  fell  there.  In  exchange  for  the  prisoners 
not  only  were  the  queen  and  her  retinue  restored  to  freedom, 


184         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

but  all  the  other  Scots  who  had  been  thrown  into  prison  were 
released  without  ransom ;  and  all  the  others  also  who  were  at 
the  said  battle  were  enriched  beyond  measure.  Among  these 
was  captured  that  very  wealthy  John  of  Brittany,  for  whom 
the  captive  queen  of  Scotland  was  exchanged,  for  it  would  have 
been  absurd  to  hear  of  a  queen  being  a  prisoner.  For  him,  too, 
was  exchanged  the  bishop  of  Glasgow,  a  venerable  man  of 
great  age,  who  had  been  in  like  manner  kept  in  prison  in 
London  by  the  Tyrant.  Note  that  this  war  began  between 
Edward  Bruce,  the  king's  brother,  and  Philip  Mowbray,  com- 
mander at  Stirling  on  behalf  of  the  king  of  England,  whom 
the  said  Edward  besieged,  the  former  promising  that,  if  that 
castle  were  not  relieved  by  the  king  of  England  in  one  year's 
time  from  then,  he  would  without  further  delay  surrender  it 
into  his  hand  for  behoof  of  the  king  of  Scotland.  But  the 
king  rebuked  6  his  brother  for  this,  telling  him  he  had  be- 
haved most  foolishly  in  having  trysted  that  most  powerful 
king  of  England  to  fight  at  the  aforesaid  term  of  a  year  and 
a  day.  And  so,  like  a  true  Catholic  trusting  in  the  Lord,  he 
made  all  his  men,  before  marching  into  battle,  be  admonished 
by  the  ecclesiastics  that  they  should  each  one  be  shrived  and 
contrite  and  take  the  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist ;  that  they 
might  thus  march  into  battle  armed  with  the  armour  of  God, 
after  they  had  all  heard  mass,  all  devoutly  kneeling  before  the 
Lord  and  meekly  beseeching  grace  and  praying  God  for  the 
freedom  of  the  kingdom.  But,  when  the  English  saw  them,  they 
smiled  and  said :  "  Lo,  the  Scots  have  surrendered  and  are  ask- 
ing our  forgiveness."  Whereupon  an  old  knight,  of  sounder 
understanding,  answered  and  said :  "  It  is  true  they  are  sur- 
rendering— not  to  you,  but  to  God  Almighty,  in  whom  they  hope 
and  put  their  trust ; " — who  also  gave  them  the  victory. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Hereditary  entail  and  succession  to  the  throne  made  by  consent 
of  the  Three  Estates. 

IN  the  year  1315  a  permanent  settlement  was  made  in  the 
king's  general  council  to  the  effect  that,  in  case  King  Robert 
departed  this  life  without  male  children,  his  brother,  Edward 
Bruce,  a  gallant  man,  should  aspire  to  the  crown.  Failing 
him.  and  issue  male  from  him,  the  crown  was  to  go  to  Mar- 
jory, the  king's  daughter ;  and,  failing  her,  to  the  next  heir 
proceeding  and  lineally  descending  from  the  body  of  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.          185 

said  King  Robert,  unconditionally:  provided,  however,  that 
she  were  married  with  the  approval  of  the  Three  Estates,  or  of 
the  greater  and  more  sensible  part  thereof.  And,  if  the  king 
died,  leaving  a  male  heir  under  age,  his  brother-german  Edward 
was  to  have  the  governing  of  the  kingdom  until  he  came  of 
age ;  failing  whom,  his  nephew  Thomas  Randolph  was  in  like 
manner  to  have  the  governing  of  the  kingdom  and  of  the 
king  while  under  age,  until  the  latter  should,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  Three  Estates,  be  equal  to  governing  the  kingdom.  Again, 
if  the  said  Marjory  died  a  widow  and  left  an  heir  under  age, 
that  said  earl 7  was  to  have  charge  of  that  heir  and  of  the  king- 
dom, in  like  manner  as  was  declared  with  regard  to  the  heirs  of 
the  king  and  his  brother-german,  in  case  the  earl  himself  gave 
his  consent  thereto.  But,  if  the  said  Marjory  died  without 
leaving  any  heir  of  her  body,  no  heir  of  the  body  of  the  said 
lord  king  in  like  manner  being  left  alive,  which  God  forbid, 
the  aforesaid  earl  was  to  have  the  wardenship  of  the  kingdom 
until,  by  provision  of  the  Three  Estates  of  the  Realm,  they  could 
discuss  who  had  a  claim  of  lineal  succession  to  the  throne  and 
should  govern.  And  this  they  all  promised,  and  they  bound 
themselves  thereunto.  This  entail  was  renewed  after  Edward's 
death,  as  appears  from  documents  drawn  up  thereanent. 

Then  comes  how  Edward  de  Bruce  was  elected  king  of  Ireland 
by  the  unanimous  consent  of  all  the  inhabitants ; — but  first  we 
must  make  an  important  observation  on  the  lineal  issue  of 
King  Robert  from  different  wives. 

The  said  lord  king,  when  he  was  earl  of  Carrick,  married 
Isabel  or  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  an  earl  of  Mar  ;  and  of  her  he 
begat  Marjory,  wife  of  Walter  Stewart.  On  her  death  he 
wedded  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  sir  Haymer  de  Burgh,  earl  of 
Ulster ;  and  of  her  he  begat  King  David  n.  She  was  buried  in 
the  choir  in  the  convent  of  Dunfermline,  together  with  King 
Robert,  who  reigned  twenty-four  years,  and  defeated  the  king  of 
England  and  his  power  eight  times,8  at  Bannockburn,  Biland 
and  elsewhere.  Note  also  that  after  the  expulsion  of  John 
Balliol,  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  was  for  ten  years  in  a  very 
unsettled  state.  Queen  Elizabeth,  however,  also  begat  one 
daughter  who  was  married  to  one  Thomas  Isaac ;  another, 
married  to  the  lord  of  Lorn  ;  and  another,  married  to  the  earl  of 
Sutherland,  who  of  her  begat  John,  earl  of  that  ilk,  who  died  in 
England  when  a  hostage  for  his  uncle  King  David,  and  who, 
if  he  had  lived,  would  have  succeeded  the  aforesaid  King 
David  on  the  throne,  according  to  the  entail. 


186         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Edward  Bruce  elected  king  of  Ireland. 

IN  the  year  1315  Edward  Bruce,  the  king's  brother,  entered 
Ireland  with  the  strong  hand,  and  was  elected  king  by  unani- 
mous consent  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  whole  of  Ireland ; 
and  he  there  wasted  the  whole  of  the  land  occupied  by  the 
English,  and  all  the  English  were  slain,  taken  prisoners,  or 
driven  into  banishment  out  of  the  country.  His  acts  are  to  be 
found  more  fully  in  the  book  On  the  exploits  of  King  Robert, 
written  about  them.  The  following  year  his  brother  King 
Robert  came  to  meet  him  in  Ireland,  to  help  him ;  but  many 
perished  through  confusion  and  scarcity  of  provisions ;  for  such 
dearth  prevailed  there  that  many  fed  on  horse-flesh.  The  king 
of  England,  however,  on  hearing  that  the  king  of  Scotland  was 
sojourning  with  his  brother  in  Ireland,  assembled  his  forces 
and  entered  Scotland  with  all  haste.  But,  while  he  was  thus 
entering  column  by  column,  he  was  driven  back  most  inglori- 
ously  by  James  Douglas,  then  warden  of  the  marches,  and 
they  were  all  defeated,  slain,  captured,  or  put  to  flight;  and 
that  noble  knight  killed  with  his  own  hands  three  chief  cap- 
tains in  the  three  lines  of  battle.  Thus  the  enemy  was  hurled 
back,  and  the  kingdom  suffered  little  or  no  harm.  After 
this,  however,  they  got  together  a  fleet  of  ships  and,  entering 
the  Firth  of  Forth  in  great  force,  landed  unperceived  at  Doni- 
bristle  near  Inverkeithing ;  but  they  were  there  defeated  by 
the  noble  'bishop  of  Dunkeld  and  the  sheriff  of  Fife  and  other 
lords,  and  routed,  many  being  slain  and  several  out  of  their 
fleet  being  lost.  The  same  year,  after  the  arrival  of  King 
Robert  Bruce  from  Ireland,  was  born  Robert  Stewart,  the 
future  second  king  of  Scotland  of  that  name,  to  wit  the  son 
of  the  daughter  of  the  said  Robert  Bruce.  In  the  following 
year  Edward  Bruce  met  his  death  at  the  hands  of  the  English 
through  being  over- hasty  and  headlong  in  rashly  attacking  the 
enemy.  In  the  year  1318  certain  cardinals,  legates  apostolic 
in  England,  were  robbed  by  one  Robert  Middleton,  knight ;  and 
for  this  he  was  brought  to  London,  drawn  by  horses  limb  from 
limb,  and  his  limbs  were  hung  up  on  the  most  commanding  posi- 
tions in  the  town.  By  reason  of  this  King  Edward  put  off  besieg- 
ing the  town  of  Berwick  as  he  had  intended  doing.9  In  the  year 
1318  Thomas  Randolph  earl  of  Murray  invaded  and  ravaged 
and  made  cruel  havoc  of  the  northern  parts  of  England;  and  he 
brought  back  much  booty  and  divided  it  among  his  followers. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         187 

Iii  the  year  1318  the  town  of  Berwick  was  taken  by  the  Scots, 
after  having  been  for  twenty  years  previously  in  the  hands  of 
the  English.  The  same  year,  on  the  1 4th  of  October,  was  fought 
the  battle  of  Dundalk  in  Ireland ;  and  there  fell  sir  Edward 
Bruce,  king  of  Ireland,  with  a  great  many  nobles  of  Scotland. 
This  is  how  it  came  about.  This  Edward  was  a  mettle- 
some and  high-spirited  man,  and  would  not  live  with  his 
brother  unless  he  had  half  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  to  himself; 
so  he  left  Scotland  and  levied  war  in  Ireland,  where  he  came 
by  his  death.  In  the  year  1319  Edward  of  Windsor  besieged 
the  town  of  Berwick ;  but,  seeing  he  was  unsuccessful  there,  he 
soon  ingloriously  went  back  again.  The  same  year  Thomas 
Randolph  earl  of  Moray  again  wasted  the  northern  parts  of 
England  as  far  as  Wetherby,  and  encamped  at  Boroughbridge 
at  the  end  of  the  month  of  August. 


CHAPTEE   XV.      . 

Papal  Bull  sent  to  the  king  of  England  about  Ireland. 

CHAPTER  XVI.   TO   CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Copy  of  letter  sent  by  the  kings  and  nobles  and  bishops  and  pre- 
lates and  clergy  of  Ireland  with  one  accord  to  the  supreme 
pontiff  in  answer  to  the  above. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Taking  of  the  town  of  Berwick  by  Thomas  Randolph. 

IN  the  year  1318  Thomas  Randolph  earl  of  Murray  wasted 
the  northern  parts  of  England ;  and  the  same  year,  on  the  28th 
of  March,  the  town  of  Berwick  was  taken  by  the  Scots,  after 
having  been  for  twenty  years  previously  in  the  hands  of  the 
English.  The  same  year,  on  the  1 4th  of  October,  was  fought 
the  battle  of  Dundalk  in  Ireland,  where  fell  Edward  Bruce, 
brother  of  King  Robert  Bruce  and  king  of  Ireland,  and  many 
nobles  of  both  Ireland  and  Scotland  with  him.  He  was  a  high- 
spirited  man,  and  would  not  live  with  his  brother  in  Scotland, 
because  he  thought  it  was  not  big  enough  for  two.  He  was 
indeed  a  bold  and-warlike  man,  and  very  successful  against  the 
English;  and  therefore  all  the  kings  of  Ireland  elected  him 


188         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

monarch  of  Ireland,  on  account  of  his  singular  valour  against  the 
devices  of  the  English.  But  alas !  he  was  too  precipitate  and 
rash,  as  was  shown  on  that  day  of  his  death.  If  he  had  waited 
until  the  next  day,  his  brother  the  king  of  Scotland  would  have 
come  to  his  rescue  with  a  large  army.  All  the  wise  men  say 
that  no  dominion,  or  power,  or  courage,  or  surpassing  superi- 
ority could  last  or  prosper  without  the  understanding  of  the  wise; 
for  a  ruler  without  discreetness  and  understanding  is  like  a 
great  fire  kindled  in  a  house,  which  soon  consumes  everything. 
The  same  year  the  new  church  of  Saint  Andrews  was  dedicated, 
when  Kobert  Bruce  king  of  Scotland  was  present  in  person ; 
and,  out  of  reverence  for  the  blessed  apostle  Saint  Andrew,  he 
bestowed  the  church  of  Forgounde10  upon  the  said  monastery 
of  Saint  Andrews  in  augmentation  thereof,  in  perpetual  memory 
of  the  great  favour  and  victory  lately  granted  to  him  in  the 
encounter  at  Bannockburn.  Again,  for  the  same  reason  and 
cause,  William  Lamberton,  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews,  gifted  the 
churches  of  Dervesy  and  Abercrombie  and  the  church  of  Kil- 
gour,  near  Falkland,  to  the  said  monastery.  The  year  before, 
however,  died  Marjory  Brace,  daughter  of  King  Kobert  Bruce 
and  mother  of  the  elder  King  Robert.  In  the  year  1319 
King  Edward  of  England  besieged  the  town  of  Berwick ;  but 
he  was  seized  with  fear  when  none  pursued,  and  of  his  own 
accord  went  home  again  in  shame.  Thereafter11  Thomas 
Randolph  earl  of  Murray  ravaged  with  fire  and  wasted  the 
northern  parts  of  England  as  far  as  Wetherby. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Black  Parliament  of  Scotland. 

IN  the  year  1320,  at  the  beginning  of  the  month  of  August, 
King  Robert  of  Scotland  held  his  parliament  at  Scone,  where 
the  countess  of  Strathern  and  the  lord  of  Soulis  were  found  guilty 
of  the  crime  of  high  treason,  having  confessed  conspiring  against 
the  king,  and  had  sentence  of  perpetual  imprisonment  passed 
upon  them.  But  the  lord  of  Brechin,  who,  in  the  warlike 
expeditions  against  the  unbelievers,  used  to  be  called  the  most 
valiant  flower  of  chivalry,  only  because  he  held  his  peace 
about  the  conspiracy,  neither  revealing  nor  agreeing  to  the 
treason,  was,  together  with  a  certain  traitor  Gilbert  Malar12  and 
John  Logie,  knights,  and  Richard  Broun,  esquire,  drawn  at  a 
horse's  tail  and  beheaded  with  the  others.  Eustace  Maxwell, 
Walter  Berclay,  sheriff  of  Aberdeen,  and  Patrick  Graham, 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.          189 

knights,  and  Hamelin  Troup  and  Eustace  Ruthirwyne  (Rattray), 
esquires,  were  found  not  guilty  of  this  crime.  After  the  death 
of  Roger  Mowbray,  his  dead  body  was  brought  thither ;  and, 
conspiracy  having  been  proved  against  the  said  Roger  while  he 
was  in  the  flesh,  after  his  death  his  dead  body  was  ordered  to 
be  drawn  by  horses,  beheaded  and  hanged  on  a  gallows.  The 
king  in  his  clemency,  however,  left  him  to  the  judgment  of 
God,  mitigated  the  sentence,  and  sent  back  the  body  for 
Christian  burial.  At  this  period,  on  the  17th  day  of  March, 
legates  apostolic  were  sent  to  the  king  at  the  town  of  Berwick 
to  exhort  him  to  deal  more  mildly  with  the  English  and,  for 
the  love  of  the  pope,  keep  from  destroying  them  even  until 
the  pope  should  be  acquainted  with  the  cause  of  their  quarrel ; 
and  the  king  received  these  ambassadors  kindly.  But,  when 
the  magnates  of  Scotland  heard  about  these  ambassadors,  they 
assembled  at  Arbroath  and  wrote  to  the  lord  pope  with  all 
haste,  in  order  to  be  beforehand  with  the  legates;  and  this 
letter  is  entituled  as  follows : — 13 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

TJie  king  of  Scotland  goes  across  to  England. 

IN  the  year  1321  the  earl  of  Murray  destroyed  the  northern 
parts  of  England  as  far  as  Durham  with  fire  and  sword ;  and 
the  following  year  King  Robert  of  Scotland  made  his  way  into 
England  with  the  strong  hand,  on  the  1st  day  of  July,  and 
destroyed  the  northern  parts  of  England  aforesaid  as  far  as 
Stanemore,  together  with  the  county  of  Lancaster.  After  he 
had  marched  back  into  Scotland,  Edward  king  of  England 
made  bis  way  into  Scotland  on  the  1 2th  day  of  August  with  a 
large  army,  both  horse  and  foot,  and  with  a  naval  force  and 
strong  body  of  soldiery,  and  came  as  far  as  the  town  of 
Edinburgh  with  the  object  of  engaging  the  king  of  Scotland. 
His  army  was  reckoned  at  a  hundred  thousand  men-at-arms.14 
The  king,  however,  very  wisely  declined  an  engagement  for  the 
nonce,  and  commanded  all  cattle  and  goods  whatever  to  be 
swept  away  out  of  their  path  and  hastily  driven  off;  so  that 
they  found  little  to  eat  beyond  what  they  brought  with  them, 
and  almost  died  of  hunger.  For  the  foraging  parties  brought 
in  nothing  at  all  for  the  armies  to  eat  but  one  lame  bull  which, 
by  reason  of  its  infirmity,  could  not  be  driven  off  with  the  herd 
and  was  left  alone  in  a  field.  Therefore  it  was  told  the  king 


190         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

of  England  that  meat  had  never  sold  so  dear ;  for  the  earl  of 
Warenne  and  many  English  nobles  fell  in  battle  in  this  cam- 
paign.16 On  the  way,  however,  the  monastery  of  Holyrood  was 
sacked,  as  also  the  monastery  of  Melrose,  two  blind  monks  of 
this  place  being  killed  and  many  monks  mortally  wounded. 
Moreover  the  monastery  of  Dryburgh  was  entirely  burnt  down 
and  consumed,  as  were  also  a  great  many  sacred  places.  The 
same  year  King  Eobert  penetrated  into  England  as  far  as  the 
city  of  York,  laying  everything  waste,  both  monasteries  and 
towns  and  castles,  and  consumed  it  with  fire  and  sword.  But 
King  Edward  met  him  with  a  very  large  army  of  English  and 
French  and  Normans  and  other  mercenaries,  and  was  forced  to 
retreat  and  routed,  many  of  the  mightiest  of  his  host  being 
taken  and  imprisoned,  and  ransomed  for  large  sums  of  money. 
And  thus  he  went  home  again  safe  and  sound  with  the  palm 
of  victory  in  the  war.  In  the  year  1323  the  alliance  between 
the  kings  of  France  and  Scotland  was  renewed  by  a  solemn 
embassy ;  and  also  at  the  court  of  Home,  by  the  foregoing  letter 
sent  by  the  barons  of  Scotland  to  our  lord  the  pope  to  bring 
about  unity  and  concord  with  the  church  of  Rome  and  oppose 
the  iniquitous  representations  of  the  English,  whereby  it  had 
been  sometime  wickedly  interrupted.  When  all  this  had  been 
happily  settled  and  arranged,  unto  us  a  child  was  born  and 
unto  us  a  son  was  given — David,  the  future  king,  at  Dunferm- 
line ;  and  his  birth  brought  joy  to  the  whole  kingdom. 

Then  follows  how  a  queen  of  England,  at  the  head  of  hired 
soldiers,  imprisoned  her  husband,  caused  many  nobles  to  be 
condemned  to  a  most  ignominious  death,  and  ordered  a  bishop 
of  England  to  be  hanged.  In  the  same  year  in  which  Edward 
II.  was  imprisoned,  Edward  in.  was  crowned  king. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 
King  David  Bruce. 

IN  the  year  1326  the  whole  clergy  and  the  barons  of  Scotland 
met  at  Cambuskenneth  and  did  homage  and  swore  fealty  to 
King  David,  King  Robert's  son,  as  the  future  king,  and  also  to 
Robert  Stewart,  the  son  of  the  daughter  of  the  said  King  Robert 
Bruce,  in  case  the  said  King  David  died  without  children  of 
his  body;  and  there  also  sir  Andrew  Murray  married  the 
lady  Christina  Bruce,  the  king's  sister.  The  following  year 
messengers  of  peace  were  sent  by  the  king  of  England  to  the 
king  of  Scotland  under  a  false  show  of  peace,  pretending  peace 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         191 

and  feigning  to  treat  for  concord;  but,  though  they  met  re- 
peatedly, nothing  came  of  it.  At  length  their  falseness  was  found 
out,  and  the  Scots  entered  the  northern  parts  of  England  in  the 
month  of  July,  and  devastated  the  whole  district  with  fire  and 
sword.  Again  the  same  year,  in  the  month  of  October,  the  earl 
of  Murray  and  James  Douglas  entered  England  with  a  strong 
army  and  inflicted  much  damage  on  the  enemy.  They  after- 
wards encamped  in  a  certain  narrow  place  which  is  called  Wear- 
dale  ;  and  lo  !  the  whole  force  of  men-at-arms  of  England  made 
their  appearance  over  against  them  in  their  path,  but  did  not 
approach  them ;  and  they  posted  themselves  around  them  and 
hemmed  them  in,  being  in  number  about  100,000.  There  they 
stayed  for  eight  days  ever  in  sight  of  each  other,  and  sorely 
harassed  one  another  with  mutual  attacks  and  slaughter.  At 
length,  however,  the  Scots,  like  wary  warriors,  seized  an  oppor- 
tunity at  night  and,  having  struck  down,  captured  and  slain  a 
great  many  of  the  enemy,  got  home  again  safe  and  sound.  The 
same  year,  a  few  days  afterwards,  the  king  besieged  the  castles 
of  Norham  and  Alnwick.  After  these  things  ambassadors  were 
again  sent  by  the  king  of  England  to  the  king  of  Scotland  at 
Edinburgh  to  conclude  a  lasting  peace;  and  here,  after  the 
many  hazards  of  war,  they  treated  for  a  permanent  peace  and 
came  to  an  arrangement  which  was  to  endure  for  all  time  and 
was  ratified  by  all  the  barons,  clergy  and  lords  and  all  others 
whom  it  concerned;  and  further,  for  the  damage  and  injury 
done  to  the  king  of  England,  the  king  of  Scotland  paid  the  said 
king  of  England  30,000  merks.  Moreover,  to  the  end  that  this 
peace  might  continue  in  so  much  the  more  friendliness  and 
graciousness,  the  king  of  England  handed  over  his  sister  Joan 
to  the  aforesaid  king  of  Scotland  for  his  eldest  son  Prince  David 
to  marry ;  and  she  was  actually  married  to  him  in  the  year 
1328  at  Berwick,  the  girl's  mother  being  present.  Her  father 
Edward  of  Carnarvon  had  died  previously,  and  the  girl's  brother 
Edward  of  Windsor,  though  alive,  was  not  present.  Oh,  how 
much  pride  and  exultation  there  were  then  in  Scotland,  after  so 
much  hardship,  tongue  cannot  utter  nor  pen  describe.  That 
country  for  the  time  revelled  in  manifold  delights  :  for,  by  the 
aforesaid  treaty  of  peace,  the  aforesaid  Edward  king  of  England, 
for  himself  and  his  successors  for  ever,  quitclaimed  to  the  afore- 
said King  Robert  and  his  successors,  and  freely,  fully,  peacefully 
and  quietly  resigned  for  ever  all  right  and  claim,  pretended  or 
true,  which  he  or  his  predecessors  in  time  past  had,  or  claimed 
to  have,  to  the  throne  of  Scotland,  whether  justly  or  unjustly. 
In  token  whereof  he  handed  over  to  the  aforesaid  King 
Robert  many  instruments  and  proofs  sealed  with  his  seal  and 


192          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

approved  and  ratified  in  full  parliament  of  England.  It  was  in 
consideration  of  the  resignation  and  surrender  of  this  right,  and 
as  satisfaction  for  the  damage  done,  that  the  aforesaid  30,000 
marks  in  cash  were  paid. 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 

Death  of  King  Robert  Bruce. 

IN  the  year  1329,  on  the  7th  of  June,  died  that  most  noble 
King  Robert  Bruce,  that  most  invincible  prince,  at  Cardross, 
in  the  twenty-fourth  year  of  his  reign.  The  same  year ia  died 
Walter  Stewart,  son-in-law  of  King  Robert  Bruce,  and  father 
of  Robert  Stewart,  the  future  king.  In  the  year  1327  died 
Elizabeth  queen  of  Scotland,  mother  of  King  David  and  wife 
of  the  said  Robert  Bruce ;  and  they  are  both  buried  at  Dun- 
fernilme. 

Here  follows  a  copy  of  the  letter  of  renunciation,  resignation 
and  surrender  of  the  claim  put  forward  by  the  king  of  England, 
in  the  following  form : — 

To  all  who  shall  inspect  these  presents  Edward,  by  the  grace 
of  God  king  of  England,  lord  of  Ireland,  duke  of  Aquitaine, 
health  everlasting  in  the  Lord.  Whereas  We  and  some  of  Our 
predecessors,  kings  of  England,  have  endeavoured  to  possess 
Ourselves  of  the  right  of  government,  lordship,  or  supremacy 
over  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  and  the  kingdoms  of  England 
and  Scotland  have  been  very  long  afflicted  by  fearful  and 
hazardous  wars  made  on  that  account,  We  therefore,  having 
regard  to  this  havoc  and  slaughter  and  the  numberless  atroci- 
ties and  destructions  of  churches  which  in  various  ways  mutu- 
ally befell  the  inhabitants  of  either  kingdom  by  reason  of  these 
wars,  and  the  wealth  wherewith  both  kingdoms  would  abound, 
from  their  mutual  profit,  if  allied  in  a  permanent  and  stable 
peace,  and  thereby  more  firmly  secure  against  hurtful  attempts 
to  rebel  or  make  war  against  them  either  internally  or  exter- 
nally, do  desire  and  grant  by  these  presents,  for  Ourselves  and 
Our  heirs  and  successors  whatsoever,  by  the  common  consent 
and  advice  of  the  prelates  and  lords  and  communities  and 
barons  and  earls  of  the  said  kingdom  in  Our  parliament,  that 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  according  to  its  true  marches  and 
boundaries,  such  as  they  were  and  were  maintained  in  the  days 
of  Alexander  of  happy  memory,  the  last  deceased  king  of 
Scotland,  should  remain  for  ever  wholly,  freely  and  unburdened 
in  the  hands  of  that  great  prince  sir  Robert  Bruce,  by  the  grace 
of  God  the  illustrious  king  of  Scots,  Our  very  dear  friend  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         193 

ally,  and  to  his  heirs  and  successors,  separate  from  the  kingdom 
of  England  in  all  things,  and  without  any  vassalage,  servitude, 
claim,  or  liability.  And  whatever  right  We  or  Our  ancestors 
in  times  past  have  claimed  or  shall  in  any  wise  claim  to  the 
said  kingdom  of  Scotland,  We  hereby  renounce  in  favour  of  the 
aforesaid  king  of  Scotland,  his  heirs  and  successors,  and  forego 
it  in  his  favour  for  ever  by  these  presents.  Moreover  We,  for 
Ourselves,  Our  heirs  and  successors,  altogether  and  utterly  cancel 
all  bonds,  covenants  and  agreements  howsoever  or  whatsoever 
and  at  whatsoever  time  entered  into  with  Our  predecessors  by 
any  king,  inhabitant,  cleric,  or  layman  of-  that  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land, as  to  the  vassalage  of  the  said  kingdom  or  its  inhabitants. 
And  whatever  letters,  or  charters,  or  deeds  be  hereafter  found, 
in  whatever  place,  drawn  up  as  to  contracts,  bonds  or  covenants 
and  agreements  of  this  kind,  We  desire  that  they  be  held  quashed, 
invalid,  null  and  void  and  of  no  force  or  moment.  In  witness 
whereof  Our  seal  is  appended  to  these  presents  at  London,17  in 
Our  full  parliament. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Copy  of  an  entail  formerly  drawn  up  touching  the  hereditary  right 
to  the  throne  of  Scotland. 

IN  the  name  of  the  holy  and  undivided  Trinity,  the  Father, 
the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  Amen.  In  the  parliament  held  at 
Scone,  in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  1318,  on  the  Sunday  next  after 
St.  Andrew's  Day,  by  King  Eobert,  our  most  illustrious  king, 
where,  among  other  business  of  the  kingdom,  the  common  weal 
and  the  safety  of  the  realm  were  publicly  deliberated  upon,  it  was 
settled,  agreed  and  ordained  as  follows  by  all  the  whole  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  realm :  namely  that,  if  the  king  died  childless, 
Eobert  Stewart,  son  of  Marjory  the  said  king's  daughter,  and 
begotten  of  Walter  Stewart,  should  succeed  him ;  and  this  was 
unanimously  agreed  to  by  all.  Also  it  was  unanimously  agreed 
and  ordained  that,  if  the  heir  should  be  under  age  at  the  king's 
death,  Thomas  earl  of  Murray  should  have  the  care  of  the  said 
heir  and  the  reins  of  government  and  the  charge  of  the  kingdom 
and  the  people,  with  the  consent  of  all  and  sundry,  until 
the  king  came  of  age ;  failing  whom,  that  sir  James  Douglas 
should  have  the  direction  and  government  of  the  aforesaid  heir 
and  kingdom,  with  the  consent  of  the  king  and  all  and  sundry 
others,  even  until  it  appeared  to  the  three  estates  of  the 
realm  that  the  future  heir  ought  to  be  duly  equal  to  the  govern- 
ment of  the  realm.  This  charge,  governance  and  direction  the 

N 


194          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

aforesaid  persons  named  there  undertook  upon  oath,  when  the 
time  should  come ;  and  on  this  point  they  took  the  great  oath, 
laying  their  hands  on  the  gospels,  faithfully  to  do,  arrange  and 
sacredly  observe  all  this  and  each  article  severally,  for  the  good 
of  the  king,  kingdom  and  people,  as  is  the  custom  for  kings  and 
rulers  to  do.  Furthermore,  whereas  on  some  past  occasions  a 
question  had  been  raised,  though  without  sufficient  grounds, 
by  certain  persons  as  to  the  law  by  which  the  succession  to  the 
throne  of  Scotland,  if  perchance  it  were  not  clear,  ought  to  be 
decided  and  judicially  settled,  it  was  therefore  declared  and 
laid  down  in  that  same  parliament  by  the  clergy  and  people 
that  the  said  succession  ought  by  no  means  to  be  settled  or  to 
have  been  settled  by  the  custom  in  force  in  inferior  fiefs  or 
heredities  in  the  kingdom,  if  no  custom  have  yet  been  intro- 
duced as  to  the  succession  to  the  throne ;  but  that  the  next 
male  descending  in  direct  line  at  the  time  of  the  last  king's 
death,  or  even,  failing  a  male,  the  next  female  in  the  same  line, 
or,  failing  such  line  altogether,  the  next  male  in  the  collateral 
line  ought,  without  let  or  hindrance  whatever,  regard  being  had 
to  the  right  in  blood  whereby  the  right  to  the  throne  was  com- 
petent to  the  deceased  king  himself,  to  succeed  on  the  throne 
the  king  the  succession  to  whom  might  happen  to  be  in  question : 
and  this  is  deemed  to  be  quite  in  accordance  with  imperial  law. 
And  for  the  faithful  observance  of  all  and  sundry  the  premises 
in  time  to  come,  without  falsehood,  fraud,  fabrication  or  deceit, 
the  bishops,  abbots  and  priors  and  the  rest  of  the  clergy, 
in  the  form  of  oath  by  law  appointed  for  them,  and  the  earls, 
barons,  knights,  and  freeholders  and  the  rest  of  the  community, 
laying  their  hands  on  the  holy  gospels  and  the  relics  of  saints, 
took  the  great  oath  of  the  sacrament ;  and  in  testimony  of  the 
foregoing  they  directed  their  seals  to  be  put  to  these  presents. 

Note  that  a  herald  of  the  king  of  England,  at  a  solemn  festival, 
before  everybody,  was  publicly  asked  by  King  Edward  who, 
according  to  his  verdict,  was  the  most  honourable,  the  most 
admirable  in  knightly  gallantry  and  in  warlike  deeds  and  in 
governing  a  kingdom  and  also  in  perseverance  in  battling  with 
his  foes,  both  in  his  poverty  and  in  the  excellence  of  his  might, 
and  in  the  end  irresistibly  overcoming  the  enemy  with  a  force 
small  by  the  side  of  the  incomparably  larger  force  of  the  enemy 
— who  of  all  living  that  he  knew  of  in  the  chivalry  of  Christen- 
dom could  truly  and  reasonably  be  called  the  mightiest  while 
he  lived.  So  this  herald,  repeating  the  remarks  of  some  present 
who  said  the  Emperor  Henry,  while  others  said  sir  Giles 
Dargent,  a  Frenchman,  was  the  most  gallant  and  mightiest 
and  most  approved,  this  herald  said  openly  before  everybody 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAEDEN.   BOOK  IX.          195 

that  the  most  peerless  and  gallant,  the  most  daring  and 
mightiest  in  warlike  deeds,  was  that  invincible  prince,  King 
Robert  Bruce ;  and  this  he  openly  supported  and  made  good  by 
many  arguments,  and  he  offered  to  defend  his  opinion  with  his 
body.  Hence  he  incurred  the  great  displeasure  of  the  English ; 
but  he  earned  the  respect  and  good  word  of  the  strangers  who 
loved  the  truth. 


CHAPTEE  XXV. 

The  earl  of  Murray  is  elected  guardian — Other  events  at 
this  time. 

ON  the  death,  as  already  stated,  of  that  peerless  prince  King 
Robert,  Thomas  Randolph,  to  whom  had  formerly  been  entrusted 
by  parliament  the  care  of  governing  the  kingdom  during  King 
David's  minority,  ruled  the  kingdom  and  administered  justice 
so  remarkably,,  justly,  assiduously  and  creditably  during  the 
time  of  his  government  and  guardianship,  that  his  like  is  not  to 
be  found  in  the  chronicles  of  the  kingdom.  He  introduced  into 
the  kingdom  many  most  wholesome  practices  well  adapted  for 
the  welfare  of  the  state,  such  as  that,  if  a  highway  robbery  were 
committed,  the  sheriff  of  the  district  was  to  pay  the  purchase 
money  if  he  did  not  pursue  the  robber.  Accordingly  at  this 
time  it  happened  that  a  miserly  husbandman,  for  the  sake  of 
gain,  hid  his  own  ploughshare  and  complained  to  the  sheriff  of 
having  been  robbed.  The  sheriff  made  it  good  to  him  in  money  ; 
but  the  trick  was  afterwards  found  out  and  he  was  hung.  So 
this  guardian  gave  many  remarkable  judgments  and  ruled  the 
kingdom  most  nobly  in  his  time.  He  was  at  length  poisoned, 
through  envy  it  is  said,  and  became  swollen,  and  was  at  death's 
door,  when  a  traitor  hastened  to  curry  favour  with  the  king  of 
England  by  bringing  him  tidings  of  this  ;  whereupon  the  king 
assembled  a  mighty  army  and  endeavoured  to  make  his  way 
into  Scotland,  sending,  however,  his  standard-bearer  to  the 
guardian,  on  the  feigned  pretence  of  business,  to  spy  out  his 
doings  and  plight.  Meanwhile  tidings  reached  the  aforesaid 
guardian  that  the  king  of  England  was  trying  to  make  his  way 
into  Scotland  with  a  numerous  army ;  so  he  at  once  sent  off 
messengers  in  every  direction,  gathered  together  the  forces  of  the 
kingdom,  and  prepared  to  march  against  him ;  and  he  advanced 
to  Colbranspeth,  where  he  encamped  and  awaited  the  king  of 
England,  with  his  wonted  prowess,  ready  for  battle.  Now, 
though  he  was  carried  to  the  place  on  a  litter,  yet  he  bore  him- 


196         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.  BOOK  IX. 

self  bravely,  arrayed  in  golden  robes,  while  above  him  was 
stretched  a  golden  tent,  as  is  usual  with  royalty ;  whereat  the 
enemy  was  much  astonished,  more  than  would  be  believed. 
Wherefore  ambassadors  and  heralds  were  sent  to  gain  knowledge 
of  the  truth,  as  aforesaid  ;  and,  when  they  saw  the  guardian 
arrayed  in  golden  robes  and  sitting  in  the  tent  on  a  chair  in 
royal  apparel — and,  though  stricken  with  illness,  yet,  with  a 
cheerful  countenance  and  with  a  good  colour  in  his  face,  and 
surrounded  by  the  magnates,  he  heard  these  ambassadors  and 
had  an  animated  conversation  with  them,  with  answers  very 
much  to  the  point ;  and,  when  the  aforesaid  heralds  withdrew, 
he  gave  them  these  same  robes  of  gold  and  silk  wherewith 
he  was  arrayed;  and  for  this  he  was  greatly  praised  and 
glorified.  When  the  heralds  were  withdrawing,  he  said  to 
them,  "  I  thought  you  came  hither  to  hurry  on  our  affair,  for 
we  quite  expected  the  arrival  of  your  lord  the  king  here. 
Nevertheless,  return  to  your  lord  and  tell  him  that,  though  we 
arrived  here  suddenly  and  without  preparation,  and  he  set 
about  invading  us  after  long  and  mature  deliberation  and  previ- 
ous thought,  tell  him  that  to-morrow,  at  the  hour  of  hearing 
causes,  we  will  not  await  his  coming,  but  will  meet  him  half- 
way, God  and  Saint  Andrew  granting  it."  Thereupon  he  gave 
the  said  herald  the  whole  of  the  array  in  which  he  sat  and  the 
golden  robes  hanging  about  him,  and  sent  him  off  to  his  lord, 
directing  that  he  should  be  escorted  safely.  But  when  the  king 
heard  this,  he  was  greatly  troubled,  and  penetrated  no  further 
into  Scotland  for  the  time  ;  but  he  turned  about  and  marched 
home  again  most  ingloriously.  Meanwhile  the  aforesaid 
guardian,  hearing  this,  and  being  racked  beyond  measure  by 
disease,  had  himself  brought  over  to  Musselburgh,  where  he 
took  the  saving  sacraments  and  shortly  went  the  way  of  all 
flesh  in  great  devoutness  and  happiness. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

James  Douglas  carries  tJie  king's  heart  to  the  Holy  Land. 

WHILE  King  Robert  was  on  his  deathbed,  he  desired  that  his 
heart  should  be  taken  and  carried  by  James  Douglas  to  the 
Lord's  Sepulchre  ;  and  this  was  accordingly  done.  This  noble 
knight,  with  many  others,  ended  his  days  among  the  enemies  of 
the  holy  cross.  However,  after  Thomas  earl  of  Murray,  of 
cherished  memory,  had  ended  his  days,  the  said  James  Douglas 
took  upon  him  the  government  of  the  kingdom,  as  had  been 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         197 

ordained  by  a  resolution  in  parliament.  While  he  was  in 
power  a  certain  traitor  of  the  name  of  Twynam  Laurison  was 
prosecuted  as  his  wickedness  deserved,  and  withdrew  to  Eng- 
land ;  and  from  England,  on  account  of  the  seriousness  of  his 
crime,  he  went  on  to  France  and,  passing  over  to  Edward 
Balliol,  said  to  him,  "  Behold,  my  lord  king  of  Scotland,  the 
time  has  come  for  thee  to  reign ;  but,  if  thou  do  not  fall  in  with 
me,  thou  shalt  be  proclaimed  by  all  as  the  most  unhappy  of 
men.  For  Eobert  Bruce,  that  strong  usurper  of  thy  throne, 
is  dead,  and  his  son  is  a  youth  under  age  and  could  not  put  any 
obstacle  in  thy  way  :  for  the  earl  of  Murray  is  dead  and  James 
Douglas,  who  had  been  allowed  to  assume  the  government  of 
the  kingdom,  has  set  out  for  the  Holy  Land  with  the  king's 
heart.  If  therefore  thou  would  fall  in  with  my  plan,  thou 
wouldst  easily  be  able  to  regain  the  diadem  of  thy  kingdom, 
which  is  thy  due.  Thou  knowest  about  the  death  of  many 
nobles  put  to  death  at  the  Black  Parliament :  their  kinsfolk 
will  readily  flock  to  thee  and  lend  thee  aid.  The  king  of  Eng- 
land will  willingly  rise  and  help  thee.  Therefore  lift  up  thy 
heart  and  be  strong  in  thy  right  and  act  manfully,  and  call 
upon  thy  friends  to  help  thee,  and  reign  long  and  happily." 
And  thus  the  unhappy  man,  who  would  never  have  inclined 
his  heart  to  such  a  scheme  had  he  not  been  egged  on  by  the 
above-mentioned  traitor  Twynam  Laurison — and  thus,  proceed- 
ing to  the  king  of  England,  he  craved  his  assistance  in  the 
aforesaid  matter  and  stayed  with  him  a  little  while.  Mean- 
while the  king  of  Spain  proceeded  to  the  Holy  Land,  taking 
over  the  noble  James  Douglas  with  him;  and  that  invincible 
king  gained  many  victories  and  returned  home  safely.  But 
James  Douglas  lost  his  life  there.  He  who  wishes  to  know 
more  about  this  matter,  let  him  turn  to  the  legend  of  the  said 
peerless  prince  composed  in  our  vernacular,  where  he  will 
find  it  at  length.  The  said  Thomas  Eandolph  died  on  the 
20th  of  July  1332  ;  and  after  his  death  Donald  earl  of  Mar 
was,  by  the  common  consent  of  the  kingdom,  elected  guardian 
of  the  kingdom,  and  undertook  the  charge.  The  said  Thomas 
Randolph  was  buried  at  Dunfermline,  in  Saint  Mary's  chapel. 

CHAPTEE    XXVII. 

Edward  BallioL 

BUT,  after  Edward  Balliol  had  thus  come  to  England,  he 
found  in  England  many  nobles  of  both  Scotland  and  England 
who  said  they  had  been  wrongfully  despoiled  of  their  inherit- 


198         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

ance  at  the  Black  Parliament  and  at  other  times;  and  the 
chief  of  these  were  David  earl  of  Athol,  the  Cumyns,  the 
Talbots  and  the  Mowbrays,  as  also  Henry  Beaumont,  a  man 
of  a  haughty  spirit  and  great  wisdom.  At  their  instance 
they  made  a  compact  between  them,  before  the  death  of  the 
said  Eandolph,  the  guardian;  but  through  fear  of  him  they 
delayed  setting  to  work.  For  the  said  Henry  used  very  often 
to  say  to  them  that  it  would  be  strange  if  the  Almighty 
Lord,  who  is  just  and  loves  justice  and  whose  countenance 
beholds  equity,  let  so  just  a  judge,  who  followed  equity, 
be  worsted  in  battle  or  vanquished  in  war.  Therefore, 
meditating  iniquity  in  their  hearts,  they  had  him  poisoned  by 
a  corrupted  English  friar,  his  intimate  friend  and  chaplain. 
But  David  was  a  youth  under  age  when  the  said  earl  of  Mar 
was  elected  guardian  of  Scotland ;  and  news  reached  him  that 
Edward  Balliol  had  arrived  in  the  Firth  of  Forth  on  the 
31st  of  July,  with  his  armed  fleet;  and  on  the  8th  day18  of 
that  month  he  landed  at  Kinghorn  with  his  force  of  men-at- 
arms,  who  were  not  above  500  in  number,  or  thereabouts.  He 
was  met  by  Alexander  Seton  who  led  on  a  few  men  and 
who,  wishing  to  offer  as  brave  a  resistance  as  possible,  was 
there  slain  together  with  four  or  five  nobles.  Then  he 
advanced  on  Dunfermline  and,  after  visiting  the  monastery, 
retired  to  Duplin  Muir.  Here  an  important  battle  was  fought 
with  the  connivance  of  some  nobles  of  the  country,  who 
pointed  out  the  ford  to  the  enemy  by  night,  and  many  Scottish 
nobles  fell  slain,  the  said  Edward  remaining  the  victor.  They 
began  in  the  morning  and  went  on  fighting  until  the  ninth  hour. 
This  is  how  it  came  about.  When  the  rumour  reached  the 
ears  of  the  guardians  of  Scotland,  namely  the  earl  of  Mar  on  one 
side  of  the  kingdom,  to  wit  the  northern,  and  the  earl  of  the 
Marches,  guardian  on  the  other,  to  wit  the  southern,  side  of  the 
Firth  of  Forth,  they  assembled  the  forces  of  the  nobles  of  the 
whole  kingdom,  and  the  earl  of  Mar  was  at  Perth  with  30,000 
men-at-arms,  and  the  said  earl  of  the  Marches  at  Auchterarder, 
on  one  side  of  the  Strathearn  water,  while  the  said  Edward  was 
encamped  in  the  miller's  acre  of  Forteviot.  The  latter,  it  is 
said,  was  bound  by  a  vow  to  force  the  said  town  of  Perth  by  a 
siege  to  surrender,  and  intended  afterwards  to  be  crowned  at 
Scone;  and  he  ordered  his  fleet  to  enter  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Tay.  But  the  said  earl  of  the  Marches  had  about  the  same 
number  of  the  most  powerful  nobles  of  the  kingdom  as  the 
other  army  which  was  waiting  at  Perth,  namely  30,000  men-at- 
arms  ;  and,  seeing  the  said  Edward  had  so  few  in  his  army, 
those  in  both  parties  foolishly  began  boasting  of  their  numbers, 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         199 

saying  they  would  drag  the  tailed  English  by  the  tail  and  hang 
them.  And  thus,  sneering  at  the  smallness  of  their  numbers, 
when  night  came  on  they  out  of  ignorant  recklessness  posted 
no  night  sentries,  but  gleefully  made  themselves  merry  with 
wine  and  bragged  that  they  would  without  any  difficulty 
devour  the  whole  English  force  on  the  morrow,  holding  them 
cheap  because  of  the  smallness  of  their  numbers.  Thus,  being 
without  prudence  and  foresight,  their  disdainful  pride  was 
brought  low  by  the  small  number  of  their  adversaries,  and 
thus,  thinking  they  were  wise,  they  were  made  fools  of.  For 
the  wise  say  it  is  better  to  be  humble  and  anxious  and  to 
use  foresight  and  care  than  presumptuously  and  proudly  to 
trust  in  one's  own  numbers  or  courage  and  break  down:  as 
Solomon  says,  Before  destruction  the  heart  is  haughty,  and  be- 
fore honour  is  humility.  At  length,  however,  the  said  Edward, 
being  shown  the  way  by  some  of  the  natives — the  lord  of 
Gask,  it  is  said19 — crossed  the  ford  in  the  silence  of  night. 
Crossing  the  ford  at  Gask,  he  fell  upon  the  army  at  Duplin  at 
break  of  day  while  some  were  asleep,  some  unarmed,  enjoying 
themselves  and  playing  and  drinking  and  making  merry,  and 
slew  many  nobles.  He  was  opposed  by  Thomas  Eandolph  the 
younger,  earl  of  Murray,  Murdoch  earl  of  Menteith,  Eobert 
Bruce,  son  of  the  great  king  deceased,  Alexander  Fresale  (Eraser) 
and  many  others.  But,  because  the  said  guardian,  the  earl  of 
Mar,  who  had  just  come  up  burning  with  eagerness  for  the  fray, 
made  too  headlong  an  attack  on  the  army  and  his  ranks  were 
broken,  more  died  by  being  smothered  than  by  the  sword,  falling 
one  upon  another  in  such  numbers  that  so  sad  a  catastrophe  is 
not  recorded  to  have  happened  for  a  long  time  past.  Here  the 
said  guardian  and  two  other  earls  lost  their  lives  through  their 
own  precipitateness,  together  with  many  noble  knights  both  of 
the  house  of  the  lord  of  Errol,  constable  of  Scotland,  and  of  that 
of  the  lord  of  Graham  and  of  many  other  nobles  ;20  and  Duncan 
earl  of  Fife  was  taken  prisoner,  together  with  many  nobles  and 
others,  to  the  number  of  three  hundred  mailed  knights,  besides 
barons  and  earls ;  and  those  who  fell  in  the  battle  were  over 
three  thousand  in  number  all  told.21  They  then  straightway 
marched  to  the  town  of  Perth  without  any  difficulty  or  opposi- 
tion, and  Edward  Balliol  came  to  Scone  and  was  crowned 
king  in  the  usual  manner  by  Duncan  earl  of  Fife  and  the 
bishop  of  Dunkeld  and  others  their  abettors.  At  the  same 
time  he  assembled  there  the  abbots  and  priors  and  prelates 
of  the  kingdom  who  sided  with  them,  from  Fife  and  Fothryk 
(Forres),  from  Stratherne  and  Gowry,  and  they  made  their 
submission  to  him,  through  fear  rather  than  love. 


200         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAEDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

King  David  Bruce  goes  over  to  France. 

THE  names  of  the  magnates  who  came  from  England  to  Scot- 
laud  with  this  Edward  were  Henry  Beaumont,  the  earl  of 
Atholl,  Henry  Ferrers  and  his  two  brothers,  Alexander  de  Mow- 
bray,  Richard  Talbot,  Walter  Cumyn,  Ralph  Baroune  and 
William  of  Stafford : 22  and  all  who  came  from  England  were 
not  over  a  thousand23  persons.  Thereupon,  however,  the 
same  year,  the  friends  of  King  David,  who  was  in  his  minority 
and  not  able  to  take  his  revenge,  made  him  leave  the  kingdom 
to  the  rule  and  governance  of  sir  Andrew  Murray  le  Riche 
and  retire  to  France,  to  the  king  of  France,  where  he  was  re- 
ceived with  honour.  He  abode  in  that  country  eight  years  or 
more,  and  returned  to  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  with  his  wife, 
the  sister  of  King  Edward  of  England,  in  the  year  1341,  when 
he  was  eighteen.  It ,  should  also  be  noted  that,  immediately 
after  the  battle  of  Duplin,  James  Bane,  bishop  of  Saint 
Andrews,  betook  himself  across  the  sea  through  excessive 
grief.  Subsequently,  a  short  time  after  this,  the  town  of  Perth 
was  taken  by  James  and  Simon  Frisale  (Fraser),  and  Duncan 
earl  of  Fife,  the  warden  of  the  said  town  in  the  interest  of 
Edward  Balliol,  was  taken  prisoner  there,  together  with  the 
said  earl's  wife  and  daughter.  Among  others  they  took 
Andrew  Murray  of  Tulibardine,  and  doomed  him  to  a  traitor's 
most  ignominious  death.  The  said  James  and  Simon  Fresale 
afterwards  levelled  to  the  ground  the  walls  of  the  said  town 
of  Perth.  The  year  after  the  taking  of  Perth  Thomas  Ran- 
dolph,24 the  younger  earl  of  Murray,  and  Archibald  Douglas, 
brother  of  the  noble  James  Douglas,  with  a  thousand  chosen 
men,  assembled  secretly  in  the  town  of  Moffat;  and,  while 
Edward  Balliol,  who  had  brought  under  his  allegiance  sir 
Alexander  Bruce,  earl  of  Carrick,  with  many  of  the  nobles 
of  the  country,  both  Galloway  M  and  elsewhere,  was  spending 
the  night  in  the  town  of  Annand,  they  went  to  reconnoitre 
him,  and  the  said  Edward,  being  pressed  by  night  by  the 
hostile  pursuit  of  the  aforesaid  earls  and  their  retainers,  and 
many  of  his  men  having  been  slain,  took  to  flight  with  one 
leg  booted  and  the  other  naked,  on  a  horse  without  saddle 
or  bridle,  with  only  a  halter  on.  Here  Henry  Beaumont, 
John  Mowbray  and  William  Cumyn26  were  put  to  death, 
together  with  many  other  nobles  of  both  Scotland  and  Eng- 
land; and  here  also  the  said  earl  of  Carrick  was  taken  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  DC.         201 

put  to  death 27  by  the  earl  of  Murray.  But  Edward  Balliol, 
straightway  after  his  escape,  went  to  Edward  king  of  England 
for  help  and  succour;  and  the  latter,  like  a  base,  faithless 
perjurer,  breaking  through  the  ties  of  the  treaty  of  alliance 
and  peace,  and  like  a  palterer  with  his  oath  and  a  breaker 
of  his  word,  unmindful  of  his  salvation  and  regardless  of  his 
own  promise  ratified  by  his  seal  and  his  oath,  and  against 
his  own  sister,  promised  him  speedy  succour,  and  quickly  got 
together  a  large  army,  being  joined  by  the  Scottish  partisans 
of  the  said  Edward  Balliol.  So  in  the  year  1333  the 
Scots,  fearing  the  falseness  of  the  English  and  hearing  of  the 
muster  of  King  Edward,  appointed  sir  Patrick  earl  of  the 
Marches  and  sir  Alexander  Seton  to  guard  the  town  of  Ber- 
wick ;  and  at  the  same  time  the  guardian  of  the  kingdom 
of  Scotland  was  sir  Andrew  Murray  le  Eiche,  in  the  absence 
of  the  king  who  was  still  in  France.  Now  the  said  guardian, 
hearing  that  Edward  Balliol  had  approached  the  borders  of 
Scotland,  himself  went  in  haste  to  Eoxburgh  Castle  and,  while 
pursuing  the  English  too  precipitately,  as  before,  on  the  bridge  of 
that  place,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  English  and  brought  and 
presented  to  the  English  king  Edward,  who  was  himself  in 
person  hastening  to  besiege  the  town  of  Berwick  with  a  large 
force  of  men-at-arms.  At  the  same  time  William  Douglas 
of  Liddesdale  was  taken  prisoner  at  Lochmaben.  But  on  the 
2d  of  April28  the  king  of  England  settled  down  to  the  siege 
of  the  said  town  of  Berwick  with  a  very  large  force  of  men-at- 
arms,  and  besieged  that  town  of  Berwick  from  the  beginning  of 
April  until  the  14th  of  August;29  and  on  Saint  Mary  Magdalen's 
Day30  was  fought  the  woful  battle  of  Halidon  Hill,  where  a 
very  great  part  of  the  nobles  of  Scotland  were  almost  swept 
away,  especially  of  those  who  sided  with  King  David.  For, 
when  the  king  of  England  had  laid  the  siege  both  by  land 
and  by  sea,  and  the  Scotsmen  had  manfully  defended  themselves 
inside,  setting  fire  to  great  part  of  his  fleet  and  sinking  it,  the 
noble  William  Seton  being  drowned  with  the  burning  ships 
before  the  eyes  of  his  father  who  was  on  the  wall  of  the 
town,  at  length,  fearing  the  king's  malice,  the  Scots  inside 
offered  to  make  terms  on  the  Understanding  that,  if  no  rein- 
forcements came  to  them  from  Scotland  by  a  time  limited, 
they  should  surrender  the  aforesaid  town  to  him  the  king  of 
England;  and  Thomas  Seton,  son  of  the  captain  of  the  said 
town,  was  given  by  his  father  as  security  for  this.  Meanwhile, 
however,  Archibald  Douglas,  called  the  Tineman,  had  been 
made  guardian  of  Scotland  immediately  after  the  capture  of  sir 
Andrew  Murray  on  Roxburgh  bridge;  and,  being  very  war- 


202         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

like  and  high-spirited,  he  straightway  assembled  the  whole 
force  of  the  men-at-arms  of  Scotland  who  sided  with  King 
David,  to  the  number  of  sixty  thousand,  with  whom  he  pur- 
posed invading  England,  according  to  the  decision  of  the 
council,  and  laying  it  waste  and  consuming  with  fire  and 
sword  everything  he  could  see,  that  thereby  they  might  force 
the  king  to  raise  the  siege  in  order  to31  give  them  battle.  So, 
when  they  came  in  sight  of  the  said  town,  they  showed  them- 
selves and  their  banners  and  standards  to  their  countrymen  on 
the  walls  of  the  said  town ;  and  then,  turning  aside  without 
sending  messengers  to.  the  besieged  governors  of  the  said  town 
to  unfold  their  purpose,  they  were  minded  to  enter  England. 
The  besieged,  however,  being  in  doubt,  secretly  sent  messengers 
to  them  from  Berwick  and  urged  them  to  fight  with  the  Eng- 
lish force,  deeming  them  to  be  the  stronger  force.  So,  yield- 
ing to  their  advice,  they  unfortunately  altered  their  mind  and 
halted  that  night  in  a  certain  park  of  Donamis.  But  the  king 
of  England,  hearing  of  this,  came  up  to  the  gates  before  the  day 
appointed  in  the  said  agreement  for  the  town  to  be  given  up 
and  surrendered,  and  demanded  that  the  aforesaid  town  should 
be  given  up  to  him;  and,  because  this  was  refused  him,  he 
straightway  set  up  a  gallows  before  the  gates  of  the  town  and 
hanged  the  aforesaid  Thomas  Seton  before  the  eyes  of  his 
father  and  mother  and  of  all  the  others  who  were  in  the  town. 
Next  morning,  which  was  the  Day  of  the  blessed  virgin  Mar- 
garet, they32  marched  towards  the  town  with  great  display,  in 
order  of  battle,  and  recklessly,  stupidly  and  unadvisedly  chose 
a  battle-ground  at  Halidon  Hill,  where  there  was  a  marshy 
hollow  between  the  two  armies,  and  where  a  great  downward 
slope,  with  some  precipices,  and  then  again  a  rise  lay  in  front 
of  the  Scots  before  they  could  reach  the  field  where  the  English 
were  posted,  with  their  troops  skilfully  and  prudently  distri- 
buted and  the  vantage-ground  well  studied  beforehand ;  for  in 
that  place  one  champion  was  enough  to  overcome  three.  So, 
though  they  labour  in  vain,  yet  they  attacked  manfully  and 
slew  many  on  either  side.  At  length  the  Scots,  out  of  breath 
with  climbing  the  above-mentioned  hill,  were  forced  to  give  way 
and  scattered  in  flight,  cut  down  and  pitifully  massacred,  killed 
and  taken  prisoners  and  led  off  to  the  army  of  the  king  of 
England.  Next  morning  the  king  of  England  ordered  them  to 
kill  all  the  prisoners ;  and  this  was  accordingly  done,  save  only 
with  such  as  were  kept  in  concealment.  Now  the  names  of 
the  chief  nobles  who  were  slain  on  the  side  of  David  Bruce 
were  these :  James,  John  and  Alan  Stewart,  sons  of  the  noble 
Walter  Stewart  and  brothers  of  Robert,  afterwards  king  after 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         203 

David;  Archibald  Douglas,  the  aforesaid  guardian  of  Scot- 
land ;  Hugh  earl  of  Boss ;  Kenneth  earl  of  Sutherland ;  Alex- 
ander Bruce  earl  of  Carrick;  Andrew,  Simon  and  James 
Fresale,  brothers ;  and  countless  other  nobles,  whom  it  would 
be  tedious  to  enumerate,  and  more  pitiful  than  useful.  The 
number  of  the  slain  in  this  battle  was,  by  the  estimate  of 
heralds  worthy  of  belief,  over  ten  thousand  men.  Immediately 
after  the  battle  was  fought,  as  aforesaid,  the  lord  earl  of  the 
Marches  and  the  lord  Seton,  being  without  hope  of  rescue, 
surrendered  to  the  said  king  the  aforesaid  town  of  Berwick, 
together  with  the  castle,  the  inhabitants  being  saved  harmless 
in  life,  limb  and  property;  and  they  tendered  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  him  as  their  lord  paramount.  That  earl  was 
compelled33  by  the  said  king  of  England  to  rebuild  at  his  own 
expense  the  castle  of  Dunbar,  which  had  been  previously  bat- 
tered to  pieces.  But  within  a  few  days  afterwards  Edward 
Balliol  overran  the  whole  kingdom  with  the  forces  of  the  king 
of  England,  subduing  it  and  unsettling  it  and  distributing 
offices  and  keeping  in  the  hands  of  the  English  and  of  the  Scots 
who  embraced  his  cause  all  the  castles  and  strongholds  but 
four,  namely  Dumbarton  Castle,  the  warden  whereof  was  sir 
Malcolm  Fleming;  Lochleven,  the  warden  whereof  was  Alan 
de  Vypont ;  Kildrummie,  the  wardenship  whereof  remained  in 
the  hands  of  Christina  Bruce ;  and  Urquhart  Castle,  of  which 
Thomas  Lauder,  who  was  called  the  Good,  had  the  warden- 
ship  ;  and  there  was  also  the  stronghold  of  'Lochdoun,  the 
warden  whereof  was  the  venerable  John  Thomson. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Letter  sent  by  the  lord  pope  to  the  kings  of  France  M  and  of 
England  for  peace. 

IN  the  year  1334  there  came  ambassadors  from  the  king  of 
France  to  Perth,  to  negotiate  a  peace  between  the  kings  of 
England  and  Scotland  by  command  of  the  supreme  pontiff 
Pope  Benedict  XIL,  with  his  letters-patent  to  the  two  kings, 
namely  of  England  and  of  Scotland ;  but  the  king  of  England 
would  not  deign  to  hear  them,  or  even  to  see  them.  After 
this,  when  other  ambassadors  of  King  Philip  of  France  were 
again  sent  over  to  the  kings  of  England  and  of  Scotland,  he 
would  not  hear  of  peace  and  concord  between  himself  and  the 
said  king  of  Scotland.  The  same  year,  about  the  end  of 
August,  a  misunderstanding  arose  at  Perth  between  Edward 


204         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

Balliol,  who  took  the  part  of  sir  Alexander  Mowbray,  and 
Henry  Beaumont,  David  earl  of  Athol  and  Kichard  Talbot, 
who  were  striving  to  thrust  the  aforesaid  Alexander  out  of  his 
inheritance  and  bring  in  before  him  his  brother's  daughters, 
the  true  heiresses  by  the  law  of  succession.  By  reason  of 
this  misunderstanding  they  parted  and  went  their  several 
ways,  Edward  to  Berwick,  Henry  Beaumont  to  Dundarg 
in  Buchan,  the  castle  of  which  he  repaired  strongly;  and  he 
lorded  it  over  the  whole  of  Buchan;  and  the  earl  of  Athol 
went  to  Lochindorb.  Richard  Talbot,  however,  made  for 
England ;  and,  when  on  his  way  through  Lothian,  he  was  there 
taken  prisoner  by  the  Scots  of  the  party  of  King  David  on 
the  8th  of  September.  But  Edward  Balliol,  observing  these 
things  and  wishing  to  be  on  the  safe  side,  cast  off  the  said  sir 
Alexander  Mowbray;  and,  even  as  it  is  often  said,  "One 
man  going  out  makes  room  for  another  coming  in,"  the  said 
Henry  Beaumont  and  earl  of  Athol  were  restored  to  his 
good  graces,  and  he  infefted  the  said  earl  of  Athol  in  all  the 
lands  of  the  Steward  of  Scotland  for  ever.  The  said  Alexander 
Mowbray,  however,  fearing  the  power  and  fierceness  of  the 
opposite  party,  became  a  hearty  supporter  of  sir  Andrew 
Murray,  who  had  shortly  before  been  released  from  prison 
altogether  on  payment  of  a  ransom.  These,  then,  with  their 
forces  jointly  besieged  Henry  Beaumont  in  Dundarg  Castle 
for  a  time ;  but  the  said  Henry,  seeing  that,  for  want  of  pro- 
visions, he  could  not  long  hold  the  said  place,  on  a  safe-conduct 
being  granted  him,  gave  up  the  castle  and  retired  to  England 
with  his  wife  and  property,  promising  moreover  to  do  his 
best  to  bring  about  peace  and  concord.  Meanwhile  Edward 
Balliol  went  about  through  the  meadows  and  plains  of  Scot- 
land, wherever  he  pleased,  bestowing  the  lands  and  domains  on 
his  supporters,  and  securely  roamed  hither  and  thither  at  will. 
At  length  he  came  to  Renfrew,  and  in  royal  fashion  distributed 
domains,  lands  and  offices  to  such  of  his  supporters  as  he 
pleased,  and  received  homage  from  many  freeholders  who  took 
the  oaths  to  him.  Here  were  brought  to  him  the  keys  of 
Rothesay  and  Dunoon,  whereto  he  appointed  as  his  lieutenants 
and  wardens  Thomas  Wallor  and  the  lord  Lile,  sheriffs35 
of  Bute  and  Cowell.  But  sir  William  Bullock  he  appointed 
as  his  chamberlain,  a  man  of  great  wisdom,  cleverness  and 
prudence,  a  priest ;  and  he  intrusted  to  him  the  charge  of  the 
castles  of  Saint  Andrews  and  Cupar  and  many  other  strong- 
holds. About  the  same  time  the  young  Robert  Stewart,  the 
designated  heir  to  the  throne  in  the  case  already  specified  by 
the  entail,  who  was  fifteen  years  old,  was  still,  for  fear  of  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         205 

enemy,  lurking  in  concealment  in  Kothsay  Castle  aforesaid  and 
was  deriving  great  comfort  from,  and  having  frequent  conversa- 
tions with,  two  lovers  of  peace,  friends  of  King  David,  namely 
John  Gibson  and  William  Heriot,  then  sojourning  in  the 
barony ;  and  they  found  means  to  take  him  over  to  Dumbarton 
Castle,  bringing  with  them  the  charters  of  Stewartland.  The 
commandant  of  that  castle  was  sir  Malcolm  Fleming,  and  he 
received  Kobert  with  pleasure  and  gladness,  and  entertained 
him  until  he  should  hear  better  news. 


CHAPTEE   XXX. 

Siege  of  Lochleven  Castle. 

IN  the  year  1335,  at  the  season  of  Lent,  sir  John  Stirling, 
an  Englishman,  besieged  the  castle  of  Lochleven  with  a  great 
host  of  men-at-arms,  among  whom  were  Michael  Arnot,  David 
Wemys  and  Eichard  Melville,  knights,  and  many  others  who 
had  been  forced  to  submit  to  the  king  of  England.  They 
took  up  a  position  at  Kinross,  in  the  sacred  cemetery  whereof 
they  fortified  a  position  and  strengthened  it  by  walling  it 
in  with  sods  of  earth  and  surrounding  it  with  a  stockade; 
and  thus,  not  having  God  before  their  eyes,  sacrilegiously 
despising  and  making  light  of  the  judgment  of  God,  they 
lay  there  as  in  a  robber's  cave  and  laid  waste  the  whole 
country  round.  At  that  time  Alan  de  Vypont  and  James 
Lamkyn,36  a  citizen  of  Saint  Andrews,  with  a  strong  force  of 
good  and  trusty  men,  garrisoned  the  castle.  Accordingly  the 
English  dammed  up  the  outlet  of  the  water,  with  the  view  of 
flooding  the  castle  by  an  overflow  of  water,  and  took  up  their 
quarters  in  the  bay  at  the  outlet  of  the  waters,  building  their 
dwellings  and  pitching  their  tents  there ;  and  they  impressed  all 
the  inhabitants  in  the  neighbourhood  to  bring  earthen  sods  in 
order  to  block  up  the  whole  valley  where  the  water  flowed  out, 
so  that  the  water  should  rise  to  the  top  of  the  castle  and  drown 
all  who  were  in  the  castle.  But  the  righteous  Lord,  who  bows 
down  the  neck  of  the  sinful,  delivered  them  out  of  the  snare 
of  the  fowler;  and  they  themselves  fell  into  the  pit  which  they 
had  digged,  and  were  drowned  in  the  rush  of  water.  For, 
as  was  said  of  old,  like  the  covetous  miser  who  too  greedily 
piles  up  his  stores  of  wealth,  so  water  which  has  a  narrow 
outlet,  when  it  begins  to  gush  out,  widens  the  channel  as  it 
escapes ;  and  so  it  was  in  this  case.  The  garrison,  devoutly 
trusting  in  the  blessed  Servanus,  plied  him  with  prayers  and 
besought  his  help  against  the  devices  of  the  enemy;  and  it 


206         THE  BOOK  OF  FLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

came  to  pass  about  the  Feast  of  the  blessed  Queen  Margaret, 
whose  festival  was  at  that  time  yearly  kept  at  Dunfermline 
with  great  honours,  that  the  aforesaid  knight  John  Stirling 
travelled  to  Dunfermline  to  see  the  festivities,  leaving  but  few 
to  look  after  the  works.  When  the  garrison  heard  of  this,  seeing 
the  conflux  of  waters  which,  without  some  wise  measures,  they 
could  not  escape,  and  bearing  in  mind  that,  as  above  stated,  a 
trifling  opening  at  the  beginning  paves  the  way  for  a  larger 
outlet  in  the  end,  at  night,  when  the  watch  were  asleep,  they  sent 
over  to  the  said  place  at  the  outlet  of  the  water  some  bold  and 
skilful  men  in  a  boat,  with  tools  to  open  up  the  outlet  of  the 
water ;  and  these  dug  through  the  dam  of  the  walled-up  outlet 
at  break  of  day,  making  at  first  a  small  passage  for  the  water, 
which  afterwards  increased  and  widened  the  said  outlet  of  the 
water  and  overflowed  in  such  quantities  that  they  scarcely 
managed  to  escape  with  their  lives  because  of  the  flow  of  water 
against  them  when  they  made  for  the  castle.  So  that  channel 
got  larger  and  larger,  and  the  water  washed  down  the  whole 
wall  of  the  dam  and  straightway  burst  out  with  such  a  rush 
that  all  the  dwellings,  barracks  and  tents  of  the  English  and 
all  their  inmates  and  their  goods  were  swept  away  to  the  sea 
by  the  rush  of  waters,  and  went  to  the  bottom ;  and  the 
violence  of  this  flood  gladdened  the  city  of  God.  But  so  sad 
was  the  destruction  of  the  English  there  that  few  of  those  who 
guarded  that  outlet  of  the  waters  were  left  alive. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Same  continued. 

Now,  when  the  English  and  their  supporters  saw  this,  they 
were  almost  bewildered  with  fury,  and  crossed  over  the  water 
to  the  stronghold  in  a  fleet  with  implements  and  engines  in 
readiness  to  attack  the  castle ;  and  the  garrison  of  the  castle, 
seeing  this,  manfully  made  ready  against  their  assaults ;  and 
they  speedily  came  to  blows  with  one  another,  and  many  were 
wounded  by  arrows  and  other  engines.  The  English,  however, 
were  at  length  forced  to  give  way  before  the  garrison,  and  the 
latter  pursued  them  and  broke  into  their  stronghold  and 
divided  their  spoils.  So  they  returned  safe  to  the  castle, 
covered  with  glory  and  bringing  with  them  provisions  and 
arms.  But,  when  the  said  knight  heard  of  this,  he  uttered  a 
great  vow  and  declared  with  the  great  oath  that  he  would  never 
return  from  that  siege  until  he  had  taken  the  castle  and  levelled 
it  to  the  ground  and  put  all  who  were  in  it  to  a  most  igno- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         207 

minious  death.  When,  however,  he  came  to  the  place  and  saw 
what  was  done,  he  broke  his  oath  and  ingloriously  returned  to 
England.  The  same  year  the  king  of  England  came  to  Glasgow 
with  Edward  Balliol  and  a  large  army,  appointed  the  earl 
of  Athol  as  his  lieutenant-general  and  governor  and  guardian, 
and  commanded  a  large  fleet  of  ships  to  enter  the  Firth  of  Forth ; 
and  here  a  very  large  ship,  which  was  called  the  Admiral  of  the 
aforesaid  fleet,  was  wrecked  on  the  rocks  called  the  Wolves,  and 
all  her  crew  were  drowned.  When,  however,  these  arrangements 
had  been  completed,  they  went  back  to  England.  But  David 
earl  of  Athol  without  delay  summoned  the  freeholders  of  the 
Stewartlands,  received  their  homage  and  oaths  of  fealty,  and 
marched  off  with  a  strong  army  into  the  highlands,  where  he 
took  seizin  in  his  own  hands  of  all  and  sundry  the  lands  and 
domains  belonging  to  the  Cumyns,  and  received  the  homage  of 
the  vassals;  and  no  one,  in  whatever  position  he  might  be, 
durst  gainsay  him,  neither  was  there  at  that  time  any  one 
in  those  parts  who  durst  publicly  own  himself  King  David 
Bruce's  man,  save  innocent  babes,  who  with  one  accord  used  to 
tell  those  who  asked  them  that  they  were  King  David's  men — 
which  was  a  foreboding  of  coming  freedom.  At  this  period 
Robert  Stewart  remained  at  Dumbarton  Castle,  and  could  ill 
brook  that  the  said  Earl  David  should  so  deal  with  his  vassals 
of  the  Stewartlands,  which  by  law  belonged  to  him,  and  should 
thus  lay  claim  to  his  patrimony.  So  he  sent  for  a  certain 
baron,  his  supposed  friend,  the  lord  of  Argyll  and  Lochawe, 
whom  his  father  trusted  above  all  others,  called  Dougall  Camp- 
bell, who  gladly  joined  him  with  his  whole  forces.  A  few  days 
afterwards  they  assembled  their  forces,  to  the  number  of  four 
hundred  men-at-arms,  and  with  some  engines  straightway  took 
the  castle  of  Dunoon  in  Cowell.  Now  when  the  natives  of  the 
country  heard  that  their  lord  Eobert  Stewart  had  thus  entered 
the  country,  there  flocked  to  him  some  fellow-countrymen  of 
his  from  Bute,  a  people  called  the  Brandans,  who  came  to  his 
assistance  of  their  own  accord.  They  were,  however,  cut  off  by 
Alan  Lile,  the  sheriff  of  the  country,  who  hemmed  them  in  on 
all  sides  in  a  narrow  pass  and,  unarmed  as  they  were,  endea- 
voured to  kill  them  without  mercy.  But  these  Brandans,  see- 
ing themselves  thus  unarmed  and  surrounded  by  armed  men  on 
every  side,  and  seeing  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  defend 
themselves  manfully,  posted  themselves  in  a  stony  place  and 
defended  themselves  by  throwing  stones  with  their  hands ;  and 
they  there  slew  the  aforesaid  sheriff  and  many  of  the  nobles  of 
his  army  by  showering  stones  upon  them  like  hail,  and  forced 
the  rest  of  his  army  to  turn  and  flee  in  haste.  Then  they  came 


208         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAEDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

to  their  lord  and  presented  to  him  the  head  of  the  said  sheriff, 
and  with  the  spoils  of  the  slain  they  armed  their  comrades;  but 
they  asked  of  their  lord  nothing  else  as  their  reward  but  to  be- 
come freed  for  ever  from  the  slavish  service  and  duty  of  multure. 
This  was  gladly  granted  them,  and  they  still  enjoy  this  privi- 
lege. In  this  fight  with  stones  John  Gibson,  the  captain  of 
Bute,  was  taken,  and  straightway  surrendered  to  him  the  castle 
of  Bute  and  did  him  homage  as  his  natural  lord.  But,  as  it 
became  noised  abroad  that  fortune  was  smiling  upon  him,  one 
of  his  partisans  of  the  name  of  William  Carruthers,  who 
had  long  been  hiding  in  concealment  with  his  brothers  in 
Annandale  and  had  never  allowed  himself  to  be  won  over  to 
allegiance  to  the  king  of  England,  on  learning  this,  gathered 
his  friends  and  partisans  together  and  betook  himself  to  the 
said  Robert  Stewart,  who  welcomed  them  gladly  and  was 
rejoiced  beyond  measure.  In  like  manner  also  Thomas  Bruce 
joined  him  with  his  best  men,  natives  of  Kyle.  Thus  his 
friends  and  wellwishers  came  to  him  daily  from  all  parts,  and 
his  army  waxed  stronger  day  by  day  at  their  own  expense. 
But  the  youth,  developing  in  age  and  character  and  virtue  and 
strength,  became  comely  in  appearance  beyond  the  children  of 
men.  He  was  large  and  tall  in  stature,  very  merry  and  amiable, 
affable  to  all,  kind  and  modest  and  honourable  and  bountiful ; 
and  nature  endowed  him  with  so  much  inborn  grace  that  he 
was  cordially  beloved  by  all  his  lieges. 

CHAPTEE   XXXII. 

His  successes,  and  other  Events. 

MEANWHILE  John  Randolph  earl  of  Murray  came  from  across 
the  sea  from  King  David,  who  was  still  living  in  France  at  a 
castle  called  Chateau  Galliart,  and  landed  at  Dumbarton ;  and 
sir  Robert  Stewart  received  him  gladly  and  with  the  greatest 
joy  and  pleasure.  And  thus  the  said  lord's  following  got 
larger,  so  that  it  did  not  suit  him  to  remain  still.  Therefore 
by  toilsome  enterprises  daily  he  within  a  short  time  subdued 
almost  the  whole  country  of  Clydesdale,  Kyle,  Conyngham  and 
Renfrew ;  and  he  enticed  and  drew  to  him  Godfrey  de  Ross, 
sheriff  of  Ayr,  and  likewise  attached  to  himself  his  own  future 
earldom  of  Carrick.  Thereupon  it  pleased  the  lords  and  the 
community  of  Scotland  who  sided  with  King  David  to  appoint 
the  said  Robert  Stewart  and  the  earl  of  Murray  guardians  of 
the  kingdom,  promising  to  give  them  their  personal  services  and 
all  manner  of  assistance.  But  the  earl  of  Murray,  hearing  of 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  IX.         209 

the  foul  cruelties  and  tyranny  of  the  earl  of  Athol,  and  how  he 
had  thrust  himself  by  force  into  his  lands  and  into  the  lands  of 
the  said  Stewart,  grieved  for  the  calamities  of  the  country  and, 
assembling  his  friends  and  partisans,  went  to  the  north  country. 
Being  joined  by  those  of  his  own  earldom  and  other  nobles  of 
the  country,  he  surrounded  the  fugitive  earl  of  Athol  in  a 
narrow  place  at  Lochaber,  and  compelled  him  by  force  and  fear 
to  take  the  oath  of  fealty  to  him  in  King  David's  name ;  and 
he  made  him  lieutenant  and  ruler  of  the  whole  country  after 
himself,  so  that,  being  himself  converted,  he  might  the  more 
easily  reconcile  others  to  owning  allegiance  to  the  king.  While 
this  guardian  of  Scotland,  John  Eandolph  earl  of  Murray,  was 
on  his  way  to  Lothian,  in  order  to  bring  over  the  men  of  the 
south  to  fealty  to  the  king,  there  met  him  the  noble  William 
Douglas  who  had  been  released  from  captivity  among  the 
English ;  and  it  would  be  impossible  to  recount  and  tedious  to 
tell  all  the  valiant  and  warlike  deeds  he  achieved  against  the 
men  of  England.  In  those  days  the  knight  Alexander  Ram- 
say,  called  the  Flower  of  Chivalry,  together  with  the  lords 
Lawrence  Preston  and  John  Herring  and  the  lord  Haliburton, 
warmly  embraced  the  cause  of  the  guardians  of  the  king- 
dom, and  struggled  manfully  against  the  English  power.  The 
same  year,  1335  to  wit,  the  said  Robert  Stewart  held  a  parlia- 
ment at  Dervesy  (Dairsie)  in  Fife,  together  with  John  earl  of 
Murray  and  other  his  partisans ;  and  together  with  these  there 
appeared  there  sir  Andrew  Murray  likewise — who  had  been  one 
of  the  guardians  of  Scotland  and  had  been  taken  while  man- 
fully defending  himself  on  Roxburgh  bridge,  and  who  had 
been  released  on  payment  of  a  large  ransom — Patrick  earl  of 
the  Marches,  Alexander  Mowbray  and  William  Douglas,  who 
behaved  sensibly  and  quietly,  and  on  the  other  hand  David 
earl  of  Athol  with  a  large  force ;  and,  on  account  of  the  latter's 
overbearing  conduct,  no  good  was  done  worth  mentioning  save 
in  scorn ;  for,  though  he  stood  by  the  Stewart  with  love  and 
support,  yet  he  held  the  earl  of  Murray  and  William  Douglas 
in  contempt,  so  that  he  became  hateful  to  all  who  were  there. 
By  the  wary  tact  of  the  aforesaid  men,  however,  they  skilfully 
parried  his  utmost  violence.  And  they  came  to  a  wise  conclu- 
sion in  the  said  matter :  for  while  they  were  there,  it  was  found 
that  the  king  of  England  had  arrived  in  Scotland  with  a  great 
force  both  by  sea  and  by  land,  and  had  brought  Edward  Balliol 
with  him. 


210         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCA.RDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

CHAPTEK  XXXIII. 

Same  continued, 

IN  the  year  1335  aforesaid,  on  the  6th  of  July,  the  fleet  of 
the  king  of  England  arrived  in  the  Firth  of  Forth ;  and  Edward 
of  Windsor,  the  king  of  England,  had  with  him  a  large  force  of 
men-at-arms,  fifty  thousand,  who  came  by  land,  and  two  hun- 
dred armed  vessel*.37  So  this  king  advanced  as  far  as  Perth 
and  pitched  his  tents  and  tarried  there  awaiting  the  arrival  of 
the  earl  of  Athol;  and  he  plundered  and  laid  waste  all  the 
lands  in  the  surrounding  neighbourhood.  But  one  ship  of  the 
pirate  fleet  of  England  wrought  much  damage  and  foul  rapine 
at  the  island  of  Inchcolm:  and  for  this  a  public  and  cruel 
vengeance  was  taken  before  the  departure  of  the  fleet.  The 
sailors  were  driven  to  such  straits  by  a  storm,  that  at  the 
island  of  Inchkeith  they  unloaded  all  the  spoils  and  relics  and 
images  which  they  had  purloined  and  carried  off  from  the  said 
place,  and  departed  after  making  proper  satisfaction  and  obla- 
tion and  asking  forgiveness  of  the  blessed  Columba.  So,  after 
they  had  made  amends  and  sent  over  their  spoils  and  offerings 
to  that  place,  a  strong  wind  filled  their  sails,  and  they  reached 
a  place  called  Saint  Abb's  Head  in  one  run,  and  got  back  to 
their  own  country  safe  and  sound.  In  these  days  John  of  the 
Isles  kept  up  friendly  relations  with  the  English  party,  and 
John  earl  of  Murray,  who  was  at  Tarbert  Castle,  used  to  have 
many  discussions  and  disputes  with  him.  When,  however,  the 
count  of  Guelderland  arrived  in  the  south  of  Scotland  with  a 
strong  army  to  help  the  king  of  England,  the  aforesaid  earl 
quitted  the  north  and  moved  thence  and  marched  southwards  ; 
and,  being  joined  by  the  earl  of  the  marches,  William  Douglas, 
Alexander  Eamsay  and  many  other  nobles  of  the  kingdom, 
he  fought  an  engagement  with  the  said  count  of  Guelderland 
at  Boroughmuir  near  Edinburgh.  Here  many  were  slain  on 
either  side,  and  a  certain  warrior  maiden  of  Guelderland, 
arrayed  in  knightly  armour,  had  a  bout  with  a  noble  Scot 
of  the  name  of  Richard  Schaw.  On  being  killed  by  this 
Eichard  Schaw,  she  was  found  to  be  a,  woman,  to  the  great 
astonishment  of  all.  But,  just  as  they  of  Guelderland  were 
getting  the  upper  hand,  William  Douglas  and  some  nobles 
from  Pentland  came  up  and  put  them  to  flight  as  far  as  the 
town  of  Edinburgh  and  into  the  street  which  is  called  Mair 
Winde  (Saint  Mary's  Wynd) ;  and  they  fled  as  far  as  the  hill 
of  the  Castle  of  Maidens  (Edinburgh  Castle),  which  was  then 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  EL         211 

in  ruins,  and  established  and  fortified  themselves  on  the  said 
hill  as  best  they  could,  making  themselves,  as  some  assert,  an 
outer  rampart  out  of  the  carcasses  of  the  horses  killed.  Being, 
however,  overwhelmed  with  hunger,  cold  and  faiutness,  they 
surrendered  to  the  said  warden,  their  lives  and  property  being 
spared;  and,  after  paying  a  reasonable  ransom,  they  shortly 
•went  home  again.  But,  out  of  regard  for  the  king  of  France, 
their  ransom  and  spoils  were  returned  to  them  by  the  said 
guardian,  and  they  departed  free  to  their  own  country ;  and 
moreover,  their  ships  having  been  sent  away,  he  in  person  with 
some  of  his  nobles  escorted  the  said  count  of  Guelderland  by 
land  as  far  as  within  the  borders  of  the  English  marches.  Here, 
on  his  way  back,  he  suddenly  came  upon  one  Peter  Perssy 
(William  de  Pressen),  who  with  a  strong  army  had  been  pillag- 
ing and  was  carrying  off  some  booty  from  Scottish  territory,  and 
fought  with  him ;  but,  as  they  were  unarmed,  the  said  guardian 
was  taken  prisoner  by  the  English  plunderers  who  were  armed, 
and  was  brought  to  the  king  in  England.  The  brother  of 
William  Douglas,38  James  by  name,  was  killed  at  that  place. 
Thereupon,  when  the  earl  of  Athol  heard  of  the  capture  of  the 
said  guardian  Murray,  he  exulted  with  very  great  joy ;  for  he 
hated  him,  as  also  sir  William  Douglas.  Therefore,  whereas 
he  durst  not  publicly  display  his  villainy  while  the  guardian  was 
at  liberty,  after  his  capture  he  set  at  naught  all  the  supporters 
of  King  David,  broke  his  oath  of  fealty  and  allegiance,  and 
went  straightway  to  Perth,  where  he  perjured  himself  by 
swearing  fealty  and  homage  both  to  the  king  of  England  and 
to  Edward  Balliol,  disregarding  all  former  engagements; 
and  he  promised  to  reduce  all  the  magnates  of  the  realm  to 
obedience  and  fealty  to  them  in  a  little.  Thereupon  he  was 
made  guardian  of  Scotland  on  their  behalf.  After  this  the 
refugees  who  were  disloyal  to  King  David  came  back,  the  dis- 
mantled castles  were  repaired  and  fortified,  and  it  would  take 
long  to  go  through  all  the  tyranny  and  foul  cruelties  he  prac- 
tised upon  those  loyal39  to  the  crown.  Some  he  flogged,  some 
he  dispossessed,  some  he  consigned  to  prison,  some,  finally,  he 
put  to  the  sword ;  and,  in  a  word,  he  ordered  all  freeholders 
who  were  loyal  partisans  of  King  David  to  be  dispossessed  and 
cast  out  of  the  kingdom  altogether.  And  first  he  would  besiege 
Kildrummie  castle.  Now  there  were  at  that  time  three  mag- 
nates of  Scotland,  sir  Andrew  Murray,  the  lord  earl  of  the 
Marches  and  sir  William  Douglas,  who  could  in  no  wise  be 
won  over  to  allegiance  to  the  English  or  to  Edward  Balliol ; 
but  they  were  allowed  on  sufferance  as  it  were,  to  lurk  in  hiding 
and  live  in  weariness,  awaiting  the  coming  of  better  days. 


212         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Kilbldn. 

BUT  when  sir  Andrew  Murray  heard  that  his  castle  of 
Kildrammie  and  his  wife  and  children  were  besieged,  he 
gathered  together  the  forces  of  his  friends  the  said  earl  of  the 
Marches  and  sir  William  Douglas,  to  the  number  of  eight 
hundred  tried  men,  and  prepared  to  hasten  to  the  aforesaid 
place;  and  they  had  an  encounter  in  Kilblein  forest  on  the 
30th  of  November,  and  there  slew  the  earl  of  Athol  himself  and 
over  five  thousand  men.  Among  these  there  fell  sir  Robert 
Brady  and  sir  Walter  Cumyn  and  his  brother  sir  Thomas 
Cumyn,  who  was  first  taken  prisoner  and  then  beheaded.  The 
rest,  together  with  sir  Robert  Menzies,  were  put  to  flight; 
and  he  found  shelter  in  the  tower  of  Kenmore,  where  he  was 
besieged  and  returned  to  his  allegiance  to  King  David.  But 
many  of  the  lords  of  the  country  came  to  the  said  sir  Andrew, 
as  did  also  his  friends  and  retainers  from  the  said  castle  of 
Kildrummie  and  a  certain  noble  knight,  sir  John  Craig,  by  whose 
wholesome  advice  all  the  nobles  of  the  country  who  escaped 
from  the  conflict  and  whp  were  with  the  earl,  having  been 
forced  into  allegiance  to  the  English,  renewed  their  oath  of 
allegiance  to  King  David  and  made  their  submission  to  him 
through  the  aforesaid  sir  Andrew.  No  sooner,  however,  had 
the  said  sir  Andrew  reached  the  castle  of  Cupar  in  Fife  with 
the  intention  of  laying  siege  thereto,  than  there  suddenly  came 
letters  from  the  king  of  France ;  so  he  put  off  the  aforesaid 
siege  for  a  time,  and  they  held  a  council  at  Dunfermliue,  where 
all  the  lords  and  prelates  of  King  David's  party  were  unani- 
mous in  electing  him  guardian  of  Scotland.  Then  he  straight- 
way advanced  beyond  the  highlands  and  brought  the  whole 
country  into  steadfast  allegiance  to  King  David;  and  he  set 
himself  to  besiege  the  castle  of  Dundarg,  Henry  Beaumont 
having  shortly  before  fortified  it  and  subdued  the  whole  of 
Buchan.  But  the  said  Henry  made  proposals  for  peace,  his 
life  and  property  being  spared,  and  abandoned  and  destroyed 
the  castle  and  went  away  to  England,  taking  the  great  oath  he 
would  never  return.  In  the  year  1336  the  said  guardian  of 
Scotland  received  the  submission  of  all  the  lands  and  people 
of  the  highlands  to  King  David,  and  made  preparations  against 
the  castle  of  Lochindorb,  where  the  wife  of  the  earl  of  Athol, 
now  deceased,  was  residing.  She,  however,  sent  letters  to 
Edward  Balliol  and  the  king  of  England  for  succour,  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  IX.         213 

the  king  of  England  at  once  raised  an  army  with  the  view  of 
entering  the  land  of  Scotland,  both  by  sea  and  by  land,  to 
rescue  the  said  countess  of  Athol  and  subdue  the  whole  northern 
tract  of  Scotland  to  his  sway.  So,  when  the  said  king  of 
England  reached  Lochindorb,  he  brought  away  with  him  the 
aforesaid  countess  and  her  ladies ;  and,  on  his  way  through  the 
country  as  far  as  Elgin  in  Moray,  he  consumed  it  all  with  fire, 
and  he  also  laid  waste  the  town  of  Aberdeen  and  levelled  it  to 
the  ground.  Moreover  the  English  who  remained  on  board  the 
fleet  in  the  Firth  of  Forth  overran  the  whole  land  of  Fife  and 
Forres,  and  laid  it  utterly  waste  as  far  as  the  Ochil  mountains. 
Coming  to  the  church  of  Dollar,  which  is  acknowledged  to 
belong  directly  to  Saint  Columba,  they  found  there  the  church 
just  beginning  to  be  rebuilt,  with  carpenters  at  work  upon  it 
with  choice  and  marvellous  woodwork ;  and  these  limbs  of  the 
devil  carried  away  with  them  in  their  carts  to  the  fleet  the 
whole  of  the  logs  so  fashioned,  and  stowed  them  in  the  afore- 
said ships,  in  order  to  take  them  over  to  England  for  the  sake 
of  the  wonderful  and  curious  workmanship  thereof.  So  every- 
thing prospered  with  these  sailors  until  they  came  near  the 
place  of  the  said  Saint  Columba,  which  is  called  the  Island  of 
Emonia  (Inchcolm),  when  suddenly,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye, 
they  sank  in  the  raging  waters  at  a  very  deep  spot  in  front  of 
the  said  monastery,  so  that  nothing  was  ever  afterwards  seen 
of  any  of  those  who  were  in  that  boat  in  which  these  beams 
and  logs  from  the  church  had  been  put.  This  was  noised 
abroad  throughout  England  by  the  preachers  as  being  a  mira- 
culous retribution.  But,  after  the  aforesaid  king  of  England 
had  thus  subdued  all  beyond  the  highlands  by  fire  and  sword, 
and  had  strengthened  the  strongholds  of  Dunnottar,  Kinneff  and 
Laurieston,  he  at  length  came  to  Perth,  which  he  ordered  to  be 
repaired,  commanding  six  abbots  to  rebuild  and  fortify  it. 
These,  namely  the  abbot  of  Dunfermline,  the  prior  of  Saint 
Andrews  and  the  abbots  of  Lindores,  Balmerino,  Cupar  and 
Arbroath,  he  ordered  to  wall  in  the  aforesaid  town  again  very 
strongly  with  squared  stones  and  mortar,  and  to  a  suitable 
height,  with  towers  and  gates  and  cornices,  at  the  expense  of 
their  monasteries:40  and  this  was  accordingly  done.  Now  the 
building  of  this  town  entailed  much  hardship  upon  the  afore- 
said places :  for  the  prior  of  Saint  Andrews  paid  two  hundred 
and  eighty  marks  of  good  money  in  cash  for  the  building  of  one 
tower  and  gate.  In  like  manner  the  abbot  of  Liudores  built 
the  Spey  gate  and  the  tower  which  stands  at  the  bend  of  the 
water,  as  a  token  whereof  that  tower  is  commonly  called  The 
Monk  Tower  to  this  day.  Meanwhile  the  king  of  England 


214         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

ordered  the  castles  of  Leuchars  and  Saint  Andrews  to  be 
quickly  rebuilt  by  Henry  Beaumont  and  his  brother ;  like- 
wise Stirling  Castle  by  one  William  de  Monte  Acuto,  com- 
monly called  Montagu,  who  appointed  there  in  his  own  stead 
Thomas  Eokeby,  knight,  whose  arms  still  remain  on  the  walls 
of  a  certain  tower;  and  Edinburgh  Castle  by  John  Stirling, 
knight,  and  Eoxburgh  Castle  by  William  Felton,  knight. 
Moreover,  when  these  things  had  been  thus  accomplished,  he  ap- 
pointed one  Thomas  Urthred  (Ughtred)  captain  in  the  said  city 
of  Perth ;  and  so  he  returned  to  England,  thinking  himself  secure 
about  Scotland.  When  therefore  these  matters  had  been  thus 
settled  as  aforesaid,  there  met  him  at  Perth  a  brother  of  his, 
John  of  Eltham  by  name,  who  had,  on  his  way  through  the 
western  parts  of  Scotland,  consumed  with  fire  the  lands  which 
his  brother  had  lately  brought  back  to  his  allegiance.  He 
had  burnt  down  the  church  of  Lesniahago  and  slain  with  the 
sword  all  who  had  fled  thither  for  succour ;  and  he  had  also 
set  fire  to  all  the  other  churches  in  the  neighbourhood  and 
suffocated  and  put  to  death  all  who  had  fled  thither  for  safety ; 
and  he  had  utterly  destroyed  the  people.  But  when  the  king 
of  England  took  his  brother  to  task  for  this  and  rebuked  him, 
on  his  brother  answering  haughtily,  he  pulled  out  his  dagger 
and  stabbed  him.  And  thus,  in  his  anger,  he  left  Edward 
Balliol  in  the  said  town  and  hastened  home  with  all  speed. 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 

JRetovery  of  tlie  castles  by  sir  Andrew  Murray. 

THE  following  year  Henry  Beaumont,  to  avenge  his  son- 
in-law  the  earl  of  Athol,  who  was  slain  at  Kilblein,  either  cast 
into  prison  or  put  to  a  cruel  death  all  who  had  taken  part  in 
the  engagement  in  which  he  was  slain ;  whereby  much  inno- 
cent blood  was  shed.  But  the  guardian  Andrew  Murray,  as 
aforesaid,  hearing  of  the  departure  of  the  king  of  England, 
captured  the  strongholds  of  Dunnottar,  Kinneff  and  Laurieston, 
and  levelled  them  with  the  ground ;  and  throughout  the  whole 
of  the  following  winter  he  lived  in  the  forest  of  Platane  and  in 
other  hidden  places  within  the  sheriffdom  of  Angus  and 
Mearns ;  and,  what  with  the  attacks  of  the  English  and  what 
with  his  beating  them  back,  the  whole  land  of  the  Mearns, 
Angus  and  Gowry  was  laid  waste.  He  then  began  again  in 
the  month  of  February,  and  took  and  dismantled  the  stronghold 
of  Kinclevin.  After  this  he  took  with  him  the  earls  of  March 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  IX.         215 

and  of  Fife  and  William  Douglas,  and  took  and  demolished 
the  tower  of  Falkland  and  the  castle  of  Saint  Andrews,  as  well 
as  the  castle  of  Leuchars ;  and  he  marched  on  thence  to  Both- 
well  Castle,  which  he  likewise  pulled  down.  For  he  had  one 
engine,  in  the  shape  of  a  wooden  tower,  which  was  called  Boustour, 
from  which,  when  it  was  set  up,  .he  would  sap  underneath 
while  fighting  and  attacking  from  above,  and  no  stronghold  ever 
built  in  those  days  could  withstand  him.  But,  owing  to  its 
extraordinary  strength,  he  had  hitherto  been  unwilling  to 
attack  Cupar  Castle,  whose  warden  was  that  sir  William 
Bullock,  the  chamberlain  of  the  king  of  England,  a  valiant 
man.  This  guardian,  sir  Andrew  Murray,  however,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  forces  of  the  aforesaid  earls,  repeatedly  in  the 
same  year  entered  the  territory  of  England  and  laid  everything 
waste  with  fire  and  sword ;  and  he  carried  off  much  plunder 
and  riches,  and  enriched  his  army  beyond  measure.  Now  by 
reason  of  the  war  there  was  a  great  dearth  in  the  country  that 
same  year,  and  great  mortality  from  the  exceeding  dearth  and 
famine ;  and  on  that  account  many  of  both  sexes  took  to  flight 
and  repaired  to  England  and  elsewhere.  In  the  year  1337, 
on  the  1 3th  day  of  the  month  of  January,  Dunbar  Castle  was 
besieged  by  sir  William  Montagu  earl  of  Salisbury  and  the 
earl  of  Arundel,  the  leaders  of  the  English  king's  army ;  and, 
though  they  were  there  half  a  year  and  assailed  that  castle 
with  divers  engines,  they  could  in  no  wise  prevail  against  it. 
Nor  was  there  any  other  captain  in  command  therein  but  the 
countess  of  the  Marches,  commonly  called  Black  Annes  of 
Dunbar,  who  defended  the  besieged  castle  admirably ;  for  she 
was  a  very  wise  and  clever  and  wary  woman.  She  indeed 
laughed  at  the  English,  and  would,  in  the  sight  of  all,  wipe 
with  a  most  beautiful  cloth  the  spot  where  the  stone  from  the 
engine  hit  the  castle  wall.  The  king  of  England,  however, 
hearing  that  they  had  no  success  whatever  there,  sent  a  large 
army  to  reinforce  them ;  but  their  column  was  broken,  put  to 
flight  and  destroyed  by  sir  Laurence  Preston,  who,  however, 
was  himself  wounded  in  the  mouth  with  a  spear,  and  died  on 
the  field  of  battle,  without  the  knowledge  of  his  men;  and, 
through  anger  at  his  death,  all  the  prisoners  were  straightway 
put  to  the  sword.  The  noble  William  Keith  of  Gaston, 
also,  with  his  army  overthrew  another  troop  which  was  coming 
to  their  assistance  with  sir  Richard  Talbot;  and  many  of 
them  were  slain,  and  he  took  prisoner  the  aforesaid  Richard 
who  afterwards  ransomed  himself  for  a  very  large  sum.  In 
short,  thenceforth  the  English  were  so  unfortunate,  that  within 
a  short  time  almost  all  those,  of  the  nobles  especially,  who  had 


216         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

been  with  Edward  Balliol  in  the  fight  at  Duplin  were,  by 
the  judgment  of  the  divine  Majesty,  adjudged  in  bonds  into 
the  hands  of  the  lords  of  Scotland,  their  life  and  death  being 
at  their  pleasure  and  in  their  power.  The  earl  of  Stafford  and 
Edward  Balliol  himself  had  already  been  put  to  flight  inglori- 
ously  at  Annand. 

CHAPTEE  XXXVL 

Same  continued — Black  Annes,  countess  of  the  Marches. 

AFTER  this  the  earl  of  Salisbury,  being  annoyed  at  the  severe 
defeats  inflicted  by  the  Scottish  nobles  on  the  Englishmen  who 
were  coming  to  his  rescue,  and  wishing  to  assault  the  said 
castle  more  sharply  with  more  serious  attacks,  had  an  engine 
constructed  which  in  the  vulgar  tongue  is  called  a  sow,  and 
brought  it  up  to  the  walls  of  Dunbar  Castle.  But  when  Black 
Annes  saw  this,  she  said  to  the  said  earl,  "  Montagu,  Montagu, 
for  all  the  power  that  thou  may,  or  long  time  by  pass,  I  sal  gar 
thy  sow  ferry  again  her  will."  And  with  this  she  made  a  very 
large  engine  in  the  castle,  with  a  sling,  shooting  out  enormous 
stones  which  kept  flying  outside  the  castle  walls  night  and  day 
and  shattered  his  aforesaid  engine  and  almost  all  who  were 
inside,  dashed  to  pieces  the  heads  of  many,  and  compelled 
them  to  abandon  the  siege  altogether ;  and  she  captured  and 
brought  into  the  castle  all  their  gear,  engines  and  provisions, 
and  slew  many.  Now  the  earl  of  Salisbury  had  two  armed 
galleys  guarding  the  harbour  of  the  castle,  to  the  end  that  no 
help  or  supplies  might  reach  those  within  by  sea.  So  a  noble 
and  valiant  man,  Alexander  Kamsay,  ventured  out  to  the  strong- 
hold of  the  Bass  one  dark  night,  unperceived  by  the  galleys, 
and  brought  back  a  supply  of  provisions  from  that  place.  For 
this  he  was  deservedly  praised  and  rewarded ;  for  on  his  way 
back,  before  he  entered  the  castle,  he  overpowered  and  killed 
many  of  the  foreigners  who  were  watching  and  listening.  On 
the  following  day  Black  Annes  ordered  a  great  quantity  of  her 
provisions,  namely,  wheaten  bread  of  fine  corn  flour  and  ex- 
cellent wine,  to  be  presented  to  the  said  earl,  who  was  himself 
in  great  want  of  provisions.  When  the  earl  saw  this,  he 
despaired  of  recovering  the  castle;  so,  negociating  through  a 
go-between,  he  arranged  with  a  certain  gatekeeper  of  the 
castle  to  make  over  to  him  a  large  sum  of  gold  in  consideration 
of  his  opening  to  him,  under  cover  of  night,  one  of  the  secret 
posterns  of  the  castle  for  him  and  his  army  to  come  in.  This 
was  agreed  with  the  consent  of  the  countess,  she  pretending  to 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         217 

know  nothing  about  it ;  and  one  night,  when  part  of  the  sum 
of  gold  had  been  received,  the  aforesaid  door  of  the  postern 
was  opened,  as  was  promised.  But  when  the  earl  began  to 
pass  in,  one  of  his  men,  Coupland  by  name,  suspecting  foul 
play,  suddenly  drew  back  his  lord  the  earl  from  the  entrance. 
From  the  rush  he  made  at  him,  however,  Coupland  himself 
went  headlong  inside  the  gates  of  the  postern ;  and  the  gate 
was  quickly  closed  by  a  falling  door,  which  is  called  Portcullis 
in  French.  And  thus  the  earl  escaped  and  Coupland  was 
caught ;  and  Black  Annes,  standing  on  the  wall,  said  to  him 
mockingly,  "Adieu,  adieu  my  lord  Montagu."  After  these  things, 
lo  !  news  came  from  the  king  of  England  that  the  deadly  war 
between  him  and  the  king  of  France  had  been  revived ;  and 
this  was  lucky  for  the  kingdom  of  Scotland :  for,  if  the  king  of 
England  had  gone  on  with  that  war  which  he  had  undertaken, 
he  would  doubtless  have  brought  the  whole  kingdom  of  Scot- 
land under  his  sway.  So,  on  the  16th  of  June,  when  he  saw 
the  letter  directing  him  to  leave  all  without  delay  and  return 
to  England,  he  suddenly  retired  iugloriously,  without  taking 
leave  of  his  host.  The  same  year  also  sir  Andrew  Murray, 
guardian  of  Scotland,  besieged  Stirling  Castle ;  but  for  certain 
reasons,  both  for  fear  of  the  English  and  because  of  the  death  of 
sir  William  Keith,  who  killed  himself  strangely  with  his  own 
lance,  he  left  Stirling  Castle  and  besieged  Edinburgh  Castle. 
While  he  was  busied  there  with  the  siege  of  the  said  castle  of 
Edinburgh,  the  whole  community  of  Lothian  made  their  submis- 
sion to  him  in  the  king's  name,  and  for  this,  through  the  false- 
ness and  deceit  of  traitors,  both  English  and  Scotch,  there 
followed  a  woful  destruction  of  the  whole  district  of  Lothian. 
At  this  same  time  one  Kobert  Prendergast,  being  insulted 
by  the  English  in  the  castle  of  Edinburgh,  killed  one  of  the 
nobles,  governors  of  the  castle,  and  betook  himself  to  William 
Douglas,  whom  he  brought  back  secretly,  in  the  stillness  of 
night,  to  the  town,  where  the  English  were  lodged  in  great 
force ;  and  there  he  overthrew  and  slew  the  greater  part  of  the 
English  garrison  of  the  said  castle,  to  the  number  of  eighty  or 
more.  A  sailor  of  Donibristle  also,  wishing  to  bring  across 
the  water  from  Fife  some  of  the  garrison  of  the  castle  of 
Cupar  in  Fife,  left  them  on  a  sandy  hillock  amid  the  rising 
tide,  and  so  they  remained  there  and  were  drowned.  And 
thus  little  by  little  the  numbers  of  the  English  kept  always 
diminishing,  until  they  came  to  an  end  altogether, 


218         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 


CHAPTEK  XXXVII. 

Death  of  the  most  valiant  and  most  noble  Andrew  Murray, 
the  guardian. 

IN  the  year  1338  died  the  most  noble  sir  Andrew  Murray, 
guardian  of  Scotland,  after  he  had  retreated  to  the  highlands 
from  the  siege  of  Edinburgh  Castle.  He  departed  this  life 
on  his  own  land,  at  a  place  called  Davach,  and  was  interred 
at  Rosemarkie.  He  was  a  man  of  great  valour  and  self- 
control,  and  much  given  to  justice  and  blessed  in  works  of 
mercy  and  the  service  of  God;  and  he  secured  to  King 
David's  sovereignty  all  the  castles  and  strongholds  north 
of  the  Firth  of  forth  but  Perth  and  Cupar-Fife.  After  his 
decease  King  David's  nephew,  Robert  Stewart,  the  future 
king,  was  made  guardian  of  Scotland.  Though  a  young  man, 
he  bore  himself  like  an  old  man  against  the  English  nation, 
and  ruled  the  kingdom  most  vigorously  and  nobly  until  King 
David's  arrival  from  France.  At  this  time  sir  William  Douglas, 
though  not  without  much  toil  and  trouble,  drove  out  the  English 
and  restored  the  whole  of  Teviotdale  to  the  king's  sovereignty ; 
and,  on  account  of  his  prowess,  Henry  of  Derby  and  Lancaster 
commended  him  highly  and  desired  to  see  him,  and  longed  to 
have  an  encounter  with  him  hand  to  hand.  This  indeed  did 
take  place;  but  Douglas  was  wounded  in  the  hand  by  the 
breaking  of  his  own  spear,  and  could  not  complete  the  stated 
number  of  tilts.  Afterwards,  however,  they  appointed  a  time 
and  place  at  Berwick,  against  sir  Alexander  Ramsay,  then  a 
most  famous  knight,  twenty  a  side.  There  each  chose  a 
partner,  and  they  went  through  three  knightly  tilts ;  and  there 
fell  dead  two  knights  of  England  and  one  of  Scotland,  whose 
name  was  John  Play,  a  most  noble  squire.  But  one  Scottish 
knight,  William  Ramsay  by  name,  ran  an  Englishman  through 
the  head  and  brain  and  pierced  through  both  sides  of  his 
helmet;  and,  when  the  latter  had  confessed  himself  and  the 
lance  was  pulled  out,  he  gave  up  the  ghost  in  harness.  At 
that  moment  an  Englishman  called  upon  sir  Patrick  Graham 
for  three  knightly  tilts ;  and  the  said  Patrick,  in  reply,  said  to 
him  in  jest  and  pleasantry,  "  My  brother,  if  you  want  to  have 
a  bout  with  me,  prepare  to  sup  with  Christ  to-morrow."  And 
it  came  about  as  was  spoken  in  jest  but  prophetically ;  for  at 
the  first  thrust  the  Englishman  was  run  through  the  body  and 
died.  Now  sir  William  Douglas  in  his  time  suffered  much  at 
the  hands  of  those  villainous  English  and  Anglicised  Scots  for 
the  sake  of  the  independence  of  Scotland.  In  the  year  1339, 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         219 

the  town  of  Perth  was  besieged  by  Robert  Stewart,  then 
guardian  of  Scotland,  who  had  with  him  the  earls  of  Ross,  of 
March,  Murray,  lord  of  Clydesdale,40*  and  William  Keith  of 
Gaston,  with  many  others.  Thomas  Uther  (Ughtred)  was 
the  warden  of  that  town,  and  he  had  with  him  a  good  many 
Scottish  adherents  of  Edward  Balliol.  At  the  same  time  came 
William  Douglas  from  France,  having  been  sent  over  by  King 
David  with  certain  armed  vessels ;  and  they  entered  the  mouth 
of  the  Tay,  and  blockaded  the  entrance  to  the  river,  thus 
rendering  great  assistance.  He  also  brought  with  him  two 
able  knights,  to  wit  Giles  Hay  and  John  Bruce.  Meanwhile 
able  envoys  were  sent  to  William  Bullock,  warden  of  Cupar 
Castle  and  chamberlain  and  treasurer  of  Scotland  on  behalf  of 
Edward  Balliol ;  and,  on  money  being  given  him  and  an  estate 
promised  him,  the  castle  was  surrendered,  and  he  and  his  men 
became  the  liege  men  of  the  said  lord  King  David ;  and  he 
even  joined  Robert,  the  guardian  of  Scotland,  in  the  siege  of 
Perth  with  all  his  forces.  In  the  end,  after  many  hazards, 
they  gained  possession  of  the  town  by  a  friendly  treaty,  and 
the  English  were  sent  off  to  their  own  country.  The  following 
year  there  was  great  dearth  and  scarcity  of  provisions  in 
Scotland ;  and  it  is  said  that  some  took  up  their  quarters  in 
caves  and  fed  on  forbidden  beasts,  like  dogs; — and  even  on 
children  and  women,  as  for  instance  in  the  case  of  one,  Criste 
Cleik  by  name,  who,  with  his  beldame,  killed  and  ate  many 
children  and  women.  But  in  the  end  they  died,  being  publicly 
handed  over  to  justice  and  put  to  an  ignominious  death. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

Siege  of  Stirling. 

ROBERT  STEWART,  therefore,  after  he  had  recovered  the  town 
of  Perth,  besieged  and  took  Stirling  Castle,  in  which,  as  already 
stated,  was  Rokeby,  who,  despairing  of  succour,  seeing  that  such 
a  war  had  broken  out  in  France,  made  an  arrangement  as  to  his 
life  and  property  being  spared,  and  withdrew  into  England.  The 
wardenship  of  this  castle  he  bestowed  upon  a  certain  Maurice 
Murray,  the  lord  of  Clydesdale.  Thus  he  marched  through  all 
parts  of  the  kingdom,  bringing  back  in  a  short  time  the  whole 
of  the  country  to  King  David's  allegiance  and  sovereignty,  but 
mercifully  forgiving  those  Anglicised  Scots  who  had  been 
forced  into  allegiance  to  Edward  BallioL  He  entirely  pre- 
vented the  poor  from  being  oppressed  by  the  powerful,  he 
fostered  the  peasants  and  made  it  his  business  to  recommend 


220         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

and  practise  peace,  justice  and  charity  among  all  men:  so 
that  within  a  short  time  the  kingdom  began  to  improve  and 
prosper,  and  the  church  of  God  and  divine  service  to  flourish 
and  recover  its  prosperity  in  religious  and  other  orders  of 
divine  worship.  Thus,  through  the  prowess  of  Andrew  Murray 
and  the  energy  and  diligence  of  Robert  Stewart,  the  kingdom 
was,  in  a  little  while,  advanced  in  every  excellence  of  justice 
and  husbandry,  and  freed  from  the  yoke  of  the  English,  except 
only  Edinburgh,  Eoxburgh,  Berwick,  Jedburgh,  Lochmaben 
and  some  little  towers  of  moderate  powers  of  resistance.  In 
the  year  1341  Edinburgh  Castle  was  cleverly  taken  by  William 
Douglas  and  William  Bullock,  by  means  of  a  mariner  named 
Walter  Curry,  with  whom  the  lords  William  Douglas  and 
William  Bullock,  together  with  William  Fresail  and  Joachim 
Kinbuck,  agreed  that  he  should  take  with  him  a  number  of 
tried  men  and  post  himself  at  Inchkeith  in  his  vessel.  Then 
he  was  to  betake  himself  in  person  to  the  commandant  of 
Edinburgh  and  say  he  was  a  merchant  and  had  come  from 
England,  in  the  interest  of  Edward  Balliol  and  the  king  of 
England,  to  his  assistance  with  supplies  of  very  good  wine  and 
corn.  Accordingly  he  there  and  then  showed  him  a  sample  of 
the  wine  and  corn  to  see  and  try,  and  vowed  he  would  freely 
give  one  cask  of  wine  and  another  of  com  for  his  favour  and 
protection,  that  no  one  should  do  him  violence  or  wrong.  The 
commandant  gratefully  accepted  them  and  returned  thanks, 
and  earnestly  besought  the  said  merchant  Curry  to  come  at 
daybreak  to  the  castle  gates  with  the  wine  a.nd  corn.  Curry, 
however,  filled  two  casks,  one  with  sand  and  another  with 
water,  and  placed  them  in  a  cart,  ready  to  start  for  the  castle 
gate  at  daybreak;  and  in  the  dead  of  night  he  posted  sir 
William  Douglas  and  two  hundred  men-at-arms  in  ambush 
near  the  gates,  while  he  arranged  that  he  himself  should  be 
with  two  men  wearing  concealed  armour,  and  twelve  others 
were  to  follow  him  at  a  distance,  as  if  they  were  mariners 
coming  in  like  manner  from  the  ship.  When  these  were  seen, 
the  principal  gate  of  the  castle  was  opened  without  delay,  the 
cart  passed  in,  and  the  gatekeepers  were  put  to  the  sword 
on  the  spot.  Thereupon  the  twelve  others  hastened  up  and 
gave  the  alarm  to  William  Douglas  and  his  army  with  the 
sound  of  a  horn ;  and  until  he  came  up  they  hotly  defended 
the  gates,  keeping  them  open,  and  slaying  many.  Then  they 
marched  right  in,  stabbed  and  killed  many,  and  thrust  others 
as  prisoners  into  the  dungeons  of  that  place.  Whereat  the 
townsfolk  of  that  town  rejoiced  greatly,  for  they  had  long  been 
kept  in  subjection.  So  he  entrusted  the  castle  to  the  custody 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         221 

of  William  Douglas,  his  illegitimate  brother,  and  went  off  to 
deliver  other  places.  In  this  day  flourished  the  noble  knight 
Alexander  Ramsay  who,  with  others,  his  dependents,  per- 
formed many  brilliant  exploits  this  side  of  the  Forth  on  behalf 
of  King  David.  The  same  year  the  earl  of  Salisbury  was 
taken  prisoner  in  France  and,  by  the  favour  of  the  king  of 
France,  freely  given  in  exchange  for  the  earl  of  Murray,  who 
had  been  captured  while  escorting  the  count  of  Guelderland  to 
England.  After  his  ransom,  he  and  William  Douglas  and 
Alexander  Eamsay  peacefully  governed  the  three  borders  of 
the  marches  with  honour  and  great  distinction,  until  the 
arrival  of  King  David  from  France. 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

King  Davids  return  from  France — His  acts  in  the  beginning  of 

his  rule. 

IN  the  year  1342,  peace  and  peaceful  prosperity  having  been 
restored  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  the  guardians  of  the 
kingdom  determined  to  send  over  an  embassy  to  France  for 
their  king ;  and  the  king  of  France  sent  him  over  to  his  own 
country  in  fitting  state,  with  two  barges  admirably  armed  and 
equipped.  So  King  David  and  his  wife  Joan,  sister  of  the 
king  of  England,  landed  safe  and  sound  at  Inverbervy,  on  the 
2d  of  June ;  and  all  were  gladdened  by  his  arrival,  and  rejoiced 
with  exceeding  great  joy,  lighting  bonfires  and  holding  ban- 
quets in  his  honour  with  joy.  The  same  year,  on  the  30th  of 
March,  sir  Alexander  Ramsay  took  Roxburgh  Castle  by  scaling 
it  stealthily  by  night ;  and  for  this  reason  King  David  conferred 
upon  him  the  wardenship  thereof,  and  put  the  whole  of  Teviot- 
dale  under  his  rule,  and  made  him  sheriff.  On  account  of  this 
office,  however,  William  Douglas  held  the  said  Alexander 
Ramsay  in  deadly  hatred.  But  King  David,  now  growing  into 
manhood  and  waxing  strong,  on  his  first  arrival  in  Scotland 
three  times  made  a  hostile  raid  into  England,  and  wrought 
much  mischief.  The  first  time  he  laid  it  waste  as  far  as  the 
town  of  Penrith.  Entering  a  second  time,  he  girded  some 
knights  with  the  belt  of  knighthood,  namely  Stewart,  Eglinton, 
Boyd,  Craigie  and  Foularton ;  and  these  were  afterwards  taken 
prisoners,  and  ransomed  for  large  sums  of  gold.  Again  a  third 
time  he  entered  England,  in  like  manner  doing  much 
damage,41  and  got  off  safely.  Wherefore,  encouraged  by  these 
three  raids,  he  thought  he  would  subdue  unto  himself  by 
force  the  whole  country  up  to  the  river  Humber.  The  same 
year,  on  the  20th  of  June,  while  sir  Alexander  Ramsay, 


222         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

wishing  to  hold  a  court  of  the  sheriffdom  of  Teviotdale,  was 
awaiting  at  Hawick  the  coming  of  those  summoned,  there  came 
upon  him  that  imp  of  envy,  William  Douglas,  with  no  small 
force  of  men-at-arms,  and  wounded  him,  who  thought  no  evil 
of  him ;  and  he  carried  him  off  with  him  and  threw  him  into 
prison  till  he  died.  On  account  of  this  the  king  was  very 
angry  with  the  said  William  Douglas,  both  because  he  had 
done  this  sacrilege  in  a  church,  violating  and  defiling  it, 
and  also  because  he  had  thus  put  to  death  an  officer  and 
councillor  of  his,  in  contempt  of  his  majesty.  Nevertheless  in 
this  the  wise  did  much  blame  the  king's  fickleness  and  change- 
ableness,  as  also  his  thoughtlessness  and  carelessness ;  for  he 
had  given  the  said  office  of  the  sheriffship  first  to  the  said 
William  Douglas,  and  afterwards  to  the  aforesaid  Alexander 
Ramsay,  without  any  cause  of  forfeiture  of  the  said  William 
Douglas; — whereby  wise  and  prudent  men  were  very  much 
afraid  of  evil  consequences  befalling  the  said  kingdom,  even  to 
the  length  of  such  flagrant  cases  as  the  above ;  for  few  were 
the  things  he  did  with  mature  deliberation,  with  the  advice  of 
the  wise;  but  his  proceedings  were  often  headstrong  and  on 
his  own  opinion,  without  advice,  as  afterwards  appeared.  For 
the  death  of  this  Alexander  gave  rise  to  deadly  warfare  and 
endless  feuds  and  ill-feeling  among  the  lords  of  the  kingdom ; 
so  that,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  the  whole  country  was 
disturbed  by  daily  slaughter  on  either  side,  and  the  friends  of 
either  party  would,  like  enemies,  in  turn  murder  each  other 
and  fall  by  cruel  deaths  by  the  sword.  Sir  William  Bullock, 
again,  who  had  done  much  good  in  the  country,  was,  out  of 
jealousy  because  he  was  wealthy,  arrested  through  the  injurious 
reports  of  envious  men  and  the  king's  easy  credulity,  and  im- 
prisoned at  Lochindorb.  After  having  been  made  King  David's 
confidential  counsellor  and  chamberlain,  he  died  of  hunger  like 
Alexander  Eamsay;  and  from  that  moment  the  kingdom, 
which  was  then  in  the  highest  prosperity,  gradually  sank  from 
bad  to  worse,  and  fell  into  wretched  poverty  and  want.  For 
in  those  days  there  was  a  very  great  pestilence  among  cocks 
and  hens,  so  that  no  one  dared  eat  domestic  poultry,  for  they 
were  looked  upon  as  leprous  throughout  almost  the  whole 
kingdom. 

CHAPTER  XL. 

Cressy — Battle  of  Durham  in  Scotland** 

IN  the  year  1346  Philip  of  Valois,  king  of  France,  wrote  to 
King  David  in  Scotland  beseeching  him,  as  his  dear  and  allied 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAEDEN.   BOOK  IX.         223 

brother  and  friend,  to  make  war  with  all  his  forces  against  the 
king  of  England  on  the  marches  of  Scotland ;  for  he  would  find 
him,  as  it  were  his  own  man,  ready  to  help  him  in  like  manner 
in  all  his  difficulties.     So  King  David  assembled  his  forces 
and  held  a  council  at  Perth ;  and  he  gathered  together  a  large 
army  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom.     Now  the  earl  of  Eoss 
was  lodged  in  Elcho  monastery,  while  Ranald  lord  of  the  Isles 
was  likewise  near  thereabouts;  and  there  existed  an  ancient 
feud  between  them.     So  the   said   earl  of  Ross   sent  some 
retainers  of  his  in  the  dead  of  night,  and  caused  the  aforesaid 
Ranald  and  seven  nobles,  friends  of  his,  who  were  in  bed  over- 
come by  drowsiness,  to   be  put  to   death;   and  he  at  once 
returned  to  his  own  country,  and  would  not  pass  on  with  the 
king  any  further.    Whereupon  the  king  was  very  angry,  and 
his  wrath  was  kindled  to  revenge  the  misdeed ;  yet,  neverthe- 
less, he  was  so  warmly  bent  upon  the  enterprise  he  had  under- 
taken, that  he  would  not  retreat,  though  he  was  advised  to  the 
contrary  by  his  friends;  but  he  pressed  on  to  the  English 
marches  with  no  small  force,  and  took  the  stronghold  of  Liddel 
and  the  warden  thereof,  and  levelled  the  stronghold  itself  with 
the  ground.     Notwithstanding  this,  however,  the  king  was  still 
counselled  by  the  advice  of  William  Douglas,  in  view  of  the 
unfortunate  murder  of  the  said  lord  of  the  Isles,  to  return  and 
exact  reparation  for  the  said  wrong  before  he  penetrated  any 
further  into  England.     But  this  he  briefly  refused  utterly  to 
do;  and,  contrary  to  every  opinion  of  the  wise  and  prudent 
and  of  men  experienced  in  war,  he  rashly  determined  to  enter 
England,  being  actuated  rather  by  thoughtlessness  than  by 
prudence,  and  egged  on  and  inflamed  by  the  advice  of  some 
inexperienced  youths  who  said,  "  The  king  of  England  and  all 
his  trusty  men  are  now  in  France,  and  there  is  no  one  left 
in  England  but  monks  and  priests,  workmen  and  peasants; 
therefore  we  shall  easily  be  able  to  pass  through  the  whole 
country    as    far   as    London."      For   it  was    the  truth  that 
King  Edward  of  Windsor  and  his   son  Edward  Prince  of 
Wales,  with  their  whole  force,  were  engaged  in  war  in  France, 
being  opposed  by  the  king  of  France,  likewise  with  his  whole 
force,  and  with  the  kings  of  Bohemia  and  Maillegre  (Majorca), 
who  had  come  to  his  assistance  with  a  good  many  of  their 
friends.    Now  these   had   an    encounter   in   a   certain   level 
place  near  the  forest  of  Cressy  in  Normandy,  where  these 
two  kings  and  many  nobles  of  France  were  taken  prisoners, 
and  many  were  slain,  while  Philip  king  of  France  was  put 
to  flight.     The  king  of  Scotland,  therefore,  unwilling  to  fall 
in  with  the  advice  of  trusty  men,  but,  as  already  said,  inflamed 


224         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

by  youthful  counsels,  entered  the  territory  of  England  and  laid 
it  waste  as  far  as  the  city  of  Durham,  destroying  everything 
with  fire  and  sword.  It  is  said  that  Saint  Cuthbert  appeared 
to  him  in  the  spirit,  asking  and  warning  him  not  to  enter  his 
lands  with  his  army,  lest  he  should  chance  to  rue  it.  He, 
however,  heeded  not  the  vision,  nor  gave  up  the  enterprise; 
but  he  went  on  in  his  wickedness  for  a  fortnight  and  more, 
thinking  the  kingdom  of  England  was  quite  drained  of  men-at- 
arms.  But  he  found  out  his  mistake,  through  ill-luck  and  his 
youthful  counsels.  For,  while  thus  entering,  invading  and 
destroying  church  lands,  no  sooner  had  he  come  as  far  as  the 
park  of  Beaurepair,  near  Durham,  and  posted  his  army  there, 
than  he  came  upon  the  bishop  of  Durham,  on  the  16th  of 
October,  with  many  other  nobles  and  prelates  of  the  district 
who  had  nocked  to  him  in  very  great  numbers,  such  as  Henry- 
Percy,43  John  Mowbray,Kalph  Neville,  the  lords  Ferrers,  Eokeby, 
Lucy,  Coupland  and  Ogle,  with  a  good  many  other  knights, 
newly  marshalled  and  ready  for  him.  These  were  shortly  to 
have  gone  off  to  France  to  reinforce  the  king  of  England ;  but, 
on  hearing  the  news  of  his  coming,  they  put  off  their  expedi- 
tion, and  had,  when  requested,  at  once  turned  back  to  help  the 
said  lords.  So  they  were  posted  with  the  aforesaid  chiefs  in 
Auckland  Park,  about  six  miles  distant  from  the  other  park 
of  Beaurepair,  where  King  David  was  with  his  army.  But 
the  king  in  person  lodged  the  whole  of  that  night  in  the 
manor  of  the  said  place  of  Beaurepair,  and  next  morning,  at 
break  of  day,  he  sent  off  sir  William  Douglas,  who  was 
Unaware  of  their  gathering,  to  plunder  the  whole  country  with 
a  certain  force  of  men-at-arms,  and  bring  in  the  booty  to  his 
army.  The  English  chiefs,  however,  straining  every  nerve  in 
preparation  for  the  fray,  chose  as  the  field  of  battle  a  moor  near 
Durham,  called  Beaurepair  Moor ;  while  the  others  appointed 
no  guard  of  sentries  that  night,  sleeping  unconcernedly  through 
all  that  night  in  the  aforesaid  park,  and  thinking  to  lay  waste 
the  whole  land  on  the  morrow,  without  any  misgiving  that 
they  might  come  upon  any  fighting  force.  The  English  chiefs, 
on  the  other  hand,  had  marshalled  their  men  in  three  lines  of 
battle  overnight,  so  that  in  the  morning  they  were  drawn  up 
for  battle  without  any  confusion.  William  Douglas,  however, 
being  unaware  of  the  approach  of  the  English,  hastened  early 
in  the  morning  with  his  band,  as  had  been  arranged  overnight, 
to  plunder  and  ravage  the  country,  and  suddenly  found  himself 
unawares  almost  in  the  middle  of  the  English  army ;  and  when 
the  leading  horsemen  perceived  the  enemy  drawn  up  in  three 
lines  of  battle  and  ready  for  the  fray,  they  hastily  returned  to 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         225 

King  David  and  showed  him  how  it  was.  So  he  quickly 
deployed  in  order  of  battle  in  like  manner,  dividing  his  men 
into  three  bodies,  and  at  once  marched  on  to  the  field  without 
delay.  In  the  first  line  was  the  king  in  person ;  in  the  second 
the  earl  of  Murray  and  William  Douglas ;  and  in  the  third  the 
earl  of  the  Marches  with  the  Steward  of  Scotland.  The  Eng- 
lish, however,  first  attacked  the  earl  of  Murray  and,  not  without 
immense  slaughter,  defeated  and  slew  him ;  and  there  fell  there 
with  him  many  noble  and  gallant  men.  Then  a  very  large 
body  of  fighting  men,  among  whom  were  ten  thousand  archers 
of  the  chosen  bowmen  of  England,  attacked  the  king,  who  was 
among  hedges  and  ditched  land ;  and  here  many  were  taken, 
killed  and  put  to  death  on  both  sides,  and  King  David  was 
taken  by  the  same  before-mentioned  Coupland,  who  lost  two  of 
his  front  teeth  from  a  blow  the  king  dealt  him;  while  the  king 
was  severely  wounded  by  two  arrows,  the  heads  of  which  could 
not  be  extracted  until  he  promised  to  go  on  a  pilgrimage  to 
Saint  Monan.  So,  after  many  had  been  slain,  taken  and  put 
to  the  sword,  and  others  put  to  flight,  the  king  was  taken 
prisoner.  But  the  earl  of  the  Marches  and  the  Steward  of  Scot- 
land, the  king's  nephew,  seeing  what  had  happened,  and  having 
no  hope  of  doing  any  good  by  waiting,  returned  home  in  safety 
with  many  men.  All  men  with  one  accord  laid  the  blame  of 
this  victory  on  the  plundering  of  churches.  Now  together 
with  him  there  were  taken  the  earls  of  Fife,  Sutherland, 
Wigtown  and  Menteith;  which  earl  of  Menteith  was  after- 
wards drawn  by  horses  and  put  to  a  cruel  death.  And  there 
were  taken  also  William  Douglas,  Walter  Haliburton  and 
many  other  nobles  and  barons  of  Scotland,  whose  ransoms 
brought  great  poverty  and  scarcity  of  money  on  Scotland.  And 
there  were  slain  John  Eandolph  earl  of  Murray,  the  earl  of 
Strathern,  Gilbert  de  la  Hay,  Constable  of  Scotland,  as  well  as 
the  Marshal  of  Scotland,  the  Chamberlain  of  Scotland,  the 
Chancellor  of  Scotland,  the  lord  Lindsay,  Eoger  Cameron,  Gil- 
bert lord  of  Inchmartin,  William  Fresail,  Andrew  Buttergask, 
John  Bonneville,  Michael  Scot,  all  the  foregoing  being  valiant 
knights,  together  with  many  others  whose  names  I  do  not  know. 
Therefore  kings  and  princes  should  follow  the  soundest  and 
ripest  counsels  in  their  kingdom,  and  not  yield  to  the  advice 
of  young  men,  lest  haply  they  repent  in  the  end,  when  they 
cannot  mend  matters.  Soon  after,  in  the  year  1349,  there 
broke  out  a  universal  pestilence  almost  throughout  the  whole 
world,  which  lasted  a  great  many  years  in  Scotland,  such  as  is 
never  recorded  in  history  to  have  happened  since  the  world 
was  made.  Nearly  a  third  of  the  population  perished  in  it.  It 

p 


226         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

attacked  the  common  people  chiefly,  not  the  great.  They  were 
attacked  with  inflammation,  and  lingered  barely  four-and-twenty 
hours.  The  sovereign  remedy  is  to  pay  vows  to  Saint  Sebastian, 
as  appears  more  clearly  in  the  Legend  of  his  Life. 

CHAPTER  XLI. 

William  Douglas  slain. 

HERE  we  observe  in  passing  that  afterwards,  in  the  year 
1353,  died  Matilda  Bruce,  wife  of  Thomas  Isaac  and  sister  of 
King  David.  She  had  two  daughters,  the  elder  of  whom 
married  John  of  Lorn,  lord  of  that  ilk,  who  of  her  begat  sons 
and  daughters;  while  the  younger  daughter  died  at  Stirling 
without  issue.  The  others  have  been  spoken  of  above.  But 
William  Douglas,  while  out  hunting  in  Ettrick  forest,  was 
killed  by  his  own  cousin  William  Douglas,  out  of  revenge, 
it  is  said,  for  the  murder  both  of  Alexander  Eamsay  and  of 
David  Berclay,  and  also  out  of  thirst  for  power,  for  he  was 
the  lord  afterwards.  In  the  year  1355  the  king  of  France  sent 
over  to  the  guardians  of  Scotland  forty  thousand  moutons  d'or, 
that  they  might  make  no  peace  or  truce  in  any  wise  with  the 
English  without  consulting  him.  This  was  agreed  to,  and  the 
gold  was  divided  among  the  great  men  of  the  kingdom ;  whence 
there  afterwards  ensued  great  havoc  in  Lothian  by  the  English. 
In  the  same  year,  1355,  Patrick  earl  of  Dunbar  and  Sir  William 
Douglas,  lord  of  that  ilk,  and  William  Ramsay  of  Dalhousie, 
wishing  to  take  vengeance  on  England  for  the  aforesaid  mis- 
chiefs, arranged  that  the  said  earl  and  the  said  William  Ramsay 
should  seize  some  booty  in  England  and  carry  it  off  to  Scotland, 
up  to  a  certain  spot  where  the  said  William  Douglas  would 
lie  hidden  in  ambush  awaiting  their  arrival.  This  was  accord- 
ingly done ;  and  the  English,  pursuing  the  booty  in  great  num- 
bers, and  knowing  nothing  of  the  said  William  Douglas,  came 
as  far  as  a  certain  spot  which  is  called  Nesbit,  where  they  were 
defeated  by  the  aforesaid  lords  of  Scotland,  and  were  captured, 
slain  and  massacred  and  beaten  back  and  most  hopelessly 
routed.  Moreover  a  Frenchman  who  had  bought  some  of  the 
English,  and  paid  their  ransom,  had  them  publicly  beheaded  in 
revenge  for  a  brother  of  his  who  had  been  killed  in  France. 
Of  the  English  many  nobles  were  captured,  and  were  ransomed 
for  large  sums  of  money ;  while,  of  the  Scots,  John  Haliburton, 
a  valiant  man,  was  slain.  The  same  year,  about  Hallowmas, 
Thomas  Stewart  earl  of  Angus  with  a  mighty  arm  and  with  a 
strong  hand  went  by  sea  in  some  vessels  at  night  and  took  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         227 

town  of  Berwick  by  escalade,  after  killing  the  watchmen  and 
sentries ;  and  he  found  and  recovered  great  riches  there.  But 
the  English  who  were  there  and  the  townspeople  and  merchants 
leapt  out  off  the  walls  and  escaped,  while  some  of  them  ran  to 
the  castle  through  the  Douglas  Tower  and  were  saved.  This 
successful  attack  on  the  town  was  made  near  the  Cowzet  (Cow- 
gate).  The  first  who  mounted  the  scaling  ladders  was  William 
Towers,  with  some  other  brave  men;  and  it  was  with  the 
utmost  difficulty  and  after  a  great  struggle  that  they  gained 
the  victory.  In  the  encounter  were  slain  the  son  of  Eobert 
Ogle  and  many  others  on  the  side  of  the  English.  John  Coup- 
land  indeed  assembled  the  forces  of  the  marches,  and  thought 
to  reinforce  the  castle  and  recover  the  town  from  thence.  But 
he  prevailed  not  against  them.  The  Scots,  with  some  of 
the  Frenchmen  who  had  erewhile  brought  the  gold,  manfully 
defended  the  castle;44  and  they  held  the  Douglas  Tower  and 
remained  undisputed  masters  of  the  town.  Sir  Giles  de  Garan- 
cieres  was  the  commander  of  the  French ;  and  Eobert  Stewart, 
after  garrisoning  the  town,  took  him  away  with  him  and 
rewarded  him  splendidly  and  treated  him  with  honour. 

CHAPTEE  XLIL 

The  king  of  England  arrives  in  Scotland  after  the  taking  of 
Berwick — The  Balliols  resign  to  the  king  of  England  their 
pretended  right. 

IN  the  year  1355,  on  the  1st  of  February,  Edward  of 
Windsor,  chafing  at  the  capture  of  Berwick,  assembled  an  army 
and  prepared  to  besiege  the  said  town.  But,  when  the  garrison 
of  the  town  saw  this,  they  feared  they  could  not  defend  the  town, 
for  many  reasons; — first,  because  there  were  few  able-bodied 
men  supplied  with  arms ;  secondly,  because  they  had  no  pro- 
visions ;  thirdly,  because  they  feared  the  said  king's  ungovern- 
able ferocity;  fourthly,  because  they  had  no  hope  of  any 
succour  reaching  them  from  their  own  chiefs.  They  therefore 
took  the  wisest  course,  and  treated  for  an  agreement  for  the 
surrender  of  the  town,  their  lives  and  property  being  spared, 
and  with  a  free  pass  to  return  to  their  own  country ;  and  they 
surrendered  the  town  to  the  king  of  England,  and  went  home 
again,  enriched  with  the  wealth  of  the  English.  After  this 
Edward  Balliol  broke  out  in  the  following  words  before  the 
king  of  England,  then  at  Eoxburgh,  and  said,  "  Most  excellent 
prince,  and  most  mighty  above  all  mortals  of  the  present  day,  I 
do  here  before  all  your  chivalry,  entirely,  fully,  altogether  and 


228         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

absolutely  resign,  yield,  give  and  relinquish  to  you  all  my  right 
which  I  have,  claim,  or  may  hereafter  have  to  the  throne  of 
Scotland,  to  the  end  that  you  may  avenge  me  of  mine  enemies, 
those  infamous  Scots,  who  ruthlessly  cast  me  off  that  I  should 
not  reign  over  them.  In  proof  whereof  I  will  here  with  my 
own  hand,  in  token  of  the  said  resignation  and  gift,  hand  over 
to  you,  in  the  presence  of  all,  the  royal  crown,  the  sceptre, 
together  with  some  earth  and  a  stone  of  the  said  land  of  Scot- 
land, in  token  of  possession  and  investiture,  that  you  may 
acquire  in  perpetuity  the  kingdom  formerly  my  due."  Upon 
this  it  should  be  remarked,  first,  that  he  had  no  right  to  it 
originally,  as  was  seen  above ;  and,  if  he  had  any  right,  he 
there  publicly  renounced  and  resigned  that  right,  which,  even 
though  he  had  been  the  true  king,  he  could  by  no  means 
renounce  or  resign  without  the  consent  of  the  three  estates, 
and  that  into  the  hands  of  him'  who  should  have  the  power  of 
instituting  another,  which  the  king  of  England  could  not  have, 
as  he  had  formerly  entirely,  purely  and  simply  resigned  and 
quitclaimed  all  his  right,  pretended  or  true,  as  was  seen  above ; 
nor,  even  if  he  had  been  the  true  king,  could  he  have  resigned 
without  the  superior's  consent.  Also,  as  was  shown  above, 
several  kings  of  England  had  resigned  into  the  hands  of  the 
king  of  Scotland,  following  upon  discussion  and  a  bond,  all 
their  pretended  right,  as  aforesaid.  The  king  of  England, 
however,  burning  with  fury,  entered  the  land  of  Scotland  in 
hostile  wise,  thanking  the  said  Edward  Balliol  without  measure 
for  so  magnificent  a  gift ;  and  he  arrived  as  far  as  the  town  of 
Haddington  with  a  multitude  of  men-at-arms,  ruthlessly  harry- 
ing the  land  of  Lothian,  and  burned  down  the  town  of  Had- 
dington and  the  friars'  monastery,  and  destroyed  the  surrounding 
country,  wasting  it  with  fire  and  sword.  But,  as  he  did  not 
see  his  fleet,  which  was  tossed  about  and  blown  away  and  dis- 
tressed by  a  gale,  come  to  him  with  provisions  in  his  time  of 
need,  he  went  his  way  through  the  heart  of  Lothian,  wasting 
and  destroying  everything  with  fire  and  sword.  He  came  as 
far  as  Edinburgh ;  but  seeing  that  he  profited  nothing  by  his 
said  march,  he  returned  thence  ingloriously  to  his  own  country, 
for  he  lost  many  of  his  men  both  by  land  and  by  sea,  and 
gained  nothing.  It  was  said  of  this  in  Lothian  that  all  these 
troubles  came  upon  him  in  revenge  for  the  plunder  of  the 
White  Church  of  Our  Lady  (Whitkirk).  After  the  retreat  of 
the  king  of  England,  William  Douglas  assembled  an  army  and 
in  a  short  time  reduced  to  fealty  and  submission  to  David, 
the  lord  king  of  Scotland,  all  the  provinces  devastated  by  the 
king  of  England  in  Scotland  and  brought  under  his  sway  by 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         229 

force  and  fear.  He  took  away  from  the  English  by  force 
Donald  Macdowell,  with  the  whole  province  of  Galloway  and 
Cumnock  and  Kyle,  and  Eoger  Kilpatrick  and  the  whole 
land  of  Nithsdale,  and  the  castles  of  Dalswinton  and  Carlave- 
rock ;  and  he  always  showed  himself  pleasant  and  wellbeloved 
with  the  king.  At  this  time  King  David  was  sent  home  to 
negotiate  for  his  ransom,  and  earnestly  exhorted  and  besought 
all  the  lords  of  the  realm  to  send  certain  hostages  for  him  to 
England,  as  security  for  his  ransom ;  and  this  was  accordingly 
done.46  After  this  John  Stewart,  son  and  heir  of  Robert 
Stewart  the  king,  the  second  of  that  name,  called  Lord  of 
Kyle,  afterwards  Lord  of  Carrick,  and  lastly  King  Eobert  ill. 
by  a  change  of  name,  assembled  an  army  and  reduced  the 
whole  country  of  Annandale  to  fealty  and  submission  to  the 
king. 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

Battle  of  Poitiers. 

IN  the  year  1356  King  John  of  France,  hearing  that  the 
fourth  Edward,  called  Prince  of  Wales,  had  entered  the  king- 
dom of  France  in  hostile  wise  with  a  very  large  force,  assembled 
from  all  parts  the  forces  at  his  command  and  prepared  to  meet 
him.  He  was  joined,  without  payment,  by  the  noble  William 
Douglas,  afterwards  lord  of  that  ilk  and  first  earl,  who  came 
with  many  of  his  friends  and  nobles  to  help  him  to  the  best  of 
his  power ;  and  the  king  knighted  him  while  the  troops  were 
drawn  up  in  battle  array.  .  .  . 

But  William  Douglas  was  carried  away  by  his  own  men 
against  his  will.  Archibald,  however,  called  Black  Archibald, 
son  of  the  noble  James  Douglas  who  carried  the  king's  heart  to 
the  Holy  Land,  was  there  taken  prisoner,  though  unknown ;  and 
he  was  cleverly  rescued  out  of  their  hands,  as  will  be  told  pre- 
sently. This  battle  of  Poitiers  was  fought  in  the  month  of  Sep- 
tember, and  was  lost  through  the  pride  and  vainglory  of  the 
French,  who  underrated  the  enemy.  For  through  their  arrogance, 
in  that  they  were  such  a  host  of  young  lords  in  armour,  they 
neglected  to  keep  their  formation  and  order  of  battle,  and  the 
Lord  delivered  them  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  just  as  in 
a  battle  which  will  be  spoken  of  later,  that  of  Agincourt.  But 
Archibald  Douglas,  young  and  well-armed,  was  taken  prisoner 
by  some  who,  from  his  armour,  thought  he  was  a  great  lord, 
though  his  friends  thought  little  of  him,  as  he  was  a  bastard. 
Now  when  the  prisoners  came  in  the  evening  to  their  lodging 
at  the  town  of  Poitiers,  a  noble  knight,  sir  William  Ramsay  of 


230         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

Colluthy,  was  brought  to  the  place  where  the  said  Archibald 
Douglas  was,  with  his  splendid  armour,  as  part  of  the  spoil,  and 
those  whose  prisoners  they  were  said  unto  him,  "  See,  here  we 
have  the  son  of  some  powerful  lord,  most  nobly  armed."  But 
the  said  knight,  looking  at  him,  said,  "  Thou  ribald  traitor, 
why  hast  thou  stolen  the  arms  of  thy  lord,  my  cousin  ?  Cursed 
be  the  hour  thou  wast  born.  For  he  caused  thee  to  be  sought 
for  the  whole  day  long ;  and  not  finding  thee  in  the  field,  he 
went  out  unarmed,  and  was  pierced  by  a  flying  shaft,  as  I 
saw  with  my  own  eyes."  Now  this  Archibald  was  dark,  and 
not  comely  to  look  upon,  but  more  like  a  cook  than  a  noble ; 
and  the  said  knight,  as  if  in  anger,  and  feigning  to  fly  into  a 
rage,  addressed  him,  saying,  "  Come  here  and  first  pull  off  my 
boots,  and  then  go  over  the  field  to  such  a  place,  among  the 
slain,  and  look  for  thy  lord's  body,  that  we  may  to-morrow 
commit  it  to  a  hallowed  grave."  But  the  other,  perceiving  the 
knight's  artifice,  in  like  manner  pretended  to  tremble,  and 
went  over  and  waited  upon  him,  taking  off  one  of  his  boots ; 
and  the  knight  suddenly  took  hold  of  it,  and  beat  Archibald 
severely  about  the  mouth.  But  the  English  rushed  up  to  him 
and  said,  "Why  dost  thou  insult  a  gentleman  thus,  beating 
him  so  shamefully  ? "  The  knight  answered  and  said,  "  He  is 
no  gentleman;  he  is  only  a  scullion  in  his  lord's  kitchen." 
And  the  others  who  stood  by  believed  this,  and  let  him  go 
for  a  ransom  of  forty  shillings.  Thus  did  the  said  knight 
craftily  get  him  out  of  their  hands ;  whereas,  had  they  known 
who  he  was,  they  would  certainly  not  have  set  him  free  for 
his  weight  in  gold. 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

King  David  ransomed. 

IN  these  days  King  David  of  Scotland  was  kept  a  prisoner 
in  England,  though  he  was  the  son-in-law  of  the  king  of  Eng- 
land; and  with  him  were  the  kings  of  France,  Bohemia  and 
Maillegria  (Majorca),46  whom,  for  their  sins  and  shortcomings, 
the  Lord  delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  so  that  they 
that  hated  them  had  dominion  over  them.  At  length  the  king 
of  England  took  counsel  and  sent  him  over,  appointing  North- 
ampton to  accompany  him.47  They  treated  long  on  this  matter, 
but  could  come  to  no  agreement.  Afterwards,  however,  in  the 
year  following  the  one  mentioned  above,  a  covenant  was  made : 
they  agreed  upon  a  hundred  thousand  marks  sterling,  at  terms 
of  fourteen*8  years  immediately  following,  and  that  during  that 
time  a  truce  should  be  strictly  observed  between  the  kingdoms ; 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         231 

and,  as  security  for  the  said  payment,  manifold  nobles,  earls 
and  barons  were  given  as  hostages  for  the  king,  and  remained 
captive  eleven49  years  in  the  custody  of  the  English.  The 
same  year  died  the  lady  Christiana  Bruce,  late  wife'  of  the 
famous  sir  Andrew  Murray,  guardian  of  Scotland,  while  he 
lived ;  and  both  are  buried  in  the  chapel  of  Our  Lady  of  Dun- 
fermline.  She  was  buried  there  in  the  year  1357 ;  but  he  pre- 
viously, as  already  said.  Now  the  queen  of  Scotland  asked 
leave  of  her  husband,  King  David,  to  go  on  a  pilgrimage  to 
St.  Thomas  of  Canterbury  and  to  visit  her  brother  Edward 
king  of  England,  called  of  Windsor.  So  she  went  away  to 
England,  and  remained  there  some  time,  and  died.  In  the 
latter  part  of  the  same  year  James  Lindsay,  after  he  had 
supped  with  Eoger  Kilpatrick  and  gone  to  bed  in  his  house, 
cheerfully  taking  leave  of  the  latter,  who  had  no  thought  of 
evil,  and  bidding  him  farewell  in  the  evening,  came  into  his 
room  at  night  with  lighted  caudles,  and  without  warning  slew 
and  murdered  the  said  Eoger.  But  James  fled  by  night,  and 
rode  through  the  whole  night,  thinking  he  would  be  forty 
leagues  away  from  the  spot  before  day ;  but  he  went  out  of  the 
straight  road,  and  was  captured  the  next  morning  by  the 
friends  of  the  said  noble  person,  Eoger,  near  the  said  spot,  about 
two  miles  off,  and  brought  before  King  David;  and  he  was 
without  delay  condemned  by  a  select  assize,  and  suffered 
capital  punishment.  At  this  time  there  were  such  floods  of 
rainwater  in  the  Lothians  as  had  never  been  seen  since  Noah's 
deluge,  and  they  did  much  damage.  At  that  time  also  King 
David  sent  ambassadors  to  the  apostolic  see,  in  order  to  get  a 
tithe  from  the  churches  of  the  kingdom  in  aid  of  his  ransom ; 
and  the  lord  pope  graciously  granted  him  this  tithe  for  the 
three  years  immediately  ensuing,  on  condition  that  he  should 
on  no  account  again  ask  anything  more  of  the  church  for  his 
ransom. 

CHAPTEE  XLV. 

Return  of  the  king  of  England  into  France. 

IN  the  year  1361,  at  the  Feast  of  the  Purification  of  Our 
Lady,  began  the  second  plague,  and  it  raged  until  the  next 
ensuing  Christmas,  wherein  likewise  nearly  a  third  of  mankind 
paid  the  debt  of  nature,  as  was  the  case  in  the  first  plague. 
King  David,  however,  for  fear  of  that  plague,  remained  in  the 
northern  parts  of  the  kingdom  until  the  end  thereof,  and  kept 
the  Christmas  festival  at  Kinloss,  where  a  disagreement  arose 
between  him  and  Thomas  earl  of  Mar,  and  he  took  into  his  hands 


232         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

the  castle  of  Kildmmmie,  outlawed  the  earl  out  of  the  king- 
dom, and  banished  him  to  England.  On  their  being  afterwards 
reconciled,  he  ordered  everything  to  be  restored  to  him.  The 
same  year  also  died  Thomas  earl  of  Angus,  not  only  through 
his  own  folly  in  following  the  advice  of  young  men,  but  also 
because,  through  his  retainers,  he  contrived  and  plotted  the 
death  of  the  king's  mistress,  Katherine  Mortimer ;  for,  though 
through  the  keeping  of  that  mistress  the  queen  was.  neglected 
and  many  other  evils  ensued,  yet  the  manner  of  committing 
the  crime  of  killing  her  was  too  outrageous,  seeing  that  she  was 
murdered  by  the  said  earl's  retainers  while  she  was  coming 
south,  riding  in  the  king's  company  and  train.  By  this  may 
be  seen  what  evils  are  brought  on  by  that  sin  of  adultery,  as 
saith  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  The  sword  shall  not  depart  from 
thy  house  for  ever,  seeing  thou  hast  despised  me  in  violating 
thy  neighbour's  bed.  Now  this  plague  also,  like  the  first,  was 
general  over  almost  the  whole  of  Christendom.  It  made  great 
ravages  in  England  also,  among  both  high  and  low  ;  and  many 
of  the  chief  men  of  Scotland,  who  were  there  as  hostages  for 
King  David,  died  there,  such  as  the  king's  nephew,  John  of 
Sutherland,  earl  of  that  ilk,50  the  only  son  of  his  mother,  and 
Thomas  earl  of  Murray,  with  great  numbers  of  other  nobles 
who  were  there.  See  then  how  adultery  displeases  the  Divine 
Majesty.  King  David,  who  was  an  open  fornicator,  never 
could  have  peace  or  happiness  or  prosperity  or  favour  during 
his  life,  or  secure  the  throne  in  the  lineal  succession  of  his 
body,  or  have  fruitfulness  or  plenty  in  his  time. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

King  David,  on  being  instructed  to  do  so,  urges  upon  the  three 
estates  that  Lionel,  son  of  the  king  of  England,  should 
succeed  him  on  the  throne  of  Scotland, 

THE  following  year  King  David  held  a  parliament  at  Scone, 
where  he  suggested  to  the  three  estates  that  they  should  con- 
sent to  the  son  of  the  king  of  England,  his  wife's  brother, 
Lionel  by  name,  as  his  successor  on  the  throne,  whereby  he 
became  very  unpopular  among  the  people.  To  this  they 
shortly  and  without  delay  or  consultation  answered  that  they 
would  not  have  this  man  reign  over  them ;  and  not  him  only, 
but  that  they  would  never  in  all  time  consent  that  an  English- 
man, whatever  his  rank  or  condition,  should  be  their  future 
king.  But  perhaps,  though  the  king  proposed  this  on  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX.         233 

strength  of  a  promise  given  during  his  captivity,  he  yet  would 
never  in  his  heart  have  willingly  assented  unto  it,  seeing  what 
they  had  done  of  old;  and  he  was  highly  pleased  with  the 
answer  of  the  three  estates,  although  he  made  believe  other- 
wise in  the  presence  of  the  English.  Nevertheless  much  dis- 
affection was  thereby  caused  in  the  country  and  laid  hold  of 
the  magnates,  so  that  the  magnates  of  the  kingdom  adopted  a 
secret  resolution  either  to  turn  the  king  from  views  of  that 
kind  or  banish  him  for  ever  from  the  throne;  and  this  was 
made  binding  between  them  by  oath  and  seal.  Accordingly 
the  chiefs  met  together,  assembled  an  army  and,  if  any  one 
would  not  side  with  them,  they  consigned  him  to  prison ;  and 
then  they  sent  ambassadors  to  the  king  to  learn  his  final  inten- 
tions. But  the  king  was  angry;  and,  lest  others  should  in 
future  take  example  from  this,  he  on  the  other  hand  assembled 
his  partisans,  and  had  a  general  edict  proclaimed  ;  and  he  went 
in  pursuit  of  them,  intending  to  put  them  all  to  death  or  to 
punish  them  with  perpetual  banishment  and  dispossession. 
On  thinking  over  the  matter,  however,  because  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  country  and  many  other  disadvantages  and  losses 
which  would  ensue,  the  king,  who  was  kindly  and  merciful, 
dealt  more  mildly  with  them,  mercifully  forgiving  them  this  time, 
bethinking  him  that  it  is  very  noble  in  a  king  to  have  mercy 
when  he  might  revenge.  And  so  he  was  kindly  indulgent  to 
them,  they  having  renewed  the  oath  of  fealty,  lest  they  should 
do  such  things  in  future.  But  after  this  the  king  called  the 
great  men  of  the  kingdom  together  at  Inchmurthow  (Inchmur- 
doch),  and  had  the  oaths  of  fealty  renewed  by  all  on  the  14th 
of  January  of  that  same  year.  When  therefore  this  was 
settled,  King  David  set  about  espousing  Margaret  Logie, 
daughter  of  sir  Malcolm  Drummond,61  a  noble  and  most 
beautiful  lady,  at  Inchmurthow;  and  he  raised  her  to  the 
throne  with  great  magnificence  as  queen.  He  did  not,  how- 
ever, stay  very  long  with  her  before  again  getting  a  divorce, 
because  she  pretended  to  be  with  child  and  was  not.  This 
was  about  the  Feast  of  Fasten's  Even,  in  the  year  1369.  But 
the  queen  did  not  consent  to  getting  this  divorce,  but  secretly 
embarked  in  a  little  vessel  and  went  to  the  Roman  Curia. 
As,  however,  the  papal  court  was  at  that  time  at  Avignon,  she 
appeared  there  to  state  her  case  and  complain,  and  troubled 
the  whole  kingdom  of  Scotland  with  her  suit.  For  the  queen's 
case  commended  itself  so  much  to  the  supreme  pontiff  and  the 
cardinals  that,  had  she  lived,  the  whole  kingdom  would  have 
been  put  under  an  interdict,  and  a  marriage  would  have  been 
celebrated  between  her  and  the  king  of  England,  who  had 


234         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  IX. 

then  no  wife.62  On  her  account  King  David  had  had  the 
three  sons  of  his  nephew  Kobert  Stewart  arrested,  together 
with  their  father,  and  placed  singly  in  close  imprisonment. 
But,  when  he  heard  of  her  death  at  the  court  of  the  supreme 
pontiff,  they  were  set  at  liberty  and  restored  to  the  king's 
favour.  After  this  King  David  ruled  his  kingdom  admirably, 
amended  the  laws,  chastised  the  rebels,  and  lived  in  peace  and 
tranquillity ;  and  towards  the  close  of  his  life  he  vowed  to  go 
to  the  Holy  Land.  Nevertheless,  before  he  had  fulfilled  his 
promised  undertaking,  the  Supreme  Artificer  and  Almighty 
Lord,  who  directs  and  orders  all  things  by  His  nod,  made  that 
king  pay  the  debt  of  nature  at  the  will  of  his  Creator,  in  the 
forty-seventh  year  of  his  age  and  the  thirty-ninth  of  his  reign, 
at  Edinburgh  Castle;  and  he  lies  honourably  buried  in  the 
choir  of  the  monastery  of  Holyrood. 


End  of  Book  IX. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         235 


BOOK  X. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Coronation  of  Edbert  Stewart. 

AFTER  the  death  of  that  great  prince  King  David  Bruce,  the 
magnates  of  Scotland  met  together  at  linlithgow  in  order  to 
deliberate  on  the  right  of  succession  to  the  throne  of  Scotland ; 
and  they  unanimously  agreed  with  one  accord  upon  this  right 
of  succession,  and  resolved  that  sir  Robert  Stewart,  King 
David's  nephew,  was  their  lawful  future  king,  according  to  the 
tailzie  made  in  open  parliament  by  the  common  consent  of  the 
magnates  of  the  realm  in  the  presence  of  sir  Robert  Bruce  of 
famous  memory,  and  afterwards  confirmed  and  approved  by 
the  common  consent  of  all  the  great  men  of  the  kingdom.  On 
the  other  hand,  however,  William  Douglas  opposed  it  with  all 
his  might,  saying  that  the  right  of  succession  to  the  throne  of 
Scotland  should  come  to  himself  through  Edward  Balliol.  He 
was  indeed  a  great  man  in  the  southern  parts  of  Scotland,  being 
earl  of  Douglas.  Nevertheless  there  rose  up  against  him  and 
his  opinion  the  earls  of  March  and  of  Murray  and  the  lord 
Erskine,  who  were  at  that  time  wardens  of  the  castles  of  Stir- 
ling, Edinburgh  and  Dumbarton,  together  with  the  greater  part 
of  the  lords,  prelates  and  magnates  of  Scotland.  Seeing  that 
he  could  not  well  succeed  in  this,  as  he  had  unadvisedly  thrust 
himself  into  it  against  the  feeling  of  the  magnates  and  lords  of 
the  realm,  the  said  earl  of  Douglas,  by  the  advice  of  prelates 
and  others  of  his  friends,  held  his  peace,  and  it  was  agreed  that 
James  Douglas,  his  eldest  son  and  heir,  should  ally  himself  by 
marriage  with  the  said  Robert's  daughter  in  lawful  bed  begotten ; 
and  that  he  should  obey  the  aforesaid  Robert,  the  future  king, 
in  all  things,  and  give  his  full  consent  to  his  succession  to  the 
throne ;  and  so  the  affair  was  settled.  At  the  following  Feast  of 


236         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

the  Annunciation  of  Our  Lady  they  crowned  the  aforesaid  Robert 
Stewart  king  with  the  greatest  solemnity  at  Scone.  He  was 
right  noble,  handsome,  and  had  a  fine  figure,  and  was  amiable 
and  popular  with  every  one.  In  his  time  there  was  great  fruit- 
fulness  and  plenteousness  of  wealth,  peace  and  prosperity,  and 
friendly  unity  among  the  magnates  of  the  realm.  He  begat 
many  sons  and  daughters ;  and  he  delighted  in  the  chase  and  in 
fowling.  But  because  he  begat  many  children  outside  the 
bands  of  wedlock,  therefore  they  did  not  turn  out  so  well  in 
the  end,  as  will  be  seen  later.  Whoever  would  ask  or  know 
more  of  the  begetting  of  bastards,  let  him  look  in  the  books  of 
Solomon  what  he  says.  Hence  a  certain  poet,  speaking  of 
bastards,  has  the  following  lines : — 

In  bastards,  character  three  stamps  receives : 
They  're  always  pompous,  lecherous,  or  thieves. 

After  these  things  the  English,  who  are  ever  venomous  and 
deadly  and  foes  to  peace,  during  a  truce  killed  a  certain  famous 
and  renowned  squire,  Dunbar  by  name,  cousin  of  the  earl  of 
March,  in  the  public  market-place  at  Roxburgh.  But,  because 
the  English  wardens  of  the  marches  would  not  do  justice  at 
the  request  and  instance  of  the  earl,  but  answered  jeeringly, 
the  earl  of  March  himself,  after  long  pretending  he  did  not 
wish  to  resent  this  in  any  way,  assembled  an  army  and  came 
very  craftily  one  market-day,  when  the  English  were  flocking 
to  that  place  in  immense  crowds  and  bringing  untold  goods 
and  merchandise  to  the  fair.  He  then  surrounded  and  hemmed 
in  the  town  of  Roxburgh  when  the  crowd  of  people  was 
thickest,  and  made  such  slaughter  and  pillage  of  the  English 
at  the  said  fair,  that  not  a  single  one  of  those  who  were  there 
escaped  out  of  his  hands;  nor  did  he  give  quarter  to  any 
male,  but  massacred  them  all  and  delivered  them  to  the  edge 
of  the  sword ;  and  even  such  as  retreated  into  the  houses  and 
defended  themselves  he  burnt  to  death.  Thus  he  repaid  the 
English ;  and  he  wrested  from  them  untold  wealth,  and  mar- 
vellously enriched  his  men.  Thus  he  taught  them  a  lesson  in 
observing  truces.  But  from  that  day  the  truce  was  broken, 
and  on  all  sides  of  the  marches  there  were  daily  forays,  ravages, 
massacres  and  burnings ;  so  that  on  both  sides  they  wofully 
wasted  the  country  by  mutual  slaughter  without  respite ;  and 
especially  the  land  of  the  lord  of  Gordon  they  everywhere 
turned  into  a  wilderness,  for  he  was  the  ringleader  at  Roxburgh 
at  the  holding  of  the  Bloody  Fair.  He,  on  the  other  hand,  did 
not  let  those  English  fool  him  or  go  unpunished.  Nay,  he 
returned  the  compliment  by  attacking  them  with  even  more 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         237 

fierceness,  and  carried  off  all  their  property  within  the  limits 
of  the  eastern  marches.  A  certain  knight,  however,  John  de 
Liburn  (Lilburn)  by  name,  to  whom  the  alarm  had  been  given, 
came  upon  him  unawares  with  a  strong  force  of  men-at-arms 
and,  blocking  the  path  of  the  Scots,  challenged  them  to  fight. 
But  tliis  lord  of  Gordon  gained  the  victory,  though  with  great 
difficulty  and  much  slaughter,  and  divided  their  spoil  after 
making  great  slaughter ;  and  he  went  home  again  to  his  own 
country  with  glory  and  great  riches.  The  said  lord  of  Gordon 
was,  however,  wounded  in  various  places. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Base  flight  of  Henry  Percy  earl  of  Northumberland. 

SIR  HENRY  PERCY,  earl  of  Northumberland,  unable  to  brook 
the  disasters  and  grievous  harrying  of  the  English,  assembled 
his  forces  to  the  number  of  seven  thousand  men-at-arms, 
penetrated  into  Scotland,  and  overran  the  whole  land  of  the 
earl  of  Dunbar,  wasting  it  with  fire  and  sword.  Marching  on 
thence  the  first  night  as  far  as  Dunse  Park,  he  encamped  there. 
Hither  came  some  cunning  lads,  varlets  and  youths  of  the 
country  with  some  of  their  dependents,  about  midnight,  with  a 
fearful  noise  from  a  certain  instrument  which  in  Scotland  is 
called  Clochbolg,  and  with  horn  trumpets ;  and  they  went  up  to 
the  troop  of  horses  and  made  such  a  fearful  noise  that  the 
horses  were  exceedingly  terrified  and  bewildered,  broke  their 
fastenings,  bits,  bridles  and  reins,  as  seized  with  a  panic,  and, 
leaving  their  masters  on  foot  in  the  said  park  of  Dunse,  at 
once  bolted  off  bodily  to  English  ground,  and  never  came 
back  again.  But  the  lord  Percy  [and  his  men],1  dazed  with 
fear  and  thinking  the  Scottish  army  was  close  upon  them,  were 
awake  and  on  their  feet  the  whole  night  under  arms  and  ready 
to  do  battle.  In  the  morning,  however,  seeing  that  their  horses 
had  been  stampeded  off  to  England  beyond  recall,  while  some 
had  been  captured  on  the  way,  they  shouldered  their  lances 
and  hastened  back  again  ingloriously  on  foot  in  their  armour. 
Thus  was  the  earl  Percy  compelled  shamefully  to  take  to  flight 
home  to  England.  Now  these  youths'  stratagem  is  very  highly 
spoken  of ;  so  it  is  a  good  thing  in  warfare  to  act  not  always 
with  valour  and  might,  but  sometimes  with  shrewdness  and 
ingenuity.  In  the  year  1372  a  wind  called  that  of  St.  Nicholas 
burst  upon  Scotland,  and  overturned  and  blew  down  houses 
and  churches  and  everything  else  fixed  in  the  ground,  such  as 


238         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

trees,  towers,  the  pinnacles  of  the  temple,  causing  inestim- 
able damage.  The  same  year  Queen  Euphemia  was  crowned 
at  Scone.  She  was  the  mother  of  the  traitor  earl  of  Athol  who 
was  privy  to  the  death  of  King  James  I.,  and  daughter  of  the 
earl  of  Ross.  We  shall  speak  in  due  time  of  this  earl's  end. 
Of  her  the  king  begat  Earl  David  of  Strathern,  who  was  the 
father  of  the  countess  of  that  ilk  who  was  afterwards  the 
spouse  of  sir  William  Graham's  brother,  which  brother  of  sir 
William  Graham  was  earl  in  right  of  his  wife,  and  begat  of  her 
sons  and  daughters ;  and  he  was  afterwards  betrayed  into 
confidence  and  murdered  by  some  brothers  of  the  name  of 
Oliphant,  who  also  afterwards  were  punished  with  the  penalty 
of  death.  In  the  year  1378  a  very  great  schism  arose  in  the 
Boman  Curia,  and  lasted  until  the  election  of  Pope  Martin  v., 
that  is  to  say  sixty-eight  years.  In  the  year  of  the  said  schism 
the  great  church  of  Saint  Andrews,  which  was  built  entirely  of 
lead,  was  burned  down  at  the  Feast  of  the  Virgin  Thekla,  at 
the  hour  of  high  mass,  by  the  lightning,  or  by  the  birds'  nests 
under  the  leaden  roof  and  rafters  catching  fire  from  the  heat  of 
the  blazing  sun,  as  is  conjectured.2  The  same  year  the  town  of 
Berwick  was  retaken  by  the  Scots.  The  same  year,  in  1379,3 
was  born  David  duke  of  Rothesay,  who  was  afterwards  starved 
to  death  by  his  uncle  Robert  duke  of  Albany.  The  following 
year  William  earl  of  Douglas  assembled  an  army  at  the  festival 
of  the  fair  of  the  town  of  Penrith  and,  without  warning  to  the 
townsfolk,  surrounded  the  town,  plundered  it  and  burnt  it 
down,  and  slew,  captured  and  carried  off  many  of  the  towns- 
folk, peasantry  and  merchants.  Some  of  the  Scots,  however, 
perished  through  their  own  fault,  having  been  left  behind  in  the 
town  through  covetoiisness  or  drunkenness  or  otherwise.  Let 
men  in  future  therefore  be  warned  against  such  things  by  the 
example  of  others.  The  same  year  also  began  the  third  plague, 
wherein  likewise  a  great  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  kingdom 
were  swept  away  by  pestilence.  At  the  beginning  of  the  fol- 
lowing year  the  English  entered  the  western  districts  of  Scot- 
land with  a  great  host  of  men-at-arms,  and  did  much  harm ; 
but  the  countrymen  of  that  province  assembled  their  forces 
and  fell  upon  them  suddenly  in  a  certain  strong  place,  making 
great  havoc  of  them,  taking  some  and  slaying  others,  and 
returned  safely,  bringing  with  them  their  booty  and  prisoners. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         239 

CHAPTER  III. 

Ambassadors  of  the  king  of  France  sent  into  Scotland.4 

IN  the  year  1381  King  Robert  sent  Walter  Wardlaw  bishop 
of  Glasgow  and  cardinal,  together  with  others,  to  Charles  king 
of  France,  to  renew  the  ancient  treaties  between  the  kingdoms, 
in  the  following  words : — 

We  Charles,  by  the  grace  of  God  king  of  the  French,  make 
known  to  all  and  singular  who  shall  see  or  hear  these  letters 
that,  whereas,  among  other  means  whereby  kings  reign  and  king- 
doms are  governed,  it  is  expedient  and  necessary  that  treaties 
and  ties  of  firm  friendship  should  be  knit  between  princes, 
whereby  those  who  would  bring  trouble  upon  their  subjects 
may  be  the  more  stoutly  withstood  and  their  mischievous 
attempts  the  more  easily  met,  and  so  peace  and  tranquillity 
among  Christ's  people  may  be  preserved  and  may  ensue  there- 
from, We  therefore,  looking  to  the  hearty  friendship  and  alli- 
ance contracted  and  established  from  times  long  past  between 
Our  predecessors,  kings  of  France  and  Scotland,  as  well  as 
between  the  realms,  inhabitants  and  communities  of  the  said 
kingdoms,  and  wishing  therefore  most  earnestly  that  the  said 
friendship  and  alliance  should  be  renewed,  held  to,  kept,  con- 
tinued and  firmly  and  amicably  consolidated  with  the  venera"ble 
father  in  Christ  the  bishop  of  Glasgow,  Our  particular  friend, 
and  Archibald  Douglas,  knight,  cousin  to  the  said  king  of  Scot- 
land, master  Adam  Tyningham,  dean  of  the  church  of  Aberdeen, 
procurators  specially  deputed  therefor  and  ambassadors  of  Our 
said  dearest  brother  and  ally  and  beloved  cousin,  the  renowned 
king  of  Scots,  and  having  therein  his  authority  and  special 
mandate  and  powers,  as  is  contained  in  the  words  following : 
We,  Robert,  by  the  grace  of  God  king  of  Scots,  make  known  to 
all  by  these  presents  that,  whereas  from  times  long  past  a 
friendship  and  alliance  has  been  contracted  and  faithfully  pre- 
served between  Us  and  the  illustrious  prince,  the  king  of  the 
French,  and  between  Our  grandfather  and  the  said  king's  grand- 
father and  the  kingdom  and  people  of  those  realms,  and  We 
wish  that  it  should  in  future  be  inviolably  preserved  and  con- 
tinued in  time  to  come  as  it  has  been  preserved  and  continued 
in  time  past,  therefore  We  give  and  grant  and  by  these  pre- 
sents appoint  Our  beloved,  etc.,  Our  true  and  lawful  procurators, 
agents,  factors  and  managers  of  Our  affairs  and  special  ambas- 
sadors and  envoys  to  accomplish  and  negotiate  all  the  aforesaid 
matters  which  have  to  be  done,  negotiated  and  accomplished 


240         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

in  the  aforesaid  business ;  bestowing  upon  them  Our  free,  full 
and  general  powers  and  special  mandate  for  Us,  the  prelates, 
lords  and  community  of  Our  kingdom  of  Scotland,  and  parti- 
cularly for  renewing,  continuing,  enlarging  and  improving 
the  aforesaid  alliance  and  adding  whatever  should  be  added, 
according  to  the  tenour  of  the  articles  exhibited  unto  them  by 
Us  and  Our  council,  giving  and  granting,  etc.,  according  to  the 
tenour  of  the  mandate,  etc.,  and  for  the  preservation  and 
renewal  thereof,  and,  according  to  the  tenour  of  the  mandate, 
for  taking  an  oath,  upon  Our  soul  and  that  of  the  others  of  Our 
realm  whom  it  concerns,  scrupulously  to  observe  all  and 
singular;  therefore  We,  Charles  king  of  France,  have  treated 
with  the  aforesaid  envoys,  and  have  agreed  to  the  following 
effect,  to  wit  that  We,  Our  heirs  and  successors,  kings  of  France, 
Our  kingdom  and  Our  communities,  as  well  as  Our  said  cousin, 
his  heirs  and  successors,  and  the  kingdom  and  the  communities 
of  the  same,  are  in  good  faith  held  and  bound  to  one  another, 
by  a  bond  of  union  and  friendship,  to  do,  give  and  procure 
assistance,  counsel  and  encouragement  by  everything  in  our 
power,  as  we  are  faithfully  bound  one  to  another.  And  foras- 
much as  the  king  of  England  and  his  predecessors  have  very 
often  attempted  and  made  every  effort  to  harass  and  injure  the 
said  kingdoms  of  France  and  Scotland,  in  order  to  check  and 
hinder  the  said  attempts  and  outrages  aforesaid,  we  are  mutually 
tied  and  bound,  so  that  whenever  Our  said  cousin,  the  king  of 
Scots,  his  heirs  and  successors,  kings  of  Scotland,  the  kingdom 
and  the  communities  of  the  same  are  in  need  of  help  or  advice, 
in  time  of  peace  or  war,  against  the  said  king  of  England  or 
his  heirs,  successors  or  subjects,  We  shall  help  and  advise  him 
so  far  as  We  are  able,  even  as  We  are  faithfully  held  and  bound 
as  allies  to  Our  said  cousin,  his  heirs  and  successors,  kings  of 
Scotland,  and  likewise  to  the  kingdom  and  the  communities  of 
the  same.  Also,  if  war  should  break  out  between  Us  or  Our 
successors,  kings  of  France,  or  Our  kingdom  and  the  king  of 
England  or  his  successors,  Our  said  cousin  the  king  of  Scotland, 
his  heirs  or  successors,  being  kings,  shall  be  held  bound  to 
wage  war  with  their  whole  forces  upon  the  said  king  of 
England  and  his  heirs  and  successors  on  the  throne  of  England, 
so  soon  as  he  can  be  certified  of  the  outbreak  of  such  war  by  a 
sufficient  writing,  truthful  information,  or  common  report ;  the 
truce  between  the  kingdoms  of  Scotland  and  England  now 
presently  made  being,  however,  altogether  voided  and  ended, 
or  otherwise  annulled  or  broken  by  any  fault  of  the  English. 
And  in  like  manner  We  and  Our  successors,  kings  of  France, 
shall  be  held  to  make  war  with  our  whole  forces  against  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         241 

said  king  of  England,  his  heirs  and  successors,  and  the  king- 
dom of  England,  so  soon  as  we  shall  be  truly  certified  or 
can  be  certified,  as  stated  above,  war,  however,  having  first 
broken  out  between  the  said  kings  of  Scotland  and  England, 
and,  as  before,  the  truce  being  ended,  as  above,  or  otherwise 
howsoever  broken  or  annulled.  Also  that  We  and  Our  suc- 
cessors, kings  of  France,  shall  not  suffer  nor  in  any  way  tolerate 
that  any  of  our  subjects  should  do  or  give  any  assistance, 
advice  or  countenance  to  the  aforesaid  king  of  England  and  his 
heirs  and  successors,  auxiliaries  or  allies,  or  go  with  him  or 
assist  him  for  pay,  or  in  any  other  way  without  pay,  which 
might  benefit  him,  the  king  of  England,  and  injure  the  said  king 
of  Scotland ;  or  even  to  any  other  persons  whatever,  enemies, 
adversaries  or  rebels  to  him,  Our  said  cousin,  or  his  heirs  and 
successors,  who  shall  inflict  any  outrage  upon  the  kingdom  of 
the  same  or  the  communities  of  the  same,  or  any  wrong  or 
damage  whatever,  or  otherwise  howsoever.  And  if,  after  the 
general  prohibition  and  interdict  decreed  in  the  premises,  any 
one  of  Ours  shall  be  found  guilty,  he  who  has  acted  or  does  act 
to  the  contrary  shall  be  taken  and  punished  as  a  traitor  and 
rebel  against  his  prince  and  country,  and  shall  never  after  find 
grace,  favour  or  forgiveness  for  this  manner  of  treachery. 


CHAPTEE   IV. 

Same  continued. 

ALSO  that  adversaries  and  notorious  rebels  to  Us  or  Our  suc- 
cessors, kings  of  France,  or  to  Our  said  cousin,  the  king  of 
Scotland,  or  his  kingdom,  shall  neither  openly  nor  privately  be 
received  within  the  kingdom  or  dominions  of  the  other,  so  soon 
as  one  of  the  kings  shall  be  required  by  the  other ;  but  We  shall 
keep  and  win,  to  the  best  of  Our  ability,  all  Our  friends  and 
allies  and  all  Our  adherents  to  the  love  and  assistance  of  Our 
said  cousin,  the  king  of  Scots,  and  his  successors  and  the  com- 
munity of  his  realm ;  and  We  shall  no  less  prevent,  as  best  We 
may,  any  abuse,  slight,  affront  or  insult  towards  them.  Also, 
that  We  shall  not  be  able  to  have  a  truce  with  the  said  king  of 
England,  his  heirs  or  successors,  without  the  consent  of  the 
said  king  of  Scotland,  Our  cousin,  and  of  his  heirs  and  suc- 
cessors, until  that  king  and  the  kingdom  and  the  communities 
of  the  same  be  included  in  the  said  truce,  or  themselves  refuse 
to  be  included  in  the  said  truce.  Also,  that  We  shall  not  be 
able  to  make  peace  with  the  said  king  of  England  or  his 

Q 


242         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

heirs  or  successors  without  the  express  consent  of  Our  said 
cousin,  as  aforesaid,  until  the  king  of  Scotland  himself  and 
the  communities  of  the  same  and  his  heirs  and  successors  be 
plenarily  included  in  the  aforesaid  peace.  Also,  in  case  Our  said 
cousin  depart  this  life  without  an  heir  procreated  of  his  body, 
and  there  arise  a  dispute  among  any  persons  as  to  the  heredi- 
tary right  of  succession  to  the  throne,  in  that  case  We  shall 
not  espouse  the  cause  of  any  one  of  them,  nor  shall  We  suffer 
any  one  or  more  of  them  to  be  assisted  by  Our  subjects,  until 
their  right  have  been  fully  discussed  by  the  prelates  and  great 
men  of  Scotland,  according  to  the  laws,  jurisprudence  and 
statutes  of  the  kingdom ;  and  him  whom  they  or  the  major  and 
sounder  part  of  them  shall  have  voted  for  as  their  king,  We 
likewise  shall  hold,  have  and  accept  as  Our  allied  king  and 
friend.  And  if  any  of  his  adversaries,  through  the  might  of  the 
king  of  England,  his  heirs  or  successors,  wage  war  against  him 
or  his  kingdom,  We  shall,  to  the  best  of  our  ability,  support 
this  king  against  such,  and  help  and  defend  him  against  all  his 
adversaries,  enemies  and  their  adherents,  in  accordance  with 
the  text  of  the  aforenamed  alliance  and  the  circumstances  of 
the  said  alliances.  Also,  We  shall  moreover  take  care  that  this 
alliance  be  approved,  ratified  and  confirmed  in  the  foregoing 
form  by  the  apostolic  authority ;  and  We  shall  take  care  that 
neither  We  nor  Our  successors,  either  openly  or  privately, 
either  of  ourselves  or  through  others,  cause  or  induce  Ourselves 
or  Our  successors,  Our  kingdom  or  Our  subjects,  to  be  in  any 
wise  absolved  from  the  oath  hereunto  sworn  or  to  be  sworn,  or 
from  the  observance  or  continuance  of  the  same  between  the 
said  kings  and  their  kingdoms  and  communities,  as  aforesaid. 
But  if  the  most  holy  apostolic  father,  whether  of  his  own 
accord  or  moved  or  induced  thereunto  by  any  other  persons, 
should  wish  to  absolve  Us  or  Our  successors,  or  Our  kingdom  or 
subjects  from  the  aforesaid  oath,  or  in  any  wise  annul  that 
oath,  yet  We,  Our  successors  or  subjects  shall  not  be  at  liberty, 
nor  ought  We,  in  any  manner  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  benefit 
of  such  absolution ;  but  We  shall  faithfully  keep  and  observe 
these  alliances  and  oaths,  so  contracted,  in  their  every  point 
and  article,  without  fraud,  falsehood  or  ill-will  whatsoever,  to 
endure  for  all  time,  and  shall  never  of  Ourselves  or  by  others 
say,  do  or  speak  anything  to  the  contrary,  any  more  than  if  the 
said  absolution  had  never  been  spoken  of,  or  that  such  absolu- 
tion and  cancellation  had  never  been  obtained  or  given.  And 
furthermore  We  promise  in  good  faith  to  keep,  observe  and 
fulfil  all  the  aforesaid  and  each  of  them,  in  so  far  as  it  concerns 
or  may  concern  Us  or  Our  part ;  and  also,  in  the  presence  of  Us 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  X.         243 

and  the  procurators  of  Our  said  cousin,  the  king  of  Scotland,  by 
Our  beloved  liege,  knight  and  councillor,  Simon  count  de  Braine, 
We  have  caused  an  oath  to  be  sworn  upon  Our  soul,  on  God's  holy 
gospels,  to  faithfully  and  steadfastly  fulfil  and  observe  the  fore- 
going ;  and,  that  all  this  should  become  firm  and  stable  for  the 
future,  We  have  caused  Our  seal  to  be  affixed  to  these  presents. 
These  were  given  and  done  in  Our  castle  of  Bois  de  Vincennes, 
near  Our  town  of  Paris,  on  the  last  day  of  June  in  the  year  of 
grace  138 1.6 

During  this  time  a  truce  was  made  between  Scotland  and 
England  at  the  town  of  Berwick,  at  the  instance  of  the  English, 
for  a  term  of  three  years  next  to  come,  by  the  duke  of  Lan- 
caster, to  whom  came  news  from  England  which  did  not  please 
him  much. 

CHAPTER  V. 

An  English  peasant  attacks  and  slays  nobles  and  magnates. 

IN  the  above  year,  before  the  aforenamed  envoys  were  sent, 
an  English  peasant,  named  Jack  Straw,  together  -with  great 
crowds  of  other  peasants,  rose  against  the  new  king  Richard,  the 
second  of  this  name,  arrested  him  by  force  of  arms,  and  placed 
him  under  arrest  in  their  own  custody  in  London :  and  they 
cruelly  murdered  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  many 
noble  knights  and  squires  and  barons,  and  levelled  his  manor 
to  the  ground;  for  they  hated  him  beyond  all  mortal  men. 
Their  leader  was  Jack  Straw,  a  man  ready  for  incredible 
mischief  of  all  kinds.  But  the  duke  of  Lancaster,  on  hearing 
this — that  the  peasants  had  sworn  his  death — turned  his  steps 
Scotlandwards  and  entered  Scotland  on  the  faith  of  a  safe 
conduct;  and  they  received  him  with  all  honour  and  lodged 
him  at  the  monastery  of  Holyrood.  About  the  same  time  sir 
John  Lyon,  lord  of  Glammis,  was  foully  murdered  by  sir 
James  Lindsay,  at  night,  when  naked  in  bed  and  unsuspecting. 
But  Richard  king  of  England  sent  envoys  to  Scotland  to  the 
duke  of  Lancaster,  directing  him  to  return  to  England;  for 
that  force  of  peasants  had  been  dispersed  by  a  certain  knight, 
the  mayor  of  London,  who  slew  the  said  peasant  and  his 
accomplices.  In  the  year  1384,  the  term  of  the  truce  being 
at  an  end,  Archibald  Douglas,  lord  of  Galloway,  seeing  the 
wrongs  and  massacres  inflicted  upon  his  men  by  the  English, 
assembled  an  army  of  his  friends  and  besieged  and  took  Loch- 
maben  Castle,  which  he  straightway  razed  to  the  ground. 
Seeing  this,  the  English  sent  a  knight,  the  baron  of  Gray- 
stock,  fearing  the  Scots  would  likewise  take  by  force  the  castle 


244         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

of  Koxburgh.  But,  when  he  was  thus  coining  with  chariots 
and  horsemen,  together  with  all  his  house  and  household 
utensils,  the  earl  of  March  came  with  an  armed  force  sud- 
denly upon  him  of  set  purpose,  and  carried  him  off  with 
him ;  and,  killing  and  breaking  up  all  his  party,  taking  some 
prisoners,  slaying  others  and  putting  some  to  flight,  he  annihi- 
lated them  at  a  place  which  is  called  Benrig,  and  brought  their 
spoil  with  him  to  Dunbar.  This  roused  the  king  of  England 
and  the  whole  of  the  great  men  of  the  kingdom,  who,  seeing 
how  unbearable  were  the  doings  of  the  Scots,  and  seeing  and 
reflecting  that  King  Eichard  n.  was  a  young  man,  by  common 
consent  of  the  king  and  barons  ordained  and  appointed  Henry 
duke  of  Lancaster,  King  Eichard's  uncle,  protector  and  defender 
of  England  against  the  attacks  of  the  Scots  until  the  king 
should  be  of  age  ;6  and,  in  retaliation  for  the  aforesaid  disasters, 
they  ordered  him  to  harry  with  fire  and  sword,  without  any 
mercy,  the  whole  land  of  Scotland  as  far  as  the  Scottish  sea 
(Firth  of  Forth),  with  an  immense  force  of  men-at-arms,  which 
he  accordingly  did.  But,  while  he  was  in  Scotland,  he  did  them 
as  little  harm  as  he  could,  on  account  of  the  great  courtesy  and 
kindness  he  himself  had  formerly  received  in  Scotland.  It  was 
the  Passion  Week  of  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  year  1385 
of  Our  Lord's  aforesaid  Passion,  when  he  came  in. 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

Arrival  of  Henry  duke  of  Lancaster,  uncle  of  the  king  of 
England. 

IN  the  above  year,  namely  1385,  Henry  duke  of  Lancaster, 
afterwards  king  of  England,  entered  Scotland  with  a  very  large 
force  of  men-at-arms,  both  by  land  and  by  sea,  and  came  as  far  as 
Edinburgh,  bringing  his  war  fleet  with  his  provisions  to  Leith. 
The  English  indeed,  with  their  wonted  malignity,  intended 
that  the  aforesaid  town  of  Edinburgh  should  be  burnt  down. 
Duke  Henry,  however,  would  not  have  this,  and  did  all  he 
could  to  prevent  it  So  the  burgesses,  seeing  his  noble  courtesy, 
appointed  that  a  certain  sum  of  money  should  be  given  to  the 
said  duke,  that  he  might  regale  his  men  therewith ;  and  on  all 
sides  they  presented  these,  namely,  the  said  lord  duke  and  the 
chiefs  of  his  army,  with  many  choice  things  to  boot.  But  it 
came  to  pass  that  a  great  bark  out  of  his  war  fleet  committed 
many  outrageous  ravages  on  Saint  Columba's  island  of  Eumonia 
(Inchcolm),  and  entirely  stripped  the  said  place  both  of  the 
ornaments  of  the  church  and  of  the  furniture  of  the  place; 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         245 

and,  when  the  ruffians  would  have  burnt  down  the  church  and 
had  set  fire  to  a  house  adjoining  the  church,  a  strong  wind  blew 
the  flames  back  upon  them,  and  burnt  and  suffocated  them 
almost  all;  and  thus  Saint  Columba  by  a  miracle  saved  his 
church  from  being  burnt  down  by  them.  Nevertheless,  when 
these  same  ruffians  went  on  board  again  and  landed  at  Queens- 
i'erry,  where  they  committed  great  cruelties  and  barbarities, 
they  were,  some  of  them,  driven  back  to  their  ships  by  some 
nobles  of  the  country,  to  wit,  the  lords  Erskine  and  Kilmaurs, 
while  nearly  fifty  remained  on  the  field.  Afterwards  a  strong 
gale  burst  upon  their  sails,  the  ship  was  wrecked  on  the  rocks, 
and  all  but  the  skipper,  who  escaped  in  the  boat  with  two  men 
with  him,  were  swallowed  up  in  the  depths  of  the  sea;  and 
these  too,  being  again  cast  ashore  in  the  boat,  were  brought 
back  to  the  said  monastery  of  Saint  Columba,  and  the  chief 
actor  and  plunderer  of  the  church  went  out  of  his  mind  and 
made  known  his  wickedness,  showing  forth  a  miracle  in  the 
face  of  all,  and  put  an  end  to  his  life  in  a  strange  fit  of  mad- 
ness. It  was  he  who  with  his  own  hands  had  set  fire  to  the 
church.7  The  same  year  Berwick  Castle  was  taken  by  the 
Scots  at  night  in  the  month  of  September.  The  same  year  also 
Pope  Gregory  launched  a  sentence  of  excommunication  against 
Scotland,  against  all  who  appropriated  to  themselves  the  pro- 
perty of  bishops  after  their  death,  calling  themselves  their  heirs 
and  usurping  to  themselves  and  snatching  their  goods,  under 
the  pretext  of  a  certain  custom  or  contribution  which  will  be 
explained  further  on.  This  custom  was  abolished  in  modern 
times  by  King  James  n.,  who,  by  a  divine  inspiration,  granted 
the  bishops  free  and  full  power  to  make  wills,  and  approved, 
ratified  and  confirmed  it  unto  them  for  all  time  to  come.  The 
same  year  also  sir  Walter  Wardlaw,  bishop  of  Glasgow  and 
cardinal,  was  made  legate  a  latere  for  Scotland,  which  has  rarely 
been  seen :  he  was  specially  deputed  to  the  kingdoms  of  both 
Scotland  and  Ireland  with  full  powers.  About  the  same  time 
also,  William  earl  of  Douglas  brought  back  to  fealty  and  alle- 
giance to  the  king  of  Scotland  the  whole  country  of  Teviotdale, 
which  had  been  rendering  fealty  to  the  English  from  the  time 
of  the  battle  of  Durham  until  this  hour.  This  earl  was  after- 
wards seized  with  a  sudden  sickness  and  died  at  Douglas 
Castle ;  and  he  lies  buried  at  Melrose.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  son  James,  who  was  always  most  bitterly  hostile  to  the 
English,  and  who,  immediately  after  his  father's  death,  twice 
raided  in  force  into  England  as  far  as  Newcastle  and  wasted 
and  destroyed  everything. 


246          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAEDEN.   BOOK  X. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Arrival  of  the  French  into  Scotland  in  aid  of  the  Scots 
against  the  English. 

IN  the  year  1385  the  king  of  France,  beyond  measure 
rejoiced  at  the  success  of  the  Scots,  sent  a  certain  knight  of 
Burgundian  origin,  named  John  de  Vienne,  count  of  Valentinois 
and  admiral  of  France,  with  a  considerable  train  of  men-at- 
arms,  belted  chivalry,  eighty8  knights  with  their  followers, 
admirably  equipped,  as  was  meet,  and  ready  to  battle.  They 
landed  at  Dunbar  and  Leith,  and  presented  the  king,  who  was  at 
Edinburgh  with  his  magnates,  with  fifty9  complete  suits  of  armour 
from  the  king  of  France,  with  as  many  lances  and  targes ;  and 
they  also  handed  over  to  the  king  of  Scotland  from  the  king  of 
France,  as  a  free  gift  from  him,  fifty  thousand  francs  in  gold  in 
ready  money,  as  well  as  the  said  Frenchmen,  with  their  pay  fully 
and  entirely  paid  up  for  six  months  to  come,  and  the  sailors ;  and 
there  were  royal  letters  addressed  to  the  king,  telling  him  to  send 
them  on  service  in  his  war  against  the  English.  These  French- 
men, together  with  Archibald  Douglas  and  the  border  chief- 
tains, took  by  force  three  castles  on  the  borders,  namely  Wark, 
Ford  and  Cornuale,  and  after  taking  them  razed  them  to  the 
ground.  After  this,  this  same  admiral,  together  with  Archibald 
Douglas,  lord  of  Galloway,  and  with  a  very  large  force  of  men- 
at-arms,  seeing  that  he  was  guardian  of  Wester-March,  raided 
into  England  two  or  three  times  and  wrought  much  mischief. 
On  their  return,  they  first  proposed  to  besiege  the  castle  of 
Carlisle;  but,  assembling  a  larger  army,  they  laid  siege  to 
Roxburgh.  Here  the  general  and  commander  was  Robert 
Stewart,  the  king's  son,  earl  of  Fife  and  afterward  duke  of 
Albany ;  and  he  had  with  him  the  earls  of  Douglas  and  March, 
Archibald  Douglas,  lord  of  Galloway,  and  a  great  knightly  rout 
of  nobles.  But  there  arose  a  dispute  among  them  whether,  if 
the  castle  happened  to  be  taken,  it  should  remain  for  ever  with 
the  king  of  France,  or  be  converted  to  the  uses  of  the  king  of 
Scotland.  Some  indeed  said  the  French  offered  that  they 
themselves  should  recover  the  castle  entirely,  assigning  to  them 
either  the  honour  or  the  profit.  And  thus,  because  they  could 
not  agree,  they  returned  without  doing  anything ;  and  not  many 
days  after  this  the  Frenchmen  embarked  about  the  Feast  of  All 
Saints  and  returned  safely  to  France.  The  following  year 
Richard  king  of  England,  the  second  of  this  name,  being  nine- 
teen years  of  age,  entered  Scotland  about  the  Feast  of  Saint 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         247 

Lawrence,  and  attacked,  overthrew  and  ravaged  everything  in 
his  pride,  sparing  nothing,  saving  nothing,  sparing  neither  age, 
nor  order,  nor  religious  community.  He  pillaged  and  burnt 
down  many  churches  and  monasteries  and  other  sacred  places, 
such  as  Melrose,  Dryburgh,  Newbottle ;  he  also  destroyed  the 
noble  town  of  Edinburgh,  with  the  church  thereof  erected  in 
honour  of  Saint  Giles,  and  the  whole  of  Lothian ;  and  he 
returned  home  to  his  own  kingdom  without  loss,  having,  how- 
ever, before  his  departure,  in  like  manner  pillaged  and  burnt 
the  monastery  of  Holyrood.10  Wherefore,  and  by  the  vengeance 
of  God  alone,  this  King  Eichard  wandered  about  the  Scottish 
Isles  as  a  poor  beggar,  and  was  found  living  most  wretchedly 
for  a  while  in  a  certain  lord's  kitchen ;  and,  being  afterwards 
recognised  by  some  one,  he  was  brought  to  the  king  of  Scotland, 
and  there  ended  his  days  in  idiocy.  And  thus,  as  is  presumed, 
by  the  hidden  judgment  of  God  and  in  revenge  for  the  fore- 
going, his  uncle,  who  had  been  most  shamefully  exiled  and 
cast  out  from  the  kingdom  by  the  wickedness  and  power  of  the 
peasants,  put  an  end  to  his  life  in  great  wretchedness  among 
his  enemies,  according  to  the  word  of  the  prophet,  saying,  The 
Lord  delivered  them  into  the  hand  of  the  enemy,  and  they  who 
hated  them  had  dominion  over  them. 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

Acts  of  Robert  Stewart  earl  of  Fife. 

AFTER  the  English  king  Eichard's  return  into  England,  sir 
Eobert  Stewart  of  Fife,  the  king's  second  son,  gathered  unto 
him  from  all  parts  of  the  country  a  strong  body  of  men-at-arms, 
to  the  number  of  30,000,  with  whom  were  Archibald  Douglas 
of  Galloway,  Black  Archibald,  and  also  his  father  James  Douglas, 
earl  of  that  ilk.  They  entered  at  Solway,  between  the  seaboard 
and  the  hilly  parts  of  England,  and  advanced  unperceived 
through  a  fertile  and  inhabited  country,  overflowing  with 
wealth  of  all  kinds,  as  far  as  Cockermouth,  where  they  filled 
their  coffers  with  spoil  beyond  measure.  There  a  charter  was 
found  in  the  words  following :  /  king  Athilstane  giffis  heir  to 
Paulyn  Hodan  and  Rodan,  als  weil  and  als  fair  as  evir  thai 
myn  war ;  and  thairto  witnes  Mauld  my  wif,  and  thairto  my 
sele  I  gif,  etc.  Whence  afterwards  when,  through  the  tricks 
and  devices  of  the  world,  there  was  invented  another  fashion 
of  drawing  up  long-winded  charters,  which  would  be  read  in 
court  before  him  at  the  time  when  he  was  governor  of  Scotland, 


248          THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

he  was  wont  to  say  that  one  should  attach  more  faith  and  truth 
to  the  short  charters  than  to  the  long-winded  ones;  for  the 
greater  the  multitude  of  terms,  the  greater  the  difficulty  and 
confusion.  In  a  multitude  of  terms,  indeed,  frivolous  objec- 
tions may  be  taken,  which  are  excluded  by  a  paucity  of  terms. 
Now  this  Archibald  Douglas  had  one  son  named  William,  who 
was  a  very  celebrated  and  gallant  warrior,  and  harassed  the 
English  greatly ;  and,  on  account  of  his  prowess,  the  lord  king 
Robert  of  Scotland  gave  him  his  daughter  in  marriage,  and 
freely  bestowed  upon  them  the  lordship  of  Nithsdale  as  a  heri- 
tage for  ever.  She  was  called  Egidia  the  Fair ;  and  the  king 
of  France,  hearing  of  the  fame  of  her  name,  virtues  and  beauty, 
sent  a  certain  most  subtle  painter  to  paint  her  portrait  and 
portray  her  charms,  with  the  view  of  taking  her  to  wife ; 
but  she  was  already  secured  by  her  former  lover.  So  she 
married  the  aforesaid  William  Douglas,  who  of  her  begat  an 
only  daughter  whom  the  lord  earl  of  Orkney,  called  Henry 
Sinclair,  took  to  wife,  and  of  whom  he  begat  William  earl  of 
Orkney  and  a  great  many  other  sons  and  daughters.  And 
because  the  said  land  of  Nithsdale  was  in  some  way  diverted 
by  foul  means  from  the  proper  heirs,  King  James,  the  second 
of  this  name,  made  over  the  earldom  of  Caithness  to  the  afore- 
said sir  William  Sinclair  earl  of  Orkney,  as  compensation  for 
the  said  lordship  of  Nithsdale.  This  lady  was  called  The 
fair  Maiden  of  Nithsdale.  But  this  lady's  father,  being  very 
high  spirited,  served  in  repeated  campaigns  with  the  chivalry 
of  Prussia  on  the  borders  of  the  heathen  enemies  of  Christ.  At 
length  one  day  he  was  by  chance  found  by  the  English  taking 
a  walk  on  the  bridge  of  Dansekyn  (Danzig),  and  killed.  He 
indeed,  in  company  with  the  earl  of  Fife,  bore  himself  most 
bravely  at  Carlingford  in  Ireland,  where  they  gained  a  most 
brilliant  victory;  and  they  brought  back  safely  to  Scotland  much 
wealth,  with  ships  filled  with  riches. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Battle  of  Otterbum. 

AFTER  this  they  came  to  Scotland,  and  landed  at  Lochryan, 
pillaging  and  plundering  the  Isle  of  Man  on  their  way.  Then 
they  mounted  their  horses,  taking  with  them  some  of  the  most 
valiant  and  able  men  of  the  whole  country,  together  with  the 
lord  earl  of  Douglas11  and  also  the  earl  of  Fife,  then  in  England ; 
and  he  proposed  to  go  the  west  country  for  the  purpose  of 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         249 

laying  all  waste  with  fire  and  sword.  The  lord  earl  of  Douglas 
also  had  promised,  it  is  asserted,  that  he  and  his  should  at  the 
same  time  enter  the  district  of  Wester  March  in  the  army  of 
the  said  earl  of  Fife  and  also  of  the  said  William  Douglas. 
Led,  however,  by  no  one  knows  what  impulse  or  advice,  he 
assembled  his  forces  to  the  number  of  seven  thousand  stout 
men-at-arms  and,  being  too  high  spirited  and  relying  on  their 
assistance,  it  seemed  to  him  that  he  was  by  himself,  without 
other  help,  strong  enough  to  overrun  and  totally  subjugate  the 
northern  parts  of  England.  So  he  led  his  army  southwards  as 
far  as  Newcastle,  shattering  and  burning  and  slaying  every- 
thing; and  at  the  said  town  of  Newcastle,  in  attacking  the 
citizens  and  assaulting  the  town  and  fighting  hand  to  hand 
with  the  townsfolk,  they  bore  themselves  most  stoutly.  But 
within  the  aforesaid  town,  though  they  knew  nothing  of  it,  was 
the  whole  chivalry  of  Northumberland  with  sir  Henry  Percy 
the  son,  who  was  named  Henry  Hotspur,  and  who  was  waiting 
to  seize  a  fit  opportunity  to  fall  upon  the  Scottish  army.  Thus, 
when  the  earl  of  Douglas  was  making  his  way  home  and  had 
encamped  at  Otterburn  in  Redesdale,  this  Henry  Hotspur  fol- 
loweM,  and  first  prudently  caused  the  army  of  the  earl  of  Fife  to 
be  reconnoitred;  but,  as  he  was  too  strong  for  him,  he  turned  upon 
the  earl  of  Douglas.  The  latter,  having  no  foreboding  of  evil 
from  his  enemies,  proposed  to  go  to  the  festival  of  Saint  Cuthbert 
of  York,12  and  wished  to  bring  with  him  all  his  nobles,  namely, 
the  earls  of  March  and  Murray  and  many  others  who  accom- 
panied them.  So,  while  they  were  seated  at  supper  in  holiday 
attire,  in  flowing  robes  and  gowns  with  collars,  and  were  sitting 
joyously  like  peaceful  men,  lo !  suddenly  the  voice  of  one 
crying  in  great  haste,  "  Fools  and  dolts,  who  have  no  scouts  or 
sentries  outside  your  army,  rise  now  and  haste  to  arms.  Lo ! 
ye  are  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  your  enemies."  They  rose  at 
once  and  rushed  to  arms,  but  scarcely  could  a  bare  half  of 
them  arm  themselves.  The  earl  of  Douglas  also  rose,  and 
in  his  haste  could  hardly  lace  on  his  armour  or  fasten  it  with 
the  buckles,  owing  to  the  confusion  of  the  sudden  onslaught 
of  the  enemy;  so  he  rushed  forward  with  uncovered  face 
to  marshal  the  line  of  battle,  and  was  mortally  wounded  in 
the  face  in  the  dark,  by  whom  is  not  known,  whether  by  the 
Scots  or  by  the  English.  Accordingly  in  the  morning  he  was 
found  dead,  not  leaving  after  him  any  heir  of  his  body.  He 
was  succeeded  in  his  aforesaid  earldom  by  Black  Archibald, 
the  bastard  or  natural  son,  who  was  at  that  time  lord  of 
Galloway.  The  earl  of  Murray  also,  John  Dunbar,  who, 
through  overmuch  haste,  was  without  a  helmet,  was  lost. 


250         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

When  therefore  the  outcry  was  raised,  the  Scots,  as  it  were, 
turned  to  flee ;  and  sir  Maurice,  called  Sir  Maw  with  the  Red 
Mane,  and  sir  Robert  Ogle  were  to  have  pursued  them.  But, 
just  as  the  English  thought  they  had  gained  a  complete  victory 
over  the  whole  army,  the  earl  of  Douglas  and  many  of  the  most 
valiant  nobles,  keeping  out  of  sight  of  the  English,  charged 
them  in  the  glare  of  the  sun,  a  little  before  sunset,  engaged 
them  fearlessly  and  compelled  them  to  fall  back.  So,  when 
they  had  fought  thus  a  little  while,  the  Scots,  who  had  been  on 
the  point  of  flight,  kept  coming  back  little  by  little,  growing  in 
strength  and  numbers  and  attacking  the  English  army,  until  at 
last  they  compelled  the  army  of  Henry  Hotspur  to  retreat  in 
flight.  For  he  had  divided  his  army  into  two  parts,  thinking 
the  Scots  would  turn  and  flee  at  once :  one  part  was  to  chase 
the  fugitives,13  and  the  other  part  he  kept  with  him — five 
thousand  men-at-arms  in  each  division.  While  therefore  sir 
Maurice  with  the  Red  Mane  and  sir  Robert  Ogle,  who  had  been 
told  off  to  chase  the  aforesaid  fugitives,  stopped  to  pull  down 
the  tents  and  pavilions  and  to  divide  the  spoil,  and  sir  Henry 
Percy  and  his  men  were  making  merry  over  the  fugitives  and 
spoils  and  thinking  they  would  overcome  all  without  resistance, 
all  at  once  the  lord  Douglas  with  two  other  earls  and  the 
flower  of  noble  men-at-arms  quickly  broke  and  defeated  his 
whole  company.  For,  while  these  were  obstinately  fighting 
with  their  lances  in  the  height  of  the  struggle,  all  at  once  a 
certain  most  noble  and  gallant  knight,  sir  John  Swinton,  lord 
of  that  ilk,  came  on  the  flank  with  a  thick  and  strong  lance, 
and  beat  to  the  ground  sideways  all  the  lances  of  the  English, 
as  many  as  he  came  across ;  and,  as  he  thus  kept  on  striking 
down  to  the  ground  the  iron  spearheads  of  the  English,  they 
could  not  therefore  hurt  our  Scots  in  the  least.  So,  when  they 
had  fought  thus  a  little  while,  the  English  were  forced  to  give 
way,  and  showed  their  backs  to  the  Scots.  As  night  was 
approaching,  however,  the  pursuing  Scots,  after  taking  some 
prisoners,  overthrowing  some,  and  leaving  others  dead  on  the 
field,  rested  not  from  their  pursuit  of  them  all  that  night,  but 
kept  on  dividing  the  spoil  or  sending  prisoners  across  into 
Scotland;  so  that,  according  to  some  accounts,  the  prisoners 
exceeded  the  captors  in  number.  On  the  side  of  the  Scots 
many  indeed  fell,  but  not  a  tenth  part  of  the  English.  Never- 
theless the  noble  earl  of  Douglas,  as  related  above,  was  wounded 
in  the  night,  and  was  found  dead  in  the  morning ;  while  also 
the  earl  of  March  and  the  earl  of  Murray  were  mortally 
wounded.  Robert  Hart  and  John  Towers,  knights,  died  in  the 
battle.  In  the  book  of  the  Great  Chronicle  (Scotichronicon) 
there  are  some  remarkable  lines  on  the  subject. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         251 


CHAPTER  X. 

King  Robert  of  Scotland,  being  of  great  age,  appoints  his  younger 
son,  Robert  duke  of  Albany,  governor  of  Scotland. 

IN  the  year  1389  King  Eobert  n.,  being  of  great  age,  con- 
sented that  his  second  son,  Robert  earl  of  Fife,  should  be 
governor  of  the  kingdom.  For  John  earl  of  Carrick,  his  eldest 
son,  had  been  seriously  injured  on  1;he  leg  by  a  kick  from  the 
horse  of  James  Douglas,  so  that  he  was  so  to  speak  unequal  to 
the  daily  task  of  governing  the  kingdom,  and  had  become  lame. 
At  the  outset  of  his  governorship  he  summoned  the  great  men 
of  the  three  estates  of  the  realm,  and  held  a  council  at  Edin- 
burgh ;  and  all  the  prelates  and  lords  of  the  realm  tendered  an 
oath  of  fealty  to  him  for  the  government  of  the  kingdom. 
Now  in  the  aforesaid  battle  of  Otterburn  Henry  Percy,  called 
Hotspur,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  earl  of  March,  whereat  the 
English  were  beyond  measure  indignant,  and  especially  a 
certain  arrogant  knight,  named  the  Earl  Marshal,  who  reviled 
his  own  nation,  seeing  that  they  were  so  many  and  the  Scotch- 
men so  few ;  and  then  he  would  boastfully  say  he  wished  he 
himself  could  have  a  brush  with  the  Scots.  So  when  the  new 
governor  heard  this,  he  straightway  assembled  an  army,  and 
made  his  way  into  England  up  to  near  the  place  where  the  said 
Earl  Marshal  dwelt,  and  encamped ;  and  he  sent  over  messen- 
gers to  him,  offering  his  battle.  The  other,  however,  declined, 
saying  that  he  had  received  injunctions  from  his  king  not  to 
expose  his  men  to  danger  without  his  orders.  So  the  earl,  the 
governor  of  Scotland,  on  hearing  this,  returned  home,  destroying 
with  fire  and  sword  everything  he  came  across  on  his  march. 
All  brave  men  of  either  nation,  however,  made  a  jest  of  this 
answer.  But  the  governor  of  Scotland  loaded  his  army  with  the 
spoil  and  plunder  of  the  English  and  repaired  home  safely.  The 
same  year  the  king  of  the  French  sent  envoys  into  Scotland  to 
bring  about  a  truce  both  by  sea  and  by  land  between  Scotland 
and  England.  For  a  truce  for  three  years  had  been  agreed 
upon  at  Boulogne-sur-Mer  between  the  king  of  France  himself 
and  the  king  of  England ;  and,  according  to  the  terms  of  the 
alliance,  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  was  included  in  it,  if  the 
parties  pleased.  Whereupon  envoys  were  sent  to  the  king 
of  England,  in  order  that  he  might  consent  and  swear  the 
truce ;  and  in  like  manner  the  king  of  England  sent  envoys  to 
the  king  of  Scotland,  earnestly  beseeching  him  to  hold  to  the 
truce.  The  king,  therefore,  after  persistent  entreaties  addressed 


252         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

both  to  the  chiefs  of  Scotland  and  also  to  the  king,  agreed  to 
the  truce,  and  likewise  swore  to  keep  it,  out  of  regard  for  the 
king  of  France,  his  ally.  Thus  was  the  kingdom  pacified  after 
much  tribulation,  and  abode  in  the  most  blissful  prosperity  for 
years  and  years.  Meanwhile  the  lord  king  Eobert  n.  was 
seized  with  a  brief  illness  at  Dundonald  Castle  and  gave  up 
the  ghost,  paying  the  debt  of  nature ;  and  he  lies  honourably 
entombed  at  Scone.  He  passed  away  on  the  20th u  of  April, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1390.  He  reigned  nineteen  years  and 
twenty-three 15  days,  leaving  the  kingdom  in  quiet,  freedom, 
fruitfulness  and  peace.  May  his  .soul  rest  with  the  Eternal 
King !  He  was  seventy-four  years  of  age.  The  same  year  sir 
Alexander  Stewart,  the  king's  son  and  earl  of  Buchan,  burnt 
down  that  most  beautiful  church  of  Elgin  in  Moray,  to  wit 
the  cathedral.  Be  it  observed  that  the  said  King  Eobert  n. 
begat  three  sons  of  his  spouse  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  sir  Adam 
Mure,  namely  John,  who  afterwards  changed  his  name  and 
was  king,  Robert  duke  of  Albany,  and  the  aforesaid  Alexander 
earl  of  Buchan,  who  was  commonly  called  The  Wolf  of 
Badenoch,  and  by  the  savage  Scots  was  called  Alister  More 
Makin  Re,  and  who  also  begat  three  bastard  sons,  namely,  Alex- 
ander earl  of  Mar,  Eobert  Stewart  of  Athol,  and  Duncan 
Stewart,  who  were  all  said  to  be  of  a  bad  disposition ;  neverthe- 
less Alexander  earl  of  Mar  was  the  wisest  of  them.  Then, 
after  the  birth  of  those  three  sons  of  King  Eobert  IL,  he  was 
joined  in  wedlock  to  Euphemia,  daughter  of  the  earl  of  Boss, 
and  of  her  begat  Walter  earl  of  Athol,  who  was  afterwards 
found  guilty  of  treachery  to  King  James  I.,  and  put  to  death ; 
and  David  earl  of  Strathern.  After  the  death  of  this  Queen 
Euphemia.  again,  the  king  married  his  first  mistress,  Elizabeth 
Mure,  for  love  of  the  children  and  to  legitimize  them.  So  his 
sons  were  legitimized,  and  the  first  succeeded  to  the  throne ; 
for  the  said  earl  of  Athol,  the  traitor,  was  suspected  by  some 
of  not  being  the  king's  son,  but  gotten  by  adultery.  And  thus 
these  three  sons  were  legitimized  by  a  subsequent  marriage, 
and  succeeded  to  the  throne. 


CHAPTEE    XL 

Coronation  of  King  Robert  in.  and  Queen  Anabella. 

IN  the  year  1390,  King  Eobert  in.  was  crowned  at  Scone  in 
royal  fashion  the  same  year,  after  changing  his  name ;  and  on 
the  morrow  Anabella  Drummond  was  in  like  manner  graced 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCJLRDEN.      BOOK  X.  253 

with  the  royal  diadem  at  the  same  place.  The  following  year 
there  broke  out  such  a  struggle  among  the  savage  Scots  that 
they  troubled  the  whole  country  with  their  struggles.  Where- 
fore the  king,  unable  to  restore  them  to  peace  and  harmony,  by 
the  advice  of  the  magnates  of  the  realm  appointed  as  follows : 
that  the  two  principal  chieftains  among  them  should  each  take 
thirty  of  their  chiefest  and  most  valiant  friends,  and  should 
fight  in  closed  lists,  without  armour,  after  the  manner  of  a 
duel,  with  swords  only  and  pole-axes  and  bows,  and  with  only 
three  arrows ;  and  this  was  to  be  in  the  king's  presence,  at  an 
appointed  time  and  place,  on  the  North  Inch  at  Perth.  For 
throughout  the  whole  county  of  Angus  they  could  have  no 
peace  because  of  their  marauding;  and  even  not  many  days 
before,  they,  namely  the  savages,  had  cruelly  slain  the  son  of  the 
earl  of  Buchan 16  and  many  other  nobles,  the  sheriff  of  Angus 
among  others,  who  were  defending  the  property  of  the  country 
in  the  field.  Wherefore,  through  the  good  offices  of  the  earl  of 
Crawford  and  other  nobles  of  the  country,  it  was  agreed  as 
aforesaid,  and  carried  into  effect,  so  that  in  the  end  all  on  both 
sides  but  seven  were  killed :  five  indeed  on  one  side,  and  two 
on  the  other,  escaping  with  their  lives.  Of  these  two  on  the 
side  of  the  losers,  one  was  chased  as  far  as  the  river  Tay  and 
beyond,  and  saved  himself  by  swimming ;  while  the  other  was 
taken  prisoner  and  received  quarter,  with  the  consent  of  the 
party.  Others  say  he  was  hanged.  At  the  outset  of  the  fight, 
one  of  the  number  of  one  side  was  missing,  and  those  who 
looked  for  him  could  not  find  him ;  but  by  chance  there  came 
one  who  was  of  their  kin  and  had  no  love  for  the  other  adverse 
party,  and  he  was  brought  into  the  battleground  for  forty  shil- 
lings, and  went  in  and  did  valiantly,  escaping  safe  and  sound 
with  his  life  after  the  battle.17  The  following  year  a  certain 
knight,  called  Robert  Morlay,  challenged  a  gold  cup  of  the 
king  of  Scotland,  and  made  a  vow  that  he  would  bring  the  afore- 
said gold  cup  with  him  unless  it  were  defended  by  battle.  Sir 
James  Douglas  offered  himself  to  him ;  but,  from  the  decided 
manner  in  which  the  affair  was  cut  short,  nothing  came  of  it. 
On  his  departure,  however,  he  did  battle  with  two  knights  of 
Scotland  separately,  at  so  many  hits,  at  Berwick,  and  bore  him- 
self creditably  with  both.  But  on  the  morrow  he  did  battle 
with  sir  Thomas  Trail,  nephew  of  the  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews, 
ancl  was  then  altogether  defeated;  and  from  the  sadness  he 
felt  and  the  increasing  melancholy  he  consequently  fell  into 
therefrom,  he  was  laid  upon  a  bed  of  sickness  and  ended  his 
days.  For  he  had  gained  many  honourable  victories  in  divers 
kingdoms,  and  had  had  enormous  expenses;  and  in  that  way, 


254         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

through  sadness  and  want,  he  fell  into  hopeless  despair.  The 
same  year  a  certain  coiner  was  boiled  to  death  at  Perth.18  In 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1398  King  Robert  in.  created  his  eldest 
son  David  earl  of  Carrick  duke  of  Rothesay,  and  he  made  his 
brother  Robert  earl  of  Fife  and  Menteith  duke  of  Albany,  and 
continued  him  as  governor  of  the  kingdom.  Before  this  time 
no  one  either  in  Scotland  or  in  England  was  ever  named  duke 
of  Rothesay  or  of  Albany,  nor  do  we  read  in  writings  of  such 
a  thing.  The  same  year  also,  at  the  same  time  and  place,  sir 
David  Lindsay  was  made  first  earl  of  Crawford.  The  king  also 
wished  to  create  sir  Archibald  the  Black  earl  of  Douglas  a 
duke ;  but  he  himself  would  not  have  it,  saying  the  domain 
was  not  worth  taking  the  name  of  duke  for;19  and  when  the 
heralds  called  out  to  him, "  Sir  duke,  sir  duke,"  he  answered  and 
said,  "  Sir  drake,  sir  drake ;"  and  thus  he  would  only  accept  the 
name  of  earl.  But  this  earl  of  Crawford  performed  remarkable 
feats  of  arms  in  England  before  King  Richard,  and  against  the 
lord  of  Wells,  who  was  called  and  proved  to  be  the  most 
eminent  knight  in  the  kingdom  of  England  at  the  time ;  and 
many  nobles  of  Scotland  gained  distinction  there.  This  cere- 
mony, the  creation  of  the  dukes  and  earl,  took  place  at  Scone, 
and  lasted  fifteen  days  with  great  splendour. 

Then  follows  the  murder  of  the  sheriff  of  Angus  by  the  high- 
land Scots,  and  other  incidents ;  but,  as  it  was  touched  upon  in 
the  last  chapter,  it  is  passed  over,  together  with  other  anecdotes 
contained  there  in  the  Great  Chronicle. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  1391  the  noble  knight  sir  Walter 
Ogilvy,  sheriff  of  Angus,  was  killed  by  the  savage  Scots  in  the 
forest  of  Platane,  together  with  his  brother  Walter  of  Lichton, 
at  Glenbreth,  and  together  with  many  other  nobles  of  Angus  ; 
and  there  Duncan  Stewart,  brother  of  Alexander  earl  of  Mar, 
fell  in  resisting  their  plunder  being  carried  off  out  of  Angus.20 
About  the  same  time  also  William  Inglis,  knight,  fought  in 
single  combat  with  one  of  England,  Struthers  by  name,  and 
slew  him,  Black  Archibald  earl  of  Douglas  and  sir  Henry 
Percy  earl  of  Northumberland  being  the  judges. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Treachery  of  the  English  and  deposition  of  King  RicJiard. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Treachery  of  King  Richard  himself  under  the  cloak  of 
pretended  friendliness. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         255 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Coronation  of  King  Henry  IV. 

AND  thus  in  this  manner  was  King  Richard  bereft  and 
divested  of  his  kingdom,  and  straightway  thrust  into  perpetual 
imprisonment,  and  about  to  be  despatched.  But  he  was,  how- 
ever, soon  cleverly  exchanged  by  some  of  his  well-wishers,  and 
snatched  away  from  thence,  another  like  him  being  put  in 
his  place;  and  he  was  dexterously  taken  away  and  carried 
across  to  the  Scottish  Isles,  where  he  remained  for  some  time 
unrecognised  in  the  kitchen  of  the  Lord  of  the  Isles.  He  was 
afterwards,  however,  detected  by  a  fool  in  the  house  of  the  Lord 
of  the  Isles,  who  knew  him  formerly  in  England,  and  the  said 
Ix)rd  of  the  Isles  sent  him  into  Scotland  to  King  Robert  in. 
by  the  lord  of  Montgomery.  The  king,  while  he  lived,  main- 
tained this  King  Richard  with  becoming  honour;  and,  after 
him,  the  Duke  of  Albany  did  likewise,  and  fed,  clothed  and 
honoured  him  with  due  reverence  until  his  death,  and  buried 
him  after  his  death  in  the  friary  of  Stirling,  at  the  north  corner 
of  the  altar. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Marriage,  of  the  duke  of  Rothesay. 

IN  the  year  1399  the  duke  of  Rothesay,  Prince  David,  the 
eldest  son  of  King  Robert  in.,  contracted  a  marriage  with  the 
Lady  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  sir  George  Dunbar  earl  of  March, 
on  payment  of  a  large  sum  of  money  to  the  king  in  considera- 
tion thereof.  But,  because  these  espousals  were  not  celebrated 
with  the  consent  of  the  three  estates,  Archibald  Douglas,  on 
payment  of  a  larger  sum  to  the  king,  solemnly,  in  the  face  of 
the  church,  joined  his  own  daughter,  Mary21  by  name,  in  wed- 
lock with  the  aforesaid  prince  at  Bothwell,  after  sending  away 
the  other.  The  earl  of  March,  however,  made  his  appearance 
before  the  marriage  was  consummated,  and  went  up  to  the 
king,  saying  and  beseeching  him  that  he  should  either  have  the 
marriage  with  his  own  daughter,  which  had  been  promised  to 
him,  fulfilled,  or  restore  to  him  entirely  the  sum  of  ready 
money  paid  by  him.  But,  as  the  said  earl  was  not  satisfied 
with  the  king's  answer,  he  sent  a  guard  into  the  castle  of 
Dunbar,  namely,  sir  Robert  Maitland  and  some  other  friends  of 
his,  and  withdrew  into  England,  where  he  had  an  interview 
with  the  king  of  England  under  a  safe-conduct.  After  his 


256         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

departure,  the  said  knight,  Robert  Maitland,  urged  by  I  know 
not  what  motive  or  fear,  handed  over  the  aforesaid  castle  in  the 
year  1400  to  sir  Archibald  Douglas,  son  of  Black  Archibald 
earl  of  that  ilk,  to  keep.  But  when  the  earl  of  March  heard  of 
this  in  England,  he  wrote  a  letter  and  sent  over  messengers 
of  his  own  asking  them  to  give  him  up  his  castle,  seeing  that 
he  had  not  incurred  forfeiture,  but  had  come  to  the  court  of  the 
king  of  England,  under  his  safe-conduct,  for  some  other  busi- 
ness of  his.  This,  however,  was  not  granted  him.  So  the  earl 
was  exceedingly  wroth,  assembled  a  force  of  his  friends,  sons, 
allies  and  others  who  sided  with  him  in  England,  and  waged  a 
dreadful  war  on  the  border  of  the  marches  of  Scotland,  throughout 
all  the  borders  of  Scotland,  wherever  he  could,  bringing  away 
into  England  spoils  and  prisoners.  And  withal  he  himself  and 
the  younger  Percy,  called  Henry  Hotspur,  penetrated  into 
Lothian  as  far  as  Haddington  with  a  large  army,  to  the 
number  of  two  or  three  thousand,  thinking  to  spend  the  night 
there ;  and  they  besieged  and  stormed  the  castle  of  Hailes  and 
burnt  down  the  town  thereof.  But  while  they  thought  to 
spend  the  night  there  or  thereabouts,  and  supper  was  prepared 
with  quantities  of  roast  meat  cooking  at  the  fire,  Archibald 
Douglas,  the  son,  came  upon  them  with  a  considerable  force  of 
men-at-arms,  and  put  them  to  flight,  driving  them  back  as  far 
as  near  Berwick  and  almost  to  the  gates  thereof.  Many  were 
taken  on  the  way  in  Colbranspath  Park  and  elsewhere,  and  he 
pursued  them  and  made  great  havoc  of  them ;  and  they  brought 
back  with  them  the  banner  of  sir  Thomas  Talbot. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Death  of  Black  Archibald  Douglas. 

THE  same  year  as  above  died  Archibald  Douglas  earl  of  that 
ilk,  who  was  said  to  be  an  upright,  true  and  famous  knight  in 
his  time,  and  wise  and  faithful  to  the  king  and  kingdom. 
After  driving  out  the  nuns  at  Lincluden,  he  caused  secular 
canons  to  be  established  there,  and  created  a  college.  He  also 
founded  the  college  of  Bothwell.  The  same  year  came  Henry 
king  of  England  into  Scotland  with  large  numbers  of  men-at- 
arms,  both  by  sea  and  by  land,  before  the  Feast  of  the  Assump- 
tion of  Our  Lady.  He  came  to  Haddington  in  Lothian,  and 
then  to  Leith,  to  meet  his  ships,  and  there  he  tarried  three 
days.  Meanwhile  his  men  besieged  and  stormed  the  castle  of 
Edinburgh,  where  was  at  that  time  the  prince  of  Scotland,  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         257 

duke  of  Eothesay,  and  with  him  Archibald  earl  of  Douglas,  the 
second  of  that  name,  with  many  nobles.  So  when  the  governor 
of  Scotland,  the  duke  of  Albany,  saw  this,  he  assembled  the 
nobles  from  northern  parts,  and  came  as  far  as  to  Caldermuir 
with  a  fine  army  of  men-at-arms.  But  the  king  of  England, 
for  want  of  provisions,  some  say,  went  back  again  to  England 
after  doing  some  trifling  damage  to  the  country ;  and  as  nothing 
worth  remembering  was  done  there  we  pass  on.  Now  this 
Henry  king  of  England  in  his  said  march  did  little  damage  to 
Scotland,  and  to  all  who  would  seek  immunity  for  their  houses, 
goods,  persons,  or  strongholds  he  would  kindly  and  graciously 
grant  it,  nor  would  he  even  inflict  any  annoyance  on  the 
monasteries  or  others  the  rectors  of  churches ;  and  this  he  did 
because  of  the  kindness  his  father  the  duke  of  Lancaster,  when 
an  exile  and  outlaw,  had  experienced  in  Scotland  at  the 
hands  of  the  chiefs,  lords  and  churchmen ;  and  especially  on 
this  account  would  he  not  allow  any  harm  to  be  done  to  the 
monastery  of  Holyrood,  saying,  "  For  I  am  half  a  Scot  by  blood 
and  in  heart,  as  being  of  the  stock  of  the  noble  Cumyns,  earls 
of  Buchan.  And  though  I  now  come  hither  as  an  enemy,  I  do 
so  against  my  will,  as  it  were,  and  after  provocation,  as  witness 
the  Most  High,  because  of  some  letters  sent  by  the  great  men 
of  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  to  the  king  of  the  French,  which, 
together  with  the  bearers  thereof,  were  taken  at  sea  on  their 
way  by  some  of  my  men,  and  are  still  preserved  in  my  posses- 
sion :  in  which  letters  they  asserted  that  I  was  in  the  last 
degree  a  traitor.  Therefore  have  I  now  come  hither  to  see 
whether  he  in  his  innocence  durst  have  an  encounter  with  such  a 
traitor  as  he  has  said  I  am.  I  came  not  to  cause  any  annoyance 
or  hurt  to  any  one,  so  far  as  js  possible."  Moreover  the  aforesaid 
King  Henry,  out  of  respect  for  Queen  Anabella  of  Scotland, 
who  was  at  Dunfermline,  behaved  the  more  kindly  in  all  he 
did  in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Betrayal  and  death  of  the  duke  of  Rothesay. 

IN  the  year  1401  died  Walter  Trail,  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews. 
Also  the  same  year  died  the  said  Anabella,  the  pride  and 
ornament  of  the  kingdom  while  she  lived.  The  same  year 
there  was  a  great  plague,  which  was  called  the  Fourth  Plague. 
Now,  after  the  death  of  the  said  Queen  Anabella,  the  prince 
of  Scotland,  duke  of  Rothesay,  who  was  wanton  in  life  and 

R 


258         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

behaviour,  but  had  been  kept  in  check  and  led  by  sounder  advice, 
after  his  mother's  death  went  back  to  his  former  wantonness, 
altogether  rejected  the  advice  of  the  lords  who  had  been 
assigned  him  by  his  father  and  mother  to  rule,  advise  and 
govern  him  and  guide  him  away  from  his  wantonness  to 
uprightness  of  conduct,  and  went  back  to  his  former  wanton- 
ness, leading  a  most  wanton  life,  as  his  end  showed.  King 
Eobert  in.  his  father,  being  powerless  and  decrepit,  wrote  to 
his  brother  the  duke  of  Albany,  then  governor,  that  he  should 
be  entrusted  to  the  guidance  of  discreet  persons,  and  be  placed 
and  kept  in  custody  for  a  while,  until,  being  chastened  by  the 
rod  of  discipline,  he  should  know  himself  better  and  mend: 
according  to  the  words  of  the  prophet,  Whom  God  loveth  he 
chideth  and  chasteneth.  But  the  messengers  who  bore  the 
letter  were  sir  "William  Lindsay  and  sir  John  Ramornie,  who 
put  it  into  the  said  duke's  head  to  betake  himself  to  the  castle 
of  Saint  Andrews,  take  up  his  quarters  there,  and  await  the 
new  bishop's  arrival,  guaroling  himself  against  all  danger  from 
his  enemies ;  for  they  hinted  that  there  was  danger  ahead 
being  plotted  against  him.  The  prince  thoughtlessly  believed 
them  and,  proposing  to  go  to  the  bishop's  castle,  was  arrested 
on  his  way  by  the  duke  of  Albany,  governor  of  Sc'otland, 
the  uncle  of  the  said  duke  of  Rothesay,  between  Nydie  and 
Struther,  near  the  great  cross ;'  and  he  was  taken  to  Falkland, 
cruelly  thrust  into  prison,  and  there  starved  to  death.  But, 
before  he  was  taken  to  Falkland,  they  brought  him  first  to 
the  said  castle  of  Saint  Andrews,  and  there  kept  him  under 
arrest  by  force  of  arms  until  they  decided  about  his  death  at  a 
council  held  at  Culross  by  the  duke  of  Albany  and  Archibald 
earl  of  Douglas.  Afterwards  the  aforesaid  duke  of  Albany 
and  the  said  Archibald  Douglas,  earl  of  that  ilk,  brought  this 
duke  of  Rothesay  by  force  to  the  said  tower  of  Falkland  upon 
a  small  packhorse  and  clad  in  a  grey  jerkin,  after  the  manner  of 
a  varlet,  so  that  he  might  not  be  noticed  on  the  way ;  and  he 
was  put  under  the  charge  of  John  Wright  and  John  Selkirk, 
who  kept  him  shut  up  in  a  little  vault  in  the  said  tower  to 
the  end  of  his  life.  He  died  in  the  year  1402,  on  the  seventh 
day  of  April,  and  was  buried  at  Lindores.  Some,  however,  say 
that,  because  the  duke  of  Rothesay  himself  would  not  yield  to 
their  advice  when  they  would  have  had  him  arrest  his  uncle  the 
duke,  those  two  knights,  William  Lindsay  and  John  Ramornie, 
fathering  their  own  suggestion  on  him,  persuaded  the  said  duke 
of  Albany  that,  if  he  himself  did  not  arrest  the  duke  of  Rothe- 
say, he  would  make  him  die  a  violent  death.  And  this  they 
did  fearing  the  said  suggestion  would  be  revealed,  seeing  that 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         259 

the  duke  of  Rothesay  had  utterly  refused  to  plot  his  uncle's 
death.  But  others  say  otherwise,  that  the  said  William  Lind- 
say, knight,  plotted  this  mischief  against  the  duke  of  Eothesay 
because  the  latter,  following  I  know  not  what  ill  advice,  had 
plighted  his  troth  to  the  said  knight's  sister  Euphemia,  a  most 
beautiful  lady,  and  after  knowing  her  had  cast  her  off  because 
of  the  above  betrothal ;  wherefore  he  had  conceived  a  deep 
grudge  and  enmity  against  that  prince.  In  the  previous 
autumn  there  appeared  in  the  west  a  star  which  is  called  a 
comet,  and  which  portends  the  death  of  a  prince,  as  the  astro- 
nomers tell  us.  It  shot  out  large  and  long  rays  stretching 
northwards.  The  prince  himself  deemed  that  the  death  of  a 
prince  was  at  hand. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

Fight  of  Nisbet. 

IN  the  year  1402  there  was  that  engagement  on  Nisbet  Muir 
between  the  earl  of  March,  then  a  fugitive  in  England,  who 
had  with  him  the  forces  of  the  earl  of  Northumberland,  and 
Patrick  Hepburn  of  Hailes,  a  noble  knight,  who  distinguished 
himself  in  England.  But  as  he  remained  there  too  long,  longer 
than  had  been  decided  and  agreed  among  his  advisers,  there 
came  upon  him  a  fresh  force  of  men-at-arms  with  Patrick,22 
son  of  the  said  earl,  whereby  the  said  earl  of  March  and  his 
supporters  gained  the  victory.  Here  fell  many  nobles  of 
Lothian ;  the  said  Patrick  Hepburn  was  slain,  and  the  three  ^ 
brothers  Haliburton  were  taken  prisoners,  together  with  Robert 
Lauder,  knight,  lord  of  the  Bass,  and  many  others.  In  the  same 
year  Archibald,  the  new  earl  of  Douglas,  came  to  the  duke  of 
Albany,  governor  of  Scotland,  and  asked  leave  and  assistance 
from  him  to  avenge  the  engagement  at  Nisbet.  This  he  will- 
ingly granted  him,  and  he  sent  his  son  Murdach  Stewart  with  a 
strong  force  of  men-at-arms.  So  the  earl  assembled  his  friends 
and  supporters  on  the  southern  side  of  the  Forth,  and  marched 
into  England  as  far  as  Newcastle,  harrying  everything  with 
fire  and  sword.  He  had  with  him,  of  the  northerners,  the  said 
Murdach,  eldest  sou  of  the  duke  of  Albany,  and  the  earls  of 
Angus  and  Murray  and  many  other  nobles.  So,  as  they  were 
coming  down  towards  Newcastle  with  numberless  spoils  and 
prisoners,  they  were  met  by  sir  Henry  Hotspur,  with  whom 
were  the  earl  of  the  Marches  of  Scotland  and  his  supporters,  to 
the  number  of  ten  thousand  men-at-arms,  at  a  place  which  is 


260         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

called  Millfield.  Here  the  earl  of  Douglas,  on  seeing  the 
English,  betook  himself  with  his  whole  army  to  some  rising 
ground  called  Homildon.  The  said  Henry  Percy  would  have 
attacked  them  at  once ;  but  the  said  earl  would  not  allow  this 
Henry  to  stir  from  his  place,  but  advised  and  urged  him  only 
to  send  his  archers  against  them,  so  that  by  harassing  and 
wounding  them  they  should  in  course  of  time  so  exhaust  them 
that  he  would  afterwards  easily  overcome  them  and  take  them 
prisoners  without  a  struggle.  This  was  done  accordingly.  The 
arrows  of  the  English  flew  like  hail,  and  they  slew  many,  and 
wounded  many,  and  many  they  led  away  captive.  There  fell 
in  the  battle  John  lord  of  Swinton,  Adam  lord  of  Gordon,  John 
Livingstone  of  Callander,  Eamsay  lord  of  Dalhousie,  Walter 
Sinclair,  Eoger  Gordon,  Walter  Scot;  and  there  were  taken 
there  sir  Murdach  Stewart,  sir  Archibald  earl  of  Douglas,  sir 
Thomas  earl  of  Murray,  the  lord  earl  of  Angus,  and  many  lesser 
nobles,  who  are  no  longer  remembered.  The  said  earl  of  Douglas 
indeed  lost  one  eye  and  one  of  his  genitals  there.24 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

Siege  of  Cocklaw  Castle. 

AFTER  this,  however,  sir  Henry  Percy,  trusting  in  the  advice 
of  sir  George  Dunbar,  and  thinking  he  would  easily  subdue 
to  his  sway  the  whole  country  of  Lothian  up  to  the  Scottish 
sea,  as  he  had,  as  stated  above,  already  overcome  the  most 
valiant  and  chiefest  army  leaders  both  at  Nisbet  and  at  Homil- 
don, therefore  assembled  and  took  with  him  a  vast  number  of 
men-at-arms,  and  laid  siege  to  the  tower  of  Cocklaw,  together 
with  the  earl  of  the  marches  of  Scotland  with  him,  and  bravely 
assaulted  the  aforesaid  tower  of  Cocklaw.  So  the  commandant 
of  the  said  place,  Gledstanes  by  name,  a  discreet  squire,  seeing 
no  succours  for  him  forthcoming,  appointed  and  agreed  with 
them  and  promised  by  a  covenant  he  made  that,  failing  suc- 
cours, he  would  surrender  the  castle  to  them  within  a  certain 
time.  But  within  that  time  the  Lord,  strong  and  mighty  in 
battle,  who  is  not  wroth  day  after  day  and  whose  wrath  shall 
not  continue  for  ever,  but  who  sometimes  softens  the  scourge 
of  His  anger,  turned  the  sword  of  the  English  against  their  own 
breast  and  gave  them  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  on  the 
borders  of  Wales;  and  they  that  hated  them  had  dominion  over 
them.  For  there  a  wonderful  battle  was  fought  at  Shrews- 
bury, where  many  English  nobles  fell  on  both  sides.  Never- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         261 

theless  the  governor  of  Scotland,  unaware  of  that  quarrel 
among  the  English,  with  the  assistance  of  God,  who  this  time 
turned  away  the  scourge  of  His  anger  from  the  Scots  nation, 
assembled  a  considerable  army  of  the  nobles  of  Scotland,  to  the 
number  of  sixty  thousand  men-at-arms,  and  went  off  to  Lothian 
before  the  appointed  day ;  and,  as  many  strong  places  within 
the  borders  of  the  marches  had  been  taken  and  kept  by  the 
devices  of  the  English  at  the  time  of  the  fights  at  Nisbet  and 
Homildon,  this  governor  besieged  these  places  and  recovered 
them,  subduing  them  to  the  king's  sway — and  notably  the 
castle  of  Innerwick,  which  he  levelled  to  the  ground ;  and  then 
he  presented  himself  at  Cocklaw  with  the  aforesaid  army  on 
the  day  appointed.  As,  however,  a  deadly  war  had  broken  out 
between  the  said  Henry  Percy  and  King  Henry  of  England, 
the  said  Henry  did  not  take  care  to  make  his  appearance  at 
Cocklaw  on  the  appointed  day,  but  treacherously  rebelled 
against  the  Lord  and  against  His  Christ,  breaking  his  oath  of 
fealty  and  allegiance,  and  presenting  himself  with  his  whole 
force  against  the  aforesaid  king  at  Shrewsbury  aforesaid  in  a 
pitched  battle.  But  when  the  duke  of  Albany,  the  governor, 
heard  of  this,  on  the  news  being  made  public  every  one 
returned  home  in  peace  magnifying  God. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

Battle  of  Shrewsbury. 


Earl  Archibald,  who  was  taken  prisoner  at  Homildon,  was 
there  (at  the  battle  of  Shrewsbury)  again  seized  a  second 
time,  and  given  up  to  the  king.  There  also  was  slain  Robert 
Stewart  of  Hartshaw,  a  very  noble  knight,  who  above  all  others 
had  given  the  advice  that  the  English  and  Scots  should  come 
to  blows. 

CHAPTER    XXL 

Death  of  King  Robert  III.  and  capture  of  his  eldest  son 
King  James  I. 

IN  the  year  1404  James  I.  prince  of  Scotland,  for  fear  of 
traitorous  treachery,  was  given  into  the  charge  of  the  bishop 
Henry  Wardlaw,  who  had  just  been  made  bishop,  in  the  castle 
of  Saint  Andrews.  He  was  fourteen  years  of  age.  With  him 


262         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

was  the  fourth  Henry  Percy,  of  the  same  age,  who  had  taken 
refuge  in  Scotland,  having  been  sent  thither  by  his  kinsfolk 
for  personal  safety  after  his  father's  death.  But  the  aforesaid 
prince  James  did  not  remain  there  long,  but  was  secretly  sent 
by  sea  with  the  lord  Sinclair  to  France,  to  the  king  of  the 
French,  in  order  that  he  might  there  be  instructed  in  manners 
and  virtue  and  be  the  more  safely  kept.  So  this  sir  Henry 
Sinclair  earl  of  Orkney  undertook  the  task  with  all  due  dili- 
gence, and  embarked  at  the  Bass  rock ;  and  they  put  to  sea 
with  a  suitable  equipment  and  adequate  retinue.  At  Flam- 
borough,  however,  they  happened  to  be  caught  in  a  storm,  and 
the  prince  and  all  his  suite  were  taken  by  their  enemies  the 
English  and  brought  to  Henry  king  of  England,  notwithstand- 
ing that  a  truce  had  shortly  before  been  concluded  between  the 
aforesaid  kingdoms  of  England  and  Scotland.  Some  indeed 
say  that  the  persons  of  princes  are  not  included  in  a  truce. 
This  prince,  however,  was  kept  a  prisoner  there  for  eighteen 
years ;  and,  though  the  said  Henry  king  of  England  in  his  last 
will  directed  his  son  Henry,  who  made  a  hostile  invasion  of 
France,  that  the  said  king  of  Scotland  should  be  freely  sent  over 
to  his  own  country  without  any  ransom  whatsoever,  yet  his  son 
did  not  take  care  to  fulfil  this ;  but  hostages  were  given  and  he 
was  ransomed  for  a  large  sum  of  money,  and  arrived  in  Scotland 
in  the  year  1423,  about  Easter,  in  pursuance  of  a  contract  of 
marriage  between  that  king  and  the  sister  of  the  earl  of  Somer- 
set, now  duke  of  the  same.  But  sir  David  Fleming  of  Cumber- 
nauld,  who  had  escorted  the  said  prince  as  far  as  the  ship,  was, 
on  his  way  back,  slaih  near  Langhirdmanston  (Hermandston) 
by  sir  James  Douglas,  warden  of  the  marches  and  brother  of 
Archibald  earl  of  Douglas,  the  reason  given  being  that  he  had 
been  one  of  the  chief  actors  in  the  seizure  of  King  Robert  n.25 
No  sooner  had  King  Robert  in.  heard  his  son  had  been  taken  a 
prisoner  to  England,  than  he  began  to  heave  piteous  sighs  from 
his  heart,  inwardly  giving  way  to  the  most  bitter  grief;  and  by 
reason  of  the  fierce  anguish  of  his  heart  he  was  as  it  were  half 
dead,  and  his  spirits  drooped,  so  that  after  this  day,  namely 
the  4th  of  April,  he  never  took  his  food  with  a  good  heart, 
until  he  gave  up  the  ghost  to  the  Most  High  at  the  said  place, 
namely  the  castle  of  Bute ;  and  he  lies  honourably  buried  at 
Paisley,  in  front  of  the  high  altar.  It  should  be  noted  that 
King  James,  the  first  of  this  name,  was  taken  to  France  by 
Henry  king  of  England,  to  the  end  that,  by  his  means,  the 
earl  of  Buchan  and  other  Scots  sent  by  the  governor,  by  virtue 
of  the  alliance,  to  defend  the  noble  kingdom  of  France,  should 
come  over  to  him  at  his  command ;  but  this  they  would  by  no 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         263 

means  do  while  he  was  a  prisoner,  notwithstanding  they  were 
again  and  again  required  and  summoned  under  his  seal,  on  pain 
of  treason  and  rebellion.  After  the  death  of  King  Robert  in., 
his  brother  Robert  duke  of  Albany,  earl  of  Fife  and  Menteith, 
was  again  elected  and  confirmed  as  governor  of  Scotland.  The 
same  year  the  town  of  Stirling  was  accidentally  burnt  down. 
At  that  time  there  were  seeking  refuge  in  Scotland,  for  fear  of 
King  Henry  iv.,  to  wit  King  Richard,  Henry  Percy  the  younger, 
the  lord  of  Bardolph,  a  Welsh  bishop,  the  bishop  of  Bangor, 
the  bishop  of  St.  Asaph,  the  abbot  of  Welbeck.  The  earl  of 
Northumberland  indeed,  deceived  by  a  certain  knight,  a  confi- 
dential friend  of  his,  came  into  England  and  was  taken  prisoner 
by  the  king,  and  with  him  the  lord  Bardolph.  Both  were 
beheaded,  and  their  heads  were  publicly  fixed  on  stakes ;  and 
many  others  who  took  that  side  suffered  death  on  account  of 
the  said  Henry  Percy. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

Certain  events  at  this  time. 

IN  the  year  1405  the  battle  of  Lie'ge  was  fought  by  the  duke  of 
Burgundy,  and  many  fell  in  the  battle.  There  was  with  him 
the  duke  of  Bavaria,  father  of  the  queen  of  France,  who  was 
the  mother  of  Charles  vn.,  now  reigning,  and  who  triumphantly 
delivered  France  from  all  subjection  to  the  English.  This  duke 
of  Bavaria  was  brother  to  the  duke  of  Holland.  With  these 
also  was  Alexander  earl  of  Mar,  with  a  large  company  of 
Scottish  nobles;  and  he  knighted  many  there,  and  gained  a 
great  and  glorious  victory  not  only  through  his  prowess  but 
also  through  his  advice.  About  this  time  the  abbot  of  Pontigny 
was  sent  into  Scotland  for  the  sake  of  the  unity  of  the  church, 
and  to  bring  about  a  secession  from  Pope  Benedict.  This  object 
was  attained,  and  Martin  became  sole  pope.26  In  the  year  1409 
Jedburgh  castle  was  taken  and  levelled  to  the  ground.  The 
same  year  the  lord  earl  of  March  was  restored  to  the  possession 
of  the  castle  of  Dunbar  and  of  the  earldom ;  but,  before  he 
could  recover  his  domain,  he  gave  Archibald  earl  of  Douglas  the 
domain  of  Lochmaben  with  Annandale;  and  to  others  of  the 
king's  councillors  he  distributed  other  lands.  The  same  year  was 
the  great  gale  of  Saint  Kentigern,  which  tore  up  by  the  roots 
trees  in  the  forests,  and  produced  many  extraordinary  effects. 
The  following  year  the  castle  of  Fastcastle  was  taken  by  the 
eldest  son  of  the  earl  of  March.  Also,  in  the  year  1411  was 


264         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCABDEN.   BOOK  X. 

the  fight  of  Harlaw  in  Garioch — Donald  of  the  Isles  against 
Alexander  earl  of  Mar  and  the  sheriff  of  Angus — where  many 
nobles  fell  in  battle.  The  same  year  the  town  of  Cupar  was 
accidentally  burnt  down.  In  the  year  1413  came  the  bulls  of 
the  privileges  of  Saint  Andrews  University,  the  day  after  the 
Purification  of  the  Blessed  Virgin ;  and  it  was  kept  as  a  great 
holiday  in  the  city,  with  very  great  rejoicings.  In  the  same 
year  1411  the  town  of  Linlithgo w  was  accidentally  burnt  down. 
The  town  of  Eoxburgh  also  was  burnt  down,  and  the  bridge 
was  broken  down  by  the  Scots,  to  wit  the  lord  of  Douglas  and 
the  earl  of  March.  In  the  year  1413  George27  Graham  earl 
of  Strathern  was  killed  by  two  brothers,  lords  of  Oliphant, 
who  after  this  fled  into  England ;  but  they  were  recaptured 
and  brought  to  justice  at  Perth,  where  they  were  drawn,  be- 
headed and  hanged.  In  the  year  1415  the  town  of  Penrith 
was  burnt  down  by  the  Scots  and  the  town  of  Dumfries  by 
the  English.  In  the  year  '15  above  mentioned  there  was  a 
free  exchange  of  sir  Murdach  Stewart,  the  eldest  son  of  the 
duke  of  Albany,  a  prisoner  in  England  since  the  battle  of 
Homildon,  against  the  younger  Henry  Percy  earl  of  Northum- 
berland. Also  in  the  year  1414  was  held  the  Council  of 
Constance  by  the  apostolic  lord  and  the  prelates  of  the  uni- 
versal church. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

Outbreak  of  war  between  England  and  the  kingdom  of  Scotland, 
through  Henry  V.  king  of  England. 

IN  the  year  of  Our  Lord  1415  Henry  v.  king  of  England 
called  together  the  prelates  and  lords  of  his  kingdom,  and  asked 
their  advice,  on  peril  of  their  souls,  whether  he  had  a  better 
grievance  against  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  or  against  the  king- 
dom of  France  to  go  to  war  about.  It  is  said  that  with  one 
accord  they  said  that  he  had  no  just  pretext  for  conquest 
against  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  though  he  had  one  against  the 
kingdom  of  France.  So  he  fitted  out  a  fleet  with  a  great  host 
of  men-at-arms,  and  landed  in  Normandy,  and  took  many  cities 
and  towns  on  first  arriving. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

The  Welsh  subdued. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         265 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

The  earl  of  Buchan  crosses  into  France,  having  been  sent  by  the 
governor  to  the  assistance  of  the  French. 

IN  the  year  1419  the  castle  of  Wark  was  taken  by  William 
Haliburton  of  Fastcastle,  who  was  afterwards  treacherously 
betrayed  by  sir  Robert  Ogle  and  killed,  and  with  him  twenty- 
three  noble  Scotsmen.  While  they  were  unsuspectingly  treat- 
ing for  a  friendly  peace  they  placed  ladders — rope-ladders — at 
the  back  of  the  castle,  unnoticed  by  the  others  ;  and,  after  the 
castle  had  been  taken,  all  who  were  therein  were  beheaded,  and 
'their  bodies  were  cruelly  and  contemptuously  thrown  without 
the  walls.  In  the  year  142028  envoys  were  sent  by  Charles  vii. 
king  of  France  to  the  governor  of  Scotland,  the  duke  of  Albany, 
for  succour  against  Henry  v.,  who  was  then  invading  the  king- 
dom of  France  with  a  great  host  of  men-at-arms,  seizing  and 
ravaging  everything.  So  the  governor  called  together  the 
three  estates  of  the  realm,  and  despatched  his  son  John  earl  of 
Buchan,  with  whom  was  Archibald  Douglas,  eldest  son  of  the 
earl  of  that  ilk  and  nephew  of  the  said  duke,  with  ten  thousand29 
men-at-arms  splendidly  equipped  at  the  expense  of  the  said 
king  of  France;  and  ships  were  sent  both  from  France  and 
from  Spain  to  the  said  kingdom  of  Scotland  to  bring  the 
said  nobles  to  the  said  kingdom  of  France.  They  were  wel- 
comed with  the  greatest  rejoicings,  and  the  chief  leaders  of 
the  army  were  given  fine  places  to  live  in,  to  wit  the  castle 
of  Chatillon  to  the  earl  of  Buchan,  the  castle  of  Dunleroi 
to  Archibald  Douglas  earl  of  Wigtown,  the  castle  of  Langeais 
to  sir  Thomas  Seton,  and  the  castle  of  Concoursault  to  sir  John 
Stewart  of  Darnley,  together  with  their  respective  lands  and 
domains  and  most  wealthy  towns  and  fortresses.  Now  these, 
until  the  battle  of  Bauge,  were  not  thought  much  of,  but  were 
called  by  the  French  only  mutton-eaters  and  wine-bibbers  and 
consumers,  and  of  no  use  to  the  king  and  kingdom  of  France, 
until  and  up  to  the  time  that  the  battle  of  Baug£  was  fought 
chiefly  by  the  Scots,  where  the  whole  nobility  and  the  flower 
of  the  English  chivalry  fell  in  battle,  on  Easter  Eve,  during 
an  eight  days'  truce  and  armistice  agreed  upon  by  the  chiefs, 
namely  the  said  lords  of  Scotland  and  the  duke  of  Clarence  of 
England,  out  of  reverence  for  Christ's  passion  and  the  taking 
of  the  sacrament.  Yet  on  the  eve  of  the  said  Easter  Festival, 
while  the  Scots  thought  no  evil,  nay,  were  utterly  free  from 
falseness  and  deceit,  and  were  playing  at  ball  and  amusing  them- 


266         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

selves  with  other  pleasant  or  devout  occupations,  all  of  a  sudden 
the  English  chiefs  treacherously  rushed  upon  them  from  an 
ambush  while  they  were  almost  unarmed.  But  by  God's 
mercy  some  men  of  note  were  playing  at  a  passage  over  a  cer- 
tain river,  and  they  caught  sight  of  their  banners  coming 
stealthily  in  ambush  through  the  groves  and  woods.  So  they 
hastily  gave  the  alarm  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  and  defended 
the  passage  for  a  while  with  bow  and  spear ;  else  all  the  chiefs 
of  Scotland,  thinking  no  evil,  would  have  been  taken  unawares 
and  destroyed  with  the  edge  of  the  sword.  But  the  English 
chiefs,  fully  armed  cap-d-pie,  presumptuously  thinking  they 
would  utterly  bear  down  and  defeat  the  Scots  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye,  left  their  archers  behind  in  their  too  great  haste ;  and 
thus  they  were  routed  by  the  Scots,  who  were  lightly  armed  % 
and  almost  without  armour.  For  the  latter  are  most  mighty 
men  at  a  sudden  charge  and  very  good  with  the  spear ;  and 
they  came  pouring  in  at  the  word  with  great  shouting,  roused 
and  emboldened  by  the  bad  faith  of  the  English  and  strong  in 
their  own  good  faith,  and  thereby  rendered  braver ;  and  with 
so  impetuous  an  onset  did  they  assail  and  bear  down  the 
English  chiefs  with  spears  and  maces  of  iron  and  lead  and 
keen-edged  swords,  that  they  bore  down  and  felled  to  the  earth 
both  the  chiefs  and  their  comrades,  as  well  as  their  standard- 
bearers,  banners,  attendants,  pennons,  flags  and  standards,  and 
at  the  first  shock  slew  the  flower  of  the  chivalry  of  the  English 
army,  the  duke  of  Clarence,  brother  of  the  king  of  England,  and 
other  generals  and  earls  and  magnates,  knights  and  barons, 
with  many  other  lords ;  and,  when  they  had  despatched  their 
followers  who  were  present,  the  others  behind  them,  who  were 
coming  to  the  fight,  were  quickly  put  to  flight.  This  was  at 
the  hour  of  Vespers.  Furthermore  the  chiefs  of  Scotland  and 
their  army  pursued  the  fugitives  as  far  as  the  bridge  of  a  certain 
town  which  is  called  Le  Mans,  eight  leagues  off',  killing  some, 
capturing  some  and  smiting  down  others,  until  interrupted  by 
the  night,  when  they  escaped  in  the  woods  and  groves. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Events  leading  up  to  the  above-mentioned  battle  of  Baugt. 

IN  the  year  1421  Henry  v.  king  of  England,  the  invader  of 
France,  after  conquering  Normandy,  returned  to  England  to 
raise  a  fresh  army  for  the  purpose  of  subduing  the  whole  of 
France  to  his  sway,  and  left  Thomas  duke  of  Clarence  to  govern 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         267 

and  defend  the  said  country  of  Normandy;  and  the  latter  was 
minded  to  lay  siege  to  the  castle  of  Bauge*  in  the  duchy  of 
Anjou  during  Passion  Week.  But  the  earl  of  Buchan  and  some 
of  the  French  commanders,  who  longed  to  encounter  the  said 
duke  of  Clarence,  marched  to  the  town  of  le  Lude,  four  leagues  off, 
on  Good  Friday,  to  the  number  of  7000  men  ;30  while  the  duke 
of  Clarence  had  10,000  in  his  army.  Then  the  earl  of  Buchan 
sent  a  reconnoitring  party  to  spy  out  and  reconnoitre  the  army 
of  the  said  duke.  And  they  sent  bearers  of  flags  from  one  to 
the  other;  for, though  both  sides  were  longing  to  have  a  brush, 
yet,  out  of  reverence  for  Passion  Week,  they  wished  to  put  off 
the  encounter  until  after  Easter,  by  sending  messengers  from 
one  to  the  other,  as  stated  above ;  and  accordingly,  on  the  faith 
of  that,  the  said  duke  treacherously  and  secretly  formed  the 
plan  of  throwing  the  said  earl's  army  into  confusion,  surprising 
them  unarmed  and  utterly  destroying  them.  So  these  English, 
coming  thus  stealthily  as  already  described,  were  attacked  first 
at  the  passage  by  Hugh  Kennedy,  Eobert  Stewart  of  Eailston 
and  John  Smale  of  Aberdeen,  with  their  followers.  But  seeing 
that,  as  already  said  in  the  chapter  before,  the  duke  of  Clarence, 
coming  secretly,  had  left  the  archers  behind,  all  the  nobles  who 
were  with  him  were  attacked  as  they  came  to  the  passage,  as  has 
been  stated ;  so  that  the  horses,  wounded  by  the  archers,  re- 
fused to  cross,  and  chiefs  and  magnates  were  forced  to  dismount, 
and  thus  won  their  way  across  by  force  of  arms.  Meanwhile 
the  chiefs  and  nobles  of  Scotland  collected  together  and  took 
the  field  in  such  strength  as  they  could,  small  though  it  was  as 
compared  with  the  enemy's;  and  they  bravely  charged  the 
leading  ranks  and  began  to  bear  them  down.  As  the  battle 
went  on,  the  force  of  the  Scots  waxed  stronger,  and  they  pre- 
vailed over  the  fierceness  of  their  enemies;  so  that  they  gained 
an  undisputed  and  decisive  victory  with  glory  and  honour,  bear- 
ing down,  taking  and  slaying  those  present  in  the  field,  and 
obliging  those  who  followed  them  to  take  to  flight ;  and  they 
chased  and  pursued  them  through  the  groves  and  woods  until 
the  shades  of  night.  There  was  the  king's  brother  the  duke 
of  Clarence  slain,  as  stated,  and  the  earl  of  Kyme,  the  earl  of 
Riddesdale  and  the  lord  de  Roos,  together  with  the  lord  Grey  of 
Codiior  and  many  other  barons,  to  the  number  of  twenty-six 
territorial  lords;  and  there  were  taken  the  earl  of  Somerset, 
brother  of  the  queen  of  Scotland,  the  wife  of  King  James  I., 
and  the  earl  of  Huntingdon.  Somerset  was  taken  by  Lawrence 
Vernor,  a  Scot,  and  by  sir  John  Sibbald  knight  of  Scotland  ;31 
and  also  the  brother  of  the  said  earl  of  Somerset.  The  lord  of 
Fewant  was  also  taken  there,  as  well  as  many  other  lordlings 


268         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

of  whom  there  is  no  mention.  Nor  do  I  find  any  positive 
account  of  who  killed  whom  in  such  a  general  mele'e ;  but  the 
common  report  was  that  a  highland  Scot  named  Alexander 
Macausland,  a  native  of  Lennox,  of  the  household  of  the  lord 
of  Buchan,  killed  the  said  duke  of  Clarence;  for,  in  token 
thereof,  the  aforesaid  Macausland  brought  with  him  to  camp  a 
golden  coronet  of  the  finest  gold  and  adorned  with  precious 
stones,  which  was  found  on  his  helmet  upon  his  head  in  the 
field ;  and  he  sold  it  for  a  thousand  nobles  to  the  lord  Darnley, 
who  afterwards  left  that  coronet  to  Robert  Houston  in  pledge 
for  five  thousand  nobles  he  owed  him.  Note  that  few  Scots- 
men and  Frenchmen  died,  not  more  than  eighteen,  of  whom 
two  were  Frenchmen,  men  of  quality,  namely  Charles  Boutillier 
and  the  brother  of  the  lord  des  Fontaines.  On  the  day  follow- 
ing Easter  Sunday  news  reached  the  king  of  the  French  that 
all  the  Scots  ran  away,  and  that  the  French  gained  the  field 
and  the  victory  and  the  honour ;  whereat  the  king  of  France, 
who  was  at  Tours,  marvelled  greatly.  But  on  the  fourth  day 
after  the  battle  the  Scottish  chiefs  presented  themselves  with 
their  prisoners,  two  earls  of  England  and  five  or  six  great 
barons,  before  the  king  of  the  French  at  the  said  city,  while 
the  French  had  no  prisoners.  Then  the  king  publicly  broke 
forth  in  these  words,  saying,  "  Ye  who  were  wont  to  say  that 
iny  Scots  were  of  no  use  to  me  and  the  kingdom,  and  were 
worth  nothing  save  as  mutton- eaters  and  wine-bibbers,  see  now 
who  has  deserved  to  have  the  honour  and  the  victory  and  the 
glory  of  the  battle." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Madness  of  King  Henry  V.,  and  beginning  of  his  mortal  pain. 

ACCORDINGLY,  after  the  death  of  the  duke  of  Clarence,  on 
hearing  of  his  brother's  death  and  the  loss  of  his  men  and 
lords,  the  king  of  England  straightway  raised  a  strong  army, 
returned  to  Normandy,  landed  at  Honfleur,  and  at  once  be- 
sieged the  town  of  Dreux ;  and  he  could  not  contain  himself 
for  the  great  fury  and  frenzy  which  was  kindled  within  him, 
nor  could  he  rest  day  or  night.  At  length  he  took  the  castle ; 
and  then  he  marched  off  to  Orleans  and  to  Melun,  taking  with 
him  James,  afterwards  king  of  Scots,  who  had  long  been  kept 
a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  English,  though  taken,  as  already 
said,  in  time  of  peace ;  and  laying  siege  to  the  said  place  of 
Melun,  he  took  it,  and  made  the  commandant  thereof,  the-  lord 


THE  BOOST  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         269 

de  Barbazan,  prisoner.  Here  also  were  taken  twenty  or  more 
Scots,  who  were  kept  to  garrison  the  said  town ;  and  all  these 
he  caused  to  be  hanged  without  ransom,  saying  they  were 
rebels  and  traitors  against  their  king,  whom  he  had  brought 
with  him  against  his  will.  Then,  after  posting  a  guard  there, 
he  advanced  to  Meaulx  en  Brie,  where  there  was  an  impreg- 
nable castle.  He  took  it,  however,  with  the  strong  hand  and 
with  the  mighty  arm,  although  not  without  great  slaughter 
of  his  men.  It  should  be  observed  also  that,  when  the  king 
of  England  had  come  near  Orleans,  he  besieged  Beaugency, 
and  the  king  of  Scotland  with  him;  but  with  no  success. 
Afterwards  however  he  laid  siege  to  Melun,  and  took  it ; 
and  then  to  Meaulx,  and  took  it.  Now  there  was  great 
scarcity  of  provisions  among  them ;  so  some  were  sent — a 
certain  number  from  each  band — to  forage  and  to  ravage  the 
country.  And  thus,  among  other  praiseworthy  doings  of  theirs, 
they  entered  the  territory  of  Saint  Fiacre  de  Brie,  and  ravaged 
and  wasted  everything;  and  in  particular  some  limbs  of  the 
devil  made  their  way  into  the  church  where  lie  the  sacred 
relics  of  the  said  saint,  as  was  stated  in  an  earlier  chapter,  and 
carried  off  some  silver  shoes  gilt  and  studded  all  over  with 
precious  stones.  The  king,  though  repeatedly  requested,  would 
give  no  satisfaction  for  this  and  other  offences  of  theirs ;  so  he 
was  smitten  with  the  disease  of  Saint  Fiacre  aforesaid,  burning 
inwardly  in  his  stomach  and  internal  organs,  and  died  at  Saint 
Maur  les  Fosse's  on  the  river  Marne,  seven  leagues  from  Paris. 
He  was  embowelled  at  Saint  Denis,  near  Paris,  and  his 
entrails  were  buried  there,  while  they  brought  his  body  to 
London  in  a  leaden  coffin.32  Now  the  said  Saint  Fiacre,  as 
already  said,  is  held  to  be  the  son  of  a  king  of  Scots,  witness 
his  legend ;  and  so  also  is  the  said  Saint  Maur.  There  are 
there  two  fine  monasteries  founded  in  their  honour ;  and  the 
miracles  and  virtues  of  these  saints  are  the  boast  of  the  whole 
country.  And  so,  after  he  had  been  smitten  with  the  disease, 
he  asked  the  physicians  what  kind  of  malady  his  was ;  and 
they  answered  that  it  was  the  malady  of  Saint  Fiacre,  brought 
on  out  of  revenge;  that  it  is  incurable,  and  ends  in  a  fiery 
death ;  and  that  he  was  the  son  of  a  king  of  Scotland.  Then 
the  king  answered,  "  That  is  a  cursed  nation.  Wherever  I  go, 
I  find  them  under  my  nose.  No  wonder,"  said  he,  "  they  are 
savage  and  revengeful  in  life,  when  they  wreak  such  cruel  ven- 
geance after  death," — as  was  related  before.  And  thus  do  the 
aforesaid  saints  maintain  the  immunity  of  their  churches  and 
lands,  for  no  one  dares  commit  any  flagrant  misdeed  on  their 
territory.  After  this  the  earl  of  Buchan  was  made  constable 


270         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

of  the  kingdom  of  France;  and  he  assembled  his  forces  and 
laid  siege  to  Gallardon,  near  Chartres.  The  lord  Charles,  the 
Dauphin  of  France,  came  to  his  assistance  with  a  large  force, 
and  they  assaulted  and  took  the  castle,  slew  many  Burgun- 
dians,  but  took  the  English  prisoners  and  admitted  them  to 
ransom.  Then  they  captured  divers  other  strongholds  on 
their  way,  and  posted  guards  therein — such  as  the  town  of 
Avranches,  near  the  borders  between  Normandy  and  Brittany, 
four  leagues  from  Mont  St.  Michel  in  Mons  Tumba,  sending 
home  the  English  who  were  there. 

CHAPTEE  XXVIII. 

Battle  of  Vemeuil. 

THE  Dauphin  of  France,  seeing  the  summer  was  passing 
away  and  winter  approaching,  and  looking  to  the  good  luck  of  the 
Scots  and  relying  on  their  help,  after  mature  deliberation  sent 
the  aforesaid  earl  of  Buchan,  Constable  of  France,  into  Scotland 
to  bring  back  a  larger  army  of  Scots.  He  brought  back  with 
him  Archibald  earl  of  Douglas,  second  of  that  name,  together 
with  ten  thousand  men-at-arms  and  many  other  nobles,  knights, 
barons,  lords  and  others,  splendidly  appointed,  some  of  whom 
landed  in  Brittany,  some  at  La  Rochelle,  at  the  Feast  of  Fasten's 
Even  in  the  year  1423.  The  king  of  France  was  defunct,  and 
his  son  the  Dauphin  Charles  not  as  yet  crowned,  as  divers  cities 
stood  in  his  way  between  him  and  the  place  of  his  coronation, 
the  city  of  Rheims.  He  was  indeed  king,  although  not  crowned ; 
but  he  had  few  supporters  in  the  kingdom,  owing  to  the  differ- 
ence between  him  and  the  duke  of  Burgundy  on  account  of 
the  murder  of  the  duke  of  Orleans ;  and  therefore  he  was  in 
great  want  of  money.  Still  the  king  bestowed  upon  the  said 
earl  of  Douglas  the  duchy  of  Touraine,  and  the  other  lords  he 
gratified  according  to  their  rank,  so  that,  what  with  gifts  and 
with  promises,  they  were  content  to  live  and  die  in  the  cause  of 
the  king  against  the  English.  At  length  the  brother  of  the 
defunct  king  of  England,  the  duke  of  Bedford,  then  regent  in 
France,  and  with  him  the  earl  of  Salisbury  and  the  duke  of 
Gloucester  with  a  large  train  of  men-at-arms,  laid  siege  to  the 
castle  of  Ivry  in  Perche,  and  it  was  arranged  with  them  that, 
failing  succour  within  forty  days,  the  aforesaid  castle  was  to  be 
surrendered  to  them.  So  the  chiefs  of  the  Scots,  seeing  this, 
prepared  with  all  alacrity  and  speed  to  have  an  encounter  with 
them.  And  it  came  to  pass  thus.  When  this  earl  of  Douglas 
and  duke  of  Touraine  had  been  made  lieutenant-general  of  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         271 

king  of  France,  and  invested  with  the  ducal  coronet  at  Bourges 
in  Bern  with  the  utmost  magnificence,  and  had  afterwards 
posted  guards  in  his  castles  and  towns,  he  got  ready  on  the 
appointed  day ;  and  with  him  were  the  said  earl  of  Buchan, 
constable  of  France  and  son-in-law  of  the  said  lord  duke,  as 
well  as  the  whole  nobility  of  Scotland  who  were  there  at  the 
time ;  and  of  Frenchmen  there  were  the  counts  de  Harcourt, 
d'Aumale,  de  Tonnerre,  de  Narbonne,  and  many  French  nobles ; 
and  these  all  fell  in  the  battle,  so  that  hardly  any  noble  either 
of  Scotland  or  of  France  escaped  from  the  aforesaid,  but  was 
either  taken  prisoner  or  slain.  There,  on  some  level  ground 
near  the  town  of  Vemeuil,  between  the  said  castle  of  Ivry  and 
the  aforesaid  town,  died  the  said  duke  of  Touraine,  together  with 
the  constable^  of  France,  his  son-in-law,  and  James  Douglas,  his 
second  son,  a  most  gallant  knight,  and  the  nephew  of  the  king 
of  Scotland  and  other  barons  and  knights,  to  the  number  of  fifty 
lords  of  distinction,  and  a  great  host  of  others,  both  nobles  and 
bowmen,  whose  numbers  it  is  impossible  to  fix  with  certainty, 
though  they  are  set  down  at  seven  thousand  Scots  and  five 
thousand  Frenchmen.33  Now  the  manner  and  cause  of  the  loss 
of  the  battle  were  as  follows.  The  French  army  did  not  come 
quite  in  time  on  the  appointed  day  for  the  recovery  of  the 
castle,  but  on  the  following  day ;  and  thus  the  castle  was 
surrendered  to  the  English,  and  the  French  army  at  Verneuil 
in  Perche,  which  was  held  for  the  king  of  England,  made  ready 
and  gave  the  assault  and  took  the  town.  Then  they  posted 
their  army  all  round  and  encamped,  thinking  the  English  army 
would  return  to  Normandy.  At  length  French  scouts  came  in 
great  haste,  saying  that  the  whole  chivalry  of  the  English  were 
approaching  quickly  in  three  separate  lines  of  battle,  and  were 
about  to  charge  them.  On  hearing  this  the  Scottish  chiefs  fell 
to  wrangling  among  themselves  as  to  which  of  them  should  take 
precedence,  and  much  jealousy  was  stirred  up ;  and  thus 
disunited,  divided,  not  thoroughly  one  in  heart,  they  marched 
upon  the  field  of  battle.  The  Frenchmen,  however,  who  were 
at  one  among  themselves,  formed  another  line,  while  the  Lom- 
bards and  Germans  were  in  reserve  in  a  third  line. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

Description  of  the  battle. 

THE  French  troops  being  thus  drawn  up,  the  English  in  like 
manner  were  drawn  up  in  three  lines  of  battle,  in  the  first  of 


272         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

which  was  the  earl  of  Salisbury,  in  the  second  John  duke 
of  Bedford,  and  in  the  third  Frenchmen,  Burgundians,  and 
strangers.  The  Scots  first  charged  the  vanguard  of  the  English, 
where  was  the  earl  of  Salisbury,  and  made  the  greatest  havoc 
of  them.  Bringing  some  of  them  to  the  ground,  killing  some 
and  putting  others  to  flight,  they  drove  them  back  splendidly, 
forcing  them  to  retreat  upon  the  second  column  or  line  of 
battle.  On  seeing  this,  the  Lombards  and  Germans  and 
Gascons,  who  had  armour  on  their  horses  as  well  as  on  their 
bodies  and  were  all  mounted,  being  unwilling  to  dismount,  and 
thinking  the  victory  declared  for  the  French',  began  to  fall  upon 
the  baggage  behind  the  rearguard ;  for  they  were  as  it  were 
a  flying  column  appointed  to  succour  the  others  in  time  of 
need.  And  in  fact  at  the  first  onset  they  charged  the  English 
archers  and  broke  their  ranks  ;  and,  on  others  coming  up,  they 
made  a  gap  through  them  and  passed  on  to  the  booty,  while 
the  others,  in  their  terror,  took  to  flight  and  joined  the  column 
of  the  duke  of  Bedford,  where  they  rallied.  And  thus  the 
English  lords,  inspirited  by  their  arrival,  renewed  their  battle 
cries  and,  massing  themselves  in  one  body,  returned  and 
charged  the  ranks  of  the  French  and  Scots  who,  as  already 
stated,  were  foolishly  divided  among  themselves  and  allowed 
gaps  in  their  line.  Wherefore  the  English,  caught  between  the 
lines  of  the  Lombards  and  the  French,  so  that  they  had  either 
to  defend  themselves  or  die  in  battle,  made  an  effort,  pushed 
between  their  lines,  and  finally  gained  the  victory,  cruelly 
and  mercilessly  killing  all  the  lords  and  nobles.  The  Lombards, 
however,  after  they  and  their  followers  had  taken  the  spoil, 
seeing  the  result  of  the  battle,  the  cruel  slaughter  and  the  flight 
of  the  French,  retreated  in  a  body  without  returning,  and  did 
not  draw  rein  until  they  reached  the  river  Loire,  where  they 
divided  the  spoil.  And  thus  their  plundering  occasioned  the 
loss  of  the  battle.  After  the  victory,  however,  the  field  was 
pillaged,  and  heralds  sought  out  the  bodies  of  the  lords,  to  wit 
of  the  duke  of  Touraine,  of  the  earl  of  Buchau,  who  was  also  the 
constable,  and  of  James  Douglas,  the  said  duke's  son ;  and  their 
bodies  were  taken  to  Tours  in  a  wagon,  and  were  buried  in 
one  and  the  same  grave  in  the  cathedral  church  of  the  said 
city,  in  the  middle  of  the  choir.  But  the  duke  of  Bedford, 
after  gaining  this  victory,  amid  his  pomp  and  vainglory  was 
smitten  with  most  loathsome  leprosy  on  his  return  to  Eouen, 
and  expired,  leaving  the  government  to  the  earl  of  Salisbury, 
who  began  to  exercise  the  office  of  regent  in  the  most  over- 
bearing manner.  For  he  longed  so  ardently  to  possess  himself 
of  the  domain  of  the  duke  of  Orleans,  who  had  remained  a 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.  BOOK  X.         273 

prisoner  in  England  ever  since  the  battle  of  Agincourt,  that  he 
prepared  to  besiege  the  said  city  of  Orleans  with  his  whole 
forces.  This  took  place  in  the  year  1427,  and  he  brought  with 
him  the  lord  earl  of  Suffolk,  sir  Launcelot  Lisle,  the  lord 
Talbot,  the  lord  Scales,  the  lord  Willoughby  and  many  others, 
to  the  number  of  thirty  thousand  men-at-arms,  with  their 
chariots  and  horsemen,  and  with  their  formidable  warlike 
engines  and  cannon  and  other  necessaries  required  for  a  siege. 
He  laid  the  siege  in  the  year  1428,  after  first  taking  the  sur- 
rounding strongholds  and  villages  and  fortresses,  such  as  the 
towns  of  Beaugency,  Mehun  sur  Loire,  Janville  en  Beauce, 
Laferte*  Ymbaud,  Laferte'  Newart,  Laferte*  Galis,  Saint  Memmyn, 
Saint  Benoit,  and  Jargeau;  and  he  also  took  the  monastery 
churches  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city,  and  these  were  altered  and 
converted  and  made  into  bastille  forts  on  all  sides  of  the  city, 
both  on  the  islands  of  the  river  Loire  as  well  below  as  above 
the  said  city,  and  also  in  the  monastery  churches  in  the  sur- 
rounding suburbs,  as  already  stated,  to  the  number  of  seven 
bastilles  most  strongly  fortified.  The  strongest  of  these  forts 
was  at  the  end  of  the  bridge  of  Orleans,  where  there  was  a 
tower  very  strong  in  plan,  and  almost  impregnable,  surrounded 
by  deep  water  on  all  sides,  and  carefully  fashioned  with  well 
fortified  ramparts  ;  and  in  it  was  a  commandant  puffed  up  with 
the  utmost  arrogance  and  conceit,  Glasinden  by  name.  All 
round  the  town  were  the  bulk  of  the  besiegers,  in  places  under- 
ground and  mines  dug  in  the  earth  for  fear  of  the  missiles  shot 
from  the  city,  together  with  merchants  and  handicraftsmen  in 
all  the  crafts  in  the  world  pertaining  to  war,  and  all  kinds  of 
merchandise,  as  in  a  fine  town.  In  these  underground  trenches 
and  mines,  indeed,  there  were  underground  buildings  with 
chimneys  for  fires,  with  underground  ways  and  quarters,  divided 
and  girt  about  like  the  quarters  of  a  city,  to  the  end  that  the  mer- 
chants and  other  workmen  might  go  round  the  city  and  find  a 
sale  for  their  merchandise  unharmed  and  without  danger ;  and 
there  were  even  taverns  and  all  kinds  of  eatables  and  other 
commodities,  as  well  as  all  sorts  of  other  wares  necessary  for 
the  use  of  man,  for  the  space  of  about  a  mile  towards  Paris, 
whence  their  provisions  came  to  them. 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

Same  continued. 

To  pass  on,  after  these  things  the  earl  of  Salisbury,  who  went 
the  round  of  all  the  forts  every  day  to  visit  and  cheer  up  his 


274         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X. 

men,  was  one  day  killed  ill  the  aforesaid  tower  at  the  bridge 
by  a  small  cannon  ball.  Sir  Lancelot  de  Lisle  was  like- 
wise killed  by  a  ball  in  the  island  bastille,  as  also  many 
others.  Moreover  the  English  ran  short  of  provisions,  and 
sent  the  lord  Talbot  with  two  thousand  men-at-arms  to  the 
city  of  Paris  to  fetch  provisions,  leaving  the  conduct  of 
the  siege  to  the  earl  of  Suffolk,  whom  the  earl  of  Salisbury 
had  left  as  governor  of  the  kingdom  in  his  stead  on  behalf 
of  the  king  of  England.  But  when  the  Frenchmen  heard  of 
this,  they  did  their  best  to  devise  some  obstacle  to  throw  in 
their  way.  Now  it  so  happened  that  the  king  of  France  had 
delivered  lord  Darnley,  who  had  been  taken  prisoner  at  the 
battle  of  Cravant  through  his  own  fault,  from  the  hands  of 
his  enemies;  so  he  sent  him  with  twenty  thousand  men-at- 
arms  to  cut  off  the  said  convoy  of  provisions.  But  Talbot  came 
from  Paris  during  Lent  with  fifteen  hundred  men-at-arms  and 
with  two  hundred  wagons  loaded  with  fish  and  wine,  and 
hastened  through  the  country  of  Beauce  to  the  siege;  and, 
when  they  found  the  French  and  Scots  in  their  way,  the 
English  got  down  and,  making  themselves  a  wall  with  the 
wagons,  offered  them  battle.  As,  however,  the  duke  of  Bour- 
bon was  present  with  the  French  troops  as  commander,  as 
were  also  many  other  nobles  of  the  kingdom,  the  French  would 
not  attack  them,  but  wanted  to  surround  them  at  a  distance 
and  hem  them  in  until  they  should  be  worn  out  with  hunger 
and  cold  and  surrender  without  a  blow;  for,  being  without 
hope  of  rescue,  they  were  already  half  conquered,  and  would 
willingly  save  themselves  by  then  surrendering  to  them.  The 
said  lord  Darnley  was  of  a  contrary  opinion,  however,  and  said 
he  would  dismount ;  and  those  who  would  dismount  with  him, 
let  them  do  so  in  God's  name ;  and  those  who  would  not,  let 
them  remain  behind.  Then  he  straightway  dismounted  with  a 
thousand  Scots  and  advanced  upon  the  English  who  were  within 
their  stronghold.  He  could  do  nothing  with  them,  however, 
but  was  driven  back  by  the  aforesaid  lord  Talbot,  who  sallied  out 
from  the  stronghold ;  and  he  was  slain,  and  many  nobles  with 
him.  Among  these  died  the  lord  of  Orval  and  many  other  lords 
of  France,  and  princes  and  lords  who  waited  on  horseback  and 
would  not  stir  until  they  were,  while  on  their  horses,  pierced 
with  arrows  by  the  English,  and  all  put  to  flight.  So,  leaving 
there  the  Scots  and  Frenchmen  who  had  been  killed  or  taken 
prisoners,  the  English,  after  their  glorious  victory,  departed  in 
peace  to  their  siege ;  and  as  they  were  bringing  with  them 
great  quantities  of  herrings  in  barrels,  they  therefore  dubbed 
the  aforesaid  the  Battle  of  the  Herrings  to  this  day.  But  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  X.         275 

said  lord  Darnley  was  brought  to  Orleans  by  his  herald,  and 
buried  there  in  one  of  the  chapels  of  the  cathedral  church, 
where  during  his  life  he  had  founded  in  perpetuity  a  daily 
mass  sung  aloud  by  the  children  of  the  choir  of  the  aforesaid 
church  of  the  Holy  Cross,  giving  the  canons  two  thousand 
gold  crowns,  publicly  paid  in  the  chapter,  for  the  building  of 
the  church,  which  had  not  yet  been  completed.  But  the  duke 
of  Burgundy,  on  hearing  this  news,  took  counsel  and,  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  English  chiefs,  sent  his  messengers  to  the 
town  of  Bourges  in  Berry  and  to  the  towns  of  Angers,  Tours 
and  Lyons  on  the  Ehone,  that  all  these  towns  should  surrender 
themselves  into  his  hands,  lest  haply  after  the  loss  of  the  city 
of  Orleans,  which  all  held  to  be  lost  beyond  recovery,  the 
English  chiefs  should  subdue  to  their  sway  the  whole  country, 
together  with  the  aforesaid  cities  and  towns,  and  so  the  whole 
kingdom ;  and  thus  the  kingdom  might  perhaps  never  at  all  be 
recovered  from  their  grasp  by  the  kings  of  the  French,  but 
remain  for  ever  in  slavish  subjection  to  the  English  after  the 
expulsion  of  its  native  princes,  whereof  he  himself  was  the 
cause.  For,  with  the  loss  of  these  four  or  five  cities,  without 
any  doubt  whatever  all  the  other  cities  that  owned  allegi- 
ance to  the  king  would  have  been  lost,  so  that  he  would  not 
have  in  the  kingdom  a  place  where  he  could  lay  his  head. 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 

Same  continued. 

THE  duke  of  Burgundy  indeed  may  be  thought  to  have  been 
sincere  in  proposing  this  to  the  whole  of  the  citizens  of  the 
aforesaid  cities,  regretting  he  had  given  such  countenance  and 
help  to  these  English,  and  fearing  lest  the  evils  which  through 
his  fault  and  agency  had  come  upon  the  kingdom  of  France 
might  in  time  to  come  be  the  cause  of  his  condemnation  and  the 
disinheritance  of  his  heirs.  So  the  rulers  and  governors  of  the 
cities  thankfully  accepted  the  offer,  provided  he  promised  them, 
by  taking  his  great  oath  on  the  Gospels  and  sending  it  to 
them  ratified  by  his  seal,  that  he  would  never  allow  them  to  be 
brought  under  subjection  to  the  English.  And  this  was  ac- 
cordingly done,  and  it  was  announced  to  the  king  of  France  by 
the  aforesaid  citizens,  who  said  they  would  rather  die  than  be 
brought  under  the  English  yoke.  When  the  king  of  France, 
however,  saw  this,  he  was  exceedingly  frightened,  and  made 
every  effort  to  get  ready  to  go  to  King  James  of  Scotland,  the 
first  of  this  name.  For  he  was  surrounded  by  deadly  enemies, 


276         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.  BOOK  X. 

.  the  duke  of  Brittany  on  the  west,  the  duke  of  Burgundy  and 
the  English  on  the  north,  the  duke  of  Bourbon  and  the  duke  of 
Savoy  on  the  east,  and  the  prince  of  Orange  and  the  king  of 
Arragon  on  the  south ;  and  he  was  a  young  man  and  had  little 
money,  without  which  no  effective  good  can  be  done  in  war. 
And  so,  without  hope  of  aid,  despairing  of  any  help,  counsel  or 
sympathy,  penniless,  without  servants,  without  fighting  men, 
grieving  in  heart,  left  desolate  and  in  great  straits,  desiring  to 
die  rather  than  live,  he  would  lift  up  his  voice  and  weep,  saying 
in  tearful  accents,  "  Unto  Thee  have  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes,  who 
dwellest  in  the  Heavens,"  and  "  I  have  lifted  up  mine  unto  the 
hills  from  whence  cometh  my  help ;"  and  again,  "  I  called  upon 
the  Lord  in  my  trouble."  For  his  confessor,  the  bishop  of 
Chartres,  was  a  devout  man,  and  he  confessed  to  him  daily 
every  day ;  and  on  festivals  he  took  the  sacrament  of  the  body 
of  Christ,  heard  three  masses  devoutly  kneeling,  and  never 
failed  to  say  matins  and  the  commemoration  of  souls ;  and 
these  and  other  orisons  he  performed  every  week  day.  And 
thus,  on  his  way  to  La  Eochelle,  where  he  was  going  to  embark, 
he  transferred  himself  to  the  strongest  city  in  the  whole  of 
France,  called  Poitiers,  and  shut  himself  up  there.  There 
were  there  at  the  time  the  lords  of  the  Parliament  of  Paris,  who 
had  been  driven  out  of  the  said  city  of  Paris;  and  these 
advised  him  by  all  means  to  adhere  to  the  plan  he  had  formed. 
But  the  merciful  and  pitiful  Lord,  patient,  long-suffering  and 
very  merciful,  who  hath  His  eyes  upon  the  righteous  and  His 
ears  ever  open  to  their  prayers,  and  who  turneth  His  face  upon 
evildoers  that  he  may  wipe  out  the  memory  of  them  from  the 
earth,  heard  his  prayers,  and  sent  him  help  from  His  holy 
place ;  sending  him  over  a  maid,  a  virgin  girl,  before  this  the 
most  faint-hearted  and  poor-spirited  of  all  creatures,  tiny  and 
petty  in  stature,  yet  taught  and  instructed  from  heaven,  and 
animated,  advised  and  guided  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  whom, 
as  her  deeds  prove,  she  was  inspired.  And  she  delivered  him 
from  all  the  snares  of  all  his  enemies,  and  gave  them  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy,  and  they  that  hated  them  had  dominion 
over  them.  Her  arrival  and  marvellous  works  shall  be  told  at 
length  below.  Nevertheless  a  noble  and  generous  heart  must 
not  let  the  noble  valour  and  bravery  of  the  said  city  of  Orleans 
fall  into  oblivion.  For,  in  view  of  their  lord  the  duke  of  Orleans 
being  a  prisoner  and  captive  in  the  hands  of  the  English  ever 
since  the  battle  of  Agincourt,  they  with  one  accord  caused  it  to 
be  publicly  proclaimed  that  they  had  gold  and  silver  in  the 
greatest  abundance,  and  plenty  of  provisions  and  arms,  both 
offensive  and  defensive,  for  two  years  to  come  for  two  thousand 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  X.         277 

men-at-arms ;  and  whatever  nobles  and  brave  leaders  might 
wish  to  take  part  with  them  in  defending  their  city,  they  would 
defend  the  aforesaid  city  with  their  lives;  and  straightway 
they  publicly,  in  the  sight  of  all,  opened  the  storehouses, 
granaries  and  taverns  of  the  town,  and  poured  out  flasks  and 
pulled  out  stores,  so  that  wine,  grain,  meat  and  fish  and  all 
other  kinds  of  provisions  were  free  to  the  men-at-arms  without 
payment.  On  hearing  this,  there  came  such  a  crowd  of  distin- 
guished men-at-arms,  that  they  made  the  good  ones  their  chosen 
vessels  and  turned  out  the  bad.  Then  they  sallied  out  daily 
and  made  such  cruel  havoc  of  their  enemies,  routing  and  killing 
them  and  leading  them  captive  into  the  town,  that  the  king,  on 
hearing  of  it,  was  so  comforted  and  consoled  within  himself, 
that  from  that  hour  every  day  his  spirits  rallied  greatly  from 
day  to  day,  and  he  ennobled  them  and  granted  them  freedom 
in  perpetuity.  And  thus  in  these  days  the  aforesaid  girl, 
stirred  up  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  commanded  to  come  to  the 
king. 

CHAPTEK    XXXII. 

Account  of  the  wonderful  girl  who  was  sent  by  God's  providence 
to  succour  France — Her  exploits. 

IN  those  days  the  Lord  stirred  up  the  spirit  of  a  certain 
wonderful  girl,  a  native  of  the  borders  of  France,  in  the  duchy 
of  Lorraine,  near  the  royal  castle  of  Vaucouleurs,  in  the  bishopric 
of  Toul,  towards  the  Empire.  This  girl  was  kept  by  her  father 
and  mother  to  the  task  of  tending  a  flock  of  sheep,  daily  holding 
a  distaff  in  her  fingers ;  and  she  had  not  known  man,  and  was 
void  of  all  offence,  as  was  asserted,  and  of  good  report  among 
her  neighbours.34  .  .  . 

End  of  Book  X. 


BOOK    XL 

CHAPTER   I. 

• 

King  James  I. 

AFTER  the  renowned  princes  King  Robert  n.  and  King  Robert 
ill.  and  his  eldest  son  David  duke  of  Rothesay  had  gone  the  way 
of  all  flesh  and  the  kingdom  had  been  left  to  the  governance  of 
the  duke  of  Albany,  brother  of  the  said  King  Robert  ill.,  and  after 
the  afore-named  chiefs,  namely  John  earl  of  Buchan,  Archibald 
earl  of  Douglas  and  his  son  James,  and  divers  other  lords  and 
lordlings,  who  had  been  sent  into  France  at  the  instance  of 
the  king  thereof,  had  been  left  on  the  field  of  battle,  the  said 
Robert  duke  of  Albany  died  and  was  buried  at  Dunfermline. 
In  his  time,  it  is  said,  great  fruitfulness  prevailed  in  the  king- 
dom. But  on  his  death  the  prelates  and  lords  of  the  kingdom 
took  counsel  and  delivered  their  King  James,  the  first  of  this 
name,  out  of  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  giving  hostages  for  a 
hundred  thousand  marks  and  contracting  a  marriage  with  the 
niece  of  the  king  of  England  and  daughter  of  the  earl  of 
Somerset,  now  duke  thereof,  and  brought  him  back  to  the 
kingdom  ;  and  all  the  chief  men  of  the  kingdom  assembled  in 
a  body  at  Scone  and  crowned  him  with  glory  and  honour,  after 
the  manner  of  his  predecessors.  As  security  for  his  liberation 
and  the  foregoing  sum,  many  magnates  of  the  kingdom  were 
sent  as  hostages  into  England  in  the  year  1424.  Now  this 
queen  Joan  was  the  daughter  of  John  Beaufort  marquess  of 
Dorset  and  earl  of  Somerset,  who  was  the  son  of  the  lord  John 
of  Gaunt,  the  son1  of  Henry  duke  of  Lancaster  and  fourth 
king  of  England  of  that  name.  The  queen's  mother  was  the 
daughter  of  the  earl  of  Kent,  brother  of  King  Richard  u.  who 
was  driven  out  into  Scotland,  and  his  name  was  Thomas  of 
Holland.  Because  of  the  marriage,  however,  and  as  the  said 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI.         279 

queen's  dowry,  the  king  was  let  off  half  the  said  sum.  So  they 
were  both  crowned  by  the  bishop  of  Saint  Andrews  on  the 
twenty-first  day  of  May  in  the  year  1424.  But  Murdach 
Stewart,  by  a  special  privilege  granted  to  him  as  duke  of 
Albany  and  earl  of  Fife,  set  the  said  king  upon  the  royal  seat ; 
and  many  aspirants  were  girded  and  decorated  with  the  belt 
of  knighthood  by  the  king,  as  will  be  shown  later,  together 
with  the  names  of  the  hostages  given  and  the  king's  expenses 
in  England.  For  the  English,  in  their  cunning,  would  not  say 
that  the  sum  of  a  hundred  thousand  marks  which  they  asked 
for  his  liberation  was  given  as  his  ransom,  but  rather  for  his 
expenses  incurred  while  in  their  charge  for  the  safe  keeping  of 
his  person;  and  for  this  sum  were  the  said  hostages  given. 
Some  of  these  remained  there  until  their  death,  others  freed 
themselves,  others  escaped,  others  ransomed  themselves  with 
their  own  money ;  so  that  some  of  them  remained  there  fully 
thirty-five  years,  and  their  expenses  and  damages  cost  the 
kingdom  of  Scotland  a  hundred  thousand  pounds.  Now  the 
names  of  the  knights  made  at  the  king's  coronation  are  these : 
first,  Archibald,  third  earl  of  Douglas  of  that  name ;  William 
earl  of  Angus ;  George  earl  of  March ;  the  lord  Hailes ;  Thomas 
Hay  lord  of  Yester ;  Walter,2  and  Walter  Haliburton ;  Patrick 
Ogilvy;  David  Stewart  of  Rosyth;  the  lord  Seton;  the  lord 
Gordon;  the  lord  Kinnoul;  the  earl  of  Crawford;  John  Red 
Stewart ;  David  Murray ;  John  Stewart  of  Cardenen ;  William 
de  la  Hay,  constable  of  Scotland ;  John  Scrimgeour ;  Alexander 
Irvine  ;  Herbert  Maxwell ;  Herbert  Herries  of  Terreagles ; 
Andrew  Gray  of  Foulis;  the  lord  Kilmaurs;  the  lord  Dal- 
housie ;  the  lord  Crichton. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Arrest  of  lords  for  the  crime  of  high  treason. 

IN  the  year  of  Our  Lord  1424  Walter  Stewart,  eldest  son  of 
Murdach  Stewart  duke  of  Albany,  Malcolm  Fleming  lord  of 
Cumbernauld  and  Thomas  Boyd  of  Kilmarnock  were  arrested  in 
Edinburgh  Castle  by  the  king's  command.  Walter  was  placed 
in  confinement  at  the  castle  of  Bass,  and  Malcolm  at  Dalkeith ; 
while  the  said  Thomas  Boyd  was  discharged  and  set  at  liberty. 
Immediately  after  their  arrest  the  king  was  crowned,  as  afore- 
said, on  the  22d3  day  of  the  month  of  May.  Then,  on  the 
sixth  day  after  his  coronation,  he  held  his  parliament  at  Perth, 
where  he  proposed  many  things  to  be  enacted  for  the  good  of 


280         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI. 

the  kingdom  and  the  common  weal.  Afterwards,  as  he  per- 
ceived that  the  revenues  of  the  crown  of  the  realm  had  greatly 
dwindled  down,  and  that  there  was  left  to  him  little  of  the 
royal  possessions  besides  ward  and  relief  and  customs  to  keep 
up  his  position,  with  consent  of  the  three  estates  of  the  realm 
a  certain  tax,  namely  twelve  pence  in  the  pound  out  of  all 
farms,  yearly  rents,  grain  and  cattle  and  other  produce  of  the 
lords  spiritual  and  temporal,  was  granted  to  him  for  the  two 
years  following,  that  he  might  free  his  hostages.  But,  because 
this  total  sum  pressed  too  heavily  upon  the  kingdom,  the 
whole  was  not  levied,  but  fourteen  thousand  marks  the  first 
year ;  and  afterwards,  until  the  contract  of  marriage  between 
his  daughter  Margaret  and  the  Dauphin  of  France,  which  was 
in  the  year  1433,  no  taxes  were  levied  in  the  kingdom.  More- 
over, after  one  tax  had  been  paid  for  the  embassy  about  this 
contract,  as  the  communities  grumbled  about  their  poverty, 
the  king  caused  all  that  had  been  received  to  be  restored,  and 
levied  no  more  taxes.  In  that  same  year  '33  Duncan  earl  of 
Lennox  was  arrested  in  Edinburgh  Castle,  as  also  Robert 
Graham,  afterwards  his  betrayer,  who  was  placed  in  confine- 
ment at  Dunbar.  At  this  time  also  the  town  of  Linlithgow 
was  burnt  down,  together  with  the  church  thereof.  The  same 
year,  on  the  13th  day  of  March,  the  king  held  his  second 
parliament  at  Perth,  and  there  he  had  Murdach  Stewart  duke 
of  Albany  arrested,  as  well  as  his  son  Alexander,  whom  he 
himself  had  knighted  with  twenty-six  others.  He  also  arrested 
the  lord  Montgomery  and  Alan  of  Otterburn,  the  secretary  of 
the  duke  of  Albany ;  and  he  at  once  had  the  castles  of  Falk- 
land and  Doune  in  Menteith  captured.  Afterwards  the  duke 
was  transferred  to  Caerlaverock  and  his  duchess  to  Tantallon ; 
and,  of  the  said  duke's  sons,  James  alone  escaped,  who  burnt 
down  Dumbarton  and  killed  sir  John  Eed  Stewart,  to  wit  the 
lord  of  Burley.  He  afterwards  was  put  to  flight  and  fled  to 
Ireland,  while  five  of  his  accomplices  were  indicted  at  Stirling, 
condemned,  drawn  and  hanged  after  being  beheaded.4  The 
bishop  of  Argyll  or  Lismore  likewise  fled  across  to  Ireland  to 
return  no  more,  for  he  knew  he  was  a  culpable  abettor  against 
the  king's  majesty.  He  was  of  the  order  of  Preaching  Friars. 

CHAPTER  III. 

Execution  of  the  duke  of  Albany  and  his  sons, 

ON  the  18th  day  of  the  month  of  May  in  the  year  1424  the 
king  continued  his  parliament  at  Stirling,  and  by  an  assize  of 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI.         281 

earls  and  barons  from  among  the  great  men  of  the  kingdom 
despatched  Murdach  duke  of  Albany  and  his  two  sons,  Walter 
Stewart  and  his  brother  Alexander,  and  also  Donald  earl  of 
Lennox,  an  old  man  of  great  age ;  and  all  four  were  beheaded 
on  a  mound  in  front  of  the  castle,  and  buried  in  the  church  of 
the  Preaching  Friars.  The  names  of  the  lords  composing  the 
said  assize  were  these :  the  lord  Walter  Stewart  earl  of  Atholl, 
the  king's  uncle ;  the  third  Archibald  earl  of  Douglas ;  Alex- 
ander Stewart  earl  of  Mar;  William  Douglas  earl  of  Angus;  Alex- 
ander earl  of  Eoss  and  Lord  of  the  Isles ;  George  Dunbar  earl 
of  March ;  William  Sinclair  earl  of  Orkney ;  James  Douglas  of 
Balvany  and  Abercorn,  afterwards  earl  of  Avandale ;  Gilbert 
Hay,  constable  of  Scotland;  sir  John  Montgomery;  the  lord 
Lome ;  the  lord  Somerville ;  the  lord  Terreagles ;  the  lord 
Dalkeith ;  the  lord  Kilmaurs ;  the  lord  Calendar ;  Thomas 
Hay  of  Yester ;  Patrick  Ogilvy,  sheriff  of  Angus ;  John  Forester 
of  Corstorphine ;  Walter  Ogilvy  of  Luntrethan.5  These  lords, 
earls  and  great  barons  were  peers  of  the  realm  and  greater  lords; 
and  they  were  sworn  as  an  assize  upon  them,  and  adjudged  them 
worthy  of  death  and  guilty  of  high  treason — for  a  peer  must  be 
tried  by  his  peers.  And  so  they  suffered  capital  punishment, 
and  their  bodies  and  property  were  confiscated  to  the  king. 

Here  follows  about  the  ambassadors  of  the  king  of  France 
sent  to  Scotland  to  contract  a  marriage  between  Margaret,  the 
eldest  daughter  of  the  king  of  Scotland,  and  Louis,  the  Dauphin 
of  France,  who  were  both  still  minors,  under  marriageable  age. 

In  the  year  1425,  after  the  battle  of  Verneuil,  the  king  of  the 
French  sent  on  an  embassy  to  the  king  of  Scotland  the  arch- 
bishop of  Eheims,  duke  and  principal  peer  of  the  ecclesiastical 
peers  of  France,  together  with  sir  John  Stewart  of  Darnley, 
constable  of  the  Scots  army  in  France,  to  contract  a  marriage 
between  Margaret,  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  said  king  of 
Scotland  [and  the  Dauphin].  They  were  received  with  great 
respect,  magnificence  and  honour,  and  succeeded  in  despatching 
their  business.  But  because  they  were  under  marriageable  age, 
charters  were  drawn  up  and  sealed  with  the  seals  of  the  chiefs 
and  promises  were  given  on  either  side  that  the  marriage  should 
be  consummated  between  the  aforesaid  Margaret  and  Louis  of 
France  when  of  full  age,  when  the  time  should  come :  for  the 
aforesaid  bishop  was  chancellor  of  France,  and  had  with  him 
the  great  seal  of  France.  And  thus  far  the  matter  went  for  the 
time,  and  the  ambassadors  returned  to  France,  and  made  a  full 
report.  But  the  king  of  Scotland  was  most  highly  pleased 
with  what  was  said  and  done  to  him  in  this  matter,  and  sent 
back  distinguished  envoys,  men  of  great  prudence  and  discreet- 


282         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XL 

ness,  master  Henry  Leighton,  bishop  of  Aberdeen,  master 
Edward  Lawder,  archdeacon  of  Lothian,  and  sir  Patrick  Ogilvy 
of  Auchterhouse,  Justiciary  of  Scotland,  with  a  certain  com- 
mission and  instructions  concerning  the  said  matter,  and  to 
render  adequate  thanks  to  the  aforesaid  king  of  the  French  for 
so  great  an  honour.  When  therefore  this  had  been  done  on 
either  side,  five  or  six  years  afterwards  ambassadors  were  again 
sent  to  either  kingdom,  and  the  aforesaid  marriage  was  com- 
pleted with  the  utmost  magnificence ;  and  first  the  king  of 
France  sent  the  chief  steward  of  his  household,  the  sieur 
Arnault  Girart,  governor  of  La  Rochelle,  and  with  him  master 
Aymer  Martin,  licentiate  of  decrees,  commissioned  to  contract 
a  marriage  by  a  pledge  for  the  future  with  the  aforesaid  Mar- 
garet, affiancing  her  on  behalf  of  her  husband  the  Dauphin  of 
France. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Consummation  of  the  marriage  between  the  Dauphin  and 
Margaret. 

IN  the  year  1436  the  king  of  Scotland  sent  his  eldest  daugh- 
ter Margaret  to  France  with  a  distinguished  company  of  lords, 
knights  and  brave  men  most  admirably  appointed,  in  such 
becoming  apparel  and  so  splendidly  marshalled,  that  never 
within  living  memory  had  such  and  so  remarkable  an  army,  so 
proudly  arrayed,  so  skilfully  commanded,  been  sent  out  from 
the  kingdom  of  Scotland.  At  the  head  of  this  army,  for  con- 
tracting this  marriage  between  the  aforesaid  parties,  were  the 
bishop  of  Brechin,  the  lord  John  Crannock,  and  the  lord  Sinclair, 
lord  earl  of  Orkney  and  admiral  of  Scotland,  together  with 
fifty  other  worshipful  knights  and  squires  and  their  attendant 
officers,  and  also  with  a  mighty  fleet  of  men-at-arms  to  escort 
her  safely  to  the  king  of  France,  for  fear  of  the  English ;  and 
in  the  said  fleet  there  were  three  thousand  well-ordered  and 
protected  men-at-arms.  But  she  was  a  girl  of  ten,  clad  in 
splendid  apparel,  most  costly  and  gorgeous,  and  with  a  fine 
figure  and  very  lovely  face.  As  for  the  marriage,  it  was  per- 
formed in  the  face  of  the  church  at  the  royal  palace  the  castle 
of  Tours  in  Touraine  by  the  above-mentioned  archbishop  of 
Rheims,:1in  the  presence  of  the  kings  of  France  and  Sicily6 
and  their  queens,  and  also  the  old  queen  of  Sicily,  mother  of 
the  said  queen  of  France  and  mother  also  of  the  said  king  of 
Sicily,  together  with  the  ambassadors  of  Scotland  and  many 
nobles  of  France,  both  lords  and  ladies  of  France.  Neverthe- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI.         283 

less,  though  they  were  married  and  joined  in  matrimony,  yet 
they  did  not  seek  the  nuptial  bed  until  two  and  a  half  years 
after,  after  the  lapse  of  which  they  were  of  full  marriageable 
age  and  were  put  to  bed  at  Gien  sur  Loire;  and  thus  the 
marriage  was  completely  consummated  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  In  the  year  1426  the  king  held  his  parliament  at 
Inverness,  and  the  Lord  of  the  Isles  was  arrested  there,  as  also 
the  countess  of  Eoss,  his  mother,  daughter  and  heiress  of  the 
lord  Walter  Leslie,  last  earl  of  Eoss.  He  also  had  almost  all  the 
north  country  nobles  arrested ;  and  this  parliament,  they  say, 
daunted  them  greatly  and  made  them  fear  the  king.  Angus 
Duff  was  arrested  there,  together  with  his  four  sons  and  many 
other  evildoers,  who  were  summoned  to  the  gathering,  ar- 
rested, indicted,  tried  and  condemned,  and  some  were  beheaded, 
some  hanged,  others  outlawed  and  banished.  And  thus  he 
restored  peace  in  the  country  for  a  long  time,  and  it  remained 
quiet.  As  for  the  Lord  of  the  Isles,  however,  seeing  he  was  a 
young  man  and  led  by  caprice,  he  would  not  inflict  capital 
punishment  upon  him ;  but  he  chastised  some  of  his  advisers, 
and  would  have  him  remain  with  him  in  his  household,  as  he 
drew  his  origin  from  the  blood-royal,  to  the  end  that,  by  being 
accustomed  to  be  among  nobles,  he  might  amend  his  ways  in 
manners  and  virtue ;  so  that,  being  reformed  by  habits  of 
virtue,  he  might  more  fully  win  the  king's  'liking  and  the 
favour  of  the  nobles.  He,  however,  could  not  bear  the  mockery 
of  certain  persons,  so  in  a  little  while  he  departed  secretly  and, 
following  the  advice  of  evil  men,  burnt  down  the  royal  town 
of  Inverness  out  of  revenge  for  bis  arrest.  The  king,  wroth 
beyond  measure  thereat,  assembled  an  army  and  marched 
northwards  in  pursuit  of  him ;  and  many  of  his  army  left  him 
and  went  over  to  the  king,  to  wit  the  Clan  Gillequhatan  and 
the  Clan  Cameron.  But,  on  seeing  this,  the  Lord  of  the  Isles, 
by  the  advice  of  some  of  his  friends,  went  back  to  the  king 
unconditionally,  purely  and  simply,  and  threw  himself  upon 
his  mercy ;  and  the  mild  and  merciful  king  forgave  him  at  the 
request  of  the  lords,  and  sent  him  off  to  be  imprisoned  in  Tan- 
tallon  Castle  in  the  custody  of  the  earl  of  Angus,  the  king's 
nephew.  Afterwards,  by  the  king's  desire,  he  came  to  Holy- 
rood  House  and,  stripped  of  all  his  garments  but  his  shirt  and 
breeches  and  kneeling  before  the  high  altar,  implored  the  king's 
mercy  and,  holding  his  drawn  sword  by  the  point,  tendered 
and  presented  it  into  the  king's  hands ;  and  therewith  all  the 
great  men  of  the  kingdom  and  the  queen  interceded  for  him. 
But  he  sent  his  mother  the  countess  over  to  Inchcolm  and 
she  remained  in  confinement  there  for  a  year  and  more. 


284         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI. 

CHAPTEE  V. 

Issue  of  the  king  and  queen. 

IN  the  year  1430  there  were  born  unto  the  king  two  male 
twins,  the  sons  of  the  king  and  queen,  whereat  all  the  world 
exulted  with  very  great  joy  all  over  the  kingdom ;  and  in  the 
town  of  Edinburgh,  seeing  that  they  were  born  in  the  monas- 
tery of  Holyrood,  bonfires  were  lighted,  flagons  of  wine  were 
free  to  all  and  victuals  publicly  to  all  comers,  with  the  sweetest 
harmony  of  all  kinds  of  musical  instruments  all  night  long 
proclaiming  the  praise  and  glory  of  God  for  all  his  gifts  and 
benefits.  They  were  born  on  the  16th  day  of  the  month  of 
October.  The  first  was  called  Alexander,  and  he  died  in  youth. 
The  second  was  James,  the  second  of  this  name,  who  died  at 
Eoxburgh,  most  deeply  revered,  on  the  third  day  of  August  in 
the  year  1460,  and  was  interred  in  the  church  of  Holyrood, 
where  he  was  born.  But  King  James  I.,  their  father,  created  a 
great  many  knights  on  the  occasion  of  their  birth,  to  wit  these 
two  sons  of  his  over  the  baptismal  font,  and  in  the  second 
place  he  created  many  others  in  their  honour,  the  first  of  whom 
was  the  son  of  a  lord  of  the  city  of  Rome  who  happened  to  be 
there,  and  who  was  called  a  prince,  together  with  many  youths, 
sons  of  lords  of  the  realm,  such  as  William,  eldest  son  of  the 
earl  of  Douglas,  a  young  man  who  was  afterwards  beheaded ; 
also  William,  son  and  heir  of  James  Douglas  of  Abercorn,  after- 
wards killed  in  Stirling  Castle ;  also  John  Logan,  lord  of  Restal- 
rig  after  his  father ;  also  James,  heir  of  the  lord  Crichton,  also 
James  Edmonston;  also  the  son  and  heir  of  the  lord  Borth- 
wick.  The  same  year  the  king  had  a  mortar  brought  over 
from  Flanders,  called  The  Lion,  now  in  England.  In  the  year  '3 1 
was  opened  the  council  of  Basle,  where  a  very  great  schism 
arose  through  the  duke  of  Savoy,  in  the  first  year  of  Pope 
Eugenius,  the  fourth  of  this  name.  The  same  year  were 
arrested  Archibald  Douglas,  earl  of  that  ilk,  the  king's  nephew, 
and  also  sir  John  Kennedy,  who  also  was  the  king's  nephew, 
for  certain  reasons.  But  the  king  in  his  parliament  at  Perth  for- 
gave the  Lord  of  the  Isles  and  the  earl  of  Douglas,  while  John 
Kennedy,  having  been  imprisoned,  escaped  and  exiled  himself 
irretrievably.  There  were  also  born  unto  the  king  six  daughters, 
the  first  of  whom  was  married  to  the  Dauphin  of  France,  and 
died  childless  in  the  year  '45.  The  same  year,  shortly  before 
the  parliament,  an  Islander  named  Dolny  (Donald)  Balloch 
killed  Alan  Stewart  earl  of  Caithness,  son  of  the  earl  of  Athol,  and 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCAKDEN.   BOOK  XL         285 

twelve  nobles  and  their  followers  in  a  warlike  encounter  at  In- 
verlochy ;  while  Alexander  Stewart  earl  of  Mar  withdrew  in  time 
and  saved  himself.  The  same  year  Angus  Macdufi'  and  Angus 
Murray,  both  of  whom  had  shortly  before  escaped  from  impri- 
sonment by  the  king,  had  an  encounter  together ;  and  of  three 
thousand  fighting  men  barely  thirty  escaped  on  either  side. 
In  the  year  1429  was  founded  the  Carthusian  monastery  called 
the  Valley  of  Virtues,  namely  the  Charterhouse,  in  the  South 
Inch  of  Perth,  and  its  first  prior  was  called  Oswald,  a  monk  of 
great  distinction  and  wisdom.  In  the  year  1433  there  was 
burnt  at  Saint  Andrews  a  certain  heretic  called  Paul  Craw,7 
one  of  the  Prague  sect,  sent  hither  to  sow  the  seeds  of  his 
heretical  perverseness.  These  sects  do  not  believe  in  purga- 
tory, detest  all  monasticism,  sneer  at  pilgrimages,  abhor  the 
orders  and  despise  the  keys  of  the  church;  and  they  even  do 
not  believe  the  article  of  faith  about  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead — and  many  other  erroneous  conclusions. 


CHAPTEE  VI. 

The  English  craftily  wish  to  break  the  league  between  France 
and  Scotland. 

ABOUT  this  time  there  came  from  England  a  certain  knight 
who  was  sent  by  the  king  of  England  to  the  king  of  Scotland 
and  his  council  with  a  certain  commission  and  instructions ; 
and  the  king,  being  informed  thereof  by  certain  persons,  assem- 
bled a  general  council  at  Perth  in  the  month  of  October,  where 
the  business  proposed  was  the  making  a  lasting  peace  with  the 
English,  the  restoration  of  all  castles,  towns  and  possessions 
which  were  known  to  have  belonged  to  the  realm  of  Scotland 
for  a  certain  time  past,  and  especially  Eoxburgh  and  Berwick, 
and  all  other  places  and  possessions  which  they  had  formerly 
wrongfully  wrested  from  the  realm  of  Scotland ;  and  that  they 
should  make  a  lasting  peace  with  them.  And  this  they  pro- 
posed in  the  king's  presence  before  the  high  altar  in  the  church 
of  the  Preaching  Friars  at  Perth.  They  were  briefly  answered 
that  the  Scots  would  willingly  have  peace  with  freedom,  but 
not  otherwise ;  and  this  they  longed  for  heartily  with  one 
accord.  At  length,  when  the  votes  and  opinions  of  each  were 
asked,  the  abbots  of  Scone  and  Inchcolm  answered  that  the 
king  could  not  by  any  means  decide  as  to  a  lasting  peace  with 
the  king  of  England  without  the  consent  of  the  king  and  king- 
dom of  France,  seeing  that  by  provision,  consent  and  decree  of 


286         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI. 

the  general  councils  of  the  kingdoms  both  of  France  and  of 
Scotland,  as  confirmed  by  the  apostolic  see,  a  perpetual  peace 
and  alliance  agreed  upon,  ratified,  approved  and  confirmed 
existed  between  the  kingdoms,  so  that  the  aforesaid  alliance 
could  by  no  means  be  infringed  without  consulting  the  king  of 
Prance  and  his  parliament  and  the  supreme  pontiff.  And  all 
the  kings  of  France  and  of  Scotland,  from  the  time  of  King 
Charlemagne  until  now,  have  sworn  by  the  great  oath  on  the 
Body  to  keep  and  sacredly  observe  this  alliance.  But  what 
affects  all  ought  to  be  approved  by  all ;  therefore  etc.  More- 
over the  king  of  Scotland,  then  present,  and  the  other  leading 
men  of  the  realm  lately  took  a  bodily  oath,  as  already  said,  to 
keep  and  observe  this.  On  this  subject  there  was  much  wrang- 
ling and  debate,  with  divers  arguments  urged  on  either  side, 
between  the  aforesaid  abbots  on  the  one  hand  and  the  abbot  of 
Melrose  on  the  other,  about  making  an  alliance  and  perpetual 
peace  with  the  English  without  the  consent  and  good  will  of 
the  king  of  the  French;  and  that  it  would  be  more  advantageous 
to  have  a  peace  with  the  English,  who  were  near  neighbours, 
than  with  Frenchmen  who  were  far  away.  Master  John  Fogo, 
master  in  the  sacred  page,  supported  this  view  with  all  his 
might,  while  others,  on  the  contrary,  maintained  the  opposite. 
In  the  end  it  was  decided  that  the  inveterate  grudge  of  the 
English  against  Scotland  does  not  die  out,  and  that  this  offer 
of  alliance  is  nothing  but  a  way  of  contriving  to  sow  schism 
and  divisions  in  the  kingdom  and  between  us  and  our  friends 
and  allies  of  France,  and  to  stir  up  strife  where  unwavering 
trust,  true  love  and  brotherly  concord  are  firmly  rooted ;  and 
that  these  English,  though  they  promised  much,  would  actually 
for  all  that  perform  nothing.  For,  when  they  seek  occasion  to 
withdraw  from  their  friends,  they  always  know  how  to  find  it, 
as  is  proved  in  their  doings  of  old  by  the  evidence  of  the 
wickedness  they  have  wrought,  and  by  experience,  which 
teaches  practical  wisdom.  And  thus  finally  the  matter  was 
left  undecided,  so  that  nothing  was  done  to  impair  the  alliance 
between  France  and  Scotland.  In  the  year  1433  the  king  took 
Dunbar  Castle  and  entrusted  the  custody  thereof  to  the  lord  of 
Hailes ;  and  in  the  next,  at  his  parliament  held  at  Perth,  he 
dispossessed  the  lord  George  Dunbar,  earl  of  the  Marches,  on 
account  of  his  father's  shortcomings,  though  he  readily  proved 
the  king's  forgiveness  for  his  own  acts.  Nevertheless  the  king 
invested  him  as  earl  of  Buchan,  and  gave  him  forty  pounds  a 
year  for  his  life ;  and  their  lordships  the  councillors  of  parlia7 
ment  allowed  the  same  to  him  and  his  heir  after  the  death  of 
King  James  I.,  at  least  until  King  James  n.  came  of  age.8  In 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI.         287 

the  year  1435  died  Alexander  Stewart  earl  of  Mar,  who  bore 
himself  stoutly  in  the  battles  of  Lie*ge  and  Harlaw  and  in  many 
other  engagements.  As  he  was  a  bastard,  his  succession  actually 
went  to  the  king ;  though  legally,  according  to  some,  the  lords 
of  Erskine  and  of  Lyle  ought  to  have  succeeded  by  hereditary 
right. 

CHAPTEE    VII. 

How  King  James  I.  besieged  Roxburgh  Castle. 

IN  the  above  year,  namely  '35,  King  James  I.  raised  a  very 
strong  army  and  besieged  Eoxburgh  Castle  about  the  beginning 
of  the  month  of  August.  There  were  in  number  more  than 
two  hundred  thousand  men-at-arms.  But  they  waited  there  a 
fortnight  doing  nothing  worth  recording  because  of  a  detestable 
split  and  most  unworthy  difference  arising  from  jealousy ;  so, 
after  losing  all  their  fine  large  guns,  both  cannon  and  mortars, 
and  gunpowder  and  carriages  and  wagons  and  many  other 
things  utterly  indispensable  for  a  siege,  they  returned  home 
most  ingloriously  without  effecting  their  object.  The  same 
year  also  the  legate  of  the  lord  pope  Eugenius,  namely  the 
bishop  of  Urbino,  came  into  Scotland  a  little  before  Christmas, 
and  was  admitted  by  the  king  and  clergy  to  obtain  a  hearing 
in  parliament  at  Perth,  beginning  on  the  4th  day  of  February. 
But  owing  to  the  mishap  of  the  unexpected  death  by  which 
the  king  was  overtaken,  he  did  not  discharge  the  duties  of 
a  legate,  but  departed  sorrowing  beyond  measure.  The  same 
year  died  the  bishop  of  Dunkeld,  called  De  Cardine,  and  the 
lord  James  Kennedy,  the  king's  nephew,  was  elected,  and 
remained  as  bishop-  there  for  two  years,  being  promoted  in 
the  third  year  to  the  bishopric  of  Saint  Andrews;  and  after 
his  lordship  the  lord  Alexander  Lauder,  a  distinguished 
man,  was,  by  apostolic  provision,  promoted  to  the  bishopric  of 
Dunkeld,  and  lived  only  a  year,  dying  at  Edinburgh  in  the 
year  '40.  He  was  succeeded  by  master  James  Bruce,  who  did 
not  remain  long  there,  but  was  by  the  pope's  authority  trans- 
lated to  the  bishopric  of  Glasgow ;  and  within  two  or  three 
years  after  his  promotion  he  died  at  Edinburgh  and  was  buried 
at  Dunfermline,  in  Saint  Mary's  chapel,  in  the  year  1447 ;  and 
thus  he  was  only  seven  years  or  so  bishop  in  the  two  places. 
He  was  succeeded  in  the  bishopric  of  Dunkeld  by  master  John 
Eailston,  the  king's  secretary,  who  also  did  not  live  long ;  and 
in  the  bishopric  of  Glasgow  he  was  succeeded  by  master  William 
Turnbull,  keeper  of  the  privy  seal,  who  in  like  manner  did  not 


288         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI. 

last  long.9  And  thus  in  these  two  bishoprics  within  ten  years 
ten  bishops  presided — or  thereabouts,  to  be  correct — as  the  facts 
show.  About  the  same  time,  in  the  year  1445,  Margaret,  the 
Dauphiness  of  France,  most  deeply  beloved  by  the  king  and 
queen  of  France  and  by  her  own  husband,  and  while  in  the 
bloom  of  youth,  almost  ruled  the  king  and  kingdom  at  will  by 
her  advice,  with  consummate  tact  and  wisdom ;  whereby  she 
was  most  thoroughly  beloved  and  trusted  by  the  king  and 
queen  of  France,  and  her  words  were  listened  to.  But  woe  is 
me  that  I  should  have  to  write  what  I  sorrowfully  relate  about 
her  death !  For  Death,  who  snatches  all  living  things  equally, 
without  distinction  of  persons,  snatched  away  that  lady  after  a 
short  illness  to  pay  the  debt  of  nature  in  the  bloom  of  youth, 
without  issue  of  the  royal  house  of  France ;  and  her  unlocked 
for  death  at  Chalons  in  the  county  of  Champagne,  where  she 
lies  interred,  cast  the  gloom  of  overwhelming  grief  over  the 
hearts  of  many  in  both  France  and  Scotland.  I,  who  write 
this,  saw  her  every  day  alive,  playing  with  the  king  and  queen 
of  France,  and  going  on  thus  for  nine  years.  But  afterwards, 
at  the  time  of  the  contracting  of  the  marriage  between  King 
Henry  of  England  and  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  Sicily, 
brother  of  the  queen,  of  France,  within  eight  days  I  saw  her  in 
good  health  and  dead  and  embowelled  and  laid  in  a  tomb  at 
the  corner  of  the  high  altar,  on  the  north  side,  in  the  cathe- 
dral church  of  the  said  city  of  Chalons,  in  a  leaden  coffin ;  and 
the  king  said  that  after  a  little  while  he  would  have  her  taken 
up  and  placed  in  Saint  Denis,  among  all  the  kings  and  queens 
there.  Here  follows  her  epitaph,  which  was  placed  upon  her 
tomb  after  her  death,  in  the  French  tongue ;  only  it  is  here 
translated  into  the  Scottish  tongue,  by  command  of  that  lady's 
brother,  King  James  n.  of  famous  memory. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Lament  of  the  lord  Dauphin  of  France  for  the  death  of  his  wife 
the  said  Margaret.10 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Death  of  King  James  I. — Measureless  grief  of  all  Christendom 

thereat. 

IN  the  year  of  Grace  1436,  after  the  king  had  returned  from 
the  siege  of  Roxburgh  and  had  constituted  his  parliament  at 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XL         289 

Perth  to  give  a  hearing  to  the  legate  of  the  supreme  pontiff, 
Satan  entered  into  the  hearts  of  some  traitors  who  had  from 
times  long  past  been  plotting  his  death  with  the  spite  of  an  old 
and  inveterate  grudge,  whereby  they  had  formerly  oftentimes 
treacherously  sought  him  in  many  places,  trying  to  kill  him ; 
but  they  could  have  no  power  over  him  unless  it  were  given 
them  from  above,  seeing  that  his  hour  was  not  yet  come.  At 
length  they  seized  a  favourable  opportunity,  and  one  Eobert 
Graham  and  his  accomplices  Christopher  Chambers  and  his 
brother  Thomas,  both  sons  of  John  Chambers,  a  burgess  of  the 
said  city  of  Perth,  with  whom  were  two  brothers  surnamed 
Hall  and  many  others  associated  with  them,  such  as  Eobert 
Stewart,  son  of  David  Stewart,  son  and  heir  of  Walter  Stewart 
earl  of  Athol,  the  uncle  of  King  James  of  whom  we  are  speaking 
— which  David  was  then  in  England  as  a  hostage  for  the  afore- 
said king  and  his  liberation — murdered  him  at  the  dead  of 
night  in  his  own  room  in  the  Minorite  monastery  of  Perth,  in 
the  first  week  of  Lent.  This  was  the  work  of  that  old  serpent 
and  ancient  of  evil  days,  the  above-mentioned  earl  of  Athol, 
who  had  for  a  long  while  been  craftily  aspiring  to  the  crown, 
and  who  was  the  chief  adviser  in  the  destroying  of  Murdach 
duke  of  Albany  and  his  sons,  as  well  as  of  the  duke  of  Eothe- 
say,  to  the  end  that  he,  a  seeming  innocent  lamb,  having  got 
them  out  of  the  way  by  the  crime  of  .others,  might  the  more 
readily  reach  the  topmost  pinnacle  of  power.  He  indeed  was 
the  fosterer  of  the  whole  of  the  treacherous  betrayal  of  that 
king,  whereby  death  came  into  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  an 
irreparable  loss  which  shall  never  be  wiped  out  in  the  time  of 
living  men :  for  the  fame  of  his  name  went  out  through  all  the 
countries  of  Christendom.  Such  were  his  virtue,  gallantry  and 
sound  sense  that  we  shall  never  be  able  to  find  in  any  record 
his  like  among  the  princes  in  these  parts  on  this  side  of  the 
channel.  For  if  the  whole  world  could  properly  be  included 
under  the  rule  of  one  person,  he,  on  the  strength  of  his  sound 
sense,  his  wisdom  and  the  claims  of  his  virtues  and  his  prowess, 
fully  deserved  to  be  promoted  to  the  government  of  the  whole. 
All  the  dwellers  in  this  kingdom,  indeed,  drank  of  the  cup  of 
the  bitterness  of  his  death,  which  the  ruffians  concerned  in  this 
bitter  death,  who  took  part  in  his  murder,  gave  them  to  drink ; 
whereby  all  the  meaner  sort  were  poisoned  as  if  with  draughts 
of  gall.  He  himself,  however,  had  confessed  himself  and  been 
absolved  from  guilt  and  punishment  by  the  apostolic  legate 
eight  days  before  this.  But  this  Eobert  Graham  and  his 
accomplices,  most  wicked  traitors,  gained  access  to  the  said 
most  gallant  prince's  chamber  through  the  means  of  the  afore- 

T 


290         THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI. 

said  Eobert  Stewart,  after  getting  rid  of  the  guards  and  sur- 
rounding and  encompassing  it  with  bands  of  traitors,  and 
about  ten  o'clock  at  night  ruthlessly  and  mercilessly  slew  and 
murdered  that  prince,  who  was  unarmed  and  undressed.  He 
made  a  marvellous  defence  before  he  died,  knocking  down  on 
all  sides  with  the  force  of  his  arm  the  first  who  rushed  upon 
him,  even  until  so  great  a  crowd  closed  round  him  that  ha  could 
no  longer  defend  himself  from  them  all.  And  thus,  like  an 
innocent  lamb  led  to  the  slaughter,  he  expired  giving  thanks 
and  imploring  mercy  from  the  Most  High,  with  his  hands 
raised  to  heaven ;  and,  after  his  wounds  were  washed,  eight-and- 
twenty  deep  stabs  were  found  on  his  breast,  above  the  navel. 
This  persecution  he  suffered  for  righteousness'  sake.  On  seeing 
this,  the  pope's  legate,  who  within  eight  days  before  had  absolved 
him  from  guilt  and  punishment,  uttered  a  great  cry  with  tearful 
sighs,  and  kissed  his  piteous  wounds ;  and  he  said  before  all 
the  bystanders  that  he  would  stake  his  soul  on  his  having  died 
in  a  state  of  grace,  like  a  martyr,  for  his  defence  of  the  common 
weal  and  his  administration  of  justice.  He  left  behind  him  his 
son  James  II.,  six  years  old,  and  six  daughters,  Margaret  the 
Dauphiness  of  France,  Isabella  duchess  of  Brittany,  Mary  coun- 
tess of  Buchan,  married  in  Zealand,  and  Eleanor  duchess  of 
Austria.  These  four  daughters  married  abroad;  but  the  other  two 
in  Scotland,  to  w.it  Joan  countess  of  Morton  and  Mary  countess 
of  Huntly :  to  whom  be  honour  and  glory  for  ever  and  ever. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Fearful  penalty  exacted  for  the  king's  death. 

AFTER  this,  however,  the  aforesaid  traitors  and  their  retainers 
were  taken,  imprisoned,  condemned  to  the  most  cruel  tortures, 
and  put  to  a  most  painful  death,  taken  about  the  towns  naked 
on  wagons,  and  pierced  and  stabbed  by  the  executioners  with 
red-hot  irons.  Then  they  were  strung  up  to  the  top  of  a  ship's 
mast  as  traitors,  beheaded,  torn  limb  from  limb  and  quartered 
by  the  hangman,  and  their  limbs  were  thereafter  hung  up  at 
the  gates  of  towns  and  burghs  as  a  warning  to  other  traitors, 
while  their  heads  were  set  up  on  high  on  iron  spikes  on  the 
most  conspicuous  high  places  of  towns  and  cities.  Except, 
however,  two  of  the  said  traitors'  accomplices,  brothers-german 
of  the  name  of  Barclay  of  Tyntis  Muir,  who  secretly  escaped 
into  France  and,  being  recognised  in  Brittany,  were  taken  and 
brought  to  the  most  noble  duke  John ;  and  the  duke,  informed 


THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN.   BOOK  XI.         291 

of  the  crime,  put  them  to  death  in  such  wise  as  described 
above.  And  thus  not  a  single  one  escaped.  After  his  death,  I 
verily  believe,  he  did  not  leave  his  equal  in  all  Christendom 
for  benefiting  a  kingdom  and  governing  a  state.  He  was  so 
intelligent  that  he  knew  all  things,  understood  all  things, 
honoured  the  church,  befriended  artizans-  and  farmers,  protected 
husbandmen  and  wished  to  champion  the  poor,  children,  widows, 
orphans  and  all  wretched  persons.  Oh  mournful,  strange  and 
pitiful  and  woful  Death,  which  spareth  no  excellence,  nay, 
snatcheth  all  things  without  distinction !  The  judgments  of  God 
•  are,  many  of  them,  unfathomable.  For,  as  the  heaven  is  higher 
than  the  earth,  so  are  His  ways  than  the  ways  of  men  and  His 
thoughts  than  their  thoughts.  But  alas  that  our  kings  should 
so  often  be  young  men  in  whose  time  justice  is  often  halting ; 
and  the  reason  of  this  is  that  they  are  not  wise  nor  skilful  to 
recognise  the  way  of  equity  and  justice.  As  holy  men  say,  A 
prince  unlettered  is  a  crowned  ass ;  because  unlettered  princes 
are  blind.  Again  the  prophet  saith  through  the  trumpet  of  the 
Lord,  My  people  is  led  captive  because  they  had  no  under- 
standing, and  their  princes  have  perished.  Princes  who  are 
ignorant  appoint  ignorant  men  as  their  officers  of  justice,  and 
blind  men  who  know  nothing  of  wisdom,  knowledge  or  common 
sense.  The  reason  is  that  the  nobles  of  Scotland  will  not  stoop 
to  acquire  knowledge.  But  how  can  any  one  know  letters  unless 
he  has  first  learnt  them  ?  Therefore  justice  is  weak  and  luke- 
warm in  the  kingdom  of  Scotland,  through  the  defect  of  youth- 
ful kings  and  unwise  barons,  I  am  sorry  to  say.  As,  however, 
for  want  of  justice  many  perish  with  hunger,  a  certain  hungerer 
and  thirster  after  justice  has  compiled  in  our  vernacular  a 
lesson  for  ignorant  judges,  as  follows. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

A  morality  representing  the  state  of  a  kingdom  by  the  figwe  of  a 

harp.11 


THE  END. 


NOTES. 

(As  this  Chronicle  purports  to  be  an  abridgment  of  Bower's  Scoli- 
chronicon,  the  Editor  has  thought  it  best  to  confine  himself  to  pointing 
out  in  the  Notes  where  it  differs  from,  or  adds  something  to,  Bower's 
text,  and  to  correcting  corrupt  passages.  The  references  to  Bower  are 
to  Walter  Goodall's  edition  of  the  Scotichronicon,  dated  1759.) 

BOOK  VI. 

Page  2,  note  1. — Namely,  Bower's  Scotichronicon,  of  which  this  work 

is  an  abridgment. 

Page  3,  n.  2. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  5, 1.  1,  "  deinde"  should  be  "  dictum." 
Page  4,  n.  3. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  6,  1.  17, "  ante  Christi"  should  be 

"Antichrist!." 

Page  5,  n.  4. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  7,  1.  27,  "cum"  should  be  "contra." 
Page  6,  n.  5. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  7,  last  line  but  one,  "  quern"  should 

be  "quum." 

Page  6,  11.  6.— Bower,  i.  328,  has  "Edredus." 
Page  6,  n.  7. — Bower,  i.  447,  makes  him  his  grandson. 
Page  6,  n.  8. — Bower,  i.  448,  says  "Malcolm  was  the  son  of  Mac- 

heth,  but  lyingly  called  himself  the  son  of  Angus,  earl  of  Moray." 
Page  7,  n.  9. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  8,  line  3  from  bottom,  "  trucidatur" 

should  be  "  truditur." 
Page  7,  n.  10. — Bower,  i.  448,  says  "by  some  of  King  Malcolm's 

lieges." 
Page   7,   n.   11.— In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  9,  1.    6,   "M°liiii"   should  be 

"  Mcliiii." 

Page  8,  n.  12. — Bower,  L  449,  says  "grandfather." 
Page  9,  n.  13 — Bower,  i.  450,  says  "  as  a  hostage." 
Page  9,  n.  14. — Bower  (ib.)  says  "  by  the  advice  of  his  friends." 
Page  10,  n.  15. — Compare  Bower,  i.  452. 
Page  10,  n.  16. — Bower,  i.  452,  says  "by  a  few  countrymen." 


294  NOTES. 

Page  11,  n.  17. — Arthur  is  evidently  confounded  with  William,  son 
of  Henry  i.,  who  is  stated  in  a  former  passage  (see  Bower,  i.  284) 
to  have  so  perished.  Arthur's  death  is  mentioned  in  Bower,  i.  453, 
517,  and  ii.  11.  In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  13,  1.  26,  "quia"  is 
redundant. 

Page  11,  n.  18.— See  Bower,  ii.  514-5. 

Page  13,  n.  19. — Bower,  i.  457,  gives  a  correct  version  of  these  lines. 

Page  17,  n.  20. — Bower,  i.  470,  has  "montanos." 

Page  17,  n.  21. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  19,  line  6  from  bottom,  "  expug- 
navit"  should  be  "  oppugnavit,"  and  p.  21,  1.  14,  "  expugnaverat " 
should  be  "  oppugnaverat." 

Page  17,  n.  22. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  21,  1.  1,  "incidit"  should  be 
"  incedit." 

Page  18,  n.  23. — Compare  Bower,  i.  471. 

Page  20,  n.  24. — Compare  Bower,  i.  473. 

Page  20,  n.  25. — In  text,  vol.  i  p.  24,  1.  2,  after  "Cronicis"  add 
"  reperi." 

Page  23,  n.  26. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  27,  1.  5,  after  "  alienum  "  supply 
"  debitum." 

Page  24,  n.  27. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  27,  last  line,  "intentor"  should 
be  "  incentor."  The  letters  "  c  "  and  "  t "  are  frequently  sub- 
stituted one  for  the  other  in  the  MSS. 

Page  24,  n.  28. — See  Bower,  i.  475,  478. 

Page  24,  n.  29. — Bower,  i.  479,  says  Macwilliam's  real  name  was 
Donald  Bane. 

Page  25,  n.  30. — In  text,  vol.  L  p.  29,  1.  23,  after  "  Flandrenses " 
supply  "opera." 

Page  25,  n.  31. — Bower,  i.  490,  has  "Cumberland,  that  is  the  earl- 
dom of  Carlisle." 

Page  25,  n.  32. — Bower,  ib.,  does  not  say  Gilbert  was  the  cause  of 
these  troubles. 

Page  26,  n.  33. — In  text,  voL  i.  p.  30,  1.  19,  after  "  exigentibus  " 
supply  "  propter." 

Page  26,  n.  34. — That  is  to  say,  the  brother  of  Rotholand's  father, 
Othred. 

Page  26,  n.  35. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  30,  1.  21,  the  words  "  pacem  et 
amorem"  belong  to  the  next  sentence. 

Page  26,  n.  36. — Bower,  L  492,  calls  him  only  "  comes." 

Page  26,  n.  37. — Bower,  ib.,  says  "daughter." 

Page  26,  n.  38. — Bower,  ib.,  says  it  was  another  daughter  who  was 
married  to  Robert  Bruce. 

Page  26,  n.  39.— Bower,  ib.,  has  "  comite  Laodensi,"  to  whom 
Margaret  was  married.  In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  31,  L  9,  "  magnum  " 
should  be  "  magna." 

Page  27,  n.  40. — Bower,  i.  500,  says  only  for  the  liberation  of  his  body. 


NOTES.  295 

Page  28,  n.  41. — Bower,  i.  502,  adds  "et  proceres." 

Page  29,  n.  42. — Namely,  his  capture  on  his  way  back  from  the  Holy 

Land.     In  text,  voL  L  p.  37,  last  line  but  one,  "  puerorum"  should 

be  "pravorum." 
Page  29,  n.  43. — Bower,  i.  512,  does  not  state  that  Roderick  had  been 

left  to  guard  the  country,  but  merely  mentions  that  he  was  killed. 
Page  29,  n.  44. — Bower,  ib.,  says  Sutherland,  Caithness,  and  Boss.    In 

text,  vol.  i.  p.  40,  L  16,  "  Eboracensem  "  should  be  "  Ebroicensem. " 
Page  30,  n.  45. — The  text,  vol.  i.  p.  41,  1.  4,  adds  "secundum,"  a 

mistake   for   Bower's   "  feria   secunda"    (L    514).      In   line   11, 

"  Berriannensem"  should  be  "  Berriam." 

Page  31,  n.  46. — Bower,  L  516,  says  "  duo  millia  librarum  argenti." 
Page  32,  n.  47. — Bower,  i.  524,  does  not  mention  prelates.    Compare 

his  account,  which  differs  slightly. 
Page  33,  n.  48. — Bower,  i.   525,   states  that  the  bishop  of  Saint 

Andrews  formed  part  of  only  this  second  embassy. 
Page  33,  n.  49. — Bower,  ib.,  mentions  only  one  bishop. 
Page  33,  n.  50. — Bower,  ib.,  says  "that  bishop." 
Page  33,  n.  51. — There  is  here  a  break  in  the  sense.     Bower,  i  526, 

says  that  the  Scots  king  yielded  to  the  suggestion  of  his  own  people, 

and  avoided  a  battle  by  endeavouring  to  comply  with  the  request 

and  wishes  of  the  king  of  England. 

Page  35,  n.  52. — Bower,  i.  527,  says  it  was  two  years  after. 
Page  35,  n.  53. — Dukes  are  not  mentioned  by  Bower.    In  text,  vol.  i. 

p.  47,  last  line  but  two,  "  annotando"  should  be  "  connectendo." 
Page  36,  n.  54. — Bower,  i.  531,  calls  him  Gothred  Macwilliam. 
Page   38,  n.   55. — This  passage  is  corrupt  in  the   text.     Compare 

Bower,  i.  534. 

Page  38,  n.  56. — Bower,  i.  535,  says  in  1183. 
Page  39,  n.  57. —  See  p.   26,  where,   however,  the  marriage  with 

Robert  de  Ross  is  not  mentioned. 
Page  40,  n.  58. — Compare  Bower,  i.  522. 


BOOK   VII. 

Page  42,  n.  1. — Bower,  ii.  4,  says  Alexander  was  crowned  on  Friday, 

and  his  father  buried  on  the  following  Monday. 
Page  43,  n.   2. — In  text,  vol.   L   p.   63,  L    8,    the  first   "et"  is 

redundant. 
Page  43,  n.  3. — In  text,  ib.,  1.  22,  "pulsati"  should  be  "pulsates." 

See  Bower,  i.  35. 
Page  44,  n.  4. — Bower,  ii.   33,  does  not  mention  Inchmartin  and 

Lindores. 
Page  44,  n.  5. — Compare  Bower,  ii.  33-4. 


296  NOTES. 

Page  44,  n.  6. — Compare  Bower,  ii.  33-4. 

Page  45,  n.  7. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  65,  1.  4,  "  reguli"  is  written  in  the 

MSS.  by  mistake  for  "regis  in." 
Page  45,  n.  8. — In  text,  ib.,  1.  14,  "comitatus"  should  be  "comi- 

tatum."     See  Bower,  ii.  36. 

Page  45,  n.  9. — Bower,  ib.,  says  "  circa  nonas  Augusti." 
Page  45,  n.  10. — Bower,  ib.,  attributes  these  lines  to  the  monk  who  is 

said  to  have  poisoned  King  John. 
Page  46,  n.  11. — It  was  evidently  intended  to  say  that  this  Count  was 

killed,  as  in  Bower,  ii.  38. 
Page  46,  n.  12. — This  is  related  as  a  second  expedition,  whereas  in 

Bower,  ii.  38,  it  is  simply  a  recapitulation. 
Page  46,  n.  1 3. — This  is  a  misunderstanding  of  Bower's  account,  whose 

one  arrival  of  Louis  is  thus  made  into  two. 
Page  47,  n.  14. — This  probably  refers  to  Henry  iv.   when   duke  of 

Lancaster,  to  Percy  earl  of  Northumberland,  etc.    See  page  263. 
Page  49,  n.  15. — Bower,  ii.  43,  says  nothing  about  an  expedition  to 

Galloway. 

Page  50,  n.  16. — Bower,  ii.  47,  does  not  say  he  was  imprisoned. 
Page  50,  n.  17. — Bower,  ii.  58,  note,  says  Beauly  was  founded  by 

John  Bisset. 
Page  54,  n.  18. — Bower,  ii.  82,  says  nothing  about  anointing.     The 

statement  that  Alexander  in.  was  his  father's  natural  son  is  pro- 
bably a  garbling  of  a  passage  in  Bower,  ii.  81,  where  the  word 

"  naturalem  "  occurs. 
Page  55,  n.  19. — This  prediction  is  not  in   Bower.       It   has   been 

curiously  fulfilled  in  the  accession  of  the  Stuart  dynasty  to  the 

English  throne. 

Page  56,  n.  20. — Bower,  ii.  83,  says  a  deal  shrine. 
Page  58,  n.  21. — Bower,  ii.  84,  says  the  Scottish  envoys  were  sent 

back  accompanied  by  English  envoys. 
Page  58,  n.  22. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  84,  1.  18,  "generis"  should  be 

"  generi." 
Page  59,  n.  23. — Bower,  ii.  84,  does  not  mention  this  meeting,  or 

the  process  by  which  the  new  councillors  were  chosen. 
Page  59,  n.  24. — Bower,  iL  85,  has  these  words  with  reference  to  the 

second  set  of  councillors. 
Page  62,  n.  25. — Compare  Bower,  ii.  87-8. 
Page  66,  n.  26. — Bower,  ii.  91,  does  not  state  the  relationship. 
Page  72,  n.  27. — Bower,  ii.  101,  says  twenty-four. 
Page  72,  n.  28. — In  text,  voL  i.  p.  99,  last  line,  "  inscriptis  "  should 

be  "  infrascriptis." 

Page  72,  n.  29. — Namely,  those  mentioned  in  the  next  sentence. 
Page  74,  n.  30.— In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  102,  1.  7,   "Heuwiz"  should  be 

"  Leuwiz." 


NOTES.  297 

Page  74,  n.  31. — Bower,  ii.  103,  says  it  was  in  1265. 

Page  75,  n.  32. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  102,  1.  25,  "  Heuwishauxe  " 
should  be  "  Eveshame." 

Page  76,  n.  33. — Bower,  ii.  109,  adds,  "and  a  great  many  other 
nobles  and  knights." 

Page  76,  n.  34. — It  should  be  "third."  Bower,  ii.  114,  speaks  of 
him  as  "  the  son  of  Robert  Bruce,  surnamed  The  Noble,  lord  of 
Annandale  in  Scotland  and  Cleveland  in  England."  In  the  fifth 
line  from  the  bottom,  "  third  "  should  be  "  fourth." 

Page  77,  n.  35. — Namely,  the  lord  of  Anuandale  and  Cleveland. 

Page  77,  n.  36. — It  should  be  «  fourth." 

Page  78,  n.  37.— In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  107,  1.  4,  "Eodem"  should  be 
omitted. 

Page  78,  n.  38.— Bower,  ii.  122,  says  50,000. 

Page  78,  n.  39. — Bower,  ii.  123-4,  does  not  mention  this  embassy. 

Page  78,  n.  40. — Bower,  ii.  124,  says  the  bishops  of  Norwich  and 
Durham,  the  sheriff  of  Newcastle,  and  a  great  many  knights  and 
clergy,  on  behalf  of  the  king  of  England,  were  at  Tweedmouth.  He 
does  not  say  the  king  was  there. 


BOOK   VIII. 

Page  86,  n.  1. — Bower,  ii.  137,  says  104,  80  from  Scotland  and  24 

from  England. 
Page  87,  n.  2. — Bower,  ii.   138,  has  rightly  "the  daughter  of  the 

elder  sister  of  the  daughters  of  David." 
Page  89,  n.  3. — Bower,  ii.  139,  has,  "  one,  say  Titius,  from  the  eldest 

daughter  of  the  said  brother." 
Page  90,  n.  4. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  124,  1.  7,  "potentes"  should  be 

"  petentes." 

Page  90,  n.  5.— 76.,  1.  20,  "votum"  should  be  "  locum." 
Page  91,  n.  6. — 76.,  p.  125,  1.  9,  "baronis"  should  be  "baroniis." 
Page  91,  n.  7. — Compare  Bower,  ii.   140-1,  who  has  "  paribus  "  in- 
stead of  "  partibus,"  in  lines  16  and  last  but  two  of  text,  vol.  i.  p. 

125. 
Page  93,  n.  8. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  127,1.  25,  "  et  sic  hoc"  should  be 

"  adhuc  non."    See  Bower,  ii.  142. 

Page  94,  n.  9. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  128, 1.  20,  "parte"  should  be  omitted. 
Page  94,  n.   10. — 76.,  p.    129,  L  5,  after  "  quse,"  "si"  should  be 

added.     See  Bower,  ii.  143. 
Page  96,  n.   11. — 76.,   p.    130,  1.    6,   the   second   "et"  should   be 

omitted.     See  Bower,  ii.  144. 
Page  96,  n.   12. — 76.,  1.   28,  "sic  reformatum  "  should  be  "fit  re- 

sortum."     See  Bower,  ii.  144. 


298  NOTES. 

Page  97,  n.  13. — A  line  is  here  dropped  out  in  the  text,  vol.  i.  p.  131, 

1.  25,  but  is  supplied  from  Bower,  ii.  145. 
Page  98,  n.  14. — Bower,  ii.  146,  omits  "France." 
Page  98,  n.  15. — Supply  the  words  "habebant,  ut"  after  "sui"  in 

the  text,  vol.  i.  p.  133,  1.  3. 

Page  99,  n.  16. — Bower,  ii.  146,  has  "repulsos  "  for  "Romanos." 
Page  100,  n.  17. — Bower,  ii.  147,  only  says  King  Edward  consulted 

with  some  of  his  Privy  Council  on  the  subject. 
Page  100,  n.  18. — This  speech  is  a  corruption  of  that  given  by  Bower, 

ii.  147. 
Page  101,  n.  19. — Bower,  ii.   147,  only  says  he  gave  judgment  in 

Balliol's  favour. 

Page  101,  n.  20. — Bower,  ii.  148,  has  "fifty." 
Page  102,  n.  21. — "  Henricus"  in  the  text,  vol.  i.  p.  136,  1.  16,  is  a 

mistake  for  "  Ericius,"  as  Bower,  ii.  149,  has  it. 
Page  103,  n.  22. — Supply  from  Bower,  ii.  149,  "  Who  was  the  father 

of  John,  earl  of  the  same,  whose  eldest  daughter,"  etc. 
Page  104,  n.  23. — Namely,  Dorvorgilla.     Bower,  ii.  150,  has  "  ipsa  " 

instead  of  "  mater." 
Page   104,   n.    24. — "  Mans,"    in   first   line   of  following   page,    is 

evidently  a  mistake  for   "  Mortagne."     With  this  alteration  the 

statement  in  the  text  is  more  correct  than  Bower's  (ii.  151),  who 

implies  that  Maud  had  two  husbands.    King  Stephen  was  count  of 

Mortagne  before  he  was  king. 
Page  105,  n.  25. — It  is  mentioned  above,  in  the  part  of  this  chapter 

omitted  in  this  volume,  that  Henry  v.  died  of  the  malady  of  Saint 

Fiacre. 

Page  105,  n.  26. — Bower,  ii  151,  does  not  say  "  crowned." 
Page  106,  n.  27. — The  text,  voL  i.  p.  141,  1.  23,  speaks  of  this  as 

being  in  "  parliamento  Londonii  "  or  "  Laudonensi."     This  is  evi- 
dently a  mistake.     Neither  Fordun  nor  Bower  mentions  where  this 

parliament  was  held.     It  was,  no  doubt,  the  one  at  Scone  in  1294. 
Page  106,  n.  28. — Bower,  ii.  152,  has  rightly  787. 
Page  106,  n.  29. — The  Chronicler  first  compiled  his  work  in  1461. 

The  MS.  selected  as  the  text  represents  a  later  recension. 
Page  106,  n.  30. — Bower,  ii.  152,  gives  Duncan  as  the  name  of  the 

murdered  earl  of  Fife,  and  Macduff  as  that  of  the  brother. 
Page  107,  n.  31. — The  word  "sedens"  in  the  text,  voL  L  p.  142, 

1.  29,  should  be  "sedente,"  to  agree  with  Bower's  account,  ii.  153. 
Page  107,  n.  32. — The  text,  vol.  i.  p.  143,  L  21,  has  "Foulis"  for 

«  Soulis."     See  Bower,  ii.  153. 
Page  109,  n.  33. — See     Bower,   ii.    154,  for  a  fuller   and  slightly 

diiferent  version  of  the  settlement. 
Page  110,  n.    34. — See  Bower,  il   155,  for  correct  version  of  this 


NOTES.  299 

Page  110,  n.  35. — Vol.  i.  p.  146,  1.  5,  for  "  communiter  "  read 
"  communitates,"  with  Bower,  ii.  155. 

Page  110,  n.  36. — See  Bower,  ii.  155,  for  correct  version  of  this 
corrupt  passage. 

Page  111,  n.  37.— Bower,  ii.  159,  says  1295. 

Page  113,  n.  38. — Bower,  ii.  161,  says  "these  lands  and  others." 

Page  113,  n.  39. — Bower,  ii.  165,  says  Graham  fell  wounded  in  the 
battle. 

Page  115,  n.  40. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  152,  L  4,  "  prsemissis  "  is  pro- 
bably for  "  prsetermissis." 

Page  116,  n.  41. — Bower,  ii.  169,  does  not  mention  this  exception. 

Page  118,  n.  42. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  154,  1.  17,  "possidet"  is  for 
"possidetur."  Bower,  ii.  170,  does  not  state  this  fact 

Page  118,  n.  43. — Bower's  account  (ii.  171)  differs  from  this. 

Page  119,  n.  44. — Bower,  ii.  171,  says  he  was  wounded. 

Page  119,  n.  45. — Bower,  ii.  172,  says  nothing  about  this  distribution. 

Page  122,  n.  46.— Text,  vol.  i.  p.  159,  1.  4,  read  probably  "ad 
amarum  licorem  bellorum  se  propinando  disposuit." 

Page  123,  n.  47. — This  passage  is  not  in  Bower  (ii.  177),  and  is  evi- 
dently a  blunder. 

Page  123,  n.  48. — Bower,  ii.  177,  does  not  say  it  was  sent  by  the 
procurators. 

Page  125,  n.  49. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  162,  1.  17,  omit  "a."  Compare 
Bower,  ii.  178. 

Page  126,  n.  50. — Text,  vol.  i.  p.  163, 1.  22,  is  corrupt.  Bower,  ii. 
179,  gives  this  passage  more  correctly. 

Page  128,  n.  51. — Bower,  ii.  180,  calls  him  "Marcus." 

Page  129,  n.  52. — Bower,  ii.  181,  says  "kingdom." 

Page  129,  n.  53. — In  text,  voL  i.  p.  166,  1.  25,  "  praeciperat "  should 
be  "  receperat."  See  Bower,  ii.  182. 

Page  130,  n.  54. — In  text,  voL  L  p.  167,  1.  24,  "  promittimus," 
"  promittemus,"  and  "  promittere "  should  be  "  permittimus," 
"  permittemus,"  and  "  permittere."  See  Bower,  ii.  182. 

Page  132,  n.  55. — Bower,  ii  184,  has  "Iricio." 

Page  133,  n.  56.  —  In  text,  vol.  L  p.  170,  1.  26,  "  imperatricis  " 
should  be  "  imperatrici." 

Page  133,  n.  57. — Namely,  the  promise  of  the  bishops,  etc.,  of  Scot- 
land to  rise  against  their  king  if  he  broke  his  oath  (see  previous 
chapter).  Compare  Bower,  ii.  185. 

Page  134,  n.  58. — In  text,  voL  i.  p.  171,  L  26,  "  Northumbrian!  "is 
for  "Northampton."  See  Bower,  iL  186. 

Page  134,  n.  59 — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  172, 1.  20,  "curatos"  should  be 
"certos."  See  Bower,  iL  187. 

Page  136,  n.  60. — In  text,  voL  i.  p.  174,  1.  7,  read  "nostri  sunt, 
per  leges  se  justificare,"  etc.  See  Bower,  ii.  188. 


300  NOTES. 

Page  137,  n.  61. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  175,  1.  1,  "nostri"  should  be 

"vestri."     Bower,  ii.  189. 
Page  137,  n.  62. — In  same  page  of  text,  1.  4,  "statutum"  should  be 

"  statum." 
Page  139,  n.  63. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  176, 1.  4  from  bottom,  "  eciam'; 

should  be  "  etc." 
Page  139,  n.  64. — In  next  line  of  text  "  favet  "  should  be  "  famae." 

MS.  E.  has  "  favore." 
Page  139,  n.  65. — In  next  page  of  text,  1.  7,  "  ecclesise  "  should  be 

"  aetatem."     Bower,  ii.  190. 
Page  139,  n.  66. — In  same  page  of  text,  1.  17,  after  "  vobis  "  supply 

"auxilium." 
Page  142,  n.  67. — In  page  180  of  text,  1.  27,  "mendacia  "  should  be 

"mendicata."     Bower,  ii.  193.     Throughout  this  lengthy  document 

the  version  of  Bower,  ii.  pp.  192-210,  has  been  appealed  to  when 

the  text  has  been  too  corrupt  to  admit  of  being  literally  translated. 
Page  143,  n.  68.— In  page  181  of  text,  1.  10,  "sibi"  should  be  "sit." 

Bower,  ii.  194. 
Page  143,  n.  69. — In  same  page  of  text,  1.  21,  after  "  prasjudicium  " 

supply    "  credi  non  debeat  alienum,  quantacunque   rex    ipse  prse- 

emineat  dignitate  ;  sed  prsecipue  in  absencia."     See  Bower,  ii.  194. 
Page  144,  n.   70. — In  same  page  of  text,  1.   2  from  bottom,  after 

"  judicem  "  supply  "  improbitas." 
Page   145,  n.  71— In  page  182  of  text,  1.  28,  after  "  integram  " 

supply  "  nullatenus  obtineret."     Bower,  ii.  195. 
Page  145,  n.  72. — In  next  page  of  text,  1.  4,  read  "pro  suo  coad- 

juvando  proposito,  colorata  et" 
Page  147,  n.  73. — This  passage  is  corrupt  in  text,  p.  185.     Compare 

Bower,  ii.  197. 
Page  151,  n.  74.— In  page  189  of  text,  L  26,  "diu"  should  be 

"  domini."     See  Bower,  ii.  200. 

Page  153,  n.  75. — Bower,  ii.  202,  says  "  by  his  own  authority  alone." 
Page  156,  n.  76. — Bower,  ii.  205,  does  not  say  it  was  by  the  king's 

advice. 

Page  163,  n.  77. — Compare  Bower's  title,  ii.  275. 
Page  163,  n.  78. — Bower  adds,  "  Rogerus  de  Moubray." 
Page  163,  n.  79. — Bower  adds,  "  Willelmus  Oliphaunt." 
Page  163,  n.  80. — Bower  adds,  "Willelmus  de  Monte-Alto." 
Page  165,  n.  81. — In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  203,  1.  24,  read  "sanat,  liberati 

sumus  per,"  etc. 
Page  166,  n.   82. — This  case  is  a  mere  repetition,  and  is  therefore 

omitted  in  this  volume. 


NOTES.  301 


BOOK   IX. 

Page  168,  n.  1. — Bower,  ii.  221,  does  not  mention  the  son. 

Page  170,  n.  2. — Bower,  ii.  223,  says  fourpence. 

Page  175,  n.  3. — Bower,  ii.  228,  has  "James  Lindsay,  together  with 

Gilpatrick  of  Kirkpatrick." 
Page  176,  n.  4. — The  text,  vol.  i.  p.  230,  1.   12,  has  "sexto  Idus 

Aprilis "   evidently  by  mistake,  for  the   "  sexto  Kal.  Aprilis "   of 

Fordun  and  Bower,  ii.  230. 

Page  180,  n.  5. — Bower,  ii.  241,  does  not  mention  William. 
Page  184,  n.  6. — Bower,  ii.  247,  does  not  mention  this. 
Page  185,  n.  7. — Namely,  Thomas  Randolph  earl  of  Murray.   Compare 

Bower,  ii.  257. 
Page  185,  n.  8. — Bower,  ii.  255,  instead  of  "octies,"  says  "regni  sui 

VIII." — that  he  defeated  him  at  Bannockburn  in  the  eighth  year  of 

his  reign,  and  at  Biland  in  the  sixteenth. 
Page  186,  n.  9. — Bower,  ii.  259,  says  nothing  of  this. 
Page  188,  n.  10. — Bower,  ii.  272,  says  Fordun. 
Page  188,  n.  11. — Bower,  ii.  272,  only  says  "The  same  year." 
Page  188,  n.  12. — Bower,  ii.  272,  calls  him  Malerb. 
Page  189,  n.  13. — This  letter  has  been  already  given  on  p.  163. 
Page  189,  n.  14. — Bower,  ii.  278,  only  says  "  a  large  army." 
Page  190,  n.  15. — Bower,  ii.  278,  puts  the  remark  into  the  mouth  of 

the  earl  of  Warenne,  and  states,  not  that  he  was  killed,  but  that  he 

was  taken  prisoner  and  ransomed. 
Page  192,  n.  16.— Bower,  ii.  288,  says  in  1327. 
Page  193,  n.  17. — Bower,  ii.  289,  dates  this  document  from  York. 
Page  198,  n.  18. — Bower,  ii.  304,  has  VIII0.  Idus. 
Page  199,  n.  19. — Bower,  ii.  305,  does  not  say  this. 
Page   199,  n.   20. — Bower,  ii.    305-6,  does  not  mention   Enrol  or 

Graham. 

Page  199,  n.  21. — This  account  differs  slightly  from  Bower's. 
Page  200,  n.  22. — Bower,  ii.  307,  says  "  Radulphus  baro  de  Stafford." 
Page  200,  n.  23. — Bower,  ii.  307,  says  600. 
Page  200,  n.  24.— Bower,  ii.  307-8,  calls  him  John  Randolph. 
Page  200,  n.  25. — Bower,  ii.  308,  only  says  "  D.  Alexandrum  de  Bruce 

comitem  de  Carrick  et  D.  Galwidiae." 

Page  200,  n.  26. — Bower,  ii.  308,  says  "  Henry  de  Balliol,  John  Mow- 
bray,  Walter  Cumyn  and  Richard  Kirby." 
Page  201,  n.  27. — Bower,  ib.,  says  "delivered  from  death." 
Page  201,  n.  28. — Bower,  ii.  310,  as  well  as  some  texts  of  Fordun, 

say  "  pridie  Idus  Aprilis." 
Page  201,  n.  29. — Bower,  ii.  310,  says  "usque  ad  decimum  quartum 

Kal.  Augusti." 


302  NOTES. 

Page  201,  n.  30. — Bower  says  "the  day  before  the  Feast  of  Mar- 
garet" 
Page  202,  n.  31. — In  text,  voL  i.  p.  269,  L  12,  «  aut"  should  probably 

be  "ut." 

Page  202,  n.  32. — That  is,  the  Scots. 
Page  203,  n.  33. — In  text,  voL  L  p.  270,  1.  18,  "expulsus"  should  be 

"compulsus."     Compare  Bower,  ii.  311. 
Page  203,  n.  34. — This  should  be  "  by  the  lord  pope  and  the  king  of 

France  to  the  king  of  England,"  as  in  Bower,  ii.  312. 
Page  204,  n.  35. — Bower,  ii.  313,  says  "  sir  Alan  de  Lile,  sheriff  of 

Bute  and  Cowell." 

Page  205,  n.  36. — Bower,  ii.  313,  calls  him  "Lambyn." 
Page  210,  n.  37. — Bower,  ii.  318,  says  90,000  horsemen  and  180 

ships. 
Page  211,  n.  38.— In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  279, 1.  18,  MS.  E.  has  «  Willelmi 

de  Douglas  frater  Jacobus,"  which  agrees  with  Bower,  ii.  320,  and 

is  evidently  right.     William  was  not  killed. 
Page  211,  n.  39. — In  text,  vol.  L  p.  279,  1.  32,  "infidelibus"  is  for 

"  in  fidelibus." 
Page  213,  n.  40. — Bower,  ii.  323,  says  they  were  ordered  to  do  a  part 

only  of  the  work.     In  text,  vol.  L  p.  285,  L  29,  "  prsemissum "  is 

for  "promissum." 

Page  219,  n.  40a. — The  Latin  text  here  is  corrupt;  comp. Bower,  ii.  230. 
Page  221,  n.  41. — Bower,  ii.  334,  says  "non  multum  ibi  nocuit." 
Page  222,  n.  42. — The  words  "in  Scotland"  are  of  course  a  mistake. 

Compare  Bower,  ii.  339. 

Page  224,  n.  43. — Bower,  ii.  341,  adds  the  Archbishop  of  York. 
Page  227,  n.  44. — That  is  to  say,  "defended  the  approaches  to  the 

castle."     Bower,  ii.  351,  says  they  were  unable  to  take  the  castle. 
Page  229,  n.  45. — Compare  Cap.  XV.  in  Bower,  ii.  356.     Bower  only 

mentions  Cumnock  as  the  church  where  Macdowell  swore  fealty,  and 

does  not  mention  Kyle.     He  also  says  that  King  David  failed  to  get 

his  ransom,  and  went  back  to  England. 
Page  230,  n.  46.— Taken  at  the  battle  of  Cressy.     See  above,  p.  223, 

and  Bower,  ii.  340. 

Page  230,  n.  47. — This  passage  is  evidently  corrupt  in  the  text.    Com- 
pare Bower,  ii.  359. 

Page  230,  n.  48. — Bower,  ii.  359,  says  "ten  years." 
Page  230,  n.  49. — Bower  only  says  "diu." 
Page  232,  n.  50. — Bower,  ii.  366,  calls  him  the  earl's  son. 
Page  233,  n.  51. — Bower,  ii.  370,  calls  her  the  daughter  of  John 

Logie. 
Page  234,  n.   52. — Bower,  ii.   380,  says  nothing  of  this  proposed 

marriage. 


NOTES.  303 


BOOK   X. 

Page  237,  n.  1. — These  words  must  be  supplied,  as  the  text  is  corrupt. 
Page  238,  n.  2. — Bower,  ii.  391,  attributes  the  fire  to  the  carelessness 

of  a  plumber. 
Page  238,  n.  3. — Bower,  ii.  391,  says  he  was  born  on  the  24th 

October  1378. 
Page  239,  n.  4. — This  title  should  evidently  be,  "Ambassadors  sent  to 

the  king  of  France  from  Scotland."     See  Bower,  ii.  392. 
Page  243,  n.  5. — Bower,  ii.  392-5,  gives  a  different  version  of  this 

document. 

Page  244,  n.  6. — Bower,  ii.  398,  does  not  use  this  expression. 
Page  245,  n.  7. — Bower,  ii.  399,  gives  a  somewhat  different  account 

of  this  incident. 

Page  246,  n.  8.— Bower,  ii.  400,  says  800. 
Page  246,  n.  9. — Bower,  ii.  400,  says  400. 
Page  247,  n.  10. — Bower,  ii.  402,  says  he  would  have  done  this  had 

he  not  been  dissuaded  by  the  Duke  of  Lancaster. 
Page  248,  n.   11. — Bower,  ii.  404,  speaks  of  his  father  Archibald 

Douglas,  not  of  the  earl  of  Douglas. 

Page  249,  n.  12. — Bower,  ii.  405,  says  it  was  St.  Oswald's  Day. 
Page  250,  n.  13. — Bower,  ii.  405,  says  they  were  ordered  to  destroy 

the  camp. 

Page  252,  n.  14. — Bower,  ii.  415,  says  he  died  on  the  19th  April. 
Page  252,  n.   15. — Bower,  ib.,  says  he  reigned  nineteen  years  and 

twenty-four  days. 
Page  253,  n.  16. — Bower,  ii.  420,  says  Duncan  Stewart,  son  of  sir 

Alexander,  earl  of  Buchan,  was  the  leader  of  the  Caterans,  not  slain 

by  them. 
Page  253,  n.  17. — Bower,  ii.  420,  gives  a  different  account  of  this 

combat. 
Page  254,  n.  18 — Bower,  ii.  422,  connects  Perth  with  the  following 

sentence,  not  with  the  death  of  the  coiner. 
Page  254,  n.  19. — This  offer  of  a  dukedom  to  Archibald  Douglas  is 

not  mentioned  by  Bower. 
Page  254,  n.  20.— See  note  16. 
Page  255,  n.  21. — Bower,  ii.  428,  calls  her  Marjory. 
Page  259,  n.  22. — Bower,  ii.  433,  calls  him  George. 
Page  259,  n.  23. — Bower,  ib.,  mentions  only  two. 
Page  260,  n.  24. — Bower,  ii.  438,  says  this  second  injury  was  received 

at  the  battle  of  Shrewsbury. 

Page  262,  n.  25. — Bower,  ii.  439,  says  nothing  of  this  alleged  reason. 
Page  263,  n.  26. — Bower,  ii.  449,  places  this  mission  in  1417. 
Page  264,  n.  27. — Bower,  ii.  447,  calls  him  Patrick. 


304  NOTES. 

Page  265,  n.  28. — From  this  point  onwards  this  account,  as  being  given 

by  one  who  could  get  direct  information  from  eye-witnesses,  adds 

many  particulars  to  that  of  Bower. 
Page  265,  n.  29. — Bower,  ii.  459,  says  7000. 
Page  267,  n.  30. — Bower,  ii.  461,  says  6000.     Bower's  whole  account 

of  the  battle  is  somewhat  different. 
Page  267,  n.  31. — Compare  Bower,  ii.  461.     He  says  Sibbald  took 

the  earl  of  Huntingdon. 

Page  269,  n.  32. — Compare  the  account  in  Bower,  ii.  462. 
Page  271,  n.  33. — Bower,  ii.  463,  says  6000  in  all. 
Page  277,  n.  34. — All  the  MSS.  break  off  here. 


BOOK   XL 

Page  278,  n.  1. — "  Filii,"  in  text,  vol.  i.  p.  369,  1.   24,  should  of 

course  be  "  patris." 

Page  279,  n.  2. — Compare  the  list  of  names  in  Bower,  ii.  482. 
Page  279,  n.  3. — It  should  be  "21st,"  as  above,  at  the  top  of  the 

page. 

Page  280,  n.  4. — Bower,  ii.  483,  does  not  say  they  were  beheaded. 
Page  281,  n.  5. — Compare  list  in  Bower,  ii.  483-4. 
Page  282,  n.  6. — Bower,  ii.  485,  does  not  mention  the  king  and  queen 

of  Sicily. 

Page  285,  n.  7. — Bower,  ii.  495,  has  "Crawar." 
Page  286,  n.  8. — Bower,  ii.  500,  says  parliament,  after  the  death  of 

King  James  i.,  granted  him  and  his  son  400  marks  a  year. 
Page  288,  n.  9. — Compare  Bower,  ii.  502.     In  text,  vol.  i.  p.  381, 

1.  24,  "inopina  ea"  is  for  ".  inopinata." 
Page  288,  n.  10. — For  this  metrical  lament,  see  vol.  i.  p.  382.     As  it 

is  in  Scotch  it  is  not  repeated  in  this  volume. 

Page  291,  n.  11. — For  this  poem,  which  also  is  in  the  Scotch  verna- 
cular, see  vol.  i.  p.  392. 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 


ABERCORN.    See  Avandale,  earl  of. 
Abercrombie,  i.  251  ;  ii.  188. 
Aberdeen,  i.  76,  251,  281  ;    ii.  53,  188, 

213. 
Henry  Leighton,  bishop  of,  i.  373  ; 

ii.  282. 

Adam  Tyningham,  dean  of,  i.  315  ; 


ii.  239. 

see  of,  i.  51  ;  ii.  39. 

Abernethy,  i.  142  ;  ii.  107. 

Hugh,  L  93  ;  ii  66. 

—  William,  i.  202  ;  ii.  163. 

Acho.    See  Haco. 

Ada,  sister  of  king  Malcolm,  i.  1 1  ;  ii.  9. 
-  daughter  of   David   earl  of   Hun- 
tingdon, i.  64,  138  ;  ii.  44,  104. 

Alau  (Stewart)  of  Galloway,  Steward  of 
Scotland,  i.  17,  48,  53,  64,  73  ;  ii.  15, 
36,  41,  44,  51. 

Durward.     See  Durward. 

Steward.    See  Stewart. 

Albany,  Robert  Stewart,  duke  of,  earl  of 
Fife  and  Menteith,  son  of  Robert  n., 
besieges  Roxburgh,  i.  323  ;  ii.  246 ; 
invades  England,  i.  324-5  ;  ii.  247-8  ; 
fights  at  Carlingford,  i  325 ;  ii.  248  ; 
appointed  governor  of  Scotland,  i.  328  ; 
ii.  251  ;  challenges  the  earl  Marshal  of 
England,  ib. ;  created  a  duke,  i.  331  ; 
ii.  254  ;  maintains  Richard  n.,  i.  337; 
ii.  255  ;  relieves  Edinburgh,  i.  341  ; 
ii.  257  ;  puts  the  duke  of  Rothesay  to 
death,  L  314,  342  ;  ii.  238,  258  ;  re- 
covers castles,  i.  345 ;  ii.  261  ;  con- 
firmed in  his  office,  i.  348  ;  ii.  263  ; 


sends  the  earl  of  Euchan  to  France, 
i.  353  ;  ii.  265 ;  his  death,  i.  369  ; 
ii.  278. 

Albany,  Murdach  Stewart,  duke  of,  earl 
of  Fife,  son  of  preceding,  is  taken  at 
the  battle  of  Homildon,  i.  343-4  ; 
ii.  259,  260  ;  is  exchanged,  i.  350  ; 
ii.  264 ;  crowns  James  I.,  i.  370 ; 
ii.  279 ;  is  arrested,  i.  371  ;  ii.  280  ; 
executed,  i.  372  ;  ii.  281. 

Albemarle,  earl  of,  i.  73  ;  ii.  51. 

Alexander  ii.,  his  birth,  i.  39  ;  ii.  30  ; 
fealty  sworn  to  him,  i.  42  ;  ii.  31  ; 
knighted,  i.  47  ;  ii.  35  ;  crowned, 
i.  56,  64  ;  ii.  42,  44  ;  invades  North- 
umberland, i.  63-4  ;  ii.  43-4 ;  invades 
England,  i.  65-6 ;  ii.  45-6 ;  meets 
Louis  at  Dover,  ib.  ;  defeats  the 
English,  ib. ;  returns  to  Scotland,  i. 
68  ;  ii.  47  ;  is  excommunicated,  ib.  ; 
absolved,  i.  69  ;  ii.  48  ;  does  homage 
to  the  king  of  England,  ib.  ;  his  mar- 
riage, i.  71  ;  ii.  49  ;  sends  his  sisters 
to  the  king  of  England,  ib.  ;  invades 
Galloway  and  Argyll,  ib.  ;  punishes 
the  earl  of  Caithness,  i.  71  ;  ii.  50  ; 
imposes  a  subsidy,  i  72 ;  ii.  50  ; 
founds  monasteries,  ib. ;  awes  Gallo- 
way, i.  73 ;  ii.  51  ;  his  friendship 
with  the  king  of  England,  L  74 ;  ii. 
52  ;  death  of  his  queen,  ib.  ;  his  second 
marriage,  ib. ;  punishes  Besat,  i.  75  ; 
ii.  52-3  ;  quarrels  with  Henry  ni.,  ib.  ; 
negotiations  about  John  Besat,  L  76  ; 
ii.  53 ;  his  death,  i.  77 ;  ii.  54. 


• 


308 


INDEX. 


Alexander  III.,  hia  birth ;  i.  74  ;  ii.  52  ; 
coronation,  i.  77 ;  ii.  54  ;  enthrone- 
ment, i.  80  ;  ii.  54  ;  marriage,  L  83  ; 
ii.  57-8  ;  friendship  with  England,  i. 
84 ;  ii.  58  ;  is  knighted,  H>. ;  his 
counsellors  dismissed,  i.  84,  92  ;  ii. 
58,  65  ;  is  seized  by  the  earl  of  Men- 
teith,  i.  93  ;  ii.  66 ;  birth  of  his  son 
Alexander,  i.  99  ;  ii.  72  ;  subdues  the 
Isle  of  Man,  ib. ;  confers  knighthood, 
i.  100  ;  ii.  73  ;  negotiations  with  Nor- 
way, ib.  ;  assists  Henry  IL,  i.  102  ; 
ii.  74-5  ;  his  counsellors  excommuni- 
cated, i.  103  ;  ii.  75  ;  refuses  to  contri- 
bute to  Crusade,  i.  104 ;  ii.  76  ;  con- 
fiscates Carrick,  i.  105  ;  ii.  76  ;  takes 
part  in  coronation  of  Edward  I.,  i. 
106-7  ;  ii.  77  ;  does  him  homage, 
i.  107  ;  ii.  78  ;  quarrels  with  him,  ib. ; 
embassies  from  Flanders  and  Norway, 
i.  109;  ii.  79,  80;  marries  Yolanda, 
i.  Ill  ;  iL  80  ;  his  death,  i  111-2  ;  ii 
80-1  ;  his  character  and  rule,  i.  112 ; 
ii.  81  ;  lament  for  him,  i.  114;  ii.  83. 

son  of   Alexander  nr.,  i.  99,  108 ; 

iL  72,  78-9. 

son  of  James  I.,  i.  376  ;  ii.  284. 

of  Argyll,  L  235  ;  iL  181. 

pope,  i.  25  ;  ii.  21. 

Alice,  daughter  of  Conau  duke  of  Brit- 
tany, i.  13  ;  ii.  11. 

Almond  river,  i.  96  ;  ii.  69. 

Alnwick,  L  20,  47,  64,  257  ;  ii.  17,  35, 
43,  191. 

Anabella  Drummond,  queen  of  Robert 
m.,  i  330,  341  ;  ii.  252-3,  257. 

Angus,  i.  283,  330,  332  ;  ii.  214,  253-4 

George   Douglas,  earl  of,  i.  343  ; 

ii.  259. 

William  Douglas,  earl  of,  i.  370, 

372,  376  ;  ii.  279,  281,  283. 

Thomas   Stewart,   earl  of,  i.  296, 

304  ;  ii.  226,  232. 

Patrick  (Alexander)  Ogilvy,  sheriff 

of,  and  Justiciary  of  Scotland,  i.  370, 
373-4;  ii.  279,  281-2. 


Angus,  Walter  Ogilvy,  sheriff  of,  i.  330-2, 

349  ;  ii.  253-4,  264. 
Annand,  i.  267,  284  ;  ii.  200,  216. 
Annandale,  i.  105,  276,  299,  349  ;  ii.  76, 

208,  229,  263. 
Appleby,  i.  20  ;  ii.  17- 
Arbroath,  abbot  of,  L  282  ;  ii.  213. 

monastery,  i.  28,  56,  73,  105  ;    ii. 

24,  42,  51,  77. 

Ardrossan,  Fergus,  i.  202  ;  ii.  163. 
Argyll,  i.  12,  71,  77,  104,  231  ;   ii.  10, 

49,  54,  76,  177. 
bishop  of,  i.  372  ;  ii.  280. 

and   Lochawe,  Dougall  Campbell, 

lord  of,  L  275  ;  ii.  207. 

Arnot,  Michael,  i.  272  ;  ii.  205. 
Arran,  i.  94,  100  ;  ii.  68,  73. 
Aruudel,  earl  of,  i.  284  ;   ii.  215. 
Athol,  i.  231;  ii.  177. 

Robert   Stewart  of,    i.    329,  389; 

ii.  252,  289. 

countess  of,  i.  281 ;  ii.  212-3, 

David  de  Hastings,  earl  of,  i.  100, 

104  ;  ii.  73,  76. 

David  earl  of,  i  137  ;  ii.  102. 

David  earl  of,  accompanies  Edward 

Balliol  to   Scotland,  L  264,  266  ;   ii. 

198,  200;  quarrels  with  him,  L  271  ; 

ii.  204 ;   takes  the   Stewartlands  and 

the  lands  of  the  Cumyns,  i.  274  ;   ii. 

207 ;    attends   parliament  at   Dairsie, 

L  277  ;  iL  209  ;  is  to  join  Edward  in. 

at  Perth,  i.  278;  ii.  210  ;  swears  fealty 

to  him  there,  i.  279;  ii.  211;  his  death, 

i.  280  ;iL  212. 

John  earl  of,  i.  150  ;  iL  114. 

Patrick  earl  of,  i.  75 ;  ii.  52. 

Thomas  of  Galloway,  earl  of,  L  73, 

76  ;  iL  51,  53. 

Walter   Stewart,   earl   of,  son   of 

Queen  Euphemia,  i.  313,  329  ;  iL  238, 
252  ;  sits  in  judgment  on  the  duke  of 
Albany,  i.  372 ;  ii.  281 ;  is  privy  to  the 
death  of  James  i.,  L  389  ;  ii.  289. 

Auchterarder,  i.  265  ;  iL  198. 
Auchterhouse.     See  Ogilvy,  Patrick. 


INDEX. 


309 


Auckland  Park,  i.  293  ;  ii.  224. 
Aumale,  count  d',  i.  360;  ii.  271. 
Austria,  Eleanor  duchess  of,  daughter  of 

James  i.,  i.  390  ;  ii.  290. 
Avandale,  James  Douglas  of  Balvany  and 

Abercorn,  earl  of,  L  372;  ii  281. 
Avignon,  i.  307  ;  ii.  233. 
Avranches,  i.  359 ;  ii.  270. 
Ayr  castle,  i.  94 ;  ii.  67. 
sheriff  of,  i.  276  ;  ii.  208. 

BADENOCH,  Wolf  of.   See  Buchan,  earl  of. 
Bagimund,  legate,  i.  107  ;  ii.  78. 
Baldred,  abbot  of  Rivaulx,  i  17  ;  ii.  15. 
BallioL      See  Edward  Balliol  and  John 

BallioL 
John,  husband  of  Dorvorgilla,  i.  73, 

138  ;  ii.  51,  104. 

Balloch,  Dolny  (Donald),  i.  377  ;  ii.  284. 
Balmerino,  abbot  of,  i.  108,  282;  ii.  79, 

213. 

church  of,  i.  72  ;  ii.  50. 

Balvany.     See  Avandale,  earl  of. 
Bamborough,  i.  45  ;  ii.  33. 
Bangor,  bishop  of,  i.  348 ;  ii.  263. 
Banlister   (Bannister),  William,   i.  234; 

ii.  180. 
Bannockburn,    battle   of,   i.    237-8 ;    ii. 

183-4. 

Barbazan,  sieur  de,  i.  357  ;  ii.  269. 
Barbon,  Reginald,  i.  129  ;  ii.  95. 
Barclay,  brothers,  of  Tyntis  Muir,  i.  391; 

ii.  290. 

David,  i.  295  ;  ii.  226. 

Hugh,  i.  93  ;  ii.  66. 

-  Walter,  i.  251  ;  ii.  188. 
Bardolph,  lord,  i.  348  ;  ii.  263. 
Baroune,  Ralph,  i.  267  ;  ii.  200. 
Barres,  Jean  de,  i.  159  ;  ii  122. 
Bass,  the,  i.  285,  343,  347,  371 ;  ii  216, 

259,  262,  279. 

.  lord  of  the.     See  Lander,  Robert. 
Bauge",  battle  of,  i  354-7  ;  ii.  265-8. 
Beaugency,  i.  357,  262 ;  ii  269,  273. 
Beaumont,  earl  of,  i.  30 ;  ii.  26. 
lord  of,  i.  137  ;  ii.  102. 


Beaumont,  Henry,  i  137,  264,  266-7,  271, 
280,  282-3 ;  ii.  103,  198,  200,  204,  212, 
214. 

Beaurepair,  battle  at,  i.  293-4 ;  ii.  224. 

Beck,  Anthony,  i.  134  ;  ii.  100. 

Bedford,  duke  of,  i.  359,  362 ;  ii.  270, 
272. 

Benedict,  pope,  i.  349 ;  ii  263. 

Benrig,  i.  320  ;  ii.  244. 

Bernour.     See  Vernor. 

Berwick,  i.  23,  33,  43,  64, 107, 133, 147-8, 
153,  231,  241-2,  250-2,  257,  268, 
270-1,  287,  289,  296,  313-4,  319,  321, 
331,  340,  378  ;  ii.  19,  27,  31,  44,  78, 
99,  111-2,  116,  177,  186-9,  191,  201, 
203-4,  218,  220,  227,  238,  243,  245, 
253,  256,  285. 

Besat,  John,  i  76  ;  ii.  53. 
William,  i.  75  ;  ii.  52. 


Biggar,  i.  223;  ii.  169. 

Biland,  battle  of,  i  240 ;  ii.  185. 

Bisset,  Baldred,  i  160,205,  218;  ii.  123, 

166-7. 

Walter,  i.  73  ;  ii.  51. 

Black  Parliament,  i  251;  ii.  188. 
Bloody  Fair  of  Roxburgh,  i.  311;  ii.  236. 
Bonet,  William,  i.  129  ;  ii.  95. 
Boniface  vni.,  Pope,  i  160-7;  ii  123-30. 
Bonneville,  John,  i.  295  ;  ii.  225. 
Borough-under-Moor,  i.  20;  ii.  17. 
Boroughmuir,  battle  of,  i  278  ;  ii.  210. 
Borthwick,  son  of  lord,  i  376  ;  ii.  284. 
Both  well,  i  283,  339,  340;  ii.  215,  255-6. 
Boulogne,  count  of,  i.  51;  ii.  38. 
Bourbon,  duke  of,  i  363  ;  ii.  274. 
Boustour,  i.  283 ;  ii.  215. 
Boutillier,  Charles,  i.  356  ;  ii.  268. 
Bower,  Walter,  i.  5 ;  ii.  3. 
Boyd,  i.  290  ;  ii  221. 
Thomas,  of  Kilmarnock,  i.  371;  ii 

279. 

Brady,  Robert,  i.  280 ;  ii.  212. 
Brandans,  the,  i.  275  ;  ii  207. 
Brechin,  bishop  of,  i.  122  ;  ii.  88. 
John  Crannock,  bishop  of,  i.  374  ; 

ii.  282. 


310 


INDEX. 


Brechin,  see  of,  i.  51;  ii.  39. 

David,  L  201,  251;  ii  163,  188. 

Brittany,  Arthur  duke  (count)  of,  i.  13; 
ii.  11. 

Conan  duke  of,  i.  11,  13 ;  ii.  9. 

Francis  duke  of,  i.  13  ;  ii.  11. 

John  duke  of,  i.  13;  ii  11. 

—  John  duke  of,  i  238  ;  ii  184. 

—  John  duke  of,  i  391  ;  ii  290. 
Isabella    (Elizabeth)     duchess    of, 

daughter  of  James  I.,  i   13,  390;  ii. 

11,  290. 

Broun,  Richard,  i  251  ;  ii  188. 
Bruce,  Alexander,  brother  of  King  Robert 

Bruce,  i.  231 ;  ii.  177. 

Alexander.     See  Carrick,  earl  of. 

Christina,  i.  256,  270,  302;  ii.  190, 

203,  231. 

David.     See  David  n. 

Edward,   brother  of   King  Robert 

Bruce,  i.  137,  229,  235,  238-41,  250; 

ii.  103,  175,  181,  184-7. 
James.     See   Dunkeld,   bishop   of, 

and  Glasgow,  bishop  of. 

John,  i.  288  ;  ii.  219. 

Margaret.   See  Sutherland,  countess 

of. 

Marjory.     See  Marjory  Bruce. 

Matilda,  daughter  of  King  Robert 

Bruce,  i.  138,  295  ;  ii.  104,  226. 
Nigel,    brother    of     king    Robert 

Bruce,  i.  231 ;  ii.  177. 
Robert,    the    elder,    husband     of 

Isabel,  younger  daughter  of  David  earl 

of  Huntingdon,  i.  64,  105,  137 ;  ii  44, 

77,  103. 

—  Robert,  the  competitor,  son  of  pre- 
ceding, i  105,  119,  121,  123-137;  ii 
77,   85,   87,  89-103  ;   he   refuses    the 
throne  on  King  Edward's  conditions,  i. 
134;  ii.  100  ;  his  party,  i.  150  ;  ii  114  ; 
is  refused  help  by  King  Edward,  ib. 

—  Robert.     See  Carrick,  earl  of. 
Robert.     See  Robert  I. 

Robert,  son  of  preceding,   i.  266  ; 

ii  199. 


Bruce,  Robert,  son-in-law  of  King  William 

the  Lion,  i.  30,  38,  51 ;  ii.  26,  29,  38. 
Thomas,   brother  of   King  Robert 

Bruce,  i  231,  276  ;  ii.  177,  208. 
Buchan,  i  232,  235,  271,  280  ;  ii.  178, 

181,  204,  212. 
Mary    countess    of,    daughter    of 

James  I.,  i.  390  ;  ii.  290. 
Alexander  Cumyn,  earl  of,   i.  93, 

137;  ii  66,  103. 

John  Cumyn,  earl  of,  i.  118  ;  ii.  84. 

John  Cumyn,  earl  of,  i  137,   150, 

153,  232-5;  ii.  102,  114,  117,  178-80. 
William  Cumyn,  earl  of,  i.  46,  73  ; 

ii.  34,  51. 
William  Cumyn,  earl  of,  i  100;  ii. 

72. 
George  Dunbar,  earl  of.    See  March, 

earl  of. 
Alexander  Stewart,  earl   of   (The 

Wolf  of  Badenoch),  son  of  Robert  II., 

i.  329  ;  ii.  252. 
John  Stewart,  earl  of,  son  of  Robert 

duke  of  Albany,  i.  348,  353,  355  ;  ii 

262,  265,  267  ;  is  made  constable  of 

France,    i.    358 ;  ii.    269-70 ;   goes  to 

Scotland  for  reinforcements,  i.  359  ;  ii. 

270 ;  is  killed  at  Verneuil,  i.  360  ;  ii. 

271. 

Bullock,  Walter,  i  94  ;  ii.  67. 
William,  i  272,  283,  288-9,  291 ; 


ii.  204,  215,  219,  220,  222. 
Burgh,  Haymer  de,  earl  of  Ulster,  i.  138; 

ii.  103. 

Burgh-upon-Sands,  i  233;  ii  179. 
Burgundy,   duke   of,   i   348,  364-5  ;  ii. 

263,  275. 

Burley,  lord  of.     See  Red  Stewart. 
Bute,  i  94,  100,  236,  272,  275-6,  347  ; 

ii.  68,  73,  182,  204,  207-8,  262. 
Buttergask,  Andrew,  i  295  ;  ii.  225. 

CAKRLAVEROCK,  i  299,  372 ;  ii.  229,  280. 
Caithness,  i  39,  42,  71,  325 ;  ii  29,  30, 
50,  248. 


INDEX. 


311 


Caithness,  bishop  of,  i.  28,  42,  71;  ii.  24, 

30,  50. 
Alan  Stewart,  earl  of,  son  of  the 

earl  of  Athol,  i.  377 ;  ii.  284. 
Harald  earl  of,  i.   39,  50 ;   ii.   29, 

38. 

John  earl  of,  i.  71,  73  ;  ii.  50-1. 

Magnus  earl  of,  i.  201  ;  ii.  163. 

see  of,  i.  52 ;  ii.  39. 

Caldermuir,  i.  340  ;  ii.  257- 

Calendar,  John  Livingstone,  lord  of,  i. 

344,  372 ;  ii.  260,  281. 
(Alexander  Livingstone),  lord  of,  i. 

372 ;  ii.  281. 

Cambuskenneth,  i.  256 ;  ii.  190. 
Cameron,  clan,  i.  375 ;  ii.  283. 

John,  i.  202 ;  ii.  163. 

Roger,  i.  295  ;  ii.  225. 

Campbell,  Donald,  i.  202  ;  ii.  163. 
Dougall.    See  Argyll  and  Lochawe, 

lord  of. 

Canmor.     See  Kenmore. 
Carbery  (Kerrera),  i.  77;  ii.  54. 
Carcassonne,  bishop  of,  i.  124  ;  ii.  90. 
Cardenen.     See  Stewart,  John. 
Cardine,  De.     See  Dunkeld,  bishop  of. 
Cardross,  i.  258 ;  ii.  192. 
Carlingf ord,  i.  325 ;  ii.  248. 
Carlisle,   i.  10,   19,  30,   47,  64,  66,  69, 

153,  231,  323;  ii.  8,  17,  26,  34,  44,  46, 

48,  117,  177,  246. 
Carmelite  Friars,  i.  100  ;  ii.  73. 
Carrick,  i.  30,  231-2,  276;  ii.  26,  177-8, 

208. 
Martha  countess   of,  i.   104-5  ;  ii. 

76-7. 

—  Adam  earl  of,  i.  104  ;  ii.  76. 

—  Alexander   Bruce,  earl  of,  i.  267, 
270;  ii.  200-1,  203. 

David  earl  of,  son  of   Robert  in. 

See  Rothesay,  duke  of. 
Robert   Bruce,   earl   of,   father   of 

King  Robert  Bruce,  L  105,  137;  ii.  76, 

103. 

—  John  lord  of.     See  Robert  in. 
Carruthers,  William,  i.  276  ;  ii.  208. 


Celestine,  Pope,  i.  52 ;  ii.  42. 

Chalons,  i.  381;  ii.  288. 

Chambers,  Christopher,  i.  389 ;  ii.  289. 

John,  i.  389 ;  ii.  289. 

Thomas,  i.  389 ;  ii.  289. 

Charles  vn.,  king  of  France,  L  13,  358, 

365-6,  373-4;  ii.  11,  270,  275-6,  281-2. 
Charter  of  King  Athelstan,  i.  324 ;  ii.  247. 
Charterhouse  of  Perth.  See  Valley  of 

Virtues. 

Chateau  Galliard,  i.  276 ;  ii.  208. 
Chatillon,  i.  354 ;  ii.  265. 
Chein,  Reginald  de,  i.  202;  ii.  163. 
Chester,  i.  10 ;  ii.  8. 

Hugh  earl  of,  i.  35,  64 ;  ii.  28,  44. 

Christiana  of  the  Isles.     See  Isles. 
Clackmannan,  i  38,  122  ;  ii.  29,  88. 
Clarence,  Thomas  duke  of,  i.  354-5 ;  ii. 

265-6. 

Claxston,  i.  149;  ii.  113. 
Cleveland,  i  105;  ii.  76. 
Clochbolg,  i.  312 ;  ii.  237. 
Clydesdale,  i.  276  ;  ii.  208. 

Maurice  Murray,  lord  of,  i.  287-8  ; 


ii.  219. 

Cockermouth,  i.  324 ;  ii.  247. 
Cocklaw,  i.  344  ;  ii.  260. 
Codnor.     See  Grey  of  Codnor. 
Colban,  son  of  Malcolm  earl  of  Fife,  i. 

100  ;  ii.  73. 
Colbranspeth    (Colburnispeth),    i.    262, 

340 ;  ii.  195,  256. 
Coldingham,  i.  64,  70,  149;  ii.  44,  49, 

113. 

Colluthy.     See  Ramsay. 
Concoursault,  i.  354  ;  ii.  265. 
Confrey,  Ralph  (the  Cofferer),  i.  222 ;  ii. 

169. 
Conyngham,  i.  94,  97,  276 ;  ii.  68,  70, 

208. 

Cornuale  Castle,  i.  323  ;  ii.  246. 
Corstorphine.     See  Forester. 
Coucy,  sieur  de,  i.  74 ;  ii.  52. 
Coupland,  John,  i.  285,  293-4,  296 ;  ii. 

217,  224-5,  227. 
Cowell,  L  272,  275;  ii.  204,  207. 


312 


INDEX. 


Cowgate  of  Berwick,  L  296 ;  ii.  227. 

Craig,  John,  i.  280;  ii.  212. 

Craigie,  i.  290  ;  ii.  221. 

Cramond,  i.  113  ;  ii.  82. 

Crannock,  John.     See  Brechin,  bishop  of. 

Craw,  Paul,  i.  377  ;  ii.  285. 

Crawford,   David   Lindsay,    earl    of,   i. 

330-1  ;  ii.  253  4. 

earl  of,  i.  370 ;  ii.  279. 

Crawfurd.     See  Lindsay,  David. 
Cressingham,  Hugh,  i.  155;  ii.  119. 
Crevant,  battle  of,  i.  363  ;  ii.  274. 
Crichton,  lord,  i.  370;  ii.  279. 

James,  son  of  lord,  i.  376 ;  ii.  284. 

Criste  Cleik,  i.  288  ;  ii.  219. 

Culross,  i.  61,  72,  342  ;  ii.  47,  50,  258. 

Cumberland,  i.  9-10  ;  ii.  7-8. 

Cumbernauld.     See  Fleming. 

Cumnock,  i.  298  ;  ii.  229. 

Cumyn,  family  of,  i.  93,  150,  158,  264, 

275,  341;  il  67,  114,  121,  198,207, 

257.      See  also  Buchan,  earl  of,  and 

Menteith,  earl  of, 

Alexander.     See  Buchan,  earl  of. 

John,  brother  of  the  earl  of  Buchan, 

i.  93,  102 ;  ii.  66,  74. 

John,   one   of   the   six  guardians, 

L   118;  ii.  84  ;  his  pedigree,  i.  137; 
ii.  102. 

John   (Red  John  Cumyn),  son  of 

preceding,  his  pedigree,  i.  137;  ii.  102; 
made  guardian,  i.   159  ;  ii.    122  ;  de- 
feats the  English  at  Roslyn,  i.  222-3  ; 
ii.  168-9  ;  submits  to  Edward,  i.  224  ; 
ii.  170;  makes  a  compact  with  Robert 
Bruce,  i.  226-7  ;  ii.  172-3;  betrays  him, 
ib. ;  is  killed  by  Bruce,  i.  229;  ii.  175. 

John.     See  Buchan,  earl  of. 

John.     See  Strathbolgy. 

—  Thomas,  i.  280  ;  ii.  212. 
Walter,  brother  of  preceding,  i.  267, 

280  ;  ii.  200,  212. 

—  Walter.     See  Menteith,  earl  of. 

William.     See  Buchan,  earl  of. 

William,  brother  of  John  earl  of 

Buchan,  i.  234-5  ;  ii.  180. 


Cupar,  L  74,  272,  280,  283,  286-7,  349; 
ii.  52,  204,  212,  215,  217-8,  264. 

abbot  of,  i.  282 ;  ii.  213. 

monastery,  i.  13,  73  ;  ii.  11,  51. 

Curry,  Walter,  i.  289 ;  ii.  220. 

DALHOTTSIE  (Dalwolsy).     See  Ramsay. 
Dalkeith,  L  371 ;  ii.  279. 

(James  Douglas),  lord  of,  i.  372 ; 

ii.  281. 

Dairy,  battle  of,  i.  231  ;  ii.  177. 
Dalswinton,  i.  236,  298  ;  ii.  182,  229. 
Danzig,  i.  325  ;  ii.  248. 
Darnley.     See  Stewart,  John. 
Davach,  i.  286  ;  ii.  218. 
David  i.,  L  8  ;  ii.  6. 

TI.  (Bruce),  i.    138,   240;  ii.  104, 

185  ;  his  birth,  i.  256  ;  ii.  190 ;  hom- 
age done  to  him,  ib.  ;  marries  Joan, 
i.  257  ;  ii.  191 ;  withdraws  to  France, 
i.  267  ;  ii.   200  ;  remains  at  Chateau 
Galliard,  L  276  ;  ii.  208  ;  returns  to 
Scotland,    i.    290 ;    ii.    221  ;    invades 
England,  ib. ;  his  capricious  character, 
i    291  ;    ii.    222 ;    invades    England, 
i.  292 ;  ii.  223  ;  is  taken  prisoner  at 
Durham,  i.   294 ;  ii.  225  ;  negotiates 
for  his  ransom,   i.   299  ;   ii.   229  ;    is 
ransomed,  L  301 ;  ii.  230  ;  sends  em- 
bassy to  the  Pope,  L   303  ;  ii.  231  ; 
quarrels  with  the  earl  of  Mar,  i.  304  ; 
ii.  231  ;   his  incontinence,  i.  305  ;  ii. 

232  ;  proposes  Lionel  as  his  successor, 
ib. ;  quells  insurrection,  i.  306 ;  ii.  233 ; 
marries  Margaret  Logie,    i.   307  ;   ii. 

233  ;  divorces  her,  ib. ;  imprisons  the 
Stewarts,  i.  307 ;  ii.  234  ;  his  death,  ib. 

earl   of   Huntingdon.      See  Hunt- 


ingdon. 

son  of  Alexander  in.,  i.  108;  ii.  78. 

Dee,  river,  i.  235  ;  ii.  181. 

Deer,  church  of,  i.  73  ;  ii.  61. 

Dervesy  (Dairsie),  i.  251,  277  ;  ii.  188, 

209. 

Dollar,  i.  281  ;  ii.  213. 
Donald  of  the  Isles.     See  Isles. 


INDEX. 


313 


Donald  Bane,  L  29 ;  ii.  24. 

Donamis,  parca  de,  i  269 ;  ii.  202. 

Donibristle,  i.  241,  286;  ii.  186,  217. 

Dorvorgilla,  i.  121,  136-7;   ii.  87,  102-3. 

Douglas  castle,  i.  322  ;  ii.  245. 

tower,  at  Berwick,  L  296  ;  ii.  227. 

Archibald,  the  Tyneman,  attacks 

Edward  Balliol  at  Annand,  L  267  ; 
ii  200 ;  made  guardian,  i.  269 ;  ii.  201 ; 
killed  at  Halidon  Hill,  i.  269-70  ; 
ii.  202-3. 

Archibald,  the  Black  (Grim),  earl 

of,  lord  of  Galloway,  taken  prisoner 
at  Poitiers,  i.  300 ;  ii.  229  ;  goes  on 
an  embassy  to  France,  i.  315;  ii.  239; 
takes  Lochmaben,  i.  320 ;  ii.  243 ;  takes 
Wark,  i.  323 ;  ii  246 ;  present  at 
the  siege  of  Roxburgh,  i  323 ;  ii. 
246;  invades  England,  i  324;  ii. 
247  ;  succeeds  as  earl  of  Douglas, 
i  326  ;  ii.  249  ;  refuses  a  dukedom, 
i.  331  ;  ii  254 ;  is  judge  at  a  single 
combat,  i.  332  ;  ii  254  ;  marries  his 
daughter  to  the  duke  of  Rothesay, 
i.  339  ;  ii  255  ;  his  death,  i.  340  ; 
ii.  257. 

Archibald  earl  of,  and  duke  of 

Touraine,  son  of  preceding,  receives 
possession  of  Dunbar  castle,  i.  339 ; 
ii.  256  ;  defeats  the  earl  of  March  and 
Henry  Percy  at  Colbranspeth,  i.  340  ; 
ii  256  ;  is  besieged  in  Edinburgh, 
i.  340  ;  ii.  257  ;  concerned  in  death  of 
Duke  of  Rothesay,  i.  342  ;  ii  258  ; 
taken  prisoner  at  Homildon,  i  343-4  ; 
ii.  259-60  ;  is  given  Lochmaben  and 
Annandale,  i.  349  ;  ii.  263  ;  goes  to 
France  and  is  made  Duke  of  Touraine, 
i.  359  ;  ii.  270  ;  killed  at  Verneuil, 
i.  360;  ii.  271. 

Archibald  earl  of  (earl  of  Wigtown ), 

son  of  preceding,  goes  to  France,  and 
is  given  Langeais,  i.  353  ;  ii.  265  ;  is 
knighted,  i.  370  ;  ii  279  ;  sits  on  the 
trial  of  the  Duke  of  Albany,  i  372  ; 
ii.  281  ;  is  arrested,  i.  377  ;  ii.  284. 


Douglas,  George.     See  Angus,  earl  of. 
James  (the  Good  Sir  James),  i.  201; 

ii.  163 ;  takes  Roxburgh  Castle,  i.  236 ; 

ii.   182  ;  defeats  the  English,  i.  241  ; 

ii  186 ;  retreats  from  Weardale,  i.  257 ; 

ii.   191  ;   mentioned   in  King   Robert 

Bruce's  tailzie  ;  i.  260  ;  ii.  193 ;  is  to 

take    the   king's   heart   to   the   Holy 

Land,  i.  263;  ii.  196;  his  death  there, 

i.  264  ;  ii  197. 
James,  brother  of  William  Douglas 

of  Liddesdale,  i.  279;  ii.  211. 
James  earl  of,  and  earl  of  Mar,  to 

marry  daughter  of  Robert  n.,  i.  310 ; 

ii.  235  ;  succeeds  to  the  earldom  and 

invades   England,   i.    322 ;    ii.    245 ; 

present   at   the   siege    of    Roxburgh, 

i    323 ;    ii.    246 ;    invades   England, 

i.  324;  ii.  247;  is  killed  at  Otterburu, 

i.  326  ;  ii  249. 

James,  i.  331  ;  ii.  253. 

James  (of  Balvany  and  Abercorn) 

earl  of,   and  earl  of   Avaudale,  kills 

David  Fleming  of  Cumbernauld,  i.  347; 

ii  262 ;  sits  on  Duke  of  Albany's  trial, 

i.  372  ;  ii.  281. 
James,    second   son   of   Archibald 

earl  of  Douglas  and  duke  of  Touraine, 

i.  360  ;  ii.  271. 

Mary,  daughter  of  Archibald  the 


Grim,  earl  of  Douglas,  married  to  the 
duke  of  Rothesay,  i.  339 ;  ii.  255. 

William,  of  Liddesdale,   taken  at 

Lochmaben,  i.  268  ;  ii.  201 ;  released, 
i.  277  ;  ii.  209  ;  attends  parliament  at 
Dairsie,  ib. ;  fights  at  Boroughmuir, 
i.  278;  ii.  210;  escorts  the  count  of 
Guelderland  to  England,  i.  279;  ii. 
211  ;  is  faithful  to  Bruce,  i  280  ;  ii. 
211-2;  recovers  castles,  i.  283;  ii. 
215  ;  slaughters  garrison  of  Edinburgh 
Castle,  i.  286 ;  ii.  217  ;  recovers 
Teviotdale,  i.  287 ;  ii  218  ;  tilts  with 
Henry  of  Derby  and  Lancaster,  ib.  ; 
blockades  the  Tay,  i.  288;  ii.  219; 
takes  Edinburgh  Castle,  i.  289  ;  ii. 


314 


INDEX. 


220 ;  protects  the  Borders,  i.  290  ;  ii. 
221  ;  his  hatred  of  Ramsay,  ib.  ;  puts 
him  to  death,  i  291  ;  ii.  222 ;  dis- 
countenances invasion  of  England,  i. 
292  ;  ii.  223 ;  goes  foraging,  i.  293  ; 
ii.  224  ;  is  taken  at  the  battle  of  Dur- 
ham, i.  294  ;  ii.  225  ;  is  killed  by 
William  earl  of  Douglas,  i.  295  ; 
ii.  226. 

Douglas,  William,  illegitimate  brother  of 
preceding,  and  commandant  of  Edin- 
burgh Castle,  i.  290  ;  ii.  221. 

William  earl  of,  son  of  Archibald 

Douglas,  the  Tyneman,  puts  William 
Douglas  of  Liddesdale  to  death,  i.  295  ; 
ii.  226  ;  defeats  the  English  at  Nisbet, 
i.  296 ;  ii.  226 ;  recovers  territory, 
i.  298 ;  iL  228  ;  fights  at  Poitiers, 
i.  299-300;  ii.  229;  opposes  Robert  n.'s 
accession,  i.  310 ;  ii.  235 ;  destroys 
Penrith,  i.  314 ;  ii.  238  ;  subdues 
Teviotdale,  i.  322  ;  ii.  245  ;  his  death, 
ib. 

William,  lord  of  Nithsdale,  son  of 

Archibald  the  Grim,  earl  of  Douglas, 
marries  Robert  ii.'s  daughter,  Egidia, 
i.  324 ;  ii.  248  ;  is  killed  at  Danzig, 
i.  325  ;  ii.  248  ;  fights  at  Carlingford, 
ib.  ;  invades  England,  L  325 ;  ii. 
248-9. 

William,  eldest  son  of   Archibald 

earl  of  Douglas,  i.  376  ;  ii.  284. 

William,   son  and  heir  of   James 

Douglas  of  Abercorn,  i.  376  ;  ii.  284. 

William.     See  Angus,  earl  of. 

Doune,  i.  372  ;  ii.  280. 
Dover,  i.  65,  68 ;  ii.  45,  47. 
Down,  bishop  of,  i.  43 ;  ii.  31. 
Drax,  i  149;  ii.  113. 
Dreux,  i.  357  ;  ii.  268. 

count  of,  i.  Ill  ;  ii  80. 

Drumlay,  i.  98;  it  71. 

Drummond,  Malcolm,  i.  307  ;  ii.  233. 

Anabella.     See  Anabella. 

Dryburgh,  i.  255,  323;  ii.  190,  247. 
Duff,  Angus,  i.  375  ;  ii.  283. 


Dumbarton,  i.  270,  272,275-6,  310,  372; 

ii.  203,  205,  207-8,  235,  280. 
Dumfries,  i.  99,  229,  234,  236,  350 ;  ii. 

72,  175,  180,  182,  264. 
Dunbar,  i.  63,  320,  322,  339,  349,  371, 

379  ;  ii.  43,  244,  246,  255,  263,  280, 
286. 

battle  of,  i.  150;  ii.  114. 

Castle,  i.  149,  150,  270,  283 ;  ii. 

113-4,  203,  215. 
cousin  of  the  earl  of  March,  i.  311; 

ii.  236. 
(Patrick),  eldest  son  of  George  earl 

of  March,  i.  349 ;  ii.  263. 

Black    Annes    of.       See    March, 

countess  of. 

Elizabeth,   duchess   of    Rothesay. 

See  Rothesay. 

John.     See  Murray,  earl  of. 

Patrick,    son   of    George   earl   of 

March,  i.  343  ;  it  259. 

lord  (earl)  of.     See  March,  earl  of. 

Dunblane,  bishop  of,  i.  48, 148 ;  iL  36, 112. 

see  of,  i.  51  ;  iL  39. 

Dundalk,  battle  of,  i.  241,  250 ;  iL  187. 
Dundarg,  i.  271,  280;  iL  204,  212. 
Dundee,  i.  64  ;  ii.  44. 

Castle,  i.  155;  ii.  119. 

Dundonald.       See   Stewart,   Alexander, 

and  Red  Stewart. 
Dundonald  Castle,  i.  329  ;  iL  252. 
Dundrennan,  i.  73  ;  ii.  51. 

Silvanus,  abbot  of,  L  17 ;  ii.  15. 

Dunfermline,  i.  82,  97,   108,  112,    224, 

256,  258,  264-5,  273,  280,  302,  341, 

369,  381  ;  ii.  56,   70,  78-9,  80,   170, 

190,  192,  197-8,  206,  212,  231,  257, 

278,  287. 

-  Abbey,  L  15,  74,  149,  240 ;  ii.  13, 

52,  113,  185. 

—  abbot  of,  i.  282  ;  ii.  213. 
Dunkeld,  bishop  of,  i.  92,  143,  241,  266; 

iL  66,  107,  186,  199. 
Alexander    Lauder,   bishop   of,   i. 

380  ;  ii.  287- 

De  Cardine,  bishop  of,  L  380;  iL  287. 


INDEX. 


315 


Dunkeld,  Gregory,  bishop  of,  i  17,  23  ; 

iL  15,  19. 

James  Bruce,  bishop  of,  i  381;ii,287. 

James  Kennedy,  bishop  of,  i.  380  ; 

ii.  287. 
John  Railston,  bishop  of,   i.  381  ; 

ii.  287. 

see  of,  i.  51  ;  ii.  39. 

Dunleroi,  i.  354  ;  ii.  265. 
Dunmore,  John  de,  i.  103  ;  ii.  75. 
Dunoon,  L  272,  275  ;  ii.  204,  207. 
Dunottar,  L  281,  283  ;  ii.  213-4. 
Dunschath,  i.  29  ;  ii.  24. 
Dunse,  i.  312  ;  ii  237. 
Dunstaffnage,  i.  236  ;  ii.  181. 
Duplin,  battle  of,  i.  265  ;  ii.  198. 
Durham,  i  236,  255  ;  ii.  182,  189. 
battle  of,  i.  293,  322  ;  ii.  224,  245. 

-  bishop  of,  i.  69,  293  ;  ii.  48,  224. 

monastery,  i  149  ;  ii.  113. 

prior  of,  i  70  ;  ii.  49. 

Durward,  Alan,  i.  92,  100 ;  ii.  65-6,  72. 


EDEETOUNE,  i.  29 ;  ii.  24. 

Edinburgh,  L  25,  45,  74,  92,  255,  257, 
278,  298,  323,  328,  376,  381  ;  ii.  21, 
33,  52,  66,  189,  191,  210,  228,  247, 
251,  284,  287. 

Castle,  i  23,  30,  74,  151,  237,  282, 

286,  289,  307,  310,  321-2,  340,  371; 
ii.  19,  26,  51,  114,  182,  214,  217-8, 
220,  234-5,  244,  246,  256,  279,  280. 

Edmonston,  James,  i  376  ;  ii.  284. 

Edwald,  bishop,  i.  9  ;  ii.  7. 

Edward  i.,  king  of  England,  his  corona- 
tion, i.  106-7 ;  ii.  77  ;  is  called  in  to 
decide  the  succession  to  the  Scottish 
throne,  i.  118-34;  ii.  85-100;  offers 
it  to  Bruce,  then  to  Balliol,  i.  134; 
ii.  100  ;  receives  Balliol's  homage,  i. 
141  ;  iL  105  ;  summons  him  before 
Parliament,  i.  142  ;  ii.  107  ;  takes 
Berwick,  i.  148  ;  ii.  112 ;  refuses 
Bruce  help,  i.  150;  ii  114;  receives 
Balliol's  submission,  i.  151;  ii  115; 


receives  homage  of  Scottish  magnates, 
i.  153;  ii.  116  ;  retreats  before  Wal- 
lace, i.  156  ;  ii  120  ;  defeats  him  at 
Falkirk,  i.  158  ;  ii.  121  ;  answer  to 
Papal  Bull,  i.  167  ;  ii.  131  ;  reasons 
in  support  of  his  case,  i.  168  ;  ii  131  ; 
answer  of  Scots,  i.  178  ;  ii.  141 ;  re- 
fuses to  appear  before  the  Pope,  i. 
218  ;  ii.  166  ;  builds  the  Peel  of  Lin- 
lithgow,  i  219;  ii.  167;  ravages  Fife 
and  Perth,  i.  222  ;  ii.  168  ;  invades 
Scotland,  i  223  ;  ii  170  ;  holds  Par- 
liament at  St.  Andrews,  i  225 ;  ii. 
171  ;  takes  Stirling,  ib.  ;  suspects 
Bruce,  i.  227  ;  ii.  173  ;  his  death,  i. 
233-4 ;  ii.  179,  180. 

Edward  ii.  (of  Carnarvon),  king  of  England, 
negotiation  for  his  marriage,  i.  118  ; 
ii.  85 ;  takes  Stirling  Castle,  i  160  ; 
ii  123  ;  remains  at  Perth,  i.  224 ;  ii 
170;  succeeds  his  father,  i  234;  ii. 
179,  180;  his  marriage,  ib.;  invades 
Scotland,  ib.;  marches  to  Renfrew,  i. 
236  ;  ii.  182  ;  is  defeated  at  Bannock- 
burn,  i.  237-8  ;  ii  183-4 ;  invades 
Scotland  and  is  defeated,  i  241  ;  ii. 
186  ;  besieges  Berwick,  i  251  ;  ii. 
188 ;  invades  Scotland,  i.  255  ;  ii.  189 ; 
is  defeated  by  Robert  Bruce,  i.  255 ; 
ii.  190  ;  his  death,  i.  256  ;  ii.  190. 

Edward  in.  (of  Windsor),  king  of  England, 
his  birth,  i.  237  ;  ii.  182  ;  besieges 
Berwick,  i.  242  ;  ii.  187  ;  is  crowned, 
i.  256  ;  ii.  190 ;  makes  peace  with 
Scotland,  i  257  ;  ii  191  ;  invades 
Scotland,  i.  262;  ii.  195;  besieges 
Berwick,  i.  268  ;  ii.  201  ;  gains  the 
battle  of  Halidon  Hill,  i.  269  ;  ii.  202 ; 
takes  Berwick,  i.  270  ;  ii.  203  ;  re- 
fuses peace,  i.  271  ;  ii.  203  ;  comes  to 
Glasgow,  i.  274  ;  ii.  207 ;  invades 
Scotland,  i  277-9;  ii.  209-11;  re- 
lieves Lochindorb,  i.  281  ;  ii  213  ; 
rebuilds  towns  and  castles,  i  281-2; 
ii.  213-4  ;  stabs  his  brother,  ib.;  re- 
covers Berwick,  i  297  ;  ii  227  ;  in- 


316 


INDEX. 


vades  Scotland,  i.  298  ;  ii.  228 ;  his 
proposed  marriage  with  Margaret 
Logie,  i.  307  ;  ii.  233. 

Edward  Balliol,  king  of  Scotland,  negotia- 
tions for  his  marriage,  i.  143  ;  ii.  107  ; 
is  imprisoned  in  London,  i.  153  ;  ii. 
116  ;  comes  to  England,  i.  263-4;  ii. 
197-8 ;  invades  Scotland,  ib. ;  is 
crowned,  i.  266 ;  ii.  199 ;  escapes 
from  Annand,  i.  267  ;  ii.  200  ;  obtains 
help  from  England,  i.  267-8  ;  ii.  201  ; 
overruns  Scotland,  i.  270  ;  ii.  203  ; 
quarrels  with  Beaumont  and  others, 
i.  271;  ii.  204;  is  reconciled,  ib.  ; 
distributes  lands,  i.  272 ;  ii.  204  ; 
comes  to  Glasgow,  i.  274 ;  ii.  207 ; 
invades  Scotland,  i.  277-9;  ii.  209- 
1 1  ;  remains  at  Perth,  i.  282 ;  ii 
214  ;  surrenders  his  crown  to  Edward 
m.,  i.  297  ;  ii.  227. 

Egidia  the  Fair,  daughter  of  Robert  ii., 
i.  324 ;  ii.  248. 

Eglesham,  "William,  i.  160;  ii.  123. 

Eglinton,  i.  290  ;  ii.  221. 

Elcho,  i.  292  ;  ii.  223. 

Eleanor,  daughter  of  James  i.  See 
Austria,  duchess  of. 

Elgin,  i.  104,  281,  329  ;  ii.  76,  213,  252. 

Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Haymer  de  Burgh, 
and  wife  of  King  Robert  Bruce,  i.  240, 
258;  ii.  185,  192. 

(Isabella),    wife   of   King  Robert 

Bruce.     See  Isabella. 

(Isabel),  wife  of  Edward  n.,  i.  234, 

257  ;  ii.  179,  191. 

(Isabella)    daughter   of    James   I. 

See  Brittany,  duchess  of. 

Mure,    wife  of    Robert  ii.      See 

Mure. 

Eltham,  John  of,  brother  of  Edward  m., 

i.  282 ;  ii.  214. 

Emonia,  Eumonia.     See  Inchcolm. 
Errol,  lord  of,  L  266  ;  ii.  199. 
Erskine,  lord,  i.  310,  321,  380 ;  ii  235, 

245,  287. 
Ettrick  Forest,  i.  295  ;  ii  226. 


Euphetnia,  wife  of  Robert  ii.,  i.  313, 
329  ;  ii.  238,  252. 

Eymergarde  (Ermergarde)  wife  of  Wil- 
liam the  Lion,  i  30,  39,  72 ;  ii.  26, 
30,  50. 

FALAISE,  i  21  ;  ii.  18. 

Falkirk,  battle  of,  i.  158 ;  ii.  121. 

Falkland,  i.  251,  283,  342,  372 ;  ii.  188, 

215,  258,  280. 
Fastcastle,  i.  349  ;  ii.  263. 
lord  of.     See  Haliburton,  William. 


Felton,  William,  i.  282;  ii.  214. 
Fenton,  John,  i  202;  ii.  163. 
Fergus,  petty  king  of  Galloway,  i.  11  ; 
ii.  8. 

See  Ardrossan. 

Feritate,  John  de,  i.  124  ;  ii.  90. 
Ferrers,  Henry,  i.  267  ;  ii.  200. 

John,  i.  137;  ii  103. 

lord,  i.  293  ;  ii.  224. 

Fewant  (Fuwater),  i  356  ;  ii.  267. 
Fiacre,  Saint,  i  140,  358  ;  ii.  105,  269. 
Fife,  i  266,  277,  281  ;  ii.  199,  209,  213. 
Duncan  earl  of,  i.  118,  201,  266-7, 


283,  294;  ii.  84,   163,  199,  200,  215, 
225. 

—  Macduff  carl  of,  i    142,   159  ;  ii. 
106,  122. 

—  Malcolm  earl  of,  i    64,  72,  100; 
ii.  47,  50,  72-3. 

—  Robert    Stewart,    carl    of.       See 


Albany,  duke  of. 

—  sheriff  of,  i.  241  ;  ii.  186. 
Fivy,  i.  235 ;  ii.  181. 
Flamborough,  i.  347  ;  ii.  262. 
Flanders,  count  of,  i.  108-9  ;  ii.  79. 
Fleming,  David,  of  Cumbernauld,  i.  347  ; 

ii.  262. 

Malcolm,  i.  270,  272  ;  ii.  203,  205. 

Malcolm,  of  Cumbernauld,  i.  371  ; 

ii.  279. 

Florence,  Reverius  of,  i.  129;  ii  95. 
Fogo,  John,  i.  379  ;  ii.  286. 
Fontaines,  sieur  des,  i.  356  ;  ii.  268. 
Forcalcaria,  John  de,  i.  129;  ii.  95. 


INDEX. 


317 


Ford  Castle,  i.  323  ;  iL  246. 

Fordun,  John,  i.  5  ;  ii.  3. 

Forester,  John,  of  Coretorphine,  i.  373  ; 

"•281-.;.f:  <:r 

Forfar,  i.  44,  76  ;  ii.  32,  53. 
Forgounde,  i.  251  ;  iL  188. 
Forteviot,  i.  265  ;  ii.  198. 
Forth,  Firth  of,  L  241,  264-5,  274,  278, 

281,  320;  ii.  186,  198,  207,  210,  213, 

244. 
Fothryk  (Forres),  i.  266,  281  ;  iL    199, 

213. 

Foularton,  L  290  ;  ii.  221. 
Foulis.     See  Gray  of  Foulis. 
Fraser,  Fresale,  Alexander,  i.  202,  266  ; 

iL  163,  199. 

Andrew,  L  270 ;  iL  203. 

James,  i.  267,  270  ;  ii.  200,  203. 

Simon,  L  222,  267,  270 ;  iL  168, 

200,  203. 

William,  L  118;  ii.  84. 

William,  L  289,  295 ;  iL  220,  225. 


GALLARDON,  i.  358  ;  iL  270. 

Galloway,  L  11,  21,  24,  30,48,  71,73, 

235,  267,  298  ;  ii.  9,  18,  20,  25,  36, 

49,  51,  181,  200,  229. 
lord  of.    See  Alan ;  Douglas,  Archi- 
bald ;  Fergus  ;  Rotholand. 
Garencieres,  Giles  de,  L  296  ;  ii.  227. 
Garioch,  earldom  of,  i.  64,  349  ;  iL  44, 

264. 
Cask,  i.  266;  ii.  199. 

lord  of,  i.  266  ;  iL  199. 

Gaston.     See  Keith. 

Germans  at  the  battle  of  Verneuil,  L 

360  ;  iL  271. 

Gibson,  John,  L  272,  276  ;  ii.  205,  208. 
Gien  sur  Loire,  L  375  ;  iL  283. 
Gilbert,  cleric,  i.  25,  28  ;  ii.  21,  24. 
son  of  Fergus  of  Galloway,  L  24, 

30  ;  iL  20,  25-6. 
Gillecolam,  son  of  Sumerled  of  Argyll,  L 

12  ;  ii.  10. 
of  Lothian,  i.  30  ;  ii.  25. 


Gillequhatan,  clan,  i.  375  ;  ii.  283. 
Gilpatrick  of  Galloway,  L  30  ;  ii.  25. 
Girart,  Arnault,  i.  374 ;  ii.  282. 
Glammis,  John  Lyon,  lord  of,  i.  320 ;  ii. 

243. 
Glasgow,  L   74,  230,  274  ;  iL  51,  176, 

207. 
bishop  of,  i.  45,  94,  150,  160,  238; 

iL  33,  67,  114,  123,  184. 
James  Bruce,  bishop  of,  L  381  ;  ii. 

287>  .052  .ir  ;  Ot-8  .i  fS 
John  bishop  of,  L  9  ;  ii.  7. 

Robert  bishop  of,  i.   118,  133;  ii. 

84,99. 
Walter  Wardlaw,  bishop  of,  i.  314, 

322  ;  iL  239,  245. 
William    Turnbull,   bishop    of,   i. 

381 ;  ii.  287. 

see  of,  L  51  ;  ii.  39.     j  n  fo^  _ 

Glasinden,   an    English    commander  at 

the  siege  of  Orleans,  i.  362 ;  ii.  273. 
Gledstanes,  commandant  of  Cocklaw,  i. 

344 ;  ii.  260. 

Glenbreth,  i.  332  ;  ii.  254. 
Glenluce  monastery,  L  74  ;  iL  61. 
Gloucester,  earl  of,  i.  135 ;  iL  101. 

earl  of,  i.  227,  238 ;  ii.  174,  183. 

duke  of,  L  359  ;  ii.  270. 

Gordon,  lord  of,  L  312;  iL  236-7. 
Adam,  lord  of,  i.  344 ;  ii.  260. 

-  lord,  L  370  ;  iL  279. 

Roger,  i.  344  ;  ii.  260. 

Gospatrick,  earl,  L  17 ;  ii.  15. 
Gowry,  i.  266,  282 ;  ii.  199,  214. 
Graham,  lord  of,  i.  266;  ii.  199. 

David,  L  202  ;  ii.  163. 

John,  L  202  ;  iL  163. 

Patrick,  i.  202,  251,  287  ;  ii.  163, 

188,  218. 

Robert,  L  371,  389  ;  ii.  280,  289. 

William,  L  313  ;  ii.  238. 

Gray  of  Foulis,  Andrew,  i.  370  ;  ii.  279. 
Graystock,  baron  of,  i.  320 ;  iL  243. 
Gregory  ix.,  pope,  L  175  ;  ii.  138. 

pope,  L  322  ;  iL  245. 

Grey  of  Codnor,  lord,  L  356  ;  ii.  267. 


318 


INDEX. 


Gualo,  legate,  i.  68 ;  ii.  47. 
Guardians  of  Scotland.     See  Wardens. 
Guelderland,  count  of,  i.  278  ;  ii.  210. 


HACO,  king  of  Norway,  i  94,  97,  99, 

100;  ii.  67,  70,  72-3. 
Haddington,  i.  38-9,  49,  63,  75-6,  298, 

339,  340  ;  ii.  29,  30,  37,  43,  52-3,  228, 

256. 
Hailes,  i.  340  ;  ii.  256. 

Patrick   Hepburn   of,   i.  343 ;   ii. 

259. 

lord,  i.  370,  380  ;  ii  279,  286. 

Hakles,  i.  149;  ii.  113. 
Haliburton,  brothers  (John  and  Thomas), 
i.  343  ;  ii.  259. 

lord,  L  277  ;  ii.  209. 

—  John,  L  296  ;  ii.  226. 

Walter,  i.  295 ;  ii  225. 

Walter,  i  370 ;  ii  279. 

William,  of  Fastcastle,  i.  353;  ii. 

265. 

Halidon  Hill,  battle  of,  i  268  ;  ii.  201. 

Hall,  the  brothers,  murderers  of  James  I., 
i  389  ;  ii.  271. 

Hamer,  Gilbert  bishop  of,  i.  100 ;  ii. 
73. 

Hanigow,  king  of  Norway,  i.  108-9  ;  ii. 
79. 

Harald.     See  Orkney,  earl  of. 

Harcourt,  count  d',  i  360  ;  ii  271. 

Harlaw,  battle  of,  i.  349,  380;  ii.  264, 
287. 

Hart,  Robert,  i.  328  ;  ii.  250. 

Hartshaw.     See  Stewart,  Robert. 

Ha  wick,  i  291  ;  ii.  222. 

Hastings,  Henry,  i.  64,  138  ;  ii  44,  104. 

John,  i.  130  ;  ii.  96. 

Hay,  Gilbert  de  la,  constable  of  Scot- 
land, i.  202,  232,  295  ;  ii  163,  177-8, 
225. 

Gilbert    (of   Errol),   constable  of 

Scotland,  i.  372  ;  ii  281. 

William  de  la,  constable  of   Scot- 
land, i.  370  ;  ii.  279. 


Hay,  Giles,  i.  288  ;  ii.  219. 

John,  i.  287  ;  ii  218. 

Thomas.     See  Yester. 

Henry  ii.,  king  of  England,  i.  9 ;  ii  7  ; 
receives  King  Malcolm's  homage,  i. 
10 ;  ii.  8  ;  meets  him  at  Carlisle,  ib. ; 
alliance  with  King  William  the  Lion, 
i.  15-6  ;  ii.  13-4  ;  takes  him  with  him 
as  a  prisoner,  i.  21  ;  ii.  18  ;  releases 
him,  i.  23  ;  ii.  19  ;  marches  against 
Rotholand,  i.  30  ;  ii  25  ;  surrenders 
Edinburgh,  i.  30  ;  ii.  26. 

son  of  preceding,  i.  18-9  ;  ii.  16. 

in.,  king  of  England,  i.  46,  75-6, 

92  ;  ii  33,  53,  65. 

iv.,   king    of   England    (duke    of 

Lancaster),  makes  a  truce  with  Scot- 
land,  i.   319 ;    ii.   243  ;   takes  refuge 
there,  ib. ;  is  made  Protector  and  in- 
vades Scotland,  i.  320-1  ;  ii.  244 ;  in- 
vades Scotland,  i.  340 ;   ii  256  ;   his 
moderation,  i  341  ;  ii.  257  ;  captures 
James  i.,  i  347  ;  ii.  262  ;  directs  his 
release,  ib. 

v.,  king  of  England,  i  350,  357-8 ; 

ii.  264,  268-9. 

Hepburn,  Patrick.    See  Hailes. 
Heriot,  William,  i.  272  ;  ii  205. 
Hennandston.     Sec  Langhirdmandston. 
Herries,  Herbert.     See  Terreagles. 
Herring,  John,  i.  277  ;  ii  209. 
Herrings,   battle   of   the,    i.   363-4 ;    ii. 

274. 

Hitusun,  Adam  de,  i.  38  ;  ii.  29. 
Holland,  Florence  count  of,  ill;  ii.  9. 

count  of,  i.  128 ;  ii.  94. 

Holme,  i  149;  ii  113. 
Holyrood  House,  i.  376  ;  ii.  283. 
—  monastery,   i   11,  255,  307,  319, 

323,  376;    ii.  9,  190,  234,  243,  247, 

284. 

Homildon,  battle  of,  i  344;  ii.  260. 
Honfleur,  i.  357 ;  ii.  268. 
Honorius  in.,  pope,  i  176;  ii  139. 
Houston,  Robert,  i.  356  ;  ii  268. 
Humbald,  prior  of  Wenlock,  i.  17;  ii.  15. 


INDEX. 


319 


Huntingdon,  David  earl  of,  i.  13,  21, 
28-9,  35,  53,  56,  64,  105,  121,  128 ;  ii 
11,  18,  24-5,  28,  41-2,  44,  77,  87,  94. 

earl  of,  i.  356  ;  ii.  267. 

-  earldom  of,  i.  9,  10,  29,  64,  107 ; 
ii.  7,  8,  25,  44,  78. 

Huntly,  Mary  countess  of,  daughter  of 
James  i.,  i.  390 ;  ii.  290. 


INCHAFFRAY  monastery,  i.  48 ;  ii.  35. 
Inchcolm,  i.  278,  281,  321,  376  ;  ii.  210, 

213,  244,  283. 

abbot  of,  i.  379 ;  ii.  285. 

Inchkeith,  i.  278,  289  ;  ii.  210,  220. 
Inchmartin,  i.  64  ;  ii.  44. 

Gilbert  lord  of,  L  295  ;  ii.  225. 

Inchmurthow  (Inchmurdoch),  i.  307  ;  ii. 

233. 

Inglis,  William,  i.  332 ;  iL  254. 
Innerwick,  i.  345  ;  ii.  261. 
Innocent,  pope,  i.  51;  ii.  39. 
Inverbervie,  i.  64,  290  ;  iL  44,  221. 
Inverkeithing,  i.  241 ;  ii.  186. 
Inverlochy,  i.  377  ;  ii.  285. 
Inverness,  i.  29,  233,  375;  ii.  25,  179, 

283. 

Inverury,  battle  of,  i.  235  ;  ii.  180. 
Irvine,  Alexander,  i.  370  ;  iL  279. 
Isaac,   Thomas,   i.   240,   295;    ii.    185, 

226. 
Isabella,  daughter  of  William  the  Lion, 

i.  38,  46,  71-2  ;  ii.  29,  33,  49,  50. 

daughter  of  David  earl  of   Hunt- 
ingdon, and  wife  of  Robert  Bruce  the 
elder,  i.  64,  105,  137 ;  ii.  44,  77,  103. 

(Elizabeth),  daughter  of  Gartenay 

earl  of  Mar,  and  wife  of  King  Robert 
Bruce,  i.  138,  231,  238,  240 ;  ii.  103, 
177,  183,  185. 

(Elizabeth),  daxighter  of  James  i. 

See  Brittany,  duchess  of. 

Isles,  Christiana  of  the,  i.  232  ;  ii.  178. 

—  lord  of  the,  i.  337  ;  ii.  255. 
Alexander  earl  of  Ross,  lord  of  the, 

i.  372,  375,  377 :  ii.  281,  283-4. 


Isles,   Ranald  lord  of  the,  i.    292;   ii. 
223. 

Donald  of  the,  i.  235  ;  ii.  181. 

Donald  of  the,  L  349 ;  iL  264. 

John  of  the,  i.  278  ;  ii.  210. 

Ivry,  i.  359  ;  ii.  270. 


JAMES  i.,  taken  by  the  English,  i.  346-7 ; 
ii.  261-2;  accompanies  Henry  v.  to 
France,  i.  357  ;  ii.  268 ;  is  ransomed, 
i.  369  ;  ii.  278 ;  his  marriage,  ib. ;  his 
coronation,  i.  369-71;  iL  279;  holds 
parliament  at  Perth,  i.  371;  ii.  279, 
280  ;  makes  arrests,  L  371-2;  ii.  279, 
280 ;  holds  parliament  at  Stirling,  i. 
372 ;  ii.  280 ;  arranges  marriage  be- 
tween his  daughter  Margaret  and  the 
Dauphin,  i.  373-4  ;  ii.  281-2;  sends  her 
to  France,  ib. ;  makes  further  arrests, 
i.  375 ;  ii.  283  ;  his  twin  sons  are  born, 
i.  376 ;  iL  284 ;  confers  knighthood,  ib.; 
makes  further  arrests,  i.  377  ;  ii.  284; 
his  daughters,  ib. ;  holds  council  at 
Perth,  i.  378  ;  ii.  284 ;  rejects  proposal 
for  peace  with  England,  ib. ;  takes 
Dunbar  castle,  i.  379  ;  iL  286 ;  dis- 
possesses the  earl  of  March,  i.  380  ; 
ii.  286 ;  besieges  Roxburgh  castle,  L 
380 ;  ii.  287 ;  his  death,  i.  389;  iL  289 ; 
his  murderers  punished,  L  390;  iL  290 ; 
his  character,  L  391;  iL  291. 

ii.,  L  322,  376,  382,  390  ;  ii.  245, 

284,  288,  290. 

Janville,  L  362  ;  ii.  273. 

Jargeau,  i.  362  ;  ii.  273. 

Jedburgh,  Jedwort,  L  10,  15,  289,  349  ; 
ii.  8,  13,  220,  263. 

abbot  of,  i.  122  ;  iL  88. 

Jerdelay,  i.  64  ;  ii.  44. 

Joan,  queen  of  King  David  Bruce,  L  257, 
290,  302  ;  iL  191,  221,  231. 

queen  of  James  I.,  i.  369  ;  ii.  278. 

daughter  of  James  I.  See  Morton, 

countess  of. 

of  Arc,  i.  5,  366-7  ;  ii.  3,  276-7. 


320 


INDEX. 


John  Balliol,  king,  hia  claim  to  the 
throne  of  Scotland,  i.  119,  121,  123, 
et  seq.;  ii  85,  87,  89,  et  seq.;  adjudged 
king,  i.  135  ;  ii.  101;  his  pedigree,  ib.; 
coronation,  i.  140  ;  ii.  105  ;  does  hom- 
age to  Edward  I.,  L  141;  ii.  105  ;  re- 
fuses to  help  him,  i.  141;  ii.  106  ;  ap- 
pears before  him,  i  142  ;  ii.  107  ;  has 
to  recall  his  homage,  and  again  refuses 
help,  L  143  ;  ii.  107  ;  his  party,  L  150  ; 
ii.  114;  submits  to  Edward  I.,  i.  151; 
ii.  115  ;  is  imprisoned  iu  London,  i. 
152;  ii.  116  ;  his  death,  ib. 

John,  abbot  of  Kelso,  i.  25  ;  ii.  21. 

cardinal  of  St.  Stephen's,  legate,  i. 

42;  ii.31. 

—f-r  XII.,  pope,  i.  201;  ii.  163. 

king  of    England,  receives   King 

William's  homage,  i.  41  ;  ii.  30  ;  de- 
clares war  against  him,  i.  43  ;  ii.  31 ; 
makes  peace,  i  45  ;  ii.  33  ;  promises  a 
wife  to  Alexander  in.,  i.  49  ;  ii.  36 ; 
tries  to  get   possession  of  Alexander, 
i.  49 ;  ii.  37  ;  rebellion  of  the  barons, 
L  63;  ii.  43  ;  invades  Scotland,  ib.;  his 
death,  i.  05  ;  ii.  45. 

of  Eltham,  brother  of  Edward  m. 

See  Eltham. 
of  the  Isles.     See  Isles. 

KEITH,  Robert,  i.  202;  ii.  163. 

of  Gaston,  William,  L  284,  286-7  ; 

ii.  215,  217,  219. 

Kelso  monastery,  i.  25  ;  ii.  21. 

abbot  of.     See  John. 

Kened,  L  30 ;  ii.  25. 

Kenmore  (Canmor),  i.  280;  ii.  212. 

Kennedy,  Hugh,  L  355  ;  ii.  267. 

James.    'See  Dunkeld,  bishop  of, 

and  Saint  Andrews,  bishop  of. 

John,  i.  377  ;  ii.  284. 

Kentigern,  gale  of  Saint,  i.  349  ;  ii.  263. 
Kerrera.     See  Carbery. 
Kilblein,  battle  of,  i  280 ;  ii.  212. 
Kildrummy,  i.  231,  270,  279,  280,  304  ; 
ii.  177,  203,  211-2,  232. 


Kilgour,  i.  251;  ii.  188. 
Kilmarnock.     See  Boyd,  Thomas. 
Kilmaurs,  lord,  i.  321,  370,  372;  ii.  245, 

279,  281. 
Kilpatrick.     See  Lindsay,  James. 

—  Roger,  i.  298,  302  ;  ii.  229,  231. 
Kinbuck,  Joachim,  i.  289  ;  ii.  220. 
Kinclevin,  i.  283  ;  ii.  214. 
Kinghorn,  i.  Ill,  264  ;  ii.  80,  198. 
Kinloss,  i.  304  ;  ii.  231. 
Kinnoul,  lord,  i.  370  ;  ii.  279. 
Kinross,  L  93,  272  ;  ii.  66,  205. 
Kyle,  i.  276,  298  ;  ii.  208,  229. 

lord  of.     See  Robert  in. 

Kyme,  earl  of,  i.  356  ;  ii.  267. 
Kynnef,  i.  281,  283  ;  ii.  213-4. 

LAFEKTE  GALIS   (de   Gaulles),  i.    362  ; 

ii  273. 

Newart,  i.  362  ;  ii.  273. 

Ymbaud,  i.  362  ;  ii.  273. 

Lamberti,  Egidius,  i.  126 ;  ii.  92. 
Lamberton,  William.   See  Saint  Andrews, 

bishop  of. 

Lamkyn,  James,  i.  273  ;  ii.  205. 
Lanark,  i.  76  ;  ii  58. 

-  sheriff  of,  i.  154;  ii.  117. 
Lancaster,  i.  255  ;  ii.  189. 
Lanforgonde,  i  64  ;  ii  44. 
Langeais,  i.  354  ;  ii.  265. 
Langhirdmanston  (Hermandston),  i.  347; 

ii.262. 

Largs,  battle  of,  i.  94,  97  ;  ii.  68,  70. 
Lateran  Council,  i.  68 ;  ii.  47. 
Lander,  Alexander.   See  Dunkeld,  bishop 

of. 
Edward.     See  Lothian,  archdeacon 

of. 
Robert,  lord  of  the  Bass,  i  343; 

ii.  259. 

Thomas,  the  Good,  i.  270  ;  ii  203. 

Laurison,  Twynam,  i.  263 ;  ii.  197. 
Lauriflton,  i  281,  283  ;  ii  213-4. 
Leicester,  i.  21;  ii  18. 
Leighton  (Lychtoun),  Henry.     See  Aber- 
deen, bishop  of. 


INDEX. 


321 


Leighton,  Walter.     See  Lichton. 
Leith,  L  321-2,  340  ;  ii.  244,  246,  256. 
Lennox,  i.  356  ;  ii.  268. 

-  Donald  earl  of,  i  372  ;  ii.  281. 
Duncan  earl  of,  i.  371;  ii.  280. 

Malcolm  earl   of,  i  201,  232;   ii. 

163,  177. 

Leodulss  (Loudouu),  earl  of.    See  March, 

Patrick  earl  of. 
Leslie,  Andrew,  i.  202  ;  ii.  163. 

Walter.     See  Ross,  earl  of. 

Lesmahago,  i.  282  ;  ii.  214. 
Leuchars,  i.  282-3 ;  ii.  214-5. 
Liburn  (Lilburn),  John,  i.  312  ;  ii.  237. 
Lichton  (Leighton),  Walter  of,  i.  332  ; 

ii.  254. 

Liddel,  i.  292  ;  ii.  223. 
Liege,  battle  of,    L  348,  380;   ii.  263, 

287. 
Lile  (Lyle),  Alan  lord   of,  i.  272,  275  ; 

ii.  204,  207. 

lord,  i  380  ;  ii.  287. 

Lincluden,  i.  340 ;  ii.  256. 

Lincoln,  i.  41 ;  ii.  30. 

Lindores,  L  28,  64,  70,  108,  342 ;  ii.  24, 

44,  49,  79,  258. 

abbot  of,  L  282 ;  ii.  213. 

Lindsay,  David,  of  Crawfurd,  i  92  ;  ii. 

66. 

-  David,  i.  202  ;  ii.  163. 

-  (David),  i.  295 ;  ii.  225. 

James,  of   Kilpatrick,  i.  229 ;   ii. 

175. 

James,  i.  302  ;  ii.  231. 

James,  i.  320  ;  ii.  243. 

William,  i.  342  ;  ii.  258. 

Euphemia,  sister  of  preceding,   i. 

342  ;  ii.  259. 

Linlithgow,  i.  310,  349,  371  ;   ii.   235, 

264,  280. 

Peel,  i.  219  ;  ii.  167. 

Lion,  the,  a   mortar   so  called,  i.  376  ; 

ii.284. 

Lisle,  Lancelot,  i.  362-3  ;  ii.  273-4. 
Lismore,  bishop  of,  i.  372  ;  ii.  280. 
Livingstone,  John.  See  Calendar,  lord  of. 


Lochaber,  i.  277  ;  ii  209. 

Lochawe,  lord  of.  See  Argyll  and  Loch- 
awe. 

Lochdoun,  i.  270  ;  ii.  203. 

Lochindorb,  L  224,  271,  281,  291  ;  ii. 
170,  204,  212,  222. 

Lochleven,  i  270,  272 ;  ii.  203,  205. 

Lochmaben,  L  229,  268,  289,  320,  349  ; 
ii.  175,  201,  220,  243,  263. 

Lochryan,  i.  231,  325  ;  ii.  177,  248. 

Logan,  John.    See  Restalrig,  lord  of. 

Logie,  John,  i.  251  ;  ii.  188. 

Margaret,   wife    of    King    David 

Bruce,  i.  307  ;  ii.  233. 

Lombards,  i.  113,  360;  ii.  82,  271. 
Longcarty,  battle  of,  i.  96,  98 ;   ii.  69, 

71. 

Lorn,  lord  of,  i.  240  ;  ii.  185. 
John  lord  of,  i.  295  ;  ii.  226. 

(Robert  Stewart),  lord  of,  i.  372  ; 

ii.  281. 

Lothian,  i.  30,  271,  277,  286,  298,  303, 
323,  342  ;  ii.  25,  204,  209,  217,  228, 
231,  247,  259. 

William  archdeacon  of,  i.  160  ; 

ii.  123. 

Edward  Lauder,  archdeacon  of,  i. 

372;  ii.  282. 

Louchour,  David,  i.  93 ;  ii.  66. 
Loudoun,  earl  of.      See  March,  Patrick 

earl  of. 
Louis,  son  of  Philip  Augustus,  i.  65-6  ; 

ii.  45-G. 

the  Dauphin,  son  of  Charles  vii., 


i.  373  ;  ii.  281. 
Lucius,  pope,  i.  51  ;  ii.  38. 
Lucy,  lord,  i.  293 ;  ii.  224. 
Lude,  le,  L  355  ;  ii.  267. 
Luntrethan.    See  Ogilvy,  Walter. 
Lyon,  John.    See  Glammis,  lord  of. 


MACAUSLAND,  Alexander,  i.  356  ;  ii.  268. 
Macdowell,  Donald,  i.  298  ;  ii.  229. 
Macduff.    (Sec  Fife,  earl  of. 
Macduff,  Angus,  L  377  ;  ii.  285. 


322 


INDEX. 


Magnus,  king  of  Norway,  i.  96,  100  ;  ii. 

69,  73. 

Mair  Winde.     See  Saint  Mary's  Wynd. 
Maitland,  Robert,  L  339  ;  ii.  255-6. 
Makheth,  Dovenald,  i.  8  ;  ii.  7. 

Malcolm,  i.  8  ;  ii.  6. 

Makwilliam,  i.  29,  48  ;  ii.  24,  36. 
Malar,  Gilbert,  i.  251  ;  ii.  188. 
Malcolm,  king,  the  Maiden (Keanwourth), 

L    8-9 ;    ii.    6-7 ;     does    homage  to 

Henry  n.,  i.  10  ;  ii.  8  ;  meets  him  at 

Carlisle,  ib.  ;   is  knighted  by  him,  ib.  ; 

disaffection  in  Scotland,  i.  11  ;   ii.  9  ; 

marches  into  Galloway,  ib.  ;  conquers 

Moray   and   Argyll,    i.    12 ;    ii.    10  ; 

does  not  marry,  Ib.  ;  his  death,  i-  14  ; 

ii.  11. 

Canmore,  king,  i,  82-3  ;   ii,  56-7. 

Man,  Isle   of,  i.  99,  237,  325;    ii.  72, 

183,  248. 

king  of,  i.  99,  104 ;  ii.  72,  76. 

Mans,  le,  i  355  ;  ii.  266, 

Mar,  Alexander  earl  of,  i.  100  ;  ii.  72. 

Alexander  earl  of,  son  of  Alexander 

Stewart,  earl  of  Buchan,  son  of  King 

Robert  n.,  L  329,  349,  372,  377,  380  ; 

ii.  252,  263-4,  281,  285,  287. 

Donald  Bane,  earl  of,  son  of  Gar- 

tenay  earl  of  Mar,  i.  137  ;  ii.  103  ;  is 
made  guardian,  i.  264  ;    ii.  197  ;   is 
killed  at  Duplin  Muir,  i.  265  ;  ii.  198, 

Gartenay  earl  of,  father   of   pre- 
ceding, and   brother-in-law   of    King 
Robert  Bruce,  L   137,  150,  240  ;  ii. 
103,  114,  185. 

Thomas   earl   of,  son   of    Donald 

Bane,  earl  of  Mar,  i.  137,  304  ;  ii.  103, 
231. 

William  earl  of,  i.  93  ;  ii.  66. 

March  (the  Marches),  Patrick  earl  of, 
and  earl  of  Loudoun  and  lord  of 
Dunbar,  L  31,  51,  73  ;  ii.  26,  38,  51. 

Patrick  of  Dunbar,  earl  of,  i.  92, 

114  ;  ii.  65,  83. 

Patrick   Dunbar,  earl   of,  i.  201  ; 

ii.   163  ;   commands  at  Duplin  Muir, 


L  265;  ii.  198;  defends  Berwick, 
i.  268  ;  ii.  201 ;  surrenders  to  the  king 
of  England,  i.  270  ;  ii.  203  ;  is  present 
at  the  parliament  at  Dairsie,  i.  277  ; 
ii.  209 ;  remains  faithful  to  his 
country,  i.  280;  ii.  211  ;  fights  at 
Kilblein,  i.  280 ;  ii.  212  ;  assists  Sir 
Andrew  Murray,  i.  283  ;  ii.  214  ; 
besieges  Perth,  i.  287  ;  ii.  219  ; 
escapes  from  the  battle  of  Durham, 
i.  294  ;  ii.  225  ;  defeats  the  English  at 
Nesbit,  L  296  ;  ii.  226  ;  supports  the 
succession  of  Robert  n.,  i.  310 ;  ii,  235  ; 
massacres  the  English  at  Roxburgh, 
i,  311;  ii.  236;  defeats  Graystock 
at  Benrig,  i.  320 ;  ii.  244  ;  besieges 
Roxburgh,  i.  323  ;  ii.  246  ;  is  mor- 
tally wounded  at  Otterburn,  i.  326-8  ; 
ii,  249,  250  ;  takes  Hotspur  prisoner, 
i.  328  ;  ii.  251. 

March,  George  earl  of,  marries  his  daugh- 
ter to  the  Duke  of  Rothesay,  i.  339  ; 
ii.  255  ;  withdraws  to  England,  ib.  ; 
invades  the  Scottish  Marches,  i.  339  ; 
ii,  256 ;  is  defeated  by  Douglas,  i. 
340  ;  ii.  256  ;  gains  the  battle  of 
Nisbet  Muir,  i.  343  ;  ii.  259  ;  aids 
Hotspur  at  Homildon,  ib.  ;  at  Cock- 
law,  L  344;  ii.  260  ;  regains  his 
earldom,  i.  349  ;  ii.  263  ;  destroys 
Roxburgh  bridge,  i.  349  ;  ii.  264. 

George  earl  of,  son  of  preceding,  is 

knighted  at  James  i.'s  coronation,  i. 
370  ;  ii.  279  ;  sits  in  judgment  on  the 
duke  of  Albany,  i.  372  ;  ii.  281  ;  is 
made  earl  of  Buchan,  i.  380 ;  ii. 
286. 

Black  Annes  of  Dunbar,  countess 

of,  i.  284.6  ;  ii.  215-7. 

Marchmont  Castle.     See  Roxburgh. 
Margaret,   sister  of   king  Malcolm  the 

Maiden,  L  11,  13  ;  ii.  9,  11. 

—  daughter  of  king  William  the  Lion, 

i.  30,  38,  46  ;  ii.  26,  29,  33. 

daughter  of   David   earl  of   Hun- 
tingdon, i.  63,  64  ;  ii.  41,  44. 


INDEX. 


323 


Margaret,  queen  of  Norway,  i.  108,  118  ; 
ii.  79,  84. 

Maid  of   Norway,  i.   108-9,  118; 

ii.  79,  80,  85. 

wife  of  Alexander  in.,  i.  84,  107  ; 

ii.  58,  78. 

Saint,  removal  of  her  ashes,  i.  82  ; 

ii.  56  ;  miracle,  L  97  ;  ii.  70. 

countess  of   Sutherland,  daughter 

of  King  Robert  Bruce,  i.  138  ;  ii.  104. 

the  Dauphiness,  daughter  of  James 

i.,  i.  371,  373-4,  377,  381  ;  ii.  280-2, 

284,  288. 
Marjory,  wife  of   Walter  the  Steward, 

and  daughter  of  King  Robert  Bruce,  i. 

138,  239,  240,  251  ;  ii.  103,  184-5,  188. 
Marseilles,  provost  of,  i.  124  ;  ii.  90. 
Marshal,  earl,  of  England,  i.  328;  ii.  251. 
Martin,  Aymer,  i.  374  ;  ii.  282. 

pope,  i.  349  ;  ii.  263. 

Mary,  daughter  of  St.  Margaret,  i.  139  ; 

ii.  104. 
second   wife   of  Alexander  n.,  i. 

74;  ii.  52. 

—  daughter  of  James  i.     See  Buchan, 

countess  of. 
daughter  of  James  i*     See  Huntly, 

countess  of. 

Matifas,  Simon,  i.  124 ;  ii.  90. 
Matilda.     See  Bruce. 
daughter  of  St.  Margaret*  i.   139  ; 

ii.  104. 

Mauclerk.     See  Peter. 
Maud,   the   Good,   Queen   of    England, 

i.  78,  80  ;  ii.  54. 
Maurice  with  the  Red  Mane,  i.  327 ; 

ii.  250. 
Maxwell,  Eustace,  i.  202,  251;  ii.  163, 188. 

Herbert,  i.  370  ;  ii.  279. 

Mearns,  i.  283  ;  ii.  214. 
Meaulx  en  Brie,  i.  357  ;  ii.  269. 
Mehun  sur  Loire,  i.  362  ;  ii.  273. 
Melrose,  i  45,  73, 77,  255,  322-3  ;  ii.  33, 

51,  54,  190,  245,  247. 
abbot  of,  i.  43,  45,  71,  379 ;  ii.  91, 

33,  50,  286. 


Melun,  i.  357  ;  ii.  268. 

Melville,  Richard,  i.  272  ;  ii.  205. 

Menteith,  Walter  Cumyn,  earl  of,  i.  92-3  ; 

ii.  65-7. 
Walter  Bullock,  earl  of,  i.  94,  108  ; 

ii.  67,  79. 

(Alexander)  earl  of,  i.  149  ;  ii.  113. 

Murdach     earl     of,     i    266  ;     ii. 

199. 
(John  Graham),  earl  of,  i.  294  ;  ii. 

225. 
Robert  Stewart,  earl  of.  See  Albany, 

duke  of. 
countess  of,  wife  of  Walter  Cumyn, 

i.  93-4 ;  ii.  67. 

John,  L  202,  230  ;  ii.  163,  176. 

Menzies,  Robert,  i.  280  ;  ii.  212. 
Methven,  battle  of,  i.  231 ;  ii.  177. 
Millfield,  i,  343  ;  ii.  260. 
Minorites,    master-general   of,    i.    131  ; 

ii.  97. 

Mitford,  i.  64,  68  5  ii.  43,  47. 
Moffat,  i.  267  ;  ii.  200. 
Monk  Tower  at  Perth,  i.  282  ;  ii.  213. 
Monsy,  Pierre  de,  i.  159  ;  ii.  122. 
Montagu,  William,  i.  282  ;  ii.  214. 
Montfort,  count  de,  i.  13  ;  ii.  11. 
Montgomery,  lord  of,  i.  337  ;  ii.  255. 
(of  Ardrossan),  Sir  John  (lord  of), 

i.  372  ;  ii.  280*1. 

Montifex,  William,  i.  202  ;  ii.  163. 
Montrose,  i.  76,  151  ;  ii.  53,  115. 
Moray.     See  Murray. 
Morlay,  Robert,  i.  331  ;  ii.  253. 
Morpeth,  i.  64 ;  ii.  43. 
Mortimer,  Katherine,  i.  305 ;  ii.  232. 
Morton,  Joan   countess  of,  daughter  of 

James  I.,  i.  390  ;  ii.  290. 
Mowbray,  Alexander,  i.  267,  271,  277  ; 

ii.  200,  204,  209. 
Geoffrey,  L  122 ;  ii.  88. 

--  John,  i  234-5,  267  ;  ii.  180,  200. 
John,  i.  293  ;  ii.  224. 

-  Philip,i.  238;  ii.  184. 

Roger,  i.  251  ;  ii.  189. 

Mowbrays,  the,  i.  264  ;  ii.  198. 


324 


INDEX. 


Mure,  Adam,  i.  138 ;  ii.  103. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  King  Robert  11., 

i.  138,  329 ;  ii.  103,  252. 

Murray,  i.  12,  39,  48,  50,  104,  281  ; 
ii.  10,  29,  36,  38,  76,  213. 

see  of,  i.  51  ;  ii.  39. 

Angus  earl  of,  i.  8,  12 ;  ii.  6,  10. 

John  Dunbar,  earl  of,  i.  310,  326-8  ; 

ii.  235,  249,  250. 

John  Randolph,  earl  of,  is  made 

guardian,  i.  276  ;  ii.  208  ;  subdues  the 
earl  of  Athol,  i  277 ;  ii.  209  ;  dis- 
putes with  John  of  the  Isles,  i.  278  ; 
ii.  210 ;  fights  the  battle  of  Borough- 
muir,  ib.  ;  is  taken  prisoner,  i.  279 ; 
ii.  211  ;  exchanged  for  the  earl  of 
Salisbury,  L  290  ;  ii.  221 ;  slain  at  the 
battle  of  Durham,  i.  294-5 ;  ii.  225. 

Thomas  Randolph,  earl  of,  i.  201  ; 

ii.  163;  takes  Edinburgh  Castle; 
i.  237  ;  ii.  183 ;  is  named  in  King 
Robert  Brace's  settlement,  i.  238,  259 ; 
ii.  185, 193  ;  invades  England,  i.  241-2, 
250-1,  255 ;  ii.  186-9  ;  eludes  the 
English  at  Weardale,  i  257  ;  ii  191  ; 
is  appointed  guardian,  i.  261 ;  ii.  195  ; 
foils  Edward  m.,  i.  262 ;  ii.  195 ;  his 
death,  i.  263-4;  ii.  196-7. 

Thomas  Randolph  the  younger, 

earl  of,  is  present  at  the  battle  of 
Duplin  Muir,  i.  266  ;  ii.  199  ;  surprises 
Edward  Balliol  at  Annand,  i.  267 ; 
ii.  200-1. 

—  Thomas  earl  of,  i.  305  ;  ii.  232. 
Thomas  earl  of,  L  343-4 ;  ii.  259, 

260. 

—  Alan,  i.  202  ;  ii.  163. 
Andrew,  i.  155  ;  ii.  119. 

Andrew,  le  Riche,  son  of  preceding, 

marries  Christina  Bruce,  i.  256  ;  ii. 
190;  is  made  guardian,  i.  267-8;  ii. 
200-1  ;  is  captured,  ib.  ;  is  ransomed, 
i.  271,  277  ;  ii.  204,  209 ;  is  faithful 
to  Bruce,  i.  280;  ii.  211;  defeats 
Athol  at  Kilbein,  i.  280;  ii.  212;  is 
again  made  guardian,  ib.  ;  subdues  the 


Highlands,  ib. ;  besieges  Dundarg,  ib.  ; 

recovers   territory,   i.   283;   ii.    214; 

invades    England,   i.    283 ;    ii.    215 ; 

receives  the  submission  of  Lothian,  i. 

286 ;  ii.  217 ;   his  death,  i.   286 ;  ii. 

218. 
Murray,  Andrew,  of  Tulibardiue,  i.  267  ; 

ii.  200. 

Angus,  i.  377  ;  ii.  285. 

David,  i.  370  ;  ii.  279. 

Maurice.     See  Clydesdale,  lord  of. 


Musselburgh,  i.  42,  263  ;  ii.  31,  196. 


NABBONNE,  count  de,  i.  360 ;  ii.  271. 
Neville,  Ralph,  i.  293  ;  ii.  224. 
Newbottle,  i.  49,  73,  323;   ii.    37,  51, 

247. 
Newcastle,  i.  75,  156,  322,  326 ;  ii.  53, 

119,  245,  249. 

Nisbet,  i.  296,  343 ;  ii.  226,  259. 
Nithsdale,  i.  298,  324 ;  ii.  229,  248. 
Fair  Maiden  of.     See  Orkney  and 

Caithness,  countess  of. 
Norham,  i.  44-8,  131-2,  257  ;   ii.  31-6, 

97-8,  191. 

North-Berwick  nunnery,  i.  68  ;  ii.  47. 
North  Inch  of  Perth,  battle  of  clans,  i. 

330 ;  ii.  253. 
Northampton,  i.  24-5,  69  ;  ii.  20,  21,  48. 

earl  of,  i.  302  ;  ii.  230. 

Northumberland,  i.  9,   10,  18,  63 ;  ii.  7, 

8,  15,  43. 
William  earl  of,  afterwards  king  of 

Scotland.     See  William  the  Lion. 
Henry  Percy,  earl  of,  invades  Scot- 
land,   i.    312 ;    ii.    237 ;    retreats    in 

panic,  il>. 
Henry  Percy  (Hotspur),  earl  of,  is 

defeated  at  Otterburn,  i.  326  ;  ii.  249  ; 

is  taken  prisoner  there,  L  328  ;  ii.  251  ; 

is  judge  at  a  single  combat,  i.  332  ;  ii. 

254 ;  invades  Scotland,   i.   339,  343  ; 

ii.  256,  259  ;  victorious  at  Homildon, 

L    344  ;    ii.   260 ;    besieges   Cocklaw, 

ib. 


INDEX. 


325 


Northumberland,  Henry  Percy,  son  of 
preceding,  i.  346,  348,  350 ;  ii.  262-4. 
Nydie,  i.  342  ;  ii.  258. 


OCHIL  mountains,  i.  281  ;  ii.  213. 
Odomar  of  Valence,  i.  231  ;  ii.  177. 
Ogilvy,  Patrick  (of  Auchterhouse),  Jus- 
ticiary   of    Scotland.       See    Angus, 

sheriff  of. 

Walter.     See  Angus,  sheriff  of. 

Walter,    of    Luntrethan,   L    373 ; 

ii.  281. 
Ogle,  Robert,  i.  293,  296,  327,  353  ;  ii. 

224,  227,  250,  265. 
Oliphant,  William,  i.  160,  225  ;  ii.  123, 

171. 
Oliphants,    the   (William   and   Arthur), 

i.  313,  350  ;  ii.  238,  264. 
Orkney  Isles,  i.  95,  99  ;  ii.  69,  72. 

—  Harald  earl  of,  i.  39,  42;  ii.  29, 30. 
Henry   Sinclair,    earl   of,    i.    325, 

347  ;  ii.  248,  262. 
and  Caithness,  William  Sinclair,  earl 

of,  L  325,  372,  374 ;  ii.  248,  281-2. 
and  Caithness,  The  Fair  Maiden  of 

Nithsdale,  countess  of,  i.  325  ;  ii.  248. 
Orleans,  i.  357,  362-4,  ei  seq. ;  ii.  268, 

273-5,  et  seq. 

bishop  of,  i.  123  ;  ii.  89. 

duke  of,  i.  362  ;  ii.  272. 

Orval,  sieur  d',  i.  364  ;  ii.  274. 

Oswald,  prior  of  the  Valley  of  Virtues, 

i.  377 ;  ii.  285. 
Othred,    son    of    Fergus    of    Galloway, 

i.  24  ;  ii.  20. 
Otterburn,  Alan  of,  i.  372  ;  ii.  280. 

battle  of,  i.  326  ;  ii.  249. 

Ottobonus,  legate,  i.  103  ;  ii.  75. 


PAGII,  Syrardus,  i.  129;  ii.  95. 
Paisley  monastery,  i.  17,  347;  ii.  15,  262. 
Pandulph,  legate,  i.  71 ;  ii.  49. 
Paris,  bishop  of,  i.  124 ;  ii.  90. 
Peebles,  i.  94  ;  ii.  67. 


Penrith,i.  107,  290,  350;  ii.  78,  221,  264. 
Pentland,  i.  63,  76,  278 ;  ii.  43,  53,  210. 
Percy,  Henry,  i.  293  ;  ii.  224. 
Henry.     See  Northumberland,  earl 

of. 
Persy,   Peter   (William   de   Pressen),   i. 

279;  ii.  211. 
Perth,  i.  11,  42,  48,  71,  76,  96,  100,  231, 

236,  265-7,  271,  278-9,   281-2,  287, 

292,  330-1,  350,  371,  377-8,  380,  389; 

ii.  9,  31,  35,  50,  53,  69,  73,  177,  182, 

198-200,  203,  210-1,213-4,218-9,  223, 

253-4,  264,  279,  284-7,  289. 
Peter  Mauclerk,  i.  13  ;  ii.  11. 
Platane,  forest  of,  i.  283,  332  ;  ii.  214, 

254. 

Pluscarden  monastery,  i.  72  ;  ii.  50. 
Poitiers,  battle  of,  i.  299  ;  ii.  229. 
Pontigny,  abbot  of,  i.  349  ;  ii.  263. 
Prendergast,  Robert,  i.  286;  ii.  217. 
Pressen.     See  Persy. 
Preston,  Lawrence,  i.  277,  284  ;  ii.  209, 

215. 

QUKENSFERRY,  i.  Ill,  113;  ii.  80,  82. 
Quincy,  de,  i.  45  ;  ii.  33. 

Roger  de,  earl  of  Winchester,  i.  73, 

100,  137  ;  ii.  51,  73,  103. 

RAILSTON,  John.  See  Dunk  eld,  bishop  of. 

Railston.     See  Stewart,  Robert. 

Ramornie,  John,  i.  342 ;  ii.  258. 

Ramsay,  Alexander  (The  Flower  of 
Chivalry),  withstands  the  English, 
i.  277  ;  ii.  209  ;  fights  at  Borough- 
muir,  i.  278  ;  ii.  210 ;  provisions 
Dunbar  Castle,  i.  285  ;  ii.  216  ;  fights 
at  a  tournament  at  Berwick,  i.  287  ; 
ii.  218  ;  becomes  a  warden  of  the 
marches,  i.  290  ;  ii.  221  ;  surprises 
Roxburgh  Castle,  ib.  ;  is  made  sheriff 
of  Teviotdale,  ib.  ;  is  put  to  death  by 
William  Douglas,  i.  291 ;  ii.  222. 

(Alexander),  of  Dalhousie  (Dal- 

wolsy),  i.  344,  370  ;  ii.  260,  279. 


326 


INDEX. 


Ramsay,  William,  i.  202 ;  ii.  163;  fights 
at  a  tournament  at  Berwick,  i.  287  ; 
ii.  218. 

William,  of  Dalhousie  (Dalwolsy), 

i.  296  ;  ii.  226. 

William,  of  Colluthy,  i.  300  ;  ii. 

229,  230. 

Ranald,  lord  of  the  Isles.     See  Isles. 

Randolph,  Thomas.    See  Murray,  earl  of, 

—  John.     See  Murray,  earl  of. 

Red  Stewart,  John,  of  Dundonald,  lord 
of  Burley,  i.  370,  372  ;  ii.  279,  280. 

Redesdale,  i.  326  ;  ii.  249, 

Renfrew,  i  12,  236,  272,  276  ;  ii.  10, 
182,  204,  208. 

Restalrig,  John  Logan,  lord  of,  i.  376  ; 
ii.  284. 

Rheims,  archbishop  of,  i.  373-4  ;  ii, 
281-2. 

Riccarton,  i.  149  ;  ii.  113, 

Richard  I.,  i  33  ;  ii.  27. 

ii.,  sends  for  duke  of  Lancaster 

from  Scotland,  i.  320;  ii.  243;  in- 
vades Scotland,  i.  323  ;  ii,  246  ;  his 
end,  i.  323-4 ;  ii.  247  ;  is  deposed  and 
takes  refuge  in  Scotland,  i.  337,  348  ; 
ii.  255,  263. 

younger  son  of  King  Johnt  L  46  J 

ii.  34. 

Richmond,  i.  21  ;  ii.  18. 

Riddesdale,  earl  of,  L  356  ;  ii.  267. 

Robert  I.  (Bruce),  i.  95,  105-6;  ii.  68, 
76-7  ;  his  pedigree,  i.  135-7  ;  ii.  101-3  ; 
ia  upbraided  by  Wallace,  L  158;  ii. 
121 ;  is  Scotland's  deliverer,  i.  226  ;  ii. 
172;  his  compact  with  Cumyn,  ib.  ; 
is  accused  by  him,  L  227  ;  ii.  173  ; 
escapes  from  Edward  I.,  i,  227-8  ;  ii. 
174 ;  kills  Cumyn,  i.  229  ;  ii.  175  ;  is 
crowned,  i.  230  ;  ii.  176  ;  is  absolved, 
il>.  ;  is  defeated  at  Methven,  i.  231  ; 
ii  177  ;  at  Dairy,  ib. ;  regains  Carrick, 
i.  232  ;  ii.  178  ;  takes  Inverness,  i. 
233  ;  ii.  179  ;  Cumyn  retreats  before 
him,  ib.  ;  Robert  falls  sick,  ib.  ;  gains 
ground,  L  235 ;  ii.  180 ;  gains  battle 


of  Inverury,  ib. ;  subdues  Argyll,  i. 
235 ;  ii.  181  ;  invades  England,  i. 
236 ;  ii.  182  ;  takes  Perth  and  other 
places,  ib.  ;  subdues  the  Isle  of  Man, 
i.  237;  ii.  183  ;  gains  battle  of  Ban- 
nockburn,  i.  237-8 ;  ii.  183-4 ;  his 
succession  settled,  L  239  ;  ii.  184 ; 
goes  to  Ireland  to  help  his  brother,  i. 
240  5  ii.  186  ;  endows  Saint  Andrews, 
i.  251  ;  ii.  188  ;  holds  the  Black  Par- 
liament, ib.  ;  legates  sent  to  him,  i. 
252 ;  ii.  189  ;  invades  England,  i. 
255 ;  ii.  189,  190 ;  alliance  with 
France,  i.  256  ;  ii.  1 90  ;  besieges 
Norham  and  Alnwick,  i.  257 ;  ii.  191 ; 
makes  peace  with  England,  ib.  ;  his 
death,  i.  258  ;  ii.  192 ;  renunciation 
of  English  claims  over  Scotland,  ib.  ; 
entail  of  the  Scottish  throne,  i.  259  ; 
ii.  193;  Robert's  prowess,  i.  261  ;  ii. 
195  ;  his  heart  taken  to  the  Holy 
Land,  i.  263  ;  ii.  196. 

Robert  n.  (Stewart),  i.  138  ;  ii.  103  ;  his 
birth,  i  241  j  ii.  186 ;  homage  done 
to  him,  i.  256 ;  ii.  190 ;  in  hiding  at 
Rothesay,  i.  272  j  ii.  204-5;  goes  to 
Dumbarton,  ib. ;  takes  Dunoou,  i.  275 ; 
ii.  207  ;  gathers  followers,  i.  276 ;  ii. 
208  ;  subdues  western  Scotland,  ib.  ; 
made  guardian,  i.  276,  287  ;  ii.  208, 
218  ;  holds  Parliament  at  Dairsie,  i. 
277  ;  ii.  209  ;  takes  Perth,  i.  287  ; 
ii.  219  ;  and  Stirling,  i.  288  ;  ii.  219  ; 
recovers  the  whole  country,  ib.  ;  his 
sons  imprisoned,  i.  307  ;  ii.  234  ;  his 
coronation,  i.  310  ;  ii.  235  ;  his  cha- 
racter, i.  311;  ii.  236;  renews  treaty 
with  France,  i.  314;  ii.  239;  makes 
truce  with  England,  i.  319  ;  ii.  243  ; 
appoints  Robert  earl  of  Fife  governor 
of  Scotland,  i.  328;  ii.  251;  makes 
truce  with  England,  i.  329  ;  ii.  251-2  ; 
his  death,  ib. ;  his  sons,  ib. 

in.  (John  Stewart,  lord  of  Kyle, 

lord  of  Carrick),  reduces  Annandale, 
i.  299 ;  ii.  229  ;  is  lamed,  i.  328  ;  ii. 


INDEX. 


327 


251  ;  his  coronation,  i.  330  ;  ii.  252  ; 
confers  titles,  i.  331  ;  ii.  254  ;  main- 
tains Richard  IT.,  i.  337  ;  ii.  255  ; 
punishes  the  Duke  of  Rothesay,  i.  341 ; 
ii.  258  ;  his  death,  i.  347  ;  ii.  262. 

Rochelle,  la,  i.  359,  374 ;  ii.  270,  282. 

Roderick,  i.  39  ;  ii.  29. 

Roger,  archbishop  of  York.     See  York. 

Rokeby,  Thomas,  i.  282,  288,  293;  ii. 
214,  219,  224. 

Roos,  lord  de,  i.  356  ;  ii.  267. 

Rosemarky,  i.  287  ;  ii.  218. 

Roslyn,  battle  of,  i.  222  ;  ii.  169. 

Ross,  i.  231  ;  ii.  177. 

see  of,  i.  52  ;  ii.  39. 

Alexander  earl  of.     See  Isles,  lord 

of  the. 

Hugh  earl  of,  i.  137,  270,  313  ;  ii, 

103,  203,  238. 

William  earl  of,  i.  149,  201,  231  ; 

ii.  113,  163,  177. 

William  earl  of,  i.  137,  287,  292  ; 

ii.  103,  219,  223. 

Walter  Leslie,  last  earl  of,  i.  375  ; 

ii.  283. 

countess  of,  i.  375-6  ;  ii.  283. 

Godfrey,  i.  276 ;  ii.  208. 

-  Robert,  i.  38,  51  ;  ii.  29,  39. 

William,  i.  128  ;  ii.  94. 

de,  i.  45  ;  ii.  33. 

Rosyth.     See  Stewart,  David. 

Rothesay,  i.  272  ;  ii.  204. 

David  duke  of   (earl  of   Carrick), 

his  birth,  i.  314 ;  ii.  238  ;  created 
duke,  i.  331  ;  ii.  254  ;  his  marriage, 
i.  339;  ii.  255  ;  besieged  in  Edinburgh, 
i.  340  ;  ii  257 ;  his  death,  i.  341-2  ; 
ii.  257-8. 

Elizabeth  Dunbar,   duchess   of,   L 

339 ;  ii.  255. 

Rotholand  of  Galloway,  i.  30 ;  ii. 
25-6. 

i.  235  ;  ii.  181. 

Roxburgh,  i.  8,  23,  33,  39,  44,  64,  74, 
76,  108,  237,  268,  282,  289,  290,  311, 
320,  322,  349,  376,  378,  380 ;  ii.  7, 


19,  27,   29,  31,  43-4,  52-3,  79,  182, 
201,  214,  220-1,  236,  244,  246,  264, 

284-5,  287. 
Ruthirwyne,  Eustace,  i.  251  ;  ii.  189. 

SAINT  ABB'S  HEAD,  i.  278  ;  ii.  210. 
Saint  Andrews,  i.  225,  272-3,  282-3,  342, 

346,  377  ;  ii.  171,  204-5,  214-5,  258, 

261,  285. 
bishop  of,  i.  118,  143,  369 ;  ii.  84, 

107,  279. 
James  Bane,  bishop  of,  i.  267 ;  ii. 

200. 

—  William  Fresale,  bishop  of,  i.  148  ; 

ii.  112. 
William  Lamberton,  bishop  of,  i 

251  ;  ii.  188. 

< Gamelin  bishop  of,  i.  103  ;  ii.  75. 

James  Kennedy,  bishop  of,  i.  380  ; 

ii.  287. 
Richard  bishop  of,   i.  15,  23,  25, 

45,  69  ;  ii.  13,  19,  21,  33,  48. 
Walter  Trail,  bishop  of,  i.  341 ;  ii. 

257. 
• Henry  Wardlaw,  bishop  of,  L  346  ; 

ii.  261. 
^ church  of,  i.  251,  313;    ii.    188, 

238. 
• monastery  of,  i.  225,  251  ;  ii.  171, 

188. 

prior  of,  i.  282;  ii.  213. 

see  of,  i.  51  ;  ii.  39. 

university  of,  i.  349  ;  ii.  264. 


St.  Asaph,  bishop  of,  i.  348  ;  ii.  263. 
Saint  Benoit,  i.  362  ;  ii.  273. 
Saint  Duthac,  i.  231  ;  ii.  177. 
Saint  Gely  Grange,  i.  149  ;  ii.  113. 
Saint  Giles'  Church,  Edinburgh,  i.  323  ; 

ii.  247. 
Saint  Mary's  Wynd  (Mair  Winde),  i.  279; 

ii.  210. 

Saint  Memmyn,  i.  362  ;  ii.  273. 
Salinus,  i.  127  ;  ii.  93. 
Samuel,  of  Galloway,  i.  30  ;  ii.  25. 
Sawtrey  monastery,  i.  65  ;  ii.  44. 


328 


INDEX. 


Salisbury,  William  Montagu,  earl  of, 
i  283-6,  290  ;  ii.  215-7,  221. 

earl  of,   i.    359,    362-3  ;    ii.   270, 

272-4. 

Scales,  lord,  i.  362  ;  ii.  273. 

Scone,  i.  56,  64,  80,  121,  153,  230,  251, 
265-6,  305,  310,  313,  329,  330,  369; 
ii.  42,  44,  54,  87,  117,  176,  188,  198-9, 
232,  236,  238,  252,  278. 

Scot,  Michael,  L  295  ;  ii  225. 
-  Walter,  L  344 ;  ii.  260. 

Scotland :  Prelates  to  appear  before 
Henry  n.,  i.  23  ;  ii.  20 ;  attend  council 
at  Northampton,  i.  24;  ii.  21  ;  at 
Lyons,  i.  106 ;  ii.  77.  Church  of,  i.  24 ; 
ii.  20;  its  privileges,  i.  51-2 ;  ii.  39-40  ; 
its  remissness,  i.  70  ;  ii.  49  ;  is  taxed 
by  Ottobonus,  i.  103  ;  ii.  75  ;  by 
Bagimund,  i.  107 ;  ii  78.  Scotland 
oppressed  by  Vivian  the  legate,  i. 
25  ;  ii  21 ;  harbours  English  bishops, 
i.  53  ;  ii.  40 ;  put  under  an  interdict 
and  absolved,  i.  68-9  ;  ii.  47-8  ;  origin 
of  the  Scots,  i  81  ;  ii.  55  ;  inter- 
regnum, i.  118 ;  ii  84;  wardens,  i.  118, 
153;  ii.  84,  117;  embassy  to  Nor- 
way, i.  119  ;  ii  85  ;  to  France,  i  143 ; 
ii.  107 ;  to  the  Pope,  i  159,  178  ; 
ii.  123,  140  ;  instructions  sent  to  the 
ambassadors,  i.  178  ;  ii.  141  ;  they 
argue  against  Edward  i.,  i.  218  ;  ii. 
167  ;  parliament  held,  i  141,  143  ; 
ii  106,  107  ;  treaty  with  France  for 
marriage  of  Edward  Balliol,  i  143  ; 
ii  108 ;  genealogy  of  kings  from  St. 
Margaret  to  Bruce,  i  135  ;  ii.  101  ; 
English  clergy  expelled,  i.  148  ;  ii. 
112;  truce  with  England,  i  159; 
ii.  122  ;  complaint  to  Pope  John  xii., 
i.  201  ;  ii.  163  ;  Scots  do  homage  to 
Edward  n.,  i  234 ;  ii  180  ;  negotia- 
tions with  England,  i.  256  ;  ii.  190-1  ; 
Scots  invade  England,  ib.  ;  negotia- 
tions renewed,  i.  271  ;  ii  203  ;  English 
invasion  of  Western  Scotland,  i  314  ; 
ii.  238  ;  excommunication  of  despoilers 


of  bishops,  i.  322  ;  ii.  245  ;  negotia- 
tions to  reconcile  Scotland  and  Eng- 
land, i.  328  ;  ii  251  ;  dearth,  i.  156 ; 
^ii.  119;  plenty,  i.  224  ;  ii  170  ;  pesti- 
lence, i  291,  295,  304,  314,  341  ; 
ii.  222,  225,  231,  238,  257;  storm, 
i.  313 ;  ii  237  ;  drought,  i.  74,  105, 
236,  283,  288;  ii  52,  77,  181,  215, 
219. 

Scotland,  chamberlain  of,  i.  295 ;  ii. 
225. 

chancellor  of,  i.  295  ;  ii  225. 

marshal  of,  i  295  ;  ii.  225. 

steward  of.     See  Steward,  Stewart. 

Scrimgeour,  John,  i.  370 ;  ii  279. 

Selkirk,  John,  i.  342 ;  ii  258. 

Senis,  Reverius  de,  i  127  ;  ii.  93. 

Servanus,  Saint,  i.  72,  273;  ii.  50, 
205. 

Seton,  Alexander,  i.  202,  268,  270;  ii. 
163,  201,  203. 

Alexander,  i.  265  ;  ii.  198. 

(Alexander)  lord,  i  370 ;  ii  279. 

Thomas,  i  269  ;  ii.  201-2. 

Thomas,  i  354  ;  ii  265. 

William,  i  268;  ii.  201. 

Shaw,  Richard,  i.  278  ;  ii.  210. 

Shrewsbury,  battle  of,  i  345  ;  ii.  260-1. 

Sibbald,  John,  i.  356 ;  ii  267. 

Sinclair,  Henry,  i.  202  ;  ii  163. 

—  Henry.     See  Orkney,  earl  of. 

—  Walter,  i.  334  ;  ii.  260. 

—  William.     See  Orkney,  earl  of. 
Slenach,  i.  233  ;  ii  179. 

Smale,  John,  of  Aberdeen,  i.  355  ;  ii.  267. 
Sodor,  bishop  of,  i  160 ;  ii.  123. 
Solway,  i.  324  ;  ii.  247. 
Somerset,    earl   (duke)   of,  i.  347,  356, 

369  ;  ii.  262,  267,  278. 
Somerville,  lord,  i.  372  ;  ii.  281. 
Soulis,  (John),  i.  143  ;  ii  107. 

—  William,  butler  of  Scotland,  i  201, 
251 ;  ii  163,  188. 

Spey  gate  of  Perth,  i  282  ;  ii  213. 
Spitalton,  i.  149;  ii.  113. 
Spot,  battle  of,  i.  149  ;  ii.  113. 


INDEX. 


329 


Stanmure  (Stanemore),  i.   156,  255;  ii.    Stewart,  Robert,  of  Hartshaw,  i.  346;  ii 


120,  189. 
Stafford,   William  earl  of,  i.  267,  284  ; 

ii.  200,  216. 

Steward  of  Scotland,  James,  i.  118;  ii.  84. 
nephew  of   King   David   Bruce,  L 

294 ;  ii  225. 

See  Stewart,  Walter. 

Stewart  (Steward  of  Scotland),  Alan  of 

Galloway.     See  Alan. 
Stewart,  Alan,  brother  of  King  Robert  ii., 

i.  270;  ii.  202. 

Alan.     See  Caithness,  earl  of. 

Alexander,  of  Dundonald,  i.  95,  97; 

iL  68,  70. 
Alexander,  son  of  King  Robert  ii. 

See  Buchan,  earl  of. 
Alexander,  son  of  preceding.     See 

Mar,  earl  of. 
Alexander,  son  of   Murdach  duke 

of  Albany,  i.  371-2  ;  ii.  280-1. 

David,  of  Rosyth,  i.  370  ;  ii.  279. 

David,  son  of  Walter  earl  of  Athol, 

i.  389  ;  ii.  289. 
Duncan,  son  of  Alexander  earl  of 

Buchan,  son  of  King  Robert  n.,  i.  329, 

330,  332  ;  ii.  252-4. 
James,  brother  of  King  Robert  ii., 

i.  270  ;  ii.  202. 
James,  son  of  Murdach    duke  of 

Albany,  i.  372  ;  ii.  280. 

John,  L  159  ;  ii.  122. 

John,  brother  of  King  Robert  II., 

i.  270  ;  ii.  202. 

John.     See  Robert  m. 

John,  of  Darnley,  L  354,  356,  363-4, 

373  ;  ii.  265,  268,  274-5,  281. 
—  John,  of  Cardenen,  i  370  ;  ii.  279. 

Murdach.     See  Albany,  duke  of. 

Red.     See  Red  Stewart. 

-  Robert,  i  296  ;  ii  227. 

Robert.    See  Robert  n. 

Robert.    See  Albany,  duke  of. 

Robert,  of  Athol,  son  of  Alexander 

earl  of  Buchan,  son  of  King  Robert  n. 

See  Athol. 


261. 
Robert,  grandson  of  Walter  earl  of 

Athol,  i  389  ;  ii.  289,  290. 

Robert,  of  Railston,  i  355  ;  ii.  267. 

Walter,  son  of  Alan  of  Galloway, 

i  17,  73,  95  ;  ii.  15,  50-1,  68. 
Walter  (Steward  of  Scotland),  son- 
in-law  of  King  Robert  Bruce,  i.  138, 

201,  240,  258;   ii  103,  163,  185,  192. 
Walter,  son  of  Murdach   duke  of 

Albany,  i.  371-2 ;  ii.  279,  281. 

Walter.     See  Athol,  earl  of. 

i  290  ;  ii.  221. 

Stewartlands,  i.  272-4 ;  ii  205-7. 
Stirling,  i  44,  50,  76,  108,  238,  295,  337, 

348,  372 ;  ii.  32,  38,  53,  78,  184,  226, 

255,  263,  280. 

bridge,  battle  of,  i.  155  ;  ii.  119. 

castle,  i.  24,  93, 151,  160,  224,  288, 

310,  376  ;  ii.  20,  66,  114,  123,  170, 

219,  235,  284. 

John,  i.  272-3,  282 ;  ii.  205-6,  214. 

Strathbogie,  i.  64  ;  ii.  44. 

Strathbolgy  (Strathbogie),  John  Cumyn, 

lord  of,  i.  151;  ii.  114. 
Strathern,  i  266;  ii.  199. 

water  (river  Earn),  i.  265  ;  ii.  198. 

countess  of,  i  251  ;  ii.  188. 

countess  of,  wife  of  Sir  W.  Graham's 

brother,  i.  313  ;  ii.  238. 
David     earl    of,     son     of      King 

Robert   ii.    and   Queen   Euphemia,  i. 

313,  330;  ii.  238,  252. 

Ferchard  earl  of,  i.  1 1  ;  ii.  9. 

George  Graham,  earl  of,  i.  349  ;  ii 


264. 

—  Gilbert  earl  of,  i.  349 ;  ii.  264. 

—  Malise  earl  of,  i.  104  ;  ii.  76. 

—  Malise  earl  of,  i.  201  ;  ii  163. 

—  (Maurice  Murray),  earl  of  (and  lord 
of  Clydesdale),  i  295 ;  ii.  225. 

Straton,  Alexander,  i.  202  ;  ii.  163. 
Strickathrow,  i.  8  ;  ii.  6. 
Struther,  i.  342  ;  ii  258. 
Struthers,  i.  332  ;  ii.  254. 


330 


INDEX. 


Suard,  Richard,  i.  149 ;  ii.  113. 

Suffolk,  earl  of,  i.  362-3  ;  ii.  273-4. 

Sumerled,  i.  8,  12  ;  ii.  6,  10. 

Sutherland,  i.  39  ;  ii.  29. 

Margaret  Bruce,  countess  of,  daugh- 
ter of  King  Robert  Bruce,  i  138 ;  ii. 
104. 

Kenneth  earl  of,  i.  270  ;  ii.  203. 

—  William  earl  of,  i  201 ;  ii.  163. 

William  earl  of,  i.  138,  240,  294 ; 

ii  104,  185,  225. 

John  of,  son  of  preceding,  one  of 

the    hostages  for  King  David  Bruce, 
L  138,  240,  305  ;  ii.  104,  185,  232. 

Swinton,  John  lord  of,  i.  327,  344  ; 
ii.  250,  260. 

Sylomonte,  John  de,  i.  124  ;  ii.  90. 


TALBOT,  Richard,  i.  267,  271,  284 ;  ii. 
200,  204,  215. 

Thomas,  i.  340  ;  ii.  256. 

lord,  i.  362-3  ;  ii.  273-4. 

Talbots,  the,  i.  264  ;  ii.  198. 

Tancretus,  i.  127  ;  ii.  93. 

Tantallon,  i.  372,  376 ;  ii.  280,  283. 

Tarbert,  i.  278  ;  ii.  210. 

Tay,  river,  i.  96,  98,  265,  288,  330 ;  ii. 
69,  71,  198,  219,  253. 

Terreagles,  Herbert*  Herries,  lord  of,  i. 
370,  372  ;  ii.  279,  281. 

Teviotdale,  i.  290,  322 ;  ii.  221,  245. 

Tharent,  i  74  ;  ii.  52. 

Thomas,  natural  son  of  Alan  of  Gallo- 
way, i.  73  ;  ii.  51. 

the  Rhymer,  i.  114;  ii.  83. 

Thomson,  John,  i.  270 ;  ii.  203. 

Tiron,  monastery  of,  L  9,  25  ;  ii.  8,  21. 

Tongueland,  monastery  of,  i.  74  ;   ii  51. 

Tonnerre,  count  de,  i.  360  ;  ii.  271. 

Torfin,  son  of  Harald  earl  of  Orkney, 
i.  39  ;  ii.  29. 

Tonraine,  duke  of.  See  Douglas,  Archi- 
bald earl  of. 

Tours,  i.  10,  362,  374  ;  ii.  8,  272, 
282. 


Tours,  dean  of,  i  126,  129  ;  ii.  92,  95. 
Towers,  John,  i.  328  ;  ii.  250. 

—  William,  i.  296  ;  ii  227. 
Trail,  Thomas,  i.  331  ;  ii.  253. 
Troup,  Hamelin,  i.  251  ;  ii.  189. 
Tulibardine.     See  Murray,  Andrew. 
Turnberry  Castle,  i.  105  ;  ii.  77. 
Turnbull,  William.    See  Glasgow,  bishop 

of. 
Tweedmouth,  i.  43,  46,  69,  108  ;   ii.  31, 

34,  48,  78. 
Tyningham,  Adam.    See  Aberdeen,  dean 

of. 
Tyntis  Muir.     See  Barclay. 

ULSTER,  Haymer  de   Burgh,  earl  of,  i 

138,  240  ;  ii.  103,  185. 
Umfraville,  Ingram,  i.  143,  202  ;  ii.  107, 

163. 

Upsetlington,  i.  132  ;  ii.  98. 
Urbino,  bishop  of,  i.  380,  390  ;   ii.  287, 

290. 

Urquhart  Castle,  i.  270  ;  ii.  203. 
Urthred   (Uther,    Ughtred),  Thomas,  i. 

282,  287  ;  ii  214,  219. 

VALENTINOIS,  Jeaii  de  Vienne,  count  of, 

i.  322  ;  ii.  246. 
Valley  of  Virtues,  monastery  of,  i.  377  ; 

ii.  285. 

Verneuil,  battle  of,  i.  360-1 ;  ii.  271-2. 
Vernor  (Bernour),  Lawrence,  i.  356  ;    ii. 

267. 

Vienne,  Jean  de.     See  Valentinois. 
Vieupont  (Vypont),  Alan,  i  270,  273  ; 

ii.  203,  205. 

Robert,  i  46  ;  ii  34. 

Vivian,  pope's  legate,  i.  25  ;  ii  21. 

WALLACE,  Andrew,  i  154;  ii.  117. 

William,  expels  the  English  clergy, 

i  149;  ii.  113;  his  history,  i.  154; 
ii.  117;  defeats  Cressingham  at  Stir- 
ling Bridge,  i.  155  ;  ii.  119  ;  invades 
England,  i.  156  ;  ii.  119  ;  marches  to 


INDEX. 


331 


Stanmure,  L  156  ;  ii.  120  ;  jealousy  of 
him,  i.  157 ;  ii.  120  ;  is  defeated  at 
Falkirk,  i.  158  ;  ii.  121  ;  resigns  the 
guardianship,  i.  159;  ii.  122;  holds 
out,  L  224-5 ;  ii.  170-1  ;  his  death, 
i.  229  ;  ii.  175. 

Wallor,  Thomas,  i.  272  ;  ii.  204. 

Walter,  abbot  of  Tiron,  i.  25  ;  ii.  21. 

of  Lichton.     See  Lichton. 

son  of  Alan  of  Galloway.  See 

Stewart,  Walter. 

son  of  earl   Gospatrick,  i.   1 7  ;  ii. 


15. 
Wardens  (guardians)  of  Scotland,  i.  118, 

159,  295  ;  ii.  84,  123,  226. 
Wardlaw,  Walter.     See  Glasgow,  bishop 

of. 
Wark,  i.  19,  64,  92,  323,  353;   ii.  17, 

43,  65,  246,  265. 

Warrenne,  earl  of,  i.  255  ;  ii.  190. 
Weardale,  i.  257  ;  ii.  191. 
Welbeck,  abbot  of,  i.  348  ;  ii.  263. 
Welland,  Thomas,  i.  130  ;  ii.  96. 
Wells,  lord  of,  i.  332  ;  ii.  254. 
Wemys,   David,  i.   202,   272;  iL    163, 

205. 

John,  L  97  ;  ii.  70. 

Western  Isles,  i.  100  ;  ii.  72. 

Westmorland,  i.  20;  ii.  17. 

Wetherby,  i.  251  ;  ii.  188. 

Whithern,  i.  8  ;  ii.  7. 

Whitkirk,  i.  298  ;  ii.  228. 

Wigtown,  earl  of,  i  294 ;  ii.  225. 

Archibald   Douglas,  earl   of.     See 

Douglas. 
William,    king    (the    Lion),    appointed 

warden,  i.   13  ;  ii.  11  ;  made  king,  i. 

15  ;  ii.   13  ;  alliance   with  Henry  ii., 

ib.  ;   accompanies   him   to   France,    i. 

16;  ii.   14  ;  goes  to  Windsor,  i.    17  ; 

ii.   15;  quarrels  with   Henry,  i.   18; 

ii.     16 ;    besieges    Wark   Castle    and 

Carlisle,    i.    19 ;    iL    17  ;    raids    into 

England  and   is   captured,    L    20 ;  ii. 

17  ;  is   taken  about  by  King  Henry, 

i.  21  ;  iL   18  ;  released,  L  23  ;  ii.  19  ; 


returns  to  Scotland,  i.  24 ;  ii.  20 ; 
invades  Galloway,  ib.  ;  attends  council 
at  Northampton,  ib. ;  founds  Arbroath, 
i.  28 ;  ii.  24  ;  invades  Ross,  i.  29 ;  ii. 
24  ;  goes  to  Normandy,  i.  29  ;  ii.  25  ; 
receives  the  earldom  of  Huntingdon, 
ib. ;  marries  Ermergarde,  L  30 ;  ii. 
26  ;  is  released  from  fealty  by  Richard 
i.,  i.  33  ;  ii.  27  ;  his  ransom  paid,  i. 
35 ;  ii.  28 ;  friendship  with  King 
Richard,  i.  37;  ii.  29;  falls  sick,  i. 
38  ;  ii.  29  ;  invades  Caithness,  i.  39 ; 
ii.  29 ;  does  homage  to  king  John,  i. 
41 ;  ii.  30 ;  has  fealty  sworn  to  Alexan- 
der ii.,  L  42;  iL  31  ;  destroys  fortalice 
of  Tweedmouth,  i.  43  ;  ii.  31  ;  makes 
peace  with  king  John,  i.  44;  ii.  32; 
again  treats  for  peace,  ib.  ;  makes 
peace,  i.  45  ;  ii.  33  ;  terms  of  peace,  i. 
46  ;  ii.  34  ;  invades  Moray,  i.  48 ;  ii. 
36  ;  makes  peace  with  England,  ib.  ; 
falls  sick,  i.  49  ;  ii.  37  ;  his  death, 
etc.,  i.  50  ;  ii.  38  ;  harbours  English 
bishops,  i.  53 ;  ii.  41  ;  his  burial,  i. 
56  ;  ii.  42. 

Willoughby,  lord,  i.  362 ;  ii.  273. 

Winchester,  earl  of.  See  Quincy,  Roger 
de. 

i.  45  ;  ii.  33. 

Windsor,  i.  29 ;  ii.  25. 

Wolves,  the,  i.  274  ;  ii.  207. 

Wright,  John,  i.  342  ;  ii.  258. 

YESTER,  Thomas  Hay,  lord  of,  L  370, 

372 ;  ii.  279,  281. 
Yolanda,  wife  of  Alexander  in.,  i.  Ill  ; 

iL  80. 
York,  i.  23,  74,  83,  255,  326  ;  ii.  20,  52, 

58,  190,  249. 

archbishop  of,  i.  69  ;  ii.  48. 

Roger  archbishop  of,  i.  24,  27  ;  ii. 

21,  24. 
Trustin  archbishop  of,  i.  9 ;  ii.  7. 

ZEALAND,  i.  390  ;  ii.  290. 
Zouche,  lord,  i.  137  ;  ii.  103. 


ERRATA. 
VOL.  I. 

PAGE  33, 1.  15,/ortempori  read  tempore. 

33,  1.  31,  for  regemsque  read  regemque. 

33,  1.  34,  for  acceptit  read  acceptis. 

39,  1.  31,  for  Lemonicas  read  Lemovicaa. 

56, 1.  24,  for  latae  read  late. 
145,  1.  30,  for  oportanum  read  opportunum. 
153,  1.  1 3,  for  segem  read  regem. 
231,  footnote  15,  for  per  read  omit  per. 

VOL.  IT. 

38,  last  line,  for  Lothian  read  Loudoun. 
44,  1.  38,  for  Sawtreia  read  Sawtrey. 
75,  1.  9,  for  Lewiaham  read  Eveaham. 


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Introductory  Remarks  by  the  Right  Hon.  Lord  HouGHTON. 
With  an  Index  and  Portrait.  8vo,  cloth,  16s. 

BUCHAN  (PETER). 

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edition  of  1828.  2  vols,  fcap.  8vo,  cloth,  15s. 

The  same  on  Large  Paper,  2  vols,  8vo,  cloth,  21s. 

BURGHS  OF  SCOTLAND. 

RECORDS  OF  THE  CONVENTION  OF  THE  ROYAL  BURGHS  OF 
SCOTLAND,  with  Extracts  from  other  Records  relating  to  the 
Affairs  of  the  Burghs  of  Scotland,  A.D.  1295  to  A.D.  1676, 
edited  by  Dr  J.  D.  MARWICK.  4  vols,  4to,  cloth,  vol  i.,  21s. ; 
vol  ii.,  21s. ;  vol  iii.,  25s.  ;  vol  iv.,  25s. 

BURN  (R.  SCOTT). 

THE  PRACTICAL  DIRECTORY  FOR  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF 
LANDED  PROPERTY,  RURAL  AND  SUBURBAN,  with  the 
Economic  Management  of  its  Farms,  Profusely  Illustrated 
with  Woodcuts,  and  78  full  page  Plates,  comprising  several 
hundred  Drawings  to  scale.  1  vol,  thick  4to,  cloth. 

Nearly  ready. 


4  Catalogue  of  Books 

BURNS  (ROBERT). 

COMPLETE  WORKS  IN  PROSE  AND  VERSE.  The  Library 
Edition,  edited  by  W.  SCOTT  DOUGLAS,  with  Explanatory 
Notes  and  Glossary,  Illustrated  with  Portraits,  Vignettes, 
and  Frontispieces,  Engraved  by  W.  Forrest,  H.R.S.A.,  and 
R.  Anderson,  A.R.S.A.,  from  the  Original  Drawings  by 
Alex.  Nasmyth,  R.S.A.,  Sam  Bough,  R.S.A.,  W.  E.  Lockhart, 
R.S.A.,  and  A.  Clark  Stanton,  A.R.S.A.  Woodcuts,  Fac- 
similes, Maps,  and  Music.  6  vols, 

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COMMONPLACE  BOOK  OF.      Printed  from  the  original  MS. 
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Introduction.     8vo,  boards,  uncut  edges,  6s. 
Privately  printed.     The  impression  limited  to  150  copies. 

BURNS  (ROBERT). 

GENEALOGICAL  MEMOIRS  OF  THE  FAMILY  OF,  and  of  the 
Scottish  House  of  Burnes,  by  the  Rev.  Dr  ROGERS.  With 
an  Index  of  Names.  8vo,  cloth,  6s.  6d. 

BURT    (CAPTAIN). 

LETTERS  FROM  THE  NORTH  OF  SCOTLAND  (1754),  with  an 
Introduction  by  R.  JAMIESON,  F.S.A.,  and  the  History  of 
Donald  the  Hammerer,  from  an  Authentic  Account  of  the 
Family  of  Invernahyle,  a  MS.  communicated  by  Sir  WALTER 
SCOTT,  uoith  facsimiles  of  all  the  Original  Engravings.  2  vols, 
post  8vo,  cloth,  21s. 

CAMPBELL  (Dr  JAS.) 

BALMERINO  AND  ITS  ABBEY,  A  Parochial  History,  with  an 
Appendix  of  Illustrative  Documents,  Frontispiece  and  Fac- 
simile. Crown  8vo,  cloth,  7s.  6d. 

CHAMBERS  (WILLIAM,  of  Glenormiston). 

HISTORY  OF  PEEBLESSHIRE  :  Its  Local  Antiquities,  Geology, 
Natural  History,  &c.,  with  100  Engravings,  Vignettes,  'and 
Coloured  Map  from  Ordnance  Survey,  royal  8vo,  cloth  gilt, 
31s.  6d.  for  15s. 
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Published  by  William  Paterson.  5 

CERVANTES. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  INGENIOUS  GENTLEMAN  DON  QUIXOTE 
OF  LA  MANCHA,  translated  from  the  Spanish  by  P.  A. 
MOTTEUX,  illustrated  with  a  portrait  and  36  etchings  done 
specially  for  this  edition  by  M.  Ad.  Lalauze,  illustrator  of 
the  Library  Edition  of  Moliere's  "Works.  4  vols,  8vo,  cloth. 
Volume,  I.  just  ready. 
No.  I.  8vo,  impressions  of  the  plates  on  Holland 

paper,         .  .  .  .18s.  per  vol. 

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Paper  Edition,  India  Proofs  of  the  plates,  42s.       „ 
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Spain,  and  made  his  drawings  on  the  spot. 

The  plates  in  this  work  have  not  been  previously  used  in 
any  other  edition,  British  or  Foreign. 

CHRISTIE. 

GENEALOGICAL  MEMOIRS  OF  THE  SCOTTISH  HOUSE  OF 
CHRISTIE,  Compiled  from  Family  Papers  and  the  Public  Re- 
cords, by  the  Kev.  Dr  ROGERS,  8vo,  cloth,  7s.  6d. 

COLDSTREAM. 

CHARTULARY  OF  THE  CISTERCIAN  PRIORY  OF  COLDRTREAM, 
with  Relative  Documents,  edited  by  the  Rev.  Dr  ROGERS, 
8vo,  cloth,  10s.  6d. 

COURT  OF  SESSION  GARLAND  (THE). 

A  Collection  of  Songs,  Anecdotes,  Squibs,  &c.,  which  have 
emanated  from  the  Parliament  House,  Edinburgh.  New 
edition,  with  large  additions,  8vo,  cloth,  45s 

CRAIL  COLLEGIATE  CHURCH. 

REGISTER  OF  THE  COLLEGIATE  CHURCH  OF  CRAIL,  with 
Introductory  Remarks,  and  an  Index  of  Names  by  the  Rev. 
Dr  ROGERS.  8vo,  cloth,  7s  6d. 

CUNNINGHAM  (Dr  ROBERT  O.). 

NOTES  ON  THE  NATURAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  STRAITS  OF 
MAGELLAN,  and  West  Coast  of  Patagonia,  made  during  the 
voyage  of  H.M.S.  "  Nassau,"  1866-9,  with  Map  and  Illustra- 
tions. 8vo,  cloth,  15s.  for  7s.  6d. 


6  Catalogue  of  Books 

CUPAR  ABBEY. 

RENTAL  BOOK  OF  THE  CISTERCIAN  ABBEY  OF  CUPAR-ANGUS, 
with  the  Breviary  of  the  Eegister,  edited  by  the  Rev.  Dr 
ROGERS.  Facsimile.  2  Vols.  8vo,  cloth,  46s. 

DOCUMENTS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  RE- 
CEPTION OF  THE  KINGS  AND  QUEENS  OF  SCOTLAND,  A.D.  1561 
to  A.D.  1650.  Demy  4to,  boards,  5s.  6d. 

DOUGLAS  (GAVIN,  Bp.  of  Dunkeld). 

THE  POETICAL  WORKS  of,  Edited,  with  Memoir,  Notes,  and 
full  Glossary,  by  JOHN  SMALL,  M.A.,  F.S.A.  Scot.     Specimens 
of  Manuscripts,  Title-pages,  and  Woodcuts  of  the  early  editions 
in  facsimile.     4  vols,  post  8vo,  cloth,  £3,  3s. 
A  limited  number  of  Copies  on  Large  Paper,  £6,  6s. 

DRAMATISTS  OF  THE  RESTORATION. 

(THE  WORKS  OF  THE).  Edited  by  JAMES  MAIDMENT  and  W. 
H.  LOGAN,  Esqs.  Large  Paper,  demy  8vo,  cloth,  18s.  per 
Volume. 

The  series  is  composed  of  the  Works  of  the  following 
Authors : — 


Sir  William  D'avenant,  5  vols. 
John  Crowne,        .         4  vols. 
John  Wilson,          .         1  voL 
Sir  Aston  Cokain,  .         1  vol. 


Shackerley  Mannion,  1  vol 
John  Lacy,  .  1  voL 
John  Tatham,  .  1  vol. 


In  this  series  of  the  Dramatists,  for  the  most  part  writers  of 
Comedy,  who  flourished  after  the  extinction  of  the  Commonwealth, 
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lated  form  after  careful  collation  with  the  earliest  and  the  best 
editions. 

DUN  BAR  (WILLIAM). 

SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  POETICAL  WORKS  OF,  Additional  Poems, 
Notes,  Corrections,  &c.,  to  the  edition  of  1834.  Edited  by 
DAVID  LAING.  With  facsimile  and  other  Woodcuts,  post 
8vo,  sewed,  5s. 

EDGAR. 

GENEALOGICAL  COLLECTIONS  concerning  the  Scottish  House 
of  Edgar.     With  a  Memoir  of  James  Edgar,  Private  Secre 
tary  to  the  Chevalier  St  George.     Edited  by  a  Committee  of 
the  Grampian  Club,  with  an  Index  of  Names  and  Portrait, 
4to,  cloth,  10s.  6d. 


Published  by  William  Pater  son.  7 

ENGLISH  METRICAL  HOMILIES. 

From  Manuscripts  of  the  Fourteenth  Century,  with  Intro- 
duction and  Notes,  by  JOHN  SMALL,  M.  A.,  Facsimile  of  MS. 
Small  4to,  cloth,  12s. 

ESTIMATE  OF  THE  SCOTTISH  NOBILITY. 

During  the  Minority  of  James  the  Sixth,  with  preliminary 
Observations  by  the  Eev.  Dr  EOGERS,  8vo,  cloth,  7s.  6d. 

FORDUN'S  (JOHN  of). 

CHRONICLE  OF  THE  SCOTTISH  NATION.  (See  "Historians"), 
from  original  MSS.  by  W.  F.  SKENE,  and  illustrated  with  fac- 
similes. 2  vols,  8vo,  cloth,  30s. 

GLASGOW. 

LIBER  PROTOCOLLORUM  M.  CUTH.  SIMONIS,  A.D.  1499-1513; 
also  Eental  Book  of  Diocese  of  Glasgow,  A.D.  1509-1570, 
edited  by  JOSEPH  BAIN,  F.S.A.  Scot.,  and  the  Eev.  CHARLES 
EOGERS,  LL.D.,  with  a  copious  Index  of  names,  facsimiles, 
2  vols  8vo,  cloth,  £3,  3s. 

GUTHRIE  (JAMES  C.) 

THE  VALE  OF  STRATHMORE,  ITS  SCENES  AND  LEGENDS. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth,  7s  6d. 

HERD  (DAVID). 

ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  SCOTTISH  SONGS,  HEROIC  BALLADS, 
&c.,  collected  and  edited  by  DAVID  HERD,  a  page-for-page 
Eeprint  of  the  edition  of  1776,  with  Memoir  and  Notes  by 
SIDNEY  GILPIN,  fine  Vignettes.     2  vols  post  8vo,  cloth,  21s. 
The  same  on  Large  Paper,  2  vols,  4to,  cloth,  42s. 

HISTORIANS  OF  SCOTLAND  (The). 

This  Grand  National  Series  of  the  EARLY  CHRONICLES  OF  SCOT- 
LAND, edited  by  the  most  eminent  Scottish  Antiquarian  Scholars  of 
the  present  day,  is  now  completed,  and  as  Sets  remaining  for  sale 
are  becoming  few  in  number,  early  application  is  necessary  in 
order  to  secure  them  at  the  subscription  price  of  FIVE  GUINEAS. 

1.  JOHN  OF  FORDUN'S  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  SCOTTISH  NATION. 
Edited  from  the  original  MSS.  by  W.  F.  SKENE,  and  illus- 
trated with  facsimiles.     2  vols. 

2.  ANDREW  OF  WYNTOUN'S  ORYGYNALE  METRICAL  CRONYKIL 
OF  SCOTLAND,  now  printed  for  the  first  time  from  the  Eoyal 
MS.     Edited  by  DAVID  LAING,  LL.D.,  and  illustrated  with 
numerous  facsimiles.     3  vols. 

Continued. 


8  Catalogue  of  Books 

Continued — 

3.  LIVES  OF  SAINT  NINIAN  AND  SAINT  KENTIGERN,  compiled 
in  the  12th  century,  and  Edited  from  the  best  MSS.  by  the 
late  A.  P.  FORBES,  D.C.L.,  Bishop  of  Brechin. 

4.  LIFE  OF  SAINT  COLUMBA,  Founder  of  Hy,  written  by  Adam- 
nan,    ninth   Abbot   of  that   Monastery.      Edited   by   WM. 
KEEVES,   D.D.,  M.R.I.A.       Translated  by  the  late  A.  P. 
FORBES,  D.C.L.,  Bishop  of  Brechin,  with  Notes  arranged  by 
W.  F.  SKENE. 

5.  THE  BOOK  OF  PLUSCARDEN,  being  unpublished  Continuation 
of  Fordun's  Chronicle  by  M.  Buchanan,  Treasurer  to  the 
Dauphiness  of  France.      Edited  and  translated  by  FELIX 
SKENE.    2  vols. 

6.  A  CRITICAL  ESSAY  ON  THE  ANCIENT  INHABITANTS   OF 
SCOTLAND.  By  THOMAS  INNES  of  the  Sorbonne,  with  Memoir 
of  the  Author  by  GEORGE  GRUB,  LL.D.,  and  Appendix  of 
Original  Documents,  printed  by  permission  of  WM.  F.  SKENE. 
Illustrated  with  Charts. 

HISTORICAL  NOTICES  OF  ST  ANTHONY'S 

MONASTERY,  LEITH,  and  Rehearsal  of  Events  which  occurred 
in  the  North  of  Scotland,  from  1635  to  1645,  in  relation  to 
the  National  Covenant.  Edited  from  a  Contemporary  MS.  by 
the  Eev.  Dr  ROGERS,  with  an  Index,  8vo,  cloth,  7s.  6d. 

HUNTER  (WILLIAM,  F.S.A.  Scot). 

BIGGAR  AND  THE  HOUSE  OF  FLEMING,  an  Account  of  the 
Biggar  District,  Archaeological,  Historical,  and  Biographical, 
with  numerous  fine  engravings,  second  edition,  8vo,  cloth, 
12s.  6d. 
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INNES  (COSMO). 

CONCERNING  SOME  SCOTCH  SURNAMES:  A  Paper  read  at 
"  Ulbster  Hall,"  to  which  is  added  an  Appendix  containing 
Lists  of  Scotch  Surnames,  with  their  derivations,  and  Indices. 
Small  4to,  roxburgh,  5s. 

INNES  (COSMO), 

Professor  of  History  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  Memoir 
of.  Small  4to,  cloth,  3s.  6d. 

"A  pleasantly  written  biographical  sketch  of  this  distinguished  archaeolo- 
gist ." — Scotsman. 

INNES  (COSMO). 

SKETCHES  OF  EARLY  SCOTCH  HISTORY,  and  Social  Progress 
— Church  Organization  —  the  University  —  Home  Life — 
Family  History,  with  an  Appendix,  Glossary,  and  Index. 
8vo,  cloth,  24s. 


Published  by  William  Pater  son.  9 

INNES  (THOMAS,  of  the  Sorbonne). 

A  CRITICAL  ESSAY  ON  THE  ANCIENT  INHABITANTS  OF  SCOT- 
LAND, with  Memoir  by  GEORGE  GRUB,  LL.D.,  illustrated  with 
Charts.  8vo,  cloth,  24s. 

This  valuable  work  on  Scottish  History  by  Father  Innes 
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work  of  reference  and  authority  makes  it  indispensable  to 
every  Scottish  library. 

IRVING  (JOSEPH). 

HISTORY  OF  DUMBARTONSHIRE,  Civil,  Ecclesiastical,  and 
Territorial,  with  Genealogical  Notices  of  the  Principal  Fami- 
lies in  the  County,  based  on  authentic  records,  public  and 
private,  Illustrated  with  Maps,  Views,  Portraits,  and  Fac- 
similes of  Original  Documents,  second  and  best  edition. 
Thick  4to,  cloth,  48s. 

JAMES  I. 

THE  POETICAL  KEMAINS  OF  KING  JAMES  THE  FIRST  OF 
SCOTLAND,  with  a  Memoir  and  an  Introduction  to  the  Poetry, 
by  the  Rev.  Dr  ROGERS,  F.S.A.  Scot.  8vo,  cloth,  10s.  6d. 

KNOX    (JOHN). 

GENEALOGICAL  MEMOIRS  OF,  AND  OF  THE  FAMILY  OF  KNOX, 
by  the  Rev.  Dr  ROGERS.  Portrait.  8vo,  cloth,  10s.  6d. 

LAING  (HENRY,  Edinburgh). 

DESCRIPTIVE  CATALOGUE  OF  ANCIENT  SCOTTISH  SEALS, 
Royal,  Baronial,  Ecclesiastical,  and  Municipal,  embracing 
the  period  from  A.D.  1150  to  the  Eighteenth  Century, 
taken  from  original  Charters  and  other  Deeds  preserved 
in  public  and  private  Archives,  forming  a  supplemental 
volume  to  "  Ancient  Scottish  Seals,"  published  for  the  Ban- 
natyne  and  Maitland  Clubs.  4to,  cloth,  £3,  3s.  for  28s. 

LYNDSAY  (SiR  DAVID,  of  the  Mount). 

A  FACSIMILE  OF  THE  ANCIENT  HERALDIC  MANUSCRIPT 
EMBLAZONED  BY  THE  CELEBRATED  SIR  DAVID  LYNDSAY  OF 
THE  MOUNT,  Lyon  King  at  Arms  in  the  reign  of  James  the 
Fifth.  Edited  by  the  late  DAVID  LAING,  LL.D.,  from  the 
original  MS.  in  the  possession  of  the  Faculty  of  Advocates. 
Folio,  cloth,  gilt  top,  uncut  edges,  £10,  10s. 

LYNDSAY  (Sm  DAVID,  of  the  Mount), 

THE  POETICAL  WORKS  OF.    The  LIBRARY  EDITION,  edited, 
with  Life,  copious  Notes,  and  Glossary,  by  the  late  DAVID 
LAING,  LL.D.,  illustrated  with   Portraits,  Facsimiles,   and 
Woodcuts.     3  vols,  post  8vo,  cloth,  uncut  edges,  £3,  3s. 
Only  485  copies  printed. 


io  Catalogue  of  Books 

LYNDSAY  (Sm  DAVID,  of  the  Mount). 

THE  POETICAL  WORKS  OF.  Edited,  with  Life,  Notes,  and 
Glossary,  by  the  late  DAVID  LAING,  LL.D.  2  vols,  12mo, 
cloth,  15s. 

MACDONALD  (J.  H.  A.) 

PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  THE  CRIMINAL  LAW  OF  SCOTLAND. 
Thick  8vo,  cloth,  31s.  6d. 

"  An  entirely  new  and  carefully  revised  edition,  in  which 
the  Law  has  been  brought  down  to  date,  and  the  general 
Index  much  amplified." 

M'KERLIE  (P.  H.,  F.S.A.  Scot.) 

HISTORY  OF  THE  LANDS  AND  THEIR  OWNERS  IN  GALLOWAY, 
Illustrated  by  Woodcuts  of  Notable  Places  and  Objects ; 
with  a  Historical  Sketch  of  the  District.  5  vols,  crown  8vo. 
roxburgh  style,  £3,  15s. 

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MACLAREN  (CHARLES,  F.R.S.E.) 

SKETCH  OF  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  FIFE  AND  THE  LOTHIANS,  in- 
cluding detailed  Descriptions  of  Arthur's  Seat  and  Pentland 
Hills.  Second  Edition,  with  Numerous  Cuts  and  Coloured 
Maps.  Post  8vo,  cloth,  7s.  6d. 

MAIDMENT  (JAMES). 

BOOK  OF  SCOTISH  PASQUILS,  1568-1715,  collected  and 
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MAIDMENT  (JAMES). 

SCOTISH  BALLADS  AND  SONGS,  Historical  and  Traditionary, 
Edited,  with  copious  Notes  and  Introductions,  by  JAMES 
MAIDMENT.  Illustrated  with  numerous  quaint  Woodcuts, 
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Published  by  William  Paterson.  1 1 

MARCIANO;  OR,  THE  DISCOVERY, 

a  TRAGI-COMEDY,  by  W.  CLARK,  Advocate,  acted  at  the 
Abbey  of  Holyrudhouse,  on  St  John's  Night,  by  a  company 
of  Gentlemen,  Edinburgh,  1663,  reprinted  with  Introductory 
Notice,  by  W.  H.  LOGAN.  Sm.  4to,  half-morocco,  10s.  6d.  ; 
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Only  75  copies  printed. 

MOLIERE, 

COMPLETE  DRAMATIC  WORKS  OF,  THE  ILLUSTRATED  LIBRARY 
EDITION,  translated  and  edited  by  HENRI  VAN  LAUN,  with 
Memoir,  Introductions,  and  Appendices,  wherein  are  given 
the  passages  borrowed  or  adapted  from  Moliere  by  English 
Dramatists,  with  Explanatory  Notes.  Illustrated  by  a  Portrait 
and  Thirty-three  Etchings,  executed  specially  for  this  edi- 
tion, by  M.  Ad.  Lalauze  of  Paris.  6  vols,  demy  Svo,  cloth, 
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ings, £9,  9s. 

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translated  and  edited,  with  Memoir,  Introductions,  and  Ap- 
pendices, wherein  are  given  the  passages  borrowed  or  adapted 
from  Moliere  by  English  Dramatists,  with  explanatory  Notes, 
by  HENRI  VAN  LAUN.  Portrait.  6  vols,  demy  8vo,  cloth, 
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MOLIERE. 

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ness  of  colour." — Daily  Telegraph. 

MURTHLY  CHAPEL. 

THE  CHAPEL  OF  SAINT  ANTHONY  THE  EREMITE,  at  Murthly, 
Perthshire,  the  seat  of  Sir  William  Drummond  Stewart  of 
Grandtully,  Bart.  A  Series  of  beautifully  Coloured  and 
Illuminated  Lithographs  of  the  various  parts  of  the  building, 
from  the  designs  of  JAMES  GILLESPIE  GRAHAM,  Architect, 
and  ALEX.  CHRISTIE,  A K.S.  A.  Folio,  illuminated  boards, 
£10,  10s.  for  18s. 


1 2  Catalogue  of  Books 

NAIRNE  (BARONESS). 

LIFE  AND  SONGS  OF  BARONESS  NAIRNE,  with  a  Memoir  and 
Poems  of  Caroline  Oliphant  the  younger,  edited  by  the  Rev. 
CHARLES  EOGERS,  LL.D.,  portrait  and  other  illustrations, 
crown  8vo,  cloth,  neat,  3s.  6d. 

PEDLAR'S      PACK      OF      BALLADS      AND 

SONGS,  edited,  with  Illustrative  Notes,  by  W.  H.  LOGAN, 
numerous  curious  wood  engravings,  crown  8vo,  cloth,  uncut 
edges,  10s.  6d. 

In  this  volume  there  are  nearly  160  Songs  and  Ballads,  Nautical,  Military, 
Highway,  Bedlamite,  Bacchanalian,  Sporting,  <Lc. 

PLUSCARDEN,THE  BOOK  OF  («*' Historians'), 

being  unpublished  continuation  of  FORDUN'S  CHRONICLE  by 
M.  BUCHANAN,  Treasurer  to  the  Dauphiness  of  France, 
translated  and  edited  by  FELIX  SKENE,  2  vols,  8vo,  cloth, 
30s. 

RAMSAY  (DEAN). 

REMINISCENCES  OF  SCOTTISH  LIFE  AND  CHARACTER,  Best 
Large  Type  Library  Edition,  with  a  fine  portrait,  8vo,  cloth, 
10s.  6d. 

ROGERS  (REV.  DR). 

LEAVES  FROM  MY  AUTOBIOGRAPHY,  with  Portrait  and  other 
Photographic  Illustrations,  8vo,  cloth,  16s. 

SAINT  COLUMBA,  LIFE  OF  (j««  Historians"), 

Founder  of  Hy,  written  by  ADAMNAN,  ninth  Abbot  of  that 
Monastery.  Edited  by  WM.  REEVES,  D.D.,  M.RI.A.  Trans- 
lated by  the  late  A.  P.  FORBES,  D.C.L.,  Bishop  of  Brechin, 
with  Notes,  arranged  by  W.  F.  SKENE.  8vo,  cloth,  21s. 

SAINT  NINIAN  AND  SAINT  KENTIGERN, 

LIVES  OF  (see  "Historians"),  compiled  in  the  12th  Century, 
and  edited  from  the  best  MSS.  by  the  late  A.  P.  FORBES, 
D.C.L.,  Bishop  of  Brechin.  8vo,  cloth',  15s. 

SCOT  (Sm  JOHN,  of  Scotstarvet). 

THE  STAGGERING  STATE  OF  SCOTTISH  STATESMEN,  from 
1550  to  1650.  With  a  Memoir  of  the  Author,  and  Histori- 
cal Illustrations,  by  Rev.  CHARLES  ROGERS,  LL.D.  8vo, 
cloth,  10s.  6d. 


Published  by  William  Paterson.  1 3 

SCOTT  (DR  HEW). 

FASTI  ECCLESI^E  SCOTICAN^E,  Historical  and  Biographical 
Notices  of  all  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  from 
the  Eeformation,  A.D.  1560,  to  the  Present  Time.  Six  vols, 
demy  4to,  cloth,  ,£9. 

The  volumes  may  still  be  had  separately,  price  30s.  each. 
Vol.  I.  embracing  Synods  of  Lothian  and  Tweeddale.  Vol. 
II.  Synods  of  Merse  and  Teviotdale,  Dumfries  and  Galloway. 
Vol.  III.  Synods  of  Glasgow  and  Ayr.  Vol.  IV.  Synods  of 
Fife,  Perth,  and  Stirling.  Vol.  V.  Synods  of  Argyle,  Glenelg, 
Moray,  Eoss,  Sutherland  and  Caithness,  Orkney  and  Shet- 
land. Vol.  VI.  Synods  of  Aberdeen  and  Angus  and  Mearns. 

SCOTT  (Sm  WALTER). 

A  DESCRIPTIVE  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  PORTRAITS,  BUSTS,  PUB- 
LISHED WRITINGS,  AND  MANUSCRIPTS  OF  SIR  WALTER 
SCOTT,  Bart.,  collected  and  exhibited  at  Edinburgh  on  occa- 
sion of  the  Scott  Centenary  of  1871,  prepared  for  publication 
by  Sir  WILLIAM  STIRLING  MAXWELL,  Bart.,  DAVID  LAING, 
LL.D.,  and  JAMES  DRUMMOND,  R.S.A.,  illustrated  with 
thirty-two  fine  photo-lithographs  of  Portraits  and  Busts,  and 
numerous  FACSIMILES  of  Original  Manuscripts  and  Auto- 
graphs. 4to,  cloth,  gilt,  25s. 

"This  elegant  and  handsome  work  forms  a  most  desirable  volume,  peculi- 
arly valuable  to  all  who  feel  interested  in  the  Life  and  Writings  of  the  great 
Novelist  and  Poet." 

SCOTT  (Sm  WALTER). 

GENEALOGICAL  MEMOIRS  OF  THE  FAMILY  OF,  with  a  reprint 
of  his  Memorials  of  the  Haliburtons,  and  Index  of  Names,  by 
the  Rev.  Dr  ROGERS.  Frontispiece,  8vo,  cloth,  10s.  6d. 

SLEZER'S   THEATRUM    SCOTIA,   containing 

the  prospects  of  their  Majesties'  Castles  and  Palaces ;  together 
with  those  of  the  most  considerable  Towns  and  Colleges,  the 
Ruins  of  many  Abbeys,  Churches,  Monasteries,  and  Con- 
vents within  the  said  Kingdom.  With  a  description  of  each 
place,  by  JOHN  SLEZER,  1693.  A  new  edition  with  Jamieson's 
Life  of  Slezer,  and  his  later  descriptions,  corrected,  68  plates, 
and  the  coats  of  arms  attached  to  the  dedications,  beautifully 
and  correctly  emblazoned  in  heraldic  colours,  royal  folio, 
half-morocco,  £7,  7s. 

This  work,  as  depicting  the  Towns,  Country  Seats,  and  Churches,  <t:c.,  of  Scot- 
land, as  they  were  at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  is  exceedingly  interesting 
and  valuable. 


Catalog**  of  Books 


SCOTTISH  ALMANAC,  PATERSON'S. 

Published  Annually.    In  Ornamental  Paper  Cover,  price  Is.  ; 
Cloth  Limp,  Is.  6cL 

PATERSON'S  SCOTTISH  ALMANAC  forms  one  volume  crown 
8vo,  of  Two  Hundred  and  Seventy-two  Pages,  printed  in 
clear,  legible  type,  and  contains  a  very  large  amount  of  valu- 
able information  collected  from  latest  official  and  other 
sources,  and  carefully  digested. 


PRICE 
ONE  SHILLING 


ITS   LEADING   HEADS  ARE:  - 


A  GENERAL  CALENDAR. 
POLITICAL  INFORMATION. 
THE  PEERAGE  AND  BARONETAGE. 
ARMY  AND  NAVY  LISTS. 
COUNTY  AND  BURGH  LISTS. 
BRITISH  COLONIES  AND  FOREIGN 

COUNTRIES. 
POST  OFFICE  INFORMATION. 

With  an  Index  of 


THE  LAW. 

GOVERNMENT  OFFICES. 
THE  CHURCHES. 
THE  UNIVERSITIES. 
COMMERCE  AND  AGRICULTURE. 
TABLES  OF  INLAND  REVENUE. 
STAMP  AND  LEGACY  DUTIES. 

&c.        &c.        &c. 
nearly  700  items. 


SPINK  (WILLIAM,  S.S.C.). 

HANDBOOK  OF  PROCEDURE  AND  REDRESS  AT  LAW,  compris- 
ing the  Procedure  of  the  Civil  Courts  of  Scotland  and  in  the 
House  of  Lords,  Treatise  on  Actions  and  Diligence,  and 
Procedure  and  Redress  under  several  Statutes,  Dictionary  of 
Terms,  &c.,  with  Forms  and  Accounts  of  Costs  for  Profes- 
sional and  General  Use.  Crown  8vo,  cloth,  10s.  6d. 


Published  by  William  Paterson.  1 5 

SPINK  (WILLIAM,  S.S.C.). 

NOTES  FOR  SETTLEMENT-MAKERS  AND  TRUSTEES,  with 
Forms.  Crown  8vo,  sewed,  Is. 

STIRLING  AND  ALEXANDER. 

MEMORIALS  OF  THE  EARL  OF  STIRLING  AND  OF  THE  HOUSE 
OF  ALEXANDER,  by  the  Rev.  Dr  ROGERS,  with  Portraits  and 
Copious  Index  of  Names.  2  vols,  8vo,  cloth,  42s. 

STRACHAN  AND  WISE. 

MEMORIALS  OF  THE  SCOTTISH  FAMILIES  OF  STRACHAN  AND 
WISE,  edited  by  the  Rev.  Dr  ROGERS.    Small  4to,  cloth,  21s. 
Printed  for  private  circulation. 

THREE  SCOTTISH   REFORMERS— 

Alexander  Cunningham,  Fifth  Earl  of  Glencairn,  Henry 
Balnaves  of  Halhill,  and  John  Davidson,  Minister  of  Preston- 
pans,  with  their  Poetical  Remains,  and  Mr  Davidson's 
"Helps  for  Young  Scholars  in  Christianity,"  edited,  with 
Memoirs,  by  the  Rev.  Dr  ROGERS,  portrait,  8vo,  cloth, 
10s.  6d. 

WYNTOUN'S  (ANDREW  of) 

ORYGYNALE  METRICAL  CRONYKIL  OF  SCOTLAND  (see  "  His- 
torians "),  now  printed  for  the  first  time  from  the  Royal  MS. 
Edited  by  DAVID  LAING,  LL.D.,  and  illustrated  with  numer- 
ous facsimiles.  3  vols  8vo,  cloth,  50s. 


PATERSON'S 

TOURISTS'  HANDY  GUIDES  TO  SCOTLAND. 

PATERSON'S  TOURIST'S  SHILLING  HANDY  GUIDE  TO 
SCOTLAND.  168  pages,  Plan  of  Edinburgh,  12  Charts,  and 
44  Illustrations. 

PATERSON'S  TOURIST'S  HALF-CROWN  GUIDE  TO 
SCOTLAND,  with  Illustrations  and  Coloured  Charts,  and 
large  extra  Maps  of  the  LAND  OF  SCOTT,  SKYE,  and  CALE- 
DONIAN CANAL.  Cloth  boards. 

PATERSON'S  GUIDE  TO  EDINBURGH  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS, 
With  a  New  Plan  of  the  City,  price  6d.  With  Coloured  Dis- 
trict Map  and  New  Plan  of  the  City,  coloured,  Is. 

PATERSON'S  GUIDE  TO  GLASGOW,  THE  CLYDE,  AND 
LAND  OF  BURNS,  with  a  New  Plan  of  Glasgow,  price  6d. 
With  the  New  Plan  of  Glasgow,  Coloured,  and  large  Map  of 
the  West  Coast,  Coloured,  price  Is. 


1 6  Catalogue  of  Books 

PATERSON'S  GUIDE  TO  THE  TROSSACHS  AND  TO  THE 
LAKES,  GLENS,  and  TOWNS  of  CENTRAL  SCOTLAND,  with  a 
District  Map,  price  6d.  Fine  Paper  Edition,  with  the  Map 
Coloured,  price  Is. 

PATERSON'S  GUIDE  TO  THE  LAND  OF  SCOTT  AND 
SOUTHERN  COUNTIES  of  SCOTLAND,  with  a  District  Map, 
price  6d.  Fine  Paper  Edition,  with  the  Map  Coloured, 
price  Is. 

TRAVELLING  MAPS. 

PATERSON'S  TOURIST'S  HANDY  PLAN  OF  THE  CITY 
of  EDINBURGH,  Map  of  the  Environs  and  Sketch  Map  of 
Scotland,  Index  of  Streets,  and  other  useful  information. 
On  a  Scale  of  4  Miles  to  the  Inch,  in  Printed  Cover,  price  6d., 
Coloured. 

PATERSON'S  TOURIST'S  HANDY  PLAN  OF  THE  CITY 
of  GLASGOW,  with  Index  of  Streets,  and  List  of  the  Principal 
Public  Buildings.  On  a  Scale  of  4  Miles  to  the  Inch,  in 
Printed  Cover,  price  6d.,  Coloured.  In  preparation. 

PATERSON'S  TOURIST'S  MAP  OF  THE  CALEDONIAN 
CANAL  and  INVERNESS-SHIRE.  On  a  Scale  of  4  Miles  to  the 
Inch,  in  Printed  Cover,  price  6d.,  Coloured. 

PATERSON'S  TOURIST'S  MAP  OF  THE  LAND  OF  SCOTT, 
comprising  the  Southern  Counties  of  Scotland.  On  a  Scale 
of  4  Miles  to  the  Inch,  in  Printed  Cover,  price  6d., 
Coloured. 

PATERSON'S  TOURIST'S  HANDY  MAP  OF  THE  ISLE  OF 
SKYE  and  adjacent  Islands.  On  a  Scale  of  4  Miles  to  the 
Inch,  in  Printed  Cover,  price  6d.,  Coloured. 

PATERSON'S  TOURIST'S  MAP  OF  THE  CLYDE,  ARRAN, 
and  the  LAND  of  BURNS.  On  a  Scale  of  4  Miles  to  the  Inch, 
in  Printed  Cover,  price  6d.,  Coloured. 


Published  by  William  Paterson.  1 7 


SPALDING  CLUB  PUBLICATIONS, 

HISTORY  OF  SCOTS  AFFAIRS  FROM  1637  to  1644,  by 
JAMES  GORDON,  Parson  of  Rothiemay,  edited  by  JOSEPH 
ROBERTSON  and  GEORGE  GRUB.  Facsimiles.  3  vols,  4to, 
cloth,  16s.  1841 

The  author  of  this  work  was  fifth  son  of  Robert  Gordon  of  Straloch,  the 
well  known  topographer  and  geographer,  whose  surveys  and  descriptions  were 
printed  in  Bleau's  Atlas  of  Scotland. 

MISCELLANY  OF  THE  SPALDING  CLUB,  edited  by  JOHN 
STUART,  LL.D.,  illustrated  by  facsimiles  of  autographs.  5 
vols,  4to,  cloth,  £3,  10s.  1841-52 

The  contents  of  this  valuable  and  important  collection  include  52  separate 
pieces,  the  most  of  which  are  reprints  of  rare  publications,  or  hitherto  unpub- 
lished documents  and  ancient  manuscripts,  and  form  a  body  of  interesting 
materials  illustrative  of  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  north-eastern 
counties  of  Scotland. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  BOTHE  TOUNS  OF  ABERDEEN,  by 
JAMES  GORDON,  Parson  of  Rothiemay,  with  facsimile  of 
Gordon's  Map  of  New  and  Old  Aberdeen,  1661  ;  two  Views 
of  the  City  by  Slezer,  1696;  and  another  View  by  Gregory 
Sharpe,  1732  ;  and  facsimiles  of  Seals  of  the  Burgh.  Edited, 
with  Introduction,  by  COSMO  INNES.  4to,  cloth,  9s.  1842 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  PRESBYTERY  BOOK  OF  STRATH- 
BOGIE,  A.D.  1631-1654,  edited  from  the  original  Records, 
with  Introduction,  by  JOHN  STUART,  LL.D.,  10s.  6d.  1843 

A  FRAGMENT  OF  A  MEMOIR  OF  FIELD  -  MARSHAL 
JAMES  KEITH,  written  by  Himself,  1714-1734.  Presented 
by  Thomas  Constable,  Esq.  4to,  cloth,  8s.  6d.  1843 

COLLECTIONS  FOR  A  HISTORY  OF  THE  SHIRES  OF 
ABERDEEN  AND  BANFF,  edited  by  JOSEPH  ROBERTSON.  4to, 
cloth,  30s.  1843 

This  volume  contains  a  map  of  the  shires  of  Aberdeen,  Banff,  and  Mearns, 
by  Kobert  Gordon  of  Straloch,  MD.CLIV. — Praefecturarum  Aberdonensis  et 
Banfiensis,  in  Scotia  Ultra-Montana,  Nova  Descriptio,  Auctore  Roberto 
Gordonio  MP.CLI. — MD.CLX. — Description  of  Aberdeenshire,  by  Sir  Samuel 
Forbes  of  Foveran,  1716-17,  and  A  View  of  the  Diocese  of  Aberdeen,  1732. 

A  SHORT  ABRIDGEMENT  OF  BRITAINE'S  DISTEMPER 
FROM  1639  TO  1649,  by  PATRICK  GORDON,  edited  with  In- 
troduction by  JOHN  DUNN,  Esq.  4to,  cloth,  10s.  6d.  1844 

The  author  of  this  work  was  brother  of  Sir  Alexander  Gordon  of  Cluny. 


1 8  Catalogue  of  Books 

A  BRIEFFE  NARRATION  OF  THE  SERVICES  DONE  TO 
THREE  NOBLE  LADIES  by  GILBERT  BLAKHALL,  Priest  of  the 
Scots  Mission  in  France,  in  the  Low  Countries,  and  in  Scot- 
land, 1631-1649,  edited  by  JOHN  STUART,  LL.D.  4to,  cloth, 
7s.  6d.  1844 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  COUNCIL  REGISTER  OF  THE 
BURGH  OF  ABERDEEN,  1398-1625,  edited  with  Introduction 
by  JOHN  STUART,  LL.D.  2  vols,  4to,  cloth,  18s.  1844-48 

These  singularly  interesting  and  valuable  registers  of  the  Council  of  the 
city  of  Aberdeen — unquestionably  at  once  more  ancient  and  more  complete 
than  those  of  any  other  burgh  in  Scotland — illustrate  forcibly  both  the  ancient 
history  and  condition  of  the  country  in  general,  more  particularly  the  muni- 
cipal and  commercial  arrangements,  and  the  habits  of  domestic  life  which  pre- 
vailed in  our  Scottish  burghs  during  the  eventful  period  comprised  between 
the  close  of  the  fourteenth  and  the  earlier  part  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

REGISTRUM  EPISCOPATUS  ABERDONENSIS  ECCLESIE 
CATHEDRALIS  ABERDONENSIS  REGESTA  QUE  EXTANT  IN 
UNUM  COLLECT  A,  edited  with  copious  Introduction  by 
COSMO  INNES,  Illuminated  Plates  and  Facsimiles.  2  vols, 
4to,  cloth,  15s.  1845 

This  very  valuable  and  handsome  work  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 
important  additions  to  the  stores  of  the  Ecclesiastical  History  and  Antiquities 
of  Scotland,  while,  at  the  same  time,  its  interest  and  utility,  as  illustrating 
the  ancient  condition  of  our  north-eastern  provinces,  can  scarcely  be  esti- 
mated too  highly. 

SELECTIONS  FROM  THE  RECORDS  OF  THE  KIRK  SES- 
SION, PRESBYTERY,  AND  SYNOD  OF  ABERDEEN,  1562-1681, 
edited  with  Introduction,  by  JOHN  STUART,  LL.D.  4to, 
cloth,  12s.  1846 

This  work  consists  of  valuable  and  interesting  selections  from  various 
ecclesiastical  records  of  the  district  after  the  Reformation  in  the  sixteenth 
century. 

GENEALOGICAL  DEDUCTION  OF  THE  FAMILY  OF 
ROSE  OF  KlLRAVOCK,  from  the  year  1290,  written  at  the 
end  of  the  Seventeenth  Century,  and  now  first  printed  from 
the  original  manuscript,  continued  to  the  year  1847,  with 
illustrative  documents  from  the  Family  Papers  and  Notes, 
edited  with  Introduction  by  COSMO  INNES.  4to,  cloth,  30s. 

1848 

This  work,  enriched  by  a  valuable  Introduction,  and  edited  by  Cosmo  Innes 
with  all  the  care  and  erudition  for  which  he  was  distinguished,  will  be  found 
to  afford  matter  of  much  higher  and  more  general  interest  than  is  conveyed 
by  the  mere  title.  It  is  a  most  valuable  and  instructive  contribution  to  the 
history  of  manners  in  the  north  during  an  eventful  period  of  six  centuries  ; 
and  its  illustrations  of  the  last  200  years  are  especially  copious.  The  volume 
throws  much  light  on  the  general  and  social  history  of  the  district. 


Published  by  William  Paterson.  1 9 

ILLUSTRATIONS    OF  THE    TOPOGRAPHY    AND    ANTI- 

QUITIES   OF  THE   SHIRES   OF  ABERDEEN  AND   BANFF,  edited, 

with  Index  and  Preface,  by  JOSEPH  ROBERTSON  and  GEORGE 
GRUB,  LL.D.     5  vols,  4to,  cloth,  £3,  15s.  1843-1869 

These  volumes  embody  a  mass  of  materials  gathered  from  the  valuable  and 
interesting  charters  and  documents  found  in  the  archives  of  ancient  houses, 
rendering  available  those  great  stores  of  local  knowledge  for  which  the  north- 
eastern counties  are  remarkable. 

MEMORIALLS  OF  THE  TRUBLES  IN  SCOTLAND  AND  IN 
ENGLAND,  from  the  year  1624  to  the  year  1645,  by  JOHN 
SPALDING,  Clerk  of  the  Court  of  Commissaiy  of  Aberdeen. 
Edited,  with  Introduction,  Notes,  and  Illustrations,  by  JOHN 
STUART,  LL.D.  2  vols,  4to,  cloth,  21s.  1850-51 

For  this  edition  of  the  very  interesting  work  of  the  Annalist,  whose  name 
was  adopted  as  that  of  the  Club,  the  best  manuscripts  were  secured,  includ- 
ing one  which  probably  received  the  author's  own  corrections.  Many  illustra- 
tive unpublished  documents  were  made  use  of  by  the  learned  editor,  whose 
minute  and  varied  acquaintance  with  the  history,  genealogy,  and  antiquities 
of  the  district  enabled  him  to  make  the  present  edition  of  this  characteristic 
chronicle  by  far  the  best  that  has  appeared. 

INNES  (THOMAS),  The  History,  Civil  and  Ecclesiastical,  of  Scot- 
land, LXXX. — DCCCXVIII.  Edited  from  the  author's  MS.  by 
GEORGE  GRUB.  4to,  cloth,  21s.  1853 

By  the  eminent  Father  Innes,  author  of  the  "Critical  Essay  on  the  Ancient 
Inhabitants  of  Scotland."  This  work  was  prepared  for  the  press  by  the 
author,  and  contains  his  last  corrections  for  that  purpose. 

FASTI  ABERDONENSIS— Selections  from  the  Records  of  the 
University  and  King's  College  of  Aberdeen,  from  A.D.  1494 
to  A.D.  1854.  Edited,  with  Copious  Preface  and  Historical 
Illustrations,  by  COSMO  INNES.  Portrait  of  Bishop  Elphin- 
stone.  4to,  cloth,  28s.  1854 

A  few  copies  left,  printed  on  Large  Paper,  with  the  portrait  beautifully 
coloured. 

"This  work,  printed  at  the  expense  of  the  Earl  of  Aberdeen,  must  be 
regarded  with  great  interest  as  a  contribution  of  materials  not  merely  for  the 
history  of  one  of  our  venerable  academical  institutions,  but  as  furnishing  many 
curious  illustrations  of  ancient  manners,  and  giving  many  aids  to  the  student 
of  northern  genealogy."  It  includes  the  Life  of  the  Founder,  Bishop  Elphin- 
stone,  written  by  his  friend  Hector  Boece,  the  first  Principal  of  the  College. 

SCULPTURED  STONES  OF  SCOTLAND.     Edited   by  JOHN 
STUART,  LL.D.,  containing  upwards  of  300  fine  plates  of 
Monuments  and  Illustrations.     2  vols,  folio,  j£24.       1856-67 
One  of  the  most  important  benefits  conferred  by  the  Spalding  Society  was 
the  issue  of  this  great  national  work,  the  beauty  and  value  of  which  have  been 
universally  acknowledged.    These  volumes  preserve  and  faithfully  exhibit  re- 
presentations of  monuments  and  venerable  remains  of  Scottish  art  which  must 
be  considered  as  the  earliest  records  of  this  country,  at  a  time  when  facts  and 
ideas  were  commemorated  by  symbols. 


2o    Catalogue  of  Books  published  by  William  Pater  son. 

THE  BRUS,  writ  be  Master  JOHNE  BARBOUR,  Archdeacon  of  Aber- 
deen. Edited  from  a  collation  of  the  Cambridge  and  Edin- 
burgh Manuscripts,  with  Introduction,  by  COSMO  INNES. 
4to,  cloth,  32s.  1857 

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The  interest  and  value  of  the  original  work  are  greatly  enhanced  by  the  ample 

literary  and  historical  illustrations  of  the  distinguished  editor. 

THE  BOOK  OF  THE  THANES  OF  CAWDOR,  a  Series  of 
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4to,  cloth,  32s.  1854 

PASSAGES  FROM  THE  DIARY  OF  GENERAL  PATRICK 
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tion, by  JOSEPH  ROBERTSON,  4to,  cloth,  10s.  6d.  I860 

The  Diary,  from  which  these  Extracts  are  taken,  is  deposited  in  the  Impe- 
rial Library  at  St  Petersburgh.  General  Gordon,  who  drew  his  origin  from 
the  stock  of  Auchleuchries,  attained  a  high  rank  and  distinguished  honour  in 
the  Russian  service  about  the  middle  and  latter  part  of  the  17th  century. 
These  Extracts  were  made  under  the  supervision  of  Dr  Posselt,  the  editor  of 
the  German  translation  of  the  "  Diary."  They  embrace,  among  other  histo- 
rical notes,  the  record  of  two  visits  to  England  and  one  to  Scotland,  made  by 
General  Gordon  in  1660  and  1686. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  DIARIES  OF  ALEXANDER 
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1652-85,  edited,  with  Introduction,  by  DAVID  LAING,  LL.D. 
4to,  cloth,  21s.  1863 

The  "  Laird  of  Brodie  "  was  Lord  of  Session  under  Charles  I.  and  Crom- 
welL  He  filled  no  mean  place  in  the  history  of  his  times,  and  he  seems  to 
have  assiduously  recorded  from  day  to  day  the  opinions  which  he  formed  of 
the  events  which  passed  before  his  eyes  and  of  the  persons  with  whom  he  was 
.associated.  The  Extracts  given  are  of  very  great  interest  and  value  in  illus- 
trating the  history  and  manners  of  Brodie's  eventful  times. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  FAMILIE  INNES,  WITH  ILLUSTRA- 
TIVE DOCUMENTS,  edited,  with  Introduction,  by  COSMO 
INNES,  4to,  cloth,  30s.  1864 

Includes  a  selection  from  the  Charters  of  the  Duke  of  Roxburghe,  illustra- 
tive of  that  family,  and  of  the  north  country  history  generally. 

THE  BOOK  OF  DEER,  Edited,  with  INTRODUCTION,  by  JOHN 
STUART,  LL.D.,  illustrated  with  numerous  plates  of  facsimiles, 
4to,  cloth,  50s.  1869 

NOTICES  OF  THE  SPALDING  CLUB,  with  Copies  of  the 
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the  Works  of  the  Club,  by  JOHN  STUART,  LL.D.,  4to,  cloth, 
10s.  6d.  1871 


List  of  Books  in  Preparation 

by 

William  Paterson,  Edinburgh. 


BURNS  (ROBERT),   A   Collection   of  Engravings,   Artists 

proofs  before  letters,  and  Etchings  of  the  plates,  from  two  paint- 
ings by  Alex.  Nasmyth,  eight  water-colour  drawings  by  Sam 
Bough,  RS.A.,  three  by  W.  E.  Lockhart,  R.S. A.,  and  others. 
29  plates  in  all,  Columbier  folio,  with  quotations  descriptive  of 
the  engravings,  in  portfolio.  The  impression  limited  to  75 
copies,  each  of  which  will  be  numbered,  84s. 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  SCOTTISH  GAME  OF  CURL- 
ING, with  Historical  Notices  of  the  famous  Clubs,  by  Dr 
JAMES  TAYLOR.  Illustrated  by  etchings  by  W.  Forrest, 
H.R.S.A.,  after  water-colour  drawings  by  Robert  Anderson, 
A. R.S. A. ;  also,  humorous  wood  engravings  after  C.  A.  Doyle. 

A     DICTIONARY    OF     THE    ANONYMOUS    AND 

PSEUDONYMOUS  LITERATURE  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN,  including 
the  works  of  Foreigners  written  in  or  translated  into,  the 
English  Language,  by  the  late  SAMUEL  HALKETT,  Esq., 
Keeper  of  the  Advocates'  Library,  Edinburgh.  Edited  with 
large  additions  by  Rev.  JOHN  LAING,  Librarian  of  the  New 
College,  Edinburgh.  To  form  3  vols,  thick  royal  8vo, 
cloth. 


This  important  bibliographical  work  will  give  the  names  of  the  Authors  of 
upwards  of  Twenty  Thousand  books  originally  published  anonymously.  It 
will  be  invaluable  to  all  book  collectors  and  to  all  public  Libraries. 

THE   ADVENTURES   OF  GIL   BLAS    OF   SANTIL- 

LANA,  newly  translated  from  the  French  of  Le  Sage,  with  a 
Preface  to  prove  who  was  the  author  of  Gil  Bias,  a  Prefatory 
Memoir  and  Notes  by  Henri  van  Laun,  illustrated  with  24 
etchings,  done  specially  for  this  work  by  M.  Ad.  Lalauze,  3  vols., 
uniform  with  the  same  translator's  Illustrated  Library  edi- 
tion of  Moliere's  Works. 


22  Books  in  Preparation. 

HAMILTON  (JOHN),  Apb.  of  St  Andrews.  The  Cate- 
chisme,  that  is  to  say,  ane  commone  and  Catholic  Instruc- 
tioun  of  the  Christin  People  in  materis  of  our  Catholic  Faith 
and  Religioun,  set  furth  be  ye  maist  Rev.  Father  in  God 
lohne,  Archbishop  of  Sanct  Androus,  Legat  nait  and  Primat 
of  ye  Kirck  of  Scotland,  in  his  Provincial  Counsale,  haldin 
at  Edinburgh  the  xxvi  Day  of  Jan.  1551.  Prentit  at  Sanct 
Androus,  at  the  expenses  of  the  Arpb.  1552. 

This  will  form  a  very  handsome  volume  in  quarto,  and  will  have  a  life  of 
the  Archbishop  appended.  Only  a  limited  number  will  be  issued. 

THE  DIARY  OF  M.  NAU,  Secretary  to  Mary  Queen  of 
Scots,  translated  and  edited  for  the  first  time  by  Rev. 
JOSEPH  STEVENSON.  The  original  French  will  also  be  given 
in  the  form  of  an  Appendix. 

Nau  was  one  of  the  witnesses  at  the  Queen's  trial,  and  his  Diary  throws  a 
vast  amount  of  new  light  on  the  transactions  of  the  time.  The  fame  acquired 
by  the  Eev.  Joseph  Stevenson  in  editing  many  works  for  the  Bannatyne  and 
Maitland  Clubs,  &c.,  guarantees  the  value  of  this  work,  which  has  never 
before  been  published. 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  SCOTS  GUARD  IN  FRANCE, 
from  its  Formation  until  its  final  Dissolution,  by  Rev.  Mr 
FORBES  LEITH,  of  the  Scots  College,  Paris,  illustrated  by 
finely  etched  plates  representing  ceremonies  in  which  the 
Guard  took  a  part,  also  the  various  costumes  which  they  had 
at  different  periods,  all  taken  from  manuscripts.  Also  fac- 
similes of  several  of  the  original  muster-rolls  of  the  regiments, 
containing  the  names  of  members  of  numerous  Scottish 
families. 

The  work  will  form  a  handsome  quarto  volume,  of  which  only  a  limited 
number  will  be  printed. 

SCOTTISH  ARMS,  being  a  Collection  of  Armorial  Bear- 
ings, A.D.  1370-1678,  reproduced  in  facsimile  from  contem- 
porary manuscripts,  with  heraldic  and  genealogical  notes,  by 
R.  R.  STODART,  to  form  2  volumes  in  folio,  price  £10,  10s. 

Several  of  the  manuscripts,  from  which  these  arms  are  taken,  have  hitherto 
been  unknown  to  heraldic  antiquaries  in  this  country.  The  arms  of  upwards 
of  six  hundred  families  will  be  given.  There  will  also  be  upwards  of  400 
pages  of  letterpress  by  R.  R.  Stodart,  Esq.,  of  the  Lyon  Office,  under  whose 
superintendence  the  work  is  being  produced. 

The  book  will  be  uniform  with  Lyndsay's  Heraldic  Manuscript  published 
last  year,  and  care  has  been  taken  not  to  reproduce  any  arms  which  are  in 
that  volume,  unless  there  are  variations,  or  from  older  manuscripts. 


INDEX. 


Anderson's  History  of  Edinburgh,  2 

Armstrong's,  Archie,  Jest  Book,  2 

Barclay's  Shyp  of  Fooles,  .         .  2 

Beauly  Priory  Charters,  Batten,  2 

Berwickshire  Popular  Rhymes,  .  3 
Birthday   Prayer    and    Answer 

Remembrancer,       ...  3 
Boswell's,  James,  Commonplace 

Book 3 

Buchan's  Ballads,       ...  3 
Burghs  of  Scotland,  Convention 

Records,          ....  3 

Burn  (R.  S.),  Landed  Property,  3 

Burns',  R.,  Commonplace  Book,  4 
Burns',   R.,  Works,    edited  by 

W.  S.  Douglas,      ...  4 

Burns,  R.  ,Memoirs  of  the  Family  of,  4 
Burt's,    Captain,   Letters    from 

the  North,      ....  4 

By  the  Loch  and  River  Side,      .  2 
Campbell's,  W.,  Balmerino  and 

its  Abbey,      ....  4 

Cervantes'  Don  Quixote,    .         .  5 
Chambers',    Wm.,    History    of 

Peeblesshire,  ...  4 

Christie,  Memoirs  of  the  House  of,  5 

Cokain's,  Sir  A.,  Dramatic  Works,  6 

Coldstream  Priory  Chartulary,  5 

Court  of  Session  Garland,  .  5 

Crail  Collegiate  Church  Register,  5 

Crowne's  Dramatic  Works,        .  6 
Cunningham's  Natural  History 

of  Magellan,   ....  5 

Cupar- Abbey,  Rental  Book  of,  .  6 

D'avenant's  Dramatic  Works,    .  6 
Documents  Relative  to  the  Re- 
ception   of    the    Kings    and 

Queens  of  Scotland,        .         .  6 
Don  Quixote,  Illustrated  Library 

Edition,  ....  5 
Douglas',  Gavin,  Poetical  Works,  6 
Dramatists  of  the  Restoration,  .  6 
Dunbar's  Poetical  Works,  Sup- 
plement, ....  6 
Edgar,  Genealogy  of  the  House  of,  6 
Edinburgh,  Anderson's  History  of,  2 
English  Metrical  Homilies,  .  7 
Estimate  of  the  Scottish  Nobility,  7 
Fordun's  Chronicle,  .  .  7 


Galloway,  History  of  the  Lands  and 

Their  Owners  in,    .         .         .  JO 
Glasgow,   Liber  Protocollorum, 

etc.,  by  Bain  and  Rogers,       .  7 

Guthrie's  Vale  of  Strathmore,    .  7 

Herd's  Songs  and  Ballads,          .  7 

Historians  of  Scotland,      .         .  7 

Book  of  Pluscarden,        .         .  8 

Fordun's  Chronicle,        .         .  7 

Innes',  Father,  Critical  Essay,  8 

St  Columba,  Life  of,       .         .  8 
St  Ninian  and  St  Kentigern, 

Lives  of,  ...  8 

Wyntoun's  Chronicle,     .        .  7 
Hunter's  Biggar  and  the  House 

of  Fleming,     ....  8 

Innes,  Father,  Critical  Essay,    .  9 

Innes,  Cosmo,  Memoir  of,          .  8 

Innes,  Cosmo,  Scotch  Surnames,  8 
Innes,  Cosmo,  Sketches  of  Early 

Scotch  History,      ...  8 
Irving's  History  of  Dumbarton- 
shire,        9 

James  I.,  Poetical  Remains  of,  .  9 

Knox's, ' J. ,  Genealogical  Memoirs,  9 

Lacy's,  John,  Dramatic  Works,  6 
Laing,  Dr  David,  Books  edited  by-- 

Dunbar's  Poems,  supplement,  6 

Wyntoun's  Chronicle,    .         .  7 
Lyndsay's,  Sir  David,  Complete 

Works,  LIBRARY  EDITION,  9 
Lyndsay's,  Sir  David,  Poetical 

Works,  People's  Edition,    .  10 
Scott's,  Sir  W.,  Centenary  Exhi- 
bition, Descriptive  Account  of,  1 3 
Laing's,  Henry,  Scottish  Seals,  9 
Lyndsay's,  Sir  David,  Ancient 

Heraldic  Manuscript,     .         .  9 
Lyndsay's,  Sir  David,  Complete 

Works,  Library  Edition,         .  9 
Lyndsay's,  Sir  David,   Poetical 

Works,  People's  Edition,        .  10 

Macdonald's  Criminal  Law,       .  10 
M'Kerlie's     Lands     and     their 

Owners  in  Galloway,      .         .  10 
Maclaren's  Geology  of  Fife  and 

the  Lothians,          .         .         .10 
Maidment's  Scotish  Ballads  and 

Songs 10 


Index. 


Maidinent's  Scotish  Pasquils,  .  10 
Marciano  :  a  Comedy,  edited  by 

Logan, 11 

Marmion's  Dramatic  Works,  .  6 
Moliere's  Works,  Etchings  to 

Illustrate,       .         .         .         .11 
Moliere's  Works,  The  Library 

edition,  .         .         .  11 

Moliere's    Works,     the     Illus- 
trated Library  edition,  .         .       11 
Murthly  Chapel,        ...       11 
Nairne's,    Baroness,    Life    and 

Songs 12 

Paterson's  Scottish  Almanac,  .  14 
Paterson's  Tourist  Guides,  15.  16 

Paterson's  Travelling  Maps,  .  16 
Pedlar's  Pack  of  Ballads  and  Songs,  12 
Pluscarden,  The  Book  of,  .  .  12 
Ramsay's,  Dean,  Reminiscences,  12 
Records  of  Convention  of  Royal 

Burghs  of  Scotland,        .         .         3 
Rogers,  Rev.  Dr,  Books  edited  by. 
Boswell's,  Jas.,  Commonplace 

Book 3 

Burns',   R.,   Memoirs   of  the 

Family  of,  .        .        .        .        4 
Christie,  Memoir  of  the  House 

of, 5 

Coldstream  Priory  Chartulary,       5 
Coutts,  Memoirs  of  the  Family 

of, 5 

Grail  Collegiate   Church  Re- 
gister,         ....        5 
Cupar  Abbey,  Rental  Book  of,       6 
Edgar,  Genealogy  of  the  House 

of, 6 

Estimate  of  the  Scottish  No- 
bility,         ....        7 
Glasgow — Liber  Protocollorum 

and  Rental  Book,  &c.,         .         7 
Historical  Notices  of  St  An- 
thony's Monastery,  Leith,  8 
James  I.,  Poetical  Remains  of,        9 
Knox's,  J.,  Genealogical  Me- 
moirs,         ....         9 
Nairne's,  Baroness,  Life  and 

Songs,         ....       12 
St      Anthony's      Monastery, 

Notices  of ,  .        .         .         .         8 
Scot's    Staggering     State    of 

Scottish  Statesmen,    .         .       12 
Scott    and    Haliburton,    Me- 
morials of  the  Families  of,  .       13 
Stirling  and  Alexander,  Me- 
morials of  the  Houses  of,    .       15 
Strachan   and  Wise,    Memo- 
rials of  the  Families  of,        .       15 
Three  Scottish  Reformers,  &c.,      15 


Rogers,  Rev.  Dr,  Leaves  from 

my  Autobiography,        '.         .  12 

St  Columba,  Life  of,           .         .  12 
St  Ninian    and  St  Kentigern, 

Lives  of 12 

Scottish  Almanac,      .         .         .  14 
Scott's,  Sir  W.,  Centenary  Ex- 
hibition, Account  of,      .        .  13 
Scott's,  Dr  Hew,  Fasti  Ecclesise 

Scoticanae,      .         .         .         .13 
Scotts    and    Haliburtons,    Me- 
morials of  the  Families  of,      .  13 
Shyp  of  Fooles,  Barclay's,          .  2 
Slezer's  Theatrum  Scotise,          .  13 
Small's  English  Metrical  Homilies,  7 
Spalding  Club  Publications — 
Aberdeen,  Description  of,       .  17 
Aberdeen  Cathedral  Register,  18 
Aberdeen  Council  Register,   .  18 
Aberdeen  Synod  Records,      .  18 
Aberdeen  and  Banff,  Collections 

for  a  History  of  the  Shiresof,  17 
Aberdeen  and  Banff,  Illustra- 
tions of  the  Topography,  .  19 
Aberdeen  Universities,  Selec- 
tions from  the  Records  of,  .  19 
Barbour's  Bruce,  ...  20 
Blakhalls'  Brieffe  Narrative,  .  18 
Brodie's  Diary,  ...  20 
Cawdor,  Book  of  the  Thanes  of,  20 
Deer,  The  Book  of,  .  20 
Gordon's  Britaine's  Distemper,  17 
Gordon's,  General,  Diary,  .  20 
Gordon's  Scots  Affairs,  .  .  17 
Innes',  Father,  Ecclesiastical 

History,      ....  19 

Innes,  H  istory  of  the  Family  of,  20 

Keith's,  Marshal,  Memoir,     .  17 

Rose  of  Kilravock,  Family  of,  18 

Sculptured  Stones  of  Scotland,  19 

Spalding  Club  Miscellany,      .  17 

Spalding  Club  Notices,  ,.         .  20 
Spalding's  Memorials   of  the 

Trubles,      .                           .19 
Strathbogie  Presbytery  Book,  17 
Spink's  Notes   for   Settlement- 
Makers  and  Trustees,     .         .  15 
Spink's  Procedure  and  Redress 

at  Law,           ....  14 
Stirling    and    Alexander,    Me- 
morials of  the  House  of,          .  15 
Strachan  and  Wise,  Memorials 

of  the  Families  of,  .         .15 

Tatham's,  John,  Dramatic  Works,  G 

Three  Scottish  Reformers,  &c.,  .  15 

Tourist  Guides  to  Scotland,        15,  16 

Wilson's,  John,  Dramatic  Works,  6 

Wyntoun's  Chronicle,        .         .  15