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trona, where fhe died, which found much to her praife; it was then published, and afterwards turned into the Scottish language; which most of our countrymen have by them to this day. But leaving thefe men, who do fo calumniate other peoples credit, and neglect their own, that they care little what they fay of others, or what others think of them, let us proceed with our history.

WHEN the King, having been at the charge to equip his fleet, had tried to exact a tax from the people, and the greatest part plainly refused to pay a penny, a few giving a small matter with an ill will, he commanded his collectors to defift from levying the reft, and to restore what they had already received; and yet he did not hereby fhun the clamours of the people for fome malcontents, who were angry at some private lofs, incited every day feditious perfons against him. At the fame time, the English began to plunder Scotland, ravaging it both by land and fea, under the command of Piercy, Earl of Northumber land. William Douglas, Earl of Angus, was fent against him with near an equal number of forces, for they were about 4000 on either fide; of the Scots there fell Alexander Johnfton of Lothian, a perfon of quality, and of known valour; fome write that 200, others that only 40 were frain of both armies, and about 1500 English taken prifoners.

JAMES having been twice provoked by the English, firft by their feet, which lay in wait to intercept his daughter, and next by the late ravaging of his country, refolves to pro claim open war against them; whereupon he

lifted as great an army as he could, and made a fierce affault on Roxburgh; and in a short time he expected its furrender, when the Queen came pofting to him, in as long journeys as ever she was able to perform, to inform him of very disagreeable news; which was, that there was a dreadful confpiracy. formed against his life, and unlefs he took fpecial care, his deftruction was unavoidable. The King being difmayed at this fudden news, disbanded his army, and returned home; but was very ill fpoken of amongst the populace, because, when Roxburgh was juft upon the point of furrender, at the perfuafion of a woman, he retired, after the kingdom had been at fo much charge and trouble; fo that he feemed to have fought for nothing by his arms but difgrace. After he returned, he went to the convent of the Dominicans, near the walls of Perth, to make a private inquiry into the confpircy, as well as he was able; but his defign was found out by perfons that watched all opportunities to execute the villany; for one of the King's domefticks, who was in the plot, (hiftorians call him John; but his firname is not mentioned), difcovered to his complices what was doing at court; which made them haften their defign, left their fecret cabals fhould be, difcovered, and proper remedies applied against them. Walter, Earl of Athol, the King's uncle, though he was the ring-leader of the confpiracy, yet did what he could to avert all fufpicion from himself. He fent for Fis kinfman, Robert Graham, (of whom I have spoken before), as fit for execution, but rath in counsel, and who bore an old grudge

grudge to the King, because of his former imprisonment and banishment, and alfo upon the account of his brother's fon (to whom he was guardian in expectancy) who had Strathern taken from him; he joins with him Robert his grandfon, an active young gentleman; he inftructs them what he would have them to do, and that, when the fact was committed, he should be in fupreme authority, and then he would provide for their fafety. They freely promife to do their endeavour; and accordingly haften to perpetrate the fact, before the whole feries of the plot was made known to the King. Upon this they privately gathered their company together; and knowing the King bad but a few about him in the convent of the Dominicans, they thought they might furprize him, and dispatch him there with as little noife as poffible; and they perfuade John, his fervant above mentioned, whom they had drawn to their party, to be affiftant to them.. According to his promife, he brings the confpirators at midnight into the court, and places them privately near the King's bed-chamber, and fhews them the door, which they might eafily break open, fince he had taken away the bar. Some think, that they were received into the palace by Robert, nephew of the Earl of Athol.

IN the mean time, whilft they waited there, being folicitous how to break open the door, which they thought would be their greatest obftacle, fortune did the work without their help; for Walter Straton, who a little before had carried in wine, coming out, and perceiving men in arms, endeavoured to get in

again, and cried out with as loud voice as he could, Traitors, traitors. Whilft the confpirators were dispatching him, a young lady of the family of the Douglaffes, as moft fay, though fome write fhe was a Lovel, fhut the door, and not finding the bar, which was fraudulently laid afide by the fervant, fhe thruft her arm into the hole or staple, instead of a bolt; but they quickly brake that, and rufhed in upon the King. The Queen threw herself upon his body, to defend him, and fpread herself over him as he lay, and could hardly be forced off, after fhe had received two wounds. When he was abandoned by all, they gave him twenty eight wounds, and fome of them juft in his heart. Thus this excellent King came to his end, and that a most cruel one, by the hands of robbers, much lamented by all good men. When his death was divulged by the noife and lamentation which was made, a great concourfe of people came presently into the court, and there paffed the reft of the night (for the parricides had made their efcape in the dark) in fad complaints. There every one spoke variously, according to their feveral difpofitions, either feverely in order to raise a greater odium a gainst the parricides, or in lamentable accents, to increase the grief of their friends; every one reckoned up what profperities or adverfities the King had undergone. How in his childhood he was expofed to the treacheries of his uncle; and endeavouring to efcape him, was precipitated into the hands of the English. Afterwards his father dying, the reft of his youth was fpent in exile among his enemies.

enemies. Then fortune changed, and he had an unlooked for restoration. How after his return, in a few years, the turbulent ftate of the kingdom was changed into a perfect calm. How at last, by a fudden change of affairs, he whom his enemies had fpared abroad, was now flain by the treachery of his relations at home; and that in the flower of his age, and in the midst of his course of fettling good laws and customs in his kingdom. Then they gave him his deferved elogies, for all his rich endowments both of body and mind; for mens envy was extinguished towards him, now he was dead. His ftature was fcarce of a full fize; yet he was robust and ftrong, infomuch that he exceeded all his equals in exercises of agility and manhood; and as to his mind, he was endued with that quicknefs and vigour of wit, that he was ignorant of no art, worthy the knowledge of a gentleman; and could fpeak plain Latin verfes, according to that age, ex tempore. Some poems of his, written in the English tongue, are yet extant; in which there appears excellency of wit, though perhaps not fo polite in point of learning. He was excellently well skilled in mufick, more than was indeed fit. or expedient for a king; for there was no inftrument, but he could play upon it so harmoniously, that he might have been compared with the best masters of that art in thofe days. But perhaps fome will fay, thefe are but the flowers of his studies; where is the fruit? thefe are more for ornament, than inftruction or use, or requifite for a man of bufinefs. Know-then, that after he had learned other parts of philofophy, he ftudied

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