Heir beginnis the hystory and croniklis of Scotland

Heir begynnis the aucht Buke of the croniklis of Scotland: (Book 8)

☞¶Hovv mony Romane prouin¦ces fell in pray to syndry pepyll, and hovv syndry realmis began thair∣throvv. Ca. Primo.

QUhen Britane wes¦tane in this maner fra the empyre of ro∣manis, and maid tri¦butar to Scottis & Pychtis. The Uan∣dalis, Gothis, Hunnis, and franche men maid gret slauchter in Spanʒe Affrik, Italie, Almany, and France. Throw quhilk apperit the manifest declinatioun of Romane empire in sindry realmes, as y^e variant chance of fortoun succedis. For the franche men (quhais begynnyng is vncer∣tane) come ouir the riuer of Ryne And past throw ane gret part of gal¦lia▪ quhilk wes eftir callit France be thir franchemen. And eftir yat thay had tane Orliance and Paris thay sat doun besyde the reueir of Sane, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thay chesit Ueremond to be king. And maid the first foundemēt of y^• nobil realme of France. Throw quhilk it wes cōmandit that all the landis lyand betuix the mouth of Ryne and the hillis of Pirrony, de∣uidyng France fra Spanʒe on the ta syde. And fra ye montanis of Sa¦uoy to the occ••••ne seis on the tothir side, suld be callit France. About yis same tyme Genferik began the re∣alme of Uādalis in Affrik. And wes the first kyng that rang aboue the pepill. Quhais posterite had na bet¦ter chance in the end, than in the be∣ginnyng of thair empire. For as yai began with tyranny and slauchter of innocent pepill, siclike thay wer inuadit baith with extern weris and cyuyll battall, and fynaly brocht to ane myserabyll end. The visigothis and astrogothis (ane pepyll borne in {per}dition of romanis) began to regne this same tyme in Italy & Spanʒe. And in this tyme began the Hūnis to regne in Pānonia, & becaus thay grew vnder ane blude with the auld inhabitantis of y^e cūtre, callit Garis, ye cuntre was callit Ungaria. Mo∣ny vthir infinite cumpanyis of bar∣bar pepyll went throw the warld yat tyme persewand Romanis with all malyce. Throw quhilk it hapnit yat na man mycht trauall in thay dayis but extreme dangeir of yair lyfe. For quhen passingeris war inqⁱrit, quhat yai war? gif thay answerit thay war freindis of y^e senat & pepyl of Rome. The demandaris said thay war en∣nymes, & for y^t caus yai war spulʒeit of yair geir or lyuis. Siclike gif yai answerit thay war ennymes to Ro∣manis, the demandaris wald allege thaym freindis, & sa thay war spul∣ʒeit & slane in y^e samyn maner. Sic thyngis maid the Gallis (quhylkis war ye auld inhabitantis of France) astonist to intercommon with roma∣nis and Franchemen. The britonis (quhilkis war laitly syttyn down in Bertanʒe) knawyng this trubyll be y^e romane weris sufferit na vncouth blude to cum within thaym, for thay knew nocht quhay was freindis or fayis.

¶Hovv Conanus exhortit the Britonis to recouer thair liberte. Of the message send be scottis and pichtis to Britonis. And hovv the noblis and commonis of Britane inuadit othir be battall. Ca. ii.

THe nobyllis of Brytane brokyn with frequent we¦ris. and seyng na pepyll but trubyl, held thaym in quiete certane ʒeris. Paying iustly thair trybute to the victorius & con∣fiderat kyngis. And sa past .x. ʒeris or euir ye Britonis began ony rebel∣lioun aganis Scottis and Pichtis. In the mene tyme rais new trubyll in Kent. For Conanus sonne of Co∣nan{us}

(quhilk was slane afore as we schew) conuenit syndry nobyllis of Brytane be secrete messinger{is} to ane counsal within ane wod, and said in this maner. ʒe se now (wise freindis) how our pepyll sumtyme sa pissant and vailʒeant in deidis of cheualry, and haldyn in reuerence to all pepyl is now maid tributar to Scottis & pichtis with infinite calamiteis day¦ly wrocht on ws. ¶ Quhat may be (allace) the caus of this afflictioun? nocht bot our awin sleuth, be quhilk we haue failʒeit sa far to our self, & brokyn be the gyle of Maximiane, yat we (as maist febyl creaturis) hes tane the ʒok apon our nek. We may sone cōsider how far we bene degene¦rit fra the curage of our nobyl elda∣ris, quhilkis sumtyme dang y^e Scot¦tis out of Albion. And youcht in yis last vnhappy battal strikin be ws .x. ʒeris ago aganis scottis and pichtis we war constranit for the huge slau∣chter of oure nobyllis to seik peace mair necessar yan honest. Ʒit now y^e tyrane Maximiane is put down, & our pissance cōualescit. For now ar rissyn in Britane mony rank & forcy ʒoung men reddy for al laubour and ieoperdes. Quhais vnbridillit inso∣lence salbe mair noysum to ws, than ony cruelte of ennymes. Gif we suf∣fer y^e samyn to dul in sleuth, we haue plente of ryches and strenth, and na thing laikis, bot curage baith to vin¦cus our ennymes and to delyuer ws of barbar seruitude. Remēber thair∣fore (vailʒeant campionis) ye illuster dedis of ʒour eldaris. Deuoyd ʒow of sleuth, & belt ʒow with gud hoip, gladnes, and virtew. For sic thingis ar y^e souerest way to bryng ʒour ma∣teris to gud fyne, that ʒe may resem∣byll the anciant excellence of ʒour {pro}∣genitouris in sic wyse, y^e nocht onely ʒour ēnymes bot al othir pepyl may vnderstand that ʒe ar mair geuyn to virtew and glore of battall, than to ony feir of deith. The nobyllis of bri¦tane be thir wourdis war drawin in sindry opinionis. Sū of thaim with furius vult and continence desyrit nocht bot battal. Otheris mair pru∣dent dred (gif thay mouit weir in yis sort) that yair sonnis (quhilkis lay in hoistage) suld be slane, & wald nocht consent thairfore to battall. Fynaly quhen thay had put of the day with mony altercationis, thay seuerit on ylk syde but ony effect of thair pur∣pos. Nocht lang efter the confiderat kyngis wer aduertist of thir consul∣tationis maid amang ye Britonis, & begā to punis thair plegis with syn¦dry afflictionis, and maid thair ordi∣nance to inuade the Britonis as bre¦karis of thair faith and promys. Ʒit afore thay rasit yair army, thay send ambassatouris to Britonis to espy the myndis of thair nobyllis, and cō¦monis. Thir ambassatouris at thair cumyng ī Britane schew yame send fra the victorius and confiderat kyn¦gis to exhort the Britonis to perse∣ueir in the band afore be thair faith & promis. And prayit thaym to geif na credit to thaim, y^t persuadit yame be vane reasonis to rebellyon, in ad∣uenture (gif thay sa did) thay laborit mair in thair awin dammage than proffit. Attoure thay brocht certane chargis fra the confiderat kyngis to the said Britonis with certification (gif y^e samyn war nocht obeyit) thay sall be inuadit with mair awfull bat¦tall than afore. The chargis war, that the Brytonis sall hald na pu∣blik counsal nor parliament amang thaym in tymes cumyng but aduyse of y^e confiderat kyngis, and thay sal keip the auld conditionis of peace in

all poyntis as it was afore contrac∣kit. And thay sal ressaue agane thair auld plegis and delyuer doubyl als mony new plegis for ye samyn. The Britonis greuit with thir importa∣byll chargis, thocht first extreme chā¦ce of battal erar to be assailʒeit, than sa schameful conditionis of peace to be obseruit. And thairfore thay had ruschit all of ane mynd with maist cruelte to harnes, war nocht thair noyis & dyn of armoure wes haiste∣ly mesit be y^e nobyllis. The cōmonis brokyn of thair purpos in this wise, maid ane lamentabyl regrait amāg thaym self of the febyll cowarty of thair nobillis. Throw quhilk thair cōmon weil was put to gret afflicti∣on. Nocht lang efter followit amāg thaym ane mair sorrowfull conten∣tion than afore. For the cōmonis im••••••cient to suffer vncouth seruitude, ••••schit to harnes, and be plane rebel¦lyon thocht to distroy all y^e nobyllis of Britane, becaus thay war degene¦rit fra the virtew of thair eldaris, & thirllit thaym to y^e empyre of barbar pepyll. This pley was fynaly discus¦sit be the swerd, for the cōmonis ra∣geand in maist fury faucht aganis the nobyllis with mair hatrent than ordour of cheualry, and war discom¦fist with incredibyll slauchter. This cruelte of cōmonis was nocht dan∣••it be this bergan. For sone eft thay ruschit agane tyll harnes, & faucht aganis thair nobyllis with lytyl bet¦ter fortoun thā afore. Throw quhilk thair pyssance was sa brokyn, that thay durst not remane in thair awin housis bot fled with thair wyffis & chyldrin to the montanis, and maid frequent heirschippis on the noblis. It last thay war constranit on athir sydis to haue peace. For the nobillis micht not leif but industry of cōmo∣nis, nor the cōmonis but y^e authorite & prudence of nobyllis. Thir cyuyll weris hurt y^e realme of britane with na les dāmage than did the tyranny of Maximiane afore quhen he maid it nakit baith of weirmen & pepyll.

¶Of syndry afflictionis & plagis quhil¦kis fell on the Britonis for thair iniqui∣te and corruppit lyfe. Of the deith of kyng Eugenius. Ca. iii.

FOllowit be thir cyuyl bat¦tallis gret mortalyte and hungir. & cōtinewit thre ʒeris togidder amang ye Britonis. Than followit incredybyl plente w^t mair habūdance & fouth than was euir rememberit in ony tyme afore. Throw quhylk rais vn∣couth lust the pomp of all myscheif amang y^e pepyl. Euery ane of thaym geuyn mair tyl riatus surfet & glu∣tony of yair wambe, than to ony vir¦tew of thair eldaris. Throw quhilk thay become of sa vicious & sa cor∣ruppit life, that na pepyll of gud maneris mycht leif amang thaym. And nocht onely (as sanct Bede testi¦fijs) war y^e temporall estait drownit in thir vicis, bot the spretuall estait in the samyn maner. This terrybyll pest of glutony hurt the Brytonis mair in yair virtew, guddis, & glore of armys, than euir dyd ony swerd afore. And schortly (as the reward of glutony is) thair come on thaym sa huge mortalyte, that the quyk was skarsly sufficient to bury the deid. And youcht thay war maist cruelly punist in this wyse, nothir the feir of deith nor p̄sent calamite micht draw thaym fra thair inhansit synne. ☞¶And thairfore thair vicis (in quhylkis thay war drownit sa my∣serably) was occasyoun, that thay war efter conquest be the Saxonis. And tynt baith thair ryall maieste

and crown with sic displesoure, that thay micht neuir recouer agane yair anciant honouris. Quhill Brytane was in sic trubyll, the scottis & pich∣tis wer in gud peace, geuand thair attendance efter sa lang weris to de¦core thaym self in riches, faith, & ho∣nest institutionis, And gaif thankis to god yat causit thaym perseueir in gud felicite, and yair ennymes in sic displeseir be iust punytioun of thair demeritis, that thay micht nothir de¦fend thaym self, nor inuade thair ny¦chtbouris. And thairfore traistit all the landis betuix Humber and the Franche seis to cum haistely vnder thair perpetuall dominioun. Kyng Eugenius hauand na weris nor en¦nymes in this maner, brocht his re∣alme to mair honour thā euer it had afore. And deceissit ye .xxx. ʒeir of his regne. Quhilk was in the fourt ʒeir of Leo empriour. Fra the Incarna∣tioun .iiii.C.lxi.

¶Of king Dongard, and of the secund orisone maid be Conanus to the Brito¦nis. And hovv thay send ambassatouris to Androenus king of Bertanʒe for sup¦port aganis scottis and pichtis. Ca. iiii.

EUgeni{us} deceissit on this maner but ony ayr{is} of his body, his brothir Dongard was maid kyng. This Dōgard wes nocht far dyfferent fra the maneris of his brothir Eugenius, richt desy∣rus of peace▪ & nocht detestyng weir quhen it was necessar. And becaus he had na occasion of weris, he send prudent men in syndry partis of his realme to minister Iustice, and repa¦rit all failʒeit castellis and strenthis of his realme quhare thay war rui∣nus or decayit, that the samyn micht be reddy aganis quhat sumeuer chā¦ce that mycht fall, knawyng weill al realmes and pepyll sa thirllit to mu¦tabilite of fortoun, that thay mycht nocht perseueir lang tyme in quiet. Attoure becaus peace engeneris ry∣ches, and riches engener{is} insolence▪ and insolence geuys occasion of bat¦tall. He began to haue the gret feli∣cite succeding to his empyre in suspi¦tion, traisting na thing mair surelye than battall succeding efter sa lang peace. And thairfore he garnyst all y^e munitionis of the bordouris with maist weirly ordinance in na les dy∣lygence than the weir war instantly appering. Sic thyngis done he do∣tat ye kirkis of Palladius & otheris his colleigis with mony riche lādis and rentis to the sustentation of de∣uyne seruyce. And cōmandit the kir∣kis and sanctuaris of his realme to be sicker refuge to all crimynal per∣sonis duryng thair resydence in the samyn, Nocht withstandyng quhat sumeuer offence of lese maieste com∣mittit be thaym. Attoure he dotat ye kirkis with otheris priuilegis and eikit thaym be his ryall magnificen¦ce with mair ampyll boundis than thay war afore. Quhill sic thyngis war done in Scotland, ye Britonis lamentit thair sorrowfull chance, se∣and thaym self trybutar to the last pepyll of the warld, and sa thirllit to seruytude that thay nothir durst nor ʒit mycht resaue strangearis amang thaym to ryche thaym be sic chance of marchandyce as thair eldaris did afore. And aboue thir calamyteis thay war punyst for thair wickit synne, with swerd, hūger, and deith. Efter mony sorrowfull afflictionis thay maid generall processionis in al partis of thair realme, and prayit

mercyfull god to delyuer thaym of al trubyl & plaigis fallyng on yame for thair iniquite, that thay micht re¦couer thair anciant fame & honour{is}. Fynaly thir Britonis war sa penitēt that thay maid yair solempne votis all atanis to amend thair lyuis & de¦sist fra thair synnis, for delyueryng of thaym fra iniure and seruitude of ennymes. Than Conanus (quhylk maid y^e orisō afore to Britonis) trai¦sting to haue oportunite to moue y^e nobyllis to recouer thair honoure & liberte said in this maner. Had my wordis said in ʒour last counsall mo¦uit ʒour myndis (wyse Brytonis) to battall contrar ʒour dispitfull enny∣mes, it had nocht bene necessar this day to mak this orison. For ʒe micht nocht onely haue doung ʒour enny∣mes out of al boūdis of ʒour realm, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 als mycht haue had baith ʒoure realme extendit to ye auld marchis, and ʒour pepyll dwellyng vnder na∣tyue kyngis of Britane but ony in∣iuris of ennymes. Now ʒe ar brokin be swerd, hunger, and pest, with mo∣ny othir calamyteis▪ & hes now gud experiēce quhat myscheif, vengeāce, and sorrow fallis to mortal pepyl be corruppit lust, nocht hauād god nor his institutionis in reuerence. Ʒour pissance in tymes bygane was mair ampyll and strang than now. How∣beit ʒoure myndis war nocht geuyn than (as the deid schew) to regard quhat precius treasoure is lyberte. Nor ʒit quhat honoure was to reco∣uer ʒour realme. Bot now be aduer•• fortoun ʒe be mair prudent, and hes recouerit ʒour curage to attempt sic thyngis as bene maist expedient for ʒour cōmon weill. For now ye desyre of ʒour anciant honouris and lyber∣te enforcis ʒou to assa••••ʒe for ʒour cō¦moun weill the chance of fortoun. And wyll we degeistly ponder this mater, we sall knaw oure ennymes incressyng awfull and ylk day mair repugnant to our weil. I se yairfore na thing that may seme ws les, than to ouirpas our dayis in miserabyll sleuth, of quhilk ye end is nocht bot schame. And sen we but reason ar ge¦uyn to riatus and vicius leuyng (be quhilk al vengeance sproutes in dis¦plesour of mā) lat ws returne to god the fontane of mercy and grace, and pray hym to put ane end to our afflic¦tioun. For as be his wraith all real∣mes failʒeis, sa be his fauour & mer∣cy all pepyl conualescis, quhen thay ar penytent. ¶And sen we haue suf¦ferit gret punytyoun iustlye deser∣uit for our iniquite. Lat ws haue sic¦ker confydence in god to pardoun our offencis be his mercy, change∣and our drery life in better fortoun. The tyme sall wyrk all thingis weil gyf we meis the Ire of god, for he repellis nane that seikis to hym. Quhat is he that euir sufferit ony aduersyte of forton fechtand in iust battall? bot gyf it cum throw his fo∣lye. Thairfore gif we be worthy to be callit the posterite of thay vailʒe∣ant campionis (quhylkis vincust sa oft the Scottis and Pychtis). Lat ws assailʒe. how we may best reco∣uer our landis, and reuenge the cru∣elteis done sa mony ʒer{is} to ws, with sycker confidence of vyctory. Sen fortoun is changit be oure curage, and oure ennymes dullyt be lang sleuth. And maist of all that we ar to fecht in iust battall, aganis oure peruerst ennymes. ☞ This orison of Conanus mouit sa the pepyl, that thay had run haistely to harnes, wer nocht syndry prudent men schew be euydent sygnes, thay war nocht of sic pyssance for the tyme that thay

may withstand thair ennymes with∣out thay had support of othir cun∣treis. Thus was it cōcludit to send ambassatouris to Androene kyng of Bertanʒe, quhilk was bot fourt per∣soun fra Conane the first kyng of y^e blude▪ to schaw hym the intollerabil iniuris done to thaym be Scottis & Pychtis, and to desyre support aga∣nis thaym to recouer thair landis. Nocht lang efter Conanus & Guy∣tellyne byschop of London wer send (as ambassatour{is}) to Androene king of Bertanʒe for support of Britonis aganis the confiderat pepyll.

¶Of the deith of Conanus▪ and of the orison maid be Guytellyne to the king of Bertanʒe Hovv Constantyne his son vvas send vvith ane army in Britane. & maid kyng thairof. Ca. v.

QUhen Conanus and Guytellyne war de∣partit on this maner to pas to the king of Bertanʒe. This Co∣nanus be corruppit ayre of seis fell in ane feuer, and de∣ceissit betuix Britane and Bertanʒe. Guytellyne rycht sorrowfull of his deith, arryuit ī Bertanʒe and burijt hym with funerall triumphe. Syne past with the resydew of his cumpa∣ny to kyng Androene in Bertanʒe, and said to hym in this maner. Wer the caus of my cumyng and quhat I am vnknawin to the (maist inuin∣cibyll prynce) it had bene necessar to begin my orison in ane othir maner, y^t I mycht be y^e samyn haue drawin the in mair fauoure and compassion of our trubyll. Bot sen I knaw sic thyngis ar rycht patent afore thy sycht, I wyll declare the effect of my message at schort wordis. The scot∣tis and pichtis maist cruell pepyl in erd (quhen thay knew ws nakit of weirmen & Romane soudiouris) in∣uadit ws & our realme with sic cru∣elteis of swerd & fyre, that thay put ws out of all boundis lyand betuix ye wal of Abircorne and Tyne. And ʒit nocht saciat be thir attemptatis▪ thay brak downe y^e wal of Adryane, and come with sic rageand fury aga¦nis our pepyll, yat thay semyt to sub¦dew all Brytane to thair dominion. And fynaly thay had subdewit the samyn without recouir, gif yai had possedit sufficient nowmer of pepyl, als weil to inhabit the land, as to cō¦ques the samyn. Quhen our pepyll war brokyn with thir & mony othir skaithis, and couth fynd na support of Romanis, thay concludit erar to ieoperde thaym self to maist dāgeir, thā dayly to leif in sic displeseir. And sone efter (as forcy and vnabasit cā∣pionis) thay come aganis thair ēny∣mes with delyuerit mynd othir to de¦lyuer thaym of sic insufferabyll dis∣plesouris, or than all atanis to de. Efter syndry chancis of battall we war fynaly vincust, our strangest ca¦pitanis tane or ellis slane▪ our enny∣mes efter this vyctory mair insolent thā afore, and desyryng na les to de∣uore our blude, than to conques our realme, wrocht on ws ylk day mair dispitfull cruelteis. Quhyll at last we war sa brokyn in oure substance & strenth, that we war constranit to haue peace with thaym mair neces∣sar than proffitabyl, & cōstranit be y^e samyn to gif y^e noblis sonnis of our realme in plege for the obseruyng of al pointis efter the tenour of y^e peace with yame contrackit. At last our pe¦pil thirllit ilk day w^t new & intollera¦ble opp̄ssion, war penitēt of yir cōdi∣tionis of peace succedīg (as apperit)

in euersion of thair common weill. Throw quhilk rais ane odius con∣tention betuix the nobillis and com∣monis, quhilk was nocht endit but huge murdir on all sydis. Efter this slauchter followit gret derth and po¦uerte amang ws. Bot than succedit plente ye moder of insolence, quhilk was mair scaithfull to ws than was y^e hunger afore precedent. For throw this huge plente was generit ane terribyll pest with greter mortalyte of pepyll than euir was remembrit afore in Britane. Ʒit all thir calamy¦teis and trubyll put nocht ws to sic afflictioun, as did the furius cruelte of Scottis and Pichtis, be quhome new extorsionis at dayly deuysit on ws. New plegis commandit to be geuyn, and new tribute sa surfetly tane that our guddis ar confiscat, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bodyis pynit. ¶And schortly we fynd na securite of lyfe, quhare our ennymes hes dominioun. Thir greuous and intollerabyl displesou¦ris na les sorrowfull to the inuyncy¦byll prince, than to ws may nocht be schawin but indignatioun. Fynaly we war sa brokin thairwith, that we war constranit to knaw god, seyng that we be his iust punition war fal¦lyn in sa mony calamyteis for oure wekit offence. Thus we determit with delyuerit mynd (sa far as may be done be ingyne of man) to amend all offencis, that we haue done baith to god and man. Traistyng (fra we haue pecifyit the Ire of god) y^t euery thing sall succede as we desyre. For thir motiuis (maist inuyncibil prīce) we haue tane purpos to delyuer ws of seruytude, and to recouer our re∣alme & honouris. Ʒit becaus we ar brokyn sa mony ʒeris in our pyssan∣ce and strenth, we may not attempt sic materis▪ And at cūmyn thairfore humly praying the to haue compas∣sioun on this sorrowfull chance fal∣lyng to ws thy progenitou••is▪ quhil¦kis ar put to sic punytioun, that we may make na defence aganis oure vndantit fais, les thā thow support ws with thir thy vailʒeant pepyll, quhilk{is} beand grātit, we sal delyuer ws schortly of all dishonour fallyng to ws thir syndry ʒeris be our awin defalt, for nane is bot thow that dar oppone thaym aganis the cruelteis of Scottis & Pychtis. Understand heirfore thow sall nocht defend vn∣couth housis bot onely the felicite of thy awin realme, quhais crown is natyue to the. For youcht the em∣pyre of Brytonis was sumtyme de∣uydit in two realmes Britane & Ber¦tanʒe, now remanis nane on lyue sa neir of blude (as thow) to succede to thaym baith. Contempne nocht this occasion sa plesandly offerit to the. Support this mater, for it pertenis na les to thy self than to ws. Thow may regne and haue empire of baith the realmes with gud felicite. Kyng Androene answerit, that he was na les sorrowful for the calamyteis fal¦lyng to y^e Britonis, than to hym self. Nochtheles the chance of the warld is sa, that mortall pepyll ar oftymes deieckit fra hie felicite ī supreme mi∣sery. And fra supreme misirie exal∣tit agane in maist prosperite. For na¦ture hes subd••••it men to sic lawis, that thair estait is nocht but mortal. and sumtyme hes experience of gud fortoun sumtyme of euyll. And for∣thir he thocht the Britonis war wor¦thy to be louit, becaus thay had na les curage in thair aduersite, thā for¦toun was respōdent to yair desir••s. As to his cummyng in Britane, he schew hym sa agit, y^t he mycht nocht sustene y^e charge of weris. Nochthe∣les

he suld send his sonne Constan∣tine, ane ʒoung and vailʒeant prince with all the power yat he mycht pro¦uide in Britane to support thaym a¦ganis the Scottis & Pychtis. And quhen he had promittit this support he causit bischop Gwytelline to pas to the town of Redone to mak his re¦sidence quhill the army wer reddy to pas with hym. Incontinent king Androene cōmandit all the schippis of his land to cum at ane p̄fixit day in ye port of sanct Maclouius, with thair patronis & marineris in thair best auyse. Als sone as all thyngis wer dewlie prouidit, Cōstantine pul¦lit vp salis. And finali•• arriuit in Britane. Quhair he wes ressauit w^t incredible triumphe and Ioy. For the pepill traistit be his gret man∣heid and prudence, to recouer thair realme and liberte. Nocht lang eftir ane counsall wes maid be the nobil∣lis of Britane. In the quhilk Con∣stantyne wes maid kyng, & sworn to fecht for y^e cōmon weil of his realme to the deith.

☞ Hovv Dongard kyng of Scottis come vvith gret povver aganis Con∣stantyne king of Britonis. Of his orison to his army. Hovv he vvas slane & the Britonis discomfist. Ca. vi.

COnstantyne king of Britonis sone eftir his coronatioun, cō∣mandit be generall edict all sensabil {per}so¦nis to cōuene ye .xl. day eftir at Hūber prouidit in thair best auyse to obey y^e cōmand of yair capitane. The pepill had sic ardent desyre to recouer thair liberte, that few wes absent at the prefixit day al inflammit at••nis with sic curage, strenth and pissance, that thay semit alluterly to distroy the Scottis. Als sone as kyng Dongard wes aduer∣tist of this rebellioun of Britonis, he cōmandit all thair pledgis to be slane, & with maist deligence assem∣blit ane army out of all boundis vnder h{is} empire, and come to Ʒork. Quhair he with spreit na thyng af∣frayit abaid the cumyng of Brito∣nis. ¶On the morrow knawyng be his spyis that his ennymes wer within foure mylis he rasit his ten∣tis & come haistelie in his ennymes sycht. Quhilkis wer liand nocht far fra the montanis of Humber. On the nixt morrow Dongard went to ane hie mote and said to his armye as followis. ☞ It suld be na ad∣miration to ʒow (gud cōpanʒeonis) youcht Britonis haue left ye feildis (quhair thay suld haue fouchtin) & fled to ye montanis of Humber. For thay bene of sa febill ingyne and na∣ture, yat howbeit thai mak gret bost and mannassyng (as thay wer maist vailʒeant aganis thair ennymes) ʒit thair spreit and curage sone dekey∣is Quhen thay se thair ennymes in sycht that dantit thaym afore. Now ʒe haue experience, how facill the Britonis bene to moue new tru∣bill, so full of wyndis and vane be∣hechtis. And now ʒe knaw how soft thay ar to execute thair interprisis. Thay come on ws yis last day with schynand armour and wappynnis, desyring battall. As thay wer haiste¦lie to inuaid ws. Criand with fre∣quent vocis, quhen sall oure enny∣mes cum? quhare ar thay fled now? quhare ar thay hyde bot now this ar dent desyre of battall is forʒet. For thay ar fled to the montanis, discom¦fist be our onlie sycht. Nochtheles gyf thay retourn to gyf ʒow battal.

Traist nocht bot sicker victorie. For ʒe ar to fecht aganis fals and trea∣sonabil pepil, brekaris of thair faith and band. And youcht thair pissance be sum part ekit now, ʒit thair cura∣ge is na mair ereckit than afore. Be∣leif ʒe that Constantyne (quhylk is brocht out of ane vncouth realme, and now maid kyng of Brytonis) may quickin the curage or spreit of thaym that ar geuyn onely to bordel¦lis, sensualiteis, or surfet nurysyng of thair wambe, and accustomat a∣fore ye iunyng of battallis to fle. Or beleif ʒe y^t yat may resist ʒow quhom thay haue found sa oft victorious. Traist fermely (gud companʒeonis) the houndis ar nocht sa dreidfull to the haris, nor the wolffis to ye schip as ʒour visage is to thaym. Be no∣c••t a ••asit for thir arrowis, dartis, ••anʒcis, and othir munitionis that ʒ•• se in thair army. Becaus y^e samyn may nocht be vsit but strenth of bo∣dy and craft of ingyne. Of quhylk is nocht amang our fayis. And sen our ennymes bene febyl and effemi∣nat {per}sonis, sic ordinance salbe mair impediment to thaym than proffit quhen thay fle, les than the same be haistely cassyn fra thaym. Nochthe∣les I beseik ʒow haif na les sicht to all materis pertenand to ʒou•• enny∣mes than to ʒour self. And gif ʒe in∣tend to fecht, pas nocht fra disciply∣ne of cheualry. Gyf ʒe happin to fol∣low on the chace of ennymes, be war yat ʒe follow in array and ordoure, in aduenture (gif ʒe stragill fra ʒour fallowis) ʒe fall in pray to ʒour vin∣cust ennymes, to our gret dishonour and schame. Pas forthwart (lusty gallandis) and assailʒe gif Brytonis can decide the richt of battall be the swerd. Pas forth wart my trew kny∣chtis, in quhome dekeyit neuir man∣heid, wysdome, nor pyssance. ¶And knaw well I am he, y^e sal condingly reward nobyll and vailʒeant men with maist riches, and punis febyll cowartis with torment and schame. Skarsly was th{is} orison endit, quhē the Britonis war sene descend in ar∣rayit battall to the planis. ¶Than Dongard with gret curage & spre•••• arrayit his army, and commandit na prisoneris nor spulʒeis to be tane quhyll the feild war clerely discom∣fist. And maist of all desyrit, that na gentyll mā suffer hym self to be tane cowartly as prisoneir. In continent baith the armyis iunit with huge noyis and clamoure. The confide∣rat pepyl assailʒeit thair ennymes in sic cruelte, yat thay put baith y^e wyn¦gis to flycht. Bot the myddylward maid resistence, quhare kyng Con∣stantyne faucht maist vailʒeantlye, and prolongit battall. Than kyng Dongard ernystly beheld in euery part quhare king Constantyne fau∣cht. And fynalye was enkendlit be hye curage to do sum notabyll vassa¦lage, and richt desyrus to sla kyng Constantyne, And in this fury ac∣cumpanyit with ane few nowmer of chosyn men he ruschit fersly amang the thickest preis of Britonis, quha∣re he fecht and with na les manheid than cruelte to the deith for falt of support was borne to the ground with dynt of speris, and slane, be∣caus he wald nocht be tane. Mony of the Scottis astonist be suddane slauchter of the kyng, tuke y^e flycht. Otheris not affrayit bot mair feirs and rasit to reuenge his slauchter perseuerit in contyne wall battall to the deith. And the Pychtis on the same maner, faucht with gret man∣heid and curage to the end of this battall. And ʒit the vyctory was vn∣certane

quhill mydday. And than ye Britonis wer discomfist and put a bak. ☞ In this vnhappy battall wer slane of Britonis .xvi.M. and of Scottis and Pychtis .xiiii.M. Kyng Dongard wes slane the fyft ʒeir of his regne. In y^e .viii. ʒeir of Leo emprioure. Fra the incarnation iiii.C.lxv. ʒeris.

☞Hovv Cōstantine the first & thrid brothir to Eugenius vvas maid kyng of Scottis. Of his vnhappy lyfe & tyrāny. And hovv Constantyne kyng of Brito∣nis vvas slane be gile of pichtis. Ca. vii.

THe Scottis & Pi∣chtis wer sa brokin be this sorrowfull victorie, that thay micht nocht follow with lang chace on the Britonis, and returnyt hame with ye body of king Dongard. And buryit it with fune∣rall triumphe in Colmekill. Sone eftir ane conuention wes maid and Constantyne brodir to Doungard maid kyng. For the sonnis of kyng Dongard wer of so tender age, that thay mycht nocht immediatlye suc∣ceid to the crown. This Constan∣tyne wes rycht discrepant fra ye ma¦neris and virtew of his brodir. For he wes borne more to sensual pleseir yan to ony gouernance of ane realm For he wes ane rauisar of virginis, fulʒear of matronis, gret nurisar and fauorar of detractour{is}. He wes ay trist and sorowfull amang his no¦billis, and come bot sendyll in thair cumpanyis. Be contrar he reiosit and schew hym triumphant prince amang fydlaris, sangstaris & siclyk men of vile reputation. And youcht he wes lik Cōstantyne kyng of Bri∣tonis in name, ʒit he was far discor∣dāt fra hym ī maner{is}, for Constātine king of britonis na les religio{us} than ciuyll in his gouernance, recouerit the realme of Britonis. And decorit it with notable maneris. Bot Con∣stantyne kyng of Scottis wes sa de¦generat and ignobill, that he did no thyng semand to ane kyng. Quhen his nobillis desyrit hym to reuenge the slauchter of kyng Dongard his brodir, he said he knew weill eneuch quhat wes to be done cōcerning pu∣blik administratioun, and nedit na ingyne bot his awin to beir all char∣gis of his realme. Finaly his gouer¦nance maid his folie patent. For he gaue peace to Britonis with small tretie. And but ony consultatioun of his nobillis, he remittit nocht onlie the tribute of Britonis, bot randerit to thaym sindry strenthis of the bor∣douris, and wes to do sindry thing{is} more importable to thair cōmoun weill, wer nocht the nobillis with∣stude his insolence in tyme. At last quhen the mater wes brocht to sic poynt. That nocht apperit bot rebel¦lioun aganis hym in al partis. Dou¦gall of Galloway ane man of gret auctorite schew be mony reasonis, quhat infinite trubill wer appering to the cuntre, gif it wer inuadit with domistik and ciuill weris. And yan speciallye sen the Britonis hes lait∣lie recouerit thair realme. And ry∣syng ilk day with more pissance, ha∣uyng ane ʒong prince richt fers and desyrus of glore, and reddy (quhen he saw occasion) to inuaid ye Scot¦tis and Pychtis with battall. Atour the Britonis kepit neuir gud peace to thair nychtbouris, bot quhen thai dred thaym maist. Als the Pychtis wer ane pepill full of slychtis incli∣nand ay, quhair thay beleuit victo∣rie to follow. Bot Cōstantyne kyng of Scottis wes bot ane effeminat

glutoun, and luffit na mā of virtew nor honeste. Bot onlye thaym that wer geuyn to yair sēsualite and lust of wambe. Thus apperit he nothir abill for priuat nor publik admini∣stratioun. And thairfore ye Ire and seditioun y^t wes amang thaym wes to be first mesit. And abid ane ganād tyme, that euery thyng may be done with more wisdome. ¶The pepill obeyit to thir persuasionis of Dou∣gall, howbeit mony of yame wer va¦riant in thair opinioun, rycht cōmo∣uit that the realme wes sa mony ʒe∣ris misgydit be this wickit tyrane. The Pychtis seyng ye kyng of scot∣tis drownit in vice on this maner but ony signe of virtew apperyng, dred that the Britonis suld incres thairthrow the more fers & insolent and inuaid thaym to reuenge auld iniuris. And thairfore the said Pich¦tis tuke purpos to do the thyng he slycht that thay mycht nocht do ••e force. And instruckit certane men quietlie to sla Constantyne kyng of Britonis. The men (that wer subor∣nat to this effect) come in Britane. And wer haldyn as natiue pepill thairof. At last thay come in y^e king{is} court, quhair thay be vane assenta∣tionis and subtell behauyngis gat sic familiarite with the kyng. That thay purchest credence in sindry his maist graue materis. At last watād thair tyme (quhen the kyng wes at quiet) thay come to hym as sum hie besynes wer to be done. And slew hym, suspeck and na thyng les than thair treason. The kyngis gard he∣rand the rūmissyng and granis of ane deand man ruschit haistely in ye chalmer. Quhair thay fand ye kyng slane and bullerand in his blude. Nochtwithstandyng with brym fu∣rie thay followit sa fast on thir Pich¦tis. That thay wer baith ta••kin and cruelly put to deid. This slauchter of Constantyne kyng of Britonis happinnit in the .xv. ʒeir of Constan¦tyne kyng of Scottis. Quhilk had lityl better fortoun than had this o∣thir Constantyne kyng of Britonis. For he wes slane be ane gentil man of the Ilis for the defowlyng of his douchter. Eftir yat he had gouernit Scotland vnworthely .xvii. ʒeris.

☞¶Of kyng Congallus and of his administration. Hovv the monk Constā¦tius vvas maid kyng of Britonis. Hovv Vortigern be slauchter of the said Con¦stantius tuke the crovvn of Britane. Ca. viii.

COnstantyne king of scottis slane in yis maner, His nepote Congallus sonne to king Dongard wes maid king. Yis Con¦gallus wes a man of hie ingyne als abill to weir as peace. Ʒit ī ye begin¦nyng of his regne he schew hym ge∣uin halelye to peace. And maid hym to repare all thyngis done be necli∣gence of Constantyne his eme. Sū gaif hym counsal to reuenge y^e slau∣chter of his fadir Dongard. Nocht∣theles becaus he wes bot ane ʒoung prince nocht stabillit in his empyre, he supersedit sic hie materis, Quhill ane tyme more ganād occurrit. And finalie he did sic Iustice throw al {per}∣tis of his realme. That ye same wes brocht to gud tranquillite & peace. Quhill Congall{us} wes geuin to wer¦kis of Iustice on this wyse, Uorti∣gern ane man of gret slycht and au∣torite amang the Britonis tuk pur∣pos to conques the crown, and to bring his purpos to effect, he tuke

Constantius sonne to Constantyne kyng of Britonis, afore rehersit out of the relygyon quhare he was pro∣fest monk, Efter that his fader fand hym vnabyll to regne. And be assis∣tence of syndry gret princis of Bry∣tane, this Uortigern maid this Con¦stantius kyng of Britane. This sly∣cht {pro}cedit be auarice of Uortigern. Traistyng (becaus this monk had na experience of the warld) that he mycht haue the gouernance of ye re¦alme and cōques gret riches vnder his empyre. And efter yat he was en¦richit in guddis to distroy the said Constantius, and vsurpe the crown of Britane. Ʒit to couir his slicht (as he war geuyn allutterly for the com¦mon weill) he maid peace with Scot¦tis and Pichtis, and causit ane hun∣dreth Scottis and Pichtis to come to London to remane (as ane gard) about this Cōstantius, and to haue his body in keping. At last quhen Uortigern had gaderit gret treasou¦ris vnder the empire of Constanti{us}, he thocht the tyme conuenient to tak the crown, and quietly seducit ane certane of Scottis and pichtis with gret soumes of money to sla y^e king. And promyttit (gif thay brocht this mater to effect) to reward thaym con¦dingly for thair laubouris. The scot¦tis and pichtis blyndit be auarice & geuand ouir haistely credence slew fynaly this kyng Constantius. Als sone as Uortigern knew the kyng slane (for he was not far of abydyng the end of that mater) he ruschit fers∣ly in the secret chalmer, quhare the kyng was lyand deid baith and ī his blude. And incontynent tuk the slay aris of the kyng & slew thaym haiste¦ly that thay suld nocht schaw that he perswadit thaym to sla the kyng. And incontinent he began to lament the kyngis slauchter as na thyng war sa displesand to hym as the kyn¦gis deith. For be his deith mony in∣finit harmys sall haistely follow in dammage of the commoun weill. ¶Incontinent this Uortigern so∣cht the resydew of Scottis and Pi∣chtis out of all partis of the town, (howbeit thay war innocent of his treason) & gart haue thaim to strang presoun. Syne maid hym to burye the kyng. ¶On the morow he come with his freindis and fauouraris, (quhylkis war corruppit with his money) to the stretis, quhare mais•• confluence of pepyll was, and com∣planit the treasoun of Scottis and Pichtis, quhilkis slew the king that was committit in thair kepyng, and maid y^e realm (sa far as was ī yan••e) but ane heid to that purpos (as appe¦rit) othir to deuide the Britonis a∣mang thaym self, or ellis to make al the land{is} vnder thair empyre for falt of ane kyng patent to iniure of enny¦mes. Heirfore gif this odius cruelte war nocht condinglye punist, mai•• displesouris sall follow haistely (gyf mair may be) in euersion of thair cō¦moun weill. Necessar war thairfore to punis all the remanent Scottis and pichtis. For thay war na les cri∣minall than the principall personis yat was tane be hym with hait blud and put to deith. Quhen he had mo∣uit the pepil in maist cruelte aganis thir innocent men, he tuk thaym out of pryson quhare thay war, and put thaym all to deith. ¶This puny∣tioun maid on the Scottis & pichtis causit Uortigern to be haldin amāg the ygnorant pepyl as fader and de∣fendoure of thair realme. ¶Noch∣theles to couer this dissait, h•• desy∣ret thaym to haue respect to thair commoun weill. ☞And to suffer

nocht Ambrosius the sonne of kyng Cōstantyne to regne. Saying yocht he was richtuous ayre to the crown of Brytane, ʒit he was of sa febyll & tender age, that infinite harmys sall follow to the realme in ye empyre of his non age. At last quhen thay had cōcludit y^e Ambrose sall not be maid king vortigern demādit yame, quhō thay wald make kyng. And inconti∣nent all the pepyll with huge noyis and clamour declarit hym king. Als sone as Uortigern was maid kyng on this wyse, he stuffit al ye castellis and strenthis of London with gret munitionis and weirmen. Syne cō∣mandit ane certane of his familiar{is} & freind{is} (quhome he promouit afore to riches & honour{is}) to wait on hym. ••nd incontinent he set hym to sla all y^• freindis & lynage of kyng Constā∣tyne. Sum of thaym be vane causis banist, of otheris cōfiscat thair gud∣dis▪ & punist thair bodyis to y^e deith.

¶Hovv Ambrose and Vter the sonnis of kyng Constantyne fled in Bertan••e. Hovv Gvvytell prince of vvalis vvas slane be the Scotti••. and his army dis∣comf••st. Ca. ix.

THrow feir of thir cruelteis, Ambrose and Uter sonnes to kyng Constantyne come out of Walis (quhare thay war kepit vnder wyse p̄∣ceptouris) and fled in Bertanʒe. In the mene tyme the Scottis and Pi∣chtis war aduertist of ye schamefull murdir of yair freindis maid at Lō∣don be treason of kyng Uortigern. Impacient thairfore to suffer this iniure thay enterit haistely with ane army in the Brytonis landis, and inuadit the samyn with gret cruelte of fyre and swerde. The Brytonis opprest with thir afflictionis dispa∣rit of support and nocht of power to resist, left all thyngis behynd thaym that mycht nocht be tursit and fled within ye cuntre. Uortigern herand thir cruelteis done to his pepyl, and knawyng the gret hatrent that the nobyllis of Brytonis bure aganis hym for his persute aganis the son∣nis of Constantyne, began (as the nature of ane tyrane is) to haue ylk mā in dredour. And becaus he durst nocht ieoperde hym self in battall he send Gwytell prynce of Walis with ane army to reuenge y^e iniuris done be Scottis and Pychtis. Gwytell dreidand the rewyne of Brytane (gif the Scottis and Pichtis war nocht haistely repressit) went forthwart w^t his army, and was conuoyit in the samyn landis of Britane, quhare ye scottis and pychtis war gaderit but array, inuadyng the cuntre with syn¦dry incursyonis. Incontinent with displayit baner he set sa haistely on thaym, that thay war put to flycht, and .v.C. of thaym tane, quhame he gart iustefy (as theuis). The confide¦rat kyngis mouit with thir iniuris come with ane new army, and maid the Britonis richt astonist. Nochthe¦les Gwitel exhortit thaym to battal, saying the Scottis and pichtis war ane pepyll mair accustumat with re∣iffis and slauchter of wiffis and har¦nis, than ony marcial dedis, & gettis na victory, bot only of febyl and my∣serabyll creatouris. The Brytonis inflāmit to gret curage be thir wor∣dis went forthwart, & set down yair tentis beside y^e tent{is} of yair ēnymes. Followit thā frequent skarmyssing, & sumtymes syngular battallis be∣tuix vailʒeant men. At last baith the armyis impatiēt to sustene athir in∣iur{is} ruschit fersly togidder, & faucht

lang tyme with vncertane victory. Quhyl at last y^e middilward (quhare Cōgallus faucht) was neir discom∣fist. Than Gallanus kyng of Pich∣tis (for he faucht in the rycht wyng) seand his cōfiderat brothir in sic dā∣geir come with ane cumpany of cho¦syn men & maid y^e Britonis that fau¦cht fornens Cōgallus richt astonyst The Scottis (youcht thay war neir vincust afore fra thai war supportit on this maner) ruschit with new cu∣rage on thair ennymes and fynalye put baith the wyngis of Britonis to flycht. Als sone as the Pychtis saw the victory inclyne to Scottis thay tuke haistely the tentis of Brytonis that the same suld be na rescours to thaym efter. ¶Thus war the Bry∣tonis slane but ony refuge in all par¦tis quhare thay fled and war fyna∣lye randerit to Scottis and Pych∣tis. The confiderat kyngis gaue all the spulʒeis and presoneris conquest at this tyme frelye amang thair ar∣my, becaus thay faucht sa vailʒeant lye that day. Sic thyngis done the confiderat kyngis went forthwart with thair victorious army to take the remanent strenthis on the bor∣douris. ¶In this battal war slane twenty thousand Brytonis with Gwytell prynce of Walis and mo∣ny othir nobyll men of Britane. Bot of Scottis and Pychtis war skars∣ly .iiii. thousand slane.

¶Hovv Vortigern send ambassatour{is} in Almany to fe vvageouris in his sup¦port. Hovv Hengest and Orsus come in Britane vvith .x. thousand Saxo∣nis. And of thair cruelteis and vassala¦ge done aganis Pychtis. Ca. x▪

THe Brytonis efter this present discom¦fitour conuenit qu∣hare vortigern wes at London to adui∣se be quhat craft & ingyne this dange∣rus battal was to be led agan{is} yair cruel ennymes. Efter lang consulta¦tion (becaus na sicker way couth be deuisit to delyuer the pepyl fra extre¦me dangeir appering) Kyng Uorti∣gern nakit of counsall & hauand sa mony scharp aduersarys baith at hame and on feild tuk purpos to de¦part out of Britane in sum vncouth realme, nochtheles his freindis tho∣cht vnworthy yat he suld pas fra hi•• & souerane dignite, hauand as ʒit na experiēce of aduersite to be ane myr∣rour of derision to his ēnymes. Best was thairfore (as thay allegit) to as∣sailʒe the vter fyne of his materis, & mair honest to hym to be vincust in his iust defence than to be victorius in his wrangus action. And youcht he was vincust be one battall, ʒit na disperatioun suld follow. For thair was riches & gold sufficient in Bry∣tane nocht only to dant thair enny∣mes be chance of Battall, bot als to ding thaym out of Albion. Quhare mycht thair be sa plesand or sa cōmo¦dius sicht for yair cōmon weil? as to se ye cruel Saxonis, Scottis, & Pi∣chtis fechtand and distroyand othir for the liberte allanerly of Brytane. For be this & be nane othir way my∣cht the cruelte of thair ennymes be best dantit, Uortigern apprisit this counsall, and send ambassatouris with money in Almany to fe wage∣ouris to defend his realme aganis y^e Scottis and Pichtis. Than was a∣mang the Saxonis two brethir na∣myt Hengist and Orsus dyscending

of the anciant blude of that region, richt vailʒeant in dedis of armis, & desyrus of na thyng mair than of glore and honouris. Thir two bre∣thir herand the desyris of the ambas¦satouris tuke wageis and come in Britane with .x. thousand weil exer∣rit and vailʒeant men. Thir Saxo∣nis war the mair plesandly ressauit be Uortigern that baith his self & his realme was approchyng to sa hie dangeir. At last quhen he had re¦wardit thaym with money and ry∣ches he causit the cōmonis to rema∣ne in thair tentis, and the nobillis to remane in the nixt townis quhyll thay war refreschit of thair trauell and walkyng be ye seis. Belyue two armyis war prouydit, ane of Saxo∣nis, and ane othir of Britonis, and come forthwart with sic diligence, y^t thay war past Humber or euer the Scottis and Pichtis war aduertist of ony cumyng of Saxonis in Bri∣tane. The Scottis and Pichtis (yat dwelt that tyme in the Britonis lan¦dis) war suddanly affrayit be cum∣yng of the Saxonis. And becaus thay war nocht of power to resist sa huge army, ane certane of yame saif fit thaym self be flycht. And the re∣manēt fel in pray to thair ennymes. The Sa••onis traistyng al thing{is} y^e better to succeid (gyf thay gat y^e first blude) slew all the prisoneris tane be thaym at this tyme but ony misera∣tion of estait or age. And nocht con∣tent of the murdir maid on Scottis & Pichtis betuix Humber & Tyne, thay went in the Mers & Pentland, and inuadit the pepyll thairof with gret cruelteis of fyre and slauchter. Traisting fra y^e Pichtis war brocht to fynall exterminioun, the landis pertenand to Scottis mycht be the mair esy pray. The Pichtis affrayit be thir cruelteis send thair ambassa∣touris to Congallus kyng of Scot∣tis, desyring hym to cum with al his power in haist to resyst thair enny∣mes, quhylkis war nocht gadderit of febyl Brytonis, bot of maist cruel Saxonis. Skarsly was this messa∣ge maid to scottis, quhen tythyngis come that Brytonis and Saxonis in arrayit battal war cumyn ī Pent¦land, puttand the pepyl in all partis (quhare thay cum) to heirschip and slauchter. The kyng of Pichtis im∣pacient to suffir thir iniuris assem∣blyt his pepyll with maist diligence, and met his ennymes but aduyse of Scottis. Hengist gouernour of all the army vnder Uortigern, arrayit y^e samyn in sic maner that he inuadit ye pichtis with .iii. battallis at anis. ¶Thus war the Pichtis sa ouirset with multitude of ennymes yat thai war put to flicht. This day maid ye Saxonis mair reiosit thā Britonis. For Hengist beheld the Britonis fe∣chtand this day mair febilly thā ony othir pepyll. And for y^e caus he tuke ferme purpos to conques thair re∣alme. Efter that Scottis and Pich¦tis war doung out of all boundis of Brytane.

☞ Of the secund message send be Pi¦chtis to the Scottis. Hovv the Scottis and Pichtis faucht aganis ye Saxonis and Britonis, & vvar discomfist▪ Ca. xi.

THe Pichtis brokyn in this maner send thair secund messa∣ge to Cōgallus de∣syryng haisty sup∣port aganis y^e Sax¦onis. Quhen thir ambassatouris had schawin to Con¦gallus the cruelteis done be saxonis

and Britonis, thay desyrit hym and his nobillis to suffer nocht the Pich¦tis thair auld confiderat freindis to be distroyit be thair cruell & vnmer∣cifull ennymes. In aduenture thay be brynt sone eftir with the same flā¦mys with quhilk y^e Pychtis ar now presentlie consumyt. Congallus mo¦uit be cōmiseratioun of ye trubil fal¦lyng to his confiderat freinds the Pychtis. And seand the same truble (les than it wer the more resistit) ap∣proching haistelie to scottis cōman∣dit all fensabill men within his re∣alme to meit hym in the south part of the wod of Calidon the .xx. day ef¦tir with twa monethis vittallis vn∣der the pane of deith. Be this edict he gaderit .xl.M. men strang & weil armyt at all deuise. And come sone eftir in his ennymes sycht hauand with hym his confiderat freindis ye Pychtis. Als sone as his army saw yair ennymes of more nowmer and ordinance than euir thay saw afore thay fled in sindry partis to eschew the present dangeir. The confiderat kyngis send incontinent thair capi∣tanis to tak ye flearis, quhilkis wer apprehendit and put to deith on Ie∣battis, to be exempill to otheris of thair fleyng. Be thir punitionis all the dredour and fleyng of the Scot¦tis army wes set asyde. Als sone as Hengist saw the confiderat kyngis in sycht he exhortit his army to fecht Saying be speciall fauour of god∣dis wes arrayit fornens thaym the pepill (quhilkis wer sa lang {per}petual ennymes of Britane) quhair throw thay mycht haue sufficient occasion to reuenge auld iniuris. And con∣ques baith thair riches and landis at thair pleseir. And na peril wes to be dred. For all materis behuuit to succeid with gret felicite, becaus yai wer to fecht in thair gud actioun a∣ganis ane fals and wrangus peple, famous theiffis reuaris and inua∣souris of vncouth realmes. As to ye victory (sa far as he had ony cogno∣sance be lang experience of battall) thair fayis suld nocht fail to gif bak¦kis als sone as thay feill the preis & violence of Saxonis and Britonis. Ye victorie thairfore mon be quhair the goddis hes ordant. Hengist be thir wourdis inflammyt ye myndis of Saxonis to gret rage and cruel∣te aganis thair ennymes. The Bri∣tonis ereckit in curage be exemple of Saxonis desyrit battall. On the tothir syde the confiderat kyngis ceissit nocht with mony plesand per∣suasionis to exhort thair folkis to battall. Sone eftir baith ye armyis Iunyt, quhen suddanlie come on thaim frequent schouris of arrowis and ganʒeis schot on euery side, and incōtinēt thay ruschit togiddir with scharp swerdis, speris, and byllis in maist hatrent, bot ʒit na party semyt to haue victorie. Quhill at last the Britonis (y^e faucht in ye rycht wyng aganis y^e Scottis) wer put to flycht Than suddanlye come ane huge schoure of haill, and obscurit the air with sic terrible cloud of mirknes as it had bene nycht. Throw quhilk baith ye armyis wer sa astonyst, yat yai knew nocht quhedir it wes best to fle or follow. Hengist astonist be this vncouth wounder gaderit his folkis be sound of trumpat to the standart. Be than the schoure we•• ceissit (quhen the Scottis and Pich¦tis) traisting yair ennymes vincust, fell to the chace of Britonis but ar∣ray, and maid slauchter & spulʒe in thair maist furie. Hengist seand the Britonis vincust, and the cōfiderat pepill geum to spulʒe and slauchter 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

rum togiddir in array. The confide∣rat kyngis to put remeid to thir im∣pedimentis and that the curage and spreit of yair army suld not dekay be lang tary cōmandit ilk man to wyn als mony scherettis on the ground (as he mycht beir) to mak ane gait throw the mos to assailʒe thair enny¦mes. Sic thyngis done the confide∣rat kyngis rasit thair tentis & maid thaym reddy for battall aganis the nixt morow. And beleuing yat micht nocht inuaid the tentis of ennymes but extreme dangeir thay come throw the mos be ane quiet gait to ane hill that stude aboue yair enny∣mes. Sum of thaym stude in y^e face of this hill yat thay micht cast doun cragis and stanis amang the oist of futmen. The strenth of this hyl gaif gret curage to our folkis to assail••e sic thyngis, as thay beleuit mycht 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the array of thair ennymes. At ••ast seyng the Saxonis and Brito∣nis wald nothir Ische fra thair ten∣tis, nor ʒit gyf signe of battall to Iune, thay deuisit be ane new and vncouth slycht to astonis yair enny∣mes. And in y^e nycht following thay brocht ane huge multitude of had•• to the face of the hyll fornentis thair ennymes. And becaus yis haddir is of nature dry, and tak{is} sone fyre yai maid sindry faggottis thairof. And eftir yat thay had put thaym in fyre thay slang thaym ouir the hill. In∣continent thir faggottis wer dreuin be preis of wyndis amang ye tentis of ennymes, quhilkis with gret ter∣rour wer effrayit. for the stra & stik∣kis (quhare thay lay) tuke fyre, and brint Infinit pepill in thair army. Thā rais ane huge nois & clamour. And sum dredyng ye hid watcheing of ennymes ran haistely to defend y^e trinchis of yair tētis. Otheris maid yame to slok in y^e flāmis ay more in∣cressyng be preis of wyndis. Finalie the faggottis fell sa fast out of the heuin all blesand togiddir in flāmis that na man wist quha•• wes to be done, throw rei••d of men & beist{is} of quhilkis ane gret multitude wes in thair tentis and throw feir of lowe and smouk vnder nycht, the capita∣nis wes sa trubillit that thay conclu¦dit erar to assailʒe thair ennymes with extreme ieoperdyis of battall, than cowartly to be brynt to y^e deith And incontinent thay ischit fra yair tentis and past in arrayit battall to the planys. Hengist seyng his folk{is} mycht nocht be weil haldin within thair tentis gaderit the Saxonis be sound of trūpat to his standart, and abaid the cumyng of the day. The Scottis & Pychtis traistyng thair ennymes brokin be this effray, left ye strenth quhair thay stude & come arrayit to the planys reddy to gyf battall. Bot quhen thay fand thair ennymes in gud array, thay superse¦dit thair purpos, quhill the cumyng of the day. On the morow Congal∣lus exhortit his folkis to consider quhat glore & honour bene cōquest be virtew and forcy dedis of thair el¦daris. And desyrit thaym to obscure not be thair recēt sleuth y^e fame of sa nobill campionis, and prayit thaym to keip the honour yat thair eldaris wan. And think na thyng wes sa schamful as to gyf backis to yair en¦nymes, & be thirllit to ʒok of serui∣tude. For na thyng wes sa honest as othir to haue victorie as thair elda∣ris did afore, or ellis to fecht with glore & manheid to the deith, & Hen∣gist in the same maner ceissit not to persuade his army to pas forth war•• w^t hie curage, & to distroy yair enny¦mes. Quhilk beād done, thay micht

reiose the residew of thair dayis but ony dangeir of weris. Skarsly wer yir word{is} said, quhē baith y^e armyis iunit. At y^e first metyng baith y^e saxo∣nis & britonis had bene discōfist wer not ane buschemēt of .iii.M. fresche men come haistely out of ane wod (quhare thay wer hid be Hengist) to yair support. Thir fresche mē come w^t gret noyis & clamour on y^e bakk{is} of scottis. Thus wer the confiderat pepill inuadit on euery syde to thair gret terrour. And ʒit y^e truble arrais the more, yat euery ane of yame wes impedimēt to othir in ye weilding of thair wappinnis. Than followit di∣uers chancis of fortoun. For y^e Pich¦tis be souerane manheid put y^e Brito¦nis y^e faucht fornent{is} yame to flicht, & {per}seuerit ī sic furious rage of chace aganis yame, y^e mony of Britonis wer dreuin to eschape thair cruelte ī y^e nixt riuer quhair thay perist. Othe¦ris tane be ye gait war slane. Bot ye Scottis (quhilk{is} war inuadit th{us} on aithir side be Saxonis) eftir lang {per}∣seuerance in battall wer finalie vin∣cust & slane. Cōgallus euyl woundit was brocht out of the feilde be his freindis to the nixt montanis. The Saxonis eftir this victory of Scot¦tis tuk purpos to {per}sew the Pichtis. For thay vincust (as said is) the bri∣tonis. Nochtheles be cumyng of the nicht thay supersedit yair purpos to ye morow. Thir pichtis dreidand to be inuadit be saxonis on the morow gaderit all thair cofferis, cartis, wa∣nis, & othir thīgis (quhilk mycht not be weil tursit for y^e tyme) & put yame all in fyre, y^t the fume & reik thairof mycht obscure the ayre quhill thay war past all dangeir. Sic thyngis done ye Pichtis returnit hame with ye residew of Scottis quhilkis wer eschapit out of this feild,

¶Hovv Hengist vvas maid protectour of Britane, and hovv he brocht his son Occa vvith .x.M. Saxonis to resist the armyis of Ambrose & Vter. Hovv Vor∣tigern come to ane bāket vvith Hēgist▪ & mariit Roxena his doucht. Ca. xiiii.

HEngist efter the syn∣dry chancis of victo∣ry fallyn in this last feild began to now∣mer his army, and fand the confiderat pepyl fled & .iiii.M. Saxonis slane. Syne returnit with y^e residew yair∣of to Ʒork, and cōmandit yame to be reddy to resist yair ennymes gif ony new trubyl apperit. Incontinent he returnit to London to take consulta¦tion with Uortigern and his noblis quhat was to be done concerning ye weris of scottis & Pichtis in tymes cumyng. ¶Uortigern ressauit hym with gret reuerence and honoure, & proclamit hym protectour of his re∣alme and pepyll, with power & auc∣torite to vse al the townis, strenthis, and riches thairof at his pleseir. Sine cōmandit publict playis to be maid throw all {per}tis of Britane with general procession to geif louyng to god, for the excellent victory fallyng to hym aboue his ennymes. And to entrete Hengist with mair pleseir, he gaif hym and his pepyll lycence to make adoratioun to ydolis efter the maner of gentilis. In ye mene tyme was schawin to Uortigern that Am¦brose & Uter ye sonnis of kyng Con¦stantine war makand gret puruiāce in Bartanʒe to recouer ye crown of britane. Thir tithingis maid Uorti∣gern affrayit. For he had ane {pro}phe∣cy, that he suld be slane be this Am∣brose. Nochtheles he inquirit Hen∣gist, be quhat ingine & power he mi∣cht best resist the army of Ambrose.

Hengist glad of his trubyl promyt∣tit tyll resist the army of Ambrose & Uter gif he wald suffer ye Saxonis quhilkis dwelt in Ʒork schire to cū to the see camp fornens France. And the castellis and strenthis of that cuntre to be deliuerit to him and his folkis, that he mycht the mair esaly resist Ambrose and Uter quhen thay landit. Als sone as thir petitionis war grantit, Hengist desyryng na thing mair than to haue y^e Britonis vterly distroyit (that yair realme my¦cht fall in pray to hym and his Sax¦onis) instruckit ane man of Almany (as he had bene ane Britone) to cum to Uortigern with dissimilit wordis. saying he was laitly cumyn fra Pēt¦land, quhare he saw na thyng bot knychtis schynyng in armour. The trumpattis soundyng and the gol∣d•••• stremaris reflirand aganis the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And schortly all the pepyll of that regioun reddy in maist weirly sort to cum haistely on the Britonis. This Almane that was subornat in this wise said to Hēgist. Thair was ane .C. ʒoung and vailʒeant men of Scottis sworne all of ane mynd to distroy him. And had na sicht to yair lyuis, sa thay mycht bring thair pur¦pos to effect, for thay held hym the pyllar of Britonis. Syndry of thir personis wer cumyn at y^e same tyme to London to execute thair myndis. And thairfore na place mycht be so∣uir to hym, bot quhē he beleuit leist, sum of thir men sworne to the effect foresaid sal wair yair lyuis on hym. And yocht he eschape ane, force was to abyde the chance of the residew. Becaus the Scottis and Pichtis traistis (quhen he is slane) to be dely¦uerit of all trubyll. Uortigern asto∣nist be this fenʒeit slycht demandit Hengist quhat was to be done, Hen∣gist apperit richt effrayit in the same maner. Nochtheles syndry of the Saxonis (quhilkis war instruckit be ye said Hengist) prayit Uortigern to be of gud comfort, for youcht he war inuadit on euery syde with en∣nymes, he suld be souir of Saxonis to defend hym in al his weris. For y^e confiderat pepill (quhilkis hes pro∣uyn y^e chance of battall fechtand vn¦happely aganis ws) sal neuir attīpt ane thing mair to thair dāmage, thā to inuaid thy pepyll with iniuris, and prouoke ws agane to battall. And gif Ambrose and Uter come (as is beleuit) with huge pepyll on the south partis of the realme, siclike as the confiderat pepyll intendis to do on the north partis thairof, than sal Occa ye sonne of Hengist (quhilk is ane vailʒeant knycht and exercit in cheualry sen his first ʒouth) cū with ane new band of Saxonis. Throw quhilk thow salbe souir fra all inua¦sion that may follow to the and thy realme. For Occa sall resist the scot∣tis and pichtis in the north. And Or¦sus ye army cumyng with Ambrose out of Bertanʒe. And Hengist sall re¦mane ay with thy self to keip thy bo∣dy fra treason of Britonis, gif ony of yame be fauour of Ambrose wald pretend ony rebellioun aganis thy auctorite. Be quhilk way thow sall haue mery dayis but ony feir of en∣nymes. Uortigern knawīg na othir way apperand to dant his ennymes in all partis (becaus mony of the no¦blis of Britane haitit his maneris) maid gret instance to Hēgist to send for his sonne Occa to cum haistely in Britane with ane band of Saxo∣nis to resist his ennymes. Hengist wirk and his purpos with dissimilit mynd and slicht, maid hym to with∣stand the kyngis desyre. Saying it

was 〈…〉〈…〉 dāmage to haue baith hym self & his sonne sa far dis∣tant fra y^e gouernance of his landis & possessi••••is. Nochtheles be lang instance o•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & othir Britonis (quhilkis war mair set for y^e kyngis foly & pleseir, thā for y^e cōmon weil) condiscendit to his desyris. Within few dayis efter Occa arriuit in Bri∣tane with .x.M. saxonis, & sat down in Northumberland with wyffis & barnis reddy to fecht aganis all pe∣pyll that lyst inuade thaym. Hengist knawing the cumyng of his sonne, & this new army of Saxonis desirit king Uortigern to cum, & se his wife children & frendis, quhilkis war red¦dy to al seruice & chargis as he wald command. And said it suld rais his army in gret curage, gif he wald do y^e honoure to decore thaym with his presence. Uortigern richt glad of ye cumyng of this new band of Saxo∣nis condiscendit to his desyris. How beit mony of his nobyllis war richt heuy & tuke na lytyl suspitioun that sa huge nowmer of Saxonis war cumyn ī britane aganis yair cōmon weill▪ Fynaly Uortigern come with ane certane of his nobillis to Tow∣quhā castel, quhare he was plesand∣ly ressauit & feistit with all maner of delytis & plesouris that micht be de∣uysit. Than Hengest set hym to pro∣long the banket within the nycht y^t the kyng mycht be takin with y^e wy∣nis. Incōtinent Roxena y^e douchter of Hengist (as scho was instruckit) went to the kyng with ane coupe ful of mychty wyne, & said, I drink to y^e, Kyng Uortigern drank mychtely of the coupe, & quhen he had embrasit hir in his armis, he set hir down nixt hym self in the banket. Efter lang cō¦monyng he fel in blind raige of lust. Quhilk thing was nocht onely oc∣casion to him efter to do adultry, bot als to tine his kingdom. For inconti¦nent throw birnād flame of new lust he had nothir respect to the law of god nor ʒit to the law of matrimony afore contrackit with his lauchfull wife. And but mair delay he tuk the said Roxena to his wife. Syne gaif to Hengist all y^e landis of Kent with castellis, to w••is, & munitionis per∣tenyng thairto. Sone efter the saxo∣nis sat down in the samyn with yair wiffis & childrin & put out the auld inhabitantis thairof. Sic thingis done Uortigern returnit with his new quene to London, and repudiat his lauchfull wyfe.

¶Hovv Vodyne bischop of London vvith mony preistis vvar slane be tyran¦ny of Saxonis. Hovv Hengist maid him self kyng of Kent. Hovv Vortigern vvas depriuit and Vortimer his sonne maid king of Britane. Ca. xv.

VOdyne byschop of London ane mā of singular deuotioun & life, be aduyse of Uortimer went fa∣miliarly to Uorti∣gern, and schew yat he had not done (as ane cristin prīce) departing fra his lauchfull quene & takand ane othir womā to his wife. Quhais fader Hengist duke of saxo¦nis was baith ennyme to the cristin faith and set with delyuerit mynd to conques the crown of Britane and said sen he had sa done, he suld sone haue experience quhat dāmage suld follow to his pepill nocht onely in euersion of y^e cristin faith in britane, bot als in translation of the nobyll realm of britane (quhilk was brocht hail & vnbrokī vnder mony nobil prī¦cis to his days) ī ane vncouth blud.

Than said Uortigern. I haue fail∣ʒeit and was nocht prudent quhē I brocht Saxonis first in Brytane to support me aganis my ennymes, & that was the first begynnyng of my foly. Bot I semit mair imprudent quhē I was tane be immoderat lust of his doucht Roxena. For I knaw weill the end of my empire salbe ter∣ribyll, bot gif my offence be the mair haistely reparit to god. And yairfore (sa far as I may) I sall put remeid thairto. Hengist heirand ye sound of this lamentabyll regrait come in the sectet chalmer (quhare he was) & re∣preuit hym, quhy he maid sa heuy cheir in the tyme of his mariage be persuasioun of ane prophane man of fenʒeit lyfe. & incontinent he slew the haly man Uodyne with mony othir preistis and relligious {per}sonis being with hym for the tyme▪ and to attempt ane thing of more audacite he seirchit Uortimer to y^e deith. Uor∣timer knawyng his euyl mynd aga¦nis hym fled quhare he thocht expe∣dient. In y^e mene tyme Hengest send secrete writingis to his sonne Occa, cōmandyng hym to abstene fra ony forther iniuris of scottis and pichtis and suffer thaym peciably reiose all the landis beʒond Tyne. Prouiding always y^t the strenthis betuix Tyne & Humber be weill garnist with mē and vitallis. And forthir he cōman∣dit hym to seik sum occasion quhare throw he micht sla al the noblis of y^e cuntre quhare he was, & to haue sic respect to ye cōmon weill of saxonis, y^e Britane micht cū sumtyme vnder yair empyre. Occa knawing y^e mind of his fader, tuk first Ʒork with mo¦ny othir strenthis & munitionis of y^e cuntre. And as his fader deuysit he slew mony noblis & barons be fen∣ʒeit causis. And quhen he was accu∣sit be Uortigern, quhy he dyd sic cru¦elteis on his noblis, he answerit as he was instruckit be his fader y^t thir noblis (quhilkis be hym war slane) wer ennymes to ye king. Becaus he had Saxonis in mair reuerence thā britonis. And yir noblis intendit to haue rāderit Ʒork with mony othir gret strenthis & munitionis of Bry∣tane to scottis & pichtis, wer not he put remeid mair haistely yairto. Als the boūdis of Britane geuyn to his keping suld not haue bene gouernit prudently, gif y^e samyn had not bene purgit fra all inuasouris of thair cō¦mon weill, for sic doingis suld cū ef∣ter, baith to ye gret proffet of y^e king & honour of his realme. The cruelte of Saxonis ylk day mair incressing aganis y^e Britonis maid Uortigern na lytyl cōmouit, & the mair y^t he con¦siderit yame dayly seikand occasion to conques his realme. And quhē he could find na sicker remeid aganis ye said dangeir, he began with drery contenance to deplore his mysfor∣toun. Sum of his familiaris gaif hym counsall to dant the cruelte of Saxonis, quhill he mycht but pley, in aduenture the Britonis brokin be yair iniuris war brocht to sic calami¦te y^t thay mycht nothir haue suffici∣ent pyssance to distroy thair enny∣mes nor ʒit to defend thair realme. Kyng Uortigern hauand the Brito∣nis in na les suspition thā the Sax∣onis (becaus he was odius to yame baith) supersedit to attempt yis gret mater, for certane dayis. ¶In the mene tyme ye Britonis brokin with intollerabyll iniuris sustenit mair cruelteis of Saxonis. than euer thay sufferit afore of ony othir pe∣pyl. ¶And aboue thir skaithis fol∣lowit othir syndry outtragis mair odius and importabyll to thaym.

For Hengist left kyng Uortigern, and come to ye resydew of Saxonis at Kent, & be generall edict chargit al Britonis to pas out of the samyn within ane schort day vnder y^e pane of deith. ¶The day byrun he slew baith commonis and nobyllis but ony fauoure, mercy, or ransoun, yat ganestude his command. Al wayis y^• Saxonis enragit in sic inhumane cruelteis, y^t all the kirkis & sanctua∣ris of Kent war suspendit with cry∣styn blude. The nunnis and religi∣ous weirmen war tane be force out of thair abbayis and constranit to mariage or pollutioun of thair bo∣dyis. The lordis of Britane commo¦uit be thir sorrowfull iniuris maid ane conuention at London (quhare thay repreuit Uortigern) that he put the Saxonis on his secret counsall, knawyng thaym bot ane hethyn pe∣pyll leuand efter the lawis of genti∣lis, and nocht brocht in Brytane to beir the gouernance of the realme, bot onely to sustene the weris aga∣nis thair ennymes. ¶Attoure thay schew that he was vnprudent in sa far as he enrychit ye Saxonis with landis, rentis, and auctoryte in dy∣structioun of all his realme and le∣gis, and nocht onely repudiat his wyfe, bot aganis the institutionis of crystyn fayth maryit ane woman, quhylk was of the ryte of gentylis. Fynalye becaus he deseruyt the ha∣terent of god for syndry abhomyna∣byll cruelteis fallyn in the realme be his foly and necligēce, exponyng baith thair pepyll and common weil to extreme dangeir, thay degradit hym of all auctoryte, and send hym in Walis, quhare he remanit mo∣ny ʒeris efter in prysoun. And that thay suld nocht be without ane heid, yai maid his sonne Uortime•• kyng.

¶Hovv Scottis and Pichtis vvar confi¦derat vvith kyng Vortimer aganis the Saxonis & discomfist Occa in Northū∣berland. Hovv Hengist and Occa vvar vincust ī Kent. & doung out of Britane. Hovv kyng Vortimer vvas slane be poi¦son. Ca. xvi.

UOrtimer maid king in th{is} maner, thocht na thing sa honorabyll as to inuade the Saxonis ennymes of god be strang battal, and to do ye sa¦myn with mair felicite, he send am∣bassatouris to ye confiderat kyngis (quhilkis had ye Saxonis in maist hatrent) to schaw y^t the iniuris done to thaym be Saxonis▪ procedit only be kyng Uortigern but ony aduyse of his nobyllis. ¶For yocht Saxo∣nis war enrichit with lādis & rentis be Uortigern, ʒit al ye noblis of Bry¦tane war ennymes to thaym, knaw∣ing yair myndis set to vter euersion of thair realme & lyberte, as apperis weil be yair cruel dedis excercit lait∣ly to na les blasphematioun of god, thā martyrdome of crystyn pepyll. & becaus yir & mony othir importabyl cruelteis wer cumyn be necligēce of Uortigern assister to yair opinion, y^e nobles hes degradit him of auctori∣te & maid vortimer his son kīg. And forthir yai schew how Uortimer hes maid gret ordināce of battal to expel y^e saxonis out of Albiō, & desirit yair fore y^e cōfiderat king{is} to set asyde all iniuris, & concur with yame to resist ye cōmon trubyl appering to al y^e pe¦pil of Albion, & {pro}mittit (gif yai wald support ye Britonis in this extreme dangeir) to geif y^e landis beʒond Hū¦ber but ony pley ī tymes cumyng to to thair perpetual empyre with con∣sent of all the nobyllis & cōmonis of Britane. Congallus kyng of scottis

heirand thir offeris said to thir am∣bassatouris, he vnderstude weill in quhat dangeir ye realme of Britane stude be treason of Saxonis enny∣mes to cristyn faith, & was richt sory thairof, knawing na thyng bett (gif thay war nocht resisti•• in tyme) ye ca¦tholik faith suld expire in Britane. & yocht ye Britonis hes bene gret en∣nymes to his pepyll, ʒit to maik his labour manifest baith for ye cōmon weil of britane & heil of cristyn faith he suld rais his army & concur with thaym aganis Saxonis to ye deith. Swa that peace war ratifyit in sic maner amang thair pepyll, that all debaitis micht ceis, & the landis be∣ʒond Humber neuer to be reclamyt in tymes cumyng be the Britonis, thir ambassatouris beand depeschit with siclyke answere of Pychtis, re∣turnit to vortimer. The bād of peace was ratifyit sone efter amang ye bri¦tonis, pichtis, & scottis. And inconti¦nent thay ruschit al togidder to har¦nes aganis the Saxonis. The scot∣tis & picht{is} come with maist hatrent aganis the Saxonis dwellyng be∣tuix Humber and Tyne. And quhen thay war inuadyng thir Saxonis with maist cruelteis that culd be de∣uisit, thay persauit Occa cummand with displayit baner aganis thaym. Occa seand his ennymes appeir of sic strenth & multitud, y^t he micht not weil geif thaim feild▪ wist not quhat was to be done. Nochtheles y^• lang tary suld not febyl the curage of his folkis, he maid ane sygne be soūd of trumpat to iune. The first metyng was equalye fochtyn on all sydis. Bot at last the Saxonis hauand na pyssance to resist sa gret preis o•• en∣nymes fornens thaim began to geif bakkis. Occa stoppit thair fleing sa far as he mycht, sumtyme be mynas∣syng, sūtyme be respect of honouris. Nochtheles ye feir of deith mair pis¦sant amang abasit pepyll than ony charge of capitane maid thair discō∣fitour richt patent. Occa seing nane vthir way to saif his lyfe fled to the mouth of Hūber, quhare he gat ane bait, and come to Thamis with few nowmer of personis. The Scottis & Pychtis vsit this vyctory with gret cruelte on the Saxonis, and saiffit nane that perseuerit fechtand in the battal. And than ylkane began to ex¦hort othir to follow fast on ye chace, that thay mycht reuenge the cruel∣teis sa mony ʒeris done be thir Sax¦onis. Alwayis gret nowmer of Sax¦onis war slane in y^e battall, bot mair nowmer of thaym in the chace. In the mene tyme Uortimer rycht desy∣rus to recouer the lyberte of his re∣alme, rasit the baner of the croce, and commandit all crystyn pepyll to fol∣low the same. Thus he gaderit ane army of .lxxx. thousand men als weil of preistis and relygyous men, as of temporall estaitis. And be ye samyn he slew .x.M. Saxonis, and gat sa huge victory of thaim, y^• Kent schire with mony othir boundis adiacent war recouerit to the Brytonis. And all the landis lyand betuix Tyne and Humber restorit to the Scottis and Pychtis. ¶Hengist and Occa come out of the feild with the resy∣dew of thair vincust army and fled in Northumbirland with purpos to remane yair, quhil new power come to thaym out of Almany. Nochthe∣les thay war doung out of thay boū¦dis be scottis & pichtis, and chasit to the mouth of Humber, quhare thay fand schipp{is} & returnit with certane nobyllis of that samyn blud in Sax¦ony. Kyng Uortimer was sa mercy∣ful efter yis victory, y^t he brocht lityl

cruelte on the remanent Saxonis, bot sufferit thaym to returne in yair awin cuntre. And otheris (quhylkis war bot commonis) war sufferit to remane in kent with thair wyffis & childrin to lauboure the land vnder seruytude of Britonis. Roxena dou∣chter to Hēgist was sufferit (becaus scho was with child) to remane in ye toure of London with certane kepa∣ris to wait on hir. Than Uortimer set hym to purge his realme of al he¦ryseis brocht in it be Saxonis. And to repare the kirkis laitly bet down be thaym. For sindry Britonis war constranit be cruelte of Saxonis to make sacrifice to ydolis. And mony of thaym fell agane in herysy of Pe∣lagius. And to purge sic arrouris war send in Brytane out of France twa haly byschoppis Germanus & Lupus be desyre of kyng Uortimer. Fynaly all the Brytonis (that war found repugnant to gud religioun) war othir slane or banist the realme. And sa mony as wald nocht be ab∣iurat nor reuoik thair arrouris war brint. Uortimer recouerand y^e realm of Britane and bringand the samyn to the sicker faith, leuit certane ʒeris efter richt plesand to god & his sub∣dittis. Bot at last he was poysonit be Roxena and otheris nobyllis of brytane applauding to hir opinion.

☞Hovv the Britonis efter deith of kyng Vortimer fel in gret disputatioun quhay suld be kyng. And hovv Vorti∣gern vvas restorit to the crovvn of Bri∣tane. Ca. xvii.

EFter deith of Uorti∣mer ane conuention was maid at Londō quhare the nobyllis tuke lang consulta∣tion, quhiddir Uor∣tigern suld be tane out of prysoun, & restorit to his auctorite and honou∣ris as he was afore. Or gif y^e sonnis of Constantyne suld be brocht out of Bertanʒe to succeid to ye crown, sen thay war maist natyue thairto. Sū alliegit y^t Uortigern was penitent of all offencis done be hym aganis thair cōmon weill, & knawis be lāg ex{per}ience quhat heuy dāmage & iniu¦ris hes fallyn laitly to his pepyll be h{is} necligence & vnbridillit lust, & al∣liegit (sen he was ane prudēt prince vnbrokyn with trauell and weiris) he suld be restorit to the crown. For he had na thyng in mair hatrent thā treason of Saxonis, and knew weil how the realme suld be gouernit spe¦cially in sic extreme dangeir, as than apperit baith be Franchmen, Brito∣nis, and Saxonis. And was thair∣fore maist abyl to sustene thair char∣gis, gif he war sworne neuir to ad∣mit ony vncouth blude in Brytane to sustene yair weris. And to inuade the Saxonis with all maner of vio∣lence (gif thay returnit) in Albioun. As to the sonnis of Constantine to be brocht out of Bertanʒe to succeid to the crown of Britane, thay semyt vnganand thairto. For thay war ʒoung but experience of cheualry, & nocht abil to sustene sa gret chargis as apperit thā agan{is} yair ēnymes ī al partis. For y^e frenchmen (quhilkis laitly cōquest the realme of Gallis now callit France & richt desirus to conques ma realmes) war cōfiderat with y^e sonnis of Cōstantyne to cū in britane, & abiding not bot sufficient occasioun to inuade the samyn with siclike iniuris and tytyll of conques as y^e Saxonis wald. Throw quhilk ye cummyng of kyng Constantinis sonnis in Britane was na les suspi∣tious, than ye cumyng of Saxonis.

Otheris thocht it rycht suspitius to restore hym to y^e crown, quhom thay afore degradit be yair auctorite. For it mycht happyn that all thay (quhil¦kis war of that opinioun) suld othir be slane at his returnyng, or ellis exi¦lit y^e realme. Bot ʒit this last opinion was reieckit, be vniuersal voc{is} of al the noblis. Saying Uortigern was ane man of peace but desyre of ven∣geance, and set erar to amend all of∣fencis done aganis the weill of his su••dittis, than to reuenge ony iniu∣ris done to hym, nocht vnknawyng how proffitabyl all thay noblis war for the commoun weill (quhilkis de∣priuit hym of auctoryte, and gaif it to his sonne Uortimer as mair abyl for the gouernance thairof. ¶Efter lang consultatioun Uortigern was tane out of pryson, and restorit with gret triumphe to the crown. And he nocht onely remyttit al offencis and ••atrent, quhylkis he tuk aganis his nobyllis quhen thay degradit hym of auctorite, bot als resauit thaym with gret beniuolence and rewardit thaym richely for yair gud myndis.

¶Hovv Hengist & Occa returnit vvith nevv povver of Saxonis in Britane, and slevv mony noblis thairof, and tuk Vor¦tigern prisonere. Hovv Vortigern vvas banist in vvalis, and Hengist maid kyng of Britane. Ca. xviii.

UOrtigern efter his resti∣tutioun to the crown of Brytane, garnist all the strenthis of his realme, with gret ordinance aga∣nis quhatsumeuer aduentur{is} mycht fall, and held strang bandis of weir∣men about hym with na les cost thā he had bene presently to fecht with ēnymes. And behad hym sa prudent¦ly, that baith his nobyllis and com∣monis wyst nocht quhat honour•• & pleasour thay mycht do hym. Nocht lang efter he renewit p••ace with the confiderat kyngis in the samyn ma∣ner, as it was maid afore be kyng Uortimer his sonne. Quhyll Uorti∣gern was geuyn to sic materis, ti∣thyngis come that Hengist was ar∣ryuit at Thames hauand with hym his sonne Occa and his two brethir with incredibyll nowmer of Saxo∣nis, and dyd na iniuris nor offentis to the inhabytantis of the cuntre. Uortigern astonist of y^e dāmage ap∣pering to his pepil be cumyng of yir Saxonis, cōmandit the nobyllis of Brytane to meit hym haistely with yair power at Kent to withstand Hē¦gist, quhylk was cumyn with sa aw∣full army. That he purposit othir to subdew the cuntre to his empyre, or ellis to put the samyn to irrecouera∣byll heirschip. Quhais inhumane cruelteis beyng nocht haistely repres¦sit, na sicker lyfe mycht be to his pe∣pyll. The pryncis of Britane hering thir tithingis come haistely to Uorti¦gern with all fensabyl pepyll vnder thair boundis. Hengist knawyng ye myndis of Britonis mouit with ex∣treme hatrent aganis hym, thocht nocht expedient for that tyme to ieo∣parde hym to the chance of battall. For sen thay war delyuerit to fecht for defence of thair realme & lyberte to the deith, he mycht nocht haue vic¦tory but large murdir of his pepyll. For thir reasonis he set hym to do ye thyng be slycht, quhylkis he mycht nocht do be force of armys, and send ambassatouris to Uortigern. Say∣ing he was nocht cumyn in Britane to defraud his gud sonne Uortigern of the crown of Britane, for he was mai•• dete and precius to hym than ony othir thyng in erd. Nor ʒit was

he set to defraud the ʒoūg infant got¦tyn on Roxena h{is} douchter, bot erar to support thaym baith, & to punis thaym y^t slew the nobyl prince kyng Uortimer be poison. Attoure he was aduertist afore his cumyng out of Almany y^t his gud sonne Uortigern was brocht to sic infirmite be lang incarceratioun, that he mycht nocht leif ane ʒeir. And yairfore he was cū¦myng to kepe his ʒoung nepote vn∣defraudit of the crown of Britane. And forthir gif yir materis war not plesand to y^e Britonis, he suld haiste∣ly returne agane in Almany or ellis to remane quhare thay plesit. Sa y^t thay wald suffer his army to cum in Kent. Nocht to reiose y^e landis thair∣of, bot allanerly to recouer ye gudis quhilkis thay left behynd thaym at thair departyng. And forthir desyrit kyng Uortigern (gif it war plesand) to assigne ane day & place to intercō¦moun of thir & hiear materis concer¦nyng perpetuall amyte, kyndnes, & peace betuix Saxonis & Britonis. And gif thay list set this day▪ he suld cū yair with sa mony as thay thocht neidfull, armit or vnarmit at thair pleseir. Quhen ye nobyllis had tane consultation certane dayis quhethir thir desiris of Hengist suld be repul¦sit or nocht, thay war deuydit in syn¦dry opinionis. Mony of thaym be lang experience knew weill his fal∣set & slichtis, & beleuit nocht bot trea¦son hyd vnder dissaitfull wordis, & thairfore thocht the samyn to be re∣fusit. Otheris dreidand the ferocite & manheid of Saxonis thocht thair realme ouirbro••yn with weiris to suffer ony new affliction. And thair∣fore concludit to meit his gyle & fal∣set be siclyk slychtis, hauyng na con¦fidence in his wordis bot to laboure maist craftely to caus hym depart out of Britane with amyte & freind∣schip, & to spare nothir labour nor ex¦pen••{is} to bring his purpos to gud fy¦ne. And gif he wald na way depart w^t beniuolence, to inuaid hym maist cruelly, & to dyng hym out of thair boundis perforce, & deuysit for that same effect ane cūpany of maist for∣cy & vailʒeant men to be haldyn red∣dy aganis quhatsumeuir aduēture mycht fall, quhyl thay saw to quhat purpos or fyne his mynd was dely∣uerit. As to ye metyng of Uortigern & Hengist to intercōmoun of hie ma¦teris as he deuysit, thay thocht the same honest, sa that kyng Uortigern & Hengist met fra yair armyis with equale cumpanyis on all sydis but wappynnis. Mony of ye noblis con¦discēdit to this last opiniō, traisting fra Hengist had ressauit the guddis left behynd hym in Kent at his last departyng, yat he suld depart out of Britane with pleseir. Ʒit syndry o∣thir pryncis of Britane mycht nocht be satifyit in yair mynd, suspeckand ay sum hyd treason vnder thir desy∣ris of Hēgist, becaus he was cumyn in Britane with sa awfull power. Nochtheles the .x. day efter was fy∣naly set to Hengist & Uortigern, & baith sworn to cum allanerly with xxx. of the maist noblis of baith yair armyis, but ony swerd or dagere in thair cumpany to intercommoun on all materis to ye effect foresaid. The place (quhare thay cōuenit) was not far fra Salisbery on ane hyll callit Ambry, & quhen thay war cumyn to y^e samyn as was deuisit be Hengist, ylk Saxon had ane dagare hyd vn∣der his sleif, to sla the noblis of Bri∣tane quhen thay saw ganand occa∣sion, & quhen thay war at yair maist ernest cōmonyng, Hengist maid ane signe to ye Saxonis, & thay but ony

tary slew all the nobillis of Britane that come to this conuention except ane namyt Heldolus. Quhilk pullit ane dagger fra ane Saxoun, & with the samin slew sindry Saxonis, and deliuerit hym self out of yair hand{is}. Be this treasoun kyng Uortigerne wes takin, & brocht schamfully to ye army of Saxonis. Hengist deliuerit be this maner of al feir of ennymes come to Kent. The remanēt britonis rycht astonist of his cuming eftir pe¦tuous lamentation for slauchter of yair nobillis, maid yame with maist hatrent to reuenge ye samyn. Nocht the les seand na man able to tak yis charge on hand, thay supersedit yair purpos, & retournyt hame with gret displeseir. Uortigern traisting dayly to de be mannassyng of Saxonis, to deliuer hym self of the present dan∣geir randerit to Hengist all the mu∣••••tionis and strenthis of his realme with huge treasour of gold & siluer ī cōpositioun of his ranson. And qu∣hen he wes deliuerit of bondage be this way, he past with ye residew of Britonis with thair wyffis and chil¦drin in Walis. Quhair all the pepil discendyng of y^e Britonis blude mo∣ny ʒeris eftir succedit. All the rema∣nent landis of Britane ʒeid than vn¦der the empyre of Saxonis. Ye vail¦ʒeant dedis of Hengist schawin in Almany, causit ane multitude of pe∣pil to cum in Britane of greter nou∣mer than afore with cōmonis, wiffis & childrin to inhabit y^e land. Throw quhais cumyng Hengist grew of sic pissance that the Britonis wer of na power in cōpair of Saxonis in Bri¦tane. Hengist seand Uortigern put fra ye crown & banist ī walis, thocht best to stable the crown to hym. And set ane conuentioun of Saxonis in Lōdon & maid hym self king. Syne cōmandit the cuntre neuir to be cal∣lit in tymes cūyng y^e realm of Brito¦nis, bot y^e realm of saxonis. And so y^e realme wes callit Hengist land. And the pepill Hengistmen. Bot now be corruptioun of langage the realme is callit Inglād, & y^e pepill Inglish∣men. Be this samyn decreit wes cō∣mandit y^t na Britonis suld be found out of Walis within .xx. dayis eftir the proclamatioun vnder the pane of deith. Siclik y^t na mā suld leif of ye faith of Crist, or to do ony cerymo¦neis efter the rite of crystyn pepyll vnder y^e samin pane. The day byrun gret murdir & punicioun was maid on al yame y^• war repugnant to this proclamation. The p̄latis war slane at ye alter, the kirkis brint. And as Bede sayis baith y^e publict & priuate housis war bet down to the ground be tyranuy of Saxonis. And ʒit yair was ane othir thing mair miserabyl to yame than al thir calamiteis. Sa far enragit ye cruelteis of Saxonis y^t na men durst bury ye cristin pepil. Mony miserabil britonis war takin in ye montanis seikand thair fude, & but ransoun, fauour, or mercy slane▪ Otheris fled out of the cuntre, othe∣ris baid styll in Britane amang the desertis and montanis of the samyn ay in feir of thair ennymes.

¶Hovv Vortigern demandit the pro∣phete Marlyne of the end of his lyfe. & of Marlynis ansvver. Hovv Ambrose & Vter come in Vvalis & brint Vortigern vvith his sonne and riches. Ca. xix.

ALs sone as the Saxonis had conquest Britane on this maner, thay garnyst the strenthis thairof in al {per}tis with men, munition, & vittallis, & vsit the cursit ritis of paganis, aberand fra ye cristin faith & makand odoratioun to ydolis, as

As thay wer institute in yair first er∣rouris. Throw quhilkis the kirkis sum tyme had in reuerence amang cristin pepill with the blude of yair cursyt sacrifice wer defowlit. And that thair ennymes suld not inuaid thaym vnprouisitlie, thay laid ane strāg garison of armit men for••ens the bordouris in all partis of thair realme. And brocht ilk day new pe∣pil out of Almany to expel y^e Scott{is} & Pychtis out of ye landis y^t lay be∣tuix Hūbir & Tyne. Uortigern spul∣ʒeit of his croun, and seing his enny¦mes multiplie baith at hame and on feild and siclik the saxonis & franche men haitit hym na les than britonis wes sa disparit for his corruppit life yat he beleuit na support of god nor ʒit of othir mortale creaturis to reco¦uer his realme. And thairfore he set his ingyne to haif knawlege of thin¦gis to cum be response of {pro}phettis as is the vse of disparit pepill in ex∣treme dangeir but refuge. Inconti∣nēt he brocht afore hym ane prophet namyt Merlyne. And inquirit hym quhat suld be the end of his empyre and lyfe. This Merlyne wes gottin (as the fame wes) be conmixtion of ane deuill in forme of man with ane lady of Britane. And wes lernit be wichecraft to rais wekit spretis to his familiar cōmonyng. And be yir narrationis knew mony thingis to cum. Als sone as vortigern had bro∣cht yis Merlyne afore hym, he inqui¦rit quhat suld be the end of his wer{is} Or gyf he mycht recouer the crown of Britane. And finalie quhat suld be ye end of his son & hym self. Gyf ony of his blude suld regne behynd hym in Britane. Or gyf he mycht haue ony skaith be wer{is} of Ambrose and franchemen. Merlyne answerit pertlie to thir petitionis, that baith vortigern & h{is} childrin within schort tyme suld be vincust be Ambrose & Uter sonnis of Constantyne. And suld be brynt with all his treasour•• and gudis. This prophecy of Mer∣lyne wes weill prouin in the end of his empire. For sone eftir y^e said Am∣brose & Uter come out of Bertanʒe to Walis with ane army to reuenge the slauchter of kyng Constantius yair brothir, quhilk wes slane be dis¦sait of the said Uortigern. Als sone as Uortigern hard of thair cuming▪ he assemblit ane gret power hauand na confidence in this prophecy, and come with arrayit oist aganis Am∣brose & Uter. And left behynd hym his son with all his treasour in ane castell of Walis, traistyng (gyf he suld peris) mair honest to de fechtād in battall aganis his ennymes than ony othir wayis. Skarslie wer the armyis Iunit, quhen mony of yame (that faucht in ye first wyng of Uor¦tigernis army) come to Ambrose. Thus succedit victorie to Ambrose but ony straik. Uortigern seyng his army vincust Raif of h{is} coit armour and faucht with incredible cōstance to that fyne, that he mycht haue deit amang the cōmonis and escheuit ye fatall necessite of deith, quhilk wes schawin to hym afore be prophecy of Merlyne. Nochtheles he wes brocht out of ye feild be his freindis in hope of better fortoun to y^e samyn castell quhair his sonne & treasoure wes left afore the battall. Ambrose hauand victorie on this wyse, fol∣lowit on Uortigern, & beltit y^e castel with strāg sege. & howbeit he mycht not tak it haistlie, ʒit y^t his army suld nocht be in dangeir throw lang tary he brocht mony huge sillis & treis out of the nixt wod, syne fillit the fowsis and trinchis of ye said castel

with the samyn. Eftir yis he kest bir¦nand faggott{is} with gret multitude of treis within the castell. Throwe quhilk the fyre grew sa bald that ye castell & all that wes within it brynt and wes resoluit in powdir. Accor∣dyng to the prophecy of Merlyne.

¶Of syndry illusyonis and dissaitis of the euyll spretis. Ca. xx.

TO declare quhat {pro}¦phete bene yis mer¦lyne gottin (as the fame wes) be ye de∣uill, or gif sic gene∣ratioun be possible to nature of man, it {per}tenis litill to y^e purpos quhilk we tuke on hand. Nochtheles becaus we haue fallin in cōmoning of sic de¦testable cōuersation of deuillis with the nature of man. We will writ sū thingis yat happinnit nocht lang a∣fore the makyng of this buke. The ʒeir of god .i.M.iiii.C.lxxxvi. ʒeris. Certane marchādis wer passand be∣tuix Forth & Flanderis (quhen hai∣stelie come sic ane thud of wynd) yat sail mast and ••aikillis wer blawin in the brym s••is, throw quhilk the schip beleuit nocht bot sicker deith. The patroun thairof astonist with sa huge and vncouth tempestis aga¦nis the season of y^e ʒeir becaus it wes about sanct Barnabyis day (quhen the seis apperis more calme than ra¦geand) traistit ye samyn erar cumin be illusioun of the deuil the ennyme of man, than be violence of weddir. In the mene tyme ye voce wes hard of ane woman in the how of ye schip wariand hir self. For y^e instant hou•• scho wes conuersit with ane deuil in ymage of ane man. And schew how this deuill had vsit hir in yat mane•• mony ʒeris afore. And thairfore be∣socht ye pepill to cast hir in the seis, that be hir deith the remenant pepill in the schip mycht de sauit. Than be cōmand of y^e patroun ane preist w••t to hir in y^e heuy cheir. Cōmandyng hir to mak confessioun of hir abho∣minable lyfe. And to haue cōfidence in god, be quhais mercy all synnis ar purgit, quhen the synnar hes re∣pentance and teris. Quhen yis wo∣man wes makand hir confessioun with gret repentance to the preist in sycht of al ye pepill. Ane vglie cloud with ane crak of fyre and ••eik flew out of the schip and fell doun with ane vennomus stink in the seis. In∣continent this tempest ceissit, and ye marchādis arriuit at ye port quhair thay desirit but ony forthir trubill. And about yis same time happinnit sic ane like exempill in ane town of Gariach nocht fourtene mylis fra Abirdene. Ane child of gret bewte complenit to y^e bischop of Abirdene, that he wes trubillit lang tyme be ane deuyll in forme of woman appe¦randly the fayrest creature that euir he saw in his lyfe, quhylk come to hym (quhen durris and wyndowis bene closit.) Syne tistit hym be vo∣luptuous brasing to hir plesoure, & departit ay in the brekyng of ye day but ony noyis. And yocht he had as∣sailʒeit mony wayis to be delyuerit of hir, ʒit he couth fynd na remeid. The bischop astonist of this illusion cōmādit th{is} ʒoūg child to resort hym in sū othir placis, & to be mair feruēt in fasting and prayer than he was afore. Quharthrow it mycht happin that the deuyl mycht be vincust and leif hym in tymes cumyng. And as the bischop deuysit sa it come efter to this ʒoung child, for he was dely∣uerit of this illusion be ye same ma∣ner.

Nocht lang fra this tyme hap∣pinnit ane thyng nocht vnlyke to ye samyn illusioun in the land of Mar as was schawin to ws be syndry yat saw the samyn. Ane madin of nobill blude and excellent bewte (efter that scho had refusit the mariage of mo∣ny nobyll men) fell in abhominabyll conuersation with y^e deuyl. Hir frein¦dis seing hir wamb rise, commandit hir to schaw y^e deflorar of hir chasti∣te. To quhome scho answerit, y^t ane lusty child (as apperit) vsit to cū to hir in the nicht, & sumtyme in y^e day. Howbeit scho wist not how he come nor how he departit. Hir freindis ri∣cht desyrus to knaw the maner (as scho reuelit) war aduertist at last be the madyn that lay in hir chalmer, y^t the deflorar of this madin was cu∣myn. Incontinent thay come with huge licht of torchis and candellis to the bed quhare scho lay, and fand in hir armis ane maist terribyl mon¦stoure. Mony pepyl ran to se y^e sicht. Amang quhome was ane preist of gud lyfe and spreit, quhilk seing ye remanent pepyl astonist tuk na feir, bot abaid styll redand the euangyll of sanct Iohne namit In principio. And quhen he had red to Verbum ca∣ro factum est. The deuyll flew away with horribyll cry and bure the bed and rufe of the hous with hym. The thrid day efter this woman was de∣lyuerit of ane monstour of mair ter∣ribyll visage than euir was sene be ony pepyll afore. The meidwiffes brint the samyn that it suld nocht re¦mane to the dishonour of the hous. And becaus thir illusionis of deuyl∣lis war sene in oure dayis, we haue collecket thaim in our buke, that the reidaris may vnderstand sic illusio∣nis of deuyllis may be. Forthir tui∣ching y^e propheciis of Marlyn (how¦beit mony of thaym be verifiit ī our dayis). We wyll leif thaym to be dis¦cussit be Theologis, quhidder thay suld be abrogat or haue faith, for we wyl stand content to obey thair con∣clusionis, and writ furth the vailʒe∣ant deidis of nobyl men as we haue begun and returne to oure hystory quhare we left.

¶Hovv Ambrose vvas confiderat vvith Scottis and Pichtis▪ and hovv he slevv Hengist and dang the Saxonis out of Britane. Hovv his tvvo systeris vvat mariit on the confiderat kyngis, and of syndry haly men. Ca. xxi.

EFter deith of Uorti∣gern ylk day come to Ambrosius mair confluence of pepil, throw quhilk he had sa strang ane army that he tuke purpos to recouer his realme. And to do y^e samyn mair ple¦sandly, he gat Scottis and Pichtis (becaus thay had extreme hatrent a∣ganis saxonis (cōfiderat with hym. In the mene tyme gret nowmer of Britonis come to hym quhilkis war banist afore be Hengist amang the Scottis and pichtis. Ambrose seing ylk day sa gret multitude of pepyll cumand to hym all of ane mynd to recouer thair realme went to ane hie mote quhare he micht be sene. And complenit the treasonabill deidis of Uortigern aganis the hous of Con∣stātine in dāmage of britonis & yair common weill, & lamentit the huge cruelte of saxonis done aganis god and man. Throw quhilk he enflam∣mit all the pepyl in sic desyre to reco∣uir yair lyberte, and to reuenge the iniuris done to thaym, that thay with ane consent war delyuerit to

follow his baner aganis Saxonis. And to cause yair purpos to be mair stablit thay maid hym king of Bri∣tane. Fra the incarnatioun of god. iiii.C.lxxxxviii. ʒeris. efter •• Uorti∣gern & Uortimer his son had rong. xvii. ʒeris in britane. Ambrose maid kyng in this maner begā to put his pepyl in sic ordour as he was lernit in ye weris of France, & come forth∣wart with displayit baner aganis y^e saxonis. The .vi. day efter met hym Loth kyng of Pychtis & Conrann{us} lieutenand to Cōgall{us} kyng of scot∣tis with ane gret army. Ambrose ry∣cht glaid of thair cumyng ressauit yame with gret beniuolence, & pro∣mittit (quhen he micht haue oportu∣nite) to recōpence yair kindnes. In∣continent Ambrose rasit his tentis & come with thre battallis of Scottis Pichtis & Britonis to ane place 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mahesbel. For Hengist was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thair with ane army of Saxo∣nis abiding thair cumyng. Quhill ye tea••is of baith ye armyis war stā∣dyng thus in athir sicht, followit fre¦quent preiking skarmussyng & syn∣gular battallis on athir syde. Quhil at last yai iunit togidder. And quhē thay had fochtyn lang with vncer∣tane victory, the pepyll of Bertanʒe with Frenchemen fechtand aganis the myddilward of Saxonis be new ingyne & practik of battal dyd yame gret trubyll. Be than the scottis and Pichtis had brokyn bath ye wingis of thair ennymes in sic maner yat y^e standartis of Britonis, pichtis, and Scottis war cumyn out throw the Saxonis and met togidder. Incon∣tinent y^e Saxonis gaif backis. Hen∣gist seing na way to renew battall mon••t on his hors, and was the last man y^t fled in his army. Ambrose se∣yng the feild discomfist followit in maist hatrent on Hengist & ran hym throw the body with ane speir. The residew of Saxonis astonist be his slauchter fled with Occa his sonne to the nixt montanis. Efter this vic∣tory Ambrose come with his victo∣rius army to London, and maid all ye Saxonis & soudiouris (quhilkis war left to defend y^e town) sa affray∣it quhen thay hard Hengist slane & his army discomfist, y^t yai oppinnit the portis and fell on kneis petuisly desyring grace. Than Ambrose put ane buschement of armit men to the portis, y^• na ••an suld depart, quhyll he had tane aduisement quhat was to be done. And incōtinent he past to the castell. The nobyllis (quhilkis war left to defend the samyn be Hen¦gist) seyng hym cum with victory on this wyse fell on kneis afore hym, and said. ye goddis hes geuyn to ye (maist inuyncybyll prince) licence to punis ws at thy plesour, becaus thy manheid and fortoun is inuinsibill. Nochtheles gif it be lefull to ʒoldin and miserabyll creaturis dei••ckit to extreme rewyne be hatrent of godd{is} to implore mercy and grace afore ane victorius campioun (quhen lyfe and deid is in his handis) we lawly beseikis the for ye happy victory fal¦lyng be strang battall to the as rich∣tuous prince of this realme, to suffir ws of thy benyng grace to returne nakit wappinles and scurgit with wandis (gyf it be thy pleasoure) in our awin regioun. Gyf thow wyll condiscend thairto, thow sall be put in memory not only for maist honest victory aganis sa pyssant ennymes, bot als for thy mercy geuin to deso∣late pepil. Ambrose mouit be yir wor¦dis wrocht na iniuris on Saxonis. Bot tuk the castel and sufferit yame to pas hame with all thair guddis.

Sone efter be generall edict al fen∣sabyl men of Saxonis wer cōman∣dit to pas in Almany, bot y^e remanēt baid styl as labouraris of y^e ground cōtent to pay tribute to Ambrose, & to ressaue ye cristyn faith. Efter this victory al Britonis (yat war exilit in syndry partis of y^e warld eschewyng the tyranny of Saxonis) returnit in britane. Thā kyng Ambrose cōman¦dit al kirkis to be reparit, ye preistis & religious men to be restorit to yair liberte & rowmes. Throw quhilk ye cristyn faith was in gret veneration throw all {per}tis of Britane. The yma¦geris of ydolis put down, & all ydo∣lis (quhare thay war app̄hendit) bro¦kyn, & general processyon maid syn∣dry dayis be ye pepyl. The kirkis & housis decorit with flouris, claythis of arres & tapestreis, & the stretis re∣sounding with heuynly noyis & me∣lody in maist delicius musik to ye cō¦solation & reiosyng of pepyll. Than Ambrose to schaw his beniuolence mair feruent to the cōfiderat pepyll, brocht Loth king of Pichtis & Con∣rann{us} gouernour of scottis within London, leuand thair armyis nocht far fra y^e samyn, & feistit thaym cer∣tane dayis with all maner of dāteis that mycht be deuisit. And quhen he had rewardit thaim with riches and Iowellis (as afferit) he commandit thaym be assent of his nobillis to be honorit amang his pepyll, as defen∣douris & recoueraris of his realme. Sic thyngis done, new peace was maid betuix thaym vnder thir con∣ditionis. Al landis liand beʒond Hū¦ber suld pas in perpetual dominion of scottis & pichtis but ony clame of Britonis ī tymes cumyng, & y^e Sax∣onis to be haldyn ēnymes to thaym baith. And gif ye Saxonis returnit in ony part of Albion, the Albianis with equale mynd suld cōcur togid∣der to resist thaym. Thir cōditionis of peace wer the better kepit be affi∣nite y^t followit efter. For Ambrose had two sisteris, of quhilkis y^e eldest namit Anna was maryit on Loth kyng of Pichtis, & the ʒoungest na∣mit Ada was maryit on Conrann{us} to y^e fyne y^t the Albanis suld be hal∣dyn togidder vnder ane blud & ami∣te to withstand the Saxonis. This Ada partit with child within two ʒe¦ris efter scho come in Scotland & de¦ceissit. And sa y^e affinite ceissit betuix Ambrose and Conrann{us}, bot Anna bure vnto Loth kyng of pichtis thre sonnis Modreid, Walwane, & Tha¦mete, as we sall efter schaw. The bri¦tonis, scottis, and pichtis stude mo∣ny ʒeris in gud amyte & concord but ony iniure of ennymes. In the mene tyme part of Saxonis (quhilk{is} wer sufferit to remane vnder tribute, & to tak the crystyn fayth) maid priuate sacrifice to ydolis, & war brynt quhē it was knawin. In the samyn tyme Cōgall{us} kyng of scottis vexit be lāg infirmite deceissit y^e .xx. ʒeir of his em¦pire. & was buryit in y^e abbay of Co••¦mekill. About this tyme war mony haly mē in syndry partis of y^e warld as Remigius byschop of Remens, quhilk gaif y^e sacrament of bapteme to Clodouius king of France. This Clodouius biggit ane kirk of sanct Genouefa hallowar of Paris. In yai days war amang ws Colmane, Medane, & Modane gret precheou∣ris. Syndry Britonis wer martyrit afore this tyme in Albion be cruelte of saxonis. Throw quhilk mony of yame fled ī scotland, amang quhom was Patriciane ane mā of singular deuotion, quhilk was eft bischop of y^e Ile of Man, & deceissit ī ye tyme of Cōrannus, of quhilk salbe our nixt history. And sa endis heir the aucht buke of thir cronyklis,