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Ethodius, the Twenty Fifth King.
EThodius was set up in his stead, Mogaldus's Sisters Son; He im∣mediately convened the Estates, and thereupon highly extol∣led Argadus, and after he had bestowed on him great Honours, and large Rewards, he made him Plenipotentiary, under him, for the Administration of the Government; when he had made his Pro∣gress to view all the Counties and Parts of his Dominions, accord∣ing to Custom, he Sailed over to the Aebudae Islands; Argadus was sent by him to quell the Disturbers of the Publick Peace; who soon sup∣pressed them, and brought them Prisoners to the King. These Com∣bustions thus appeased, he returned into Albium; but the Islanders being freed by his absence, from their present Fear; and further, being persuaded by false Reports, spread abroad, That he was en∣gaged in a Foreign War; and besides, being provoked, rather than suppressed, by the punishment of their Associats, began to raise new Tumults. m Argadus was again sent to suppress them, but they, being assisted both by the Picts and Irish, gave him Battel, with∣out any delay, in which Fight, Argadus himself, being circumvent∣ed by Treachery, was slain: That Blow made the King lay aside all other Business, and to march thither himself; where he so wasted them, with some light occasional Skirmishes, and by his frequent Alarms and Inroads upon them, that, being inferior to him in Force, they retired into a Valley, encompassed on all sides with craggy Rocks, having only one Passage leading into it, that so, the Con∣veniencie of the Place, as they thought, might somewhat contribute to their Safety. n Ethodius, perceiving the disadvantage of the Place for his Enemy, disposed of his Guards in fit Avenues; and also made a Wall and a Graft at the mouth of the Passage; by which means they were brought to that extreme Penury of all things, that they were forced to yield up themselves to the King, at discretion. They were willing to accept of any Conditions; but the King gave them only These; That Two hundred of them, such as the King should cull out, with their General, should be surrendred up to him; The rest should eve∣ry Man return to his own home. The Punishment of those, who were thus given up, being presently inflicted on them, had almost raised up a new Sedition; For the common Soldiers were so enraged at so terrible a Spectacle, that, for want of Arms, they threw Stones at the King's Officers. Neither was their tumultuous Fury allay∣ed, without much Bloodshed. Thus Ethodius, having setled Peace every where, in order to the Administration of Justice, made his Progress over all his Kingdom, much delighting himself in Hunting by the way, so that he made many o Venary Laws, of which, a great part are observed to this very day. He had an Irish Musician or p Harper, lying all night in his Bed-chamber, (accor∣ding to the Custom of the Scotish Nobility) by whom he was slain in the night, in revenge of a Kinsman of his, whom, he said, the King had put to Death. When he was led forth to Execution, he was so unconcerned at his Torture, that he seemed to be very glad, as if he had done but his Duty, and acted his Part with applause.