The history of Scotland written in Latin by George Buchanan ; faithfully rendered into English.

Nathalocus, The Thirtieth King.

NAthalocus, thinking, that he had slain Him, who stood most in his way, was, the First of all the Scots that ambitiously sought for the Kingdom. 'Tis true, a great part of the Nobility were a∣gainst Him; yet, by means of those whom he had corrupted by Pro∣mises and Bribes, he carried the Point, and was made King. Neither did he manage the Kingdom any better than he got it. For sus∣pecting the Nobility, which, in the Parliaments of the Kingdom, he had found to be adverse to him, he Governed all by the Ministry of Plebejans, whom Audaciousness and Penury (he knew) would ea∣sily incline to any wickedness. Besides those Suspicions I have men∣tioned, he was encountred with a far more grievous one; for, inter∣cepting Letters directed to some of the Chief Nobles, he understood by them, That Dorus, and the Children of Athirco, were yet alive, and were brought up amongst the Picts, in hopes of the Kingdom. To avoid this Danger, he sent for those Nobles, whom he most sus∣pected, to come to him, pretending he had need of their Advice, in the Publick Affairs of the Kingdom. When d 1.1 they were assem∣bled, he shut them all up in Prison, and, the very next night, caused them all to be strangled. But, that which he hoped would be a Remedy to his Fears, was, but as a Firebrand to raise up another Conspiracy. For the Friends of those who were slain, being afraid of themselves, as well as grieving for the loss of their Relations and Kindred, unanimously take up Arms against him. Whilst he was raising an Army to oppose them, he was slain by one of his own Domesticks, about the Twelfth Year of his Reign. Some of our Country-men do add a Tale in the Case, which is more handsom∣ly Contrived, than likely to be True. That the very Man, who slew the King, had been before sent by him to Southsayers, to en∣quire concerning the King, his Victories, his Life, and Kingdom; And that an old Wizard should answer him, That the King should not live long, but his Danger would arise, not from his Enemies, but from his Domesticks; And when he pressed the Woman, From which of them? She replyed, Even, from thy Self, Man. Whereupon, he cur∣sed the Woman; yet returning home in a great Quandary, he

thought with himself, That the Womans Answer could not be con∣cealed; and yet it was not safe for him to declare it, lest he should render himself suspected to the King, who was a depraved Person and guided wholly by his own Fears. And therefore it seemed to him, the safest Course to kill the Tyrant with the Favour of many, than to preserve him alive, with the extreme hazard of his own Life. Presently after he returned home, having obtained Liberty of pri∣vate Access, to declare the secret Answer of the Oracle, or Con∣jurer, e 1.2 he slew the King, now entring upon the Twelfth Year of his Reign; and so freed his Country from Bondage, and himself from Danger.

Notes

• d 1.1

  Nathalocus Murders the Nobility trea∣cherously.
• e 1.2

  He himse•••• •• slain by one 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Dome∣sticks.