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

Malcolm, III. The Eighty Sixth King.

MALCOLM, having thus recovered his Fathers Kingdom, was Declared King at Scone, the 25th day of April, in the Year of our Redemption, 1057. At the entrance of his Reign, he convened an Assembly of the Estates at Forsar; where the First thing he did, was, to restore to the Children their Father's Estates, who had been put to death by Mackbeth; He is thought by some to have been the First, that introduced * 1.1 New and Foreign Names, as distin∣guishments of Degrees in Honour, which he borrowed from his Neighbor-Nations, and are no less Barbarous than the former were: Such as are Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Barons, Riders or Knights. * 1.2 Mack∣duff, the Thane of Fife, was the First who had the Title of Earl, con∣ferred upon him, and many others afterwards, according to their re∣spective Merits, were honoured with New Titles. Some write, That at that time Noblemen began to be Sirnamed by their Lands, which, I think, is false, for that Custom is not yet received amongst the An∣cient Scots; and besides, then all Scotland used their Ancient Rights and Customs, but, instead of a Sirname, after the manner of the Greeks, they added their Fathers Name to their own; or else, adjoyn∣ed a Word taken from some Event; or, from some Mark of Body, or Mind; and that this Custom did then obtain amongst the Gauls, is plain, by those Royal Sirnames of Crassus, Calvus, Balbus, and also, by the Sirnames of many Noble Families in England, especially, such as followed William the Conqueror, and fixed their Habitations there. For the Custom of taking Sirnames from Lands, was received but lately amongst the other Gauls, as appears by Frossard's History, no mean Author. Mackduff had Three Requests granted to him, as a

Reward for his Services. One, That his Posterity should place the King, who was to be Crowned, in the Chair of State; Another,* 1.3 That they should lead the Van of the Kings Armies: And a Third, That, if any of his Family were Guilty of the unpremeditated slaugh∣ter of a Nobleman, he should pay Four and Twenty Marks of Sil∣ver, as a Fine; if of a Plebeian, Twelve Marks: Which last Law was observed till the days of our Fathers, as long as any of that Family were in being.

Whilst these things were acted at Forfar; They, who remained of the Faction of Mackbeth, carryed his Son, Luthlac, to Scone, (who was Sirnamed Fatuus, from his Disposition)▪ and there he was Salu∣ted King. Malcolm assaulted him in the Valley * 1.4 Bogian, where he was * 1.5 slain, three Months after he had Usurped the Name of King; yet, out of respect to his Kingly Race, His, and his Fathers Bodies were buried in the Royal Sepulchres in * 1.6 Ionia. Afterwards, he Reigned four years in Peace. Then word was brought him, that a great Troop of Robbers were Nested in Cockburn-Forest, and that they infested Lothian and Merch, to the great damage of the Hus∣bandman. Patric Dunbar, with some Trouble, overcame them, losing Forty of his own Men in the Onset, and killing 600 of Them. Forty more of them were taken Prisoners, and hanged▪ Patric, for this Exploit, was made Earl of Merch.

The Kingdom was now so settled, that no open Force could hurt the King, yet he was assaulted by Private * 1.7 Conspiracies. The whole Plot was discovered to him, whereupon he sent for the Head of the Faction, and, after much familiar Discourse, he led him aside into a secret Valley, commanding his Followers to stay behind. There he upbraided him with the former Benefits bestowed on him, and de∣clared to him the Plot he had contrived against his Life; adding further, if Thou hast Courage enough, why dost thou not now set upon me, seeing we are both Armed, that so thou mayst obtain thy desire by Valour, not by Treachery? He, being amazed at this sud∣den Discovery, fell down on his Knees, and asked Pardon of the King, who being a Merciful, as well as Valiant, Prince, easily for∣gave him. Matthew Paris makes mention of this Passage.

In the mean time, Edgar, to whom, next to Edward, the Crown of England belonged, being driven by contrary Winds, came into Scotland, with his whole Family. What I am to speak concerning this Person, that it may be the better understood, I shall fetch things a little higher.

* 1.8 Edmond, King of England, being slain by the Treachery of his Subjects; Canutus, the Dane, who Reigned over Part of the Island, presently seized upon the Whole. At first, he Nobly treated Ed∣ward and Edmond, the Sons of the Deceased Edmond, when they were brought to him. Afterwards, being edged on by wicked Am∣bition, he, desirous to confirm the Kingdom to his Posterity, by their Destruction, sent them away privately to Valgar, Governour of Swedland, to be Murdered there. Valgar, understanding their Noble stock, and considering also their Age and Innocence, withal taking Compassion of their Condition and Fortune, sent them to Hungary to King Salomon, pretending to Canutus. That he had put them death.

There they were Royally Educated and so much grateful Toward∣liness appeared in Edward, that Salomon culled him out of all the Young Nobles, to give him his Daughter Agatha to Wife. By her he had Edgar, Margaret, and Christian. In the mean time, Canutus dying, Hardicanute succeeded him. When he was slain, Edward was recalled from Normandy, whither he was before Banished, together with his Brother Alured; Earl Godwyn, a powerful man, of English Blood, but who had Married the Daughter of Canutus, was sent to fetch them home. He, being desirous to transfer the Kingdom into his own Family, caused Alured to be Poysoned; as for Edward, he was preserved, rather by Gods Providence, than by any human Counsel, and Reigned most devoutly in England. But, wanting Children, his Chief care was, to recal his Kinsman out of Hungary to undertake the Government, alleging, That when Edgar returned, he would willingly surrender up All to him; but His Modesty out∣did the Kings Piety; for he refused to accept of the Kingdom, as long as he was alive.

At length, upon Edwards death, Harald, Godwyns Son, invaded the Throne, yet he dealt kindly with Agatha, the Hungarian, and her Children. But he being also overthrown by William the Nor∣man; Edgar, to avoid Williams Cruelty, resolved with his Mother and Sisters to return into Hungary; but by a Tempest he was driven into Scotland. There he was Courteously entertained by Malcolm, who made him his Kinsman also by the Marriage of his Sister, Mar∣garet. * 1.9 William, then Reigning in England, upon every light Oc∣casion, was very cruel against the Nobles either of English or Danish Extraction. But understanding, what was a doing in Scotland, and fearing a Tempest might arise from thence, he sent an Herald to demand Edgar, denouncing War against Scotland, unless he were surrendred up. * 1.10 Malcolm looked upon it as a cruel and faithless Thing, to deliver up his Suppliants Guest and Kinsman (and one, against whom his very Enemies could object no Crime) to his Ca∣pital Enemy to be put to Death, and therefore resolved to suffer any thing, rather than so to do. And thereupon he not only detained, and harboured, Edgar, but also gave Admission to his Friends, who, in great Numbers, were Banished from their own homes, and gave them Lands to live upon; whose Posteritys were there Propagated into many Rich and Opulent Families. Upon this Occasion, there fol∣lowed a War betwixt the Scots and English, wherein Sibert, King of Northumberland favouring Edgar, joyned his Forces with the Scots. The Norman, being puff'd up with the good Success of his Affairs, made light of the Scotish War, and thinking to end it in a short time, he sent one Roger, a Nobleman of his own Country, with Forces into Northumberland. But he, be∣ing overcome and put to flight, was at last Slain by his own Men.

Then Richard, Earl of Glocester, was sent with a greater Army, but he could do but little good,* 1.11 neither; for Patrick Dunbar, wearied him out with light Skirmishes, so that his Men could not straggle for to get in Prey; at last, Odo, William's Brother, and Bishop of Bayon, being made Earl of Kent, came down with a much greater strength; he made great spoil in Northumberland, and slew some, who thought

to stop him from plundering; but, as he was returning with a great Booty, Malcolm, and Sibert, set upon him, slew and took many of his Army, and recovered the Prey. When his Army was recruited, Robert, William's Son, was sent down thither, but he made no great Earnings of it neither, only he pitched his Camp at the River Tine, and he rather kept off, than made, or inferred, the War. In the mean time, he repaired Newcastle,* 1.12 which was almost decayed by rea∣son of its Antiquity. William being thus wearied with a War, more tedious than profitable, his Courage being somewhat cooled, applied himself to thoughts of Peace; which was made on these Conditions. That in Stanmore, i. e. a Stony Heath, (a Name imposed on it,* 1.13 for that very Cause,) lying between Richmond-shire and Cumberland, the Bounds of both Kingdoms should be fixed; and in the Boundary a * 1.14 Cross of Stone should be Erected, which should contain the Statues, and Arms, of the Kings of Both Sides: That Cross, as long as it stood, was called, Kings Cross; That Malcolm should enjoy Cumber∣land, upon the same Terms as his Ancestors had held it. Edgar was also received into William's Favour, and endowed with large Reve∣nues; and that he might prevent all occasion of suspition of his inno∣vating things, he never departed from the Court. Voldiosus also, the Son of Sibert, was to have his Fathers Estate restored to him; and besides, he was admitted into Affinity with the King, by Marrying a Neice of his, born of his Daughter.

* 1.15 Intestine Tumults did succeed this External Peace; for the Men of Galway, and of the Aebudae, did Ravage and commit Murders over all their Neighbouring Parts; and the Murray-Men, with those of Ross, Caithness, and their Allies, made a Conspiracy, and assuming their Neighbour Islanders to their Aid, gave an Omen of a greater War. Walter, the Nephew of Bancho, by his Son Fleanchus, who was before received into Favour with the King, was sent against the Galway-Men; and Macduff, against the other Rebels; whilst the King himself was gathering greater Forces. Walter slew the Head of that Faction, and so quell'd the common Souldiers, that the King at his Return, made him Lord Steward of all Scotland, for his Good Service.

This Magistrate was to gather in all the Kings Revenues; also▪ he had a Jurisdiction, such as the Sheriffs of Counties have;* 1.16 and he is the same with That, which our Ancestors called a Thane. But now a days, the English Speech getting the better of our Country Lan∣guage, the Thanes of Counties, are in many places, called Stewards; and he, which was anciently called Abthane, is now the Lord High Steward of Scotland: Yet, in some few places, the Name of Thane doth yet remain. From this Walter, the Family of the Steuarts, who have so long Reigned over Scotland, took its Beginning.

But Macduff, warring in another Province, when he came to the Borders of Marr, the Marrians promised him a Sum of Money, if he would not enter into their Province; and he, fearing the Multi∣tude of the Enemy, did protract the time in Proposals and Terms of a pretended Peace, till the King arrived with greater Forces. When they came to the Village * 1.17 Monimuss, they joined Camps; and the King, being troubled at the bruit of the Enemies Numbers, promised

to devote the Village,* 1.18 whither he was going, to St. Andrew the A∣postle, the Tutelary Saint of Scotland, if he returned Victor from that Expedition. After a few Removes, he came to the River Spey, the violentest Current in all Scotland, where he beheld a greater num∣ber of Soldiers, than, he thought, could have been levied out of those Countries, standing on the other side of the River, to hinder his Passage. Whereupon, the Standard Bearer, making an Halt, and delaying to enter the River, he snatch'd the Standard out of his Hand, and gave it to one Alexander Carron, a Knight of known Valour, whose Posterity had ever afterwards the Honour of carrying the Kings Standard,* 1.19 in the Wars; and in stead of Carron, the Name of Scrimger was given him; because he, being full of true Valour, though ignorant of the Modes and Niceties of War, had out-done One, who was a Master in handling of Arms, and who valued him∣self highly upon that Account. As the King was entring the River, the Mitred Priests, with their Mitres on their Heads, prevented him; who, by his Permission, having passed over to the Enemy before, had ended the War without Blood.* 1.20 The Nobles surrendred themselves upon Quarter for Life: Those, who were the most Seditious, and and the Authors of the Rising, were Tryed, had their Goods Con∣fiscated, and themselves Condemned to perpetual Imprisonment.

Peace being thus, by his great Industry, obtained, both at home and abroad; he converted his pains to amend the publick Manners; for, he lived Devoutly and Piously himself, and provoked others, by his Example, to a Modest, Just, and Sober, Life. It is thought, that he was assisted herein, by the Counsel and Monitions of his Wife, a choice Woman, and eminently Pious. She omitted no Office of Humanity towards the Poor, or the Priests; neither did Agatha, the Mother,* 1.21 or Christiana, the Sister, come behind the Queen in any Religious Duty: For, because a Nuns Life was then accounted the great Nourisher and Maintainer of Piety, Both of them leaving the toilsome Cares of the World, shut themselves up in a Mona∣stery appointed for Virgins. Then the King, to the Four former Bi∣shopricks of St. Andrews, Gasgow, Whithorn, and * 1.22 Murthlack, (where the old Discipline, by the Bishops Sloth and Default, was either remit∣ted, or laid quite aside) added * 1.23 That of Murray, and Caithness, procuring Men Pious, and Learned, according to the rate of those times, to fill the Sees. And whereas also * 1.24 Luxury began to abound in those days, in regard many English came in, and great Commerce was had with Foreign Nations; and also many English Exiles were entertained and scatt'red almost all over the Kingdom; he laboured, though to little purpose, to restrain it. But he had the hardest Task of all, with the Nobles, whom he endeavoured to reclaim to the Practice of their ancient Parsimony; for they, having once swallo∣wed the bait of Pleasure, did not only grow worse and worse, but even ran headlong into Debauchery; yea, they laboured to cover that foul Vice, under the false Name of Neatness, Bravery, and Gal∣lantry. Malcolm, forseeing, that such courses would be the Ruin not only of Religion, but also of Military Discipline, did, first of all, Reform his own Family, very exactly; afterwards, he made most se∣vere * 1.25 Sumptuary Laws, denouncing great Punishment against the

Violators of them. Yet, by those Remedies he rather stopp'd, than cured, the Disease; nevertheless, as long as he lived, he employed all his endeavours to work a thorough Reform therein. It is also Re∣ported, That his Wife obtained of him, That, whereas the Nobles had gradually obtained a Priviledge, to lye, the first Night, with any Married Bride, by the Law of Eugenius; That Custom should be alte∣red, and the Husband have Liberty to Redeem it by paying half a Mark of Silver, which Payment is yet called * 1.26 Marcheta Mulierum.

* 1.27 Whilst Malcolm was thus busied in reforming the publick Man∣ners, William, King of England, dies: His Son, William Rufus, suc∣ceeded him. Peace could not long be continued between two Kings▪ of such ••ifferent Dispositions. For the King of Scots chose that Time, to Build two Temples, or Cathedrals, in, one at Durham in England; the other, at Dumferling in Scotland; upon Both which Piles he be∣stowed great Cost, so that he endeavoured to retrieve Church-Af∣fairs, which then began to flag and decay. And withal, he tran∣slated Turgot, Abbat of the Monks at Durham, to the Bishoprick of St. Andrews. This he did, whilst Rufus was plucking down Towns and Monasteries, and making Forests, that he might have the more room to hunt in. And when Anselme the Norman, then Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, did, with freedom, rebuke him for the same, he Ba∣nished him the Land. He also sought for an Occasion of War against the Scots; And thereupon, he surprized the Castle of * 1.28 Alnwick in Northumberland, having slain the Garison which was therein: Mal∣colm, having demanded Restitution, but in vain, Besieged the Castle with a great Army: They within, being reduced to great extremity and want, talk'd of surrendring it, and desired the King to come, and receive the Keys with his own Hand; which, as he was a doing, being tendred to him on the point of a Spear, the Soldier run him into the Eye, and killed him. And his Son * 1.29 Edward also, being for∣ward to revenge his Fathers Death, and thereupon, more negligent of his own safety, made an unwary assault upon the Enemy, wherein he received a Wound, of which he died soon after; The Scots, being afflicted and troubled at this double Slaughter of Two of their Kings, broke up the Siege, and returned home. Margaret did not long sur∣vive her Husband and Son, but died of Grief. The Bodies of the Kings, which, at first, were buried at Tinmouth, (a Monastery at the mouth of Tine) were afterwards brought back to Dumferling: Mal∣colm held the Kingdom Thirty and three years, being noted for no Vice, but famous to Posterity, for his great and many Virtues; he had six Sons by his Wife Margaret, of whom Edward was slain by the English in the Siege of Alnwick Castle: Edmond and Etheldred were Banished into England, by their Uncle Donald, where they died: The other Three, Edgar, Atheldred, and David, succeeded in the King∣dom, one after another: He also had Two Daughters, the Elder Maud, Sirnamed the Good, Married Henry, King of England; the younger, named Mary, had Eustace, Earl of * 1.30 Bologn, for her Husband. Several * 1.31 Prodigies hapned in those days, and in particular, there was such a mighty and unusual an Inundation of the German Ocean, that it did not only drown the Fields and Country, and choked them up with Sand; but also, overthrew Villages, Towns, and Castles;

And besides▪ there were great and terrible Thunders, and more were killed with Thunderbolts, than were ever Recorded to have perished, by that Death, in Britain, before.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Malcolm, First brought in Foreign Ti∣tles of Honour into Scotland.
• * 1.2

  Mackduff, the first Earl in Scotland.
• * 1.3

  Three Grand Privileges of the Mackduff••.
• * 1.4

  Called Stra•• or S••rath-Bo••y, Forty Miles North of Aber∣deen.
• * 1.5

  Luthlac, Mackbeth's Son, slain by Malcolm.
• * 1.6

  Or Icolumb••••l an Isle 2 Miles from the South end of Mul.
• * 1.7

  Malcolm as∣saulted by pri∣vate Conspira∣cies, which he overcomes.
• * 1.8

  The Story of Edmond, K. of England, and Canutus.
• * 1.9

  William the Norman de∣mands Edgar, then in Scot∣land.
• * 1.10

  Whom Mal∣colm refuses to Surrender.
• * 1.11

  Whereupon a War 〈…〉〈…〉. Roger, Richard, Odo, and Ro∣bert, Generals for William of England, wor∣••••ed in Scotland.
• * 1.12

  Newcastle re∣paired.
• * 1.13

  A Peace con∣cluded be∣tween the Scots and English.
• * 1.14

  Or, Re-Cros••, on the North-side, it had the Port••ai∣cture of the Scots King, and of the English King on the South.
• * 1.15

  Home-bred Seditions a∣gainst Ma••∣colm que••l'd.
• * 1.16

  The Original of the Family of the Stuarts, afterwards Kings of Scot∣land.
• * 1.17

  Lying on the South-side of the River Dan•• in Marr▪
• * 1.18

  Malcolm's Vow to St. Andrew.
• * 1.19

  Alexander Carron, pre∣ferred and Sirnamed Scrimger.
• * 1.20

  The Seditious quell'd.
• * 1.21

  The Piety of Malcolm's Queen, &c.
• * 1.22

  Or, Mort∣lich.
• * 1.23

  Malcolm e∣rects new Bi∣shopricks.
• * 1.24

  Malcolm e∣rects new Bi∣shopricks.
• * 1.25

  Sumptuary Laws made by Malcolm.
• * 1.26

  Mar••heta Mulierum, What?
• * 1.27

  Malcolm builds the Ca∣thedrals of Durham, and Dumferling.
• * 1.28

  King William Rufus Wars against Mal∣colm.
• * 1.29

  Malcolm, and his Son Edward, slain by the English.
• * 1.30

  On the River Lian, on the British Sea, We••t of Calice.
• * 1.31

  Prodigies, viz. The In∣undation of the German-Sea, and Men-killing Thun∣der-bolts.