Alexander the First (1114-1124), King of Scotland, Updated, pp.6-9.

1114.

AFTER the death of King Edgar, his brother Alexander ([nicknamed] the Fierce) succeeded him. While he was a private man, he had at his christening, by the donation of his uncle, Donald Bane, Earl of Gowrie, the lands of Liff and Invergowrie, where, in the first year of his reign, he began there to build a stately palace and castle, but was interrupted by the rebels of Mearns and Murray, who beset him in the night, and [would have] undoubtedly killed him, had not Alexander Carron [quietly] carried the king safe away through a privy, and by a small boat saved themselves, to Fife, and the south[ern] parts of the kingdom, where he raised an army, and marched against the [be]foresaid rebels of Mearns and Murray, whom he totally overthrew and subdued; for which great mercy and preservation, in a thankful retribution to God, he founded the monastery of Scone, and to it gave his first lands of Liff and Invergowrie, in Anno 1114.

About this time King Alexander I. rewarded for his faithful service Alexander Carron, with the office of [Royal] Standard Bearer of Scotland, to him and his heirs forever. He was called [Schyrmeschur/Skirmisher] Scrymgeour, because with a drawn sword, in combat, he had struck the hand from a courtier; which surname of Scrymgeour, his [descendants] to this day have kept.

 

1113.

In the preceding year, 1112, King Alexander founded the monastery of St. Columba, on the Isle of Inch-Colm, near Edinburgh.

An M., I., and X. three letters from the time of Christ, 
Amon* was founded by Alexander for you 
Scots first. Structure of the canons 
Transfer it from the bottom God used as the Pole stars.

 

1117.

Maude, the Queen of England, King Alexander I.’s sister, departed this life [in the] 2nd year of his reign, and was interred at Westminster, in St. Edward’s Chapel, over against the high altar, with this inscription (as says Fordun) on her monument.

Here lies good Matilda, queen of England, once the wife of Henry, daughter of Scottish King Malcolm, and his wife, St. Margaret; she died 1117 AD. Of upright goodness and morals the day would not be enough to name all.

 

1114.

In the year 1114 died Mary, Countess of Boulogne, King Malcolm III.’s 2nd daughter, at the Abbey of Bermondsey, in England, and was interred in the monastery church of St. Saviour, near London, under a fair marble tomb, with this inscription, in gold letters, as says Fordun.

Wearied, lies buried, Countess Mary: 
     Her acts have shone brightly, great, kindly. 
With the blood of Kings, life and vigour, 
     Yielding connection, lives in the arc of the sky.

 

1124.

King Alexander I. departed this life at Stirling, 24th of April, 1124, and was interred one St. Mary’s day, at Dunfermline, before the high altar, near to his father, after he had reigned [as] King of Scotland [for] 17 years and 21 days.

Sybilla, King Alexander I.’s Queen, daughter to the King of England, departed this life, at the castle of Loch Tay, in 1122; and this same year also, Robert, Abbot of Scone, the king’s cousin, was elected Bishop of St. Andrews.

 

* The island of Inch-Colm was formerly known as Amonia.

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