James the First (1424-1437), King of Scotland, pp.153-166.

1424.

The 21 of Maij, 1424, K. James the First, with his Queine, Jeane, wer solemly crouned at Scone.

The 26 of this same mounthe, K. James the 1. called a parliament of his estaits at Perth; and one the 9 day of the said parliament, he caussed arrest Murdack, Duck of Albaney, Earle of Fyffe and Menteith, with his 2d sone, Sr Alexander Steuarte, quhom he had knighted the day of his coronatione at Scone, and with them 26 others, viz.

Archbald, Earle of Douglas,

Will: Douglas, Earle of Angus,

George Dumbar, Earle of Marche,

Sr Adam Hepburne of Hailles,

Sr Thomas Hay of Zester,

Valter Halyburtone,

Valter Ogluey,

Dauid Steuarte of Rassythe,

Alex: Settone of Gordon,

Will: Erskyne of Kinoule,

Alex: Earle of Craufurd,

Patrick Ogiluey of Ochterhousse,

Jhone Steuarte of Dundonald,

Dauid Murray of Gaske,

Jo: Steuarte of Cardine,

William, Lord Hay, Grate Constable,

Jo: Scrymgeour of Didope,

Alex: Irwin of Drum,

Herbert Maxwoll of Carlauerock,

Herbert Harries of Terregils,

Androw Gray of Fouills,

Robert Cuninghame of Kilmuers,

Will: Crighton of the same,

Alex: Ramsay of Dalhousey.

This same day he arrest, lykwayes, Sr Johne Montgomerey of the same, and Allane Otterburne, secretarey to the Duck of Albaney; and they too wer releassed within three dayes.

This same zeire, James Steuarte, the Duck of Albaneys youngest sone, quho had escaped the Kings hands wnpprehendit, raisses such forces as he could, burns the toune of Dunbritton, kills Johne Steuarte, (called the Read) of Dundonald, and 32 more, and then, with his fathers old secretarey, Finlaw, Bis: of Argyle, fleis to Irland.

 

1425.

This zeire, 1425, the Lordes of Montgomery and Kilauers, with Sr Humfrey Cuninghame, are sent by the King with ane armey to beseidge the castell of Kilmauerrin, now Loche Lomond, keipt aganist authority by the partey of James Steuarte, the youngest sone of Murdack, Duck of Albaney.

This same zeir, in the mounthe of Junij, the Ladey Margarete Kinges eldest daughter, was borne.

 

1426.

The 18 day of Maij, this zeire, 1426, the King adiorned his parliament to Streueling from Perth, till the 24 day of the said mounthe; befor quhom wes accussid Walter Steuart, eldest sone to Murdack, Duck of Albaney, quho receuid sentence of death, and lost his head this same day, befor the castell one a litell rocke; and one the morrow, lykwayes, Murdack, Duck of Albane, with his 2d sone, Alexander Steuarte, and hes father in law, Duncane, Earle of Lennox, being accusid, wer all 4 forfaulted, and condemned to losse ther heades, by an assise of ther peirs. The assierrs wer:-

Walter, Earle of Athole,

Archbald, 3d of that name, E. of Douglas,

Alex: Earle of Ross, Lord of the Iles,

Alex: Steuarte, Earle of Mar,

Will: Douglas, Earle of Angus,

Will: St. Clair, Earle of Orknay,

George Dumbar, Earle of Marche,

James Douglas, Lord Balueney,

Gilbert Hay, Lord of Erole, Grate Constable,

Robert Steuarte, Lord Lorne,

Sr Jo: Montgomerey of the same,

Sr Thomas Somerwaill of the same,

Sr Herbert Harries of Terregills,

James Douglas, L. Dalkeith,

Robert Cuninghame, L. Kilmauers,

Sr Alex: Leuingston of Calender,

Sr Thomas Hay of Locharret,

Sr Will: Borthwick of the same,

Sr Patrick Ogiluey, Shriffe of Angus,

Sr Jo: Forrester of Corstorphin,

Sr Walter Ogiluey of Lintrathen.

By thir assisers they wer forfaulted, and sentenced to losse ther heads; wiche was put to executione one a litle rocke be east Streuelin castle, this same monithe. After wich forfaultrey, the King seassed ther haill estaits in his hands, and caussed, in this same parliament, annex the earledome of Fyffe to the croune.

About the latter end of this zeire, Jhone Steuarte, Earle of Eberisse, and Lord Concressault, Constable of France, with the Archbischope of Rehemes, cam ambassadors from the Frenche King to K. James, to renew the ancient leauge betuix both crouns, as also to desyre the Kings eldest daughter, the Ladey Margarett, to the Frenche Kings sone, Lewes the Dolphine.

This zeire, also, K. James sent Henrey Lighton, Bis: of Aberdeine, Sr Patrick Ogiluey, Grate Justiciar of Scotland, and Shriffe of Angus, his ambassadors to France; and with them in comissione, Eduard Laudere, Archedeane of Louthean, a man both wysse and learnid.

 

1427.

In Januarij, this zeire, 1427, K. James goes to Innernesse, to suppresse the rebellione of Jhone Campbell, Johne Mackarture, and Alexander Mackrorey, quho had willanously killed Jhone, Lord of the Isles. This 3, the King caussed hange one ane tall ocke.

This zeire, also, the K. causes apprehend Alexander, Earle of Ross and Lord of the Iles the fomenter and foster father of the northern rebellions; and with him his gray hondes, Angus Duffe, Kenethe Moire, Johne Robe, Alexander Mackmurkine and Alexander Mackrorey; thir 5, the King, to terrifie vthers, caussed to be hanged, bot Alex: Earle of Rosse, does the K. lead prissoner with him to Perth.

Parl: holdin at Perthe, the first of Marche, this zeire; quherin presence of his haill estaits, the King chyds Alexander, Earle of Ross and Lord of the Iles, for his leudnes and disloyaltuy; bot on promise of amendiment dismisse him, and showes him grate fauor: bot no sooner at libertty and home, bot anew leapes out in opine rebellione.

This zeire, Alexander, Earle of Rosse, falls prostrat befor the King for mercey, with a rope about necke; he is sent to closse prisson in Tantallon castell, in Lothean, and his mother, Euphame, the daughter and heire of Walter Lesley, Earle of Rosse, with her youngest sone, in a cell in St. Columbans abbey, in the Ile of Emona.

Donald Balloche, this zeire, wnckell to Alexander, Lord of the Iles, raisses in armes, and destroyes the countrey with fyre and suord; and in a grate batell at Enerlothey, ouerthrowes Alexander, Earle of Mar, and kills Allane Steuarte, Earle of Cathnesand routtes ther haill armey.

 

1428.

This zeir, 1428, the King goes to Dunstaphage castle, quher he calls to him the cheiffes of clans of the Heighlands and Iles, and kepes them by him till theyr frinds should bring him Donald Balloche, quhom they caussed flee to Irland; bot 300 of his men they brought to the King, quho caussed all be hanged by halffe dissons one gibetts, after arraignment and sentence pronounced aganist them.

This zeire, also, Angus Duffe of Strathnauerne, with Murray, his brother, (both of them the King had laitly pardoned,) enters Murray with ane armey of 300 men, and destroyes it with fyre and suord; bot they wer rancountred by Angus Murray, a bird of that same fether, betuix quhom ther was one offe the creuelest batells fought that euer was hard offe, that of both armies ther wer only tuelffe persons left aliue, and thesse sore woundit.

 

1429.

In Februarij, 1429, the King causses apprehendit Mackdonald Rosse, (called the Blacksmith,) a notorious theiffe and murtherer; him the King caussed to be shoed with horsse shoes of burning hote iron, at Perth, and so in a halter to be led aboute the toune, (for that he had so wsed a poore widow that complained one hes oppressione and villaney to the King,) and then, with 12 of hes companions, all hanged on a gallows.

A Parliament haldin at Perth, the 6 of Marche this zeire.

This zeire, Odo, Prince of Conaghte, in Irland, sends Donald Balloches head to the King, with hes auen ambassador, the Abbot of Corssreguall.

This zeire, also, Archbald, Earle of Douglas, for some inconsiderat speiches aganist the Kings gouernment is committed prissoner to Lochleuin castle, in Fyffe; and Sr Johne Kenedy, the Kings nephew, for the same causse, comitted prissoner to Streueling castle, in Julay, 1430.

 

1430.

In the begining of autume, this zeir, the Queine is brought to bed of 2 sones, the elder christned Alexander, and the 2d James; at quhosse christning the Earle of Douglas and Sr Johne Kenedey wer both releassed from prissone.

This zeire, K. James caused cast in Flanders, a grate canon, veying 3000 weight, wich he brought home to Scotland, of brasse, with this inscriptione mouldit one her:

Illustri Jacobo Scottorum principe digno,

Regi magnifico, dum fulmine astra reduco,

Factus sum sub eo, nuncupor ergo Leo.

This was the first canon or bombard of aney strenth or bignes, that euer was in Scotland.

 

1431.

The 15 of October, K. James calls a parliament at Perthe, in the zeire 1431.

Henrey the 6, the young King of England, passis the seas this zeire to France, weill accompanied. First he goes to Rouan; then to Paris, quherin he was solemly crouned K. of France, by his auen vnckell, the Cardinell of S. Eusebius, Bis: of Winchester, receauing the othes of such of the Frenche nobilitey as wer ther present; and so without more, returnes for England, 12 Marche, 1431.

 

1432.

In Aguste, 1432, from Bohemia, sent by Jhone Huss, came Paull Crau, quho first displayed the bright beames of the Gospell in St Andrewes, and detected the fopperies and idolatries of the Romishe houre.

This zeir, K. Henrey the 6, of England, offered to K. James the Scotts counties, (of old so called,) viz. Northumberland, Cumbre, and Westmureland, by his ambassador, the Lord Scroupe, prowyding the K. wold quyte his leauge with France, and contracte one with him, offensiue and defensiue; bot the King did altogider refusse it; and so the Englishe ambassador, from Streueling, returned home without liue taking.

 

1433.

The zeire 1433, the King, at the earnist sollicitatione of the clergey, bot especially of Henrey Wardlaw, Bis: of St. Andrewes, bestoued the abbey of Melrosse vpone a luberdly monnke of the Cisteauxe order, quho had wrettin a blasphemous pamphlet aganist Paull Craus heresy, named Johne Fogo.

 

1434.

In Januarij this zeire, 1434, the 10 of the mounthe, in a parliament haldin at Perth, by the King and his estaits, George Dumbar, Earle of Marche, is forfaulted, and his quholl possesions holdin of the King adiudged, jure sisci, to the croune for euer, for the crymes of lesemaiestie and heigh tressone, comitted by George Dumbar, Earle of Marche, his father, in contracting with the Englishe, wnder his hand and seall, to deliuer and betray his natiue countrey in ther hands during the olde and decaing age of K. Rob: the 3d.

 

1435.

This zeire, 1435, Alexander, Earle of Mar, basse sone to Alex: Steuarte, Earle of Buchan, 3d sone to K. Robert the 2d, departes this lyffe, and wes interrid in the cathedrall churche of Dunkelden, 27 of Maij; after quhosse death the earldome of Mar fell to the croune, in respect he died illegitimat.

This same zeire, also, the King, out of pittey and commiseratione, bestowes one George, the lait Earle of Marche, and one his son Patricke, the earldome of Buchan, imediatly bot fallin to the croune, by the death of Alexander Steuarte, Earle therof, with ane annuitie of 400 merkes out of his exchequer, zeirly, to be payd to him at two tearmes.

In Maij this same zeire, comes the Duck of Longaweill and Marques of Saluses, ambassadors from Charles the 7, of France, to demand the Ladey Margarett, (now of age,) the Kinges eldest daughter, to be sent ouer to his husband Leues, the Dolphine, as also to renew the ancient amitey betuix the tuo crouns. Imediatly the King commands all to be in reddines; so that aganist the 20th of Junij, William St. Claire, Earle of Orknay, Lord Admirall of Scotland, had 46 guid ships in reddines to transport Ladey margarett and her traine, wich consisted of

Johne Carnoth, Bis: of Brechin,

Sr Walter Ogiluey, the Kings Thesaurer,

Henrey, Lord Grhame,

Alex: Settone, younger of Gordon,

Sr Harbert Harries,

Sr Jo: Maxswoll of Calderwoode,

Sr Jo: Campbell of Loudone,

Sr Thomas Colueill,

Sr Johne Witcharte,

Mr Jo: Steuarte, Prouest of Methuen,

Maurice Buchanan, Thesaurer to the Dauphinese,

Henrey Wardlaw of Torrey,

Androw Gray of Fouills,

William Carleill,

Dauid Kennedey,

Dauid Ogiluey;

with a 140 ladeyes and young gentellwomen. They take shiping at Dumbartane, and arriues the 20 of Junij, and had a werey prosperous passage to France; wher sho was welcomed with all her traine by K. Charles the 7, and with grate solemitey and triumphe married to his sone, the Dolphine, in the cathedrall churche at Touris, 6 day of Julay, 1435.

 

1436.

William Douglas, Earle of Angus, Sr Adam Hepburne of Hailles, Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousey, and Alex: Elphinstone, with 4000 men, defaits the Englishe, led by Henrey Percey, Earle of Northumberland, in a batell fought at a place called Piperden, in Ao 1436. This zeire, also, a fearfull comett lyk to a fyrrie suord, hung, as semed, ouer Edinbrugh and Perth.

About the end of this same zeire arriues heire in Scotland, the Popes Legat, Æneas Siluius, quho was therafter Pope, by the name of Pius the Second; a man werey learnid according to thesse tymes. In Perth, this zeire, a sow brought fourth a doge.

 

1437.

One the 21 day of Februarij, in the zeire 1437, was the noble King James the 1. killed at the abbey of the Dominicans, in the toune of Perth, by Robert Steuarte and Robert Grhame, at the instigatione of Walter Steuarte, Earle of Athole, his wnckell, in the 13 zeire of his rainge. His corpes wer solemly interrid in a magnificent monument erected by himselue, (quhill he liued,) in his lait foundit monastarey of the Carthusians, in the subvrbs of Perth.

This zeire are the parrcidall traitourts led lyke doges, in halters, to Edinbrughe, quher Walter, Earle of Athole, the cheiffe actor of this woefull tragidey, was tortured one ane ingyne made for the purpois; and with a croune of hote burning irone, was crouned at the crosse of Edinbrugh; and therafter his heart was pulled out of his breast, and rost in a fyre befor his eyes, by the executioner, then cast to the doges to eat; then was his head cutt offe, and hes bodey dewydit in 4 quarters, and sent to the 4 quarters of the realme, and ther hunge vpe one irone gibetts.

Robert Steuart was riuen assunder betuix four horses, and his head sent to Perth, and fixed one ane iron pin aboue the toune gail.

Robert Grhame was tayed with ropes in a cairte, quherin wes a heigh loge of wood, quherone wes nailled that hand that strake the King, with a naile of burning hote iron; the quhole musckells of hes bodey being cut in longe slitts, was fristed with flaming hote irone pincetts, by tuo executioners; and after the lyffe was quyte out of him, his bodey was dewydit in 4 quarters, and erected one gibetts at the end of the 4 most publick wayes of the kingdome; and his head was sett ouer the west port of Edinbrugh.