certain Witches tosting his Image, in Wax, full of Pins, at a Fire. This Picture being taken from them, fo foon as it was broken, the King was immediately freed from his Disease; and the Witches were Burnt alive. Whilft he was in Murray-Land, he put to Death some Relations of one, Donald,who was Governour of the Town and Caftle of Forrefs. In Revenge whereof, he, one Night, having given the King and his Attendants a Sumptuous Feaft, did, about Midnight when all were fast asleep, Murder the King in his Bed; and, having carried him out by a Postern-Gate, Buried him in a Blind Place, under a Bridge,in the middle of a Water. The next Day, when the King was amiffing, none seem'd so much concern'd as Donald; for, in the Heat of his Diffembled Paffion, he kill'd feverals of the King's Bed-Chamber, as if they had been Guilty of the Murder. However, God did not fuffer him to pass thus unpunish'd; for,Culen being declar'd King,the First thing he did, was to Order, that Public Proceffions fhould be made thro' the whole Kingdom, to implore God's Affiftance for discovering the Murderers. Whereupon Donald and his Affociates, being afraid that they fhould be discover'd, immediately went Aboard of a Ship, that was going to Norway. Culen, being inform'd of this, caus'd apprehend his Lady and Daughter,who confefs'd the whole Affair; and thereafter the King'sBody being taken up,was Buried, with great Solemnity at Colmkyl, amongst his Predeceffors. About the fame time, News was brought to Culen, that Donald and his Followers had been Ship-wrack'd upon the Coaft; who, being apprehended fo foon as they came to Land, were deliver'd up to him, and, according to his Order, were all Torn in Pieces by Wild Horfes. All our Hiftorians fay, That this King was Murder'd, in the Flower of his Age,in the Fourth Year of his Reign, in the Year of our Lord 972; and that there were Four Miraculous Things, that hapned about his Death. The Firft was, that, for Six Months, the Sun and Moon were fo overclouded, that they never appear'd, till that Day that the Corps was taken up. The Second was, that his Corps was no ways fpoil'd, being as fresh and found as if he had been but newly Dead. The Third was, that the Course of the River alter'd. And the Laft was, that all the Plain, about the Place where he was interr'd, was Beautify'd with fresh and fragrant Flowers, as if it had been the midst of Summer, tho' it was in the middle of the Month of November. Here was a Monaftery of Ciftercians afterwards Erected, which, from this, was call'd Killflos, and now by Corruption, Kinlofs.

To Duffus fucceeded ČULEN, the Son of Indulphus. In the Beginning of his Reign, as we have already faid, he feverely punish'd thofe who had Murder'd King Duffus; and his Subjects had great Hopes of him. But he, fuppofing that the fevere Measures, that were taken by King Duffus and many of his Predeceffors, was the reafon of their being Murder'd, thought to Reign more fecurely and quietly, by indulging himself and his Subjects to whatever they inclin'd: By which means, the whole Kingdom became a Theatre of Debauchery. To remedy this, a Meeting of the Nobility was call'd, at Scone; and the King, as he was on his Journey, being attack'd at the Wood of Methvin, by Ra bartus, Thane of Methvin, and his Followers, for violating his Daughter's Chattity, was kill'd, in the Fifth Year of his Reign, in the Year of our Lord 977. and lyes Buried at Colmkyl.

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To Culen fucceeded KENNETH III. Brother to Duffus. In the Beginning of his Reign, he Summon'd all the Chiftains of Clans to meet him, upon fuch a Day, at Lanerick, a Town of Clydfdale, upon the Banks of Clyde: But, they being inform'd, by their Relations, that this Prince was a Perfon of fevere Virtue, and refolv'd to punish all those who were guilty of any Mifdemeanours, most of them did not appear at the time appointed. Whereupon the King, dissembling his Anger, gave a kindly Entertainment to fuch of them as had come; and, diffolving the Affembly, went into Galloway, where he perform'd his Devotions at the Shrine of S. Niian. The next Year, having call'd another Meeting of the Chiftains and Barons, at Scone, his Behaviour, to fuch of them as had met at Lanerick, encourag'd all of them to come to this Diet: Where, when they were fully conveen'd, he furrounded them with a Band of Arm'd Men, whom he had, till then, conceal'd fecretly, in a House, befide his Palace. Then he told them, That he had no Defign upon any of their Lives; only he would keep fuch of them Prisoners, as he knew to harbour and protect Notorious Robbers and Thieves, till fuch time as they should deliver them up to him; for he was firmly refolv'd not to fuffer Thieves or Robbers to live within his Dominions. After this, he caus'd all those, whom he most fufpected, to be convoy'd Prisoners to the Caftle of Perth; where they were kept in Cuftody till they produc'd fuch of their Tenents and Vaffals, as he Named: And, after a Legal Trial, there were 500 of them found Guilty, and Hang'd upon Gibbets.

Not long after this, thefe barbarous and inhuman Rovers, the Danes, landed an Army at Montrofe, took and burnt the Town, and laid the whole Country wafte before them. The King, who was then at Stirling, being inform'd of this, rais'd an Army of all the Fencible Men he could get together; and, coming to the Mouth of the River of Erne, he was inform'd, that the Danes had pass'd the River of Tay, and laid Siege to the Castle of Perth. Whereupon he march'd his Army, that Night, to Loncarty, a Village ftanding two Miles Weft from the Confluence of Almond and Tay, where the Danes met him with affured Hopes of Vi&tory. The Right Wing of the Scots Army was Commanded by Malcolm Duff, Prince of Scotland and Cumberland; the Left Wing, by Duncan, Thane of Atbol; and the Body of the Army, by the King himself. Before the Engagement, the King, to encourage his Army, promis'd them, if they behav❜d Valiantly in Imitation of their Ancestors, that, for Five Years to come, they should be exeem'd from all Mails and Duties; and that every one should have Ten Pound, in Silver, or, to the Value of it, in Land, for the Head of every Dane they should bring to him. Upon this, a cruel Fight began; and the Victory, a long time, remain'd ‍uncertain. At length the Right and Left Wing of the Scots Army gave way, and had receiv'd a Total Overthrow, had they not been affifted by one of the Name of Hay, who was coming up to the Army with his Sons and Followers; and, meeting them flying at a narrow Pafs, opposed them with all their Might, crying out to them, Help was at band. Upon this, feverals returning back upon their Neighbours, with the Cry of a fresh Supply of Men coming up to them, the Fight was renew'd with more Vigour than ever; and the Danes were fo terrify'd, with this Rumor of an Additional Force to the Scots Army,

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that they fled, in great Hafte, to their Ships; and Kenneth was never more troubled with them, during his Reign. Others fay, That this Hay was cafually Plowing in the Field with his Two Sons, and that the Father took a Yoke, and the Sons, what Instruments they could catch; and having plac'd themselves in the narrow Pafs, drove the Run-a-ways back upon their Neighbours. But, whatever Truth be in this, 'tis Ĉertain, that the Victory was entirely owing to him and his Followers; and that the King beftow'd, upon him and his Sons, the Barony of Errol, with as much Lands in the Carfe of Gowry, as a Falcon could fly over without lighting. For which Cause, Errol bears for his Arms, A. 3 Escutcheons G. and hath for his Supporters Two Savages, proper, carrying on their Shoulders Two Oxen Bowes, G. with their Yokes; for his Creft, a Falcon volant, proper and arm'd; and, for his Motto, these Words, Serva Fugum. This was the First Rife of the Noble Family of Errol, who ever fince have Signaliz'd themselves, by their Valour and Merit, in supporting the Intereft of their King and Country: They were made High Conftables of Scotland in the Reign of King Robert Bruce.

After this Battel, feveral Inteftine Jarrs hapned. The First was rais'd by the Ilanders, who, in a Plundering way, ranged over all Rofs: This was quickly fupprefs'd, fome of them being flain, and others taken and Hang'd. But Crathilinthus, Thane of the Merns, the Son of Fenella, or (as fome call her) Finabella,gave far greater Difturbance; for, his Grandfather by the Mother's Side being made the King's Chamberlain, for uplifting of his Revenue, in that Part of Angus which lyes betwixt the Two Rivers of Southesk and Northesk, Crathilinthus went with a great Train to see him at his Caftle of Delbog yn, where afterwards a fudden Quarrel arose amongst their Servants,and theGrandfather andGrandchild Vindicating each of them their own, parted in great Paffion. Crathilinthus, fo foon as he return'd to Fettercairn, where his Mother liv'd, told her what had befaln him; and fhe, inftead of allaying his Rage, prompted him to Revenge againft his Grandfather, her own Father. For this End, not long after, he, having got together, a Company of Arm'd Men fit for his Purpose, came with them to Delbogyn, where being admitted with his Servants, he open'd the Gate to the reft, who were lying in Ambush; and, having kill'd his Grandfather with his whole Family, plunder'd the Castle, depopulated the adjacent Country, and went in Triumph, Home, with the Booty. Upon this, the People of Angus, having got together, made an Incurfion upon the Merns, and laid all wafte before them. This coming to the King's Ears, he Summon'd the Principal Actors of each Faction, to appear before him at Scone, within Fifteen Days, to Answer to what should be Objected against them. But, they refufing to appear, he quickly march'd his Army into these Countries, and having apprehended most of the Guilty, brought them to Donfinnan, where he put Crathilinthus and the Ring

leaders to Death.

About this time, Malcolm Duff, Prince of Cumberland, Died. Upon this, the King call'd together the Nobility at Scone, where, in a long Óration, he told them of the many Wars that had been rais'd, upon altering the Lineal Succeffion from Father to Son, in the Scotifh Monarchy; and how contrary it was to the Practice of other Nations, where

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Monarchy was establish'd. The King having propos'd his Mind, it was unanimoully agreed, That the King's Eldeft Son, for the future, fhould always fucceed to his Father, whatever his Age fhould be: Likewife, if the Son died before the Father, that the next of Kin fhould fucceed the Grandfather. That, when the King was under Age, a Tutor or Protector fhould be Chofen, being fome Eminent Man for Intereft and Power, to Govern in Name and Place of the King, till he came to be Fourteen Tears of Age; and then he bad Liberty to choose Guardians for himself. And many other Things were enacted concerning the Legitimate Succeffion of Heirs. After this, Conftantine the Son of Culenus, and Grimus Son of Mogallus, Brother to King Duffus, (who were, by this Law, depriv'd of their Hopes of the Crown, which they might have claiin'd to by a former,) rais'd a Report that King Kenneth had Poifon'd the Young Prince, Malcolm Duff; and that a Voice was heard, from Heaven, reproving him for what he had done. But Kenneth Govern'd his Kingdom with fuch Equity and Justice, that all his Subjects were perfwaded of the contrary, and liv'd in great Quietnefs and Peace under him, during the laft Years of his Government. At length, in the Twenty Fifth Year of his Reign, and the Year of our Lord 1000, Finella, of whom wé have spoken before, caus'd him to be Murder'd by fome Men, who lay in Ambush for him, as he was travelling thro' the Country, in Revenge for the Death of her Son, Crathilinthus. This feems more probable, than what others fay, That he should have been Murder'd by her in her own House, by the means of a curious Statue richly adorn'd with Jewels. He lyes Buried at Colmkyl.

The English Hiftorians fay, That this Prince paid Homage, for the Crown of Scotland, to their King Edgar; and that he was one of Eight Petty Kings, who row'd him in a Gally on the River of Dee, whilft he himfelf held the Steerage. But this Fable is fufficiently expos'd by the Learn'd Sir Thomas Craig, in his Book of Homage; as well as that of King Edgar's challenging him to a Duel, and his refufing to Fight him. For there was not a more brave and valiant Prince in that Age than this King Kenneth, as it appear'd not only from his Behaviour in the Battel of Loncarty, where he fuftain'd the Shoke of the whole Danish Army, when the two Wings of his own were beat; but likewife by extinguishing the Factions that were form'd in his Reign. Neither was it by Terror and Arms alone, but by his Juftice and Wonderful Prudence, that he made himself obferv'd by all his Subjects.

Upon the Death of Kenneth, his Son MALCOLM II. was Crown'd King. But Conftantine, Son to King Culenus, having got fome of the Chiftains to own his Right to the Crown, whilft Malcolm was interring his Father, they declar'd him King. Whereupon Malcolm, with an Army of Ten Thousand Men, marches against him into Lothian. On the other hand, Conftantine, having gather'd together a greater Army, oblig'd Malcolm to go with his Men, towards Cumberland, defigning to augment his Forces there. In the mean time, Kenneth, Natural Brother to Malcolm, rais'd an Army from the Parts benorth Forth, and came upon the Rear of Conftantine's Army. Conftantine being thus pent in betwixt the two Armies, and the whole Country being laid wafte, fo that he could get no Provifions for them, was neceffitate, moft fhamefully, to Disband his Army, and fculk, with the Heads of his Faction,

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in Mountains and Woods, till fome other Opportunity. About this Time England was ftrangely haraffed by the Danes,who had landed Seven great Ships at Southampton. Whereupon Ethelred II. King of England, having demanded Succour from King Malcolm, as he was oblig'd to give,for his Lands of Cumberland; King Malcolm march'd, with his Army into Cumberland. The Danes, being advertis'd of this, made fome Propofals of Peace to Ethelred; and it was agreed to, That they should get Ten Thousand Pounds, upon Condition that they fhould quit the Country, and no more infeft the Coafts. This was an infamous Example, fays Malmesbury, and unworthy of Men, to Redeem their Liberty with Money, which no Violence can force from an unconquer'd Mind. In the mean time, Conftantine, taking the Advantage of King Malcolm's Abfence, gets together a great many of his Followers, and marches with them into Lothian. Upon this, Kenneth, Malcolm's Natural Brother, whom he had left Governour of the Kingdom in his Abfence, march'd against him with a tout and refolute Army, but far inferior in Number to that of Conftantine's. Thefe Two Armies met at the Mouth of the River Almond, and because Kenneth, as I have faid, was inferior in Number, he supply'd that Defect by a Stratagem: For he fo order'd his Army, that he had the Advantage both of the Sun and Wind; and befides, his Army was flanked as much as it could with the River. Conftantine, trufting to his Numerous Army,rufh'd violently into the Battel; and the Sun fhining in their Faces, a Storm suddenly arifing drove fo much Duft into their Eyes, that they could fcarce lift up their Heads against their Enemies. At length the Two Generals having met, they attack'd one another with fuch Fury, that both of them were kill'd; but the Victory remain'd to the Royalifts. Conftantine was kill'd in the Third Year of King Malcolm's Reign, and in the Year of our Lord 1002, after he had invaded the Kingdom, One Year and Six Months. Those that remain'd of Conftantine's Army, fled for Protection to Grimus, Nephew, or, according to others, Son to King Duffus. This Prince, having had an Eye to the Crown, as well as Conftantine, was acknowledg'd King by them. Upon this, King Malcolm, who was then in Cumberland, marches with an Army against this new Ufurper; and having come the length of Stirling with his Army, Fotbadus a Bishop, endeavour'd by his Authority to compofe Matters betwixt them. King Malcolm, having Compaffion upon the Condition of the Country, which was render'd almost defolate by the former Civil War in Conftantine's Time, willingly agreed to the following Conditions. Viz. That "Grimus fhould retain the Name of King as long as he liv'd, and that, "after his Death, the whole Kingdom Thould return to him; and that, ແ for the future, the Law of Kenneth, for eftablishing the Succeffion in the King's Children, should be obferv'd as Sacred and Inviolable. In the mean time, the Wall of Severus was to be the Boundary of both "their Dominions: That, which was Benorth the Wall, was to belong to Grimus; and that, Befouth the Wall, to Malcolm.

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Thus for the Good of the Poor Country, was this Prince contented to divide his Dominions, thinking thereby to procure a lafting Peace to his Subjects: But in this he was greatly deceiv'd; for Grimus no fooner found himself in the Peaceable Poffeffion of the one half of the Kingdom, than he begun to grafp at the other, Whereupon the War was renew'd;

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