into Scotland, was join'd by a great many, who were defirous First to Dethrone Donald, and to wait for the next Opportunity of turning out Duncan. Donald, feeing a Powerful Army coming up against him, and diffident of the Fidelity of thofe that were with him, fled to the Tiles, about Six Months after he had Ufurped the Throne. Then DUNCAN was declar'd King, but he did not enjoy it long; for Macpender, Earl of Meras,being bribed with a Sum of Money by Donald,kill'd him in hisBed; and reftor❜d Donald to the Throne, after he had Ufurp'd the Crown, Two Years and Six Months. By this Time, King Edgar, Malcolm's Son, being come to a competent Age, did, at the earneft Defire of Edgar,his Uncle, obtain from King William Rufus, the Command of an Army to recover his Kingdom: With which he had fcarce enter'd into Scotland, when he was join'd by the whole Kingdom. Donald, finding himself deserted, fled towards the Ifles, which were now in the Norwegians Hands: But he was pursu'd so hard, that he was taken Prisoner, and thrown into a Jail, where he had his Eyes put out, and Died shortly after at Refcolpyne.

EDGAR, having thus recover'd his Kingdom, was Crown'd and Anointed by Godricus, Bishop of S. Andrew's, whofe Life you have in the First Volume of this Work, Page 155. Not long after this, William Rufus Dying, his Brother Henry fucceeded; and King Edgar having enter'd into a ftrict Friendship with him, King Henry, to confirm it the more, Marry'd his Sifter, Maud; of whom you have an Account in the First Volume of this Work, in the Life of her Excellent Mother, Queen Margaret. Edgar reign'd in great Peace, reverenced and beloved by all his Subjects, in fo much that, during his whole Reign, there was not the leaft Sedition or Tumult. He founded the Monastery of Coldingham, and Died in the Twelfth Year of his Reigu, at Dundee, in the Year of our Lord 1109, and lyes Buried at Dumfermling.

Edgar Dying without Iffue, his Brother, ALEXANDER, fucceeded him. This Prince was a fevere Jufticiar, punishing all Robbers,Murderers and Thieves with the utmost Rigour, which had almost coft him his Life. For one Night, as he was lodged in the Caftle of Baledgar, fo call'd from its being built by King Edgar, and is now call'd Ballegary, lying in the Breas of the Carfs of Gowry, Five Miles above Dundee: I fay, as he was lodged in this Caftle, he was attack'd by a Company of Thieves, in the Night-time, who had brib'd the Gentleman, that was waiting that Night, to let them into his Chamber. The King, hearing a Noife, got to his Sword; and finding Arm'd Men rushing in upon him, he defended himself against them, put them all to the Flight, and kill'd Six of them with his own Hands: The reft, being pursu'd and taken by his Guards, confefs'd, who they were that had prompted them to this Villany, whom he likewife feverely punish'd.

Another time, having difcover'd a Confpiracy against him, the Confpirators, fo foon as they got Notice of it, fled: But he follow'd them with all imaginable Hafte; and they,coming to the River of Spey thought,that That would put a stop to the King's Purfuit, by reafon of the Rapidness thereof. At that time likewife the Tide was coming in which render'd the River almoft impaffible; yet fo forward was he

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that he put the Spurs to his Horfe, and had fwim'd the River, had it not been for Sir Alexander Caron, his Standard-bearer, who told him, That there was no Neceffity for his expofing of himself; for he should undertake to give a good Account of them: Which he effectually did; for paffing the River, with a great part of the Army, he kill'd the moft part of them, and brought the principal Confpirators to the King, who caus'd them all to be Hang'd. This Expedition procur'd him Peace to the End of his Reign; yet these were not the only Dangers, that he escaped. For, being once at Sea,there arofe a violent Tempeft which drove his Ship upon the Ifland of Inch-Colm; where he was kept for Three Days, having no other Food but what he got from a Poor Hermite, that liv'd there. He Married Sybil, Daughter to William the Nurman; but had no Children by her. He Died in Peace, in the Seventeenth Year of his Reign, in the Year of our Lord 1126, and lyes Buried at Dunfermling.

This Prince was Naturally of a very Hot and Fiery Temper; but withal very Equal and 'Impartial in his Administration of Justice. A fingular Inftance of which, fome give, is, that at a Time, when he was Travelling thro' the Merns, a Poor Woman came to him, and, falling upon her Knees, told him, how the Earl of Merns's Son had put her Husband and Son to Death, because they had fued him for a Debt: Upon which, the King alighted from his Horfe, and would never mount him again, till he apprehended the Earl's Son and put him to Death. He was likewife very Devout and Charitable; for he built a Church in Scone to the Chanon Regulars,and Dedicate it to S. Michael; he built another in Inch-Colm,and Dedicate it to S. Columba,in Memory of his being fav'd from Shipwrack there, fupplying it with Chanon Regulars, and Lands to maintain them: He finish'd the Church at Dumfermling, begun by his Father, endowing it with feveral Lands; he gave the Lands of Bairrink to the Church of S. Andrew's,fo call'd from a Bair or Boar,which infefted thefe Lands. The Teith of this Bair, fays Ballanden, are Sextene Inche lang, and Foure Inche thik; and hyngis now with Chenzies on the Stallis of the Queir of the bie Alter of Sant Andros. I fhall conclude this Prince's Character, with what S. Alred or Ethelred fays of him. Porro (t) Alexander Clericis & Monachis fatis humilis & amabilis erat, cæteris Subditorum fupra modum terribilis, homo magni cordis ultra vires fuas fe in omnibus extendens, erat autem literatus. That's to fay, That he was Affable and Humble enough to the Monks and Clergy; but to his other Subjects he was Terrible above Expreffon: A Man of a great Spirit and Learn'd, but of an overacting Nature, never confulting his own Strength. In this Prince's Reign, liv'd David Scot, Hiftoriographer to the Emperor, Henry V. whofe Life you have in the First Volume of this Work, Page 109. Likewife Bishop Lefly tells, That the Cumings had their first Rise in his Reign. And Bellenden fays, That Sir Alexander Caron had his Name changed to that of Skrimgeour, from a crooked Sword that he had at the Battel of Spey, with which he did great Execution; Skrimgeour, fays he, fignifying a fharp Fighter: He and his Pofterity were made Heritable Conftables of Dundee.

To Alexander fucceeded his Brother DAVID, of whom I have given a large Account in the First Volume of this Work, Page 135.

(t) Inter decem Script. Pag. 388.

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To David fucceeded MALCOLM IV. his Grand-child, Prince Henry's Eldeft Son, being about the Age of Thirteen Years. In the Bes ginning of his Reign, Somerled, Thane of Argile, a Man of an unbounded Ambition, rose in Rebellion; and, having got a great many to join him, made no doubt of the Dethroning of Malcolm. But Gilchrift, Earl of Angus, the King's Lieutenant, being fent against him with an Army, put him to the Flight, having kill'd and taken Prisoners about Two Thousand of his Men, and obliged himself with a few more to fly to Ireland. This Victory produc'd Tranquillity at Home, but Envy Abroad. For Henry, King of England, an Ambitious Prince, defigning to make War with France; and being afraid, that the French might ftir up Malcolm, in his Abfence, to invade England, fent a Herauld to him, requiring that he fhould come and pay Homage to him for the Lands, that he held in England. Malcolm, having obtain'd a safe Condu&t, for going and returning at his Pleasure,after he had paid his Homage,came to London: But, when he offer'd to return to his own Dominions, King Henry told him, That there was a Neceffity for his going along with him to France. Malcolm, perceiving how he was catch'd by Henry's Fraud, and that he had no Power to refift him, feem'd willing to comply. By this, K. Henry secur'd himself against all Attempts of the Scots,in his Abfence;and K. Malcolm was compell'd,for Fear of a greater Mischief, to go against his old Allies,the French. After K.Henry had profecuted this War for fome time, but with no great Succefs; both Kings return'd Home. So foon as Malcolm arriv'd in Scotland, he call'd together his Nobles, who were grumbling extremely at his Conduct; because they thought, that he had carried Arms against the King of France their Ally: But finding how he was compell'd, by meer Force, to accompany him, they were fatisfy'd.

In the mean time, King Henry feifes upon the Counties of Cumber land, Weftmorland and Northumberland, alledging, That they were the Demefness of the Crown, and that they could not be Aliened: But he was content, that King Malcolm fhould enjoy the Earldom of Huntington, as being a Poffeffion near to the Middle of England, of which he could make no further Use, than pleas'd him. Whereupon Malcolm declares open War against King Henry, hoping to recover,by juft Arms, what had been unlawfully taken from him, by Force and Perjury. For, when this King Henry was Knighted, at Carlisle, by King David, he Swore upon the Evangelifts, as William of Newberry tells us, That be would never go about to deprive either David himself, or any of his Pofterity, of any Part of thofe Poffeffions, which David then held in England. After this War had continued, for fome time, not without great Inconveniencies to both Nations;at laft, both the Kings came to a Conference,not far from Carlille; where it was agreed betwixt them, That King Henry fhould have Northumberland and Weftmorland; and King Malcolm should keep Cumberland and Huntington-Shire.

After this, Malcolin quell'd feveral Seditions, rais'd against him by his Subjects. The Firft was by Angus, Thane of Galloway,who was overcome by Gilchrift, Earl of Angus, in Three Fights: After which, he was forc'd to fubmit to the King's Clemency, who granted him his Life; but forfaulted him of his Lands. Upon which, he fhaved his Head and became a Chanon in the Abbacy of Holy-rood-boufe, where he Died. The

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next was by the Murray Men, under the Command of their Thane, Gildo, or Gildominic, as others call him, who overcame Gilchrift in a pitch'd Battel. Whereupon Malcolm rais'd a Powerful Army, march'd in Perfon against them, and, at the Mouth of the River Spey, having overcome the Rebels, put them all to the Sword. About which time, likewife Sumerled landed with a Company of Banditi, and plunder'd the Country as far as Renfrew: There his Forces were put to Flight, and himself, being apprehended, was brought to the King,and Hang'd upon a Gibbet. From thenceforth King Malcolm, being in Reft and Quiet, it was his principal Endeavour and Defire to Govern his Realm well, and duly to adminifter Justice. Then having call'd his Council to Scone, about the preffing Affairs of the Nation, Arnold, Bishop of S. Andrew's, took this occafion of exhorting him to Marry, for the Good of his Kingdom and Subjects. But his Anfwer was, That he had made a Vow to God, to live all his Life in a Virgin-State; and fince there were Heirs to fucceed him in the Kingdom, he thought there was no Neceffity for breaking of his Vow. After this, falling Sick of a languishing Infirmity, he apply'd his Mind to Acts of Charity and Devotion, founded and built the Abbacies of S. Andrew's and Cowper, for the Ciftercian Order, and provided them with fufficient Revenues. At length, being worn out with this Infirmity, he ended his Life, in the Twelfth Year of his Reign, at Jedburgh, in the Year of our Lord 1165. and lyes Buried at Dunfermling.

This Prince resembled his Father and Grandfather, not only in the Lineaments of his Body, but in the Vertues of his Mind. And tho' our Historians have reprefented him as a weak Prince; yet all Things duly confider'd, it will be found, that what he did, was not fo much from his own Inclination, as from the hard Circumftance he was brought to, by the Perfidy and Fraud of King Henry. In this King's Reign, liv'd S: Elred, Abbot of Riedual; the Anonymous Author of the Chronicle of Holy-rood-boufe; and Robert Ellis, Arch-Dean of Agde; whose Lives you have in the First Volume of this Work, Pages 123, 380, 381.

To Malcolm succeeded his Brother, WILLIAM. Upon his Acceffion to the Throne, he infifted upon the Reftitution of the Counties, that King Henry had taken from his Brother. On the other hand, King Henry defir'd King William to come, to London, to pay Homage to him, for Cumberland and Huntington. King William went, and hoped, by this Obfequiousness, fays Polidore Virgil, to recover thefe Counties: But, after he had ftaid, for fome time, at London, and finding that the King of England invented many Caufes of Delay, he return'd Home,very Angry, with a Design to recover his Right by Arms; which are always juft and neceffary, when Right cannot be obtain'd without them: And Firft he effay'd, tho' in vain, to get back his own, by Intreaties and all fair Means, from Henry; but being ftill deny'd, he went and Ravag'd all Northumberland. Then, having fent out his Cavalry to plunder the Country, as he was returning Home, by Way of Alnwick, accompany'd only with Sixty Horse, he fell into an Ambush; and being taken, he was treated in a barbarous and inhuman manner, was carried to Henry, with his Feet tied under the Horfe's Belly, and kept in very harfh Cuftody, for Ten Years. Yet Matthew Paris writes, that he was defeated

in a pitch'd Battel, and that fo great a Multitude of thofe Scots Pifmires (as he is pleas'd to call them) were flain, as cannot be number'd. Neither could the Nearness of Blood, nor the Merits of David, his Grandfather; who expos'd himself so often to defend Henry's Dignity, prevail any thing in favours of William, till he not only paid Homage for the Coun ties in England, but for the Crown of Scotland; if we may believe the English Hiftorians. But granting this to be a Truth, I must say, with the Learn'd Sir Thomas Craig (u), That it was not only contrary to all Lam, but Humanity it felf, to require of a Man, who was not his own Mafter, but a Captive of England, an Acknowledgment of Superiority over Scotland. For all Kingdoms agree in this, that there lyes a Claim of Reftitution against all Actions extorted by Violence or Force: Or, let us, fays he, have the Benefit of the English Law, at least according to the Answer of William Brivier, one of King Henry the Third's Counsellors, to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the Barons, when they demanded a Confirmation of their Liberties by the King, viz. That the Liberties, they fought, ought not to be observ'd in Law, because they were extorted by Violence. The Scots, being extremely concern'd about the Captivity of their King, sent Richard, Bishop of S. Andrew's, and feveral other Noblemen to treat about his Ranfom, which was at length agreed to, upon the following Conditions. That be should pay One Hundred Thousand Pound Sterling for his Ransom, the one Half to be paid in ready Money; and for the other Half, Cumberland, Huntington and Northumberland were to be kept under Reverfion, ay and till it was paid to the King of England: And to prevent all Wars, betwixt the Two Nations, for recovering of thefe Counties, during the Payment of the Ranfom, it was agreed, That the Caftles of Berwick, Roxburgh, Edinburgh, and Stirling, should be deliver'd to the English.

Upon thefe Terms, King William, on the Eighth Day of December, in the Year of our Lord 1175, returned Home; and from henceforth, during the joint Lives of thefe Two Kings, there was fair Correfpondency between them, tho' they wanted not their feveral Troubles. Thofe of King William, arifing from his Rebellious Subjects in Galloway, under one Gilbert, a Powerful Man in that Country, who was overcome by Gilchrift, Earl of Angus. But thofe of King Henry, occafioned by the Disobedience and Inconftancy of his Sons, who combined with the King of France against him, were much more grievous: For they lafted and increased as long as he liv'd; and when he was making his Approaches to Eternity, he curfed the Hour of his Birth; and folemnly laid God's Imprecations and his own upon his Sons, which no Perfwafion of the Bishops could cause him to Revoke, to the Hour of his Death, which was in the Year of our Lord 1189.

After the Death of King Henry, his Son Richard fucceeded him, who was no fooner fettled upon the Throne, but he endeavour'd to expiate his Father's Crimes and his own: And, in regard that his Father had, contrary to his Oath and against the Laws of all Nations, extorted Homage from King William, he reftored to him the Caftles of Berwick, Edinburgh, Roxburgh and Stirling; and freed him of all Engagements,that he had bound himself to, at the time of his being Ranfomed, as extorted from him, being then Prisoner; referving to himself only fuch Rights, as had been, and were to be, performed by his Brother Malcolm

(*) Difp. concerning Homage, Pag. 294.

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