History of the house and race of Douglas and Angus

HOUSE OF DOUGLAS. 289
For though the Earl himself was dead, yet had he left be-
hind him in the town of Stirling four brethren that were come
hither to accompany him. The eldest of these, James, was
provided to the estate three years before, by the King's con-
sent, upon the occasion of Earl William's going to Rome in,
the year of jubilee, to succeed his brother after his decease.
He therefore, with the rest of the nobility whofavoured them
and their cause, having heard the report of Earl William's
being stabbed in that manner, being astonished with these
sudden and unexpected news, first ran and took arms with,
great haste and tumult; but having contained themselves, and
commanding their companies to be quiet, every man kept
within his own lodging for that night: upon the morrow they
assembled together in counsel, and, according to the defunct's
ordinance, and the King's consent obtained thereto before,
they acknowledged James lawful heir and successor, to his
brother William. Then he, with many vehement and bitter
words, inveighing against the treasonable perjury of the King
and courtiers, exhorts them who were present to lay siege to
the castle. * Send,' says he, « for your friends and followers
« from all quarters, and let us draw out of their lurking holes
* those men who are only valiant in perfidiousness, while as
« yet they waver, being uncertain in their resolutions, and
« tremble with the guiltiness of so horrible a fact.' They
who were present praised his piety towards his dead brother,
and also his courage; but because they were come in a peace-
able manner, and unprovided of things necessary for so great
a work, they abstained from the siege; which if they had (as
the Earl gave advice) resolved upon, and fallen too presently,
while the odiousness of the fact was yet green and fresh before
the eyes of men, the King and his partners being unprovided,
and neither able to consult, nor to meet for consultation, the
castle being inclosed, which being also, as it is to be supposed,
not well, victualled for a siege, the King could hardly have
escaped their hands. Neither was the matter so difficult for
them, to have remained, and sent for the rest of their friends,
and any provision which they needed, who might have come
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