History of the house and race of Douglas and Angus

196'
HISTORY OF THE
where and how he erred, which neither he new any other
historian doth: we must therefore absolve him, as free from
this imputation, seeing they do not make it appear, that he
was guilty of any error or oversight either at Homildon,
Shrewsbury, or Vernoil; on the contrary, his wariness and cir-
cumspection may sufikiently appear to the attentive and ju-
dicious reader: let not then his praise be lessened, or his glo-
ry eclipsed by his cross fortune, nor himself esteemed any
whit inferior to his predecessors; nay he deserveth to have so
much more praise, as that his worth doth shine through the
thick cloud of the frownings of fortune, whereas their glory
is increased and lustred with the beams of a prosperous issue
in their exploits.
Archibaldus Duglassius Dux Turoncnsis et Johannes Stuart u?
Buchanicc Comes ad Vernolium cccsi.
Gallia vos titulis; vos Gallica regna tropecis
Auxistis, mentis utraaue regna cluunt,
Tertia si invideant quid mirum? ingentia damna
Queis data, Saxonidum dum cecidere duces.
Desine lingua procax verbis incessere: testis
Gallus adhuc, servat tot monumenta ducum.
Et vos ceternum memorabit Gallia cives
Grata suos y titulos qua; dedit, et iumulos.
Archibald Douglas Dtfke of Touraine, and John Stewart Earl
of Buchan his son-in-law, constable of France, killed at
Vernoil.
France gave you titles, you it trophies gave;
Both kingdoms mutual obligation have;
If the third envied it: their loss receiv'd
Might well excuse them, being oft bereav'd
Of their most ancient leaders; no bold tongue,
By base detraction, can havo power to wrong
Your merit, and the French will witness bear,
To whom your memory shall still be dear:
Their grateful monuments the same express/
As do the places you do there possess,