History of the house and race of Douglas and Angus

218 HISTORY OF TH2
one to another, it soon appeared after his death: for incontin*
ent thereupon, they returned to their old bias, and the agree-
ment that was made for fear of him lasted no longer than he
lived. Wherefore Livingston being governor, and having
the King also in his custody, being freed from the fear of
the Earl Douglas, respected the chancellor Crichton no long-
er, but began to despise him; and thinking now there was no
band to bind him any longer to him, he would give him no
share of his booty and spoil of the country, but would needs
keep all to himself. This was his ambition or avarice, or both;
for ambition would be alone in all, and likes no equal, no
fellowship, no copartner. And avarice might also have
moved him to this; for guiding all, he might take all: and if
he made the other partaker of the guiding, he behoved to make
him partaker of the gain; and therefore he would have none
of his assistance in the government. But let us see now how
well he governed; he imprisoneth the nobles at his pleasure,
upon light grounds of suspicion only, yea he casteth them in-
to fetters.
The 3d of August 1439, he warded the Lord Lome and his
brother Sir James Stewart, who had married the Oueen-mo-
ther, upon suspicion only for their dealing with the Earl Dou-
glas, and did commit the Queen herself to be kept in a close
chamber in Stirling castle, of which he himself was captain;
so that she could not get herself released, until there was
kept a convention of the Lords, then by the intercession of
the chancellor and some other, she was dismissed, having giv-
en Sir Alexander Gordon, alias Seton, who was the first Earl
of Huntly, surety and cautioner for her, that she should pay
4000 merks to the governor. This was his iniquity, yea ty-
ranny, and barbarous abusing of noblemen, and yet he gave
remissions, and pardoned men guilty of great crimes, or passed
them over by conniving.
The chancellor, therefore, who thought he should have his
share of the booty, seeing himself thus dis-placed by the gov-
ernor, and not being able to help it, nor to have patience, and
sit quiet, it being more than he could digest or bear with,