History of the house and race of Douglas and Angus

«24t HISTORY OF THE
partly confessing them ingenuously, and telling him, that
whatever estate he should have from that time forth, he
would owe it to the King's clemency, and not ascribe it to his
own innocence; that if the King would be contented to be
satisfied by good offices, he would endeavour not to be short
of any infidelity, observance, diligence, and good-will towards
him-, that in repressing and punishing of thieves, whose actions
his enemies laid upon him, there should no man be more se-!
vere, nor more careful; that he was come of a house that was
grown up, not by doing injuries to the weaker, but by de-
fending the weaker and common people of Scotland by arms;
certainly a true conclusion, and undeniable by his greatest e-
nemies. But I have thought good to set down all as it was
conceived, for whether there was any fault or not, his sub-
mission was great, and his repentance sufficient to purge it
whatsoever it were- Such is his respect to his sovereign
Prince, and such the force of authority rightly placed in the
due owner thereof, and such was also the force of truth in
his speech, that the King* understanding that it was true in
his predecessor, and hoping that it would be true in him-
self, moved also by the private commendation of his cour-
tiers, not only passed by, and forgave whatever had been
amiss in his life before, but also received him into his most
inward familiarity, and did communicate unto him the secrets
of his council. Neither was the Earl unworthy thereof for
Jr.is part, but behaved himself so well that within a short
lime he acquired the favour of the King by obedience, of his
courtiers and servants by liberality, and of all men by gen-
tleness, courtesy and modesty, and put the people in hope
that he would prove a meek and sober-minded man.
The wiser sort doubted, say our writers, whether so sudden
a change would turn: but why should we think it a change?
or if it were a change, it was very casual, very apparent, and
jiothing to be wondered at, for it is this in effect, he had been
untoward to base men* why should he not yield to his King?
he had slighted the shadow of authority in them, why should
i/p not acknow ledge and reverence the beams of it in his