Ayrshire > Volume 1

n8 HISTORY OF AYRSHIRE
of himself from its hazards, threw himself in the way of
the cavalcade, and attempted " with well-dissembled
violence " to lead the King back to the palace, but a
blow from, the hunting-staff of Sir Alexander Boyd put
an end to his interference.
For a time the power of the Boyds waxed greater and
greater. At a meeting of Parliament in the Autumn of
the same year, Lord Boyd was solemnly pardoned by
the King for his abduction, and appointed Governor of
His Majesty and his brothers, and of the royal castles.
He was created by another charter Governor of the
Kingdom of Scotland until the King should come of age.
He married his son, Thomas, to Mary, the eldest sister
of the King, the Isle of Arran was given her as a dowry,
and her husband was raised to the dignity of Earl of
Arran. In 1467, Lord Boyd himself was constituted
Great Chamberlain of Scotland for life. He renewed the
league with his friends for mutual protection and support.
Large estates in Ayrshire and elsewhere were given to
the Earl of Arran and his Countess. Arran was placed
at the head of the Commission that visited the Courts of
Europe for the purpose of finding a wife for the King,
and that concluded a treaty with the King of Denmark,
under which the latter covenanted to give his daughter,
Margaret, in marriage to the young King cf Scotland.
In 1469 he returned to Denmark with a royal retinue to
bring home the Queen elect. This was the culminating
point in his greatness and in the fortunes of the Boyds.
When, in the Summer of that year, the ship arrived in
Leith roads with the bride, the Countess of Arran
hastened on board to convey evil tidings to her husband.
In his absence his enemies, and the enemies of his house,
had been at work, and had undermined his influence with
the Sovereign. There was even a serious danger that
Arran, instead of being accorded a public welcome, as
the envoy of his royal brother-in-law, might be placed
under arrest ; and Arran, realising his danger, lost no
time in securing his own personal safety, and fled with
his wife to Denmark.