Genealogy of the most noble and ancient House of Drummond

218 THE GENEALOGIE OF
thus :^-In the reigne of King Henrie the Second of England, Thomas
Becket was Archbifhop of Canterburrie, and had many fharp contefts
with the King concerning the priviledges of the Church, for which he
was depofed and banifhed ; bot upon follicitations from the Pope
reftored againe ; yet behaved himfelfe in his charge with fuch
infolencie, that many griveous complaints came over to the King from
England, he being then in France ; where, on a day at dinner, there
came to him fome news, complaints for outrages fuffered from the
Archbifhop, whereat the King was fo inraged, that he burft furth with
thefe words, " If I had any about me that loved me, they would find
out fome way or other to free me of this trouble, which vexes me
more then the French war." Some gentlemen attending the King
laid hold upon the words, and refolved to doe the King fervice;
whereupon they halted over to England, and killed the Archbifhop
1171. in his own church at Canterburry, about the year 1171. The actors
were Sir Remolds Fitzurfe, Sir William Tracy, Sir Hugh Morvill, and
Sir Richard Britton. Bot the deed being done, the King difouned
it ; fo the actors were banifhed by the King, excommunicate by the
church, and forced to fly for theire fafeties. Sir Hugh Morvill came
to Scotland, where he was welcomed and kindly intertained by King
William, and, by all appeareance, for his good fervice, was the firft
Conftable of Scotland. His fone Sir William Morvill was fecond ;
1196, Chron. Melrofs. His fone Sir Richard Morvill fucceeded to
him, and was the third Conftable : his name is often found in King
Williams charters, as one of the witneffes ; thus, Teste Ricardo de
Morvill Constabulario. The fourth Conftable was Sir William Mor-
vill, fone to Sir Richard Morvill : he had no fones ; his eldeft daughter
was married to Rolland Earle of Galloway, who, after the death of
Sir William Morvill, his father-in-law, barganed with the King, and
payed 700 merks Sterline for the office, whereof he got the heritable
right to him and his aires whatfomever, and not as it had been before