Genealogy of the most noble and ancient House of Drummond

228 THE GENEALOGIE OF
The firft of them, whom we hear of, appeares to have been a man of
no fmal power, and of a Angular courage and refolution ; for, in a
batle fought betwixt King Solvatius, the fixty-fourth King of Scots,
767. about the year 767, againft the firft Donald Bane, that famous rebell,
when the King's army was fuccumbing before theire enimies, a valiant
champion enters the lifts, recovers the day, and routs Donald Bane's
army ; which was fuch a furpryfe, that the King and the victorious
army cried aloud, " What was the gallant that fo nobly turned the
chafe ? " It was anfwered, by thefe who had obferved his activety,
Sholto Douglas: which is as much as, See, yonder black gray hero !
And thus was Sholto faftened on him for a name, and Douglas for a
fyrename to him and his pofterity : fo that Sholto Douglas was the
firft remarkable beginner of the family of Douglas, whereof now
James Marques of Douglas is the cheefe.
King Solvatius rewarded this Sholto for his fervice with lands;
which from him were called Douglafdale, the river that waters it
Douglas, and the caftle for his palace built upon Douglas. Sholto
had a grandchyld, called William Douglas and fecond brother, who
went with William, King Achaius brother, and 4000 Scotfmen under
his conduct, to the afiftance of Charlefmaine, when he invaded Italy
800. about the year 800. This William Douglas made his abode in Italy,
and was the father of that honourable family in Placentia, called to
this day the Scotti, who keeps ftill the coat of armes, or very near it,
that belonged of old to the Douglaffes. The cheefe of thefe Scotti
fent a tree of theire pedegree to William Earle of Angus, about the
year 1622.
The firft of the Douglafles who was nobilitat was called William ;
him King Malcolm Keandmore, in a parliament holden at Forfar anno
1057. 1057, created a Lord ; and it was then that the firft Earles, Lords,
and Knights were made by that King. After this firft Lord William,
there followed nine fucceffions, all Lords of Douglas, worthy and