Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Mar Lodge translation of the history of Scotland by Hector Boece

44 THE mar lodge translation OF ‘ BOECE ’
Fo. III.
Tan ay
ane am-
bassadour
frome
Spane
desyrit ge
pepill to
chuiB
ane king
M.X..T. 38
The pepill
aggre to
liaue ane
king,
quhome
gai desyre
Thanay
to chuise
to game
Thanay
namit
Symone
Brek to bo
king
The pepill
declair
Symon
Brek to be
gair king
Ambassa-
dourissend
to Spane
for Symone
Brek
of Brigance nixt ge king maist honorabill, quhilk latelie fra
Span3e was in ambassadrie cummyn to Ireland to applawde
to ge felicite of his freyndlie nacioun, amang thame of na litill
authorite and aganis nowthir of thame having displesoure,
convenyng thame to cowmonyng, persuadit, that all debatis
vsit in chesing of thare prince, and slauchter sum tyme following
garcapoun, suld in tyme cuming be eschewit: thay suld name
ane king quhilk with his airis suld haue the superiorite of
ge realme; to his will gai suld be obedient: princelie name was 60
honorabill, the realme was ane plesand thing and fare, nor in
gis warld was na thing bettir than the authorite and goverment
of ane man quhilk wer of vertewe. At thir wourdis sa grete
desire sterit ge mynde of ge pepill to haue ane king, that for-
3etting all contencioun, thay commandit Thanay suld at his
plesoure name ane king, and quha be him war chosin, suld in
tyme cuming brouk ge kinrik. Than said he : “I knaw weill
gat gif ane king of ane of thir twa faccionis suld be create, to
nowthir of the partyis it will be thankfull. In Spane3e is ane
nobill man, Symon Brech, excellent in iustice and equite, of
ge blude royall descendit, expert in 3oure lawis and consue¬
tudes, and to him and 30W is bot ane origine of kyn and blude.
Doutles he is producit of Metellius, quhais sons sum tyme
ouresetting 3oure inemyis, restorit 3oure boundis to better
state quhen 3e war at waik and febill poynt, and in thir rowmes
with gare folkis remanit. Grete parte of 30W as 3it is of ge 70
pepill of Metellius, to thir partis brocht fra Span3e as to
lauboure and manure the ground. And I think mekill for
3oure proffitt that be all 3oure consentis 3e suld send for gis
man of 3oure awne blude, maist ganand to governe ge com-
moun weill, becauft for certane displesouris (parte secrete and
parte manifest) to name ony of 30W to be king is nocht ex¬
pedient.” The pepill hering ge name of Symon (quhilk for
ge tyme was amang game in reuerence) with glade continence
and voce, be singulare votis, declarit him gair king. Ffolowit
grete ioye amang ge pepill, sayand gat day was happy and
ewroft gat ge name of Symon was rehersit. Sone war ambas-
siattouris to Span3e direct to Symon, schewiw how, be consent
of ge pepill, ge crowne of Ireland to him was offerit. Quhilk