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

LIBER PRIMUS
65
evadit the swerde, war sufferit departe frelie with wapynnys Fo. x.
and gudis ; syne made with game ane band for ge weill of ws
(as we may lippin) and oure posterite. To gis effect gir fore-
saidfs war done gat we suld vnderstand oure wyfis, barnys,
gudis and quhat vthir thing we haue in gis warld togiddir
■with oure liberte, quhilk inemyis devisit refe, war al kepit
salf be special gift of our goddis, quhilkis doutles in gis
batell war with ws -present, and gat we mycht avise
wyselie gat out weill in tyme cuming be nocht exponit
to sa grete aventuns. This, be my apperance, we sail
haue mare eselie gif we haue oure goddis in reuerence and
obserue lelelie ge band betuix ws and oure nychtbouris,
40 Pichtis and Britouns ; gif in giding owr realme we kepe ge
forme quhilk, with gude will, 30 resauit, togiddir with ge aith m.l.t. 51
of fidelite, vnviolate or brokin, removing all divisioun, vn-
freyndly langage, vnlefull, avaricious marchandice and vthir
evillis quhilk naturalie provokis discorde; siclike, gif we
devide all regiouns, landis, woddis, forestis and pasturis be
ge commoun consent amang ge men of gude in oure realme
v/ith gare subdittis, famyliaris and clannys, and gif euery
ane of ws, content of his parte, lere to abstene fra iniuris of
his nychtboure and all in pece and Concorde leid oure life.
Quhilk, gif we do, to ws it sail prepare rycheft, strenth and
plesure permanent, and without dout to inemyis terroure.
And wald God gat, or I departe fra gis life, I may se sic reul
amangfs 30W, my liegis (na les dere to me gan my avne life,
sen be ^onxe authorite I regnne, be 3oure laubouris I tryumphe
aganis inemyis), gat I may haue ferme beleif of ge weill of
50 30W and 3oure posterite during my life, and gat I may schawe
ge samyn to ge goistis and spirih's of our forefaderis efter my
dede! ” Quhen King FferguB had in gis sorte concludit his
entent, haistely be ge pepill present was ane noyift rasit gat
nocht alanerlie war gai reddy to fulfill his desiris bot als to
obey in all thingis his command. The lygis suld remane haill
inviolate ; baith ge princely name of ge king and ge maner
of his gyding was to game piesing. All ge landis possessit be
game suld be distribute at his plesure. Syne of newe euery
ane swore to kepe to him fidelite, ge king nocht requiring game
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