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

LIBER SECUNDUS
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like as pai ordanit impiris and kynrikis, siclike pai devisit Fo. xxvii.
pame be men of wisdome and vertew to be gouernit and nocht
be sic persouns quhilkis, owder be fragil kynde, or left age,
ar bot febill. Nedefull war that men evill gevin and nuris-
saris of discorde war removit, be quhais wayis, to pe hurte
40 and perdicioun of diuerft, dissensioun oftymes is kendillit.
Eftir thir wourdis or siclike the king with the nobillis present
to pe castell of Evonium past. Incontinent the freyndis and
principalis of the houft of King Durst war slane, ffor of pame m.l.t. 85
grete nowmer be pe kingzs command war brocht to pe castell.
Sa vehement was pe murthare pat nowpzV kynde nor age mycht
avale. At clamour of this slauchter pe nobillis quhilk at pe
kingis plesure enterit in pe castell trymblit and grew paill,
fering pai suld suffix na left pane. The king for pare comforting
prayit pai suld be of gude mynde towart him, and gif at his
faith pai wald fermlie stand pai suld haue mare prosperite
pan afore. Efter pis slauchter, hevy cryme3 stering pe kingis
mynde evir to war, he devisit vesy all regiouns within his
50 realme, intending to distroy fra pe rute all freyndis and
favoraris pe houft and blude of King Durst. Ffra Evon depart¬
ing he come to Ergile, quhare finding certane familiaris of
Dothane he causit pame be slane, having contrary pame nane
vthir actioun bot pai had favorit his partie mare than to him
was thocht expedient. Throw all pe land pis cruell man
thareeftir, spreading his furie, left na crudelite vnexercit.
Quhen thir cryme3 and innowmerabill vthiris, vnsemyng ane
prince, war divulgate, pe pepill of Brigance, Argathele, Siluria,
Novant (now Galloway, Ergile, Kyle If, Lome, Ilis) and all
vthir pe maist parte of Scottis nacioun, in were maist exercit,
impacient of pis bludy gouerment of pare prince, assembling
stark power contrare the king, movit sedicioun be sa grete
wisdome and conveyance pat, or euer the tyran knewe the
60 conspiracioun, pe pepill war in his contrare rasit. The tyran
sone hereeftir, siclike contracting ane army, fra pe castell of
Evone departit, and quhen force was to fecht and pe feildis
stude arrayit in sicht of vtheris, the king, destitute of supple
of freyndis, quham be buddis onelie he had conquest and be
fere and aw war kepit, leiffing his armye, (quharein bot few,