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

290 THE MAR LODGE TRANSLATION OF ‘ BOECE ’
Fo. lxxxvii. Britan, waisting all pe provincis be incursiouns and hereschip :
quharefore starkara power was necessar, or ellis his personal
presens. The emprioure (as writis Herodiane) glaidlie resauit
pis message becaus he was naturalie desirous of glore, thinking
to wyn als grete name apoun Britouns, as he had conquest
lawde in pe north and orient afore : attorn- he thocht to remove
his sonnys fra pe ciete of Rome in 3outhede, to be exercit
in weris and scharpnes, seperate fra pe plesuris and delitis of
pe ciete. Thus he preparit his expedicioun apon Britane, weill 30
ageit, lauboring in maladye of pe gut, bot with sic vertew
and manhede, pat neuer 3ong man with mare curage past to
weris. In pis iournay he was for pe maist parte caryit in ane
littir, tarying na thing bot pe way ; sua, completing his viage
and saling pe occeane sey with greter haist pan ony belevit,
arriving in Britan assemblit his armye and starklie providit
for batell. Ffulgence with his Britouns, conspiratouris,
astonyst be haisty cuwing of pe empriowr, knawin with him
sic nowmer of Romanis, Gallis, Span3eartis and Britouns, to
him directit ambassiatouris, quhilk suld mak pare purgacioun
and trete for pece. Bot pe empriowr, be polecy prolonging 40
pe tyme, and pat his travell fra Rome suld nocht be in vane,
desiring victorie apoun Britan and to be stilit pareeftir,
depeschit pe ambassiatown's without ansuere, to pare plesure
and diligence preparit his ordinance for batell. Ffulgence, per-
saving him frustrate of pece, turnit to ane vthir cast, consulting
with pe gretest of his complicis, and with schort persuasions
schewe how pare liberte was to be defendit, aid iniuris to be
m.Ij.t. 1806 revengit, thare princelie dignite to be restorit and in few
wourdis comprehending mekill in effect, said he had nane
vthir querell to attempt sa hie interprise, full of dangere
aganis pe lordis dantaris of pe warld, bot pat pe noblis and
aid blude of Britan, quhen strangearis war expellit, mycht
be restorit to pare aid honoure and dignite : and how beit
pe Romane army was copioft in nowmer, it was bot collectit 50
of gaderingfs, diuerft in maneris, condiciouns and langage,
and parefore pe left to be crynit: and gif pe grete brute
of pe empriowr and werelie ordinance had nocht obsistit, the
Romane armye lichtlie mycht be vincust: noc/jtpeles becaus