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

LIBER QUINTUS
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occeane sey pai arrivit at pe coist of Gallia. Ffra thyne makand
haisty iournayis thay enterit finalie in pe ciete of Rome,
quhare within schort tyme Anthone, desiroft of pe haill impire,
be diuerft castis of tresoun imaginit destructioun of his
broder. Ffinalie, quhen he ferit na danger, this vnmercifull
and cruell Anthone ruschit with violence in pe chalmer and
slew his broder Geta abone his moderis breist, filing and
sparking pe samyn be grete effusion of blude. Sua be fraternale
slauchter he broukit allane pe haill Impire.
Thir actis of Septimius Seuerus in Britane ar collectit sum
parte fra Herodiane, Greik historiographowr, parte fra Spar-
tianus and vthir parte fra oure cronikillis. Now lat ws returne
to pe remanent gestis of Donald, king of Scottis.
This nobill king reformit the realme to bettir state pan
afore, be modest and temperate giding having rest and pece,
20 quhilk with grete cherite he kepit to pe end of his life. This
gude mynde was gevin him be oure Saluatoure Ihesus Criste,
Prince and makare of pece, becaus schort tyme afore, detesting
Gentile ritis and sacrifice of idolis, he had resauit the trew faith
of Criste. Ffor in the tyme of Seuere he optenit be ambassia-
touris at Pape Victoure pe xv eftir Sanct Petir, that vertuoft
man of gude liffe and doctrine suld be send in Scotland, to
purifie him, the quene and his childer, with pe sacrament of
bapteme, becaus pai wer of gude mynde to confeft the name
of Criste. The nobillis of Scotland, be exempill of pe king
converting pame fra vane idolatrie, and imbrasing the trew
faith of Criste, war sic like purgit be the fontane of bapteme.
30 The ^ere in quhilk Scottis be speaall grace of Almychty God
war callit and ressauit to pe faith was fra pe begynnyng of
oure Redempcioun ijc iij 3eris, eftir Scotland first inhabit
vc xxxiij, and fra begynnyng of pe warld vmiijc nynety and
nyne ^eris.
And how beit Britouns before ws war callit to pe faith,
Bit betuix ws and pame was sum diuersite. Ffor Britons
first weill instrukkit in pe faith, eftirwart be persecucioun of
tyrannys, persuasioun of Gentilis and heratikis, sum tyme
war peruertit fra pe sammyn. Scottis admitting na maner
of errouris, has perseuerit, and obsemit pe ilk faith, quhilk
I’O. LXXX1X.
M.L.T. 183