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

302 THE MAR LODGE TRANSLATION OF ‘ BOECE ’
xci. his life he suld noc/zt be taking to lif in derisioun, he put violent
handis in his awne persoun, eftir he had regnit xij geris in
Scotland. His regne come to ge tyme of Gordiane, ge thrid 40
empn'oure of Rome ; or as vtherzs writis, to ge impire of
Valeriane, quhilk, how beit he was cunnyng in doctrine and
vale3eand in armys, had ane vnchancye end, for in batell he
was takin be Sapor, king of Peirfi, and lossing his armye, in
miserabill semitute spendit his dayis, and was sua abusit
gat euer quhen Sapor was to ride, he vsit his bak as ane stabell
vnder his fete to lepe in his sadill. Athirco endit in sort
foresaid, semyng weill sic ane prince, with all iniquite and
filth mysgiding his liffe. Quhen his broder germane Door
knew his dede, thinkand he couth nocht lippin his liffe to ge
slaaris of his broder, in pure arrayment, with thre sonnys of
ge king, Ffindok, Carance and Donald, in secrete maner fled 50
to Pichtland, fering ge caift quhilk eftirwart occurrit, that be
Natholok he and ge barnis suld be ceirssit to ge dede. Ffor
eftir dede of ge king, in secrete maner Natholok send freyndis,
of all his secretis participant, to ceirft Door in Pichtland,
chargeing gai suld sla him and ge kingzs sonnys, gif gai mycht
. 1866 be apprehendit. Servandzs quhilkzs resauit this credit slew
in place of Door ane vthir man resembling him in clething,
visage, age and all vthir corporall behaving, quhareof Natholok
was nocht litill reiosit. Syne makand convocacioun of the
nobillis and heris, invironit within his folkis in armys, said to
game in this sorte : 60
How Natholok be wordis and armys inducit the
nobillis to gif him ge crowne, and be tyranny regnit;
how he persewit the blude royal; and how be ane
Morave he was slane. Cap°ij0
“ T am reiosit, my hartlie freyndis, that be ge recent slauchter
JL of Athircon, quhilk, knawing his awne vicis, he iustly made
apoun him self, 3c haue nowdir incurrit haterent nor dis-
honoure. I beleif nocht ane of 30W mysknawis the cauft of 3oure
fail3e fra gat tyran. 30 sail iuge wzt/z me gif it be nocht richtwis