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

306 the mar lodge translation OF ‘ BOECE ’
Fo. xcu. the fyne of the instant batell, be quhat devise inemyis mycht 80
be impeschit to recounter King Natholok in batell, and quhilk
Fo. xciii. of game maist specfall devisit ge kingfs dede. Syne retumyng
to ge Morave, scho schew to him as be hir spiritis appering in
schadowis, scho was teichit, sayand ge sene3eory of Natholok
suld haue vnhappy fyne ; his familiaris war mare than con-
spiratouris to be crynit; be na way mycht he evade, bot be
tresoun of ane familiare in quham he had maist affiance he
suld within schort tyme be slane. Quhen ge Morave askit
be quhais handis, “ Be thyne,” said scho : incertane gif hir
spiritis had said say in verite, or gif scho suspectit it vthir
wayis. Than ge Morave wariand ge witch, “ God gif ge sorowe,”
said he, “with all thy decepciouns and fallace, gat gevis all
thy ansueris owder be haterent or flatterie. I sail erare resaue
all kynde of dede, or I put my handis in sic detestable cryme.’’ 10
u.Xj.t. 1886 Hereeftir the Morave with haisty iournais sped him to the
king to schewe ge hethingfull ansuere of ge witche, bot erare
the orakill and respond of ge devill. Or he come to Murray,
changeing purpoift he thocht best to kepe the ansuere quiett;
in aventure gif ge king gaif credit to ge wourdis of ge witche
he suld incur grete dawmagc, and ferit alsua ge king be sum
vthir messagere suld of his respond be certffijt. Quharefore
certane tyme he was perplext quhat in gat doutsum and
perrellus caift suld be done, knawand weill ge crudelite of
Natholok. He thocht finalie he Wald erare attemp sum hardy
aventure gan euer in dout fere punycioun. Quhen he come to 20
ge king he was had to ane secrete chawmer, and the remanent
removing he fene3eit subtelly mony thingfs, as he herd of the
witche be respond of ge spiritis, and in speczall sic thingis
as he traistit Wald pleift ge king. The king for the tyme was
trublit be flux of wame, abone mesure be moving of ane
colike, quharethrow to obey necessite passing to satify nature,
the Morave followit to ane secrete parte of ge chalmer as to
mak him sendee. Quhen he persauit all servandis removit
and ge king him allane, with ane daggare hid in his sleif he
straik ge king in ge breist, beleiffing na thing left gan to be
at gat tyme betreisit; syne kest him in extremis of dede in
the closet with ge knyffe stikkand in ge wound. Ffra thyne