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

310 THE MAR LODGE TRANSLATION OF ‘ BOECE ’
xciiii. of Donald, thir twa tratouris promyst glaidlie to bring all
to gude purpoift, cowmovit be slauchter maid be pe king
apoun pe Insulanis afore. Within fewe dayis pe king, fra
Evon departing, with sobir tryne went to ane schaw quhare
•t. 1906 be hirdis he was aduertist the wolfis resortit, and amang
pai tratouris subornit in his slauchter, apoun ane litill know
bade at pe setis, suspecting na fraude nor tresoun. Ffra pat
hicht he mycht mare commodioslie behald pe houndis and
se pe courft. The tratouris, as pai war accustumyt, taryit
beside pe king, bering in handis scharp grundin dartis to
sla pe wolf, as pai allegeit, gif he occurrit, awating euery 40
moment to bring pare tresoun to end. Quhen at clamoure
of pe tynchell and call of rachis, servandis to se the courft
war ane litill removit fra pe king, the tane tratoure persaving
him nere denwde of folkis, on purpoft began ane taill of pe
haterent contrare him of pe Insulanis. Quhen pe king, intent
to pe tratoure, towart him turnit his face, the tothir with
dispite and force straik pe darte in his breist. Syne leiffing
it fixt in pe wound, athir tratoure tuke pe flicht. Sum parte
of servandis ran to pe king, Hand in pe extreme of dede ;
vtheris be speid of rynnyng comprehendit pe tratouris. The
schout raift ; the kingzs garde and all pe huntaris convenit, 50
with pietuous weping: beseking pe nobillis present pai suld
nocAt suffir pe tresonabill slauchter of pe king vnpunyst,
nor be in derisioun with inemyis; thay suld be torment with
exquisite panis, quhilk be colorit tresoun durst attempt sic
ane wikkit cryme. Incontinent the tratouris war put to pyne
bank, quhare reveling pe tresoun of Donald and Carance,
quhilk on purpoift had elongate him self for pe tyme, pai
war hedit. NocAt lang eftir, pai ceirssit Carance to pe dede.
Bot he knawing pe slauchter of pe king and punycioun of
pe tratoum, wilfully he left pe cuntre erare pan he suld be
convictit of tresoun and be confoundit before pe pepill, to
quham herethrow he made him self odioft. Passing his tyme
ane quhile in Britan, fiinalie with pe Romane weremen he 60
passit in Italie, quhare in ordinance of pe Empriouris Aurelius
Probus, Cams, and Dioclesiane he conquest of chevelrie ane
grete name. The 3ere quhen King Ffyndok be pis slauchter