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

312 THE MAR LODGE TRANSLATION OF ‘ BOECE ’
Fo. xcv. tunate bargane ijm takin, and amang game xxxtj men of excellent
nobilite with King Donald, quhilk on pe thrid day, mare be
m.l.t. 1916 malancoly and displeftonr than be ony wound or hurte, deceissit
ge samyn 3ere he ressauit ge crowne. Efter deceift of King 20
Ethod foresaid, to gis tyme men of singulare erudicioun and
ingyne war liffand : Quintus Tertuliane, quhilk wrate mony
volumys contrare ge infidelis and aganis gare ydolatrie,
mawmentis and native goddis, be ge fulich gentilite anournit;
Policrate, bischop of Epheft, the viij eftir lohnne Ewangelist,
of grete studie and doctrine, in quhais tyme raift hevy con-
tencioun amang bischoppis of ge orient twiching ge solempnite
of Paift, quhilk eftirwart was discussit be mony sindri opiniouns
as has remanit inviolate of lang tyme ; Cipriane, quhilk of
ane heithin oratoure grewe to ane profund theolog, and be
persuasioun of Preist Cecilius was first maid preist, syne
bischop of Cartage, vsing his conversacioun according the 30
office of ane haly pasture of ge kirk; attoure he wrate diuerft
thingfs nocht litill decoring eftirwart ge kirk of God. About
gis tyme the state of ge Cristianite had grete perturbacioun,
be persecucioun of Dioclesiane begynnyng, and be crudelite
of Valeriane and Aureliane, empriouris, augmentit. During
gare sene3eory devote men and wemen that confessit ge faith,
be hevy inium war persewit, like as Sixt, Cipriane, Laurence,
Hipolit, Barbara, Cecilia, Agatha, virginis, with vtheris
innowmerabill confessing the name of Criste, war condampnit
to dede, ressaving ge crowne of marthirdome. The samyn
tyme Scottis began diligentlie to authorift and embrace ge
faith be exhortacioun and exempill of certane kirk men callit 40
Culdeis, ithandly vaking to preaching and teiching mekill
in vrisoun exercit. Amang ge pepill this name Culdeis was
sa extemyt, gat almaist to gir oure days all preistis indefferent
war namyt Culdei, quhilk is to say, the woureschipparis of
Almyc/jti God. Be electioun thay chesit amang game ane
bischop, of thingfs concernyng dyvine seruice to haue power.
This bischop mony 3eris was callit Bischop of Scotland, as in
oure cronikillis is rememberit. Now to King Donald lat ws
returne, for like as his sene3eorye was schort sa it was litill
ewroft.