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

318 the mar lodge translation OF ' BOECE ’
Fo.xcvii. made on nychtis and dayis with sa mekill slauchter and
fellony, that na man in his houft mycht be sure fra his nycht-
boure ; thare fellony and cruell malice spreding sa rife with
slauchter of vtheris that men and wemen, 3ong and auld,
indefferent, war slane. Thelarg, king of Pichtis, molestit 40
with age, and almaist consumyt be geris, knawiwg be quhat
damage athir pepill had of suddante supprisit vtheris, be
wilfulnes of certane evill avisit persons, regretting na left
pe skaith of Scottis pan his awne pepill, to King Craithlinth
send ambassiatouris, quhilk softlie suld schaw he was sory
for pe dawmage done in pe bargane latelie strikkyn, to pe
hurte of athir pepill; he consentit neuer to sic wikkit dedis ;
na thing was done be avise of pe counsel bot all be private
ways ; na cryme aucht to him be imput, becaus quhare will
consentis nocht, na culpe suld be allegeit; the pepill sum
tyme sa freyndlie was afflict it anewch and mare ; ffra iniuris
of vtherfs, gude war to be abstenit in tyme cuwing, and
to avise apoun pe cowmoun Weill, quhen it mycht be surelie 50
knawin pat doutles throw sic debait Scottis and Pichtfs
suld be sua supprisit, that Romanis mycht conqueft athir
kinrik, gif in pat wikkit weris pai perseverit; he suld employ
his cure pat iniuris done to Scottis suld be haistelie remedit;
he askit pece and gretelie desirit the samyn, and thocht bettir
pat pe first wrang be condigne punycioun suld be deletit, and
concorde made for Weill of athir nacioun, erare pan persevere
m.l.t. 195 in cruell weris with dishonoure and skaith, to haue mony
douchty men distroyit. The ambassiatoure with difficulte
first impetrate pat to pe king pai mycht be admittit, he was
sa kindillit in ire be slauchter of sa mony Scottis nobillis. 60
Ffinalie hering pare peticions, be wise men of pe secrete counsell
he was teichit and gaif ansuere : Na thing to him nor pepill
of Scottis was sa displesing as pe suddane perturbacioun of
pe pepill recentlye before sa freyndlie, and be inportune
wilfulnes of evill avisit persouns had debatit amang pame
self; na man couth deny bot pece offerit bettir his realme
pan were ; nocMtheles the recent iniuris war sa fixit in myndis
of his folia's, pat pe coiwmoun consent was nocht to haue pece
(howbeit it was necessare), to pe grete displeftonr of inemyis ;