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

322 THE MAR LODGE TRANSLATION OF ‘ BOECE ’
To.xcvm. Quhen Carance be ambassiatouris knewe he was in favouris
of Craithlinth his prince, he was na litill reiosit. Incontinent
departing fra Westmareland, stuffing mwniciouns and strenthis 70
•with garnisoun, and leving ge armye in ge campe, with ane
gudelie cumpanye at ge ryver of Esk, nocht fer fra ge Dyke
of Adriane, he mett ge king, at quhais presence, falling to
ground, be mony resouns he schewe him innocent of ge cryme
obiectit contrare him, twiching the slauchter of King Ffindok
his broder; praying with mony wourdis myxt with teris he
suld nocM sufiir him be deffamyt with sic dishonoure ; in
tyme cuming he suld remove al suspicioun consauit in his
contrare ; it conducit na left to the kingis honoure gan to his
glore, quhilk, exilit amawg strangearis fer fra his native cuntre,
be vassalage conquest sa mekill glore, and with sa stark
ordinance had returnit to his cuntre. The king, with glaid
continance enbraissing Carance and conforting him with 80
Fo. xcix. freynd[l]ie wourdis, exhortit he suld of him haue gude consate,
of quhilk doutles he suld haue experience ; he suld omytt
na thing of his purpoift, quharethrow (gif God war freyndlie)
be his laubouris he suld prepare na litill proffitt to his freyndis ;
nane suld be to him mare dere in tyme cuming ; he suld concur
with him contrare inemyis with ane gudelie armye, gif ge
m.l.t. 197 civil weris betuix him and Pichtis made nane impediment;
ffor propin [q]ute of blude he suld beleif of him thir premisft and
mekill mare. Carance expert of ge kingis clemence wox glaid,
and in presence of ge king opynnyt his intent, as he had schewin
afore be am[ba]ssiatouris : how Romanis fra Britan mycht be
inhibit, how Britouns mycht be subiectit, how gare kinrik
mycht be conquest and transferrit to ge crowne of Scotland ;
to perfurnis gir premisft gif Scottis and Pichtis Wald assist, 10
he had pussance eneuch ; quhareforg gif it plesit the king,
he wald commoun of pece with ge king of Pichtis, that, con-
forme to ge auld consuetude Scottis and Pichtis adionit, with
his weremen mycht mare eselie expell thare aid inemyis. The
offeris of Carance to ge king war plesiwg. Nocht lang eftir,
be wayis of Carance, athir prince with sobir tryne and nobillis
of athir nacioun, to cowmoun of pece with gude hert convenit.
Carance, standing betuix ge kingfs and be mony resouns