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

328 THE MAR LODGE TRANSLATION OF ‘ BOECE '
Fo. Cl. persouns iniustlie ascnvit to ge nowmer of inmortall goddis,
ane evident argument gat na mortall men be flattery of warldlie 10
vanyte said haue esperance of perpetuall blift. About ge
tymes thir premisft war done, Coell, of ge aid blade royall of
Britan, of grete nobilite, wisdome and authorite amang
vgzVis in Albion, dispiting the tyrannye of Asclepiadot, Romane
legate, rebellit with all Britan, and contracting stark power,
persewit ge legate and Romanis; quhilk knawing ge purpois
of Coell, had before assemblit grete power; and melling in
batell, Coell wzt/zout grete difficulte was victoure, slayng
ge legate with Romane garnisoun and diuerft vthens hem
of Britan assisting to Romanis. Eftir ge feild tynt, quhen the
remanent Britouns war resauit to fidelite, the pepill, tending
to haue ge crowne restorit to the blade royall, ffra quham 20
m.l.t. 200 wranguislye it was reft, be consent of ge nobillis with glaid
hartis ordanit Coell to regnne. And he, thankand ge nobillis
and pepil of beneuolence to haue ge kinrik stabillit, causit
proclame gat all Romanis, and Britons to game assisting,
said be ceirsit and slane quhare gai mycht be apprehendit.
Quhen gis proclamacioun was divulgate, ge Empnonr Con¬
stance fra Gallia (now Ffrance) with ane copioft armye be
Calice, sonar gan ony belevit, arrivit at Britan. At his landing
Coell, king of Britan, was present with power, reddy to defend
his cuntre and liberte. Bot without grete difficulte he was
vincust, his army discumfist, and disparing to renewe ge 30
batell, tuke ge flicht. On ge morne the emprioure, be captivis
of Britanis certifijt quhat man was King Coell, of quhat
kyn he was descendit, and be quhais persuasioun he had
attemptit ge batell, be nobilite of his lynnage movit of his
mysfortoun, devising to bynd with him amyte and pece, be
ane herald freyndlie send for Coell, promitting faithfully he
suld devise nane evil contrare him in tyme cuming, sa he wald
pleift remove the obstinacioun of his mynde, and, as did ante-
cessoum, be randerit to Romanis. Coell for ge tyme was
molestit be infirmite, contractit of cald in ge nycht and lang
walking, to quhilk he was nocht accustumyt quhen he had
ado contrare Romanis. Quhen Constance, empnoure, past 40
to gif him consolacioun, he band with him ane lyig and sufferit