Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Historie of Scotland > Volume 1, 1888

THE FYFTE BUKE.
305
strait, that na way he saw to flie : * quhairfor he thocht
he was cuw to that pane, quhilk he had fund, gif he
had fallin in the handes of ane appne ennimie.
Now the King of Norway sayles in Scotland wl ane
5 armie, vndir this pretext, to reuenge the blude of thair
natioune sa cruellie sched sum tyme in Scotland, quhilk
pretexte was maist vniust. Sa hard and scharpe thay
seige the king in f Berth, that evin than doubtles, he had
cmvi in thair will, gif he had nocht in tyme tane tyme
10 and in gude occasioune, haue brokne in vpo?z thame
sairer seiget with wyne, nor the castell with men.
Schortlie cuwzis Machabie with nue cu;;zpanies to the
kingis helpe: qn Sueno the king of Norway saw that,
him selfe ill hurte and mony of his folkes slane doune,
15 his campe in haist he skailis, and flies to thair schipis.
Nochtwithstandeng king Duncan wald nocht suffir the
scotis to take this occasioune of slaye^g the danes
altho1 thay J my1: Bot Machabie persueng the victorie
baith in Word, Warke, and Counsell, he gaue the Danes
20 classe a chais. Thair jit will testifie the monumentis
of the danes, at Kingorne, quhair it was done, thair
signe and takne graue« vpo« the stanes for ane per¬
petual monument, and euirlasting gloir. bot not lang
eftir Machabie inspiret with sum ill spirit, steiret vp
25 throuch instinctioune of his Wyfe, and hoip of gude
success, slew that haly king Duncan, quha to sik honour
had promouet him, and slew him sa cruellie the saxt
jeir of his rigne. His tua sones Malcolme Canmoir, and
* L. “ Unde tantus illi metus injectus, ut ad paanas, quas se sub-
iturum opinione prgeceperat, si in hostium manus venisset, subter-
fugiendas, uxori suas, liberis, sibique, manus intulerit ”—he was
so frightened, that, in order to escape the punishment which he
thought would be inflicted upon him if he fell into the enemy’s
hands, he laid hands upon himself and wife and children.
+ L. “ Berthae Castellum.”
+ L. “ Quam sibi occasionem Danos extinguendi elabi non pati-
tur rex ”—which opportunity of destroying the Danes, the king
would not allow to escape him,—but followed up the victory of
Macbeth, and scattered the fleet.
The danes
agane Scot-
laKd in¬
vades.
The danes
ar vanquist
at the tonne
of Perth.
Heir the
Danes class
is wraket.
Machahie
slayes Dun¬
can. of his
rigne Jeir
the 6.
of God 1046.