Maitland Club > Miscellany of the Maitland Club > Volume 3, Parts 1 and 2

1613. AGAINST THE CLANGREGOUR. 33
land over his heatle he shew to thame that he undirstoode perfytelie that
thay wer induceit thairunto aganis thair willis be the Marquis and thair-
foir he desyrit of thame That thay wald gif over thair landis agane to
him and he doubtit not hot shortlie he sould gif unto the Marques sa-
tisfactioun : At the first thay maid ane verball promeis, bot when he
urgeit thame with write thay refuisit and desirit Allane that he wald go
with thame to the Marques and thay wald reconsile him to the Marques
and then they sould gif over the land : Allane lyke ane auld subtile fox
persaving thair drift, and being als cairfull to preserve his heade as thay
wer curious to twyne him from it, he tooke the mater to advysement,
pairtit with thame in outward showe of goode termes and come to this
burgh to advise what course he sould follow oute to come be his land
agane. Being in this burgh he gettis advertisement that his freindis
had appointit a meeting for resolveing by what meanis thay might haif
his lyfe, and sua secure thameselfBs in the land ; Upoun this advertis-
ment he addressis him self home in all haist sendis prevey wairning to
samony of his freindis as had not abandonit him to meete him at ane
place appointit whilk thay did to the nomber of sax scoir men, that same
very day of the meeting of his adverse freindis, and within half a myle to
the place of meeting : Allane when he mett with his company tauld
thame that that day he wald haife his freindis to renunce his landis or
then he wald tak his advantage the best way he might of thame, and
for this effect desyrit thame to derne thameselfis in a wode neirby, and
that he him self accompanyit with sax personis allanarlie wald go agait-
ward to the place quhair his freindis keept tryist and desyre thame to
send sax of thair nomber to confer with him upoun all materis contra-
vertit betuix thame, and gif thay aggreit he bad his company keepe
thame quiet, yf thay aggreit not, and that thay intendit ony harme to
him he tauld thame that he sould tak the flight hard by the wode quhair
thay lay, and desyrit thame quhen his enemeyis in the chaise come by
the wode that then thay sould ishe oute and persew thame on thair