Compare 1587 edition: 1 In Angus there was a gentlewoman brought forth a childe without eyes, noſe, hande, or foote.

A monſtrous childe.

A ſparhauke ſtrangled by an Owle.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 6 The beginning of Culenes reigne begonne with rightuous execution of iuſtice,King Culene did not conti|newe, as his beginning was. promiſed a fyrme hope of an other maner of prince, than by the ad|miniſtration whiche followed he declared him|ſelf to be: for ſhortly after lewſing the reyne of laſciuious wãtonneſſe to the youth of his realme through giuing of lewde enſample by his owne diſordered doings,He folowes hi [...] ſenſuall luſtes. all ſuche as were enclined vn|to licentious liuing followed theyr ſenſuall luſtes, and vnbrydeled libertie abandoning all feare of correction more than euer had bene ſeene or hearde of in any other age. For ſuche was the negligence of the king, or rather mayntenaunce of miſordered perſons, that what ſo euer any of the nobilitie did eyther againſt Merchauntes,Euill doers were not pu|niſhed. Prieſtes, or any of the commons, though the ſame were neuer ſo greate an iniurie, there was no puniſhment vſed agaynſt them: ſo that all men looked for ſome commotion in the common wealth therevpon to enſue, if there were not o|ther order prouided therefore in time.Good counſell was not heard. The aun|cient peeres of the realme alſo beyng greeued thereat, ſpared not to admoniſhe the king of his dutie, declaring vnto him into what daunger the realme was likely to fall through his negli|gent behauiour. Culene aunſwered them,The kings an|ſwere vnto his graue peeres. that he wiſle well inough howe yonge menne were not at the firſte, borne graue and ſage perſona|ges lyke to them with hoary heades: wherefore theyr firſte youthfull yeares coulde not be ſo ſta|ble as they mighte be hereafter by olde age and continuaunce of time: but as for ſuche rigorous extremitie as diuers of his elders had vſed to|wards theyr ſubiects, he minded not as he ſaid to folow, being taught by their enſample (as by the kings, Indulph, Duffe & ſuche other) into what daunger he might incurre by ſuch ſharpe ſeueri|tie ſhewed in the gouernment of the aſtate. Wherevpon he was determined ſo to rule as he might giue cauſe rather to be beloued than fea|red,He would no [...] diſpleaſe. which was the onely meane (as he thought) to retayne his ſubiectes in dewe and moſt faith|full obedience. This anſweare was ſuch, that although it ſeemed nothyng agreeable for the EEBO page image 211 preſeruation of the publike ſtate in quiet [...]i [...]e and ſafetie, yet was there no man by reaſon of his regall authoritie that durſt reproue the ſame, but diuers there were that prayſed him therein, as thoſe that hated all ſuche as loued the vpright adminiſtration of iuſtice. But ſuche auncient counſellours as had truely ſerued in rule of the cõmon wealth in the dayes of the former kings Indulph and Duffe, miſliking the ſtate of that preſent world (wherein the youth of the realme,Auncient coũ|ſaylours leaue the court. namely al ſuch as were deſcẽded of noble paren|tage, & vſed to be about the king, followed their wilfull and ſenſuall luſtes, growing euery day through want of correction to be worſe & worſe) departed from the court, and withdrew to theyr homes without medling any further with the publike adminiſtration.The youthfull court follow|eth their ſen|ſuall luſtes. In whoſe place there crept in other, that with their flatterie corrupted the reſidue of ſuche ſparkes of good inclination as yet remained in the king, if any were at all, in ſo muche that in the ende he meaſured ſupreme fe|licitie by the plentifull enioying of voluptuous pleaſures and bodily luſtes.A wicked time of volup|tuouſneſſe. He fancied onely ſuche as coulde deuiſe prouocations therevnto, & in filling the belly with exceſſe of coſtly meates and drinkes, thoſe that coulde excell other were chiefly cheriſhed & moſt highly of him eſteemed. Herewithall he was giuen vnto leachery beyond all the termes of reaſon,A lecherous king. ſparing neyther mayde, widowe, nor wife, profane nor religious, ſiſter nor daughter (for all was one with him) that to heare of ſuche vilanie and violent forcings as were practiſed by him and his familiers,Forcing of women kinde exceeded. it would lothe any honeſt harte to vnderſtande or remember. He was ſo farre paſte all ſhame in this behalfe, that when his lecherous luſte by to muche copulation was ſo tyred that he might no more exerciſe his former lewdeneſſe, he tooke ſpeciall pleaſure yet to behold other to do it in his preſence,O beaſtly be|hauiour. that his decayed luſt might be the more ſtyred vp with ſight of ſuch filthineſſe. This ab|hominable trade of life he practiſed for the ſpace of .iij. yeares togither, giuing occaſion of muche ſpoile, raume, manſlaughter, forcings, and ra|uiſhments of women with all ſuch kinde of wic|ked & diueliſh trãſgreſſiõs:All honeſty exiled. no execution of lawes (inſtituted by authoritie of the former kings, for reſtraint of ſuch flagitious offences) being put in vre, through negligẽce of this monſtruous crea|ture.Robberie, theft, &c. were maintayned. So farre foorth alſo encreaſed the libertie of theeues, robbers and other offendours, main|teyned by ſuche of the nobilitie as conſented to theyr vnlawfull doings, & were partakers with them in the ſame, that if any man went aboute to withſtand them, or refuſed to accompliſh their requeſtes and demaundes, he ſhoulde be ſpoyled of all that hee had, and happely haue his houſe brente ouer his head, or otherwiſe be miſuſed in ſuch outragious & violent ſorte, that it would greeue all thoſe that had any zele to iuſtice, to heare of ſuche enormities as were dayly practi|ſed in that countrey.Death made an end of all. Howbeit at length yet the death of king Culene, brought an end to all ſuch wicked dealings: for falling into a filthy diſeaſe (through abuſe of exce [...] or drinking and leache|rie,) called the waſting of nature, [...]. he conſumed a way in ſuch wiſe by [...]otting of his fleſhe, that he appeared more like vnto [...] dead carcaſſe, than vnto a liuely creature, in ſomuch that his owne ſeruaunts began to abhorre him. Wherevpon the Lordes and other Honorable perſonages of the realme vnderſtanding his caſe, cauſed a par|liament to be ſummoned at Scone,A parliament. where they determined to depoſe king Culene, and appoynt ſome other (whom they ſhould iudge moſt me [...]|teſt) to reygne in his place. Culene alſo not knowing wherfore this councell was called, as he was going thitherwardes, at Meffen caſtell being almoſte in the midde way of his iourney,King Culene was murdered was murthered by one Cadhard the Thane of [figure appears here on page 211] y^t place, whoſe daughter he had rauiſhed before time amõgſt diuers other. This end had Culene togither with all his filthy ſenſualitie: but the re|prochfull infamie thereof remaineth in memorie with his poſteritie, & is not like to be forgotten whileſt the world goeth about. He was thus di|ſpatched in the fifth yeare of his reigne, & after the birth of Sauiour .976. the nobles & great peares of the realme reioycing at his death,976. though they allowed not of the maner thereof.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 [figure appears here on page 211] AFter that the bodie of King Culene was once cõueyed vn|to Colmekill,Ken|neth. & there buried amongſt his el|ders, the nobles & great peeres aſſembled togi|ther at Scone, where they proclaimed Ken|neth the ſonne of Mal|colme the firſte, & bro|ther EEBO page image 212 vnto Duffe, king of the realme. In the be|ginning of his reygne,Ill life is re|formed. he had inough to do to re|duce the people from theyr wilde & ſauage kinde of life (into the whiche they were fallen through the negligent gouernment of his predeceſſour) vnto theyr former trade of ciuill demeanour. For the nature of the Scottiſhmen is, that firſte the nobles, and thẽ all the reſidue of the people tranſ|forme themſelues vnto the vſage of their prince: therefore did Kenneth in his owne trade of li|uing ſhewe an enſample of chaſtitie,King Kenneth was of a ver|tuous liuing. ſobrietie, li|beralitie, and modeſtie, miſuſing himſelfe in no kinde of vice, but refrayning himſelfe from the ſame: hee baniſhed all ſuche kinde of perſons as might prouoke eyther him or other vnto any lewde or wanton pleaſures.He loued ſtraungers. He mainteyned a|mitie aſwell with ſtraungers as with his owne people, puniſhing moſt rigorouſly all ſuche as ſought to moue ſeditiõ by any maner of meane.He abhorred ſlouth. He tooke buſie care in cauſing the people to a|uoyde ſlouth, and to applie themſelues in ho|neſt exerciſes, iudging as the truth is, that to be the way to aduaunce the common wealth from decay to a floriſhing ſtate. Thus when he had ſomewhat reformed the miſorders of his ſub|iectes,He did puniſh offendours. he endeuored himſelfe by all meanes hee coulde deuiſe to puniſhe offendours againſt the lawes and wholeſome ordinances of the realme, and to purge all his dominions of theeues, rob|bers, and other ſuche as went aboute to diſquiet common peace.A ſeſsion kept at Laynrick, or Lanerk. At Lanerk, a towne in Kyle, was a ſeſſions appointed to be kept for execution of iuſtice, where certaine offendours were ſum|moned to appeare: but at their comming thither, perceyuing that ſuch manifeſt proofes would be brought againſt them of ſuche crimes as they had committed, that they were not able to ex|cuſe the ſame, through perſwaſion of diuers no|ble men vnto whom they were a kinne, they fled ſecretely theyr wayes,The giltie ran away. ſome into the Weſterne Iſles, and ſome into other places, where they thought moſt expediẽt for ſafegard of their liues.The king diſ|ſimuled with theſe doings. The king perceyuing that through the diſloyall meanes of the lordes his purpoſe was ſo hindered that he might not miniſter iuſtice according to the inſtitution of his lawes, he diſſembled his wrath for a time, & licenced euery man to depart to theyr houſes, his trayne onely excepted.The king wẽt to viſite Saint Ninian. Then went he into Galloway to viſite Saint Ninian for performance of his vowe, which he had made ſo to do.The king cõ|ſulted how to call the tranſ|greſſours vnto iudgement. Here he inuented (by conference which he had with ſome of his pryuie counſell a deuiſe, whereby he might fetche againe the offendours vnto iudgement: but this was kepte cloſe till the yeare following, for doubte leaſt if thoſe lordes whiche bare them good will had come to any incklyng thereof, they woulde by vttring it haue diſapoynted his purpoſe. At length, after a yeare was paſſed,An aſſemblie had at Scone. he appoynted all the Lordes & No|bles of his realme to aſſemble at Scone, as though it had bene to haue cõmuned about ſome weightie affayres touching the ſtate of the realme. The night then before they ſhould come togither into the counſell chamber,Armed men layd in way [...]. he cauſed by ſome of his faythfull miniſters, a ſorte of armed men to be layde cloſe in a ſecrete place, with cõ|maundement giuen to their capitaine, that in no wiſe he ſhould ſtirre with his bande till the nexte day, that all the Lordes were aſſembled togi|ther, and then without delay to execute that whiche ſhould be giuen him in cõmaundement.The king and Lordes fitting, the armed mẽ ſtept forth. On the morow after the nobles cõming togither into the counſell chamber, they had no ſooner ta|kẽ their places, euery one according to his degree about the king, but y^t the armed men before mẽ|cioned came ruſhing into the houſe, placing thẽ|ſelues round about them that were ſet according to the order preſcribed by former appointmẽt. [figure appears here on page 212] EEBO page image 213 The Lordes with this preſent ſight being much amazed, beheld one an other but durſt not ſpeake a worde.The king put|teth the lord [...] out of doubt. Then the king perceyuing their feare began to declare vnto thẽ the whole cauſe of his calling them to counſell at that time, & why he had appointed thoſe armed mẽ to be there atten|dant.An oration made by the king. The effect of his oration there made vnto thẽ was, that he had not cauſed thoſe armed mẽ to come into the chãber for any harme, ment to|wardes any of their perſons, but only for the pu|blike preſeruation of the realme. For aſmuch as they knew,A reherſall of al enormities. there was one kinde of people muche noyſome vnto the cõmon wealth, being cõfede|rate as it were togither by one conſent to exerciſe al ſortes of miſchief & oppreſſiõ againſt the poore people, as to robbe, ſpoyle, & take from them all y^t they had, to vaniſh their wiues, maides, & daugh|ters, and ſome times to brenne theyr houſes: the which licencious libertie in ſuch wicked perſons, through want of due puniſhment in the dayes of king Culene, what daunger it had brought vnto the whole ſtate of the Scottiſhe cõmon wealth there was none but might wel vnderſtãd it. For ſith it was ſo that y^e Lordes & other high eſtates liued by the trauaile of the commons, then if the ſame commons ſhoulde in any wiſe decay, the Lordes & ſuch other high eſtates could in no wiſe proſper: for if the labourer through iniurie of the robber were forced to giue ouer his labour, where ſhould the Lord or Gentleman haue wherevpon to liue? ſo that thoſe whiche robbed the huſband|man, robbed alſo the Lorde and gentleman: and they that ſought to mainteyne ſuche loytering perſons as vſed to robbe the poore man, went a|bout the deſtruction both of king, lord & gentle|man, yea and finally of the vniuerſall ſtate of the whole cõmon wealth. Therfore he that loued the cõmon wealth would not ſeeke onely to defende the cõmons from ſuch iniuries as theeues & rob|bers dayly offred thẽ, but alſo would helpe to [...]e [...] iuſt execution done vpon the ſame theeues & rob|bers, according to y^e laudable lawes & cuſtomes of the lande. The laſte yeare (ſayde he) you your ſelfes remember (I thinke) how I purpoſed by your helpe and counſell to haue proceeded by or|der of the lawes againſt all enimies and pertur|bers of the peace.Lainrike, or Lanerke. At Laynrike was the day ap|pointed for they to haue appeared, but there was not one of them that would come in, but con|temptuouſly diſobeying our cõmaundemẽt kept them away by whoſe counſel I know not. But I haue bene enformed by ſome howe diuers of you fauouring thoſe rebelles, by reaſon they were of your lynage, were of counſell with them in withdrawing themſelues ſo from iudgement. The oftẽ ſending of meſſengers betwixt them & you, well neare perſwaded vs to thinke that this reporte was true. But yet notwithſtanding I haue put away all ſuche ſiniſter ſuſpicion out of my heade, wiſhing you (as I truſte you bee) voyde of all ſuche diſſimulation. And nowe I requyre you not as fautours of the rebelles, but as defendours of the common wealth, though happely ſomewhat ſlacke heretofore in diſcharge of your dueties, to ſhew your ſelues ſuch in hel|ping to apprehende the offenders, as y^t the world may perceyue you to haue made full ſatiſfaction for your fault & errour, if before in you there were any. In the end he was playne with them, & told them flatly that they ſhould aſſure thẽſelues, to haue thoſe armed mẽ which they ſaw there pre|ſent, to be continually attendant about thẽ, til he might haue all the rebelles at commaundement.