Compare 1587 edition: 1 Articles con|cluded in that Parliament. The eldeſt heire male of the deceaſſed king, whether the ſame were ſonne or nephew, of what age ſoeuer he ſhould be, yea though he ſhoulde be in the mothers womb at the time of y^e fathers deceaſe ſhould from thenceforth ſucceed in the kingdome of Scotlande. The nephew by the ſonne ſhoulde be preferred before the nephew by the daughter, in atteyning to the heritage of the crowne. And like|wiſe the brothers ſonne ſhould be admitted before the ſiſters ſonne. The ſame law ſhould be obſer|ued of all ſuch of the Scottiſh nation, as had any landes or inheritance comming to them by diſ|cent. Where the king by this meanes chaunced to be vnder age, and not able to rule, there ſhould be one of the chiefeſt peeres of the Realme choſen and elected to haue the gouernance of his perſon and Realme, till he came to .xiiij. yeares of age. The which fourtenth yeare of his age beeing ac|compliſhed, he ſhoulde haue the adminiſtration committed to his owne handes. The heyres of al other perſons of eche eſtate and degree, ſhould re|maine vnder the wardſhip of their appoynted go|uernours till they came to the age of .xxj. yeares, and not till then to meddle with any part of their landes and liuings.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Theſe lawes and ordinances being once pub|liſhed and confirmed King Kenneth ſuppoſed the kingdome to bee fully aſſured vnto him and hys poſteritie,King Kenneth miniſtered iu|ſtice truly. and there vpon endeuoured himſelfe to winne the heartes of the people with vpright ad|miniſtration of iuſtice:The good will of the nobility he bought with giftes. and the fauour of the no|bles, he ſought to purchaſe with great gifts which he beſtowed amongſt them, aſwell in landes be|longing to the crowne, as in other things, great|ly to their contentation. Thus might he ſeeme happie vnto all men, hauing the loue both of his Lordes and commons:The king had a guiltie con|ſcience. but yet to himſelf he ſee|med moſt vnhappie, as he that coulde not but ſtill liue in continuall feare, leaſt his wicked practiſe concerning the death of Malcolme Duffe ſhould come to light and knowledge of the worlde. For ſo commeth it to paſſe, that ſuch as are pricked in conſcience for any ſecrete offence committed, haue euer an vnquiet minde. And as the fame goeth, it chaunced that a voyce was hearde as he was in bed in the night time to take his reſt,A voyce heard by the king. vttering vn|to him theſe or the like wordes in effecte: Thinke not Kenneth that the wicked ſlaughter of Mal|colme Duffe by thee contriued, is kept ſecret from the knowledge of the eternall God: Thou art he that didſt conſpire the innocents death, enterpry|ſing by trayterous meanes to doe y^t to thy neigh|bour which thou wouldeſt haue reuenged by cru|ell puniſhment in any of thy ſubiects, if it had bene offred to thy ſelfe: It ſhal therefore come to paſſe, that both thou thyſelfe, and thy iſſue, through the iuſt vngeance of almightie God, ſhall ſuffer wor|thie puniſhment, to the infamie of thy houſe and family for euermore. For euen at this preſent are there in hande ſecrete practiſes to diſpatche both thee and thy iſſue out of the way, that other may enioy this kingdome which thou doſt endeuor to aſſure vnto thine iſſue.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The king with this voyce being ſtryken into great dread and terror,The king con|feſſeth his ſinnes. paſſed that night without any ſleepe comming in his eyes. Wherefore in the morning he got him vnto Biſhop Mouean, a man of great holyneſſe of life, vnto whom he con|feſſed his heynous and moſt wicked offence, beſee|ching him of counſell, which way hee might ob|taine pardon and forgiueneſſe at Gods handes by worthie penance. Mouean hearing how the king bemoaned his offence committed, he willed hym to bee of good comfort. For as the wrath of al|mightie God was prouoked by ſinne and wicked offences, ſo was the ſame pacified againe by re|pentance,The king ta|keth great re|pentance. if ſo be we continue penitent and wil|ling to amend. King Kenneth being confirmed in hope of forgiueneſſe by theſe and ſundrie other EEBO page image 221 the like comfortable wordes of the Biſhop, ſtudi|ed vnfeynedly to doe worthie penaunce, leauing nothing vndone which hee thought might ſerue for a witneſſe of his penitent heart, thereby to a|uoyde the vengeance which he ſtoode in feare of to be prepared for him, by reaſon of his heynous and wicked cryme.