3.6. That diuers of the Scots haue obtei|ned the title and honor of dukes in forren countries.

That diuers of the Scots haue obtei|ned the title and honor of dukes in forren countries.

_AS it is honorable to anie man to be ad|uanced vnto anie title of honour in his owne countrie, either for desert or fauor; where of yet parcialitie maie most com|monlie be the furtherer: so is it far more honorable and remooued from all suspicion of vndeserued fa|uor, to be inuested with anie title of dignitie for anie cause in a forren countrie; because princes (whose hands are mostlie opened to inrich their subiects, in whose faithfull hearts their safetie is principallie in|closed) do not commonlie without singular desert ad|uance strangers to them by birth in an other nation, & not their natiue subiects, for that they are people, to whom without an especiall triall anie prince is not to commit anie portion of his kingdome, and much lesse anie part of his person. Wherefore the same being an argument of worthie desert, either for assured fidelitie to the person of such prince, or for the valour of seruice of the aduanced, when anie one is adorned with anie such title of honor, I thinke it not vnfit in this place to obscure the glorie of the Scots (who might impute the same to be maliciou|slie doone by me) and to omit such of their nation as haue inioied the title of dukes in a forren countrie, especiallie being now in hand with all the dukes of Scotland.

And although the number of such dukes be small, as not exceeding the figure of foure, and therefore in some mens minds might well enough be passed ouer in silence: yet carrieng a contrarie mind, in that I would not anie waie pretermit what they iustlie de|serue, I will faithfullie set downe what I find recor|ded touching the same after this maner.

Archibald Dowglasse was created duke of Archibald Dowglasse duke of Tour|aine. Touraine in France in this sort. In the yeare of Christ one thousand foure hundred twentie and thrée as some saie, or one thousand foure hundred and six as other haue (whereof I maie not determine anie thing by reason I cannot reconcile these defaults of numbers which haue happened through the con|trarietie of bookes) Charles the seuenth of that name king of France, sending ambassadors into Scotland, to renew the old league betwéene the two nations of France and Scotland, and to craue aid against the English, there were ambassadors and o|ther noble men sent likewise into France out of Scotland; with whose comming the French king be|ing greatlie comforted, and hoping of good successe against the English by reason of the Scotish aid, he did vpon the comming of the Scots to the court creat this Archibald Dowglasse (then erle of Wigh|ton) duke of Touraine. But that honor continued not long with him, for in the yeare of Christ one thousand foure hundred twentie and foure, at the battell of Uernoile in Perth the English obteined the victorie, and this new duke with his sonne and heire Iames Dowglasse earle of Wighton was a|mongst others most vnfortunatlie slaine.

Archibald earle Dowglasse was duke of Tour|aine, Archibald Dowglasse duke of Tour|aine. as I gather by the words of Lesleus touching this Archibalds sonne, of whom we will speake here|after, and then set downe the same words of Lesleus to proue Archibald duke of Touraine, who married the earle of Crawfords daughter, by whom he had issue William earle Dowglasse, a child of foureteene yeares old which succéeded him, & one Dauid Dow|glasse. After which this Archibald died at Lestelrig in the yeare of Christ one thousand foure hundred thirtie and nine, being about the third yeare of king Iames the first.

William earle Dowglasse a child of fouretéene yeares of age succéeded his father in his inheritan|ces, and was after made duke of Touraine or Tou|rone, who being now earle Dowglasse, deliuered foorth such buds of vertue, as he lent great hope to all men of his worthinesse and good successe, to his fur|ther honor and his countries benefit. But in the end their expectations were deceiued after that he was made duke of Touraine: for being puft vp in pride with those great honors, he forgot himselfe, and wrought his owne and his countries harme, where|of we will not now speake; but onelie set downe Lesleus words touching his admittance to the duke|dome Lesleus. lib. 8. pag. 292. of Touraine. Gulielmus (which was this earle Dowglasse) Malcolmum Flemingum dominum Cummirnald & Alanũ Lowder ad Carolum septi|mũ Francorum regem misit, oratũ, vt ducatu Toro|nensi eius patrimonia & dignitates amplificarentur: aequum enim esse contendit, vt quo ducatu Archi|baldus Dowglassius (qui pro libertate Franciae bello Vernolensi mortem oppetiuit) fruebatur This prooueth Archibald Dowglasse father to this William to be duke of Tour|aine. & pater illius nuper mortuus potiebatur, idem ad se quoque perueniret. Carolus non inuitus concessit, quo dono quantum illi ad honorem dignitatémque cumuli, tantum profectò ad superbiam, insolentiámque ma|teriae accessit. Thus much Lesle, placing the same to be doone as other authors also doo, in the yeare of Christ one thousand foure hundred thirtie and nine, being about the third yeare of the reigne of Iames the first of that name king of Scotland. Which honor he did not long inioie, for in the yeare following be|ing the yeare of Christ one thousand foure hundred and fortie, and the fourth yeare of the same king Iames; he was, for that he would neither obeie the gouernment of the gouernor or chancellor, bidden to a banket at Edenburgh castle, whereas when he and his brother Dauid were set at dinner, the meat was suddenlie remooued, and a buls head presented to the erle of Dowglasse, being in those daies a token that he should shortlie be executed. Immediatlie where|vpon, the said earle with his brother Dauid, & Mal|colme Fleming lord of Cummirnald were behea|ded before the castle gate: so that this great ho|nor séemed to those Scots which possessed the same, not much vnlike to the Seiane horse, or to the honor of the dukedome of Glocester.

Iames earle of Arrane being made gouernor to Marie quéene of Scots, in the yeare of Christ one thousand foure hundred fortie and two (in which being about seuen daies old, she began the first yeare of hir vnfortunate gouernement, which I maie so rightlie terme, because she was after deposed in the yeare of Christ one thousand fiue hundred thréescore and se|uen, in the fiue and twentith yeare of hir reigne) was EEBO page image 429 made duke of Chatelerault by the French king in the yeare of Christ one thousand fiue hundred fiftie and foure, being the twelfe yeare of the reigne of the same quéene Marie, of whom I haue intreated more liberallie in my discourse of the protectors of of Scotland, and therefore meane not to speake a|nie thing of that here: wherfore leauing these dukes, we will returne our pen to other matters doone in Scotland.

This yeare there was a practise by forren persons of great state in Europe, to make some inuasion, or at the least some disturbance vpon or amongst such realmes as professed the gospell, and were enimies to the Romane religion, by meanes whereof as it was supposed, manie princes inclining their heads to the popes obedience, embrasing his doctrine and resting at his disposition, expected the performance of some actions then to be doone by them in the terri|tories of the aduerse part, and in the realmes of such princes, as not onelie opposed themselues against the popes doctrine, but had also drawne their necks from the yoke of his subiection, in matters both of ciuill gouernement and of religion. Amongst which princes, being commonlie termed catholiks, the duke of Guise a person of great account in France, tied néerelie in bloud to the imprisoned quéene, and to the yoong king of Scots, and supported with other princes pursses, purposed to haue set full foot in Scotland, and to haue obteined the whole disposition and rule of that king and kingdome. But God, in whose hands resteth the ordering of princes harts, not permitting such determinations to sort to the purposed effect, did for that time frustrate the exec [...]|tion thereof.

For whereas the duke of Guise should with martiall power haue inuaded, entered and possessed Scotland, there arose troubles and turmo [...]les of warres in his owne countrie of France, about the parts of Picardie and Dalphinée, which called him from the dispatch of that his former deuise, for the staieng to appease the same new insurrection, em|ploieng all his gathered forces therevnto, and en|countring with those persons: the rigor of the same warres so weakened his strength, that he was not able (without some new supplie of men and monie, which could not be had vpon the sudden) to produce his former intent to anie effect. But yet, least that the same intention might not seeme altogither to haue quailed, or that he should be noted to haue made shew to enterprise a thing which he neither could nor would prosecute to the vttermost; there was somewhat by his meanes and furtherance at|tempted in Scotland, which yet in the end fell not foorth in all respects to answer the expected hope of good successe therin. For partlie by the policie of the Scots, and partlie by the support of the alies and friends to the king, but altogither by the vnited strength of both sorts, [...]he Scots rid themselues of the same deuise, and since remained safe from the danger of the Guise and of his partakers.

After this the earle of Morton, sometime regent of Scotland, being condemned to die, and readie to suffer that execution which was appointed vnto him, some persons had conference with him about matters of great importance, on the same daie wherein he was to suffer, which persons so confer|ring with him, were Iohn Durie, and master Wal|ter Baneanquell. In which discourse betwéene the [...]arle and them these matters in substance amongst manie others fell foorth, in questions propounded by them, and in answers made by him in this sort al|most word for word, drawne into some seuerall heads and articles, as they were deliuered vn|to me.