Compare 1587 edition: 1 Colmans coũ|ſel is miſliked.Many in that aſſemblie ſhewed themſelues ſore offended with Colmans wordes, ſupporting the league with the French men to be both hono|rable and neceſſarie.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Then one Albian, a man of great nobilitie, (whome the king had lately before inſtituted hys lieutenant in the Iles) ſpake in this maner:

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2

No man ought to maruell, I perceiue, king A|chaius, if manie of this our nation be desirous to haue this league concluded with the Frenchmen, as they that are persuaded how nothing can be better, nothing more profitable, more honorable, or more EEBO page image 121 pleasant to almightie God, than to ioine in league and friendship with a nation of greatest power and wealth in these daies, of all other within the bounds of Europe: for by that meanes should the Scotish name be highlie renowmed and spoken of through Due conside|rations. the whole world. But trulie these considerations con|tenting so well at the first, are not so much to be re|garded as the euils which hereafter may grow there|vpon: for suerlie a naughtie and pernicious end of this determination shall euidentlie teach vs (though too late) how farre we haue gone beside the way of reason in establishing this league, if we once con|sent to conclude the same. Is it anie other thing (I beséech you) to make a league, and to ioine in socie|tie with the Frenchmen against our neighbors the Englishmen (whose friendship might be most expe|dient An [...] at hand. Friends [...]arre off. for vs) than euen to haue from hencefoorth a néere and in maner a domesticall enimie at hand, whereas our supposed friends shall be farre off from vs, and separated from our countrie by a great and large sea, at whose plesure also we must make wars against our neighbors, and fight for other mens safe|gards, putting our bodies in hazard of death and wounding for their cause, which dwell nothing néere vs; yea & in their quarell to commit our kingdome, goods and liues vnto extreme perill of vtter destruc|tion? I would thinke it good therefore to take better aduisement and deliberation herein, least whilest we Good counsell of Colman. séeke for vaine glorie and counterfeit honor, we doo not, through prouoking the Englishmen our next neighbors, lose our owne liberti [...] got with much trauell by our elders, for the which they so often fought with the Britains, Romans, Picts, and final|lie with the Saxons. Can there be anie thing more pernicious vnto a frée nation, and people borne in li|bertie, than to measure lawes of peace, chances of warre, and in fine libertie it selfe, by the lust and plea|sure of another nation, and so to enter (as it were) into bondage? For the auoiding whereof, not onelie men, but also all other liuing things are readie to fight, euen to the vttermost. If the Frenchmen in the chiefest heat and most earnest brunt of the warre (which we shall take in hand for their sake, according to the articles of the league) shall chance to forsake vs, and conclude some manner of peace or league with our enimies, leauing vs in all the whole dan|ger; shall we haue anie iudge afore whome we maie bring them to answer for their default, and by whose authoritie they may be constreined to see vs satisfied for such losse and iniuries as we shall happily susteine at the Englishmens hands? Are we of that force and power to reuenge our wrongs vpon them, after we are vanquished and in maner brought to vtter confusion by those warres which we shall enter into for their cause? If euer we be brought vnto that point (as God forbid we should) that through want of substance, and decaie of force, the Frenchmen shall also vtterlie forsake vs, & that thereby we shall not bée able to resist the English puissance: afore whome (I beséech you) shall we accuse them for brea|king of this league? We shall dailie haue to doo with our enimies after the conclusion of the league (if it be concluded at all) and but seldome times with our friends. In the midst of our enimies we shall be still occasioned to practise for our defense, where we haue a long way both by sea and land to passe ouer to our friends, in case anie néed shall inforce vs there|vnto: commodities are brought vs out of Spaine, France, and Germanie, not such as we desire, but onelie such as the Englishmen doo permit. Againe, when our merchants shall passe into France, what hauens shall we leaue them to resort vnto in time of dangerous tempests, which often chance to all such as vse sailing? Either must they perish and be cast a|way through rage of seas, either else fall into the hands of our enimies togither, with all their goods and fraught. What discommodities hereof shall rise, your grace (most prudent prince) and you right cir|cumspect councellors, doo well inough perceiue. I therefore would thinke it expedient, that we should continue in the former peace concluded with the Britains, Saxons, and Picts, according to the cu|stome of our late predecessors, who saw well inough what was most beneficiall for the wealth of the Sco|tish nation, and not to couet a new amitie with an vnknowne people, hauing deserued little or nothing as yet at our hands (whose intent I cannot but haue in suspicion, sith they séeke for amitie so farre off) ex|cept we shall manifestlie resolue with our selues to imploie and ieopard both life and libertie for the safe|gard of the French, without regard of our owne. ¶ Manie in that assemblie shewed themselues sore Colmans counsell is misliked. offended with Colmans woords, supposing the league with the Frenchmen to be both honorable and necessarie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Then one Albian, a man of great nobilitie (whome the king had latelie before instituted his lieutenant in the Iles) spake in this manner.

If it were possi|ble Albian his O|ration. that there might be one sure and inuiolable con|sent amongst those foure people, which at this daie haue their habitations within the bounds of Albion, or that the Englishmen knew what it were to stand and abide by faith and promises made and giuen, we would not denie but that those considerations and aduises which Colman hath héere vttered, ought to be followed; bicause that then there should be no occasi|on at all, why we should conclude anie league with a|nie forren nation. But forsomuch as there was ne|uer man that found more vntruth and breach of pro|mise The English Saxons brea|kers of pro|mise. in anie nation, than hath béene found in these Saxons (the which hauing got the rule in Albion, are now called Englishmen) as the Scots, Picts, and Britains haue by triall sufficientlie prooued; I sup|pose it is euidentlie knowne vnto you, that either we must of necessitie fight and stand at defense against the Englishmen, readie to assaile vs both with open force and secret craft, either els linke our selues with such alies and confederats, as by their support we maie be the better able to withstand the malice of such vnfaithfull people. Call ye this faith, or treason, I praie you? The Saxons in times past being reque|sted of the Britains to aid them against their eni|mies, were most louinglie receiued, and highlie re|warded for their seruice: but they contrarilie in re|compense of such kindnesse, shewed themselues in stéed of aiders, enimies; in stéed of defenders, destroi|ers: turning their weapons points against the Bri|tains, by whome they had béene so sent for to their aid; and now haue not onelie destroied a great num|ber of them by fire and swoord, but also they haue spoi|led them of their kingdome & libertie. What league or truce haue they at anie time kept (you your selues are not ignorant of this which I speake) where either they saw occasion to vex their neighbors, or hoped to gaine anie thing by falsifieng their faiths, as they that haue neuer béene ashamed so to doo, where hope to haue commoditie (if I may so call it) hath at anie hand béene offered. Into what sundrie and most mi|serable calamities hath the trecherie of the Saxons brought the sillie Britains? How oftentimes haue they broken the peace established with vs, and also with the Picts; euen when we least thought vpon anie such thing? Yea and that more is, amongst them selues at this season the Englishmen warre one a|gainst another, more with craftie traines than with open force, in such wise that in Northumberland so manie kings, and so manie noble men haue béene traitorouslie murthered and made awaie, that scarse EEBO page image 122 may there be anie found that will take vpon him the supreme gouernement of that countrie. It is not To induce o|thers to his purpose, he ta|keth the ad|uantage of ca|suall haps, charging the whole nation with the fault of a few parti|cular persons. manie yéeres ago, since Oswin king of that coun|trie was rid out of the waie through treason of Os|wie that succeeded him in the kingdome, and was after depriued both of life and kingdome by Osrike, whome Egbert desirous to reigne in his place, found meanes by traitorous practise to dispatch. Egbert was slaine by Mollo, and Mollo by Alfred, which Al|fred was after slaine by the guilefull craft of Ethel|bert. Neither had Ethelbert anie better successe in the end, for now of late betraied by his owne sub|iects, he was by them shamefullie slaine and murthe|red. Neither with lesse traitorous shifts and deuises doo the Englishmen mainteine their warres in all places where they are inhabiting within Albion. The reuerend fathers of the spiritualtie, and other godlie men addicted to vertue, vnto whom the setting foorth of Gods woord hath béene committed, wearie of and abhorring this wood madnesse, rage and wicked mis|demeanor of that nation, haue left their bishoprikes, abbeies, monasteries, and cels, and from thence haue remooued into forren regions. Therefore where the Englishmen doo absteine at this present from ma|king vs warres, it is not to be imputed to anie reue|rence they haue vnto faith, equitie, or respect of the league, which they haue made with vs, but onelie vn|to such ciuill sedition and discord, as now dooth reigne amongst them. Neither ought anie of vs of right to doubt, but that when the same once ceasseth, they will immediatlie take weapon in hand against vs, not|withstanding all leagues or couenants of peace con|firmed to the contrarie. To represse therefore and a|bate their subtill practises, I can find no readier meane than to enter into friendship, and conclude a league with that people, which being ioined with vs, may chastise such outragious furie of this wicked nation, as cause and oportunitie shall require. For|tune hath offred vnto vs a conuenient meane and oc|casion héerevnto. For héere be at this present the French kings ambassadors, offering that vnto vs, which (being so great a benefit) we might scarse wish for. That is, they require to haue vs to ioine in league against the Englishmen, with their king, whome France, Spaine, and no small part of Ger|manie The French|men in those daies possessed not onelie that part of Gallia, which we now call France, but also the most part of the countries now inhabited by the Dutch|men or Ger|mans, name|lie on this side the riuer Rhene. doo acknowledge for their souereigue. Ought this to be despised of men that haue their perfect sen|ses? Ought the societie of the French nation to be refused of vs, inhabiting here in the vttermost parts of the earth, the same being fréelie offered by them, vnto whom for their sincere faith both towards God and man, the large empire of the world is granted? So that if we shall thankfullie receiue this most no|table benefit, the same shall purchase vnto vs the friendship of the Spaniards, Frenchmen, Ger|mans, and all those nations which acknowledge king Charles for their head and souereigne lord. Héere vp|on also frée passage for merchants shall be open, to passe to and fro vnto vs, with all kind of merchan|dize and wares of traffike. I trust therefore that eue|rie one of you (so that he weie the thing with him|selfe throughlie) will easilie iudge that the friendship and societie of the Frenchmen (verie puissant both by sea and land) and thereto of approoued faith and stedfastnesse in promise, ought more to be estéemed, and is more beneficiall to the Scotish common|wealth, than the vnstedfast promises and great disloi|altie of the Saxons. To which of you is it vnknowne that the English nation studieth no lesse to bring vs vnder the yoke of seruitude, than they doo the Welsh|men, if their force might answer directlie to their wils? Therefore if we desire to auoid the violent power of most cruell enimies, if we meane to a|uoid their craftie practises, if we regard the christian religion, for the which the Frenchmen are continu|allie in armor, if we set more by vertue and constan|cie than by vnfaithfulnesse and breach of couenants and promises, if we labor for the glorie and honor of our nation, if we couet to aduance our countrie, our owne rest, and quietnesse; and to be briefe, if we passe vpon life and libertie, the most déerest things that may happen to man, let vs with ioifull harts esta|blish this league with the Frenchmen, and firmelie continue in the same, vpon assured trust and confi|dence that it shall bring perpetuall commoditie and renowme to vs, both for the safegard of our realme, & restreint of the Englishmens vnlawfull attempts and wrongfull iniuries, which héereafter they either shall or may at any time enterprise against vs.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Then Achaius vnderstanding how the minds of all his subiects were in manner wholie inclined to the league, commanded all the companie to be there in the same place againe the next day. And so brea|king vp their assemblie for that time, the king made the French ambassadors that night a costlie supper with a banket, and after hauing conference with his The league with the Frenchmen agréed vpon. nobles and lords of the councell, it was agréed by ge|nerall consent amongst them, that for the solemne ratifieng of this league with king Charles, accor|ding as he had required, there should go with his am|bassadors at their returne the lord William the brother of king Achaius, with foure other honorable and learned personages, being men of perfect know|ledge and skill, and such as were estéemed most meet for such a purpose. Also, that they should take foure thousand men ouer with them to serue against the infidels and enimies of the christian religion, where and in such sort as king Charles should appoint them.