[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 yt 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.