Compare 1587 edition: 1 Whiche letters hee deliuered vnto a Pictiſhe woman, appoynting hyr how and to whome ſhe ſhoulde deliuer the ſame, but the woman appre|hended by the way, and brought vnto Natho|locus, hee cauſed hyr ſecretely to be ſacked and throwen into a riuer.

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Compare 1587 edition: 1 Afterwardes ſending for ſuche of the Nobles as the direction of the foreſayde letters had gi|uen him occaſion to haue in ſome ſuſp [...]ion,Natholocus putreth ſuch to death, as he ſuſpecteth to fauour Doo|rus. he committed them firſt to pryſon, and at length cauſed them to be ſecretely ſtrangled.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Thus ruling the realme at his will for certeine yéeres, at length fortune began to shew a change of Fortune fa|uoring Na|tholocus for a time began to change. Doorus wri|teth vnto certeine Sco|tish lords to moue them to rebellion. countenance after hir old accustomed guise. For Doorus the brother of Athirco (whome, as ye haue heard, Natholocus supposed to haue béene dead) wrote certeine letters, signifieng his owne estate with the welfare of his nephues the children of Athir|co vnto certeine Scotish lords, whom he knew to fauour his cause. Which letters he deliuered vnto a Pictish woman, appointing hir how and to whome she should deliuer the same, but the woman appre|hended by the waie, and brought vnto Natholocus, he caused hir secretlie to be sacked and throwne into a riuer. Afterwards sending for such of the nobles Natholocus putteth such to death as he suspecteth to fauour Do|orus. as the direction of the forsaid letters had giuen him occasion to haue in some suspicion, he committed them first to prison, and at length caused them to be secretlie strangled.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Which wicked déed being once notified abroad, so mooued the harts of their friends and alies, that they procured the people to rebell: and so gathering them togither, they raised open and cruell warres against him. Natholocus informed of their determi|nations, withdrew himselfe priuilie into Murrey land, there to get togither an armie to resist his eni|mies, Natholocus sendeth vnto a witch to know the con|clusion of his enimies attempts. and for that he was desirous also to vnder|stand somwhat of the issue of this trouble, he sent one of his trustie seruants, being a gentleman of that countrie, vnto a woman that dwelt in the Ile of Colmekill (otherwise called Iona) estéemed verie skilfull in forshewing of things to come, to learne of hir what fortune should hap of this warre, which was alreadie begun.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The witch confulting with hir spirits, declared in the end how it should come shortlie to passe, that The witches answere. the king should be murthered, not by his open eni|mies, but by the hands of one of his most familiar friends, in whome he had reposed an especiall trust. The messenger demanding by whose hands that should be? Euen by thme saith she, as it shall be well knowen within these sew daies. The gentleman hearing these words, railed against hir verie bitter|lie, bidding hir go like an old witch; for he trusted to sée hir burnt before he should commit so villanous a déed, And departing from hir, he went by and by to signifie what answere he had receiued; but before he What happe|ned by giuing credit to the woords of a witch. came where the king lay, his mind was altered, so that what for doubt on the one side, that if he should declare the trueth as it was told him, the king might happilie conceiue some great suspicion, that it should follow by his means as she had declared, and there|vpon put him to death first; and for feare on the o|ther side, that if he kéepe it secret, it might happen to be reuealed by some other, and then he to run in as much danger of life as before; he determined with himselfe to worke the surest way, and so comming to the king, he was led aside by him into his priuie chamber, where all other being cõmanded to auoid, he declared how he had sped; and then falling foorth|with vpon Natholocus, with his dagger he slue him Natholocus murthered. outright, and threw his bodie into a priuie; and af|terwards getting out by a backe doore, and taking his horsse which he had there readie, he fled with all spéed vnto the campe of the conspirators, and was the first that brought news vnto them of this act thus by him atchiued. This chanced in the yeare of 252. H. B. our Lord 280, & in the eleuenth yeare after the first entring of Natholocus into the estate.