Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Witche conſulting with hyr ſprytes, declared in the ende howe it ſhoulde come ſhort|ly to paſſe,The witches anſwere. that the king ſhoulde bee murthered not by his open enimies, but by the handes of one of his moſte familiar friendes, in whom hee had repoſed an eſpeciall truſte. The meſſenger demaunding by whoſe handes that ſhoulde be, euen by thine ſaith ſhe, as it ſhal be well knowen within theſe fewe dayes. The Gentleman hea|ring theſe wordes, rayled againſt hyr very bit|terly, bidding hyr go lyke an olde Witche: for he truſted to ſee hyr brent before he ſhoulde com|mitte ſo villanous a deede.What happe|ned by giuing credite to the woordes of a Witche. And departing from hyr, hee wente by and by to ſignifie what anſweare hee had receyued: but before hee came where the King lay, his minde was altered, ſo that what for doubte on the one ſide that if hee ſhoulde declare the truthe, as it was tolde him, the king mighte happily conceyue ſome greate EEBO page image 76 ſuſpition, that it ſhould follow by his meanes as ſhee had declared, & therevpon put him to death firſt and for feare on the other ſide that if he kept it ſecrete, it might happen to be reuealed by ſome other, and then he to run in aſmuche daunger of life as before: he determined w^t himſelfe to worke the ſureſt way, and ſo comming to the king, hee was ledde aſide by him into his priuie cham|ber, where al other being commaũded to auoide, he declared how he had ſped: & then falling forth|with vpõ Natholocus,Natholocus murthered. with his dagger he ſlew him outright, & threwe his body into a priuie: [figure appears here on page 76] and afterwardes getting out by a backe doore, and taking his horſe whiche he had there readie, he fledde with all ſpeede vnto the campe of the conſpiratours, and was the firſte that brought newes vnto them of this acte thus by him at|chieued.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 252. H. B.This chaunced in the yeare of our Lord .280. and in the .xj. yeare after the firſt entring of Na|tholocus into the eſtate.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Lordes of the realme aſ|ſemble togi|ther to chooſe a new king.After Natholocus was thus diſpatched, the peeres aſſẽbled togither to ordeyne for y^e gouern|ment of the realme, where in the ende it was a|mongſt them concluded, that the ſonnes of A|thirco ſhould be ſent for into Picteland, and Fin|dock receiued for king.The ſonnes of Athirco are ſent for, & the eldeſt of them named Fin|dock choſen to raygne. The Morauian that ſlew Natholocus was appointed to fetch them, who according to his commiſſion, comming into Pict lande, conueyed them right honorably into Argile, where Findocke beyng already choſen king, was placed on the ſtone of marble with all the ceremonies in that caſe appertayning.

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.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After Natholocus was thus dispatched, the péeres The lords of the realme as|semble togi|ther to chuse a new king. assembled togither to ordeine one for gouernement of the realme, where in the end it was amongest them concluded, that the sonnes of Athirco should be sent for into Pictland, and Findocke receiued for king. The Morauian that slue Natholocus was The sonnes of Athirco are sent for, and the eldest of them named Findocke cho|sen to reigne. appointed to fetch them, who (according to his com|mission) comming into Pictland, conueied them right honorablie into Argile, where Findocke being alreadie chosen king, was placed on the stone of marble, with all the ceremonies in that case apper|teining.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 THis Findocke was in the flower of his age, of Findocke. Findocke his noble quali|ties and ver|tuous disposi|tion. person most beautifull, cleane made, & of a good|lie stature; wherewith were ioined most excellent gifts of the mind, not so much desirous to séeme as to be vertuous in déed. He was courteous, méeke, & full of affabilitie, studieng alwaies to win friend|ship and loue, rather by gentlenesse, than by feare and menacing words. The leagues with the Bri|tains, Findocke ob|serueth the leagues con|firmed of for|mer times with his neighbors. Those of the out Iles in|uade the coun|tries of Rosse and Murrey land. Findocke ma|keth a iournie into the Iles, to subdue the rebels. Picts and Romans he firmelie obserued. But as peace with forraine enimies breedeth oftentimes ciuill discord at home, so came it then to passe with him at this present: for one Donald of the Iles, a noble man borne, came ouer with an armie into Rosse and Murrey land, fetching from thence a great spoile and bootie, not without great slaughter of such as inforced themselues for to resist him. The occasion as he pretended was to reuenge the death of Natholocus. But Findocke vnderstanding his dooings, prepared an armie with ships, and sailed ouer with the same into the Ile of Ila, where in|countring with Donald and other his enimies, he vanquished and chased them egerlie, without retur|ning once backe, till either the sword or the sea had made an end of them all.