Compare 1577 edition: 1 Angusianus reigned not past two yeares before Fethel|macus. he was slaine thus in the field, as before ye haue heard, in whose place succeeded his cousine Fethel|macus with little better successe: for in the second yeare of his reigne, desirous to be reuenged of the Picts, he assembled an armie, and entring into An|gus, began to spoile & slea downe right all that was before him, without regard to impotent, aged, ten|der infants, or other. The Picts also being kindled herewith, gathered their power togither, and incoun|tring with the Scots, there was a sore battell fought The Scots discomfit the Picts. betwixt them: but the Scots first putting the wings of their enimies host to flight, at length discomfi|ted their maine battell also, being left naked on both sides of all aid or succour, great slaughter was made in the chase of the Picts as they fled hither and thi|ther to saue themselues. So that among other, their An other Nectanus king of the Picts dieth of hurts recei|ued in the fight with the Scots. king named Nectanus, brother to the aboue remem|bred Nectanus, being wounded with an arrow, died within thrée daies after this cruell conflict was en|ded. The courage of the Scots now being aduan|ced with this their prosperous successe, they passed forthwith ouer the riuer of Taie, to rob, harrie, and spoile the countrie of Fife.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The Picts, perceiuing themselues not to be strong [...]nough to match with their enimies in plaine field at hand-strokes, determined yet with skirmishes and light incounterings (if it were possible) to kéepe them off from the winning of anie of their fensed townes, castels or strong holds. And to be the more able to mainteine themselues in this their purposed EEBO page image 76 intention, they did choose on Heirgust to their king, a Heirgust is chosen king of the Picts. man of subtill nature and craffie imagination. This Heirgust deuising how to deliuer his countrie of such an intollerable enimie as Fethelmacus was, procured two slie fellowes Picts by nation, to coun|terfeit themselues for Scots, and for that they were cunning throwers of the dart, in which kind of ex|ercise A pretended, treason. the same Fethelmacus tooke great pleasure, they were appointed to make sute to be in seruice with him, to the intent that when they might espie their time, they should slea him, by one kind of meane or other.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 They (according as they were instructed, comming into Scotland) found meanes not onelie to haue place in the kings house, but also to corrupt one of his musicians an harper, and to bring him to be of counsell with them in this their wicked purpose. By reason whereof, in one night as he laie at Carrike, where he was busie to make his prouision there for the warres against the Picts, the same musician (hauing plaid in the kings bed-chamber till he had brought him asléepe) did let in those two Pictish traitors, who foorthwith slue him euen as he laie so Fethelmacus is murthered in his hed. sléeping: but the king groning gréeuouslie at the deadlie stroke, some of them that watched before the chamber doore perceiuing what was happened, fol|lowed after the murtherers, who fled with all speed vnto the next mounteins, where they sought to de|fend themselues with hurling downe stones, vpon them that came vp towards them: but in the end, being taken, and confessing the déed, with the whole maner of the same, they were drawen in péeces with wild horsses: the musician also being apprehended and conuict of the treason, suffered semblablie the like kind of death. Fethelmacus came to his end in the third yeare of his reigne, being the second In the fift yeare of the emperour Constantius. yeare after the death of the emperour Ualentinian.