Compare 1577 edition: 1 First therefore, breaking vp the assemblie for the same day, he commanded that they should come to|gither againe on the next morow, to consult further A pretie shift deuised by the king to per|suade the no|bilitie. for the state of the realme; as they should sée cause. The same euening also he had them all to supper, which being prolonged till farre in the night, it was late before they went to bed, so that being ouerwat|ched, when they were once gotten to rest, they were soone brought into a sound sléepe. Now had the king appointed for euerie one of their chambers one man apparelled in garments pretilie deuised and made of fish skins vnskaled, bearing in one of their hands a staffe of such rotten wood as shineth in the night, and in their other hand a great oxehorne, to the end that vttering their woords through the same, the sound of their voices should séeme farre differing from the v|suall spéech of man.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus appointed in the dead of the night, they en|ter the chambers to ech of them assigned, where (as is said) the lords laie fast asléepe, who being at the first as it were halfe awakened, were woonderfullie amazed at the strangenesse of the sight (doubting whether it were but a dreame, or some true and vnfei|ned vision.) Héerewith also were heard certeine se|uerall voices, far greater than those of men, decla|ring that they were messengers sent from almightie God vnto the Scotish nobilitie, to command them to obeie their king, for his request was iust: the Pic|tish Of such sights there were manie in those daies: and oftentims no doubt estée|med to be hea|uenlie visions in déed: kingdome due vnto him by rightfull heritage, & ought to be recouered from that people, which for their great offenses and sins towards almightie God, should shortlie come to vtter destruction: such was the determinate pleasure of his diuine maie|iestie, EEBO page image 129 against the which might neither counsell nor puissance of man be able to resist.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 When the counterfeited messengers had thus made an end of their woords, they stilie hid their staues vnder their innermost garments, and there with quicklie conueied their vppermost vestures made of fish skales (as I haue said) into their bosoms, in such slight and nimble wise, that it seemed these vi|sions had suddenlie vanished awaie. Those lords that had séene these sights, laie still for that night, great|lie musing on the matter. In the morning being got vp, and assembled in the councell chamber, they de|clared to ech other what they had séene and heard in the night passed. And for that all their visions which they had seene by ech others report, were in euerie be|halfe like, and nothing differing one from an other, they beléeued verelie it was some celestiall oracle & message sent from God. Therefore presentlie they go vnto the king, declaring vnto him how they had The lords de|clare their vi|sion vnto the king. béene admonished from aboue, to continue the wars with all their forces against the Picts.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Firſt therfore, breaking vp the aſſemblie for the ſame day, he cõmaunded y^e they ſhould come togither agayne on the next morow,A pretie ſhifte deuiſed by the king to per|ſwade the no|bilitie. to conſult further for the ſtate of the realme, as they ſhould ſee cauſe. The ſame euening alſo hee had them all to ſupper, whiche being prolonged tyll farre in the night, it was late before they went to bed, ſo that being ouerwatched, when they were once gotten to reſte, they were ſoone broughte into a ſound ſleepe: Now had the king appointed for e|uery one of their chambers one man apparelled in garmentes pretily deuiſed and made of fyſhe ſkinnes vnſkaled, bearing in one of their hands a ſtaffe of ſuche rotten woode, as ſhyneth in the night, and in their other hand a great oxe horn, to the ende that vttering their wordes thorough the ſame, the ſound of their voyces ſhoulde ſeeme farre differing from the vſuall ſpeeche of man.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus appointed in the dead of the night, they enter the chambers to eche of them aſſigned, where (as is ſayd) the lordes laye faſte a ſleepe, EEBO page image 174 who being at the firſt as it were half awakened, were wonderfully amazed at the ſtrangeneſſe of the ſight (doubting whether it wer but a dreame or ſome true and vnfayned viſion.) Herewith al|ſo were heard certaine ſeueral voyces, farre grea|ter than thoſe of men, declaring that they were meſſengers ſente from almightie God vnto the Scottiſh nobilitie, to commaunde them to obey their king,Of ſuch ſligh|tes there were many in thoſe dayes: and of|tentimes no dout eſtemed to be heauen|ly viſions in deede. for his requeſt was iuſt: The Pictiſh kingdome due vnto him by rightefull heritage, ought to be recouered from that people, which for their great offẽces and ſinnes towards almigh|tie god ſhould ſhortly come to vtter deſtruction: ſuch was the determinate pleaſure of his diuine maieſtie, againſt the whiche might neyther coũ|ſell nor puiſſance of man be able to reſiſt.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 When the counterfaited meſſengers had thus made an ende of their wordes, they ſlightly hid their ſtaues vnder their innermoſt garmentes, & therwith quikly cõueyd their vppermoſt veſtures made of fiſh ſkales (as I haue ſaid) into their bo|ſoms in ſuche ſlight and nimble wyſe, that it ſe|med theſe viſions had ſodeynly vaniſhed away.