re-lieve', help; free from burdens. re-strain', hold back. self-con-trol', power to check or curb oneself. 1 James II., son of James I. Married Mary of Gueldres, in Holland. Reigned 23 years (1437-1460). The University of Glasgow was founded in this reign (1450). 2 Holyrood. The Abbey of Canons of the Holy Rood ("holy cross ") was founded by David I. in 1128, and was removed to the building at the foot of the Canongate in 1174. It is now a ruin; but beside it stands the Palace of Holyrood, founded by James IV. The present palace was built in the time of Charles II. suc-ceed-ed, followed. su-preme', highest; having most power. sus-pi-cious, distrustful. 3 Lieutenant (pron. lef-ten'-ant), one who holds the place of another; hence one who rules in name of the king. 4 Rox'burgh.-This castle stood on the banks of the Teviot, 2 miles above its junction with the Tweed. It was frequently taken and retaken, and sometimes suffered great damage, in the Border wars. A few ruins overgrown with grass mark its site. 5 James III., son of James II. Married Margaret of Denmark. Reigned 28 years (1460-1488). QUESTIONS.-1. Where was James II. crowned? Why not at Scone? How old was he then? What was the aim of the factions?-2. Who were the two chief rivals for power? Where did the Queen-mother first take her son? How did she carry him to Stirling? Why? Who then became supreme?-3. Who might have kept down these factions? What office had he held? When did he die? How did Crichton get possession of the King's person?-4. Whom did Crichton dread? For what purpose did he and Livingston combine? How did they effect their purpose?-5. By whom was the Douglas power revived? To what office was he appointed? With whose consent? What was done to Crichton?-6. Who was the King's chief counsellor when he came of age? What discovery did he make in 1451? What plan did the King adopt for dealing with Douglas? What was the upshot?-7. Who succeeded to the Douglas estates? What did he do? How was he punished? To whom was the greater portion of his estates given?-8. What castles did James resolve to recover from the English? How did he come by his death? In what year?-9. How old was James III. when he succeeded? How long was the country prosperous? Into whose hands did the King fall on Kennedy's death? Which of the family was married to the King's sister? What title was conferred on him?-10. How did the Boyds fall? Which of them was executed? Where did Lord Boyd go? and Arran? What was done with their estates? To whom was Arran's wife afterwards married? How was she free to marry him? In what position did that place the Hamiltons?-11. How were Orkney and Shetland annexed to the Scottish Crown? What other possessions did James gain? What is said of his authority? 15.-LAUDER BRIDGE. 1. JAMES III. was a student, and led a life of 'solitude. His brothers, the Earls of Albany and Mar, were fond of manly exercises, and trained themselves to the warlike life usual for princes in that age. The King chose as his friends men whose tastes were like his own, but who were of low birth. This disgusted his brothers and the barons of 'ancient 'descent. James III.] ARCHIBALD, BELL-THE-CAT. 117 2. With his brothers he quarrelled first. The Earl of Mar was thrown into Craigmillar Castle,1 and there died, it was said by 'violence. Albany was attacked in his 1479 castle of Dunbar, and fled first to France, and then to England. A.D. 3. One Cochrane, a builder, was the King's chief favourite. The earldom of Mar had become 'vacant by the death of the King's brother, and the King bestowed it on Cochrane. The *upstart set no bounds to his 'insolence. He lived in grander style than the proudest of the old nobility. Whoever wanted Court favour or 'protection had to buy it at his hands. James was King, but Cochrane ruled. 4. At length the nobility entered into a plot to put the favourite down. At the same time the Earl of Albany, brother to the King, made a secret agreement with Edward IV. of England, by which that King was to assist Albany in 'dethroning his brother. Albany bound himself, on obtaining the Scottish throne, to become the vassal of England. Edward, to carry out this base bargain, prepared to invade Scotland. James *mustered his forces, and marched to meet the English. 5. It was resolved to carry out the plot for the 'removal of the hated favourite while the army lay in camp at Lauder.2 Early one morning, the 'conspirators, who met in the church to consult, agreed that Cochrane must be seized and put A.D. to death at once. Upon this Lord Gray told the old 1482 story of the mice and the cat: how the mice met and resolved to have a bell hung about the neck of their enemy the cat, to warn them of his approach; but how the scheme broke down for want of a mouse bold enough to undertake to fasten on the bell. "I understand the story," said the Earl of Angus; "and that what ye propose may not lack execution, I will bell the cat." From this speech he was ever afterwards known as Archibald Bell-the-Cat. 6. While they were talking, Cochrane entered the church, dressed in a riding suit of black velvet, with a great chain of gold about his neck, and a 'jewelled hunting-horn. Angus pulled the chain from him, saying, "A rope would set you better." Douglas of Lochleven snatched away the horn, telling him that "he had been the hunter of mischief too long." "My lords, is this jest, or earnest ?" said Cochrane.—“It is good earnest, and so thou shalt find," was the reply. 7. The conspirators, having seized the King and the rest of his favourites, brought out Cochrane, and bound his hands with a rope. The wretched man, vain even in that terrible hour, begged them to take one of the silken cords of his tent to bind him. They told him he was a traitor, and deserved no better; and, in contempt, they took a hair tether and hanged him over the Bridge of Lauder, before the King's eyes. The other favourites, including a tailor and a smith, were hanged along with him in one dismal row. When the grim deed was done, the nobles 'disbanded the army, and carried the King to the Castle of Edinburgh, where he was really a prisoner in their hands. an-cient, old; far off. ap-proach', coming near. mus-tered, gathered. pro-tec-tion, act of guarding. con-spir-a-tors, those making a plot. re-mov-al, putting away. con-tempt', scorn. de-scent', family; origin. de-thrōn-ing, putting off the throne. 1 Craigmil'lar Castle.-The picturesque ruins of the castle stand on an eminence about 2 miles south of Edinburgh. sol-i-tude, being alone; loneliness. teth-er, a rope to tie cattle when feeding. up-start, one that suddenly rises from va-cant, empty; not filled. 2 Lau'der, a town in Berwickshire, 24 miles south-east of Edinburgh. It is on the river Leader, and is the chief town in Lauderdale. QUESTIONS.-1. In what respect did James's brothers differ from him? How did he disgust them and the nobles?-2. What became of the Earl of Mar? What became of the Earl of Albany?-3. Who was the chief favourite? What title was conferred on him? What power did he wield?-4. What did the nobles do? What agreement did Albany make with the King of England? What did the latter prepare to do?-5. Where did the nobles resolve to execute their plot? Where did they meet? What did they agree to do? What story did Lord Gray tell? What did Angus say? What name did he afterwards bear?-6. Who presently entered the church? How was he treated? What did Angus say? What did Douglas of Lochleven do?-7. Who were then seized? What was done with them? Where was the King conveyed? 16. CIVIL STRIFE. 1. A FEW weeks after the affair of Lauder Bridge, Albany appeared in Edinburgh to plead for his brother's 'release. James IV.] THE BELT OF IRON. 119 James was set free, but Albany took the government into his own hands. When some of the nobles found out that Albany wished to seize the crown, they threatened to 1483 charge him with 'treason, and he returned to England. A.D. In the following year he made a raid on the south of Scotland, along with the exiled Earl of Douglas. They were defeated at Lochmaben.1 Douglas was taken prisoner, but 'received pardon on condition of retiring to the monas tery of Lindores,2 where he died in 1488. Albany 1484 again fled to France, and was slain there in a 'tour- A.D. nament a few months later. 2. After the death of his Queen in 1487, James applied himself more earnestly to the duties of his office. But this only widened the breach between him and his nobles, 1487 who 'suspected him of a design to obtain the help of A.D. England in punishing them. They formed a powerful ⚫league against him, broke into open rebellion, and placed his son-a youth of sixteen-at their head. 3. The King, who had the support of the burgesses and the common people, assembled an army and attacked them at Sauchie Burn.3 James was defeated, and, fleeing 1488 from the field, was thrown from his horse. He was A.D. carried into a miller's house, and was there stabbed to the heart by a 'pursuer who pretended to be a priest. 4. JAMES IV.4-The successful barons were for some time ignorant of the fate of their King; and his murderer was never 'discovered. The chief offices of State were given to the leaders of the successful party, but all those who had opposed them and had supported the late King were forgiven. 5. The young King was struck with 'remorse at having appeared, though against his will, in arms against his father. As a 'penance, he is said to have worn ever afterwards a chain, or belt of iron, the weight of which he increased from year to year. 6. The Earl of Lennox and Lord Forbes raised a force to 'revenge the death of James III.; but they were speedily defeated. Soon afterwards the new Govern- 1489 ment strengthened its position by making treaties of peace with England, France, and Denmark. A.D. A.D. 7. The first disturbance came from the west. In 1492 the Islesmen made a great raid on the mainland, and 1492 swept over the whole north of Scotland. The frequent 'repetition of these inroads led the Government to adopt a new policy in dealing with the Highlands and Islands. They intrusted the government of the outlying districts to powerful local families, who held possessions in 1498 the Lowlands as well as in the north and the west. Thus A.D. the Earl of Argyle was made Lieutenant of the West, and the Earl of Huntly of the North. The effect of these measures was to break up the lordship of the Isles as a separate and 'hostile government. 8. In 1495, Perkin Warbeck, the second of the two impostors who claimed the crown of Henry VII. of England, took refuge in Scotland. James IV. declared his belief in him as Richard, Duke of York, younger son of Edward IV. So satisfied was the King of his 'identity, that he arranged for his marriage A.D. with the Lady Catherine Gordon, daughter of the Earl 1496 of Huntly, and grand-daughter of James I. In the following year James invaded Northumberland on Warbeck's behalf, expecting that he would be joined by the northern lords; but as no rising took place, he withdrew his army. The inroad was renewed in 1497, but with no better result; and Warbeck then left Scotland, never to return. 9. James IV. was the founder of the Scottish Navy. Encouraged by the successes of Columbus, De Gama, and Cabot, A.D. 6 he 'promoted fisheries and commerce, as the means of 1500 rearing skilled and hardy seamen. In a short time he made the navy of Scotland powerful, and its flag was respected on all seas. The largest ship then known in the world, the Great Michael, was launched in Scottish waters. Commanded by stout Sir Andrew Barton, it did great damage to the Dutch. Another famous Scottish seaman of the time was Sir Andrew Wood of Largo," in whose ships, the Flower and the Yellow Carvel, King James often took short voyages. Twice Wood defeated the English at sea, and once he captured five of their ships. [was. dis-covered, found out. [spirited. | hostile, unfriendly. en-cour-aged, filled with hope; in-i-den-ti-ty, being the man he said he |