his plans. He formed an 'alliance with Beaton; he induced Arran to leave the Queen's party, and to join his; he forced the Queen, his wife, to come to terms with him; and he got possession of the King's person, and ruled in his name.

12. The King, however, was now above sixteen years of age, and his minority was declared at an end. He chose Angus, Argyle, and Errol as his "protectors," each of whom should take charge of him for three months in turn. But Angus kept him entirely to himself. In fact, he was a prisoner in Angus's hands, and the latter was the real sovereign.

13. This lasted for two years. In 1528, the King, in the

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disguise of a yeoman of the stable, escaped from Falk1528 land' Palace, where he had been confined. He rode to Stirling, summoned a Council, and issued a proclamation against the Douglases. Angus and all his family were banished; his estates were forfeited, and he took refuge in England. Thus for the third time within a century was the great House of Douglas brought to ruin.

al-li-ance, league.

in-trust-ed, given; committed.

ban-ished, driven out of the country; op-po-si-tion, feeling against; hos

tility.

par-ti-sans, persons of the same party; allies.

pop-u-lar, on the part of the people. pow-er-ful, strong.

rec-on-ciled, friendly again.

re-in-force-ment, addition of troops.
rup-ture, break-up; breach.
sov-er-eign, highest ruler; king.
sup-port-ed, aided; upheld.
treach-er-ous, faithless; false.
triumphed, won; was victorious.

attacked in Dunbar, and escaped to France, and then crossed to England. This Duke of Albany was his son.

4 Wolsey, Thomas, Archbishop of York, Cardinal, and Lord High Chancellor of England, born at Ipswich, 1474. He played a double part between Henry VIII. and the Emperor of Germany, was discovered, and degraded. Died 1530.

5 Falk'land, an ancient burgh of Fifeshire, 10 miles south-west of Cupar.

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THE WILD BORDERERS.

137

QUESTIONS.-1. How old was the heir to the crown? What usual consequences followed? Of whom had Flodden deprived Scotland? What was strong as ever? How did the nobles disturb the country?-2. Whom did the Queenmother marry? Whose jealousy did this excite? On whose assistance did Margaret rely? What faction was formed by her?-3. Who was Angus's great rival? Why did he aspire to the regency? Who headed a third party? What did they advise? Which party triumphed in Parliament? When did Albany arrive in Scotland? What excited great opposition to his government?-4. What disturbances took place in Albany's absence? What was "Clear the Causeway"?5. Who joined Albany's faction on his return from France?-6. Who left the capital when Albany returned? What was the policy of Henry VIII. and Wolsey?-7. What demand did Henry make in 1522? How did the Scots treat it? How was war averted?-8. What great difficulties beset Albany? Where did he procure aid?-9. Where did he then march? Why had he to withdraw to Edinburgh? What did he do soon afterwards?-10. How was Wolsey's end partially attained? Of what league was that a result?-11. Who returned soon after Albany's departure? Whose support had he? What success had his intrigues?-12. When was the King's minority declared at an end? What arrangement was made for the King's protection? Who kept him in his own hands?— 13. How long did this last? Where was the King confined? How did he escape? What was the fate of Angus?

21.-SOLWAY MOSS.

1. THE struggle with Angus brought the Government into conflict with the Borderers, many of whom were 'dependants of the fallen house. Of these, the most powerful were the Armstrongs, whose lawless raids were so frequent and so daring that it was resolved to take measures to quell them.

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In 1531 the King marched to the Border with an army, 1531 on pretence of a hunting 'excursion. Many of the chiefs were seized at their own castle-gates, and hanged on their own trees. The King invited John Armstrong,1 the head of the clan, and his brother Thomas, to a friendly meeting. They went, with only a few followers; but they were at once seized and executed.

2. Renewed troubles arose in the Highlands and Islands. Argyle, as Lieutenant of the West, asked the Government for troops to quell certain disorders. The Government preferred that the King himself should undertake the expedition. The result was, that the Government treated with the Highland chiefs directly, and set Argyle aside. The latter lost his lieutenantship, and was for a time imprisoned. Craufurd, Lieutenant of the North, was also 'deprived of his office.

3. As the Highland lieutenantships were not again filled up,

the nobility regarded the step as a blow aimed at their order. The English tampered with the discontented nobles, 1532 and relying on the help of the Borderers, invaded ScotA.D. land in 1532. It was no more than a Border raid, headed by Angus and his nephew. The Scots invaded 1534 England in return: the Border war was 'renewed, and continued till 1534, when peace was made between the two countries.

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4. A marriage between King James and his cousin, the Princess Mary of England, was one of the schemes of the English Government for uniting the two countries. The 'expulsion of Angus, however, and the quarrel with England, put an end to the project. The Emperor of Germany made various proposals on the subject of James's marriage; but the Scots, led by the Beatons, were anxious to revive the French 'alliance, and Mary, daughter of the Duke of Vendôme, was fixed on. In 1537 James went to France to see his intended bride ; but when there he preferred Magdalen, daughter of 1538 Francis I., to whom he was accordingly married. She died a few months after reaching Scotland; and James then married Mary of Lorraine,2 daughter of the Duke of Guise.3

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5. About the same time Cardinal David Beaton, the nephew of James the Archbishop, became the King's chief adviser. On the death of his uncle in 1539, the Cardinal succeeded him as Archbishop of St. Andrews.

6. In spite of the French alliance which James had formed, Henry VIII. had not given up hope of winning his nephew to his side. Having now thrown off his allegiance to Rome, he was desirous of engaging James as an ally in his famous struggle

with the Pope. In 1541 he arranged for a meeting 1541 with James at York, on the excuse of settling certain A.D. points about religious 'refugees in either country. Henry went to York; but no King of Scotland appeared, and Henry in great wrath returned to London.

7. Henry immediately made war on Scotland. He sent an army across the Tweed, which committed the usual havoc of a Border invasion. James assembled his army, and was eager to revenge the inroad by an immediate march into England. But

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OLIVER SINCLAIR.

139

his nobles firmly refused; and the King, in great anger, left the army on Fala Moor, and returned to Edinburgh. Next day the army broke up, and the lords departed homeward.

8. The King, burning under the 'affront, raised another army, of ten thousand men, and marched towards the West Border. He had given secret orders that his favourite, Oliver Sinclair, should take the command as soon as the army reached the Esk; and at the Castle of Caerlaverock he eagerly awaited the result of the invasion.

9. When the army had passed to English ground it was halted; but as soon as the troops heard that Oliver was to lead them, a loud and angry murmur arose. A violent dispute agitated the whole army, and great disorder 'ensued.

10. At this unlucky moment two English leaders-Dacre and Musgrave-with three hundred horse, charged with levelled lances on the Scots. Taken completely 1542 by surprise, the Scots were broken and scattered, with A.D. scarce an attempt at resistance. The 'fugitives, ignorant of the country, got entangled in Solway Moss, where many perished, and more than a thousand prisoners were taken.

11. James was utterly crushed by the news of this shameful defeat. He retired to Edinburgh in a state of the most piteous gloom and 'melancholy. After a few days he wandered over to Falkland, and there a low fever preyed on his frame. While the unhappy King lay on his death-bed, word was brought from Linlithgow that his Queen had given birth to a daughter.

"It will end as it began," he said; "it came with a woman, and it will go with a woman,”—'alluding to the daughter 1542 of Robert Bruce, by whom the crown of Scotland came into the House of Stewart. These were almost his last words. Had he lived till the birds of spring were singing in the Falkland woods, he would have completed his thirtyfirst year.

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af-front', insult.

ex-pulsion, driving out.

al-le-giance, submission; state of fu-gi-tives, men fleeing.

hav-oc, waste; destruction.
mel-an-chol-y, sadness.

pre-ferred', wished rather.

ref-u-gee', one who flees to a place of shelter.

re-gard-ed, looked on.

re-newed', begun again.

re-sist-ance, standing against an
enemy; opposition.
vi-o-lent, very great; fierce.

1 John Arm'strong.-The capture | tween England and Scotland on the and execution of this notable outlaw are celebrated in the ballad of Johnnie Armstrong.

2 Lorraine', an old province of France, in the north-east. The greater part of it is now German.

3 Guise (Geeze), a town in the north of France (department Aisne), 90 miles north-east of Paris.

4 Esk, a right-bank tributary of the Liddel, which forms the boundary be

west.-Solway Moss is between the confluence of the Esk and the Liddel and the Solway Firth.

5 Caerlav'erock, on the river Nith, near the Solway Firth, 5 miles southeast of Dumfries.

QUESTIONS.-1. What brought the Government into conflict with the Borderers? How were the Armstrongs put down?-2. Where did renewed troubles arise? What mode of dealing with them did the Government adopt?-3. How did the nobility look upon the suppression of the lieutenantships? Who tampered with the discontented nobles? Who invaded Scotland? When was peace concluded? 4. What was the marriage project of the English Government? What did the Scots prefer? Who was fixed on? Whom did the King first marry? Who was his second wife?-5. Who at that time became the King's chief adviser? When did he become archbishop?-6. In what struggle did Henry VIII. try to engage James? Where did they arrange to meet? Who did not appear?-7. What did Henry's rage prompt him to do? What was James eager to do? Who prevented this? What followed?-8. Where did the King send another army? What secret orders had he given ?-9. How did the army receive the announcement? What ensued?-10. Who attacked them at that moment? With what effect?-11. Where did James wander? In what state of mind was he? What news arrived from Linlithgow? What did he say when he heard it?