had aryved some tyme before, to whom, eftir ther dalliance, she imparts her father's suspitione and terrible threatenings against her, which these gallants litle regarded, protesting that they would make her father doe penance for that very suspitione, little dreameing that they themselves was soe neer destructione, for that very night all of them was brought to their end by a cruell revenge; for Sir John, missing his daughter out of her chamber, concluded where she was, and went presently to the place with two of his domesticks, where finding the doors of the house shut, and noe answear made to his demands, nor the doors opened notwithstanding of this threatnings, in a rage he sets fyre to the thatch with a [torch] his servant caryed, which immediately (the wind being somewhat high) set the wholl onsteed in a fyre, and burned it downe to the ground.[1] Ther perished in the flame and ruines above eight or nine persons; for which cruell act, as it was highly aggravated in all the horrible circumstances by the churchmen then in being, this poor gentleman was forced to flee the country for a tyme, his estate being forefaulted by the king."
The next extract relates to the visit paid by King James III. to the Lord Somerville, at his castle of Cowthally, near Carnwath, in the month of July 1474.
"At which tyme the king, being disposed to take his pleasure at the poutting in Calder and Camwath Muires, he acquaintes the Lord Somervill with his resolutione, who, by accident, was then at court; his majestie being pleased withall to shew him he was resolved for some dayes to be his guest. Wherupon the Lord Somervill immediately despatches ane expresse to Cowthally (who knew nothing of the king's journey), with a letter to his lady, Dame Marie Baillzie, wherein, according to his ordinary custome when any persones of qualitie wer to be with him, he used to wryte in the postscript of his letters, Speates and Raxes; and in this letter he had redoubled the same words, because of the extraordinary occasione and worthyness of his guest. This letter being delyvered, and the messenger withall telling his lord was very pressing, that it might be speedily and securely put in her ladyship's hands,—whereupon she hastily breakes it up, commanding the Stewart to read the same, because she could read non herself. This gentleman being but lately entered to his service, and unacquainted with his lord's hand and custome of wrytting, when he comes to the postscript of the letter, he reads
Speares and Jacks instead of
Speates and Raxes: whereupon my lady, all amazed, without considering her husband's ordinary forme of wrytting, falles a-weeping, supposeing her lord had fallen at variance with some about the court, the king beginning about this tyme to discountenance his ancient nobilitie, and they again to withdraw both their affectiones and due alledgeance from him. Efter the reading of the letter, James Inghs of Eistscheill was presently sent for, and commandement given to him and the officers, that all the vassalles, with the able tennents that wer within the two barronies of Carnwath, Cambusnethen, and baillzierie of Carstairs, should be ready with their horse and armes to wait upon William Cleilland of that ilk be eight in the morning the ensuing day, and that in order to ther going for Edinburgh. This command being punctually observed by the vassalles and the substantiall tennents that wer in use, and obleidged to ryde, by ther holdings and tackes, upon such occasions, they conveened to the number of two hundred, with the laird of Cleilland, and William Chancellor of Quathquan, with the Baillzie upon ther heads.
[2] By eleven a clock they were advanced in ther journey for Edinburgh to the side of that hill that is somewhat bewest the Corsetthill. His majestie haveing breakfasted by nyne in the morning, had taken horse, and was come the lenth of that little waiter a myle on this syde of the Corsetthill, bussie, even then, at his sport upon the rode, when the first of all the little company that was with him observed the advance of a troope of men, with ther lances, within a myle of him, or thereby. Whereupon, all astonished, he calles hastily for the Lord Somervill, who, being at some distance, came upon the spurre. The king being of ane hastie nature, in great fury demanded what the matter meaned, and if he had a mynde to betray him, and seize upon his person the second tyme by ane other treacherous hunting: and withall swearing his head should pay for it, if he himself escaped the hands of these traitors, who could be noe other but his vassalles and followers, brought togither off purpose for some ill designe. The Lord Somervill, without making any reply, immediately castes himself from his horse to the ground, and falles upon his knees, protesting, with many solemn oaths, that he understood not what the matter meaned, nor what the company was, nor the cause of ther being in yonder place; thairfore he humblie begged of his majestie that he would allow him to goe see what they wer, friends or foes; and, for securitie, he had with him his eldest sone and heir, William, barrone of Carnwath; iff all was not weill, and his majestie safe from all hazard, he desyred that his sone's head may be strucken off
