The Argument.
The Douglase coureteslye Requirs the King
For to vnfold the caus of al his Greif
Wherby he taks Occasion for to bring
To outward vew the ground of this mischeif
He schews the worthles Bate'els haples Reigne
That heapt new woes on woes without releif
Braue barwick, Lost Scots fall at ods and yeeld,
Losing Their fredome, in a bloodie feild.

Those machles champions throw the forest gon
At last allight, & then themselues adrest,
Til cheirful daies bright golde lamp should shone,
within a arbour faier, to take their rest.
But as ambitious minds, ar neuer alone,
Til they haue honour, glorie, Fame possest,
So they no rest at all, cold here attain,
Such high confusion in their brests remaine.

At last, the Douglas thus began, braue Prince,
And my most gratious Souerainge quod he,
Long may thou liue in Natures excelence,
Iou's loue, Fates fauour, fortunes constancie,
Thy worth exalted, by heauens influence,
And thy braue selfe, long haue I wsht to sie,
God graunt thy shining sonne with golden Raies,
Our darkest nights may chaunge to brightest daies.

Let not my bold presumtion thee offend
If I require to know the woefull birth,
Of sorrows which thy countenance forth send,
For loe swift Fame, did sound thy praise, thy worth
In Fraunce, while carelesse, I on court attend,
which cleers my clouds of care, with lamps of mirth,
And did my sad, vnsetled, Thoughts, destroy
Thy sweit report, so fild, my Eares, with Ioy

Then I returnd in hope of blest reliefe,
Which I foresawe, thy worth would soone afford,
And thou, eu'ne thou, would ease thy contreis griefe,
Whose glorïe great, must be by the restord,
Sene to Reuenge our blood, woe, wrake, mischiefe
By Iustest Heauens, thou onely art implord,
Doe then braue Prince, what heauen for thee ordains
Thy Knight I am, in warre, peace, Ioy, or pains.

The gallant Bruce, sat long tyme much amazd,
Loth to vnfould his straunge misfortunes, rare,
In wrath he star'd, he lookt, about he gaz'd,
He sigh'd, he grond, as One, Into Dispair
His rolling Eies, at last, from Earth, he Ras'ed
And Cleird with heavenlie smylls, the clowds, of cair
Whill as the Douglas, long did him, behold
This sadd, and wofull, Tragedie, he told.

Sad may it seeme and sorrowfull, to Thee
Thois wofull news Thou do's Requeir' to heare
but much more cair, and greif, it breids, to Mee
Who must not onely heare and lend my eare,
But must relate euen what my eies did siee,
Yea what myselfe did act, yet I'le forbeare
Those fond complaints, and make a true narration,
What most offends me, and afflicts my Nation.

And to vnfould this tragick storie soe
To know the motiue, first, it doth requier
And eu'rie truest circumstance to sho,
Whereof is much that will delight the eare,
Than to th'intentall may mor cleerly know
The ground of this, so firce & crwel warr,
Our various speach let vs devert and view,
The dreidfull, horreid horrors, that ensew

Thrie Alexanders, thrise waere Scotlands, King
The first, for valiaunt deids, surnam'd, the fierce
Was Malcolm, Canmoirs, sone, the second, Rings
Was after, good, king Will'iame, did, deceas
Whois braue, vndanted, Deids, made fame, to sing
The Lion-king, as histories Rehers
The thrid that did Oure, Crown, and scepter wear
Henre, the third, of Englands, doghter, fair.

In mariage took which haple he devynd
Should then conclud, A full, and finall Peace
That both these Antient kingdoms, thus Combind
Those great and Mightie Nations, might Imbrace
A Freindlie League, and Concordance, in mind
An happie Time to thair Ensewing race,
By ending all the warrs, the broyls, the steir's,
That had remain'd, full, thryse five hindreth zeirs.

But heavens decreed it, should not so Remaine
For the appointed Time, was not foretolde
Mans subtill plots, and wits ar, all in vaine
In vaine their wais, in vaine this work, they wold,
In vaine they go about, for to obtaine
What Ioue as secret to himself did hold,
In uaine was al these fond deuises thought,
Since heaujn decred, that al shold turne to noght.

For lo betwixt burnt Illion and King orne,
King Alexander di'd by fall of horse,
When thirtiefoure yeres of, his Raigne was worne,
He no succession liad, and which was wors,
Blood-thristie-warr by wings, of veng'ance borne,
Did tear Our kingdom's bouwells but Remors,
Waikining by oft Diminishings, at Lenght,
The vains, the Nerv's the sinne vs, of oure strenght,

Six yeares the land gouerned was in Peace,
By Regents fix, at laste some broiles arose,
Whereby soe straunge gouernament did cease
Such bloodie factions, did themselues oppose,
who from that boundage wold the land release,
And of annot her King wold make a chose,
For wel they knew what trains they shold imbark
To set this headstrong Nations once awarke

A councel then of all, they call to choose
The neerest of the Roiall bloode for king,
The Baliol there his right did wel peruse,
From the first female his descent to spring,
And from the first borne Male, I not refuse
My lineall and iust descent to bring
Thus plead wee both, nor can we once accord,
No peace our haughtie stomaks cold afford.

And thus our hate grew greater daie by daie,
Both thirsting for a Princely Diadem,
Nor cold the meanest thought of wife delaie,
Preuent our wo, our wrack, our countreis shame,
On wo, on wracke, on ruine and decaie,
Ambition can not looke, nor thinke, nor dreame,
But for the Croun, while wee're a spyring thus
Wee robd of what shold make it Glorious.
For with vs two, two mightie armies rose,
To winn the Croun or lose our selfe and all,
Scotlands great Primat did himselfe oppose
Betwixt vs then a treat of peace to call,
Who did so much, at last wee made a choise,
Thus to accord and to agrement fall,
To iudge our right by Englands mighty King,
Who shold decerne, which of vs both shold reigne.
Wherefore in haste to Englands King wee send,
Requesting him to take the cause in hand,
Who then prepard his conquest to defend,
In fertill Fraunce, with many warlike band,
And their his large Dominions to extend
By force of armes, and by his valiant hand,
Yet for to put our Kingdom to a rest,
He turnd, and bake to Yorke himselfe adrest,
Of learned men he twentifour there brought,
Whose graue aduise in this great worke he vs'd,
But lo my proud competetor bethought
Him thus, If I and my iust right were chusd
Than were he all vndon, and threfore soght
By some lewd meane to get mee quite refus'd,
At last resolu'd to buie a Diadem
With fowle dishonour, and eternall shame.
Wherfore he dealt in secret with the King,
If him he wold preferre the Croune to weare,
By chatter, Seale, by Oth and eu'ry thing,
He bound himselfe of him the Croune to beare,
And for the same his homage to resigne,
To whose base minde, at first he gaue noe Eare
The most part of the Lawiers parted thence
All iudging me iust heire and Righteous Prince.
But counsell caused this mightie King to err,
Counsell of these that by dissention liue
Still vrging him the Bailiol to preferr,
That for his guerdon would a Kindom giue,
But he that knew my right farr worthier
Euen from my foes proud offer did deriue
His argument, and vnto me presentes
The Croune, if I fullfild the same contents.
Which offer base I plainely did refuse,
Wherefore King Edward in his wrathful Ire,
With Baliol decreits, and did abuse
My right, enstalling him whose blind desire
Led him for honor, Infamie to choose
And for a crovne to slave a free Empire,
For loe in him two contraries agree,
Base Avarice, and Prodigalitie.
Thus he returnd with pomp and Majesty
Whom all the Lords and Princes of Estate
Conuaied to Skoene with royall dignity,
Where stood the Auncient Marble cheir of late,
There was he cround with Kingly Roialty,
In Robs whose worth were longsum to repeat,
Imbroadred al with stons, with pearle, with gold,
Gorgious to weare, and glorious to behold.
But litle knew the Princes of the Land,
That he to Englands King shold homage paie,
The croune that sixtien hundreth yeers did stand,
Gainst endles warr and cruel Armes Essay,
Nor Romans, Danes, nor Saxons cold command,
Vnconquer'd still, nor conquer'd wold obaie,
Was now betraied by him whose haples name
Became his countreis skorne and Kingdoms shame.
But when report had showne the haples losse,
The commons gan to murmur here & ther,
Against the Nobles, vowing that their choise
Shold be with armes, their freedom to repaiere,
And all the Princes of Estate by those
Were schandalizd with shame, reproch & feare,
Thus ciuill descord broght a fearful fall
On King, on countrey, Kingdom, croune and all.
For now the king in heigh contempt was brought
With all the Lords and Princes of Estate
The Lords in hait and great disgrace were thought
With all the commoun Multitude of Late
When al with wit and valor should have wrought
Thus Raise a fearfull straunge and new debaite
That hardest Adamantine hearts wold move
But for Their sin so heavens decree'd aboue
Of these ensewing sorrows now the King
Forseis forthinks and Meditats and Moins
A Thousand greifs did in his bosome spring
Assailing all his wofull heart at ons
One day he wold be secret furth to bring
The wofull birth of tears of sighs and grons
Throune on his bed with Rageing Discontents
At last he thus burst furth in heighe complaints
Ah haples wretch Curst be the Fatall hour.
Wherein I did Obtaine a Diadem
By false conceat by strong entysing Pow'r
Not cairing for Disgrace for loss for shame
While auarice and ambition did deuour
Treuth, Knowledge, witt, discretion praise and fame,
Ah Auarice, inchaunter of the wise,
The blind devouror of faire honours prize.
O bloodie starres why did you thus agree,
To make a bad conjunction at my birth?
Why did you al power doune mischiefe from hie?
To make vyle me, the abject of the earth,
What shall al times and ages saie of me?
To buie a croune, that sold a Kingdoms woorth,
The reuenews I sold to buie the Name,
Exchaunging honour for eternall shame.
What woe or griefe but time can make it old,
Yet Infamie time neuer can svppresse,
The meaner sort their faults will pas vntold,
But faults of Kings by Fame doe stil increase,
Such spotts are in my leaprous sowle enrold,
As still accuse me of my guiltines,
And while my wronged people me doe vewe,
Me thinks their eies to death doe me persue,
In midst of this his sorowful complaint,
His eies grew heauie dround with floods of tears,
His tongue, his throt no more their sound forth-sent
Thus slummerd he full fraght with greifes & fears
At last this fearfull vision did present
A dreadful sounding noice that pearst his eares,
Hee thought he saw before him all at once,
Were nintie Kings, and two on golden Throns.
Each bore a close rich couerd glorious Croune,
In forme like an Emperiall Diadem,
With ribs of gold o'rthwart aboue & doune,
All round about each bowing like a beame,
In the fore front were made of Iacinths broune
Faire letters, shewing eurie Prince his Name,
Beneath their feet an iron throne was made,
Whereon of lead an Open croune was laid.
He thought they set him on the iron Throne,
And cround him with that leaden croune in scorne,
Whereon was written this Inscription,
This non but bastard Baliol hath borne,
Then saied the firste and grauest all alone
Whose aged haires had many yeares outworne
Thou wreched catine most accurst of all
Thy place is great but, greater farre thy fall.
This Diadem Pointing his Ow'ne by Me
Erected was with honor strength and Might
And from my Aged loyns discendit be
By Iust discent thes Nyntye two in sight
Eche bure this Crowne with Royall dignitie
Adding as much by Conquiest to ther Right
Defending It gainst Romains saxons Dains
For witnes famous victories Remains.
But vn-compeld vn sought or on requierd
By words by warr by Conquest or by gane
Thou Randert vp what we aloft had Reard
And what we keipt with travell cair and Pane
The thretning trompet that all Nati'ons feard
Which worlds of Armeis newer could obtaine
Yet this thou could not do without consent
Of all the Thrie Estates of Parl'ament.
But for thy fault, thy shame, thy losse, thy wrong,
This iust and heauie Iudgment shall correct thee,
The Kingdom shalbe reft from thee e're long
And thy owne subjects shamefully rejectt thee,
In blinded darknes woes shalbe thy song.
For want of daie, yet no man shall affect thee,
And to all ages thy Infamous name,
Shalbe a prouerbe of eternal shame.

For lo Thou shall be cal'd in littill space
Thy countreis ruine and thy Nations wo
Much harmles Blood shall pay for thy disgrace
Theas yet onborne thy Doome shall feill and kno
A mightie Nation shall thy land Deface
Beneth whois havie yok She grons, but lo
She Viper-like brings furth vn nat'rall Brood
That most shall waist her, wond her, drink her Blood.

At last her tears her Cry's her sad Complaint
Shal Pearce the heavins and Iove to Mercie move
Who pit is sinners when they first repent
And looking Meeklie dounward from above
Shall Raise Them vp that shall her wrak prevent
Whose manlie Valors shall her woes Remoue
And bring to end the warr Thou wroght with shame
But neu'r an end to Thy Infamous Name.

Therfor this leaden croune, base, worthles, poore,
Thou hast as one vnworthy to put on,
The croune which I the famous Fergus boore
And al these warrlike Princes One, by one,
And while this mightie Nation shal indure,
Hauing a Prince to sitt vpon my Throne,
Thou of a Princes name shalt be refus'd
Because my croune vn-conqu'erd thou abu'sd.

At these last woords he wak'd with sodain fear,
But nothing saw while in his braine was tost,
These woful warnings buzing in his eare,
That threatn'd was by great King Fergus ghost,
Which burthen great his soule could skarsly beare
Till moueing, fieling, speach and all was lost,
His vitall powers hemd in with thousand cares,
At last burst forth in these or like dispaires.

O Sad and wearied Soull quod he depairt
And leaue the lothed Lodge thou doest posse
Stop vp my breath within my lothed heart
My life make les if shame may not be les
Hev'ne from aboue thy vengence at me Daiert
Heel from below thy Torment still Incres
Devouring Earth my damned bodie smoother
Heav'ne, Earth and hell destroy mee altogither.

Thus swallow'd vp of mankind most abhord
If any should Inquire for worthles Mee
Say that some Rav'ning monster me Devoir'd
And let my Name, O? fame forgotten be
Let al my day's t'obliu'on be Restoir'd
Lest thou O tyme theirwith dishonor thee
Thus Rol'd in clouds of smook let it be said
That such a One was neu'r fram'd nor made,

Thus while he lay half dead for greif and wo
A herauld came from Englands mightie king
And straitle charg'd him haistelie to go
To york and all his princes their to bring
And homage dew for Scotlands kingdome sho:
Which brought the Nobill's secret murmuring
To light at last, and thus they work with all
To mak him sie his Error, shame and fall.

Saltons great Lord that Abirnethie hicht
he had vniustle wrong'd (A huinows thing)
Wherfore from him in all his Princes sight
He did Apeall vnto the English king:
This heigh disgrace he took in great dispight
For in Contempt with all it did him bring
At last he casts about to right the wrongs
That to his Endles Infamie belong's.

A message to the English King he send
For to discharge that base infamous Band
Since he without consent could not pretend
Thus for to Slave a frie-vn-conquerd land
But too too late Repentance Coms in End
Thus shallow with deip Iudgment doth with stand
So children vse for to repent their Error
When nocht Remains but Punishment and Terror

The mighty English rise in dreadfull arms,
Still threatning Blood, wrake, ruin, vengeance, sorrow
Performing still their vow's with griefs & harms
That from their firie wraths new woes did borrow,
Faire Fortune towks their Droms with lowd allarm's,
And waits on bloodie Mars, from day to morrow,
Whose dreadfull Trumpet blow's a deadly blast,
And rowls our daie in doulful night at last.

First Barwick tane was by a subtil traine
Wherein seau'n thousand men of Arms were lost,
Woemen and children pitiles were slaine,
None left aliue of Scotish blood cold boast,
Now at Dunbar foure Princes did remaine,
That had conueind of Scots a mightie hoste,
But hate of Baliol such dissention brings,
In his dispight they loue their foes design's.

Which caus'd a straunge vn-lookt-for long decay
For English Edward Marcheing therin haist
Encountred them Impatient of Delay
Amongst them selfs in wofull factions plast
Now Edward Causd mee in his camp to stay
For to my loue were most of them addrest
So when the armys, ioyning did abyd
Twelf thowsand turnd vpon the English syd.

This was full sore against my will God knows
Nor was I euer privie to this treasson
My Deids on Edwards side was but in shows
Nor could I disobey him in that Season
On no les paine then huntington to lose
But ah these foolish Scots had no such Reason
Whoe by their new discord struk blind with wrath
Wold mak mee cloake vnto their brokin faith.

For they vnworthie of the Scottish name
Against their Cuntreis friedome Rudlie stand
Onworthie also of their Elders fame
That gainst them selfs dars lift thair conquering hand
When foraigne force could not their stomaks tame
Them selfs against them selfs opposd they fand
The Sone the father, father kills the sone
Eache kills his frend and help's his foe to winne;

Such thinges were wrought by heaunes feirce destanye
Becaus the land with sinne did overflow
Evne as a statelie ship with sails on hie
If iustlie poysd with ballance feares no blow
Of windes, but if o're chargd with weight she be
Her speed is staiy'd impaird her glorious show
Then angrie Neptunes foemeing surges beat-her
And with decay the thundring tempests threat her

Ev'ne so whill as in Scotland did remaine
The sword of iustice feare of god aboue
The loue of vertue hate of vice profane
And whill the sprituall state the treuth did loue
We saild in seas of peace and did obtaine
Wealth, honor, all which landes most blisd do prove
But once borne downe with pride, lust blindnes error
Our calmes of peace heavnes tempests shook with terror

For mightie God that sittes vpon the throne
Of iustice grace and mercie from that hight
Did vew our sinnes in burning rage anone
His countenance with fyrie flammes grew bright
That heavnes did quaek for feare and Angells mone
For men poore men at that astonicing sight
Dayes glorious lamp, nightes Queene, heavens tapers stay'd
Wrapt vp in clowdes at his dread lookes affray'd.

Within his wattrie pallace Neptun quaekes
The roaring streames were quyet whist and still
His azurd crowne from crisped lockes he tackes
His monsters all the lower Regions fill
His forked scepter then for fear he breakes
And to obey his lord and makers wil
He myldlie fals before his mercies throne
Whoes glorie made the heavnes with lightnings shone

The solid earth did quak with trembling feare
And downward seemd to change her wonted rowme
Such grevous weyght and burdene did she beare
Of hynous sinne, whose punishement to come
She did forsee as when throw subtel act
Dame Thetis foull with Alabastre Downe
Fleis downe with wofull plaintes and murnfull cryes
Before a dreadfull tempest doeth aryse,

The hellishe feindes that scatterd were abroad
Through all the earth and for mischeif still soght
Reann headlonges downe vnto their greislie god
And was through these infernall kingdomes brought
Where Proserpin with Pluto grimme abode
Whoes rustie scepters were of yron wrought
On thrones they sate bout which ferce feinds did rore
Two heavie crownes of burning brase they bore.

Prodigious signes and wounders then were seene
Which did presage what after might befall
From the cold North did in our climat shyne
A bright and blazing Comet and with all
Reid showres of blood in sundrie had beene
The last the latest warning of our fall
Yet dreadfull signes and fearfull wonders sent
Sinne made not lesse but iudgement did augment.