on the same Subject, by Stewart, 207.-Lindsay's Poem of the

"Complaint," 210.-His Picture of the Venality of the Courtiers,

211.-Mismanagement of the young King's Education, 213.-

James V. assumes the Supreme Power, 214.-His Expedition

against the Border Thieves, 215.-Execution of Johnnie Arm-

strong, 216.-Remarks on this Event, 217.-Traditions which

remain in the country regarding this Expedition, 218.-Lindsay

promoted to the office of Lord Lion, 219.-Its Nature and Anti-

quity, 220.-He writes the "Complaint of the King's Papingo,"

221.-Its graceful Introduction, 222.-Progress of the Poem,

224.-Disaster of the Papingo, 225.-Herdying Counsel to the

King, 226.-To her Brethren, the Courtiers, 227.-Character of

James IV., 228.-The Papingo's Adieu to Stirling, 229.-Her

Expostulation with her Executors, 230.-Attack upon the Cor-

ruptions of the Church, 231.-Death of the Papingo, 232.-Her

last Legacy, and conduct of her Executors, 233.-Lindsay's

Mission to Brussels in 1531, 234.-His Marriage, 235.-His

"Satire of the Three Estates," 235.-Early Scottish Stage, 236.

-Remarks on this Primitive Drama, 237.-The same Subject

continued, 238.-Prologue and First Part, 239.-Second Part:

Avarice of the Clergy, 240.-Dialogue between the Spiritual

Estate and Correction, 241.-Consistory Courts; their Abuses,

242.-John Commonweill dressed in a New Suit, 243.-Conclu-

sion of the Piece, 244.-Manner of its Performance, 245.—

James V. disposed at first to favour the Reformation of the

Church, 246.-Lindsay's Mission to the Court of France in 1536,

247.-James pays a Visit to that Country: his splendid reception

at the Palace of Vendosme, 248.-His meeting with Francis I:

falls in love with Princess Magdalen, 249.-Marries her, 250.-

Conveys her to Scotland, 251.-Her sudden Death, 252.-Lind-

say writes his " Deploration for the Death of Queen Magdalen,"

253. Criticism on this Poem, 254.-Lindsay's deep Enmity to

the Romanist Religion, 255.-Remarks on the Scottish Refor-

mation, 2 6.-James V. marries Mary of Guise, 257.-Lindsay's

splendid Pageants, 257.-Justing between Watson and Barbour,

258.-Answer to the King's "Flyting," 259.-Digression on the

Poetical Talents of James V., 260.-Anecdotes of James V., 261.

-Lindsay's Satire against Side-Tails, 263.-And "Mussal'd

Faces," 264.-His Tragedy of "The Cardinal," 265.-Remarks

on the Murder of Beaton, 266.-History of Squire Meldrum, 267.

-Value of this Poem as a Picture of Manners; Quotations, 268.

-Authenticity of the Story; Sack of Carrickfergus, 269.—Ad-

venture with the Irish Lady, 270.-Meldrum arrives in Brittany;

His Challenge of Talbart, 271.-Kindness of Aubigny, 272--

Arrangement of the Lists, 273.-The Combat, 274.-Mel-

drum's Courtesy and Generosity, 275.-His Voyage Home,

and arrival in Scotland, 276.-Kind reception by the Lady of

Strathern, 277.-Waylaid by Stirling of Keir, 278.-He is

desperately wounded, 279.-His Recovery and mode of after

Life, 280.-Faithfulness to his Mistress of Strathern, 281.-

His last Sickness and Testament, 282.-Further Remarks on

this singular Composition, 284.-Lindsay bears no active

part in the Reformation of Religion in Scotland, 286.-He

composes his "
Monarchy," 287.-Fine Introduction to this

Poem, 288.-Moral Nature of the Work; Striking Picture of

Experience, 289.-Idolatry of the Church of Rome, 290.-

Lindsay's judicious Distinction upon this Subject, 291.-Tem-

poral Power of the Pope; Evil Effects of Pilgrimages, 292.-

Sweet Conclusion of the Poem, 293.-It is Lindsay's last
Work. His Death. Family Estate of the Mount. Traditions.

CHAPTER OF ANTIQUARIAN ILLUSTRATIONS.

HENRY THE MINSTREL.

Conjecture regarding the value to be attached to the Poem of

Wallace by this Ancient Author, 299.-Singular mixture of

Truth and Error in his Details, 300.-Proofs of this; History

of the Siege of Berwick in 1296.-Carte's Account, 301.-

Buchanan's Account, 302.-Narrative of Henry the Minstrel,

303.-Proofs of his Accuracy, from Hemingford, 303.-From

Fordun, 301.-From other Authors, 305.-Minute Particu-

lars in Henry the Minstrel's Account corroborated, 306.-

Inference from the whole, that he must have had access to

some accurate Chronicle of the Times, 307.-Another Ex-

ample and Proof of this; Taking of Dunbar, 308.-A Third

Example; Corroboration by the Rotuli Scotiæ, 309.-Addi-

tional Confirmations of his occasional Accuracy in minute

Particulars, 310.-Conjectures as to the original Materials

possessed by this Writer, 312.-His reference to the Latin

Book of Wallace's Life, 313.-Major's Account of Blind

Harry, 313.-Conclusion of Remarks, 314.

BRUCE AND ST. FILLAN.

St. Fillan; his History, 314.-His luminous Arm; carried by

Bruce to Bannockburn, 315.-Relic of St. Fillan, called the

Quigrich,316.-Charter to Malise Doire, 317.-Remarks, 318.

BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN.

Best mode of examining the Field of Bannockburn, 319.-Line

of Edward's March, 319.-Place where he encamped, 319.-

Remarks, 320.

DEATH OF SIR JAMES DOUGLAS IN SPAIN.

Obscurity which hangs over the Particulars of this Event;

Illustrated by some Passages in the Chronicle of Alonso XI.,

321.-Remarks on these Extracts, 322.-Account of Barbour

corroborated by the Chronicle, 323.-Conclusion, 324.

RANDOLPH, EARL OF MORAY.

His minute Directions regarding his Sepulture, 325.—Quota-
tion from an Ancient unpublished Charter.

FEUDAL GOVERNMENTS OF EUROPE.

Coincidences in the Feudal Governments of England, France,

and Scotland, 326.-Struggle between the King and the

Nobles, 327.-In France, 327.-In Scotland, 328.-Influence

of the Personal Character of the King, 329.-Miseries of the

Feudal System, 330.

JAMES IV.'s TOURNAMENT FOR THE BLACK LADY.

MS. Accounts of the High Treasurer of Scotland, collected by

the Rev. Mr. Macgregor Stirling; James IV. and his Blacka-

moors, 331.-Tournament for the Black Lady; Articles of

Defiance sent to France, 332.-Items in the Accounts illus-

trative of the Tournament, 333.-Dunbar's Poem on the

Blackamoor, 334.

JAMES IV. AND THE FLYING ABBOT OF TUNGLAND.

James's Passion for Empirics of all Kinds, 335.-Lesly's Ac-.

count of the Abbot of Tungland's Attempt to fly, 335.-His-

tory of John Damidne; his pretended Skill in Alchemy, 336.

His Familiarity with the King, 337.-Other strange Charac-

ters who haunted the Court, 338.-The King's Passion for

Surgery.

ARRIVAL OF THE GIPSIES IN SCOTLAND.

Curious Letter of James IV. upon this subject, 339.

ANCIENT SCOTTISH GAMES.

Value of the Accounts of the High Treasurer in illustrating

Scottish Sports and Pastimes, 340.-James IV. an enthusi-

astic Lover of Music, 341.-Common Games, 341.-Obscure

Games, 342.-Tale-tellers, 343.-Singular Mixture of Levity

and Austerity in the Character of this Monarch; St. Duthoc's

Relic, 343.-His Iron Girdle, probably apocryphal, 344.-

Conclusion.

JAMES THE FIRST.

1424-1437.

Το

THE return of James the First to his dominions had been signalized, as we have seen,* by a memorable example of retributive justice, from the sternness of which the mind revolts with horror. We must be careful, indeed, to regard his conduct to the house of Albany, not through the more humane feelings of our own age, but in relation to the dark feudal times in which he lived. forgive, or rather not to revenge an injury, was a principle which in such days was invariably regarded as a symptom of pusillanimity. James had a long account to settle with the house of his uncle. The blood of his brother, the broken heart of his father, the usurpation of his hereditary throne for eighteen years, and the scenes of rapine and cruelty which had been permitted to take place during his captivity in England, all called upon him to whet the sword of justice with no ordinary edge, to make an impression upon a people accustomed to laxity and disorder, which should powerfully affect their minds, and convince them that the reign of misrule was at an end. In assuming the government, his object was to be feared and respected; but, making } *Vol. ii. pp. 314, 315.

every allowance for such considerations, and taking fully into view the circumstances under which he returned to his kingdom, it is impossible to deny, that in the catastrophe of the family of Albany, the king appears to have attended to the gratification of personal revenge, as much as to the satisfaction of offended justice.

The effects, however, of his conduct upon a feudal age were such as might easily have been anticipated; and, within a wonderfully short interval, matters appeared to be rapidly approaching that state when, as James himself had predicted, "the key should keep the castle, and the braken bush the cow." The first cares of the monarch were wisely directed to the internal administration of the country. From without he had at present nothing to dread. England was at peace; the marriage with Jane Beaufort had secured the interest of the governors of that kingdom, during the minority of Henry the Sixth. France was the ancient ally of Scotland, and the commercial interests of the Netherlands were too essentially promoted by their Scottish trade, not to be anxious to preserve the most friendly relations. James, therefore, was permitted to direct his undivided attention to his affairs at home; and his great principle seems to have been to rule the country through his Parliament-to assemble that great national council as frequently as possible, to enact or to revive wholesome and salutary laws, suited to the emergency in which he found his kingdom, and to insist on their rigid observance. In the same

Parliament which beheld the downfall of the house of Albany, we have seen that the administration