17 9 \ Mimoirs bf the 'Earl of Marr. 3 



In the year 1570, after Buchanan's public situa- 

 tions were at an end, and the young king became oif 

 ati age to receive the seeds of useful learning, Lord 

 Marr, being then twelve years old, began to imbibe 

 the instructions of that admirable preceptor, to- 

 gether with his cousins Alexander, Thomas, and 

 George Erskines, the sons of Sir Alexander the 

 king's governor, and some other relations of the 

 house of Marr ; the 'whole illustrious group -fornl- 

 ing as it were a little academy ; the most favou- 

 rable education for a young monarch that can be 

 imagined, and which must have made James a 

 great sovereign, if his understanding had been 

 equal to his advantages^ Of these companions 

 and fellow scholars of the king, Alexander was 



warn them of their danger 5 but as tiey were going to put their project 

 in execution, one of the old rats asked which of them would be the 

 flit to seize the cat. This wit^y question created a profound silence, 

 when Angus exclaimed, "I'll bell the cat!" After dinner this day, the 

 young king romping and tjifiing with the master of Erskine, the 

 Earl of Marr's eldest son, Buchanan ordered the king to be silent and 

 Bot to interrupt Erskine in his reading j to *hich command James 

 paying no attention, Buchanan said, that if he did not hold his peace 

 he would whrj) his breech. " Will you so ? said the king, I would fain 

 see who will bell the cat." tJp starts Buchan.xn, and throwing away 

 his book, performs his promise to the king, with a sound drubbing. 

 The old C'juntefs being in her apartment, which was immediately 

 adjoining, runs up to the poor kingling, takes him up into her arrtis, 

 and asks him what is the matter ? Which being told by the bavviin j 

 sovereign, she fiercely asks Buchanan how he durst lay his hand on 

 the Lord's anointed? To which Buchanan very gravely replied, "ma- 

 dam, I have whipt the king for disobedience and rudenefs in the usual 

 way, you may heal it with a kifs if you please." 



Upon another occasion, the master of Erskine having a tame sparrow^ 

 Sie kiB£ resolved to take it from hiai ; Erskine resisted, ani the. 



