56 ANNALS OF SCOTLAND. 



fliould be fix ells long;* that the great ecclefiailical 

 manors Ihould defray part of the burden of war ; 

 that prelates, as well as barons, fhould provide 

 carriages for the field. Every yeoman, who was 

 not an archer, was to provide himfelf with a battle 

 axe, and a target made of one hide (folded we fup- 

 pole into a reasonable compafs) to refill the fhot of 

 the English ; and all the arms were to be produced 

 at the weaponfhawingS; held by the fheriffs. 



JAMES IV. The long reign of James IV. un- 

 difturbed by domeftic commotions or foreign war, 

 was one united effort of king and parliament, upon 

 the fame falutary principles which had directed 

 the operations of the three former reigns. The 

 royal navy now macle a refpe6table figure abroad -, f 



commerce 



* Some fpears of this enormous length, may 1)6 feen in th& 

 town-houfe of Dunbar". 



f It is plain from James's conduct, that he was afpiring to be 

 a naval power, in which he was encouraged by the. excellent 

 feamen, which an extenfive commerce and the fifheries had then 

 produced in Scotland, He applied himfelf with incredible affi- 

 duity to building mips, in which he affifted with his own hands. 



"In this fame year, faysLindfay, the king bigged a great Ihip, 

 called, the Great Michael, which was the greateil mip, and of 

 moft frrength, that ever failed in England or France. For this 

 fhip was of fo great ftature, and took fo much timber, that, ex- 

 cept Falkland, flie wafted all the woods in Fife, which was oak- 

 tvood, by all timber that was gotten out of Norway : for me was 

 fo ftrong, and of fo great length and breadth, (all the wrights of 

 Scotland, yea, and many other Grangers, were at her device, by 

 the king's commandment, who wrought very bufily in her ; but 

 it was a year and day ere me was complete) to wit, me was 

 twelvefcore foot of length, and thirty-fix foot within the' fides. 

 S.V.e was ten foot thick in the wall, outled jeirs of oak in her wall, 

 and boards on every fide, fo Hark and fo thick, that no cannon 

 could go through her. This great (hip cumbered Scotland to get 

 her to fea. From that time flie was afloat, a,nd her mails and 

 fails complete, with tows and anchors eifeiring thereto, (he was 

 Counted to the king to be thirty thoufand pounds expence, by her 

 artillery, which was very great and coftly to the king, by all tho 

 reft of her orders, to wit, me bare many cannons, fix on every 

 fide, with three great baffils, two behind in her dock, and one 



before, 



