ANNALS OF SCOTLAND. 61 



fyftem, and its friendihip was folicited, in ftrong 

 terms, by the powers 'who then acted the princi- 

 pal part on the theatre of Europe. * Many letters 

 lent to James by thefe potentates, and thofe lent 

 by James in return, are Rill extant. The claffic 

 flyle of James's Latin epiiclcs were the theme of 

 foreign pens, both in prole and verfe. 



James proved a faithful and ufeful friend to all 

 his allies in their -dirh^rTes. He lent a powerful 

 armament, and ten thoufand men, to the afiiftance 

 of his kinfman, the king of Denmark. When the 

 duke of Guelders was cruelly attacked by the over- 

 grown houfe of Auftria and Burgundy, James 

 not only fupplied the unfortunate prince with men 

 and money, but alfo wrote preffingly in his favour 

 to the continental powers. To Lewis XII. when 

 deflitute of allies, and ready to fink under the 

 arms of England, Germany, and Italy, James 

 lent a fleet, and a body of troops j for- which fea- 

 fonable fupplies, Lewis was fo overcome with 

 gratitude, that he gave orders for ratifying and 

 augmenting the ancient privileges of the Scots 

 nation in France. His letters of naturalization in 

 favour of Scotland give the following reafons : 

 fc Becaufe of the league 7 which had been of old 

 made and obferved between the two nations -, and 



in 



* The ambitious and turbulent pope, Julian IT. having kindled 

 the Jinmes of war over all Europe, endeavoured to detach Tames 

 from the French alliance; for this purpoie, he lent a 'nuncio into 

 Scotland, who presented James with a molt elegant fword of ilats, 

 five feet in length; which iword \vas d'jpohted in the caiUe o; 

 Edinburgh, with the other rc^liii of Scotland, at the time of 

 the m. ion, where they ilill remain. 



f Alluding to a league ci ;:.;iiry between Charlemain, king of 

 Fiance, and Achaius, king of Scots, in the year 790 ; to \\ lin.h 

 alliance moil of rhe lubiequent treaties of reciprocal defence 

 l>etween Fiance and Scotland had a reference. In the contract of 

 marriage between the d.uiphin oi France arid Mary queen of 

 Scct3, publifhed among tlie Frencli treaties of rc;v.-e and alliance, 

 is mads of the Antls^t It^na betwixt th: two Zixitomsi 



