64 ANNALS OF SCOTLAND. 



by fundry noblemen, upon a voyage to the Orkney 

 andHebride ifiands, for the double pnrpofe of taking 

 charts of the coafts, * and eftablifhing juftice among 

 the people. He inftroduced order and good govern^ 

 ment amongft the borderers, and punifhed as thieves 

 and robbers, thofe defperate bands of them who lived 

 upon the contributions of their English neighbours ;f 



and, 



gold to the amount of one hundred thoufand pounds. Some of 

 the French memoir writers, in fpeaking of the marriage of James 

 V. to the king of France's daughter, mention among other par- 

 ticulars lerved by way of deiert at the marriage feaft, a number 

 of covered cups, filled with pieces of gold, and gold dull, the 

 produce of Scotland, which James generoufly diftnbuted among 

 the gueils. It is allb upon record, that thofe coins, ft nick by- 

 James V. called, bonnet pieces, were fabricated of gold found iii 

 Scotland. " They were/' fays bifiiop Nicholibn, " extremdy 

 beautiful, and little interior to the fineft medals." Many pieces", 

 of gold mixed with various fubilances, have been found in thofe 

 parts, wafhed down by the floods; one of which, weighing an 

 oimce and ahalfj is in the pofieffion of the earl of Hopton, the 

 proprietor of Crawford Moor. 



* Thefe drawings were completed by the French king's cof- 

 niOgiapher*in 1583. Mr. Adair drew them anew in 1688. 



f James refolved to attempt in peribn, what his predeceflbrs 

 had io often failed in by their deputies. As he \\as known to be 

 greatly addicted to hunting, he fummoned his nobility to attend 

 him, with their horfes and dogs, which they did in fuch numbers, 

 that his hunting retinue ccnlliled of about eight hundred peifons, 

 two thirds of whom were well armed. This preparation gave no 

 iuipicion to the borderers, is great hunting matches, in thofe 

 .days, commonly confirmed of fome hundreds; and James, having 

 fct out upon his diverfion, is laid to have killed live hundred an:! 

 tortv deer. 



Among the other gentlemen M ho had been fummoned to attend 

 him was John Armftrcng, of Gilnock-hall, inLiddeidale. He was 

 the head of a numerous clan, who lived with great fplendor upon 

 the contributions under which they laid the Englifh on the borders. 

 He was himielf always attended by twenty-fix gentlemen on horfe- 

 Lack, well mounted and armed, as his body guards. Having received 

 the king's invitation, he was fond of dilplaying his magnificence to 

 his fovereiga, and attiring himfelf and his guaid more pompuouily 

 than common, they prefcntedthemielves before James, from whom 

 they expected feme particular mark of diftinctiori for their fer- 

 vices againil the Engliih, and for -the remarkable protection they 

 had always given to their countrymen, the Scots. On their firii 



. appear- 



