ANNALS OF SCOTLAND. 65 



and, as a final conclufion to the zealous efforts of his 

 predeceffors for the impartial diitribution of juflice, 



he 



appearance, James, not knowing who he was, returned Armftrong's 

 falute, imagining him to be fome great nobleman ; but, hearing 

 his name, he ordered him and his followers to be immediately 

 apprehended, and fentenced them to be hanged upon the fpot. 

 It is faid, that James, turning to his attendants, alked them, 

 pointing at Armftrong, " What does that knave want, that a king 

 mould have, but a crown and a fword of honour?" Armftrong 

 begged hard for his life, and offered to ierve the king in the field 

 with forty horiemen, befides making him large prefents of jewels 

 and money, with many other tempting offers. Finding the king 

 inexorable, " Fool that I am," faid he, " to look for warm water 

 under ice, by afking grace of a gracelefs face;" and he and his 

 followers fubmitted to their fate. 



James, having, by thefe and fome other feverities, reftored peace 

 to the borders, chofe, foon after, to make the Highlands the feat of 

 his diverfion, to which he was attended by the queen mother, an 

 ambaflador from the pope, and a retinue fufficient to lubdue the 

 moft powerful robbers and outlaws. Lindfay, the hiftorian, who 

 Jived at the time, gives a curious account of the reception an<i 

 entertainment which the king and his train met with in Athol, 

 upon this occafion, which, as it ferves to give fome idea of the 

 produce of the Highlands, and the magnificence of the ancient 

 barons upon extraordinary occaiions, I mall partly tranfcribe, . 



" The earl of Athol, hearing of the king's coming, made 

 great provilion for him in all things pertaining to a prince, that he 

 was as well ferved with all things neceflary to his eilate, as he had 

 been in his own palace of Edinburgh. For I heard fay, this noble 

 earl gart make a curious palace to the king." Then follows a 

 defcription of this palace, which was lituated in a fair meadow, 

 and built of green timber; it was ornamented with flowers, had a 

 drawbridge, and was furrounded with a meet of water. ' " And 

 alfo this palace within was hung with fine tapiftry, and arrafles of 

 filk, and lighted with fine glafs windows in all airths ; Further this 

 great earl made fuch diversion for the king, and his mother, and 

 the embaflador, that they had all manner of meats, drinks, and 

 delicacies, that might be gotten, at that time, in all Scotland, 

 either in burgh or land; that is to lay, all kind of drink, as ale, 

 beer, wine, both white and claret, malvery, mulkadel, hippocras, 

 aquavit*. Further, there was of meats, wheat-bread, main-bread, 

 and ginger-bread ; with flefhes, beef, mutton, lamb, veal, venifon, 

 goofe, grice, capon, cony, crane, fwan, partridge, plover, duck, 

 drake, briflel-cock, and pawnies, black-cock, muir-fowl, and cap- 

 percaillies : and alfo the flanks that were round about the palace 

 were full of all delicate fifties, as falmonds, trouts, pearches, pikes, 

 eels, and all other kind of delicate fifties that could U gotten, in' 



E freih 



