ANNALS Of SCOTLAND. tfj 



of Zerbino* Several other Italian poets have 

 recorded his memory in Latin verfes, as did Ron- 

 fard, the French poet, who reiided feveral years in 

 Scotland. Tho' James himfelf was a poet, we 

 know not with certainty any of his productions 

 that have reached our tirries, excepting a hurriorous 

 defcription of one of his amours, printed among 

 the earlieft collections of Scottifli fongs, by the 

 name of The Gaberlimzie Man. 



Such are the ou dines of the Scottifri affairs, and 

 national exertions at home and abroad, from 1424 

 to the death of James V. in 15425 an sera wherein 

 nothing was omitted, not even the mod minute cir- 

 .cumftance, that could contribute to improve the 

 kingdom, civilize the people, and diffufe univerfal 

 happinefs amongft all orders and degrees of men. * 



The 



* We fhall conclude this early period with a circumftantial 

 account of the military fyftem of the Scots, and their method 

 of fighting, previous to the general ufe of fire arms. " And 

 for this purpofe," fay the Scottifh Hatutes of 1541, " it was 

 enacted at the fame trme, that weapon-fhawings mould be made 

 in the months of June and October ; but, becaufe they had been 

 omitted for fome years, the lieges fhould be muflered thrice 

 the firit year by the flierriffs, bailies of regality, provofts and 

 bailies of boroughs, and other commifiaries whom the king pleafed 

 to appoint." At thele mutters it was alfo ordained, " that every 

 nobleman, fuch as earl, lord, knight, and baron, and every great 

 landed man, having one hundred pounds of yearly rent, fhould 

 appear in white, light or heavy, as they chofe, with weapons 

 correfpondent to his honour ; while others, of lo'.ver degree, were 

 to have jake of plate, halkrik or brigatanes, gorget or pefane, 

 with fplents, panfe of mail,- with gloves of plate or mail : the other 

 tmlanded gentlemen and yeomen being ordered to wear jakes of 

 plate, halkriks, Iplcnts, fellat or fteel bonnet, with pefane or gor- 

 get; the whole having fiords." No other weapons v jre to be 

 ihewn at thcic rendezvoiifes, but ftrong f; tears and pikes fix ells 

 in length, Leith-axes, halberts, hand-bows, arrows, crofs-bows, cul- 

 verins, and two-linpded f'.vords. They likewife ordained, That inha- 

 bitants of burgh , ., .lopoileiTedone hundred pounds, mould be armed 

 in white armour; i i 1 others, who could fpend ten pounds yearly, hav* 

 ing orders to appear at the muiters like gentlemen and yeomen. To 

 prevent frauds oa t:.. ie o canons, it wag (latuted, that every earl, 

 lord, baron, laird, and others, flipuld give unto the mutter-mailers 



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