Biography of William Hay 3rd Earl Erroll 1449-1507

Collectanea by John Leland. The VIIth Day of the Monneth [7th August 1503] in the Morninge, the Kynge sent to the Qwene new Pallefrays, all appoynted after their Guise. And at the Hour acoustumed, she departed from the said Dacquick nobly acompayned, and in fayr Aray and Ordre, as before is many Tymes said: The Qwene was placed in her Litere, varey rychly enorned, and had on a ryche Gowne of Cloth of Gold, with a Pursill of black Velvet, and a rich Coller of Perle and Stone.

The Lords, as well Spiritualis as Temporalis, Knyghts, and Gentylmen, wer varey rychely appoynted, the most Parte in Gownes of cramfyn Velvett. The Lord Grays Hors was hussed, the said Husse maid by Cantons of cramsyn Velvett. Those of others wer of Thred of Gold broched, and others had Ermynes, abouff all sawen of Orsavery. The other yong Gentylmen wer apointed after the Manere of the Ysshew of Barrwyk.

After the Quene (age 13) was conveyd hyr Pallefrey of Honnor by Syr Thomas Worteley (age 70). Also hyr Ladyes and Gentylwomen war varey rychely apoynted and monted, that it was a fayr Syght. After them cam the Char, and after that other Gentylwomen. The Company was in fayr Ordre, as at other Tymes before.

A Mylle from Dacquick the Kynge sent to the Qwene, by a Gentylman, a grett tame Hart for to have a Corse; bot because the Kynge was ny, the Erle of Surrey (age 60) answerd, that the said Hert should be brought ageyn toward the Kynge, that they myght both be at the said Course, and so it was doon.

Half of the Way, the Kyng cam to mett hyr monted apon a Bay Horse, rennynge as he wolde renne after the Hayre, acompayned of many Gentylmen. The said Horse was trapped in a demy Trappure of Cloth of Gold. Apon the Neck was a Frange of Thred of Gold. The Sadle and the Harnays wer of that sam, except the Harnayes of the Hed, that was of Sylver, and gylt. Grett Boutons with Lupps of Thred of Gold, as well to the said Trappure, as to the Brydle. Hys Sterrops gylt.

The Kynge ware a Jakett lyke to the Trappure. The Lystes of the said Bordeur wer of Pourple Velvett fourred with fyne blak Bougy, his Doublet of Violet Sattin, his Hossys of Scarlatt, hys Schert bounde abouffe of fyn Pierrery iand Perles, hys Spourrys gylt and long. At the Commyng towardes the Qwene he maid hyr varey humble Obeyssannce in lepynge downe of hys Horse, and kyssed hyr in hyr Litere. This doon, he monted ageyn, and ychon being put in Ordre as before, a Gentylman Husscher bare the Swerde before hym. The said Swerde covered with a Scabard of Pourple Velvett, wich was written apon with Perles, God my Deffende. The lyke on the Pommell, and the Crosse, with the Chap also.

After hym cam th Archbyschop of Glasco, the Bishop of Morrey (age 38), and the Erle Bothwell (age 51), acompayned of many Gentylmen, and honnest Personnes. The said Erle bare the Swerde at the Entreng of the Towne of Edenbourgh, and had on a long Gowne of blak Velvett fourred with Marten.

The Kynge beynge allwayes ny to the Qwene in devysing with her, ther cam a Gentylman that bronght hym a Courser, his Harnays of Cloth of Gold, and of cramsyn Velvett interlassed all about of whytt and red. Apon the Horse was a Page in a Jakett of blew Damaske, upon the wiche Horse the Kyng monted, with out puttynge the Foot within the Sterrop, in the Presence of them all. After he caused the said Gentylman to monte behinde hym, for to assay iff his Courfer wolde berr byhynd or not.

Bot because that he was not drest, he cam downe of his said Horse, and monted upon the Pallefroy of the said Qwene, and the saide Quene behinde hym, and so rode thorow the said Towne of Edenburgh.

Ny thereby was in Ordre the Lord Hamylton (age 28), Cozyn of the saide Kynge, with many other Lords, Knyghts, and Gentylmen, to the Nombre of two hundreth Horsys well apoynted. Sum in Jaketts of Cloth of Golde, of Velvetty and of Damaske, figured of Golde, and of many Colours. In lyke wys others wer in Jakets of Chamlett, and many of thos wore varey good Chaynnes.

And by hym rode the Master of hys Horse, named Companes Gascon, varey well appoynted, conveying seyve yong Gentylmen of Honor, arayd of Jaketts half parted of Cloth of Gold figured, and of blew Velvett, monted upon Coursers, and others honnestly appoynted.

The Company abouffe said wer commaunded by the Kynge, that they schould not goe before, bot only in the Company of the sayd Qwene, that it might be seen that shee was well acompayned, and rychly.

Halfe a Mylle ny to that, within a Medewe, was a Pavillon, wherof cam owt a Knyght on Horsbak, armed at all Peces, havyng hys Lady Paramour that barre his Horne. And by Avantur, ther cam an other also armed, that cam to hym, and robbed from hym hys sayd Lady, and at the absenting blew the said Horne, wherby the said Knyght understude hym, and tourned after hym, and said to hym, wherfor hast thou this doon? He answerd hym, what will you, say therto? — I say, that I will pryve apon thee, that thou hast doon Owtrage to me. The tother demaunded hym if he was armed? He said ye, well then, said th’other, preve the a Man, and doo thy Devoir.

In such Manere they departed, and went to take their Sperys, and renne without stryking of the same. After the Course they retourned with their Swerdes in their Haunds, and maid a varey fayr Torney: And the Caller caused the Swerd for to fall of the Defender. Notwithstanding, the Caller caused to gyfte hym ageyn his Swerd, and begon ageyn the said Torney of more fayre Manere; and they did well ther Devor, tyll that the Kynge cam hymselfe, the Qwene behynd hym, crying Paix, and caused them for to be departed. After this the King called them before hym, and demaunded them the Cause of ther Difference. The Caller sayd, Syre, he hath taken from me my Lady Paramour, whereof I was insurte of hyr by Faith. The defender answered, Syre, I schall defend me ageynst hym apon thys Cas: Then sayd the Kynge to the sayd Defender, brynge youre Frends, and ye schall be appoynted a Day for to agre you. Wheroff they thaunked hym, and so every Men departed them for to drawe toward the said Towne. The Names of thos war Sir Patryk Hamilton, Brother of the said Lord abouffe said, and Patryk Synklar, Esquyre; and ther was com grett Multitude of People for to se thys.

Half a Mylle from thens was the said Hert, the wich the Kynge caused to be losed, and put a Greyhond after hym that maid a fayr Course; bot the said Hert wanne the Towne, and went to hys Repayre.

Ther war many honest People of the Town, and of the Countre aboute, honnestly arayd all on Horsbak, and so by Ordre the King and the Qwene entred within the said Towne. At the Entrynue or that same cam in Processyon the Grey Freres, with the Crosse and sum Relicks, the wich was presented by the Warden to the Kynge for to kysse, bot he wold not before the Qwene; and he had hys Hed barre during the Ceremonies.

TheMynstrells, Johannes, and hys Company. and the Trompetts, war as well of the one Syd as of the other; bot thos of Scotlaund had no new Baneres: And did the Devor at the said Entryng Officers of Armes of Inglaund; and non at Scotlaund. Sergents of Masses, &c. ychon, by Ordre.

A lityll more fourther cam also in Processyon the Jocobins, revested the most Chyst and Principali of them, with many Reiicks; wherof some of thos war by the Prior gyffen to kysse, in lyke wys; wherof the K. did as before.

At the Entryng of the said Towne was maid a Yatt of Wood painted with Two Towrells, and a Windowe in the Midds. In the wich Towrells was, at the Windowes, revested Angelis syngyng joyously for the Comynge of so noble a Lady; and at the sayd middie Windowe was in lyk wys an Angeli presenting the Kees to the said Qwene.

Within the Towne ny to the said Yatt came in Processyon the College of the Perysche of Seint Gilles, rychly revested, with the Arme of that Seint; the wiche was presented to the Kynge for to kysse; wherof he did as before, and began to synge Te Deum Laudamus.

In the Mydds of the Towne was a Crosse, new painted, and ny to that same a Fontayne, cassynge forth of Wyn, and ychon drank that wold.

Ny to that Crosse was a Scarfawst maid, wher was represented Paris and the Thre Deessys, with Mercure, that gaffe hym th Apyll of Gold, for to gyffe to the most fayre of the Thre, wiche he gave to Venus.

In the Scarfsawst was represented also the Salutacion of Gabriell to the Virgyne, in sayinge Ave gratia, and sens after, the Sollempnizacion of the varey Maryage betwix the said Vierge and Joseph.

More fourther was of new maid One other Yatt, apon the wiche was in Sieges the IIIJ Vertuz. Theys is to weyct. Justice, holdynge in hyr right Hannde a Swerde all naked, and in the t'other a Pair of Ballaunces, and she had under hyr Feet the Kyng Nero: Force, armed, holdyng in hyr Haund a Shafte, and under hyr Feete was Holofernes, all armed: Temperance, holdyng in hyr Hannd a Bitt of an Horse, and under hyr Feete was Epicurus: Prudence, holdynge in hyr Haunde a Syerge, and under hyr Sardenapalus. With thos war Tabretts that playd merrily, whill the noble Company past thorough. Under was a Licorne [Unicorn] and a Greyhound, that held a Difference of one Chardon [thistle] florysched, and a Red Rose entrelassed.

Then the noble Company passed out of the Towne, to the Church of the Holy Crosse [Map]¹; out of wich cam the Archbischop of Sannt Andrew (age 27), Brother to the said Kynge, his Crosse borne before hym, acompanyed of the Reverend Fathers in God the Byschop of Aberdeen Lord Privy Seal of Scotland, the Byschops of Orkney, Cathness, Ross, Dunblane, and Dunkeld, and many Abbotts, all in their Pontificalis, with the Religious and Chanoynes richly revested, preceded by theyr Crosse. The said Archi Byschop then gave the King a Relik for to kysse, bot he dyd as hee had doon before.

After thys doon, ychon lept off hys Horse, and in fayr Ordre went after the Processyon to the Church, and in the Entryng of that sam the Kyng and the Qwene light downe, and after he take the said Qwene by the Body, doynge humble Reverence, and led hyr to the grett Awter, wher was a Place ordonned for them to knele apon two Cuschyons of Cloth of Gold, the Lord Chammerlayn of the said Qwene excersyng hys Office as before.

But the Kynge wold never knell downe furst, bot both togeder: And by the said ArchByschop was giffen hym to kysse a rich Crosse, wheroff he did as before, without Offrynge and at the Entring of the said Quere, the Chappelle of the said Kinge, and others, begon Te Deum, &c.

After all Reverences doon at the Church, in Ordre as before, the King transported himself to the Pallais, thorough the Clostre, holdynge allwayes the Qwene by the Body, and hys Hed barre, tyll he had brought hyr within her Chammer.

In the said Church war the Lordes the Erle of [his brother-in-law] Hontely, the Erle of Errol (age 54) Constable of Scotland, the Erle Mariscall of Scotland, the Erle of Argyle (age 54) Steward of the Hows, the Erle of Lennos Chammerlayne in the Absence of the Conte of Cathness, the Erle of Minster, and the Erle Morton, acompayned of many Lordes, Knyghts, and Gentylmen, well arayd. The wich maid Reverence to the Qwene, and she to them.

The Kynge went from thens to the grett Chammer, wher was many Ladies of grett Name, Wyffes to divers of the sayd Lordes, and others, acompayned of many Gentylmen and Gentylwomen, arayd varey nobly after ther Gyse. At the Entrynge the said Chambre, the Kyng let go the Qwene till she had kyssed all the sayd Ladies and ther Company; and the Byschop of Morrey went with her, sewinge her the Names of them. After she had kyssed them all, the Kyng kyssed her for hyr Labor: And so tuke hyr ageyn, with low Cortesay and barr Hed, and brought hyr to hyr Second Chammer, and kyssed her ageyn; taking his Leve right humble he drew toward hys Lodgynge for them appoynted.

The Towne of Edenbourgh was in many Places haunged with Tappissery, the Howses and Wyndowes war full of Lordes, Ladyes, Gentylwomen, and Gentylmen, and in the Streytts war soe grett Multitude of People without Nombre, that it was a fayr Thynge to se. The wich People war varey glad of the Commynge of the sayd Qwene: And in the Churches of the sayd Towne Bells range for Myrthe.

The sam Day the Kynge souped in hys Chammer, acompayned of many of the Parte of the said Qwene within hyr awn. And after that, the Kynge went to see hyr, an daunced some basse Daunces. Thys doon, the Kynge toke hys Leve, and bad her goode Nyght joyously, and after the same to ychon also.

Note 1. a 'rood' is a medieval word for 'crucifix' or cross hence 'rood screen'. The Church of the Holy Cross in Edinburgh is Holyrood.