THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For MAY, 1797 ART. I. The History of Scotland, from the Accession of the House of Stuart to that of Mary. With Appendixes of Original Papers. By John Pinkerton. 4to. 2 Vols. 4to. 2 Vols. pp. 520 in each. 2.25. Boards. Dilly. 1797. 4 MR. Pinkerton is known in the literary world on account of several former publications: but he now professes to feel a considerable degree of anxiety, in delivering to the world the greatest labour of his life. It must, however, be primarily conceded to him, that the space of time included in this history is judiciously chosen; since the minute accuracy of Sir David Dalrymple had investigated the preceding period, and the elegant pen of Dr. Robertson had adorned the last (and incomparably the most important) age of Scottish history, which immediately follows Mr. Pinkerton's narrative. It is true that, long before those writers existed, the excellent talents of Buchanan had given form and beauty to the crude annals of his country: but Buchanan was too much of a party-man, as well as of a poet, to adhere rigidly to truth.-To weigh the authenticity of facts, to estimate the preponderancy of evidence, to ascertain the ac curacy of dates, were parts of the duty of an historian that did not lie within his province. The plan of the present work is in some respects different from that pursued by Mr. Pinkerton's predecessors. He delineates the respective characters of the Kings, at the commencement, not at the close, of the narrative of their reigns; and his reason for this alteration is that, in the most eminent historical productions, when other personages enter the scene, they are thus introduced; and that the reader is more interested in the events, in consequence of his previous acquaintance with the actors. Besides this, the private and personal character of a monarch is not always to be discerned in the public transactions of his government; and, modern history not permitting such variety of rhetoric and digression as classical models afford, it becomes the more important to preserve its legitimate opulence unviolated, and VOL. XXIII. В to to diversify the chronicle of wars and treaties by Ethic portraiture, and by delineations.of men and manners.-Another novelty in the plan of this writer is the retrospect interposed at different epochs, and containing the state of the country in civilization, government, tws, tactics, agriculture, commerce, literature, and the arts during a preceding period. On this subject, the author makes the following remarks: The classical page of history, from the age of Herodotus to the latest voice of exping Rome, is illuminated with such researches,. though commo-presented in the form of digressions; but they are certainly deserving of a separate and peculiar nich in the temple of memory. At the same time it would be rash too far to depart from the models.yenerated by the wisdom of ages; or to forget that the preservation of national events is the allotted province of history. These sketches must therefore be kept in due subservience to the main design, least by an injudicious exuberance of extraneous matter the very nature and name of history perish; and the grandest records of human instruction, the most pleasing pages of general entertainment, become cumbrous volumes of reference, chained to the groaning shelves of libraries. Sufficiently difficult, if performed with a due sense of its importance, is the task of the historian; and he needs. little to encroach on other departments of science, upon which for him to dilate would be as absurd as if he were to give the natural history of the animals, and plants, of a kingdom. But when restricted within proper bounds, and in some imitation of classical practice, these sketches may be regarded as not only among the most instructive and interesting parts of history, but as an agreeable variety and relief from the less diversified series of modern events. author was happy to find that his ideas on this topic completely corresponded with those of the late Mr. Gibbon, who was pleased warmly to express his approbation of this part of the plan, of its arrangement, and of the space allotted to it, as calculated, not to eneumber and oppress the genuine province of history, but to variegate, enliven, and adorn.' The Mr. P. has evidently employed much pains in the collection of his materials. Many new documents are used in the history of the preceding monarchs; and the reign of James V., which the author seems to have laboured with a considerable degree of predilection, is almost wholly composed from the original letters of the chief actors. His diligence in examining antient records has made him often dissent from former historians, describe events with different circumstances, and paint characters with different colours. Of this fact we have a remarkable instance in his character of the Duke of Rothsay, the eldest son of K. Robert III. The Duke of Rothsay had now attained his twenty-second year; and his mental features nearly resemble those of the prince of Wales his contemporary. That warm effervescence of vigorous youth, which, tamed tamed by reason, experience, and time, affords mature materials of a firm and spirited character, had led him into some excesses, especially of the amorous kind, which afforded pretexts of constraint from his uncle the governor, and of reproof from his royal parent. A fondness for riotous pastime and arch roguery were also laid to the prince's charge; who, to candid eyes, sufficiently compensated these youthful and trivial defects by his good qualities. Endued with a comely person, an honest heart, an able head, a most sweet and affable temper, and even deeply tinctured with learning for that. century, his virtues, and not his vices, attracted the regent's enmity *.' This picture is scarcely reconcileable with the following passage of Buchanan: "Rothsay's vices were restrained through the authority of his mother: but, when that Princess died, his character displayed itself in all its native deformity. He set fear and shame at defiance: matrons and noble virgins were the promiscuous victims of his lust: force was applied when seduction could not prevail; and those who endeavoured to restrain his outrages felt the weight of his vengeance +." Buchanan. Histor. L. x. c. 10. To exemplify the author's style and talent for narration, we shall insert his account of the tragical death of James I. because it is entirely drawn from a contemporary manuscript, hitherto unknown to our historians: • Sir Robert Graham uncle of the earl of Stratherr, afterwards of Menteith, had been imprisoned in 1425, as is above mentioned, but the cause is unknown. Two years afterwards James had resumed the earldom of Strathern, upon pretext, as it seems, that it was confined to heirs male; and had given it to his uncle Walter earl of Athole for his life: assigning, in recompence, that of Menteith to Malis Graham, the former earl of Strathern. Robert Graham may have been discontented at this exchange of his nephew's dignity; but it is not easy to conceive that his wrath upon this account could have excited him to the murder of his sovereign, and far less that he could have wished to serve the ambition of Athole, to whom his nephew's for * Bowar, 431. The character of Rothsay is chiefly from Winton, 886. • Our lord the kingis eldest sone, Sueite and vertuose, young and fair, -And his nerrest lauchful air; Honest, abill, and awenand, Our lord, our prince, in all plesand, A semely persoun in stature.' "Ea (scilicet, matre) defuncta, libido frenis libera ad veros mores redijt: ac metu et pudore seposito, alienas uxores et honesto loco natas virgines, quibus flagitium persuadere non poterat, per vim rapiebat ad stuprum; si quis ejus inhibere libidinem vellet, `male mulctatus discedebat." B 2 mer mer earldom had passed. The art of this man seems to have equalled his audacity; and he must have instigated Athole, now approaching, if not exceeding, his seventieth year, to this conspiracy by ambitious views, only fit to captivate the dotage of age, or inexperience of youth, and inspired by Graham solely to promote his own desperate revenge. This idea is favoured by the following narration, which also explains the violent causes which inflamed this assassin: but it would be neither a matter of paradox, nor blame, to infer that Athole, and his family, were really innocent; and that they were accused by Graham to gratify his animosity, because Athole held his nephew's estates and dignity. It shall only be further premised that Sir Robert Stuart, grandson of Athole, on whom the conspirators pretended to bestow the crown, was the son of David, eldest son of that earl, left an hos tage in England for James, ever since his arrival in his kingdom; and who apparently died there either before this period, or soon after. According to this ancient relation, James had discontented his nobles by his vigorous procedure against them; and they asserted that his avarice of confiscated estates, and not his justice, induced him to such actions. The people were also displeased because of the subsidies imposed, to which they had long been strangers; and were even inclined to pronounce his government tyrannic. In this posture of affairs, and probably in the year 1434, after March had been confined, and his estates seized, Sir Robert Graham, now delivered from his first imprisonment, and irritated by that disgrace, proposed, in a meeting of the lords and chief men, that he would represent their grievances to the king, if they would support him. As he was cloquent, and versed in the laws, they willingly assented. Accordingly, in the next parliament, or that held for the forfeiture of March in January 1435, Graham's violence led him to exceed his commission; for he rose with an enraged countenance, and approaching the royal seat, laid his hand on the king, saying, "I arrest you in the name of all the three estates of your realm, here assembled in parliament; for, as your people have sworn to obey you, so are you constrained by an equal oath to govern by law, and not to wrong your subjects, but in justice to maintain and defend them." Then turning around, he exclaimed," Is it not thus as I say?" But the members, struck with consternation at Graham's rashness, remained in profound silence and the king instantly ordered the audacious censor to prison, to which he was conveyed, after a severe sarcasm on the meanness of spirit, shewn by those who had promised to support him. Soon after Graham was ordered into banishment; and all his possessions forfeited to the king. The bold and gloomy exile retired into the furthest highlands, meditating revenge: and he had even the audacity formally to renounce his allegiance, and to send a defiance to the king in writing, asserting that James had ruined him, his wife, and children, and possessions, by his cruel tyranny; and that he should kill his sovereign with his own hand, if occasion offered. Upon this a proclamation was made, promising three thousand demies of gold, each worth half an English noble, to any person who should bring in Graham 13 dead dead or alive. Meantime that ardent spirit was employed in digesting his scheme, and he sent messages to several of the members of parliament, during its session in October 1436, offering to assassinate the king, and bestow the crown on Sir Robert Stuart, Athole's grandson, nephew and favorite of James. The court held the festival of Christmas at Perth; and the contemporary narrative details some popular stories concerning omens, which happened to James. The worst omen was his vigorous administration, which had created many enemies; among whom the conspiracy spread, like a fire among combustible materials, and had even reached the most intimate attendants of the palace, without ex. citing any suspicion. Thrice did Christopher Chambers, one of the traitors, and who had been a squire of the duke of Albany, approach the royal presence, to disclose the plot; and as often did he fail, from accident, or from a mistaken sense of honour, or pity to his associates. At length the conspiracy being fully ripened, a night was fixed for its execution; being that of the second Wednesday in lent, according to Monstrelet, or the twenty-seventh day of February in the year one thousand four hundred and thirty-seven; but that of the first Wednesday in lent, between the twentieth and twenty-first day of that month, by the account of Bowar, which deserves the preference. The earl of Athole, and Sir Robert Stuart, were at the court that evening, which was passed before supper, and after to a late hour, in the amusements of the time, in playing at chess and tables, reading romances, singing and music. An Irish or highland woman, pretending to magic, who had long before given the king a hint of the plot, and had only met with laughter, again came to unfold it; but was referred till the morrow, as the king was busy at play. An hour after, James called for the parting cup; and he and the company drank, and withdrew. Sir Robert Stuart, private chamberlain to the king, and his chief favourite, is accused of spoiling the locks of the royal chambers, to prevent their being shut, and even of laying boards across a deep ditch, that environed the garden of the Dominican monastery at Perth, where James was now lodged, in order to enable the conspirators to pass: but these offices seem to belong to meaner associates, and the guilt of Athole and his grandson is doubtful. After midnight, Graham with about three hundred persons, mostly raised in the highlands as may be inferred, entered the garden. The king was now in his bed-chamber, standing before the fire, only dressed in his night-gown, and conversing gayly, with the queen and her ladies, when, just as he threw off his night-gown to go to bed, he heard a great noise, as of men in armour, crouding and clashing together, and perceived a blaze of torches. Suspicions of treason instantly arising, the queen and ladies ran to the chamberdoor, but could not fasten it, the locks being spoiled: and the king requesting them, if possible, to keep the door shut, attempted to escape by the windows, but found them closely barred with iron. Perceiving no other refuge, he with the fire-tongs and an exertion of strength, tore up a board of the chamber-floor, and letting himself down dropped the board above him. He was now in one of these incommodious necessaries, usual in old edifices; but still could not |