some time, governed with moderation, but at last became a tyrant. Growing jealous of Banquo, the most powerful subject in his dominions, he invited him to an entertainment, and caused him to be treacherously murdered. He intended also to have put his son Fleance to death; but the latter escaped into Wales. After Banquo, Macduff, the thane of Fife, was the most powerful subject in Scotland; for which reason Macbeth determined to destroy him; but he fled into France, when Macbeth cruelly put to death his wife and infant children, and confiscated his estates. Macduff vowed to be revenged; and he encouraged Malcolm to dethrone the usurper. Macbeth opposed them with his whole force; but being defeated in a pitched battle, he took refuge in the most inaccessible places of the Highlands, where he defended himself for two years; but in the mean time Malcolm was acknowledged king of Scotland, and crowned at Scone. The war between Macbeth and the new king lasted two years after the coronation of the latter, but at last Macbeth was killed in a sally, by Macduff. The disturbances, however, did not end with his life for his followers elected one of his relations, named Lullach, or the Idiot, to succeed him; but he, not being able to withstand Malcolm, withdrew to the North, where, being pursued, he was killed at

Essey, in Strathbogie, after a reign of four months. A A very famous tragedy, called Macbeth, was written by one of our greatest poets, Shakspeare; it is founded on the story of that usurper.

CHAPTER IV.

MALCOLM III.

SURNAMED CANMORE.

Began to reign, 1055. Slain in Battle, 1093.

QUEEN MARGARET.

WHEN Malcolm the Third was established on the throne, one of his first acts was to reward Macduff for his great services; and he granted four extraordinary privileges to the members of his family: the first was, that they should place the king in his chair of state, at the coronation; the second, that they should lead the van of all the royal armies; the third, that they should have a regality of their own; and the fourth, that if they happened to kill a nobleman accidentally, their only punishment should be to pay 24 marks of silver, and a common person, 12 marks. Malcolm made many good regulations in his kingdom; but he was engaged in a dangerous war with William the Conqueror, king of England, which brought many troubles upon him. This war was occasion

ed by the following circumstances: When Edward the Confessor died, Harold seized the throne of England, though Edgar Atheling was the true heir; and Malcolm treated the latter with great respect. When Harold was killed, William shewed some jealousy of Edgar, whom he took with him into Normandy, when he had occasion to visit his estates there; for he was afraid of leaving him in England, lest the people should rise in his favour. On his return, he found so much disposition to rebel, that he became very severe, and many of his subjects fled into Cumberland, and the southern parts of Scotland. Edgar had two sisters, Margaret and Christina, who soon persuaded him that his life was not safe under so jealous a tyrant as William, and that he had better take refuge in Hungary, or some foreign country. He accordingly set sail, with his mother Agatha, his two sisters, and a great train of noblemen, who were his friends; but the weather became so boisterous, that they were driven into the Firth of Forth, where the illustrious exiles landed, at a place which has ever since been called the Queen's Ferry. When Malcolm heard of their landing, he immediately paid them a visit; and at this visit, he fell in love with the Princess Margaret. In consequence of this, the chief of Edgar's friends repaired to the court

of Scotland; and William soon required that Edgar should be given up to him: this being refused, he declared war against Malcolm. William was the most powerful enemy the Scots ever had to encounter; for he had the armies of England and Normandy at his command; but as he was very tyrannical to his English subjects, they were more inclined to assist Edgar than him. Malcolm invited the Irish and the Danes to join him against William; and Harold's three sons, who had taken refuge in Ireland after their father was killed, landed in Somersetshire, with a large body of Irish troops, and defeated a body of English; the Danes also landed at the mouth of the river Humber, where they were joined by Edgar and his party; and had the allies been faithful to each other, most probably William would have been dethroned. But frequent quarrels arose amongst them; and it soon appeared that poor Edgar had no sure dependence, except upon Malcolm, and the few English who had followed his fortune. The Irish and the Danes retired after they had got a considerable booty, and Malcolm was left alone against the formidable William. As he was unable to oppose so great an enemy, he withdrew to his own dominions, and made great preparations for invading England a second time. In the year 1071, he landed again,

C

in Cumberland, while William was engaged in quelling an insurrection in Wales. He behaved with the greatest cruelty; ravaged Teesdale, and, at a place called Hundredskeld, massacred some English noblemen, with all their followers; he then marched to Cleveland, in Yorkshire, where he also committed great cruelties; after which he pillaged the Bishopric of Durham, and burned some of the most sacred buildings to the ground. Returning in triumph to Scotland, he married the princess Margaret; but, the next year, William invaded Scotland, and the war ended so much to the disadvantage of the Scots, that Malcolm was obliged to consent to pay homage to William. On the conclusion of peace, a cross was erected at Stanmore, in Yorkshire, with the arms of the two kings, which was called Roy-cross, or the Cross of Kings, and served as the boundary between the possessions of William and the dominions of Malcolm. This peace caused a great change in the manners of the Scots, which was brought about by the excellent disposition of Queen Margaret, who was a great pattern of piety and benevolence; and Malcolm also began a reformation, and set a good example himself. During his absence in England, Margaret had chosen a priest, named Turgot, for her confessor; and he assisted her in reforming the people. She began with new-mo