Others of the Picts went to the isles of Orkney and Shetland, where their language continueth yet in use amongst the commons, and is called by them Norns, and appeareth clearly to be a dialect of the ancient Gothic tongue; a specimen of which, Dr. James Wallace has given us in the Lord's Prayer, as some of the commons of Orkney and Shetland yet use it '.

These Picts who went to Orkney, Shetland and Norway, brought the Danes first to invade this country: for Boeth. telleth us, Hist. Scot. 1. 10. f. 206. that the Danes, for the cause of the war, pretended, that the miserable remains of the Picts, who had fled to their country, had transferred to them all the right to the kingdom they had in Albion. The Danes first invaded Fife, under the conduct of Hubba and Hungar (as Boeth. nameth him) two of their king's brothers. Buchanan gives several causes of the war, the first is, That they were invited and intreated by the Picts to make war upon the Scots. And the second is, That Buernus (whose wife had been debauched by Osbreth) desired them to make war. The third is, That the Danes, of all the Germans, abounded most with wealth, and their young people did so increase, that there was a necessity of seeking new seats for them. And thus they were induced to pass into Britain with a great fleet, it's like some Picts in their company perswaded them to land in Fife, which belonged formerly to them. By their incampments near to the water of Leven, it is like they landed in the bays where Bruntisland, Pretticur, Kinghorn, Kirkaldie

Jutes and Angles, that they were no longer to be distinguished. As all these nations had the same origin with the Picts, the language of the north of England remains very similar to the common Scottish, and is more Gothic than that of any other English province. See before, page 34. Pink. Vol. 1. Part III. Henry, Chap. ii. § 1.

See before, page 32. note 1.

Kirkaldie and Dysert stand, and from thence marched up to the inner part of the country: they killed all they met with, and burnt the churches and houses wherever they came. This happened when Constantine II. son of Kenneth II. was king of the Scots, anno 874. He soon raised an army; for none refused to take arms against such cruel enemies as the Danes were. The camps of the Danes were about two furlongs distance from other, and the water of Leven run betwixt them. As the Scots army were advancing towards the camp upon the north-side of LevenWater, it rained much, and the water rose so high, that for two days it could not be passed: when it grew fair, Constantine took hold of the opportunity to fight these in the north camp, when, because of the spate of the water, the Danes in the camp upon the south side of the water could not assist their fellows in the north camp. Constantino's men first seised these who were forraging and bringing provision to the camp: this did so vex the Danes, that they could not be kept in their trenches as their commanders inclined they should, to wait till those in the other camp should join them. They came out of their trenches, in confusion, their fierce countenance and the bulk of their bodies, being big men, the different arms they used, and the accoutrement they had, wearing white shirts, stitcht with red silk, upon their armour, made them terrible to the Scots at their first approaching to them: but after they had viewed other a while, the Scots fell in upon them with a loud shout. The fight continued long, face to face, with great fierceness, till that the Danes, oppress'd by the vast numbers of the Scots, (who at the same time attack'd them in the front and rear) flung away their arms, and fled towards their trenches, many of them were killed by these who met them as they went thither; some taking the water, were drown'd; some got safe to the other side, and

amongst

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amongst them was Hubba their general, who by his skill in swiming did escape; others perished in the water, being carried down with the spate.

There is, not far from the place where this battel was struck, in a bauk to the south of Doctan, in Kinglassie parish, a pillar of hewen stone set in a pedestal; it is about five or six foot high, one foot thick and two broad: the broad faces of it are to the east and the west, and the figures are upon the side of it towards the east. The upmost part of it seems to have been done for a beast's head prominent; below it, is the figure of a man on horse-back, with like a scrol above him; 'tis but a small figure: the north, south and west sides, have upon them only some ornamental carving: it's much defaced by the weather, and is torn in the top; no vestige of any letter could be discerned upon it. This is certainly Danish, and seems to have been set up where some chief commander was killed, whether at this fight, or at another which hapned afterwards near Kinghorn, is uncertain.

Not long after the fight at Leven-Water, there was another at Crail in the East Nook; where the Scots, too confident of their power, were overthrown, and the king was taken and beheaded in a cove, now call'd the Devil's Cove, because of that black execution. This battel hapned 874, the vestiges of the trenches appear yet, they are called the Danes Dikes. Buchanan says, "Rei male gestæ culpam quidam in Pictos conferunt, qui a Constantino in fidem recepti, ac in commilitium asciti fuerunt. Ab eis initium fugæ factum, magnam exercitus partem una avertit '." And Fordun, "Hos ut nunc putabatur, Scotiam clam attraxit

3

"Some lay the blame of this unlucky accident upon the Picts, who being admitted into Constantine's fealty and army, were the first that ran away, and drew the greatest part of the army after them." Buch. Book VI. (in Const, II. at ann. 874.)

traxit Pictorum barbaries nondum plenè perdomita, sicut ex rei poterit exitu non dissimiliter suspicari." Et infra, "Rex bellum cum eis iniens, cum multis suorum occubuit: nec mirum quia subactos nuper quosdam de Pictis, quasi sinu serpentem, secum bellandos tenerrimo conduxit. Namque statim conserta pugna fugientes, occasionem cœteris hoc idem faciendi dederunt '."

Sueno

"It was thought that the barbarous Picts, not yet completely subdued, privately invited them (the Danes) to Scotland, as indeed might seem probable from the event." And below, "The king engaging them fell with many of his people, nor is this to be wondered at, for he took with him to battle, like a serpent in his bosom, many of the Pics but lately subdued. And they flying as soon as the engagement began, induced the rest to follow them." Fordun, lib. 4. cap. 16. (de morte Const.) Boeth. in which he is followed by Henry, says, that Constantine was made prisoner and afterwards beheaded. The reign of this king, Constantino II. was the most disastrous that North Britain had ever beheld. Thrice did the Danes and Norwegians ravage his kingdom on the west, carrying off much booty and many captives. On the north they conquered the Orkneys, the Hebudes, Sutherland, Caithness, and part of Ross, provinces which were long afterwards held either by petty princes, or de pendent Norwegian Earls. On the south, after a partial victory over these invaders, he was completely routed, and lost the flower of his army. These repeated losses and defeats probably hastened his death, which took place the year after the last battle with the Danes. Of his falling in battle, the earlier writers are ignorant. It seems to have been invented, to close with a tragical doom, a life so unfortunate. The Annals of Ulster, and Chron. Pict. place this battle in 881, seven years later than Buchanan, and they say, that Constantine died in 882.—The tradition relative to the fabric called "Danes Dikes," is, that it was raised by them for their defence in one night. The very great extent, the situation and composition of it, renders the story quite improbable. Indeed so great was the terror inspired by the invasions of these pirates of the north, (and in general the invasions of Scotland were only by pirates for plunder,) that the people attributed every great work, whose origin was forgotten, to their extraordinary prowess. Hence, along the east coast of Scotland, many structures are ascribed to them, with which they had no connection. Even striking natural objects arc imputed to these wonderful men, whose stature is believed

to

Sueno king of Norway invaded Fife after this, when Duncan was king of Scots: and there was a sharp fight near to Culross with a great slaughter; the Norvegians got the victory, tho' it was dear bought '.

The

to have been far beyond the common. At St. Andrews, a perpendicular rock, of at least 40 feet in height, composed of regularly laminated strata, closely connected with the rest of the shore, is still called the "Danis Wark ;" and the smooth stones that have fallen from its face, are believed to have been brought there to enlarge the work, which by some accident they were prevented from finishing. The heroes of tradition, from the time of Ajax, have possessed marvellous strength. The incredible exertion of Wallace wight are handed down with triumph over all Scotland, in the west, the Fingalian heroes displayed supernatural vigour. In the north, a hero of the Sutherlands, William More Macechin, is believed to have attained most gigantic stature, nearly nine feet and a half, and two stones in the braes of Berindale are supposed to attest the fact. At Dunsinan, the giant Macbeth raised the vast works which defended the castle, and the green site of an ancient shealing, is the Langmans grave. On the east, the martial deeds, and the rapine and destruction of the Danes has magnified them into giants, who in a night could perform the labour of years, and by the exertions of their brawny arms, could move rocks that have stood fixed from the Creation.—The fate ascribed to Constantine is not a singular instance, wherein our chroniclers put to a violent death, a king who expired in his bed in peace. In this manner, Fordun and his followers slay Malcolm II. the descendant of Constantine, by the hands of conspirators at Glammis Castle; and they tell us, that the murderers were drowned in the loch of Forfar, in attempting to escape over the ice. From this story, some antiquaries have attempted to give an explanation of the rude figures on two obelisks near Glammis; and Gordon, with much triumph, illustrates and confirms the whole transaction from these uncertain sculptures: such is the power of fancy and prejudice. Malcolm died a natural death, in a good old age; " rapuit mors libera," says Chron. Eleg. and Reg. St. And. "mortuus a Glammis," when a king is slain it carefully marks" interfectus." Pink. Inq. Part V. Chap. ii. & Suppl. § 2. Henry, Book II. Chap. i. § 3. Stat. Acc. Vol. IX. No. 30. Iter. Sept. Part II.

It is said, that after this battle, the Danes pursued the king to Perthr and besieged him in the castle, which was gallantly defended by Banquo, till relieved by an army under the brave and fortunate Macbeth, who on this occasion gained a signal victory. To facilitate his enterprise, an arti