they murther'd him in the Night; but were afterwarda taken, and condingly punish'd.

EUGENIUS King XXXIX.

EUGENIUS L. the 39th King of Scotland, fucceeded Ferbelmachus. In his Time Maximus the Roman General having a Mind to conquer the whole Ifland,found means to divide the Picts from the Scots; and then join'd together against them. The firft Battle they had was at the River Cree in Galloway, where the Scots being fewer were cafily overcome; but the Romans pursuing them without any Order, as reckoning themselves fure of the Victory, were affaulted by the Argyle-Men, and those of other Places coming up to join their Friends, and repulfed with a great Slaughter. In the mean Time Maximus being called to allay fome Disturbances in that Part now called England, the Scots revenged themselves feverely upon the Pics, deftroying all before them with Fire and Sword. Maximus returning at length marched against the Scots with the Romans, Britains and Pits, the Scots perceiving that now they were to fight for their Country, Lives and Fortunes, affembled their whole strength, Women as well as Men, and encamp'd at the River Down near their Enemies; Battles being at laft joined, the Scots did quickly put the Pits and Britains to Flight; but Maximus coming up with the Roman Legions, to whom the Scots were inferiour both in Number and Difcipline, they were totally routed. Eugenius and most of his Nobles dying gloriously in the Field. Upon this great and unlook'd for Victory, Maximus was inclined to Clemency, aud to have taken the Scots into his Protection upon their Submiffion; but the hatred of of the Pit was fo great, that they would never let him be at reft till he publish'd an Edict, Commanding the Scots to d part out of Britain by a certain Day; not fuffering him to except the very Preachers, tho,the Pits at that time profeffed Chriftianity. So that the Scots were dispersed in the Western Ilands, Ireland, Scandia and

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Cimbrica Cherfonefus, now Denmark, Sweden, &c. being every where courteously received and applauded for their Valour. The Scots Ilanders did afterwards make an Attempt upon the Continent, but were all cut off, and their Ships and Boats made ufe of against those who were left behind, A little after, the Scots who had fled to Ireland ftirred up the Irish Scots to affift them, and landing in Scotland with 10000 Men, fpread their Terror far and near, wafting the Country with Fire and Sword: The Irish-Scots being elevated with their Success, were for attempting fomething more, the Albion-Scots advised them to retire with their Booty, and not to stay till the Romans gathered the whole ftrength of Britain against them; adding, That the best way was to weary the Romans out with Toil and Labour. The Irish Scots upbraided those of Albion,as having degenerated from the Valour of their Ancestors, and would venture a Battel, wherein they were totally cut off: So that the Albion-Scots were for ever excluded all Hopes of return, and the Irifo found themselves obliged to fend Ambaffadors to offer Submiflion to the Romans, and and beg Pardon, which was obtained, so much the more easily, that Maximus was returning to Rome, having got himself proclaimed Emperour by the Army. Maximus being flain in Italy, Victorinus was fent to rule Britain, and forbad the Picts to choose any King or other chief Magiftrate but fuch as were fent from Rome; which they looking upon as a Badge of intolerable Slavery, repented of their having betray'd the Scots, and look'd upon this as a Judgement for their having fo done; hereupon they elected a King privately, and at their Affembly, complain'd heavi ly of their Bondage, acknowledging that God did justly, punifh them for perfecuting the Scots Minifters and not fo much as fuffering them to live in the fame Country: with them fo they refolved to reconcile themfelves to the Scots, and fent a private Embaffy to young Fergus of the Blood Royal, who was an Exile in Scandia to invite him home, thinking that by his Example and Authority the reft would be allo induced to return, which fucceed. ed accordingly. Eugenius was killed about 373.

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FERGUS 2d. King XL.

ERGUS II. the 40th King of Scotland, fucceeded Eugenius, who was flain by the Romans, at fuch Time, as they with the Affiftance of the Pits, did quite expel the Scots out of Britain; whereupon Echadius or Ethodius, Brother to Eugenius, went with his Family into Scandia, his Son Eribus and Nephew Fergufius being of the Number. The King of the Country being moved with Compaffion toward thefe royal Exiles, thewed them great Favour. And as Fergus grew up, he improved himfelf in military Acquirements, and fignalized himself in many Rencounters, and followed the Franks in their Expedition against the Gauls, wherein he acquired much Glory. So that his Fame reaching the Ears of the Scots and Picts, both of them were lifted up, with Hopes of recovering their Liberty under his Conduct. So that the Pits being weary of the Roman Servitude, fent fecret Meffengers to the Scots, made up a Peace with them, and isin'd in calling Fergus to accept of the Crown of his Ancestors, at fuch a Juncture, when the Power and Authority of the Romans was on the Declenfion in Britain, which he eafily confented to; and having made up a confiderable Body of the Scottish Exiles, befides Danes, and others, who followed him, he landed in Argyle. Thither the rest of his CountryMen from Ireland and the Ifles flock'd to him, and then he was created King, according to the Manner of the Country, about the 8th Year of the Reign of the Emperors Honorius and Arcadius, 27 Years after the Death of his Grandfather Eugenius, and about the 403 or 404 of CHRIST, according to Funcius, the black Book of Pafley and Marianus Scotus. And this, fays Buchanan, gives rife to the mistake amongft feveral English Writers, who will have this to be the firft Time that the Scots feated themselves in Britain; but they may be convinced of the contrary by the very Hiftory of Bede, to which they Appeal. Fergus being Crown'd, prepar ed to make War upon his Enemies, against the Seafon

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of the Year. The Britains hearing of his Arrival, were divided into two Factions; tome were for joining him, and others fent to the Romans for Affittance, and to the Pits to withdraw them from Fergus. The Romans upon the News, fent one Legion from Gaul to affift their Provincials, and together they repulfed the ftraggling Troops of Scots with great Slaughter, and afterward defeated them in a let Battle by the River of Carron, near Severus's Wall, but not without great loss to the Romans, who contented themfelves to repair the Wall, garriton'd the Forts with Britains, and then returned to Gaul. After their Departure, the Scots and Picts demolifhed the Wall, under the Conduct of Grabam, Father in Law to Fergus, and originally a Britain of the Noble Fulgentian Family, and wafted the Country far and near. Whereupon the Britains fent a lamentable Complaint to Rome, and obtained another Legion under the Command of Maximianus, who arriving unexpectedly, made a great Slaughter among the Scots and Picts. However they gathered together a great Army, and being. encouraged by the Affiftance of Dionethus a Britain of great Power, they march'd with their Army to prevent his being fwallowed up by the Romans; and having joined their Forces, put the Romans to Flight. Whereupon the Confederate Kings pursuing too eagerly, fell in amongst the Referves of their Army, and were repulfed with great Slaughter; yet the Romans being difmayed at this Check, and but few in Number, retir'd into the midst of the Province. Hereupon Dionetbus alfumed the Soveraignity of the Britains. The Romans understanding that the Confederate Forces were feparated, augmented their Forces with British Auxiliaries, on defign to deftroy Dionetbus. But the Scots and Picts having joined him again, fooner than the Romans were aware, they prepared for Battle. Maximianus placed the Britains in the Front, who were foon repulled; then he advanced his Romans, who ftopt their Flight, and detatching fome Troops of Veteran Soldiers, they fell upon the Rear of the Scots; fome of whofe Troops being furrounded, they drew themfelves into a Ring, where they bravely defended themfelves against the whole Force of the Romans,till they were over-powr'd, and every Man flain; but this gave Opportunity for the reft to escape. Fergus fell in this Battle, as did allo Durfus

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Durfus King of the Pits, and Dionetbus hardly escaped, being allo grievoufly wounded. This happned in the 16th Year of Fergus his Reign, An. 420. He was a Prince of an Heroick Spirit, and may well be reckoned the fecond Founder of the Scottish Kingdom, and all Things confidered, Superior even to Fergus I. He left three Sons, over whom their Grand-father Grabam was chofen Guardian and Vice-Roy of the Kingdom.

ཨ ཨ མ སཱམཐིལ པ ཨནྡྲིམ- ཨཐིག

EUGENIUS 2d. King XLI.

EUGENIUS II. fucceeded his Father Fergus II his Grand-father Graham being appointed Regent, during his Minority, who finding that he was not ftrong enough to make War upon the Romans, kept quiet. The Roman Legion which came to affift their Allies in Fergus II's Time, having destroy'd the Country on the South of Severus his Wall, restored it to the Britains. So that the Scots and Pits were again fhut up betwixt the two Firths of Edinburgh and Dunbriton. The Romans being called Home to defend the Seat of the Empire, did acquaint the Britains, that they were not to expect any further Affiitance from them, but muft ftand on their own Defence, and that they might be the better enabled to do it, where Severus had made a Graff, the Romans fummoned a vaft Multitude of Work-men,and built a Wall of Stone 8 Foot broad, 12 high, and 30 Miles long;building alfo Caftles at proportionable Diftances. The Weft End of the Wall was at Kirk-Patrick,and the Eaft at Aber: corn, according to Bede. They alfo built Watch-Towers, and placedGarrifons along the Coafts,to prevent the Scots and Picts landing within the Wall, and fo left Britain. Which as foon as the Scots and Picts understood, they affaulted the Wall, pulling the Britains down with crooked Iron-Hooks faftned on long Poles, and then with their Engines, overthrew the Wall, routed the Britains, and returned loaden with Spoils. After this they sent Colonies to plant the Lands which they had taken from the Britains fo that all the exil'd Scots, with abundance of Danes and other Strangers, came and fettled themselves

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