Malcolm slain as we have said, his grandson Duncan, got on his daughter, succeeded: for Malcolm had two daughters, of which the eldest, named Beatrice, was given in marriage to Abbanath Crinin, who was Thane of the Isles and West parts of Scotland. On her was got Duncan, who succeeded immediately after him to the crown. The second daughter, named Doada, was given in marriage to Sinel, Thane of Glamis; on whom was got a fierce and valiant man, named Macbeth, very suitable to have governed any realm, were not his strength was given over-much to cruelty. Though Duncan and Macbeth were sister-sons, they were far different from each other in manners. For Duncan was so merciful, that he appeared not able to punish the vices of his people: by contrary, Macbeth was given as much to cruelty as Duncan was given to pity. And therefore the people wished the manners of each one to have been tempered with those of the other.

            Duncan, in the beginning of his rule, governed the realm in good peace and justice; for it was governed by the same counsellors that governed it during his father's time. Thus the commoners lived, for many years, without any injury or oppression by great men. Yet the feeble mind of Duncan, when it was patent to the people, was not only the cause of great seditions among the nobles, but an opportunity to the Danes to attempt new wars against the Scots. The cause of these seditions arose by the Thane of Lochaber, named Banquo, who was the beginner of the noble surname of Stuart in this realm; of whom our king now present, by long progression, is descended. When this Banquo had gathered all the king's rents, he punished several scoundrels of the country with such extreme rigour of justice, that the people arose against him with great force, and plundered him of all the money which he had gathered for the king's use; and though he escaped with his life, yet he was badly wounded. At last, when he was cured of all his wounds, he came to the king, desiring the injuries and insults done to him to be punished. King Duncan, to punish these deeds, sent one officer of arms, and summoned all persons that were suspect in this matter, to face the law on a certain day. The scoundrels that did this cruelty, hearing themselves summoned, aggravated their contempt, by slaying the officer. And because the king's forces were to come on them to punish their offence, they made MacDonald their captain; and he gladly took the responsibility for battle on him, knowing the king soft, and, as he declared, more able to govern an abbey of monks than to guide any band of warriors. This MacDonald gathered a company of wicked scoundrels, out of Ireland, the Isles, and other regions thereabouts; and slew Malcolm, lieutenant to Duncan in Lochaber, and put his men to flight. King Duncan, daunted by the slaughter of his men, for he was not experienced in war, nor yet knew how such things might be dealt with, convened his nobles to a council, to decide on punishment for their deeds. After several opinions had been given, Macbeth reproved King Duncan for his soft governance, having no talent to punish injuries done to his people: and said, if the lands of Lochaber were given to him and Banquo, they would leave none of MacDonald's blood alive. And as he promised, so it followed: for soon after his coming to Lochaber, the people, hearing the fame of his honour, dared not attempt such things as they did before; and many of them left MacDonald, and came to Macbeth. In fact, MacDonald was so pressed, that it was necessary for him to give battle to Macbeth. Nonetheless, he was defeated, and chased to a castle in Lochaber. Macbeth followed on him to the said castle, and by long siege brought him to such misery, that he was constrained to ask grace for himself, his wife and children. And because he got nothing but rejection for this, he slew first his wife and children, so that they should not remain for the derision of his enemies; then slew himself in the same manner. Macbeth entered the castle; and though he found MacDonald slain, yet he cut off his head, and sent it to the castle of Perth, where the king was, and hung his body on a tall tree.

            The Islesmen made their compositions with great sums of money; others of them were punished by death. The remaining people of the Isles, moved by the slaughter of their friends, gave displeasing words to Macbeth; calling him a bloody monster, without any mercy. Macbeth immediately prepared to go to the Isles, to punish them for their unbridled language. Nonetheless, by solicitation of their friends, he did not do this, but punished them by taking their goods.

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