OS1/14/61/41A

Continued entries/extra info

[page] 41A

Alpin mounted the throne of Scotland or Dalrieta in
the year 831 and being by his mother grandson (to grandson) to
Hungus King of Pictland laid claim to that Kingdom, the
family of his grandfather having been all carried off by violent
deaths. After several vicissistudes of fortune the Picts chose
Brude for their King who immediately took measures to retrieve
the loss of a recent battle fought with Alpin near Forfar.
Henry Maule of Melgund in his history of the Picts thus nar-
-rates the story "Brude King of the Picts taking it highly
to heart that Alpin King of the Scots with two thousand men
should have invaded Lothian exercising all cruelty on the
inhabitants sparing sex nor age in the preceding year levies
a great army crosses the Tay at the Castle of Caledonia
(Dunkeld) and marches with all the speed he could to
the Country of Horrestia (Angus) where he encamped on the
side of a hill some thirteen or fourteen furlongs from the
town of Alectum (Dundee) where he is met by King Alpin
with twenty thousand Scots. With much blood was it foughten
for many hours together till Alpin with great force giving a
fresh charge on his enemies was unfortunately taken the Scots
no sooner seeing their King taken but they betake themselves
to the mountains so that the Picts that day remained victors
who take their prisoner King Alpin and beheaded him leav-
-ing his body behind them and carrying his head to their
City of Camelon (supposed Abernethy) where in derision they
affixed it on a pale in the middle of their city.
At the time the armies joined battle Alpin was looking
on from the Castle on the Law and observing one of his wings
begin to give way he sallied out with his attendants and the
garrison to support his troops; he arrived at the field and
gave the fresh charge which as Maule notices proved fatal to
him.
The place where Alpin was decapitated by the victorious
[continued on page 41B]