Februar marks the deith o King Jeems I, kent as the lawgiear. King Jeems is a kenspeckle feegur in the aulder leetratur o the Scots leid, haein wrutten warks his ainsel and fordert the uiss o Scots as an offeecial tongue. Born in Dumfaurlin, in 1394, he wis the younger son of King Robert III an Queen Annabella. At the age o 12 he wis kidnappit at sea bi Soothron pirates an spent the follaein 18 year at the coort o Ingland as a hostage, tho he wis king o Scots in name fae the deith o his faither in 1406. Aince he won hame again, in 1424, Jeems threapit that he wad set the kinrik richt. He haed mony o the laws wrutten an set furth in Scots, an is the first makar amang oor kings and queens. The Kingis Quair, or buik o screivings, wis wrutten bi the king a puckle year efter he cam hame. It speaks o his earlier life, coortly love, an mairrage, wi sindry references tae clessical Greek an Roman cheils, the hail wrutten as a lang poyem.  But ony kingly heize tae the leid wis cawed aff its stot on 21 Februar 1437 whan Jeems wis murdert at Perth bi a curn nobles led bi his uncle. Nanetheless, for his laws in Scots, that can be seen tae this day in the prent acts o pairlament, an for his coortly leetratur, King Jeems will aye hae a place in the history o the Scots leid.

The’r a soond file o this story in Scots abuin.

Photie: King Jeems I, National Galleries of Scotland.