I imagine the first question anyone will ask is what is a column called "Scottish Flotsam". I guess we will have to begin with what is "flotsam". Among the definitions of the word are "things washed ashore" or "miscellaneous trifles". Well, we believe you can find some great treasure on the ocean shore. But -- you will never know what you will find or its value. So we decided that is what this column is - flotsam. We wanted a place to put things that didn't fit anywhere else and might be of interest. Each item could be a column itself and might be some day but for now it will be the flotsam, which washes our way.

Now lets look at a Scottish King:

The son of Culen, he was Kenneth II's predecessor on the Scottish throne Constantine was raised at the Scottish royal court, but hungered after the throne. In 995, he noticed how King Kenneth was paying court to a young noblewoman named Finella, who herself had fallen in love with him, and decided to turn it to his own advantage. He suggested that she meet with him privately in the drying-house, to explain gently to him that it was Constantine rather than he himself that she was in love with, to spare him any humiliation before the court. However, when the king and Finella entered the drying-house, Constantine sprang out from ambush, killed Kenneth, and proclaimed himself King.

After usurping the throne and imprisoning all his opponents (except for those, such as Kenneth's son Maol Chalvim, who fled in time), Constantine decided to marry Princess Katharine, to strengthen his claim to the throne, and threatened to destroy the gargoyle eggs under her care if she refused him. The Magus, however, helped Katharine escape from the castle and flee to Avalon, with some help from Finella, who was angry at Constantine for using and betraying her.

Constantine's soldiers, at his command, pursued Mary and Finella, trying to capture them so that he could secure the Grimorum Arcanorum and use it to pursue Katharine to Avalon, but Brooklyn prevented them from capturing the two women]. In 997, Constantine was overthrown and slain in battle, and was succeeded by Kenneth III, King Duff's son.

Source: http://gargoyles-fans.org/archive/guide12.txt

It is time to stop combing the library but we can not quit without some quotes from The Pocket Book of Scottish Quotations another great History bookshelf resident. Let's see what quotes we can find.

This month we continue with the subject of love.

But steal me a blink o'your bonnie black e'e,
Yet look as if ye werena lookin' at me ...
0 whistle and I'll come to you, my lad.
Robert Burns, 0 Whistle and I'll Come to You

Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met - or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
Robert Burns, Parting Song to Clarinda

If doughty deeds my lady please,
Right soon I'll mount my steed...
Then tell me how to woo thee, Love,
0 tell me how to woo thee!
R. B. Cunninghame,-Graham (1852-1936), Tell Me How to Woo Thee

Her brow is like the snaw-drift,
Her neck is like the swan;
Her face it is the fairest
That e'er the sun shone on.
That e'er the sun shone on,
And dark blue is her e'e:
And for bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doun and dee.
William Douglas (fl. c. 1700), Annie Laurie

The flow'rs did smile, like those upon her face,
And as their aspen stalks those fingers band,
That she might read my case,
A hyacinth I wish'd me in her hand.
William Drummond (1585-1649), Like the Italian Queen