Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 18, RHI-SCR

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Scotland. They declared, that her denial of this requefl (hould be
confidered by them as a proof of her intention to re¬
duce the kingdom tollavery j in which cafe, they were
590 determined to employ their utmoft power to preferve its
rieeeive an independence. Two days after this meflage, the queen-
anfavour- regent fent to them the lord Lyon, whom die enjoined
to tell them, that (he confidered their demand not only
as prefumptuous, but as an encroachment on the royal
authority •, that it was an indignity to her to be dicta¬
ted to by fubjeCts •, that Frenchmen were not to be
treated as foreigners, being entitled to the fame privi¬
leges with Scotfmen ; and that (he would neither dif-
■band her troops, nor command the town of Leith to
be made open. Fhe lord Lyon then, in the name of
the queen-regent, commanded the lords of the Congre-
[ 695 ]
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jrade her
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-gation to depart from Edinburgh, and difperfe, under
the pain of high treaion. The Proteftants irritated by
this anfwer, afterLome deliberation degraded the queen-
regent ; and for this purpofe the nobility, barons, and
ayfiege to burgeffes, all agreed in fubfcribing an ediCl, which was
ueith. font to the principal cities in Scotland, and publifhed in
them.
The next ftep taken by the Congregation was to
fummon Leith to furrender 5 but meeting with defiance
inftead of fubmiflion, it was refolved to take the town
by fcalade. For this fervice ladders were made in the
church of.St Giles ; a bufinefs which, interrupting the
preachers in the exercife of public worfhip, made them
prognofticate misfortune and mifcarriage to the Con¬
gregation. In the difpleafure of the preachers, the
common people found a fource of complaint ; and the
emiflfaries of the queen-dowager afting with indefatigable
induftry to divide her adverfaries, and to fpread chagrin
and diflatisfaddion among them, difcontent, animofity,
and terror, came to prevail to a great degree. The
duke of Chatelherault difcouraged many by his example.
Defeftion from the Proteftants added ftrength to the
queen-dowager. The moft fecret deliberations of the
confederated lords were revealed to her. The foldiery
were clamorous for pay j and it was very difficult to
procure money to fatisfy their claims. Attempts to
foothe and appeafe them, difcovering their confequence,
engendered mutinies. They put to death a domeftic of
the earl of Argyle, who endeavoured to compofe them
to order : they infulted feveral perfons of rank who dif-
covered a folicitude to pacify them 5 and they even
ventured to declare, that, for a proper reward, they
were ready to fupprefs the reformation, and to re-efta-
blifh the mafs.
It was abfolutely neceflary to give fatisfa&ion to
todiftrefs the Proteftant foldiers. The lords and gentlemen of
ifhC)^ ^ie Congregation colle&ed a confiderable fum among
lizabeth t^iem 5 ^ut it was not equal to the prefent exigency.
The avarice of many taught them to withhold what
they could afford, and the poverty of others did not
permit them to indulge their generofity. It was re¬
folved, that each nobleman fhould furrender his filver-
plate to be coined. By the addrefs, however, of the
queen-dowager, the officers of the mint were bribed to
conceal, or to convey to a diftance, the ftamps and in-
ftruments of coinage. A gloomy defpair gave difquiet
to the Congregation, and threatened their ruin. Queen
Elizabeth, with whofe minifters the confederated lords
maintained a correfpondence at this time, had frequently
promifed them her aftiftance j but they could not now
3
„ 593 ,
hey fall
wait the event of a deputation to the court of England.
In an extremity fo prefling, they therefore applied for a
fum of money to Sir Ralph Sadler and Sir .Tames Croft,
the governors of Berwick ; and Cockburn of Ormifton,
wrho was entrufted with this commiftion, obtained from
them a fupply of 4000 crowns. Traitors,
Scotland.
594
however, Englifh
in the councils of the Congregation, having informed
the queen-dowager of his errand and expedition, the earl the^iueen-
of Both well, by her order, intercepted him upon his re-regeilt,
turn, difcomfited his retinue, and made a prize of the
Englilh fubfidy.
To roufe the fpirit of the party, an attack was pro¬
jected upon Leith, and fome pieces of artillery were
planted againft it. But before any charge could be
made, the French foldiers (allied out to give battle to
the troops of the Congregation, poffefled themfelves of The Pro-
their cannon, and drove them back to Edinburgh. Ateftants
report that the vittors had entered this city with the fu.1t'efeateih
gitives, filled it with diforder and difmay. The earl of
Argyle and his Highlanders haftened to recover the
honour of the day, and haraffed the French in their
retreat. This petty conflicl, while it elated the queen-
dowager, ferved to augment the defpondence of the
Proteftants.
Vain of their prowefs, the French made a new fally
from Leith, with a view to intercept a fupply of pro-
vifions and ftores for the Congregation. The earl of
Arran and the lord .Tames Stuart advanced to attack
them, and obliged them to retire. But purfuing them
with too much precipitation, a irelh body of French
troops made its appearance. It was prudent to retreat,
but difficult. An obftinate refiftance was made. It wasteftants
the objeCl of the French to cut off the foldiery of the again da
Congregation from Edinburgh, and by thefe means to Ital-ecl°
divide the ftrength of that ftation. The earl of Arran
and the lord James Stuart had oceafion for all their
addrefs and courage. Though they were able, how¬
ever, to effeCt their efcape, jJieir lofs was confiderable,
and the victory was manifeftly on the fide of their ad¬
verfaries.
About this time William Maitland of Lethington,
fecretary to the queen-dowager, withdrew fecretly from the queen.
Leith, and joined himfelf to the confederated nobles, dowager’s
He bad been difgufted with the jealoufies of the French lecretary,
counfellors, and was expofed to danger from having
embraced the doCtrines of the reformed. His reception teftants."
was cordial, and correfponded to the opinion enter¬
tained of his wifdom and experience. He was (killed
in bufinefs, adorned with literature, and accuftomed to
reflection. But as yet it was not known, that his want
of integrity was in proportion to the greatnefs of his ta¬
lents.
The acceffion of this ftatefman to their party could
not confole the lords of the Congregation for the un-
promifing afpeCt of their affairs. The two difcomfi-
tures they had received funk deeply into the minds of
their followers. Thofe who affeCted prudence, retired
privately from a caufe which they accounted defperate 5
and the timorous fled wfith precipitation. The wailings
and diftruft of the brethren were melancholy and infec¬
tious j and by exciting the ridicule and fcorn of the par-
tifans of the queen-dowager, wrere augmented the more.
A diftrefs not to be comforted feemed to have invaded
the Proteftants ; and the affociated nobles confented to
abandon the capital. A little after midnight, they re¬
tired.i