Stuart dynasty

THE CHURCH AT BAY. 127
of these cases might have shown clemency to the
accused, although responsibility nominally remained
with his advisers. But a Nemesis awaited the king-
dom wherein such cruelties were enacted.
Benewed persecutions of the Beformers soon per-
suaded Henry of England and his astute ambassador,
Sir Balph Sadler, that Scotland's government was
hostile to the Protestant cause, and they took their
measures accordingly, urging on James the necessity,
if amity were to be preserved, of the uncle and
nephew meeting to consider the condition of affairs.
This idea, proposed in 1539, was then rendered
somewhat palatable to James by the hope of his
own succession to the English crown, as it was not
improbable that Prince Edward, Henry's only son,
would die young. But the consideration asked for
in return the Stuart Prince refused to give. He
would not dissolve the monasteries, nor abjure the
religion of his fathers.*
Three years of delay occurred, during which
Archbishop James Beaton was James's minister, and
did not refrain from any measure, secret or public,
which seemed likely to bring on this threatened reli-
gious war. This, on the other hand, is known as
the period wherein James V. performed some of his
more remarkable progresses through his dominions,
while, by strong reprisals whenever conspiracies
against his own person, or designs threatening law
and order were concerned, he lost popularity amongst
* Tytler's ' History of Scotland,' edition 1834, vol. v. p. 275 ; also
Sadler's ' State Papers,' vol. i. pp. 29, 30.