Biggar and the House of Fleming

548 BIGGAR AND THE HOUSE OF FLEMING.
Majesty's Commissioner, and received investiture in due and
ancient form. In the first place, his banner was displayed,
and he himself was brought forward attired in his appropriate
robes, and supported by two noblemen; and then, after the
ceremony of " belting," or girding his person with a sword, had
been performed, the heralds, with a flare of trumpets, pro-
claimed his new style and titles.
The Roman Catholics in the north of Scotland, under the
direction of the Earls of Huntly, Angus, and Errol, had, in the
early part of 1608, shown considerable dissatisfaction, and a
disposition to disturb the peace of the realm. A General
Assembly was therefore convened at Linlithgow in the month
of July of that year, by the King's command, at which several
strong resolutions were passed against them, and a committee
appointed to lay a petition before his Majesty, praying for the
enforcement of the laws against Popery. The Earl of Wigton
was chosen a member of this committee ; and the King, in re-
ply to the petition drawn up and presented by the Earl and
his colleagues, said that he "would give order for a Convention
of Estates, which should ratifie the conclusions of the Assembly,
assuring them that the Church, keeping that course, should
never lack his patrociny and protection." On the 24th of
November, James wrote the following letter to the Earl in
reference to these ecclesiastical proceedings: —
" James R.
Right trusty and well-beloved Cosen, wee greete
you well. The reporte made to us by the Commissioners of
the late generall assembly of the procedingis therin, and of the
greate zeale and affection kythed to all sortes of people there,
for the advancement of God's glory, and the suppressing of the
common enemy, and also of the happie unity and concorde
amongst the clergy, did give us no small joy and contentment,
that in this last age of the worlde, wherein errour and super-
stition abroade had taken so greate rooting, nevertheless,
within these our dominions, God hath been pleased to reserve
a handfull to him selfe, who have never bowed the knee to
Baal. And as wee acknowledge our self (in dewty to our God)
bound to be a nursing father to his churche, a protectour to
all true professours, and a prosequutour of all the enemyes of the
treuth, so they may be eyther reclamed, or then brought to