tional independence, and securing the succession to the family of Hamilton, failing the issue of queen Mary.

But a secret transaction, which has since come to light, displays all the treachery and infamy of France. It appears that the young princess had been prevailed on to sign certain papers, by which failing her own issue, she gives to the king of France all right to the crown of Scotland; and disavows every promise to the contrary extorted from her, as void and of no obligation.

The marriage was no sooner solemnized, which was done with royal pomp, when the Dauphin applied to the deputies to acknowledge him as king of Scotland during his own life. They had already agreed to treat him as such during the marriage; they declined proceeding any farther: but this point, which in the event proved of no importance, was at last carried through parliament by the interest of the queen-regent, notwithstanding every opposition from the family of Hamilton.

Once more politics, blended with religion, were to take a new turn. The accession of queen Elizabeth threw again the party of the reformers into the English interest; and for the same reason the French coalesced with the sticklers for the old doctrines.

Queen Mary had been advised to assume the arms of England, and to quarter them with those of France and Scotland, in her plate and furniture. This was in fact proclaiming Elizabeth an usurper, and the illegitimate offspring of Henry VIII.` A dire offence! from which we may date the sworn enmity of Elizabeth, that nothing less than the blood of her rival queen could satisfy.

By

By this it would appear that the court of France aimed at dethroning Elizabeth, and uniting both the crowns in the king Dauphin and Mary. We do not find any effectual or even plausible measures adopted to accomplish an object of equal magnitude and difficulty. The queen of England was not idle on her part to support herself by the interest of Spain, and by that of the reformed party in Scotland.

The latter seem now to emerge from that insignificance which, according to their late favoured historian, could ask nothing farther then connivance and impunity. This they had enjoyed owing to the mildness and the policy of the queen regent for a long tract of years: but increased in number, and supported by the power and influence of England, they found the time for action was come.

A. D. 1558.

Knox, then at Dieppe, had an intercourse by letters with Cecil, who had orders to fix him in the interest of Elizabeth. Before he arrived in Scotland he wrote to the queen regent, entreating a reformation in the church.

The bishops now seriously alarmed at the progress of new doctrines, prevailed on the queen regent to call their preachers before the council, and to try them for high treason.

When the day of appearance came, the preachers were attended with such numbers, that the queen thought proper to discharge the diet. Her moderation prevailed on the heads of the reformers to content themselves with the private exercise of their religion till they could see what turn affairs would take.

Knox was highly offended at this lukewarmness,

and

and prevailed on the noblemen and gentlemen of weight to enter into an association for maintaining and advancing the reformation in Scotland, in the name of the majesty of God and his congregation. Ilenceforward they were distinguished by the name of the Lords of the Congregation.

A. D.

1559.

The above association was called the covenant, and is the first in order of the leagues formed under that name. It is thereby ordained" to read publicly the lessons from the book of Common Prayer in all parish churches by the curate; or, in case of their refusal, by the mostqualified in the parish." This may appear like introducing a new mode of worship by compulsatory means and without legal authority. But they had not yet disclaimed all civil power: for they add, "that it is thought necessary that doctrine, preaching, and interpretation of scriptures, be had and used privately, while afterward that God move the prince to grant public preaching by faithful and true ministers."

The ecclesiastical establishment, thus threatened with an entire overthrow, made a last dying effort to prolong its existence; and notwithstanding the moderation of the regent and of the archLishop, they were induced to inflict exemplary punishment on one refractory priest, in order to strike terror into the whole party.

But the stake at which this last victim expired, proved to be the funeral pile of that religion it was intended to support. The lords of the congregation forthwith applied to the queen, demanding a reformation. Satisfied with their reception, they presented the like demands to the

convention

convention of the clergy, who dismissed them with insults and threats.

Exasperated at this treatment, they prepared a petition to parliament, demanding that the judg ment of the clergy should be set aside, and that of the secular power decide in matters of religion.

This petition, however, not being presented, a protest was offered, which looked like a defiance of civil authority, and was not suffered to be entered upon the public records.

The regent now invited the ablest of the clergy to consult about the means of reforming the church at this convocation, the demands of the congregation were again rejected.

Their expostulations with the queen had no better success; she ordered Knox to be apprehended for preaching in public at Perth, as Methven a baker was doing in Dundee. Her orders were disobeyed, and public preaching continued: all the protestant ministers were then cited to appear before her at Stirling.

Alarmed for the lives of their leaders, and for the existence of their religion, the protestants collected to the number of several thousands, and sent intimation to the queen from Perth, that they were come in a body to stand or fall with their ministers.

Her majesty on receiving this message, averse to shedding the blood of a heedless rabble, thought it prudent to temporize: she is said to have promised to stop all proceedings against the new clergy, if the people would quietly disperse. This promise, however, she did not scruple to

violate

violate on having obtained her purpose: for she caused the ministers to be outlawed for non-appearance. It is hard to say which of the proceedings is most to blame, the defiance of civil authority on one hand, or the violation of a promise on the other.

But when both parties proceed to such lengths, the breach must prove irreparable. Indignant at such a treatment from the queen, Knox mounted the pulpit at Perth, and by his furious harangue so inflamed the minds of the multitude, that they immediately began to pull down every vestige of idolatry, and to destroy all the apparatus for mass, &c. all the convents in the town were plundered and destroyed, and the booty was left to the poor as an encouragement.

Other places followed immediately the example of Perth, and the most venerable fabrics were levelled to the ground.

The queen, on receiving this intelligence, hastened towards Perth with seven thousand French and Scottish troops; but finding the reformers ready to oppose her, an agreement was entered into, by which the town of Perth was surrendered to the regent on conditions of indemnity for the past, and of excluding French troops from the town.

At the same time a second covenant was entered into by the reformers, obliging themselves to take up arms in defence of their civil and religious liberty, should the conditions of the agree ment be again violated by the regent.

This occasion did not fail to present itself very soon. The queen did not stand to the terms of her agreement; she was of course forsaken by

the