y had undertaken the reformation of religion, which was
delayed, and seeing they aimed at nothing but the glory of God, he was
willing to bear the reproach which the enemies of religion would load
him with, neither was it just for him to desert that cause which had
Christ himself for its head and defender, whom, unless they would
voluntarily deny, they could not give up that enterprise in which they
were imbarked.

While these things were transacting, the lords of the congregation being
then in and about Edinburgh, there were to the number of 3000 French
landed at Leith at different times, to support the queen regent, between
whom and the lords of the congregation there were several skirmishes,
with little success on either side; yet the lords retired to Stirling,
leaving the French for a time masters of the field, but not without
apprehensions of danger from the arrival of an English fleet, which was
then expected. In the mean time, they went over to Fife, spreading
devastation every where around them without resistance: Whereupon the
queen regent thus expressed herself, "Where is John Knox's God now, my
God is stronger, even now in Fife." This impious boast lasted not long,
for Argyle and lord James went to the town of Dysart immediately to stop
their career along the coast. The French were 4000 strong, besides the
Scots who adhered to them; the army of the congregation were not above
600 men, yet they behaved with such courage and resolution, as for
twenty days successively they faced this army, and for each man they
lost in every skirmish, the French lost four. As an evidence of the
uncommon attention which these two noblemen bestowed on this business,
they never put off their cloaths during the whole time, and slept but
little.

In the month of June the queen regent died, and a little after her
Francis king of France died likewise, by which Scotland was delivered
from this foreign army.--About this time lord James went over to France,
to visit his sister Mary; after settling matters in Scotland as well as
he could, he was attended by a splendid retinue, but appears to have met
with a cold reception: After several conversations with Queen Mary, she
told him, That she intended to return home. During his stay at Paris, he
met with many insults on account of his known attachment to the reformed
religion: A box containing some valuable things was stole from him;
several persons were likewise hired to assassinate him in