hold themselves as
guilty of the crime charged as their ministers are, and they will suffer
with them."

"Suffer! Call you rebellion suffering?" exclaimed the Queen.

"They have not yet rebelled," said Dun, calmly; "they come to
remonstrate with your Highness first; for, as Christians, they are loth
to draw the sword. They have no arms with them, to the end that no one
may dare to accuse them of any treason."

"It is a perilous thing when subjects," said the Queen, much troubled,
"declare themselves so openly against the authority of their rulers."

"It is a bold thing for rulers," replied Dun, "to meddle with the
consciences of their subjects."

"How!" exclaimed the Queen, startled and indignant.

"I will deal yet more plainly with your Highness," said he, firmly.
"This pretended offence of which the Reformed are accused is not against
the royal authority. They are good and true subjects, and, by their walk
and conversation, bear testimony to the excellence and purity of those
doctrines for which they are resolved to sacrifice their lives rather
than submit to any earthly dictation. Their controversies pertain to
things of Christ's kingdom,--it is a spiritual warfare. But the papists,
conscious of their weakness in the argument, would fain see your
Highness abandon that impartial justice which you were called of Heaven
to administer in your great office, and to act factiously on their
side, as if the cause of the Gospel could be determined by the arm of
flesh."

"What has brought you here?" exclaimed the Queen, bursting into tears.

"To claim the fulfilment of your royal promises," said Dun, making a
lowly reverence that by its humility took away all arrogance from the
boldness of the demand.

"I will," said she. "I am ever willing to be just, but this rising has
shaken me with apprehensions; therefore, I pray you, Erskine, write to
your brethren; bid them disperse; and tell them from me, that their
ministers shall neither be tried nor molested."

At these words, she took the arm of one of her ladies and hastily
retired. Dun also withdrew, and the same hour sent my grandfather back
to Perth with letters to the Congregation to the effect of her request
and assurance.

That same evening the multitude broke up and returned to their
respective homes, rejoicing with an exceeding great joy at so blessed a
termination of their weaponless Christian war. Dun, however, distrusting
the influence of some of those who