ed that we could not read his letter' (aloud to the people?)
'and doubt of the truth of it. It would be better to say generally, "if
the _report_ be true."'

The preachers would have contented the Lords by merely reading James's
letter aloud to their congregations. But this they declined to do; they
wished, in the pulpit, to evade the Royal _letter_, and merely to talk,
conditionally, of the possible truth of the _report_, or 'bruit.' This
appears to have been a _verbal_ narrative brought by Graham of Balgonie,
which seemed to vary from the long letter probably penned by Moysie. At
this moment the Rev. David Lindsay, who had been at Falkland, and had
heard James's story from his own mouth, arrived. He, therefore, was sent
to tell the tale publicly, at the Cross. The Council reported to James
that the six Edinburgh preachers 'would in no ways praise God for his
delivery.' In fact, they would only do so in general terms.

On August 12, James took the preachers to task. Bruce explained that
they could thank, and on Sunday had thanked God for the King's delivery,
but could go no further into detail, 'in respect we had no certainty.'
'Had you not my letter?' asked the King. Bruce replied that the letter
spoke only 'of a danger in general.' Yet the letter reported by
Nicholson was 'full and particular,' but that letter the preachers seem
to have regarded as unofficial. 'Could not my Council inform you of the
particulars?' asked the King. The President (Fyvie, later Chancellor
Dunfermline) said that they had assured the preachers of the certainty of
the treason. On this Bruce replied that they had only a report, brought
orally by Balgonie, and a letter by Moysie, an Edinburgh notary then at
Falkland, and that these testimonies 'fought so together that no man
could have any certainty.' The Secretary (Elphinstone, later Lord
Balmerino) denied the discrepancies.

James now asked what was the preachers' present opinion? They had heard
the King himself, the Council, and Mar. Bruce replied that, as a
minister, he was not fully persuaded. Four of the preachers adhered to
their scepticism. Two, Hewat and Robertson, now professed conviction.
The other four were forbidden to preach, under pain of death, and
forbidden to come within ten miles of Edinburgh. They offered terms, but
these were refused. The reason of James's ferocity was that the devout
regarded the preachers as the mouthpieces of God, and so, if _they_