to the hurte of England,
considering that thei had long befoir bene absent fra thair houssis,
thare provisioun was spent, thare horse wereyed, and that which was
greatest of all, the tyme of year did utterlie reclame." This thare
answer seamed to satisfie the King; for hie in woordis praised thare
prudent foresight and wyse counsall. But the mynt maid to his
Curteouris, and that bald repulse of his desyres gevin to him in his
awin face, so wounded his proud harte, (for long had hie roung[198] as
him self list,) that he decreed a notable revenge, which, no doubt, he
had not failled to have executed, yf God by his awin hand had not cutted
the coardis of his impietie. He returnes to Edinburgh; the nobilitie,
barones, gentilmen, and commones to thair awin habitationis: And this
was the secund and thrid dayis of November.

Without longar delay, at the Palice of Halyrudhouse, was a new Counsall
convened, a Counsall, we meane, of his abusaris; wharein war
accusationis laide against the most parte of the nobilitie. Some war
heretickis, some favoraris of England, some freindis to the Dowglassis,
and so could thare be none faythfull to the King, in thaire opinioun.
The Cardinall and the Preastis cast fagottis in the fyre with all thare
force; and fynding the King hollie addict to thare devotioun, delivered
unto him ane Scroll,[199] conteanyng the names of such as thei, in thare
inquisitioun, had convict for Heretickis. For this was the ordour of
justice, which these holy fatheris keapt in dampnying of innocent men.
Whosoevir wald delaite any of heresye, he was heard: no respect nor
consideratioun had what mynd the delatour bayre to the persone delated;
whosoever war produced for witnesses war admitted, how suspitious and
infame that ever thei ware; yf two or thre had provin any poynt, that by
thare law was holden heresye, that was ane heretick: rested no moir but
a day to be affixed to his condempnatioun, and to the executioun of
thare corrupted sentence. What man could be innocent, whare such judgeis
was party, the world may this day considder. Trew it is, by fals
judgement and false witnesses, have innocentis bene oppressed from the
begynnyng. Butt this fredome to sched innocent blood gatt never the
Devill but in the kingdome of Antichrist, "that the innocent should dye,
and neyther knaw accusatour nor yitt the witnesses that testifeid
against him." Butt how shall the Antichrist be knowin, yf he shall not
be contrarious to God