as ever she did befoir of any sone she bayre. The tyme of hir
purificatioun was sonar then the Leviticall law appointes. But she was
no Jewess, and thairefore in that she offended nott.[238]

The noyse of the death of King James divulgat, who departed this lyef,
the threttene day of December, the year of God 1542 foirsaid,[239] the
hartes of men begane to be disclossed. All man lamented that the realme
was left without a male to succeid; yit some rejosed that such ane
ennemy to Goddis treuth was tackin away. Hie was called of some, a good
poore manis King: of otheris hie was termed a murtherare of the
nobilitie, and one that had decreed thair hole destructioun. Some prased
him for the repressing of thyft and oppressioun; otheris disprased him
for the defoulling of menis wyffis and virgines. And thus men spak evin
as affectionis led thame. And yitt none spack all together besydis the
treuth; for a parte of all these foresaidis war so manifest, that as the
verteuis could nott be denyed, so could nott the vices by any craft be
clocked. The questioun of governement was throught this realme
universallie moved. The Cardinall proclamed the Kingis Last Will,[240]
and thairin war expressed foure Protectouris, or Regentis, of whome him
self was the first and principall, and with him war joyned the Erles
Huntley, Ergyle, and Murray.[241] This was done the Mononday at the
Mercat Croce of Edinburgh. But the Mononday following, took the hole
Regentis remissioun for there usurpatioun; for by the stout and wyese
counsall of the Larde of Grange, did the Erle of Errane, then secound
persone to the Croune,[242] causse assemble the nobilitie of the realme,
and required the equitie of thare judgementis in that his just suyt to
the governement of this realm, during the minoritie of hir to whome hie
was to succeid, failling of hir and of hir lauchfull successioun.[243]
His freindis convened, the nobilitie assembled, the day of decisioun is
appointed. [SN: THE CARDINALIS REASSONIS AGAINST THE GOVERNEMENT OF
HAMMYLTONIS.] The Cardinall and his factioun oppones[244] thame to the
governement of one man, and especiallie to the regiment of any called
Hammyltoun: "For who knowis nott, (say the Cardinall,) that the
Hammyltonis ar cruell murtheraris, oppressouris of innocentis, proud,
avaritiouse, duble, and false; and finallie, the pestilence in this
commoun wealth." Whairto the said Erle ansured, "Defraude me not of my
right, and call me what ye plea