romisses ynew war maid for thare securitie. Than was the
Cardinall and his band commanded to depart; as that he did according to
the purpoise tackin. The Governour remaned and ane certane with him; to
whom came without cumpany the saidis Erle, Lord, and Maister Henrye.
After many fair woordis gevin unto thame all, to witt, "That he wold
have thame aggreed with the Cardinall; and that he wold have Maister
Henrye Balnaves the wyrkar and instrument thairof," he drew thame
fordwartes with him towardis Sanet Johnnestoun, whether to the Cardinall
was ridden. Thei begane to suspect, (albeit it was to lett,) and
tharefor thei desyred to have returned to thare folkis, for putting
ordour unto thame. But it was ansuerid, "Thei should send back fra the
toune, but thei most neidis go fordwart with my Lord Governour." And so,
partlye by flatterye and partlye by force, thei war compelled to obey.
And how sone that ever thei war within the toune, thei war apprehended,
and upoun the morne send all three to the Black Nesse, whare thei
remaned so long as that it pleased the Cardinallis graceless Grace, and
that was till that the band of manrent and of service, sett some of
thame at libertie. And thus the Cardinall with his craft prevalled on
everie syd; so that the Scotesh proverbe was trew in him, "So long
rynnis the fox, as he fute hes."[308]

Whether it was at this his jorney, or at ane other, that that bloody
bowchar executed his crueltye upoun the innocent personis in Sanct
Johnestoun, we can not affirme; neyther yett thairin study we to be
curious; but rather we travall to expresse the veritie, whersoever it
was done, then scrupluslye and exactly to appoint the tymes,[309] which
yitt we omitt nott when the certaintye occurres. The veritie of that
cruell fact is this. At Sanct Paules day,[310] befoir the first burnyng
of Edinburgh, came to Sanct Johnestoun the Governour and Cardinall, and
there, upoun invyous delatioun, war a great nomber of honest men and
wemen called befoir the Cardinall, accused of heresye; and albeit that
thei could be convict of nothing but only of suspitioun that thei had
eittin a guse upoun Fryday, four men war adjudged to be hanged, and a
woman to be drouned; which cruell and most injust sentence was without
mercy putt in executioun. The husband was hanged, and the wyfe, having
ane suckin babe upoun hir breast, was drowned.--"O Lorde, the land is
nott yitt purged from such beastlye crueltye; neyther has thy ju