elandis of Caldar youngar, the Lard of
Brounestoun, and otheris, with thare servandis, passed upoun foote, (for
it was a vehement frost,) to Ormestoun. After suppar he held confortable
purpose of the death of Goddis chosen childrin, and mearely[369] said,
"Methink that I desyre earnestlye to sleap;" and thairwith he said,
"Will we sing a Psalme?" And so he appointed the 51st Psalme, which was
put in Scotishe meter, and begane thus,--

Have mercy on me now, good Lord,
After thy great mercy, &c.:[370]

Which being ended, he past to chalmer, and sonar then his commoun dyet
was past to bed, with these wourdis, "God grant qwyet rest." Befoir
mydnycht, the place was besett about that none could eschape to mack
advertisment. The Erle Bothwell[371] came and called for the Lard, and
declaired the purpose, and said, "that it was but vane to maik him to
hold his house; for the Governour and the Cardinall with all thare power
war cuming," (and indead the Cardinall was at Elphinstoun,[372] not a
myle distant frome Ormestoun;) [SN: THE LORD BOTHWELLIS PROMESSE.] "butt
and yf he wald deliver the man to him, he wold promeise upoun his
honour, that he should be saif, and that it should pass the power of the
Cardinall to do him any harme or skaith." Allured with these wordis,
and tackin counsall with the said Maister George, (who at the first word
said, "Open the yettis: the blissed will of my God be doun,") thei
receaved in the Erle Bothwell him self, with some gentilmen with him, to
whome Maister George said, [SN: MAISTER GEORGE HIS WOORDIS TO THE ERLE
BOTHWELL.] "I praise my God that sa honorable a man as ye, my Lord,
receavis me this nycht, in the presence of these noble men; for now, I
am assured, that for your honouris saik, ye will suffer nothing to be
done unto me besydis the ordour of law. I am nott ignorant, that thaire
law is nothing but corruptioun, and a clock to sched the bloode of the
sanctes; but yitt I lesse fear to dye openlye, then secreatlye to be
murthered." The said Erle Bothwell ansured, "I shall not onlye preserve
your body frome all violence, that shalbe purposed against yow without
ordour of law, but also I promeisse, hear in the presence of these
gentilmen, that neyther shall the Governour nor Cardinall have thare
will of yow;[373] but I shall reteane yow in my awin handis, and in my
awin place, till that eyther I shall mack yow free, or ellis restoir yow
in the same place whare I receave yow." The Lardis