s brute[845] noysed abrode,
the town of Dundie was more enraged than befoir, who, putting thame
selffis in armour, send word to the inhabitants of Sanct Johnestoun,
"That onles thay should supporte thame to avenge that injurie, that thai
should never after that day concur with thame in any actioun." The
multitud easelie inflambed, gave the alarme,[846] and so was that Abbay
and Palace appointit to saccag; in doing whairof thay took no lang
deliberatioun, bot committed the hole to the merciment of fyre; wharat
no small nomber of us war offended, that patientlie we culd nocht speak
till any that war of Dundie or Sanct Johnestoun. [SN: SPEAKING OF ANE
ANCIENT MATRONE WHEN SCONE WAS BURNING.] A poore aged matrone, seing the
flambe of fyre pas up samichtelie, and perceaving that many war thairat
offended, in plane and sober maner of speaking, said, "Now I see and
understand that Goddis judgementis ar just, and that no man is able to
save whare he will punische. Since my remembrance, this place hath bein
nothing ellis bot a den of hooremongaris. It is incredible to beleve how
many wyffes hath bein adulterat, and virginis deflored, by the filthie
beastis whiche hath bein fostered in this den; bot especiallie by that
wicked man who is called the Bischope. Yf all men knew alsmuche as I,
thay wald praise God; and no man wald be offended." This woman duelt
into the toun, neye unto the Abbay; at whose wordis war many pacifeid;
affirming with hir, that it was Goddis just judgement. And assuredlie,
yf the laubouris or travell of any man culd have saved that place, it
had nocht bein at that tyme destroyed;[847] for men of greattest
estimatioun lawboured with all diligence for the savetie of it.

[SN: THE TAKING OF STRIVILING.]

Whill these thingis war done at Sanct Johnestoun, the Quene, fearing
what should follow, determinat to send certane bandis of Frenche
soldiouris to Striveling, for purpose to stop the passage to us that
than war upoun the north syde of Forth. Whiche understand, the Erle of
Ergyle and Lord James departed secreatlie upoun the nycht, and with
great expeditioun, preventing the Frenchemen, thay took the town,
(befoir whose cuming the rascheall multitude put handis in the thevis, I
should say, frearis places and utterlie distroyed thame;) wharat the
Quene and hir factioun nocht a litill affrayed, with all diligence
departed from Edinburgh to Dumbar. And so we with reasonable diligence
merched fordwart to Edinburgh,