her hiear purpose nor religioun."
[SN: ACCUSATIONIS.] Sche and hir craftie Counsale had abuesd the Duke,
perswaiding unto him, and unto his freindis, that the saidis Erle and
Priour had conspyred, first to deprive our Soverane hir dochter of hir
authoritie, and thairefter the Duke and his successioun of thair titill
to the Crown of Scotland. By these invented lyes, sche inflambed the
hartis of many against us, in so muche that some of our awin number
began to murmur; whiche perceaved, alsweall the preacheouris, in thair
publict sermonis, as we our selffis, by our publict proclamationis, gave
purgatioun and satisfactioun to the people, planelie and simplie
declairing what was our purpose, tacking God to witnes, that no suche
crymes ever entered in our hartis as most injustlie was layed to our
charge. The Counsale, efter consultatioun, thocht nocht expedient that
the saidis Erle and Priour should talk with the Quene in ony sort; for
hir former practises put all men in suspitioun, that some deceat lurked
under suche colorat commoning. Sche had befoir said, That yf sche culd
by any meane sunder those two from the rest, sche was assured schortlie
to cum by hir hole purpose; and one of hir cheaf Counsale in those
dayis, (and we fear bot over inward with hir yit,) said, "That or
Michelmess day, thay two should leaf thair headis;" and thairfoir all
men feared to committ two suche young plantis to hir mercie and
fidelitie. It was, thairfoir, finallie denyed that thai should talk
[with] the Quene, or ony to hir apperteaning, bot in places void of all
suspitioun, whare thay should be equall in nomber with those that should
talk [with] thame.

[SN: THE COMMUNING AT PRESTON.]

The Quene perceaving that hir craft culd nocht prevaill, was content
that the Duke's Grace and the Erle of Huntlie, with utheris by hir
appointed, should convene at Prestoun, to commone [with] the saidis
Erle and Priour, and suche utheris as the Lordis of the Congregatioun
wald appoint, to the nomber of ane hundreth on the syde, of the whiche
nomber aucht personis onelie should meit for conference. The
principallis for thair partie war, the Duke, the Erle Huntlie, the
Lordis Erskin and Somervell, Maister Gavine Hammiltoun, and the Justice
Clerk.[858] From us war directed the Erlis of Ergyle and Glencarne, the
Lordis Ruthven, Lord James, Boyd, and Uchiltrie, the Lairdis Dun and
Pittarrow, who, conveaning at Prestoun, spak the hole day without any
certane conc