aiged more outragiouslie than of befoir, and sending for
all suche as wer of hir factioun, exponed hir grevous complaint,
aggredging the same with many lyes, to wit, "That we had declaired that
whiche befoir sche suspected; for what culd we meane ellis, bot
usurpatioun of the Crown, when we durst put handis to the Cunze-hous,
whiche was a portioun of the patrimony of the Crown." Sche farther
alleged, "That we had spoyled the Cunze-house of great sowmes of money."
To the whiche we ansuered, boith by our letteris send to hir, and hir
Counsale, and by publict proclamatioun to the people, that we, without
usurpatioun of any thing justlie perteaning to the Crown of Scotland,
did stay the printing irnes, in consideratioun that the commone wealth
was greatlie hurt by corrupting of our money; and becaus that we war
borne counsalouris of this realme, sworne to procure the proffite of the
same, we culd do no less of dewetie and of conscience than to stay that
for a tyme, whiche we saw so abused, that oneles remedy war fundin,
should turne to the detriment of the hole body of this realme. And as to
hir fals accusatioun of spuilzie, we did remit us to the conscience of
Maister Robert Richesone[862], Maister of the Cunze-hous, who from our
handis receaved silver, gold, and mettall, alsweill cunzeit as
uncunzeit; so that with us thair did nocht remane the valour of a
bawbie.[863]

This our declaratioun and purgatioun nochtwithstanding, sche, partelie
by hir craft and policie, and partelie by the lawbouris of the Bischopis
of Sanctandrois and Glasgw; procured the hole nomber that war with hir
to consent to persew us with all creweltie and expeditioun, befoir that
we culd haif our cumpany (whiche than was dispersed for new furnessing)
assembled agane. The certantie heirof cuming to our knawlege, the
Setterday at nycht, the 25. [22d] of Julij, we did in what us lay to gif
advertisment to our bretherin; bot impossible it was that those of the
West, Anguss, Mearnis, Stratherin, or Fyeff, in any nomber culd come to
us; for the ennemie marched from Dumbar upoun the Sounday, and approched
within two myles of us befoir the sone-rysing upoun Monunday; for thay
verrelie supposed to have found no resistance, being assured that the
Lordis onelie with certane gentillmen remaned, with thair privat
housses. Calling upoun God for counsale in that straytt, we soght what
was the nixt defence. We mycht have left the town, and mycht have
reteired our sel