ffis without any danger; bot than we should have
abandoned our bretherin of Edinburgh, and suffered the ministrie thairof
to have decayed, whiche to our hartis was so dolorous, that we thocht
better to hasard the extreamitie than so to do. For than the most parte
of the town appeared rather to favour us than the Quenis factioun; and
did offer unto us the uttermost of thair support, whiche for the most
parte thay did faithfullie keap. [SN: LEYTH LEFT THE CONGREGATIOUN.] The
same did the town of Leyth, bot thay keapit nocht the lyek fidelitie;
for when we war upoun the feild, marching fordward for thair support,
(for the Frenche marched neye to thame,) thai randered thame selffis,
without ferther resistance. And this thay did, as was supposed, by the
treasone of some within thame selffis, and by the perswasioun of the
Lard of Restalrig,[864] who of befoir declaired himselff to have bein
one of us, and nochtwithstanding,[865] that day randered him selff
undesyred to Monsieur Dosell. Thair unprovided and suddane defectioun
astonished many; and yit we retyred quyetlie to the syde of
Cragingatt,[866] which place we tooke for resisting the ennemie.

In the meantyme, diverse mediatouris passed betuix, amongis whome the
Lord Ruthven, for our parte, wes principall. Alexander Erskin[867] did
muche travell to stay us and our soldiouris, that we should nocht joyne
with thame of Leyth, till that thay, as said is, had randered thame
selffis to the Frenche. The said Alexander did oft promese, That the
Frenche wald stay, provided that we wold nocht joyne with these of
Leyth. Bot efter that thai war randerit, we hard nothing of him bot
threatning and disconfortable wordis. Befoir it was eight houris in the
morning, God had gevin unto us boith curage, and a reasonable nomber to
withstand thair furie. The town of Edinburght, sa mony as had subject
thame selffis to discipline, and diverse utheris besydis thame, behavit
thame selffis boith faithfullie and stoutlie. The gentilmen of
Lowthiane, especiall Caldar, Haltoun, and Ormestoun, war verrey
confortable, alsweill for thair counsale as for thair hole assistance.
Some gentilmen of Fiffe prevented the Frenche men; otheris war stopped,
be reasone that the Frenche had possessed[868] Leyth. Alwais the ennemie
tooke suche a fear, that thai determined nocht to invaid us whare we
stoode, bot tooke purpose to have passed to Edinburgh, by the other syde
of the Watter of Leyth, and that becaus thay ha