yve rowmeis,[930] as thay have alreddy begun in the toun of
Leith, the principall port and stapill of all this realme, the
gernall and furnitour of the Counsall and Sait of Justice: and heir
will thay duell, quhill thay may rainforce thame with greitar
nomber of thair fallow suldiouris, to subdew than the rest, gif God
withstand not. And yitt hir Grace feirit nor eschamit not to write,
'Gif thay war ane hundreth Frensche men for everie ane of thame
that is in Scotland, yitt thay sould harme na man.' Tell thow now,
Leith! gif that be trew: gif this be not ane crafty entrie to ane
manifest conqueist, foirthocht of auld, juge yow, deir Brethren!
Thus to forte our tounis, and evin the principall port of our
realme, and to lay sa strang garnisouns[931] of straingearis
thairin, without any consent of the Nobilitie and Counsall of this
realme, bot expres aganeis thair mynd, (as our writtingis send to
hir Grace beiris record,) gif this be not to oppres the ancient
lawis and libertieis of oure realme, lett all wise men say to
it.[932] And farther, to tak the barne-yairdis new gatherrit, the
gernallis replenischeit, the houssis garnissit, and to sitt doun
thairin, and be force to putt the just possessouris and ancient
inhabitantis thairfra, with thair wyffis, bairneis, and servandis,
to schyft [for] thame selfis in begging, gif thair be na uthir
meaneis, thay being trew Scottis men, memberis of our
commun-wealth, and our deir brethren and sisteris, borne, fosterit,
and brocht up in the bowellis of oure commune and natyve cuntrey:
gif this be not the manifest declaratioun of thair auld pretence
and mynd to the haill Scottis natioun, lett your awin conscience,
(Brethren,) be juge heirin. Was all Leith of the Congregatioun? Na,
I think nott; yitt war all alyk servit.

"Let this motherlie cair than be tryit be the fruttis thairof:
First, Be the greit and exhorbitant taxatiounis usit upoun yow, and
yitt ten tymeis greittar preissit at, as ye knaw. Secundlie, The
utter depravatioun of our counzie, to conqueiss tharby money to
interteyne strangearis, Frensche suldiouris, upoun yow, to mak
thame strong haldis, leist ye sould sumtyme expell thame out of
your natyve rowmeis.[933] Thridlie, Be the daylie rainforceing of
the said Frensche souldiouris, in strenth and nomb