ng the defectioun of greit personageis, was
compellitt to have recourse to the law of nature, and lyk ane small
bird persewit,[964] to provide for sum sure retreitt to hir selff
and hir cumpany. Bot quhy dois sche not answer, for quhatt purpoise
did sche bring in hir new bandis of men of weir? Was thair any
defectioun espyit befoir thair arryvall? Was not the Congregatioun
under appointment with hir? quhilk, quhatsoever sche allegeis, sche
is not abill to prove that we haid contravenit in any chief poynt,
befoir that her new throt-cuttaris arryvit, yea, befoir that thay
began to fortifie Leith; ane place, says sche, maist convenient
for hir purpoise, as in verray deid it is for the resaving of
strangearis at hir plesour: for gif sche haid fearit the persute of
hir body, sche haid the Insche, Dumbar, Blaknes, fortis and
strenthis alreddy maid. Yea, bot they could not sa weill serve hir
turne as Leith, becaus it was hir Dochteris propertie, and na uther
could haif tytill to it, and becaus it had bene fortifeit of
befoir. That all men may knaw the just tytle hir Dochter and sche
hes to the toun of Leith, we sall in few wordis declair the trewth.

"It is not unknawin to the maist pairt of this realme, that thair
hes bene ane auld haitrent and contentioun betuix Edinburght and
Leith;[965] Edinburgh seiking continewallie to possess that
libertie, quhilk be donatioun of kyngis thay have lang injoyit; and
Leith, be the contrary, aspyring to ane libertie and fredome in
prejudice of Edinburgh. [SN: THE TITLE THAT THE QUENE [HAD] OR
HES[966] TO LEITH.] The Quene Regent, ane woman that could mak hir
proffitt of all handis, was nott ignorant how to compass hir awin
mater; and thairfoir secreitlie sche gaif adverteisment to sum of
Leith, that sche wald mak thair Toun fre, gif that sche mycht do it
with any cullour of justice. [SN: THE LAIRD OF RESTALRIG SUPERIOUR
TO LEITH.] Be quhilk promeise, the principall men of them did
travell with the Laird of Restalrig,[967] ane man nether prudent
nor fortunat, to quhome the superioratie of Leyth appertenit, that
he sould sell his haill tytle and rycht to our Soverane, for
certane sowmeis of money, quhilk the inhabitantis of Leith payit,
with ane large taxatioun mair, to the Quene Regent, in hoip to have
bene maid free in