was skarmissing, without great slawchtter.
Preparatioun of scailles[1012] and ledderis was maid for the assault,
whiche was concluded by commoun consent of the Nobilitie and Barones.
The scailles war appointed to be maid in Sanct Gelis Churche, so that
preaching was neglected, whiche did nott a little greve the Preachearis,
and many godlie with thame. The Preacharis spared not openlie to say,
"That thei feared the successe of that interpryse should nott be
prosperous, becaus the begynnyng appeired to bring with it some contempt
of God and of his word. Other places, (said thei,) had bene more apt for
suche preparationis, then whare the people convenit to commoun prayeris
and unto preacheing." In verray deid the audience was wounderfullie
trubled all that[1013] tyme, whiche (and other mysordour espyed amanges
us) gave occasioun to the Preachearis to efferme, "That God could nott
suffer suche contempt of his worde, and abuses of his grace, long to be
unpunished." The Quene had amangis us her assured espiallis, who did not
onlie signifie unto her what wes our estait, bot also what was our
counsall, purposes, and devises. Borne of our awin company war
vehementlie suspected to be the verray betrayouris of all our
secreattis; for a boy of the Officiallis of Lowthiane, Maister James
Balfour,[1014] was tackin carying a writting, whiche did open the maist
secreat thing was devised in the Counsall; yea, these verray thingis
whiche war thocht[1015] to have bene knawin but to a verray few.

[SN: THE DUCK AND HIS FREINDIS FEIRFULL.]

By suche domesticall ennemyis war nott onlie our purposes frustrat, bot
also our determinationis wer oftyme owerthrowin and changed. The Dukis
freindis geve unto him suche terrouris, that he was greatlie trubled;
and by his fear war trubled many otheris. [SN: THE UNGODLIE SOLDIOURIS.]
The men of warr (for the maist parte wer men without God or honestie)
made a mutiney, becaus thai lacked a parte of thair waiges: Thei had
done the same in Lynlythqw befoir, quhair thei maid a proclamatioun,
"That thei wald serve any man to suppress the Congregatioun, and sett up
the Messe agane." Thai maid a fray upoun the Erle of Ergylis Hieland
men, and slew one of the principall children of his chalmer; who
notwithstanding behaved him self so moderatlie, and so studiouse to
pacifie that tumult, that many woundered alsweill of his prudent
counsall and stowtness, as of the great obedience of his cumpany. The
ungodlie so