, as God should
offer to their preachers an opportunity." The confederacy woke anew the
jealousy of the government, and persecution revived. But some of the
greatest nobles now joined the reforming cause. The Earl of Morton, the
head of the house of Douglas, the Earl of Argyle, the greatest chieftain
of the west, and above all a bastard son of the late king, Lord James
Stuart, who bore as yet the title of prior of St. Andrews, but who was
to be better known afterwards as the Earl of Murray, placed themselves
at the head of the movement. The remonstrances of Knox from his exile at
Geneva stirred them to interfere in behalf of the persecuted
Protestants; and at the close of 1557 these nobles united with the rest
of the Protestant leaders in an engagement which became memorable as the
first among those Covenants which were to give shape and colour to
Scotch religion.

[Sidenote: The First Covenant.]

"We," ran this solemn bond, "perceiving how Satan in his members, the
Antichrists of our time, cruelly doth rage, seeking to overthrow and to
destroy the Evangel of Christ, and His Congregation, ought according to
our bounden duty to strive in our Master's cause even unto the death,
being certain of our victory in Him. The which our duty being well
considered, we do promise before the Majesty of God and His Congregation
that we, by His grace, shall with all diligence continually apply our
whole power, substance, and our very lives to maintain, set forward, and
establish the most blessed Word of God and His Congregation, and shall
labour at our possibility to have faithful ministers, purely and truly
to minister Christ's Evangel and sacraments to His people. We shall
maintain them, nourish them, and defend them, the whole Congregation of
Christ and every member thereof, at our whole power and wearing of our
lives, against Satan and all wicked power that does intend tyranny or
trouble against the foresaid Congregation. Unto the which Holy Word and
Congregation we do join us, and also do forsake and renounce the
congregation of Satan with all the superstitious abomination and
idolatry thereof: and moreover shall declare ourselves manifestly
enemies thereto by this our faithful promise before God, testified to
His Congregation by our subscription at these presents."

[Sidenote: Scotland and Protestantism.]

The Covenant of the Scotch nobles marked a new epoch in the strife of
religions. Till now the reformers had opposed the d