ge, he would not
discharge his duty unless he earnestly exhorted those set in authority
over the churches to the practice of piety, the observance of good
morals, the study of Christian doctrine, and the pious teaching and
governing of their churches. He confesses that he earnestly inveighed
against immoral priests, but he adds that as he had said nothing in a
disloyal spirit, or more harshly than the facts warranted, and had
attacked no one by name, the sermon gave no offence to good men. But his
irate and domineering prior imagined that the sermon was specially aimed
at him, and was intended to hold him up to the ridicule of the assembled
prelates and clergy. Having already defied the archbishop, Hepburn could
not brook such a liberty on the part of one of his own subordinates. An
opportunity soon occurred to him of paying back with interest the insult
which he imagined had been done to him.

[Sidenote: Assaulted and Imprisoned.]

It so happened that the whole college of canons resolved, for many and
grave reasons, to lodge a complaint with the king respecting the
harshness and cruelty of their superior. When this came to Hepburn's
ears, he rushed with a band of armed attendants into the sacred
chapter-house where the canons were assembled, and when admonished by
Alesius, who probably presided in the meeting, not in the heat of
passion to be guilty of any foolish prank, he ordered the speaker to be
seized by his armed attendants, and drawing his sword would have run it
through him had not two of the canons forcibly dragged him back and
turned aside his weapon. The affrighted and timid canon cast himself at
his superior's feet and entreated him to spare his life, but in return
only received a kick in the breast which nearly proved fatal to him.
When he had partially recovered from this, and was being hurried off to
prison, another dastardly attack was made on him, but that was parried
by the prior's own retainers, who saw that he was beside himself with
rage and fury. After this all the other canons were seized and
imprisoned, but on the remonstrance of certain noble friends they were
ordered to be released by the king, who was then in St Andrews and was
informed of what had taken place.

[Sidenote: His Prison changed.]

The king's order was speedily carried out in regard to all save Alesius;
but he, notwithstanding all remonstrances of friends, was not only
detained in custody, but was even thrust into a more filt