hands in his blood. And
that was the result actually attained.

[Sidenote: Final Return to Scotland.]

Some of Hamilton's opponents even, touched by his youth, his illustrious
descent, his engaging manners and noble character, joined with his
friends in urging him to avoid by flight the danger which impended. He
yielded to their counsels, and, along with two friends and a servant,
made his escape to the Continent. The story of his residence there has
been graphically told by Principal Lorimer and Dr Merle D'Aubigne; and
the latter has the merit of explaining why Hamilton did not carry out
his original intention of visiting Luther and Melanchthon at Wittenberg,
as well as Frith, Tyndale, and Lambert at Marbourg. At the very time he
arrived on the Continent, the plague was raging in Wittenberg. "Two
persons died of it in Melanchthon's house." Luther himself was suddenly
taken ill. "All who could do so, and especially the students, quitted
the town."[20] Thus the absence of documents bearing on his alleged
sojourn at the Saxon university is naturally explained. He went to the
younger University of Marbourg in Hesse, and prepared there, and
publicly disputed, those theses that most fully and systematically set
forth the doctrines which he mainly taught, and for which at last he
suffered. He was warmly beloved by Lambert of Avignon, who was then the
most distinguished theological professor in the infant university, as
well as by others with whom he was brought into contact; and he would
have been gladly retained by them, could he have been persuaded to
remain in Germany: but his heart yearned to return to his native land,
and once more proclaim there the truths which had now become to him more
precious and engrossing than before. His faith had been confirmed, and
his spirit quickened, by living for a time among earnest and decided
Christians; and in the autumn of 1527 he set out once more for Scotland,
prepared for any fate that might await him, not counting even life dear
unto him if he might finish his course with joy, and bear faithful
witness to his Master's truth, where before he had shrunk back from an
ordeal so terrible. He appears first to have resorted to his native
district, and made known to relatives, friends, and neighbours about
Linlithgow that Gospel of the grace of God which gave strength and peace
to his own spirit. In his discourses and conversations he dwelt chiefly
on the great and fundamental truths wh