ich had been brought into
prominence by the reformers, and avoided subjects of doubtful
disputation. His own gentle bearing gained favour for his opinions and
success in his labours, and it won for him the heart of a young lady of
noble birth, to whom he united himself in marriage, following in this
the example of Luther and others of the German reformers.

[Sidenote: In St Andrews.]

Archbishop Betoun being then on the other side of the Forth, in the
neighbouring abbey of Dunfermline, could not fail to hear of his doings
or to desire to silence him. But neither could he fail, in the state of
the political parties in Scotland at the time, to recognise "that a
heretic with the power of the Hamiltons at his back was more to be
dreaded than Luther himself," and must be dealt with very cautiously. It
was long supposed that, if not at the king's express desire, as Bishop
Lesley seems to suggest,[21] then certainly from his own wariness, the
archbishop did not at first venture formally to renew his old summons,
but invited the reformer to St Andrews to a friendly conference with
himself and other chiefs of the church on such points as might seem to
stand in need of reform, and that Hamilton accepted the invitation. At
first, it has been said, he was well received: "All of them displayed a
conciliatory spirit; all appeared to recognise the evils in the church;
some of them seemed even to share on some points the sentiments of
Hamilton."[22] He left the conference not without hope of some other
than the sad issue he had at first anticipated. He was permitted for
nearly a month to move about with freedom in the city, to dispute in the
schools of the university, and privately to confer with all who chose to
resort to him at the lodging which had been provided for him. It was
evidently the intention of those who were deepest in the plot against
him, that he should have ample time allowed him to express his
sentiments fully and unmistakably, and even should be tempted by
dissemblers, like Friar Campbell, to unbosom himself in private on
matters as to which he refrained from saying much in public--the many
alterations required in doctrine and in the administration of the
sacraments and accustomed rites.

It is said that the archbishop still desired that he should again save
himself by flight, and there is nothing in the summons flatly
inconsistent with this;[23] but he and his friends took the credit of
the terrible deed as promp