now
do all ye would be done to in the administration of justice to your
neighbours and brethren, who are accused of their lives and
heritages this day, whose judgment stands in your hands. Therefore
beware in time, and open not the door that ye may not steik.' Be
this Mr. Patrick had ended his speeches, the Chancellour bid him say
something in defence of his brother, and to answer to the points of
the summons made and raised upon his brother and the rest of the
lords and barons. Then Mr. Patrick answered again and said: 'If it
please the King's grace, and your honours that are here present, I
say the King should not sit in judgment against his lords and
barons, because he has made his oath of fidelity when he received
the crown of Scotland that he should not come in judgment against
his lords and barons in no action where he is partie himself. But
here His Grace is both partie, and was at the committing of the
crime himself, therefore he ought not, neither by the law of God nor
of man, to sit in judgment at this time; wherefore we desire him, in
the name of God, to rise and depart out of judgment, till the matter
be further discussed conform to justice.'"

[Illustration: ST. ANTHONY'S CHAPEL]

This bold request apparently commended itself to the Parliament, for we
hear that the Chancellor and lords considered it reasonable, and the
King was accordingly desired "to rise up and pass into the inner
tolbooth, which," adds Pitscottie, "was very unpleasant to him for the
time, being ane young prince sittand upon his royall seat to be raised
by his subjects." Mr. Patrick so pressed his advantage after this
strange incident, and the argument of the young King's presence and
complicity in all that had happened was so unanswerable, added to some
inaccuracy in the indictment, of which the keen priest made the most,
that the summons was withdrawn, and Lindsay along with all the other
barons of his party would seem to have shared in the general amnesty, as
probably was the intention of all parties from the beginning. For the
victors, who were victors by a chance, were not powerful enough to carry
matters with a high hand, and their opponents, though overcome, were too
strong to be despised. It was better for all to gather round the new
King, who had no evil antecedents nor anything to prevent a new
beginning of the most hopeful kind. The scene ends with charact