" concerning which Prof. Hume Brown says, "Whoever the author
may have been, he writes as a contemporary, or from information supplied
by a contemporary . . . what inspires confidence in him is that certain
of his facts not recorded by other contemporary Scottish historians are
corroborated by the despatches of d'Oysel and others in Teulet." {277c}

I elsewhere {277d} give reasons for thinking that this "Historie" is
perhaps the chronicle of Bruce of Earl's Hall, a contemporary gentleman
of Fife. I also try to show that he writes, on one occasion, as an eye-
witness.

This author, who is a strong partisan of the Reformers, says nothing of
the broken promise of the Regent and Council. He mentions the intention
to march to Stirling, and then writes: "And although the Queen Regent was
most earnestly requested and persuaded to continue"--that is to defer the
summons--"nevertheless she remained wilful and obstinate, so that the
counsel of God must needs take effect. Shortly, the day being come,
because they appeared not, their sureties were outlawed, and the
preachers ordered to be put to the horn. The Laird of Dun, who was sent
from Perth by the brethren, perceiving her obstinacy, they" (who?)
"turned from Stirling, and coming to Perth, declared to the brethren the
obstinacy they found in the Queen. . . . "

This sturdy Protestant's version, which does not accuse the Regent of
breaking troth, is corroborated by a Catholic contemporary, Lesley,
Bishop of Ross. He says that Erskine of Dun was sent to beg the Regent
not to impose a penalty on the preachers in their absence. But as soon
as Dun returned and Knox learned from him that the Regent would not grant
their request, he preached the sermon which provoked the devastation of
the monasteries. {278a} Buchanan and Spottiswoode follow Knox, but they
both use Knox's book, and are not independent witnesses.

The biographers of Knox do not quote "The Historie of the Estate of
Scotland," where it touches on the beginning of the Revolution, without
disparaging the Regent's honour. We have another dubious witness, Sir
James Melville, who arrived on a mission from France to the Regent on
June 13; he left Paris about June 1. This is the date of a letter {278b}
in which Henri II. offers the Regent every assistance in the warmest
terms. Melville writes, however, that in his verbal orders, delivered by
the Constable in the royal presence, the Constable said, "I have
intellig