ntly and his
friends fled from the country in despair.

This expedition took place in the fall of 1594. Before another year was
over the King's attitude towards the Church was again hostile, or
rather, his latent hostility began to be again evident and active. The
removal from the Court of the Chancellor about this time, through an
illness of which he soon died, so far accounts for the King's relapse in
his relations with the ministers, as for some time Maitland's influence
had been used in encouraging him to cultivate their friendship.

In 1595, the King incurred one of those periodic explosions of
Melville's indignation, which were provoked by his own incurable
distrust of the ministers, and his persistent effort to deprive them of
liberty of speech in the pulpit. Mr. David Black of St. Andrews, one of
the most zealous and honoured ministers of the Church, had made an enemy
of Balfour of Burley, who has already been referred to in connection
with outrages on citizens of St. Andrews. In revenge, Balfour raised
calumnious charges against Black of disloyal utterances in the pulpit,
and got them conveyed, through acquaintances among the courtiers, to the
King's ears; Melville, as his friend, and as having been the means of
bringing him to the city, being also reported to the King as involved in
his offences. The two were summoned to appear before the King and
Council at Falkland to answer the accusations that had been made against
them. While Black and his accusers were being heard, Melville, who had
not been called, and who was determined that he would see justice done
to his friend, knocking at the door, burst into the Council Chamber,
'and efter humble reverence done to the King, he braks out with grait
libertie of speitche, letting the King planlie to knaw, that quhilk
dyvers tymes befor, with small lyking, he haid tooned in his ear, "Thait
thair was twa Kings in Scotland, twa Kingdomes, and twa Jurisdictiones:
Thir was Chryst Jesus, etc.: And gif the King of Scotland, civill King
James the Saxt, haid anie judicator or cause thair, presentlie, it sould
nocht be to judge the fathfull messanger of Jesus Chryst, the King,
etc., bot (turning him to the Lard of Burley, standing there) this
trator, wha hes committed divers poinets of his treasone against his
Majestie's civill lawes, to his grait dishonour and offence of his guid
subjects, namlie, taking of his peacable subjects on the night out of
thair housses, ravishing