must always be. Our
concern is to vindicate, not the absolute wisdom of Melville and the
other ministers of that day, but their thoroughgoing and disinterested
zeal for the purity and godliness of their nation, of which this scheme
of reform is a signal proof.

The movement of the Assembly was soon checked by fresh troubles in the
State. It was well known that Philip had never ceased to chafe at the
humiliation inflicted on him by the disastrous end of the Armada, and
that he was burning for revenge. In January of this year James had
issued a Proclamation in which he declared that the ambition of the King
of Spain to make conquest of the Crown and Kingdom of England was
manifest to all who had the least 'spunk of understanding'; that to have
such a neighbour settled on the borders of Scotland would be attended
with the eminent hazard of civil and spiritual thraldom; and that it was
therefore necessary to unite all their force and concur with England in
the defence of their ancient liberties and in preserving the isle from
the tyranny of strangers. At the Assembly last held the King had been
present, and had urged that contributions should be made from the whole
realm for this purpose, when Melville rose and told him, with his usual
plainness of speech, that if the estates of the Popish lords were
applied, as they should be, to the defence of the country, no
contributions would be needed from the people.

We can imagine the shock of alarm with which in these circumstances the
nation heard that the Earl of Huntly and his associates had returned to
Scotland, and the rising exasperation as it became evident that the King
was disposed to let them settle down peaceably. Who could fathom the
mind or trust the intentions of a King who roused the nation to resist
Philip, while he at the same time harboured the faction that was
prepared, when Philip appeared, to give him welcome?

A change had recently taken place in the _personnel_ of the Government
that did not tend to allay the apprehensions which the return of the
rebel lords awakened in the country. A Commission of eight had been
appointed to manage the King's private property and the Crown estates;
but though nominally only a Finance Committee, 'the Octavians,' as they
were called, soon got the reins of government into their hands; and of
this new Cabinet, 'one-half ... war suspecte Papists, and the rest
little better.'

In August 1596 the Estates were summoned to meet