event it being carried into effect.
The interview between Andrew Melville, the spokesman of the deputation,
and King James at Falkland Palace is an event of which the memory will
live in Scotland as long as it is a nation, and which ranks in moral
dignity and dramatic interest with the greatest scenes in history. When
did a subject ever use a manlier freedom with his Sovereign? When did
mere titular kingship more plainly shrink into insignificance in
presence of the moral majesty vested in the spirit of a true man? No
writer can afford to describe the scene in other words than those of
James Melville:--

'Mr. Andro Melvill, Patrik Galloway, James Nicolsone, and I,
cam to Falkland, whar we fand the King verie quyet. The rest
leyed upon me to be speaker, alleaging I could propone the
mater substantiuslie, and in a myld and smothe maner, quhilk
the King lyked best of. And, entering in the Cabinet with the
King alan, I schew his Majestie, That the Commissionars of the
Generall Assemblie, with certean uther breithring ordeanit to
watche for the weill of the Kirk in sa dangerous a tym, haid
convenit at Cowper. At the quhilk word the King interrupts me
and crabbotlie quarrels our meitting, alleaging it was without
warrand and seditius, making our selves and the countrey to
conceave feir whar was na cause. To the quhilk, I beginning to
reply, in my maner, Mr. Andro doucht nocht abyd it, bot brak
af upon the King in sa zealus, powerfull, and unresistable a
maner, that whowbeit the King used his authoritie in maist
crabbit and colerik maner, yit Mr. Andro bure him down, and
outtered the Commission as from the mightie God, calling the
King bot "God's sillie vassall"; and, taking him be the sleive,
sayes this in effect, throw mikle hat reasoning and manie
interruptiones: "Sir, we will humblie reverence your Majestie
alwayes, namlie in publick, but sen we have this occasioun to
be with your Majestie in privat, and the treuthe is yie ar
brought in extream danger bathe of your lyff and croun, and
with yow the countrey and Kirk of Chryst is lyk to wrak, for
nocht telling yow the treuthe, and giffen of yow a fathfull
counsall, we mon discharge our dewtie thairin, or els be
trators bathe to Chryst and yow! And, thairfor, sir, as divers
tymes befor, sa now again, I mon tell yow, thair is twa Kings