aking no part in it,--found the charges proven, and
sentenced him to go into ward beyond the North Water (the North Esk).
The same week, the Commissioners of Assembly who had come to Edinburgh
to watch the trial were ordered to quit the capital, along with many of
their leading supporters among the citizens, within twenty-four hours;
and a Proclamation was issued containing a vehement attack on the
ministers, and reviving one of the provisions of the Black Acts, which
prohibited all preachers from censuring the conduct of the Government or
any of 'the loveabill(!)' Acts of Parliament, required all magistrates
to take measures against any who should be found so doing, and made it a
crime to hear such speeches without reporting them to the authorities.
This Proclamation left the country in no doubt as to the character of
the King's policy towards the Church; for never had even James asserted
his claims to absolute authority, alike in civil and ecclesiastical
affairs, more arrogantly. It declared that the royal power was above all
the estates, spiritual as well as temporal; and that the King was judge
of speeches of whatever quality, uttered in the pulpit.

The citizens of Edinburgh were naturally thrown into violent commotion
by these events; and when their minds were in this inflammable
condition, an incident occurred which brought the public excitement to
its height, and which the Government turned to its own account in
prosecuting its quarrel with the Church with still greater vigour. This
incident is known as 'the Riot of 17th December' (1596). On that day a
number of the ministers and of the nobles who were in sympathy with
them, were assembled for consultation in one of the chapels of St.
Giles', known as the 'Little Church,' when they were startled by some
one near the door raising the shout, 'Fy! save yourselves,' or, as
another version gives it, 'The Papists are in arms to take the town and
cut all your throats.' The Assembly at once broke up, and all made for
the street. The alarm spread through the city, and soon brought the
people in crowds to the High Street, many of them armed; and it is said
that some of them surrounded the Tolbooth, where the King was sitting at
the time with the Council, crying to 'bring out Haman,' and shouting,
'The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.' On hearing of the tumult, the
Provost and the ministers of the city made for the scene, and through
their exertions peace was restored withi