turned round and asked what remedy the Eight
proposed for the jars of the Church, when they all as with one voice
replied, 'A free Assembly!'

While on their way from Hampton Court to their lodgings in Kingston, the
Eight were recalled and charged not to return to Scotland, or to come
near the King or Court until they were sent for. After this they enjoyed
a short holiday--'we had three dayis to refresche us and relax our
myndis dureing the quhilk we wer visiting the fieldis about, namely,
Nonsuche and Richmont.'

Monday, 29th September, being Michaelmas Day, an elaborate service was
held in the King's Chapel, the two Melvilles being present by the King's
command. The younger suspected, rightly as it proved, that the King's
object was to try their patience and provoke his uncle to an outburst of
indignation which might bring him into trouble. The service was so high
that a German visitor at the English Court declared it was not a whit
behind the solemnity of the Mass but for the absence of the adoration of
the Host. The snare set for Melville on this occasion succeeded, for it
was a satirical verse on this service that was afterwards made the
pretext for sending him to prison.

After the service, the Eight were summoned before the Scottish Council,
convened in the house of the Earl of Dunbar. They were called in, one by
one, and once more questioned as to their approval of the Aberdeen
Assembly. James Melville, who was the first called, made a patriotic
speech, protesting warmly against the trial of Scotsmen on English soil
and by English law; the others followed him in the same strain. His
uncle was the last to be called, and he 'gaiff thame enought of it, alse
plainely and scharplie as he wes accustomit, namely, telling thame
flattly, that they knew not quhat they did; and wer degenerat from the
antiant nobilitie of Scotland, quho wer wont to give thair landis and
lyffes for the fridom of the Kingdome and Gospel, and they wer bewraying
and ovirturneing the same! Till it became laite, and eftir sune-sett,
that they were faine to dimitt us to the nixt calling for.'

On the 2nd of October, the Eight were called again before the Scottish
Council, and questions put to them bearing still on the same subject, to
which they gave the same answers. The King, in fact, was only marking
time to detain Melville and his colleagues in London till he had
'effecuate matteres at home' according to his mind.

For a month the ministe