ry took up the subject, and began to reprove him for his
obstinacy in refusing to acknowledge the Primacy, and for the verses
which he had made in derision of the Royal Chapel. Melville was so
severe in his reply both in what related to the King and to the Earl
personally, that his lordship was completely put to silence. To his
assistance came the Archbishop of Canterbury, then the Earl of
Northampton, then the Lord Treasurer; all of whom he rated in such a
manner, sparing none of the vices, public or private, with which they
are respectively taxed (and none of them are angels), that they would
have been glad that he had been in Scotland. In the end, not being able
to induce him to swear to the Primacy, and not knowing any other way to
revenge themselves on him, they agreed to send him prisoner to the
Tower. When the sentence was pronounced, he exclaimed: "To this comes
the boasted pride of England! A month ago you put to death a priest, and
to-morrow you will do the same to a minister." Then addressing the Duke
of Lennox and the Earl of Mar, who were in the Council, he said, "I am a
Scotchman, my lords, a true Scotchman; and if you are such, take heed
that they do not end with you as they have begun with me."'[27] The
King was more disconcerted by this parting shot of Melville's than by
anything that had happened at the interview.

[Footnote 27: _Ambassades de M. de la Boderie_, quoted by M'Crie, p.
271.]

On 6th May, Melville's colleagues learned the fate the King had decreed
for them. James Melville was commanded to leave London and go into ward
at Newcastle-on-Tyne; the other six were to return to Scotland to be
confined in districts named in the King's warrant, and they were
excluded from any share in the business of the Church courts.

When the others took their journey northwards, James Melville and
William Scott remained in London for a fortnight to make arrangements,
if possible, to mitigate the imprisonment of their Chief. James
Melville, through the indulgence of one of the warders, saw his uncle at
the window of his prison for a short time each day during this interval,
and permission was obtained for Melville's servant to wait upon him in
the Tower; but no other favour was granted. James Melville used every
means to gain permission to stay in London and attend to his uncle's
comfort, but in vain; and with a sore heart he had to make up his mind
to leave him. On the day he and Scott were setting out for th