out opposition. There was no minister
present; while Episcopal dignitaries were again brought from London to
grace the proceedings and witness the surrender that was to be made to
their own ecclesiastical polity. At that Parliament 'thai rayd royallie
and Prelat lyk.' The measures that were passed restored the judicial
power of the bishops, their seats in the Court of Session, and their
lands and revenues. Authority was given to them to fix stipends and to
raise or lower them as they were minded, and so the ministers were made
to a large extent their dependants. One of the measures, the setting up
of a High Court of Commission, raised the bishops to a higher degree of
authority than they had ever possessed before. It was virtually a
bishop's court, and it was invested with extraordinary power; those who
sat in it could call before them any person in the kingdom who had
incurred their displeasure, and judge and punish him without law and
without appeal.

The Acts of this Parliament were the King's penultimate stroke against
Presbytery. They armed the bishops with such power, that the King felt
he might at length summon an Assembly which would make submission to
Episcopacy. An Assembly was accordingly held in Glasgow in June 1610;
and there the King's resolutions were carried with only two dissentient
voices. The House was again filled with the King's nominees; and bribes
were distributed among the members to the tune of 40,000 merks. The
bribes were paid in 'Angel' pieces, and so the Assembly came to be known
as the Angelical Assembly. It was money that did the King's 'turn';
'and sa at are stollen dint[28] in are day was overthrown are worke
seventie yeiris in building, and above twenty-four yeiris spacious and
most profitabill standing.'

[Footnote 28: Stolen opportunity.]

CHAPTER XI

THE TOWER: SEDAN

'Here spirits that have run their race, and fought,
And won the fight, and have not fear'd the frowns
Nor lov'd the smiles of greatness, but have wrought
Their Master's will, meet to receive their Crowns.'

HENRY VAUGHAN.

For the first year, Melville's imprisonment was of rigorous severity.
The King seemed incapable of any spark of chivalry towards one of the
very brightest spirits of his people. James, perhaps least of all the
Stuarts, illustrated the principle of _noblesse oblige_. Melville's
attendant was taken from him; no visitors were admitted; neither was