the wysest; douttes reasonit and discussit be the
lernedest and maist quik; and, finalie, all withe a voice concluding
upon maters resolved and cleirit, and referring things intricat and
uncleired to farder advysment.'

[Footnote 6: Large attendance.]

In the inmost circle of Melville's friends were such men as Arbuthnot,
Principal of Aberdeen, and Smeton, his own successor as Principal of
Glasgow--both, like himself, eminent in learning; David Ferguson,
minister of Dunfermline, the patriarch of the Assembly, and one of the
six original members of the Reformed Church; and the four ministers of
Edinburgh--all notable men--John Durie, James Lawson, James Balfour, and
Walter Balcanquhal. At Assembly times he and his nephew met these
brethren daily, for the most part, at John Durie's table. The group
contained the very flower and chivalry of the Church. At their meals
they discussed the incidents of the day's sittings, and their
conversation was enlivened with many a pleasantry--it was always
Melville's 'form' at table to 'interlase' discourse on serious subjects
with 'merry interludes.' When the company rose from table they held
lengthened devotional exercises: in the reading of Scripture each in his
turn made his observations on the passage; and we can well believe the
estimate of some of those who were present, that had everything been
taken down they could not have wished a fuller and better commentary
than fell at these times from this company of ripe and ready
interpreters of the Word. When the exercises were over, the brethren
entered into deliberation on the causes to be brought before the
Assembly, and came to an understanding as to the course they would
pursue in dealing with them. Those who would come to the secret of the
noble part so often played by the ministers of the Scottish Church in
crucial periods of its history, will fail to find it where they leave
out of account the inward correspondence which these men, by such
fellowship, sought to maintain with one another and with the Master of
Assemblies.

CHAPTER V

THE 'BIGGING UP' OF THE BISHOPS UNDER LENNOX AND ARRAN--MELVILLE'S
FLIGHT TO ENGLAND

'To deal with proud men is but pain,
For either must ye fight or flee,
Or else no answer make again,
But play the beast and let them be.'

_The Raid of the Reidswyre._

In March 1578, James, then in his twelfth year, assumed the government.
In Morton he had had an