vid Black, who was prosecute before the Privy Council for seditious Sermons, as stirring the People up to Rebellion, wrong'd the Privileges of their Ecclesiastick Discipline, and withal, being displeased at the Clemency shown to the Popish Lords, plotted Resentment. The King having dissolv'd the Commission of the General Assembly by his Royal Proclamation, declaring it an unlawful convocation. The Commission resolv'd, "That since they were conveen'd by

"CHRIST'S Warrant to see into the Good of the

Church, Et ne quid Ecclesia detrimenti caperet, they "should continue." And sent some of their Number to the Octavians, (that was the Title commonly given to the Eight Counsellors that were trusted with the King's Affairs), to advertise them of the Church's Troubles, proceeding from their Counsels, and thereafter petition'd the King himself, which was rejected, and a Protestation enter'd against the Refusal; but some Noblemen, with Mr Robert Bruce, having procur'd Access to his Majesty, Mr Robert said, "They "were sent by the Noblemen and Barons to bemoan "the Dangers threatened to Religion, by the King's "Dealings against the true Professors." "What

Dangers do you discover ?" said the King. "Un"dercomoning," said the other, "our best affected "People, that tender Religion, are discharg'd the "Town." The King ask'd, "Who they were that "durst conveen against his Proclamation?" The Lord Lindsay reply'd, "They durst do more than so, "and that they would not suffer Religion to be over"thrown." Numbers of People were, by this Time,

* Spotiswood's Church History.

thronging unmannerly into the Room; whereupon the King, not making any answer, arose, and went where the Judges sate, commanding the Doors to be shut. They that were sent to the King, returning to the Church, told, "That they were not heard; and that "therefore they were to think of some other Course." "No Course," said the Lord Lindsay, "but let us stay together who are here, to stand fast to one an"other, and advertise our Friends and Favourers of "Religion to come in to us; for it shall be either "theirs or ours." In Consequence of this Concert, they pitched upon the Lord Claud Hamilton to be their Head, and dispatch'd a Letter to him by Mr Robert Bruce, and Mr Walter Balcanqual, to come with Diligence and accept the Charge. But the Fury of the Multitude who attended that Meeting, heated by the Lord Lindsay's unhappy Expression, did not suffer them to wait upon the General's coming, but presently they leapt to Arms. Some cry'd, "Bring out "Haman; others cry'd, "The Sword of the LORD "and of Gideon, the Day shall be theirs or ours." And so great was the Zeal of the unwary Populace, that taking their March, they went straight towards the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, where the King and his Council were sitting, and would have forc'd open the Doors, which, upon the Noise of the Tumult, were shut, had not his Majesty's Standard-Bearer, John Wat, Deacon-Conveener of the Trades, drawn up his Lads, the Souldiers of the Blue Blanket, and kept the Rabble back till their Fever cool'd, and the Earl of Mar, from the Castle, sent a Company of Musqueteers to guard the King, which his Lieutenant quickly brought down the Castle-Bank to the Grass-Market, and from thence march'd to the Foot of Forrester's

Wynd, and entering by the Back-Stairs, came where the King was; then the King commanded to open the Doors, and advanc'd to the Street. Upon Notice whereof, Sir Alexander Home of North-berwick Provost of Edinburgh, with the Crafts, convoy'd the King to his Royal Palace at Holy Rood-House; from whence, next Morning, he went to Linlithgow, where he swore, Had it not been for the Loyalty of the Crafts, he would have burnt the Town of Edinburgh, and salted it with Salt.'

By the stedfast Adherence of the Crafts to their Sovereign, even when they did not approve of, but were sorry for his Actings, our Capital City was preserv'd from Destruction, as by their Behaviour afterwards, it flourished in his Favours.

On the last of that Month of December, the King came to Leith, and staid there all Night, giving Orders for his Entry into the Town of Edinburgh next Morning, which he did, and call'd for the Magistrates, to hear what they had to say for the late Tumult; which indeed was not owing to them, but to the Hocus of the Clergy and seditious Nobles, who practised upon the well-meaning People, making them believe, they were fighting the Battles of the LORD: So true is the Maxim,

Fallere Plebem finge Deum.

Sir Alexander Home Provost, Rodger M'Math, George Todrick, Patrick Cochran, and Alexander Hunter Baillies, with a Number of the Town Council, falling down on their Knees before the King, presented the following Offers.

'That for pacifying His Majesty's Wrath, and satis

H

fying the Lords of Council, they should, upon their Oath, purge themselves of all Knowledge, or par• taking in the said Tumult; and as they had already • made a diligent Search to find out the Authors; so they should not cease, until they had brought the < Trial to the utmost Point: Or, if his Majesty and • Council should think fit to take the Examination, they should willingly resign their Places to such as his Highness would appoint, and assist him according to their Power: And, because his Majesty had ‹ taken that Tumult to proceed from certain Sermons • preach'd by their Ministers, they should be expell'd the City, never to return, without his Majesty's Warrant.' Upon which, the King was reconciled to them.

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Thus the Crafts behav'd as loyally at this Juneture, as they did during the Troubles occasioned by the Earl of Bothwel, when the King was assaulted in his Palace of Holy-Rood-House, which obliged him to cry aloud from the Windows, Treason, Treason.

The Report of the Accident going to the City of Edinburgh, the Citizens went to Arms, and made towards the Palace to give the King Relief, who show'd himself from a Window to the People, gave them Thanks for their Readiness, and desir'd them to return to their Dwellings. As the Citizens gave repeated Instances of their Valour and Loyalty to the King, while he resided amongst us, so after his Accession to the Throne of England, and when he return'd to his Native Country Scotland, and made his Entry into Edinburgh, 16. of May 1617, Joy appear'd in every one of their Countenances: they were ready to cry out in the Words of Ben-Johnston's Magnetick Lady,

"Now let our longing Eyes enjoy their Feast,

And Fill of thee, our fair shap'd God-like Man.
Thou art a Banquet unto all our Senses;

Thy Form doth feast our Eyes, thy Voice our Ears,
As if we felt it ductile thro' our Blood."

This passionate Love is gracefully exprest by the famous Poet and Orator, William Drummond of Hathornden, in his Speech to the King, in Name of the Town of Edinburgh.

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SIR,

IR, if Nature could suffer Rocks to move, and abandon their natural Places, this Town, founded ⚫ on the Strength of Rocks, (now by the clearing Rays of your Majesty's Presence, taking not only Motion but Life) had, with her Castle, Temples, and Houses, 'mov'd towards You, and beseech'd You to have ac'knowledg'd her Your's, and her Indwellers Your • most humble and affectionate Subjects; and to believe, how many Souls are within her Circuits, so many Lives are devoted to Your sacred Person and Crown. And here, SIR, she offers, by me, to the Altar of Your Glory, whole Hecatombs of most hearty Desires, praying all Things may prove prosperous to You, That every Virtue and heroick Grace which make a Prince eminent, may with a long and • blessed Government, attend You; Your Kingdoms flourishing abroad with Bays, at home with Olives. • Presenting You, SIR, who art the strong Key of this little World of Britain, with these Keys, which cast up the Gates of her Affection, and design You Power to open all the Springs of the Hearts of 'those her most loyal Citizens: Yet this almost were 'not necessary: For as the Rose, at the fair Approach of the Morning Sun, displays and spreads her

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