It has been said, that " the personal emulation
between Melville and Adamson" mingled with the
disputes of the church, and heightened them. I
* *' The bishop is marvileuslle hated of all the piotestants, his
life very slanderous and shamfull that its feared that yf the k.
stand in his defence, as hitherto he doth, that yt will alienate
many mens harts or make them judire hardly of him. ffull resolu-
con ys taken by all the genllenc of the ffife and the borough
townes about them to stand witU their ministers and other that
have dealt in this cause against the Bishop. — At a word I never
harde man worce spoken of. ther is a legend wryten of his life,
the nearest to that of the abbot of Clunye, that was wryten of the
death of the Cardinall of Lorrayne, that may be." (Randolph to
Walsingham, April 22. I5S6. Cotton MSS. Calig. C. ix. iii.)
The following notice appears to be taken from a diary written
at the time. *' Upon the 16 of Aprile, Patrick, archbishop of Sanct
Andrews, was stricken be the Master of Lindsay & Thomas
Scott of Abbotshall, and was excommunicated be the ministers.
Whereupon both the strickers &c excommunicaters were sum-
moned." (Cald. iii. 878.)
LIFE OF ANDREW MELVILLE. 355
confess I have not met witli any tiling, either in the
conduct of Melville or of the hishop, which warrants
this conclusion. But it is reasonahle to suppose
that personal offences had arisen from their being so
often opposed to one another on public questions ;
and their mutual alienation must have been greatly
increased by v.hat happened during IMelviile's ba-
nishment. If we are to believe Adamson, the
JNIelvilles, not contented with directing the highest
censures of the church against him, were concerned
in a conspiracy against his life *. He wrote to the
King, that James Melville had travellca through
the country to excite the gentlemen against him,
and that his uncle had convened them in the college,
and instigated them by a violent harangue to make
an assault on his person. James Melville, on the
other hand, informs us, that, at the time referred
to, he was confined to his bed with a fever, and he
gives the following account of what relates to his
uncle. The bishop, to testify his contempt for the
sentence of the synod, determined to preach on the
* To this the bishop refers in the following words, quoted by
his biographer : " Adjaio te, Melvine, per hifurcata tuam fron-
tem pel tumentes venas, per .ardentes oculos, &c. quo die Barri-
montinm conscendistl j Quce tua mens -* quis ille animus ? quls
Rrdoi- oculi ? qu£e tiiae netarlae atque impise conjuratlones cu
sceleratis tuis &. penlltis latronlbus undiquaq coactis, & in scelus
omne propensis, in caput nostrum conjurantibus ? Ecccduo gladii
hie, uniis ad excommunicandum, alter ad interficitndura." (Tho.
\ olusenns, Vita Patricii Adamsonl, p. 6.)
By Eavrimoiitium we are probably to understand Balrymont^
a place in the neighbourhood of St Andrews, where, it is alleged,
the conspiracy against the bishop was formed.
z2
1
S5Q LIFE OF ANDREW MELVILLE. '
Sabbath after it was pronounced. Such of the
people as scrupled to bear an excommunicated per-
son repaired to tbe religious exercises in the New
College. It happened that the laird of Lundie had
come to St Andrews the same day on business, and !
that he went also to hear IMehille, accompanied by
his friends and usual retinue. Some individual who
observed the crowd thronging into the college,
went and told Adamson, as he was entering the
parish church, that a number of gentlemen from all j
parts of the country were assembled, and intended to ' 1
take him out of the pulpit and hang him. The !
bishop, whose courage was not equal to his ambition, |
was struck with a sudden panic, collected his servants
around him, and not thinking himself safe in the
church, took refuge in the belfry, from which the
magistrates with great difficulty persuaded him to i
descend, by promising to escort him home in safety, I
and assuring him that there was not the slightest i
appearance of tumult or danger *.
When Adamson's cause came before the General |
Assembly, which met at Edinburgh on the 10th of
May f , it was agreed to wave the formal considera-
* Adamson, De Pastoris Munere, pp. 68 — 9. et Vita ejus
adject, p. 6. Loncl. 1619. 12mo. Melville's Diary, p. 182.
â– f- This meeting of the General Assembly was called by a royal
proclamation, which declared that the members should incur no
danger, ** notwithstanding any laws &c. maid in the contrair.'*
(Rec. of Privy Council, April 5. 1586.) Before proceeding to
choose their moderator, the members received a message to come
down to the Royal Chapel, with which they complied, after
protesting that this should not prejudge their liberties. James
LIVE OF ANDREW MELVILLE. t357
tioii Loth of the sentence and the appeal, and to re-
move the excommunication, upon condition that the
bisJiop subscribed a submission which was prescribed
to him. By this he disclaimed all supremacy over the
synod of Fife, and all right to judge other pastors
or ministers, and declared, that, if he had claimed
this, he had done wrong, and craved pardon for his
oversight and imperious behaviour ; and he pro-
mised to conduct himself for the future as a mo-
derate pastor, and to submit his life and doctrine
to the trial and censure of the General Assembly,
without reclaiming or appealing from its determina-
tions. This declaration having been subscribed by
Adamson, the assembly, " to give testimony with
what good will they would obey his highness so far
as they might and ought," without judging of the
appeal or condemning the synod, declared, that
*' they held the said process and sentence as unled,
undeduced, or unpronounced, and restored the said
bishop to the state he was in immediately before,
provided always he observed his promises and be-
haved himself dutifully *."
having taken his place at the head of a table around which the
members were seated, entertained them with a harangue, and then
dismissed them to their ordinary house. (Cald. lii. 881.)
* Buik of Univ. Kirk, f. 141. Cald. iii. 899—900. Spots-
wood represents Melville and Thomas Buchanan as adhering to
the protest of Hunter against the sentence of the assembly,
(Hist. p. 347.) This is a mistake. The fact is correctly stated,
from the minutes, in printed Calderwood, pp. 210, 211. The
bishop, in his narrative, passes over one circumstance which he
could scarcely have forgotten, viz. that iu the list of those who
358 LIFE OF ANDREW MELVILLE.
Archbishop Spotswood expresses his surprize that
Adamson should have submitted to terms so dero-
gatory to his episcopal authority ; aud he iusiuuates
that the Kiug teuiporized, in the liopes that he would
be able at a future period to restore the bishops to
then- legitimate power. The conduct of James gives
too much ground for suspecting him of such views.
But so far were the court from thinking that they
had pledged themselves too far, that they regarded
w^hat they had accomplished as a victory ; and the
act of assembly restoring Adamson, in wliich his
submission was embodied, was triumphantly pro-
claimed at the market-cross of Edinburgh by sound
of trumpet ^,
The King had, in the month of February, called
together certain ministers, whom he judged more
moderate than the rest, to confer with a deputation
from the privy council, on the subject of the ecclesi-
astical polity. Their consent was obtained to a
species of episcopacy, although of a very limited sort.
The result of tliis conference was now laid before
the General Assembly, and all the influence of the
court was employed to procure its ratification f . The
King's commissioners protested that if it was not
simply adopted, his Majesty would retract his con-
opposed the absolution of Adamson, is the name of John SpoiS"
wood. (Cald. iii. 916.)
* Melville's Diary, p. 183.
+ It appears from Cotton MSS. Calig. C. ix. 60, and Cald. iii.
855 — 857, that the resolutions of this conference are correctly
given in the printed Calderwood, pp. 197 — 199.
LIFE or ANDREW I^IELVII.LE. 359
cessions, and leave the late acts of parliament to be
carried into execution. Notwithstanding this threat,
tlie assembly entered npon the examination of the
articles laid before them. They declared that
bishops were not superior to other pastors ; and be-
ing asked, if they would not allow them a pre-emi-
nence in respect of order, though not of jurisdiction,
they answered, that " it could not stand with the
word of God, only they must tolerate it, in case it
be forced ujion them." After several conferences
with the court, it was at last agreed, that until
presbyteries were better constituted, and the General
Assembly should take further order in the matter,
bishops should admit ministers with the consent of
the majority of the members of the presbytery,
or of assessors to be given them ; that they should
preside in tlie presbyteries within which they resid-
ed * ; and be subject to be tried and censured by
the General Assembly only, or by commissioners
whom it should appoint for that purpose. At the
same time presbyteries were ordered to be re-esta-
blished, and some of the leading articles in the second
book of Discipline, concerning ecclesiastical juris-
diction, and the powers of general, provincial* pres-
byterial, and sessional assemblies, were agreed to
with the consent of his Majesty f . Upon the whole,
* Robert Wilkie was appointed moderator of the presbytery of
St Andrens instead of Bishop Adamson.
t Bulk of Univ. Kirk, f. 143. Harl. MSS. num. 7004, 6
Cald. ili. 902—905. Spotswood says, " In the mean time was
the order of presbyteries set down, and their power defined, the
360 LIFE OF ANDKEW MELVILLE.
though the proceedings of this assembly were some-
what at ^ ariance with former acts of the church, yet
the approhation given to them by the court un-
questionably paved the way for the downfcd of the
bishops, and the establishment of presbytery.
Melville was employed by this assembly to write
in their name to the French protestant ministers,
who had obtained his Majesty's license to reside in
Scotland during the continuance of persecution in
their native country, and to assure them that the
assembly would do every thing in their power to
render their exile agreeable. The letter was deliver-
ed to ^Monsieur du Moulin, who had already arrived,
and who remained for some years in Scotland'^.
king taking no notice of theirdoings in that kind.'''* (Iljst p. 348^)
So fiir uas this from being the case, that the plcttf'orni of pieshy-
terles entered into the legister of this assembly is expressly said
to have been " presentit be my Lord Clerk of llegister, and S€;tt
downe be his Lo. tiavelis.'" And with respect to their power,
the commissioners deputed to wait on the King, reported that
" in the haill heads fund, little difficulty except [a little difficulty
excepted, Cald.~\ qlk is noted with his Ma. hand, his G. aggried."
Bnik of Univ. Kirk, ft'. 143, a. 144, a.)
* Buik of the Universall Kirk, ff. 140, b. 141, a. Joachim
du Moulin, minister of Orleans, and father of the celebrated
Pierre du Moulin, minister of Paris, appears to be the individual
referred to. The Magistrates of Edinburgh not only allowed the
French refugees to meet for worship in the comnion-hali of the
college, but allotted stipends to tlieir ministers. (Reg. of Town
Council, May 11, 1586.) Collections for them and their brethren
in England were made in the difl'erent parishes. (Rec. of Kirk
Session of St And. Dec. 20. 1587 j and Extracts from Records of
Kirk Session of Glasgow, May 23. 1588 : in Wodrow's Life of
David Weemes, p. 26.) — "Also the said Jamis (Lamb) delyverit
the warrand from the Syuodall for the iiigaddering of the suppoit
LIFE OF ANDEEW Ml'LVlLLK. 36l
The relaxation of Adam son from ecclesiastical
censure was followed by Melville's being laid under
civil restraint. That the archbishop might return
to St ^indrews with suitable eclat, and recover his
lost reputation, it was judged necessary that his rival
should be removed for sometime with as little noise
as possible. On the dissolution of the General As-
sembly, JNlelville was sent for to the palace, and after
being graciously received and allowed to kiss the
King's hand, was told that his services in the uni-
versity would be dispensed with for a season, and he
might spend his time in his native place until his
Majesty was pleased to recal him. Lest he should
refuse compliance with this intimation, he was serv-
ed, on quitting the palace, witli a written charge to
confine himself beyond the water of Tay * The
bishop was appointed, beside preaching, to read a
Latin lecture in St Sahator's College, v\hich all the
members of the university were enjoir.ed to giace
with their presence. In consequence of this the
principal duties of the New College were a second
time devolved on James JNIelville. The univer-
sity sent a deputation to the King, consisting of
the dean of faculty and a professor from each col-
lege, to solicit Melville's restoration, as a measure
necessary to the prosperity of the acadeiiiy, and
conducive to the honour of his Majesty and the
nation. James testified his willingness to gratify
to Mr Muling banest out of France.'" (Kccoid of Prei>l»ytejv of
Haddington, Oct. 18, 1589.)
* See Note EE.
362 LIFE OF ANDREW MELVILLE.
them, provided the bishop was reverently used. But
although all the security for this that could be requir-
ed was given, the answer of the request was delayed ;
and Melville owed his liberty at last to that secret
influence which is often exerted by the meanest per-
sons about weak and arbitrary princes. The King
spent the summer at Falkland in his favourite em-
ployment of liuntmg and hawking. He sent seve-
ral times for James jMelville, who was surprized to
find that his JNIajesty, after conversing with him on
ordinaiy topics, always left him in company with
the master of his hawks. It turned out that this
important personage had a friend who was a ten-
ant of the New College, and who wished to have
his lease renewed at the old rent ; and James Mel-
ville was given to understand that, provided this
was granted, his uncle would immediately be set at
liberty. The masters were extremely averse to in-
jure the revenues of the college to gratify such a
minion; but there was no remedy, and the King
having pledged his word that he would compensate
the loss doubly *, the lease was subscribed and put
into the hands of the hawk-master. Upon this, orders
were issued for the liberation of Melville, who coming
to Falkland, was introduced by the Master of Gray,
and after a free conversation with his INIajesty, w^as
restored to favour, and sent home to his college f .
* A gift of certain prebendaries &c to the New College of St
Andrews passed the Great Seal, on the last day of January 1586.
It was con&rmed in the subsequent Parliament. Act. Pari.
Scot. ill. 488.
t Melville's Diary, pp. 183— 185.
LIFE OF ANDREW MELVILLE. 363
jMelville resumed his academical labours, which
had been so long interrupted, with uncommon ar-
dour, and the consequence was, that the bishop s
prelections fell into disesteem and neglect. Adam son
was still more mortified by the desertion of his pulpit
discourses, in consequence of numbers leaving the
parish church when he officiated, and attending
sermon in the chapel Ix^longing to the tlieological
college. To prevent this he had recovu*se to a mea-
sure which was a sure proof of his declining popu-
larity. A mandate came from court, prohibiting
the masters of the New College from preaching
in English, and confining their instructions on Sab-
bath as well as on other days to the Latin tongue *.
Great occasion has been taken to asperse the
church of Scotland, from the circumstance of some
of the ministers having refused to obey the King's
order to pray for his mother, when she was un-
der sentence of death. They might be too squeam-
ish ; but had James been less imperious, and
more mindful of his disclaimer of all interference
with the immediate acts of A\orship, he might
have obtained ample satisfaction on this head.
An act of council was made prescribing the form
of prayer ; all ministers were charged by ])ublic pro-
clamation to use it on pain of incurring his JMajes-
ty's displeasure ; and commissioners and superin-
tendents were commanded to suspend from preach-
ing such as refused -j-. None of the ministers re-
* See Note EE.
t liecord of Privy Council, Feb. 1. 1586*.
S64t LIFE OF ANDREW MELVILLE.
fused to pray for the Queen. The scruples of those
who hesitated to comply with the order of the
court rested upon the manner in which it was issued,
and its implying, in their opinion, that Mary was
innocent of the crime for which she was condemned
to die*. They had not been accustomed, like the
English clergy, to pray by book, or to frame their
addresses to the Almighty in words which courtiers
might be pleased to dictate to them, and to offer tliem
up like criminals vmder the terroi*s of suspension.
They had long entertained an unfavourable opinion
of Mary ; they had at different times been alanned
for the security of their religion by plans laid for her
restoration ; and many of them were convinced of her
accession to the conspiracy of Babington against
* Cald. IV. 9. The only recusant specified by Spotsivood (Klst,
p. 354.) is Mr John Cowper, " a young man not entered as yet in
the function." It is quite evident, from his n^jrative of that case,
that the archbishop had the liecord of Privy Council before him.
But he has inlroduced circumstances not warranted by that re-
cord, and Vv'hicli, if tiue, it would scarcely have failed to men-
tion. It says nothing of the King's giving the preacher liberty
to proceed with the service, provided he would obey the charge
and remember the Queen in his prayers ', nor of Cowper's reply-
ing, that he would do as the spirit ot" God should direct him.
Cowper was not imprisoned for refusing or declining to pray for
the Queen, but (as the minute expresses it) *' becaus hi^ Matie
desyrit him to stay efter he had begwn his prayer in the pulpit
w^in sanct geills kirk in Edinburgh, declaring that y*" was ane
vther appoyntit to occupy that rewme, that he vtterit thir words
following, Thay ar to say, That this day suld ber^ witnes aganis
his Matie In the grett dav of the Lord j" and denounced a woe
against the mhabitants of Edinburgh. (Record of Privy Coun-
cil, Feb. 3. 1586.)
LIFE OF ANDREW MELVILLE. 365
Elizabeth. Ihit the truth is tliat fcvv of them re-
fused toprav for the preservation of her life *. The
order for this was not intimated at St Andrews
until the very day of her execution, and it was imme-
diately complied with f . But the worst feature in
the affair is, that there is great reason to suspect
that James wished the ministers to act a part in
the solemn farce along with himself and Elizabeth.
While he was issuing orders to offer up prayers for
his mother's preservation, and summoning, imprison-
ing, and silencing ministers for disobeying these I,
* Spotswootl says, " Of all the number, Mr David Lindesay
at Leith and the Kind's own ministers gave obedience. (Hist,
p. 354.) The native inference from this is that Spotswood him-
self did not " give obedience*," for he was one of *' the number."
But Courcelles, the French ambassador, who was then in Scot-
land, and took a particular interest in the affair, Informs us, that
even those who at first refused, yielded. CLetter to Henry iii.
Feb. 28. 1587.)
•f- ** Die mercurii vili. fe*"'^ ano Ixxx. sexto. The quhllk day
comperit M. Patrick Adamsoun, bishop of St And^ allegeand
him to haif an verbal direction of the Kingis maiestie to desyre
the minister and redar to pray publidie for his hlenes mother for
hir conversioun and amendment of lyfe, and if it be godis plesor
to preserve hir from this present danger q''in scbe is now, that
sche may heir efter be ane profitablll member in chrystis kirk.
The session presentlie assemblit beinsf sufficientlie resoluit heir-
with hesconcludit that the minister at ilk sermone and the redar at
ilk time quhen he sayis prayers, prav publiclie for the kiuffis g..
mother as is desyrit." (Record of Kirk Session of St Andrews.)
X The two ministers of Aberdeen were brought twice all the way
to Edinburgh, on a charge of disobeying the King's order. When
they appeared before the privy council, it turned out that they were
innocent j but, to save James's honour, one of them was obllaed
to make a declaration from the pulpit, on bis return. (Record of
"Privy Council, March 25, and May 19. 1587.)
366 LIFE OF ANDREW MELVILLE.
strong presiunptions arc not wanting, that bis grief
for her fate, and his indi2:nation at Elizabeth's
conduct, were in a great degree affected and hypo-
critical *. It is certain, at least, that thev were
* Lord Hamilton liavlncr been employed by Courcelles, tbe
Fienclj ambassador, to speak to James of bis motber's danger*,
*' The kings answere was, tbat tbe Queene, bis mother, might well
drink tbe ale and beere winch her selfe had brewed ; fTiirther
that having bound her seli'e to the Queene of Fngland to doe no-
thing againste her, she ought to have kept her promise : uotwith-
standinge that he woulde no waye faiie in his dutie and naturall
obligatlone he ought her." To Sir George Douglas, who repre-
sented to him how discreditable it would be to him to allow
Elizal)eth to put his mother to death, the king said that he knew
" she bore him no more good vvili than she did the Queene of
England — and that in truth it was meete for her to meddle with
nothing but pravcr and servlnge of God." Earl Bothwell, being
asked by the King what he should do if Elizabeth asked his con-
sent to proceed against his mother, said, " yf he did suffer It he
were worth le to be hanged the nexte daye after j whereat the
King langhed and said, he would prouid for that." (Courcelles to
the King of France, Oct. 4. 15So.) " The nobilitie believe in-
deed that ther is some secrete intelligence betweene the Queene
of Englande and the Kinge, which is the rather confirmed becaus
the King's Secretare and Grawe were onlie made prlvie to the
said Keiths instructiones," &c. (Same to same, Nov. 30.)
The Master of Gray's embassy confirms them in this opinion,
*' and that the Kinge of Scotts will uo^ declare him selfe openly
against her (Elizabeth) though his mother be put to death, vnlesse
the Q^ueene and tbe Statts would deprive him of his right to that
crowne, which himselfe hath vttered to Earle Bothewlll and'^
Chevaleire Seaton." (Dec. 31.) Alexander Stewart, sent in the
company of tbe ambassadors " with more secret charge," had
said to Elizabeth, " were she even deade, yf tbe king at first
shewed him selfe not contented therewith they might easily satisfy
him in sending him doges and deare." On being informed of
this, *' the king was la niarvilose coUore and sware and protested
LIFE OF ANDREW MELVILLE. 367
neither deep nor lasting. One proof of this, among
many others, may be mentioned. Soon after the
execution of Mary, IMelville happened to be intro-
duced to his jNIajesty. James appeared to be in great
spirits ; laughed, and frisked, and danced a])out the
room, in the way usual with him in his early years.
The contrast between this levity and tlie sable attire
of the company and apartment struck Melville's fancy,
and suggested to him the manner in wliich Mary
was said to have mourned for the murder of her
before Cod that yf Steuard came he would liangf him before he
putt cfi" his bootes, and yf the Queene medled with his mothers
life, she should knowe he would follow somewhat else then dogges
and deare." (Feb, 10.) Courcflles expresses his fears that if
Mary's execufion should happen, James would " digeste it as
pattently as he hath done that which |)assed between the Queene
of England and Alexander Stnard, wliose excuse he hath well
allowed, and vseth the man as well as before."" (Feb, 28.) On
the arrival of the intelligence of Mary's execution, Courcelles
*'believeth in truth that the king is greatly afflicted with this ac-
cidente," (March 8.) But when Gray was banished, the
Queen's death was not mentioned among the grounds, " lest he
should have accused others." And when the Estates twice re-
quested the King to revenge his mother's death, and oRered their
lives and fortunes in the cause, he merely '* thanked them, and
said he would open his intentions afterwards '* (June 6, and