As one means of conveying ‘the body of each age, its form and pressure,’ the language of the original contemporary narrators is given, wherever it was sufficiently intelligible and concise. Thus each age in a manner tells its own story. It has not been deemed necessary, however, to retain antiquated modes of orthography, beyond what is required to indicate the old pronunciation, nor have I scrupled occasionally to omit useless clauses of sentences, when that seemed conducive to making the narration more readable. This procedure will not be quite approved of by the rigid antiquary; but it will be for the benefit of the bulk of ordinary readers. In general, the events of political history are presented here in only a brief narrative, such as seemed necessary for connection. But I have introduced a few notices of these events where there was a contemporary narration either characteristic in its style, or involving particulars which might be deemed illustrative of the general feeling of the time. EDINBURGH, _January 25, 1858_. CONTENTS OF VOL I. PAGE INTRODUCTORY, 1 REIGN OF MARY: 1561-5, 7 REIGN OF MARY: 1565-7, 35 REGENCY OF MORAY: 1567-70, 43 REGENCIES OF LENNOX AND MAR: 1570-2, 61 REGENCY OF MORTON: 1572-8, 82 REIGN OF JAMES VI.: 1578-85, 126 REIGN OF JAMES VI.: 1585-90, 160 REIGN OF JAMES VI.: 1591-1603, 219 REIGN OF JAMES VI.: 1603-25, 379 GENERAL INDEX. Illustrations. VOL. I. _Frontispiece Vignette._--BANNATYNE HOUSE, NEWTYLE--WHERE GEORGE BANNATYNE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE WRITTEN HIS MANUSCRIPT. PAGE EDINBURGH CASTLE, _RESTORED_ AS IN 1573, XII AN EDINBURGH HAMMERMAN, 1555, 10 QUEEN MARY’S HARP, 31 THE BRANKS, AN INSTRUMENT OF PUNISHMENT, 47 GEORGE BANNATYNE’S ARMS AND INITIALS, 58 THE MAIDEN, 144 THE DEVIL PREACHING TO THE WITCHES, 215 BAILIE MACMORAN’S HOUSE, 263 WITCH SEATED ON THE MOON, 378 SILVER HEART IN CULROSS ABBEY, 450 HOUSE OF ROBERT GOURLAY, A RICH EDINBURGH CITIZEN OF 1574, 554 INDEX TO SUCH BOOKS AND AUTHORITIES AS, FROM THEIR MORE FREQUENT OCCURRENCE, ARE QUOTED IN AN ABRIDGED FORM. _D. O._--Diurnal of Remarkable Occurrents in Scotland, 1513-1575. (Maitland Club.) 4to. 1833