James was buried at Holyrood January 8, and the cardinal who had driven him along that fatal path in which he was to meet death presided at the ceremony. This prince, thus taken away in the flower of his age, died not so much of disease as of a broken heart.[265] ‘The sorrow of the world worketh death.’ He had understanding, but it was uncultivated; he was moderate in respect to the pleasures of the table, but he had been thrown in his youth into other irregularities, from which he never got free. He might be seen in the bitterest winter weather, on horseback night and day, endeavoring to surprise the freebooters in their retreats; and poor men had always easy access to him. But for want of thoughtfulness and solid principles he was incessantly tossed to and fro between the nobles and the priests, and whichever of these two was the most adroit easily took the upper hand. He sinned much, but perhaps he was still more ‘sinned against.’ CHAPTER XII. REGENCY OF THE EARL OF ARRAN.--IMPRISONMENT OF BEATOUN.--TREATY OF PEACE WITH ENGLAND. (1542-MARCH 1543.) [Sidenote: GENERAL DEPRESSION.] The political and religious events in the midst of which James V. had been taken from Scotland were of so grave a character that the wisest heads felt some alarm, and expected to see a storm break forth such as no one had ever seen the like.[266] An unexpected blow, considering the youthful years of the prince, had fallen on the nation. With eyes fixed on the future, nobles and people talked together of their fears and the faintness of their hopes.[267] In the Lowlands, in the heart of the Highlands, at Edinburgh, at Glasgow, at Stirling, and in other towns of Scotland, men with pale faces and a restless air were questioning one another in distress of mind about the fate in reserve for their country. The shameful defeat at Solway, which had given the king his death-blow, had filled the people with mourning and dread. The most illustrious lords of Scotland, taken prisoners by the English, had been exposed to the gaze of the citizens of London. Those who still remained in Scotland were divided by implacable hatred, and by religious views diametrically opposed to each other; and it was anticipated that dissensions long suppressed by the fear of the king would now burst forth. The cardinal and the bishops, giving themselves up without restraint to their passion for dominion, were going to take advantage of the death of James to bring the people into subjection. Henry VIII., glorying in the unexpected victory which he had just won, did not fail, now that his nephew was no more, to turn to account (and in what a fashion!) his pretensions to Scotland. For maintaining order in the country there was a queen eight days old. The next heir to the crown after her, Hamilton, earl of Arran, was not fitted by his virtues, or his intelligence, or his courage to rule the people.