arranged that Norman Lesley, with his brother and four of his friends, should go to St. Andrews, where the cardinal was residing, and that they should take up their lodging in the hostelry at which they were accustomed to stay, so as not to awaken any suspicion. They entered the town accordingly, and without fear, although the place swarmed with the friends, dependents, and creatures of the mighty primate. Some of the inhabitants who shared their views held themselves in readiness at the first signal to give them assistance. They agreed to seize the castle at early morning, before the household were up. [Sidenote: SEIZURE OF THE CASTLE.] On Friday, May 28, in the evening, Norman Lesley arrived at St. Andrews, where he found William Kirkaldy of Grange awaiting him. John Lesley, on whom the cardinal’s suspicions chiefly fell, came last. The conspirators took counsel in the night, and on Saturday, May 29, at three o’clock in the morning, started on their enterprise, the capture of a strong castle which was held by more than a hundred men prepared for resistance. They came by various ways, and met in the churchyard of the abbey, not far from the castle. Beatoun, well knowing the feelings of indignation which his proceedings had aroused in the country, even amongst his own flatterers, had determined to turn his place of abode into a citadel fit to stand a siege.[361] The works were in progress, and this circumstance facilitated the daring attempt now to be made by his enemies. The primate pressed the work on so urgently that it hardly ceased by day or by night. Consequently the gates were open early in the morning, and the drawbridge was let down for the workmen to bring in stone, mortar, and other necessary building materials. The Lesleys, who with some of their companions were concealed in a small house near the gates, had sent thence William Kirkaldy and six others. These having passed the gates hailed the porter, and said to him, ‘Is my lord cardinal waking?’ ‘No,’ replied he. Mary Ogilvy, the mother of Margaret and of two sons, David and Alexander Beatoun, had spent the night at the castle. She was seen going away early in the morning by the private postern.[362] The cardinal, at the moment of the arrival of the Lesleys and their friends, was in a sound sleep. While William Kirkaldy was talking to the porter, and the latter was about to show him the way, Norman and John Lesley came up one after the other with arms. The porter, in alarm, would have put himself on the defensive; but one of the conspirators broke his head, got possession of his keys, and threw his body into the fosse. At that moment the workmen, numbering more than a hundred, fled through the wicket-gate at full speed, and William Kirkaldy took possession of the private postern, ‘fearing that the fox should have escaped.’ As the assailants were only sixteen, they felt the need of proceeding with great caution. The