[Sidenote: The rival Forces are arrayed outside Perth.] Our requests and advertisements notwithstanding, Monsieur D'Oysel and his Frenchmen, with the priests and their bands, marched against Perth, and approached within ten miles of the town. Then repaired the brethren from all quarters for our relief. The gentlemen of Fife, Angus, and Mearns, with the town of Dundee, first hazarded resistance to the enemy; and for that purpose chose a platt of ground, distant a mile and more from the town. In the meantime the Lord Ruthven, Provost of Perth, and a man whom many judged godly and stout in that action (as in very deed he was, even unto his last breath), left the town, and departed first to his own place, and afterwards to the Queen. His defection and revolt was a great discouragement to the hearts of many; and yet God did so comfort that, within the space of twelve hours after, the hearts of all men were erected again. Those then assembled did not so much hope for victory by their own strength, as by the power of Him whose truth they professed; and they began to comfort one another, until the whole multitude was encouraged by a reasonable hope. [Sidenote: Commissioners are sent by the Queen: Interview with John Knox: May 1559] The day after the Lord Ruthven departed, which was the twenty-fourth of May, the Earl of Argyll, Lord James, Prior of St. Andrews, and the Lord Semple arrived in Perth, with commission from the Queen Regent to inquire into the cause of the convocation of lieges there.... On the morning of the day after that, the twenty-fifth day of May, before the said Lords departed, John Knox desired to speak with them, and, permission being granted, he was conveyed to their lodging by the Laird of Balvaird, and thus he began:-- "Not only the hearts of the true servants of God, but also those of all who bear any favour to their country and fellow-countrymen, ought to be moved by the present troubles to descend within themselves and to consider deeply what shall be the end of this pretended tyranny.... "Firstly, I most humbly require of you, my Lords, to say to the Queen's Grace Regent, in my name, that we whom she in her blind rage doth persecute are God's servants, and faithful and obedient subjects to the authority of this realm; that that religion which she pretendeth to maintain by fire and sword is not the true religion of Christ Jesus, but is expressly contrary to it, a superstition devised by the brain of man; which I offer myself to prove against all that within Scotland will maintain the contrary, liberty of tongue being granted to me, and God's written Word being admitted for judge.