John Knox was sent unto them to stay them; but before his coming, they had begun the pulling down of the idols and dortour.[137] And, albeit the said John and others did what in them lay to stay the fury of the multitude, they were not able to restore complete order, and therefore they sent for the Lords, Earl of Argyll, and Lord James, who, coming with all diligence, laboured to save the Palace and Kirk. But, the multitude having found a great number of idols buried in the Kirk for the purpose of preserving them to a better day (as the Papists speak), the towns of Dundee and Perth could not be satisfied, until the whole furnishings and ornaments of the Church were destroyed. Yet did the Lords so travail that they saved the Bishop's Palace, with the Church and place for that night; for the two Lords did not depart until they brought with them the whole number of those that most sought the Bishop's displeasure.... The Bishop's girnell[138] was kept for the first night by the labours of John Knox, who, by exhortation, removed such as violently would have made irruption.... [137] Hangings. [138] Granary. On the morrow, some of the poor, in hope of spoil, and some of the men of Dundee, to see what had been done, went up to the Abbey of Scone. The Bishop's servants were offended, and began to threaten and speak proudly, and, as it was constantly affirmed, one of the Bishop's sons stogged through with a rapier a man of Dundee, for looking in at the girnell door.... The multitude, easily inflamed, gave the alarm, and the Abbey and Palace were appointed to sackage. They took no long deliberation in carrying out their purpose, but committed the whole to the merciment of fire.... [Sidenote: The Forces of the Congregation take possession of Stirling and Edinburgh.] While these things were being done at Perth, the Queen, fearing what should follow, determined to send certain bands of French soldiers to Stirling, to stop the passage to us that then were upon the north side of Forth. Hearing of this, the Earl of Argyll and Lord James departed secretly over-night, and with great expedition, getting in before the Frenchmen, took the town. Before their coming, the rascal multitude had laid hands on the thieves', I should say Friars', places and utterly destroyed them.