To these heads the Queen did answer at the first pleasantly, but then she began to handle the matter more craftily, complaining that she was not sought in a gentle manner; and that they in whom she had put most singular confidence had left her in her greatest need. In discussing these and such other things, pertaining nothing to their commission, she sought to spend and drive the time.... In the end of this communing, on the twelfth day of July 1559, she desired to have private talk with the Earl of Argyll, and Lord James, Prior of St. Andrews.... The Council, after consultation, thought it inexpedient that the Earl and Prior should talk with the Queen in any way; for her former practices made all men suspect that some deceit lurked under such coloured communing. It was known that she had said that, if she could by any means sunder those two from the rest, she was sure she should shortly attain her whole purpose; and one of her chief counsellors in those days had said that before Michaelmas day these two should lose their heads.... The Queen, perceiving that her craft could not prevail, was content that the Duke's Grace and the Earl of Huntly, with others appointed by her, should convene at Preston, to commune with the said Earl and Prior, and such others as the Lords of the Congregation would appoint. These, convening at Preston, spake the whole day without any certain conclusion. For this was the subterfuge of the Queen and of her faction. By drift of time she hoped to weary our company, who, for the most part, had been in the field from the tenth day of May, and that when we were dispersed she might come to her purpose. In this she was not altogether deceived; for our commons were compelled to skaill for lack of expenses, and our gentlemen, partly constrained by lack of furnishing and partly hoping that some small appointment would result from so many communings, returned for the most part to their dwelling places, to repose themselves. The Queen, in all these conventions, seemed to indicate that she would give liberty to religion, provided that, wheresoever she was, our preachers should cease, and the Mass should be maintained. We, perceiving her malicious craft, answered that we would compel her Grace to no religion, but that we could not, of conscience, for the pleasure of any earthly creature, put silence to God's true messengers. Nor could we suffer that the right administration of Christ's true sacraments should give place to manifest idolatry; for in so doing we should declare ourselves enemies to God, to Christ Jesus His Son, to His eternal truth and to the liberty and establishment of His Church within this realm. If her request were granted, there could be no Kirk within the realm so established but that, at her pleasure, and by her residence and remaining there, she might overthrow the same....