[672] Keith has accused Knox of misstating this fact. Had he examined the Council Records more carefully, he would have found direct evidence of the practice of proclaiming the Statutes enacted by the Council, to which Knox alludes, on the 8th November 1555. Knox's account of the change of the Magistracy of Edinburgh is quite correct, although it has also been called in question. Upon examining the Council Records, it appears that Archibald Douglas was Provost; and Mr. James Watson, David Somer, Edward Hope, and Adam Foullarton, Baillies, in 1560-1561; and that on the 24th March 1560-1, proclamation was made of the Act 1560, against Priests, Adulterars, &c. At the next election in September 1561, Douglas was re-elected Provost, with David Forster, Robert Kar, Alexander Home, and Allan Dikesoun, as Baillies. On the 2d October, the above proclamation was ordered to be made on the following day; and on the 5th, the Queen sent a macer enjoining the Town Council to deprive their new Magistrates, and to appoint others in their room. A new election accordingly took place on the 8th of October, as detailed at considerable length by Maitland, (Hist. of Edinburgh, p. 21.) [673] In MS. 1566, and also in MSS. G and A, a blank space is left for these names; in MS. L 4, "&c." is supplied; and this marginal note added, "The Provost, Baillies, of Edinburgh changed at the Quenes command." [674] See note 2, p. 289, respecting the election. In a letter to Cecill, Knox, on the 7th October 1561, writes:--"At this verry instant ar the Provost of Edinburgh and Baillies thairof, command to ward in thare Tolboght, be reason of thair proclamatioun against Papists and hoormongeris. The whole blame lyeth upon the necke of the two fornamed," viz. Lord James Stewart and Lethington. [Sidenote: THE QUENIS FIRST PRYDE AFTER HIR ARRYVALL.] Some ganestood for a while the new electioun, alledgeing, that the Provest and Baillies whom thai had chosen, and to whom thai had gevin thair oath, had committed no offence whairfoir that justlie thai aught to be depryved. But whill charge was doubled upoun charge, and no man was found to oppone thame selffis to iniquitie,[675] Jesabellis letter and wicked will is obeyed as a law. And so was Mr. Thomas Mackalzeane chosen[675] for the other. The man, no doubt, was boyth discreat and sufficient for that charge;[676] but the depositioun of the other was against all law. God be mercyfull to some of our owen; for thai war not all blameless that hir wicked will was so far obeyed. [675] In MS. G, "to oppone himself to impietie."