[148] In all the other copies this marginal note forms part of the text. It is in the same hand with the MS.: see note 1, page 68. This Contract and Band came not onlie to the eiris, bot alssua to the sycht of the Quene Dowager; quhairat sche stormit nott a little, and said, "The maledictioun of God I gif unto thame that counsaleit me to persecute the prechearis, and to refuise the petitiouns of the best pairt of the trew subjects of this realme. It was said to me, That the Yngliss army could not ly in Scotland ten dayis; bot now thay [have] lyin near ane moneth, and ar mair lyk to remane than the first day thay came." Thay that gaif sick informatioun to the Quene, spak as wardlie wyise men, and as thingis appeirit to have bene; for the cuntrey being almaist in all the partis thairof waistit, the victuallis nixt adjacent to Leith either brocht in to thair provisioun, or ellis destroyit; the mylnis and uther placeis, as befoir is said, being cassin doun, it appeirit that the camp could not have bene furnissit (except it haid bene by thair awin schippis, and as that could nocht have bene of ony lang continewance, sua sould it have bene nathing confortable:) Bot God confoundit all warldlie wisdome, and maid his awin benedictioun als evidentlie to appeir as gif in ane maner he had fed the army from above. For all kind of victuallis thair was mair aboundante, and of mair easie priceis, in the camp all the tyme that it lay, efter that aucht dayis war past, than either thay haid bene in Edinburgh any of the twa yeires of befoir, or yit hes bene in that toun to this day. The pepill of Scotland sa mekill abhorrit the tyrrannye of the Frenche, that thay wald have gevin the substance that thay had, to have bene ridd of that chargeable burding, quhilk oure synnis had provockit God to lay upoun us, in geving us in the handis of ane woman, quhom our Nobilitie in thair fulischnes sauld unto strangearis, and with hir the libertie of the Realme. "God, for his greit mercies saik, preserve us yitt from farther bondage, in the quhilk we ar lyke to fall, gif he provyde not remedy; for oure Nobilitie will yett remane blynd still, and will follow hir affectiouns, cum efter quhat sua may." Bot to returne to oure Historie. * * * * * [Sidenote: THE ASSAULT OF LEITH, THE 7 OF MAIJ 1560.]