[151] As mentioned by Knox, _supra_, page 31, Sir James Crofts was captain of the Town and Castle of Berwick, and warden of East Marches. "He had," says Sir Walter Scott, "a good military reputation; having governed Ireland, and defended Haddington (in 1547) against the French and the Scotch. He was attainted by Queen Mary, but restored by Queen Elizabeth, and made Governor of Berwick; an office which he enjoyed at the date of these letters." (State Papers, vol. i. p. 387.) But Crofts, for his conduct at this time, was impeached by the Duke of Norfolk, and removed from his office as Governor, which was conferred on Lord Gray. He afterwards became Comptroller of the Household, and died in 1595. [152] In MS. 1566, "of the assault it was easy." [153] The interview of Crofts with the Queen Regent that Knox alludes to, took place on the 6th April 1560, during the skirmish at Restalrig. "In this meantyme (says Bishop Lesley) the Lord Gray, and Sir George Hawart, and Sir James Croftis to the Castell of Edinburgh, to speik with the Quein to this effect (viz. the cause of the coming of the army, &c.); quha had long conference with hir upoun the blok hous at the uter yeit of the saide Castell, the same day, during the tyme of the scarmishe," &c. (Hist. p. 283.) See also the Historie of the Estate of Scotland, in the Wodrow Miscellany, vol. i. p. 82. [154] Some notices of this Frier Black will be given in the Appendix. [155] This date, like that on the margin at page 65, is in the same hand with the MS., and serves to show that this portion of the volume was written or transcribed in May 1566. In MS. G. the date, by mistake, is May 1560. [Sidenote: THE INUMANITIE OF THE MERCYLES FRENCHE.] [Sidenote: THE QUENE REGENTIS CREWELL HART.] The Frenche, prowd of the victorie, strypeit naikit all the slayne, and laid thair deid[156] carcassis befoir the hot sune alang thair wall, quhair thay sufferit thame to lye ma dayis nor ane: unto the quhilk, quhen the Quene Regent luikit, for myrth sche happit and said, "Yonder are the fairest tapestrie that ever I saw: I wald that the haill feyldis that is betwix this place and yon, war strowit with the same stuiffe." This fact was sene of all, and hir wordis war hard of sum, and mislykeit of many. Against the quhilk Johnne Knox spak oppinlie in pulpeit, and baldlie affirmeit, "That God sould reveange that contumelye done to his image, not onlie in the furiouse and godless souldiaris, bot evin in sick as rejoysit thairat." And the verray experience declairit, that he was nott deceavit; for within few dayis thair efter, (yea sum say that same day,) began hir bellie and lothsome leggis to swell, and sa continewit, till that God did execute his judgementis upoun hir, as efter we sall heir. [156] In MS. G, "dead" is omitted.