The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part D.: From Elizabeth to James I. — David Hume — John Shaqi
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part D.: From Elizabeth to James I.
David Hume · en
Meanwhile, she employed her partisans in representing to the people the
dangerous consequences of this open rebellion; and she endeavored to
convince them, that the Lord James, under pretence of religion,
had formed the scheme of wresting the sceptre from the hands of the
sovereign. By these considerations many were engaged to desert the army
of the congregation; but much more by the want of pay, or any means
of subsistence; and the regent, observing the malecontents to be much
weakened, ventured to march to Edinburgh, with a design of suppressing
them. On the interposition of the duke of Chatelrault, who still adhered
to her, she agreed to a capitulation, in which she granted them a
toleration of their religion, and they engaged to commit no further
depredations on the churches. Soon after, they evacuated the city; and
before they left it, they proclaimed the articles of agreement; but they
took care to publish only the articles favorable to themselves, and they
were guilty of an imposture, in adding one to the number, namely, that
idolatry should not again be erected in any place where it was at that
time suppressed.[*] [4]
An agreement concluded while men were in this disposition, could not be
durable; and both sides endeavored to strengthen themselves as much as
possible against the ensuing rupture, which appeared inevitable. The
regent, having got a reënforcement of one thousand men from France,
began to fortify Leith; and the congregation seduced to their party the
duke of Chatelrault, who had long appeared inclined to join them, and
who was at last determined by the arrival of his son, the earl of Arran,
from France, where he had escaped many dangers from the jealousy, as
well as bigotry, of Henry and the duke of Guise. More French troops soon
after disembarked under the command of La Brosse, who was followed by
the bishop of Amiens, and three doctors of the Sorbonne. These last
were supplied with store of syllogisms, authorities, citations, and
scholastic arguments, which they intended to oppose to the Scottish
preachers, and which, they justly presumed, would acquire force,
and produce conviction, by the influence of the French arms and
artillery.[**]
* See note D, at the end of the volume.
** Spotswood, p. 134. Thuan. lib. xxiv. c. 10.