Chap. IV. The HISTORY of the PURITANSs i r x roman catholick tube profeff'ed, with a promife of large fuplies of forces ueen to fupport her. Upon this the fummoned the magiftrates of Perth, and lizabeth, the reformed minitters to appear before her at Stirling, with a defign to rl have them banithed by a folemn decree. The minifters appeared accord- ingly, being attended with vat} crouds of people armed and prepared to defend them, agreeably to the cuftom of Scotland, which allowed crim- inals to come to their trials attended with their relations and friends. The regent aftoniflhed at the fight, prayed yohn flric to perfuade the multitude to retire, and gave her parole that nothing fhould be decreed againft the minifters ; but they were no fooner gone quietly home, than The condemned them for non-appearance. This news being brought to Perth, the burghers encouraged by great They take up numbers of the nobility and neighbouring gentry, formed an army of 'rmr. 7000 men, under the command of the earl ofGlencarne, for the defence of their minifters againft the regent, who was marching with an army of French and Scots, to drive them out of their country ; but being informed of the preparation of the burghers, the confented to a treaty, by which it was agreed, that the Mould be received with honour into the city, and be fuffered to lodge in it force days, provided the would promife to make no alteration in religion, but refer all to the parliament; the Scots forces on both fides to be difmiffed : But the reformed had no fooner difbanded their army, and opened their gates to the regent, than fhe broke all the articles, let up the mafs, and left a garrifon of French in the town, refolving to make it a place of arms. Upon this notorious breach of treaty, as well as the regent's declaration, that Promifes were not to be kept with hereticks, the congregations of Fyfe, Perth, Dundee, .dngus,. Mears and Montrofe, railed a little army, and figned an engagement to . affift eachother, in maintaining the reformation with their lives and for- tunes. Mr. Knox encouraged them by his fermons, and the populace- being warmed, pulled down altars and images, plundered the monaf}eries, and difmantled the churches of their fuperflitious ornaments. The re- gent marched againft them at the head of 2000. French and 2000. Scots in French pay, but being afraid to venture a battle, the retreated to Dun. bar, and the confederates made themfelves matters of Perth,_ Scone, Sterlin, and Lithgoe. At length a truce was concluded, by which the . minifters of the congregation had liberty to preach in the pulpits of Edinburgh for the prefent; but the regent having foon after received . large recruits from France, repoffeffed herfelf of Leith, and ordered it to be fortified, and itored with all neceffary provifions ; the confederates defired her to demolifh the works, alledging it to be a violation of the truce ; but the commanded them upon their allegiance to be quiet and . lay down their aims; and marching direfìly to Edinburgh, obliged them.. to.
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