time happened in England and
Scotland. But the queen's affairs growing desperate, he fled to
Edinburgh castle, which was then held for the queen by the laird of
Grange. Mr. Knox sent a message to them of their danger, and what would
befal them. But Lethington made a mock of Mr. Knox and his advice; but
the castle being taken 1573, he was imprisoned in the steeple of Leith,
where six escaped further ignominy by public punishment. It was said he
poisoned himself, and lay so long unburied that the vermin upon his body
were creeping out at the doors of the house, in under the ground of the
steeple.--_Calderwood's history._

JAMES HEPBURN Earl of Bothwel was a wicked vicious man from his very
infancy. At first he inclined as seemed to the protestant side, but
becoming the queen's principal minion, he apostatized to popery, because
it was her religion. He vigorously opposed the work of reformation,
attempted to murder the good Earl of Murray, but was prevented. After
the slaughter of Rizio, he succeeded in his place, and became a partaker
of the king's bed. After which he murdered him, and married the queen
(although he had three wives living at that time). He designed to have
murdered James VI. then a child, but was prevented by the lords who rose
in defence of religion and their liberties. The queen was by them made
to abandon him, which made him flee to Shetland, where he became a
pirate: but being obliged to escape from thence to Denmark, where after
near ten years confinement, he became distracted and died mad.

JAMES DOUGLAS Earl of Morton was a man of no small natural endowments,
but a man of a covetous and lecherous disposition. While chancellor, he
got the Fulcan bishopricks erected[272], that the bishops might have
the title and honour; but the nobility got the profit or church
revenues. After he became regent, though things came to a more settled
state, yet for his own political ends, he oppressed the people, but
especially the clergy by promises to assign them stipends in parishes.
He extorted from them the rights to the thirds of the benefice, and
oftimes caused one minister to serve four or five parishes, while
himself took all the stipends but one, (so that by the end of the
century some ministers had but 11 l. and some but the half and miserably
paid). He was the first that introduced prelacy into Scotland. Says a
historian, "He threatened some of the ministers, misliked general
assemblies, could not endure t