n, but was not restored to his
place and office until the month of August following.

The next winter, he laboured to give the students in divinity, under his
care, a thorough knowledge of the discipline and government of the
church, which was attended with considerable success; the specious
arguments of episcopacy evanished, and the serious part both of the
town and university repaired to the college to hear him, and Mr. Robert
Bruce, who began preaching about this time.

After this he was chosen moderator in some subsequent assemblies of the
church, in which several acts were made in favours of religion, as
maintained in that period.

When the king brought home his queen from Denmark _anno_ 1590, Mr.
Melvil made an excellent oration, upon the occasion in Latin, which so
pleased the king, that he publicly declared, he had therein both
honoured him and his country, and that he should never be forgot; yet
such was the instability of this prince, that, in a little after this,
because Mr. Melvil opposed himself unto his arbitrary measures, in
grasping after an absolute authority over the church[42], he conceived a
daily hatred against him ever after, as will appear from the sequel.

When Mr. Melvil went, with some other ministers, to the convention of
estates at Falkland _anno_ 1596, (wherein they intended to bring home
the excommunicated lords who were then in exile), and though he had a
commission from last assembly, to watch against every imminent danger
that might threaten the church, yet, whenever he appeared upon the head
of the ministers, the king asked him, Who sent for him there? To which
he resolutely answered, "Sire, I have a call to come here from Christ
and his church, who have a special concern in what you are doing here,
and in direct opposition to whom, ye are all here assembled; but be ye
assured, that no counsel taken against him shall prosper, and I charge
you, Sire, in his name, that you, nor your estates here conveened,
favour not God's enemies whom he hateth." After he had said this,
turning himself to the rest of the members, he told them, that they were
assembled with a traiterous design against Christ, his church, and their
native country. In the midst of this speech, he was commanded by the
king to withdraw.

The commission of the general assembly was now sitting, and
understanding how matters were going on at the convention, they sent
some of their members, among whom Mr. Melvil was one, to