either hatred of thy
person, nor love of thy riches, nor fear of thy power, which moves me to
seek thy death; but only because thou hast been, and still remainest,
an obstinate enemy to Christ Jesus and his holy gospel." Having spoken
these words, without giving Beatoun time to finish that repentance to
which he exhorted him, he thrust him through the body; and the cardinal
fell dead at his feet.[*] This murder was executed on the twenty-eighth
of May, 1546. The assassins, being reenforced by their friends to
the number of a hundred and forty persons, prepared themselves for the
defence of the castle, and sent a messenger to London craving assistance
from Henry. That prince, though Scotland was comprehended in his
peace with France, would not forego the opportunity of disturbing the
government of a rival kingdom; and he promised to take them under his
protection.

* The famous Scotch reformer, John Knox, calls James Melvil
(p. 65) a man most gentle and most modest. It is very
horrid, but at the same time somewhat amusing, to consider
the joy, and alacrity, and pleasure which that historian
discovers in his narrative of this assassination; and it is
remarkable, that in the first edition of his work, these
words were printed in the margin of the page: "The godly
Fact and Words of James Melvil." But the following editors
retrenched them. Knox himself had no hand in the murder of
Beatoun; but he afterwards joined the assassins, and
assisted them in holding out the castle. See Keith's Hist.
of the Rcf. of Scotland, p. 43.

It was the peculiar misfortune of Scotland, that five short reigns had
been followed successively by as many long minorities; and the execution
of justice, which the prince was beginning to introduce, had been
continually interrupted by the cabals, factions, and animosities of the
great. But besides these inveterate and ancient evils, a new source of
disorder had arisen, the disputes and contentions of theology which were
sufficient to disturb the most settled government; and the death of
the cardinal, who was possessed of abilities and vigor, seemed much
to weaken the hands of the administration. But the queen dowager was a
woman of uncommon talents and virtue; and she did as much to support the
government, and supply the weakness of Arran, the governor, as could be
expected in her situation.

The protector of England, as soon as the state wa