venant, in which, besides
their engagements to mutual defence, they vowed, in the name of God, to
employ their whole power in destroying every thing that dishonored his
holy name; and this covenant was subscribed, among others, by Argyle and
the prior of St. Andrew's.[***]

* Knox, p. 139. Spotswood, p. 123.

** See note C, at the end of the volume.

*** Keith, p 89. Knox, p. 138.

These two leaders now desired no better pretence for deserting the
regent and openly joining their associates, than the complaints, however
doubtful, or rather false, of her breach of promise. The congregation
also, encouraged by this accession of force, gave themselves up entirely
to the furious zeal of Knox, and renewed at Crail, Anstruther, and other
places in Fife, like depredations on the churches and monasteries with
those formerly committed at Perth and Coupar. The regent, who marched
against them with her army, finding their power so much increased,
was glad to conclude a truce for a few days, and to pass over with her
forces to the Lothians. The reformers besieged and took Perth; proceeded
thence to Stirling, where they exercised their usual fury; and finding
nothing able to resist them, they bent their march to Edinburgh, the
inhabitants of which, as they had already anticipated the zeal of the
congregation against the churches and monasteries, gladly opened their
gates to them. The regent, with the few forces which remained with her,
took shelter in Dunbar, where she fortified herself, in expectation of a
reenforcement from France.

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;