th the light of his truth, and save her from the
apparent danger with which she was threatened." But, excepting the
king's own chaplains, and one clergyman more, all the preachers refused
to pollute their churches by prayers for a Papist, and would not so much
as prefer a petition for her conversion. James, unwilling or unable
to punish this disobedience, and desirous of giving the preachers an
opportunity of amending their fault, appointed a new day when prayers
should be said for his mother; and that he might at least secure himself
from any insult in his own presence, he desired the archbishop of St.
Andrews to officiate before him.

In order to disappoint this purpose, the clergy instigated one Couper,
a young man who had not yet received holy orders, to take possession of
the pulpit early in the morning, and to exclude the prelate. When the
king came to church, and saw the pulpit occupied by Couper, he called
to him from his seat, and told him, that the place was destined for
another; yet since he was there, if he would obey the charge given, and
remember the queen in his prayers, he might proceed to divine service.
The preacher replied, that he would do as the Spirit of God should
direct him. This answer sufficiently instructed James in his purpose;
and he commanded him to leave the pulpit. As Couper seemed not disposed
to obey, the captain of the guard went to pull him from his place;
upon which the young man cried aloud, that this day would be a witness
against the king in the great day of the Lord; and he denounced a woe
upon the inhabitants of Edinburgh for permitting him to be treated in
that manner.[*] The audience at first appeared desirous to take part
with him; but the sermon of the prelate brought them over to a more
dutiful and more humane disposition.

* Spotswood, p. 354.

Elizabeth, when solicited, either by James or by foreign princes, to
pardon the queen of Scots, seemed always determined to execute the
sentence against her: but when her ministers urged her to interpose
no more delays, her scruples and her hesitation returned; her humanity
could not allow her to embrace such violent and sanguinary measures; and
she was touched with compassion for the misfortunes, and with respect
for the dignity, of the unhappy prisoner. The courtiers, sensible that
they could do nothing more acceptable to her than to employ persuasion
on this head, failed not to enforce every motive for the punishment
of M