was every moment exposed to contumely, which she bore
with benignity and patience. Soon after her arrival, she dined in the
Castle of Edinburgh; and it was there contrived, that a boy, six years
of age, should be let down from the roof, and should present her with
a Bible, a Psalter, and the keys of the castle. Lest she should be at a
loss to understand this insult on her as a Papist, all the decorations
expressed the burning of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, and other
punishments inflicted by God upon idolatry.[***] The town council
of Edinburgh had the assurance, from their own authority, to issue a
proclamation banishing from their district "all the wicked rabble of
Antichrist the pope, such as priests, monks, friars, together with
adulterers and fornicators."[****] And because the privy council
suspended the magistrates for their insolence, the passionate
historians[v] of that age have inferred that the queen was engaged, by
a sympathy of manners, to take adulterers and fornicators under her
protection. It appears probable, that the magistrates were afterwards
reinstated in their office, and that their proclamation was
confirmed.[v*]

* Keith, p. 179.

** Keith, p. 202.

*** Keith, p. 189.

*** Keith, p. 192.

v Knox, p. 292. Buchan. lib. xvii. c. 20. Haynes, vol. i.
p. 372.

v* Keith, p. 202.

But all the insolence of the people was inconsiderable in comparison
of that which was exercised by the clergy and the preachers, who took
a pride in vilifying, even to her face, this amiable princess. The
assembly of the church framed an address, in which, after telling her
that her mass was a bastard service of God, the fountain of all impiety,
and the source of every evil which abounded in the realm, they expressed
their hopes, that she would ere this time have preferred truth to her
own preconceived opinion, and have renounced her religion, which, they
assured her, was nothing but abomination and vanity. They said, that the
present abuses of government were so enormous, that if a speedy remedy
were not provided, God would not fail in his anger to strike the head
and the tail, the disobedient prince and sinful people. They
required, that severe punishment should be inflicted on adulterers
and fornicators. And they concluded with demanding for themselves some
addition both of power and property.[*]

The ringleader in all these insults on majesty was John Knox; who
possessed an