escaping, though the King's messenger, with his life,
and heard his story--the insolent contempt, the brutal jest, the cruel
murder--is one that might well mark the turning-point even in a mind so
magnanimous. The King had not been entirely without signs of inheriting
his father's firmness and promptitude; but his gentleness of
disposition, and strong inclination towards kindness and peace, had in
general carried the day over his sterner qualities. He had shown both
sides of his character when he pardoned Douglas and accepted his
promises of reformation on his return, but cut him off from public
service and closed all the doors of advancement against him. The
defiance now addressed to him, the scorn of his letters and request, so
audaciously shown, raised a sudden storm of indignation in his breast.
Whether his future action was based on the decision of his council to
which he submitted, sanctioning on his own part the treachery by which
alone Douglas could be beguiled within his reach, as the chroniclers, to
whom such a device was quite justifiable, tell us; or whether when he
issued his safe-conduct he still hoped to be able to convince the Earl
of his folly in resisting, and to bring him to a real and effectual
change of mind, no one can now tell. But James was so little addicted to
treachery, so fair, tolerant and merciful, that we may well give him the
benefit of the doubt, and believe that it was with the intention of
making another effort to bring Douglas back to his right mind and
allegiance that the King invited him to Stirling, where it was strange
indeed that with all his enormities on his conscience Douglas ventured
to come, whatever were the safe-conducts given. "Some sayes he got the
great seale thereunto before he would grant to come to the King," says
the chronicle. The fact that he did come however, after all that had
passed, says much for his confidence in King James and in his own power
over him, for Douglas must have been very well aware that safe-conducts
and royal promises were but broken reeds to trust to.

When he arrived in Stirling, whatever lowering looks he might see around
him--and it is scarcely possible to believe that Sir Patrick Gray for
one could have entirely cleared his countenance of every recollection of
their last meeting, of the men-at-arms thundering at his heels, and his
nephew's body headless on the greensward--Douglas found no change in the
King, who received and banqueted him