eristic
liveliness. "The lord David Lindsay was so blyth at his brother's
sayings that he burst forth saying to him, 'Verrilie, brother, ye have
fine pyet words. I should not have trowed, by St. Amarie, that you had
sic words'"--an amusing tribute of half-scornful gratitude from the
soldier to the Churchman whose pyet or magpie words were so wonderfully
efficacious, yet so despicable in themselves, to change the fate of a
gentleman! It is grievous to find that the King was so displeased at Mr.
Patrick and his boldness that he sent him off to the Ross of Bute, and
kept him imprisoned in that solitary yet beautiful region for a whole
year.

Notwithstanding, however, this little failure of respect to the
sovereign, and the dismal uncertainty and anxiety in which his reign
began, there seemed to be nothing but the happiest prospects opening
before the young King. Out of the miserable struggle which brought him
to the throne, he himself, most probably only awakened to the meaning of
it after all was over, brought a lifelong remorse which he never threw
off, and which was increased by the melancholy services of commemoration
and expiation, the masses for his father's soul and solemn funeral
ceremonials whether real or nominal, at all of which the youth would
have to be present with a sore and swelling heart. We are told that he
went and unburthened himself to the Dean of the Chapel Royal in
Stirling, his father's favourite church, which James III had built and
endowed, arranging the services and music with special personal care.
The Dean received his confession with kindness seeing him so penitent,
and gave him "good counsel and comfort," and remained his friend and
spiritual adviser as he grew into manhood; but we are not told whether
it was by his ordinance as a penance and constant reminder of his sin,
or by a voluntary mortification of his own, that James assumed the iron
belt which he wore always round him "and eikit it from time to time,"
that is, increased its size and weight as long as he lived. This
sensibility, which formed part of his chivalrous and generous character,
the noble, sweet, and lovable nature which conquered all hearts, at once
subdued and silenced his many critics, and furnished them with a
reproach which spite and ill-will could bring up against him when
occasion occurred. But the enemies were few and the lovers many who
surrounded the young Prince when the contentions of the crisis were once
over,