when my own hand bett them), meikle less can I rejoice to
see your Grace make such regret. But seeing I have offered your
Grace no such occasion, I must rather suffer your Grace to take your
own pleasure than that I dare to conceal the truth and so betray
both the Kirk of God and my Commonwealth. These were the most
extreme words I said."

Having thus repeated his offence (even to the tears of the schoolboys)
the Reformer's shrift was ended and he was told that he might return to
his house "for that night." No doubt what he himself said is more
clearly set forth than what others replied, but that he distinctly
carried the honours of the discussion with him, and that his mien and
bearing, as here depicted, are manly, grave, and dignified as could be
desired, will not be denied by any reasonable reader. That they
impressed the council in the same way is equally evident; that council
was composed of his ancient companions in arms, the comrades of many an
anxious day and of many a triumphant moment. That he had offended and
broken with several of them would not affect the consideration that to
condemn John Knox was not a light matter; that through all the hours of
that winter evening half Edinburgh had been filling the Court of
Holyrood and keeping up a murmur of anxiety at its gates; and that it
was a dangerous crowd to whom my lords would have to give account if a
hair of his head was touched. The conclusion apparently came with the
force of a surprise upon the Queen's Majestie, and perhaps shook her
certainty of the sway over her nobility, which she had been gradually
acquiring, which was sufficient to make them defend her personal freedom
and tolerate her faith, but not to pronounce a sentence which they felt
to be unjust.

"John Knox being departed, the Table of the Lords, and others that
were present were demanded every man by his vote, if John Knox had
not offended the Queen's Majestie. The lords voted uniformly they
could find no offence. The Queen had past to her cabinet, the
flatterers of the Court, and Lethington principally, raged. The
Queen was brought again and placed in her chair, and they commanded
to vote over again, which thing highly offended the haill nobilitie
so that they began to speak in open audience--'What! shall the Laird
of Lethington have power to control us? or shall the presence of ane
woman cause us to offend God and to dampen ane