ar jurisdiction and appealed to a spiritual
court, by which he was certain to be acquitted. Henceforward, when
charged with uttering treasonable libels from the pulpit, the preachers
were wont to appeal, in the first instance, to a court of their own
cloth, and on this point James in the long-run triumphed over the Kirk.

In a Parliament of May 18, 1584, such declinature of royal jurisdiction
was, by "The Black Acts," made treason: Episcopacy was established; the
heirs of Gowrie were disinherited; Angus, Mar, and other rebels were
forfeited. But such forfeitures never held long in Scotland.

In August 1584 a new turn was given to James's policy by Arran, who was
Protestant, if anything, in belief, and hoped to win over Elizabeth, the
harbourer of all enemies of James. Arran's instrument was the beautiful
young Master of Gray, in France a Catholic, a partisan of Mary, and
leagued with the Guises. He was sent to persuade Elizabeth to banish
James's exiled rebels, but, like a Lethington on a smaller scale, he set
himself to obtain the restoration of these lords as against Arran, while
he gratified Elizabeth by betraying to her the secrets of Mary. This man
was the adoring friend of the flower of chivalry, Sir Philip Sidney!

As against Arran the plot succeeded. Making Berwick, on English soil,
their base, in November 1585 the exiles, lay and secular, backed by
England, returned, captured James at Stirling, and drove Arran to lurk
about the country, till, many years after, Douglas of Parkhead met and
slew him, avenging Morton; and, when opportunity offered, Douglas was
himself slain by an avenging Stewart at the Cross of Edinburgh. The age
reeked with such blood feuds, of which the preachers could not cure their
fiery flocks.

In December 1585 Parliament restored Gowrie's forfeited family to their
own (henceforth they were constantly conspiring against James), and the
exiled preachers returned to their manses and pulpits. But bishops were
not abolished, though the Kirk, through the Synod of Fife, excommunicated
the Archbishop of St Andrews, Adamson, who replied in kind. He was
charged with witchcraft, and in the long-run was dragged down and reduced
to poverty, being accused of dealings with witches--and hares!

In July 1586 England and Scotland formed an alliance, and Elizabeth
promised to make James an allowance of 4000 pounds a-year. This, it may
be feared, was the blood-price of James's mother: from her son