CHAPTER II.

CONDITION OF SCOTLAND IN THE FIFTEENTH AND SIXTEENTH CENTURIES.

Early in the fifteenth century, the alliance between the Crown and the Church against the nobles, became obvious 45

James I. attacked the nobles, and favoured the Church; hoping thereby to establish the supremacy of the throne 46-47

But his policy failed, because it was opposed by the operation of general causes 47-48

Besides failing, it produced his own destruction 49

Power of the Douglases, who were at the head of the southern nobility 49-50

James II. murdered the chiefs of that family 51-52

The Crown, in its efforts against the nobles, was encouraged by the clergy; and before the middle of the fifteenth century, the Church and the aristocracy were completely estranged from each other 52-54

James III., like James II. and James I., allied himself with the clergy against the nobles 55-56

Their power, however, was too deeply rooted to be shaken; and in 1488, they put the king to death 55

Still, and notwithstanding these successive failures, James IV. followed the same policy as his predecessors 56

So did James V. Consequently the nobles imprisoned him, and ejected the clergy from all offices in the state 57

In 1528, James V. escaped; the Crown and the Church regained the ascendant, and the principal nobles were banished 58

From this moment, the nobles hated the Church more than ever. Their hatred brought about the Reformation 58-59

Active measures of the government against the nobles 60-61

The nobles revenged themselves by becoming Reformers 62

James V., on the other hand, threw himself entirely into the arms of the Church 62-63

As the nobles took the opposite side, and as the people had no influence, the success or failure of the Reformation in Scotland was simply a question of the success or failure of the aristocratic power 65-68

In 1542, the nobles openly refused obedience to James V.; and their treatment of him at this critical period of his life, broke his heart 68-69

Directly he died, they regained authority. The clergy were displaced, and measures favourable to Protestantism were adopted 69-72

In 1546, Cardinal Beaton was assassinated, and Knox began his career 74-75

Subsequent proceedings of Knox 76-77

While Knox was abroad, the nobles established the Reformation 78

He returned to Scotland in 1559, by which time the struggle was nearly over 79

In 1559, the queen regent was deposed; the nobles became supreme; and, in 1560, the Church was destroyed 80-84

Immediately this revolution was completed, the nobles and the preachers began to quarrel about the wealth of the Church 84

The nobles, thinking that they ought to have it, took it into their own hands 85-88

Thereupon, the Protestant preachers said that the nobles were instigated by the devil 88-90

Morton, who was at the head of the nobility, became enraged at the proceedings of the new clergy, and persecuted them 91-92

A complete rupture between the two classes 93

The clergy, finding themselves despised by the governing class, united themselves heartily with the people, and advocated democratic principles 93

In 1574, Melville became their leader. Under his auspices, that great struggle began, which never stopped until, sixty years later, it produced the rebellion against Charles I. 94

The first manifestations of this rebellious spirit was the attack on the bishops 94

In 1575, the attack began. In 1580, episcopacy was abolished 96-97

But the nobles upheld that institution, because they loved inequality for the same reasons which made the clergy love equality 97-100

Struggle between the upper classes and the clergy respecting episcopacy 100-103

In 1582, James VI. was imprisoned; and his captivity was justified by the clergy, whose democratic principles were now openly proclaimed 103-104

Violent language used by the clergy against the king and against the nobles 104-109

Their leader, Melville, personally insulted the king, and they were probably privy to the Gowrie conspiracy in 1600 110

Still, the clergy, notwithstanding the indecency of their conduct, conferred the greatest of all boons upon Scotland, by keeping alive and nurturing the spirit of liberty 111-114