nobles on whose devotion to the Papacy he could calculate.[1] He was proclaimed at the market-cross at Edinburgh, but the impudent forgery was exposed and denounced; and the discovery of the list of names which revealed the conspiracy against the lords who had opposed the war with England raised at once a storm of rage. The Earl of Arran, whose name was first upon the catalogue, was next of kin to the princess, and by Scottish usage was her legitimate guardian. Arran, with the assistance of Sir James Kirkaldy, called a convention of the nobles, and, by a majority too great even to allow a shadow of resistance, was declared Regent. The Cardinal was arrested and imprisoned; and the power passed from the Church to the laity.[2]
The circumstances of the two countries now resem-
- ↑ The popular belief was that the document was signed after death. 'As many affirm,' says Knox, 'a dead man's hand was made to subscribe a blank that they might write above it what pleased them best:' and see Buchanan and Calderwood. The Earl of Arran told Sir Ralph Sadler that 'the Cardinal did counterfeit the late King's testament, and when the King was even almost dead, he took his hand in his and caused him to subscribe a blank paper.'—Sadler Papers, vol. ii. p. 136, &c.
- ↑ The upper classes in Scotland were so fickle, that their prevailing disposition is not easily discoverable. It is clear, however, that when by accidental causes the influence of the Church was neutralized, the balance at times inclined towards England and good sense. Paget in January wrote to Henry that he had met a Scotchman in Paris, and had spoken to him about the war. 'The foul evil,' quoth the Scot, 'take them that began it; I am sure it was neither of both Kings,' and laid the fault on the bishops, somewhat railing on them. 'By God's body,' quoth he, 'things had gone otherwise by this time if the temporal lords might have had their will.'—Paget to Henry VIII.: State Papers, vol. ix. p. 263.
