After Easter, the Cardinal came to Edinburgh to hold the seinye,[89] as the Papists term their unhappy assembly of Baal's shaven sort. It was bruited that something was purposed against him at that time by the Earl of Angus and his friends, whom he mortally hated, and whose destruction he sought. But it failed, and so returned he to his strength; yea, to his god and only comfort, as well in heaven as in earth. And there he remained without the least fear of death, promising unto himself no less pleasure than did the rich man of whom mention is made by our Master in the Evangel. He did not only rejoice and say, "Eat and be glad, my soul, for thou hast great riches laid up in store for many days;" but also, "Tush, a fig for the feud, and a button for the bragging of all the heretics and their assistants in Scotland. Is not my Lord Governor mine? Witness his eldest son there in pledge at my table? Have I not the Queen at my own devotion? (He alluded to the mother of Mary that now mischievously reigns.) Is not France my friend, and am not I friend to France? What danger should I fear?" Thus, in vanity, the carnal Cardinal delighted himself a little before his death....
Early upon Saturday morning, the twenty-ninth of May 1546, there were sundry companies in the Abbey kirk-yard, in St. Andrews, not far distant from the Castle. The gates of the Castle being opened, and the draw-bridge let down for admission of lime and stones and other things necessary for building, for Babylon was almost finished, William Kirkaldy of Grange, younger, and with him six persons, got entrance, and held purpose with the porter, inquiring "If my Lord was walking?" He answered, "No." While the said William and the porter talked, and his servants pretended to look at the work and the workmen, Norman Leslie approached with his company; and, because they were in no great number, they easily got entrance. They directed their course to the very middle of the close, and immediately thereafter came John Leslie, somewhat rudely, and four persons with him. The porter, taking fright, would have drawn the bridge; but the said John, being entered thereon, stayed and leapt in. When the porter made for his defence, his head was broken, the keys were taken from him, and he cast into the fosse; and so the place was seized.
Shouts arose; the workmen, to the number of more than a hundred, ran off the walls, and were without hurt put forth at the wicket gate. The first thing, William Kirkaldy took the guard of the privy postern, fearing that the fox should escape. Then went the rest to the gentlemen's chambers, and without violence done to any man, put more than fifty persons to the gate. The number that enterprised and did this was but sixteen persons. The Cardinal, awakened with the shouts, asked from his window what that noise meant. It was answered that Norman Leslie had taken his Castle. This understood, he ran for his postern; but, perceiving the passage to be guarded, he returned quickly to his chamber, took his two-handed sword, and gart[90] his chamber-child move chests and other impediments to the door.
In the meantime came John Leslie and bade the door be opened. The Cardinal asking, "Who calls?" he answered, "My name is Leslie." He again asked, "Is that Norman?" The other said, "Nay; my name is John." "I will have Norman," said the Cardinal; "for he is my friend." "Content yourself with such as are here; ye shall get none other." With the said John were James Melvin, a man familiarly acquainted with Master George Wishart, and Peter Carmichael, a stout[91] gentleman. While they forced at the door, the Cardinal hid a box of gold under coals that were laid in a secret corner. At length he asked, "Will ye save my life?" The said John answered, "It may be that we will." "Nay," said the Cardinal, "Swear unto me by God's wounds, and I will open unto you." Then answered the said John, "It that was said, is unsaid;" and cried, "Fire, Fire," for the door was very stark.[92] Then was brought a chimley[93] full of burning coals. This perceived, the Cardinal or his chamber-child opened the door, and the Cardinal sat down in a chair and cried, "I am a priest, I am a priest; ye will not slay me."
Assassination of Cardinal Beaton: 29th May 1546.
John Leslie, according to his former vows, struck the Cardinal once or twice, and so did the said Peter. But James Melvin, a man of nature most gentle and most modest, perceiving that they were both in choler, withdrew them, and said, "This work and judgment of God, although it be secret, ought to be done with greater gravity." Presenting the point of his sword at the Cardinal, he said, "Repent thee of thy former wicked life, but especially of the shedding of the blood of that notable instrument of God, Master George Wishart, which, albeit the flame of fire consumed it before men, yet cries a vengeance upon thee. We are sent from God to revenge it: for here, before my God, I protest that neither the hatred of thy person, nor the love of thy riches, nor the fear of any trouble thou couldst have brought on me in particular, doth move me to strike thee, I do so only because thou hast been and remainest an obstinate enemy against Christ Jesus and His holy Evangel." And so he struck him twice or thrice through with a stog sword;[94] and so the Cardinal fell, never word heard out of his mouth, but "I am a priest, I am a priest: fie, fie: all is gone."
The death of this tyrant was dolorous to the priests, dolorous to the Governor, most dolorous to the Queen Dowager; for in him perished faithfulness to France, and comfort to all gentlewomen, especially to wanton widows: his death must be revenged.... The Archbishop, to declare the zeal that he had to revenge the death of him that was his predecessor (and yet he would not have had him living again) still blew the coals. And first, he caused to be summoned, then denounced, accursed, and last, proclaimed rebels, not only the first enterprisers, but all such as did accompany them. And last of all, the siege of the Castle was decided upon.
The Reforming Party is besieged in the Castle of St. Andrews.
The siege began in the end of August; for on the twenty-third day thereof the soldiers departed from Edinburgh, and it continued until near the end of January. At that time, they had no other hope of winning it but by hunger; and of that they were despaired, for those within had broken through the east wall, and made a plain passage by an iron gate to the sea. This greatly relieved the besieged, and abased the besiegers; for they could not stop them of victuals, unless they should be masters of the sea, and that they clearly understood they could not be.
The English ships had been there once already, and had brought William Kirkaldy from London, and had taken with them to the Court of England, John Leslie and Master Henry Balnaves, for the perfecting of all contracts. King Harry had promised to take them into his protection, upon condition that they should keep the Governor's son, my Lord of Arran, and stand friends to the contract of marriage before mentioned. These things clearly understood by the Governor and by his Council, the priests, and the shaven sort, they concluded to make an Appointment, to the end that they might either get the Castle betrayed, or else some principal men of the company taken unawares.