[859] Robert Melvin or Melville, the second son of Sir John Melville of Raith. In May 1555, "Robert Melville, servand to the Quenis Grace, received be hir speciale command," the sum of £50; and in September following, £75, as his pension for the Whitsunday term, that year. He had long resided at the Court of France, during the reign of Henry the Second; and was afterwards much employed in public affairs. He was knighted in 1582, and was raised to the Peerage, by the title of Lord Melville of Monimail, in 1616, having survived till 1621, when he died at the very advanced age of 94.
[860] In MS. G, "quhair he pleased."
[861] In MS. G, "mening of Huntlie."
[862] In MS. 1566, the marginal note at the top of the next page, judging from the different hand and colour of ink, was evidently added in 1571. The words "then was," refer to the year 1562-3. The note occurs in MS. G, with this addition, "then was (as he is now)."
[863] In MS. G, is this marginal note, which cannot be attributed to the author:—"The end declared thair words to be trew." Lethington, it is well known, having adhered to the Queen's party, he remained in the Castle of Edinburgh during the whole time of the siege by the English troops in 1573, until its surrender, under promise that the Governor and his associates should be favourably treated. But Queen Elizabeth delivered them up to their implacable enemy the Regent Morton; and Lethington was with Kirkaldy of Grange, and the other prisoners, carried to Leith; but whether it was his own act, to save the disgrace of a public execution, or that of others, he died, "not without suspicion of poison," on the 9th June 1573.
[864] In MS. G, "the speaker, quhilk was John Knox."
[865] In MS. G, "of the Kirk."
[866] John Erskine of Dun, Superintendent of Angus and Mearns. Calderwood repeats this notice, and says, that Cumming was accused "for infecting the youth committed to his charge with idolatrie."
[867] Knox has previously mentioned Paul Methven as an active and zealous preacher, (vol. i. p. 300.) The proceedings against him by order of the Assembly, contained in the Book of the Kirk, consist of extracts from Calderwood. Knox was appointed on the 30th December 1562, to proceed to Jedburgh, and on the 3d of January to take trial of the slander raised against Methven. At the next General Assembly, on the 25th June 1563, Knox reported that Methven had been removed from his charge, and excommunicated.
[868] The writer of the Fifth or Supplemental Book of the present work, notices Methven's contrition and public repentance; and his earnest desire to be received again into church-fellowship. It does not appear that he was permitted to resume his ministerial functions.