Their reception must have taught them that times were now changed
since the days when the Regent deemed it necessary to conciliate their
party. "In despite of you and your ministers both," she told the two
deputies, "they shall be banished out of Scotland, albeit they preached
as truly as ever did St. Paul." When they reminded her of her previous
promises, she replied in words that were never forgotten, and which her
grandson, James VI, recalled and laid to heart in his own dealings with
his subjects. "It became not subjects," she said, "to burden their
princes further than it pleaseth them to keep the same." For a time,
however, she consented to stay further action against the preachers.
But, if she were to carry out the task she had undertaken, she must
sooner or later make trial of her strength against what had now become
actual rebellion. In Perth, Dundee, and Montrose the Protestant
preachers, with the approval and countenance of the constituted
authorities, openly proceeded with their work of spreading their new
opinions. At length the Regent took the step which was to be the
beginning of the end of the Catholic Church in Scotland. She summoned
the preachers to appear before her at Stirling on May 10th, and on this
occasion it was recognized by both parties that the moment for decisive
action had come.
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