In St. Andrew's as in Perth it is John Knox who is
again the outstanding figure. Here his preaching was attended by the
same notable results. The monasteries of the Dominicans and the
Franciscans were practically demolished by the mob, and with the
approval of the magistrates every church in the town was stripped of its
ornaments. Meanwhile the Regent had not been idle, and was now at
Falkland with a force led by D'Oysel and Chatelherault. Confident in
their strength, those two leaders marched toward Cupar, with the
intention of dealing with St. Andrew's. But again they discovered that
they had miscalculated the resources of the insurgents. Issuing from St.
Andrew's, with little over a hundred horse, Argyle and the lord James
were speedily reenforced by contingents from Lothian and Fife, which
raised their numbers to above three thousand men. Thus strengthened,
they took up their position on Cupar Muir, and awaited the approach of
the Regent's forces. But in number these forces were now inferior to
those of the enemy; and, as many of the French soldiers were Huguenots
and secretly sympathized with their fellow-believers, the issue of the
battle could not but be doubtful. Again, therefore, there was no
alternative for the Regent but to temporize. It was agreed that there
should be a truce of eight days, that the Regent's forces now in Fife
should be removed from that county, and that, during the armistice, an
attempt should be made to effect some permanent understanding.
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