The flame of reformation, long stifled in Scotland, now burst forth, with the violence of a volcanic eruption.  The siege of Leith was commenced, by the combined forces of the Congregation and of England.  The borderers cared little about speculative points of religion; but they shewed themselves much interested in the treasures which passed through their country, for payment of the English forces at Edinburgh.  Much alarm was excited, lest the marchers should intercept these weighty protestant arguments; and it was, probably, by voluntarily imparting a share in them to Lord Home, that he became a sudden convert to the new faith[20].

[Footnote 20:  This nobleman had, shortly before, threatened to spoil the English east march; “but,” says the Duke of Norfolk, “we have provided such sauce for him, that I think he will not deal in such matter; but, if he do fire but one hay-goff, he shall not go to Home again without torch-light, and, peradventure, may find a lanthorn at his own house.”]

Upon the arrival of the ill-fated Mary in her native country, she found the borders in a state of great disorder.  The exertions of her natural brother (afterwards the famous regent, Murray) were necessary to restore some degree of tranquillity.  He marched to Jedburgh, executed twenty or thirty of the transgressors, burned many houses, and brought a number of prisoners to Edinburgh.  The chieftains of the principal clans were also obliged to grant pledges for their future obedience.  A noted convention (for the particulars of which, see Border Laws, p. 84.) adopted various regulations, which were attended with great advantage to the marches[21].

[Footnote 21:  The commissioners on the English side were, the elder Lord Scroope of Bolton, Sir John Foster, Sir Thomas Gargrave, and Dr. Rookby.  On the Scottish side appeared, Sir John Maxwell of Terreagles, and Sir John Ballenden.]

The unhappy match, betwixt Henry Darnley and his sovereign, led to new dissentions on the border.  The Homes, Kerrs, and other east marchers, hastened to support the queen, against Murray, Chatelherault, and other nobles, whom her marriage had offended.  For the same purpose the Johnstones, Jardines, and clans of Annandale entered into bonds of confederacy.  But Liddesdale was under the influence of England; in so much, that Randolph, the English minister, proposed to hire a band of strapping Elliots, to find Home business at home, in looking after his corn and cattle.—­Keith, p. 265. App. 133.

This storm was hardly overblown, when Bothwell received the commission of lieutenant upon the borders; but, as void of parts as of principle, he could not even recover to the queen’s allegiance his own domains in Liddesdale.—­Keith, App. 165.  The queen herself advanced to the borders, to remedy this evil, and to hold courts at Jedburgh.  Bothwell was already in Liddesdale, where he had been severely wounded, in an attempt to seize John Elliot, of the