Edinburgh, the third day of December, 1557 years. God called to witness."

In reading this document we find that the principles, thoughts, and even forms of expression, in our celebrated Declaration of Independence are not so thoroughly original as we have fancied. Scotch Presbyterianism anticipated Jefferson more than two hundred years.

This declaration and bond was signed by the earls of Argyle, Glencairn and Morton, Archibald lord of Lorn, John Erskine of Dern, and a great number of other distinguished men, who thenceforth were called LORDS OF THE CONGREGATION. This step toward organization was known as "THE FIRST COVENANT."

The Romish protest against the covenant took the usual form-martyrdom. The victim was an aged priest named Walter Mill, on whom Beaton the cardinal had in former days sought to lay his bloody hands. Discovered now by a spy, he was brought to St. Andrew's; and though he defended his course with marked ability, he was condemned to the stake. But no one could be found to act as executioner of the old man, and the archbishop was compelled to employ one of his own domestics. From the midst of the flames the aged martyr said,

"As for me, I am fourscore and two years old, and cannot live long by course of nature; but a hundred better shall arise out of the ashes of my bones. I trust in God I shall be the last that shall suffer death in Scotland for this cause.

It was now the turn of the Covenanters to speak, and while the people of St. Andrew's raised a great pile of stones upon the spot hallowed by the death of Mill, the lords of the congregation complained to the queen-regent of the conduct of the bishops, and the preachers blew the gospel trumpet till its sounds reverberated from all the hills over all the plains.

THE APPARITION.

Mary of Guise was now deep in a scheme for the overthrow of the Reformation; and her programme, to the writing of which she was helped by the skill and cunning of all papal Europe, embraced the following items: a league between Scotland, France and Spain; the settling of the Scottish crown upon a child of the papacy, Francis, the dauphin of France and husband of Mary, "Queen of Scots;" the invasion of England; the dethronement of Elizabeth and the transfer of her crown to some popish head. By consummate skill and duplicity, concealing on the one hand and reveal

ing on the other what would further her scheme, she succeeded in inducing the too unwary lords of the congregation to consent to the union of the crowns of Scotland and France.

But an essential part of the plan was full possession of Scotland, and to the completion of this work she now addressed her energies. By proclamation she had forbidden any person to preach or administer the sacraments without authority from her bishops, and a secret treaty existed between her and her clergy, by which they had engaged to raise a large sum of money to enable her to raise and maintain the military forces needed for her purposes. With an army now in hand she entered upon her work. Paul Matthew, John Christison, William Harlow and John Willock were cited to stand trial before the Justiciary Court at Stirling on the 10th of May, 1559, for disregarding her proclamation, teaching heresy and exciting sedition.

To a deputation of Protestants, remonstrating against such violence, she answered:

Maugre their hearts and all that would take part with them, these ministers shall be banished Scotland, though they preached as soundly as ever St. Paul did.”

They reminded her of her pledge, to which she answered:

"It becomes not subjects to burden their princes with their promises farther than they pleased to keep them."

But the time had gone by when Scotchmen could brook, even in princes, a morality so shameless or despotism so insolent; and they replied that if she violated her engagements they should consider themselves absolved from their oath of allegiance.

The Protestant nobility now resolved to stand by their ministers at the approaching trial, and assembled in large numbers at Perth, thence to proceed in a body to Stirling. But as wise as they were resolute, they first sent a deputation to Stirling, declaring that their aims were peaceful, their only purpose being to attend with their preachers, to join with them in a confession of their faith. Upon this the wily woman succeeded in persuading them to remain at Perth, promising them that the trial should not go on. It seemed hard to distrust a pledge so fairly given, and some, confiding in the word of a woman who never kept it when treachery was more convenient, withdrew to their homes.

Smiling in her sleeve at their credulity, she hastened on the preparations for the trial and further adjusted her schemes of oppression. But, just when all was ready, a huge, terrible shadow fell upon the Stirling conclave. Knox had returned from exile-had landed at Leith-had entered Edinburgh-had hurried to Dundee-had gone to Perth, and was now waiting there with those who had remained to attend the trial at Stirling! Elijah had shown himself to Ahab in the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. And Mary, the Jezebel of the hour, exclaimed, "God do so to me, and more also, if I make him not food for the flames!" She proclaimed him an outlaw and a rebel. The trial went on and the ministers were outlawed for non-appearance. Erskine of Dun stole away from Stirling and hastened to Perth with word of the woman's perfidy. Knox was there preaching with marvellous power.

A riot at Perth furnished what little excuse the regent cared for to advance on Perth with fire and sword. The Reformers, however, sent messengers abroad announcing their peril, and such hosts responded-the Earl of Glencairn alone bringing twenty-five hundred men-that Mary was constrained to ply her valuable promises