Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 13.djvu/310

 allured the earl marischal and Henry Drummond to listen to Knox in Edinburgh, where he ‘continued in doctrine ten days.’ They were so ‘well contented’ with his preaching that they advised Knox to write the queen-dowager a letter that ‘might move her to hear the word of God’ (, Works, i. 252). The letter (printed by Knox in the same year, and in 1558 at Geneva with additions) was delivered into the hands of the queen-dowager by Glencairn, but after reading it she turned to James Beaton, bishop of Glasgow, and in a mocking tone said: ‘Please you, my lord, to read a pasquil.’ The name of Glencairn is the first of the four signatures attached to the letter of 14 March 1556–7 inviting Knox to return from Geneva (ib. 267–8), and appears second (after Argyll) on the first bond of the Scottish reformers subscribed on 3 Dec. following (ib. i. 274). When in the beginning of 1559 the queen-regent issued a summons against the reformed preachers, Glencairn and his relative Sir James Loudoun, sheriff of Ayr, were sent to remonstrate with her, and finding their protests met with angry reproaches they boldly discharged their duty, plainly forewarning her of the ‘inconveniences that were to follow’ (ib. i. 316). Somewhat taken aback by their resolute attitude, she at last stated that she would take the matter into consideration, but after the destruction of the monasteries by the ‘rascal multitude’ at Perth on 11 May she advanced against the city. On learning by letter of her determination, the reformers in Cunningham and Kyle assembled in the church of Craigie, where the doubts of many about the propriety of taking action were dissipated by the resolution of Glencairn, who expressed his determination, although no one should accompany him, to go to the assistance of the city if it were but with a pick upon his shoulder; ‘for,’ he said, ‘I had rather die with that company than live after them’ (, i. 452). These bold words produced such an effect that Glencairn soon found himself in command of 2,500 men, with whom he arrived in the camp of the ‘congregation’ in time to prevent the queen-regent from carrying out her purpose. Through the interposition of Argyll and Lord James Stuart, who had joined the forces of the regent, in order, as they affirmed, to moderate her counsels, hostilities were for the time averted, both armies agreeing to disperse. Before departing Glencairn, with Argyll, Lord James Stuart, and others, on the last day of May subscribed a bond, in which they obliged themselves to ‘spare neither labour, goods, substances, bodies, or lives in maintenance of the liberty of the whole congregation’ (, Works, i. 345). After the reply (2 July 1559) of the queen-regent to the letter of the lords of the congregation, in which she asked to speak to some one of greater authority, Glencairn with other lords was sent to negotiate with her at Dunbar, but the end of the conference was that she desired to have a private consultation with Argyll and Lord James Stuart, which the council after deliberation deemed inexpedient. Glencairn signed the letter sent to Elizabeth on 19 July asking for assistance (State Papers, Scottish Series, i. 113). In the subsequent fruitless negotiations with the queen-regent Glencairn took a prominent part, and he signed the letter addressed to her by the protestant lords, 23 Oct. 1559, after they had suspended her from the regency (, Works, i. 451). Glencairn was one of those who signed at Glasgow, 10 Feb. 1559–60, the instructions given to the Scottish commissioner sent to meet the commissioners of Elizabeth at Berwick, and on 10 May 1560 he signed at Leith along with other lords the ratification of the contract made at Berwick (ib. ii. 56). Previous to doing so he had, as one of the principal officers of the army of the congregation, joined his forces at Preston with those of the English army which entered Scotland on 2 April (ib. ii. 58). On 27 April he subscribed the bond of the lords and barons for defending the liberty of the Evangel and expelling the French from Scotland (ib. ii. 63). Shortly before the death of the queen-regent on 10 June, Glencairn with other protestant lords had an interview with her at which she expressed her desire for peace, and advised that both the French and English forces should be sent out of the kingdom (ib. ii. 70). After the parliament of August 1560 the Earls of Glencairn and Morton and Maitland of Lethington were sent ambassadors to England to claim the assistance of Elizabeth against the French invasion, and to propose a marriage between her and the Earl of Arran. Accompanied with fifty-four horsemen they set out from Edinburgh on 11 or 12 Oct., and they entered Edinburgh on their return on 3 Jan. at ‘fyve houris at even’ (Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 63), having obtained from Elizabeth a favourable reply so far as the promise of assistance was concerned, although the offer of marriage with the Earl of Arran was in flattering terms declined. On 27 Jan. following his return Glencairn subscribed the Book of Discipline in the Tolbooth (, History, ii. 50; Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 63). In the ensuing June Glencairn, with the Earls of Arran and Argyll, was charged with the congenial commission of carrying out the edicts of the lords for the destruction