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1547.] some account, and by the immediate surrender of territory, which must, at all events, have soon been parted with, might have induced Henry to leave Scotland to itself. It is possible that the country would not have listened to prudence in a point which touched its pride; it is possible that, if such an overture had been made, it would not have been accepted. It can only be said with safety, that when Somerset took possession of the Protectorate, the state of things was generally dangerous; that, if he left his relations with the European powers to accident, and trusted merely to force to accomplish the Scottish marriage, he would find himself before long at war certainly with France, and possibly with France, Scotland, and the Empire united; and it may be affirmed with equal certainty that with these outstanding difficulties, the opportunity was not the best for a religious revolution at home.

In Scotland itself the position of things was as follows:—

The Castle of St Andrews continued to be held by the party who had put to death Cardinal Beton. The Parliament at Edinburgh divided among themselves, and paralyzed by the loss of the one man of pre-eminent ability that they possessed, could neither resolutely condemn his murder nor resolutely approve it. The deed was done in May 1546. It was not till the last of July that the perpetrators were called on formally to surrender the castle. When they refused, 300l. a month was voted to enable the Regent to besiege it, and Leslie, Kircaldy, and the other conspirators were attainted.