Page:Life of John Knox (4).pdf/17

17 was the signal of tumult, and ere two days had elapsed, all the churches and contents about Perth were destroyed Such was the anger of the Queen on receiving this intelligence, that she avowed to reduce Perth to ashes, and ordered M. D'Ossal, the commander of a corps of French auxiliaries, at that time in the service of Scotland, instantly to march, and carry her threats into execution. Both parties, however, were desirous of accommodation, and a treaty was concluded, in which it was stipulated that the two armies should be disbanded, the gates of Perth set open to the queen, but that none of her French soldiers should, approach within three miles of that city, and that a Parliament should be immediately field to settle the remaining differences.

No sochier were the Protestant forces disbanded, than the Queen violated every article of the treaty, In consequence of which the earl of Argyle, and the prior of St Andrew's, who had been her commissioners for settling the peace, with some other gentlemen, openly left her. Having warned the confederates of her intention to destroy St Andrew's and Cupar, a considérable army was soon assembled, which assaulted Crail, broke down the altars and images, and proceeded thence to St Andrew's, where they levelled the Franciscan and Dominican monasteries to the ground. The Queen immediately gave orders to occupy Cupar, with the intention of attacking them at St Andrew's, but in this she was anticipated, an army equal to her own having occupied the place two days before. Finding herself too weak to encounter them in the field, she had again recourse to negotiation; but mindfut of her former duplicity, the Protestants would only agree to a truce for eight days, by which the Duke of Ch he ault and D'O