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To
gain time for thought and consultation, Henderson acceded to that

The
unhappy Dr Hamilton, from Clydesdale, rose to announce that the
following was signed by their lordships the Archbishops of St
Andrews and Glasgow, and the Bishops of Edinburgh, Galloway, Ross
and Brechin. Then, in something of a gabble, he launched into a
lengthy written disquisition on the sanctity and scriptural
authority of the order of bishops, with readings from the Epistles.
It was clear, he said, that the King, as head of Christ's Church in
these realms, alone had power over bishops, and that no Assembly,
court or tribunal whatsoever, might question the royai appointments
or the acts of the said bishops. The great gathering sat restive,
hostile, but giving the very self-conscious reader
a
hearing.

All
the while a succession of individuals came up to the Moderator's
chair, for whispered consultation, Rothes amongst them. When he came
back to his seat, he shrugged.

'Aye,
then - the die is cast!' he informed. 'For better or for worse.'

'There
is only one decision Henderson can make,' Montrose agreed
gravely. 'I take it that he has made it?'

'God
grant that it is the right one,' Napier murmured. 'Since it is like
to cost us all dear!'

On
the Moderator's formal enquiry, the deafening rejection of the
declinature by the Assembly made counting votes superfluous.

Henderson
turned to the High Commissioner. 'Sir,
this
court
of the Church is of a sure mind. It rejects the bishops' statement,
and I believe must go on to reject the bishops themselves.
Furthermore, as Moderator, I declare that you have no power to keep
this Assembly from discussing what it has the right to discuss and
vote upon, by ample and due precedent, as quoted. You cannot
lawfully dissolve it, on such grounds.'

'I
can. And will. If it seeks to try the King's bishops. Does it?'

'I
cannot advise that it may not. If so it desires.'

'So
be it, then. You have brought it on your own rebellious heads.'
Hamilton rose to his feet. 'In the name of His Majesty the King, I
declare this Assembly finally and entirely dissolved. You will all
disperse forthwith. The royal authority is withdrawn.' He bowed
stiffly to the Privy Councillors, and turning, in deadly silence
stalked to the vestry door, and out.

Glancing
at each other in considerable dismay and confusion, the
remaining Privy Councillors and great officers of
State
rose
and went streaming after the Marquis.

'All
will stand, while His Grace's Privy Councillors retire,' Henderson
said, sternly.

The
firm voice, measured, authoritative, pulled the shocked gathering
together. Men drew deep breaths, and obeyed.

With
the Lord Lyon King of Arms last to leave, this time minus any
trumpet fanfares, Henderson spoke again. 'Be seated. Mr Clerk - to
the next business, if you please.'

The
general gasp of sheer excitement and admiration was tribute to this
calm assumption that all was in order, and the situation unchanged.
But not all was admiration. Dr Hamilton rose.

'Sir
- Mr Moderator! This is impossible!' he cried. 'This Assembly has
been dissolved. It cannot go on.'

'I
rule that it can, sir. It is a duly authorised Assembly. Because His
Grace's Commissioner has seen fit to withdraw, it by no means
invalidates our authority. There are some hundreds of the
Kirk's
commissioners
still present. You may put it to the vote, if you will.'

And
so the Church of Scotland took the law into its own hands, abolished
the office of bishop, and deposed collectively and individually, all
who held such office. It was done formally and methodically.
The holders of all bishoprics were named, declared to have accepted
and exercised an office which the Kirk had officially condemned, and
were therefore expelled and banned from in future holding any other
ministerial office. Moreover, the present bishops' moral lapses were
notorious, and were listed. Archbishop Spottiswoode, for instance,
was accused of carding and dicing on the Sabbath, and tippling in
taverns; the Bishop of Aberdeen of simony, the selling of
benefices; the Bishop of Brechin of drunkenness, and offences
against a woman and child; the Bishop of Moray of having people
dancing naked in his house, and himself 'dancing prettily in his
shirt'. Others variously stood accused of flagrant offences such as
adultery and incest. All were deposed - and not only deposed, but
excommunicated, save for the Bishop of Dunkeld who had given his
Presbytery signs of repentance. Finally it was decreed that no
minister of the Kirk could in future act on the Privy Council,
attend parliament, or serve as judge or justice, the Church being a
society independent of the State. This, of course, meant the
abolition of the Church's

Estate
of Parliament, a constitutional change of enormous significance.

So
it was done. Never had there been such an Assembly. It was to go on
for many days yet, passing numerous acts for the better government
of die Kirk, the rectification of wrong, and the spiritual welfare
of the people. But its main work was done. It would go down as the
Assembly that defied the King and abolished his bishops.

It
ended on its twenty-seventh session, no less, and on an unexpected
note. At the very last, after the Moderator's valedictory and
inspiring sermon, with only the formal prayer and parting
benediction to come, who should rise from his spectator's seat,
where he had sat attentively and silent throughout, but Archibald,
Earl of Argyll. He spoke, at last, modestly, almost humbly,
declaring that some might criticise him for his long delay in openly
joining the supporters of the Covenant; which, however, was not
for want of affection for so good and noble a cause, but perchance
he was able to serve it better outside of it, and in the Privy
Council. But when all efforts had failed with the King, his
Commissioner and the said Council, he could stay no longer on the
outside, but must now join with them all in the true cause of Kirk
and freedom, or risk indeed being called a false knave. He therefore
now assured the Assembly of his sympathy, his approval of its
actions, and his convictions of its success, He exhorted all there
to go back to their presbyteries and parishes and therein to do
their duty and speak out valiantly for what had been decided. And to
be ready to take more active steps if called upon. He urged that
meantime they respect all due and lawful authority, however,
lest they put themselves in the wrong. And that they pursued, in
especial, peace and unity amongst themselves; for the enemy would
undoubtedly seek to sow dissension and discord. With all his heart,
he sought God's blessing upon them and what they had taken in hand.

It
was a quite extraordinary speech, declared in the soft yet rasping
voice, varying from almost servility to paternalism. And almost
as extraordinary was the applause it produced — for none had
failed to watch the silent, preoccupied, almost shrinking
presence throughout, wondering, remembering that this was by any
standards one of the most powerful figures in the land. This
last-moment statement of adherence to their cause, and homologation
of what at such great risk they had done, undoubtedly came as an
enormous relief and encouragement to many. By those few strange
words, Archibald Campbell suddenly turned himself into a hero of the
Assembly, almost on a par with Alexander Henderson himself.

'And
there you have it!' Rothes commented grimly. 'Hear how they cheer
the man ! The reward for biding his time. There's a chiel who kens
when to jump, and how !'

'Tom
Hope was right,' Napier agreed. 'That man will lead Scotland yet, if
he may.'

'Lead?
I think you misuse the word, Archie,' Montrose said levelly, his
fine features strangely drawn,
'Use,
perhaps.
Exploit. Manipulate. But to lead, it is necessary that a man be in
the forefront, is it not? Here is no leader.'

'Perhaps
I should have said master...'

Henderson
was speaking. 'We rejoice that the Earl of Argyll thus joins,
heartens and advises us,' he said. 'It is fitting climax to a great
work. We have, in this Assembly, set God's house in order in this
land. We have done our simple duty, spared none, nor ourselves. We
have cast down the walls of Jericho; let him that rebuildeth them
beware of the curse of Hiel the Bethelite. Now, my brethren and
friends - go in peace. And may the blessing of God Almighty, the
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, go with you all. Amen.'

II

It
all added up to a declaration of war, of course —
however
many in Scotland, including James Graham, refused to see it that
way. Hamilton went back to his master in a fury, declaring that of
the Covenant leadership none was more vainly foolish than Montrose,
but that Argyll would likely prove the most dangerous man in the
state, and advising the strongest measures against rebels and
traitors. The assembling of forces at Newcastle, which had been
rather hanging fire and more of a token threat than a reality, began
to take on serious proportions when the Catholic Earl of Arundel,
son of Norfolk, was appointed commanding general, the Earl of Essex
lieutenant-general, and the Earl of Holland, general-of-horse, the
main muster being transferred to York.

In
the circumstances, while protesting their loyalty to the Crown, the
Tables had either to make military preparations of their own, or to
knuckle under. This last was inconceivable, even to Montrose.
They asked the King for a parliament, but this was curtly refused -
Charles adding that no further General Assemblies would be permitted
either until the bishops were reinstated and present. So the Tables,
and Scotland, set about preparing to defend themselves.

Oddly
enough, the Scots, Church-dominated as they were, proved to be
better at the business than was the King — who, of course, was
at odds with much of his English realm, his parliament and the
Puritans. At least they went about it in prompt and businesslike
fashion. And they had one great advantage, apart from enthusiasm for
freedom and burning convictions that they were right — they
could call upon a great pool of experienced professional soldiers.
For generations it had been the custom for Scots younger sons
to sell their itching swords abroad as mercenaries, for they were a
warlike as well as a religious people — the two seem often to
go together - and found internal feuding insufficiently rewarding as
a steady profession. The Continental wars had long been a source of
employment for the Scots, and many of the European monarchs would
have been hard put to it to officer their armies without them. The
campaigns of the great Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, in especial, had
been a notable forcing-ground for military talent. So now the Scots
mercenaries were called home from all over Christendom -and not
asked to come for nothing either. The Covenanters had been amassing
funds for months, with a voluntary levy on all land-holders and a
nationwide appeal at parish level. Money flooded in, and the
militarists flooded home.

The
greatest catch in this respect was, of course, Sandy Leslie, a
clansman of Rothes and younger son of Leslie of Balgonie,
ackonwledged to be one of the greatest soldiers of the age,
outmatching Wallenstein himself, and now field-marshal of the forces
of Gustavus. He was tempted to come home as commander-in-chief of
the armies of the Covenant.