275 



teen years old, and in the power of others ; and instead of retaining 

 any resentment against the family, he had shewn his disapprobation 

 of the execution of their father, and restored his title. He intended 

 also to promote the young earl, and had actually appointed his 

 brother and sister to honourable posts in his household. An attempt 

 on the person of James was not an uncommon event; and being 

 made by the father of the present earl, who was a principal leader 

 of the reformers, to oblige him to dismiss two ministers and favour- 

 ites, who were odious to the people, and especially to the protestants, 

 it was not considered in a very serious light. For this reason, I con- 

 ceive, the ministers, and Bruce in particular, who had been tutor to 

 Earl Gowry, refused to read from their pulpits the king's narrative, 

 by which the affair was represented in a very heinous point of view, 

 and which was encumbered with many strange and unaccountable 

 circumstances. On this point Bruce was immoveable ; and rather 

 than comply, suffered persecution for the remainder of the king's 

 life. He was, immediately on his refusal, ordered to enter into 

 ward in the tower of Airth, where, I suppose, he could be supplied 

 with necessaries from his own house, till the 8th of October, and 

 then to leave the country, and not return without license. Tiiere 

 he was allowed to remain till the 11th of November, but on the 

 3d he embarked at Queen's Ferry, and arrived at Dieppe on the 8th. 



In the following year, he was invited by his relative, Edward 

 Bruce, Lord of Kinloss, embassador to England, to come to London 

 and comply with the king's desire. There, after converse with the 

 heads of the English puritans, he consented to act as they had done 

 in the case of Essex, to publish the account of the Gowry confede- 

 racy on the faith of Parliament, which had condemned Gowry and 

 his brother, but not on his own persuasion. The embassador was 

 not content with this ; however, he was brought to Berwick^ till the 



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