Editing Lords of the Congregation (section)

== Historical events ==
In December 1557 a group of Scottish lords opposed the [[Wedding of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Francis, Dauphin of France|marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots]] to the [[Francis II of France|Dauphin of France]] (who became King Francis II of France from 1559 to 1560). The group signed the '[[Covenanter#Beginnings|First Band]]' or Covenant to work to make Scotland Protestant.<ref>Tom Steel, ''Scotland's Story'' (HarperCollins 1984), p. 79.</ref> The initial members were the [[Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll|Earl of Argyll]], his brother [[Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll|Colin Campbell]], the [[Alexander Cunningham, 5th Earl of Glencairn|Earl of Glencairn]], the [[James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton|Earl of Morton]], and [[John Erskine of Dun]], though others, such as [[William Douglas of Whittinghame]] quickly followed.

Following religious riots in [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]], the Lords gained support and provided military help to [[John Knox]] in opposing the troops of [[Mary of Guise]], who was the [[Regent of Scotland]]. They wrote letters to the French commanders, [[Henri Cleutin]], and to Mary of Guise outlining their case on 22 May. The letter for Mary of Guise was placed on the cushion of her seat in the Chapel Royal of [[Stirling Castle]]. She found it and tucked it discretely into the pocket of her gown.<ref>[[David Laing (antiquary)|David Laing]], ''Works of John Knox: History of the Reformation'', vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1846), pp. 228–229.</ref>

In June, at [[Cupar Muir]], in [[Fife, Scotland|Fife]], the Lords fielded enough military strength to face off a French and Scottish army jointly led by the [[James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran|Duke of Châtelherault]] (who as Regent had supported the French match) and by Henri Cleutin the French king's lieutenant.<ref>Pamela Ritchie, ''Mary of Guise in Scotland, 1548–1560: A Political Career'' (East Linton, Tuckwell Press, 2002): Eric Durot, « Le Crépuscule de l'''Auld Alliance''. La légitimité du pouvoir en question entre France, Angleterre et Écosse (1558–1561) », ''Histoire, Économie & Société'', 2007, pp. 3–46: [[Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie]], ''History of Scotland'' (Edinburgh, 1814), pp. 536–545.</ref> By July 1559 the Lords of the Congregation had taken Edinburgh. As [[Edinburgh Castle]] held out against them, the Lords withdrew under the terms of the truce of the [[Articles of Leith]] (25 July 1559).

In September, Châtelherault, now joined by his son, the [[James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran|Earl of Arran]], changed sides and became leader of the Congregation Lords. On 21 October 1559, the Lords issued a proclamation that Guise was no longer regent and should issue no more coins.<ref>[[Joseph Stevenson]], ''Calendar State Papers Foreign Elizabeth, 1559–1560'' (London, 1865), pp. 46–47 no. 111.</ref>

Mary of Guise, who had earlier offered a degree of religious tolerance, maintained that their motives were [[Secularity|secular]] in part. Queen Mary and King Francis wrote to her in November 1559, declaring that the lords were acting maliciously under the name and cloak of religion.<ref>
Michaud & Poujalat (ed.), {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fdoTAAAAYAAJ  |title=''Nouvelle Collection pour servir a l'histoire de France''|last1=Michaud|first1=Joseph Fr|year=1839}}, vol. 6 (1839), 451–453, Blois, November 1559.
</ref> French re-inforcements pushed the Lords and their Protestant army back to Stirling and Fife.

By the [[Treaty of Berwick (1560)|Treaty of Berwick]] in February 1560 the Lords brought in an English army to resist the French troops. The armed conflict now centred on the [[Siege of Leith]]. After the death of the Queen Regent in June and the conclusion of hostilities at Leith by the [[Treaty of Edinburgh]] in July, the Scottish Reformation took effect in the [[Scottish Reformation Parliament|Parliament of Scotland]] in August 1560.<ref>''Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland'', vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1814), pp. 525–535.</ref>

=== Personnel ===

[[William Kirkcaldy of Grange]] and [[John Knox]] gave a list of members of the Congregation who expelled the troops of Mary of Guise from [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]] in June 1559 and moved on Edinburgh, including:

* [[Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll]]
* [[James_Stewart,_1st_Earl_of_Moray|James Stewart]], [[Prior of St Andrews]], later to become [[Regent Moray]]
* [[Andrew Leslie, 5th Earl of Rothes]]
* [[John_Graham,_4th_Earl_of_Menteith|John Graham]], 4th [[Earl of Menteith]]
* [[Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven]]
* [[James Ogilvy, 5th Lord Ogilvy of Airlie]]
* David, 2nd [[Earl of Perth|Lord Drummond]]
* [[Patrick Lindsay, 6th Lord Lindsay|Patrick Lindsay, Master of Lindsay]]
* [[William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton|William Douglas]], Laird of [[Lochleven Castle|Lochleven]]
* [[John Wishart of Pitarrow|John Wishart, Laird of Pitarro]]
* [[William Murray (died 1562)|William Murray]], Laird of [[Tullibardine Castle|Tullibardine]]
* Colin Campbell, Laird of [[Glen Orchy|Glenorchy]].

These were joined in Edinburgh in July 1559 by: [[Alexander Cunningham, 5th Earl of Glencairn|Alexander Cunningham, Earl of Glencairn]]; the Earl of Morton; [[John Erskine, 6th Lord Erskine|Lord Erskine]]; [[Robert Boyd, 4th Lord Boyd|Robert, Lord Boyd]]; [[Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Ochiltree|Lord Ochiltree]]; Hugh Campbell, Sheriff of Ayr; and the Laird of Calder. 

Knox and Kirkcaldy gave the names of another six lords who had not yet declared their alliance in July 1559; William Keith, 4th [[Earl Marischal]]; the Earl of Athol; Lord Forbes; and [[James Douglas, 7th Baron Drumlanrig|James Douglas, Laird of Drumlanrig]]; the [[John Gordon of Lochinvar|Laird of Lochinvar]]; and the Laird of Garlies.<ref>Joseph Bain, ''Calendar of State Papers Scotland'', vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1898), pp. 219–220.</ref>

A list of the council for policy of the Lords of October 1559 includes; the former Regent Arran; his son the 3rd Earl of Arran; the Earl of Argyll; the Prior of St Andrews; the Earl of Glencairn; Lord Ruthven; Robert, 4th Lord Boyd; Lord Maxwell; Erskine of Dun; Wishart of Pitarrow; [[Henry Balnaves|Henry Balnaves of Halhill]]; Kirkcaldy of Grange; and James Halyburton [[List of Lords Provost of Dundee|Provost of Dundee]].

The congregation received guidance in religious matters from:

* [[Alexander Gordon (d. 1575)|Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway]]
* John Knox
* Master [[Christopher Goodman]] of England
* [[John Willock]].<ref>Clifford, Arthur ed., ''Sadler State Papers'', vol. 1 (Constable: Edinburgh, 1809), p. 210, Randall to [[Ralph Sadler]] and [[James Croft]], 22 October 1559</ref>