and Mary Stuart, who were so young, that they would inevitably be ruled by the Queen's uncles of the House of Lorraine.
Shortly before Knox arrived in Scotland in 1555, the Duc de Guise had advised the Regent to "use sweetness and moderation," as better than "extremity and rigour"; advice which she acted on gladly.
Unluckily the war between France and Spain, in 1557, brought English troops into collision with French forces in the Low Countries (Philip II.
being king of England); this led to complications between Scotland, as ally of France, and the English on the Borders.

Border raids began; d'Oysel fortified Eyemouth, as a counterpoise to Berwick, war was declared in November, and the discontented Scots, such as Chatelherault, Huntly, Cassilis, and Argyll, mutinied and refused to cross Tweed.

{74} Thus arose a breach between the Regent and some of her nobles, who at last, in 1559, rebelled against her on the ground of religion.

While the weak war languished on, in 1557-58, "the Evangel of Jesus Christ began wondrously to flourish," says Knox.

Other evangelists of his pattern, Harlaw, Douglas, Willock, and a baker, Methuen (later a victim of the intolerably cruel "discipline" of the Kirk Triumphant), preached at Dundee, and Methuen started a reformed Kirk (though not without being declared rebels at the horn).