When the mischief had been done and could not be repaired, the conscience of the sinner had begun to torture him.

He had, like his prototype, blamed himself and bemoaned himself.

He had, like his prototype, flung down his wealth at the feet of those whose instrument he had been.

The best thing that he could now do was to make the parallel complete by hanging himself.

[423] James seems to have thought that the strongest proof of kindness which he could give to heretics who had resigned wealth, country, family, for his sake, was to suffer them to be beset, on their dying beds, by his priests.