Though the pact, with its treason to the people, was secret, its purport was guessed by all.

Whereas the accession of Francis II momentarily bound Scotland closer to France, his death in the following year again cut her loose, and allowed her to go her own way.
All the while the Reformed party had been slowly growing in strength.
Somerset took care to send plenty of English Bibles across the Cheviot Hill, rightly seeing in them the best emissaries of the English interest.

The Scotch were drawn towards England by the mildness of her government as much as they were alienated from France by the ferocity of hers.

In Scotland the English party, when it had the chance, made no Catholic martyrs, but the French party continued to put heretics to death.

The execution of the aged Walter Milne, [Sidenote: 1558] the last of the victims of the Catholic persecution, excited especial resentment.
Knox now returned to his own country for a short visit.