short discourse of the four Empires The Babylonian The Persian That of the Greekes And the fourth of the Romanes in the destruction whereof rose up that last Beast which he affirmed to be the Romane Church for to none other power that ever hath yet beene do all the notes that God hath shewed to the Prophet appertain except to it alone And unto it they do so properly appertaine that such as are not more then blinde may cleerly see them But before he began to open the corruptions of Papistrie he defined the true Church shewed the true notes of it whereupon it was built why it was the Pillar of Verity and why it could not erre to wit Because it heard the voyce of the onely Pastor JESUS CHRIST would not heare a stranger neither would be carried with every winde of Doctrine Every one of these heads sufficiently declared he entred to the contrary and upon the notes given in his Text he shewed that the Spirit of God in the new Testament gave to this King other new names to wit The man of sin The Antichrist The Whore of Babilon He shewed That this man of sin or Antichrist was not to be restrained to the person of any one man onely no more then by the fourth Beast was to be understood the person of any one Emperour But by such names the Spirit of God would forewarne his chosen of a body and a multitude having a wicked head which should not onely be sinfull himself but also should be occasion of sin to all that should be subject unto him as Christ Jesus is the cause of Justice to all the Members of his Body and is called the Antichrist that is to say One contrary to Christ because that he is contrary to him in Life Doctrine Lawes and Subjects And there began to decipher the lives of divers Popes and the lives of all the Shavelings for the most part Their Doctrine and Lawes he plainly proved to repugne directly to the Doctrine and Lawes of God the Father and of Christ Jesus his Son This he proved by conferring the Doctrine of Justification expressed in the Scriptures which teach that man is justified by Faith onely That the blood of Iesus Christ purgeth us from all our sinnes And the Doctrine of the Papists which attribute Justification to the works of the Law yea to the works of mens inventions as Pilgrimage Pardons and other such baggage That the Papisticall lawes repugned to the Lawes of the Gospel he proved by the Lawes made of observation of dayes abstaining from meats and from Marriage which Christ Jesus made free and the forbidding whereof Saint Paul calleth the doctrine of devils In handling the notes of that Beast given in the Text he willed men to consider if these notes There shall another rise unlike to the other having a mouth speaking great things and blasphemous could be applyed unto any other but to the Pope and his kingdome For if these said he be not great words and blasphemous The Head of the Church most holy most blessed that cannot erre That can make right of wrong and wrong of right That of nothing can make somewhat And that had all verity in the Shrine of his brest yea That had power of all and none power of him Nay not to say That he doth wrong although he draw ten thousand Millions of souls with himself to hell If these said he and many other easie to be showne in his own Cannon-Law be not great and blasphemous words and such as never mortall men spake before let the world judge And yet said he is there one most evident of all to wit Iohn in his Revelation sayes That the Merchandise of that Babylonian Harlot among other things shall be the bodies and souls of men Now let very Papists themselves judge If any before them took upon them power to relax the pains of them that were in Purgatory as they affirme to the people that daily they do by the merits of their Masse and of their other trifles In the end he said If any here and there were present Master Iohn Maire the University the Sub-Prior and many Cannons with some Friers of both the Orders that will say That I have alleadged Scripture Doctor or History otherwise then it is written let them come unto me with sufficient witnesse and by conference I shall let them see not onely the Originall where my Testimonies are written but I shall prove That the Writers meant as I have spoken Of this Sermon which was the first that ever Iohn Knox made in publike was divers brutes Some said He not onely hewes the branches of Papistry but he strikes at the root also to destroy the whole Others said If the Doctors and Magistri nostri defend not now the Pope and his Authority which in their own presence is so manifestly impugned the devill may have my part of him and of his Lawes both Others said Master George Wischarde spake never so plainly and yet he was burnt even so will he be In the end others said The Tyranny of the Cardinall made not his cause the better neither yet the suffering of Gods servant made his cause the worse And therefore we would counsell you and them to provide better defences then fire and sword for it may be that else ye will be disappointed men now have other eyes then they had then This answer gave the Laird of Nydrie a man fervent and upright in Religion The bastard Bishop who yet was not execrated consecrated the Sub-Prior of S. Andrews who Sede vacante was Vicar Generall That he wondered that he suffered such Hereticall and Schismaticall Doctrine to be taught and not to oppose himselfe to the same Upon this rebuke was a convention of gray-Friers and black-Fiends appointed with the said Sub-Prior Deane Iohn Winrame in S. Leonards Yard whereunto was first called Iohn Rough and certain Articles read to him And thereafter was Iohn Knox called for The cause of their convention and why that they were called is expounded And the Articles were read which were these 1. No mortall man can be the head of the Church 2. The Pope is an Antichrist and so is no member of Christs mysticall body 3. Man may neither make nor devise a Religion that is acceptable to God but man is bound to observe and keep the Religion that from God is received without chopping or changing thereof 4. The Sacraments of the New Testament ought to be ministred as they were instituted by Christ Iesus and practised by his Apostles nothing ought to be added unto them nothing ought to be diminished from them 5. The Masse is abominable Idolatry blasphemous to the death of Christ and a prophanation of the Lords Supper 6. There is no Purgatory in the which the soules of men can either be pined or purged after this life But heaven resteth to the faithfull and hell to the reprobate and unfaithfull 7. Praying for the dead
deprehended For the brethren assembled themselves in such sort in companies singing Psalmes and praising God that the proudest of the enemies were astonished This Tragedie of Saint Gyles was so terrible to some Papists that Durie sometimes called for his filthinesse Abbot Stottikin and then intituled Bishop of Galloway left his Riming wherewith he was accustomed and departed this life even as he had lived For the Articles of his beleefe were I referre Decarte you Ha ha the foure Kings and all made The devil go with it It is but a varlet From France we thought to have gotten a Rubie And yet is he nothing but a Cahoobie With such Faith and such Prayers departed out of this life that enemy of God who had vowed and plainly said That in despight of God so long as they that then were Prelates lived should that Word called the Gospel never be Preached within this Realme After him followed that belly-God Master David Panter called Bishop of Rosse even with the like documents except that he departed eating and drinking which together with the rest that thereupon depended was the pastime of his life The most part of the Lords that were in France at the Queens Marriage although that they got their leave from the Court yet they forgot to return to Scotland For whether it was by an Italian Posset or French Feggs or by the Pottage of their Apothecary he was a French-man there departed from this life the Earl of Cassiles the Earl of Rothesse Lord Fleming and the Bishop of Orknay whose end was even according to his life For after that he was driven back by a contratious winde and forced to land again at Deep perceiving his sicknesse to increase he caused to make his bed betwixt his two coffers some said upon them such was his God the gold that therein was inclosed that he could not depart therefrom so long as memory would serve him The Lord Iames then Prior of S. Andrews had by all appearance licked of the same broath that dispatched the rest for thereof to his death his stomacke doth testifie But God preserved for a better purpose This same Lord Iames after Earle of Murray and the said Bishop were commonly at debate in matters of Religion and therefore the said Lord hearing of the Bishops disease came to visit him and finding him not so well at a point as he thought he should have been and as the honour of the countrey required said unto him Fie my Lord how lie you so will you not go to your Chamber and not lie heere in this utter Roome His answer was I am well where I am my Lord so long as I can tarry for I am neer unto my friends meaning his coffers and the gold therein But my Lord said he how long have you and I been in plea for Purgatorie I thinke that I shall know ere it be long whether there be such a place or not While the other did exhort him to call to minde the promises of God and the vertue of Christs death He answered Nay my Lord let me alone for you and I never agreed in our life and I thinke we shall not agree now at my death I pray you therefore let me alone The said Lord Iames departed to his Lodging and the other shortly after departed this life whither the great day of the Lord will declare When the word of the departing of so many Patrons of Papistry and of the manner of their departing came unto the Queene Regent after astonishment and musing she said What shall I say of such men They left me as beasts and as beasts they die God is not with them neither with that which they enterprise While these things were in doing in Scotland and France that perfect hypocrite Master Iohn Synclare then Deane of Lestarrige and now Lord President and Bishop of Brechin began to Preach in his Church of Lestarrige and at the beginning held himselfe so indifferent that many had opinion of him That he was not far from the Kingdom of God But his hypocrisie could not long be cloaked for when he understood that such as feared God began to have a good opinion of him and that the Friers and others of that sect began to whisper That if he took not heed in time to himself and unto his Doctrine he would be the destruction of the whole state of the Church This by him understood he appointed a Sermon in the which he promised to give his judgement upon all such heads as then were in controversie in the matters of Religion The bruit hereof made his audience great at the first But that day he so handled himself that after that no godly man did credit him for he not onely gainsaid the Doctrine of Justification and of Prayer which before he had taught but also he set up and maintained Papistry to the uttermost prick yea Holy-water Pilgrimage Purgatory and Pardons were of such vertue in his conceit That without them he looked not to be saved In this mean time the Clergy made a brag That they would dispute But M. David Panter which then lived and lay at Lestarrige disswaded them therefrom affirming That if ever they disputed but where themselves were both Judge and partie and where that fire and sword should obey their decree that then their cause was marred for ever For their victory stood neither in God nor in his Word but in their own wills and in the things concluded by their own counsells together with sword and fire whereto said he these new up-start fellows will give no place but they will call you to your Count-book and that is to the Bible and by it ye will no more be found the men that ye are called then the Devil will be approved to be God And therefore if ye love your selves enter never into disputation neither yet call ye the matter into question but defend your possession or else all is lost Caiaphas could not give any better counsell to his companions but yet God disappointed both them and him as after we shall heare At this same time some of the Nobility directed their Letters to call Iohn Knox from Geneva for their comfort and for the comfort of their brethren the Preachers and others that then couragiously fought against the enemies of Gods Trueth The Tenour of their Letter is this Grace Mercy and Peace for Salvation DEarly Beloved in the Lord the faithfull that are of your acquaintance in these parts thanks be unto God are stedfast in the beliefe wherein yee left them and have a godly thirst and desire day by day of your presence againe Now if the Spirit of God will so move you and grant time unto you we all heartily desire you in the Name of the Lord That ye would returne again into these parts where you shall finde all the faithfull that ye left behinde you not onely glad to heare your
of Papistry But we all praise to God alone have nothing within our Churches that ever flowed from that man of Sin And this we acknowledge to be the strength given to us of God because we esteemed not our selves wise in our owne eyes but understanding our own wisedome to be but meer foolishnesse before our God laid it aside and followed onely that which we found approved by himselfe In this point could never our enemies cause us to faint for our first Petition was That the Reverend face of the first Primitive and Apostolike Church should be reduced again to the eyes and knowledge of men And in that point we say our God hath strengthned us till that the Work was finished as the world may see And as concerning the suppressing of vice yea and of the abolishing of all such things as might nourish Impiety within the Realm the Acts and Statutes of the principall Towns reformed will yet testifie For what Adulterer what Fornicator what known Masse-monger or pestilent Papist durst have been seen in publike within any Reformed Town within this Realme before that the Queen arrived And this Victory to his Word and terrour to all filthy livers did God work by such as yet live and remaine witnesses whether they will or not of the aforesaid works of God We say our God suffered none of these whom he first called to the Battell to perish or to fall the while that he made them Victors of their enemies For even as God suffered none of those whom he called from Egypt to perish in the Red Sea how fearfull that ever the danger appeared so suffered he none of us to be approved nor yet to be taken from this life till that now the Pharaohs then one was drowned and we set at freedom without all danger of our enemies to let both us and our Posterity understand That such as follow the conducting of God cannot perish albeit they walked in the very shadow of death But from whence alas cometh this miserable dispersion of Gods people within this Realme this day in May 1561 And what is the cause that now the just is compelled to keep silence good men are banished Murtherers and such as are knowne unworthy of common Society if Justice were put in execution bear the whole Regiment and sway within this Realme We answer Because that suddenly the most part of us declined from the purity of Gods Word and began to follow the world and so againe shake hands with the devill and with Idolatry as in the fourth Book we will heare For while that Papists were so confounded that none within the Realme durst more avow the hearing or saying of Masse then the theeves of Tiddisdale durst avow their stouth or stealing in the presence of any upright Judge No ware Protestants found who are not ashamed at Tables and other open places to aske Why may not these men have their Masse and the forme of their Religion What can that hurt us or our Religion And from these two Why and What at last sprang out this Affirmative The Queens Masse and her Priests will we maintain This hand and this Rapier shall fight in their defence c. The Inconveniences were shown both by Tongue and Pen but the advertisers were judged to be men of unequall Spirits Their Credit was defaced at the hands of such as before were not ashamed to have used their Counsell in matters of greater importance to have refused the Masse But then my Lord my Master may not be thus used he hath that Honour to be the Queens Brother And therefore we will that all men shall understand That he must tender her as his Sister And whosoever will counsell him to displease her or the least that pertains unto her shall not finde him their friend yea they are worthy to be hanged that would so counsell him c. These and the like reasons took such deep root in flesh and blood and was as yet alas they are preferred to God and to his Messengers rebuking vice and vanity that from thence hath all our misery proceeded For as before so even yet although the Ministers be set to beg the Guard and the men of Warre must be served Though the blood of the Ministers must be spilt yet it is the Queens Servants that did it Although Masse be multiplied in all Quarters of the Realme Who can stop the Queens Subjects to live of the Queens Religion Although Innocent men be Imprisoned it is the Queens pleasure So she is offended at such men although under pretence of Justice Innocents be murthered The Lords shall weep but the Queenes minde must be satisfied Nobles of the Realme Barons and Councellors are banished their Escheats disposed of and their lives most unjustly pursued The Queen hath lost her trusty Servant David he was deare unto her and therefore for her Honour sake she must show rigour to revenge his death And yet farther albeit that some knew that she hath plainly purposed to wrack and undo the Religion within this Realme That to that Romane Antichrist she hath made her promise And that from him she hath taken money to uphold his pomp within this Realme yet will they let the people understand That the Queen will establish Religion and provide all things orderly if she were once delivered If such dealing which is too common amongst Protestants be not to prefer flesh and blood to God to his Truth to Religion and to the oppressed Liberty of the Realme let the world judge The plagues have been and in some places are present that were before threatned the rest approaches And yet who from the heart cryeth I haue offended Now thou Lord knowes in thee onely is the trust of the opprâ—ssed for vain is the help of man But now to returne we to our History The 19 day of August 1561. betwixt seven and eight hours before noon arrived Mary Queen of Scotland then widow with two Gallies out of France In her company besides her Gentlewomen called the Maries were her Uncles the Duke Aumale the grand Prior the Marquesse d'Albuff There accompanied her also d'Anville son to the Constable of France with other Gentlemen of inferiour Condition besides servants and Officers The very face of the Heaven at the time of her Arrivall did manifestly speak what comfort was brought into this Countrey with her to wit Sorrow Dolour Darknesse and all Impiety For in the memory of man that day of the yeer was never seen a more dolorous face of the Heaven then was at her Arrivall which two dayes after did so continue For besides the Surface Wet and Corruption of the Ayre the Mist was so thick and dark that scarce might any man espie another the length of two payre of Butts the Sun was not seen to shine two dayes before nor two dayes after That forewarning gave God unto us but alas the most part were blinde At the sound of
all things love and reverence When further I consider the troublesome state of Christs true Religion this day oppressed by blindnesse of men and lastly The great multitude of flatterers and the rare number of them that boldly and plainly dare speak the naked verity in presence of their Princesse and principally in the cause of Christ Iesus These things I say considered whatsoever any man shall judge of my enterprise I am compelled to say That Unlesse in your Regiment and in using of Power your Majesty be found different from the multitude of Princes and head Rulers That this pre-eminence wherein ye are placed shall be your dejection to torment and pain everlasting This proposition is sore but alas it is so true That if I should conceal and hide it from your Majesty I committed no lesse treason against your Majestie then if I did see you by imprudency take a Cup which I knew to be poysoned or invenomed and yet would not admonish you to abstain from drinking of the same The Religion which this day men defend by fire and sword is a Cup invenomed of which whosoever drinketh except that by true repentance he after drink of the water of life drinketh therewith damnation and death How and by whom it hath been invenomed if it were no more tedious to your Majestie to read or hear then it is painfull to me to write or rehearse I would not spare the labour But for this present I have thought it some discharge of one part of my duty if I of very love admonish your Majesty of the danger which I do as God one day shall declare preferring your Majesties salvation and the salvation of the People now committed to your charge before any corporall benefit that can redound to my self Addition AS Satan by craft hath corrupted the most holy Ordinances of Gods precepts I mean of the first Table in the place of the spirituall honouring of God introducing mens dreams inventions and fantasies So hath he abusing the weaknesse of man corrupted the precepts of the second Table Touching the honour which is due to Parents under whom are comprehended Princes and Teachers For now the devill hath so blinded the senses of many that they cannot or at least will not learn what appertaineth to God and what to Caesar. But because the spirit of God hath said Honour the King therefore whatsoever they command be it right or wrong must be obeyed But heavy shall the judgement be which shall apprehend such blasphemers of Gods Majesty who dare be so bold as to affirm That God hath commanded any creature to be obeyed against himself Against God it is That for the commandment of any Prince be he never so potent men shall commit Idolatry embrace a Religion which God hath not approved by his Word or confirm by their silence wicked and blasphemous Laws made against the honour of his Majestie Men I say that so do give no true obedience but as they are Apostates from God so are they Traytors to their Princes whom by flattery they confirm in rebelling against God onely they which to the death resist such wicked laws and decrees are acceptable to God and faithfull to their Princes As were the three children in the presence of Nabuchadnezzar and Daniel in the dayes of Darius the Persian Emperour whose constant and free confession as it glorified God so did it notifie as well to those tyrants as to all ages following the great blasphemy which in their rage and fury they committed against God from the which by all appearance neither of both so suddenly should have been called if the three children had bowed among the rest and Daniel had not declared the confession of his faith Which was with Windows open to pray towards Ierusalem manifestly thereby declaring That he did not consent to the blasphemous law and decree which was established by the King and his Counsell Experience hath taught us what surmises and blasphemies the adversaries of Christ Jesus of his eternall verity do invent and devise against such as begin to detect their impiety They are accused to be Authors of sedition raisers of tumults violators of common orders c. I answer with the Prophet Esay That all is not reputed before God sedition and conjuration which the foolish multitude so esteemeth neither yet is every tumult and breach of publike order contrary to Gods commandment for Christ Jesus himself coming to take the spoil from the strong armed who before did keepe his house in quietnesse is not come to send Peace but a Sword and to make a man disassent from his Father c. His Prophets before him and Apostles after him feared not to break publike Orders established against God and in so doing to move as it were the one half of peoples nations and cities against the other and yet I trust that none except the hired servant of Sathan will accuse Christ of sedition nor the Apostles of the troubling of Common wealths True it is that the most wholesome Medicine most troubleth for a time the body replenished with wicked and corrupted humours but the cause hereof is known to be not in the Medicine but in the Bodie subject to Maladie even so the true Word of God when it entreth to fight where Sathan hath born dominion as he still doth in the whole Papistrie cannot but appear to be occasion of great trouble But Madame more profitable it is that the pestilent humours be expelled with pain then that they be nourished to the distruction of the body The Papisticall Religion is a mortall pestilence which shall assuredly bring to death eternall the bodies and souls from the which it is not purged in this life and therefore take heed betimes God calleth upon you beware that ye shut not up your ears Judge not the matter after the vilenesse of my body whom God hath appointed Ambassadour and Messenger unto you but with reverence and fear consider him whose Message I bear I come to you in the name of the Eternall God and of Christ Jesus his Son to whom the Father hath committed all power whom he hath established Soveraign Judge over all flesh before whose Throne you must make accompt with what reverence you hear such as he sendeth It shall not excuse you to say or think That you doubt whether I be sent of God or no I crie unto you That the Religion which the Princes and blinded Papists maintain with fire and sword is not the Religion of Christ That your proud Prelates are none of Christs Bishops I admonish you That Christs Flock is oppressed by them and therefore I require and that yet again in the name of the Lord Jesus That with indifferency I may be heard to preach to reason and to dispute in that Cause which if you deny you declare your self to bear no reverence to Christ nor love to his true Religion Letter BUt
that the Prophet Isaiah saw not the destruction of Ierusalem much lesse could he see the restitution of it with his corporall eyes but he leaveth this as it were in testament with them That when they were in the extremity of all bondage they should call to minde what the Prophet of God had before spoken And lest that his doctrine and this promise of God made unto them by his mouth should have been forgotten as we are ever prone and ready to forget Gods promises when we are pressed with any sorrow God raised up unto them in the midst of their calamity his Prophet Ezekiel unto whom among many other visions he gave this The hand of the Lord first led him in a place which was full of dry and dispersed bones The question was demanded of the Prophet if these bones being wondrous dry should live The Prophet answered The knowledge thereof appertained unto God Charge was given unto him that he should speak unto the dry bones and say Thus saith the Lord God to these bones Behold I shall give you breath and you shall live I shall give unto you sinews flesh and skin and you shall live And while the Prophet spake as he was commanded he heard a voyce and he saw every bone joyn in his Marrow he saw them covered with flesh and skin albeit there was no spirit of life in them He was commanded again to speak and to say Thus saith the Lord God Come O spirit from the four quarters and blow in these that are slain that they may live And as he prophesied the spirit of life came They lived and stood upon their feet Now doth the Lord interpret what this vision meant saying O Son of man these bones are the whole house of Israel Behold they say our bones are dryed our hope is perished we are plainly cut off But behold saith the Lord I will open your graves I will bring you forth of them ye shall live and come unto the Land of Israel and ye shall know that I am the Lord. This vision I say given to the Prophet and by the Prophet preached to the people when they thought that God had utterly forgotten them compelled them more diligently to advert what the former Prophets had spoken It is no doubt but they carryed with them both the prophesie of Isaiah and Ieremy so that the Prophet Ezekiel is a Commentary to these words of Isaiah where he saith Thy dead O Lord shall live with my body they shall arise The Prophet bringeth in this similitude of the dew to answer unto that part of their fidelity who can believe no further of Gods promises then they are able to apprehend by naturall judgement As he would say Think ye this impossible that God shall give life unto you and bring you to an estate of a Common-wealth again after that ye be dead and as it were raced from the face of the earth But why do ye not consider what God worketh from yeer to yeer in the order of nature sometimes ye see the face of the earth decked and beautified with herbs flowers grasse and fruits Again ye see the same utterly taken away by storms and vehemency of the Winter What doth God to replenish the earth again and to restore the beauty thereof He sendeth down his small and soft dew the drops whereof in their descending are neither great nor visible and yet thereby are the pores and secret veins of the earth which before by vehemency of frost and cold were shut up opened again and so doth the earth produce again the like herbs flowers and fruits Shall ye then think that the dew of Gods heavenly grace shall not be as effectuall in you to whom he hath made his promise as that it is in the herbes and fruits that from year to year buddeth forth and decayeth If ye do so the Prophet would say your incredibility is inexcusable because ye do neither rightly weigh the power nor the promise of your God The like similitude useth the Apostle Paul against such as called the resurrection in doubt because that by naturall judgement they could not apprehend that flesh once putrified and resolved as it were in other substance should arise again and return again to the same substance and nature O fool saith he that which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare corn as it falleth of wheat or some other but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth him even to every seed his own body In which words and sentence the Apostle sharply rebuketh the grosse ignorance of the Corinthians who began to call in doubt the chiefe article of our faith the resurrection of the flesh after that it was once resolved because that naturall judgement as said he reclaimed thereto He reproveth I say their grosse ignorance because they might have seen and considered some proofe and document thereof in the very order of nature For albeit the wheat or other corn cast in the earth appeareth to die or putrifie and so to be lost yet we see that it is not perished but that it fructifieth according to Gods will and ordinance Now if the power of God be so manifest in raising up of the fruits of the earth unto the which no particular promise is made by God what shall be his power and vertue in raising up of our bodies seeing that thereto he is bound by the solemne promise of Jesus Christ his eternall wisdom And the verity it self that can not lie yea seeing that the members must once communicate with the glory of the head How shall our bodies which are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones lie still for ever in corruption seeing that our head Jesus Christ is now exalted in his glory Neither yet is this power and good will of God to be restrained unto the last and generall resurrection onely but we ought to consider it in the marvellous preservation of his Church and in the raising up of the same from the very bottome of death when by Tyrants it hath been oppressed from age to age Now of the former words of the Prophet we have to gather this comfort That if at any time we see the face of the Church within this Realm so defaced as I think it shall be sooner then we look for when we shall see I say vertue to be despised vice to be maintained the verity of God to be impugned lies and mens inventions holden in authoritie and finally when we shall see the true Religion of our God and the zealous observers of the same to be trodden under the feet of such as in their heart say That there is no God Let us then call to mind what have been the wonderous works of our God from the beginning that it is his proper Office to bring forth light out of darknesse order out of confusion life out of death and
Chron. 34 35. chap. Mat. 13.24 25 26 c. Mat. 13 20 21 Rom. 10.9 13. Rom. 7 c. 2 Cor. 5.21 John 5.28 29. Apoc 20.28 Heb 19 25 26 27. Mat 25 31. Apoc. 14.10 Rom. 26.7 8 9 10. Phil. 3 21. 1 Cor 15.28 This we confirmed 1567. in the first Parliament of Iames 6 held by the Earle Murray and all Acts in any Parliament before whatsoever against the truth abolished The Lord of the Articles are a Committee of 24. whereof in former times there was eight Lords eight Church-men who were called Lords and eight Commons So from the greater part they were named Lords and of the Articles Because all Articles and Heads that are to passe in Parliament are first brought to them who having discussed them sends them to the House of Parlâ—ament The latin Histories calls their Lords of the Articles Apolecti The Earle Marshall his pious voyce in Parliament This Act is particularly confirmed 1567. in the Parliament under Iames 6. holden by the Earl Murrâ—y This also was confirmed by one particular Act 1567. by the Parliament holden by the Earle Murray Note this diligently Quest. Answ. Note this I pray you for these dayes sake See how this agreeâ— with the worldlings now adayes What blessings hath been since in the house of Erskin they know best Note how although the Prelats being convinced of the truth did subscribe unto it yet it was with this Proâ—iso That they should enjoy their rents for their lives Note men to their owne countrey Note this for our dayes Let this teach us to seek God The death of the yong King of France husband to our Queen 15. December 1560. Note this well Note Note Lesley his answer * That is An. 1566 when this book was written Note the liberality of the Earle Murray Note this diligently Where then are Pluralities and fatnesse of Livings in our dayes Let the Church-men now adayes look to this Wâ—at can the Pâ—elats say to this Ambassadour from France and his demands See the study of France to divide the two Kingdoms newly bound for mantenance of Religion against the common enemies Note The Protestants faithfulnesse ill rewarded A foolish play used in time of darknes Hence we say any foolish thing to be like a play of Robin-Hood Some say his name is Killone Of the Queen Regents death Note Note Note diligently Let this also be considered and referred to our times Note Note Reader remark the advantages that Scotland hath from France A good Character of Bishops Let us stick to God and he will not leave us Faire words to no purpose That was a secret Lardon She meant she would seek a safe conduct * Ever till that she may shew her evill will If France would have sustained rhem they had not yet departed The second secret Lardon The Arms of England were usurped Your Papists and ours have practised and still practise division So that she might have England to the Popes Religion I think she said not amisse The feare of God in the heart of Elias 〈◊〉 disobediâ—â—â— to cursed 〈◊〉 Nâ—te 〈…〉 his 〈…〉 well to 〈…〉 as 〈◊〉 the subjects Note The third Lardon of accusing England of inconstancy in Religion Notwithstanding his own disorder Note this false lye and see how it answers to the calumnies of these dayes The Peace and Contract at Leith Many Princes little regarded that All power is not then in the Prince if the States have any as they have Note this Note Note the Scots acknowledgement Isaiah 40 31. A true acknowledgment oâ— mans weaknesse to the glory of God and as it was then so hath it been in this last Reformation As it was then so it is now by Gods mercies â—o that Nation The first Petition of the Protestants of Scotland Let this be noted for example The cause of the trouble within Scotland flowed from the Courtiers who seemed to professe the Evangell He means the Loâ—d Iames Earle Murray The corruption that entred the Queens Court. The Theologie of the Court and their reasonâ— Wicked Councellors â—athers all thâ—ir mischievâ—us plots upon misled Princes and causeth them to take all things upon them This was written when the secoâ—d rank of the Lordâ— was banished Anno 1560 after Danâ—â—s sâ—aughter The Queens Arrivaâ—l from France 156â— Tâ—â—â—le lugubre Coelum The Queens first â—â—ace in despight of Religion The Queens first Masse Lord Iames notwithstanding his sonner zeal to tâ—e Truth complying with Court favoureth Idolatry â— godly resoâ—â—â—â—on The end is not yet seen The perswâ—sâ—ons of the Courtiers The Lord Arrans stout and godly Protestatiâ—n against the Quâ—ens Masse Good resolution if followed Robert Campbell to the Lord Vchiltrie The Queens practise at the first The iudgment of Iohn Knox upon the suffering of the Masse The Courtier making Note diligently how wise and godly mâ—n are so mistaken oft as to play after games And this M. Knox doth acknowledge here The first reasoning betwixt the Queen and Iohn Knox. Note how that Princâ—s are informed against Godâ— servant Let this be noted diligently Let the Prince note this Let this wiâ—e reply be noted Note this undertaking The Queens second Objection Answer Note this comparison Blinde zeal what it is When this was written there was no appearance of Maries imprisonment The Queens Church Strong Imagination called conscience Question Note this Iohn Knox his judgement of the Queen at the first and ever since The Queens first Progresse Note the disposition of a misled soul. Boâ—fours doctrine Note this diligently Yet in the Parliament holden 1563. there is an expresse Act for punishing of Adultery by death It is the Act 74. The devil getting entry to his little finger will screw in his whole arm Note this The Queenes first fray in Hallyrud-house Division between the Lords and the Ministers The Queen fain would have had all Assemblies discharged Note this diliâ—gently Note this dilâ—gently Note this passage Iohn Knox his judgement of the thirds Let this be noted * That is five old pieces A proverb upon Pittaro Controller The right that Princes have to the Patrimony of the Church Note The marriage of the Earl of Murray Note this diligently Note this diligently The Mask of Orleance The Hamiltons against Bothwell and the Marquesse The Earle of Bothwells communication with Iohn Knox 1562. Note the complement Note diligently Reconciliation betwixt the Earle of Arrane and Earle of Bothwell Note diligently Psal. 2. The second communing of Iohn Knox with the Queen Note diligently Note Note Note diligently Note Let Princes note this Let Court-Chaplains and unthrifts of the time note this The Earle of Lennox and his Lady imprisoned in the Tower of London for traffiquing with Papists Sharp left preaching and took him to the Laws Note This causeth the Quâ—ens Râ—ligion to have many â—avourers Note Note Note dâ—ligently Note Note this for our times Note this for our times An answer to Lethington Note this diligently Iohn Gordonne and Ogilvie Bothwell
godly And in what honour credit and estimation Doctour Machabeus was with Christian king of Denmark Cawpmanhowen and famous men of divers nations can testifie This did God provide for his servants and did frustrate the expectation of these bloody beasts who by the death of one he meanes M. Patrick Hamilton in whom the lyght of God did clearly shine intended to have suppressed Christs Trueth for ever within this Realme but the contrary had God decreed for his death was the cause as is said that many did awake from the deadly sleep of ignorance and so did Jesus Christ the onely true Lyght shine unto many for the way taken of one And albeit that these notable men did never after M. Iohn Fyfe onely excepted comfort their countrey with their bodily presence yet made he them fructifie in his Church and raised them up Lyghts out of darknesse to the praise of his own mercy and to the just condemnation of them that then ruled To wit of the King Counsell and Nobility yea of the whole people who suffered such notable personages without crimes counted to be unjustly persecuted and so exiled others were after even so dealt withall but of them we shall speak in their own place No sooner gate the Bishops opportunity which alwayes they sought but so soon renewed they the battell against Jesus Christ. For the aforesaid leprous Bishop in the yeere of God 1534. caused to be summoned Sir William Kyrk Adam Dayis Henry Kernes Iohn Stewart of Leyth with divers others such as Master William Iohnston Advocate Master Henry Henderson Schoole-master of Edenburgh of whom some compeered in the Abbey Kyrk of Halyrud-house and so abjured and publikely burnt their Bills others compeered not and therefore was exiled But in judgement were produced two to wit David Straton a Gentleman and Master Norman Gowrlay a man of reasonable erudition of whom we may shortly speak In Master Norman appeared knowledge albeit joyned with weaknesse But in David Straton could onely be espied for the first a hatred against the pride and avaritiousnesse of Priests for the cause of his delation was he had made to himselfe one Fish-boat to go to the sea The Bishop of Murray then being Prior of Saint Andrews and his agents urged him for the tythe thereof His answer was If they would have tythe of that which his servants wan in the sea it were but reason that they should come and receive it where they got the stocke and so as it was constantly affirmed he caused his servants to cast the tenth fish in the sea again Processe of cursing was laid against him for not paying such tythes which when he contemned he was summoned to answer for Heresie It troubled him vehemently and therefore he began to frequent the company of such as were godly for before he had been a man very stubborne and one that despised all reading chiefly of those things that were godly but miraculously as it were he appeareth to be changed for he delighteth in nothing but in hearing of reading for himselfe could not reade and was a vehement exhorter of all men to concord and quietnesse and the contempt of the world He frequented much the company of the Laird of Dun Areskin whom God in those daies had marvellously illuminated upon a day as the Laird of Lawriston that yet liveth then being a young man was reading unto him in the New Testament in a certain quiet place in the fields as God had appointed he chanced to read these Sentences of our Master Jesus Christ He that denieth me before men or is ashamed of me in the midst of this wicked generation I will deny him in the presence of my Father and before his Angels At which words he suddenly being as one revived cast himselfe upon his knees and extending both hand and visage constantly to the heaven a reasonable time at length he burst forth in these words O Lord I have been wicked and justly mayest thou withdraw thy grace from me but Lord for thy mercies sake let me never deny thee nor thy Trueth for fear of death or corporall paine The issue declared that his prayer was not vain for when he with the aforesaid Master Norman was produced in judgement in the Abbey of Halyrud-House the King himselfe all clad in red being present great labour was made that the said David Straton should have recanted and burnt his Bill But he ever standing at his defence alleadging that he had not offended in the end was adjudged to the fire and then when he perceived the danger asked grace at the King which he would willingly have granted unto him the Bishops proudly answered That the Kings hands were bound in that case and that he had no grace to give to such as by their Law were condemned And so was he with the said Master Norman after dinner upon the seven and twentieth day of August in the yeere of our Lord 1534. aforesaid led to a place besides the roode of greene side and there they two were both hanged and burnt according to the mercy of the Papisticall Church To that same diet were summoned as before we have said others of whom some escaped into England and so for that present escaped the death This their tyranny notwithstanding the knowledge of God did wonderfully increase within this Realme partly by reading partly by brotherly conference which in those dangerous dayes was used to the comfort of many but chiefly by Merchants and Mariners who frequenting other countreys heard the true Doctrine affirmed and the vanity of the Papisticall Religion openly rebuked Amongst whom were those of Dondie and Lieth principals against whom was made a very strait inquisition by David Beton cruell Cardinall And divers were compelled to abjure and burne their Bills some in Saint Andrews and some at Edinburgh About the same time Captaine Iohn Berthwick Provost of Lithcow was burnt in figure but by Gods providence escaped their furie And this was done for a spectacle and triumph to Mary of Lorraine lately arrived from France as wife to Iames the fifth King of Scots what plagues she brought with her and how they yet continue such as are not blinde may manifestly see The rage of these bloody beasts proceeded so farre that the Kings Court it selfe escaped not that danger for in it divers were suspected and some accused And yet ever did some lyght burst out in the midst of darknesse for the trueth of Christ Jesus entred even into the Cloisters as well of Friars and Monks as of Channons Iohn Lyn a gray Frier left his hypocriticall habit and the den of those murtherers the gray Friers A black Frier called Frier Killor set forth the History of Christs passion in forme of a Play which he both Preached and practised openly in Sterlin the King himselfe being present upon a Good-Friday in the Morning in the which all things were so lively expressed that the
very simple people understood and confessed That as the Priests and obstinate Pharisees perswaded the people to refuse Christ Jesus and caused Pilate to condemne him So did the Bishops and men called Religious blinde the people and perswade Princes and Judges to persecute such as professe Christ Jesus his blessed Gospel This plain speaking so inflamed the hearts of all that bare the Beasts mark that they ceased not till the said Friar Killâ—r and with him Frier Beaverege Sir Duncane Symson Robert Forester Gentleman and Deane Thomas Forrat Channon regular and Vicar of Dolour a man of upright life who altogether were cruelly murthered in one fire upon the Castle hill the last of February in the yeere of our Lord 1538. This cruelty was used by the aforesaid Cardinall the Chancellour the Bishop of Glasgow and the incestuous Bishop of Dumblane After that this cruelty was used in Edinburgh upon the Castle hill to the effect that the rest of the Bishops might shew themselves no lesse fervent to suppresse the lyght of God then he of S. Andrews was were apprehended two of the Diocesse of Glasgow The one named Ieronimus Russell a gray Frier a young man of a meeke nature quicke spirit and good Learning And one Alexander Kennedie who passed not eighteen yeers of age one of excellent wit in vulgar Poesie To assist the Bishop of Glasgow in that cruell judgement or at least to dip his hands in the blood of the Saints of God were sent Master Iohn Lawdâ—r Master Andrew Olyphant and Frier Meitman servants of Satan apt for that purpose The day appointed to the cruelty approached The two poore Saints of God were presented before those bloody butchers grievous were the crimes that were laid to their charge Kennedie at the first was faint and gladly would have recanted but while the place of repentance was denied unto him the spirit of God which is the spirit of all comfort began to work in him yea the inward comfort began to burst forth as well in visage as in tongue and word for his countenance began to be cheerfull and with a joyfull voice upon his knees he said O eternall God how wonderfull is that love and mercy that thou bearest unto mankinde and unto me the most caitife and miserable wretch above all others For even now when I would have denied thee and thy Son our Lord Iesus Christ my onely Saviour and so have cast my self into everlasting damnation Thou by thine own hand hast pulled me from the very bottome of hell and made me to feele that heavenly comfort which takes from me that ungodly feare wherewith before I was oppressed Now I defie death do what ye please I praise my God I am ready The godly and learned Ieronimus railed upon by these godlesse Tyrants answered This is your houre and power of darknesse Now sit ye as Iudges and we stand wrongfully accused and more wrongfully to be condemned but the day shall come when our innocencie shall appeare and that ye shall see your own blindnesse to your everlasting confusion Go forward and fulfill the measure of your iniquity While that these servants of God thus behaved themselves a variance ariseth betwixt the Bishop and the beasts that came from the Cardinall For the Bishop said I thinke it better to spare these men then to put them to death Whereat the idiot Doctors offended said What will ye do my Lord will ye condemne all that my Lord Cardinall and the other Bishops and we have done If so ye do ye shew your selfe enemy to the Church and us and so we will repute you be ye assured At which words the faithlesse man afraid adjudged the innocents to die according to the desire of the wicked The meeke and gentle Ieronimus Russell comforted the other with many comfortable sentences oft saying unto him Brother fear not more mighty is he that is in us than he that is in the world the pain that we shall suffer is short and shall be light but our joy and consolation shall nevea have end and therefore let us contend to enter in unto our Master and Saviour by the same strait way which he hath taken before us Death cannot destroy us for it is destroyed already by him for whose sake we suffer With these and the like comfortable sentences they passed to the place of execution and constantly triumphed over death and Sathan even in the midst of the flaming fire And thus did those cruell beasts intend nothing but murther in all the quarters of this Realme for so far had they blinded and corrupted the inconsiderate Prince that he gave himself to obey the tyrannie of those bloodie beasts and he made a solemne Vow That none should be spared that was suspect of Heresie yea although it were his own son To presse and push him forward in this his fury he lacked not flatters enow for many of his Minions were pensioners to Priests Amongst whom Oliver Synclare yet remaining enemy to God was principall And yet did not God cease to give that blinded Prince documents that some sudden punishment was to fall upon him if he did not repent and amend his life and that his own mouth did confesse For after that Sir Iames Hamilton was beheaded justly or unjustly we dispute not this Vision came unto him as to his familiars himself did declare the said Sir Iames appeared unto him having in his hands a drawn sword with the which he stroke from the King both the arms saying to him these words Take that till thou receive a finall payment for all thy impiety This Vision with sorrowful countenance he shewed on the morrow and shortly thereafter died his two sons both within the space of 24 hours yea some say within the space of six hours In his own presence George Steill his greatest flatterer and greatest enemy to God that was in his Court dropped off his horse and died not saying one word that same day that in audience of many the said George had refused his portion of Christs Kingdom if the prayers of the Virgin Mary should not bring him thereto How terrible a Vision the said Prince saw lying in Lintlightow that night that Thomas Scot Justice Clerk died in Edinburgh men of good credite can yet report For afraid at midnight or after he called aloud for Torches and raised all that lay beside him in the Pallace and told that Thomas Scot was dead for he had been at him with a company of devills and had said unto him these words O we to the day that ever I knew thee or thy service for serving of thee against God against his servants and against Iustice I am adjudged to endlesse torment How terrible voyces the said Thomas Scot pronounced before his death men of all estates heard and some that yet live can witnesse his voice ever was Iusto Dei judicio condemnatus sum that is I am condemned by
something was purposed against him at that day by the Earle of Angus and his friends whom he mortally feared and whose destruction he sought but it failed and so returned he to his strength yea to his god and onely comfort as well in heaven as in earth and there he remained without all fear of death promising to himself no lesse pleasure then did the rich man of whom mention is made by our Master in the Gospel for he did not onely say Eat and be glad my soul for thou hast great riches laid up in store for many dayes but he said Tush a figge for the fooles and a button for the bragging of heretickes and their assistance in Scotland Is not my Lord Governour mine witnesse his eldest son in pledge at my table Have I not the Queen at my owne devotion he meant of the mother Mary that now 1566 raigns Is not France my friend and I am friend to France What danger should I feare And thus in vanity the carnall Cardinall delighted himself a little before his death But yet he had devised to have cut off such as he thought might trouble him For he had appointed the whole Gentlemen of Fyfe to have met him at Falkland the Munday but he was slain upon the Saturday before His treasonable purpose was not understood and it was this That Norman Lesley Sheriff of Fyfe and apparent heir to his Father the Earl of Rothes the foresaid Iohn Lesley Father brother to Norman the Lairds of Grange elder and younger Sir Iames Learmond of Darsie and Provost of Saint Andrewes and the faithfull Laird of Raith should either have been slain or else taken and after to have beene used at his pleasure This enterprise was disclosed after his slaughter partly by Letters and Memorialls found in his chamber but plainly affirmed by such as were of the counsell Many purposes were devised how that wicked man might have been taken away But all faileth till Friday the twenty eighth of May anno 1546. when the aforesaid Norman came at night to Saint Andrewes William Kirkaldie of Grange younger was in the Towne before waiting upon the purpose Last came Iohn Lesley as aforesaid who was most suspected What conclusion they took that night it was not knowne but by the issue that followed But early upon the Saturday in the morning the 29 of May were they in sundry Companies in the Abbey Church-yard not far distant from the Castle First the Gates being open and the draw-Bridge letten downe for receiving of Lime and Stones and other things necessary for building for Babilon was almost finished First we say assayed William Kirkcaldie of Grange younger and with him six persons and getting entry held purpose with the Porter If my Lord was walking who answered No and so it was indeed for he had been busie at his compts with Mistris Marion Ogilbie that night who was espied to depart from him by the privie Posterne that morning and therefore quietnesse after the rules of Physick and a morning sleep was requisite for my Lord. While the said William and the Porter talketh and his servants made them to look the work and workmen approached Norman Lesley with his company and because they were in great number they easily gat entrie They addresse to the midst of the Court and immediately came Iohn Lesley somewhat rudely and four persons with him The Porter fearing would have drawne the Bridge but the said Iohn being entred thereon stayed it and leapt in And while the Porter made him for defence his head waâ— broken the Keyes taken from him and he cast into the ditch and so the place was seized The shout ariseth the work-men to the number of more then a hundred ran off the walls and were without hurt put forth at the Wicket Gate The first thing that ever was done William Kirkaldie took the Guard of the privy Posterne fearing lest the Fox should have escaped Then go the rest of the Gentlemens Chambers and without violence done to any man they put more then fifty persons to the Gate The number that enterprised and did this was but sixteen persons The Cardinall wakened with the shouts asked from his window What meant that noyse It was answered That Norman Lesley had taken his Castle Which understood he ran to the Posterne but perceiving the passage to be kept without he returned quickly to his Chamber took his two handed sword and caused his Chamberlain to cast Chests and other impediments to the doore In this mean time came Iohn Lesley unto it and bids open The Cardinall asking Who calls he answered My name is Lesley He demanded Is that Norman The other saith Nay my name is Iohn I will have Norman saith the Cardinall for he is my friend Content your self with such as are here for other you shall have none There were with the said Iohn Iames Melvene a man familiarly acquainted with Master George Wischarde and Peter Carmichaelle a stout Gentleman In this mean time while they force at the door the Cardinall hides a box of gold under coales that were laid in a secret corner At length he asketh Will ye save my life The said Iohn answered It may be that we will Nay saith the Cardinall Swear unto me by Gods wounds and I will open you Then answered the said Iohn It that was said is unsaid and so cryed Fire fire for the doore was very strong and so was brought a chimley full of burning coales which perceived the Cardinall or his Chamberlain it is uncertain opened the doore and the Cardinall sat down in a chaire and cryed I am a Priest I am a Priest ye will not slay me The said Iohn Leslie according to his former Vows stroke him first once or twice and so did the said Peter But Iames Melvin a man of nature most gentle and most modest perceiving them both in choler withdrew them and said This work and judgement of God although it be secret ought to be done with greater gravity And presenting unto him the point of the sword said Repent thee of thy former wicked life but especially of the shedding of the blood of that notable instrument of God M. George Wischarde which albeit the flame of fire consumed before men yet cries it for vengeance upon thee and we from God are sent to revenge it For here before my God I protest That neither the hatred of thy person the love of thy riches nor the fear of any trouble thou couldst have done to me in particular moved or moveth me to strike thee But onely because thou hast been and remainest an obstinate enemy against Christ Iesus and his holy Gospel And so he stroke him twice or thrice thorow with a stog sword And so he fell never word heard out of his mouth but I am a Priest fie fie all is gone While they were thus busied with the Cardinall the fray rose in the Town the Provost assembles the
Charter-house was permitted to take with him even as much gold and silver as he was able to carry So were mens consciences beaten with the Word that they had no respect to their own particular profit but onely to abolish Idolatry the places and Monuments thereof in which they were so busie and so laborious that within two dayes these three great places Monuments of Idolatry to wit the Black and Gray Theeves and Charter-house Monks a building of wonderous cost and greatnesse was so destroyed that the walls onely did remain of all those great edifices Which reported to the Queen she was so inraged That she did vow utterly to destroy S. Iohnston man woman and childe and to consume the same by fire and thereafter to salt it in signe of a perpetuall desolation We suspecting nothing such cruelty but thinking that such words might escape her in choler without purpose determined because she was a woman set on fire by the complaints of those hypocrites who flocked unto her as Ravens to a carion We we say suspecting nothing such beastly cruelty returned to our own houses leaving in S. Iohnston Iohn Knox to instruct the people because they were yong and rude in Christ. But she set on fire partly by her own malice partly by commandment of her friends in France and not a little by bribes which she and Monsieur Dosell received from the Bishops and the Priests here at home did continue still in her rage And first she sent for all the Nobility to whom she complained That we meaned nothing but Rebellion She did grievously lament the destruction of the Charter-house because it was a Kings foundation and there was the tombe of King Iames the first and by such other perswasions she made the most part of them grant to pursue us And then incontinent sent she for her French men For that was and ever hath been her joy to see Scottish men dip one with anothers blood No man was at that time more franke against us then was Duke Hamilton led by that cruell beast the Bishop of Saint Andrews and by those that yet abuse him the Abbot of Kilvinning and Matthew Hamilton of Milburne two chiefe enemies to the Duke and to his whole house but in so far as thereby they may procure their own particular profit These and such other pestilent Papists ceased not to cast fagots on the fire continually crying Forward upon these Hereticks we shall once rid this Realme of them The certaintie hereof coming to our knowledge some of us repaired to the Towne againe about the two and twentieth day of May and there did abide for the comfort of our brethren Where after Invocation of the Name of God we began to put the Town and our selves in such strength as we thought might best serve for our just defence And because we did not utter despaire of the Queens favour we caused to forme a Letter to her Majestie as followeth To the Queenes Majestie Regent all humble obedience and dutie premised AS heretofore with jeopard of our lives and yet with willing hearts we have served the authoritie of Scotland and your Majestie now Regent in this Realme in service to our bodies dangerous and painefull so now with most dolorous mindes we are constrained by unjust tyrannie purposed against us to declare unto your Majestie That except this crueltie be stayed by your wisdome we shall be compelled to take the sword of just defence against all that shall pursue us for the matter of Religion and for our conscience sake which ought not nor may not be subject to mortall creatures further then by Gods Word man is able to prove that he hath power to command us We signifie moreover unto your Majestie That if by rigour we be compelled to seek the extreame defence that we will not onely notifie our innocencie and Petition to the King of France to our Mistresse and to her husband but also to the Princes and Counsell of every Christian Realme declaring unto them That this cruell unjust and most tyrannicall murther intended against Townes and multitudes was and is the onely cause of our revolt from our accustomed obedience which in Gods presence we faithfully promise to our Soveraigne Mistresse to her husband and unto your Majestie Regent Provided that our consciences may live in that Peace and Libertie which Christ Iesus hath purchased to us by his blood and that we may have his Word truely Preached and holy Sacraments rightly ministred unto us without which we firmely purpose never to be subject to mortall man For better we think to expose our bodies to a thousand deaths then to hazard our souls to perpetuall damnation by denying Christ Iesus and his manifest Veritie which thing not onely do they who commit open Idolatry but also all such as seeing their brethren pursued for the cause of Religion and having sufficient means to comfort and assist them do neverthelesse withdraw from them their dutifull support We would not your Majestie should be deceived by the false perswasions of those cruell beasts the Church-men who affirme That your Majestie needeth not greatly to regard the losse of us that professe Christ Iesus in this Realme If as God forbid ye give ear to their pestilent counsell and so use against us this extremity pretended it is to be feared That neither ye neither yet your posteritie shall at any time after this finde that obedience and faithfull service within this Realme which as all times you have found in us We declare our judgements freely as true and faithfull Subjects God move your Princely heart favourably to interpret our faithfull meaning Further advertising your Majestie That the selfe same thing together with all things that we have done or yet intend to do we will notifie by our Letters to the King of France Asking of you in the Name of the eternall God and as your Majestie tenders the peace and quietnesse of this Realme That ye invade us not with any violence till we receive answer from our Mistresse and her husbâ—nd and from their advised Counsell there And thus we commit your Majestie to the protection of the omnipotent From Saint Johnston the 22 of May 1559. Sic subscribitur Your Majesties obedient Subjects in all things not repugnant to God The faithfull congregation of Christ Iesus in Scotland To the same purpose we wrote to Monsieur Dosell in French requiring of him That by his wisdome he would mitigate the Queenes rage and the rage of the Priests otherwise that flame which then began to burn would so kindle that when some men would it could not be slackned Adding further That he declared himself no faithfull servant unto his Master the King of France if for the pleasure of the Priests he would persecute us and so compell us to take the sword of just defence In like manner we wrote to Captain Serre la Bourse and to all other Captains and French
know wherein they offend But so it is that the most part of your Nobilitie are so addicted to your affections that neither Gods Word nor yet their Common-wealth are rightly regarded and therefore it becometh me to speake that they may know their dutie What have you to do said she with my marriage or what are you within the Common-wealth A subject borne within the same said hee Madame and albeit I be neither Earle Lord nor Barron within it yet hath God made me how abject that ever I be in your eyes a profitable and usefull Member within the same Yea Madame to me it appertaineth no lesse to forewarne of such things as may hurt it if I foresee them then it doth to any one of the Nobility for both my Vocation and Office craveth plainnesse of me and therefore Madame to your selfe I say that which I spake in publick Whensoever the Nobilitie of this Realme shall be content and consent that you be subject to an unlawfull husband they doe as much as in them lieth to renounce Christ to banish the truth to betray the freedome of this Realme and perchance shall in the end doe small comfort to your selfe At these words howling was heard and teares might have beene seene in greater abundance then the matter required Iohn Arskin of Dun a man of meeke and gentle spirit stood beside and did what he could to mittigate the anger and gave unto her many pleasant words Of her Bounty of her Excellencie and how that all the Princes in Europe would be glad to seek her favours but all that was to cast Oyl into the flaming fire The said Iohn stood still without any alteration of countenance for a long time while that the Queen gave place to her in ordinate passions and in the end he said Madame in Gods presence I speak I never delighted in the weeping of any of Gods Creatures yea I can scarcely well abide the teares of mine own Boyes when my own hands corrects them much lesse can I rejoyce in your Majesties weeping but seeing I have offered unto you no just occasion to be offended but have spoken the truth as my Vocation craves of me I must sustaine your Majesties teares rather then I dare hurt my conscience or betray the Common-wealth by silence Herewith was the Queene more offended and commanded the said Iohn to passe forth of the Cabinet and to abide further of her pleasure in the Chamber The Laird of Dun tarried and Lord Iohn of Coldinghame came into the Cabinet and so they remained with her neere the space of one houre The said Iohn stood in the Chamber as one whom men had never seene so were all afraid except that the Lord Uchiltrie bare him company And therefore began he to make discourse with the Ladies who were there sitting in all their gorgeous apparell Which when he espied he merrily said Fair Ladies How pleasant were this life of yours if it should ever abide and then in the end that we might passe to Heaven with this geare But fie upon that knave Death that will come whether we will or not and when he hath laid on the Arrest then foule wormes will be busie with this flesh be it never so faire and so tender And the silly soule I fear shall be so feeble that it can neither carry with it Gold Garnishing Targating Pearle nor precious Stones And by such and the like discourse entertained he the Ladies and past the time till that the Laird of Dun willed him to depart to his house till new advertisement The Queen would have had the sentiment of the Lords of the Articles if that such manner of speaking deserved not punishment But shee was counselled to desist And so that storme quieted in appearance but never in the heart Short after the Parliament Lethington returned from his Negotiation in England and France GOD in the February before had stricken that bloodie Tyrant the Duke of Guise which somewhat brake the heat of our Queene for a season But short after the returning of Lethington Pride and Malice began to shew themselves againe The Queene set at liberty the Bishop of Saint Andrewes and the rest of the Papists that before were put in prison for violating of the Laws Lethington at his returning shewed himselfe not a little offended that any brute should have beene raised of the Queenes Marriage with the King of Spaine for he took upon him to affirme That any such thing had never entered into her heart But how true that was we shall hereafter heare The end of his acquaintance and complaint was To discredit Iohn Knox who had affirmed That such a Marriage was both proposed and upon the part of the Queen by the Cardinall accepted Lethington in his absence had run into a very evil brute among the Nobility for too much serving the Queens affections against the Common-wealth And therefore had he as one that lacked not worldly wisedome made provision both in England and Scotland for in England he travelled for the Freedome of the Earle Bothwell and by that means obtained promise of his favour He had there also taken order for the home coming of the Earle of Lenox as we shall after hear In Scotland he joyned with the Earle of Atholl him he promoted and set forward in Court and so began the Earle of Murray to be defaced And yet to the said Earle Lethington at all times shewed a fair countenance The rest of that Summer the Queen spent in her Progresse thorow the West Countrey where in all Towns and Gentlemens places she had her Masse which coming to the ears of Iohn Knox he began that forme of prayer which ordinarily he saith after thanks-giving at his Table 1. Deliver us O Lord from the bondage of Idolatry 2. Preserve and keep us from the tyranny of strangers 3. Continue us in Peace and Concord amongst our selves if they good pleasure be O Lord for a season Whilst that divers of the familiars of the said Iohn asked of him Why he prayed for quietnesse to continue for a season and not rather absolutely that we should continue in quietnesse His answer was That he durst not pray but in faith and faith in Gods Word assured him That constant quietnesse would not continue in that Realme wherein Idolatry had been suppressed and then was permitted to be erected againe From the West Countrey the Queen past into Argyle to the Hunting and after returned to Sterlin The Earle of Murray the Lord Robert of Halyrud-house and Lord Iohn of Coldingham past to the Northlands where Justice Courts were holden Theeves and Murtherers were punished Two Witches were burnt the eldest was so blinded with the devill that she affirmed That no Judge had power over her The same time Lord Iohn of Coldingham departed this life in Innernes It was affirmed That he commanded such as were beside him to say to the Queen That unlesse she left her Idolatry God would
me and yet suffered me to perish that in so doing ye should be criminall and guilty of my blood Prove that and win the play said Lethington Well my Lord said the other remember your promise and I will be short in my probation The Prophet Ieremy was apprehended by the Priests and Prophets who were a part of the Authority within Ierusalem and by the multitude of the people and this sentence was pronounced against him Thou shalt die the death for thou hast said This house shall be like Siloh and this City shall be desolate without any Inhabitant c. The Princes hearing the uprore came from the Kings house and sate down in Judgement in the entry of the new Gate of the Lords House And there the Priests and Prophets before the Princes and before all the people intented their Accusation in these words This man is worthy to die for he hath prophesied against this City and your eares have heard Ieremiah answered That whatsoever he had spoken proceeded from God and therefore said he As for me behold I am in your hands do with me as ye thinke good and right But know ye for certaine That if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon your soules and upon this Citie and upon the inhabitants thereof For of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speake all these words Now my Lord if the Princes and the whole people should have been guilty of the Prophets blood How shall ye or others be judged innocent before God if ye shall suffer the blood of such as have not deserved their blood to be shed when ye may save it The causes were nothing alike said Lethington And I would learn said the other wherein the dissimilitude stands First said Lethington the King had not condemned him to death And next The false Prophets the Priests and the People accused him without a cause and therefore they could not be guilty of his blood Neither of these said Iohn Knox fights against my argument For albeit the King was neither present nor yet had condemned him yet were the Princes and chiefe Councellors there sitting in Judgement who represented the Kings Authority hearing the accusation laid unto the charge of the Prophet And therefore he forewarns them of the danger as before is said to wit That in case he should be condemned and so put to death That the King the Councell and the whole City of Ierusalem should be guilty of his blood because that he had committed no crime worthy of death And if ye thinke that they all should have been criminall onely because that they all accused him the plain Text witnesseth the contrary for the Princes defended him and so no doubt did a great part of the People and yet he boldly affirmed That they should be all guilty of his blood if he should be put to death And the Prophet Ezekiel gives a reason Why all are guilty of common corruption Because saith he I sought a man amongst them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none Therefore have I poured forth my indignation upon them Hereof my Lord said he it is plain That God craves not onely that man should do no iniquity in his owne person but also that he oppose himself to all iniquity so farre as in him lieth Then will ye said Lethington make subjects to controll their Princes and Rulers And what harme said the other should the Common-wealth receive if the corrupt affections of ignorant Rulers were moderated and so bridled by the wisedome and discretion of godly subjects that they should do no wrong nor no violence to any man All this reasoning said Lethington is out of the purpose For we reason as if the Queen should become such an enemy to our Religion that she should persecute it and put innocent men to death while I am assured she never thought nor never will do For if I should see her begin at that end yea if I should suspect any such thing in her I should be as farre forward in that argument as ye or any other within the Realme But there is no such thing Our Question is Whether that ye may suppresse the Queens Masse or Whether that her Idolatry shall be laid to our charge What ye may said Iohn Knox by force I dispute not But what ye may and ought to do by Gods expresse Commandment that I can tell Idolatry ought not onely to be suppressed but the Idolater also ought to die the death But by whom By the people of God said the other for the Commandment was given to Israel as ye may reade Heare Israel sayes the Lord the Statutes and the Ordinances of the Lord thy God c. Yea a Commandment is given that if it be heard that Idolatry is committed in any one City inquisition shall be taken and if it be found true That then the whole Body of the People arise and destroy that City sparing in it neither man woman nor childe But there is no Commandment said the Secretary given to punish their King If he be an Idolater I finde no priviledge granted unto Kings said the other by God more then unto the people to offend Gods Majestie I grant said Lethington but yet the people may not be judges to their King to punish him albeit he be an Idoter God said the other is the Universall Judge as well unto the King as to the People So that what his Word commands to be punished in the one is not to be absolved in the other We agree in that said Lethington But the people may not execute Gods Judgements but mst leave it unto himselfe who will either punish it by Death by Warre by Imprisonment or by some other kinde of his Plagues I know said Iohn Knox the last part of the reason to be true But for the first That the people yea or a part of the people may not execute Gods Judgements against their King being an offendor I am assured ye have no other Warrant except your own imaginations and the opinion of such as more fear to offend their Princes then God Why say ye so said Lethington I have the judgement of the most famous men in Europe and of such as ye your selfe will confesse both godly and learned And with that he called for his Papers which produced by Master Maitland he bagan to reade with great gravity the Judgements of Luther Melancthon the mindes of Bucer Musculus and Calvin how Christians should behave themselves in time of Persecution yea the Book of Baruc was not omitted with this conclusion The gathering of those things said he hath cost me more travell then I thinke this seven yeers in reading Commentaries The more pity said the other and yet what you have profited your own cause let others judge But as for my argument I am assured you have infirmed
joyne with those that had bound themselves to stand for the Kings Authority He was very earnest with divers by reason of their old friendship but to little purpose The twentinth of August he received the Regencie after mature and ripe deliberation at the desire of the Queen and Lords that were for the King and so was publikely proclaimed Regent and Obedience shewed unto him by all that stood for the young King The end of the History of the Church of Scotland till the yeer 1567. and Moneth of August THE APPELLATION OF IOHN KNOX From the cruell and most unjust Sentence pronounced against him by the false Bishops and Clergie of Scotland With his Supplication and Exhortation to the Nobility States and Communalty of the same Realme To the Nobility and States of SCOTLAND JOHN KNOX wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Iudgement IT is not onely the love of this Temporall life Right Honourable neither yet the fear of Corporal death that moveth me at this present to expose unto you the injuries done against me and to crave of you as of lawfull Powers by God appointed redresse of the same But partly it proceedeth from that reverence which every man oweth to Gods Eeternall Truth And partly from a love which I bear to your Salvation and to the Salvation of my Brethren abused in that Realme by such as have no fear of God before their eyes It hath pleased God of his infinite mercy not onely to illuminate the eyes of my minde and so to touch my dull heart that cleerly I see and by his grace unfainedly believe That there is no other name given to men under the heaven in which Salvation consisteth save the Name of JESUS alone Who by that Sacrifice which he did once offer upon the Crosse hath sanctified for ever all those that shall inherite the Kingdom promised But also it hath pleased him of his superaboundant grace to make and appoint me most wretched of many thousands a Witnesse Minister and Preacher of the same Doctrine the sum whereof I did not spare to communicate with my Brethren being with them in the Realme of Scotland in the yeer 1556 because I know my self to be a Steward and that accounts of the Talent committed to my charge shall be required of me by him who will admit no vain excuse which fearfull men pretend I did therefore as God his minister during the time I was conversant with them God is record and witnesse truely and sincerely according to the gift granted unto me divide the Word of Salvation teaching all men to hate sin which before God was and is so odious that none other Sacrifice would satisfie his Justice except the death of his onely Son and to magnifie the mercies of our heavenly Father who did not spare the substance of his own glory but did give him to the world to suffer the ignominious and cruell death of the Crosse by that means to reconcile his chosen children to himself teaching further what is the duty of such as do believe themselves purged by such a Price from their former filthinesse to wit That they are bound to walk in the newnesse of life fighting against the lusts of the flesh and studying at all times to glorifie God by such good works as he hath prepared his people to walk in In Doctrine I did further affirm so taught by my Master Christ Jesus That whosoever denieth him yea or is ashamed of him before this wicked Generation him shall Christ Jesus deny and of him shall he be ashamed when he shall appear in his Majesty And therefore I feared not to affirm That of necessity it is that such as hope for life everlasting avoid all Superstition vain Religion and Idolatry Vain Religion and Idolatry I call whatsoever is done in Gods Service or Honour without the expresse Commandment of his own Word This Doctrine I did believe to be so conformable to Gods holy Scriptures that I thought no creature could have been so impudent as to have condemned any Point or Article of the same Yet neverthelesse me as an heretick and this Doctrine as hereticall have your false Bishops and ungodly Clergie condemned pronouncing against me a Sentence of death in testification whereof they have burned a Picture From which false and cruell Sentence and from all judgement of that wicked Generation I make it known unto your Honours That I appeal to a Lawfull and Generall Councell to such I mean as the most ancient Laws and Cannons do approve to be holden by such as whose manifest impiety is not to be reformed in the same Most humbly requiring of your Honours That as God hath appointed you Princes in that People and by reason thereof requireth of your hands the defence of Innocents troubled in your Dominion in the mean time and till the controversies that this day be in Religion be lawfully decided ye receive me and such others as most unjustly by those cruell Beasts are persecuted in your defence and Protection Your Honours are not ignorant That it is not I alone who doth sustain this Cause against the pestilent Generation of Papists but that the most part of Germany the Countrey of Helvetia the King of Denmarke the Nobility of Polonia together with many other Cities and Churches Reformed appeal from the Tyrannie of that Antichrist and most earnestly call for a Lawfull and Generall Councell wherein may all Controversies in Religion be decided by the Authority of Gods most sacred Word And unto this same as said is do I appeal yet once again requiring of your Honours to hold my simple and plain Appellation of no lesse value nor effect then if it had been made with greater circumstance solemnity and ceremony and that you receive me calling unto you as to the Powers of God ordained in your protection and defence against the rage of Tyrants not to maintain me in any iniquity errour or false opinion but to let me have such equity as God by his Word ancient Laws and Determinations of most godly Councells grant to men accused or infamed The Word of God wills That no man shall die except he be found criminall and worthy of death for offence committed of which he must be manifestly convinced by two or three witnesses Ancient Law do permit just defences to snch as be accused be their crimes never so horrible And godly Councells wills That neither Bishop nor person Ecclesiasticall whatsoever accused of any crime shall sit in Judgement Consultation or Councell where the cause of such men as do accuse them is to be tried These things require I of your Honours to be granted unto me to wit That the Doctrine which our adversaries condemn for heresie may be tried by the simple and plain Word of God That just Defences be admitted to us that sustain the Battell against this
protection and defence that by you assured I may have accesse to my native Countrey which I never offended to the end that freely and openly in the presence of the whole Realm I may give my confession of all such Points as this day be in controversie And also that you by your authority which ye have of God compell such as of long time have blinded and deceived both your selves and the people to answer to such things as shall be laid to their charge But lest that some doubt remain That I require more of you then you of conscience are bound to grant in few words I hope my Petition to be such as without Gods heavy displeasure ye cannot deny My Petition is That ye whom God hath appointed Heads in your Common-wealth with single eye do study to promote the glory of God To provide that your subjects be rightly instructed in his true Religion That they be defended from all oppression and tyranny That true Preachers may be maintained and such as blinde and deceive the people together also with all idle bellies which do rob and oppresse the Flock may be removed and punished as Gods Law prescribeth And to the performance of every one of these do your Offices and Names the Honours and Benefits which ye receive the Law of God universally given to all men and the examples of most godly Princes binde and oblige you My purpose is not to labour greatly to prove That your whole studie ought to be To promote the glory of God Neither yet will I studie to alleadge all reasons that justly may be brought to prove That ye are not exalted to raign above your brethren as men without care and solicitude for these be principles so grafted in Nature that very Ethnicks have confessed the same For seeing that God onely hath placed you in his Chayr hath appointed you to be his Lieutenants and by his own Seal hath marked you to be Magistrates and to rule above your brethren to whom Nature neverthelesse hath made you like in all points for in conception birth life and death ye differ nothing from the common sort of men but God onely as said is hath promoted you and of his speciall favour hath given you this Prerogative to be called Gods How horrible ingratitude were it then that you should be found unfaithfull to him that hath thus honoured you And further What a monster were it that you should be proved unmercifull to them above whom ye are appointed to raigne as fathers above their children Because I say that the very Ethnicks have granted That the chief and first care of Princes and of such as be appointed to rule above others ought to be To promote the glory and honour of their Gods and to maintain that Religion which they supposed to have been true And that their second care was To maintain and defend the subjects committed to their charge in all equity and justice I will not labour to shew unto you what ought to be your studie in maintaining Gods true honour left that in so doing I should seem to make you lesse carefull to Gods true Religion then were the Ethnicks over their Idolatry But because other Petitions may appear more hard and difficile to be granted I purpose briefly but yet freely to speak what God by his Word doth assure me to be true to wit first That in conscience you are bound to punish malefactors and to defend innocents imploring your help Secondly That God requireth of you to provide that your subjects be rightly instructed in his true Religion and that the same be by you reformed whensoever abuses do creep in by the malice of Satan and negligence of men And lastly That ye are bonnd to remove from Honour and to punish with death if the crime so require such as deceive the people or defraud them of that food of their souls I mean Gods lively Word The first and second are most plain by the words of S. Paul thus speaking of lawfull powers Let every soul saith he submit himself unto the higher Powers for there is no power but of God Whosoever resisteth therefore the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation For Rulers are not to be feared of those that do well but of those that do evil Wilt thou then be without fear of the Power Do that which is good and so shalt thou be praised of the same For he is the Minister of God for thy weal But if thou do that which is evil fear for he beareth not the Sword for nought for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on them that do evil As the Apostle in these words most straitly commandeth Obedience to be given to lawfull powers pronouncing Gods wrath and vengeance against such as shall resist the Ordinance of God so doth he assigne to the powers their Offices which be To take vengeance upon evil doers To maintain the well doers and so to minister and rule in their Office that the subjects by them may have a Benefit and be praised in well doing Now if you be powers ordained by God and that I hope all men will grant then by the plain words of the Apostle is the Sword given unto you by God for maintenance of the innocent and for punishment of malefactors But I and my brethren with me accused do offer not onely to prove our selves innocents in all things laid to our charge but also we offer most evidently to prove your Bishops to be the very pestilence who have infected all Christianity And therefore by the plain Doctrine of the Apostle you are bound to maintain us and punish the other being evidently convinced and proved criminall Moreover the former words of the Apostle do teach How far high powers are bound to their subjects to wit That because they be Gods Ministers by him ordained for the profit and utility of others most diligently ought they to attend upon the same For that cause assigneth the holy Ghost commanding subjects to obey and to pay Tribute saying For this do you pay Tribute and Toll that is Because they are Gods Ministers bearing the Sword for your utility Whereof it is plain That there is no honour without a charge annexed And this one point I wish your wisedoms deeply to consider That God hath not placed you above your Brethren to raigne as Tyrants without respect of either profit or commodity You hear the holy Ghost witnesse the contrary affirming That all powers be Gods Ministers ordained for the weal profit and salvation of their subjects and not for their destruction Could it be said I beseech you That Magistrates inclosing their subjects in a City without all victualls or giving unto them no other victualls but such as were poysoned did rule for the profit of their subjects I trust that none would be so foolish as so to affirm but that
from the Den of Lions To the confusion of their enemies To the better instruction of the ignorant Kings and To the perpetuall comfort of Gods afflicted children And Abdemelech in the day of the Lords Visitation when the King and his Councell did drink the bitter cup of Gods Vengeance did finde his life for a prey and did not fall by the edge of the sword when many thousands did perish And this was signified unto them by the Prophet himself at the commandment of God before that Ierusalem was destroyed This promise and cause were recited unto him in these words I will bring my words upon this City unto evil and not unto good but most assuredly I shall deliver thee because thou hast trusted in me saith the Lord. The trust and hope which Abdemelech had in God made himself bold to oppose himself being but one to the King and to his whole Councell who had condemned to death the Prophet whom his conscience did acknowledge to be innocent for thus did he speak in presence of the King sitting in the Port of Benjamin My Lord the King saith Abdemelech these men do wickedly in all things that they have done to Jeremy the Prophet Advert and take heed my Lords that the men who had condemned the Prophet were the King his Princes and Councell and yet did one man accuse them all of iniquity and did boldly speak in the defence of him of whose innocency he was perswaded And the same I say is the duty of every man in his Vocation but chiefly of the Nobility which is joyned with their kings to bridle and represse their folly and blinde rage Which thing if the Nobility do not neither yet labour to doe as they are Traitours to their Kings so do they provoke the wrath of God against themselves and against the Realme in which they abuse the Authoritie which they have received of God to maintaine Vertue and to suppresse Vice And hereof I would your Honours were most certainly perswaded That God will neither excuse Nobilitie nor people but the Nobility least of all that obey and follow their Kings in manifest iniquity but with the same vengeance will God punish the Prince People and Nobility conspiring together against him and his Holy Ordinances as in the punishment upon Pharaoh Israel Iuda and Babylon is evidently to be seene for Pharaoh was not drowned alone but his Captains Charets and great Army drank the same Cup with him The Kings of Israel and Iudah were not punished without company but with them were murthered the Counsellors their Princes imprisoned and their people led Captive And why because none was found so faithfull to God that he durst enterprise to resist nor gainstand the manifest impietie of their Princes And therefore was Gods wrath powred forth upon the one and the other But the more ample discourse of this argument I deferre to better opportunity onely at this time I thought expedient to admonish you That before God it shall not excuse you to alleadge We are no Kings and therefore neither can we reforme Religion nor yet defend such as be persecuted Consider my Lords that ye are powers ordained of God as before is declared and therefore doth the Reformation of Religion and the defence of such as unjustly are oppressed appertaine to your charge and care which thing shall the Law of God universally given to be kept of all men most evidently declare which is my last and most assured reason why I say ye ought to remove from your Honours and to punish with death such as God hath condemned by his own mouth After that Moses had declared what was true Religion to wit To honour God as he commanded adding nothing to his Word neither yet diminishing any thing from it and after also that vehemently he had exhort-the same Law to be observed he denounced the punishment against the Transgressors in these words If thy brother sonne daughter wife or neighbour whom thou lovest as thine own life solicitate thee secretly saying Let us go serve other gods whom neither thou nor thy fathers have knowne consent not to him hear him not let not thine eye spare him shew him no indulgency or favour hide him not but utterly kill him let thy hand be the first upon him that he may be slaine and after the hand of the whole people Of these words of Moses are two things appertaining to our purpose to be noted The first is that such as solicitate only to Idolatry ought to be punished to death without favour or respect of person For he that will not suffer man to spare his sonne his daughter nor his wife but straitly commandeth punishment to be taken upon the idolatours have they never so nigh conjunction with us will not wink at the Idolatry of others of what state or condition soever they be It is not unknown That the Prophets had Revelations of God which were not common to the people as Samuel had the Revelation that Eli and his posterity should be destroyed That Saul should first be King and thereafter That he should be rejected That David should raign for him Michaiah understood by Vision That Achab should be killed in the Battell against the Syrians Elias saw that dogs should eat Iezabel in the Forts of Iezreel Elisha did see hunger come upon Israel by the space of seven yeers Ieremiah did foresee the destruction of Ierusalem and the time of their Captivity And so divers other Prophets had divers Revelations of God which the people did not otherwise understand but by their affirmation and therefore in those dayes were the Prophets named Seers because that God did open unto them that which was hid from the multitude Now if any man might have claimed any priviledge from the rigour of the Law or might have justified his fact it should have been the Prophet For he might have alleadged for himself his singular Prerogative that he had above other men to have Gods Will revealed unto him by Vision or by Dream or That God had declared particularly unto him that his pleasure was To be honoured in that manner in such a place and by such means But all such excuses doth God remove commanding That the Prophet that shall so solicitate the people to serve strange Gods shall die the death notwithstanding that he alleadge for himself Dream Vision or Revelation yea although he promise miracles and although that such things as he promised should come to passe yet I say commandeth God that no credit be given to him but that he die the death because he teacheth apostasie and defection from God Hereby your Honours may easily see That none provoking the people to Idolatry ought to be exempted from the punishment of death For if neither that inseparable Conjunction which God himself hath sanctified betwixt man and wife neither that unspeakable love grafted in nature which is betwixt the father and the son neither yet that
standeth my singular comfort this day when I hear that those bloody tyrants within the Realme of England doth kill murther destroy and devour man and woman as ravennous Lions now loosed from bonds I lift up therefore the eyes of mine heart as my iniquity and present dolour will suffer and to my heavenly Father will I say O Lord those cruell tyrants are loosed by thy hand to punish our former ingratitude whom we trust thou wilt not suffer to prevail for ever but when thou hast corrected us a little and hast declared unto the world the tyranny that lurked in their boldned brests then wilt thou break their jaw-bones and wilâ— shut them up in their caves again that the generation and posterity following may praise thy holy Name before thy Congregation Amen When I feel any taste or motion of these promises then think I my self most happy and that I have received a just compensation albeit I and all that to me in earth belongeth should suffer present death knowing that God shall yet shew mercy to his afflicted Church within England and that he shall represse the pride of these present tyrants like as he hath done of those that were before our dayes And therefore beloved brethren in our Saviour Jesus Christ hold up to God your hands that are fainted through fear and let your hearts that have in these dolorous dayes sleeped in sorrow awake and hear the voyce of your God who sweareth by himself That he will not suffer his Church to be oppressed for ever neither that he will despise our sobâ— to the end if we will row and strive against this vehement winde I mean if that ye will not run back headlong to Idolatry then shall this storm be asswaged in despight of the devill Christ Jesus shall come with speed to your deliverance he shall pierce thorow the winde and the raging Seas shall obey and bear his feet and body as the massie stable and dry land Be not moved from the sure foundation of your faith For albeit that Christ Jesus be absent from you as he was from his disciples in that great storme by his bodily presence yet is he present by his mighty power and grace He standeth upon the mountain in security and rest that is his flesh and whole humanity is now in heaven and can suffer no such trouble as sometimes he did And yet he is full of pity and compassion and doth consider all our travell anguish and labours wherefore it is not to be doubted but that he will suddenly appear to our great comfort The tyranny of this world cannot keep back his coming more then the blustering winde and raging Seas lett Christ to come to his disciples when they looked for nothing but present death And therefore yet again I say beloved in the Lord Let your hearts attend to the promises that God hath made unto true repentant sinners and be fully perswaded with a constant faith That God is alwayes true and just in his performance of his promises You have heard these dayes spoken of very plainly when your hearts could fear no danger because you were nigh the land and the storm was not yet risen that is Ye were young Scholars of Christ when no persecution was felt or seen But now ye are come into the midst of the Sea for what part of England heard not of your profession and the vehement storm whereof we then almost in every Exhortation spake of is now suddenly risen up But what Hath God brought you so far forth that you shall both in souls and bodies every one perish Nay my whole trust in Gods mercy and truth is to the contrary For God brought not his people into Egypt and from thence thorow the Red Sea to the intent they should perish but that he in them should shew a most glorious deliverance Neither sent Christ his Apostles into the middest of the Sea and suffering the storm to assault them and their Ship to the intent they should there perish but because he would the more have his great goodnesse towards them felt and perceived in so mightily delivering them out of the fear of perishing giving us thereby an example that he would do the like to us if we abide constant in our profession and saith with-drawing our selves from superstition and idolatry We gave you warning of these dayes long ago For the reverence of Christs Blood let these words be noted The same Truth that spake before of these dolorous dayes forespake also the everlasting joy prepared for such as should continue to the end The trouble is come O dear brethren look for the comfort and after the example of the Apostle abide in resisting this vehement storm a little space The third Watch is not yet ended remember that Christ Jesus came not to his disciples till it was the fourth Watch and they were then in no lesse danger then you be now for their faith fainted and their bodies were in danger But Christ Jesus came when they looked not for him and so shall he do to you if you will continue in the profession that you have made This dare I be bold to promise in the Name of him whose Eternall Verity and glorious Gospel ye have heard and received who also putteth into my heart an earnest thirst God knoweth I lie not of your salvation and some care also for your bodies which now I will not expresse Thus shortly have I passed thorow the outragious tempest wherein the disciples of Christ were tempted after that the great multitude were by Christ fed in the desert omitting many profitable Notes which might well have been marked in the Text because my purpose is at this present not to be tedious nor yet curious but only to note such things as be agreeable to these most dolorous dayes And so let us now speak of the end of this storm and trouble in which I finde four things chiefly to be noted First That the disciples at the presence of Christ were more afraid then they were before Secondly That Christ useth no other instrument but his Word to pacific their hearts Thirdly That Peter in a fervency first left his Ship and yet after feared Fourthly and lastly That Christ permitted neither Peter nor the rest of his disciples to perish in that fear but gloriously delivered all and pacified the Tempest Their great fear and the cause thereof are expressed in the Text in these words When the disciples saw him walking upon the Sea they were afraid saying It is a Spirit and they cryed through fear It is not my purpose in this Treatise to speak of spirits nor yet to dispute Whether spirits good or bad may appear and trouble men Neither yet to enquire Why mans nature is afraid of spirits and so vehemently abhorreth their presence and company But my purpose is onely to speak of things necessary for this time And first let us consider
passe over the Tyrants of old time whom God hath plagued let us come to the Tyrants which now are within the Realm of England whom God will not long spare If Steven Gardener Cuthbert Tunstal and Butcherly Bonnar false Bishops of Winchester Duresme and of London had for their false Doctrine and Traiterous acts suffered death when they justly deserved the same then would arrant Papists have alleadged as I and others have heard them do that they were men reformable That they were meet Instruments for a Common-wealth That they were not so obstinate and malicious as they were judged neither that they thirsted for the blood of any man And of Lady Mary who hath not heard That she was not sober mercifull and one that loved the Common-wealth of England Had she I say and such as now be of her pestilent Councell been dead before these dayes then should not their iniquity and cruelty so manifestly have appeared to the world for who could have thought that such cruelty could have entred into the heart of a woman and into the heart of her that is called a Virgine that she would thirst for the blood of innocents and of such as by just Laws and faithfull witnesses can never be proved to have offended by themselves I finde that Athalia through appetite to Reign murthered the Seed of the Kings of Iudah and that Herodias daughter at the desire of a whorish Mother obtained the head of Iohn the Baptist but yet that ever a woman suffered her self to be called the most blessed Virgin caused so much blood to be spilt for establishing of the usurped Authoritie of the Pope I think the like is rare to be found in Scripture or other History I finde that Iezabel that cursed Idolatresse caused the blood of the Prophets of God to be shed and Naboth to be murthered unjustly for his own Vineyard but yet I think she never erected halfe so many Gallows in all Israel as mischievous Mary hath done within London alone But you Papists will excuse your Mary the Virgine Well let her be your Virgine and a Goddesse meet to entertain such Idolaters yet shall I rightly lay to her charge that which I think no Papist within England will justifie nor defend And therefore O ye Papists here I will a little turn my Pen unto you Answer unto this Question O ye Seed of the Serpent Would any of you have confessed two years ago that Mary your mirrour had been false dissembling unconstant proud and a breaker of promises except such promises as she made to your god the Pope to the great shame and dishonour of her noble Father I am sure you would hardly have thought it of her And now doth she not manifestly shew her self to be an open Traitoresse to the Imperiall Crown of England contrary to the just Laws of the Realme to bring in a stranger and make a proud Spanyard King to the shame dishonour and destruction of the Nobilitie to the spoile of their Honours Lands Possessions chief Offices and promotions of them and theirs To the utter decay of the Treasures Commodities Navie and Fortifications of the Realm to the abasing of the Yeomandry to the slavery of the Commonalty to the overthrow of Christianity and Gods true Religion and finally to the utter subversion of the whole publike estate and Common-wealth of England Let Norfolk and Suffolke let her own Promise and Proclamation let her fathers Testament let the Citie of London let the ancient Laws and Acts of Parliaments before established in England be judges betwixt mine accusation and her most tyrannous iniquity First her Promise and Proclamation did signifie and declare That neither she would bring in neither yet Marry any stranger Northfolk Suffolk and the Citie of London do testifie and witnesse the same The ancient Laws and Acts of Parliament pronounceth it Treason to transferre the Crown of England into the hands of a forraigne Nation and the Oath made to observe the said Statutes cryeth out That all they are perjured that consent to that her traiterous fact Speak now O ye Papists and defend your monstrous Masters and deny if ye can for shame that she hath not uttered her self to be borne alas therefore to the ruine and destruction of noble England Oh who would ever have beleeved I write now in bitternesse of heart that such unnaturall crueltie should have had dominion over any reasonable creature But the saying to be true That the usurped Government of an affectionate woman is a rage without reason Who would ever have thought that the love of that Realme which hath brought forth which hath nourished and so nobly maintained that wicked woman should not have moved her heart with pitie Who seeth not now that she in all her doings declareth most manifestly that under an English name she beareth a Spaniards heart If God I say had not for our scourge suffered her and her cruell Councell to have come to Authority then could never these their abominations cruelty and treason against God against his Saints and against the Realm whose liberties they are sworn to defend so manifestly have been declared And who ever could have beleeved That proud Gardener and treacherous Tunstall whom all Papists praised for the love they bare to their Countrey could have become so manifestly Traiterous not onely against their solemne Oathes that they should never consent nor agree unto that a forraigne Stranger should reigne over England but also that they would adjudge the Imperiall Crown of the same to appertain to a Spanyard by inheritance Lineall discent O Traiterous Traitours how can you for shame shew your faces It cometh to my minde that upon Christmas day Anno 1552. preaching in New-Castle upon Tine and speaking against the obstinacie of the Papists I made this affirmation That whosoever in his heart was enemy to Christs Gospel and Doctrine which then was preached within the Realm of England was enemy also to God and secret traitours to the Crown and Common-wealth of England for as they thirsted nothing more then the Kings death which their iniquity could procure so they regarded not who should reign over them so that their Idolatry might be erected again How these my words at that time pleased men the crimes and action intended against me did declare But let my very enemies now say their conscience if those may words have not proved true What is the cause that Winchester and the rest of his pestilent sect so greedily would have a Spanyard to reign over England The cause is mafest for as that Hellish Nation surmounteth all other in pride and Whoredome so for Idolatry and vaine Papisticall and devillish Ceremonies they may rightly be called the very sons of superstition And therefore are they found and judged by the Progeny of Antichrist most apt Instruments to maintain establish and defend the Kingdom of that cruell Beast whose head and wound is lately
Word from the whole Realme of England But be thou mindefull O Lord that it is thy Truth which we have professed and that thy enemies blasphemeth thy holy Name and our Profession without Cause Thy holy Gospel is called heresie and we are accused as traytors for professing the same Be mercifull therefore O Lord and be salvation unto us in this time of our anguish Albeit our sins accuse and condemne us yet do thou according to thine own Name We have offended against thee Our sins and iniquities are without number and yet art thou in the midst of us O Lord albeit that tyrants bear rule over our bodies yet thirsteth our souls for the comfort of thy Word Correct us therefore but not in thy hot displeasure spare thy people and permit not thine inheritance to bâ— in rebuke for ever Let such O Lord as now are most afflicted yet once againe praise thy holy Name before thy Congregation Represse the pride of those blood-thirsty Tyrants consume them in thine anger according to the reproach which they have laid against thy holy Name Pour forth thy vengeance upon them and let our eyes behold the blood of thy Saints required of their hands Delay not thy vengeance O Lord but let death devour them in haste Let the earth swallow them up and let them go downe quick to the hells For there is no hope of their amendment the feare and reverence of thy holy Name is quite banished from their hearts and therefore yet again O Lord consume them consume them in thine anger and let them never bring their wicked counsells to effect but according to the godly powers let them be taken in the snare which they have prepared for thine elect Look upon us O Lord with the eyes of thy mercy and shew pity upon us thy weak and sore oppressed Flock Gather us yet once again to the wholesome treasures of thy most holy Word that openly we may confesse thy blessed Name within the Realme of England Grant this O heavenly Father for Christ Iesus thy sons sake Amen If on this manner or otherwise as God shall put in our hearts without hypocrisie in the presence of our God respecting more his glory then our private wealth continually we poure forth our complaint confession and prayers Then so assuredly as our God liveth and as we feel these present troubles shall our God himself rise to our defence he shall confound the counsels of our enemies and trouble the wits of such as most wrongfully troubleth us He shall send Jesu to execute his just judgments against Idolators and against such as obstinately defendeth them Yea the chiefe men of our times shall not escape the vengeance and plagues that are prepared for their portion The flatterers and maintainers of her abominations shall drink the cup of Gods wrath And in despite of the Devill shall yet the glory of Christ Jesus and the brightnesse of his countenance so shine in our hearts by the presence of his grace and before our eyes by the true preaching of his Gospel that altogether we shall fall before him and say O Lord thou art our God we shall extoll thee and shall confesse thy Name for thou â—ast brought wonderous things to passe according to thy counsels which albeit appear to be farre off yet are they true and most assured Thou hast brought to ruine the palaces of tyrants and therefore shall the afflicted magnifie thee and the City of tyrannicall Nations shall fear thee Thou hast been O Lord a strong defence to the poor a sure place of refuge to the afflicted in the time of his anguish This no doubt dear Brethren shall one day be the song of Gods Elect within the Realm of England after that God hath poured forth his vengeance upon these disobedient and blood-thirsty tyrants which now triumpheth in all abominations and therefore yet again beloved in the Lord Abide patiently the Lords deliverance avoyding and flying such offences as may separate and divide you from the blessed felloâ—ship of the Lord Jesus at his second comming Watch and pray resist the â—ivell and row against this vehement tempest and shortly shall the Lord come to the comfort of your hearts which now are oppressed with anguish and care but then shall ye so rejoyce that through gladnesse you shall say Behold this our God we have waited upon him and he hath saved us This is our Lord we have long thirsted for his comming now shall we rejoyce and be glad in his salvation Amen The great Bishop of our souls Jesus our Lord so strengthen and assist your troubled hearts with the mighty comfort of his Holy Ghost that earthly tyrants nor worldly torments have no power to drive you from the hope and expectation of that Kingdom which for the Elect was prepared from the beginning by our heavenly Father to whom be all praise and honour now and ever Amen Remember me dear Brethren in your daily prayers The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Yours with sorrowfull heart JOHN KNOX The Copie of A LETTER Delivered To Queen Mary Regent OF SCOTLAND FROM IOHN KNOX Minister of Gods Word in the yeer of our Lord 1556. and thereafter augmented and explained by the Author in the yeer of our Lord 1558. To the most Excellent Princesse MARY DOVVAGER Regent of Scotland MADAME THE cause which moved me to present this my Supplication unto your Majestie enlarged and in some places explained being in the Realm of Scotland in the Moneth of May 1556. I caused to be presented to your Majesty is the incredible rage of such as beare the Title of Bishops who against all justice and equitie have pronounced against me a most cruell sentence condemning my Bodie to Fire my Soul to Damnation and all Doctrine taught by me to be false deceivable and Hereticall If this injury did tend to me alone having the testimony of a good conscience with silence I could passe the matter being assured that such as they curse and expell their Synagogues for such causes shall God blesse and Christ Jesus receive in his eternall societie But considering that this their blasphemy is vomited forth against the eternall Truth of Christs Evangell whereof it hath pleased the great mercy of God to make me a Minister I cannot cease to notifie as well to your Majestie as to them That so little am I afraid of their Tyrannicall and surmised sentence that in place of the Picture if God impede not my purpose they shall have the Body to justice that Doctrine which they Members of Satan blasphemously do condemne Advertising your Majestie in the mean time That from them their sentence and tyrannie and from all those that lift to maintain them in the same I do appeal to a lawfull and generall Councel beseeching your Majesty to take in good part that I call you for witnesse that I have required the libertie of
unfainedly cry to him when he correcteth us And so shall we know in experience that our cryes and complaints were not in vain But let us hear what the Prophet saith further Like as a woman saith he with child that draweth neer the travell is in sorrow and cryeth in her pains so have we been in thy sight O Lord we have conceivâ—d we have born in vain as though we should have brought forth the wind Salvations were not made to the earth neither did the inhabitants of the earth fall This is the second part of the Prophets complaint in the which he in the person of Gods people complaineth that of their great affliction there appeared not end This same similitude is used by our Master Jesus Christ for when he speaketh of the troubles of his Church he compareth them to the pains of a woman travelling in her child-birth But it is to another end For there he promiseth exceeding and permanent joy after a sort though it appear trouble But here is the trouble long vehement albeit the fruit of it was not suddenly espied He speaketh no doubt of that long and dolorous time of their captivity in the which they continually travelled for deliverance but obtained it not before the compleat end of 70 yeres during the which time the earth that is the land of Iuda which somtimes was sanctified unto God but was then given to be prophaned by wicked people got no help nor perceiving any deliverance For the Inhabitants of the world fell not that is the tyrants and oppressors of Gods people were not taken away but stil remained and continued blasphemers of God and troublers of his Church But because I perceive the houres to passe more swiftly then they have done at other times I mind to contract that which resteth of this Text into certain points The Prophet first fighteth against the present despair After he introduceth God himselfe calling upon his people And last of all he assureth his afflicted that God will come and require account of all the blood thirsty Tyrants of the earth First fighting against the present despair he saith Thy dead shall live even my Body or with my body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust For thy dew is as the dew of herbes The Prophet here pierceth through all impediments that nature could object And by the victory of faith he overcommeth not only the common enemies but the great and last enemy of all to wit death it selfe For this would he say Lord I see nothing to thy chosen but misery to follow misery one affliction to succeed another yea in the end I see that death shall devour thy dearest children But yet O Lord I see thy promise to be true thy love to remain towards thy chosen even when death appeared to have devoured them For thy dead shal live yea not only shal they live but my very dead Carcase shall arise And so I see honour and glory to succeed this temporall shame I see joy permanent to come after trouble order to spring out of this terrible confusion and finally I see that life shall devour death so that death shall be destroyed and so thy servants shall have life This I say is the victory of faith when in the midst of death through the light of Gods Word the afflicted see life Hypocrites in the time of quietnesse and prosperitie can generally confesse That God is true in his promises but bring them to the extremitie and there ceaseth the Hypocrite further to trust in God then he seeth naturall means whereby God useth to work But the true faithfull when all hope of naturall means faileth then flie they to God himself and to the truth of his Promise who is above nature yea whose works are not so subject to the ordinary course of nature that when Nature faileth his Power and Promise fail also therewith Let us further observe That the Prophet here speaketh not of all dead in generall but saith Thy dead O Lord shall live In which words he maketh difference betwixt those that die in the Lord and those that die in their naturall corruption and in the old Adam Dye in the Lord can none except those that live in him I mean those that attain to the yeers of discretion and none live in him but those that with the Apostle can say I live and yet not I but Christ Iesus that dwelleth in me The life that I now live I have by the faith of the Sonne of God Not that I mean That the faithfull have at all hours such sense of the life everlasting that they fear not the death and the troubles of this life no not so for the faith of Gods Children is weak yea and in many things imperfect But I mean That such as in death and after death shall live must communicate in this life with Jesus Christ and must be regenerate by the seed of life that is by the Word of the everliving God which whosoever despiseth refuseth life and joy everlasting The Prophet transferreth all the promises of God to himselfe saying Even my dead body shall arise and immediately after giveth commandement and charge to the dwellers in the dust that is To the dead Carcases of those that were departed for the spirit and soul of man dwelleth not in the dust That they should awake that they should sing and rejoyce for they should arise and spring up from the earth even as the Herbs do after they have received the dew from above Time will not suffer that these particulars be so largely treated as they ought to be and as I gladly would therefore let us consider That the Prophet in transferring the Power and Promise of God to himself doth not vindicate to himself any particular prerogative above the people of God as that he alone should live and arise and not they also But he doth it to let them understand That he taught a Doctrine whereof he was certain yea and whereof they should have experience after his death As if he should say My words appear to you now to be incredible but the day shall come that I shall be taken from you my Carcase shall be inclosed in the bosome of the earth and therefore shall ye be led away Captives to Babylon where ye shall remain many dayes and yeers as it were buryed in your Sepulchres But then call to minde that I said unto you before hand that my body shall arise Even so shall ye rise from your graves out of Babylon and be restored to your own Countrey and City of Ierusalem This I doubt not is the true meaning of the Prophets The charge that he giveth to the dwellers in the dust is to expresse the power of Gods Word whereby he not onely giveth life where death apparantly had prevailed but also by it he calleth things that are not even as if they were True it is
now O would God that the Nobility should yet consider The first of the Nobility The constant request of the Protestants of Scotland Note the duty of Noblemen Note Probation against the Papists Against such as under colour of authority persecute their brethren Difference betwixt the person and the Authority Note Note diligently Pharaoh his fact Note The fact of King Saul The second sort of the Nobility Note Let both the one part and the other judge if God have not justified the cause of the innocents From whence this courage did proceed the issue did declare Note The Earle of Glencarne his resolution Speakers sent by the Queene to S. Iohnston Note the answer The false suggestion of the Queen Regent Let the Papists rather ambitious Romanists judge The diligence of the Earle of Glencarne and of the brethren of the wast for the relief of S. Iohnston The Petition of the Protestants for the rendering of S Iohnston The answer of the Earle of Argyle and L. Iames Prior of S. Andrews The promise of the foresaid Note 1559 The first slaughter at the entry of the French-men Idolatry erected against the appointment Against the appointment the second time Second answer of the Queen Regent The third anâ—wer The departure of the Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames from the Queen Regent The answer the Earle of Argyle The Bishops good minde towards Iohn Knox. Iohn Knox his answer to the Lords and the rest of the brethren The Reformation of S. Audrews For the old Earle of Argyle was dead Cowper-Moore M. Gawin Hamiltons Vow First answer at Cowper-moore The second answer The delivery of S. Iohnston The summoning of S. Iohnston Communing at S. Iohnston Huntly The Bishop of Murray The destruction of Scone The cause of the burning of Scone Speaking of an ancient matron when Scone was burning The taking of Stirlin Lord Shaton The coming of the Congregaon to Edinburg Let the Reader marke how this agrees with our time The third Letter to the Queen Regent The craftines of the Queen Regent may yet be espied 1559. Accusations Mark the craftie calumnies The communing at Preston The demand of the Queen Regent and answer of the Protestants The last offers of the Protestants to the Q. Regent The scoffing of the Queen Regent Note The death of Henry King of France Note how this agrees with our times Answer to the calumnie Note Nobles Leith left us the congregation The Lord Erskin and his fact In contemplation of these Articles arose this proverb Good day Sir John till Ianury Welcome Sir John till Ianuary Note The promise of the Duke and Earle of Huntly Answer to thâ— complaint of the Papists The third Bond of mutuall defence at Sterlin Note â—he first knowledge of the escaping of the Eâ—rle of Arran out of France Let this be noted The just reward of the Duâ—e for leaving God Brags â—now Note Note Note The residence of Iohn Willock in Edinburg Note The Queen Regents malice against poore men Note The practise of the Queen Regent See how this agreeth with our times The arrivall of th French Note The division of the Lords lands by the French How like to the Proclâ—mations of our times this is let the Reader judge Let the Bishop of Amians Letters and Monsieur de la Brosse Letters written to France witnesse that Confer this with our times Few dayes after declareth the truth of this Confer this with our times Let the Nobility judge hereof Let Sir Robert Richardson and others answer to this See how this agrees with our times The cause of the Frenchmens coming with wives and children Note A proverbe Note The doctrine of our Preachers concerning obedience to be given to Magistrates Let such as this day live witnesse what God hath wrought since the writing and publication hereof Note The Prophets have medled with policy and have reproved the corruptions thereof The coming of the Earle of Arran to Scotland and his joyning with the Congregation Letters to the Queen Regent The Petition of la Brosse The answer Note The tyranny of the French Note how this agrees with our times Note Let this be noted O craâ—ty flatterâ—r Note Elizabeth was come to the crown of England the yeere before by the death of Mary False lying tongue God hath confounded thee God hath purged his people of that false accusation Note The avarice of those of Loraine and Guise Note The title that the Queen hath or had to Leith The Laird of Lestarrig sup riour to Leith Note Note diligently The wickednesse of the Bishops The cause that Broughtie Craig was taken Let all men judge The Dukes answer Note Note Note The quarrell betwixt Frauce and the Congregation of Scotland The Lord Seaton unworthy of Regiment Optimâ— collatio Let the Papists judge if God hath not given judgement to the displeasure of their hearts Note The causes that moved the Nobility of this Realme to oppose the Q. Regent The sâ—me minde remaineth to this day This promise was forgot and therefore God plagued Wha spirit could have hoped for victory in so desperate dangers Note Note how calumnies prevail upon the world for a time Now the Duke seeing the Queens partie decline and the Protestant party grow strong he once more changeth the profession of his Religion and joyneth with the Protestants as strongest How true this is the whole and constant course of the family can tell Let this be noted and let all men judge of the purpose of the French and how good and wise Patriots they wâ—re who sold our Soveraign to France for their private profit and they by name were 〈◊〉 Hamiltons The order of the suspension of the Queen Regent from Authority within Scotland The discourse of Iohn Willock The causes The judgment of Iohn Knox in the deposition of the Queen Regent Let no man then for privat ends and by-wayes do any thing against their Prince â—nder preâ—ence of the publike 1559 The enormities committed by the Queen Regent Her daughter followed the same for to Davie was delivered the Great Seal Note Note Note Note All done in the Soveraignâ— Name as they do now a-dayâ— Note Treason among the counsell The Duke and his friends fearfull The ungodly Souldiers The Queenâ— Regents practises The fact of the councell The treason of Iohn 〈◊〉 Note the kindnesse of the English in need The E. Bothweâ—l false in promise and his treasonable fact Note The first departing of the Congregation The cruelty of the French Note this diligently The Earle of Argyle Lord Robert Stewart The Castle shot one Shot The Queen Regents rejoycing and unwomanly behaviour The counsel of the Master of Maxwell The last discâ—mâ—â—tuâ—e upon Munday The death of Alexander Haliburnton Captaine How and why William Maitland left Leith The Lord Erskin declared himself enemy to the Congregation The despight of the Papists of Edinburgh The worst is not yet come upon our enemies Note Note Note diligently Note Specialiâ— Applicatio Let Scotland
yet take heed Let janglers and inconstant mâ—n note Le the House of Hamilton remember this Conclusio Let the Papists and greatest enemies witnesse Proclamation against the Earl of Arranâ— Re 〈…〉 The drowning of the French Dominus pro nobis The Earle of Sudderland shot Note the French favour to their friendâ— John 6. Exhortation of Iohn Knox. Note The slaughter of a French Captain with his Band. Note The arrivall of the English Ships Note The Bridge of Tullibody Note the death of a plunderer Remark the Scots acknowledgement of the English help Iohn Knox his first Letter to Sir William Cecile Note Note Note As England had interest then not to suffer Scotland to perish so likewise Scotland hath interest now not to see Engâ—and undonâ— 1559. Note the Quaeres And Answers Let the enemies say if their hope be not frustrate Note diligently Note Note Note Sir Iames Crofts counsell Note a braggadoshie Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Let us mark our advantage from France Note Note Note Note a cruell â—act 1560 Note Note 1560. The fourth Covenant Now hereupon came the pursuit Let the Princes now adayes make use of this So now the worldlings speak unto the King concerning the Scots into England Note The Hamiltonsâ—amâ—ly â—amâ—ly Note this diligently We must go to the fiâ—st cause in all things The inhumanity of the mercâ—lâ—ss French The Quâ—en Regents cruell heart The comfortable Letter of the Duke of Norfolk Note Let the Princes now make use of these words of this dying Queen Note The death of the Queene Regent Note a Character of Popishly addicted French officers of State Note how they limit the Prince Note how the Prince is limitated and his will is not a Law Note The profit thâ—â— Leith got of their promise liberty Note a Covenant betwixt England and Scotland 1560. Some Prelats left Antichrist and did adherâ— unto Christ. William Mâ—itlands mockage of God See how this agrees with our timâ—s Deut. 14. 1 Cor. â— 8. Isai 44.4 5. 1 Tim. 1 27. 1 King 8.17 2 Chron. 8 18. Psal 139 78. Gâ—n 17 1. 1 Tim. 6.15 16 Exod 3.14 15. Matt. 28.19 1 Joh 57. Gen 1.1 Heb. 1. â—3 Act. 17.28 Prov 16.4 Gen 1.26 27 c. Col. 3.10 Ephes 4 24 Gen. 3.6 Gen. 2. â—7 Psal 51.5 Rom. 5 10. Rom. 7.5 2 Tit. 2.6 Eph. 2 23. Rom. 5.14 12. Rom. 6.23 John 3 5. Rom. 5.1 Phil. 1.29 Gen. 3.15 Gen. 3.9 Gen. 12 3. Gen. 15 5 6. 2 Sam. 7.14 Isai 7.14 Isai 9 6 Hag 2.6 John 8.38 Ezek. 6.5 6.7 8 9 c. Gen. 1 12. Gen. 13.1 Exod. 1.1 Exod. 1.20 Josh 3. 23 4 1 Sam. 10.1 1 Sam 16 13 2 Sam 7 12 2 Kingâ— 17.15 16 c. 2 King 24. 34 c. Deu. 28.36 38 c. 2 Kin. 25. â— Dan. 9 2. Ezr. 1 c. Hag. 1 14. Zach. 3.1 Gal 4 4. Luke 1.31 Matth. 1.18 Matth. 2.1 Rom. 1.3 Matth. 1.23 John 1.2.45 2 Tim. 2 5. Ephes. 1.3.4 15 6. Ephes. 1.11 Matth 25 34. Ephes. 1 21 22. Heb 27 8. Psal. 22.11 Heb 13.26 1 Pet. 2.24 5. Psal. 130.3 Psal. 143.3 1 Tim. 2.5 John 1.12 John 20.17 Rom. 5.17 18.19 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4 36. Act. 17.26 Heb. 2.11 12. 1 Pet. 3 18. Isa. 53.8 Act. 2.4 1 John 1 2. Act. 20 28. 1 Tim 3.16 John 3.16 Heb. 10.1 12. Isa 53.5 Heb. 1 2.3 John 1.29 Matth. 26.11 Deut. 20.23 Matth. 15.1 2. Gal 3.13 Luke 23.1 2. Matth. 26.38 2 Cor 5. Heb 9 12. Heb. 10.5 Act. 2.23 Act. 3.26 Rom. 6.5 11. Act. 2.24 Rom. 4 25. Heb. 2.14 15. Matth. 28 John 20.27 21.7 Luke 24.41 42 43. Joh. 21.12 13. Luke 24.51 Act. 1.6 Matth. 28.6 Matth. 16.9 Luke 24 6. John 20.9 Matth. 28 18. 1 John 2.1 1 Tim. 2.5 Psal. 110 1. Matth. 22 44. Matth. 12 36. Luke 20.42.43 Acts 1.1 Acts 3.19 1 Thess. 1.4 5 6 7 8. Matth. 25.34 Revel 21.27 Esay 66.24 Matth 25.41 Matth 9.44 46 48 Matth. 22.13 2 Pet. 3 11. 2 Cor. 5.11 Luke 21.28 John 15.4 c. Esay 7.14 Ephes. 1.22 Col. 1.18 Heb. 1.11 15. Heb. 10.21 1 John 2.1 1 Tim. 2.5 Matth. 16.17 John 14 26. John 14.11 Acts 5.4 John 10.13 Col. 2.13 Ephes. 2. â— John 9.39 Revel 3.13 Matth. 17.17 Matth 9.19 Luke 9 41. John 6 63. Mic 7.8 1 King 8.8 Psal. 10.3 Rom. 5.10 John 3.5 Tit. 5.5 Rom. 5 8. Psal. 3.9 Psal. 1.6 2 Cor. 3.5 Ephes 1 6. Ephes. 2.10 Phil. 3.13 John 15.5 Rom. 8.9 Rom. 7.15 16 17. Gal. 5.17 Rom. 8 16. Rom. 7.24 Som. 8 22. Ephes 4.17 18 19. 2 Tim. 2.26 John 15 5. Exod. 20.3 c. Deut. 4.7 c. Luke 21.75 Mica 6.7 Ephes 6.17 Ezech. 22.104 1 Cor 6.19 20 1 The 4.4 5 6 Jer. 22.3 9 9 c. Esay 50.1 c. 1 Thess. 4 6. Rom 13.2 Ezek. 22.13 1 John 3 4. Rom. 14.23 Heb. 1 16. 1 Sam. 15.22 1 Cor. 10.31 1 John 3.4 Esay 29.19 Matth. 15.9 Mar. 7.7 Levit. 18.5 Gal. 3.12 1 Tim. 1.18 Rom. 7.12 Psal. 19.7 8 9. Deut. 5.29 Rom. 10.3 1 Kin. 8.4 6. Chron. 6.36 Eccles. 7.22 Prov. 20.9 1 â—oh 1.18 Iohn 1.18 Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3 13. Deut. 27.26 Phil. 2.15 Isai. 64.6 Luk. 17.10 Mat. 28.20 Ephes. 1.4 Col. 1.18 Ephes. 5.23 24 25 26. Apoc. 7.8 Ephes. 2.19 Iohn 5.24 Iohn 17.6 1 Tim. 2.19 Iohn 13.14 Ephes. 1.10 Col. 1.10 Heb. 12.4 Apoc. 14.13 Isai. 25 8. Apoc 7.16 17 Apoc. 21.4 Apoc. 16.10 11 Isai. 66.24 Mark 9.44 36 48. Luke 23.43 Luke â—6 24 25. Apoc. 6.9 10. Gen. 4.8 Gen. 21. â— Gen. 27.41 Mar. 23.34 Ioh. 15.18 19. Iohn 11 35. Ioh. 15.20 24. Act. 4.1 c. Act 5.17 c. Gen. 4 1. Psal. 48.1 2. Mat 5.35 Iohn 12.42 Ephes. 2.20 Act. 2.42 Iohn 10 27. Iohn 18.37 1 Cor. 1 13. 1 Cor. 11.20 23. Mat. 28 19 20 Mark 16.15 Rom 4 11. Matth 18 20. 1 Cor 1.2 2 Cor. 1.1 Gal. 1 2. Ephes. 1 1. Acts 16.9 10.18 1 Cor. 1. c. A 20 17 c. John 20.31 2 Tim 3 16 17 2 Pet. 1 20 21. John 5 29. Ephes 4 4 1 Tim. 3.16 17 Genes 27. Gal 2.11 12 13 14. 1 Tim. 4.1.23 Col. 2.18 19 20 21 22 23. Act. 15.1 c. 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.2 1 Cor. 14.40 Gen. 17.10 Exod. 12.32 Gen. 17.4 Num. 9.13 Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.17 Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.22 Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 10.16 Rom. 6.3 4 5. Gal. 3.27 Mar. 16.19 Luke 24.51 Act. 1.11 Act. 3.21 1 Cor. 10 c. Ephes. 5.30 Matth. 27.50 Mar. 15.31 Luke 23.46 John 14.30 6.51 53 54 55 56 57 58. 1 Cor. 11.28 28. Mat. 26.26 c Mar. 14.22 c Luk. 22.19 c 1 Cor. 11.24 Note 1 Cor. 11.25 26 Heb. 9.27 28 Col. 2.11 12 Rom. 4.11 Gen. 17.10 Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 28.29 Rom. 13.1 Titus 3.1 1 Peter 13.2 Rom. 13.2 Rom. 13.7 1 Pet 2.17 Psal 82.1 1 Chron. 22.23 24 25. Chap. 26. 2 Chron. 29.30 31 chap. 2
brake the ward or prison Note another wavering of the Hamiltons A new Covenant 1562. Note So was the Duke the Earls of Argyle Murray and Glencarne with all their Company after ter served The day of Correthie field Octob. 22. 1562 The Earle of Huntlies prayer Note Corriethieburne or Farabank Secretary Lethingtons Oration The Lady Forbesse her words Let others that yet live mark this Mens judgement of the Queens Marriage Note this The Preachers railed upon the Courtiers The Preachers Admonition after the Earle of Huntlies death Meaning of Huntley The end declared their words to be true The defence of the Courtiers The Queens practise The tryall of Pauls Meffanes fact Chattelet and the Queen The Queens desire concerning Chattelet The punishment of God for maintaining and erecting of the Masse death and famine Iohn Knox sent for by the Queen Reasoning between I. Knox and the Queen Note diligently The Queens judgement of the Bishop of Cathaes The Lady Argile was naturall Sister to the Queen as the Earle Murray was naturall Brother The Clergie did pretend to be free from all Jurisdiction save the Popes The judgment of some Huntley forfeited The pride of Women at that Parliament Note diligently And so was Religion and the Common-wealth both neglected Occasion painted with a bald Hind-head Variance betwixt the Earle of Murray and Iohn Knox. Iohn Knox discharge to the Earl of Murray God knowes if our times be better The Speaker was the Dean of Restaruk Iohn Knox his affirmation Let this serve for our times Let the Papists judge this day 1567. Note Women Lethingtons practice Note diligently The last commendation of Lord Iohn to the Queen M. Rob. Font stricken in the head with a weapon by Cap. Lawder Bond to a mutuall defence in the cause of Religion Note Pastors The Master of Maxwells discharge to Iohn Knox and their reasoning together Before they disdained not to come to his own house Iohn Knox his answer Note a wise Reply This was the first time the Earle Murray spake with Iohn Knox after the Parliament Iohn Knox called before the Queen and Counsell in Decemb. 156â— Note this diligently Note As the Irish Papists have done to Protestants in Ireland Let this be noted for this day Let the world judge what ensued Note Pastors Note diligently Note the craft of the Court. Note I. Knox falsly reported of his answer Remark false brethren Murther and Whoredome in the Court. Maries Regiment Great Wet and Frost in Ian. 1563. The Sea stood still neither ebbed â—or flowed for 24 houres Cucullus Note how this agrees with our time Lethingtons counteâ—â—nce at the threatnings of the preacher Let the world judge whether this hath come to passe or not what hath fallen since that time Lethington his Harangue at the Assembly Anno 1564. Iohn Knox his answer Note diligently â—nd see how the Bishops did forbid to pray for the conversion of the Queen that now is in Britain M. Maxwells words in the Assembly Iohn Knox his prayer for the Queen Note 2 Tim. 2. Note Note Let this be noâ—ed diligently Psal. 82. Note this 1 Sam. 22. Note this Discourse diligently God craves of us That we should oppose our selves to iniquity Let this be noted for our times Whether this hath come to passe or not let the world judge Note this diligently Noâ—â— â— Paral 25. When the Prince does serve God sincerely in private and publike and hath a care that the people do the same then assuredly they are faithfull to him but if he faile in these or in either of them he findes disobedience in his people beâ—ause he is not carefull to obey God and to see him obeyed Deut. 13. 2 Paral. 26. Let this be applyed to the late affairs of Scotland 2 Paral. 26. Note M. Iohn Dowglâ—s Rector his Vote Master Iohn Craig his Vote Note dilâ—gently Note deligently There be two Epigrams extant written by George Buchanan of a rich Diamond sent from Qu. Mary to Queen Elizabeth At this time an Italian named Davie entred in great familiarity with the Queen so that there was nothing done without him The Earl of Murray seeing the other Nobles consent gave his which before he refused The Dispensation being come from Rome for the Marriage Before which according to the Romish Law it was unlawful to marry being Cousin Germans brother and sisters children and so the degree of Consanguinity forbidden Note this for our time The King to make himself more popular and to take from the Lords of the Congregation the preteâ—t of Religion he went to the Kirk to hear Iohn Knox preach In answering he said more then he had preached for he added That as the King had to pleasure the Queen gone to Masse and dishonoured the Lord God so should God in his justice make her an Instrument of his ruine and so it fell out in a very short time but the Queen being incensed with these words fell out in Tears and to please her Iohn Knox must abstain from preaching for a time Note how this agrees with our times Let this be conferred with our times Note diligenly So was the Citie of London for warre against Scotland vexed for the leavie of mony Note diligently Note diligently Qâ— Elizabeth Here mark either deep dissimulation or a great inconstancy At the end of this Book you shall finde this See in what sense proud ambitious men takes the name of Bishop As is said before This inconstant yongman sometimes declared himself for the Protestant witnesse his last Band And now for the Papist And as he left God so he was left by him The Queen intending vengeance upon the poor King and being in love with the Earle Bothwell grants to the Protestants their Petitions that they may be quiet and not trouble her Plots As she had lately gratified the Protestants by granting their Petition so at this time she yeelds unto the Papists their demands also that she might be stopped by neither of them in her designe of vengeance and new love Note Note how God changeth things in a moment Heb. 10. 1 Cor. 3. Mat. 25. John 3. Rom 58. 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 6. Ephes. 4.5 Ephes. 2. Matth. 10. Vain Religion or Idolatry A Sentence pronounced Appellation from the same The request of Iohn Knox. The Petition of Protestants Deut. 17. The Pâ—tition of Iohn Knox. Note well Answer 1. To Objections Note The Appellation is just and lawfull Gods Messengers may appeal from unjust sentences and Civill powers are bound to admit them Jer. 26. Advert The Princes did absolve the Prophet whom the Priests had condemned Deut. 17. The meaning of these words I am in your hands c. Deut 17. Jerem 1. Deut 1 10. The causes of his Appellation and why he ought to have been defended Jerem. 38. Just cause of Appellation Act. 22 23 24 25. Act. 25. Why Paul would admit none of the Leuiticall order to judge in his cause Upon what reasons the Appellation of Paul was grounded