contained in the promise of the multiplication of his Seed and the benediction promised thereto First God revealed himself to Abraham and that by the means of his Word to let all flesh after understand That God first called man and revealed himself unto him that flesh can do nothing but rebell against God for Abraham no doubt was an Idolater before that God called him from Ur of the Caldees The Promise was made That the Seed of Abraham should be multiplyed as the Stars of heaven and as the sand of the sea which is not simply to be understood of his naturall Seed as though it was sometimes greatly increased but rather of such as should become the spirituall Seed of Abraham as the Apostle speaketh Now if we be able to prove That the right knowledge of God his Wisdom Justice Mercy and Power was more amply declared in their captivity then ever it was at any time before then can we not deny but that God even when to mans judgement he had utterly rased them from the face of the earth did increase the Nation of the Iews so that he was glorified in them and did extend the Coasts of the earth for their habitation And for the better undestanding hereof let us shortly trie the Histories from their Captivitie to their deliverance and after the same to the comming of the Messias It is no doubt but that Sathan intended by the dispersion of the Iewes so to have prophaned the whole Seed of Abraham that among them should neither have remained the true knowledge of God nor yet the Spirit of Sanctification but that all should have come to a like contempt of God For I pray you for what purpose was it that Daniel and his fellows were taken into the Kings Court were commanded to be fed at the Kings Table and were put to the Schools of their Divines Southsayers and Astrologians It may be thought that it proceeded of the Kings humanity and of a zeal that he had that they should be brought up in vertue and good learning and I doubt not but it was so understood of a great number of the Iews but the secret practise of the Devill was understood of Daniel when he refused to defile himself with the Kings meat which was forbidden to the Seed of Abraham in the Law of their GOD. Well God beginneth shortly after to shew himself mindefull of his promise made by his Prophet and to trouble Nebuchadnezzar himselfe by shewing to him a vision in his dream which did the more trouble him because he could not forget the terror of it neither yet could he remember what the Vision and the parcels thereof were Whereupon were called all Divines Interpreters of dreams and Southsayers of whom the King demanded If they could let him understand what he had dreamed But while that they answer That such a question used not to be demanded of any Southsayer or Magician for the resolution thereof onely appertained to the gods whose habitation was not with men the charge was given That they all should be slain and amongst the rest Daniel was sought whose innocency the Devill envyed to have suffered the same judgement He reclaimeth and asketh time to disclose that secret I onely touch the History to let you see by what means God increaseth his knowledge which being granted the vision is revealed unto him he sheweth the same unto the King with the true interpretation of it adding That the knowledge thereof came not from the Stars but onely from the God of Abraham who onely was and is the true God which thing understood the King burst forth in his confession saying Of a truth your God is the most excellent of all gods and he is Lord of Kings and onely he that revealeth the secrets seeing that thou couldest open this secret And when Nebuchadnezzar after that puffed up in pride by the counsell of his wicked Nobilitie would make an Image before the which he would that all Tongues and Nations subject to him should make adoration and that Sydrack Meshack and Abednago would not obey his unjust commandment and so were cast in the flaming furnace of fire and yet by Gods Angels were so preserved that no smell of fire remained in their persons nor garments This same King giveth a more notable confession saying The Lord God of Sydrack Misack and Abednago is to be praised who hath sent his Angels and delivered his worshippers that put trust in him who have done against the Kings commandment who have rather given their own bodies to torment then that they would worship another God except their own God By me therefore is there made a decree That whosoever shall blaspheme the God of Sydrack Misack and Abednago that he shall be cut in pieces and his house shall be made detestable Thus we see how God began even almost in the beginning of their Captivity to notifie his name to multiply his knowledge and set forth as well his power as his wisedom and true worshipping by those that were taken prisoners yea that were despised and of all men contemned So that the name and fear of the God of Abraham was never before notified to so many Realmes and Nations This wondrous work of God proceeded from one Empire to another For Daniel being promoted to great honour by Darius King of Persians and Medes falleth into a desperate danger For he was committed to prison among Lyons because that he was deprehended breaking the Kings Injunction not that the King desired the destruction of Gods servants but because the corrupt Idolaters that in hatred of Daniel had procured that Law to be made urged the King against his Nature but God by his Angel did stop the Lyons mouths and so preserved his servant Which considered with the sudden destruction of Daniels enemies by the same Lyons King Darius besides his own confession wrote to all people tongues and nations after this form It is decreed by me That in all the dominions of my Kingdom men shall fear and reverence the God of Daniel because he is the living God abiding for ever whose Kingdom shall not be destroyed and his dominion remaineth who saveth and delivereth and sheweth signes and wonders in Heaven and in Earth who hath delivered Daniel from the Lyons This knowledge was yet further increased in the dayes of Cyrus who giving freedom to the Captives to return to their own Native Country giveth this confession Thus saith Cyrus the King of Persians All the Kingdoms of the Earth hath the Lord God of Heaven given unto me and hath commanded me that a house be built to him in Ierusalem which is in Iuda Whosoever therefore of you that are of his people Let the Lord his God be with him and let him passe up to Ierusalem and let him build the house of the Lord God of Israel for he onely is God that is in Ierusalem Time will not suffer me to intreat the points of this
of the Primitive Christian Church 23. That true Christians receive the body of Iesus Christ every day by Faith 24. That after Matrimony be contracted and consummate the Kyrk may make no Divorcement 25. That Excommunication bindes not if unjust 26. That the Pope forgives not sins but onely God 27. That Faith should not be given to Miracles to such namely as the Romish were then and are to this day 28. That we should not pray to the glorious Virgin Mary but to God onely since he onely hears us and can help us 29. That we are no more bound to pray in the Kyrk then in other places 30. That we are not bound to beleeve all that Doctors of the Kirk have written 31. That such as worship the Sacrament in the Kyrk we suppose the Sacrament of the Altar commits Idolatry 32. That the Pope is the head of the Kirk of Antichrist 33. That the Pope and his Ministers are murtherers of souls 34. That they which are called Princes and Prelates in the Church are Theeves and Robbers By these Articles which God of his mercifull providence caused the enemies of his truth to keep in their registers may appear how mercifully God hath looked upon this Realm retaining within it some spark of his lyght even in the time of greatest darknesse Neither ought any man to wonder albeit that some things be obscurely and some things doubtfully spoken But rather ought all faithfull to magnifie Gods mercy who without publike Doctrine gave so great light And further we ought to consider that seeing that the enemies of Jesus Christ gathered the foresaid Articles thereupon to accuse the persons aforesaid that they would deprave the meaning of Gods servants so far as they could as we doubt not but they have done in the heads of Excommunication Swearing and of Matrimony In the which it is no doubt but the servants of God did damne the abuse only and not the right Ordinance of God for who knows not that the Excommunication in these dayes was altogether abused That Swearing aboundeth without punishment or remorse of conscience And that Divorcements was made for such causes as worldly men had invented But to our History Albeit that the accusation of the Bishop and of his Complices was very grievous yet God so assisted his servants partly by inclining the Kings heart to gentlenesse for divers of them were his great familiars and partly by giving bold and godly answers to their Accusators that the enemies in the end weâ—e frustrate of their purpose For while the Bishop in mockage said to Adâ—m Reade of Barskeiming Reade beleeve ye that God is in heaven He answered Not as I do the Sacraments seven Whereat the Bishop thinking to have triumphed said Sir lo he denies that God is in heaven Whereat the King wondring said Adam Reade What say ye The other answered Pleaseth your Majesty to hear the end betwixt the churle and me and therewith he turned to the Bishop and said I neither think nor beleeve as thou thinkest that God is in heaven but I am most assured that he is not onely in heaven but also in the earth But thou and thy faction declare by your works that either ye think there is no God at all or else that he is so set up in heaven that he regards not what is done upon the earth for if thou firmly beleevedst that God were in the heaven thou shouldest not make thy self check-mate to the King and altogether forget the charge that Jesus Christ the Son of God gave to his Apostles which was To Preach his Gospel and not to play the proud Prelates as all the rabble of you do this day And now Sir said he to the King judge ye whether the Bishop or I beleeve best that God is in heaven While the Bishop and his band could not well revenge themselves and while many taunts were given them in their teeth The King willing to put an end to further reasoning said to the said Adam Reade Wilt thou burn thy bill He answered Sir the Bishop and ye will With these and the like scoffs the Bishop and his band were so dashed out of countenance that the greatest part of accusation was turned to laughter After that Diet we finde almost no question for matters of Religion the space neer of thirty yeers for not long after to wit in the yeer of God 1500. the said Bishop Blaktar departed this life going in his superstitious devotion to Ierusalem Unto whom succeeded Master Iames Betone son to the Laird of Balfor in Fife who was more carefull of the world then he was to Preach Christ or yet to advance any Religion but for the fashion onely and as he sought the world it fled him not For it was well known that at once he was Archbishop of Saint Andrews Abbot of Dunfermeling Aberbrothe Kylwinning and Chancellour of Scotland For after the unhappy field of Flowdonne in the which perished King Iames the fourth with the greatest part of the Nobility of the Realm the said Betonne with the rest of the Prelates had the whole Regiment of the Realm And by reason thereof held and travelled to hold the truth of God in thraldome and bondage till that it pleased God of his great mercy in the yeer of God 1527. to raise up his servant Master Patrick Hammilton at whom our History doth begin Of whose progenie life and erudition because men of fame and renown have in divers works written we omit all curious repetition sending such as would know further of him then we write to Francis Lambert Iohn Frith and to that notable work lately set forth by Iohn Fox English man of the lives and deaths of Martyrs within this Isle in this our age This servant of God Master Patrick Hamilton being in his youth provided to reasonable honours and living he was intituled Abbot of Fern as one hating the world and the vanitie thereof left Scotland and passed to the Schools in Germany for then the fame of the Universitie of Wittenberg was greatly divulgate in all Countreys where by Gods providence he became familar with those lights and notable servants of Christ Jesus of that time Martin Luther Philip Melancthon and the said Francis Lambert did so grow and advance in godly knowledge joyned with fervencie and integrity of life that he was in admiration with many The zeal of Gods glory did so eat him up that he could not long continue to remain there but returned to his countrey where the bright beams of the true light which by Gods grace was planted in his heart began most abundantly to burst forth as well in publike as in secret for he was besides his godly knowledge well learned in Phylosophie he abhorred Sophistrie and would that the Text of Aristotle should have been better understood and more used in the Schools than then it was for Sophistrie had corrupted all as well in Divinitie as
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
of whose deliverance and of Gods wonderfull working with them during the time of their bondage we will now speak lest that in suppressing of so notable a work of God we should justly be accused of ingratitude First then the principalls being put in severall houses as before we have said great labours were made to make them have a good opinion of the Masse But chiefly travell was taken upon Norman Leslie the Laird of Grange the Laird of Pitmillie who were in the Castle of Scherisburgh that they would come to Masse with the Captain Who answered That the Captain had commandment to keep their bodies but he had no power to command their consciences The Captain replyed That he had power to command and to compel them to go where he went They answered That to go to any lawfull place with him they would not refuse But to do any thing that was against their conscience they would not neither for him nor yet for the King The Captain said Will ye not go to the Masse They answered No and if ye compell us yet we will displease you farther for we will use our selves there that all those that are present shall know we despise it These same answers and somewhat sharper William Kirkcaldie Peter Carmichell and such as were with them in Mount S. Michell gave to their Captaine for they said They would not onely heare Masse every day but that they would help to say it providing that they might sticke the Priests or else they would not M. Henry Balnaves who was in the Castle of Roan was most sharply assaulted of all for because he was judged learned as he was and is indeed therefore learned men were appointed to travell with him with whom he had many conflicts but God so ever assisted him that they departed confounded and he by the power of Gods Spirit remained constant in the Truth and professing of the same without any wavering or declining to Idolatry In the prison he wrote a comfortable Treatise of Justification and of the works and conversation of a man justified which is extant to this day Those that were in the Gallies were threatned with torments if they would not give reverence to the Masse for at certain times the Masse was said in the Gallies or else hard by upon the shore in presence of the Forsaris but they could never make the poorest of that company to give reverence to that Idoll yea when upon the Saturday at night they sung their Salve Regina all the Scotish men put on their caps their hoods or such things as they had to cover their heads when that others were compelled to kisse a painted boord which they called nostre Dame they were not pressed after once for this was the chance Soon after their arrivall at Nantes their great salve was song and a glorious painted Lady was brought in to be kissed and amongst others was presented to one of the Scotish men then chained He gently said Trouble me not such a jewell is accursed and therefore I will not touch it The Patron and the Arguiser with two Officers having the chief charge of all such matters said Thou shalt handle it and so they violently thrust to his face and put it betwixt his hands Who seeing the extremity took the Idoll and advisedly looking about him he cast it into the River and said Let our Lady now save her selfe she is light enough let her learne to swim After that was no Scotish man urged with that Idolatry These are things that appear to be of no great importance and yet if we do rightly consider they expresse the same obedience that God requireth of his people Israel when they should be carried to Babylon for he gave charge unto them When they should see the Babylonians worship their gods of gold silver metall and wood they should say The gods that have not made heaven and earth shall perish from the heaven and out of the earth That confession gave that whole number during the time of their bondage in the which would God they had continued in their freedome for then had not M. Iames Balfour been Official neither yet born a Cope for the pleasure of the Bishop But to proceed The said M. Iames Balfour being in the Galley with Iohn Knox and being wonderous familiar with him would oftentimes ask his judgement If he thought that ever they should be delivered Whose answer was ever from the day that they entred into the Gallies That God would deliver them from that bondage to his glory even in this life And lying betwixt Dundie and S. Andrews the second time that the Gallies returned to Scotland the said Iohn Knox being so extremely sick that few hoped his life the said Master Iames willed him to look to the Land and asked if he knew it who answered Yes I know it well for I see the Steeple of that place where God in publike opened my mouth to his glory And I am fully perswaded how weake soever that I now appeare that I shall not depart this life till that my tongue shall glorifie his holy Name in the same place This reported the said M. Iames in the presence of many famous witnesses many yeers before that ever the foresaid Iohn set his feet in Scotland this last time to Preach William Kirkcaldie then of Grange younger Peter Carmichell Robert and William Leslies who were altogether in Mount S. Michell wrote to Iohn Knox asking counsell if they might with safe conscience break their prison Whose answer was That if without the blood of any shed or spilt by them for their deliverance they might set themselves at freedome that they might safely do it But to shed any mans blood for their freedom thereto would he never consent Adding further That he was assured that God would deliver them and the rest of that company even in the eyes of the world but not by such means as they looked for That was by the force of friends or by their other labours By such means he affirmed they should not be delivered but that God would so work in in the deliverance of them that the praise thereof should redound to his glory onely He willeth therefore every one to take the occasion that God offered unto them Providing that they did nothing against Gods expresse Commandment for deliverance of themselves He was the more earnest in giving his counsell because the old Laird of Grange and others repugned to their purpose fearing lest that the escaping of the others should be an occasion of their worse entreatment Whereunto the said Iohn answered That such feare proceeded not from Gods Spirit but only from a blinde love of thy self and therefore that no good purpose was to be stayed for things that were in the hands and power of God And added That in one instant God delivered the whole company into the hands of unfaithfull men
avoyding of Inconveniences This Summer there came an Embassadour from the King of Sweden requiring marriage of our Soveraigne to his Master the King His entertainment was Honourable but his Petitions liked not our Queene one whit for as yet she could not resolve to be Wife to the King of Sweden having been lately Queen of France And yet she refused not one much inferiour to a Soveraigne King The Earle of Lennox and his Wife were committed to the Tower of London for traffiquing with Papists the young Laird of Barre was a stickler in that businesse and was apprehended with some Letters which was the cause of his and their trouble The Earle of Murray made a private journey to Hawicke upon the Fayre day thereof and apprehended fifty Theeves of which number were seventeen drowned others were executed in Iâ—dburgh the principall were brought to Edinburgh and there suffered according to their merits upon the Burrow Mure. The Queene was no whit content of the prosperitie and good successe that God gave to the Earle of Murray in all his enterprises for she hated his upright dealing and the Image of God that evidently did appear in him but at that time she could not well have been served without him The assembly of the Church at Midsommer the four and twentieth day of Iune 1562. approached in the which were many notable heads handled concerning good Order to be kept in the Church and for the Papists and for the Idolatry of the Queen which troubleth the former good order Some Ministers such as Master Iohn Sharpe had left their charges and entered into other Vocations more profitable for the belly against whom were Acts made although this day they have not put them in execution The tenour of the Supplication read in open audience and approved by the whole Assembly to be presented to the Queens Majesty was this To the Queens Majesty and her most honorable Privy Councell The Superintendents and Ministers of the Evangell of Christ Iesus within this Realme together with the Commissioners of the whole Churches desire Grace and Peace from the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Iudgement HAving in minde that the fearfull sentence pronounced against the Watch-men that see the Sword of Gods punishment approach and do not in plain words forewarn the people yea the Princes and Rulers that they repent we cannot but signifie unto your Highnesse and to your Councell That the state of this Realme is such for this present that unlesse redresse and remedy be shortly provided Gods hands cannot long spare in his anger to strike the Head and the Tayle the inobedient Prince and sinfull People For as God is unchangeable and true so must he punish in these our dayes the grievous sins which before we reade he hath punished in all Ages after that he hath long called for repentance and none is showne And that your Majesty and Councell may understand what are the things we desire to be reformed we will begin at that which we know assuredly to be the Fountain and Spring of all other evils that now abound in this Realme To wit That Idoll and base service of God the Masse the fountain we call of all Impiety not onely because many take boldnesse to sin by reason of that opinion which they have conceived of that Idoll to wit That by vertue of it they get remission of their sins But also because that under this colour of the Masse are Whores Adulterers Drunkards Blasphemers of God of his holy Sacraments and such other manifest Malefactors maintained and defended For let any Masse-sayer or earnest maintainer thereof be deprehended in any of the fore-named crimes no execution can be had for all is done in hatred of his Religion And so are wicked men permitted to live wickedly cloked and defended by that wicked Idoll But supposing that the Masse was occasion of no such evils yet in it self it is so odious in Gods presence that we cannot cease with all instance to desire the removing of the same as well from your selfe as from all others within this Realm Taking Heaven and earth yea your own Consciences to record That the obstinate maintenance of that Idol shall in the end be to you destruction of soul and body if you do not repent If your Majesty demand Why that now we are more earnest then we have been heretofore We answer our former silence no wayes excused Because we finde our selves frustrate of our hope and expectation which was That in processe of time your Majesties heart should have been mollified so farre as ye would have heard the publike Doctrine taught within this Realme by the which our further hope was That Gods holy Spirit should so have moved your heart that you would have suffered your Religion which before God is nothing but abomination and vanity to be tryed by the true Touch-stone the written Word of God And that your Majesty finding it to have no ground nor foundation in the same should have given that glory unto God that you would have preferred his Truth to your own preconceived vain opinion of what antiquity that ever it hath been whereof we in part now discharged can no longer keep silence unlesse we would make our selves criminall before God of your blood perishing in your own iniquity for we plainly admonish you of the danger to come The second thing that we require is Punishment of horrible vices such as are Adultery Fornication open Whoredome Blasphemy Contempt of God of his Word and Sacraments Which in this Realme do even so abound that sin is reputed to be no sin And therefore as we see the present signes of Gods wrath now manifestly appear so do we forewarn that he will strike ere it be long if his Law without punishment be permitted thus manifestly to be contemned If any object That punishment cannot be commanded to be executed without a Parliament we answer That the Eternall God in his Parliament hath pronounced death to be the punishment of Adultery and for Blaspheming whose Act if we put not in execution seeing that Kings are but his Lievtenants having no power to give life where he commands death as that he will repute you and all others that foster vice patrons of Impiety so will he not fail to punish you for neglecting the execution of his judgements Our third request concerning the poor who be of three sorts The poor labourers of the ground the poor desolate Beggers Orphans Widows and Strangers and the poor Ministers of Christ Jesus his holy Evangel which are so cruelly used by this last pretended Order taken for sustentation of Ministers that their latter misery farre surmounteth the former for now the poore labourers of the ground are so oppressed by the cruelty of those that pay their hire that they for the most part encroach upon the poore in whatsoever they pay unto the Qâ—een or to any other As for the
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
hearts but their whole minde was upon their bellies for sufficing whereof they devised and imagined that they would appoint Christ Jesus to be their worldly King for he had power to multiply bread at his pleasure Which vain opinion and imagination perceived by Christ Jesus he withdrew himselfe from their company to avoid all such suspition and to let them understand That no such honours did agree with his Vocation who came to serve and not to be served And when this same people sought him againe he sharply rebuked them because they sought him more to have their Bellies fed with corruptible meat then to have their souls nourished with lively Bread that came down from Heaven And thus in the people there was just cause why Christ should withdraw himself from them for a time Why the Disciples should suffer that great danger feare and anguish Saint Marke in his Gospel plainly sheweth saying That their hearts were blinded and therefore did neither remember nor consider the miracle of the Loaves That is Albeit with their hands they had touched that bread by which so great a multitude was fed and albeit also they had gathered up twelve Baskets full of that which remained of a few Loaves which before the Miracle a Boy was able to have borne yet did they not rightly consider the infinite power of Christs Jesus by this wonderfull Miracle And therefore of necessity it was that in their owne Bodies they should suffer trouble for their better instruction When I deeply consider dearly beloved in our Saviour Christ how abundantly and how miraculously the poor and small flock of Christ Jesus was fed within the Realm of England under that elect and chosen Vessell of God to glory and honour Edward the sixt and now again behold not onely the dispersion and scattering abroad but also the appearing destruction of the same under these cursed cruell and abominable Idolaters me thinke I see the same causes to have moved God not onely to withdraw his presence from the multitude but also to have sent his welbeloved servants to the travels of the Seas wherein they were sore tossed and turmoyled and apparently most like to perish What were the affections of the greatest multitude that followed the Gospel in this former rest and abundance is easie to be judged if the life and conversation of every man should have beene thorowly examined For who lived in that rest as that he had refused himself Who lived in that rest as that he had been crucified with Christ Who lived in that rest as that he had certainly looked for trouble to come upon him Yea who lived not rather in delicacy and joy and seeking the world and pleasures thereof caring for the flesh and carnall appetites as though death and sin had clean been devoured And what was this else then to make of Christ an earthly King The Word that we professed daily cryed in our ears that our Kingdome our joy our rest and felicitie neither was is nor should be upon the earth neither in any transitory thing thereof but in heaven into which we must enter by many tiibulations But alas we sleeped in such securitie that the sound of the Trumpet could of many never be perfectly understood but alwayes we perswaded our selves of a certaine tranquility as though the troubles whereof mention is made within the Scriptures of God appertained nothing at all to this age but unto such as of long time are passed before us and therfore was our heavenly Father compelled to withdraw from us the presence of his veritie whose voyce in those dayes we could not beleeve to the end that more earnestly we may thirst for the same and with more obedience embrace and receive it if ever it shall please his infinite goodnesse in such abundance to restore the same againe I mean nothing of those that followed Christ only for their bellies for such perceiving that they could not obtain their hearts desire of Christ have grudged and left him in body and heart which thing their blasphemous voices spake against his eternall verity doth witnesse and declare For such brethren be ye not moved for in the time of their profession they were not of us but were very dissemblers and Hypocrites and therefore God justly permitteth that they blaspheme the Truth which they never loved I mean not that ever such dissembling Hypocrites shall embrace the verity but I meane such as by infirmitie of the flesh and by naturall blindnesse which in this life is never altogether expelled then could not give the very obedience which Gods Word required neither now by weaknesse of faith dare openly and boldly confesse that which their hearts know to be most true and yet lamenteth mourneth both for the imperfection by passed and present from such shall not the amiable presence of Christ for ever be withdrawn but yet again shall the eyes of their soretroubled hearts behold and see that light of Christs Gospell wherein they most delight We the Ministers who were the distributers of this bread the true Word of God wherewith the multitude within England was fed lacked not our offences which also moved God to send us to the Sea And because the offences of no man are so manifest unto me as mine own I will onely censure my self It is not unknown unto many that I the most wretched was one of that number whom God appointed to receive that Bread as it was broken by Christ Jesus to distribute and give the same to such as he had called to this banquet in that part of his table where he appointed me to serve It is not in my knowledge nor judgement to define nor determine what portion or quantity every man received of this bread neither yet how that which they received agreed with their stomacks but of this I am assured That the benediction of Christ Jesus so multiplyed the portion which I received of his hands that during the banquet this I write to the praise of his Name and to the accusation of mine owne unthankfulnesse the bread never failed when the hungry soule craved or cried for food and at the end of the banquet mine own conscience beareth witnesse that mine hands gathered up the crummes that were left in such abundance that the banquet was full among the rest To be plain mine own conscience beareth record to my self how small was my learning and how weak I was of judgement when Christ Jesus called me to be his steward and how mightily day by day and time by time he multiplied his graces with me if I should conceale I were most wicked and unthankfull But alas how blinded was my heart and how little I did consider the dignity of that Office and the power of God that then multiplied and blessed the bread which the people received of my hands this day mine own conscience beareth witnesse to my selfe God I take