out of his reading adduce divers Histories to make good what the King had said That it was no way expedient to side with Spain in that invasion or suffer him to possesse himself of England yet since the Queen had not required any aid from him his opinion was that he should strive to assure his own Kingdom and not to permit them to take land in his bounds That a general muster should be taken in the whole Realm and some Noblemen named unto whom upon occasion the subjects might resort watches appointed at all the Sea-ports and Beacons erected in the highest places for advertising the countrey if any fleet was seen at Sea and that the King and Councel should stay at Edinburgh to attend the successe of things and direct the subjects accordingly His opinion was applauded of all Bothwell excepted who was earnest to have the occasion imbraced of invading England and therein was so forward that upon his own charges he had levied souldiers to serve under him if the resolution which he expected should have been taken But the King willing him to look unto the Sea for he was Admiral by his office and to take care that the ships within the countrey were ready for service he acquiesced A little after the Convention dissolved Colonel Semple who had betrayed the town of Lire to the Spaniard some six years before and remained for the most part with the Prince of Parma in Flanders arrived at Leth pretending a Commission from that Prince to the King But the matters he proponed were of so small importance as the King apprehending the Commission to have been given him rather for a colour of his practises with some ill disposed subjects then for the businesse pretended commanded Sir Iohn Carmichael Captain of the Guard to have an eye upon him unto his return for he was then going to Falkland and if he perceived any letters brought unto him in the mean time to take and present them to the Councel Carmichael getting notice that a Pinnace was arrived in the Firth and a passenger landed went straight to the Colonels lodging in Leth and finding him unsealing the letters shewed what he had in charge and what it concerned him to present the same to the Lords The Colonel offering to go himself to the Councel the Earl of Huntley who did then reside in a lodging near the Palace of Halirudhouse with his young Lady whom he had married a few days before upon notice of his apprehension did meet Carmichael in the way and forced him to quit his prisoner saying that he would enter him to the Councel Advertisement going of this to the Chancellour who was then at the Evening service in S. Giles for it was a time of publick humiliation he came forth and being followed by a great number of people made towards Huntley and had certainly taken back the Colonel if the King who was then come from Falkland had not happened to encounter him as he went down the street with whom he returned to the lodging within the City where at that time and most of the Winter the King did keep his residence There the Chancellor declared what had fallen out and whither he was going intreating his Majesty to take some order with the insolency committed Huntley being called after some frivolous excuse did promise to present the Colonel the next morning but he escaping the same night was not any more seen The King did highly offend at his escape yet was loth to use the Nobleman with rigour having matched him so lately to his Cousen only he discharged him to come in his presence neither was he admitted unto it till the newes were brought of the dissipation of the Navy and then as in a time of publick joy that fault was overseen and pardoned The Queen of England in the mean time hearing what course the King had taken how he had committed Maxwel to prison and was preparing to resist the Spaniard sent Sir Robert Sidney to give him thanks for his good affection and to make offer of her assistance if the Spaniard should make offer to land in Scotland The King received him graciously and as he was discoursing of the ambition of Spain and his purpose to take in England said that the King needed not to expect any greater kindnesse at his hand if he prevailed The King merrily answered That he lookt for no other benefit of the Spaniard in that case then that which Polyphemus promised to Ulysses namely to devour him after all his fellowes were devoured Neither did Sidney sooner return then a fresh advertisement was sent from the Queen of their overthrow Of this Navy and the destruction that befell it many have written so particularly as nothing can be added Yet because the benefit redounded to this Church and Kingdome no lesse then others and that the spoiles of that wreck fell for some part in our Northern Isles we shall touch it a little The Navy consisted of 134. saile a great part whereof were Galleasses and rather like Castles pitched in the Seas then ships The vessels carried 8000. saylers 22000. souldiers and above besides the Commanders and voluntary adventurers who were reckoned 124. and for provision they had abundance of whatsoever was necessary either at sea or at land Their direction was to joyn with the Prince of Parma and his forces who were appointed to meet them in the narrow Seas and to invade England together But whether the Prince had not time sufficient to prepare himself or that he was kept in by the Holland Fleet he came not as was expected At Plimmouth the English had the first sight of the Navy and kept combat with them till they anchored in the road of Callais Before they came thither they lost the Gallion wherein Don Pedro de Valder and divers other Noblemen were which was taken in fight and sent to Plimmouth And the Gallion commanded by Don Michael de Oquendo took fire and therein many were burnt to death yet the nether part of the ship being saved was likewise sent thither The Galliasse of Naples commanded by Don Hugo de Moncada perished in the sands of Callais where whilest they lay at Anchor Captain Drake by a stratagem put them in great confusion for choosing out eight small ships that were least useful he filled them with pitch brimstone gunpowder and the like combustible matter and charged the Ordinance with bullets stones broken iron and chaines The ships driven with the wind and tide into the midst of the Navy and the traines taking fire put the Spanish in such fear the same falling out in the night season as having no leisure to weigh their Anchors they were forced to cut their Cables and make to the Sea The next morning ranging themselves again in order they approached to Graveling but no supply coming from Parma and the English ships hotly pursuing them they were compelled to passeby In this
into consideration how soon and in what manner it shall seem best to your Majesties excellent wisdome to inspire a new life into this languishing body the circumstances whereof are wholly to be left to your Majesty holding it enough for us humbly to acknowledge our selves your true subjects ready to obey all your commandments assuing you with all that as we have hereby as many of us as have underwritten this letter declared our recognition and humble submission to your Majâ—sties soveraign power and right so we do know by all good proofs that the minde of the rest of the Nobility and all others who are absent in their severall qualities places and charges whom the time permitted not without the prejudice of your affairs to assemble so soon as we were desirous this should be performed are wholly and absolutely with us in all zeal and duety for all things that shall be imposed upon them by your royall will and pleasure Further we have thought meet and necessary to advertise your Highness that Sir Robert Cary this morning departed from hence towards your Majesty not onely without the consent of any of us who were present at Richmond at the time of our late Soveraigns decease but also contrary to such commandement as we had power to lay upon him and to all decency and good manners and respect which he ought to so many persons of our degree whereby it may be that your Majesty hearing by a bare report onely of the death of the late Queen and not of our care and diligence in establishment of your Majesties right here in such manner as is above specified may conceive doubts of other nature then God be thanked there is cause you should which we would have clearly prevented if he had born so much respect to us as to have stayed for a common relation of our proceedings and not thought it better to anticipate the same for we would have been loath that any person of quality should have gone from hence who should not with the report of her death have been able to declare the first effects of our assured loyalties And lastly it may please your Majesty to receive this advertisement that of late there was made ready by the commandement of the Queen our Mistresse a good fleet of eight or ten of her ships well manned and furnished under the charge of Sir Richard Lawson Knight to have been employed upon the coast of Spain which employment by her decease is ceased for want of Commission to exercise the saine and now is kept together in the narrow Seas to prevent any suddain attempt against the Low Countreys and that now there is nothing either of land or sea that is not yours it may please your Majesty to signifie your pleasure concerning that Fleet and whether you will have it or any part thereof resort to your coast of Scotland where it may serve you either for the safe convoy of your person to this realm if there shall because to use it in this manner or to transport any of yours whilest you come by land or any other service In which point we humbly beseech you to make known under whose charge it shall beyour pleasure the whole Fleet or any part thereof shall come unto you And this being all that for the present doth occurre to be advertised to your Majesty by us whose mindes are occupied about the conservation of this your realm in peace as farre forth as by any power for your Majesties service onely assumed the interruption thereof may be prevented saving that we have sent a Copy of the Proclamation made here to your Majesties deputy of Ireland to be published in that kingdome we will and with our humble prayers to Almighty God that we may be so happy as speedily to enjoy the comfortable presence of your Highness royall person amongst us the onely object of that glory and those felicities which in the earth we have proponed to our selves Written in your Majesties City of London the 24 of March 1603 at ten hours of the clock at night This Letter was subscribed by Robert Leigh Mayor John Canterbury Thomas Egerton Thomas Buckhurst Nottingham Northumberland Gilbert Shrewsbury William Darby Edward Worcester Geo. Cumberland R. Suffex Henry Lincoln Pembroke Clanrickard G. Hunsdon Tho. Howard Richard London Robert Hartford John Norwich Morley Henry Cobham Thomas Laware Gray Edward Cromwell R. Riche Lumley Chandois W. Compton W. Knowlles Edward Wootton John Stanhop Raleigh John Fortescue and John Popham The King having imparted this letter to the Councell it was thought meet that the Contents thereof should be published for begetting a greater kindness betwixt the people and the two Kingdomes whereupon a Proclamation was made shewing That the Queen before her death continuing in that loving affection which she professed to his Majesty all the course of her life had declared him her only true heir and successor in the imperiall Crownes of England France and Ireland and that the Lords Spirituall and Temporall assisted by the Lord Maior of London and others of the Gentry of good quality had upon the 24 of March last proclaimed him their only liege Lord and undoubted Soveraign which being the most cleer demonstration that a people could give of their affection and a sure pledge of their future obedience ought to move all true hearted subjects to account of them no otherwise then as their brethren and friends and to forget and bury all quarrels and grounds of former dissensions That therefore none should pretend ignorance nor carry themselves in any unkind sort towards the inhabitants of England his Majesty with the advice of the Lords of Councell had ordained Proclamation to be made of the premisses assuring them that should so apply themselves of his gracious favour when occasion presented and certifying such as did in the contrary that they should incurre his wrath and extreme displeasure This notwithstanding the word no sooner came of the Queens death then the loose and broken men in the borders assembling in companies made incursions upon England doing what in them lay to divide the two Kingdomes which the year following was severely punished the principals that were tried to have been partners in that business being all executed to the death The King in the mean time giving order for his journey did appoint the Queen to follow him some twenty dayes after and for his children ordained the Prince to remain at Striveling the Duke of Albany his brother to abide with the Lord Fyvie President of the Session and the Princess Elizabeth their sister with Alexander Earl of Linlithgow To the Lords of Councell an ample Commission was given for the administration of all affairs receiving resignations hearing the accounts of the Exchequer continuing daies of law adjoining assessors to the justice granting of licences to depart forth of the Realm altering the place of their residence as they should find it convenient repressing the troubles of the
that which furthered not a little the propagation of the Gospel in these parts was the persecution raised by Diocletian which at that time was hot in the South parts of Britaine This brought many Christians both Preachers and Professors into this Kingdom who were all kindly received by Cratilinth and had the Isle of Man given them for their remaining and revenues sufficient assigned for their maintenance In this Isle King Cratilinth erected a stately Church to the honour of our Saviour which he adorned with all necessary ornaments and called Sodorense fanum that is the Temple of our Saviour hence it is that the Bishops of the Isles are styled Sodorenses Episcopi For so long as that Isle remained in the possession of the Scots the Bishops of Isles made that Church their Cathedral After their dispossession the Isle Iona commonly called Hecombekil hath been the seat of the Bishops and continueth so untill this day In this Isle Amphibalus sate first Bishop a Britaine born and a man of excellent piety he lived long preaching carefully the doctrine of Christ both amongst the Scots and the Picts and after many labours taken for promoting Christian Religion died peaceably in the same Isle Our stories report that at the same time there lived in this Kingdom divers zealous and notable Preachers of which number they name these six Modocus Priseus Calanus Ferranus Ambianus and Carnocus that seem to have been men of principal note and of them all generally it is witnessed that living solitary they were in such a reputation for their holinesse of life as the Cells wherein they lived were after their deaths turned into Temples or Churches And of this it came that all the Churches afterwards erected were called Cells which word I hear is yet retained amongst the Irish Scots The Priests they termed Culdees which Hector Boeth thinks to have signified as much as Cultores Dei the worshippers of God but it is more like this title was given them for their living in these Cells whereas people assembled to hear service somewhat it maketh for this that in certain old Bulls and rescripts of Popes I finde them termed Keledei and not Culdei The same Boeth out of ancient Annals reports that these Priests were wont for their better government to elect some one of their number by common suffrage to be chief and principal among them without whose knowledge and consent nothing was done in any matter of importance and that the person so elected was called Scotorum Episcopus a Scots Bishop or a Bishop of Scotland Neither had our Bishops any other title whereby they were distinguished before the dayes of Malcolm the third who first divided the countrey into Dioceses appointing to every Bishop the limits within which they should keep and exercise their jurisdiction After that time they were styled either by the countreys whereof they had the oversight or by the City where they kept their residence But to return to Cratilinth during his Reign Christian Religion did prosper exceedingly and Fincormachus his Cousin-germane that succeeded keeping the same course gave in his time a perfect setling unto it So great a happinesse it is to have two Kings of qualities alike good succeed one to another for what the one beginneth the other doth perfect and accomplish Yet this felicity endureth not long the state both of the Kingdome and Church being within a few yeares after his death quite overturned by this occasion Maximus a man born in Spain but of Romane education being sent Lieutenant into Pritaine and presuming to bring the whole Isle under his power did practise secretly with the Picts for rooting out the Scots promising that all the lands which the Scots possessed should be given to them The Picts a perfidious people greedily embracing this offer did joyn their forces with the Romanes and both made invasion upon the Scots who doing the best they could for their own defence after divers sharp encounters in a battel fought at the water of Dun in Carrick were wholly defeated and King Eugenius with the most part of his Nobility slain This defeat was followed with a rigorous edict commanding all the Scots of what age sexe or condition soever to depart out of this Isle before a certain day which was so precisely executed as neither man nor woman young nor old were permitted to stay nay not a Church-man though all of that profession were in good esteem among the Picts themselves at the time Thus all the Scots went in exile betaking themselves some into Ireland others into the countreys of Denmark Norway Sweden or where it was in their fate to be cast onely some few Church-men after they had long wandred from place to place got privately into Iona one of the West Isles where living in a poor condition they laid the foundation of a Monastery which in succeeding ages became famous by the beneficence of our Kings and the sanctity of the Monks that there professed Never was any Church or Kingdom brought to a greater desolation but how long it continued our writers do not agree for Boeth will have the Scots to live in exile the space of 44. years and saith that they returned in the year 422. Buthannan casts their return into the year 404. and so maketh their exile to have lasted 27. years only Now whilest they lived thus exiled it happened that one Regulus a Greciâ—â— Monk arrived in these parts This man as they write living in Achala had warning given him in a vision by night to forsake his countrey and go into Albion an Isle fited in the utmost parts of the world and to carry with him the arm-bone three fingers and as many toes of S. Andrew the Apostle The man troubled at first with the strangenesse of the vision did after a little time resolve to follow the warning and take a little box in which he put those Reliques went to seâ— taking some persons in company with him The story nameth Damia nus a Priest 〈◊〉 Thebaculus and Mermacus brother to Damianus Deacons 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 a Cretain Merinus and Silvinâ—s his brother Monks by profession Some eight more are said to be in his company but their names are not expressed The ship wherein they sailed being tossed with grievous tempests was driven at last into the Port or Haven called then 〈◊〉 now St. Andrewes Hergustus King of Picts under whose dominion that part of the countrey as then was advertised of the strangers arrive and the Reliques they had brought with them came thither and pitying their losses for besides the Reliques they had nothing saved When he beheld the men and the form of their service did so like it as he took order for their entertainment shortly after he gave unto Regulus his own Palace with certain lands adjoyning and nigh thereunto erected a Church the same whereof we see a part yet remaining on
Countreymen Richardus de sancto Victore a Channon regular of the order of S. Angustine and David a Presbyter This David lived in Germany and was chosen by the Emperour Henry the fifth to accompany him in that expedition which he made to Italy against Pope Paschal the Story whereof he wrote as likewise a Treatise de regno Scotorum both which are perished Richardus was a professor of Divinity at Paris in the Abbey of S. Victor a great Philosopher and left many books that witnesse his learning the Titles whereof you may read in Baleus He died in the same Abbey and was buried with this Epitaph Moribus ingenio doctrina clarus arte Pulvereo hîc tegeris docte Richarde situ Quem tellus genuit foelici Scotica partu Te fovet in gremio Gallica terra suo Nil tibi Parca ferox nocuit quae stamina parco Tempore tracta gravirupit acerba manu Plurima namque tui super ant monumenta laboris Qua tibi perpetuam sunt paritura decus Segnior ut lento sceler atas mors pelit aedes Sic propero nimis it sub piatecta gradu 16. Bishop Robert deceasing Walthemius Abbot of Melrosse was earnestly entreated to accept the Charge but would not forsake the Monastery saying That he had washed his feet and could not contaminate them again with the dust of earthly cares Whereupon Arnold Abbot of Kelso was elected and in presence of King Malcolm the fourth consecrated by William Bishop of Murray This Bishop had been the year preceding directed to Rome with one Nicholaus the Kings Secretary to complain of the Archbishop of York his usurpation upon the Church of Scotland and being then returned carried himself as Legate to the Pope which power he resigned to Arnold after his Consecration as he was enjoyned by Engenius the third who then held the Chair In a Convention of the Estates kept the same year Arnold did earnestly insist with the King to make choice of a wise for assuring the royall succession and to that effect made a long speech in the hearing of the Estates but the King had taken a resolution to live single and would not be diverted Edward Bishop of Aberdene was much blamed for confirming him in that course and for that cause hated of many The Cathedrall of S. Andrews a fair and stately Church whilest it stood was founded by this Arnold but before the work was raised to any height he died having sate Bishop one year ten moneths and seventeen days onely 17. Upon Arnold his death the King did recommend his Chaplain Richard to the place who was immediately elected by the Convent but not consecrated for the space of two years after because of the Archbishop of York his pretensions One Roger held at that time the See of York a man ambitious beyond all measure who from being Archdeacon of Canterbury was by the means of the Archbishop Thomas Becket preferred to that place no sooner was he advanced but he procured of Pope Anastasius the fourth a Bull whereby he was designed Metropolitane of Scotland but the King and the Clergy notwithstanding the Popes authority was in those days greatly respected refused to acknowledge him Anastasius dying by whom the Archbishop Roger was maintained the Prelates of Scotland did convene and by themselves performed the Consecration Roger incensed herewith sent to Rome and complaining of this contempt found the favour to be made Legate of Scotland by vertue whereof he caused cite all the Scottish Clergy to appear before him at Norham in England whither he came in great pomp Angelramus Archdeacon of Glasgow accompanied with Walter Prior of Kelso Solomon Dean of Glasgow and some others of the Clergy went and kept the Diet and in the name of the Church of Scotland appealing to the Pope took journey to Rome Where the business being debated before Pope Alexander the third sentence was given against Roger his pretended Legation and the Church of Scotland declared to be exempted from all spirituall Jurisdiction the Apostolique See only excepted This exemption Angelramus who in the mean time was promoted to the See of Glasgow by the death of Bishop Herbert and consecrated at Rome brought back and presented to the King The Bull is yet extant and begins thus Alexander P. servus servorum Dei Malcolmo Regi c. A few days after the Bishops return King Malcolm died at Iedbrough in the 25. year of his age and 12. of his reign a sweet and meek Prince uncourteously used by King Henry the second King of England but more rudely by his own Subjects This Henry by nature ambitious and one that could not keep himself within bounds took many ways to wrong this good King and make him despised of his own people yet for that he had sworn to King David Malcolms Grandfather that he should never molest him nor any of his posterity in the possession of the lands they held in England and could not for shame go against his oath he stirred up the Bishop of York to place a Bishop at Carlile thinking the King of Scots would not endure that wrong Iohn Bishop of Glasgow under whose charge the Countrey of Cumberland then was did exceedingly offend with this and finding that the King would not break with Henry for so little a cause nor seeing a way to repair himself abandoned his charge and went unto the Monastery of Tours in France where he abode till he was forced by the Popes authority to return King Henry finding this injury dissembled went afterwards more plainly to work for having desired Malcolm to come to London to do homage for the lands he held in England he compelled him to follow him in the Warre he made upon France thinking thereby to alienate the minde of the French King from the Scots Again when he had returned home inviting him of new to a Parliament kept at York upon a forged quarrell as if he had crossed King Henry his affairs in France he was declared to have lost all his lands in England And not content to have wronged him in this sort to stir up his own Subjects against him made the report goe that King Malcolm had voluntarily resigned all those lands Which did so irritate the Nobles as presently after his return putting themselves in Arms they did besiege the Town of Bertha where the King remained and had not failed to use violence but that by the intercession of some wise Prelates matters were composed The Nobility being grieved to see the King so abused did urge him to denounce warre but he loving rather to have matters peaceably agreed was content to accept Cumberland and Huntington and suffer Northumberland to goe to King Henry This displeased the Subjects and diminished much of the regard that was formerly carried to him which he took greatly to heart and shortly after died as was thought of displeasure The good King being thus taken away
upon his head said Ex tua pharetra nunquam venit ista sagitta meaning that he was set on to speak by some others of greater note So the Legate perceiving that the businesse would not work and that the opposition was like to grow greater he brake up the Assembly After which the Prelates returning home were universally welcomed but above the rest the Chanon Gilbert was in the mouthes of all men and judged worthy of a good preferment and soon after was promoved to the Bishoprâ—ck of Cathenes and made Chancellor of the Kingdome The year following one Vibianus a Cardinal titulo sancti Stephani in monte Caelio came into Scotland in shew to reform abuses and do some good to the Church but in effect to extort moneys from Churchmen For at this time it was grown to be an ordinary trick of the Popes when they stood in need of moneys to send forth their Legates unto all Countreys sometimes under a colour of reforming abuses sometimes for the recovering of the Holy land and sometimes upon other pretexts This Cardinall having stayed a while in Scotland took his journey into Ireland and in his return would needs make a new visit of this Church for which effect he convened the Clergy at Edinburgh in the moneth of August and established divers Canons which the Clergy esteeming prejudiciall to their liberties did incontinent after he was gone revoke and disannull but what these Canons were our Writers do not remember 18. It was a fatall year this to many of our Churchmen both Bishops and Abbots amongst others Richard Bishop of S. Andrews deceasing King William recommended Hugo one of his Chaplains whom he much favoured to the Convent But they taking another course made choice of the Archdeacon Iohn Scot who was an English born The King displeased therewith did swear by the Arm of S. Iamesâ—this â—this was his ordinary oath that so long as he lived Scot should never enjoy that place So he sent a Command unto the Chanons to make a new election appointing Ioceline Bishop of Glasgow their assistant and thus was Hugo his Chaplain elected The Archdeacon appealed to Rome and going thither complained of the wrong done to the Church entreating the Pope for redresse Hereupon Alexius Subdean of the Romane See was dispatched to try and examine the cause At first the King made difficulty to admit him but afterwards yeelding the two elections being tried by the Legate sentence was given for the first and Iocelin Bishop of Glasgow with the rest of the Clergy that assisted the second excommunicated This done the Legate called an Assembly of the Bishops Abbots and whole Clergy at Haliroudhouse and made Matthew Bishop of Aberdene publickly to consecrate the Archdeacon upon Trinity Sunday 1178. He not the lesse fearing the Kings displeasure left the Realm and went to Rome where he was honourably entertained by Pope Lucius the third who sent Letters to the King and admonished him not to usurp upon the Church and to remit the Bishop who was lawfully elected and consecrated to enjoy his place with quietnesse This Letter the Story saith was conceived in milde terms for the Pope feared to incense the King lest he should follow the ensample of his Cousin Henry King of England that some 8. years before had made away Thomas Becket Bishop of Canterbury for his obstinate and wilfull opposition in some matters not unlike yet the King nothing moved with the Letter to make his displeasure the better known did confiscate all the revenues pertaining to the See of S. Andrews and banished those whom he understood to favour the Bishops cause The Pope advertised hereof resolved to put the Realm under Interdiction But the Bishop prostrating himself at his feet besought him not to use any such rigour saying That he would much rather renounce his dignity then have so many Christian souls for ought that concerned him defrauded of spirituall benefits The Pope highly commending the goodnesse and patience of the Bishop held him from that time forth in more regard and at his request forbare the Interdiction Mean while it happened that VValter Bishop of Dunkeld departed this life whereupon the King taking occasion sent to recall the Bishop with offers of great kindenesse protesting that if it had not been for the oath he rashly made he would willingly have contented to his enjoying of the See of S. Andrews But seeing it did touch him in Honour and Conscience as he esteemed to be yeelding thereto he requested the Bishop to accept the Benefice of Dunkeld which was then fallen void and was in value not much inferiour to the other This the Bishop communicated to the Pope who desired to have the matter quieted advised him to return and accept the offer Thus was the Archdeacon by the Popes consent preferred to Dunkeld having the rents of the Archdeaconry reserved to him during his life in recompence of his losses Hugo this way coming to be possessed Andrews took journey to Rome that he might be reconciled to the Pope and being absolved for his intrusion in his return died some six miles from the City of Rome the 6. of August 1188. ten years and ten moneths after his election At this time newes was brought from the East of the prevailing of Sultan Saladine of Egypt against the Christians in the Holy land which moved Philip the second of France and Henry King of England to undertake the recovery of the Holy land and to employ all their credit and means as well in their own countreys as with other Christian Princes their neighbours for the furtherance of that enterprise To befray the charges of the voyage both Kings by consent of their Clergy and Nobles ordained that all their subjects both Clergy and Laity such excepted as went in the voyage should pay the tenth of all their moveables either in gold or silver King Henry having laid this imposition upon his subjects at home sent Hugh Pusar then Bishop of Duresme with other Commissioners to collect the tenths of the Clergy and Laity in this kingdom which the King and States interpreting to be an encroachment upon their liberties would not permit yet for advancing that holy action they did offer a supply of 5000. Marks sterling which King Henry refused but the enterprise upon a quarel that arose betwixt the Kings of France and England was at that time dashed and so the collection was no further urged King Henry a little after this ended his life and Richard his son who succeeded resolving to pursue the action of the holy Warre to assure the King of Scotland who he feared would take some advantage in his absence restored all the Castles which were delivered to King Henry his Father and released him and his posterity of all Covenants made and confirmed by Charter unto King Henry as extorted from him being then his prisoner reserving only such
rights to himself as had been and were to be performed by Malcolme his brother to his Ancestors Kings of England King William to requite his kindnesse gave unto Richard ten thousand Marks sterling and caused his brother David to whom he resigned the Earldom of Huntington go in company with him There went under his charge 500. Gentlemen who were all in their return cast away by a tempest at sea only the Earl himself having his ship driven upon the coast of Egypt was taken prisoner and led to Alexandria where being redeemed by some Venetians he was brought to Constantinople and freed by an English Merchant in the City that had known him in former times From thence he returned safe unto his countrey the fourth year after his setting forth to the great joy and contentment of the King his brother who took him to be lost The part where he arrived being as Boethius writeth before that time called Alectum had the name changed and upon that occasion was called Dei donum But the opinion of Buchannan is more probable that the Town now called Dundy is a compound word of Down and Tay. As ever this was the Town there situated received many priviledges of King William at that time for his brothers happy arrival which to this day they enjoy Likewise in memory thereof was the Abbey of Lundors founded for the Benedictine Monks and divers lands gifted thereto by the King and the Earl his brother The King of England after many distresses being returned home King William to congratulate his safety went into England where he contracted a great sickness the rumour whereof being dispersed and his death much suspected gave occasion of divers insolencies at home amongst others Herald Earl of Orkney and Cathnes upon a malice conceived against the Bishop of that countrey who as he alledged had impeded the grant of some thing he demanded of the King took him prisoner put out his eyes and cut forth his tongue This inhumanity the King at his return punished most severely for the Earl being apprehended and brought to his trial had his eyes in like sort pulled out and was thereafter publickly strangled by the hands of the hangman all his male children being gelded to extinguish his succession His kinsmen and others accounted accessors to the fact for not rescuing the Bishop were fined in great summes of money This exemplary justice reported to Pope Innocent the third he sent unto the King by his Legate Ioannes Cardinalis de monte Celio a sword richly set with precious stones a purple hat in from of a diadem and a large Bull of priviledges whereby the Church of Scotland was exempted from all Ecclesiastical censures the Pope himself and his Legate à latere only excepted It was also declared That it should not be lawful to any to excommunicate the King and his successors or yet to interdict the kingdom but the Pope or his Legate and that no stranger should exercise any legation within the Realm except a Cardinal or such a one as the Conclave did appoint This Bull is yet extant and beginneth thus Innocentius Episcopus servus servorum Dei charissimo filio Gulielmo illustri Scotorum Regi eâ—usque successoribus This Cardinal before his departing forth of the Realm kept a Convocation of the Clergy at Perth in which all the Priests were deposed who were found to have taken Orders upon Sunday The Abbot of Dunfermlin called Robert was removed from his place the cause whereof is not mentioned and one Patrick Superiour of Durâ—sme appointed Abbot in his stead In this convention also it was decreed That every Saturday from twelve of the clock should be kept as holy day and that all people at the sound of the Bell should addresse themselves to hear service and abstain from all handy work until Munday morning After this meeting he took journey into Ireland taking with him Radolph Abbot of Melrosse a man of good respect whom he preferred to the Bishoprick of Down which at his coming thither happened to fall void Bishop Hugo dying Roger son to the Earl of Leicester succeeded he had been Chancellour to the King and at his election to the Bishoprick resigned the office to one of the King his Chaplaines For in those dayes the office of a Chancellor was not in that reputation to which afterwards it grew in some old Records I find at one time two officers in that kinde the one called Cancellarius Regis the other Cancellarius regni but which of the two was in greatest dignity I know not nor in what their charge did differ only my conjecture is that he who is now the writer of the Great Seal and is called The director to the Chancellary was then styled Cancellarius Regis But remitting this to others of greater skill Ten years this Roger stood elect and was not consecrated before the year of God 1198. at which time Richard Bishop of Murray performed the ceremony the reason of the delay is not mentioned by writers four years only he lived after his consecration and died at Combuskenneth the ninth of Iuly 1202. his corps with great solemnity convoyed to Saint Andrews was interred in the old Church of Saint Rewle 20. William Malvoisin Bishop of Glasgow a Frenchman born was after the death of Roger by the Kings recommendation translated to S. Andrews a man of singular wisdome and courage he lived a long time for he sate Bishop after his translation 35. years and governed the Church most happily The rents alienated by his predecessors or lost by their negligence he recovered to his See advanced the fabrick of the Church which was then a building more then any that went before him and suffered no man of what quality soever he was to usurp upon the Church or possessions of it Some years after his translation King William died at Striveling to the great regret of all men especially those of the Clergy to whom he had been very beneficial for besides the Abbey of Aberbrothock which he founded to the memory of Thomas Becket then generally held to be a Martyr and Saint he gave divers lands to the See of Argyle which had been in his time erected and to the Monasteries of Newbottle Halyrudhouse and Dunfermlin many richgifts as likewise for the Trinity Monks of Aberdene an Order lately invented and then confirmed by Innocentius the third he made a competent provision Never were the funerals of any of our Kings performed with greater solemnity All the Prelates and Nobles of the kingdome attending the corps from Striveling to Aberbrothock where he had appointed his body to be buried There they continued 14. dayes spending that time in the devotions accustomed and before their parting by a common consent ordained that for a year thereafter no publick playes nor feasts should be made in any part of the kingdom such
from that expedition an Ambassage was sent to Rome for reconciling the Kingdome and a Letter subscribed by the Nobility and Barons to the Pope the Copy whereof I have thought good to insert Sanctissimo in Christo Patri domino Iohani c. filii sui humiles devoti Duncamus Comes de Fife Thomas Ranulphus Comes Moraviae dominus Manviae dominus Wallis Annandiae Patricius Dumbar Comes Marchiae Malisius Comes Strathern Malcolm us Comes de Lennox Gulielmus Comes de Rosse Magnus Comes Cathannon Orcaden Gulielmus Comes Sutherlandiae Walterus Senescallus Scotiae Gulielmus de Souls Buttelarius Scotiae Iacobus de Douglas David de Brichen David Grahame Ingelramus Umphravile Iohannes Monteith Custos Comitatus ejusdem Alexander Fraser Gilbertus de Haya Constabularius Scotiae Robertus Marescallus Scotiae Henricus de Santo Claro Panitarius Scotiae Iohannes Grahame David Lindsay Patritius Grahame Iohannes de Fenton Gulielmus de Abernethy David de Weymis Gulielmus de Montefixo Fergusius de Androssen Eustathius Maxwell Gulielmus Ramsey Alanus de Moravia Donaldus Champell Iohannes Cameron Reginaldus Loquhoir Alexander Seaton Andreas Leslie Alexander de Straton caeterÃque Barones liberè tenentes tota communitas Regni Scotiae c. Thereafter they said That Scotland being an ancient Kingdome governed by a continued succession of 97. Kings and amongst the first that embraced the faith of Christ living under the patronage of S. Andrew the brother of S. Peter and graced with many privileges by the Popes his predecessors had always been free from usurpation of any stranger before that Edward the father of him that now reigneth in England did in the time of the interreign when the question was of a successour labour by violence to establish the Kingdome to himself since which time they have endured many injuries having their Churches spoiled their Monasteries burnt and their Countrey intolerably oppressed till of late it hath pleased God to stirre up King Robert Bruce who as another Iosua or Iudas Maccabeus had redeemed them by his valour with whom they resolved in defence of their Countrey to spend their lives And if he should forsake them which they knew he would not do so long as they wâ—ere any of them in life England should never bring them in subjection Wherefore they besought his Holinesse to make the English content themselves with the spacious bounds they possessed in which there reigned sometimes seven Kings and suffer the Scots quietly to enjoy that little piece of ground which their progenitors had long defended and left free unto them In end they entreated To be received again into his grace and favour promising all dutifull obedience to him and to the See Apostolick This was the tenor of the Letter which the Pope favourably accepted and thereupon gave order that the â—nglish and Scots should both be warned to a certain Diet for debating their rigâ—â—s The Diet come and the English not appearing the Pope after he had examined the case and perused the rescripts of divers his predecessours released the Interdiction which his Legate had published and declared the Scots to be reconciled to the Church The great discontents which were then amongst the English for the government of affairs under Edward the third who was then made King upon his Fathers resignation brought them to sue for peace which after a short Treaty was concluded and the Peace confirmed by a Match betwixt David Prince of Scotland and Iane sister to King Edward The Conditions of the Peace were these That King Edward should surrender by Charter his Title of Soveraignty of the Kingdom of Scotland Restore whatsoever Acts Deeds and Instruments he had of Homage and Fealty done by the Kings of Scotland or their Nobility to any of his antecessors especially those which Edward the first his Grandfather had by force extorted and leave the Kingdome of Scotland as free as it was at the death of King Alexander the third That the Scots should quit and renounce all the lands they held in England and Stanmore be taken for the March both in Cumberland and in Northumberland That no Englishman should enjoy lands in Scotland unlesse he dwelt in the Countrey And that in satisfaction of the lands possessed by some of them who would not remain in Scotland the King of Scots should pay 30000. Marks Peace thus made and the mariage with great solemnity performed though the Prince was then but seven years old King Robert waxing sickly lived private in a sort untill his death which happened some two years after He was a King of incomparable wisdome and valour whose worth and vertue no pen can expresse Whilest this Peace was treating Lamberton departed this life having continued Bishop thirty years a Prelate wise active and a great Benefactor to the Abbey wherein for the most part he kept his residence The buildings whereof now we onely behold the ruines were erected upon his charges It is reported that being asked by one of his servants on a night Why he did lay out so great summes for the Monastery and forget to build for himself he answered That ere he died he hoped to build more then his successors should well maintain Which he indeed performed for besides the repairing of his Palace in S. Andrews he built at Monymaill Torrey Dersey Inchmortach Mufchart Ketins Lincon Monymusk and Stow in Twaddale houses of good receipt for himself and his successors He finished the Cathedrall Church which had been many years a building and dedicated the same with great solemnity in the year 1318. He adorned the Chapter house with curious seats and ceeling furnished the Chanons with pretious vestments for the daily service stored their Library with Books and at the Dedication of the Church procured of the King who honoured the same with his presence a yearly rent of 100. Marks to be paid to the Abbey forth of the Exchequer which annuity was afterward redeemed by the donation of the Church of Fordon in Mernis he himself the same very day gave unto the Prior and Convent the Churches of Dersey Abercromby as the donations yet extant do testifie and dying at the last in the Priors Chamber within the Monastery was buried in the new Church on the north side of the high Altar in the year 1328. The famous Doctor Ioannes Duns alià s Scotus lived in his time he was born in the Town of Duns in the Countrey of Mers and being yet a childe after some taste he had got of the Latine Tongue by the perswasion of two Minorite Friers went to Oxford studying Logick in Merton College then applying himself to Scholastick Divinity grew to such a perfection therein as he was called The subtile Doctor and was followed of a number who after his name are called to this day Scotistae After he had professed a while at Oxford he was called to reade Divinity in the
was of old an Abbey founded by Constantine the third King of Picts about the year 729. to the memory of S Columbe in which the Culdees were placed King David in the year 1130. did erect it to be a Bishops See and recommending one Gregorius to the place obtained Pope Alexander the third his confirmation thereof he sate 42. years and was much favoured by that good King The lands of Anchtertaile with divers others appertaining to that See were of King David his gift This Bishop diet at Dunkeld in the year 1169. 2. Richard Chaplain to King William was elected in his place and consecrated in S. Andrews upon the vigils of S. Laurrence by Richard Bishop of S. Andrews This Bishop was commended for vindicating the Church of Abercorne forth of the hands of a laick person named Iohn Avonele who claimed the Patronage thereof he sate four years and dying at Crawmold was buried in S. Colmes Inche in the year 1173. 3. Cormacus succeeded in his place to whom King William gave the lands of Dalgathy he died in the year 1177. 4. In his place was chosen Walter de Bidden who was Chancellour to King William but he lived not many years 5. Iohn Scot an English man born being Archdeacon of S. Andrews had been elected Bishop of that See but that his election being withstood by the King as we shewed before he was after Biddens death promoved by the Popes consent to Dunkeld a man that made conscience of his charge and was painful in his office The countrey of Argyle was at that time of the Dioces of Dunkeld the people whereof did only speak Irish and neither understood the Bishop nor he them Upon this he travelled to have the Dioces divided and Argyle erected into an Episcopal See and to that effect sent a letter to Pope Clement the third intreating that one Evaldus his Chaplain who could speak Irish a wise and godly person might have the charge of that part committed to him for How said he can I make an accompt to the Iudge of the world in the last day when I cannot be understood of them whom I teach The maintenance is sufficient for two Bishops if we be not prodigal of the patrimony of Christ and will live with that moderation which becometh his servants it shall therefore be much better to diminish the charge and increase the number of able workmen in the Lords field The Pope reading the letter and considering how earnest he was to be eased of his charge though to his own temporal losse said It is the study of others to enlarge their bounds and livings not caring how it goeth with the people and here is one that requesteth his Benefice may be parted in two O how few Bishops are now in the Christian world so disposed and so commending greatly the Bishops disposition granted his request sending back Evaldus for he was the messenger consecrated Bishop as was desired The Bishop glad to have obtained his desire entered Evaldus to the charge and followed diligently his own in that part which remained Some few dayes before his death he rendred himself a Monk in Newbotle and there departed this life in the year 1203. his body was interred in the Quire of that Church upon the North side of the Altar William Bining afterwards Abbot of Cowper did write his life but the story is perished 6. After his death Richard Provand King Williams Chaplain was consecrated Bishop and lived a few years onely in the See for he departed this world in the year 1210. and was buried in Inchcolme 7. Iohn Leicester cousen to King William and elected successour and dying at Crawmond was buried in Inchcolme with his predecessour in the year 1214. 8. Hugo called Hugo de sigillo a Monk of Aberbrothock succeeded unto Leicester a man of a sweet and amiable disposition he was called the poor mans Bishop and lived not a year after his consecration 9. Matthew Chancellour of Scotland was then elected but he died the same year before he was consecrated 10. To him succeeded Gilbert Chaplain to Bishop Hugo he sate 22. years and died in the year 1236. 11. Galfrid Liverance was elected in his stead This Bishop was a zealous man he reformed the service of the Church ad usum Sarum and ordained the Chanons to make residence at Dunkeld giving them the Commons of that Church for their entertainment He died at Tibbermoore in the yeare 1249. and was buried at Dunkeld 12. After Galfrids death Richard Chancellour to the King succeeded and dying the same year at Crawmond was buried in Inchcolme 13. After him Mr. Richard of Innerkething Chancellour of Scotland was elected who sate 22. years he built the great Quire of the Abbey Church in Inchcolme upon his own charges and died very old in the year 1272. He is much commended for his faithful service done to King Alexander His body was interred at Dunkeld and his heart laid in the North wall of the Quire which he built in Inchcolme 14. Robert Sutevile Dean of Dunkeld debarred at first from the Bishoprick of S. Andrews by the ambitious suite of Abill the Archdeacon was at this time preferred to be Bishop of Dunkeld he died in the year 1300. and governed the See 28. yeares Moribus scientia vita praeclarus 15. After him Matthew by recommendation of Edward the first of England who kept Scotland then under subjection was advanced to the Bishoprick and sate 12. yeares 16. William Sinclare a brother of the house of Roslin and Uncle to William Lord Bisset succeeded This is he that King Robert the Bruce used to call his own Bishop for the King being in Ireland with an Army for the supply of his brother Edward the English taking advantage of his absence sent two Armies to invade the kingdom the one by land the other by sea The Sea Army landed in Fife near to Anchtertaile where the Bishop had his residence which the Sheriffe of the countrey for hindering their depredations went to encounter but at the sight of their numbers he gave back and fled the Bishop hearing of their flight brought forth his ordinary train and casting himself in the Sheriffes way asked why he fled and having checkt him bitterly for his cowardize called for a lance crying aloud You that love the honour of Scotland follow me By this forwardnesse he put such courage in the rest as they returning upon the English did chase them all back to their ships one of the ship-boats overcharged with the company that leapt into it was sunk and in that conflict were drowned and slain 500. English and above The honour of this victory was wholly ascribed to the Bishops courage for which he was greatly favoured by the King He built in his time the Quire of Dunkeld from the ground which the Army of England had demolished redeemed the lands of Green oke from one Simon Cader and gave to his Archdeacon the Church of Logia Leguhy with
agitated he loved to have things calmly carried but his counsel took little place It was he that said to one of his Vicars whom he was perswading to leave his opinions That he thanked God that he knew neither the Old nor the New Testaments and yet had prospered well enough all his dayes 31. Robert Creighton his Nephew was preferred upon his death to the See in whose time fell out the reformation of the Church The Bishops of ABERDENE 1. Malcolme the second in memory of the defeat he gave the Danes at Murthlack founded there a Bishops seat in the year 1010. and preferred one Beanus thereto a man of singular vertue and godlinesse gifting to him and his successors the lands of Murthlack Cloveth and Dummeth This Bishop sate 32. years and dying in Murthlack was buried at the Postern door of the Church which himself had built 2. Donortius who succeeded him lived Bishop 42. years and was interred with his predecessor 3. Cormachus the third Bishop of this See governed the same 39. years and was buried likewise with his predecessors 4. Nectanus succeeded in his time King David did translate the See from Murthlack to Aberdene and gave to him and his successors the lands of old Aberdene Sclaty Goull Moorecroft Kurmundy Mowmenlach Clat Talynstine Rayne Dawyot and their Churches with divers others lands whereby the See was greatly enriched this Bishop died in the year 1154. having sate 14. years at Murthlack and 17. at Aberdene 5. After the death of Nectanus one Edward was promoved who was greatly favoured by Malcolme the fourth called the Maiden and was thought to have perswaded the King to continue in his single life he was the first Bishop that brought the Chanons to do ordinary service in the Church of Aberdene and died in the eleventh year after his consecration 6. Matthew Kinninmouth Archdeacon of S. Andrews succeeded a man famous for learning and other excellent vertues In his time began the Cathedral Church of Aberdene to be built unto the memory of S. Machar to whom King Malcolme gave the lands of Tuligreg Fetternew Invercrowden Banchordeneif Balhelvy and the Patronages of the Churches He sate Bishop 34. years 7. Iohn Prior of Kelso was next elected Bishop this man is greatly commended for liberality to the poor and magnificence in the buildings and ornaments of the Church he died the next year after his consecration 8. One Adam was assumed in his place rather for satisfying King Williams pleasure then for any good affection born to the man by the rest of the Clergy at first he shewed no great care in his charge giving himselfe wholly to temporall affaires yet after King Williams death he grew quite another man setting himself to amend his former negligences He sate 21. years 9. Upon his death the Clergy and people of Aberdene postulated Matthew Chancellour of the kingdome who was willing to accept the place but Dunkeld falling void in the mean season King Alexander the second preferred him to that See 10. And Gilbert Striveling a man well born and much esteemed for his integrity of life obtained the place but he lived not many years departing this world in the eleventh year after his election 11. Radolph Abbot of Aberbrothotk succeeded being with an uniform consent of the Clergy and people elected Bishop he was brought with great difficulty to accept the charge a man of great prudence and painful in his calling for he travelled through all his Dioces on foot preaching and visiting the Churches that he might know their true estate and is said never to have changed his form of living that he used in the Cloister and to have been more abstinent and sparing both in diet and apparel then he was before he died some eight years after his consecration which was about the year of Christ 1247. 12. Peter Ramsay a man of good learning was next chosen Bishop he was a man very kind to the Chanons and parted many of his rents amongst them he sate Bishop ten years and deceased about the seventh or eighth year of King Alexander the third his reign 13. Presently after his death Richard Pottock an English man was elected who sate Bishop 13. years 14. Hugh Benham elected by the Monks went to Rome and was there consecrated by Pope Martin the fourth after he had remained there the space of a year he returned to Scotland at which time there was a great contention between the Churchmen and the people of the countrey for certain tithes that the Priests did exact too rigorously The difference being submitted to him he composed the same in a Convention of the Clergy at Perth wherein the King and many of the Nobles were present and died of a Catarrhe being very old in the Isle of Louchgoull about the year 1280. 15. Henry Cheyn Nephew to the Lord Cummyn was preferred to the See the troubles which in his time brake forth in the Kingdome between Bruce and Baliol wrought him great vexation for whilest he took part with his Uncle against Bruce he was banished into England where he lived untill the end of these warres and then licenced by King Robert to return he gave himselfe to repair the Church and restore all things which the licenciousnesse of warre had disordered he died the same year in which King Robert the Bruce ended his life that is in the year of Christ 1329. which was the 48. year after his consecration 16. Alexander Kinninmouth Doctor of Divinity succeeded in his place a great lover of learning and learned men whom out of all parts he drew to make residence with himself In the winter season he dwelt at Murthlack and when the the spring opened at Aberdene because of the confluence of people all that time of the year all the summer and harvest time he remained at Fetterneir and Rain that he might the more commodiously discharge his office in every part of his Dioces The English in his time set on fire the Town of Aberdene which burnt six dayes together and did much harm his own Palace with the whole houses of the Chanons were thereby consumed which was thought to have hastened his death he departed this life in the eleventh year of his consecration 17. William Deyn was made Bishop in his stead the most of his time the Realme was infested with warres whereby he was impeded in many good purposes that he intended and had much adoe to keep the Clergy in obedience for every man during the warre took liberty to do what they thought good he sate Bishop the space of ten years 18. After him Iohn Raith Doctor of Divinity was chosen Bishop by the Monks he lived only six years Bishop and was buried in the Quire of Aberdene 19. King David Bruce returning from France about this time had brought with him in company one Nicolaus a corrupt and ambitious man who procured the Kings recommendation to the Chapter of Aberdene for his election The Chanons excused themselves saying
Peter and S. Pauls Isle upon the South of the Cathedral Church 18. After his death William Tulloch Bishop of Orkney was translated to Murray and lived five years onely after his consecration 19. Andrew Stewart Dean of Murray succeeded he sate Bishop 19. years and was buried in the Quire of the Cathedral Church 20. Andrew Forman sate after him Bishop 15. years and was then translated to S. Andrews 21. Next after him Iames Hepburn governed the See 9. years and was buried in our Lady Isle nigh unto the Tombe of Alexander the first Earle of Huntley 22. Robert Shaw Abbot of Paisley a man of great vertue and exceedingly beloved was next made Bishop but he lived not above two years in the place 23. Alexander Stewart Brother german to the Duke of Albany sate after him seven years and was buried in the Monastery of Scone 24. To him succeded Patrick Hepburn who was commendatory of Scone in his time the reformation of Religion was made he lived Bishop 36. years and died in the Castle of Spinie the 20. of Iune 1573. The Bishops of BRICHEN In this See since it was founded by King David which was about the year 1140. there have been many worthy Bishops yet most of them are buried in oblivion these few that follow I have gathered out of old Records 1. Urwardus or Edwardus lived about the year 1260. a Monk at first at Couper in Angus a man very zealous in his calling for it is testified of him that he went on foot through the whole kingdom with one Eustathius Abbot of Aberbrothock preaching the Gospel wheresoever he came 2. Albinus after him was Bishop some few years 3. VVilliam Dean of Brichen elected successor died at Rome in the year 1275. whilest he was attending to have his election confirmed 4. The fourth Bishop I find mentioned is one Iohn who governed the See in the year of God 1318. and got a new confirmation from King David Bruce of all the lands possessions and priviledges injoyed by his predecessors in former times because of their rights lost in the time of the last warre This confirmation is dated in the year 1359. 5. To him succeeded Adam Chancellor of the Kingdom but it seemed he sate few years 6. Then Patrick who was his successor both in the Bishoprick and in the office of Chancellary in the year 1372. 7. Steven in the year 1384. 8. Walter surnamed Forrester in the year 1413. 9. Iohn who was likewise Chancellor Anno 1434. In his time was the Church of Cortoguhy annexed to the Bishoprick by Walter Pallatine of Strathern Earl of Atholl Lord Brichen and Cortoguhy 10. George Shoreswood succeeded him in both charges anno 1483. In his time was the Church of Funeven made one of the Chapter 11. Another called Iohn was made Bishop in the year 1483. 12. William Meldrum succeeded in the year 1500. 13. And after his death Iohn Hepburn Anno 1552. 14. To him succeeded ... Sinclare Dean of Restalrig a little before the Reformation The Bishops of DUMBLANE The See of Dumblane was founded likewise by King David 1. Ionathus was the first Bishop he died in the year 1200. or thereabout and was buried at Inchaffray 2. Simon who succeeded him lived not a year 3. Abraham Chaplain to Gilbert Earl of Stratherne was consecrated in the year 1210. This was the Earl who gave a third part of his lands to the See of Dumblane and another third part to the Abbey of Inchaffray 4. William called Gulielmus de Bosco was next preferred to the See and shortly after created Chancellor 5. Osbert Abbot of Cambuskenneth succeeded he died in the year 1231. 6. The sixth Bishop was Clemens a Frier of the Dominican Order consecrated in the Stewe Church of Weddal in the year 1233. This man was an excellent Preacher learned above many of that time and of singular integrity of conversation he gave divers lands and rents to the Church of Culross and restored the Cathedral Church of Dumblane which was decayed Leander Bononiensis in his third book De viris illustribus Praedicatorum remembreth him with a special commendation The like doth Philippus Wolphius in his third book De vitis peritorum virorum He died in the year 1256. 7 Robert was after him elected This is he who was sent with Richard Bishop of Dunkeld by the rest of the Prelates in the year 1268. to protest against the proceedings of Ottobon the Popes Legate for the contribution imposed by him upon the Scottish Clergy towards the charge of the holy warre 8. Alpin after him governed the See some few years 9. Then one Nicolaus was made Bishop he gave the halfe of the Church of Strowan to the Abby of Inchaffray 10. After him succeeded Maurice Abbot of Inchaffray a Prelate of great spirit who gave great encouragement to his countreymen in that famous battel of Bonnockburn and was therefore chosen by King Robert Bruce to be his Confessor after that battel the See falling void he was preferred to the same 11. One William succeeded to him 12. Then Walter Cambuslang in the year 1363. 13. And after him was Finlaw commonly called Dermoch who built the bridge of Dumblane and died in the year 1419. 14. William Stephen one of the first Professors in the University of S. Andrews was after him preferred 15. Upon his death Michael Ochiltrie succeeded a wealthy Prelate and well esteemed he purchased to his See a great part of the forfeited lands of Stratherne adorned the Cathedral Church with many rich ornaments built the bridge of Knaig at Machant with the Church of Muthill and did in his time divers other good works 16. After him succeeded Robert Lawder who founded divers Prebendaries and Chanonries in the Church of Dumblane 17. Iohn Hepburn succeeded in the year 1471. This Bishop had a long contention with the Abbot of Inchaffray for certain Churches claimed by the Abbot but the matter was afterwards pacified He died in the year 1508. and was buried in the Quire of the Cathedral Church 18. Iames Chisholme obtained the Bishoprick after his death by the Popes provision and carried himself in his charge very commendably a severe censour he was of the corrupt manners of the Clergy and recovered many lands and possessions which were sacrilegiously taken from the Church before his time He died in the year 1534. 19. To whom succeeded William Chisholme his brother a wicked and vicious man who for hatred he bare to true religion made away all the lands of the Bishoprick and utterly spoyled the benefice The Bishops of Ross. 1. This See was also one of King Davids foundations the first Bishop I find was one Gregorins 2. Reynaldus a member of Melross who died in the year 1213. 3. Andrew Murray was chosen in his place but he shortly after resigned the same to 4. Robert Chaplain to Alexander the second 5. After him one Matthew was elected and consecrated by Pope Gregory the tenth at
the Ministers of Christ should be silenced upon any occasion much lesse that the true service of God should give place to superstition and idolatry Wherefore they humbly requested as often they had done liberty to serve God according to their consciences and did beseech her to remove the French soulders otherwise there could be no firm and solid peace The Queen hearing all replied only that she wished there might be peace but to none of the points proponed made she any direct answer Whereupon the Noblemen resolved to bide together at Edinburgh and not depart till matters were fully composed Newes in this time were brought of the French King Henry the second his death which put the Lords in some better hopes but withall made them more carelesse for divers as though nothing was now to be feared did slide away to attend their private affaires and they who remained expecting no invasion lived secure keeping neither watch nor ward as if there had been no enemy to fear The Queen on the other side became more watchful observing all occasions whereby she might weaken the faction and assure her self So getting notice of the solitude which was at Edinburgh she hasted thither with the companies she had The Lords advertised of her coming grew doubtful what to do for howsoever they might save themselves by flight they saw the town by their retiring should be lost and the Church which in some good fashion was then established be utterly cast down therefore with the small number they had they issued forth of the town and putting themselves in order stood on the East side of Craigingate to impede the approach of the French The Duke and Earl of Morton who were gone that morning to meet the Queen and give her the convoy laboured to compose things but prevailed not onely that day they kept the parties from falling into an open conflict The next day when the Queen which lay all that night at Leith prepared to enter into the town by the West port and that the Lords were advancing to stop her in the way the Lord Areskin who untill that time had carried himself a neuter threatned to play upon them with the Canon unlesse they suffered the Queen to enter peaceably and without trouble This it was supposed he did to make them accept the conditions of truce offered the day before which they seeing no better way were content to yeeld unto The Articles were as followeth 1. That the Congregation and their adherents the inhabitants of Edinburgh only excepted should depart forth of the town within the space of twenty four houres to the end the Queen Regent and her companies may enter peaceably in the same 2. That the Congregation should render the Palace of Halirudhouse with all the furnishing they found therein redeliver the Minthouse and Printing Irons the next morning before ten of the clock and for observing this and the former Article the Lord Ruthven and Laird of Pittarrow should enter as pledges to the Queen 3. That the Lords of the Congregation and all the members thereof should remain obedient subjects to the King and Queens authority and to the Queen Regent as governing in their place observing the lawes and customes of the Realm as they were used before the raising of this tumult in all things the cause of Religion excepted wherein the order after specified should be followed 4. That the Congregation should not trouble nor molest any Churchman by way of deed nor make them any impediment in the peaceable enjoying and uplifting their rents and that it should be lawful for them to dispone and use their benefices and rents according to the lawes and customes of the Realm untill the tenth of Ianuary next 5. That the Congregation should use no force nor violence in casting down of Churches religious places or defacing the ornaments thereof but the same should be harmlesse at their hands untill the tenth of Ianuary next 6. That the town of Edinburgh should use what Religion they pleased untill the said day and none of the Subjects in other parts of the countrey be constrained against their mindes in matters of that kind 7. That the Queen should not interpone her authority to molest the Preachers of the Congregation nor any other their members in their bodies lands possessions pensions or whatsoever other kind of goods they enjoyed nor yet should any spiritual or temporal Judges trouble them for the cause of religion or other action depending thereupon untill the said tenth of Ianuary but that every man should live in the mean time according to conscience 8. That no man of Warre French or Scottish should be put in Garison within the town of Edinburgh only it should be lawful to the souldiers to repaire thither for doing their lawful affairs which done they should retire themselves to their proper Garisons This truce and the heads thereof published the Lords departed towards Striveling leaving Iohn Willock Minister to serve in the Church of Edinburgh As they departed the Duke and Earle of Huntley met with them at the Quarry holes promising if any part of the appointment should be violated to joyn all their forces for expulsing the French out of the Realm and indeed the Queen was then more careful nor in former times she had been to see that no breach should be made howbeit many wayes she went about to reestablish the Masse and bring the favourers of Religion in contempt In Edinburgh she employed the Duke the Earl of Huntley and Lord Seaton to deal with the Magistrates and Councel of the Town that they would appoint some other Church then S. Giles where their Minister might preach reserving that Church to her use and for the exercise of the Masse The Magistrates answered That S. Giles Church had been the ordinary place of their meeting to Sermon and other Religious Exercises and could not be taken from them without a manifest breach of the truce seeing by one of the Articles it was provided that the Preachers of the Congregation should not be molested in any thing they possessed at the making of the appointment Huntley replying That the Queen meant to keep all conditions and desired this onely of their favour or if they would not change the place of their preaching that at least they would permit Masse to be said either before or after Sermon in the Church of S. Giles They answered That they were in possession of that Church and would never consent that Idolatry should be there again erected or if men would do it violently they behoved to suffer and would use the next remedy This being refused another device was invented that the French Captains with their souldiers should in time of Sermon and prayers keep their walkes in the Church and trouble the exercise so much as they could This they thought would enforce them to make choice of a more retired place for their Sermons or then irritate the people
of no mean power who made him daily advertised of things that passed there and the small numbers that were with the Queen willing him to take the opportunity Whereupon resolving to follow his enterprise before the forces of the Queen were further increased for charge was gone to all that could bear Armes in Lothian Fife Angus Stratherne and Mernis to come and attend her at Aberdene he advanced with some 800. in company looking to find no resistance And like enough the enterprise had succeeded to his mind but that the same morning letters were intercepted sent by Sutherland and Buquhaine to Huntley which detected all their counsel Sutherland upon discovery escaped Buquhaine was pardoned upon his confession and from thenceforth served the Queen faithfully Huntley advertised of these things was advised by his friends to turn back yet hearing the Earl of Murray was coming against him he made a stay resolving to fight The place of standing he chused was naturally fenced with mosse and quagmire and so of difficult accesse 300 they were in all for many of his followers the night preceding were slipt from him Neither had the Earl of Murray any great number and few whom he might trust for howbeit of the countrey about divers gathered unto him most of them were corrupted by Huntley as appeared when the companies came in sight one of another all of them in sign of treason and that they might be discerned by the enemy putting a bush of heath or header in their helmets and how soon they came to joyn giving back and retiring in great disorder The Earl of Murray who stood a little off with an hundred in a troop discovering the treason called aloud to his men that they should bend their Spears and not suffer those that fled to enter amongst them So forced to take another course they went aside leaving him and his troop when they had taken their standing Huntley imagining upon that flight and disorder the day to be his commanded his men to throw away their lances and with drawn swords to run upon them as to a slaughter But when they were come to the place where Murray with his company stood they were born back and compelled to fly as fast as before they followed They who had played the Traytors seeing this to clear themselves turned upon Huntley and made all the slaughter which was committed that day There fell in the conflict on Huntleys side 120. near as many were taken prisoners on the other party not a man died Amongst the prisoners was the Earl of Huntley himself with two sonnes Iohn and Adam Gordon The Earl was aged and corpulent and by reason of the throng that pressed him expired in the hands of his takers the rest were carried to Aberdene late in the night The Earls of Murray Morton and Lord Lindesay for these last two had been in the field with Murray went first into the Church where Mr. Iohn Crage Minister of that City gave solemn thanks to God for the victory and their safety This ended they went unto the Queen who received them graciously yet expressed no motion of a mind either troubled or much joyed The next day was spent in taking counsel concerning the prisoners the conclusion whereof was that punishment should be taken according to the laws of Iohn Gordon That Adam his brother should be spared because of his tender age the other captives fined according to their wealth and those of meaner estate banished the countrey The day following Iohn Gordon upon a scaffold erected in the street of Aberdene was publickly executed His death was much lamented not by his friends only but even by strangers and persons unknown for he was a youth of most brave and manlike countenance of a valorous spirit and one who by his noble behaviour had raised great expectation of himself Abused he was by the hopes of a royal match and which grieved all the beholders pitifully mangled by an unskilful Executioner This defeat of Huntley brought the North parts in a great obedience and mightily discouraged those of the Popish faction throughout the whole Realm for all that sort had placed their hopes on him and his greatnesse both in the Court and countrey The eldest of his sonnes named George after the losse of that field fled to the Duke his Father in law and was delivered by him to the Queen who sent him prisoner to Dumbar In the end of Ianuary he was accused and convicted of treason his lands declared to be forfeited and himself committed to prison Shortly after Iohn Hamilton Archbishop of S. Andrews was committed in the Castle of Edinburgh for saying and hearing of Masse The Abbot of Corsragnal and Prior of Whithern were used in the like sort and divers Priests and Monks for the same cause censured The severe proceeding against Papists put many in hope that the Queen should be brought to embrace the Religion which was further assured by the countenance she gave unto the Church in the Parliament kept at Edinburgh the May following wherein divers statutes passed upon their Petitions as in the Acts of that time may be seen In this Parliament was the Act of oblivion agreed unto at the treaty of Leth first ratified but without any respect to that treaty which the Queen would never acknowledge Wherefore it was advised that the Lords in the house of Parliament should upon their knees entreat the passing of such an Act which accordingly was done The rest of this summer the Queen spent in hunting in the countries of Athol and Argyle But in August the same year there happened a thing that was like to have caused much trouble certain of the Queens family that remained in the Palace of Halirudhouse had a Priest attending them who did his ordinary service in the Chappel divers of the town of Edinburgh resorting unto it great offence was taken and the disorder complained of by the Preachers The Citizens being informed that many of their people were gone thither one day went down and being denied entry forces the gates Some were taken and carried to prison many escaped the back way with the Priest himself The uproare was great and advertisement gone to the Queen thereof she was mightily incensed avowing not to come to the Town till some exemplary punishment were inflicted upon the doers yet by the mediation of the Earls of Murray and Glencarne she was pacified Iohn Knox only was called before the Councel and charged to have been the author of the sedition as likewise for convocating the subjects by his missive letters whensoever he thought meet He answered That he was never a Preacher of rebellion nor loved to stirre up tumults contrariwise he taught all people to obey their Magistrates and Princes in God As to the convocation of the subjects he had received from the Church a command to advertise his Brethren when he saw a necessity of their meeting
here with Robert Pitcarne Abbot of Dunfermline a man of good sufficiency was directed who was willed to say for the point of assotiation That the same could not be granted as tending to the utter overthrow of the Kings authority and the indangering of his person For besides that the participation of a Crown was obnoxious to many perils there could be no equality of Government betwixt an infant King and a woman of mature age who would finde a thousand wayes being once possessed with a part of the rule to draw the whole unto her self And if it should fall that she matched with some forrain Prince or other great Personage who must needs be partner with her in the Government the danger would be so much the greater These and the like reasons he was willed to use for the Queen of Englands satisfaction But before his coming to Court the face of things was quite changed The Duke of Northfolk committed to the Tower and the Bishop of Ross put in the keeping of the Bishop of London After which brake shortly forth that rebellion in the North part of England whereof Thomas Piercie Earl of Northumberland and Charles Nevill Earl of Westmerland were the heads A rebellion that in the beginning caused great stirre and put the Queen of England in such fears as once she resolved to send the Queen of Scots by Sea to the Regent but the sudden dispersing of the rebells altered that resolution The two Earles fleeing into Scotland Northumberland was not long after put out by some borderers to the Regent and sent to be kept in Lochlevin Westmerland found the means to escape into Flanders where he lived long in a poor and contemptible estate Lethington perceiving all his devices frustrated and being conscious to himself of diversill practices remained for the most part with the Earl of Atholl at Perth who being sent for to come to the Regent made divers excuses and when he could not shift his coming any longer intreated Atholl to accompany him that if need was he might use his intercession Being at Striveling in Councell Captain Thomas Crawfourd servant to the Earl of Lenox did openly charge him with the Kings murther whereupon he was committed in a chamber within the Castle of Striveling â—nd at the same time were certain directed to apprehend Sr. Iames Balfour who was guilty of the same crime but he made an escape Lethington was sent prisoner to Edinburgh where he was to have his triall under the charge of Alexander Home of North Berwick a trusty Gentleman Having stayed some dayes in lodging not far from the Castle the Laird of Grange counterfeiting the Regents hand came about ten of the clock at night and presented a warrant for receiving the prisoner in his keeping the Gentleman taking no suspicion obeyed for he knew no man to be more inward with the Regent then was Grange And he indeed unto that time did carry the reputation of an honest man nor was any one thought more sure and fast then he was But from thenceforth he became hated of all good men and was in no esteem as having abused his credit and deceived the Regent to whom he was many wayes obliged For besides other benefits he had preferred him before all his own friends to be keeper of the Castle of Edinburgh The next day being sent for to come to the Regent he refused Nottheless the next day following so carefull the Regent was to reclaim the man he went himself to the Castle and conferred a good space with him accepting the excuse he made and contenting himself with a promise to exhibite Lethington when he should be called to his triall After which keeping his journey to the borders which he had intended he went by the Mers and as he was accustomed tooke up his lodging in the Castle of Home But there he was coldly received the Lord of the place having changed his party and taken himself to the contrary faction From thence he went to Teviotdale and though he was advised by his friends because of his small company to return and deferre his journey to another time he would needs go on and had great obedience shewed in all the parts to whom he came All the time of this expedition he had warning given him dayly of some practices against his life wherein Grange was ever named as one of the principalls But he not trusting these informations sent the copies of all his advertisements to Grange whose purgations were so slender as he was ever after that time held suspected Soon after the Regents return from the borders the Abbot of Dunfermline came home from England shewing that the Queen had taken in good part the answer of the Councell and was specially pleased with the taking of Northumberland which she promised to remember with all kindness And now the Diet approaching of Lethingtons triall because of the numbers that were preparing to keep the day the Regent disliking such convocations and for that he would not have Justice outbragged did prorogate the same for foure moneths The adverse faction finding his authority dayly to increase and despairing of any success in their attempts so long as he lived resolved by some violent means to cut him off and to bring the matter to pass one Iames Hamilton of Bothwell-haugh did offer his service This man had been imprisoned some time and being in danger of his life redeemed the same by making over a parcell of land in Lothian called Woodhously that came to him by his wife to Sir Iames Ballenden Justice Clerk How soon he was let at liberty he sought to be repossessed to his own and not seeing a way to recover it for the Justice Clerk would not part therewith he made his quarrell to the Regent who was most innocent and had restored him both to life and liberty The great promises made him by the faction with his private discontent did so confirm his mind as he ceased not till he put to execution the mischief he had conceived against him and having failed the occasion which he attended at Glasgow and Striveling he followed the Regent to Linlithgo where lurking privately in the Archbishop of St. Andrews his lodging the next day as the Regent did pass that way he killed him with the shot of a bullet that entering a little beneath the navell and piercing the bowels did strike dead the horse of a Gentleman who was riding on his other side The Regent had warning given him the same morning that one did ly in wait for his life and had the house designed where the man did lurk but giving small ear unto it answered that his life was in the hands of God which he was ready to yield at his good pleasure Onely he resolved to pass out of the Town by the same gate at which he entered and to turn on the back of the Town unto the way that led to Edinburgh whither
Edinburgh using all means to draw the Town to be of their party which they thought would be easily obtained by reason of Grange his Commandment and if they should once compasse this they put no doubt to draw the rest of the countrey their way in a short time But first they resolved to advertise the Town of their coming and to intreat their favour The Magistrates answered That their gates should be patent to all that professed themselves subjects to the King but they would neither receive the English Rebels meaning the Earl of Westmerland and Lord Dacres who were in company with the Lords nor the Hamiltons and others suspected of the Regents murther nor yet to permit any Proclamations to be made derogatory to the Kings authority These conditions seemed to them hard yet hoping by conversation to winne the people to their side they came forward The next day after their coming to the Town they gave out a Proclamation Declaring their good affection towards the maintenance of true Religion their Soveraign the liberty of the countrey and the setling of the present divisions which must as they said unlesse timous remedy were provided bring the Realm to utter destruction They desired therefore all men to know that they had esteemed the enterprise taken by some Noblemen against the Earl of Bothwel for revenging the murther of the King and setting of the Queen at liberty both good and honourable whereunto they would have given their assistance if the same had been duly required And for the things that had intervened which they did forbear to mention lest they should irritate the minds of any their desire was the same might be in a familiar and friendly conference calmly debated and a peaceable course taken for removing the differences Mean while because they understood that some unquiet spirits gave out that their present convening was for the subversion of the religion presently professed as they could not but give notice to all the subjects that they who were now assembled were for the most part the first and chiefest instruments in advancing Religion and had still continued in professing the same with a resolution to spend their lands and lives in maintenance thereof So they desired to have it know that their meeting at that time did only proceed from a desire they had to see a perfect union and agreement established in the Realm for which they were ready to meet with those of the Nobility that differed from them in judgement and condescend after the ground of the differences was ript up upon such overtures as should be found agreeable to the setting forth of God his honour the strengthening of the Royal succession the preservation of the young Prince the entertaining of peace with forain Nations and the setling of accord amongst the Noblemen and other subjects This they declared to be their sole intention and rather then the same should not take the wished effect they were content to yield unto any conditions that should be thought reasonable under protestation that if this their godly and honest purpose for the reunion of the State was neglected and despised the inconvenients that ensued might be imputed to the refusers and the Noblemen presently convened be discharged thereof before God and man This was the substance of the Proclamation in the end whereof the lieges were charged to concurre with them in forthsetting that godly purpose and a prohibition made under great pains to joyn with any others that should attempt under the cloak of whatsoever authority to hinder the same But neither did this declaration nor the great travel taken by the Earl of Athol at the same time prevail with the other Noblemen to bring them to this meeting for still they excused themselves by the Convention appointed in May which they said there was no necessity to prevent or if any extraordinary occasion did require it the same being signified to the Earl of Morton who lay at Dalkeith upon his advertisement they should be ready to meet So finding their hopes this way disappointed by advice of the Secretary whose directions only they followed they took purpose to deal with the Earl of Morton apart To this effect the Earl of Athol the Prior of Coldinghame brother to the Secretary and the Lord Boyd were selected to confer with the Earl of Morton and Abbot of Dunfermlin but they could come to no agreement For the Earl of Morton of whom they had conceived some hope would not hearken to any conditions except they did acknowledge the King for their Soveraign Hereupon they â—ell to other counsels and first to have the Town of Edinburgh at their direction they craved the keys of the gates to be delivered which being refused they resolved to contribute moneys for hiring of souldiers and to draw so many of their friends and followers thither as with help of the Castle might command the Town But as they were about these devices advertisement was brought of an Army come to Berwick under the command of the Earl of Sussex which troubled all these projects To remain in Edinburgh they held it not safe yet lest it should be thought that they left the Town for fear the Magistrates were privately desired to intreat them to depart lest the English should fall upon the Town and make a spoil of it So making a shew to please the Town by whom they had been very courteously used they went to Linlithgow and abode there the rest of that moneth Before their parting they gave a warrant to the Laird of Grange for fortifying the Castle and dimitting the Lords Home and Hereis who had been committed by the late Regent The Duke of Chattellerault was some days before put to liberty The Lord Home had a part of the moneys which were contributed for levying of souldiers given him to defend his bounds against the English but when the Lairds of Bacleugh and Farnherst desired the like they were refused and went away in a great discontent About the end of April the Army of England entring into Teviotdale burnt the Towns of Lynwick and Crawling with the Castles of Farnherst and Brauxholm and divers houses belonging to the Kers and Scots And in their return to Berwick besieged the Castle of Home which was rendred by the Keepers to Sir William Drury at the Lord Home his direction for he reposed much in his friendship The Lord Scroop at the same time invading the West borders made a great spoil upon the Iohnstons and others who had accompanied Bacleugh in his incursion The Lords that kept together at Linlithgow having advertisement of these proceedings of the English and suspecting they had some other intentions then the spoiling of the borders sent a Gentleman to the Earl of Sussex to request a truce till they might inform the Queen of England of the estate of things and receive her Majesties answer The Earl opening the letters that were directed to the Queen
sins and departed this life with a constant and comfortable assurance of mercy at the hands of God By this defeat of the Castilians so they were commonly named the Queens faction fell quite asunder nor did it ever after this time make head The Bishop of Ross who had followed her businesse as Ambassadour in England being at the same time put to liberty and commanded to depart forth of the Kingdom went privately to France for he feared the Earl of Southampton and Lord Henry Howard brother to the Duke of Norfolk whom he had touched in his examination When he came to France to mitigate the anger they had conceived he published an Apology for the depositions he had made and whilest he lived ceased not to do the duty of a faithful subject and servant to the Queen soliciting both the Emperour and Pope the French King and other Catholick Princes in her behalf who gave many good words but performed nothing So little are the promises of strangers to be trusted and so uncertain their help to Princes that are once fallen from their Estates At home the Regent applying himself to reform the disorders caused by the late warre begun with the borders who had broken out into all sorts of riot and committed many insolencies both on the Scottish and English side Thither he went himself in person where meeting with the English Wardens he took order for redresse of by-past wrongs And to secure the peace of the countrey caused all the Clannes to deliver pledges for the keeping of good order and made choice of the fittest and most active persons to rule and oversee those parts Sir Iames Home of Cauldinknowes was made guardian of the East Marches the Lord Maxwel of the West and Sir Iohn Carnichal of the Middle who by the diligence and strict jastice they observed resetters and entertainers of thieves reduced the countrey to such quietness as none was heard to complain either of theft or robbery The next care he took was to order the revenues of the Crown and recover such lands as had been alienated from it or in any sort usurped the jewels impignorated by the Queen he relieved by paiment of the moneys for which they were ingaged He caused repair all the Kings houses especially the Castle of Edinburgh and furnished the same with munition and other necessaries and by these doings did purchase to himself both love and reverence with the opinion of a most wise and prudent Governour Yet was it not long before he had lost all his good opinion by the courses he took to enrich himself Breaking first upon the Church he subtilly drew out of their hands the thirds of Benefices offering more sure and ready paiment to the Ministers then was made by their Collectors and promising to make the stipend of every Minister local and payable in the Parish where he served To induce them the more willingly to this promise was made that if they should find themselves in any sort hurt or prejudged they should be reponed to their right and possession whensoever they did require the same But no sooner was he possessed of the thirds then the course he took for providing Ministers was to appoint two three and four Churches in some places to one Minister who was tied to preach in them by turns and to place in every Parish a Reader that in the Ministers absence might read prayers who had allowed him a poor stipend of 20. or 40. pounds Scots As to the Ministers they were put in a much worse case for their stipends then before for when the Superintendents did assign the same the Ministers could come boldly unto them and make their poor estate known and were sure to receive some comfort and relief at their hands but now they are forced to give attendance at Court begging their assignation and precepts for paiment or as their necessities grew seeking augmentation which seldom they obtained or if any petty thing was granted the same was dearly bought with the losse both of their time and means The Superintendents were no better used the means allowed to them for their service being withholden and when they complained they were answered that their office was no more necessary Bishops being placed in the Dioces and the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction belonging to them These things lost him the Church which then growing sensible of their oversight in denuding themselves of the thirds craved to be reponed according to promise But herein divers shifts were made and after sundry delayes it was directly told them That seeing the surplus of the thirds belonged to the King it was fitter the Regent and Councell should modify the stipends of Ministers then that the Church should have the appointment or designation of a superplus They not able to help themselves did in the next Assembly take order that the Ministers who were appointed to serve more Churches then one should take the charge of that only at which they resided helping the rest as they might without neglect of their own charge And because the placing of Bishops was taken for a pretext to withhold the Superintendents means the Bishops were inhibited to execute any part of the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction within the bounds where the Superintendents served without their consent and approbation This crossing of one anothers proceedings did set the Church and Regent so far asunder that whilest he continued in office there was no sound liking amongst them The discontents of the countrey were so great by the Iustice Aires as they called them that went through the countrey and were exerced with much rigour people of all sorts being forced to compone and redeem themselves from trouble by paiment of moneys imposed The Merchants called in question for the transport of coyn were fined in great summes and warded in the Castle of Blackness till they gave satisfaction Nor left he any means unassayed that served to bring in moneys to his Coffers which drew upon him a great deal of hatred and envy I find at this time a motion made for compiling a body of our Law and making a collection of such ancient statures as were meet to be retained in practice which were ordained to be supplied out of the Civil law where was any necessity to the end Judges might know what to determine in every case and the subjects be foreseen of the equity and issue they might expect of their controversies This was entertained a while and of good men much desired as a thing beneficial to the countrey and like to have cut off the occasion of many pleas But it sorted to no effect by the subtle dealing of those that made their gain of the corruptions of Law It happened Iohn Ormeston commonly called Black Ormeston because of his Iron colour to be apprehended and brought to trial at the same time for the murther of the Kings Father This man was thought to be privy unto all Bothwels
have not proceeded from himself Now when he hath assumed the government and ye left the place intrusted to you shall he not be governed by those that are about him whom you know to be your enemies But ye perhaps do promise ease and safety to your self in a private life as if you might descend without any danger from the place which ye have held Wise men have observed that between highest and nothing there is not a mean and it feares me you have wronged your self in imagining the rest you shall never find If you had kept your place they should have seen the faces of men and not carried things thus at their pleasure but having forsaken your self there is nothing left to your friends but to lament your misfortune and God grant that this be the worst of things This said he went aside and burst forth in tears The Regent whom we will no more call so excused his doing by the instance that the King made for his dimission saying that his refuse would have made a great commotion in the Realm yet did he perceive his errour and in his secret thoughts which he covered so well as he could blamed his own rash and precipitate yielding But there being no place left to resile the next best he thought was to secure himself and his friends by discharge of all things that might be laid to him or them during his administration and therein he employed the Earl of Angus and the Chancellour whom he did constitute his procurators to compeir before the King and make dimission of his office with such solemnities as by law were requisite This done the discharge was given him in most ample form Therein after a general approbation of his service he was declared not to be accusable of any manner of crime of whatsoever greatnesse or weight without exception that might be alledged to have been committed by him in times past which declaration was ordained to be as valid and sufficient in all respects as if the highest crime that could or might be imputed to any person had been specially expressed in the same He was also exonerated of all summes of money rents and profits as well of property as casualty intrometted with by him or his factours and servants since his acceptation of the Regiment the jewels of the Crown the furniture of his Majesties house Munition and Artillery onely excepted A provision was adjected That the present discharge should not prejudge the King and his successours in the revocation or reduction of whatsoever infeoffments given of the property during his Highness minorityâ— or of whatsoever lands Lordships offices or dignities fallen in his Majesties hands by forfeiture recognition bastardy or by any other right and priviledge of the Crown In all other points the discharge was ordained to stand firm and sure for him his heirs and successors and the same never to be revoked or any thing attempted to the contrary and for his greater assurance the same was promised to be confirmed by the Estates of Parliament in their first convention and meeting The Noblemen and others of the Estates then present with the King did likewise bind themselves their heirs and successours to see all the foresaid points truly fulfilled under the pain of five hundred thousand pound So as nothing was omitted which he could devise for his securing Yet in all this he found no assurance to teach men that it is not to be had in any worldly thing but to be sought of God alone All men are compelled to acknowledge so much in the end though often too late which was the case of this Nobleman as we shall hear But better late as the saying is then never THE HISTORY of the CHURCH OF SCOTLAND THE SIXTH BOOK The Contents The things that happened after his Majesties assuming of the Government in his own person unto his happy succession to the Crown of ENGLAND THE King was not yet twelve years compleat when in the manner ye have heard they moved him to assume the Government yet did he shew more judgement in his very beginning then could be expected from one of his years The Earl of Mortons enemies not satisfied with his displacing were still casting how to bring him into the Kings dislike And first shewing that there was a necessity of the Kings residing at Edinburgh where was the place of Justice they desired he should be charged to render the Castle Then informed that he had amassed a great treasure in the time of his Regiment they moved the King to require of him some moneys for supporting the charges whereunto he would be put at his first entry They did further talk of the Mint-house and the commodity he reaped thereby And to denude him of all power they desired the state of the borders to be looked unto and the office of Lieutenandry which the Earl of Angus his Nephew had in those parts discharged To one or other of these they conceived he should be unwilling and so they should find some matter against him But the King refusing to use him with charges took a more moderate course and sent the Chancellour and Thesaurer to feel his mind in those things He lay then at Dalkeith and having heard their propositions howbeit he knew those motions did proceed from his adversaries and was not ignorant what they intended he answered calmly That the jewels and moveables appertaining to the Crown being received of his hand and he and his deputies discharged the Castle should be rendered most willingly But for the advancing of moneys he excused himself saying that was not unknown how he had received his office in a time full of trouble and when the countrey was embroiled in a civil warre the burthen whereof he sustained upon his private Charge and that since the troubles ceased he had payed a great many debts repaired his Majesties houses and Castles and put them in a better case then for many years before they had been That the entertainment of his Majesties house and maintaining of his own as Regent was a matter of no small charge which the ordinary revenues of the Crown would hardly do yet when his Majesty should be of perfect age and his honourable occasions did require it he should not be wanting according to his ability and bestow all his means for his Majesties honour Concerning the Mint-house he said that he had kept it in the best order he could and having now no more charge of it he wished the King to do therewith as he thought best For the affairs of the border that he had moved the Earl of Angus to undertake that service for the quietnesse of the countrey but seeing he had no lands in those quarters and that the offices of Wardenrie might suffice to hold those parts in order he would advise the King to dispose them to the most sufficient that could be found The Noblemen returning with these answers the King did
goods to whom they are appointed 4. This they ought to do according to the judgement and appointment of the Presbyteries or Elderships of the which the Deacons are not that the patrimony of the Church and poor be not converted to private mens uses nor wrongfully distributed CHAP. 9. Of the Patrimony of the Church and distribution thereof 1. By the Patrimony of the Church we understand whatsoever thing hath been at any time before or shall be hereafter given or by universal consent or custome of countries professing christian Religion applied to the publick use and utility of the Church 2. So that under the Patrimony of the Church we comprehend all things given or to be given to the Church and service of God as lands buildings possessions annual rents and the like wherewith the Church is endowed either by donations foundations mortifications or any other lawful titles of Kings Princes or any other persons inferiour to them together with the continual oblations of the faithful 3. We comprehend also all such things as by lawes customes or use of countreys hath been applied to use and utility of the Church of which sort are tithes Manses gleibs and the like which by the common and municipal lawes and universal custome are possessed by the Church 4. To take any part of this Patrimony by unlawful means and convert to the particular and prophane use of any person we hold a detestable sacriledge before God 5. The goods Eccclesiastical ought to be collected and distributed by Deacons as the word of God appoints that they who bear office in the Church may be provided for without care or solicitude 6. In the Apostolick Church the Deacons were appointed to collect and distribute whatsoever was collected of the faithful to the necessity of the Saints so as none amongst them did want 7. These collections were not only of that which was gathered by way of Alms as some suppose but of other goods moveable and unmoveable of lands and possessions the price whereof was brought and laid at the Apostles feet 8. This office continued in the Deacons hands who intromitted with the whole goods of the Church till the estate thereof was corrupted by Antichrist as the ancient Canons bear witnesse 9. The same Canons make mention of a fourfold distribution of the Patrimony of the Church whereof one part was applied to the Pastor or for his sustentation and hospitality another to the Elders and Deacons and the whole Clergy the third to the poor sick persons and strangers and the fourth to uphold the edifice of the Church and other affairs specially extraordinary 10. We adde hereunto the Schooles and Schoolmasters who ought and may well be sustained of the same goods and are comprehended under the Clergy To whom we joyn Clerks of Assemblies as well particular as general Procurators of the Church affairs takers up of Psalmes and other officers of the Church who are necessary CHAP. 10. Of the offices of a Christian Magistrate in the Church 1. Although all members of the Church are holden according to their vocation to advance the Kingdome of Christ Iesus so farre as lies in their power yet chiefly christian Princes Kings and other Magistrates are holden to do the same for they are called in the Scripture Nurses of the Church because by them it is or at least ought to be maintained and defended against all those that would procure the hurt thereof 2. So it pertains to the office of a christian Magistrate to fortify and assist the godly proceedings of the Church and namely to see that the publick estate and ministery thereof be maintained and sustained as appertains to the word of God 3. To see that the Church be not invaded or hurt by false teachers and hirelings nor the roomes thereof occupied by dumb dogs or idle bellies 4. To assist and maintain the discipline of the Church and punish them civilly that will not obey their censures without confounding the one jurisdiction with the other 5. To see that sufficient provision be made for the Ministery Schools and poor and if they have not sufficient to await upon their charges to supply their indigence with their own rents 6. To hold hand as well to the safety of the persons from injury and open violence and their rents and possessions that they be not defrauded robbed and spoiled thereof and not to suffer the Patrimony of the Church to be applied to profane and unlawful uses or to be devoured by idle bellies and such as have no lawful function in the Church to the hurt of the Ministery Schools poor and other godly uses upon which the same ought to be bestowed 7. To make laws and constitutions agreeable to Gods word for the advancement of the Church and policy thereof without usurping any thing that pertains not to the Civil sword but belongs to the offices meerly Ecclesiastical as the ministery of the Word Sacraments or using the Ecclesiastical discipline and spiritual execution thereof or any part of the spiritual keys which the Lord Iesus gave to the Apostles and their true successours 8. And although Kings and Princes that be godly sometime by their own authority when Churches are corrupted and all things out of order do place Ministers and restore the true service of God after the ensample of some godly Kings of Iudah and divers godly Emperours and Kings also in the dayes of the New Testament yet where the ministery of the Church is once well constitute and they that are placed do their office faithfully all godly Princes and Magistrates ought to hear and obey their voice and reverence the Majesty of God speaking by them CHAP. 11. Of the present abuses remaining in the Church which are desired to be reformed 1. AS it is the duty of the godly Magistrate to maintain the present liberty which God hath granted by preaching of the Word and the true ministration of the Sacraments within this Realm so it is to provide that all abuses which as yet remain in the Church be removed and taken away 2. Therefore first the admission of men to Papistical titles of Benefices such as serve not nor have any function in the reformed Church of Christ as Abbots Commendators Priors Prioresses and other titles of Abbeys whose places are now by the just judgement of God demolished and purged of idolatry is plain abusion and not to be received in the Kingdom of Christ amongst us 3. In like manner seeing they that were called of old the Chaptors and Convents of Abbeys Cathedral Churches and the like places serve for nothing now but to set Fewes and Leases of Church lands if any be left and Tithes to the hurt and prejudice thereof as daily experience teaches the same ought to be utterly abolished and abrogated 4. Of the like nature are the Deanes Archdeacons Chantors Subchantors Thesaurers Chancellors and others having the like titles which flowed from the Pope and Canon law only and have no place
either of life or goods When your Grandfather departed this life which was in the year 1542. they did not exceed the number of 20. or 30. men at most Now they are growne to three or four hundred dwell nigh to others are well armed have good horses and upon a simple shout are ready to joyn in defence one of another The Borderers on the Scots side are not in this condition for the space of twenty miles there is not a strength in which an honest man may sleep safe no town nor strong hold to retire unto in time of necessity neither is the countrey populous nor is it fruitful the ground being a pasture ground barren and profitable only for the bestial the people that inhabit the same poor unruly and not subject to order So what for the number of these wicked men that live in the English Borders what for the evil disposition of our own it is a charge most difficile to guard these marches and to contain the people from doing or receiving wrong The only remedy in this time of peace is to keep our own countreymen in awe and fear of justice so as neither they break loose themselves nor have any dealing with their neighbours under hand in their wicked practices And how this may be done most surely your Majesty and this honourable Councel is to think my opinion I have set down in some Articles which I humbly submit to your Majesties and Councels censure Having thus spoken he presented a writing containing these heads 1. That the Warden should make his residence in Lochmaben with his family and if in the Winter season he made his stay in Dumfreis he should depute a sufficient Gentleman for holding Courts of Justice weekly according to the ancient form 2. That the Warden should be assisted with five or six of the wisest men in the countrey of which number two should be of the name of Iohnston and lest their chief should think the Wardens proceeding against his followers partial and done out of old rancor that a moderate course should be kept in confiscation of their goods the halfe being allowed to the wives and children of them that should happen to be convicted and executed and the other half disponed to the Laird of Iohnston himself 3. That the Barons and landed men within the bounds should present their tenants and servants as they should be required and no man excused or exempted 4. That the Lords Carlile and Hereis the Lairds of Drumlanrig Apilgirth Lag and Iohnston should remain nigh to the Warden and when the Lord Maxwell hath not the charge that he be obliged to dwell in the house of Langhome or if he be Warden himself that he maintain a Captain therein with twelve horsemen to be ready upon all occasions 5. That the Warden be allowed a guard of 24. horsemen with their Captain who shall be laid in the town of Annand 6. That the Kings houses of Lochmaben and Annand with the watch-tower called Repentance be repaired a great bell and firepan put into it with some honest man to watch and give warning to the countrey where the fray is and a husband land allowed him for his service 7. That the lands called The debateable lands be visited that it may be known how much thereof is claimed by the broken men of the countrey to be their steedings and security taken of them for keeping good order 8. That dayes of truce be kept every 40. days once or within two moneths at least and such as shall be found to be robbed of their goods be redressed to the double and with safer according to the law of Marches Lastly that his Majesty every year in the moneth of September send one or two of the Councel to try the estate of the countrey what duty the Warden doth and if the Barons and landed men do give their assistance that where any defect is found the same may be punished At these Articles the Lord Maxwel took exception especially at the first and second for the house of Lochmaben he said was his own as heretable Stewart of Annandale and that any part of the Escheats should be given to the Laird of Iohnston he held it prejudicial to the Wardens office and said it would be an occasion for other Barons to suite the like But that which did most displease him though this he dissembled was that any should be joyned with him as assisters for he would needs be absolute in these parts and have all to depend of him which ambition he still nourished and thereby in end wrought his own ruine Yet the King not willing to displace him for he understood his power to be great in these marches made offer to continue him in the charge and to allow him a company of 24. horsemen with a Captain for repressing the outlawes upon three conditions First that he should take the advice of the Barons of the countrey in all affairs and proceed in the ministring of justice by their counsel Next that none should be declared fugitives but by their consents And thirdly that the servants of landed men should not be apprehended till their Masters were first charged to exhibit them unlesse they were taken in the fact and as they speak with the red â—and He excusing himself and professing a great willingnesse to give his attendance to any other whom his Majesty should appoint the Lord Hereis was chosen Warden and the custody of the West Marches committed to him In the beginning of this year to wit upon the 24. of April the Earl of Athol died at Kincarne of a sicknesse contracted in Striveling where he and some other Noblemen had been feasted by the Earl of Morton and as report speaketh always the worst of great mens deaths so the rumour at this time went that Morton had made him away by poyson which his Lady and friends did so strongly apprehend as when the Councel was examining the Physitians that embalmed his corps whether they perceived any sign of poyson at his unbowelling they took upon protestation that the trial of the Councel should not prejudge the criminal pursuit which they intended before the Justice And albeit the Physitians did upon their oathes declare that his death was not caused by any extraordinary mean yet the scandal was fostered a long time by a sort of rhyming Libels which were afterwards tried to be composed by one Turnbull a Schoolmaster at Edinburgh and another called William Scot who were executed for the same at Striveling in the end of the Summer A consultation was held at the same time in Striveling for punishing the murtherers of the two Regents which by the edict of pacification was delayed unto the King his assuming of the government in his own person Touching the form of proceeding the opinions of those that were privy to the businesse were different for some thought that the persons who were suspected should be summoned to a day and
would not long bear out and fearing to lose the Kings favour altogether he imployed some friends to make offer of satisfaction to the Duke and in end things were so composed as Arran did quit the commandment of the Guard and the charge thereof was given to the Duke To return to the matters of the Church there was a general Synod this year kept at Glasgow in the moneth of April wherein the question of Bishops was again agitated and because of the scruples which some brethren had at the Act concluded in Dundy the year preceding especially where it was said that the office of a Bishop had no warrant of the word of God the Assembly declared that their meaning was to condemn the estate of Bishops as they were then in Scotland A number of the more wise and moderate sort interceded that the conclusion of that matter might be for a time deferred because of the inconveniences it would draw upon the Church but they were cried down by the multitude Amongst others one Mr. Robert Montgomery Minister at Striveling was so servent in the cause as he would have the Assembly censure those that had spoken in defence of that corrupted estate Yet before the end of that year this zealous man did suffer himself to be more pitifully corrupted the story whereof shall now be related The See of Glasgow being then voyd it was suggested to the Duke of Lennox by some flatterers that he had a fair occasion presented to make himself Lord of that City and of the lands pertaining to that See if he should only procure a gift thereof to some one that would make a disposition of the same to him and his heirs The offer was made to divers who refused all because of the condition required At last the agents in that businesse fell upon this Montgomery who was content to accept it A gift was thereupon formed and a Bond given by him That how soon he was admitted Bishop he should dispone the Lands Lordships and whatsoever belongeth to that Prelacy to the Duke and his heirs for the yearly paiment of one thousand pounds Scots with some horse-corn and poultry A vile bargain it was for which justly he ought to have been repulsed But the Church passing this point made quarrel to him for accepting the Bishoprick which the King would not acknowledge to be a reason sufficient If they could charge him with any fault in doctrine or life he was content they should keep their order but to challenge him for accepting the Bishoprick he would not permit the same having lately ratified the Acts agreed upon at Leth Anno 1571. touching the admission of Bishops and ordained the same to stand in force untill his perfect age or till a change was made thereof in Parliament This related to the Church they did appoint Montgomehy his life and doctrine to be inquired upon if possibly they could find any matter against him which done an accusation was framed and he cited to answer in the next Assembly The Articles laid to his charge were these 1. That he preaching at Striveling had proponed a question touching the circumcision of women and affirmed they were circumcised in the skin of their forehead 2. That teaching in Glasgow he should say the discipline was a thing indifferent and might stand this or that way 3. That he called the Ministers captious and men of curious braines 4. That he laboured to bring the Original languages in contempt abusing the words of the Apostle in the 1. Cor. 14. and jeastingly asked In what School were Peter and Paul graduated 5. That to prove the lawfulnesse of Bishops in the Church he had used the examples of Ambrose and Augustine 6. That in his doctrine he said it was sufficient to baptize in the name of the Father onely or in the name of the Sonne or in the name of the holy Ghost seeing they are all one God and to that effect alleadged the nineteenth of the Acts. 7. That he should have called matters of discipline and the lawful calling of the Church trifles of policy 8. That he charged the Ministery with sedition warning them not to put on or off Crownes for if they medled therewith they would be reproved 9. That he condemned the particular application of Scripture disdainfully asking In what Scripture they found a Bishop for a thousand pounds horsecorne and poultry c. 10. That he oppugned the doctrine of our Saviour speaking of the number of the wicked and them that perish 11. That he denied any mention to be made in the New Testament of a Presbytery or Eldership 12. That he accused the Ministers of Pasquils lying backbiting c. 13. That the Church being traduced with infamous libels he did not only not find fault therewith but seemed to approve the same having used in his preaching the very words of the Libel cast in the Kings chamber against the Ministers 14. That these three moneths past he had been negligent in doctrine and discipline and giving no assistance to the Eldership The Articles were sent to the King by some Ministers who were desired to shew his Majesty that the accusation was not founded upon the accepting of the Bishoprick but upon erroneous points of doctrine The King answered That whatsoever colour they gave to the process he knew that his yielding to accept the place was the true quarrel and for himself albeit he loved the Religion and agreed fully therewith he allowed not divers heads of their policy alwayes for the particular in hands he would leave the man to make his own answer This reported to the Assembly they went on with the accusation and Montgomery being called Mr. Andrew Melvil became his accuser The Articles upon his denial were admitted to probation but few of them were verified yet the conclusion of the Assembly was that he should continue in his Ministery at Striveling and meddle no more with the Bishoprick under pain of excommunication Mean while the Presbytery of Striveling for they had now erected Presbyteries in divers places of the countrey was enjoyned to try his conversation and how he did exercise discipline if possibly any thing might be found against him that way It fell out at the same time that Mr. Walter Balcanquel one of the Ministers of Edinburgh did utter some reproachful speeches in a Sermon against the Duke of Lennox saying That within these four years Popery had entered into the countrey and Court and was maintained in the Kings Hall by the tyranny of a great Champion who was called Grace But if his Grace continued in opposing himself to God and his word he should come to little Grace in the end The King advertised of this sent Iames Melvil his servant to complain to the Assembly requiring some order to be taken therein The Minister being put to his answer said That he praised God for two things First that he was not accused for any thing done against
contumacy and thereby a way made to his reponing The King as he had reason being greatly offended with these proceedings and intending to right himself otherwise the Minister fled to England and remained there a long space entertained by the factious brethren in those parts who were labouring at that time to bring in the holy discipline as they termed it into that Church The Lord Hereis in the mean time being certified of the Kings intended expedition into the West Marches prevented him and came to Court offering himself to trial nothing being found but certain neglects in the administration of his office for the complaint of erecting Masse at Dumfreis and compelling the Minister to leave the Town was not verified Upon promise to amend and surety given that he should resort to Sermons and suffer nothing to be done within his Wardenry to the prejudice of Religion he was sent back to his charge Soon after the Lord Maxwel who had been licenced to go abroad and had remained some moneths in Spain having seen the preparation made for invading of England by the advice of some Scottish Catholicks returned into the countrey notwithstanding the assurance he had given not to return without licence taking land at Kirkudbright a part of Galloway about the end of April It was then expected that the Navy should take their course to the West parts of Scotland where they might land more safely and with the assistance of Maxwel and others that would joyn with them enter into England by the Borders which if they had done would doubtlesse have been more to their advantage but they took their counsels as we shall hear Upon Maxwels return number of broken men and countrey people resorted unto him conjecturing there was somewhat in hand which would give them work The Lord Hereis not able to command them and fearing if any disorder arose the same should be imputed to him came and shewed the King what appearance there was of trouble Charges were incontinent directed for Maxwels appearing before the Councel but he disobeyed and fortifying his houses and other strengths that he had in custody began to levie some companies of foot and horse which being told to the King he with such forces as he could have of a sudden took journey to Dumfries and came upon him so unexpected as he had almost surprised hin in his house at Dumfries But upon warning given him an hour before the Kings coming he escaped and went to Galloway Some little resistance was made at the Port which gave him leisure to escape and was excused by the Towns ignorance of the King his being there in person The next narrow which was the 28 of May the houses of Lochmaben Langholm Treve and Carlaverok were summoned to render all which obeyed the Castle of Lochmaben excepted This was kept by one Mr. David Maxwell who trusting foolishly to the strength refused to yeild though the King himself going thither did call him by name for he knew the man commanding him to render Upon his disobedience the house was inclosed and because there was no munition at hand whereby to batter it a Post was directed to borrow some Ordinance from the English Warden which was quickly conveighed thither and a company of souldiers sent to guard the same These began no sooner to play then the Keepers terrified with the noyse craved a parley Sir William Stewart brother to Captain Iames being imployed to conferre with them they yeilded upon promise as was said that their lives should be spared But the Captain because he had refused the King himself at first was hanged the rest were pardoned and suffered to depart The King returning the same night to Dumfreis directed Sir William Stewart to try what course Maxwell had taken and to do as he found occasion having learned that he had taken sea in a small Bark he followed in a ship rigged forth by the town of Aire and overtaking him some miles off brought him back and delivered him prisoner to the King who was then returned to Edinburgh It was no small peece of service and by all men so esteemed But the countenance the King gave him made the man so swell as falling in a contest for I know not what matter with the Earl of Bothwel he used some uncivil speeches to the Nobleman who meeting him a few days after in the high street of Edinburgh did in a suddain conflict kill him outright The newes of the Spanish Navy being then divulged and the King advertised of their setting forth he called the Estates to a meeting at Edinburgh and imparting to them the advertisements he had received did ask their advice how he should carry himselfe in that businesse For howbeit said he I have no great occasion for my self to fear being under league and friendship with all Christian Princes and Estates yet the case of England ere it be long may turn to be our own and we forced to share with them in their troubles The intention of Spain I know is against England and considering the right I have to that Crown after the Queens death that now reignes I see not how it shall be safe for me to let another possess himself of that Kingdom nor will any man make me to think that the King of Spain if he shall chance to prevail will part with it and give place to my right having once made conquest thereof As now whilest the event is doubtful they speak fair and make liberal promises but if matters succeed to their mindes we shall hear other words They take Religion for a pretext of their invasion but it is the kingdom they seek and granting that Religion were the true cause are not we our selves in the same case with England The prosecution of the holy league will strike no lesse upon us then them But for my self I have ever thought mine own safety and the safety of Religion to be so conjoyned as they cannot well be separated neither desire I to live to reign any longer then I may serve to maintain the same I am not ignorant what the opinion of many is and that they think I have now a fair occasion to revenge the wrong and unkindness I received by the death of my mother But whatsoever I think of the excuses which the Queen hath made to me I will not be so foolish as to take the help of one that is mightier then my self nor will I give such liberty to mine own passions as therefore to neglect Religion and cast in hazard both this Kingdom and those others that belong to me after her death By this you see what my mind is and the reasons that lead me to it I I have called you that I may have your counsel and assistance at this time and therefore desire to hear of you what is the best both for you and me to do This speech was seconded by the Chancellor who did
knew her to be the principall Maid in the Chamber conveighed him to the door of the Bed-chamber and making a stay without as they were commanded the Gentlewoman did let him down at a window by a cord that she had prepared The keepers waiting upon his return stayed there till the morning and then found themselves deceived This with the manner of the escape ministred great occasion of laughter and not many dayes after the King being pacified by the Queens means he was pardoned and took to wife the Gentlewoman who had in this sort hazarded her credit for his safety These dealings at Court increased not a little the boldness of others in the Countrey so as some of all ranks both Barons Gentlemen and Burgesses became followers of Bothwell and feared not to entertain him openly All Teviotdale ran after him whereupon the King made an expedition to Iedburgh 12. October and finding some of his ressetters tooke bonds of them for their better behaviour At his return he found new vexations by a faction made at Court against the Chancellour whereof the heads were the Duke of Lennox the Earls of Argile and Morton the master of Glamis and Lord Home with these the Earls of Angus and Arroll who were released from their wards by the Queens intercession did afterwards joyn That which gave the occasion was a claim made by the Queen of the Lordship of Mussylbrugh as being a part of Dumfermelin which she desired the Chancellour to resign for he had acquired an heritable right thereof at the making the act of Annexation The Chancellour excusing himself and in effect denying to satisfie her desire she grew offended and drew in these Noblemen to oppose him whereupon he withdrew himself from Court and remained in Nidisdale the rest of that year In the North there was likewise great unquietness for the Clanhattans conducted by Angus Williamston to revenge the Earl of Murrayes death made great spoil upon the Earl of Huntlies lands in Strathspey and Glemmuck killing divers and amongst others an honest aged man called Gordon of Barcklay against whom they could pretend no quarrell Huntly to be revenged of this wrong made an incursion upon the lands of Pettie which the Clanhattan did then possess exercing great crueltie and understanding that William Malcolmtoshe was at the same time spoyling the lands of Colerick encountred him at the head of Staplegate hill where after a short conflict some threescore of the Clanhattan were killed a few onely falling on his side Shortly after in another expedition upon the same lands having drawn together a number of High-landers from Lochabar Badenoch and Strathdawn he wasted burnt and spoyled all that Countrey killing a great many people The King to pacifie these troubles directed the Earl of Angus with a Commission of Lieutenandry unto the North where he wrought so much as the publick incursions of both sides did cease and in this time was Mr. George Ker brother to the Lord Newbotle intercepted as he lay at the Isle of Cumray intending a journey towards Spain with him were deprehended divers missive letters and blanks signed by the Earls of Angus Huntly and Arroll and by Sir Patrick Gordon of Aughendown Mr. Andrew Knox then Minister of Pasley who was afterwards made Bishop of the Isles upon some discovery made to him did interprise his taking and making him to be conveighed with a strong guard delivered him to the Provost of the City the King being then in Alloway at the Christmasse with the Earl of Marre who but a few payes before had married the Duke of Lennox his sister Advertisement made of his apprehension and of the letters deprehended with him the King made haste to return The night before his coming was the Earl of Angus returned from the North and not having heard any thing of Mr. George Kers taking went as he was accustomed to his lodging in Edinburgh but was presently arrested by the Provost and Baylifes and sent prisoner to the Castle The King esteeming this too great a presumption in them to have used a Nobleman and Counsellour lately returned from such a publick imployment without warrant in that manner was not a little offended yet because of the hainous accusations laid against him their forwardnesse was excused and his imprisonment allowed for good service by Act of Councell Mr. George Ker at his examination did ingenuously confesse all that he knew of the businesse the summe whereof was as followeth That upon a letter sent from Mr. William Creichton the Iesuit then residing in Spain and assurance given of the King of Spains aid for the alteration of Religion Mr. James Gordon and Mr. Robert Abercrombie Iesuits had devised to send one to Spain to certifie the King of the concurrence of the Scottish Catholicks in his service and that for the greater secrecy the three forenamed Earls should undertake for the rest and by their letters testifie the same That this being proponed to the Noblemen they did willingly consent and accordingly set their hands to eight blanks six whereof were to be filled as missives from them to the King of Spain and the two other with procurations one for the messengers credit the other for the Articles that should be drawn up in Spain That the filling of the blanks was trusted to Mr. William Chreichton and Mr. James Tyrie and that Sir James Chisholm one of the Kings Master housholds was first chosen to be carrier of the blanks but that he being impeded through some private businesse they were delivered to him subscribed in the moneth of October he being then in Edinburgh He further declared that by conference at the same time with the Earls of Angus and Arroll he understood that the King of Spain was to send an Army of thirty thousand men into Scotland whereof 15000. should remain in the Countrey and with the assistance of the Catholicks either alter the present Religion or procure liberty to their own profession and that the rest of the army should invade England being conveyed thither by the Catholick Lords who were to meet the Army at their landing which was appointed to be either at Kirkudbright in Galloway or in the mouth of Clâ—ydo This was the summe of his confession The Earl of Angus charged with these points denied affirming the blanks and subscriptions to be counterfeited But David Graham of Fintry who was apprehended upon suspicion at the same time declared that Mr. Robert Abercrombie had revealed the purpose to him and shewed that the blanks were trusted to Master George Ker. This so manifest a discovery of Popish plots tending not onely to the overthrow of Religion but also of the Realm which by this treasonable practise should have been reduced to a miserable slavery did animate the King much against the Jesuits whereupon he published his resolution to spare none that should try guilty of the Treason but make them an example to all postâ—rities requiring
in most serious manner all his good subjects to beware of these Iesuits traitors to their native Countrey and in their prayers to implore the mercy of God for preservation of themselves their wives and children from the conspiracy intended The Ministers of Edinburgh esteeming it their duty to make the Churches of the Countrey foreseen of the conspiracy that was detected gave notice thereof by their letters to such as were most nigh at hand desiring them to meet at Edinburgh the 8. of Ianuary for giving their advice touching these dangers and how the same might best be prevented The meeting was frequent for the report of the discovery drew many thither Mr. Robert Bruce in a short speech having related the perill wherein the Countrey and Church were brought by these practises it was thought meet by some Commissioners to entreat of his Majesty the execution of the lawes against Jesuits and their ressetters with the punishment of such as should be found guilty of the present conspiracy The King accepting graciously those that were sent unto him and giving the whole Assembly thanks for the readinesse they shewed to assist him in the prosecution of that triall wished them to consider of what importance the businesse was and not onely to give their advice for the course that should be taken but also to let him know what help they would contribute for strengthening him in his proceeding against the unnaturall Subjects His Majesties desire being reported to the Meeting their advice was that a Parliament should be indicted and the subscrivers of the blanks cited thereto and because it was not expected that they would appear so as his Majesty should be compelled to pursue them by force of Armes they did humbly offer their attendance upon his Majesties person till they should be apprehended or expulsed the Countrey as likewise to entertain a guard to his Majesty of three hundreth horsemen and an hundreth foot so long as any necessity was and till the laws of the Countrey had taken effect against the rebells providing it should not be drawn into a custome nor prejudge the liberty of the Realm in time coming The offer was thankfully accepted and a Proclamation made to meet the King at Aberdene the 20 of February for settling the North parts and for a beginning of Justice David Graham of Fintrie was arraigned and being found guilty beheaded in the publick street of Edinburgh the 16. of February Some two dayes before his execution Mr. Iohn Graham one of the Senators of the Colledge of Justice being charged because of the businesse he made in behalf of Fintrie to depart forth of the Town and keep ward in Strathern was killed as he was going to the tide at Leith There had been a question long depending betwixt Sir Iames Sanderlands and him for the lands of Halyards and by reason thereof a professed enmity amongst them and it falling out at the same time when he was going to Leith that the Duke of Lennox accompanied with Sir Iames and divers others was making towards their sport in the sands Mr. Iohn Graham apprehending that they did pursue him made a turn upon that ascent which is without the gate of the town as if he would stand there to his defence which S. Iames taking for a sort of provocation he made towards him and entering in conflict Sir Alexander Stewart a grave Gentleman servant to the Duke of Lennox was killed by the shot of a pistoll presently after M. Iohn Graham by another shot was stricken in the breast and fell to the ground they who did give him the convoy seeing him fall did all flie and the companies separating he was led to a poor Cottage near unto the place and as he lay in bed killed by the said Sir Alexander his Page in revenge of his Masters death A man he was but meanly born and descended of that unhappy race which had an hand in the murther of King Iames the first a long time he served as Deputy to the Earl of Argile in the Justice Courts and after his death waited on Captain Iames Stewart by whose means he was preferred to be one of the Senatours of the Colledge of Justice in the place of Mr. Robert Pont of a quick wit and a good and ready utterance but was excessively proud covetous and unhonest in his dealings as appeared in suborning of the Notary of whom we spake and the fraud which he used to Mr. Andrew Polwart subdean of Glasgow a man of great learning who being forced to fly into England in the year 1584. with the other Ministers that took their refuge thither had intrusted him with his living and rent upon assurance to be repossessed when the time should change yet being returned and having obtained his peace could he never bring him to fulfill his promise whereupon after a long plea at law not finding an outgate the honest man conceived a displeasure and died The Earl of Angus the same day that he was killed made an escape out of the Castle of Edinburgh by the connivence of the keepers and flying to the North joyned with Huntley and Arroll They upon the report of the Kings coming to Aberdene left their houses and betook themselves to the mountains sending their Ladies to intercede for them and make offer of the keyes of their houses which they had been charged to render The King receiving the Ladies courteously told them that if their husbands would enter and abide triall they should receive no wrong otherwise the crime laid to their charge did so highly touch the Estate as he could not stay the course of Justice In the mean time for preserving the Countrey in peace the Earl of Atholl was made Lieutenant within the bounds of Elgin Forres Narne Innernesse and Cromartie and the like Commission given to the Earl of Marshall of the Sherifdoms of Kincardin Bamffe and Aberdene This done the King returned to Edinburgh where the Lord Burgh did meet him He was sent from the Queen of England to congratulate the discoveries of these treacherous practices and make offer of her assistance in pursuing and punishing those that should trie culpable wherein she wished him to doe as a King ought in such a case and if he could not apprehend their persons to confiscate their lands and rents whereby he should undoe them and better the Estate of his Crown And seeing the cause was common and touched all Princes professing the same Religion she desired to be certified what his resolution was that she might assure other Princes her confederates of the course taken in both their dominions for resisting the attempts of Spain The King thanking the Queen for her friendly offer and advice said That he knew Sir Robert Bowes her resident Ambassadour had advertised her of the whole particulars and of the blanks and letters intercepted that he had made a beginning and was fully resolved to prosecute the
the Duke did follow him and was entertained with hunting and the like sports unto the Queens delivery which fell out the 17 of September Going then unto the Countrey to salute his mother Madam D' Aubigney and other his friends whilest he was about these offices of kindness the King went by post to Callais upon some intelligence as it was said from England that the Queen was fallen sick he himself gave out that the affairs of Flanders did occasion his journey for as then the Archduke was besieging Ostend But whatsoever the businesse was no man doubted but that he had an eye upon the succession of England and if he could have found a faction would have foisted in another Bastard of Normandy which oftentimes in a merriment and gallantry he spared not to utter The Duke after his return to Paris made no long stay but taking his leave of the French King who was then come back from Callais took journey towards England and came to London in the beginning of November A Parliament was then sitting at VVestminster the last that Queen Elizabeth held which with his coming upon that instant gave many to think that he was come to urge a Declaration of the Kings right of succession and not a few they were nor of small note that offered to assist if he should move any such business but he told them that neither had he any such Commission nor would the King ever agree to any thing that might breed a jealousie in the Queen And his Commission indeed was no other but to salute the Queen in the Kings name and let her know the kinde and filiall affection he carried unto her whereof he should be willing to give proof at all occasions And for that he was given to understand that the Irish Rebells had drawn in some Spanish forces into Ireland to fortifie themselves in their Rebellion he would if his ayde should be thought necessary employ the same for their expulsion The Queen giving the King many thanks said That if those troubles continued she would take his help and hire some of his High-landers and Isles men but she trusted to hear other news shortly and not be vexed long with those strangers As also it came to passe for the very next moneth the Lord Montjoy her Deputy did in a battell fought neer Kinsale defeat the Irish utterly and afterwards forced the Spaniards that had taken the Town to render upon condition of their lives saved and that they might be transported again into their Countrey The Duke after three weeks stay being feasted by the Queen and entertained with all complements of amity returned home and came to Edinburgh in the end of December where having related his proceedings in Councell they were all approved The Lord Elphingston had in his absence resigned the office of Treasury upon an offence as was thought he conceived for adjoyning some others unto him in the componing of Signators and now was Sir George Hume one of the Masters of the Quirie preferred to the office which he discharged by his Deputy Sir Iohn Arnot both to his Majesty and the Countreys content The next sommer the King having resolved to plant Lowland-men in the Isles and transport the inhabitants into the main land where they might learn civility made a beginning at the Isle of Lewis The undertakers were Patrick Abbot of Lendors Colonell William Stewart Captain William Murray Mr. Iohn Lermouth of Balcolmy Mr. Iames Spence of wormeston Sir Iames Anstruther of that ilke and Iames Forret of Fingaske These Gentlemen furnishing themselves with armes and shipping and having conduced a number of souldiers took sea and in the third or fourth day arrived in the Lake of Sternoway within the same Isle Murdoch Macklond base son to old Macklond who carried himself as Lord of the Isle made at the first some resistance but after a little conflict distrusting the people for he had used them with great tyranny he fled and forsook the Isle leaving the Indwellers to the discretion of the Invaders they how soon he was gone did all submit themselves and accept such conditions as were offered by the undertakers Being thus peaceably possessed the Laird of Balcolmy either sent by the rest to signifie their good successe and to make preparation against the Winter or for some private business of his own took purpose to return home and being lanched alittle from the coast and by reason of the calm forced to cast anchor was suddenly invaded by the said Murdach Macklowd with a number of Birlings so they call the little vessels those Isles men use the ship boarded the mariners killed and himself made prisoner The Gentleman being detained some daies and hourly threatned with death was afterwards ransomed by one of his friends and conveyed to Orkeney where contracting a feaver he died The rest of the Gentlemen to repair this injury conduced Neill Macklowd brother to the said Murdach to betray and deliver him in their hands which he performed shortly after having by an ambush laid for his brother apprehended him and some twelve more that were in his company The twelve he presently beheaded Murdach he delivered to the Gentlemen as he had promised who was afterwards transported to S. Andrews and there executed The undertakers thinking themselves now secured began to build and made a partition of lands letting the same to the Countrey people who did all swear fidelity to them but whilest they expected no trouble Norman Macklowd son to old Macklowd did on the suddain beset them put fire to their lodgings and force them to the Conditions following First that they should purchase to them remission from the King of all crimes and offences past Next that they should resigne to Norman all the right that they had acquired of the Isle of Lewis And thirdly that Sir Iames Spence with his son in law Thomas Monypenny of Kinkell should remain as pledges untill the remission was brought unto him and such a surety given of the Isle as he could devise This condescended unto Sir Iames Anstruther departed with the whole company that was left for many were killed before their yeilding and for relief of the pledges obtained of the King both the remission and security of the Isle that was desired which was sent to Norman by Iames Lermouth son to the Laird of Darcie By this mean were the pledges freed and for that time the whole enterprise defeated some three years after the same was of new attempted with what successe we shall hear in the own place Master Robert Bruce who as we shewed before was exiled in France obtained licence to return in the beginning of this Summer by the intercession of the Earl of Marre whom he had intreated to mediate his peace upon promise at his return to satisfie the King and declare his resolution in that matter of Gowries The King who never shewed himself difficile especially to Ministers
that professed penitencie for their errors gave warrant to recall him and he appearing before the Commissioners of the Church at Perth the 25 of Iune where his Majesty was present acknowledged his error professed his resolution touching the guiltiness of those unhappy brothers and promised if his Majesty should licence him to return to his place to declare the same publickly in the first Sermon he should have to the people The King doubting his performance for he had often in other matters tried his inconstancy caused the same to be set down in writing upon the back of the Letter he had sent to the Earl of Marre and after he had subscribed the same made all the Commissioners that were present eleven in number to set their hands thereto as Witnesses This done he was admitted to kisle his Majesties hand and licenced to return to his place but as the King had conjectured so it fell out for coming to Edinburgh where it was expected he should have done what he had both promised and subscribed he left the Town pretending that his Ministery should thereby be discredited and he esteemed to preach by injunction The Generall Assembly of the Church meeting in November following the King to remove this pretext after he had shewed all the particulars of his proceeding with Mr. Robert and produced the Letter sent by him to the Earl of Marre together with his subscription in the meeting of Perth desired the voices of the Assembly whether or not be ought to utter his resolution in pulpit as he had promised They all not one gainsaying declared That he was bound both in duty and conscience to fulfill his promise so much the rather that by his distrust and disobedience to the Councells charge he had confirmed ill-disposed people in their suspicions Yet this Ordinance did not content him and so delaying to give satisfaction he was by the Commissioners of the Church discharged from the Ministery of Edinburgh the year following In this Assembly Mr. Patrick Galloway being chosen to preside made a Speech to the King wherein he shewed That the Church was oppugned by two sorts of enemies to wit Papists and sacrilegious persons and therefore in the name of the whole Church entreated his Majesty that as he had with great travell and happy successe made the principalls of the Popish profession to conform themselves in outward obedience so he would use his princely authority towards the other sort and compell them if not to restore all at least to grant a competent allowance to Ministers forth of the tithes they possessed The King accepting the Petition graciously said That it should not be well with the Church so long as Ministers were drawn from their Charges to attend the yearly modification of stipends and that he held it fittest once to condescend upon a competent provision for every Church and deal with those that possessed the tithes to bestow a part thereof to the foresaid uses and seeing that business would require a longer time then they could well continue together that they should doe well to make some overtures to those that had the Commission for Stipends promising for himself that he should stand for the Church and be an advocate for the Ministers After a long deliberation these overtures were proponed First that the Ministers having stipends assigned to them forth of the tithes of the Churches where they served a perpetuall security should be made to the Takesmen and a certainer gressome condescended on for every chalder of victuall which should be paid for nineteen years lease at the expiring whereof another lease upon the like conditions should be renewed for as many years the principall Takesmen being obliged to grant the like security for his Subtakesmen 2. That the Prelacies should be disponed to actuall Ministers the Churches annexed thereto being sufficiently provided and the tenth of the superplus paid to the King or otherwise that all the great Benefices should be dissolved the Prelate enjoying the principall Church and temporall lands and the Churches annexed disponed to Ministers both they and the Prelate paying a yearly duty to the King And 3. that all inferiour Benefices should be provided to the Ministers serving the Cure The first of these overtures the King held reasonable and most advantagious to the Church but the Assembly esteeming it dangerous to make tithes heretable deferred to give their consent so as nothing at that time was concluded and the overtures remitted to a more deep consideration The Synod of Fife did after this present some grievances complaining That the Generall Assemblies were not kept at the ordinary times and both places and daies altered without the knowledge of Presbyters and Synods That Ministers were called before the Councell in prima instantia for matters of doctrine and discipline That the government of the Church continued in the hands of a few Ministers under the name of a Commission to the prejudice of the liberty of the Church That Doctors being an ordinary calling in the Church were debarred from coming to Assemblies That no triall was taken concerning the observation of Caveats That the Ministers of Edinburgh being the principall watch-tower of the Church were not permitted to attend their charge That the land was polluted with the French Ambassadors masse and excommunicates suffered to abide in the Countrey And lastly that the letters and practises of Papists were kept secret and not communicated to the watchmen These complaints being known to proceed from the private discontents of such as grieved to see the affairs of the Church carried by others then themselves were not much regarded yet to shew that they had no just cause to complain a particular answer was made to every one of them And first it was said That the Assemblies both were and should be kept according to the Act of Parliament That Ministers should not be called before the Councell but upon just grounds That Commissions given by the Assembly and rightly discharged were lawfull That Doctors authorized with a Commission from the University where they lived were not denied a voice in Assemblies and that if the Caveats were not observed they might instance the point and have the person after triall censured To the rest of the heads his Majesty by himself made this reply That the French Ambassadors masse was private and could not be refused to him considering that the Minister directed with his owne Ambassadours the yeare before was permitted to preach within the City of Paris And for the Ministers of Edinburgh they had received all the favour they desired As to him that lay back it was his own fault and no mans else But where saith he it is craved that the letters and practises of Papists should be communicate to Ministers as that were the ready way to procure the escape and no punishment of the practises so the proponers would remember that secrets must be imparted at the Kings pleasure
letter directed to the E. of Northumberland that we may know the wisdome and piety of the King who had sent him advertisement of the Queens weaknesse and advised him to make sure his title by apprehending possession in time he said That man can neither be religious nor just that dealeth worse with his neighbour then he would be dealt withall and in a man of quality it can be no wisdome to leap hedge and ditch and adventure the breaking of his neck for gathering forbidden fruit before it be ripe when as by attending the due time he may be sure to finde all the gates of the orchard open and with free scope enter take and tast at liberty Sure it were a great weakness and unworthiness in me to come in as an Usurper with offence and scandall to the laws and present estate of government when I may in the right time claim the Crown as nearest Heir to the Prince deceased and possesse with equity should I out of untimely ambition fall to break the long continued and faithfully preserved amity that by the proof of many kinde offices hath taken root among us it were an error inexcusable And howbeit I doe acknowledge your kinde affection in the offers you make of assistance I must tell you freely that no Prince can presume of any subjects loyalty to himself that hath been unsound and unfaithfull to his own Soveraign nor would I ever look to be secure in a Kingdome so trayterously disposed In end he advised the Earl to forbear such writing and when he wrote which he wished him to doe rarely and not but upon great occasions to beware of any thing that might justly offend the Queen lest by interception or other misadventure he might be disabled to serve him another day This was the Kings resolution which God so blessed as it brought him within a short time after against the opinions and desires of many to the quiet and peaceable possession of his right and inheritance for in the Spring the Queens disease encreasing which was judged to be a melancholy incorrigible and by some conceived to proceed from a sorrow for Essex others ascribed it to the accepting of the Rebell Tyrone to peace and all apprehending it to be deadly the hearts of people did so incline to the King as a great many in that State did write unto him That all England was grown to be Scotish The Queen her self continuing constant in her affection when she was askt a little before her death by the Lord Keeper and Secretary who were directed by the Councell to understand her will touching her Successor answered None but my Cousen the King of Scots After which words she spake not much only being desired by the Archbishop of Canterbury whom she would not suffer to go from her all that time to fix her thoughts upon God she said So I doe neither doth my minde wander from him and then commending her soul to God in devout manner died most patiently and willingly A Queen imcomparable for wisdome and fidelity of government she departed this life the 24th of March in the 70 year of her age and 44 of her Reign The same day in the forenoon the King of Scots was proclaimed King first at the Palace of whitehall next at the Crosse in Cheapside within the City of London with an infinite applause of all sorts of people The end of the sixth Book THE HISTORY of the CHURCH OF SCOTLAND THE SEVENTH BOOK The Contents The proceedings after his Majesties going into England unto his death THE news of the Queens death were brought the third day after by Sir Robert Cary a son of the Lord Hunsdon after whom Sir Charles Percy brother to the Earl of Northumberland and Thomas Somerset sonne to the Earl of Worcester were directed from the Councell of England with the Letter following RIght High Right Excellent and mighty Prince and our dread Soveraign Lord as we cannot but confess unto your Majesty that the grief we have conceived by the loss of our late Soveraign Lady whose soul in your palace of Richmond passed from her earthly body to the joyes of heaven betwixt two and three of the clock this morning was nothing less then our loyalty and love to her whilest she lived being a Princesse adorned with vertues meet for Government prosperous in the success of her affairs and under whose obedience we have lived in greater tranquillity these many years then commonly happeneth to Princes so we must acknowledge that our sorrow is extingushed by the impression we have of those heroicall vertues of wisdome piety and magnanimity which we know to be in your Majesties person to whose right the lineall and lawfull succession of all our late Soveraigns dominions doth justly and onely appertain wherein we presume to profess this much as well for the honour which will thereby remain to our posterity as for your Majesties security of a peaceable possession of your kingdomes that we have never found either of those of the Nobility or of any other of the Estates of this realm any divided humour about the receiving and acknowledging your Majesty to be the onely head that must give life to the present maimed body of this kingdome which is so happy as with an universall consent to have received one sole uniform and constant impression of bright blood as next of kin to our Soveraign deceased and consequently by the Laws of this realm true and next heir to her kingdomes and dominions whereof we have made outward demonstration by publick Proclamation this very day a fore noon first in the City of Westminster at your Majesties palace gate at White-Hall and next at the Cross of Cheap-side within your Majesties City of London with an infinite applause of your people and with such solemnity as the shortness of time would permit Of all which we have thought it our duty immediately to advertise your Majesty by these two Gentlemen Sir Charles Percy brother to the Earl of Northumberland and Thomas Somerset Esq son to the Earl of Worcester of whom we have made choice to be the bearers of our Letters humbly beseeching your Highness to accept the same as the first fruits and offering of our tender and loyall affections towards you our gracious Soveraign and to rest assured that the same shall be ever hereafter seconded with all faith obedience and humble service which shall be in our power to perform for maintaining that which we have begun with the sacrifice of our lives lands and goods which we with all our other means do here humbly present at your Majesties feet craving of your Highness that seeing hereby you may perceive in what estate we remain as body without a head or rather without that spirit here amongst us which from the head might give vigor to every member to exercise the duty to it belonging thereby to keep the whole body from confusion you will be pleased to enter
transporting of any Commodities of Normandy or any parts of France excepting the wine of Burdeaux and as the said persons shall finde the advantage to be so for making the trade equall the custome shall be advanced to the King in England and Scotland And for the part of those that have the advantage and according to the proportion of the said advantage the advancement of the custome to continue no longer then the priviledge having such advantage shall continue and that generally for all other Trade from any parts the English and Scottish subjects each in others Countrey shall have liberty of importation as freely as any of the native subjects themselves having speciall Priviledge Next concerning exportation It is agreed that all such goods as are prohibited and forbidden to English men themselves to be transported forth of England to any forein part the same shall be unlawfull for any Scottish men or any other to transport to any forein Nation beyond sea under the same penalties and forfeitures that the English are subject unto and reciprocally that forth of Scotland no English men shall transport to any forein part the Goods or Commodities that are prohibited in Scotland to Scottish men themselves Nevertheless such Goods and Commodities and Merchandises as are licensed to English men to transport out of England to any forein part the same may be likewise transported by Scottish men thither they certifying their going into forein parts and taking a Cocquet accordingly and paying the ordinary Custome that English men doe pay themselves at the exporting of such Wares The like liberty to be for English men in Scotland As for the Native Commodities which either of the Countreys doe yield and may serve for the use and benefit of the other It is agreed that mutually there may be transported forth of England to Scotland and forth of Scotland to England all such Wares as are either of the growth or handy-work of either of the said realmes without payment of any impost custome or exaction and as freely in all respects as any Wares may be transported either in England from part to part or in Scotland from part to part excepting such particular sorts of Goods and Merchandises as are hereafter mentioned being restrained for the proper and inward use of each Countrey And for that purpose it is declared That both this communication of benefit and participation of the Native Commodities of the one Countrey with the other there shall be specially reserved and excepted the sorts hereafter specified That is to say Wool Sheep Sheepfell Cattell Leather Hides and Linnen yarn which are specially restrained withâ—â— each Countrey not to be transported from the one to the other Excepting also and reserving to the Scottish men their trade of fishing within their Loches Forthes and Bayes within land and in the Seas within fourteen miles of the Coasts of the Realm of Scotland where neither English men nor any Strangers have used to fish And so reciprocally in the point of fishing on the behalf of England All which exceptions and restrictions are not to be understood or mentioned in any sort for a mark or note of separation or disunion but only as matters of policy and conveniency for the severall estate of each Countrey Furthermore it is agreed that all forein Wares to be transported forth of Scotland to England or out of England to Scotland by any of the Kings subjects of either Kingdomes having at their first entry once paid custome in either of the Kingdomes shall not pay outward custome therein afterwards save only inward custome at that Port whereunto they shall be transported But the owner of the Goods or the Factor or Master of the ship shall give bond not to transport the same into any forein part It is also agreed that Scottish men shall not be debarred from being associates unto any English company of Merchants as Merchant-venturers or others upon such conditions as any English man may be admited and so reciprocally for English men in Scotland It is nevertheless agreed by mutuall consent and so to be understood that the mutuall libertie aforesaid of Exportation and Trade in each part from the one to the other shall serve for the inward use only of either Realm and order taken for restraining and prohibiting the transportation of the said Commodities into forein parts and for due punishment of those that shall transgresse in that behalf And for the better assurance and caution herein It is agreed that every Merchant so offending shall forfeit his Goods The Ships wherein the said Goods shall be transported Consiscated The Customers Searchers and other Officers of the Custome whatsoever in case of consent or knowledge on their part to lose their Offices and Goods and their bodies to be imprisoned at his Majesties pleasure Of which escheats and forfeitures two parts shall appertain to his Majesty if the Customs be unfarmed and the third to the Informer and if the Customes be farmed one third of the forfeiture shall belong to his Majesty a third to the farmers of the Customes and the other third to the Informer The triall of the offence to be summar in either Countrey in the Exchequer Chamber by writ sufficient witnesses or oath of partie or before the Justice by Jury or Affise and his Majesties Officers in either Countrey to convene with the Complainers that interest in the pursuit As also for the more surety that there shall be no transportation of such Goods It is agreed that at the shipping of all such Native Commodities there be taken by the Customer of the Port where the Goods or Wares are imbarked a Bond or Obligation subscribed by the Owner of the said Goods and Master of the Ship by the Owner if he be present and in case of his absence by the Master of the Ship and Factor or party that ladeth the same which Bond shall contain a summe of money answerable to the value of the Goods with condition of relieving the party obliged and discharging him of the said Bond in case return be made of a due certificate to the Custome where the Goods were laden from any part within England or Scotland The Certificate to be subscribed and sealed by the Officers of the Customes of the part where the said Goods shall arrive and be unladened or if there be no such Officers there by the Chief Magistrate and Town Clerk of that Harbour or Town under their hand and Seal It is further agreed touching the indifferent fraighting of Comodities either in English or Scotish bottomes that English men and Scotish men fraight and laden their goods each in others Shâ—ps and bottoms indifferently paying only English Scotish custome notwithstanding any contrary laws or prohibitions And that a proposition be made to the Parliament of England for establiâ—ing some good orders for upholding and maintaining the great fishing of England as likewise that a proposition be made
children and their exhibition as was appointed made them in after times no less troublesome to the Countrey then before In the end of the year the Earl of Dunbarre departed his life at whitehall a man of deep wit few words and in his Majesties service no less faithfull then fortunate The most difficile affaires he compassed without any noise and never returned when he was employed without the work performed that he was sent to doe His death made a great change in our Estate Sir Robert Ker a son of Farnherst who had served the King long in the quality of a Page and was then grown powerfull in Court carrying all things by his credit At first the Thesaurers Office which was in the person of Dunbar whilest he lived was trusted to certain Commissioners but after a little space the same was bestowed upon the said Sir Robert and he preferred to be Earl of Somerset The guard that Sir William Cranston a Gentleman of great worth did command and wherewith he had performed divers notable services in the Borders was taken from him and given to Sir Robert Ker of Ancram Somersets cousin Sir Gedeon Murray his Uncle by the Mother made Deputy in the Office of Thesaury and Sir Thomas Hamilton his Majesties Advocate who had married his sister placed first in the office of Register and afterwards made Secretary all which was ascribed to Somerset his credit Yet these things were not ill taken the last excepted for Sir William Cranston being content to resigne his place the King in remembrance of his good service did preferre him to be a Lord of Parliament Sir Gedeon his abilities for the services he was trusted with were known to all and for the Advocate his sufficiency was undoubted only the manner of his coming to be Register was not so well interpreted Sir Iohn Skeen had enjoyed the place a good many years and being grown in age and infirme thinking to get his son provided to his office had sent him to Court with a dimission of the place but with a charge not to use it unless he found the King willing to admit him yet he abused by some politick wits made a resignation of the Office accepting an ordinary place among the Lords of Session The office upon his resignation was presently disponed to the Advocate which grieved the Father beyond all measure And the case indeed was pitifull and much regrated by all honest men for he had been a man much employed and honoured with divers legations which he discharged with good credit and now in age to be circumvented in this sort by the simplicity or folly of his son 't was held lamentable The King being informed of the abuse by the old mans complaint was very carefull to satisfie him and to have the son reconciled to his father which after some travell was brought to passe yet so exceeding was the old mans discontent as within a few daies he deceased The office of Register was shortly after enterchanged with the Secretary Sir Alexander Hay and he made keeper of the Rolls the Lord Binning Secretary and Sir William Oliphant received to be his Majesties Advocate In the beginning of the next year there happened diverse unhappy quarrels betwixt the Scots and English at Court which was like to have produced very bad effects and nothing worse taken then the slaughter of an English Fencer by the Lord Sanqhars instigation who for an injury alledged did hire one called Carleill to kill the Fencer this fact committed in the City of London and so near to the Kings Court caused such a heart-burning among the people as it was not farre from breaking forth into a generall commotion But his Majesty preventing the danger made Sanqhar to be arrested and brought to his triall where being convicted he was hanged publickly at the Palace-gate of Westminster This act of justice gave the English a great content nor was the death of the Nobleman much regrated by his own Countrey people for he had lived all his time dissolutely and falling in familiarity with a base Curtesan at Paris had by her a son to whom he entailed his lands intending to defraud the heir But the King taking the matter into his own cognition did by compromise adjudge the succession to the just inheritour appointing a little portion to the base son who in a short time made away the same prodigally Not long before his Majesty being informed of a course kept by the Church in excommunicating persons that were fugitives for capitall crimes sent to the Bishops and Clergy a Letter of this tenor The Ecclesiasticall Censure of Excommunication which should be inflicted upon such as having committed any scandalous offence are contemners of the admonitions of the Church is as we have been enformed so farre absued against the first institution that we cannot sufficiently mervail of the proceeding said to be commonly used among you namely that persons fugitive for capitall crimes being cited before Ecclesiastical Iudicatories although it be known that they dare not compeir for fear of their life are sentenced as persons contumacious whereas the fear they stand in ought in reason to excuse their absence since they cannot be judged contemners of the Church who upon just terrors are kept back from giving their personall appearance In a late Treatise the Venetian Padre Paulo did learnedly confute the sentence pronounced by the present Pope against him for his not appearing to answer in the cause of heresie only upon the just fear be pretended and had his appeal justified by all indifferent men from the Popes sentence as abusive your proceedings for the manner is no other and by the learnedst Divines in these parts resembled to the Moscovites form who if he be offended with any person commandeth him to send his head unto him just so your citations are in the foresaid case which is to will the offenders come in and be hanged which were they never so penitent is not to be thought they will doe for they will rather fall under your censure then hazard themselves in the hands of the justice This being the ready way to bring the Censures of the Church in contempt Our pleasure is that hereafter there be no such form of proceeding used among you Notwithstanding if it shall happen such offenders to obtain our pardon and that the fear they stand in of their life be removed we mean not but that they should be called before the Church and Censures used against such of those that are impenitent Hereof perswading our selves that you will have care and not give way to the abuse in time coming We bid you farewell Upon the receipt of this Letter the Bishops convening with certain of the Clergie to advise what course was fittest to be held in these cases a long reasoning was kept some maintaining That the form practised by the Church was not to be changed they having tried the good thereof
forward to God which I for my part doe hope and firmly believe that you all will endevour according to the wisdome and prudence which Almighty God hath given unto you And thus as your Lordship hath ever been desirous that I should give you the best assistance I could with his Majesty for the reducing or restraining this Nobleman so you see I have done it with the best discretion I could which I doubt not but all our brethren with you will take as proceeding from my desire to serve God and his Majesty and the whole Church of Scotland I send you herewith the form which I used in absolving the Lord Marquiss in the presence of the Lord Primate of Ireland the Lord Bishop of London and divers others And so beseeching the blessing of God upon you all that in your Assembly with unity of spirit you may proceed to the honour of Christ and to the beating down of Antichrist and Popery I leave you to the Almighty From my house at Croyden Iuly 23. 1616. This letter being shewed to the Clergy and others that were offended with the absolution of the Marquiss gave them content yet was it resolved that the Marquiss who then was returned from Court should present a supplication to the generall Assembly which was to meet at Aberdene the 13 of August acknowledging his offence not despising the admonitions of the Church and promising to continue in the profession of the truth and make his children to be educated in the same and that upon his supplication he should be new absolved according to the form used in the Church of Scotland This was very solemnly performed the first day of the Assembly the earl of Montrose being then Commissioner for his Majesty In the Assembly it was ordained That for as much as his Majesty had by Proclamation recalled such as were gone forth of the Countrey to be educated in the Colledges of Jesuits or other Popish Universities within the space of a year upon pain to be declared uncapable of succession either to goods or lands a triall and exact search should be made of all those that were sent or gone into forain parts within these last ten years and that every Minister should send a particular note unto his Ordinary of those within his Parish that were gone to follow their studies in places abroad with their age profession and families whereunto they appertained to the end they may be known and the dangers prevented wherewith their corrupt education did threaten the Church It was likewise enacted That no man should be permitted to practise or profess any Physick unless he had first satisfied the Bishop of the Dioces touching his religion That a Liturgie or book of Common prayer should be formed for the use of the Church That the Acts of the generall Assemblies should be collected and put in form to serve for Canons to the Church in their Ministration of discipline That children should be carefully catechised and confirmed by the Bishops or in their absence by such as were employed in the visitation of Churches That Grammar Schooles should be established in all Parishes where the same might be conveniently done And that a Register should be kept of baptismes marriages and burialls by the Minister of every Parish These Acts being put in form were ordained to be presented to his Majesty by the Archbishop of Glasgow and Bishop of Rosse who were sent from the Assembly to intreat his Majesties confirmation of the thing concluded By the answer returned with them his Majesties good liking of all that had proceeded in the Assembly was understood only against the Act of confirming young children by Bishops he excepted saying it was a meer hotch potch and not so cleer as was requisite and therefore directed the same to be reformed and among the Canons of the Church the Articles following to be inserted First That for the more reverend receiving of the holy Communion the same should be celebrated to the people thereafter kneeling and not sitting as had been the custome since the reformation of Religion 2 If any good Christian visited with sickness which was taken to be deadly should desire to receive the Communion at home in his house the same should not be denied to him lawfull warning being given to the Minister the night before and three or four of good Religion and conversation being present to communicate with the sick person who must provide for a convenient place and all things necessary for the reverent administration of the blessed Sacrament 3 That the Sacrament of Baptisme should not be longer deferred then the next Sunday after the child is born unless some great and reasonable cause declared and approved by the Minister doe require the same And that in the case of necessity tried and known to the Minister it should be lawfull to administrate Baptisme in private houses the same being alwaies ministred after the form it would have been in the congregation and publick declaration thereof made the next Sunday in the Church to the end the child might be known to have been received into the flock of Christs fold 4 Seeing the inestimable benefits received from God by our Lord Iesus Christ his birth passion resurrection ascension and sending down of the Holy Ghost have been commendably remembred at certain particular dayes and times by the whole Church of the World every Minister from thenceforth should keep a commemoration of the said benefits upon these days and make choice of severall and pertinent texts of Scripture and frame their doctrines and exhortations thereto rebuking all superstitious observation and licentious profaning of the said times 5 The Act of confirmation of Children his Majesty desired to be reformed in this manner Seeing the confirmation of Children is for the good education of youth most necessary being reduced to the Primitive integrity It is thought good that the Minister in every Parish shall catechise all young children of eight years of age and see that they have knowledge and be able to rehearse the Lords prayer the Belief and ten Commandments with answers to the questions of the small Catechisme used in the Church and that the Bishops in their visitations shall cause the Children be presented before them and bless them with prayer for the encrease of Grace and continuance of God his heavenly gifts with them The difficulty of admitting these Articles being represented in an humble letter to his Majesty by the Archbishop of S. Andrews and a reason given why the same could not be inserted with the Canons as having at no time been mentioned to the Church nor proponed in any of their meetings he was pleased to forbear the pressing of the same for that time thinking at his coming into Scotland which he intended the next Summer to satisfie such as were scrupulous and to obtain the Churches consent Shortly after a letter was sent to the Councel To assure them of the
answer Captain Iames Stewart his reply Morton is commited 2Ì„â— Ianuarii 18. Ianuar. An Assembly of the Church with their proceedings against the Bishops The iniquity of their proceedings A letter from the Earl of Lennox to the Assembly Iohn Dury committed to the Castle The death of Mr. Iohn Row An Ambassadour from England His Majesties answer to the Ambassadour An Assembly of the Estates The Ambassadour laboureth with Noblemen to take Arms for Mortons liberty Forces sent by the Queen of England to the Borders An. 1581. The proceeding against Mortons friends at Court The Ambassador departeth secretly to Berwick Sir Iohn Seaton denied passage into England Morton brought from Dumbritton to Edinburgh Morton his indictment Sentence pronounced The Ministers conference with the Earl of Morton The sentence mitigated Arran desireth Morton to subscribe his confession Morton his Answer Morton his behaviour at his death Mortons qualities and good parts Arrans proceeding against Morton and his servants approved Arran his marriage with the Countesse of Marche Montgomery his Simoniacal bargain for the Bishoprick of Glasgow Inquisition made of Montgomehy his life and doctrine The Articles against Montgomery communicated to the King Mr. Walter Balcanquel questioned for speeches in Pulpit Balcanquels answer The King ceaseth from pursuing the complaint Balcanquels Sermon approved by the Assembly An. 1582. Montgomery suspended by the Presbytery of Striveling He is cited to appear before the Synod of Lothian The Synod inhibited to proceed An Assembly at S. Andrews Mr. Mark Ker sent to discharge the Assemblies proceeding The Assembly discharged under pain of Rebellion to desist The Assembly proceedeth and findeth him culpable of divers crimes Montgomery falling from his resolution submits himself to the Assembly Montgomery changeth and returneth to his first course Mr. Thomas Smeton his Sermon at Glasgow Montgomery processed for preaching at Glasgow The Moderâ—tor of the Presbytery imprisoned in the Tolbuith A solemn Fast kept Iohn Dury Minister at Edinburgh was removed from his charge Ministers directed to the King Mr. Iohn Davidson excommunicated Montgomrie The surprise of the King at Ruthven 23. Aug. 1582. The King stayed from his sport by the Master of Glammit Arran withholden from the the King The Duke of Lennox sendeth to enquire of the Kings Estate The Duke of Lennox willed to retire to France A Proclamation declaring the Kings contentment with his stay at Perth The Duke is advised to go unto Dumbritton An Ambassador from England September 12. The Earl of Angus received in favour October 12. The Lords bring the King to Halirudhouse Octob. 8. An Assembly of the Church at Edinburgh The Lords â—end to obtain the Assemblies approbation The Assemblies ratificacation of the attempt at Ruthven A Convention of the Estates at Edinburgh The Kings speech to the Estates The attempt of Ruthven declared to be good service The Earl of Arran ordained to be detained till the Duke was gone The Duke falling sick at Seat taketh journey by land The Duke dering to see the King before he went away is denied Two Ambassador from France La Mott and Menevil The purpose of association renued The Ministers declared in their Sermons against the Ambassadors The Magistrates of Edinburgh desired to feast the Ambassadors The Ministers proclaim a fast Febr. 16. The Duke of Lennox dieth at Paris 26. May 1583. The King directeâ—h Amâ—assadours to England An. 1583. The negotiation took no effect The life and death of Mr. George Buchannan The King freeth himself of his attenders Ianuar. 28. The Earl of Gowry confesseth his fault and is pardoned An Act following the service of Colonel Stewart The Earl of Arran called again to Court His Majesties Declaration touching the attempt of Ruthven The discontented Lords confined All of them Angus except for their disobedience were denounced Rebels Ambassage from England the beginning of September His Majesties answer to the Ambassador The Ambassador complains of a Jesuits escape His Majesties answer An Assembly of the Church Grievances presented to his Majesty by the Church The King his answer to the grievances The answer did not satisfy the Church Lodowick son and heir to the late deceased Duke of Lennox cometh into Scotland Novemb. 13. The King his kindnesse to the Duke his children A Convention of Estates Prorogation granted to those that were charged to enter in Ward An offer of pardon to those who will acknowledge their offence at Ruthven The Earl of Rothes his protestation Iohn Dury questioned for allowing the attempt of Ruthven An. 1584. Mr. Andrew Melvil fleeth into England The King his Proclamations misregarded The Earl of 〈…〉 Being at Dundy he is apprehended by Colonel Stewart April 16. The Castle of Striveling surâ—â—â—ed April 18. The King 〈◊〉 to go towards Striveling The Rebels flee into England The Castle rendred April 27. Gowry examined touching the conspiracy His confession set down by himself in writing A letter from Gowry to his Majesty He is denied audience and put to the trial of a Jury The points of his endictment His exceptions repelled The names of the Assisers Gowry found guilty and sentence pronounced His execution and manner of death Archibald Douglas and another executed The houses of the Rebels charged Ministers called in question for the conspiracy Mr. David Lindesay Minister at Leth committed The Ministers at Edinburgh flee to England Mr. Robert Pont protesseth against the Acts. Libells and pamphlets against the Rulers of the Court. A letter from the Ministers of Edinburgh to the Session of the Church and Councel of the Town By the Kings direction an answer is returned in this form The letter grieveth the Ministers exceedingly Mr. Iames Lawson died at London Mr. Alexander Arbuthnet his death Mr. Thomas Smeton his death The Ministers charged with the subscription of certain Articles Mr. Nicol Dalgleish condemned David Home and his brother executed Robert Hamilton of Eglismachan delateth the Lairds of Dâ—uwwhasil and Mains Drumwhasil and Mains put to a trial They are found guilty and executed The unhappy end of Hamilton the delator Arran his power and credit at Court Arran laboureth to gain the Queen of England 12. Augusti An. 1585. The Master of Gray sent into England the beginning of October The Archbishop of S. Andrews sent into England The Queens answer to the Master of Gray The Justice Clerk directed into England April 1585. The banished Lords challenged by the Justice Clerk Arran draweth much envy upon himself His falling out with the Lord Maxwel Troubles betwixt the Maxwels and Iohnstons Johnston taken prisoner and shortly after dieth Sir Francis Russel sonne to the Earl of Bedford killed at a meeting in the Borders Arran and Farnherst confined Farnherst dieth at Aberdene Sir Edward Wotton Ambassador to Scotland about the beginning of Iune 1585. A convention of the Estates at S. Andrews A league continued with the Queen of England Lord Claud after his agreement with the banished Lords taketh a course by himself Ambassadors from Denmark Iuly 12. The King