in the sight of the most jealous God and still continues in the same yet she despises all threatnings and refuseth all godly admonitions Why say ye That she refuseth admonition said Lethington she will gladly hear any man But what obedience said the other to God or to his word ensues of all that is spoken unto her or when shall she be seen to give her presence to the publike Preaching I think never said Lethington so long as she is thus used And so long said the other yee and all others must be content that I pray so as I may be assured to be heard of my God that is That his good will may be done either in making her comfortable to his Church or if that he hath appointed her to be a scourge to the same That we may have patience and she may be bridled Well said Lethington Let us come to the second head Where finde ye that the Scriptures calls any the bond slaves of Satan or that the Prophets of God spake of Kings and Princes so irreverently The Scripture said Iohn Knox saith That by nature wee are all the sonnes of wrath Our Master Christ affirmes That such as doe sinne are servants to sinne and that it is the onely Sonne of God that sets men at freedome now what difference there is betwixt the sonnes of wrath the servants of sinne c. And the slaves of Satan I understand not except I be taught And if the sharpnesse of the terme offend you I have not invented that phrase of speech but have learned it out of Gods Scriptures for these words I finde spoken unto Paul Behold I send thee unto the Gentiles to open their eyes that they may turne from darknesse unto light and from the power of Sathan unto God Mark the words my Lord and stirre not at the speaking of the holy Ghost And the same Apostle writing to his Scholler Timothius sayes Instruct with meeknesse those that are contrary minded if that God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the Devill which are taken of him at his will If your Lordship do rightly consider these sentences you shall not onely finde my words to be the words of the holy Ghost but also the condition which I use to adde to have the assurance of Gods Scriptures But they speak nothing against Kings in Scripture in speciall said Lethington and your continuall crying is The Queens Idolatry The Queens Masse will provoke Gods vengeance In the former sentence said the other I hear not Kings and Queens excepted but all unfaithfull are pronounced to stand in one rank and to be in bondage to one Tyrant the Devill But beleeve me my Lord you little regard the state wherein they stand when you would have them so flattered that the danger thereof should neither be knowne neither yet declared to the people Where will you finde said Lethington that any of the Prophets did so use Kings Queens Rulers or Magistrates In more places then one said the other Ahab was a King and Iezabel a Queen and yet what the Prophet Elias said to the one and to the other I suppose you are not ignorant That was not cried out before the people said Lethington to make them odious unto their subjects That Elias said Doggs shall lick the blood of Ahab said Iohn Knox and eate the flesh of Iezabell the Scriptures assures me but that it was whispered in their Eares or in a Corner I read not but the plain contrary appears to me which is that both the people and the Court understood well enough what the Prophet had promised for so witnessed Iehu after that Gods vengeance had stricken Iezabell These were singular motions of the Spirit of God said Lethington and appertaineth nothing to our age Then hath the Scripture said the other deceived me for Saint Paul teacheth me that whatsoever is written within the holy Scriptures the same is written for our instruction And my Master saith That every learned Scribe brings forth of his Treasure both things old and things new and the Prophet Ieremy affirmes That every Realme or Citie that likewise offends as then did Ierusalem should likewise be punished Why then that the facts of ancient Prophets and the fearfull judgements of God executed before us upon the disobedient appertain not unto our age I neither see nor yet can understand But now to put an end to this Head my Lord saith he the Prophets of God have not spared to rebuke Kings as well to their faces as before the people and subjects Elizeus feared not to say to King Iehoram What have I to doe with thee get thee to the other Prophets of thy Mother for as the Lord of Hostes liveth in whose sight I stand if it were not that I regard the presence of Iehosaphat the King of Iudah I would not have looked toward thee nor seene thee Plaine it is that the Prophet was a Subject in the Kingdome of Israel and yet how little reverence he giveth to the King we heare Ieremy the Prophet was commanded to Cry to the King and Queene and to say Behave your selves lowly execute justice and judgement c. or else your Carcasses shall be casten to the heate of the day and unto the frost of the night Unto Conias Sullim and Zedekias he speaketh in speciall and shewes to them in his publike Sermons their miserable ends and therefore yee ought not to thinke strange my Lord said he albeit the servants of God taxe the vices of Kings and Queenes even as well as of other offenders and that because their sinnes be more noysome to the Common-wealth then are the sinnes of inferiour persons The most part of this reasoning Secretary Lethington leaned upon the Master of Maxwells Breast who said I am almost weary I would some other would reason in the chief head which is yet untouched Then the Earle of Mortoune Chancellor commanded Master George Hay to reason against Iohn Knox in the head of obedience due to Magistrates who began so to doe Unto whom Iohn Knox said Brother that ye shall reason in my contrary I am well content because I know you to be both a man of learning and of modesty but that you shall oppose your selfe unto the Trueth whereof I suppose your owne conscience is no lesse perswaded then is mine I cannot well approve for I would be sorry that yee and I should be reputed to reason as two Schollers of Pythagoras to shew the quickenesse of our wit as it were to reason on both parts I protest here before God That whatsoever I sustaine I doe the same in conscience yea I dare no more sustaine a proposition knowne to my selfe untrue then I dare teach false Doctrine in the publike place And therefore Brother if Conscience move you to oppose your selfe to that Doctrine which yee have heard out of my mouth in that
knowing that Calder Younger and Brunston were with Iohan Cocburne Laird of Ormeston sent back with expedition to apprehend them also The noyse of Horse-men being heard the servants gave advertisement That more then departed or was there before were returned And while that they dispute what should be the motive the Cardinalls Garrison had seized both the outer and inner Close They called for the Laird and for the Laird of Calder who presenting themselves demanded what their COMMISSION was To bring you two and the Laird of Brouneston to my Lord GOVERNOUR They were nothing content as they had no cause and yet they made faire countenance and intreated the Gentlemen to drinke and to baite their horses till that they might put themselves in readinesse to ride with them In this meane time Brounston conveyed himselfe first secretly and then by speed of foot to Ormiston wood and from thence to Dundallon and so escaped that danger the other two were put into the Castle of Edinburgh where the one to wit Calder Zounger remained untill his baud of Manred to the Cardinall was the meanes of his deliverance And the other to wit Ormiston freed himselfe by leaping off the wall of the Castle betwixt ten of the clock and eleven before noon And so breaking Ward he escaped prison which he unjustly suffered The servant of God M. George Wischarde was carried first to Edinburgh thereafter brought backe for fashion sake to the house of Hailles againe which was the principall place that then the Earle Bothwell had in Lothiane But as gold and women have corrupted all worldly and fleshly men from the beginning so did they him For the Cardinall gave gold and that largely and the Queen with whom the said Earle was then in the Glunders promised him favour in all his lawfull suites to women if he would deliver the said M. George to be kept in the Castle of Edinburgh He made some resistance at the first by reason of his promise But an effeminate man cannot long withstand the assaults of a gracious Queene and so was the servant of God transported to Edinburgh where the Cardinall then had a convention of Prelats wherein somewhat was said of redressing the abuses of the Church and reforming the lives of the Clergie but it tooke no effect M. Wischarde remained but few dayes in Edinburgh For that bloodie woolfe the Cardinall ever thirsting after the blood of the servant of God so travelled with the abused Governour that he was content that Gods servant should be delivered to the power of that Tyrannie And so small inversion being made Pilate obeyed the petition of Caiaphas and of his fellows and adjudged Christ to be crucified The Cardinall seeing it was forbidden by the Canon Law to Priests to sit as Judges upon life and death although the crime were Heresie sent to the Governour desiring him to name some Lay-Judge to pronounce Sentence against M. Wischarde The Governour had freely condescended to the Cardinalls request without delay if David Hamilton of Preston a godly and wise man had not remonstrated unto him That he could expect no better end then Saul since he persecuted the Saints of God for that Truth which he professed once with such a shew of earnestnesse the profession thereof being the onely cause of his advancement to that high degree wherein he was The Governour moved at this Speech of David Hamiltons answered the Cardinall That he would not meddle with the blood of that good man and told him That his blood should be on him for he himselfe would be free of it At this the Cardinall was angry and said he would proceed and that he had sent to the Governour of meere civility without any need And so the servant of God delivered to the hand of that proud and mercilesse Tyrannie triumph was made by the Priests The godly lamented and accused the foolishnesse of the Governour For by the retaining of the said M. George he might have caused Protestants and Papists rather proud Romanists to have served The one to the end the life of their Preacher might have been saved The other for feare that he should have set him at liberty again to the confusion of the Bishops But where God is left as he had plainely renounced him before what can counsell or judgement availe How the servant of God was dealt withall and what he did from the day that he entred within the sea Tower of S. Andrews which was in the end of January in the yeere of God 1546. unto the first of March the same yeere when he suffered we cannot certainly tell except we understand he wrote somewhat in prison but that was suppressed by the enemies The Cardinall delayed no time but caused all Bishops yea all the Clergie that had any preheminence to be called to S. Andrews against the seven and twentieth day of February that consultation might be had in that question which in his minde was no lesse resolved then Christs death was in the minde of Caiaphas But that the rest should bear the like burden with him he would that they should before the world subscribe whatsoever he did In that day was wrought a wonder not unlike that which was at the accusation and death of Jesus Christ when Pilate and Herod who before were enemies were made friends by consenting of them both to Christs condemnation differs nothing except that Pilate and Herod were brethren under their father the Devill in the estate called Temporall And these two of whom we are about to speake were brethren sons of the same father the Devill in the estate Ecclesiasticall If we interlace merrynesse with earnest matters pardon us good Reader for the fact is so notable that it deserveth long remembrance The Cardinall was knowne proud and Dumbar Archbishop of Glasgow was knowne a glorious foole And yet because sometimes he was called the Kings Master he was Chancellour of Scotland The Cardinall cometh even the same yeere in the end of harvest before to Glasgow upon what purpose we omit But while they remaine together the one in the Towne the other in the Castle Question riseth for bearing of their Crosses The Cardinall alleadged That by reason of his Cardinalship and that he was Legatus natus and Primate within Scotland in the kingdome of Antichrist That he should have the preheminence and that his Crosse should not onely go before but that also it should onely be borne wheresoever he was Good Gukstone Glakstone the aforesaid Archbishop lacked no reasons as he thought for maintenance of his glory He was an Archbishop in his owne Diocesse and in his owne Cathedrall Seat and Church and therefore ought to give place to no man The power of the Cardinall was but begged from Rome and appertaineth but to his own person and not to his Bishoprick for it might be that his successour should not be Cardinall but his dignity was annexed with his office and did appertaine to all
them he was instant with the Counsell of the City to provide themselves of a worthy man to succeed in his Place Master James Lauson who at that time professed Philosophy in the Vniversity of Aberdene being commended for a good Preacher Commissioners were directed from the Body of the Church of Edinburgh and from Master John Knox in particular to desire him to accept of the Charge To the Letter that the Commissioners carried after that he had set his hand he added this Postscript Accelera mi frater alioqui sero venies Make haste Brother otherwise ye shall come too late Meaning That if he made any stay he should finde him dead and gone These last words moved M. Lauson to take journey the morrow thereafter When he was come to the Town and had preached two severall times to the good liking of the people order was taken by the Rulers of the Church for his admission and the day appointed at which day John Knox himself would not onely be present but also preach though he could scarce walk on foot to the Chayre which he did with such fervency of spirit that at no time before was he heard to speak with such great power and more content to the hearers And in the end of the Sermon calling God to witnesse That he had walked in a good conscience amongst them not seeking to please men nor serving either his own or other mens affections but in all sincerity and truth preached the Gospel of Christ With most grave and pithie words he exhorted them to stand fast in the Faith they had received And having conceived a zealous Prayer for the continuance of Gods blessing among them and the multiplying of his Spirit upon the Preacher who was then to be admitted he gave them his last fare-well The people did convey him to his lodging and could not be drawn from it so loath were they to depart from him and he the same day in the afternoon was forced to take bed During the time he lay which was not long he was much visited by all sorts of persons to whom he spake most comfortably Amongst others to the Earle of Morton who came to see him he was heard say My Lord God hath given you many blessings he hath given you Wisdom Honour high Birth Riches many good and great friends and is now to prefer you to the Government of the Realme the Earle of Marr late Regent being newly dead In his Name I charge you That ye will use these blessings better in times to come then you have done in times past In all your actions seek first the glory of God The furtherance of his Gospel The maintenance of his Church and Ministery and next Be carefull of the King to procure his good and the welfare of the Realme If you shall do this God will be with you and honour you If otherwise ye do it not he will deprive you of all these benefits and your end shall be shame and ignominy These speeches the Earle about nine yeers after at the time of his Execution called to minde saying That he had found them to be true and him therein a Prophet A day or two before his death he sent for Master David Lindsay Master James Lauson and the Elders and Deacons of the Church to whom he said The time is approaching for which I have long thirsted wherein I shall be relieved of all cares and be with my Saviour Christ for ever And now God is my witnesse whom I have served with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son That I have taught nothing but the true and solid Doctrine of the Gospel and that the end I proposed in all my Doctrine was To instruct the ignorant To confirm the weak To comfort the consciences of those that were humbled under the sense of their sins and born down with the threatnings of Gods Judgements Such as were proud and rebellious I am not ignorant that many have blamed and yet do blame my too great rigour and severity But God knoweth That in my heart I never hated the persons of those against whom I thundred Gods Judgements I did onely hate their sins and laboured according to my power to gain them to Christ That I did forbear none of whatsoever condition I did it out of the fear of my God who hath placed me in the Function of his Ministery and I know will bring me to an account Now brethren for your selves I have no more to say but to warn you That you take heed to the Flock over which God hath placed you Overseers which he hath redeemed by the Blood of his onely begotten Son And you Master Lauson fight a good fight do the Work of the Lord with courage and with a willing minde And God from above blesse you and the Church whereof you have charge Against it so long as it continueth in the Doctrine of the Truth the gates of hell shall not prevail This spoken and the Elders and the Deacons dimitted he called the two Preachers unto him and said There is one thing that grieveth me exceedingly You have sometimes seen the courage and constancy of the Laird of Grange in the cause of God and that most unhappy man hath cast himself away I will pray you two to take the pains to go unto him and say from me That unlesse he forsake that wicked course wherein he is entred neither shall the Rock in which he confideth defend him nor the carnall wisedom of that man whom he counteth half a god this was young Lethington yeeld him help but shamefully he shall be pulled out of that nest and his carkase hung before the Sun meaning the Castle he did keep against the Kings Authority And so it fell out the yeer next following for the Castle was taken and he was publikely hanged and his body hung before the Sun The soul of that man is dear unto me and if it be possible I could fain have him to be saved They went as he had desired and conferred a long space with Grange but with no perswasion could he be diverted from his course Which being reported he took most heavily Yet Grange at his death did expresse serious repentance for his sins The next day he gave order for making his Coffin wherein his body should be laid and was that day as thorow all the time of his sicknesse much in prayer crying Come Lord Jesu Sweet Jesu into thy hands I commend my Spirit Being asked by those that attended him if his pains were great he answered That he did not esteem that a pain which would be to him the end of all troubles and beginning of eternall Joyes Oftentimes after some deep meditations he burst forth in these words O serve the Lord in fear and death shall not be troublesome unto you Blessed is the death of those that have part in the death of Jesus In the evening which was the last of this wretched life having slept some hours together
have the like in our neighbour Countrey of old called Gaule now France where the ancient name of Gaule among the vulgar is onely conserved in a little Countrey lying about Sens of old Senones this little Countrey is called Pays Gaulois and is divided in Haute basse Gaule So it was judiciously said by the Historiographer The name of the Isle Albion is derived from Albe and remains in Scotland as it were in its Native Soyl. Of Alpe or Albe signifying hill or high place you have the in-dwellers thereof sometimes named Albani as in Asia Dalmatia Italy and North Britannia and their Countrey Albania sometimes Albici Albigois in Languedock and their Countrey Albium or Albi in vulgar language sometimes Albini or Alpini and Albienses as the in-dwellers of our Albion who to this day call themselves as they have done of old c. which name is one and the same with Brigantes Here let us remark That as the Provincialls or In-dwellers of Britannia superiour subject to the Romans are ordinarily called by the Writers Britones so the others benorth the Empire have been called by the Writers Britanni peregrini transmarini strangers and beyond-Sea-men as if they had been of another Island And truely if it were not for the Strait betwixt the Rivers afore-named which did serve for Border unto them they were in another Island Hence England is said to be inter quatuor maria Ptolomeis Tacitus and Seneca tell us That the Brigantes inhabited Albion which when they writ was that part of the Island beyond the Roman Empire Therefore the Brigantes were then Albini or Albani Moreover the Brigantes about Eboracum now Yorke were of the Scots who came from Ireland a great and mighty People Iohn Fordon in his Scoti Chronicon writes That the Scots came so far South as Humber and possessed Lands there Also the Isle of Man was for a long time under the Crown of Scotland which Isle is as far South as the Countrey about Yorke although it be Westward and in the Sea And these were the Brigantes we now have spoken of The Brigantes at their first coming into Albion came as we have said without any certain or setled way of Government but being grown to a considerable number or Body they sent into Ireland for Fergus the first to be their King whose with a new Colonie coming into Albion is reckoned to be about Alexander the Great his time that is about three hundred yeers before the Birth of Christ. The Brigantes alias Albini for a certain time by some have been called Dalreudini although this name did not last long from the King Reuda who brought into Albion the second remarkable Colony from Ireland after Fergus about 180 yeers before Christ that is about 220 yeers after Fergus And Dale which signifieth Countrey and Province as is known to this day There is a certain place in the West of Scotland called to this very day Ridsdale We have heard That the people benorth the Roman Province upon the East side were originally Britains whence they were called Britanni Picti and somtimes Britanni Caledonii from one of the chief people sometimes simply Picti or Caledonii Also we have heard That the people benorth the Province on the West side were come from Ireland and called Brigantes or Album yea for a time Dalreudini Likewise we have heard That all the people benorth the Empire by a generall Appellation were called Scoti where they were all spoken of together but when they were spoken of apart those of the East were called Scoto-britanni Those of the West were called Scoto-brigantes as we have heard out of Seneca Moreover by progresse of time the Irish came to go under the name of Scots with those of Britannia minor or Albion who from them had help supply and recruites in their War against the Romans and Britans Provincialls Thus naming the Irish by the name of Scots began some hundred yeers after Christ that is towards the middle Ages And about that time Ireland was called by the name of Scotia as Abrahamus Ortelius hath remarked in these words I have observed Ireland to be named Scotia by the Writers of the middle Age. And so it hath been observed by the learned That ancient Authors did never name Ireland Scotia as you may see by those who have exactly reckoned up the old names of Ireland out of the ancient and Classick Authors So it was not said much amisse by one That this naming of Ireland by the name of Scotland was first about Beda his time who lived in the beginning of the eighth Age. Scaliger tells us That the word Scot is no Irish word but British that is not used in Ireland but in Britannia what is the origine and signification of the word we have heard before As the Irish began to be called Scots so the Picts left off to be so named now withdrawing themselves from the Brigantes or Albini and striking in with their enemies the Irish by the Writers were called Scoti Hibernienses and the Albins were called Scoti Albienses And Ireland was called Scotia major because Albania or Albion in those dayes which they called Scotia minor was of lesse extent But this name of Scots was not for any long time given to the Irish So that at length the name of Scots became peculiar to the Albins or Brigantes alone Lastly the Albins having subdued the Picts and made them no more a People communicated into the Countrey newly conquered by them the name of Scotia as one Countrey with Albinia and so all the in-dwellers there were called Scots with the Albins as one people with them and so they are to this day Now the Albins or Brigantes being the onely Masters of Britannia minor came to be called Scoto-Britanni as the Picts had been of old and are upon occasion called so to this day to distinguish them from the South Britons of whom some are called Cambro-britanni the rest Anglo-britanni Although the ancient Brigantes were called by forreigners Scoti namely by the Britons Provincialls and the Romans yet they did never name themselves so by this name Scoti neither do the High-landers to this day in their own language call themselves Scots but Albins So Scaliger had just reason to say That Scoti was not an Irish name As the Hellenes did never name themselves Greeks although they were so commonly called by the forreigners And the Misraims did not call themselves Egyptians although forreigners named them so The Scots now adayes are divided in Highland-men and Lowland-men The Highlanders are the true Progenie of the ancient Brigantes or Albins for the most part I say because some are come in later times from other Countreys And to this day our Highlanders as the Brigantes of old makes main use of their Bowes and Arrows in their war namely when they are among the hills so when they praise one for a Military man they say He is a good Bowe-man and Bray-man which two
new Governours of their Church who were to have a Degree and Pre-eminence above their brethren to wit the Prelat-Bishops Hitherto the Church of Scotland had been governed by Monks and Priests without any such dignity or pomp I call their new Governours Prelat-Bishops to distinguish them from their former Overseers and Superintendents of the Culdees who are sometime by Writers called Bishops as they were indeed but they had no Pre-eminence or rank of Dignity above the rest neither were they of any distinct Order from the rest of their Brethren That at this time by Palladius was brought into Scotland these new kinde of Bishops it appears by the relations of the Authors following thus Palladius is thought to be the first who made Bishops that is of this new order in Scotland for till then the Churches were without Bishops governed by Monks with lesse vanity truely and outward pomp but with greater simplicity and holinesse Before him saith Hector Boece Palladius was the first of all that did bear the holy Magistrature among the Scots being made Bishop by the great Pontif or Bishop for till then by the suffrage of the people the Bishops were made of the Monks and Culdees Iohn Mair speaks thus Before Palladius by Priests and Monks without Bishops the Scots were instructed in the faith Iohn Lesley saith this Among us Scots the Bishops were onely designed by the suffrage of Monks Iohn of Fordon in his Scots Chronicle saith Before the in-coming of Palladius the Scots had for Teachers of the Faith and Ministers of the Sacraments Presbyters onely or Monks following the Rites or Customs of the Primitive Church Mark the later words for according to this saying goes the judgment of the best Divines who write the truth without any respect Whose minde Iohn Semeca declareth thus In the first Primitive Church the Office of Bishops and Priests was common to the one and the other and both the names were common and the Office common to one and the other But in the second Primitive Church the names and the Offices began to be distinguished Baleus of the Briton writers Before Palladius the Scots had their Bishops and Ministers according to the Ministerie of the sacred Word chosen by the suffrage of the people after the custom of those of Asia But those things did not please the Romans who hated the Asiaticks Baronius in his Annalls saith this The Scots gat their first Bishop from Celestine Pontif Roman Prosper in his Chronic. The Pontif Celestine sendeth unto the Scots Palladius to be their Bishop Item Vnto the Scots then believing in Christ Palladius is ordained by Pope Celestine and sent thither the first Bishop Beda in the History of England Palladius was sent first Bishop unto the Scots by Celestine Pontif of the Roman Church By these Authorities we see That the Scots before Palladius had no Bishops at all or at least their Bishops were not of any distinct Order from other Priests and Culdees by whom they were ordained and of whom they were chosen as we have touched before and so they were not as those Bishops have been with us in these later times Next let us observe That the Scots Bishops since Palladius must acknowledge themselves clients of the Roman Antichrist seeing of him they have their beginning and dependance although in words yea in some part of Doctrine they seem to disclaim him yet in many parts they shew themselves to be of his Family namely in Government for they with him Lord over the Inheritance of Christ and forsooth take unto themselves the name of Lords Spirituall as if they were Lords of the Spirits of men contrary to Gods Word wherein we are taught That the Father and Maker of Spirits is the onely Lord over them or at least Lords of Spirituall things against the expresse words of the Apostles who acknowledge themselves to be onely Ministers of the Spirit and spirituall things reputing it the greatest honour in the world to be so And Peter who after he had stiled himself no more then co-Presbyter with the rest of the Presbyters he forbids them to Lord over the sort of Christ. Then since in the first Primitive Church the Functions of Bishop and Pastor and Presbyter were undistinguished and any one of the names indifferently denoted the Office it must be confessed That the change of Government which hath entred into the Church is not immediately from Christ and his Apostles neither by Precept nor Example but contrary to Christs Will and Intention declared in his Word and according to the inventions of men serving to the exorbitant affections of avarice ambition and lust to the satisfaction of which they have domineered over the Flock of Christ like tyrants devoured the substance thereof like ravening Wolves yea what is worse they have not onely been negligent and carelesse to distribute unto the people the Word of God but also with their might and power have hindered and stopped others to make known unto Gods people the pure light of his Gospel the ordinary means of salvation and consequently so farre as in them lieth by thus starving the people of this heavenly Food send them to hell Such were these Spirituall Lords who as they have encroached upon the Spirituall Lordship of Christ Jesus over his Flock and usurped his Authority yea and opposed it flatly under the name of Spirituall Authority and Jurisdiction so have they boldly and cunningly invaded the Prerogative of civill Magistrates by their Courts and Regalities within the Dominions of Princes where they live Yea in sundry places they usurp the full Authority of Princes and in others they flatly oppose it And all this hath been done not onely of old by those who were called Romish Bishops but also in our dayes by Bishops who in some things make a shew that they disclaim their Father the Pontif Roman whom in their heart they love and respect as their actions do witnesse Although by Palladius Prelacy was brought in the Church of Scotland and by that means the Government was changed and thereafter immediately by degrees other alterations crept into the Church yet those times after Palladius till the sixth Age I mean till Augustine the Monk may be said to be golden times and pure in regard of the following dayes wherein Church-men without any restraint abandoned themselves to ambition avarice and lust neglecting altogether their Function for in these fourth and fifth Ages they were many godly and learned men who were diligent in discharging the true Duty of a Pastor as Colombe Libthac Ethernan c. Then Knitogerne who by nick-name was called Mongo because his Master Servian speaking unto him used ordinarily this expression Mon ga which in corrupt French is as much to say as My boy Palladius having brought into the Church of Scotland Hierarchie as we have said takes to his next care to provide for the maintenance of this new Degree and Order which was obtained without great difficulty both of
making him a god when he is but a weak and infirme man servant of God This second fault is committed chiefly by the Sycophants and Parasites who have no other Church nor Chappell but the Court and make Petition to none but to the King whom to please they wholly study that they may catch somewhat to satisfie their inordinate desires And the first is committed namely by their prelaticall Clergy who withdraw from the Prince a great part of his due when they study to exempt themselves from his Obedience and take from him any inspection upon them namely concerning the discharge of their calling although by Gods Ordinance it be a main part of his Office to see God served and worshipped according to his Will revealed in his sacred Word We have a little above seen how that by the flattery of some Court-preachers the custome is brought into the Church to give unto the Prince not onely swelling but blasphemous Titles in the publike Prayer that is made by the Minister in the name of the Chruch but although this be too great an evill and requireth Reformation yet the flattery of some Preachers hath not stayed here for they according to their custome having addicted themselves to any one whom they conceive may help them to preferment stick not in the pulpit where all relation should be laid aside save that of a Minister of Gods Word to publish themselves yea in their Prayers to be varlets to this man or that man and what is worse yet in the Prayer they call their Masters and Lords Vertuous Pious and Religious when it is known to all That for the most part they have little Vertue lesse Piety and no Religion at all To have pointed at these things shall suffice for this place If any man will be contentious for these practices I answer him That the wel-Reformed Churches have no such Customs for among the other abuses whereof they have been purged by the care and diligence of the faithfull Vine-dressers under Gods blessing they have been pruned of this rotten Bud of slavish flattery as a corruption much opposite and contrary to the dignity and power of the Gospel But let us return after this long Digression In these dayes that is in the thirteenth Age lived Michael Scot renowned for his Learning in Physick Astronomy c. He is remembred by Picus Mirandula and Cornelius Agrippa very honourably Also then lived Thomas Lermouth commonly called The Rythmer whose Predictions are extant to this day But no wise man can make any thing of them more then of Merlin his Prophesies who lived long before him although sundry have pleased their fansies with idle Expositions of these two mens dreams Towards the end of this thirteenth Age the good Roman Pontif Boniface the eight making use of the havie moans and complaints that some of Scotland namely of the Bishops and other Clergie-men with their clients made against King Edward of England who then did cruelly afflict the Countrey claims a right unto the Crown of Scotland as reâ—igned unto him by the States And upon this he writes an insulting Letter and full of threatnings unto Edward that he was so malapert as to do any wrong to his vassalls and subjects where he had none truely save the Bishops and Shavelings with their clients Whether the Clergie did make this offer of subjection unto the Pope or whether he did falsly invent this lye we cannot tell but it is betwixt the Pope and his shaved creatures such master such men Let this teach us how the Popes are and have been and will be ever constantly ready watching at all occasions to draw all things to their Crosse. But this owning of the Scots by the Pope for his peculiar people did not last long for in a very short time thereafter notwithstanding the great ignorance of these dayes the Scots shewed themselves refractaries to his holy Orders and he in revenge did thunder the fire-bolts of his Excommunication against these rude fellows putting them to the Interdict all to small purpose for by these Bolts they were but very little dashed We have heard how that in former times the Church of Scotland was served by Culdees and they ruled by their Presbyteries or Elders having a Moderator or Prefect of themselves and of their own chusing This was for many yeers When Palladius brought in Prelacie a new holy Order into the Church of Scotland unknown to the preceding Ages it was with this Restraint That Bishops should be chosen by the Culdees and of them But when Bishops had once gotten certain Diocesses and Limits alotted unto them they set up a new Presbytery of their own or Councell of Canons or Regulars which they called Chapters by whom they intended to be chosen in following times The Culdees seeing this did oppose it with their main strength namely under King David who did take up the businesse thus being carried away by the Prelats That so many of the Culdees as would be Canons should have hand in the chusing of the Bishops But the Bishops to elude this Ordinance of the Prince obtained a Mandate from the Pope That no Culdee should be received in the Convent of Canons but by the consent of the Prior and most part of the Canons By these means the Culdees were kept out and deprived of their voyce in chusing of the Bishop In the time of the troubles of Baliol and Bruce one William Cumin Prefect of the Culdees thinks it fit for to bestir himself to trie what he could regain upon the Canons and so he opposeth the Election by the Canons of one William Lamberton to the Sea of S. Andrews The businesse being come to a great height by Appeal was drawn to Rome where after much debate pro forma time and moneys employed the holy Father Boniface the eight pronounces sentence in favour of his dear Clients the Canons and so Lamberton is made Bishop and consecrated by the Pope Boniface This fact turned so to the disgrace of the Culdees that after that time we reade no more of them so the Name and Order by little and little came to be quite extinguished about the beginning of the thirteenth age In the beginning of the fourteenth age the Order of the Templers was put down whether for their just demerits or for private ends and hatred we leave it to the Histories of these times Pope Clement the fift by his Bull did cashier them the Bull beginning thus Quanquam de jure non possumus tamen pro plenitudine potestatis dictum Ordinem reprobamus c. After which all Christian Princes did cause them to be apprehended in their severall Dominions and put them from their estates which was then given to Hospitallers and Knights of Saint Iohn after they had stood about two hundred yeers instituted by Baldonin King of Ierusalem for defence of that Citie and Temple and the safe conveying of all such as did travell thither They are also called Red friers
onely one or two who embraced the Truth all the rest were either professed persecutors of Gods Children and open enemies of the Truth or else they were given altogether so to satisfie their bellies and lusts that they had no care of Religion witnesse George Creichton in the name of all the rest Bishop of Dunkell who confessed truly That he had lived a long time Bishop and never knew any thing of the Old or New Testament Impietie Ignorance and Wickednesse came to such height among the Church-men of all ranks degrees and professions that God being after so long patience in a manner vexed with them did stirre up the people to chase them from the service of his House and to put others in their places as you will see in this following Historie whereunto I referre you And I shall close up this discourse with one or two passages worthy to be known whereby you may see the learning of the Church-Doctors in those dayes and how they did imploy the knowledge they had to abuse the poor people The first Passage is this One Richard Marshall Prior of the Blackefriers at Newcastle in England preached in Saint Andrews That the Pater-noster should be said to God onely and not to the Saints The Doctors of Saint Andrews offended at it made a Gray frier called Tottis preach against Marshall his Tenet which hee did thus taking his Text out of the fift of Saint Matthew Blessed are the poore in spirit Seeing we say Good day Father to any old man in the Street we may call a Saint Pater who is older then any alive And seeing they are in Heaven we may say to any of them Our Father which art in heaven And seeing they are holy we may say to any of them Hallowed be thy name And since they are in the Kingdom of Heaven we may say Thy kingdom come And seeing their will is Gods Will we may say to any of them Thy will be done But when the Gray Fryer preaching came to the fourth Petition Give us this day our dayly bread he was hissed at and so was constrained not onely to leave off Preaching but also to leave the City for shame Yet among the Doctors then assembled the Dispute continued about the Pater for some would have it said to God formaliter and to the Saints materialiter others to God principaliter to the Saints minus principaliter others primariò to God secundariò to the Saints others would have it said to God taking it strictè and to the Saints taking it latè Notwithstanding all these Distinctions the Doctors could not agree upon the businesse A fellow called Tom servant to the Sub-Prior of Saint Andrews one day perceiving his Master much troubled with some businesse and as he conceived weighty said to him Sir what is the matter of this your trouble The Master answered We cannot agree about the saying of the Pater The fellow replied To whom should it be said but to God alone The Master answers again What shall we do then with the Saints The fellow duplies Give them Ave's and Credo's enough that may suffice them and too well too If this was good Divinity God knows The second passage likewise is very well worth the knowing and to this purpose very fit which fell out about the same time with the former that is about the first beginning of the Reformation A little before the death of George Wischard there came home from Rome a fellow charged with very many holy Reliques and new things of great vertue as he gave out but the things were not to be had nor any benefit by the sight or touching of them without moneys Now upon a holy day in a village neer Hadington this Romish Pedler did open his pack to try if he could vent any of his Wares among the Countrey people Among other commodities the good Merchant did shew unto the people there was a Bell of much value by reason of its great vertue which he gave out to be this That if any two parties had any difference which could not be otherwise decided but by Oath the truth of the Oath was to be made known by this Bell for said he when any one sweareth laying his hand on this Bell if he swear true he shall after the Oath sworn remove his hand easily from from the Bell without any change to the Bell But if he that sweareth having his hand upon the Bell sweareth falsly his hand will stick to the Bell and the Bell will rive asunder Now we must tell you That already there was a rift in the Bell which this Romipete did affirm had happened by a false Oath of one that had sworn having his hand upon the Bell. At this tale the poor simple people were astonished and fell in admiration But among them was one Fermer who had some light of the Truth of God he drawing neer the Romish Merchant desired to have the Bell in his hand to see it neerly This desire was granted unto him Then he takes the Bell and looks on it expressing great admiration at first but immediately thereafter he asked at the Romipete if he would suffer him to swear in presence of the company having his hand upon the Bell for he had minde to take an Oath upon a weighty businesse The man could not refuse him Then said the Farmer to the company Friends before I swear you see the rift that is already in the Bell and how big it is and that I have nothing upon my fingers to make them stick to the Bell. With this he sheweth them his hand open then laying his hand upon the Bell he did swear this I swear in the presence of the living God and before these good people That the Pope of Rome is Antichrist and that all the rabble of his Clergie Cardinalls Archbishops Bishops Priests Monks with the rest of the crew are Locusts come from hell to delude the people and to withdraw them from God Moreover I promise They will return to hell Incontinent he lifted up his hand from the Bell before them all and said See friends that I have lifted up my hand freely from the Bell and look unto the rift in the Bell it is one and the same without change this sheweth according to the saying of this Merchant That I have sworn truth Then this poor fellow went away and never was more seen in Scotland nor any other of his kinde who brought Reliques or other like toyes from Rome Many more of this kinde might be alleadged but let these suffice to demonstrate the miserable ignorance from which God in his mercy hath delivered us To whom be praise and glory for this and all other benefits With this I end the Preface that you may come to the History it self 1553. PAtrick Hamilton was three and twenty yeers of Age when he suffered After his death his brother German Iames Hamilton of Levinston was accused likewise but the King did cause to convey him
that they are forgiven us by Christ and so we count God a liar for God saith Thou shalt have the inheritance of heaven for my Sons sake You say It is not so but I will gain it through mine own works So I condemn not good works but I condemn the false trust in any works for all then works that a man putteth confidence in are therewith intoxicate or impoysoned and become evil Wherefore do good works but beware thou do them not to get any good through them for if thou do thou receivest the good not as the gift of God but as a debt unto thee and makest thy self fellow with God because thou wilt take nothing from him for nought What needeth he any thing of thine who giveth all things and is not the poorer Therefore do nothing to him but take of him for he is a gentle Lord and with a gladder heart will give us all things that we need then we take it of him So that if we want any thing let us blame our selves Presse not then to the inheritance of heaven through presumption of thy good works for if thou doest thou countest thy self holy and equall unto him because thou wilt take nothing of him for nought And so shalt thou fall as Lucifer fell from heaven for his pride Thus ends M. Patricks Articles And so we return to our History When those cruell wolves had as they supposed clean devoured the prey they found themselves in worse case then they were before for then within S. Andrews yea almost within the whole Realm who heard of that fact there was none found who began not to inquire wherefore M. Patrike Hamilton was burnt and when his Articles were rehearsed Question was holden if such Articles were necessary to be beleeved under the pain of damnation And so within short space many began to call in doubt that which before they held for a certain verity insomuch that the University of S. Andrews and S. Leonards Colledge principally by the labours of Master Gawin Logy the Novises of the Abbey and by the sub-Prior began to smell somewhat of the verity and to espie the vanity of the received Superstition yea within few yeers after began both black and gray Friers publikely to Preach against the pride and idle life of Bishops and against the abuses of the whole Ecclesiâ—sticall estate amongst whom was one called Will. Arithâ— who in a Sermon preached in Dundie spake somewhat more liberally against the licentious life of the Bishops then they could well bear He spake further against the abuse of cursing and of Miracles The Bishop of Brechain having his Parasites and Jack-men in the Towne buffeted the Frier and called him Hereticke The Frier impatient of the injury received past to S. Andrews and did communicate the heads of his Sermon with Master Iohn Mair whose word then was holden as an Oracle in matters of Religion and being assured of him than such Doctrine might well be defended and that he would defend it for it contained no Heresie There was one day appointed to the said Frier to make repetition of the same Sermon and advertisement was given to all such as was offended at the former to be present And so in the Parish Church of S. Andrews upon the day appointed appeared the said Frier and had amongst his Auditors M. Iohn Mair M. George Lockart the Abbot of Gambuskeneth M. Patricke Hepburn Prior of Saint Andrews with all the Doctours and Masters of the Universities The theme of his Sermon was Verity is the strongest of all things His discourse of cursing was That if it were warily used it were the most fearfull thing upon the face of the earth for it were the very separation of man from God but that it should not be used rashly and for every light cause but onely against open and incorrigible sinners but now said he the avarice of Priests and the ignorance of their Office hath caused it altogether to be vile-pended For the Priest saith he whose Duty and Office is to pray for the people standeth up on Sunday and cryeth Anne has lost her Spindle There is a Flail stollen behinde the barne The goodwife on the other side of the gate hath lost a horne spoon Gods curse and mine I give to them that knoweth of thy goods and restoreth them not How the people mocked their cursing he further told a merry tale How after a Sermon that he made at Dumfermeling he came to a house where gossips were drinking their Sundayes penny and he being drie asked drink Yes Father said one of the gossips ye shall have drinke but ye must first resolve one doubt which is risen among us to wit What servant will serve a man best at least expences The good Angel said I who is mans keeper who maketh good service without expences Tush said the gossip we mean no such high matters we mean What honest man will do greatest service for least expences And while I was musing said the Frier what that should mean she said I see father that the greatest Clerks are not the wisest men Know ye not how the Bishops and their Officials serve us husbandmen Will they not give to us a letter of cursing for a plack to last for a yeare to curse all that look over our ditch and that keep our Corne better nor the sleeping boy that will have three shillings of Fee a shirt and a pair of shooes in the yeer And therefore if their cursing do any thing we hold the Bishops the cheapest servants in that behalf that are within the Realme As concerning Miracles he declared what deligence the ancients took to try true miracles from false But now said he the greedinesse of Priests not onely receive false miracles but also they cherish and hire knaves for that purpose that their Chappels may be the better renowned and Offerings may be augmented And thereupon are many Chappels founded as that if our Lady were mightier and that she took more pleasure in one place than in another As of late dayes our Lady of Karsgreng hath hopped from one green hillock to another But honest men of Saint Andrewes said he if ye love your wives and daughters hold them at home or else send them in good honest company for if ye knew what miracles were wrought there ye would neither thank God nor our Lady And thus he meerly tanted their Priests of whoredome and adultery used at such devotion Another Article was judged more hard for he alleadged the common Law That the Civill Magistrate might correct the Church-men and deprive them of their Benefices for open vices Another day the same Frier made another Sermon of the Abbot of Unreason unto whom and whose Laws he compareth Prelats of that age for they were subject to no Laws no more than was the Abbot of Unreason And among other things he told such a merry jest There was said he a Prelate
or at least a Prelats Peere a true servant to the King of Love who upon a night after Supper asked of his Gentlemen by the faith that they ought to the king of Love that they truely declare how many sundry women every one of them had and how many of them were mens wives One answered He had lien with five and two of them were married The other answered I have had seven and three of them are married It came last to my Lord Abbot himself who making it very nice for a little space gave in the end a plain confession and said I am the youngest man and yet have I had the round dozen and seven of them are mens wives Now said the Frier This god and king of Love to whom our Prelates do homage is the master devill of hell from whom such fruits and works do proceed This Frier was known by his proper tokens to have been Prior Patrike Hepburne now Bishop of Murray who to this day hath continued in the profession that he hath made to his god and king of love It was supposed notwithstanding this kinde of preaching that this Frier remained Papist in his heart For the other Friers fearing to lose the Benediction of the Bishops to wit Their Malt and their Meale and their other appointed Pensions caused the said Frier to flie to England where for defence of the people and Papistry he was cast into prison at King Henries commandment But so it pleased God to open the mouth of Balaams own Asse to cry out against the vitious lives of the Clergie of that age Shortly after this new consultation was taken there that some should be burnt for men began liberally to speak A merry Gentleman named Iohn Lindsey familiar to Bishop Iames Betonne standing by when consultation was had said My Lord If ye burne any more except ye follow my counsell ye will utterly destroy your selves if ye will burne them let them be burnt in hollow Cellars for the smoke of Master Patrike Hammilton hath infected as many as it blew upon Thus it pleased God that they should be tanted in their own face But here followeth the most merry of all One Alexander Furrour who had been imprisoned seven yeers in the Tower of London Sir Iohn Dungwaill according to the charity of Church-men entertained his wife and wasted the poor mans substance for the which cause at his returning he spake more liberally of Priests then they could bear And so was he declared to be accused for heresie and called to his answer to Saint Andrewes he leapt up merrily upon the Scaffold and casting a gambade said Where are the rest of the Players Master Andrew Olyphant offended therewith said It shall be no Play to you Sir before ye depart and so began to reade his Accusation the first Article whereof was That he despised the Masse His answer was I heare more Maffes in eight dayes than three Bishops there sitting say in a yeare Accused secondly of the contempt of the Sacraments The Priests said he were the most common contemners of Sacraments and specially of Matrimony And that he witnessed by many of the Priests there present and named the mans wife with whom they had medled and especially Sir Iohn Dungwaill who had seven yeers together abused his own wife and consumed his substance and said because I complain of such injuries I am here summoned and accused as one that is worthy to be burnt For Gods sake said he will ye take wives of your own that I and others whom ye have abused may be revenged upon you Then Bishop Gawin Dumbar named the old Bishop of Aberdein thinking to justifie himself before the people said Carle thou shalt not know my wife The said Alexander answered My Lord ye are too old but with the grace of God I shall drink with your daughter or I depart and thereat was smiling of the best and loud laughter of some for the Bishop had a daughter married with Andrew Balfour in that Town Then the Bishop bade away with the carle But he answered Nay I will not depart this hour for I have more to speak against the vices of Priests than I can expresse this whole day And so after divers purposes they commanded him to burn his Bill And he demanding the cause they said Because ye have spoken these Articles whereof ye are accused His answer was The great devill beare them away that first and last said them and so he took the Bill and chawing it he spat it in Master Andrew Olyphants face saying Now burn it or drown it whether ye wil ye hear no more of me But I must have somewhat of every one of you to begin my pack againe which a Priest and my wife a Priests whore have spent And so every Prelat and rich Priest glad to be quit of his evill gave him somewhat and so departed he for he understood nothing of Religion But so fearfull it was then to speak any thing against Priests that the least word spoken against them yea albeit it was spoken in a mans sleep was judged Heresie and that was practised upon Richard Carmichell yet living in Fyfe who being young and Singer in the Chappel Royal of Sterelin happened in his sleep to say The devill take away the Priests for they are a greedy pack He therefore accused by Sir George Clapperton Dean of the said Chappel was compelled forthwith to burne his Bill But God shortly after raised up against them stronger Champions For Alexander Seton a black Frier of good learning and estimation began to blame the corrupt doctrine of Papistry For the space of a whole Lent he taught the Commandment onely ever beating in the ears of his auditors That the Law of God had of many yeers not been truely taught for mens Tradition had obscured the purity of it These were his accustomed Propositions 1. Christ Jesus is the end and perfection of the Law 2. There is no sin where Gods Law is not violated 3. To satisfie for sins lies not in mans power but the remission thereof cometh by unfained Repentance and by faith apprehending God the Father mercifull in Jesus Christ his Son While oftentimes he puts his auditors in minde of this and the like Heads he maketh no mention of Purgatory Pardons Pilgrimage prayer to Saints nor of such trifles The dumb Doctors and the rest of that forsworne rabble began to suspect him and yet said they nothing publikely till Lent was ended And he passed to Dundie And then one in his absence hired to that purpose openly condemned the whole Doctrine that before he had taught Which coming to the ears of the said Frier Alexander then being in Dundie without delay he returned to Saint Andrewes caused immediately to toll the Bell and to give signification that he would preach as that he did indeed in the which Sermon he affirmeth and that more plainly than at any other time whatsoever in all his
very simple people understood and confessed That as the Priests and obstinate Pharisees perswaded the people to refuse Christ Jesus and caused Pilate to condemne him So did the Bishops and men called Religious blinde the people and perswade Princes and Judges to persecute such as professe Christ Jesus his blessed Gospel This plain speaking so inflamed the hearts of all that bare the Beasts mark that they ceased not till the said Friar Killâ—r and with him Frier Beaverege Sir Duncane Symson Robert Forester Gentleman and Deane Thomas Forrat Channon regular and Vicar of Dolour a man of upright life who altogether were cruelly murthered in one fire upon the Castle hill the last of February in the yeere of our Lord 1538. This cruelty was used by the aforesaid Cardinall the Chancellour the Bishop of Glasgow and the incestuous Bishop of Dumblane After that this cruelty was used in Edinburgh upon the Castle hill to the effect that the rest of the Bishops might shew themselves no lesse fervent to suppresse the lyght of God then he of S. Andrews was were apprehended two of the Diocesse of Glasgow The one named Ieronimus Russell a gray Frier a young man of a meeke nature quicke spirit and good Learning And one Alexander Kennedie who passed not eighteen yeers of age one of excellent wit in vulgar Poesie To assist the Bishop of Glasgow in that cruell judgement or at least to dip his hands in the blood of the Saints of God were sent Master Iohn Lawdâ—r Master Andrew Olyphant and Frier Meitman servants of Satan apt for that purpose The day appointed to the cruelty approached The two poore Saints of God were presented before those bloody butchers grievous were the crimes that were laid to their charge Kennedie at the first was faint and gladly would have recanted but while the place of repentance was denied unto him the spirit of God which is the spirit of all comfort began to work in him yea the inward comfort began to burst forth as well in visage as in tongue and word for his countenance began to be cheerfull and with a joyfull voice upon his knees he said O eternall God how wonderfull is that love and mercy that thou bearest unto mankinde and unto me the most caitife and miserable wretch above all others For even now when I would have denied thee and thy Son our Lord Iesus Christ my onely Saviour and so have cast my self into everlasting damnation Thou by thine own hand hast pulled me from the very bottome of hell and made me to feele that heavenly comfort which takes from me that ungodly feare wherewith before I was oppressed Now I defie death do what ye please I praise my God I am ready The godly and learned Ieronimus railed upon by these godlesse Tyrants answered This is your houre and power of darknesse Now sit ye as Iudges and we stand wrongfully accused and more wrongfully to be condemned but the day shall come when our innocencie shall appeare and that ye shall see your own blindnesse to your everlasting confusion Go forward and fulfill the measure of your iniquity While that these servants of God thus behaved themselves a variance ariseth betwixt the Bishop and the beasts that came from the Cardinall For the Bishop said I thinke it better to spare these men then to put them to death Whereat the idiot Doctors offended said What will ye do my Lord will ye condemne all that my Lord Cardinall and the other Bishops and we have done If so ye do ye shew your selfe enemy to the Church and us and so we will repute you be ye assured At which words the faithlesse man afraid adjudged the innocents to die according to the desire of the wicked The meeke and gentle Ieronimus Russell comforted the other with many comfortable sentences oft saying unto him Brother fear not more mighty is he that is in us than he that is in the world the pain that we shall suffer is short and shall be light but our joy and consolation shall nevea have end and therefore let us contend to enter in unto our Master and Saviour by the same strait way which he hath taken before us Death cannot destroy us for it is destroyed already by him for whose sake we suffer With these and the like comfortable sentences they passed to the place of execution and constantly triumphed over death and Sathan even in the midst of the flaming fire And thus did those cruell beasts intend nothing but murther in all the quarters of this Realme for so far had they blinded and corrupted the inconsiderate Prince that he gave himself to obey the tyrannie of those bloodie beasts and he made a solemne Vow That none should be spared that was suspect of Heresie yea although it were his own son To presse and push him forward in this his fury he lacked not flatters enow for many of his Minions were pensioners to Priests Amongst whom Oliver Synclare yet remaining enemy to God was principall And yet did not God cease to give that blinded Prince documents that some sudden punishment was to fall upon him if he did not repent and amend his life and that his own mouth did confesse For after that Sir Iames Hamilton was beheaded justly or unjustly we dispute not this Vision came unto him as to his familiars himself did declare the said Sir Iames appeared unto him having in his hands a drawn sword with the which he stroke from the King both the arms saying to him these words Take that till thou receive a finall payment for all thy impiety This Vision with sorrowful countenance he shewed on the morrow and shortly thereafter died his two sons both within the space of 24 hours yea some say within the space of six hours In his own presence George Steill his greatest flatterer and greatest enemy to God that was in his Court dropped off his horse and died not saying one word that same day that in audience of many the said George had refused his portion of Christs Kingdom if the prayers of the Virgin Mary should not bring him thereto How terrible a Vision the said Prince saw lying in Lintlightow that night that Thomas Scot Justice Clerk died in Edinburgh men of good credite can yet report For afraid at midnight or after he called aloud for Torches and raised all that lay beside him in the Pallace and told that Thomas Scot was dead for he had been at him with a company of devills and had said unto him these words O we to the day that ever I knew thee or thy service for serving of thee against God against his servants and against Iustice I am adjudged to endlesse torment How terrible voyces the said Thomas Scot pronounced before his death men of all estates heard and some that yet live can witnesse his voice ever was Iusto Dei judicio condemnatus sum that is I am condemned by
Forrest now called the Generall a man that long professed the truth and upon whom many in that time depended The second night he lay in Lethington the Laird whereof was ever civill albeit not perswaded in Religion The day following before the said M. George past to the Sermon there came to him a boy with a Letter from the Westland which received and read he called for Iohn Knox who had waited upon him carefully from the time he came to Louthaine with whom he began to enter into purpose That he wearied of the world for he perceiveth that men began to be weary of God The cause of his complaint was The Gentlemen of the West had written unto him That they could not keep the meeting at Edinburgh The said Io. Knox wondering that he desired to keep any purpose before Sermon for that was not his accustomed use before said Sir the time of Sermon approacheth I will leave you for the present to your meditation And so he took the Bill containing the purpose aforesaid and left him the said Master George walked up and down behinde the high Altar more than half an houre His weary countenance and visage declared the grief and alteration of his minde At last he passeth to the Pulpit but the Auditory was small he should have begun to have treated of the second Table of the Law but thereof in that Sermon spake he very little He began on this manner O Lord How long shall it be that thy holy Word shall be despised and men shall not regard their owne salvation I have heard of thee Hadington That in thee would have been at any vaine Clarke Play two or three thousand people and now to hear the Messenger of the Eternall God of all the Towne or Parish cannot be numbred one hundred persons Sore and fearfull shall the plagues be that shall ensue upon of this thy contempt with fire and sword shalt thou be plagued Yea thou Hadington in speciall strangers shall possesse thee and you the present inhabitants shall either in bondage serve your enemies or else ye shall be chased from your own habitations and that because ye have not knowne nor will not know the time of Gods mercifull visitation In such vehemency and threatning continued that servant of God neer an hour and an half in the which he declared all the plagues that ensued as plainly as after our eyes saw them performed In the end he said I have forgotten my self and the matter that I should have treated of But let these my last words concerning publike Preaching remain in your mindes till that God send you new comfort Thereafter he made a short Paraphrase upon the second Table with an Exhortation to patience to the fear of God and unto the works of mercy and so ended as it were making his last Testament as the issue declared fully The Spirit of Truth and of true Judgement were both in his heart and mouth for that same night was he apprehended before midnight in the house of Ormeston by the Earle Bothwell made for money butcher to the Cardinall The manner of his taking was thus Departing from the towne of Hadington he took his good-night as it were for ever of all his acquaintance especially from Hewe Dowglas of Langindrie Iohn Knox pressing to have gone with the said Master George he said Nay returne to your children and God blesse you one is sufficient for one Sacrifice And so the said Iohn Knox albeit unwillingly obeyed and returned with Hewe Dowglas of Langindrie Master George having to accompany him the Laird of Ormeston Iohn Sandelandes of Calder younger the Laird of Brounston and others with their servants passed upon foot for it was a vehement Frost to Ormeston After supper he held comfortable purpose of Gods chosen children and merrily said Methinke that I desire earnestly to sleep And therewith he said Shall we sing a Psalm And so he appointed the One and fiftieth Psalme which was put in Scottish Meeter and began thus Have mercy on me now good Lord after thy great mercy c. Which being ended he past to his Chamber and sooner then his common diet was to passe to bed with these words And grant quiet rest Before midnight the place was beset about that none could escape to make advertisement The Earle Bothwell came and called for the Laird and declared the purpose and said That it was but in vain to make him to hold his house for the Governour and the Cardinall with all their power were coming and indeed the Cardinall was at Elphinston not a mile distant from Ormeston But if he would deliver the man to him he would promise upon his Honour That he should be safe and that it should passe the power of the Cardinall to do him any harme or hurt Allured with these words and taking counsell with the said Master George who at the first word said Open the gates the blessed will of my God be done They received in the Earle Bothwell himself with some Gentlemen with him To whom Master George said I praise my God that so honourable a man as you my Lord receiveth me this night in the presence of these noble men For now I am assured That for your Honours sake ye will suffer nothing any wayes to be done to me but by the order of Law I am not ignorant that all their Law is nothing but corruption and a cloake to shed the blood of the Saints But yet I lesse fear to die openly than secretly to be murthered The said Earle Bothwell answered I shall not onely preserve your body from all violence that shall be purposed against you against order of Law but also I promise here in the presence of these Gentlemen That neither shall the Governour nor the Cardinall have their will of you But I shall retaine you in mine owne hands and in mine owne house till that either I shall make you free or else restore you in the same place where I receive you The Lairds aforesaid said My Lord If ye will do as you have spoken and as we thinke your Lordship will do then do we here promise unto your Lordship That not onely we our selves shall serve you all the dayes of our life but also we shall procure the whole professors within Lothan to do the same And upon either the preservation of this our brother or upon his delivery againe to our hands we being reasonably advertised to receive him That we in the name and behalfe of our friends shall deliver to your Lordship or any sufficient man that shall deliver to us againe this servant of God our Band of Manred in manner requisite And thus promise made in the presence of God and hands stricken upon both the parties for observation of the promise the said Master George was delivered to the hands of the said Earle Bothwell who immediately departing with him came to Elphinston where the Cardinall was Who
I have learned by experience that Fasting is good for the health and conservation of the body But God onely knoweth who fasteth the true Fast. The eighteenth Article Thou false Hereticke hast Preached openly saying That the soules of men shall sleepe to the latter day of judgement and shall not obtaine life immortall untill the last day The Answer God full of mercy and goodnesse forgive them that say such things of me I wot and know surely by the Word of God that he who hath begun to have the Faith of Jesus Christ and to beleeve firmely in him I know surely I say that the soule of that man shall never sleepe but ever shall live an immortall life the which life from day to day is renewed in Grace and augmented nor yet shall ever perish or have an end but shall ever live immortall with Christ the head To the which life all that beleeve in him shall come and rest in eternall glory Amen WHen that the Bishops with their complices had accused this innocent man in manner and forme aforesaid incontinently they condemned him to be burnt as an Hereticke not having respect to his godly answers and true reasons which he alleadged nor yet to their own consciences Thinking verily that they should do to God good sacrifice conformable to the sayings of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Saint Iohn the 16. Chapter They shall excommunicate you yea and the time shall come that he which killeth you shall thinke that he hath done to God good service The Prayer of Master George Wischarde O Immortall God how long shalt thou suffer the rage and great crudelitie of the ungodly to exercise their fury upon thy servants which doe further thy Word in this world seeing they desire to do the contrary That is to choke and destroy thy true Doctrine and Veritie by the which thou hast shewed thee unto the world which was all drowned in blindnesse and misknowledge of thy Name O Lord we know surely that thy true servants must needs suffer for thy Names sake persecution affliction and troubles in this present life which is but a shadow as thou hast shewed to us by thy Prophets and Apostles But yet we desire thee mercifull Father that thou wouldst conserve defend and help thy congregation which thou hast chosen before the beginning of the world and give them thy grace to heare thy Word and to be thy true servants in this present life Then by and by they caused the common people to remove whose desire was always to hear that Innocent man speak Then the sons of darknesse pronounced their sentence definitive not having respect to the Judgement of God When all this was done and said the Cardinall causeth his tormentors to passe again with the meek Lambe unto the Castle untill such time as the fire was made ready When he was come into the Castle then there came two fiends two gray-Friers Frier Scot and his mate saying Sir you must make your confession unto us He answered I will make no confession Go fetch me yonder man that preached unto us this day and I will conferre with him Then they sent for the Sub-prior of the Abbey who came to him with all diligence And conferred with him a pretty while at last burst forth in teares but so soon as he was able to speak he asked him If he would receive the Communion Master Wischarde answered He would most willingly if he could have it according to Christs institution under both kindes The Sub-prior went to the Cardinall and his Prelats he told them That Master Wischarde was an innocent man which he said not to intercede for his life but to make known the innocency of the man unto all men as it was known to God At these words the Cardinall was angry and said to the Sub-Prior Long agoe we knew what you were Then the Sub-Prior demanded Whether they would suffer M. Wischarde to receive the Communion or no They answered No. A while after M. Wischarde had ended with the Sub-Prior the Captaine of the Castle with some other friends came to him and asked him If he would break fast with them He answered Most willingly for I know you to be most honest and godly men So all being ready he desired them to sit downe and heare him a while with patience Then he discoursed to them about halfe an houre concerning the Lords Supper his Sufferings and Death for us He exhorteth them to love one another laying aside all rancor envie and vengeance as perfect members of Christ who intercedes continually for us to God the Father After this he gave thanks and blessing the Bread and Wine he took the Bread and brake it and gave to every one of it bidding each of them Remember that Christ had died for them and feed on it spiritually So taking the Cup he bade them Remember that Christs blood was shed for them c. And after he gave thanks and prayed for them When he had done he told them That he would neither eat nor drink more in this life and so retired to his Chamber Immediately after came to him sent from the Cardinall two executioners one brought him a coat of Linnen died black and put it upon him The other brought some baggs full of Powder which they tied to severall parts of his body Thus having dressed him they brought him to an outer Roome neere to the gate of the Castle Then the fire was made ready and the Stake at the West port of the Castle neere to the Priory Over against the place of execution the Castle Windows were hung with rich hangings and Velvet Cushions laid for the Cardinall and Prelats who from thence did feed their eyes with the torments of this innocent man The Cardinall dreading that Master George should have been taken away by his friends Before had commanded to bend all the ordnance of the Castle right against the place of execution and commanded all his Gunners to be ready and stand beside their Gunnes unto such time as he was burnt All this being done they bound Master George his hands behinde his backe and with sound of Trumpet led him forth with the Souldiers from the Castle to the place of their cruell and wicked execution As he came forth of the Castle gate there met him certain beggars asking of him almes for Gods sake To whom he answered I want my hands wherewith I was wont to give you almes But the mercifull Lord of his benignity and abundant grace that feedeth all men vouchsafe to give you necessaries both unto your bodies and soules Then afterward met him two false Fiends I should say Friers saying M. George pray to your Lady that she may be a Mediatrix for you to her Sonne To whom he answered meekly Cease tempt me not I intreat you After this he was led to the fire with a rope about his neck and a chaine of iron about his middle When that he came to the fire he
short discourse of the four Empires The Babylonian The Persian That of the Greekes And the fourth of the Romanes in the destruction whereof rose up that last Beast which he affirmed to be the Romane Church for to none other power that ever hath yet beene do all the notes that God hath shewed to the Prophet appertain except to it alone And unto it they do so properly appertaine that such as are not more then blinde may cleerly see them But before he began to open the corruptions of Papistrie he defined the true Church shewed the true notes of it whereupon it was built why it was the Pillar of Verity and why it could not erre to wit Because it heard the voyce of the onely Pastor JESUS CHRIST would not heare a stranger neither would be carried with every winde of Doctrine Every one of these heads sufficiently declared he entred to the contrary and upon the notes given in his Text he shewed that the Spirit of God in the new Testament gave to this King other new names to wit The man of sin The Antichrist The Whore of Babilon He shewed That this man of sin or Antichrist was not to be restrained to the person of any one man onely no more then by the fourth Beast was to be understood the person of any one Emperour But by such names the Spirit of God would forewarne his chosen of a body and a multitude having a wicked head which should not onely be sinfull himself but also should be occasion of sin to all that should be subject unto him as Christ Jesus is the cause of Justice to all the Members of his Body and is called the Antichrist that is to say One contrary to Christ because that he is contrary to him in Life Doctrine Lawes and Subjects And there began to decipher the lives of divers Popes and the lives of all the Shavelings for the most part Their Doctrine and Lawes he plainly proved to repugne directly to the Doctrine and Lawes of God the Father and of Christ Jesus his Son This he proved by conferring the Doctrine of Justification expressed in the Scriptures which teach that man is justified by Faith onely That the blood of Iesus Christ purgeth us from all our sinnes And the Doctrine of the Papists which attribute Justification to the works of the Law yea to the works of mens inventions as Pilgrimage Pardons and other such baggage That the Papisticall lawes repugned to the Lawes of the Gospel he proved by the Lawes made of observation of dayes abstaining from meats and from Marriage which Christ Jesus made free and the forbidding whereof Saint Paul calleth the doctrine of devils In handling the notes of that Beast given in the Text he willed men to consider if these notes There shall another rise unlike to the other having a mouth speaking great things and blasphemous could be applyed unto any other but to the Pope and his kingdome For if these said he be not great words and blasphemous The Head of the Church most holy most blessed that cannot erre That can make right of wrong and wrong of right That of nothing can make somewhat And that had all verity in the Shrine of his brest yea That had power of all and none power of him Nay not to say That he doth wrong although he draw ten thousand Millions of souls with himself to hell If these said he and many other easie to be showne in his own Cannon-Law be not great and blasphemous words and such as never mortall men spake before let the world judge And yet said he is there one most evident of all to wit Iohn in his Revelation sayes That the Merchandise of that Babylonian Harlot among other things shall be the bodies and souls of men Now let very Papists themselves judge If any before them took upon them power to relax the pains of them that were in Purgatory as they affirme to the people that daily they do by the merits of their Masse and of their other trifles In the end he said If any here and there were present Master Iohn Maire the University the Sub-Prior and many Cannons with some Friers of both the Orders that will say That I have alleadged Scripture Doctor or History otherwise then it is written let them come unto me with sufficient witnesse and by conference I shall let them see not onely the Originall where my Testimonies are written but I shall prove That the Writers meant as I have spoken Of this Sermon which was the first that ever Iohn Knox made in publike was divers brutes Some said He not onely hewes the branches of Papistry but he strikes at the root also to destroy the whole Others said If the Doctors and Magistri nostri defend not now the Pope and his Authority which in their own presence is so manifestly impugned the devill may have my part of him and of his Lawes both Others said Master George Wischarde spake never so plainly and yet he was burnt even so will he be In the end others said The Tyranny of the Cardinall made not his cause the better neither yet the suffering of Gods servant made his cause the worse And therefore we would counsell you and them to provide better defences then fire and sword for it may be that else ye will be disappointed men now have other eyes then they had then This answer gave the Laird of Nydrie a man fervent and upright in Religion The bastard Bishop who yet was not execrated consecrated the Sub-Prior of S. Andrews who Sede vacante was Vicar Generall That he wondered that he suffered such Hereticall and Schismaticall Doctrine to be taught and not to oppose himselfe to the same Upon this rebuke was a convention of gray-Friers and black-Fiends appointed with the said Sub-Prior Deane Iohn Winrame in S. Leonards Yard whereunto was first called Iohn Rough and certain Articles read to him And thereafter was Iohn Knox called for The cause of their convention and why that they were called is expounded And the Articles were read which were these 1. No mortall man can be the head of the Church 2. The Pope is an Antichrist and so is no member of Christs mysticall body 3. Man may neither make nor devise a Religion that is acceptable to God but man is bound to observe and keep the Religion that from God is received without chopping or changing thereof 4. The Sacraments of the New Testament ought to be ministred as they were instituted by Christ Iesus and practised by his Apostles nothing ought to be added unto them nothing ought to be diminished from them 5. The Masse is abominable Idolatry blasphemous to the death of Christ and a prophanation of the Lords Supper 6. There is no Purgatory in the which the soules of men can either be pined or purged after this life But heaven resteth to the faithfull and hell to the reprobate and unfaithfull 7. Praying for the dead
your Ceremonies cannot abide the Word of God Ergo They cannot abide the fire And if they may not abide the fire then are they not gold silver nor precious stones Now if ye finde any ambiguity in this terme Fire which I interpret to be the Word finde ye me another fire by the which things builded upon Jesus Christ should be tried then God and his Word which both in the Scriptures are called fire and I shall correct mine Argument Arbugkill I stand not thereupon but I deny your Minor to wit That our Ceremonies may not abide the triall of Gods Word Iohn Knox. I prove That abides not the triall of Gods Word which Gods Word condemnes But Gods Word condemnes your Ceremonies Therefore they do not abide the triall thereof But as a thief abides the triall of the Inquest and thereby is condemned to be hanged even so may your Ceremonies abide the triall of Gods Word but not else And now in few words to make plain that wherein ye may seem to doubt to wit that Gods Word damnes your Ceremonies it is evident For the plain and strait Commandment is Not that thing that appears good in thine eyes shalt thou do to the Lord thy God but what the Lord thy God hath commanded thee that do thou adde nothing to it diminish nothing from it Now unlesse that ye be able to prove that God hath commanded your Ceremonies this his former Commandment will damne both you and them The Frier somewhat abashed what first to answer while he wanders about in the mist he falls in a foule mire For alleadging that we may not be so bound to the Word he affirmed That the Apostles had not received the Holy Ghost when they did write their Epistles but after they received him and then they ordained Ceremonies few would have thought that so learned a man would have given so foolish an answer yet it is even as true as he did bear a gray Coull Iohn Knox hearing the answer start and said If that be true I have long been in an errour and I think I shall die therein The Sub-Prior said to him Father What say ye God forbid that ye affirme that for then farewell the ground of our faith The Frier astonied made the best shift that he could to correct his fault but it would not be Iohn Knox brought him oft again to the ground of the Argument But he would never answer directly but ever fled to the authority of the Church whereto the said Iohn answered ofter then once That the Spouse of Christ had neither power nor authority against the Word of God Then said the Frier If so be ye will leave us no Church Indeed said the other in David I reade that there is a Church of the Malignants for he saith Odi Ecclesiam malignantium That Church ye may have without the Word and doing many things directly fighting against the Word of God Of that Church if ye will be I cannot hinder you But as for me I will be of none other Church except of that which hath Iesus Christ to be Pastour which hears his voice and will not heare a stranger In this Disputation many other things were merrily skoft over For the Frier after his fall could speak nothing to any purpose For Purgatorie he had no better proofe but the authority of Virgil in the sixth of his Aeneiads and the paines thereof to him was an Evil wife Iohn Knox answered that and many other things as he himself witnesseth in a Treatise that he did write in the Gallies containing the sum of his Doctrine and the confession of his Faith and sent it to his familiars in Scotland with his exhortation That they should continue in the Truth which they had professed notwithstanding any worldly adversity that might ensue thereof Thus much of that disputation have we inserted here to the intent that men may see how Satan ever travelleth to obscure the Light and how God by his power working in his weak vessels confounds the craft and discloseth the darknesse of Satan After this the Papists and Friers had no great heart of further disputation or reasoning but invented another shift which appeared to proceed from godlinesse and it was this Every learned man in the Abbey and in the Universitie should Preach in the Parish Church his Sunday about The Sub-Prior began followed the Officiall called Spittall Sermons was penned to offend no man followed all the rest in their ranks And so Iohn Knox smelled out the craft and in his Sermons which he made upon the Weeke-dayes he prayed to God that they should be as busie in Preaching when there should be more want of it then there was then Alwayes said he I praise God that Christ Jesus is Preached and nothing is said publikely against the Doctrine that ye have heard If in my absence they shall speak any thing which in my presence they do not I protest that ye suspend your judgement till that it please God ye hear me againe God so assisted his weak Souldier and so blessed his labours that not onely all these of the Castle but also a great number of the Town openly professed by participation of the Lords Table in the same purity that now it is ministred in the Churches of Scotland with that same Doctrine that he had taught unto them Amongst whom was he that now either rules or else misrules Scotland to wit Sir Iames Balfour sometimes called M. Iames the chiefe and principall Protestant that then was to be found within this Realm This we write because that we have heard that the said Master Iames alleadgeth that he was never of this our Religion but that he was brought up in Martin Luthers opinion of the Sacrament and therefore he cannot communicate with us But his own conscience and two hundred witnesses besides know that he lies and that he was one of the chief if he had not been after his cups that would have given his life if men might credit his words for defence of the doctrine that the said Iohn Knox taught But albeit that those that never were of us as none of Monquhauneys house have shewed themselves to be depart from us it is no great wonder For it is proper and naturall that the children follow the father and let the godly beware of that race and progenie by eschewing it For if in them be either fear of God or love of vertue further then the present commoditie perswades them men of judgement are deceived But to return to our History The Priests and Bishops enraged at all these proceedings that were in Saint Andrews ran now upon the Governour now upon the Queene now upon the whole Counsell and there might have been heard complaints and cryes What are we doing Shall we suffer this whole Realme to be infected with pernicious Doctrine fie upon you and fie upon us The Queen and
perpetuall prison And the ungodly judged That after this Christ Jesus should never triumph in Scotland On thing we cannot passe by From Scotland was sent a famous Clerke laugh not Reader M. Iohn Hammilton of Milburne with credit to the King of France and unto the Cardinall of Loraine and yet he had neither French nor Latine and some say his Scotish tongue was not very good The sum of his Negotiation was That those of the Castle should be sharply handled In the which Suit he was heard with favour and was dispatched from the Court of France with Letters and great credit which that famous Clerke forgate by the way For passing up to the Mountaine of Dumbartane before his letters were delivered he brake his neck and so God took away a proud ignorant enemy But now to our History These things against promise for Princes have no Fidelity further then for their owne advantage done at Roan the Galleys departed to Nantes in Britanie Where upon the water of Lore they lay the whole Winter In Scotland that Summer was nothing but mirth for all went with the Priests even at their own pleasure The Castle of S. Andrewes was razed to the ground the Block-house thereof cast downe and the walls round about demolished Whether this was to fulfill their law which commands that places where Cardinals are slain so to be used or else for fear that England should have taken it as after they did Brouchtie Rock we remit to the judgement of such as were of counsell This same yeer in the beginning of September entereth Scotland an Army of ten thousand men from England by Land and some Ships with Ordnance come by Sea The Governour and the Bishop hereof advertised gathered together the Forces of Scotland and assembled at Edinburgh The Protector of England with the Earle of Warwicke and their Army remained at Praeston and about Praeston Panes for they had certaine Offers to propose unto the Nobility of Scotland concerning the promise before made by them unto the which King Henry before his death gently required them to stand fast And if they would so do of him nor of his Realme they should have no trouble but the helpe and the comfort that he could make them in all things lawfull And hereupon there was a Letter directed to the Governour and Councell which coming to the hands of the Bishop of Saint Andrewes he thought it could not be for his advantage that it should be divulgate and therefore by his craft it was suppressed Upon the Friday the seventh of September the English Army marched towards Leith and the Scotish Army marched from Edinburgh to Ennernes The whole Scotish Army was not assembled and yet the skirmishing began for nothing was concluded but Victory without stroke The Protector the Earle of Warwicke the Lord Gray and all the English Captaines were playing at the Dice No men were stouter then the Priests and Channons with their shaven crowns and black Jacks The Earl of Warwick and the Lord Gray who had the chief charge of Horse-men perceiving the Host to be molested with the Scotish Preachers and knowing that the multitude were neither under order nor obedience for they were divided from the great Army sent forth certain Troops of Horse-men and some of their Borderers either to fetch them or else to put them out of their sight so that they might not annoy the Host. The Skirmish grew hot and at length the Scotish-men gave back and fled without gain turne The chase continued far both towards the East and towards the West in the which many were slain and he that now is Lord Home was taken which was the occasion that the Castle of Home was after surrendered to the English men The losse of these men neither moved the Governour nor yet the Bishop his bastard brother bragging That they would revenge the matter well enough upon the morrow for they had hands enow no word of God the English hereticks had no faces they would not abide Upon the Saturday the Armies of both sides past to Array The English Army takes the middle part of Fawside hill having their Ordnance planted before them and having their Ships and two Galleys brought as neer the Land as water would serve The Scotish Army stood first in a reasonable strength and good order having betwixt them and the English Army the water of Esk otherwise called Mussylburgh water But at length a charge was given in the Governours behalf with sound of Trumpet That all men should march forward and go over the water Some say that this was procured by the Abbot of Dunfermeling and Master Hew Rig for preservation of Carbarrie Men of judgement liked not the journey for they thought it no wisedom to leave their strength But commandment upon commandment and charge upon charge was given which urged them so that unwillingly they obeyed The Earle of Angus being in the Vant-guard had in his company the Gentlemen of Fyfe of Angus Mearnes and the Westland with many others that of love resorted unto him and especially those that were professors of the Gospel for they supposed that England would not have made great pursuit of him He passed first thorow the water and arrayed his Host direct before the enemies Followed the Earle of Huntley with his Northland men Last come the Governour having in his company the Earle of Argyle with his own friends and the Body of the Realme The English-men perceiving the danger and how that the Scotish-men intended to have taken the top of the hill made to prevent the perill The Lord Gray was commanded to give the charge with his men at Armes which he did albeit the hazard was very unlikely For the Earle of Angus Host stood even as a wall and received the first assaulters upon the points of their Spears which were longer then those of the English-men so rudely that fifty Horse and men of the first rank lay dead at once without any hurt done to the Scottish Armie except that the Spears of the former two Ranks were broken Which Discomfiture received the rest of the Horse-men fled yea some passed beyond Fawside Hill the Lord Gray himselfe was hurt in the mouth and plainly denied to chage againe for he said It was alike to run against a Wall The Galleyes and the ships and so did the ordnance planted upon Myde-hill shoot terribly But the ordnance of the Gallies shooting amongst the Scottish Army affraied them wonderously And while that every man laboured to draw from the North from whence the danger appeared they begin to faile and with that were the English foot-men marching forward Albeit that some of their horse-men were upon the flight The Earle of Angus army stood still looking that either Huntly or the Governour should have recountred the next battell But they had decreed that the favourers of England and the Hereticks as the priests called them and the Englishmen should part
suffered in body in respect of that wherewith sometimes she was troubled in spirit She answered A thousand yeere of this torment and ten times more joyned unto it is not to be compared in the quarter of an houre that I suffered in my spirit I thanke my God through Iesus Christ that hath delivered me from that fearfull pain and welcome be this even so long as it pleaseth his godly Majestie to exercise me therewith A little before her departure she desired her sisters and some others that were beside her to sing a Psalme and amongst others she appointed the 103. Psalme beginning My soule praise thou the Lord alwayes which ended she said At the Teaching of this Psalme began my troubled soule first effectually to taste of the mercy of my God which now to me is more sweet and precious then if all the kingdomes of the earth were given to me to possesse them a thousand yeeres The Priests urged her with their Ceremonies and Superstitions To whom she answered Depart from me ye Sergeants of Satan for I have refused and in your own presence doe refuse all your abominations That which you call your Sacrament and Christs body as ye have deceived us to beleeve in times past is nothing but an Idoll and hath nothing to do with the right Institution of Iesus Christ and therefore in Gods Name I command you not to trouble me They departed alleadging That she raved and wist not what she said And she shortly after slept in the Lord Jesus to no small comfort of those that saw her blessed departing This we could not omit of this worthy woman who gave so notable a Confession before that the great light of Gods Word did universally shine thorowout this Realme At the first coming of the said Iohn Knox he perceiving divers who had a zeale to godlinesse make small scruple to go to the Masse or to communicate with the abused Sacraments in the Papisticall manner began as well in privie Conference as in Preaching to shew the impietie of the Masse and how dangerous a thing it was to communicate in any sort with Idolatrie wherewith the conscience of some being affrighted the matter began to be agitate from man to man And so was the said Iohn called to Supper by the Laird of Dun for that same purpose where were assembled David Forresse Master Robert Lockart Iohn Willocke and William Maitland of Lethington younger a man of good Learning and of sharpe wit and reasoning The Question was Proposed and it was answered by the said Iohn That in no wise it was lawfull to a Christian to present himselfe to that Idoll Nothing was omitted that might serve for the purpose and yet was every head so fully answered and especially one whereunto they thought their great defence stood To wit That Paul at the commandment of Iames and of the Elders of Ierusalem passed to the Temple and fained himselfe to pay his vow with others This we say and other things were so fully answered that William Maitland concluded saying I see very perfectly that our shifts will serve nothing before God seeing that they stand us in so small stead before men The answer of Iohn Knox to the fact of Paul and to the commandment of Iames was That Pauls fact had nothing to do with their going to Masse For to pay Vowes was sometimes Gods Commandment as was never Idolatry But their Masse from the originall was and remained odious Idolatry Therefore the fact was most unlike Secondarily said he I greatly doubt whether either Iames his commandment or Pauls obedience proceeded of the holy Ghost We know their counsell tendeth to this That Paul would shew himselfe one that observed diligently the very small points of the Law to the end he might purchase to himself the favours of the Jews who were offended at him by reason of the bruites that were spread That he taught defection from Moses Now while he obeyed their counsell he fell into the most desperate danger that ever he sustained before whereby it was evident That God approved not that mean of reconciliation but rather that he plainely declareth That evil should not be done that good might come of it Evil it was for Paul to confirme those obstinate Jewes in their Superstition by his example worse it was to him to expose himselfe and the Doctrine which before he had taught to slander and mockage And therefore concluded the said Iohn That the fact of Paul and the sequell that thereof followed appeared rather to fight against them that would go to the Masse then to give unto them any assurance to follow his example unlesse that they would that the like trouble should instantly apprehend them that apprehended him for obeying worldly-wise councell After these and like reasonings the Masse began to be abhorred of such as before used it for the fashion and avoiding of slander as then they termed it Iohn Knox at request of the Laird of Dun followed him to his place of Dun where he remained a moneth daily exercised in Preaching whereunto resorted the principall men of that countrey After this returning his residence was most in Calder whither repaired unto him the Lord Erskin the Earle of Argyle then Lord of Lorne and Lord Iames then Priour of S. Andrews and after Earle of Murrey where they heard and so approved his Doctrine that they wished it to have been publike That same Winter he taught commonly in Edinburgh and after Christmas by the conduct of the Laird of Bar and Robert Campbell of Kingieancleuch he came to Kyle and taught in the Bar in the house of the Caâ—nell in the Kingieancleuch in the Town of Air and in the houses of Uchiltrie and Gathgirth and in some of them he ministred the Lords Table Before Easter the Earl of Glencarne sent for him to his place of Fynlaston where after Sermon he also ministred the Lords Table Whereof besides himself were partakers his Lady two of his sons and certain of his friends And so returned he to Calder where divers from Edinburgh and from the Countrey about assembled as well for the Doctrine as for the right use of the Lords Table which before they had never practised From thence he departed the second time to the Laird of Dun and teaching then in greater liberty the Gentlemen required That he should minister likewise unto them the Table of the Lord Jesus where were partakers the most part of the Gentlemen of the Mernes who God be praised to this day do constantly remain in the same doctrine which then they professed To wit That they refused all society with Idolatry and bent themselves to the uttermost of their powers to maintain the true Preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as God should offer unto them Preachers and opportunitie The bruite hereof spread for the Friers from all quarters flocked to the Bishops the said Iohn Knox was summoned to appear in the Church of the blacke
deprehended For the brethren assembled themselves in such sort in companies singing Psalmes and praising God that the proudest of the enemies were astonished This Tragedie of Saint Gyles was so terrible to some Papists that Durie sometimes called for his filthinesse Abbot Stottikin and then intituled Bishop of Galloway left his Riming wherewith he was accustomed and departed this life even as he had lived For the Articles of his beleefe were I referre Decarte you Ha ha the foure Kings and all made The devil go with it It is but a varlet From France we thought to have gotten a Rubie And yet is he nothing but a Cahoobie With such Faith and such Prayers departed out of this life that enemy of God who had vowed and plainly said That in despight of God so long as they that then were Prelates lived should that Word called the Gospel never be Preached within this Realme After him followed that belly-God Master David Panter called Bishop of Rosse even with the like documents except that he departed eating and drinking which together with the rest that thereupon depended was the pastime of his life The most part of the Lords that were in France at the Queens Marriage although that they got their leave from the Court yet they forgot to return to Scotland For whether it was by an Italian Posset or French Feggs or by the Pottage of their Apothecary he was a French-man there departed from this life the Earl of Cassiles the Earl of Rothesse Lord Fleming and the Bishop of Orknay whose end was even according to his life For after that he was driven back by a contratious winde and forced to land again at Deep perceiving his sicknesse to increase he caused to make his bed betwixt his two coffers some said upon them such was his God the gold that therein was inclosed that he could not depart therefrom so long as memory would serve him The Lord Iames then Prior of S. Andrews had by all appearance licked of the same broath that dispatched the rest for thereof to his death his stomacke doth testifie But God preserved for a better purpose This same Lord Iames after Earle of Murray and the said Bishop were commonly at debate in matters of Religion and therefore the said Lord hearing of the Bishops disease came to visit him and finding him not so well at a point as he thought he should have been and as the honour of the countrey required said unto him Fie my Lord how lie you so will you not go to your Chamber and not lie heere in this utter Roome His answer was I am well where I am my Lord so long as I can tarry for I am neer unto my friends meaning his coffers and the gold therein But my Lord said he how long have you and I been in plea for Purgatorie I thinke that I shall know ere it be long whether there be such a place or not While the other did exhort him to call to minde the promises of God and the vertue of Christs death He answered Nay my Lord let me alone for you and I never agreed in our life and I thinke we shall not agree now at my death I pray you therefore let me alone The said Lord Iames departed to his Lodging and the other shortly after departed this life whither the great day of the Lord will declare When the word of the departing of so many Patrons of Papistry and of the manner of their departing came unto the Queene Regent after astonishment and musing she said What shall I say of such men They left me as beasts and as beasts they die God is not with them neither with that which they enterprise While these things were in doing in Scotland and France that perfect hypocrite Master Iohn Synclare then Deane of Lestarrige and now Lord President and Bishop of Brechin began to Preach in his Church of Lestarrige and at the beginning held himselfe so indifferent that many had opinion of him That he was not far from the Kingdom of God But his hypocrisie could not long be cloaked for when he understood that such as feared God began to have a good opinion of him and that the Friers and others of that sect began to whisper That if he took not heed in time to himself and unto his Doctrine he would be the destruction of the whole state of the Church This by him understood he appointed a Sermon in the which he promised to give his judgement upon all such heads as then were in controversie in the matters of Religion The bruit hereof made his audience great at the first But that day he so handled himself that after that no godly man did credit him for he not onely gainsaid the Doctrine of Justification and of Prayer which before he had taught but also he set up and maintained Papistry to the uttermost prick yea Holy-water Pilgrimage Purgatory and Pardons were of such vertue in his conceit That without them he looked not to be saved In this mean time the Clergy made a brag That they would dispute But M. David Panter which then lived and lay at Lestarrige disswaded them therefrom affirming That if ever they disputed but where themselves were both Judge and partie and where that fire and sword should obey their decree that then their cause was marred for ever For their victory stood neither in God nor in his Word but in their own wills and in the things concluded by their own counsells together with sword and fire whereto said he these new up-start fellows will give no place but they will call you to your Count-book and that is to the Bible and by it ye will no more be found the men that ye are called then the Devil will be approved to be God And therefore if ye love your selves enter never into disputation neither yet call ye the matter into question but defend your possession or else all is lost Caiaphas could not give any better counsell to his companions but yet God disappointed both them and him as after we shall heare At this same time some of the Nobility directed their Letters to call Iohn Knox from Geneva for their comfort and for the comfort of their brethren the Preachers and others that then couragiously fought against the enemies of Gods Trueth The Tenour of their Letter is this Grace Mercy and Peace for Salvation DEarly Beloved in the Lord the faithfull that are of your acquaintance in these parts thanks be unto God are stedfast in the beliefe wherein yee left them and have a godly thirst and desire day by day of your presence againe Now if the Spirit of God will so move you and grant time unto you we all heartily desire you in the Name of the Lord That ye would returne again into these parts where you shall finde all the faithfull that ye left behinde you not onely glad to heare your
the Church-men was and is so manifest that whosoever doth deny it declareth himself ignorant of God and enemy to Christ Jesus We therefore with humble confession of our former offences with Fasting and Supplication unto God began to seek some remedy in so present a danger And first it was concluded That the Brethren in every Towne at certaine times should assemble together to Common Prayers to exercise in reading of the Scriptures till it should please God to give the gift of Exhortation by Sermon unto some for the Comfort and Instruction of the rest And this our weake beginning God did so blesse that within a few Moneths the hearts of many were so strengthned that we sought to have the face of a Church amongst us and open crimes to be punished without respect of persons And for that purpose by common Election were Elders appointed to whom the whole Brethren promised Obedience For at that time we had no publike Ministers of the Word onely did certaine zealous men amongst whom was the Laird of Dun David Forresse Master Robert Lockhart Master Robert Hammilton William Harlawe and others exhort their Brethren according to the gifts and graces granted unto them But shortly after did God stirre up his servant Paul Methuen his latter fall ought not to deface the work of God in him who in boldnesse of spirit began openly to Preach Christ Jesus in Dundie in divers parts of Angus and in Fyfe and so did God worke with him that many began openly to renounce their old Idolatry and to submit themselves to Christ Jesus and unto his blessed Ordinances Insomuch that the Towne of Dundie began to erect the face of a Publike Church Reformed in the which the Word was openly Preached and Christs Sacraments truely ministred In this meane time did God send to us our deare Brother Iohn Willock a man godly learned and grave who after his short abode at Dundie repaired to Edinburgh and there notwithstanding his long and dangerous sicknesse did so encourage the Brethren by godly Exhortations that we began to deliberate upon some publike Reformation For the corruption in Religion was such that with safe conscience we could no longer sustaine it Yet because we would attempt nothing without the knowledge of the sacred Authority with one consent after the deliberation of many dayes it was concluded That by our publike and common Supplication we should attempt the favour support and assistance of the Queen then Regent to a godly Reformation And for that purpose with all diligence after we had drawn our Oration and Petition as followeth we appointed from amongst us a man whose age and yeers deserved Reverence whose honesty and worship might have craved audience of any Magistrate on the earth and whose faithfull Service to the Authority at all times hath been such that in him could fall no suspition of unlawfull disobedience This Orator was that ancient and honourable Father Sir Iames Sandelandes of Calder Knight to whom we gave Commission and Power in all our names then present before the Queene Regent to speak this THE FIRST ORATION AND PETITION Of the Protestants of SCOTLAND To the Queene Regent ALbeit we have of long time contained our selves in that modestie most noble Princesse that neither the exile of body losse of goods nor perishing of this mortall life was able to make us to aske at your Majestie Reformation and redresse of those wrongs and of that sore griefe patiently borne by us in bodies and mindes of long time Yet are we now by very conscience and by the feare of our God compelled to crave at your Majesties feet remedy against the most unjust tyrannie used against your Majesties most obedient Subjects by those that be called the State Ecclesiasticall Your Majestie cannot be ignorant what controversie hath been and yet is concerning the true Religion and right worshipping of God And how the Clergie as they will be termed usurpe to themselves such Empire above the consciences of men That whatsoever they command must be obeyed and whatsoever they forbid must be avoided without further respect to Gods Pleasure Commandment or Will revealed to us in his most holy Word or else there abideth nothing for us but Fagot Fire and Sword By the which many of our brethren most cruelly and most unjustly have been strucken of late yeeres within this Realme which now we finde to trouble and wound our consciences For we acknowledge it to have been our bounden duties before God either to have defended our brethren from those cruell murtherers seeing we are a part of that power which God hath established in this Realme or else to have given open testification of our Faith with them Which now we offer our selves to do lest that by our continuall silence we shall seem to justifie the cruell tyrannie of those men which doth not onely displease us but your Majesties wisdome most prudently doth foresee that for the quieting of this intestine dissention a publike Reformation as well in the Religion as in the temporall government were most necessary And to the performance thereof most gravely and most godly as we are informed ye have exhorted as well the Clergie as the Nobility to imploy their studie diligence and care We therefore in conscience dare not any longer dissemble in so weighty a matter which concerneth the glory of God and our salvation Neither now dare we withdraw our presence or counsell or Petitions lest that the adversaries hereafter should object to us That place was granted for Reformation and yet no man sued for the same and so shall our silence be prejudiciall unto us in time to come And therefore we knowing no order placed in this Realme but your Majestie and your grave counsell set to amend as well the disorder Ecclesiasticall as the defaults in the temporall Regiment most humbly prostrate our selves before your feet asking justice and your gracious help against them that falsly traduce and accuse us as that we were Hereticks and Schismatikes under that colour seeking our destruction for that we seek the amendment of their corrupted lives and Christs Religion to be restored to the originall puritie Further we crave of your Majestie with open and patent eares to heare those our subsequent requests and to the joy and satisfaction of our troubled consciences bountifully to grant the same unlesse by Gods plaine Word any be able to prove that justly they ought to be denied Here beginneth the particular Demands FIrst Humbly we ask That as we have by the Lawes of this Realme after long debate obtained to reade the holy Books of the Old and New Testament in our Vulgar Tongue as Spirituall food to our soules so from henceforth it may be lawfull that we may meet publikely or privately to our Common-Prayers in our Vulgar Tongue to the end that we may increase and grow in knowledge and be induced by fervent and oft Prayer to commend to God the holy Universall
depart out of the Towne of Lieth within the space of twelve houres and make the same patent to all and sundry our Soveraigne Ladies Leiges For seeing we have no such hatred at either the one or the other that we thirst the blood of any of the two for the one is our naturall brother born nourished and brought up within the bowels of one common Countrey and with the other our nation hath continued long amity and allie and hopeth that so shall do so long as they use us as friends and not strive to make slaves of friends which this strengthening of our Towns pretendeth And therefore most heartily desire that one and the other to desist from fortifying or maintaining of this Town in our Soveraignes and their said Councells name requiring them to make the same free within the space of twelve houres Defiance given there was skirmishing without great slaughter preparation of Scales and Ladders was made for the Assault which was concluded by common consent of the Nobility and Barons The Scales were appointed to be made in Saint Giles Church so that Preaching was neglected which did not a little grieve the Preachers and many godly with them The Preachers spared not openly to say That they feared the successe of that enterprise should not be prosperous because the beginning appeared to bring with it some contempt of God and of his Word other places said they had been more apt for such Preparations then where the people conveaned to Common-Prayers and unto Preaching In very deed the audience was wonderfully troubled all that time which with other disorder espied amongst us gave occasion to our Preachers to affirme That God could not suffer such contempt of his Word and abuses of his Grace long to be unpunished The Queen had amongst us her assured espies who did not onely signifie unto her what was our estate but also what was our counsell purposes and devices Some of our own company were vehemently suspected to be the very betrayers of all our secrets for a boy of the Officials of Lowthian Master Iames Balfour was taken carrying a Writ which did open the most secret thing that was devised in the Councell yea those very things which were thought to have been known but to very few By such domesticall enemies were not onely our purposes frustrate but also our determinations were oft times overthrowne and changed The Dukes friends gave unto him such terrours that he was greatly troubled and by his feare were troubled many others The men of Warre for the most part were men without God or honesty made a mutiny because they lacked a part of their wages They had done the same in Linlithquow before where they made a Proclamation That they would serve any man to suppresse the Congregation and set up the Masse againe They made a fray upon my Lord Argyles Hie-land men and slew one of the principall men of his Chamber who notwithstanding behaved himselfe so moderately and so studious to pacifie that tumult that many wondered as well of his prudent councell and stoutnesse as of the great obedience of his company The ungodly Souldiers in hatred of goodnesse and good men continuing in their disorder mocked the Laird of Tullibarne and other Noble-men who exhorted them to quietnesse All these troubles were practised by the Queene and put in execution by the Traitours among our selves Who albeit then lurked and yet are not manifestly noted yet we doubt not but God shall make them knowne to their confusion and to the example of others To pacifie the men of Warre a collection was devised But because some were poore and some were niggards and avaritious there could no sufficient sum be obtained It was thought expedient that a Coyne-House should be made That every Noble-man should Coyn his Silver-work and Plate to supply the present necessity And there-through David Forresse Iohn Hart and others who before had charge of the Coyning-House did promise their faithfull labours But when the matter came to the very point the said Iohn Hart and others of his faction stole away and took with them the instruments apt for that purpose Whether this was done by the falshood and feeblenesse of the said Iohn or the practising of others is yet uncertaine Rested then no hope amongst our selves that any Money could be furnished And therefore it was concluded by a few of those whom we judged most secret That Sir Ralph Sadler and Sir Iames Crofts then having charge at Barwick should be tempted If they would support us with any reasonable sum in that urgent necessitie And for that purpose was the Laird of Ormeston directed unto them in so secret manner as we could devise But yet our counsell was disclosed to the Queen who appointed the Lord Bothwell as himselfe confessed to wait upon the returning of the said Laird as that he did with all diligence and so being assuredly informed by what way he came the said Earle Bothwell foreset his way and comming upon him unaware did take him after that he was evil wounded in the head for neither could he get his ledd Horse not his steele Bonnet with him was taken the sum of foure thousand Crowns of the Sun which the forenamed Sir Ralph and Sir Iames most lovingly had sent for our support By the brute hereof coming to our eares our dolour was doubled not so much for losse of the Money as for the losse of the Gentlemen whom we suspected to have been slain or at the least that he should be delivered to the Queene hands And so upon the sudden the Earle of Arrane the Lord Iames the Master of Maxwell with the most part of the Horse-men tooke purpose to pursue the said Earle Bothwell if they might apprehend him in Crychton or Morhan whitherto as they were informed he had retired himselfe after his treasonable act We call his act treasonable because that three dayes before he had sent his especiall servant Master Michael Balfoâ—re to us to Edinburgh to purchase of the Lords of the Councell License to come and speak with us which we granted after that he had promised That in the mean time he should neither hurt us nor yet any to us appertaining till that he should write his answer again Whether that he would joyne with us or not He gave us farther to understand That he would discharge himselfe of the Queene and thereafter would assist us And yet in this meane time he cruelly and traiterously hurt and spoiled the Noble-man aforesaid Albeit that the departure and counsell of the Earle of Arrane and Lord Iames with their company aforesaid was very sudden and secret yet was the Earle Bothwell then being in Crychton advertised and so escaped with the money which he tooke with himselfe as the Captaine of his house Iohn Somerwaile which was taken without long pursuit confessed and affirmed Because that the Noble-men that sought redresse sought rather his safetie
one Citie For the bodily presence of Kings can no more be in divers cities at one instant then that they can be in divers Realms Hitherto we have understood that wheresoever the great Councellers of the King with his power and Commission are assembled to do any thing at his just commandment That there is the Kings sufficient presence and authority wheresoever his own body be living at freedome and liberty which if the Papists deny we will finde faults with them and with the Princes whom they have abused that more will annoy them then any thing that we can lose by the insufficiencie of that Parliament Which neverthelesse we are bold to affirme to have been more lawfull and more free then any Parliament that they are able to produce this hundred yeeres before it or yet any that hath ensued since it was he meanes untill 1566. when this Book was written for in it the voices of men were free and given in conscience in others they were bought or given at the devotion of the misled Prince All things in it concluded are able to abide the triall and not to be consumed at the proofe of the fire of others the godly may justly call in doubt things determined To the Sword and Scepter nor yet to the absence of some Lords we answer nothing For our adversaries know well enough that the one is rather a pompe and vaine-glorious ceremonie then a substantiall point of necessitie required to a lawfull Parliament And the absence of some prejudges not the powers of the present duely assembled Providing that due advertisement be made unto them But now we return to our History The Parliament dissolved consultation was had how the Church might be established in a good and godly policie which by the Papists was altogether defaced Commission and charge was given to Master Iohn Winram Sub-priour of S. Andrews Master Iohn Spottiswood Iohn Willock Master Iohn Dowglas Rectour of S. Andrews Master Iohn Row and Iohn Knox to draw in a Volume the Policie and Discipline of the Church as well as they had done the Doctrine which they did and presented it to the Nobility who did peruse it many dayes Some approved it and willed the same to have been set forth by a Law others perceiving their carnall liberty and worldly commodity somewhat to be impared thereby grudged in so much that the name of the Book of Discipline became odious unto them Every thing that repugned to their corrupt imaginations was termed in their mockage Devout imaginations The cause we have before declared some was licentious some had greedily griped the possessions of the Church and others thought that they would not lack their part of Christs Coat yea and that before that ever he was Crucified as by the Preachers they were oft rebuked The chief great man that had professed Christ Jesus and refused to subscribe the Book of Discipline was the Lord Erskin And no wonder for besides that he had a very evill woman to his wife if the Poore the Schooles and the Ministerie of the Church had their owne his Kitchin would lack two parts and more of that which he unjustly now possesseth Assuredly some of us hath wondered how men that professe godlinesse could of so long continuance hear the threatnings of God against theeves and against their houses and knowing themselves guilty in such things as were openly rebuked and that they never had remorse of conscience neither yet intended to restore any thing of that which long they had stollen and reft There were none within the Realme more unmercifull to the poore Ministers then were they which had greatest rents of the Churches But in that we have perceived the old Proverb to be true Nothing can suffice a wretch And again The belly hath no eares Yet the same Book of Discipline was subscribed by a great part of the Nobility To wit The Duke the Earle of Arrane the Earles Argyle Glencarn Mershell Menteth Morton Rothesse Lord Iames after Earle of Murray Lords Yeaster Boyd Uchiltrie Master of Maxwell Lord Lindsay elder and the Master after Lord Barrons Drunlaurige Lothingwar Garleisse Bargany Master Alexander Gordon Bishop of Galloway this Bishop of Galloway as he renounced Popery so did he Prelacie witnesse his subscription of the Book of Discipline as the rest of the Prelats did who did joyne to the Reformation Alexander Campbell Deane of Marray with a great number moe subscribed and approved the said Book of Discipline in the Town-Buith of Edinburgh the 27 day of January the yeere of our Lord God 1560. by their approbation In these words WE which have subscribed these presents having advised with the Articles herein specified and as is above-mentioned from the beginning of this Book thinks the same good and conforme to Gods Word in all points conforme to the Notes and Additions thereto asked and promise to set the same forward at the uttermost of our powers Providing that the Bishops Abbots Priors and other Prelates and Beneficed men which else have adjoyned themselves to us brooke the revenues of their Benefices during their life times they sustaining and upholding the Ministerie and Ministers as is heerein specified for Preaching of the Word and Ministring of the Sacraments What be the contents of the whole Book and how that this promise was illuded from time to time we shall after heare Shortly after the said Parliament were sent from the Councell Ambassadours to England the Earles Morton and Glencarne together with William Maitland of Lethington yonger The chief point of their Commission was earnestly to crave the constant assistance of the Queens Majestie of England against all forraigne invasion and common enemies That same time was the Castle of Semple hard besieged and taken Because the Lord thereof disobeyed the Lawes and Ordinances of the Councell in many things and especially in that that he would maintain the Idolatrie of the Masse and also that he beset the way to the Earle of Arrane with a great gathering as he was riding with his accustomed company The Papists were proud for they looked for a new Armie from France at the next Spring and thereof was no small appearance if God had not otherwise provided For France utterly refused the confirmation of the Peace contracted at Leith would ratifie no part of our Parliament dismissed the Lord of Saint Iohn without a resolute answer began to gather new Bands of throat-cutters and to make great preparation for Ships They further sent before them certain practisers amongst whom the Lord Seaton who had departed with the French out of Leith was one to raise up new troubles within this Realme And all this came partly of the malice of the house of Guise who had avowed to revenge the displeasure of their sister both upon England and Scotland and partly by instigation of proud Beton falsly called Bishop of Glasgow of Dury Abbot of Dunfermeling and Saulles Seaton and Master Iohn Sinclair Deane of Restalrige
appointed to begin the 20 of May next following for at that time was the returne of the said Lord Iames looked for and so was that Convention dissolved without any other thing of importance concluded The said Lord Iames prepared him for his journey for albeit he past in the publike affairs he sustained the charge of his own expences and yet there never past from this Realme in the company of one man so many and so honest thorow England to France Before he departed he was forewarned as well of the danger in France as of the Queens craft not that we then suspected her nature but that we understood the malice of her friends he was plainly premonished That if ever he condescended that she should have Masse publikely or privately within the Realme of Scotland that then betrayed he the Cause of God and exposed the Religion even to the uttermost danger that he could do That she should have Masse publikely he affirmed that he would never consent But to have it secretly in her Chamber Who could stop her The danger was shewn and so he departed The Forme and Order of the Election of the Superintendent and all other Ministers at Edinburgh March the 9. 1560. John Knox being then Preacher FIrst was made a Sermon in the which these Heads were handled First The necessity of Ministers and Superintendents or Overseers The second the crimes and vices that might unable them of the Ministry Thirdly the vertues required in them Fourthly and lastly Whether such as by publike consent of the Church were called to such Office might refuse the same The Sermon finished it was declared by the same Minister maker thereof That the Lords of the Secret Councell had given Charge and Power to the Churches of Lowthian to to chuse Master Iohn Spottiswood Superintendent or Overseer And that sufficient warning was made by publike Edict to the Churches of Edinburgh Linliethquow Sterlin Tranent Hadington and Dumbar as also to the Earles Lords Barons Gentlemen and others that have or that might claim to have Vote in Election to be present that day and that same hour And therefore enquiry was made Who were present and who were absent After was called the said Iohn who answering the Minister demanded If he knew any crime or offence to the said Master Iohn that might unable him to be called to that Office and that he demanded thrise Secondly question was moved to the whole multitude If there was any other whom they put in Election with the said Master Iohn The people were asked If they would have the said Master Iohn Superintendent or Overseer If they would honour and obey him as Christs Minister and comfort and assist him in every thing pertaining to his Charge They answered We will and do promise unto him such obedience as becometh Sheep to give unto their Pastor so long as he remaineth faithfull in his Office Tne answers of the people and their consent received the questions were propounded to him that was to be elected Question Seeing that ye hear the thirst and desire of this people Do ye not thinke your selfe bound in conscience before God to support them that so earnestly call for your comfort and for the fruit of your labours Answer If any thing were in me able to satisfie their desire I acknowledge my selfe bound to obey God calling by them Question Do ye seek to be promoted to this Office and charge for any respect of worldly commodity riches or glory Answer God knoweth the contrary Question Beleeve ye not that the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles contained in the Books of the Old and New Testaments are the onely true and most absolute foundation of the Universall Church of Christ Jesus in so much that in the same Scriptures are contained all things necessary to be beleeved for the salvation of mankinde Answer I verely beleeve the same and do abhorre and utterly refuse all Doctrine alleadged necessary to salvation that is not expressedly contained in the same Question Is not Christ Jesus man of man according to the flesh to wit The Sonne of David The seed of Abraham Conceived by the holy Ghost Born of the Virgine his mother and that he is the onely Head and Mediatour of his Church Answer He is and without him there is neither salvation to man nor life to Angel Question Is not the same Lord Jesus The onely true God The eternall Son of the eternall Father in whom all that shall be saved were elected before the foundation of the world was laid Answer I confesse and acknowledge and confesse him in the Unitie of his God-head to be God above all things blessed for ever Question Shall not they whom God in his eternall Councell hath elected be called to the knowledge of his Sonne our Lord Jesus and shall not they who of purpose are called in this life be justified and justification and free remission of sins is obtained in this life by free grace Shall not the glory of the sons of God follow in the generall Resurrection when the Son of God shall appear in his glorious Majestie Answer This I acknowledge to be the Doctrine of the Apostles and the most singular comfort of Gods children Question Will ye not then containe your self in all Doctrine within the bounds of this foundation Will ye not studie to promove the same as well by your life as by your Doctrine Will ye not according to the graces and utterance that God shall grant unto you professe instruct and maintaine the puritie of the Doctrine contained in the sacred Word of God and to the uttermost of your power Will ye not gain-stand and convince the gain-sayers and the teachers of mens inventions Answer That do I promise in the presence of God and of his Congregation heere assembled Question Know ye not that the excellencie of this Office to the which God hath called you requireth that your conversation and behaviour be such as that ye may be irreprehensible yea even in the eyes of the ungodly Answer I unfainedly acknowledge and humbly desire the Church of God to pray with me that my life be not slanderous to the glorious Gospel of Christ Iesus Question Because you are a man compassed with infirmities will you not charitably and with lowlinesse of spirit receive admonition of your brethren And if ye shall happen to slide or offend in any point will ye not be subject to the Discipline of the Church as the rest of your brethren The Answer of the Superintendent or Minister to be elected I acknowledge my self a man subjected to infirmity and one that hath need of correction and admonition and therefore I most willingly subject my selfe to the wholsome Discipline of the Church yea to the Discipline of the same Church by which I am now called to this Office and Charge and here in Gods presence and yours do promise obedience to all admonitions secretly or publikely given unto which if I
the Realmes we think it strange that your Queene hath no better advice And therefore we do require you all being the States of that Realme upon whom the burden resteth to consider this matter deeply and to make us answer whereunto we may trust And if you shall think meet she shall thus leave the Peace imperfect by breaking of her solemne promise contrary to the order of all Princes we shall be well content to accept your answer and shall be as carelesse to see the Peace as ye shall give us cause And doubt not by the grace of God but whosoever of you shall incline thereto shall soonest repent You must be content with our plain writing And on the other side if you continue all in one minde to have the Peace inviolably kept and shall so by your advice procure the Queen to ratifie it we also plainly promise you That we will also continue our good disposition to keep the same in such good termes as now it is And in so doing the honour of Almighty God shall be duely sought and promoted in both Realms The Queen your Soveraigne shall enjoy her State with your surety and your selves possesse that which ye have with tranquility to the encrease of your Families and Posterities which by the frequent Wars heretofore your antecessors never had long in one state To conclude we require you to advertise us of what minde you be specially if you all continue in that minde that you mean to have the Peace betwixt both the Realmes perpetually kept And if you shall forbear any longer to advertise us ye shall give us some occasion of doubt whereof more hurt may grow then good From c. These Letters received and perused albeit the States could not be convened yet did the Councell and some others also in particular return answers with reasonable diligence The Tenour of our Letters was this MADAME PLease your Majestie that with judgement we have considered your Majesties Letters And albeit the whole States could not suddenly be assembled yet we thought expedient to signifie somewhat of our mindes unto your Majestie Far be it from us that either we take upon us That infamy before the world or grudge of conscience before our God that we should lightly esteem the observation of that Peace lately contracted betwixt these two Realmes By what motives our Soveraigne delayed the ratification thereof we cannot tell But of us of us we say Madame that have protested fidelity in our promise her Majesty had none Your Majestie cannot be ignorant That in this Realme there are many enemies and farther That our Soveraigne hath Councellors whose judgements she in all such causes preferred to ours Our obedience bindeth us not onely reverently to speak and write of our Soveraigne but also to judge and thinke And yet your Majestie may be well assured That in us shall be noted no blame if that Peace be not ratified to your Majesties contentment For God is witnesse That our chief care in this earth next the glory of God is That constant Peace may remain betwixt these two Realmes whereof your Majestie and Realme shall have sure experience so long as our counsell or votes may stop the contrary The benefit that we have received is so recent that we cannot suddenly bury it in forgetfulnesse We would desire your Majesty rather to be perswaded of us That we to our powers will studie to leave it in remembrance to our posterity And thus with lawfull and humble commendation of our service we commit your Majesty to the Protection of the Omnipotent Of Edinburgh the sixteenth day of Iuly 1561. There were some others that answered some of the Ministers of England somewhat more sharply and willed them not to accuse nor threaten so sharply till that they were able to convince such as had promised fidelitie of some evident crime which although they were able to lay to the charge of some yet respect would be had to such as long had declared themselves constant procurers of quietnesse and peace The sudden arrivall of the Queen made great alteration even in the Councell as after we will hear In this mean time the Papists by surmising troubled what they might their Posts Letters and Complaints were from day to day directed some to the Pope some to the Cardinall of Loraine and some to our Queen The principall of those Curriers were Master Steven Wilson Master Iohn Leslie called Nolumus and Volumus Master Iames Throgmorton and others such as lived and still live by the traffique of that Romane Antichrist The Preachers vehemently exhorted us to establish the Book of Discipline by an Act and publike Law affirming That if they suffered things to hang in suspence when God had given unto them sufficient power in their hand they should after sob for it but should not get it The Books of Discipline have been of late so often published that we shall forbearâ— to Print them at this time hoping that no good men will refuse to follow the same till God in a greater light establish a more perfect The end of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOK OF The Progresse and Continuance of true Religion within SCOTLAND IN the former Bookes Gentle Reader thou mayest clearly see how potently God hath performed in these our last and wicked dayes as well as in the ages that have passed before us the promises that are made to the servants of God by the Prophet Isaiah in these words They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint This promise we say such as Satan hath not utterly blinded may see performed in us the Professours of Christ Jesus within this Realme of Scotland with no lesse evidence then it was in any age that ever passed before us For what was our force What was our number Yea what wisdome or worldly policie was in us to have brought to any good end so great an enterprise our very enemies can bear witnesse And yet in how great purity God did establish amongst us his true Religion as well in Doctrine as in Ceremonies To what confusion and fear were Idolaters adulterers and all publike transgressours of Gods Commandments within short time brought the publike Orders of the Church yet by the mercie of God preserved and the punishment executed against malefactours can testifie unto the world For as touching the administration of the Sacraments used in our Churches we are bold to affirme That there is no Realme this day upon the face of the earth that hath them in greater puritie yea we can speak the Trueth whomsoever we offend there is none no Realme I meane that hath them in the like purity for all others how sincere that ever the Doctrine be that by some is taught retain in their Churches and in the Ministers thereof some footsteps of Antichrist and dregs
Domesticks or to any that came from France to offend Gods Majestie and to violate the Laws of the Realme more then any other Subjects For Gods Law had pronounced death to the Idolater and the Lawes of the Realme had appointed punishment for sayers and hearers of the Masse which said he I here protest be Universally observed and that none be exempted untill such time as a Law also publikely made and also consonant to the Law of God have disannulled the former Hereupon he took Documents and Acts as the Tenour of this his Protestation witnesseth IN so far as by this Proclamation it is made understood to the Church of God and Members thereof That the Queen is minded that the true Religion and Worship of God already established proceed forward that it may daily encrease Unto the Parliament that order may be then for extirpation of all Idolatry out of this Realme We render most hearty thanks to the Lord our God for her Majesties good minde earnestly praying that it may be encreased in her Majesty To the Honour and Glory of his Name and Weal of his Church within this Realme And as touching the molestation of her Highnesse Servants we suppose that none dare be so bold as once to move their finger at them in doing of their lawfull businesse And as for us we have learned at our Master Christs Shoole To keep Peace with all men And therefore for our part we will promise that obedience unto her Majestie as is our dutie That none of her servants shall be troubled molested or once touched by the Church or any member thereof in doing their lawfull businesse But since that God hath said That the Idolater shall die the death We Protest solemnely in the presence of God and in the eares of all the people that heares this Proclamation and especially in the presence of you Lion Herauld and the rest of your Colleagues maker of this Proclamation That if any of her servants shall commit Idolatry especially say Masse participate therewith or take the defence thereof which we are loath should be in her Highnesse company in that case That this Proclamation is not extended to them in that behalf nor be not a safe-guard nor girth to them in that behalfe no more then if they commit slaughter or murther seeing the one is much more abominable and odious in the sight of God then is the other But that it may be lawfull to inflict upon them the paines contained in Gods Word against Idolaters where ever they may be apprehended without favour And this our Protestation we desire you to notifie unto her and give her the Copie hereof lest her Highnesse should suspect an uproare if we should all come and present the same At Edinburgh the day and yeere aforesaid This boldnesse did somewhat exasperate the Queene and such as favoured her in that point As the Lords then called of the Congregation repaired to the Towne at the first coming they shew themselves wonderfully offended That the Masse was permitted So that every man as he came accused them that were before him but after they had remained a certaine space they were as quiet as were the former Which thing perceived a zealous and godly man Robert Campbell of Kingzieclench said unto the Lord Uchiltrie My Lord now you are come and almost the last of all the rest and I perceive by your anger that the fire edge is not off you yet but I feare that after that the Holy-water of the Court be sprinkled upon you that you shall become as temperate as the rest For I have been heere now five dayes and at the first I heard every man say Let us hang the Priest But after that they had beene twice or thrice in the Abbey all that fervencie past I think there be some inchantment whereby men are bewitched And in very deed so it came to passe For the Queenes faire words upon the one part ever still crying Conscience Conscience It is a sore thing to constraine the Conscience And the subtill perswasions of her supposts we meane even of those who were judged most fervent amongst us upon the other part blinded all men and put them in opinion She will be content to heare the Preaching and so no doubt but she may be wonne And this of all it was concluded To suffer her for a time The next Sunday Iohn Knox inveighing against Idolatry shewed what terrible plagues God had taken upon Realmes and Nations for the same and added That one Masse there were no more suffered at first was more fearfull unto him then if ten thousand armed enemies were landed in any part of the Realme of purpose to suppresse the whole Religion for said he in our God there is strength to resist and confound multitudes if we unfainedly depend upon him whereof heretofore we have had experience But when we joyn hands with Idolatry it is no doubt but both Gods amiable presence and comfortable defence will leave us and what shall then become of us Alas I fear that experience will teach us to the grief of many At these words the guiders of the Court mocked and plainly spake That such fear was no point of their faith it was besides his Text and was a very untimely Admonition But we heard the same Iohn Knox in the audience of these same men recite the same words againe in the midst of troubles and in the audience of many asked God mercy that he was not more vehement and upright in the suppressing of that Idoll in the beginning For said he albeit I spake that which offended some which this day they see and feel to be true yet did I not that which I might have done for God hath not onely given unto me knowledge and tongue to make the impiety of that Idoll knowne unto the Realme but he had given me credit with many who would have put in execution Gods Judgements if I would onely have consented thereto But so carefull was I said he of that common Tranquility and so loth was I to have offended those of whom I had conceived a good opinion that in secret conference with dearest and zealous men I travelled rather to mitigate yea to slacken that fervency that God had kindled in others then to animate or encourage them to put their hands to the Lords Work wherein I unfainedly acknowledged my self to have done most wickedly and from the bottome of my heart do aske of my God grace and pardone for that I did not what in me lay to have suppressed that Idoll in the beginning These and many other words did many heare him speake in publike in the moneth of December 1565. when such as at the Queenes Arrivall onely maintained the Masse were exiled the Realme summoned upon Treason and decreit of forfeiture intended against them But to returne from whence we have digressed Whether it was by counsell of others or of the Queens
Madame said the other would to God that the learnedest Papist in Europe and he that you would best believe were present with your Majestie to sustain the argument and that ye would abide patiently to hear the matter reasoned to the end for then I doubt not Madame but that you should hear the vanity of the Papisticall Religion and what small ground it hath within the Word of God Well said she ye may perchance get that sooner then you believe Assuredly said the other if ever I get that in my self I get it sooner then I believe for the ignorant Papist cannot patiently reason and the learned and crafty Papist will never come in your audience Madame to have the ground of their Religion searched out for they know they are not able to maintain any argument except by fire and sword and their own Laws be judges So say you quoth the Queen and I believe it hath been to this day Quoth he for how oft have the Papists in this and in other Realmes been required to come to conference and yet could it never be obtained unlesse themselves were admitted for Judges and therefore I must yet say again That they dare never dispute but where themselves are both judges and party And when you shall let me see the contrary I shall grant my self to be deceived in that Point And with this the Queen was called unto dinner for it was afternoon At departing Iohn Knox said unto her I pray God Madame that you may be also blessed within the Common-wealth of Scotland if it be the pleasure of God as ever Deborah was in the Common-wealth of Israel Of this long conference whereof we onely touch a part were divers opinions The Papists grudged and feared that which they needed not the godly thinking at least That she would have heard the preaching rejoyceed but they were utterly deceived for she continued in her Massing and despised and quickly mocked all exhortation Iohn Knox his owne judgement being by some of his familiars demanded what he thought of the Queen said If there be not in her a proud mind a crafty wit and an indurate heart against God and his Truth my judgement faileth me and this I say with a grieved heart for the good I wish unto her and by her to the Church and State When the whole Nobility were convened the Lords of Privie Councell were chosen where were appointed the Duke the Earles of Huntley Argyle Atholl Mortoun Glencarne Mershell Bothwell Lords Arskeme and Lord Iames after Earle Murray and these were appointed as certain to wait upon the Court by course But that Order continued not long Duke d'Anville returned with the Galleyes to France The Queen entred in her Progresse and in the Moneth of September travelled from Edinburgh Linlithgow Sterlin S. Iohnston Dundie S. Androes all these parts she polluted with the Idolatrous Masse Fire followed the Court very commonly in that Journey the Towns propined the Queen liberally thereof were the French enriched About the beginning of October they returned to Edinburgh and at the day appointed the Q. was received in the Castle whereat preparations were made for her entry into the Town in Farces in Masking and other Prodigalities fain would our fools have counterfeited France Whatsoever might set forth her glory that she heard and gladly beheld The Keyes were delivered unto her by a pretty Boy descending as it were from a Cloud The Verses of her own Praise she heard and smiled But when the Bible was presented and the Praise thereof declared she began to frowne for shame she could not refuse it but she did no better for she gave it to the most pestilent Papist within the Realme to wit To Arthur Arskeme Edinburgh since that day have reaped as they sowed They gave her some taste of their Prodigality And because the Liquor was sweet she hath licked oft of that Bust or Box oftner then twice since All men know what we mean The Queen cannot lack and the Subjects have In Edinburgh it hath been an ancient and laudable Custome That the Provests Bayliffs and Councell after their Election which used to be at Michaelmas caused publikely proclaim the Statutes and Ordinances of the Town And therefore Archbald Dowglas Provest Ed. Hope Adam Fullartoun c. Bayliffs caused proclaim according to the former Statutes of the Town That no Adulterer nor Fornicator no noted Drunkard no Masse-monger no obstinate Papist that corrupted the people such as Priests Friers and others of that sort should be found within 41 hours thereafter under the Pains contained in the Statutes Which blowne in the Queens ears there began pride and maliciousnesse to shew it selfe for without further cogitation of the cause was the Provest and Bayliffes charged to Ward in the Castle and immediately was Commandment given That other Provests and Bayliffs should be elected Some gainstood for a while The new Election alleadged That the Provest and Bayliffs whom they had chosen and to whom they had given their Oath had committed no offence therefore that justly they might be deprived But while Charge was doubled upon Charge and no man found to oppose himself to impiety the misled Queens Letter and wicked will is obeyed as just Law And so was M. Thomas Makalan chosen Provest for the other The man no doubt was both discreet and sufficient for that Charge but the deposition of the other was against all Law God be mercifull to some of our owne for they were not all blamelesse that the Queens unreasonable will was so far obeyed A contrary Proclamation was publikely made That the Town should be patent to all the Queens Lieges And so Murtherers Adulterers Theeves Whores Drunkards Idolaters and all Malefactors got protection under the Queens wings under colour that they were of her Religion And so got the devill freedome againe where that before he durst not have been seen in day light upon the common streets Lord deliver us from this Bondage of sin The Devil finding his raines loose ran forward in his course and the Queen evil men abusing her name and authority took upon her greater boldnesse then she and Balaams bleating Priests durst have attempted before for upon All-Hallow day they bended up their Masse with all mischievous solemnitie The Ministers thereat offended in plaine and publike place declared the inconvenience that thereupon would ensue The Nobility were sufficiently admonished of their duties but affection caused men to call that in doubt wherein oft before they seemed most resolute to wit Where that the Subjects might have hand to suppresse the Idolatry of their Prince And upon this Question conveaned in the house of Master Iames Mackgill the Lord Iames Earle of Morton the Earle of Marshall Secretary Lethington the Justice Clarke and the foresaid Master Iames Clarke of the Register who all reasoned for the part of the Queen affirming That the Subjects might not take her Masse lawfully from her
is Madame that this crime so recently committed and that in the eyes of the whole Realm now publikely assembled is so hainous for who heretofore hath heard within the bowels of Edinburgh Gates and Doors under silence of night broken Houses ripped or searched and that with hostillity seeking a woman as appeareth to oppresse her Seeing we say that this crime is so hainous that all godly men fear not onely Gods dispeasure to fall upon you and your whole Realm but also that such licentiousnesse breed contempt and in the end sedition if remedie in time be not provided which in our judgement is possible if severe punishment be not executed for the crime committed Therefore we most humbly beseech your Majestie that all affection set aside you declare your self so upright in this case that ye may give evident demonstration to all your Subjects that the fear of God joyned with the love of common tranquility hath principall seat in your Majesties Heart This further Madame in conscience we speak That as your Majesty in Gods Name doth crave of us obedience which to render in all things lawfull we are most willing so in the same name doe we the whole Professors of Christs Evangell within this your Majesties Realme crave of you and of your Councell sharp punishment of this crime And for performance thereof that without delay the most principall Actors of this haynous crime and the perswaders of this publike Villany may be called before the Chief Justice of this Realm to suffer an Assise and to be punished according to the Laws of the same and your Majesties Answer most humbly we beseech These Supplications was presented by divers Gentlemen the Flatterers of the Court at first stormed and asked who durst avow it To whom the Master after Lord Lyndesay answered A thousand Gentlemen within Edinburgh others were ashamed to oppose themselves thereto in publike but they suborned the Queen to give a gentle answer untill such time as the Convention was dissolved and so she did and then after in fair words shee alleaged That her Uncle was a Stranger and that he had a young Company with him but she should put such order unto him and unto all others that hereafter they should have no occasion to complain And so deluded she the just Petition of her Subjects And no wonder for how shall she punish in Scotland that vice which in France she did see so free without punishment and which Kings and Cardinalls commonly use as the Mask and Dancing of Orleans can witnesse wherein virgins and mens wives were made common to King Harry Charles the Cardinall and to their Courtiers and Pages as common women in Bordells are unto their Companions The manner was thus At the entry of King Henry of France in the Town of Orleans the Matrons Virgins and mens wives were commanded to present themselves in the Kings Palace to dance And they obeyed for commonly the French Nation is not very hard to be entreated to vanity After Fidling and Flinging and when the Cardinall of Loraine had espied his prey he said to the King Sire le premiere est a vous fault queje soy le second that is Sir the first choyce is yours and I must be the second And so the King got the preeminence that he had his first Election But because Cardinalls are companions to Kings the Cardinall had the next And thereafter the Torches were put out and every man commanded to provide for himself the best he might What cry there was of husbands for their wives and wives for their husbands of ancient matrons for their daughters of virgins for their friends for some honest men to defend their pudicity Orleance will remember more Kings dayes then one This horrible villany a fruit of the Cardinalls good Catholike Religion we shortly touch to let the world understand what subjects may look for of such Magistrates for such Pastime to them is Jollity It had been good for our Queene that she had been brought up in better company both for her credit and for the course of her life And it may be that her excellent naturall enduements had been better employed for her reputation and happinesse then they were to her great misfortune and to the grief of those that wished her truely well But punishment of that enormity and fearfull attempt we could get none Yea more and more they presumed to do violence and frequented nightly Masking and began to bear the matter very heavily At length the Dukes friends began to assemble in the night time on the calsay or street The Abbot of Kylwinning who then was joyned to the Church and so as we understand yet abideth was principall man at the beginning To him repaired many faithfull and amongst others came Andrew Stewart Lord Uchiltrie a man rather borne to make peace then to brag upon the calsey he demanded the quarrell And being informed of the former enormity said Nay such impiety shall not be suffered so long as God shall assist us The Victory that God hath in his owne mercy given us we will by his grace maintaine And so he commanded his son Andrew Stewart then Master and his servants to put themselves in order and to bring forth their spears and long weapons and so did others The word came to the Earle Bothwell and his son that the Hamiltons were upon the street vows was made that the Hamiltons should be driven not onely out of the Town but also out of the Countrey Lord Iohn of Coldingham married the E. Bothwels sister a sufficient woman for such a man Alliance drew Lord Robert and so they joyned with the E. Bothwell But the stoutnes of the Marq. le Beuf d'Albuff they call him is most to be commended for in his Chalmer in the Abbey he start to an Halbert and ten men were scarce able to hold him that night and the danger was betwixt the Crosse and Tron and so he was a long quarter of a mile from the shot sklenting of Bolts The M. of Maxw after L. Herreis gave declaratiō to the Earle Bothwell That if he stirred forth of his Lodging he and all that assist him should resist him in the face Whose words did somewhat beat down that blast The Earles of Murray and Huntley being in the Abbey where the Marquesse was came with their company sent from the Queen to stay that tumult as they did for Bothwell and his were commanded under pain of Treason to keep their lodgings It was whispered by many That the Earle of Murray's displeasure was as much sought as any hatred that the Hamiltons did bear against the Earle of Bothwell or yet he against them And in very deed either had the Duke very false servants or else by Huntley and the Hamiltons the Earle of Murray's death was oftener conspired then once the suspition whereof burst forth so far that upon a day the said Earle being upon horse to have come to
unto you and I write it unto the Queen An act of Treason is laid to my Charge The Earle Bothwell hath showne to me in Councell That he shall take the Queen and put her in my hands in the Castle of Dumbartane And that he shall slay the Earle of Murray Lethinton and others that now misguide her and so shall he and I rule all But I know this is devised to accuse me of Treason for I know he will informe the Queen of it But I take you to witnesse That I open it here unto you And I will passe incontinent and write to the Queens Majesty and unto my Brother the Earle of Murray Iohn Knox demanded Did you consent my Lord to any part of that Treason He answered No. Then said he in my judgement his words although they were spoken can never be Treason to you for the performance of the Fact depends upon your will whereunto ye say ye have disassented and so shall that purpose vanish and die of it selfe unlesse that you waken it For it is not to be supposed That he will accuse you of that which he himselfe hath devised and whereunto you would not consent Oh said he you understand not what craft is used against me It is Treason to conceale Treason My Lord said he Treason must import consent and determination which I hear on neither of your parts And therefore my Lord in my judgement it will be more sure and more Honourable unto you to depend upon your your Innocency and to abide the unjust accusation of any other if any follow thereof as I thinke there shall not then to accuse especially after so late reconciliation I know said he That he will offer the Combate unto me but that would not be suffered in France But I will do that which I have purposed And so he departed and took with him to his Lodging the said Master Alexander Guthrie and Master Richard Strange from whence was written and endited a Letter to the Queens Majestie according to the former purpose which Letter was directed with all diligence unto her Majesty who then was in Falkland The Earle himselfe rode after to Kinneill to his Father the Duke but how he was used we have but the common bruit But from thence he wrote a Letter with his owne hand in Cyphers to the Earle of Murry complaining of his rigorous handling and entertainment by his owne father and friends And assured further That he feared his life in case he got not sudden rescue But thereupon he remained not but broke the Chamber wherein he was put and with great pain passed to Sterling and from thence was conveyed to the Haly-yards where he was kept till that the Earle of Murray came unto him and conveyed him to the Queen then being in Falkland who then was sufficiently instructed in the whole matter and upon suspition conceived had caused to apprehend Master Gawan Hamilton and the Earle Bothwell aforesaid who knowing nothing of the former advertisements came to Falkland which augmented the former suspition But yet the Letters of Iohn Knox made all things to be used more circumspectly for he did plainly forewarne the Earle of Murray that he espyed the Earle of Arran to be stricken with phrensie and therefore willed not over great credit to be given unto his words and inventions And as he advertised so it came to passe forthwith in few dayes his sicknesse increased he talked of wondrous signes that he saw in heaven he alleaged that he was bewitched he would have been in the Queens Bed and affirmed that he was her husband and finally in all things he behaved himself so foolishly that his phrensie could not be hid And yet were the Earl Bothwell and Master Gawan Abbot of Kilming kept in the Castle of Saint Andrews and convent before the Councill with the Earl Arran who ever stood firm that the Earl of Bothwell proposed to him such things as he advertised the Queens Majestie of but stiffely denyed that his father the said Abbot or his friends knew any thing therof either yet that they intended any violence against him but alleaged that he was inchanted so to think and write Whereat the Queen highly offended committed him to prison with the other two first in the Castle of Saint Andrews and thereafter caused them to be conveyed to the Castle of Edinburgh Iames Stewart of Cardonhall called Captain Iames was evill bruited for the rigorous entertainment that he shewed to the said Earle in his sicknesse being appointed Keeper unto him To consult upon these occasions the whole Counsell was assembled at Saint Andewes the eighteenth of April 1562. years in which it was concluded that in consideration of the former suspition the Duke should render to the Queen the Castle of Dunbartan the custody thereof was granted unto him by appointment till that lawfull succession should be seene of the Queens body But Will prevailed against Reason and promise and so was the Castle delivered to Captain Anstruther as having power from the Queen and Councill to receive it Things ordered in Fyfe the Queen returned to Edinburgh and then began mirth to grow hot for her friends began to triumph in France The certainty hereof came to the ears of Iohn Knox for there were some that then told him from time to time the state of things and amongst others he was assured That the Queen had been merry excessively dancing till after midnight because that she had received Letters that pacification was begun again in France and that her Uncles were beginning to stirre their taile and to trouble the whole Realme of France upon occasion of this Text And now understand O ye Kings and be learned ye that judge the Earth he bagan to taxe the ignorance the vanity and despite of Princes against all vertue and against all those in whom hatred of vice and love of vertue appeared the report hereof made unto the Queen the said Iohn Knox was sent for Master Alexander Cokburne who before had been his Schollar and was very familiar with him was the messenger who gave him some knowledge both of the report and of the reporters The Queen was in her Bed-Chamber and with her besides the Ladies and common servants were the Lord Iames the Earle Morton Secretary Lethington and some of the Guard that had made the report he was accused as one that had irreverently spoken of the Queene and that travelled to bring her into hatred and contempt of the people and that he had exceeded the bounds of his Text and upon these three heads made the Queene a long Oration whereto the said Iohn answered as followeth Madame this is oftentimes the just recompence which God gives the stubborn of the world that because they will not hear God speaking to the comfort of the penitent and for amendment of the wicked they are oft compelled to hear the false report of others to their great displeasure I doubt not but
carryed about in a Boat and laid without Buriall in the Abbey of Halyrud-house till the day of his Forefaltor as after shall be declared The Duke apprehended the Lord Gordon his son in Law because that the Queen had straitly commanded him so to do if that he repaired within his bounds Before that he delivered him the Earle of Murray laboured at the Queens hands for the safety of his life which hardly was granted and so was he delivered within the Castle of Edinburgh the eight and twentieth day of November 1562. where he remained till the eighth day of February when he was put to an Assise accused and convinced of Treason but was restored againe first to the Castle aforesaid and thereafter was transported to Dumbar where he remained prisoner till the moneth of August in the yeer of God 1565. as we will after hear In the mean time the troubles were hot in France and the intelligence and outward familiarity betwixt the two Queens was great Lethington was directed with large Commission both to the Queene of England and to the Guisians The Marriage of our Queen was in all mens mouthes some would have the Infant of Spaine some the Emperours Brother some Duke Denemours and some truely guessed at the Lord Darley What Lethingtons Credit was we know not but shortly after there began much to be talked of the Earle of Lenox and of his son the Lord Darley It was said that Lethington spake to the Lady Margaret Dowglas And that Robert Melvill received a horse to the Secretaries use from the Earle of Lenox or from his wife Howsoever it was Master Fouller servant to the said Earle came with Letters to the Queene by which License was permitted to the Earle of Lenox to come to Scotland to travell in his lawfull businesse That same day the Queens License was granted the Secretary said This day I have taken upon me the deadly hatred of all the Hamiltons within Scotland and have done unto them no lesse displeasure then if I had cut their throats The Earle Bothwell who before had broken Ward fearing apprehension or taking prepared to passe to France but by storm of Weather was driven into England where he was stayed and was offered to have been rendred by the Queen of England But our Queens answer was That he was no Rebell and therefore she requested that he should have liberty to passe whither he pleased And thereto Lethington helped not a little for he travelled to have friends in every faction of the Court. And so obtained the said Earle Lincense to passe to France The Winter after the death of the Earle of Huntley the Court remained for the most part at Edinburgh The Preachers were wondrous vehement in reprehension of all manner of Vice which then began to abound and especially Avarice Oppression of the poore Excesse Ryotous Cheer Banquetting immoderate Dancing and Whoredome that thereof ensues Whereat the Courtiers began to storme and to pick quarrells against the Preachers alleadging that all their Preaching was turned to Rayling whereunto one of them gave answer as followeth It comes to our eares that we are called Raylers whereof albeit we wonder yet we are not ashamed seeing that the most worthy servants of God that before us have travelled in this Vocation have so been stiled But unto you do I say That the same God who from the beginning hath punished the Contempt of his Word and hath poured forth his Vengeance upon such proud mockers shall not spare you yea he shall not spare you before the eyes of this same wicked Generation for the pleasure whereof ye despise all wholesome Admonitions Have you not seen greater then any of you sitting where presently ye sit pick his nayles and pull down his Bonnet over his eyes when Idolatry Witchcraft Murther Oppression and such Vices were rebuked Was not this his common talke When these Knaves have rayled their fill then will they hold their peace Have ye not heard it affirmed to his owne face That God should revenge that his Blasphemie even in the eyes of such as were witnesse to his iniquity Then was the Earle of Huntley accused by you as the maintainer of Idolatry and onely hinderer of all good Orders him hath God punished even according to the threatnings that his and your ears heard and by your hands hath God executed his Judgements But what amendment can be espied in you Idolatry was never in greater quiet Vertue and vertuous men were never in more contempt Vice was never more bold nor punishment lesse feared And yet who guides the Queene and Court who but the Protestants O horrible slanderers of God and of his holy Evangell Better it were unto you plainely to renounce Christ Jesus then thus to expose his blessed Evangell to Mockage if God punisheth not you That this same age shall see and behold your punishment the spirit of righteous judgement guides me not This vehemency provoked the hatred not onely of the Courtiers but also of divers others against the Speaker which was Iohn Knox for such as be in credit never lack flatterers Their Brethren of the Court were irreverendly handled What was that but to raise the hearts of the people against them They did what they could Such speaking would cause them to do lesse And this was the fruit that the Preachers gathered of their just reprehensions The generall Assembly of the Church held on the 25 of December 1562. approached In the which great complaints were made That Churches lacked Ministers That Ministers lacked their Stipends That wicked men were permitted to be Schoole-Masters and so to infect the youth amongst them whom one Master Robert Cunning Schoole-master in Aberbrothoke was complained upon by the Laird of Dun and sentence pronounced against him It was further complained That Idolatry was erected in divers parts of the Realm For redresse hereof some thought best That a new supplication should be presented to the Queen others demanded what answer was received of the former The superintendent of Lowthian confessed the delivery of it but said he I received no answer It was answered for the part of the Queene for her supposts were ever there that it was well known to the whole Realm what troubles had occurred since the last Assembly and therefore That they should not wonder albeit that the Queen had not answered but betwixt that and the Parliament which was appointed to be in May they doubted not but such order should be taken as all men should have occasion to stand content This satisfied for that time the whole Assembly And this was the practice of the Queene and of her Councell with faire words to drive time as before we have said The Assembly notwithstanding proceeded forward in establishing of such orders as whereby vice might be punished and vertue might be maintained And because there was a great slander risen upon Paul Meffane of whom mention is made in the
said the other Madame that is put in Election If ye knew him said she as well as I do ye would never promote him to that Office nor yet to any other within your Kirk What he hath been said he Madame I never knew nor yet will I enquire for in time of darknesse What could we do but gâ—ope and go wrong even as darknesse carryed us but if he feare not GOD now he deceives many more then me And yet said he Madame I am assured GOD will not suffer his CHURCH to be so farre deceived As that an unworthy man shall be Elected where free Election is and the Spirit of GOD is earnestly called upon to decide betwixt the two Well said she do as ye will But that man is a dangerous man and therein was not the Queen deceived For he had corrupted the most part of the Gentlemen not onely to nominate him but also to Elect him which perceived by the said Iohn Commissioner delayed the Election and left it with the Master of Maxwell Master Robert Pont who was put in Election with the foresaid Bishop to the end that his Doctrine and Conversation might be the better tryed of these that had not known him before and so was this Bishop frustrate of his purpose for that present and yet was he at that time the man that was most familiar with the said Iohn in his house and at Table But now to the former conference When the Queen had long talked with Iohn Knox and he being oft willing to take his leave she said I have one of the greatest matters that have touched me since I came in this Realm to open unto you and I must have your help into it And she began to make a long discourse of her Sister the Lady Argile how that she was not so circumspect in all things as she wished her to be and yet said she my Lord her husband whom I love useth her not in many things so honestly and so godlily as I thinke ye your self would require Madam said he I have been troubled with that matter before and once I put an end to it and that was before your Majesties arrivall that both she and her friends seemed fully to stand content and she her self promised before her friends That she would never complain to any Creature till that I should first understand the controversie by her own mouth or else by one assured Messenger I now have heard nothing of her part and therefore I think there is nothing but concord Well said the Queen it is worse then ye beleeve but do this much for my sake as once again to put them at Unitie and if she behave not her self so as she ought to do she shall finde no favour of me but in any wise said she let my Lord know That I have requested you in this matter For I would be very sorry to offend him in that or in any other thing And now said she as touching our reasoning yesternight I promise to do as ye required I shall cause to summon all offenders and yee shall know that I shall minister Justice I am assured then said he That ye shall please God and enjoy rest and tranquilitie within your Realm which to your Majesty is more profitable then all the Popes power can be And thus they departed This Conference we have inserted to let the World see how deeply Mary Queen of Scotland can dissemble and how that she could cause men to thinke That she bare no indignation for any controversie in Religion which that yet in her heart was nothing but venome and destruction as shortly after did appeare Iohn Knox departed and prepared himself for his journey appointed to Dunfreis And from Glasgow according to the Queens Commandment he wrote this Letter to the Earle of Argyle the Tenour whereof follows My Lord THe Lord cometh and shall not tarry After commendation of my service unto your Lordship If I had known of your Lordships sudden departing the last time it chanced me to see and speak with you I had opened unto you some of my grief But supposing that your Lordship should have remained still with the Queen I delayed at that time to utter any part of that which now my conscience compelleth me to do Your behaviour towards your wife is very offensive unto many godly Her complaint is grievous That ye altogether withdraw your conversation from her If so ye have great need to look well to your own state for albeit that ye within your self felt no more repugnancie then any flesh this day on the earth yet by promise made before God are ye debtour unto her in all due benevolence But if that ye burne on the one side albeit ye do no worse and she in your default on the other ye are not onely men sworn before God but also doth what in you lieth to kindle against your self his wrath and heavie displeasure The words are sharp and God is witnesse in dolour of heart I write them But because they are true and pronounced by God himself I dare not but admonish you perceiving you as it were sleeping in sin The proud stubbornnesse whereof your Lordship oft complained will nothing excuse you before God for if ye be not able to convince her of any fault ye ought to bear with her imperfections as that ye would she should bear with you likewise In the bowells of Christ Jesus I exhort you my Lord to have respect of your own salvation and not to abuse the lenity and long-suffering of God for that is a fearfull treasure that ye heap up upon your own head while that he calleth you to repentance and ye obstinately continue in your own impiety for impiety it is that ye abstract your comfort and company from your lawfull wife I write nothing in defence of her misbehaviour towards your Lordship in any sort but I say If ye be not able to convince her of any fault committed since your last reconciliation which was in my presence that ye can never be excused before God of this rude and strange usage of your wife And if by you such impiety be committed as is bruted then before God and unto your owne conscience I say That every moment of that filthy pleasure shall turne to you in a yeers displeasure yea it shall be the occasion and cause of everlasting damnation unlesse speedily ye repent and repent ye cannot except ye desist from that impiety Call to minde my Lord That the servant knowing his masters will and doing the contrary shall be plagued with many plagues Sin my Lord is sweet in drinking but in digesting more bitter then the gall The Eternall move your heart earnestly to consider how fearfull a thing it is ever to have God to be enemy In the end I pray your Lordship not to be absent from Edinburgh the 19 of this instant for such causes as I will not write Thus much onely I warne your
me and yet suffered me to perish that in so doing ye should be criminall and guilty of my blood Prove that and win the play said Lethington Well my Lord said the other remember your promise and I will be short in my probation The Prophet Ieremy was apprehended by the Priests and Prophets who were a part of the Authority within Ierusalem and by the multitude of the people and this sentence was pronounced against him Thou shalt die the death for thou hast said This house shall be like Siloh and this City shall be desolate without any Inhabitant c. The Princes hearing the uprore came from the Kings house and sate down in Judgement in the entry of the new Gate of the Lords House And there the Priests and Prophets before the Princes and before all the people intented their Accusation in these words This man is worthy to die for he hath prophesied against this City and your eares have heard Ieremiah answered That whatsoever he had spoken proceeded from God and therefore said he As for me behold I am in your hands do with me as ye thinke good and right But know ye for certaine That if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon your soules and upon this Citie and upon the inhabitants thereof For of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speake all these words Now my Lord if the Princes and the whole people should have been guilty of the Prophets blood How shall ye or others be judged innocent before God if ye shall suffer the blood of such as have not deserved their blood to be shed when ye may save it The causes were nothing alike said Lethington And I would learn said the other wherein the dissimilitude stands First said Lethington the King had not condemned him to death And next The false Prophets the Priests and the People accused him without a cause and therefore they could not be guilty of his blood Neither of these said Iohn Knox fights against my argument For albeit the King was neither present nor yet had condemned him yet were the Princes and chiefe Councellors there sitting in Judgement who represented the Kings Authority hearing the accusation laid unto the charge of the Prophet And therefore he forewarns them of the danger as before is said to wit That in case he should be condemned and so put to death That the King the Councell and the whole City of Ierusalem should be guilty of his blood because that he had committed no crime worthy of death And if ye thinke that they all should have been criminall onely because that they all accused him the plain Text witnesseth the contrary for the Princes defended him and so no doubt did a great part of the People and yet he boldly affirmed That they should be all guilty of his blood if he should be put to death And the Prophet Ezekiel gives a reason Why all are guilty of common corruption Because saith he I sought a man amongst them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none Therefore have I poured forth my indignation upon them Hereof my Lord said he it is plain That God craves not onely that man should do no iniquity in his owne person but also that he oppose himself to all iniquity so farre as in him lieth Then will ye said Lethington make subjects to controll their Princes and Rulers And what harme said the other should the Common-wealth receive if the corrupt affections of ignorant Rulers were moderated and so bridled by the wisedome and discretion of godly subjects that they should do no wrong nor no violence to any man All this reasoning said Lethington is out of the purpose For we reason as if the Queen should become such an enemy to our Religion that she should persecute it and put innocent men to death while I am assured she never thought nor never will do For if I should see her begin at that end yea if I should suspect any such thing in her I should be as farre forward in that argument as ye or any other within the Realme But there is no such thing Our Question is Whether that ye may suppresse the Queens Masse or Whether that her Idolatry shall be laid to our charge What ye may said Iohn Knox by force I dispute not But what ye may and ought to do by Gods expresse Commandment that I can tell Idolatry ought not onely to be suppressed but the Idolater also ought to die the death But by whom By the people of God said the other for the Commandment was given to Israel as ye may reade Heare Israel sayes the Lord the Statutes and the Ordinances of the Lord thy God c. Yea a Commandment is given that if it be heard that Idolatry is committed in any one City inquisition shall be taken and if it be found true That then the whole Body of the People arise and destroy that City sparing in it neither man woman nor childe But there is no Commandment said the Secretary given to punish their King If he be an Idolater I finde no priviledge granted unto Kings said the other by God more then unto the people to offend Gods Majestie I grant said Lethington but yet the people may not be judges to their King to punish him albeit he be an Idoter God said the other is the Universall Judge as well unto the King as to the People So that what his Word commands to be punished in the one is not to be absolved in the other We agree in that said Lethington But the people may not execute Gods Judgements but mst leave it unto himselfe who will either punish it by Death by Warre by Imprisonment or by some other kinde of his Plagues I know said Iohn Knox the last part of the reason to be true But for the first That the people yea or a part of the people may not execute Gods Judgements against their King being an offendor I am assured ye have no other Warrant except your own imaginations and the opinion of such as more fear to offend their Princes then God Why say ye so said Lethington I have the judgement of the most famous men in Europe and of such as ye your selfe will confesse both godly and learned And with that he called for his Papers which produced by Master Maitland he bagan to reade with great gravity the Judgements of Luther Melancthon the mindes of Bucer Musculus and Calvin how Christians should behave themselves in time of Persecution yea the Book of Baruc was not omitted with this conclusion The gathering of those things said he hath cost me more travell then I thinke this seven yeers in reading Commentaries The more pity said the other and yet what you have profited your own cause let others judge But as for my argument I am assured you have infirmed
Duke Hamilton the Earles Argile Murray Glencarne Rothesse the Lord Boyd and Ochiltrie with divers Barons and Gentlemen of Fife and Kyle where they concluded to be in readinesse with their whole Forces the four and twentieth day of August But the King and Queene with great cerity prevented them for their Majesties sent thorow Lowthian Fife Angus Stratherne Tividaile and Chiddisdaile and other Shires making their Proclamations in this manner That forasmuch as certaine Rebels who under colour of Religion intended nothing but the trouble and subversion of the Common-wealth were to convene with such as they might perswade to assist them therefore they charged all manner of men under pain of Life Lands and Goods to resort and meet their Majesties at Linlithgow the 24 day of August This Proclamation was made in Lowthian the third pay of the said moneth Upon Sunday the ninteenth of August the King came to the high Kirke of Edinburgh where Iohn Knox made the Sermon his Text was taken out of the six and twentieth Chapter of Esayas his Prophesie about the thirteenth Verse where in the words of the Prophet he said O Lord our God other Lords then thou have ruled over us Whereupon he tooke occasion to speake of the government of wicked Princes who for the sinnes of the people are sent as Tyrants and scourges to plague them And amongst other things he said That God sets in that room for the offences and ingratitude of the people Boyes and women And so other words which appeared bitter in the Kings ears as That God justly punished Ahab and his Posterity because he would not take order with that Harlot Iezabel And because he had tarried an hour and more longer then the time appointed the King sitting in a Throne made for that purpose was so moved at this Sermon that he would not Dine and being troubled with great fury he past in the afternoon to the Hawking Immediately Iohn Knox was commanded to come to the Councell where in the Secretaries Chamber were convened the Earle of Athole the Lord Ruthven the Secretary the Justice Clarke with the Advocate There passed along with the Minister a great number of the most apparent men of the Towne When he was called the Secretary declared That the Kings Majestie was offended with some words spoken in the Sermon especially such as are above rehearsed desiring him to abstaine from preaching for fifteen or twenty dayes and let Master Craig supply the place He answered That he had spoken nothing but according to his Text and if the Church would command him either to speake or abstain he would obey so far as the Word of God would permit him Within four dayes after the King and Queen sent to the Councell of Edinburgh commanding them to depose Archibald Dowglas and to receive the Laird Craigmiller for their Provest which was presently obeyed The five and twentieth of August the King and Queens Majesties past from Edinburgh to Linlithgow and from thence to Sterlin and from Sterlin to Glasgow At their first arrivall their whole people were not come The next day after their arrivall to Glasgow the Lords came to Paisley where they remained that night being in company about one thousand horses On the morrow they came to Hamilton keeping the high passage from Paisley hard by Glasgow where the King and Queen easily might behold them The night following which was the penult of August they remained in Hamilton with their Company but for divers respects moving them they thought it not expedient to tarry especially because the Earle of Argyle was not come for his Diet was not afore the second of September following to have been at Hamilton Finally they took purpose to come to Edinburgh the which they did the next day And albeit Alexander Areskin Captain under the Lord his brother caused to shoot forth of the Castle two Shot of Cannon they being neer the Towne And likewise that the Laird Craigmiller Provest did his endeavour to hold the Lords forth of the Towne in causing the common Bells to be rung for the convening of the Towne to the effect aforesaid yet they entred easily at the West Port or Gate without any molestation or impediment being in number as they esteemed themselves one thousand three hundred Horses Immediately they dispatched Messengers Southward and Northward to assist them but all in vain And immediately after they were in their Lodgings they caused to strike or beat the Drum desiring all such men as would receive Wages for the defence of the Glory of God That they should resort the day following to the Church where they should receive good Pay But they profited little that way neither could they in Edinburgh get any comfort or support for none or few resorted unto them yet they got more rest and sleep when they were at Edinburgh then they had done in five or six nights before The Noble-men of this Company were The Duke The Earles Murray Glencarne and Rothesse The Lords Boyd and Uchiltrie The Lairds of Grange Cunningham-head Balcomie and Lavers The Tâ—tor of Pitcur The Lairds of Barr Carmell and Dreghorn And the Laird of Pittarow Comptroller went with them Some said merrily That they were come to keepe the Parliament for the Parliament was continued till the first day of September Upon the which day they wrote to the King and Queens Majesties a Letter containing in effect That albeit they were persecuted most unjustly which they understood proceeded not of the King and Queens Majesties own Nature but onely by evil Counsell yet notwithstanding they were willing and content to suffer according to the Lawes of the Realm providing that the true Religion of God might be established and the dependants thereupon be likewise reformed Beseeching their Majesties most humbly to grant these things But otherwise if their enemies would seek their blood they should understand It should be dear bought They had written twice almost to the same effect to the King and Queens Majesties after their passing from Edinburgh for the Laird of Preston presented a Letter to the King and Queens Majestie and was therefore imprisoned but soon after released neverthelesse they got no answer The same day that they departed out of Hamilton the King and Queens Majesties issued out of Glasgow in the morning betimes And passing towards Hamilton the Army met their Majesties neer the Bridge of Cadder As they mustered the Master of Maxwell sate downe upon his knees and made a long Oration to the Queen declaring what pleasure she had done to them and ever laid the whole burden upon the Earle Murray Soon after they marched forward in Battell aray The Earle of Lenox took the Van-guard the Earle of Mortoun the middle Battell and the King and Queen the Reere The whole number were about five thousand men whereof the greatest part were in the Van-guard As the King and Queens Majesties were within three miles of Hamilton they were advertised that the Lords
Master Iohn Sinclar Bishop of Rosse and Dean of Lestarrig of whom hath been oft mention President of the Colledge of Justice called the Session who also succeeded in the said Office and Dignity after the decease of his brother Master Iohn Sinclar Bishop of Rosse Dean of Glasgow who departed this life at Paris about a yeer before They were both learned in the Laws and given to maintain the Popish Religion and therefore great enemies to the Protestants A little before died Master Abrabam Crithton who had been President likewise now in their rooms The Queen placed such as she pleased and had done her service alwayes very unfit The Patrimony of the Kirk Bishopricks Abbeyes and such other Benefices were disposed by the Queen to Courtiers Dancers and Flatterers The Earle Bothwell whom the Queen preferred above all others after the decease of David Rizio had for his part Melrosse Hadington and New Bottell likewise the Castle of Dumbar was given to him with the principall Lands of the Earldome of Merche which were of the Patrimony of the Crown At the same time the Superintendents with the other Ministers of the Churches perceiving the Ministery like to decay for lack of payment of Stipends to Ministers they gave this Supplication at Edinburgh The Supplication of the Ministers to the Queene UNto your Majesty and your most honourable Councel most humbly and lamentably complains your Highnesse poor Orators the Superintendents and other Ministers of the Reformed Church of God travelling thorowout all your Highnesse Realme in teaching and instructing your Lieges in all Quarters in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus his Son That where your Majestie with the advice of the Councell and Nobility aforesaid moved by godly zeal concluded and determined That the travelling Ministery thorowout this Realme should be maintained upon the Rents of the Benefices of this Realme of Scotland and for that cause your Majesty with the advice of the Councell and Nobility aforesaid upon the 15 day of December 1562. in like manner concluded and determined That if the said part of the Rents of the whole Benefices Ecclesiasticall within this Realme would be sufficient to maintain the Ministers thorowout the whole Realm and to support your Majestie in the setting forward of your common affairs should be employed accordingly Failing thereof the third part of the said fruits or more to be taken up yeerly in time coming untill a generall Order be taken therein as the Act made thereupon at more length bears Which being afterward considered by your Majesty the whole Thirds of the fruits aforesaid were propounded to the uses aforesaid by Act of Councell And we your Majesties poor Orators put in peaceable possession of the part assigned by your Majestie to us by the space of three yeers or thereabouts which we did enjoy without interruption notwithstanding all this now of late we your Majesties poor Orators aforesaid are put wrongfully and unjustly from their aforesaid part of the above specified Thirds by your Majesties Officers and thereby brought to such extreme penury and extreme distresse as we are not able any longer to maintain our selves And albeit we have given in divers and sundry complaints to your Majestie herein and have received divers promises of redresse yet have we found no relief Therefore we most humbly beseech your Majesty to consider our most grievous complaint together with the right above specified whereon the same is grounded And if your Majestie with the advice of your Councell aforesaid findes our right sufficient to continue us in possession of our part assigned to us while and untill a generall Order be taken which possession was ratified by the yeerly allowance of your Majesties Exchequers accompt That your Majesty would grant us Letters upon the aforesaid Act and Ordinance past thereupon against all intromettors and medlers with the aforesaid Thirds to answer and obey according to the aforesaid Act and Ordinance of our possession proceeding thereupon And likewise that we may have Letters if need be to arrest and stay the aforesaid Thirds in the possessors hands while and untill sufficient caution be found to us for our part aforesaid And your answer most humbly we beseech This Supplication being presented by the Superintendent of Lowthian and M. Iohn Craig in the Castle of Edinburgh was graciously received by the Queen who promised that she would take sufficient order therein so soon as the Nobility and Councell might convene The 19 of Iune the Queen was delivered of a man-childe the Prince in the aforesaid Castle and immediately sent into France and England her Posts to advertise the neighbour Princes and to desire them to send Gossips or Wintesses of the Princes Baptisme In the mean time there was joy and triumph made in Edinburgh and such other places where it was known after thanks and praises given unto God with Supplications for the godly Education of the Prince and principally wishing that he should be Baptized according to the manner and forme observed in the Reformed Churches within this Realme About the same time to wit the 25 of Iune the generall Assembly of the whole Church convened at Edinburgh The Earles of Argyle and Murray assisted at the Assembly Paul Methvin who before as we heard was excommunicate gave in his Supplication and desired to be heard as he had done divers times for the said Paul had written oft times out of England to the Laird of Dun and to divers others most earnestly desiring to be received again into the Fellowship of the Church After reasoning of the matter it was finally granted That he should be heard And so being before the Assembly and falling upon his knees burst out with tears and said He was not worthy to appear in their presence alwayes he desired them for the love of God to receive him to the open expression of his repentance Shortly after they appointed certain of the Ministers to prescribe to him the form of his declaration of Repentance which was thus in effect first That he should present himself barefoot and bare-head arayed in Sack-cloth at the principall entry of Saint Gyles Kirk in Edinburgh at seven hours in the morning upon the next Wednesday and there to remain the space of an hour the whole people beholding him till the Prayer was made Psalmes sung and Text of Scripture was read and then to come into into the place appointed for expression of repentance and tarry the time of Sermon and to do so likewise the next Friday following and also upon the Sunday and then in the face of the whole Church to declare his repentance with his owne mouth The same form and manner he should use in Iedwart and Dundie And that being done to present himself again at the next generall Assembly following in Winter where he should be received to the Communion of the Church When the said Paul had received the said Ordinance he took it very grievously alleadging They had used over-great severity Neverthelesse
necessity a lie And to witnesse that this comes of all my heart I shall remain at Berwike while I get thy Majesties answer and shall without fail return having thy hand write that I may have audience place to speak No more I desire of thee whereof if I had been sure I should never have departed and that thou mayst know the truth thereof if fear of the justnesse of my Cause or dread of persecution for the same had moved me to depart I could not so pleasantly revert onely distrust was the cause of my departing Pardon me to say that which lieth to thy Majesties charge Thou art bound by the Law of God suppose they falsly lie saying it pertaineth not to thy Majestie to intermeddle with such matters to cause every man in any case accused of his life to have their just defence their accusers produced conform to their own law They blinde thy Matie eyes that knows nothing of thy law but if I prove not this out of their own law I offer me to the death Thy Matie therefore by experience may daily learn seeing they neither fear the King of Heaven as their lives testifie neither thee their Naturall Prince as their usurped power in their actions shews why thy Highnes should be no longer blinded Thou maist consider that they pretend nothing else but onely the maintenance and upholding of their barded mules augmenting of their insatiable avarice and continuall overthrowing and swallowing up thy poore subjects neither preaching nor teaching out of the Law of God as they should the rude ignorant people but contend who may be most high most rich and neerest thy Majesty to put thy Temporal Lords and Lieges out of thy counsell and favour who should be and are most tender servants to thy Majesty in all time of need to the defence of thee and thy Crown And where they desire thy Majesty to to put out thy Temporal Lords and Lieges because they despise their vitious life What else intend they but onely thy death and destruction as thou maist easily perceive suppose they colour their false intent and minde with the pursuit of heresie for when thy Barons are put downe What art thou but the king of Land and not of men and then of necessity must be guided by them and there no doubt where a blinde man is guide must be a fall in the mire Therefore let thy Majesty take boldnes and authority which thou hast of God and suffer not their cruell persecution to proceed without audience given to him that is accused and just place of defence and then no doubt thou shalt have thy subjects hearts and all that they can or may do in time of need tranquility justice and policy and finally the Kingdom of the heavens May it please you to give one Copy of this to the Clergie and keep the Original and thy Majestie shall have experience if I go against one word that I have spoken I shall daily make my hearty devotion for thy Majestie and for the prosperity and welfare of thy body and soul. I doubt not but thy gracious Highnesse will give answer to this Letter unto the Presenter of it unto thy Highnesse At Berwike by thy Highnesse servant and Orator Sic subscribitur Alexander Seton This Letter was delivered to the Kings own hands and of many read but what could greatly avail where the pride and corruption of Prelats commanded what they pleased and the flattery of Courtiers fostered the unadvised Prince in all dissolutenesse by which means they made him obsequious unto them From the death of that constant Witnesse of Jesus Christ M. Patrike Hammilton God disclosing the wickednesse of the wicked as before we have heard There was one Forrest of Linlytquow taken who after long imprisonment in the said Tower of S. Andrews was adjudged to the fire by the â—aid Bishop Iames Betonne and his Doctors for no other crime but because he had a new Testament in English Further of that History we have not except that he died constantly and with great patience at S. Andrews After whose death thâ— flame of Persecution ceased till the death of M. Norman Gurlaw the space of ten yeeres or thereabout not that the bloody beasts ceased by all means to suppresse the lyght of God and to trouble such as in any sort were suspected to abhorre their corruption but because the Realme in these times was troubled with intestine and cruell warres in the which much blood was shed first at Melrosse betwixt the Dowglas and Balclench in the yeere of God 1526. the 24. day of July Next at Lynlythcow betwixt the Hamiltons and the Earle of Lenox who was sisters son to the Earle of Arran where the said Earle with many others lost his life the thirteenth day of September in the same yeere And last betwixt the King himself and the foresaid Dowglas whom he banished the Realme and held him in exile during his whole dayes By reason of these we say and of other troubles the Bishops and their bloody bands could not finde the time so favourable unto them as they required to execute their Tyrannie In this middle time so did the wisedome of God provide that Henry the eight King of England did abolish from his Realme the name and authority of the Pope of Rome commanded the Bible to be read in English suppressed the Abbeys and other places of Idolatry with their Idols which gave great hope to divers Realmes that some godly Reformation should thereof have ensued And therefore from this our Countrey did divers learned men and others that lived in feare of Persecution repaire to that Realme where albeit they found not such purity as they wished and therefore divers of them sought other countreys yet they escaped the tyrannie of mercilesse men and were reserved to better times that they might fructifie within his Church in divers places and parts and in divers vocations Alexander Setonne remained in England and publikely with great praise and comfort of many taught the Gospel in all sincerity certain yeers And albeit the craftinesse of Gardner Bishop of Winchester and of others circumvented the said Alexander so that they caused him at Pauls Crosse to affirme certaine things that repugned to his former Doctrine yet it is no doubt but that God potently had assisted him in all his life and that also in his death which shortly after followed he found the mercy of his God whereupon he ever exhorted all men to depend Alexander Alaesius Master Iohn Fyfe and that famous man Doctor Machabeus departed unto Dutchland where by Gods providence they were distributed to severall places Makdowell for his singular prudence besides his Learning and Godlinesse was elected borrow-Master in one of their steads Alaesius was appointed to the Universitie of Lipsia and so was Master Iohn Fyfe where for their honest behaviour and great erudition they were holden in admiration with all the
godly And in what honour credit and estimation Doctour Machabeus was with Christian king of Denmark Cawpmanhowen and famous men of divers nations can testifie This did God provide for his servants and did frustrate the expectation of these bloody beasts who by the death of one he meanes M. Patrick Hamilton in whom the lyght of God did clearly shine intended to have suppressed Christs Trueth for ever within this Realme but the contrary had God decreed for his death was the cause as is said that many did awake from the deadly sleep of ignorance and so did Jesus Christ the onely true Lyght shine unto many for the way taken of one And albeit that these notable men did never after M. Iohn Fyfe onely excepted comfort their countrey with their bodily presence yet made he them fructifie in his Church and raised them up Lyghts out of darknesse to the praise of his own mercy and to the just condemnation of them that then ruled To wit of the King Counsell and Nobility yea of the whole people who suffered such notable personages without crimes counted to be unjustly persecuted and so exiled others were after even so dealt withall but of them we shall speak in their own place No sooner gate the Bishops opportunity which alwayes they sought but so soon renewed they the battell against Jesus Christ. For the aforesaid leprous Bishop in the yeere of God 1534. caused to be summoned Sir William Kyrk Adam Dayis Henry Kernes Iohn Stewart of Leyth with divers others such as Master William Iohnston Advocate Master Henry Henderson Schoole-master of Edenburgh of whom some compeered in the Abbey Kyrk of Halyrud-house and so abjured and publikely burnt their Bills others compeered not and therefore was exiled But in judgement were produced two to wit David Straton a Gentleman and Master Norman Gowrlay a man of reasonable erudition of whom we may shortly speak In Master Norman appeared knowledge albeit joyned with weaknesse But in David Straton could onely be espied for the first a hatred against the pride and avaritiousnesse of Priests for the cause of his delation was he had made to himselfe one Fish-boat to go to the sea The Bishop of Murray then being Prior of Saint Andrews and his agents urged him for the tythe thereof His answer was If they would have tythe of that which his servants wan in the sea it were but reason that they should come and receive it where they got the stocke and so as it was constantly affirmed he caused his servants to cast the tenth fish in the sea again Processe of cursing was laid against him for not paying such tythes which when he contemned he was summoned to answer for Heresie It troubled him vehemently and therefore he began to frequent the company of such as were godly for before he had been a man very stubborne and one that despised all reading chiefly of those things that were godly but miraculously as it were he appeareth to be changed for he delighteth in nothing but in hearing of reading for himselfe could not reade and was a vehement exhorter of all men to concord and quietnesse and the contempt of the world He frequented much the company of the Laird of Dun Areskin whom God in those daies had marvellously illuminated upon a day as the Laird of Lawriston that yet liveth then being a young man was reading unto him in the New Testament in a certain quiet place in the fields as God had appointed he chanced to read these Sentences of our Master Jesus Christ He that denieth me before men or is ashamed of me in the midst of this wicked generation I will deny him in the presence of my Father and before his Angels At which words he suddenly being as one revived cast himselfe upon his knees and extending both hand and visage constantly to the heaven a reasonable time at length he burst forth in these words O Lord I have been wicked and justly mayest thou withdraw thy grace from me but Lord for thy mercies sake let me never deny thee nor thy Trueth for fear of death or corporall paine The issue declared that his prayer was not vain for when he with the aforesaid Master Norman was produced in judgement in the Abbey of Halyrud-House the King himselfe all clad in red being present great labour was made that the said David Straton should have recanted and burnt his Bill But he ever standing at his defence alleadging that he had not offended in the end was adjudged to the fire and then when he perceived the danger asked grace at the King which he would willingly have granted unto him the Bishops proudly answered That the Kings hands were bound in that case and that he had no grace to give to such as by their Law were condemned And so was he with the said Master Norman after dinner upon the seven and twentieth day of August in the yeere of our Lord 1534. aforesaid led to a place besides the roode of greene side and there they two were both hanged and burnt according to the mercy of the Papisticall Church To that same diet were summoned as before we have said others of whom some escaped into England and so for that present escaped the death This their tyranny notwithstanding the knowledge of God did wonderfully increase within this Realme partly by reading partly by brotherly conference which in those dangerous dayes was used to the comfort of many but chiefly by Merchants and Mariners who frequenting other countreys heard the true Doctrine affirmed and the vanity of the Papisticall Religion openly rebuked Amongst whom were those of Dondie and Lieth principals against whom was made a very strait inquisition by David Beton cruell Cardinall And divers were compelled to abjure and burne their Bills some in Saint Andrews and some at Edinburgh About the same time Captaine Iohn Berthwick Provost of Lithcow was burnt in figure but by Gods providence escaped their furie And this was done for a spectacle and triumph to Mary of Lorraine lately arrived from France as wife to Iames the fifth King of Scots what plagues she brought with her and how they yet continue such as are not blinde may manifestly see The rage of these bloody beasts proceeded so farre that the Kings Court it selfe escaped not that danger for in it divers were suspected and some accused And yet ever did some lyght burst out in the midst of darknesse for the trueth of Christ Jesus entred even into the Cloisters as well of Friars and Monks as of Channons Iohn Lyn a gray Frier left his hypocriticall habit and the den of those murtherers the gray Friers A black Frier called Frier Killor set forth the History of Christs passion in forme of a Play which he both Preached and practised openly in Sterlin the King himselfe being present upon a Good-Friday in the Morning in the which all things were so lively expressed that the