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
a Plague so contagious that with great difficultie could they have their dead buried They were oft refreshed with new men but all was in vain Hunger and plague within and the pursuit of the enemy with a campe volant lay about them and intercepted all victuals except when they were brought by a Convoy from Barwick so constrained them that the Councel of England was conpelled in the spring time to call their Forces from that place And so spoiling and burning some part of the Town they left it to be occupied to such as first should take possession and those were the French-men with a meane number of the ancient inhabitants and so did God performe the words and threatnings of M. George Wischard who said That for that contempt of Gods Messenger they should be visited with sword and fire with pestilence strangers and famine All which they found in such perfection that to this day yet that Town hath neither recovered the former beauty nor yet men of such wisdom and ability as then did inhabit it Hereafter was Peace contracted betwixt France England and Scotland yea a severall Peace was contracted betwixt Scotland and Flanders together with all the Easterlings So that Scotland had peace with the world But yet would their Bishops make War against God For as soone as ever they got any quietnesse they apprehended Adam Wallace alias Fian a simple man without great learning but one that was zealous in godlinesse and of an upright life He with his wife Beatrice Levingstonne frequented the company of the Lady Ormeston for instruction of her children during the trouble of her husband who then was banished This Bastard called Bishop of S. Andrews took the said Adam forth of the place of Wynton men supposed that they thought to have apprehended the Lairde and carried him to Edinburgh where after certain dayes he was presented to judgement in the Church of the Blacke Theeves alias Friers before Duke Hamilton the Earle of Huntly and divers others besides The Bishops and their rabble they began to accuse him Master Iohn Lawder was his accusator That he took upon him to Preach He answered That he never judged himselfe worthy of so excellent a vocation and therefore he never took upon him to Preach but he would not deny that sometimes at Table and sometimes in some other privie places he would reade and had read the Scriptures and had given such exhortation as God pleased to give to him to such as pleased to heare him Knave quoth one What have you to do to meddle with the Scripture I think said he it is the dutie of every Christian to seek the will of his God and the assurance of his salvation where it is to be found and that is within the Old and New Testament What then said another shall we leave to the Bishops and Church-men for to do if every man shall be a babler upon the Bible It becometh you said he to speak more reverently of God and of his blessed Word if the Judge were uncorrupted he would punish you for your blasphemie But to your Question I answer That albeit ye and I and other five thousand within this Realm should read the Bible and speak of it what God should give us to speak yet left we more to the Bishops to do then either they will do or can do For we leave to them publikeâ—y to Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to feed the flock which he hath redeemed by his own blood and hath commanded the same to all true Pastors And when we leave this unto them me thinks we leave to them a heavie burden And that we do unto them no wrong although we search our own salvation where it is to be found considering that they are but dumb Dogs and unsavory Salt that hath altogether lost the season The Bishops hereat offended said What prating is this Let his accusation be read And then was begun False Traitour Hereticke Thou Baptizedst thine own Childe Thou saidst There is no Purgatory Thou saidst That to pray to Saints and for the dead is Idolatry and a vaine Superstition c. What sayest thou to these things He answered If I should be bound to answer I would require an upright and an indifferent Judge The Earle of Huntly disdainefully said Foolish man Wilt thou desire any other Judge then my Lord Dukes Grace great Governour of Scotland and my Lords the Bishops and the Clergie here present Whereto he answered The Bishops can be no Judges to me for they are open enemies to the Doctrine that I professe And as for my Lord Duke I cannot tell whether he hath the knowledge that should be in him that should judge and discern betwixt Lies and the Trueth the Inventions of men and the true worshipping of God I desire Gods Word and with that he produced the Bible to be judge betwixt the Bishops and me and I am content that ye all hear and if by this Booke I shall be convinced to have taught spoken or done in matters of Religion any thing that repugneth to Gods will I refuse not to die But if I cannot be convinced as I am assured by Gods Word I shall not then I in Gods name desire your assistance That malicious men execute not upon me unjust Tyrannie The Earle of Huntley said What a babling foole is this Thou shalt get none other Judges then these that sit here Whereunto the said Adam answered The good will of God be done But be ye assured my Lord with such measure as ye mete to others with the same measure it shall be met to you againe I know that I shall die but be ye assured that my blood shall be required at your hands Alexander Earle of Glencarne yet alive said to the Bishop of Orknay and others that sate nigh him Take heed all you my Lords of the Clergie for here I protest for my part that I consent not to his death And so without feare prepared the said Adam to answer And first to the Baptizing of his own Childe he said It was and is as lawfull to me for lacke of a true Minister to Baptize my owne Childe as that it was to Abraham to Circumcise his son Ismael and his family And as for Purgatory Praying to Saints and for the dead I have oft read said he both the New and Old Testaments but I neither could finde mention nor assurance of them And therefore I beleeve that they are but meere inventions of men devised for covetousnesse sake Well quoth the Bishop ye hear this my Lords What sayest thou of the Masse speires the Earle of Huntly He answered I say my Lord as my Lord Jesus Christ saith That which is in greatest estimation before men is abhomination before God Then all cried out Heresie Heresie And so was the simple servant of God adjudged to the fire which he patiently sustained that same day at after-noon upon
do against their conscience he could not promise She in fury did answer That he was too mallapart to give her such answer affirming that both he and they should repent it She solicited M. Iames Haliburntoun Provest of Dundie to apprehend Paul Methuen who fearing God gave secret advertisement to the man to avoid the Town for a time She sent forth such as she thought most able to perswade at Easter to cause Montrosse Dundie S. Iohnston and other such places as had received the Gospel to communicate with the Idoll of the Masse but they could profit nothing the hearts of many were bent to follow the Trueth revealed and did abhorre Superstition and Idolatry Whereat she more highly commoved did Summon again all the Preachers to appear at Sterlin the tenth day of May in the yeere of our Lord 1559. Which understood by us we with all humble obedience sought the means how she might be appeased and our Preachers not molested but when we could prevaile nothing it was concluded by the whole brethren That the Gentlemen of every Countrey should accompany their Preachers to the day and place appointed Whereto all men were most willing And for that purpose the Town of Dundie the Gentlemen of Angus and Mernes passed forward with their Preachers to S. Iohnston without Armour as peaceable men minding onely to give confession with their Preachers And lest that such a multitude should have given feare to the Queene Regent the Laird of Dun a zealous prudent and godly man passed before to the Queene then being at Sterlin to declare to her That the cause of their Convocation was onely to give confession with their Preachers and to assist them in their just defence She understanding the fervencie of the people began to use craft with him soliciting him to stay the multitude and the Preachers also with promise that she would take some better order He a man most gentle of nature and most addict to please her in all things not repugnant to God wrote to those that then were assembled at S. Iohnston to stay and not to come forward shewing what promise and hope he had of the Queens favour At the reading of his Letters some did smell the craft and deceit and perswaded to passe forward untill that a discharge of the former Summons should be had alleadging that otherwise their Processe of Rebellion should be executed against the Preachers And so should not onely they but also all such as did accompany them be involved in a like crime Others did reason That the Queens promise was not to be suspected neither yet the Laird of Duns request to be contemned and so did the whole multitude with their Preachers stay In this mean time that the Preachers were summoned to wit the second of May 1559. arrived Iohn Knox from France who lodging two nights onely in Edinburgh hearing the day appointed to his brethren repaired to Dundie where he earnestly required them That he might be permitted to assist his brethren and to give confession of his Faith with them which granted unto him he departed unto S. Iohnston with them where he began to exhort according to the grace of God granted unto him The Queen perceiving that the Preachers did not appear began to utter her malice and notwithstanding any request made to the contrary gave commandment to put them to the Horne inhibiting all men under pain of high Rebellion to assist comfort receive or maintain them in any sort which extremity perceived by the said Laird of Dun he prudently withdrew himselfe for otherwise by all appearance he had not escaped imprisonment For the Master of Maxwell a man zealous and stout in Gods Cause as then appeared under the cloke of another small crime was that same day committed to ward because he did boldly affirme That to the uttermost of his power he would assist the Preachers and the Congrâ—gation notwithstanding any sentence which unjustly was or should be pronounced against them The Laird of Dun coming to S. Iohnston exposed the case even as it was and did conceal nothing of the Queens craft and falshood Which understood the multitude was so inflamed that neither could the exhortation of the Preachers nor the commandment of the Magistrate stay them from destroying the places of Idolatry The manner whereof was The Preachers had declared before how odious Idolatry was in Gods presence What commandment he had given for the destruction of the monuments thereof What Idolatry and what abomination was in the Masse It chanced that the next day which was the eleventh of May after that the Preachers were exiled that after the Sermon which was very vehement against Idolatry a certaine Priest in contempt would go to the Masse and to declare his malapart presumption he would open up a glorious Tabernacle which stood upon the high Altar There stood beside certain godly men and amongst others a young boy who cryed with a bold voice This is intolerable that when God by his Word hath plainely condemned Idolatry we shall stand and see it used in despight The Priest hereat offended gave the childe a great blow who in anger took up a stone and casting at the Priest hit the Tabernacle and brake down an Image And immediatly the whole multitude threw stones and put hands on the said Tabernacle and on all other Monuments of Idolatry Which they dispatched before the tenth man in the Town were advertised for the most part were gone to diner which noised abroad the whole multitude assembled not of the Gentlemen neither of them that were earnest Professours but of the rascall multitude who finding nothing to do in that Church did run without deliberation to the Gray and Black-Friers and notwithstanding that they had within them very strong guards kept for their defence yet were their gates incontinent burst up The first invasion was upon Idolatry and thereafter the common people began to seek some spoile And in very deed the Gray-Friers was a place so well provided that unlesse honest men had seen the same we would have feared to have reported what provision they had their sheets blankets beds and coverlets were such that no Earle in Scotland had better Their naperie was fine they were but 8 persons in the Convent and yet had they 8 puncheons of salt Beef consider the time of the yeere the eleventh of May wine beere and ale beside store of victuals belonging thereto The like abundance was not in the Black-Friers and yet there was more then became men professing poverty The spoile was permitted to the poore For so had the Preachers before threatned all men That for covetousnesse sake none should put their hand to such a Reformation that no honest man was inriched thereby the value of a groat Their conscience so moved them that they suffered those hypocrites to take away what they could of that which was in their places The Prior of the
avoyding of Inconveniences This Summer there came an Embassadour from the King of Sweden requiring marriage of our Soveraigne to his Master the King His entertainment was Honourable but his Petitions liked not our Queene one whit for as yet she could not resolve to be Wife to the King of Sweden having been lately Queen of France And yet she refused not one much inferiour to a Soveraigne King The Earle of Lennox and his Wife were committed to the Tower of London for traffiquing with Papists the young Laird of Barre was a stickler in that businesse and was apprehended with some Letters which was the cause of his and their trouble The Earle of Murray made a private journey to Hawicke upon the Fayre day thereof and apprehended fifty Theeves of which number were seventeen drowned others were executed in Iâ—dburgh the principall were brought to Edinburgh and there suffered according to their merits upon the Burrow Mure. The Queene was no whit content of the prosperitie and good successe that God gave to the Earle of Murray in all his enterprises for she hated his upright dealing and the Image of God that evidently did appear in him but at that time she could not well have been served without him The assembly of the Church at Midsommer the four and twentieth day of Iune 1562. approached in the which were many notable heads handled concerning good Order to be kept in the Church and for the Papists and for the Idolatry of the Queen which troubleth the former good order Some Ministers such as Master Iohn Sharpe had left their charges and entered into other Vocations more profitable for the belly against whom were Acts made although this day they have not put them in execution The tenour of the Supplication read in open audience and approved by the whole Assembly to be presented to the Queens Majesty was this To the Queens Majesty and her most honorable Privy Councell The Superintendents and Ministers of the Evangell of Christ Iesus within this Realme together with the Commissioners of the whole Churches desire Grace and Peace from the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Iudgement HAving in minde that the fearfull sentence pronounced against the Watch-men that see the Sword of Gods punishment approach and do not in plain words forewarn the people yea the Princes and Rulers that they repent we cannot but signifie unto your Highnesse and to your Councell That the state of this Realme is such for this present that unlesse redresse and remedy be shortly provided Gods hands cannot long spare in his anger to strike the Head and the Tayle the inobedient Prince and sinfull People For as God is unchangeable and true so must he punish in these our dayes the grievous sins which before we reade he hath punished in all Ages after that he hath long called for repentance and none is showne And that your Majesty and Councell may understand what are the things we desire to be reformed we will begin at that which we know assuredly to be the Fountain and Spring of all other evils that now abound in this Realme To wit That Idoll and base service of God the Masse the fountain we call of all Impiety not onely because many take boldnesse to sin by reason of that opinion which they have conceived of that Idoll to wit That by vertue of it they get remission of their sins But also because that under this colour of the Masse are Whores Adulterers Drunkards Blasphemers of God of his holy Sacraments and such other manifest Malefactors maintained and defended For let any Masse-sayer or earnest maintainer thereof be deprehended in any of the fore-named crimes no execution can be had for all is done in hatred of his Religion And so are wicked men permitted to live wickedly cloked and defended by that wicked Idoll But supposing that the Masse was occasion of no such evils yet in it self it is so odious in Gods presence that we cannot cease with all instance to desire the removing of the same as well from your selfe as from all others within this Realm Taking Heaven and earth yea your own Consciences to record That the obstinate maintenance of that Idol shall in the end be to you destruction of soul and body if you do not repent If your Majesty demand Why that now we are more earnest then we have been heretofore We answer our former silence no wayes excused Because we finde our selves frustrate of our hope and expectation which was That in processe of time your Majesties heart should have been mollified so farre as ye would have heard the publike Doctrine taught within this Realme by the which our further hope was That Gods holy Spirit should so have moved your heart that you would have suffered your Religion which before God is nothing but abomination and vanity to be tryed by the true Touch-stone the written Word of God And that your Majesty finding it to have no ground nor foundation in the same should have given that glory unto God that you would have preferred his Truth to your own preconceived vain opinion of what antiquity that ever it hath been whereof we in part now discharged can no longer keep silence unlesse we would make our selves criminall before God of your blood perishing in your own iniquity for we plainly admonish you of the danger to come The second thing that we require is Punishment of horrible vices such as are Adultery Fornication open Whoredome Blasphemy Contempt of God of his Word and Sacraments Which in this Realme do even so abound that sin is reputed to be no sin And therefore as we see the present signes of Gods wrath now manifestly appear so do we forewarn that he will strike ere it be long if his Law without punishment be permitted thus manifestly to be contemned If any object That punishment cannot be commanded to be executed without a Parliament we answer That the Eternall God in his Parliament hath pronounced death to be the punishment of Adultery and for Blaspheming whose Act if we put not in execution seeing that Kings are but his Lievtenants having no power to give life where he commands death as that he will repute you and all others that foster vice patrons of Impiety so will he not fail to punish you for neglecting the execution of his judgements Our third request concerning the poor who be of three sorts The poor labourers of the ground the poor desolate Beggers Orphans Widows and Strangers and the poor Ministers of Christ Jesus his holy Evangel which are so cruelly used by this last pretended Order taken for sustentation of Ministers that their latter misery farre surmounteth the former for now the poore labourers of the ground are so oppressed by the cruelty of those that pay their hire that they for the most part encroach upon the poore in whatsoever they pay unto the Qâ—een or to any other As for the
of you in the Pulpit That I denied You said What had I to do to speak of your Marriage What was I that I should meddle with such matters I answered As touching Nature I was a worm of this earth and yet a subject to this Common-wealth But as touching the Office wherein it hath pleased God to place me I was a Watch-men both over the Realme and over the Church of God gathered within the same by reason whereof I was bound in conscience to blow the Trumpet publikely so oft as ever I saw any appearance of danger either of the one or of the other But so it was that a certaine brute affirmed That a Traffique of Marriage was betwixt your Majestie and the Spanish Allia Whereunto I said That if your Nobility and State did agree unlesse that both you and your husband should be straitly bound that neither of you might hurt the Common-wealth nor yet the poor Church of God within the same in that case I should pronounce That the consenters were troublers of the Common-wealth and enemies unto God and unto his Truth planted within the same At these words I grant your Majestie stormed and burst forth in an unreasonable weeping what mitigation the Laird of Dun would have made I suppose your Majesty hath not forgot But while that nothing was able to stay your weeping I was compelled to say I take God to witnesse I never took pleasure to see your Majestie make such regret But seeing I have offered to your Majestie no such occasion I must rather suffer your Majestie to take your own pleasure then I dare conceale the truth and so both betray the Church and the Common-wealth These were the most extreme words I spake that day After that the Secretary had conferred with the Queen he said Master Knox you may returne to your house for this night I thank God and the Queens Majesty said the other And Madame I pray God to purge your heart from Papistry and to preserve you from the counsell of flatterers for how pleasant that ere they appear to your ear and corrupt affections for the time experience hath taught us in what perplexity they have brought famous Princes Lethington and the Master of Maxwell were that night the two stoups of her Chayre Iohn Knox being departed the Tables of the Lords and others that were present were demanded every one their voyce If Iohn Knox had not offended the Queens Majestie The Lords voted uniformly That they could finde no offence the Queen was past to her Cabinet The flatterers of the Court and principally Lethington raged The Queen was brought again and placed in the Chayre And they commanded to vote over again Which thing highly offended the whole Nobility and began to speak in open audience What shall the Laird of Lethington have power to controll us Or shall the presence of a woman cause us to offend God and to condemne an innocent against our consciences for the pleasure of any creature And so the whole Nobility absolved Iohn Knox againe and praised God for his modestie and for his plain and sensible answers Yet before the end one thing is to be noted to wit That amongst so many Placeboes we mean the flatterers of the Court there was not one that plainly durst condemne the said poore man that was accused God ruling their tongues that sometimes ruled the tongue of Balaam when gladly he would have cursed Gods people This perceived the Queen began to upbraid Master Henry Sinclare then Bishop of Rosse and said hearing his vote to agree with the rest Trouble not the barne I pray you trouble him not for he is newly wakened out of his sleep Why should not the old fool follow them that past before him The Bishop answered coldly Your Majesty may consider That it is neither affection to the man nor love to his Profession that moved me to absolve him but the simple truth which plainly appears in his defence drawes me hereunto albeit that others would have condemned him and it This being said the Lords and whole Assistants arose and departed That night was neither dancing nor fidling in the Court for our Soveraigne was disappointed of her purpose which was To have had Iohn Knox in her will by voice of her Nobility Iohn Knox absolved by the greatest part of the Nobility from the crime intended against him even in the presence of the Queen she raged and her Placeboes stormed And so began new assaults to be made at the hands of the said Iohn Knox to confesse an offence and to put him in the Queens will and she should promise That his greatest punishment should be But to go within the Castle of Edinburgh and immediately to returne to his own house He answered God forbid that my confession should condemne these Noble-men who in their conscience and in displeasure of the Queen have absolved me And further I am assured ye will not in earnest desire me to confesse an offence unlesse that therewith you would desire me to cease from Preaching For how can I exhort others to Peace and Christian quietnesse if I confesse my self an author and mover of sedition The generall Assembly of the Church approached which began the five and twentieth of December 1563. But the just Petitions of the Ministers and Commissioners of Churches werâ— despised at the first and that with these words As Ministers will not follow our counsell so will we suffer Ministers to labour for themselves and see what speed they come But then the whole Assembly said If the Queen will not we must for both third and two parts are rigorously taken from us and from our Tenants If others said one will follow my counsell the Guard and the Papists shall complaine as long as our Ministers have done At these words the former sharpnesse was coloured and the Speaker alleadged That hee meant not of all Ministers Christopher Goodman answered My Lord Secretary if you can shew me what just Title either the Queene hath to the Third or the Papists to the two parts then I think I should resolve you whether she were Debtor to Ministers within Burgh or not But thereto he received this check for answer Ne sit Peregrinus curiosus in aliena Republica that is Let not a Stranger be curious in a strange Common-wealth The man of God answered Albeit I be a Stranger in your policy yet so am I not in the Church of God and therefore the care doth no lesse appertain to me in Scotland then if I were in the middest of England Many wondred at the silence of Iohn Knox for in all these quick reasonings he opened not his mouth the cause thereof he himself expressed in these words I have travelled Right Honourable and beloved Brethren since my last arrivall within this Realme in an upright conscience before my God seeking nothing more as he is witnesse than the advancement of his glory and the stability of his Church
THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORY OF SCOTLAND THE HISTORIE Of the REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND Containing five Books Together with some TREATISES conducing to the History Published by Authority JEREM. 5.1 Run ye to and fro thorow the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can finde a man if there be any executeth Iudgement that seeketh the Truth and I will pardon it 2 COR. 13.8 For we can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth LONDON Printed by Iohn Raworth for George Thomason and Octavian Pullen and are to be sold at the signe of the Rose in Pauls Church-yard MDCXLIV To the Reader Christian Reader HEre I present unto thee a Piece I dare promise worthy of thy reading wherein thou hast a true and plain Relation without disguising of many memorable Passages happened in the Church of God and likewise some notable ones in the State of the Kingdom of Scotland from the very first setling of State and Church in that Countrey But namely and chiefly thou hast here related what principally passed in Church and State in this our Countrey during the great Work of purging the Church from the Superstitions and Idolatry and freeing both Church and State from the Tyranny and Slavery of Popery untill the coming of King James our late Soveraign to the Crown of Scotland Further beside the true and faithfull Relation of many Occurrences that fell out in these dayes in Scotland thou hast unfolded unto thee and made plain the strong Reasons and necessery Causes that moved these men who are here named although infirm and weake in themselves to undergo the great Work of Reformation With the solid Grounds upon which they went on with this weighty Businesse willingly and cheerfully notwithstanding the great rubs and difficulties they met withall through the help and assistance of God who by them mean Instruments brought things to passe in despight of the malice and stratagems of Sathan with his agents for the good of his People and the setling of his Church in Purity and Liberty All these things are set down plainly and simply in familiar and homely Language Yet so that they may be with ease apprehended and understood by any one From what thou hast here written in this Volume although there were no other Writings in this kinde extant thou mayest see easily by what means the great Mystery of Iniquity from the very first Rise hath been set afoot and constantly ever since hath been carried on to wit By cunning Devices impudent Lyes continued and crafty Plots under specious Pretexts and open Oppression Tyranny and Cruelties within Scotland till the yeer of Christ 1567. After which time the enemies of God and of his People have not been sleeping till this present more then formerly Wherefore for thy good Christian Reader I have thought fit in this place to point at some main Occurrences from that time till now First then the adversaries of Truth and Goodnesse under the specious Pretext of restoring Queen Mary to her Liberty and of re-establishing her in full Authority and sole Power did disquiet and trouble both Church and State in Scotland both with open Force and subtill Plots for some yeers that is to the 1573 yeer But finding that all their Undertakings under this pretext proved to be in vain and without successe and standing to their main Designe of undoing Religion and Liberty they bethought themselves of another way in appearance more plausible for compassing their wicked Intents it was To deal by way of entreaty and request with the chief Ministers of State and Church then To have the Mother set at liberty and to be joynt in Authority and Power with her Son And for the obtaining of this was employed the credit of the French Court for the time with all its skill and cunning but to small purpose For these rude fellows who managed the publike Affairs then of State and Church could not be corrupted with the French Complements In this way the enemies continued till the yeer 1577 and did not then give over notwithstanding their bad successe but according to their wonted and resolved custome they went on with their Designe betaking themselves to a new course wherein they had indeed more successe then in either of the former two It was this They did set awork certain men who with fair words and flattering tales so craftily dealt with the young King hardly yet twelve yeers of age that they made him cast off as a yoke the counsell and service of those who ever since his Birth-day had carefully laboured for the good of State and Church with the pereservation of his Authority and safety of his Person And so the inconsiderate young King although of most nimble wit and knowing above his yeers under the shew of freedom put himself in the power of those who wished no good to his Person and Authority and as little to the Church and State making no scruple to trouble both for their own ends according to the Instructions of the Masters who set them awork So in very short time they gave unto the young King such impressions which did stick too much to him that not onely he became averse from those who had been so usefull to the publike and so serviceable to him but also he suffered them to be persecuted yea some by death and others by banishment While the enemies were thus working businesse with us in Scotland they were not idle with our neighbours in England for they were contriving and plotting under colour of setting the imprisoned Queen at liberty And were gone so far on in this way in both Kingdoms that to stop the course and progresse of the enemies both Countries thought it necessary to enter into a mutuall League and Covenant one with another for the defence of the Reformed Religion and Liberties of both Kingdoms with the preservation of the Persons and Authorities of both Princes King James and Queen Elizabeth against the common enemy This was done by the consent of both Princes in the yeer 1686. After this the enemy seeing the warinesse of both Kingdoms to be such that in a short time he was not likely to advance the main Designe according to his minde by craft and cunning leaveth off for a time to act the part of the Fox and openly declares himself to be a ravishing Wolf So the yeer 1588 the Armado cometh against both Kingdoms which God in his mercy unto our fathers and us brought to nought About this time and some yeers before the agents of the enemy were very busie with King James to break with England and to revenge the hard usage and ill treatment of his Mother But God did direct him so for his own good that he did give no consent to their evil counsell Upon this refusall of the Kings the agents of the common enemy do bestir themselves to trouble both King and Kingdom which they did in a
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
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
vertuous men and just be maintained But the corrupt person placed in this Authority may offend and most commonly doth contrary to this Authority and is then the corruption of man to be followed by reason that it is clothed with the name of Authority Or shall those that obey the wicked commandment of those that are placed in Authority be excusable before God Not so not so but the plagues and vengeances of God taken upon Kings their servants and subjects do witnesse to us the plain contrary Pharaoh was a King and had his Authority of God who commanded his subjects to murther and torment the Israelites and at last most cruelly to persecute their lives But was their obedience blinde rage it should be called excusable before God the Universall plague doth plainly declare That the wicked Commander and those that obeyed were alike guilty before God And if the example of Pharaoh shall be rejected because he was an Ethnicke then let us consider the facts of Saul He was a King anoynted of God appointed to raign over his people he commanded to persecute David because as he alleadged David was a Traytor and Usurper of the Crowne And likewise commanded Ahimeleck the High Priest and his fellows to be slaine But did God approve any part of this obedience evident it is That he did not And think ye that God will approve in you that which he did condemne in others be not deceived with God there is no such partiality If ye obey the unjust commandments of wicked Rulers ye shall suffer Gods vengeance and just punishment with them And therefore as ye tender your owne salvation we most earnestly require of you moderation and that ye stay your selves and the fury of others from persecuting of us till our cause be tried in open and lawfull Judgement And now to you who are perswaded of the justice of our cause who sometimes have professed Christ Jesus with us and who also have exhorted us to this enterprise and yet have left us in our extreme necessity at least looke out thorow your fingers in this our trouble as that the matter appertained not unto you we say That unlesse all fear and worldly respects set aside ye joyn your selves with us that as of God ye are reputed Traytors so shall ye be excommunicated from our Society and from all participation with us in the Administration of Sacraments the glory of this Victory which God shall give to his Church yea even in the eyes of men shall not appertain to you but the fearful judgement which apprehended Ananias and his wife Saphira shall apprehend you and your posterity Ye may perchance contemn and despise the Excōmunication of the Church now by Gods mighty power erected amongst us as a thing of no force But yet doubt we nothing but that our Church and the true Ministers of the same have the same power which our Master Christ Jesus granted to his Apostles in these words Whose sins ye shall forgive shall be forgiven and whose sins ye shall retain shall be retained and that because they preach and we believe the same Doctrine which is contained in his most blessed Word and therefore except that ye will contemne Christ Jesus ye neither can despise our threatning neither yet refuse us calling for your just defence By your fainting and by extracting of your support the enemies are encouraged thinking that they shall finde no resistance in which point God willing they shall be deceived for if they were ten thousand and we but one thousand they shall not murther the least of our brethren but we God assisting us shall first commit our lives into the hands of God for their defence But this shall aggravate your condemnation for ye declare your selves both Traytors to the Truth once professed and murtherers of us and of our brethren from whom ye withdraw your dutifull and promised support whom your onely presence to mans judgement might preserve from this danger For our enemies look not to the power of God but to the force and strength of man when the number is mean to resist them then rage they as bloody wolves but a part equall or able to resist them by appearance doth bridle their fury Examine your owne consciences and weigh that Sentence of our Master Christ Jesus saying Whosoever denieth me or is ashamed of me before men I shall deny him before my Father Now is the day of his Battell in this Realm if ye deny us your brethren suffering for his Names sake ye do also deny him as himselfe doth witnesse in these words Whatsoever ye did to any of these little ones that ye did to me and what ye did not to one of these little ones that ye did not to me If these sentences be true as concerning meat drink cloathing and such things a appertain to the body shall they not be likewise true in these things that appertain to the preservation of the lives of thousands whose blood is now sought for profession of Christ Jesus And thus shortly we leave you who sometimes have professed Christ Jesus with us to the examination of your own consciences And yet once again of you who blinded by superstition persecute us We require moderation till our cause may be tried which if ye will not grant unto us for Gods Cause yet we desire you to have respect to the preservation of your common Countrey which we can no sooner betray into the hands of strangers then that one of us destroy and murther another Consider our Petitions and call for the spirit of righteous judgement These our Letters being divulgate some began to reason Whether in conscience they might invade us or not considering that we offred due obedience to the Authority requiring nothing but liberty of conscience and our Religion and fact to be tried by the Word of God Our Letters came with convenient expedition to the hands of our brethren in Cuninghame and Kyle who assembled at the Church of Craggie where after some contrarious reasons Alexander Earle of Glencarne in zeal burst forth in these words Let every man serve his conscience I will by Gods grace see my brethren in S. Johnston Yea albeit never man should accompany me yet I will go and if it were but a Pike upon my shoulder for I had rather die with that company then live after them These words so encouraged the rest that all decreed to go forward as that they did so stoutly that when the Lion Herault in his coat of Arms commanded all men under pain of treason to return to their houses by publike sound of trumpet in Glasgow never man obeyed that charge but all went forward as we shall after heare When it was clearly understood that the Prelates and their adherents suppressing our Petitions so far as in them lay did kindle the furie of all men against us it was thought expedient to write unto them some
his mercifull deliverance in forme as followeth Thankesgiving for our deliverance with Prayers O Eternall and everlasting God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath not onely commanded us to Pray and promised to hear us but also willest us to magnifie thy mercies and to glorifie thy Name when thou shewest thy selfe pitifull and favourable unto us especially when thou deliverest us from desperate dangers for so did thy servants Abraham David Iehosaphat and Ezechias yea the whole people of Israel omitted not the same when thou by thy mighty hand didst confound their enemies and didst deliver them from feare and danger of death intended We ought not nor can we forget O Lord in how miserable estate stood this poore Countrey and we the just inhabitants of the same not many dayes past When Idolatry was maintained When cruell strangers did bear rule When Virgins were defloured Matrones corrupted Mens Wives violently and villanously oppressed The blood of innocents shed without mercy And finally when the unjust commandments of proud tyrants were obeyed as Law Out of these miseries O Lord could neither our wit policie nor strength deliver us yea thou didst shew to us how vain was the help of man where thy blessing giveth not victory In these our anguishes O Lord we sobbed unto thee we cried for thy help and we reclaimed thy Name as thy troubled flock persecuted for thy Trueths sake Mercifully hast thou heard us O Lord mercifully we say because that neither in us neither yet in our confederates was there any cause why that thou shouldst have given unto us so joyfull and sudden a deliverance For neither of us both ceased to do wickedly even in the midst of our greatest troubles and yet hast thou looked upon us so pitifully as that we had given unto thee most perfect obedience For thou hast disappointed the counsels of the craftie Thou hast bridled the rage of the cruell and thou hast of thy mercy set this our perishing Realm at a reasonable liberty Oh give us hearts thou Lord that onely givest all good gifts with reverence and fear to meditate thy wondrous works late wrought in our eyes Let not the remembrance of the same unthankfully to slip from our wavering mindes We grant and acknowledge O Lord That whatsoever we have received shall fall into oblivion with us and so turn to our condemnation unlesse thou by the power of thy Spirit keep and retain us in recent and perpetuall memory of the same We beseech thee therefore O father of mercies that as of thy undeserved grace thou hast partly removed our darknesse suppressed Idolatry and taken from above our heads the devouring sword of mercilesse strangers that so it would please thee to proceed with us in this thy grace begun And albeit that in us there is nothing that may move thy Majestie to shew us this favour yet for Christ Jesus thy onely welbeloved Sons sake whose Name we bear and whose Doctrine we professe we beseech thee never to suffer us to forsake or deny this Verity which now we professe But seeing that thou hast mercifully heard us and hast caused thy Veritie to triumph in us so we crave of thee continuance to the end that thy godly Name may be glorified in us thy creatures And seeing that nothing is more odious in thy presence O Lord then is ingratitude and violation of an Oath and Covenant made in thy Name And seeing thou hast made our Confederates of England the Instrument by whom we are now set at this libertie and to whom in thy Name we have promised mutuall faith againe Let us never fall to that unkindnesse O Lord that either we declare our selves unthankfull unto them or prophaners of thy holy Name Confound thou the Counsell of those that goe about to break that most godly League contracted in thy Name and retaine thou us so firmly together by the power of thy holy Spirit that Sathan have never power to set us again at variance nor discord Give us thy grace to live in that Christian charitie which thy Sonne our Lord Jesus hath so earnestly commended to all the members of his body that other Nations provoked by our example may set aside all ungodly warre contention and strife and studie to live in tranquilitie and peace as it becometh the Sheepe of thy Pasture and the people that daily look for our finall deliverance by the coming again of our Lord Jesus To whom with thee and the Holy Spirit be all honour glory and praise now and ever Amen Hereafter were the Commissioners of Boroughs with some of the Nobility and Barons appointed to see the equall distribution of Ministers to change and transport as the most part should think expedient And so was Iohn Knox appointed to Edinburgh Christopher Goodman who the most part of the troubles had remained in Ayre was appointed to Saint Andrews Adam Heriot to Aberdeene Master Iohn Row to Saint Iohnston Paul Meaffen to whom was no infamie then knowne to Iedburgh William Christison to Dundie David Fargeson to Dunfermelin and Master David Lindsay to Leith There were nominated for Superintendents and Overseers that all things in the Church should be carried with Order and well Master Iohn Spottiswood for Lowthian Master Iohn Wyram for Fyfe Master Iohn Willock for Glasgow the Laird of Dun for Angus and Mearnes Master Iohn Carswell for Argyle and the Isles These to be elected at the dayes appointed unlesse that the Countreys whereto they were to be appointed could in the mean time finde out men more able and sufficient or else shew such causes as might disable them from that imployment The Parliament approaching due advertisement was made by the Councell to all such as by Law and ancient Custome had or might claime to have Title therein The assembly was great notwithstanding some as well of those that be called Spirituall as Temporall Lords contemptuously did absent themselves And yet the chief Pillars of the Papisticall Church gave their presence such as the Bishops of Saint Andrews Dumblane and Dunkell with others of the inferiour sort beside those that had renounced Papisterie and openly professed Jesus Christ with us such as the Bishop of Galloway the Abbots of Lindrosse Culrosse Saint Colmes Inch New-battell Halyrud-house the Priour of Saint Andrews Coldinghame Saint-Mary I le the Sub-priour of S. Andrews and divers others whom we observed not At the same time of Parliament Iohn Knox publikely Preached upon some Texts of the Prophet Haggai the Doctrine was proper for the time In application whereof he was so speciall and so vehement that some having greater respect to the world then to Gods glory feeling themselves pricked said in mockage We may now forget our selves and beare the Barrow to build the house of God God be mercifull to the speaker for we fear yet he shall have experience That the building of his own house the house of God being despised shall not be so prosperous and of
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
was troubled in his understanding The certainty of the death foresaid was signified unto us both by Sea and Land By Sea received Iohn Knox who then had great intelligence both with the Churches abroad and some of the Court of France That the King was mortally sick and could not well escape death Which Letters received that same day at afternoon he passed to the Duke to his own lodging at the Church of Field with whom he found the Lord Iames in conference alone The Earle of Arrane was in Iedburgh to whom he opened such news as he had received and willed them to be of good comfort for said he the advertiser hath never deceived me It is the same Gentleman that first gave us knowledge of the slaughter of Henry King of France and shewed unto them the Letter but would not expresse the mans name While they were reasoning in divers purposes and he comforting them For while we say they three were familiarly communing together there came a messenger from the Lord Gray forth of Barwick assuring him of the death of the K. of France Which noysed abroad a generall Convention of the Nobility was appointed to be holden at Edinburgh the fifteenth day of Ianuary following in the which the Book of discipline was perused newly over againe for some pretended ignorance by reason that they had not heard it In that assembly was Master Alexander Anderson Subprincipall and Under-Master of one of the Schools of Aberdein a man more subtill and craftie than either learned or godly called who refused to dispute anent his faith abusing a place of Tertullian to cloak his ignorance It was answered unto him That Tertullian should not prejudge the Authoritie of the Holy Ghost who by the mouth of Peter commandeth us to give reason of our faith to every one that requireth the same of us It was farther answered that we neither required him neither yet any man to dispute in any point concerning our faith which was grounded upon Gods Word and fully expressed in his holy Scriptures for all that we beleeved without controversie But we required of him as of the rest of Papists that they would suffer their Doctrine Constitutions and Ceremonies to come to triall And principally that the Masse and the opinion thereof by them taught unto the people might be laid to the square rule of Gods Word and unto the right Institution of Jesus Christ That they might understand whether that their Preachers offended or not in that that they affirmed The Action of the Masse to be expresly repugning unto the last Supper of the Lord Jesus The sayer of it to commit horrible blasphemie in usurping up-him the Office of Christ The hearers to commit damnable Idolatry and the opinion of it conceived to be a derogation and as it were a disanulling of Christs death While the said Master Alexander denied that the Priest took upon him Christs office to offer for sin as he alleaged a Masse book was produced and in the beginning of the Canon were these words read Suscipe Sancta Trinitas hanc oblationem quam ego indignus peccator offero tibi vivo Deo vero pro peccatis meis pro peccatis totius Ecclesiae vivorum mortuum Now said the reasoner if to offâ—r for the sinnes of the whole Church was not the Office of Christ Jesus yea that Office that to him onely might and may appertaine let the Scripture judge And if a vile Knave whom ye call Priest proudly taketh the same upon him let your own Books witnesse The said Mr. Alexander answered Christ offered the propitiatory and that could none do but he but we offer the remembrance Whereto it was answered We praise God that ye have denyed a sacrifice propitiatorie to be in the Masse and yet we offer to prove that in moe than a hundreth places of your Papisticall Doctors this proposition is affirmed The Masse is said to be a Sacrifice propitiatory But the second part where ye alleage that ye offer Christ in remembrance we ask first Unto whom do ye offer him and next by what authority are ye assured of well-doing In God the Father there falleth no Oblivion And if ye will shift and say that ye offer it not as God were forgetfull but as willing to apply Christs merits to his Church We demand of you What power commandment have ye so to do We know that our Master Christ Jesus commanded his Apostles to do that which he did in remembrance of him But plain it is that Christ took bread gave thanks brake bread and gave it to his disciples saying Take ye eate ye this is my body which is broken for you do this in remembrance of me c. Here we finde a commandment to take to eat to take and to drinke but to offer Christs Body either for remembrance or application we finde not And therefore we say To take upon you an Office which is not given unto you is unjust usurpation and no lawfull power The said Master Alexander being more then astonished would have shifted but then the Lords willed him to answer directly whereto he answered That he was better seen in Philosophie then in Theologie Then was commanded M. Iohn Leslie who then was Parson of Une and now Abbot of Londors and after was made Bishop of Rosse to answer to the former Argument and he with great gravity began to answer If our Master have nothing to say to it I have nothing for I know nothing but the Cannon Law And the greatest reason that ever I could finde there is Nolumus and Volumus and yet we understand that now he is the onely Patron of the Masse But it is no marvell for we understand that he is a Priests get and Bastard and therefore we should not wonder albeit that the old truan Verse be true Patrem sequitur sua proles The Nobility hearing that neither the one nor the other would answer directly said We have been miserably deceived heretofore for if the Masse may not obtaine remission of sins to the quick and to the dead Wherefore were all the Abbies so richly doted and endowed with our Temporall lands Thus much we thought good to insert here because that some Papists are not ashamed now to affirm That they with their reasons could never be heard but that all we did we did by meer force when that the whole Realme knoweth That we ever required them to speak their judgements freely not onely promising unto them protection and defence but also that we should subscribe with them if they by Gods Scriptures could confute us and by the same Word establish their assertions But who can correct the leasings of such as in all things shew them the sons of the Father of all lies Preserve us Lord from that perverse and malicious Generation Amen At this same Assembly was the Lord Iames appointed to go to France to the Queen our Soveraigne and a Parliament was
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
Sacraments untill such time as they satisfied the Magistrates and made humble suit unto the Church Of the death of the Queen Regent we have heard before spoken but of her Buriall was nothing heard And it may appear That such matters are unworthy of remembrance And if all things should be rightly weighed we shall perceive Gods just Judgements how secret soever that they be Before we heard the barbarous inhumanity that was used at Leith by the French who exposed the naked carkasses of the slain as it were in a spectacle despighting God We have heard that the Queen Regent rejoyced at the sight but her joy was suddenly turned into sorrow as we have heard The question was moved of her Buriall The Preachers boldly gainstood That any Superstitious Rites should be used within that Realm which God of his mercy began to repugne And so conclusion was taken That her Buriall should be deferred till farther advertisement and so was she wrapped in a Coffin of Lead and kept in the Castle from the ninth of Iune untill the 19 of October when she by Pynours was carried to a Ship and so carried to France what pomp was used there we neither heard nor yet regard But in it we see That she that delighted that others lay without Buriall gat it neither so soon as she her selfe if she had been of the counsell in her life would have required it neither yet so honourable in this Realm as sometimes she looked for As men do so they receive The Papists a little before the Parliament resorted in divers Bands to the Town and began to brag as that they would have defaced the Protestants Which thing perceived the brethren assembled and went in such Companies and yet in peaceable manner that the Bishops and their Bands forsook the calsay or street The Brethren understanding what the Papists meant convened in Councell in the Tolbuith of Edinburgh the seven and twentieth of May the yeer of God 1561. and after consultation concluded That an humble Supplication should be presented unto the Lords of the Secret Counsell and unto the whole Assembly that then was convened in the which should these subsequent Heads be required and a Law to passe thereupon 1. First That Idolatry and all Monuments thereof should be suppressed thorowout the whole Realme That the sayers hearers maintainers and hanters of the Masse should be punished according to the Act of Parliament as said is 2. That speciall and certain provision be made for the maintenance of the Superintendents Ministers Exhorters and Readers That Superintendents and Ministers should be planted where none were That punishment should be appointed for such as disobeyed or contemned the Superintendents in their Function 3. That punishment may be appointed for the abusers of the Sacraments and for the contemners of the same 4. That no Letters of the Session or Warrant from the Iudge be given to answer or pay to any person of their Tenths without especiall provision that the Parishioners retain so much in their owne hands as is appointed for the maintenance of the Ministry And that all such as are else given be called in and discharged And likewise that no Sheriffs give Precepts to that effect 5. That neither the Lords of Session nor any other Iudges proceed upon such Precepts or Warnings past at the instance of them that of late have obtained fewis of Vicarages and Parsons Manses and Church-yards And that six akers if so much there be of the Gleebe be alwayes reserved to the Minister according to the appointment of the Book of Discipline 6. That no Letters of Session nor other Warrants take place while the stipends contained in the Book of Discipline for maintenance of the Ministers be first consigned in the hands at the least of the Principals of the Parishioners 7. That punishment be appointed against all such as purchase bring home or execute within this Realme the Popes Bulls The Tenour of the Supplication was this PLease your Honours and the wisedoms of such as are presently convened with you in Councell to understand That by many arguments we perceive what the pestilent generation of that Romane Antichrist within this Realme pretendeth to wit That they would of new erect their Idolatry take upon them Empire above our conscience and so to command us the true subjects of this Realme and such as God of his mercy hath under our Soveraigne subject unto us in all things to obey their appetites Honesty craveth and conscience moveth us to make the very secrets of our hearts patent to your Honours in that behalfe which is this That before ever those Tyrants and dumb dogges Empire above us and above such as God hath subjected unto us that we the Barons and Gentlemen professing Christ Iesus within this Realme are fully determined to hazard life and whatsoever we have received of God in Temporall things Most humbly therefore beseeching your Honours That such order may be taken that we have not occasion to take againe the Sword of just Defence into our hands which we have willingly after God had given Victory both to your Honours and us resigned over into your hands To the end that Gods Gospel may be publikely Preached within this Realme The true Ministers thereof reasonably maintained Idolatry suppressed and the committers thereof punished according to the Lawes of God and man In doing whereof your Honours shall finde us not onely obedient unto you in all things lawfull but also ready at all times to bring under order and obedience such as would rebell against your just authority which in absence of our Soveraigne we acknowledge to be in your hands beseeching your Honours with upright judgement and indifferencie to look upon these our few Articles and by these our brethren to signifie unto us such answer againe as may declare your Honours worthy of that place whereunto God after some danger sustained in his mercy hath called you And let these enemies of God assure themselves That if your Honours put not order unto them that we shall shortly take such order That they shall neither be able to do what they list neither yet to live upon the sweat of the brows of such as are no debters unto them Let your honours conceive nothing of us but all humble obedience in God But let the Papists be yet once againe assured That their Pride and Idolatry we will not suffer Directed from the assembly of the Church the 28 of May 1561. And sent by these brethren The Master of Lindsay The Laird of Lochinvar The Laird of Pharmherst The Laird of Whittingham Thomas Menzeis Provest of Aberdeene and George Lowell Burgesse of Dundie Upon the which Request and Articles the Lords and Counsell aforesaid made an Act and Ordinance answering to every head of the foresaid Articles and commanded Letters to be answered thereupon which divers Ministers raised and copied as in the Books of secret Councell is yet to be found And thus gat
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
In the contrary judgement were the principall Ministers Master Iohn Row Master George Hay Master Robert Hamilton and Iohn Knox. The reasons of both parties we will omit because they will be explained after where the said Question and others Concerning the Obedience due to Princes were long reasoned in open assembly The conclusion of that first reasoning was That the Question should be formed Letters directed to Geneva for the resolution of that Church Wherein Iohn Knox offered his labour But Secretary Lethington alleadging That there stood much in the information said That he should write But that was onely to drive time as the trueth declared it selfe The Queenes partie urged That the Queen should have her Religion free in her own Chappell to do she and her houshold what they list The Ministers affirmed and Voted the contrary adding That her liberty should be their thraldome ere it be long But neither could reason nor threatning move the affections of such as were creeping in Credit and so did the Votes of the Lords prevaile against the Ministers For the punishment of Theft and Reafe which had encreased upon the border and in the South from the Queenes arrivall was the Lord Iames made Lieutenant some suspected that such honour and charge proceeded from the same heart and counsell that Saul made David Captain against the Philistines but God assisted and bowed the hearts of men both to feare and obey him yea the Lord Bothwell himselfe at that time assisted him but he had remission for Liddisdall except that execution was there made in Edinburgh for her twenty eight of one clan and other were hanged at that Justice Court bribes budds or sollicitation saved not the guilty if he might be apprehended And therefore God prospered him in that his integrity that same time the Lord Iames spake with the Lord Gray of England at Kelsoe for good rule to be kept on both the borders and agreed in all things Before his returning the Queene upon a night tooke a fright in her bed as if horsemen had been in the Close and as if the Palace had been enclosed about whether it proceeded of her own womanly fantasie or if men put her in feare for displeasure of the Earle of Arrane And for other purposes as for the electing of the Guard we know not but the feare was so great that the Towne was called to the Watch Lord Robert of Hallyrud-house and Iohn of Coldingham kept the Watch by course Skouts were set forth and Sentinels upon pain of death were commanded to keep their Stations And yet they feared where there was no fear neither yet could ever any appearance or suspition of such things be tried Shortly after the returning of the Lord Iames there came from the Queen of England Sir Peter Mewtes with Commission to require the Ratification of the Peace made at Leith Her answer was even such as we have heard before That she behoved to advise and then she should answer In presence of her Councell she kept her selfe grave for under the mourning weed and apparell she could dissemble in full perfection but how soon that ever the French people had her alone they told her That since she came to Scotland she saw nothing there but gravity which repugned altogether to her breeding for she was brought up in joviality so tearmed she her Dancing and other things thereto belonging The generall Assembly of the Church approached holden in December after the Queens arrivall in the which began the rulers of the Court to draw themselves apart from the Societie of their brethren and began to strive and grudge That any thing should be consulted upon without their advices Master Iohn Wood who before had shewed himselfe very fervent in the Cause of God and forward in giving of his councell in all doubtfull matters refused to assist the Assembly again whereof many did wonder The Courtiers drew unto them some of the Lords and would not conveane with their Brethren as before they were accustomed but kept themselves in the Abbey The principall Commissioners of the Church the Superintendents and some Ministers past unto them where they were assembled in the Abbots Lodging within Hallyrud-house both the parties began to open their griefes The Lords complained That the Ministers drew the Gentlemen into secret and held Councell without their knowledge The Ministers denied That they had done any thing in secret otherwise then the common Order commanded them And accused the Lords the flatterers of the Queen we meane that they kept not the Convention with their Brethren considering That they knew the Order and that the same was appointed by their own advice as the Book of Discipline subscribed with the most part of their own hands would witnesse some began to deny That ever they knew such a thing as the Book of Discipline And called also in doubt Whether it was expedient that such Assemblies should be or not for gladly would the Queen and her secret Councell have had all Assemblies of the godly discharged The reasoning was sharpe and quicke on either side The Queens faction alleadged That it was suspicious to Princes that Subjects should assemble themselves and keep Conventions without their knowledge It was answered That without knowledge of the Princes the Church did nothing for the Princes perfectly understood That within this Realme was a Reformed Church and that they had their Orders and appointed times of Convention And so without knowledge of the Princes they did nothing Yea said Lethington the Queen knew and knoweth well enough But the Question is Whether that the Queen alloweth such Conventions It was answered If the Libertie of the Church should stand upon the Queens allowance or disallowance we are assured not onely to lacke Assemblies but also to lacke the publike Preaching of the Evangell that affirmative was mocked and the contrary affirmed Well said the other time will try the truth But to my former words this I will adde Take from us the freedomes of assemblies and take from us the Evangell for without assemblies how shall good order and unity in Doctrine be kept It is not to be supposed That all Ministers shall be so perfect but that they shall need admonition as well concerning Manners as Doctrine As it may be that some be so stiffe-necked that they will not admit the admonition of the simple As also it may be that fault may be found with Ministers without just offence committed And if order be not taken both with the Complainer and with the persons complained upon It cannot be avoided but that many grievous offences shall arise For remedy whereof of necessity it is That generall Assemblies must be In the which the judgements and gravitie of many may occurre to correct or represse the follies or errours of a few Hereunto consented the most part as well of the Nobility as of the Barrons and willed the reasoners for the Queen to be sent to her Majestie
Chanters sub-Chanters Provests Parsons and Vicars and other Beneficed men whatsoever their Chamberlains and Factors personally or at their dwelling places or at the Parish Churches where they should remain To exhibite and produce before the Queens Majesty and Lords aforesaid before the said 24 day of Ianuary next coming the just and true Rentals of the values and rents of their Benefices to the effect aforesaid And to chare the Prelats and the other Beneficed men on the other side of the Water in manner aforesaid to exhibite and produce the just and true Rentals of their Benefices before the Queens Majesty and Lords aforesaid the said 10 of February to the effect aforesaid with certification to them That if any fails to appeare the Queens Majesties and Councels wills are That they should be proceeded against here as the matter requires And likewise to charge the whole Superintendents Ministers Elders and Deacons of the principall Towns and Shires of this Realm to give in before the Queens Majesty and Lords of the Councell aforesaid before the said 24 of Ianuary next coming a formall and sufficient Roll and Memoriall what may be sufficient and reasonable to sustain Ministry and whole Ministers of this Realme that her Majesty and Lords of the Councell aforesaid may rightly and diligently weigh and consider what necessary support is required to be taken yeerly of the fruits of the said Benefices by her Majesties own yearly Rent to entertain and set forward the common affairs of this Realme against the said 24 day of Ianuary next coming that it may be proceeded in the said matter all parties satisfied and the whole Countrey and Lieges thereof set in quietnesse Apud Linlithgow 24 Ianuarii c. FOrasmuch as the Queens Majesty with the advice of the Lords of her Secret Councell directed her Letters commanding all and sundry Arch-bishops Bishops Abbots c. and all other Beneficed men their Factors Farmors Takesmen to appear before her Highnesse and Lords aforesaid at Edinburgh or where it should happen them to be for the time so many as dwells upon this side of the water before the 24 day of Ianuary instant and them that dwells beyond the water the 10 of February next coming that the just value of their Benefices might be knowne so that hereafter her Highnesse may take order for the Sustentation of the Ministry of the Church and the publike businesse of the Realme And because the Queens Majesty is presently busied with other affairs and may not her self attend upon the receipt of the said Rent therefore her Highnesse hath given and granted and by these Presents gives and grants full power and Commission to Master Iames Mackgill of Rankellor nether Clerk of the Register Sir Iohn Ballenden of Archnenell Knight Justice Clerk to the Treasurer Secretary of State Advocate of the Crowne and Laird of Pittarrow to call before them within the City of Edinburgh all and sundry Prelates and Beneficed men which are charged by vertue of the said Letters now presently being in Edinburgh or shall happen hereafter to repair thereto their Factors or Farmers and there enquire of them the Rentalls of their Benefices and receive the same from them to the effect aforesaid And likewise that the said Commissioners cause warne all Seperintendents Over-seers Ministers Elders and Deacons to give unto them the names of all the Ministers of this Realme that the just Calculation being made and considered by the said Commissioners of the value of the said Benefices they may report the same unto the Queens Majesty that her Highnesse may take order herein according to the just Tenour of the first Ordinance made thereupon Apud Edinburgh 12 February 1561. FOrasmuch as by Statute and Ordinance made by the Queens Majesty and Lords of the Secret Councell and her Highnesse Letters directed thereupon all and sundry Archbishops Bishops Abbots c. and other Beneficed men were charged to produce the Rentalls of their Benefices before her Majesty and Lords aforesaid in manner following that is to say The said Beneficed men dwelling on this side of the Water before the four and twentieth of Ianuary last past And on the other side of the Water before the tenth of February instant to the effect that order might be taken therin to conform to the Ordinance With certification to them that if they fayled the Queens Majestie and Counsell aforesaid would take order therein as the same Ordinance bears Notwithstanding of the which the Queens Majestie and Counsell and others appointed for receiving of the said Rentalls have continually since the said 24 of Ianuary aforesaid waited upon the receiving of them yet a very small number of them have produced their Rentalls thereby not onely contemning her Majesties Ordinance and Proclamation aforesaid but also her selfe and her Authoritie as they were Princes and not Subjects expresse against Equitie Reason and Justice For remedy whereof the Queene Majestie ordains with advice of the Lords of her secret Councill That Factors Chamerlains or Stewards bee appointed to intromett gather uplist and receive to our Soveraign Ladies use all and sundry mailles tythes or tiends farmes rents provents emoluments fruits profits and due tyes of whatsoever benefices whereof the Rentalls are not produced conforme to the said Ordinance And if any Retalls already produced bears not the just value but is Fraudulently made to intromet and uptake as much of the profits and fruits of the said benefices as are omitted forth of the said Rentalls and the In-givers of the Rentalls and Professors of the Benefices thereof shall never have action to claime crave or receive from the Tenants and Occupiers further then is contained in the same Rentals already produced by them and the Tenants and Possessors shall be holden to pay no more than is contained in the same Rentalls already produced as aforesaid And the said Chamerlains and Factors to be appointed by the Queenes Majestie shall have sufficient power to intromitt and uptake the fruits and profits aforesaid in such fulnesse as if speciall Letters of Factory and Chamerlancie were granted to them thereupon and ordains the Lords of the Session to direct forth Letters at the said Factors and Chamerlaines instancies either of horning or poynding as shall be thought expedient for causing of them to bee answered of fruits of the said Benefices to be forth-commanded to the Queenes Majesties behalf and use while further order be taken therein Apud Edinburge 15. February 1561. FOr as much as the Queenes Majestie by the advice of the Lords of her secret Councell and others divers of the Nobility had of before the two and twentieth day of December last past ordained that if the fourth part of the fruits and Rents of all the Benefices within this Realme were not sufficient for the Supporting of her Majesties present wants and the particular Charges under-written necessary to be borne for the weale of the Countrey than the third of the said fruits more or lesse should be taken
the Sermon was charged by one of the Dukes own servants to turn and abide with the Queen The fame whereof spread over all What ground it had we cannot say but shortly after the Duke and some of the Lords remained at Glasgow their conclusion was not known The Earle of Arrane came to Edinburgh where the Earle Bothwell lay The Queen and the Court were departed to Fyfe and remained sometimes in S. Androes and sometimes in Falkland The Earle Bothwell by means of Iames Barron Burgesse and then Merchant of Edinburgh desired to speak with Iohn Knox secretly which the said Iohn gladly granted and spake with him upon a night first in the said Iames his lodging and after in his own Study The sum of all their conference and communication was The said Lord lamented his inordinate life and especially That he was provoked by the enticements of the Queen Regent to do that which he sore repented as well against the Laird of Ormestoun whose blood was spilt albeit not by his faults But his chief grief was That he had misbehaved himself toward the Earle of Arrane whose favour he was most willing to redeem if possible it were that so he might For said he if I might have my Lord Arranes favour I would aye wait upon the Court with a Page and a few servants to spare my expence where now I am compelled to keep for my own safety a number of wicked and unprofitable men to the utter destruction of my state that is left To which the said Iohn answered My Lord would to God that in me were Counsell and Judgement that might comfort and relieve you for albeit that to this hour it hath not happened to me to speak with your Lordship face to face yet have I born a good minde to your house and have been sorry at my heart of the trouble that I have heard you to be involved in for my Lord my great Grandfather Grandfather and Father have served your Lordships Predecessors and some of them have died under their standers and this is a part of the Obligation of our Scotish kindenesse but this is not the chiefe But as God hath made me his publike Messenger of glad Tydings so it is my earnest desire that all men may embrace it which perfectly they cannot so long as there remaineth in them rankor malice or envie I am sorry that you have given occasion unto men to be offended with you But more sorrowfull That you have offended the Majesty of God wherefore he often punisheth the other sins of man And therefore my counsell is That you begin at God with whom if you enter into perfect reconciliation I doubt not but he shall bow the hearts of men to forget all offences And as for me if you will continue in godlinesse your Lordship shall command me as boldly as any that serves your Lordship The said Lord desired him that he would trie the Earle of Arrans minde If he would be content to accept him in his favour Which he promised to do And so earnestly he travelled in the matter and it was once brought to such an end as all the faithfull praised God for such agreement The greatest stay stood upon the satisfaction of the Laird of Ormestoune who beside his former hurt as is before declared was even at that time of the coming pursued by the said Earle Bothwell and his son Master Alexander Cockburne was taken by him and carried by him to Berwicke but courteously enough sent back again The new trouble so greatly displeased Iohn Knox that he almost gave over further travelling for amity But yet upon excuse of the said Earle and upon declaration of his minde he re-entred into labour and so brought it to passe that the Laird of Ormestoun referred his satisfaction in all things to the Judgement of the Earles of Arrane and Murray to whom the said Earle submitted himselfe in that Head And thereupon delivered his hand writing and so was conveyed by vertue of his friends to the Lodging of the Church of Field where the Earle of Arrane was with his friends and the said Iohn Knox with him to beare witnesse and testification of the end of the Agreement As the Earle of Bothwell entred the Chamber and would have done those Honours that friends had appointed Master Gabriel Hamilton Abbot of Kilwinning and the Laird of Richardton were the chief friends that communed the said Earle of Arrane gently past unto him embraced him and said If the hearts be upright few Ceremonies will serve and content me The said Iohn Knox in audience of them both and of their friends said Now my Lords God hath brought you together by the labour of simple men in respect of such as would have travelled therein I know my labours are already taken in evill part but because I have the testimony of a good conscience before God That whatsoever I have done it is in his fear for the profit of you both for the hurt of none and for the tranquility of this Realm Seeing therefore that my conscience beareth witnesse to me what I have sought and do continually seek I the more patiently bear the misreports and wrongfull judgements of men And now I leave you in Peace and desire you who are the friends to study that Amity may encrease all former hatred forget The friends on either party embraced other and the two Earles departed to a window and talked by themselves a reasonable space And thereafter the Earle of Bothwell departed for that night and upon the next day in the morning returned with some of his honest friends and came to the Sermon with the said Earle whereat many rejoyced But God had another work to work then the eyes of men could espie The Thursday next they dined together and thereafter the said Earle Bothwell and Master Gabriel Hamilton rode to the Duke who then was in Enmell what communication was betwixt them it is not certainly knowne but by the report which the said Earle of Arrane made to the Queen and unto the Earle of Murray by his writings for upon the third day after their Reconciliation the Sermon being ended the said Earle of Arrane came to the house of the said Iohn Knox and brought with him Master Richard Strange and Alexander Guthrie to whom he opened the grief of his minde before that Iohn Knox was called for he was busie as commonly he used to be after his Sermon in directing of writings Which ended the said Earle called the three together and said I am reasonably betrayed and with these words began to weep Iohn Knox demanded My Lord Who hath betrayed you One Iudas or other said he I know it is but my life that is sought I regard it not The other said My Lord I understand no such dark manner of speech if I shall give you any answer you must speak more plainly Well said he I take you three to witnesse That I open this
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
within this Realme and of late dayes I have been accused as a seditious man and as one that usurpeth to my selfe power that becometh me not True it is that I have given advertisment unto the Brethren in divers Quarters of the extremity intended against divers faithfull for looking to a Priest going to Masse and for observing of those that transgresse against just Laws but that therein I have usurped further power then is given me till that by you I be condemned I utterly deny for I say that by you that is By the charge of the Generall Assembly I have all just power to advertise the Brethren from time to time of dangers appearing as I have power to preach the Word of God in the Pulpit of Edinburgh for by you was I appointed to the one and to the other and therefore in the Name of God I crave your judgements The danger that appeared to me in my Accusation was not so fearfull as the words that came to my Ears were dolorous to my heart for these words were plainly spoken and that by some Protestants What can the Pope do more then to send forth his Letters and require them to be obeyed Let me have your judgements therefore whether I have usurped any power to my self or if I have obeyed your commandment The Flatterers of the Court amongst whom the Justice Clerk then not the least began to storme and said shall we be compelled to justifie the rash judgements of men My Lord said Iohn Knox you shall speak your pleasure for the present of you I crave nothing but the if Church that is here present do not either absolve me or else condemne me never shall I in publike or in private as a publike Minister open my mouth in doctrine or reasoning After long contention the said Iohn being removed the whole Church found that a charge was given unto him To advertise the Brethren in all Quarters as oft as ever danger appeared and therefore avowed that fact not to be his onely but the fact of the whole assembly Thereat were the Queens Claw-backs more enraged then ever they were for some of them had promised the Queen to get the said Iohn convinced both by the Councell and by the Church and being frustrate of both she and they thought themselves not a little disappointed In the very time of the generall Assembly there comes to publike knowledge or naynous murther committed in the Court yea not far from the Queens Lap for a French-woman that served in the Queens Chamber had played the Whore with the Queens own Apothecary the woman conceived and bare a Childe whom with common consent the father and the mother murthered yet were the cries of a new borne Childe heard search was made the Childe and the Mother were both apprehended and so was both the man and the woman condemned to be hanged in the publike Street of Edinburgh The punishment was notable because the Crime was hainous But yet was not the Court purged of Whores and Whoredoms which was the fountaine of such enormities for it was well known that shame hasted Marriage betwixt Iohn Sempill called the Dancer and Mary Leringston sirnamed the Lusty what bruit the Maries and the rest of the Dancers of the Court had the Ballads of that age did witnesse which we for modesties sake omit but this was the common complaint of all godly and wise men That if they thought that such a Court should long continue and if they looked for no better life to come they would have wished their Sonnes and Daughters rather to have been brought up with Fidlers and Dancers and to have been exercised in flinging upon a Floore and in the rest that thereof followes then to have been exercised in the company of the godly and exercised in vertue which in that Court was hated and filthinesse not onely maintained but also rewarded witnesse the Abbacie of Abercone the Barony of Anchvermuchtie and divers others pertaining to the Patrimony of the Crowne given in heritage to Skippers and Dancers and Dalliers with Dâ—mes This was the beginning of the Regiment of Mary Queen of Scots and these were the fruits that she brought forth of France Lord loâ—k upon our miseries and deliver us from the wickednesse of this corrupt Court for thy own Names sake God from Heaven and from the face of the Earth did declare that he was offended at the iniquitie committed within this Realme for upon the twentieth day of Ianuary there fell rain in great abundance which in the falling freezed so vehemently that the earth was but a shot of Ice the Fowls both great and small freezed and might not flie many dyed and some were taken and laid beside the fire that their feathers might dissolve and that same moneth the Sea stood still as was clearly observed and never ebbed nor flowed the space of foure and twenty hours In the moneth of February the fifteenth and eighteenth dayes thereof there was seen in the Firmament battels arrayed spears and all other weapons as it had been the joyning of two Armies These things were not onely observed but also spoken of and constantly affirmed by men of judgement and credit But the Queen and our Court made merry there was banquetting upon banquetting the Queen would banquet with the Lords and that was done onely upon policy to remove her displeasure against them because they would not at her devotion condemne Iohn Knox. To remove we say that jealousie she made the Banquet to the whole Lords whereat she would have the Duke amongst the rest It behoved them to banquet her again and so did banquetting continue till Lent ever after But the poor Ministers were mocked and reputed as Monsters the Guard and the Affairs of the Kitchin were so gripping that the Minsters stipends could not be had and yet at the Assembly last past solemne promise was made in the Queens Name by the mouth of Secretary Lethington in the audience of the Nobilitie and of the whole Assembly who affirmed that he had commandment of her Highnesse to promise full content unto all the Ministers within the Realme and of such Order to be kept in all times to come that the whole body of the Protestants should have occasion to stand content The Earle of Murray affirmed the same with many other faire promises given by writing by Lethington himself as in the Register of the Acts of the generall Assembly may be seene but how that or yet any other thing promised in her name to the Church of God was observed the world can witnesse The Ministers perceiving all things to tend to ruine discharged their consciences in publike and in private but they received for their labour hatred and indignation and amongst others that worthy servant of God Master Iohn Craig speaking against the manifold corruption that then without shame or fear declared it self said Sometimes was Hypocrites known by their noted habits and we had
richly hung with Tapistry and orned but not for them and set themselves making Protestations the Earle of Glencarne and some others being present The Earle of Argyle who was written for by the King came to Lithgow and being informed of the matter he remained there After this manner above specified to wit by the death of David Rizio the Noble-men were relieved of their trouble and restored to their places and rooms And likewise the Church Reformed and all that professed the Evangell within this Realm after Fasting and Prayer was delivered and freed from the apparant dangers which were like to have fallen upon them For if the Parliament had taken effect and proceeded it was thought by all men of the best judgement That the true Protestant Religion should have been wrackt and Popery erected and for the same purpose there were certain Woodden Altars made to the number of twelve found ready in the Chappell of the Palace of Halyrud-house which should have been erected in Saint Gyles his Church The Earles Bothwell and Huntley being informed of the King and Queenes sudden departure forth of Edinburgh came to Dumbar where they were most graciously received by the Queens Majesty who consulting with them and the Master of Maxwell together with Parson Owin and Parson Fliske chief Councellors what was best to be done and how she should be revenged upon the murtherers At first they did intend to go forward and leaving no manner of cruelty unpractised putting to death all such as were suspected This was the opinion of such as would obey their Queens rage and fury for their own advantage But in the end they concluded That she should come to Edinburgh with all the force and power she could make and there proceed to Justice And for the same purpose she caused to summon by open Proclamation all persons of defence and all Noble-men and Gentlemen to come to her in Dumbar incontinent In the mean time the Captains laboured by all means to take up and enroll men and women The Earles of Morton Murray Glencarne Rothesse with the rest that were in Edinburgh being informed of the Queens fury and anger towards the committers of the slaughter and perceiving they were not able to make any Party thought it best to give place to her fury for a time for they were divided in opinions and finally departed out of Edinburgh upon Sunday the seventeenth of March every one a severall way for the Queens Majesty was now bent onely against the slayers of David Rizio and to the purpose she might be the better revenged upon them she intended to give pardon to all such as before had been attainted for whatsoever crime The eighteenth day of March the King and Queen came to Edinburgh having in their company horse and foot to the number of 8000 men whereof there were four Companies of Foot-men of War The Town of Edinburgh went out to meet them for fear of War And finally coming within the Town in most awfull manner they caused to place their men of War within the Town and likewise certain Field-Pieces against their Lodging which was in the middle of the Town over against the Salt Trove Now a little before the Queenes entrance into the Towne all that knew of her cruell pretence and hatred towards them fled here and there And amongst others Master Iames Magill the Clerk Register the Justice Clerk and the common Clerk of the Towne The chief Secretary Lethington was gone before likewise Iohn Knox past West to Kyle The men of War likewise kept the Ports or Gates Within five days after their entry there was a Proclamation made at the Market-Crosse for the purgation of the King from the aforesaid slaughter which made all understanding men laugh at the passages of things since the King not onely had given his consent but also had subscribed the Bond afore-named and the businesse was done in his name and for his Honour if he had had wisedome to know it After this Proclamation the King lost his credit among all men and so his friends by this his inconstancy and weaknesse And in the mean time the men of War committed great outrages in breaking up doors thrusting themselves into every house And albeit the number of them were not great yet the whole Town was too little for them Soon after the King and Queen past to the Castle and caused to warne all such as had absented themselves by open Proclamation to appear before their Majesties and the Privy Councell within six dayes under pain of Rebellion which practice was devised in the Earle of Huntleys case before the Battell of Corrichy And because they appeared not they were denounced Rebells and put to the Horne and immediately thereafter their Escheats given or taken up by the Treasurer There was a certain number of the Towns-men charged to enter themselves prisoners in the Tolbooth and with them were put in certain Gentlemen Where after they had remained eight dayes they were convoyed down to the Palace by the men of War and then kept by them eight dayes more And of that number was Thomas Scot Sheriff deputâ— of S. Iohnston who was condemned to death and executed cruelly to wit hanged and quartered for keeping the Queen in prison as was alleadged although it was by the Kings command And two men likewise were condemned to death and carried likewise to the Ladder foot But the E. Bothwell presented the Queens Ring to the Provest which then was Justice for safety of their life The names of those two were Io. Mobray Merchant and Will. Harlow Sadler About the same time notwithstanding all this hurliburly the Ministers of the Church and professors of Religion ceased not for the people they convened to publike prayers preaching with boldnesse yea a great number of Noble-men assisted likewise The E. Bothwell had now of all men greatest accesse and familiarity with the Queen so that nothing of any great importance was done without him for he shewed favour to such as liked him and amongst others to the Lairds of Ormeston Hawton and Calder who was so reconciled unto him that by his favour they were relieved of great trouble The Earles of Argyle and Murray at the Queens Command past to Argyle where after they had remained about a Moneth they were sent for by the Queene and coming to Edinburgh they were received by the Queene into the Castle and banquetted the Earles of Huntley and Bothwell being present At this time the King grew to be contemned and disesteemed so that scarcely any Honour was done to him and his Father likewise About Easter the King past to Sterlin where he was Shriven after the Papist manner And in the meane time at the Palace of Halyrud-house in the Chappell there resorted a great number to the Masse albeit the Queen remained still in the Castle with her Priests of the Chappell Royall where they used Ceremonies after the Popish manner At the same time departed this life
promote the Kingdom of God because they have a scruple of Conscience to use at the command of Authoritie such Garments as Idolaters in time of greatest darknesse did use in their Superstitious and Idolatrous Service which Report cannot but be very grievous to our hearts considering the sentence of the Apostle If ye bite and devour one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another We intend not at this present to enter into the Question which we hear iâ— agitated and handled with greater vehemency by either partie then well liketh us to wit Whether such apparell be accounted amongst things indifferent or not Wherefore through the Bowels of Iesus Christ we crave that Christian Charitie may so farre prevaile with you who are the Pastors and Guides of Christs Flock in England that ye doe one to another as ye desire others to do to you You cannot be ignorant what tendernesse is in a scrupulous Conscience and all that have knowledge are not alike perswaded the Consciences of some of you stirres not with the wearing of such things on the other side many thousands both godly and learned are otherwayes perswaded whose Consciences are continually strucken with these sentences What hath Christ to doe with Beliall What felloship is there betwixt Light and darknesse If Surplice Corner-Cap and Tippet have been the Badges of Idolaters in the very act of their Idolatry what hath the Preachers of Christian libertie and the Rebukers of Superstition with the dregs of that Romish Beast yea What is he that ought not to fear either to take in his hand or on his forehead the Prints and Mark of that odious Beast The Brethren that refuse such unprofitable apparell do neither condemne nor molest you who use such Trifles On the other side if ye that use these things will do the like to your Brethren we doubt nor but therein you shall please God and comfort the Hearts of many which are wounded to see extremitie used against these godly Brethren Humane arguments or coloured Rhetoricke we use none to perswade you onely in Charity we desire you to minde the sentence of Peter Feed the Flock of Christ which is committed to your charge caring for it not by constraint but willingly not being as Lords of Gods Heritages but being examples to the Flock We further desire you to meditate upon that sentence of Paul Give no offence neither to Iewes nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God in what condition you and we both travell at least are bound to travell for the promoting of Christs Kingdom you are not ignorant therefore we are the more bold to exhort you to deale more wisely then to trouble the godly for such vanities for all things which seem lawfull edifie not if Authority urge you farther then your Consciences can bear I pray you remember that the Ministers of the Church are called the Light of the World and Salt of the Earth all Civill Authority hath not alwayes the Light of God shining before their eyes in Statutes and Commands for their affections savour too much of the earth and wordly wisdome therefore we tell you That ye ought to oppose your selves boldly not onely to all power that dare extoll it selfe against God but also against all such as dare burthen the Consciences of the faithfull farther then God chargeth them in his own Word But we hope you will excuse our freedom in that we have entred in reasoning farther then we intended in the beginning now againe we return to our former request which is That the Brethren among you who refuse the Romish Rags may finde of you who use and urge them such favour as our Head and Master commandeth each one of his Members to shew to another which we look to receive of your courtesie not onely because you will not offend God in troubling your brethren for such vain Trifles but also because you will not refuse the earnest request of us your Brethren and fellow Ministers in whom although there appear no worldly pompe yet we are assured you will esteem us as Gods servants travelling to set forth his glory against the Roman Antichrist the dayes are evill iniquitie aboundeth and Charitie alas waxeth cold wherefore we ought to walk diligently for the hour is uncertain when the Lord shall come before whom we must all give an account of our administration In conclusion yet once more we desire you to be favourable one to another Lord Iesus rule your hearts in his fear unto the end and give to you and us victorie over that conjured Enemy of true Religion the Pope whose wounded head Sathan by all means strives to cure againe but to destruction shall he go and all his maintainers by the power of our Lord Iesus to whose mighty protection we commit you From our Generall Assembly Decemb. 27. 1566. At the same time the Bishop of Saint Andrews by means of the Earle Bothwell procured a writing from the Queens Majesty to be obeyed within the Diocesse of his Jurisdiction in all such causes as before in time of Popery were used in the Consistory and thefore to discharge the new Commissioners and for the same purpose came to Edinburgh in Ianuary having a Company of one hundred horses or more intending to take possession according to his gift lately obtained The Provest being advertised thereof by the Earle of Murray they sent to the Bishop three or foure of the Councell desiring him to desist from the said matter for fear of trouble and sedition that might rise thereupon whereby he was perswaded to desist at that time Soon after the Queen came to Edinburgh where she remained a few dayes In the moneth of Ianuary she was informed that the King was recovered of the poyson given him at Sterlin and therefore she past to Glasgow to visite him and there tarried with him six dayes using him wonderfully kindely with many gracious and good words and likewise his father the Earle of Lenox insomuch that all men marvelled whereto it should turn considering the great contempt and drynesse that had been before so long together the Queen notwithstanding all the contempt that was given him with a known designe to take away his life yet by her sweet words gains so far upon the uxorious husband and his facile father that he went in company with her to Edinburgh where she had caused to lodge him at the Church of Field in a lodging lately bought by Master Iames Balfour Clerk Register truely very unmeet for a King The Queen resorted often to visite him and lay in the house two nights by him although her lodging was in the Palace of Halyrud-house Every man marvelled at this reconciliation and sudden change The ninth of February the King was murthered and the house where he lay burned with Powder About twelve of the clock in the night his body was cast forth in a yard without the Town wall adjoyning close by There was a servant likewise murthered beside
be set a part for divine service yet we are not so tied to the place as the Iews were yea not so much as the Rominists would have us to be according to that of S. Ioh 21.22 23 for wheresoever 2 or 3 are gathered together in my Nâ—â—â—r I am in the midst of you * Witnesse the Princes and people that the Pope put to the Interdict without cause to say nothing of private persons * So that many do think it a liberty of Religion to swear and curse * Witnesse the divorce of Mary Stuart daughter to James 2. from her lawfull husband Tho. Boyde and maâ—ried to Iames Hamiltonâ— Also of Mary mother to Iames 5. who married after K. Iam. the fourths death Arâ—hibald Douglas Earle of Angus was divorced from him and married to Henry Stuart Lord Meffen Adam Reade his bold aâ—d godly answer Note 1500. 1513. 1527. Brothers son to Iames Hamilton Earle of Arran and sisters son to Iohn Stuart Duke of Althai A Dominican Frier Note how Church-men rules the good nature of the Prince Frier Campbell apostate Mâ—ior Deuâ— 6. Matth. 12. Minor 1. Joh. 4. Conclusio Matth 7. Rom. 13. Galat. 5. Maior Rom. 13. Minor Joh. 19. Conclusio Christ is the end and fulfilling of the Law to every one that believeth Rom. 10.14 Rom. 3. Rom. 7. Gospel quasi Godspel that is Gods word but ordinarily it is taken from that part which we call Evangel that is Good tidings otherwise Gospel quasi Goodspel that is Good words and so Good tidings Gen. 15. Joh. 5. Jam. 1. Rom 14. Heb 11. Heb. 11. Rom 8. Rom. 4. Rom. 4. Abac. 2. Rom. 1. Joh. 6. 1 Joh. 5. Act. 10. Rom. 10. Joh. 3. Gal. 3. Matth. 19. Joh 9. Joh. 20. Mark 16. Matth. 28. Psal. 117. 1. Tim. 6. This 〈…〉 derstood of circumstance of worldly mâ—n and not of them of God for the neerer that meâ— draw to God we are bound 〈◊〉 more to love them Galat. 3. Matth 13. Matth. 7. Note Note Note Quaere Answer Note Note Here you see verified Cinis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae M. Gawyn Logy Munks Preach Bishops devices M. Iohn Mair whose History of Scotland we have c. He wrote upon the 4 Evangelists c. Arithe his Sermon False Miracles Alexander Furrour his Examination before the Bishops Alexander Seton a black Frier Note Note Iames the fifth Note Aleâ—ander Seton his Letter There was another Frier Forrest hanged in Smithfield 1538. Note For 10 yeers the persecution ceaseth 1534. 1538. The civil troubles give some rest to Gods flock fâ—r a time Note Macdowel Alaesius John Fyfe Machabeus Note 1534. This yeere was Lawes made against the Reformation the Pope having sent to Scotland a Legat the yeere before 6 Accused for Heresie Note 2 Gentlemen Straton and Gowâ—ley burnt See how the Bishops did intrench upon the good disposition of the King and his Soveraigne 1534. Burning of the Bill was a signe of recantation 1537. Lâ—sly writes this done 1540. Iohn Berthwick fled into England from whence Henry sent him into Germany to the Protestant Princes Foure burnt 1538. 1539. Ieremie Russell Alex. Kennedie Kennedie his thanks to God His speech to the Judges Note Sir Iames Hamilton said That God had justly brought him to that because he had offended often to gain the King favour by unjust ways Note George Buchanan by the Kings câ—mmand then angry with the Friers did write this Satyre against them who thereafter having made their peace with the King would not be appeased with Gâ—orge Buchanan whom the king gave over to their importunity and so he was put in prison The Earle of Gleaverne his verse upon the Gray Friers The Church-men ingage the King to warre against his Uncle Halderig Read England called Hereticke bâ—cause it renounced the Pope Note All hallow tyde Fallow Reade Note The Lords answer to the Kings desire Note Note Note An answer worthy of a Prince By this answer you may see how good this Prince had bin if 〈◊〉 Câ—urch mâ—n and flatterâ—â—s â—ad not abused him Abused Prince by Prelats So the evil advised Prince gave himselfe over to the false Propâ—ets I meane the Prelats The Reade of Holway masse by Oliver Sinclar Whaâ—ton was then Warden in these parts Stratageme Note Note Oliver compared to Benhadad against Samaria 2 King 20. 300 men put to flight 10000 Others say at Carlaveâ—ok neer by the place where the defeat was given called Sobâ—â—y Mosse The King foretells his own death Reginae Nativitas Mark the Queens mourning for the King Others stick not to say That the King was hastned away by a Potion Levit. 12. Regis exitus Divers Charactâ—rs of the late King arise post funâ—ra virtuâ— Character of the Hamiltons Note the reasons why the Earle of Arran was thus favoured by the Countrey 1543 Note Frier Scot. The Cardinal taken 1543. An Act of Parliament for reading of the Scripture Note the hypocrisie of worldlings So long as men follow God they are blessed Nothing could be said against the lawfulnesse of Edwards birth Katharine of Spaine and Anne Bullen being dead before his mother was married to his father Note well The Queenes marriage the second time ratified He was before sometimes called Cunningham sometimes Colwan so uncertaine was it who was his father Note Note This is the Prelats language The Governour violated his faith refused God and took absulution of the devil renouncing his Religion in the gray Friers All this was then said by the Cardinall Penes authorem fides estâ— Note the device of the wicked to set men by the 〈◊〉 1543 Note * And many trod under foot died Note As they went to Dundie they said they were going to burne the readers of the new Testament and that they would stick to the old for Luther said they had made the new Note A woman and her childe put to death because she prayed not to the Virgin Mary Men put to death for eating a Goose upon Friday Iohn Roger a black Friet murthered 1544. The English Army arrived in Scotland Note Endinburgh burnt and spoiled by the English Note 1544. Lorge cometh to Scotland 1545. Note The character of Hamilton Note George Wischarde Note a falsâ— brother M. Wischard his words in Dundie The Bishops Sermon Note Note M. Wescharde his zeale to gain soules A Priest appointed by the Cardinall to stab M. George Wischarde The second attempt of the Cardinall for the killing of M. George Wischarde Note the spirit of Prophesie Prophesie spoken by Master George Whischarde of the Church of Scotland Note the resolution of a Preacher Two gray Friers Vengeance against Hadington Master Wischarde taken at Ormeston Note He means Gods people The Lord Bothwels promise M Georges words to the Earl Bothwell 1546. Note The proud Cardinall and the glorious foole Dumbar A question worthy of such two Prelats 1546. Who was a learned man and heartily favoured the pure Religion in secret Bona heresios definitio c. Note the