they are altogether against Christ Jesus and against his eternall Verity every one serving Sathan the Prince of this world in their rank age degree and estate The murtherers of their brethren which this day live are guilty with Cain of the blood of Abel The Kings and Princes which by power oppresse the people of God and will not suffer that the people truely worship God as he hath commanded but will retain them in Egypt are brethren and companions to Pharaoh The Prelats and Priests whose horrible iniquities and insolent life have infected all Realmes where they raigne have with their fathers the old Pharisces taken away the key of knowledge and have shut up the Kingdom of heaven before men so that neither they themselves will enter neither yet will they suffer others to enter into the same And the multitude blinded some by ignorance some by fear and by insatiable appetite of their part of the spoyl for Christ being crucified the souldiers parted amongst them his garments are conjured to defend those murtherers proud pestilent Prelats against Christ Jesus and against his poor Flock And therefore because of one crime they are all guilty which is of treason and rebellion against Christ of one torment they shall all taste which is Of the fire that never shall be quenched And herein ought you Madame be circumspect and carefull if that ye hope for the life to come For if the consent which proceedeth of ignorance and blindenesse bringeth destruction and death as Christ our Master doth witnesse saying If the blinde lead the blinde they shall both fall into the ditch What shall become of the proud and malicious contemners of Gods Verity offered But our Doctrine perchance shall be denyed to be the Verity Whereunto I answer That so was the Doctrine of Noah of Moses of the Prophets of Christ Jesus and of his Apostles and yet the originall world perished by water Sodome and Gomorra by fire descending from heaven Pharaoh and his adherents in the Red Sea the City of Ierusalem and the whole Nation of the Jews by punishments and plagues notwithstanding that the whole multitude cryed This is a new doctrine this is heresie and tendeth to sedition Our Petition is That our Doctrine may be tryed by the plain Word of God That liberty be granted to utter and declare our mindes at large in every Article and Point which now are in controversie Which if ye deny giving ear to Christs enemies who condemne his doctrine for heresie ye shall drink the Cup of Gods wrath with them But now to the former Letter Letter I doubt not but the rumors which have come to your Majesties ears of me have been such that if all reports were true I were unworthy to live upon the earth And wonder it is That the voices of the multitude should not so have enflamed your Majesties heart with just hatred of such a one as I am accused to be that all accesse to pity should have been shut up I am traduced as an heretick accused as a false teacher and seducer of the people besides other opprobries which affirmed by men of worldly honour and estimation may easily kindle the wrath of Magistrates where innonocence is not known But blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who by the dew of his heavenly grace hath so quenched the fire of displeasure as yet in your Majesties heart which of late dayes I have understood that Sathan is frustrate of his enterprise and purpose which is to my heart no small comfort Not so much God is my witnesse for any benefit that I can receive in this miserable life by protection of any earthly creature for the cup which it behoveth me to drink is appointed by the wisedom of him whose counsels are not changeable as that I am for that benefit which I am assured your Majestie shall receive if that ye continue in like moderation and clemency towards others that most unjustly are and shall be accused as that your Majestie hath begun towards me and my most desperate Cause that is If that by godly wisedome ye shall studie to bridle the fury and rage of them who for the maintenance of their worldly pomp regard nothing the cruell murthering of simple innocents Then shall he who doth pronounce mercy to appertain to the mercifull and promiseth that a cup of cold water given for his Names sake shall not lack reward first cause your happy Government to be praised in this present age and in posterities to come and last recompence your godly pains and study with that joy and glory which eye hath not seen nor yet can enter into the heart of mortall creature Addition IF Christs words were esteemed true That of every idle word an accompt shall be given and that nothing is so secretly done which shall not come to knowledge and light I suppose that the tongues of men should be better bridled then impudently to speak their pleasure in matters unknown For albeit that the true fear of God should not move them to speak truth yet would I think if any spark of humanity remained that worldly shame should impede them to lye When reasoning was before your Majesty what man it was that preached in Aire and divers men were of divers opinions some affirming that it was an Englishman and some supposing the contrary a Prelate not of the least pride said Nay no Englishman but it is Knox that Knave It was my Lords pleasure so to Baptize a poor man The reason whereof if it should be required his Rochet and Miter must stand for Authority What further liberty he used in defining things like uncertain to him to wit of my learning and doctrine at this present I omit Lamenting more that such pestilent tongues have liberty to speak in the presence of Princes then that I am sorry for any hurt that their venome can do to me in body or fame For what hath my life and conversation been since it hath pleased God to call me from the puddle of Papistry let my very enemies speak And what learning I have they may prove when they please The report of your Majesties moderation as well at that time as after when suite was made for my taking moved me to write this my other Letter in which albeit I have not played the Orator trimming and decking the matter for the pleasure of itching and delicate ears yet doth my conscience bear me record That with simplicity I have advertised you of a mortall danger As this portion subsequent shall prove Letter SUperfluous and foolish it shall appear to many That I a man of low estate and condition dare enterprise to admonish a Princesse so honourable indued with wisedom and graces singular But when I consider the honour which God commandeth to be given to Magistrates which no doubt if it be true honour containeth in it self in lawfull things obedience and in
very simple people understood and confessed That as the Priests and obstinate Pharisees perswaded the people to refuse Christ Jesus and caused Pilate to condemne him So did the Bishops and men called Religious blinde the people and perswade Princes and Judges to persecute such as professe Christ Jesus his blessed Gospel This plain speaking so inflamed the hearts of all that bare the Beasts mark that they ceased not till the said Friar Killâ—r and with him Frier Beaverege Sir Duncane Symson Robert Forester Gentleman and Deane Thomas Forrat Channon regular and Vicar of Dolour a man of upright life who altogether were cruelly murthered in one fire upon the Castle hill the last of February in the yeere of our Lord 1538. This cruelty was used by the aforesaid Cardinall the Chancellour the Bishop of Glasgow and the incestuous Bishop of Dumblane After that this cruelty was used in Edinburgh upon the Castle hill to the effect that the rest of the Bishops might shew themselves no lesse fervent to suppresse the lyght of God then he of S. Andrews was were apprehended two of the Diocesse of Glasgow The one named Ieronimus Russell a gray Frier a young man of a meeke nature quicke spirit and good Learning And one Alexander Kennedie who passed not eighteen yeers of age one of excellent wit in vulgar Poesie To assist the Bishop of Glasgow in that cruell judgement or at least to dip his hands in the blood of the Saints of God were sent Master Iohn Lawdâ—r Master Andrew Olyphant and Frier Meitman servants of Satan apt for that purpose The day appointed to the cruelty approached The two poore Saints of God were presented before those bloody butchers grievous were the crimes that were laid to their charge Kennedie at the first was faint and gladly would have recanted but while the place of repentance was denied unto him the spirit of God which is the spirit of all comfort began to work in him yea the inward comfort began to burst forth as well in visage as in tongue and word for his countenance began to be cheerfull and with a joyfull voice upon his knees he said O eternall God how wonderfull is that love and mercy that thou bearest unto mankinde and unto me the most caitife and miserable wretch above all others For even now when I would have denied thee and thy Son our Lord Iesus Christ my onely Saviour and so have cast my self into everlasting damnation Thou by thine own hand hast pulled me from the very bottome of hell and made me to feele that heavenly comfort which takes from me that ungodly feare wherewith before I was oppressed Now I defie death do what ye please I praise my God I am ready The godly and learned Ieronimus railed upon by these godlesse Tyrants answered This is your houre and power of darknesse Now sit ye as Iudges and we stand wrongfully accused and more wrongfully to be condemned but the day shall come when our innocencie shall appeare and that ye shall see your own blindnesse to your everlasting confusion Go forward and fulfill the measure of your iniquity While that these servants of God thus behaved themselves a variance ariseth betwixt the Bishop and the beasts that came from the Cardinall For the Bishop said I thinke it better to spare these men then to put them to death Whereat the idiot Doctors offended said What will ye do my Lord will ye condemne all that my Lord Cardinall and the other Bishops and we have done If so ye do ye shew your selfe enemy to the Church and us and so we will repute you be ye assured At which words the faithlesse man afraid adjudged the innocents to die according to the desire of the wicked The meeke and gentle Ieronimus Russell comforted the other with many comfortable sentences oft saying unto him Brother fear not more mighty is he that is in us than he that is in the world the pain that we shall suffer is short and shall be light but our joy and consolation shall nevea have end and therefore let us contend to enter in unto our Master and Saviour by the same strait way which he hath taken before us Death cannot destroy us for it is destroyed already by him for whose sake we suffer With these and the like comfortable sentences they passed to the place of execution and constantly triumphed over death and Sathan even in the midst of the flaming fire And thus did those cruell beasts intend nothing but murther in all the quarters of this Realme for so far had they blinded and corrupted the inconsiderate Prince that he gave himself to obey the tyrannie of those bloodie beasts and he made a solemne Vow That none should be spared that was suspect of Heresie yea although it were his own son To presse and push him forward in this his fury he lacked not flatters enow for many of his Minions were pensioners to Priests Amongst whom Oliver Synclare yet remaining enemy to God was principall And yet did not God cease to give that blinded Prince documents that some sudden punishment was to fall upon him if he did not repent and amend his life and that his own mouth did confesse For after that Sir Iames Hamilton was beheaded justly or unjustly we dispute not this Vision came unto him as to his familiars himself did declare the said Sir Iames appeared unto him having in his hands a drawn sword with the which he stroke from the King both the arms saying to him these words Take that till thou receive a finall payment for all thy impiety This Vision with sorrowful countenance he shewed on the morrow and shortly thereafter died his two sons both within the space of 24 hours yea some say within the space of six hours In his own presence George Steill his greatest flatterer and greatest enemy to God that was in his Court dropped off his horse and died not saying one word that same day that in audience of many the said George had refused his portion of Christs Kingdom if the prayers of the Virgin Mary should not bring him thereto How terrible a Vision the said Prince saw lying in Lintlightow that night that Thomas Scot Justice Clerk died in Edinburgh men of good credite can yet report For afraid at midnight or after he called aloud for Torches and raised all that lay beside him in the Pallace and told that Thomas Scot was dead for he had been at him with a company of devills and had said unto him these words O we to the day that ever I knew thee or thy service for serving of thee against God against his servants and against Iustice I am adjudged to endlesse torment How terrible voyces the said Thomas Scot pronounced before his death men of all estates heard and some that yet live can witnesse his voice ever was Iusto Dei judicio condemnatus sum that is I am condemned by
the Queen who to them was favourable enough but that she thought it could not stand with her advantage to offend such a multitude as then took upon them the defence of the Gospel and the name of Protestants And yet consented she to summon the Preachers whereat the Ptotestants neither offended neither yet thereof afraid determined to keep the day of Summons as that they did Which perceived by the Prelats and Priests they procured a Proclamation to be publikely made That all men that were come to the Towne without commandment of the Authority should with all diligence repair to the Borders and there remain fifteen dayes For the Bishop of Galloway in this manner of rime said to the Queen Madame because they are come without order I read ye send them to the Border Now so had God provided That the quarter of the Westland in the which was many faithfull men was that same day returned from the Border who understanding the matter to proceed from the malice of the Priests assembled themselves together and made passage to themselves till that they came to the very privie chamber where the Queen Regent and the Bishops were The Gentlemen began to complain upon their strange intertainment considering that her Majesty had found in them so faithfull obedience in all things lawfull While the Queen began to craft a zealous and a bold man Iames Chalmers of Gaithgyrth said Madame we know that this is the malice and device of the Iewels and of that bastard meaning the Bishop of S. Andrews that standeth by you we avow to God we shall make a day of it They oppresse us and our Tenants for feeding of their idle bellies They trouble our Preachers and would murther them and us Shall we suffer this any longer No Madame it shall not be And therewith every man put on his steel Bonnets There was heard nothing of the Queens part but My joyes my hearts What ayles you Me means no evil to you nor to your Preachers The Bishops shall do you no wrong ye are all my loving Subjects I know nothing of this Proclamation the day of your Preachers shall be discharged and me will heare the controversie that is betwixt the Bishops and you they shall do you no wrong My Lords said she to the Bishops I forbid you either to trouble them or their Preachers And unto the Gentlemen who were wonderously commoved she turned again and said O my hearts should ye not love the Lord your God with all-your heart with all your minde And should ye not love your neighbours as your self With these and the like words she kept the Bishops from buffets at that time And so the day of Summons being discharged began the brethren universally farther to be encouraged But yet could the Bishops in no sort be quiet for Saint Gyles day approaching they gave charge to the Provost-Ballies and counsell of Edinburgh either to get again the old Saint Gyle or else upon their expences to make a new Image The Counsell answered That to them the charge appeareth very unjust for they understood that God in some places had commanded Idols and Images to be destroyed But where he had commanded Images to be set up they had not read and desired the Bishop to finde a warrant for his commandment Whereat the Bishop offended admonished under pain of cursing which they prevented by a former appellation appealing from him as a partiall and corrupt Judge unto the Popes Holinesse and so great things shortly following that passed in oblivion Yet would not the Priests and Friers cease to have that great solemnity and manifest abomination which they accustomedly had upon Saint Gyles day to wit They would have that Idoll borne and therefore was all preparations duely made A Marmouset Idoll was borrowed from the gray Friers a silver piece of Iames Carmichell was laid in pledge it was fast fixed with Iron nailes upon a barrow called there Fertor Their Asses bloody Priests Friers Channons and rotten Papists with Tabors and Trumpeters Banners and Bag-pipes And who was there to lead the reigne but the Queen Regent her selfe with all her shavelings for honour of that Feast Well about goeth it and cometh downe the high street and downe to the common Crosse. The Queen Regent dined that day in Alexander Carpentar his house betwixt the Bowes And so when the Idol returned back again she left it and past in to her dinner The hearts of the brethren were wonderously enflamed and seeing such abomination so manifestly maintained were decreed to be revenged They were divided in severall companies whereof not one knew of another There were some temporizers that day amongst whom David Forresse called the Generall was one who fearing the chance to be done as it fell laboured to stay the brethren but that could not be For immediately after that the Queen was entred in the lodging some of those that were of the enterprise drew nigh to the Idol as willing to help to bear him and getting the Fertor upon their shoulders began to shoulder thinking that thereby the Idol would have fallen but that was provided and prevented by the Iron nailes as we have said And so began one to cry Down with the Idoll down with it And then without delay it was pulled downe Some brag made the Priests Patrones at the first but when they saw the feeblenesse of their god for one tooke him by the heeles and dading his head to the street left Dagon without a head or hands and said Fie upon thee thou young Saint Gyle thy father would have tarried for such This considered we say the Priests and Friers fled faster then they did at Pinckey Clewch There might have beene so sudden a fray as seldome hath been amongst that sort of men within this Realme for down goeth the Crosses off goeth the Surplices round Caps Cornets with the Crowns The gray Friers gaped the black Friers blew the Priests panted and fled and happy was he that first gat the house for such a sudden fray came never amongst the generation of Antichrist within this Realme before By chance there lay upon a stayre a merry English-man and seeing the discomfiture to be without blood thought he would adde some merrinesse to the matter and so cried he over the staire and said Fie upon you whorsons why have you broken order down the street they passed in aray and with great mirth why flee the villains now without order turn and strike every man a stroke for the honour of his God fie cowards fie ye shall never be judged worthy of your wages againe But exhortations were then unprofitable For after that Bell had broken his necke there was no comfort to his confused Armie The Queene Regent laid up this amongst her other inventions till that she might have seene the time proper to have revenged it Search was made for the doers but none could be
carnall wisdome and worldly policie to the which both you are bruted too much inclined give place to Gods simple and naked Trueth very love compells me to say That except the Spirit of God purge your heart from that venome which your eyes have seen to have been destruction to others that you shall not long escape the reward of dissemblers Call to minde what your eares heard Proclaimed in the Chappell of S. Iames when this Verse of the first Psalme was handled Not so O wicked not so but as the dust which the winde tosseth c. And consider that now you travell in the same way which then they did occupie to speak plainely now you are in that estate and credit in the which you shall either comfort the sorrowfull and afflicted for righteousnesse sake or else you shall molest or oppugne the Spirit of God speaking in his Messengers the Comforters of the afflicted for godlinesse hath promise of comfort in their greatest necessities but the troubles of Gods servants how contemned that ever they appeare before the world are threatned to have their Names in execration to the posterities following The examples of the one and of the other are not onely evident in Scriptures but also have been lately manifested in England And this is the conclusion of that which to your self I say except that in the cause of Christs Evangell you be found simple sincere fervent and unfained you shall taste of the same cup which politick heads have drank in before you The other Point concerning my self and that poore flock now dispersed and as I heare say rudely used is this By divers Messengers I have requested such Priviledges as Turkes commonly do grant to men of every Nation to wit That liberty should be granted to me freely to passe through England to the end that with greater expedition I might repaire towards my owne Countrey which now beginneth to thirst for Christs Trueth This request I thought so reasonable that almost I had entered the Realme without license demanded and yet I understand that it hath been so rejected that the soliciters thereof did hardly escape imprisonment and some of that poore flocke I heare to be so extreamely handled That those who most rudely have shed the blood of Gods most deare Children findes this day amongst you greater favours then they do Alas this appeareth much to repugne to Christian Charity for whatsoever hath been mine offence this I fear not to affirme in their cause That if any that hath suffered exile in those most dolorous dayes of persecution deserve praise and commendation for Peace Concord sober and quiet living it is they And as for me how criminall that ever I be in Gods presence for the multitude of my sins yet before his Justice-seat I have a testimonie of a cleare Conscience That since my first acquaintance with England willingly I never offended person within it except in open Chaire to reprove that which God condemneth can be judged offence but I have say you written a Treasonable Book against the regiment and Empire of women If that be my offence the poore flock is innocent except such as this day do fastest cry Treason For Sir in Gods presence I do write with none in that company did I consult before the finishing of the same Therefore in Christs Name I require That the blame may be upon me alone The writing of that Book I will not deny but to prove it Treasonable I think it shall be hard for Sir No more do I doubt of the Trueth of my Proposition then that I doubt that this was the voice of God which first did pronounce this penaltie against women In dolour shalt thou beare thy children It is bruited That my book is or shall be written against or answered If so be Sir I greatly feare That flatterers shall more hurt then helpe the matter which they would seem to maintaine for except my errour be plainly shewne and confuted by better authority then by such Lawes as from yeere to yeere may and do change I dare not promise silence in so weighty a businesse lest that in so doing I shall appeare to betray the Verity which is not subject to the mutabilitie of time And if any thinke me either enemy to the person or yet to the Regiment of her whom God hath now promoted they are utterly deceived in me for the miraculous Work of God comforting his afflicted by an infirme vessell I do acknowledge and I will obey the power of his most potent hand raising up whom best pleaseth his Mercy to suppresse such as fight against his glory albeit that both nature and Gods most perfect Ordinance repugne to such Regiment More plainly to speak If Queen Elizabeth shall confesse That the extraordinary dispensation of Gods great mercy makes that lawfull unto her which both nature and Gods Lawes do deny unto all women then shall none in England be more willing to maintaine her lawfull authority then I shall be But if Gods wondrous worke set aside she ground as God forbid the justnesse of her Title upon consuetude Lawes and Ordinances of men Then I am assured That as such foolish presumption doth highly offend Gods supreame Majestie so do I greatly feare That her ingratitude shall not long lacke punishment And this in the name of the eternall God and of his Son Jesus Christ before whom both you and I shall stand to make an account of all counsell we give I require you to signifie unto her Majestie in my name Adding That onely humility and desertion of her selfe before God shall be the firmenesse and stability of the Throne which I know shall be assaulted mo wayes then one If this you conceale from her Majestie I will make it patent to the world That thus farre I have communicated with you having also further to speak if my judgement may be heard Alas Sir is my offence although in that time and in that matter I had written ten Bookes so hainous that I cannot have Licence by Preaching of Christ Jesus to refresh those thirsty soules which long have lacked the Water of Life No man will I presently accuse but I greatly feare That the Leprous have no greâ—t pleasure to behold faire faces in cleare glasse Let none be afraid that I require to frequent the Court or yet to remaine any long time in England but onely thirsts in passing thorow to my native Countrey to communicate with you and some others such things as willingly I list not to commit to Paper neither to the Credit and knowledge of many And then in the North parts to offer Gods favours to such as I suppose do mourne for their desertion And this I trust shall be no lesse profitable to the Queen and to all godly within England then it should be pleasing to me in the flesh This is the third time that I have begged Licence to visite the hungry and thirstie amongst you which if now be denied
owne desire we know not but the Queen spake with Iohn Knox and had long reasoned with him none being present except the Lord Iames two Gentlemen stood in the one end of the room The sum of their reasoning was this The Queen accused him That he had raised a part of her subjects against her Mother and her self That he had written a Book against her just Authority she meant the Treatise against the Regiment of Women which she had and would cause the most learned in Europe to write against it That he was the cause of great sedition and great slaughter in England And that it was said to her That all that he did was by Necromancy To the which the said Iohn answered Madame it may please your Majestie patiently to hear my simple answers And first said he my simple Answers And first said he if to teach the Word of God in sincerity if to rebuke Idolatry and to will a people to worship God according to his Word be to raise Subjects against their Princes then cannot I bee excused for it hath pleased God of his mercy to make me one amongst many to disclose unto this Realme the vanitie of the Papisticall Religion and the deceit pride and tyranny of that Romane Antichrist But Madame if the true knowledge of God and his right worshipping be the chief cause which must move men to obey their just Princesse from their heart as it is most certain that they are wherein can I be reprehended I thinke and am surely perswaded that your Majestie has had and presently hath as unfained obedience of such as professe Christ Jesus within this Realm as ever your Father or Progenitours had of those that were called Bishops And touching that Booke that seemeth so highly to offend your Majestie it is most certaine that if I wrote it I am content that all the learned of the world judge of it I heare that an Englishman hath written against it but I have not read him if hee hath sufficiently confuted my reasons and established his contrary Propositions with as evident testimonies as I have done mine I shall not bee obstinate but shall confesse mine errour and ignorance But to this houre I have thought and yet thinkes my selfe alone more able to sustaine the things affirmed in that my Work than any ten in Europe shall be able to confute it You thinke said shee that I have no just Authoritie Please your Majestie said he that learned men in all ages have had their judgements free and most commonly disagreeing from the Common judgement of the world Such also have they published both with Pen and tongue notwithstanding they themselves have lined in the common Societie with others and have borne patiently with the errour and imperfections which they could not amend Plato the Philosopher wrote his Booke of the Common wealth in the which hee condemnes many things that were maintained in the world and required many things to have beene reformed And yet notwithstanding he lived under such Politicks as then were universally received without farther troubling any State Even so Madame am I content to do in uprightnesse of heart and with a testimony of good Conscience I have communicate my judgement to the world if the Realme findes no inconveniencies in the Regiment of a woman that which they approve shall I not further disallow then within my owne brest but shall be all well content and shall live under your Majestie as Paul was to live under the Roman Emperour And my hope is that so long as ye defile not your hands with the Blood of the Saints of God that neither I nor that Booke shall either hurt you or your Authoritie for in very deed Madame that Booke was written most especially against that wicked Mary of England But said shee you speake of women in generall most true it is Madame said the other and yet plainly appeareth to me that wisedome should perswade your Majestie never to raise trouble for that which this day hath not troubled your Majestie neither in person nor in anxietie For of late yeeres many things which before were holden Stable have been called in doubt yea they have been plainely impugned But yet Madame I am assured That neither Protestant nor Papist shall be able to prove That any such Question was at any time moved in publike or in private Now Madame said he if I had intended to trouble your State because you are a woman I might have chosen a time more convenient for that purpose then I can do now when your own presence is within the Realme But now Madame shortly to answer to the other two accusations I heartily praise my God through Jesus Christ that Satan the enemy of mankinde and the wicked of the World have no other crimes to lay to my charge then such as the very World it selfe knoweth to be most false and vaine For in England I was resident onely the space of five yeeres The places were Barwick where I abode two yeeres So long in New-castle And a yeere in London Now Madame if in any of these places during the time that I was there any man shall be able to prove That there was either Battell Sedition or Mutinie I shall confesse That I my selfe was the Malefactour and shedder of the blood I am not ashamed further to affirme That God so blessed my weake labours then in Barwick wherein then commonly used to be slaughter by reason of quarrells that used to arise amongst Souldiers there was also great quietnesse all the time that I remained there as there is this day in Edinburgh And where they slander me of Magick Necromancie or of any other Art forbidden of God I have witnesse besides mine owne conscience all the Congregations that ever heard me what I speak both against such acts and against those that use such impietie But seeing the wicked of the world said That my Master the Lord Jesus was possessed with Beelzebub I must patiently beare Albeit that I wretched sinner be unjustly accused of those that never delighted in the Veritie But yet said she you have taught the people to receive another Religion then their Princes can allow And how can that Doctrine be of God Seeing that God commandeth Subjects to obey their Princes Madame said he as right Religion tooke neither Originall nor Antiquity from worldly Princes but from the eternall God alone So are not Subjects bound to frame their Religion according to the appetite of their Princes For oft it is that Princes are the most ignorant of all others in Gods true Religion as we may reade in the Histories as well before the death of CHRIST JESUS as after If all the seed of Abraham should have beene of the Religion of Pharaoh to whom they had beene a long time Subjects I pray you Madame what Religion should there have been in the world Or if all men in the dayes of the Apostles
have retired himselfe and his Company But that morning he could not be wakened before it was ten hours and when he was upon his feet his spirits failed him by reason of his corpulency so that rightly a long time he could do nothing Some of his friends fearing the danger left him When that he looked upon both the Companies he said This great Company that approacheth neerest to us will do us no harme they are our friends I onely feare that small Company that stands on the hill side they are our enemies But we are enough for them if God be with us And when he had thus spoken he fell upon his knees and made his Prayer in this form O Lord I have been a blood-thirstie man and by my means hath much innocent blood been spilt But wilt thou give me Victory this day and I shall serve thee all the dayes of my life Note and observe good Reader he confesseth that he hath beene a blood-thirsty man and that he had been the cause of the shedding of much innocent blood but yet would he have had Victory And what was that else but to have had power to have shedded more and then would he have satisfied God for altogether wherein is expressed the nature of hypocrites which never fear nor love God further then present danger or profit perswadeth But to our History The Lesleyes Hayes and Forbisses espying the Earle of Murray and his to have lighted upon their feet and made forward against the Earle of Huntley and his who stood in Correthieburne some call it Farabanke But ere they approached nigh by the space of the shot of an Arrow they cast from them their Spears and long Weapons and fled directly in the face of the Earle of Murray and his Company The danger espied the Laird of Pittarrow a man both stout and of a ready wit with the Master after Lord Lyndsey and Tutor of Pitcur said Let us cast down Spears to the foremost and let them not come in amongst us for there is no doubt but this flying is but Treachery And so they did so that they that fled of Huntley seeing the Vaunt-guard flie said unto his Company Our friends are honest men they have kept promise Let us now encounter the rest And so he and his as sure of Victory marched forward The Secretary in few words made a vehement Oration and they willed every man to call upon his God to remember his duty and not to fear the multitude And in the end concluded thus O Lord thou that rulest the heaven and the earth look upon thy servants whose blood this day is most unjustly sought and to mans judgement are sold and betrayed our refuge is now unto thee and our hope is in thee Iudge thou O Lord betwixt us and the Earle of Huntlie and the rest of our enemies If ever we have justly sought his or their destruction and blood let us fall on the sword And O Lord if thou knowest our innocency maintain thou and preserve us for thy great mercies sake Shortly after the speaking of these and the like words the former Rank rejoyced for Huntlies Company made great haste They were repulsed by the Master of Lyndsay and the Companies of Fyfe and Angus some of them that had fled returned and followed the Earle of Murray but gave no stroke till that Huntlies Company gave back In the Front there was slain eighteen or four and twenty men and in the flying there fell 100. There were taken 100. and the rest were spared The Earl himselfe was taken alive his two sons Iohn aforesaid and Adam Gordon were taken with him The Earle immediately after his taking departed this life without any wound or yet appearance of any stroke whereof death might have ensued And so because it was late he was cast overthwart or upon a payre of Creilles and so was carried to Aberdeine and was laid in the Tolbuith thereof that that which his wives Witches had given might be fulfilled who all affirmed as the most part say That same night he should be in the Towne of Aberdeine without any wound upon his body When his Lady got knowledge thereof she blamed her principall Witch called Iannett but she stoutly defended her selfe as the devill can do and affirmed That she gave a true answer albeit she spake not all the truth for she knew that he should be there dead but that could not profit my Lady She was angry and sorry for a season But the devill the Masse and Witches have all great credit with her this day the twelfth of Iune 1566. as they had seven yeers agoe The Earle of Murray sent a Message unto the Queen of the marvellous Victory and humbly prayed her to shew that obedience to God as publikely to convene with them to give thanks unto God for his notable deliverance She glomed and frowned both at the Message and at the Request and scarcely would give a good word or blythe and merry countenance to any that she knew earnest favourers of the Earle of Murray whose prosperity was and yet is a very venome to her boldned heart For many dayes she bare no better countenance whereby it might have been easily espied That she rejoyced not greatly of the successe of that matter And albeit she caused to execute Iohn Gordon and divers others yet it was the destruction of others that she sought Upon the morrow after the discomfiture the Lady Forbesse a woman both wise and fearing God came amongst many others to visite the Corps of the said Earle and seeing him lie upon the cold stones having onely upon him a Doublet of Canvas a payre of Scotch gray Hose and him covered with an Arras work She said What stability shall we judge to be in this world There lieth he that yesterday in the morning was esteemed the wisest the richest and man of greatest power that was within Scotland And in very deed she lyed not for in mans opinion under a Prince there was not such a one these three hundred yeers in this Realme produced But felicity and worldly wisedom so blinded him that in the end he perished in them as shall all those that despight God and trust in themselves Iohn Gordon at his death confessed many horrible things devised by his father by his brother and by himself There were Letters found in the Earles pocket that disclosed the Treason of the Earle of Sutherland and of divers others Master Thomas Keir who before was the whole Councellor of the said Earle disclosed whatsoever he understood might hurt the Gordons and their friends and so Treason plainly disclosed which was That the Earle of Murray should have been murthered in Stragobie the Queen should have been taken and kept at the devotion of the said Earle of Huntley These things we say revealed the Queen left the North and came to Dundie Saint Iohnston Sterlin and then to Edinburgh The Earle of Huntleys body was
me and yet suffered me to perish that in so doing ye should be criminall and guilty of my blood Prove that and win the play said Lethington Well my Lord said the other remember your promise and I will be short in my probation The Prophet Ieremy was apprehended by the Priests and Prophets who were a part of the Authority within Ierusalem and by the multitude of the people and this sentence was pronounced against him Thou shalt die the death for thou hast said This house shall be like Siloh and this City shall be desolate without any Inhabitant c. The Princes hearing the uprore came from the Kings house and sate down in Judgement in the entry of the new Gate of the Lords House And there the Priests and Prophets before the Princes and before all the people intented their Accusation in these words This man is worthy to die for he hath prophesied against this City and your eares have heard Ieremiah answered That whatsoever he had spoken proceeded from God and therefore said he As for me behold I am in your hands do with me as ye thinke good and right But know ye for certaine That if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon your soules and upon this Citie and upon the inhabitants thereof For of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speake all these words Now my Lord if the Princes and the whole people should have been guilty of the Prophets blood How shall ye or others be judged innocent before God if ye shall suffer the blood of such as have not deserved their blood to be shed when ye may save it The causes were nothing alike said Lethington And I would learn said the other wherein the dissimilitude stands First said Lethington the King had not condemned him to death And next The false Prophets the Priests and the People accused him without a cause and therefore they could not be guilty of his blood Neither of these said Iohn Knox fights against my argument For albeit the King was neither present nor yet had condemned him yet were the Princes and chiefe Councellors there sitting in Judgement who represented the Kings Authority hearing the accusation laid unto the charge of the Prophet And therefore he forewarns them of the danger as before is said to wit That in case he should be condemned and so put to death That the King the Councell and the whole City of Ierusalem should be guilty of his blood because that he had committed no crime worthy of death And if ye thinke that they all should have been criminall onely because that they all accused him the plain Text witnesseth the contrary for the Princes defended him and so no doubt did a great part of the People and yet he boldly affirmed That they should be all guilty of his blood if he should be put to death And the Prophet Ezekiel gives a reason Why all are guilty of common corruption Because saith he I sought a man amongst them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none Therefore have I poured forth my indignation upon them Hereof my Lord said he it is plain That God craves not onely that man should do no iniquity in his owne person but also that he oppose himself to all iniquity so farre as in him lieth Then will ye said Lethington make subjects to controll their Princes and Rulers And what harme said the other should the Common-wealth receive if the corrupt affections of ignorant Rulers were moderated and so bridled by the wisedome and discretion of godly subjects that they should do no wrong nor no violence to any man All this reasoning said Lethington is out of the purpose For we reason as if the Queen should become such an enemy to our Religion that she should persecute it and put innocent men to death while I am assured she never thought nor never will do For if I should see her begin at that end yea if I should suspect any such thing in her I should be as farre forward in that argument as ye or any other within the Realme But there is no such thing Our Question is Whether that ye may suppresse the Queens Masse or Whether that her Idolatry shall be laid to our charge What ye may said Iohn Knox by force I dispute not But what ye may and ought to do by Gods expresse Commandment that I can tell Idolatry ought not onely to be suppressed but the Idolater also ought to die the death But by whom By the people of God said the other for the Commandment was given to Israel as ye may reade Heare Israel sayes the Lord the Statutes and the Ordinances of the Lord thy God c. Yea a Commandment is given that if it be heard that Idolatry is committed in any one City inquisition shall be taken and if it be found true That then the whole Body of the People arise and destroy that City sparing in it neither man woman nor childe But there is no Commandment said the Secretary given to punish their King If he be an Idolater I finde no priviledge granted unto Kings said the other by God more then unto the people to offend Gods Majestie I grant said Lethington but yet the people may not be judges to their King to punish him albeit he be an Idoter God said the other is the Universall Judge as well unto the King as to the People So that what his Word commands to be punished in the one is not to be absolved in the other We agree in that said Lethington But the people may not execute Gods Judgements but mst leave it unto himselfe who will either punish it by Death by Warre by Imprisonment or by some other kinde of his Plagues I know said Iohn Knox the last part of the reason to be true But for the first That the people yea or a part of the people may not execute Gods Judgements against their King being an offendor I am assured ye have no other Warrant except your own imaginations and the opinion of such as more fear to offend their Princes then God Why say ye so said Lethington I have the judgement of the most famous men in Europe and of such as ye your selfe will confesse both godly and learned And with that he called for his Papers which produced by Master Maitland he bagan to reade with great gravity the Judgements of Luther Melancthon the mindes of Bucer Musculus and Calvin how Christians should behave themselves in time of Persecution yea the Book of Baruc was not omitted with this conclusion The gathering of those things said he hath cost me more travell then I thinke this seven yeers in reading Commentaries The more pity said the other and yet what you have profited your own cause let others judge But as for my argument I am assured you have infirmed
the matter shall come to triall it shall be easily seen for whom the most godly and most ancient Councels shall most plainly speak I will prove by a Councell That of more authority is the sentence of one man founded upon the simple Truth of God then is the determination of the whole Councell without the assurance of the Word But that all their determinations which we oppugne are not onely maintained without an assurance of Scriptures but also are established against the truth of the same yea and for the most part against the Decrees of the former Councels I offer my self evidently to prove But now to the rest of the former Letter Letter AN Oratour and Gods Messenger also might justly require of you now by Gods hand promoted to high dignity A motherly pitie upon your subjects A justice inflexible to be used against murtherers and common oppressours A heart void of avarice and partiality A minde studious and carefull for maintenance of that Realm and Common-wealth above whom God hath placed you and by it hath made you honourable with the rest of vertues which not onely Gods Scriptures but also Writers illuminated onely with the light of Nature require in Gods Rulers But vain it is to crave reformation of manners where Religion is corrupted for like as a man cannot do the office of a man till first he have a beeing and life so to work works pleasant in the sight of God the Father can no man do without the Spirit of Iesus Christ which doth not abide in the hearts of Idolaters And therefore the most godly Princes Jâ—siah Hezekiah and Jehosaphat seeking Gods favour to rest upon them and upon their people before all things began to reform the Religion for it is as the stomack within the body which if it be corrupted of necessitie it infecteth the whole body And therefore often I repeate that which to be done is most necessary if your Majestie pretend to reign with Christ Iesus Then it behoveth you to take care of his true Religion which this day within your Realm is so deformed that no part of Christs Ordinances remain in their first strength and originall puritie which I praise God to me is lesse difficile to prove then dangerous to speak And yet neither the one nor the other I fear partly because the love of eternall life quencheth the terrour of temporall death and partly because I would with Saint Paul wish my self accursed from Christ as touching earthly pleasure for the salvation of my brethren and illumination of your Majestie which thing Work and very deed and not bare writing shall witnesse and declare if I may purchase the liberty of tongue but fourty dayes onely Additon THe wise and facund Democritus had sometimes a familiar sentence that Honest it was to commend such works as were worthy of praise but to praise things that were wicked could not proceed but from a deceivable minde and Themistius a Philosopher of great fame seeing the Hall of Iovinian the Romane Emperour replenished with flatterers said Of their manners it may be espied that more they worship the Scepter and the purple then God signifying that they little regarded whether the Emperour were godly or ungodly so that they might retain themselves in favour with him Albeit that those were Ethnicks and neither had the knowledge of God as we pretend neither had given so plain a confession to declare themselves enemies to all iniquity as we have done by Baptisme and by our whole profession of Christianity yet do their words condemne no small number of us and chiefly such as be conversant with Princes for who in these miserable dayes judgeth himself to have offended albeit he praise allow and maintain whatsoever the Princes and upper powers devise yea although it bee to oppresse and to spoil the poor to pull from them their very skins and as the Prophet sayeth To break their bones and to cut them in pieces as flesh for the Caldron or Pot. Yet I say That the Princes shall not lack Judges to cry It is right It is for the Common-wealth for the defence of the Realm and ease of the Subjects so that the state of times is even now such as when the Prophet complained saying The Princes ask and the Judge is ready to give not his own but the life and blood of the poor How soon a great man hath spoken the corruption of his minde he hath his flatterers ready to applaud and confirm whatsoever he speaketh And let the Princes be of what Religion they please that is all one to the most part of men so that with abnegation of God of his honour and Religion they may retain the friendship of the Court But alas how miserable be Princes that so are abused and how contageous a pestilence be such flatterers to Common-Wealths Empires and Realms God hath declared even from the beginning to paint out the mischief which from them proceedeth to such as give ear unto them The ancient Writers compare them to Harlots to Ravens and to most ravenous Beasts and not without cause For as Harlots can never abide that their lovers should return to repentance and sobernesse of minde so cannot flatterers sustain that such as they deceive shall come to right judgement And as Ravens pike out the eyes of dead carions and as ravenous Beasts devour the same so do flatterers being more cruell pike at the eyes of living men and blinding the eyes of their understanding and judgement do expose them to be devoured in body and soul to Satan This we have by prophane Writers onely but the holy Spirit teacheth us this infallible Trueth That where iniquitie reigneth in a Common-wealth and none is found boldly and openly to reprehend the same that there shall sudden vengeance and destruction follow For thus it is written and pronounced by the Prophet Ezekiel Shalt thou not judge the Citie of blood which hath made Idols Whose Rulers shed blood to the uttermost of their power They have despised my holy things they have devised iniquitie and have performed the same The conjuration of Prophets hath gathered up the riches and whatsoever is precious within the same The Priests violently have torn and rent my Law The people of the Land hath wrought deceitfully They have oppressed the poor and have done violence to the stranger without judgement and I have sought of them a man to repair the hedge and to stand in the gap before me but I have found none Therefore have I poured forth my wrath upon them and in the fire of my hote displeasure I have consumed them Advert Madam for these are not the words of mortall man but of the eternall God and were not spoken against Ierusalem onely but against every Realm and Nation that so offendeth The sins that here be named are Idolatry in all avarice and crueltie in the Princes and Rulers conjuration of
Justice and Peace and Sathan called the Prince of the world so are they but two Armies that hath continued battell from the beginning and shall fight unto the end The quarrell is one which the Armie of Jesus Christ do sustain and which the reprobate do persecute to wit The eternall truth of the Eternall God and the Image of Jesus Christ printed in his Elect so that whosoever in any age persecuteth any one Member of IESUS CHRIST for his Truths sake subscribeth as it were with his hand the persecution of all that have passed before him And this ought the Tyrants of this age deeply to consider for they shall bee guilty not onely of the blood shed by themselves but of all as is said that hath been shed for the Cause of Jesus Christ from the beginning of the world Let the faithfull not bee discouraged although they bee appointed as Sheepe to the Slaughter-house for hee for whose sake they suffer shall not forget to revenge their cause I am not ignorant That flesh and blood will thinke that kinde of support too too late for wee had rather bee preserved still alive then to have our blood revenged after our death and truely if our felicitie stood in this life or if death temporall should bring unto us any damage our desire in that behalfe were not to bee disallowed or condemned But seeing that death is common to all and that this temporall life is nothing but miserie and that death doth fully joyne us with our God and giveth unto us the possession of our Inheritance why should we thinke it strange to leave this world and go to our Head and Soveraign Captain Jesus Christ Lastly we have to observe this manner of speaking where the Prophet saith that The earth shall disclose her blood In which words the Prophet would accuse the crueltie of those that dare so unmercifully and violently force from the Breasts of the Earth the dearest Children of God and cruelly cut their Throats in her bosome who is by God appointed the common mother of mankinde so that she unwillingly is compelled to open her mouth and receive their blood If such Tyrannie were used against any naturall woman as violently to pull her infant from her Breasts cut the Throat of it in her own bosome and compell her to receive the blood of her deare Childe in her owne mouth all Nations would hold the fact so abominable that the like had never been done in the course of nature no lesse wickednesse commit they that shed the Blood of Gods Children upon the face of their common mother the earth as I said before But bee of good courage O little and despised Flock of Christ Jesus for hee that seeth your griefe hath power to revenge it He will not suffer one teare of yours to fall but it shall bee kept and reserved in his Bottell till the fulnesse thereof bee poured downe from Heaven upon those that caused you to weep and mourne this your mercifull God I say will not suffer your blood for ever to be covered with the earth nay the flaming fires that have licked up the blood of any of our Brethren the earth that hath beene defiled with it I say with the blood of Gods Children for otherwise to shed the blood of the cruell blood-shedders is to purge the land from blood and as it were to sanctifie it The earth I say shall purge her selfe of it and shew it before the face of God yea the Beasts Fowls and other Creatures whatsoever shall be compelled to render that which they have received bee it Flesh Blood or Bones that appertained to thy Children O Lord which altogether thou shalt glorifie according to thy promise made to us in our Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST thy welbeloved Sonne to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour praise and glory for ever and ever Amen Let us now humble our selves in the presence of our God and from the bottome of our hearts let us desire him to assist us with the power of his Holy Spirit that albeit for our former negligences God giveth us over into the hands of other then such as rule in his fear that yet he letteth us not forget his mercy and that glorious Name that hath beene proclaimed amongst us but that wee may look thorow the dolorous storm of his present displeasure and see as well what punishment hee hath appointed for the cruell Tyrants as what reward hee hath laid in store for such as continue in his fear to the end That it would further please him to assist That albeit we see his Church so diminished that it appear to bee brought as it were to utter extermination that wee may be assured that in our God there is great power and will to increase the number of his Chosen untill they bee enlarged to rhe uttermost parts of the earth Give us O Lord hearts to visite thee in time of affliction and albeit we see no end of our dolours yet our faith and hope may conduct us to the assured hope of that joyfull resurrection in the which wee shall possesse the fruit of that for which now we labour In the mean time grant unto us O Lord to repose our selves in the sanctuary of thy promise that in thee we may finde comfort till that this thy great indignation begun amongst us may passe over and thou thy selfe appear to the comfort of thy afflicted and to the terrour of thine and our enemies Let us pray with heart and mouth Almighty God and mercifull Father c. Lord into thy Hands I commend my spirit for the terrible roaring of Gunnes and the noise of Armour do so pierce my heart that my soule thirsteth to depart The last day of August 1565. at four of the Clock in the Afternoon written indigestly but yet truly so farre as memomory would serve of those things that in publike I spake on Sunday August 19. for the which I was discharged to preach for a time Be mercifull to thy Flock O Lord and at thy good pleasure put end to my misery JOHN KNOX FINIS Scoti ex discipulis Joannis Apostoli Christianismum edocti sunt Buch. Lib. 5. Multi ex Britonibus Christiani saevitiam Domitiani metuentes in Scotiam commigrarunt è quib is complures doctrina vitae integritate clari in eâ subsisterunt Buch. Lib. 4. Eâ—angelium fuit diffusam in omnes orbis partes etiam in Britanniam usque eamque insulae partem ad quam Romanae vires nunquam penetrâ—rum Tert. lib. contra Judaeos Antoninus Pius Britannos vicit alio muro câ—spicio submotis Barbaris ducto Jul. Cap. Britanniam muro per transversam insulam ducto utrumque ad finem Oceani munivit Adrianus murum primus ducit qui Barbaros Romanósque dividit Aelius Spartianus Venit extremis legio praetenta Britannis Quae Scoto dat froena truci id est opposita Scotis quae eorum furorem a Britannis