all things love and reverence When further I consider the troublesome state of Christs true Religion this day oppressed by blindnesse of men and lastly The great multitude of flatterers and the rare number of them that boldly and plainly dare speak the naked verity in presence of their Princesse and principally in the cause of Christ Iesus These things I say considered whatsoever any man shall judge of my enterprise I am compelled to say That Unlesse in your Regiment and in using of Power your Majesty be found different from the multitude of Princes and head Rulers That this pre-eminence wherein ye are placed shall be your dejection to torment and pain everlasting This proposition is sore but alas it is so true That if I should conceal and hide it from your Majesty I committed no lesse treason against your Majestie then if I did see you by imprudency take a Cup which I knew to be poysoned or invenomed and yet would not admonish you to abstain from drinking of the same The Religion which this day men defend by fire and sword is a Cup invenomed of which whosoever drinketh except that by true repentance he after drink of the water of life drinketh therewith damnation and death How and by whom it hath been invenomed if it were no more tedious to your Majestie to read or hear then it is painfull to me to write or rehearse I would not spare the labour But for this present I have thought it some discharge of one part of my duty if I of very love admonish your Majesty of the danger which I do as God one day shall declare preferring your Majesties salvation and the salvation of the People now committed to your charge before any corporall benefit that can redound to my self Addition AS Satan by craft hath corrupted the most holy Ordinances of Gods precepts I mean of the first Table in the place of the spirituall honouring of God introducing mens dreams inventions and fantasies So hath he abusing the weaknesse of man corrupted the precepts of the second Table Touching the honour which is due to Parents under whom are comprehended Princes and Teachers For now the devill hath so blinded the senses of many that they cannot or at least will not learn what appertaineth to God and what to Caesar. But because the spirit of God hath said Honour the King therefore whatsoever they command be it right or wrong must be obeyed But heavy shall the judgement be which shall apprehend such blasphemers of Gods Majesty who dare be so bold as to affirm That God hath commanded any creature to be obeyed against himself Against God it is That for the commandment of any Prince be he never so potent men shall commit Idolatry embrace a Religion which God hath not approved by his Word or confirm by their silence wicked and blasphemous Laws made against the honour of his Majestie Men I say that so do give no true obedience but as they are Apostates from God so are they Traytors to their Princes whom by flattery they confirm in rebelling against God onely they which to the death resist such wicked laws and decrees are acceptable to God and faithfull to their Princes As were the three children in the presence of Nabuchadnezzar and Daniel in the dayes of Darius the Persian Emperour whose constant and free confession as it glorified God so did it notifie as well to those tyrants as to all ages following the great blasphemy which in their rage and fury they committed against God from the which by all appearance neither of both so suddenly should have been called if the three children had bowed among the rest and Daniel had not declared the confession of his faith Which was with Windows open to pray towards Ierusalem manifestly thereby declaring That he did not consent to the blasphemous law and decree which was established by the King and his Counsell Experience hath taught us what surmises and blasphemies the adversaries of Christ Jesus of his eternall verity do invent and devise against such as begin to detect their impiety They are accused to be Authors of sedition raisers of tumults violators of common orders c. I answer with the Prophet Esay That all is not reputed before God sedition and conjuration which the foolish multitude so esteemeth neither yet is every tumult and breach of publike order contrary to Gods commandment for Christ Jesus himself coming to take the spoil from the strong armed who before did keepe his house in quietnesse is not come to send Peace but a Sword and to make a man disassent from his Father c. His Prophets before him and Apostles after him feared not to break publike Orders established against God and in so doing to move as it were the one half of peoples nations and cities against the other and yet I trust that none except the hired servant of Sathan will accuse Christ of sedition nor the Apostles of the troubling of Common wealths True it is that the most wholesome Medicine most troubleth for a time the body replenished with wicked and corrupted humours but the cause hereof is known to be not in the Medicine but in the Bodie subject to Maladie even so the true Word of God when it entreth to fight where Sathan hath born dominion as he still doth in the whole Papistrie cannot but appear to be occasion of great trouble But Madame more profitable it is that the pestilent humours be expelled with pain then that they be nourished to the distruction of the body The Papisticall Religion is a mortall pestilence which shall assuredly bring to death eternall the bodies and souls from the which it is not purged in this life and therefore take heed betimes God calleth upon you beware that ye shut not up your ears Judge not the matter after the vilenesse of my body whom God hath appointed Ambassadour and Messenger unto you but with reverence and fear consider him whose Message I bear I come to you in the name of the Eternall God and of Christ Jesus his Son to whom the Father hath committed all power whom he hath established Soveraign Judge over all flesh before whose Throne you must make accompt with what reverence you hear such as he sendeth It shall not excuse you to say or think That you doubt whether I be sent of God or no I crie unto you That the Religion which the Princes and blinded Papists maintain with fire and sword is not the Religion of Christ That your proud Prelates are none of Christs Bishops I admonish you That Christs Flock is oppressed by them and therefore I require and that yet again in the name of the Lord Jesus That with indifferency I may be heard to preach to reason and to dispute in that Cause which if you deny you declare your self to bear no reverence to Christ nor love to his true Religion Letter BUt
and the other Lords at Glasgow AFter humble commendation of my service Albeit I have written more then once to Master Henry Balnaves what things have misliked me in your slow proceedings as well in supporting your brethren who many dayes have sustained extreame danger in these parts as in making provision how the enemie might have been annoyed who lay few in number nigh to your Quarters in Sterlin And in making likewise provision how the expectation of our friends who long have waited for your answer might have been satisfied Albeit I say that of these things I have before complained yet in conscience I am compelled to signifie unto your Honours That unlesse of these and other enormities I shall see some redresse I am assured That the end shall be such as godly men shall mourne that a good Cause shall perish for lacke of Wisdome and Diligence In my last Letters to Master Henry Balnaves I declared That your especiall friends in England wonder that no greater expedition is made the weight of the matter being considered If the fault be in the Duke and his friends I wrote also That the greatest losse should be his and theirs in the end And now I cannot cease both to wonder and lament That your whole Councell was so destitute of Wisdome and Discretion as to charge this poore man the Priour to come to you to Glasgow and thereafter to go to Carleil for such affaires as are to be handled Was there none amongst you who did foresee what inconveniences might ensue his absence from these parts I cease to speake of the dangers by the enemie Your friends have lyen in your Haven now fifteene dayes past what was their former travell it is not unknowne they have never received comfort of any man him onely excepted more then if they had lyen upon the coast of their mortall enemy Do ye not consider That such a company shall need comfort and provision from time to time Remove him and who abideth there who carefully will travell in that or any other weighty matter in these parts Did ye not farther consider That he that had begun to meddle with the Gentlemen who have declared themselves back-friends heretofore and also that order should have been taken for such as have been neutrall now by reason of his absence the one shall escape without admonition and the other shall be at their own liberty I am assured that the enemy shall not sleep neither in that nor in other affairs to undermine you and your whole Cause and especially to hurt this part of the Countrey to revenge their former folly If none of these former causes should have moved you to have considered that such a journey at such a time was not meet for him neither yet for them that must accompany him yet discreet men would have considered that the men that have lien in their jacks and travelled their horses continuall the space of a moneth required some longer rest first to themselves then but especially to their horses before they had been charged to such a journey as yet they have not had The Priour may for satisfaction of your unreasonable mindes enterprise the purpose but I am assured he shall not be able to have six honest men in all Fyfe to accompany him and how that either standeth with your Honors or with his safety judge ye your selves But yet wonder it is that ye did not consider To what pain and griefe shall ye put our friends of England especially the Duke of Norfolk and his Councell whom ye shall cause to travell the most wearisome and troublesome way that is in England In mine opinion whosoever gave you that counsell either lacked right judgement in things to be done or else had too much respect to his own ease and too small regard to the travell and damage of their brethren A common cause requireth a common concurrence and that every man bear his burden proportionable But prudent and indifferent men espie the contrary in this cause especially of late dayes for the weakest are most grievously charged and they to whom the matter most belongeth and to whom justly greatest burden is due are exempted in a manner both from travell and expences To speak the matter plainly wise men do wonder what the Dukes friends do mean that they are so slack and backward in this cause In other actions they have been judged stout and forward and in this which is the greatest that ever he or they had in hand they appear destitute both of grace and courage I am not ignorant that they that are most inward of his counsell are enemies to God and therefore cannot but be enemies to this Cause But wonder it is That he and his other friends should not consider That the losse of this godly enterprise shall be the rooting out of them and their posterity from this Realme Considering my Lords That by Gods providence ye are joyned with the Duke in this common Cause admonish him plainly of the danger to come will him to beware of the counsell of those that are plainly infected with Superstition with Pride and with the venome of particular profit which if he do not at your admonition he shall smart before he be aware And if ye cease to put him in minde of his duty it may be that for your silence ye shall drinke some portion of the plague with him Take my plain speaking as proceeding from him that is not your enemy being also uncertaine when I shall have occasion to write hereafter God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ assist you with the Spirit of wisedom and fortitude that to his glory and to your Lordships common comfort ye may performe that thing which godlily was once begun Amen From Saint Andrewes the 6 of February in haste 1559. Sic subscribitur Your Lordships to command in godlinesse J. K. Upon the receit of this Letter and consultation had hereupon a new conclusion was taken to wit That they would visite the said Duke of Norfolke at Barwicke where he was Thus far we have digressed from the text of our History to let the Posterity that shall follow understand by what instruments God wrought the familiarity and friendship that after we found in England Now we returne to our former History The parts of Fyfe set at freedom from the Bondage of these bloody worms solemne thanks were given in S. Andrews unto God for his mighty deliverance Shortly after the Earle of Arrane and Lord Iames apprehended the Lairds of Wemes Seafield Bawgony Durie and others that assisted the French but they were set shortly at freedom upon such conditions as they minded never to keep for such men have neither faith nor honesty Master Iames Balfour who was the greatest practiser and had drawn the Band of the Balfours escaped The English Ships daily multiplied till that they were able to keep the whole Fyrth whereat the French and Queen Regent enraged began to
hath put and ordained distinction and difference betwixt the King and Subjects betwixt the Rulers and the Common-people in the Regiment and Administration of Civill Policies yet in the hope of the life to come he hath made all equall for as in Christ Jesus the Iew hath no greater Prerogative then hath the Gentile the man then hath the woman the learned then the unlearned the Lord then the servant but all are one in him so is there but one way and means to attain to the participation of his benefits and spirituall graces which is a lively faith working by charitie and therefore I say that it doth no lesse appertain to you beloved Brethren to bee assured that your faith and Religion be grounded and established upon the true and undoubted Word of God then to your Princes or Rulers For as your bodies cannot escape corporall death if with your Princes ye eate or drink deadly poyson although it be by ignorance or negligence so shall ye not escape the everlasting if with them ye professe a corrupt Religion yea except in heart ye beleeve and with mouth ye confesse the Lord Jesus to be the onely Saviour of the world which ye cannot doe except ye embrace his Evangell offered ye cannot escape death and damnation For as the just liveth by his own faith so doth the unfaithfull perish by his infidelitie And as true faith is ingendred nourished and maintained in the hearts of Gods Elect by Christs Evangell truely preached so is infidelity and unbelief fostered by concealing and repressing the same And thus if ye look for the life everlasting ye must trie if ye stand in faith and if ye would be assured of a true and lively faith ye must needs have Christ Jesus truly preached unto you And this is the cause dear Brethren that so oft I repeat and so constantly I affirme That to you it doth not lesse appertain then to you King or Princes to provide that Christ Jesus be truely preached amongst you seeing that without his true knowledge can neither of you both attain to Salvation And this is the point wherein I say all men are equall That all are descended from Adam by whose sin and inobedience did death enter into the world so it behoved all that shall obtain life to be ingrafted in one that is in the Lord Iesus who being the just servant doth by his knowledge justifie many to wit all that unfainedly beleeve in him Of this equalitie and that God requireth no lesse of the subject be he never so poor then of the Prince and rich man in matters of Religion he hath given an evident declaration in the Law of Moses for when the Tabernacle was builded erected and set in order God did provide how it and the things pertaining to the same should be sustained so that they should not fall in decay And this provision albeit heaven and earth obey his Empire would he not take from the secret and hid Treasures which lie dispersed in the veines of the earth neither yet would he take it from the rich and potent of the people but he did command That every one of the sons of Israel were he rich or were he poor that came in count from 20 yeers and upward should yeerly pay halfe a Sickle for an oblation to the Lord in the remembrance of their Redemption and for an expiation or cleansing of their souls which money God commanded should be bestowed upon the Ornaments and necessaries of the Tabernacle of Testimony He furthermore added a Precept That the rich should give no more for that use and in that behalf then should the poor neither yet that the poor should give any lesse then should the rich in that consideration This law to mans reason and judgement may appear very unreasonable for some rich man might have given a thousand sickles with lesse hurt of his substance then some poor man might have payed the half Sickle And yet God maketh all equall and will that the one shall pay no more then the other neither yet the poor lesse then the rich This Law I say may appear very unequall But if the cause which God addeth be observed we shall finde in the same the great mercy and inestimable wisdom of God to appear which cause is expressed in these words This money received from the children of Israel thou shalt give in for the service of the Tabernacle that it may be to the clildren of Israel for a remembrance before the Lord that he may be mercifull to your souls This cause I say doth evidently declare That as the whole multitude was delivered from the bondage of Egypt by the mighty power of God alone so was every member of the same without respect of persons sanctified by his grace the richest in that behalfe nothing preferred before the poorest For by no merit and worthinesse of man was he moved to choose and to establish his habitation and dwelling amongst them but their felicity prerogative and honour which they had above all other Nations proceeded onely from the fountaine of his eternall goodnesse who loved them freely as he freely had chosen them to be a priestly kingdome and holy people from all Nations of the earth Thus to honour them that hee would dwell in the midst of them he neither was moved I say by the wisdome of the wise by the riches of the potent neither yet by the vertue and holinesse of any state amongst them but of meer goodnesse did he love them and with his presence did he honour the whole people and therefore to paint out the same his common love to the whole multitude and to cut off occasions of contention and doubts of conscience he would receive no more from the rich then from the poor for the maintenance of that his tabernacle by the which was represented his presence and habitation amongst them If the rich had been preferred to the poor then as the one should have been puffed up with pride as that he had been more acceptable to God by reason of his greater gift so should the conscience of the other have been troubled and wounded thinking that his poverty was an impediment that he could not stand in so perfect favour with God as did the other because he was not able to give so much as did the rich to the maintenance of his Tabernacle But he who of mercy as is said did choose his habitation amongst them and also that best knoweth what lyeth within man did provide the remedie for the one and for the other making them equall in that behalf who in other things were most unequall If the poor should have found himself grieved by reason of that taxe and that asmuch was imposed upon him as upon the Rich yet had he no small cause of joy that God himself would please to compare him and to make him equall in the maintenance of his Tabernacle to the most
to record in my conscience That I delivered the same bread that I received of Christs hands and that I mixed no poyson with the same that is I teached Christs Gospel without any mixture of mens dreames devises or phantasies But alas I did it not with such fervency with such indifferency and with such diligency as this day I know my duty was to have done Some complained in those dayes That the Preachers were undiscreet persons yea some called them raylers and worse because they spake against the manifest iniquity of men and especially of those that then were placed in Authority as well in Court as in other Offices universally thorowout the Realme both in Cities Towns and Villages And among others peradventure my rude plainnesse displeased some who did complain That rashly I did speak of mens faults so that all men might know and perceive of whom I meant But alas this day my conscience accuseth me That I spake not so plainly as my duty was to have done For I ought to have said to the wicked man expressely by his name Thou shalt die the death For I finde Ieremiah the Prophet to have done so to Pashur the high Priest and to Zedechiah the King And not onely he but also Elijah Elisha Michah Amos Daniel Christ Jesus himself and after him his Apostles expressely to have named the blood-thirsty tyrants abominable Idolaters and dissembling hypocrites of their dayes If that we the Preachers within the Realme of England were appointed by God to be the Salt of the earth as his other Messengers were before us Alas Why with-held we the Salt where manifest compunction did appear I accuse none but my selfe The blinde love that I did bear to this my wicked carkase was the chiefe cause that I was not fervent and faithfull enough in that behalfe For I had no will to provoke the hatred of all men against me And therefore so touched I the vices of men in the presence of the greatest that they might see themselves to be offenders I dare not say that I was the greatest flatterer But yet neverthelesse I would not be seen to proclaim manifest Warre against the manifest wicked Whereof unfainedly I ask my God mercy As I was not so fervent in rebuking manifest iniquity as it became me to have been So was I not so indifferent a feeder as is required of Christs Steward For in preaching Christs Gospel albeit mine eye as knoweth God was not much upon worldly promotion yet the love of friends and carnall affection of some men with whom I was most familiar allured me to make more residence in one place then in another having more respect to the pleasure of a few then to the necessity of many That day I thought I had not sinned if I had not been idle But this day I know it was my duty to have had consideration how long I had remained in one place and how many hungry souls were in other places to whom alas none took pain to break and distribute the bread of Life Moreover remaining in one place I was not so diligent as mine Office required but sometime by counsell of carnall friends I spared the body sometime I spent in worldly businesse of particular friends and sometime in taking recreation and pastime by exercise of the body And albeit men may judge these to be light and small offences yet I acknowledge and confesse That unlesse pardon should be granted to me in Christs blood that every one of these three offences aforenamed that is to say Lack of fervency in reproving sin The lack of indifferency in feeding those that were hungry And the lack of diligence in the execution of mine Office deserved damation And beside these I was assaulted yea infected and corrupted with more grosse sins that is My wicked nature desired the favours the estimation and praise of men against which albeit that sometime the Spirit of God did move me to fight and earnestly did stir me God knoweth I lye not to sob and lament for those imperfections yet never ceased they to trouble me when any occasion was offred And so privily and craftily did they enter into my brest that I could not perceive my self to be wounded till vain-glory had almost gotten the upper hand O Lord be mercifull to my great offence and deal not with me according to my great iniquity but according to the multitude of thy mercies remove from me the burthen of my sin for of purpose and minde to have avoided the vain displeasure of man I spared little to offend thy Majestie Think not beloved in the Lord That thus I accuse my selfe without just cause as though in so doing I might appear more holy or that yet I do it of purpose and intent by occasion thereof to accuse others of my brethren the true Preachers of Christ of like or greater offences No God is Judge to my conscience That I do it even from an unfained and sore troubled heart as I that know my selfe grievously to have offended the Majesty of my God during the time that Christs Gospel had free passage in England And this I do let you understand That the taking away of the heavenly Bread and this great tempest that now bloweth against the poor disciples of Christ within the Realme of England as touching our part cometh from the great mercy of our heavenly Father to provoke us to unfained repentance for that neither Preacher nor Professor did rightly consider the time of our mercifull Visitation But altogether so we spent the time as though Gods Word had been Preached rather to satisfie our fantasies then to reforme our evill manners Which thing if we earnestly repent then shall Jesus Christ appear to our comfort be the storm never so great Haste O Lord for thy Names sake The second thing that I finde to be noted is The vehemency of the fear which the disciples endured in that great danger being of longer continuance then ever they had at any time before In Saint Matthewes Gospel it appeareth That another time there arose a great stormy Tempest and sore tossed the Boat wherein Christs disciples were labouring But that was nigh the day light and then they had Christ with them in the Ship whom they awaked and cryed for help unto him for at that time he slept in the Boat and so were shortly delivered from their sudden fear But now were they in the midst of the raging Sea and it was night and Christ their Comforter absent from them and cometh not to them neither in the first second nor third Watch What fear think ye were they in And what thoughts arose out of their so troubled hearts during that storm Such as this day be in like danger within the Realme of England doth by this storm better understand then my pen can expresse But of one thing I am well assured That Christs presence would in that great
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
of the Primitive Christian Church 23. That true Christians receive the body of Iesus Christ every day by Faith 24. That after Matrimony be contracted and consummate the Kyrk may make no Divorcement 25. That Excommunication bindes not if unjust 26. That the Pope forgives not sins but onely God 27. That Faith should not be given to Miracles to such namely as the Romish were then and are to this day 28. That we should not pray to the glorious Virgin Mary but to God onely since he onely hears us and can help us 29. That we are no more bound to pray in the Kyrk then in other places 30. That we are not bound to beleeve all that Doctors of the Kirk have written 31. That such as worship the Sacrament in the Kyrk we suppose the Sacrament of the Altar commits Idolatry 32. That the Pope is the head of the Kirk of Antichrist 33. That the Pope and his Ministers are murtherers of souls 34. That they which are called Princes and Prelates in the Church are Theeves and Robbers By these Articles which God of his mercifull providence caused the enemies of his truth to keep in their registers may appear how mercifully God hath looked upon this Realm retaining within it some spark of his lyght even in the time of greatest darknesse Neither ought any man to wonder albeit that some things be obscurely and some things doubtfully spoken But rather ought all faithfull to magnifie Gods mercy who without publike Doctrine gave so great light And further we ought to consider that seeing that the enemies of Jesus Christ gathered the foresaid Articles thereupon to accuse the persons aforesaid that they would deprave the meaning of Gods servants so far as they could as we doubt not but they have done in the heads of Excommunication Swearing and of Matrimony In the which it is no doubt but the servants of God did damne the abuse only and not the right Ordinance of God for who knows not that the Excommunication in these dayes was altogether abused That Swearing aboundeth without punishment or remorse of conscience And that Divorcements was made for such causes as worldly men had invented But to our History Albeit that the accusation of the Bishop and of his Complices was very grievous yet God so assisted his servants partly by inclining the Kings heart to gentlenesse for divers of them were his great familiars and partly by giving bold and godly answers to their Accusators that the enemies in the end weâ—e frustrate of their purpose For while the Bishop in mockage said to Adâ—m Reade of Barskeiming Reade beleeve ye that God is in heaven He answered Not as I do the Sacraments seven Whereat the Bishop thinking to have triumphed said Sir lo he denies that God is in heaven Whereat the King wondring said Adam Reade What say ye The other answered Pleaseth your Majesty to hear the end betwixt the churle and me and therewith he turned to the Bishop and said I neither think nor beleeve as thou thinkest that God is in heaven but I am most assured that he is not onely in heaven but also in the earth But thou and thy faction declare by your works that either ye think there is no God at all or else that he is so set up in heaven that he regards not what is done upon the earth for if thou firmly beleevedst that God were in the heaven thou shouldest not make thy self check-mate to the King and altogether forget the charge that Jesus Christ the Son of God gave to his Apostles which was To Preach his Gospel and not to play the proud Prelates as all the rabble of you do this day And now Sir said he to the King judge ye whether the Bishop or I beleeve best that God is in heaven While the Bishop and his band could not well revenge themselves and while many taunts were given them in their teeth The King willing to put an end to further reasoning said to the said Adam Reade Wilt thou burn thy bill He answered Sir the Bishop and ye will With these and the like scoffs the Bishop and his band were so dashed out of countenance that the greatest part of accusation was turned to laughter After that Diet we finde almost no question for matters of Religion the space neer of thirty yeers for not long after to wit in the yeer of God 1500. the said Bishop Blaktar departed this life going in his superstitious devotion to Ierusalem Unto whom succeeded Master Iames Betone son to the Laird of Balfor in Fife who was more carefull of the world then he was to Preach Christ or yet to advance any Religion but for the fashion onely and as he sought the world it fled him not For it was well known that at once he was Archbishop of Saint Andrews Abbot of Dunfermeling Aberbrothe Kylwinning and Chancellour of Scotland For after the unhappy field of Flowdonne in the which perished King Iames the fourth with the greatest part of the Nobility of the Realm the said Betonne with the rest of the Prelates had the whole Regiment of the Realm And by reason thereof held and travelled to hold the truth of God in thraldome and bondage till that it pleased God of his great mercy in the yeer of God 1527. to raise up his servant Master Patrick Hammilton at whom our History doth begin Of whose progenie life and erudition because men of fame and renown have in divers works written we omit all curious repetition sending such as would know further of him then we write to Francis Lambert Iohn Frith and to that notable work lately set forth by Iohn Fox English man of the lives and deaths of Martyrs within this Isle in this our age This servant of God Master Patrick Hamilton being in his youth provided to reasonable honours and living he was intituled Abbot of Fern as one hating the world and the vanitie thereof left Scotland and passed to the Schools in Germany for then the fame of the Universitie of Wittenberg was greatly divulgate in all Countreys where by Gods providence he became familar with those lights and notable servants of Christ Jesus of that time Martin Luther Philip Melancthon and the said Francis Lambert did so grow and advance in godly knowledge joyned with fervencie and integrity of life that he was in admiration with many The zeal of Gods glory did so eat him up that he could not long continue to remain there but returned to his countrey where the bright beams of the true light which by Gods grace was planted in his heart began most abundantly to burst forth as well in publike as in secret for he was besides his godly knowledge well learned in Phylosophie he abhorred Sophistrie and would that the Text of Aristotle should have been better understood and more used in the Schools than then it was for Sophistrie had corrupted all as well in Divinitie as
or at least a Prelats Peere a true servant to the King of Love who upon a night after Supper asked of his Gentlemen by the faith that they ought to the king of Love that they truely declare how many sundry women every one of them had and how many of them were mens wives One answered He had lien with five and two of them were married The other answered I have had seven and three of them are married It came last to my Lord Abbot himself who making it very nice for a little space gave in the end a plain confession and said I am the youngest man and yet have I had the round dozen and seven of them are mens wives Now said the Frier This god and king of Love to whom our Prelates do homage is the master devill of hell from whom such fruits and works do proceed This Frier was known by his proper tokens to have been Prior Patrike Hepburne now Bishop of Murray who to this day hath continued in the profession that he hath made to his god and king of love It was supposed notwithstanding this kinde of preaching that this Frier remained Papist in his heart For the other Friers fearing to lose the Benediction of the Bishops to wit Their Malt and their Meale and their other appointed Pensions caused the said Frier to flie to England where for defence of the people and Papistry he was cast into prison at King Henries commandment But so it pleased God to open the mouth of Balaams own Asse to cry out against the vitious lives of the Clergie of that age Shortly after this new consultation was taken there that some should be burnt for men began liberally to speak A merry Gentleman named Iohn Lindsey familiar to Bishop Iames Betonne standing by when consultation was had said My Lord If ye burne any more except ye follow my counsell ye will utterly destroy your selves if ye will burne them let them be burnt in hollow Cellars for the smoke of Master Patrike Hammilton hath infected as many as it blew upon Thus it pleased God that they should be tanted in their own face But here followeth the most merry of all One Alexander Furrour who had been imprisoned seven yeers in the Tower of London Sir Iohn Dungwaill according to the charity of Church-men entertained his wife and wasted the poor mans substance for the which cause at his returning he spake more liberally of Priests then they could bear And so was he declared to be accused for heresie and called to his answer to Saint Andrewes he leapt up merrily upon the Scaffold and casting a gambade said Where are the rest of the Players Master Andrew Olyphant offended therewith said It shall be no Play to you Sir before ye depart and so began to reade his Accusation the first Article whereof was That he despised the Masse His answer was I heare more Maffes in eight dayes than three Bishops there sitting say in a yeare Accused secondly of the contempt of the Sacraments The Priests said he were the most common contemners of Sacraments and specially of Matrimony And that he witnessed by many of the Priests there present and named the mans wife with whom they had medled and especially Sir Iohn Dungwaill who had seven yeers together abused his own wife and consumed his substance and said because I complain of such injuries I am here summoned and accused as one that is worthy to be burnt For Gods sake said he will ye take wives of your own that I and others whom ye have abused may be revenged upon you Then Bishop Gawin Dumbar named the old Bishop of Aberdein thinking to justifie himself before the people said Carle thou shalt not know my wife The said Alexander answered My Lord ye are too old but with the grace of God I shall drink with your daughter or I depart and thereat was smiling of the best and loud laughter of some for the Bishop had a daughter married with Andrew Balfour in that Town Then the Bishop bade away with the carle But he answered Nay I will not depart this hour for I have more to speak against the vices of Priests than I can expresse this whole day And so after divers purposes they commanded him to burn his Bill And he demanding the cause they said Because ye have spoken these Articles whereof ye are accused His answer was The great devill beare them away that first and last said them and so he took the Bill and chawing it he spat it in Master Andrew Olyphants face saying Now burn it or drown it whether ye wil ye hear no more of me But I must have somewhat of every one of you to begin my pack againe which a Priest and my wife a Priests whore have spent And so every Prelat and rich Priest glad to be quit of his evill gave him somewhat and so departed he for he understood nothing of Religion But so fearfull it was then to speak any thing against Priests that the least word spoken against them yea albeit it was spoken in a mans sleep was judged Heresie and that was practised upon Richard Carmichell yet living in Fyfe who being young and Singer in the Chappel Royal of Sterelin happened in his sleep to say The devill take away the Priests for they are a greedy pack He therefore accused by Sir George Clapperton Dean of the said Chappel was compelled forthwith to burne his Bill But God shortly after raised up against them stronger Champions For Alexander Seton a black Frier of good learning and estimation began to blame the corrupt doctrine of Papistry For the space of a whole Lent he taught the Commandment onely ever beating in the ears of his auditors That the Law of God had of many yeers not been truely taught for mens Tradition had obscured the purity of it These were his accustomed Propositions 1. Christ Jesus is the end and perfection of the Law 2. There is no sin where Gods Law is not violated 3. To satisfie for sins lies not in mans power but the remission thereof cometh by unfained Repentance and by faith apprehending God the Father mercifull in Jesus Christ his Son While oftentimes he puts his auditors in minde of this and the like Heads he maketh no mention of Purgatory Pardons Pilgrimage prayer to Saints nor of such trifles The dumb Doctors and the rest of that forsworne rabble began to suspect him and yet said they nothing publikely till Lent was ended And he passed to Dundie And then one in his absence hired to that purpose openly condemned the whole Doctrine that before he had taught Which coming to the ears of the said Frier Alexander then being in Dundie without delay he returned to Saint Andrewes caused immediately to toll the Bell and to give signification that he would preach as that he did indeed in the which Sermon he affirmeth and that more plainly than at any other time whatsoever in all his
godly And in what honour credit and estimation Doctour Machabeus was with Christian king of Denmark Cawpmanhowen and famous men of divers nations can testifie This did God provide for his servants and did frustrate the expectation of these bloody beasts who by the death of one he meanes M. Patrick Hamilton in whom the lyght of God did clearly shine intended to have suppressed Christs Trueth for ever within this Realme but the contrary had God decreed for his death was the cause as is said that many did awake from the deadly sleep of ignorance and so did Jesus Christ the onely true Lyght shine unto many for the way taken of one And albeit that these notable men did never after M. Iohn Fyfe onely excepted comfort their countrey with their bodily presence yet made he them fructifie in his Church and raised them up Lyghts out of darknesse to the praise of his own mercy and to the just condemnation of them that then ruled To wit of the King Counsell and Nobility yea of the whole people who suffered such notable personages without crimes counted to be unjustly persecuted and so exiled others were after even so dealt withall but of them we shall speak in their own place No sooner gate the Bishops opportunity which alwayes they sought but so soon renewed they the battell against Jesus Christ. For the aforesaid leprous Bishop in the yeere of God 1534. caused to be summoned Sir William Kyrk Adam Dayis Henry Kernes Iohn Stewart of Leyth with divers others such as Master William Iohnston Advocate Master Henry Henderson Schoole-master of Edenburgh of whom some compeered in the Abbey Kyrk of Halyrud-house and so abjured and publikely burnt their Bills others compeered not and therefore was exiled But in judgement were produced two to wit David Straton a Gentleman and Master Norman Gowrlay a man of reasonable erudition of whom we may shortly speak In Master Norman appeared knowledge albeit joyned with weaknesse But in David Straton could onely be espied for the first a hatred against the pride and avaritiousnesse of Priests for the cause of his delation was he had made to himselfe one Fish-boat to go to the sea The Bishop of Murray then being Prior of Saint Andrews and his agents urged him for the tythe thereof His answer was If they would have tythe of that which his servants wan in the sea it were but reason that they should come and receive it where they got the stocke and so as it was constantly affirmed he caused his servants to cast the tenth fish in the sea again Processe of cursing was laid against him for not paying such tythes which when he contemned he was summoned to answer for Heresie It troubled him vehemently and therefore he began to frequent the company of such as were godly for before he had been a man very stubborne and one that despised all reading chiefly of those things that were godly but miraculously as it were he appeareth to be changed for he delighteth in nothing but in hearing of reading for himselfe could not reade and was a vehement exhorter of all men to concord and quietnesse and the contempt of the world He frequented much the company of the Laird of Dun Areskin whom God in those daies had marvellously illuminated upon a day as the Laird of Lawriston that yet liveth then being a young man was reading unto him in the New Testament in a certain quiet place in the fields as God had appointed he chanced to read these Sentences of our Master Jesus Christ He that denieth me before men or is ashamed of me in the midst of this wicked generation I will deny him in the presence of my Father and before his Angels At which words he suddenly being as one revived cast himselfe upon his knees and extending both hand and visage constantly to the heaven a reasonable time at length he burst forth in these words O Lord I have been wicked and justly mayest thou withdraw thy grace from me but Lord for thy mercies sake let me never deny thee nor thy Trueth for fear of death or corporall paine The issue declared that his prayer was not vain for when he with the aforesaid Master Norman was produced in judgement in the Abbey of Halyrud-House the King himselfe all clad in red being present great labour was made that the said David Straton should have recanted and burnt his Bill But he ever standing at his defence alleadging that he had not offended in the end was adjudged to the fire and then when he perceived the danger asked grace at the King which he would willingly have granted unto him the Bishops proudly answered That the Kings hands were bound in that case and that he had no grace to give to such as by their Law were condemned And so was he with the said Master Norman after dinner upon the seven and twentieth day of August in the yeere of our Lord 1534. aforesaid led to a place besides the roode of greene side and there they two were both hanged and burnt according to the mercy of the Papisticall Church To that same diet were summoned as before we have said others of whom some escaped into England and so for that present escaped the death This their tyranny notwithstanding the knowledge of God did wonderfully increase within this Realme partly by reading partly by brotherly conference which in those dangerous dayes was used to the comfort of many but chiefly by Merchants and Mariners who frequenting other countreys heard the true Doctrine affirmed and the vanity of the Papisticall Religion openly rebuked Amongst whom were those of Dondie and Lieth principals against whom was made a very strait inquisition by David Beton cruell Cardinall And divers were compelled to abjure and burne their Bills some in Saint Andrews and some at Edinburgh About the same time Captaine Iohn Berthwick Provost of Lithcow was burnt in figure but by Gods providence escaped their furie And this was done for a spectacle and triumph to Mary of Lorraine lately arrived from France as wife to Iames the fifth King of Scots what plagues she brought with her and how they yet continue such as are not blinde may manifestly see The rage of these bloody beasts proceeded so farre that the Kings Court it selfe escaped not that danger for in it divers were suspected and some accused And yet ever did some lyght burst out in the midst of darknesse for the trueth of Christ Jesus entred even into the Cloisters as well of Friars and Monks as of Channons Iohn Lyn a gray Frier left his hypocriticall habit and the den of those murtherers the gray Friers A black Frier called Frier Killor set forth the History of Christs passion in forme of a Play which he both Preached and practised openly in Sterlin the King himselfe being present upon a Good-Friday in the Morning in the which all things were so lively expressed that the
profit might arise to the Crowne if he would follow their councell Packe you Iuglers get you to your charges and reforme your owne lives and be not instruments of discord betwixt my Nobilitie and me Or else I vow to God I shall reforme you not as the King of Denmarke by imprisonment doeth neither yet as the King of England doth by hanging and heading but I shall reproove you by sharpe punishments if ever I heare such motion of you againe The Prelats dashed and astonished with this answer ceased for a season to attempt any further by rigour against the Nobility But now being informed of all proceedings by their Pensioners Oliver Sincler Rosse Laird of Cragie and others who were to them faithfull in all things they conclude to hazard once again their former sute which was no sooner proponed but as soone it was accepted with no small regreate by the Kings own mouth that he had so long despised their counsell For said he now I plainely see your words to be true The Nobility neither desire my honour nor countenance for they would not ride a mile for my pleasure to follow mine enemies Will ye therefore finde me the meanes how that I may have a roade made into England without their knowledge and consent that it may be knowne to be mine owne reade and I shall binde me to your counsell for ever There were gratulations and clapping of hands there were promises of diligence closenesse and fidelity among them Finally conclusion was taken that the West borders of England which was most empty of men and Garrison should be invaded The Kings own Banner should be theirs Oliver the great Minion should be Generall-Lieutenant but no man should be privie except the counsell that was then present of the enterprise till the very day and execution thereof The Bishops gladly tooke the charge of that device Letters were sent to such as they would charge To meet the King at the day and place appointed The Cardinall with the Earle of Arran was directed to go to Hadington to make a shew against the East Border when the others were in readinesse to invade the West And thus neither lacked counsell practise closenesse nor diligence to set forward that Enterprise and so among these consulters there was no doubt of any good successe And so was the scroell thankfully received by the king himselfe and put into his owne pocket where it remained to the day of his death and then was found In it were contained more then an hundred landed men besides other of meaner degree Among whom was the Earle of Arran notwithstanding his siding with the current of the Court and his neernesse in blood to the King It was bruted that this roade was devised by the Lord Maxwell but the certaintie thereof we have not The night before the day appointed to the Enterprise the King was found at Lochmabane To him comes companies from all quarters as they were appointed no man knowing of another for no generall Proclamations past but privie Letters neither yet did the multitude know any thing of the purpose till after midnight when that the trumpet blew And commanded all men to march forward and to follow the King who was constantly supposed to have been in the host guides were appointed to conduct them towards England as both faithfully and closely they did upon the point of day they approached to the enemies ground and so passed the water without any great resistance made unto them The forward goeth foorth feare rises hership might have been seen on every side The unprovided people were altogether amazed for bright day appearing they saw an army of ten thousand men Their Beacons on every side send flames of fire unto the heaven To them it was more then a wonder that such a multitude could have been assembled and conveyed no knowledge thereof coming to any of their Wardens For support they looked not and so at the first they utterly despaired and yet began they to assemble together ten in one company twenty in another and so as the Fray proceeded their Troopes increased but to no number for Carlile fearing â—o have been assaulted suffered no man to issue out of their gates and so the greatest number that ever appeared or approached before the discomfiture past not three or four hundreth men and yet they made hot skirmishing as in their own ground in such feats as they are most expert about ten hours When fires were kindled and almost slackned on every side Oliver thought time to shew his glory and so incontinent was displayed the Kings Banner and he upholden by two Spears lift up upon mens shoulders there with sound of Trumpet was proclaimed Generall Lieutenant and all men commanded to obey him as the Kings own Person under all highest pains There was preseut the Lord Maxwell Warden to whom the regiment of things in absence of the King properly appertaineth He heard and saw all but thought more than he spake There were also present the Earls of Glencarne and Cassels with the Lord Flemyng and many other Lords Barons and Gentlemen of Lothaine Fife Angus and Mearnes In this Mountain did the skirmishing grow hotter than it was before shouters were heard on every side some Scottish-men were stricken down some not knowing the ground were mired and lost their horses Some English Horse of purpose were let loose to provoke greedie and imprudent men to presse at them as many did but found no advantage While such disorder rises more and more in the Army every man cried aloud My Lord Lievtenant What will ye do Charge was given that all men should light and go to array in order for they would fight Others cried Against whom will ye fight yonder men will fight none other wayes than ye see them do if ye will stand here while the morrow New purpose was taken That the Footmen they had there with them certain Bands of Souldiers should safely retire towards Scotland and the Horse-men should take their Horse again and so follow in order Great was the noyse and confusion that was heard while that every man calleth his own sluggards the day was neer spent and that was the cause of the greatest fear The Lord Maxwell perceiving what would be the end of such beginnings stood upon his feet with his friends who being admonished to take his horse and provide for himselfe answered Nay I will rather abide here the chance that it shall please God to send me than to go home and there be hanged and so he remained upon his foot and was taken while the multitude fled and tooke the greater shame The enemies perceiving the disorder increased in courage Before they shouted but then they stroke they shot Spears and dagged Arrows where the Companies were thickest some encounters were made but nothing availeth the Souldiers cast from them their Pikes and Culverings and other Weapons fencible the Horse-men left their Spears and
before it is plain That after the Kings death and during the Cardinalls life whosoever guided the Court he gate his secret businesse sped of that gracious Lady either by day or by night Howsoever the tidings liked her she mended with as great expedition of that daughter as ever she did before of any son she bare The time of her Purification was sooner than the Leviticall Law appoints but she was no Jew and therefore in that she offended not The noyse of the death of King Iames divulgate who departed this life the 13 day of December in the yeere of God 1542 aforesaid the hearts of men began to be disclosed All men lamented that the Realme was left without a male to succeed Yet some rejoyced that such an enemy to Gods Truth was taken away He was called of some A good poore mans King of others he was termed A murtherer of the Nobility and one that had decreed their whole destruction Some praised him for the repressing of theft and oppression others dispraised him for being much given to women The Prelats and Clergie feared a change in the Kings minde as he had expressed himself some few yeers before And thus men spake even as their affection led them and yet none spake altogether besides the truth for part of these aforesaid were so manifest that as the vertues could not be denied so could not the vices by any craft be cloked Yet to speak truth of him his vices may justly be attributed to the times and his breeding and not any wickednesse in his nature for he gave many expressions of a good nature namely in his sobriety and justice c. The question of Government was thorow this Realme universally moved The Cardinall proclaimed the Kings last Will and therein were expressed four Protectors or Regents of whom himself was the first and principall and with him were joyned the Earls of Huntley Argyle and Murhay this was done on Munday at the Market Crosse of Edinburgh But the Munday following took the whole Regents remission for their usurpation for by the stout and wise counsell of the Laird of Grange did the Earle of Arran then so neer to the Crown cause assemble the Nobility of the Realme and required the equity of their judgements in that his just suit to the Government of this Realm during the minority of her to whom he pretended to succeed failing of her and of her lawfull succession His friends convened the Nobility assembled the day of decision is appointed the Cardinall and his faction opposes them and are against the Government of one man and especially of any called Hammilton For who knowes not said the Cardinall that the Hammiltons are cruell murtherers oppressors of innocents proud avaritious double and false and finally the pestilence in this Common-wealth Whereto the Earl answered Defraud me not of my right and call me what ye please whatsoever my friends have been yet unto this day hath no man cause to complain upon me neither yet am I minded to flatter any of my friends in their evill doing but by Gods grace shall be as forward to correct their enormities as any within the Realme can reasonably require of me And therefore yet again my Lords in Gods Name I crave that ye do me no wrong nor defraud me of my just Title before ye have experience of my Government At these words were all that feared God or loved honesty so moved that with one voyce they cryed That Petition is most just and unlesse ye will do against Gods Iustice and Equity it cannot be denied And so in despight of the Cardinall and his suborned Faction was he declared Governour and with publike Proclamation so denounced to the people The Kings Pallace Treasure Jewels Garments Horse and Plate was delivered unto him by the Officers that had the former charge and he honoured feared and obeyed more heartily than ever any King was before so long as he abode at God The cause of the great favour that was born unto him was That it was bruted that he favoured Gods Word and because it was well knowne that he was one appointed to have been persecuted as the Scroll found in the Kings pocket after his death did witnesse These two things together with an opinion that men had of his simplicity bowed the hears of many unto him in the beginning who after with dolour of hearts were compelled to change their opinions but hereof we will after speak The variety of matters that occurred we omit such as the order taken for keeping of the young Queen of the provision for the mother the calling home of the Douglas and other such as appertain to a Universal History of the time For as before we have said we minde onely to follow the progresse of the Religion and of the matters that cannot be severed from the same The Earle of Arran thus being established in the Government godly men repaired unto him exhorted him to call to minde for what end God had exalted him to be Governour out of what danger he had delivered him he being in the bloody Scroll as we saw before and what expectation all men of honesty had of him because they saw him a soft man they conceited goodnesse of him At their instant suit more than of his own motion was Thomas Guilliame a black Frier called to be Preacher The man was of sound judgement of reasonable letters as for that age and of a prompt and good utterance His Doctrine was wholsome without great vehemency against superstition Preached also sometime Iohn Rough who after for the verity of Christ Jesus suffered in England albeit not so learned yet more simple and more vehement against all impiety The Doctrine of these two provoked against them and against the Governour also the hatred of all such as more favoured darknesse than light and their own interest more than God The gray Friers and amongst the rest Frier Scot who before had given himself forth for the greatest Professor of Christ Jesus within Scotland and under that colour had disclosed and so endangered many These slaves of Sathan rowped as they had been Ravens yea rather they yelled and roared as devills in hell Heresie heresie Guilliame and Rough will carry the Governour to the devill The Towne of Edinburgh for the most part was devoured in superstition Edward Hope young William Adamson Sibilla Lyndsay Patrike Lyndsay Francis Aikman And in the Cannongate Iohn Mackaw and Nivian Browne with few others had the burit of knowledge in these dayes One Wilson servant to the Bishop of Dunckell who neither knew new Testament nor the old made a despightfull railing Ballad against the Preachers and against the Governour for the which he narrowly escaped hanging The Cardinall moved both heaven and hell to trouble the Governour to stay the Preaching but yet was the Battell stoutly fought for a season for he was taken and put first in Dalkeyt
a yard the said William Iohn followed privily and tooke heed what he did when he had gone up and down in an alley a reasonable space with many sobs and deep grones hâ— fell upon his knees and sitting thereon his grones increased And from hise knees he fell upon his face And then the persons aforenamed heard weeping and as it were an indigest sound of prayers in the which he continued neer an hour and after began to be quiet and so arose and came into his bed They that waited upon him came before as if they had bin ignorant till that he came in and then began they to demand where he had been But that night he would answer nothing Upon the morrow they urged him again and while that he dissembled they said M. George Be plain with us for we heard your mourning and saw you both upon your knees and upon your face With dejected visage he said I had rather ye had been in your beds and it had been more profitable for you for I was scarce well occupied When they instantly urged him to let them know some comfort he said I will tell you That I am assured that my travell is neer an end and therefore call to God with me that now I shrinke not when the battell waxes most hot And while that they weeped and said That was small comfort unto them he answered God shall send you comfort after me This Realme shall be illuminated with the light of Christs Gospel as cleerly as ever any Realme since the dayes of the Apostles The House of God shall be builded in it yea it shall not lack whatsoever the enemy imagine in the contrary the very Kepstone meaning That it should once be brought to the full perfection Neither said he shall this be long to there shall not many suffer after me till that the glory of God shall evidently appeare and shall once triumph in despight of Sathan But alas if the people shall be after unthankfull then fearfull and terrible shall the plagues be that shall follow And with these words he marched forwards in his journey towards S. Iohnston and so to Fyfe and then to Leyth where he arrived and hearing no word of those that appointed to meet him to wit The Earle of Cassels and the Gentlemen of Kyle and Cuninghame he kept himself secret a day or two But beginning to wax sorrowfull in spirit and being demanded of the cause of such as were not in his company before he said What differ I from a dead man except that I eat and drinke To this time God hath used my labours to the instruction of others and unto the disclosing of darknesse and now I lurke as a man that were ashamed and durst not shew himself before men By these and the like words they that heard him understood that his desire was to preach and therefore said Most comfortable it was unto us to hear you but because we know the danger wherein ye stand we dare not desire you But dare ye and others hear said he and then let my God provide for me as best pleaseth him Finally it was concluded That the next Sunday he should preach in Leith as he did and took the Text The Parable of the sower that went forth to sow seed Matth. 13. And this was upon the fifteenth day before Christmas The Sermon ended the Gentlemen of Lowthan who then were earnest Professors of Christ Jesus thought not expedient that he should remain in Leith because that the Governour and Cardinall were shortly to come to Edinburgh and therefore they took him with them and kept him sometimes in Brunston sometimes in Langnidrie and sometimes in Ormeston For these three diligently waited upon him The Sunday following he preached in the Church of Enneresk besides Mussilburgh both before and at after noon where there was a great confluence of people amongst whom was Sir George Dowglas who after the Sermon said publikely I know that my Lord Governour and my Lord Cardinall shall hear that I have been at this preaching for they were then at Edinburgh Say unto them That I will avow it and will not onely maintain the Doctrine that I have heard but also the person of the Teacher to the uttermost of my power Which words greatly rejoyced the people and the Gentlemen then present One thing notable in that Sermon we cannot passe by Amongst others there came two gray Friers and standing in the entry of the Church door they made some whispering to such as came in which perceived the Preacher said to the people that stood neer them I heartily pray you to make room to those two men it may be that they be come to learne And unto them he said Come neer for they stood in the very entry of the door for I assure you ye shall hear the Word of verity which shall either seal in you this same day your salvation or condemnation And so proceeded he in Doctrine supposing they would have been quiet But when he perceived them still to trouble the people that stood neer them for vehement was he against the false worshipping of God he turned unto them the second time and with an irefull countenance said O Sergeants of Sathan and deceivers of the souls of men Will ye neither heare Gods Truth nor suffer others to heare it Depart and take this for your portion God shall shortly confound and disclose your hypocrisie within this Realme ye shall be abominable unto men and your places and habitations shall be desolate This Sentence he pronounced with great vehemency in the midst of the Sermon And turning to the people he said You wicked men have provoked the Spirit of God to anger And so he returned to his matter and proceeded to the end The dayes travell was ended he came to Langindrie and the two next Sundays preached in Tranent with the like grace and like confluence of people In all his Sermons after his departure from Augus he forespake the shortnesse of the time that he had to travell and of his death the day whereof approached neerer than any would believe In the latter end of those dayes that are called the holy dayes of Christmas past he by consent of the Gentlemen to Hadington where it was supposed the greatest confluence of people should be both by reason of the Towne and of the Countrey adjacent The first day before noon the auditors were reasonable and yet nothing in comparison of that which used to be in that Church But the afternoon and the next day following before noon the auditory was so slender that many wondred The cause was judged to have been That the Earle Bothwell who in those bounds used to have great credit and obedience by procurement of the Cardinall had given inhibition as well unto the Towne as unto the Countrey that they should not hear him under the pain of his displeasure The first night he lay within the Towne with David
but so would he not relieve them But some would he deliver by one means and at one time and others must abide for a season upon his good pleasure This counsell in the end was embraced upon the Kings even when French men commonly use to drinke liberally The aforesaid four persons having the help and conducting of a boy of the house bound all that were in the Castle put them in sundry houses locked the doors upon them took the Keys from the Captain and departed without harm done to the person of any or without touching of any thing that appertained to the King Captain or the house Great search was made thorow the whole Countrey for them But it was Gods good pleasure so to conduct them that they escaped the hands of the faithlesse albeit it was with long travell and great pain and poverty sustained for the French boy left them and took with him the small money that they had And so neither having money nor knowledge of the Countrey And farther fearing that the boy should discover them as that in very deed he did they purposed to divide themselves to change their garments and to go in sundry parts The two brethren Will. and Rob. Leslie who now are become the said Robert especially enemies to Christ Jesus and unto all vertue came to Roan Will. Kirkcaldie and Peter Carmichell in beggars garment came to Conquet and by the space of 12 or 13 weeks they travelled as poor Mariners from Port to Port till at length they gat a French Ship landed in the West of Scotland and from thence came to England where they met before them the said Io. Knox who that same Winter was delivered and Alexander Clerk in his company The said Iohn was first appointed Preacher to Barwick then to Newcastle last he was called to London and to the South part of England where he remained till the death of King Edward the sixt When he left England he then passed to Geneva and there remained at his privy studie till that he was called by the Congregation that then was assembled at Franckford to be Preacher to them which Vocation he obeyed albeit unwillingly at the commandment of that notable servant of God Iohn Calvin At Franckford he remained till that some of the learned whose names we suppresse more given to unprofitable Ceremonies then to sincerity of Religion began to quarrell with the said Iohn and because they despaired to prevail before the Magistrate there for the establishing of their corruptions they accused him of treason committed against the Emperour and against their Soveraigne Queen Mary That in his Admonition to England he called the one little inferiour to Nero and the other more cruell then Iesabell The Magistrate perceiving their malice and fearing that the said Iohn should fall in the hands of his accusators by one mean or by other gave advertisement secretly to him to depart their City for they could not save him if he were required by the Emperour or by the Queen of England in the Emperours name And so the said Iohn returned to Geneva from thence to Diep and thereafter to Scotland as we shall after hear The time and that Winter that the Gallies remained in Scotland were delivered M. Iames Balfour his two brethren David and Gilbert Iohn Anchinlek Iohn Sibald Iohn Gray William Gutrie and Stevin Bell. The Gentlemen that remained in prisons were by the procurement of the Queen Dowager to the Cardinall of Loraine and to the King of France set at liberty in the month of Iuly anno 1550. who shortly thereafter were called to Scotland their peace proclaimed and they themselves restored to their lands in despight of their enemies And that was done in hatred of Duke Hamilton because that then France began to have the Regiment of Scotland in their own hands Howsoever it was God made the hearts of their enemies to set them at liberty and freedom There rested a number of common servants yet in the Gallies who were all delivered upon the Contract of peace that was made betwixt France and England after the taking of Bullen and so was the whole company set at liberty none perishing no not before the world except Iames Melvin who departed from the misery of this life in the Castle of Brest in Britaigne This we write to let the posteritie to come to understand how potently God wrought in preserving and delivering of those that had but a small knowledge of his truth and for the love of the same hazarded all That if either we now in our dayes having greater light or our posteritie that shall follow us shall see a fearfull dispersion of such as oppose themselves to impiety or take upon them to punish the same otherwise then laws of men will permit If we say we or they shall see such left of men yea as it were despised and punished of God yet let us not damne the persons that punish vice and that for just cause nor yet despair but that the same God that dejects for causes unknown to us will raise up again the persons dejected to his glory their comfort And to let the world understand in plain terms what we mean that great abuser of this Common-wealth that pultron and vile knave Davie was justly punished the ninth of March in the yeer of our Lord 1565. for abusing of the Common-wealth and for his other villanies which we lift not to expresse by the counsell and hands of Iames Dowglas Earl of Mortoun Patrick Lord Lindsay and the Lord Ruthwen with other assisters in the company who all for their just act and most worthy of all praise are now unworthily left of all their brethren and suffer the bitternes of banishment exile But this is our hope in the mercies of our God That this same blinde Generation whether it will or not shall be compelled to see That he will have respect to them that are injustly pursued That he will pardon their former offences That he will restore them to the liberty of their Country and Common-wealth again And that he will punish in despight of man the head and the taile that now troubles the just and maintaineth impiety The head is known the tail hath two branches The temporall Lords that maintain such abominations as we see flattering counsellors of State blasphemous Balfour now called clerk of Register Sinclare Dean of Lestarrig and Bp. of Brechen blinde of one eye in the body but of both of his soul upon whom God shortly after took vengeance Leslie Preistesgate Abbot of Londrosse and Bishop of Rosse Simon Preston of Cragmillar a right Epicurian Whose end will be ere it be long according to their works But now to return to our History Hadington being kept and much hearship done about in the Countrey for what the English-men destroyed not that was consumed by the French God begins to fight for Scotland For in the Town he sent
doctrine but also ready to jeopard their lives and goods for the setting forward of the glory of God as he will permit And albeit the Magistrates in this Countrey be as yet but in the state ye left them in yet at the making hereof we have no experience of any more cruelty to be used then was before But rather we have beliefe That God will augment his Flock because we see daily the Friers enemies to Christs Gospel in lesse estimation with the Queen and the Nobility of our Realm This in few words is the minde of the faithfull being present and others absent The rest of our mindes this faithfull Bearer will shew you at length Thus fare ye well in the Lord. At Sterlin the tenth of March Anno 1556. This is the true Copy of the Letter being subscribed by the names under-written Sic subscribitur Glencarne Lorne now Argyle Erskin Iames Stewart The Letters were delivered to the foresaid Iohn in Geneva by the hands of Iames Sym who now resteth with Christ and of Iames Barrone who yet liveth In the Moneth of May immediately after these Letters were received and advised upon he took consultation as well with his owne Church as with that notable servant of God Iohn Calvine and with other godly Ministers who all with one consent said That he could not refuse that Vocation unlesse he would declare himselfe rebellious unto his God and unmercifull to his Countrey And so he returned answer with promise to visite them with reasonable expedition and so soon as he might put order to that deare Flocke that was committed to his Charge And so in the end of the next September after he departed from Geneva and came to Deape where there met him contrary Letters as by his answer thereto we may understand The Spirit of Wisedome Constancie and Strength be multiplied with you by the favour of God our Father and by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. ACcording to my promise my Right Honourable I came to Deape the four and twentieth day of October of full minde by the good will of God with the first Ships to have visited you But because two Letters not very pleasing unto the flesh were there presented unto me I was compelled to stay for a time The one was directed to my self from a faithfull brother which made mention that a new consultationâ— was appointed for finall conclusion of the matter before purposed and willed me therefore to abide in these parts till the determination of the same The other Letter was directed from a Gentleman to a friend with charge to advertise me That he had communed with all those that seemed most franke and fervent in the matter and that in none did he finde such boldnesse and constancy as was requisite for such an enterprise but that some did as he writeth repent that ever any such thing was moved Some were partly ashamed and others were able to deny that ever they did consent to any such purpose if any tryall or question should be taken thereof c. Which Letters when I had considered I was partly confounded and partly was pierced with anguish and sorrow Confounded I was that I had so far travelled in the matter moving the same to the most godly and most learned that this day we know to live in Europe to the effect that I might have their judgements and grave counsells for assurance as well of your consciences as of mine in all enterprises And then that nothing should succeed of so long consultation cannot but redound either to your shame or mine For either it shall appeare that I was marvellous vain being so solicited where no necessity required Or else that such as were movers thereto lacked the ripenesse of judgement in their first Vocation To some it may appeare a small and light matter that I have cast off and as it were abandoned as well my particular care as my publike Office and Charge leaving my house and poor family destitute of all head save God only and committing that small but to Christ dearly beloved flock over the which I was appointed one of the Ministers to the charge of another This I say to worldly men may appeare a small matter But to me it was and is such that more worldly substance then I will expresse could not have caused me willingly to behold the eyes of so many grave men weep at once for my cause as that I did in taking my last good night from them To whom if it please God that I returne and question be demanded What was the impediment of my purposed journey judge you what I shall answer The cause of my dolour and sorrow God is my witnesse is for nothing pertaining either to my corporall contentment or worldly displeasure but it is for the grievous plagues and punishments of God which assuredly shall apprehend not onely you but every inhabitant of that miserable Realm and Isle except that the power of God by the liberty of his Gospel deliver you from Bondage I mean not onely that perpetuall fire and torment prepared for the devil and for such as denying Christ Jesus and his knowne Verity do follow the sons of wickednesse to perdition which most is to be feared but also that thraldome and misery that shall apprehend your owne bodies your children subjects and posterity whom ye have betrayed in conscience I can except none that beare the name of Nobility and presently fight to betray them and your Realme to the slavery of strangers The War begun although I acknowledge it to be the work of God shall be your destruction unlesse that betime remedie be provided God open your eyes that ye may espie and consider your own miserable estate My words shall appear to some sharp and undiscreetly spoken But as charity ought to interpret all things to the best so ought wise men to understand That a true friend cannot be a flatterer Especially when the questions of salvation both of body and soule are moved and that not of one nor of two but as it were of a whole Realm or Nation What are the sobs and what is the affection of my troubled heart God shall one day declare But this will I adde to my former rigour and severity to wit If any perswade you for fear of dangers that may follow to faint in your former purpose be he so wise and friendly let him be judged of you both foolish and your mortall enemy Foolish for because he understood nothing of Gods approved wisedome and enemy unto you because he laboured to separate you from Gods favour provoking his vengeance and grievous plagues against you because he would That ye should prefer your worldly rest to Gods praise and glory and the friendship of the wicked to the salvation of your brethren I am not ignorant that fearfull troubles shall ensue your enterprise as in my former Letters I did signifie unto you But O joyfull and comfortable are the
commends to the poore Cardinall of Loraine The freedomes of Scottish Merchants were restrained in Roane and they compelled to pay Tole and Taxations others then their ancient Liberties did beare To bring this head to passe to wit to the Matrimoniall Crown the Queen Regent left no point of the Compasse unsailed with the Bishops and Priests She practised on this manner Ye may clearely see that I cannot do what I would within this Realme for these Hereticks and Confederates of England are so banded together that they stop all good order But will ye be favourable unto me in this suit of the Matrimoniall Crowne to be granted to my daughters husband Then shall we see how I shall handle these Heretickes and Traitours ere it be long And in very deed in these her promises she meant no deceit in that behalfe Unto the Protestants she said I am not unmindfull how oft ye have solicited me for Reformation in Religion and gladly would I consent thereunto but ye see the power and craft of the Bishop of S. Andrews together with the power of Duke Hamilton and of Church-men ever to be bent against me in all my proceedings so that I may do nothing unlesse the full authority of this Realme be delivered to the King of France which cannot be but by donation of the Crowne Matrimoniall which thing if ye will bring to passe then devise ye what ye please in matters of Religion and they shall be granted With this Commission and Credit was Lord Iames then Prior of S. Andrews directed to the Earle of Argyle with moe other promises then we list to rehearse By such dissimulation to those that were simple and true of heart inflamed she them to be more fervent in her Petition then her selfe appeared to be And so at the Parliament holden at Edinburgh in the moneth of October in the yeere of God 1558. it was clearely voed no man reclaiming except the Duke for his interest and yet for it there was no better Law produced except that there was a solemne Masse appointed for that purpose in the Pontificall This head obtained whereat France and she principally shot what faith she kept to the Protestants in this our second Book shall be declared In the beginning whereof we may more amply rehearse some things that in this our first are summarily touched The end of the first Booke The Second Booke OF THE HISTORY OF Things done in SCOTLAND in the Reformation of Religion Beginning in the yeere of our Lord God 1558. OUr purpose was to have made the beginning of our History from the things that were done from the yeere of God 1558. till The Reformation of Religion which of Gods mercy we once possessed and yet in Doctrine and in the right use of administration of Sacraments do possesse But because divers of the godly as before is said earnestly required That such persons as God raised up in the midst of darkenesse to oppose themselves to the same should not be omitted We obeyed their Request and have made a short Rehearsall of all such matters as concerne Religion from the death of that notable Servant of God Master Patricke Hamilton unto the aforesaid yeere when that it pleased God to looke upon us more mercifully then we deserve and to give unto us greater boldnesse and better albeit not without hazard and trouble successe in all our enterprizes then we looked for as the true Narration of this second Booke shall witnesse The PREFACE whereof followeth The Preface LEst that Sathan by our silence shall take occasion to blaspheme and to slander us the Protestants of the Realme of Scotland as that our fact tended rather to Sedition and Rebellion then to Reformation of Manners and abuses in Religion We have thought expedient so truely and briefly as we can to commit to writing the causes moving us as we say and great part of the Nobility and Barons of the Realme to take the sword of just Defence against those that most unjustly seek our destruction And in this our confession we shall faithfully declare What moved us to put our hands to the Reformation of Religion How we have proceeded in the same What we have asked and what presently we require of the sacred Authority To the end that our Cause being knowne as well our enemies as our brethren in all Realmes may understand how falsly we are accused of tumult and Rebellion and how unjustly we are persecuted by France and by their Faction And also that our brethren naturall Scotish-men of whatsoever Religion they be may have occasion to examine themselves If they can with safe conscience oppose themselves to us who seek nothing but Christ Iesus his glorious Gospel to be preached his holy Sacraments to be truely ministred Superstition Tyranny and Idolatry to be suppressed in this Realme And finally This our native Countrey to remaine free from the Bondage and Tyranny of Strangers While that the Queen Regent practised with the Prelats how that Christ Jesus blessed Gospel might utterly be suppressed within Scotland God so blessed the labours of his weak servants that no small part of the Barons of this Realme began to abhorre the Tyranny of the Bishops God did so open their eyes by the light of his Word that they could cleerly discerne betwixt Idolatry and the true honouring of God Yea men almost universally began to doubt whether they could God not offended give their bodily presence to the Masse or yet offer their children to the Papisticall Baptisme The doubts when the most godly and the most learned in Europe had answered both by word and writing affirming That neither of both we might do without perill of our souls we began to be more troubled For then also began men of estimation and those that bare rule amongst us to examine themselves concerning their duties as well towards Reformation of Religion as towards the just defence of their brethren most cruelly persecuted And so began divers questions to be moved to wit If that with safe conscience such as were Iudges Lords and Rulers of the People might serve the higher Powers in maintaining of Idolatry in persecuting their Brethren and in suppressing Christs Truth Or Whether they to whom God in some case hath committed the Sword of Iustice might suffer the blood of their Brethren to be shed in their presence without any declaration that such Tyranny displeased them By the plain Scriptures it was found That a lively faith required a plaine Confâ—ssion when Christs Truth is oppugned That not onely are they guilty that do evil but also they that consent to evil And plain it is That they consent to evil who seeing iniquity openly committed by their silence seem to justifie and avow whatsoever is done These things being resolved and sufficiently proved by evident Scriptures of God we began every man to look more diligently to his Salvation For the Idolatry and Tyranny of the Clergy called
Souldiers in generall admonishing them that their Vocation was not to fight against us naturall Scotish-men nor yet that they had any such Commandment of their Master We besought them therefore not to provoke us to enmity against them and to consider that they had found us favourable in their most great extremities We declared farther unto them That if they entred in hostility and bloody War against us that the same should remain longer then their owne lives to wit even in all posteritie to come so long as naturall Scotish-men should have power to revenge such cruelty and most horrible ingratitude These Letters were caused to be spread abroad in great abundance to the end that some might come to the knowledge of men The Queen Regent her Letter was laid upon her Cushion in the Chappel Royall at Sterlin where she was accustomed to sit at Masse she looked upon it and put in the pocket of her Gown Monsieur d' Osel and the Captains received theirs delivered even by their own souldiers for some amongst them were favourers of the Truth who after the reading of them began to pull their own beards for that was the modest behaviour of Monsieur d' Osell when truth was told unto him so that it repugned to his fantasie These our Letters were suppressed to the utmost of their power and yet they came to the knowledge of many But the rage of the Queen and the Priests could not be stayed but forward they move against us who then were but a very few and mean number of Gentlemen in S. Iohnston we perceiving the extremity to approach did write to all brethren to repair towards us for our relief to the which we found all men so ready bent that the Work of God was evidently to be espied the Tenour whereof followeth And because that we would omit no diligence to declare our innocency to all men we formed a Letter to those of the Nobility who then persecuted us as after followeth To the Nobility of Scotland The Congregation of Christ Iesus within the same desire the spirit of righteous Iudgement BEcause we are not ignorant that ye the Nobility of this Realme who now persecute us employing your whole study and force to maintain the kingdom of Sathan of superstition and Idolatry are yet neverthelesse divided in opinion We the Congregation of Christ Jesus by you unjustly persecuted have thought good in one Letter to write unto you severally Ye are divided we say in opinion for some of you think that we who have taken this enterprise to remove Idolatry and the Monuments of the same to erect the true Preaching of Christ Jesus in the bounds committed to our Charges are hereticks seditious men and troublers of this Commonwealth and therefore no punishment is sufficient for us and so blinded with this rage and under pretence to serve the Authority ye proclaim War and destruction without all order of Law against us To you we say that neither your blinde zeal neither yet the colour of Authority shall excuse you in Gods presence who commandeth none to suffer death till that he be openly convinced in judgement to have offended against God and against his Law written which no mortall creature is able to prove against us for whatsoever we have done the same we have done at Gods commandment who plainly commands Idolatry and all Monuments of the same to be destroyed and abolished Our earnest and long request hath been and is That in open Assembly it may be disputed in presence of indifferent auditors Whether that these abominations named by the pestilent Papists Religion which they by fire and sword defend be the true Religion of Jesus Christ or not Now this humble request denied unto us our lives are sought in most cruell manner And the Nobility whose duty is to defend innocents and to bridle the fury and rage of wicked men were it of Princes or Emperors do notwithstanding follow their appetites and arme your selves against us your brethren and naturall Countrey-men yea against us that be innocent and just as concerning all such crimes as be laid to our charges If ye think that we be criminall because that we dissent from your opinion consider we beseech you that the Prophets under the Law the Apostles of Christ Jesus after his Ascension his Primitive Church and holy Martyrs did disagree from the whole world in their dayes And will ye deny but that their action was just and that all those that persecuted them were murtherers before God May not the like be true this day What assurance have ye this day of your Religion which the world that day had not of theirs ye have a multitude that agree with you and so had they ye have antiquity of time and that they lacked not ye have Counsells Laws and men of reputation that have established all things as ye suppose but none of all these can make any Religion acceptable unto God which onely depended upon his owne will revealed to man in his most sacred Word It is not then a wonder that ye sleep in so deadly a security in the matter of your owne salvation considering that God giveth unto you so manifest tokens that ye and your leaders are both declined from God For if the tree shall be judged by the fruit as Christ Jesus affirmeth that it must needs be then of necessity it is That your Prelats and the whole rabble of their Clergie be evill trees For if Adultery Pride Ambition Drunkennesse Covetousnesse Incest Unthankfulnesse Oppression Murther Idolatry and Blasphemy be evill fruits there can none of that Generation which claim to themselves the title of Churchmen be judged to be good trees For all these pestilent and wicked fruits do they bring forth in greatest abundance And if they be evil trees as ye your selves must be compelled to confesse they are advise prudently with what consciences ye can maintain them to occupy the room and place in the Lords Vine-yard Do ye not consider that in so doing ye labour to maintain the servants of sin in their filthy corruption and so consequently ye labour that the devill may raigne and still abuse this Realme by all iniquity and tyranny and that Christ Jesus and his blessed Gospel be suppressed and extinguished The name and the cloke of the authority which ye pretend will nothing excuse you in Gods presence but rather shall ye bear double condemnation for that ye burden God as that his good Ordinances were the cause of your iniquity All Authority which God hath established is good and perfect and is to be obeyed of all men yea under pain of damnation But do ye not understand That there is a great difference betwixt the Authority which is Gods Ordinance and the persons of those which are placed in Authority the Authority and Gods Ordinances can never do wrong for it commandeth that vice and wicked men be punished and vertue with
us with Rebellion they most earnestly required all men to approve the appointment and so to suffer hypocrisie to disclose it self This appointment was concluded the 28 of May and the day following at two in the after noon departed the Congregation from Saint Iohnston after that Iohn Knox had in his Sermon exhorted all men to constancy and unfainedly to thanke God for that it had pleased his mercy to stay the rage of the enemy without effusion of blood Also that no brother should be weary nor faint to support such as should after be likewise persecuted for said he I am assured that no part of this promise made shall be longer kept then till the Queen and her French-men to have the upper hand Many of the enemies were at the same Sermon For after that the appointment was made they had free entry in the Towne to provide Lodgings Before the Lords departed was this Bond whose Tenour followeth as it was written and subscribed The second Covenant at Perth AT Perth the last of May the yeere of God 1559 yeers the Congregations of the West Countrey with the Congregations of Fyfe Perth Dundie Angus Mernes and Monrosse being convened in the Towne of Perth in the Name of Iesus Christ for setting forth of his glory understanding nothing more necessary for the same then to keepe a constant amity unity and fellowship together according as they are commanded by God are confederate and become bounden and obliged in the presence of God to concurre and assist together in doing all things required of God in his Scripture that may be to his glory And at their whole powers to destroy and put away all things that doth dishonour to his Name so that God may be truely and purely worshipped And in case that any trouble be intended against the said Congregation or any part or member thereof the whole Congregation shall concurre assist and convene together to the defence of the same Congregation or person troubled And shall not spare Labours Goods Substance Bodies and Lives in maintaining the liberty of the whole Congregation and every member thereof against whatsoever person shall intend the said trouble for cause of Religion or any other cause depending thereupon or lay to their charge under pretence therof although it happen to be coloured with any other outward cause In witnessing and testimony of the which the whole Congregation aforesaid have ordained and appointed the Noble-men and persons under-written to subscribe these Presents Sic subscribitur Arch Argyle Iames Steward Glencarne R. Lord Boid Lord Wchiltrie Matthew Campbell of Tarmganart The 29 of May entred the Queen the Duke Monsieur d'Osell and the French-men who in discharging their Volley of Hacquebutes did well mark the house of Patrike Murray a man fervent in Religion and that boldly had sustained all danger in that trouble against whose stayr they directed six or seven Shot even against the faces of those that were there lying all men escaped except the son of the foresaid Patrike a boy of ten or twelve yeers of age who being slain was had to the Queens presence but she understanding whose son he was said in mockage It is pity it chanced on the son and not on the father but seeing that so it is chanced we cannot be against fortune This was her happy entry in Saint Iohnston and the great zeal she beareth to Justice The swarme of Papists that entred with her began straight to make provision for their Masse and because the Altars were not so easie to be repaired again they provided Tables whereof some before used to serve for Drunkards Dicers and Carders but they were holy enough for the Priest and his Pageant The Queen began to rage against all godly and honest men their houses were oppressed by the French the lawfull Magistrates as well Provest as Baylies were unjustly and without all order deposed from their Authority a wicked man void of Gods fear and destitute of all vertue the Laird of Kilfans was intrusted by her Provest of the Towne Whereat all honest men offended left their owne houses and with their wives and children sought amongst their brethren some resting place for a time She took order that four Colours of the Souldiers should abide in the Town to maintain Idolatry and to resist the Congregation Honest and indifferent men asked why she did so manifestly violate her promise She answered That she was bound to keep no promise to hereticks And moreover That she promised onely to leave the Towne free of French Souldiers which said she she did because that these that therein were left were Scotishmen But when it was reasoned in her contrary That all those that took wages of France were counted French Souldiers she answered Princes must not be straitly bounden to keep their promises My selfe said she would make little conscience to take from all that sort their lives and inheritance if I might do it with as honest an excuse And then she left the Towne in extreme Bondage After that her ungodly French-men had most cruelly used the most part of those that remained in the â—ame the Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames foresaid perceiving in the Queen nothing but meer tyranny and falshood mindefull of their former promises made to their brethren did secretly convey themselves and their Companies of the Town and with them departed the Lord Ruthuen of whom before mention is made then the Earle of Menteth and the Laird of Tullybardin who in Gods presence did confederate and binde themselves together faithfully promising one to assist and defend another against all persons that would pursue them for Religion sake and also that they with their whole force and power would defend the brethren persecuted for the same Cause The Queen highly offended at the sudden departure of the persons aforesaid sent charges to them to return under the highest pain of her displeasure But they answered That with safe conscience they could not be partakers of so manifest tyranny as was by her committed and of so great iniquity as they perceived devised by her and her ungodly counsell the Prelats This answer was given to her the first day of Iune and immediately the Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames repaired toward S. Andrewes and in their Journey gave advertisement by writing to the Laird of Dun to the Laird of Petarrow to the Provest of Dundie and others professors in Angus to visite them in S. Andrewes the fourth of Iune for Reformation to be made there which day they kept and brought in their company Iohn Knox who the first day after his coming to Fyfe did preach in Carreal the next day in Anstruther minding the third day which was the Sunday to preach in S. Andrews The Bishop hearing of Reformation to be made in his Cathedrall Church thought time to stirre or else never and therefore assembled his colleagues and confederate fellows besides his other friends and
use and chuse what Religion and manner thereof they please to the said day so that every man may have freedom to use his owne conscience to the day aforesaid Item The Queen shall not interpose her Authority to molest or trouble the Preachers of the Congregation nor their Ministry to them that please to use the same nor no other of the said Congregation in their bodies lands goods or possessions Pensions or whatsoever other kinde of goods they possesse nor yet suffer the Clergie or any other either Spirituall or Temporall Iurisdiction to trouble them in any manner of sort privately or openly for the cause of Religion or any other action depending thereupon to the said tenth day of Ianuary within written and that every man in particular live in the mean time according to his own conscience Item That no men of War French nor Scots be laid in daily Garrison within the Town of Edinburgh but to repair thereto to do thsir lawfull businesse and thereafter to retire them to their Garrisons This alteration in words and Order was made without knowledge and consent of those whose counsell we had used in all such causes before For some of them perceiving we began to faint and that we would appoint with unequall conditions said God hath wonderously assisted us in our greatest dangers He hath stricken fear in the hearts of our enemies when they supposed themselves most assured of Victory Our case is not yet so desperate that we need to grant to things unreasonable and ungodly which if we do it is to be feared That things shall not so prosperously succeed as they have done heretofore When all things were communed and agreed upon by mid persons the Duke and the Earle of Huntlie who that day were against us desired to speake with the Earles of Argyle and Glencarne the Lord Iames and others of our party who obeying their requests met with them at the Quarrell holes betwixt Leith and Edinburgh who in conclusion promised to our Lords That if the Queen brake to us any one jot of the Appointment then made that they should declare themselves plain enemies to her and friends to us As much promised the Duke that he would do in case that she would not remove her French-men at a reasonable day for the oppression which they did was manifest to all men This Appointment made and subscribed by the Duke Monsieur Dosell and the Earle of Huntlie the 25 of July we returned to the Towne of Edinburgh where we remained till the next day at noon when after Sermon dinner and Proclamation made at the Market Crosse in forme as followeth we departed Forme of the Proclamations FORASMUCH as it hath pleased God that Appointment is made betwixt the Queen Regent and us the Lords Protestants of this Realme We have thought good to signifie unto the chief Heads of the Appointment which be these First That no member of the Congregation shall be troubled in life lands goods or possessions by the Queene by her Authority nor by any other justice within this Realme for any thing done in this late Innovation till that a Parliament hath decided things that be in controversie Secondly That Idolatry shall not be erected where it is now at this day suppressed Thirdly That the Preachers and Ministers shall not be troubled in the ministration where they are already established neither yet stopped to Preach wheresoever they shall happen to travell within this Realme Fourthly That no Bands of men of War shall be laid in Garrison within the Town of Edinburgh The chief Heads of appointment concerning the liberty of Religion and conservation of our brethren we thought good to notifie unto you by this Proclamation that in case wrong or injury be done by any of the contrary faction to any member of our Body complaint may be made unto us to whom we promise as we will answer to our God our faithfull support to the uttermost of our powers At this Proclamation made with sound of Trumpet were offended all the Papists for first they alleadged It was done in contempt of Authority Secondarily That we had proclaimed more then was contained in the Appointment And last That we in our Proclamation had made no mention of any thing promised unto them To such murmures we answered That no just Anthority could think it self contemned because that the truth was by us made manifest unto all who otherwise might have pretended ignorance Secondly That we had proclaimed nothing which was not finally agreed upon in word and promise betwixt us and those with whom the Appointment was made whatsoever the Scribes had after written who in very deed had altered both in words and sentences our Articles as they were first conceived And yet if their owne writings were diligeutly examined the self-same thing shall be found in substance And last To proclaim any thing in their favours we thought it not necessary knowing that in that behalf they themselves would be diligent enough And in this we were nothing deceived for within fifteen days after there was not a Shaveling in Scotland to whom Tenths or any other Rents pertaineth but he had that Article of the Appointment by heart That the Church-men should be answered of Tenths Rents and all other duties and that no man should trouble or molest them We departing from Edinburgh the 26 of July came first to Linlithqow and after to Sterlin where after consultation the Band of defence and maintenance of Religion and for mutuall defence every one of the other was subscribed of all that were there present The tenour of the Bond was thus WE foreseeing the craft and sleight of our Adversaries who trie all manner of wayes to circumvient us and by privy means intend to assayle every one of us particularly by fair heights and promises therethrough to separate one of us from another to our utter ruine and destruction For remedy thereof we faithfully and truely binde us in the presence of God and as we tender the maintenance of true Religion That none of us shall in time coming passe to the Queen Dowager to talk or commune with her for any Letter or Message sent by her unto us or yet to be sent with consent of the rest or common consultation thereupon and how soon that either Message or Writing should come from her unto us with all diligence we shall notifie the same one to another so that nothing shall proceed therein without common consent of us all At Sterlin the first day of August 1559. This Band subscribed and we foreseeing that the Queen and Bishops meant nothing but deceit thought good to seek ayd and support of all Christian Princes against her tyranny in case we should be more sharply pursued And because that England was of the same Religion and lay next unto us it was judged expedient first to prove them which we did by one or two Messengers as hereafter in its owne place
made patent and what have been her proceedings since the appointment last made on the Linkes beside Leith To the effect that the trueth of all things being made manifest every man may understand how unjustly that a desire to suppresse the liberty of this Realm is laid to her charge we have thought expedient to make this discourse following First although after the said appointment divers of the said Congregation and that not of the meanest sort hath violently broken the points thereof and made sundry occasions of new cumber The same was in a part winked at and over-looked in hope that they in time would remember their duty and abstaine from such evil behaviour which conversion her Majestie ever sought rather then any punishment with such care and solicitude by all means and in the mean time nothing was provided for her own security But at last by their frequent Messages to and from England their intelligence then was perceived yet her Majestie trusted the Queen of England let them seek as they please will do the office of a Christian Princesse in time of a sworne Peace through which force was to her Majestie seeing so great defection of great personages to have recourse to the Law of Nature And like as a small Bird being pursued will provide some nest so her Majestie could do no lesse in cases of pursuit but provide some sure retract for her selfe and her company and to that effect chose the Town of Leith as a place convenient therefore because it was her dearest daughters property and no other person could claime Title or Interesse thereto and also because in former times it had been fortified About the same time that the seeking support of England was made manifest arrived the Earle of Arrane and adjoyned himselfe to the Congregation upon further promise then the pretended quarrell or Religion that was to be set up by them in authority and so to pervert the whole obedience and as some of the Congregation at the same time had put into their hands and taken the Castle of Brochtie put forth the keepers thereof Immediately came from the said Duke to her Majestie unlooked for a Writ beside many others complaining of the fortification of the said Town of Leith in hurt of the ancient inhabitants thereof brethren of the said Congregation whereof he then professed himselfe a Member And albeit that the Bearer of the said Writ was an unmeet Messenger in a matter of such consequence yet her Majestie directed to him two persons of good credit and reputation with answer Offering If he would cause amends to be made for that which was committed against the Lawes of the Realme to do further then could be craved of reason And to that effect to draw some conference which by his fault and his Colleagues took no end neverthelesse they continually since continue in their doings usurping the authority commanding and charging free Boroughs to chuse Provests and officers of their naming and to assist to them in the purpose they would be at and that they will not suffer provision to be brought for sustentation of her Majesties houses A great part have so plainely set aside all reverence and humanitie whereby every man may know That it is no matter of Religion but a plaine usurpation of the authority and no doubt but simple men of good Zeale in former times therewith falsly have been deceived But as to the Queens part God who knoweth the secrets of all hearts well knoweth and the world shall see by experience that the fortification of Leith was devised for no other purpose but for recourse to her highnesse and her company in case they were pursued Wherefore as good Subjects that have the feare of God in their hearts will not suffer themselves by such vaine perswasions to be led away from their due obedience but will assist in defence of their Soveraigns quarrell against all such as shall pursue the same wrongfully Therefore her Majestie ordaineth the officers of Arms to passe to the Market-Crosses of all the head Burroughs of this Realme and there by open Proclamation command and charge all and sundry the Lieges thereof that none of them take in hand to put themselves in arms nor take part with the said Duke or his assistaries under the paine of Treason These Letters being divulgate the hearts of many were stirred for they judged the Narration of the Queen Regent to have been true others understood the same to be utterly false But because the Lords desired that all men should judge in their cause they set out the Declaration subsequent The DECLARATION of the Lords against the former PROCLAMATION WE are compelled unwillingly to answer the grievous accusations most unjustly laid to our charges by the Queen Regent and her perverse Counsell who cease not by all craft and malice to make us odious to our dearest brethren naturall Scottish-men as that we pretended no other thing but the subversion and overthrow of all just authoritie when God knoweth we sought nothing but That such authoritie as God approveth by his Word be established honoured and obeyed amongst us True it is that we have complained and continually must complaine till God send redresse That our common Countrey is oppressed with strangers That this inbringing of Souldiers with their wives and children and planting of men of War in our free Townes appeareth to us a ready way to conquest And we most earnestly require all indifferent persons to be judge betwixt us and the Queen Regent in this cause to wit Whether our complaint be just or not For for what other purpose should she thus multiply strangers upon us but onely in respect of conquest Which is a thing of late divised by her and her avaritious house We are not ignorant that six yeers ago the question was demanded of a man of honest reputation What number of men was able to daunt Scotland and to bring it to the full obedience of France She alleadged That to say that the fortification of Leith was of purpose devised in France and that for that purpose were Monsieur de la Brosse and the Bishop of Amiens sent to this Countrey Is a thing so vaine and untrue that the contrary thereof is notorious to all men of free judgement But evident it is whatsoever she alleadged That since their arrivall Leith was begun to be fortified She alleadged That she seeing the defection of great Personages was compelled to have recourse to the Law of Nature and like a small bird pursued to provide for some sure retract to her self and her company But why doth she not answer for what purpose did she bring in her new Bands of men of War Was there any defection espied before their arrivall was not the Congregation under Appointment with her Which whatsoever she alleadged she is not able to prove that we have violated in any chiefe point before that her new throat-cutters arrived yea before that
used By Iehu he destroyed Ioram and the whole posterity of Achab. And by divers others he hath deposed from Authority those whom before he had established by his own Word And hereupon concluded he That sith the Queen Regent denied her chief duty to the subjects of this Realme which was To minister Justice to them indifferently to preserve their Liberties from invasion of strangers and to suffer them to have Gods Word freely and openly preached amongst them Seeing moreover that the Queen Regent was an open and obstinate Idolatresse a vehement maintainer of all Superstition and Idolatry as also she openly declares the Countrie to be conquest and no more free And finally That she utterly despiseth the counsell and requests of the Nobility he could see no reason why they the borne Counsellors Nobility and Barons of the Realme might not justly deprive her from all Regiment and Authority amongst them Hereafter was the judgement of Iohn Knox required who approving the sentence of his brother added first That the iniquity of the Queen Regent and disorder ought in no wise to withdraw neither our hearts neither yet the hearts of other subjects from the obedience due unto our Soveraigne Secondly That if we deposed the said Queen Regent rather of malice and private envie then for the preservation of the Common-wealth and for that her sins appeared incurable That we should not escape Gods just punishment howsoever that she had deserved rejection from honors And thirdly he required That no such sentence should be pronounced against her but that upon known and open repentance and upon her conversion to the Common-wealth and submission to the Nobility place should be granted unto her of regresse to the same honours from the which for just causes she justly might be deprived The Votes of every man particularly by himself required and every man commanded to speak as he would answer to God what his conscience judged in that matter there was none found amongst the whole number who did not by his tongue consent to her deprivation Thereafter was her Processe committed to Writing and registred as followeth Articles against the Queen Regent AT Edinburgh the one and twentieth day of October 1556. the Nobility Barons and Burgesses convened to advise upon the affairs of the Common-wealth and to ayd support and succour the same perceiving and lamenting the enterprised destruction of their said Common-wealth and overthrow of the liberties of their native Countrey by the means of the Queen Regent and certain strangers her privie Counsellors plain contrary to our Soveraign Lord and Ladies mind and direct against the counsell of the Nobility to proceed by little and little even unto the uttermost ruine So that the urgent necessity of the Common-wealth may no longer suffer delay and earnestly craveth our support Seeing therefore that the said Q. Regent abusing and overpassing our Soveraigne Lord and Ladies Commission given and granted to her hath in all her proceedings pursued the Barons and Burgesses within this Realme with Weapons and Armour of strangers without any Processe and order of Law they being our Soveraigne Lord and Ladies true Lieges and never called nor convinced of any crime by any judgement lawfull As first at S. Iohnston in the moneth of May she assembled her Army against the Towne and the Inhabitants thereof never called nor convinced of any crime onely because they professed the true Worship of God conform to his most sacred Word 2. And likewise in the moneth of June last without any order or calling going before invaded the persons of sundry Noble-men and Barons with force of Armes convened at S. Andrews onely for Cause of Religion as is notoriously known they never being called nor convinced of any crime 3. Again laid Garrisons the same moneth upon the Inhabitants of the said Town oppressing the liberties of the Queens true Lieges For fear of which her Garrisons a great part of the Inhabitants thereof fled from the Towne and durst not resort again unto their houses and heritages untill they were restored by Arms they notwithstanding never being called nor convinced of any crime 4. Further at that same time did thrust in upon the heads of the Inhabitants of the said Towne Provest and Bayliffs against all order of Election as lately in this month of September she had done in other Towns of Edinburgh and Iedburgh and divers other places in manifest oppression of our Liberties 5. declaring her evill minde towards the Nobility Commonalty and whole Nation she hath brought in strangers and daily pretends to bring in greater force of the same pretending a manifest Conquest of our native rooms and Countrey as the deed it self declareth in so far as she having brought in the said strangers without any advise of Councell and Nobility and contrary to their expresse minde sent to her in Writing hath placed and planted her said strangers in one of the principall Towns and parts of the Realm sending continually for greater Forces willing thereby to suppresse the Common-weale and liberty of our native Countrey to make us and our posterity slaves to strangers for ever which as it is intolerable to Common-wealths and free Countreys so it is very prejudiciall to our Soveraign Lady and her Heirs whatsoever in case our Soveraigne Lady decease without Heirs of her Person And to performe these her wicked enterprises conceived as appeareth of inveterate malice against our whole Countrey and Nation caused without any consent or advise of the Councell and Nobility to coyn lead Money so base and of such quantity that the whole Realme shall be depauperate and all Traffique with forraigne Nations everted thereby 6. Again she so placeth and maintaineth against the pleasure of the Councell of this Realme a stranger in one of the greatest Offices of credit in this Realme that is in keeping of the Great Seal thereof wherein great perills may be ingendred to the Common-weale and Liberty thereof 7. Further lately sent the Great Seal forth of this Realme by the said stranger against the advice of the said Councell to what effect God knoweth 8. And hath also by this means altered the old Law and Custome of this our Realme ever obser-served in the Graces and Pardons granted bo our Soveraigns to all their Lieges being repentant of their offences committed against their Majesties or the Lieges of the Realme And hath introduced a new captious stile and form of the said Pardons and Remissions conform to the practices of France tending thereby to draw the said Lieges of this Realm by processe of time into a deceivable snare and further shall creep in the whole subversion and alteration of the remanent Laws of this Realme contrary to the Contents of the Appointment of Marriage 9. And also Peace being accorded amongst the Princes retaineth the great Army of strangers after commandment sent by the King of France to retire the same making excuse that they were retained for the suppressing the
triumph This Sermon ended in the which he did vehemently exhort all men to amendment of life to Prayers and to the Works of Charity the mindes of men began wonderously to be erected and immediately after dinner the Lords passed to counsell unto the which the said Iohn Knox was called to make invocation of the Name of God for other Preachers were none with us at that time in the end it was concluded That William Maitland aforesaid should passe to London to expose our estate and condition to the Queen and Counsell and that the Noble-men should depart to their home and quiet to the 16 day of December Which time was appointed to the next Convention in Sterlin as in this our third Booke following shall be more amply declared With this we end the second Book of the History of the progresse of Religion within Scotland Look upon us O Lord in the multitude of thy mercies for we are brought even to the deep of the dungeon The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOK OF The Progresse of true Religion WITHIN The Realme of SCOTLAND AFter this our dolorous departing from Edinburgh the fury and rage of the French increased for then durst neither man nor woman that professed Christ Jesus within the Town be seen The houses of the most honest men were given by the Queen to Frenchmen for a part of their reward The Earle Bothwell by sound of Trumpet Proclaimed the Earle of Arrane Traitour with other despightfull words which all was done for the pleasure and by the suggestion of the Queene Regent who then thought the battell was wonne without further resistance Great practising she made for obtaining of the Castle of Edinburgh The French made their fagots with other preparations to assault the said Castle either by force or else by Treason But God wrought so mightily with the Captain the Lord Erskin at that time that neither the Queen by flattery nor the French by treason prevailed Advertisement with all diligence past to the Duke of Guise who then was King of France as concerning power to command requiring him to make expedition if he desired the full conquest of Scotland Who delayed no time but with a new Armie sent away his brother Marquis Dalbuif and in his company Marticks promising that he himselfe should follow But the righteous God who in mercy looketh upon the affliction of those that unfainedly sob unto him fought for us by his own out-stretched arm For upon one night upon the coast of Holland were drowned of them eighteen Ensignes so that onely rested the Ship in the which were two principals aforesaid with their Ladies who violently driven back to Deepe were compelled to confesse That God fought for the defence of Scotland From England returned Robert Melvin who past in company to London with the Secretary a little before Christmas and brought unto us certain Articles to be answered as by the contract that after was made more plainely shall appeare Whereupon the Nobility assembled at Sterlin and returned answer with diligence Whereof the French advertised they marched to Linlithquow spoiled the Dukes house and wasted his lands of Kinneill and after came to Sterlin where they remained certaine dayes the Duke the Earles of Argyle and Glencarn with their friends passed to Glasgow The Earle of Arrane and Lord Iames passed to Saint Andrews For charge was given to the whole Nobility Protestants to keepe their owne bodies till that God should send them further support The French tooke purpose first to assault Fyfe for as it was their great indignation Their purpose was to have taken and fortified the Towne and Abbey with the Castle of Saint Andrews and so they came to Culrosse after to Dunfermeling and then to Brunteiland where they began to fortifie but desisted there from and marched to Kinghorn upon the occasion as followeth When certaine knowledge came to the Earl of Arrane and to Lord Iames That the French were departed from Sterlin they departed also from S. Andrews and began to assemble their Forces at Cowper and sent their men of War to Kinghorne unto whom there resorted divers of the coast side of minde to resist rather at the beginning then when they had destroyed a part of their Townes But the Lords had given an expresse commandment That they should hazard nothing till that they themselves were present And for that purpose was sent unto them the Lord Ruthuen a man of great experience and inferiour to few in stoutnesse In his company was the Earle of Sudderland sent from the Earle of Huntly as he alleadged to comfort the Lord in their affliction But others whispered That his principall Commission was unto the Queen Regent Howsoever it was he was hurt in the arme by the shot of an Haquebut for the men of War and the rascall multitude perceiving certaine Boats of French-men landing which came from Leith purposed to stop their landing and so not considering the enemies that approached from Brunteiland unadvisedly they rushed downe to the Pretticure so is that Bay by West Kinghorne called and at the sea coast began the skirmishing But they never took heed to the enemy that approached by land till that the horsemen charged them upon the backe and the whole bands came directly in their faces and so were they compelled to give back with the losse of six or seven of their men and with the taking of some amongst whom were two that professed Christ Jesus one named Paul Lambert a Dutch man and a French boy fervent in Religion and clean of life whom in despight they hanged over the Steeple of Kinghorne Thou shalt revenge O Lord in thy appointed time The cause that in so great a danger there was so small a losse next unto the mercifull providence of God was the sudden coming of my Lord Ruthuen for even as our men had given back he and his Company came to the head of the Bray and did not onely stay the French-men but also some of ours brake upon their Horse-men and so repulsed them that they did no further hurt to our Foot-men In that recounter was the Earle of Sudderland foresaid shot in the arme and was carried back to Cowper The French-men took Kinghorne where they lay and wasted the Country about as well Papists as Protestants yea even those that were confederate with them such as Seafield Weames Balmowto Balwearie and others enemies to God and traytors to their Countrey of those we say they spared not the Sheep the Oxen the Kine and Horses and some say that their wives and daughters gat favour of the French Souldiers and so did recompence the Papists in their own bosoms for besides the defiling of their houses as said is two of them received more damage then did all the Gentlemen that professed the Gospel within Fyfe the Laird of Grange onely excepted whose house of the Grange the French-men overthrew with Gun-Powder The Queen Regent proud of this Victory
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
or controversie shall arise for whatsoever cause that is past present or to come betwixt any of us as God forbid in that case we shall submit our selves and our said questions to the decision of the Councell or to Arbitrators to be named by them c. Providing always That this be not prejudiciall to the ordinary Jurisdiction of Judges but that men may pursue their Actions by order of Law Civilly or Criminally as it pleaseth them This Contract and Band came not onely to the ears but also to the sight of the Queen Dowager whereat she stormed not a little and said The malediction of God I give unto them that counselled me to persecute the Preachers and to refuse the Petitions of the best part of the true subjects of this Realm It was said to me That the English Army could not continue in Scotland ten dayes but now they have lien neer a moneth and are more like to remain then they were at the first day that they came They that gave information to the Queen spake as worldly wise men and as things appeared to have been for the Countrey being almost in all the parts thereof wasted the Victuals next adjacent to Leith either brought into their Provision or else destroyed the Mills and other places as before is said being cast down it appeared that the Camp could not have been furnished except it had been by their own Ships and as that could not have been of any long continuance so should it have been little comfortable But God confounded all worldly wisedom and made his own Benediction as evidently to appear as if in a manner he had fed the Army from above For all kinde of Victuall there was more aboundant and at more easie prices in the Camp all the time that it lay after that eight dayes were past then either they have been in Edinburgh any of two yeers before or it hath been in this Towne to this day the 20 of May Anno 1566. The people of Scotland so much abhorred the tyranny of the French that they would have given the substance that they had to have been rid of that chargeable burthen which our sinnes had provoked God to lay upon us in delivering and giving into the hands of a woman whom our Nobility in their foolishnesse sold unto strangers and with her the Liberty of this Realme God for his great mercy sake preserve us yet from further Bondage in which we are like to fall if he provide not remedy for our Nobility will yet remain blinde still and will follow their affection come after what so may But to returne to our History The Camp abounding in all necessary Provision order was taken for continuation of the Siege and so the Trenches were drawn as neer the Town as possibly they might The great Camp removed from Lestarrig to the West side of the water of Leith and so were the Cannons planted for the Battery and did shoot at the Southwest wall But by reason all was earth the Breach was not made so great upon the day but that it was sufficiently repaired upon the night whereof the English-men beginning to be weary determined to give the Breach an Assault as that they did upon the seventh day of May beginning before the day light and continued till it was nigh seven a clock And albeit that the English and Scottish with great slaughter of the Souldiers of both were repulsed yet was there never a sharper assault given by so few hands for they exceeded not a thousand men that assaulted the whole two quarters of the Town and yet they damned the whole Block-house yea they once put the French clean off their Walls and were upon both the East and West Block-house but they lacked backing for their Scales lacked six quarters of the just height And so while the former were compelled to fight upon the top of the wall their fellows could not joyn to support them and so were they by multitude driven back again when it was once thought that the Town was won Sir Iames Crofts was blamed of many for not doing his duty that day for he was appointed with a sufficient number of the most able men to have assaulted the Northwest quarter upon the Sea side where at a low water as at the time of the assault it was the passage was easie But neither he nor his approached to their quarter appointed He had before at the first coming in spoken with the Queen Regent at the fair Block-house of the Castle of Edinburgh Whether she had enchanted him or not we know not but by suspition of that day in which he deceived the expectation of many and so farre as man could judge was the cause of that great repulse some ascribed the shortnesse of the Ladders to him but that omitted which might have proceeded of negligence his absence from the pursuit of his Quarter was the cause that such French as were appointed there to defend seeing no pursuer came to the relief of their fellowes and so they two joyning together with great slaughter gave the repulse to our Company The French-mens harlots of whom the most part were Scotish whores did no lesse cruelty then did the Souldiers For besides that they charged their Pieces and ministred unto them other weapons some continually cast stones some carried Chimneyes of burning fire some brought Timber and other impediments of weight which with great violence they threw over the wall upon our men but especially when they began to turn back Now albeit in all this we acknowledge to be the secret work of God who by such means would beat down as well the pride of England as of Scotland yet neither ought the feeblenesse nor falshood of man be excused neither yet the crueltie of the adversaries concealed The Queen Regent sat all the time of the assault which was both terrible and long upon the fore-Wall of the Castle of Edinburgh and when she perceived the overthrow of us and that the Ensignes of the French were again displayed upon the Walls she gave a gawfe of laughter and said Now will I go to the Masse and praise God for that which mine eyes have seen And so was Frier Black ready for that purpose whom she her selfe a little before had deprehended with his Harlot in the Chappell But Whoredom and Idolatry agree well together and that our Court can witnesse this day the 16 of May 1566. The French proud of the Victory stripped naked all the slain and laid their dead carkases before the hot Sun along the wall where they suffered them to lie more dayes then one Unto the which when the Queen Regent looked for mirth she leapt and said Yonder is the fairest tapistrie that ever I saw I would that the whole fields that is betwixt this place and you were strowed with the same stuffe This fact was seen of all and her words were heard of some and it
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
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
should have beene of the Religion of the Romane Emperours What Religion should have been upon the face of the earth Daniel and his fellows were subjects to Nebuchad-nezzar and unto Darius and yet Madame they would not be of their Religion neither of the one nor of the other For the three Children said We make it knowne to thee O King That we will not worship thy Gods And Daniel did pray publikely unto his God against the expresse Commandment of the King And so Madame ye may perceive that Subjects are not bound to the Religion of their Princes albeit they are commanded to give them obedience Yea quoth she none of these men raised their Sword against their Princes Yet Madame quoth he ye cannot deny but they resisted For those that obey not the Commandments given in some sort resist But yet said she they resisted not by the Sword God said she Madame had not given them the power and the meanes Thinke you said she That Subjects having power may resist their Princes If Princes do exceed their Bounds quoth he Madame and doe against that wherefore they should be obeyed there is no doubt but they may be resisted even by Power For there is neither greater Honour nor greater Obedience to be given to Kings and Princes then God hath commadned to be given to Father and Mother But so it is That the Father may be stricken with a Phrenzie in the which he would slay his owne Children Now Madame if the children arise joyn themselves together apprehend the Father take the Sword or other Weapon from him and finally binde his hands and keepe him in Prison till that his Phrensie be over-past Thinke ye Madame that the children do any wrong Or thinke ye Madame that God will be offended with them that have stayed their Father from committing wickednesse It is even so said he Madame with Princes that would murther the children of God that are subject unto them Their blinde zeale is nothing but a very mad phrenzie and therefore to take the sword from them to binde their hands and to cast them into prison till that they be brought to a more sober minde is no disobedience against Princes but just obedience because that it agreeth with the Word of God At these words the Queene stood as it were amazed more then a quarter of an houre her countenance altered so that the Lord Iames began to entreat her and to demand What hath offended you Madame At length she said Well then I perceive that my Subjects shall not onely obey you and not me And shall do what they list and not what I command and so must I be subject unto them and not they to me God forbid answered he that ever I take upon me to command any to obey me or yet to set Subjects at liberty to do whatsoever please them but my travell is That both Princes and Subjects obey GOD. And thinke not said he Madame that wrong was done unto you when you are willed to be subject unto GOD for it is he that subjects the people under Princes and causes obedience to be given unto them yea God craves of Kings That they be as it were Foster-Fathers to the Church and commands Queens to be Nourishers unto his People And this subjection Madame unto God and to his troubled Church is the greatest dignity that flesh can get upon the face of the earth for it shall carry them to everlasting glory Yea quoth she but ye are not the Church that I will nourish I will defend the Church of Rome for I think it is the true Church of God Your will quoth he Madame is no reason neither doth your thought make that Romane Harlot to be the Immaculate Spouse of Jesus Christ. And wonder not Madame that I call Rome an Harlot for that Church is altogether polluted with all kinde of Spirituall Fornication as well in Doctrine as in Manners yea Madam I offer my selfe further to prove That the Church of the Jewes who crucified Jesus Christ when that they manifestly denied the Sonne of God was not so farre degenerated from the Ordinances and Statutes which God gave by Moses and Aaron unto his People as the Church of Rome is declined and more then five hundred yeers hath declined from the Purity of Religion which the Apostles taught and planted My conscience said she is not so Conscience Madame said he requires knowledge and I fear that of right knowledge you have but little But said she I have both heard and read So Madame said he did the Jewes that crucified Christ Jesus reade both the Law and the Prophets and heard the same interpreted after their manner Have ye heard said he any teach but such as the Pope and his Cardinalls have allowed And you may be assured That such will speak nothing to offend their owne state Ye interpret the Scriptures said she in one manner and they in another Whom shall I believe and who shall be Judge Believe said he God that plainly speaketh in his Word And further then the Word teacheth you ye shall neither believe the one nor the other The Word of God is plain in it self And if there appear any obscurity in one place the holy Ghost which is never contrarious to himself explains the same more clearly in other places So that there can remaine no doubt but unto such as obstinately will remaine ignorant And now Madame said he to take one of the chief Points which this day is in controversie betwixt the Papists and us for example The Papists alleadge and boldly have affirmed That the Masse is the Ordinance of God and the Institution of Jesus Christ and a Sacrifice for the quick and the dead We deny both the one and the other and affirme That the Masse as it is now used is nothing but the Invention of man and therefore it is an Abomination before God and no Sacrifice that ever God commanded Now Madame who shall judge betwixt us two thus contending It is not reason that either of the persons be further believed then they are able to prove by insuspect witnessing Let them lay downe the Book of God and by the plain words prove their affirmatives and we shall give unto them the play granted But so long as they are bold to affirme and yet do prove nothing we must say That albeit all the world believe them yet believe they not God but do receive the lyes of men for the Truth of God What our Master Christ Jesus did we know by his Evangelists What the Priests do at the Masse the world seeth Now doth not the Word of God plainly assure us That Christ Jesus neither said nor yet commanded Masse to be said at his last Supper seeing that no such thing as the Masse is made mention of within the whole Scriptures You are over-hard for me said the Queen but if they were here whom I have heard they would answer you
but to live upon that which was appointed ought not to be mollified according to the living of other common men who might and did daily augment their Rents by some other industry When such reasons were laid before them they got none other answer but The Queen can spare no greater Sums Oft was it cryed out in their ears O happy servants of the Devill and miserable servants of Iesus Christ if after this life there were nor Hell nor Heaven For to the servants of the Devill these dumbe Dogs and horrid Bishops To one of those idle bellies I say ten thousand was not enough but to the servants of Christ that painfully preach his Evangell a hundreth will suffice how can that be sustained One day in reasoning of this matter the Secretary burst out in a piece of his collor and said The Ministers have thus much payed unto them by year who ever yet said to the Queen Grand mercies for it was there ever a Minister that gave thanks to God for her Majesties liberalitie towards them One singled and answered Assuredly I think that such as receive any thing gratis of the Queen are unthankfull if they acknowledge it not both in heart and minde But whether the Ministers be of that rank or not I greatly doubt gratis I am sure they receive nothing and whether they receive any at all from the Queen wise men may reason I am assured that neither third nor two parts ever appertained to any of her Predecessors within this Realm these thousand years last past neither yet hath the Queens Flatterers better title to that which she usurpes be it in-giving to others or taken it to her self then the souldiers who crucified Jesus Christ had to divide his Garments amongst them And if the truth may be spoken she hath not so good Title as they had for such spoile ought to be the reward of such men And in that point the Souldiers were more gentle than the Queenes Flatterers for they parted not the Garments of our Saviour till that he himself was hung upon the Crosse but her Flatterers do part the spoil whilest that poor Christ is yet preaching amongst you But the wisedome of our God taketh tryall of us by this meanes knowing well enough what the Court faction have purposed to do Let the Papists who have the two parts some that have their thirds free and some that have gotten Abbeys and few Lands thanke the Queen and King Placebo Domine the poore Preachers will not yet flatter for feeding of their bellies These words were judged proud and intollerable and ingendred no small displeasure to the Speaker This we put in memory that the posterity to come may know that God once made his truth to triumph but because some of our selves delighted more in darknesse than in light God hath restrained our freedom and put the whole body in bondage yea the greatest Flatterers have not escaped so free as they supposed yea the latter plagues appear yet to be worse than the first Be mercifull unto us O Lord and deal with us not according to our deservings but look thou to the equitie of the cause which thou hath put in our hands and suffer not iniquitie to oppresse thy Trueth for thy own names sake O Lord. In this mean while to wit in February 1561. was Lord Iames first made Earl of Murray and then marryed one Agnes Keith daughter to the Earl Marshall The marriage was publike in the Church of Edinburgh at the blessing of the marriage they both got one admonition to behave themselves moderately in all things For said the Preacher to him The Church of God hath received comfort by you and by your labours unto this day In the which if hereafter you shall be found fainter then you have been formerly it will be said That your Wife hath changed your nature The greatnesse of the Bankquet and the vanitie used thereat offended many Godly There began the Masking which from yeer to yeer hath continued since Master Randolph Agent for the Queen of England was then and sometime after in no small esteem with our Queen For his Mistris sake she did drink to him in a Cup of Gold which he possessed with great joy more for the favour of the giver then of the gift and value thereof and yet it was honourable The things that then were in handling betwixt the two Queens whereof Lethington Secretary Cecill and Master Randolph were Ministers were of great weight as we will after heare This Winter the Earl of Bothwell the Marquis D'albuff and Lord Iohn of Coldingham committed ryot in Edinburgh and disordered the whole Town brake Cuthbert Ramseyes Gates and Doors searched his House for his Daughter in law Alison Craige And this was done in despight of the Earl of Arrane who was suspected to have been in love with the said Alison the horrours of this fact and the veritie of it highly commoved all godly hearts The Assembly and also the Nobilitie for the most part were in the Town and so they concluded to crave justice and so they did as by this subsequent supplication doth appear To the Queens Majestie Her secret Councell Her Highnesse faithfull and obedient Subjects The professors of Christ Iesus his holy Evangell wish the Spirit of righteous judgement THe fear of God conceived of his holy Word the naturall and unfained love we bear unto your Majestie the duetie which we owe to the quietnesse of our Country and the terrible threatnings which our God pronounceth against every Realm and Citie in the which horrible Crimes are openly committed and then by the Committers obstinately defended compells us a great part of our Subjects humbly to crave of your Majesties upright and true judgement against such persons as have done what in them lye to kindle Gods wrath against this whole Realm The impiety by them committed is so haynous and so horrible That as it is a fact most vile and rare to be heard of within the Realm and principally within the Bowels of this Citie So should we thinke our selves guiltie of the same if negligently or yet for worldy fear we put it over with silence and therfore your Majestie may not think that we crave any thing while that we crave open Malefactors condignly to be punished But that God hath commanded us to crave and also hath commanded your Majestie to give to every one of your Subjects for by this Lynk hath God knit together the Prince and people that as he commands honour fear and obedience to be given to the powers established by him so doth he in expresse words command and declare what the Prince oweth unto the Subjects to wit That as he is the Minister of God bearing the sword for vengeance to be taken on evill doers and for the denfence of peaceable and quiet men so ought he to draw the sword without partialitie so oft as in Gods Name he is required thereto Seeing so it
second Booke of the Historie Commissions and charge was given unto Iohn Knox Minister of Edinburgh and unto certain of the Elders of the Church of Edinburgh to passe to the Town of Iedwart where the slander was raised and to be found there the third of Ianuary next was the tryall to be taken of the slander raised and to hear the Articles and complaint of the said Paul and after the tryall to report the truth to the Session of the Church of Edinburgh To whom with the assistance of the superintendent of Lowthian Commission was given to discerne therein The tryall and examination of that crime was difficile the slander was universall in that Towne and Country the servant woman of the said Paul had betwixt that and Christmas left his House she had borne a child no father to it could she finde but alleaged her self to have been suppressed late in an Evening the said Paul constantly affirmed himself innocent and would have given his publike purgation but because his Accusators had taken on them to prove ther accusation that was denyed many witnesses were produced of whom some deposed so clearly that the Commissioners suspected that they had been suborned and therefore they required to have inspection of the places where some said they saw and some said they heard them in the very act of iniquitie The sight and consideration of the place augmented greatly the suspition but one thing was most suspitious of all other for the Wife of the sad Paul an ancient Matron was absent from him the space of eight or nine weeks in Dundie which time or at least a great part thereof they suspected and he lay nightly in one house without other company then a Childe of seven or eight yeers of age The Judges notwithstanding these suspitions having a good opinion of the honestie and godlinesse of the man travelled what they could conscience not hurt to purge him of the slander But God who would not that such a Villanie should be cloaked and concealed within his Kirk otherwayes had decreed for he brought the brother of the guilty woman to the Towne having no minde of such matters who being produced by the Accusators as one that was privy to the fact and knew the veritie of all circumstances this witnesse we say which could not be suspected being produced made the matter so plain and clear that all suspition was removed for he it was that conveyde the woman away he it was that caused the Childe to be baptised alleaging it to be his own he it was that carried frequent message betwixt them and from Paul carryed money and clothes divers times How soon that ever the said Paul saw that man produced as Witnesse he withdrew himselfe and left the Town by that means plainly taking upon him the Crime And so the Commissioners with full information returned to Dundie and notified the same unto the Kirke who caused publikely to summon the said Paul to hear the sentence pronounced who not appearing in the end for his odious Crime and contumacy was publikely excommunicated and was deprived of all functions within the Kirke of Scotland and so left the Realme For two causes we insert this horrible fact and the order kept in punishing of the same the former to forewarn such as travell in that Vocation that according to the admonition of the Apostle Such as stand take heed lest they fall No man in the beginning of the Evangell was judged more fervent and more upright and yet we have heard how far Sathan has prevailed against him God grant that we may hear of his repentance neither yet should this fall do any thing to prejudice the Authoritie of the Doctrine which he taught for the Doctrine of God hath its authority of no creature but hath the assurance of God himselfe how weak or imperfect soever the Instruments be by whom it pleaseth God to publish the same The treason of Iudas the Adultery of David and abnegation of Peter did derogate nothing from the glory of Christs Evangell nor yet the Doctrine which before they had taught but declared the one to be a Reprobate and the other to be Instruments in whom mercy must surmount judgement The other cause is that the World may see what difference there is betwixt the uprightnesse of the Kirke of God and the corruption that reignes in the Synagogue of Sathan the Papisticall rabble for how many of that sort hath been and still remaine openly knowne Whoremongers Adulterers Violators of Virgines yea and committers of such abominations as we will not name and yet are they called and permitted to be Bishops Archbishops Cardinalls and Popes themselves For what sinnes can unable the sworne servants of Symonie and of their Father the Devill For bragg what they list of Christ of Peter and of Paul their lives and conversation bear witnesse to whom they belong But we return to our History of things done in Court Amongst the Menizoons of the Court there was one named Monsieur Chattelet a Frenchman that at that time passed all others in credit with the Queene In dancing of the purpose so terme they that dance in the which man and woman talketh secretly wise men would judge such fashions not agreeable to the gravity of honest women In this dance the Queen choose Chattelet and Chattelet took the Queen for he had the best dresse All this winter Chattelet was so familiar with the Queen that the Nobilitie being by this means stopped to have so free accesse as they thought fit and due unto them were highly offended at length Chattelet having conveyed himselfe privately under the Queens Bed but being espied was commanded away The Bruit arising the Queene called the Earle of Murray and bursting in a womanly affection charged him that as he loved her he should slay Chatelet and let him never speak word The other at the first made promise so to doe but after calling to minde the judgement of GOD pronounced against the shedders of innocent blood and also that none should die without the testimonie of two or three witnesses returned and fell upon his knees before the Queen and said Madame I beseech your Majestie cause not me to take the blood of this man upon me Your Majestie hath used him so familiarlie before that you have offended all your Nobilitie and now if he shall be secretly slain at your owne commandment what shall the world judge of it I shall bring him to the presence of Justice and let him suffer by Law according to his deserving Oh said the Queene you shall not let him speake I shall doe said he Madame what in me lyeth to give your Majestie content Poor Chattelet was brought back from Kingorne to Saint Andrews examined put to an Assize and so beheaded the two and twentieth day of February Anno Dom. 1562. He begged license to write to France the cause of his death which said he in his Tongue was Pour estre
trouve en lien trop suspect that is Because I was found in a place too much suspected At the place of Execution when he saw that there was no remedie but death he made a godly confession and granted that his declining from the truth of God and following of vanitie and impietie was justly repayed unto him But in the end he concluded looking unto the Heavens with these words O cruelle Dame What that complaint imported I leave it to conjecture and so received Chattelet the reward of his dancing for he lost his Head that his Tongue should not utter the secrets of our Queen deliver us O Lord from the rage of so inordinate a Court. The year of God 1563. there was a universall death in all Scotland but in the North where the Harvest before the Queene had been there was a great Famine of which may died in that Countrey the dearth was great over all but the Famine in the Wheat the Beare or Barley the Meale the Oates Beefe Mutton c were exceeding dear and scant yea all things appertaining to the sustentation of man in triple and more exceeded their accustomed prices And so did God according to the threatning of the Law punish the Idolatry of our wicked Rulers and our ingratitude that suffered them to defile the Land with that abomination again that God so potently had purged by the power of his Word for the riotous Feasting and excessive Banquetting used in City and Countrey wheresoever that the prophane Court repaired provoked God to strike the Staffe of Bread and to give his maledictions upon the fruits of the earth But alas who looked or yet looks to the true cause of our Calamitie Lethington was absent as before we have heard in the Queens affairs the Papists at that Pasch. Ann. 1563. in divers parts of the Realm had erected that Idoll the Masse amongst whom the Bish. of S. Andrews the Prior of Quihithorn with divers others of that faction would avow it Besides the first Proclamation there had Letters past in the contrary with certification of death to the contraveiner The Brethren universally offended and espying that the Queene by Proclamation did but delude them determined to put to their own hands and to punish for example of others and so some Priests in the West-Land were apprehended Intimation made unto others as to the Abbot of Cosragnell the Parson of Sangohar and such that they should neither complaine to the Queene nor Counsell but should execute the punishment that God has appointed to Idolaters in his Law by such means as they might where ever they should be apprehended The Queen stormed at such freedom of speaking but she could not amend it for the Spirit of God of boldnesse and of wisdome had not left the most part of such as God had made Instruments in the beginning they were of one minde to maintaine the truth and to suppresse Idolatry particularities had not divided them and therefore could not the Devill working in the Court and in Papists do then what they would and therefore the Court began to invent a new craft The Queen advised to send for Iohn Knox to come to her where she lay at Lochlevin She dealt with him earnestly two houres before supper that he would be the Instrument to perswade the people and principally the Gentlemen of the West not to put hand to punish any man for the using of themselves in their religions as pleased them The other perceiving her craft willed her Majestie to punish Malefactors according to the Laws and he durst promise quietnesse upon the parâ— of all them that professed the Lord Jesus within Scotland But if her Majestie thought to delude the Laws he said he feared some would let the Papists understand that without punishment they should no be suffered so manifestly to offend Gods Majestie Will ye quoth she allow that they shall take my Sword in their hand The Sword of Justice quoth he Madame is Gods and is given to Princes and Rulers for one end which if they transgresse sparing the wicked and oppressing the Innocents They that in the fear of God execute Judgement where God hath commanded offend not God although Kings do it not neither yet sin they that bridle Kings to strike innocent men in their rage The examples are evident for Samuel spared not to slay Agag the fat and delicate King of Amelek whom King Saul had saved Neither spared Elias Iezabels false Prophets and Baals Priests albeit that King Achab was present Phineas was no Magistrate and yet feared he not to strike Zimri and Cozbi in the very act of filthy Fornication And so Madame your Majesty may see that others then chief Magistrates may lawfully punish and have punished the vice and crimes that God commands to be punished For Power by Act of Parliament is given to all Judges within their own bounds to search the Masse-mongers or hearers of the same and to punish them according to the Law And therefore it shall be profitable to your Majesty to consider what is the thing your Majesties subjects look to receive of your Majesty and what it is you ought to do unto them by mutuall Contract They are bound to obey you and that not but in God ye are bound to keep Laws unto them Ye crave of them service They crave of you Protection and Defence against wicked doers Now Madame if ye shall deny your Duty unto them who especially crave that ye punish Malefactors Think ye to receive full Obedience of them I fear Madame ye shall not Herewith she being somewhat offended past to her Supper The said Iohn left her and informed the Earle of Murray of the whole reasoning and so departed of finall purpose to have returned to Edinburgh without any further communication with the Queen But before the Sun rising on the morne were two directed Wat Melvill was the one to him commanding him not to depart whilst he had spoken with the Queens Majesty which he did and met her at the Hawking by West Kinros Whether it was the nights sleepe or a deep dissimulation locked in her brest that made her to forget the former anger wise men may doubt But thereof she never moved word but began divers other purposes such as the offering of a Ring to her by the Lord Ruthuen whom said she I cannot love for I know him to use Enchantment and yet he is one of my Privy Councell Whom blameth your Majesty said the other thereof Lethington said she was the whole cause That man is absent for this present said he Madame and therefore I will speak nothing in that behalfe I understand said the Queen That ye are appointed to go to Dumfreis for the Election of a Superintendent to be established in those Countreyes Yes said he those Quarters have great need and some of the Gentlemen so require But I heare said she That the Bishop of Caithnes would be Superintendent He is one
Idolatry shall be reputed a crime little inferiour to Treason God grant that we fall not farther And now I whom God of his mercy hath made one amongst many to travell in setting forward his true Religion within this Realme seeing the same in danger of ruine cannot but in conscience crave of you my brethren of all states that have professed the truth your presence comfort and assistance at the said day in the Town of Edinburgh even as ye tender the advancement of Gods glory the safety of your brethren and your own assurance together with the preservation of the Church in these appearing dangers It may be perchance that perswasions be made to the Countrey and that ye may be informed that either your assembly is not necessary or else that it will offend the upper Powers and my good hope is that neither flattery nor fear shall make you so farre to decline from Christ Jesus as that against your publike promise and solemne Band you will leave your Brethren in so just a cause and albeit there were no great danger yet cannot our Assembly be unprofitable for many things requiring consultation which cannot be had unlesse the wisest and godliest convene And thus doubting nothing of the assistance of our God if that we uniformly seek his glory I cease farther to trouble you committing you heartily to the protection of the Eternall JOHN KNOX From Edinburgh the eighth day of October 1563. THe Brethren advertised by this Letter prepared themselves so many as was thought expedient for every Towne and Province to keep the day appointed but by the means of some false brethren the Letter came to the hands of the Queene and the manner was this It was read in the Towne of Ayre where was present Master Robert Cunningham stiled Minister of Fâ—itfurd who then was holden a professor of the Evangell by what meanes we know not gat the said Letter and sent it with his token to Master Henry Sincleare then President of the Seat and Colledge of Justice stiled Bishop of Rosse a perfect Hypocrite and a conjured Enemie to Christ Jesus whom God after stroke according to his deservings The said Master Henry being Enemy to all that unfainedly professed the Lord Jesus but chiefly to Iohn Knox for the libertie of his Tongue for he had affirmed as ever still he doth affirme That a Bishop that receives profit and feeds not the Flock even by his owne labours is both a Thiefe and a Murtherer The said Master Henry we say thinking himselfe happie that he had found so good occasion to trouble him whose life he hated posted the said Letter with his counsell to the Queen who then lay in Sterlin The lettet being read it was concluded by the Councell of the Cabinet that is by the most secret Councell That it imported Treason whereof the Queen did not a little rejoyce for she thought once to be avenged of that her great Enemy It was concluded that the Nobilitie should be written for that the condemnation should have the greater Authoritie the day was appointed about the midst of December which was kept of the whole Councell and of divers others such as the Master of Maxwell the old Laird of Lethington and the said President In the meane time the Earle of Murray returned from the North to whom Secretary Lethington opened the matter as best pleased him The Master of Maxwell after made Lord Heris gave unto the said Iohn as it were a discharge of the familiaritie which before was great betwixt them unlesse that he would satisfie the Queen at her own will The answer of Iohn Knox was that he knew no offence done by him to the Queens Majestie and therefore he knew not what satisfaction to make No offence said he Have you not written Letters desiring the brethren from all parts to convene to Andro Armstrong and Patrick Cranstons That I grant said the other but therein I acknowledge no offence done by me No offence said he to convocate the Queens Leidges Not for a just cause said the other for greater things were reputed no offence within these two yeers The time said he is now other for then our Soveraigne was absent and now she is present It is neither the absence nor the presence of the Queen said he that rules my conscience but God plainly speaking in his Word what was lawfull to me the last yeer is yet lawfull because my God is unchangeable Well said the Master I have given you my counsell doe as you list but I think you shall repent it if you bow not unto the Queen I understand not said he what you meane I never made my selfe an adverse partie unto the Queens Majestie except in the point of Religion and thereunto I think you will not desire me to bow Well said he you are wise enough but you will not finde that men will beare with you in times to come as they have done in times by past If God stand my friend said the other as I am assured he of his mercy will so long as I depend upon his promise and preferre his glory to my life and worldly profit I little regard how men behave themselves towards me neither yet know I wherinto any one man hath born with me in times by-past unlesse it be that of my mouth they have heard the Word of God which in time to come if they refuse my heart will be perfect and for a season I will lament but the incommodity will be their owne And after these words hereunto the Laird of Lochinvar was witnesse they departed but unto this day the seventeenth day of December 1571. yea never in this life met they in such familiarity as before The bruit of the accusation of Iohn Knox being devulgate Master Iohn Spence of Condie Advocate a man of gentle nature and one that professed the doctrine of the Evangell came as it were in secret to Iohn Knox to enquire the cause of that great bruite to whom the said Iohn was plain in all things and shewed unto him the double of the Letter which heard and considered he said I thank God I came unto you with a fearfull and sorrowfull heart fearing that you had done such a Crime as Lawes might have punished which would have been no small trouble to the heart of all such as have received the Word of life which you have preached but I depart greatly rejoyced as well because I see your own comfort even in the midst of the troubles as that I clearly understand that you have committed no such Crime as you are bruited with you will be accused said he but God will assist you and so he departed The Earle of Murray and the Secretary sent for the said Iohn to the Clerk of the Registers house and began to lament that he had so highly offended the Queens Majestie for the which they feared should come a great inconvenience to him if the businesse were not wisely
it But when divers times I required him to remember his promise I found nothing but delay Whereunto the Secretary answered True it is I promised to write and true it is That M. Knox required me so to do but when I had ripely advised and deeply considered the weight of the matter I found more doubts then I did before And this is one amongst others How durst I being a subject and the Queens Majesties Secretary take upon me to seek resolution of controversies depending betwixt her Highnesse and her subjects without her own knowledge and consent Then was an acclamation of the claw-backs of the Court as if Apollo had given his Responce It was wisely and faithfully done Well said Iohn Knox let worldly men praise worldly wisdome so highly as they please I am assured that by such shifts Idolatry is maintained and the truth of Jesus Christ is betrayed whereof God one day will be avenged At the and at the like sharpnesse were many offended the Voting ceased and every Faction began to speak as affection moved then Iohn Knox in the end was commanded yet to write to Master Calvin and to the learned in other Churches to know their judgement in that Question which he refused shewing his Reason I my self am not onely full resolved in conscience but also I have heard their judgements in this and all other things that I have affirmed within this Realme of the most godly and most learned that he knew in Europe I came not to this Realme without their Resolution and for my assurance I have the hand-writing of many And therefore if I should now move the said Questions again what should I do other but either shew mine own ignorance and forgetfulnesse or else inconstancy And therefore it may please you to pardon me in that I write not But I will teach you the surer way which is That you write and complain upon me That I teach publikely and affirme constantly such doctrine which offends you and so shall you know their plain mindes and whether that they and I agree in judgement or not Divers said the offer was good but no man was found that would be the Secretary and so did that Assembly and long reasoning break up After the which time the Ministers that were called precise were holden as Monsters of all the Courtiers In all that time the Earle of Murray was so frame and strange to Iohn Knox that neither by word nor writ was there any Communication betwixt them c. The end of the long reasoning betwixt John Knox and the Secretary in the moneth of June 1564. The end of the fourth Book THE FIFTH BOOK Of the Reformation of the CHURCH Of SCOTLAND IN the next Moneth which was Iuly the Queen went into Athole to the Hunting and from thence she made her Progresse into Murray and returned to Fyfe in September All this while there was appearance of love and tender friendship betwixt the two Queens For there was many Letters full of Civility and Complements sent from either of them to the other in signe of Amity besides costly Presents for Tokens And in the mean time the Earle of Lenox laboured to come home forth of England and in the moneth of October he arrived at Halyrud-house where he was graciously received by the Queens Majestie namely When he had presented the Queen of England her Letters written in his favour And because he could not be restored to his Lands without Act of Parliament therefore there was a Parliament procured to be holden at Edinburgh the 13 day of December But before the Queen would cause to Proclaim a Parliament she desired the Earle of Murray by whose means chiefly the said Earle of Lenox came into Scotland That there should no word be spoken or at least concluded that concerned Religion in the Parliament But he answered That he could not promise it In the mean time the Hamiltons and the Earle of Lenox were agreed At the day appointed the Parliament was held at Edinburgh where the said Earle of Lenox was restored after two and twenty yeers Exile He was banished and forfeited by the Hamiltons when they had the rule There were some Articles given in by the Church especially for the abolishing of the Masse universally and for punishment of vice but there was little thing granted save that it was Statute That scandalous livers should be punished first by prison and then publikely shewne unto the people with ignominy but the same was not put in execution In the end of this moneth of December the generall Assembly of the Church was held at Edinburgh many things were ordained for setling of the affaires of the Church In the end of Ianuary the Queen past to Fyfe and visiting the Gentlemens houses was magnificently banquetted every where so that such superfluity was never seen before within this Realme which caused the wilde Fowl to be so dear that Partridges were sold for a crown a piece At this time was granted by an Act of Parliament the confirmation of the Fewes of Church Lands at the desire of divers Lords whereof the Earle of Murray was chief During the Queens absence the Papists of Edinburgh went down to the Chappell to hear Masse and seeing there was no punishment they waxed more bold some of them thinking thereby to please the Queen upon a certain Sunday in February they made an Evensong of their own setting two Priests on the one side of the Quire and one or two on the other side with Sandy Stevin Menstrall Baptizing their children and making Marriages who within eight dayes after convinced of Blasphemy alleadging That he would give no more credit to the New Testament then to a Tale of Robin-Hood except it were confirmed by the Doctors of the Church The said superstitious Evensong was the occasion of a great slander for many were offended with it which being by the Brethren declared to the Lords of the Privy Councell especially to the Earle of Murray who lamented the cause to the Queens Majestie shewing her what inconveniency should come if such things were suffered unpunished And after sharp reasoning it was promised That the like should not be done hereafter The Queen also alleadged That they were a great number and that she could not trouble their conscience About the 20 of this moneth arrived at Edinburgh Henry Stewart Lord Darley from thence he past to Fyfe And in the Place of Weemes he was admitted to kisse the Queens hand whom she liked so well that she preferred him before all others As shall hereafter God willing be declared Soon after in the Moneth of March the Earle Bothwell arrived out of France whereat the Earle of Murray was highly offended because of the evil report made to him of the Lord Bothwell And passing immediately to the Queens Majestie demanded of her if it was her will or by her advice that he was come home and seeing he was his deadly enemy either he or the other
well grounded Knowing besides the grudge of conscience that she should receive upon the change of her owne Religion That she should lose the friendship of the King of France the married Allia of this Realme and of other great Princes her Friends and Confederates who would take the same in evil part and of whom she may look for their great support in all her necessities And having no assured consideration that may countervaile the same she will be loth to put in hazard all her friends at an instant praying all her loving subjects seeing they have had experience of her goodnesse that she hath neither in times past nor yet intends hereafter to presse the conscience of any but that they may worship God in such sort as they are perswaded in their conscience to be best That they will also not presse her conscience As to the establishing of Religion in the Body of the Realme they themselves know as appears by their Articles That the same cannot be done onely by consent of her Majestie but requires necessarily the consent of the States in Parliament and therefore so soon as the Parliament holds those things which the States agree upon amongst themselves her Majestie shall consent unto the same and in the mean time shall make sure That no man be troubled for â—sing Religion according to conscience So that no man shall have cause to doubt That for Religions sake mens Lives and Heritage shall be in any hazard To the second Article it is answered That her Majestie thinks it no wayes reasonable that she should defraud her self of so great a part of the Patrimony of the Crowne as to put the Patronage of Benefices forth of her own hands for her owne necessity in bearing of her Port and common Charges will require the retention thereof and that in a good part in her owne hands Neverthelesse her Majestie is well pleased That consideration being had of her owne necessity And what may be sufficient for the reasonable sustentation of the Ministers a speciall Assignation be made to them in places most commodious and meet With which her Majesty shall not meddle but suffer the same to come to them To the third Article it is answered That her Majestie shall do therein as shall be agreed by the States in Parliament To the fourth Article Her Majesties liberality towards the poore shall alwayes be so far extended as can be reasonably required at her hands To the fifth and sixth Articles Her Majesty will refer the taking order therein unto the States assembled in Parliament As the Queens Majestie came from Saint Iohnston over Forth to the Callender she was conveyed to the Water side of Forth with two hundred Spears For at that time it was bruted That there was some lying in wait at the Path of Dron In the mean time the Earle of Murray was in Locklevin and the Earle of Argyle with him Now in the Callender the Lord Levingston had desired the Queens Majestie to be Witnesse to the Christning of a childe For his Lady was lately delivered and brought to Bed And when the Minister made the Sermon and Exhortation concerning Baptisme the Queens Majestie came in the end and said to the Lord Levingston That she would shew him that favour that she had not done to any other before that is That she would give her presence to the Protestant Sermon which was reckoned a great matter The Queen being in the Callender was informed both by word and Letters by false Brethren That a great part of the Protestants of Edinburgh had lately convened upon Saint Leonards Craigs and there made a Conspiration against her And had chosen for the same purpose certain Captains to governe the rest And without any Tryall or perfect notice taken in the Case she sent to the Provest and Bayliffs of Edinburgh commanding them to take and apprehend Alexander Guthrie Alexander Clerke Gilbert Lawder and Andrew Slater and put them in prison in the Castle This new and unaccustomed fashion of proceeding seemed to be very strange And because the said four persons were not apprehended she sent the next day a Charge to the Provest and Bayliffs and to her owne great Treasurer to passe to the houses of the said foure men and likewise to their Booths or Shops and there to take Inventory of all their Goods and Chattells And commanded the said Treasurer to take the Keyes of the said Houses and Booths together with the said Inventory which was executed in effect especially upon the said Alexander Guthrie his wife he being then common Clerke and one of the greatest in estimation within the Towne his wife and children were shut out of their house and compelled to seek some other lodging in the Town By this manner of proceeding the hearts of all men of spirit and judgement were wonderfully abashed and wounded seeing and perceiving these things so furiously handled upon sinister and wrong Information men never called to their answer nor heard nor any triall taken therein Immediatly thereafter as she came to Edinburgh she called to counsell such as pleased her Majestie and there complains of the said matter alleadging it to be a Conspiracy and manifest Treason And another matter likewise was complained upon That the Earle of Argile as the Queen was surely informed was riding with a great Army to invade the Earle of Athole and his Lands For the first matter it was concluded by the Councell That diligent inquisition should be made in the matter and to that purpose appointed the Queens Advocates M. Iohn Spence of Condie and M. Robert Crichton to examine such as they would and when the said Advocates had called before them and examined a sufficient number and their depositions subscribed and delivered to the Queen there was nothing found worthy of death nor Treason at length the said four persons were summoned to answer at Law For the matter That the Queens Majesty should send to the Earles of Argyle and Athole some of her Councell or familiar servants to take order touching it And when the Secretary the Justice Clarke and Lord of Saint Colme had past to the said Earle of Argyle they found no such thing but in Athole there was great fear come of a sudden fray for after many Proclamations the Fire-Crosse which they made use of in lieu of Beacons was raised in Athole Now as the day of the Parliament approached the Lords pretending to consult before what should be done as well in Religion as for the Commonwealth the fifteenth day of Iuly there conveened at Sterlin the Duke the Earles of Argyle and Murray Rothes and other Lords and Barons and as they were devising and consulting the Queens Majesty taking their meeting in evill part sent her Advocates Master Iohn Spence and Master Crichton to them at Sterlin requiring the cause of their meeting they answered That the speciall occasion of their meeting was for the cause of Religion and the assurance thereof according as they
doubt Festus did understand pronouncing these words Hast thou appealed to Caesar Thou shalt go to Caesar. As if he would say I as a man willing to understand the truth before I pronounce sentence have required of thee to go to Ierusalem where the learned of thine own Nation may hear thy Cause and discern in the same The controversie standeth in matters of Religion thou art accused as an apostate from the Law as a violator of the Temple and a transgressor of the Traditions of their Fathers in which matters I am ignorant and therefore desire information by those that be learned in the same Religion whereof the question is and yet dost thou refuse so many godly Fathers to hear thy cause and dost appeal to the Emperor preferring him to all our judgments of no purpose belike but to delay time Thus I say it might have appeared that Paul did not onely injury to the Judge and to the Priests but also that his cause was greatly to be suspected partly for that he did refuse the judgement of those that had most knowledge as all men supposed of Gods Will and Religion and partly because he appealed to the Emperour who then was at Rome far absent from Ierusalem a man ignorant of God and enemy to all vertue But the Apostle considering the nature of his enemies and what things they had intended against him even from the first day he began freely to speak in the Name of Christ did not fear to appeal from them and from the Judge that would have gratified them They had professed themselves plain enemies to Christ Jesus and to his blessed Evangell and sought the death of Paul yea even by factions and treasonable conspiracy and therefore by no means would he admit them either as Judges in his cause or auditors of the same as Festus required But grounding himself upon strong reasons to wit That he had not offended the Jews neither against the Law but that he was innocent therefore that no Judge ought to give him into the hands of his enemies grounding I say his Appellation upon these reasons he neither regarded the displeasure of Festus neither yet the brute of the ignorant multitude but boldly did appeal from all cognoscance of them to the judgement of the Emperour as said is By these two examples I doubt not but your Honours do understand That it is lawfull to the servants of God oppressed by tyrannts to seek remedy against the same be it by appellation from their sentence or by imploring the help of Civill Magistrates For what God hath approved in Ieremy and Paul he can condemne in none that are so dealt withall I might alleadge some History of the primitive Church serving to the same purpose as of Ambrose and Athanasius of whom the one would not be judged but at Millan where that his Doctrine was heard of all his Church and received and approved by many And the other would in no wise give place to those Councells where he knew that men conspiring against the Truth of God should sit in Judgement and Consultation But because the Scriptures of God are my onely foundation and assurance in all matters of weight and importance I have thought the two former testimonies sufficient as well to approve my Appellation reasonable and just as to declare to your Honours That with safe conscience ye cannot refuse to admit the same If any think it arrogancy or foolishnesse in me to compare my self with Ieremy and Paul let the same man understand That as God is immutable so is the Verity of his glorious Evangell of equall dignity whensoever it is impugned be the members suffering never so weak What I think touching mine owne person God will reveal when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and such as with whom I have been conversant can witnesse what arrogancy or pride they espie in me But touching the Doctrine and cause which that adulterous and pestilent Generation of Antichrists servants who will be called Bishops amongst you have condemned me I neither fear nor shame to confesse and avow before man and Angel to be the Eternall Truth of the Eternall God And in that case I doubt not to compare my self with any member in whom the Truth hath been impugned since the beginning For as it was the Truth which Ieremy did Preach in these words The Priests have not known me saith the Lord but the Pastors have treacherously declined and fallen back from me The Prophets have Prophesied in Baal and have gone after those thingâ— which cannot helpe My people have left the fountain of living Water and have digged to themselves pits which can contain no water As it was a truth That the Pastors and Watch-men in the dayes of Isaiah were become dumb dogs blinde ignorant proud and avaricious And finally as it was a truth That the Princes and the Priests were murtherers of Christ Jesus and cruell persecutors of his Apostles so likewise it is a truth and that most infallible That those who have condemned me the whole rabble of the Papisticall Clergie have declined from the true Faith have given ear to deceivable spirits and to doctrine of devils are the stars fallen from the heaven to the earth are fountains without water and finally are enemies to Christ Jesus denyers of his vertue and horrible blasphemers of his death and passion And further As that visible Church had no crime whereof justly they could accuse either Prophets or the Apostles except their Doctrine onely so have not such as seek my blood other crime to lay to my charge except That I affirm as alwayes I offer to prove That the Religion which now is maintained by fire and sword is no lesse contrarious to the true Religion taught and established by the Apostles then is darknesse to light or the devill to God And also That such as now do claim the title and name of Church are no more the elect Spouse of Christ Jesus then was the Synagogue of the Jews the true Church of God when it crucified Christ Jesus condemned his Doctrine and persecuted his Apostles And therefore seeing that my Battell is against the proud and cruell hypocrites of this age as that Battell of those most excellent instruments was against the false Prophets and malignant Church of their ages Neither ought any man to thinke it strange that I compare my self with them with whom I sustain a common cause Neither ought your Lordships judge your selves lesse addebted and bound to me calling for your support then did the Princes of Iuda think themselves bound to Ieremy whom for that time they delivered notwithstanding the sentence of death pronounced against him by the visible Church And thus much for the right of my Appellation which in the bowells of Christ Jesus I require your Honours not to esteem as a thing superfluous and vain but that ye admit it and also accept me in your
Jesus who hath revealed his Fathers Will to the world neither yet of the Apostles nor primitive Church as before is declared But it is a thing conspired among themselves to the end that their iniquity detestable life and Tyrannie may never be repressed nor reformed And if they Object That godly Emperours did grant and confirm the same I answer That the godlinesse of no man is or can be sufficient Authoritie to justifie a foolish and ungodly fact such I mean as God hath not allowed by his Word for Abraham was a godly man but the denyall of his Wife was such a fact as no godly man ought to imitate The same might I shew of David Hezekiah and Iosiah unto whom I think no man of judgement will preferre any Emperour since Christ in holinesse and wisdom and yet are not their facts no even such as appeared for good causes to be approved nor followed And therefore I say as errour and ignorance remain alwayes with the most perfect man in his life so must their works be examined by another rule then by their own holinesse if they shall be approved But if this Answer doth not suffice then will I answer more shortly That no godly Emperour since Christs Ascension hath granted any such priviledge to any such Church or person as they the whole generation of Papists be at this day I am not ignorant that some Emperours of a certain zeale and for some considerations granted liberties to the true Church afflicted for their maintenance against Tyrants but what serveth this for the defence of their Tyrannie If the Law must be understood according to the minde of the Lawgiver then must they prove themselves Christs true and afflicted Church before they can claim any priviledge to appertaine to them for onely to that Church were the priviledges granted it will not be their glorious Titles neither yet the long possession of the name that can prevail in this so weighty a Cause for all those had the Church of Ierusalem which did crucifie Christ and did condemne his Doctrine We offer to prove by their fruits and Tyrannie by the Prophets and plain Scriptures of God what trees and generation they be to wit unfruitfull and rotten apt for nothing but to be cut and cast into Hell fire yea that they are the very kingdome of Antichrist of whom we are commanded to beware Therefore my Lords to return to you seeing that God hath armed your hands with the sword of Justice seeing that his Law most straightly commandeth Idolaters and false Prophets to be punished with death and that you be placed above your Subjects to reigne as fathers over their Children and further seeing that not onely I but with me many thousand famous godly and learned persons accuse your Bishops and the whole rabble of the Papisticall Clergie of Idolatrie of Murther and Blasphemie against God committed It appertaineth to your Honours to bee vigilant and carefull in so weighty a matter The question is not of earthly substance but of the glory of God and of the Salvation of your selves and of your brethren subject to your charge in which if you after this plain admonition be negligent there resteth no excuse by reason of ignorance for in the name of God I require of you That the Cause of Religion may be tried in your presence by the plain and simple Word of God That your Bishops be compelled to desist from their Tyrannie That they be compelled to make answer for the neglecting of their Office for the substance of the poor which unjustly they usurp and prodigally they do spend but principally for the false and deceivable Doctrine which is taught and defended by their false Prophets flattering Friers and other such venomous Locusts Which thing if with single eyes yee do preferring Gods glory and the Salvation of your Brethren before all wordly Commoditie then shall the same God who solemnly doth pronounce to honour those that do honour him pour his benedictions plentifully upon you he shall be your Buckler protection and Captain and shall represse by his strength and wisdom whatsoever Satan by his supposts shall imagine against you I am not ignorant that great troubles shall ensue your enterprise for Satan will not be expelled from the possession of his usurped Kingdom without resistance But if you as is said preferring Gods glory to your own lives unfainedly seek and study to obey his blessed will then shall your deliverance be such as evidently it shall be known That the Angels of the Eternall do watch make war and fight for those that unfainedly fear the Lord. But if you refuse this my most reasonable and just Petition what defence that ever you appear to have before men then shall God whom in me you contemne refuse you he shall pour forth contempt upon you and upon your posterity after you the spirit of boldnesse and wisedome shall be taken from you your enemies shall raigne and you shall die in bondage yea God shall cut down the unfruitfull trees when they do appear most beautifully to flourish and shall so burne the root that after you shall neither twigge nor branch again spring to glory Hereof I need not to adduce unto you examples from the former ages and ancient histories For your brethren the Nobility of England are a mirrour and glasse in the which ye may behold Gods just punishment For as they have refused him and his Evangell which once in mouth they did professe so hath he refused them and hath taken from them the spirit of wisedom boldnesse and of counsell they see and feel their own misery and yet they have no grace to avoid it They hate the bondage of strangers the pride of Priests and the monstriferous Empire of a wicked woman and yet are they compelled to bow their necks to the yoke of the devill to obey whatsoever the proud Spaniards and misled Mary list to command and finally to stand like slaves with cap in hand till the servants of Satan the shaven sort call them to Councell This fruit do they reap and gather of their former rebellion and unfaithfulnesse towards God They are left confusen in their own counsells he whom in his members for the pleasure of a wicked woman they have exiled persecuted and blasphemed doth now laugh them to scorn suffereth them to be pined in bondage of most wicked men and finally shall judge them to the fire everlasting except that speedily and openly they repent their horrible Treason which against God against his Son Christ Jesus and against the Liberty of their own native Countrey they have committed The same plagues shall fall upon you be you assured if ye refuse the defence of his servants that call for your support My words are sharp but consider my Lords that they are not mine but that they are the threatnings of the Omnipotent who assuredly will perform the voices of his Prophets how that ever carnall men
hearts but their whole minde was upon their bellies for sufficing whereof they devised and imagined that they would appoint Christ Jesus to be their worldly King for he had power to multiply bread at his pleasure Which vain opinion and imagination perceived by Christ Jesus he withdrew himselfe from their company to avoid all such suspition and to let them understand That no such honours did agree with his Vocation who came to serve and not to be served And when this same people sought him againe he sharply rebuked them because they sought him more to have their Bellies fed with corruptible meat then to have their souls nourished with lively Bread that came down from Heaven And thus in the people there was just cause why Christ should withdraw himself from them for a time Why the Disciples should suffer that great danger feare and anguish Saint Marke in his Gospel plainly sheweth saying That their hearts were blinded and therefore did neither remember nor consider the miracle of the Loaves That is Albeit with their hands they had touched that bread by which so great a multitude was fed and albeit also they had gathered up twelve Baskets full of that which remained of a few Loaves which before the Miracle a Boy was able to have borne yet did they not rightly consider the infinite power of Christs Jesus by this wonderfull Miracle And therefore of necessity it was that in their owne Bodies they should suffer trouble for their better instruction When I deeply consider dearly beloved in our Saviour Christ how abundantly and how miraculously the poor and small flock of Christ Jesus was fed within the Realm of England under that elect and chosen Vessell of God to glory and honour Edward the sixt and now again behold not onely the dispersion and scattering abroad but also the appearing destruction of the same under these cursed cruell and abominable Idolaters me thinke I see the same causes to have moved God not onely to withdraw his presence from the multitude but also to have sent his welbeloved servants to the travels of the Seas wherein they were sore tossed and turmoyled and apparently most like to perish What were the affections of the greatest multitude that followed the Gospel in this former rest and abundance is easie to be judged if the life and conversation of every man should have beene thorowly examined For who lived in that rest as that he had refused himself Who lived in that rest as that he had been crucified with Christ Who lived in that rest as that he had certainly looked for trouble to come upon him Yea who lived not rather in delicacy and joy and seeking the world and pleasures thereof caring for the flesh and carnall appetites as though death and sin had clean been devoured And what was this else then to make of Christ an earthly King The Word that we professed daily cryed in our ears that our Kingdome our joy our rest and felicitie neither was is nor should be upon the earth neither in any transitory thing thereof but in heaven into which we must enter by many tiibulations But alas we sleeped in such securitie that the sound of the Trumpet could of many never be perfectly understood but alwayes we perswaded our selves of a certaine tranquility as though the troubles whereof mention is made within the Scriptures of God appertained nothing at all to this age but unto such as of long time are passed before us and therfore was our heavenly Father compelled to withdraw from us the presence of his veritie whose voyce in those dayes we could not beleeve to the end that more earnestly we may thirst for the same and with more obedience embrace and receive it if ever it shall please his infinite goodnesse in such abundance to restore the same againe I mean nothing of those that followed Christ only for their bellies for such perceiving that they could not obtain their hearts desire of Christ have grudged and left him in body and heart which thing their blasphemous voices spake against his eternall verity doth witnesse and declare For such brethren be ye not moved for in the time of their profession they were not of us but were very dissemblers and Hypocrites and therefore God justly permitteth that they blaspheme the Truth which they never loved I mean not that ever such dissembling Hypocrites shall embrace the verity but I meane such as by infirmitie of the flesh and by naturall blindnesse which in this life is never altogether expelled then could not give the very obedience which Gods Word required neither now by weaknesse of faith dare openly and boldly confesse that which their hearts know to be most true and yet lamenteth mourneth both for the imperfection by passed and present from such shall not the amiable presence of Christ for ever be withdrawn but yet again shall the eyes of their soretroubled hearts behold and see that light of Christs Gospell wherein they most delight We the Ministers who were the distributers of this bread the true Word of God wherewith the multitude within England was fed lacked not our offences which also moved God to send us to the Sea And because the offences of no man are so manifest unto me as mine own I will onely censure my self It is not unknown unto many that I the most wretched was one of that number whom God appointed to receive that Bread as it was broken by Christ Jesus to distribute and give the same to such as he had called to this banquet in that part of his table where he appointed me to serve It is not in my knowledge nor judgement to define nor determine what portion or quantity every man received of this bread neither yet how that which they received agreed with their stomacks but of this I am assured That the benediction of Christ Jesus so multiplyed the portion which I received of his hands that during the banquet this I write to the praise of his Name and to the accusation of mine owne unthankfulnesse the bread never failed when the hungry soule craved or cried for food and at the end of the banquet mine own conscience beareth witnesse that mine hands gathered up the crummes that were left in such abundance that the banquet was full among the rest To be plain mine own conscience beareth record to my self how small was my learning and how weak I was of judgement when Christ Jesus called me to be his steward and how mightily day by day and time by time he multiplied his graces with me if I should conceale I were most wicked and unthankfull But alas how blinded was my heart and how little I did consider the dignity of that Office and the power of God that then multiplied and blessed the bread which the people received of my hands this day mine own conscience beareth witnesse to my selfe God I take
deep But such was the deadly despair of him that alwayes had despised Gods Prophets and had most abominably defiled himself with Idolatry that no consolation could enter into his heart but desperately and with a dissembling and fained excuse he refused all the offers of God And albeit God kept touch with that hypocrite for that time which was not done for his cause but for the safety of his afflicted Church yet after escaped he not the vengeance of God The like we reade of Zedekiah the wretched and last King of Iudah before the destruction of the City of Ierusalem who in his great fear and extreme anguish sent for Ieremiah the Prophet and secretly demanded of him How he might escape the great danger that appeared when the Caldeans besieged the City And the Prophet boldly spake and commanded the King if he would save his life and the City to render and give up himself into the hands of the King of Babylon But the miserable King had no grace to follow the Prophets counsell because he never delighted in the said Prophets Doctrine neither yet had shewed unto him any friendly favour But even as the enemies of God the chiefe Priests and false Prophets required of the King so was the good Prophet evilly used sometimes cast into prison and sometimes judged and condemned to die The most evident testimony of the wilfull blinding of wicked Idolaters is written and recited in the same Prophet Ieremiah as followeth After that the City of Ierusalem was burnt and destroyed the King led away prisoner his sons and chief Nobles slain and the whole vengeance of God poured out upon the disobedient yet there was left a remnant in the Land to make use of and possesse the same who called upon the Prophet Ieremiah to know concerning them the will and pleasure of God Whether they should remain still in the Land of Iudea as was appointed and permitted by the Caldeans Or if they should depart and flie into Egypt To certifie them of this their duty they desire the Prophet to pray unto God for them Who condescending and granting their Petition promised to keep back nothing from them which the Lord God should open unto him And they in like manner taking God to record and witnesse made a solemn Vow To obey whatsoever the Lord should answer unto him But when the Prophet by the inspiration of the Spirit of God and assured revelation and knowledge of his Will commanded them to remain still in the Land that they were in promising them if they so would do That God would there plant them and that he would repent of all the plagues that he had brought upon them and that he would be with them to deliver them from the hands of the King of Babylon But contrariwise if they would not obey the voyce of the Lord but would against his Commandment go to Egypt thinking that there they should live in rest and aboundance without any fear of Warre and penury of victuall then the very plagues which they feared should come upon them and take them For saith the Prophet it shall come to passe That all men that obstinately will go to Egypt there to remain shall die either by sword by hunger or pestilence But when the Prophet of God had declared unto them this plain sentence and will of God I pray you what was their answer The text declared it saying Thou speakest a lie neither hath the Lord our God sent thee unto us commanding that we should not go into Egppt but Baruch the sonne of Neriah provoketh thee against us that he may give us into the power of the Caldees that they might kill us and lead us prisoners into Babylon And thus they refused the counsell of God and followed their owne fantasies Here may be espied in this people great obstinacie and blindnesse for nothing which the Lord had before spoken by this Prophet Ieremy had fallen in vain Their own eyes had seen the plagues and miseries which hee had threatned take effect in every point as he had spoken before yea they were yet green and fresh both in minde and presence for the flame and fire wherewith Ierusalem was consumed and burnt was then scantly quenched and yet could they not beleeve his threatnings then spoken neither yet could they follow his fruitfull counsell given for their great wealth and safeguard And why so Because they never delighted in Gods Truth neither had they repented their former Idolatry but still continued and rejoyced in the same as manifestly appeareth in the four and fortieth Chapter of the same Prophet and therefore would they and their wives have been in Egypt where all kinde of Idolatry and Superstition abounded that they without reproach or rebuke might have their Bellyes full thereof in despight of Gods holy Lawes and Prophets In writing hereof it came to my minde that after the death of that innocent and most godly King Edward the sixt while that great tumult was in England for the establishing of that most unhappy and wicked womans Authority I mean of Mary that now reigneth in Gods wrath entreating the same argument in a Town in Buckingam Shire named Hammersham before a great congregation with sorrowfull heart and weeping eyes I fell into this exclamation O England now is Gods wrath kindled against thee now hath he begun to punish as he hath threatned a long while by his true Prophets and Messengers he hath taken from thee the Crown of thy glory and hath left thee without honour as a body without a head And this appeareth to be onely the beginning of sorrows which appeareth to increase for I perceive that the heart the tongue and hand of one English man is bent against another and devision to be in the whole Realm which is an assured signe of desolation to come O England England doest thou not consider that the Common-wealth is like a Ship sailing on the Sea if thy Marriners and Governours shall one consume another shalt thou not suffer shipwrack in short processe of time O England England alasse these plagues are powred upon thee for that thou wouldest not know the most happy time of thy gentle Visitation But wilt thou yet obey the voyce of thy God and submit thy self to his holy words Truly if thou wilt thou shalt finde mercie in his sight and the estate of thy Common-wealth shall be preserved But O England England if thou obstinately wilt return into Egypt that is If thou contract Mariage Confederacie or League with such Princes as do maintain and advance Idolatry such as the Emperour who is no lesse enemy unto Christ then ever was Nero if for the pleasure and friendship I say of such Princes thou returnest to thine old abominations before used under the Papistrie then assuredly O England thou shalt be plagued and brought to desolation by the means of those whose favours thou seekest and by whom thou art
took vengeance upon the disobedient But now briefly by Notes we will touch the rest of Peters act and Christs mercifull deliverance of him which is the end of all troubles sustained by Gods Elect. And first That Peter seeing a mighty winde was afraid and so when he began to sink he cryed Lord save me are three things principally to be noted The first From whence cometh the fear of Gods Elect. The second What is the cause that they faint and fall in adversity The third What resteth with them in the time of this fear and down-sinking And first it is plain That so long as Peter had his eyes fixed upon Christ and attended upon no other thing but the voyce of Christ he was bold and without fear But when he saw a mighty winde not that the winde was visible but the vehement storm and waves of the Sea that were stirred up and carried by the winde were seen then began he to fear and to reason no doubt in his heart that better it had been for him to have remained in his Ship for so might Christ have come to him But now the storm and rage of winde was so vehement that he could never come to Christ and so he greatly feared Whereof it is plain That the onely cause of our fear that have left our Ship and thorow the storms of the Sea would go to Christ with Peter is That we more consider the dangers and letts that are in our journey then we do the Almighty power of him that hath commanded us to come to himself And this is a sinne common to all the elect and chosen children of God That whensoever they see a vehement trouble appearing to lett them and drive them back from the obedience of God then begin they to fear and to doubt of Gods power and good will With this fear was Abraham stricken when he denied his wife This storme saw Moses when he refused to be Gods Messenger And Hezekiahs sore complaint declareth That more he believed considered and looked upon the proud voyces and great power of Sennacherib then he did the promises of the Prophet This I note for this purpose That albeit this late and most raging storm within the Realme of England have taken from you the presence of Christ for a time so that you have doubted whether it was Christ which you saw before or not And albeit that the vehemency of this contrary winde that would drive you from Christ have so employed your ears that almost you have forgotten what he was who commanded you to come to himself when that he cryed Come unto me all ye that labour and are burthened and I shall refresh you Passe from Babylon O my people c. Albeit I say that this raging tempest have stricken such fear in your heart that almost all is forgotten yet dear brethren despair not such offences have chanced to Gods Elect before you If obstinately ye shall not continue yet shall you finde mercy and grace It had been your duty indeed and agreeable to your profession to have looked to Christ alone and to have contemned all impediments but such perfection is not alway with man but happy is he that feeleth himself to sink The cause that Godt elect begin to faint and to sink down in the time of great adversitie is fear and unbelief as in Peter doth appear for so long as he neither feared danger neither mistrusted Christs word so long as the waves above and contrary to their nature did obey and serve his feet as they had been the drie solid and sure ground But so soon as he began to despair and fear so soon began he to sink To instruct us That lively faith maketh man bold and is able to carry us thorow such perils as be uncapable to nature But when faith beginneth to faint then beginneth man to sink down in every danger as in the Histories before rehearsed it may appear and in the Prophets it is plain for Elias at Gods Commandment passing to the presence of King Ahab in the fervency of his faith obtained the fire to come from heaven and to consume his Sacrifice by which also he was made so bold that in the presence of the King he feared nothing to kill his false Prophets But the same Elias hearing of the managing and threatnings of cursed Iezabel and considering that the wrath of a wicked woman could by no reasonable means be appeased he saw a storme and feared the same and so he prepared to flie which he doth not without some sinking down for he began to reason and dispute with God which never can be done by the Creature without foolishnesse and offence The same we finde in Ieremy and many more But the Question may be asked Seeing Christ knew before what should happen to Peter why did he not hinder him from coming from his Boat or else Why did he not so confirm him in faith that he should not have doubted To the which may be answered Albeit that we could render no reason of this work of Christ yet were the work it self a sufficient reason and it were enough to answer That so it pleased him who is not bound to render a reason of all his works But yet if we shall marke with deligence to what Office Peter was to be called and what offences long rested with him we shall finde most just and necessary causes of this work of Christ and down sinking of Peter It is plain that Peter had many notable vertues as a zeal and fervency towards Christs glory and a readinesse and forwardnesse to obey his commandments but it is like plain That of long continuance there rested with Peter a desire of honor and worldly rest and that moved him to perswade Christ that he should not die There rested with him pride presumption and a trust in himself which presumption and vain trust in his own strength unlesse it had been corrected he had never been fit to have fed Christs flock And such sinnes can never be fully corrected or reformed till they be felt known and confessed Doubtlesse so arrogant is our nature that neither will it know nor confesse the infirmitie of it self untill such time as it hath a triall by manifest experience This is most plain by Peter long after this tempest for when Christ said to his Disciples This night shall ye all be slandered in me Peter boldly bragged and said Albeit that all should be slandered and should flie from thee yet shall not I be slandered but I am ready to go to prison and to die with thee This was a bold presumption and an arrogant promise spoken in contempt of all his Brethren from which he could not be reduced by Christs admonition but the more that Christ shewed him that he should deny him the more bold was he to affirm the contrary as though his Master Christ
Word from the whole Realme of England But be thou mindefull O Lord that it is thy Truth which we have professed and that thy enemies blasphemeth thy holy Name and our Profession without Cause Thy holy Gospel is called heresie and we are accused as traytors for professing the same Be mercifull therefore O Lord and be salvation unto us in this time of our anguish Albeit our sins accuse and condemne us yet do thou according to thine own Name We have offended against thee Our sins and iniquities are without number and yet art thou in the midst of us O Lord albeit that tyrants bear rule over our bodies yet thirsteth our souls for the comfort of thy Word Correct us therefore but not in thy hot displeasure spare thy people and permit not thine inheritance to bâ— in rebuke for ever Let such O Lord as now are most afflicted yet once againe praise thy holy Name before thy Congregation Represse the pride of those blood-thirsty Tyrants consume them in thine anger according to the reproach which they have laid against thy holy Name Pour forth thy vengeance upon them and let our eyes behold the blood of thy Saints required of their hands Delay not thy vengeance O Lord but let death devour them in haste Let the earth swallow them up and let them go downe quick to the hells For there is no hope of their amendment the feare and reverence of thy holy Name is quite banished from their hearts and therefore yet again O Lord consume them consume them in thine anger and let them never bring their wicked counsells to effect but according to the godly powers let them be taken in the snare which they have prepared for thine elect Look upon us O Lord with the eyes of thy mercy and shew pity upon us thy weak and sore oppressed Flock Gather us yet once again to the wholesome treasures of thy most holy Word that openly we may confesse thy blessed Name within the Realme of England Grant this O heavenly Father for Christ Iesus thy sons sake Amen If on this manner or otherwise as God shall put in our hearts without hypocrisie in the presence of our God respecting more his glory then our private wealth continually we poure forth our complaint confession and prayers Then so assuredly as our God liveth and as we feel these present troubles shall our God himself rise to our defence he shall confound the counsels of our enemies and trouble the wits of such as most wrongfully troubleth us He shall send Jesu to execute his just judgments against Idolators and against such as obstinately defendeth them Yea the chiefe men of our times shall not escape the vengeance and plagues that are prepared for their portion The flatterers and maintainers of her abominations shall drink the cup of Gods wrath And in despite of the Devill shall yet the glory of Christ Jesus and the brightnesse of his countenance so shine in our hearts by the presence of his grace and before our eyes by the true preaching of his Gospel that altogether we shall fall before him and say O Lord thou art our God we shall extoll thee and shall confesse thy Name for thou â—ast brought wonderous things to passe according to thy counsels which albeit appear to be farre off yet are they true and most assured Thou hast brought to ruine the palaces of tyrants and therefore shall the afflicted magnifie thee and the City of tyrannicall Nations shall fear thee Thou hast been O Lord a strong defence to the poor a sure place of refuge to the afflicted in the time of his anguish This no doubt dear Brethren shall one day be the song of Gods Elect within the Realm of England after that God hath poured forth his vengeance upon these disobedient and blood-thirsty tyrants which now triumpheth in all abominations and therefore yet again beloved in the Lord Abide patiently the Lords deliverance avoyding and flying such offences as may separate and divide you from the blessed felloâ—ship of the Lord Jesus at his second comming Watch and pray resist the â—ivell and row against this vehement tempest and shortly shall the Lord come to the comfort of your hearts which now are oppressed with anguish and care but then shall ye so rejoyce that through gladnesse you shall say Behold this our God we have waited upon him and he hath saved us This is our Lord we have long thirsted for his comming now shall we rejoyce and be glad in his salvation Amen The great Bishop of our souls Jesus our Lord so strengthen and assist your troubled hearts with the mighty comfort of his Holy Ghost that earthly tyrants nor worldly torments have no power to drive you from the hope and expectation of that Kingdom which for the Elect was prepared from the beginning by our heavenly Father to whom be all praise and honour now and ever Amen Remember me dear Brethren in your daily prayers The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Yours with sorrowfull heart JOHN KNOX The Copie of A LETTER Delivered To Queen Mary Regent OF SCOTLAND FROM IOHN KNOX Minister of Gods Word in the yeer of our Lord 1556. and thereafter augmented and explained by the Author in the yeer of our Lord 1558. To the most Excellent Princesse MARY DOVVAGER Regent of Scotland MADAME THE cause which moved me to present this my Supplication unto your Majestie enlarged and in some places explained being in the Realm of Scotland in the Moneth of May 1556. I caused to be presented to your Majesty is the incredible rage of such as beare the Title of Bishops who against all justice and equitie have pronounced against me a most cruell sentence condemning my Bodie to Fire my Soul to Damnation and all Doctrine taught by me to be false deceivable and Hereticall If this injury did tend to me alone having the testimony of a good conscience with silence I could passe the matter being assured that such as they curse and expell their Synagogues for such causes shall God blesse and Christ Jesus receive in his eternall societie But considering that this their blasphemy is vomited forth against the eternall Truth of Christs Evangell whereof it hath pleased the great mercy of God to make me a Minister I cannot cease to notifie as well to your Majestie as to them That so little am I afraid of their Tyrannicall and surmised sentence that in place of the Picture if God impede not my purpose they shall have the Body to justice that Doctrine which they Members of Satan blasphemously do condemne Advertising your Majestie in the mean time That from them their sentence and tyrannie and from all those that lift to maintain them in the same I do appeal to a lawfull and generall Councel beseeching your Majesty to take in good part that I call you for witnesse that I have required the libertie of
tongue and my Cause to be heard before your Majestie and the Body of the Realm before that any such Processe was laid against me as this my Letter directed to your Majesty doth testifie The beginning of the Letter THE Eternall Providence of the same God who hath appointed his chosen Children to fight in this transistory and wretched life a battell strong and difficile hath also appointed their finall victory by a marvellous fashion and the manner of their preservation in their battell more marvellous their victory standeth not in resisting but in suffering as our Soveraign Master pronounceth to his Disciples that in patience they should possesse their soules And the same foresaw the Prophet Esay when that he painteth forth all other battell to be with violence tumult and blood-shedding but the victory of Gods people to be in quietnesse silence and hope meaning that all others that obtain victorie do enforce themselves to resist their adversaries to shed bloood and to murther But so do not the Elect of God but all things they sustain at the commandment of him who hath appointed them to suffer being most assuredly perswaded that then onely they triumph when all wen judge them oppressed For in the Crosse of Christ alwayes is included a secret and hid victory never well known till the sufferer appear all together to be as it were exterminate for then onely did the blood of Abel crie to God when proud Cain judged all memory of his brother to have been extinguished and so I say their victory is marvellous and how that they can be preserved and not brought to utter confusion the eye of man perceiveth not But he whose power is infinite by secret and hid motions toucheth the hearts of such as to mans judgment hath power to destroy them with very pietie and compassion to save his people as in times past he did the hearts of the Egyptian Midwives to preserve the men-children of the Israelites when command was given of Pharoah for their destruction The heart of Pharaohs daughter likewise to pitty Moses in his young infancy exposed to the danger of the waters The heart of Nabuchadnezzar to preserve the Captives alive and liberally to nourish the Children that were found apt to Letters And finally The heart of Cyrus to set at liberty the people of God after long bondage and thraldome And thus doth the invisible power and love of God manifest it self towards his Elect from time to time for two causes specially First to comfort his weake warriers in their manifold temptations letting them understand That he is able to compell such as sometimes were enemies to his people to fight their Cause and to promote their deliverance And secondarily to give a testimony of his favour to them that by all appearance did lâ—ve before as Saint Paul speaketh wanting God in the world as strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel and without the league of his mercifull promise and free grace mâ—de to his Church For who would have affirmed That any of these persons aforenamed had been of that nature and clemency before occasions were offered unto them But the works of mercie shewed to the afflicted have left to as assurance That God used them as vessels of his honour For pitie and mercie shewed to Christs afflicted flock as they never lacked reward temporall so if they be continued and be not changed into crueltie are assured signes and seales of everlasting mercy to be received from God who by his Holy Spirit moveth their heats to shew mercy to the people of God oppressed and afflicted Addition THis Preface I used to give your Majestie occasion more deeply to consider what hath been the condition of Christs Members from the beginning that in so doing ye might see That it is no new thing that the Saints of God be oppressed in the word that ye moved by earnest contemplation of the same might also study rather to save them from murder although by the wicked councels of many ye were provoked to the contrary then to engage your self to the corrupt Clergie who are servants to sinne and Sathan whose fury is bent against God and his verity But this after followeth in our Let-which thus proceedeth Letter YOur Majestie perchance doth wonder to what purpose these things be recited and I in very deed cannot wonder enough that occasion is offered to me a worme most wretched to recite the same at this present for I have looked rather for the sentence of death then to have written to your Majestie in these last and most wicked dayes in which Sathan so blindeth the hearts of many that innocents are condemned their Cause never tried Addition HEreof ye cannot be ignorant For besides these whom ye hear from time to time most cruelly to be murthered in France Italy Spaine Flanders and now of late yeers besides you in England for no other cause but that they professe Christ Jesus to be the onely Saviour of the world The onely Mediator betwixt God and man The onely Sacrifice acceptable for the sins of all faithfull and finally The onely Head to his Church Besides these I say of whom ye hear the brute ye have been witnesse That some within the Realm of Scotland for the same cause most cruelly have been murthered whose cause was never heard with indifferency But murtherers sitting in the Seat of Justice have shed the blood of Christs true Witnesses which albeit did then appear to be consumed away with fire yet it is resent in the presence of him for whose cause they did suffer and ceaseth not to call for vengeance with the blood of Abel to fall upon not onely such as were immediate and next authors of that murther but also upon all those that maintain those tyrants in their tyranny or that do consent to their beastly cruelty or that do not stop having the power in hand Take not this as the affirmation of any man but hear and consider the voice of the Son of God Fulfill saith he the measure of your fathers that all the blood which hath been shed since the blood of Abel the just till the blood of Zachariah c. may come upon this generation Hereby it is evident That the murtherers of our time as well as in the time of Christ are guilty of all the blood that hath been shed from the beginning Fearfull I grant is the sentence yet it is most equall and just For whosoever sheddeth the blood of any one of Christ Jesus his members for professing of his Truth consenteth to all the murther which hath been made since the beginning for that cause So that as there is one communion of all Gods Elect of whom every member is participant of the holy Justice of Christ so is there a communion among the reprobate by which every one of the Serpents seed are criminall and guilty of all iniquity which the whole Body committeth because
you think peradventure That the care of Religion is not committed to Magistrates but to the Bishops and state Ecclesiasticall as they term it but deceive not your self for the negligence of Bishops shall no lesse be required of the hands of the Magistrates then shall the oppession of false Iudges for they injustly promote foster and maintain the one and the other The false and corrupt Iudge to spoil the Goods and to oppresse the bodies of the simple but the proud Prelates do Kings maintain to murther the souls for the which the blood of Christ Iesus was shed and that they do either by withholding from them the true Word of life or else by causing a pestilent Doctrine to be taught unto them such as now is taught in the Papisticall Churches I know that you wonder how that the Religion which is universally received can be so damnable and corrupted But if you consider That ever from the beginning the multitude hath declined from God yea even in the people to whom he spake by his Law and Prophets if ye shall consider the complaint of the Holy Ghost complaining that Nations People Princes and Kings of the earth have raged made Conspiracies and holden Councels against the Lord and against his Annointed Christ Iesus further if ye shall consider the question which Iesus himself doth move in these words When the Sonne of Man shall come shall he finde faith on the earth And lastly if your Majestie shall consider the manifest contempt of God and of all his holy Precepts which this day reigne without punishment upon the face of the whole earth for as Hosea complaineth There is no verity There is no mercy There is no truth this day among men but lies perjury and oppression overflow all and blood toucheth blood that is Every iniquitie is joyned to another If deeply I say your Majestie will contemplate the universall corruption that this day reigneth in all states then shall your Majestie cease to wonder That many are called and few chosen and you shall begin to tremble and fear to follow the multitude to perdition The universall defection whereof Saint Paul doth prophesie is easie to be espied as well in religion as in manners The corruption of life is evident and Religion is not judged nor measured by the plain Word of God but by custome consuetude will consent and determinations of men But shall he who hath pronounced all cogitations of mans heart to be vain at all times accept the counsels and consents of men for a Religion pleasing and acceptable before him Let not your Majestie be deceived God cannot lie God cannot deny himself he hath witnessed from the beginning That no religion pleaseth him except that which he by his own Word hath commanded and established The veritie it selfe pronounceth this sentence In vain do they worship me teaching doctrines the precepts of men And also All plantation which my Heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted out Before the comming of his welbeloved Sonne in the flesh severely he punished all such as durst enterprise to alter or change his Ceremonies and Statutes as in Saul Uzziah Nadab Abihu is to be read And will he now after that he hath opened his counsell to the world by his onely Son whom he commandeth to be heard and after that by his Holy Spirit speaking in his Apostles he hath established the Religion in which he would have his true worshippers to abide unto the end will â—e now I say admit mens inventions in the matter of Religion which he reputed for damnable Idolatry If men and Angels would affirm That he will or may do it his own verity shall convince them of a lie for this sentence he pronounceth Not that which seemeth good in thy eyes shalt thou do to the Lord thy God but that which the Lord thy God hath commandeth thee that do thou adde nothing unto it deminish nothing from it Which sealing up his New Testament he repeateth in these words That which ye have hold till I come c. And therefore yet againe it repenteth me not to say That in this point which is chief and principall your Majesty must disassent from the multitude of Rulers or else you can possesse no portion with Christ Iesus in his Kingdom and glory Addition KNowing by what craft Sathan laboureth continually to keep the world in blindnesse I added these two former points to wit That ye should not think your self free from the Reformation of Religion because ye have Bishops within your Realm neither yet that ye should judge that Religion most perfect which the multitude by wrong custome have embraced In these two points doth Sathan busily labour First That no civill Magistrate presume to take cognisance in the cause of Religion for that must be deferred to the determinations of the Church Secondly That impossible it is that that Religion should be false which so long time so many Councels and so great a multitude of men so divers Nations have allowed authorised and confirmed What is the duty of Magistrates and what power the people hath in such cases granted by God my purpose is to write in a severall Letter to the Nobility and States of the Realm and therefore to avoid tediousnesse and repetition of one thing I now supersede And as touching the second if ye rightly consider the testimonies of Scriptures which I have before alleadged I trust ye shall finde that Objection sufficiently answered for if the opinion of the multitude ought alwayes to be preferred then did God injury to the originall World for they were all of one minde to wit conjured against God except Noah and his familie And if antiquity of time shall be considered in such cases then shall not onely the Idolatrie of the Gentiles but also the false Religion of Mahomet be preferred to the Papistrie for both the one and the other is more ancient then is the Papisticall religion yea Mahomet had established his Alcoram before any Pope in Rome was crowned with a Triple Crown But as touching antiquitie I am content with Tertullian to say Let that be the most pure and perfect Religion which shall be proved most ancient for this is a chief point wherein I will joyn with all the Papists on the earth That their Religion such as it is this day is not of such antiquitie as is that which we contend to be the true and onely Religion acceptable before God neither yet that their Church is the Catholike Church but that it is of late dayes in respect of Christs Institution crept in and devised by man and therefore am bold to affirme it odious and abominable for this is our chief Proposition That in the Religion of God his own Word ought onely to be considered That no Authority of man or Angell ought in that case to be respected And as for their Councels when
the Prophets to defend the wicked deceit fraud and violence in the common people and finally an universall silence of all men none being found to reprehend these enormities Would to God that I might with safetie of conscience excuse you your Counsell and the Idolaters of that Realm from any of these crimes aforenamed The Idolatry which is committed is more evident then that it can be denyed the avarice and crueltie as well of your self as of such as be in authority may be known by the facts For fame carrieth the voices of the poor oppressed by intolerable taxes not onely to us here in a strange Country but I am assured to the ears of the God of hostes The conspiracy and conjuration of your false Prophets is known to the world and yet is none found so faithfull to God nor mercifull to your Majestie that freely will and dare admonish you to repent before that God rise himself in judgement When I name repentance I mean no outward shew of holinesse which commonly is found in Hypocrites but I mean a true conversion to the Lord God from your whole heart with a damning of all superstition and idolatry In which ye have been nourished which with your presence ye have decored and to your power maintained and defended Unlesse I say that this poyson be purged from your heart be your outward life never so glistering before the world yet in the presence of God it is but abominable Yea further I say that where this venome of the Serpent idolatry I mean lurketh in the heart it is impossible but that at one time or other it shall produce pestilent fruits albeit peradventure not openly before men yet before God no lesse odious then the facts of Murtherers Publicanes and Harlots and therefore in my former Letter I said that superfluous it was to require Reformation of manners where the Religion is corrupted Which yet again I repeat to the end that your Majestie more deeply may weigh the matter But now to the rest of the same my former Letter Letter I Am not ignorant how dangerous a thing it appeareth to the naturall man to innovate any thing in matters of Religion and partly I consider That your power Madam is not so free as a publike Reformation perchance would require But if your Majestie shall consider the danger and damnation perpetuall which inevitable hangeth upon all maintainers of a false Religion then shall the greatest danger easily devour and swallow up the smaller If you shall consider That either ye must serve God to life everlasting or else serve the World to death and damnation then albeit that man and angel should disswade you ye will chose life and refuse death And if further ye shall consider that the very life consisteth in the knowledge of the onely true God and of his Son Christ Iesus and that true knowledge hath annexed with it Gods true worship and honour which requireth a testimony of his own Will expressed by his Word That such honour doth please him if you do earnestly meditate these things aforesaid then albeit ye cannot do saddenly what ye would yet shall ye not cease to do what ye may Your Majestie cannot hastily abolish Superstition and remove from offices unprofitable Pastours of whom speaketh Ezekiel the Prophet which to a publike Reformation is requisite and necessary But if the zeal of Gods glory be fervent in your Majesties heart ye will not by wicked Laws maintain Idolatry neither will ye suffer the fury of Bishops to murther and devour the poor Members of Christs body as in times past they have been accustomed which thing if either by blind ignorance ye do or yet for pleasure of others within this Realm permit to be done then except you speedily repent ye and your posteritie shall suddenly feel the depressing hand of him who hath exalted you Ye shall be compelled will ye or not to know that he is eternall against whom ye addresse the Battell and that it is he that moderateth the times and disposeth Kingdoms ejecting from authoritie such as be inobedient and placing others according to his good pleasure That it is he that glorifieth them that do glorifie him and powreth forth contempt upon Princes that rebell against his graces offered Addition IN writing of this parcell as I remembred the impediments which might call you back from God and from his true obedience so did I consider what occasion you had to tremble and to fear before his Majestie and to undergo the losse of all the worldly glory for the promoting of the glory of God I do consider that your power is but borrowed extraordinary and unstable for you have it but by permission of others And seldom it is that women do long raign with felicitie and joy Your most especiall friends moreover blinded by the vanitie of this World yea being drunken with the Cup of that Roman Harlot are mortall enemies to Christ Jesus and to his true Religion These things may easily abash the minde of a Woman not confirmed by grace But yet if you will a little consider with me the causes why that ye ought to hazard all for the glory of God in this behalf the former terrours shall suddenly vanish I do not esteem that thing greatest which peradventure some others do to wit That if ye shall enterprise to innovate any thing in matters of Religion that then ye shall lose your Authoritie and also the favours of your carnall friends I look further to wit To the judgements of God who hath begun already to declare himself angry with you with your Seed and Posteritie yea with the whole Realm above which it should have ruled Impute not to fortune that first your two sons were suddenly taken from you within the space of six houres and after your Husband raft as it were by violence from life and honour the memoriall of his name succession and royall dignitie perishing with himself For albeit the usurped abuse or rather tyranny of some REALMS have permitted Women to succeed to the honour of their Fathers yet must their glory be transferred to the house of a stranger And so I say That with himself was buried his name succession and royall dignitie as he himself did apprehend in dying And in this If ye espy not the anger and hot displeasure of GOD threatning you and the rest of your Posteritie with the same plague ye are more obstinate then I would wish you to be I would ye should ponder and consider deeply with your self That God useth not to punish Realms and Nations with such rare plagues without great cause neither useth he to restore to honours and glory the house which he beginneth once to deject till repentance of the former crimes be found you may perchance doubt what crimes should have been in your Husband you or the Realm for the which God should so grievously have punished you I answer The
their greatest prosperity For the better understanding of this complaint and of the minde of the Prophet we must first observe from whence all Authority floweth and secondly To what end Powers are appointed by God The which two points being discussed we shall the better understand what lords and what authority rules beside God and who they are in whom God and his mercifull presence rules The first is resolved to us by the words of the Apostle saying There is no Power but of God David bringeth in the Eternall God speaking to Judges and Rulers saying I have said Ye are gods and Sons of the Most High And Solomon in the person of God affirmeth the same saying By me Kings raigne and Princes discern the things that are just Of which place it is evident That it is neither Birth influence of Stars election of people force of Arms nor finally whatsoever can be comprehended under the power of nature that maketh the distinction betwixt the superiour power and the inferiour or that doth establish the Royall Throne of Kings but it is the onely and perfect Ordinance of God who willeth his Terrour Power and Majestie in a part to shine in the Thrones of Kings and in the faces of Judges and that for the profit and comfort of man So that whosoever would studie to deface that order of Regiment that God hath established and by his holy Word allowed and bring in such a confusion as no difference should be betwixt the upper Powers and the subjects doth nothing but evert and turne upside downe the very Throne of God which he will to be fixed here upon earth as in the end and cause of this Ordinance more plainly shall appear which is the second Point we have to observe for the better understanding of the Prophets words and minde The end and cause then why God printeth in the weak and feeble flesh of man this Image of his own Power and Majestie is not to puff up flesh in opinion of it self neither yet that the heart of him that is exalted above others shâ—ll be lifted up by presumption and pride and so despise others but that he shall consider that he is appointed Lieutenant to one whose eyes continually watch upon him to see and examine how he behaveth himself in his Office Saint Paul in few words declareth the end wherefore the sword is committed to the powers saying It is to the punishment of the wicked doers and unto the praise of such as do well Of which words it is evident That the sword of God is not committed to the hand of man to use as it pleaseth him but onely to punish vice and maintain vertue that men may live in such society as before God is acceptable And this is the very and onely cause why God hath appointed powers in this Earth For such is the furious rage of mans corrupt nature That unlesse severe punishment were appointed and put in execution upon malefactors Better it were that man should live among brute and wilde Beasts then among men But at this present I dare not enter into the description of this common place for so should I not satisfie the Text which by Gods grace I purpose to absolve This onely by the way I would that such as are placed in Authority should consider Whether they raign and rule by God so that God ruleth them or if they rule without besides and against God of whom our Prophet here doth complain If any list to take tryall of this point it is not hard For Moses in the election of Judges and of a King describeth not onely what persons shall be chosen to that honour but doth also give to him that is elected and chosen the rule by the which he shall try himself whether God raign in him or not saying When he shall sit upon the throne of his Kingdom he shall write to himself an examplar of this Law in a Book by the Priests and Levites it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life That he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes that he may do them that his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren and that he turn not from the commandment to the right hand or to the left The same is repeated to Ioshuah in his inanguration to the Regiment of the people by God himself saying Let not the Book of this Law depart from thy mouth but meditate in it day and night that thou mayst keep it and do according to all that which is written in it For then shall thy way be prosperous and thou shalt do prudently The first thing then that God craveth of him that is called to the Honour of a King is The knowledge of his Will revealed in his Word The second is An upright and willing minde to put in execution such things as God commandeth in his Law without declining to the right or to the left hand Kings then have not an absolute Power to do in their Regiment what pleaseth them but their Power is limited by Gods Word So that if they strike where GOD hath not commanded they are but murtherers and if they spare where GOD hath commanded to strike they and their Throne are criminall and guilty of the wickednesse that aboundeth upon the face of the earth for lack of punishment O that Kings and Princes would consider what account shall be craved of them as well of their ignorance and misknowledge of Gods Will as for the neglecting of their Office But now to returne to the words of the Prophet In the person of the whole people he doth complain unto God That the Babilonians whom he calleth Other lords besides God both because of their ignorance of God and by reason of their cruelty and inhumanity had long ruled over them in great rigour without pity or compassion had upon the ancient men and famous matrons For they being mortall enemies to the people of God fought by all meanes to aggravate their yoke yea utterly to have exterminate the memory of them and of their Religion from the face of the earth After the first part of this dolorous complaint the Prophet declareth the Protestation of the people saying Neverthelesse in thee shall we remember thy Name others reade it But we will remember thee onely and thy Name But in the Hebrew there is no Conjunction Copulative in that sentence The minde of the Prophet is plaine to wit That notwithstanding the long sustained affliction the people of God declined not to a false and vain Religion but remembred God that sometime appeared to them in his mercifull presence which albeit then they saw not yet would they still remember his Name that is They would call to minde the Doctrine and Promise which at sometimes they heard albeit in their prosperity they did not sufficiently glorifie God
who so mercifully ruled in the midst of them The temptation no doubt of the Israelites was great in those dayes They were carried captives from the Land of Canaan which was to them the gage and pledge of Gods favour towards them for it was the inheritance that God promised to Abraham and to his seed for ever The League and Covenant of Gods Protection appeared to have been broken They lamentably complain That they saw not their accustomed signes of Gods mercifull presence The true Prophets were few and the abominations used in Babylon were exceeding many And so it might have appeared to them That in vain it was that they were called the Posterity of Abraham or that ever they had received the Law or Forme of right Religion from God That we may the better feel it in our selves the temptation I say was even such as if God should utterly destroy all Order and Policie that this day is within his Church that the true preaching of the Word should be suppressed The right use of Sacraments abolished Idolatry and Papisticall abomination erected up again And therewith That our bodies should be taken prisoners by Turks or other manifest enemies of God and of all godlinesse Such I say was their temptation How notable then is this their confession that in bondage they make to wit That they will remember God onely albeit he hath appeared to turn his face from them They will remember his name and will call to minde the deliverance promised Hereof have we to consider what is our duty If God bring us as for our offences and unthankfulnesse justly he may to the like extremity This confession is not the fair flattering words of hypocrites lying and bathing in their pleasures but it is the mighty operation of the Spirit of God who leaveth not his own destitute of some comfort in their most desperate calamities This is then our duty not onely to confesse our God in time of peace and quietnesse but he chiefly craveth that we avow him in the midst of his and our enemies And this is not in us to do but it behoveth That the Spirit of God work in us above all power of nature And thus we ought earnestly to meditate before the battell rise more vehement which appeareth not to be far off But now must we enter in somewhat more deeply to consider these judgements of God This people dealt with all as we have heard was the onely people upon the face of the Earth to whom God was rightly known among them onely were his Laws Statutes Ordinances and Sacrifices used and put in practise They onely invocated his Name and to them alone had he promised his protection and assistance What then should be the cause that he should give them over into this great reproach and bring them into such extremity as his own name in them should be blasphemed The Prophet Ezekiel that saw this horrible destruction forespoken by Isaiah put in just execution giveth an answer in these words I gave unto them Laws that were good in the which Whosoever should walk should live in them But they would not walk in my wayes but rebelled against me And therefore I have given unto them Laws that are not good and Iudgements in the which they shall not live The Writers of the Books of Kings and Chronicles declare this in more plain words saying The Lord sent unto them his Prophets rising early desiring of them to return unto the Lord and to amend their wicked wayes for he would have spared his people and his Tabernacle but they mocked his servants and would not return unto the Lord their God to walk in his wayes Yea Iudah it self kept not the precepts of the Lord God but walked in the Manners and Ordinances of Israel That is Of such as then had declined to Idolatry from the dayes of Ieroboam And therefore the Lord God abhorred the whole seed of Israel that is The whole body of the people he promised them and gave them into the hands of those that spoiled them and so he cast them out from his presence Hereof it is evident That their disobedience unto God and unto the voices of his Prophets was the cause of their destruction Now have we to take heed how we should use the good Laws of God that is his Will revealed unto us in his Word and that Order of Justice that by him for the comfort of man is established amongst men It is no doubt but that obedience is the most acceptable sacrifice unto God and that which above all things he requireth That when he manifesteth himselfe by his word that men follow according to their vocation and commandment Now so it is that God by that great Pastor our Lord Jesus now manifestly in his word calleth us from all impiety as well of body as of mind to holinesse of life and to his spirituall service And for this purpose he hath erected the throne of his mercy among us the true preaching of his word together with the right administration of his Sacraments But what is our obedience let every man examine his own conscience and consider what statutes and lawes we would have to be given unto us Wouldst thou O Scotland have a King to raign over thee in justice equity and mercy subject thou thy selfe to the Lord thy God obey his commandments and magnifie thou that word that calleth unto thee This is the way walke into it and if thou wilt not flatter not thy self the same justice remaineth this day in God to punish thee Scotland and thee Edinburgh in especiall that before punished the land of Iuda and the City of Ierusalem Every Realm or Nation saith the Prophet Ieremy that likewise offendeth shall be likewise punished But if thou shalt see impiety placed in the seat of justice above thee so that in the Throne of God as Salomon doth complain raigneth nothing but fraud violence accuse thy own ingratitude and rebellion against God for that is the only cause why God taketh away as the same Prophet in another place doth speak the strong man and the man of war the Judge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged the Captain and the honourable the Counsellor and the cunning Artificer And I will appoint saith the Lord children to be their Princes and babes shall rule over them Children are extortioners of my people and women have rule over them If these calamities I say apprehend us so that we see nothing but the oppression of good men and of all godlinesse and wicked men without God to reigne above us Let us accuse and condemn our selves as the onely cause of our own miseries For if we had heard the voyce of the Lord our God given upright obedience unto the same God should have multiplyed our peace should have rewarded our obedience before the eyes of the world But now let us hear what the Prophet saith further
abomiâ—ations were revolted then was the Boat in the midst of the Sea Two speciall Notes of this discourse The first Note Who ruled all by wit under K. Edward 6 John 13. Psalm 40. Godly Princes commonly have most uugodly Counsellors Note well 2 Reg. 17. Esa. 22. Matth. 26. John 12. Quest. Answ. The enemies of the verity many times appear to be most profitable for a Common-Wealth Mischief at the length will so utter it self that men may espie it Esa. 22.36 Esa. 22. If David and Hezekiah were deceived by traiterous Councellors how much more a young and innocent King The Author might fear this indeed Paulet is painted The Treasurers words against the authority of Mary Caiaphas prophesied Judge at the end The second Note Tyrants cannot cease to persecute Christs Members Gen. 21. Gen. 28. Exod. 5 6 7 8 c. John 5. 12. The power of Gods Word put the Papists to silence in England except it had been to brag in corners Princes are ready to persecute as malicious Papists will command Job 12. 2 Cor. 4. Ephes. 2. 1 Reg 16 18. John 13. John 8. Wily Winchester Dâ—eaming Duresme Bloody Bonner This is the cruse before omitted why the winde blew to trouble Christs disciples The prayer of the author Exhortation Isai. 48 51.54 62. The coming of Christ to his dâ—sâ—iplâ—s upon the Sâ—â—s is opâ—ned Christ is sute upon the mountain God never brought his people into trouble to the intent that they should perish therein Mark these words Christ came not to his disciples till the fourth watch The causes why Christs disciples misknew him What chanced to Christ that also in all ages chanceth to his holy Word The fear is greatest when deliverance is â—ost nâ—gh Exod. 5 6 c. 5 Reg. 7. Isai. 36 37. Note Why God suffereth tribulation to abound and continue Exod. 14. Note Exod. 10â— Iezabel Athalia and Iudas Gardâ—â—r Tunstal Bucherly Bonâ—r The praise of Winchester Durysme and oâ—â—dy Mary before these dayes 4. Reg. 11. Matth. 14. 3. Reg. 18 3. Reg. 18. A digression to the Papists of Qu. Maries chaste dealing A lively Picture of Mary the utter mischief of England What commodities the Spanish King shall bring to the Realm of England A true saying Under an English name she bâ—areth a Spanyards heart Spanyards sons of pride and superstition Why Winchester would have Spanyards to reigne over England To Winchester The Book of true obedience both in Latine and in English shall remain to thy perpetuall shame and condemnation of thy cankered Conscience The wicked must declare their selves Apocalip 13. Note Abraham Gen. 15. Isaac Gen. 16. Iacob Gen. 23 31.32.35 Moses Exod 5. Rom. 1. Psal. 119. The power and effâ—ctuall operation of Gods Word Exod. 4 Reg 9. Luke 24 Simile Math. John 〈◊〉 Note that Peter considâ—red not his own weaknesse The sherp at length know the voyce of their own Pastor The Elect. The Reprâ—bate 1 Reg 28. Saul 2 Reg. 18. Ahaz Isai. 7. God sometime sheweth mercy to an hypocrit for the cause of his Church Jerem. 37 38. Jerem. 42. Reade the Text Jer 42. Jerem. 43. Great blindnes Jer. 44. As Papists would have League with the Emperor What was said in Hammeâ—sham when uproar was for establishing of Mary in authority A Common-wealth compared to a Ship sayling on the Sea The end shall declare Enemies to the Truth receive no comfort of Gods Messengers The godly and chosen of God Gen. 12. Gen. 15. Gen. 22. Exod. 5.7.10 1 Reg. 16. 3 Reg 21. Object Answer Exod. 32. Gods Word sometimes moveth great multitudes Why Moses caused the Israelites do drink the powder of the golden calf Exod. 32. A sharp sentence against Idolaters Gen. 34. Gen. 49. Jerem. 21.38 Jerem. 21. Jerem. 38 Jerem. 38. Jon. 3. Act. 2. Jerem. 32. The cause of fear Gen. 12. Exod. 34. Isa. 36 37. Matth. 11. Apoc. 18. Note Lively faith maketh a man bold 3. Reg. 18. 3. Reg. 19. The creature can never dispute wâ—th God without sin Quest. Answ. Gods works by them self are a sufficient reason Peters vertue The vice that long rested with Peter Matth. 16. Note Matth. 26. Why Peter was suffered to sink Luke 22. What resteth with Gods Elect in their greatest danger The nature of faith Peter knew the power and good will of God Psal. 144. How nigh God is in extream perill to deliver his Elect that syithfully call upon him Exod 14. Hester 7.8 â— Daniel 6. John 3. Act 12. Psalm 18. God flattereth not his Elect. Peter was not faithlesse Matth 10. 2 Tim 2. Such as have stood long may yet fall Luke 17. Note We have lesse pretence of excuse then Peter had Note Consolation Matth. 28. Worldly Princes are conjured against God Psal. 2. The sheep of Christ cannot be rent from his hand Joh. 10. Joh. 7. The temptations of Gods elect now in England Good counsell to thee in faith Rom. 11. 1 Reg 2. Note To whom appertaineth the former counsel Matth. 28. Note Objection Answer The root of faith remaineth with Gods elect in greatest danger 3 Reg. 19. The root of faith is not idle A tryall of faith in trouble It appertaineth not to man to know not to enquire how God will deliver Note Divers wayes of deliverance Note The means offered by God to avoid Idolatry are not to be refused Repetition Isai. 78. Psal. 74. Apocal. 17. Psal 74 87. Prayer and Confession Appealing to mercy Isai. 33. Jerem. 4. Psal. 74. Psal. 59. Psal. 79. Jerem. 10 11 12. Psal. 95. Against the enemies of God Esay 25. Of Gods Elect Exhortation Esa 26. Gen. 3. Mattâ— 10. Act. 4. Matth. 5. Joh. 14 16. Esay 9. In the Crosse of Christ iâ— victory hid Esay 40.41.51 Exod. 2. 4 Reg. 25. Jerem 52. Esd. 1. Note â—phes 2. The causes why the Saints of God bâ— this day persecuted 1 Joh. 1.2 Heb. 6. 10. Ephes. 5. Matth. 23. Whosoever sheddeth the Blood of one of Christs members for his Names sake consenteth to the blood of all that have suffered since the beginning Note Gen. 4. Matth. 15. Answer to an Objection Gen. 19. Exod. 14. Iosephus The Petition of such as be persecuted Matth. 5. Matth. 10. â— Cor. 2. Matth 10. Exod. 20. Rom. 13. 1 Pet. 2. The first proportion The second proposition John 4. Apo. 14. 17. Note Take heed of unlawfull obedience Dan. 3. Dan. 6. Answ. Matth. 10. Act. 14. Note The Papisticall Religion a mortall Pestilence The Admonition Answer to an Objection Gen. 6. Psâ—l 14. Psal 2. Act. 4. Luk. 18. Hosea 4. Matth 20 Matth. 7. 2 Thess 2. Note Deu 4 and 12 Matth. 15. 1 Reg. 13 15 2 Par. 26. Levit. 10. Matt. 17 Act. 1 2 3. 1 Cor. 11. Col. 2. Deâ—â— 4. 12. Apoc. 2. The craft of Sathan The ground of â—â—â—â—â—ticall Religion Note Tertul. in Apol. The chief Preposition Nâ—cen 1. The dutie of Magistrates The Spirit of God abideth not with Idolaters 3. Reg. â— 5. 2 â—ar 17. 4 Reg 22. 2 Paâ— 34. 4 Reg 18. 2 Par. 29 30 c. 31. The second proposition Stob. ser. 12. Niceph. Calist. Histor. Ecclâ—s Lib 10. cap. 42. Note Mich. 3. Note Flatterers contagious stilence Ezek. 22. Note Idolatry is mother to all â—ice Matth 6. Rom. 8. â— Reg. 18. John 17. Ezek. 34. Note this for our time Daniel 2. 1 Reg. 2. Job 12. Psal. 107. Daniel 2. Note Note Note 1 Reg. 14. 1 Reg. 16. 2 Reg. 10. 2 Reg. 17. The offer of Iohn Knox. Advert Prosperity for a time proveth not Religion good No Realme England except so grievously plagued at Scotland Isai. 30. Isai. 14. Isai 6. Exhortation Josh. 1. 2 Par 34. 2 Par. 1. Jerem. 36. Amos 2. Zach 15 James 5. 1 Reg 17. 1 Reg. 18. 1 Reg. 19. 2 Reg 9. 1 Reg 19. Mat 10. The disposition Note Verse 23. From whencâ— all Authority floweth Psal. 82. 2. Point Rom. 13. Note Note Josh. 1. What is required of a King or Prince The Authority and Power of Kings is limited Note Usc. The duty of Gods people Ezek 20. 2 Reg. 17. Isai. Jere. 9. Eccles 3. Isa. 3. Verse 14. Verse 15. Ezel 8. Note Apoc. Vers. 15. Vers. 16. Josh 24. Rom 9. Dan. 1. Dan. 2. Dan. 3. Dan. 6. 1 Esd 2. 1 Esd 6. A Prayer Vers. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 1 Reg. 22. 2 Reg. 9. Verse 17. Verse 18. John 16. Vers. 19.20 Verse 19. Gal. 2. 1 Pet. 1. Ezek. 37 Psal. 14. 1 John 5. Eccles. histor Sozomoni lib. 5. cap. 5. A terrible but must true sentence The Castle of Edinburgh was shooting against the exiled for Christ Jesus sake
standeth my singular comfort this day when I hear that those bloody tyrants within the Realme of England doth kill murther destroy and devour man and woman as ravennous Lions now loosed from bonds I lift up therefore the eyes of mine heart as my iniquity and present dolour will suffer and to my heavenly Father will I say O Lord those cruell tyrants are loosed by thy hand to punish our former ingratitude whom we trust thou wilt not suffer to prevail for ever but when thou hast corrected us a little and hast declared unto the world the tyranny that lurked in their boldned brests then wilt thou break their jaw-bones and wilâ— shut them up in their caves again that the generation and posterity following may praise thy holy Name before thy Congregation Amen When I feel any taste or motion of these promises then think I my self most happy and that I have received a just compensation albeit I and all that to me in earth belongeth should suffer present death knowing that God shall yet shew mercy to his afflicted Church within England and that he shall represse the pride of these present tyrants like as he hath done of those that were before our dayes And therefore beloved brethren in our Saviour Jesus Christ hold up to God your hands that are fainted through fear and let your hearts that have in these dolorous dayes sleeped in sorrow awake and hear the voyce of your God who sweareth by himself That he will not suffer his Church to be oppressed for ever neither that he will despise our sobâ— to the end if we will row and strive against this vehement winde I mean if that ye will not run back headlong to Idolatry then shall this storm be asswaged in despight of the devill Christ Jesus shall come with speed to your deliverance he shall pierce thorow the winde and the raging Seas shall obey and bear his feet and body as the massie stable and dry land Be not moved from the sure foundation of your faith For albeit that Christ Jesus be absent from you as he was from his disciples in that great storme by his bodily presence yet is he present by his mighty power and grace He standeth upon the mountain in security and rest that is his flesh and whole humanity is now in heaven and can suffer no such trouble as sometimes he did And yet he is full of pity and compassion and doth consider all our travell anguish and labours wherefore it is not to be doubted but that he will suddenly appear to our great comfort The tyranny of this world cannot keep back his coming more then the blustering winde and raging Seas lett Christ to come to his disciples when they looked for nothing but present death And therefore yet again I say beloved in the Lord Let your hearts attend to the promises that God hath made unto true repentant sinners and be fully perswaded with a constant faith That God is alwayes true and just in his performance of his promises You have heard these dayes spoken of very plainly when your hearts could fear no danger because you were nigh the land and the storm was not yet risen that is Ye were young Scholars of Christ when no persecution was felt or seen But now ye are come into the midst of the Sea for what part of England heard not of your profession and the vehement storm whereof we then almost in every Exhortation spake of is now suddenly risen up But what Hath God brought you so far forth that you shall both in souls and bodies every one perish Nay my whole trust in Gods mercy and truth is to the contrary For God brought not his people into Egypt and from thence thorow the Red Sea to the intent they should perish but that he in them should shew a most glorious deliverance Neither sent Christ his Apostles into the middest of the Sea and suffering the storm to assault them and their Ship to the intent they should there perish but because he would the more have his great goodnesse towards them felt and perceived in so mightily delivering them out of the fear of perishing giving us thereby an example that he would do the like to us if we abide constant in our profession and saith with-drawing our selves from superstition and idolatry We gave you warning of these dayes long ago For the reverence of Christs Blood let these words be noted The same Truth that spake before of these dolorous dayes forespake also the everlasting joy prepared for such as should continue to the end The trouble is come O dear brethren look for the comfort and after the example of the Apostle abide in resisting this vehement storm a little space The third Watch is not yet ended remember that Christ Jesus came not to his disciples till it was the fourth Watch and they were then in no lesse danger then you be now for their faith fainted and their bodies were in danger But Christ Jesus came when they looked not for him and so shall he do to you if you will continue in the profession that you have made This dare I be bold to promise in the Name of him whose Eternall Verity and glorious Gospel ye have heard and received who also putteth into my heart an earnest thirst God knoweth I lie not of your salvation and some care also for your bodies which now I will not expresse Thus shortly have I passed thorow the outragious tempest wherein the disciples of Christ were tempted after that the great multitude were by Christ fed in the desert omitting many profitable Notes which might well have been marked in the Text because my purpose is at this present not to be tedious nor yet curious but only to note such things as be agreeable to these most dolorous dayes And so let us now speak of the end of this storm and trouble in which I finde four things chiefly to be noted First That the disciples at the presence of Christ were more afraid then they were before Secondly That Christ useth no other instrument but his Word to pacific their hearts Thirdly That Peter in a fervency first left his Ship and yet after feared Fourthly and lastly That Christ permitted neither Peter nor the rest of his disciples to perish in that fear but gloriously delivered all and pacified the Tempest Their great fear and the cause thereof are expressed in the Text in these words When the disciples saw him walking upon the Sea they were afraid saying It is a Spirit and they cryed through fear It is not my purpose in this Treatise to speak of spirits nor yet to dispute Whether spirits good or bad may appear and trouble men Neither yet to enquire Why mans nature is afraid of spirits and so vehemently abhorreth their presence and company But my purpose is onely to speak of things necessary for this time And first let us consider
that there was three causes why the disciples knew not Christ but judged him to be a spirit The first cause was The darknesse of the night The second was The unaccustomed vision that appeared And the third was The danger and the tempest in which they so earnestly laboured for the safeguard of their selves The darknesse I say of the night letted their eyes to see him And it was above nature that a massie heavy and weighty body of a man such as they understood their Master Christ to have should walk go upon or be born up of the water of the raging Sea and not sink And finally the horrour of the tempest and great danger that they were in perswaded them to look for none other but certainly to be drowned And so all these three things concurring together confirmed in them this imagination That Christ Iesus who came to their great comfort and deliverance was a fearfull and wicked spirit appearing to their destruction What here happened to Christ Jesus himself that I might prove to have chanced and daily to happen to the verity of his blessed Word in all ages from the beginning For as Christ himself in this their trouble was judged and esteemed by his disciples at the first sight a spirit or phantasticall body so is the Truth and sincere Preaching of his glorious Gospel sent by God for mans comfort deliverance from sin and quietnesse of conscience when it is first offered and truely preached it is I say no lesse but judged to be heresie and deceivable doctrine sent by the devill to mans destruction The cause hereof is the dark ignorance of God which in every age since the beginning so overwhelmed the world that sometimes Gods very Elect were in like blindenesse and errour with the reprobate As Abraham was an Idolater Moses was instructed in all the wayes of the Egyptians Paul a proud Pharisee conjured against Christ and his Doctrine And many in this same our age when the Truth of God was offered unto them were sore afraid and cryed against it onely because the dark clouds of ignorance had troubled them before But this matter I omit and let passe till more opportunity The chief Note that I would have you well observe and mark in this preposterous fear of the disciples is this The more nigh deliverance and salvation approacheth the more strong and vehement is the temptation of the Church of God And the more nigh that Gods vengeance approacheth to the wicked the more proud cruell and arrogant are they Whereby it commonly cometh to passe That the very messengers of life are judged and deemed to be the authors of all mischief And this in many histories is evident When God had appointed to deliver the afflicted Israelites by the hand of Moses from the tyranny of the Egyptians and Moses was sent to the presence of Pharaoh for the same purpose such was their affliction and anguish by the cruelty which newly was exercised over them that with open mouthes they cursed Moses and no doubt in their hearts they hated God who sent him alleadging That Moses and Aaron was the whole cause of their last extreme trouble The like is to be seen in the Book of the Kings both under Elisha and Isaiah the Prophets For in the dayes of Ioram sonne of Achab was Samaria besieged by the King of Syria In which Samaria no doubt albeit the King and the most multitude were wicked there was yet some members of Gods Elect Church which were brought to such extreme famine that not onely things of small price were sold beyond all measure but also women against nature were compelled to eat their own children In this same City Elisha the Prophet most commonly was most conversant and dwelt by whose counsell and commandment no doubt the City was kept For it appeareth the King to lay that to his charge when he hearing of the piteous complaint of the woman who for hunger had eaten her own son rent his clothes with a solemne Oath and vow That the head of Elisha should not stand upon his shoulders that day If Elisha had not been of counsel That the city should have been kept Why should the King have more fumed against him then against others But whether he was the author of the defending the City or not all is one to my purpose for before the deliverance was the Church in such extremity that the chief Pastor of that time was sought to be killed by such as should have defended him The like is read of Hezekiah who defending his City Ierusalem and resisting proud Sennacherib no doubt obeying the counsell of Isaiah at length was so oppressed with sorrow and shame by the blasphemous words of Rabshakeh that he had no other refuge but in the Temple of the Lord as a man desperate and without comfort to open the disdainfull letters sent unto him by that hauty and proud tyrant By these and many Histories mo it is most evident that the more nigh salvation and deliverance approacheth the more vehement is the temptation and trouble This I writ to admonish you that albeit yet you shall see tribulation so abound that nothing shall appear but extreme misery without all hope of comfort that yet you decline not from God And that albeit somtimes ye be moved to hate the messengers of life that therefore ye shall not judge that God will never shew mercy after No deare Brethren as he hath dealt with others before you so will he deal with you God will suffer tribulation and dolour abound that no manner of comfort shall be seen in man to the intent that when deliverance commeth the glory may be his whose onely word may pacifie the tempest most vehement He drowned Pharaoh and his Army He scattered the great multitude of Benadad And by his Angel killed the hoste of Sennacharib And so delivered his afflicted when nothing appeared to them but utter destruction So shall he do to you beloved Brethren if patiently ye will abide his consolation and counsell God open your eyes that ye may rightly understand the meaning of my writing Amen But yet peradventure you wonder not a little why God permitteth such blood thirsty tyrants to molest and grieve his chosen Church I have recited some causes before and yet more I could recite but at this time I will hold me content with one The justice of God is such that he will not poure forth his extreme vengeance upon the wicked unto such time as their iniquity be so manifest that their very flatterers cannot excuse it Pharaoh was not destroyed till his own houshold servants and subjects abhorred and condemned his stubborn disobedience Iesabel and Athalia were not thrust from this life into death till all Israel and Juda were witnesses of their cruelty and abominations Iudas was not hanged till the Princes of the Priests bare witnesse of his Traiterous Act and iniquitie To