So it seems they can digest the Popes dispensations when they serve their turn The Abbots counsel being observed to make impression in the Governor some of the Courtiers took courage to confront his zealous party and one let flye a desperate speech That neither He nor his friends could ever be at quietness till a dozen of those Knaves that abus'd his Grace were hanged Some of them about him that had deserved it disliked the liberty taken to speak so much truth and secretly withdrew themselves Friar Guilliame being inhibited his licentious preaching went for Engand others had their dismission and the Lord Governour betook himself unto the Cardinal Lords better affected unto the Q. This was call'd renouncing the profession of Christ Iesus holy Gospell as if the Christian Creed were then confined to the Cabinet as since to the Consistory But this impetuous calumnie forc'd not through his resolution nor did his rash oath lately taken to the English Ambassadour oblige him to withstand the counsell of breaking the imperfect League the onely difficulty was how to raise mony for preparations requisite to a defensive warre which they must now expect from King Henry of England whose will in woing though for his Sonne must not be checked without â—evenge Toward this the Clergy upon the motion of the Cardinal who made it a case of conscience in the vindication of Religion raised great contribution and an opportunity of breaking the league offer'd it self when the hostages for the observance of conditions were to be delivered the denial of whom was seconded with the stay in Scotland of some noble personages late prisoners in England who had their liberty but on parole or bail none returning to custody but the Earl of Cassils who stood more upon his honor word passed unto King Henry then his duty to serve his Queen and Country for which singular instance of adhering unto his promise and for the hopes King Henry had that being gratified with his liberty he might gain him to some future service he commended his fidelity rewarded him and sent him home but being deceived in the rest and by the Governour in the contract he seiz'd upon all the Scotish Ships withâ—n his ports and proclaim'd a warre yet made no haste to it that Summeâ— but us'd the prudence and industry of his Ambassadour before he recall'd him and afterward of the party he had in Scotland to regain the Governours faith in the performance of his word In the mean time comes from France the young Earl of Lenox who setting aside the custom the Governour had by the Popes cherishing the divorce was reputed to have a nearâ—r relation unto the Crown and so far said to be justified in his pretences by the deceased King as that he had intended to declare him succâ—ssor in default of heirs Much contrivance is charged on the Queen Dowager and the Cardinal in and after the Earls coming over somewhat whereof may be not improbable to keep the Governour more firm to them to the title of whose estate as well as honour the Earl was rival and ready to step into all if the importunity of that parâ—y he first headed had â—ecovered him from the Court which prevailing not the Earl thereby frustrate of his hopes and the amarous addresses he made to the Queen Dowager not so entertained as to correspond with his ambition of a Royal marriage he takes livery and sâ—isin of what was left him the forlorn party of Reformers joyning his with their counsells and discontents His interest added somewhat to the number they got together out of anger against the Cardinal and now revenge against the Governour whom they took to be a creature of their own making and thought he would have continued to acknowledge their soveraignty while he did wear the badge of honour they bestowed upon him Those who on other reasons were of a faction for England came in to them Having modell'd their Army they send a challenge to the Cardinal at Edenburgh undertaking to give him and whatsoever forces would come out against them battail between that and Leith This the Cardinal seemed not to decline yet prudently judging the medley of those bravadoes could not be kept long together and that he might have a greater necessity ere long to use a better Army against the English than he had yet in readiness put the appointment off from day to day whereupon the more impatient part deserted them and some other by good conference received good sâ—tisfaction to that their General the young Earl became jealous of the remainder and thought it better policy to resign himself and pass over voluntarily than to stay till he were fetched by his enemies or delivered up by his despairing friends Thus perswaded he goes to Edenburgh where he was entertained with a litâ—le more cuâ—tesie in the City than he would have been in the field yet he liked not the complement so well as to trust to it but by the advice of some friends withdrew in the night to Glascow and from thence having garison'd the Bishops Palace to Dunbarton Some offers were made of an accommodation between the Governour and the Earl but the jealousies on both sides were such as could not be concentred in a point of mutual satisfaction and so multiplied into counter designs and perturbations of publick pâ—ace This civil discord hastened King Henries preparations who in the beginning of May 1544. poured forces into Scotland by sea and land which troubled many the great ones there little as Sr. George Douglasse who being taken out of prison upon their approach said in meriment I thank King Henry and my gentle Masters of England And indeed he had so many fellow servants devoted to the English that the Governour and Cardinal could not raise a sufficient power of loyal subjects to make resistance So the Army having sacked and burn'd Edenburgh wrought their pleasure at Leith and other places adjacent returned home After this the Earl of Lenox sends an expresse into France with as advantageous pretenses as he could contrive for his proceedings in Scotland but King Francis who advised his going thâ—ther to some better purpose than upon a private quarrell he had against the Protector to raise a power against the Crown would vouchsafe his Messenger no hearing nor his Letters reading but set such a guard upon him as made him doubt whether he had the liberty of his person at least fear to hazard it by giving intelligence to his Lord about the counsels of that Court This straitned the Earl in the necessity he was reduced to of seeking some protection for himself In the midst of which distraction the Governour after few dayes siege took the Castle of Glascow and left no secure sanctuary for the Earl but England which he soon resolved on having promises of his welcome yet could not
to marry whom she pleased Queen Elizabeth not liking the Perth Parliaments answer nor the young Messenger that brought it they call'd another at Sterlin and from thence sent Pelkarn with a subtile enlargement about their declining the two former of her three Propositions but because they saw so long as the exil'd Queen had the countenance of Queen Elizabeth she had oppoâ—tunity to encourage and some means to assist their enemies which now began to be somewhat potent they take a sure way to set the two Queens at variance by severall suggestions wherein what was true had been done by Murray's advice if not fiâ—st procurement the private overture of a Marriage between the Queen of Scots and the Duke of Norfolk and what was false they were sure would incense Queen Elizabeth and prevent all possibility of farther mischief from the South Of this nature was That she had passed away to the D. of Andyn her right to the Crown of England That She and the Duke of Norfolke intended to cut off the present Royall possâ—ssours of both Kingdomes which plotâ— must be discoverd by providence just at Pelcarnes coming to the English Court whereupon the Queen and Duke were presently secured After this the Regent Murray goes on with less opposition and better success in Scotland yeâ— in the midst of his victories was rewarded for his murders rebellions and falsehood being shot at Lithgow in the belly upon a private revenge and so prevented of dispatching the young Prince which may be very fairly guessed by his proceedings to be intended his Mother boasting her self to have been the Wife not the Harlot of Iames the fifth and so this her son the lawfull inheritor of the Crown The holy Brethren would fain had Murray cannoniz'd for a Saint and Martyr in the cause and his bloud reveng'd they car'd not upon whom so any of the Queens dutifull Subjests might be cut off To bring such upon tryal as stood most in their way were many popular supplicates presented and what reason was rendred for deferring the enquiry at least till the Assizes if not rather till the next Assembly in May they either take for a close compliance of their Peers with the Queens or an impolitick yielding advantage to their enemies At length some of the wisest began to put in questions by what authority they could proceed to this or any other execution of Laws the Queen being deposed the King in his non-age and no legal establishment to be made of a successor to Murray in his Regency of the Kingdome Fain would they have made use of an old by grant extorted from the Queen but that they found null by the former election of Murray and if now taken up for authentick might be thought a recalling her Majesties authority from the dead This not holding good they leave all their sawcy French Proverbs behind them and come fawning upon Queen Elizabeth in English she denies them as well advice as assistance having before made plausible promises of both to the Queen of Scots though her prisoner The Rebeâ—lâ— were sensible what ground the Quâ—ens party daily got by their Anarchy though their necessities hastened them toward a conclusion of somewhat yet not knowing what they were to seek by what means and in what method to effect it Queen Elizabeth who seem'd not fullâ— satisfied with the thing must not be disgusted by the person The Earl of Lenox the young King's Grandfather is pitcht on for several reasons looking that way and first upon some Assembly revelation he was chosen an Interrex or Interloping King which soon after by some divine counter-light was discovered to be a monster in Government suspected for Saturnes unnatural stomack that might possibly devoure the young King and Iesus Christs Scepter to boot which the Presbytery had given him to play with in his hand To avoid this danger they divest him of his intercalary Kingship and having no law upon earth to impower them they furnish him with a Regency from heaven And now in his time no question all Parliamentary as well as Assembly authority may plead to be by divine right and their proceedings are justified by this extraordinary providence of God Upon this Patent the new Regent reforms what he could by the sword according to the true sense of the Discipline The poor captive Queen in compliance with the principles of nature and likewise in discharge of her civil duty who had the trust though not possession of a Kingdome by submisse yet enough Majestick requests in England by a mediation from France and Spain agitates what she can for her liberty and this for stopping farther effusion of Christian bloud in her Countrey and preventing the progresse of oppressive tyranny over her party Queen Elizabeth sensible of these unchristian proceedings by her arbitrary power sometimes orders a truce between the Scots gives fair answers as well to her prisoner as forein Ambasdours that interceded for her adviseth with her Council Wherein some were mis lead by too facile credulity of false informations from the North others not improbably corrupted all too much adâ—cted to their own interests and an overweening solicitude about the peace and security of England This begat an overture too high and imperious for a magnanimous free-born Princesse to yield to put new thoughts and designs into the Pope Spaniard and French enlarged the breach between her English Subjects for they had been divided and some unsatisfied in the proceedings relating to the Scotch Queen reviv'd and multiplied conspiracies at home Into all these did the northwind blow the sparkles of the Disciplinarian Rebellion which more or less encreased the flame where they lighted if upon matter ready to fire with a touch Queen Elizabeth finding her self environ'd with danger and apprehending no possible security but in a perfect composure of the Scotch differences in order to it calls upon the Presbyterian division for a new account about the deposition of their Queen They exhibit a large remonstrance upon it stuffed with so much pride and barbarous insolence as left no place for religion reason or law although they were great pretenders to the last pleading Ancient priviledge of the Scotch peoples superiority to their Prince This for which their Reformed Brethren may thank them they fortified with Calvins authority and in some cases enlarged it to imprisoning and deposing Kings what or wheresoever They not onely justified their censure but magnified their own lenity to their Queen as to the paâ—doning of her life to the succession of her son who being in their power and standing onely by their pleasure no marvail if in this years Assembly and Parliament all Acts and Statutes made before by him and his Predecessors annext the freedom and liberty of the true Kirk of God aâ—e ratified by his name whenas yet he could not superscribe them with his hand Queen
take his leave without attempting some revenge upon a Territory belonging to the Hamiltons wherein he gratified his passion more than justified his prudence or satisfied his friends who were so sensible of the losse sustained by it that he could not prevail with them to engage again yet having an affected fondnesse to keep up the reputation of a party against the malignity of fortune they importuned the Earls retirement to Dunbarton Castle but his own courage being conquered he thought no place inexpugnable and so weather-beaten at land he put himself upon the mercy of the sea and King Henries kindness who furnished a pillow for his disquiet and dejected thoughts the breast of Lady Margaret Douglasse his fair Nâ—ece whom he propounded acceptably unto him for a Wife The headlesse company he left behinde him fearing more the extremity of rigour from the Hamiltons which by their rashness they had merited than knowing how to protect themselves like desperate persons stood prepared to do mischief though with no hopes to survive it Upon consideration of whose perversness or compassion unto their persons the Queen Mother rescued them from their enemies and themselves taking them under her particular command and care and so preserved their lives against their hopes if not their wills but could â—ot secure their goods which by their incensed enemies were seized on and set to sale Several incursions were made afterward by the English with such successe that at last the Nobility some of whom were not so sensible of the publick dishonour and detriment done to their Countrey as of the damage themselves suffered in their private possessions which could not well be secured in a common devastation applied themselves more obsequiously to the Governour uniting their strength and compromising their counsels which helpt them to a little victory and that after their chasticement invited some auxiliaries from France commanded by Monseiur Montgomery de Lorge who had instructions to enquire after the disorders unnecessarily caused by the Earl of Lenox and his party and to rebuke them as well as cherish others who had shewed more conscience in continuing loyal than curiosity in searching reasons and opportunity how or why they might not be so The countenance of these French forces much hastened the Scotch levies so that in a short time was raised an Army of 15000. men with which they marched to the borders of England where in the spoil of the Countrey they quitted some old scores and might have made a farther inroad if not divided in their counsels but they returned home with the reputation and booty they had gotten as soon after did De Lorge into France The late successe against the publâ—ck enemy upon whose preparation or approach Scotland was never free from intestine tumults and disorders gave the Governour and Cardinal opportunity for a progresse and visitation through the Countrey to compose the ruptures in the Ecclesiastick and Civil body to encourage the hearts of such as were any way inclinable to peace and duty and to castigate persons whom they found refractory against the law and establishment of the Kingdom wherein though some of their proceedings may be censur'd for too much rigour yet somewhat must be indulged to humane infirmity that not alwaies in Rulers whether temporal or spiritual is guided by the sweet influence of Christian charity the perfection whereof is not onely to pardon but to do good for evil at least in judicature not to be over ballanced by the sense of any personall affronts so as to recompence them with revenge and make the sword of justice to execute more by the authority of their passion than the Law Beside whatsoever were the abuses crept into Religion when they finde improper persons and uncommission'd for that purpose not onely lopping off the superfluous boughs but laying the Axe unto the root of all with design to plant nothing of the word of God that they pretend to but wilde fancies of their own and not onely to argue out works but fight up their Faith and claim by their doctrine a propriety in all possessions whose owners submit not to it what prevention is used especially by persons in present government may in charity be hoped to ensue as well from a godly zeal to maintain the better part as a barbarous cruelty and perversness to keep up the worse which being all the apology I intend for them passing my word and promise that howsoever prejudiced I will relate no circumstance partially much lesse falsely to the disadvantage of the Reformers I will briefly instance the proceedings against such pâ—rsons as occur most notorious in their story Somewhat before this time in the year 1540. one Sr. Iohn Borthwick commonly called Captain Borthwick was in the Cloisters of S. Andrews before a multitude of the principal Clergy and Nobility process'd and condemned though absent and out of reach The articles are publish'd but because too succinctly and it may be not indifferently or impartially by his accusers and Judges I conceive it no injury to him to lay down for his sense and the substance of that he scattered before what I collect from the answers himself framed afterward and commended to his friends The first Article was His levelling the Pope of Rome with any other Bishop or Prelate whatsoever Where as he might have enlarged hâ—s Christian moderation to the allowance of some precedence and priviledges granted him by the submission and Canons of unsuspected Councils and given him for S. Peters sake a Patriarcâ—ate at least so much more might he have abstained from comparing the whole communion of that Religion to common Thieves and Robbers having the Pope for their Captain and bâ—cause they called him Holy Father a Title from Antiquity rendred to the dignity not only of that but other Sees affixing to the persons of all successively invested with it the guilt of Treason Murder Rapine and all kind of such evils A branch of the third Article for I omit all wherein he is to be commended for asserting the truth or not condemned for speaking modestly and prudently his own opinions that I say was concerning the lawfulness for all Bishops to be coupled and joyned in Matrimony In answer to which his business was not onely to exclaim against the practice of the Romane Church for prohibiting their Clergy marriage who cannot have the confidence to deny that a greater enlargement was left to them by S. Paul whose doctrine he chiefly urgeth and by the Cannons of the Christian Church a long time after which themselves have not expunged in their editions but rather ingeniously to clear this point and scruple Whether Saint Paul having said That all things which are lawfull are not convenient whensoever the Governours of a Church finde inconvenient what they know lawfull they may not innocently lay a restraint upon that liberty since they force no man unto the function but