should leave the Countrey and therefore desired that he might have Justice Her answer was That seeing the Earle Bothwell was a Noble-man and had done her service she could not hate him Neverthelesse she would do nothing that might be prejudiciall to the Earle of Murray but desired that the matter might be taken away within few days she caused summon the Earl Bothwell to answer to the course of Law the 2 of May for the Conspiracy which the Earl of Arrane had alleadged two yeers before and for the breaking of the Ward of the Castle In the mean while there was nothing in the Court but Banquetting Balling and Dancing and other such pleasures as were meet to provoke the disordered appetite and all for the entertainment of the Queens Cousin from England the Lord Darley to whom she did shew all the expressions imaginable of love and kindenesse Within few dayes the Queen being at Sterlin order was given to Secretary Lethington to passe to the Queen of England The chief point of his Message was to declare to the Queen of England That the Queen was minded to marry her Cousin the Lord Darley and the rather because he was so neer of Blood to both Queens For by his mother he was Cousin German to the Queen of Scotland also of neer kindred and of the same name by his father His mother was Cousin German to the Queen of England Here mark Gods providence King Iames the fifth having lost his two sons did declare his resolution to make the Earl of Lenox his Heir of the Crown but he prevented by sudden death that designe ceased Then come the Earle of Lenox from France with intenion to marry King Iames his Widow but that failed also He marries Mary Dowglas and his son marrieth Mary King Iames the fifth his daughter And so the Kings desire is fulfilled to wit The Crown continueth in the Name and in the Family The Queen of England neverthelesse shewed her self nothing pleased therewith but rather declared That she would in no wise suffer her subjects to make such Contracts or Alliance that might be prejudiciall to her and for the same purpose sent a Post to the Queen with Letters wherein she complained greatly of the mind of our Mistris seeing the great affection she bare to her intending to declare her Heretrix of her Realm of England providing onely that she would use her counsell in Marriage but she could not approve her Marriage with the Lord Darley although he was their neer Cousin by Birth since he was below the Rank of the Queen by Condition being but a private subject At the same time she wrote to the Earle of Lenox and to his son commanding them to repair both into England Some write That all this was but counterfeit by the Queen of England and from her heart she was glad of the Marriage for by that means the Succession of the Crown of England was secured the Lord Darley being the right Heir after the Queen of Scotland and Queen Elizab. was not angry to see her married to one of inferiour Rank for by that means she thought the Scots Queen would be lesse proud During this time there were certain Letters directed to the Brethren of Edinburgh to Dundie Fyfe Angus and Mernes and other places from the Brethren of Kyle and other places in the West Countrey desiring the professors of the Evangel in all places to remember what the Eternall God had wrought and how potently he had abolished all kinde of Idolatry and superstition and placed his Word in this Realm so that no man could say otherwise but it was the Work of God who also had delivered this Countrey from the bondage and tyranny of strangers Neverthelesse by our slothfulnesse we have suffered that Idol the Masse not onely to be planted again but to encrease so that the maintainers thereof are like by all appearance to get the upper hand which would be the occasion of our destruction And for that the Papists purposed to set up their Idol at Easter following in all places which was to be imputed to the slothfulnesse and want of godly zeal of the Professors Therefore they admonished the Brethren to strive to avert the evil in time not to suffer such wickednesse to continue and encrease lest that Gods heavie wrath come upon us unawares like a consuming fire By these Letters many Brethren were animated and their spirits wakened minding to provide as God should give them grace And first of all by the advice of the most learned in Edinb there was a Supplication made and given to the Queens Majestie by the Superintendent of Lowthian containing in effect That the Church in generall of the Realme had divers times most humbly craved of her Majesty That committers of Adultery should be punished according to the Law of God and the Acts of Parliament neverthelesse they continued in their wickednes and the Papists of obstinate malice pretended nothing else but to erect and set up their Idolatry and Superstition and especially at Easter day following they intended to put the same in practice which the Brethren and Professors of the Evangel could not suffer Therefore wished her Majestie to take heed of the matter This Supplication the Secretary received of the hands of the Superintendents of Lowthian and Glasgow and told them in the Queenes Name That there should be such provision made as should serve to their contentment And for the same purpose the Queens Majestie writ to all such places as were suspected especially to the Bishop of Saint Andrewes and Aberdeine as was said not to use any Masse And that they should not do any such thing as was feared by the Protestants or convene any Councell and thereto commanded them Now the Communion was administred in Edinburgh the first day of April 1565. At which time because it was neer Easter the Papists used to meet at their Masse And as some of the Brethren were diligent to search such things they having with them one of the Bayliffs took one Sir Iames Carvet riding hard as he had now ended the saying of the Masse and conveyed him together with the Master of the house and one or two more of the assistants to the Tolbuith and immediately revested him with all his Garments upon him and so carried him to the Market-Crosse where they set him on high binding the Chalice in his hand and himself fast tyed to the â—aid Crosse where he tarried the space of one hour During which time the boyes served him with his Easter egges The next day following the said Carvet with his assistants were accused and convinced by an Assize according to the Act of Parliament And albeit for the same offence he deserved death yet for all punishment he was set upon the Market-Crosse for the space of three or four hours the hang-man standing by and keeping him the boyes and others were busie with egges casting and some Papists there were that stopped as far
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
be set a part for divine service yet we are not so tied to the place as the Iews were yea not so much as the Rominists would have us to be according to that of S. Ioh 21.22 23 for wheresoever 2 or 3 are gathered together in my Nâ—â—â—r I am in the midst of you * Witnesse the Princes and people that the Pope put to the Interdict without cause to say nothing of private persons * So that many do think it a liberty of Religion to swear and curse * Witnesse the divorce of Mary Stuart daughter to James 2. from her lawfull husband Tho. Boyde and maâ—ried to Iames Hamiltonâ— Also of Mary mother to Iames 5. who married after K. Iam. the fourths death Arâ—hibald Douglas Earle of Angus was divorced from him and married to Henry Stuart Lord Meffen Adam Reade his bold aâ—d godly answer Note 1500. 1513. 1527. Brothers son to Iames Hamilton Earle of Arran and sisters son to Iohn Stuart Duke of Althai A Dominican Frier Note how Church-men rules the good nature of the Prince Frier Campbell apostate Mâ—ior Deuâ— 6. Matth. 12. Minor 1. Joh. 4. Conclusio Matth 7. Rom. 13. Galat. 5. Maior Rom. 13. Minor Joh. 19. Conclusio Christ is the end and fulfilling of the Law to every one that believeth Rom. 10.14 Rom. 3. Rom. 7. Gospel quasi Godspel that is Gods word but ordinarily it is taken from that part which we call Evangel that is Good tidings otherwise Gospel quasi Goodspel that is Good words and so Good tidings Gen. 15. Joh. 5. Jam. 1. Rom 14. Heb 11. Heb. 11. Rom 8. Rom. 4. Rom. 4. Abac. 2. Rom. 1. Joh. 6. 1 Joh. 5. Act. 10. Rom. 10. Joh. 3. Gal. 3. Matth. 19. Joh 9. Joh. 20. Mark 16. Matth. 28. Psal. 117. 1. Tim. 6. This 〈…〉 derstood of circumstance of worldly mâ—n and not of them of God for the neerer that meâ— draw to God we are bound 〈◊〉 more to love them Galat. 3. Matth 13. Matth. 7. Note Note Note Quaere Answer Note Note Here you see verified Cinis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae M. Gawyn Logy Munks Preach Bishops devices M. Iohn Mair whose History of Scotland we have c. He wrote upon the 4 Evangelists c. Arithe his Sermon False Miracles Alexander Furrour his Examination before the Bishops Alexander Seton a black Frier Note Note Iames the fifth Note Aleâ—ander Seton his Letter There was another Frier Forrest hanged in Smithfield 1538. Note For 10 yeers the persecution ceaseth 1534. 1538. The civil troubles give some rest to Gods flock fâ—r a time Note Macdowel Alaesius John Fyfe Machabeus Note 1534. This yeere was Lawes made against the Reformation the Pope having sent to Scotland a Legat the yeere before 6 Accused for Heresie Note 2 Gentlemen Straton and Gowâ—ley burnt See how the Bishops did intrench upon the good disposition of the King and his Soveraigne 1534. Burning of the Bill was a signe of recantation 1537. Lâ—sly writes this done 1540. Iohn Berthwick fled into England from whence Henry sent him into Germany to the Protestant Princes Foure burnt 1538. 1539. Ieremie Russell Alex. Kennedie Kennedie his thanks to God His speech to the Judges Note Sir Iames Hamilton said That God had justly brought him to that because he had offended often to gain the King favour by unjust ways Note George Buchanan by the Kings câ—mmand then angry with the Friers did write this Satyre against them who thereafter having made their peace with the King would not be appeased with Gâ—orge Buchanan whom the king gave over to their importunity and so he was put in prison The Earle of Gleaverne his verse upon the Gray Friers The Church-men ingage the King to warre against his Uncle Halderig Read England called Hereticke bâ—cause it renounced the Pope Note All hallow tyde Fallow Reade Note The Lords answer to the Kings desire Note Note Note An answer worthy of a Prince By this answer you may see how good this Prince had bin if 〈◊〉 Câ—urch mâ—n and flatterâ—â—s â—ad not abused him Abused Prince by Prelats So the evil advised Prince gave himselfe over to the false Propâ—ets I meane the Prelats The Reade of Holway masse by Oliver Sinclar Whaâ—ton was then Warden in these parts Stratageme Note Note Oliver compared to Benhadad against Samaria 2 King 20. 300 men put to flight 10000 Others say at Carlaveâ—ok neer by the place where the defeat was given called Sobâ—â—y Mosse The King foretells his own death Reginae Nativitas Mark the Queens mourning for the King Others stick not to say That the King was hastned away by a Potion Levit. 12. Regis exitus Divers Charactâ—rs of the late King arise post funâ—ra virtuâ— Character of the Hamiltons Note the reasons why the Earle of Arran was thus favoured by the Countrey 1543 Note Frier Scot. The Cardinal taken 1543. An Act of Parliament for reading of the Scripture Note the hypocrisie of worldlings So long as men follow God they are blessed Nothing could be said against the lawfulnesse of Edwards birth Katharine of Spaine and Anne Bullen being dead before his mother was married to his father Note well The Queenes marriage the second time ratified He was before sometimes called Cunningham sometimes Colwan so uncertaine was it who was his father Note Note This is the Prelats language The Governour violated his faith refused God and took absulution of the devil renouncing his Religion in the gray Friers All this was then said by the Cardinall Penes authorem fides estâ— Note the device of the wicked to set men by the 〈◊〉 1543 Note * And many trod under foot died Note As they went to Dundie they said they were going to burne the readers of the new Testament and that they would stick to the old for Luther said they had made the new Note A woman and her childe put to death because she prayed not to the Virgin Mary Men put to death for eating a Goose upon Friday Iohn Roger a black Friet murthered 1544. The English Army arrived in Scotland Note Endinburgh burnt and spoiled by the English Note 1544. Lorge cometh to Scotland 1545. Note The character of Hamilton Note George Wischarde Note a falsâ— brother M. Wischard his words in Dundie The Bishops Sermon Note Note M. Wescharde his zeale to gain soules A Priest appointed by the Cardinall to stab M. George Wischarde The second attempt of the Cardinall for the killing of M. George Wischarde Note the spirit of Prophesie Prophesie spoken by Master George Whischarde of the Church of Scotland Note the resolution of a Preacher Two gray Friers Vengeance against Hadington Master Wischarde taken at Ormeston Note He means Gods people The Lord Bothwels promise M Georges words to the Earl Bothwell 1546. Note The proud Cardinall and the glorious foole Dumbar A question worthy of such two Prelats 1546. Who was a learned man and heartily favoured the pure Religion in secret Bona heresios definitio c. Note the
so without judgement all men fled The Sea was filling and so the water made great stop but the fear was such as happy was he that might get a taker Such as passed the water and escaped that danger not well acquainted with the ground fell into the slimy mosse the entry thereof was pleasing enough but as they proceeded all that took that way either lost their horse or else themselves and horse both To be short a greater fear and discomfiture without cause hath seldome beene seen for it is said That where the men were not sufficient to take the Bands of prisoners Some ran to houses and rendered themselves to women Stout Oliver was without stroke taken fleeing full manfully And so was his glory stinking and foolish proudnesse we should call it suddenly turned to confusion and shame In that discomfiture were taken the two Earls aforesaid the Lords Fleming Somerwell and Olyphant and many other Barons and Gentlemen besides the great multitude of servants Worldly men say That all this come but by misorder and fortune as they term it But whosoever hath the least spark of the knowledge of God may as evidently see the work of his hand in this discomfiture as ever was seen in any of the Battells left to us in Register by the holy Ghost For what more evident Declaration have we that God fought against Benhadad King of Aram when he was discomfited at Samaria than now we have that God fought with his own Arm against Scotland in this former discomfiture There did two hundred and thirty persons in the Skirmish with seven thousand following them in the great Battell put to flight the said Benhadad with thirty Kings in his Company But here there is in this shamefull discomfiture of Scotland very few more than three hundreth men without knowledge of any Backe or Battell to follow put to flight ten thousand men without resistance made There did every man recounter his marrow till that the two hundred and thirty slew such as matched them But here without slaughter the multitude fled There had those of Samaria the Prophet of God to comfort to instruct and to promise Victory unto them But England in that pursuit had nothing but as God secretly wrought by his providence in the men that knew nothing of his working neither yet of the cause thereof more then the wall that fell upon the rest of Benhadads Army knew what it did And therefore yet again we say That such as in that sudden dejection beholds not the hand of God fighting against pride for freedome of his own little Flock injustly persecuted doth willingly and maliciously obscure the glory of God but the end thereof is yet more notable The certain knowledge of the discomfiture coming to the Kings ears who waited upon news at Lochmaban he was stricken with a sudden fear and astonishment so that scarcely could he speak or had purpose with any man The night constrained him to remain where he was and so went to bed but rose without rest or quiet sleep His continuall complaint was O fled Oliver is Oliver taken O fled Oliver And these words in his melancholly and as it were carried in a Trance repeated he from time to time to the very hour of death Upon the morn which was Saint Katherines day returned he to Edinburgh and so did the Cardinall from Hadington But the one being ashamed of the other the brute of their communication came not to publike audience The King made Inventory of his Treasure of all his Jewels and other substance And thereafter ashamed to look any man in the face secretly departed to Fife and coming to Hallzairdes was humanely received of the Lady of Grange an ancient and godly Matron the Laird at his coming was absent In his company was onely with him William Kirkâ—ldy now Laird of Grange and some other that waited upon his Chamber The Lady at Supper perceiving him pensive beganne to comfort him and willeth him to take the Work of GOD in good part My portion said he of this world is short for I will not be with you fifteen dayes His servants repairing unto him asked where he would have provision made for Christmas which then approached he answered with a disdainfull countenance I cannot tell chuse you the place but this I can tell you Or Christmas day you will be masterlesse and the Realme without a King Because of his displeasure no man durst make contradiction unto him So after that he had visited the Castle of Carny pertaining to the Earle of Crawfurde where the said Earles daughter one of his Mistresses was he returned to Falkland and took bed And albeit there appeared unto him no signes of death yet he constantly affirmed Before such a day I shall be dead In this mean time was the Queen upon the point of her delivery in Lynlitquow who was delivered the 8 of December in the yeere of God 1542 yeeres of Mary that then was born and now doth raigne for a scourge to this Realme as the progresse of her whole life has to this day declared The certainty that a daughter was born unto him coming to his ears he turned from such as spake with him and said The devill go with it it will end as it began it came from a woman and it will end with a woman From Mary daughter to Robert Bruse married to Walter Stuart he feared that his daughter should be married to one of another Name and Family but you see by Gods providence the Crown remains in one and the same Family and Name to this day notwithstanding the many Plots of the pretenders to the Crowne both at home and abroad After that he spake not many words that were sensible but ever harped on his old song Fie fled Oliver is Oliver taken all is lost In this mean time in his great extremity comes the Cardinall a fit comforter for a desperate man he cries in his eare Take order Sir with your Realme who shall rule during the minority of your daughter ye have knowne my service What will ye have done Shall there not be four Regents chosen And shall not I be principall of them Whatsoever the King answered Documents were taken That so it should be as my Lord Cardinall thought expedient As many affirme a dead mans hand was made to subscribe one blank that they might write above what it pleased them best the Cardinall having hired one Henry Balfour a Priest to make a false Testament which was done accordingly but in vain This finished the Cardinall posted to the Queen lately before delivered as is said At the first sight of the Cardinall she said Welcome my Lord is not the King dead What moved her so to conjecture divers men are of divers judgements Many whisper that of old his patte was in the pot and that the suspition thereof caused him to be inhibite the Queens company Howsoever it was
after in Seaton But at length by Bribes given to the said Lord Seaton and to the old Laird of Lethington he was restored to Saint Andrewes from whence he wrought all mischief as we shall after heare The PARLIAMENT approached which was before EASTER there began question of the abolishing of certaine Tyrannicall ACTS made before at the Devotion of the Prelates for the maintaining of their Kingdome of Darkenesse To wit That under paine of Heresie no man should reade any part of the Scriptures in the Vulgar Tongue neither yet any Tractate or Exposition of any place of Scripture Such Articles began to come in question we say And men began to enquire If it were not lawfull to men that understood no Latine to use the word of their Salvation in the Tongue they understood as it was for the Latine men to have it in Latine Grecians or Hebrews to have it in their Tongues It was answered That the Church he means the Prelats first had forbidden all Tongues but the three viz. Hebrew Greek and Latine But men demanded when that Inhibition was given and what Counsell had ordained it considering that in the dayes of Chrysostome he complained That the people used the Psalmes and other holy Books in their owne Tongues And if ye will say they were Greeks and understood the Greek Tongue We answere That Christ Jesus commanded his word to be Preached to all Nations now if it ought to be Preached to all Nations it must be Preached in the Tongue they understand Then if it be lawfull to Preach and heare it Preached in all Tongues Why should it not be lawfull to reade it and hear it read in all Tongues to the end that the people may try the spirits according to the commandment of the Apostle Beaten with these and other Reasons they denied not but it might be read in the Uulgar Tongue provided if the Translation were true It was demanded What could be reprehended in it And when much searching was made nothing could be found But that Love say they was put in the place of Charity When the Question was asked What difference was betwixt the one and the other and if they understood the nature of the Greek term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were dumb Reasoned for the party of the seculars The L. Ruthwen father to him that prudently gave counsell to take just punishment upon that knave David for that he abused the unhappy K. Henry Stuart in mo cases then one a stout and a discreet man in the cause of God and M. Henry Balneves an old professour For the part of the Clergy one Hay Dean of Lastarrik and certain old Bishops with him The conclusion was the Commissioners of Broughes and a part of the Nobility required of the Parliament that it might be Enacted That it should be lawfull to every man to use the benefit of the Translation which then they had of the Old and New Testament together with the benefit of other Treatises containing wholsome Doctrine untill such time as the Prelats and other Church-men should give and set forth unto them a Translation more correct The Clergie hereto long repugned But in the end convinced by Reasons and by multitude of voyces in their contrary they also condescended And so by Act of Parliament it was made free to all men and women to read the Scriptures in their owne Uulgar Tongue and so were all Acts made to the contrary abolished This was no small Victorie of CHRIST JESUS fighting against the conjured enemies of his Veritie No small comfort to such as before were holden in such bondage that they durst not have read The Lords Prayer The ten Commandments nor The Articles of their Faith in the Uulgar Tongue but they should have been accused of Heresie Then might have beene seene the Bible lying almost upon every Gentlemans Table The New Testament was borne about in many mens hands We grant that some alas prophaned that blessed Word for some that perchance had never read ten Sentences in it had it most common in their hand they would chop their familiars on the cheeke with it and say This hath lyne under my beds feet these ten yeers Others would glory O how oft have I been in danger for this Booke how secretly have I stollen from my wife at midnight to reade upon it And this was done we say of many to make cowrt and curry favour thereby For all men esteemed the Governour to have been one of the most fervent Protestants that was in Europe Albeit we say that many abused that libertie granted of God miraculously yet thereby did the knowledge of God wonderously increase and God gave his holy spirit to simple men in great abundance Then were set forth works in our owne Tongue besides those that came from England that did disclose the pride the craft the tyrannie and abuses of that Romane Antichrist The fame of our Governour was spread in divers countreys and many praised God for him King Henry the eight sent unto him his Ambassadour M. Radulph Saidlair who lay in Edinburgh a great part of the Summer his Commission and Negotiation was to contract a perpetuall amitie betwixt England and Scotland The occasion whereof God had so offered that to many men it appeared that from heaven he had declared his good pleasure in that behalfe For to King Henry of Iane Seymer after the death of Queene Katherine and of all others that might have made his Marriage suspect was given a sonne Edward the sixth of blessed memory elder some yeeres then our Mistresse and unto us was left a Queene as before we have heard This wonderfull providence of God caused men of greatest judgement to enter into disputation with themselves Whether that with good conscience any man might repugne to the desires of the King of England considering that thereby all occasion of Warre might be cut off and great commodity might ensue to this Realme The offers of King Henry was so large and his demands so reasonable that all that loved quietnesse were content therewith There were sent from the Parliament to King Henry in Commission Sir Iames Lermont and M. Henry Balnevis who long remaining in England so travailed that all things concerning the Marriage betwixt Edward the sixth and Mary Queen of Scots was agreed upon except the time of her deliverance to the custody of English-men Upon the finall conclusion of the which head were added to the former Commissioners William Earle of Glencarne and Sir George Dowglas to whom was given ample Commission and good Instructions In Scotland remained M. Radulph Saidlaire advertisements past so frequently betwixt yea the hands of our Lords liberally were anointed besides other commodities promised and of some received for divers Prisoners taken at Solway mosse were sent home free upon promise of their fidelity which as it was kept the issue will witnesse But in the end so well were all once content the Cardinall the
Commonalty and comes to the house side crying What have ye done with my Lord Cardinall Where is my Lord Cardinall Have ye slain my Lord Cardinall They that were within answered gentlely Best it were for you to return to your own houses for the man ye call the Cardinall hath received his reward and in his own person will trouble the world no more But then more inragedly they cry We shall never depart till that we see him And so was he brought to the East block-house head and shewed dead over the wall to the faithlesse multitude which would not beleeve before they saw and so they departed without Requiem aeternam requiescat in pace sung for his soule Now because the weather was hot for it was in May as ye have heard and his funerals could not suddenly be prepared it was thought best to keep him from stinking to give him great salt enough a cope of lead and a corner in the bottom of the sea Tower a place where many of Gods children had been imprisoned before to await what exequies his brethren the Bishops would prepare for him These things we write merrily but we would that the Reader should observe Gods just judgements and how that he can deprehend the worldly wise in their own wisdom make their table to be a snare to trap their own feet and their own purposed strength to be their own destruction These are the works of our God whereby he would admonish the tyrants of this earth that in the end he will be revenged of their crueltie what strength soever they make in the contrary But such is the blindnesse of man as David saith that the posterity doth ever follow the footsteps of their wicked fathers and principally in their impiety For how little differs the cruelty of that bastard that yet is called Bishop of S. Andrews from the cruelty of the former we will after heare The death of this aforesaid Tyrant as it was pleasing to some to wit to those who had received the Reformation of Religion for they were mightily afraid of him and also to sundry Romanists whom he kept under as slaves so on the other side it was dolorous to the Priests dolorous to the Governour dolorous to the Queene Dowager for in him perished faithfulnesse to France and the comfort to all Gentle-women and especially to wanton widows His death must be revenged To the Court again repaires the Earle of Angus and his brother Sir George labour is made for the Abbacie of Arbroth and a grant was once made of the same in memory whereof George Dowglas bastard sonne to the said Earle is yet called Postulant But it was more proper think the Hamiltons for the Governours itching then for reward to the Dowglasses And yet in hope thereof the said Earle and Sir George his brother were the first that voted that the Castle of S. Andrews should be besieged Divers Gentlemen of Fyfe went into the Castle and abode there with the Leslies during the first siege and Iohn Rough was Preacher to them The Bishop to declare the zeale that he had to revenge the death of him that was his predecessour and for his riches he would not have had him living againe still blew the coles And first he made summons then he denounced accursed at last rebels not onely the first enterprisers but all such also as after did accompany them And last of all a siege was concluded which began in the end of August for the 23 day thereof departed the Souldiers from Edinburgh and continued neer to the end of January At what time because they had no other hope of winning of it but by hunger and thereof also they despaired for they within had broken through the East wall and made a plaine passage by an iron gate to the sea which greatly relieved the besieged and abased the besiegers for then they saw that they could not stop them of victuals unlesse that they should be masters of the sea and that they clearly understood they could not be for the English Ships had once been there and had brought William Kirkcaldie from London and with much difficultie because the said gate was not then prepared and some losse of men had rendered him to the Castle againe and had taken with them to the Court of England Iohn Leslie and Master Henry Balnaves for perfecting of all Contracts betwixt them and the King Henry who promised to take them into his protection upon condition onely that they should keep the Governours son my Lord of Arrane and stand friends to the Contract of Marriage whereof before we have made mention These things clearly understood we say by the Governour and his Counsell the Priests and the shaven sort they concluded to make an appointment to the end that under Truce they might either get the Castle betrayed or else some principall men of the company taken at unawares In which dressing was the Abbot of Dunfermeling principall and for that purpose had the Laird of Monquhanie who was most familiar with those of the Castle laboured with foot and hand and proceeded so in his traffique that from entring in day light at his pleasure he gat licence to come in in the night whensoever it pleased him But God had not appointed so many to be betrayed albeit that he would that they should be punished and that justly as hereafter we shall heare The Heads of the coloured appointment were 1. That they should keep the Castle of S. Andrews still while that the Governour and the authority of Scotland should get unto them a sufficient absolution from the Pope Antichrist of Rome for the slaughter of the Cardinall aforesaid 2. That they should deliver pledges for the deliverie of that house as soone as the aforesaid absolution was delivered unto them 3. That they their friends familiars and servants and others to them pertaining should never be pursued in Law by authority for the slaughter aforesaid But that they should enjoy commodities spirituall or temporall whatsoever they possessed before the said slaughter even as if it had never beene committed That they of the Castle should keep the Earle of Arran so long as their Pledges were kept And such like Articles liberall enough for they never minded to keep word of them as the issue did declare Iohn Rough left the Castle seeing he could do little good upon those that were within so addicted were they to their evil wayes he went into England to Preach Gods Word there The appointment made all the godly were glad for some hope they had that thereby Gods Word should somewhat bud as indeed so it did For Iohn Rough who soon after the Cardinals slaughter entred within the Castle and had continued in it during the whole siege having left the Castle because he could do little good upon those that were with him so addicted were they to their evil wayes began to Preach in the city of S. Andrews
a Plague so contagious that with great difficultie could they have their dead buried They were oft refreshed with new men but all was in vain Hunger and plague within and the pursuit of the enemy with a campe volant lay about them and intercepted all victuals except when they were brought by a Convoy from Barwick so constrained them that the Councel of England was conpelled in the spring time to call their Forces from that place And so spoiling and burning some part of the Town they left it to be occupied to such as first should take possession and those were the French-men with a meane number of the ancient inhabitants and so did God performe the words and threatnings of M. George Wischard who said That for that contempt of Gods Messenger they should be visited with sword and fire with pestilence strangers and famine All which they found in such perfection that to this day yet that Town hath neither recovered the former beauty nor yet men of such wisdom and ability as then did inhabit it Hereafter was Peace contracted betwixt France England and Scotland yea a severall Peace was contracted betwixt Scotland and Flanders together with all the Easterlings So that Scotland had peace with the world But yet would their Bishops make War against God For as soone as ever they got any quietnesse they apprehended Adam Wallace alias Fian a simple man without great learning but one that was zealous in godlinesse and of an upright life He with his wife Beatrice Levingstonne frequented the company of the Lady Ormeston for instruction of her children during the trouble of her husband who then was banished This Bastard called Bishop of S. Andrews took the said Adam forth of the place of Wynton men supposed that they thought to have apprehended the Lairde and carried him to Edinburgh where after certain dayes he was presented to judgement in the Church of the Blacke Theeves alias Friers before Duke Hamilton the Earle of Huntly and divers others besides The Bishops and their rabble they began to accuse him Master Iohn Lawder was his accusator That he took upon him to Preach He answered That he never judged himselfe worthy of so excellent a vocation and therefore he never took upon him to Preach but he would not deny that sometimes at Table and sometimes in some other privie places he would reade and had read the Scriptures and had given such exhortation as God pleased to give to him to such as pleased to heare him Knave quoth one What have you to do to meddle with the Scripture I think said he it is the dutie of every Christian to seek the will of his God and the assurance of his salvation where it is to be found and that is within the Old and New Testament What then said another shall we leave to the Bishops and Church-men for to do if every man shall be a babler upon the Bible It becometh you said he to speak more reverently of God and of his blessed Word if the Judge were uncorrupted he would punish you for your blasphemie But to your Question I answer That albeit ye and I and other five thousand within this Realm should read the Bible and speak of it what God should give us to speak yet left we more to the Bishops to do then either they will do or can do For we leave to them publikeâ—y to Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to feed the flock which he hath redeemed by his own blood and hath commanded the same to all true Pastors And when we leave this unto them me thinks we leave to them a heavie burden And that we do unto them no wrong although we search our own salvation where it is to be found considering that they are but dumb Dogs and unsavory Salt that hath altogether lost the season The Bishops hereat offended said What prating is this Let his accusation be read And then was begun False Traitour Hereticke Thou Baptizedst thine own Childe Thou saidst There is no Purgatory Thou saidst That to pray to Saints and for the dead is Idolatry and a vaine Superstition c. What sayest thou to these things He answered If I should be bound to answer I would require an upright and an indifferent Judge The Earle of Huntly disdainefully said Foolish man Wilt thou desire any other Judge then my Lord Dukes Grace great Governour of Scotland and my Lords the Bishops and the Clergie here present Whereto he answered The Bishops can be no Judges to me for they are open enemies to the Doctrine that I professe And as for my Lord Duke I cannot tell whether he hath the knowledge that should be in him that should judge and discern betwixt Lies and the Trueth the Inventions of men and the true worshipping of God I desire Gods Word and with that he produced the Bible to be judge betwixt the Bishops and me and I am content that ye all hear and if by this Booke I shall be convinced to have taught spoken or done in matters of Religion any thing that repugneth to Gods will I refuse not to die But if I cannot be convinced as I am assured by Gods Word I shall not then I in Gods name desire your assistance That malicious men execute not upon me unjust Tyrannie The Earle of Huntley said What a babling foole is this Thou shalt get none other Judges then these that sit here Whereunto the said Adam answered The good will of God be done But be ye assured my Lord with such measure as ye mete to others with the same measure it shall be met to you againe I know that I shall die but be ye assured that my blood shall be required at your hands Alexander Earle of Glencarne yet alive said to the Bishop of Orknay and others that sate nigh him Take heed all you my Lords of the Clergie for here I protest for my part that I consent not to his death And so without feare prepared the said Adam to answer And first to the Baptizing of his own Childe he said It was and is as lawfull to me for lacke of a true Minister to Baptize my owne Childe as that it was to Abraham to Circumcise his son Ismael and his family And as for Purgatory Praying to Saints and for the dead I have oft read said he both the New and Old Testaments but I neither could finde mention nor assurance of them And therefore I beleeve that they are but meere inventions of men devised for covetousnesse sake Well quoth the Bishop ye hear this my Lords What sayest thou of the Masse speires the Earle of Huntly He answered I say my Lord as my Lord Jesus Christ saith That which is in greatest estimation before men is abhomination before God Then all cried out Heresie Heresie And so was the simple servant of God adjudged to the fire which he patiently sustained that same day at after-noon upon
Scotland published by them in Parliament and by the Estates thereof Ratified and Approved as wholesome and sound Doctrine grounded upon the infallible Truth of God MATTH 24. And this glad Tydings of the Kingdom shall be preached thorowout the whole world for a Witnesse unto all Nations and then shall the end come The Preface The States of Scotland with the Inhabitants of the same professing Christ Jesus his holy Gospel To their naturall Countrey-men and unto all other Realmes and Nations professing the same Lord Jesus with them Wish Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Judgement for Salvation LOng have we thirsted dear Brethren to have notified unto the world the sum of that Doctrine which we professe and for the which we have sustained infamy and danger But such hath been the rage of Sathan against us and against Christ Iesus his Eternall Verity lately now again borne amongst us that to this day no time hath been granted unto us to clear our consciences as most gladly we would have done For how we have been tossed a whole yeer past the most part of Europe as we do suppose doth understand But seeing that of the infinite goodnesse of our God who never suffereth his afflicted utterly to be confounded above expectation have we obtained some rest and liberty we could not but set forth this briefe and plain Confession of such Doctrine as is proposed unto us and as we believe and professe partly for satisfaction of our Brethren whose hearts we doubt not have been and yet are wounded by the despightfull rayling of such as yet have not learned to speak well And partly for stopping the mouths of impudent blasphemers who boldly condemne that which they neither heard nor understood Not that we judge that the cankred malice of such is able to be cured by this simple Confession No we know that the sweet savour of the Gospel is and shall be death unto the sons of perdition But we have chief respect to our weak and infirme Brethren to whom we would communicate the bottom of our hearts lest that they be troubled or carried away by diversity of rumours which Sathan spreadeth against us to the defeating of this our most godly enterprise Protesting That if any man will note in this our Confession any Articles or sentence repugning to Gods holy Word that it would please him of his gentlenesse and for Christian charities sake admonish us of the same in writing and we upon our Honours and fidelity do promise unto him satisfaction from the mouth of God that is from his holy Scriptures or else Reformation of that which he shall prove to be amisse For God we take to Record in our consciences That from our hearts we abhorre all Sects of Heresie and all teachers of erroneous doctrine And that with all humility we embrace the purity of Christs Gospel which is the onely food of our soules and therefore so precious unto us that we are determined to suffer the extremest of worldly danger rather then that we will suffer our selves to be defrauded of the same For hereof we are most certainly perswaded That whosoever denieth Christ Iesus or is ashamed of him in presence of men shall be denied before the Father and before his holy Angels And therefore by the assistance of the mighty Spirit of the same our Lord Iesus we firmly purpose to abide to the end in the confession of this our Faith The first Article Of GOD. VVE confesse and acknowledge one onely God to whom onely we must cleave whom onely we must Worship and in whom onely we must put our trust who is Eternall Infinite Unmeasurable Incomprehensiâ—le Omnipotent Invisible one in Substance and yet distinct into three Persons The Father The Son And the holy Ghost by whom we confesse and believe all things in heaven and earth as well Visible as Invisible to have been Created to be Retained in their being and to be Ruled and Guided by his inscrutable Providence to such end as his eternall Wisedom Goodnesse and Justice hath appointed them to the manifestation of his own Glory II. Of the Creation of Man VVE confesse and acknowledge this our God to have Created man to wit our first Father Adam of whom also God formed the Woman to his own Image and Similitude To whom he gave Wisedom Lordship Justice free-Will and clear Knowledge of himself so that in the whole Nature of man there could be no imperfection From which Honour and Perfection Man and Woman did both fall the Woman being deceived by the Serpent and Man obeying to the voice of the Woman both conspiring against the Soveraigne Majesty of God who in expresse words had before threatned death if they presumed to eat of the forbidden Tree III. Of Originall Sin BY which transgression commonly called Originall Sin was the Image of God utterly defaced in Man and he and his Posterity of Nature became enemies to God slaves to Sathan servants to Sin insomuch that Death everlasting hath had and shall have power and dominion over all that hath not been are not or shall not be regenerate from above which Regeneration is wrought by the power of the holy Ghost working in the hearts of the Elect of God an assured Faith in the Promises of God revealed to us in his Word by which Faith they apprehend Christ Jesus with the Graces and Benefits promised in him IIII. Of the Revelation of the Promises FOr this we constantly believe That God after the fearfull and horrible defection of man from his obedience did seek Adam again call upon him rebuke his sin convince him of the same and in the end made unto him a joyfull Promise to wit That the Seed of the Woman should breake downe the Serpents head that is He should destroy the works of the devill which Promise as it was repeated and made more cleer from time to time so was it embraced with joy and most constantly retained of all the faithfull from Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham and from Abraham to David and so forth to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ who all we mean the faithfull Fathers under the Law did see the joyfull dayes of Christ Jesus and did rejoyce V. The Continuance Encrease and Preservation of his Church VVE most constantly believe That God Preserveth Instructeth Multiplieth Honoureth Decoreth and from death called to Life his Church in all Ages from Adam till the coming of CHRIST JESUS in the Flesh For Abraham he called from his fathers Countrey him he instructed his Seed he multiplied the same he marvellously preserved and more marvellously delivered from the Bondage of Pharaoh to whom he gave his Lawes Constitutions and Ceremonies Them he possessed in the Land of Canaan to them after Judges and after Saul he gave David to be King to whom he made promise That of the fruit of his Loynes should one sit forever
upon his Regall Seat To this same people from time to time he sent Prophets to reduce them to the right way of their God from the which oftentimes they declined by Idolatry And albeit for their stubborne contempt of Justice he was compelled to give them into the hands of their enemies as before he threatned by the mouth of Moses Insomuch that the holy City was destroyed the Temple burnt with fire and the whole land left desolate the space of seventy yeeres yet of mercy did he reduce them again to Ierusalem where the Citie and Temple were reedified and they against all temptations and assaults of Satan did abide till the Messias came according to the promise VI. Of the Incarnation of Christ Iesus VVHen the fulnesse of time came God sent his Sonne his eternall Wisdome the substance of his own Glory into this World who took the nature of manhood of the substance of a woman to wit of a Virgine and that by the operation of the holy-Ghost and so was born The just seed of David The Angel of the great councell of God The very Messias promised whom we acknowledge and confesse Emanuel very God and very man two perfect natures united and ioyned in one person By which our Confession we condemne the damnable and pestilent Heresies of Arrius Martion Eutiches Nestorius and such others as either denie the Eternitie of his God-head or the Veritie of his humane nature or confound them or yet divide them VII Why it behoveth the Mediatour to be very God and very man VVE acknowledge and confesse That this most wondrous conjunction betwixt the God-head and Man-hood of Christ Jesus did proceed from the eternall and immutable Decree of God whence also our salvation springeth and dependeth VIII Of Election FOr that same eternall God who of meere grace elected us in Christ Jesus his Sonne before the foundation of the world was laid appointed him to be our Head our Brother our Pastour and great Bishop of our soules But because that the enmitie betwixt the justice of God and our sinnes was such That no flesh by it self could or might have attained unto God It behoved that the Son of God should descend unto us and take himself a body of our body flesh of our flesh and bones of our bones and so become the perfect Mediatour betwixt God and man giving power to so many as beleeve in him to be the sons of God as he himself doth witnesse I passe up to my Father and your Father to my God and unto God By which most holy fraternity whatsoever we have lost in Adam is restored to us again And for this cause are we nothing afraid to call God our Father not so much in that he hath created us which we have common with the reprobate as for that that he hath given to us his onely Sonne to be our Brother and given unto us grace to imbrace him for our onely Mediatour as before is said It behoved further the Messias and Redeemer to be very God and very Man because he was to suffer the punishment due for our transgressions and to present himself in the presence of his fathers judgement as in our person to suffer for our transgression and disobedience by death to overcome him that was Authour of death But because the onely God-head could not suffer death neither could onely the Man-hood overcome the same he joyned both together in one person that the imbecilitie of the one should suffer and be subject to death which we had deserved and the Infinite and Invincible power of the other to wit of the God-head should triumph and purchase unto us life libertie and perpetuall Victory and so we confesse and most undoubtedly beleeve IX Christs Death Passion Buriall c. THat our Lord Jesus offered himself a voluntary Sacrifice unto his Father for us That he suffered contradiction of sinners That he was wounded and plagued for our transgressions That he being the clean and innocent Lambe of GOD was condemned in the presence of an earthly Judge that we might be absolved before the Tribunall Seat of our God That he suffered not onely the cruell death of the Crosse which was accursed by the sentence of God but also That he suffered for a season the wrath of his Father which sinners had deserved But yet we avow That he remained the onely welbeloved and blessed Sonne of his Father even in the midst of his anguish and torment which he suffered in body and soule to make the full satisfaction for the sinnes of his people After the which we confesse and avow That there remains no other sacrifice for sinnes which if any affirme we nothing doubt to avow That they are blasphemous against Christs Death and the everlasting purgation and satisfaction purchased unto us by the same X. Resurrection VVE undoubtedly beleeve That in so much as it was impossible that the paines of death should retain in bondage the Authour of life that our Lord Jesus Crucified Dead and Buried who descended into hell did rise again for our Justification and destroying him who was the authour of death brought life again to us that were subject to death and to the bondage of the fame We know that his Resurrection was confirmed by the testimony of his very enemies By the Resurrection of the dead whose sepulchres did open and they did arise and appeared to many within the City of Ierusalem It was also confirmed by the testimonie of Angels and by the sences and judgements of his Apostles and others who had conversation and did eat and drink with him after his Resurrection XI Ascension VVE nothing doubt but that the self-same Bodie which was born of the Virgin was Crucified Dead and Buried and which did rise again did ascend into the Heavens for accomplishment of all things Where in our names and for our comfort he hath received all power in heaven and in earth Where he sitteth at the right hand of the Father enthronized in his Kingdome Advocate and onely Mediatour for us which glory honour and prerogative he alone amongst the Brethren shall possesse till that all his enemies be made his foot stoole as that we undoubtedly beleeve they shall be in the finall judgement to the execution whereof we certainly beleeve that the same our Lord Jesus shall visibly and apparantly returne as that he was seene to ascend And there we firmely beleeve that the time of refreshing and restitution of all things shall come insomuch that those that from the beginning have suffered violence injury and wrong for righteousnesse sake shall inherite the blessed immortality promised from the beginning But contrary wayes the stubborn cruell inobedient oppressors filthy persons adulterers and all sorts of unthankfull men shall be cast into the dungeon of utter darknesse where their worme shall not die neither yet their fire bee extinguished the remembrance of the
joyne with those that had bound themselves to stand for the Kings Authority He was very earnest with divers by reason of their old friendship but to little purpose The twentinth of August he received the Regencie after mature and ripe deliberation at the desire of the Queen and Lords that were for the King and so was publikely proclaimed Regent and Obedience shewed unto him by all that stood for the young King The end of the History of the Church of Scotland till the yeer 1567. and Moneth of August THE APPELLATION OF IOHN KNOX From the cruell and most unjust Sentence pronounced against him by the false Bishops and Clergie of Scotland With his Supplication and Exhortation to the Nobility States and Communalty of the same Realme To the Nobility and States of SCOTLAND JOHN KNOX wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Iudgement IT is not onely the love of this Temporall life Right Honourable neither yet the fear of Corporal death that moveth me at this present to expose unto you the injuries done against me and to crave of you as of lawfull Powers by God appointed redresse of the same But partly it proceedeth from that reverence which every man oweth to Gods Eeternall Truth And partly from a love which I bear to your Salvation and to the Salvation of my Brethren abused in that Realme by such as have no fear of God before their eyes It hath pleased God of his infinite mercy not onely to illuminate the eyes of my minde and so to touch my dull heart that cleerly I see and by his grace unfainedly believe That there is no other name given to men under the heaven in which Salvation consisteth save the Name of JESUS alone Who by that Sacrifice which he did once offer upon the Crosse hath sanctified for ever all those that shall inherite the Kingdom promised But also it hath pleased him of his superaboundant grace to make and appoint me most wretched of many thousands a Witnesse Minister and Preacher of the same Doctrine the sum whereof I did not spare to communicate with my Brethren being with them in the Realme of Scotland in the yeer 1556 because I know my self to be a Steward and that accounts of the Talent committed to my charge shall be required of me by him who will admit no vain excuse which fearfull men pretend I did therefore as God his minister during the time I was conversant with them God is record and witnesse truely and sincerely according to the gift granted unto me divide the Word of Salvation teaching all men to hate sin which before God was and is so odious that none other Sacrifice would satisfie his Justice except the death of his onely Son and to magnifie the mercies of our heavenly Father who did not spare the substance of his own glory but did give him to the world to suffer the ignominious and cruell death of the Crosse by that means to reconcile his chosen children to himself teaching further what is the duty of such as do believe themselves purged by such a Price from their former filthinesse to wit That they are bound to walk in the newnesse of life fighting against the lusts of the flesh and studying at all times to glorifie God by such good works as he hath prepared his people to walk in In Doctrine I did further affirm so taught by my Master Christ Jesus That whosoever denieth him yea or is ashamed of him before this wicked Generation him shall Christ Jesus deny and of him shall he be ashamed when he shall appear in his Majesty And therefore I feared not to affirm That of necessity it is that such as hope for life everlasting avoid all Superstition vain Religion and Idolatry Vain Religion and Idolatry I call whatsoever is done in Gods Service or Honour without the expresse Commandment of his own Word This Doctrine I did believe to be so conformable to Gods holy Scriptures that I thought no creature could have been so impudent as to have condemned any Point or Article of the same Yet neverthelesse me as an heretick and this Doctrine as hereticall have your false Bishops and ungodly Clergie condemned pronouncing against me a Sentence of death in testification whereof they have burned a Picture From which false and cruell Sentence and from all judgement of that wicked Generation I make it known unto your Honours That I appeal to a Lawfull and Generall Councell to such I mean as the most ancient Laws and Cannons do approve to be holden by such as whose manifest impiety is not to be reformed in the same Most humbly requiring of your Honours That as God hath appointed you Princes in that People and by reason thereof requireth of your hands the defence of Innocents troubled in your Dominion in the mean time and till the controversies that this day be in Religion be lawfully decided ye receive me and such others as most unjustly by those cruell Beasts are persecuted in your defence and Protection Your Honours are not ignorant That it is not I alone who doth sustain this Cause against the pestilent Generation of Papists but that the most part of Germany the Countrey of Helvetia the King of Denmarke the Nobility of Polonia together with many other Cities and Churches Reformed appeal from the Tyrannie of that Antichrist and most earnestly call for a Lawfull and Generall Councell wherein may all Controversies in Religion be decided by the Authority of Gods most sacred Word And unto this same as said is do I appeal yet once again requiring of your Honours to hold my simple and plain Appellation of no lesse value nor effect then if it had been made with greater circumstance solemnity and ceremony and that you receive me calling unto you as to the Powers of God ordained in your protection and defence against the rage of Tyrants not to maintain me in any iniquity errour or false opinion but to let me have such equity as God by his Word ancient Laws and Determinations of most godly Councells grant to men accused or infamed The Word of God wills That no man shall die except he be found criminall and worthy of death for offence committed of which he must be manifestly convinced by two or three witnesses Ancient Law do permit just defences to snch as be accused be their crimes never so horrible And godly Councells wills That neither Bishop nor person Ecclesiasticall whatsoever accused of any crime shall sit in Judgement Consultation or Councell where the cause of such men as do accuse them is to be tried These things require I of your Honours to be granted unto me to wit That the Doctrine which our adversaries condemn for heresie may be tried by the simple and plain Word of God That just Defences be admitted to us that sustain the Battell against this
from the Den of Lions To the confusion of their enemies To the better instruction of the ignorant Kings and To the perpetuall comfort of Gods afflicted children And Abdemelech in the day of the Lords Visitation when the King and his Councell did drink the bitter cup of Gods Vengeance did finde his life for a prey and did not fall by the edge of the sword when many thousands did perish And this was signified unto them by the Prophet himself at the commandment of God before that Ierusalem was destroyed This promise and cause were recited unto him in these words I will bring my words upon this City unto evil and not unto good but most assuredly I shall deliver thee because thou hast trusted in me saith the Lord. The trust and hope which Abdemelech had in God made himself bold to oppose himself being but one to the King and to his whole Councell who had condemned to death the Prophet whom his conscience did acknowledge to be innocent for thus did he speak in presence of the King sitting in the Port of Benjamin My Lord the King saith Abdemelech these men do wickedly in all things that they have done to Jeremy the Prophet Advert and take heed my Lords that the men who had condemned the Prophet were the King his Princes and Councell and yet did one man accuse them all of iniquity and did boldly speak in the defence of him of whose innocency he was perswaded And the same I say is the duty of every man in his Vocation but chiefly of the Nobility which is joyned with their kings to bridle and represse their folly and blinde rage Which thing if the Nobility do not neither yet labour to doe as they are Traitours to their Kings so do they provoke the wrath of God against themselves and against the Realme in which they abuse the Authoritie which they have received of God to maintaine Vertue and to suppresse Vice And hereof I would your Honours were most certainly perswaded That God will neither excuse Nobilitie nor people but the Nobility least of all that obey and follow their Kings in manifest iniquity but with the same vengeance will God punish the Prince People and Nobility conspiring together against him and his Holy Ordinances as in the punishment upon Pharaoh Israel Iuda and Babylon is evidently to be seene for Pharaoh was not drowned alone but his Captains Charets and great Army drank the same Cup with him The Kings of Israel and Iudah were not punished without company but with them were murthered the Counsellors their Princes imprisoned and their people led Captive And why because none was found so faithfull to God that he durst enterprise to resist nor gainstand the manifest impietie of their Princes And therefore was Gods wrath powred forth upon the one and the other But the more ample discourse of this argument I deferre to better opportunity onely at this time I thought expedient to admonish you That before God it shall not excuse you to alleadge We are no Kings and therefore neither can we reforme Religion nor yet defend such as be persecuted Consider my Lords that ye are powers ordained of God as before is declared and therefore doth the Reformation of Religion and the defence of such as unjustly are oppressed appertaine to your charge and care which thing shall the Law of God universally given to be kept of all men most evidently declare which is my last and most assured reason why I say ye ought to remove from your Honours and to punish with death such as God hath condemned by his own mouth After that Moses had declared what was true Religion to wit To honour God as he commanded adding nothing to his Word neither yet diminishing any thing from it and after also that vehemently he had exhort-the same Law to be observed he denounced the punishment against the Transgressors in these words If thy brother sonne daughter wife or neighbour whom thou lovest as thine own life solicitate thee secretly saying Let us go serve other gods whom neither thou nor thy fathers have knowne consent not to him hear him not let not thine eye spare him shew him no indulgency or favour hide him not but utterly kill him let thy hand be the first upon him that he may be slaine and after the hand of the whole people Of these words of Moses are two things appertaining to our purpose to be noted The first is that such as solicitate only to Idolatry ought to be punished to death without favour or respect of person For he that will not suffer man to spare his sonne his daughter nor his wife but straitly commandeth punishment to be taken upon the idolatours have they never so nigh conjunction with us will not wink at the Idolatry of others of what state or condition soever they be It is not unknown That the Prophets had Revelations of God which were not common to the people as Samuel had the Revelation that Eli and his posterity should be destroyed That Saul should first be King and thereafter That he should be rejected That David should raign for him Michaiah understood by Vision That Achab should be killed in the Battell against the Syrians Elias saw that dogs should eat Iezabel in the Forts of Iezreel Elisha did see hunger come upon Israel by the space of seven yeers Ieremiah did foresee the destruction of Ierusalem and the time of their Captivity And so divers other Prophets had divers Revelations of God which the people did not otherwise understand but by their affirmation and therefore in those dayes were the Prophets named Seers because that God did open unto them that which was hid from the multitude Now if any man might have claimed any priviledge from the rigour of the Law or might have justified his fact it should have been the Prophet For he might have alleadged for himself his singular Prerogative that he had above other men to have Gods Will revealed unto him by Vision or by Dream or That God had declared particularly unto him that his pleasure was To be honoured in that manner in such a place and by such means But all such excuses doth God remove commanding That the Prophet that shall so solicitate the people to serve strange Gods shall die the death notwithstanding that he alleadge for himself Dream Vision or Revelation yea although he promise miracles and although that such things as he promised should come to passe yet I say commandeth God that no credit be given to him but that he die the death because he teacheth apostasie and defection from God Hereby your Honours may easily see That none provoking the people to Idolatry ought to be exempted from the punishment of death For if neither that inseparable Conjunction which God himself hath sanctified betwixt man and wife neither that unspeakable love grafted in nature which is betwixt the father and the son neither yet that
cured within England which alas for pitie must now be brought into bondage and thraldome that pestilent Papists may reigne without punishment But O thou Beast I speak to thee Winchester more cruell then any Tygre Shall neither shame nor fear nor benefits received bridle thy Tyrannous cruelty Art thou not ashamed thou bloody Beast to betray thy native Countrey and the liberties of the same Fearest thou not to open such a door to all iniquitie that whole England should be made a common Stewes to Spanyards Wilt thou recompence the benefits which thou hast received of that Noble Realm with that ingratitude Remembrest thou not that England hath brought thee forth that England nourished thee that England hath promoted thee to riches honour and high dignitie And wilt thou now O wretched Captive for all these manifold benefits received be the cause that England shall not be England Yea verily for so wilt thou gratifie thy Father the Devill and his Lieutenant the Pope whom with all his baggage thou labourest now with tooth and naile to make florish again in England albeit like a dissembling Hypocrite and double faced wretch thou being thereto compelled by the invincible verity of Gods Holy Word wrotest long ago thy book intituled True Obedience against that Monstrous Whore of Babylon and her falsly usurped power and authority but now to thy pepetuall shame thou returnest to thy Vomit and art become an open Arch-Papist again Furthermore why seekedst thou the blood of Thomas Cranmer of good father Hugh Latimer and of that most learned and discreet man Doctor Ridley Doest thou not consider that the lenitie sincere Doctrine pure life godly conversation and discreet counsell of these three is notably known in more Realms then England Art thou not ashamed to seek the destruction of those who laboured for the safeguard of thy life and obtained the same when thou justly deservedst death But O thou sonne of Belial well declarest thou that nothing can mollifie the cruell malice nor purge the deadly venome of him in whose heart wickednesse beareth the dominion thou are like to Cain and fellow to Iudas the Traitour and therefore canst thou do nothing but thirst for the blood of Abel and betray Christ Jesus and his eternall verity Thus dear brethren must the sons of the Devill declare their own impietie and ungodlinesse that when Gods vengeance which shall not sleep shall be poured forth upon them all Tongues shall confesse acknowledge and say That God is righteous in all his judgements And to this end are cruell Tyrants permitted and suffered for a space and time not onely to live in wealth and prosperity but also to prevaile and obtain victory as touching the flesh over the very Saints of God and over such as enterpriseth to resist their fury at Gods commandment But now to the subsequent and that which followeth The Instrument and means wherewith Christ Jesus used to remove and put away the horrible fear and anguish of his Disciples is his onely word for so it is written But by and by Iesus spake unto them saying Be of good comfort it is I be not afraid The naturall man that cannot understand the power of God would have desired some other present comfort in so great a danger as Either to have had the heavens to have opened and to have shewed unto them such light in that darknesse that Christ might have been fully known by his own face or else That the Winds and raging Waves of the Seas suddenly should have ceased or some other Miracle that had been subject to all their sences whereby they might have perfectly known that they were delivered from all danger And truely equall it had been to Christ Jesus to have done any of these or any work greater as to have said It is I be not afraid But willing to teach us the dignitie and effectuall power of his most Holy Word he useth no other Instrument to pacifie the great and horrible fear of his Disciples but the same his comfortable Word and lively Voice and this is not done onely at one time but whensoever his Church is in such straight perplexity that nothing appeareth but extreme calamity desolation and ruine then the first comfort that ever it receiveth is by the meanes of his Word and Promise As in the troubles and temptations of Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses David and Paul may appear To Abraham was given no other defence after that he had discomfited four Kings whose posterity and linage no doubt he being a stranger greatly feared but onely this promise of God made to him by his holy Word Feare not Abraham I am thy Buckler that is Thy protection and defence The same we finde of Isaac who flying from the place of his accustomed habitation compelled thereto by hunger gat no other comfort nor conduct but this promise onely I will be with thee In all the journeyes and temptations of Iacob the same is to be espied As when he fled from his fathers house for fear of his brother Esau when he returned from Laban And when he feared the inhabitants of the Region of the Canaanites and Peresites for the slaughter of the Sichemites committed by his sons he receiveth none other defence but onely Gods Word and Promise And this in Moses and in the afflicted Church under him is most evident For when Moses himself was in such despair that he was bold to chide with God saying Why hast thou sent me for since that time I have come to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name he hath oppressed this people Neither yet hast thou delivered thy people This same expostulation of Moses declareth how sore he was tempted yea and what opinion he had conceived of God that is That God was either impotent and could not deliver his people from such a tyrants hands or else That he was mutable and unjust of his promises And this same and sorer temptations assaulted the people For in anguish of heart they both refused God and Moses as we before have partly touched And what meanes used God to comfort them in that great extremity Did he straightway suddenly kill Pharaoh the great Tyrant No. Did he send them a legion of Angels to defend and deliver them No such thing But he onely reciteth and beateth into their ears his former promises to them which oftentimes they had before And yet the rehearsall of the same wrought so mightily in the heart of Moses that not onely was bitternesse and despair removed away but also he was enflamed with such boldnesse that without fear he went again to the presence of the King after he had been threatned and repulsed by him This I write beloved in the Lord that ye knowing the Word of God not onely to be that whereby were created heaven and earth but also to be the power of God to salvation to all that believe the bright lantern
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