Gods just Judgement He was most oppressed for thâ— delation and false accusation of such as professed Christs Evangel as M. Thomas Mairioribanckes and M. Heus Rig then advocates did confesse to M. Henry Balnaves who from the said Thomas Scot came to him as he and M. Thomas Ballenden were sitting in Saint Giles Church and asked him forgivenesse of the said Thomas None of these terrible forewarnings could either change or alter the heart of the infortunate and misled Prince but still he did proceed in his accustomed wayes For in the midst of these evils he caused to put hands on that notable man M. George Buchanan to whom for his singular erudition and honest behaviour was committed the charge to instruct some of his naturall children But by the mercifull providence of God he escaped albeit with great difficulty the rage of those that sought his life and remaines alive to this day in the yeere of God 1566. to the glory of God to the great honour of this nation and to the comfort of those that delight in letters and vertue That singular Worke of Davids Psalms in Latin Meeter and Poesie besides many others can witnesse the rare graces of God given to that man which that Prince by instigation of the gray-Friers and of his other flatterers would altogether have devoured if God had not provided remedy to his servant by escaping the keepers being asleep he went out at the window This cruelty and persecution notwithstanding the monsters and hypocrites the gray-Friers day by day came farther in contempt for not onely did the learned espie and detest their abominable hypocrisie but also men in whom no such graces or gifts were thought to have been began plainly to paint the same forth to the people As this Ryme which here we have inserted for the same purpose made by Alexander Earle of Glevearne to this day 1566 alive can witnesse intituled An Epistle directed from the holy Hermite of Larites to his Brethren the gray-Friers I Thomas Hermite in Larite Saint Francis brother heartily greete Beseeching you with firme intent To be watchfull and diligent For thir Lutherans rissen of new Our ordour dayly doth pursew These smacks do set their whole intent To read this Engls ' new Testament And sayth we have them cleane desceivd Therefore in haste they must be stopped Our stately hypocrisie they pryse And do blaspheme us on this wise Saying that we are heretiks And false loud lying Matin tykes Cummerers and quellers of Christs Kyrk Such lasie scemlers that will not wirk But idlely our living winnes Devouring Wolfs into Sheepe-skinnes Hurkland with huids into our neck With Judas minde to Jowcke and Bek Seeking Gods people to devore The overthrowers of Gods glore Professors of hypocrisie Doctors in Idolatrie Fishears with the feynds nette The upclosers of heaven gate Cancard corrupters of the Creede Hemlock sowers among good seed To throw in brambles that do men twist The hye way kennand them from Christ Monsters with the Beasts marke Dogs that never stintes to barke Church men that are to Christ unkend A sect that Sathans selfe has send Lurking in holes lyke trator todes Maintainers of Idolles and false godes Fantastike fooles and frenzie flatterers To turne from the trueth the very teachers For to declare their whole sentence Would much cumber your conscience To say your fayth it is so stark Your cord and loosie cote and sark Ye lippin may you bring to salvation And quyte excludes Christ his passion I dread this doctrine and it last Shall either gar us worke or fast Therefore with speede we must provide And not our profit overslide I schaip my selfe within short while To curse our Ladie in Argyle And there some craftie wyse to worke Till that we builded have one Kyrk Since miracles made by your advice The kitterells thought they had but lyce The two parts to us they will bring But orderly to dresse this thing Aghaist I purpose for to cause gang By counsayll of Frear Walter Lang Which shall make certaine demonstrations To help us in our procurations Your holy ordor to decore That practise he provd once before Betwâ—xt Kyrkcadie and Kinggorne But Lymmers made thereat such skorne And to his fame made such digression Since syn he heard not the Kings confession Though at that time he came with speede I pray you take good will as deede And some among your selves receave As one worth many of the leave What I obtaine you through his art Reason wold ye had your part Your order handles no money But for other casualtie As beefe meale butter and cheese Or what else you have that you please Send your brethren and habete As now not els but valete Be Thomas your brother at command A Culrune kethed through many a land After God had given unto that mis-informed Prince sufficient documents that his warring against his blessed Gospel should not prosperously succeed He raised up against him Warres as he did of old against divers Princes that would not hear his voice in the which he lost himself as we shall hereafter heare The occasion of the Warre was this HENRY the eighth King of England had a great desire to have spoken with our King and in that point travelled so long till that he gat a full promise made to his Ambassadour Lord William Howard The place of meeting was appointed Yorke which the King of England kept with such solemnitie and preparations as never for such a purpose was seene in England before Great brute of that journey and some preparation for the same was made in Scotland But in the end by perswasion of the Cardinall David Beton and by others of his faction that journey was stayed and the Kings promise falsified Whereupon were sharp Letters of reproach sent unto the King and also unto his counsell King Henry frustrate returneth to London and after his indignation declared began to fortifie with men his frontiers toward Scotland There was sent to the borders Sir Robert Bowes the Earle of Angus and his brother Sir George Dowglas Upon what other trifling questions as for the debetable land and such the Warre brake up we omit to write The principall occasion was the falsifying of the promises before made Our King perceiving that Warre would rise asked the Prelats and Churchmen what support they would make to the sustaining of the same for rather would he yet satisfie the desire of his Uncle then he would hazard warre where he saw not his force able to resist They promised mountains of gold as Satan their father did to Christ Jesus if he would worship him for rather would they have gone to hell then he should have met with King Henry for then thought they Farewell our Kingdom of Abbots Monks c. And farewell thought the Cardinall his credit and glory in France In the end they promised fifty thousand crowns by yeere to be well paid so long as the Warre lasted and further That
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
greater enemy to the banished Lords And at this time the principall Lords that waited at Court were divided in opinions For the Earle of Morton Chancellor with the Earle of Marr and Secretary Lethington were on the one part and the Earles of Huntley and Bothwell on the other part so that a certain drynesse was amongst them neverthelesse by means of the Earle of Athole they were reconciled Now as there was preparation made by the Papists for Christmas the Queen being then at Masse the King came publikely and bare company and the Friers Preached the dayes following alwayes using another stile then they had done seven yeers before during which time they had not Preached publikely they were so little esteemed that they continued not long in Preaching At the same time convened in Edinburgh the generall Assembly of the Ministers and Commissioners of the Churches Reformed within this Realme There assisted them of the Nobility the Earles of Morton and Marr the Lord Lindsay and Secretary Lethington with others The chief things that were concluded in this Assembly were That for the avoyding of the plagues and scourges of God which appeared to come upon the people for their sins and ingratitude there should be proclaimed by the Ministers a publike Fast to be Universally observed thorowout all the Reformed Churches which manner of Fasting was soon after devised by Iohn Knox at the Command of the Church and put in Print wherefore needs not here to be recited in this place What followed upon the said Fast shall be plainly God willing declared The second thing that was ordained in this Assembly was concerning the Ministers who for want of payment of their stipends were like to perish or else to leave their Ministry wherefore it was found necessary That supplication should be made to the King and Queens Majesties And for the same purpose a certain uumber of the most able men were elected to go to their Majesties aforesaid to lament and bemone their case Which persons had Commission to propose some other things as shall be declared The names of them that past from the Church to the King and Queens Majesties were M. Iohn Spotswood Superintendent of Lowthian Iohn Winrame Superintendent of Fyfe M. Iohn Row Minister of Perth M. David Lyndsay Minister of Leith who easily obtained audience of the King and Queens Majesties And after their reverence done M. Iohn Row in name of the rest opened the matter lamenting bewailing the miserable state of the poor Ministers who by publike command had been reasonably satisfied three yeers or more by vertue of the Act made with advice of the honorable Privie Councell for the taking up of the Thirds of the Benefices which was especially made in their favours Neverthelesse the Laird of Tillibardin new Comptroller would answer them nothing Wherefore they besought their Majesties for relief Secondly seeing that in all Supplications made to the King and Queens Majesties by the Church at all times they desired most earnestly that all Idolatry and superstition and especially the Masse should be rooted out and abolished quite out of this Realme And that in the last generall Assembly of the Church by their Commissioners they had most earnestly desired the same And that their answer was then That they knew no impediment in the Masse therefore the Assembly desired That it might please their Highnesses to hear Disputation to the end that such as now pretend to Preach in the Chappell Royall and maintain such errours the Truth being tryed by disputation that they might be known to be abusers submitting themselves alwayes to the Word of God written in the Scriptures To this it was answered by the Queen That she was alwayes minded that the Ministers should be paid their Stipends and if there was any fault therein the same came by some of their own sort meaning the Comptroller Pittarow who had the handling of the Thirds Alwayes by the advice of her Councell she should cause such order to be taken therein that none should have occasion to complain As to the second She would not jeopard her Religion upon such as were there present for she knew well enough that the Protestants were more learned The Ministers and Commissioners of Churches perceiving nothing but delay and driving off time in the old manner went home every one to their own Churches waiting upon the good providence of God continually making Supplication unto Almighty God that it would please him of his mercy to remove the apparant plague And in the mean time the Queen was busied with Banqueting about with some of the Lords of the Session of Edinburgh and after with all men of Law having continually in her company David Rizio who sate at Table neer to her self sometimes more privately then became a man of his Condition for his over-great familiarity was already supected and it was thought That by his advice alone the Queens sharpnesse and extremity towards the Lords was maintained In the end of Ianuary arrived an Ambassadour from France named Monsieur Rambullet having with him about fourty Horse in Trayn who came thorow England He brought with him the Order of the Cockle from the King of France to the King who received the same at the Masse in the Chappell of the Palace of Halyrud-house There assisted the Earles of Lenox Athole and Eglington with divers such other Papists as would please the Queen who three dayes after caused the Herald to convene in Councell and reasoned what Armes should be given to the King some thought he should have the Armes of Scotland some others said Seeing it was not concluded in Parliament that he should have the Crown Matrimoniall he could have Armes but onely as Duke of Rothesay Earle of Rosse c. The Queen bade give him onely his due whereby it was perceived her love waxed cold towards him Finally his Arms were left blank and the Queen caused put her own name before her husbands in all Wrets and thereafter she caused to leave out his name wholly And because formerly he had signed every thing of any moment she caused to make a Seale like the Kings and gave it to David Rizio who made use of it by the Queens Command alleadging That the King being at his Pastime could not alwayes be present About the same time the Earle of Glencarne came from Barwicke to his owne Countrey Soon after the Earle of Bothwell was married unto the Earle of Huntley his sister The Queene desired that the Marriage might be made in the Chappell at the Masse which the Earle Bothwell would in no wise grant Upon Sunday the third day of March began the Fasting at Edinburgh The seventh day of March the Queen came from the Pallace of Hallirud-house to the Town in wondrous gorgious apparell albeit the number of Lords and Train was not very great In the mean time the King accompanied with seven or eight horse went to the Leith to passe his time there for hee was not like
arrayed to do her honour and offer her lawfull service Then she came to Craigmiller where she remained in November till she was advertised of the coming of the Ambassadors to the Baptisme of the Prince and for that purpose there was great preparation made not without the trouble of such as were supposed to have money in store especially of Edinburgh for there was borrowed a good round summe of money for the same businesse All her care and solicitude was for that triumph At the same time arrived the Counte de Briance Embassadour of the King of France who had a great Train Soon after the Earle of Bedford went forth of England with a very gorgious company to the number of fourscore Horses and passing to Sterlin he was humanly received of the Queens Majestie and every day banquetted The excessive expences and superfluous apparell which was prepared at that time exceeded farre all the preparation that ever had been devised or set forth afore that time in this Countrey The 17 of December 1566. in the great Hall of the Castle of Sterlin was the Prince baptized by the Bishop of Saint Andrews at five a Clock at Even with great Pompe albeit with great paine could they finde men to beare the Torches wherefore they took Boyes The Queen laboured much with the Noblemen to bear the Salt Grease and Candle and such other things but all refused she found at last the Earls of Eglington Athole and the Lord Seaton who assisted at the Baptisme and brought in the said Trash The Counte de Briance being the French Ambassadour assisted likewise The Earle of Bedford brought for a Present from the Queen of England a Font of Gold valued to be worth three thousand Crownes Soon after the said Baptisme as the Earle was in communing with the Queen who entertained him most reverently he began to say merrily to her amongst other talking Madame I rejoyce very greatly at this time seeing your Majestie hath here to serve you so many Noblemen especially twelve Earles whereof two onely assist at this Baptisme to the Superstition of Popery At the which saying the Queen kept good countenance Soon after they banquetted in the said great Hall where they wanted no prodigality During the time of the Earle of Bedfords remaining at Sterlin the Lords for the most part waited upon him and conveyed him every day to the Sermon and after to Banquetting The King remained in Sterlin all that time never being present kept his Chamber his father hearing how he was used writ to him to repaire unto him who soon after went without good-night toward Glasgow to his Father he was hardly a Mile out of Sterlin when the poyson which had been given him wroght so upon him that he had very great pain and dolour in every part of his body At length being arrived at Glasgow the Blisters brake out of a blewish colour so the Physitians presently knew the Disease to come by poyson he was brought so low that nothing but death was expected yet the strength of his youth at last did surmount the poison During the time of this Triumph the Queen was most liberall in all things that were demanded of her amongst other things she subscribed a writing for the maintenance of the Ministers in a reasonable proportion which was to be taken up of the Thirds of Benefices which writing being purchased by the Bishop of Galloway was presented at the generall Assembly of the Church at Edinburgh the five and twentieth day of December 1566. where were conveened the Superintendents and other Ministers in reasonable number but very few Commssioners The first matter that was there proposed was concerning the said Writing lately obtained and the most part of the Ministers being demanded their opinions in the matter after advice and passing a little aside they answered very gravely That it was their duty to preach to the people the Word of God truly and and sincerely and to crave of the Auditors the things that were necessary for their sustentation as of duty the Pastour might justly crave of their Flock and further it became them not to have any care Neverthelesse the Assembly taking in consideration that the said Gifts granted by the Queens Majestie was not to be refused they ordained That certaine faithfull men of every Shire should meet and do their utmost diligence for gathering and receiving the said Corne and money and likewise appointed the Superintendent of Lowthian and Master Iohn Row to waite upon the Bishop of Galloway and concurre and assist him for further expedition in the Court that the said Guift miâ—t be dispatched through the Seales In the same Assembly there was presented a Remonstrance by Writ by some Gentlemen of Kyle containing in effect That in asmuch as the Tythes ought to be given onely to the Ministers and Schooles of the Word and for maintenance of the poor that therefore the Assembly would Statute and Ordain That all the Professors of the Evangell should keep the same in their own hands to the effects aforesaid and no way permit the Papists to meddle therewith This Writing took no effect at that time for there was none else but the Gentlemen of Kyle of that opinion It was Statuted in the said Assembly That such publike Fornicators and scandalous livers as would not confesse their offences nor come to declare their repentance should be declared by the Minister to be out of the Church and not of the body thereof and their names to be declared publikely upon the Sunday After this Assembly the Bishop of Galloway with the Superintendent of Lowthian and M. Iohn Row passing to Sterlin obtained their Demands in an ample manner at the Queens Majesties hand according to their desire and likewise they obtained for every Borough a Guift or Donation of the Altarages Annuals and Obites which before were given to the Papists now to be disposed for the maintenance of the Ministers and Schooles within the Boroughs and the rest to the poor or Hospitall Notwithstanding the Domestick troubles that the Church of God in Scotland suffered in the time of these hurliburlies within the Kingdom yet they were not unmindefull of the affliction of Iacob every where upon the face of the Earth namely they had before their Eyes the State and condition of the Church of God in England witnesse this Letter from the Generall Assembly to the Rulers of the Church of God in England The Superintendents with other Ministers and Commissioners of the Church of God in the Kingdome of Scotland to their Brethren the Bishops and Pastours of Gods Church in England who professe with us in Scotland the Truth of Iesus Christ. BY Word and Letters it is come to our knowledge Reverent Brethren Pastors of Gods Word in the Church of England that divers of our Brethren of whom some be of the most learned in England are deprived from all Ecclesiasticall Function namely Are forbidden to Preach and so by you are stopped to
high measure in the yeer 1595. This gave occasion then both to Prince and people to enter into Covenant for the defence of the Truth and pure Doctrine of the Church with the Reformed Discipline and of the safety of the King and Kingdom by which means the proceedings of the enemies was stopped for a while Now the time drawing neer of the Kings coming to the Crown of England the watching enemy returns to work again in another manner then he had done hitherto which was this By the mouths of some timerous and worldly men he causeth to present unto the King the consideration of great difficulties that he was likely to finde in his succeeding to the Crown of England by two parties there who were given out to be the Strength of the Kingdom to wit the profest Papists and the Prelaticall men therefore to facilitate the businesse they must be in some sort contented For the satisfaction of the Prelates the King by degrees must endeavour to bring again into Scotland Prelacy with all its dependences for no neglecter or contemner of the holy Order could be kindely received to reigne in England and so this part of the advice was followed with all possible care and diligence To content the Papists they not onely must have given unto them under-hand hopes of connivence and over seeing their practice but also there must be a Letter written to the Pope to assure his Holinesse of the Kings affection to the Catholike Cause Thus both these parties were calmed so far that the King came to the Crown of England Anno 1602 without manifest opposition albeit not without the grumbling and grudging of some As for the stricter sort of Professors of the Reformed Religion going under the nick-name of Puritans no opposition or trouble to the Succession was feared from them because the Principles upon which they go on rising from the Word of God are far other then those of worldlings which flow from interest and consequently they needed not Atonement or Propitiatory Sacrifice to befriend the King But the holy Father not finding reall performance by the King of what he looked for remembers the King in good earnest of his promise not kept by the Gun-powder Plot Anno 1605. After which by Gods mercy failing men would have thought that the Popish party should leave off all undertakings hereafter But they follow their businesse more constantly then so for no sooner one Plot fails but incontinent they put another afoot yea they have severall Plots at one and the same time in hand whereof it is likely that either one or other will take Now this great Plot of the Gun-powder being come to nothing they as it were go back for a time to come forward in due season with another and leaving for a while the open and devouring ravishing of the Wolf they have recourse again to the cunning of the Fox The next care then after the calming in some measure the spirits of men after so horrid a Treason is to look about and to studie by whom he affairs of these Dominions were managed And finding by serious inspection That all affairs received great influence from the Court after mature deliberation they resolved to make friends there which they did by subtill insinuations fair words high promises and some reall performances of good Offices yea when money was absolutely necessary it was not spared Thus by degrees having gotten friends at Court in it they make a party next for whose subsistence and increase they employ all that they can Now having power and credit at Court more and clearly perceiving it to be the fountain from whence all preferment to Honour and benefit in Church and State did flow they judged it fit for their purpose to make sure of some prime men both in Church and State according to their minde which was done as they desired Thus having gained men chief in State and Church for their use then they went to the corrupting of the Universities being the Seminaries of all Liberall Education This likewise they did effectuate first by the Over-seers connivence to loosenesse of life in young people next by the bad example of the Seniors the Iuniors were invited to do mischief Then the Teachers by their bad instruction did corrupt namely in Theologie all sound Doctrine And for this purpose the earnest studie of the Old Testrment in the Originall Hebrew was cryed downe as beseeming rather men of the Synagogue then those of the Christian Schools Likewise the Greek of the New Testament must not be read with diligence for fear of spoyling the elegancy of the Greek Language which is to be found in profane Authors So they withdrew the Students from the studie of Scriptures in the Originall and recommended to them the reading of humane Writings particularly in Theologie the Books of the Ancients which are commonly called Fathers Likewise was recommended unto young men the studie of the Sophistry of the Monks as of Thomas and Scotus namely with their Expositors True it is That if young men were well instructed in Theologie from the Scriptures and taught the true Principles of Philosophie in a setled course by some judicious and diligent Professor they might reade all these Books and others in their kinde with pleasure and benefit But alas young men not knowing the rudiments of Theologie nor the first Elements of Philosophie are let loose unto themselves and so by reading these Books having no sure ground to stick to learn onely to doubt and put Queries yea of the very Principles of all sound knowledge both Divine and Humane Thus being brought to waver and doubt they are easily led what by interest what by weaknesse to embrace a bad Opinion or at least to hold all uncertain as the ancient Scepticks not being able to resolve Yea doubting is come to that height that in the opinion of many he is the bravest fellow and wittiest that can raise most Queries answer them who will or can And so Wit is hugely cryed up which is but meer froth and poor solid Wisedom is not so much as named or thought on Then those of the richer sort having spent some time idly and loosely at the Universities go beyond Sea particularly to Italy forsooth either upon their own trust or which is little better if not worse many of those who go along with young men to advise and direct them have as much need of one for their guide as the young men themselves having neither staidnesse discretion nor probity So that if there were a just account cast up of all those who either have been bred in the Universities or gone beyond Sea these many yeers I will speak within compasse That of twenty you shall hardly finde one who is improved in vertue by this Breeding for the good of the Church and State whereof they are members and perhaps considerable too if they were wise and good At this present both Church and State findes this to be true
go into Edinburgh to settle things fully he sends Deputies thither and returns to London At his return the Scots Commissioners are imprisoned at London against their Safe-Conduct and the Agreement with the Scots is burnt publikely by the hand of the Hang-man and a new Expedition with more cunning and strength then the former is undertaken against the Scots Whereof the Scots duely advertised judging it not to be safe to play alwayes after-games settle their Countrey make sure the strong Holds which they had delivered in simplicity of heart unto the King at the late Agreement and come into England with such an Army that they made their enemies retire Upon this point of necessity the King assembled divers of the Nobles by whom he is advised to call a Parliament which is granted although with difficulty At the overture of the Parliament having gained all the party possible the King is made to demand assistance to repell the Scots from England and chastise them but to no purpose wherefore the Parliament must pay for it and to this purpose the English Army afoot must be brought to London under some pretext This Plot failing and discovered the Scots must be tempted under great offers no lesse then the plunder of London and the propriety of the adjacent Counties to their Countrey The Scots not onely refused these great offers but also give advice of them to the Parliament Then the Scots must be hastened home and the King must go into Scotland under pretext to settle things there but really to make a party viewing by the way the Scots Army and to make sure of some men dis-affected to the Designe of the Court These things not succeeding to smooth a little the shamefull businesse Titles of Honour and Pensions are given to many While the King is in Scotland the Rebellion riseth in Ireland having its influence from the Court whether by sealed Patents or otherwise I will not enquire now more then of the Spanish Navie but certain it is it had its rise from Court Some dayes after the Rebellion begun in Ireland the King must return in all speed to London under pretext to consult with the Parliament how to represse this odious Rebellion but really to be revenged of the Parliament for not assisting against the Scots and for punishing the main agents of the Scotish party witnesse the faction the Queen had made in the City during the Kings abode in Scotland to divide the City and Parliament and the demanding of the Members of the Houses against all Law upon accusation of Treason whereof the chief and main point was To have favourized the Scots Affairs in England against expresse Acts of Oblivion of both Parliaments of Scotland and England As for the repressing of the Rebellion in Ireland it is so little taken to heart that the King seldom goes to the House and being there speaks but little of the businesse After a while with much ado the Popish Irish in Arms are declared Rebells when they had ruined many families and killed many of the innocent Protestants But of the Kings Declaration there were but few Copies Printed and of the few hardly any dispersed when the Scots before they had gathered any Head were Prelatically excommunicated and cursed thorow all the Parishes of England and declared Rebells every where by printed Papers Who as they intended no ill so blessed be God never men of War in a Countrey did lesse harm then the Scots did Yea which is more all the good intentions of both Parliament and City with the ready offers of the Scots for the speedy help of the poor Protestants against the bloody Butchers in Ireland was delayed deluded yea almost put off by the Court and the corrupt Members of both Houses who since have shewed themselves openly what they are in publike Affairs But these Designes failing of apprehending the Members and of dividing the City and Parliament as was seen by the accompanying the Members to the Houses again the King must leave London Here before we proceed any further we shall go a little back When the first undertaking was against the Scots all things within these Dominions being disposed for the best furthering of the work the holy Conclave of Rome forecasting all chances and fearing that England would not altogether be so forward to contribute much unto the destruction of Scotland wherefore the King must be assured of some good friend abroad and not far off who may help in case of need None is thought so fit as the Prince of Orange being able to help with Moneys Arms and Men for command He must be gained by offering him for his Son one of the Kings Daughters who notwithstanding his high minde would have been glad of a lower Match Now at the first the Prince of Orange did onely look to have the second Daughter in due time But to engage him further he shall have the elder not staying for her till she be nubile and that presently although she did little more then then well discerne her right hand from her left But this is not all for the Mother must carry the Daughter to the Prince of Orange to gain him more speedily and make him more affectionate and sure to the Designes of our corrupted Court So the Kings Daughter is sold and made a Sacrifice for furtherance of the Catholike Cause as his Grand-mother was sold to France to the same Designe by the corrupt Court of Scotland for the time What mischief this Marriage and the Queens Voyage into Holland hath brought into this Countrey and what stain she hath brought upon her self by it we see all And so many evils fell upon Scotland after the sending the then young Queen into France Here you shall observe the jugling knavery of our corrupt Court who cry out against the Scots for taking Arms for the just defence of their Liberty and Religion without any by-respect as their whole proceedings to this instant do testifie as guilty of the most horrid crime of Rebellion against Higher Powers as they call it yet the same corrupt Court makes the King give his Daughter unto him who is not onely a chief man but a main Instrument to make War for the Liberty and Religion of the Countrey where he liveth against the unjust oppression of their Sovereign as his renowned Brother and most vertuous Father did before him and as he intends to make his Son after him witnesse the reversion of his Place he hath obtained unto him from the States If the King of Spain by necessity hath been constrained to acknowledge the United Provinces free it is nothing for the justice of their taking Arms to defend their Religion and Liberty And if he had power they would not be long free witnesse the secret Plots to divide them and over-reach them Farther he is very shie in his Writs to call them Free as every man knows The Queen of Bohemia must not onely be neglected and seen lose all that
some of the following Kings namely where there was any opposition feared of setling them in the Royall Throne for further Confirmation were anointed Read diligently the History of the Kings and you shall not finde that each one or every one of them was anoynted externally although they were all the Anoynted of the Lord. Next you shall note That the Oyl wherewith Samuel anoynted Saul and David and so the Oyl wherewith other Kings were anoynted was not an Oyl consecrated as that wherewith the High-Priest c. was anoynted but common Oyl The reason of the Scripture-phrase whereby all Princes are said to be anoynted is this Anoynting in first and most ancient times was a signe of setting apart of a man for the Office of a King Hence by progresse of time any man that was set aside by Gods providence to execute the Office of a King whether he came thereunto by Succession or by choice or by Conquest was called the Anoynted of the Lord because they had the thing signified by Gods appointment notwithstanding they wanted the signe to wit the Oyntment Further we shall observe here That not onely those whom God hath set aside to be Kings be called the Anoynted of the Lord but also the people whom he hath set aside or apart for a peculiar end So the Prophet speaking of the People of Israel in Gods Name useth this expression Touch not mine Anoynted For their sake I have reproved Kings Moreover note That as the people set aside by God are said to be his Anoynted so they are also called A Royall Priesthood Kings and Priests Not that every one of the people is a King or a Priest these being particular Callings no more then they were anoynted but because they are set aside by God as Priests to offer daily unto him the Sacrifice of Righteousnesse c. And as Kings were anoynted with Oyl to signifie their setting aside for their peculiar Office so every one of us being anoynted in Baptisme by the holy Spirit is set aside to do justice c. as a King in our severall station Thus much have I in few words spoken of Kings anoynting and how the people are said to be anoynted or to be Priests and Kings because in the beginning of the fifteenth Age sundry were condemned as hereticks for saying That every man is a Priest in some kinde and that the anoynting of Kings is now needlesse being an invention of Rome to subject Princes unto it Some yeers after the beginning of the twelfth Age King David beside the Bishopricks formerly erected did erect the Bishoprick of Rosse Breachen Dunkel and Dumblane This debonaire Prince was so profuse towards Church-men that he gave them a good part of the ancient Patrimony of the Crown So he and his Successors were necessitated to lay Taxes and Impost upon the people more then formerly to the harm of the Common-wealth In this also he wronged the Church for the Clergie being rich and powerfull left their Function and gave themselves over to all riot and idlenesse Till riches made Church-men lazie this distinction in discharging the Duty of a Pastor or of the souls per se aut per alium was unknown While riches did not so abound in the Church Church-men kept more conscience in the discharging of their places In this twelfth Age the Scots although they had Bishops ever since Palladius who for a long time did discharge the Function indifferently in every place where they came to And although they had of later times distinguished the limits of the bounds wherein they were to execute their Calling by Diocesses yet in that Age I say they were not come to that height to have Primates Metropolitans and Arch-bishops Wherefore their neighbour the Arch-bishop of Yorke having gained the consent of the Pope bestirred himself very earnestly by the assistance of his King to have the Scotish Bishops acknowledge him for the Metropolitane whereunto the stoutest of the Scotish Clergie would not consent but they would depend immediately upon the Pope and to this effect Legats were sent from Rome to Scotland who being come hither and seeing the resolution of the Scotish Bishops not to submit to the Archbishop of Yorke and finding their own benefit thereby they did exempt and free the Scots Clergie from the trouble of the Arch-bishop of Yorke There was one Gilbert Bishop of Catnes a great strugler for this businesse About the later end of this Age sundry Priests were put from their Office because they had taken Orders upon Sunday In that time there was a Synod in Perth of Divines such as they were who decreed That Sunday should be kept holy from all work from Saturday at mid-day or twelve of the clock till Munday morning In the thirteenth Age few yeers after the beginning thereof divers kindes of Monks came into Scotland formerly unknown to the Land as Dominicans Franciscans Iacobins and sundry other of that sort of Locusts In this Age these Vermine of Monks did so multiply every where that at a Councell at Lyons it was decreed That no more new Orders of Monks should be admitted or tolerated But how the Decree hath been kept we see in our dayes Next the Monks of severall kindes gave themselves so to Begging that the people were much eaten up by them and the poor his portion was withdrawn which occasioned a great murmure among the Commons Upon this there was a Decree made then That onely the Minorites Praedicants Carmelites and Hermits of S. Augustine should have liberty to beg Whence they are called The four Mendicants Les quatre Mendiants Towards the end of this thirteenth Age fell out that great desolation of the State of Scotland occasioned by the Controversie for the Succession of the Crown betwixt Baliol and Bruce Baliol being constrained by the States of Scotland to break the promise he had made to Edward of England To subject the Crown of Scotland unto him for judging the cause on his side After much trouble and misery of War the State of Scotland receives Robert Bruce come of the second Branch for King recalling all the subjection and Allegiance that they had given to Baliol because of his unworthinesse to Reign who beside unfitnesse to bear rule over a Military People had basely condescended to enslave that Nation to whom their Liberty hath been so dear to this day that for it and the purity of true Religion which both by Gods mercy they now enjoy they have willingly and cheerfully undergone all hazard of life and means judging That if they suffered these two twins Liberty and Religion either to be infringed or taken from them they had nothing left them whereby they might be called men The remarkable History of King Iames the first of Scotland fitteth this purpose very well The Passage is this King Iames the first going into France was taken by the English and kept prisoner by them for many yeers In that time the King of England goes
Queene and the faction of France ever excepted that solemnely in the Abbey of Hallyrud-house was the Contract of Marriage made betwixt the persons aforesaid together with all the Clauses and Conditions requisite for the faithfull observation thereof read in publike audience subscribed sealed approoved and allowed of the Governour for his part Nobilitie and Lords for their parts and that nothing should lacke that might fortifie the matter was Christs Body sacred as Papists terme it broken betwixt the said Governour and M. Saidlar Ambassadour and received of them both as a signe and token of the unitie of their mindes immediately to keepe that contract in all points as they looked of Christ Jesus to be saved and after to be reputed men unworthy of credit before the world The Papists raged against the Governour and against the Lords that had consented and abode fast to the Contract and to confound all as after follows But upon the returning of the aforesaid Ambassadours from England pacification was made for that time for by the judgements of eight persons for either partie chosen to judge whether that any thing was done by the said Ambassadours in the Contracting of that Marriage which to do they had not sufficient power from the Counsell and Parliament It was found that all things were done according to their Commission and that so they should stand And so were the Seales of England and Scotland interchanged Master Iames Fowles then Clerke of the Register received the great Seale of England And Master Saidlare received the great Seale of Scotland The heads of the Contract we passe by These things newly ratified the Merchants made preparation to Saile and to their Traffique which by the troubles of Warres had some yeeres been hindered From Edinburgh were fraughted twelve Ships richly laden according to the wares in Scotland From other Townes and Ports departed other who all arrived upon the coasts of England toward the South to wit in Yarmouth and without any great necessity entred not onely Roads but also within Ports and places of commandment and where that Ships might be arrested And because of the late contracted amitie and gentle entertainement that they found at the first they made no great dispatch But being as they supposed in security in merrinesse they spent the time abiding upon the winde In this meane time arrived from France to Scotland the Abbot of Paislay called now of late Iohn Hamilton bastard brother to the Governour whom yet many esteemed sonne to the old Bishop of Dunikelden called Crichton and with him M. David Panter who after was made Bishop of Rosse The brute of the learning of these two and their honest life and of their fervencie and uprightnesse in Religion was such that great hope there was that their presence should be comfortable to the Church of God For it was constantly affirmed of some that without delay the one or the other would go to the Pulpit and truely Preach Jesus Christ. But few dayes disclosed their hypocrisie For what terrours what promises or what enchaunting boxes they brought from France the common people knew not But shortly after it was seene that Frier Guilliamâ— was inhibited to Preach and so departed into England Iohn Rough to Kylle a receptacle of Gods servants of old The men of counsell judgement and godlinesse that had travailed to promote the Governour and that gave him faithfull counsell in all doubtfull matters were either craftily conveyed from him or else by threatning to be hanged were compelled to leave him Of the one number was the Laird of Grange aforesaid M. Henry Balneves M. Thomas Ballenden and Sir David Lindesay of the Mount Men by whose labours he was promoted to honour and by whose councell he so used himselfe at the beginning that the obedience given to him was nothing inferiour to that obedience that any King of Scotland of many yeeres had before him yea in this it did surmount the common obedience in that it proceeded from love of those vertues that was supposed to have beene in him Of the number of these that were threatned were M. Michael Durham M. David Borthinke David Forresse and David Bothwell who counselled him to have in company with him men fearing God and not to nourish wicked men in their iniquity albeit they were called his friends and were of his surname This counsell understood by the aforesaid Abbot and by the Hamiltons who then repaired to the Court as Ravens to the Carrion in plaine words it was said My Lord Governour nor his friends will never be at quietnesse till a dozen of these knaves that abuse his Grace be hanged These words were spoken in his own presence and in the presence of some of them that had better deserved then to have beene so used the speaker was allowed for his plain and bold speaking And so the wicked counsell followed honest and godly men left the Court and him in the hands of such as by their wicked counsell led him so far from God that he falsified his promise dipt his hands in the blood of the Saints of God and brought this Common-wealth to the very point of utter ruine And these were the first fruits of the Abbot of Paislay his counterfeit Godlinesse and Learning But hereof we will heare more All honest and godly men banished from the Court the Abbot and his counsell beginneth to lay before the inconstant Governour the dangers that might ensue the alteration and change of Religion The power of the King of France the commodity that might come to him and his house by retaining the ancient League with France and the great danger that he brought upon himselfe if in one jote he suffereth the authority of the Pope to be violated or called in doubt within this Realme Considering that thereupon onely stood the security of his pretended right to the succession of the Crowne of this Realme For by Gods word could not be good the divorcement of his father from Eliz. Hume sister to the Lord Hume his lawfull wife and consequently his marriage with Beton Neece to Iames Beton Bishop of S. Andrews Elizabeth Hume being alive must be null and he declared Bastard Caiphas spake Prophesie and yet wist not what he spake For at that time there was hardly any man that truely feared God that minded any such thing but with their whole force would have fortified him in the place that God had given unto him and would never have called in question things done in time of darknesse But this head we passe by till God declare his will therein Another practise was used As for the Cardinall he being set at libertie as before we have heard ceased not to traffique with such of the Nobility as he might draw to his faction or corrupt by any meanes to raise a partie against the said Governour and against such as stood fast at the Contract of Marriage and Peace with England And so assembled at Lynlytquow
the said Cardinall the Earles Argyle Huntlie Bothwell the Bishops and their bands And thereafter they passed to Strevelin and took with them both the Queenes the mother and the daughter and threatned the deposition of the said Governour as Inobedient to their holy Mother the Church so terme they that harlot of Babylon Rome The inconstant man not thorowly grounded upon God left by his owne fault destitute of all good counsell and having the wicked ever blowing in his eare What will you do you will destroy your selfe and your house both for ever The unhappy man we say beaten with these temptations rendred himselfe to the appetites of the wicked for he quietly stole away from the Lords that were with him in the Palace of Halyrud-house past to Sterlin subjected himselfe to the Cardinall and to his Councell received absolution renounced the profession of Christ Jesus his holy Gospel and violated his Oath that before he had made for the observation of the Contract and League made with England At that time was our Queene crowned and a promise made to France The certainty hereof coming to King Henry our Scottish Ships were stayed the Sailes taken from the Rigs and the Merchants and Mariners were commanded to sure custody New Commission was sent to Master Radulph Saidler who then still remained in Scotland to demand the cause of that sudden alteration and to travell by all meanes possible that the Governour might be called back to his former godly purpose and that he would not do so foolishly and dishonestly yea so cruelly and unmercifully to the Realme of Scotland that he would not onely lose the commodities offered and that were presently to be received But that also that he would put it to the hazard of fire and sword and other inconveniences that might ensue the war that was to follow upon the violation of his Faith But nothing could availe The devil kept fast the grype that he got yea all the dayes of his government For the Cardinall got his eldest son in pledge whom he kept in the Castle of S. Andrews while the day that Gods hand punished his pride King Henry perceiving that all hope of the Governours repentance was lost called back his Ambassadours and that with fearfull threatnings as Edinburgh after felt Denounced War made our Ships prises and Merchants and Mariners lawfull prisoners which to the Broughes of Scotland was no small hership But thereat did the Cardinall and Priests laugh and jestingly he said When we shall conquer England the Merchants shall be recompensed The Summer and the Harvest passed over without any notable thing For the Cardinall and Abbot of Paislay parted the prey amongst them The abused Governour bare the name onely In the beginning of Winter came the Earle of Lenox to Scotland sent from France in hatred of the Governour whom the King by the Cardinals advice promised to pronounce Bastard and so to make the said Earle Governour First because he himselfe was borne by Betoâ— his fathers lawfull wife Elizabeth Humes being yet alive Next because his Grandfather was borne by Mary Stuart to Iames Hamilton when her lawfull husband Thomas Boâ—d was yet alive So the Earle of Lenox did not onely pretend to be lawfully next to the Crowne as the late King Iames the fifth did often declare That if he died without heire male he would settle the Crowne upon him but also lawfull heire of the Earledome of Arran as being descended from Margaret Hamilton borne to Mary Stuart and Iames Hamilton after the death of Thomas Boyd her former husband now by this time the inconstant Earle of Arran had given himselfe wholly to the Cardinall The Cardinall farther put the E. of Lenox in vain hope that the Queen Dowager should marry him He brought with him some money and more he after received at the hands of Labrosse But at length perceiving himselfe frustrate of all expectation that he had either by France or yet by the promise of the Cardinall he concludeth to leave France and to seek the favour of England And so began to draw a faction against the Governour and in hatred of the others inconstancy many favoured him in the beginning For there assembled at Christmas in the Town of Ayre the Earles of Angus Glencarne Cassilles The Lord Maxwell The Laird of Dumlanrig The Sheriffe of Ayre Campbell with all the force that they and the Lords that remained constant at the opinion of England might make and after Christmas they came to light The Governour and Cardinall with their forces kept Edinburgh for they were slackly pursued Men excused the Earle of Lenox in that behalfe and laid the blame upon some that had no will of the Stewards Regiment Howsoever it was such an appointment was made that the said Earle of Lenox was disappointed of his purpose and narrowly escaped and first gat him to Glasgow and after to Dumbartane Sir George Dowglas was delivered to be kept as pledge The Earle his brother was in the Lent after taken at the siege of Glasgow It was bruted that both the brethren and others with them had lost their heads if by the providence of God the English Armie had not arrived in time After that the Cardinall had gotten the Governour wholly addict to his devotion and had obtained his intent above a part of his enemies He began to practise how that such as he feared and therefore deadly hated should be set by the eares one against another for in that thought the carnall man put his greatest securitie The Lord Ruthwen he hated by reason of his knowledge of Gods Word The Lord Gray he feared because at that time he used the company of such as professed godlinesse and bare small favour to the Cardinall Now thus reasoned the worldly wise man If I can put enmity betwixt these two I shall be rid of a great number of unfriends For the most part of the Countrey will either assist the one or the other and so will they be otherwise occupied then to watch for my displeasure He finds the means without long processe for he labours with Iohn Chartarous a man of stout courage and many friends to accept the Provostrie of S. Iohnston which he purchased to him by donation of the Governour with a charge to the said Towne to obey him as their lawfull Provost Whereat not onely the said Lord Ruthwen but also the Towne being offended gave a negative answer alleadging that such intrusion of men to office was hurtfull to their priviledge and freedom which granted unto them free election of their Provost from yeere to yeere at a certain time appointed which they could not nor would not anticipate Hereat the said Iohn offended said That he would take that office by force if they would not grant it unto him of benevolence And so departed and communed the matter with the Lord Gray with Norman Leslie and with others his friends whom he easily perswaded to assist
shame to the Realm then hurt to their enemies The black book of Hamilton maketh mention of great vassallage done at that time by the Governour and the French but such as with their eyes saw the whole progresse knew that to be a lye and do repute it amongst the veniall sinnes of that race which is to speak the best of themselves they can That winter following so nurtured the French-men that they learned to eat yea to beg cakes which at their entrie they scorned without jesting they were so miserably used that few returned into France again with their lives The Cardinall then had almost fortified the Castle of S. Andrews which he made so strong in his opinion that he regarded neither England nor France The Earle of Lenox as is said disappointed of all things in Scotland passed into England where he was received of King Henry into protection who gave him to wife Lady Margaret Dowglas of whom was borne Henry sometime husband to our Queen and Mistresse While the inconstant Governour was sometimes dejected and sometimes raised up againe by the Abbot of Paislay who before was called Chaster then any maiden began to shew himselfe for after he had taken by craft the Castles of Edinburgh and Dumbar he took also possession of his enemies wife the Lady Stanehouse The woman is and hath been famous and is called Lady Gilton her Ladyship was holden alwayes in poverty But how many wives and virgins he hath had since and that in common the world knoweth albeit not all and his bastard birds bear some witnesse Such is the example of holinesse that the flock may receive of the Papisticall Bishops In the midst of all the calamities that came upon this Realme after the defection of the Governor from Christ Jesus came into Scotland that blessed Martyr of God M. George Wischarde in company of the Commissioners before mentioned in the yeere of our Lord 1544. a man of such graces as before him was never heard within this Realme yea and are rare to be found yet in any man notwithstanding this great light of God that since his dayes hath shined unto us he was not onely singularly learned as well in all Godly knowledge as in all honest humane Science but also he was so clearely illuminated with the spirit of Prophesie that he saw not onely things pertaining to himselfe but also such things as some Townes and the whole Realme afterward felt which he forespake not in secret but in the audience of many as in their own places shall be declared The beginning of his Doctrine was in Mount Rosse therefrom he departed to Dundie where with great admiration of all that heard him he taught the Epistle to the Romanes till that by procurement of the Cardinall Robert Myle then one of the principall men in Dundie and a man that of old had professed knowledge and for the same had suffered trouble gave in the Queenes and Governours name Inhibition to the said Master George that he should trouble their Towne no more for they would not suffer it And this was said to him being in the publike place which heard he mused a pretie space with his eyes bent unto the heaven And thereafter looking sorrowfully to the speaker and unto the people he sayd God is witnesse that I never minded your trouble but your comfort yea your trouble is more dolourous unto me then it is unto your selves But I am assured that to refuse Gods word and to chase from yoâ— his messenger shall not preserve you from trouble but it shall bring you into it For God shall send unto you messengers who will not be afraid of burning nor yet for banishment I have offered unto you the word of Salvation and with the hazard of my life I have remained amongst you Now ye your selves refuse me and therefore must I leave my Innocencie to be declared by my God if it be long prosperous with you I am not led with the Spirit of Truth But if trouble unlooked for apprehend you acknowledge the cause and turne to God For he is mercifull but if ye turne not at the first he will visit you with fire and sword These words pronounced he came downe from the Preaching place In the Church present was the Lord Marshall and divers noble men who would have had the said M. George to have remained or else to have gone with them into the Countrey But for no request would he either tarry in the towne or on that side of Tay any longer But with possible expedition past to the West-land where he began to offer Gods word which was of many gladly received till that the Bishop of Glasgow Dumbar by instigation of the Cardinall came with his gatherings to the Towne of Ayre to make resistance to the said M. George and did first take the Church The Earle of Glencarne being thereof advertised repaired with his friends to the Towne with diligence and so did divers Gentlemen of Kyle amongst whom was the Laird of Lefnoreise a man far different from him that now liveth in the yeere of our Lord 1566. in manners and Religion of whom to this day yet many live and have declared themselves alwayes zealous and bold in the cause of God as after will be heard When all were assembled conclusion was taken that they would have the Church Whereto the said M. George utterly repugnedâ— saying Let him alone his Sermon will not much hurt Let us go to the Market Crosse And so they did where he made so notable a Sermon that the very enemies themselves were confounded The Bishop Preached to his Jackmen and to some old Bosses of the Towne The sum of all his Sermon was They say we should Preach Why not Better late thrive then never thrive Hold us still for your Bishop and we shall provide better the next time This was the beginning and the end of the Bishops Sermon Who with haste departed the Towne but returned not to fulfill his promise The said M. George remained with the Gentlemen in Kyle till that he gat sure knowledge of the estate of Dundie He Preached commonly at the Church of Gastonne and used much in the Barrie He was required to come to the Church of Machlyne and so he did But the Sheriffe of Ayre caused to man the Church for preservation of a Tabernacle that was there beautifull to the eye The persons that held the Church was George Campbell of Mongarswood that yet liveth Anno 1566. Mungâ— Campbell of Broâ—â—syde George Rid in Dandilling the Laird of Tempilland Some zealous of the Parish amongst whom was Hugh Campbell of Kingarcleuch offended that they should be debarred their Parish Church concluded by force to enter But the said M. George withdrew the said Hugh and said unto him Brother Christ Iesus is as mighty upon the fields as in the Church And I finde that â—e himselfe after Preached in the Desert at the sea side and
perpetuall prison And the ungodly judged That after this Christ Jesus should never triumph in Scotland On thing we cannot passe by From Scotland was sent a famous Clerke laugh not Reader M. Iohn Hammilton of Milburne with credit to the King of France and unto the Cardinall of Loraine and yet he had neither French nor Latine and some say his Scotish tongue was not very good The sum of his Negotiation was That those of the Castle should be sharply handled In the which Suit he was heard with favour and was dispatched from the Court of France with Letters and great credit which that famous Clerke forgate by the way For passing up to the Mountaine of Dumbartane before his letters were delivered he brake his neck and so God took away a proud ignorant enemy But now to our History These things against promise for Princes have no Fidelity further then for their owne advantage done at Roan the Galleys departed to Nantes in Britanie Where upon the water of Lore they lay the whole Winter In Scotland that Summer was nothing but mirth for all went with the Priests even at their own pleasure The Castle of S. Andrewes was razed to the ground the Block-house thereof cast downe and the walls round about demolished Whether this was to fulfill their law which commands that places where Cardinals are slain so to be used or else for fear that England should have taken it as after they did Brouchtie Rock we remit to the judgement of such as were of counsell This same yeer in the beginning of September entereth Scotland an Army of ten thousand men from England by Land and some Ships with Ordnance come by Sea The Governour and the Bishop hereof advertised gathered together the Forces of Scotland and assembled at Edinburgh The Protector of England with the Earle of Warwicke and their Army remained at Praeston and about Praeston Panes for they had certaine Offers to propose unto the Nobility of Scotland concerning the promise before made by them unto the which King Henry before his death gently required them to stand fast And if they would so do of him nor of his Realme they should have no trouble but the helpe and the comfort that he could make them in all things lawfull And hereupon there was a Letter directed to the Governour and Councell which coming to the hands of the Bishop of Saint Andrewes he thought it could not be for his advantage that it should be divulgate and therefore by his craft it was suppressed Upon the Friday the seventh of September the English Army marched towards Leith and the Scotish Army marched from Edinburgh to Ennernes The whole Scotish Army was not assembled and yet the skirmishing began for nothing was concluded but Victory without stroke The Protector the Earle of Warwicke the Lord Gray and all the English Captaines were playing at the Dice No men were stouter then the Priests and Channons with their shaven crowns and black Jacks The Earl of Warwick and the Lord Gray who had the chief charge of Horse-men perceiving the Host to be molested with the Scotish Preachers and knowing that the multitude were neither under order nor obedience for they were divided from the great Army sent forth certain Troops of Horse-men and some of their Borderers either to fetch them or else to put them out of their sight so that they might not annoy the Host. The Skirmish grew hot and at length the Scotish-men gave back and fled without gain turne The chase continued far both towards the East and towards the West in the which many were slain and he that now is Lord Home was taken which was the occasion that the Castle of Home was after surrendered to the English men The losse of these men neither moved the Governour nor yet the Bishop his bastard brother bragging That they would revenge the matter well enough upon the morrow for they had hands enow no word of God the English hereticks had no faces they would not abide Upon the Saturday the Armies of both sides past to Array The English Army takes the middle part of Fawside hill having their Ordnance planted before them and having their Ships and two Galleys brought as neer the Land as water would serve The Scotish Army stood first in a reasonable strength and good order having betwixt them and the English Army the water of Esk otherwise called Mussylburgh water But at length a charge was given in the Governours behalf with sound of Trumpet That all men should march forward and go over the water Some say that this was procured by the Abbot of Dunfermeling and Master Hew Rig for preservation of Carbarrie Men of judgement liked not the journey for they thought it no wisedom to leave their strength But commandment upon commandment and charge upon charge was given which urged them so that unwillingly they obeyed The Earle of Angus being in the Vant-guard had in his company the Gentlemen of Fyfe of Angus Mearnes and the Westland with many others that of love resorted unto him and especially those that were professors of the Gospel for they supposed that England would not have made great pursuit of him He passed first thorow the water and arrayed his Host direct before the enemies Followed the Earle of Huntley with his Northland men Last come the Governour having in his company the Earle of Argyle with his own friends and the Body of the Realme The English-men perceiving the danger and how that the Scotish-men intended to have taken the top of the hill made to prevent the perill The Lord Gray was commanded to give the charge with his men at Armes which he did albeit the hazard was very unlikely For the Earle of Angus Host stood even as a wall and received the first assaulters upon the points of their Spears which were longer then those of the English-men so rudely that fifty Horse and men of the first rank lay dead at once without any hurt done to the Scottish Armie except that the Spears of the former two Ranks were broken Which Discomfiture received the rest of the Horse-men fled yea some passed beyond Fawside Hill the Lord Gray himselfe was hurt in the mouth and plainly denied to chage againe for he said It was alike to run against a Wall The Galleyes and the ships and so did the ordnance planted upon Myde-hill shoot terribly But the ordnance of the Gallies shooting amongst the Scottish Army affraied them wonderously And while that every man laboured to draw from the North from whence the danger appeared they begin to faile and with that were the English foot-men marching forward Albeit that some of their horse-men were upon the flight The Earle of Angus army stood still looking that either Huntly or the Governour should have recountred the next battell But they had decreed that the favourers of England and the Hereticks as the priests called them and the Englishmen should part
the Castle-hill And so began they again to pollute the land which God had lately plagued for yet their iniquity was not come to full ripenesse as that God would that they should be manifested to this whole Realme as this day they are to be Fagots prepared for everlasting fire and to be men whom neither Plagues may correct nor the light of Gods Word convert from their darknesse and impiety The Peace as is said is contracted The Queen Dowager past by sea to France with Gallies that for that purpose were prepared and took with her divers of the Nobility of Scotland The Earles Huntley Glencarne Mershell Cassiles The Lords Maxwell Fleiming Sir George Dowglas together with all the late Kings naturall sons and divers Barons and Gentlemen of Ecclesiasticall estate the Bishop of Galloway and many others with promise that they should be richly rewarded for their good service What they received we cannot tell but few were made rich at their returning The Dowager had to practise somewhat with her brethren the Duke of Gwise and the Cardinall of Loraine The weight whereof the Governour after felt for shortly after her returne was the Governour deposed of the government justly by God but most unjustly by man and she made Regent in the yeer of our Lord 1554. and a Crown put upon her head as seemly a sight if men had eyes as to put a Saddle upon the backe of an unruly Cow And so began she to practise practise upon practise How France might be advanced her friends made rich and she brought to immortall glory For that was her common talk So that I may procure the wealth and honour of my Friends and a good fame unto my selfe I regard not what God do after with me And in very deed in deep dissimulation to bring her owne purpose to effect she passed the common sort of women as we will after heare But yet God to whose Gospel she declared her selfe enemie in the end frustrated her of all her devices Thus did light and darknesse strive within the Realme of Scotland The darknesse ever before the World suppressing the light from the death of that notable servant of God Master Patricke Hamilton untill the death of Edward the sixth the most godly and most vertuous King that had been known to have reigned in England or elsewhere these many yeeres by past who departed the miseries of this life the sixth of July Anno 1553. The death of this Prince was lamented of all the godly within Europe for the graces given unto him of God as well of nature as of erudition and godlinesse passed the measure that accustomably is used to be given to other princes in their greatest perfection and yet exceeded he not 16 yeers of age What Gravity above age What Wisdom wherein he passed all understanding or expectation of man And what Dexterity in answering in all things proposed were in that excellent Prince The Ambassadours of all Countries yea some that were mortall enemies to him and to his Realme amongst whom the Queen Dowager of Scotland was not the least could and did testifie For the said Queen Dowager returning from France through England communed with him at length and gave record when she came to this Realme That she found more wisdome and solide judgement in young King Edward then she would have looked for in any three Princes that were then in Europe His liberality towards the godly and learned that were in other Realms persecuted was such as Germans French-men Italians Scots Spaniards Polonians Grecians and Hebrews born can yet give sufficient document For how honourably was Martin Bucer Peter Martyr Iohn Alasco Emanuel Gualterus and many others upon his publike stipends entertained their parents can witnesse and they themselves during their lives would never have denied After the death of this most vertuous Prince of whom the godlesse people of England for the most part were not worthy Satan intended nothing lesse then the light of Jesus Christ utterly to have been extinguished within the whole Isle of Britain For after him was raised up in Gods hot displeasure that Idolatresse and mischievous Mary of the Spaniards blood a cruell persecutrix of Gods people as the acts of her unhappy reigne can sufficiently witnesse And in Scotland that same time as we have heard reigned that crafty practiser Mary of Loraine then named Regent of Scotland who bound to the devotion of her two brethren the Duke of Guise and Cardinall of Loraine did onely abide the opportunity to cut the throat of all those in whom she suspected any knowledge of God to be within the Realme of Scotland And so thought Satan that his kingdome of darknesse was in quietnesse and rest as well in the one Realme as in the other But that provident eye of our eternall God who continually watches for preservation of his Church did so order all things that Satan shortly after found himselfe farre disappointed of his conclusion taken For in that cruell persecution used by Queen Mary of England were godly men dispersed into divers nations of whom it pleased the goodnesse of God to send some unto us for our comfort and instruction And first came a simple man William Harlaw whose erudition although it excell not yet for his whole and diligent plainnesse in Doctrine is he to this day worthy of praise and remaines a fruitfull member within the Church of Scotland After him came that notable man Iohn Willocke as one that had some Commission to the Queen Regent from the Dutchesse of Emden But his principall purpose was to essay what God would worke by him in his native countrey These two did sometimes in severall companies assemble the brethren who by their exhortations began greatly to be encouraged and did shew that they had an earnest thirst of godlinesse And last came Iohn Knox in the end of the harvest Anno 1555. who first being lodged in the house of that notable man of God Iames Sime began to exhort secretly in that same house whereunto repaired the Laird of Dun David Forresse and some certain personages of the Town amongst whom was Elizabeth Adamson then spouse to Iames Barrone Burgesse of Edinburgh who by reason that she had a troubled conscience delighted much in the company of the said Iohn because that he according to the grace given unto him opened more fully the Fountaine of Gods Mercies then did the common sort of Teachers that she had heard before for she had heard none except Friers and did with such greedinesse drinke thereof that at her death she did expresse the fruit of her hearing to the great comfort it of all those that repaired unto her For albeit she suffered most grievous torment in her body yet out of her mouth was heard nothing but praising of God except that sometimes she lamented the troubles of those that were troubled by her Being sometimes demanded by her sisters What she thought of that pain which she then
one Citie For the bodily presence of Kings can no more be in divers cities at one instant then that they can be in divers Realms Hitherto we have understood that wheresoever the great Councellers of the King with his power and Commission are assembled to do any thing at his just commandment That there is the Kings sufficient presence and authority wheresoever his own body be living at freedome and liberty which if the Papists deny we will finde faults with them and with the Princes whom they have abused that more will annoy them then any thing that we can lose by the insufficiencie of that Parliament Which neverthelesse we are bold to affirme to have been more lawfull and more free then any Parliament that they are able to produce this hundred yeeres before it or yet any that hath ensued since it was he meanes untill 1566. when this Book was written for in it the voices of men were free and given in conscience in others they were bought or given at the devotion of the misled Prince All things in it concluded are able to abide the triall and not to be consumed at the proofe of the fire of others the godly may justly call in doubt things determined To the Sword and Scepter nor yet to the absence of some Lords we answer nothing For our adversaries know well enough that the one is rather a pompe and vaine-glorious ceremonie then a substantiall point of necessitie required to a lawfull Parliament And the absence of some prejudges not the powers of the present duely assembled Providing that due advertisement be made unto them But now we return to our History The Parliament dissolved consultation was had how the Church might be established in a good and godly policie which by the Papists was altogether defaced Commission and charge was given to Master Iohn Winram Sub-priour of S. Andrews Master Iohn Spottiswood Iohn Willock Master Iohn Dowglas Rectour of S. Andrews Master Iohn Row and Iohn Knox to draw in a Volume the Policie and Discipline of the Church as well as they had done the Doctrine which they did and presented it to the Nobility who did peruse it many dayes Some approved it and willed the same to have been set forth by a Law others perceiving their carnall liberty and worldly commodity somewhat to be impared thereby grudged in so much that the name of the Book of Discipline became odious unto them Every thing that repugned to their corrupt imaginations was termed in their mockage Devout imaginations The cause we have before declared some was licentious some had greedily griped the possessions of the Church and others thought that they would not lack their part of Christs Coat yea and that before that ever he was Crucified as by the Preachers they were oft rebuked The chief great man that had professed Christ Jesus and refused to subscribe the Book of Discipline was the Lord Erskin And no wonder for besides that he had a very evill woman to his wife if the Poore the Schooles and the Ministerie of the Church had their owne his Kitchin would lack two parts and more of that which he unjustly now possesseth Assuredly some of us hath wondered how men that professe godlinesse could of so long continuance hear the threatnings of God against theeves and against their houses and knowing themselves guilty in such things as were openly rebuked and that they never had remorse of conscience neither yet intended to restore any thing of that which long they had stollen and reft There were none within the Realme more unmercifull to the poore Ministers then were they which had greatest rents of the Churches But in that we have perceived the old Proverb to be true Nothing can suffice a wretch And again The belly hath no eares Yet the same Book of Discipline was subscribed by a great part of the Nobility To wit The Duke the Earle of Arrane the Earles Argyle Glencarn Mershell Menteth Morton Rothesse Lord Iames after Earle of Murray Lords Yeaster Boyd Uchiltrie Master of Maxwell Lord Lindsay elder and the Master after Lord Barrons Drunlaurige Lothingwar Garleisse Bargany Master Alexander Gordon Bishop of Galloway this Bishop of Galloway as he renounced Popery so did he Prelacie witnesse his subscription of the Book of Discipline as the rest of the Prelats did who did joyne to the Reformation Alexander Campbell Deane of Marray with a great number moe subscribed and approved the said Book of Discipline in the Town-Buith of Edinburgh the 27 day of January the yeere of our Lord God 1560. by their approbation In these words WE which have subscribed these presents having advised with the Articles herein specified and as is above-mentioned from the beginning of this Book thinks the same good and conforme to Gods Word in all points conforme to the Notes and Additions thereto asked and promise to set the same forward at the uttermost of our powers Providing that the Bishops Abbots Priors and other Prelates and Beneficed men which else have adjoyned themselves to us brooke the revenues of their Benefices during their life times they sustaining and upholding the Ministerie and Ministers as is heerein specified for Preaching of the Word and Ministring of the Sacraments What be the contents of the whole Book and how that this promise was illuded from time to time we shall after heare Shortly after the said Parliament were sent from the Councell Ambassadours to England the Earles Morton and Glencarne together with William Maitland of Lethington yonger The chief point of their Commission was earnestly to crave the constant assistance of the Queens Majestie of England against all forraigne invasion and common enemies That same time was the Castle of Semple hard besieged and taken Because the Lord thereof disobeyed the Lawes and Ordinances of the Councell in many things and especially in that that he would maintain the Idolatrie of the Masse and also that he beset the way to the Earle of Arrane with a great gathering as he was riding with his accustomed company The Papists were proud for they looked for a new Armie from France at the next Spring and thereof was no small appearance if God had not otherwise provided For France utterly refused the confirmation of the Peace contracted at Leith would ratifie no part of our Parliament dismissed the Lord of Saint Iohn without a resolute answer began to gather new Bands of throat-cutters and to make great preparation for Ships They further sent before them certain practisers amongst whom the Lord Seaton who had departed with the French out of Leith was one to raise up new troubles within this Realme And all this came partly of the malice of the house of Guise who had avowed to revenge the displeasure of their sister both upon England and Scotland and partly by instigation of proud Beton falsly called Bishop of Glasgow of Dury Abbot of Dunfermeling and Saulles Seaton and Master Iohn Sinclair Deane of Restalrige
to the Church and triall taken That he was not married with the second woman neither that he was able to prove that he was divorced by any order of the Law from the first he was committed to the hands of the Magistrates who according to the Laws commanded him to be Carted But the rascall multitude enflamed by some ungodly Crafts-men made insurrection brake the Cart boasted and threatned the Officers and took away the malefactor This was the beginning of farther evils as we shall after hear In this mean time while Lord Iames we say was in France there came an Ambassadour from France suborned no doubt with all craft that might to trouble the state of Religion His Demands were first That the League betwixt us and England should be broken Secondly That the ancient League betwixt France and Scotland should be renewed Thirdly And that the Bishops and Church-men should be restored in their former places and be suffered to intermit with their Livings The Councell delayed answer untill the Parliament appointed in May. In the mean time the Papists of Scotland practised with him The Earls of Huntlie Atholl Bothwell and others intended to have taken Edinburgh before the said Parliament The whole Bishops assembled and held Councell in Sterlin Some whispering there was that the Duke and the Bishop of Saint Andrews were too familiar and some feared that the Authority of the Queen should have been usurped by reason of her absence and that the Duke was the second Person for thereat had some of his pressed immediately after the death of the King of France The Protestants thereof advertised prevented them and came to Edinburgh The Earle of Arran stood constant with his brethren there were some that carefully and painfully travelled that nothing prejudiciall to the Queens Authority should be done in the absence of the Lord Iames to whom the Queen hath recompenced evil for good service Master Iames Magill in that point did both stoutly and truely for Iohn Knox and he were then fallen in familiarity in which they yet continue 20 Octobris 1567. by reason that the said Master Iames had embraced the Religion and professed it publikely The Papists and Bishops disappointed of their principall enterprise did yet make broyle for trouble For the rascall multitude were stirred up to make a Robin-Hood which enormity was of many yeers left off and condemned by Stature and Act of Parliament yet would they not be forbidden but would disobey and trouble the Town especially upon the night Whereat the Bayliffs offended took from them some Swords and Ensigne which was occasion that they that same night made a mutiny kept the Gates of the Towne and intended to have pursued some men within their owne houses But that upon the restitution of their Swords and Ensigne was stayed And yet they ceased not to molest as well the Inhabitants of Edinburgh as divers Countrey-men taking from them money and threatning some with farther injuries Wherewith the Magistrates of the Town highly offended took more diligent heed to such as resorted to the Town and so apprehended one of the principall of that disorder named Balon a Shoo-maker whom they put to an Assizes and being convinced he could not be absolved for he was the chief man that spoyled Iohn Mubray of ten Crowns of the Sun they thought to have executed Judgement upon him and so erected a Gibbet beneath the Crosse. Whether it came by Paction with the Provest and some other or by instigation of the Crafts-men who ever have been bent too much to maintain such vanity and riotousnesse we fully know not but suddenly there did arise a tumult the Tolbuith was broken up and not onely the said Balon who before was condemned was violently taken forth but also all other malefactors were set at freedome the Gibbet was pulled downe and despightfully broken And thereafter as the Provest and some of the Councell assembled to the Clerks Chamber for consultation The whole rascall banded together with some knowne and honest Crafts-men and intended invasion on the said Chamber which perceived the Provest and such as were in his company past to the Tolbuith suspecting nothing that they would have been so enraged to make new pursuit after that they had obtained their intent But they were suddenly deceived for from the Castle hill they came with violence and with stones Guns and such other Weapons as they had and began to assault the said Tolbuith ran at the door of it till that partly by stones cast from above and partly by a Pistoll shot by Robert Norwell which hurt one Tuedy they were repulsed from the door But yet ceased they not to cast and shoot in at the windows threatning death to all that were within And in very deed the malice of the Crafts-men who were suspected to be the occasion of that tumult bare no good will to divers of those that were with the Provest The Arguments that the Crafts-men were the causes of that uprore besides their first disorder that they had used before in taking Sandersone from the execution of punishment are two The former Archibald Deware Patricke Shaugzie with other six Deacons came to Iohn Knox and willed him to solicite the Provest and the Towne to delay the execution Who did answer That he had so oft solicited in their favours that his own conscience accused him That they used his labours for no other end but to be a Patron to their impiety for he had before made intercession for William Harlaw Iohn Frissell and others that were convinced of the former tumult They proudly said That if it was not stayed both he and the Bayliffs should repent it Who answered He would not hurt his conscience for the fear of any man And so they departed and the tumult as said is immediately thereafter did arise The second Argument is The tumult continued from two at afternoon till after eight at night The Crafts-men were required to assemble themselves together for deliverance of the Provest but they past to their four hours penie or afternoons Pinte and in their jesting said They will be Magistrates alone let them rule the multitude alone And so contrary to the Oath which they had made they denied their assistance counsell comfort to the Provest and Bayliffs which are arguments very probable that the said tumult rose by their procurement The end thereof was That the Provest and Bayliffs were compelled to give their hands writs that they should never pursue any of those that were of that tumult for any crime that was done in that behalf And this was proclaimed at the Crosse after nine of the clock at night and so was that trouble quieted But the Nobility vowed That they would not spare it nor forget it and so a great number of that faction were absent from the Towne till the arrivall of the Queen The whole multitude were holden excommunicate and were admitted to no participation of the
the Queen was first married it was so called also to serve and obey him and her as their Lawfull Soveraignes The Queen desired my Lord Murray to subscribe as many others had done before which hee refused to do Because said he it is required necessarily that the whole Nobility be present at least the principall and such as he himself was posteriour unto before that so grave a matter should be advised and concluded The Queens Majesty no wayes content with this Answer insisted still upon him saying The greatest part of the Nobilitie were there present and content with the matter wished him to be so much a Stewart as to consent to the keeping of the Crown in the Family and the sirname according to their Fathers Will and desire as was said of him a little before his death But he still refused for the causes above written Now as the Lords were assembled an Ambassadour from England named sir Nicholas Throckmorton arrived at Sterlin and in his company the Laird of Lethington the Ambassadour was at the Castle Gate or ever they were aware and as he stood there in the Entry he was desired to passe to his Lodgings The next day he had audience of the Queen and was graciously received according to the dignity of his Message The whole summe of this his Message was to shew and declare to the Queene how highly the Queene his Mistris was offended with this precipitated Marriage and wondred what had moved her to take a man of inferiour rank and condition to her selfe And therefore disswaded her therefrom And specially desiring her most earnestly to send home her Subjects the Earle of Lennox and the Lord Darley But all in vaine for the matter was well farre proceeded In her heart Queen Elizabeth was not angry at this marriage first because if Q. Mary had married a forraigne Prince it had been an accesse to her Greatnesse and consequently she had been more redoubted by the other next both Harry and Mary were alike and in equall degree of Consanguinitie unto her the father of Mary and the mother of Harry being Children to her fathers sister With many fair words the Queen let the Ambassadour depart promising to do all she could to satisfie the Queen of England and for the same purpose she would send an Ambassador to her In the meane time the Queens marriage with the Lord Darley was prepared and propounded in Councell and the chief of the Nobilitie such as the Duke the Earles of Argyle Murray Glencarne with the rest granted freely to the same providing that they might have the Religion established in Parliament by the Queene and the Idolatrous Masse and Superstition abolished shortly it was concluded That they should convene again to Saint Iohnstoun where the Queen promised to take a finall order for Religion The day was appointed to wit the last of May at Perth my Lord of Argile came too late The Queens Majestie communed with the Lords who were very plain with her saying Except the Masse were abolished there should be no quietnesse in the Countrey The twelfth day of May the Lord Darley was Belted that is Created Earle of Rosse with great solemnity a Belt or Girdle being tyed about his waste or middle and albeit all kinde of provision was made to make him Duke of Rothesay yet at that time it came not to effect albeit the Crown and Robe-Royall were prepared to him for the same For the entertainment of this Triumph there were many Knights made to the number of 14. The next day which was the 13 of May the Queen called for the Super-intendants by name Iohn Willock Iohn Winram and Iohn Spotswood whom she cherished with fair words assuring them that she desired nothing more earnestly then the glory of God and satisfying of mens consciences and the good of the Common-wealth and albeit she was not perswaded in any Religion but in that wherein she was brought up yet she promised to them that she would hear Conference and Disputation in the Scriptures And likewise she would be content to hear publike preaching but alwayes out of the mouth of such as pleased her Majestie and above all others she said she would gladly hear the Superintendant of Angus for he was a milde and sweet natur'd man with true honesty and uprightnesse Sir Ariskin of Dun. Soon after the Queen past to Saint Iohnstons after that she had directed Master Iohn Hay Prior of Monimusk to passe to England who sped at the Queen of Englands hand even as sir Nicholas Throckmorton did in Scotland Before the day which was appointed for the meeting at Saint Iohnston my Lord of Murray most carefull of the maintenance of Religion sent to all the principall Churches advertising them of the matter and desiring them to advise and send the most able men in Learning and Reputation to keep the day but their craft and dissimulation appeared for the Dean of Restalrigge who lately arrived out of France with others such as Mr. Iohn Lesley Parson of Vure afterward Bishop of Rosse caused the Queen to understand that thing whereof she was easily perswaded to wit That there ought to be given to all men libertie of conscience and for this purpose to shun or put off the first day appointed The Queen writ to the Nobility that because she was informed that there was great meetings out of every Shire and Town in great number and then the other partie so termed she the Papists were minded together to the said Convention which should apparently make trouble or sedition rather then any other thing therefore she thought it expedient and willed them to stay the said meetings and to deferre the same till such a day that she should appoint with advice of her Councell At this time there was a Parliament proclaimed to be held at Edinburgh the twentieth day of Iuly By this Letter some of the Protestants having best judgement thought themselves sufficiently warned of the Inconveniences and troubles to come Now her Councell at this time was onely the Earles of Lenox and Athole the Lord Ruthen but chiefely David Rizio the Italian ruled all yet the Earle of Rosse already in greatest credit and familiarity These Letters were sent out to the Lords about the eight and twentieth day of May and within twelve dayes thereafter she directed new Missives to the chief of the Nobility desiring or commanding them to come to Saint Iohnston the three and twentieth day of Iune following to consult upon such things as concerned Religion and other things as her Majesty should propose Which day was even the day before that the generall Assembly should have been held in Edinburgh This last Letter uttered the effect of the former so that the Protestants thought themselues sufficiently warned Always as the Earle of Murray was passing to Saint Iohnston to have kept the said day he chanced to fall sick of the Fluxes in Lochlevin where he remained till the Queen came forth of Saint
yet take heed Let janglers and inconstant mâ—n note Le the House of Hamilton remember this Conclusio Let the Papists and greatest enemies witnesse Proclamation against the Earl of Arranâ— Re 〈…〉 The drowning of the French Dominus pro nobis The Earle of Sudderland shot Note the French favour to their friendâ— John 6. Exhortation of Iohn Knox. Note The slaughter of a French Captain with his Band. Note The arrivall of the English Ships Note The Bridge of Tullibody Note the death of a plunderer Remark the Scots acknowledgement of the English help Iohn Knox his first Letter to Sir William Cecile Note Note Note As England had interest then not to suffer Scotland to perish so likewise Scotland hath interest now not to see Engâ—and undonâ— 1559. Note the Quaeres And Answers Let the enemies say if their hope be not frustrate Note diligently Note Note Note Sir Iames Crofts counsell Note a braggadoshie Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Let us mark our advantage from France Note Note Note Note a cruell â—act 1560 Note Note 1560. The fourth Covenant Now hereupon came the pursuit Let the Princes now adayes make use of this So now the worldlings speak unto the King concerning the Scots into England Note The Hamiltonsâ—amâ—ly â—amâ—ly Note this diligently We must go to the fiâ—st cause in all things The inhumanity of the mercâ—lâ—ss French The Quâ—en Regents cruell heart The comfortable Letter of the Duke of Norfolk Note Let the Princes now make use of these words of this dying Queen Note The death of the Queene Regent Note a Character of Popishly addicted French officers of State Note how they limit the Prince Note how the Prince is limitated and his will is not a Law Note The profit thâ—â— Leith got of their promise liberty Note a Covenant betwixt England and Scotland 1560. Some Prelats left Antichrist and did adherâ— unto Christ. William Mâ—itlands mockage of God See how this agrees with our timâ—s Deut. 14. 1 Cor. â— 8. Isai 44.4 5. 1 Tim. 1 27. 1 King 8.17 2 Chron. 8 18. Psal 139 78. Gâ—n 17 1. 1 Tim. 6.15 16 Exod 3.14 15. Matt. 28.19 1 Joh 57. Gen 1.1 Heb. 1. â—3 Act. 17.28 Prov 16.4 Gen 1.26 27 c. Col. 3.10 Ephes 4 24 Gen. 3.6 Gen. 2. â—7 Psal 51.5 Rom. 5 10. Rom. 7.5 2 Tit. 2.6 Eph. 2 23. Rom. 5.14 12. Rom. 6.23 John 3 5. Rom. 5.1 Phil. 1.29 Gen. 3.15 Gen. 3.9 Gen. 12 3. Gen. 15 5 6. 2 Sam. 7.14 Isai 7.14 Isai 9 6 Hag 2.6 John 8.38 Ezek. 6.5 6.7 8 9 c. Gen. 1 12. Gen. 13.1 Exod. 1.1 Exod. 1.20 Josh 3. 23 4 1 Sam. 10.1 1 Sam 16 13 2 Sam 7 12 2 Kingâ— 17.15 16 c. 2 King 24. 34 c. Deu. 28.36 38 c. 2 Kin. 25. â— Dan. 9 2. Ezr. 1 c. Hag. 1 14. Zach. 3.1 Gal 4 4. Luke 1.31 Matth. 1.18 Matth. 2.1 Rom. 1.3 Matth. 1.23 John 1.2.45 2 Tim. 2 5. Ephes. 1.3.4 15 6. Ephes. 1.11 Matth 25 34. Ephes. 1 21 22. Heb 27 8. Psal. 22.11 Heb 13.26 1 Pet. 2.24 5. Psal. 130.3 Psal. 143.3 1 Tim. 2.5 John 1.12 John 20.17 Rom. 5.17 18.19 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4 36. Act. 17.26 Heb. 2.11 12. 1 Pet. 3 18. Isa. 53.8 Act. 2.4 1 John 1 2. Act. 20 28. 1 Tim 3.16 John 3.16 Heb. 10.1 12. Isa 53.5 Heb. 1 2.3 John 1.29 Matth. 26.11 Deut. 20.23 Matth. 15.1 2. Gal 3.13 Luke 23.1 2. Matth. 26.38 2 Cor 5. Heb 9 12. Heb. 10.5 Act. 2.23 Act. 3.26 Rom. 6.5 11. Act. 2.24 Rom. 4 25. Heb. 2.14 15. Matth. 28 John 20.27 21.7 Luke 24.41 42 43. Joh. 21.12 13. Luke 24.51 Act. 1.6 Matth. 28.6 Matth. 16.9 Luke 24 6. John 20.9 Matth. 28 18. 1 John 2.1 1 Tim. 2.5 Psal. 110 1. Matth. 22 44. Matth. 12 36. Luke 20.42.43 Acts 1.1 Acts 3.19 1 Thess. 1.4 5 6 7 8. Matth. 25.34 Revel 21.27 Esay 66.24 Matth 25.41 Matth 9.44 46 48 Matth. 22.13 2 Pet. 3 11. 2 Cor. 5.11 Luke 21.28 John 15.4 c. Esay 7.14 Ephes. 1.22 Col. 1.18 Heb. 1.11 15. Heb. 10.21 1 John 2.1 1 Tim. 2.5 Matth. 16.17 John 14 26. John 14.11 Acts 5.4 John 10.13 Col. 2.13 Ephes. 2. â— John 9.39 Revel 3.13 Matth. 17.17 Matth 9.19 Luke 9 41. John 6 63. Mic 7.8 1 King 8.8 Psal. 10.3 Rom. 5.10 John 3.5 Tit. 5.5 Rom. 5 8. Psal. 3.9 Psal. 1.6 2 Cor. 3.5 Ephes 1 6. Ephes. 2.10 Phil. 3.13 John 15.5 Rom. 8.9 Rom. 7.15 16 17. Gal. 5.17 Rom. 8 16. Rom. 7.24 Som. 8 22. Ephes 4.17 18 19. 2 Tim. 2.26 John 15 5. Exod. 20.3 c. Deut. 4.7 c. Luke 21.75 Mica 6.7 Ephes 6.17 Ezech. 22.104 1 Cor 6.19 20 1 The 4.4 5 6 Jer. 22.3 9 9 c. Esay 50.1 c. 1 Thess. 4 6. Rom 13.2 Ezek. 22.13 1 John 3 4. Rom. 14.23 Heb. 1 16. 1 Sam. 15.22 1 Cor. 10.31 1 John 3.4 Esay 29.19 Matth. 15.9 Mar. 7.7 Levit. 18.5 Gal. 3.12 1 Tim. 1.18 Rom. 7.12 Psal. 19.7 8 9. Deut. 5.29 Rom. 10.3 1 Kin. 8.4 6. Chron. 6.36 Eccles. 7.22 Prov. 20.9 1 â—oh 1.18 Iohn 1.18 Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3 13. Deut. 27.26 Phil. 2.15 Isai. 64.6 Luk. 17.10 Mat. 28.20 Ephes. 1.4 Col. 1.18 Ephes. 5.23 24 25 26. Apoc. 7.8 Ephes. 2.19 Iohn 5.24 Iohn 17.6 1 Tim. 2.19 Iohn 13.14 Ephes. 1.10 Col. 1.10 Heb. 12.4 Apoc. 14.13 Isai. 25 8. Apoc 7.16 17 Apoc. 21.4 Apoc. 16.10 11 Isai. 66.24 Mark 9.44 36 48. Luke 23.43 Luke â—6 24 25. Apoc. 6.9 10. Gen. 4.8 Gen. 21. â— Gen. 27.41 Mar. 23.34 Ioh. 15.18 19. Iohn 11 35. Ioh. 15.20 24. Act. 4.1 c. Act 5.17 c. Gen. 4 1. Psal. 48.1 2. Mat 5.35 Iohn 12.42 Ephes. 2.20 Act. 2.42 Iohn 10 27. Iohn 18.37 1 Cor. 1 13. 1 Cor. 11.20 23. Mat. 28 19 20 Mark 16.15 Rom 4 11. Matth 18 20. 1 Cor 1.2 2 Cor. 1.1 Gal. 1 2. Ephes. 1 1. Acts 16.9 10.18 1 Cor. 1. c. A 20 17 c. John 20.31 2 Tim 3 16 17 2 Pet. 1 20 21. John 5 29. Ephes 4 4 1 Tim. 3.16 17 Genes 27. Gal 2.11 12 13 14. 1 Tim. 4.1.23 Col. 2.18 19 20 21 22 23. Act. 15.1 c. 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.2 1 Cor. 14.40 Gen. 17.10 Exod. 12.32 Gen. 17.4 Num. 9.13 Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.17 Mat. 26.26 Mar. 14.22 Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 10.16 Rom. 6.3 4 5. Gal. 3.27 Mar. 16.19 Luke 24.51 Act. 1.11 Act. 3.21 1 Cor. 10 c. Ephes. 5.30 Matth. 27.50 Mar. 15.31 Luke 23.46 John 14.30 6.51 53 54 55 56 57 58. 1 Cor. 11.28 28. Mat. 26.26 c Mar. 14.22 c Luk. 22.19 c 1 Cor. 11.24 Note 1 Cor. 11.25 26 Heb. 9.27 28 Col. 2.11 12 Rom. 4.11 Gen. 17.10 Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 28.29 Rom. 13.1 Titus 3.1 1 Peter 13.2 Rom. 13.2 Rom. 13.7 1 Pet 2.17 Psal 82.1 1 Chron. 22.23 24 25. Chap. 26. 2 Chron. 29.30 31 chap. 2
by wofull experience namely in the Clergie Gentry and Nobility Now these evils have not been in England alone for Scotland according to its proportion in compasse of Bounds numbers of people provision of means and in its distance from Court hath its full share of all the evil For first the Schools of breeding young people at home were become very corrupt and many in their travelling abroad have either miscarried or little benefited themselves The fruit we have found namely in our corrupt Clergie yea and in some of our infatuated Gentry and Nobility but blessed be God things are now in a better posture and constitution there then they have been formerly God grant we may have occasion to say the like of England For Religion sound knowledge and true wisedome with probity have been so neglected and contemned there to the ignominy and reproach of Christianity that in these times there we have seen the dolefull effects of want of Religion and of these other vertues But to return to the Court. The Popish party although they had both power and credit at Court yet they were not assured to go on so smoothly and speedily with the great Designe so long as there were any of eminency there of whom they could not be certain So Prince Henry was first wished to be out of the way next by untimely death was taken away to the grief of many honest men This conceived Remora being laid aside they resolve to go on more freely in their Designe But although they had gained much upon the affection of the King yet they can suffer him to expresse the Notions of Religion and wisedom both by word and writing Yea they will yeeld him to follow so far his former Principles as to match his daughter to one of his Profession so he marries the Lady Elizabeth to the Prince Elector Palatine although it was not altogether so pleasing to some chief ones at Court then These things passed in the yeer 1613. who although they would not stop the Marriage to go on yet they managed the businesse so that they hindered the Prince Elector Palatine to receive the advantages which in reason he should have had by vertue of it as help and ayd at his need c. Here we must make a little step beyond Sea and presently return back Now then we must know That as the Popish party have been very busie in these our Dominions in carrying on the Work of the great Designe of subjecting all to the Pope directly or indirectly so in other places where Idolatry and Tyranny had been cast off they have not been sleeping nor idle namely in our neighbour Countreys where when they had made things up for a combustion of War by their crafty forecasting divisions and corruptions in life and Doctrine of men of place they kindled the fire witnesse the businesse of Barnevel in the Low Countreys in the yeer 1619. And not long thereafter the troubles raised in France against the Professors of the Truth then in Germany likewise having all things ready for a War as they were thinking that the two Houses of Saxe to wit the Weymerian and the now Electorall was most fit and easie to be embroyled by reason of the emulation of the Weymerian against the other for the Electorall Dignity taken from it and given to the other But conveniently for their purpose the Elector Palatine being made King of Bohemia the great agent of the Pope the House of Austria takes occasion to make War against him leaving the House of Saxe c. Now to come home again King James by this time is turned about and his affection so much cooled and turned from the Protestant party distressed that for all help or supply to the Protestants of France he sends complements by Embassadours with fair promises And for his son-in-Law with other Protestants his adherents in Germany he did little more so senselesse is he of the sufferings of Jacob and unmindefull of his own interest by suffering those in France and Germany to perish who not onely did so much honour him but they being preserved made him the most redoubted and considerable Prince in Christendom To speak nothing of his tye by nature unto his own children Then contradicting his own published Dictates he must seek after a Popish wife for his son and to hasten the businesse the young Prince must be sent into Spain where he had two men by whom he was then advised who although they did not love one another yet they did agree among themselves To betray their old Master with their Countrey and their young Master in their company whom they theu counselled to embrace Popery and by writing engage himself unto the Pope This is upon Record At last the Prince cometh home without the wife which was never really intended for him howsoever things were given out notwithstanding all the pains of the young Prince and the earnest sollicitude of the Father with the compliance of both If it had not been for the hatred to the Palatine House and fear of its advancement to the succession of those Dominions the Prince never had seen this Island again but in a Map Howsoever King James is glad to have his son safe returned And at length seeing clearly how he had been misled and gulled bethinks himself how to amend his former mistakes and errours but alas it was too late for as he was thus consulting with himself death takes him away An. 1625. not without suspition of wrong done unto him The new King must have a Popish wife according to the former intention she cometh from France and bringeth along with her her strange gods The Prelats had a main hand in this Popish Match by actuall furtherance thereof and by opening the way how the free exercise of Popery might be had in favour of the Queen and her adherents without breach of the Law of the Land The same yeer of the death of the late King and of the Marriage of our now Sovereign there was an Expedition made against the Spaniard without any reall intention to do harm as appears by the slack performance of the War and by the shamefull Peace made thereafter The main drift of this undertaking was first To try how ready the people would be to endure Souldiers in the Countrey which they had not seen for a long time and how willing they would be to undergo a War at the command of the corrupt Court and uphold it with Supplies of men and moneys Next There must be an Expedition against France under pretext to help the then distressed Protestants there which really was intended for the hastening of their ruine and encrease of their desolation and so it proved indeed although the main and chief undertaker was prevented by death to see the effect of his intents The other end of this undertaking was To have Forces at command both Horse and Foot by Land and a well-provided Navie at Sea for the enslaving of
she and hers can claim for their own but she and hers must be serviceable to those who have undone them To this end she must have People about her namely Court-Chaplains to disguise businesse unto her and so make her have a bad conception of those who are her best friends to wit the true Professors of the Truth and good Patriots in these Dominions Next her eldest son after a long and great neglect of yeelding him any help for the recovery of his own is betrayed at our corrupt Court when he is put in away to do somewhat for his own restoring c. And after this by the same Court he is sollicited to take Arms here against the onely men who really and constantly have expressed unto him and his true affection but they being stopped by the Court could not effectuate much by their good will He in wisdome refuseth to fight against his friends Since he will not his two next Brothers must be employed the eldest whereof is released from prison to that effect And so they hazard their lives and spend their blood to serve the party who hath undone their Fortunes and now strives to undo their persons The King having left London after he had been in severall places retires to Yorke where he begins to raise men against the Parliament The Scots seeing this send to him thither to intreat him to lay aside all such intentions and offer their service by way of Mediation betwixt him and the Parliament to take away all known mistakes The Scots Commissioners were not suffered to proceed any further then in the businesse and were sent back beyond the expectation of men After a long Pen-skirmishing on both sides Armies are leavied many men killed and taken at divers times on each side yea a set Battell fought where numbers of men are slain The Scots not being able any longer to see their Brethren in England destroyed and the Executioners of Ireland butchering man woman and childe the help that the innocents should have had from England being almost altogether diverted by the Intestine War and neither say nor do in the businesse under safe-Conduct send to the King and Parliament Commissioners to intercede for an Agreement But they being arrived at Court were neglected with their Commission and not suffered to repair unto the Parliament At last they are dismissed not without difficulty and having done nothing return Upon this the Scots convene the States to consult concerning their own safety and the help of their friends At this nick of time when they received many fair promises from the Court with a request to be quiet a Plot of the Papists set afoot by the Court for embroyling the Countrey is discovered by the means whereof they were incited to look more narrowly to themselves and their friends Then the Parliament of England sends to the Scots for help Upon this a Covenant is made betwixt the two Nations for the defence of the true Religion and Liberty of the Countreys with the Kings just Rights and after due preparation the Scots having setled their own Countrey enter into England with a strong Army to fight the Battells of the Lord having for scope of their Expedition The glory of God and the good of his People with the Honour of the King Here we shall observe in these our Countreys in these last yeers such Riddles of State and Church as have hardly been heard of A Protestant Prince makes one Protestant Nation fight against another for the Protestant Religion which have been thought to be of one and the same Doctrine for the main One Church thunders Curses against another Then a Prince misled with the ayd of Papists and Atheists spoyling and destroying the professors of the Truth because they professe it for the good and advancement of the Protestant Religion Next in a very short time a Prince to have all his subjects declared Rebells First he is made declare the Scots Then he is constrained to declare the Irish An Army gotten together in the Kings name declares all those that did oppose them Rebells The Parliament declares all those who in the Kings name oppose them Rebells and Traytors Farther under the Kings Authority the named Rebells in England by the King maintain a War against the declared Rebells in Ireland But the late carriage of things at Court and by the Court-Instruments at home and abroad hath solved the Riddle namely The Patent for the Rebellion in Ireland The detaining of help ordained for the repressing of it The Kings offer to go into Ireland The Cessation and bringing over of the Irish and The last-discovered Plot in Scotland all other things laid aside tell us cleerly howsoever the Proclamations and Protestations going in the Kings name be soft and smooth as the voyce of Jacob yet the hands are rough as of Esau destroying and seeking to destroy the true Religion grounded in Gods Word with the professors thereof as also the lawfull Liberty of the Countrey and bring all unto slavery Let Ireland and England say if this be not true and Scotland likewise according to its genius speak truth I shall close up all with two or three Instances of eminent men amongst the Papists Clergie to shew clearly how they stand affected to the Protestants Cardinall Pool in an Oration to Charles the fifth Emperour saith You must leave off the War against the Turks and hereafter make War against the Heretikes so names he the professors of the Truth He adds the reason Because the Turks are lesse to be feared then the Heretikes Paul Rodmek in a Book expresse tells us That the Heretikes must be put to death slain cut off burnt quartered c. Stapleton the Iesuite tells us That the Heretikes are worse then the Turks in an Oration he made at Doway Campian the Iesuite in a Book of his Printed in the yeer 1583 in Trevers declares thus in the name of his holy Order Our will is That it come to the knowledge of every one so far as it concerns our Society That we all dispersed in great numbers thorow the world have made a League and holy solemn Oath That as long as there are any of us alive that all our care and industry all our deliberations and counsells shall never cease to trouble your calm and safety That is to say We shall procure and pursue for ever your ruine the whole destruction of your Religion and of your Kingdom He speaks to the English Now it is long since we have taken this resolution with the hazard of our lives so that the businesse being already well begun and advanced it is impossible that the English can do any thing to stop our Designe or surmount it Let these few Passages satisfie for this time I wish that thou maist reap some benefit of what is written here for thy good So praying for your happinesse I rest Yours in the Lord D. B. The LIFE OF IOHN KNOX IOHN KNOX was borne in Gifford neer
Hadington in Lothian the yeer of Christ 1505. of honest Parentage His father was a brothers son of the House of Ranferlie which is an ancient Family of Gentlemen in the West When he left the Grammar Schoole in the Countrey he was sent to the Vniversity of Saint Andrews to studie under M. John Mair who in those dayes was very famous for his Learning which particularly did consist in the ergotie or disputative part of Philosophy and in School-Divinity wherein formerly for many yeers together almost all Learning was placed In a very short time John Knox became such a Proficient that in this kinde of knowledge wherein his Master most excelled he surpassed him and being yet very young was thought worthy of Degrees in the School Moreover before the time ordinarily allowed by the Canons he entred in Church Orders Thereafter laying aside the idle Disputes and Sophistry of the School he betook himself to the reading of the Ancients namely of Augustine with whose Writings he was much taken by reason of their plainnesse and solidity Last of all he betook himself to the earnest study of the holy Scriptures wherein having found the Truth of God concerning the salvation of Mankinde fully revealed he in good earnest did embrace it and freely professed it yea made it his main work to make it known to all men and believed by them in which work he was very active and vigilant at home and abroad namely at home For the Cause of the Truth he suffered very much by Sea and by Land in minde and in body among forraigners and amongst his own Countreymen as ye may see in this History of the Church which now here we present unto you Which History namely so much of it I mean as formerly was published hath gone commonly under his name because he is the man of whom most is spoken thorowout the whole History as being a most earnest and diligent agent in the businesse of Reformation in the Church Next because he hath penned with his own hand or spoken by word of mouth the most part of the most remarkable and most usefull things for Posterity in the History Thirdly the whole History is gathered out of his Papers and Manuscripts And so ye see why it is generally received to be of John Knox. But to return to his Life He being constrained for a time to leave his Countrey by reason of the Persecution raised in Scotland by the then Bishops against the professors of the Truth he came into England where for some yeers he was busied in preaching the Evangell of Christ with a great deal of content and benefit to those that had the happinesse to hear him His chief abode was in Berwick Newcastle and London This was in the dayes of King Edward the sixth with whom he was in great favour and esteem By whom being offered a Bishopricke he not onely refused and rejected it but with a grave and severe speech declared That the proud Title of Lordship and that great State was not to be suffered to be in the Church of God as having quid commune cum Antichristo that is somewhat common with Antichrist King Edward being dead the persecution of Mary made him leave England with many other godly Ministers who went beyond Seas First John Knox went to Frankford where for a time he preached the Gospel to the English Congregation there From whence he wrote the Admonition to England But being molested there partly by open Papists and partly by false Brethren was constrained to retire And from thence he went to Geneva from whence he wrote his Letter to Mary Regent of Scotland his Appeal to the Nobility of Scotland and Admonition to the Commons of Scotland From Geneva after some yeers abode there he was called home to his own Countrey the yeer of Christ 1559. which was the 54 of his age by the Noble-men and others who had taken upon them the generall Reformation of the Church of Scotland where how soon that the reformed Church had any liberty he was setled Minister at Edinburgh where he continued exercising his Ministery to his dying day but not without interruption by reason of the Civill disorders that fell out in those dayes During this his being at Edinburgh he Preached many excellent Sermons whereof there be but few that were printed and conserved to Posterity he not being willing to busie himself with the Presse Yet some of them we have as this namely which he Preached Aug. 19 An. 1564. and for which he was forbidden to Preach for a time He to make known to the world what ground there was to deal so with him took the care to have this Sermon printed as you will finde it at the end of this History Here I cannot let slip a remarkable passage which was this Anno 1566. the Earle of Murray was slain upon the Saturday The morrow after John Knox preached in Edinburgh where as he was reading the Papers wherein was written the names of those that desired the Prayers of the Church he findes a paper with these words Take up the man whom ye accounted another god which he passed without expressing any commotion and went on with his Prayer and Sermon At the end of the Sermon he made moan for the losse that the Church and State of Scotland had by the death of that vertuous man and said That as God in his mercy giveth good and wise Rulers so taketh he them away from a people in his wrath Then he added There is one in this company that maketh the subject of his mirth this horrible murther whereat all good men have occasion to be sorry I tell him That he shall die where there shall be none to lament him He who had written the aforesaid words in the paper was Thomas Metellan a young Gentlemen of most rare parts but youthfull and bearing small affection to the Earle of Murray who when he heard this Commination of John Knox went home to his lodging and said to his sister That John Knox was raving to speak of he knew not whom His sister replyed with tears in her eyes If you had followed my advice ye had not written these words and withall told him That none of John Knox his threatnings fell to the ground without effect And so it fell out in this particular For shortly thereafter the young Gentleman went beyond Seas to travell and died in Italy having no known man to assist him much lesse to lament him Towards the latter dayes of his age his body became very infirm and his voice so weake that the people could not hear him Preaching in the ordiplace wherfore he made choice of another more commodious within the Town reading to his auditors the history of the Passion in which he said it was his desire to finish and close his Ministery Thus he continued Preaching though with much weaknesse two moneths and more after this retiring And foreseeing that he was not to remain long with
Epithites were expressed by the ancients in one composed word Scoto-Brigantes The Lowland-men are made up of divers Nations for a few of them are a little remnant of the ancient Picts other few are descended from the ancient Albins who leaving the hills after the defeat of the Picts did betake themselves to the Low Countrey Divers from the South parts of Britannie had fled thither from the Tyranny of the Saxons Danes and Normans as they did of old from the Tyranny of the Romans Then the English being so oft in Scotland with their Armies have left divers in the Countrey Also Marriages and other private occasions have drawn sundry men from England into Scotland Lastly sundry of the Low-Countrie people are come from beyond Seas as from France Germany Hungary Flanders Ireland c. of late dayes So all being reckoned they are but few in the Low Countrey come of the old Albins Brigantes or old Picts The Low-Countrey men calls the High-landers Irish not so much for their ancient descent as for their language onely differing from the Irish by dialect and for their wayes of living not much unlike yet one main difference is to be seen in the activity of the Scots and the lazinesse of the Irish. On the other side the Highlanders calls the Low-Countrey men Saxons not so much for their descent although many of them are come from the Southern people as we have said who are a Progenie of the Saxons as for the language which differeth onely by dialect from the language of the South which acknowledgeth the Saxon language for its mother Tongue and for the way of living not so different save that the Scots are harder bred and consequently more fitted for toyling at War namely then the English are for we see the English to have pain to toyle and endure Wars at the first going to the Field by reason of their tender and soft breeding The language of the South Britons of old was not much different from that of the Gauls from whence they came into Albion witnesse Tacitus in Agricola his Life The Gauls then did speak a corrupt Greek for they are come of the Greeks Besides many words of the old Gaulois the phrase and construction are to this day in the French language kept which doth signifie that of old the Greek was spoken in Gaule although corrupt grosly by ignorant men without learning who neither could reade nor write Yet in the South parts of Gaule neer the Mediterranean Sea wherein the Greek Islands are the Greeke was spoken and taught at Marseilles namely The ancient language of the Britons suffred a great change by the Romans and other forreigners who brought in amongst them their terms of Law of divine Service of War and of Policie with the names of divers Commodities and the names of divers Trades When the Saxons and Danes came into the Land they confined the remnant of the ancient Britons unto the West Countrey with their language such as it was left unto them by the Romans and other forreigners of old and with themselves planted the language which is spoken in all England now adays with some alteration and change The first notable change happened by the Normans in whose language the Law hath been administred c. The next change is from the Latin in which language divine Service hath been for many yeers Officiated Then the English language hath borrowed from all neighbour Nations many words without any great change so that the English language is said to be the quintessence of all neighbour Languages From it the Scotish Tongue differs but in dialect as we have said The Highlanders Language as hath been said likewise is Irish which of old was a corrupt Greek also for the Irish came into Ireland from the North parts of Spain who spake a corrupt Greek as those of Gaule did for the ancient in-dwellers of the North parts of Spain came also from the Greek Islands So that of old the Language of the ancient Britons was not altogether strange unto the Brigantes or Alpins yea in this time wherein we live notwithstanding the great changes that both the Languages have sustained by time and Commerce of forreign Nations they have many words which are one and the same signifying the same thing Thus much I have written of the beginning names way of living and Languages of Scotland to make known to all how unjust and injurious unto us are some modern Antiquaries of our neighbour Countreys who first think they cannot prove their own people to be sufficiently ancient except they take from their neighbour their just right of good Antiquity Next they conceive they cannot set forth fully enough the greatnesse of their own Countrey except they make their neighbours no people at all or at least hardly considerable Thirdly they imagine That they cannot extoll and magnifie the glory of their Countrey highly enough unlesse they not onely depresse and extenuate their neighbours name but also attribute unto themselves the advantages of their neighbours But if these Antiquaries had considered with the eyes of men That there is enough to be said for the credit of their own Countrey without wronging others they had not so stuffed their Books with mistaken and mis-applied Allegations of good ancient Authors nor with Collection of fabulous and lying Monks tales wherein some of them do fansie Learning mainly to consist But of this enough For this place I will only adde this As the Scots although they be not of the greatest people yet they are truely one of the most ancient People in Europe So I dare be bold to say That God to whose praise be it spoken in his goodnesse towards them hath raised up of them and amongst them so many excellent and vertuous men in Church and State in Piety and Learning in Policy and War at home and abroad of old and of late that few Nations ancient or moderne although of greater bounds can compare with them fewer equall them and hardly any at all go beyond them in this for which we praise God who of the best things hath given us the best measure and say with the Historian That the Land is more fertile of good men then of good fruits But now since all former walls of separation and division both ancient and moderne Civill and Ecclesiasticall are in a great measure taken away by Gods blessing and since in so many respects the Scots and English are so neer one unto another as we have said But above all since they both are members of the true Church and pure Spouse of Christ Jesus to the upholding of whose Truth and purging of it from uncleannesse they have newly bound themselves together as one People yea as one man Let them then in Gods Name laying aside all excuses envies jealousies and by-ends as feeling members of one and the same Body concur unanimously with their mutuall and best endeavours to settle the true Worship of God in all true purity
Prince and people under pretext of Piety but with bad successe as by the wofull experience of following times we have found These new Bishop-Prelats having pretty well setled their own condition for maintenance which although it did exceed much the allowance of former Ages to Church-men yet it was very moderate in regard of the following times Next they obtained great Lands and Revenues from Prince and People for other Presbyters and Ministers who formerly had been very little burdensome to the people for by their own industry and work of their hands did provide for themselves necessaries for the most part by this means the Prelats tie the other Presbyters and Ministers to them and secondarily bring in by little and little idlenesse and slacknesse in discharging their calling from whence are risen all the evills we have seen since in the Church After the beginning of the fifth Age to wit 521. yeers in this Island began the old Saturnalia of Rome which was first kept in honour of Saturne but by the Successors of Iulius Caesar it was ordained to be kept to the memory of him and was called Iulia to be celebrated unto the honour of Christs Birth in the later end of December The occasion was this Arthur that renowned Prince wintering at York whereof he newly had made himself Master with his Nobles bethought himself with them to passe some dayes in the dead of winter in good chear and mirth which was done forth with as it is given out for devotion to Christ although that then true Devotion was very little regarded for as these men did exceed the Romans during this Feast in Ryot and Licentiousnesse So they continued the Feast double the time that the Ethnick Romans were wont to kept it for the Romans kept it onely five dayes but these kept it ten dayes with their new devotion yea those of the richer sort in time following have kept it fifteene dayes Thus was the beginning of the prophane idlenesse and ryot of Christmas now kept twelve dayes with foolish excesse and ryot As these Christmas keepers did mistake the way of honouring Christs Birth by this kinde of solemnity so did they mistake the time of his Birth for the most exact Chronologers tells us that Christ was born in October and not in December The Scots retain still the old name Iulia of this preposterous-holy-Feast for they call it corruptly Iul Although they never kept it of old not being subject to the Romans The French and Italians in this are nothing behinde with us for beside That they share with us in these Saturnalia Iulia or Christmas They go beyond us in ryot and fooleries in their Bacchanalia which they call Carnaval or Mardigras before Lent which in old time was kept to the honour of Bacchus But the corruptions that were brought in our Church from Rome in the fourth and fifth Age were nothing to what was brought in in the sixth and seventh Age for then was Religion turned upside down and so changed into Superstitious Ceremonies and Idolatry authorized by false miracles that there was hardly left any trace of true Religion among men in these dayes Palladius was the first that acquainted us with Rome as we have said and that brought in Prelacy amongst us a little after the beginning of the fourth Age which he and his Successors by degrees brought unto a great height both in worldly pomp and means for the times by the inconsiderate debonnarty of the Prince and simplicitie of the people but not without struggling and resistance by pious and wise men for many yeers it was the work of Church-men set a foot by Palladius so till the sixth Age that is upon the matter two hundred yeers to raise themselves to Power and Authority and Means whereunto they came insensibly so much the rather because they were sparing for these dayes to invert the main Doctrine of the true Religion The People and Magistrate seeing their Religion remaining in its maine were without great difficulty drawn over to give way unto the greatnesse of the Church-men But when these gallant fellows had wrought their own ends they did shew plainly what was within their hearts for then they declared themselves to be enemies both to God and to Man by their vitious lives contrary to the Laws of God and man Their false Doctrine contrary to Gods Word their Tyrannicall domineering over the people and withdrawing themselves from due obedience unto the lawfull Magistrate In a word by directly opposing God abusing men to their utter ruine of soul and body and setting up their own inventions for the Laws of God and men they were a bringing this height of iniquitie to passe about the matter of two hundred yeers likewise to wit the sixth and seventh Age although the workers of iniquity did at last bring their mischievous designe to an end by the permission of God irritated against men for their sins who not adhearing unto him were abandoned so that they became a prey unto Satan and his instruments to follow all iniquity yet such was the mercy of God towards men in these most corrupt times that the devill and his instruments went not so cleerly on with their wicked businesse but they had now and then from time to time remoraes and lets in it by those whom God raised up to bear witnesse to his Trueth and in these dayes sundry of the Scots Divines were very stout in the keeping of the ancient Tenets and Rites which they had received from their first Apostles Disciples to Saint Iohn according to the Church of the East Witnesse the great strugling they had about the keeping of Pasche or Easter-day for till then the Scots had kept the day of Pasche upon the fourteen day of the Moon whatsoever day of the week it fell out on the Romanists called those that kept so this day quartadecimani and condemned them as Hereticks and they kept the day constantly upon the next Sunday following and not upon a working day at last the Scots were constrained to yeeld in this as in other Rites unto Rome Culman and divers others Scotish men did so stoutely oppose the Romanists in the point of Easter-day and in other Tenets that they chose it being given to their choice either to submit unto Rome or to quit the setlings they had in the North of England rather to lose their Benefices then to yeild So standing fast to the Customes of the Scots Church wherein they had been born and bred they returned home to Scotland About the end of the seventh Age men from Scotland given to ambition and avarice went frequently to Rome for preferment in the Church and seeing it lay much that way then they did their best to advance the designe of the Romish Party wherein all the skill of worldly men was employed both in Rome among the Scots of that Party many men went to and fro between Rome and Scotland to bring the Scots to a full
to France to make Warre and at his arrivall there he findes an Army of Scots ready to fight for the Alliay of Scotland the French King against the English Upon this the King of England moves King Iames whom he had taken along with him to write unto the Scots and to charge them upon their Allegiance not to draw their Sword against the party where he their King was in person The Scots answered That they were sent into France to assist their Alliays against the common enemy As for him who writ unto them since he was a prisoner and not a free man they neither owed him Allegiance nor would they give him any so long as he was in prison but if he were set at liberty and were living among them they would obey him according to the Laws of the Countrey since the Crown was setled upon him by the consent of the States and so they did for these Kingdoms were governed in his name without any communication with him during the time of his imprisonment which was very long but when he went home he was received and obeyed as King From this Princes may learn that although people do submit themselves to their Government the resignation is not so full as to devest themselves of all power in such a way That the Prince may dispose of them as he thinks right or wrong he ordinarily being misled and kept captive by those that are about him who for the most part have no regard to the publike good nor to the credit and esteem of him to whom in shew they professe themselves so addicted the people have constantly reserved even unto themselves by the consent of all men yea of the greatest Court-parasites and Sycophants of Princes that the Prince cannot nor ought not to enslave or subject the people to any Forreign Power and where Princes by Pusillanimitie and ill counsell have essayed or attempted such a thing they have smarted for it witnesse Baliol who not onely was excluded himself from the Crown but also his Posterity and it was setled upon the next Branch to wit Robert Bruce with his descendents where it continues to this day by Gods providence Then since the people have reserved this power in themselves to stop the Prince to put them under any Forreign yoak or slavery is it possible That they have not reserved a power to right themselves from domestick and intestine slavery and misery slavery being ever one and the same For what is it to me by whom I suffer evil of one and the same kinde and degree whether it be by a neighbour or a stranger a forreigner or a con-citizen yea when I suffer by him who should be my friend and stand for the same Freedom with me my suffering is the greater To this purpose you have a memorable Passage of William the Norman who although he had invaded England with the Sword and by it had defeated him who did oppose him for the Crown with all his adherents and party and in consequencie of this Victory had committed many out-rages with a strong hand yet the same William could never assure himself nor his Posterity of the Allegeance of the People till he had sworn solemnly according to the Rite of the times for himself and his To govern according to the good and approved Laws of the Land as the best Kings before him had done Then the County of Kent in its own name and in the name of the whole Kingdom declared That neither Kent nor any other of the Kingdom was conquered but in a peaceable way did submit to William the Norman upon Condition and with Proviso That all their Liberties and free Customs in use and practice should be kept If this was not accomplished afterwards it was sillinesse of the People that suffered themselves to be abused and the fault of misled Princes that did not keep their promise whereunto they were tyed And sundry for the breach of this promise have had occasion to repent when it hath been too late We shall adde one example more which is of Henry the eighth who anno 1525 the seventeenth yeer of his Reign by the advice of his Councell put a Tax upon the people which the people did not onely refuse to pay but declared That the thing was unjust and unlawfull Withall wherever they met those whom the King had employed for the gathering the money they used them so kindely that they did never come twice to one place for the payment of the Tax The King seeing this he disclaims the Imposition of the Tax and so do the Nobles that convened at London by his Command for that purpose and layes all the fault upon ill counsell namely upon Wolsey This was Henry constrained to do notwithstanding his resolutenesse against all forreign enemy chiefly the Pope with his shavelings By this instance Henry acknowledged his power to be limited and no wayes arbitrary Against the doctrine of our now Cout-parasites Now if the People have this much power in them as to stand for their Temporall Liberty both against forreign and domestick slavery far more may they and ought they to defend the Spirituall Freedom which Christ having purchased with his Blood hath left them as Members of his Church But all this defence of Liberty and Religion ought to be made so that it be without by-ends sinistrous respects of hatred malice ambition c. The onely scope and main drift being To have Gods glory in the Light of his Gospel setled and maintained The People at quiet The Prince obeyed in God and for God i. e. according to the Law of God Nature Nations and the Countrey or Kingdom so far as possibly can be This being lookt to carefully there is no gap opened to Rebellion which is a fighting against Gods Ordinance and not the just and necessary opposing of the abuse and corrupting of the good Ordinance of God But here a Court-slave will say If things be so there is no absolutenesse in Monarchs and Princes To answer this we must know what is to be meant by absolute or absolutenes whereof I finde two main significations First absolute signifieth perfect and absolutenesse perfection Hence we have in Latin this expression Perfectum est omnibus numeris absolutum And in our vulgar Language we say A thing is absolutely good when it is perfectly good Next absolute signifieth free from tye or bond which in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now say I if you take absolute for perfect that Prince or Magistrate is most absolute that is most perfect who governs most absolutely or most perfectly The absolutenesse or perfection of Government consists in its conformity to the perfect Rule which is written in the Law of God printed in the heart of man received generally of all wise People and in practice by all particular well-polished Common-wealths Next I say if you take absolute for free from tye or bond That no Prince nor Magistrate is free for every
making him a god when he is but a weak and infirme man servant of God This second fault is committed chiefly by the Sycophants and Parasites who have no other Church nor Chappell but the Court and make Petition to none but to the King whom to please they wholly study that they may catch somewhat to satisfie their inordinate desires And the first is committed namely by their prelaticall Clergy who withdraw from the Prince a great part of his due when they study to exempt themselves from his Obedience and take from him any inspection upon them namely concerning the discharge of their calling although by Gods Ordinance it be a main part of his Office to see God served and worshipped according to his Will revealed in his sacred Word We have a little above seen how that by the flattery of some Court-preachers the custome is brought into the Church to give unto the Prince not onely swelling but blasphemous Titles in the publike Prayer that is made by the Minister in the name of the Chruch but although this be too great an evill and requireth Reformation yet the flattery of some Preachers hath not stayed here for they according to their custome having addicted themselves to any one whom they conceive may help them to preferment stick not in the pulpit where all relation should be laid aside save that of a Minister of Gods Word to publish themselves yea in their Prayers to be varlets to this man or that man and what is worse yet in the Prayer they call their Masters and Lords Vertuous Pious and Religious when it is known to all That for the most part they have little Vertue lesse Piety and no Religion at all To have pointed at these things shall suffice for this place If any man will be contentious for these practices I answer him That the wel-Reformed Churches have no such Customs for among the other abuses whereof they have been purged by the care and diligence of the faithfull Vine-dressers under Gods blessing they have been pruned of this rotten Bud of slavish flattery as a corruption much opposite and contrary to the dignity and power of the Gospel But let us return after this long Digression In these dayes that is in the thirteenth Age lived Michael Scot renowned for his Learning in Physick Astronomy c. He is remembred by Picus Mirandula and Cornelius Agrippa very honourably Also then lived Thomas Lermouth commonly called The Rythmer whose Predictions are extant to this day But no wise man can make any thing of them more then of Merlin his Prophesies who lived long before him although sundry have pleased their fansies with idle Expositions of these two mens dreams Towards the end of this thirteenth Age the good Roman Pontif Boniface the eight making use of the havie moans and complaints that some of Scotland namely of the Bishops and other Clergie-men with their clients made against King Edward of England who then did cruelly afflict the Countrey claims a right unto the Crown of Scotland as reâ—igned unto him by the States And upon this he writes an insulting Letter and full of threatnings unto Edward that he was so malapert as to do any wrong to his vassalls and subjects where he had none truely save the Bishops and Shavelings with their clients Whether the Clergie did make this offer of subjection unto the Pope or whether he did falsly invent this lye we cannot tell but it is betwixt the Pope and his shaved creatures such master such men Let this teach us how the Popes are and have been and will be ever constantly ready watching at all occasions to draw all things to their Crosse. But this owning of the Scots by the Pope for his peculiar people did not last long for in a very short time thereafter notwithstanding the great ignorance of these dayes the Scots shewed themselves refractaries to his holy Orders and he in revenge did thunder the fire-bolts of his Excommunication against these rude fellows putting them to the Interdict all to small purpose for by these Bolts they were but very little dashed We have heard how that in former times the Church of Scotland was served by Culdees and they ruled by their Presbyteries or Elders having a Moderator or Prefect of themselves and of their own chusing This was for many yeers When Palladius brought in Prelacie a new holy Order into the Church of Scotland unknown to the preceding Ages it was with this Restraint That Bishops should be chosen by the Culdees and of them But when Bishops had once gotten certain Diocesses and Limits alotted unto them they set up a new Presbytery of their own or Councell of Canons or Regulars which they called Chapters by whom they intended to be chosen in following times The Culdees seeing this did oppose it with their main strength namely under King David who did take up the businesse thus being carried away by the Prelats That so many of the Culdees as would be Canons should have hand in the chusing of the Bishops But the Bishops to elude this Ordinance of the Prince obtained a Mandate from the Pope That no Culdee should be received in the Convent of Canons but by the consent of the Prior and most part of the Canons By these means the Culdees were kept out and deprived of their voyce in chusing of the Bishop In the time of the troubles of Baliol and Bruce one William Cumin Prefect of the Culdees thinks it fit for to bestir himself to trie what he could regain upon the Canons and so he opposeth the Election by the Canons of one William Lamberton to the Sea of S. Andrews The businesse being come to a great height by Appeal was drawn to Rome where after much debate pro forma time and moneys employed the holy Father Boniface the eight pronounces sentence in favour of his dear Clients the Canons and so Lamberton is made Bishop and consecrated by the Pope Boniface This fact turned so to the disgrace of the Culdees that after that time we reade no more of them so the Name and Order by little and little came to be quite extinguished about the beginning of the thirteenth age In the beginning of the fourteenth age the Order of the Templers was put down whether for their just demerits or for private ends and hatred we leave it to the Histories of these times Pope Clement the fift by his Bull did cashier them the Bull beginning thus Quanquam de jure non possumus tamen pro plenitudine potestatis dictum Ordinem reprobamus c. After which all Christian Princes did cause them to be apprehended in their severall Dominions and put them from their estates which was then given to Hospitallers and Knights of Saint Iohn after they had stood about two hundred yeers instituted by Baldonin King of Ierusalem for defence of that Citie and Temple and the safe conveying of all such as did travell thither They are also called Red friers
because their Gownes were Red. In this fourteenth age did flourish the great Scholastick Iohannes called Scotus from his Nation and Duns from the place of his Birth for he was born in the Town of Duns in the Mers he was a great Opposer of Thomas of Aquin his Doctrine his Sectaries were called Scotists his Epitaph was thus Scotia me genuit Anglia suscepit Gallia edocuit Germania tenet In the beginning of the fifteenth age there was a great Schisme in the Romish Church Pope against Pope yea sometimes there were three Popes at one time fighting one against another and excommunicating one another this Schisme lasted about thirty yeers and by the Councell of Constance Martin the fift was made Pope and the rest defeated There was one Iohn Fogo a Monke of Milros who in Scotland defended the Election of Martin by the Councell against Benedict alias Peter de Lune During this forenamed Schisme many taking occasion of the opennesse of the times began boldly and freely to speak against the bad Doctrine Government and Lives of the Church-men and that not only in private discourse but they also preached it publikely as Iohn Wickliffe in England Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prague in Bohemia who spoke before the people freely of the Tyrannie of the Government of the Clergie the corruption of their Doctrine and wickednesse of their lives In those dayes also there were some in Scotland who feared not to make known to the people the Truth of God as namely Iames Resby and Paul Craw among others who suffered Martyrdom for the Truth About this time the Carthusians were brought from England into Scotland and had built unto them a Monasterie at Perth In this Age the Universitie of Saint Andrews was set up chiefly by the means of Henry Wardlaw Bishop of the place that in some kinde the Schools of Learning might not bee altogether wanting which formerly had flourished for so long a time among the Culdees and of later yeers had quite decayed this good did Wardlaw As his Predecessor William Trail had built the Castle of the same City So his Successour Iames Kenedy built the old Colledge likewise called Saint Salvator his Colledge Patrick Grahame that came after him was the man that brought into Scotland the Title of Primate Metropolitane and Archbishop by Bull of Sextus quartus From the first Preaching of the Gospel till Palladius the Church of Scotland was happy without Bishops From Palladius to King Malcolme his days the Bishops had no distinct Diocesses or Parishes from King Malcolme till Patricke Grahame they were without Archbishops this Title and higher rank of Authoritie did not succeed well with Grahame for the other Bishops could suffer no Superiour under the Pope namely so neer them hitherto having rejected all the pretentions of the Archbishop of York The inferior Clergie also were afraid of the increase of the Authority of the Man whom they conceived austere and rigid and so by the Faction of the corrupt Court and disordered Clergy poor Grahame lost the Title he had procured with the Benefice and one Shevez got his spoyl and what a sweet Bird Shevez was the Stories of that time doe sufficiently manifest Robert Blacater seeing the Bishop of Saint Andrews now a Metropolitane and Archbishop obtains from Alexander the sixt a Bull whereby he is made Archbishop also and hee had under him the Bishops of Galloway Argyle and Isles which new dignitie angred the Archbishop of Saint Andrews above the losse of his Vassals for to have a Companion in equall dignity set up beside him was hard but he must digest the Pill since the Pope will have it so Lastly David Beaton brought in the Title of Cardinall into Scotland who hath beene the onely man that hath born that Title in this Countrey and how it did speed with him the following Historie will tell you As in the beginning of the fifteenth age the Schisme for the Papacie opened thorow Christendom many mens mouthes and busied their Pennes to set forth the corruption of the Church and the Vices of the Clergie even so in the beginning of the sixteenth age those that fought for the Bishoprick of Saint Andrews by their dissention gave occasion to many in Scotland to speak in publike and private of the corruption of Church-mens Lives Government and Doctrine in Scotland which coming to the Popes ears presently he sent unto the King Iames the fourth a Sword with the Title of Protector of the Faith as if all Christian Princes were not in dutie bound to protect the Faith in Christ but the Faith whiâ—h the Pope would have the King to protect was his erroneous Doctrine and Tyrannicall Authoritie Some few yeers after this Henry the eighth was declared by the Pope Defender of the Faith and had the Sword likewise Iames the 4 of Scotland being dead now by the corrupt Courtiers the yong inconsiderate King Iames was made beleeve That the conferring of this new Title by the Pope did bring unto him a great preheminence yea the Court Sycophants did not stick to call it A new Royaltie when in effect it was nothing else but a new note of his Vasâ—allage to Rome and by the accepting of the Sword he did engage himself to make warre for Rome and so he did indeed for sundry men after this during his short Reign were persecuted and suffered death for the Truth of Christ. This is the second remarkable Badge of slavery put upon our Princes by the Pope the former was their Anointing by him as wee have seen before Here be pleased with me to remark That of all the Bishops of Scotland before the Reformation namely since they were made Lords of certain places and had particular Diocesses you cannot finde one who had any care of the true Charge of Pastor for their whole studie was to raise their power and to encrease their means for the upholding of their power and to effectuate this more easily and fully they kept both Prince and people in dark ignorance of Gods Will and Word But because they must seem to do somwhat for the name sake of Bishops they caused to build walls of Temples and Chappels set up images and pictures richly dressed to content the eyes and brought into the Church Instruments of Musick and artificiall Singing with great skill to content the ear Also they brought in sweet perfume and incense for the smell so the most subtill senses were thus satisfied And to make a shew to keep under the senses which are more grosse there must be some kinde of Fasting enjoyned to the people and chastenesse to the Church-men But how and to what purpose these two last have been kept all men know But kept or not all is one all these Ordinances which the Bishops set up for Religion have been discovered by Gods mercy to be not onely without Warant in Gods Word but plainly contrary to the same Of all the Bishops of Scotland in time of Reformation there was
that were criminall of their blood But the day approacheth when that the punishment of that cruelty and of others will evidently appears The names of the men that were hanged were Iames Hunter William Lambe William Anderson Iames Ruvals Burgesse of Saint Iohnston At that same time were banished Sir Henry Eldar Iohn Eldar Walter Piper Laurence Pullar with divers others whose names come not to our knowledge That sworn enemy to Christ Jesus and unto all in whom any spark of knowledge appeared had about that time in prison divers amongst whom was Iohn Roger a black Frier godly and learned one that had fruitfully preached Christ Jesus to the comfort of many in Angus and Mearnes whom that bloody man caused to murther in the ground of the Sea Tower in S. Andrews and then caused to cast him over the wall spreading a false brute That the said Iohn seeking to flie had broken his own neck This ceased not Sathan by all means to maintaine his kingdome of Darknesse and to suppresse the light of Christs Gospel But mighty is he against whom they â—â—ght for when the wicked were in greatest security then began God to show his anger For the third day of May in the yeer of our Lord 1544 yeers without knowledge of any man in Scotland we mean of such as should have had the care of the Realme was seen a great Navy of Ships arriving towards the Fyrth The Posts came to the Governour and Cardinall who both were in Edinburgh what multitude of Ships were seen and what course they took This was on the Saturday before noon Question was had What should they mean Some said It is no doubt but they are English-men and we fear that they will land The Cardinall skipped and said It is the Island flote they are come to make a shew and to put us in fear I shall lodge all the men of Warre in mine eye that shall land in Scotland Still sitteth the Cardinall at his dinner eating as though there had been no danger appearing Men assembled to gaze upon the Ships some to the Castle hill some to the mountains and other places eminent But there was no question With what Forces shall we resist if we be invaded Soon after six of the clock at night were arrived and had cast Ankor in the Road of Leith more than two hundred Sail. Shortly after the Admirall shot a flott Boat which from Granton hills till by East Leith sounded the deep and so returned to her Ship Hereof were divers opinions men of judgement foresaw what it meant but no credit was given to any that would say They minded to land and so passed every man to his rest as if the Ships had been a guard for their defence Upon the point of day upon Sunday the fourth of May addresse they for landing and they ordered the Ships so that a Galley or two laid their snouts to the hills the small Ships called Pinnaces and light Horse-men approached as neer as they could The great Ships discharged their Souldiers into the smaller Vessels and they by Boats set upon dry Land before ten of the clock 10000 men as was judged and more The Governour and Cardinall seeing then the thing that they could not or at least they would not believe before after they had made a brag to fight fled as fast as horse could carry them so that after they approached not within twenty miles of the danger The Earle of Angus and Sir George Dowglas were that night freed of Ward they were in Blacknesse The said Sir George in merrinesse said I thanke King Henry and my gentle Masters of England The English Army betwixt one and two of the clock entered into Leith found the Tables covered the dinners prepared such abundance of wine and victualls besides the other substance that the like riches within the like bounds was not to be found neither in Scotland nor England Upon Munday the fifth of May came to them from Barwick and the borders two thousand Horse-men who being somewhat reposed the Army upon the Wednesday marched toward the Town of Edinburgh spoiled and burnt the same and so did they the Palace of Halyrud-house The Horse-men took the House of Craigmiller and gat great spoils therein for it being judged the strongest House neer the Towne after the Castle of Edinburgh and all men sought to save their moveables therein But the stoutnesse of the Laird gave it over without shot of Hacke but and for his reward was caused to march upon his feet to London He is now Captain of Dumbar and Provost of Edinburgh The English-men seeing no resistance hurled by force of men Cannons upon the street to the Butter trone and above and hazarded a shot against the fore-entry of the Castle but that was to their own pains For they lying without Trench or Gabion were exposed to the force of the whole Ordnance of the said Castle which shot and that not all in vain for the Wheel and Axletree of one of the English Cannons was broken and some of their men slain and so they left with small honour that enterprise taken rather of rashnesse than of any advised counsell When the most part of the day they had spoiled and burnt towards the night they returned to Leith and upon the morrow returned to Edinburgh and executed the rest of Gods judgements for that time And so when they had consumed both the Towns they laded the Ships with the spoiles thereof and they by Land returned to Barwick using the Countrey for the most part at their own pleasure This was a part of the punishment which God took upon the Realm for the infidelity of the Governour and for the violation of his solemne Oath But this was not the end for the Realme was divided into two factions the one favoured France the other the League lately contracted with England The one did in no things credit thorowly the other so that the Countrey was in extreme calamity for to the English-men were delivered divers Strengths such as Carelaverock Lochmaben and Langham the most part of the Borderers were confederate with England And albeit at Ancrome mure in February in the yeer of God 1544. was Sir Rafe Ewers with many other English-men slain and the yeere after were some of the said strengths recovered yet was it not without great losse and detriment of the Common-wealth For in the month of Ianuary in the yeer of God 1545. Monsieur de Lorge with Bands of men of War came from France for a destruction to Scotland For upon their brag was an Army raised forwards they go towards Warke even in the midst of harvest The Cardinalls Banner was that day displayed and all his Files were charged to be under it many had before promised but at the point it was left so bare that with shame it was shut up into the pock againe and they after a shew returned with more
it betwixt them for that day The feare riseth and at an instant they which before were victors and were not yet assaulted with any force except with ordnance as is said cast from them their spears and fled So that Gods power was so evidently seen that in one moment yea at one instant time both the armies were fleeing The shout came from the hill from those that hoped no victory upon the English part The shout rises we say They flee they flee but at the first it could not be beleeved till at the last it was clearly seene that all had given back and still began the cruell slaughter which was the greater by reason of the late displeasure of the men of arms the chase and slaughter lasted till neer Edinburgh upon the one part and toward Dalketh upon the other The number of the slain upon the Scottish side were judged nigh ten thousand men The Earle of Huntly was taken and carried to London But he relieved himselfe being surety for many reasons Honesty or unhonesty we know not but as the bruite was he used policie with England In that same time was slain the Master of Erskin dearly beloved of the Queene for whom she made great lamentation and bare his death many dayes in minde When the certaintie of the discomfiture came she was in Edinburgh abiding upon tidings But with expedition she posted that same night to Sterlin with Monsieur Dosell who was as fearfull as a Fox when his hole is smoaked And thus did God take the second revenge upon the perjured Governour with such as assisted him to defend an unjust quarrell Albeit that many innocents fell amongst the middest of the wicked The English armie came to Leyth and their taking order with their prisoners and spoile they returned with this victory which they looked not for to England That Winter following was great hearships made upon all the borders of Scotland Broughtie mountain was taken by the Englishmen and besieged by the Governor but still kept And at it was slain Gawine the best of the Hamiltons and the ordnance left Whereupon the Englishmen encouraged began to fortifie upon the hill above Broughty house which was called The fort of Broughty and was very noisome to Dundie which it burnt and laid waste and so did it the most part of Angus which was not assured and under friendship with them The Lent following was Hadington fortified by the English men The most part of Lothian from Edinburgh East was either assured or laid waste This did God plague in every quarter But men were blinde and would not nor could not consider the cause The Lairdes Ormeston and Brunstone were banished and after sore assaulted and so were all those of the Castle of S. Andrews The sure knowledge of the troubles of Scotland coming to France there was prepared a Navie and Army The Navie was such as never was seen to come from France for the support of Scotland for besides the Gallies being twenty two in number they had threescore great Ships besides Victuallers How soon so ever they took the plain seas the red Lion of Scotland was displayed and they holden as rebels unto France such policie is no falshood in Princes for good peace stood betwixt France and England And the King of France approved nothing that they did The chiefe men to whom the conducting of the Army was appointed were Monsieur Dandelott Monsieur de Termes and Peter Strozi In their journey they made some harship upon the coast of England but it was not great They arrived in Scotland in May in the yeere of our Lord 1549. The Gallies did visit the Fort of Broughtie but did no more at that time Preparations were made for the siege of Hadington but it was another thing that they meant as the issue declared The whole body of the Realm assembled the form of a Parliament was set to be holden there to wit in the Abbey of Hadington The principall head was the Marriage of the Princesse by the State before contracted to King Edward to the King of France and of her present deliverie by reason of the danger she stood in by the invasion of the old enemies of England Some were corrupted with buds some deceived by flattering promise and some for fear were compelled to consent for the French Souldiers were the officers of Arms in that Parliament The Laird of Balcleuch a bloody man with many Gods-wounds swore They that would not consent should do worse The Governour got the Title of Duke of Chattelherauld with the order of the Cockle and a Pension of 12000. lib. turn with a full discharge of all intermissions with King Iames the fift his treasure and substance whatsoever with possession of the Castle of Dumbartane till that issue should be seen of the Queenes body With these and other conditions stood he content to sell his Soveraigne out of his own hands which in the end will be his destruction God thereby punishing his former wickednesse if speedie repentance prevent not Gods judgements which we heartily wish Huntly Argyle and Angus were likewise made Knights of the Cockle and for that and other good deeds received they sold also their part Shortly none was found to resist that unjust demand And so was she sold to go to France To the end that in her youth she should drink of that liquor that should remain with her all her life time for a plague to this Realm and for her own ruine And therefore albeit that now a fire cometh out of her that consumes many let no man wonder she is Gods hand in his displeasure punishing our former ingratitude Let men patiently abide Gods appointed time and turn unto him with hearty repentance then God will surely stop the fire that now comes from her by sudden changing her heart to deal favourably with his people or else by taking her away or by stopping her to go on in her couâ—se by such meanes as he shall think meet in his wisdom for he having all in his hand disposeth of all and doth with all according to his own will unto which we must not onely yeeld but also be heartily pleased with it since it is absolutely good and both by Sacred and Prophane History we are taught to do so for in them we finde That Princes have been raised up by his hands to punish his people But when they turned unto him with hearty repentance he either turned the heart of the Prince to deal kindly with his people or else did take him away or at least did stop his violent course against his people Of this the examples are so frequent that we spare to name them heere But to returne to our Historie This conclusion That our Queene without further delay should be delivered to France The siege continued great shooting but no assaulting and yet they had fair occasion offered unto them For the English-men approaching to
but so would he not relieve them But some would he deliver by one means and at one time and others must abide for a season upon his good pleasure This counsell in the end was embraced upon the Kings even when French men commonly use to drinke liberally The aforesaid four persons having the help and conducting of a boy of the house bound all that were in the Castle put them in sundry houses locked the doors upon them took the Keys from the Captain and departed without harm done to the person of any or without touching of any thing that appertained to the King Captain or the house Great search was made thorow the whole Countrey for them But it was Gods good pleasure so to conduct them that they escaped the hands of the faithlesse albeit it was with long travell and great pain and poverty sustained for the French boy left them and took with him the small money that they had And so neither having money nor knowledge of the Countrey And farther fearing that the boy should discover them as that in very deed he did they purposed to divide themselves to change their garments and to go in sundry parts The two brethren Will. and Rob. Leslie who now are become the said Robert especially enemies to Christ Jesus and unto all vertue came to Roan Will. Kirkcaldie and Peter Carmichell in beggars garment came to Conquet and by the space of 12 or 13 weeks they travelled as poor Mariners from Port to Port till at length they gat a French Ship landed in the West of Scotland and from thence came to England where they met before them the said Io. Knox who that same Winter was delivered and Alexander Clerk in his company The said Iohn was first appointed Preacher to Barwick then to Newcastle last he was called to London and to the South part of England where he remained till the death of King Edward the sixt When he left England he then passed to Geneva and there remained at his privy studie till that he was called by the Congregation that then was assembled at Franckford to be Preacher to them which Vocation he obeyed albeit unwillingly at the commandment of that notable servant of God Iohn Calvin At Franckford he remained till that some of the learned whose names we suppresse more given to unprofitable Ceremonies then to sincerity of Religion began to quarrell with the said Iohn and because they despaired to prevail before the Magistrate there for the establishing of their corruptions they accused him of treason committed against the Emperour and against their Soveraigne Queen Mary That in his Admonition to England he called the one little inferiour to Nero and the other more cruell then Iesabell The Magistrate perceiving their malice and fearing that the said Iohn should fall in the hands of his accusators by one mean or by other gave advertisement secretly to him to depart their City for they could not save him if he were required by the Emperour or by the Queen of England in the Emperours name And so the said Iohn returned to Geneva from thence to Diep and thereafter to Scotland as we shall after hear The time and that Winter that the Gallies remained in Scotland were delivered M. Iames Balfour his two brethren David and Gilbert Iohn Anchinlek Iohn Sibald Iohn Gray William Gutrie and Stevin Bell. The Gentlemen that remained in prisons were by the procurement of the Queen Dowager to the Cardinall of Loraine and to the King of France set at liberty in the month of Iuly anno 1550. who shortly thereafter were called to Scotland their peace proclaimed and they themselves restored to their lands in despight of their enemies And that was done in hatred of Duke Hamilton because that then France began to have the Regiment of Scotland in their own hands Howsoever it was God made the hearts of their enemies to set them at liberty and freedom There rested a number of common servants yet in the Gallies who were all delivered upon the Contract of peace that was made betwixt France and England after the taking of Bullen and so was the whole company set at liberty none perishing no not before the world except Iames Melvin who departed from the misery of this life in the Castle of Brest in Britaigne This we write to let the posteritie to come to understand how potently God wrought in preserving and delivering of those that had but a small knowledge of his truth and for the love of the same hazarded all That if either we now in our dayes having greater light or our posteritie that shall follow us shall see a fearfull dispersion of such as oppose themselves to impiety or take upon them to punish the same otherwise then laws of men will permit If we say we or they shall see such left of men yea as it were despised and punished of God yet let us not damne the persons that punish vice and that for just cause nor yet despair but that the same God that dejects for causes unknown to us will raise up again the persons dejected to his glory their comfort And to let the world understand in plain terms what we mean that great abuser of this Common-wealth that pultron and vile knave Davie was justly punished the ninth of March in the yeer of our Lord 1565. for abusing of the Common-wealth and for his other villanies which we lift not to expresse by the counsell and hands of Iames Dowglas Earl of Mortoun Patrick Lord Lindsay and the Lord Ruthwen with other assisters in the company who all for their just act and most worthy of all praise are now unworthily left of all their brethren and suffer the bitternes of banishment exile But this is our hope in the mercies of our God That this same blinde Generation whether it will or not shall be compelled to see That he will have respect to them that are injustly pursued That he will pardon their former offences That he will restore them to the liberty of their Country and Common-wealth again And that he will punish in despight of man the head and the taile that now troubles the just and maintaineth impiety The head is known the tail hath two branches The temporall Lords that maintain such abominations as we see flattering counsellors of State blasphemous Balfour now called clerk of Register Sinclare Dean of Lestarrig and Bp. of Brechen blinde of one eye in the body but of both of his soul upon whom God shortly after took vengeance Leslie Preistesgate Abbot of Londrosse and Bishop of Rosse Simon Preston of Cragmillar a right Epicurian Whose end will be ere it be long according to their works But now to return to our History Hadington being kept and much hearship done about in the Countrey for what the English-men destroyed not that was consumed by the French God begins to fight for Scotland For in the Town he sent
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
Friers in Edinburgh the fifteenth day of May which day the said Iohn decreed to keep and for that purpose Iohn Erskin of Dun with divers other Gentlemen assembled to the Town of Edinburgh But that Diet held not For whether the Bishops perceived informalitie in their own proceedings or if they feared danger to ensue upon their extremity it is unknown unto us But the Saturday before the day appointed they cust their own summons and the said Iohn the same day of the summons taught in Edinburgh in a greater audience then ever before he had done in that Town The place was the Bishop of Dunkelles his great lodging where he continued in Teaching ten dayes before and after noon The Earle of Glencarne allured the Earle of Masrchell who with Henry Drummond his counseller for that time heard an exhortation but it was in the night who were so well contented with it that they both willed the said Iohn to write unto the Queen Regent somewhat that might move her to hear the Word of God He obeyed their desire and wrote that which after was published which we have caused to be Printed at the end of this Book and is called The Letter to the Queen Dowager Which was delivered unto her own hands by the said Alexander Earle of Glencarne Which Letter when she had read within a day or two she delivered it to the proud Prelate Betone Bishop of Glasgow and said in mockage Please you my Lord to read a Pasquill Which words coming to the ears of the said Iohn was the occasion that to his Letter he made his additions as yet may be seen As concerning the threatnings pronounced against her own person and the most principall of her friends let these very flatterers see what had failed of all that he had written While Iohn Knox was thus occupied in Scotland Letters came to him from the English Church that was assembled at Geneva which was separated from that superstitious and contentious company that was at Franckford commanding him in Gods Name as he that was their chosen Pastour to repaire unto them for their comfort Upon the which the said Iohn took his leave from us almost in every congregation where before he had Preached and exhorted us to Prayers to Reading of the Scriptures and mutuall conference untill such time as God should give unto us greater libertie And hereupon he sent before him to Deep his mother in Law Elizabeth Bowes and his wife Marjory with no small dolour of their hearts and of many of us He himselfe by procurement and labours of Robert Campell of Kingiâ—ancleuch remained behinde in Scotland and passed to the Earle of Argile who then was in the castle Campbell where he taught certain dayes The Laird of Glenurqahay which yet liveth being one of his auditours willed the said Earle of Argile to retaine him still but he resolved on his journey would not at that time stay for no request adding That if God blessed those small beginnings and if that they continued in godlinesse whensoever they pleased to command him they should finde him obedient He said That once he must needs visit that little flock which the wickednesse of men had compelled him to leave And so in the moneth of July he left this Realm and past to France and so to Geneva Immediately after the Bishops summoned him and for non-appearance burnt him in effigie at the Crosse of Edinburgh in the yeer of our Lord 1555. from the which unjust Sentence the said Iohn made his appellation and caused to Print the same and direct it to the Nobility and Commons of Scotland as yet may be read In the Winter that the said Iohn abode in Scotland appeared a Comet the course whereof was from the South and South-West to the North and North-east It was seen the moneths of November December and January It was called The firie bosom Soon after died Christierne King of Denmark and War arose between Scotland and England the Commissioners of both Realms were disappointed who almost the space of six moneths had been upon the conditions of Peace and were upon a neere point of conclusion The Queene Regent with her Councell of the French faction decreed War at New Battell without giving any advertisement to the Commissioners for the part of Scotland Such is the fidelitie of Princes guided by Priests whensoever they seeke their owne affections to be served In the end of that next harvest was seen upon the borders of England and Scotland a strange fire which descended from the heaven and burnt divers cornes in both the Realms but most in England There was presented to the Queen Regent by Robert Ormestone a Calfe having two heads whereat she skipped and said It was but a common thing The Warre began in the end of the harvest as is said and conclusion was taken that Warke should be assieged The Army and Ordnance past forward to Maxwell Hewcht The Queen Regent remained in the Castle of Hume and thinking that all things were in assurance Monsieur Dosell then Lieutenant for France gave charge that the Canons should be transported over the water of Tweid which was done with expedition for the French in such facts are expert but the Nobility of Scotland nothing content of such proceedings after consultation amongst themselves past to the Pavilion of Monsieur Dosell and in his own face declared That in no wayes would they invade England And therefore commanded the Ordnance to be retired And so it was without further delay This put an affray in Monsieur Dosells breeches and kindled such a fire in the Queen Regents stomacke as was not well slacked till her breath failed And thus was that enterprise frustrate But yet Warre continued during the which the Gospel of Jesus Christ began wonderously to flourish For in Edinburgh began publikely to exhort William Harlow Iohn Dowglas who had being with the Earle of Argyle Preached in Leyth and sometimes exhorted in Edinburgh Paul Meaffen began publikely to Preach in Dundie and so did divers others in Angus and the Mernes And last at Gods good pleasure arrived Iohn Willocke the second time from Emden whose returne was so joyfull to the brethren that their zeal and godly courage daily encreased And albeit he contracted a dangerous sicknesse yet he ceased not from labours but taught and exhorted from his bed some of the Nobility of whom some are fallen back amongst them the Lord Seaton is chief with many Barons and Gentlemen his auditors and by him were godly instructed and wonderously comforted They kept their conventions and held counsells with such gravity and closenesse that the enemies trembled The Images were stollen away in all parts of the Countrey And in Edinburgh was that great Idol called Saint Gyle first drowned in the North Loch after burnt which raised no small trouble in the Town for the Friers rooping like Ravens upon the Bishops the Bishops ran upon
Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames to Sterlin to the said convention in which divers godly men complained of the tyrannie used against their brethren And especially that more French-men were brought in to oppresse their Country After the consultation of certain dayes the principall Lords with my Lord Arran and the Earle of Argyle past to Hammilton for consultation to be taken with the Duke And in this mean time came assured word that the French-men had begun to fortifie Leith which thing as it did more evidently discover the Queens craft so did it deeply grieve the hearts of all the Nobility there who with one consent agreed to write unto the Queen in form as followeth At Hammilton the 29 day of September MAdame we are credibly informed that your Army of French-men should instantly begin to plant in Leith and to fortifie the same of minde to expell the ancient inhabitants thereof our brethren of the Congregation whereof we marvell not a little that your Majestie should so manifestly breake the Appointment made at Leith without any provocation made by us and our brethren And seeing the same is done without any manner of consent of the Nobilitie and counsell of this Realme we esteem the same not onely oppression of our poore brethren and in-dwellers of the said Towne but also very prejudiciall to the Common-wealth and plain contrary to our ancient Laws and Liberties We therefore desire your Majestie to cause the same work enterprised to be stayed and not to attempt so rashly and so manifestly against your Majesties promise against the Common-wealth â—he ancient Laws and Liberties thereof which things besides the glory of God are most dear and tender to us and onely our pretence otherwise assuring your Majestie we will complain to the whole Nobility and Commonalty of this Realme and most earnestly seek for redresse thereof And thus recommending our humble service unto your Highnesse whom we commit to the Eternall Protection of God expecting earnestly your answer At Hammilton the day and yeer aforesaid By your Majesties humble and obedient servitours This Letter was subscribed with the hands of the Duke the Earles of Arran Argyle Glencarne and Menteth by the Lords Ruthwen Uchiltrie Boyd and by divers others Barons and Gentlemen To this request she would not answer by wret but with a Letter of credit she sent Sir Robert Carnegie and Master Danid Borthwike two whom amongst many others she abused and by whom she corrupted the hearts of the simple They travelled with the Duke to bring him again to the Queens Faction Labrosse and the Bishop of Amians were shortly before arrived and as it was bruted were directed as Ambassadours but they kept close their whole Commission they onely made large promises to them that would be theirs and leave the Congregation The Queen did grievously complain That we had intelligence with England and the conclusion of their Commission was to solicite the Duke to put in all in the Queens Will and then she would be gracious enough It was answered That no honest men durst commit themselves to the mercy of such throat-cutters as she had about her whom if she would remove and joyn to her a Councell of naturall Scotish-men permitting the Religion to have free passage then should none in Scotland be more willing to serve her Majesty then should the Lords and Brethren of the Congregation be At the same time the Duke and the Lords wrote to my Lord Erskin Captain of the Castle of Edinburgh in form as followeth Letter to the Lord Erskin MY Lord and Cousin after our hearty commendations this present is to advertise you That we are credibly informed that the Army of French-men now in this Realme without any advice of the Councell or Nobility are fortifying or else shortly intendeth to fortifie the Towne of Leith and expell the ancient inhabitants thereof whereby they proclaim to all that will open their ears to hear or eyes to see what is their pretence And seeing the faithfulnesse of your antecessors and especially of your Father of honourable memory who was so recommended and dear to the Estates and Councellors of this Realme through affection they perceived in him towards the Common-wealth thereof that they doubted not to give in his keeping the key as it were of the Councell of the Iustice and Policy of this Realme the Castles of Edinburgh and Sterlin we cannot but believe ye will rather augment the honourable favour of your House by stedfast favour and loyalty to our Common wealth then through the subtill perswasions of some which care not what after shall come to you and your House at the present would abuse you to the performance of their wicked enterprises and pretences against our Common-wealth utterly destroy the same And herefore seeing we have written to the Queen to desist from the enterprise otherwise that we will complain to the Nobility and Commonalty of the Realm and seek redresse thereof We likewise beseech you as our tender friend brother and member of the same Common-wealth with us that in no wise you meddle with or assent to that ungodly enterprise against the Common-wealth And likewise that ye would save your body and the jewels of this Countrey committed to yours and your predecessors loyalty and fidelity towards your native Countrey and Common-wealth if ye thinki to be reputed hereafter one of the same And that ye would rather be brother to us then to strangers for we do gather by the effects the secrets of mens hearts otherwise unsearchable unto us Thus we write not that we are in doubt of you but rather to warne you of the danger in case ye suffer your selfe to be inchanted with fair promises and crafty Councellors For let no man flatter himself we desire all men to know That though he were our father seeing God hath opened our eyes to see his Will if he be enemy to the Common wealth which is now assailed and we with it and all true members thereof he shall be knowne and as he is indeed enemy to us to our lives our houses babes heritages and whatsoever is contained within the same For as the Ship perishing What can be safe that is within So the Common wealth being betrayed What particular member can live in quietnesse And therefore in so far as the said Castles are committed to your credite we desire you to shew your faithfulnesse and stoutnesse as ye tender us and whatsoever appertaineth to us And seeing we are assured ye will be assayled both with craft and force as now by warning we help you against the first so against the last ye shall not misse in all possible haste to have our assistance onely to shew your selfe a man Save your person by wisedome strengthen your self against force And the Almighty God assist you in both that one ayd the other and open the eyes of your understanding to see and perceive the craft of Sathan and his supposts At Hamilton
as before God I have a testimonie that I seek not for my selfe but the advancement of Christs Evangell and the comfort of such as whom I know afflicted so shall the godly understand that England in refusing me refuseth a friend how small that ever the power be The mighty Spirit of the Lord Jesus moove your heart deeply to consider your dutie unto God and the estate of that Realme in which by his appointment you now serve From Deepe the 10 of April 1559. Yours to command in godlinesse Iohn Knox. To this Letter was no answer made for shortly the said Iohn Knox made forward to Scotland by sea when he landed the third of May and had such successe as is in the second book declared The said Iohn being in S. Andrews after Cowper-Moore entred in deep discourse with the Laird of Grange the danger is very evident but the support was not easie to be seen After many words Iohn Knox burst forth as followeth If England would foresee their own commodity yea if they would consider the danger wherein themselves stand they would not suffer us to perish in this quarrell for France hath no lesse decreed the conquest of England then of Scotland After long reasoning it was concluded betwixt them two That support should be craved of England And for that purpose the said Laird of Grange first wrote to Sir Henry Percie and after rode from Edinburgh and spake with him to whom he made so plaine demonstration of the danger appearing to England that he tooke upon him to write to Secretarie Cecil who with expedition returned answer back again giving him to understand That our enterprise altogether misliked not the Councell albeit that they desired further resolution of the principall Lords Which thing understood it was concluded to write to him plainely our whole purpose The tenour of our Letter was this The first Letter to Sir William Cecill from the Lords of the Congregation THe contents of a Letter directed by you right Worshipfull to Sir Henry Percie was notified unto us by Master Kirkcaldie of Grange this Sunday the 26 of July By the which we perceive that the said Laird of Grange of zeale and faithfull heart which he beareth to the furtherance of this our great and before the world dangerous enterprise hath travelled with you as with an unfained favourer of Christs true Religion and of the libertie of our Countrey for knowledge of your mindes towards us in case that we be assaulted by any forraigne invasion or greater power then we be well able to resist Your comfortable answer to this question we have considered to our joy and comfort as also your motions and what you demand To wit What the Protestants within this Realme do purpose To what end we mean to direct our actions How we will and how we be able to accomplish the same What doubts we have of any adversary power And finally in case that support should be sent from you What manner of amity might ensue betwixt these two Realmes c. To the which in briefe we answer That our whole and onely purpose as God knoweth is to advance the glory of Christ Jesus the true Preaching of his Gospel within this Realme To remove superstition and all sort of externall Idolatry to bridle to our powers the fury of those that heretofore have cruelly shed the blood of our brethren and to our uttermost to maintaine the liberty of this our Countrey from the tyrannie and thraldome of strangers as God shall assist us How we be able to accomplish these premises is to us unknown onely our hope is good That he that hath begun this good worke in us and hath by his power to this houre confounded the faces of our adversaries will performe the same to his glory which chiefly we seek in this our enterprise Because we suppose That neither our present danger neither yet the warlike preparation which France maketh against us are hid from you nor from the counsell we omit that part As touching the assurance of a perpetuall amity to stand betwixt these two Realmes As no earthly thing of us is more desired so crave we of God to make us the instruments by which this unnaturall debate which long hath continued betwixt us may once be composed to the praise of Gods Name and to the comfort of the faithfull in both Realms And if your wisedoms can foresee and devise the means and assurances how the same may be brought to passe perswade your selves not onely of our consent and assistance but also of our constancy as men can promise unto our lives end Yea farther of charge and commandment by us to be left to our posterity That the Amity betwixt us in God contracted and begun may be by them kept inviolate for ever As for the revolting from you to France which ye seem to fear and suspect at their pleasure we utterly abhorre that infidelity for now doth the voyce of God continually sound in our ears That such as prophane the terrible and reverent Name of God shall not escape vengeance Our Confederacy Amity and League shall not be like the Pactions made by worldly men for worldly profit but as we require it for Gods Cause so will we call upon his Name for the observation of the same Moreover if we should lack any thing in Temporall commodity yet should we never have occasion to returne to them for we now perceive and feel the weight of their yoke and intend by Gods grace to cut away such instruments as by whom this Realme was before abused True it is That as yet we have made no mention of any change in Authority neither yet were we minded to do any such thing till extreme necessity compelleth us thereto But seeing it is now more then evident That France and the Queen Regent here with her Priests pretendeth nothing but the suppressing of Christs Gospel the ruine of us and the subversion of this poor Realme committing our innocency to God and unto the judgement of all godly and wise men we are determined to seek the next remedy in which we heartily require your counsell and assistance And thus farre we have enterprised to make you participant of our purpose because in the said Letters ye required the said Master Kirkcaldie some farther assurance then his owne word or writing which we doubt not but ye shall shortly receive from more then from us We dare not hastily make the Assembly neither of Nobles neither of Barons privie in this Cause for dangers that may ensue by policie and craft of the adversaries your wisdom we doubt not will communicate these onely with such as ye know favourers of such a godly Conjunction It should much help in our opinion if the Preachers both in perswasion and in publike Prayers as ours do here would commend the same unto the people And thus after our most humble commendations to the Queenes Majestie whose
Gods grace whereof God send you plentie And so I end Sic subscribitur Yours as a member of the same body in Christ M. Cecill From Oxford the 28 of Iuly 1559. Albeit the said Iohn received this Letter at Barwick yet would he answer nothing till that he had spoken with the Lords whom he found in Sterlin and unto whom he delivered the answer sent from the Councell of England for Alexander Whitlaw took sicknesse betwixt Barwick and Edinburgh and was troubled by the Lord Seaton as in the former Booke is declared the answer sent by Master Cecill was so generall that many amongst us despaired of any comfort to come from that Countrey And therefore were determined that they would request no further Iohn Knox laboured in the contrary but he could prevaile no further but that he should have licence and libertie to write as he thought best And so took he upon him to answer for all in forme as followeth Answer to Master Cecils writing TWo causes hindred me Right Worshipfull to visit you in any part in England Before this no signification of your minde and pleasure was made unto me for onely did Sir Henry Percie will me to come and speake with him which conveniently at that time I could not do by reason that the French-men which was the second cause of my stay did then most furiously pursue us while our company was dispersed and then durst I not be absent for divers inconveniences neither did I thinke my presence with you greatly necessary considering that the matter which I most desired was opened and proposed To the which I would have wished That a more plaine and especiall answer should have been made For albeit Master Whitlaw by his Credit Master Kirkcaldie by his Letter and I both by Letters and by that which I had received from Sir Iames Crofts did perswade your good mindes yet could not the councell be otherwise perswaded but that this alteration in France had altered your former purpose It is not unknown what good will we three do beare to England And therefore I wish That rather your Pen then our Credit or any thing written to any of us should assure the Lords and others of your good mindes who are now in number but five hundred Unlesse that money be furnished without delay to pay the Souldiers for their service past and to retaine another thousand foot-men with three hundred horse-men till some stay be had in this danger these Gentle-men will be compelled to leave the fields I am assured as flesh may be of flesh That some of them will take a very hard life before that ever they compose either with the Queen Regent or with France but this I dare not promise at all unlesse in they see greater forwardnesse To support us will appear excessive and to break promise with France will appear dangerous But the losse of expences in mine opinion ought not to be esteemed from the first payment neither yet the danger from the first appearance France is most fervent to conquer us and avoweth That against us they will spend the Crown so did mine own ears hear Butten Court bragge But most assuredly I know That unlesse by us they thought to make an entrie to you that they would not buy our poverty at that price They labour to corrupt some of our great men by money and some of our number are poore as before I wrote and cannot serve without support some they threatned and against others they have up one party in their owne Countrey In this mean time if ye lie by as neutralls what will be the end you may easily conjecture And therefore Sir in the bowells of Christ Jesus I require you to make plain answer What the Gentlemen here may trust to and what the Queens Majestie will do may without long delay be put in execution I rest in Christ Jesus Of Saint Iohnston the day of c. Answer with great expedition was returned to this Letter desiring some men of credit to be sent to the Lords to Barwicke for the receiving of the money for the first support with promise That if the Lords of the Congregation meant no otherwise then before they had written and if they would enter into League with honest Conditions they should neither lack men nor money to their just Causes Upon this answer was directed from the Lords to Barwicke Master Henry Balnaves a man of good credit in both the Realmes who suddenly returned with such a sum of money as served all the publike affairs till November next when Iohn Cockburne of Ormeston sent for the second support and receiving the same unhappily fell into the hands of the Earle Bothwell was wounded taken and spoyled of a great Sum upon which mischance followed all the rest of the troubles before rehearsed In the second Book preceding we have declared how Secretary Leehington was directed to England But one thing before we have passed by In that our greatest dejection this order was taken That the Duke the Earle of Glencarne Lord Boyd Lord Uchiltrie and their friends should remaine together at Glasgow for comfort of the Countrey and for giving of answers as occasion should require and that the Earle of Arrane the Lord Iames the Earle of Rothesse the Master of Lindsay and their adherents should continue together within Fyfe for the same causes that advertisements might go from the one to the other as need required In the Negotiation of the Secretary Lethington with the Queen and Councell of England in the which he travelled with no lesse wisedom and faithfulnesse then happy successe many things occurred that required the resolution of the whole Lords After that the Queen and Councell of England had concluded to send their Army to Scotland for expelling of the French the Duke of Norfolke was sent to Barwick with full instructions power and Commission to do in all things concerning the present affaires of Scotland as the Queen and Councell in their own persons had power to do Hereupon the said Duke required such a part of the Lords of Scotland as had power and Commission from the whole to meet him at such a day and place as pleased them to appoint This advertisement came first to Glasgow by the meanes of the Master of Maxwell Which read and considered by the Lords conclusion was taken that they would meet at Carleil and that was the procurement of the said Master of Maxwell for his ease Hereupon were Letters directed from the Lords being in Glasgow to Lord Iames requiring him with all possible expedition to repaire towards them for the purpose aforesaid Which Letters read and advised upon commandment was given to Iohn Knox to make the answer For so it was appointed at division of the Lords that he should answer for the part of those that were in Fyfe and M. Henry Balnaves for the part of them that abode at Glasgow The said Iohn answered as followeth To the Duke
execute their tyranny upon the parts of Lowthiane that lay nigh to Edinburgh Let M. David Borthwicke witnesse what favour his wife and place of Adeston found of the French for all the service that he did to the Queen Regent In the midst of February were directed to England from the Duke and the Congregation the Lord Iames Lord Ruthuen the Mast of Maxwell the Master of Lindsay Master Henry Balnaves and the Laird of Pittarrow who with their honest companies and Commission departed by Sea all except the Master of Maxwell to Barwicke Where there met them the Duke of Norfolke Lieutenant to the Queen of England and with him a great company of the Gentlemen of the North with some also of the South having full power to contract with the Nobility of Scotland as they did upon such Conditions as are in the same Contract specified and because we have heard the malicious tongues of wicked men make false report of that our fact we have faithfully and truely inserted in this our History the said Contract as well that which was made at Leith during the siege as that which was first made at Barwicke that the memory thereof may abide to our Posterity to the end that they may judge with indifferency Whether that we have done any thing prejudiciall to our Common-wealth or yet contrarious unto the dutifull obedience which true subjects owe to their Superiours whose Authority ought to defend and maintain the Liberty and Freedom of the Realms committed to their Charge and not to oppresse and betray the same to stranger The Tenour of our Contract followeth The Contract at Barwick JAMES Duke of Chattellarault Earle of Arrane Lord Hamilton and others of the Councell Nobility and principall States of Scotland To all and sundry whose knowledge these presents shall come Greeting We have well considered and are fully perswaded in what danger desolation and misery the long enmity with the Kingdom of England hath brought our Countrey heretofore how wealthie and flourishing it shall become if those two Kingdoms as they are joyned in one Island by Creation of the World so they may be knit in a constant and assured friendship The considerations grounded upon a most infallible Trueth ought no lesse to have moved our Progenitours and for fathers then us But the present danger hanging over our heads by the unjust dealing of those of whom we have alwayes best deserved hath caused us to weigh them more earnestly then they did The misbehaviour of the French Monsieurs I had almost said Monsters here hath of late yeers been so great The oppressions and crueltie of the Souldiers the tyrannie and ambition of their Superiours and Rulers so grievous to the people the violent subversion of our liberty and conquest of the land whereat they have by most crafty and subtill means continually pressed hath been I say so intollerable to us all that at last when we could not obtain redresse by humble suits and earnest supplications presented to the Queen Dowager who both for duties sake and place she doth occupie ought to have been most carefull of our state we have been by very necessitie constrained not onely to assay our own Forces but also to implore the Queens Majestie of Englands aide and support which her Majestie hath most willingly granted upon certain conditions specified in a Treaty past at Barwick betwixt the Duke of Norfolk Lieutenant to her Majestie on the one part and certain our Commissioners on the other part whereof the Tenour followeth At Barwick the 27 day of February the yeer of our Lord God 1559 yeers It is appointed and finally Contracted betwixt the noble and mighty Thomas Duke of Norfolk Earle Marshall of England and Lieutenant to the Queens Majestie of the said Realm in the Name and behalf of her Highnesse on the one part and the Right Honourable Lord Iames Stewart Patrick Lord Ruthuen Sir Iohn Maxwell of Terregles Knight William Maitland of Lethington younger Iohn Wischarde of Pittarrow and Master Henry Balnaves of Halhill in name and behalf of the Noble and Mighty Iames Duke of Chattellarault of Scotland and the Lords of the Congregation joyned together in this Cause for maintenance and defence of the ancient Rights and Liberties of their Countrey on the other part in forme as after followeth That is to say That the Queen having sufficiently understood as well by information sent from the Nobility of Scotland as by the proceedings of the French that they intend to conquer the Realm of Scotland suppresse the liberty thereof and unite the same unto the Crown of France perpetually contrary to the Laws of the said Realm and the Pacts Oathes and Promises of France And being thereto most humbly and earnestly required by the said Nobility for and in the name of the whole Realm shall accept the said Realm of Scotland the said Nobility and subjects thereof into her Majesties protection and maintenance onely for preservation of the same in their own freedoms and liberties and from conquest during the time that the Marriage shall continue betwixt the Queen of Scots and the French King and a yeer after And for expelling out of the same Realme of such as presently and apparently goeth about to practice the said Conquest her Majesty shall with all speed send into Scotland a convenient aide of men of War both Horse and Foot to joyn with the power of Scotish men with Artillery Munition and all other Instruments of War meet for that purpose as well by Sea as by Land not onely to expell the present Power of the French within that Realme oppressing the same but also to stop as far as conveniently may be all greater Forces of French to enter therein for the like purpose and shall continue her Majesties ayd to the said Realme Nobility and subjects of the same unto the time the French being enemies to the said Realme be utterly expelled hence and shall never transact compose nor agree with the French nor conclude any League with them except the Scots and the French shall be agreed that the Realme of Scotland may be left in a due freedom by the French nor shall leave the maintenance of the said Nobility and subjects whereby they might fall as a prey into their enemies hands as long as they shall acknowledge their Soveraigne Lady the Queen and shall endeavour their selves to maintain the liberty of their Countrey and the State of the Crowne of Scotland And if in case any Forts or Strengths within the Realme be won out of the hands of the French at this present or at any time hereafter by her Majesties ayd the same shall be immediately demolished by the Scotish-men or delivered to the said Nobility aforesaid at their option and choice neither shall the power of England fortifie within the ground of Scotland being out of the bounds of England but by the advice of the Duke Nobility and States of Scotland For the which causes and in respect of her
Majesties most gentle clemency and liberall support the said Nobility as well such as be joyned as such as shall hereafter joyn with them already joyned for the defence of the liberty of that Realme shall to the uttermost of their power ayd and support her Majesties Army against the French and their partakers with Horse-men and Foot-men and with Victualls by Land and Sea with all manner of other ayd to the best of their power and so shall continue during the time that her Majesties Army shall remain in Scotland Item They shall be enemies to all such Scotish men and French as shall in any wise shew themselves enemies to the Realm of England for the ayding and supporting of the said Nobility in the delivery of the Realme of Scotland from Conquest Item They shall never assent nor permit that the Realme of Scotland shall be conquered or otherwise knit to the Crown of France then it is at this present onely by Marriage of the Queen their Soveraign to the French King and it be ruled by the Laws and Liberties of the Realme as it ought to be Item In case the French-men shall at any time hereafter invade or cause to be invaded the Realme of England they shall furnish the number of two thousand Horse-men and one thousand Foot-men at the least or such part of either of them at the charge of the Queen of England and shall conduct the same to passe from the borders of Scotland next England upon her Majesties charges to any part of the Realme of England for defence of the same And in case the invasion be on the North parts of England on the North side of the water of Tyne towards Scotland or against Barwick on the North side of the water of Tweid They shall convene and gather their whole Forces upon their owne charges and shall joyne with the English power and shall continue in good and earnest pursuite of the Quarrell of England during the space of thirty dayes or so much longer as they were accustomed to tarry in the fields for defence of Scotland At the commandment of their Soveraignes at any time by past and also the Earle of Argyle Lord Justice of Scotland being presently joyned with the rest shall imploy his force and good will where he shall be required by the Queens Majestie to reduce the North parts of Ireland to the perfect obedience of England conforme to a mutuall and reciproque contract to be made betwixt her Majesties Lieutenant or Deputie of Ireland being for the time and the said Earle wherein shall be contained what he shall do for his part and what the said Lieutenant or Deputie shall do for his support in case he shall have to do with Iames Mackconell or any others of the Isles of Scotland or Realme of Ireland For performance and sure keeping whereof they shall for their part come to the said Duke of Norfolk the pledges presently named by him before the entry of her Majesties Armie in Scottish ground to remain in England for the space of six moneths and to be there exchanged upon deliverance of new hostages of like or as good condition as the former or being the lawfull sons brethren or heires of any of the Peers or Barons of Parliament that have or hereafter shall shew themselves and persist open enemies to the French in this quarrell and so forth from six moneths to six moneths or foure moneths to foure moneths as shall best please the partie of Scotland And the time of continuance of the hostages shall be during the marriage of the Queen of Scots to the French King and a yeere after the dissolution of the said Marriage untill further order may be had betwixt both the Realmes for Peace and Concord And furthermore the said Nobility being Peers and Barons of Parliament joyned together shall subscribe and seale these Articles and agreement within the space of twenty or thirty dayes at the uttermost next following the day of the delivering of the said hostages and shall also procure and perswade all others of the Nobility that shall joyne themselves heereafter with the said Lords for the cause above-specified likewise to subscribe and seale those Articles at any time after the space of twenty dayes after their conjunction upon requisition made by them on the partie of the Queens Majestie of England And finally the said Nobility joyned together certainly perceiving that the Queens Majestie of England is thereunto moved onely upon respect of Princely honour and neighbourhood for defence of the freedom of Scotland from Conquest and not of any other sinister intent doth by these presents testifie and declare That they nor any of them mean by this agreement to withdraw any due obedience to the Soveraign Lady the Queen nor in any lawfull thing to withstand the French King her husband and head that during the marriage shall not tend to the subversion and oppression of the just and ancient Liberties of the said Kingdom of Scotland For preservation whereof both for their Soveraigns honour and for the continuance of the Kingdom in its ancient state they acknowledge themselves bound to spend their Goods Lands and Lives And for performance of this present Contract for the part of England the Queens Majestie shall confirm the same and all Clauses therein contained by her Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England to be delivered to the Nobility of Scotland upon the entrie of the Pledges aforesaid within the ground of England In Witnesse whereof the said Duke of Norfolke hath subscribed these Points and thereunto affixed his Seal the day yeer and place aforesaid Which Contract we finde honest and reasonable and that our said Commissioners therein hath considerately respected the Common-weale of this Realme of us and our posterity And therefore do ratifie allow confirme and approve the same with all Clauses and Articles therein contained by these Presents In Witnesse hereof we have subscribed the same with our Hands and sealed with our Seals of Arms in such causes accustomed are appended At the Camp before Leith the tenth day of May the year of God 1560 yeers Follow the Subscriptions The Subscriptions The Duke of Chattellarault Earle of Arrane Earle of Glencarne Earle of Rothesse Earl of Argyle Earle of Huntlie Earle of Morton Earle of Menteth Lord Ogilbye Lord Iames Steward Alexander Gordon Lord Boyd Lord Uchiltrie Gawin Hamilton of Kilwinning Abbot of Culrosse Lord Bothwike Lord of Saint Iohn Lord Iohn Abirbrâ—thok Lord Simmerwaile Lord Robert Steward Abbot of Kynlosse Iames Stewart of Saint Colmes Inche The Instructions given subscribed to the said Commissioners following 1. IN the first place if it shall be asked of you by the Duke of Norfolk and by other the Queens Majesties appointed Commissioners If your Pledges be in readinesse ye shall answer That they are and in Saint Andrews the 25 of this instant and shal be ready to be delivered in Hostage for security of our promises and part
or controversie shall arise for whatsoever cause that is past present or to come betwixt any of us as God forbid in that case we shall submit our selves and our said questions to the decision of the Councell or to Arbitrators to be named by them c. Providing always That this be not prejudiciall to the ordinary Jurisdiction of Judges but that men may pursue their Actions by order of Law Civilly or Criminally as it pleaseth them This Contract and Band came not onely to the ears but also to the sight of the Queen Dowager whereat she stormed not a little and said The malediction of God I give unto them that counselled me to persecute the Preachers and to refuse the Petitions of the best part of the true subjects of this Realm It was said to me That the English Army could not continue in Scotland ten dayes but now they have lien neer a moneth and are more like to remain then they were at the first day that they came They that gave information to the Queen spake as worldly wise men and as things appeared to have been for the Countrey being almost in all the parts thereof wasted the Victuals next adjacent to Leith either brought into their Provision or else destroyed the Mills and other places as before is said being cast down it appeared that the Camp could not have been furnished except it had been by their own Ships and as that could not have been of any long continuance so should it have been little comfortable But God confounded all worldly wisedom and made his own Benediction as evidently to appear as if in a manner he had fed the Army from above For all kinde of Victuall there was more aboundant and at more easie prices in the Camp all the time that it lay after that eight dayes were past then either they have been in Edinburgh any of two yeers before or it hath been in this Towne to this day the 20 of May Anno 1566. The people of Scotland so much abhorred the tyranny of the French that they would have given the substance that they had to have been rid of that chargeable burthen which our sinnes had provoked God to lay upon us in delivering and giving into the hands of a woman whom our Nobility in their foolishnesse sold unto strangers and with her the Liberty of this Realme God for his great mercy sake preserve us yet from further Bondage in which we are like to fall if he provide not remedy for our Nobility will yet remain blinde still and will follow their affection come after what so may But to returne to our History The Camp abounding in all necessary Provision order was taken for continuation of the Siege and so the Trenches were drawn as neer the Town as possibly they might The great Camp removed from Lestarrig to the West side of the water of Leith and so were the Cannons planted for the Battery and did shoot at the Southwest wall But by reason all was earth the Breach was not made so great upon the day but that it was sufficiently repaired upon the night whereof the English-men beginning to be weary determined to give the Breach an Assault as that they did upon the seventh day of May beginning before the day light and continued till it was nigh seven a clock And albeit that the English and Scottish with great slaughter of the Souldiers of both were repulsed yet was there never a sharper assault given by so few hands for they exceeded not a thousand men that assaulted the whole two quarters of the Town and yet they damned the whole Block-house yea they once put the French clean off their Walls and were upon both the East and West Block-house but they lacked backing for their Scales lacked six quarters of the just height And so while the former were compelled to fight upon the top of the wall their fellows could not joyn to support them and so were they by multitude driven back again when it was once thought that the Town was won Sir Iames Crofts was blamed of many for not doing his duty that day for he was appointed with a sufficient number of the most able men to have assaulted the Northwest quarter upon the Sea side where at a low water as at the time of the assault it was the passage was easie But neither he nor his approached to their quarter appointed He had before at the first coming in spoken with the Queen Regent at the fair Block-house of the Castle of Edinburgh Whether she had enchanted him or not we know not but by suspition of that day in which he deceived the expectation of many and so farre as man could judge was the cause of that great repulse some ascribed the shortnesse of the Ladders to him but that omitted which might have proceeded of negligence his absence from the pursuit of his Quarter was the cause that such French as were appointed there to defend seeing no pursuer came to the relief of their fellowes and so they two joyning together with great slaughter gave the repulse to our Company The French-mens harlots of whom the most part were Scotish whores did no lesse cruelty then did the Souldiers For besides that they charged their Pieces and ministred unto them other weapons some continually cast stones some carried Chimneyes of burning fire some brought Timber and other impediments of weight which with great violence they threw over the wall upon our men but especially when they began to turn back Now albeit in all this we acknowledge to be the secret work of God who by such means would beat down as well the pride of England as of Scotland yet neither ought the feeblenesse nor falshood of man be excused neither yet the crueltie of the adversaries concealed The Queen Regent sat all the time of the assault which was both terrible and long upon the fore-Wall of the Castle of Edinburgh and when she perceived the overthrow of us and that the Ensignes of the French were again displayed upon the Walls she gave a gawfe of laughter and said Now will I go to the Masse and praise God for that which mine eyes have seen And so was Frier Black ready for that purpose whom she her selfe a little before had deprehended with his Harlot in the Chappell But Whoredom and Idolatry agree well together and that our Court can witnesse this day the 16 of May 1566. The French proud of the Victory stripped naked all the slain and laid their dead carkases before the hot Sun along the wall where they suffered them to lie more dayes then one Unto the which when the Queen Regent looked for mirth she leapt and said Yonder is the fairest tapistrie that ever I saw I would that the whole fields that is betwixt this place and you were strowed with the same stuffe This fact was seen of all and her words were heard of some and it
his mercifull deliverance in forme as followeth Thankesgiving for our deliverance with Prayers O Eternall and everlasting God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath not onely commanded us to Pray and promised to hear us but also willest us to magnifie thy mercies and to glorifie thy Name when thou shewest thy selfe pitifull and favourable unto us especially when thou deliverest us from desperate dangers for so did thy servants Abraham David Iehosaphat and Ezechias yea the whole people of Israel omitted not the same when thou by thy mighty hand didst confound their enemies and didst deliver them from feare and danger of death intended We ought not nor can we forget O Lord in how miserable estate stood this poore Countrey and we the just inhabitants of the same not many dayes past When Idolatry was maintained When cruell strangers did bear rule When Virgins were defloured Matrones corrupted Mens Wives violently and villanously oppressed The blood of innocents shed without mercy And finally when the unjust commandments of proud tyrants were obeyed as Law Out of these miseries O Lord could neither our wit policie nor strength deliver us yea thou didst shew to us how vain was the help of man where thy blessing giveth not victory In these our anguishes O Lord we sobbed unto thee we cried for thy help and we reclaimed thy Name as thy troubled flock persecuted for thy Trueths sake Mercifully hast thou heard us O Lord mercifully we say because that neither in us neither yet in our confederates was there any cause why that thou shouldst have given unto us so joyfull and sudden a deliverance For neither of us both ceased to do wickedly even in the midst of our greatest troubles and yet hast thou looked upon us so pitifully as that we had given unto thee most perfect obedience For thou hast disappointed the counsels of the craftie Thou hast bridled the rage of the cruell and thou hast of thy mercy set this our perishing Realm at a reasonable liberty Oh give us hearts thou Lord that onely givest all good gifts with reverence and fear to meditate thy wondrous works late wrought in our eyes Let not the remembrance of the same unthankfully to slip from our wavering mindes We grant and acknowledge O Lord That whatsoever we have received shall fall into oblivion with us and so turn to our condemnation unlesse thou by the power of thy Spirit keep and retain us in recent and perpetuall memory of the same We beseech thee therefore O father of mercies that as of thy undeserved grace thou hast partly removed our darknesse suppressed Idolatry and taken from above our heads the devouring sword of mercilesse strangers that so it would please thee to proceed with us in this thy grace begun And albeit that in us there is nothing that may move thy Majestie to shew us this favour yet for Christ Jesus thy onely welbeloved Sons sake whose Name we bear and whose Doctrine we professe we beseech thee never to suffer us to forsake or deny this Verity which now we professe But seeing that thou hast mercifully heard us and hast caused thy Veritie to triumph in us so we crave of thee continuance to the end that thy godly Name may be glorified in us thy creatures And seeing that nothing is more odious in thy presence O Lord then is ingratitude and violation of an Oath and Covenant made in thy Name And seeing thou hast made our Confederates of England the Instrument by whom we are now set at this libertie and to whom in thy Name we have promised mutuall faith againe Let us never fall to that unkindnesse O Lord that either we declare our selves unthankfull unto them or prophaners of thy holy Name Confound thou the Counsell of those that goe about to break that most godly League contracted in thy Name and retaine thou us so firmly together by the power of thy holy Spirit that Sathan have never power to set us again at variance nor discord Give us thy grace to live in that Christian charitie which thy Sonne our Lord Jesus hath so earnestly commended to all the members of his body that other Nations provoked by our example may set aside all ungodly warre contention and strife and studie to live in tranquilitie and peace as it becometh the Sheepe of thy Pasture and the people that daily look for our finall deliverance by the coming again of our Lord Jesus To whom with thee and the Holy Spirit be all honour glory and praise now and ever Amen Hereafter were the Commissioners of Boroughs with some of the Nobility and Barons appointed to see the equall distribution of Ministers to change and transport as the most part should think expedient And so was Iohn Knox appointed to Edinburgh Christopher Goodman who the most part of the troubles had remained in Ayre was appointed to Saint Andrews Adam Heriot to Aberdeene Master Iohn Row to Saint Iohnston Paul Meaffen to whom was no infamie then knowne to Iedburgh William Christison to Dundie David Fargeson to Dunfermelin and Master David Lindsay to Leith There were nominated for Superintendents and Overseers that all things in the Church should be carried with Order and well Master Iohn Spottiswood for Lowthian Master Iohn Wyram for Fyfe Master Iohn Willock for Glasgow the Laird of Dun for Angus and Mearnes Master Iohn Carswell for Argyle and the Isles These to be elected at the dayes appointed unlesse that the Countreys whereto they were to be appointed could in the mean time finde out men more able and sufficient or else shew such causes as might disable them from that imployment The Parliament approaching due advertisement was made by the Councell to all such as by Law and ancient Custome had or might claime to have Title therein The assembly was great notwithstanding some as well of those that be called Spirituall as Temporall Lords contemptuously did absent themselves And yet the chief Pillars of the Papisticall Church gave their presence such as the Bishops of Saint Andrews Dumblane and Dunkell with others of the inferiour sort beside those that had renounced Papisterie and openly professed Jesus Christ with us such as the Bishop of Galloway the Abbots of Lindrosse Culrosse Saint Colmes Inch New-battell Halyrud-house the Priour of Saint Andrews Coldinghame Saint-Mary I le the Sub-priour of S. Andrews and divers others whom we observed not At the same time of Parliament Iohn Knox publikely Preached upon some Texts of the Prophet Haggai the Doctrine was proper for the time In application whereof he was so speciall and so vehement that some having greater respect to the world then to Gods glory feeling themselves pricked said in mockage We may now forget our selves and beare the Barrow to build the house of God God be mercifull to the speaker for we fear yet he shall have experience That the building of his own house the house of God being despised shall not be so prosperous and of
with such others of the French faction who had openly spoken That they had refused all portion of Scotland unlesse that it were under the government of a French-man Recompence them O Lord as thou knowest most expedient for thine owne glory and for the perpetuall shame of all Traitours to their Common-wealth The certain knowledge of all these things came to our eares whereat many were afraid and divers suspected that England would not be so forward in times to come considering that their former expences were so great The principall comfort remained with the Preachers for they assured us in Gods Name that God would performe in all perfection that worke in our hands The beginning whereof he had so mightily maintained because it was not ours but his own And therefore exhorted us That we should constantly proceed to reform all abuses and to plant the Ministery of the Church as by Gods word we might justifie it and then commit the successe of all to our God in whose power the disposition of Kingdoms standeth And so we began to do for troubles appearing made us give eare to the admonitions of Gods servants And while that we had scarcely begun again to implore the help of our God and to shew some signes of our obedience unto his Messengers and holy Word Lo the mighty hand of God from above sent unto us a wonderfull and most joyfull deliverance For unhappy Francis husband to our Soveraigne suddenly perished of a rotten eare But because the death of that young man was not onely the cause of joy to us in Scotland but also by it were the faithfull in France delivered as it were from the present death We think expedient to speak of the same somewhat more largely These cruell and conjured enemies of God and of all godlinesse the Duke of Guise the Cardinall of Loraine and their faction who then at their owne appetite plaid the Tyrants in France had determined the destruction of all that professed the true knowledge of Jesus Christ within that Realme What tyrannie late before they had used at Amboyse the History of France doth witnesse now in Orleance in the moneth of November conveaned the King unhappy Francis the Queen our Soveraigne and the Queen mother of the King the Duke of Guise with all his faction The King of Navarre and the Prince of Condie his brother So that great was the confluence of the Nobilitie but greater was the assembly of the murtherers for there was not a Hang-man in all France which was not there The prisons were full of the true servants of God The King of Navarre and the Prince of Condie were constituted Prisoners The Sheriffe of Orleance a man fearing God was taken and so were many others of the Towne Briefly there was none that professed God or godlinesse within that Towne that looked not for the extremity for the Walles and Gates were night and day kept with the Garisons of the Guysians miserable men were daily brought in to suffer judgement but none was suffered to depart forth but at the devotion of the Tyrants And so they proceeded till the tenth or twelfth of December when that they thought time to put their bloody councell in execution and for that purpose conclusion was taken That the King should depart out of the Towne and lie at a certaine place which was done to this intent That there should no suite be made to the King for the safetie of any mans life whom they thought worthy of death And so was the Kings house in Orleance broken up his beds cofers and tapistrie sent away his owne bootes put on he sitting at the Masse immediately hereafter to have departed and so their tyrannie to have begun When all things we say were in this readinesse to shed the blood of innocents the eternall our God who ever watcheth for the preservation of his owne began to worke and suddenly did put his own work in execution for as the said King sat at Masse he was suddenly stricken with an Aposthume in that deaf ear that never would hear the Trueth of God and so was he carried to a void and empty house laid upon a palliase unto such time as a Cannaby was set up unto him where he lay till the fifteenth day of December in the yeere of God 1560. When his glory perished and the pride of his stubborne heart vanished in smoke And so was the snare broken The Tyrants disappointed of their crueltie Those that was appointed to death raised as it were out of their graves And we who by our foolishnesse had made our selves slaves to strangers were restored againe to freedome and libertie of a free Realme O that we had hearts deepely to consider what are thy wondrous works O Lord that we might praise thee in the midst of this most obstinate and wicked generation and leave the memoriall of the same to our posterities which alas we feare shall forget these thy inestimable benefits Some in France after the sudden death of Francis the 2. and calling to minde the death of Charles the 9 in blood and the slaughter of Henry the 2. did remark the Tragicall ends of these three Princes who had persecuted Gods servants so cruelly by their instruments the Guisians and by their Pens both in Prose and Verse did advise all other Princes not to authorize any Persecution or wrong done unto Gods servants left they should have the like end And indeed the following Kings of France unto this day hath found this true by their infortunate and unexpected ends The death of this King made great alteration in France England and Scotland France was erected in some esperance that the tyranny of the Guisians should no longer raigne above them because God at unawares had broken the staffe whereupon they leaned but alas they were deceived For the simplicity of some was so abused that against the Lawes of the Realm to the Queen mother was committed the Regiment which lifted up as well the Duke of Guise as the cruell Cardinall for a season The Queen of England and the Councell remitted our Ambassadours The pride of the Papists of Scotland began to be abated and some that ever had shewn themselves enemies unto us began to think and plainly to speak amongst whom the old Sheriff of Ayre was one That they perceived God to fight for us The Earle of Arrane having suffered repulse in his designe to marry the Queen of England he began to fancie unto himselfe that the Queen of Scotland bare unto him some favour And so he wrote unto her and sent for credit a Ring which the said Queen our Soveraign knew well enough The Letter and Ring were both presented to the Queen and by her received Such answer was returned to the said Earle after the which he made no further pursuit in that matter And yet neverthelesse he did bear it heavily in heart and more heavily then his friends would have wished for grief he
Satan the second fall after that he had begun to trouble the state of Religion once established by Law His first assault was by the rascall multitude opposing themselves to the punishment of vice The second was by the Bishops and their bands in which he thought utterly to have triumphed And yet he in the end prospered worse then ye have heard In this meane time returned from France the Lord Iames who beside his great expences and the losse of a box wherein was his secret purse escaped a desperate danger in Paris for his returning from our Soveraigne who then was with the Cardinall of Loraine her Uncle in Rhemes understood of the Papists in Paris they had conspired some treasonable act against him for they intended either to have beset his house by night or else to have assaulted him and his company as they walked in the streets Whereof the said Lord Iames advertised by the Rinegrave by reason of old familiaritie which was betwixt them in Scotland he took purpose suddenly and in good order to depart from Paris as he did the second day after that he arrived there And yet could not he depart so secretly but that the Papists had their privie ambushes For upon the new decayed pont of change they had prepared a Procession which met the said Lord and his Company even in the teeth and knowing that they would not do the accustomed reverence to them and their Idols they thought thereupon to have picked a Quarrell And so as one part passed by without moving of hat to any thing that was there they had suborned some to cry Hugonots and so cast stones But God disappointed their enterprise for the said Rinegrave with other Gentlemen being with the Lord Iames rebuked the foolish multitude and over-rode some of the formost and so the rest were dispersed and he and his companie safely escaped and came with expedition to Edinburgh while that yet the Lords and assembly were together to the great comfort of many godly hearts and to no little astonishment of the wicked for from the Queen our Soveraigne he brought Letters to the Lords praying them to entertain quietnesse and to suffer nothing to be attempted against the contract of Peace which was made at Leith till her own home coming and to suffer the Religion publikely established to go forward c. Whereupon the said Lords gave answer to the French Ambassadour a Negaâ—ive to every one of his Petitions The Lords Answer to the French Ambassadour 1. And first That France had not deserved at their hands that either they or their posteritie should enter with them againe in any League or Confederacie offensive or defensive seeing that so traiterously and cruelly they had persecuted them their Realme and Liberties under pretence of amitie and Marriage 2. Secondly That besides their conscience they could not take such a worldly shame as without offence committed to break the League which in Gods Name they had made with them whom he hath made instruments to set Scotland at freedome from the tyrannie of the French at least of the Guisians and of their faction 3. And last That such as they called Bishops and Church-men they knew neither for Pastours of the Church neither yet for any just possessours of the patrimony thereof But understand them perfectly to be Wolves Theeves Murtherers and idle Bellies and therefore as Scotland hath forsaken the Pope and Papistry so could not they be debters to his forsworn Vassals With these answers departed the said Ambassador and the Lords of secret Counsell made an Act that all places and Monuments of Idolatry should be destroyed And for that purpose was directed to the West the Earl of Arrane having joyned with him the Earls of Argile and Glencarne together with the Protestants of the West who burnt Paslay the Bishop of Saint Andrews who was Abbey thereof narrowly escaped cast down Failfurd Kylwinning and a part of Cosraguell The Lord Iames was appointed to the North where he made such Reformation as nothing contented the Earle of Huntly and yet seemed he to approve all things And thus God so potently wrought with us so long as we depended upon him that all the World might see his potent hand to maintain us and to fight against our enemies yea most to confound them when that they promised to themselves victory without resistance Oh that we would rightly consider the wondrous works of the Lord our God In the Treatie of Peace contracted at Leith there were contained certain Heads that required the Ratification of both Queens The Queen of England according to her Promise Subscription and Seale without any delay performed the same and sent it to our Soveraigne by her appointed Officers But our Soveraigne whether because her own craftie nature thereto moved her or that her Uncles chiefe Counsellers so would we know not with many delayes frustrated the expectation of the Queen of England as by the Copie of a Letter sent from the Ambassadour of England to his Soveraigne we may understand The Ambassadours Letter MADAME I Sent Sommer to the Queen of Scots for audience who appointed me to come to her the same day after dinner which I did To her I did remember your Majesties hearty commendations and declared unto her your Majesties like gladsomnesse of her recoverie from her late sicknesse whose want of health as it was grievous unto your Majestie so I told her did you congratulate and greatly rejoyce of the good termes of health she was in for the present After these offices of civilitie I put her in remembrance againe what had passed from the beginning in the matter of your Majesties demand of Ratification according to the Tenour of the said Treatie as well by me at the first as afterward by my Lord of Bedford at his being here and also followed sithence again by me in open audience and by my Letter to her being in Loraine adding hereto your Majesties further commandment and re-charge to me again presently to renue the same demand as before had been done At Paris the 23 of June 1561. The said Queen made answer as followeth Monsieur L'Ambassadour I Thank the Queen my good sister for this gentle visitation and congratulation of this my recoverie and though I be not yet in perfect health yet I thank God I feele my selfe in a very good case and in way of a full recoverie And for answer to your demand quoth she of my Ratification I do remember all these things that you have recited unto me And I would the Queen my good sister should think that I do deferre the resolute answer in this matter and performing thereof untill such time as I might have the advises of the Nobles and States of mine own Realme which I trust shall not be long a doing for I intend to make my voyage thither shortly And though this matter quoth she doth touch me principally yet doeth it also touch the Nobles
as I told you in the beginning I mean to constrain none of my subjects but would wish that they were all as I am and I trust they shall have no support to constrain me I will send Monsieur Dosell quoth she to you before he go to know whether ye will any thing in England I pray you so order your self in this matter betwixt the Queen my good sister and me that there may be perfect and assured Amity betwixt us for I know quoth she Ministers may do much good and harm I told her I would faithfully and truely make declaration of all that she said unto me unto your Majestie and trusted that she would so satisfie your Majesty by Monsieur Dosell in all things as I should hereafter have no more occasion to treat with her of any thing but of the encrease of Amity of which there should be no want on her behalf This is the effect of the Queen of Scotlands answer to your Majesties demand of her said Ratification and of my Negotiation with her at this time These advertisements somewhat exasperated the Queen of England and not altogether without cause for the Armes of England were before usurped by our Soveraigne and by her husband Francis and Elizabeth Queen of England was of the Guysians reputed little better then a Bastard It was appointed that this title should be renewed But hereof had our ill counselled and misled Queen no pleasure and especially after that her husband was dead for thought she the shew of England shall allure many suiters to me The Guisians and the Papists of both Realms did not a little animate her in that pursuit The effect whereof will sooner appear then the godly of England would desire Queen Elizabeth we say offended with the former answer wrote unto the Nobility and States of Scotland in form as followeth The Queen of Englands Letter to the States of Scotland RIght Trusty and Right entirely Beloved Cousins We greet you We doubt not but as our meaning is and hath alwayes been since our Raigne in the sight of Almighty God straight and direct towards the advancement of his Honour and Truth in Religion and consequently to procure Peace and maintain Concord betwixt both these Realms of England and Scotland So also our outward acts have well declared the same to the world and especially to you being our neighbours who have tasted and proved in these our friendship and earnest good will more then we think any of your antecessors have ever received from hence yea more then a great number of your selves could well have hoped for of us all former examples being well weighed and considered And this we have to rejoyce of and so may ye be glad That where in the beginning of the troubles in that Countrey and of our succours meant for you the jealousie or rather the malice of divers both in that Realme and in other Countreys was such both to deprive both us in the yeelding and you in requiring our ayd that we were noted to have meant the surprise of that Realm by depriving of your Soveraigne the Queen of her Crown and you or the greatest part of you to have intended by our succour the like and either to prefer some other to the Crown or else to make of that Monarchie a Common-weale matters very slanderous and false But the end and determination yea the whole course and processe of the action on both our parts have manifested both to the slanderers and to all others That nothing was more meant and prosecuted then to establish your Soveraigne the Queen our Cousin and Sister in her State and Crowne the possession whereof was in the hands of strangers And although no words could then well satisfie the malicious yet our deeds do declare That no other thing was sought but the restitution of that Realme to the ancient Liberty and as it were to redeem it from Captivity Of these our purposes and deeds there remaineth among other arguments good testimony by a solemne Treaty and Accord made the last yeer at Edinburgh by Commissioners sent from us and from your Queen with full Authority in writing under both our Hands and the great Seals of both our Realms in such manner as other Princes our Progenitors have always used By which Treaty and Accord either of us have faithfully accorded with other to keep Peace and Amity betwixt our selves our Countreys and subjects And in the same also a good Accord is made not onely of certain things happened betwixt us but also of some differences betwixt the Ministers of the late French King your Soveraigns husband and you the States of that Realm for the alteration of Laws and Customs of that Countrey attempted by them Upon which Accord there made and concluded hath hitherto followed as you know surety to your Soveraignes State quietnesse to your selves and a better Peace betwixt both Realms then ever was heard of in any time past Neverthelesse how it happeneth we know not we can for she in her conceit thinketh her selfe Queen of both That your Soveraigne either not knowing in this part her owne felicity or else dangerously seduced by perverse Counsell whereof we are most sorry being of late at sundry times required by us according to her Bond with us signed with her own Hand and sealed with the great Seal of that Realme and allowed by you being the States of the same to ratifie the said Treaty in like manner as we by writing have done and are ready to deliver it to her who maketh such delatory answers thereunto as what we shall judge thereof we perceive by her answer That it is fit for us to require of you For although she hath alwayes answered since the death of her husband That in this matter she would first understand the mindes of certain of you before that she would make answer And so having now of long time suspended our expectation in the end notwithstanding that she hath had conference both by Messengers and by some of your selves being with her yet she still delayed it alleadging to our Ambassadour in France who said that this Treaty was made by your consents it was not by consent of you all and so would have us to forbear untill she shall returne into that her Countrey And now seeing this her answer depended as it should seem by her words upon your opinions we cannot but plainly let you all understand That this manner of answer without some more fruit cannot long content us We have meant well to our sister your Queen in time of offence given to us by her We did plainly without dissimulation charge her in her own doubtfull state while strangers possessed her Realme we stayed it from danger And now having promised to keep good Peace with her and with you her subjects we have observed it and shall be sorry if either she or you shall give us contrary cause In a matter so profitable to both
know wherein they offend But so it is that the most part of your Nobilitie are so addicted to your affections that neither Gods Word nor yet their Common-wealth are rightly regarded and therefore it becometh me to speake that they may know their dutie What have you to do said she with my marriage or what are you within the Common-wealth A subject borne within the same said hee Madame and albeit I be neither Earle Lord nor Barron within it yet hath God made me how abject that ever I be in your eyes a profitable and usefull Member within the same Yea Madame to me it appertaineth no lesse to forewarne of such things as may hurt it if I foresee them then it doth to any one of the Nobility for both my Vocation and Office craveth plainnesse of me and therefore Madame to your selfe I say that which I spake in publick Whensoever the Nobilitie of this Realme shall be content and consent that you be subject to an unlawfull husband they doe as much as in them lieth to renounce Christ to banish the truth to betray the freedome of this Realme and perchance shall in the end doe small comfort to your selfe At these words howling was heard and teares might have beene seene in greater abundance then the matter required Iohn Arskin of Dun a man of meeke and gentle spirit stood beside and did what he could to mittigate the anger and gave unto her many pleasant words Of her Bounty of her Excellencie and how that all the Princes in Europe would be glad to seek her favours but all that was to cast Oyl into the flaming fire The said Iohn stood still without any alteration of countenance for a long time while that the Queen gave place to her in ordinate passions and in the end he said Madame in Gods presence I speak I never delighted in the weeping of any of Gods Creatures yea I can scarcely well abide the teares of mine own Boyes when my own hands corrects them much lesse can I rejoyce in your Majesties weeping but seeing I have offered unto you no just occasion to be offended but have spoken the truth as my Vocation craves of me I must sustaine your Majesties teares rather then I dare hurt my conscience or betray the Common-wealth by silence Herewith was the Queene more offended and commanded the said Iohn to passe forth of the Cabinet and to abide further of her pleasure in the Chamber The Laird of Dun tarried and Lord Iohn of Coldinghame came into the Cabinet and so they remained with her neere the space of one houre The said Iohn stood in the Chamber as one whom men had never seene so were all afraid except that the Lord Uchiltrie bare him company And therefore began he to make discourse with the Ladies who were there sitting in all their gorgeous apparell Which when he espied he merrily said Fair Ladies How pleasant were this life of yours if it should ever abide and then in the end that we might passe to Heaven with this geare But fie upon that knave Death that will come whether we will or not and when he hath laid on the Arrest then foule wormes will be busie with this flesh be it never so faire and so tender And the silly soule I fear shall be so feeble that it can neither carry with it Gold Garnishing Targating Pearle nor precious Stones And by such and the like discourse entertained he the Ladies and past the time till that the Laird of Dun willed him to depart to his house till new advertisement The Queen would have had the sentiment of the Lords of the Articles if that such manner of speaking deserved not punishment But shee was counselled to desist And so that storme quieted in appearance but never in the heart Short after the Parliament Lethington returned from his Negotiation in England and France GOD in the February before had stricken that bloodie Tyrant the Duke of Guise which somewhat brake the heat of our Queene for a season But short after the returning of Lethington Pride and Malice began to shew themselves againe The Queene set at liberty the Bishop of Saint Andrewes and the rest of the Papists that before were put in prison for violating of the Laws Lethington at his returning shewed himselfe not a little offended that any brute should have beene raised of the Queenes Marriage with the King of Spaine for he took upon him to affirme That any such thing had never entered into her heart But how true that was we shall hereafter heare The end of his acquaintance and complaint was To discredit Iohn Knox who had affirmed That such a Marriage was both proposed and upon the part of the Queen by the Cardinall accepted Lethington in his absence had run into a very evil brute among the Nobility for too much serving the Queens affections against the Common-wealth And therefore had he as one that lacked not worldly wisedome made provision both in England and Scotland for in England he travelled for the Freedome of the Earle Bothwell and by that means obtained promise of his favour He had there also taken order for the home coming of the Earle of Lenox as we shall after hear In Scotland he joyned with the Earle of Atholl him he promoted and set forward in Court and so began the Earle of Murray to be defaced And yet to the said Earle Lethington at all times shewed a fair countenance The rest of that Summer the Queen spent in her Progresse thorow the West Countrey where in all Towns and Gentlemens places she had her Masse which coming to the ears of Iohn Knox he began that forme of prayer which ordinarily he saith after thanks-giving at his Table 1. Deliver us O Lord from the bondage of Idolatry 2. Preserve and keep us from the tyranny of strangers 3. Continue us in Peace and Concord amongst our selves if they good pleasure be O Lord for a season Whilst that divers of the familiars of the said Iohn asked of him Why he prayed for quietnesse to continue for a season and not rather absolutely that we should continue in quietnesse His answer was That he durst not pray but in faith and faith in Gods Word assured him That constant quietnesse would not continue in that Realme wherein Idolatry had been suppressed and then was permitted to be erected againe From the West Countrey the Queen past into Argyle to the Hunting and after returned to Sterlin The Earle of Murray the Lord Robert of Halyrud-house and Lord Iohn of Coldingham past to the Northlands where Justice Courts were holden Theeves and Murtherers were punished Two Witches were burnt the eldest was so blinded with the devill that she affirmed That no Judge had power over her The same time Lord Iohn of Coldingham departed this life in Innernes It was affirmed That he commanded such as were beside him to say to the Queen That unlesse she left her Idolatry God would
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
obedient subject hereafter The same day they made Musters the next day the Army was dispersed being about 18000. men the King and Queen past to Lothinaben where the Master of Maxwell gave a Banquet and then forthwith marched to Tueddall so to Peblis and then to Edinburgh The best and chief part of the Nobility of this Realme who also were the principall Instruments of the Reformation of Religion and therefore were called the Lords of the Congregation in manner above rehearsed were banished and chased into England they were courteously received and entertained by the Earle of Bedford Lieutenant upon the Borders of England Soon after the Earle of Murray took Post towards London leaving the rest of the Lords at Newcastle every man supposed that the Earle of Murray should have been graciously received of the Queen of England and that he should have gotten support according to his hearts desire but farre beyond his expectation he could get no audience of the Queen of England But by means of the French Ambassadour called Monsieur de Four his true friend he obtained audience The Queen with a fair countenance demanded How he being a Rebell to her sister of Scotland durst take the boldnesse upon him to come within her Realm These and the like words got he instead of the good and courteous entertainment expected Finally after private discourse the Ambassadour being absent she refused to give the Lords any support denying plainly that ever she had promised any such thing as to support them saying She never meant any such thing in that way albeit her greatest familiars knew the contrary In the end the Earle of Murray said to her Madame whatsoever thing your Majestie meant in your heart we are thereof ignorant but thus much we know assuredly That we had lately faithfull promises of ayd and support by your Ambassadour and familiar servants in your name And further we have your owne hand-writing confirming the said promises And afterward he took his leave and came North-ward from London towards Newcastle After the Earle of Murray his departure from the Court the Queen sent them some ayd and writ unto the Queen of Scotland in their favour Whether she had promised it in private to the Earle of Murray or whether she repented her of the harsh reception of the Earle of Murray At this time David Rizio Italian began to be higher exalted insomuch as there was no matter or thing of importance done without his advice And during this time the faithfull within this Realme were in great fear looking for nothing but great trouble and persecution to be shortly Yet Supplications and Intercessions were made thorowout all the Congregations especially for such as were afficted and banished That it would please God to give them patience comfort and constancy and this especially was done at Edinburgh where Iohn Knox used to call them that were banished The best part of the Nobility Chiefe Members of the Congregation Whereof the Courtiers being advertised they took occasion to revile and bewray his sayings alleadging He prayed for the Rebels and desired the people to pray for them likewise The Laird of Lethington chief Secretary in presence of the King and Queens Majesties and Councell confessed that he heard the Sermons and said There was nothing at that time spoken by the Minister whereat any man need to be offended And further declared plainly That by the Scripture it was lawfull to pray for all men In the end of November the Lords with their complices were summoned to appear the fourth day of February for Treason and laese Majestie But in the mean time such of the Nobility as had professed the Evangell of Christ and had communicate with the Brethren at the Lords Table were ever longer the more suspected by the Queen who began to declare her self in the Months of November and December to be maintainer of the Papists for at her pleasure the Earles of Lenox Athole and Cassels with divers others without any dissimulation known went to the Masse openly in her Chappell Yet neverthelesse the Earles of Huntley and Bothwell went not to Masse albeit they were in great favour with the Queen As for the King he past his time in Hunting and Hawking and such other pleasures as were agreeable to his appetite having in his company Gentlemen willing to satisfie his will and affections About this time in the beginning of as the Court remained at Edinburgh the banished Lords by all means possible by writings and their friends made suit and means to the King and Queens Majesties to be received into favour At this time the Abbot of Kylwinning came from Newcastle to Edinburgh and after he had gotten audience of the King and Queen with great difficulty he got Pardon for the Duke and his friends and servants upon this Condition That he should passe into France which he did soon after The five and twentieth of December convened in Edinburgh the Commissioners of the Churches within this Realme for the generall assemblie There assisted to them the Earles of Morton and Marre the Lord Lindsay and Secretary Lethington with some Barons and Gentlemen The principall things that were agreed and concluded were That forasmuch as the Masse with such Idolatry and Papisticall Ceremonies were still maintained expresly against the Act of Parliament and the Proclamations made at the Queens Arrivall And that the Queen had promised that she would hear Conference and Disputation That the Church therefore offered to prove by the Word of God That the Doctrine preached within this Realme was according to the Scriptures and that the Masse with all the Papisticall Doctrine was but the invention of men and meer Idolatry Secondly That by reason of the change of the Comptroller who had put in new Collectors forbidding them to deliver any thing to the Ministry and by these means the Ministry was like to decay and fail contrary to the Ordinance made in the yeer of God 1562. in favour and support of the Ministery During this time as the Papists flocked to Edinburgh for making Court some of them that had been Friers as black Abercrommy and Roger presented supplication to the Queens Majesty desiring in effect That they might be permitted to preach which was easily granted The noyse was further That they offered Disputation For as the Court stood they thought they had a great advantage already by reason they knew the King to be of their Religion as well as the Queen with some part of the Nobility who with the King after declared themselves openly And especially the Queen was governed by the Earls of Lenox and Athole but in matters most weighty and of greatest importance by David Rizio the Italian afore mentioned who went under the name of the French Secretary by whose means all grave matters of what weight soever must passe providing always That his hands were anoynted In the mean time he was a manifest enemy to the Evangell and therefore a
cause of Heresie The Proofe of Heresie Note Note Note Note Note Note this against the legality of the Bishops Note This was Friâ—â— Scot. Note Note Note 1566 1546. How the Cardiall was occupied the night before that in the morning he was slain The Cardinals demand The Cardinals confession The fact and words of Iames Melvin The Cardinals last words Advertisement to the Reader Note The Bishop of S Andrews was glad and yet made himselfe to be angry at the slaughter of the Cardinall Upon what conditions King Henry took the castle of S. Andrews into his protection The first â—iege lasted from August to January 1547. Iohn Knox goes into the Castle of S. Andrews * Sir David Lindsay King of Armes then who fore the time had good light both in Divine and Humane knowledge as his works tell us The first Vocation by name of Iohn Knox. Dean Iohn Annan The offer of Iohn Knox first and last unto the Papists The first publike â—reaching of Iohn Knox made in the Parish Church of S. Andrewâ—â— Contra Dei Spirituâ— ad Gâ—lat cap. 2 vâ—r 17. 11. Note The great wordâ— which Ant. christ speaketh Iohn Knox had been disciple in his first yeers to Iohn Maire Note Note Optima Collatio Deut. 4. Note Psal. 26.5 Frier Arbuckiâ—ls proofe of Purgatory The cause of the inserting of this Disputation The practises of Papists that their wickednesse should not be disclosed The protestation of Iohn Knox. M. Iames Balfoure once joyned with the Church and did professe all Doctrine taught by Iohn Knox. Filius sequitur patris iter The rage of the marked beasts at the Preaching of the Truth The first coming of Galleys Anno 1547. And the second Siege of the Castle The treasonable act of the Governour and Queen Dowager Note The answer given to the Governour when the Castle of S. Andrews was required to be delivered The Gunners goddesse Commonly called The old Colledge The sentence of Knoxâ—o â—o the Castle of S. Andrews bâ—â—fore it was won Note King Henry of England being dead Prior of Cappua Leon Stâ—ozi The Castle of S. Andrews refused in greatest extremity to treat with the Governor fearing the cruelty of his weak nature in revenging the death of his Cousin the Cardinall Nulla fides Rogni Socii c. Pinckey Clâ—â—ch Duke of Sommerset The security of the Scotishmen at Pinckey Clewch Fridays chase Brags The repulse of the Horse-men of England Note Note Note Note 1549. The Parliament at Hadington Note The Dukes fact and what appeareth to follow thereof Experience hath taught and further will declare The siege of Hadington Tuesdayes chase Note The slaughter of the Captain of the Castle of Edinburgh Hadington almost surprised by the French The recovery of the Castle of Home The death of the Laird of Raith The entertainment of those of the Castle of S. Andrews during their Captivity Note Note Note This book was printed 1584. at Edinburgh by Tho. Vtroâ—â—â— A merry fact Note Jerem. 10. Note Quamvis multa sunt justorum mala c. Note diligently the Prophesie Iohn Knox his answer and counsell to the captives Le jour de Roys au soir quand els erient le Roy boit The escaping of William Kirkcaldie and of his fellows forth of Mount Saint Michell Note To shew what is contained in this Admonition we have caused it to be printed at the end of this History 1550 Note Note diligently The slaughter of that villain Davie The rulers of annoâ—566 â—566 and their prediction Note The accusation of Adam Wallace and his answers The Papisticall manner of accusation Note Adam Wallace his accusations and answers Note Protestation of the Earle of Glencarne Note The death and vertues of Edward the sixth Who first after the death of King Edward began to preach in Scotland Elizabeth Adamson and her death Note Note Note Note diligently Masse abhorred Note 1555. Note You will finde this Appellation at the end of this book War against England by the meanes of the Queen Regent A calfe with two heads The fact of the Nobility of Scotland at Maxwel Hewcht The second return of Iohn Willock to Scotland Lord Seton an Apostata The abolishing of Images and trouble therefore The Preachers summoned The practice of Prelats and what thereof ensued The bold words of Iames Chalmers of Gaithgyrth O crafty flatterer The command of the Bishop The answer of Edinburgh Edinburgh appealeth from the sentence of the Bishop of S. Andrews Triumph for hearing of stock Gyle The down casting of stock Gyle and the discomfiture of Baals Priests A merry English-man Note The death of the Bishop of Galoway and his last confession Qualis vita finis ita The Vow of that marked beast Dury B. oâ— Galloway The death of M David Panter The death of the Bishop of Orknay Reid â— Orknays answer and his friends home Note The Queen Regents sentence of the death of her Papists Dean of Lestarrige hypocrite began to preach M. David Panters counsell 〈◊〉 his forsworne brethren the Bishops The second Vocation of Iohn Knox by Letters of the Lords Note Note Let the Papists themselves judge of what spirit these sentences could proceed The duty of the Nobility The letter lost by negligence and troubles God grant that our Nobility would yet understand Note The first Covenant of Scotland 1557 Those that then did oppose Popery were called the Congregation Note The Earl of Argyle the first man in this Covenant The third Vocation of Iohn Knox by the Lords and Churches of Scotland Flesh blood is preferred to God with the Bishop Note Note diligently Note Note the Earl of Argyle his Testament Note Here is one Solecisme in State expression newly invented by the Court Parasites Note To call the Crowne Matrimoniall is an absurd Solecisme newly then invented at Court Note And now in these later days it hath pleased God in his goodnesse to grant the pure and Primitive Discipline also unto the Church of Scotland The first douâ—t The second Note Scriptures answering the doubts This was called the privie Church Iohn Willocke The Laird of Calder elder The tyrannie of the Clergy Note The Petition The offer The practise of Satan Disputation with condition The offer of the Papists The grant of the Queene Regent The apprehension of Walter Mill. 1558. Note The hypocrisie of the Queene Regent Protestation Let the Papists observe Note Letters to Iohn Calvine Blasphemy Note She had gotten her lesson from the Cardinall Forefather to the now Earle of Lowdone Chancellor Queen Regents answer S. Iohnston embraced the Gospel Lord Ruthuens answer 1559 The first assembly at S. Iohnston The Laird of Dun stayed the congregation and the Preachers Note 1559 Note At this time the Professors of the Gospel were called the Congregation The taking down of the Fâ—iers in Saint Iohnston Note The Gray Friers their provision Note Note A godly vow The complaint of the Queene Regent Note Note Note O where is this fervencie
The cause is to be regarded and not the persons Jerem. â— Jerem. 1. Isai. 56. Act. 3 4. Jude 1. 2 Pet. 2. Let the cause be noted Answer to an objection or doubt The Petition of Iohn Knox. The singular honours which Magistrates receive of God ought to move them with all diligence to promote his Religion The duty of Magistrates 1. 2. 3. Rom. 13. In what Points powers are bound to their subjects Rom. 13. Let the similitude be noted It is not enough that Rulers do not oppresse their subjects The offer of Iohn Knox and his accusation intended against the Papisticall Bishops Isaiah 1. Jerem 23. 27. Ezech. 13. Hosa 4. Note If Powers provide not for instruction of their subjects they do never rule above them for their Profit What Satan hath obtained of the blinde world The matters and Reformation of Religion appertain to the care of the Civill power Exod. 21.24 25 c. Note Exod. 28. The facts of godly Kings are an interpretation of the Law and declaration of â—heir power 2 Paral. 14. 17 Note 2 Paralip 19. Adverâ— that the King taketh upon him to command the Priests 2 Paral. 30. Note 2 Paral 35. 2 Reg. 23. The King commanded the Priests 2 Par. 32. The facts of the godly Kings in Iuda do appertain to the powers amongst the Gentiles professing Christs Epist. 50. Advert Note well Augustineâ— words Advert the minde of Augustine In two sorrâ— ought Kings to serve God Note O that the world would understand Note Isai. 49. An answer to the second Objection Note Note diligently Note Note diligently Jerem 38. Jerem. 39. Note diligently Deut. 12. Deut 23. 27. Idolatry ought to be punishâ—d with out respect of person If any state might have claimed priviledge it was the Prophets 1 Sam. 3 1 Sam. 9.15 1 King 22. 1 Kings 21. 2 Kings 1. 2 Par. 15. Deut. 13. Why every man in Israel was bound to obey Gods Commandment Deut 28 30. Deuâ— 7â— Gods judgements to the carnall man appear rigorous For the Idolatry of a small number is Gods wrath kindleâ— against the multitude not punishing the offencers Ezek 9. Ezek 8. 9. Note Note An answer to an Oâ—jection Why no Law was executed against the Gentiles being Idolaters Eph. 2. The especiall honour which God requireth of his people 1 Sam. 15. Exod. 34. Note Note Note God is not author of any priviledge granted to the Papisticall Bishops that they be exempted from the power of the civill sword Exod. 32. The dignity of Aaron did not exempt him from judgment 1 King 2. 1 Sam 3. Notewell Gal. 4. 1 Tim. 3. Math. 17. 1 Pet. 2. Acts 4 and 5. Rom. 13. Chrysostome upâ—on Rom. â—3 Let Papists answer Chrysostome Let their own Histories witnesse The mouth of the beast speaking great things Distinct. 9. quest 3. Their Laws do witnesse Dist. 19. Cap. de Translatione Titl 7. Dist 40. Note the equitie of this commandment The matter is more then evident Whosoever maintaineth the priviledges of Papists shall drink the Cup of Gods vengeance with them Object Answ. Deut. 28. Levit. 26. Isai. 27. 30. Note this for our time Note Let England and Scotland both advert God calleth to repentance before he strike in his hot displeasure Papists had no force if Princes did not maintain them Acts 2. No true servant of God may communicate with the Papisticall Religion An answer to the Objection That an heretick ought not to be heard 1 Kings 13. Touching Councels and Doctors In prologo Retract Ezech. 33. Mat. 24. 26. Dan. 12. Mat 25. Note Petition Answer to an Objection Lactant. Firmian Tertullian Cyprian John 5. 7. Acts 17. 2 Pet. 1. 1 John 4. John 3. Why Papists will not dispute of the ground of their Religion Mahomet and the Pope do agree Note Reformation of Religion belongeth to all that hope for life everlasting Rom. 1. Rom. 1. The subject is no lesse bound to beleeve in Christ then is the King Gal 3. Abac. 2. Mark 16. John 3. Wherein all men are equall Rom 5. Isa 53. John 3 5. Exod. 30. Exod. 30. Exod. 19. The presence of God represented in the Tabernacle Heb. 9. Isa 8. Act. 3. Mat. 28. The spirituall Tabernacle and signes of Christâ— pre 1 Par. 29. 2 Par. 3.4 5. 2 Par. 29.30 35. 1 Par. 29. 2 Par. 3.4 5. 2 Par. 29.30 35. Note Matth. 17. Note The offer of Iohn Knox ro hiâ— native Realm What he requireth An answer to two questions Subjects may lawfully require true Preachers of theâ—r Rulers John 21. Acts 20. Things that may draw men back from the sincerity of Christs Evangell Rom. 2. Note Princes and Bishops are alike criminall How subjects offend with their Princes Gen. 7. 19. Iosephus Egesippus What subjects shall God punish with their Princes A note made upon the sending of Christs Disciples to the Sea the miraculous feeding of the people What chanced to Christs disciples after the feeding of the people in the desart The first Note John 6. Matth. 14. Christ suffereth not his sheep and Pastours to be dispersed and troubled but for cause reasonable John 6. Why Christ sent away the people from him Matth. 10. John 6. Matth. 20. John 6. Mark 6. The disciples did not rightly consider Christs work Note Note this for our time Note John 18. Act. 14. Hypocrites are made manifest in the day of trouble 1 John 2. Note To deny or conceale the gifts of God which we have received is unthankfulnesse Let the Miâ—istâ—rs nâ—te this who are put from thâ—ir charges by the enemy Ezech 3.33 Jer. 20 34. 3 Reg 18 21 22. 4 Reg 3. Amos 7. Dan 5 Matth. 23. Act 13. The Preachers â—â—â—named tâ—e Salt of the earth The Confâ—ssion of the Author Preachers ougâ—t to feed Christs Flock The lack of fervency of reproving of indifferency in seeding and diligence in executing are great sins Spirituall temptations are soon espied The prayer of the author The troubles of these daâ—es cometh to the comfort of Gods elect The second Note The great fear of the disciples Matth. 8. The disciples also before this time were troubled in the Sea Note What time the tempest did arise The Sea was calm when the disciples took their Ship What moved the Sea The tossed Ship is a figure of the Church of Christ. Exod. 1. Esth. 3. Act. 7 deinceps The malice of the devill compared to the winde 1 Simile The Sea cannot be quiet when the wind bloweth outragiously The winde that blew in the dayes of King Hen. 8. A quiet calm wa under King Edw 6. The first secret pestilent winde that blew in the time of good K. Edward 6. The Devill raged when the Masse mischief was disclosed Esa. 5. Mark well This was affirmed both before the King and also before Northumberland oftner then once Transubstantiation overthrown by Th. Granmer The tound god was taken away by Act of Parliament When all the Papisticall