persons it a bated much the glorie of her wisedome and heroicall spirit and gaue the world occasion to suspect that all her former actions wear counterfeit and camposed for her securitie to temporize and to misdowbt that she was not innocent and cleare of these great not capitall crymes layd to her charge for vvhich she had stood in no smal dainger Ant to speak frelie and trewlie my opinion she was a Prince of great Maiestie and magnificens but fitter for governement then deuotion and of more pollicie then religion and not as her sister vvas the same in a storme and a calme a Quene and a subiect nor semper eadem But how and by what means ded she Hovv religion vvas chainged contriue and work this admirable mutation of state I vvill breaflie declare for tho it be not proper to my quaestion it is not impertinent and may be of some vse 1. First the long sicknes of Q. Marie gaue her great aduantage and tyme both to deliberate and draw her plattformes prepare her instruments in readienes maik choyce of her means and resolue of the fittest counsellors to aduance her ends 2. Secondlie she layd her honor to pawne and mayd protestation in open parliament that she would never trovvble the Roman Catholiques for anie differenc in religion vvhich ded geue the Cleargie great hope of some more indifferencie and tolerable fauors the which is related by How 's in prefat of Q. Elizabeth for knowing well that a king can not create a new religion as D. Bilson sayd trewlie meaning that it must be the act and work of a parliement therfor to winn the Bushops either to silenc or patienc she wiselie vsed that peace of art The which thing vvas vvell noted by Monsieur de Mauuissier vvho was long french Embassador in England and a curious searcher and obseruer of matters of that nature saith he lib. 2. pag. 61. in Les memoires de Monsieur Mich Castelnau Quene Elizabeth purposing to chainge religion that she might the better vvinn the Bushops she promised to follow ther aduises in all things and therby preuayled not a litle And though manie fyne sleights wear vsed frownes and fauors promises and threats yet notwithstanding by that parliement both the statuts for the supremacie and the abrogation of the old religion wear enacted 3. Add also that when the act vvas mayd for supremacie vvhich must ever be as the first great vvheale of motion bycause by king Henries lavv Bushops and Barons stood in dainger for Syr Thomas Moor and Bushop Fisher had giuen them vvarning to look to ther heads therfor novv in this nevv edition of the supremacie first the vvords of supreme head vvear chainged into supreme gouernor vvhich qualification of the vvords being aequiualent vvas vsed but as a mask and shadovve to bleare the eyes of the people and secondlie the Barons and Lords vvear exempted from the rigour of the Oath to vvinn them the rather to consent to the act and so to leaue the Bushops in the briars to beare the brunt of the storme ensewing 4. I knovv yow will admire and yow maye how this chainge could be vvrought in the vpper howse by most voyces considering so manie Bushops and so manie Lords vvell affected to religion had ther suffrages there Remember first that king Henrie pulling dovvne the Abbies vveakened the strenth of the Cleargie taking avvay by that meanes twentie fiue voyces of Abbots who satt there as Barons of Parliement and besides Sinon who managed that busienes showed all his conning therin and as a maister of his art For the noble Earl of Arōdel abused and fed with a vayne hope by the ayd of the Duke Northfolk engrossed into his hands the proxies and voyces of so manie Lords to be disposed at his pleasure and to serue and further the Quenes desyre and ends that the Catholicks wear overswayed and born downe by the pluralitie of six voyces onelie And how God rewarded these tvvo great Princes the instruments of that seruice the world may iudg by ther afflictions as spirits that haunted them tho to expiat that fault the religious and noble Earl Philip suffred the martyrdome of a languishing sowl A strainge and memorable mattet it was to haue a new religion introduced and no Bushop nor religion man to consecrate and aduance it with one voyce for the vehement oration of Abbot Fecknam aginst it is fresh yet in memorie and how all the Bushops obstinate refragati sunt Camden doth witnes and that noble Lord Montagew sensible of the scandall thereof opposed it vvithall his force vvho together vvith D. Thurlebie Bushop of Elie had so latelie bean employed at Roome abowt it and vrged that the vvorld would disgrace fullie censure such a soodain chainge and innouation proposing also the daingers which weare like to ensew and so ded by excommunication But for ther better assurance to preuayle in the vpperhowse and more stronglie to ouer-rule the Bushops and the Abbots the Quene created diuers nevv lords VVilliam lord Parr Marquis of Northampton a good speaker and a wise man the Earle of Hartford the Vicount Bindon the lord Saint Iohn of Bletso and the lord Hunsdon all Protestants and men fitt to build a new Churche And to be better armed the Catholick partie was weakened by discharging from the counsell table manie of the old counsellors the lord Chancelor the lord Priuie seale Secretarie Boxall and Syr Frances Englefeald and in ther roomes wear placed Syr Nicholas Bacon the Marques of Northampton the Earl of Bedford Sr A. Caue Syr Frances Knolls Rogers Parrie and secretarie Cicil all fitt men to beare parts in that Pageant And further she deposed manie of the old Iudges and mayd also new Iustices of peace and gaue order to vse all vvarienes in the election of knights and burgesses that they might likewise maik ther partie good in the lovver hovvse which yow would wnder to heare how politicklie it was performed Furthermore to taik all scrupule owt of the heads and harts of the people and that they might conceaue that the seruice and religion still continued the same the ould was but transtated into Englishe onelie for ther better edification and vnder standing they directed that the alteration should be framed as near to the old as they might well doe And so it was in dead verrie politiclie handled For they bothe admitted and continued the title and iurisdiction of Bushops vvith some litl grace and authoritie and they permitted the vse of surplises caeremonies anthems Organs and manie prayers in the forme of the old Whearby the Quene vvas the better able to excuse her fact to forrein princes for this great chainge as she ded vse the same for her reason to Secretarie d' Assonuile who was sent by king Philip to congratulate her aduancement 7. And touching the communion book it vvas composed by certan commissioners appointed for that purpose Parker Grindal Horn VVhytehead May Bill and Syr Thomas
vvho vvas sent from England to condole and confort her What could be required more of a wyfe Now touching Earl Bothwel the Iugling Touching E. Bothvvell of Murrie and his faction is worthie to be reuealed was not Bothwel acquited for this cryme by his peares euen by Murton who best knew it by the lord Lindsie the lord Semplie and ther adaerents who procured his purgation Ded not also the same parties procure some of the nobles to ioyn with them and sollicite the Quene to marrie Bothwel and taik a hustand to defend her to which in a manner they forced her and ded not they also by ther handwriting bynt them selfs to obey hym yf he wold marrie her and ded they not futhermore of ther own motion procure the diuorce of Bothwel for that purpose onelie from his wyfe the Earl of Huntlies sister these ar all vndowbtedlie trew and a sufficient proof of ther double dealing And touching the Murder the Lord Harris accused Murrey of it and the reason was bycause at Cragmillar castel he Murton and Bothwel consulted conspired and determined the kings death and ther wear indenturs mayd and subscibed for the effecting of it And that yow may not stagger and dowbt of this Powrrie Paris and Hay wear all executed for the murder and at ther death they ded call God to witnes that these tvvo Murrey and Murtan wear the principall contriuers of that assassinate And Iohn Hepburn Bothwels seruant ded the like at his execution for the same fact protesting that he had sean ther articles and writings And yet is it mayd more manifest by this and ther cryme and practise more odious for to blind the world first they took armes as they sayd to apprehend Bothwel and after they sent owt shippes to pursew hym at sea Both wear fallacians for they never meant it for yf they wold haue apprehended hym vvhy ded they dismiss hym and why ded they send the Lord Graing to aduise and will Botwell to depart and promised that none should follow and pursew hym and so in dead no man was haistie to doe it tho he stayed two months till Murries return for they knew that by taking hym they should be bewrayed them selfs and therfor they meant to betray and ouerreach hym and offer hym vp as a sacrifice to the mallice of the world for ther own purgation So then these two Catelines cawsed the king to be slayne and vsed Bothwels assistanc and help in it and then accused bothwel and the Quene as the conspirers and contriuers of it tho till her emprisonment she ded never know vvho wear the accessaries or who wear the Principals Now to diue to the bottome and deapth of the cawse The E. Murrie never loued trewlie the Lord Darlie he was once in armes and in the feald to haue kild hym and therupon fled into England wherby appeared his good disposition Also he perswaded the Lord Darlie to haue a hand in killing Dauie the Quenes secretarie at which tyme they set a pistol to the Quenes bellie being then great with child to terrifie her whearby she might haue bean in dainger to miscarrie After ward the lord Darlie then king seing his own dainger craued and obtained the Quenes gracious pardon and yet fearing least Murrey might misinform the Q. against hym resolued to kil Murrey and discouered his intention to the Q. abowt it who would not suffer nor endure to hear it This comming to Murries knowledg as he had before practised to estraing the Quene from her husband and offerd to procure and sew ovvt her diuorce from hym vvhich she vtterlie condemned so novv he resolued to haue hym mayd avvaye and yet conninglie before the murder he went from the court and after into France that he might be thought innocent in the matter And trewlie all thes things appeared plainlie to the Quenes commissioners who hard the cavvse at york as it seamed by the notes of Syr Raphe Sadlers touching that busienes vvhich I haue sean but it vvas mayd aftervvard as cleare as the sonn by the execution of the E. of Murton Now vpon these false and treacherous fowndations they grownded ther disloyal conspiracie and seditions at Caâ—barie hill ther slanderous libells ther imprisoning her at Lough leuin and the act of parliement for her deposition as appeareth by the vvords of the statute 1567. bycause yf she liued still Quene she might taik reueng of her vvrongs and lastlie the resignation of her crovvn vvhich they stowtlie affirmed at york to haue bean voluntarie and of her own seaking But whether it vvas voluntarilie resigned and by her ovvn election ther course of proceading vvill maik it manifest For first when they had conspired that she should be forced to resign or to loose her lyfe they drew a forme of resignation fitt for ther purpose Then Athol Liddington and the rest sent Sr Robert Meluin to signifie her dainger and to persuade her to yeald to ther motions for the resignation and subtillie they alledged as owt of ther dewtie and welwishing that it could not preiudice her being extorted Also Syr Nicholas Throgmotton arriued at the same tyme in Scotland but vpon other pretences and was a fitt man to further the contriuing of that busienes and what wynd soever ded blow hym thither he ded his work like a conning artificer and deserued well to haue bean created lord Hurlie Afther thes preparations cam the lord Lindsey with commission from the counsell whose hand had bean washed before in Dauids blood and with stearn and grim looks tendered the writings vnto her vvith fearfull threatning yf she ded refuse them and therupon she subscribed them being a prisoner and to saue her lyfe lost her crown Call yovv this a free resignation The act of parliement in dead calleth it so 1567 and she gaue power to the l. Lindsey and Ruthen as her dearest frends and so in dead they wear in her name to renoune the government and to appoint Murrey the Regent which he had long and earnestlie gaped for and in Cap. 12. they decreed she should remain prisoner till her tryall and Cap. 19. her enditement was drawen most scandalouslie The cavvses alledged for her resignation wear these First she vvas vvearied then she was notable in bodie and spirit to endure the paynes and that she might in her lyfe tyme see her sonn setled in the gouernmeÌ„t then vvhich nothing could be more ioyous to her and it is trew I think she was vvearie of such tyrannous disloyaltie but in the flovvre of her age ther vvas no likelihood either of her disabilitie to gouern or of her weaknes and such infirmities as that she could not endure the paynes but for her sonn in his cradle that was the way to be ridd of them both But Domini est salus euellâ—â— de laqueo pâ—des suorum And to conclude after the Quene straingelie escaped at Hammilton the hous of a noble familie and well affected
she reuoked all and protested and confessed the force and violenc offred to her so as ther was neither formall nor orderlie procâ—â—ding in procuring it besides the noble earls of Hontlie and Arguyle the lo. Harris and others never consented to it and in that parliement ther was not aboue 4. Earls 6. lords one Bushop and 3. Abbots Could not religion be planted in Scotland withowt such treasonabl shifts ded yow euer read of such impostors or men of so large conscience to maik show of reforming religion and to abuse the world with the name of pietie The Apostles obeyed Nero a tyrant and a monster and suffred death rather then they would geue exampl of disobedienc Te ancient fathers obeyed Dioâ—letian and Iulian tho an apostata Elias reprooued Achab but ded not sollicit the people to commotion D. Bilson alledgeth manie reasons to disprooue such conspiracies as directlie contrarie to gods words vpon anie surmises what so euer all which yow shall see hear after and surelie not withowt sound reason For warr mayd by a subiect against his king is vniust though the cawse be iust and why the iustnes of the cawse can not geue lawfull power A iust cawse a good intention power and iurisdiction must concurr to maik such publick actions warrantable so yf a king hym self taik armes for an vniust cawse though his intention be good the warr is bad Yet ar not subiects warranted properlie to taik vpon them the cognisance and iudgment thereof they must leaue that to the high tribunal of heauen and to the kings conscience But these commotions in Scotland wear popular tumults and conspiracies against ther soouerain and had no good cawse nor good inteÌ„tion and no authoritie at all Now bycause I am vrged to discouer the trew and principal motiues that induced these men to cast them selfs into such a Goulf as they must either neads perish or runn the whole state vpon a rock and wrack it I vvill tell yow owt of Aesopes fables a tale to diuert and refresh yow In Affrica ther wear two great forests near adioyning in the one a Lyon gouerned the beasts in the other a Lyones The Lyon being rich and full of praye and booties feared least the Lyones should seak a forrein mate and growe of greater strenth and inuade his forest and therfor called a councel of his beasts to aduise how he might rest quiet and assured The bull presuming of his strenth and vsed to gore all the forren vvolfs that cam in his vvalk together vvith the bore and the beare contemned these vayne feares An old Ape that liued in the forest and was vsed to counterfeit perswaded the Lyon to fayne kyndnes For great harts vvear soonest vvonn vvith fayr semblance Reignard the fox disliked not that but knovving that the Lyones had manie hongrie and rauenous wofs and wilie foxes abowt her aduised the Lyon to send the goat a graue bearded personage to visit the Lyones and renew frendship and vnder that coolor to Deale both with somme of the wolfs and foxes and bread in them a iealousie of the lyones and fear of her creweltie and therfor to perswade them to stand vpon ther gard and maik them selfs a free state and so liue at libertie and vnder no command The Goat performed the seruice wiselie Now emong the beasts vnder the lyones ther was a Mongrel in greatest fauor he hearing the motion consulted with his brethren and vndertook the busienes but sayd he we haue emong vs crevvel beasts what yf they shall dislike this and seak to deuowr vs fear not that sayd the Goat we will send vow mastifs to gard and defend yow Yea but sayd the Mongrel what shall we be the better or the fuller fedd by this oh sayd the Goat all the pray is his who is maister of the feald get yow the Lambe and leaue them by th' eares for the purtenance Thearupon the Mongrel with the wolfs and foxes that wear his frends conspired entraped the Lyones and drew her to fall into a deape pitt owt of which she neuer recouered Raignard hearing of this sent vnto the Mongrell to gett also into his custodie the Lyones whelp and so he should be sure presentlie to rule and haue all for I haue fownd said he by experienc that a present morsell is euer svveatest and possession is the cheaf poynt in lavv And aftervvard either the whelp may die or it shall liue at your pleasure and dispose This is the fable the moral I leaue til I can haue tyme to expownd it and moother Hubbars tale together For Heare I would gladlie end this description of the Puritan church of ScotlaÌ„d the beginning and the progress thereof but that I perceaue yow desyre to know also the trew cawse of this fierie distemper and the incredible contempt of all authoritie which is an accident inseparable to them vvhenc it springeth and vvhy it is more peculiar and proper to a Caluinist then to anie other sect I will show yow breaflie my conceipt Caluin vvhen he vvas after his expulsion inuited home againe from Strasburg wheare he liued with Bucer and sucked long of his milk by the perswasion of his frends he was content to return to Geneua vpon condition that he might establish his new discipline the Idea wheareof he had apprehended in Germanie So by general consent he returned and shortlie after erected his consistorie which is the Quintessenc of Puritanism the Oligarchie of Elders and the Inquisition of Geneua A strayne of pollicie farr aboue Luthers grosse reach For so he ded foresee he might become the Dictator of the church at home and abroad at Geneua speciallie to censure all offendors bridle all oppositions and perpetuallie invest the eldors by that authoritie in the soouerantie and gouernment bot he of the town and church which of an Episcopal Hierarchie they mayd now a perfect oligarchie And that it might be receaued abroad with more reuerenc and be obeyed more religiouslie and be plausiblie entertained in the world tho it wear the Idol of his own phantasie They set it dovvn as a mark of the trew Church of Christ and ioyned it in aequal rank vvith the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments necessarilie fundamentallie and inseparablie So then this great Soldan of the Lake sending his Mammalucks into euerie prouince of France planted the first reformed churches there after this modele of Geneua Therby the synodes and assemblies of France impatronized them selfs vpon the principal townes in the kingdome negotiated with the nobilitie and commons and had mutual intelligenc to hether And making ever politickâ—ie the people partakers of ther eldership and share authoritie and command with them they weare sure alwaies of perpetuall and strong support and by all probabilitie they hoped at last to pul down the huge pillers of the Catholick Church and to convert all into Caluinism and set vpp ther throne ther consistories and Sanhedrin This vvas that Medium whearby