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
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
their servants and other that appertained to them and were exempted from common service should neverthelesse serve in time of necessity These vain promises lifted up in pride the heart of the unhappy king and so begins the Warre The Realme was Quartered and men were laid in Iedburgh and Kelso All men fools we mean bragged of victory and in very deed the beginning gave us a faire shaw For at the first Warden Reade which was made on Saint Bartholomewes day in the yeere of our Lord 1542. was the Warden Sir Robert Bowes his brother Richard Bowes Captaine of Norhame Sir William Mamebery Knight a Bastard Sonne of the Earle of Angus and Iames Dowglas of Parkhead then Rebels with a great number of Borderers Souldiers and Gentlemen taken The Reade was termed Halderig The Earle of Angus and Sir George his brother did narrowly escape Our Papists and Prelats proud of this victory encouraged the King so that there was nothing heard but All is ours They be but Heretickes if we be a thousand and they ten thousand they dare not fight France shall enter into one part and we the other and so shall England be conquest within a yeere If any man was seene to smile at such vanitie he was no more but a Traytour and an Hereticke And yet by these meanes men had greater liberty then they had before as concerning their conscience for then ceased the persecution The Warre continued till midde September And then was sent down the old Duke of Norfolke with such an Army as a hundred yeeres before had not come into Scotland They were in gathering their Forces and setting forward of their Preparations and Munitions which were exceeding great till midde October and after And then they Marched from Barwick and tended to the wast ever holding Tweid upon their own side and never camped from that River the space of a mile during the whole time they continued in Scotland which was ten or twelve dayes Forces were sent up and down to Smallame Stichell and such places neere about but many snappers they gat some Corn they burnt besides that which the great host consumed but small bootie they carried away The King assembled his Forces at Fallowe for he was advertised that they had promised to come to Edinburgh and tooke the Musters all at an houre two dayes before Hallowe even There were found with him eighteen thousand able men Upon the Borders that awaited upon the English Army were ten thousand good men with the Earle of Huntlie Lords Erskin Seton and Hume These were judged men aneuh to hazard Battell albeit the other were esteemed fourty thousand While the King lay at Fallowe abiding upon the Gunes and upon advertisement from the Army The Lords began to remember how the King had been long abused by his flatterers and principally by the Pensioners of the Prelats It was then concluded that they would make some new remembrance of Lawder brig to see if that would for a season somewhat help the state of their Country But because the Lords could not agree among themselves upon the persons that deserved punishment for every man favoured his friend the whole escaped and the purpose was opened to the King and by him to the courtiers who till they came to Edinburgh stood in no little fear but that was suddenly forgot as we shall after hear While time is thus protracted the English army for want of victuals as was bruted retired over Tweid in the night and so begin to skale sunder wherof the King advertised desired the Lords and Barons to assist him to follow them into England whose answer was with one consent That to defend his person and Realme they would hazard life and whatsoever they had But to invade England neither had they so just Title as they desired neither yet could they be able to do any thing to the hurt of England considering that they had long before beene absent from their houses their provision was spent their horses wearied and that which was greatest of all the time of the yeere did utterly reclaime This their answer seemed to satisfie the King for he in words praised their prudent foresight and wise counsell But the essay made to his Courtiers and that bold repulse of his desires given to him in his owne face so wounded his high stomacke for long had he runne as himselfe listed that he decreeth a notable revenge which no doubt he had not failed to have executed if God by his owne hand had not cut the dayes of his lyfe He returnes to Edinburgh the Nobility Barons Gentlemen and Commons to their habitations And this was the second and third dayes of November Without longer delay at the palace of Halyrud-house was a new councell assembled a councell we meane of his abusers wherein were accusations layd against the most part of the Nobilitie Some were Hereticks Some favourers of England Some friends to the Dowglas and so could there be none faithfull to the King in their opinion The Cardinall and Prelats cast fagotts in the fire with all their force and finding the King wholly addicted to their devotion delivered unto him a schroll containing the names of such as they in their inquisition had convict for Hereticks For this was the order of Justice which these holy Fathers kept in condemning of innocent men Whosoever would accuse any of Heresie he was heard no respect nor consideration had what minde the accuser bare to the person accused Whosoever was produced for witnesse were admitted how suspitious and infamous so ever they were if two or three had proved any point that by their Law was holden Heresie that was an Hereticke There rested no more but a day to be affixed to his condemnation and to the execution of their corrupt sentence What man could be innocent where such â—udges were partie the world may this day consider True it is by false Judgement and false Witnesses have innocents been oppressed from the beginning But this freedome to shed innocent blood got never the Devill but in the Kingdome of Antichrist That the innocent should die and neither know accuser nor yet the witnesse that testifieth against him But how shâ—ll the Antichrist be knowne if he shall not be contrarious to God the Father and his Sonne Christ Jesus in Law Life and Doctrine But this we omit The same schroll had the Cardinall and Prelats once presented to the king before at that time when he returned from the Navigation about the Isles in the yeere 1534. But then it was refused by the prudent and stout councell of the Laird of Grainge who opened cleerely to the King the practices of the Prelats and the danger that thereof might ensue Which considered by the King for being out of his passion he was tractable gave this answer in the palace of Halyrud-house to the Cardinall and Prelats after that they had uttered their malice and shewed what
Scotland published by them in Parliament and by the Estates thereof Ratified and Approved as wholesome and sound Doctrine grounded upon the infallible Truth of God MATTH 24. And this glad Tydings of the Kingdom shall be preached thorowout the whole world for a Witnesse unto all Nations and then shall the end come The Preface The States of Scotland with the Inhabitants of the same professing Christ Jesus his holy Gospel To their naturall Countrey-men and unto all other Realmes and Nations professing the same Lord Jesus with them Wish Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Judgement for Salvation LOng have we thirsted dear Brethren to have notified unto the world the sum of that Doctrine which we professe and for the which we have sustained infamy and danger But such hath been the rage of Sathan against us and against Christ Iesus his Eternall Verity lately now again borne amongst us that to this day no time hath been granted unto us to clear our consciences as most gladly we would have done For how we have been tossed a whole yeer past the most part of Europe as we do suppose doth understand But seeing that of the infinite goodnesse of our God who never suffereth his afflicted utterly to be confounded above expectation have we obtained some rest and liberty we could not but set forth this briefe and plain Confession of such Doctrine as is proposed unto us and as we believe and professe partly for satisfaction of our Brethren whose hearts we doubt not have been and yet are wounded by the despightfull rayling of such as yet have not learned to speak well And partly for stopping the mouths of impudent blasphemers who boldly condemne that which they neither heard nor understood Not that we judge that the cankred malice of such is able to be cured by this simple Confession No we know that the sweet savour of the Gospel is and shall be death unto the sons of perdition But we have chief respect to our weak and infirme Brethren to whom we would communicate the bottom of our hearts lest that they be troubled or carried away by diversity of rumours which Sathan spreadeth against us to the defeating of this our most godly enterprise Protesting That if any man will note in this our Confession any Articles or sentence repugning to Gods holy Word that it would please him of his gentlenesse and for Christian charities sake admonish us of the same in writing and we upon our Honours and fidelity do promise unto him satisfaction from the mouth of God that is from his holy Scriptures or else Reformation of that which he shall prove to be amisse For God we take to Record in our consciences That from our hearts we abhorre all Sects of Heresie and all teachers of erroneous doctrine And that with all humility we embrace the purity of Christs Gospel which is the onely food of our soules and therefore so precious unto us that we are determined to suffer the extremest of worldly danger rather then that we will suffer our selves to be defrauded of the same For hereof we are most certainly perswaded That whosoever denieth Christ Iesus or is ashamed of him in presence of men shall be denied before the Father and before his holy Angels And therefore by the assistance of the mighty Spirit of the same our Lord Iesus we firmly purpose to abide to the end in the confession of this our Faith The first Article Of GOD. VVE confesse and acknowledge one onely God to whom onely we must cleave whom onely we must Worship and in whom onely we must put our trust who is Eternall Infinite Unmeasurable Incomprehensiâ—le Omnipotent Invisible one in Substance and yet distinct into three Persons The Father The Son And the holy Ghost by whom we confesse and believe all things in heaven and earth as well Visible as Invisible to have been Created to be Retained in their being and to be Ruled and Guided by his inscrutable Providence to such end as his eternall Wisedom Goodnesse and Justice hath appointed them to the manifestation of his own Glory II. Of the Creation of Man VVE confesse and acknowledge this our God to have Created man to wit our first Father Adam of whom also God formed the Woman to his own Image and Similitude To whom he gave Wisedom Lordship Justice free-Will and clear Knowledge of himself so that in the whole Nature of man there could be no imperfection From which Honour and Perfection Man and Woman did both fall the Woman being deceived by the Serpent and Man obeying to the voice of the Woman both conspiring against the Soveraigne Majesty of God who in expresse words had before threatned death if they presumed to eat of the forbidden Tree III. Of Originall Sin BY which transgression commonly called Originall Sin was the Image of God utterly defaced in Man and he and his Posterity of Nature became enemies to God slaves to Sathan servants to Sin insomuch that Death everlasting hath had and shall have power and dominion over all that hath not been are not or shall not be regenerate from above which Regeneration is wrought by the power of the holy Ghost working in the hearts of the Elect of God an assured Faith in the Promises of God revealed to us in his Word by which Faith they apprehend Christ Jesus with the Graces and Benefits promised in him IIII. Of the Revelation of the Promises FOr this we constantly believe That God after the fearfull and horrible defection of man from his obedience did seek Adam again call upon him rebuke his sin convince him of the same and in the end made unto him a joyfull Promise to wit That the Seed of the Woman should breake downe the Serpents head that is He should destroy the works of the devill which Promise as it was repeated and made more cleer from time to time so was it embraced with joy and most constantly retained of all the faithfull from Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham and from Abraham to David and so forth to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ who all we mean the faithfull Fathers under the Law did see the joyfull dayes of Christ Jesus and did rejoyce V. The Continuance Encrease and Preservation of his Church VVE most constantly believe That God Preserveth Instructeth Multiplieth Honoureth Decoreth and from death called to Life his Church in all Ages from Adam till the coming of CHRIST JESUS in the Flesh For Abraham he called from his fathers Countrey him he instructed his Seed he multiplied the same he marvellously preserved and more marvellously delivered from the Bondage of Pharaoh to whom he gave his Lawes Constitutions and Ceremonies Them he possessed in the Land of Canaan to them after Judges and after Saul he gave David to be King to whom he made promise That of the fruit of his Loynes should one sit forever
of the Lord Jesus XXIV Of the Civill Magistrate VVE confesse and acknowledge Empires Kingdomes Dominions and Titles to be distincted and Ordained by God the powers and authorities in the same be it of Emperours in their Empires of Kings in their Realms Dukes and Princes in their Dominions or of other Magistrates in free Cities to be Gods holy Ordinance ordained for manifestation of his owne glory and for the singular profit and commoditie of mankinde So that whosoever goeth about to take away or to confound the holy state of Civill Policies now long established We affirm the same men not onely to be enemies to mankinde but also wickedly to fight against Gods expresse will We further confesse and acknowledge That such persons as are placed in authority are to be loved honoured feared and holden in most reverent estimation because they are the Lieutenants of God in whose Session God himself doth sit and judge yea even the Judges and Princes themselves to whom by God is given the sword to the praise and defence of good men and to revenge and punish all open malefactours To Kings moreover Princes Rulers and Magistrates to affirme that chiefly and most principally the reformation and purgation of Religion appertaineth so that not only they are appointed for civill policie but also for maintenance of the true Religion and for suppressing of Idolatry and Superstition whatsoever as in David Iosaphat Ezekias Iosias and others highly commended for their zeal in the cause may be espied And therefore we confesse and avow that such as resist the supreme Powers doing that which appertaineth to their charge do resist Gods Ordinance and therefore cannot be guiltlesse And further we affirme that whosoever deny unto them their aide counsell and comfort while the Princes and Rulers vigilantly travell in the executing of their Office that the same men denie their help support and counsell to God who by the presence of his Lieutenant craveth it of them XXV The gifts freely given to the Church ALbeit that the word of God truly preached the Sacraments rightly ministred and discipline executed according to the Word of God be the certain and infallible signes of the true Church yet doe we not so meane that every particular person joyned with such a company be an Elect Member of Christ Jesus for we acknowledge and confesse that Darnell Cockle and Chaffe may be sowne grow in great abundance lie in the middest of the Wheate that is the Reprobate may be joyned in the societie of the Elect and may externally use with them the benefits of the Words and Sacraments But such being but temporall professors in mouth but not in heart doe fall backe and continue to the end And therefore have they no fruit of Christs death resurrection and ascension But such as with heart unfained beleeve and with mouth boldly confesse the Lord Jesus as before we have said shall most assuredly receive these gifts first in this life remission of sinnes and by faith onely in Christs blood in so much that albeit sinne remain and continually abide in these mortall bodies yet it is not imputed unto us but is remitted and covered with Christs justice Secondly in the generall judgement there shall be given to every man and woman resurrection of the flesh For the Sea shall give her dead the earth those that therein be inclosed yea the Eternall our God shall stretch out his hand upon the dust and the dead shall arise incorruptible and that in the substance of the same flesh that every man now bears to receive according to their works glory and punishment for such as now delight in vanitie crueltie filthinesse superstition or idolatry shall be adjudged to the fire inextinguible in the which they shall be tormented for ever as well in their bodie as in their soules which now give to serve the devill in all abomination But such as continue in well doing to the end boldly professing the Lord Jesus to whose glorified Body all his Elect shall be like when he shall appear againe to Judgment and shall render up the Kingdom to God his Father who then shall be and ever shall remain All in All things God blessed for ever To whom with the Son and with the holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen Arise O Lord and let thine enemies be confounded let them flie from thy presence that hate thy holy Name Give thy servants strength to speake thy Word in boldnesse and let all Nations attain to thy true knowledge These Acts and Articles were read in face of Parliament and ratified by the three States of this Realm at Edinburgh the 17 day of Iuly in the yeer of our Lord 1560. This our Confession was publikely read first in audience of the Lords of the Articles and after in the audience of the whole Parliament where were present not onely such as professed Christ Jesus but also a great number of the adversaries of our Religion such as the forenamed Bishops and some other of the Temporall State who were commanded in Gods Name to object if they could say any thing against that Doctrine Some of our Ministers were present standing upon their feet ready to have answered in case any would have defended Papistry and impugned our affirmatives But while that no objection was made there was a day appointed for concurrence in that and other Heads Our Confession was read every Article by it self over again as they were written in order and the voice of every man was required accordingly Of the Temporall State onely gave their voice on the contrary the Earl of Athol the Lords Simmerwaile and Borthwicke And yet for their disassenting they produced no better reason but We will believe as our Fathers believed The Bishops Papisticall we mean spake nothing The rest of the whole three States by their publike Votes affirmed the Doctrine and the rather Because that fain the Bishops would but durst say nothing on the contrary for this was the Vote of the Earle Marshall It is long since I have had some favour unto the Truth and since that I have had a suspicion of the Papisticall Religion But I praise my God who this day hath fully resolved me in the one and the other For seeing that the Bishops who for their learning can and for their zeal that they should bear to the Verity would as I suppose have gainsaid any thing that directly repugneth to the Verity of God Seeing I say the Bishops here present speak nothing in the contrary of the Doctrine proposed I cannot but hold it for the very Truth of God and the contrary to be deceivable Doctrine And therefore so far as in me lieth I approve the one and condemne the other And do farther ask of God That not onely I but also all my posterity may enjoy the comfort of the Doctrine that this day our ears
the Sermon was charged by one of the Dukes own servants to turn and abide with the Queen The fame whereof spread over all What ground it had we cannot say but shortly after the Duke and some of the Lords remained at Glasgow their conclusion was not known The Earle of Arrane came to Edinburgh where the Earle Bothwell lay The Queen and the Court were departed to Fyfe and remained sometimes in S. Androes and sometimes in Falkland The Earle Bothwell by means of Iames Barron Burgesse and then Merchant of Edinburgh desired to speak with Iohn Knox secretly which the said Iohn gladly granted and spake with him upon a night first in the said Iames his lodging and after in his own Study The sum of all their conference and communication was The said Lord lamented his inordinate life and especially That he was provoked by the enticements of the Queen Regent to do that which he sore repented as well against the Laird of Ormestoun whose blood was spilt albeit not by his faults But his chief grief was That he had misbehaved himself toward the Earle of Arrane whose favour he was most willing to redeem if possible it were that so he might For said he if I might have my Lord Arranes favour I would aye wait upon the Court with a Page and a few servants to spare my expence where now I am compelled to keep for my own safety a number of wicked and unprofitable men to the utter destruction of my state that is left To which the said Iohn answered My Lord would to God that in me were Counsell and Judgement that might comfort and relieve you for albeit that to this hour it hath not happened to me to speak with your Lordship face to face yet have I born a good minde to your house and have been sorry at my heart of the trouble that I have heard you to be involved in for my Lord my great Grandfather Grandfather and Father have served your Lordships Predecessors and some of them have died under their standers and this is a part of the Obligation of our Scotish kindenesse but this is not the chiefe But as God hath made me his publike Messenger of glad Tydings so it is my earnest desire that all men may embrace it which perfectly they cannot so long as there remaineth in them rankor malice or envie I am sorry that you have given occasion unto men to be offended with you But more sorrowfull That you have offended the Majesty of God wherefore he often punisheth the other sins of man And therefore my counsell is That you begin at God with whom if you enter into perfect reconciliation I doubt not but he shall bow the hearts of men to forget all offences And as for me if you will continue in godlinesse your Lordship shall command me as boldly as any that serves your Lordship The said Lord desired him that he would trie the Earle of Arrans minde If he would be content to accept him in his favour Which he promised to do And so earnestly he travelled in the matter and it was once brought to such an end as all the faithfull praised God for such agreement The greatest stay stood upon the satisfaction of the Laird of Ormestoune who beside his former hurt as is before declared was even at that time of the coming pursued by the said Earle Bothwell and his son Master Alexander Cockburne was taken by him and carried by him to Berwicke but courteously enough sent back again The new trouble so greatly displeased Iohn Knox that he almost gave over further travelling for amity But yet upon excuse of the said Earle and upon declaration of his minde he re-entred into labour and so brought it to passe that the Laird of Ormestoun referred his satisfaction in all things to the Judgement of the Earles of Arrane and Murray to whom the said Earle submitted himselfe in that Head And thereupon delivered his hand writing and so was conveyed by vertue of his friends to the Lodging of the Church of Field where the Earle of Arrane was with his friends and the said Iohn Knox with him to beare witnesse and testification of the end of the Agreement As the Earle of Bothwell entred the Chamber and would have done those Honours that friends had appointed Master Gabriel Hamilton Abbot of Kilwinning and the Laird of Richardton were the chief friends that communed the said Earle of Arrane gently past unto him embraced him and said If the hearts be upright few Ceremonies will serve and content me The said Iohn Knox in audience of them both and of their friends said Now my Lords God hath brought you together by the labour of simple men in respect of such as would have travelled therein I know my labours are already taken in evill part but because I have the testimony of a good conscience before God That whatsoever I have done it is in his fear for the profit of you both for the hurt of none and for the tranquility of this Realm Seeing therefore that my conscience beareth witnesse to me what I have sought and do continually seek I the more patiently bear the misreports and wrongfull judgements of men And now I leave you in Peace and desire you who are the friends to study that Amity may encrease all former hatred forget The friends on either party embraced other and the two Earles departed to a window and talked by themselves a reasonable space And thereafter the Earle of Bothwell departed for that night and upon the next day in the morning returned with some of his honest friends and came to the Sermon with the said Earle whereat many rejoyced But God had another work to work then the eyes of men could espie The Thursday next they dined together and thereafter the said Earle Bothwell and Master Gabriel Hamilton rode to the Duke who then was in Enmell what communication was betwixt them it is not certainly knowne but by the report which the said Earle of Arrane made to the Queen and unto the Earle of Murray by his writings for upon the third day after their Reconciliation the Sermon being ended the said Earle of Arrane came to the house of the said Iohn Knox and brought with him Master Richard Strange and Alexander Guthrie to whom he opened the grief of his minde before that Iohn Knox was called for he was busie as commonly he used to be after his Sermon in directing of writings Which ended the said Earle called the three together and said I am reasonably betrayed and with these words began to weep Iohn Knox demanded My Lord Who hath betrayed you One Iudas or other said he I know it is but my life that is sought I regard it not The other said My Lord I understand no such dark manner of speech if I shall give you any answer you must speak more plainly Well said he I take you three to witnesse That I open this
foreseen they shew what pains and travel they had taken to mittigate her anger but they could finde nothing but extremity unlesse that he himself would confesse his offence and put him in her Majesties will To which Heads the said Iohn answered as follows I praise my God through Jesus Christ said he I have learned not to crie Conjuration and Treason at every thing that the godlesse multitude doth condemn nether yet to fear the things that they fear I have the testimony of a good conscience that I have given no occasion to the Queens Majestie to be offended with me for I have done nothing but my duty and so whatsoever shall thereof ensue my good hope is that my God will give me patience to bear it but to confesse an offence where my Conscience witnesseth there is none far be it from me How can it be defended said Lethington have you not made a Convocation of the Queens Leiges If I have not said he a just defence for my fact let me smart for it Let us hear said they your defences for we would be glad that you might be found innocent Nay said the other I am informed by divers that even by you my Lord Secretary I am already condemned and my cause prejudged therefore I might be reputed a fool if I would make you privie to my Defences At these words they seemed both offended and so the Secretary departed but the said Earle remained still and would have entred into further discourse of the state of the Court with the said Iohn who answered My Lord I understand more then I would of the state of the Court and therefore it is not needfull that your Lordship trouble me with the recounting thereof if you stand in good case I am content and if you do not as I fear you do not already or else you shall not do it ere it be long blame not me you have the Councellors whom you have chosen my weak judgement both they and you despised I can do nothing but behold the end which I pray God it be other then my troubled heart feareth Within four dayes the said Iohn was called before the Queen and Councell betwixt 6 and seven a Clock at night the season of the year was the midst of December the report rising in the towne That I. Knox was sent for by the Queen The Brethren of the Town followed in such number that the inner Close was full and all the Staires even to the Chamber door where the Queen and Counsell sate who had been reasoning amongst themselves before but had not fully satisfied the Secretaries minde And so was the Queen retired to her Cabbinet and the Lords were talking one with another as occasion served But upon the entry of Iohn Knox they were desired to take their places as they did sitting as Councellors one against another The Duke according to his dignity began the one side upon the other side sate the Earle of Argile and consequently followed the Earle of Murray the Earle of Glencarne the Earle of Mershall the Lord Ruthven the common Officers Pittaro then Controller the Justice Clerk with Master Iohn Spence of Condie Advocate and divers others stood by removed from the Table sate old Lethington father to the Secretary Master Henry Sinclare then Bishop of Rosse and Master Iames Makgill Clerke of the Register Things thus put in Order the Queen came forth and that with no little worldly pompe was placed in a Chaire having two faithfull Supporters the Master of Maxwell upon the one Torre and Secretary Lethington upon the other Torre of the Chaire whereon hee waited diligently at the time of the Accusation sometime the one was speaking in her Eare and sometime the other Her pompe lacked nothing of an womanly gravitie for when she saw Iohn Knox standing at the other end of the Table bare-headed at the first she smiled and after gave a guaf of laughter whereunto her Placeboâ—â— gave their Plaudite assenting with like countenance This is a good beginning she said but know you whereat I laugh Yon man caused me to crie and shed never a Tear himself I will see if I can cause him to grieve At that word the Secretary whispered her in the Eare and she him again and with that gave him a Letter after the inspection whereof he directed his visage and speech to Iohn Knox in this manner The Queens Majesty is informed That you have travelled to raise a Tumult of her Subjects against her and for Certification thereof there is presented to her your owne Letter subscribed in your name Yet because her Majesty will do nothing without good advertisement she hath convened you before this part of the Nobilitie that they may witnesse betwixt you and her Let him acknowledge said she his owne hand-writing and then shall we judge of the Contents of the Letter and so was the Lettet sent from hand to hand to Iohn Knox who taking inspection of it said I acknowledge this to be my hand-writing and also I remember that I indited a Letter in the month of October giving signification to the Brethren in divers Quarters of such things as displeased me and so good opinion have I of the fidelity of the Scribes that willingly they would not adulterate my originall albeit that I left divers blanks subscribed with them And so I acknowledge both the Hand-writing and the Dictatement You have done more said Lethington then I would have done Charity said the other is not suspitious Well well said the Queen read your own Letter and then answer to such things as shall be demanded of you I shall do the best I can said the other and so with a loud voice he began to reade as before is expressed After that the Letter was read it was presented again to M. Iohn Spence her Advocate for the Queen commanded him to accuse as he did but very gently After we say that the Letter was read the Queen beholding the whole Table said Heard you ever my Lords a more dispightfull and Treasonable Letter While that no man gave answer Lethington addressed himself to Iohn Knox and said M. Knox are you not sorry from your heart and do you not repent that such a Letter hath passed your Pen and from you hath come to the knowledge of others I. Knox answered My Lord Secretary before I repent I must be taught of my offence Offence said Lethington if there were no more but the vocation of the Queenes Leiges the offence cannot be denyed Remember your selfe my Lord said the other there is a difference betwixt a lawfull Vocation and an unlawfull If I have been guilty in this I have oft offended since I came last in Scotland for what Vocation of Brethren hath ever been this day unto which my Pen hath not served and before this no man laid it to my charge as a crime Then was then and now is now said Lethington we have no need of
Balfour seeing the Queen committed and Bothwell consequently defeated he capitulated with the Lords for the delivery of the Castle Bothwell finding himself thus in disorder sent a servant to Sir Iames Balfour to save a little silver Cabinet which the Queen had given him Sir Iames Balfour delivers the Cabinet to the messenger and under-hand giveth of it to the Lords In this Cabinet had Bothwell kept the Letters of privacy he had from the Queen Thus he kept her Letters to be an awe-bond â—pon her in case her affection should change By the taking of this Cabinet many particulars betwixt the Queen and Bothwell were cleerly discovered These Letters were after printed They were in French with some Sonnets of her own making Few dayes after the commitment of the Queen the Earle of Glencarne with his domesticks went to the Chappell of Halyrud-house where he brake down the Altars and the Images Which fact as it did content the zealous Protestants so it did highly offend the popishly affected The Nobles who had so proceeded against Bothwell and dealt so with the Queen hearing that the Hamiltons had a great number of men and had drawn the Earls of Argyle and Huntley to their side sent to Hamilton desiring those that were there to joyn with them for the redresse of the disorders of Church and State But the Hamiltons thinking now they had a fair occasion fallen unto them to have all again in their hands and to dispose of all according to their own minde did refuse audience to the Message sent by the Lords Upon this the Lords moved the generall Assembly then met in Edinburgh in the moneth of Iune to write to the Lords that either were actually declared for the Hamiltons or were neuters And so severall Letters were directed to the Earles of Argyle Huntley Cathnes Rothesse Crauford and Menteth to the Lords Boyd Drummens Grame Cathcart Yester Fleming Levinston Seaton Glamnis Uthiltrie Gray Olyphant Methven Inderneth and Somervile as also to divers other men of note Besides the Letters of the Assembly Commissioners were sent from the Assembly to the Lords above-named to wit Iohn Knox Iohn Dowglas Iohn Row and Iohn Craig who had instructions conforme to the tenour of the Letters to desire these Lords and others to come to Edinburgh and joyn with the Lords there for the setling of Gods true Worship in the Church and policy reformed according to Gods Word a maintenance for the Ministers and support for the poor But neither the Commissioners nor the Letters did prevail with these men they excused That they could not repair to Edinburgh with freedome where there was so many armed men and a Garrison so strong But for the Church-affairs they would not be any wayes wanting to do what lay in them The Lords at Edinburgh seeing this joyneth absolutely with the Assembly which had been prorogated to the 20 of Iuly upon the occasion of these Letters and Commissioners aforesaid and promiseth to make good all the Articles they thought fit to resolve upon in the Assembly But how they performed their promises God knows alwayes The Articles they agreed upon were these 1. THat the Acts of Parliament holden at Edinburgh the 24 of August 1560. touching Religion and abolishing the Popes Authority should have the force of a publicke Law and consequently this Parliament defended as a lawfull Parliament and confirmed by the first Parliament that should be kept next 2. That the Thirds of the Tythes or any more reasonable proportion of Benefices should be allowed towards the maintenance of the Ministery and that there should be a charitable course taken concerning the exacting of the Tythes of the poor Labourers 3. That none should be received in the Vniversities Colledges or Schools for instruction of the youth but after due tryall both of capacity and probitie 4. That all crimes and offences against God should be punished according to Gods Word and that there should be a Law made there-anent at the first Parliament to be holden 5. As for the horrible murther of the late King husband to the Queen which was so haynous before God and man all true professors in whatsoever rank or condition did promise to strive that all persons should be brought to condigne punishment who are found guilty of the same crime 6. They all promised to protect the young Prince against all violence lest he should be murthered as his father was And that the Prince should be committed to the care of four wise and godly men that by a good Education he might be fitted for that high Calling he was to execute one day 7. The Nobles Barons and others doth promise to beat down and abolish Popery Idolatry and Superstition with any thing that may contribute unto it As also to set up and further the true Worship of God his Government the Church and all that may concerne the purity of Religion and life And for this to convene and take Arms if need require 8. That all Princes and Kings hereafter in this Realm before their Coronation shall take Oath to maintain the true Religion now professed in the Church of Scotland and suppresse all things contrary to it and that are not agreeing with it To these Articles subscribed the Earles of Morton Glencarne and Marre the Lords Hume Ruthen Sanchar Lindsey Grame Inermeth and Uchiltrie with many other Barons besides the Commissioners of the Burroughs This being agreed upon the Assembly dissolved Thereafter the Lords Lindsey and Ruthuen were sent to Lochlevin to the Queen to present unto her two Writs the one contained a Renounciation of the Crowne and Royall Dignity in favour of the Prince her son with a Commission to invest him into the Kingdome according to the manner accustomed Which after some reluctancy with tears she subscribed by the advice of the Earle of Athole who had sent to her and of Secretary Lethington who had sent to her Robert Melvill for that purpose So there was a Procuration given to the Lords Lindsay and Ruthuen by the Queen to give up and resigne the Rule of the Realme in presence of the States The second Writ was To ordain the Earle of Murray Regent during the Princes minority if he would accept the Charge And in case he refused the Duke Chattellarault the Earles of Lenox Argyle Athole Morton Glencarne and Marre should governe conjoyntly These Writs were published the 29 of Iuly 1567. at the Market-Crosse of Edinburgh Then at Sterlin was the Prince Crowned King where Iohn Knox made the Sermon The Earl Morton and the Lord Hume took the Oath for the King That he should constantly live in the Profession of the true Religion and maintain it And that he should governe the Kingdom according to Law thereof and do Justice equally to all In the beginning of August the Earle Murray being sent for cometh home in all haste he visites the Queen at Lochlevin strives to draw the Lords that had taken part with the Hamiltons or were neuters to
joyne with those that had bound themselves to stand for the Kings Authority He was very earnest with divers by reason of their old friendship but to little purpose The twentinth of August he received the Regencie after mature and ripe deliberation at the desire of the Queen and Lords that were for the King and so was publikely proclaimed Regent and Obedience shewed unto him by all that stood for the young King The end of the History of the Church of Scotland till the yeer 1567. and Moneth of August THE APPELLATION OF IOHN KNOX From the cruell and most unjust Sentence pronounced against him by the false Bishops and Clergie of Scotland With his Supplication and Exhortation to the Nobility States and Communalty of the same Realme To the Nobility and States of SCOTLAND JOHN KNOX wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Iudgement IT is not onely the love of this Temporall life Right Honourable neither yet the fear of Corporal death that moveth me at this present to expose unto you the injuries done against me and to crave of you as of lawfull Powers by God appointed redresse of the same But partly it proceedeth from that reverence which every man oweth to Gods Eeternall Truth And partly from a love which I bear to your Salvation and to the Salvation of my Brethren abused in that Realme by such as have no fear of God before their eyes It hath pleased God of his infinite mercy not onely to illuminate the eyes of my minde and so to touch my dull heart that cleerly I see and by his grace unfainedly believe That there is no other name given to men under the heaven in which Salvation consisteth save the Name of JESUS alone Who by that Sacrifice which he did once offer upon the Crosse hath sanctified for ever all those that shall inherite the Kingdom promised But also it hath pleased him of his superaboundant grace to make and appoint me most wretched of many thousands a Witnesse Minister and Preacher of the same Doctrine the sum whereof I did not spare to communicate with my Brethren being with them in the Realme of Scotland in the yeer 1556 because I know my self to be a Steward and that accounts of the Talent committed to my charge shall be required of me by him who will admit no vain excuse which fearfull men pretend I did therefore as God his minister during the time I was conversant with them God is record and witnesse truely and sincerely according to the gift granted unto me divide the Word of Salvation teaching all men to hate sin which before God was and is so odious that none other Sacrifice would satisfie his Justice except the death of his onely Son and to magnifie the mercies of our heavenly Father who did not spare the substance of his own glory but did give him to the world to suffer the ignominious and cruell death of the Crosse by that means to reconcile his chosen children to himself teaching further what is the duty of such as do believe themselves purged by such a Price from their former filthinesse to wit That they are bound to walk in the newnesse of life fighting against the lusts of the flesh and studying at all times to glorifie God by such good works as he hath prepared his people to walk in In Doctrine I did further affirm so taught by my Master Christ Jesus That whosoever denieth him yea or is ashamed of him before this wicked Generation him shall Christ Jesus deny and of him shall he be ashamed when he shall appear in his Majesty And therefore I feared not to affirm That of necessity it is that such as hope for life everlasting avoid all Superstition vain Religion and Idolatry Vain Religion and Idolatry I call whatsoever is done in Gods Service or Honour without the expresse Commandment of his own Word This Doctrine I did believe to be so conformable to Gods holy Scriptures that I thought no creature could have been so impudent as to have condemned any Point or Article of the same Yet neverthelesse me as an heretick and this Doctrine as hereticall have your false Bishops and ungodly Clergie condemned pronouncing against me a Sentence of death in testification whereof they have burned a Picture From which false and cruell Sentence and from all judgement of that wicked Generation I make it known unto your Honours That I appeal to a Lawfull and Generall Councell to such I mean as the most ancient Laws and Cannons do approve to be holden by such as whose manifest impiety is not to be reformed in the same Most humbly requiring of your Honours That as God hath appointed you Princes in that People and by reason thereof requireth of your hands the defence of Innocents troubled in your Dominion in the mean time and till the controversies that this day be in Religion be lawfully decided ye receive me and such others as most unjustly by those cruell Beasts are persecuted in your defence and Protection Your Honours are not ignorant That it is not I alone who doth sustain this Cause against the pestilent Generation of Papists but that the most part of Germany the Countrey of Helvetia the King of Denmarke the Nobility of Polonia together with many other Cities and Churches Reformed appeal from the Tyrannie of that Antichrist and most earnestly call for a Lawfull and Generall Councell wherein may all Controversies in Religion be decided by the Authority of Gods most sacred Word And unto this same as said is do I appeal yet once again requiring of your Honours to hold my simple and plain Appellation of no lesse value nor effect then if it had been made with greater circumstance solemnity and ceremony and that you receive me calling unto you as to the Powers of God ordained in your protection and defence against the rage of Tyrants not to maintain me in any iniquity errour or false opinion but to let me have such equity as God by his Word ancient Laws and Determinations of most godly Councells grant to men accused or infamed The Word of God wills That no man shall die except he be found criminall and worthy of death for offence committed of which he must be manifestly convinced by two or three witnesses Ancient Law do permit just defences to snch as be accused be their crimes never so horrible And godly Councells wills That neither Bishop nor person Ecclesiasticall whatsoever accused of any crime shall sit in Judgement Consultation or Councell where the cause of such men as do accuse them is to be tried These things require I of your Honours to be granted unto me to wit That the Doctrine which our adversaries condemn for heresie may be tried by the simple and plain Word of God That just Defences be admitted to us that sustain the Battell against this
THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORY OF SCOTLAND THE HISTORIE Of the REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND Containing five Books Together with some TREATISES conducing to the History Published by Authority JEREM. 5.1 Run ye to and fro thorow the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can finde a man if there be any executeth Iudgement that seeketh the Truth and I will pardon it 2 COR. 13.8 For we can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth LONDON Printed by Iohn Raworth for George Thomason and Octavian Pullen and are to be sold at the signe of the Rose in Pauls Church-yard MDCXLIV To the Reader Christian Reader HEre I present unto thee a Piece I dare promise worthy of thy reading wherein thou hast a true and plain Relation without disguising of many memorable Passages happened in the Church of God and likewise some notable ones in the State of the Kingdom of Scotland from the very first setling of State and Church in that Countrey But namely and chiefly thou hast here related what principally passed in Church and State in this our Countrey during the great Work of purging the Church from the Superstitions and Idolatry and freeing both Church and State from the Tyranny and Slavery of Popery untill the coming of King James our late Soveraign to the Crown of Scotland Further beside the true and faithfull Relation of many Occurrences that fell out in these dayes in Scotland thou hast unfolded unto thee and made plain the strong Reasons and necessery Causes that moved these men who are here named although infirm and weake in themselves to undergo the great Work of Reformation With the solid Grounds upon which they went on with this weighty Businesse willingly and cheerfully notwithstanding the great rubs and difficulties they met withall through the help and assistance of God who by them mean Instruments brought things to passe in despight of the malice and stratagems of Sathan with his agents for the good of his People and the setling of his Church in Purity and Liberty All these things are set down plainly and simply in familiar and homely Language Yet so that they may be with ease apprehended and understood by any one From what thou hast here written in this Volume although there were no other Writings in this kinde extant thou mayest see easily by what means the great Mystery of Iniquity from the very first Rise hath been set afoot and constantly ever since hath been carried on to wit By cunning Devices impudent Lyes continued and crafty Plots under specious Pretexts and open Oppression Tyranny and Cruelties within Scotland till the yeer of Christ 1567. After which time the enemies of God and of his People have not been sleeping till this present more then formerly Wherefore for thy good Christian Reader I have thought fit in this place to point at some main Occurrences from that time till now First then the adversaries of Truth and Goodnesse under the specious Pretext of restoring Queen Mary to her Liberty and of re-establishing her in full Authority and sole Power did disquiet and trouble both Church and State in Scotland both with open Force and subtill Plots for some yeers that is to the 1573 yeer But finding that all their Undertakings under this pretext proved to be in vain and without successe and standing to their main Designe of undoing Religion and Liberty they bethought themselves of another way in appearance more plausible for compassing their wicked Intents it was To deal by way of entreaty and request with the chief Ministers of State and Church then To have the Mother set at liberty and to be joynt in Authority and Power with her Son And for the obtaining of this was employed the credit of the French Court for the time with all its skill and cunning but to small purpose For these rude fellows who managed the publike Affairs then of State and Church could not be corrupted with the French Complements In this way the enemies continued till the yeer 1577 and did not then give over notwithstanding their bad successe but according to their wonted and resolved custome they went on with their Designe betaking themselves to a new course wherein they had indeed more successe then in either of the former two It was this They did set awork certain men who with fair words and flattering tales so craftily dealt with the young King hardly yet twelve yeers of age that they made him cast off as a yoke the counsell and service of those who ever since his Birth-day had carefully laboured for the good of State and Church with the pereservation of his Authority and safety of his Person And so the inconsiderate young King although of most nimble wit and knowing above his yeers under the shew of freedom put himself in the power of those who wished no good to his Person and Authority and as little to the Church and State making no scruple to trouble both for their own ends according to the Instructions of the Masters who set them awork So in very short time they gave unto the young King such impressions which did stick too much to him that not onely he became averse from those who had been so usefull to the publike and so serviceable to him but also he suffered them to be persecuted yea some by death and others by banishment While the enemies were thus working businesse with us in Scotland they were not idle with our neighbours in England for they were contriving and plotting under colour of setting the imprisoned Queen at liberty And were gone so far on in this way in both Kingdoms that to stop the course and progresse of the enemies both Countries thought it necessary to enter into a mutuall League and Covenant one with another for the defence of the Reformed Religion and Liberties of both Kingdoms with the preservation of the Persons and Authorities of both Princes King James and Queen Elizabeth against the common enemy This was done by the consent of both Princes in the yeer 1686. After this the enemy seeing the warinesse of both Kingdoms to be such that in a short time he was not likely to advance the main Designe according to his minde by craft and cunning leaveth off for a time to act the part of the Fox and openly declares himself to be a ravishing Wolf So the yeer 1588 the Armado cometh against both Kingdoms which God in his mercy unto our fathers and us brought to nought About this time and some yeers before the agents of the enemy were very busie with King James to break with England and to revenge the hard usage and ill treatment of his Mother But God did direct him so for his own good that he did give no consent to their evil counsell Upon this refusall of the Kings the agents of the common enemy do bestir themselves to trouble both King and Kingdom which they did in a
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
and quiet all things speedily with wisedom to the good of the people with due obedience to our lawfull Sovereign under God as we are taught by the Law of God the Law of Nature the Law of Nations and the Municipall Laws of our severall Countreys But to return to the Church The Scots although they received amongst them the light of the Gospel with the very first of the Gentiles as we have said yet had they not the Evangel so universally professed thorow the whole Countrey till towards the first yeers of the third Age that is till Donald the first who not onely professed the Faith of Christ himself with his Family but did his best to cast out Idolatry wholly from his Dominions and to settle the Ministery of the Gospel in every corner thereof But this religious King could not bring to passe this his good Designe fully being diverted by continuall Wars against the Romans the whole course of his life After the death of Donald till toward the later end of the third age that is to the Reign of Crathilinth this work of totally putting down Idolatry and setling the Gospel every where in the Countrey by the negligence of the following Princes was at a stay In this King Crathilinth his dayes fell out the ninth persecution under Aurelius and the tenth under Dioclesian which gave occasion to many Christians from divers parts of the Empire but namely from the South parts of Britanie now another time to flie into Scotland for refuge as they had done before under Domitian Among those fugitives who did then repair into Scotland for shelter from the generall massacre were many excellent men in Piety and Learning whom the King Crathilinth not onely kindely received but also employed to ayd and help him and his Councell in the further setling of Christs Truth in his Kingdom and in the totall extirpation of Idolatry out of it which was so much the harder work because of the Druides the principall false Prophets and Idolatrous Priests in those dayes who not onely by their subtill hypocrisie and sense-pleasing Divine Service but also by a cunning forecast having drawn into their hands the hearing and determining of Civill affairs had so gained upon the spirits of the poor and simple people that they could not imagine how to be without them and live The resolute care and diligence of King Crathilinth and his Councell with the help of those pious and learned men surpasseth all difficulties and having put quite down the Groves and Altars under the Oaks and in a word all Idoll Service established the pure Worship of the true God in every place of his Dominions and filled up the rooms of those false Prophets with godly and learned Teachers of the people which was done every where thorow the Kingdom but particularly in the Islands which those pious men chose for their principall abode as being most fit for a retired life and namely in the Isle of Man the King Crathilinth caused to build a Church to the honour of our Saviour which in following times by corruptions was called Fanum Sodorense for Soterense the word originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the Town neer the Church was called Sodora as Minster in our vulgar language and Moustier in French signifying a Town in a secondary signification neer a Church Those godly men being setled as aforesaid and having withdrawn themselves from the sollicitude of worldly affairs did wholly give themselves to divine Service that is To instruct the ignorant comfort the weak administer the Sacraments to the people and to train up Novices and Disciples to do the same service in their due time These men for their single and retired life were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Monks by abbreviation and for their travelling altogether in Gods Worship and Service were called Colidei or Culdees These Culdees were so given to the exercise of devotion by the meditating the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and by Prayers that the very Cells whereinto they had inclosed and separated themselves from the world after their death were reputed so many Temples or Chappels set aside for Divine Service hence to this day Cella is taken for a Church among the ancient Scots as you may see in these composed names Kelmarnoc Marnoc his Church Celpatric Patrick his Church The Culdees thus setled as we have seen did chose out of themselves some eminent men in piety knowledge and wisedom to oversee the rest and to keep them to the discharge of their duty towards the People and towards the Disciples with an orderly and discreet carriage of each one towards another in their severall societies and in their private These Overseers or Superintendents chosen of themselves and by themselves did discharge the Duties of their Function indifferently every where thorowout the whole Kingdom without restraining themselves to any certain place or Lording over their Brethren or any part of the Flock of Jesus Christ not attributing unto themselves any particular distinct holy order from the rest belonging onely to them and to be onely conferred by them This way of instructing the People and governing the Church by Culdees did continue for many yeers under Gods mercy the Ministery of Gods Church as yet not being become a businesse of gain and of worldly pomp and pride So these Culdees and Overseers of others had no other emulation but of weldoing nor striving but to advance true Pietie and godly Learning The Overseers of Superintendents of the Culdees were commonly called by the Writers who writ of those dayes Scotorum Episcopi without any definition of place or preeminence of one above another But to return to Crathilinth who till his dying day which was about the 312. yeer did constantly continue to advance the Kingdom of Christ as likewise his successor Fincormac under whose dayes the Gospel did flourish in Puritie and in Peace he died about the yeer 358. After the death of Fincormac both the Church and State of Scotland fell in great disorder and troubles by domestick dissensions and factions for some yeers The Roman Lievtenant Maximus seeing the intestine troubles of Scotland began to lay hold upon the occasion First he foments their divisions within them next not onely he withdraws under fair promises from the Scots their ancient Allies the Picts but also obtains help of the Picts to make Warre against the Scots and so to defeat them which he did effectuate indeed in a battell fought with much bloodshed on both sides at the Water of Dun in Carrick wherein the King Ewen was killed this defeat fell out about 380. in the yeer of Christ the most part of the Nobilitie and numbers of People of those that escaped some fled into the West Isles some into Ireland and others to the Northern parts of Germany or Scandia some submitted themselves to the will and discretion of the Conquerour with the poor people that had not taken arms Among those that fled
away was Ethod the Kings Brother who went with sundry of the Nobilitie unto Scandia where he and they stayed divers yeers and from whence now and then they made secret attempts upon Scotland with the help of their Brethren retired into the Islands and Ireland but to small effect Now as the face of the politique State of the Countrey was quite altered and undone so the condition of the Church also was much disordered and the Culdees were constrained to withdraw and seek shelter up and down where they could finde any namely they returned into the Isles and into Ireland At last the Picts perceiving by severall attempts made by the exiled Scots to return home and re-establish their State although with little successe as we have said that the Scots were fully resolved to bestirre themselves continually till they were restored and re-established in their ancient Inheritances the Picts themselves being moved with the groaning miseries of their neighbour poor people of Scotland now under the Roman yoak chiefly by their means and taking to their consideration how foolishly they had suffered themselves be so farre circumvented and deluded by the Romans as to contribute to the ruine of their old friends by whom mainly in former times they had withstood the common enemy did not onely comfort the poor oppressed remainers of the Scots at home but also did invite these that were in exile to return promising unto them the Lands which they had of theirs and to help them with all their strength and counsell in the recovery of their whole State from the Roman Tyrants The exiled Scots under the conduct of Fergus the second son to Ethod beyond Sea gathered all they could both of their own people and of their friends from the places of their exile namely from Scandie and from Ireland likewise and came into Scotland from whence they chased away the Romans by strong hand with the help of the Picts who made good their promise unto them both in assisting them in the action of Warre and in restoring unto them the Land that they had been possessed with by the Romans The Auxiliaries from Ireland stayed still in Scotland and had allowed unto them the Countrey of Galloway for their reward and because they were of the ancient Brigants of Ireland some of the late Writers have said That the Brigantes of Albion had their abode in Galloway No sooner is Fergus Crowned in the fatall Chair and setled in his Kingdom but he takes to his first care to restore the puritie of Divine Service which had been eclipsed in these bounds for severall yeers and to this effect he calls some of the dispersed Culdees of his Country whom he settles in their ancient abodes namely in the Isle of Iona where he furnished them with a Library of Books which he had gathered beyond Sea as the Story tells us This return of Fergus into Scotland son of Ethod Brother to late Ewen fell out about the yeer 420. The regaining by the Scots of their native Countrey under the command of Fergus the second will not seem strange unto them who have read what they did under the commands of William Wallace and how under the conduct of Robert Bruce they recovered their liberty from the thraldom wherewith they were then oppressed Ewen son to Fergus the second by the counsell and ayd of his Grand-father by his Mother Grame did not onely keep his Fathers ancient Kingdom but also did enlarge the Limits thereof having passed the next Wall of the Romans which by Grame was pulled down in many places hence it is called Grames Dyke and he possessed himself and the Picts with all the Lands lying an hundred miles Southward that is unto Tyne and kept them till the entry of the Saxons into the Island Next he took unto his care not onely to seek out the Culdees fugitives which had not yet returned under his Father but also he sent for others into the neighbour Countrey of Britaine and assigned unto them convenient places for their abode with a moderate competency of means for their maintenance that they should be in no wayes burdensome to the people now looking to have some respite from their pressures and grievances And such was the happinesse of these dayes that a very small proportion did content the Church-men setting wholly their mindes to the conscionable discharge of their calling which they did Preaching Gods Word carefully truely and simply instructing the people in the fear of God and so gaining their souls to their Maker and Redeemer By this their carriage they gained very much respect among the people who honoured them as Fathers Instructers and Guiders to Heaven under God the vertuous civill Magistrate was the secondary cause of this good behaviour of Church-men who by his authority kept them in order and by his own example taught them to discharge their duty faithfully and live discretly But so soon as the civill Magistrate left them to themselves then they neglecting their calling set their minde upon ambition and avarice and consequently upon all evill thinking of nothing lesse then of that they were called to Here we are to observe That as the Scots did constantly withstand the ancient Romans and kept themselves so free of their yoak that they neither acknowledged their Authority nor received any Law from them although it was not without great struggling and hazard yea almost to their utter ruine as it fell out under Ewen the first but after some few yeers the Scots under the conduct of Fergus the second and Ewen the second not onely regained what they had lost by the Romans and Picts but also conquered a great deal of ground beyond their last Limits as we have newly said So the Scots in Church affairs for many yeers together had nothing to do with the Bishop of Rome neither made they acknowledgement unto him in any way neither did they receive any Laws from him for as they had the Gospel planted among them without his help to wit by the Disciples of Saint Iohn the Apostle so they kept themselves unto the Constitutions and Canons setled by the same first Planters of the Gospel amongst them but by successe of time they became to be infected by their neighbour Nations with the poyson of the Pelagian Heresie Celestine then Bishop of Rome takeâ— occasion to send unto the Britons a learned man called Palladius to help the Orthodox Britons to convince the Heresie of Pelagius then spreading it self amongst them which was done accordingly Ewen the second King of Scots hearing how the Britons by the help of Palladius had repressed the Pelagianisme being most desirous to purge the Church of his Kingdom also where this Pelagian errour had crept in sends for Palladius who with small difficulty assisted the Orthodox to disabuse those who had been carryed away by Pelagianisme and thereafter in a very short time by subtill inâ—inuations gained so far upon the well-meaning Scots that they consented to take
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
sat downe upon his knees and rose againe And thrice he said these words O thou Saviour of the world have mercy on me Father of heaven I commend my spirit into thy holy hands When he had made this Prayer he turned him to the people and said these words having obtained leave to speak a little I beseech you Christian brethren and sisters that ye be not offended at the Word of God for the affliction and torments which ye see already prepared for me But I exhort you that ye love the Word of God for your salvation and suffer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake which is your undoubted salvation and everlasting comfort Moreover I pray you shew my brethren and sisters which have heard me oft before that they cease not nor leave off to learne the word of God which I taught them after the grace given unto me for no persecutions nor troubles in this world which last not And shew unto them that my Doctrine was no wives fables after the constitutions made by men And if I had taught mens doctrine I had gotten greater thanks by men But for the Words sake and true Gospel which was given to me by the grace of God I suffer this day by men not sorrowfully but with a glad heart and minde For this cause I was sent That I should suffer this fire for Christs sake Consider and behold my visage ye shall not see me change my colour This grim fire I fear not and so I pray you for to do if that any persecution come unto you for the Words â—ake and not to fear them that slay the body and have no power afterward to slay the soul. Some have said of me That I taught that the soul of man should sleep untill the last day But I know surely and my faith is such That my soul shall sup with my Saviour this night ere it be six hours for whom I suffer this Then he prayed for them which accused him saying I beseech the Father of heaven to forgive them that have of any ignorance or else of any evil minde forged lies upon me I forgive them with all my heart I beseech Christ forgive them that have condemned me to death this day ignorantly And last of all he said to the people on this manner I beseech you brethren and sisters to exhort your Prelats to the learning of the Word of God that they may be ashamed to do evil and learn to do good And if they will not convert themselves from their wicked errour there shall hastily come upon them the wrath of God which they shall not eschew Many faithfull words said he in the meane time taking no heed or care of the cruell torments which were then prepared for him Then the Executioner that was his tormentor sate down upon his knees and said Sir I pray you forgive me for I am not guilty of your death To whom he answered Come hither to me When he was come to him he kissed his cheek and said Lo here is a token that I forgive thee my heart do thy Office And then by and by the Trumpet sounding he was tyed to the stake and the fire kindled The Captain of the Castle for the love he bore to M. Wischarde drew so neer to the fire that the flame thereof did him harme he wished M. Wischarde to be of good courage and to beg from God the forgivenesse of his sins to whom M. Wischarde answered thus This fire torments my body but no wayes abates my spirit Then M. Wischarde looking towards the Cardinall said He who in such state from that high place feedeth his eyes with my torments within few dayes shall be hanged out at the same window to be seen with us much ignominy as he now leaneth there in pride Then with this the Executioner drawing the Cord stopt his breath presently after the fire being great he was consumed to powder The Prelats would not suffer any prayers to be made for him according to their Custome After the death of Master Wischarde the Cardinall was cryed up by his flatterers and all the rabble of the corrupt Clergie as the onely Defender of the Catholike Church and punisher of hereticks neglecting the authority of the sluggish Governour And it was said by them That if the great Prelates of latter dayes both at home and abroad had been so stout and zealous of the credit of the Catholike Church they had not onely suppressed all hereticks but also kept under the Lay-men who were so froward and stubborne On the other side when that the people beheld the great tormenting of that innocent they could not withhold from piteous mourning and complaining of the innocent lambs slaughter After the death of this blessed Martyr of God began the people in plaine speaking to damne and detest the cruelty that was used yea men of great birth and estimation and honour at open tables avowed That the blood of the said Master George should be revenged or else it should cost life for life and that in a short time they should be like hogs kept for slaughter by this vitious Priest and wicked Monster which neither minded God nor cared for man Amongst those that spake against the Cardinalls cruelty Iohn Lesley brother to the Earle of Rothes was chief with his Cozen Norman Lesley who had been a great follower of the Cardinall and very active for him but a little before fell so foule with him that they came to high reproaches one with another The occasion of their falling out was a private businesse wherein Norman Lesley said he was wronged by the Cardinall On the other side the Cardinall said he was not with respect used by Norman Lesley his inferiour The said Iohn Lesley in all companies spared not to say That that same dagger shewing forth his dagger and that same hand should be put in the Cardinalls brest These brutes came to the Cardinalls ears but he thought himselfe stout enough for all Scotland For in Babylon that is in his new Block-House he was sure as he thought and upon the fields he was able to match all his enemies And to speak the truth the most part of the Nobility of Scotland had either given unto him their Bands of Manred or else were in confederacy and promised amity with him and so he gave his bastard eldest daughter in Marriage to the Earl of Crawford his eldest son and heir and caused the Wedding to be celebrate with such State as if she had been a Princes lawfull daughter He onely feared them in whose hands God did deliver him and for them he laid his nets so secretly as that he made a full compt that their feet could not escape as we shall after hear And something of his former practices we may recompt After Easter he came to Edinburgh to hold the Seingnye as the Papists termed then their unhappy Assembly of Baals shaven sort It was bruted that
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
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
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
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
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
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