she and hers can claim for their own but she and hers must be serviceable to those who have undone them To this end she must have People about her namely Court-Chaplains to disguise businesse unto her and so make her have a bad conception of those who are her best friends to wit the true Professors of the Truth and good Patriots in these Dominions Next her eldest son after a long and great neglect of yeelding him any help for the recovery of his own is betrayed at our corrupt Court when he is put in away to do somewhat for his own restoring c. And after this by the same Court he is sollicited to take Arms here against the onely men who really and constantly have expressed unto him and his true affection but they being stopped by the Court could not effectuate much by their good will He in wisdome refuseth to fight against his friends Since he will not his two next Brothers must be employed the eldest whereof is released from prison to that effect And so they hazard their lives and spend their blood to serve the party who hath undone their Fortunes and now strives to undo their persons The King having left London after he had been in severall places retires to Yorke where he begins to raise men against the Parliament The Scots seeing this send to him thither to intreat him to lay aside all such intentions and offer their service by way of Mediation betwixt him and the Parliament to take away all known mistakes The Scots Commissioners were not suffered to proceed any further then in the businesse and were sent back beyond the expectation of men After a long Pen-skirmishing on both sides Armies are leavied many men killed and taken at divers times on each side yea a set Battell fought where numbers of men are slain The Scots not being able any longer to see their Brethren in England destroyed and the Executioners of Ireland butchering man woman and childe the help that the innocents should have had from England being almost altogether diverted by the Intestine War and neither say nor do in the businesse under safe-Conduct send to the King and Parliament Commissioners to intercede for an Agreement But they being arrived at Court were neglected with their Commission and not suffered to repair unto the Parliament At last they are dismissed not without difficulty and having done nothing return Upon this the Scots convene the States to consult concerning their own safety and the help of their friends At this nick of time when they received many fair promises from the Court with a request to be quiet a Plot of the Papists set afoot by the Court for embroyling the Countrey is discovered by the means whereof they were incited to look more narrowly to themselves and their friends Then the Parliament of England sends to the Scots for help Upon this a Covenant is made betwixt the two Nations for the defence of the true Religion and Liberty of the Countreys with the Kings just Rights and after due preparation the Scots having setled their own Countrey enter into England with a strong Army to fight the Battells of the Lord having for scope of their Expedition The glory of God and the good of his People with the Honour of the King Here we shall observe in these our Countreys in these last yeers such Riddles of State and Church as have hardly been heard of A Protestant Prince makes one Protestant Nation fight against another for the Protestant Religion which have been thought to be of one and the same Doctrine for the main One Church thunders Curses against another Then a Prince misled with the ayd of Papists and Atheists spoyling and destroying the professors of the Truth because they professe it for the good and advancement of the Protestant Religion Next in a very short time a Prince to have all his subjects declared Rebells First he is made declare the Scots Then he is constrained to declare the Irish An Army gotten together in the Kings name declares all those that did oppose them Rebells The Parliament declares all those who in the Kings name oppose them Rebells and Traytors Farther under the Kings Authority the named Rebells in England by the King maintain a War against the declared Rebells in Ireland But the late carriage of things at Court and by the Court-Instruments at home and abroad hath solved the Riddle namely The Patent for the Rebellion in Ireland The detaining of help ordained for the repressing of it The Kings offer to go into Ireland The Cessation and bringing over of the Irish and The last-discovered Plot in Scotland all other things laid aside tell us cleerly howsoever the Proclamations and Protestations going in the Kings name be soft and smooth as the voyce of Jacob yet the hands are rough as of Esau destroying and seeking to destroy the true Religion grounded in Gods Word with the professors thereof as also the lawfull Liberty of the Countrey and bring all unto slavery Let Ireland and England say if this be not true and Scotland likewise according to its genius speak truth I shall close up all with two or three Instances of eminent men amongst the Papists Clergie to shew clearly how they stand affected to the Protestants Cardinall Pool in an Oration to Charles the fifth Emperour saith You must leave off the War against the Turks and hereafter make War against the Heretikes so names he the professors of the Truth He adds the reason Because the Turks are lesse to be feared then the Heretikes Paul Rodmek in a Book expresse tells us That the Heretikes must be put to death slain cut off burnt quartered c. Stapleton the Iesuite tells us That the Heretikes are worse then the Turks in an Oration he made at Doway Campian the Iesuite in a Book of his Printed in the yeer 1583 in Trevers declares thus in the name of his holy Order Our will is That it come to the knowledge of every one so far as it concerns our Society That we all dispersed in great numbers thorow the world have made a League and holy solemn Oath That as long as there are any of us alive that all our care and industry all our deliberations and counsells shall never cease to trouble your calm and safety That is to say We shall procure and pursue for ever your ruine the whole destruction of your Religion and of your Kingdom He speaks to the English Now it is long since we have taken this resolution with the hazard of our lives so that the businesse being already well begun and advanced it is impossible that the English can do any thing to stop our Designe or surmount it Let these few Passages satisfie for this time I wish that thou maist reap some benefit of what is written here for thy good So praying for your happinesse I rest Yours in the Lord D. B. The LIFE OF IOHN KNOX IOHN KNOX was borne in Gifford neer
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
in the sight of the most jealous God and still continues in the same yet she despises all threatnings and refuseth all godly admonitions Why say ye That she refuseth admonition said Lethington she will gladly hear any man But what obedience said the other to God or to his word ensues of all that is spoken unto her or when shall she be seen to give her presence to the publike Preaching I think never said Lethington so long as she is thus used And so long said the other yee and all others must be content that I pray so as I may be assured to be heard of my God that is That his good will may be done either in making her comfortable to his Church or if that he hath appointed her to be a scourge to the same That we may have patience and she may be bridled Well said Lethington Let us come to the second head Where finde ye that the Scriptures calls any the bond slaves of Satan or that the Prophets of God spake of Kings and Princes so irreverently The Scripture said Iohn Knox saith That by nature wee are all the sonnes of wrath Our Master Christ affirmes That such as doe sinne are servants to sinne and that it is the onely Sonne of God that sets men at freedome now what difference there is betwixt the sonnes of wrath the servants of sinne c. And the slaves of Satan I understand not except I be taught And if the sharpnesse of the terme offend you I have not invented that phrase of speech but have learned it out of Gods Scriptures for these words I finde spoken unto Paul Behold I send thee unto the Gentiles to open their eyes that they may turne from darknesse unto light and from the power of Sathan unto God Mark the words my Lord and stirre not at the speaking of the holy Ghost And the same Apostle writing to his Scholler Timothius sayes Instruct with meeknesse those that are contrary minded if that God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the Devill which are taken of him at his will If your Lordship do rightly consider these sentences you shall not onely finde my words to be the words of the holy Ghost but also the condition which I use to adde to have the assurance of Gods Scriptures But they speak nothing against Kings in Scripture in speciall said Lethington and your continuall crying is The Queens Idolatry The Queens Masse will provoke Gods vengeance In the former sentence said the other I hear not Kings and Queens excepted but all unfaithfull are pronounced to stand in one rank and to be in bondage to one Tyrant the Devill But beleeve me my Lord you little regard the state wherein they stand when you would have them so flattered that the danger thereof should neither be knowne neither yet declared to the people Where will you finde said Lethington that any of the Prophets did so use Kings Queens Rulers or Magistrates In more places then one said the other Ahab was a King and Iezabel a Queen and yet what the Prophet Elias said to the one and to the other I suppose you are not ignorant That was not cried out before the people said Lethington to make them odious unto their subjects That Elias said Doggs shall lick the blood of Ahab said Iohn Knox and eate the flesh of Iezabell the Scriptures assures me but that it was whispered in their Eares or in a Corner I read not but the plain contrary appears to me which is that both the people and the Court understood well enough what the Prophet had promised for so witnessed Iehu after that Gods vengeance had stricken Iezabell These were singular motions of the Spirit of God said Lethington and appertaineth nothing to our age Then hath the Scripture said the other deceived me for Saint Paul teacheth me that whatsoever is written within the holy Scriptures the same is written for our instruction And my Master saith That every learned Scribe brings forth of his Treasure both things old and things new and the Prophet Ieremy affirmes That every Realme or Citie that likewise offends as then did Ierusalem should likewise be punished Why then that the facts of ancient Prophets and the fearfull judgements of God executed before us upon the disobedient appertain not unto our age I neither see nor yet can understand But now to put an end to this Head my Lord saith he the Prophets of God have not spared to rebuke Kings as well to their faces as before the people and subjects Elizeus feared not to say to King Iehoram What have I to doe with thee get thee to the other Prophets of thy Mother for as the Lord of Hostes liveth in whose sight I stand if it were not that I regard the presence of Iehosaphat the King of Iudah I would not have looked toward thee nor seene thee Plaine it is that the Prophet was a Subject in the Kingdome of Israel and yet how little reverence he giveth to the King we heare Ieremy the Prophet was commanded to Cry to the King and Queene and to say Behave your selves lowly execute justice and judgement c. or else your Carcasses shall be casten to the heate of the day and unto the frost of the night Unto Conias Sullim and Zedekias he speaketh in speciall and shewes to them in his publike Sermons their miserable ends and therefore yee ought not to thinke strange my Lord said he albeit the servants of God taxe the vices of Kings and Queenes even as well as of other offenders and that because their sinnes be more noysome to the Common-wealth then are the sinnes of inferiour persons The most part of this reasoning Secretary Lethington leaned upon the Master of Maxwells Breast who said I am almost weary I would some other would reason in the chief head which is yet untouched Then the Earle of Mortoune Chancellor commanded Master George Hay to reason against Iohn Knox in the head of obedience due to Magistrates who began so to doe Unto whom Iohn Knox said Brother that ye shall reason in my contrary I am well content because I know you to be both a man of learning and of modesty but that you shall oppose your selfe unto the Trueth whereof I suppose your owne conscience is no lesse perswaded then is mine I cannot well approve for I would be sorry that yee and I should be reputed to reason as two Schollers of Pythagoras to shew the quickenesse of our wit as it were to reason on both parts I protest here before God That whatsoever I sustaine I doe the same in conscience yea I dare no more sustaine a proposition knowne to my selfe untrue then I dare teach false Doctrine in the publike place And therefore Brother if Conscience move you to oppose your selfe to that Doctrine which yee have heard out of my mouth in that
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
obedience unto Rome and conformitie by name there was one Boniface sent from Rome to Scotland a main Agent for Rome in these affairs but he was opposed openly by severall of the Scots Culdees or Divines namely by Clemens and Samson who told him freely That he and those of his Party studied to bring men to the subjection of the Pope and slavery of Rome withdrawing them from obedience to Christ and so in plain termes they reproached to him and to his assistants That they were corrupters of Christs Doctrine establishing a Sovereignty in the Bishop of Rome as the onely successour of the Apostles excluding other Bishops That they used and commanded Clericall tonsure That they forbad Priests Marriage extolling Celibat That they caused Prayers to be made for the dead and erected Images in the Churches to be short That they had introduced in the Church many Tenets Rites and Ceremonies unknown to the ancient and pure times yea contrary to them For the which and the like the said Clemens and those that were constant to the Truth with him were excommunicated at Rome as Hereticks as you have in the third Volume of the Concels although the true reasons of their excommunication be not there set down In the eighth Age the poor people were so blindly inslaved and intoxicat with the Cup of Rome that they thought it a truely holy Martyrdome to suffer for the interest of Rome yet although most men had left God to worship the Beast in these dayes God raised up sundry great Lights in our Church as Alcuin Rabanus Maurus his Disciple Iohn Scot and Claudius Clemens In this we shall remarke the constant goodnesse of God towards his people who made his Light shine in some measure thorow the greatest and thickest darknesse by raising up these men who did bear witnesse to the Truth both by word and writing so that God did not altogether leave off his people The Bishop of Rome caused to declare Alcuin for his Book of the Eucharist many yeers after his death an Heretike So Rome persecutes the Saints of God even after their death In the ninth Age both Prince and People by dolefull experience did finde the idlenesse pride ambition avarice and ryot of Church-men occasioned by the indulgence of Prince and People wherefore at Scone under King Constantine the second there was had a convention of States for reforming the disorders in the Church In this Assembly it was ordained That Church-men should reside upon their charge have no medling with secular affairs that they should instruct the people diligently and be good examples in their conversations that they should not keep Hawks Hounds and Horses for their pleasure that they should carry no Weapons nor be pleaders of civill Causes but live contented with their own provisions in case of failing in the observance of these points For the 1 time they were to pay a pecuniary mulct or fine for the 2 they were to be deprived from Officio and Beneficio Thus you see in these most blinde and confused times That resolute Princes and People did oppose manifestly the Popes omnipotency and highest Sovereignty In the later part of the same Age King Gregory was most indulgent to Church-men he was so farre from curbing and keeping them under that he granted them many things they had not had before Then in a convention of States holden at Forsane it was ordained That all Church-men should be free of paying Taxes and Impost from keeping watch and going to warfare Item They should be exempt from all Temporall judicature Item All Matrimoniall Causes were given over to be judgement of Church-men as also Testaments Legative Actions and all things depending upon simple faith and promise Likewise the right of Tithes with liberty to make Lawes Canons and Constitutions to try without the assistance of the temporall Judge Heretikes Blasphemers Perjured Persons Magicians c. Lastly it was ordained That all Kings following at their Coronation should swear to maintain Church-men in these their Liberties and Priviledges In these dayes lived a Learned man called Iohn Scot sirnamed Aerigiena because he was born in the Town of Aire he published a Treatise De corpore sanguine Domini in Sacramento wherein he maintained the opinion and doctrine of Bertram whereby he offended highly the Sea of Rome In the tenth Age things grew worse and worse The Church-men did so blinde the King Constantine the third That they perswaded him to quit the Royall Crown and take the Clericall Tonsure of a Monk which he did at Saint Andrews There were some Priests in these dayes who did strive to have liberty to take lawfull Wives but in vain A little thereafter there were new disputes for Priests marriage one Bernet a Scots Bishop stood much for that cause in a nationall Councell In this Age although that avarice and ambition had corrupted and perverted Religion generally yet there were constantly some godly men who albeit they could not openly stop and oppose the torrent of these times given to Idolatry and Superstition did instruct and teach the people That Christ was the onely propitiation for sin and that Christs blood onely did wash us from the guilt of sin In the eleventh Age Malcome gave away a part of the Crown Lands among his Nobles for their good service against the Danes the Nobles in recompence thereof did grant unto the Crown the ward of these Lands with the benefit that was to arise by the marriage of the Heir Untill the later part of this Age the Bishops of Scotland although they had raised their Order unto a great power and riches yet they were not distinguished in Diocesses so till then indifferently wheresoever they came they did Ministrate their Function without lording over one particular place or calling themselves Lords of any place The Diocesses wherein Scotland was divided at first were these Saint Andrews Glasgo Murray Catnes Murthlac or Aberdene The Bishops of Rome taking upon them in these dayes to be above Kings and to conferre in matters of Honour upon Kings how and where they pleased and so by this means to put a farther tye of Vassalage and subjection upon Princes To this effect in the yeer 1098. ordained King Edgar to be anointed with externall Oyl by the Bishop of Saint Andrews a rite which till that day had not been in use among our Kings yet they were as much the anointed of the Lord before as they have been since and as any other Princes who before them had this externall anointing from the Sea of Rome although the Romish Writers do make a greater esteem of these Kings anointed by them then of others because they conceive them to be more their own Here note by the way That all Princes whatsoever in Scripture-Language are said to be the Anointed of the Lord and so Cyrus was named although he was never anointed with externall Oyl Next although the first Kings of Israel were anointed as Saul David and Solomon with
making him a god when he is but a weak and infirme man servant of God This second fault is committed chiefly by the Sycophants and Parasites who have no other Church nor Chappell but the Court and make Petition to none but to the King whom to please they wholly study that they may catch somewhat to satisfie their inordinate desires And the first is committed namely by their prelaticall Clergy who withdraw from the Prince a great part of his due when they study to exempt themselves from his Obedience and take from him any inspection upon them namely concerning the discharge of their calling although by Gods Ordinance it be a main part of his Office to see God served and worshipped according to his Will revealed in his sacred Word We have a little above seen how that by the flattery of some Court-preachers the custome is brought into the Church to give unto the Prince not onely swelling but blasphemous Titles in the publike Prayer that is made by the Minister in the name of the Chruch but although this be too great an evill and requireth Reformation yet the flattery of some Preachers hath not stayed here for they according to their custome having addicted themselves to any one whom they conceive may help them to preferment stick not in the pulpit where all relation should be laid aside save that of a Minister of Gods Word to publish themselves yea in their Prayers to be varlets to this man or that man and what is worse yet in the Prayer they call their Masters and Lords Vertuous Pious and Religious when it is known to all That for the most part they have little Vertue lesse Piety and no Religion at all To have pointed at these things shall suffice for this place If any man will be contentious for these practices I answer him That the wel-Reformed Churches have no such Customs for among the other abuses whereof they have been purged by the care and diligence of the faithfull Vine-dressers under Gods blessing they have been pruned of this rotten Bud of slavish flattery as a corruption much opposite and contrary to the dignity and power of the Gospel But let us return after this long Digression In these dayes that is in the thirteenth Age lived Michael Scot renowned for his Learning in Physick Astronomy c. He is remembred by Picus Mirandula and Cornelius Agrippa very honourably Also then lived Thomas Lermouth commonly called The Rythmer whose Predictions are extant to this day But no wise man can make any thing of them more then of Merlin his Prophesies who lived long before him although sundry have pleased their fansies with idle Expositions of these two mens dreams Towards the end of this thirteenth Age the good Roman Pontif Boniface the eight making use of the havie moans and complaints that some of Scotland namely of the Bishops and other Clergie-men with their clients made against King Edward of England who then did cruelly afflict the Countrey claims a right unto the Crown of Scotland as reâ—igned unto him by the States And upon this he writes an insulting Letter and full of threatnings unto Edward that he was so malapert as to do any wrong to his vassalls and subjects where he had none truely save the Bishops and Shavelings with their clients Whether the Clergie did make this offer of subjection unto the Pope or whether he did falsly invent this lye we cannot tell but it is betwixt the Pope and his shaved creatures such master such men Let this teach us how the Popes are and have been and will be ever constantly ready watching at all occasions to draw all things to their Crosse. But this owning of the Scots by the Pope for his peculiar people did not last long for in a very short time thereafter notwithstanding the great ignorance of these dayes the Scots shewed themselves refractaries to his holy Orders and he in revenge did thunder the fire-bolts of his Excommunication against these rude fellows putting them to the Interdict all to small purpose for by these Bolts they were but very little dashed We have heard how that in former times the Church of Scotland was served by Culdees and they ruled by their Presbyteries or Elders having a Moderator or Prefect of themselves and of their own chusing This was for many yeers When Palladius brought in Prelacie a new holy Order into the Church of Scotland unknown to the preceding Ages it was with this Restraint That Bishops should be chosen by the Culdees and of them But when Bishops had once gotten certain Diocesses and Limits alotted unto them they set up a new Presbytery of their own or Councell of Canons or Regulars which they called Chapters by whom they intended to be chosen in following times The Culdees seeing this did oppose it with their main strength namely under King David who did take up the businesse thus being carried away by the Prelats That so many of the Culdees as would be Canons should have hand in the chusing of the Bishops But the Bishops to elude this Ordinance of the Prince obtained a Mandate from the Pope That no Culdee should be received in the Convent of Canons but by the consent of the Prior and most part of the Canons By these means the Culdees were kept out and deprived of their voyce in chusing of the Bishop In the time of the troubles of Baliol and Bruce one William Cumin Prefect of the Culdees thinks it fit for to bestir himself to trie what he could regain upon the Canons and so he opposeth the Election by the Canons of one William Lamberton to the Sea of S. Andrews The businesse being come to a great height by Appeal was drawn to Rome where after much debate pro forma time and moneys employed the holy Father Boniface the eight pronounces sentence in favour of his dear Clients the Canons and so Lamberton is made Bishop and consecrated by the Pope Boniface This fact turned so to the disgrace of the Culdees that after that time we reade no more of them so the Name and Order by little and little came to be quite extinguished about the beginning of the thirteenth age In the beginning of the fourteenth age the Order of the Templers was put down whether for their just demerits or for private ends and hatred we leave it to the Histories of these times Pope Clement the fift by his Bull did cashier them the Bull beginning thus Quanquam de jure non possumus tamen pro plenitudine potestatis dictum Ordinem reprobamus c. After which all Christian Princes did cause them to be apprehended in their severall Dominions and put them from their estates which was then given to Hospitallers and Knights of Saint Iohn after they had stood about two hundred yeers instituted by Baldonin King of Ierusalem for defence of that Citie and Temple and the safe conveying of all such as did travell thither They are also called Red friers
whole Sermons he had taught before the whole Lent past adding That within Scotland there were no true Bishops if that Bishops should be known by such notes and vertues as S. Paul requires in Bishops This delation flew with wings to the Bishops ears who without further delay sent for the said Friar Alexander who began sharply to accuse that he had so â—landerously spoken of the dignitie of Bishops as to say That it behoved a Bishop to be a Preacher or else he were but a dumb dog and fed not the flock but fed his own bellie The man being witty and minding that which was his most assured defence said My Lord The reporters of such things are manifest liars Whereat the Bishop rejoyced and said Your answer pleaseth me well I never could think of you that ye would be so foolish as to affirm such things Where are the knaves that have brought me this tale Who comparing and affirming the same that they did before he still replyed That they were liers But while the witnesses were multiplied and men were brought to attention he turned him to the Bishop and said My Lord ye may hear and consider what ears these Asses have who cannot discern betwixt Paul Esay Zachary and Malachy and Frier Alexander Seton In very deed My Lord I said That Paul saith It behoveth a Bishop to be a Teacher Esay said That they that fed not the flock are dumb dogs and Zachary saith They are idle Pastors I of mine own head affirmed nothing but declared what the Spirit of God before pronounced At whom my Lord if ye be not offended justly ye cannot be offended at me And so yet again my Lord I say That they are manifest liars that reported unto you that I said That ye and others that preach not are no Bishops but belly-gods Albeit after that the Bishop was highly offended as well at the scoffe and bitter mock as at the bold liberty of that learned man yet durst he not hazard for that present to execute his malice conceived For nought only feareth he the learning and bold spirit of the man but also the favour that he had as well of the people as of the Prince King Iames the fifth with whom he had good credite for he was at that time his Confessor and had exhorted him to the fear of God to the meditation of Gods Law and unto purity of life But the said Bishop with his complices foreseeing what danger might come to their estate if such familiarity should continue betwixt the Prince and a man so learned and so repugning to their affections laboureth by all means to make the said Frier Alexander odious unto the King and easily found the means by the gray Friers who by their hypocrisie deceived many to traduce the innocent as an Heretick This accusation was easily believed of the young Prince who being much given to the lusts of the flesh abhorred all counsell that repugned thereto And because he did remember what a terrour the admonitions of the said Alexander was unto his blinded conscience without resistance he subscribed to their accusation affirming that he knew more then they did in that matter For he understood well enough that he smelled of the new Doctrine by such things as he had shewed to him under Confession And therefore he promised that he should follow the counsell of the Bishops in punishing of him and of all others of that Sect. These things understood by the said Alexander as well by the information of his friends and familiars as by the strange countenance of the King unto him provideth the next way to avoid the fury of a misled Prince and so in his habit he departeth the Realme and coming to Berwicke wrote back again to the King his Complaint and Admonition The very Tenour and Copy whereof followeth and is this MOst gracious Soveraigne Lord under the Lord and King of all of whom onely thy Highnesse and Majestie hast power and authority to exercise Justice within this thy Realme under God who is King and Lord of all Realms and thy Majestie and all mortall kings are but onely servants unto that onely immortall Prince Christ Jesus c. It is not I wot unknowne to thy gracious Highnesse how that thy Majesties sometime servant and Orator and ever shall be to my lives end is departed out of thy Realm unto the next adjacent of England neverthelesse I believe the cause of my departing is unknown to thy gracious Majesty Which onely is Because the Bishops and Church-men of thy Realm have had heretofore such authority upon thy subjects that apparently they were rather King and thou the subject which unjust Regiment is of it self false and contrary to holy Scripture and Gods Law Then thou art the King and Master and they thy subjects which is very true and testified expresly by the Word of God And also because they will give no man of any degree or state whom they often call Hereticks audience time nor place to speak and have defence which is against all Law both the old Law called the Law of Moses and the new Law of the Gospel So that if I might have had audience and place to speak and have shewed my just defence conformable to the Law of God I should never have fled to any other Realm suppose it should have cost me my life But because I believed that I should have no audience nor place to answer they are so great with thy Majestie I departed not doubting but moved of God unto a better time that God illuminate thy Majestie even to give every man audience is thou shouldst and mayst and is bound by the Law of God who are accused to the death And to certifie thy Highnesse that these are no vain words but of deed and effect here I offer me to thy Majestie to come in thy Realme again so that thy Majestie will give me audience and hear what I have for me of the Law of God and cause any Bishop or Abbot Friar or Secular which is most cunning some of them cannot reade their Mattins who are made Judges of Heresie to impugne me by the Law of God and if my part be found wrong thy Majestie being present and Judge I refuse no pain worthy or condigne for my fault And if that I convince them by the Law of God and that they have nothing to lay to my charge but the law of man and their own inventions to uphold their own glory and pridefull life and daily scourging of thy poor subjects I refer my self to thy Majestie as Judge Whether he hath the victory that holds him at the Law of God which cannot fail or be false or they that holds them at the Law of man which is very oft plain contrary and against the Law of God and therefore of necessity false and full of lies For all things that is contrary to the veritie which is Christ and his Law is of
Majesties most gentle clemency and liberall support the said Nobility as well such as be joyned as such as shall hereafter joyn with them already joyned for the defence of the liberty of that Realme shall to the uttermost of their power ayd and support her Majesties Army against the French and their partakers with Horse-men and Foot-men and with Victualls by Land and Sea with all manner of other ayd to the best of their power and so shall continue during the time that her Majesties Army shall remain in Scotland Item They shall be enemies to all such Scotish men and French as shall in any wise shew themselves enemies to the Realm of England for the ayding and supporting of the said Nobility in the delivery of the Realme of Scotland from Conquest Item They shall never assent nor permit that the Realme of Scotland shall be conquered or otherwise knit to the Crown of France then it is at this present onely by Marriage of the Queen their Soveraign to the French King and it be ruled by the Laws and Liberties of the Realme as it ought to be Item In case the French-men shall at any time hereafter invade or cause to be invaded the Realme of England they shall furnish the number of two thousand Horse-men and one thousand Foot-men at the least or such part of either of them at the charge of the Queen of England and shall conduct the same to passe from the borders of Scotland next England upon her Majesties charges to any part of the Realme of England for defence of the same And in case the invasion be on the North parts of England on the North side of the water of Tyne towards Scotland or against Barwick on the North side of the water of Tweid They shall convene and gather their whole Forces upon their owne charges and shall joyne with the English power and shall continue in good and earnest pursuite of the Quarrell of England during the space of thirty dayes or so much longer as they were accustomed to tarry in the fields for defence of Scotland At the commandment of their Soveraignes at any time by past and also the Earle of Argyle Lord Justice of Scotland being presently joyned with the rest shall imploy his force and good will where he shall be required by the Queens Majestie to reduce the North parts of Ireland to the perfect obedience of England conforme to a mutuall and reciproque contract to be made betwixt her Majesties Lieutenant or Deputie of Ireland being for the time and the said Earle wherein shall be contained what he shall do for his part and what the said Lieutenant or Deputie shall do for his support in case he shall have to do with Iames Mackconell or any others of the Isles of Scotland or Realme of Ireland For performance and sure keeping whereof they shall for their part come to the said Duke of Norfolk the pledges presently named by him before the entry of her Majesties Armie in Scottish ground to remain in England for the space of six moneths and to be there exchanged upon deliverance of new hostages of like or as good condition as the former or being the lawfull sons brethren or heires of any of the Peers or Barons of Parliament that have or hereafter shall shew themselves and persist open enemies to the French in this quarrell and so forth from six moneths to six moneths or foure moneths to foure moneths as shall best please the partie of Scotland And the time of continuance of the hostages shall be during the marriage of the Queen of Scots to the French King and a yeere after the dissolution of the said Marriage untill further order may be had betwixt both the Realmes for Peace and Concord And furthermore the said Nobility being Peers and Barons of Parliament joyned together shall subscribe and seale these Articles and agreement within the space of twenty or thirty dayes at the uttermost next following the day of the delivering of the said hostages and shall also procure and perswade all others of the Nobility that shall joyne themselves heereafter with the said Lords for the cause above-specified likewise to subscribe and seale those Articles at any time after the space of twenty dayes after their conjunction upon requisition made by them on the partie of the Queens Majestie of England And finally the said Nobility joyned together certainly perceiving that the Queens Majestie of England is thereunto moved onely upon respect of Princely honour and neighbourhood for defence of the freedom of Scotland from Conquest and not of any other sinister intent doth by these presents testifie and declare That they nor any of them mean by this agreement to withdraw any due obedience to the Soveraign Lady the Queen nor in any lawfull thing to withstand the French King her husband and head that during the marriage shall not tend to the subversion and oppression of the just and ancient Liberties of the said Kingdom of Scotland For preservation whereof both for their Soveraigns honour and for the continuance of the Kingdom in its ancient state they acknowledge themselves bound to spend their Goods Lands and Lives And for performance of this present Contract for the part of England the Queens Majestie shall confirm the same and all Clauses therein contained by her Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England to be delivered to the Nobility of Scotland upon the entrie of the Pledges aforesaid within the ground of England In Witnesse whereof the said Duke of Norfolke hath subscribed these Points and thereunto affixed his Seal the day yeer and place aforesaid Which Contract we finde honest and reasonable and that our said Commissioners therein hath considerately respected the Common-weale of this Realme of us and our posterity And therefore do ratifie allow confirme and approve the same with all Clauses and Articles therein contained by these Presents In Witnesse hereof we have subscribed the same with our Hands and sealed with our Seals of Arms in such causes accustomed are appended At the Camp before Leith the tenth day of May the year of God 1560 yeers Follow the Subscriptions The Subscriptions The Duke of Chattellarault Earle of Arrane Earle of Glencarne Earle of Rothesse Earl of Argyle Earle of Huntlie Earle of Morton Earle of Menteth Lord Ogilbye Lord Iames Steward Alexander Gordon Lord Boyd Lord Uchiltrie Gawin Hamilton of Kilwinning Abbot of Culrosse Lord Bothwike Lord of Saint Iohn Lord Iohn Abirbrâ—thok Lord Simmerwaile Lord Robert Steward Abbot of Kynlosse Iames Stewart of Saint Colmes Inche The Instructions given subscribed to the said Commissioners following 1. IN the first place if it shall be asked of you by the Duke of Norfolk and by other the Queens Majesties appointed Commissioners If your Pledges be in readinesse ye shall answer That they are and in Saint Andrews the 25 of this instant and shal be ready to be delivered in Hostage for security of our promises and part
triumph which also for a season stayed the appointment yet in the end Peace was concluded in forme as followeth The Articles Translated and agreed by John Bishop of Valance and Monsieur Randam Deputies to the King and Queen of Scotland upon the matters presented to them by way of Petition for the part of Nobilitie and people of Scotland IN the first Upon the Complaint and Petition of the said Nobility and the people of this Countrey and the number of men of War sustained by their Majesties in these parts in the time of Peace It is humbly remonstrated to the said Deputies that they would provide convenient remedie thereunto for the comfort and reliefe of the Countrey The said Deputies considering the said desires to be just and conformable to reason condescended agreed and assured That the King and Queen should procure no French Men of Warre nor no other nation to come to these parts in time comming But if strangers would pretend to enter into this Realme with a Navie or Armie to occupie the same In the which cause provision shall be made by their Majesties the judgement and counsell of the States of the Realme being had thereto and that the French Men of Warre being now in the Town of Leith shall be sent to France the same time that the Navie and Armie of English-men and Scottish-men be scattered and departed both by sea and land the which shall be done in the best manner may be as at more large consideration shall be had thereupon and as to the bands of Scottish men of warre being at the said place they shall be broken and the men of war licensed to depart Moreover as to the Forts of Dumbar and Incheketh that there shall remain in them an 120. Frenchmen of war onely which shall be parted and distributed in these two places and there shall remain no more in Dumbar but threescore men of warre so it be affirmed by the Captains chosen to that effect by both the parties that for the keeping of the same a greater number is not need full also to depart when the States of the Realm can finde any good and sure remedie upon the expences made in the said places to keep the same from perill of invasion or ruine thereof from them that would pretend to occupie the same they shall immediatly shew the same unto their Majesties as hastily as may be done and in the mean time the number of the said men of war shall not be augmented And in like manner it shall not be lawfull to the said men of warre to do any injuries to any persons nor yet to maintain and defend any Scottish men of what qualitie soever they be of against the will and authoritie of the Magistrates of the Realm nor to receive them in the said places that the Minister of Justice may not put hands on them nor yet shall intromit in any manner of way with the quarrels and discords of the Lords and other particular men of this Realm But they themselves shall be bound in cases of any quarrell to be punished after the Laws and constitutions of this Realm and to answer for themselves before the Judges Ordinaries of the same Last of all that from henceforth they be not compelled to take on credite they shall be every moneth satisfied of their wages so that two Scottish Lords chosen by the Councell may present it at the Wapon shawing and musters of the said men of warre and also to visit the said Forts to see if the number of them be liked and it shall not be lawfull to the said men of war to take any victuals for their sustentation or for munition of the said places but by paiment of readie money numerate and with the pleasures of them that delivereth the same unto them And therefore the said Lords obliges themselves to give them so much as is needfull unto them they having to pay therefore Item upon the petition preâ—ented unto the said Lords Deputies anenst the demolition of the fortifications the said Deputies consent agree and assureth that the fortification of Leith shall be demolished and that two three or four Captains shall be chosen by both the parties to view the Castle of Dumbar and if it be found by them that the reparation amplification and fortifying made thereof now after the peace greater number of men to the keeping thereof be required the reparation and fortification thereof shall be abolished so soon as may be done and shall remaine onely untouched that thing while we may make the said Castell more sure and in lesse danger from invasion Providing not the lesse that no greater number of men therein be required for keeping of the same Moreover in times comming the King and Queene shall make no moâ— new Forts within this Realm and shall not augment them that are else made nor shall repair them that are demolished without counsell and consent of the Estates nor yet shall transport to these parts any Artillery Munition of Warre Powder or Victuals but so much as may serve for keeping of the said places by the space of six moneths or a yeer Item Anenst the Demand made about the debts contracted by the French men of War in this Countrey The saids Deputies consenteth That the King and Queen shall cause to be restored all that which happeneth to be found given and granted to the Kings Lieutenant and his Captains and other Officers for the nourishment sustentation and maintenance of the said French-men or that which is found owing by the Lieutenants for service of their Majesties that may appear by writ or confession of parties Item Upon the Petition made anenst the Convention of States of this Realm the said Deputies Consented and Accorded c. That the States of the Realme may convene and hold a Parliament the twentieth day of the moneth of Iuly next to come upon the which day the Parliament shall be continued as the use is unto the first day of the moneth of August following Providing alwayes That before they begin to handle any thing in the said Parliament all tumult of War be discharged and cease that they who are present may be free without fear of men of War or others and that in this mean time a Messenger be sent by the said Deputies to the King and Queen to certifie them of the things agreed treated and accorded requesting their Majesties humbly to be contented with the same And the said Convention shall be as lawfull in all respects as the same had been ordained and done by expresse Commandment of their Majesties Providing that no matter be treated therein before the said first day of August Item Upon the Article presented concerning War and Peace the said Deputies Consented Accorded c. That the King and Queen neither make Peace nor War on their parts but by the Counsell Judgement and consent of the States according to the Ordinance of the Countrey and as was observed by their
Predecessors Item Upon the Petition presented to the said Deputies concerning the Government and Regiment of the Policy they have Consented c. That four and twenty worthy men of this Realme be chosen by the States of the which the King and the Queen shall chuse seven and the States five which in their Majesties absence shall take order and make one ordinary Councell for the administration aforesaid so that no man of whatsoever quality he be shall have the power to order any thing to be done touching the said businesse without the mediation authority and consent of them and the said Councellors shall convene together as oft as they can conveniently but shall convene no lesse nor fix together And when any matter of importance occurreth they shall all be called to consult and order to be taken by them or the most part of them if need be And if it happen any of the said seven chosen by the King and Queen to decease their Majesties shall chuse another forth of the said number of four and twenty in the place of him that deceased And if any of the said five chosen by the States dieth the remnant forechosen by them shall name another of the number of 24. Moreover if it be thought expedient to the said States that other two be augmented to the said number of 12. then and in that cause the King and Queen shall chuse one and the States another and so was this Article agreed under condition that is to say That the same be no prejudice in times coming to the King and Queen and Rights of the Crown And the said Deputies offered their labours to make mediation to the King and Queen for maintaining Pensions and Expenses of the said Councellors and ordinary Officers of the said Councell to be provided of the Rents and Revenues of the Crown Item Upon the Petition made to the said Depuâ—ies anenst the Officers of this Realm they consented and accorded c. That in time to come the King and Queen shall not depute any stranger in the administration of the Civill and Common Justice and likewise in the Office of Chancery Keeper of the Seale the Treasurer Controller and every like Offices and shall not use them but shall be content with their owne subjects borne in the Realm Moreover It shall not be lawfull to put the Office of Treasury Controller into the hands of any Church-man or other which are not able to exercise the said Offices the which Treasurer and Controller shall be provided of sufficient Commission to use the said Offices But it shall be lawfull to them to dispose or sell Wards of Marriages or other casualties or any other things whatsoever they be pertaining to their Offices without advice and consent of the said Councell to the effect that the Councell may know that all things be done to the profit of the King and Queen And yet they will not binde or astraint the King or Queen to this Article that they may not give when they think expedient Item They accorded That in the first Convention and Parliament of the States of this Realme there shall be Constituted Ordained and Established an Act of Oblivion which afterwards shall be confirmed by the Kings and Queens Majesties by the which the remembrance of bearing Armour and other things which have been done shall be buried and forgotten from the sixth day of the moneth of March in the yeer of our Lord God 1558 yeers And by the same Act they which have contravened the Laws of the Realme shall be excused and free of all pains contained therein even so as if it had never been contravened Providing That the Priviledge of the said Act be not extended to them which the States of the Realme shall judge unworthy thereof Item It is agreed and concluded That in the said Convention or Parliament the States of the Realme as the Custome is and ordinarily is required shall be called in the which all they that have used to convene and to be present may come without all fear or force done or to be done to them by any person so that the said States shall oblige them That where in time coming any Sedition or gathering of men of War shall happen to be without command of the Councell being of the number of twelve the Realme and Countrey shall repute the causers thereof and they that convene as Rebells and shall pursue them as such like that they may be punished by the Laws of the Realm so that the K. and Q. shall not be compelled in time coming to send any men of War strangers in these parts for obtaining due obedience of their subjects Item They Offered Accorded and Agreed That there shall be a generall peace and reconciliation amongst all Lords and subjects of this Realm so that they that are called of the Congregation and they which are not of the same shall lay no reproach to others for the things which are done from the said sixth day of March 1558. Item They Offered Accorded and Affirmed That the King and Queen shall not pursue revenge nor make any persecution for the things that have been done nor yet shall they suffer the same to be done by their subjects French-men but shall have all things in Oblivion as if the same had never been done And such like the Lords of this Realm of Scotland shall do in all businesse betwixt them and the French-men on their And if by sinister information or any other occasion their Majesties have conceived evill opinion against their subjects they shall utterly forget and change the same Nor shall they deprive any of them nor take from them any of them their Subjects the Offices Benefices or Estates which they have brooked and enjoyed in the said Realm before by reason of any things they have medled with from the said sixth day of March 1558. And further shall make no occasion of deprivation nor deposing of them by any other colour without just cause but rather they shall esteem and use them in time coming as good and obedient subjects Providing That the said Lords and other subjects on their part make to their Majesties all obedience such like as other faithfull and naturall subjects owe to their Soveraigns Item It is Accorded and Agreed That it shall be lawfull to none of the Lords and Nobility of Scotland or any other to make Convocation of men of War but in the ordinary cause approved by the Laws and Custome of the Realme And none of them shall cause any men of War strangers to come to their parts and much lesse shall attempt to do any thing against the King and Queen or against the Authority of the Councell and other Magistrates of the Realme and they which have presented the Petition shall be bound thereunto And in case any of them or others finde occasion to invade or take Armour against any man as he pretendeth after that he hath communicated the matter with
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
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
that the rest of the Lords were charged with and also commanded to give over the House of Lochmabben and the Castle which he had in keeping for the Queen And albeit he obeyed not yet was he not put to the Horne as the rest Neverthelesse there was no man that doubted of his good will and partaking with the Lords who in the mean time sent Robert Melvin to the Queen of England and declared their state to her Majesty desiring support Now the chief care and solicitude that was in the Court was By what means they might come to have money for notwithstanding this great preparation for warre and eminent appearance of trouble yet were they destitute of the sinewes of Warre albeit the Treasurers and now Comptroller to wit the Laird of Tilbardin had disbursed many thousands yet there was no appearance of payment of souldiers nor scarcely how the King and Queens Houses and pompous Trains should be upholden there was about 600. Horsmen besides the Guard and 3. Ensignes of footmen The charge of the whole would amount to 1000. l. ster every moneth a thing surpassing the usuall manner of Scotland At this time arrived the Earl of Bothwell who was welcome and graciously received by the Queen and immediately placed in Councell and made Lieutenant of the West and middle Marches Now as every one of the Barons compounded to be exempted from this meeting the E. of Athole demanded of Edinburgh 200. l. ster but they refused to pay it notwithstanding Octo. 27. there was a certain number of the principall and rich persons of the Town warned by a Macer to passe to the Palace of Hallyrudhouse to the King and Queen who declared to them by their own mouthes speaking that they had use for money and therefore knowing them to be honest men and the inhabitants of the best Citie in their Countrey they must needs charge them and for security they should have other men bound for pledges or any Hand therefore The sum that they desired was 1000 l. sterl and no lesse They being astonished made no answer but Parson Flisk standing by said That seeing the King and Queens Majesties desired them so civilly in a thing most lawfull in their necessitie they did shew themselves not honest to keepe silence and give no answer to their Majesties for that must needs be had of them which was required and if they would not they should be constrained by the Laws which they would not abide for some of them had deserved hanging said he because they had lent large summs of money to the King and Queens enemies and Rebels and therefore they must shortly suffer great punishment Soon after they were called in one by one and demanded how much they would lend some made this excuse and some that by reason there were that offered to lend money amongst whom there was one offered to lend 20 l. To him the Earle of Athole said Thou art worthy to be hanged that speakest of 20 l. seeing the Princes charge thee so easily Finally they were all imprisoned and souldiers set over them having their Muskets ready charged and their Match lighted even in the house with them where they remained all that night and the next day till night and then being changed from one prison to another there were six chosen out and sent in the night to the Castle of Edinburgh convoyed with Musketteers round about them as if they had been Murtherers or most vile persons At length the third day by means of the Laird of Craigmiller Provest and some others the summe was made more easie to wit a 1000 Marks sterling to be paid immediately and to have the superioritie of Leithin in Pledge to wit upon condition of Redemption And besides the said summe of 1000 Marks sterlin they paid 1000 l. sterl For the meeting at Dumfreis at the day appointed for electing the officers the Queen sent in a Ticket such as she would have them to chuse for Provest Bailiffs and Councell whereof there was a number of Papists the rest not worthy Of the number given in by the Queen they named such as should rule for that year Notwithstanding without free Election the Laird Craigmiller remained Provest who shewed himself most willing to set forward Religion to punish vice and to maintain the Common-wealth All this time the Ministers cried out against the Masse and such Idolatry for it was more advanced by the Queen then before The first day of October met in Edinburgh the Superintendant of Lothian with all the Ministers under his charge according to their ordinary custome for every Superintendant used to convene the whole Ministery and there it was complained on That they could get no payment of their stipends not only about the City but thorow the whole Realm Therefore after reasoning and consultation taken they framed a supplication directed to the King and Queen and immediately presented the same to their Majesties by M. Iohn Spottswood Superintendant of Lothian and Master David Lindsey Minister of Leith it contained in effect That forasmuch as it had pleased the King and Queens Majesties with advice of the Privie Councell to grant unto the Ministers of the Word their stipends to be taken of the Thirds of the Benefices which Stipends are now detained from the said Ministers by reason of the troubles and changing of the Comptroller whereby they are not able to live and therefore most humbly craved the King and Queens Majesty to cause them to be paid Their answer was That they would cause order to be taken therin to their contentment Soon after the Lord Gordion came to Edinburgh and left the most part of his people at Sterlin with his carriage the King and Queen for hope of his good service to be done restored him to his Fathers place to the Earledome of Hintley the Lands and Heritage thereof October 8. the King and Queene marched forth of Edinburgh towards Dumfreis and as they passed from the Pallace of Hallyrud-house all men were warned with Jack and Spear The first night they came to Sterlin and the next to Craford the day after the Lairds of Drunlaurick and Lochinvar met the Queen albeit they had been with the Lords familiar enough The Lords perceiving that all hope of reconciliation was past they rode to Ednam where they remained till the Queen came to Dumfreis and then they past to Carlile Now the Master of Maxwell who had entertained the Lords familiarly and subscribed with them and had spoken as highly against their enemies as any of themselves and had received large mony by that means to wit 1000. l. to raise a Band or Troup of Horsmen and that the same day the King and Queen came to Dumfreis the third day after their coming he came to them conveyed by the Earle Bothwell with divers other Noblemen At length the Earles of Athole and Hintley were Sureties for him and all things past remitted upon condition that he should be a faithfull and
greater enemy to the banished Lords And at this time the principall Lords that waited at Court were divided in opinions For the Earle of Morton Chancellor with the Earle of Marr and Secretary Lethington were on the one part and the Earles of Huntley and Bothwell on the other part so that a certain drynesse was amongst them neverthelesse by means of the Earle of Athole they were reconciled Now as there was preparation made by the Papists for Christmas the Queen being then at Masse the King came publikely and bare company and the Friers Preached the dayes following alwayes using another stile then they had done seven yeers before during which time they had not Preached publikely they were so little esteemed that they continued not long in Preaching At the same time convened in Edinburgh the generall Assembly of the Ministers and Commissioners of the Churches Reformed within this Realme There assisted them of the Nobility the Earles of Morton and Marr the Lord Lindsay and Secretary Lethington with others The chief things that were concluded in this Assembly were That for the avoyding of the plagues and scourges of God which appeared to come upon the people for their sins and ingratitude there should be proclaimed by the Ministers a publike Fast to be Universally observed thorowout all the Reformed Churches which manner of Fasting was soon after devised by Iohn Knox at the Command of the Church and put in Print wherefore needs not here to be recited in this place What followed upon the said Fast shall be plainly God willing declared The second thing that was ordained in this Assembly was concerning the Ministers who for want of payment of their stipends were like to perish or else to leave their Ministry wherefore it was found necessary That supplication should be made to the King and Queens Majesties And for the same purpose a certain uumber of the most able men were elected to go to their Majesties aforesaid to lament and bemone their case Which persons had Commission to propose some other things as shall be declared The names of them that past from the Church to the King and Queens Majesties were M. Iohn Spotswood Superintendent of Lowthian Iohn Winrame Superintendent of Fyfe M. Iohn Row Minister of Perth M. David Lyndsay Minister of Leith who easily obtained audience of the King and Queens Majesties And after their reverence done M. Iohn Row in name of the rest opened the matter lamenting bewailing the miserable state of the poor Ministers who by publike command had been reasonably satisfied three yeers or more by vertue of the Act made with advice of the honorable Privie Councell for the taking up of the Thirds of the Benefices which was especially made in their favours Neverthelesse the Laird of Tillibardin new Comptroller would answer them nothing Wherefore they besought their Majesties for relief Secondly seeing that in all Supplications made to the King and Queens Majesties by the Church at all times they desired most earnestly that all Idolatry and superstition and especially the Masse should be rooted out and abolished quite out of this Realme And that in the last generall Assembly of the Church by their Commissioners they had most earnestly desired the same And that their answer was then That they knew no impediment in the Masse therefore the Assembly desired That it might please their Highnesses to hear Disputation to the end that such as now pretend to Preach in the Chappell Royall and maintain such errours the Truth being tryed by disputation that they might be known to be abusers submitting themselves alwayes to the Word of God written in the Scriptures To this it was answered by the Queen That she was alwayes minded that the Ministers should be paid their Stipends and if there was any fault therein the same came by some of their own sort meaning the Comptroller Pittarow who had the handling of the Thirds Alwayes by the advice of her Councell she should cause such order to be taken therein that none should have occasion to complain As to the second She would not jeopard her Religion upon such as were there present for she knew well enough that the Protestants were more learned The Ministers and Commissioners of Churches perceiving nothing but delay and driving off time in the old manner went home every one to their own Churches waiting upon the good providence of God continually making Supplication unto Almighty God that it would please him of his mercy to remove the apparant plague And in the mean time the Queen was busied with Banqueting about with some of the Lords of the Session of Edinburgh and after with all men of Law having continually in her company David Rizio who sate at Table neer to her self sometimes more privately then became a man of his Condition for his over-great familiarity was already supected and it was thought That by his advice alone the Queens sharpnesse and extremity towards the Lords was maintained In the end of Ianuary arrived an Ambassadour from France named Monsieur Rambullet having with him about fourty Horse in Trayn who came thorow England He brought with him the Order of the Cockle from the King of France to the King who received the same at the Masse in the Chappell of the Palace of Halyrud-house There assisted the Earles of Lenox Athole and Eglington with divers such other Papists as would please the Queen who three dayes after caused the Herald to convene in Councell and reasoned what Armes should be given to the King some thought he should have the Armes of Scotland some others said Seeing it was not concluded in Parliament that he should have the Crown Matrimoniall he could have Armes but onely as Duke of Rothesay Earle of Rosse c. The Queen bade give him onely his due whereby it was perceived her love waxed cold towards him Finally his Arms were left blank and the Queen caused put her own name before her husbands in all Wrets and thereafter she caused to leave out his name wholly And because formerly he had signed every thing of any moment she caused to make a Seale like the Kings and gave it to David Rizio who made use of it by the Queens Command alleadging That the King being at his Pastime could not alwayes be present About the same time the Earle of Glencarne came from Barwicke to his owne Countrey Soon after the Earle of Bothwell was married unto the Earle of Huntley his sister The Queene desired that the Marriage might be made in the Chappell at the Masse which the Earle Bothwell would in no wise grant Upon Sunday the third day of March began the Fasting at Edinburgh The seventh day of March the Queen came from the Pallace of Hallirud-house to the Town in wondrous gorgious apparell albeit the number of Lords and Train was not very great In the mean time the King accompanied with seven or eight horse went to the Leith to passe his time there for hee was not like
being counselled and perswaded by divers notable Personages he began well in Edinburgh to proceed whereby a great number were moved with compassion of his state and likewise in Iedwart but he left his duty in Dundie and passing again into England the matter not without offence to many ceased The Ministers complaining that they could not be paid their Stipends were licensed by the Assembly to passe to other Churches to Preach but in no wise to leave the Ministery And because that the Queens Majesty had promised often before to provide remedy it was thought expedient that Supplication should be yet made as before That the Queens Majesty should cause such order to be taken that the poor Ministers might be paid their Stipends The Bishop of Galloway who was brother to the Earle of Huntley and now a great man in the Court travelled much with the Queens Majesty in that matter and got of her a good answer and fair promises A few yeers before the said Bishop of Galloway desired of the generall Assembly to be made Superintendent of Galloway but now being promoted to great Dignity as to be of the number of the Lords of the Privy Councell and likewise one of the Session he would no more be called Over-looker or Over-seer of Golloway but Bishop Alwayes truth it is That he laboured much for his Nephew the Earle of Huntley that he might be restored to his Lands and Honours for the said Earle was new Chancellor since the slaughter of David Rizio and had for his clawback the Bishop of Rosse Master Iohn Lesley one of the chief Councellors to the Qâ—een But of all men the Earle Bothwell was most in the Queens favour so far that all things past by him yea by his means the most part of all those that were partakers in the slaughter of David Rizio got remission and relief But from that day he was not present at any Sermon albeit before he professed the Evangell by outward speaking yet he never joyned to the Congregation But this time the Earle of Cassells was contracted with the Lord of Glanes sister by whose perswasion he became a Protestant and caused in the Moneth of August to reâ—orm his Churches in Carrick and promised to maintain the Doctrine of the Evangell The Queen not yet satisfied with the death of her man David caused in August to be apprehended a man called Hary who sometime had been of her Chappell Royall but afterward became an exhorter in a Reformed Church and for want of stipend or other necessaries past in service to my Lord Ruthuen and chanced that night to be present when the said David was slaine and so finally he was condemned and hanged and quartered The King being now contemned of all men because the Queen cared not for him he went sometime to the Lenox to his father and sometime to Sterlin whither the Prince was carried a little before Alwayes he was destitute of such things as were necessary for him having scarcely six horses in Trayn And being thus desolate and half desperate he sought means to go out of the Countrey And about the same time by the advice of Forlish Cagets he wrote to the Pope to the King of Spain and to the King of France complaining of the state of the Countrey which was all out of order all because that Masse and Popery were not againe erected giving the whole blame thereof to the Queen as not managing the Catholike Cause aright By some knave this poor Prince was betrayed and the Queen got a Copie of these Letters into her hands and therefore threatned him sore and there was never after that any appearance of love betwixt them The Churches of Geneva Berne and Basill with other Reformed Churches of Germany and France sent to the whole Church of Scotland the sum of the Confession of their Faith desiring to know if they agreed in Uniformity of Doctrine alleadging That the Church of Scotland was dissonant in some Articles from them Wherefore the Superintendents with a great part of the other most qualified Ministers convened in September in S. Andrews and reading the said Letters made answer and sent word again That they agreed in all points with those Churches and differed in nothing from them Albeit in the keeping of some Festivall days our Church assented not for onely the Sabbath day was kept in Scotland In the end of this Month the Earl Bothwell riding in pursuit of the theeves in Liddisdale was ill hurt and worse terrified by a thief for he believed surely to have departed forth of this life and sent word thereof to the Queens Majesty who soon after past forth of Iedwart to the Hermitage to visite him and give him comfort And within a few dayes after she took sicknesse in a most extreme manner for she lay two houres long cold dead as it were without breath or any signe of life at length she revived by reason they had bound small Cords about her shackle bones her knees and great toes and speaking very softly she desired the Lords to pray for her to God she said the Creed in English and desired my Lord of Murray if she should chance to depart that he would not be over extreme such as was of her Religion the Duke and he should have been Regents The bruit went from Iedwart in the month of October 1565. that the Queen was departed this life or at least she could not live any time wherefore there was continually prayers publikely made at the Church of Edinburgh and divers other places for her conversion towards God and amendment Many were of opinion That she should come to the Preaching and renounce Popery But all in vain for God had some other thing to doe by her The King being advertised rid Post from Sterlin to Iedburgh where he found the Queen somewhat convalesced but she would scarce speak to him and hardly give him presence or a good word wherfore he returned immediately to Sterlin where the Prince was and after to Glascow to his Father There appeared great trouble over the whole Realm and especially in the Countreys neer the borders if the Queen had departed at that time as she began to recover the Earle Bothwell was brought in a Charriot from the Hermitage to Iedburgh where he was cured of his wounds in whose presence the Queen took more pleasure then in all the rest of the world alwayes by his meanes most part of all that were out-lawed for the slaughter of David Rizio got reliefe for there was no other meanes but all things must needs passe by him wherefore every man sought to him where immediately favour was to be had as before to David Rizio Soon after the Queen passing along the borders she came within the bounds of Barwick where she viewed the Town at her pleasure a far off being within half a Mile and lesse all the Ordnance within Barwick were Discharged The Captain came forth with fourscore Horses bravely
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
So served Darius giving into the power of Daniel the Idol to be broken and his enemies to be cast to the Lions So served Nebuchad-nezzar by a terrible Law forbidding all that were in his Realme to blaspheme God Herein therefore do Kings serve the Lord in so farre as they are Kings when they do those things to serve him which none except Kings be able to doe He further proceedeth and concludeth That as when wicked Kings do raigne impiety cannot be bridled by Laws but rather is tyranny exercised under the title of the same So is it a thing without all reasons That Kings professing the knowledge and honour of God should not regard nor care who did defend nor who did oppugne the Church of God in their Dominions By these words of this ancient and godly Writer your Honours may perceive what I require of you to wit To represse the tyranny of your Bishops and to defend the innocents professing the Truth He did require of the Emperour and Kings in his dayes professing Christ and manifestly concludeth That they cannot serve Christ except that so they doe Let not your Bishops think that Augustine speaketh for them because he nameth the Church Let them reade and understand That Augustine writeth for that Church which professeth the Truth and doth suffer persecution for the defence of the same which your Bishops do not but rather with the Donatists and Arrians do cruelly persecute all such as boldly speak Christs Eternall Verity to manifest their impiety and abomination But thus much we have of Augustine That it appertaineth to the obedience and service which Kings owe to God as well now in the time of the Gospel as before under the Law to defend the afflicted for matters of Religion and to represse the fury of the persecuters by the rigour and severity of godly Laws For which cause no doubt Isaiah the Prophet saith That Kings should be nourishers of the Church of God that they should abase their heads and lovingly embrace the children of God And thus I say your Honours may evidently see That the same Obedience doth God require of Rulers and Princes in the time of the Gospel that he required in the time of the Law If you do think that the Reformation of Religion and defence of the afflicted doth not appertain to you because you are no Kings but Nobles and States of a Realme in two things you are deceived First In that you do not advert That David requireth as well that the Princes and Judges of the earth to be learned and that they serve and fear God as that he requireth that Kings repent If you therefore be Judges and Princes as no man can deny you to be then by the plain words of David you are charged to be learned to serve and fear God which ye cannot do if ye despise the Reformation of his Religion And this is your first errour The second is That ye neither know your duty which ye owe to God neither yet your Authority which of him ye have received if ye for pleasure or fear of any earthly man despise Gods true Religion and contemn your brethren that in his Name call for your support Your duty is to hear the voyce of the Eternall your God and unfainedly to studie to follow his Precepts who as is before said of speciall mercy hath promoted you to Honours and Dignity His chief and principall Precept is That with reverence ye receive and embrace his onely beloved Son Jesus That ye promote to the uttermost of your powers his true Religion and That ye defend your brethren and subjects whom he hath put under your charge and care Now if your King be a man ignorant of God enemy to his true Religion blinded by Superstition and a persecuter of Christs members Shall ye be execused if with silence ye passe over his iniquity Be not deceived my Lords ye are placed in Authority for another purpose then to flatter your King in his folly and blinde rage to wit That as with your bodies strength riches and wisedom ye are bound to assist and defend him in all things which by your advice he shall take in hand for Gods glory and for the preservation of his Common-wealth and subjects so by your authorities counsell and admonition ye are bound to correct and represse whatsoever ye know him to attempt expressely repugning to Gods Word Honour and glory or what ye shall espie him to do be it by ignorance or be it by malice against his subjects great or small Of which last part of your obedience if you defraud your King ye commit against him no lesse Treason then if ye did extract from him your due and promised support when by his enemies unjustly he were pursued But this part of their duty I fear do a small number of the Nobility of this age rightly consider neither yet will they understand that for that purpose hath God promoted them For now the common song of all men is We must obey our Kings be they good or bad For God hath commanded it But horrible shall the vengeance be that shall be poured forth upon such blasphemers of God his holy Name and Ordinance For it is no lesse blasphemy to say That God hath commanded Kings to be obeyed when they command impiety then to say That God by his Precept is author and maintainer of all iniquity True it is God hath commanded Kings to be obeyed but like true it is That in things which they commit against his glory or when cruelly without cause they rage against their brethren the members of Christs body he hath commanded no obedience but rather he hath approved yea and greatly rewarded such as have opposed themselves to their ungodly commandments and blinde rage as in the examples of the three Children of Daniel and Abdemelech it is evident The three Children would neither bow nor stoup before the golden Image at the commandment of the great King Nebuchadnezar Daniel did openly pray his windows being open against the established Law of Darius and of his Councell And Abdemelech feared not to enter in before the presence of Zedechias and boldly to defend the cause and innocency of Ieremy the Prophet whom the King and his Councell had condemned to death Every one of these facts should this day be judged foolish by such as will not understand what God doth require of his children when his Verity is oppugned or his glory called in doubt such men I say as prefer man to God and things present to the heavenly inheritance should have judged every one of these stubborn inobedience foolish presumption and singularity or else bold controlling of the King and his wise Councell But how acceptable in Gods presence was this resistance to the ungodly commandments and determinations of their King the end did witnesse for the three children were delivered from the Furnace of fire and Daniel
rich and potent in Israel If this equality was commanded by God for maintenance of that transitory tabernacle which was but a shadow of a better to come is not the same required of us who now have the verity which is Christ Jesus who being clad with our nature is made Immanuel that is God with us Whose naturall body albeit it be received into the Heavens where he must abide till all be compleat that is forespoken by the Prophets yet hath he promised to be present with us to the end of the world And for that purpose and for the more assurance of his Promise he hath erected amongst us here in earth the Signes of his own presence with us his spirituall Tabernacle the true preaching of his Word and right administration of his Sacraments to the maintenance whereof is no lesse bound the subject then the Prince the poor then the rich For as the Price which was given for mans redemption is one so God requireth of all that shall be partakers of the benefits of the same a like duty which is a plain confession That by Christ Jesus alone we have received whatsoever was lost in Adam Of the Prince doth God require That he refuse himself and that he follow Christ Jesus of the Subject he requireth the same Of the Kings and Judges it is required That they kisse the Son that is give honour subjection and obedience to him and from such reverence doth not God exempt the Subject that shall be saved and this is That equality which is betwixt the kings and subjects the most rich or noble and betwixt the poorest and men of lowest state to wit That as the one is obliged to beleeve in heart and with mouth to confesse the Lord Jesus to be the onely Saviour of the world so also is the other Neither is there any of Gods children who hath attained to the yeers of discretion so poor but that he hath thus much to bestow upon the Ornaments and maintenance of their spirituall Tabernacle when necessity requireth neither yet is there any so rich of whose hands God requireth any more For albeit that David gathered great substance for the building of the Temple that Solomon with earnest diligence and incredible expences erected and finished the same That Hezekiah and Iosiah purged the Religion which before was corrupted yet to them was God no further debter in that respect then he was to the most simple of the faithfull posterity of faithfull Abraham for their diligence zeal and works gave rather testimony and confession before men what honour they did bear to God what love to his Word what reverence to his Religion then that any work proceeding from them did either establish or yet encrease Gods favour towards them who freely did love them in Christ his Son before the foundation of the world was laid So that these forenamed by their notable works gave testimony of their unfained faith and the same doth the poorest that unfainedly and openly professeth Christ Jesus and doth embrace his glad tydings offered That doth abhor Superstition and flie from Idolatry The poorest I say and most simple that this day on earth in the dayes of this cruell persecution firmly believeth in Christ and boldly doth confesse him before this wicked generation is no lesse acceptable before God neither is judged in his presence to have done any lesse in promoting Christ his Cause then is the King that by his sword and power which he hath received of God rooteth out Idolatry and so advanceth Christs glory But to return to our former purpose It is no lesse required I say of the subject to believe in Christ and to professe his true Religion then of the Prince and King And therefore I affirm That in Gods presence it shall not excuse you to alleadge That yee were no chief Rulers and therefore that the care and reformation of Religion did not appertain unto you Yee dear brethren as before is said are the creatures of God created to his own Image and similitude to whom it is commanded To hear the voice of your heavenly Father To embrace his Son Christ Jesus To flie from all doctrine and Religion which he hath not approved by his own Will revealed to us in his most blessed Word To which Precepts and Charges if yee be found inobedient ye shall perish in your iniquity as rebells and stubborn servants that have no pleasure to obey the good Will of their Soveraign Lord who most lovingly doth call for your obedience And therefore brethren in this behalf it is your part to be carefull and diligent For the question is not of things temporall which although they be endangered yet by diligence and processe of time may after be redressed but it is of the damnation of your bodies and souls and of the losse of life everlasting which once lost can never be recovered And therefore I say That it behoveth you to be carefull and diligent in this so weighty a matter lest that ye contemning this occasion which God now offereth finde not the like although that after with groaning and sobs ye languish for the same And that ye be not ignorant of what occasion I mean in few words I shall expresse it Not onely I but with me also divers other godly and learned men do offer unto you our labours faithfully to instruct you in the wayes of the eternall our God and in the sincerity of Christs Evangell which this day by the pestilent Generation of Antichrist I mean by the Pope and by his most ungodly Clergy are almost hid from the eyes of men We offer to jeopard our lives for the salvation of your souls and by manifest Scriptures to prove that Religion that amongst you is maintained by fire and sword to be false vain and diabolicall We require nothing of you but that patiently ye will hear our Doctrine which is not ours but the Doctrine of salvation revealed to the world by the onely Son of God And that ye will examine our reasons by the which we offer to prove the Papisticall Religion to be abominable before God And last we require That by your power the tyranny of those cruell beasts I mean of Priests and Fryers may be bridled till we have uttered our mindes in all matters this day debatable in Religion If these things in the fear of God ye grant to me and unto others that unfainedly for your salvation and for Gods glory require the same I am assured That of God ye shall be blessed whatsoever Satan shall devise against you But and if ye contemn or refuse God who thus lovingly offereth unto you salvation and life ye shall neither escape plagues Temporall which shortly shall apprehend you neither yet the torment prepared for the devill and for his angels except by your speedy repentance ye return to the Lord whom now ye refuse if that ye refuse the Messengers of his