despise his admonitions The Sword of Gods wrath is already drawn which of necessity must needs strike when grace offered is obstinately refused You have been long in bondage of the devill blindenesse errour and Idolatry prevailing against the simple Truth of God in that your Realme in which God hath made you Princes and Rulers But now doth God of his great mercy call you to repentance before he pour forth the uttermost of his vengeance He cryeth to your ears That your Religion is nothing but Idolatry he accuseth you of the blood of his Saints which hath been shed by your permission assistance and powers For the tyranny of those raging Beasts should have no force if by your strength they were not maintained Of those horrible crimes doth now God accuse you not of purpose to condemne you but mercifully to absolve and pardon you as sometime he did those whom Peter accused to have killed the Son of God so that ye be not of minde nor purpose to justifie your former iniquity Iniquity I call not onely the crimes and offences which have been and yet remain in your manners and lives but that also which appeareth before men most holy with hazard of my life I offer to prove abomination before God that is your whole Religion to be so corrupt and vain that no true servant of God can communicate with it because that in so doing he should manifestly deny Christ Jesus and his Eternall Verity I know that your Bishops accompanied with the swarm of the Papisticall vermine shall cry A damned heretick ought not to be heard But remember my Lords what I protested in the beginning upon which ground I continually stand to wit That I am no hereticke nor deceivable Teacher but the servant of Christ Jesus a Preacher of his infallible Verity innocent in all that they can lay to my charge concerning my Doctrine and therefore by them being enemies to Christ I am unjustly condemned From which cruell Sentence I have appealed and do appeal as before mention is made in the mean time most humbly requiring your Honours to take me in your protection to be auditors of my just defences granting unto me the same liberty which Achab a wicked King and Israel at that time a blinded people granted to Elijah in the like case That your Bishops and the whole rabble of your Clergie may be called before you and before that people whom they have deceived That I be not condemned by multitude custome by Authority or Law devised by man but that God himself may be judge betwixt me and my adversaries Let God I say speak by his Law by his Prophets by Christ Jesus or by his Apostles and so let him pronounce what Religion he approveth and then be my enemies never so many and appear they never so strong and so learned no more do I fear victory then did Elijah being but one man against the multitude of Baals Priests And if they think to have advantage by their Councells and Doctors this I further offer To admit the one and the other as witnesses in all matters debatable three things which justly cannot be denied being granted unto me First That the most ancient Councells nighest to the Primitive Church in which the learned and godly Fathers did examine all matters by Gods Word may be holden of most Authority Secondly That no determination of Councells nor man be admitted against the plain Verity of Gods Word nor against the determination of those four chief Councells whose Authority hath been and is holden by them equall with the Authority of the four Evangelists And last That to no Doctor be given greater authority then Augustine requireth to be given to his Writings to wit If he plainly prove not his affirmation by Gods infallible Word that then his sentence be rejected and imputed to the errour of a man These things granted and admitted I shall no more refuse the testimonies of Councells and Doctors then shall my adversaries But and if they will justifie those Councells which maintain their pride and usurped Authority and will reject those which plainly have condemned all such tyranny negligence and wicked life as Bishops now do use And if further they will snatch a doubtfull sentence of a Doctor and refuse his minde when he speaketh plainly then will I say That all men are lyers That credit ought not to be given to an unconstant witnesse and that no Councells ought to prevail nor be admitted against the sentence which God hath pronounced And thus my Lords in few words to conclude I have offered unto you a tryall of my innocency I have declared unto you what God requireth of you being placed above his people as Rulers and Princes I have offered unto you and to the inhabitants of the Realme the Verity of Christ Jesus And with the hazard of my life I presently offer to prove the Religion which amongst you is maintained by fire and sword to be false damnablâ— and diabolicall Which things if ye refuse defending tyrants in their tyrannie then I dare not flatter but as it was commanded to Ezechiel boldly to proclaim so must I cry to you That you shall perish in your iniquity That the Lord Jesus shall refuse so many of you as maliciously withstand his eternall Verity and in the day of his apparition when all flesh shall appeare before him that he shall repell you from his company and shall command you to the fire which never shall be quenched and then neither shall the multitude be able to resist neither yet the counsells of man be able to prevail against that sentence which he shall pronounce God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ by the power of his holy Spirit so rule and dispose of your hearts that of simplicity ye may consider the things that be offered and that ye may take such order in the same as God in you may be glorified and Christs Flock by you may be edified and comforted to the praise and glory of our Lord Iesus Christ whose Omnipotent Spirit rule your hearts in his true feare to the end Amen The Admonition of John Knox to the Commonalty of Scotland To his beloved Brethren the Commonalty of SCOTLAND JOHN KNOX wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace With the Spirit of righteous judgement WHat I have required of the Queen Regent States and Nobility as of the chief Heads for this present of the Realm I cannot cease to require of you dearly beloved brethren which be the Communalty and Body of the same to wit That it notwithstanding that false and cruell Sentence which your disguised Bishops have pronounced against me would please you to be so favourable unto me as to be indifferent auditors of my just Purgation Which to do if God earnestly move your hearts as I nothing doubt but that your enterprise shall redound to the praise and glory of his holy Name so am I assured
have retired himselfe and his Company But that morning he could not be wakened before it was ten hours and when he was upon his feet his spirits failed him by reason of his corpulency so that rightly a long time he could do nothing Some of his friends fearing the danger left him When that he looked upon both the Companies he said This great Company that approacheth neerest to us will do us no harme they are our friends I onely feare that small Company that stands on the hill side they are our enemies But we are enough for them if God be with us And when he had thus spoken he fell upon his knees and made his Prayer in this form O Lord I have been a blood-thirstie man and by my means hath much innocent blood been spilt But wilt thou give me Victory this day and I shall serve thee all the dayes of my life Note and observe good Reader he confesseth that he hath beene a blood-thirsty man and that he had been the cause of the shedding of much innocent blood but yet would he have had Victory And what was that else but to have had power to have shedded more and then would he have satisfied God for altogether wherein is expressed the nature of hypocrites which never fear nor love God further then present danger or profit perswadeth But to our History The Lesleyes Hayes and Forbisses espying the Earle of Murray and his to have lighted upon their feet and made forward against the Earle of Huntley and his who stood in Correthieburne some call it Farabanke But ere they approached nigh by the space of the shot of an Arrow they cast from them their Spears and long Weapons and fled directly in the face of the Earle of Murray and his Company The danger espied the Laird of Pittarrow a man both stout and of a ready wit with the Master after Lord Lyndsey and Tutor of Pitcur said Let us cast down Spears to the foremost and let them not come in amongst us for there is no doubt but this flying is but Treachery And so they did so that they that fled of Huntley seeing the Vaunt-guard flie said unto his Company Our friends are honest men they have kept promise Let us now encounter the rest And so he and his as sure of Victory marched forward The Secretary in few words made a vehement Oration and they willed every man to call upon his God to remember his duty and not to fear the multitude And in the end concluded thus O Lord thou that rulest the heaven and the earth look upon thy servants whose blood this day is most unjustly sought and to mans judgement are sold and betrayed our refuge is now unto thee and our hope is in thee Iudge thou O Lord betwixt us and the Earle of Huntlie and the rest of our enemies If ever we have justly sought his or their destruction and blood let us fall on the sword And O Lord if thou knowest our innocency maintain thou and preserve us for thy great mercies sake Shortly after the speaking of these and the like words the former Rank rejoyced for Huntlies Company made great haste They were repulsed by the Master of Lyndsay and the Companies of Fyfe and Angus some of them that had fled returned and followed the Earle of Murray but gave no stroke till that Huntlies Company gave back In the Front there was slain eighteen or four and twenty men and in the flying there fell 100. There were taken 100. and the rest were spared The Earl himselfe was taken alive his two sons Iohn aforesaid and Adam Gordon were taken with him The Earle immediately after his taking departed this life without any wound or yet appearance of any stroke whereof death might have ensued And so because it was late he was cast overthwart or upon a payre of Creilles and so was carried to Aberdeine and was laid in the Tolbuith thereof that that which his wives Witches had given might be fulfilled who all affirmed as the most part say That same night he should be in the Towne of Aberdeine without any wound upon his body When his Lady got knowledge thereof she blamed her principall Witch called Iannett but she stoutly defended her selfe as the devill can do and affirmed That she gave a true answer albeit she spake not all the truth for she knew that he should be there dead but that could not profit my Lady She was angry and sorry for a season But the devill the Masse and Witches have all great credit with her this day the twelfth of Iune 1566. as they had seven yeers agoe The Earle of Murray sent a Message unto the Queen of the marvellous Victory and humbly prayed her to shew that obedience to God as publikely to convene with them to give thanks unto God for his notable deliverance She glomed and frowned both at the Message and at the Request and scarcely would give a good word or blythe and merry countenance to any that she knew earnest favourers of the Earle of Murray whose prosperity was and yet is a very venome to her boldned heart For many dayes she bare no better countenance whereby it might have been easily espied That she rejoyced not greatly of the successe of that matter And albeit she caused to execute Iohn Gordon and divers others yet it was the destruction of others that she sought Upon the morrow after the discomfiture the Lady Forbesse a woman both wise and fearing God came amongst many others to visite the Corps of the said Earle and seeing him lie upon the cold stones having onely upon him a Doublet of Canvas a payre of Scotch gray Hose and him covered with an Arras work She said What stability shall we judge to be in this world There lieth he that yesterday in the morning was esteemed the wisest the richest and man of greatest power that was within Scotland And in very deed she lyed not for in mans opinion under a Prince there was not such a one these three hundred yeers in this Realme produced But felicity and worldly wisedom so blinded him that in the end he perished in them as shall all those that despight God and trust in themselves Iohn Gordon at his death confessed many horrible things devised by his father by his brother and by himself There were Letters found in the Earles pocket that disclosed the Treason of the Earle of Sutherland and of divers others Master Thomas Keir who before was the whole Councellor of the said Earle disclosed whatsoever he understood might hurt the Gordons and their friends and so Treason plainly disclosed which was That the Earle of Murray should have been murthered in Stragobie the Queen should have been taken and kept at the devotion of the said Earle of Huntley These things we say revealed the Queen left the North and came to Dundie Saint Iohnston Sterlin and then to Edinburgh The Earle of Huntleys body was
abomiâ—ations were revolted then was the Boat in the midst of the Sea Two speciall Notes of this discourse The first Note Who ruled all by wit under K. Edward 6 John 13. Psalm 40. Godly Princes commonly have most uugodly Counsellors Note well 2 Reg. 17. Esa. 22. Matth. 26. John 12. Quest. Answ. The enemies of the verity many times appear to be most profitable for a Common-Wealth Mischief at the length will so utter it self that men may espie it Esa. 22.36 Esa. 22. If David and Hezekiah were deceived by traiterous Councellors how much more a young and innocent King The Author might fear this indeed Paulet is painted The Treasurers words against the authority of Mary Caiaphas prophesied Judge at the end The second Note Tyrants cannot cease to persecute Christs Members Gen. 21. Gen. 28. Exod. 5 6 7 8 c. John 5. 12. The power of Gods Word put the Papists to silence in England except it had been to brag in corners Princes are ready to persecute as malicious Papists will command Job 12. 2 Cor. 4. Ephes. 2. 1 Reg 16 18. John 13. John 8. Wily Winchester Dâ—eaming Duresme Bloody Bonner This is the cruse before omitted why the winde blew to trouble Christs disciples The prayer of the author Exhortation Isai. 48 51.54 62. The coming of Christ to his dâ—sâ—iplâ—s upon the Sâ—â—s is opâ—ned Christ is sute upon the mountain God never brought his people into trouble to the intent that they should perish therein Mark these words Christ came not to his disciples till the fourth watch The causes why Christs disciples misknew him What chanced to Christ that also in all ages chanceth to his holy Word The fear is greatest when deliverance is â—ost nâ—gh Exod. 5 6 c. 5 Reg. 7. Isai. 36 37. Note Why God suffereth tribulation to abound and continue Exod. 14. Note Exod. 10â— Iezabel Athalia and Iudas Gardâ—â—r Tunstal Bucherly Bonâ—r The praise of Winchester Durysme and oâ—â—dy Mary before these dayes 4. Reg. 11. Matth. 14. 3. Reg. 18 3. Reg. 18. A digression to the Papists of Qu. Maries chaste dealing A lively Picture of Mary the utter mischief of England What commodities the Spanish King shall bring to the Realm of England A true saying Under an English name she bâ—areth a Spanyards heart Spanyards sons of pride and superstition Why Winchester would have Spanyards to reigne over England To Winchester The Book of true obedience both in Latine and in English shall remain to thy perpetuall shame and condemnation of thy cankered Conscience The wicked must declare their selves Apocalip 13. Note Abraham Gen. 15. Isaac Gen. 16. Iacob Gen. 23 31.32.35 Moses Exod 5. Rom. 1. Psal. 119. The power and effâ—ctuall operation of Gods Word Exod. 4 Reg 9. Luke 24 Simile Math. John 〈◊〉 Note that Peter considâ—red not his own weaknesse The sherp at length know the voyce of their own Pastor The Elect. The Reprâ—bate 1 Reg 28. Saul 2 Reg. 18. Ahaz Isai. 7. God sometime sheweth mercy to an hypocrit for the cause of his Church Jerem. 37 38. Jerem. 42. Reade the Text Jer 42. Jerem. 43. Great blindnes Jer. 44. As Papists would have League with the Emperor What was said in Hammeâ—sham when uproar was for establishing of Mary in authority A Common-wealth compared to a Ship sayling on the Sea The end shall declare Enemies to the Truth receive no comfort of Gods Messengers The godly and chosen of God Gen. 12. Gen. 15. Gen. 22. Exod. 5.7.10 1 Reg. 16. 3 Reg 21. Object Answer Exod. 32. Gods Word sometimes moveth great multitudes Why Moses caused the Israelites do drink the powder of the golden calf Exod. 32. A sharp sentence against Idolaters Gen. 34. Gen. 49. Jerem. 21.38 Jerem. 21. Jerem. 38 Jerem. 38. Jon. 3. Act. 2. Jerem. 32. The cause of fear Gen. 12. Exod. 34. Isa. 36 37. Matth. 11. Apoc. 18. Note Lively faith maketh a man bold 3. Reg. 18. 3. Reg. 19. The creature can never dispute wâ—th God without sin Quest. Answ. Gods works by them self are a sufficient reason Peters vertue The vice that long rested with Peter Matth. 16. Note Matth. 26. Why Peter was suffered to sink Luke 22. What resteth with Gods Elect in their greatest danger The nature of faith Peter knew the power and good will of God Psal. 144. How nigh God is in extream perill to deliver his Elect that syithfully call upon him Exod 14. Hester 7.8 â— Daniel 6. John 3. Act 12. Psalm 18. God flattereth not his Elect. Peter was not faithlesse Matth 10. 2 Tim 2. Such as have stood long may yet fall Luke 17. Note We have lesse pretence of excuse then Peter had Note Consolation Matth. 28. Worldly Princes are conjured against God Psal. 2. The sheep of Christ cannot be rent from his hand Joh. 10. Joh. 7. The temptations of Gods elect now in England Good counsell to thee in faith Rom. 11. 1 Reg 2. Note To whom appertaineth the former counsel Matth. 28. Note Objection Answer The root of faith remaineth with Gods elect in greatest danger 3 Reg. 19. The root of faith is not idle A tryall of faith in trouble It appertaineth not to man to know not to enquire how God will deliver Note Divers wayes of deliverance Note The means offered by God to avoid Idolatry are not to be refused Repetition Isai. 78. Psal. 74. Apocal. 17. Psal 74 87. Prayer and Confession Appealing to mercy Isai. 33. Jerem. 4. Psal. 74. Psal. 59. Psal. 79. Jerem. 10 11 12. Psal. 95. Against the enemies of God Esay 25. Of Gods Elect Exhortation Esa 26. Gen. 3. Mattâ— 10. Act. 4. Matth. 5. Joh. 14 16. Esay 9. In the Crosse of Christ iâ— victory hid Esay 40.41.51 Exod. 2. 4 Reg. 25. Jerem 52. Esd. 1. Note â—phes 2. The causes why the Saints of God bâ— this day persecuted 1 Joh. 1.2 Heb. 6. 10. Ephes. 5. Matth. 23. Whosoever sheddeth the Blood of one of Christs members for his Names sake consenteth to the blood of all that have suffered since the beginning Note Gen. 4. Matth. 15. Answer to an Objection Gen. 19. Exod. 14. Iosephus The Petition of such as be persecuted Matth. 5. Matth. 10. â— Cor. 2. Matth 10. Exod. 20. Rom. 13. 1 Pet. 2. The first proportion The second proposition John 4. Apo. 14. 17. Note Take heed of unlawfull obedience Dan. 3. Dan. 6. Answ. Matth. 10. Act. 14. Note The Papisticall Religion a mortall Pestilence The Admonition Answer to an Objection Gen. 6. Psâ—l 14. Psal 2. Act. 4. Luk. 18. Hosea 4. Matth 20 Matth. 7. 2 Thess 2. Note Deu 4 and 12 Matth. 15. 1 Reg. 13 15 2 Par. 26. Levit. 10. Matt. 17 Act. 1 2 3. 1 Cor. 11. Col. 2. Deâ—â— 4. 12. Apoc. 2. The craft of Sathan The ground of â—â—â—â—â—ticall Religion Note Tertul. in Apol. The chief Preposition Nâ—cen 1. The dutie of Magistrates The Spirit of God abideth not with Idolaters 3. Reg. â— 5. 2 â—ar 17. 4 Reg 22. 2 Paâ— 34. 4 Reg 18. 2 Par. 29 30 c. 31. The second proposition Stob. ser. 12. Niceph. Calist. Histor. Ecclâ—s Lib 10. cap. 42. Note Mich. 3. Note Flatterers contagious stilence Ezek. 22. Note Idolatry is mother to all â—ice Matth 6. Rom. 8. â— Reg. 18. John 17. Ezek. 34. Note this for our time Daniel 2. 1 Reg. 2. Job 12. Psal. 107. Daniel 2. Note Note Note 1 Reg. 14. 1 Reg. 16. 2 Reg. 10. 2 Reg. 17. The offer of Iohn Knox. Advert Prosperity for a time proveth not Religion good No Realme England except so grievously plagued at Scotland Isai. 30. Isai. 14. Isai 6. Exhortation Josh. 1. 2 Par 34. 2 Par. 1. Jerem. 36. Amos 2. Zach 15 James 5. 1 Reg 17. 1 Reg. 18. 1 Reg. 19. 2 Reg 9. 1 Reg 19. Mat 10. The disposition Note Verse 23. From whencâ— all Authority floweth Psal. 82. 2. Point Rom. 13. Note Note Josh. 1. What is required of a King or Prince The Authority and Power of Kings is limited Note Usc. The duty of Gods people Ezek 20. 2 Reg. 17. Isai. Jere. 9. Eccles 3. Isa. 3. Verse 14. Verse 15. Ezel 8. Note Apoc. Vers. 15. Vers. 16. Josh 24. Rom 9. Dan. 1. Dan. 2. Dan. 3. Dan. 6. 1 Esd 2. 1 Esd 6. A Prayer Vers. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 1 Reg. 22. 2 Reg. 9. Verse 17. Verse 18. John 16. Vers. 19.20 Verse 19. Gal. 2. 1 Pet. 1. Ezek. 37 Psal. 14. 1 John 5. Eccles. histor Sozomoni lib. 5. cap. 5. A terrible but must true sentence The Castle of Edinburgh was shooting against the exiled for Christ Jesus sake
she and hers can claim for their own but she and hers must be serviceable to those who have undone them To this end she must have People about her namely Court-Chaplains to disguise businesse unto her and so make her have a bad conception of those who are her best friends to wit the true Professors of the Truth and good Patriots in these Dominions Next her eldest son after a long and great neglect of yeelding him any help for the recovery of his own is betrayed at our corrupt Court when he is put in away to do somewhat for his own restoring c. And after this by the same Court he is sollicited to take Arms here against the onely men who really and constantly have expressed unto him and his true affection but they being stopped by the Court could not effectuate much by their good will He in wisdome refuseth to fight against his friends Since he will not his two next Brothers must be employed the eldest whereof is released from prison to that effect And so they hazard their lives and spend their blood to serve the party who hath undone their Fortunes and now strives to undo their persons The King having left London after he had been in severall places retires to Yorke where he begins to raise men against the Parliament The Scots seeing this send to him thither to intreat him to lay aside all such intentions and offer their service by way of Mediation betwixt him and the Parliament to take away all known mistakes The Scots Commissioners were not suffered to proceed any further then in the businesse and were sent back beyond the expectation of men After a long Pen-skirmishing on both sides Armies are leavied many men killed and taken at divers times on each side yea a set Battell fought where numbers of men are slain The Scots not being able any longer to see their Brethren in England destroyed and the Executioners of Ireland butchering man woman and childe the help that the innocents should have had from England being almost altogether diverted by the Intestine War and neither say nor do in the businesse under safe-Conduct send to the King and Parliament Commissioners to intercede for an Agreement But they being arrived at Court were neglected with their Commission and not suffered to repair unto the Parliament At last they are dismissed not without difficulty and having done nothing return Upon this the Scots convene the States to consult concerning their own safety and the help of their friends At this nick of time when they received many fair promises from the Court with a request to be quiet a Plot of the Papists set afoot by the Court for embroyling the Countrey is discovered by the means whereof they were incited to look more narrowly to themselves and their friends Then the Parliament of England sends to the Scots for help Upon this a Covenant is made betwixt the two Nations for the defence of the true Religion and Liberty of the Countreys with the Kings just Rights and after due preparation the Scots having setled their own Countrey enter into England with a strong Army to fight the Battells of the Lord having for scope of their Expedition The glory of God and the good of his People with the Honour of the King Here we shall observe in these our Countreys in these last yeers such Riddles of State and Church as have hardly been heard of A Protestant Prince makes one Protestant Nation fight against another for the Protestant Religion which have been thought to be of one and the same Doctrine for the main One Church thunders Curses against another Then a Prince misled with the ayd of Papists and Atheists spoyling and destroying the professors of the Truth because they professe it for the good and advancement of the Protestant Religion Next in a very short time a Prince to have all his subjects declared Rebells First he is made declare the Scots Then he is constrained to declare the Irish An Army gotten together in the Kings name declares all those that did oppose them Rebells The Parliament declares all those who in the Kings name oppose them Rebells and Traytors Farther under the Kings Authority the named Rebells in England by the King maintain a War against the declared Rebells in Ireland But the late carriage of things at Court and by the Court-Instruments at home and abroad hath solved the Riddle namely The Patent for the Rebellion in Ireland The detaining of help ordained for the repressing of it The Kings offer to go into Ireland The Cessation and bringing over of the Irish and The last-discovered Plot in Scotland all other things laid aside tell us cleerly howsoever the Proclamations and Protestations going in the Kings name be soft and smooth as the voyce of Jacob yet the hands are rough as of Esau destroying and seeking to destroy the true Religion grounded in Gods Word with the professors thereof as also the lawfull Liberty of the Countrey and bring all unto slavery Let Ireland and England say if this be not true and Scotland likewise according to its genius speak truth I shall close up all with two or three Instances of eminent men amongst the Papists Clergie to shew clearly how they stand affected to the Protestants Cardinall Pool in an Oration to Charles the fifth Emperour saith You must leave off the War against the Turks and hereafter make War against the Heretikes so names he the professors of the Truth He adds the reason Because the Turks are lesse to be feared then the Heretikes Paul Rodmek in a Book expresse tells us That the Heretikes must be put to death slain cut off burnt quartered c. Stapleton the Iesuite tells us That the Heretikes are worse then the Turks in an Oration he made at Doway Campian the Iesuite in a Book of his Printed in the yeer 1583 in Trevers declares thus in the name of his holy Order Our will is That it come to the knowledge of every one so far as it concerns our Society That we all dispersed in great numbers thorow the world have made a League and holy solemn Oath That as long as there are any of us alive that all our care and industry all our deliberations and counsells shall never cease to trouble your calm and safety That is to say We shall procure and pursue for ever your ruine the whole destruction of your Religion and of your Kingdom He speaks to the English Now it is long since we have taken this resolution with the hazard of our lives so that the businesse being already well begun and advanced it is impossible that the English can do any thing to stop our Designe or surmount it Let these few Passages satisfie for this time I wish that thou maist reap some benefit of what is written here for thy good So praying for your happinesse I rest Yours in the Lord D. B. The LIFE OF IOHN KNOX IOHN KNOX was borne in Gifford neer
Hadington in Lothian the yeer of Christ 1505. of honest Parentage His father was a brothers son of the House of Ranferlie which is an ancient Family of Gentlemen in the West When he left the Grammar Schoole in the Countrey he was sent to the Vniversity of Saint Andrews to studie under M. John Mair who in those dayes was very famous for his Learning which particularly did consist in the ergotie or disputative part of Philosophy and in School-Divinity wherein formerly for many yeers together almost all Learning was placed In a very short time John Knox became such a Proficient that in this kinde of knowledge wherein his Master most excelled he surpassed him and being yet very young was thought worthy of Degrees in the School Moreover before the time ordinarily allowed by the Canons he entred in Church Orders Thereafter laying aside the idle Disputes and Sophistry of the School he betook himself to the reading of the Ancients namely of Augustine with whose Writings he was much taken by reason of their plainnesse and solidity Last of all he betook himself to the earnest study of the holy Scriptures wherein having found the Truth of God concerning the salvation of Mankinde fully revealed he in good earnest did embrace it and freely professed it yea made it his main work to make it known to all men and believed by them in which work he was very active and vigilant at home and abroad namely at home For the Cause of the Truth he suffered very much by Sea and by Land in minde and in body among forraigners and amongst his own Countreymen as ye may see in this History of the Church which now here we present unto you Which History namely so much of it I mean as formerly was published hath gone commonly under his name because he is the man of whom most is spoken thorowout the whole History as being a most earnest and diligent agent in the businesse of Reformation in the Church Next because he hath penned with his own hand or spoken by word of mouth the most part of the most remarkable and most usefull things for Posterity in the History Thirdly the whole History is gathered out of his Papers and Manuscripts And so ye see why it is generally received to be of John Knox. But to return to his Life He being constrained for a time to leave his Countrey by reason of the Persecution raised in Scotland by the then Bishops against the professors of the Truth he came into England where for some yeers he was busied in preaching the Evangell of Christ with a great deal of content and benefit to those that had the happinesse to hear him His chief abode was in Berwick Newcastle and London This was in the dayes of King Edward the sixth with whom he was in great favour and esteem By whom being offered a Bishopricke he not onely refused and rejected it but with a grave and severe speech declared That the proud Title of Lordship and that great State was not to be suffered to be in the Church of God as having quid commune cum Antichristo that is somewhat common with Antichrist King Edward being dead the persecution of Mary made him leave England with many other godly Ministers who went beyond Seas First John Knox went to Frankford where for a time he preached the Gospel to the English Congregation there From whence he wrote the Admonition to England But being molested there partly by open Papists and partly by false Brethren was constrained to retire And from thence he went to Geneva from whence he wrote his Letter to Mary Regent of Scotland his Appeal to the Nobility of Scotland and Admonition to the Commons of Scotland From Geneva after some yeers abode there he was called home to his own Countrey the yeer of Christ 1559. which was the 54 of his age by the Noble-men and others who had taken upon them the generall Reformation of the Church of Scotland where how soon that the reformed Church had any liberty he was setled Minister at Edinburgh where he continued exercising his Ministery to his dying day but not without interruption by reason of the Civill disorders that fell out in those dayes During this his being at Edinburgh he Preached many excellent Sermons whereof there be but few that were printed and conserved to Posterity he not being willing to busie himself with the Presse Yet some of them we have as this namely which he Preached Aug. 19 An. 1564. and for which he was forbidden to Preach for a time He to make known to the world what ground there was to deal so with him took the care to have this Sermon printed as you will finde it at the end of this History Here I cannot let slip a remarkable passage which was this Anno 1566. the Earle of Murray was slain upon the Saturday The morrow after John Knox preached in Edinburgh where as he was reading the Papers wherein was written the names of those that desired the Prayers of the Church he findes a paper with these words Take up the man whom ye accounted another god which he passed without expressing any commotion and went on with his Prayer and Sermon At the end of the Sermon he made moan for the losse that the Church and State of Scotland had by the death of that vertuous man and said That as God in his mercy giveth good and wise Rulers so taketh he them away from a people in his wrath Then he added There is one in this company that maketh the subject of his mirth this horrible murther whereat all good men have occasion to be sorry I tell him That he shall die where there shall be none to lament him He who had written the aforesaid words in the paper was Thomas Metellan a young Gentlemen of most rare parts but youthfull and bearing small affection to the Earle of Murray who when he heard this Commination of John Knox went home to his lodging and said to his sister That John Knox was raving to speak of he knew not whom His sister replyed with tears in her eyes If you had followed my advice ye had not written these words and withall told him That none of John Knox his threatnings fell to the ground without effect And so it fell out in this particular For shortly thereafter the young Gentleman went beyond Seas to travell and died in Italy having no known man to assist him much lesse to lament him Towards the latter dayes of his age his body became very infirm and his voice so weake that the people could not hear him Preaching in the ordiplace wherfore he made choice of another more commodious within the Town reading to his auditors the history of the Passion in which he said it was his desire to finish and close his Ministery Thus he continued Preaching though with much weaknesse two moneths and more after this retiring And foreseeing that he was not to remain long with
Bowe-men as our Poet expresseth it Roma sagitti feris praetendit maenia Scotis And Claudian many hundred yeers before this our Poet speaking of the Legion which then was called from its Garrison on the aforesaid walls saith thus The Legion came which was placed before the utmost Britans and which bridled the fierce Scot. Lucius Florus many yeers before Claudian who wrote towards the later end of the fourth Age to wit in the beginning of the second Age and Spartianus who alleadgeth Florus writ towards the later end of the third Age. Lucius Florus the Poet is the same with the Historian who writ the short History of the Romans as judgeth Salmasius is brought in by Aelius Spartianus in the History of the Life of Adrian the Emperor saying these words I would not be Caesar to walk among the Britans and suffer the Scots morning hoar Frosts The word pruina which the Author useth doth signifie so much for it is quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morning What Florus in these words here alleadged calleth in his Language Scoticas pruinas Claudian calleth Caledonias pruinas speaking of another Roman in these words And he placed his Camp in the middle of the Caledonian morning â—oar Frosts I know that commonly in Spartian of whom we have these Verses of Florus it is read Scythicas for Scoticas but wrong notwithstanding that the great Criticks have not corrected it For how I pray you can Adrian be said to suffer Scythicas pruinas who never was in the Countrie which then went under the name of Scythia yea the Romans had never any War with the Scythes for albeit the Scythes heard of the Romans Arms yet they never felt them Besides what sense had it been in Florus to say unto Adrian That he would not be Caesar to walk in Britany and endure the morning hoary Frosts of Scythia For although the Romans heard say That Scythia was a cold Countrey yet they more perfectly knew Scotland to be cold having been upon the place Now it was very easie to those who copied Books of old and hardly understood what they writ to change one letter for another namely when two letters are so like one to another as these two Vowels O O for O not being Initiall or Capitall was written formerly without the draught under it which hath been written for distinction sake as we see it commonly now thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This change of these two Vowels hath been found elsewhere then in this place of Florus by the Criticks in the same words who seeing the name of the Sea upon the Coast of Scotland written Scythicum presently mended it and made it Scoticum Then Erasmus smelled out the same fault in Ierome his Epistle to Ctesiphon against Palladius and his disciple Caelestius in these words Britannie and the Scots Nations had not then known Moses and the Prophets Erasmus finding Scythicae he changed it into Scoticae Lucius Seneca about an hundred yeers before Florus that is about fourty yeers after Christ now 1600 yeers since in his Satyre upon the death of Claudius makes mention of the Scots in the composed word Scoto-Brigantes as thus followeth He i. e. Claudius commanded the Britans beyond the known Seas and the blue Scoto-Brigantes to submit their necks to the Roman Chains This word above named hath puzzled many of the Criticks how to reade it so that a right meaning or sense might be had of these lines with the true measure of the Verse some reading it one way some another way till at last the learned Ioseph Scaliger corrected it as you have it here giving to the words a plain and easie sense and keeping the law of the Verses against which all others did faile And to this Correction of Scaliger hath submitted many learned men yet some partly for envie against the Nation of whom is here spoken partly for vanity will stand out against the truth because of the authority of this Correction at whose great and most rare Learning they are offended as the former are at any advantage that the Nation whom these words doth concern may have The Scots are called Cerulaei or blue because they used much blue in their Garments and so doth the old Scots to this day witnesse their Plaids whereof the best sort ordinarily hath the ground blue as also their blue Caps Mamertin in his Panegyrick to Maximinian tells us That the Britans had War with the Scots and Picts before Iulius Caesar entered into the Island So by these Testimonies ye see how injurious they are unto the Scots that will not have their name known till many yeers yea some hundred yeers after the entry of the Romans into the Island The Romans having setled themselves in the Island they divided the whole into two parts Their part or the South part they called Britannia major and superiour and their Provincialls went most commonly under the name of Britones although sometimes under the name of Britanni but not so oft and they were sub-divided into severall Peoples The other part of the Island without the Roman Province that is the northern part was called Britannia minor and inferiour Now all the inhabitants of this northern part who were in continuall Bickerings and Warre with the Romans and their Provincialls were called Scoti sometime Transmarins sometime Forreigners and they did consist of two chief Peoples to wit Brigantes and Picti which both were sub-divided into severall lesser Peoples of which we forbear to speak at this time So the name of Scoti was at first appellative and given to more then to one People but in successe of time appropriated to one And this is not singular in this name for the proper names of divers Peoples at first hath been appellative and thereafter appropriate to one alone I will instance onely in one for brevity sake which is this The name Franck or French at first was common to all those that stood out together for Franchise and Liberty against the Romans about the Rhyne and other parts of Germany But at length it became peculiar unto one people as we see it is at this day Moreover that the name of Scoti was appellative and given to more then one people you may cleerly see by the ordinary expression of ancient Writers in the plurall number thus Scotorum gentes Scoticae gentes when otherwise all men ordinarily both by word and writing have ever used and to this day use the singular number speaking of one people as gens not gentes populus not populi nation not nations As all the northern people of the main Land or Continent both in Europe and Asia went anciently under the name of Scythae witnesse Strabo in these words The ancients commonly called the northern people Scythes And in another place he saith The ancients did call by one name of Scythes all the known places towards the North. He means in the Continent or main Land So the northern
Prince and people under pretext of Piety but with bad successe as by the wofull experience of following times we have found These new Bishop-Prelats having pretty well setled their own condition for maintenance which although it did exceed much the allowance of former Ages to Church-men yet it was very moderate in regard of the following times Next they obtained great Lands and Revenues from Prince and People for other Presbyters and Ministers who formerly had been very little burdensome to the people for by their own industry and work of their hands did provide for themselves necessaries for the most part by this means the Prelats tie the other Presbyters and Ministers to them and secondarily bring in by little and little idlenesse and slacknesse in discharging their calling from whence are risen all the evills we have seen since in the Church After the beginning of the fifth Age to wit 521. yeers in this Island began the old Saturnalia of Rome which was first kept in honour of Saturne but by the Successors of Iulius Caesar it was ordained to be kept to the memory of him and was called Iulia to be celebrated unto the honour of Christs Birth in the later end of December The occasion was this Arthur that renowned Prince wintering at York whereof he newly had made himself Master with his Nobles bethought himself with them to passe some dayes in the dead of winter in good chear and mirth which was done forth with as it is given out for devotion to Christ although that then true Devotion was very little regarded for as these men did exceed the Romans during this Feast in Ryot and Licentiousnesse So they continued the Feast double the time that the Ethnick Romans were wont to kept it for the Romans kept it onely five dayes but these kept it ten dayes with their new devotion yea those of the richer sort in time following have kept it fifteene dayes Thus was the beginning of the prophane idlenesse and ryot of Christmas now kept twelve dayes with foolish excesse and ryot As these Christmas keepers did mistake the way of honouring Christs Birth by this kinde of solemnity so did they mistake the time of his Birth for the most exact Chronologers tells us that Christ was born in October and not in December The Scots retain still the old name Iulia of this preposterous-holy-Feast for they call it corruptly Iul Although they never kept it of old not being subject to the Romans The French and Italians in this are nothing behinde with us for beside That they share with us in these Saturnalia Iulia or Christmas They go beyond us in ryot and fooleries in their Bacchanalia which they call Carnaval or Mardigras before Lent which in old time was kept to the honour of Bacchus But the corruptions that were brought in our Church from Rome in the fourth and fifth Age were nothing to what was brought in in the sixth and seventh Age for then was Religion turned upside down and so changed into Superstitious Ceremonies and Idolatry authorized by false miracles that there was hardly left any trace of true Religion among men in these dayes Palladius was the first that acquainted us with Rome as we have said and that brought in Prelacy amongst us a little after the beginning of the fourth Age which he and his Successors by degrees brought unto a great height both in worldly pomp and means for the times by the inconsiderate debonnarty of the Prince and simplicitie of the people but not without struggling and resistance by pious and wise men for many yeers it was the work of Church-men set a foot by Palladius so till the sixth Age that is upon the matter two hundred yeers to raise themselves to Power and Authority and Means whereunto they came insensibly so much the rather because they were sparing for these dayes to invert the main Doctrine of the true Religion The People and Magistrate seeing their Religion remaining in its maine were without great difficulty drawn over to give way unto the greatnesse of the Church-men But when these gallant fellows had wrought their own ends they did shew plainly what was within their hearts for then they declared themselves to be enemies both to God and to Man by their vitious lives contrary to the Laws of God and man Their false Doctrine contrary to Gods Word their Tyrannicall domineering over the people and withdrawing themselves from due obedience unto the lawfull Magistrate In a word by directly opposing God abusing men to their utter ruine of soul and body and setting up their own inventions for the Laws of God and men they were a bringing this height of iniquitie to passe about the matter of two hundred yeers likewise to wit the sixth and seventh Age although the workers of iniquity did at last bring their mischievous designe to an end by the permission of God irritated against men for their sins who not adhearing unto him were abandoned so that they became a prey unto Satan and his instruments to follow all iniquity yet such was the mercy of God towards men in these most corrupt times that the devill and his instruments went not so cleerly on with their wicked businesse but they had now and then from time to time remoraes and lets in it by those whom God raised up to bear witnesse to his Trueth and in these dayes sundry of the Scots Divines were very stout in the keeping of the ancient Tenets and Rites which they had received from their first Apostles Disciples to Saint Iohn according to the Church of the East Witnesse the great strugling they had about the keeping of Pasche or Easter-day for till then the Scots had kept the day of Pasche upon the fourteen day of the Moon whatsoever day of the week it fell out on the Romanists called those that kept so this day quartadecimani and condemned them as Hereticks and they kept the day constantly upon the next Sunday following and not upon a working day at last the Scots were constrained to yeeld in this as in other Rites unto Rome Culman and divers others Scotish men did so stoutely oppose the Romanists in the point of Easter-day and in other Tenets that they chose it being given to their choice either to submit unto Rome or to quit the setlings they had in the North of England rather to lose their Benefices then to yeild So standing fast to the Customes of the Scots Church wherein they had been born and bred they returned home to Scotland About the end of the seventh Age men from Scotland given to ambition and avarice went frequently to Rome for preferment in the Church and seeing it lay much that way then they did their best to advance the designe of the Romish Party wherein all the skill of worldly men was employed both in Rome among the Scots of that Party many men went to and fro between Rome and Scotland to bring the Scots to a full
Magistrate or Prince as well as the private man is bound to keep the Law of God of Nature c. not onely in particular things for his own singular carriage but also in publike businesses for the good and society of men or of the people for God hath given his Law and Nature her Dictates to all to the observance of which all men are tyed Yea farther they are not onely bound in their severall Conditions and tyed to the performance thereof in their own persons but also are bound to further it with all their might and take away all things that may lett and stop this performance or deterre and withdraw men from it Read Levit. 19.17 where every man is commanded to rebuke his neighbour and stop him from sinning Read Deut. 17.19 20. where the King is commanded to have continually the Copie of the Law before him for his Rule and Guide What is in 1 Sam. 8.10 is what a King is likely to do and not what he ought or should do This is cleer for in the place now named in Deuteronomy the King is told what he ought to do but that he is said to do in Samuel is contrary to the Ordinance of God Confer the places and you will easily see this truth Next a Prince is said to be absolute that is not in any kinde subaltern to another and whose subjects acknowledge under God no other but him Hence you may see That the Popish Kings and Princes are not absolute for beside the great number of people within their Dominions who are immediate sworn vassalls to the Pope I mean the Shavelings The Prince himself takes Oath at his Reception To uphold the over-ruling Government of the Pope under the masked name of Spirituality and the simple abused Prince shall have for a reward to make up all a little holy Oyl to anoynt him and bear the Title of most Christian or Catholike Princes Farther I say That the Prince who although in some things hath cast off the yoke of this god upon earth for so is the Pope now and then called but keeps up a part of his tyranny in the Church of God over his people wants and loses so much of his absolutenesse for this tye upon him from a forreign Prince the Pope But here the Pope sheweth the height of his cunning for he seeing that Princes are told frequently That they are either absolute or ought to be such bethinks himself to keep up his super-eminency above Princes as his vassalls and yet make the Princes finde an absolutenesse which he acts by his Emissaries and their inferiour instruments for their own private ends whom he makes inculcate in the ears of Princes That their absolutenesse consisteth in doing with the Life Liberty and Fortunes of the People as seems good in their eyes without any regard to the good of humane Society which is the true End of all Government But with this Proviso That those who have relation to him immediately be exempted and these are not onely his shavelings who are openly obedient to his commands and orders c. but also those yea in Kingdoms where his name is in a kinde rejected who keep up his tyrannicall Laws and Ordinances as we have felt of late namely in these Dominions wherein we live to our wofull experience for they to uphold and encrease their power have cast both Prince and People into great troubles making the Prince believe That without them he hath no being But to shew thee that Princes may use the people committed to their Charge like beasts and yet neverthelesse are not absolute cast thy eyes in the neighbour Countreys onely upon the Duke of Savoy and the Duke of Florence who although they be Sovereigns in a kinde over the people and deal most hardly with them taking their Lives and Fortunes away at their pleasure yet they are not acknowledged to be absolute Princes for they are vassalls of the Empire and their chief titles are to be Officers thereof So the Duke of Savoy is qualified Vicar of the Empire c. If you consider the Prince and people committed to his Charge as having relation one to another I say they are both bound one to another by Duty the Prince first bound to rule and govern according to the Law of God of Nature of Nations and Municipall Laws of the Countrey and the People is bound to obey him accordingly but if the Prince command any thing against these his commands are not to be obeyed God being onely he to whose commands Obedience is simply due and to be given but to men onely obedience with limitation and in externall things according to the Laws so oft above named at the least not against them or opposite to them The Chimaera or rather Solaecisme in reason of passive Obedience is not to be thought on among rationall men it being the invention of Court-parasites a meer nothing or non ens for Obedience consisteth in action as all other vertues do and not is suffering Farther whosoever for not obeying a wicked command of a Superiour suffereth if he can stop it or shun it is an enemy to his own being wherein he offends against nature for you see every naturall thing striveth to conserve it self against what annoyeth it then he sins against the Order of God who in vain hath ordained us so many lawfull Means for the preservation of our Being if we suffer it to be destroyed having power to help it But then it will be demanded What is there no absolutenesse in humane Authority I answer simple absolutenesse there is none under God For all humane Authority is limited by the Laws aforesaid and extends to farther then externall things yet comparatively humane Authority is said to be absolute when it is free from any Forreigne Superiour Power So when Henry the eighth having cast off the Romish yoak and putting down the vassallage of these his Dominions unto the Pope caused divers Books to be written of the absolute Empire or Authority of the Prince although after the freeing himself from the Pope he had not nor did not pretend to have any more absolute power over the people then he had before but albeit this Prince did much for the regaining the absolute Authority to the Crown again in chasing away the Romish Pontiff yet he did it not fully in so farre as he kept still the Romish Rites and the Hierarchy or Prelacy wherein the Romish Fox lurking hath kept himself in these Countreys unto this day and now having acted the Fox long enough he is acting the Woolf by dedestroying the people of God if the Successors of King Henry had not kept in the Romish Superstitious Rites and Hierarchy they and we all had had better times then we have all tasted of Although King Henry for his Vices be blame worthy to all posterity yet I must say in all humane appearance That if the Prelat-Bishops to whom he trusted the reforming of the abuses
onely one or two who embraced the Truth all the rest were either professed persecutors of Gods Children and open enemies of the Truth or else they were given altogether so to satisfie their bellies and lusts that they had no care of Religion witnesse George Creichton in the name of all the rest Bishop of Dunkell who confessed truly That he had lived a long time Bishop and never knew any thing of the Old or New Testament Impietie Ignorance and Wickednesse came to such height among the Church-men of all ranks degrees and professions that God being after so long patience in a manner vexed with them did stirre up the people to chase them from the service of his House and to put others in their places as you will see in this following Historie whereunto I referre you And I shall close up this discourse with one or two passages worthy to be known whereby you may see the learning of the Church-Doctors in those dayes and how they did imploy the knowledge they had to abuse the poor people The first Passage is this One Richard Marshall Prior of the Blackefriers at Newcastle in England preached in Saint Andrews That the Pater-noster should be said to God onely and not to the Saints The Doctors of Saint Andrews offended at it made a Gray frier called Tottis preach against Marshall his Tenet which hee did thus taking his Text out of the fift of Saint Matthew Blessed are the poore in spirit Seeing we say Good day Father to any old man in the Street we may call a Saint Pater who is older then any alive And seeing they are in Heaven we may say to any of them Our Father which art in heaven And seeing they are holy we may say to any of them Hallowed be thy name And since they are in the Kingdom of Heaven we may say Thy kingdom come And seeing their will is Gods Will we may say to any of them Thy will be done But when the Gray Fryer preaching came to the fourth Petition Give us this day our dayly bread he was hissed at and so was constrained not onely to leave off Preaching but also to leave the City for shame Yet among the Doctors then assembled the Dispute continued about the Pater for some would have it said to God formaliter and to the Saints materialiter others to God principaliter to the Saints minus principaliter others primariò to God secundariò to the Saints others would have it said to God taking it strictè and to the Saints taking it latè Notwithstanding all these Distinctions the Doctors could not agree upon the businesse A fellow called Tom servant to the Sub-Prior of Saint Andrews one day perceiving his Master much troubled with some businesse and as he conceived weighty said to him Sir what is the matter of this your trouble The Master answered We cannot agree about the saying of the Pater The fellow replied To whom should it be said but to God alone The Master answers again What shall we do then with the Saints The fellow duplies Give them Ave's and Credo's enough that may suffice them and too well too If this was good Divinity God knows The second passage likewise is very well worth the knowing and to this purpose very fit which fell out about the same time with the former that is about the first beginning of the Reformation A little before the death of George Wischard there came home from Rome a fellow charged with very many holy Reliques and new things of great vertue as he gave out but the things were not to be had nor any benefit by the sight or touching of them without moneys Now upon a holy day in a village neer Hadington this Romish Pedler did open his pack to try if he could vent any of his Wares among the Countrey people Among other commodities the good Merchant did shew unto the people there was a Bell of much value by reason of its great vertue which he gave out to be this That if any two parties had any difference which could not be otherwise decided but by Oath the truth of the Oath was to be made known by this Bell for said he when any one sweareth laying his hand on this Bell if he swear true he shall after the Oath sworn remove his hand easily from from the Bell without any change to the Bell But if he that sweareth having his hand upon the Bell sweareth falsly his hand will stick to the Bell and the Bell will rive asunder Now we must tell you That already there was a rift in the Bell which this Romipete did affirm had happened by a false Oath of one that had sworn having his hand upon the Bell. At this tale the poor simple people were astonished and fell in admiration But among them was one Fermer who had some light of the Truth of God he drawing neer the Romish Merchant desired to have the Bell in his hand to see it neerly This desire was granted unto him Then he takes the Bell and looks on it expressing great admiration at first but immediately thereafter he asked at the Romipete if he would suffer him to swear in presence of the company having his hand upon the Bell for he had minde to take an Oath upon a weighty businesse The man could not refuse him Then said the Farmer to the company Friends before I swear you see the rift that is already in the Bell and how big it is and that I have nothing upon my fingers to make them stick to the Bell. With this he sheweth them his hand open then laying his hand upon the Bell he did swear this I swear in the presence of the living God and before these good people That the Pope of Rome is Antichrist and that all the rabble of his Clergie Cardinalls Archbishops Bishops Priests Monks with the rest of the crew are Locusts come from hell to delude the people and to withdraw them from God Moreover I promise They will return to hell Incontinent he lifted up his hand from the Bell before them all and said See friends that I have lifted up my hand freely from the Bell and look unto the rift in the Bell it is one and the same without change this sheweth according to the saying of this Merchant That I have sworn truth Then this poor fellow went away and never was more seen in Scotland nor any other of his kinde who brought Reliques or other like toyes from Rome Many more of this kinde might be alleadged but let these suffice to demonstrate the miserable ignorance from which God in his mercy hath delivered us To whom be praise and glory for this and all other benefits With this I end the Preface that you may come to the History it self 1553. PAtrick Hamilton was three and twenty yeers of Age when he suffered After his death his brother German Iames Hamilton of Levinston was accused likewise but the King did cause to convey him
of the Primitive Christian Church 23. That true Christians receive the body of Iesus Christ every day by Faith 24. That after Matrimony be contracted and consummate the Kyrk may make no Divorcement 25. That Excommunication bindes not if unjust 26. That the Pope forgives not sins but onely God 27. That Faith should not be given to Miracles to such namely as the Romish were then and are to this day 28. That we should not pray to the glorious Virgin Mary but to God onely since he onely hears us and can help us 29. That we are no more bound to pray in the Kyrk then in other places 30. That we are not bound to beleeve all that Doctors of the Kirk have written 31. That such as worship the Sacrament in the Kyrk we suppose the Sacrament of the Altar commits Idolatry 32. That the Pope is the head of the Kirk of Antichrist 33. That the Pope and his Ministers are murtherers of souls 34. That they which are called Princes and Prelates in the Church are Theeves and Robbers By these Articles which God of his mercifull providence caused the enemies of his truth to keep in their registers may appear how mercifully God hath looked upon this Realm retaining within it some spark of his lyght even in the time of greatest darknesse Neither ought any man to wonder albeit that some things be obscurely and some things doubtfully spoken But rather ought all faithfull to magnifie Gods mercy who without publike Doctrine gave so great light And further we ought to consider that seeing that the enemies of Jesus Christ gathered the foresaid Articles thereupon to accuse the persons aforesaid that they would deprave the meaning of Gods servants so far as they could as we doubt not but they have done in the heads of Excommunication Swearing and of Matrimony In the which it is no doubt but the servants of God did damne the abuse only and not the right Ordinance of God for who knows not that the Excommunication in these dayes was altogether abused That Swearing aboundeth without punishment or remorse of conscience And that Divorcements was made for such causes as worldly men had invented But to our History Albeit that the accusation of the Bishop and of his Complices was very grievous yet God so assisted his servants partly by inclining the Kings heart to gentlenesse for divers of them were his great familiars and partly by giving bold and godly answers to their Accusators that the enemies in the end weâ—e frustrate of their purpose For while the Bishop in mockage said to Adâ—m Reade of Barskeiming Reade beleeve ye that God is in heaven He answered Not as I do the Sacraments seven Whereat the Bishop thinking to have triumphed said Sir lo he denies that God is in heaven Whereat the King wondring said Adam Reade What say ye The other answered Pleaseth your Majesty to hear the end betwixt the churle and me and therewith he turned to the Bishop and said I neither think nor beleeve as thou thinkest that God is in heaven but I am most assured that he is not onely in heaven but also in the earth But thou and thy faction declare by your works that either ye think there is no God at all or else that he is so set up in heaven that he regards not what is done upon the earth for if thou firmly beleevedst that God were in the heaven thou shouldest not make thy self check-mate to the King and altogether forget the charge that Jesus Christ the Son of God gave to his Apostles which was To Preach his Gospel and not to play the proud Prelates as all the rabble of you do this day And now Sir said he to the King judge ye whether the Bishop or I beleeve best that God is in heaven While the Bishop and his band could not well revenge themselves and while many taunts were given them in their teeth The King willing to put an end to further reasoning said to the said Adam Reade Wilt thou burn thy bill He answered Sir the Bishop and ye will With these and the like scoffs the Bishop and his band were so dashed out of countenance that the greatest part of accusation was turned to laughter After that Diet we finde almost no question for matters of Religion the space neer of thirty yeers for not long after to wit in the yeer of God 1500. the said Bishop Blaktar departed this life going in his superstitious devotion to Ierusalem Unto whom succeeded Master Iames Betone son to the Laird of Balfor in Fife who was more carefull of the world then he was to Preach Christ or yet to advance any Religion but for the fashion onely and as he sought the world it fled him not For it was well known that at once he was Archbishop of Saint Andrews Abbot of Dunfermeling Aberbrothe Kylwinning and Chancellour of Scotland For after the unhappy field of Flowdonne in the which perished King Iames the fourth with the greatest part of the Nobility of the Realm the said Betonne with the rest of the Prelates had the whole Regiment of the Realm And by reason thereof held and travelled to hold the truth of God in thraldome and bondage till that it pleased God of his great mercy in the yeer of God 1527. to raise up his servant Master Patrick Hammilton at whom our History doth begin Of whose progenie life and erudition because men of fame and renown have in divers works written we omit all curious repetition sending such as would know further of him then we write to Francis Lambert Iohn Frith and to that notable work lately set forth by Iohn Fox English man of the lives and deaths of Martyrs within this Isle in this our age This servant of God Master Patrick Hamilton being in his youth provided to reasonable honours and living he was intituled Abbot of Fern as one hating the world and the vanitie thereof left Scotland and passed to the Schools in Germany for then the fame of the Universitie of Wittenberg was greatly divulgate in all Countreys where by Gods providence he became familar with those lights and notable servants of Christ Jesus of that time Martin Luther Philip Melancthon and the said Francis Lambert did so grow and advance in godly knowledge joyned with fervencie and integrity of life that he was in admiration with many The zeal of Gods glory did so eat him up that he could not long continue to remain there but returned to his countrey where the bright beams of the true light which by Gods grace was planted in his heart began most abundantly to burst forth as well in publike as in secret for he was besides his godly knowledge well learned in Phylosophie he abhorred Sophistrie and would that the Text of Aristotle should have been better understood and more used in the Schools than then it was for Sophistrie had corrupted all as well in Divinitie as
in humanitie In short processe of time the fame of his reasons and Doctrine troubled the Clergie and came to the ears of Bishop Iames Betonne of whom before we have made mention who being a conjured enemy to Christ Jesus and one that long hath had the whole regiment of this Realm bare impatiently that any trouble should be made to the Kingdom of darknesse whereof within this Realm he was the head And therefore he so travelled with the said Master Patrike that he gat him to Saint Andrews where after the conference of divers dayes he had his freedom and liberty The said Bishop and his bloody Butchers called Doctours seemed to approve his Doctrine and to grant that many things craved Reformation in the Ecclesiasticall regiment And amongst the rest there was one that secretly consented with him almost in all things named Frier Alexander Campbell a man of good wit and learning but yet corrupt by the world as after we will hear when the Bishops and Clergie had fully understood the minde and judgement of the said Master Patrick and fearing that by him their kingdom should be endamaged they travailed with the King who then was young and altogether addict to their commandment that he should passe in Pilgrimage to Saint Dothesse in Rosse to the end that no intercession should be made for the life of the innocent servant of God who suspecting no such cruelty as in their hearts was conceived remained still a lambe amongst the wolves till that upon a night he was intercepted in his chamber and by the Bishops Band was caried to the Castle where that night he was kept and upon the morrow after brought forth to Judgement he was condemned to die by fire for the testimony of Gods Truth The Articles for the which he suffered were but of Pilgrimage Purgatory prayer to Saints and for the dead and such trifles Albeit that matters of greater importance had been in question as his Treatise which in the end we have added may witnesse Now that the condemnation of the said M. Patrike should have greater Authority they caused the same to be subscribed by all those of any estimation that with them were present and to make their number great they took the subscription of children if they were of the Nobility for the Earle of Cassilles which last deceased in France then being but twelve or thirteene yeers of age was compelled to subscribe his death as himself did confesse Immediately after dinner the fire was prepared before the old Colledge and he led to the place of Execution and yet men supposed that all was done but to give nnto him terrour and to have caused him to have recanted and have become recreant to those bloodie beasts but God for his own glory for the comfort of his servant and for manifestation of their beastly tyrannie had otherwise decreed for he â—o strengthned his faithfull Witnesse that neither the love of life nor yet the fear of that cruell death could move him a jote to swerve from the truth once professed At the place of execution he gave to his servant who had been chamberlain to him of a long time his Gown his Coat Bonnet and such like garments saying These will not profit in the fire they will profit thee after this of me thou canst receive no commoditie except the example of my death which I pray thee bear in minde for albeit it be bitter to the flesh and fearfull before men yet is it the entrance unto eternall life which none shall possesse that denies Christ Jesus before this wicked generation The innocent servant of God being bound to the stake in the midst of some coales some timber and other matter appointed for the fire a traine of powder was made and set on fire which gave to the blessed Martyr of God a blaise and scorched his left hand and that side of his face but neither kindled the wood nor yet the coales and so remained the appointed to death in torment till that men ran to the Castle again for more Powder and fire wood more able to take fire which at last being kindled with loud voice cried Lord Iesus receive my spirit How long shall darknesse overwhelm this Realme And how long wilt thou suffer this tyrannie of men The fire was slow and therefore was his torment the more But most of all was he grieved by certain wicked men amongst whom Campbel the black Frier of whom we spake before was principall who continually cryed Convert Heretick Call upon our Lady say Salve Regina c. To whom he answered Depart and trouble me not thou messenger of Satan But while that the aforesaid Frier still roared one thing in great vehemence he said unto him Wicked man thou knowest the contrary and the contrary to me thou hast confessed I appeale thee before the tribunall seat of Christ Iesus After which and other words which well could not be understood nor marked because of the tumult and vehemencie of the fire The witnesse of Jesus Christ gate victory after long sufferance the last of February in the yeere of God 1527. The said Frier departed this life within few dayes after in what estate we referre to the manifestation of the generall Day But it was plainly known that he died in Glasgow in a phrenzie and as one despaired Now that all men may understand what was the singular erudition and godly knowledge of the said M. Patrike Hamilton we have inserted this his little pithie Work containing his Assertions and Determinations concerning the Law the Office of the same concerning Faith and the true Fruits thereof first by the said Master Patrike collected in Latine and after translated into vulgar Language Of the Law THe Law is a Doctrine that biddeth good and forbiddeth evill as the Commandments here contained do specifie The ten Commandments THou shalt worship but one God 2. Thou shalt make thee no Image to worship it 3. Thou shalt not swear by his Name in vain 4. Hold the Sabbath day holy 5. Honour thy father and thy mother 6. Thou shalt not kill 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt bear no false witnesse 10. Thou shalt not desire ought that belongeth to thy neighbour He that loveth God and his neighbour keepeth all the Commandments of God Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soul and with all thy minde this is the first and great Commandment The second is like unto this Love thy neighbour as thy self in these two Commandments hang all the Law and Prophets He that loveth God loveth his neighbour If any man say I love God and yet hateth his neighbour he is a lyer He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen He that loveth his neighbour as himselfe keepeth the whole Commandments of God Whatsoever ye wovld that men should do
godly And in what honour credit and estimation Doctour Machabeus was with Christian king of Denmark Cawpmanhowen and famous men of divers nations can testifie This did God provide for his servants and did frustrate the expectation of these bloody beasts who by the death of one he meanes M. Patrick Hamilton in whom the lyght of God did clearly shine intended to have suppressed Christs Trueth for ever within this Realme but the contrary had God decreed for his death was the cause as is said that many did awake from the deadly sleep of ignorance and so did Jesus Christ the onely true Lyght shine unto many for the way taken of one And albeit that these notable men did never after M. Iohn Fyfe onely excepted comfort their countrey with their bodily presence yet made he them fructifie in his Church and raised them up Lyghts out of darknesse to the praise of his own mercy and to the just condemnation of them that then ruled To wit of the King Counsell and Nobility yea of the whole people who suffered such notable personages without crimes counted to be unjustly persecuted and so exiled others were after even so dealt withall but of them we shall speak in their own place No sooner gate the Bishops opportunity which alwayes they sought but so soon renewed they the battell against Jesus Christ. For the aforesaid leprous Bishop in the yeere of God 1534. caused to be summoned Sir William Kyrk Adam Dayis Henry Kernes Iohn Stewart of Leyth with divers others such as Master William Iohnston Advocate Master Henry Henderson Schoole-master of Edenburgh of whom some compeered in the Abbey Kyrk of Halyrud-house and so abjured and publikely burnt their Bills others compeered not and therefore was exiled But in judgement were produced two to wit David Straton a Gentleman and Master Norman Gowrlay a man of reasonable erudition of whom we may shortly speak In Master Norman appeared knowledge albeit joyned with weaknesse But in David Straton could onely be espied for the first a hatred against the pride and avaritiousnesse of Priests for the cause of his delation was he had made to himselfe one Fish-boat to go to the sea The Bishop of Murray then being Prior of Saint Andrews and his agents urged him for the tythe thereof His answer was If they would have tythe of that which his servants wan in the sea it were but reason that they should come and receive it where they got the stocke and so as it was constantly affirmed he caused his servants to cast the tenth fish in the sea again Processe of cursing was laid against him for not paying such tythes which when he contemned he was summoned to answer for Heresie It troubled him vehemently and therefore he began to frequent the company of such as were godly for before he had been a man very stubborne and one that despised all reading chiefly of those things that were godly but miraculously as it were he appeareth to be changed for he delighteth in nothing but in hearing of reading for himselfe could not reade and was a vehement exhorter of all men to concord and quietnesse and the contempt of the world He frequented much the company of the Laird of Dun Areskin whom God in those daies had marvellously illuminated upon a day as the Laird of Lawriston that yet liveth then being a young man was reading unto him in the New Testament in a certain quiet place in the fields as God had appointed he chanced to read these Sentences of our Master Jesus Christ He that denieth me before men or is ashamed of me in the midst of this wicked generation I will deny him in the presence of my Father and before his Angels At which words he suddenly being as one revived cast himselfe upon his knees and extending both hand and visage constantly to the heaven a reasonable time at length he burst forth in these words O Lord I have been wicked and justly mayest thou withdraw thy grace from me but Lord for thy mercies sake let me never deny thee nor thy Trueth for fear of death or corporall paine The issue declared that his prayer was not vain for when he with the aforesaid Master Norman was produced in judgement in the Abbey of Halyrud-House the King himselfe all clad in red being present great labour was made that the said David Straton should have recanted and burnt his Bill But he ever standing at his defence alleadging that he had not offended in the end was adjudged to the fire and then when he perceived the danger asked grace at the King which he would willingly have granted unto him the Bishops proudly answered That the Kings hands were bound in that case and that he had no grace to give to such as by their Law were condemned And so was he with the said Master Norman after dinner upon the seven and twentieth day of August in the yeere of our Lord 1534. aforesaid led to a place besides the roode of greene side and there they two were both hanged and burnt according to the mercy of the Papisticall Church To that same diet were summoned as before we have said others of whom some escaped into England and so for that present escaped the death This their tyranny notwithstanding the knowledge of God did wonderfully increase within this Realme partly by reading partly by brotherly conference which in those dangerous dayes was used to the comfort of many but chiefly by Merchants and Mariners who frequenting other countreys heard the true Doctrine affirmed and the vanity of the Papisticall Religion openly rebuked Amongst whom were those of Dondie and Lieth principals against whom was made a very strait inquisition by David Beton cruell Cardinall And divers were compelled to abjure and burne their Bills some in Saint Andrews and some at Edinburgh About the same time Captaine Iohn Berthwick Provost of Lithcow was burnt in figure but by Gods providence escaped their furie And this was done for a spectacle and triumph to Mary of Lorraine lately arrived from France as wife to Iames the fifth King of Scots what plagues she brought with her and how they yet continue such as are not blinde may manifestly see The rage of these bloody beasts proceeded so farre that the Kings Court it selfe escaped not that danger for in it divers were suspected and some accused And yet ever did some lyght burst out in the midst of darknesse for the trueth of Christ Jesus entred even into the Cloisters as well of Friars and Monks as of Channons Iohn Lyn a gray Frier left his hypocriticall habit and the den of those murtherers the gray Friers A black Frier called Frier Killor set forth the History of Christs passion in forme of a Play which he both Preached and practised openly in Sterlin the King himselfe being present upon a Good-Friday in the Morning in the which all things were so lively expressed that the
a yard the said William Iohn followed privily and tooke heed what he did when he had gone up and down in an alley a reasonable space with many sobs and deep grones hâ— fell upon his knees and sitting thereon his grones increased And from hise knees he fell upon his face And then the persons aforenamed heard weeping and as it were an indigest sound of prayers in the which he continued neer an hour and after began to be quiet and so arose and came into his bed They that waited upon him came before as if they had bin ignorant till that he came in and then began they to demand where he had been But that night he would answer nothing Upon the morrow they urged him again and while that he dissembled they said M. George Be plain with us for we heard your mourning and saw you both upon your knees and upon your face With dejected visage he said I had rather ye had been in your beds and it had been more profitable for you for I was scarce well occupied When they instantly urged him to let them know some comfort he said I will tell you That I am assured that my travell is neer an end and therefore call to God with me that now I shrinke not when the battell waxes most hot And while that they weeped and said That was small comfort unto them he answered God shall send you comfort after me This Realme shall be illuminated with the light of Christs Gospel as cleerly as ever any Realme since the dayes of the Apostles The House of God shall be builded in it yea it shall not lack whatsoever the enemy imagine in the contrary the very Kepstone meaning That it should once be brought to the full perfection Neither said he shall this be long to there shall not many suffer after me till that the glory of God shall evidently appeare and shall once triumph in despight of Sathan But alas if the people shall be after unthankfull then fearfull and terrible shall the plagues be that shall follow And with these words he marched forwards in his journey towards S. Iohnston and so to Fyfe and then to Leyth where he arrived and hearing no word of those that appointed to meet him to wit The Earle of Cassels and the Gentlemen of Kyle and Cuninghame he kept himself secret a day or two But beginning to wax sorrowfull in spirit and being demanded of the cause of such as were not in his company before he said What differ I from a dead man except that I eat and drinke To this time God hath used my labours to the instruction of others and unto the disclosing of darknesse and now I lurke as a man that were ashamed and durst not shew himself before men By these and the like words they that heard him understood that his desire was to preach and therefore said Most comfortable it was unto us to hear you but because we know the danger wherein ye stand we dare not desire you But dare ye and others hear said he and then let my God provide for me as best pleaseth him Finally it was concluded That the next Sunday he should preach in Leith as he did and took the Text The Parable of the sower that went forth to sow seed Matth. 13. And this was upon the fifteenth day before Christmas The Sermon ended the Gentlemen of Lowthan who then were earnest Professors of Christ Jesus thought not expedient that he should remain in Leith because that the Governour and Cardinall were shortly to come to Edinburgh and therefore they took him with them and kept him sometimes in Brunston sometimes in Langnidrie and sometimes in Ormeston For these three diligently waited upon him The Sunday following he preached in the Church of Enneresk besides Mussilburgh both before and at after noon where there was a great confluence of people amongst whom was Sir George Dowglas who after the Sermon said publikely I know that my Lord Governour and my Lord Cardinall shall hear that I have been at this preaching for they were then at Edinburgh Say unto them That I will avow it and will not onely maintain the Doctrine that I have heard but also the person of the Teacher to the uttermost of my power Which words greatly rejoyced the people and the Gentlemen then present One thing notable in that Sermon we cannot passe by Amongst others there came two gray Friers and standing in the entry of the Church door they made some whispering to such as came in which perceived the Preacher said to the people that stood neer them I heartily pray you to make room to those two men it may be that they be come to learne And unto them he said Come neer for they stood in the very entry of the door for I assure you ye shall hear the Word of verity which shall either seal in you this same day your salvation or condemnation And so proceeded he in Doctrine supposing they would have been quiet But when he perceived them still to trouble the people that stood neer them for vehement was he against the false worshipping of God he turned unto them the second time and with an irefull countenance said O Sergeants of Sathan and deceivers of the souls of men Will ye neither heare Gods Truth nor suffer others to heare it Depart and take this for your portion God shall shortly confound and disclose your hypocrisie within this Realme ye shall be abominable unto men and your places and habitations shall be desolate This Sentence he pronounced with great vehemency in the midst of the Sermon And turning to the people he said You wicked men have provoked the Spirit of God to anger And so he returned to his matter and proceeded to the end The dayes travell was ended he came to Langindrie and the two next Sundays preached in Tranent with the like grace and like confluence of people In all his Sermons after his departure from Augus he forespake the shortnesse of the time that he had to travell and of his death the day whereof approached neerer than any would believe In the latter end of those dayes that are called the holy dayes of Christmas past he by consent of the Gentlemen to Hadington where it was supposed the greatest confluence of people should be both by reason of the Towne and of the Countrey adjacent The first day before noon the auditors were reasonable and yet nothing in comparison of that which used to be in that Church But the afternoon and the next day following before noon the auditory was so slender that many wondred The cause was judged to have been That the Earle Bothwell who in those bounds used to have great credit and obedience by procurement of the Cardinall had given inhibition as well unto the Towne as unto the Countrey that they should not hear him under the pain of his displeasure The first night he lay within the Towne with David
the Town for the comforting of the besieged with powder victuals and men lost an Army of six thousand men Sir Robert Bowes was taken and the most part of the borderers were taken or slain And so might the Town justly have despaired of any further succour to have been looked for But yet it held good for the stout courage and prudent government of Sir Iames Wolford General who did so incourage the whole Captains and Souldiers that they determined to die upon their walls But from the time that the French-men had gotten the Bone for the which the Dog barked the pursuit of the Town was slow The siege was raised and the Queen she was conveyed by the west seas to France with 4 Gallies some Ships And so the Cardinall of Loraine got her in his keeping a morsell I assure you meet for his own mouth We omit many things that occurred in this time as the sitting down of the Ship called The Cardinall the fairest Ship in France betwixt S. Colmes Inch and Cramond without any occasion except negligence for the day was faire and weather calme But God would shew that the Countrey of Scotland can beare no Cardinals In this time also was there a Combat betwixt the Gallies and the English Ships They shot frankely a while An English Ship took fire or else the Gallies had come short home and as it was they fled without mercy till that they were above S. Colmes Inch. The Captaines left the Gallies and took a Fort made in the Inch for their defence But the English Ships made no pursuit except that they burnt the Cardinall where she lay and so the Gallies and the Galley-men did both escape Order was taken that the next September some Gallies should remain in Scotland and that the rest should return to France as they did all except one that was taken by an English Ship by an English Ship onely we say as they were passing betwixt Dover and Calice That winter remained Monsieur de Arfe in Scotland with the bands of French-men They fortified Enneresk to stay the English that they should not invade Edinburgh and Leyth Some skirmishes there were betwixt the one and the other but no notable thing done except that the French had almost taken Hadington The occasion whereof was this The French-men thinking themselves more then masters in all parts of Scotland and in Edinburgh principally thought they could doe no wrong to no Scottish-man For a certaine French-man delivered a Colvering to George Tod Scottish-man to be stocked who bringing it thorow the street another French-man claimed it and would have taken it from the said George but he resisted alleadging that the French-man did wrong Thus began parties to assemble as well to the Scottish-man as to the French so that two of the French-men were stricken down and the rest chased from the Crosse to Nudris-winde-head The Provost being in the street apprehended two of the French and was carrying them to the Tolbuith but from Monsieur de Essies lodging or close issued forth French-men to the number of threescore persons with drawn swords and resisted the said Provost Then the Town assembling repulsed them till that they came to the nether Bow And there Monsieur de la Chapelle with the whole bands of French-men armed recountred the said Provost and violently repulsed him for the Town was without weapons for the most part and so made invasion upon all that they met And first in the entrie of the Bow were slain David Kyrk and David Barber being at the Provosts back and afterward was slain the said Provost himself being Laird of Stanehouse and Captain of the Castle Iames Hamilton his son William Chapman M. William Stuart William Purvesse and a woman named Elizabeth Stuart And thereafter tarried within the Town by force from five of the clock till after seven at night and then retired to the Cannon gate as to their receptacle and refuge The whole Town yea the Governour and Nobility commoved at the unworthinesse of this bold attempt craved justice upon the malefactours or else they would take justice of the whole The Queen craftily enough Monsieur de Essie and Monsieur Doseil laboured for pacification and promised That unlesse the French-men by themselves alone should do such an act as might recompence the wrong that they had done that then they should not refuse but that Justice should be executed to the rigour These faire words pleased our fools and so were the French bands the next night directed to Hadington to the which they approched a little after midnight so secretly that they were never espied till that the foremost were within the outer Court and the whole Company in the Church-yard not two paire of Buts length distant from the Town The Souldiers English-men were all asleep except the watch the which was slender and yet the shout arises Bowes and Bils Bowes and Bils which is signification of extreme defence to avoide the present danger in all Towns of war They affrighted arise weapons that first came to hand serve for the need One amongst many came to the East-gate where lay two great peeces of Ordnance and where the enemies were known to be and cried to his fellows that were at the gate making defence Beware before and so fires a great peece and thereafter another which God so conducted that after them was no further pursuit made for the Bullets redounded from the wall of the Frier-Church to the wall of S. Katherines Chappell which stood directly over it and from the wall of the said Chappell to the said Church wall again so oft that there fell more then an hundred of the French at those two shots onely They shot oft but the French retired with diligence and returned to Edinburgh without harme done except the destruction of some drinking Beere which lay in the Sands Chappell and Church And this was satisfaction more then enough for the slaughter of the foresaid captain and Provost and for the slaughter of such as were slain with them This was the beginning of the French fruits This winter in the time of Christmas was the Castle of Hume recovered from the English by the negligence of the Captain named Dudley This winter also did the Laird of Raith most innocently suffer and after was forsalted because that he wrote a Letter to his son Iohn Melvin who then was in England which was alleadged to have been found in the house of Ormeston but many suspected the pranks and craft of Ninian Cokburne now called Captain Ninian to whom the said Letter was delivered But howsoever it was the cruell beast the Bishop of S. Andrews and the Abbot of Dunfermeling ceased not till that the head of that noble man was striken from him especially because that he was known to be one that unfainedly favoured the Truth of Gods Word and was a great friend to those that were in the Castle of S. Andrews
but so would he not relieve them But some would he deliver by one means and at one time and others must abide for a season upon his good pleasure This counsell in the end was embraced upon the Kings even when French men commonly use to drinke liberally The aforesaid four persons having the help and conducting of a boy of the house bound all that were in the Castle put them in sundry houses locked the doors upon them took the Keys from the Captain and departed without harm done to the person of any or without touching of any thing that appertained to the King Captain or the house Great search was made thorow the whole Countrey for them But it was Gods good pleasure so to conduct them that they escaped the hands of the faithlesse albeit it was with long travell and great pain and poverty sustained for the French boy left them and took with him the small money that they had And so neither having money nor knowledge of the Countrey And farther fearing that the boy should discover them as that in very deed he did they purposed to divide themselves to change their garments and to go in sundry parts The two brethren Will. and Rob. Leslie who now are become the said Robert especially enemies to Christ Jesus and unto all vertue came to Roan Will. Kirkcaldie and Peter Carmichell in beggars garment came to Conquet and by the space of 12 or 13 weeks they travelled as poor Mariners from Port to Port till at length they gat a French Ship landed in the West of Scotland and from thence came to England where they met before them the said Io. Knox who that same Winter was delivered and Alexander Clerk in his company The said Iohn was first appointed Preacher to Barwick then to Newcastle last he was called to London and to the South part of England where he remained till the death of King Edward the sixt When he left England he then passed to Geneva and there remained at his privy studie till that he was called by the Congregation that then was assembled at Franckford to be Preacher to them which Vocation he obeyed albeit unwillingly at the commandment of that notable servant of God Iohn Calvin At Franckford he remained till that some of the learned whose names we suppresse more given to unprofitable Ceremonies then to sincerity of Religion began to quarrell with the said Iohn and because they despaired to prevail before the Magistrate there for the establishing of their corruptions they accused him of treason committed against the Emperour and against their Soveraigne Queen Mary That in his Admonition to England he called the one little inferiour to Nero and the other more cruell then Iesabell The Magistrate perceiving their malice and fearing that the said Iohn should fall in the hands of his accusators by one mean or by other gave advertisement secretly to him to depart their City for they could not save him if he were required by the Emperour or by the Queen of England in the Emperours name And so the said Iohn returned to Geneva from thence to Diep and thereafter to Scotland as we shall after hear The time and that Winter that the Gallies remained in Scotland were delivered M. Iames Balfour his two brethren David and Gilbert Iohn Anchinlek Iohn Sibald Iohn Gray William Gutrie and Stevin Bell. The Gentlemen that remained in prisons were by the procurement of the Queen Dowager to the Cardinall of Loraine and to the King of France set at liberty in the month of Iuly anno 1550. who shortly thereafter were called to Scotland their peace proclaimed and they themselves restored to their lands in despight of their enemies And that was done in hatred of Duke Hamilton because that then France began to have the Regiment of Scotland in their own hands Howsoever it was God made the hearts of their enemies to set them at liberty and freedom There rested a number of common servants yet in the Gallies who were all delivered upon the Contract of peace that was made betwixt France and England after the taking of Bullen and so was the whole company set at liberty none perishing no not before the world except Iames Melvin who departed from the misery of this life in the Castle of Brest in Britaigne This we write to let the posteritie to come to understand how potently God wrought in preserving and delivering of those that had but a small knowledge of his truth and for the love of the same hazarded all That if either we now in our dayes having greater light or our posteritie that shall follow us shall see a fearfull dispersion of such as oppose themselves to impiety or take upon them to punish the same otherwise then laws of men will permit If we say we or they shall see such left of men yea as it were despised and punished of God yet let us not damne the persons that punish vice and that for just cause nor yet despair but that the same God that dejects for causes unknown to us will raise up again the persons dejected to his glory their comfort And to let the world understand in plain terms what we mean that great abuser of this Common-wealth that pultron and vile knave Davie was justly punished the ninth of March in the yeer of our Lord 1565. for abusing of the Common-wealth and for his other villanies which we lift not to expresse by the counsell and hands of Iames Dowglas Earl of Mortoun Patrick Lord Lindsay and the Lord Ruthwen with other assisters in the company who all for their just act and most worthy of all praise are now unworthily left of all their brethren and suffer the bitternes of banishment exile But this is our hope in the mercies of our God That this same blinde Generation whether it will or not shall be compelled to see That he will have respect to them that are injustly pursued That he will pardon their former offences That he will restore them to the liberty of their Country and Common-wealth again And that he will punish in despight of man the head and the taile that now troubles the just and maintaineth impiety The head is known the tail hath two branches The temporall Lords that maintain such abominations as we see flattering counsellors of State blasphemous Balfour now called clerk of Register Sinclare Dean of Lestarrig and Bp. of Brechen blinde of one eye in the body but of both of his soul upon whom God shortly after took vengeance Leslie Preistesgate Abbot of Londrosse and Bishop of Rosse Simon Preston of Cragmillar a right Epicurian Whose end will be ere it be long according to their works But now to return to our History Hadington being kept and much hearship done about in the Countrey for what the English-men destroyed not that was consumed by the French God begins to fight for Scotland For in the Town he sent
your Majestie did know the same and the truth thereof as we were perswaded in our consciences and all them that are truly instructed in the eternall Word of our God upon whom we cast our care from all dangers that may follow the accomplishment of his eternall will and to whom we commend your Majestie beseeching him to illuminate your heart with the Gospel of his eternall Truth to know your Majesties duty towards your poore Subjects Gods chosen people and what you ought to crave justly of them againe for then we should have no occasion to feare your Majesties wrath and indignation nor your Majesties suspition in our inobedience The same God have your Majestie in his eternall saveguard At Dunbartane the 12 of August 1559. This answer directed to the Queen our Soveraigne and Francis her husband the Queen Dowager received and was bold upon it as she might well enough for it was supposed That the former Letters were forged here at home in Scotland The answer read by her she said That so proud an answer was never given to King Prince nor Princesse And yet indifferent men thought that he might have answered more sharply and not have transgressed modesty nor trueth For where they burden him with the great benefits which of them he had received if in plain words he had purged himselfe affirming That the greatest benefit that ever he received of them was to spend in their service that which God by others had provided for him no honest man would have accused him and no man could have been able to have convinced him of a lye But Princes must be pardoned to speak what they please For the comfort of the brethren and continuance of the Church in Edinburgh was left there our deare brother Iohn Willock who for his faithfull labours and bold courage in that battell deserves immortall praise For when it was found dangerous that Iohn Knox who before was elected Minister to the Church should continue there the brethren requested the said Iohn Willock to abide with them lest that for lack of Ministers Idolatry should be erected up again To the which he so gladly consented That it might evidently appeare that he preferred the comfort of his brethren and the continuance of the Church there to his own life One part of the French-men were appointed to lye in Garison at Leith that was the first benefit which they gate for their confederacie with them the other part were appointed to lye in the Canon-gate the Queen and her train abiding in the Abbey Our brother Iohn Willock the day after our departure preached in S. Giles Church and fervently exhorted the brethren to stand constant to the Truth which they had professed At this and some other Sermons was the Duke and divers other of the Queens faction This liberty of Preaching and resort of all people thereto did highly offend the Queen and the other Papists And first they began to give terrours to the Duke affirming That he would be reputed as one of the Congregation if he gave his presence to the Sermons Thereafter they began to require That Masse might be set up again in S. Giles Church and that the people should be set at liberty to chuse what Religion they would For that said they was contained in the appointment That the Town of Edinburgh should chuse what Religion they listed For obtaining hereof were sent to the Town the Duke the Earle of Huntly and the Lord Seaton to solicite all men to condiscend to the Queens minde wherein the two last did labour what they could the Duke not so but as a beholder of whom the brethren had good hope and after many perswasions and threatnings made by the said Earle and Lord the brethren stoutly and valiantly in the Lord Jesus gain-said their most unjust Petitions Reasoning That as in conscience they might not suffer Idolatry to be erected where Christ Jesus was truely Preached so could not the Queen nor they require any such thing unlesse she and they would plainely violate their Faith and chiefe Article of the appointment For it is plainely appointed That no member of the Congregation shall be molested in any thing That at the day of the appointment they peaceably possessed But so it was That we the brethren and Protestants of the Town of Edinburgh with our Ministers the day of the appointment did peaceably enjoy Saint Giles Church appointed us for Preaching of Christs true Gospel and right ministration of his holy Sacraments Therefore without manifest violation of the appointment you cannot remove us therefrom untill a Parliament have decided the Controversie This answer given the whole brethren departed and left the foresaid Earle and Lord Seaton then Provest of Edinburgh still in the Tolbuith Who perceiving that they could not prevaile in that manner began to entreat that they would be quiet and that they would so far condiscend to the Queens-pleasure as that they would chuse them another within the Town or at the least be content that Masse should be said either after or before their Sermon To the which answer was given That to give place to the devil who was the chiefe Inventer of the Masse for the pleasure of any creature they could not They were in possession of that Church which they could not abandon neither yet could they suffer Idolatry to be erected in the same unlesse by violence they should be constrained so to do And then they were determined to seek the next remedy Which answer received the Earle of Huntly did lovingly intreat them to quietnesse faithfully promising That in no sort they should be molested so that they would be quiet and make no farther uproare To the which they were most willing for they sought onely to serve God as he had commanded and to keep their possession according to the appointment which by Gods grace they did till the moneth of November notwithstanding the great boasting of the enemy For they did not onely convene to the Preaching daily supplâ—cations and administration of Baptisme but also the Lords Table was ministred even in the eyes of the very enemy to the great comfort of many afflicted consciences and as God did strongly work with his true Ministers and with his troubled Church so did not the devil cease to inflame the malice of the Queen and of the Papists with her For that after her coming to the Abbey of Halyrud-house she caused Masse to be said first in her own Chappell and after in the Abbey where the Altars before were cast down She discharged the Common-Prayers and forbade to give any portion to such as were the principall young men who read them Her malice extended in like manner to Cambuâ—kenneth for there she discharged the portions of as many of the Canons as had forsaken Papistry She gave commandment and inhibition that the Abbot of Lyndors should be answered of any part of his living in the North because he had submitted
rebuked in generall seldome it is that man descendeth within himself accusing and condemning in himself that which most displeaseth God but rather he doubteth that to be a cause which before God is no cause indeed For example The Israelites fighting against the Tribe of Benjamin were twice discomfited with the losse of 40000 men They lamented and bewailed both first and last but we finde not that they came to the knowledge of their offence and sin which was the cause that they fell by the edge of the sword but rather they doubted that to have been a cause of their misfortune which God had commanded for they asked Shall we go and fight any more against our brethren the sonnes of Benjamin By which question it is evident That they supposed that the cause of their overthrow and discomfite was Because they had lifted the sword against their brethren and naturall Countrey-men And yet the expresse Commandment of God that was given unto them did deliver them from all crime in that cause There is no doubt but that there was some cause in the Israelites that God gave them so over into the hands of these wicked men against whom he sent them by his own expresse Commandment to execute his Judgements Such as do well mark the History and the estate of that people may easily see the cause why God was offended All the whole people had declined from God Idolatry was maintained by the common consent of the multitude and as the Text saith Every man did that which appeared good in his own eyes In this mean time the Levite complained of the villany that was done unto himself and unto his wife which oppressed by the Benjamites of Gibeah died under their filthy lusts which horrible fact enflamed the hearts of the whole people to take vengeance upon that abomination and therein they offended but in this they failed That they go to execute judgement against the wicked without any repentance or remorse of conscience of their owne former offences and defection from God And farther Because they were a great multitude and the other were far inferiour unto them They trusted in their own strength and thought themselves able enough to do their purpose without any invocation of the Name of God But after that they had twice proved the vanity of their own strength they fasted and prayed and being humbled before God they received a more favourable answer and assured promise of the Victory The like may be amongst us albeit suddenly we do not espie it And to the end that every man may the better examine himself I will divide the whole company into two sorts of men The one are those that from the beginning of this trouble have sustained the common danger with their brethren The other be these which be joyned to our fellowship In the one and in the other I fear that just cause shall be found why God should thus have humbled us And albeit that this appear strange at the first hearing yet if every man shall examine himself I speak as that his conscience dyteth him I doubt not but he shall subscribe to my sentence Let us begin at our selves who longest hath continued in this Battell When we were a few number in comparison of our enemies when we had neither Earle nor Lord a few excepted to comfort us we called upon God and took him for our Protector Defence and onely Refuge Amongst us was heard no bragging of multitude nor of our strength nor policy we did onely sob to God to have respect to the equity of our Cause and to the cruell pursuit of the tyrannicall enemy But since that our number had been thus multiplied and chiefly since the Duke with his friends have been joyned with us there was nothing heard but This Lord will bring these many hundred Speares This man hath the credit to perswade this Countrey If this Earle be ours no man in such bounds will trouble us And thus the best of us all that before felt Gods potent hand to our defence hath of late dayes put Flesh to be our Arme. But wherein yet had the Duke and his friends offended It may be That as we have trusted in them so have they put too much confidence in their owne strength But granting it be not so I see a cause most just why the Duke and his friends should thus be confounded amongst the rest of their brethren I have not yet forgotten what was the dolour and anguish of my owne heart when at Saint Iohnston Cooper-Moure and Edinburgh Craigs those cruell murtherers that now hath put us to this dishonour threatned our present destruction The Duke and his friends at all three Journeys was to them a great comfort and unto us a great discouragement For his name and authority did more astonish us then did the force of the other yea without his assistance they could not have compelled us to appoint with the Queen upon so unequall Conditions I am certaine if the Duke hath unfainedly repented of that his assistance to those murtherers unjustly pursuing us yea I am certaine if he hath repented of the innocent blood of Christs blessed Martyrs which was shed by his fault But let it be that so he hath done as I hear that he hath confessed his offence before the Lords and Brethren of the Congregation yet I am assured That neither he neither yet his friends did feel before this time the anguish and grief of hearts which we felt when their blinde fury pursued us and therefore hath God justly permitted both them and us to fall into this confusion at once us for that we put our trust and confidence in man and them because that they should feel their owne hearts how bitter was the cup which they made others to drinke before them Resteth that both they and we turn to the Eternall our God who beateth down to death to the intent that he may raise up again to leave the remembrance of his wonderous deliverance to the praise of his owne Name which if we do unfainedly I no more doubt but that this our dolour confusion and fear shall be turned into joy honour and boldnesse then that I doubt that God gave Victory to the Israelites over the Benjamites after that twice with ignominy they were repulsed and driven back yea whatsoever shall become of us and our mortall carkasses I doubt not but that this Cause in despight of Sathan shall prevaile in this Realme of Scotland For as it is the eternall Trueth of the eternall God so shall it once prevaile howsoever for the time it be impugned It may be that God shall plague some for that they delight not in the Trueth albeit for worldly respects they seem to favour it Yea God may take some of his dearest children away before that their eyes see greater troubles But neither shall the one nor the other so hinder this action but in the end it shall
but to live upon that which was appointed ought not to be mollified according to the living of other common men who might and did daily augment their Rents by some other industry When such reasons were laid before them they got none other answer but The Queen can spare no greater Sums Oft was it cryed out in their ears O happy servants of the Devill and miserable servants of Iesus Christ if after this life there were nor Hell nor Heaven For to the servants of the Devill these dumbe Dogs and horrid Bishops To one of those idle bellies I say ten thousand was not enough but to the servants of Christ that painfully preach his Evangell a hundreth will suffice how can that be sustained One day in reasoning of this matter the Secretary burst out in a piece of his collor and said The Ministers have thus much payed unto them by year who ever yet said to the Queen Grand mercies for it was there ever a Minister that gave thanks to God for her Majesties liberalitie towards them One singled and answered Assuredly I think that such as receive any thing gratis of the Queen are unthankfull if they acknowledge it not both in heart and minde But whether the Ministers be of that rank or not I greatly doubt gratis I am sure they receive nothing and whether they receive any at all from the Queen wise men may reason I am assured that neither third nor two parts ever appertained to any of her Predecessors within this Realm these thousand years last past neither yet hath the Queens Flatterers better title to that which she usurpes be it in-giving to others or taken it to her self then the souldiers who crucified Jesus Christ had to divide his Garments amongst them And if the truth may be spoken she hath not so good Title as they had for such spoile ought to be the reward of such men And in that point the Souldiers were more gentle than the Queenes Flatterers for they parted not the Garments of our Saviour till that he himself was hung upon the Crosse but her Flatterers do part the spoil whilest that poor Christ is yet preaching amongst you But the wisedome of our God taketh tryall of us by this meanes knowing well enough what the Court faction have purposed to do Let the Papists who have the two parts some that have their thirds free and some that have gotten Abbeys and few Lands thanke the Queen and King Placebo Domine the poore Preachers will not yet flatter for feeding of their bellies These words were judged proud and intollerable and ingendred no small displeasure to the Speaker This we put in memory that the posterity to come may know that God once made his truth to triumph but because some of our selves delighted more in darknesse than in light God hath restrained our freedom and put the whole body in bondage yea the greatest Flatterers have not escaped so free as they supposed yea the latter plagues appear yet to be worse than the first Be mercifull unto us O Lord and deal with us not according to our deservings but look thou to the equitie of the cause which thou hath put in our hands and suffer not iniquitie to oppresse thy Trueth for thy own names sake O Lord. In this mean while to wit in February 1561. was Lord Iames first made Earl of Murray and then marryed one Agnes Keith daughter to the Earl Marshall The marriage was publike in the Church of Edinburgh at the blessing of the marriage they both got one admonition to behave themselves moderately in all things For said the Preacher to him The Church of God hath received comfort by you and by your labours unto this day In the which if hereafter you shall be found fainter then you have been formerly it will be said That your Wife hath changed your nature The greatnesse of the Bankquet and the vanitie used thereat offended many Godly There began the Masking which from yeer to yeer hath continued since Master Randolph Agent for the Queen of England was then and sometime after in no small esteem with our Queen For his Mistris sake she did drink to him in a Cup of Gold which he possessed with great joy more for the favour of the giver then of the gift and value thereof and yet it was honourable The things that then were in handling betwixt the two Queens whereof Lethington Secretary Cecill and Master Randolph were Ministers were of great weight as we will after heare This Winter the Earl of Bothwell the Marquis D'albuff and Lord Iohn of Coldingham committed ryot in Edinburgh and disordered the whole Town brake Cuthbert Ramseyes Gates and Doors searched his House for his Daughter in law Alison Craige And this was done in despight of the Earl of Arrane who was suspected to have been in love with the said Alison the horrours of this fact and the veritie of it highly commoved all godly hearts The Assembly and also the Nobilitie for the most part were in the Town and so they concluded to crave justice and so they did as by this subsequent supplication doth appear To the Queens Majestie Her secret Councell Her Highnesse faithfull and obedient Subjects The professors of Christ Iesus his holy Evangell wish the Spirit of righteous judgement THe fear of God conceived of his holy Word the naturall and unfained love we bear unto your Majestie the duetie which we owe to the quietnesse of our Country and the terrible threatnings which our God pronounceth against every Realm and Citie in the which horrible Crimes are openly committed and then by the Committers obstinately defended compells us a great part of our Subjects humbly to crave of your Majesties upright and true judgement against such persons as have done what in them lye to kindle Gods wrath against this whole Realm The impiety by them committed is so haynous and so horrible That as it is a fact most vile and rare to be heard of within the Realm and principally within the Bowels of this Citie So should we thinke our selves guiltie of the same if negligently or yet for worldy fear we put it over with silence and therfore your Majestie may not think that we crave any thing while that we crave open Malefactors condignly to be punished But that God hath commanded us to crave and also hath commanded your Majestie to give to every one of your Subjects for by this Lynk hath God knit together the Prince and people that as he commands honour fear and obedience to be given to the powers established by him so doth he in expresse words command and declare what the Prince oweth unto the Subjects to wit That as he is the Minister of God bearing the sword for vengeance to be taken on evill doers and for the denfence of peaceable and quiet men so ought he to draw the sword without partialitie so oft as in Gods Name he is required thereto Seeing so it
whelps have devoured their Lambs the Complainer may stand in danger but the offender we fear shall have leave to hunt after his prey Such Comparisons said Lethington are very unsavoury for I am assured That the Queen will not erect nor maintaine Papistry Let your assurance said the other serve your selfe but it cannot assure us for her manifest proceedings speaketh the contrary After such cautious reasoning on both sides the pluralitie concluded That the supplication as it was conceived should be presented unlesse that the Secretary would make one more fit to the present necessitie he promised to keep the substance of ours but he would use other termes and aske things in a more gentle manner The first Writer answered That he served the Churches at their commandment and was content That in his ditement men should use the libertie that best pleased them providing That he were not compelled to subscribe to the flattery of such as more regarded the persons of men then the simple truth of God And so was this former supplication given to be reformed as Lethingtons wisedome thought best And in very deed he framed it so That when it was delivered by the Superintendents of Lothain and Fyfe And when the Queen had read somewhat of it she said Here are many faire words I cannot tell what the hearts are And so for our painted Oratory we were termed by the next name Flatterers and dissemblers but for that Session the Church received no other answer Short after the Convention of the Church chanced that unhappy persuite which Iohn Gordon Laird of Finlater made upon the Lord Ogilvie who was evill hurt and was for a long time mitilate The occasion was for certain Lands and Rights which old Finlater had resigned to the Lord which he was pursuing by Law and was in appearance to obtain his purpose whereat the said Iohn and his servants were offended and therefore made the said pursuite upon a Saterday at night betwixt nine and ten The friends of the said Lord were either not with him or else not willing to fight that night for they took stroakes but gave few that left markes The said Iohn was taken and put in the Tolbuith where he ramained certain dayes and then broke the Prison Some judged at his Fathers commandment for he was making preparation for the Queens coming to the North as we will after heare The enterview and meeting of the two Queens delayed till the next yeer Our Soveraign took purpose to visite the North and departed from Sterlin in the moneth of August whether there was any paction and confederacy betwixt the Papists of the South and the Earle of Huntly and his Papists in the North or to speak more plainly betwixt the Queen her Self and Huntly We cannot certainly affirme But the suspitions were wondrous vehement that there was no good will borne to the Earle of Murray nor yet to such as depended upon him at that time The History we shall faithfully declare and so leave the judgement free to the Readers That Iohn Gordon broke the Prison we have already heard who immediately repaired to his Father George Earle of Huntly and understanding the Queens coming made great provision in Strabogie and in other parts as it were to receive the Queen At Aberdeine the Queen and Court remained certaine dayes to deliberate upon the Affaires of the Countrey where some began to smell that the Earle of Huntly was privately gathering men as hereafter shall be declared Whilest things was so working in the North the Earle of Bothwell broke his prison and came forth of the Castle of Edinburgh the eight and twentieth day of August some say he broke the Stancheours of the Window others whispered that he got easie passage by the gates one thing is certain to wit The Queen was little offended at his escaping There passed with him a servant of the Captains named Iames Porterfield The said Earle shewed himself not very much afraid for his common residence was in Louthain The Bishop of Saint Andrews and Abbot of Crosrainell kept secret convention that same time in Paislay to whom resorted divers Papists yea the said Bishop spake to the Duke unto whom also came the Lord Gordon from the Earle of Huntly requiring him to stirre his hands in the South as he should do in the North and so it should not be Knox crying and preaching that should stay that purpose The Bishop be he never so close could not altogether hide his minde but at his own Table said The Queen is gone into the North belike to seek disobedience she may perchance finde the thing she seeks It was constantly affirmed That the Earle Bothwell and the said Lord Gordon spake together but of their purpose we heard no mention That same year and in that same instant time were appointed Commissioners by the Generall Assembly to Carrick and Cunningham Master George Hay who with great profit preached the space of a moneth in all the Churches of Carrick To Kyle and to the parts of Galloway was appointed Iohn Knox who besides the doctrine of the Evangell shewne to the common people forewarned some of the Nobilitie and Barrows of the dangers that he feared and that were appearing shortly to follow and exhorted them to put themselves in such order as that they might be able to serve the authoritie and yet not to suffer the enemies of Gods truth to have the upper hand Whereupon a great part of the Barons and Gentlemen of Kyle Cunningham and Carrick professing the true doctrine of the Evangell assembled at Ayre and after the exhortation made and conference had subscribed this Bond the Tenour whereof followeth WE whose Names are under-written do promise in the presence of God and in the presence of his Son our Lord Iesus Christ that we and every one of us shall and will maintain the preaching of his holy Evangell now of his mercy offered and granted unto this Realm and also will maintaine the Ministers of the same against all persons power and authoritie that will oppose themselves to the Doctrine proposed and by us received And further with the same solemnitie we protest and promise that every one of us shall assist another yea and the whole Body of the Protestants within this Realme in all lawfull and just occasions against all persons So that whosoever shall hurt molest or trouble any of our bodies shall be reputed enemies to the whole except that the offender will be content to submit himself to the Government of the Church now established amongst us and this we do as we desire to be accepted and favoured of the Lord Iesus and accepted worthy of credit and honesty in the presence of the godly At the Burgh of Aire the fourth day of September in the year of God 1552. Subscribed by all these with their hands as followeth The Earle Glencairne Lord Boyde Lord Uchiltrie and Failfurd Mathew Cambell of Lowdoune Knight
Lordship that it will not be profitable for the common quietnesse of this Realme that the Papists brag and Justice be mocked that day And thus I cease further to trouble your Lordship whom God assist In haste from Glasgow the 7 of May 1563. Your Lordships to command in godlinesse Sic subscribitur JOHN KNOX THis Letter was not well accepted of the said Earle and yet did he utter no part of his displeasure in publike but contrarily shewed himself most familiar with the said Iohn Knox He kept the Diet and sate in Judgement himself where the Bishop and the rest of the Papists were accused as after follows The Summons were directed against the Masse-mongers with expedition and in the straitest forme The day was appointed the 19 of May a day onely before the Parliament of Popes Knights appeared The Bishop of Saint Androes the Prior of Quinthorne the Parson of Sanguhair William Hamilton of Camskeneth Iohn Gordon of Barskuch with divers others The Protestants convened whole to crave for Justice The Queen asked counsell of the Bishop of Rosse and of the old Laird of Lethington for the younger was absent and so the Protestants had fewer friends who affirmed That she must see her Laws kept or else she would get no obedience and so was preparations made for their accusations The Bishop and his band of the exempted sort made nice to enter before the Earle of Argyle who sate in Judgement but at last he was compelled to enter within the Barre A merry man who now sleeps with the Lord Robert Horwell instead of the Bishops Crosse bore before him a Steel Hammer Whereat the Bishop and his Band were not a little offended because the Bishops priviledges were not then currant in Scotland which day God grant our posterity may see of longer continuance then we possessed it The Bishop and his fellows after much ado and long drift of time came in the Queens will and were committed to Ward some to one place and some to another The Lady Arskine got the Bishops for her part All this was done of a most deep craft to abuse the simplicity of the Protestants that they should not presse the Queen with any other thing concerning the matters of Religion At that Parliament which began within two dayes thereafter she obtained of the Protestants whatsoever she desired for this was the reason of many We see what the Queen hath done the like of this was never heard within this Realme we will bear with the Queen we doubt not but all shall be well Others were of contrary judgement and forespake things as after they came to passe to wit That nothing was meant but deceit and that the Queen how soon that ever the Parliament was past should set the Papists at freedome And therefore willed the Nobility not to be abused But because many had their private businesse to be handled at that Parliament the common Cause was the lesse regarded The Earle of Huntley whose Corps had been unburied till the time it was brought to the Tolbuith he was accused his Arms rent off himself the Earle of Sutherland and eleven Barons and Earles bearing the surname of Gordon were that day forfeited the Lady Huntley craftily protested and asked the support of a man of Law or Counsellor Such stinking pride of women as was seen at that Parliament was never seen before in Scotland Three sundry dayes the Queen rode to the Tolbuith The first day she made a painted Oration and there might have been heard amongst her flatteries Vox Dianae The voyce of a goddesse for it could not be Dei and not of a Woman God save that sweet face Was there ever Orator spake so properly and so sweetly c. All things misliked the Preachers They spake boldly against the superfluities of their Cloathes and against the rest of their vanitie which they affirmed should provoke Gods vengeance not onely against these foolish Women but against the whole Realme and especially against those that maintained them in that odious abusing of things that might have been better bestowed Articles were presented for orders to be taken for Apparrell and for Reformation of other Enormities but all was winked at The Earledome of Murray needed confirmation and many things were to be ratified that concerned the helpe of friends and servants and therefore they might not urge the Queene For if they so did she would hold no Parliament and what then should become of them that had medled with the slaughter of the Earle of Huntley let that Parliament passe over and when the Queene shall aske any thing of the Nobilitie as she must do before her marriage then shall Religion be the first thing that shall be established It was answered That the Poets and Painters erred not altogether that fained and painted Occasion with a bald Hind-head For the first when it is offered being lost is hard to be recovered againe The matter fell so hot betwixt the Earl of Murray and some others of the Court and Iohn Knox That familiarly after that time they spake not together more then a yeer and a half For the said Iohn by his Letter gave a discharge to the said Earle of all further intromission or care with his affaires He made unto him a discourse of their first acquaintance in what estate he was when that first they spake together in London how God had promoted him and that above mans judgement and in the end made this conclusion But seeing that I perceive my self frustrate of my expectation which was That ye should ever have preferred God to your own affection and the advancement of his Truth to your owne commoditie I commit you to your wit and to the conducting of those which can better please you I praise my God I leave you this day victor of your enemies promoted to great honour and in credite and authority with your Soveraigne If so yee long to continue none shall be more glad then I shall be But that after this ye decay as I feare ye shall then call to minde by what means God exalted you which was neither by plying with impiety neither yet by maintaining of pestilent Papists This Letter and discharge was so pleasing to the Flatterers of the said Earle that they triumphed of it and were glad to have gotten their occasion for some envyed that so great familiaritie was betwixt them and therefore from the time they got once that occasion to separate they ceased not to cast Oyle in the burning Flame which ceased not to burne till that God by water of affliction began to slacken it as we shall after heare But least that they should altogether have been seen to have forsaken God as in very deed both God and his Word was vey farre from the hearts of the most part of the Courtiers of that Age a few excepted they began a new Schift to wit To speak of the punishment
know wherein they offend But so it is that the most part of your Nobilitie are so addicted to your affections that neither Gods Word nor yet their Common-wealth are rightly regarded and therefore it becometh me to speake that they may know their dutie What have you to do said she with my marriage or what are you within the Common-wealth A subject borne within the same said hee Madame and albeit I be neither Earle Lord nor Barron within it yet hath God made me how abject that ever I be in your eyes a profitable and usefull Member within the same Yea Madame to me it appertaineth no lesse to forewarne of such things as may hurt it if I foresee them then it doth to any one of the Nobility for both my Vocation and Office craveth plainnesse of me and therefore Madame to your selfe I say that which I spake in publick Whensoever the Nobilitie of this Realme shall be content and consent that you be subject to an unlawfull husband they doe as much as in them lieth to renounce Christ to banish the truth to betray the freedome of this Realme and perchance shall in the end doe small comfort to your selfe At these words howling was heard and teares might have beene seene in greater abundance then the matter required Iohn Arskin of Dun a man of meeke and gentle spirit stood beside and did what he could to mittigate the anger and gave unto her many pleasant words Of her Bounty of her Excellencie and how that all the Princes in Europe would be glad to seek her favours but all that was to cast Oyl into the flaming fire The said Iohn stood still without any alteration of countenance for a long time while that the Queen gave place to her in ordinate passions and in the end he said Madame in Gods presence I speak I never delighted in the weeping of any of Gods Creatures yea I can scarcely well abide the teares of mine own Boyes when my own hands corrects them much lesse can I rejoyce in your Majesties weeping but seeing I have offered unto you no just occasion to be offended but have spoken the truth as my Vocation craves of me I must sustaine your Majesties teares rather then I dare hurt my conscience or betray the Common-wealth by silence Herewith was the Queene more offended and commanded the said Iohn to passe forth of the Cabinet and to abide further of her pleasure in the Chamber The Laird of Dun tarried and Lord Iohn of Coldinghame came into the Cabinet and so they remained with her neere the space of one houre The said Iohn stood in the Chamber as one whom men had never seene so were all afraid except that the Lord Uchiltrie bare him company And therefore began he to make discourse with the Ladies who were there sitting in all their gorgeous apparell Which when he espied he merrily said Fair Ladies How pleasant were this life of yours if it should ever abide and then in the end that we might passe to Heaven with this geare But fie upon that knave Death that will come whether we will or not and when he hath laid on the Arrest then foule wormes will be busie with this flesh be it never so faire and so tender And the silly soule I fear shall be so feeble that it can neither carry with it Gold Garnishing Targating Pearle nor precious Stones And by such and the like discourse entertained he the Ladies and past the time till that the Laird of Dun willed him to depart to his house till new advertisement The Queen would have had the sentiment of the Lords of the Articles if that such manner of speaking deserved not punishment But shee was counselled to desist And so that storme quieted in appearance but never in the heart Short after the Parliament Lethington returned from his Negotiation in England and France GOD in the February before had stricken that bloodie Tyrant the Duke of Guise which somewhat brake the heat of our Queene for a season But short after the returning of Lethington Pride and Malice began to shew themselves againe The Queene set at liberty the Bishop of Saint Andrewes and the rest of the Papists that before were put in prison for violating of the Laws Lethington at his returning shewed himselfe not a little offended that any brute should have beene raised of the Queenes Marriage with the King of Spaine for he took upon him to affirme That any such thing had never entered into her heart But how true that was we shall hereafter heare The end of his acquaintance and complaint was To discredit Iohn Knox who had affirmed That such a Marriage was both proposed and upon the part of the Queen by the Cardinall accepted Lethington in his absence had run into a very evil brute among the Nobility for too much serving the Queens affections against the Common-wealth And therefore had he as one that lacked not worldly wisedome made provision both in England and Scotland for in England he travelled for the Freedome of the Earle Bothwell and by that means obtained promise of his favour He had there also taken order for the home coming of the Earle of Lenox as we shall after hear In Scotland he joyned with the Earle of Atholl him he promoted and set forward in Court and so began the Earle of Murray to be defaced And yet to the said Earle Lethington at all times shewed a fair countenance The rest of that Summer the Queen spent in her Progresse thorow the West Countrey where in all Towns and Gentlemens places she had her Masse which coming to the ears of Iohn Knox he began that forme of prayer which ordinarily he saith after thanks-giving at his Table 1. Deliver us O Lord from the bondage of Idolatry 2. Preserve and keep us from the tyranny of strangers 3. Continue us in Peace and Concord amongst our selves if they good pleasure be O Lord for a season Whilst that divers of the familiars of the said Iohn asked of him Why he prayed for quietnesse to continue for a season and not rather absolutely that we should continue in quietnesse His answer was That he durst not pray but in faith and faith in Gods Word assured him That constant quietnesse would not continue in that Realme wherein Idolatry had been suppressed and then was permitted to be erected againe From the West Countrey the Queen past into Argyle to the Hunting and after returned to Sterlin The Earle of Murray the Lord Robert of Halyrud-house and Lord Iohn of Coldingham past to the Northlands where Justice Courts were holden Theeves and Murtherers were punished Two Witches were burnt the eldest was so blinded with the devill that she affirmed That no Judge had power over her The same time Lord Iohn of Coldingham departed this life in Innernes It was affirmed That he commanded such as were beside him to say to the Queen That unlesse she left her Idolatry God would
matter doe it boldly it shall never offend me But that yee shall bee found to oppose your selfe unto mee yee being perswaded in the same Trueth I say yet againe it pleaseth me not for therein may be greater inconveniency then either yee or I doe consider for the publike The said Master George answered That I will not oppose my selfe unto you as one willing to impugne or confute that Head of Doctrine which not onely yee but many others yea and my selfe have affirmed farre be it from me for so should I be found contrarious to my selfe for my Lord Secretary knows my judgement in that Head Marry said the Secretary you are in my opinion the worst of the two for I remember that your Reasoning when the Queen was in Carricke Well said Iohn Knox seeing Brother God hath made you one to fill the chaire of verity wherein I am assured we agree in all principall Heads of Doctrine Let it never be said That we agree not in disputation Iohn Knox was moved thus to speake because he understood more of the craft then the other did Well said Lethington I am somewhat better provided in this last Head then I was in the other two Master Knox said he yesterday we heard your Judgement upon the thirteenth to the Romanes we heard the minde of the Apostle well opened we heard the causes why God hath established powers upon the earth we heard of the necessitie that mankinde hath of the same and wee heard the dutie of Magistrates sufficiently declared But in two things I was offended as I thinke some other more of my Lords that were present which was Ye made difference betwixt the Ordinance of God and the persons that were placed in Authoritie And ye affirmed That men might refuse the persons and yet not offend against Gods Ordinance This is one the other yee had no time to explaine but this me thought ye meant That Subjects were not bound to obey their Princes if they command unlawfull things but that they might refuse their Princes and that they were not ever bound to suffer In very deed said the other ye have rightly both marked my words and understood my minde for of that same Judgement I have long been and yet so remaine How will ye prove your division and difference said Lethington and that the persons placed in Authoritie may be resisted and the Ordinance of God not transgressed seeing that the Apostle saith He that resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God My Lord said he The plaine words of the Apostle makes the difference and the facts of many approved by God prove my affirmative First the Apostle affirmes That the powers are ordained of God for the preservation of quiet and peaceable men and for the punishment of malefactors whereof it is plaine That the Ordinance of God and the power given unto man is one thing and the person clad with the Authoritie is another For Gods Ordinance is the conservation of mankinde The punishment of vice and the maintenance of vertue which in it self is holy just constant stable and perpetuall but men clad with the Authoritie are commonly prophane and unjust yee they are mutable transitory and subject to corruption as God threateneth by his Prophet David saying I have said yee are gods and every one of you the sonnes of the most high but yee shall dye as man and the Princes shall fall like others Here I am assured That the persons yee soule and body are threatned with death I think that so ye will not affirm is the Authothority the Ordinance and the Power wherewith God endeued such persons for as I have said it is holy so is the permanent will of God And now my Lord that the Prince may be resisted and yet the Ordinance of God not violated It is evident that the people resisted Saul when he had sworn by the living God that Ionathan should die The people I say swore in the contrary and delivered Ionathan so that a hair of his head fell not Now Saul was the Anoynted Kiâ—g and they were his subjects and yet they resisted him that they made him no better then men sworn I doubt said Lethington That in so doing the people did well The Spirit of God said the other accuses them not of any crime but rather praises them and condemnes the King as well for his foolish vow and Law made without God as for his cruell minde that so severely would have punished an innocent man But herein will I not stand this that followeth shall confirme the former This same Saul commanded Abimelech and the Priests of the Lord to be slain because they had committed Treason as he alleadged for intercommuning with David His Guard and principall servants would not obey his unjust commandment But Doeg the flatterer put the Kings cruelty in execution I will not ask your judgement Whether that the servants of the King in not obeying his Commandment resisted the Ordinance of God or not or Whether Doeg in murthering the Priests gave obedience to a just Authority For I have the Spirit of God speaking by the mouth of David for assurance as well of the one as of the other for he in his 52. Psalme condemnes that fact as a most cruell murther and affirms That God would punish not onely the commander but also the mercilesse executer And therefore I conclude That they who gainstood his commandment resisted not the Ordinance of God And now my Lord to answer to the place of the Apostle who affirms That such as resist the Power resist the Ordinance of God I say That the power in that place is not to be understood of unjust commandment of men but of the just power wherewith God hath armed his Magistrates and Lieutenants to punish sin and maintain vertue And if any man should enterprise to take from the hands of the faithfull Judge a murtherer and adulterer or any malefactor that deserved death this same resisteth Gods Ordinance and procureth to himself vengeance and damnation because that he stayed Gods Sword from striking But so it is if men in the fear of God oppose themselves to the fury and blinde rage of Princes for so they resist not God but the devill who abuses the Sword and Authority of God I understand sufficiently said Lethington what ye mean unto the one part I will not oppose my self but I doubt of the other for if the Queen would command me to slay Iohn Knox because she is offended at him I would not obey her But if she would command others to do it or yet by colour of Justice take his life from him I cannot tell if I be bound to defend him against the Queen and her Officers With protestation said the other That the auditors think not that I speak in favour of my self I say my Lord That if ye be perswaded of my innocency and if God have given unto you such power and credit as might deliver
it in nothing for your first two witnesses speak against the Anabaptists who deny that Christians should be subject to Magistrates or yet that it is lawfull for a Christian to be a Magistrate whose opinion I no lesse abhor then ye do or any other that liveth The others speak of Christians subject to Tyrants and Infidels so dispersed that they have no other force but onely to sob unto God for deliverance that such indeed should hazard any further then these godly men wills them I cannot hastily be of counsell But my argument hath another ground for I speak of a people assembled in one Body of a Common-wealth unto whom God hath given sufficient force not onely to resist but also to suppresse all kinde of open Idolatry And such a people yet again I affirme are bound to keep their Land clean and unpolluted And that this my division shall not appear strange unto you ye shall understand that God required one thing of Abraham and of his Seed when he and they were strangers and Pilgrims in Egypt and Canaan and another thing required he of them when they were delivered from the Bondage of Egypt and the possession of the Land of Canaan granted unto them The first and during the time of their Bondage God craved no more but that Abraham should not defile himselfe with their Idolatry neither was he nor his Posterity commanded to destroy the Idolls that were in Canaan or in Egypt But when God gave unto them possession of the Land he gave unto them this strait Commandment Beware that thou make not League or Confederacie with the inhabitants of this Land give not thy sonnes unto their daughters nor yet give thy daughters unto their sonnes c. But this ye shall do unto them Cut down their Groves destroy their Images breake downe their Altars and leave thou no kinde of remembrance of these Abominations which the Inhabitants of the Land used before for thou art a holy People unto the Lord thy God defile not thy selfe therefore with their gods c. To this Commandment I say are ye my Lords and all such as have professed the Lord within this Realme bound for God hath wrought no lesse miraculously upon you both Spiritually and Corporally then he did unto the Carnall Seed of Abraham For in what state your Bodies and this poor Realme were within these seven yeers your selves cannot be ignorant you and it were both in the Bondage of a strange Nation and what Tyrants did raigne over your consciences God perchance may yet again let you feel because that ye do not rightly acknowledge and esteeme the benefits received when our poore Brethren that were before us gave up their bodies to the flames of fire for the Testimony of Gods Truth And when scarcely could be found ten in a Country that rightly knew God it had been foolishnesse to have craved either of the Nobility or of the mean Subjects the suppressing of Idolatry for that had been nothing but to have exposed the simple Sheep in a prey to the Wolves But since that God hath multiplyed knowledge yea and hath given the victory to his Truth even in the hands of his servants if yee suffer the Land again to be defiled yee and your Princes shall both drinke the cup of Gods indignation The Queen for her obstinate abiding in manifest Idolatry in this great light of the Evangell of Jesus Christ And ye for your permission and maintaining her in the same Lethington said In that point we will never agree And where finde ye I pray you that ever any of the Prophets or of the Apostles taught such Doctrine That the people should be plagued for the Idolatry of the Prince or yet That the Subjects might suppresse the Idolatry of the Rulers or them for the same What was the Commission given unto the Apostles My Lord said he we know it was to preach and plant the Evangell of Jesus Christ where darknesse before had Dominion And therefore it behoved them to let them see the light before that they should will them to put their hands to suppresse Idolatry What precepts the Apostles gave unto the faithfull in particular other then that they commanded all to fly from Idolatry I will not affirme But I finde two things which the faithfull did The one was They assisted their Preachers even against the Rulers and Magistrates The other was They suppressed Idolatry wheresoever God gave unto them force asking no leave of the Emperour nor of his Deputies Read the Ecclesiasticall Histories and ye shall finde examples sufficient And as to the Doctrine of the Prophets we know they were Interpreters of the Law of God and we know They spake as well unto the Kings as unto the People I read that neither of both would heare them and therefore came the plague of God upon both but that they flattered the Kings more then they did the people I cannot be perswaded Now Gods Law pronounces death as before I have said to Idolaters without exception of persons Now how the Prophets could rightly interpret the Law and shew the cause of Gods Judgements which ever they threatned should fall for Idolatry and for the rest of the abhominations that did accompany it for it is never alone but still corrupt Religion brings with it a filthy and corrupt life How I say the Prophets could reprove the Vice and not shew the people their duty I understand not And therefore I constantly beleeve That the Doctrine of the Prophets was so sensible That the Kings understood their own abhominations and the people understood what they ought to have done in punishing and repressing them But because that the most part of the People was no lesse Rebellious unto God then were their Princes Therefore the one and the other conjured against God and against his servants And yet my Lord The facts of some Prophets are so evident That thereby we may collect what Doctrine they taught For it were no small absurdity to affirme that their facts did repugne to their Doctrine I think said Lethington ye meane of the History of Iehu What will yee prove thereby The chief head said Iohn Knox that ye deny to wit That the Prophets never taught that it appertained to the people to punish the Idolatry of their Kings The contrary whereof I affirme and for the probation I am ready to produce the fact of a Prophet For ye know my Lord said he that Elizeus sent one of the children of the Prophets to annoint Iehu who gave him a commandment to destroy the house of his Master Achab for the Idolatry committed by him and for the innocent blood that Iezabell his wicked Wife had shed While he obeyed and put in full execution for the which God promised unto him the stability of the Kingdome unto the fourth Generation Now said he here is the fact of a Prophet that proves that Subjects were commanded to execute Gods judgements upon
rather every discreet person would boldly affirm That such as so did were unworthy of Regiment If we will not deny that which Christ Jesus affirmeth to be a truth infallible to wit That the soul is greater and more precious then is the body then shall we easily espie how unworthy of Authority be those that this day debar their subjects from hearing of Gods Word and by fire and sword compell them to feed upon the very poyson of their souls the damnable Doctrine of Antichrist And therefore in this point I say I cannot cease to admonish your Honors diligently to take heed over your charge which is greater then the most part of men suppose It is not enough that you abstain from violent wrong and oppression which ungodly men exercise against their subjects but ye are further bound to wit That ye rule above them for their weal which we cannot do if that ye either by negligence not providing true Pastors or yet by your maintenance of such as be ravening Wolves suffer their souls to starve and perish for lack of the true food which is Christs Evangell sincerely preached It will not excuse you in his presence who will require account of every Talent committed to your charge to say That ye supposed that the charge of the souls had been committed to your Bishops No no my Lords so ye cannot escape Gods judgement for if your Bishops be proved to be no Bishops but deceivable theeves and ravening wolves which I offer my self to prove by Gods Word by Law and Councells yea by the judgement of all the godly learned from the primitive Church to this day then shall your permission and defence be reputed before God a participation with their theft and murther For thus accused the Prophet Isaiah the Princes of Ierusalem Thy Princes saith he are apostates that is obstinate refusers of God and they are companions of theeves This grievous accusation was laid against them albeit that they ruled in that City which sometime was called Holy where then were the Temple Rites and Ordinances of God because that not onely they were wicked themselves but chiefly because they maintained wicked men their Priests and false Prophets in honours and authority If they did not escape this accusation of the holy Ghost in that age look ye neither to scape the accusation nor the judgement of wicked men to wit That the one and the other shall drink the Cup of Gods wrath and vengeance together And lest ye should deceive your selves esteeming your Bishops to be vertuous and godly this do I affirm and offer my self to prove the same That more wicked men then be the whole rabble of your Clergie were never from the beginning universally known in any age yea Sodome and Gomorra may be justified in respect of them for they permitted just Lot to dwell amongst them without any violence done to his body which that pestilent Generation of your shaven sort doth not but most cruelly persecute by fire and sword the true members of Christs Body for no other cause but for the true service and honouring of God And therefore I fear not to affirm that which God will one day justifie That by your Offices ye are bound not onely to represse their tyranny but also to punish them as theeves and murtherers as Idolaters and blasphemers of God and in their rooms ye are bound to place true Preachers of Christs Evangell for the instruction comfort and salvation of your subjects above whom else shall never the holy Ghost acknowledge That you rule in justice for their profit If ye pretend to possesse the Kingdom with Christ Jesus ye may not take example neither by the ignorant multitude of Princes neither by the ungodly and cruell Rulers of the earth of whom some passe their time in sloth insolency and riot without respect had to Gods honour or to the salvation of of their brethren and others most cruelly oppresse with proud Nimrod such as be subject to them But your pattern and example must be the practice of those whom God hath approved by the testimony of his Word as after shall be declared Of the premises it is evident That to lawfull powers is given the Sword for punishment of malefactors for maintenance of innocents and for the profit and utility of their subjects Now let us consider Whether the Reformation of Religion fallen in decay and punishment of false Teachers do appertain to the Civill Magistrate and Nobility of any Realme I am not ignorant that Satan of old time for maintenance of his darknesse hath obtained of the blinde world two chief points The former He hath perswaded to Princes Rulers and Magistrates That the feeding of Christs Flock appertaineth nothing to their charge but that it is rejected upon the Bishops and State Ecclesiasticall And secondly That the Reformation of Religion be it never so corrupt and the punishment of such as be sworn Souldiers in their kingdom are exempted from all Civill power and are reserved to themselves and to their cognizance But that no offender may justly be exempted from punishment and that the ordering and reformation of Religion with the instruction of subjects doth especially appertain to the Civill Magistrate shall Gods perfect Ordinance his plain Word and the facts and examples of those that of God are highly praised most evidently declare When God did establish his Law Statutes and Ceremonies in the midst of Israel he did not exempt the matters of Religion from the power of Moses but as he gave him charge over the Civill policie so he put in his mouth and his hand that is he first revealed to him and thereafter commanded to put in practice whatsoever was to be taught or done in matters of Religion Nothing did God reveal particularly to Aaron but altogether was he commanded to depend from the mouth of Moses Yea nothing was he permitted to do to himself or to his children either in his or their Inauguration and Sanctification to the Priesthood but all was committed to the care of Moses and therefore were these words so frequently repeated to Moses Thou shalt separate Aaron and his sons from the midst of the people of Israel that they may execute the Office of the Priesthood thou shalt make them Garments thou shalt anoynt them thou shalt wash them thou shalt fill their hands with Sacrifice And so forth of every Rite and Ceremony that was to be done unto them especiall commandment was given unto Moses That he should do it Now if Aaron and his sons were subject to Moses that they did nothing but at his commandment Who dare be so bold as to affirm That the Civill Magistrate hath nothing to do in matters of Religion For seeing that then God did so straitly require That even those who did bear the figure of Christ should receive from the Civill power as it were their Sanctification and entrance into their
do enterprise to purge the Lords Temple and Sanctuary What God required of them it is before declared to wit That most diligently they should observe his Law Statutes and Ceremonies And how acceptable were their facts to God doth he himself witnesse For to some he gave most notable Victories without the hand of man and in their most desperate dangers did declare his especiall favour towards them by signes supernaturall To other he so established the Kingdom that their enemies were compelled to stoup under their feet And the names of all he hath registred not onely in the Book of life but also in the blessed remembrance of all posterities since their dayes which also shall continue till the coming of the Lord Jesus who shall reward with the Crown of Immortality not onely them but also such as unfainedly study to do the will and to promote the glory of his heavenly father in the midst of this corrupted Generation In consideration whereof ought you my Lords all delay set apart to provide for the Reformation of Religion in your Dominions and Bounds which now is so corrupt that no part of Christs Institution remaineth in the Originall purity and therefore of necessity it is That speedily ye provide for Reformation or else ye declare your selves not onely voyd of love towards your subjects but also to live without care of your own salvation yea without all fear and true reverence of God Two things perchance may move you to esteem these histories before briefly touched to appertain nothing to you First Because you are no Jews but Gentiles And secondly Because you are no Kings but Nobles in your Realm But be not deceived for neither of both can excuse you in Gods presence from doing his duty for it is a thing more then certain That whatsoever God required of the Civill Magistrate in Israel or Iuda concerning the observation of true Religion during the time of the Law the same doth he require of lawfull Magistrates professing Christ Jesus in the time of the Gospel as the holy Ghost hath taught us by the mouth of David Psal. 2. saying Be learned you that judge the earth kisse the Son lest that the Lord wax angry and that ye perish away This Admonition doth not extend to the Judges under the Law onely but doth also include all such as be promoted to Honours in the time of the Gospel when Christ Jesus doth raigne and fight in his Spirituall Kingdom whose enemies in that Psalme be first most sharply taxed their fury expressed and vanity mocked and then are Kings and Judges who think themselves free from all Law and Obedience commanded to repent their former blinde rage and Judges are charged to be learned and last are commanded to serve the Eternall God in feare to rejoyce before him in trembling to kisse the Son that is To give him most humble Obedience Whereof it is evident That the Rulers Magistrates and Judges now in Christs Kingdom are no lesse bound to Obedience unto God then were those under the Law And how is it possible that any should be obedient who despiseth his Religion in which standeth the chief glory that man can give to God and is a service which God especially requireth of Kings and Rulers Which thing Saint Augustine plainly did note writing to one Bonifacius a man of Warre according to the same argument and purpose which I labour to perswade your Honours For after that he hath in that his Epistle declared the difference betwixt the heresie of the Donatists and Arrians and hath somewhat spoken of their cruelty he sheweth the way how their fury should and ought to be repressed and that it is lawfull for the unjustly afflicted to seek support and defence at godly Magistrates for thus he writeth Either must the Verity be kept close or else must their cruelty be sustained But if the Verity should be concealed not onely should none be saved but also should many be lost through their deceit But if by Preaching of the Verity their fury should be provoked more to rage and by that means yet some were delivered and made strong yet should fear hinder many weaklings to follow the Verity if their rage be not stayed In these first words Augustine sheweth three reasons why the afflicted Church in those dayes called for the help of the Emperour and of godly Magistrates against the fury of the persecuters The first The Verity must be spoken or else mankinde shall perish in errour The second The Verity being plainly spoken provoketh the adversaries to rage And because that some did alleadge That rather we ought to suffer all injury then to seek support by man he addeth the third reason to wit That many weak ones be not able to suffer persecution and death for the Truths sake to whom not the lesse respect ought to be had that they may be won from their errour and so be brought to greater strength Oh that the Rulers of this age would ponder and weigh the reasons of this godly Writer and provide the remedy which he requireth in these words following Now when the Church was thus afflicted if any thinke That rather they should have sustained all calamity then that help should have been asked of Christian Emperours by the godly he doth not well to advert That of such negligence no good counts nor reason could be given For where such as would that no just Laws should be made against their impiety alleadge That the Apostles sought no such things of the Kings of the earth they do not consider That the time was other then it is now and that all things are done in their owne time What Emperour then believed in Christ that he should serve him in making Laws for godlinesse against impiety While that saying of the Prophet was compleat Why hath Nations raged and people have imagined vanity The Kings of the earth have stood up and Princes have convened together against the Lord and against his Anoynted That which is after in the same Psalme was not yet come to passe And now understand O ye Kings be learned you that judge the earth serve the Lord in fear and rejoyce to him with trembling How do Kings serve the Lord in feare but in punishing and by a godly severity forbidding those things which are done against the Commandment of the Lord For otherwise doth he serve the Lord in so farre as he is man otherwise in so farre as he is King In so farre as he is a man he serveth him by living faithfully but because he is also King he serveth establishing Laws that command the things that be just and that with a convenient rigour forbid things contrary As Ezechias served destroying the Groves the Temples of Idolls and the places which were builded against Gods Commandment So served also Josias doing the same So the King of the Ninivites compelling the whole City to mitigate the fury of the Lord.
simple Somerset most unjustly was bereft of his life what the Devill and his Members the pestilent Papists meant by his away-taking God compelled my tongue to speak in more places then one and specially before you and in Newcastle as sir Robert Bradling did not forget a long time after God grant that he may understand all other matters spoken before him then and at other times as righly as he did that mine interpretation of the Vineyard whose Hedges Ditches Towres and Winepresse God destroyed because it would bring forth no good fruit And that he may remember that what ever was spoken by my mouth that day is now compleate and come to passe except that finall destruction and vengeance is not yet fallen upon the greatest offenders as assuredly shortly it shall unlesse that he and some other of his sort that then were enemies to Gods truth will speedily repent and that earnestly their stubborne disobedience God compelled my tongue I say openly to declare That the Devill and his Ministers intended onely the subversion of Gods true Religion by that mortall hatred among those which ought to have beene most assuredly knit together by Christian charity and by benefits received and especially that the wicked and envious Papists by that ungodly breach of charity diligently minded the overthrow of him that to his own destruction procured the death of his innocent friend Thus I say I was comâ—elled of conscience oftner then once to affirm That such as saw and invented the means how the one should be taken away saw and should finde the means also to take away the other and that all that trouble was devised by the Devill and his Instruments to stop and let Christs Disciples and their poor Boat but that was not able because she was not yet come to the midst of the Sea Transubstansiation the Bird that the Devill hatched by Pope Nicholas and since that time fostered and nourished by all his Children Priests Friers Monks and other his conjured and sworn souldiers and in these last dayes chiefly by Stephen Gardner and his black brood in England Transustantiation I say was then clearly confuted and mightily overthrown and therefore God had put wisdom in the tongues of his Ministers and Messengers to utter that vain vanitie and specially gave such strength to that Reverend Father in God Thomas Granmer to cut the knots of Devillish Sophistry linked and knit by the Devils Gardener and his blinde Buzzards to hold the verity of the everliving God under bondage that rather I think they shall condemn his works which notwithstanding shall continue and remain to their confusion then they shall enterprize to answer the same And also God gave boldnesse and knowledge to the Court of Parliament to take away the round clipped God wherein standeth all the holinesse of Papists and to command common Bread to be used at the Lords Table and also to take away the most part of superstitions kneeling at the Lords Supper excepted which before prophaned Christs true Religion Then dear Brethren was the Boat in the midst of the Sea and suddenly ariseth the horrible tempest most fearfull and dolorous Our King is taken away from us and the Devill bloweth in such Organs as alway he had found obedient to his Precepts and by them he enflameth the heart of that wretched and unhappy man whom I judge more to be lamented then hated to covet the Imperiall Crown of England to be established to his Posterity and what thereupon hath succeeded it is not now necessary to be written Of this short discourse Beloved in the Lord you may consider and perceive two speciall Notes 1. That the whole malice of the Devill hath alwayes this end To vexe and overthrow Christs afflicted Church for what else intended the Devill and his servants the pestilent Papists by all these their crafty policies during the time that Christs Gospell was preached in England then the subversion of the same Gospell and that they might recover power to persecute the Saints of God as this day in the hour of darknesse they have obtained for a time to their own destruction Let no man wonder though I say That the crafty policies of pestilent Papists wrought all the mischiefe for who could more easier and better worke greater mischief then such as bare authority and rule And who I pray you ruled the roste in the Court all this time by stout courage and proudnesse of stomack but Northumberland But who I pray you under King Edward ruled all by counsell and wit Shall I name the man I will writ no more plainly now then my tongue spake the last Sermon That it pleased God that I should make before that Innocent and most godly King Edward the sixt and before his Councell at Westminster and even to the faces of such as of whom I meant Handling this place of Scripture Qui edit mecum panem sustulit adversus me calcaneum suum that is He that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel against me I made this affirmation That commonly it was seen that the most godly Princes had Officers and chief Councellors most ungodly conjured enemies to Gods true Religion and Traitours to their Princes not that their wickednesse and ungodlinesse was speedily perceived and espied out of the said Princes and godly men but that for time those craftie colourers could so cloke their malice against God and his truth and their hollow hearts toward their loving Masters that by worldly wisdome and policie at length they attained to high promotions And for the proofe of this mine affirmation I recited the Histories of Achitophel Shebna and Iudas of whom the two former had high Offices and promotions with great authority under the most godly Princes David and Hezekiah and Iudas was Purse Master with Christ Jesus And when I had made some discourse in that matter I moved this Question Why permitted so godly Princes so wicked men to be of their Councell and to bear Office and Authority under them To the which I answered That either they so abounded in worldly wisdom foresight and experience touching the government of a Common-wealth that their counsell appeared to be so necessary that the Common-wealth could not lack them and so by the colour to preserve the tranquilitie and quietnesse in Realms they were maintained in Authority or else they kept their malice which they bare towards their Masters and Gods true Religion so secret in their breasts that no man could espie it till by Gods permission they waited for such occasion and opportunitie that they uttered all their mischief so plainly that all the world might perceive it And that was most evident by Achithophel and Sobna for of Achithophel it is written That he was Davids most secret Councellour and that because his counsell in those dayes was like the Oracle of God and Sobna was unto good King
that there was three causes why the disciples knew not Christ but judged him to be a spirit The first cause was The darknesse of the night The second was The unaccustomed vision that appeared And the third was The danger and the tempest in which they so earnestly laboured for the safeguard of their selves The darknesse I say of the night letted their eyes to see him And it was above nature that a massie heavy and weighty body of a man such as they understood their Master Christ to have should walk go upon or be born up of the water of the raging Sea and not sink And finally the horrour of the tempest and great danger that they were in perswaded them to look for none other but certainly to be drowned And so all these three things concurring together confirmed in them this imagination That Christ Iesus who came to their great comfort and deliverance was a fearfull and wicked spirit appearing to their destruction What here happened to Christ Jesus himself that I might prove to have chanced and daily to happen to the verity of his blessed Word in all ages from the beginning For as Christ himself in this their trouble was judged and esteemed by his disciples at the first sight a spirit or phantasticall body so is the Truth and sincere Preaching of his glorious Gospel sent by God for mans comfort deliverance from sin and quietnesse of conscience when it is first offered and truely preached it is I say no lesse but judged to be heresie and deceivable doctrine sent by the devill to mans destruction The cause hereof is the dark ignorance of God which in every age since the beginning so overwhelmed the world that sometimes Gods very Elect were in like blindenesse and errour with the reprobate As Abraham was an Idolater Moses was instructed in all the wayes of the Egyptians Paul a proud Pharisee conjured against Christ and his Doctrine And many in this same our age when the Truth of God was offered unto them were sore afraid and cryed against it onely because the dark clouds of ignorance had troubled them before But this matter I omit and let passe till more opportunity The chief Note that I would have you well observe and mark in this preposterous fear of the disciples is this The more nigh deliverance and salvation approacheth the more strong and vehement is the temptation of the Church of God And the more nigh that Gods vengeance approacheth to the wicked the more proud cruell and arrogant are they Whereby it commonly cometh to passe That the very messengers of life are judged and deemed to be the authors of all mischief And this in many histories is evident When God had appointed to deliver the afflicted Israelites by the hand of Moses from the tyranny of the Egyptians and Moses was sent to the presence of Pharaoh for the same purpose such was their affliction and anguish by the cruelty which newly was exercised over them that with open mouthes they cursed Moses and no doubt in their hearts they hated God who sent him alleadging That Moses and Aaron was the whole cause of their last extreme trouble The like is to be seen in the Book of the Kings both under Elisha and Isaiah the Prophets For in the dayes of Ioram sonne of Achab was Samaria besieged by the King of Syria In which Samaria no doubt albeit the King and the most multitude were wicked there was yet some members of Gods Elect Church which were brought to such extreme famine that not onely things of small price were sold beyond all measure but also women against nature were compelled to eat their own children In this same City Elisha the Prophet most commonly was most conversant and dwelt by whose counsell and commandment no doubt the City was kept For it appeareth the King to lay that to his charge when he hearing of the piteous complaint of the woman who for hunger had eaten her own son rent his clothes with a solemne Oath and vow That the head of Elisha should not stand upon his shoulders that day If Elisha had not been of counsel That the city should have been kept Why should the King have more fumed against him then against others But whether he was the author of the defending the City or not all is one to my purpose for before the deliverance was the Church in such extremity that the chief Pastor of that time was sought to be killed by such as should have defended him The like is read of Hezekiah who defending his City Ierusalem and resisting proud Sennacherib no doubt obeying the counsell of Isaiah at length was so oppressed with sorrow and shame by the blasphemous words of Rabshakeh that he had no other refuge but in the Temple of the Lord as a man desperate and without comfort to open the disdainfull letters sent unto him by that hauty and proud tyrant By these and many Histories mo it is most evident that the more nigh salvation and deliverance approacheth the more vehement is the temptation and trouble This I writ to admonish you that albeit yet you shall see tribulation so abound that nothing shall appear but extreme misery without all hope of comfort that yet you decline not from God And that albeit somtimes ye be moved to hate the messengers of life that therefore ye shall not judge that God will never shew mercy after No deare Brethren as he hath dealt with others before you so will he deal with you God will suffer tribulation and dolour abound that no manner of comfort shall be seen in man to the intent that when deliverance commeth the glory may be his whose onely word may pacifie the tempest most vehement He drowned Pharaoh and his Army He scattered the great multitude of Benadad And by his Angel killed the hoste of Sennacharib And so delivered his afflicted when nothing appeared to them but utter destruction So shall he do to you beloved Brethren if patiently ye will abide his consolation and counsell God open your eyes that ye may rightly understand the meaning of my writing Amen But yet peradventure you wonder not a little why God permitteth such blood thirsty tyrants to molest and grieve his chosen Church I have recited some causes before and yet more I could recite but at this time I will hold me content with one The justice of God is such that he will not poure forth his extreme vengeance upon the wicked unto such time as their iniquity be so manifest that their very flatterers cannot excuse it Pharaoh was not destroyed till his own houshold servants and subjects abhorred and condemned his stubborn disobedience Iesabel and Athalia were not thrust from this life into death till all Israel and Juda were witnesses of their cruelty and abominations Iudas was not hanged till the Princes of the Priests bare witnesse of his Traiterous Act and iniquitie To
Word from the whole Realme of England But be thou mindefull O Lord that it is thy Truth which we have professed and that thy enemies blasphemeth thy holy Name and our Profession without Cause Thy holy Gospel is called heresie and we are accused as traytors for professing the same Be mercifull therefore O Lord and be salvation unto us in this time of our anguish Albeit our sins accuse and condemne us yet do thou according to thine own Name We have offended against thee Our sins and iniquities are without number and yet art thou in the midst of us O Lord albeit that tyrants bear rule over our bodies yet thirsteth our souls for the comfort of thy Word Correct us therefore but not in thy hot displeasure spare thy people and permit not thine inheritance to bâ— in rebuke for ever Let such O Lord as now are most afflicted yet once againe praise thy holy Name before thy Congregation Represse the pride of those blood-thirsty Tyrants consume them in thine anger according to the reproach which they have laid against thy holy Name Pour forth thy vengeance upon them and let our eyes behold the blood of thy Saints required of their hands Delay not thy vengeance O Lord but let death devour them in haste Let the earth swallow them up and let them go downe quick to the hells For there is no hope of their amendment the feare and reverence of thy holy Name is quite banished from their hearts and therefore yet again O Lord consume them consume them in thine anger and let them never bring their wicked counsells to effect but according to the godly powers let them be taken in the snare which they have prepared for thine elect Look upon us O Lord with the eyes of thy mercy and shew pity upon us thy weak and sore oppressed Flock Gather us yet once again to the wholesome treasures of thy most holy Word that openly we may confesse thy blessed Name within the Realme of England Grant this O heavenly Father for Christ Iesus thy sons sake Amen If on this manner or otherwise as God shall put in our hearts without hypocrisie in the presence of our God respecting more his glory then our private wealth continually we poure forth our complaint confession and prayers Then so assuredly as our God liveth and as we feel these present troubles shall our God himself rise to our defence he shall confound the counsels of our enemies and trouble the wits of such as most wrongfully troubleth us He shall send Jesu to execute his just judgments against Idolators and against such as obstinately defendeth them Yea the chiefe men of our times shall not escape the vengeance and plagues that are prepared for their portion The flatterers and maintainers of her abominations shall drink the cup of Gods wrath And in despite of the Devill shall yet the glory of Christ Jesus and the brightnesse of his countenance so shine in our hearts by the presence of his grace and before our eyes by the true preaching of his Gospel that altogether we shall fall before him and say O Lord thou art our God we shall extoll thee and shall confesse thy Name for thou â—ast brought wonderous things to passe according to thy counsels which albeit appear to be farre off yet are they true and most assured Thou hast brought to ruine the palaces of tyrants and therefore shall the afflicted magnifie thee and the City of tyrannicall Nations shall fear thee Thou hast been O Lord a strong defence to the poor a sure place of refuge to the afflicted in the time of his anguish This no doubt dear Brethren shall one day be the song of Gods Elect within the Realm of England after that God hath poured forth his vengeance upon these disobedient and blood-thirsty tyrants which now triumpheth in all abominations and therefore yet again beloved in the Lord Abide patiently the Lords deliverance avoyding and flying such offences as may separate and divide you from the blessed felloâ—ship of the Lord Jesus at his second comming Watch and pray resist the â—ivell and row against this vehement tempest and shortly shall the Lord come to the comfort of your hearts which now are oppressed with anguish and care but then shall ye so rejoyce that through gladnesse you shall say Behold this our God we have waited upon him and he hath saved us This is our Lord we have long thirsted for his comming now shall we rejoyce and be glad in his salvation Amen The great Bishop of our souls Jesus our Lord so strengthen and assist your troubled hearts with the mighty comfort of his Holy Ghost that earthly tyrants nor worldly torments have no power to drive you from the hope and expectation of that Kingdom which for the Elect was prepared from the beginning by our heavenly Father to whom be all praise and honour now and ever Amen Remember me dear Brethren in your daily prayers The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Yours with sorrowfull heart JOHN KNOX The Copie of A LETTER Delivered To Queen Mary Regent OF SCOTLAND FROM IOHN KNOX Minister of Gods Word in the yeer of our Lord 1556. and thereafter augmented and explained by the Author in the yeer of our Lord 1558. To the most Excellent Princesse MARY DOVVAGER Regent of Scotland MADAME THE cause which moved me to present this my Supplication unto your Majestie enlarged and in some places explained being in the Realm of Scotland in the Moneth of May 1556. I caused to be presented to your Majesty is the incredible rage of such as beare the Title of Bishops who against all justice and equitie have pronounced against me a most cruell sentence condemning my Bodie to Fire my Soul to Damnation and all Doctrine taught by me to be false deceivable and Hereticall If this injury did tend to me alone having the testimony of a good conscience with silence I could passe the matter being assured that such as they curse and expell their Synagogues for such causes shall God blesse and Christ Jesus receive in his eternall societie But considering that this their blasphemy is vomited forth against the eternall Truth of Christs Evangell whereof it hath pleased the great mercy of God to make me a Minister I cannot cease to notifie as well to your Majestie as to them That so little am I afraid of their Tyrannicall and surmised sentence that in place of the Picture if God impede not my purpose they shall have the Body to justice that Doctrine which they Members of Satan blasphemously do condemne Advertising your Majestie in the mean time That from them their sentence and tyrannie and from all those that lift to maintain them in the same I do appeal to a lawfull and generall Councel beseeching your Majesty to take in good part that I call you for witnesse that I have required the libertie of
Chron. 34 35. chap. Mat. 13.24 25 26 c. Mat. 13 20 21 Rom. 10.9 13. Rom. 7 c. 2 Cor. 5.21 John 5.28 29. Apoc 20.28 Heb 19 25 26 27. Mat 25 31. Apoc. 14.10 Rom. 26.7 8 9 10. Phil. 3 21. 1 Cor 15.28 This we confirmed 1567. in the first Parliament of Iames 6 held by the Earle Murray and all Acts in any Parliament before whatsoever against the truth abolished The Lord of the Articles are a Committee of 24. whereof in former times there was eight Lords eight Church-men who were called Lords and eight Commons So from the greater part they were named Lords and of the Articles Because all Articles and Heads that are to passe in Parliament are first brought to them who having discussed them sends them to the House of Parlâ—ament The latin Histories calls their Lords of the Articles Apolecti The Earle Marshall his pious voyce in Parliament This Act is particularly confirmed 1567. in the Parliament under Iames 6. holden by the Earl Murrâ—y This also was confirmed by one particular Act 1567. by the Parliament holden by the Earle Murray Note this diligently Quest. Answ. Note this I pray you for these dayes sake See how this agreeâ— with the worldlings now adayes What blessings hath been since in the house of Erskin they know best Note how although the Prelats being convinced of the truth did subscribe unto it yet it was with this Proâ—iso That they should enjoy their rents for their lives Note men to their owne countrey Note this for our dayes Let this teach us to seek God The death of the yong King of France husband to our Queen 15. December 1560. Note this well Note Note Lesley his answer * That is An. 1566 when this book was written Note the liberality of the Earle Murray Note this diligently Where then are Pluralities and fatnesse of Livings in our dayes Let the Church-men now adayes look to this Wâ—at can the Pâ—elats say to this Ambassadour from France and his demands See the study of France to divide the two Kingdoms newly bound for mantenance of Religion against the common enemies Note The Protestants faithfulnesse ill rewarded A foolish play used in time of darknes Hence we say any foolish thing to be like a play of Robin-Hood Some say his name is Killone Of the Queen Regents death Note Note Note diligently Let this also be considered and referred to our times Note Note Reader remark the advantages that Scotland hath from France A good Character of Bishops Let us stick to God and he will not leave us Faire words to no purpose That was a secret Lardon She meant she would seek a safe conduct * Ever till that she may shew her evill will If France would have sustained rhem they had not yet departed The second secret Lardon The Arms of England were usurped Your Papists and ours have practised and still practise division So that she might have England to the Popes Religion I think she said not amisse The feare of God in the heart of Elias 〈◊〉 disobediâ—â—â— to cursed 〈◊〉 Nâ—te 〈…〉 his 〈…〉 well to 〈…〉 as 〈◊〉 the subjects Note The third Lardon of accusing England of inconstancy in Religion Notwithstanding his own disorder Note this false lye and see how it answers to the calumnies of these dayes The Peace and Contract at Leith Many Princes little regarded that All power is not then in the Prince if the States have any as they have Note this Note Note the Scots acknowledgement Isaiah 40 31. A true acknowledgment oâ— mans weaknesse to the glory of God and as it was then so hath it been in this last Reformation As it was then so it is now by Gods mercies â—o that Nation The first Petition of the Protestants of Scotland Let this be noted for example The cause of the trouble within Scotland flowed from the Courtiers who seemed to professe the Evangell He means the Loâ—d Iames Earle Murray The corruption that entred the Queens Court. The Theologie of the Court and their reasonâ— Wicked Councellors â—athers all thâ—ir mischievâ—us plots upon misled Princes and causeth them to take all things upon them This was written when the secoâ—d rank of the Lordâ— was banished Anno 1560 after Danâ—â—s sâ—aughter The Queens Arrivaâ—l from France 156â— Tâ—â—â—le lugubre Coelum The Queens first â—â—ace in despight of Religion The Queens first Masse Lord Iames notwithstanding his sonner zeal to tâ—e Truth complying with Court favoureth Idolatry â— godly resoâ—â—â—â—on The end is not yet seen The perswâ—sâ—ons of the Courtiers The Lord Arrans stout and godly Protestatiâ—n against the Quâ—ens Masse Good resolution if followed Robert Campbell to the Lord Vchiltrie The Queens practise at the first The iudgment of Iohn Knox upon the suffering of the Masse The Courtier making Note diligently how wise and godly mâ—n are so mistaken oft as to play after games And this M. Knox doth acknowledge here The first reasoning betwixt the Queen and Iohn Knox. Note how that Princâ—s are informed against Godâ— servant Let this be noted diligently Let the Prince note this Let this wiâ—e reply be noted Note this undertaking The Queens second Objection Answer Note this comparison Blinde zeal what it is When this was written there was no appearance of Maries imprisonment The Queens Church Strong Imagination called conscience Question Note this Iohn Knox his judgement of the Queen at the first and ever since The Queens first Progresse Note the disposition of a misled soul. Boâ—fours doctrine Note this diligently Yet in the Parliament holden 1563. there is an expresse Act for punishing of Adultery by death It is the Act 74. The devil getting entry to his little finger will screw in his whole arm Note this The Queenes first fray in Hallyrud-house Division between the Lords and the Ministers The Queen fain would have had all Assemblies discharged Note this diliâ—gently Note this dilâ—gently Note this passage Iohn Knox his judgement of the thirds Let this be noted * That is five old pieces A proverb upon Pittaro Controller The right that Princes have to the Patrimony of the Church Note The marriage of the Earl of Murray Note this diligently Note this diligently The Mask of Orleance The Hamiltons against Bothwell and the Marquesse The Earle of Bothwells communication with Iohn Knox 1562. Note the complement Note diligently Reconciliation betwixt the Earle of Arrane and Earle of Bothwell Note diligently Psal. 2. The second communing of Iohn Knox with the Queen Note diligently Note Note Note diligently Note Let Princes note this Let Court-Chaplains and unthrifts of the time note this The Earle of Lennox and his Lady imprisoned in the Tower of London for traffiquing with Papists Sharp left preaching and took him to the Laws Note This causeth the Quâ—ens Râ—ligion to have many â—avourers Note Note Note dâ—ligently Note Note this for our times Note this for our times An answer to Lethington Note this diligently Iohn Gordonne and Ogilvie Bothwell