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    1528-1558 From the Martyrdom of Master Patrick Hamilton in 1528, to the Meeting of the Scots Parliament in 1558. THE FIRST BOOK of the History of the Reformation of Religion within the Realm of Scotland; containing the manner and by what persons the Light of Christ’s Evangel hath been manifested unto this Realm, after that horrible and universal defection from the Truth, which has come by the means of that Roman Antichrist.

    CHAPTER - FROM THE MARTYRDOM OF PATRICK HAMILTON IN 1528, TO THE BIRTH OF THE PRINCESS MARY, AFTERWARDS QUEEN OF SCOTS, ON 8TH DECEMBER 1542.

    PICTURE: Facsimile of part of History… PICTURE: Facsimile of Scots Act against Luther’s works PICTURE: Archbishop Beatons Bible PICTURE: A Preaching Friar PICTURE: James V. and Mary of Guise PICTURE: Duke of Chatelherault AFTER the unhappy field of Flodden, in the which perished King James the Fourth, with the greatest part of the Nobility, James Beaton, 1 with the rest of the Prelates, had the whole regiment (rule) of the Realm. By reason thereof, they held and travailed to hold the truth of God in thraldom, till it pleased God of His great mercy, in the year of God 1527, to raise up His servant,MASTER PATRICK HAMILTON, at whom our History doth begin. Of his progeny, life, and erudition, because men of fame have in diverse works written, we omit all curious repetition, sending such as would know farther of him to Francis Lambert, John Fryth, and that notable work, lately set forth by John Foxe, Englishman, 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 honors and living—he was intitulate Abbot of Ferne—left Scotland, as one hating the world and the vanity thereof, and passed to the Schools in Germany. The fame of the University of Wittenberg was then greatly divulgate in all countries. There, by God’s Providence, he became familiar with those lights and notable servants of Christ Jesus of that time, Martin Luther, 2 Philip Melanchthon, and the said Francis Lambert, and did so advance in godly knowledge, joined with fervency and integrity of life, that he was in admiration with many. The zeal of God’s glory did so eat him up, that he could of no long continuance remain there, but returned to his country, where the bright beams of the True Light, which by God’s Grace was planted in his heart, began most abundantly to burst forth, as well in public as in secret. He was, besides his godly knowledge, well learned in Philosophy. He abhorred Sophistry, and would that the text of Aristotle should have been better understood and more used in the Schools than it was—for Sophistry had corrupted all, as well in Divinity as in Humanity.

    In short process of time, the fame of his reasons and doctrine troubled the clergy, and came to the ears of Archbishop James Beaten, who so travailed with (remarked upon) Master Patrick, that he got him to St. Andrews, where, after the conference of diverse days, he had his freedom. When the bishops and the clergy had fully understood the mind of Master Patrick, fearing that by him their kingdom should be endamaged, they travailed with the King [James V.], who then was young, and altogether addict to their commandment, that he should pass in pilgrimage to St. Duthac in Ross, to the end that no intercession should be made for the life of the innocent servant of God. He, suspecting no such cruelty as in their hearts was concluded, remained still, a lamb amongst the wolves, till, upon a night, he was intercepted in his chamber, and by the Archbishop’s band was carried to the Castle of St. Andrews. Upon the morn, produced in judgment, he was condemned to die by fire for the testimony of God’s Truth. 3 The Articles for which he suffered were but of Pilgrimage, Purgatory, Prayers to Saints, and for the Dead, and such trifles; albeit that matters of greater importance had been in question, as his Treatise may witness. Now, that the condemnation of Master Patrick should have the greater authority, they caused the same to be subscribed by all those of any estimation that were present, and to make their number great, they took the subscriptions of children, if they were of the Nobility. The Earl of Cassillis, which last deceased in France, then being but twelve or thirteen years of age, was compelled to subscribe his death, as himself did confess.

    At the place of execution Master Patrick gave to his servant, who had been chamber-child 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 commodity, except the example of my death, which, I pray thee, bear in mind. Albeit it be bitter to the flesh, and fearful before men, yet is it the entrance into eternal life, which none shall possess that deny Christ Jesus before this wicked generation.’

    The innocent servant of God being bound to the stake in the midst of some coals, some timber, and other matter appointed for the fire, a train of powder was made and set on fire, which neither kindled the wood nor yet the coals. And so remained the appointed to death in torment, till men ran to the Castle again for more powder, and for wood more able to take fire; which at last being kindled, with loud voice he cried: ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit! How long shall darkness overwhelm this Realm? How long wilt Thou suffer this tyranny 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 Alexander Campbell, the Black Friar, was principal, who continually cried, ‘Convert, heretic! Call upon our Lady! Say Salve Regina.’ To whom he answered, ‘Depart and trouble me not, ye messengers of Satan.’ But while the aforesaid Friar still roared, one thing in great vehemency Master Patrick said unto him:’ Wicked man, thou knowest the contrary, and the contrary to me thou hast confessed. I appeal thee before the Tribunal Seat of Jesus Christ!’ After which and other words, which well could not be understood for the tumult, and the vehemency of the fire, this witness of Jesus Christ got victory, after long sufferance, the last of February, in the year of God, One thousand five hundred twenty and eight years. 4 The said Friar departed this life within few days after—in what estate we refer to the manifestation of the General Day! But it was plainly known that he died in Glasgow, in a frenzy, and as one despaired.

    After the death of that constant witness of Jesus Christ, there was one Henry Forrest of Linlithgow [a Benedictine monk] taken, who, after long imprisonment in the Sea Tower of St. Andrews, was adjudged to the fire by Arch-Bishop James Beaton and his Doctors, for none other crime but because he had a New Testament in English. Farther of that history we have not, except that he died constantly, and with great patience, at St.

    Andrews.

    When these cruel wolves had, as they supposed, clean devoured the prey, they found themselves in worse ease than before. Within St. Andrews, yea, almost within the whole Realm, there were none found hearing of that fact [the martyrdom of Patrick Hamilton] who began not to inquire, Wherefore was Master Patrick burned? And when his Articles of Accusation were rehearsed, question was holden, if such Articles were necessary to be believed under pain of damnation.

    So, within short space, many began to call in doubt that which before they held for a certain verity. In so much the University of St. Andrews—St.

    Leonard’s College principally why the labors of Master Gavin Logie, Principal of St. Leonard’s, and the novices of the Abbey, by the Sub-Prior, John Winram, 5 began to smell somewhat of the verity, and to espy the vanity of the received superstition. Yea, within a few years thereafter, began both Black and Grey Friars publicly to preach against the pride and idle life of the Bishops, and against the abuses of the whole Ecclesiastical Estate.

    Amongst these friars was one called Friar William Arth, who, in a sermon preached in Dundee, spoke somewhat more liberally against the licentious lives of the Bishops nor (than) they could well bear. He spoke further against the abuse of Cursing (Excommunication) and of Miracles. The Bishop of Brechin, John Hepburn, 6 having his placeboes (parasites) and jackmen (armed retainers) in the town, buffeted the Friar, and called him ‘Heretic.’ The Friar, impatient of the injury received, passed to St.

    Andrews, and did communicate the heads of his sermon to Master John Major, 7 Provost of St. Salvator’s College, whose word then was holden as an oracle in matters of religion. Being assured of him that such doctrine might well be defended, and that he would defend it, for it contained no heresy, there was a day appointed to the Friar to make repetition of the same sermon; and advertisement was given to all such as were offended at the former to be present.

    So, in the Parish Kirk of St. Andrews, upon the day appointed, appeared the said Friar, and had among his auditors Master John Major, Master George Lockhart, Rector of the University of St. Andrews, and Master Alexander Myln, Abbot of Cambuskenneth, and Master Patrick Hepburn, Prior of St. Andrews, with all the Doctors and Masters of the University.

    The theme of his sermon was, ‘Verity is the strongest of all tilings.’ His discourse of Cursing was: ‘If it is rightly used, it is the most fearful thing upon the face of the earth; for it is the very separation of man from God.

    But it should not be used rashly, or for every light cause, trot only against open and incorrigible sinners. But now, the avarice of Priests, and the ignorance of their office, has caused it altogether to be vilipended. The priest, whose duty and office is to pray for the people, standeth up on Sunday, and crieth: “Ane hes tint a spurtill (one has lost a porridge-stick).

    Thair is ane fiaill stollin from thame beyound the burne. 8 The goodwyiff of the other syd of the gait hes tynt a horne spune. Goddis maleson and myne I geve to thame that knowis of this geyre, and restoris it not.” The people mock at such cursing!’

    It was supposed, notwithstanding this kind of preaching, that Friar Arth remained Papist in his heart; for the rest of the Friars, fearing to lose the benediction of the Bishops, to wit, their malt and their meal, and their other appointed pensions, caused the said Friar to flee to England, where, for defense of the Pope and Papistry, he was cast into prison at King Harry his commandment. But so it pleased God to open the mouth of Balaam’s own ass, to cry out against the vicious lives of the clergy of that age!

    Shortly after this, new consultation was taken, that some should be burned- for men began very liberally to speak. A merry gentleman named John Lyndsay, familiar to Archbishop James Beaton, standing by when consultation was had, said: ‘My Lord, if ye burn any more, except ye follow my counsel, ye will utterly destroy yourselves. If ye will burn them, let them be burnt in how (underground) cellars; for the reek (smoke) of Master Patrick Hamilton has infected as many as it blew upon!’ Thus it pleased God that they should be taunted in their own faces.

    So fearful was it then to speak anything against the priests that, albeit it was spoken in a man’s sleep, the least word was judged heresy. That was practiced upon Richard Carmichael, yet alive in Fife 9 who being young, and a singer in the Chapel Royal of Striveling (Stirling), happened in his sleep to say, ‘The Devil take away the Priests; for they are a greedy pack!’ He was accused therefor by Sir George Clapperton, Sub-dean of the Chapel Royal, and was compelled forthwith to burn his bill (make recantation).

    But God shortly after raised up against them stronger champions.

    Alexander Seton, a Black Friar of good learning and estimation, began to tax the corrupt doctrine of the Papistry. For the space of a whole Lentran (Lent) he taught the Commandments of God only, ever beating into the ears of his auditors, that the Law of God had for many years not been truly taught; for men’s traditions had obscured its purity. These were his accustomed propositions: First. Christ Jesus is the end and perfection of the Law.

    Second. There is no sin where God’s Law is not violated.

    Third. To satisfy for sin lies not in man’s power, but the remission thereof cometh by unfeigned repentance, and by faith apprehending God the Father, merciful in Christ Jesus, His Son.

    But he made no mention of Purgatory, Pardons, Pilgrimage, Prayers to Saints, nor such trifles. So the dumb Doctors and the rest of that forsworn rabble began to suspect him.

    Yet said they nothing publicly, till Lent was ended, and he passed to Dundee. Then in his absence, one hired for that purpose openly damned the whole doctrine that Friar Seton had taught. Which coming to the ears of the said Friar in Dundee, without delay he returned to St. Andrews, caused immediately to jow (ring) the bell, and to give signification that he would preach. That he did indeed; and in his sermon he affirmed that within Scotland there were no true Bishops, if Bishops should be known by such notes and virtues as Sanet Paul requireth in Bishops. This delation (accusation) flew with wings to the ears of Archbishop Beaton. Without delay lie sent for the Friar, and began grievously to complain that the Friar had so slanderously spoken of the dignity of the Bishops, as to say that ‘It behooved a Bishop to be a preacher, or else he was but a dumb dog, and fed not the flock, but fed his own belly.’

    The Friar being witty, as well as mindful of that which was his most assured defense, said, ‘My Lord, the reporters of such things are manifest liars.’ Whereat the Archbishop rejoiced and said’ ‘Your answer pleaseth me well. I never could think ye would be so foolish as to affirm such things. Where are the knaves that have brought me this tale?’ Who comparing, and affirming the same that they did before, the Friar still replied that they were liars. But when the witnesses were multiplied, he turned to the Archbishop and said: ‘My Lord, ye may consider what ears these asses have, who can not discern betwixt Paul, Isaiah, Zechariah, Malachi, and Friar Alexander Seton! In very deed, my Lord, I said that Paul saith, “It behoveth a Bishop to be a teacher”; and that Isaiah saith, “They that feed not the flock are dumb dogs”; and that Zechariah saith, “They are idle pastors.” Of mine own head I affirmed nothing, but declared what the Spirit of God had before pronounced; at whom, my Lord, if ye be not offended, justly ye can not be offended at me! So, yet again, my Lord, I say, that they are manifest liars that reported unto you that I said, “That you and others that preach not are no Bishops, but belly gods.”’ The Archbishop was highly offended, as well at the scoff and bitter mock, as at the bold liberty of that learned man. Yet durst he not hazard for that present to execute his malice. Not only feared he the learning and bold spirit of the man, but also the favor that he had as well of the people as of the Prince. Seton had good credit with King James the Fifth; for he was at that time his Confessor, and had exhorted him to the fear of God, to the meditation of God’s Law, and to purity of life. So the Archbishop, with his accomplices, foreseeing what danger might come to their estate, if such familiarity should continue betwixt the Prince and a man so learned, and so repugnant to their affections, labored by all means to make him odious to the King’s Grace. For this they easily found means by the Grey Friars, who, by their hypocrisy, deceived many, to traduce the innocent Friar as a heretic.

    The accusation was easily received and more easily believed by the carnal Prince, who altogether was given to the lusts of the flesh, and abhorred all counsel that repugned thereto. He remembered what a terror the admonitions of the said Alexander were to his corrupted conscience, and without resistance he subscribed to their accusation, affirming that he knew more than they did in that matter; for he understood well enough, that the Friar smelt of the New Doctrine, by things shown to him under confession. Therefore the King promised that he should follow the counsel of the Bishops in punishing the Friar and all others of that sect. Alexander understood these things as well by information of his friends and familiars, as by the strange countenance of the King unto him; and he provided the best way to avoid the fury of a blinded prince. In his habit [of a Dominican], he departed the Realm, and coming to Betwick, wrote back to the King’s Grace his Complaint and Admonition, offering to come into the King’s Realm again, if His Grace would give him audience, and saying that the King might cause any Bishop or Abbot, Friar or Secular, which is most cunning—some of them who are made judges in heresy cannot read their matins!—to impugn him by the law of God. Seton remained in England, and publicly, with great praise and comfort of many, taught the Evangel.

    In this mid-time—so did the wisdom of God provide—Harry the Eighth, King of England, did abolish from his realm the name and authority of the Pope of Rome, and suppressed the Abbeys and other in places of idolatry, with their idols, which gave great esperance to diverse realms that some godly reformation should have ensued. Therefore, from this our country did learned men and others that lived in fear of persecution repair to England. There, albeit they found not such purity as they wished, yet they escaped the tyranny of merciless men, and were reserved to better times. Diverse sought other countries. Alexander Alesius, Master John Fyfe, and that famous man, Doctor Macchabeus (Macalpine), departed to Dutchland (Germany), where by God’s Providence they were distributed to several places. James Macdowell, for his singular prudence, besides his learning and godliness, was elected Burgomaster in one of the States [in North Holland]. Alesius was appointed to the University of Lipsia (Leipzig), and so was Master John Fyfe; where, for their honest behavior and great erudition, they were holden in admiration with all the godly. In what honor, credit, and estimation Doctor Macchabeus was with Christian, King of Denmark—the town of Cawpmanhoven (Copenhagen), and famous men of diverse nations testify.

    These notable men did never after—Master John Fyfe only excepted— comfort this country with their bodily presence. Yet God made them fructify in His Church, and raised them up lights out of darkness, to the praise of His own mercy, and to the just condemnation of them that then ruled, to wit, of the King, Council, and Nobility, yea, of the whole people, who suffered such notable personages, without crimes committed, to be unjustly persecuted and so exiled.

    No sooner got the Bishops opportunity, which always they sought, but so soon renewed they the battle against Jesus Christ. The aforesaid leprous Bishop of St. Andrews, in the year of God 1534, caused to be summoned, with diverse others, David and Norman Straton, a Gentleman, and Master Gourlay, a man of reasonable erudition. In Master Norman appeared knowledge, albeit joined with weakness. But in David Straton could only be espied, at the. first, hatred against the pride and avariciousness of the priests. The cause of his delation was:— Straton had made to himself a fish-boat to go to the sea. The Bishop of Moray, then Prior of St. Andrews, and his factors, urged him for the teind thereof. His answer was, If they would have teind of that which his servants won in the sea, it were but reason, that they should come and receive it where his servants got the stock. And so, as was constantly affirmed, he caused his servants east the tenth fish into the sea again! Process of cursing was led against him, for non-payment of such teinds; which, when he contemned, he was delated to answer for heresy. It troubled him vehemently; and therefore he began to frequent the company of such as were godly. Before, he had been a man very stubborn, and one that despised all reading, chiefly of those things that were godly. But, miraculously as it were, he appeared to be changed. He delighted in nothing but in hearing of reading—for himself could not read—and was a vehement exhorter of all men to concord, to quietness, and to contempt of the world. He frequented much the company of the Laird of Dun, John Erskine, 12 whom God in those days had marvelously illuminated.

    Upon a day, as the Laird of Lauriston, who yet lives, then being a young man, was reading the New Testament unto David Straton 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, David Straton suddenly, being as one ravished, platt (cast) himself upon his knees, and extending both hands and visage constantly to heaven a reasonable time, at length he burst forth in these words: ‘O Lord, I have been wicked, and justly mayst Thou abstract Thy grace from me. But, Lord, for Thy mercy’s sake, let me never deny Thee, nor Thy truth, for fear of death or corporal pain.’ The issue declared that his prayer was not vain; for when he, with Master Norman Gourlay, was produced in judgment in the Abbey of Holyroodhouse, the King himself, all clad in red, being present, great labors were made that David Straton should have recanted. But he, ever standing to his defense, and alleging that he had not offended, was adjudged unto the fire. When he perceived his danger, he asked grace of the King, which he would willingly have granted unto him.

    But the Bishops proudly answered, That the King’s hands were bound, and that the King had no grace to give to such as by their law were condemned.

    So was he with Master Norman, after dinner, upon the twenty-seventh day of August, the year of God 1534, led to a place beside the Rood (Cross) of Greenside [at the Calton Hill of Edinburgh]; and there they two were both hanged and burned, according to the mercy of the Papistical Kirk! To the same diet were summoned others, of whom some fled to England, and so, for that present, escaped the death.

    Notwithstanding this their tyranny, the knowledge of God did wondrously increase within this Realm, partly by reading, partly by brotherly conference, which in those dangerous days was used to the comfort of many; but chiefly by merchants and mariners, who, frequenting other countries, heard the trine. True Doctrine affirmed, and the vanity of the Papistical Religion openly rebuked. Amongst these were Dundee and Leith principals, against whom was made a very straight inquisition by David Beaton, the cruel Cardinal; 13 and diverse were compelled to abjure and burn their bills (make recantation), some in St. Andrews and some in Edinburgh. About the same time Captain Sir John Borthwiek was burned in figure (effigy), but, by God’s Providence, escaped their fury [to England]. This was done for a spectacle and triumph to Mary of Lorraine, lately arrived from France, as wife to James the Fifth, King of Scots. What plagues she brought with her, and how they yet continue, such as are not blind may manifestly see!

    The rage of those bloody beasts proceeded so far that the King’s Court itself escaped not the danger. In it diverse were suspected, and some accused. Yet ever still did some light burst out in the midst of darkness; for the Truth of Christ Jesus entered even into the Cloisters, as well of Friars, as of Monks and Canons. John Lyn, a Grey Friar, left his hypocritical habit, and the den of those murderers, the Grey Friars. A Black Friar, called Friar Kyllour, set forth the history of Christ’s Passion in form of a Play, which he both preached and practiced openly in Stirling, the King himself being present upon a Good Friday in the morning. In this, all things were so lively expressed that the very simple people understood and confessed, that as the Priests and obstinate Pharisees persuaded the people to refuse Christ Jesus, and caused Pilate to condemn him, so did the bishops, and men called religious, blind the people, and persuade princes and judges to persecute such as professed Jesus Christ His blessed Evangel.

    This plain speaking so enflamed the hearts of all that bare the Beast’s Mark, that they ceased not, till Friar Kyllour, and with him Friar Beveridge, Sir of Duncan Symson, Robert Forrester, a Gentleman, and Dean Thomas Forrest, Canon Regular [in the Monastery of St. Colm’s Inch] and Vicar of Dollar, a man of upright life, all together were cruelly murdered in one fire, the last day of February, in the year of God 1558.

    After this cruelty was used upon the Castle Hill of Edinburgh—to the effect that the rest of the Bishops might show themselves no less fervent to suppress the light of God than he of St. Andrews 15 was—two were apprehended in the Diocese of Glasgow. The one was named Jeronimus Russell, a Cordelier friar (Franciscan), a young man of a meek nature, quick spirit, and good letters; and one Kennedy, who passed not eighteen years of age, one of excellent injyne (genius) in Scottish poesy. To assist the Bishop of Glasgow in that cruel judgment, or at least to cause him dip his hands in the blood of the Saints of God, were sent Master John Lauder, Archdeacon of Teviotdale, Master Andrew Oliphant Secretary to Cardinal Beaton, and Friar Maltman, sergeants of Satan, apt for that purpose.

    The day appointed to their cruelty having approached, the two poor saints of God were presented before those bloody butchers; and grievous were the crimes that were laid to their charge. Kennedy at the first was faint, and gladly would have recanted. But while place of repentance was denied him, the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of all comfort, began to work in him, yea, the inward comfort began to burst forth, as well in visage as in tongue and word. His countenance began to be cheerful, and, with a joyful voice, upon his knees, he said: ‘O Eternal God! How wondrous is that Love and Mercy that Thou bearest unto mankind, and unto me the most caitiff and miserable wretch above all others! Even now, when I would have denied Thee, and Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, my only Savior, and so have cast myself into everlasting damnation, Thou, by Thine own hand, hast pulled me from the very bottom of Hell, and made me to feel that heavenly comfort which takes from me that ungodly fear, wherewith before I was oppressed. Now I defy death. Do what ye please!

    I praise my God I am ready.’

    The godly and learned Jeronimus, railed upon by these godless tyrants, answered: ‘This is your hour and the power of darkness. Now sit ye as judges; and we stand wrongfully accused, and more wrongfully to be condemned. But the day shall come when our innocence shall appear, and ye shall see your own blindness to your everlasting confusion. Go forward and fulfill the measure of your iniquity! ’ While these servants of God thus behaved themselves, a variance arose betwixt the Bishop of Glasgow, Gawin Dunbar, and the Beasts that came from the Cardinal. The Bishop said, ‘I think it better to spare these men, than to put them to death.’

    Whereat the idiot Doctors, offended, said: ‘What will ye do, my Lord?

    Will ye condemn all that my Lord Cardinal, and the other Bishops and we have done? If so ye do, ye show yourself enemy to the Kirk and us; and so we will repute you, be ye assured.’ At which words, the faithless man, affrayed, adjudged the innocents to die, according to the desire of the wicked. The meek and gentle Jerome Russell comforted the other with many comfortable sentences, oft saying unto him: ‘Brother, fear not!

    More potent is He that is in us, than he that is in the world. The pain that we shall suffer is short, and shall be light; but our joy and consolation shall never have end. Therefore let us contend to enter in unto our Master and Savior by the same Strait Way, which He hath trod before us. Death can not destroy us; for it is destroyed already by Him for whose sake we suffer.’ With these and the like comfortable sentences, they passed to the place of execution, and constantly triumphed over Death and Satan, even in the midst of the flaming fire. So far had that blinded and most vicious man, the Prince [James V.], given himself to obey the tyranny of those bloody beasts, that he had made a solemn vow that none should be spared that was suspect of heresy, yea, although it were his own son. Yet did not God cease to give to that blinded Prince documents (signs) that some sudden plague was to fall upon him, in ease he did not repent his wicked life. For after Sir James Hamilton of Finnart, Captain of Linlithgow Palace, was beheaded—justly or unjustly we dispute not—this vision came unto him, as he himself did declare to his familiars:— Sir James appeared unto him, having in his hand a drawn sword, with which from the King he struck off both arms, saying, ‘Take that, while (until) thou receivest a final payment for all thine impiety!’

    This vision, with sorrowful countenance, he showed in the morn; and shortly thereafter died his two sons, both within the space of twenty-four hours, yea, some say, within the space of six hours.

    How terrible a vision the said Prince saw, lying in Linlithgow, that night [in 1539] that Thomas Scott, Justice Clerk, died in Edinburgh, men of good credit can yet report. Affrayed at midnight, he cried aloud for torches, and raised all that lay beside him in the Palace, and told them that Tom Scott was dead; for he had been at him with a company of devils, and had said unto him these words: ‘O, woe to the day that ever I knew thee, or thy service! For serving of thee against God, against His servants, and against Justice, I am adjudged to endless torment!’ How terrible voices the said Thomas Scott pronounced before his death, men of all estates heard; and some that yet live can witness. His voice was ever, ‘Justo Dei judicio conde matus stun’ I am condemned by God’s just judgment. He was most oppressed for the delation and false accusation of such as professed Christ’s Evangel. Master Thomas Marjoribanks of Ratho, and Master Hugh Rigg of Carberry, then advocates, confessed this to Master Henry Bainaves. From the said Thomas Scott they came to him, as he and Master Thomas Bellenden [Scott’s successor as Justice Clerk] were sitting in Saint Giles Kirk, and asked him forgiveness in the name of the said Thomas.

    None of these terrible forewarnings could mollify the heart of the indurate tyrant; and still the said Prince did proceed from impiety to impiety. For, in the midst of these admonitions, the King caused put hands on that notable man, Master George Balquhannan (Buchanan), 17 to whom, for his singular erudition and honest behavior, was committed the charge to instruct some of his bastard children. But by the merciful Providence of God he escaped, albeit with great difficulty, the rage of them that sought his blood, and remains alive to this day, in the year of God 1566, to the glory of God, to the great honor of his nation, and to the comfort of them that delight in letters and virtue. His singular work of David’s Psalms in Latin meter and poesy, besides many others, can witness the rare graces of God given to that man, which that tyrant, by instigation of the Grey Friars, and of his other flatterers, would altogether have devoured, if God had not provided remedy to His servant by escaping.

    This cruelty and persecution notwithstanding, the Grey Friars, day by day, came farther into contempt. Not only did the learned espy and detest their abominable hypocrisy, but also men, in whom no such graces or gifts were thought to have been, began plainly to paint the same forth to the people; as this rhyme, made by Alexander, Earl of Glencairn, 18 yet alive, can witness, entitled— ‘AN EPISTLE DIRECTED FROM THE HOLY HERMIT OF ALARET (LORETTO, NEAR MUSSELBURGH) TO HIS BRETHREN THE GREY FRIARS. ‘I, Thomas, hermit in Larite, Saint Francis’ order do heartily greet, Beseeching you with firm intent, To be walkryfe (watchful) and diligent:

    For these Lutherians, risen of new, Our Order daily do pursue.

    These smaikis (mean fellows) do set their haill intent, To read the English New Testament.

    They say, we have them clean disceavit; Therefore, in haste they maun (must) be stoppit!

    Our state, “hypocrisie,” they prize (reckon), And us blaspheamis on this wyse:— Saying, That we are heretikes, And false, loud-lying mastiff tykes, Stout fishers with the Fiend’s net, The upclosers of Heaven’s yett (gate), Cankered corrupters of the Creed, Hemlock-sowers amongst good seed, Kirk men that are to Christ unkent, A sect that Satan’s self has sent!

    I dread this doctrine, if it last, Shall either gat (make) us work or fast; Therefore, with speed we must provide, And not our profit overslide.

    Your Order handles no money; But for other casuality, As beef, meal, butter, and cheese, Or what else ye have that ye please Send your Brethren, et habete. As now nought else, but valete! By Thomas your brother at command, A cullurune kythed (silly fellow exhibited) through many a land.’ When God had given to that indurate Prince sufficient documents that his rebellion against His Blessed Evangel should not prosperously succeed, He raised up against him war, as He did against obstinate Saul, in which he miserably perished.

    The occasion of the war was this. Harry the Eighth, King of England, had a great desire to have spoken with our King; and in that point travailed long till he got a full promise made to his Ambassador Lord William Howard.

    The place of meeting was appointed at York, which the King of England kept with such solemnity and preparations as never, for such a purpose, was seen in England before. Great bruit (report) of that journey, and some preparation for the same was made in Scotland; but in the end, by persuasion of the Cardinal Beaton 20 and by others of his faction, that journey was stayed, and the King’s promise falsified. Whereupon were sharp letters of reproach sent unto the King, and also unto his Council.

    King Harry, frustrate, returned to London, and, after his indignation declared, began to fortify with men his frontiers foreanent (over against) Scotland. There were sent to the Borders Sir Robert Bowes, the Earl of Angus, and his brother, Sir George Douglas. Upon what other trifling questions, as the debatable land and such like, the war broke out we omit to write —the principal occasion was the falsifying of the promises before made.

    All men—fools, we mean—bragged of victory. And, in very deed, the beginning gave us a fair show. For at the first Warden Raid, which was made at the Saint Bartholomew’s Day, 1542, was the Warden, Sir Robert Bowes, and his brother Richard Bowes, Captain of Norham 21 with Sir William Mowbray, knight, a bastard son of the Earl of Angus, and James Douglas of Parkhead, then rebels, and a great number of borders, soldiers, and gentlemen taken.

    This was termed the Raid of Halden Rig. The Earl of Angus, and Sir George his brother, did narrowly escape. Our Papists and Priests, proud of this victory, encouraged the King, so that there was nothing heard but ‘All is ours! They are but heretics. If we be a thousand, and they ten thousand, they dare not fight. France shall enter the one part, and we the other; and so shall England be conquest within a year!’ If any man was seen to smile at such vanity, he was a ‘traitor’ and a ‘heretic’! Yet by these means, men had greater liberty than they had before, as concerning their conscience; for then ceased the Persecution.

    At the Palace of Holyroodhouse was a new Council convened—a Council, we mean, of the King’s abusers (corrupters) and flatterers; wherein were accusations laid against the most part of the Nobility, that some were heretics, some favorers of England, some friends to the Douglas; and so could there be none faithful to the King, in their opinion. The Cardinal and the priests cast faggots on the fire with all their force: and finding the King wholly addict to their devotion, delivered to him a Scroll, containing the names of such as they, in their Inquisition, had convict for Heretics. This was the order of justice which these holy fathers kept in damning of innocent men:—Whosoever would delate (accuse) any of heresy, he was heard. No respect nor consideration had they what mind the delator bare to the person delated. Whosoever were produced for witnesses were admitted, how suspicious and infamous so ever they were. If two or three had proven any point, which by their law was holden heresy, that was a heretic. Rested no more but a day to be affixed to his condemnation, and to the execution of their corrupt sentence. What man could be innocent, where such judges were party, the world, nay this day consider!

    The same Scroll had the Cardinal and Prelates once before presented to the King, what time he returned from the navigation about the Isles. But then it was refused by the prudent and stout counsel of the Laird of Grange, James Kirkcaldy, the High Treasurer, who opened clearly to the King the practices of the Prelates, and the danger that thereof might ensue. Which considered by the King—for, being out of his passion, he was tractable— he gave this answer, an answer worthy of a Prince, in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, to the Cardinal and Prelates after they had uttered their malice, and shown what profit might arise to the Crown if he would follow their counsel:— ‘Pack you, Jefwellis! 22 Get ye to your charges and reform your own lives, and be not instruments of discord betwixt my Nobility and me. Else, I vow to God, I shall reform you, not as the King of Denmark by imprisonment doth, neither yet as the King of England doth both by hanging and heading; but I shall reform you by sharp whingers (swords), if ever I hear such motion of you again!’ The Prelates, dashed and astonished with this answer, ceased for a season to attempt any further by rigor against the Nobility. But now, being informed of all proceedings by their pensioners, Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairns, Governor of Tantallon Castle, John Ross, Laird of Craigie, and others, who were to them faithful in all things, they conclude to hazard once again their former suit. This was no sooner proposed but as soon it was accepted, with no small regret made by the King’s own mouth, that he had so long despised their counsel. ‘Now,’ said he, ‘I plainly see your words to be true. The Nobility neither desire my honor nor continuance; for they would not ride a mile for my pleasure to follow my enemies. Will ye therefore find me the means how I may have a raid made into England, without their knowledge and consent, that may be known to be my own raid; and I shall bind me to your counsel for ever?’ There concurred together Ahab and his false prophets; there were congratulations and clapping of hands; there were promises of diligence, closeness, and fidelity. Finally, conclusion was taken, that the West Borders of England, which were most empty of men and garrisons, should be invaded. The King’s own banner should be there; Oliver Sinclair, the great minion, should be General-Lieutenant, but no man should be privy of the enterprise, except the Council that was then present, till the very day and execution thereof. The Bishops gladly took the charge of that Raid. Letters were sent to such as they would charge to meet the King, day and place appointed. The Cardinal, with the Earl of Arran, was directed to go to Haddington, to make a show against the East Border, when the others were in readiness to invade the West. And thus neither lacked counsel, practice, closeness, nor diligence to set forward that enterprise.

    Amongst these consulters there was no doubt of good success; and so was the Scroll thankfully received by the King himself, and put in his own pocket, where it remained to the day of his death, and then was found. In it were contained more than one hundred landed men, besides others of meaner degree, amongst whom was the Lord Hamilton himself [the Earl of Arran, afterwards Duke of Chatelherault], then second person of the Realm [as heir-presumptive to the throne], delated.

    The night before the day appointed to the enterprise, the King was found at Loehmaben. To him came companies from all quarters, as they were appointed. No man knew of another; for no general proclamation passed but privy letters; neither yet did the multitude know anything of the purpose till after midnight, when the trumpet blew, and commanded all men to march forward, and to follow the King, who was constantly supposed to be in the host. Guides were appointed to conduct them towards England, as both faithfully and closely they did. Upon the point of day they approached the enemy’s ground; and so passed the Water [the Solway] without any great resistance. The foray goes forth; fire rises; herschip (plundering) might have been seen on every side. The unprovided people were altogether amazed; for, bright day appearing, they saw an army of ten thousand men, and their corn and houses upon every side sending flames of fire unto heaven. To them it was more than a wonder, that such a multitude could have been assembled and convoyed, no knowledge thereof coming to any of their Wardens. For support they looked not; and so, at the first, they were utterly despaired. Yet began they to assemble together, ten in one company, twenty in another; and so, as the fray proceeded, their troops increased, but to no number; for Carlisle, fearing assault, suffered no man to issue out of their yetts (gates).

    So the greatest number [of the countrymen] that ever appeared before the discomfiture, passed not three or four hundred. Yet they made hot skirmishing, as in their own ground they are most expert. About ten hours, when fires were kindled and almost slockened (quenched) on every side, thought Oliver time to show his glory. So incontinent (forthwith) was displayed the King’s Banner; and Oliver, lifted up upon spears upon men’s shoulders, was there, with sound of trumpet, proclaimed General- Lieutenant and all men commanded to obey him, as the King’s own person, under all highest pains. There was present the Lord Maxwell, Warden, to whom the regiment (command), in absence of the King, properly appertained. He heard and saw all, but thought more nor he spake. There were also present the Earls Glencairn and Cassillis, with the Lord Fleming, and many other Lords, Barons, and Gentlemen of Lothian, Fife, Angus, and Mearns.

    The skirmishing now grew hotter than before: shouts were heard on every side. Some Scotsmen were stricken down; some, not knowing the ground, lared (sank in the bog) and tint (lost) their horses. Some English horse of purpose were let loose, to provoke greedy and imprudent men to prick at them; as many did, but found no advantage. While such disorder rises more and more ill the army, men cried in every ear, ‘My Lord-Lieutenant, what will ye do?’ Great was the noise and confusion, while every man calls his own sloghorne (slogan) 24. The day was near spent, and that was the cause of the greatest fear. The Lord Maxwell, perceiving what would be the end of such beginnings, stood upon his feet with his friends. Being admonished to take his horse and provide for himself, he answered: ‘Nay, I will rather abide here the chance that it shall please God to send me, than go home and there be hangit!’ So he remained upon his feet and was taken, while the multitude fled, and took the greater shame.

    The English perceiving the disorder, increased in courage. Before, they shouted; but then they struck. They shot spears and dagged (shot thickly) arrows, where the companies were thickest. Some tencounters were made, but nothing availed. The soldiers cast from them their pikes, culverins (frelocks), and other weapons fencible; the horsemen left their spears; and without judgment all men fled. The sea was filling, and so the water made great stop; but the fear was such that happy was he that might get a taker.

    Such as passed the water and escaped that danger, not well acquainted with the ground, fell into the Solway Moss. The entry thereof was pleasing enough; but, as they proceeded, all that took that way, either tint their horse, or else themselves and horse both. To be short, a greater fear and discomfiture, without cause, hath seldom been seen. It is said that where the men were not sufficient to take the hands of prisoners, some ran to houses and rendered themselves to women. Stout Oliver Sinclair was without stroke taken, fleeing full manfully; and so was his glory—stinking and foolish proudness we should call it! —suddenly turned to confusion and shame. In that discomfiture were taken the two Earls Glencairn and Cassillis, the Lords Fleming, Somerville, and many other Barons and Gentlemen, besides a great multitude of servants.

    Worldly men may think that all this came but by misorder and fortune, as they term it; but whosoever hath the least spunk (spark) of the knowledge of God, may as evidently see the work of His hand in this discomfiture, as ever was seen in any of the battles left to us in register by the Holy Ghost.

    For what more evident declaration have we that God fought against Benhadad, King of Aram, when he was discomfited at Samaria, than now we have that God fought with His own arm against Scotland? In the former discomfiture, there did two hundred and thirty persons in the skirmish, with seven thousand following them in the great battle, put to flight Berthadad, with thirty Kings in his company. But here, in this shameful discomfiture of Scotland, very few more than three hundred men, without knowledge of any battle to follow, put to flight ten thousand men without resistance made. There did every man rencounter his marrow (match), till the two hundred and thirty slew such as matched them. But here, without slaughter, the multitude fled. There, had those of Samaria the Prophet of God to comfort, to instruct, and to promise victory unto them.

    But England, in that pursuit, had nothing, but as God secretly wrought by His providence in men that knew nothing of His working, neither yet of the causes thereof, more than the wall that fell upon the rest of Benhadad’s army knew what it did. Therefore yet again we say, that such as in that sudden dejection behold not the hand of God fighting against pride, for freedom of His own little flock unjustly persecuted, do willingly and maliciously obscure the glory of God. But the end thereof is yet more notable.

    The certain knowledge of the discomfiture coming to the King’s ears, who waited upon news at Lochmaben, he was stricken with a sudden fear and astonishment, so that scarcely could he speak or hold purpose with any man. The night constrained, him to remain where he was; so he yead (went) to bed, but rose without rest or quiet sleep. His continual complaint was, ‘Oh, fled Oliver? Is Oliver tane (taken) ? Oh, fled Oliver?’ And these words in his melancholy, and as it were carried away in a trance, repeated he from time to time, to the very hour of his death.

    Upon the morn, which was St. Katharine’s Day [25th November 1542], returned he to Edinburgh, and so did the Cardinal from Haddington. But the one being ashamed of the other, the bruit of their communication came not to public audience. The King made inventory: of his poise (money), of all his jewels and other substance; and thereafter, as ashamed to look any man in the face, secretly departed to Fife, and coming to the Hallyards was humanely received of the Lady of Grange, Janet Melville of Raith, an ancient and godly matron, the Laird at his coming being absent. In his company were only with him William Kirkealdy, now Laird of Grange, and some others that waited upon his chamber. The Lady at supper, perceiving him pensive, began to comfort him, and willed him to take the work of God in good part. ‘My portion of this world,’ said he, ‘is short, for I will not be with you fifteen days.’ His servants repairing unto him, asked where he would have provision made for his Yule (Christmas), which then approached? He answered, with a disdainful smirk: ‘I cannot tell. Choose ye the place. But this I can tell you, before Yule Day ye will be masterless, and the Realm without a King! ’ Because of his displeasure, no man durst make contradiction unto him. So, after he had visited the Castle of Cairnie, pertaining to the Earl of Crawford, where the said Earrs daughter, one of his paramours, was, he returned to Falkland and took bed.

    And albeit there appeared unto him no signs of death, yet he constantly affirmed, ‘Before such a day, I shall be dead.’

    In the meantime was the Queen upon the point of her delivery in Linlithgow, who was delivered, the eighth day of December 1542, 25 of Marie that then was born, and now doth reign for a plague to this Realm, as the progress of her whole life up to this day declareth. The certainty that a daughter was born unto him coming to his ears, the King turned from such as spake with him, and said: ‘The devil go with it! It will end as it began.IT CAME FROM A WOMAN, AND IT WILL END IN A WOMAN!’ 26 After that, he spake not many words that were sensible, but ever harped upon this old song, ‘ Fye, fled Oliver? Is Oliver tane? All is lost!’

    CHAPTER - FROM THE DEATH OF JAMES V., ON 13TH DECEMBER 1542, TO THE COMPLETE ESTABLISHMENT IN POWER OF CARDINAL BEATON IN 1545.

    PICTURE: Arms of Magdalene of France an Mary of Guise PICTURE: Chained Bible belonging to the Cathedral of Glasgow PICTURE: Fascimile of Deed executed by John Knox in PICTURE: Castle of St. Andrews KING JAMES departed this life the 13th day of December 1542. When the noise of his death divulged, all men lamented that the Realm was left without a male to succeed. Yet some rejoiced that such an enemy to God’s Truth was taken away. He was called of some a good Poor Man’s King; of others he was termed a murderer of the Nobility, and one that had decreed their whole destruction. Thus men spake even as their affections led them.

    Yet none spake altogether beside the truth; for, as the virtues could not be denied, so could not the vices by any craft be cloaked.

    The question of Government was through the Realm universally moved. In despite of Cardinal Beaton and his suborned faction, James Hamilton, Earl of Arran, was declared Governor. The cause of the great favor that was borne unto him was the bruit that he favored God’s Word; and because it was well known that he was one to have been persecuted, as the Scroll found in the King’s pocket after his death did witness. These two things, together with an opinion that men had of his simplicity, bowed the hearts of many unto him at the beginning, who after, with pain of heart, were compelled to change their opinions.

    The variety of matters that occurred, we omit, such as the order taken for keeping the young Queen Marie; the provision for her mother: the homecalling of the Douglas; and others, such as appertain to an Universal History of the time. For we mind only to follow the progress of the Religion, and of the matters that cannot be dissevered from the same.

    The Earl of Arran being established in the government, godly men repaired unto him, and exhorted him to call to mind for what end God had exalted him to be Governor; out of what danger He had delivered him, he being in the Bloody Scroll; and what expectation all men of honesty had of him. At their instant suit, more than of his own motion, was Thomas Guillaume, 1 a Black Friar, called to be Preacher. This man was of solid judgment, of reasonable letters as for that age, and of a prompt and good utterance; and his doctrine was wholesome, without great vehemence against superstition. Preached also sometimes John Rough [a Dominican Friar], who after, for the Verity of Christ Jesus, suffered in England in the days of Marie of cursed memory; albeit not so learned, yet more simple, and more vehement against all impiety. The doctrine of these two provoked against them, and against the Governor also, the hatred of all such as rather favored darkness than light, and their own bellies more than God. The Grey Friars—and amongst the rest Friar Scott, who before had given himself forth for the greatest professor of Christ Jesus within Scotland, and under that color had disclosed, and so endangered many—these slaves of Satan, we say, rowped (cried hoarsely) as they had been ravens, yea, rather they yelled and roared as devils in hell: ‘Heresy! heresy! Guillaume and Rough will carry the Governor to the Devil!’ The town of Edinburgh, for the most part, was drowned in superstition. Only Edward Hope, young William Adamson, Sybilla Lyndsay, Patrick I,yndsay, Francis Aikman, and, in the Canongate, John Maekay and Ryngzeane (Ninlan) Brown, with few others, had the bruit (reputation) of knowledge in those days. One Wilson, servant to the Bishop of Dunkeld, who neither knew the New Testament nor the Old, made a spiteful railing ballad against the Preachers, and against the Governor, for the which he narrowly escaped hanging. Cardinal Beaton moved both Heaven and Hell to trouble the Governor and to stay the preaching but yet was the battle stoutly fought for a season, forthe Cardinal was taken, and put first in Dalkeith, and after in Seton. But at length, by buddis (bribes) given to Lord Seton and to the old Laird of Lethington, he was restored to Saint Andrews, from whence he wrought all mischief, as we shall after hear. The Parliament approached, which was before the Paseh (Easter). There began question of abolishing certain tyrannical Acts, made before [14th March 1541], at the devotion of the Prelates, for maintaining, their kingdom of darkness, to wit, ‘That under pain of heresy, no man should read any part of the Scriptures in the English tongue, neither yet any tractate or exposition of any place of Scripture.’ Men began to inquire, if it were not as lawful to men that understood no Latin to use the Word of their Salvation in the tongue they understood, as it was for Latin men to have it in Latin, and Grecians or Hebrews in their tongues. It was answered, that the Kirk had forbidden all kind of tongues but these three, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. But men demanded, when that inhibition was given, and what Council had ordained it, considering that in the days of Chrysostom, he complained that the people used not the Psalms, and other Holy Books, in their own tongues? And if ye will say they were Greeks, and understood the Greek tongue, we answer, thatCHRIST JESUS HAS COMMANDED HIS WORD TO BE PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS. Now, if it ought to be preached to all nations, it must be preached in the tongue they understand; and if it be lawful to preach it, and to hear it preached in all tongues, why shall it not be lawful to read it, and to hear it read in all tongues, to the end that the people may ‘try the spirits,’ according to the commandment of the Apostle?

    Beaten with these and other reasons, they denied not but it may be read in the Vulgar Tongue, provided the translation were true. It was demanded, what could be reprehended in it? Much searching was made, and nothing could be found, but that Love, say they, was put in the place of Charity!

    When the question was asked, What difference was betwixt the one and the other, and if they understood the nature of the Greek term (ajga>ph ) they were dumb! Reasoned for the party of the Seculars, the Lord Ruthven—father to him that prudently gave counsel to take just punishment upon that knave Davie (David Rizzio), for that lie had abused the unhappy King Harry [Lord Darnley] in more cases than one—a stout and a discreet man in the cause of God, and Master Henry Bainaves, an old professor. For the part of the Clergy, one Hay (?), the Dean of Restalrig, and certain old bosses 3 with him.

    The conclusion was, the Commissioners of Burghs, and a part of the Nobility, required of the Parliament that it might be enacted: ‘That it shall be lawful to every man to use the benefit of the translation which they then had of the Bible and New Testament, together with the benefit of other treatises containing wholesome doctrine, unto such time as the Prelates and Kirkmen shall set forth unto them a translation more correct.’

    The Clergy thereto long repugned; but in the end, convicted by reasons and by multitude of votes in their contrary, they also condescended; and by Act of Parliament [15th March 1543] it was made free to all men and women to read the Scriptures in their own tongue, or in the English tongue; and so were all Acts made in the contrary abolished.

    This was no small victory of Christ Jesus, fighting against the conjured enemies of his Verity; no small comfort to such as before were held in such bondage, that they durst not have read the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, nor the Articles of their Faith, in the English tongue, but they should have been accused of heresy. Then might have been seen the Bible lying almost upon every Gentleman’s table; and the New Testament was borne about in many men’s hands. We grant that some, alas! profaned that Blessed Word; for some that, perchance, had never read ten sentences in it, had it most common in their hand; they would chop their familiars on the cheek with it, and say, ‘This has lain hid under my bed-feet these ten years!’ Others would glory, ‘O! how oft have I been in danger for this Book! How secretly have I stolen from my wife at midnight to read upon it!’ And this was clone of many to make court thereby; for all men esteemed the Governor to have been the most fervent Protestant that was in Europe. Albeit we say that many abused that liberty granted of God miraculously, yet thereby did the knowledge of God wondrously increase, and God gave His Holy Spirit to simple men in great abundance. Then were set forth works in our own tongue—besides those that came from England—that did disclose the pride, the craft, the tyranny, and the abuses of that Roman Antichrist.

    The fame of our Governor, the Earl of Arran, was spread in diversee countries, and many praised God for him. [In 1542] King Harry of England sent unto him his Ambassador, Sir Ralph Sadlet, who lay in Edinburgh a great part of the summer. 4 His commission was to contract a perpetual amity betwixt England and Scotland: the occasion whereof God had so offered, that to many men it appeared that from heaven He had declared His good pleasure in that behalf. For to King Harry, of Jane Somer (Lady Jane Seymour), after the death of Queen Katharine, and of all others that might have made his marriage suspect, was given a son, Edward the Sixth, of blessed memory, older some years than our Mistress, and unto us was left a Queen. This wonderful Providence of God caused men of greatest judgment to enter into disputation with themselves whether, with good conscience, any man might repugn to the desires of the King of England, considering that thereby all occasion of war might be cut off, and great commodity might ensue to this Realm. The offers of King Harry were so large, and his demands so reasonable, that all that loved quietness were content therewith. [In March, 1543] there were sent from our Parliament to King Harry in commission, Sir William Hamilton of Sanquhar, Sir James Learmonth of Dairsie, and Master Henry Bainaves, advocate, of Hal-hill. They long remained in England, and so travailed that all things concerning the marriage betwixt Edward the Sixth and Marie, Queen of Scots, were agreed upon, except the time of her deliverance to the custody of Englishmen. In Scotland remained Master Sadlet. The hands of our Lords were liberally anointed, besides other commodities promised, and of some received; and diverse prisoners taken at Solway Moss were sent home ransom free, upon promise of their fidelity. How this promise was kept, the issue will witness.

    In the end, so well were all contents the Cardinal, the Queen-Dowager, and the faction of France ever excepted that solemnly, in the Abbey of Holyroodhouse, was the Contract of Marriage betwixt the persons aforesaid read in public audience, subscribed, sealed, and approved of the Governor and the Nobility. And that nothing should lack that might fortify the matter, was Christ’s Body Sacred, as Papists term it, broken betwixt the Governor and Master Sadler, Ambassador, and received of them both as a sign of the unity of their minds, inviolably to keep that contract in all points, as they looked of Christ Jesus to be saved, and to be reputed men worthy of credit before the world.

    These things newly ratified, our merchants made frack (ready) to sail, and to their traffic, which by the troubles of war had some years been hindered. From Edinburgh were freighted twelve ships, richly laden, according to the wares of Scotland. From other towns and ports departed others, which all arrived upon the coasts of England towards the south, to wit, in Yarmouth, and entered not only within Roads, but also within Ports, where ships might be arrested. And because of the late contracted amity and gentle entertainment that they found at the first, they made no great expedition (haste). But being, as they supposed, in security, in merriness they spent the time, abiding upon the wind.

    In the meantime, arrives from France to Scotland John Hamilton, the Abbot of Paisley, called bastard brother to the Governor, whom yet many esteemed son to George Crichton, the old Bishop of Dunkeld, and with him Master David Panter, who after was made Bishop of Ross. The bruit of the learning of these two, and their honest life, and their fervency and uprightness in religion, was such, that great hope there was that their presence should have been comfortable to the Kirk of God. For it was constantly affirmed of some, that without delay, the one or the other would occupy the pulpit, and truly preach Jesus Christ. But few days disclosed their hypocrisy. What terrors, what promises, or what enchanting boxes they brought from France, the common people knew not; but shortly after, it was seen that Friar Guillaume was inhibited to preach, and so departed to England, and John Rough to Kyle, a receptacle of God’s servants of old. The men of counsel, judgment, and godliness, that had travailed to promote the Governor, and that gave him faithful counsel in all doubtful matters, were either craftily conveyed from him, or else, by threatening to be hanged, were compelled to leave him. Of the one number, were the Laird of Grange aforesaid, Master Henry Belnaves, 5 Master Thomas Bellenden, and Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount; men by whose labors he was promoted to honor, and by whose counsel he so used himself at the beginning, that the obedience given to him was nothing inferior to that obedience that any King of Scotland of many years had before him. Yea, in this it did surmount the common obedience, that it proceeded from love of those virtues that were supposed to have been in him. Of the number of those that were threatened, were Master Michael Durham, Doctor in Medicine, Master David Borthwick [afterwards King’s Advocate], David Forrest [General of the Mint], and David Bothwell; who counseled the Governor to have in his company men fearing God, and not to foster wicked men in their iniquity, albeit they were called his friends, and were of his surname of Hamilton. This counsel, understood by the aforesaid Abbot, and by the Hamiltons, who then repaired to the Court, as ravens to the carrion, in plain words it was said: ‘My Lord Governor or his friends will never be at quietness till a dozen of these knaves that abuse His Grace be hanged!’ These words were spoken in his own presence, and in the presence of some of them that had better deserved than to have been so entreated: but the speaker was allowed for his bold and plain speaking.

    And so honest and godly men left the Court and him in the hands of such as by their wicked counsel led him so far from God, that he falsified his promise, dipped his hands in the blood of the Saints of God, and brought this Commonwealth to the very point of utter ruin. These were the first fruits of the Abbot of Paisley, his godliness and learning! But hereafter we will hear more.

    All honest and godly men banished from the Court, the Abbot of Paisley and his Council began to lay before the inconstant Governor the dangers that might ensue the alteration and change of religion; the power of the King of France; the commodity that might come to him and his house by retaining the ancient league with France; and the great danger that he brought upon himself if, in any jot, he suffered the authority of the Pope to be violated or called in doubt within this Realm: considering that thereupon only stood the security of his own right to the succession of the Crown; for by God’s Word could not be made good the divorcement of his father from Elizabeth Home, his father’s first wife, and so would his father’s second marriage [to Janet Beaton, mother of the Governor], Elizabeth Home being alive, be judged null, and he declared bastard.

    The unhappy man, beaten with these temptations, rendered himself to the appetites of the wicked. He quietly stole away from the Lords that were with him in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, passed to Stirling, subjected himself to the Cardinal and to his counsel, received absolution, renounced the profession of Christ Jesus, His Holy Evangel, and violated his oath that before he had made, for observation of the Contract and League with England. At that time [on 9th September 1543] was our Queen Marie crowned, and new promise made to France. The certainty hereof coming to King Harry of England, our Scottish ships were stayed, the sails taken from the rays (yards), and the merchants and mariners were commanded to sure custody.

    New commission was sent to Master Sadler, who still remained in Scotland, to demand the Renewed cause of that sudden alteration, and to travail difficulties by all means possible, that the Governor with Henry VIII. might be called back to his former godly purpose, and that he would not do so foolishly and in-honestly yea, so cruelly and unmercifully to the Realm of Scotland, that he would not only lose the commodities offered, and that were presently to be received, but that also he would expose Scotland to the hazard of fire and sword. But nothing could avail; the Devil kept fast the grip that he got, yea, even all the days of the said Earl’s government. For the Cardinal got his eldest son in pledge, whom he kept in the Castle of St. Andrews, until the day that God’s hand punished his pride.

    King Harry, perceiving that all hope of the Governor’s repentance was lost, called back his Ambassador, and that with fearful threatenings, as Edinburgh after felt; denounced war; made our ships prizes, and merchants and mariners lawful prisoners, which, to the burghs of Scotland, was no small herschip (loss). But thereat did the Cardinal and the Priests laugh, and jestingly said: ‘ When we shall conquer England, the merchants shall be recompensed!’ The summer and the harvest passed over without any notable thing. The Cardinal and the Abbot of Paisley parted the prey amongst them; and the abused Governor bore the name only.

    The Cardinal with his craft prevailed on every side; so that the Scots proverb was true in him, ‘So long runs the fox, as he foot has.’ Whosoever would not play to him the good valet, was reputed amongst his enemies.

    Whether it was at this journey that the bloody butcher [Cardinal Beaton] executed his cruelty upon the innocent persons in Saint Johnestoun (Perth), we can not affirm; neither yet therein study we to be curious.

    Rather we travail to express the verity, whensoever it was done, than scrupulously and exactly to appoint the times, which yet we omit not when the certainty occurs. The verity of that cruel fact is this:

    On St. Paul’s Day [25th January 1544], before the first burning of Edinburgh [in May of that year], came to Saint Johnestoun the Governor and the Cardinal, and there, upon envious delation, were a great number of honest men and women called before the Cardinal and accused of heresy.

    Albeit they could be convict of nothing but only of suspicion that they had eaten a goose upon Friday, yet four men were adjudged to be hanged, and a woman to be drowned; which cruel and most unjust sentence was without mercy put in execution. The names of the men that were hanged were James Hunter Robert Lamb, William Anderson, James Rannelt, burgesses of St. Johnestoun. At the same time were banished Sir Henry Elder [a priest], John Elder, Walter Piper, Laurence Pullar, with diverse others, whose names came not to our knowledge.

    The Cardinal, that sworn enemy to Christ Jesus, and unto all in whom any spunk of true knowledge appeared, had diverse about that same time in prison. Among these was John Roger, a Black Friar, godly and learned; one that fruitfully preached Christ Jesus, to the comfort of many in Angus and Mearns. That bloody man caused murder Roger in the ground of the Sea- Tower of St. Andrews, and then caused to east him over the Craig, spreading a false bruit, ‘That John, seeking to fly, had broken his own craig’ (neck).

    Thus ceased not Satan, by all means, to maintain his Kingdom of Darkness, and to suppress the light of Christ’s Evangel. But potent is He against whom they fought: for, when the wicked were in greatest security, then began God to show His anger. On the third day of May 1544, without knowledge of such as should have had the care of the Realm, was seen a great navy of ships arriving towards the Firth of Forth. The posts came to the Governor and Cardinal, who both were in Edinburgh, [telling] what multitude of ships were seen, and what course they took. This was upon the Saturday before noon. Question was had, what should they mean? Some said, No doubt they are Englishmen, and we fear they shall land. The Cardinal stripped (mocked) and said: ‘It is but the Island Fleet.

    They are come to make a show, and to put us in fear. I shall lodge all the men-of-war in my een (eyes) that shall land in Scotland!’ Still sits the Cardinal at his dinner, even as there had been no danger appearing. Men convene to gaze upon the ships, some to the Castle Hill, some to the Crags, and other places eminent. But there was no question, ‘With what forces shall we resist, if we be invaded?’ Soon after six hours at night, there were arrived and had east anchor in the Roads of Leith more than two hundred sail. Shortly after, the Admiral shot a flote-boat (sent out a pinnace), which, from Granton Crags till by-east Leith, sounded the deep, and so returned to her ship. Hereof were diverse opinions. Men of judgment foresaw what it meant; but no credit as given to any that would say, ‘They mind to land.’ And so passed all men to their rest, as if these ships had been a guard for their defense!

    Upon the point of day, on Sunday the fourth of May, the English addressed themselves for landing; and they ordered their ships so that a galley or two laid their snouts to the crags. The small ships, called Pinnaces, approached as near as they could. The great ships discharged their soldiers into the smaller vessels; and these, by boats, set upon dry land before ten hours ten thousand men, as was judged, and more. The Governor and Cardinal seeing then the thing they could not, or, at least, would not, believe before, after they had made a brag to fight, fled as fast as horse could carry them; and, after that, they approached not within twenty miles of the danger. The Earl of Angus and Sir George Douglas, his brother, were that night freed of ward —they were in Blackness Castle.

    The said Sir George in merriness said: ‘I thank King Harry and my gentle masters of England!’

    The English army betwixt twelve and one hours entered Leith, and found the tables covered, and the dinners prepared, with such abundance of wine and victuals, besides the other substance, that the like riches within the like bounds was not to be found neither in Scotland nor England. Upon Monday the fifth of May, came to them from Berwick and the Borders, two thousand horsemen. When these were somewhat reposed, the army upon the Wednesday marched towards the town of Edinburgh, spoiled and burned the same, and so did they the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The horsemen took the House of Craigmillar, and got great spoils therein; for, being judged the strongest house near the town, after the Castle of Edinburgh, all men sought to save their moveables therein. But the stoutness of the Laird, Sir Simon Preston, gave it over without shot of hagbut (musket), and for his reward he was caused to march upon his feet to London. He is now [1566] Captain of Dunbar and Provost of Edinburgh.

    The Englishmen seeing no resistance, hurled cannons by force of men up the causeway [of the High Street] to the Butter-Tron [at the head of the West Bow] and above, and hazarded a shot at the fore-entry of the Castle.

    But that was to their own pains; for they, lying without trench or gabion (earthwork), were exposed to the force of the whole ordnance of the Castle, which shot, and that not all in vain. The wheel and axle-tree of one of the English cannon were broken, and some of their men slain; and so they left with small honor that enterprise, taken rather of rashness than of any advised counsel. When the most part of the day they had spoiled and burned, towards night they returned to Leith, and upon the morrow to Edinburgh, and executed the rest of God’s judgments for that time. So, when they had consumed both the towns, they laded the ships with the spoils thereof, and by land returned to Betwick, using the country for the most part at their own pleasure. This was a part of the punishment which God took upon the Realm for the infidelity of the Governor, and for the violation of his solemn oath.

    But this was not the end.

    The Realm was now divided into two factions. The one favored France; the other the League lately contracted with England. The one did in no things thoroughly credit the other; so that the country was in extreme calamity. To the Englishmen were delivered diverse Strengths, such as Caerlaverock, Lochmaben, and Langholm; and the most part of the Borders were confederate with England. At Ancrum Muir, in February 1544, was Sir Ralph Evers, with many other Englishmen slain, and the year after were some of the said Strengths recovered. Yet was it not without great loss and detriment to the Common wealth; for in the month of June 1545, Monsieur de Lorge Montgomerie with bands of men of war came from France for a further destruction to Scotland. Forward go they towards Wark Castle in Northumberland even in the midst of harvest. The Cardinal’s banner was that day displayed and all his feeallis (dependants) were charged to be under it. Many had before promised; but, at the point, it was left so bare, that with shame it was shut up in the pock (bag) again, and they after a show returned with more shame to the Realm, than scaith to their enemies. The Black Book of Hamilton makes mention of great vasselage (feats of arms) done at that time by the Governor and the French Captain. But such as with their eyes saw the whole progress, know that to be a lie, and do repute it among the venial sins of that race, which is to speak the best of themselves they can!

    That winter following so nurtured the Frenchmen, that they learned to eat—yea, to beg—cakes which at their entry they scorned. Without jesting, they were so miserably entreated, that few returned to France again with their lives.

    The Cardinal had then almost fortified the Castle of St. Andrews, which he made so strong, in his opinion, that he regarded neither England nor France.

    CHAPTER - FROM GEORGE WISHART’S ARRIVAL IN SCOTLAND IN 1544 TO HIS MARTYRDOM IN MARCH 1546, AND THE RETRIBUTORY MURDER OF CARDINAL BEATON TWO MONTHS LATER.

    PICTURE: George Wishart PICTURE: Cardinal Beaton PICTURE: Bishop Leslie IN the midst of all the calamities that came upon this Realm after the defection of the Governor, the Earl of Arran, from Christ Jesus, came to Scotland that Blessed Martyr of God I,MASTER GEORGE WISHART, in the year of God 1544. He was a man of such graces as before him were never heard within this Realm, yea, and are rare to be found yet in any man, notwithstanding the great light of God that since his days hath shined unto us. He was singularly learned, as well in all godly knowledge, as in all honest human science. Also he was so clearly illuminated with the Spirit of Prophecy, that he saw not only things pertaining to himself, but also such things as some towns and the whole Realm afterwards felt, which he forespake, not in secret, but in the audience of many. The beginning of his doctrine (teaching) was in Montrose.

    At Ayr, Gawin Dunbar, the Archbishop of Glasgow, by instigation of Cardinal Beaton, came with his gatherings to make resistance to Master George, and did first occupy the Kirk. The Earl of Glencairn repaired with his friends to the town with diligence, and so did diverse Gentlemen of Kyle. When all were assembled, conclusion was taken that they would have the Kirk. Thereto Master George utterly repugned, saying: ‘Let him alone! His sermon will not much hurt. Let us go to the Market Cross.’

    And so they did, where Master George made so notable a sermon, that the very enemies themselves were confounded. The Archbishop preached to his jackmen and to some old bosses of the town. The sum of all his sermon was: ‘They say that we should preach! Why not? Better late thrive than never thrive! Haud (keep) us still for your Bishops, and we shall provide better the next time.’ This was the beginning and the end of the Archbishop’s sermon, who with haste departed the town, but returned not again to fulfill his promise.

    The said Master George was required to come to the Kirk of Mauchline, as he did. But the Sheriff of Ayr caused man the Kirk for the preservation of a tabernacle that was there, beautiful to the eye. Some zealous of the parish, among whom was Hugh Campbell of Kinyeancleuch, offended that they should be debarred their Parish Kirk, concluded by force to enter. But Master George withdrew Hugh Campbell, and said unto him: ‘Brother, Christ Jesus is as potent upon the fields as in the kirk. He Himself oftener preached in the desert, at the sea side, and in other places judged profane, than He did in the Temple of Jerusalem. It is the Word of Peace that God sends by me. The blood of no man shall be shed this day for the preaching of it.’ So, withdrawing the whole people, he came to a dyke in a muir edge, upon the south-west side of Mauchline, upon which he ascended, the multitude standing and sitting about him. God gave the day pleasing and hot; and lie continued in preaching more than three hours. In that sermon God wrought so wonderfully with him, that one of the most wicked men in that country, Laurence Rankin, Laird of Sheill, was converted. The tears ran from his eyes in such abundance, that all men wondered. His conversion was without hypocrisy; for his life and conversation witnessed it in all times to come.

    While this faithful servant of God was thus occupied in Kyle, word rose that the plague of pestilence was risen in Dundee, which began within four days after Master George was inhibited preaching; and the pest was so vehement, that it almost passed credibility, to hear what number departed every four and twenty hours. The certainty being understood, Master George took his leave of Kyle, and that with the regret of many. But no request could make him remain. His reason was, ‘They are now in trouble, and they need comfort. Perchance this Hand of God will make them now to magnify and reverence that Word which before, for the fear of men, they set at light price.’

    Coming to Dundee, the joy of the Faithful was exceeding great. Master George delayed no time, but gave signification that he would preach; and, because the most part were either sick, or else were in company with those that were sick, he chose the head of the East Port of the town for his preaching place; and the whole sat or stood within, and the sick and suspected without the Port. The text on which his first sermon was made, he took from the Hundred and Seventh Psalm: ‘ He sent His Word and healed them’; and therewith joined these words, ‘It is neither herb nor plaster, O Lord, but Thy Word healeth all!’ In which sermon, he most comfortably did entreat of the dignity and utility of God’s Word; the punishment that comes for contempt of the same; the promptitude of God’s Mercy to such as truly turn to Him; yea, the great happiness of them whom God taketh from this misery, even in His own gentle visitation, which the malice of man can neither eke nor impair. By which sermon he so raised up the hearts of all that heard him, that they regarded not death, but judged them more happy that should depart, than such as should remain behind; considering that they knew not if they should have such a comforter with them at all times. He spared not to visit them that lay in the very extremity, and comforted them as he could. And he caused minister all things necessary to those that might use meat or drink; and in that point was the Town wondrous benevolent; for the poor were no more neglected than were the rich.

    While he was spending his life to comfort the afflicted, the Devil ceased not to stir up his own son, Cardinal Beaton. He corrupted by money a desperate Priest named Sir John Wighton, to slay Master George, who looked not to himself in all things so circumspectly as worldly men would have used. On a day when the sermon was ended, and the people departing, no man suspecting danger, and therefore not heeding Master George, the Priest stood waiting at the foot of the stet s, his gown loose, and his drawn whinger in his hand under his gown. Master George, who was most sharp of eye and judgment, marked him, and as he came near, he said, ‘My friend, what would ye do?’ Therewith lie clapped his hand upon the Priest’s hand, wherein the whinger was, and took it from him.

    The Priest abashed, fell down at his feet, and openly confessed the verity.

    The noise rising and coming to the ears of the sick, they cried: ‘Deliver the traitor to us, or else we will take him by force’; and they thrust in at the gate. But Master George took him in his arms and said: ‘Whosoever troubleth him shall trouble me. He hath hurt me in nothing, but he hath done great comfort both to you and to me, to wit, he hath let us understand what we may fear. In times to come, we will watch better.’ So lie appeased both the one part and the other, and saved the life of him that sought his.

    In the hinder end of Yule, passed Master George Wishart to Haddington.

    The first night he lay within the town. The second night he lay at Lethington, the Laird whereof [Sir Richard Maitland, Secretary Lethington’s father] was ever civil, albeit not persuaded in religion. The day following, before Master George passed to the sermon, there came to him a boy with a letter from the West Land, which received and read, he called forJOHN KNOX1 had waited upon him carefully from the time he came to Lothian; with whom he began to enter in purpose (enter into conversation): ‘that he wearied of the world, for he perceived that men began to be weary of God.’

    John Knox, wondering that he desired to keep any purpose before sermon, for that was never his accustomed use before, said: ‘Sir, the time of sermon approacheth; I will leave you for the present to your meditation’; and so left him. Master George paced up and down behind the High Altar more than half an hour: his weary countenance declaring the grief and alteration of his mind. At last he passed to the pulpit, but the auditure was small. He should have begun to have entreated of the Second Table of the Law; but thereof in that sermon he spake very little, but began on this planner: — ‘O Lord, how long shall it be that Thy Holy Word shall be despised, and men shall not regard their own salvation? I have heard of thee, Haddington, that in thee would have been at a vain Clerk [or Miracle] Play two or three thousand people; and now, to hear the Messenger of the Eternal God, of all the town or parish can not be numbered a hundred persons! Sore and fearful shall the plagues be that shall ensue upon this thy contempt! With fire and sword shalt thou be plagued! Yea, thou Haddington, strangers shall possess thee, and you, the present inhabitants, shall either in bondage serve your enemies, or else ye shall be chased from your habitations; and that because ye have not known, nor will not know, the time of God’s merciful visitation.’

    In such vehemency and threatening continued that servant of God near an hour and a half, in which he declared all the plagues that ensued, as plainly as after our eyes saw them performed. In the end he said: ‘I have forgotten myself and the matter that I should have entreated; but let these my last words as concerning public preaching remain in your minds, till God send you new comfort.’ Thereafter, he made a short paraphrase upon the Second Table, with an exhortation to Patience, to the Fear of God, and to the Works of Mercy; and so put end, as it were making his last testament.

    The issue declared that the Spirit of Truth and of True Judgment were both in his heart and mouth; for that same night was he apprehended, before midnight, in the House of Ormiston, by the Earl Bothwell 2 made for money butcher to the Cardinal.

    The manner of Master George Wishart’s taking was thus: —Departing from Haddington, lie took his good-night, as it were for ever, of all his acquaintance, especially from Hugh Douglas of Longniddry. John Knox pressing to go with him, Master George said: ‘Nay, return to your bairns (pupils), and God bless you. One is sufficient for one sacrifice.’ 3 He then caused a two-handed sword, which commonly was carried with him, to be taken from John Knox, who, albeit unwillingly, obeyed and returned with Hugh Douglas. Master George having, to accompany him, the Laird of Ormiston, John Sandilands of Calder, younger, the Laird of Brunestane, and others, with their servants, passed on foot—for it was a vehement frost—to Ormiston. After supper, he held a comfortable purpose of the death of God’s chosen children, and merrily said, ‘Methinks that I desire earnestly to sleep’; and ‘Will we sing a Psalm?’ So he appointed the fiftyfirst Psalm, which began thus in Scottish metre: — ‘Have mercy on me now, good Lord, After Thy great mercie, My sinful life does me remord, Which sore has grieved Thee.’ Which being ended he passed to his chamber, and, sooner than his common diet was, passed to bed with these words, ‘God grant quiet rest.’ Before midnight, the place was beset about so that none could escape to make advertisement. At the first word, Master George said, ‘Open the gates. The Blessed Will of my God be clone!’ The Earl Bothwell called for the Laird, and said: ‘It was but vain to make him to hold his house; for the Governor a td the Cardinal with all their power were coming ‘—indeed, the Cardinal was at Elphinstone Tower, not a mile distant—’ but if he would deliver the mall to him, he would promise upon his honor, that it should pass the power of the Cardinal to do him any harm or seaith.’ At this promise, made in the presence of God, and hands struck by both the parties for observation of the promise, Master George was delivered to the hands of the Earl Bothwell. He was carried first to Edinburgh, and thereafter brought back for the fashion’s (appearance) sake to the house of Hailes again, which was the principal place that then the Earl of Bothwell had in Lothian. But, as gold and women have corrupted all worldly and fleshly men from the beginning, so did they the Earl. He made some resistance at the first, by reason of his promise. But an effeminate man cannot long withstand the assaults of a gracious Queen; and so was the servant of God transported to Edinburgh Castle, and afterwards to the Sea-Tower of St. Andrews.

    In the meantime at Ormiston the Lairds of Calder, Brunestane and Ormiston made fair countenance, and entreated the gentlemen to drink, and to bait their horses, till they might put themselves in readiness to ride with them. Brunestane then conveyed himself, first secretly, then by speed of foot, to Ormiston Wood, and thence to Drundallon (?Tantallon), and so escaped. The other two were put into the Castle of Edinburgh, where Calder remained until his Bond of Man-rent (engagement to support) to the Cardinal was the means of his deliverance. Ormiston freed himself by leaping the wall of the Castle, betwixt ten hours and eleven before noon; and so breaking ward, he escaped prison, which he unjustly suffered.

    If we interlace merriness with earnest matters, pardon us, good Reader 6 for this fact is so notable that it deserveth long memory: — The Cardinal Beaton was known proud; and Gawin Dunbar, Archbishop of Glasgow, was known a glorious fool. Yet, because he had been the King’s Master (tutor), he was Chancellor of Scotland. The Cardinal being in the town of Glasgow, and the Archbishop in the Castle, question rises for bearing their crosses. The Cardinal alleged, by reason of his Cardinalship, and because he was Legalus Natus, and Primate within Scotland in the Kingdom of Antichrist, that he should have the preeminence, and that his cross should not only go before, but also that it only should be borne wheresoever he was. The Archbishop lacked no reasons for maintenance of his glory. He was an Archbishop in his own diocese, and in his own Cathedral seat and church, and therefore ought to give place to no man. The power of the Cardinal was but begged from Rome, and appertained but to his own person and not to his bishopric; for it might be that his successor should not be Cardinal. But his dignity was annexed with his office, and did appertain to all that ever should be Archbishops of Glasgow.’ Howsoever these doubts might be resolved by the Doctors of Divinity of both the Prelates, the decision was as ye shall hear.

    Coming forth or going in—all is one—at the Choir Door of Glasgow Kirk, there begins striving for state betwixt the two cross-bearers. From glooming, they come to shouldering; from shouldering, they go to buffets, and from dry blows to neffs and neffelling (fists and fisticuffing). Then, for charity’s sake, they cry, Dispersit, dedit pauperibus, and essay which of the crosses was finest metal, which staff was strongest, and which crossbearer could best defend his master’s preeminence; and that there should be no superiority in that behalf, to the ground go both the crosses. Then began no little fray, but yet a merry game. Roehers (surplices) were rent; tippets were torn, crowns were knapped (broken), and side (long) gowns might have been seen wantonly wag from the one wall to the other. Many of them lacked beards. That was the more pity; therefore they could not buckle each other by the birse (beard) as bold men would have done. But, fie on the jackmen that did not their duty! Had the one part of them reencountered the other, then had all gone right. But the Sanctuary, we suppose, saved the lives of many. How merrily so ever this be written, it was bitter bourding (jesting) to the Cardinal and his Court. It was more than irregularity. Yea, it might well have been judged lese-majesty (treason) to the Son of Perdition, the Pope’s own person; and yet the other, in his folly as proud as a peacock, would let the Cardinal know that he was a Bishop when the other was but Beaton, before he got the Abbey of Aberbrothock (Arbroath).

    This enmity was judged mortal, and without hope of reconciliation. But the blood of the innocent servant of God, Master George Wishart, buried in oblivion all that bragging; for the Archbishop of Glasgow was the first to whom the Cardinal wrote, signifying what was done, and earnestly craving that he would assist with his presence and counsel how such an enemy to their Estate might be suppressed. Thereto was not the other slow, but kept time appointed, sat next to the Cardinal, voted and subscribed first in the rank, and lay over the East Blockhouse (tower) with the Cardinal till the Martyr of God was consumed by fire.

    This we must note, that as all these beasts consented in heart to the slaughter of that innocent, so did they approve it with their presence, having the whole ordnance of the Castle of St. Andrews bent towards the place of execution, which was nigh to the Castle, ready to have shot if any would have made defense or rescue to God’s Servant.

    The Bishops, with their accomplices, condemned this innocent man to be burnt as a heretic, thinking verily, that they should do to God good sacrifice, conformable to the saying of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of St.

    John, Chapter 16: ‘They shall excommunicate you; yea, and the time shall come, that he which killeth you shall think that he hath done to God good service.’

    THE PRAYER OF MASTER GEORGE WISHART ‘O Immortal God! How long shalt Thou suffer the great cruelty of the ungodly to exercise their fury upon Thy servants, which do further Thy Word in this world?... O Lord, we know surely that Thy true servants must needs suffer, for Thy name’s sake, persecution, affliction, and troubles in this present life, which is but a shadow, as Thou hast shown unto us by Thy Prophets and Apostles. Yet we desire Thee, Merciful Father, that Thou wouldst conserve, defend, and help Thy Congregation, which Thou hast chosen before the beginning of the world, and give them Thy grace to hear Thy Word, and to be Thy true servants in this present life.’

    By and by, they caused the common people to remove, whose desire was always to hear that innocent speak. The Sons of Darkness then pronounced their sentence definitive, not having respect to the judgment of God. When all was done and said, my Lord Cardinal caused his tormentors to pass again with the meek lamb unto the Castle, until such time as the fire was made ready. When he was come into the Castle, there came Friar Scott and his mate, saying: ‘Sir, ye must make your confession unto us.’

    He answered: ‘I will make no confession unto you. Go fetch me yonder man that preached this day, and I will make my confession unto him.’

    Then they sent for the Sub-Prior of the Abbey, Dean John Winram, but what he said in this confession I can not show.

    When the fire was made ready, and the gallows, at the west part of the Castle of St. Andrews near the Priory, my Lord Cardinal, dreading that Master George should have been taken away by his friends, commanded to bend all the ordnance of the Castle right against the place of execution, and commanded all his gunners to stand beside their guns, until such time as he was burned. They bound Master George’s hands behind his back, and led him forth with their soldiers from the Castle, to the place of their cruel and wicked execution.

    As he came forth of the Castle Gate, there met him certain beggars, asking of him alms for God’s sake. To whom he answered: ‘I want my hands, wherewith I was wont to give you alms. But the Merciful Lord, of His benignity and abundant grace, that feedeth all men, vouchsafe to give you necessaries, both unto your bodies and souls.’ Then afterward met him two false fiends—I should say Friars—saying: ‘Master George, pray to Our Lady, that she may be a mediatrix for you to her Son.’ To whom he answered meekly: ‘Cease! Tempt me not, my brethren.’ After this, he was led to the fire, with a rope about his neck, and a chain of iron about his middle.

    When he came to the fire, he sat down upon his knees, and rose up again; and thrice he said these words: ‘O Thou Savior of the World, have mercy upon me! Father of Heaven, I commend my spirit into Thy holy hands.’ Then he turned to the people and said: ‘I beseech you, Christian Brethren and Sisters, be not offended at the Word of God, for the affliction and torments which ye see prepared for me. But I exhort you, love the Word of God and suffer patiently, and with a comfortable heart, for the Word’s sake, which is your undoubted salvation and everlasting comfort. Moreover, I pray you, show my brethren and sisters, which have heard me oft, that they cease not to learn the Word of God which I taught unto them, for no persecutions in this world, which lasteth not. Show them that my doctrine was no wives’ fables, after the constitutions made by men. If I had taught men’s doctrine, I had gotten greater thanks by men. But for the true Evangel, which was given to me by the Grace of God, I suffer this day by men, not sorrowfully, but with a glad heart and mind.

    For this cause I was sent, that I should suffer this fire for Christ’s sake. Consider and behold my visage. Ye shall not see me change my color! This grim fire I fear not: and so I pray you to do, if any persecution come unto you for the Word’s sake; and not to fear them that slay the body, and afterward have no power to slay the soul. Some have said I taught that the soul of man should sleep until the Last Day; but I know surely that my soul shall sup with my Savior this night, ere it be six hours, for whom I suffer this.’

    Then he prayed for them which accused him, saying: ‘I beseech Thee, Father of Heaven, forgive them that have of any ignorance, or else of any evil mind, forged lies upon me. I forgive them with all my heart. I beseech Christ to forgive them that have condemned me to death this day ignorantly.’ Last of all, he said to the people on this manner: ‘I beseech you, Brethren and Sisters, to exhort your Prelates to the learning of the Word of God, that they may be ashamed to do evil, and learn to do good. If they will not convert themselves from their wicked errors, there shall hastily come upon them the Wrath of God, which they shall not eschew.’

    Many faithful words said he in the meantime, taking no care of the cruel torments prepared for him. Last of all, the hangman, his tormentor, upon his knees, said: ‘Sir, I pray you, forgive me, for I am not guilty of your death.’ To whom he answered: ‘Come hither to me.’ When he was come to him, he kissed his cheek, and said: ‘Lo! here is a token that I forgive thee.

    My heart, do thine office!’ Then, the trumpet sounding, he was put upon the gibbet and hanged, and there burnt to powder. When the people beheld the great tormenting of that innocent, they might not withhold from piteous mourning and complaining of the innocent lamb’s slaughter. After the death of this Blessed Martyr of God, began the people in plain speaking, to damn and detest the cruelty that was used. Yea, men of great birth, estimation, and honor, at open tables avowed, that the blood of Master George should be revenged, or else it should cost life for life.

    After the Pasch the Cardinal came to Edinburgh, to hold the Seinye (Synod), as the Papists term their unhappy assembly of Baal’s shaven sort. It was bruited that something was purposed against the Cardinal by the Earl of Angus, whom he mortally hated, and whose destruction he sought. But it failed; and he only rejoiced and said: ‘Eat and be glad, my soul, for thou hast great riches laid up in store for many days!’ Also he said: ‘Tush! A fig for the feud, and a button for the bragging of all the heretics in Scotland! Is not my Lord Governor mine? Witness his eldest son in pledge at my table! Have I not the Queen at my own devotion? Is not France my friend, and I friend to France? What danger should I fear?’

    Thus, in vanity, the carnal Cardinal delighted himself a little before his death. He had devised to have cut off such as lie thought might cumber him. He was slain upon the Saturday, and lie had appointed the whole Gentlemen of Fife to have met him at Falkland the Monday after. His treasonable purpose was this: —that Norman Leslie, Sheriff of Fife and heir-apparent to his father, the Earl of Rothes, John Leslie, father’s brother to Norman Leslie, the Lairds of Grange, elder and younger, Sir James Learmonth of Dairsie, Provost of St. Andrews, and the faithful Laird of Raith, should either have been slain, or else taken, and after used at his pleasure.

    Many purposes were devised how that wicked man might have been taken away. But all failed till Friday the 28th May 1546, when the aforesaid Norman came at night to St. Andrews. William Kirkcaldy of Grange, younger, was in the town before. Last came John Leslie, who was most suspected.

    Early on the Saturday morning were they in sundry companies in the Abbey Kirkyard not far distant from the Castle.

    The Cardinal, wakened with the shouts, asked from his window ‘What means that noise?’ It was answered that Norman Leslie had taken his Castle. Which understood, he ran to the postern; but, perceiving the passage to be kept without, he returned quickly to his chamber, took his two-handed sword, and made his chamber-child east kists (chests) and other impediments to the door. In the meantime came John Leslie unto it and bid open. The Cardinal. ‘Who calls?’ Leslie. ‘My name is Leslie.’ The Cardinal. ‘ Is that Norman?’ Leslie. ‘Nay, my name is John.’ The Cardinal. ‘ I will have Norman. He is my friend.’ Leslie. ‘Content yourself with such as are here. Other shall ye get none.’

    There were with the said John, James Melvin, a man familiarly acquainted with Master George Wishart, and Peter Carmichael, a stout Gentleman. In the meantime, while they force the door, the Cardinal hides a box of gold under coals that were laid in a secret cornel’. At length he asked, ‘ Will ye save my life?’ Leslie. ‘ It may be that we will.’ The Cardinal. ‘Nay. Swear unto me by God’s Wounds, and I shall open unto you.’ Leslie. ‘It that was said is unsaid. Fire! Fire!’

    The door was very stark; and so was brought a chymlay (grate) full of burning coals. Which perceived, the Cardinal or Iris chamber-child—it is uncertain—opened the door; and the Cardinal sat down in a chair, and cried: ‘ I am a priest! I am a priest! Ye will not slay me!’ John Leslie, according to his former vows, struck him first once or twice, and so did the said Peter. But James Melvin, a man of nature most gentle and most modest, perceiving them both in choler, withdrew them and said: ‘This judgment of God, although it be secret, ought to be done with greater gravity.’ Presenting unto him the point of the sword, he said: ‘Repent thee of thy former wicked life, especially of the shedding of the blood of that notable instrument of God, Master George Wishart, which, albeit the flame of fire consumed it before men, yet cries it a vengeance upon thee; and we from God are sent to revenge it. Here, before my God, I protest that neither the hatred of thy person, nor the love of thy riches, nor the fear of any trouble thou couldst have done to me in particular, moved or moveth me to strike thee, but only because thou hast been and remainest an obstinate enemy to Christ Jesus and His Holy Evangel.’ So Melvin struck the Cardinal twice or thrice through with a stog (stabbing) sword; and he fell, never word heard out of his mouth, but ‘I am a priest! I am a priest! Fie, fie! All is gone.’

    CHAPTER - FROM THE ENTRY OF JOHN KNOX INTO THE CASTLE OF ST.

    ANDREWS ON 10TH APRIL 1547, TO HIS LIBERATION FROM THE FRENCH GALLEYS IN 1550.

    PICTURE: Cardinal of Lorraine AT the Pasch, 1547, came to the Castle of St. Andrews John Knox, 1 who, wearied of removing from place to place, by reason of the persecution that came upon him by the Archbishop of St. Andrews [Cardinal Beaton’s successor, John Hamilton], was determined to have left Scotland, and to have visited the Schools of Germany. Of England then he had no pleasure, by reason that, although the Pope’s name was suppressed, yet his laws and corruptions remained in full vigor. But he had the care of some Gentlemen’s children, whom certain years he had nourished in godliness; and their fathers solicited him to go to St. Andrews, that he himself might have the benefit of the Castle, and their children the benefit of his doctrine.

    So came he to St. Andrews, having in his company Francis Douglas of Longniddry, George his brother, and Alexander Cockburn, eldest son to the Laird of Ormiston, and he began to exercise them after his accustomed manner. Besides the Grammar, and other humane authors, he read to them a Catechism, an account whereof he caused them to give publicly in the Parish Kirk of St. Andrews. He read moreover unto them the Evangel of John 2 proceeding where he left off at his departing from Longniddry, where his residence was before; and that lecture he read in the Chapel, within the Castle, at a certain hour. They of the place, especially Master Henry Balllaves and John Rough, preacher, perceiving the manner of his doctrine, began earnestly to travail with him, that he would take the preaching place upon him. But he utterly refused, alleging that ‘He would not run where God had not called him’; meaning, that he would do nothing without a lawful vocation. Whereupon, privily amongst themselves advising, having with them in council Sir David Lyndsay 4 of the Mount, they concluded that they would give a charge to the said John, and that publicly by the mouth of their preacher. So upon a certain day, John Rough preached a sermon of the Election of Ministers,—what power the congregation had over any man in whom they espied the gifts of God, and how dangerous it was to refuse the voice of such as desire to be instructed. These and other heads having been declared, John Rough, the preacher, directed his words to John Knox, saying: ‘Brother, ye shall not be offended, albeit that I speak unto you that which I have in charge, even from all those here present: —In the name of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ, and in the name of these that presently call you by my mouth, I charge you, that ye refuse not this holy vocation, but, as ye tender the Glory of God, the increase of Christ His Kingdom, the edification of your brethren, and the comfort of me, oppressed by the multitude of labors, that ye take upon you the public office of preaching, even as ye look to avoid God’s heavy displeasure, and desire that He shall multiply His graces upon you.’ In the end, he said to those present: ‘Was not this your charge to me? Do ye not approve this vocation?’ They answered, ‘It was; and we approve it.’

    Whereat John Knox, abashed, burst forth in most abundant tears, and withdrew himself to his chamber. His countenance and behavior, from that day till the day he was compelled to present himself to the public place of preaching, did sufficiently declare the grief and trouble of his heart; for no man saw any sign of mirth in him, neither yet had he pleasure to accompany any man for many days together. The necessity that caused him to enter into the public place, besides the vocation aforesaid, was: —Dean John Annan, Principal of St. Leonard’s College, a rotten Papist, had long troubled John Rough in his preaching.

    John Knox had fortified the doctrine of the preacher by his pen, and had beaten Dean John from all his defenses and compelled him to flee to his last refuge, that is, to the Authority of the Church. ‘That authority,’ said he, ‘damneth all Lutherans and heretics. Therefore we need no farther disputation.’ John Knox answered: ‘Before we hold ourselves, or ye call prove us, sufficiently convict, we must define the Church, by the right notes given to us in God’s Scriptures. We must discern the Immaculate Spouse of Jesus Christ from the Mother of Confusion, Spiritual Babylon, lest that imprudently we embrace a harlot instead of the chaste spouse,— yea, to speak in plain words, lest we submit ourselves to Satan, thinking that we submit ourselves to Jesus Christ. As for your Roman Kirk, as it is now corrupted, and the authority thereof, wherein stands the hope of your victory, I no more doubt but it is the synagogue of Satan, and the head thereof, called the Pope, to be that Man of Sin of whom the Apostle speaketh, than I doubt that Jesus Christ suffered by the procurement of the visible Church of Jerusalem. Yea, I offer myself, by word or writ, to prove the Roman Church this day farther degenerate from the purity which was in the days of the Apostles, than was the Church of the Jews from the ordinance given by Moses, when they consented to the innocent death of Jesus Christ.’

    These words were spoken by John Knox in open audience, in the Parish Church of St. Andrews, after Dean John Annan had spoken what it pleased him, and had refused to dispute. The people, hearing the offer, cried with one consent: ‘We can not all read your writings, but we may all hear your preaching. Therefore we require you in the Name of God, that ye will let us hear the probation of that which ye have affirmed. If it be true, we have been miserably deceived.’

    The next Sunday was appointed to John Knox, to express his mind in the public preaching place. Which day approaching, he took the text written in Daniel, the Seventh Chapter, 24th and 25th verses, beginning thus: ‘Another king shall rise after them, and he shall be unlike unto the first, and he shall subdue three kings, and shall speak words against the Most High, and shall consume the Saints of the Most High, and think that he may change times and laws, and they shall be given into his hands, until a time, and times, and dividing of times.’

    Then began he to decipher the lives of diverse Popes, and the lives of all the shavelings for the most part. Their doctrine and laws he plainly proved to repugn directly to the doctrine and laws of God the Father, and of Christ Jesus His Son. This he proved by conferring (comparing) the Doctrine of Justification expressed in the Scriptures—which teach that ‘man is justified by faith only,’ and that ‘the blood of Jesus Christ purgeth us from all our sins—and the doctrine of the Papists, which attribute justification to the Works of the Law, yea, to the works of man’s invention, as Pilgrimages, Pardons, and other such baggage. In the end he said: ‘ If any here say’—and there were present for the University, Master John Major, Dean of the Faculty of Theology, the Sub-Prior, John Winram, and many Canons, with some Friars of both orders—‘that I have alleged Scripture, Doctor, or History, otherwise than it is written, let them come to me with sufficient witnesses; and, by conference, I shall let them see, not only the original where my testimonies are written, but I shall prove that the writers meant as I have spoken.’

    Of this sermon, which was the first that ever John Knox made in public, were there diverse bruits. Some said: ‘OTHERS SNED (lop off) THE BRANCHES OF THE PAPISTRY, BUT HE STRIKETH AT THE ROOT ALSO, TO DESTROY THE WHOLE.’ Others said: ‘ If the Doctors and Magistri nostri defend not now the Pope and his authority, which in their own presence is so manifestly impugned, the Devil have my part of him, and of his laws both!’ Others said: ‘Master George Wishart never spoke so plainly; and yet he was burnt. Even so will John Knox be.’ In the end, others said: ‘The tyranny of the Cardinal made not his cause the better, neither yet the suffering of God’s servant made his cause the worse. Therefore we would counsel you and them, to provide better defenses than fire and sword; for it may be that else ye will be disappointed. Men now have other eyes than they had then.’ This answer gave James Forsyth, the Laird of Nydie, a man fervent and upright in religion.

    The bastard Bishop, who was not yet exsecrated—consecrated, they call it wrote to the Sub-Prior of St. Andrews, who, sede vacante, was Vicar- General, that ‘he wondered he suffered such heretical and schismatical doctrine to be taught, and not to oppose himself to the same.’ Upon this rebuke was a convention of Grey and Black Friars appointed, with the Sub-Prior, Dean John Winranb in St. Leonards’ Yards, whereunto was first called John Rough, and certain Articles read unto him; and thereafter was John Knox called for. The cause of their convention, and why that they were called, was exponed; and the Articles were read, which were these:— I. ‘No mortal man call be the Head of the Church.

    II. ‘The Pope is an Antichrist; and so is no member of Christ’s Mystical Body.

    III. ‘Man may neither make nor devise a religion that is acceptable to God: but man is bound to observe and keep the religion that from God is received, without chopping or changing thereof.

    IV. ‘The Sacraments of the New Testament ought to be ministered as they were institute by Christ Jesus, and practiced by His Apostles.

    Nothing ought to be added unto them; nothing ought to be diminished from them.

    V. ‘The Mass is abominable idolatry, blasphemous to the Death of’ Christ, and a profanation of the Lord’s Supper.

    VI. ‘There is no Purgatory, in which the souls of men can either be pained or purged after this life. Heaven resteth to the faithful, and hell to the reprobate and unthankful.

    VII. ‘Praying for the dead is vain, and to the dead is idolatry.

    VIII. ‘There are no Bishops, except they preach by themselves, without any substitute.

    IX. ‘By God’s law, the teinds do not appertain of necessity to the Churchmen.’ The Sub-Prior. ‘ The strangeness of these Articles, which are gathered forth of your doctrine, hath moved us to call for you to hear your own answers.’ John Knox. ‘I, for my part, praise my God that I see so honorable and apparently so modest and quiet an auditory. It is long since I have heard that ye [Winram] are not ignorant of the Truth. Therefore I must crave of you in the name of God, and I appeal your conscience before that Supreme Judge, that if ye think any Article there expressed contrarious to the Truth of God, that ye oppose yourself plainly unto it, and suffer not the people to be therewith deceived. But, if in your conscience ye know the doctrine to be true, then will I crave your patronage thereto; that by your authority the people may be moved to believe the Truth, whereof many doubt by reason of our youth.’

    For Purgatory, Alexander Arbuckle, a Grey Friar, had no better proof but the authority of Virgil in his Sixth AEneid; and the pains thereof to him were an evil wife! How John Knox answered that and many other things, himself did witness in a Treatise 8 that he wrote in the Galleys, containing the sum of his doctrine and the confession of his faith, and sent to his familiars in Scotland.

    After this, the Friars had no great heart for further disputation. They invented another shift, which seemed to proceed from godliness. It was this. Every learned man in the Abbey, and in the University, should preach in the Parish Kirk his Sunday about. The Sub-Prior began, followed by the Official called Master John Spittal, Rector of the University— sermons penned to offend no man!—followed by all the rest in their ranks.

    So John Knox smelled out the craft, and in his sermons which he made upon the week-days, he prayed to God that they should be as busy in preaching when there should be more myster (need) of it than there was then. ‘Allwise,’ said he, ‘ I praise God that Christ Jesus is preached, and that nothing is said publicly against the doctrine ye have heard. If in my absence they shall speak anything which in my presence they do not, I protest that ye suspend your judgment, till it please God ye hear me again.’

    God so assisted His weak soldier and so blessed his labors, that not only all those of the Castle, but also a great number of the town of St. Andrews, openly professed, by participation of the Lord’s Table in the same purity that now it is ministered in the churches of Scotland, that same doctrine that he had taught unto them.

    Among these was he that now either rules or else misrules Scotland, to wit, Sir James Balfour, 9 sometimes called Master James of Pittendreich, son of Balfour of Mountquhanie, the chief and principal Protestant that then was to be found in this Realm. This we write, because we have heard that the said Master James allegeth that he was never of our religion, but that he was brought up in Martin [Luther’s] opinion of the Sacrament, and therefore he can not communicate with us! But his own conscience, and two hundred witnesses besides, know that he lies; and that he was one of the chief that would have given his life, if men might credit his words, for defense of the doctrine that John Knox taught. But, albeit those that never were of us—as none of Mountquhanie’s sons have shown themselves to be—depart from us, it is no great wonder. It is proper and natural that the children follow the father! Let the godly beware of that race and progeny; for, if in them be either fear of God, or love of virtue, farther than the present commodity (advantage) persuades them, men of judgment are deceived. But to return to our History.

    The Priests and Bishops, enraged at these proceedings in St. Andrews, ran now upon the Governor, now upon the Queen, now upon the whole Council, and there might have been heard complaints and cries, ‘What are we doing? Shall ye suffer this whole Realm to be infected with pernicious doctrine? Fie upon you! Fie upon us! ’ The Queen and the Seigneur D’Oysel [the French Ambassador] comforted them, and willed them to be quiet, for they should see remedy ere it was long. And so was proven indeed; for upon the penult day of June, appeared in the sight of the Castle of St. Andrews one-and-twenty French galleys, with a skeife of an army (well provided army), the like whereof was never seen in that Firth before.

    This treasonable means had the Governor, the Archbishop of St. Andrews, the Queen and Monsieur D’Oysel, under the Appointment 10 drawn. But, to excuse their treason, eight days before, they had presented an Absolution, as sent from Rome, containing, after the aggravation of the crime, this clause, Remiltimus Irremissibile, that is, We remit the crime that cannot be remitted. This was considered by the most of the company that was in the Castle when the Castle of St. Andrews was required to be delivered; and answer was given, ‘That the Governor and Council of the Realm had promised unto them a sufficient and assured absolution, which that appeared not to be. Therefore could they not deliver the House, neither thought they that any reasonable man would require them so to do, considering that promise was not kept unto them.’

    The next day, after the galleys arrived, they summoned the Castle of St.

    Andrews, which being denied, because they knew them no magistrates (not to be magistrates) in Scotland, they prepared for siege. First, they began to assault by sea, and shot two days. Thereof they neither got advantage nor honor; for they dang down the slates of houses, but neither slew man, nor did harm to any wall. And the Castle handled them so, that Sancta Barbara, the gunners’ goddess, helped them nothing; for they lost many of their rowers, chained in the galleys, and some soldiers, both by sea and land. Farther, a galley that approached nigher than the rest, was so dung with the cannon and other ordnance, that she would have been drowned, were it not that the rest gave her succor in time, and drew her first to the West Sands, without (beyond) the shot of the Castle, and thereafter to Dundee, where they remained, till the Governor came to them, with the rest of the French faction.

    The siege by land was confirmed the nineteenth day of July. The trenches were cast; and ordnance was planted on the Abbey Kirk, and on St.

    Salvator’s College, which so annoyed the Castle, that neither could they keep their Block-houses, the Sea-Tower, nor the West Wall; for in all these places were men slain by great ordnance. Yea, they mounted the ordnance high upon the Abbey Kirk, that they might discover the ground of the Court of the Castle in diverse places. Moreover, within the Castle was the pest, and diverse therein died, which more affrayed some that were therein, than did the external force. John Knox was of another judgment, for he ever said, ‘That their corrupt life could not escape punishment of God’; and that was his continual advertisement, from the time that he was called to preach. When they triumphed—the first twenty days they had many prosperous chances—he lamented, and ever said, ‘They saw not what he saw.’ When they bragged of the force and thickness of their walls, he said, ‘They shall be but egg-shells.’ When they vaunted, ‘England will rescue us,’ he said, ‘Ye shall not see them; but ye shall be delivered into your enemy’s hands, and shall be carried to a strange country.’

    Upon the penult of July, at night, was the ordnance planted for the battery; fourteen cannons, whereof four were Cannons Royal, called Double Cannons, besides other pieces. The battery began at four hours in the morning; and before ten hours of the day, the whole south quarter, betwixt the Fore Tower and the East Block-house, was made assaultable.

    The lower transe (passage) was condemned, diverse slain in it, and the East Block-house was shut off from the rest of the place, betwixt ten hours and eleven. There fell a shower of rain, that continued near an hour, the like whereof had seldom been seen. It was so vehement that no man might alfide without the house; and the cannons were left alone. Some within the Castle were of judgment, that men should have ished (gone out), and put all in the hands of God. But because William Kirkcaldy was communing with Leo Strozzi, the Prior of Capua [the French Admiral], who had the Commission of that journey from the King of France, nothing was enterprised. And so was appointment (terms) made, and the Castle rendered upon Saturday, the last of July [1547].

    The Heads of the Appointment were: ‘That the lives of all within the Castle should be saved, as well English as Scottish; that they should be safely transported to France; and in case, on the conditions to be offered them by the King of France, they could not be content to remain in service and freedom there, they should, upon the expenses of the King of France, be safely conveyed to what country they would require, other than Scotland.’ With the Governor they would have nothing to do, neither yet with any Scotsman; for they had all traitorously betrayed them. ‘Which,’ said the Laird of Grange a man simple and of most stout courage ‘I am assured God will revenge, ere it be long.’

    The galleys, well furnished with the spoil of the Castle, after certain days returned to France. Escaping a great danger—for upon the back of the sands they all chapped (struck) they arrived first at Fecamp, and thereafter passed up the Water of Sequane (Seine), and lay before Rouen; where the principal gentlemen, who looked for freedom, were dispersed and put in sundry prisons. The rest were left in the galleys and there miserable entreated. 11 These things were done at Rouen against promises; but Princes have no fidelity farther than for their own advantage. Then the galleys departed to Nantes, in Bartainzie (Brittany), where, upon the water of Loire, they lay the whole winter.

    Among those in the galleys were the aforesaid Master James Balfour and his two brethren, David and Gilbert, men without God. Which we write, because we hear that Master James denies that he had anything to do with the Castle of St. Andrews, or that ever he was in the French galleys. Then was the joy of the Papists both of Scotland and of France in full perfection; for this was their song of triumph— ‘Priests content you now! Priests content you now!

    For Norman12 and his company has filled the galleys fow.’ The Pope wrote letters to the King of France and to the Governor of Scotland, thanking them heartily for taking pains to revenge the death of his kind creature, David Beaton, the Cardinal of Scotland; desiring them to continue in their begun severity, that such things thereafter should not be attempted. All these that were deprehended in the Castle were damned to perpetual prison; and so the ungodly judged, that after this Christ Jesus should never triumph in Scotland.

    One thing we cannot pass by. From Scotland was sent a famous clerk— laugh not, reader! Master John Hamilton of Milburn, with credit to the King of France, and to the Cardinal of Lorraine. Yet he had neith French nor Latin, and some say his Scottish tongue was not very good! The sum of his negotiation was, That those of the Castle should be sharply handled.

    In which suit he was l eard with favor, and was dispatched from the Court of France with letters, and great credit, which that famous clerk forgot by the way; for, passing up to the Craig of Dumbarton, before his letters were delivered, he broke his neck; and so God took away a proud, ignorant enemy.

    In Scotland that summer was nothing but mirth; for all yead (went) with the priests even at their own pleasure. The Castle of St. Andrews was raised to the ground, the Block-houses thereof east down, and the walls round about demolished. Whether this was to fulfill their law, which commands places where Cardinals are slain so to be used, or else for fear that England should have taken it, as after they did Broughty Craig, we remit to the judgment of such as were of council.

    This same year, 1547, in the beginning of September, entered Scotland an army of ten thousand men from England, by land, and some ships with ordnance came by sea. The Governor and the Archbishop of St. Andrews, hereof advertised, gathered together the forces of Scotland, and assembled at Edinburgh. The Protector of England the Duke of Somerset, with the Earl of Warwick, and their army, remained at Preston [eight miles from Edinburgh] and about Prestonpans, for they had certain offers to propone to the Nobility of Scotland, concerning the promise before made by them; unto which King Harry before his death gently required them to stand fast, promising if they so would do, of him nor of his Realm they should have no trouble, but the help and the comfort that he could make them in all things lawful. Hereupon was there a letter direct to the Governor and Council, which coming to the hands of the Bishop of St. Andrews, he thought it could not be for his advantage that it should be divulgate, and therefore by his craft it was suppressed.

    Upon Friday, the 9th of September 1547, the English army marched towards Leith, and the Scottish army marched from Edinburgh to Enresk (Inveresk). The whole Scottish army was not assembled, and yet the skirmishing began, for nothing was concluded (expected) but victory without stroke. The Protector, the Earl of Warwick, the Lord Grey, and all the English Captains, were playing at the dice. No men were stouter than the Priests and Canons, with their shaven crowns and black jacks. The Earl of Warwick and the Lord Grey de Wilton, who had the chief charge of the horsemen, perceiving the host to be molested with the Scottish priekers (light horsemen), and knowing that the multitude were neither under order nor obedience—for they were divided from the great army—sent forth certain troops of horsemen, and some of their Borderers, either to fight them, or else to put them out of their sight, so that they might not annoy the host. The skirmish grew hot, and at length the Scotsmen gave back and fled, without again turning. The chase continued far, both towards the East and towards the West; in which many were slain, and he that now is Lord Home was taken, which was the occasion that the Castle of Home was rendered to the Englishmen. The loss of these men neither moved the Governor nor yet the Archbishop, his bastard brother, bragging: ‘They should revenge the matter well enough upon the morn! They had hands enough’ no word of God!—’ The English heretics had no faces. They would not abide.’

    Upon Saturday, the armies of both sides passed to array. The English army takes the mid part of Falside Hill, in the parish of Inveresk, having their ordnance planted before them, and having their ships and two galleys brought as near the land as water would serve. The Scottish army stood first in a reasonable strength and good order, having betwixt them and the English army the Water of Esk, otherwise called Musselburgh Water. At length a charge was given in the Governor’s behalf, with sound of trumpet, that all men should march forward, and go over the Water. Some say, that this was procured by George Durie, the Abbot of Dunfermline, and Master Hugh Rigg, 13 for preservation of Carberry. Men of judgment liked not the journey; for they thought it no wisdom to leave their strength. But commandment upon commandment, and charge upon charge, was given, which urged them so, that unwillingly they obeyed. The Earl of Angus being in the vanguard, had in his company the Gentlemen of Fife, Angus, Mearns, and the West Land, with many others that of love resorted to him, and especially those that were professors of the Evangel; for they supposed that England would not have made great pursuit of him. He passed first through the Water, and arrayed his host direct before the enemies. The Earl of Hunfly followed with his North Land men. Last came the Duke 14 having in his company the Earl of Argyle with his own friends, and the Body of the Realm.

    The Englishmen perceiving the danger, and how that the Scottishmen intended to have taken the top of the hill, made haste to prevent the peril.

    The Lord Grey was commanded to give the charge with his men of arms, which he did, albeit the hazard was very unlikely; for the Earl of Angus’ host stood even as a wall, and received the first assaulters upon the points of their spears which were longer than those of the Englishmen—so rudely, that fifty horse and men of the first rank lay dead at once, without any hurt done to the Scottish army, except that the spears of the two front ranks were broken. This discomfiture received, the rest of the English horsemen fled; yea, some passed beyond Falside Hill. The Lord Grey himself was hurt in the mouth, and plainly denied to charge again; for he said, ‘It was alike as to run against a wall!’ The galleys and the ships, and so did the ordnance planted upon the mid hill, shot terribly; and the ordnance of the galleys, shooting along the Scottish army, affrayed them wondrously. And while every man labored to draw from the north, whence the danger appeared, they began to reel, and with that were the English footmen marching forward, albeit that some of their horsemen were upon the flight. The Earl of Angus’ army stood still, looking that either the Earl of Huntly or the Duke should have rencountered the next battle. But they had decreed that the favorers of England, and the Heretics, —as the Priests called them-and the Englishmen, should part it betwixt them for that day.

    The fear riseth, and in an instant they who before were victors, and were not yet assaulted with any force, except with ordnance, cast from them their spears and fled. God’s power was so evidently seen, that in one moment, yea, at an instant of time, both the armies were fleeing! The shout came from the hill, from those that hoped no victory upon the English part; the shout rises, ‘They flee they flee’; but at first it could not be believed, till at last it was dearly seen that all had given back; and then began a cruel slaughter, which was the greater by reason of the late displeasure of the men of arms. The chase and slaughter lasted till nigh Edinburgh upon the one part, and be-west Dalkeith upon the other. The number of the slain upon the Scottish side was judged nigh ten thousand men. 15 The Earl of Hunfly was taken and carried to London; but he relieved himself, being surety for many ransoms—honestly or dishonestly we know not; but, as the bruit passed, he used policy with England. In that same battle was slain the Master of Erskine, eldest son of the Earl of Mar, dearly beloved of the Queen-Dowager, for whom she made great lamentation, and bore his death many days in mind. When the certainty of the discomfiture came, she was in Edinburgh, abiding upon tidings; but with expedition she posted that same night to Stirling, with Monsieur D’Oysel, who was ‘as fieyed (frightened) as a fox when his hole is smoked’ Thus did God take the second revenge upon the perjured Governor, with such as assisted him to defend an unjust quarrel; albeit many innocents fell amongst the midst of the wicked. The English army came to Leith, and there taking order with their prisoners and spoil, they returned with this victory, which they looked not for, to England.

    That winter following was great herschip (depredation) made upon all the borders of Scotland. Broughty Craig was taken by the Englishmen, and besieged by the Governor, but still kept; and at it was slain Gawin, the best of the Hamiltons, and the ordnance left. Whereupon, the Englishmen, encouraged, began to fortify upon the hill above Broughty House, which was called the Fort of Broughty, and was very noisome to Dundee, which it burned and laid waste; and so did it the most part of Angus, which was not assured and under friendship with them.

    That Lent following, was Haddington fortified by the Englishmen. The most part of Lothian, from Edinburgh east, was either assured or laid waste. Thus did God plague in every quarter; but men were blind, and would not, or could not, consider the cause. The Lairds Ormiston and Brune-stane were banished, and after forfalted; 16 and so were all those of the Castle of St. Andrews. The sure knowledge of the troubles of Scotland coming to France, there was prepared a navy and army. The navy was such as never was seen to come from France for the support of Scotland; for, besides the galleys, being twenty-two in number, they had threescore great ships, besides victuallers. How soon so ever they took the plain seas, the Red Lion of Scotland was displayed, and they holden as rebels unto France—such policy is no falset in Princes— for good peace stood betwixt France and England, and the King of France approved nothing that they did! The chief men, to whom the conducting of that army was committed, were Monsieur Dandelot, Monsieur de Termes, and Pierre Strozzi. In their journey they made some herschip upon the coast of England; but it was not great. The galleys did visit the fort of Broughty, but did no more at that time. Preparations were made for the siege of Haddington; but it was another thing that they meant, as the issue declared.

    The whole Body of the Realm assembled, and the form of a Parliament was holden in the Abbey of Haddington. The principal head was the marriage of the Princess [Mary, Queen of Scots]—by them before contracted to King Edward—to the [future] King of France, mid of her present delivery, by reason of the danger she stood in by the invasion of our old enemies of England. Some were corrupted with buddis (bribes); some deceived by flattering promises; and some for fear were compelled to consent; for the French soldiers were the Officers of Arms in that Parliament. Sir Walter Scott, the Laird of Baleleweht (Buccleuch), a bloody man, swore, with many God’s Wounds, ‘They that would not consent should do worse!’ The Governor got the Duchy of Chatelherault from the King of France, with the French Order of the Cockle [St. Michael], and a full discharge of all intermissions with King James the Fifth, his treasure and substance whatsoever, and with possession of the Castle of Dumbarton, till that issue should be seen of the Queen’s body. Huntly, Argyle, and Angus were likewise made Knights of the Cockle. So was the Princess sold to go to France, to the end that in her youth she should drink of that liquor, that should remain with her all her lifetime, for a plague to this realm, and for her final destruction. Therefore, albeit that now a fire cometh out from her that consumes many, let no man wonder. She is God’s hand, in His displeasure punishing our former ingratitude... The conclusion having been taken that our Queen, but (without) farther delay, should be delivered to France, the siege of Haddington continued great shooting, but no assaulting. From the time the Frenchmen got the bone for which the dog barked, the pursuit of the town was slow.

    At last the siege was raised, and the Queen was convoyed [in July 1548] by the West Seas to France, with four galleys and some ships; and so the Cardinal of Lorraine got her in his keeping—a morsel, 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 Cardinal,’ the fairest ship in France, betwixt St.

    Colm’s Inch and Cramond, without any occasion, except negligence; for the day was fair, and the weather calm; but God would show, that the country of Scotland can bear no Cardinals! In this time also, there was a combat betwixt the French galleys and the English ships; they shot fraeklie (boldly) a while. An English ship took fire, or else the galleys had come short home, and, as it was, they fled without mercy, till they were above St. Colm’s Inch. The Captains left the galleys, and took a fort made upon the Inch for their defense. But the English ships made no pursuit, except that they burnt ‘The Cardinal’ where she lay; and so the galleys and the galley-men did both escape.

    Order was taken, that next September, some galleys 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 betwixt Dover and Calais.

    That winter remained Monsieur D’Esse in Scotland, with the bands of Frenchmen. They fortified Inveresk, to stay the English, that they should not invade Edinburgh and Leith. Some skirmishes there were betwixt the one and the other, but no notable thing done, except that the French had almost taken Haddington; the occasion whereof was this: — The French, thinking themselves more than masters in all parts of Scotland, and in Edinburgh principally, thought they could do no wrong to a Scottishman. A certain Frenchman delivered a culverin to George Tod, Scottishman, to be stocked, who bringing it through the street, another Frenchman elamed (seized) it, and would have reft it from the said George; but he resisted, alleging that the Frenchman did wrong. Parties began to assemble, as well to the Scottishman as to the French. Two of the Frenchmen were stricken down, and the rest chased from the Cross to Niddry’s Wynd-head. The Provost being upon the street, apprehended two of the French, and was carrying them to the Tolbooth; but from Monsieur d’Esse’s lodging and close issued forth Frenchmen, to the number of threescore persons, with drawn swords, and resisted the Provost. The town assembling repulsed them, till they came to the Nether Bow. There Monsieur de la Chapelle, with the whole bands of Frenchmen in arms, rencountered the said Provost and repulsed him—for the town were without weapons, for the most part—and made invasion upon all they met. First, in the throat of the Bow, were slain David Kirk and David Barbour, being at the Provost’s back; and thereafter were slain the Provost himself, being Laird of Stenhouse and Captain of the Castle, James Hamilton, his son, William Chapman, a godly man, Master William Stewart, William Purves, and a woman named Elizabeth Stewart.

    Thereafter the French tarried within the town, by force, from five hours, till after seven at night, and then retired to the Canongate, as to their receptacle and refuge.

    The whole town—yea, the Governor and Nobility commoved at the unworthiness of this bold attempt, craved justice upon the malefactors, or else they would take justice of the whole. 18 The Queen, crafty enough, Monsieur D’Esse, and Monsieur D’Oysel, labored for pacification, and did promise. ‘That unless the Frenchmen should recompense the wrong they had done, then they should not refuse, but that justice should be executed to the rigor.’ These fair words pleased our fools, and so were the French bands the next night directed to Haddington, to which they approached a little after midnight so secretly, that they were never espied, till the foremost were within the Basse Court, and the whole company in the church-yard, not two pair of butt-lengths from the town.

    The soldiers, Englishmen, were all asleep, except the watch, which was slender. The shout arises, ‘Bows and bills! Bows and bills!’ which is a signification of extreme defense, to avoid present danger, in all times of war. They, affrayed, arise; weapons that first come to hand serve for the need. One amongst many came to the East Port, where lay two great pieces of ordnance, and where the enemies were known to be, and cried to his fellows that were at the yett making defense, ‘Ware before,’ and so fires a great piece, and thereafter another, which God so conducted, that after them was no farther pursuit made. The bullets redounded from the wall of the Friars’ Kirk to the wall of St. Katherine’s Chapel, which stood direct foreanent it, and from the wall of the said Chapel to the said Kirk wall again, so oft, that there fell more than one hundred of the French, at those two shots only. They shot oft, but the French retired with diligence, and returned to Edinburgh, without harm done, except the destruction of some drinking-beer, which lay in the Chapel and Kirk. This was satisfaction more than enough for the slaughter of the said Captain and Provost, and such as were slain with him. This was the beginning of the French fruits!

    This winter, in the time of Christen Masse, was the Castle of Home recovered from the English, by the negligence of the Captain named Sir Edward Dudley.

    This winter also did Sir John Melville, the Laird of Raith, most innocently suffer, and after was forfeited because he wrote a bill (letter) to his son, John Melville, who then was in England, which was alleged to have been found in the house of Ormiston; but many suspected the paucks (cunning) and craft of Ringzeane (Ninian) Cockburn, now called Captain Ringzeane, to whom the said letter was delivered. But howsoever it was, these cruel beasts, the Bishop of St. Andrews and the Abbot of Dunfermline, ceased not till the head of the said noble man was stricken from him; especially because he was known to be one that unfeignedly favored the truth of God’s Word, and was a great friend of those that had been in the Castle of St. Andrews, of whose deliverance and of God’s wondrous working with them (luring the time of their bondage, we must now speak, lest, in suppressing so notable a ‘work of God’, we might justly be accused of ingratitude.

    The principals being put in several houses, great labor was made to make them have a good opinion of the Mass. Chiefly travail was taken upon Norman Leslie, the Laird of Grange, and David Monypenny, the Laird of Pitmilly, who were in the Castle of Scherisburgh (Cherbourg), that they would come to Mass with the Captain. Who answered: ‘The Captain hath commandment to keep our bodies; but he hath no power to command our conscience.’ The Captain replied: ‘That he had power to compel them to go where he yead’ (went). They answered: ‘To go to any lawful place with you we would not refuse; but to do anything that is against our conscience, we would not, neither for you, nor yet for the King.’ The Captain said: ‘Will ye not go to the Mass?’ They answered: ‘No; and if ye compel us, we will displease you farther; for we shall so use ourselves there, that all those present shall know that we despite it.’

    These same answers, and somewhat sharper, William Kirkealdy, Peter Carmichael, and such as were with them in Mount St. Michael in Normandy, gave to their Captain. They said: ‘They would not only hear Mass every day, but they would help to say it; provided they might stick the priests!’

    Master Henry Belnaves, who was in the Castle of Rouen, was most sharply assaulted of all. Because he was judged learned—as he was, and is, indeed—therefore learned men were appointed to travail with him. He had many conflicts with them; but God so assisted him, that they departed confounded, and he, by the power of God’s Spirit, remained constant in the truth and profession of the same, without any wavering or declining to idolatry. In the prison he wrote a most profitable Treatise on Justification. At certain times the Mass was said in the galleys, or else heard upon the shore, and those that were in the galleys were threatened with torments if they would not give reverence to the Mass. But they could never make the poorest of that company to give reverence to that idol. Yea, when upon the Saturday at night they sang their Salve Regina, the whole Scottishmen put on their caps, their hoods, or such things as they had to cover their heads; and when others were compelled to kiss a painted brod (board), which they called ‘Notre Dame,’ they were not pressed after once; for this was the chance:— Soon after their arrival at Nantes, their great Salve was sung, and a glorious painted Lady was brought in to be kissed, and, amongst others, was presented to one of the Scottishmen then chained. He gently said: ‘Trouble me not. Such an idol is accursed; therefore I will not touch it.’ The Patron (Skipper) and the Arguesyn (Lieutenant), with two officers, having the chief charge of all such matters, said, ‘Thou shalt handle it’; and they violently thrust it to his face, and put it betwixt his hands. He, seeing the extremity, took the idol, and advisedly looking about him, east it into the river, and said: ‘LET OUT LADY NOW SAVE HERSELF.SHE IS LIGHT ENOUGH; LET HER LEARN TO SWIM!’ After that was no Scotsman urged with that idolatry! 20 These are things that appear to be of no great importance. Yet, if we do rightly consider, they express the same obedience that God required of His people Israel, when they were to be carried to Babylon. He gave charge to them, that when they should see the Babylonians worship their gods of gold, silver, metal, and wood, they should say: ‘The gods that have not made the Heaven and the Earth shall perish from the Heaven and out of the Earth.’

    But to proceed. Master James Balfour and John Knox being in one galley, and being wondrous familiar, Master James would oftentimes ask Knox’s judgment, ‘If he thought that ever they should be delivered?’ Whose answer was ever, from the day they entered into the galleys, ‘God will deliver us from this bondage, to His glory, even in this life.’ Lying betwixt Dundee and St. Andrews, the second time the galleys returned to Scotland, the said John Knox being so extremely sick that few hoped his life, Master James willed him to look to the land, and asked him if he knew it; who answered, ‘Yes; I know it well. I see the steeple of that place where God first in public opened my mouth to His glory, and I am fully persuaded, how weak soever I now appear, I shall not depart this life till my tongue shall glorify His Holy Name in the same place.’ This reported Master James in presence of many famous witnesses many years before ever John Knox set his foot in Scotland this last time to preach. William Kirkealdy, then of Grange, younger, Peter Carmichael, Robert and William Leslie, who were together in Mont St. Michel, wrote to John Knox, asking his counsel, ‘If they might with safe conscience break their prison?’ Whose answer was, ‘If without the blood of any spilt by them for their deliverance, they might set themselves at freedom, then they might safely take it. But to shed any man’s blood for their freedom, thereto would he never consent.’ Adding further, ‘I am assured that God will deliver you, and the rest of your company, even in the eyes of the world; but not by such means as ye have looked for, that is by the force of friends, or by your own labors.’ By such means he affirmed that God would so work in the deliverance of them, that the praise thereof should redound to His glory only. He willed, therefore, every one to take the occasion that God offered them, providing they did nothing against God’s express commandment. He was the more earnest in giving his counsel, because the old Laird of Grange and others repugned to their purpose, fearing lest the escaping of the others should be an occasion of their own worse entreatment. Whereunto the said John Knox answered: ‘Such fear proceedeth not from God’s Spirit, but only from a blind love of self. No good purpose is to be stayed for (on account of) things that are in the hands and power of God.’ And added: ‘In one instant God delivered all that company into the hands of unfaithful men, but so will He not relieve them. Some will He deliver by one means, and at one time; and others must abide for a season upon His good pleasure.’

    This counsel in the end they embraced. Upon the Kings’ Even [.Sth January 1549], when Frenchmen commonly use to drink liberally, the aforesaid four persons, having the help and conducting of a boy of the House, bound all those that were in the Castle in Mont St. Michel, 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, and without touching of any thing that appertained to the King, the Captain, or the House.

    Great search was made through the whole country for them. But it was God’s good pleasure so to conduct them, that they escaped the hands of the faithless, albeit with long travail and great pain and poverty. The French boy left them, and took with him their small poise (treasure). So, having neither money nor knowledge of the country, and fearing that the boy should discover them—as in very deed he did they took purpose to divide themselves, and to change their garments. The two brethren, William and Robert Leslie who now are become, the said Robert especially, enemies to Christ Jesus and to all virtue—came to Rouen.

    William Kirkealdy and Peter Carmichael, in beggars’ garments, came to Le Conquet, in Brittany, and by the space of twelve or thirteen weeks they traveled as poor mariners, from port to port, till at length they got a French ship, and landed in the West, and thence came to England, where they met John Knox, who that same winter was delivered, and Alexander Clerk of Balbirnie in his company. 22 CHAPTER - FROM JOHN KNOX’S EMPLOYMENT IN ENGLAND BY EDWARD VI. AND HIS PRIVY COUNCIL, 1549 TO 1553, TO THE TRAGEDY OF ST. GILES IN 1558.

    PICTURE: Signatures of Edward the VIs Chaplins PICTURE: Cathedral of Rochester PICTURE: Edward VI PICTURE: William Maitland of Lethington PICTURE: Earl of Moray PICTURE: John Knox dispensing the Sacrament PICTURE: Seal of the Church of St. Giles PICTURE: Royal Arms of Scotland and the Arms of Mary Guise THE said John Knox was first appointed Preacher to Berwick; then to Newcastle; last he was called to London and to the south parts of England, where he remained to the death of King Edward the Sixth. When he left England, he then passed to Geneva, 2 and there remained at his private study, till he was called by the English Congregation, then assembled at Frankfort, to be Preacher to them. 3 Which vocation he obeyed, albeit unwillingly, at the commandment of that notable servant of God, John Calvin. At Frankfort he remained, till some of the learned, whose names we suppress, more given to unprofitable ceremonies than to sincerity of religion, began to quarrel with the said John. They despaired to prevail before the Magistrates there for the establishing of their corruptions; so they accused him of treason committed against the Emperor Charles V., and against their Sovereign, Queen Marie of England, because in his Admonition to England, 4 he called the one little inferior to Nero, and the other more cruel than Jezebel. The Magistrates, perceiving their malice, and fearing that John Knox should fall into the hands of his accusers, by one means or another gave advertisement secretly to him to depart their city, because they could not save him if he were required by the Emperor, or by the Queen of England in the Emperor’s name. So the said John returned to Geneva, from thence to Dieppe, and thereafter to Scotland.

    The time the galleys remained in Scotland that winter there were delivered Master James Balfour, his two brethren, David and Gilbert, Sir John Auchinleek, John Sibbald, Master John Gray, parson of St. Nicholas Kirk, near Cupar, William Guthrie, and Stephen Bell. By the procurement of the Queen Dowager to the Cardinal of Lorraine and to the King of France, the Gentlemen that remained in prison were set at liberty in the month of July, Anno 1550. Short thereafter they were called to Scotland; peace was proclaimed; and they themselves were restored to their lands, in despite of their enemies. That was done in hatred of the Duke of Chatelherault, Governor of Scotland, because France began to thirst 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. There rested a number of common servants yet in the galleys, who were all delivered upon the Contract of Peace that was made betwixt France and England, after the taking of Boulogne. So was the whole company set at liberty, none perishing except James Melvin, who departed from the misery of this life in the Castle of Brest, in Brittany.

    This we write to let posterity understand how potently God wrought in delivering those that had but a small knowledge of His Truth, but for the love of the same hazarded all. If we now, having greater light, or our posterity, shall see a fearful dispersion of such as oppone themselves to impiety—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 condemn the persons that punish vice for just causes’ 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 and their comfort.

    To let the world understand in plain terms what we mean, that great abuser of this Commonwealth, that poltroon and vile knave Davie was justly punished, the ninth of March in the year of God 1565, for abusing the Commonwealth, and for his other villanies, which we list not to express, by the counsel and hands of James Douglas, Earl of Morton, Patrick, Lord Lyndsay, and the Lord Ruthyen, with others, assisters in their company, who all, for their just act, and most worthy of all praise, are now unworthily left of their brethren, and suffer the bitterness of banishment and exile. 5 But this is our hope in the Mercies of our God, that this same blind generation, whether it will or not, shall be compelled to see that He will have respect to them that are unjustly pursued; that He will pardon their former offenses; that He will restore them to the liberty of their Country and Commonwealth again; and that He will punish, in despite of man, the head and the tail, that now trouble the just, and maintain impiety. The head is known. The tail hath two branches,—the Temporal Lords that maintain her abominations, and her flattering counselors, blasphemous Balfour, now called Clerk of Register, Sinclair, Dean of Restalrig and Bishop of Brechin, blind of one eye in the body, but of both in the soul, upon whom God shortly after took vengeance; John Leslie, 6 priest’s gert (bastard), Abbot of Lindores and Bishop of Ross, Simon Preston of Craigmillar, a right Epicurean, whose end will be, ere it be long, according to their works. But now to return to our History.

    Much herschip was done in the country; for what the Englishmen destroyed not, that was consumed by the French. At length God begins to fight for Scotland. In the town of Haddington He sent a pest so contagious, that with great difficulty could they have their dead buried.

    They were oft refreshed with new men, but all was in vain. Hunger and pest within, and the pursuit of the enemy intercepting all virtuals except when they were brought by a convoy from Berwick so constrained them that the Privy Council of England was compelled in Spring time to call their forces from that place. Spuilzeing (plundering) and burning some part of the town, the English left it to be occupied to such as first should take possession, and those were the Frenchmen, with a mean number of the ancient inhabitants.

    So did God perform the words and threatening of His servant Master George Wishart, who said: ‘For their contempt of God’s messenger, they should be visited with sword and fire, with pestilence, strangers and famine.’ All this they found in such perfection, that to this day that town of Haddington has neither recovered the former beauty, nor yet men of such wisdom and ability as then did inhabit it.

    Hereafter [at Boulogne, on 24th March 1550] was peace contracted betwixt France, England, and Scotland, yea, a several peace was contracted betwixt Scotland and Flanders, together with all the Easterlings; so that Scotland had peace with the world. But yet would their Bishops make war against God; for how soon they got any quietness, they apprehended\parADAM WALLACE, a simple man, without great learning, but one that was zealous in godliness and of an upright life. He, with his wife, Beatrix Livingstone, frequented the company of the Lady Ormiston, Alison Sandilands, wife of John Cockburn of Ormiston, for instruction of her children, during the trouble of her husband, who then was banished. This bastard, called Bishop of St. Andrews, 7 took the said Adam forth of the Place of Winton, in East Lothian, and carried him to Edinburgh. There he was presented to judgment in the Kirk of the Black thieves alias Friars, before the Duke, the Earl of Hantly, the Bishops and their rabble. They begin to accuse him—Master John Lauder, Archdeacon of Teviotdale, was Accuser— ‘That he took upon him to preach.’ He answered: ‘That he never judged himself worthy of so excellent a vocation, and therefore he never took upon him to preach. But he would not deny, but sometimes at table, and sometimes in other privy places, he would read, and had read the Scriptures, and had given such exhortation as God pleased to give him, to such as pleased to hear him.’ The Accuser. ‘Knave! What have ye to do to meddle with the Scriptures?’ Adam Wallace. ‘I think it is the duty of every Christian to seek the will of his God, and the assurance of His salvation, where it is to be found, and that is within the Old and New Testament.’ The Accuser. ‘What then shall we leave to the Bishops and Kirkmen to do, if every man shall be a babbler upon the Bible?’ Adam Wallace. ‘It becometh you to speak more reverently of God and of His Blessed Word. If the judge were uncorrupt, he would punish you for your blasphemy. But to your question, I answer, That albeit you and I, and other five thousand within this realm, should read the Bible, and speak of it what God should give us to speak, yet left we more to the Bishops to do, than either they will or can do. We leave to them publicly to preach the Evangel of Jesus Christ, and to feed the flock, which He hath redeemed by His own blood, and hath commended the same to the care of all true pastors. When we leave this unto them, me-thinks we leave to them a heavy burden, and that we do them no wrong, although we search our own salvation where it is to be found, considering that they are but dumb dogs, and unsavory salt, that has altogether lost the season.’

    The Bishops, hereat offended, said, What prating is this? Let his accusation be read.’ And then was begun, ‘False traitor! Heretic! Thou baptized thy own bairn. Thou saidst there is no Purgatory. Thou saidst that to pray to Saints and for the Dead is idolatry and a vain superstition.

    What sayest thou to these things?’

    He answered: ‘If I should be bound to answer, I would require an upright and an inditebrent judge.’

    The Earl of Huntly, Lord High Chancellor, disdainfully said, ‘Foolish man!

    Wilt thou desire another judge nor my Lord Duke’s Grace, great Governor of Scotland, and my Lords the Bishops, and the Clergy here present?’ Adam Wallace. ‘ The Bishops can be no judges to me; for they are open enemies to me and to the doctrine that I profess. As for my Lord duke, I cannot tell if he hath the knowledge that should be in him that should discern betwixt lies and the truth, the inventions of men and the true worshipping of God. I desire God’s Word’—and with that he produced the Bibles—to be judge betwixt the Bishops and me; and I am content that ye all hear; and if by this book I shall be convict to have taught, spoken, or done, in matters of religion, anything that repugneth to God’s will, I refuse not to die. But if I can not be convict, as I am assured by God’s Word I shall not, then I, in God’s Name, desire your assistance, that malicious men execute not upon me unjust tyranny.’ The Earl of Huntley. What a babbling fool is this! Thou shalt get none other judges than those that sit here.’ Adam Wallace. ‘The good Will of God be done! But be ye assured, my Lord, with such measure as ye mete to others, with the same measure it shall be mete to you again. I know that I shall die, but be ye assured, that my blood shall be required at your hands.’

    Alexander, Earl of Glencairn, yet alive, said to Robert Reid, the Bishop of Orkney, and others that sat nigh him, ‘Take heed, all ye, my Lords of the Clergy. Here I protest, for my part, that I consent not to his death.’ Then, without fear, prepared the said Adam to answer. And first, to the baptizing of his own child, he said: ‘It was and is as lawful to me, for lack of a true minister, to baptize my own child, as it was to Abraham to circumcise his son Ishmael and his family. As for Purgatory, Praying to Saints, and for the Dead, I have oft read both the New and Old Testaments; but I neither could find mention nor assurance of them.

    Therefore, I believe, they are but mere inventions of men, devised for covetousness’ sake.’ ‘Well,’ quoth the Bishop, ‘ye hear this, my Lords.’ ‘What sayest thou of the Mass?’ speirs (enquires) the Earl of Huntly. He answered, ‘I say, my Lord, as my Master Jesus Christ saith, “That which is in greatest estimation before men, is abomination before God.” Then all cried out, ‘Heresy! Heresy!’ And so was the simple servant of God adjudged to the fire; which he patiently sustained that same day, at afternoon, upon the Castle hill.

    So began they again to pollute the land, which God had lately plagued. Yet their iniquity was not come to so full ripeness, as that God would that they should be manifested to this whole realm—as this day they are—to be faggots prepared for the Everlasting Fire, and to be men whom neither plagues may correct, nor the light of God’s Word convert from their darkness and impiety.

    The Peace contracted, the Queen Dowager passed by sea to France [in September 1550], with galleys that for that purpose were prepared, and took with her diverse of the Nobility of Scotland, to wit, the Earls Huntly, Glencairn, Marischall, Cassillis, the Lords Maxwell and Fleming, Sir George Douglas, together with all the King’s [natural] sons, and diverse Barons and Gentlemen of Ecclesiastical Estate, the Bishop of Galloway, and many others, with promises that they should be richly rewarded for their good service. What they received we can not tell; but few [of them] made ruse (boast) at their returning. The Dowager had to practice somewhat with her brethren, the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine, the weight whereof the Governor afterward felt; for shortly after her return was the Governor deposed of the government—justly by God, but most unjustly by men—and she was made Regent in the year of God 1554, and a crown put upon her head; as seemly a sight, if men had eyes, as to put a saddle upon the back of an unruly cow! 8 And so began she to practice—practice upon practice—how France might be advanced, her friends made rich, and she brought to immortal glory. This was her common talk:— ‘So that I may procure the wealth and honor of my friends, and a good fame unto myself, I regard not what God do after with me.’ And in very deed, in deep dissimulation, to bring her own purpose to effect, she passed the common sort of women, as we will after hear. But yet God, to whose Evangel she declared herself enemy, in the end frustrated her of all her devices.

    Thus did light and darkness strive within the Realm of Scotland—the darkness ever before the world suppressing the light—from the death of that notable servant of God, Master Patrick Hamilton, to the death of Edward the Sixth, the most godly and most virtuous King that hath been known to have reign in England, or elsewhere, these many years by-past, who departed the miseries of this life the 6th of July, Anno 553. The death of this Prince was lamented of all the godly within Europe; for the graces given unto him of God was well of nature, as of erudition and godliness passed the measure that accustomably useth to be given to other Princes in their greatest perfection; and yet exceeded he not sixteen years of age. What gravity above age, what wisdom passing all expectation of man, and what dexterity in answering in all things proponed, were in that excellent Prince, the Ambassadors of all countries—yea, some that were mortal enemies to him and to his Realm, among whom the Queen Dowager of Scotland was not the least—could and did testify! The said Queen Dowager, returning from France through England [in October 1551], communed with him at length, and gave record when she came to this Realm: ‘That she found more wisdom and solid judgment in young King Edward, than she would have looked for in any three Princes that were then in Europe.’ His liberality towards the godly and learned that were in other realms persecuted, was such as German, French, Italian, Scots, Spaniard, Polonianes (Polish), Grecian, and Hebrew born, can yet give sufficient document; for how honorably were Martin Bucer, Peter Martyr, Joannes Alasco, and many others, upon his public stipends entertained, their patents (writings) can witness, and they themselves during their lives would never have denied.

    After the death of this most virtuous Prince, of whom the godless people of England, for the most part, was not worthy, Satan intended nothing less than the light of Jesus Christ utterly to have been extinguished within the whole Isle of Britanny. After him was raised up, in God’s hot displeasure that idolatrous Jezebel, mischievous Marie, of the Spaniard’s blood; 9 a cruel persecutrix of God’s people, as the acts of her unhappy reign can sufficiently witness.

    In Scotland, that same time, reigned that crafty practicer, Marie of Lorraine, then named Regent of Scotland. Bound to the devotion of her two brethren, the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine, she did only abide the opportunity to cut the throats of all those in whom she suspected any knowledge of God, within the Realm of Scotland. So Satan thought that his kingdom of darkness was in quietness and rest, as well in the one realm as in the other. But that provident eye of The Eternal, our God, who continually watcheth for the preservation of His Church, did so dispone all things, that Satan, shortly after, found himself far disappointed. For in that cruel persecution, used by that monster, Marie of England, were godly men dispersed into diverse nations, of whom it pleased the goodness of our God to send some unto us in Scotland, for our comfort and instruction.

    First came a simple man,WILLIAM HARLAW, whose erudition, although it excel not, yet for his zeal, and diligent plainness in doctrine, is he to this day worthy of praise, and remains a fruitful member within the Church of Scotland [as minister of the parish of St. Cuthbert’s, Edinburgh]. After him came that notable man,JOHN WILLOCK, 10 as one that had some commission to the Queen Regent from the Duchess of Embden. But his principal purpose was to essay what God would work by him in his native country. These two did sometimes, in several companies, assemble the Brethren, who by their exhortations began greatly to be encouraged, and did show that they had an earnest thirst of godliness.

    Last cameJOHN KNOX to Scotland, in the end of the harvest, in the year of God 1555; who first being lodged in Edinburgh in the house of that notable man of God, James Syme, began to exhort secretly in that same house.

    To him repaired John Erskine, the Laird of Dun, David Forrest [General of the Mint], and certain personages of the town, amongst whom was Elizabeth Adamson, then spouse to James Barroun [Dean of Guild], burgess of Edinburgh, who, by reason that she had a troubled conscience, delighted much in the company of the said John Knox, because he, according to the grace given unto him, opened more fully the fountain of God’s mercies than did the common sort of teachers that she had heard before; for she had heard none except Friars. She did with such greediness drink thereof, that at her death she did express the fruit of her hearing, to the great comfort of all those that repaired to her. She suffered most grievous torment in her body, yet out of her mouth was heard nothing but praising of God, except that sometimes she would lament the troubles of those that were troubled by her. Being sometimes demanded by her sisters, what she thought of that pain which she then suffered in body, in respect of that wherewith sometimes she was troubled in spirit, she answered: ‘A thousand years of this torment, and ten times more joined unto it, is not to be compared to the quarter of an hour that I suffered in my spirit. I thank my God, through Jesus Christ, that hath delivered me from that most fearful pain; and welcome be this, even so long as it pleaseth His Godly Majesty to exercise me therewith.’

    A little before her departure, she desired her sisters, and some others that were beside her, to sing a Psalm, and amongst others, she appointed the Hundred and Third Psalm, beginning ‘My soul, praise thou the Lord always.’ This ended, she said: ‘At the teaching of this Psalm, began my troubled soul first effectually to taste of the mercy of my God, which now to me is more sweet and precious, than if all the kingdoms of the earth were given to me to possess a thousand years.’ The Priests urged her with their ceremonies and superstitions; to whom she answered: ‘Depart from me, ye Sergeants of Satan! I have refused, and in your own presence do refuse, all your abominations. That which ye call your Sacrament and Christ’s Body, as ye have deceived us to believe in times past, is nothing but an idol, and hath nothing to do with the right Institution of Jesus Christ. Therefore, in God’s name, I command you not to trouble me.’

    They departed, alleging, ‘That she raved, and knew not what she said.’

    Short thereafter she slept in the Lord Jesus, to no small comfort of those that saw her blessed departing. This we could not omit of this worthy woman, who gave so notable a confession, before the great light of God’s Word did universally shine through this realm.

    Perceiving diverse who had a zeal to godliness make small scruple to go to the Mass, or to communicate with the abused Sacraments in the Papistical manner, John Knox, at his first coming, began, as well in privy conference as in doctrine, to show the impiety of the Mass, and how dangerous a thing it was to communicate in any sort with idolatry. Wherewith the consciences of some being affrayed, the matter began to be agitate from man to man, and John Knox was called to supper by John Erskine, the Laird of Dun, where were convened Master Robert Lockhart, John Willock, andWILLIAM MAITLAND OF LETHINGTON, younger, a man of good learning and of sharp wit and reasoning. 11 The question was proponed, and it was answered by the said John, ‘That nowise it was lawful to a Christian to present himself to that idol.’ Nothing was omitted that might make for the temporizer, especially one thing wherein they thought their great defense stood, to wit, ‘That Paul, at the commandment of James, and of the Elders of Jerusalem, passed to the Temple and feigned himself to pay his vow with others.’ This, and other things, were so fully answered, that William Maitland concluded, saying: ‘I see perfectly that our shifts will serve nothing before God, seeing that they stand us in so small stead before men.’

    The answer of John Knox to the fact (action) of Paul, and to the commandment of James, was: ‘Paul’s fact has nothing to do with your going to Mass. To pay vows is sometimes God’s commandment, and is never idolatry: but your Mass, from the original, is odious idolatry.

    Therefore the facts are most unlike. Secondarily, I greatly doubt whether either James’ commandment or Paul’s obedience proceeded from the Holy Ghost. God plainly declareth ‘That evil shall not be done that good may come of it.” Evil it was for Paul to confirm those obstinate Jews in their superstition by his example; worse it was to him to expose himself, and the doctrine which before he had taught, to slander and mockage.

    Therefore, the fact of Paul, and the sequel that followed, appear rather to fight against them that would go to the Mass, than to give them any assurance to follow Paul’s example, unless they would that the like trouble should instantly apprehend them that apprehended him, for obeying worldly-wise counsel.’ After these and like reasonings, the Mass began to be abhorred of such as before used it for the fashion, and for the avoiding of slander, as they termed it.

    John Knox, at the request of the Laird of Dun, followed him to his Place of Dun, in Forfarshire, where he remained a month, and daily exercised in doctrine, whereunto resorted the principal men of that country. After his return, his residence was most at Calder House, near Mid-Calder, where repaired unto him the Lord Erskine that now is, the Earl of Argyle, then Lord of Lorne, andLORD JAMES STWART, then Prior of St. Andrews, and now Earl of Moray, 12 where they heard and so approved his doctrine, that they wished it to have been public. That same winter [1555] he taught commonly in Edinburgh.

    After Yule, by the conduct of the Laird of Bar, and Robert Campbell of Kinyeancleuch, John Knox came to Kyle, and taught in Bar, in the House of Carnell, in Kinyeancleuch, in the town of Ayr, and in the Houses of Ochiltree and Gadgirth, and in some of them ministered the Lord’s Table.

    Before Pasch, the Earl of Glencairn sent for him to his Place of Finlayston; where, after doctrine, he likewise minis-tered the Lord’s Table, whereof, besides himself [Glencairn], were partakers his Lady, two of his sons, and certain of his friends. Knox returned to Calder, where diverse from Edinburgh, and from the country about, convened, as well for the doctrine as for the right use of the Lord’s Table, which before they had never practiced. Thence he departed the second time to the Laird of Dun; and teaching them in greater liberty, the Gentlemen required that he should minister likewise unto them the Table of the Lord Jesus, whereof were partakers the most part of the Gentlemen of the Mearns; who, God be praised, to this day constantly do remain in the same doctrine which then they professed, to wit, that they refused all society with idolatry, and bound themselves to the uttermost of their powers, to maintain the true preaching of the Evangel of Jesus Christ, as God should offer unto them preachers and opportunity. The bruit hereof sparsed (spread abroad)—for the Friars from all quarters flocked to the Bishops—John Knox was summoned to compear in the Kirk of the Black Friars in Edinburgh, the 15th day of May. But that diet held not; whether the Bishops perceived informality in their proceedings, or if they feared danger to ensue upon their extremity, it is unknown to us.

    The Saturday before the day appointed, they cassed (annulled) their own summons; and the said John, the same day of the summons, taught in Edinburgh in a greater audience than ever before he had done in that town.

    The place was the Bishop of Dunkeld’s great lodging, where he continued in doctrine ten days, both before and after noon. The Earl of Glencairn allured the Earl Marischall, who heard an exhortation; but it was in the night. They were so well content with it, that they both willed the said John to write the Queen Regent somewhat that might move her to hear the Word of God. He wrote that which was imprinted, and is called ‘The Letter to the Queen Dowager; 14 which was delivered into her own hands by the said Alexander, Earl of Glencairn. Which letter, when she had read, within a day or two she delivered to that proud Prelate, James Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow [nephew of Cardinal Beaton], and said in mockage,’ Please you, my Lord, to read a pasquil (lampoon) !’ As concerning the threatenings pronounced against her own person, and the most principal of her friends, let their very flatterers see what hath failed of all that John Knox hath written. Therefore it were expedient that her daughter, now mischievously reigning, should look to that which hath passed before, lest, in following the counsels of the wicked, she end more miserably than her crafty mother did. While John Knox was thus occupied in Scotland, letters came to him from the English Kirk that was assembled in Geneva, which was separated from that superstitious and contentious company that were at Frankfort, commanding him in God’s name, as their chosen Pastor, to repair unto them, for their comfort. Upon which the said John took his leave from us, and, almost in every congregation where he had preached, exhorted us to Prayer, to reading the Scriptures, and mutual conference, unto such time as God should give us greater liberty. He sent before him to Dieppe his mother-in-law, Elizabeth Bowes, and his wife, Marjorie Bowes, with no small pain to their hearts and unto many of us. He himself remained behind in Scotland, and passed to the old Earl of Argyle, who then was in Castle Campbell, where he taught certain days. The Laird of Glenurquhare (Glenorchy), who yet liveth, being one of his auditors, willed the said Earl of Argyle to retain him still. But he, purposed upon his journey, would not at that time stay for no request, adding: ‘If God so blessed these small beginnings, that they continued in godliness, whensoever they pleased to command him they should find him obedient.’ But he said that once he must needs visit that little flock which the wickedness of men had compelled him to leave.

    In the month of July he passed to France, and so to Geneva. Immediately after, the Bishops summoned him, and for non-compearance, burnt him in effigy at the Cross of Edinburgh, in the year of God 1556; 16 from which unjust sentence the said John made his ‘Appellation against the Sentence of the Bishops,’ and caused to print the same and directed it to the Nobility and Commons of Scotland. In the winter that the said John abode in Scotland appeared a comet, the course whereof was from the South and Southwest, to the North and Northeast. It was seen in the months of November, December, and January, and was called ‘The fiery besom.’ 18 Soon after, died Christian, King of Denmark. Also war rose betwixt Scotland and England; for the Commissioners of both realms, who almost the space of six months entreated upon the Conditions of Peace, and were upon a near point of conclusion, were disappointed. The Queen Regent, with her Council of the French Faction, descreeted war at New-battle, without giving any advertisement to the Scotch Commissioners. Such is the fidelity of Princes, guided by Priests, whensoever they seek their own affections to be served!

    In the end of that next harvest was seen upon the Borders of England and Scotland a strange fire, which descended from heaven, and burnt diverse corns in both realms, but most in England. There was presented to the Queen Regent, by Robert Ormiston, a calf having two heads, whereat she scripped (mocked), and said, ‘It was but a common thing.’ The war began in the end of harvest, and conclusion was taken that Wark Castle in Northumberland should be besieged. Monsieur D’Oysel, then Lieutenant for France, gave charge that the cannons should be transported over the Water of Tweed, which was done with expedition, for the Frenchmen in such facts are expert. But the Nobility of Scotland, nothing content of such proceedings, after consultation among themselves, passed to the palyeon (pavilion) of Monsieur D’Oysel, and in his own face declared, ‘That in no wise would they invade England.’ Therefore, they commanded the ordnance to be retired; and that it was without farther delay.

    This put an affray in Monsieur D’Oysel his breath 19 and kindled such a fire in the Queen Regent’s stomach, as was not well slockened till her breath failed. And thus was that enterprise frustrate. But yet war continued, during which the Evangel of Jesus Christ began wondrously to flourish. In Edinburgh began publicly to exhort, William Harlaw; and John Douglas, who had been chaplain with the Earl of Argyle, preached in Leith, and sometimes exhorted in Edinburgh. Paul Methven began publicly to preach in Dundee; and so did diverse others in Angus and the Mearns.

    And last, at God’s good pleasure, arrivedJOHN WILLOCK the second time from Embden; whose return was so joytht to the brethren, that their zeal and godly courage daily increased. Albeit he contracted a dangerous sickness, yet he ceased not from labors, but taught and exhorted from his bed. Some of the Nobility—of whom some are fallen back, among whom the Lord Seton is chief—with many Barons and Gentlemen, were his auditors, and by him were godly instructed, and wondrously comforted.

    They kept their conventions, and held counsel with such gravity and closeness, that the enemies trembled. The images were stolen away in all parts of the country; and in Edinburgh was that great idol called St. Giles first drowned in the North Loch 20 and after burned, which raised no small trouble in the town. For the Friars, rowping (crying hoarsely) like ravens upon the Bishops, the Bishops ran upon the Queen, who to them was favorable enough, but she thought it could not stand With her advantage to offend such a multitude as then took upon them the defense of the Evangel, and the name of Protestants. Yet she consented to summon the Preachers; whereat the Protestants, neither offended, neither affrayed, determined to keep the day of summons, as that they did. Which perceived by the Prelates and Priests, they procured a Proclamation to be publicly made, ‘All men that are come to the town without commandment of the Authority, shall with all diligence repair to the Borders, and there remain fifteen days’: for Andrew Durie, the Bishop of Galloway, in this manner of rhyme, said to the Queen: ‘Madam, ‘Because they are come without order, I rede (advise) ye, send them to the Border.’ Now God had so provided, that the Quarter of the Westland, in which were many faithful men, was that same day returned from the Borders.

    They, understanding the proclamation to proceed from the malice of the Priests, assembled together, and made passage to themselves, till they came to the very Privy Chamber, where the Queen Regent and the Bishops were. The Gentlemen began to complain upon their strange entertainment, considering that Her Grace had found in them so faithful obedience in all things lawful. When the Queen began to craft, a zealous and bold man, James Chalmers of Gadgirth, said: ‘Madam, we know that this is the malice and device of these Jefwellis (knaves), and of that bastard’ meaning the Archbishop of St. Andrews ‘that stands by you. We avow to God we shall make a day of it. The Bishops oppress us and our tenants for feeding of their idle bellies. They trouble our Preachers, and would murder them and us. Shall we suffer this any longer? No, Madam, it shall not be.’THEREWITH EVERY MAN PUT ON HIS STEEL BONNET. There was heard nothing on the Queen’s part but ‘My Joys, my Hearts, what ails you? Me 21 means no evil to you nor to your preachers. The Bishops shall do you no wrong. Ye are all my loving subjects. Me knows nothing of this Proclamation. The day of your preachers shall be discharged, and me will hear the controversy that is betwixt the Bishops and you. They shall do you no wrong.’ ‘My Lords,’ said she to the Bishops, ‘I forbid you either to trouble them or their preachers.’ And unto the Gentlemen, who were wondrously commoved, she turned again and said: ‘O My Hearts, should ye not love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your mind? And should ye not love your neighbors as yourselves?’ With these and the like fair words, she kept the Bishops from buffets at that time.

    The Day of Summons being discharged, began the Brethren universally to be further encouraged. Yet could the Bishops in no sort be quiet; for St.

    Giles’ Day approaching, they gave charge to the Provost, Bailies, and Council of Edinburgh either to get again the old St. Giles, or else upon their expenses to make a new image. The Council answered: ‘That to them the charge appeared very unjust. They understood that God in some places had commanded idols and images to be destroyed; but where He had commanded images to be set up, they had not read’; and they desired the Archbishop of St. Andrews to find a warrant for his commandment.’

    Whereat the Archbishop offended, admonished under pain of cursing; which they prevented by a formal Appellation, appealing from him, as from a partial and corrupt judge, unto the Pope’s Holiness; and so, greater things shortly following, that passed into oblivion.

    Yet would not the Priests and Friars cease to have that great solemnity and manifest abomination which they accustomably had upon St. Giles Day, to wit, they would have that idol borne, and thereafter was all preparation necessary duly made. A marmoset (monkey) idol was borrowed from the Grey Friars, for which a silver piece of James Carmichael [the Dean of Guild] was laid in pledge. It was fast fixed with iron nails upon a barrow, called their fertour 22 (chest). There assembled Priests, Friars, Canons, and rotten Papists, with tabours (small drums) and trumpets, banners and bagpipes. And who was there to lead the ring but the Queen Regent herself, with all her shavelings, for honor of that feast? West about goeth it, and cometh down the High Street, and down to the Canno Cross [at the foot of the Canongate]. The Queen Regent dined that day in Sandie Carpetyne’s house, betwixt the Bows [the West Bow and the Nether Bow]; and so, when the idol returned back again, she left it and passed in to her dinner.

    Immediately after the Queen was entered into the lodging, some that were of the enterprise drew nigh to the idol, as willing to help to bear him, and getting the fertour upon their shoulders, began to shudder, thinking that thereby the idol should have fallen. But that was prevented by the iron nails. So began one to cry, ‘Down with the idol! Down with it!’ and without delay it was pulled down. Some brag made the Priests’ patrons at the first; but they soon saw the feebleness of their god, for one took him by the heels, and dadding his head to the causeway, left Dagon without head or hands, and said: ‘Fie upon thee, thou young St. Giles, thy father would have tarried for such!’ This considered, the Priests and Friars fled faster than they did at Pinkie Cleuch! Down go the Crosses, off go the surplices and the round caps corner with the crowns. 23 The Grey Friars gaped, the Black Friars blew, the Priests panted and fled, and happy was he that first got into the house; for such a sudden fray came never among the generation of Antichrist within this realm before! By chance there lay upon a stair a merry Englishman, who, seeing the discomfiture to be without blood, thought he would add some merriness to the matter, and so cried he over the stair: ‘Fie upon you, why have ye broken order? Down the street ye passed in great array and with great mirth. Why fly ye, villains, now, without order? Turn and strike every man a stroke for the honor of his god! Fie, cowards, fie, ye shall never be judged worthy of your wages again!’ But exhortations were then unprofitable; for after Baal had broken his neck, there was no comfort to his confused army! This Tragedy of St. Giles was terrible to some Papists. The Queen Regent laid it up among her other mementos, till she might have the time proper to revenge it. Search was made for the doers, but none could be apprehended; for the Brethren assembled themselves in such sort, in companies, singing Psalms and praising God, that the proudest of the enemies were astonished.

    CHAPTER - FROM THE POISONING OF THE BISHOP OF ORKNEY AT DIEPPE EARLY IN 1558, TO THE SCOTS PARLIAMENT HELD IN OCTOBER 1558.

    PICTURE: Medallion of Knox struck at Geneva THE most part of the Lords that were in France at the Queen’s marriage with the Dauphin of France, in 1558, although they got their conge from the French Court, yet they forgot to return to Scotland! Whether it was by an Italian posset, or by French figs, or by the potage of their potinger (apothecary) , he was a French man—there departed from this life the Earl of Cassillis and the Earl of Rothes at Dieppe, Lord Fleming in Paris, and the Bishop of Orkney at Dieppe, whose end was even according to his life.

    The Lord James, then Prior of St. Andrews, had by all appearance licked of the same browst (brewing) that dispatched the rest, for thereof to this day his stomach doth testify; but God preserved him for a better purpose.

    This same Lord James, now Earl of Moray, and the said Bishop of Orkney, were commonly at debate in matters of religion. The Lord James, hearing of the Bishop’s disease, came to visit him. ‘My Lord,’ said the Bishop, ‘long have you and I been in pley (dispute) for Purgatory. I think I shall know ere it be long whether there be such a place or not!’ The Lord James did exhort the Bishop to call to mind the Promises of God, and the Virtue of Christ’s Death. The Bishop answered: ‘Nay, my Lord, let me alone. You and I never agreed in our life, and I think we shall not agree now at my death. I pray you, let me alone.’ The Lord James departed to his lodging, and the other shortly after departed this life; whither, the Great Day of the Lord will declare!

    When the word of the departing of so many patrons of Papistry, and of the manner of their departing, came unto the Queen Regent, after astonishment and musing, she said: ‘What shall I say of such men? They lived as beasts, and as beasts they die! God is not with them, neither with that which they enterprise.’

    While these things were in doing in Scotland and France, that perfect hypocrite, Master John. Sinclair, then Dean of Restalrig, and now Lord President of the Court of Session and Bishop of Breehin, began to preach in his Kirk of Restalrig; and at the beginning held himself so indifferent (impartial), that many had opinion of him, that he was not far from the Kingdom of God. But his hypocrisy could not long be cloaked. When he understood that such as feared God began to have a good opinion of him, and that the Friars and others of that sect began to whisper, ‘If he takes not heed in time to himself, and unto his doctrine, he will be the destruction of the whole Estate of the Kirk,’ he appointed a sermon, in which he promised to give his judgment upon all such heads as then were in controversy in the matter of religion. The bruit hereof made his audience great at the first; but that day he so handled himself, that after that, no godly man did credit him. Not only gainsaid he the doctrines of Justification and of Prayer which before he had taught, but also he set up and maintained the Papistry to the uttermost prick; yea, Holy Water, Pilgrimage, Purgatory, and Pardons were of such virtue in his conceit, that without them he looked not to be saved!

    In the meantime the Clergy made a brag that they would dispute. But Master David Panter, 1 who then lived at Restalrig, dissuaded them therefrom, affirming: ‘If ever ye dispute but where yourselves are both judge and party, and where fire and sword shall obey your decree, then your cause is wrecked for ever. Your victory stands neither in God, nor in His Word, but in your own wills, and in the things concluded by your own Councils, together with fire and sword, whereto these new start-up fellows will give no place. They will call you to your account book—that is to the Bible and by it ye will no more be found the men that ye are called, than the Devil will be proven to be God! Therefore, if ye love yourselves, enter never into disputation; but defend your possession, or else all is lost.’ Caiaphas could not have given better counsel to his companions! Yet God disappointed both them and him, as after we shall hear.

    At this same time some of the Nobility directed letters to call John Knox from Geneva, for their comfort, and for the comfort of the Preachers, and others that then courageously fought against the enemies of God’s truth.

    The tenor of their letter is this:— ‘GRACE, MERCY, AND PACE, FOR SALUTATION, ‘DEARLY BELOVED IN THE LORD,—The Faithful that are of your acquaintance in these parts—thanks be unto God—are steadfast in the belief wherein ye left them, and have a godly thirst day by day of your presence; which, if the Spirit of God will so permit, we heartily desire you, in the name of the Lord, that ye return again to these parts, where ye shall find all the Faithful that ye left behind you, not only glad to hear your doctrine, but ready to jeopard lives and goods in the forward setting of the glory of God, as He will permit. And albeit the Magistrates in this country be as yet but in the state ye left them, yet we have no experience of any more cruelty than was before. Rather we believe that God will augment His flock, because we see daily the Friars, enemies to Christ’s Evangel, in less estimation, both with the Queen’s Grace, and the rest of the Nobility. This, in few words, is the mind of the Faithful, being present, and others absent. The rest of our minds the faithful bearer will show you at length. Fare ye well in the Lord. ‘Off Stirling, the tenth of March, Anno 1556. ‘GLENCARNE . (Earl of). LORNE (Lord of). ERSIKYN (of Dun) . ‘JAMES STEWART (Lord).’ These letters delivered to John Knox in Geneva, by the hands of James Syme, who now resteth with Christ, and of James Barroun, that yet liveth, he took consultation, as well with his own church as with that notable servant of God, John Calvin, and with other godly ministers who all with one consent said, ‘That he could not refuse that vocation, unless he would declare himself rebellious unto his God, and unmerciful to his country.’ So he returned answer, with promises to visit them with reasonable expedition, and so soon as he might put order to that dear flock that was committed to his charge. In the end of September [1557], he departed from Geneva, and came to Dieppe, 3 where there met him contrary letters, as by this, his answer thereto, we may understand: — ‘The Spirit of Wisdom, Constancy, and Strength be multiplied with you, by the favor of God Our Father, and by the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ. ‘According to my promise, Right Honorable, I came to Dieppe, the 24th of October, of full mind, by the good will of God, with the first ship to have visited you. But because two letters, not very pleasing to the flesh, were there presented to me, I was compelled to stay for a time. The one was directed to myself from a faithful brother, which made mention, that new consultation was appointed for final conclusion of the matter before purposed, and willed me therefore to abide in these parts, till the determination of the same. The other letter was directed from a gentleman to a friend, with charge to advertise me, that he had communed with all these that seemed most frack (eager) and fervent in the matter, and that in none did he find such boldness and constancy as was requisite for such an enterprise. Some, as he writeth, did repent that ever any such thing was moved. Some were partly ashamed; and others were able to deny, that ever they did consent to any such purpose, if any trial or question should be taken thereof. ‘Which letters, when I had considered, I partly was confounded, and partly was pierced with anguish and sorrow. Confounded I was, that I had so far travailed in the matter, moving the same to the most godly and the most learned that this day we know to live in Europe, to the effect that I might have their judgments and grave counsels, for assurance as well of your consciences as of mine, in all enterprises. That nothing should succeed so long consultation, cannot but redound either to your shame or mine. Either it shall appear that I was marvelously vain, being so solicitous where no necessity required, or else, that such as were my movers thereto lacked ripeness of judgment in their first vocation. To some it may appear a small and light matter, that I have east off, and as it were abandoned, as well my particular care as my public office and charge [at Geneva], leaving my house and poor family destitute of all head, save God only, and committing that small, but to Christ dearly beloved, flock, over which I was appointed one of the ministers, to the charge of another. This to worldly men may appear a small matter, but to me it is such, that more worldly substance than I will express, could not have caused me willingly to behold the eyes of so many grave men weep at once for my cause, as I did in taking of my last good-night from them. To whom, if it please God that I return, and question be demanded, What was the impediment of my purposed journey? judge you what I shall answer. The cause of my pain and sorrow—God is witness—is for nothing pertaining either to my corporal contentment or worldly displeasure; but it is for the grievous plagues and punishments of God, which assuredly shall apprehend not only you, but every inhabitant of that miserable Realm and Isle, except the power of God, by the liberty of His Evangel, deliver you from bondage. ‘My words shall appear to some sharp and indiscreetly spoken; but as charity ought to interpret all things to the best, so ought wise men to understand, that a true friend cannot be a flatterer, especially when the questions of salvation, both of body and soul, are moved; and that not of one nor of two, but as it were of a whole realm and nation. What are the sobs, and what is the affliction of my troubled heart, God shall one day declare. But this will I add to my former rigor and severity, to wit, if any persuade you, for fear of dangers that may follow, to faint in your former purpose, be he never esteemed so wise and friendly, let him be judged of you both foolish and your mortal enemy. Foolish, because he understandeth nothing of God’s approved wisdom.

    Enemy unto you, because he laboreth to separate you from God’s favor; provoking His vengeance and grievous plagues against you, because he would that ye should prefer your worldly rest to God’s praise and glory, and the friendship of the wicked to the salvation of your brethren. ‘Your subjects, yea, your brethren are oppressed, their bodies and souls held in bondage. God speaketh to your consciences that ye ought to hazard your own lives, be it against Kings or Emperors, for their deliverance. Only for that cause are ye called princes of the people, and ye receive of your brethren honor, tribute, and homage at God’s commandment; not by reason of your birth and progeny, as the most part of men falsely do suppose, but by reason of your office and duty, which is to vindicate and deliver your subjects and brethren from all violence and oppression, to the uttermost of your power. Advise diligently I beseech you, with the points of that Letter, which I directed to the whole Nobility, and let every man apply the matter and ease to himself. Your consciences shall one day be compelled to acknowledge, that the Reformation of Religion, and of public enormities, doth appertain to more than to the Clergy, or chief rulers called Kings. ‘The Mighty Spirit of the Lord Jesus rule and guide your counsels, to His glory, your eternal comfort, and the consolation of your brethren. Amen. ‘From Dieppe, ‘27th day of October 1557.’

    These letters received and read, together with others directed to the whole Nobility, and some particular Gentlemen, as to the Lairds of Dun and Pittarrow, new consultation was had what was best to be done. In the end it was concluded, that they would follow forward their purpose once intended, and would commit themselves, and whatsoever God had given them, into His hands, rather than suffer idolatry so manifestly to reign, and the subjects of that Realm to be defrauded of the only food of their souls, the true preaching of Christ’s Evangel. And that every one should be the more assured of other, a common Bond was made, and by some subscribed, the tenor whereof followeth:— ‘We, perceiving how Satan in his members, the Antichrists of our time, cruelly doth rage, seeking to dounthring the Evangel of Christ and His Congregation, ought, according to our bounden duty, to strive in our Master’s cause, even unto the death, being certain of the victory in Him. The which our duty being well considered, We do promise before the Majesty of God, and His Congregation, that we, by His grace, shall with all diligence continually apply our whole power, substance, and our very lives, to maintain, set forward, and establish the Most Blessed Word of God and His Congregation; and shall labor at our possibility to have faithful Ministers purely and truly to minister Christ’s Evangel and Sacraments to His people. We shall maintain them, nourish them, and defend them, the whole Congregation of Christ, and every member thereof, at our whole powers and wearing of our lives against Satan, and all wicked power that does intend tyranny or trouble against the aforesaid Congregation. ‘Unto which Holy Word and Congregation we do join us, and also do forsake and renounce the Congregation of Satan, with all the superstitious abominations and idolatry thereof. Moreover, we declare ourselves manifestly enemies thereto, by this our faithful promise before God, testified to His Congregation, by our subscriptions at these presents. ‘At Edinburgh, the third day of December, the year of God One thousand five hundred fifty-seven years: God called to witness, ‘A. ERLE OF ERGILE. ‘GLENCARNE. ‘MORTON. ‘ARCHIBALD, LORD OF LORNE. ‘JOHNNE ERSKYNE OF DOUN.’ A little before that this Bond was subscribed, by the forewritten and many others, letters were directed again to John Knox from the said Lords, together with letters to Master Calvin, craving of him, that by his authority he would command the said John once again to visit them. These letters were delivered by the hands of Master John Gray, in the month of November, the year of God 1558, who at that same time passed to Rome for expedition of the Bowes of Ross (Papal Bulls for the Bishopric of Ross) to Master Henry Sinclair.

    Immediately after, the Lords and Barons professing Christ Jesus convened frequently in council; in which these heads were concluded: — ‘ First , it is ordained that in all parishes of this Realm the Common Prayers be read weekly on Sunday, and other Festal Days, publicly in the Parish Kirks, with the Lessons of the New and Old Testament, conform to the order of the Book of Common Prayers. 5 If the Curates of the Parishes be qualified, they to read the same; and if they be not, or if they refuse, the most qualified in the Parish shall read the same. ‘ Secondly , it is thought necessary that doctrine, preaching and interpretation of the Scriptures be had privily in quiet houses, without great conventions of the people, until afterward God move the Prince to grant public preaching by faithful and true ministers.’

    These two Heads concerning the Religion, and some others concerning the Policy, being concluded, the old Earl of Argyle took the maintenance of John Douglas, caused him preach publicly in his house, and reformed many things according to his counsel. The same boldness took diverse others, as well within towns as to landward; which did not a little trouble the Bishops and Queen Regent, as by this letter, committed to Sir David Hamilton [of Preston] from the Bishop of St. Andrews to the said Earl of Argyle, may be clearly understood: — ‘MY LORD,—After maist hartlie commendation,—this is to advertise your Lordship, we have direct this berar, our Cousing, towart your Lordschipe, in sick besynes and effaris as concernes your Lordschipis honor, proffeitt, and great weall; lyk as the said berar will declare your Lordschipe at mare lenth. Praying your Lordschipe effectuously to adverte thairto, and geve attendance to us, your Lordschipis freindis, that ay hes willed the honor, proffeitt, and uter wealth of your Lordschipis house, as of our awin; and credite to the berar. And Jesu haif your Lordschipe in everlesting keaping. ‘Off Edinburgh, the 25th day of March, Anno 1558. ‘Your Lordschippes art all power, ‘J. SANCTANDROIS.’ Shortly after this, God called to His mercy the said Earl of Argyle from the miseries of this life; whereof the Bishops were glad. They thought that their great enemy was taken out of the way; but God disappointed them.

    For as the said Earl departed most constant in the true faith of Jesus Christ, with a plain renunciation of all impiety, superstition, and idolatry, so he left it to his son in his testament, ‘That he should study to set forward the public and true preaching of the Evangel of Jesus Christ, and to suppress all superstition and idolatry, to the uttermost of his power.’

    In which point small fault can be found with him to this day. God be merciful to his other offenses. 7 Amen. [At this point, on the margin of the 1566 manuscript, is written, apparently in Knox’s hand, and then deleted, ‘Here take in the Beggars’ Summons, warning the Friars.’ Although Knox seems afterwards to have intended to insert this document in the Second Book, it may be conveniently given here. On 1st January 1559, a copy of this placard was found posted on the gates of all the religious establishments in Scotland]: — ‘The Blind, Crooked, Bedrells (bedridden) , Widows, Orphans, and all other poor, so visited by the hand of God, as they may not work, ‘To the flocks of all Friars within this Realm, we wish Restitution of wrongs past, and Reformation in times coming,— for salutation. ‘Ye yourselves are not ignorant—and though ye would be, it is now, thanks to God, known to the whole world, by His Infallible Word—that the benignity or alms of all Christian people pertain to us allenarly (only), which you, being whole of body, stark (strong), sturdy, and able to work—what under pretense of poverty, and nevertheless possessing most easily all abundance, what through cloaked and hooded simplicity, though your pride is known, and what by feigned holiness, which now is declared superstition and idolatry have these many years, express against God’s Word, and the practice of His holy Apostles, to our great torment, alas! most falsely stolen from us. And also ye have, by your false doctrine and wresting of God’s Word, learned of your father Satan, induced the whole people, high and low, in [to the] sure hope and belief, that to clothe, feed and nourish you, is the only most acceptable alms allowed before God; and to give a penny, or a piece of bread once in the week, is enough for us. Even so, ye have persuaded them to build to you great Hospitals, and maintain you therein by their purse, which only pertain now to us by all law, as bigged and doted (built and endowed) to the poor, of whose number ye are not, nor can be repute, neither by the law of God, nor yet by no other law proceeding of nature, reason, or civil policy. ‘Wherefore, seeing our number is so great, so indigent, and so heavily oppressed by your false means, that none take care of our misery, and that it is better to provide for these our impotent members, which God has given us, to oppone to you in plain controversy, than to see you hereafter, as ye have done before, steal from us our lodgings, and ourselves, in the meantime, to perish and die for want of the same, we have thought good; therefore, ere we enter with you in conflict, to warn you, in the name of the great God, by this public writing affixed on your gates where ye now dwell, that ye remove furth of our said Hospitals, betwixt this and the Feast of Whitsunday next, so that we, the only lawful proprietors thereof, may enter thereto, and afterwards enjoy the commodities of the Kirk, which ye have heretofore wrongly held from us. Certifying you, if ye fail, we will at the said term, in whole number—with the help of God, and assistance of His saints on earth, of whose ready support we doubt not —enter and take possession of our said patrimony, and eject you utterly forth of the same. ‘Let him therefore that before hath stolen, steal no more; but rather let him work with his hands, that he may be helpful to the poor. ‘FROM THE WHOLE CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES OF SCOTLAND, THE FIRST DAY OF JANUARY 1558’ [1559].

    The Bishops continued in their Provincial Council even unto [2nd May 1559] the day that John Knox arrived in Scotland. That they might give some show to the people that they minded Reformation, they sparsed abroad a rumor thereof, and set forth somewhat in print, which of the people was called ‘The Two-penny Faith.’ 1. Among their Acts there was much ado for caps, shaven crowns, tippets, long gowns, and such other trifles. 2. Item, That none should enjoy office or benefice ecclesiastical, except a Priest. 3. Item, That no Kirk-man should nourish his own bairns in his own company; but that every one should hold the children of others. 4. That none should put his own son in his own benefice. 5. That if any were found in open adultery, for the first fault he should lose the third of his benefice; for the second crime, the half; and for the third, the whole benefice.

    But herefrom appealed the Bishop of Moray and other Prelates, saying, ‘That they would abide at the Canon Law.’ And so might they well enough do, so long as they remained interpreters, dispensators, makers, and disannullers of that law. But let the same law have the true interpretation and just execution, and the Devil shall as soon be proven a true and obedient servant unto God, as any of that sort shall be proven a Bishop, or yet to have any just authority within the Church of Christ Jesus. But we return to our History.

    The persecution [of Protestants] was decreed, as well by the Queen Regent as by the Prelates. But there rested a point, which the Queen Regent and France had not at that time obtained; to wit, That the Crown Matrimonial 10 should be granted to Francis, husband to our Sovereign, and so should France and Scotland be but one kingdom, the subjects of both Realms to have equal liberty, Scotsmen in France and Frenchmen in Scotland. The glistre (luster) of the profit that was judged would ensue to Scotsmen, at the first sight blinded many men’s eyes. But a small wind caused that mist suddenly to vanish away; for the greatest offices and benefices within the Realm were appointed for Frenchmen. Monsieur de Rubie kept the Great Seal; and Bartholomew Villemore was Comptroller.

    Melrose and Kelso should have been a ‘commend’ to the poor Cardinal of Lorraine! 11 The freedom of Scottish merchants was restrained in Rouen, and they were compelled to pay toll other than their ancient liberties did bear.

    But to get the Matrimonial Crown, the Queen Regent left no point of the compass unsailed. With the Bishops and Priests she practiced in this manner:— ‘Ye may clearly see that I cannot do what I would within this Realm; for these heretics and confederates of England are so banded together, that they stop all good order. But, if ye will be favorable unto me in this suit of the Matrimonial Crown to be granted to my daughter’s husband, then shall ye see how I shall handle these heretics and traitors ere it be long.’ In very deed, in these promises, she meant no deceit! Unto the Protestants she said: ‘I am not unmindful how oft ye have suited (petitioned) me for Reformation in religion. Gladly would I consent thereunto; but ye see the power and craft of the Archbishop of St.

    Andrews, together with the power of the Duke and of the Kirkmen, ever bent against me in all my proceedings. I may do nothing unless the full authority of this realm be devolved to the King of France, which cannot be but by donation of the Crown Matrimonial; which thing if ye will bring to pass, then devise what ye please in matters of religion, and they shall be granted.’

    With this commission was Lord James, then Prior of St. Andrews, directed to the Earl of Argyle, with more other promises than we list to rehearse.

    By such dissimulation to those that were simple and true of heart, inflamed she them to be more fervent in her petition, than herself appeared to be. So at the Parliament, held at Edinburgh in the month of October, the year of God 1558, it was clearly voted, no man reclaiming, except the Duke for his interest. Yet for it there was no better law produced, except that there was a solemn Mass appointed for that purpose in the Pontifical!

    This head obtained, whereat France and the Queen Regent principally shot, what faith she kept unto the Protestants, in our Second Book shall be declared. In the beginning whereof, we must more amply rehearse some things, that in this our First are summarily touched.

    END OF BOOK 1

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