The present Volume completes The History of the Reformation in Scotland, and includes Book Fifth, which was published under Knox's name in 1644, but of which no manuscript copy has been discovered. Separate title pages are given, along with a Glossary and Index, as the History forms a distinct portion of the Reformer's Works; and these two volumes will probably be in the hands of many Members of the Wodrow Society who may not be inclined to procure the remaining three, or more probably, four volumes of the series, in the event of some arrangement being made by which their publication, as proposed, shall ultimately be secured. D. L. Edinburgh, May 1848.
THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE PROGRESSE OF TREW RELIGIOUN WITHIN THE REALME OF SCOTLAND.
NOTA.—HEBBURN AGAINST THE ERLE OF ARRANE BEING INNOCENT. After this our dolorous departing from Edinburgh,[1] the furye and the raige of the Frenche increassed; for then durst neither man nor woman that professed Christ Jesus within that toune be seyn. The housses of the most honest men war gevin by the Quene to Frenchemen for a parte of thair reward. The Erle Bothwell, by sound of trumpett, proclaimed the Erle of Arrane traytour,[2] with other dispytefull wourdes: whiche all was done for the pleasure and by the suggestioun of the Quene Regent,[3] who then thought the battell was won without farther resistance. Great practising sche maid for obteaneing of the Castell of Edinburgh. The Frenche maid thair faggottis, with other preparationis, to assault the said Castell either by force, or ellis by treassone. But God wrought so potentlie with the Capitane, the Lord Erskin,[4] at that tyme, that neither the Quene by flatterye, nor the Frenche by treassoun prevailled. Advertisementis with all diligence past to the Duck of Gwise, who then was King of France (as concerneing power to command)[5], requiring him then to make expeditioun, yf he desyred the full conquest of Scotland. Who delayed no tyme, but with a new armye send away his brother, Marquis Dalbuf, and in his company the Martikis,[6] promissing, that he himself should follow. But the rychteouse God, who in mercy looketh upon the afflictioun of those that unfeanedlye sob unto him, fought for us by his awin out-stretched arme; THE DROWNYNG OF THE FRENCHE.for, upon one nycht, upon the coast of Holand, war drowned of thame aughttein ensenzeis, so that onlye rested the schip in the whiche war the two principallis foirsaid, with thair Ladyis; who, violentlie dreven back agane to Deape,[7] war compelled to confesse, That God fawght for the defence of Scotland. Frome England returned Robert Melven,[8] who past in cumpanye to London with the Secreatarie,[9] a lytill befoir Christenmesse,[10] and brought unto us certane Articles to be ansuered, as by the contract that after was made, more planely shall appeir. Whairupon the Nobilitie convened at Striveling, and returned ansuer with diligence. Whairof the Frenche advertisshed, thei marched to Lynlythqw, spoiled the Duckis house, and waisted his landis of Kynneill;[11] and thairefter came to Striveling,[12] whair thei remaned certane dayis: (the Duck, the Erles of Ergyle and Glencarne, with thair freindis, passed to Glaskow; the Erle of Arrane, and Lord James, past to Sanctandrois; for charge was gevin to the haill Nobilitie, Protestantis, to keap thair awin bodyis, till that God should send thame farther supporte.) The Frenche took purpose first to assault Fyffe; for at it was thair great indignatioun. Thair purpose was, to have tacken and fortifyed the Toune and Abbay, with the Castell of Sanctandrois; and so thei cam to Culross, after to Dumfermeling, and then to Bruntyland, whair thei began to forte; but desisted thairfra, and marched to Kynghorne, upoun the occasioun as followeth. THE ERLE OF SUDDERLANDE SCHOTE When certane knowledge came to the Erle of Arrane, and to Lord James, that the Frenche war departed from Striveling, thei departed also from Sanctandrois, and begane to assemble thair forces at Cowper, and send thair men of warr to Kinghorne;[13] unto whome thair resorted diverse of the coast syd, of mynd to resist rather at the begynnyng, than when thei had destroyed a parte of thair townes. But the Lordis had gevin ane expresse commandiment, that thei should hasard nothing whill that thei thameselfis war present. And for that purpose was send unto thame the Lord Ruthven, a man of great experience, and inferiour to few in stowtnes. In his cumpany was the Erle of Sudderland,[14] send from the Erle of Huntley, as he alledged, to conforte the Lordis in thair afflictioun; butt otheris whispered, that his principall commissioun was unto the Quene Regent. Howsoever it was, he was hurte in the arme by the schote of ane haquebute; for the men of warr, and the rascall multitude, perceaving certane boatis of Frenchemen landing, whiche cam from Leyth, purposed to stoppe thair landing; and so, nott considering the ennemeis that approched from Bruntyland, unadvisedlie thei russhed doune to the Petticurr, (so is that bray be-west Kynghorne[15] called,) and at the sea-coast began the skarmissing, butt never took head to the ennemye that approached by land, till that the horsemen charged thame upon thair backis, and the hole bandis cam directlie in thare faces; and so war thei compelled to geve backis, with the loss of sex or sevin of thair men, and with the takein of some, amangis whome war twa that professed Christ Jesus, one named Paule Lambert,[16] a Ducheman, and a Frenche boy, fervent in religioun, and cleane of lyef, whome, in despyte, thei hanged ower the steaple.[17] Thou shall revenge, O Lord, in thy appointed tyme! The caus that in so great a danger thair was so small a losse, nixt unto the mercyfull providence of God, was the suddane cuming of the Lord Ruthven; for evin as our men had gevin backis, he and his cumpany came to the head of the bray, and did not onlie stay the Frenche footemen, but also some of ours brack upoun thair horsemen, and so repulsed thame that thei did no farther hurte to oure footemen. In that rencontare was the Erle of Sudderland foirsaid schote in the arme, and was caryed back to Cowper. The Frenche took Kinghorne, whair they lay, and wasted the countrey about, alsweall Papistis as Protestantis; yea, even those that war confidderat with thame, suche as Seafield, Weames, Balmowto, Balwearry, and otheris,[18] ennemyes to God and traytouris to thair countrey. Of those (we say) thei spaired not the scheipe, the oxen, the kyne, and horse; and some say that thair wyffis and doughtaris gatt favouris of the Frenche soldiouris. And so did God recompense the Papistis in thair awin bosomes, for, besydis the defoulling of thair housses, as said is, tuo of thame resavit more damage then did all the gentilmen that professed the Evangell within Fyff, the Laird of Grange onlye excepted, whose [house[19]] of the Grange the Frenche owerthrew by gun pouder. THE CASTEIN DOUN OF THE HOUSE OF THE GRANGE. The Quene Regent, proude of this victorie, burst furth in hir blasphemous rayling, and said, "Whair is now Johne Knox his God? My God is now stronger than his, yea even in Fyff." Sche posted to hir freindis in France news[20] that thousandis of the heretickis war slaine, and the rest war fled; and thairfoir requyred, that some Nobleman of hir freindis wald cum and tak the glorie of that victorye. Upon that informatioun was the Martikkis, with tuo schippis, and sum Captanis and horse, directed to cum to Scotlande; but litill to thair awin advantage, as we sall after heare. JOAN. 6 The Lordis of the Congregatioun, offended at the folisheness of the rascall multitude, called to thameselfis the men of warr, and remaned certane dayes at Cowper; unto whome repaired Johne Knox, and, in our greatest disperatioun, preached unto us a most comfortable sermon. His text was, "The danger in whiche the disciplis of Christ Jesus stude quhen thei wer in the mydest of the sea, and Jesus was upon the mountaine." His exhortatioun was, "That we sould not faint, but that we sould still row aganis these contrarius blastis, till that Jesus Christ sould come; for (said he,) I am as assuredlie persuaded that God sall delyver us frome the extreme trowbill, as that I am assured that this is the Evangell of Jesus Christ whiche I preche unto [you] this day. 'The fourth watche is nocht yet come;' abyde a lytill: the boit salbe saved, and Peter, whiche hes left the boit, sall not droune. I am assured, albeit I cannot assure[21] you, be reason of this present rage; God grant that ye may acknawlege his hand, after that your eyes hes seine his delyverance." In that sermon he comforted manye. And yit he offended the Erle of Arrane; for, in his discourse upoun the manifald assaultis that the Churche of God had sustained, he brocht for exampille the multitude of strangeris that persewed Jehosaphat after that he had reformed religioun. He entreted the fear of the pepill, yea, and of the King himself att the first; but after, he affirmed, that Jehosaphat was stout, and to declair his courage in his God, he conforted his pepile and his souldiouris; he come fourth in the mydest of thame; he spak lovinglie unto thame. He keipit not himself (said he) inclosed in his chalmer, but frequented the multitude, and rejoised thame with his presence and godlie comforte. These, and the lyik sentences, took the said Erle to be spoken in reproache of him, because he keipit himself more close and solitary then many men wald half wisshed. After these thingis, determinatioun was tacken that the Erle of Arrane, and Lord James, with the men of warr, and sum company of horsemen, sould goe to Dyserte, and thair lye to wait upoun the Frenche, that they distroyed not the sea-cost, as thei intendit utterlie to have doun. The said Erle, and Lord James, did as thei war appointed, albeit thair company was very small; and yet thei did so valiantlie, that it passed all credabilitie:[22] for twentie and ane dayis thei lay in thair clothes; thair buttis never come of: thei had skarmissing almost everie day; yea, some dayis, from morne to evin.[23] The Frenche war foure thousand souldiouris,[24] besyde thair favoreris and factioun of the countrey. The Lordis war never togidder fyve hundreth horsmen, with a hundreth souldiouris; and yitt thai held the Frenche so busye, that for everie horse thai slew to the Congregatioun, thai lost foure Frenche souldiouris. THE SLAUCHTER OF A FRENCHE CAPITANE, WITH HIS BAND. Willyeaume Kirkaldie of Grange, the day efter that his housse was cassein doun, send in his defiance to Monsieur D'Osell, and unto the rest, declaring, that to that hour had he used the Frenche favourablie: He had saved thair lyves, when that he mycht have suffered thair throttis to have been cuttit; bot seing thai haid usit him with that rigor, let thame not luik for that favour in tymes to cum. And unto Monsieur D'Osell he said, "He knew that he wald not gett him in the skirmissing, becauis he knew he was bot a cowart; bot it mycht be that he sould quyte him a commoun ather in Scotland, or ellis in France." The said Willyeaume Kirkaldie, and the Maister off Lyndsay, eschaped mony dangeris. The Maister had his hors slaine under him: the said Willyeaume was almost betrayed in his hous at Hawyairdis.[25] But yet thei never seased, bot nycht and day thai waitted upon the Frenche. Thai laid thameselves in a secreit place, with sum gentilmen befoir the day, to await upoun the Frenche, quho usit commonlie to isch in companyis, to seik thair pray; and so cam fourth ane Capitane Battu,[26] with his hundreth, and begane to spoilzie; quhom the said Maister, now Lord of Lyndsay,[27] and the said Wilyeaume, suffered, without declaratioun of thameselfis, or of thair cumpany, till that thai had thame more than a myle fra Kinghorne, and then begane the horsmen to brek; whiche perceved, the Frenche altogither drew to a place callit Glenniss[28] House, and maid for debait: sum tuik the housse, and utheris deffended the close and yaird. The hasard appereth verry unliklie, for oure men had na thing bot speris, and war compellit to lycht upoun thair feit. The other war within dykis; and everie man had culverinis: the schote was feirfull to mony, and dyverse war hourt, amongis quhome war Robert Hamiltoun,[29] and David Kirkaldie, brother to the said Laird, quho both war supposed to have bein slaine. The said Laird perceving men to faynt, and begyne to recule, said, "Fy, lett us never leive efter this day, that we sall recule for Frenche schybaldis;" and so the Maister of Lyndsay and he burst in at the yett, and so utheris followed. The Maister struik with his speir at La Battu, and glansing upoun his harness, for feirceness stamered almost upoun his kneis. But recovering suddendlie, he fessned his speir, and bare the Capitaine bakward, who, becauis he wald not be takein, was slaine, and fyftie of his cumpanie with hym. Those that war into the house, with sum utheris, war saved, and [sent] to Dundye to be kept. This mischance to the Frenche men maid thame to be more circumspect in scatring abrod into the countrie; and so the poore creaturis gat sum releive. To fourness thame[30] of victuelis, was appointed Capitane Cullen,[31] with tuo schippis, quho traveled betuix the south schoire and Kinghorne, for that purpois. For his waiges he spoilzied Kinghorne, Kirkaldie, and so muche of Dyserte as he mycht. For remedy quhairof war appointit tuo schippis from Dundye: Andro Sandis, a stout and fervent man in the cause of religioun, was the principall. This same tyme arrived the Martekis,[32] quho, without delay, landit himself, his cofferis, and the principall gentilmen that were with him at Leith,[33] leiving the rest in the schippis till better oportunitie. But the said Andro, and his companioun, streicking saill and making as thai wald cast anker hard besyde thame, burded thame both, and carried thame to Dundye. In thame war gotten sum horse, and muche harness, with sum uther triffilis; but of money we hard nocht. Heareat the Frenche offended, avowed the distructioun of Sanctandrois and Dundye; and so, upoun a Mononday in the morning, the xxiij. day of Januare,[34] thai marchit frome Dyserte, and passed the water of Levein;[35] ever keaping the sea-cost, be reassoun of thaire schippis and victuallis, as said is. About tuelf houris thai espyed schippis, (quhiche war seine that morning by us that war upoun the land, but war not knawin.) Monsieur D'Osell affirmed thame to be Frenche schippis, and so the souldiouris triumphit, schot thair volie for salutatioun, and marchit fordward till Kincraige,[36] fearing no resistance. But schorte efter, the Ingliche schippis mett with Capitain Culein, and seased him and his schippis,[37] quhiche maid thame a litill to muse. But suddentlie come Maister Alexander Wood, who had bein upoun the Admirall,[38] and assured Monsieur D'Osell, that thai wer Inglissmen, and that thai war the foir-ryderis of a gretter number that followed, who war send for the supporte of the Congregatioun. Thair mycht have bein seine the ryveing of a baird, and mycht have bein hard suche dispyte, as cruell men use to spew furth quhile as God[39] brydellis thair furie. Weariness and the nycht constrained thame to luge thair. Thai sowped skarslie,[40] becaus thair schippis war takein, in the quhilk was thair victuellis and ordinance, quhiche thai intendit to have placed in Sanctandrois. Thai thameselvis durst nocht stray abrod to seake; and the Laird of Weymmes cariage, whiche lykwyis was cumming with fournissing unto thame, was stayit. And thairfoir, bytymes in the mornyng, thai retired towardis Kinghorne, and maid more expeditioun in one day in returning, then thai did in two in marching fordward. The storme, whiche had continuit neire the space of a moneth, brak in the verry tyme of thair reteiring, quhairby mony thocht thei sould have bein stayit, till that reasonabill cumpanie mycht have bein assemblit to have fouchtein thame; and for that purpois did Wilyeaume Kirkcaldy cut the Brig of Toullibody.[41] But the Frenche, expert aneuch in suche factis, tuik doun the roofe of a parish kirk, and maid a brig over the same watter,[42] called Dovane; and so thai eschapit, and come to Striveling, and syne to Leith. Yit in thair retourning thai lost dyverse; amongis quhome thair was one quhois miserable end we man rehers. As the Frenche spoilyied the countrye in thair retourning, one capitaine or soldiour, we cannot tell, bot he had a reid cloik and a gilt morrion,[43] entered upoun a poore woman, that dwelt in the Whytsyd, and began to spoyle. The poore woman offered unto him suche breid as sche had reddy prepared. But he, in no wayis thairwith content, wald have the meill and a lytill salt beiff whiche the poore woman had to susteine hir awin lyfe, and the lyves of hir poore chylderein; neather could tearis, nor [pitifull] wourdis,[44] mittigat the merciles man, but he wald have quhatsoever he mycht carie. The poore woman perceving him so bent, and that he stoupped doun in hir tub, for the taking foorth of suche stufe as was within it, first cowped up his heillis, so that his heid went doun; and thairefter, outher[45] by hirself, or if ony uther cumpanie come to help hir, but thair he endit his unhappie lyfe; God so punissing his crewell hairt, quho could nocht spair a misserable woman in that extremetie. "Let all suche soldiouris receve suche rewaird, O Lord, seing that thou art the revenger of the oppressed."
And now, because that frome this tyme forward, frequent mentioun will be maid of the comfortable support that we, in oure greattest extremetie receved, by Goddis providence, frome oure nychtbouris of Ingland, we think it expedient simply to declair by quhat instrumentis that mater was first moved, and by quhat meanis it come to passe, that the Quene and Counsell of Ingland schew thameselves sa favorable unto us. As Jhonne Knox had foirwairned us, by his letteris frome Geneva, of all dangeris that he foirsaw [to] ensew on our enterpryse; so quhen he come to Deip, myndfull of the same, and revolveing with himself quhat remedy God wald pleis to offere, he tuike the boldnes to wreit to Sir Williame Cycill, Secretarie of Ingland, with quhome the said Jhonne had bein befoire familiarlie acquented, intending thairby[46] to renew acquentence, and so to oppen farther of his mynd.[47] The tennour of his first Letter followis:— "The Spreit of Jugement, Wisdome, and Sanctificatioun, I wishe unto you, by Jesus Chryst. Jhone Knox first letter to Sir Williame Cecyll. "As I have no plaisour with long wretting to trouble you, Rycht Honorable, quhois mynd I knaw to be occupyed with most grave maters,[48] so mynd I nott greattlie to lawboure by long preface to conciliat your favouris, quhilk I suppoise I have allreddy, (howsomer rumouris bruit the contrarie,) as it becummeth one member of Chrystis body to have of ane uther. The contentis, thairfoire, of these my presentis sal be absolved in tuo pointis. In the former, I purpois to discharge, in breve wordis, my conscience towardis you: and in the uther, somquhat must I speik in my awin defence, and in defence of that poore floke, of lait assembled in the most godlie Reformed Churche and citie of the warld, Geneva. To you, Sir, I say, that as frome God ye have receavit lyfe, wisdome, honoris, and this present estait, in the quhilk now ye stand, so aucht you whollie[49] to employ the same to the advancement of his glorie, who onlie is the author of lyef, the fountaine of wisdome, and quho most assuredlie doeth, and will honour and glorifie these, that, with sempill hairtis, do glorifie him; quhiche, allace, in tymes past ye have nott doun; bot bein overcum with comoun iniquitie, ye have followed the warld in the way of perditioun. For to the suppressing of Christis trew Evangell, to the erecting of idolatrie, and to the schedding of the blood of Goddis most deare childrein have you, by silence, consented and subscryvit. This youre most horrible defectioun frome the treuth knawin, and anis professed, hath God to this day mercifullie spared; yea, to manis judgement, he hath utterlie forgottin and pardoned the same. He hath not intreated you as he hath done utheris, (of lyke knawlege,) quhome in his anger, (bot yet most justlie, according to thair desertis,) he did schoirtlie stryk efter thair defectioun. But you (gyltie in the same offenses) he hath fostered and preserved, as it wer in his awin bosome, during the tyme of that most miserable thraldome of that professed ennemie of God, mischeivous Marie: and now hath he sett you at such liberty, as the furie of Goddis ennemeis can nott hurt you, except that willinglie aganis his honour, ye tak pleisour to conspyre with thame. As the benefeit quhiche ye hath received is greit, so most Goddis justice requyre of you a thankfull hairt; for seing that his mercie hath spared you, being trator to his Majestie; seing farder, that amanges youre ennemeis he hath preserved you; and, last, seing, although wourthie[50] of hell, he hath promoted you to honoris and dignitie,[51] of you must he requyre (becauis he is just) earnest repentence for your former defectioun, a hairt myndfull of his mercifull providence, and a will so reddy to advance his glorie, that evidentlie it may appeire, that in vaine ye have nott receved these graces of God; to performance quhairof, of necessitie it is, that carnall wisdome and wardly policie, (to the which both, ye are bruitted too muche inclyned,) gif place to Goddis simple and naked treuth. Verry love compellit me to say, that except the Spreit of God purge youre hairt frome that vennum, which your eis have seine to have bein distructioun till utheris, that ye sall nott lang escaip the rewaird of dissembleris. Call to mynd quhatt your earis heard proclamed in the chapell[52]of Sanct James, quhen this verse of the first Psalme was entreated, "Not so, O wicked, nott so; bot as the dust which the wind tossed," etc. And consider, that now ye travaill in the same way which then thai did occupy; plainlie to speak, now are ye in that estait and creddit, in the whiche ye sall ather confort the sorrowfull and afflicted for rychteousness saik, or ellis ye sall molest and oppugne the Spreit of God speaking in his messingeris. The confortares of the afflicted for godlines have promise of confort in thair greatest necessiteis; but the trubleris of Goddis servandis, (how contemned that ever[53]thai appeir befoire the warld,) are threatned to leive thair names in execratioun to the posteriteis following. The examples of the one and of the uther are nott onlye evident in Scriptures, bot also have bein laitlie manifested in England. And this is the conclusioun of that, whiche to youre self, I say, Except that in the cause of Chrystis Evangell ye be found semple, sincear, fervent, and unfeaned, ye sall taist of the same copp, whiche politick headis have drunkein in befoire you. THE WARST IS NOTT YITT COME. "The uther poynt concerning my self, and that poore flocke now dispersed, and (as I heir say) rudelie intreated, is this: By dyverse messingeris I have requeisted suche previleges as Turkis comounlie do grant to men of everie natioun; to wit, that fredome sould be granted unto me peceablie to travell throucht England,[54] to the end that with greater expeditioun I mycht repair towardis my awin countrie, quhilk now beginneth to thrist for Chrystis treuth. This requeist I thocht sa reassonable, that almost I had entered the realme without licence demandit; and yeit I understand that it had bein so rejected, that the solistaris thairof did hardlie eschaip empresement.[55] And some of that flocke I heir to be so extremelie handled, that those that most cruellie have shed the blood of Goddis most deare childrein, find this day amangis you greattar favouris then thei do. Allace, this appereth muche to repugne to Christiane cheritie; for quhatsoevir hath bein my offence, this I feare nott to affirme in thair causses, that if ony whiche have suffered exyle in these most dolorus dayis of persecutioun, deserve prais and commendatioun, for peace, concorde, sober and quiet liveing, it is thei. And as for me, how criminall that ever I be in Goddis presence, for the multitude of my synnes; yet befoire his justice-seat I have a testimonie of guid conscience, that sence my first acquentance with England, willinglie I never offended persone within it, (except in oppin chayre to reprove that whiche God condemneth) can be judged offense. But I have, (say you,) wreittin a treassonable [booke] aganis the Regiment and Impyre of Women: If that be my offense, the poore flocke is innocent, (except suche as this day do fastest cry treasoun:) For, Sir, in Goddis presence I wreitt, with none in that cumpany did I consult befoire the finisheing of the same; and, thairfoire, in Chrystis name, I requyre that the blame may ly upoun me allone. The wreitting of that Booke I will nott deny, but to prove it treassonable I think it salbe hard. For, Sir, no more do I doubt of the treuth of my principall propositioun, then that I doubt that this was the voce of God whiche first did pronunce this penaltie aganis woman, "In doloure sall thou beare thy chyldrein." It is bruitted, that my Booke is or salbe writtin against. Yf so be, Sir, I greatlie feare that flattereris sall rather hurte nor mend the mater, which thei wald seame to mainteine; for, except that my error be plainlie schawin and confuted be better authoritie then by suche lawis as frome yeir to yeir may and do change, I dar nott promitt silence in so wechtie a besines, leist that in so doing, I sall appear to betray the verretie whiche is not subjected to the mutabilitie of tyme. And if ony think me ather ennemye to the Persone or yet to the Regiment of her quhome God hath now promoted, thei are utterlie deceived of me. For the miraculouse wark of God, conforting his afflicted by ane infirme veschell, I do acknawlege, and the power of his most potent hand (raiseing up quhome best pleiseit his mercie to suppresse such as fecht aganis his glorie) I will obey, albeit that boyth nature and Goddis most perfyt ordinance repugne to suche regiment. Moir plainlie to speik, yf Quene Elizabeth sall confesse, that the extraordinarie dispensatioun of Goddis great mercie macketh that lauchfull unto her, whiche boyth nature and Goddis law do deny to all women, then sall non in England be more willing to mainteine her lauchfull authoritie then I salbe: But yf (Goddis wonderouse werk sett asyd) scho ground (as God forbid) the justnes of her title upoun consuetude, lawis, or ordinances of men; then I am assured, that as suche foolishe presumpcioun doeth heyghlie offend Goddis supreame majesty, so do I greatlie feare that her ingratitude sall nocht lang lack punishement. And this in the name of the eternall God, and of his sone Jesus Chryst, (befoire quhome boyth you and I sall stand, to mak accomptes of all counsall we geve,) I requyre you to signifie unto Her Grace in my name; adding, that onlie humilitie and dejectioun of herself before God salbe the firmitie and stabilitie of her throne, quhilk I knaw sall be assulted mo wayis then one. Yf this ye conceill[56]frome Her Grace, I will mak it patent to the warld that thus far I have communicated with you, haveing also farther to speik, yf my weik judgement may be hearde. Allace, Sir, is my offense (althocht in that tyme, and in that mater, I had writtin ten bookis) so haineuse that I can nott have licence, by preacheing of Christ Jesus, to refreshe thoise thrustye saulles whiche long have laicked the watter of lyffe. No man will I presentlie accuse; butt I greatlie fear, that the leprouse have no plaisour to behald thair faces in the cleir glasse. Lett none[57]be affrayed that I requyre to frequent the Courte, ather yet of any continuance to remaine in England; but onlye thristis in passing furthe to my awin native countrie to communicat with you and sum uther, suche thingis as willinglie I list nott to committ to paper, neither yet to the knawledge and creddit of many; and then, in the Northe pairtes, to offer Goddis favouris to suche as I suppoise do murne for thair defectioun. And this I trust salbe no less profitable to Her Grace, and to all godlie within England, then it sould be pleiseing to me in the flesche. "This is the thrid tyme that I have beggit licence to visite the hungrie and thristie amangs you, whiche, yf now be denyed, as befoire God I have a testimonie, that so muche I seik nott myself, as the advancement of Chrystis Evangell, and the conforte of suche as quhome I knaw afflicted; so sall the godlie understand that England, in refuseing me, refuseth a friend, how small that ever the power be. The mychtie Spreit of the Lord Jesus muve youre hairte deaplie to consider youre dewtie unto God, and the estait of that Realme in whiche, by his appointement, ye now serve. From Deape, the [22d[58]] of Aprile 1559. (Sic subscribitur,)
"Youris to command in godlines, "Jhone Knox."
To this letter was no answer maid; for schorte thairefter the said Jhone Knox maid forduard to Scotland by sea, where he landed the thrid day of Maij;[59] and had suche successe as in the Secound Booke is declaired. The said Jhone being in Sanctandrois efter Cuper Mure,[60] entred in deipe discourse with the Laird of Grange: the dangeris war evident, butt the supporte was nott easie to be seine. Efter many wordis, Jhone Knox burstit furth as followis: "Yff England wald foirsie thair awin comoditie, yea, yf thai did consider the danger quhairin thei thameselfis stand, thai wald nott suffer us to perishe in this quarrell; for France hath decreit no less the conquest of England then of Scotland." After long reassoning, it was concluded betuix thame two, that supporte sould be cravit of England; and for that purpois, the said Laird of Grange first wreit to Sir Harie Percie,[61] and efter raid frome Edinburgh and spak with him; to quhome he maid so plaine demonstratioun of the danger appeiring to England, that he tooke upoun him to wreit to the Secretarie Cycill; quho with expeditioun returned answer bak agane, geving him to understand, thatt oure interpryse altogitther myslyked nott the Counsall, albeit that thei desyrit farther resolutioun of the principall Lordis. Whiche thing understand, it was concluded by some[62]to wreitt unto him plainlie oure hoill purpois. The tennor of oure letter was this:— The first Letter to [Sir] Willyaume Cycill, fra the Lordis of the Congregatioun. "The contentis of a letter direct by you (rycht worschipfull) to Sir Harie Percie, was notifeid unto us by Mr. Kircaldie of Grange, this Sonday the [16th[63] of Julij, by the whiche we perceave, that the said Grange, of zeill and faithfull hairt whiche he bereth to the furtherance of this our great, and, befoire the warld, dangerous interpryse, hath travelled with you as with ane unfeaned favorer of Chrystis trew religioun, and of the libertie of our countrye, for knawlege of your myndis towardis us, incais that we be assaulted by ony forayne invasioun, or greater power then we be weill able to resist. Youre confortable answer to this questioun we have considered, to our joy and conforte, as also youre motiouns, and quhatt ye demand; to witt, What we, the Protestantis within this realme, do purpois? To quhatt end we meane to directe oure actiouns? How we will, and how we be[64] able to accompleis the same? What doubtis we have of ony adversare powar? And finallie, incais that supporte sould be send frome you, what maner of amytie mycht insew betuix these twa realmes? To the whiche in breve we answer, That oure hoille and only purpois (as knaweth God) is to advance the glorye of Chryst Jesus, the trew preaching of his evangell[65] within this realme; to remove superstitioun, and all kynd of idolatrie;[66]to brydeill to our poweris the furie of those that heirtofoir have cruellie sched the bloode of our bretherein; and, to our utermest, to meanteine the libertie of this oure countrye frome the tirranie and thraldome of strangeris, as God sall assist us. How we [sall] be able to accompleiss these premisses, is to us unknawin; onlye oure hoip is guid that He that hes begune this guid wark in us, and hathe, by his power, to this hour confounded the faces of our adversaries, will performe the same to his glorie, whiche chieflie we seik in this oure interpryse. Because we suppoise, that neither oure present danger, neither yett the weirlyke preparatioun whiche France maketh aganis us, be hyd frome you nor frome the Counsall, we omitt that pairt. As tuicheing the assurance of a perpetuall amity to stand betuix these twa Realmes; as no earthlie [thing] of us is more desyred, so crave we of God to mak us instrumentis by whiche this unnaturall debaite, whiche long hath continued betuix us, may anis be composed, to the prais of Goddis name, and to the confort of the faithfull in boyth realmes. And gif youre wisdomes can foirsie and devyse the meanes and assurances, how the same may be brocht to passe; perswade youreselfis, not onlye of oure consent and assistance, but also of oure constancie, as men may promeise, to oure lyves end; yea, and farther, of a charge and commandement by us to be left to oure posteritie, that the amity betuix [us], in God contracted and begun, may be by thame kept inviolat for ever. And for the revolting frome you to France, whiche yee seeme to fear and suspect, at thair pleisour, we utterlie abhor that infidelitie; for now doeth the voyce[67] of God continualie sound in our earis, 'That suche as profaine the terrible and reverent name of God, sall nott eschaip veangence.' Oure confederacie, amitie, and leigue, sall nott be lyke the pactions maid by wardlie men for wardlie proffeit; but as we require it for Goddis caus, so will we incall his name for the observatioun of the same. Moirover, gif we sould laike any thing to temporall commoditie, yitt sould we never have occasioun to returne to thame; ffor we now perceave and feill the wecht of thair yoke, and intend (by Goddis grace) to cutt away suche instrumentis[68] as by quhome this realme wes befoire abused. Trew it is, that as yeit we have maid no mentioun of ony change in Authoritie, neither yeit were we myndit to [do] any suche thing, till extreme necessitie compelled us thairto: but seing it is now more than evident, that France, and the Quene Regent heir, with hir preistis, pretend to nothing bot the suppressing of Chrystis Evangell, the ruyne of us, and the subversioun of [this] poore realme; committing oure innocencie to God, and unto the judgment of all godlie and naturall men, we are determined to seik the nixt remedie, in whiche we hairtlie requyre youre counsaill and assistance. And this far we have interprysit, to mak you participant of oure purpois; becauis in the said letteris you requyred of the [said] Mr. Kirkcaldie sum farther assurance then his awin woord of wreitting, whiche we dout nott bot ye sall schoirtlie receave frome mo then frome us. We dar nott haistellie mak the whole assemblie, neither of noblis, neither of barronis, prevy in this cause, for dangeris that may insew by policie and craft of the adversaries; youre Wisdomes, we doubt not, will communicat these onlye, with suche as ye knaw favoraris of such ane godlie conjunctioun. It should much help in oure opinioun, gif the preacharis boyth in persuasioun and in publict prayeris, (as ouris do heire,) wald commend the same unto the peopill. And thus, efter oure humill commendatiounis to the Quenis Majestie, (quhois reigne we desyre to be prosperous and long, to the glorie of God, and conforte of his Churche,) we hairtlie committ you to the protectioun of the Omnipotent. Fra Edinburgh, the [19th[69]] of Julij 1559." With this oure letter,[70] Jhonne Knox wreat two, one to the said Secratarie, and ane uther to the Quenis Majestie hirself, in tennour as efter followis: Jhone Knox[71] secound Letter to Mr. Cycill, for deliverance of ane uther to the Quein of England. "With my humill commendatiounis. Pleise you, Sir, to delyver this other letter inclosit to the Quenis Grace. It containeth in few and in semple wourdis my confessioun, quhat I think of hir Authoritie, how it is just, and quhat may mak it odious in Goddis presence. I heir that thair is ane Confutatioun sett furth in prent aganis 'The First Blast.'[72] God grant that the wreitter have no more socht the favoris of this present estait, no less the glorie of God, and the stable commoditie of his countrey, then did he quho enterprysed in that 'Blast' to utter his conscience. When I sall have tyme, (whiche now is sumquhatt precious unto me,) to peruse that werk, I will communicat my judgement with you. "The tyme is now, Sir, that all that either thrist Chryst Jesus to reigne in this yle, or yett the hairtes of the inhabitantes of the same to be joyned togidder in love unfained, aucht rather to studie how the same mycht be brocht to passe, then vanelie to travaill for the mantenance of that, quhairof we have allreddy seine the danger, and felt the smarte. Gif the most pairt of women be wicked, and suche as willinglie we wald nott reigne over us; and gif the most godlie, and suche as have rare graces be yett mortall, we aucht to tak heid, least in establissing one judged godlie and profitable to hir countrey, we mak ane entres and tytill to mony; off quhome not only sall the treuth be impugned, bot also sall the countrey be brocht in bondage. God give you, and utheris favoraris of your countrey, eyis to foirsee, and wisdome to avoyd the dangeris appeareing. "By dyverse [letteris], I have requyred licence to have visited the North pairtis of England; but as yitt I have ressaved no favorabill answer.[73] The longer, Sir, that it be delayed, the less conforte sall the faithfull thair receive, the weaker sall the Quenis Grace be. Gif I war nott to hir Grace are unfeaned friend, I wald not instantlie begg suche libertie, whiche to me I knaw sall neither be profitable nor pleising in the flesche. The estait of thingis here comoun, I dout nott ye knaw. Some thingis I have, (as oft I have wreitten,) whiche gladlie I wald communicat, quhilk I mynd nott to committ unto paper and ynk: find, thairfoir, the meanis that I may speik suche one as ye will credit in all thingis. The grace of the Lord Jesus rest with you. "I hairtlie beseik you to have my service humblie commended to the Quenis Grace; adding, that quhosoever maketh me odious to hir Grace, seiketh somequhatt besydis the glorie of God, and hir Grace's prosperitie; and thairfoir can nott be assured and unfayned freindis. From, &c."
The letter sent be the said Jhonne, to the Quenis Majestie of England, being inclosed in the foirsaid Mr. Cycillis letter. "To the verteous and godlie Elizabeth, by the grace of God Quein of England, &c., Jhonne Knox desyreth the perpetuall conforte of the Holy Spreit.
"As youre Grace's displeisoure aganis me, most injustlie conceaved, hath bein, and is to my wretched hearte a burdene greavouse, and almost intollerable; so is the testimony of ane cleir conscience to me ane stay and uphald, that in disperatioun I synk nott, how vehement that ever the tentatiouns appeir. For, in Goddis presence, my conscience beareth me record, that maliciously, nor of purpoise, I never offended youre Grace, nor youre realme; and, thairfoir, howsoever I be judged of man, I am assured to be absolved of him quho only knaweth the secreitis of hairtis. I can not deny the wreiting of a booke aganis the usurped Authoritie, and injust Regement of Women;[74] neither [yit] am I myndit to retract or call back any principall point, or propositioun of the same, till treuth and verritie do farder appeir. But quhy, that either youre Grace, either yitt ony suche as unfeanedlie favore the libertie of England, be offendit at the authore of suche ane warke, I can perceave no just occasioun. For, first, my booke tueched nott youre Grace's persoune [in speciall,] neither yitt is it prejudiciall till any libertie of the realme, gif the tyme of my wretting be indifferentlie considdered. How could I be ennemy to youre Grace's persone, for delyverance quhairof I did more studie, and interpryse farther, then ony of these that now accuise me? And, as concerning youre Regiment, how could or can I invy that whiche most I have thristit, and for the quhilk (as oblivioun will suffer) I render thankis unfeandlie unto God? That is, 'That he hath pleised him, of his eternall goodness, to exalt your head, (which some tymes was in danger,) to the manifestatioun of his glorie, and extirpatioun of idolatrie.' And as for my offense, quhilk I have committed against England, either in wreitting that, or of any uther werk, I will nott refuise that moderat and indifferent man judge and discerne betwix me and those that accuise [me]: to witt, quhither of the parties do maist hurt to the libertie of England, I that affirme, 'That no woman may be exalted above any[75] realme, to mak the libertie of the same thrall to ane strange, proude, and cruell natioun;' or, they that approve quhatsoever plaeseth Princes for the tyme. Gif I war alsweill disposed to accuse, as some of thame (till thair awin schame) have declaired thame selfis, I no thing doubt, bot that in few wourdis I sould lett reassonable men understand, that some that this day lawlie crouche to your Grace, and laubor to mak me odiuss in your eyes, did, in your adversitie, neather schaw thame selfis faithfull freindis to your Grace, neather so loveing and carefull over thair awin native countrey, as thei wald be estemed. But omitting the accusatioun of utheris, for my awin purgatioun, and your Grace's satisfactioun, I say, that nothing in my booke contained, is, nor can be prejudiciall to your Grace's just regiment, providit that ye be nott found ungrate unto God: Ungrate ye sallbe provein in presence of his throne, (howsoever that flattereris justifie your factioun,) gif ye transferr the glorye of that honor, in quhilk ye now stand, to any uther thing, then to the dispensatioun of his mercie, which only maketh that lauchfull to your Grace, quhilk nature and law denyeth to all woman. Neither wald I that your Grace should feare that this your humiliatioun before [God] sould, in ony caise, infirme or weaken your Grace's just and lauchfull authoritie befoire men. Nay, Madame, such unfeaned confessioun of Goddis benifits receaved shalbe the establissement of the same, nott only to youre self, but also to youre seid and posteritie; whair, contrariwyse, a proude conceat and elevatioun of youre self, salbe the occasioun, that youre reigne salbe unstable, troublesome, and schorte. God is witnesse, that unfeanedlie I boyth love and reverence youre Grace; yea, I pray, that youre reigne may be long, prosperouse, and quyet; and that, for the quyetnes which Christis membres, befoire persecuted, have receaved under you. "Bot yett, gif I should flatter youre Grace, I war no friend, bot ane deceavable traitor. And thairfoire of conscience, I am compelled to say, that neather the consent of people, the process of tyme, nor multitude of men, can establische a law which God sall approve; bot quhatsoever he approveth by his eternall wourd, that shalbe approved, and quhatsoever he condempneth salbe condempned, thocht all men in earth wald hasard the justificatioun of the same. And, thairfoire, Madame, the only way to reteane and kept those benefites of God, aboundantlie poured now of laitt dayis upoun you, and upoun youre realme, is unfeanedlie to rander unto God, to his mercie, and undeserved grace, the [whole] glorie of this youre exaltatioun. Forgett youre birth, and all tytill which thairupoun doeth hing; and considder deiplie, how for feir of your lyef, ye did declyne from God, and bow till idollatrie. Lett it not appeire ane small offence in your eyes, that ye have declyned from Christ Jesus in the day of his batteill. Neither yett wald I, that ye sould esteme that mercie to be vulgare and commoun which ye have received; to witt, that God hath covered your former offense, hathe preserved you quhen ye war most unthankfull; and in the end, hath exalted and raiseit you up, nott only from the dust, bot also from the portis of deith, to reule above his people, for the confort of his Kirk. It apperteneth to you, thairfoire, to ground the justice of your Authoritie, nott upoun that law, which from year to year doeth change, but upoun the eternall providence of Him, who, contrair to nature, and without your deserving, hath thus exalted your head. Gif thus, in Goddis presence, ye humill your self, as in my heart I glorifie God for that rest granted to his afflicted flocke within Ingland, under you a weik instrument; so will I with toung and penn justifie your Authoritie and Regiment, as the Holy Ghost hath justified[76] the same in Debora, that blissed mother in Israell. Bot gif the premisses (as God forbeid) neglected, ye sall begin to bragg of your birth, and to builde your Authoritie and Regiment upoun your awin law, flatter you quho so list, your felicitie salbe schorte. Interpreit my rude wordis in the best pairte, as written by him who is no ennemye to your Grace. "By dyverse letteris I have requyred license to veseit your Realme, nott to seik my self, neither yett my awin ease nor commoditie; which, gif ye now refuise and deny, I most remit my caus to God; adding this for conclusioun, that commonlie it is seine, 'That such as refuise the counsaill of the faithfull, (appeir it never so scharpe,) ar compelled to follow the deceat of flattereris to thair awin perditioun.' The mychtie Spreit of the Lord Jesus move your hairt to understand quhat is said; give unto you the discretioun of spreittis, and so rewll you in all your actions and interpryses, that in you God may be glorified, his Kirk edified, and ye your self as ane lyvlie member of the same, may be an example of vertew and godlie lyffe till all utheris. So be it. Of Edinburgh, the [20th[77]] day of Julij 1559."
These letters war directed by Alexander Quhytlaw,[78] a man that oft hath hazarded him self, and all that he had, for the cause of God, and for his freindis being in danger for the same cause. Within a day or twa efter the departing of the said Alexander, thair come a lettre from Sir Harye Percye to Jhone Knox, requyring him to meitt him at Annyk,[79] the threid of August, for such effairis as he wald nott wreit, nor yitt communicat with any but with the said Jhone him self. While he was preparing him self for the journay, (for Secretary Cycill had appointed to have mett him at Stampfourd,)[80] the Frenche men furiouslie come furth of Dumbar, of purpose to have surprised the Lordis being in Edinburgh, as in the Secound Booke befoir is declared: Which stayit the journay of the said Jhonne, till that God had delyvered the innocentis from that great danger; and then was he, having in his company,[81] Maister Robert Hamyltoun,[82] minister of the Evangell of Jesus Christ, directed from the Lordis, with full commissioun and instructiouns to expone thair hole cause and estait quhairin thei stoode. SIR JAMES CROFTIS COUNSALE. Thair passage was from Petinweame,[83] by sea. Thei arryvit at Holy-Iland; and being advertissed that Sir Harye Percie was absent from [the North], thei addressed thame selfis to Sir James Croftis, then Capitane of Berwik, and Wardein of the East Marches of England. Thei schew unto him thair creddit and commissioun. He receaved thame gentlie, and comforted thame with his faithfull counsall, which was: "That thei sould travaill no farther,[84] neather yitt sould thei be seine in publict, and that for dyverse consideratiouns. First, The Quene Regent had her espyellis in England. Secoundarlie, The Quene and the Counsall that favored our actioun, wald that all thingis should be secreat so long as thei mycht. And last, (said he,) I think it nott expedient, that in such raritie of preachearis, ye two be ony long tyme absent from the Lordis. And thairfoire, (said he,) ye shall do best to committ to wreating your hoile mynd and creddit, and I shall promeise to you, upoun my honour, to haif answer at you, and at the Lordis againe, befoire that ye your selfis can be at Londoun. And quhaire that your letteris can nott expresse all thingis so fully as your presence could, I sall supplie the same, not only by my penne, but also by my awin presence, to suche as will informe the Counsall sufficientlie of all thingis." The said Jhone and Maister Robert followed his counsall,[85] for it was faithfull, and proceidit of luif at that tyme. Thei taried with him verry secretly, within the Castell of Berwick, two dayis. In the which tyme, returned Alexander Quhytlaw foirsaid, with answer to the Lordis, and to Jhone Knox;[86] the tennour of whose letter was this:— Maister Cycillis Letter to Jhone Knox. "Maister Knox, "Non est masculus neque foemina, omnes enim, ut ait Paulus, unum sumus in Christo Jesu. Benedictus vir qui confidit in Domino; et erit Dominus fiducia ejus.[87] "I have resavit your letteris, at the same tyme that I have thocht to have sein your self about Stampfurd. Quhat is now hitherto the caus of your [lett], I knaw nott. I forbeir to descend to the bottome of thingis, untill I may conferr with such one as ye ar; and, thairfoire, gif your chance shalbe heirefter to cum hither, I wishe you furnissed with good credite, and power to mak good resolutioun. Althocht my answer to the Lordis of Congregatioun be some quhat obscure, yitt upoun farther understanding ye sall find the matter plaine. I neid wishe to you[88] no more prudence then Goddis grace, quhairof God send you plentie. And so I end. From Oxford, the 28th of Julij 1559. (Sic subscribitur,)
Youris as ane member of the same body in Christ, W. Cecill."[89]
Albeit the said Jhone ressaved this letter at Berwyk, yett wald he answer no thing till that he had spokein the Lordis; quhome he fand in Striveling, and unto quhome he delyvered the answer send from the Counsall of England; (for Alexander Quhytlaw tuik seakness betwix Berwyk and Edinburgh, and was troubled be the Lord Seatoun, as in the formar booke is declaired.[90]) The answer send by Maister Cycill, was so generall, that many amanges us war dispaired of ony comforte to come from that countrey; and thairfoire war determined that thei wald requeast no farder. Jhone Knox laboured in the contraire;[91] but he could prevaill no farther, but that he should have licence and libertie to writt as he thocht best. And so tuik he upoun him to answer for all, in forme as follows:— Answer to Mr. Cycillis Letter.[92] "Two causes impeded me, Richt Worschipfull, to visite you at any pairt of England. Formar, no significatioun of your mynd and plaisour was maid unto me, for only did Sir Harye Percye[93] will me to cum and speak him, which, convenientlie at that tyme I could nott do, be reasone that the Frenche men, (which was the Secound cause of my stay,) did then most furiouslie persew us, whill our company was dispersed; and then durst I nott be absent for dyverse inconvenientis. Neather did I think my presence greatlie necessarie with you, considdering that the mater, which I desyred maist, was opened and proponed. To the quhilk I wald have wished that a more plaine and especiall answer should have bein maid. For, albeit Mr. Quhitlaw, by his credite, Mr. Kirkcaldie, by his letter, and I, boyth by letteris, and by that which I had ressaved from Sir James Croftis, did persuade your goode mindis; yitt could not the Counsall be uthairwayis persuaded, but that this alteratioun in France had altered your former purpois. It is nott unknawin what favor we three do beare to England; and, thairfoir, I wishe, that rather your pen then our credite, or ony thing writtin to ony of us, should assuire the Lordis and otheris, of your goode myndis, (who ar bot now in nomber fyve hundreth). Onless that money be fournissed without delay to pay the soldiouris with, for thair servise bypast, and to reteane ane uther thousand footmen, with three hundreth horsmen, till some stay be had in this danger, these gentilmen will be compelled to leave the feildis. I am assured, as fleshe may be of fleshe, that some of thame will tak a verry harde lyve befoir that ever they compone eather with the Quene Regent, eather yitt with France; but this I dar nott promeise of all, onless in you they see a greatter fordwardness. To support us will appeir excessive, and to break promeisse with France, will appeir dangeruss. But the loss of expensses, in my opinioun, aucht nott to be esteamit from the first payment; neather yitt the danger from the first appearance. France is most fervent to conqueise us, and avoweth, that against us thei will spend thair Croune, (so did my awin earis heare Buttencourt brag[94]). But, most assuredlie I knaw, that onless by us thei thocht to mak ane enteress to you, that thei wald nott bye oure povertie at that price. Thei labour to corrupt some of oure great men by money, (and some of oure nomber ar poore, as befoire I wraitt, and can nott serve without supporte); some thei threattin; and against utheris thei have raised up ane partie in thair awin countrey. In this meane tyme, gif ye lye by as neutrallis, quhat wilbe the end, ye may easellie conjecture. And, thairfoire, Sir, in the bowellis of Christ Jesus, I requyre you to mak plaine answer; What the gentillmen heir may lippin to, and quhatt the Quenis Majestie will do, may without long delay be put in executioun. Rest in Christ Jesus. Off Sanct Johnstoun, the &c. day of, &c."[95]
Answere with great expeditioun was returned to this letter, desyring some men of credite to be sent frome the Lordis to Berwyk,[96] for the receaving of money for the first supporte, with promeise, that gif the Lordis of the Congregatioun meant no utherwyse then befoire thei had writtin, and gif thei wald enter in league with honest conditionis, thei sould neather lack men nor money to thair just caus. Upoun this answer, was directed from the Lordis to Berwik, Maister Henrye Balnaves, a man [of] goode credit in boyth the realmes, who suddenlie returned with such a somme of money as served all the publict effaris till November nixt; when Jhonne Cokburne of Ormistoun send[97] for the second supporte, and receaving the same, unhappelie fell in to handis of the Erlle Bothwell, was wounded, tane, and spoilzed of a great somme.[98] Upoun whiche mischance followed all the rest of oure troubles befoire rehersed. In the Secound Booke preceading, we have declaired how Secretarye Lethingtoun[99] was directed to England: but one thing we have befoire past by. In that, oure greatest dejectioun, this ordour was tackin, That the Duike his Grace, the Erlle of Glencarne, Lord Boyd, Lord Uchiltrie, and thair freindis, should remain togither at Glaskow, for conforte of the countrey, and for geving of answeris, as occasioun should requyre; and that the Erlle of Arrane, the Lord James, the Erlle of Rothess, the Maister of Lyndsay, and thair adherantes, should continew togither within Fyffe, for the same causses, that advertissementis mycht go frome the one to the other, as neid requyred. In the negotiatioun of the Secretary Lethingtoun with the Quene and Counsall of England, (in whiche he travailed with no less wisdome and faithfulnes then happy successe,) mony thingis occurred that requyred the resolutioun of the hole Lordis,[100] amanges which thair was one quhairof befoir no mentioun is maid. Efter that the Quene and Counsall of England had concluded to send thair army into Scotland, for expelling of the Frenche, the Duke of Northfolk was sent to Berwyk,[101] with full instructionis, power, and commissioun, to do in all thingis concerning the present effaris of Scotland, as mycht the Quene and Counsellis in thair awin personis[102] do. Heirupoun the said Duke requyred sicke a pairt of the Lordis of Scotland, as had power and commissioun from the whole, to meet him at suche day and place as pleised thame to appoint. This advertissement came first to Glaskow, by the meanis of the Maister of Maxwell. Quhilk redd and considdered by the Lordis, conclusioun was takin, that thei wald meitt at Carleill;[103] and that was the procurement of the said Maister of Maxwell, for his ease. Heirupoune war letteris direct fra the Lordis, lyeing in Glaskow, to Lord James, requyring him, with all possible expeditioun, to repair towardis thame for the purpois foirsaid. Which letteris redd and advised upoun, commandment was gevin to Jhone Knox to mak the answer: For so it was appointed at the devisioun of the Lordis, that he should answer for the pairte of thoise that war in Fyffe; and Maister Henrye Balnaves for the pairte of thame that abaide at Glaskow. The said Jhone answered as followis:— "To the Lord Duke his Grace, and the Lordis at Glaskow. "After humill commendatioun of my service. Albeit I have writtin ofter then anes to Mr. Henrye Balnaves, what thingis have myslyked me in youre slaw proceideings, alsweill in supporting youre brethrein, quho many dayes have susteined extreame danger in these pairtes, as in making provisioun how the ennemye mycht have bein annoyed,[104] quho lay in few nomber nye to youre quarteris in Striveling; and in making lykewayis provisioun, how the expectatioun of your freindis, quho long have awaited for youre answer, mycht have bein satisfied;—Albeit, (I say,) that of thoise thingis I have befoire complained, yet of verry conscience, I am compelled to signifie unto youre Honoris, that onless of these, and other inormiteis, I sall espye some redress, I am assured that the end shalbe suche as godlie men shall murne, that ane good cause shall perishe for lack of wisdome and diligence. In my last letteris to Mr. Henrye Balnaves, I declared, that youre especiall freindis in England wounder that no gritter expeditioun is maid, the weycht of the mater being considdered. Gif the falt be in the Lord Duke, and his freindis, I wrait also, that the greatest loss should be his and thairs in the end. And now, I can nott cease, boyth to wonder and lament, that youre hoile Counsall was so destitute of wisdome and discretioun as to charge this poore man, the Priour,[105] to come to you to Glaskow, and thairefter to go to Carleill, for suche effearis as ar to be entreated. Was thair none amangis you, quho did foirsee quhat inconvenientis mycht insew his absence frome these partis? I cease to speake of the dangeris in the ennemy. Youre freindis have lyen in the Frith now xv. dayis bypast, (what was thair formar travaill is nott unknawin); thei have never receaved conforte of any man (him only excepted), more then thei had lyen upoun the coast of thair mortall ennemye. Do ye nott considder, that suche a companye sall neide conforte and provisioun from tyme to tyme? Remove him, and quho abydeth that cairfullie will travaill in that or any uther wechty materis in these pairtis? Did ye nott farther considder, that he had begune to meddle with the gentilmen[106] who had declaired thameselfis unfreindis heirtofoir; and also that ordour wald have bein taekin for suche as haif bein neutrall: now, be reassoun of his absence, the one shall escaip without admonitioun, and the other shalbe at thair formare libertie? I am assured that the ennemye sall nott sleip, neather in that nor in uther effairis, to undermynd you and your hoile caus; and especiallie to hurte this pairt of the countrey to revenge thair formare foly. Gif none of these formar causses should have moved you to have considered that such a journay (at suche a tyme,) wes nott meet for him, neather yit for thame that must accompany him; yit discreit men wald have considdered, that the men that have lyen in thair jackes, and travailled thair horse continuallie the space of a moneth, requyreth some longer rest, boyth to thame selfis, but especiallie to thair horsses, (befoire thei had bein charged to suche a journey,) then yitt they have had. The Priour may, for satisfactioun of your unreasonable myndis, interpryse the purposse; but I am assured, he shall nott be able to have sex honnest men in all Fyiff to accompany him: And how that eather standis with youre Honoris, or with his safetie, juge ye youre selfis. But yitt, wonder it is, that ye did nott considder, to quhatt paine and fascherie shall ye putt youre freindis of England, especiallie the Duke of Northfolke, and his Counsall, whome ye shall caus travaile the most wearesoum and fasschous gaitt that is in England. In my opinioun, quhosoever gaif you that counsall eather laicked rycht judgement in thingis to be done, or ellis had too much respect to his awin ease, and too small regaird to the travaill and danger of thair bretherein. A comoun cause requireth a comoun concurrance, and that everie man beare his burdein proportionablie. But prudent and indifferent men espy the contrair in this caus, especiallie of lait dayis; for the weakest ar maist greavouslie charged, and to quhome the mater maist belongeth, and to quhome justlie greatest burthein is dew, ar exempted in a manor boyth from travaill and expensses. To speik the mater plainlie, wyse men do wonder what my Lordis Dukis freindis do meane, that thei ar so slaike and backward in this caus: In uther actionis, thei have bein judged stout and fordward; and in this, whiche is the greatest that ever he or thei had in hand, thei appeir destitut bayth of grace and of courage. I am nott ignorant, that thei that are most inward of his counsall ar ennemyes to God, and thairfoire can nott bot be ennemyes to his cause. But wounder it is, that he and his uther freindis should nott considder, that the tinsale of this godlie interpryse, shalbe the routing of thame and thair posteritie frome this realme. Considdering, my Lordis, that by Goddis providence ye ar joyned with the Dukis Grace in this comoun cause, admonishe him plainlie of the danger to cum: will him to beware of the counsale of those that ar plainlie infected with superstitioun, with pryde, and with vennome of particulare proffeit; whiche gif he do not at your admonitioun, he shall smarte, befoir he beware: and gif ye cease to putt him in mynd of his deutie, it may be that, for youre silence, ye shall drynk some portioun of the plague with him. Tak my plaine speking, as proceeding from him that is nott youre ennemye, being also unceartaine when I shall have occasioun to writt heareafter. God, the Father of oure Lord Jesus Christ, assist you with the spreit of wisdome and fortitude, that to his glorie, and to youre Lordschipis and oure commoun conforte, ye may performe that thing, which godlie wes ones begun. Amen. From Sanctandrois, the vj. of Februare, in haist, 1559.[107] (Sic subscribitur,) "Your Lordschipis to command in godliness,
"J. K."
Upoun the receatt of this letter, and consultatioun had thairapoun, new conclusioun was tackin: to witt, that thei wald viseit the said Duke of Northfolke at Berwyke,[108] quhair he was. Thus far have we digressed fra the style of the Historie, to lett the posteritie that shall follow understand, by quhat instrumentis God wrocht the familiaritie and freindschipe, that after we fand in Ingland. Now we returne to oure formare Historie.
The pairtis of Fyiff sett at fredome frome the bondage of those bloodie wormes, solempned thankis war gevin, in Sanctandrois, unto God for his mychtie delyverance. Schorte after the Erlle of Arrane and Lord James, apprehended the Lardis of Wemes, Seafeald, Balgonye, and Durye,[109] and utheris, that assisted the Frenche; but thei war sett schoirtlie at fredome, upoun suche conditionis as thei mynded never to keape: for sick men have neather fayeth nor honnestie. Mr. James Balfoure,[110] who was the greatest practiser, and had drawn the band of the Balfouris, eschaiped. The Ingliss schippis daylie multiplied, till that thei war able to keape the whole Firth: whairatt the Frenche and Quene Regent, enraged, begane to executt their tirranye upoun the pairtes of Lowthiane that lay neye to Edinburgh. Lett Mr. David Borthwick[111] witnesse quhat favoris[112] his wyffe and place of Adenstoun[113] fand of the Frenche, for all the service that he had maid to the Quene Regent. In the middest of Februarie war directed to England, frome the Dukis Grace and the Congregatioun, the Lord James, Lord Ruthven, the Maister of Maxweill, the Maister of Lyndsay, Maister Henrye Balnaves, and the Laird of Pittarrow; who, with thair honnest cumpanyeis and commissioun, departed by sea, all, except the Maister of Maxwell, to Berwick, whair thair mett thame the Duke of Northfolke, lievetennent to the Quenis Majestie of England, and with him a great company of the gentillmen of the north, with some also of the south, having full power to contract with the nobillitie of Scotland, as that thei did, upoun suche conditionis as in the same Contract are specified. And becaus we have hard the malicious tounges of wicked men mak false reporte of that our fact, we have faithfullie and trewlie inserted in this oure Historie the said Contract, alsweill thatt whiche was maid at Leyth, during the seige, as that whiche first was maid at Berwick, that the memorie thereof may byde to our posteritie; to the end that thei may judge with indifference, whither that we have doun ony thing prejudiciall to our comoun wealth, or yitt contrarius unto that debtfull obedience whiche trew subjects aw to thair supperiouris whose authoritie aucht to deffend and mainteine the libertie and fredome of the Realmes committed to thair charge; and nott to oppress and betray the same to strangearis. The tennour of oure Contract followis:— The Contract at Berwick. "James Duke of Chastelarault, Erlle of Arrane, Lord Hamyltoun, second persone of the realme of Scotland, and appearand [air] to the Croune, the Counsalle, Nobilitie, and principall Estaittis of the same: To all and sindrie, whais knawlege thir presentis shall come, greitting. We have weill considerat, and be fullie persuaded in what danger, desolatioun, and miserie, the lang enmytie with the kingdome of Ingland, hath brocht oure Countrey heirtofoir: how wechtie and florishing it shall become, gif those two kingdomes, as thei be joyned in one Iland by creatioun of the warld, so may be knytt in a constant and assured friendschip: These considerationis, groundit upoun a most infallible treuth, aucht no less to have moved our progenitouris and foirfatheris then us: but the present danger hanging over oure heades, by the injust dealing of those of whome we have alwayis best deserved, hathe caused us to wey thame more earnestlie then thei did. The misbehaveour of the Frenche ministeris[114] heere hathe of laitt zeris beine so greatt; the oppressioun and crueltie of the soldiouris, the tyranny and ambitioun of thair supperiouris and rewlleris so greavouse to the people; the viollent subversioun of our libertie, and conqueast of the land, whair at thei have by maist craftie and subtile meanes continuallie preassit,[115] so intollerable to us all, that at last, when we could nott obteane the redresse by humill suitis and earnest supplicationis presented to the Quene Dowager, who bayth for deuties saik and place scho did occupy, aucht to have bene most cairfull of oure estait; we have bene by verry necessitie, constrained nott only to assay our awin forces, but also to imploir the Quenis Majestie of England aide and supporte, quhilk hir Majestie hes maist gentillie granted upoun certaine covenantes, specified in ane Treaty, past at Berwick, betuix the Duck of Northfolk his good Grace, Lievtennent for hir Majestie, on that ane pairte, and ceartaine our Commissioneris, on that uther parte: Whairof the tennour followeth:— "At Berwick, the twentie sevin day of Februare, the year of our Lord God Jm Vc fyftie and nyne yeris. It is appointed and finallie contracted betwix the noble and mychtie Prince, Thomas Duke of Northfolke, Erlle Marschell of England, and lievtennent to the Quenis most excellent Majestie of the said realme, in the name and behalf of hir Hienes, on the one pairte, and the rycht honorable Lord James Stewart,[116] Patrik Lord Ruthven, Sir Jhone Maxweill of Terreglis knycht, William Maitland of Lethingtoun younger, Jhone Wischarte of Pittarrow, and Maister Henry Balnaves of Halhill, in the name and behalf of the noble and mychtie Prince, James Duke of Chasteaularault, second persone of the realme of Scotland, and the remanent Lordis[117] of his parte, joyned with him in this cause, for the mainteanance and defence of the ancient rychtes and liberteis of thair countrey, on the other parte, in Forme as heireafter followeth: That is to say, That the Quenis Majestie, having sufficientlie understanded, alsweill by information sent from the Nobilitie of Scotland, as by the [manifest] proceadings of the Frenche, that thei intend to conqueir the realme of Scotland, suppress the liberties thairof, and unite the same unto the Croune of France perpetuallie, contrarie to the Lawis of the same Realme, and to the pactis, aithes, and promisses of France; and being thairto most humblie and earnestlie requyred by the said Nobilitie, for and in name of the hole Realme, shall accept[118] the said Realme of Scotland, the said Duke of Chasteaularault being declared by Act of Parliament in Scotland to be heyre appearand to the Croun thairof, and the Nobilitie and Subjectis thairof, unto her Majesties protection and meantenance, onlie for preservatioun of the same in thair auld fredomes and liberties, and frome conquest during the tyme that the mariage shall continue betwix the Queen of Scottis and the Frenche King, and ane yeare efter: and for expelling out of the samin realme of suche as presentlie and appearandlie goeth about to practise the said conqueist; hir Majestie shall with all speid send unto Scotland a convenient aide of men of warr, on horse and foote, to joyne with the poware of Scottis men, with artelzearie, munitioun, and all uther instrumentes of warr meitt for the purpoise, alsweill by sea as by land, nott onlye to expell the present poware of Frenche within that realme, oppressing the same, bot also to stopp, als far as convenientlie may be, all greater forces of Frenche to enter thairin for the lyke purpose; and shall continue hir Majesties aide to the said realme, Nobilitie, and Subjectis of the same, unto the tyme the Frenche (being ennemyes to the said realme) be utterlie expelled hence; And shall never transact, compone, nor aggrie with the Frenche, nor conclude any leigue with thame, except the Scottis and the Frenche shalbe aggreit, that the Realme of Scotland may be left in dew fredome by the Frenche; Nor shall leave the maintenance of the said Nobilitie and Subjectis, quhairby thei mycht fall as ane pray unto thair ennemeis handis, alse lang as thei shall acknowlege their Soveraine Lady and Quene, and shall indure thameselfis to mainteine the libertie of thair country, and the estait of the Croun of Scotland: And if in caise any fortis or strenthis within the realme be wonne out of the handis of the Frenche at this present, or at any tyme heareafter, by hir Majesties aide, the same shalbe immediatlie demolished by the Scottis men, or delyvered to the said Duck and his partie foirsaid, at thair optioun and choise; neather shall the power of England fortifie within the ground of Scotland, being out of the boundis of England, but be the advyse of the said Duck, Nobilitie, and Estaites of Scotland. "For the quhilkis causses, and in respect of hir Majesties most gentle clemencie and liberalle supporte, the said Duck, and all the Nobillitie, alsweill suche as be now joyned, as suche as shall heireafter joyne with him for defence of the libertie of that Realme, shall, to the utermaist of thair powar, aide and supporte hir Majestie's arme aganis the Frenche, and thair partaikaris, with horse men, and foote men, and with victuallis, by land and by sea, and with all maner of uther ayde to the best of thair powar, and so shall continue during the tyme that hir Majesties armye shall remaine in Scotland. Item, Thei shalbe ennemyes to all such Scottis men and Frenche, as shall in anywyse shaw thame selfis ennemyes to the realme of Ingland, for the aiding and supporting the said Duck and Nobilitie, to the delyverie of the Realme of Scotland frome conqueist. Item, Thei shall never assent nor permitt, that the Realme of Scotland shalbe conquered, or utherwyse knett to the Croun of France, then it is at this present only by mariage of the Quene thair Soveraine to the Frenche King, and by the lawes and liberties of the Realme, as it aucht to be. Item, In caise the Frenche men shall, at any tyme heirafter, invaid, or caus to be invaded, the realme of England thei shall fournishe the nomber of twa thousand horsmen and twa thousand[119] footmen, at the least, or suche parte of ather of thame, at the choise of the Quenes Majestie of England; and shall conduct the same to pas frome the Bordaris of Scotland nixt Ingland, upon hir Majesties charges, to anie pairte upoune the realme of England, for the defence of the same. And in caise the invasioun be upon the northe partes of England, on the northe parte of the water of Tyne, towardis Scotland, or against Berwick, on the north syd of the water of Tweid, thei shall convent and gather thair haill forces upon thair awin charges, and shall joyne with the Ingliss poware, and shall contenew in goode and earnest prosecutioun of the quarrell of England, during the space of thretty dayis, or so muche langer as thei ware accustumed to tarye in the feildis for defence of Scotland, at the commandiment of thair Soverane, at any tyme bypast. And also, the Erlle of Argyle, Lord Justice of Scotland, being presentlie joyned with the said Duck, shall employe his force and good will, whair he shalbe requyred by the Quenes Majestie, to reduce the north pairtis of Ireland to the perfyte obedience of England, conforme to ane mutualle and reciproque contract, to be maid betwix hir Majesties lieutenent or depute of Ireland being for the tyme, and the said Erlle; quhairin shalbe conteaned what he shall do for his parte, and quhatt the said lieutennent, or depute, shall do for his supporte, in caise he shall have to do with James Mackonnell,[120] or ony utheris of the Iyles of Scotland, or realme of Ireland; for performance and sure keaping whairof, thei shall for thair pairte enter to the foirsaid Duck of Northfolk the plaiges presentlie named by him, befoire the entrie of hir Majesties armye in Scottis ground, to remaine in England for the space of six monethis, and to be exchanged upoun delyverance of new hostages, of lyke or als goode conditioun as the formare; or being the lauchfulle sones, bretheren, or heires of ony of the Erlles or Baronis of Parliament, that have, or hereinafter schaw thame selfis, and persist open ennemyes to the Frenche in this quarrell; and so forth, from sex monethis to sex monethis, or foure monethis to foure monethis, as shall best pleis the partie of Scotland; and the tyme of continuance of the hostages salbe during the marriage of the Quene of Scottis to the Frenche King, and ane yeare efter the dissolutioun of the said marriage, untill farder ordour may be had betwix boyth the realmes for peace and concorde. And, farder more, the said Duck, and all the Nobilitie, being Erlles and Barronis of Parliament, joyned with him, shall subscryve and seall these Articles and comptis within the space of xx or threttie dayis, at the uttermost, nixt following the day of the delyverance of the said hostages; and shall also procure and persuad all utheris of the Nobilitie that shall joyne tharne selfis heirefter with the said Duck, for the causses above specified, lykwyis to subscryve and seall these articles at any tyme efter the space of twentie dayis efter thair conjunctioun, upoun requisitioun maid to thame on the partie of the Quenes Majestie of England. And, finallie, the said Duck, and the Nobilitie joyned with him, certainlie perceaving, that the Quenis Majestie of England is thairunto moved onlie upoun respect of princelie honour and nychtbourehead, for the defence of the fredome of Scotland from conqueist, and not of any uther sinister intent, doeth by these presentis testifie and declair, that [neither] thai, nor any of thame, meane by this compt to wythdraw ony dew obedience to thair Soveraine Lady the Quene, nor in any lefull thing to withstand the Frenche King, hir husband and head, that during the marriage shall nott tend to the subversioun and oppressioun of the just and ancient liberties of the said kingdome of Scotland; for preservatioun whairof, boyth for thair Soveranis honour, and for the continuance of the kingdome in ancient estait, thei acknowlege thameselfis bound to spend thair guidis, landis, and lyves. And for performance of this present Contract for the part of England, the Quenes Majestie shall confirme the same, and all clauses thairinto contained, by hir letteris patentis, under the Great Seall of England, to be delyvered to the Nobilitie of Scotland, upon the entress of the pledges afoirsaid within the ground of England.[In witnes wheirof, the Commissionaris for the Ducke of Chasteaularault and Nobilitie of Scotland befoir named, haif subscryved these presentis, and thereunto affixed their seales, the day, yeare, and place afoirsaidis:— James Stewart.
Patrick L. Ruthwen.
Johne Maxwell.
W. Maitland.
Jhone Wyshart.
Henricus Balnaves.] In witnes quhairof, the said Duck his Grace of Northfolke,[121] hath subscryved these presentis, and thairinto affixit his seall, the day, yeare, and place foirsaid. [Tho. Norffolk.] Whiche Contract we find honest, reassonable, and that our saidis Commissioneris thair hathe consideratlie respected to the comoun wealth of this realme, of us, and our posteritie; and thairfoire do ratifie, allow, confirme, and approve the same, with all clauses and articles thairin contained, by thir presentis. In witnes heirof, to the same subscryved with our handis, our seallis of armes, in sick caises accustomed, are appended. At the camp foiranent Leyth, the tent day of May, the year of God Jm Vc and thriescoir yearis. (Follow the Subscriptionis.[122]) The Duck of Chasteaularault.
Earle of Arrane.
Earle of Huntlie.
Earle of Glencarne.
Earle of Mortoun.
Earle of Rothess.
Earle of Mounteith.
Lord Ogulvie.
Lord Ochiltrie.
Lord Robert Stewarte.
Gawin Hamyltoun of Kilwyning.[123]
Erle of Argyle.
Lord Borthwick.
Lord James Stewarte.
Lord of Sanct Jhone.
Alexander Gordoun.
Lord Jhone of Aberbrothok.[124]
Lord Boyde.
Lord Sommervaill.
Abbot of Kinloss.
Abbot of Culross.
James Stewart of Sanct Colmes Inche.[125] The Instructionis gevin, subscryvit to the said Commissionaris [that went to Berwick, ar thir as][126] follow:— And for the first, Gif it shalbe askyt of yow be the said Duck of Northfolk his Grace, and otheris, [by] the Quenes Majesties appointment, appointed Commissionaris, gif our pledges be in reddines? Ye shall answer, that thei ar, and in Sanctandrois, the xxiiij of this instant, and shalbe reddy to delyver in hostages for securitie of our promisses, and part of contract, thei offering and macking securitie for thair part by the Quenes Majesties subscriptioun and great sealle, and delyvering the same unto you; provyding that thei chuse and mack thair electioun of the pledges as is convenient. Secoundlie, Gif the saidis Commissionaris shall demand of yow, what interpryse the armye of England shall tak upoun hand at thair first incumminges? Ye shall answer, in generall the expulsioun of the Frenches soldiouris furth of this realme: and first and in specialle furth of the toun of Leyth, seing thair great forces ar thair. 3. Item, Gif it shalbe askit of yow, at what place our freindis and bretherin of England shalbe mett, and what day, what nomber, and what Nobill men in cumpany? Ye shall referr all those thingis to thair electioun and choise. 4. Item, Gif it shalbe askit of yow how the armyes shalbe fournissed with victuallis, and especiallie the horse men? Ye shall answer, that with thair advyses ane sufficient order shalbe tackin thairin. 5. Item, Gif it be requyred, how the munitioun shalbe carryed, and oxen furnissed to that effect? Ye shall answer, as we have gevin in commissioun to Lethingtoun, quhilk we ratifie. 6. Item, Gif it beis asked, wha shalbe Lievtennent to the armie of Scotland? Ye shall answer, my Lord Duckes Grace. 7. Item, Gif it shalbe inquyred, what nomber our haill armye extendis to? Ye shall answer, thai will, God-willing, be fyve thousand men. 8. Item, Gif it shalbe askit, what maner of way Leyth shalbe assaulted? Ye shall desyre all preparationis to be in reddenes, and the advyse to be taine after the placing of the armyes and view of the strenth schoirtlie.9. Item, Gif it shalbe askit of the Castell of Edinburgh, gif thei will stand freindis or nott? Ye shall declair our diligence maid, and to be maid schoirtlie heirinto; but for the present can assure thame of nothing. 10. Item, Gif it beis askit, in caise the Castell be unfriend, whair the armye shalbe placed? Ye shall ansueir, for the first in Musselburgh and Tranent, and thei partis, till the battery, and all preparationis be in reddenes. 11. Item, In caise it beis inquyred of all bye-lyeris, and in speciall of my Lord Huntlie, in the North? Ye shall ansueir in generall, ane goode hope is had of the maist pairt thairof; and tuiching my Lord of Huntlie in speciale, ye shall schaw how he hes send writtingis to my Lord of Arrane, with ane servand in creddite, to assure him of his assistance; and for that caus hes desyred letteris of suspensioun of the Quene Dowageris commissioun, to be send to him, to be usit by him in thei partis, and utheris letteris to arreist the Clergies rentis and her's[127] boyth in thei partis, with proclamationis to cause all men to be in reddines to pass foruardis, for maintening of the religioun and expulsioun of strangeris. My Lord hes writtein to him, that he may come to him in proper persone, whairof the answer is nott returned as yitt. 12. Item, Gif it shalbe askit, the place and maner of meiting of oure folkis, or of us and thame, in caise Striveling be kept? We referr the ansueir heirof to youre discretionis. 13. Item, Gif it shalbe askit that thair layed money shall have passage for thair viveris? Ye shall reasoun the commoditie and incommoditie thairof with the Counsale.[128] 14. Item, Gif it shalbe askit, what pioneris shalbe had? Ye shall answer, the nomber being expressed, and money be in reddenes to seld[129] thame, thei shall have sufficientlie.15. Item, Gif thei shall desyre that we declair our cause unto the Princes of Alamagne, and the King of Denmarke, desyring thair assistance? Ye shall answere, that we think the same good, and shall speedelie tak ordour thairwith. 16. Item, Gif it shalbe askit of yow to confirme for us, and in oure name, the thingis past and granted be oure formare Commissionare the young Laird of Lethingtoun? Ye shall in all poyntis for us, and in oure name, confirme the same, sa far as it shall mak either for the weill and conjunctioun of the twa realmes, or this present cause, or yitt for the securitie of oure pairt for fulfilling of the samein: and also, ye shall accept thair offeris, tending to the same fyne, and sic securitie on that parte, as ye may purchese, and especiallie sic as we heirtofoir exprimit. Gevin at Glaskow, the tent of Februar 1559. Item, We gif and grantis you full power to augment, or diminische thir saidis heidis and Articles, as ye think the weall of the cause sall requyre in all pointis. Johnne of Menteith.[130]
Andro of Rothess.
R. Boyd.
Williame Murray of Tullibardin.
Johnne Erskin of Dun.
James Hamyltoun.
Alexr. Gordoun.
Ard. Ergyle.
Glencarne.
Vchiltre.
James Haliburtoun. Schort efter this Contract, war oure pledgeis delyverit to Maister Winter, Admirall of the Navye, that came to Scotland, a man of great honestie, sua far as ever we could espy of him, quha war saiflie convoyit to New Castell. And sua the Ingliss army began to assembill towardis the Bordour; quhairof the Frensche and Quene Regent assurit, thay began to distroy quhat thay could in the tounis and cuntrey about; for the haill victuallis they careit to Leith; the mylnes thay brak; the scheip, oxin, and kyne, yea, the horse of poore lauboraris, thay maid all to serve thair tyrannye. And, fynallie, they left na thyng quhilk the verray ennemeis could have devisit, except that thay demolischit not gentilmenis housses, and brunt not the tonne of Edinburgh: in quhilk poynt, God brydillit thair furye, to lett his afflictit understand that he tuik cair for thame. The Crewell Fact of Martyckis. Befoir the cuming of the land armye, the Frensche past to Glasgu, and distroyit the cuntrey thair about. Quhat tyrannye the Martyckis[131] usit upone ane poore Scottis suldiour, it is feirfull to heir, and yitt his fact may not be omittit. Silver wald thay gif nane to the poore men, and sua war thay slow to depairt of the toun; for albeit the drum struik, the enseingze could not be gottin. Thair was ane poore craftis man, quha haid bocht for his victuallis are gray laif, and was eitting ane morsell of it, and was putting the rest of it in his bosome. The tyranne cam to him, and with the poore catyveis awin quhynger first straik him in the breist, and after cast it at him, and sua the poore man, stagring and falling, the mercyless tyranne ran him through with his rapper, and thairefter commandit him to be hingit ower the stair. Lord, thow wilt yitt luik, and recompense sick tyrrannye; how contemptable that ever the persoun was! The secunde of Aprile, the yeir of God, Jm Vc and threscoir yeiris, the army be land enterit in Scotland, the conducting quhairof was commitit to the Lord Gray,[132] quha haid in his company the Lord Scrope, Sir James Croftis, Sir Hary Peircey, Sir Francis Laike, with mony uthir capitaneis and gentilmen having charge, sum of futmen, sum of horsmen. The armye be land was esteimit to ten thowsand men. The Quene Regent past to the Castell of Edinburgh,[133] and sum utheris of hir factioun.[134] At Prestoun met thame the Duckes Grace, the Erle of Argyle, (Huntlie came not till that the seige was confirmit,) Lord James, the Erlles of Glencairne and Menteith, Lordis Ruthwen, Boyd, Ochiltre, with all the Protestantis gentilmen of the West Fyffe, Anguss, and Mearneis. Swa that for few dayis the armye was greit. Efter the deliberatioun of twa dayis had at Enneresk,[135] the haill camp marchit fordwart with ordinance, and all preparatioun necessar for the seige, and came to Restalrig upoun the Palme Sunday Evin.[136] The Frensche haid put thamselffis in battell array upoun the Linkis without Leith, and had send furth thair skyrmissaris; quha begynning befoir ten houris, contyneuit skyrmissing till efter foure houris at efter none, quhan thair was gevin upone thame ane charge be sum horsmen of Scotland, and sum of Yngland. Bot because the principall Capitane of the horsmen of Yngland was not present, the haill troupis durst not charge; and swa was not the owerthraw and slawchter of the Frensche sa greit as it anis appeirit to haif bene; for the greit battell was anis at the trote; bot quhen thay persevit that the greit force of the horsemen stuid still, and chargeit not, thay returnit and gaif sum rescourse to thair fallowis that fled; and swa thair fell onlie in that defait about three hundreth Frenschmen. God wald nocht gif the victorie swa suddanlie, leist that man sould glorye in his awin strenth. The small victorie that was gottin, putt baith the Yngliss and Scottis in ower greit securitie, as the ischew declairit. The Frensche inclosit within the toun, the Yngliss armye began to plant thair palyeanis[137] betwix Leith and Restalrig.[138] The ordinance of the toun, and especiallie that quhilk lay upoun Sanct Anthonies Stepill[139] did thame greit annoyance: aganist quhilk place war bent aucht cannounis, quhilkis schott sa continewallie, and sua just, that within few dayis, that Stepill was condemnit, and all the ordinance that was on it dismontit, quhilk maid the Ynglismen sum quhat mair negligent than it became guid men of war to have bene; for persaiving that the Frensche maid na persute without thair wallis, they tuik oppinioun that they wald never ishe mair, and that maid sum of the Capitanis for pastyme, go to the toun:[140] the soldiouris, for thair ease, did lay thair armour besyde thame, and, as men without daingear, fell to the dice and cairtis. And sua, upoun the Pasche Mononday,[141] at the verray hour of noon, the Frenche ischeit baith on horse and fute, and with greit violence, enterit in to the Yngliss trynscheis, slew and putt to flycht all that was fund thairin. The watche was negligentlie keipit, and so was the succourse slow, and lang in cuming; for the Frenche, befoir that any resistance was made unto thame, approcheit hard to the greit ordinance. Bot than the horsmen troupit togidder, and the futemen gat thameselffis in array, and sua repulsit the Frenche back agane to the toun. Bot the slauchter was greit: sum sayis it doubill exceidit that quhilk the Frenche resavit the fyrst day. And this was the frute of thair securitie and oures, quhilk efter was remeidit; for the Ynglismen maist wyslie considdering thame selfis not abill to beseige the toun round about, devysit to mak montis at dyverse quarteris of it, in the quhilk thay and thair ordinance lay in as gude strenth as thay did within the toun. The common soldiouris keipit the trynscheis, and had the said montis for thair saifgaird and refuge, in case of any greiter persute than thay war abill to sustene. The patience and stowt curage of the Englismen, hot principallie of the horsmen, is worthy of all prayse: for, quhair was it ever hard that aucht thousand (thay never exceidit that number that lay in camp) sould beseige four thousand of the maist despairit throt-cuttaris that were to be found in Europe, and lye sua neir unto thame in daylie skyrmissing, the space of thre monethis and mair. The horsmen nycht and day keipit watche, and did sa valiantlie behaif thameselffis, that the Frenche gatt na advantage fra that day back to the day of the assault, quhairof we shall schortlie heir. In this meanetyme was this uther Band made of all the Nobilitie, Barronis, and Gentilmen, professing Chryst Jesus in Scotland, and of dyveris utheris that joynit with us, for expelling of the Frenche army; amangis quham, the Erle of Huntlie was principall. The Band followis:— [Ane Contract of the Lords and Barons, to defend the Liberty of the Evangell of Christ.][142] NOTA.—HEIRUPONE CAME THE PERSUTE. [143] At Edinburgh, the xxvij day of Aprile, the yeir of God ane thousand fyve hundreth threescoir yeiris: We, quhais namis ar underwrittin, haif promittit and oblist oure selffis faithfullie, in the presens of oure God, and be thir presentis promittis, that we altogidder in generall, and every ane of us in speciall, be him selff, with oure bodeis, guidis, freyndis, and all that we may do, sall sett fordwart the Reformatioun of Religioun, according to Goddes word; and procure, be all meanis possibill, that the treuth of Goddes word may haif free passage within this Realme, with due administratioun of the sacramentis, and all thingis depending upoun the said word: And siclik, deiplie weying with oure selfis the misbehavour of the Frenche Ministeris heir; the intollerabill oppressiouns commitit be the Frenche men of weir upon the poore subjectis of this Realme, by meyntenance of the Quene Dowager, under cullour and pretence of authoritie; the tyrannye of thair Capitanis and leadaris; and manifest danger of conqueist, in quhilk this countrey presentlie standis, be reasoun of dyverse fortificatiouns upoune the sea-coast; and uther novelties of lait attemptit be thame; promittis, that We sall, als weill every ane with uther, as altogidder, with the Quene of Englandis armie, presentlie cumit in for oure delyverance, effectuallie concur and joyne togidder, taiking anefald plane pairt,[144] for expulsioun of the said strangeris, oppressouris of oure libertie, furth of this Realme, and recovery of oure ancient fredomis and liberteis; to the end, that in tyme cuming, we may, under the obedience of the Kyng and Quene our Soveranis, be onlie rewllit be the lawis and customeis of the cuntrey, and borne men of the land: And that never ane of us sall haif pryvey intelligence be writting, message, or communicatioun with ony of oure saidis ennemeis or adversareis in this cause, bot be the advise of the rest (at least of fyve) of the Counsale. Attour, that we sall tender the commun cause, as gif it war the cause of everie ane of us in particular; and that the causses of everie ane of us now joinit togidder, being leifull and honest, sall be all oure causses in generall: And he that is ennemy to the causses foirsaid, sall be ennemy to us all: in sa far, that quhatsoever persone will planelie resist thir oure godlie interpryseis, and will not concur as ane guid and trew member of this Common weill, we sall fortifie the auctoritie of the Counsale, to reduce thame to thair dewitie. Lyke as we sall fortifie the auctoritie foirsaid of the Counsale, in all thyngis tending to the furtherance of the saidis causses: And gif ony particular debait, quarrell, or contraversie, sall arryse, for quhatsoever cause, bygane, present, or to cum, betwix ony of us, (as God forbid,) in that caise, we shall submit our selfis and oure saidis questionis, to the decisioun of the Counsale, or to arbitratouris to be namit[145] be thame. And providing alwayis, that this be not prejudiciall to the ordinarie jurisdictioun of Judgeis, but that men may persew thair actiouns by ordour of law civilie or criminallie, befor the Judges Ordinaris[146] gif thai please. [In wytnes of the quhilk we have subscrivit this present Band with our hands, day, zeir, and place above wryttine. James.
James Hammylton.
Huntley.
Ard. Argill.
Glencarn.
Rothes.
Mortoun.
A. Gordoun.
James Johnson, Apparand of Elphistoun.
Patryk Dowglass.
Robert Campbell.
Andrew Jhonson.
Robyn Car.
James Stewart.
Jhon Monteyt.
Ruthwen.
R. Boyd.
Ogylwye.
Vchiltree.
Jhon Maxvel.
Patryk Lyndsay.
Jhon Maister Phorbes.
Lord Somerwell.
James Halyburtoun.
Alexr. Dunbar of Cumnok.
Graytly.
Wm. Douglas of Whyttingeym.
George Hwme of Spott.
Jhon Gordon, of Finlatter.
Alexr. Seton, Younger of Meldrum.
Henry Grahame, Youngar of Morphy.
Alexr. Gordoun of Abyrzelde.
Drumlaynryk.
Faunhaus.[147]
Craynston of that Ilk.
Wedderburn.
Alexr. Hume.
Jhonson.
George Nysbyt, with my hand at the pen.
Cunnyngaymhyd.
Leslye of Bowquhane.
Jhon Innes of that Ilk.
Arthur Phorbes.
Wm. Lesley Youngar of Wardes.
Jhon Wishart.
Drumloyghie.
Cesfuird.
Hundhill.
Mark Kar.] THE DOCHTER WILL NOT TAK EXAMPILL BY THE MOTHER. THE 20 OF MAIJ, ANNO 1566. [148]This Contract and Band came not onlie to the eiris, bot alssua to the sycht of the Quene Dowager; quhairat sche stormit nott a little, and said, "The maledictioun of God I gif unto thame that counsaleit me to persecute the prechearis, and to refuise the petitiouns of the best pairt of the trew subjects of this realme. It was said to me, That the Yngliss army could not ly in Scotland ten dayis; bot now thay [have] lyin near ane moneth, and ar mair lyk to remane than the first day thay came." Thay that gaif sick informatioun to the Quene, spak as wardlie wyise men, and as thingis appeirit to have bene; for the cuntrey being almaist in all the partis thairof waistit, the victuallis nixt adjacent to Leith either brocht in to thair provisioun, or ellis destroyit; the mylnis and uther placeis, as befoir is said, being cassin doun, it appeirit that the camp could not have bene furnissit (except it haid bene by thair awin schippis, and as that could nocht have bene of ony lang continewance, sua sould it have bene nathing confortable:) Bot God confoundit all warldlie wisdome, and maid his awin benedictioun als evidentlie to appeir as gif in ane maner he had fed the army from above. For all kind of victuallis thair was mair aboundante, and of mair easie priceis, in the camp all the tyme that it lay, efter that aucht dayis war past, than either thay haid bene in Edinburgh any of the twa yeires of befoir, or yit hes bene in that toun to this day. The pepill of Scotland sa mekill abhorrit the tyrrannye of the Frenche, that thay wald have gevin the substance that thay had, to have bene ridd of that chargeable burding, quhilk oure synnis had provockit God to lay upoun us, in geving us in the handis of ane woman, quhom our Nobilitie in thair fulischnes sauld unto strangearis, and with hir the libertie of the Realme. "God, for his greit mercies saik, preserve us yitt from farther bondage, in the quhilk we ar lyke to fall, gif he provyde not remedy; for oure Nobilitie will yett remane blynd still, and will follow hir affectiouns, cum efter quhat sua may." Bot to returne to oure Historie.
THE ASSAULT OF LEITH, THE 7 OF MAIJ 1560. The campe abounding in all necessarie provisioun, ordour was taikin for confirmatioun of the Seige;[149] and sa the trynches war drawin als neir the toun, as thay gudlie mycht. The greitt campe removit fra Restalrig to the west syde of the Watter of Leith; and sa war the cannounis plantit for the batterie, and did schute at the south-west wall. But be reassone all was eird, the brek[150] was nott maid sa greit upoun the day bot that it was sufficientlie repairit upoun the nycht. Quhairof the Inglismen begynning to weary, determinit to gyve the brusche and assault; as that thay did upoun the sevint day of Maij, beginning befoir the day-licht, and contineuing till it was neir sevin houris. And albeit that the Ingliss and Scottis, with greit slauchter of the suldiouris of baith, were repulsit, yitt was thair never ane scharpar assault gevin of so few handis; for thay exceidit not ane thousand men that assaultit the haill twa quarteris of the toun, and yitt thay dampnit the haill blok-housses; yea, thay anis pat the Frenche clene of thair wallis, and were upoun baith the west and eist blokhousses. Bot thay wantit baking; for thair ledderis wantit sax quarteris of the just hicht; and sua quhill the former wer compellit to fecht upoun the tope of [the] wall, thair fellowis could nott win to support thame, and sa war thay be multitude dung back agane, quhen it was anis thocht the Toune was win. Sir James Croftis[151] was blamit of mony for not doing his dewitie that day; for he was appoyntit, with ane sufficient nomber of the maist abill men, to haif assaultit the north-west quarter upoun the sey-syde, quhair, at an low-water (as at the tyme of the assault) [the passage] was easy:[152] bot neather he nor his approchit to thair quarter appoyntit. He had befoir, at thair first cuming in, spokin with the Quene Regent[153] at the foir blok-house of the Castell of Edinburgh. Quhidder sche had enchantit him we knew nott, but by suspitioun of that day, in the quhilk he desaivit the expectation of many, and, sa far as man could judge, was the caus of that greit repulse; for sum ascribit the schortnes of the ledderis to him: bot that omittit, quhilk mycht have proceidit of negligence, his absens frome the persute of his quarter, was the cause that sick Frenche as war appointit thair to defend, seing na persewar, came to the releif of thair fellowis, and sa the twa joyning togidder, with greit slauchter gaif the repulse to oure company. The Frenche menis harlotis, of quhom the maist pairt war Scottis hureis, did na less creweltie than did the souldiaris; for besydis that thay chargeit thair peceis, and ministrit unto thame uther weaponis, sum continewallie cast staneis, sum careit chymnayis of burnyng fyre, sum brocht tymmer and uther impedimentis of wecht, quhilk with great violence thay threw over the wall upoun oure men, bot especiallie quhen thay began to turne backis. Now, albeit in all this we acknawlege the secreit wark of God, quha by sick meanis wald beat doun alsweill the pryde of Ingland as of Scotland, yitt neather aucht the febilnes nor falsett of man to be excusit, neather yitt the cruelty of the adversareis be conceilit. The Quene Regent satt all the tyme of the assault (quhilk was baith terribill and lang) upon the foir-wall of the Castell of Edinburgh; and quhen sche perceivit the overthraw of us, and that the ensenyeis of the Frenche war agane displayit upoun the wallis, sche gaif ane gawfe of lauchter, and said, "Now will I go to the Messe, and prayse God for that quhilk my eyes have sene!" And sa was Freir Black[154] reddy for that purpose, quhom sche hir self a little of befoir had deprehendit with his harlott in the chapell: But huredome and idolatrye aggre weill togidder, and that oure Courte can witnesse this day, 16 Maij 1566.[155] THE INUMANITIE OF THE MERCYLES FRENCHE. THE QUENE REGENTIS CREWELL HART. The Frenche, prowd of the victorie, strypeit naikit all the slayne, and laid thair deid[156] carcassis befoir the hot sune alang thair wall, quhair thay sufferit thame to lye ma dayis nor ane: unto the quhilk, quhen the Quene Regent luikit, for myrth sche happit and said, "Yonder are the fairest tapestrie that ever I saw: I wald that the haill feyldis that is betwix this place and yon, war strowit with the same stuiffe." This fact was sene of all, and hir wordis war hard of sum, and mislykeit of many. Against the quhilk Johnne Knox spak oppinlie in pulpeit, and baldlie affirmeit, "That God sould reveange that contumelye done to his image, not onlie in the furiouse and godless souldiaris, bot evin in sick as rejoysit thairat." And the verray experience declairit, that he was nott deceavit; for within few dayis thair efter, (yea sum say that same day,) began hir bellie and lothsome leggis to swell, and sa continewit, till that God did execute his judgementis upoun hir, as efter we sall heir. The defait receavit, it was fully perswadit to the Queen Regent and hir factioun, that the Seige wald ryse, and that the Ingliss army wald depairt: and sua began the Papistis wondrouslie to brag; and yitt God did frustratt thair expectation; for the army concludit[157] to remane till new adverteisment came fra the Quene in Counsall. THE COMFORTABLE LETTER OF THE DUICK OF NORTHFOLK. The Duck of Northfolk, quha than lay at Berwick, commandit the Lord Gray to continew the seige, and promeisit "That he sould not laick men sa lang as ony war to be had betwix Trent and Tweid, for sa far was he lieutennent." He farther promeisit his awin presens, in caise he sould be requyreit; and for assurance thairof, he send his awin palzeounis,[158] sic as seldome befoir had bene sene in Scotland, with his officiaris and provisioun. And with expeditioun war send twa thousand fresche men, quhairby the campe, greitlie confortit, began to forgett the former disconfiture, and to sustene the daylie skyrmissing as thay did befoir; in the quhilk the Frenche, efter the day of the assault, did ever resaif the hurt and the repulse, as the slauchter of many that came to the cockill-raik[159] did witnesse. The greatest damage that ather Ingliss or Scottis receavit efter that day, was the slauchter of twa gentilmen, the ane Master of Househald to my Lord James, Robert Colvene of Cleysche,[160] ane man stowt, modest, and wise; quha was schot in the thigh with ane falcone or haquebute of crock, and depairtit the miserie of this lyfe within twa houris efter. The uther was Alexander Lockart, brother to the Laird of Barr,[161] quha raschelie discovering him selff in the trynschis, was schot in the heid, and immediatlie thairefter depairtit this lyff. Quhill the seige thus continewit, ane suddane fyre chanceit in Leith, quhilk devourit many housses and mekill victuall; and sa began God to fecht for us, as the Lord Erskin in plane wordis said to the Quene Regent: "Madam, (quod he,) I can se na mair, but seing that men may not expell injust possessouris furth of this land, God him self will do it; for yon fyre is nocht kindellit be man." Quhilk words offendit the Quene Regent not a littill; quhais seiknes daylie increassing, greit craft sche usit that Monsieur D'Osell mycht have bene permitit to have spokin with hir; belyke sche wald have biddin him fairweill (for auld familiaritie was greit); bot that denyit, sche wrait as it [had] bene to hir chyrurgian and apothecar, schawing hir seiknes, and requyreing sum droggis. The letter being presentit to the Lord Gray, he espyit the craft; for few lyneis being writtin above and sa mekill quhyte paper left, he said, "Drogis ar aboundand and freschear in Edinburgh than thay can be in Leith: thair lurkis heir sum uther misterie." And sa he began to try; and be halding the paper to the fyre, he persavit sum writting [to] appeir, and sa began he to reid. Bot quhat it was, na uther man can tell; for immediatelie he brunt the bill, and said to the messinger, "Albeit I have bene hir Secretary, yitt tell hir I sall keip hir counsall. But say to hir, Sik wairis will nocht sell till a new marcatt." THE DEATH OF THE QUENE REGENT. The answer receavit, sche was nathing content: and than travellit sche earnistlie that sche mycht speik with the Erlles Argyle, Glencairne, Merschell, and with the Lord James. Efter deliberatioun it was thocht expedient that they sould speik hir, bot nocht altogidder, leist that sum pairt of the Guysianis practise had lurkit under the cullour of [sik] freindscheip. Hir regrait was unto thame all, "That sche haid behavit hir self sa fulischlie, that sche had compellit thame to seik the support of otheris than of thair awin Soverane; and said, that sche soir repentit that ever it came to that extremitie. Bot sche was nocht the wyte, bot the wickit counsell of hir freyndis on the ane pairt, and the Erle of Huntley upoun the uther; for gif he had nocht bene, sche wald have fully aggreit with thame at thair communyng at Prestoun." Thay gave unto hir baith the counsale and the confort quhilk thai could in that extremitie, and willit her to send for sum godlie learnit man, of quhom sche mycht resaif instructioun; for these ignorant Papistis that war about hir, understude nathing of the mysterie of oure Redemptioun. Upoun thair motyve was Johnne Willock send for, with quhom sche talkit ane reassonabill space, and quha did planelie schaw unto hir, alsweill the vertew and strenth of the death of Jesus Christ, as the vanitie and abominatioun of that idole the Mess. Sche did oppinlie confesse "That thair was na salvatioun, bot in and by the death of Jesus Christ." Bot of the Mess we hard not hir confessioun. Sum said sche was annoyntit of the Papisticall maner, quhilk was ane sygne of small knawledge of the treuth, and of less repentance of hir former superstitioun. Yitt quhowsoever it was, Christ Jesus got na small victorie over sick an ennemy. For albeit before sche had avowit, that in dyspite of all Scotland, the preachearis of Jesus Christ sould ather die or be banischeid the realme; yitt was sche compellit not onlie to heir that Chryst Jesus was precheit, and all idolatrie oppinlie rebuikit, and in many placeis suppressit, bot alssua sche was constraineit to heir ane of the principall ministeris within the realme, and to approve the cheif heid of oure religioun, quhairin we dissent frome all Papistis and Papistrie. Schort thairefter sche fynischeit hir unhappy lyfe; unhappy, we say, to Scotland, fra the fyrst day sche enterit into it, unto the day sche depairtit this lyfe, quhilk was the nynt of June,[162] the zeir of God Jm Vc threscoir zeiris. "God, for his greit mercyis saik, red us frome the rest of the Guysiane blude. Amen, Amen." For of the tyrranie of the Guysiane blud in hir,[163] that for our unthankfulness now reignis above us, we have had sufficient experience. Bot of any vertew that ever was espyit in Kyng James the Fyft (quhais dochter sche is callit) to this houre we have never sene any sparkle to appeir. Upone the saxtene day of June, efter the death of the Quene Regent, came in Scotland[164] Monsieur Randan,[165] and with him the Bischop of Valance,[166] in commissioun fra France, to entreat of peace. Fra Ingland thair came Sir Williame Cicill,[167] chief Secretary, and Doctor Wottoun.[168] Thair negotiation was langsum; for baith Ingland and we feiring deceat, socht be all meanis that the contract sould be sure. And thay upoun the uther pairt, meanyng to gratifie sick as had send thame, (quha menit nathing bot mere falsett,) protractit tyme to the uttermost; yea, quhill thame of Leith war verray skairce of victualls, and thay of the Insche had perescheit, had not bene that by policy thay gatt ane schip with victuallis, and some munitioun, quhilk was upoun Mydsomer evin, quhairof thay maid no small tryumphe; quhilk alsua for ane seassone stayit the Appoyntment. Yitt in the end peace was concludit, in forme as follows:— The Articles transactit and aggreit be the Reverend Father in God, Johne Bischop of Valance, and Monsieur Randan, deputtis to the King and Quene of Scotland, upoun the matteris presentit to thame, be way of Petitioun, for the pairt of the Nobilitie and Pepill of Scotland.[169]
In the first, Upoun the complaynt and petitioun of the said Nobilitie and pepill of this cuntrey, anent the number of men of weir sustenit be thair Majesties in thir pairtis in tyme of peace; It is humblie requeistit to the saidis Deputis, that thay wald provide oportune remedy thairupoun, to the solace and releif of the cuntrey. The saidis Deputis considerand the said desyre to be just, and conforme to reasone, concludit, concordit, and affirmit, That the Kyng and Quene sall procure na Frenche men of weir, nor na uther natioun to cum to thir pairtis in tyme cuming; bot gif strangearis wald pretend to enter in this realme with ane navy or army to occupy the same; in the quhilk caise provisioun sall be maid be thair Majesties, the judgement and counsale of the Estaitis of the realm be haid thairto: And that the Frenche men of weir, being now in the toun of Leith, sall be send to France the same tyme that the navy and army of Inglissmen and Scottismen has scaillit and depairtit baith be sey and land; the quhilk sall be done in the best maner may be, as at mair lenth consideratioun sall be had thairupone. As to the bandis of Scottismen of war being at the said place, thay sall be brokin, and the men of war licentiat[170] to depairt. Mairover, as to the fortis of Dumbar and Insche Keyth,[171] thair sall remane in thame ane hundreth and twenty Frenche men of weir[172] allanerlie, quhilkis sall be pairtit and distributit in thir twa placeis; and thair sall remane na ma in Dumbar bot threscoir men of war, sua it be not affirmit be the Capitaneis chosin to that effect be baith the pairteis, that for the keiping of the same ane greitar number is not neidfull; alssua to depairt quhen the Estaitis of the realme can fynd ane guid and sure remedy, upoun the expensses maid in the saidis placeis, to keip the same fra perell of invasioun, or deprivatioun thairof fra thame that wald pretend to occupy the samyn, thay sall schaw the same to thair Majesties alse haistilie as may be done: and in the menetyme, the number of the said men of war sall not be augmentit. And in lyk maner it sall nocht be lefull to the said men of war to do ony injureis to ony personis, or yitt to menteyne or defend ony Scottismen, of what qualitie so ever thay be of, againis the will and authoritie of the magistratis of the realme, nor to resaif thame in the saidis placeis that the minister of justice may not putt handis in thame; nor yitt sall intromett with tham any maner of way, with the quarrellis and discordis of the Lordis, or uthir particular men of this realme; bot thay thame selffis sall be obligit, in caise of ony quarrell to be punischitt efter the lawis and consuetude[173] of this Realm, and to answer for thame selffis befoir the Judgeis Ordinaris of the same. Last of all, that fra this furth[174] thay be not compellit to taik ony credeit, they sall be every moneth satisfeit of thair wageis; sua that twa Scottis Lordis chosin be the Counsale, may present it, at weappon-schawing and mustouris of the said men of weir; and alsua to viseit the saidis fortis to se gif the number of thame be eikit; and it sall not be lesum to the said men of war to tak ony victuallis for thair sustentatioun, to the munitioun of the saidis placeis, bot be payment of reddy money, numerat, and with the plesour of thame that delyveris the same to thame: And thairfoir, the saidis Lordis oblisses thame to gif thame sa mekill as is neidfull to thame, thay having to pay thairfoir. Item, Upoun the petitioun presentit to the saidis Lordis Deputis, anent the demolitioun of the fortificationis, the saidis Deputis consentit, concordit, and affirmit, That the fortificatioun of Leith sall be demolischit, and that twa, thre, or four capitaneis sall be chosin be baith of the pairteis, to visite the Castell of Dumbar; and gif it beis fundin be thame, that the reparatioun, amplificatioun, and fortifeing[175] maid thairof now efter the peace, greittar nomber of men to the keiping thairof is requyreit, the reparatioun and fortificatioun thairof sall be demolischeit, sua sone as may be done, and sall remane onlie untuicheit, that thing quhilk may mak the said Castell mair sure, and leist dainger fra invasioun; provyding nocht the less that na grettar nomber of men thairin be requyreit for keiping of the same. Mairover, in tymeis cuming the Kyng and Quene sall mak na ma new fortis within this realme, and sall nocht augment thame that ar ellis maid, nor sall repair thame that are demolischeit, without counsal and consent of the Estaites; nor yitt sall transport to uthir partis ony artailyerie, munitioun of war, powder, or victuallis, bot sa mekill as may gayne for keiping of the saidis placeis be the space of sax monethis or ane yeir. Item, Anent the petitioun maid anent the debtis contractit be the Frenche men of weir in this countrey, the saidis [Deputis] concordit, That the Kyng and Quene sall cause restoir all that quhilk happinis to be fund gevin and grantit to the Kyngis Lieutennent and his Capitaneis, and uthiris Officiaris, for the nureisment, sustentatioun, and menteinance of the said Frensche men, or that quhilk beis fundin aucht be the lieutennent for service of his Majestie, that may appeir be writt, or confessioun of parteis. Item, Upoun the petitioun maid anent the Conventioun of Estaitis of this Realme, the saidis Deputis consentit, concordit, &c., That the Estaites of the Realme may convene and hald Parliament, the twenty day[176] of the moneth of Julij nixt to cum; upone the quhilk day the Parliament sall be contyneuit, as use is, unto the fyrst day of the moneth of August following. Provyding alwayis, that befoir or thay begin to treat ony thyng in the said Parliament, all tumult of weir be dischargeit and ceise, that they that are present may be free without feir of men of weir or uthiris; and that in the menetyme ane messinger be send be the saidis Deputis to the Kyng and Quene, to certifie thame of thay thyngis aggreit, treatit, and concordit, requeisting thair Majesteis humbillie to be contentit with the samyn: And the said Conventioun sall be alse lauchfull in all respectis, as the samyn had bene ordanit and done be expres commandyment of thair Majesteis; providing that na mater be treatit thairintill befoir the said fyrst day of August. Item, Upoun the article presentit anent Weir and Peace, the saidis Deputis consentit, concordit, etc., That the Kyng and Quene neither mak peace nor weir in thir pairtis, bot be counsale, judgment, and consent of the Thre Estaitis, according to the ordinance and consuetudis of the countrey; and as was observit be thair predecessouris. Item, Upoun the petitioun presentit to the saidis Deputis, anent the governament and regiment of the Policey, thay have consentit, etc., That twenty-four worthy men of this realme be chosin be the Three Estaitis, of the quhilkis the Kyng and the Quene sall chuse sevin, and the Estaitis sevintene; quhilkis in thair Majesteis absens sall tak ordour, and mak an ordinarie counsall for administratioun foirsaid, sua that na man, of quhatsoever qualitie he be, sall have the power to ordour ony thing to be done touching the saidis busynes, without the mediatioun, authorities, and consent of thame: sua that the saidis counsallaris sall convene togidder alse oft as thay may, but thay sall convene na less nor sax[177] togidder; And quhen ony mater of importance occurris, thay sall be all callit to counsale, and tak ordour be thame, or the maist pairt of thame, gif neid beis. And gif it happinis ony of the said sevin chosin be the Kyng and Quene to deceis, thair Majesties sall choise ane uthir furth of the said nomber of xxiv. in place of him that deceassit; and gif ony of the saidis xvii. chosin be the Estaitis deis, the remanent foirchosen be thame sall name are uther of the said nomber of twentie foure. Mairover, gif it beis thocht expedient be the saidis Estaitis, that uther twa be augmentit to the said nomber of twelf, than and in that caise, the Kyng and Quene sall choise ane, and the Estaitis ane uther. And sua was this Article aggreit under conditioun, that is to say, That the samyn be na prejudice in tyme cuming to the Kyng and Quene, and rychtis of the Croune: And the saidis Deputis offerrit thair laubouris to mak mediatioun to the Kyng and Quene, for menteining pensiouns and expensses of the said Counsellouris, and ordinar officiaris of the said counsall, to be providit of the rentis and proventis[178] of the Croun. Item, Upoun the petitioun maid to the saidis Deputis anent the Officiaris of this realme, thay consentit and concordit, &c., That in tyme cuming the King and Quene sall not depute ony stranger in the administratioun of the civile and criminall Justice; and in lykwyise in the office of Chancellarie, Keipar of Seall, Thesaurer, Compttrollar, and uther lyk officeis, and sall not use thame, but sall be content with thair awin subjectis borne in this realme. Mairover, it sall not be lefull to put the office of Thesaurarie, Comptrollarie, in the handis of any kirk man, or utheris quhilkis ar not abill to exercise the saidis officeis; the quhilkis Thesaurer and Compttrollar sall be providit of sufficient commissioun to use the saidis officeis. Bot it sall not be lefull to thame to dispone or sell wairdis of mariageis, or uther casualiteis, or any uther thyngis quhatsumever thay be perteinyng to thair officeis, without counsall or consent of the said Counsale, to that effect that the Counsale may know that all thyngis be done to the proffitt of the Kyng and Quene; and yitt thay will not bynd, or astrict the Kyng and Quene be this article, that thay may not gif quhen thay think expedient. Item, Thay concordit, That in the first conventioun of the Estaitis of this Realme, thair sall be constitut, ordanit, and establischeit ane law of oblivioun, quhilk efterward sall be confirmit be the Kyng and Queneis Majesties; be the quhilk all rememberance of beiring of armour, and utheris thyngis quhilk it hes bene done, sall be eirdit and forgett,[179] fra the saxt day of the moneth of Marche, in the yeir of God Jm Vc fyftie aucht yeiris:[180] And be the samyn law, thay quhilkis hes contravenit the lawis of the realme, sall be exemit and fre of all payne contenit thairin, siclik as gif it never had bene contravenit; providing that the privilegis of the said law be not extendit to thame, quhilkis the Estaitis of the Realme sall judge[181] unworthie thairof. Item, It is aggreit and concludit, That in the said Conventioun or Parliament, the Estaitis of the Realme, as use is, and of the maner is requireit, sall be callit; in the quhilk all thay that hes usit to convene, and be present, may cum without all feir or force done, or to be done to thame be any persone, sua that the saidis sall oblisse thame, that quhair in tyme cuming ony seditioun, or conventioun of men of war sall happin to be, without command of the Counsall, being of the number of twelf, the realme and cuntrey sall repute the causseris thairof, and thame that conveneis as rebellis, and sall persew thame as siclyk, that thay may be punischeit be the lawis of the Realme, sua that the Kyng and Quene sall not be compellit in tyme cuming to send ony men of war, or strangeris in thir pairtis, for obtenying of dew obedience of thair subjectis. Item, Thay offerit, concordit, and aggreit, That thair sall be generall peace and reconciliatioun amang all Lordis and subjectis of this Realme; so that thay that are callit of the Congregatioun, and thay quhilkis are not of the samyn, sall put na reproche to utheris of the thingis quhilk are done fra the said saxt day of Marche 1558 [-9.] Item, Thay offerrit, concordit, and affirmit, That the King and Quene sall not persew, revenge, nor mak ony persecutioun of the thyngis that hes bene done, nor yitt sall thay suffer the samyn to be done be thair subjectis, Frenche men, bot sall have all thyngis in oblivioun, as the samyn had never bene done. And siclyk, the Lordis of this Realme of Scotland sall do of all busynes betwix thame and the Frenche men in thir pairtis. And gif, be sinister informatioun, or ony uther occasioun, thair Majesteis hes conceavit ony evill opinioun against thair subjectis, thay sall alluterlie forgett, and change the samyn; nor thay sall not depryve any of thame, nor denude any of thame, or of thair subjectis, of the officeis, beneficeis, or estaitis, quhilkis thay have bruikit in the said Realme befoir, be rassone of ony thyngis thay have middillit with, fra the said saxt day of Marche 1558 [-9.] And farther, sall mak na occasioun of deprivatioun, or deposing of thame be any uther cullour without caus; bot rather thay sall esteme and treit thame in tyme cuming as gude and obedient subjectis, providing that the saidis Lordis and uther subjectis, on thair pairtis, mak to thair Majesteis haill obedience, siclyk as utheris faithfull and naturall subjectis aucht to thair Soveraneis. Item, It is concordit and aggreit, That it sall be lefull to nane of the Lordis of the Nobilitie of Scotland, or ony utheris, to mak convocatioun of men of weir, bot in the ordinarie causses approvit be the lawis and consuetude of the Realme; and that nane of thame sall cause ony men of weir, strangeris, to cum in thir pairtis, and mekill less sall attempt to do ony thyng against the Kyng and Quene, or aganeis the authoritie of the Counsall, and utheris Magistratis of the Realme; and thay quhilkis hes presentit the said petitioun sall be obleist thairunto. And in caise any of thame, or utheris, find occasioun to invaid, or tak armour aganist any man, as he pretendis, efter that he have communicatit the mater with the counsall of the Realme, he sall present his complaynt to thair Majesteis: and generallie, thay sall obliss thame, under the saidis paines, to do the thyngis quhilkis pertenis to guid and faithfull subjectis, for the quyetnes and tranquillitie of the Realme, and rychtis of thair Soveraneis. Item, It is aggreit, &c., That gif ony Bischopis, Abbotis, or uther kyrk men sall playnt, or allege thame to have resavit any injureis, eyther in thair personeis or guidis, the playnt sall be sene and considderit be the Estaitis in the said Conventioun and Parliament; and thair sall be maid redress, as thay sall find according to reassone: And in the meinetyme, na man sall stopp thame, bot thay sall bruik thair guddis; nor sall do any skaith, injurie, or violence to thame: and gif ony dois contravene to this article, he sall be persewit be the Lordis as ane perturbar of ane guid communwelth.Item, It is concordit, &c., That the saidis Lordis sall obliss thame to observe, and cause be observit, all and sindrie pointis and articleis aggreit in this Treateis: and gif it happinis that any of thame, or ony uther, wald contravene the same, the remanent Lordis and residew of the haill pepill, sall be ennemeis to him, and sall persew him till he be chaistisit and puneisit according to his demereitis. Item, It is concordit, &c., That all the haill Realme may know that the Kyng and Quene ar not willing to keip any rememberance of the trubillis and differencis bygane; and sa far as concernis the Nobilitie and utheris subjectis of the Realme, that thair Majesteis desyris to treit thame humanelie, and to be favourabill to thame; the saidis Deputis hes promeist and concordit that the Duck of Chastellarault, and all uthiris Nobillmen of Scotland, sall be remittit, and put again in all thair guddis and beneficeis, quhilkis thay haid and joysit in France, that thay may bruik and joyse the same in the samyn maner as thay did of befoir thay differenceis, the said saxt day of Marche, and yeir foirsaid, evin as the saidis contraverseis had never chanceit. And alssua, that all capitulatiouns and articleis aggreit upoun in tymeis bigane, and speciallie thay that war appointit in the Kyng and Queneis contract, sall be observit and keipit, alsweill for the pairt or thair Majesteis as for the pairt of the Nobilitie and pepill of Scotland. And as concerning David, sone to the said Duck of Chastellarault,[182] now being in Boys de Vincent, libertie sall be grantit to him to returne to Scotland, and to do as he pleise. Mairover, quhen the saidis Deputis exponit, that sum tyme it mycht chance that the Kyng mycht mister of his greit gunis and artailyerie in France, the saidis Lordis having consideratioun thairof, concordit, That na uther artailyerie be translatit out of this Realme, bot thay quhilkis war send and brocht in fra the day and deceise of Francis, King of France,[183] of guid memorie to thir pairtis; and that all uther artailyerie and munitioun be reponit in placeis quhair thay war takin furth, and speciallie [those] that hes the armeis[184] of Scotland sall be put in the placeis quhair thay war takin furth of; and their sall be Nobill men of Scotland [appointed] thairfoir, and twa for the pairt of the Kingis Majestie is to be deput, to recognosce the samyn befoir the schipping thairof. And, mairover, that quhair for the pairt of the Nobilitie and pepill of Scotland, certane Articles concerning the Religioun[185] and uthiris pointis war presentit, quhilkis the saidis Deputis wald not tuyche, bot considering the wecht and importance of thame, remittit the samyn to be recognoscit and decidit be thair Majesties; the saidis Lordis and Nobilitie promeisit, that ane certane number of Nobill men sall be chosin in the nixt Convention and Parliament, to be sent to their Majesties, quhilkis sall expone to thair Hienes the thingis quhilkis sall be thocht neidfull for the estait of thair busyness, and for the foirmentionat and utheris articles and pointis undecidit with the saidis Deputis, to the effect that thay may knaw thair Majesties intention and benevolence upon the thingis quhilkis sall be exponit for the pairt of the country; the quhilkis alsua sall have with thame ane confirmatioun and ratificatioun be the Estaitis of the Realme of the Articleis quhilkis ar concordit and aggreit be the saidis Deputis, to quham alsua the same tyme, or of befoir, sall be gevin and delyverit ane lyk confirmatioun and ratificatioun maid be thair Majesties, sua being that the saidis Estaitis send thair ratificatioun foirsaid. [In witness whereof, &c.] The Proclamatioun of the thyngis above writtin, maid the aucht day of Julij, the yeir of God Jm Vc threscoir yeiris. To the loving of the maist puissant Lord, and confort of all Christianis: The maist puissant Prince and Princess, and maist Christiane Kyng and Quene Francis and Marie, be the grace of God Kyng and Quene of France and Scotland, and the maist puissant Princess Elizabeth, be the samyn grace Quene of Ingland, Ireland, &c.: It is concordit, and reconciliatioun of peace and amitie maid, quhilk is to be observit inviolablie amangis thame, thair subjects, realmes, and countreys: Forsamekle in name of the said Prince and Princesses, it is commandit and straitlie chargeit, to all maner of personis under thair obedience, or being in thair service, fra this furth,[186] to desist fra all hostilitie, baith by sey and land, and to keip ane good peace the ane with the uther; and with charge to the brekaris under their greit parrell, &c.
Thir thingis transactit, and the peace proclamit, as said is, suddane provisioun was maid for the transporting of the Frensche to France, of whom the maist pairt were put into the Ingliss schippis, quha alsua careit with thame the haill spulzie of Leith; and that was the secund benefite quhilk thay resavit of thair lait promeisit libertie, the end quhairof is not yitt cum. The Ingliss army be land depairtit the sextene day of Julij, the yeir of God Jm Vc threscoir yeiris. The maist pairt of oure Nobilitie, Protestantis, honorabillie convoyit thame (as in verray deid thay had weill deservit): Bot the Lord James wald nocht leave the Lord Gray, with the uther nobill men of Ingland, till that thay enterit in Berwick. Efter quhaise returnyng, the Counsall began to luik, alsweill upoun the effairis of the commonwelth, as upoun the matteris that mycht concerne the stabilitie of Religioun.
As befoir we have heard, the Parliament [was] concludit to begyn the xx. [10th] of July, and to be contynewit to the first of August nixt;[187] and thairfoir the Lordis maid the greater expeditioun, that all thyngis mycht be put in convenient ordour. Bot befoir all thyngis the Preachouris exhortit thame, (for than in Edinburgh war the maist pairt of the cheif Ministeris of the Realme) to be thankfull unto God, and nixt to provyde, that the ministeris mycht be distributeit as the necessitie of the countrey requyreit. Ane day was statute, quhen the haill Nobilitie, and the greitest pairt of the Congregatioun assembillit in Sanct Geilis Kirk in Edinburgh, quhair, efter the sermond maid for that purpoise, publick thankis war gevin unto God for his mercifull deliverance, in forme as followis:— Thankis geving for our delyverance, with Prayeris. O Eternall and Everlasting God, Father of oure Lord Jesus Chryst, quha hes nocht onlie commandit us to pray, and promeisit to heir us, but alsua willis us to magnifie thy mercies, and to glorifie thy name quhen thou schawis thy self pitiefull and favorabill unto us, especiallie quhen thow delyveris us frome disperatt daingearis: ffor sa did thy servantis Abraham, David, Jehosaphatt, and Ezekias; yea, the haill pepill of Israell omittit nott the same, quhen thow by thy mychtie hand did confound thair ennemeis, and deliver thame frome feir and daingear of death intentit. We aucht not, nor can not forgett, O Lord, in how miserabill estait stude this poore countrey, and we the just inhabitants of the same, not many dayis past, quhen idolatrie was menteynit, quhen creuell straingearis did impyre, quhen virgennis war deflorit, matronis corruptit, mennis wyfeis violentlie and vylanouslie oppressit, the blud of innocentis sched without mercie; and finallie, quhen the unjust commandementis of proud tyrannis war obeyit as ane law. Out of thir miseries, O Lord, could nather our witt, policey, nor strength delyver us; yea did schaw unto us how vayne was the help of man, quhair thy blessing gevis not victorie. In thir our anguischeis, O Lord, we suitit[188] unto thee, we cryit for thy help, and we reclameit[189] thy name, as thy trubillit flock, persecutit for thy treuth saik. Mercifullie hes thow hard us, O Lord, mercifullie, we say, becaus that neither in us, neither yitt in our confederatis was thair any caus quhy thou souldest have gevin unto us sa joyfull and suddane a delyverance: for neither of us bayth ceassit to do wickitlie, evin in the myddis of oure greitest trubillis. And yitt hes thow lukit upoun us sa pitifullie as that we haid gevin unto thee maist perfyte obedience, for thou hes disapoyntit the counsals of the crafty, thow hes brydillit the rage of the crewell; and thow hes of thy mercie sett this oure perisching Realme at ane reasonabill libertie. Oh, gif us hartis (thou, Lord, that onlie gifis all guid gyft,) with reverence and feir, to meditat thy wondrouse warkis lait wrocht in oure eyes. Let not the remembrance of the same unthankfullie to slip frome oure wavering myndis. We grant and acknawlege, O Lord, that quhat soever we haif resavit sall fall in oblivioun with us, and so turne to oure condempnatioun, unless thou, by the power of thy Holie Spreit, keip and reteyne us in recent and perpetuall memorie of the same. We beseik thee thairfoir, O Father of mercyis, that as of thy undeservit grace thow hes partlie removit our darknes, suppressit idolatrie, and taikin frome above oure heidis the devouring sword of mercyless strangearis, that sa it wald pleise thee to proceid with us in this thy grace begune. And albeit that in us thair is nathing that may move thy Majestie to schaw us thy favour, O yit for Christ Jesus, thy onlie weilbelovit Sonis saik, quhais name we beir, and quhais doctrin we profess, we beseik thee never to suffer us to foirsaik or deny this thy veritie quhilk now we professe. Bot seing that thou hes mercifullie heard us, and hes caussit thy veritie to triumphe in us, sa we crave of thee continewance unto the end, that thy godlie name may be glorifeit in us thy creaturis. And seing that nathing is mair odiouse in thy presence, O Lord, than is ungratitud and violatioun of ane aith and convenant maid in thy name; and seing that thou hes maid our confederatis of Ingland the instrumentis by quhom we are now sett at this libertie, to quhom we in thy name have promeisit mutuall fayth agane; lett us never fall to that unkyndnes,[190] O Lord, that ather we declair oure selfis unthankfull unto thame, or prophanaris of thy holie name. Confound thow the counsalls of thame that go about to brek that maist godlie liegue contractit in thy name, and reteyne thou us sa firmlie togidder by the power of thy Holie Spreit, that Sathan have never power to sett us agane at variance nor discord. Geve us thy grace to leif in that Christiane cheritie quhilk thy Sone, our Lord Jesus, hes sa earnestlie commandit to all the memberis of his body; that uther natiouns, provockit be our example, may sett asyde all ungodlie weir, contentioun, and stryff, and studie to leif in tranquilitie and peace, as it becumis the scheip of thy pasture, and the pepill that daylie luikis for our finall delyverance, by the cuming agane of oure Lord Jesus; to whom with Thee, and the Holie Spreit, be all honour, glorie, and prayse, now and ever. Amen.
Heirefter war the Commissionaris of Bruchis, with sum of the Nobilitie and Barronis, appoyntit to see the equall distributioun of Ministeris, to change and transport as the maist pairt sould think expedient. And sua was Johne Knox appointit to Edinburgh; Christopher Gudman, (quha the maist pairt of the trubillis had remanit in Ayre,) was appointit to Sanctandrois: Adame Heryot to Abirdene; Maister Johnne Row to Sanct Johnestoun; Paull Meffen, (to quhom was no infamie than knawin,) to Jedburgh; Williame Crystesoun to Dundie; and David Fergusoun to Dumfermling, and Maister David Lyndsay to Leith. Thair war nominat for Superintendantis, Maister Johnne Spottiswod for Lowtheane; Maister Johnne Wynrame for Fyff; Maister Johnne Willok for Glasgow; the Laird of Dun for Anguss and Mearnis; Maister Johnne Carswall for Ergyle and the Iles.[191] Thir to be electit at the dayis appointit, unless that the countreyis quhairto thay war to be appointit could in the menetyme fynd out men mair abill and sufficient, or ellis schaw sick causses as mycht inhabill thame from that dignitie. The Parliament[192] approaching, dew adverteisment was maid, be the Counsall, to all sick as by law and ancient custome had or mycht clame to have vote thairin. The assembillie was great, nochtwithstanding that sum, alsweill of thame that be callit Spirituall as Temporall Lordis, contemptuouslie did absent thame selffis: And yit the cheif pillaris of the Papisticall Kirk gave thair presence, sick as the Bischoppis of Sanctandrois,[193] Dumblane,[194] and Dunkell,[195] with otheris of the inferiour sort, besydeis thame that had renunceit Papistrie, and oppinlie professit Jesus Chryst with us; sick as the Bischop of Galloway,[196] the Abbotis of Lendorse,[197] Culroiss,[198] Sanct Colmeis Insche,[199] Newbottill,[200] Halyrudhouse,[201] the Priour of Sanctandrois,[202] Coldinghame,[203] and Sanct-Marie Ile,[204] the Suppriour of Sanctandrois,[205] and dyverse otheris quham we observit not. WILLIAM MAITLAND'S MOCKAGE OF GOD At the samyn tyme of Parliament, Johne Knox taught publicklie the propheit Haggeus. The doctrin was proper for the tyme; in applicatioun quhairof he was so speciall and so vehement, that sum (having greater respect to the warld than to Goddis glory,) feilling thair selffis prickit, said in mockage, "We mon now forget our selffis, and beir the barrow to buyld the housses of God."[206] God be mercifull to the speikar; for we feir that he shall have experience that the buylding of his awin house (the house of God being despisit) sall not be so prosperouse, and of sick firmitie, as we desyre it were. And albeit sum mockit, yitt utheris were godlie movit, quha did assembill thame selffis togidder to consult quhat thyngis were to be proponit to that present Parliament, and efter deliberatioun, was this subsequent Supplicatioun offerit:— The Barronis, Gentilmen, Burgesses, and utheris, trew subjectis of this Realme, professing the Lord Jesus Chryst within the samyn: To the Nobilitie and Estaitis of Parliament, presentlie assemblit within the said Realme, desyre grace, mercy, and peace, frome God the Father of our Lord Jesus Chryst, with the incress of His Holy Spreit: PLEIS youre Honouris to reduce to remembrance, how dyverse and sundrie tymeis we (with sum of youre selffis) maist humbillie suitit at the feit of the lait Quene Regent fredome and libertie of conscience, with a godlie reformatioun of abuseis, quhilk by the malice of Sathane and negligence of men, are cropin in Religioun of God, and are menteynit by sick as tak upoun thame the name of Clergye. And albeit that oure godlie and maist reassonable suyte was then disdainfullie rejectit, quhairof na small trubillis have ensewit, as your Honouris weill knaw, yit seing that the same necessitie yit remaneis that then movit us, and, mairover, that God of his mercie has now put into your handis to tak sic ordour as God thairby may be glorifeit, this communwelth quietit, and the policie thairof establischeit: We can not cease to crave of youre handis the redress of sick enormiteis, as manifestlie are (and of lang tyme have bene) committit be the placehalderis of the Ministerie, and utheris of the Clergy within this Realm. And First, Seing that God of his greit mercy by the lycht of his word, has manifestit to no small number of this Realme, that the doctrin of the Roman Kyrk, resaveit be the said Clergy, and menteynit throu thair tyrannie by fyre and sword, conteinit in the self many pestiferous errouris, quhilk can not but bring dampnatioun to the saullis of sick as thairwith sall be infectit; sick as are the doctrine of Transsubstantiatioun; of the Adoratioun of Chryst his body under the forme of breid, as thay term it; of the mereitis of Warkis, and Justificatioun that thay allege cumis thairby; togidder with the doctrin of the Papisticall Indulgencis, Purgatorie, Pilgrimage, and Praying to Sanctis depairtit; quhilk all either repugne to the plane Scripturis, or ellis have no ground of the doctrine of our Maister Jesus Christ, his Propheitis, nor Appostillis. We humbillie thairfoir crave of your Honouris, that sick doctrine and idolatrie as by Goddis word are condempnit, so may thay be abolischeit be Act of this present Parliament, and punischement appointit for the transgressouris. Secundlie, Seing that the Sacramentis of Jesus Chryst are maist schamefullie abusit and prophanit by that Romane harlot and hir sworne vassallis; and alssua because that the treu disciplyne of the ancient Kirk is utterlie now amangis that sect extinguischeit: for quha within the Realme are mair corrupt of lyff and maneris than are thay that are callit the Clergye, living in huredome, adultery, defloring virgeinis, corrupting matronis, and doing all abominatioun, without feir of punischement; We humbillie thairfoir desyre youre Honouris to fynd remedy against the ane and the uther.Thirdlie, Because that Man of Syn often maist falslie clames to him self the titillis of "The Vicare of Chryst; the successour of Peter; the heid of the Kirk; that he can not err; that all power is grantit unto him," &c., by the quhilk usurpit authoratie, he taikis upoun him the distributioun and possessioun of the haill patrimony of the Kirk, quhairby the trew Ministeris of the word of God lang tyme hes bene altogidder neglectit, the godlie learning dispysit, the sculeis not providit, and the poore not onlie defraudit of thair portioun, but alssua tyrannouslie oppressit; We lykwise heirof desyre remedy. And least that your Honouris sould dowt of any of thir premisses, we offer oure selfis evidentlie to prove, that in all the [rabill of the] Clergye thair is not ane lauchfull minister, gif Godis word, the practise of the Apostillis, and thair awin ancient Lawis, sall judge of lauchfull electioun. We farther offer oure selfis to prove thame all thevis and murtheraris, yea, rebellis and tratouris to the lauchfull authoritie of Empriouris, Kyngis, and Prenceis; and thairfor unworthy to be sufferrit in any Reformeit Commonwealth. Quhow malitiouslie thay have murtherit oure brethren, for na uther cause, bot for that thay offerrit to us the licht of Godis word, your Honouris can not be ignorant; and in quhat hasard thair tyrranie hes brocht this haill Realme, the ages after will considder. Gif ye luik of thame any uther fruit in tymeis cuming, than ye have sene in thame quham we accuse, we ar assurit ye sall be desavit. Now hes God, beyond all expectatioun of man, maid youre selfis, quha sum tymeis war suppliantis with us for Reformatioun, jugeis, as it war, in the caus of God. At least he hes subdewit your ennemeis unto you, that by violence thay ar nocht abill to suppress the veritie, as heirtofoir thay haif done. We thairfoir, in the bowellis of Jesus Chryst, crave of your Honouris, that ather thay be compellit to answer to our former accusationis, and to sick uthiris as we justlie have to lay to thair chargeis, or ellis that, all affectioun laid asyde, ye pronunce thame be censement of this Parliament sick, and cause thame to be sua reputit, as by us maist justlie thay ar accusit; especiallie, that thay be decernit unworthy of honour, authoritie, charge, or cure within the Kyrk of God, and sa from hencefurth never to joy vote[207] in Parliament. Quhilk gif ye do not, than in the feir of God, and by the assurance of his word, We foirwairne you, that as ye haif ane grevouse yock, and ane burding intollerabill upoun the kyrk of God within this Realme, so sall thay be thornis in youre eyes, and pryckis in your sydis, quhom efter, quhen ye wold, ye sall have no power to remove. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Chryst give yow upricht hartis, seiking his glory; and trew understanding quhat this day he quha delyverit yow fra bondage, baith spirituall and temporall, cravis of yow by his servandis: And youre Honouris Answer maist humbly we requyre.
This oure Supplicatioun being red in audience of the haill assembly, dyverse men war of dyverse jugementis; for als sone thair war that uprichtlie favourit the cause of God, sa war thair many that for warldlie respectis abhorrit ane perfect Reformatioun, (for how many within Scotland that have the name of Nobilitie, ar not injust possessouris of the patrimony of the Kyrk.) And yitt war the Barronis and Ministeris callit, and commandement gevin unto thame, to draw, in playne and severall heidis, the summe of that Doctrine, quhilk thay wald menteyne, and wald desyre that present Parliament to establische, as hailsome, trew, and onlie necessarie to be beleivit, and to be resavit within that Realme: Quhilk thay willinglie acceptit, and within foure dayis presentit this Confessioun as it followis, without alteratioun of any ane sentence:— THE CONFESSIOUN OF FAITH PROFESSIT AND BELEVIT BE THE PROTESTANTIS WITHIN THE REALME OF SCOTLAND, PUBLISCHEIT BY THAME IN PARLIAMENT, AND BE THE ESTAITIS THAIROF RATIFEIT AND APPROVIT, AS HAILSOME AND SOUND DOCTRINE, GROUNDIT UPOUN THE INFALLABLE TREWTH OF GODIS WORD.
MATHEI 24. AND THIS GLAID TYDINGIS OF THE KYNGDOME SALL BE PRECHEIT THROUGH THE HAILL WARLD, FOR A WITNES UNTO ALL NATIOUNS, AND THEN SALL THE END CUM.
first edition title page (Title-page of the first printed edition.) The Confessione of the fayht and
doctrin beleued and professed by the
Protestantes of the Realme of Scotland
exhibited to the estates of the
sam in parliament and by thare
publict votes authorised as a
doctrin grounded vpon
the infallable wourd
of God. Matth. 24 And this glaid tydinges of the kingdom shalbe preached throught the hole world for a witness to all nations and then shall the end cum.
Imprinted at Edinburgh,
be Robert Lekprewik.
Cum priuilegio.
1561.
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