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.
[188] In MS. G, and Vautr. edit., "we sobbed."
[189] In MS. G, "proclaimed;" in Vautr. edit., "reclamed."
[190] In MS. G, "unthankfulness."
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.
[191] The first appointment of Ministers and Superintendents to the
chief towns and districts in Scotland, was made about the 20th of July
1560, or previously to the meeting of Parliament.
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.
[192] In the Diurnal of Occurrents, it is stated, that "Upon the first
day of August, the Parliament tuke begyning, and few or na Lordis came
to the samyn, quhill the aucht day of the samyn moneth," (pp. 61,
278.) The names of the persons present at this memorable Parliament
are preserved among the Cecil Papers, (MS. Cotton. Calig. ix. fol.
144.) Although printed both in the Acta Parl. Scot. vol. ii. p. 525,
and in Keith's History, I shall insert the list in the Appendix.
[193] John Hamilton, Archbishop of St. Andrews.
[194] William Chisholm, Bishop of Dunblane, who succeeded his brother
of the half-blood in 1527, and who survived till 1564. His nephew
William Chisholm, was constituted his coadjutor and future successor
in the See, by a brief from Pope Pius IV. dated 4 Non. Junij 1561.
(Keith's Catal. p. 180).
[195] Robert Crichton, Bishop of Dunkeld, who had previously been
Provost of St. Giles's Church, Edinburgh.
[196] Alexander Gordon, titular Archbishop of Athens, and Bishop of
Galloway: see a subsequent note.
[197] Probably John Lesley: see Abbots of Lindores, in the Appendix to
this volume.
[198] William Colville, Commendator of Culross: see Appendix.
[199] James Stewart, of the family of Beath, Commendator of Inch-Colm,
or St. Colme. He was afterwards knighted, and raised to the peerage.
[200] Mark Ker, Commendator of Newbattle, ancestor of the Earls of
Lothian.
[201] Lord Robert Stewart, a natural son of King James the Fifth,
Commendator of Holyrood House, afterwards titular Bishop of Caithness
and Earl of Orkney: see a subsequent note.
[202] Lord James Stewart, Prior of St. Andrews, and afterwards Earl of
Murray, and Regent of Scotland.
[203] Lord John Stewart, another natural son of King James the Fifth,
was Prior of Coldingham. In Book Fourth, Knox mentions his death at
Inverness.
[204] Robert Richardson, Prior of St. Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbright: see
note to vol. i. p. 372. It is a mistake, however, in saying that he
died in 1571; as will afterwards be explained.
[205] John Wynrame, Prior of Portmoak, and Sub-prior of St. Andrews:
see vol i. p. 150; and a subsequent note in the present volume.
[Sidenote: 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:--
[206] William Maitland of Lethington, who made use of this expression,
had been chosen Speaker in this Parliament and had "opened the
proceedings in an oration, of which Randolph has given us the
principal heads."--(Tytler's Hist. vol. vi. p. 177.)
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.
[207] In Vautr. edit. "to enjoy voice."
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.