"that reulis my conscience, but God speiking plainlie in his word;
quhat was lauchfull to me last yeir, is yit lauchfull, becaus my God
is unchangeable."
"Weill," said the Maister, "I haif gevin you my counsell, do as ye
list; but I think ye sall repent it, gif ye bow not unto the Quene."
"I understand not," said he, "Maister, quhat ye mene. I nevir maid my
self ane adversarie pairtie unto the Quenis Majestie, except in to the
heid of religioun, and thairintill I think ye will nocht desyre me to
bow."
"Weill," said he, "ye are wise eneuch; but ye will find that men will
nocht beir with you in times to cum, as thay haif done in tymes
bypast."
"Gif God stand my freind," said the uther, "as I am assurit he of his
mercie will, so lang as I depend upon his promeise, and prefer his
glorie to my life and warldlie proffeit, I littill regaird how men
behave thame selffis towardis me; nether yit knaw I quhairin till ony
man hes borne with me in times past, unles it be, that of my mouth
thay haif heard the word of God, quhilk in times to cum, gif thay
refuise, my hairt wilbe persit, and for ane seasone will lament; but
the incommoditie wilbe thair awne."
And efter thir wordis, quhairinto the Laird of Lochinvar[932] wes
witness, thai departit. But unto this day, the 17th of December
1571,[933] thay met nocht in sick familiaritie as thay had befoir.
[932] Sir John Gordon of Lochinvar: see _supra_ p. 260, note 27.
[933] This date forming part of the text, proves that this portion of
the MS. must have been transcribed at that date: see introductory
notice, vol i. p. xxx.
The bruit of the accusatioun of Johne Knox being divulged, Mr. Johne
Spens of Condie, Advocat,[934] a man of gentill nature, and ane that
professit the doctrine of the Evangell, came, as it wer, in secreit to
Johne Knox, to inquyre the cause of that grit bruit. To quhom the said
Johne wes plane in all thingis, and schew unto him the dowbill of the
letter. Quhilk heard and consydderit, he said, "I thank my God, I came
to you with ane feirfull and sorrowfull hairt, feiring that ye had
done sick ane cryme as lawis mycht haif punischit, quhilk wald haif
bene na small trubill to the hairtis of all sik as hes ressavit the
worde of life quhilk ye haif preichit; but I depairt gritlie rejosit,
alsweill becaus I persaif your awin confort, evin in the myddis of
your trubillis, as that I cleirly understand, that ye haif committit
no sik cryme as ye ar burdenit with: Ye wilbe accusit, (said he,) but
God will assist you." And sua he departit.
[934] Mr. John Spens of Condie was Queen's Advocate from 1558, and has
several times been mentioned by Knox: see vol. i. p. 419. He died in
June 1573. (Register of Confirmed Testaments, 5th March 1577-8.)
[Sidenote: BEFOIR THAY DISDAINED NOT TO CUM TO HIS AWIN HOUS.]
[Sidenote: THE SECRETOURIS COUNSELL TO JOHN KNOX]
The Erle of Murray and the Secretarie send for the said Johne to the
Clerk of Registeris house, and began to lament that he had so heighlie
offendit the Quenis Majestie, the quhilk thai feirit sould cum to ane
grit inconvenient to him self, gif he wer not wyselie forsene. Thay
schew quhat paines and travell thai had tackin to mittigat hir anger,
but thai could find na thing but extremitie, unless he him self wald
confes his offence, and put him in hir Grace's will. To quhilk heidis
the said Johne answerit as followis:--
[Sidenote: JOHN KNOX HIS ANSUER.]
"I praise my God, through Jesus Chryst, I haif leirnit nocht to cry
conjuratioun and tressoun at everie thing that the godles multitude
dois condempne, neither yit to feir the thingis that thai feir. I haif
the testimonie of ane gude conscience, that I haif gevin no occasioun
to the Quenis Majestie to be offendit with me; for I haif done na
thing but my dewtie, and so quhatsoevir sall thairof insew, my gude
houpe is, that my God will gif me patience to beir it. But to confes
ane offence whair my conscience witnesseth thair is nane, far beit
from me."
"How can it be defendit?" said Lethingtoun: "Haif ye not maid
convocatioun of the Quenis leigis?"
"Gif I haif nocht," said he, "a just defence for my fact,[935] lat me
smart for it."
[935] In MS. 1566, "my falt."
"Lat us heir," said thai, "your defensses; for we wald be glaid that
ye mycht be found innocent."
"Nay," said the uther, "for I am informit, and that be diverse, and
evin be you, my Lord Secreatarie, that I am allreddie condampnit, and
my cause prejudged: Thairfoir I mycht be reputed ane fooll, gif I wald
mak you previe to my defensses."
[Sidenote: THIS WES THE FIRST TYME THAT THE ERLE OF MURRAY SPAK TO THE
SAID JOHN[936] EFTER THE PARLIAMENT.]
[936] In MS. G, "spack to Johne Knox,"]
At thoise wordis thai semeit baith offendit; and so the Secretarie
departit. But the said Erle remanit still, and wald haif interit in
farder discourse of the estait of the Court with the said Johne, quho
ansuerit, "My Lorde, I understand mair than I wald of the effairis of
the Court; and thairfoir it is nocht neidfull that your Lordschip
trubill you with the recompting thairof. Gif ye stand in gude caise I
am content; and gif ye do not, as I fear you do nocht allreddie, or
ellis ye sall nocht do or it be lang, blame nocht me. Ye haif the
Counsalouris quhome ye haif chosin; my waik judgement baith ye and
thay dispyseit: I can do no thing but behald the end, quhilk, I pray
God, be other than my trubilled hairt feireth."
[Sidenote: JOHN KNOX CALLIT BEFOIR THE QUENE AND COUNSELL IN ANNO
1563.][937]
[937] In MS. G, "in December 1563."
Within four days, the said Johne wes callit befoir the Quene and
Counsell betwix sax and sevin houris at nycht:[938] The seassoune of
the yeir wes the middes of December. The bruit rysing in the toune,
that Johne Knox wes send for be the Quene, the brethering of the
Kirk[939] followit in such noumer, that the inner close was full, and
all the stairs, evin to the chalmer dure whair the Quene and Counsall
sat; quho had bene ressonyng amangis thame selves befoir, but had
nocht fullie satisfeyit the Secretaris mynd. And so wes the Quene
retyreit to hir cabinet, and the Lordis wer talkand ilk one with
uther, as occasioune served. Bot upoun the entre of John Knox, thay
wer commandit to tak thair places, and so thai did, sytting as
Counsalouris one aganis ane uther.
[938] Knox states that his examination before the Privy Council was
the middle of December. Randolph, in one of his dispatches to Cecil,
on the 21st December, mentions that the Lords had assembled for three
causes, the last of which was, "To take order with Knox and his
faction, who intended, by a mutinous assembly made by his letter
before, to have rescued two of their brethren, (viz. Armstrong and
Cranston,) from course of lawe, for usinge an outrage upon a Priest
saying Masse to the Queen's household at Halliruydhous." (Keith's
Hist., vol. ii. p. 210.)
[939] In MS. G, "the brethren of the Toun."
The Duke, according to his dignitie, began the one syde. Upone the
uther syde sat the Erle of Argyle, and consequentlie followit the Erle
of Murray, the Erle of Glencarne, the Erle of Merchell, the Lord
Ruthven, the commoun officeris, Pettarro than Controllor, the Justice
Clark, Mr. John Spens of Condie Advocat; and diverse utheris stude by.
Removeand from the tabill sat auld Lethingtoun, father to the
Secretour, Mr. Henrie Synclare then Bischope of Rosse, and Mr. James
M'Gill Clark Register.
Thingis thus put in ordour, the Quene cam furth, and with no littill
warldlie pomp, wes placeit in the chyre, haifing twa faithfull
supportis, the Maister of Maxwell upoun the ane tor, and Secretour
Lethingtoun on the uther tor of the chyre; quhairupoun thay waittit
dillegentlie all time of that accusatioun, sumtymes the one occupying
hir ear, sumtymes the uther. Hir pomp lackit one principall point, to
wit, womanlie gravitie; for when sche saw John Knox standing at the
uther end of the tabill bair-heided, sche first smyleit, and efter
gaif ane gawf lauchter. Quhairat quhen hir placeboes[940] gaif thair
_plaudite_, affirming with lyke countenance, "This is ane gude
begyning," sche said: "But wat ye whairat I lauch? Yon man gart me
greit, and grat never teir him self: I will see gif I can gar him
greit." At that word the Secretoure quhisperrit hir in the ear, and
sche him agane, and with that gaif him ane letter. Efter the
inspectioun thairof, he directit his vissage and speche to Johne Knox
in this maner:--
[940] In MS. 1566, "hir placebo boyis."
"The Quenis Majestie is informit, that ye haif travellit to raise a
tumult of hir subjectis against hir, and for certificatioun thairof,
thair is presented to hir your awin letter subscryvit in your name.
Yit because hir Grace will do na thing without ane gude advysement,
sche hes convenit you befoir this pairt of the Nobilitie, that thai
may witness betwix you and hir."
"Lat him acknawlege," said sche, "his awin hand writ, and than sall we
juge of the contentis of the letter."
And so wes the letter presentit from hand to hand to Johne Knox, who,
taking inspectioun of it, said, "I glaidlie acknawlege this to be my
hand writ: and also I remember, I dyteit ane letter in the month of
October, giffin significatioun to the brether in sindrie quarteris, of
sick thingis as displesit me. And that gude opinioun haif I of the
fidelatie of the Scribes that willinglie thai wald nocht adulterat my
originall, albeit I left diverse blankis subscryvit with thame; and so
I acknawlege boith the hand write and the dytement."
"Ye haif done more," said Lethingtoun, "than I wald haif done."
"Charritie," said the uther, "is not suspicious."
"Weill, weill," said the Quene, "reid your awin letter, and than
answer to such thingis as salbe demandit of you."
"I sall do the best I can," said the other; and so with loud voce he
began to reid as befoir expressed.
Efter that the letter was red to the end, it was presentit agane to
Mr. Johne Spens; for the Quene commandit him to accuse, as he efter
did, but verie gentillie,--Efter, we say, that the letter was red, the
Quene, behalding the hoill tabill, said, "Hard ye evir, my Lordis, ane
mair dispitfull and tressonable letter?"[941]
[941] The Letter on which this accusation was founded, is printed at
page 395.
Quhill that no man gaif ansuer, Lethingtoun addressit him to John
Knox, and said, "Maister Knox, ar ye nocht sorie from your hairt, and
do ye nocht repent that sick ane letter hes past your pen, and from
you is cumin to the knawlege of utheris."
Johne Knox ansuerit, "My Lord Secretour, befoir I repent I maun be
taucht of my offence."
"Offence," said Lethingtoun, "gif thair wer na mair but the
convocatioun of the Quenis leigis, the offence can nocht be denyit."
"Remember your self, my Lord," said the uther, "thair is a differens
betwix ane lauchfull convocatioun, and ane unlauchfull. Giff I haif
bene giltie in this, I haif oft offendit sen I come [last] in
Scotland: for what convocatioun of the brethering hes ever bene to
this day into quhilk my pen servit not? Befoir this no man led it to
my chairge as ane cryme."
"Than wes than," said Ledingtoun, "and now is now: We haif no neid of
sick convocatiounis as sometimes we haif had."
Johne Knox ansuerit, "The time that hes bene is evin now befoir my
eyis; for I see the pure flock[942] in no less daunger nor it hes bene
at ony time befoir, except that the Devill hes gottin a vissorne upon
his face. Befoir he come in with his awin face, discoverit be opin
tyrannie, seiking the destructioun of all that hes refuissit
idolatrie; and than I think ye will confess the brethering lauchfullie
assembled thame selfis for defence of thair lyffeis. And now the
Devill cumis under the cloke of Justice, to do that quhilk God wald
nocht suffer him to do by strength."
[942] In MS. 1566, "folk."
"What is this?" said the Quene. "Me think ye tryfill with him. Quho
gaif him authoritie to mak convocatioun of my leigis? Is nocht that
tressoun?"
"Na, Madam," said the Lord Ruithven, "for he makis convocatioun of the
pepill to heir prayer and sermoun almost daylie, and whatevir your
Grace or utheris will think thereof, we think it no tressoun."
"Hald your peace," said the Quene, "and let him mak ansuer for him
self."
"I began, [Madam]" said Johne Knox, "to ressoun with the Secratour,
quhome I tak to be ane far better dialectician[943] then your Grace
is, that all convocatiouns ar nocht unlauchfull: and now my Lord
Ruithven hes gevin the instance, quhilk gif your Grace will deny, I
sall addres me for the prufe."
[943] In MS. 1566, "dalectiane."
"I will say nathing," said the Quene, "aganis your religioun, nor
aganis your convenyng to your sermonis: But quhat authoritie haif ye
to convocat my subjectis quhen ye will, without my commandiment?"
"I haif no plesour," said Johne Knox, "to declyne from the formar
purpoise. And yit, Madam, to satisfie your Grace's two questiounis, I
ansuer, that at my will I nevir convenit four persounis in Scotland;
but at the ordour that the bretherin hes appoyntit, I haif gevin
diverse adverteismentis, and grit multitudis haif assemblit
thairupone. And gif your Grace complane that this wes done without
your Graceis commandiment, I ansuer, sa hes all that God hes blissed
within this Realme from the begyning of this actioun. And thairfoir,
Madam, I maun be convyckit be ane just law, that I haif done aganis
the deutie of Godis messinger in writting of this letter, befoir that
either I be sorie, or yit repent for the doing of it, as my Lord
Secretour wald perswaid me: For what I haif done, I haif done [at] the
commandiment of the generall Kirk of this Realme; and thairfoir, I
think, I haif done na wrang."
"Ye sall not eschaip so," said the Quene. "Is it nocht tressoun, my
Lordis, to accuse ane Prince of creweltie? I think thair be Actis of
Parliament aganis sick whisperaris." That wes grantit of monie.
"But whairintill," said Johne Knox, "can I be accusit?"
"Reid this pairt of your awin bill," said the Quene, quhilk began,
"Thir feirfull summondis is direct aganis thame, (to wit, the
bretherin foirsaid,) to make, no dout, preparatioun[944] upoun ane
few, that ane dore may be opened till execute creweltie upoun ane
grytter multitude." "Lo," said the Quene, "quhat say ye to that?"
[944] In MS. G. "a preparatyve."
Quhill monie doubtit quhan the said Johne sould ansuer, he said unto
the Quene, "Is it lauchfull for me, Madam, to ansuer for my self? Or
sall I be dampned befoir I be hard?"
"Say what ye can," said sche; "for I think ye haif eneuch ado."
"I will first [then] desyre this of your Grace, Madam, and of this
maist Honorabill audience, quhidder gif your Grace knawis nocht, that
the obstinat Papistis ar deidlie ennemeis to all sick as profess the
Evangill of Jesus Christ, and that thai moist eirnistlie desyre the
exterminatioun of thame, and of the trew doctrine that is taucht
within this Realme?"
The Quene held hir peace: but all the Lordis, with commoun voce, said,
"God forbid that either the lyves of the faythfull, or yit the staying
of the doctrine, stude in the power of the Papistis: for just
experience hes tauld us what creweltie lyis in[945] thair hertis."
[945] In MS. G, 1566, "is in."
"I maun proceid than," said Johne Knox, "seing that I persaif that all
will grant that it wer ane barbarous creweltie to destroy sick ane
multitude as profess the Evangell of Jesus Christ within this Realme,
quhilk ofter then anis or twyse thai haif tempit to do be force, as
thingis done of lait dayis do testify, quhairof thay, be God and his
providence, being dissapointit, haif inventit moir craftie and
daingerous practises, to wit, to mak the Prince pairtie under cullour
of law: and so what thai could not do [be] oppin force, thai sall
perform be craftie deceat. For who thinkis, my Lordis, that the
insatiable crewaltie of the Papistis, within this Realme, I meane,
sall end in the murthering of these two bretherin now injustlie
summond, and moir unjustlie to be accusit. I think no man of judgement
can sa esteme, but rayther the direct contrair, that is, that by this
few noumer thai intend to prepair a way to thair bloodie interprises
aganis the whole. And thairfoir, Madam, cast up when ye list the Actis
of your Parliment. I haif offendit nathing aganis thame; I accuse
nocht in my letter your Grace, nor yit your natoure of creweltie. But
I affirm yit agane, that the pestilent Papistis, quho have inflamit
your Grace without caus againis those pure men at this present, ar the
sonis of the devill; and thairfoir maun obey the desires of thair
father, quho hes bene ane liar and ane murtherour from the begyning."
"Ye forget your self," said ane; "ye ar not now in the pulpit."
[Sidenote: LAT THE WARLD JUGE QUHAT EFFER SCHORTLIE ANSUERIT.][946]
[946] This marginal note is omitted in MS G.
"I am in the place," said the uther, "quhair I am demandit of
conscience to speik the treuth; and thairfoir I speik. The treuth I
speik impung it quhoso list. And heirunto [I add,] Madam, that honest,
gentill, and meik naturis be appeirance, be wickit and corrupt
counsallouris, may be convertit and alter[947] to the direct contrair.
Exampill we haif of Nero, who in the begyning of his impyre, we find
haifing some naturall schame;[948] but efter that his flatteraris had
encuraged him in all impietie, alleging, that na thing wes either
unhonest nor yit unlauchfull for his personage, quho wes Empriour
abuif utheris: quhen he had drunken of this coup, I say, to quhat
enormiteis he fell, the historeis beiris witnes. And now, Madam, to
speik planelie, Papistis and conjureit ennemeis to Jesus Christ, haif
your Graceis eare patent at all tymeis. I assure your Grace thai ar
daingerous counsallouris, and that your Mother fand."
[947] In MS. G, "be subverted and altered."
[948] In M.S. 1566, "some mortell."
As this wes said, Ledingtoun smyleit,[949] and spak secreitlie to the
Queue in hir eare; what it wes, the tabill hard nocht. But immediatlie
sche addressit hir vissage, and spack to Johne Knox, and said, "Weill,
ye speik fair eneuch heir befoir my Lordis; but the last tyme I spak
with you secreitlie, ye causit me weip monie salt teiris, and said to
me stubernelie, 'Ye set not by my greitting.'"
[949] In MS. G. "smyrklit."
"Madam," said the uther, "becaus now the secound tyme your Grace hes
burdened me with that crime, I maun ansuer, as [leist] for my silence
I be haldin gyltie. [If your Grace] be rypelie rememberit, the Laird
of Dun, yit leving to testifie the treuth, was present at that tyme
quhairof your Grace complenis. Your Grace accuseit me, that I had
irreventlie handyllit you in the pulpat; that I denyit. Ye said, What
ado had I to speik of your marriage? What was I, that I sould mell
with syk maiteris? I ansuerit, As tueching natour, I wes ane worm of
this earth, and yet ane subject of this Commounwelth; but as tueching
the office whairintill it hes plesit God to place me, I wes ane
watchman, bayth over the Realme, and over the Kirk of God gatherit
within the same; be reasoun whairof I wes bound in conscience to blaw
the trumpet publictlie, so oft as evir I saw onie upfall, onie
appeiring dainger,[950] either of the one or of the other. But sa it
wes, that ane certane bruit affermed that traffick of mariage wes
betwix your Grace and the Spanishe allya; quhairinto I said, that gif
your Nobylattie and Estaitis did agrie, unles that bayth ye and your
husband sould be so straitlie bound, that neither of you mycht hurte
this Commounwealth, nor yit the pure Kirk of God within the same, that
in that cais I wald pronunce, that the consentaris wer trubleris[951]
of this Commounwelth, and ennemeis to God, and to his promeis plantit
within the same.[952] At these wordis, I grant, your Grace stormed,
and burstit furth into ane unressonable weiping. Quhat myttigatioun
the Laird of Dun wald haif maid, I suppois your Grace hes not forget.
But whill that nathing wes abill to stay your weiping, I wes compellit
to say, I tak God to record, that I never tuik plesour to see onie
creatour weip, [yea, not my children quhen my awin hands had bett
thame,][953] meikle less can I rejoise to see your Grace mak sick
regreat. But seing I haif offerit your Grace no such occasioun, I maun
rather suffer your Grace to tack your awin plesour, or that I dar
conceil the treuth, and so betray baith the Kirk of God and my
Commounwelth. Thir wes the maist extreme wordis that I spak that day."
[950] In MS. G, "ony upfall or apparand danger." In MS. 1566, "apfaw."
[951] In MS. G, "wer traytors."
[952] In MS. G, "and to his truth planted within the same."
[953] These words omitted in MS 1566.
Efter that the Secretar had conferrit with the Quene, he said, "Mr.
Knox, ye may returne to your hous for this nicht."
"I thank God and the Quenis Majestie," said the other. "And, Madame, I
pray God to purge your hairt from Papeistrey, and to preserve you
from the counsall of flatteraris; for how pleasand that thei appeir to
your ear and corrupt affectioun for the tyme, experience hes tauld us
in what perplexatie thay have brocht famous princes."
Ledingtoune and the Maister of Maxwell [were] that nycht the two
stoupeis of hir chair.
Johne Knox being departit, the Tabill of the Lordis, and utheris that
wer present, wer demandit, everie man be his vote, Gif Johne Knox had
nocht offendit the Quenis Majestie. The Lordis voteit uniformelie thai
coulde find no offence. The Quene wes past to hir cabinet. The
flatteraris of the Courte, and Ledingtoune pryncipally, raged. The
Quene wes brocht agane, and placeit in hir chyre, and thai commandit
to vote oure agane: quhilk thing heichlie offendit the haill
Nobylattie, and began to speik in opin audience, "What! sall the Laird
of Lethingtoune haif power to controle us: or sall the presence of ane
woman caus us to offend God, and to dampne ane innocent aganis oure
conscience for plesour of onie creatour?" And so the haill Nobylattie
absolved Johne Knox agane, and praisit God for his modestie, and for
his plane and sensible ansueris. Yit befoir the end, ane thing is to
be noittit, to witt, that amangis sa monie placeboes, we mene the
flatteraris of Courte, thair wes nocht ane that planelie durst
condampne the pure man that was accusit, this same God reuling thair
tounge that sometymeis reulit the toung of Balaam,[954] when gladlie
he wald haif cursit Godis pepill.
[954] In MS. 1566, "Balam."
[Sidenote: THE TANT OF THE QUENE TO MR. HENRIE SYNCLAIR.]
[Sidenote: THE CRAFT OF THE COURTE.]
This persaveit, the Quene began to upbraid Mr. Henrie Synclair, then
Bischope of Ross, and said, heiring his vote to agree with the rest,
"Trubill nocht the barne: I pray you trubill him nocht; for he is
newlie walknit out of his sleip. Why soulde nocht the aulde fule
follow the futestapis of thame that haif passit befoir him." The
Bischope answerit cauldlie, "Your Grace may considder, that it is
neither affectioun to the man, nor yit lufe to his proffessioun that
moved me to absolve him; but the sempill treuthe, quhilk planelie
appeiris in his defence, drawis me efter it, albeit that utheris wald
haif condampnit him." And this being said, the Lordis and haill
assisteris araise and departit. That nycht wes nether dansing nor
fyddilling in the Courte; for Madame wes disappoyntit of hir purpois,
quhilk wes to haif had Johne Knox in hir will be vote of hir
Nobylattie.
Johne Knox, absolved be the votes of the grittest pairt of the
Nobylattie from the cryme intendit aganis him, evin in the presence of
the Quene, sche rageit, and the placebois of the Courte stormed: And
so began new assaultis to be maid at the handis of the said Johne, to
confes ane offence, and to put him in the Quenis will, and thay soulde
promeis that his gryttest punischement sould be to go within the
Castell of Edinburgh, and immediatlie to returne to his awin hous. He
answerit, "God forbid that my confessioune soulde dampne those nobill
men that of thair conscience, and with displasour of the Quene, have
absolved me. And forder, I am assureit, ye will nocht in earnist
desyre me to confes ane offence, onles that thairwith ye wald desyre
me to ceise from preiching: for how can I exhorte utheris to peace and
Cryssin quyetnes, gif I confes myself ane authour and mover of
seditioun?"
[Sidenote: QUHILK BEGAN THE 25 OF DECEMBER.][955]
[955] This note is taken into the text in MS. G. In MS. L 4, the
paragraph reads:--"The Generall Assemblie of the Kirk convened at
Edinburgh in the New Tolbuith, the 25th of December." And this
marginal note is added:--"Quick speeches betwix some Courteours,
Barrons, and Ministers."
[Sidenote: THE COURTE REFUISIT THE MINISTERIS.]
The Generall Assemblie of the Kirk approcheit. But the juste
petitiounis of the Mynisteris and Commissionaris of Kirkis wer
dispysit at the first, and that with thir wordis, "As Mynisteris will
not follow our counsellis, so will we suffer Mynisteris to labour for
thame selfis, and see what speid thai cum." And when the quhole
Assemblie said, "Gif the Quene will not [provide for our Ministeris],
we man; [for] bayth Thrid and Tua pairt ar rigyrrouslie takin frome
us, and frome our tennentis." "Giff utheris," said one, "will follow
my counsell, the gaird and the Papistis sall complene als lang as our
Mynisteris haif done." At these wordis the former scherpnes wes
cullourit, and the speikare allegit, that he menit not of all
Mynisteris, bot of sum to quhome the Quene wes no dettour; for what
Thrid ressavit sche of Borrowis? Cristopheir Gudeman[956] ansuerit,
"My Lord Secretour, gif ye can schaw me what [just] tyttill either the
Quene hes to the Thrid, or the Papistis to the Twa pairt, then I think
I soulde solve[957] quhidder sche wer dettour to Mynisteris within
broughis or not." But thairto he ressavit this check for ansure, "_Ne
sit peregrinus curiosus in aliena Republica_;" that is, "Lat not ane
strainger be curious in a strainge Commounewelth." The man of God
ansuerit, "Albeit I be ane strainger in your pollicey, yit so am I not
in the Kirk of God; and thairfoir the cair thairof does no less
appertene to me in Scotland than gif I wer in the myddis of Ingland."
[956] Christopher Goodman was a native of Chester, born about the year
1520, and educated at Oxford. During the persecutions in England,
after Queen Mary's accession to the throne, he went first to
Frankfort, then to Strasburg, and in September 1555, he was chosen
Knox's colleague at Geneva. In 1558, he published his celebrated
treatise, "How Superior Powers ought to be obeyed," which rendered him
so obnoxious to Queen Elizabeth, on account of his statements on "The
Regiment of Women." Finding no encouragement, on returning to England,
he accompanied Knox's wife and family to Scotland, in September 1559,
and became minister of Ayr. He was soon afterwards translated to St.
Andrews, as a place of greater importance. He returned to England
towards the close of 1565. (Booke of the Kirk, vol. i. p. 72.) He died
at an advanced age, at Chester, in 1601. See notices collected by Dr.
M'Crie, Life of Knox, vol. ii. pp. 331-333, 459.
[957] In MS. 1566, "resonne."
[Sidenote: KNOX FALSLIE REPOIRTIT OF.]
Monie wonderit at the sylence of Johne Knox; for in all those quick
ressonyngis he openit not his mouthe. The cause thairof he himself
expressit in those wordis: "I haif travellit, rycht honorabill and
belovit Bretherin, sen my last arryval within this Realme in ane
uprycht conscience befoir my God, seiking no thing more, as he is [my]
wytness, than the advancement of his glorie, and the stabillitie of
his Kirk within this Realme; and yit of lait dayis I haif bene
accuseit as ane sedytious man, and as ane that usurpes unto my self
power that becumis me nocht. Trew it is, I haif gevin adverteismentis
into the bretherin in dyveris quarteris, of the extremitie intendit
aganis certane faythfull for luiking to ane Preist going to Mess, and
for observing of those that transgressit juste lawis; bot [that]
thairintill I haif usurped farther power than is gevin into me, till
that be you I be dampned, I utterlie deny; for I say, that be you,
that is be the chairge of the Generall Assemblie, I haif als just
power to adverteise the bretherin from tyme to tyme of daingers
appeiring, as that I haif to preche the worde of God in the pulpett of
Edinbrough; for be you I wes appoyntit to the one and to the uther;
and thairfoir, in the name of God, I craif your jugementis. The
dainger that appeirit to me in my accusatioun wes nocht sua feirfull
as the wordis that come to my earis wer dollorous to my hairt; for
thir wordis wer planelie spokin, and that be sum Protestantis, 'What
can the Pape do mair then send furth his Letteris, and requyreit thame
to be obeyit.' Lat me haif your jugementis thairof, quhidder that I
haif usurped onie power to my self, or gif I haif bot obeyit your
commandiment."
The flatteraris of the Courte, amangis quhome Sir Johne Ballentyne,
Justice Clerk,[958] wes then not the leist, began to storme, and said,
"Sall we be compellit to justifie the rasch doingis of men?" "My
Lorde," said Johne Knox, "ye sall speik your plesour for the present:
of you I craif no thing; bot gif the Kirk that is heir present do not
either absolve me, or ellis condampne me, nevir sall I in publict or
in privat, as ane publict mynister, open my mouthe in doctrine or in
ressonyng."
[958] In MS. G, "Bellenden," the same name during the 16th century
being written Ballenden, Bellenden, Ballantyne, Bannatyne. Sir John
Bellenden of Auchinoul, Justice-Clerk, is repeatedly mentioned by
Knox: see notes in vol. i. pp. 358, 418.
Efter lang contentioun, the said Johne being removed, the whole Kirk
fand, that a chairg wes gevin unto him to adverteis the Bretherin in
all quarteris as oft as evir dainger appeirit; and thairfoir avowit
that fact not to be his onlie, bot to be the fact of all. Thairat wer
the Quenis claw-backis mair inrageit than evir thai wer; for sum of
thame had promissit to the Quene to get the said Johne convyct, baith
be the Consall and be the Kirk;[959] and being frustrat of boith, sche
and thai thocht thame selffis nocht [a little] dissapoyntit.
[959] In MS. G, "Churche" is now generally used for "Kirk."
[Sidenote: 1563.]
[Sidenote: HURDOME AND MURDOUR IN THE COURTE.]
[Sidenote: SEMPILL AND LEVINGSTOUN.]
[Sidenote: MARIES REGIMENT.]
In the verie tyme of the Generall Assemblie, thair cumis to publyct
knawlege ane heinous murdour committed in the Courte, yea, not far
from the Quenis awin lap; for ane Frenche woman, that servit in the
Quenis chalmer had playit the hure with the Quenis awin
hipoticary.[960] The woman conceveit and bare ane child, quhome with
commoune consent the father and the mother murthered. Yit wer the
cryis of ane new borne barne hard; searche wes maid, the chylde and
mother wes baith deprehendit; and so wer baith the man and the woman
dampned to be hangit upoun the publict streit of Edinburgh. The
punischment wes notable, becaus the cryme wes heinous. Bot yit wes not
the Courte purged of hureis and huredome, quhilk wes the fontane of
sik enormiteis; for it wes weill knawin, that schame haistit mariage
betwix Johne Sempill, callit the Danser, and Marie Levingstoune,
surnameit the Lustie.[961] What bruit the Maries and the rest of the
dansaris of the Courte had, the ballattis of that aige[962] did
witnes, quhilk we for modesteis sake omit. Bot this wes the commoune
complaint of all godlie and wyse men, that giff thai thocht that sick
ane Courte soulde lang continew, and giff thai luikit for no uther
lyffe to cum, thay wald haif wissit thair soneis and dochteris rather
to have bene brought up with fydlaris and dansaris, and to have bene
exerceit in flinging upone ane flure, and in the rest that thairof
followis, than to haif bene nurisched in the companie of the godlie,
and exerceissit in vertew, quhilk in that Courte wes haittit, and
fylthines not onlie maintenit, bot also rewairded. Witnes the
Lordschip[963] of Abercorne, the baronie of Authormortie,[964] and
diverse utheris pertenyng to the patrimonie of the Crowne, gyffin in
heritage to scouparis, dansaris, and dalliaris with damis. This wes
the begyning of the regement of Marie Quene of Scottis, and thir wer
the fructeis that sche brocht furth of France. "Lorde, luik upone our
mysereis, and delyver us from the tyrannie[965] of that hure, for thy
awin meir mercies saik."
[960] MS. G, "Hypothecary;" in MS. L 4, "Apothecar." No notice of
their trial and execution is elsewhere given; and the Record of the
Criminal Court at this period, which might have furnished the same, is
not preserved.
[961] John Sempill was the son of Robert third Lord Sempill, by a
second marriage with Elizabeth Carlyle. (Wood's Peerage, vol. ii. p.
494.) Mary Levingstone was one of the Queen's Maries who accompanied
her to France, and was the youngest daughter of Alexander fifth Lord
Levingstone. It may have been to ensure their marriage that the Queen,
by a special grant under the Privy Seal, to "John Sempill, sone to hir
cousin Robert Lord Sempill, and Marie Levingstoun his spous, sister to
William Lord Livingstone," granted a charter of various lands, in
consideration that "it had pleisit God to move thair hartis to joyne
togidder in the stait of matrimonye." It is dated 9th March 1564-5. In
the Parliament 19th April 1567, when it proposed to annul the
forfeiture of George Earl of Huntley, which would affect various
grants that had been made, the charter of infestment in the lands of
Auchtermuchty, Stewarton, and others, to Sempill, was anew ratified by
the Queen. (Acta Parl. Scot., vol. ii. p. 559.) The same favour was
continued by James the Sixth, on the penult November 1581, from his
general Revocation of grants, among other exceptions, "reservit and
exceptit" the infestment made by Queen Mary "to umquhile John Semple
of Butress, and Marie Livingston his spous, of the town and lands of
Auchtermuchtie, and otheris," &c. (ib. vol. iii. p. 245.) This shews
that Semple was then deceased. He had acquired the lands of Beltrees
in Renfrewshire--a name distinguished in the literature of Scotland
during the 17th century.
[962] The ballads to which Knox specially alludes are not known to be
preserved. Various enactments and proclamations were made from time to
time, prohibiting, in 1556, for instance, "the odeous ballates and
rymes laitly sett furth be sume evill inclinit personis of your toun."
(Maitland's Hist. of Edinb., p. 14.)
[963] In MS. 1566, "Bischope of."
[964] In MS. G, "Achermoutie." It will be seen from the previous note
3, that the lands of Auchtermuchty, in Fife, had been conferred on
John Sempill and Mary Levingstone, his wife, in 1565. The Lordship of
Abercorn was probably bestowed about the same time upon one of the
courtiers. At a later period, at least, John Levingstone, one of the
Master Stabularis, had a grant in feu-farm of the lands, &c., of
Abercorn, 10th October 1587, of which he obtained a ratification by
Parliament, 5th June 1592. (Acta Parl. Scot., vol. iii. p. 643.)
[965] In MS. 1566, "tyranitie."
[Sidenote: PRAYIT AND WRITTEN QUHEN SHE WES IN GRYTEST
AUTHORITIE.][966]
[966] Or, in the year 1566.
[Sidenote: GREIT WEIT AND FROIST IN JANUARE 1563.]
[SIDENOTE: WONDARIS SENE IN FEBRUAR.]
[Sidenote: BANKITING IN THE COURTE, BOT CONTEMP OF THE MYNISTERIS.]
[Sidenote: THE QUENIS PROMEIS.]
God from hevin, and upone the face of the eirth, gaif declaratioun
that he wes offendit at the iniquitie that wes committit evin within
this Realme; for upone the 20th day of Januare thair fell weit in grit
aboundance, quhilk in the falling freisit so vehementlie, that the
eirth wes bot ane scheit of ysce. The foules baith grit and small
freisit, and mycht nocht flee: monie deyit, and sum wer takin and laid
besyde the fyre, that thair fetheris mycht resolve. And in that same
moneth the sey stude still, as wes clerlie observed, and nather ebbit
nor flowit the space of 24. houris. In the moneth of Februare, the
15th and 18th day thairof, wes sene in the fyrmament battelis arrayit,
speiris, and utheris weapounis, and as it had bene the joinyng of two
armeis. Thir thingis wer nocht onlie observed, bot also spokin and
constantlie affyrmed be men of jugement and credit. But the Quene and
our Court maid myrrie. Thair wes banketting upoun banketting. The
Quene wald banket all the Lordis; and that wes done upoun polessie, to
remove the suspitioune of hir displesour aganis thame, becaus thai
wald nocht at hir devotioun dampne Johne Knox. To remove, we say, that
jeloussie, sche maid the banket to the haill Lordis, quhairat sche
wald haif the Duke amangis the rest. It behuifit thame to banket hir
agane; and so did banketting continew till Fastronis-evin and efter.
But the pure Mynisteris wer mockit, and reputed as monsteris; the
gaird, and[967] the effairis of the kytcheing wer so gryping, that the
Mynisteris stipendis could nocht be payit; and yit at the Assemblie
precedeand, solemnitlie promeis wes maid in the Quenis name, be the
mouth of Secretour Lethingtoune, in the audiance of monie of the
Nobylatie and of the hoill Assemblie, who affyrmeit, that he had
commandiment of hir Heichnes to promeis[968] unto thame full
contentatioun to all the Mynisteris within the Realme of thingis
bygane; and of suche ordour to be keipit in all tymeis to cum, that
the whole bodie of the Protestantis soulde haif occasioune to stand
content. The Erle of Murray affermit the same, with monie uthair fair
promeisses gevin be writ be Lethingtoune him self; as in the register
of the Actis done in the Generall Assemblie may be sene.[969] Bot how
that, or yit anie uther thing promissit by hir, or in hir name, unto
the Kirk of God, wes observed, the Warlde can witnes.
[967] In MS. 1566, "regairdand" as one word.
[968] In MS. 1566, "to pronunce."
[969] See the proceedings of the General Assembly, (Book of the
Universall Kirk, vol. i. p. 48.)
The Mynisteris perceaving all thingis tend to ruyne, dischairgit thair
conscience in publict and in previt; but thay ressaifit for thair
laubouris haitred and indignatioun; and amangis utheris, that worthie
servand of God, Mr. John Craig, speiking aganis the manifest
corruptioun that then withoute schame or feir declareit the self,
said, "Sum tymeis wer hypocriteis knawin be thair disgyseit habittis,
and we had men to be monkis, and women to be nunis; but now all
thingis ar so chaingit, that we can nocht dyscerne the Erle frome the
Abbot, nor the Nun frome sik as wald be haldin the Nobill-wemin;[970]
so that we haif gottin ane new ordour of monkis and nunis. But, (said
he,) seing that ye eschame not of that unjuste proffeit, wald God that
thairwith ye had the coule of the nun, the vaill, yea, and the taill
joyned with all,[971] that so ye mycht appeir in your awin cullouris."
[970] In MS. 1566, "gentillman."
[971] In MS. 1566, these words appear in this unintelligible form, "ze
had the coule of the waill, ye and the taill junit with all."
[Sidenote: LETHINGTOUNE TWYSE DEFYIT THE SERVANDIS OF GOD.]
This lybertie did so provoik the choller[972] of Lethingtoune, that in
opin audience he gaif him unto the Devill, gif that ever efter that
day he sould regaird what become of Mynisteris, that he sould do what
he could, that his companyeounis sould haif ane skair with him; "And
lat thame bark and blaw," said he, "alse loude as thay list." And so
that wes the second tyme that he had gevin [his] defyance to the
servandis of God. And heirupone raise whispering and complainttis, all
be the flatteraris of the Courte, complenyng that men wer not
cheritably[973] handyllit: "Mycht nocht synnis be repruifit in
generall, albeit that men wer not so specialie taxed, that all the
warlde mycht knaw of whome the preachour spak?" Quhairinto wes the
ansuer maid, "Let men eschame publiklie to offend, and the Mynisteris
sall abstene from specialiteis; but so lang as Protestantis ar not
eschameit manifestlie to do aganis the evangill of Jesus Chryste, so
lang can nocht the Mynisteris of God ceise to cry, that God wilbe
revengit upoun sik abusearis of his holie worde."
[972] In MS. 1566, "the collowre."
[973] In MS. 1566, "chyrrable."
And thus had the servandis of God ane doubill battell, fechting upoun
the one syde aganis the idolatrie and the rest of the abominatiounis
mentenit be the Quene; and upoun the uther pairt, aganis the
unthankfulnes of sik as sumtyme wald haif bene estemed the cheiff
pyllaris of the Kirk within the Realme.
[Sidenote: 1564.]
The threitnyngis of the prechouris wer feirfull; but the Courte thocht
the self in [such] securitie that it coulde nocht myscary.[974] The
Quene, efter the banketting, keipit a dyett [be directioun of]
Monsieur Lusury, Frenche man, who had bene acquaintit with hir maladie
befoir, being hir physicioun:[975] And theirefter sche, for the
secound tyme, maid hir progresses in the North,[976] and commandit to
waird in the Castell of Edinburgh the Erle of Kaithness,[977] for ane
murther committit be his servandis upoun the Erle of Merchellis men.
He obeyit, bot he wes sodentlie relevit; for sik blude-thrystie men
and Papeistis, sik as he is, ar best subjectis to the Quene. "Thy
kingdome cum, O Lord; for in this Realme is no thing (amangis sik as
soulde punische vyce and mentene vertew) but abhominatiounis abounding
withoute brydell."
[974] In MS. 1566, "mynnistrey."
[975] In MS. G, "Monsieur la Usurie." The person referred to was
Jacques Lusgerie, who had been the Queen's physician while she resided
in France. He is mentioned by her in a letter to Catharine de Medicis,
12th March 1565. In May 1571, the Queen requests Beaton to send her a
physician from France, with the advice, or recommended by Lusgerie.
(Labanoff, Lettres, &c., vol. i. p. 256; vol. vii. p. 305.)
[976] Before the Queen's second progress in the North, she had visited
the West of Scotland, and returned from Inverary through Ayrshire to
Dumfries. This journey lasted from the 29th June till the beginning of
September 1563. After stopping a few days in Edinburgh, she proceeded
to Perthshire and Stirling. But the journey to which Knox here alludes
was in the following year. She rode from Edinburgh on the 22d of July
1564. She was at Perth on the 31st, when she went into the district of
Athole "to the hunting." After crossing the mountains, and visiting
some parts of Inverness-shire, and the Chanonry of Ross, she returned
along the east coast, by Aberdeen and Dunottar, to Dundee and St.
Andrews, reaching Holyrood on the 25th or 26th September, after an
absence of upwards of two months.
[977] George fourth Earl of Caithness, who died 9th September 1582.
The flatteraris[978] of the Courte did daylie inrage aganis the pure
Prechouris: happyest wes he that coulde invent the moist bytter tantis
and disdainfull mokingis of the Mynisteris. And at lenth thai began to
jest at the terme of Idolatrie, affirmyng, "That men wist nocht what
thai spak, quhan thai callit the Messe Idolatrie." Yea, sum proceidit
farder, and feirit nocht at opin tabilles to affirme, "That thai wald
sustene the argument, that the Messe wes no Idolatrie." These thingis
cuming to the earis of the prechouris, wer proclamit in publyct
pulpett of Edinburgh, with this complaynt direct be the speikare[979]
to his God. "O Lord, how lang sall the wyckit prevaill aganis the
juste! How lang sall thou suffer thy self and thy blessit Evangill to
be dyspysit of men; of men, we say, that makis[980] thame selfis
defendaris of the treuth! For of thy manifest and knawin ennemeis we
complene nocht, bot of such as unto whom thou hes reveilit thy lycht:
for now it cumis into our eiris, that men, not Papistis, we say, bot
cheif Protestantis, will defend the Messe to be no Idolatrie. Giff so
wer, O Lord, myserablie haif I bene disavit, and myserablie, alace, O
Lord, haif I deceavit thy peopill; quhilk thou knawis, O Lord, I haif
evir moir abhorrit than a thousand deithis. Bot," said he, turnyng his
face towardis the rowme where sik men as so had affirmed, sat, "Gif I
be nocht able to prove the Messe to be the moist abhominable Idolatrie
that evir wes useit sen the begynning of the Worlde, I offer my self
to suffer the punischement appoyntit be God to a fals teichare; and it
appeiris unto me," said the preichare, "that the affirmeris soulde be
subject to the same law: for it is the treuthe of God that ye
persecute and blaspheme; and it is the inventioun of the Devill, that
obstinatlie aganis his Worde, ye menteyne. Whairat, albeit ye now
flyrt and ye flyre, as [thocht] that all wer spokin wer but wind,[981]
yit am I [als] assureit, as I am assureit that my God leveth, that sum
that hear this your defectioun and railling aganis the treuthe and
servandis of God, sall see ane pairt of Godis jugementis poured furth
upoun this Realme, (and pryncipallie upoun you[982] that fastest
cleifes to the favour of the Courte,) for the abominatiounes that ar
be you menteneit." Albeit that suche vehemencie provoikit teiris of
sum, yit those men that knew themselfis guilty, in a mocking maner
said, "We must recant, and burne oure bill; for the Prechouris ar
angrie."
[978] In MS. 1566, "flattering."
[979] That is, by Knox himself.
[980] In MS. G, "that boastis."
[981] In MS. 1566, "wounde."
[982] In MS. M. there is added this remark, "But this threatening was
accomplished in his owne person;" and the next paragraph is wholly
omitted.
[Sidenote: ANNO 1564.]
[Sidenote: THIS WES NEVIR DONE BE THIS AUTHOR.]
The Generall Assemblie, halden in Junij 1564,[983] approcheit, unto
the which greit[984] pairt of the Nobylatie, of those that ar callit
Protestantis, convenit; sum for assistance of the mynisteris, and sum
to accuse thame, as we will efter heir.[985]
[983] At Edinburgh on the 25th June 1564.
[984] In MS. 1566, "aggreit."
[985] Here and a few lines above, in MS. 1566, of two marginal notes
only some unintelligible letters remain unmutilated by the binder: but
the notes occur in MS. G, as follows:--
"Lethingtounes countenance at the threatnings of the preichars."
"Let the Warld judge quhidder this has cummyn to pas or not, and quhat
has fallin out sen that tyme."
A lyttill befoir the trubles, quhich Sathan raised in the bodie of
the Kirk, began Davie[986] to grow grit in Courte. The Quene usit him
for Secretarie, in thingis that appertenit to hir secreit effaires, in
France[987] or ellis quhair. Grit men maid in Courte unto him, and
thair sutes wer the better heard. Bot of the begynning and progress,
we delay now forder to speik, becaus his end will requyre the
descryptioune of the whole: [And referris it unto suche, as God sall
rayse up to do the same.][988]
[986] In MS. G, "began one Davie, ane Italiane." That is David Riccio:
see article in the Appendix to this volume.
[987] The words "in France," are omitted in MS. 1566; and "effaires,"
is written "faires."
[988] The words enclosed within brackets, are supplied from MS. G.
They occur in MS. L 4, but neither in L 3, or in MS. 1566. In place of
this, on the margin of that MS. we find, as above, "THIS WES NEVIR
DONE BE THIS AUTHOR;" a remark, which was probably added after Knox's
death by his Secretary, or the person who transcribed this portion of
the MS.
The first day of the Generall Assemblie, the Courtiouris nor the
Lordis that dependit upoun the Court, presentit nocht thame selfis in
the sessioun with thair Bretherin. Whairat monie wondering, ane
anceyant and honorable man, the Laird of Lundie,[989] said, "Nay, I
wonder nocht of thair present absence; but I wonder that at our last
Assemblie, thai drew thame selfis ane pairt, and joynit nocht with us,
but drew from us some of our mynisteris, and wylleit thame to conclude
sik thingis as war never proponit in the publick Assemblie, [quhilk
apperis to me to be a thing][990] verrie prejudiciall to the libertie
of the Kirk. And, thairfoir, my jugement is, that thai salbe informit
of this offence, quhilk the whole Bretherin haif consaveit of thair
former falt; humblie requyring thame, that gif thai be Bretherin, thai
will assist thair Bretherin with thair presence and counsall, for we
had nevir grytter neid. And gif thai be myndit to fall back from us,
it wer better we knaw it now than afterward." Thairto aggreyit the
whole Assemblie, and gaif commissioun to certene Bretherin to signify
the myndis of the Assemblie to the Lordis; quhilk wes done that same
day efter noon.[991]
[989] Walter Lundie or Lundin of Lundie, in Fife. The name of the
"Laird of Lundie" occurs very frequently in the Book of the Kirk.
[990] The words within brackets are omitted in MS. 1566.
[991] According to Calderwood, on the 26th June 1564 "The Laird of
Lundie, and the Superintendent of Lowthian, war appointed to request
the Lords of Secreit Counsell to assist the Assemblie with thair
presence and counsell." In like manner, at the next General Assembly,
on the 25th December, "William Wallace of Carnell, and Andrew Ker of
Fadownside, war sent to the Lords of Secreit Counsell, to requist
thair Honours to assist the Assemblie with thair presence and
counsell."
The Courteouris at first semeit nocht a lyttill offendit, that thay
sould be as it wer suspectit of defectioun: yit, nevirtheles, upoun
the morrow, thai joynit with the Assemblie, and come into it: But thai
drew thame selfis, lyke as thai did befoir, apairt, and enterit the
Inner Counsell-house. Thair wes the Dukis Grace, the Erles Argyle,
Murray, Mortoun, Glencarne, Merchell, Rothes; the Maister of Maxwell,
Secretour Lethingtoun, the Justice Clark, the Clark of Register, and
the Controllour, the Laird of Pittarro.
Efter a lyttill consultatioun, thai direct ane messinger, Mr. George
Hay,[992] than callit the Minister of the Court, requyring the
Superintendantis, and sum of the leirnit ministeris, to confer with
thame. The Assemblie ansuerit, "That thai convenit to delyberat upoun
the commoun effairis of the Kirk; and, thairfoir, that thay could
nocht lack thair Superintendantis and cheif ministeris, whose
jugementis wer so necessarie, that without thame the rest sould sit as
it wer idill; and thairfoir willand thame (as of befoir) that gif thay
acknawlege thame selfis memberis of the Kirk, that thai wald joyne
with the Bretherin, and propone in publict sik thingis as thai
pleissit; and so thai sould haif the assistance of the whole in all
thingis that mycht stand to Godis commandiment. But to send from thame
selfis a portioun of thair companie, thai understand that thairof hurt
and sclander mycht aryse, rather than anie proffeit or conforte to the
Kirk: for thay feirit, that all men sould nocht stand content with
the conclusioun, whair the conference and ressounis wer hard but of a
few."
[992] See note 2, page 352. In the proceedings of the General
Assembly, 30th December 1563, Mr. George Hay is styled "Minister of
the Privie Counsell."
This ansuer wes nocht giffin without cause; for no small travell wes
maid, to haif drawin sum mynisteris to the factioun of the
Courtiouris, and to haif sustenit thair argumentis and opiniounis. But
whan it wes persaifit be the moist politick amangis thame, that thai
could not prevaill be that meanes, thai proponeit the matter in uther
termis, purging thame selfis, first, that thai nevir ment to
devyde[993] thame selfis from the sociatie of thair bretherin; but,
because thai had certane heidis to confer with certane ministeris;
thairfoir, for avoyding of confusioun, thai thocht it mair expedient
to haif the conference befoir a few, rather than in the publict
audience. But the Assemblie[994] did still reply, "That secreit
conference wald thay nocht admit in those heidis that sould be
concludit be generall voit." The Lordis promeissit, "That no
conclusioun sould be taikin, nether yit voit requyreit, till that
bayth the propositiounis and the ressounis sould be heard, and
considderit of the whole bodie." And upoun that conditioun wer
directit unto thame, with expressit chairge to conclude no thing
without the knawledge[995] and advyse of the Assemblie, the Laird of
Dun, Superintendant of Anguss, the Superintendantis of Lothyane and
Fyffe,[996] Mr. John Row, Mr. John Craig, Williame Crystisoune, Mr.
David Lyndesay, mynisteris, with the Rectour of Sanctandrois,[997] and
Mr. George Hay; the Superintendant of Glasgow, Mr. Johne Willok, wes
Moderatour, and Johne Knox waitit upoun the Scrybe. And so thay wer
appoyntit to sit with the Bretherin. And that because the principall
compleint tuychit[998] Johne Knox, he wes also callit for.
[993] In MS. G, "to separate."
[994] "Assemblie" is usually written "assemble;" but, as already
remarked, the orthography in this portion of the MS. is very peculiar,
and requires correction.
[995] In MS. G, "acknawlege."
[996] John Erskine of Dun, John Spottiswood, and John Wynrame.
[997] John Douglas.
[998] In MS. G, "concernit."
[Sidenote: LEDINGTOUN'S HARANGE AT THE ASSEMBLIE IN JUNIJ 1564
ZEIRIS.]
Secretour Lethingtoun began the harangue,[999] which contenit these
heidis: First, How much we wer adettit unto God, be whois providence
we had libertie of religioun under the Quenis Majestie, albeit that
sche wes nocht persuadeit in the same: Secoundlie, How necessarie ane
thing it wes that the Quenis Majestic, be all gude offices, (so spak
he,) of the Kirk, and of the mynisteris principally, sould be retenit
in that constant opinioun, that thai unfeinzeitlie favourit hir
advancement, and procureit hir subjectis to haif ane gude opinioun of
hir: And, last, How daingerous ane thing it was, that mynisteris sould
be noittit ane to disagree from ane uther, in form of prayer for hir
Majestie, or in doctrine conserning obedience to hir Majesties
authoritie: "And in these two last heidis, (said he,) we desyre you
all to be circumspect; but especially we maun craif of you our
brother, Johne Knox, to moderat your selff, als weall in form of
praying for the Quenis Majestie, as in doctrine that ye propone
tuyching hir estait and obedience. Neither sall ye tak this, (said
he,) as spokin to your reproche, _quia nevus[1000] interdum in corpore
pulchro_, but becaus that otheris, by your example, may imitate the
lyke libertie, albeit nocht with the same modestie and foirsycht; and
what opinioun may ingedder[1001] in the peopillis heidis, wyse men do
forsee."
[999] In MS. G, this marginal note stands: "Lethingtonis harrange in
the Assembly in 1584;" a mistake in the date only worthy of notice, as
affording an indication of the time when the MS itself was
transcribed.
[1000] In MS. G, "_quia mens_."
[1001] In MS. G, "ingender."
The said Johne prepairit him for ansuer, as followis: "Gif such as
feir God haif occasioune to praise him, that becaus that idolatrie is
maintenit, the servandis of God dispyseit, wyekit men placeit agane in
honour and authoritie, (Mr. Henrie Synclair wes of schort tyme befoir
maid President,[1002] who befoir durst nocht haif syttin in jugement;)
and, finalie, (said he,) gif we aucht to prais God becaus that vice
and impyettie overfloweth this hoill Realme without punischment, than
haif we occasioun to rejoise and to prayse[1003] God: But gif those
and the lyke use to provoik Godis vengeance aganis Realmis and
Natiounis, than, in my jugement, the godlie within Scotland aucht to
lament and murne; and so to prevent Goddis jugementis, leist that he,
fynding all in a lyke security,[1004] stryke in his hot indignatioun,
begynning [perchance] at sik as think thai offend nocht."
[1002] Sinclair had been appointed President of the Court of Session
in 1559: see page 398, note 1.
[1003] In MS. 1566, "and praysit."
[1004] In MS. 1566, "lyke secreit."
"That is ane heid," said Lethingtoun, "whairinto ye and I nevir
aggreyit; for how ar ye abill to prove that evir God straik or plaigit
ane natioun or peopill for the iniquitie of thair Prince, gif that
thame selfis levit godlie?"
[Sidenote: 2 PARALI. 33.][1005]
[1005] That is, _Paralipomena_, a name given by the Alexandrian
translators to the two Books of Chronicles, as _things omitted_ or
supplementary to the other historical records belonging to the Old
Testament Canon. (Kitto's Biblical Cyclopedia.)
"I lukeit," said he, "my Lord, to haif audience, till that I had
absolvit the uthor two pairtis; but seing it pleissis your Lordship to
cut me off befoir the myddis, I will ansuer to your questioun. The
Scriptour of God teichis me, that Jerusalem and Juda wes punischit for
the sinne of Manasses; and gif ye will allege, that thai wer punischit
because that thai wer wyckit, and offendit with thair King, and nocht
because thair King wes wyckit; I ansuer, that albeit the Spreit of God
makis for me, saying in expressit wordis, 'For the syn of Manasses,'
yit will I nocht be so obstinat as to lay the whole syn, and plaigis
that thairof followit, upoun the King, and utterlie absolve the
peopill; but I will grant with you, that the whole peopill offendit
with the King: but how, and in what fassioun, I feir that ye and I
sall nocht agrie. I doute nocht but the grit multitude accumpanit him
in all abhominatiounis quhilk he did; for idolatrie, and ane fals
religioun haith evir bene, is, and wilbe plesing to the moist pairt of
men. But to affirm that all Juda committit realie the actis of his
impyettie, is but to affirm that quhilk nether hes certentie, nor yit
appeirence of ane treuth: for who can think it to be possible, that
all those of Jerusalem sould so schoirtlie turn to externall
idolatrie, considdering the notabill reformatioun laitlie befoir had
in the days of Ezechias? But yit, says the text, 'Manasses maid Juda
and the inhabitantis of Jerusalem to erre.' True it is; for the one
pairt, as I haif said, willinglie followit him in his idolatrie, and
the other, be ressoune of his authoritie, sufferit him to fyle
Jerusalem, and the tempill of God, with all abhominatiounis, and so
wer thai all cryminall for his sin; the one be act and deid, the uther
be suffering and permissioun: even as hoill Scotland is guiltie this
day of the Quenis idolatrie, and ye, my Lordis, speciallie above all
utheris."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "that is the cheif heid quhairin we nevir
aggreit; but of that we sall speik heirefter. What will ye say as
tuyching the moveing of the peopill to haif ane gude opinioun of the
Quenis Majestie, and as concerning obedience to be gevin to hir
authoritie, as also of the form of the prayer quhilk commounlie ye
use," &c.
"My Lord," said he, "moir eirnistlie to move the peopill, or yit
utherwyse to pray than heirtofoir I haif done, a gude conscience will
nocht suffer me; for He who knawis the secreittis of hertis, knawis
that privilie and publictlie I haif callit to God for hir conversioun,
and haif willit the peopill to do the same, schawing thame the
dangerous estait quhairin nocht onelie sche hir self standis, but also
the haill Realme, be the ressoun of hir indureit blindnes," &c.
"That is it," said Lethingtoun, "whairin we find gryttest falt. Your
extremitie aganis hir Messe, in particular, passis meassour. Ye call
hir ane slaif to Sathan; ye affirme that Godis vengeance hingis oure
the Realme, be ressoune of hir impietie;[1006] and what is this ellis
but to rouse up the hairt of the peopill aganis hir Majestie, and
aganis thame that serve hir."
[1006] In MS. G, "iniquity."
[Sidenote: THE MR. OF MAXWELL'S WORDS IN THE ASSEMBLIE.]
Thair wes heard ane exclamatioun of the rest of the flatteraris, that
sick extremittie could nocht proffit. The Maister of Maxwell said in
plane wordis, "Gif I war in the Quenis Majesties place, I wald nocht
suffer sick thingis as I heir."
[Sidenote: JOHN KNOX HIS PRAYER FOR THE QUENE.]
"Gif the wordis of prechouris," said Johne Knox, "sall alwayis be rest
to the worst pairt, than will it be hard to speik onie thing so
circumspectlie, provyded that the treuth be spokin, quhilk sall not
eschape the censure of the calamniatour. The moist vehement, and, as
ye speak, excessive maneir of prayer that I use in publict is this, 'O
Lord, gif thy plesour be, purge the hairt of the Quenis Majestie from
the venoum of idolatrie, and deliver hir from the boundage and
thraldom of Sathan, in the quhilk sche hes bene brocht up, and yit
remanis, for the lack of true doctrine; and lat hir see, be the
illuminatioun of thy Holie Spreit, that thair is no meane to pleis
thee but be Jesus Christ thy onlie Son, and that Jesus Christ can
nocht be found but in thy holie word, nor yit ressavit but as it
prescrybeis; which is, to renunce our awin wittis, and preconsavit
opinioun, and worschip thee as thou commandis; that in sa doing sche
may avoid that eternall dampnatioun quhilk abydeis all obstinat and
impenitent unto the end; and that this poor Realme may also eschaip
that plaig and vengeance quhilk inevitablie followis idolatrie,
menteinit aganis thy manifest worde, and the opin lycht thairof.'
This, (said he,) is the form of my commoun prayer, as your selflis can
witnes. Now, what is worthie reprehensioun in it I wald heir?"
"Thair ar three thingis," said Lethingtoun, "that nevir lykeit unto
me. And the first is, Ye pray for the Quenis Majestie with ane
conditioun, saying, 'Illuminat hir hairt, gif thy gude plesour be;'
quhairby it may appeir, that ye doute of hir conversioun. Whair haif
ye the example of sik prayer?"
"Whairsoevir the exampillis are," said the uther, "I am assureit of
the reule, whilk is this, 'Gif we sall ask onie thing according to his
will, he sall heir us;' and our Maister, Chryst Jesus, commandit us
to pray unto our Father, 'Thy will be done.'"
"But," said Lethingtoun, "whair evir find ye onie of the Propheitis so
to haif pray it?"
"It sufficeth me," said the uther, "my Lord, that the Maister and
teicheare of bayth Prophettis and Appossillis hes taucht me so to
pray."
"But in so doing," said he, "ye put ane doute in the peopillis heid of
hir conversioun."[1007]
[1007] In MS. 1566, "conversatioun."
"Nocht I, my Lord," said the uther, "but hir awin obstinat rebellioune
causis mo than me to doute of hir conversioun."
"Whairinto," said he, "rebellis sche aganis God?"
"In all the actiounis of hir lyffe," said he, "but in thir two heidis
especiallie; former, That sche will nocht heir the preiching of the
blissit evangill of Jesus Chryst; and secoundlie, That sche menteinis
that idoll, the Messe."
"Sche thinkis nocht that rebellioune," said Lethingtoun, "but goode
religion."
"So thocht thai," said the uther, "that sumtymes offerit thair
childerin unto Moloch, and yit the Spreit of God affirmeis that thai
offerit thame unto devillis, and nocht unto God. And this day the
Turkis thinkis to haif ane better religioune than the Papistis haif;
and yit, I think, ye will excuse nether of thame boith from committing
rebellioun aganis God: nether yit justlie can ye do the Quene, onles
that ye will mak God to be parcyall."
"But yit," said Lethingtoun, "why pray ye nocht for hir without moving
onie doute?"
"Becaus," said the uther, "I haif leirnit to pray in faith. Now Faith,
ye know, dependis upoun the wordis of God, and so it is that the word
teichis me, that prayeris proffettis the sonis and dochteris of Godis
electioun, of which noumer, quhether sche be ane or nocht, I haif just
cause to doute; and, thairfoir, I pray God 'illuminat hir hairt, gif
his gude plesour be.'"
"But yit," said Lethingtoun, "ye can produce the exampill of none that
so hes prayit befoir you."
"Thairto I haif alreddy ansuerit," said Johne Knox; "but yit for
farther declaratioun, I will demand ane questioun, quhilk is this,
Quhider gif ye think that the Appossillis prayit thame selves as thai
commandit utheris to pray."
"Who douttis of that?" said the haill companie that wer present.
"Weill than," said Johne Knox, "I am assureit that Peter said thir
wordis to Symoun Magus, 'Repent thairfoir of this thy wyckitness, and
pray to God, that gif it be possible the thought of your hairt may be
forgevin thee.' Heir we may cleirlie see that Peter joynes ane
conditioun with his commandiment, That Symoun sould repent and pray,
to wit, gif it wer possible that his sin mycht be forgevin; for he wes
nocht ignorant that sum synnis wer unto the deith, and so without all
houpe of repentence or remissioun. And think ye nocht, my Lord
Secretar, (said he,) but the same doute may tuich my hairt, as
tuyching the Quenis conversioun, that then tuiched the hairt of the
Appossill?"
"I wald nevir," said Lethingtoun, "heir you or onie uther call that in
doubt."
"But your will," said the uther, "is no assurance to my conscience:
And to speik frelie, my Lord, I wonder gif ye your self doute nocht of
the Quenis conversioun; for more evident signes of induratioun haif
appeirit, and still do appeir in hir, than Peter outwartlie could haif
espyit in Symoun Magus. For albeit sum tymes he wes are sorcerar, yit
joynit he with the Appossillis, belevit, and wes bapteissit; and
albeit that the venome of avarice remaneit in his hairt, and that he
wald haif bocht the Holie Goist, yit when he heard the feirfull
threitnyngis of God pronunceand aganis him, he trymbillitt, desyreit
the assistance of the prayeris of the Appossilis, and so humblit him
self, so far as the jugement of man could perss, lyke ane true
penitent, and yit we see that Peter douttis of his conversioun. [Quhy
then may not all the godly justly doubt of the conversioun][1008] of
the Quene, wha hes usit idolatrie, quhilk is no less odious in the
sicht of God than is the other and still continewis in the same, yea,
that dispyseis all threitnyngis, and refuisses all godlie
admonitiounis?"
[1008] Those words are omitted in MS. 1566.
"Quhy say ye that sche refuisses admonitioun?" said Lethingtoun. "She
will glaidlie heir ony man."
"But what obedience," said the uther, "to God or to his worde, ensewis
of all that is spokin unto hir? Or when sall sche be sene to gif hir
presence to the publict preiching?"
"I think nevir," said Lethingtoun, "so lang as sche is thus
intreittit."
"And so lang," said the uther, "ye and all utheris maun be content
that I pray so as I may be assureit to be heard of my God, that his
gude will may be done, ether in making hir comfortable to his Kirk, or
gif that he hes appoyntit hir to be ane scurge to the same, that we
may haif patience, and sche may be brydellit."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "lat us cum to the Secound Heid. Whair find
ye that the Scriptour callis onie the bound slaiffis to Sathan? or
that the Propheittis of God speik so irreverentlie of kingis and
princes?"
[Sidenote: ACTIS 26]
[Sidenote: 2 TIMO. 2]
"The Scriptour," said Johne Knox, "sayis, that 'be natour we are all
the soneis of wraith.' Our Maister, Chryst Jesus, affirmes, 'that sik
as do sin ar servandis to sin,' and that it is the onlie Son of God
that settis men at freedome. Now what difference thair is betwix the
sonnis of wraith, and the servandis of sin, and the slaiffis to the
devill, I understand nocht, except I be taught; and gif the scharpnes
of the terme offendit you, I haif nocht inventit that phrase of
speich, but haif leirnit it out of Godis Scriptour; for those wordis
I find spokin unto Paul, 'Behauld, I send thee to the Gentillis, to
oppin thair eyes, that thay may turn from darknes to lycht, and from
the power of Sathan unto God.' Mark thir wordis, my Lord, and sture
nocht at the speiking of the Holie Goist. And the same Apostle wryting
to his scoller Timotheus, says, 'Instruct with meiknes those that ar
contrarie myndit, gif that God at onie tyme will gif thame repentence,
that thay may knaw the treuth, and that thay may cum to amendment, out
of the snair of the Devill, quhilk ar tackin of him at his will.' Gif
your Lordschip rychtlie considder these sentences, ye sall nocht onlie
find my wordis to be the wordis of the Holie Goist, but also the
conditioune quhilk I use to adde, to haif the assurance of Godis
Scriptouris."
"But thay spak nothing aganis kingis in especiall," said Lethingtoun,
"and yit your continewall crying is, 'The Quenis Idolatrie, the Quenis
Messe, will provoke Godis vengeance.'"
"In the former sentences," said the uther, "I heir nocht Kingis and
Quenis excepit, but all unfaithfull ar pronunced to stand in one rank,
and to be in bondage to ane tyrant, the Devill. But belyke, my Lord,
ye lyttill regaird the estait whairin thay stand, when ye wald haif
thame so flatterit, that the daingour thairfoir sould neither be
knawin, neither yit declareit to the poore peopill."
"Quhair will ye find," said Lethingtoun, "that onie of the Propheittis
did so intreat Kingis and Quenis, reuleris or magistratis?"
"In mo placeis than ane," said the uther. "Achab wes ane King, and
Jesabell wes ane Quene, and yit what the Prophet Helias said to the
one and to the uther, I suppois ye be nocht ignorant?"
"That wes nocht cryit out befoir the peopill," said Lethingtoun, "to
mak thame odious unto thair subjectis."
"That Helias said, 'Doggis sail lyck the blude of Achab,'" said Johne
Knox, "'and eat the flesche of Jesabell,' the Scriptouris assuris me;
but that it wes whisperit in thair awin eir, or in ane cornar, I reid
nocht. But the plane contrair appeiris to me, quhilk is, that boith
the Peopill and the Court understude weill eneuch what the Propheit
had promeissit;[1009] for so witnessit Jehu, efter that Godis
vengeance had strickin Jesabell."
[1009] In MS. G, "pronuncit."
"Thay wer singular motiounis of the Spreit of God," said Lethingtoun,
"and appertene nothing to this our aige."
"Then hes the Scriptour far dissavit me," said the uther; "for Sanct
Paule teichis me, that 'Whatsoevir is wryttin within the Holie
Scriptouris, the same is writtin for our instructioun,' And my Maister
said, that 'Everie leirnit and wyise scribe bringis furth his tresour,
baith thingis auld and thingis new.' And the Propheit Jeremye
affirmis, that 'Everie realme and everie cytie that lykwyse offendis,
as then did Jerusalem, sould lykewyse be punischit.' Why then that the
factis of the ancient Propheittis, and the feirfull jugementis of God
executed befoir us upoun the disobedient, appertene nocht unto this
our aige, I neither see nor yit can understand. But now, to put end to
this heid, my Lord, (said he,) the Propheittis of God hes nocht
spairit to rebuke wickit kingis, alsweill in thair face as befoir the
pepill and subjectis. Elischa[1010] feirit nocht to say to king
Jehoram, 'What haif I to do with thee? Get thee to the Propheittis of
thy [Father, and to the Propheittis of thy] Mother; for as the Lord of
Hostis levis, in quhose sicht I stand, gif it wer nocht that I regaird
the presens of Jehosaphat, the king of Juda, I wald nocht haif luikit
toward thee, nor sene thee.' Plane it is, that the Propheitt wes ane
subject in the kingdom of Israell, and yit how little reverence he
gevis to the King, we heir. Jeremye the Propheit wes commandit to cry
to the King and to the Quene, and to say, 'Behaif your selfis lawlie;
execute justice and jugement; or ellis your carcageis salbe eassin to
the heit of the day, and unto the froist of the nicht.' Unto Cononias,
Sallum, and Zedechias, he speikis in speciall, and schawis into tham,
in his publict sermoundis thair misserable endis; and thairfoir ye
aucht nocht to think it strainge, my Lord, (said he,) albeit that the
servandis of God mark the vice[1011] of Kingis and Quenis, evin als
weill as of uther offendouris, and that because thair synnis be moir
noisum to the Commounwelth, than ar the synnis of inferiour
persounis."
[1010] In MS. G, "Helisias."
[1011] In MS. G, "tax the vices."
The moist pairt of this ressounyng, Secretour Lethingtoun leanit upoun
the Maister of Maxwellis breist, who said, "I am almoist werie: I wald
that sum uther wald ressoun in the chief heid, quhilk is nocht
tuychit."
Then the Erle of Mortoune, Chancellour, commandit Mr. George Hay to
reassoun aganis Johne Knox, in the heid of Obedience dew unto
Magistratis; who began so to do. Unto whom Johne Knox said, "Brother,
that ye sall ressoun in my contrair I am weill content, because I know
you boith ane man of leirnyng and of modestie: but that ye sall oppone
your self in the treuth whairof,[1012] I suppoise, your awin
conscience is no less perswaded than is mine, I can nocht weill
approve; for I wald be sorie that I and ye suld be reputed to ressoun
as two scolleris of Pythagoras, to schaw the quicknes of our ingyne,
as it wer to ressoune on boith the pairtis. I protest heir befoir God,
that whatsoevir I sustene, I do the same of conscience; yea, I dar no
moir sustene ane propositioun knawin unto my self untrew, than that I
dar teich false doctrine in the publict place: And thairfoir, Brother,
gif conscience move you to oppone your self to that doctrine, whilk ye
haif heard of my mouth in that maitter, do it bauldlie: it sall nevir
offend me. But that ye sall be found to oppone[1013] your self unto
me, ye being perswaidit in the same treuthe, I say yit agane, it
pleisses me nocht; for thairin may be gritter inconvenient than either
ye or I do considder for the present."
[1012] In MS. 1566, "quhairfoir."
[1013] In MS. 1566, "oppone" is usually written "appone."
The said Mr. George ansuerit, "That I wald oppone my self unto you as
willing to impugn or confute that heid of doctrine, whilk nocht onlie
ye, but monie utheris, yea, and I my self haif affirmit, far be it
from me; for so sould I be found contrarious to my self. For my Lord
Secretour knawis my jugement in that heid."
"Marye!" said the Secretour, "ye ar the weall worst of the twa; for I
remember weill your ressonyng whan the Quene wes in Caryke."[1014]
[1014] In MS. G, "I remember yit our resouning quhen the Quene was in
Carrick."
"Weill," said Johne Knox, "seing, Brother, that God hes maid you to
occupy the chyre of verittie, whairin, I assure, we will aggrie in all
principall heidis of doctrine, lat it nevir be said that we disaggrie
in disputatioun." Johne Knox wes moved thus to speik, because he[1015]
understood moir of the craft than the other did.
[1015] In MS. 1566, "because thai."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "I am sumwhat better provydeit in this last
heid, then I wes in the uther twa. Mr. Knox, (said he,) yisterday we
heard your jugement upoun the 13 to the Romanis; we heard the mynde of
the Appossill weill opened; we heard the causses why God hes
establissed Poweris upoun the earth; we heard the necessitie that
mankynde hes of the same; and we heard the deutie of Magistratis
sufficientlie declareit: But in two thingis I wes offendit, and I
think sum mo of my Lordis that than wer present. The ane was, ye maid
difference betwix the ordinance of God and the persounis that wer
placeit in authoritie; and ye affirmed, that men mycht refuise[1016]
the persounis, and yit nocht to offend againis Godis ordinance. This
is the ane; the uther ye had na tyme to explane; but this methocht ye
menit, that subjectis wer nocht bound to obey thair Princes gif thai
commandit unlauchfull thingis; but that thai mycht resist thair
Princes, and wer nocht ever bound to suffer."
[1016] In MS. G, "micht resist."
"In verie deid," said the uther, "ye haif rychtlie bayth markit my
wordis, and understand my mynd; for of that same jugement I haif lang
bene, and so yit I remane."
"How will ye prove your divisioun and difference," said Lethingtoun,
"and that the persoun placeit in authoritie may be resistit, and Godis
ordinance nocht transgressit, seing that the Appossill says, 'He that
resistis [the poweris,] resisteth the ordinance of God.'"
"My Lord," said he, "the plane wordis of the Appossill makis the
difference, and the factis of many approved be God, prove my
affirmative. First, The Appossill affirmis, that the poweris ar
ordanit of God, [for the preservation of quyet and peacebill men, and
for the punischment of malefactours; quhairof it is plane, That the
ordinance of God,][1017] and the power giffin unto man, is one thing,
and the persone clad with the power or with the authoritie, is ane
uther; for Godis ordinance is the conservatioun of mankynd, the
punischment of vyce, the mentenyng of vertew, quhilk is in it self
holie, just, constant, stable, and perpetuall. But men clad with the
authoritie, ar commounlie prophane and unjust; yea, thai ar mutabill
and transitorie, and subject to corruptioun, as God threitneth thame
be his Prophet David, saying, 'I haif said, Ye ar godis, and everie
one of you the sones of the Moist Heichest; but ye sall die as men,
and the princes sall fall like utheris.' Heir I am assureit, that
persounis, the saule and bodie of wyckit Princes, ar threitnit with
death: I think, that so ye will nocht affirm is the authoritie, the
ordinance and the power, whairwith God hes indeuit sik persounis; for
as I haif said, as it is holie, so it is the permanent will of God.
And now, my Lord, that the Prince may be resistit, and yit the
ordinance of God nocht violatit, it is evident; for the peopill
resistit Saule, when he had sworn be the leving God that Jonathan
sould die. The peopill, (I say,) swair in the contrair, and delyverit
Jonathan, so that ane hair of his heid fell nocht. Now, Saule wes the
anoyntit King, and thai wer his subjectis, and yit thai so resisted
him, that thai maid him no better than mansworne."
[1017] The words inclosed within brackets are omitted in MS. 1566.
"I doute," said Lethingtoun, "if in so doing the peopill did weill."
"The Spreit of God," said the uther, "accuses thame nocht of onie
cryime, but rather praisses thame, and dampnis the King, alsweill for
his foolish vow and law maid without God, as for his crewell mynd,
that so seveirlie wald haif punischit ane innocent man. But heirin I
sall nocht stand: this that followis sall confirm the former. This
same Saule commandit Abimelech and the Preistis of the Lord to be
slane, becaus thay had committit tressoune, as he allegit, for
intercommuning with David: His gaird and principall servandis walde
nocht obey his unjust commandiment; but Doeg the flatterar put the
Kingis creweltie to executioun. I will nocht ask your jugement,
Whidder that the servandis of the King, in nocht obeying his
commandiment, resisted God or nocht? or whidder Doeg, in murthering
the Preastis, gaif obedience to ane just authoritie? for I haif the
Spreit of God, speiking be the mouth of David, to assure me of the one
alsweill as of the uther; for he, in his 52d Psalme, dampnis that fact
as ane moist crewell murther; and affirmis, that God wald punisch,
nocht onlie the commander, but the mercyles executour. And thairfoir,
I conclude, that thai who ganestand his commandiment, resistit nocht
the ordinance of God.
"And now, my Lord, to ansueir to the place of the Appossill, who
affirmis, 'That such as resistis the Power, resistis the ordinance of
God;' I say, that the power in that place is nocht to be understande
of the unjuste commandiment of men, but of the just power whairwith
God hes armit his Magistratis and Lievtenentis to punische syn, and
mentene vertew. As gif onie man sould interpryise to tak fra the
handis of ane lauchful juge ane murderare, ane adulterar, or onie
[uther] malefactour that be Godis law deserved deith, this same man
resistit Godis ordinance, and procureit to him self vengeance and
dampnatioune, because that he stayit Godis sworde[1018] to stryke. But
so it is nocht, gif that men in the feir of God oppone[1019] thame selfis
to the furie and blynd rage of Princes; for so thai resist nocht God,
but the Devill, who abusis the swerd and authoritie of God."
"I understand sufficientlie," said Lethingtoun, "what ye mene; and to
the one pairt I will nocht oppone[1019] my self. But I doute of the
uther. For gif the Quene wald command me [to] slay Johne Knox, because
sche is offendit at him, I wald nocht obey hir. But, and sche wald
command utheris to do it, or yit be ane collour of justice tak his
lyffe fra him, I can nocht tell gif I be found to defend him aganis
the Quene and aganis hir officiaris."
[1018] In MS. 1565, "Godis worde."
[1019] In MS. 1566, "appone."
"Under protestatioun," said the uther, "that the auditour think nocht
that I seik favouris to my self,[1020] I say, my Lord, that gif ye be
persuadeit of my innocency, and gif God hes giffin unto you sik ane
power and credyt as mycht deliver me, and yit sufferit me to perisch,
that in so doing ye soulde be cryminall and gyltie of my blude."
[1020] In MS. G, "that I speik in favours of my self."
"Prove that, and win the play," said Lethingtoun.
"Weill, my Lord," said the uther, "remember your promeis, and I sail
be schoirt of my probatioun. The Propheit Jeremey wes apprehendit be
Preistis and Prophettis, (who wer ane pairt of the authoritie within
Jerusalem,) and be the multitude of the peopill, and this sentence wes
pronunceit aganis him, 'Thou sall dey the deith; for thou hes said,
This hous salbe lyk Siloch, and this cytie salbe desolat without ane
habitant.' The Princes heiring the uprore, come from the Kingis hous,
and sit doune in jugement in the entrie of the new gait of the Lordis
hous, and thair the Preistis find the Prophettis befoir the Princes,
and befoir all the peopill, intendit thair accusatioun, in these
wordis, 'This man is worthie to dye, for he hes propheissit aganis
this cytie, as your eiris haif heard.' Jeremey ansuerit, 'That
whatsoevir he had spokin proceidit from God; and thairfoir, (said he,)
as for me, I am in your handis: do with me as ye think gude and rycht:
But knaw ye for certane, that if ye put me to deith, ye sall surelie
bring innocent blude upoun your saulis,[1021] and upoun this cytie,
and upoun the habitatiounis[1022] thairof; for of treuth, the Lord hes
send me unto you, to speik all these wordis.' Now, my Lord, gif the
Princes and the hole peopill sould haif bene gyltie of the Propheittis
blude, how sall ye or utheris be jugeit innocent befoir God, gif ye
sall suffer the blude of sik as haif nocht deservit deith to be sched,
when that ye may save it?"
[1021] In MS. G, "yourselves."
[1022] In MS. G, "inhabitants."
"The cases ar nothing lyke," said Lethingtoun.
"And I wald learn," said the uther, "whairin the dissymilitude
standis."
"First," said Lethingtoun, "the King had nocht condampnit him to the
deith. And nixt, the false Propheittis and the Preistis and the
peopill accuseit him without ane caus, and thairfoir thai could nocht
but be gyltie of his blude."
"Nether of these," said Johne Knox, "fechtis aganis my argument; for
albeit the King wes nether present, nor yit had condampnit him, yit
wer the princes and cheif counsallouris thair sytting in jugement, who
presentit the Kingis persoune and authoritie, heiring the accusatioune
laid unto the chairge off the Propheit; and thairfoir he foirwairnis
thame of the dainger, as befoir I said, to wit, that in case he soulde
be condampnit, and so put to deith, that the King, the Counsell, and
the whole cytie of Jerusalem, soulde be gyltie of his blude, becaus
he had committit no cryme worthy of deith. And gif ye think, that thai
souldo haif bene all cryminall onelie, becaus that thay all accuseit
him, the plane text witnesses the contrair; for the princes defendit
him, and so no doute did a greit pairt of the peopill; and yit he
bauldlie affirmis, that thai soulde be all gyltie of his blude gif
that he soulde be put to deith. And the propheit Ezechiell gifis the
ressoune why all are guilty of ane commoune corruptioune, 'Becaus,'
sayis he, 'I socht ane man amangis thame that soulde mak [up] the
hedge, and stand in the gappe befoir me for the land, that I soulde
nocht distroy it, but I fand none; thairfoir, haif I powrit my
indignatioune upoun thame.' Heirof, my Lorde, (said he,) it is plaine,
that God craveis nocht onlie that a man do no iniquittie in his awin
persoune, but also that he oppone[1023] him self to all iniquitie, sa
far furth as into him lyis."
[1023] In MS. 1566, "that to heip upone."
"Than will ye," said Lethingtoun, "mak subjectis to controlle thair
prynces and reuleris."
"And what harm," said the uther, "soulde the Commounewelth ressaif,
gif that the corrupt effectiounis off ignorant reuleris wer moderatit,
and so brydillit be the wisdome and discretioun of godlie subjectis,
that thai soulde do wrang nor violence to no man?"
"All this ressonyng," said Lethingtoun, "is nocht of the purpois; for
we ressoune as gif the Quene soulde becum sik an ennemye to oure
religioune, that sche soulde persecute it, and put innocent men to
deith; whilk I am assureit sche nevir thocht, nor nevir will do. For
gif I soulde see hir begin at that end, yea, gif I soulde suspect onie
sik thing in hir, I soulde be also far fordwarte in that argument as
ye or onie uther within this Realme: Bot thair is nocht sik ane thing.
Oure questioune is, Whidder that we may and aucht to suppres the
Quenis Messe? Or whidder hir Idolatrie salbe laid to our chairge?"
"What ye may," said the uther, "be force, I disput nocht; bot what ye
may and aucht to do be Godis express commandiment, that I can tell.
Idolatrie aucht nocht [only] to be suppressit, but the idolater aucht
to dey the deith, unless that we will accuse God."
"I knaw," said Lethingtoun, "the idolater is commandit to dey the
deith; but be whome?"
"Be the peopill of God," said the uther; "for the commandiment wes
gevin to Israell, as ye may reid, 'Heir, Israell,' sayis the Lorde,
'the statutis and the ordinancis of the Lord thy God,' &c. Yea, ane
[commandment] wes gevin, That gif it be heard that idolatrie is
committit in onie ane cytie, inquisitioune salbe taikin; and gif it be
founde trew, that than the whole bodie of the peopill sall aryse and
destroy that cytie, spairing in it nether man, woman, nor chylde."
"But thair is no commandiment gevin to the peopill," said the
Secretour, "to punisch thair King gif he be ane idoliter."
"I find no moir privilege grantit unto Kingis," said the uther, "be
God, moir than unto the peopill, to offend Godis majestie."
"I grant," said Lethingtoun; "but yit the peopill may nocht be jugeis
unto thair King to punisch him, albeit he be ane idolater."
"God," said the uther, "is the Universall Judge, alsweill unto the
King as to the peopill; so that what his worde commandis to be
punischit in the one, is nocht to be absolved in the uther."
"We agree in that," said Lethingtoun; "but the peopill may nocht
execute Godis jugement, but man leif it unto him self, who will either
punische it be deith, be war, be emprisounment, or be sum uther
plaigis."[1024]
[1024] In MS. G, "or be sum uther kynd of his plagues."
"I knaw the last pairt of your ressoune," said Johne Knox, "to be
trew; but for the first, to wit, that the peopill, yea, or ane pairt
of the peopill may nocht execut God jugementis aganis thair King,
being ane offender, I am assureit ye haif no uther warrand except your
awin imaginatioun, and the opinioune of sik as moir feir to offend
princes than God."
"Why say ye so?" said Lethingtoun, "I haif the jugementis of the most
famous men within Europe, and of sik as ye your self will confes boith
godlie and leirnit."
And with that he callit for his paperis, quhilk produceit be Mr.
Robert Maitland,[1025] he began to reid with greit gravitie the
jugementis of Luther, Melanchton, the myndis of Bucer, Musculus, and
Calvin, how Christianis soulde behaffe thame selffis in tyme of
persecutioun: yea, the Buik of Baruch wes nocht omittit with this
conclusioune.[1026] "The gathering of these thingis," said he, "hes
coist moir travell, than I tuik this sevin yearis in reiding of anie
commentareis."
[1025] Mr. Robert Maitland was Dean of Aberdeen, having succeeded Mr.
Robert Erskine, about the year 1560. He was frequently a member of the
General Assembly, and became one of the Commissaries of Edinburgh. He
died at Brechin in August 1579. In his confirmed Testament, (recorded
19th August 1580.) mention is made of his brother-german, James
Maitland, in Monlaittie: and in 1601, the name occurs (probably his
nephew) of Mr. Robert Maitland of Monlatie. (Eccl. Records of
Aberdeen, p. 177.)
[1026] In MS. 1566, "yea, the Buik of Baruce was nocht admitted, with
his conclusioun."
"The moir pitie," said the uther, "and yit, what ye haif proffeitit
your awin cause, let utheris juge. But as for my argument, I am
assureit, ye haif infirmit it nothing; for your first two witnesses
speik aganis the Anabaptistis, who deny that Christianis soulde be
subject to magistratis, or yit that is lauchfull for ane Christiane to
be ane magistrate; quhilk opinioune I no less abhore than ye do, or
onie uther that levis do. The uthers speik of Christiane subjectis
unto tyrantis and infidellis, so dispersed that thai haif no uther
force but onlie to sobbe to God for delyverance. That sik indeid sould
haisard onie farder than these godlie men willis thame, I can nocht
haistellie be of counsell. But my argument hes ane uther grounde; for
I speik of the peopill assembled togidder in one bodie of ane
Commounewelth, unto whome God hes gevin sufficient force, nocht onlie
to resyst, but also to suppres all kynde of opin idolatrie: and sik
ane peopill, yit agane I affirme, ar bound to kepe thair land clene
and unpollutit. And that this my devissioune sall nocht appeir strange
unto you, ye sall understand, that God requyreit one thing of Abrahame
and of his seid, when he and thay wer strangeris and pilgremes in
Egipte and Canaan; and ane uther thing requyrit he of thame, when thay
wer delyverit fra the boundage of Egipt, and the possessioune of the
land of Canaan grantit unto thame. At the first, and during all the
tyme of thair boundage, God craveit no moir but that Abraham soulde
nocht defyle himself with idolatrie. Nether wes he, nor yit his
posterittie commandit to distroy the idollis that wer in Canaan or in
Egypt. But when God gaif unto thame the possessioune of the land, he
gaif unto thame this strait commandiment, 'Bewar that you mak league
or confyderacye with the inhabitantis of this land: gif nocht thy
sonnis unto thair dochteris, nor yit gif thy douchteris unto thair
sonnis. But this sall ye do unto thame, cut downe thair grovis,
destroy thair imageis, brek doune thair altaris, and leif thou no
kynde of remembrance of those abominatiounis, whilk the inhabitantis
of the land useit befoir: for thou art ane holie peopill unto the
Lorde thy God. Defyle nocht thy self, thairwith, with thair goddis.'
"To this same commandiment, I say, are ye, my Lordis, and all sik as
haif professit the Lorde Jesus within this Realme bound. For God hes
wrocht no less myrakill upoun you, baith spirituall and corporall,
than he did unto the carnell seid of Abraham. For in what estait your
bodyis, and this pure Realme wes, within this sevin yeir, your selfis
can nocht be ignorant: You and it wer boith in boundage of ane strange
natioun; and what tyrrantis rang over your conscience, God perchance
may lat you feill, becaus that ye do nocht rychtlie acknawlege the
benefit ressavit. When oure pure Bretherin befoir us gave thair
bodeis to the flamis of fyre, for the testimonie of the treuthe, and
when skairslie coulde ten be founde into ane contrie, that rychtlie
knew God, it had bene folishnes to haif craveit ether of the
Nobillitie, or of the meane Subjectis, the suppressing of Idolatrie;
for that had beene no thing but to haif exponeit the sempill scheip in
ane prey to the woulves. But sen that God hes multipleyit knawlege,
yea, and hes gevin the victorie to his treuthe, evin in the handis of
his servandis, gif ye suffer the land agane to be defyleit, ye and
your Princess sall boith drink the coupe of Godis indignatioun, sche
for hir obstinat abydeing in manifest idolatrie, in this grit lycht of
the Evangill of Jesus Chryste, and ye for your permissioune and
mentenyng hir in the same."[1027]
[1027] In MS. G, there is this marginal note, which, we may suppose,
was added by the transcriber: "QUHIDDER THIS HES CUM TO PAS OR NOT,
LET THE WARLD JUDGE."
Lethingtoun said, "In that poynt we will nevir agree; and whair find
ye, I pray you, that evir onie of the Prophettis or of the Appossillis
taucht sik ane doctrine, that the peopill soulde be plaigit for the
idolatrie of the prince; or yit, that the subjectis mycht suppres the
idolatrie of thair rewleris, or punisch thame for the same?"
"What wes the commissioune giffin to the Appossillis," said he, "my
Lorde, we knaw: it wes to preche and plant the Evangill of Jesus
Chryste, whair darkness affoir had dominioune; and thairfoir it
behuifit thame, first to lat thame see the lycht befoir that thay
soulde will thame to put to thair handis to suppress idolatrie. What
preceptis the Appossillis gaif unto the faythfull in perticular, other
than that thai commandit all to fley frome idolatrie, I will nocht
affirme: But I find two thingis quhilk the faithfull did; the one wes,
thay assisted thair preichouris, evin aganeis the reuleris and
magistrates; the other wes, thay suppressit idolatrie whairsoever God
gaif unto thame force, asking no leif at the Empriour, nor of his
deputtis. Reid the Ecclesiasticall Historie, and ye sall find cxampill
sufficient. And as to the doctrine of the Prophettis, we knaw thay
wer interpretouris of the law of God; and we knaw thay spak alsweill
to the kingis as to the peopill. I reid that nether of boith wald heir
thame; and thairfoir come the plaig of God upoun boith. But that thai
more flatterit Kingis than that thay did the peopill, I can nocht be
persuadit. Now, Godis lawis pronunces deith, as befoir I haif said, to
idolateris withoute exceptioune of onie persoune: Now, how the
Propheittis coulde rychtlie interpret the law, and schew the causes of
Godis jugementis, quhilk evir thay threitned soulde follow idolatrie,
and for the rest of abominatiounis that accumpaney it, for it is nevir
alone; but still corrupt religioune bringis with it ane fylthie and
corrupt lyfe: How, I say, the Propheittis coulde reprove the vyces,
and nocht schaw the peopill thair dewtie, I understand nocht; and
thairfoir I constantlie beleif that the doctrine of the Prophettis wes
so sensible, that the Kingis understude thair awin abhominatiounis,
and the peopill understude what thay aucht to haif done, in punisching
and repressing thame. But becaus that the moist pairt of the pepill
wer no less rebellious unto God than wer thair princes, thairfoir the
ane and the uther conveineit aganis God and aganis his servandis. And
yit, my Lord, the factis of sum Propheittis ar so evident, that
thairof we may collect what doctrine thay taucht; for it war no small
absurdity to affirme that thair factis soulde repugn to their
doctrine."
"I think," said Lethingtoun, "ye meane of the historie of Jehu. What
will ye prove thairby?"
"The cheif heid," said Johne Knox, "that ye deny, to wit, That the
Propheittis nevir taucht that it appertenit to the peopill to punisch
the idolatrie of thair Kingis; the contrair whairof I affirm: And for
the probatioun, I am reddie to produce the fact of ane Propheit; for
ye knaw, my Lord, said he, that Eliseus send one of the childrene of
the Propheittis to anoynt Jehu, who gaif him in commandiment to
destroy the hous of his maister Achab for the idolatrie commitit be
him, and for the innocent blude that Jesabell his wyckit wyff had
sched: quhilk he obeyit, and pat in full execution; for the quhilk God
promessit unto him the stabillatie of the kingdom to the fourt
generation. Now, said he, heir is the fact of ane Propheit, that
proveis that subjectis wer commandit to execute jugementis upoun thair
King and Prince."
"Thair is eneuch," said Lethingtoun, "to be ansuerit thairto; for Jehu
wes ane King befoir he pat onie thing in executioun; and besydis this,
the fact is extraordinaire, and aucht nocht to be imitat."
"My Lord," said the uther, "he wes ane meir subject, and no King whan
the Propheittis servand came unto him; yea, and albeit that his fellow
capitanis, heiring of the message, blew the trumphet, and said, 'Jehu
is king;' yit I doute nocht, but Jesabell boith thocht and said, 'He
wes ane traitour;' and so did monie utheris that wer in Israell and in
Samaria. And as tuiching that ye allege, that the fact wes
extraordinarie, and is nocht to be imitat, I say, that it had ground
of Godis ordinary jugement, whilk commandis the idolater to dey the
deith; and, thairfoir, I yit agane affirme, that it is to be imitat of
all those that prefferis the true honour, the true worschip and glorie
of God, to the affectiounis of flesch, and of wickit Princes."[1028]
[1028] The conclusion of this sentence is corrected by MS. G. In MS.
1566, the words are here awkwardly transposed; and various others in
this Disputation have either been omitted, or inaccurately
transcribed.
"We ar nocht bound to imitat extraordinarie exampillis," said
Lethingtoun, "unles we haif the lyke commandiment and assurance."
"I grant," said the uther, "gif the exampill repugn to the law; and
gif ane avaricious and deceitfull man wald borrow [gold,] silver,
rayment, or [ony] uther necessaris from his nychtbour, and withhauld
the same, alledging, that so thay mycht do and nocht offend God,
because that the Iseraellitis did so to the Egiptianis at thair
depairtour furth of Egipt. The exampill served to no purpoise unles
that thai coulde produce the lyke cause, and the lyke commandiment
that the Iseraellitis had, and that because thair fact repugnit to
this commandiment of God, 'Thou sall nocht steill.' But whair the
exampill aggreis with the law, and is, as it wer, the executioun of
Godis jugementis expressit in the same, I say, that the exampill
approved of God standis to us in place of a commandiment: for, as God
of his natour is constant, immutable, sa can he nocht dampne in the
aigis subsequent, that whilk he hes approvit in his servandis befoir
us. But in his servandis befoir us, He be his awin commandiment hes
approvit, that subjectis hes nocht onlie distroyit thair Kingis for
idolatrie, but also hes ruitit out thair hoill posteritie, so that
none of that race wes left efter to impyre above the peopill of God."
"Whatsoevir thai did," said Lethingtoun, "wes done at Godis
commandiment."
"That fortifeis my argument," said the uther; "for be Godis
commandiment he approvit, that subjectis punish thair Princes[1029]
for idolatrie and wickitness be thame committit."
[1029] In MS. G, "thair Kings."
"We haif nocht the lyke commandiment," said Lethingtoun.
"That I deny," said the uther; "for the commandiment, 'The idolater
sall dey the deith,' is perpetuall, as [ye] your self hes grantit: You
douttit onlie who sould be executouris againis the King; and I said
the peopill of God, and hes sufficientlie provin, as I think, that God
hes raissit up the peopill, and by his Propheit hes anoyntit ane King
to tak vengeance upoun the King, and upoun his posteritie. Quhilk
fact, God sen that tyme hes nevir retreittit; and, thairfoir, to me it
remanis for ane constant and cleane commandiment to all the peopill
professing God, and haifing the power to punisch vyce, what thay aucht
to do in the lyke caise. Gif the peopill had interprysit onie thing
without Godis commandiment, we mycht haif doutit whidder thai had done
weill or evill; but seing that God did bring the execution of his law
agane in practice, efter that it wes cum in oblivioun and contempt,
what ressonable man can doute now of Goddis will, unles we will doute
of all thingis quhilk God renewis nocht unto us be miracallis, as it
wer from age to age. But I am assureit, that the ansuer of Abraham
unto the riche man, who being into hell, desyreit that Lazarus, or sum
of the deid, sould be send unto his bretherin and freindis, to
foirwairne thame of his incredable [pane and] tormentis, and that thay
sould behaif thame selfis, so that thai sould nocht cum in that place
of torment: the ansuer, I say, gevin unto him, sall confound sik as
craif farder approbatioun of Godis will then is alreddy expressit
within his holie Scriptouris; for Abraham said, 'Thay haif Moyses and
the Propheittis, whome gif thay will nocht beleif, neither will thay
beleif albeit that one of the deid sould ryise.' Evin so, I say, my
Lord, that sik as will nocht be taucht what thay aucht to do, be
commandiment of God anis gevin, and anis put in practice, will nocht
beleif nor obey, albeit that God sould send angellis from hevin to
instruct that doctrine."
"Ye haif but produceit ane exampill," said Lethingtoun.
[Sidenote: 2 PARALI.2][1030]
[1030] See page 427, note 1.
"One sufficeth," said the uther; "but yit, God be praissit, we lack
nocht utheris; for the whole peopill conspyreit aganis Amasiath king
of Juda, efter that he had turnit away from the Lord, followit him to
Lachess and slew him, and tuik Uziah and anoyntit him king in steid of
his father. The peopill had nocht altogidder forgottin[1031] the
league and covenant quhilk wes maid betwix thair king and thame, at
the inauguratioun of Joash, his father, to wit, 'That the King and the
peopill sould be the peopill of the Lord,' and than sould thai be his
faythfull subjectis: From the quhilk convenant, whan that first the
father, and efter the sonne declynit, thai wer boith punischit to the
deith, Joash be his awin servandis, and Amasias be the whole peopill."
[1031] In MS. 1566, "gottin."
"I doubt," said Lethingtoun, "whidder thay did weill or nocht."
"It salbe free for you," said the uther, "to doubt as ye pleis; but
whair I find executioun according to Godis lawis, and God him self
nocht to accuse the doaris, I dar nocht doubt of the equittie of thair
cause. And farder, it appeiris unto me, that God gaif sufficient
approbatioun and allowance to thair fact; for he blissit thame with
victorie, peace, and prosperitie, the space of fifty-two yeiris
thairafter."
"But prosperitie," said Lethingtoun, "does nocht alwayis prove that
God approveis the factis of men."
"Yis," said the uther; "when the factis[1032] of men aggrie with the
law of God, and ar rewairdit according to Godis awin promeise,
expressit in his law, I say, that the prosperitie succeiding the fact
is moist infallable assurance that God hes approvit that fact. Now so
it is, that God hes promeissit in his law, that when his peopill sall
exterminat and destroy sik as declyne from him, that he will bliss
thame, and multipley thame, as he hes promeissit unto thair fatheris.
But so it is, that Amasias turneit fra God; for so the text do
witness; and plane it is the peopill slew thair king; and lyke plane
it is, that God blissit thame: Thairfoir, yit agane conclude I, that
God approvit thair fact, in so far as it wes done according to his
commandiment, wes blissit according to his promeise."
[1032] In MS. 1566, "faltis."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "I think nocht the ground sa sure as I
durst builde my conscience thairupoun."
"I pray God," said the uther, "that your conscience haif no worse
ground than is this, when soevir ye sall begin that lyke work whilk
God in your awin eis hes alreddie blessit. And now, my Lord, (said
he,) I haif but one exampeill to produce, and than I will put [an] end
to my ressonying, becaus I wearie langer to stand." (Commandiment wes
gevin that he sould sytt doune; but he refuissit it, and said,
"Melancholius[1033] ressouns wald haif sum myrth intermixed.") "My
last exampill, (said he,) my Lord, is this:--Uzzias the King, nocht
content of his royal estait, malepeirtlie tuk upoun him to enter
within the temple of the Lord, to burne incense upoun the alter of
incense; 'And Azarias the preist went in efter him, and with him
fourscore preistis of the Lord, vailzeant men, and thay withstude
Uzzias the king, and said unto him, It pertenith thee nocht,
Uzzias,[1034] to burne incense unto the Lord, but to the preistis, the
sonnis of Aaroune, that ar consecratit to offer incense: Go furth of
the sanctuary, for thou hes transgressit, and you sall haif no honour
of the Lord God.' Heirof, my Lord, I conclude, that subjectis nocht
onlie may, but also aucht to withstand and resist thair princes,
whensoever thay do onie thing that expreslie repugnis to God, his law,
or holie ordinance."
[1033] In MS. 1566, "malankourelie;" in MS. L 3, "malancholik."
[1034] In MS. G, "it apperteneth not unto Uzzias."
"Thay that withstude the King," said Lethingtoun, "wer nocht sempill
subjectis, but wer the Preistis of the Lord, and figoureis of Chryste,
and sik preistis haif we none this day, to withstand Kingis gif thay
do wrang."
"That the Hye Preist wes the figour of Chryste," said the uther, "I
grant: but that he wes nocht ane subject, that I deny. For I am
assureit, that he in his priestheid had no prerogative above those
that had passit befoir him. Now, so it is, that Aaroune wes subject
unto Moyses, and callit him his Lord. Samuell, being boith propheit
and preist, subject him self to Saule, eftor he wes inaugurat of the
peopill. Sadock bowit befoir David; and Abiathar wes depossit frome
the preistheid be Salamoune, quhilkis all confessit thame selfis
subjectis to the Kingis, albeit that thairwith thei ceissit nocht to
be the figouris of Christe. And whairas ye say, that we haif no sik
preistis this day, I mycht answer, that nether haif we sik Kingis this
day as than wer annoyntit at Godis commandiment, and sat upoun the
sait of David, and wer no les the figour of Chryste Jesus in thair
juste administratioun, then wer the preistis in thair appoyntit
office: and sik Kingis, I am assureit, we haif nocht now moir than
that we haif sik preistis: for Chryste Jesus being annoyntit in our
natour, of God his Father, both King, Priest, and Prophet, hes put an
end to all externall unctioune. And yit, I think, ye will nocht say,
that God hes now diminissit his graceis for those whome he appoyntis
ambassadouris betwix him and his peopill, [more] than that he dois
from kingis and princes; and thairfoir, why that the servandis of
Jesus Chryste may not also justlie withstand kingis and princes, that
this day no less offendit Godis majestie than Uzzias did, I see nocht,
onless that ye will say, that we, in the brychtnes of the Evangill, ar
nocht sa straitlie bound to regaird Godis glorie, nor yit his
commandimentis, as wer the fatheris that leiffit under the dark
schaddowis of the Law."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "I will dip no farder in that heid. But how
resisted the Preistis the King? Thai onelie spak unto him without
farder violence intendit."
"That thay withstude him," said the other, "the text assureis me; but
that thay did nothing but speik, I can nocht understand; for the plane
text affirms the contrair, to wit, that thay caused him haistilie to
depairt frome the sanctuarie, yea, and that he wes compellit to
depairt: quhilk maner of speiking, I am assureit in the Hebrew toung
impoirtis uther thing than exhoirting, or commanding by worde."
"Thay did that," said Lethingtoun, "efter that he wes espyit
leaprous."
"Thay withstude him hefoir," said the other; "but yit thair last fact
confermes my propositioune so evidentlie, that sik as will oppone
thame unto it, moist neidis oppone thame unto God; for my assertioun
is, that kingis haif no previlege moir than has the peopill to offend
Godis majestie; and gif that so thay do, thay ar no moir exempted from
the punischment of the law than is onie uther subject; yea, and that
subjectis may nocht onlie lauchfullie oppone thame selfis to thair
kingis, whensoevir thay do onie thing that expressedlie repugnes to
Goddis commandiment, but also that thay may execute jugement upoun
thame according to Goddis law; so that [if] the king be ane murtherar,
adulterar, or idolater, he soulde suffer according to Godis law, nocht
as ane king, but as ane offender, and that the peopill may put Godis
lawis in executioune, this Historie cleirlie proveis: for how soon
that the leprosie appeirit[1035] in his foirheid, he wes nocht onelie
compellit to depairt oute of the sanctuarie, but also he was removeit
frome all publick socyetie and administratioune of the kingdome, and
wes compellit to dwell in ane house ane pairt, evin as the law
commandit, and gat no grytter privilage in that cais than onie uther
of the peopill soulde haif done; and this wes executit be the peopill;
for it is no doute mo wer witnesses of his leprossie than the preistis
allone. But we fynd none oppone thame selfis to the sentence of God
pronounced in his law aganis the leprouse; and thairfoir, yit agane
say I, that the peopill aucht to execute Goddis law evin aganis thair
princes, when that thair oppin crymes be Godis law deserve deith, but
especialie when thay ar sik as may infect the rest of the multitude.
And now, my Lordis, (said he,) I will ressoune no langer, for I haif
spokin moir than I intendit."
[1035] In MSS. G, and L 3, "the leprosie was espyed."
"And yit," said Lethingtoun, "I can nocht tell what can be concludit."
"Albeit ye can nocht," said the uther, "yit I am assureit what I haif
provin, to wit:--
"1. That subjectis haif delyverit ane innocent frome the handis of
thair King, and thairintill offendit nocht God.
"2. That subjectis haif refuseit to stryke innocentis whan ane King
commandit, and in so doing denyit no just obedience.
"3. That sik as struck at the commandiment of the King befoir God wer
reputed murtheraris.
"4. That God hes nocht onlie of ane subject maid ane King, but also
hes airmit subjectis aganis thair naturall Kings, and commandit thame
to tak vengence upoun thame according to his law.
"And, last, That Godis pepill hes executit Godis law aganis thair
King, having no farther regaird to him in that behalf, than gif he had
bene the moist simpill subject within this Realme.
"And thairfoir, albeit ye will not understand what sould be
concludeit, yit I am[1036] assureit that nocht onlie Goddis pepill
[may], but also, that thai ar bounde to do the same whair the lyke
crymes ar committit, and when he gevis unto thame the lyke power."
[1036] In MS. G, "I am not."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "I think ye sall nocht haif monie leirnit
men of your oppinioun."
"My Lord," said the uther, "the treuthe ceisses nocht to be the
treuthe, howsoevir it be that men [either] misknaw it, or yit
ganestand it. And yit, (said he,) I praise my God, I lack nocht the
consent of Godis servandis in that heid." And with that he presentit
unto the Secretour the Apologie of Magdeburgh;[1037] and willit him to
reid the names of the Mynisteris who had subscribed the defence of the
Toune to be ane moist juste defence; and thairwith addit, "That to
resist ane tyrant, is not to resist God, nor yit his ordinance."
[1037] Magdeburg, in the province of Saxony, is a town of ancient
date, and of importance from its situation. It was involved in
disputes with Austria, on account of the protection which it granted
to Lutheranism. This drew upon it the ban of the Empire, followed by a
siege in 1550, which endured for twelve months; but a treaty was
concluded in 1551, without the Magdeburgers being betrayed into any
mean submission to the Emperor. (See Robertson's Charles V., Book x.)
Whilk when he had read, he scripped and said, "_Homines
obscuri_."[1038] The uther ansuerit, "_Dei tamen servi_."[1039]
[1038] That is, "Men of no note."
[1039] That is, "Servants of God however."
And [so] Lethingtoun arose and said, "My Lordis, ye haif hard the
ressounis upoun boith pairteis: it becumis you now to decyde, and [to]
put ane ordour unto preicheouris, that thay may be uniforme in
doctrine. May we, think ye, tak the Queenis Messe frome hir?"
Whille that sum began to geif thair voittis, for sum wer appoyntit, as
it wer, leaderis to the rest, Johne Knox said, "My Lordis, I suppois
that ye will nocht [do] contrair to your [Lordships] promeis, maid to
the whole Assemblie, whilk wes, That nothing soulde be voited in
secreit, till that the first all maitteris soulde be debaittit in
publict, and that than the voittis of the whole Assemblie sould put an
end to the controversie. Now haif I onelie sustenit the argument, and
haif rather schawin my conscience in moist simpill maner, than that I
haif insystit upoun the force and vehemence of onie ane argument: And
thairfoir I, for my pairt, utterlie disassent frome all voitting, till
that the whole Assemblie haif hard the propositiounis and the
ressounis of boith pairteis. For I unfeinyeitlie acknawlege, that
monie in this cumpanie ar moir abill to sustene the argument than I
am."
"Think ye it reasonable," said Lethingtoun, "that sik ane multitude
[as] ar now convenit, soulde ressoune and voit in these heidis and
matteris that concerne the Quenis Majesties awin persoune and
effairis?"
"I think," said the uther, "that whatsoevir soulde bind, the multitude
soulde heir, unless that thai haif resignit thair power unto thair
Commissioneris, whilk thai haif nocht done, sua far as I understand;
for my Lord Justice-Clark heard thame with ane voice say, That in no
wayis wald thai consent that onie thing soulde ether here be voited or
concludit."
"I can nocht tell," said Lethingtoun, "[if] that my Lordis that be
heir present, and that beir the burding of sik maitteris, soulde be
bounde to thair will. What say ye, (said he,) my Lordis? Will ye voit
in this maitter, or will ye nocht voit?"
Efter lang ressonyng, sum that wer maid for the purpois said, "Why may
nocht the Lordis voit, and than schaw unto the Kirk whatsoevir is
done?"
"That appeiris to me," said Johne Knox, "nocht onlie ane backwart
ordour, but also ane tyrranie usurpeit upoun the Kirk: But for me, do
as ye list, (said he,) for as I ressoune, so I voit; yit protesting as
befoir, that I dissent frome all voiting, till that the hoill
Assemblie understand alsweill the questiounis as the ressonyngis."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "that can nocht be done now, for the tyme
is spent; and thairfoir, my Lorde Chanceler, (said he,) ask ye the
voittis, and tak [be course] everie ane of the Mynisteris, and ane of
us."
[Sidenote: MR. JOHNE DOUGLAS RECTOUR.]
And so wes the Rectour of Sanctandrois[1040] commanded first to speik
his conscience; who said, "I reffer, to the Superintendant of Fyffe,
for I think we ar boith in one jugement; and yit, (said he,) gif ye
will that I speik first, my conscience is this, That gif the Quene
oppone hir self to oure religioun, whilk is the onelie trew religioun,
that in that caise the Nobillitie and Estaitis of this Realme,
professouris[1041] of the trew doctrine, may justlie oppone thame
selffis unto hir. But as concernyng hir awin Messe, I knaw it is
idolatrie, but yit I am nocht yit resolved, whidder that be violence
we may tack it frome hir or nocht." The Superintendant of Fyffe[1042]
said, "That same is my conscience." And so affirmit sum of the
Nobillitie. But utheris voitted frankley, and said, "That as the Messe
wes abominatioun, so wes it juste and rycht that it soulde be
suppressit;[1043] and that in so doing, men did no moir wrong to the
Quenis Majestie than thay that soulde be force tak frome hir ane
poysonit coupe when sehe wes going to drink it."
[1040] At page 286 of the former volume, a brief notice of Douglas is
given, in order to show that he must be distinguished from John
Douglas, a Carmalite Friar, who, forsaking his order, became in 1558,
Chaplain to the Earl of Argyle. As stated in the note referred to, Mr.
John Douglas was elected Provost of St. Mary's College, St. Andrews,
in 1547. He was also elected for a long series of years Rector of the
University; and having embraced the Reformed opinions, he still
continued his residence at St. Andrews, retaining his situation as
Provost of the College. In 1571, when "an auld feeble man," by
"compromise with the Earl of Morton, he was nominated to the See of
St. Andrews: Knox having refused to inaugurate him, the ceremony was
performed by Mr. John Wynrame. (M'Crie's Life of Knox.) According to
his Confirmed Testament, 29th January 1574-5, "Johne Archbishop of
Sanctandrois, &c. died in (blank) 1574;" and it shows that his nominal
dignity had not enriched him. The Summa of his Inventar amounted only
to £280, 4s. 4d., and this included "Item, his L[ordship's] liberall
[library] of bukis, extending to ane hundreth pundis."
[1041] In MS. G, "that have professit."
[1042] Mr. John Wynrame. See note in vol. i. p. 150. As Sub-prior of
St. Andrews, he sat as one of the Judges at the trials of Sir John
Borthwick in 1540, of George Wishart in 1546, and of Walter Myln in
1550. In 1549, at the Provincial Council held at Edinburgh, he is
styled "M. Johannes Wynrame Ecclesiæ Metrop. Primitialis S. Andreæ,
Canonicus Regularis, et Supprior, Theologiæ Doctor." He survived till
the year 1582, when he died at the advanced age of ninety.
[1043] In MSS. G, and L 4, "repressed."
[Sidenote: MR. JOHN CRAIG.]
At last, Mr. Johne Craig,[1044] fellow-minister with Johne Knox in the
Kirk of Edinburgh, wes requyreit to gif his jugement and vote, who
said, "I will glaidlie schaw unto your Honouris what I understand; but
I gritlie doubt whidder my knawlege and conscience sall satisfy you,
seing that ye haif heard so monie ressounis and ar so lyttil moved be
thame. But yit I sall nocht conceill from you my jugement, adhering
first to the protestatioun of my Brother, to wit, That our voitting
prejudge nocht the lybertie of the Generall Assembly. I wes, (said
he,) in the Universitie of Bononia,[1045] in the yeir of God
1554,[1046] whair, in the place of the Blak-Freiris of the same
toune, I saw in the tyme of thair Generall Assemblie this Conclusioun
set furth: This same I hard ressoned, determined, and concludit:--
[1044] Mr. John Craig was born in 1512, became a Dominican Friar, and
narrowly escaped from a sentence of the Inquisition at Rome, which had
condemned him to the flames as a heretic in 1559. He at length
succeeded in reaching Scotland. He was minister of the Canongate for a
short time, before he was appointed Knox's colleague. He was
translated from Edinburgh to New Aberdeen before 1574; but was brought
back as King's Minister in July 1580. He survived till the year 1600,
and died at the advanced age of eighty-eight. (M'Crie's Life of Knox,
vol. ii. p. 53-57; Wodrow Miscellany, vol. i. p. 455.)
[1045] The Latin name of Bologna.
[1046] So also in MS. L 3; but in MS. A i, the date is "1550;" in MSS.
L 4, and M, "1553." MS. G, makes it "1562"--an obvious mistake, as
Craig returned to Scotland in 1560, and is not known to have left it
at any subsequent period.