"Many and horrible sayingis unto me, a Christiane man, many wordis
abhominable for to hear, ye haif spokin heir this day, which not
only to teach, but also to think, I thowght it ever great
abhominatioun. Wharefore, I pray your discretionis quietlie to hear
me, that ye may know what war my sayingis, and the maner of my
doctrin. This my petitioun, my Lordis, I desyre to be heard for
three causes: The First is, Becaus throw preaching of the word of
God, his glorie is maid manifest: it is ressonabill tharefoir, for
the avanceing of the glorie of God, that ye heare me teaching
treulye the pure and syncere worde of God, without any
dissimulatioun. The Second reassone is, Becaus that your helth
springeth of the worde of God, for he workith all thing by his
word: it war tharefoir ane unrychteous thing, yf ye should stope
your earis from me teiching trewlye the word of God. The Thrid
reason is, Becaus your doctrine speaketh furth many
pestilentious,[400] blasphemous, and abhominable wordis, not cuming
by the inspiratioun of God, bot of the devill, on[401] no less
pearrell then my lyif: It is just tharefoir, and ressonable, your
discreationis to know what my wordis and doctrine are, and what I
have ever tawght in my tyme in this realme, that I perish not
injustlye, to the great perrell of your soulles. Wharfoir, boyth
for the glorie and honour of God, your awin health, and savegard of
my lyef, I beseik your discretionis to hear me, and in the meantyme
I sall recyte my doctrin without any cullour.
First, and cheiflie, since the tyme I came into this realme, I
tawght nothing but the Ten Commandimentis of God, the Twelf
Articles of the Fayth, and the Prayer of the Lord, in the mother
toung. Moirovir, in Dundy, I tawcht the Epistill of Sanct Paule to
the Romanes; and I shall schaw your discretionis faythfullie what
fassion and maner I used when I tawcht, without any humane dread,
so that your discretionis give me your earis benevolent and
attent."
Suddanlie then, with ane heycht voce,[402] cryed the Accusare, the fed
sow, "Thow heretike, runnigate, tratour, and theif, it was not lauchfull
for thee to preach. Thow hes tackin the power at thyne awin hand,
without any autoritie of the Church. We forthink that thow hes bene a
preachar so long." Then said all the hole congregatioun of the
Prelattis, with thare complices, these woordis, "Yf we give him licience
to preach, he is so craftie, and in Holy Scriptures so exercised, that
he will perswaid the people to his opinioun, and rase them against us."
Maister George, seing thare maliciouse and wicked intent, appealed [from
the Lord Cardinall to the Lord Governour, as[403]] to ane indifferent
and equall judge.[404] To whome the Accusare, Johne Lauder foirsaid,
with hoggish voce answered, "Is not my Lord Cardinall the secund persone
within this realme, Chancellar of Scotland, Archibischope of
Sanctandross, Bischope of Meropose, Commendatour of Abirbrothok,
_Legatus Natus, Legatus a Latere_?" And so reciting as many titilles of
his unworthy honouris[405] as wold have lodin a schip, much sonare ane
asse; "Is not he, (quod Johnne Lauder,) ane equall judge apparantlye to
thee? Whome other desyrest thow to be thy judge?"
To whome this humble man answered, saying, "I refuise not my Lord
Cardinall, but I desyre the word of God to be my judge, and the
Temporall Estate, with some of your Lordschippis myne auditoures; becaus
I am hear my Lord Governouris presonar." Whareupone the pridefull and
scornefull people that stood by, mocked him, saying, "Suche man, such
judge," speaking seditious and reprochfull wordis aganis the Governour,
and other the Nobles, meanyng thame also to be Heretykis. And
incontinent, without all delay, thei wold have gevin sentence upoun
Maister George, and that without farther process, had not certane men
thare counselled my Lord Cardinall to reid agane the Articles, and to
heir his ansueris thareupoun, that the people mycht nott complaine of
his wrongfull condemnatioun.
And schortlie for to declair, these war the Articles following, with his
Ansueris, as far as thei wold give him leave to speak; for when he
intended to mitigate thare lesingis, and schaw the maner of his
doctrine, by and by thei stoped his mouth with ane other Article.