MY LORD, After maist hartlie commendatioun. This is to advertise
your Lordship, we have direct this berar, our Cousing, towart your
Lordschipis, in sick besynes and effaris as concernes your
Lordschipis honour, proffeitt, and great weall; lyk as the said
berar will declare your Lordsehipe at mare lenth. Praying your
Lordschipe effectuously to adverte thairto, and geve attendance to
us, your Lordschipis freindis, that ay hes willed the honour,
proffeit, and uter wealth of your Lordschipis house, as of our
awin; and credite to the berar. And Jesu haif your Lordschipe in
everlesting keaping.
Of Edinburgh, the XXV day of Merche, Anno 1558.
(_Sic subscribitur_,) Your Lordschippes att all power,
J. SANCTANDROIS.
FOLLOWIS THE CREDITE.--Memorandum to SCHIR DAVID HAMMYLTOUN, to my Lord
Erle of Ergile, in my behalf, and lett him see and heare everie
Articule.
_In primis_, To repeit the ancient blood of his House, how long it
hes stand, how notable it hes bein, and so many noble men hes bein
Erles, Lordis, and Knychtis thairof; how long thei have rong in
thei partes, ever trew and obedient bayth to God and the Prince,
without any smote to thir dayis in any maner of sorte: and to
remember how many notable men ar cuming of his house.
Secoundly, To schaw him the great affectioun I bear towardis him,
his blood, house, and freindis, and of the ardent desyre I have of
the perpetuall standing of it in honour and fame, with all thame
that ar come of it: quhilk is my parte for many and diverse
caussis, as ye shall schaw.
Thridly, To schaw my Lord, how havy and displeasing[709] it is to
me now to hear, that he, wha is and hes bein sa noble a man, should
be seduced and abused by the flattery of sick ane infamet person of
the law[710] and mensworne apostate, that under the pretense that
he geves him self furth as a preachcar of the Evangell and veritie,
under that cullour settis furth schismes and divisionis in the Haly
Kirk of God, with hereticall propositions, thinkand that under his
mantenance and defence, to infect this countrey with heresy,
perswading my said Lord and otheris his barnes and freindis, that
all that he speakis is Scripture, and conforme thairto, albeit that
many of his propositionis ar many yearis past condempned be
Generall Counsallis and the haill estaite of Christiane people.
4. To schaw to my Lord, how perrelous this is to his Lordschip and
his house, and decay thareof, in caise the Authoritie wold be
scharpe, and wold use conforme bayth to civile and cannon, and als
your awin municipall law of this Realme.
5. To schaw his Lordschipe, how wa[711] I wold be eyther to hear,
see, or knaw any displeasur that mycht come to him, his Sone, or
any of his house, or freindis, and especiallie in his awin tyme and
dayis; and als how great displeasur I have ellis to hear great and
evill bruyte of him, that should now in his aige, in a maner vary
in[712] his fayth; and to be alterat tharein, when the tyme is that
he should be maist suir and firme thairin.
6. To schaw his Lordschipe, that thare is dilatioun of that man,
called Dowglass or Grant, of syndrie Articules of heresye, quhilk
lyes to my charge and conscience to put remeady to, or ellis all
the pestilentious doctrin he sawes, and siclyik all that ar corrupt
be his doctrin, and all that he drawes fra our fayth and Christiane
religioun, will ly to my charge afoir God, and I to be accused
befoir God for ower seing of him, yf I putt nott remedy tharto, and
correct him for sick thingis he is delaited of. And tharefor that
my Lord considder, and weay it weall, how heychtlie it lyes bayth
to my honour and conscience: for yf I thole him, I wilbe accused
for all thame that he infectis and corruptis in heresye.
Heirfor, I pray My Lord, in my maist hartly manor, to tack this
mater in the best parte, for his awin conscience, honour, and weall
of him self, hous, freindis, and servandis; and sick lyik for my
parte, and for my conscience and honour, that considdering that
thare ar diverse Articules of heresey to be laid to him that he is
delated of, and that he is presentlie in my Lordis cumpany, that my
Lord wold, be some honest way, departe with this man, and putt him
fra him and fra his Sonnes cumpanye; for I wold be richt sory that
any being in any of thare cumpanyes should be called for sick
causses, or that any of thame should be bruited to hold any sick
men. And this I wold advertise my Lord, and have his Lordschippis
answer and resolutioun, ere any summondis passed upoun him,
togitther with my Lordis answer.
_Item_, Yf my Lord wald have a man to instruct him trewlie in the
fayth, and preache to him, I wold provide a cunning man to him,
wharefoir I shall answer for his trew doctrin, and shall putt my
saule tharefoir, that he shall teach nathing but trewly according
to our Catholik faith.
Off Edinburgh, this last of Merch, 1558.
(_Sic subscribitur_,)
J. SANCTANDROIS.[713]
[SN: FLESCHE AND BLOOD IS PREFERRED TO GOD WITH THE BISCHOPE.]
_Item_, Attour, your Lordschipe shall draw to good remembrance, and
wey the great and havye murmur against me, bayth be the Quenis
Grace, the Kirk men, Spirituall and Temporall Estaitis, and weall
gevin people, meanyng, crying, and murmuring me greattumlie, that I
do nott my office to thole sick infamouse persons with sick
perversett doctrin, within my Diosey and this Realme, be ressoun of
my Legasey and Primacey;[714] quhilkis I have rather susteaned and
long sufferred, for the great luif that I had to your Lordschip and
posteritie, and your freindis, and your house; als beleving suyrly
your Lordschippis wisedom should not have manteaned and mulled with
sick thingis that mycht do me dishonour or displeasur, considdering
I being reddy to have putt good ordour thairto alwayes; but hes
allanerlie absteaned, for the luif of your Lordschip and house
foirsaid, that I bear trewly, knawing and seing the great skaith
and dishonour and lack appeirandlye that mycht come tharthrowght,
incaise your Lordschip remeid not the samyn haistelly, whareby we
mycht bayth be qwyet of all danger, quhilkis dowbtless will come
upoun us bayth, yf I use nott my office, or that he be called, the
tyme that he is now with your Lordschip, and under your
Lordschippis protectioun.
(_Subserivit agane_,)
J. SANCTANDROIS.
By these formar Instructions, thow may perceave, Gentill Readar, what
was the cayre that this pastor, with his complices, took to fead the
flock committed to thare charge, (as thei alledge,) and to ganestand
fals teachearis. Hear is oft mentioun of conscience, of heresy, and
suche other termes, that may fray the ignorant, and deceave the sempill.
But we hear no cryme in particulare laid to the charge of the
accused;[715] and yit is he dampned as ane mensworne apostate. This was
my Lordis conscience, which he learned of his fatheris, the Pharesies,
old ennemyes to Christ Jesus, who damned him befoir thei hard him. But
who rewlled my Lordis conscience, when he took his Eme's wyff, Lady
Giltoun?[716] Considder thow the rest of his persuasioun, and thow
shall clearlie see, that honour, estimatioun, luif to housse and
freindis, is the best ground that my Lord Bischope hes, why he should
persecut Jesus Christ in his members. We thowght good to insert the
Answeris of the said Erle, which follow:--
The most remarkable notice of this lady occurs in the Records of the
Town Council of Edinburgh, 26th November 1561, on which day the Provost
and other members of Council ordained "actis to be set furth, charging
Grizzell Simpill Lady Stanehous adulterar, to remuif her self furth of
the town betuix and Mununday nixt, under the panys contenit in the
proclamation set furth aganis adulteraris." As the Archbishop of St.
Andrews had a residence in Edinburgh, it was no doubt her living openly
with him, that occasioned this peremptory enactment. Without enlarging
further, it may be added, that she acquired the lands of Blair, in the
lordship of Culross, and was sometimes called "Lady Blair." She died in
October 1575, and in the Confirmation of her Testament Dative, she is
styled "ane honorabill Lady Gryssell Sympill, Lady Stanehous."
MEMORANDUM.--This present wryte is to mak Answer particularly to
everilk Article, directed be my LORD OF SANCTANDROIS to me, with
SCHIR DAVID HAMMYLTOUN; quhilkis Articles ar in nomber IX, and hear
repeted and answered as I traist to his Lordschippis contentment.
1. The First Article puttis me in remembrance of the ancianitie of
the blood of my Hous, how many Erles, Lordis, and Knychtes, hes
bein thairof; how many Noble men discended of the same hous, how
long it continewed trew to God and the Prince, without smot in
thare dayis, in any maner of sorte.
[ANSWER.]--Trew it is, my Lord, that thare is weall long
continewance of my Hous, be Goddis providence and benevolence of
our Princes, whome we have served, and shall serve trewly nixt to
God: And the lyik obedience towardis God and our Princes remanes
with us yitt, or rather bettir, (praised be the Lordis name,)
nother know we any spot towardis our Princess and hir dew
obedience. And yf thare be offence towardis God, he is mercifull to
remitt our offences; for "He will not the death of a synnar." Lyik
as, it standis in his Omnipotent power to maik up housses, to
continew the samyn, to alter thame, to maik thame small or great,
or to extinguish thame, according to his awin inscrutable wisedome;
for in exalting, depressing, and changeing of houssis, the laude
and praise most be gevin to that ane eternall God, in whais hand
the same standis.
2. The Secound Article bearis the great affectioun and love your
Lordschip bearis towardis me and my House; and of the ardent desyre
ye have of the perpetuall standing thairof in honour and fame, with
all thame that is cuming of it.
[ANSWER.]--Forsuyth, it is your dewitie to wische good unto my
Hous, and unto thame that ar cuming of the same, not allanerlie for
the faythfulnes, amitie, and societie, that hes bein betuix our
foirbearis, but also for the lait conjunction of blood[717] that is
betuix oure saidis Houssis, gif it be Goddis pleasur that it have
success; quhilk should give sufficient occasioun to your Lordschip
to wische good to my Housse, and perpetuitie with Goddis gloir,
without quhilk nothing is perpetuall, unto whome be praise and
wirschipe for ever and ever. Amen.
3. Thridly, your Lordschip declares how displeasand it is to yow,
that I should be seduced be ane infamed persone of the law,[718]
and be the flatterie of ane mensworne apostate, that, under
pretence of his furth geving, maikis us to understand, that he is
ane preachear of the Evangell, and tharewith rases schismes and
divisionis in the haill Kirk of God; and be our mantenance and
defence, wald infect this countrey with heresye; alledgeand that to
be Scripture, whilk thir many yearis bygane, hes bein condemned as
heresye be the Generall Counsallis and haill estate of Christiane
people.
ANSURE.--The God that creatted heavin and earth, and all that
thairin is, preserve me fra seduceing; and I dread otheris many
under the cullour of godlynes ar seduceid, and thinkis that thei do
God a pleasur, when thei persecute ane of thame that professes his
name. What that man is of the law we know nott: we hear nane of his
flatterie: his mensworne aith of apostasie is ignorant to us. But
yf he had maid ane unlefull aith, contrair Goddis command, it war
bettir to violate it then to observe it. He preaches nathing to us
but the Evangell. Giff he wald otherwiese do, we wold nott beleve
him, nor yitt ane angell of heavin. We hear him sawe na schismes
nor divisiones, but sic as may stand with Goddis word, whilk we
shall caus him confesse in presence of your Lordschip and the
Clargie, when ye requyre us thairto. And as to it that hes bein
condempned be the Generall Counsallis, we traist ye knaw weall that
all the Generall Counsalles hes bein at diversitie amanges thame
selfis, and never twa of thame universallie aggreing in all
pointis, in samekle as thei ar of men. But the Spreit of veritie
that bearis testimony of our Lord Jesus hes nott, nether can not,
err; "for heavin and earth shall perishe or ane jote of it
perishe." By this, my Lord, nether teaches he, nether will we
accept of him, but that whilk aggreis with Goddis synceir word,
sett furth be Patriarkis, Prophetis, Apostles, and Evangelistis,
left to our salvatioun in his expresse word. And swa, my Lord, to
condempne the doctrin not examinat is not requyred; for when your
Lordschip pleassis to hear the confessioun of that manis faith, the
maner of his doctrin, which aggreis with the Evangell of Jesus
Christ, I will caus him to assist to judgement, and shalbe present
thairat with Goddis pleasur, that he may rander recknyng of his
beleve and our doctrin, to the superiour-poweris, according to the
prescriptioun of that blood of the eternall Testament, seilled be
the immaculate Lambe, to whome, with the Father, and the Holy
Spreit, be all honour and glorie, for ever and ever. Amen.
4. The Ferd Article puttis me in remembrance, how dangerous it is,
gif the authoritie wald putt at me and my House, according to
civile and cannon lawes, and our awin municipale lawis of this
Realme, and how it appeareth to the decay of our house.
ANSURE.--All lawis ar (or at the least should be) subject to Goddis
law, whilk law should be first placed and planted in everie manes
hearte; it should have na impediment: men should not abrogat it for
the defence and upsetting of thare awin advantage. Gif it wald
please Authorities to put at our housse, for confessing of Goddis
word, or for mantenance of his law, God is mychtie yneuch in his
awin caus: He should be rather obeyed nor man. I will serve my
Princess with bodye, harte, goodis, strenth, and all that is in my
power, except that whilk is Goddis dewitie, quhilk I will reserve
to him self alone: That is, to wirschipe him in trewth and
veritie, and als near as I can, conforme to his prescrived worde,
to his awin honour and obedience of my Princess.
5. The Fyft Article puttis me in remembrance how wa your Lordschip
wald be to hear, see, or know any displeasur that mycht come to me,
my sone, or any of my house, and speciallie in my tyme and dayis,
and als to hear the great and evill bruyte of me that should now in
my aige in a maner begyn to warie fra[719] my faith, and to be
altered thairin, when the tyme is, that I should be maist suir and
firme thairin.
ANSURE.--Youre Lordschippis gud will is ever maid manifest to me in
all your Articles, that wald not hear, see, or knaw my displeasur,
for the quhilkis I am bound to rander your Lordschip thankis, and
shall do the samyn assuredly. But as for wavering in my faith, God
forbyd that I should sa do; for I beleve in God the Father,
Almyghtie maikar of heavin and earth, and in Jesus Christ his onlie
Sone our Salveour. My Lord, I vary not in my faith; bot I praise
God that of his goodnes now in my latter dayis hes of his infinit
mercy oppynned his bosome of grace to me, to acknawledge him the
Eternall Wisedome, his Sone Jesus Christ, my omnisufficient
satisfactioun to refuise all maner of idolatrie, superstitioun, and
ignorance, whairwyth I haif bein blynded in tymes bygane, and now
belevis that God wilbe mercyfull to me, for now he hes declared his
blessed will clearlie to me, befoir my departing of this
transitorie lyiff.
6. The Sext Article declaired that thare ar delationis of syndrie
pointis of heresye upoun that man, called Dowglas or Grant, whilk
lyes to your charge and conscience to putt remeady to, or ellis
that all the pestilentiouse doctrin he sawis, and all whome he
corruptes with his seid, wilbe requyred at your handis, and all
whome he drawes fra your Christiane faith; and yf ye should thole
him, that ye wilbe accused for all thame whome he infectes with
heresey; and tharefoir to regard your Lordschippis honour and
conscience heirintill.
ANSURE.--What is his surname I knaw nott, but he calles him self
Dowglas;[720] for I know nother his father nor his mother. I have
heard him teache na Articles of heresye; bot that quhilk aggreis
with Goddis word; for I wold manteane na man in heresey or errour.
Your Lordschip regardis your conscience in the punishement thairof.
I pray God that ye sua do, and examyn weall your conscience. He
preaches aganis idolatrie: I remit to your Lordschippis conscience
yf it be heresye or not. He preaches aganis adulterie and
fornicatioun: I referr that to your Lordschippis conscience. He
preaches aganis hypocrisye: I referr that to your Lordschippis
conscience. He preaches aganis all maner of abuses and corruptioun
of Christes synceir religioun: I refer that to your Lordschippis
conscience. My Lord, I exhorte yow, in Christis name, to wey all
thir effaris in your conscience,[721] and considder yf it be your
dewitie also, not only to thole this, but in lyk maner to do the
same. This is all, my Lord, that I varye in my aige, and na uther
thing, but that I knew nott befoir these offenses to be abhominable
to God, and now knowing his will be manifestatioun of his word,
abhorres thame.
7. The Sevint Article desyres me to way thir materis in maist
hartlie maner, and to tack thame in best parte, for the weall of
bayth our consciences, my Hous, freindis, and servandis, and to put
sic ane man out of my cumpany, for feir of the cummer and bruyt
that should follow thairupoun, be reasson he is dilated of sindry
hereseyis: and that your Lordschip wald be sory to hear ony of our
servandis delated or bruited for sic caussis, or for halding of any
sic men; and that your Lordschip wald understand my ansuer
hearintill, or ony summondis passed thairupoun.
ANSURE.--I thank your Lordschip greatlie that ye ar so solist for
the weall of me and my House, and is sa humane as to maik me the
advertisment befoir ye have summoned, of your awin good will and
benevolence; and hes weyed thir materis, als heychtlie as my
judgement can serve me, bayth for your Lordschippis honour and myn.
And when I have reassoned all that I can do with my self in it, I
think it ay best to serve God, and obey his manifest word, and nott
be obstinat in his contrarie: syne to give thare dew obedience to
our Princes, rewllaris, and magistratis, and to hear the voce of
Goddis propheittis, declairing his good promisses to thame that
reapentis, and threatnyng to obstinat wicked doaris, everlesting
destructioun. Your Lordschip knawis weall the man: he hes spoking
with your Lordschip: I thought yow content with him. I heard na
occasioun of offence in him. I can nott weall want him, or some
preachar. I can nott put away sic ane man, without I knew him ane
offendar, as I know nott; for I hear nothing of him, but sic as
your Lordschippis self heard of him, and sick as he yitt will
professe in your presence, whenever your Lordschip requires. Sic
ane man that is readdy to assist him self to judgement, should not
be expelled without cognitioun of the cause; for lyik as I answered
befoir in ane other Article, when your Lordschip pleassis that all
the spirituall and temporall men of estaite in Scotland beis
convened, I shall caus him render ane accompt of his beleve and
doctrin in your presences: Then gif he deserves punishment and
correctioun, lett him so suffer; give he be found faythfull, lett
him leve in his faith.
8. The Aucht Article proponis to me, that your Lordschip wald tack
the laubour to gett me a man to instruct me in your Catholick
faith, and to be my preachear, for whais doctrine ye wald lay your
saule, that he wald teach nathing but trewly conforme to your
faith.
ANSURE.--God Almychtie send us many of that sorte, that will
preache trewlie, and nathing but ane Catholik universall Christiane
faith; and we Heland rud people hes mister of thame. And yf your
Lordschip wald gett and provid me sic a man, I should provid him a
corporall leving, as to my self, with great thankis to your
Lordschip; for trewly, I and many ma hes great myster of sick men.
And becaus I am able to susteane ma nor ane of thame, I will
requeist your Lordschip earnestlie to provid me sic a man as yo
wrait; "for the harvist is great, and thare ar few lauboraris."
9. The last and Nynt Article puttis me in remembrance, to considder
what murmour your Lordschip thollis, and great bruyt, at many manis
handis, bayth Spirituall and Temporall, and at the Quenis Grace
hand, and utheris weall gevin people, for nott putting of ordour to
thir effaris; and that your Lordschip hes absteaned fra executioun
heirof, for luif of my house and posteritie, to the effect that my
self should remaid it, for feir of the dishonour mycht come upoun
us bayth for the same; whilk beand remeaded, mycht bring us out of
all danger.
ANSURE.--My Lord, I knaw weall what murmur and indignatioun your
Lordschip thoillis at ennemies handis of all estaitis, for
non-persewing of pure sempill Christianes; and I know, that gif
your Lordschip wald use thare counsall, that wald be blud-schedding
and burnyng of pure men, to maik your Lordschip serve thare wicked
appetites. Yit your Lordschip knawis your awin dewitie, and should
not feare the danger of men, as of him whom ye professe. And
verrely, my Lord, thare is nathing that may be to your Lordschippis
releaf in this behalf, bot I will use your Lordschippis counsall
thairintill, and further the samyn, Goddis honour being first
provided, and the treuth of his eternall word having libertie. And
to absteane for my luif fra persuyt, as your Lordschip hes
signified, I am addetted to your Lordschip, as I have writtin
diverse tymes befoir. But thare is ane above, for whais fear ye man
absteane fra blude-schedding, or ellis, my Lord, knok on your
conscience. Last of all, your Lordschip please to considder, how
desyrous some ar to have sedition amongis freindis; how mychtie the
Devill is to saw discord; how that mony wald desyre na better game
but to hunt us at uther. I pray your Lordschip begyle thame: we
will aggree upoun all purpose, with Goddis pleasur, standing to his
honour. Thare ar diverse Houssis in Scotland by us, that professe
the same God secreatly. Thei desyre but that ye begyn the bargane
at us; and when it begynnis at us, God knawis the end thairof, and
wha sall byd the nixt putt. My Lord, considder this: mak na
preparative of us. Lett nott the vane exhortatioun of thame that
regardis litill of the weall and strenth of bayth our Houssis,
sture up your Lordschip, as thei wald to do aganis God, your awin
conscience, and the weall of your posteritie for ever. And
thairfoir now in the end, I pray your Lordschip, wey thir thingis
wysely; and gif ye do utherwyise, God is God, wes, and shalbe God,
when all is wrocht that man can wirk.
This ansuer receaved, the Bischope and his complices fand thame selfis
somewhat disapointed; for the Bischoppes looked for nothing less then
for such ansueris frome the ERLE OF ERGILE; and thairfoir thei maid
thame for thare extreame defence; that is, to corrupt and by buddis to
styre up the Quein Regent in our contrare; as in the Secound Booke we
shall more plainly heare.
Schorte after this, God called to his mercy the said Erle of Ergyle from
the miseries of this lyef;[722] whareof the Bischoppis war glaid; for
thei thowght that thare great ennemye was takin out of the way: but God
disapointed thame. For as the said Erle departed most constant in the
trew faith of Jesus Christ, with a plane renunciatioun of all impietie,
superstitioun, and idolatrie; so left he it to his Sone in his
Testament, "That he should study to set fordwarte the publict and trew
preaching of the Evangell of Jesus Christ, and to suppress all
superstitioun and idolatrie, to the uttermost of his power." In which
poynt small falt can be found with him[723] to this day. God be
mercifull to his other offensses. Amen. [SN: 10 MAIJ, ANNO 1566.[724]]
---------------------------------- [725]
The Bischoppis continewed in thare Provinciall Counsall[726] evin unto
that day that JOHNE KNOX arryved in Scotland.[727] And that thei mycht
geve some schaw to the People that thei mynded Reformatioun, thei
sparsed abrod a rumor thairof, and sett furth somewhat in print, which
of the People was called "The Twa-penny Fayth."[728]
1. Amonges thare Actes, thare was much ado for cappes, schavin crounes,
tippettis, long gounes, and such other trifilles.
2. _Item_, That nane should enjoy office or benefice ecclesiasticall,
except a Preast.
[SN: BROTHERLIE CHARITIE.]
3. _Item_, That na Kirk-man should nuriss his awin barnes in his awin
cumpanye: but that everie one should hold the childrein of otheris.