"Forasmuche as it hath pleased God, that Appointment is maid betuix
the Quene Regent and us the Lordis, hole[878] Protestantis of this
Realme, we have thocht good to signifie unto yow the cheafe Headis
of the same, whiche be these:--
"1. First, That no member of the Congregatioun shalbe trubled in
lief, landis, goodis, or possessionis, by the Quene, by hir
Authoritie, nor by any uther Justice within this realme, for any
thing done in this lait innovatioun, till that a Parliament hath
decyded thingis that be in contraversie.
"2. That idolatrie shall nocht be erected, whare it is now at this
day suppressed.
"3. That the preachearis and ministeris shall nocht be trubled in
the ministratioun, whare thai ar already established, nather yit
stopped to preache whairsoevir thai shall happin to travaill within
this realme.
"4. That no bandis of men of warr shalbe layed in garnesoun within
the town of Edinburght.
"These cheafe headis of Appointment concerning the libertie of
religioun and conservatioun of our bretherin, we thoght goode to
notifie unto yow, by this our Proclamatioun, that in case wrong or
injurie be done, by any of the contrarie factioun, to any member of
our body, complaint may be maid to us, to whome we promese, as we
will ansuer to God, our faitlifull support to the uttermost of our
poweris."
[SN: ANSUER TO THE COMPLAYNT OF THE PAPISTIS.]
At this proclamatioun, maid with sound of trumpett, war offended all the
Papistis: for, first, Thai alledged it was done in contempt of the
Authoritie: secundarlie, That we had proclamed more than was conteaned
in the Appointment: and last, That we, in our proclamatioun, had maid no
mentioun of any thing promished unto thame. To suche mummeris[879] we
answered, "That no just Authoritie culd think the selff contempned,
becaus that the treuth was by us maid manifest unto all, who utherwayis
mycht have pretendit ignorance. Secundlie, That we proclamed nathing,
whiche [was] nocht finallie aggreit upoun in word and promeiss betuix us
and thame with quhame the Appointment was maid, whatsoevir thair
scribeis had efter writtin, quha in verray deid had alterit, bayth in
wordis and sentenceis, oure Articles, as thay war first consavit; and
yitt, gif thair awin writtingis war diligentlie examinit, the self same
thing sall be found in substance. And last, To proclame any thing in
thair favouris, we thocht it nocht necessarie, knawing that in that
behalf thay thame selfis sould be diligent aneweh." And in this we war
not desavit; for within fyftene dayis efter, thair was not ane
schaveling in Scotland, to wham teyndis, or any uthor rentis pertenit,
bot he had that Article of the Appointment by hart, "That the Kirk men
sould be ansuerit of teyndis, rentis, and all uthir dewties, and that no
man sould trubill nor molest thame."
We depairting from Edinburgh, the 26. of Julij, came first to Lynlythqw,
and efter to Striviling; whair, efter consultatioun, the band of
defence, and mentenance of religioun, and for mutuall defence, evere ane
of uther, was subscrivit of all that war thair present. The tennour of
the Band was this:--
"We foirseing the craft and slycht of our adversaries, tending all
maner of wayis to circumvene us, and be prevy meanis intendis to
assailzie everie ane of us particularie be fair hechtis and
promisses, thairthrow to separat ane of us frome ane uthir, to oure
utter rewyne and destructioun: for remedy heirof, we faythfullie
and trewlie byndis us, in the presence of God, and as we tender the
mentenance of trew Religioun, that nane of us sall in tymeis cuming
pas to the Queneis Grace Dowriare, to talk or commun with hir for
any letter [or] message send be hir unto us, or yitt to be send,
without consent of the rest, and commone consultatioun thairupoun.
And quhowsone that ather message or writt sall cum fra hir unto us,
with utter diligence we sall notifie the same ane to ane uther; swa
that nathing sall proceid heirin without commune consent of us all.
"At Striveling, the first day of August 1559."
This Band subscrivit, and we foirseing that the Quene and Bischopis
menit nathing bot desait, thocht guid to seik ayde and support of all
Christiane Princeis against hir and hir tyrrannie, in caise we sould be
mair schairplie persewit. And becaus that Ingland was of the same
religioun, and lay nixt unto us, it was jugeit expedient first to prove
thame; quhilk we did be ane or twa messingeris, as heirefter,[880] in
the awin place, mair ampill sall be declairit.
Efter we had abiddin certane dayis in Striviling, the Erle of Argyle
depairtit to Glasgw; and becaus he was to depairt to his awin cuntrey,
(with wham also past Lord James,) to pacifie sum trubill quhilk, be the
craft of the Quene, was rasit in his absens, he requyreit the Erle of
Glencairne, Lord Boyde, Lord Uchiltre, and utheris of Kyle, to meit
thair, for sum ordoure to be taikin, that the brethren sould not be
oppressit; quhilk with ane consent thay did, and appoyntit the tent of
September for the nixt Conventioun at Striveling.
[SN: THE FIRST KNAWLEGE OF THE ESCHAIPING OF THE ERLE OF ARRANE
OUT OF FRANCE.]
Quhill thir thingis war in doing at Glasgw, letteris and ane servand
came fra the Erle of Arraine[881] to the Duik his father, signifeing
unto him, that be the providence of God, he had eschaipit the Frensche
Kyngis handis, quha maist treason abillie and maist crewellie had socht
his lyfe, or at leist to have committit him to perpetuall presoun: [SN:
LET THIS BE NOTIT.] for the same tyme, the said Frensche King, seing he
could [not] have the Erle him self, gart put his youngar brother,[882]
ane bairne of sick aige as could not offend, in strait presoun, quhair
he yitt remaneis, to witt, in the moneth of October, the yeir of God
J^m. V^c. lix yeiris: quhilk thingis war done be the craft and policie
of the Quene Dowager, quhat tyme the Duik and his freyndis war maist
frack to sett fordwart hir caus. Thir letteris resavit, and the estait
of his twa soneis knawin, of whame the ane was escaipit, and the uthir
in vyle preassoun cassin,[883] the Duke desyreit communing of the Erle
of Argyle, quha, pairtlie against the will of sum that lovit him, raid
unto the Duik fra Grlasgw to Hammiltoun; quhair, abyding ane nycht, he
declairit his jugement to the Duik and to his freindis, especiallie to
Maister Gawyne Hamyltoun. The Duik requyreit him and the Lord James to
write thair freindlie and confortabill letteris to his sone, quhilk thay
baith maist willinglie did, and thairefter addressit thame to thair
jornay. Bot the verray day of thair depairting, came one
Bowtencourt,[884] from the Quene Regent, with letteris, as was allegeit,
from the Kyng and Quene of France to Lord James, whilk he delyverit with
ane braggin countenance and many threatning wordis. The tennour of his
letteris was this:--
"_Le Roy._
"My Cousing, I have bein greittumlie mervellitt, having understand
the trubillis that ar happinnit in thir pairtis; and yit mair
mervell that ye, of wham I had ane haill confidence, and alsua hes
this honour to be sua neir the Quenis Grace, my wiffe, and hes
resavit of umquhile the Kyngis Grace my father, hir Grace, and me,
sick graceis and favouris, that ye sould be sa forgetfull as to mak
youre self the heid, and ane of the principall begynnaris and
nureischaris of the tumultis and seditiounis thar ar sene thair.
The quhilk, becaus it is sa strange as it is, and syne against the
professioun that ye at all tymeis have maid, I can not gudlie
beleif it; and gif it be sa, I can not think bot ye have bene
entyseit and led thairto be sum personis that haif seduceit and
caussit yow commit sic ane falt, as I am assureit ye repent of
alreddy, quhilk will be ane greit emplesour[885] to me, to the
effect I mycht lose ane pairt of the occasioun I have to be
miscontent with yow, as I will yow to understand I am, seing sua
far ye have dissavit the esperance I had of yow, and your
effectioun towart God, and the weill of our service, unto the
quhilk ye knaw ye ar als mekill and mair obleist nor ony uther of
the Lordis thair. For this cause, desyrand that the materis mycht
be dutelie[886] amendit, and knawand quhat ye may heirintill, I
thocht gude on this maner to write unto yow, and pray yow to tak
heid to returne to the guid way, from quhilk ye ar declyneit, and
caus me knaw the samin be the effectis that ye have ane uther
attentioun nor this quhilk thir folies bipast makis me now to
beleif; doing all that ever ye can to reduce all thyngis to thair
first estait, and put the samin to the rycht and gud obedience that
ye knaw to be dew unto God and unto me: [SN: BRAGGIS NOW.[887]]
Utherwayis, ye may be weill assureit, that I will put to my hand,
and that in gud eirnest, that ye and all thay have done, and dois
as ye, sall[888] feill, (throw thair awin falt,) that quhilk thay
have deservit and meritit; evin as I have gevin charge to this
Gentilman, present beirar, to mak yow knaw mair largelie of my
pairt; for quhilk caus, I pray yow creddeit him, evin as ye wald
do my selff. Prayand God, my Cousing, to haif yow in his holy and
worthy protectioun.
"Writtin at Pareis, the xvij day of July 1559."
The samyn messinger brocht alssua letteris frome the Quene our Soverane,
mair scharp and threatning than the former; for hir conclusioun was,
"_Vous senteras la poincture a jamais_."[889]
This creddeit was, "That the Kyng wald spend the Croun of France, or
that he war not revengeit upoun sick seditious personis. That he wald
never have suspectit sick inobedience and sick defectioun frome his awin
sister in him." To the quhilk the said Lord James ansuerit, first by
word, and than by writting, as followis:--
"SCHIR,
"My dewtie rememberit. Your Majestieis letter I resavit frome
Pareis, the xvij of Julij last, proporting in effect, that your
Majestie sould mervell that I, being forgetfull of the graceis and
favouris schawing me be the King, of blissitt memorie, your
Majestieis Father, and the Quenis Grace, my Soverane, sould declair
my selff heid, and ane of the principall begynnaris of the allegeit
tumultis and seditioun in thir pairtis, desaving thairby your
Majestieis expectatioun at all tymis hard of me; with assurance,
that gif I did not declair by contrarie effectis my repentance, I,
with the rest that had put, or yitt putis handis to that wark,
sould resave the rewaird quhilk we had deservit and meritit.
"Schir, it grevis me heavelie that the cryme of ingratitude sould
be laid to my charge be your Hienes, and the rather that I persave
the same to haif proceidit of sinister informatioun, of thame
quhais pairt it was not sua to have reportit, gif trew service
bigane had bene regairdit. And as tuiching the repentance, and
declaratioun of the same be contrar effectis,[890] that your
Majestic desyris I schaw, my conscience perswaidis me in thir
proceidingis to have done na thing aganeis God, nor the
debtfull[891] obedience towartis your Hienes and the Queneis Grace
my Soverane, utherwayis it sould have bene to repent, and als
amendit allreddy, according to your Majestieis expectatioun of me.
Bot your Hienes being treulie informeit, and perswaidit that the
thyng quhilk we have done makis for the advancement of Godis
glorie, (as it dois in deid,) without ony maner derogatioun to your
Majesteis dew obedience, we dowt not bot your Majestie sall be
weill contentit with our proceidingis, quhilk being groundit upoun
the commandiment of the eternall God, we dar [nocht] leif the samyn
unaccompleischeit; onelie wisching and desyreing your Majestie did
knaw the same, and treuth thairof, as it is perswaidit to our
conscience, and all thame that ar treulie instructit in the
eternall word of our God, upoun quham we cast our cair for all
daingearis that may follow the accompleisment of his eternall will;
and to quham we commend your Hienes, beseiking him to illuminat
your hart with the evangell of his eternall trewth, to knaw your
Majestieis dewtie towartis[892] your pure subjectis, Godis chosin
pepill, and quhat ye aucht to craif justlie of thame agane; for
than we sould haif na occatioun to feir your Majestieis wraith and
indignatioun, nor your Hienes suspitioun in our inobedience. The
samyn God mot[893] have youre Majestie in his eternall saifgard.
"At Dumbartane, the 12 of August 1559."
This answer, directit to the Quene our Soverane, and to Francis hir
husband, the Quene Dowager resavit, and was bold upoun it, as sche mycht
weill yneuch; for it was suppoisit that the former letteris war forgeit
heir at hame in Scotland. The answer red by hir, sche said, "That sua
proud ane answer was never gevin to King, Prince, or Princess." And yitt
indifferent men thocht that he mycht have answerit mair schairplie, and
not have transgressit modestie nor treuth. For quhair thay burding him
with the greit benefitis quhilk of thame he had resavit, gif in plane
wordis he had purgeit him self, effirming, that the greitest benefit
that ever he receavit of thame was to spend in thair service, that
quhilk God be utheris had providit for him, na honest man wald have
accusit him, and na man wald have bene abill to have convickit him of
ane lye. Bot Princeis must be pardonit to speik quhat thay pleise.
[SN: THE RESIDENCE OF JOHNNE WILLOCK IN EDINBURGH.]
For confort of the brethren, and contynewance of the Kyrk in Edinburgh,
was left thair our deir brother Johnne Willock, quha, for his faithfull
laubouris and bald curage in that battell, deserves immortall prayse.
For quhan it was fund dangerous that Johnne Knox, quha befoir was
electit Minister[894] to that Kyrk, sould contynew thair, the brethren
requeistit the said Johnne Willock to abyde with thame, least that, for
laik of ministeris, idolatrie sould be erectit up agane. To the quhilk
he sua glaidlie consentit, that it mycht evidentlie appeir, that he
preferrit the confort of his brethren, and the contynewance of the Kirk
thair, to his awin lyiff. One pairt of the Frensche men war appointtit
to ly in garnesoun at Leith, (that was the first benefit thai gat for
thair confideracie with thame,) the uthir pairt war appointit to ly in
the Cannogait; the Quene and hir tryne abydeing in the Abbay. Oure
brother Johnne Willock, the day efter our departure, prechit in Sanct
Geillis Kirk, and ferventlie exhortit the brethren to stand constant in
the trewth quhilk thay had professit. At this and sum uther sermondis
was the Duke, and diverse utheris of the Queneis factioun. This libertie
and preching, with resort of all pepill thairto, did hielie offend the
Quene and the uther Papistis. And first thay began to gif terrouris to
the Duke; affirmyng, that he wald he repute as ane of the Congregatioun,
gif he gaif his presence to the sermondis. Thairefter thay begould[895]
to requyre that Messe sould be sett up agane in Sanct Geillis kirk, and
that the pepill sould be sett at libertie to chuse what religioun thay
wald; for that, say thay, was contenit in the Appointmentt, that the
town of Edinburgh sould cheis quhat religioun thay list. For obtening
heirof, was send to the Tolbuith,[896] the Duke, the Erle of Huntlie,
and the Lord Seytoun, to solist all men to condiscend to the Quenis
mynd; quhairin the twa last did laubour that thay could, the Duik not
sa, bot as ane behalder, of quham the brethren had guid esperance. And
efter many perswationis and threatningis maid be the saidis Erle and
Lord, the brethren, stoutlie and valiantlie in the Lord Jesus, ganesaid
thair maist injust petitionis, reasonyng, "That as of conscience thay
mycht nocht suffr idolatrie to be credit quhair Christ Jesus was treulie
precheit, sua could nocht the Quene nor thay requyre any sick thyng,
unless sche and thay wald plainlie violat thair faith and cheif article
of the Appointment; for it is planelie appointit, That na member of the
Congregatioun sall be molestit in any thing that, the day of the
Appointment, be peaceabillie possessit. Bot sua it was that we, the
Brethren and Protestantis of the toun of Edinburgh, with oure
ministeris, the day of the Appointment, did peaceabillie possess Sanct
Geilis Kirk,[897] appointit for us for preching of Christis trew
Evangell, and rycht ministratioun of his holy Sacramentis. Thairfoir,
without manifest violatioun of the Appointment, ye can not remove us
thairfra, quhill ane Parliament have decydit the contraversie."
[SN: THE QUENE REGENTIS MALICE AGAINST PURE MEN.]
This answer gevin, the haill brethren depairtit, and left the foirsaid
Erle, and Lord Seytoun the Provest of Edinburgh, still in the Tolbuyth;
quha persaving that thay could not prevaill in that maner, bot began to
entreat that thay wald be quyett, and that thay wald sa far condiscend
to the Quenis plesour, as that thay wald chuse thame ane uthir Kirk[898]
within the toun, or at the least be contentit that Messe sould be said
ather efter or befoir thair sermonis. To the quhilk, ansuer was gevin,
"That to gif place to the Devill, (quha was the cheif inventar of the
Messe,) for the plesour of ony creature, thay could not. Thay war in
possessioun of that Kirk, quhilk thay could not abandone; nether could
thay suffer idolatrie be erectit in the samyn, unless be violence thay
sould be constrancit sa to do; and than thay war determinit to seik the
nixt remedy." Quhilk ansuer resavit, the Erle of Huntlie did lovinglie
intreat thame to quyetnes; faithfullie promissing that in na sort thay
sould be molestit, sa that thay wald be quyett, and mak na farther
uproir. To the quhilk thay war maist willing; for thay socht onlie to
serve God as he had commandit, and to keip thair possessioun, according
to the Appointment; quhilk be Goddis grace thay did till the moneth of
November, nochtwithstanding the greit bosting of the ennemy. For thay
did not onlie convene to the preching, dailie supplicatiounis, and
administratioun of Baptisme, bot alssua the Lordis Tabill was
ministratt, evin in the eyis of the verray ennemy, to the greit confort
of mony afflictit conscience. And as God did potentlie wirk with his
trew Minister, and with his trubillit Kirk, so did nocht the Devill
cease to enflamb the malice of the Quene, and of the Papistis with hir.
For schort efter hir cuming to the Abbay of Halyrudhouse, sche caussit
Messe to be said, first in hir awin Chapell, and efter in the Abbay,
quhair the altaris befoir war cassin doun. Sche dischargit the Commoun
Prayeris, and foirbad to gif ony portioun to sick as war the principall
young men quha redd thame. Hir malice extendit in lik maner to
Cambuskynneth;[899] for thair sche dischargeit the portionis of als many
of the Channonis as had forsaikin Papistrie. Sche gaif command and
inhibitioun, that the Abbot of Lundoris[900] sould be[901] ansuerit of
any pairt of his leving in the North, becaus he had submitit him self to
the Congregatioun, and had put sum reformatioun to his place. Be hir
consent and retrahibitioun[902] was the preching stuleis brokin in the
Kirk of Leith, and idolatrie was erectit in the samyn, quhair it was
befoir suppressit. Hir Frensche Capitaneis, with thair suldiouris in
greit companeis, in tyme of preching and prayeris, resortit to Sanct
Geillis Kirk in Edinburgh, and maid thair commune deambulatour thairin,
with sick lowd talking, as na perfyte audience could be had; and
althocht the Minister was ofttymes thairthrow compellit to cry out on
thame, praying to God to red thame of sick locustis; thay nevirtheless
continewit still in thair wickit purpoise, devisit and ordaneit be the
Quene, to have drawin our brethren of Edinburgh and thame in cummer; swa
that sche mycht have had ony cullorat occatioun to have brokin the
liegue with thame. Yitt, be Goddis grace, thay behaveit thame selfis
swa, that sche could fynd na falt with thame; albeit in all thir thingis
befoir nameit, and in every ane of thame, sche is worthelie comptit to
have contravenit the sayd Appointment. We pass over the oppressing done
of oure brethren in particular, quhilk had bene sufficient to have
provin the Appointment to have bene playne violatit; for the Lord
Seytoun, without ony occasioun offerrit unto him, brak a chaise upoun
Alexander Quhitelaw,[903] as he came frome Prestoun, accumpaneit with
Williame Knox,[904] towartis Edinburgh, and ceassit not to persew him
till he came to the toun of Ormestoun: And this he did, supposing that
the said Alexander Quhitelaw had bene Johnne Knox. In all this menetyme,
and quhill that ma Frensche men arryvit, thay ar not abill to pruif that
we brak the Appointment in any jote, except that ane hoirnit capp was
taikin of ane proud preistis heid, and cut in four quarteris,[905]
becaus he said he wald weir[906] it in dispyte of the Congregatioun.
[SN: THE QUENE REGENTIS FALSE FLATTERING LETTER TO THE DUKE.[907]]
In this menetyme, the Quene, then Regent, knawin assuredlie quhat force
was schortlie to cum unto hir, ceassit not, by all meneis possibill, to
cloik the incuming of the Frensche, and to enflamb the hartis of oure
cuntrey men aganis us. And for that purpoise, sche first wrait to my
Lord Duike, in forme as followis:--
"My Lord and Cousing,
"Efter hartlie commendatioun; We ar informit that the Lordis of the
Westland Congregatioun intendis to mak ane conventioun and
assembillie of thair kyn and freyndis upoun Govane Mure, besyde
Glasgw, on Monnunday cum viij dayis, the [21st] day[908] of August
instant, for sum hie purpoise aganeis us, quhilk we can nott
skantlie beleve,[909] considdering thay have na occasioun upoun our
pairt sa to do. And albeit ye knaw the Appointment was maid be our
avise,[910] yitt we acceptit the samin at your desyre, and hes
sensyne maid na cause quhairby thay mycht be movit to cum in the
contrair thairof. Lyke as we ar yitt myndit to keip firme and
stabill all thingis promesit be yow in our behalf. We think, on the
uther pairt, it is your dewatie to requyre tham, that thay
contravene not thair pairt thairof in na wyise;[911] and in caice
thay meane ony evill towartis us, and sua will breck thaire
promeise, we beleif ye will, at the uttermost of your power,
convene with us, and compell tham to do that thing quhilk thay
aucht, gif thay will nocht. Praying yow to have your selff, your
kin and freyndis, in reddynes to cum to us, as ye sall be
adverteist be proclamatioun, in caise the Congregatioun assembill
tham selffis for any purpoise aganeis us, or the tennour of the
said Appointment: assureand yow, without thay gadder, and mak first
occasioun, we sall nott put yow to any paneis in that behalf; and
that ye adverteis us in writt, quhat we may lippin to heirin with
this beirar, quha will schaw yow the fervent mynd we beir to have
concord with the said Congregatioun, quhat offeris we haif maid to
thame, and how desyrous we ar to draw thame to the obedience of our
Soveranis authoritie, to quham ye sall gif creddeit; and God keip
yow.
"At Edinburgh, the tent day of August 1559."
[SN: THE REGENTIS LETTER TO THE BARRONIS.]
The lyke letter sche wrait to everie Lord, Barroun, and Gentilman, of
this tennour:--
"TREST FREYND,
"Efter hartlie commendatioun; We dowt nott bot ye have hard of the
Appointment maid besyde Leith, betuix my Lord Duik, the Erle of
Huntlie, and Monsieur Dosell, on the ane pairt, and the Lordis of
the Congregatioun, on the uther syde; quhilk Appointment we have
approvit in all poyntis, albeit it was taikin by our avise; and is
myndit to observe and keip all the contentis thairof for our pairt.
Nochtheless, we ar informeit, the saidis Lordis of the
Congregatioun intendis schortlie to convene all sick personeis as
will assist to thame, for interprysing of sum heycht purpoise
aganis us, our authoratie, and tennour of the said Appointment,
quhilk we can not beleif, seing thay nather haif, nor sall have,
ony occasioun gevin thairto on our pairt, and yit thinkis not
reassonabill, in caise thay meane ony sick thing: and thairfoir
have thocht it guid to gif wairning to oure speciall freyndis of
the adverteisment we have gottin, and amangis the rest, to yow,
quham we esteme of that nomber. Praying yow to have your self,
youre kin, and folkis in reddynes to cum to us."--And sua furth, as
in the uthir letter above sent to the Duike, word efter word.
[SN: THE PRACTISE OF QUENE REGENT.]
Efter that by thir letteris, and by the dissaitfull furnissing of hyr
solistaris, sche had sumquhat steirit up the hairtis of the pepill
against us, than sche began oppinlie to complayne, "That we war of mynd
to invaid hir persone; that we wald keip na pairt of the Appointment;
and thairfoir sche was compellit to crave the assistance of all men
against our injust persute." And this practise sche usit, as befoir is
said, to abuse the simplicitie of the pepill, that thay sould not
suddanlie espy for quhat purpois sche brocht in hir new bandis of men of
weir, quha did arryve about the middis of August to the nomber of ane
thousand men. The rest war appointit to cum efter, with Monsieur de la
Broche,[912] and with the Bischop of Amiance,[913] quha arryvit the
nynetene day of September following, as gif thay had bene Ambassadouris:
[SN: THE ARRYVELL OF THE FRENSCHE.[914]] bot quhat was thair
negotiatioun, the effect did declair, and thay thame selffis could not
long conceill; for baith be tung and pen thay utterit, "That thay war
send for the utter exterminatioun of all thame that wald not professe
the Papisticall religioun in all pointis." The Quenis practise nor craft
could not blynd the eyeis of all men; nether yitt could hir subtiltie
hyde hir awin schame, bot that many did espy hir desait: and sum spairit
not to speik thair jugement liberallie; quha foirseing the dainger gaif
adverteisment, requyring that provisioun mycht be fund, befoir that the
evill sould exceid our wisdome and strenth to put remedy to the same;
for prudent men foirsaw, that sche prctendit ane plane conqueist. Bot to
the end, that the pepill sould not suddanlie stur, sche wald nocht bring
in hir full force at aneis, (as befoir is said,) bot by continewall
traffique purposit to augment hir army, so that in the end we sould not
be abill to resist. Bot the greitest pairt of the Nobilitie, and many of
the pepill, war so enchantit by hir treassonabill solistaris, that thay
could not heir, nor creddeit the treuth planelie spokin. The Frensche
than, efter the arryvell of thair new men, began to brag: [SN: THE
DEVISIOUN OF THE LORDIS LANDIS BY THE FRENSCHE.] than began thay to
devyde the landis and lordschippis according to thair awin fantaseis;
for ane was styleit Monsieur de Ergyle; ane uther, Monsieur le Priour;
the thrid, Monsieur de Ruthven; yea, thay war assureit, in thair awin
opinioun, to possesse quhatsoever thay list, that sum askit the
rentallis and revenewis of dyverse mennis landis, to the end that [thay]
mycht chuse the best. And yitt in this menetyme, sche eschame nott to
sett out ane Proclamatioun, in this forme:--
[SN: ANE PROCLAMATIOUN SETT OUT BE THE QUENE REGENT, TO BLIND THE
VULGAR PEPILL.[915]]
"Forsamekle as we understand that certane seditious personis hes
inventit and blawin abrod dyvers rumouris and evill brutis, tending
thairby to steir up the hartis of the pepill, and swa to stope all
reconciliatiounis betuix us and our subjectis, being of the nomber
of the Congregatioun, and consequentlie to kyndill and nureise
continewall stryfe and devisioun in this realme, to the manifest
subvertioun of the haill Estaitis thairof; and amangis uther
purpoisses, hes maliciouslie devisit for that effect, and hes
perswaidit too many, that we haif violatit the Appointment laitlie
tane, in sa far as ony ma Frensche men sensyne ar cumit in: and
that we ar myndit to draw in greit forceis of men of weir furth of
France, to suppres the libertie of this realme, oppres the
inhabitantis thairof, and mak up straingaris with thair landis and
goodis: Quhilk reportis ar all (God knawis) maist vayne, fenzeit,
and untrew. For it is of treuth, that nathing hes bene done on oure
pairt sen the said Appointment, quhairby it may be allegeit, that
ony point thairof hes bene contravenit: nor yitt was at that tyme
any thing communit or concludit to stope the sending in of Frensche
men; as may cleirlie appeir be inspectioun of the said Appointment,
quhilk the beirar heirof hes presentlie to schaw. [SN: LETT THE
BISCHOP OF AMIANCE AND MONSIEUR DE LA BROCHE LETTERIS WRITTIN TO
FRANCE, WITNESS THAT.[916]] Quhat[evir] nomber of men of weir be
arryveit, we [have] sick regaird to our honour, and quyetnes of
this realme, that in caise in the rowme of everie ane Frensche man
that is in Scotland thair war ane hundreth at our command, yitt
sould not for that any joyt that is promesit be brokin, or any
alteratioun be maid be oure provocatioun; bot the said
Appointment[917] treulie and surelie observit in everie point, gif
the said Congregatioun will in lyk maner faithfullie keip thair
pairt thairof. Nor yitt meane we to truble any man in the
peaceabill possessioun of thair guidis and rowmes, nor yitt to
enreache[918] the Crowne, and far less any strangear, with your
substance; for our derrest sone and dochter, the King and Quene, ar
by Godis provisioun placeit in the rowme, quhair all men of
jugement may weill considder thay have na neid of any manis guidis.
And for our self, we seik na thing bot debtfull obedience unto
thame, sick as guid subjectis aucht to gif to thair Soveraneis,
without deminutioun of your liberteis and priveleigeis, or
alteratioun of your lawis.[919] Thairfoir, we thocht guid to
notifie unto yow our guid mynd foirsaid, and desyreis yow not to
gif eir nor creddeitt to sic vayne imaginationis, quhairof, befoir
God, no pairte ever enterit in our consait; nor suffer your selfis
be thairby led frome youre dew obedience; assureing yow, ye sall
ever fynd with us trewth in promeisses, and ane moderlie luif
towartis all; yow behaifand your selffis our[920] obedient
subjectis. [SN: FEW DAYIS EFTER DECLAIRIT THE TREUTH OF THIS] Bot
of one thing we gif yow wairning, that quhairas sum Prechearis of
the Congregatioun, in thair publict sermonis, speikis irreverentlie
and sklanderouslie, alsweill of Princeis in generall, as of our
self in particulare, and of the obedience to the hiear poweris;
induceing the pepill, be that pairt of thair doctrine, to
defectioun frome thair dewatie, quhilk pertenis na thing to
religioun, bot rather to seditioun and tumult, thingis direct
contrar to religioun: thairfoir we desyre yow to tak ordour in
youre toun and boundis, that quhan the Prechearis repairis thair,
thay use thame selfis mair modestlie in thay behalfis, and in thair
precheing not to mell sa mekle with civill policie and publict
governance, nor yit name us, or uther Princeis, bot with honour and
reverence, utherwayis it will nocht be sufferrit. [SN: JESABELL
WALD BE HONOURIT, BOT HELIAS WALD NOTT.] Attour,[921] sen ye haif
presentlie the declaratioun of our intentioun, we desire to knaw
lykwayis quhat sall be your pairt to us, that we may understand
quhat to lippin for at your handis; quhairof we desire ane playne
declaratioun in writt, with this beirar, without excuise or delay.
"At Edinburgh, the twentie aucht of August 1559."
This proclamatioun sche send be hir messingeris throwch all the cuntrey,
and had hir solistaris in all pairtis, quha paynefullie travellit to
bring men to hir opinioun; amangis quham thir war the principallis, Sir
Johnne Bellenden, Justice Clerk; Maister James Balfour, Officiall of
Lowthiane, Maister Thomas and Maister Williame Scottis, sonnis to the
Laird of Balwerie,[922] Sir Robert Carnegy, and Maister Gawane
Hammiltoun; quha for faynting of the bretheris hairtis, and drawing many
to the Queneis factioun against thair natyve cuntrey, have declairit
thame selfis ennemeis to God, and traytouris to thair commune wealth.
Bot abuiff all utheris Maister James Balfour, Officiall for the tyme,
aucht to be abhoirrit; for he, of ane auld professoure, is becum ane new
denyare of Christ Jesus, and manifest blasphemar of his eternall
veritie, aganis his knawlege and conscience; seiking to betray his
brethren and natyve cuntrey in the handis of ane crewell and unfaithfull
natioun.