"PLEISE YOURE GRACE,
"I resavit your Hienes writting, and have hard the creddeit of the
beirar; and fynding the busynes of sick importance, that
daingerouse it war to gif haistie answer, and alssua your
petitionis ar sua, that with my honour I can nott answer thame
privatlie be my selff: I have thocht guid to delay the same till
that I may have the jugement of the haill Counsall. For this poynt
I will not conceill frome youre Grace, that amangis us thair is ane
solempnit aith, that nane of us sall trafique with youre Grace
secreitlie; nether yitt that any of us sall mak ane [ad]dress for
him selff particularlie; quhilk aith, for my pairt, I purpoise to
keip inviolatit to the end. Bot quhan the rest of the Nobillmen
sall convene, I sall leif nathing that lyis in my power undone that
may mak for the quyetnes of this pure realme, providing that the
glorie of Christ Jesus be nott hinderit by oure concord. And gif
youre Grace sall be found sua tractabill as now ye offer, I doutt
nott to obteyne of the rest of my brethren sick favouris towartis
youre service, as youre Grace sall have just occatioun to stand
content. For God I tak to record, that in this actioun I have
nether socht, nether yitt seikis, any uther thing than Godis glorie
to encrease, and the libertie of this pure[957] realm to be
mentenit. Farther, I have schawin to youre messinger quhat thingis
have myslykeit me in youre proceidingis, evin frome sick ane hart
as I wald wysche to God ye and all men did knaw. And this with
hartlie commendatioun of service to youre Grace, I hartlie commit
your Hienes to the eternall protectioun of the Omnipotent.
"At Sanctandrois, the first of October.
(_Sic subscribitur_,)
"Your Graceis humyll and obedient servitour,
J. ST."[958]
This answer resaivet, sche raigeit as hypocrasie usis, quhan it is
prickit; and persaving that sche could nott wirk quhat sche wald at the
handis of men particularie, sche sett furth ane Proclamatioun,
universallie to be proclameit, in the tennour as followis:--
"Forsamekle as it is understand to the Queneis Grace, that the Duke
of Chastellerault hes laitlie directit his missyveis in all pairtis
of this realme, makand mentioun that the Frensche men lait arryvit,
with thair wyffis and bairneis, ar [begunne][959] to plant in
Leith, to the rewyne of the commun-welth, quhilk he and his
pairttakeris will not pas ower with patient behalding, desyring to
knaw quhat will be everie manis pairt; and that the fortificatioun
of Leith is[960] ane purpoise devysit in France, and that thairfoir
Monsieur de La Broche and the Bischop of Amiance ar cumit in this
cuntrey; ane thing sa vaine and untrew, that the contrarie thairof
is notour to all men of free jugement: Thairfoir hir Grace, willing
that the occatiouns quhairby hir Grace was movit sa to do be maid
patent, and quhat hes bene hir proceidingis sen the Appointment
last maid on the Linkis besyde Leith, to the effect that the treuth
of all thingis being maid manifest, everie man may understand how
injustlie that will to suppres the libertie of this realme is laid
to hir charge, hes thocht expedient to mak this discours
following:--
"Fyrst, Althocht efter the said Appointment, dyverse of the said
Congregatioun, and that not of the meaneast sort, had contravenit
violentlie the pointis thairof, and maid sundrie occatiouns of new
cummer, the samyn was in ane pairt wynkit att and ower-luikit, in
hoip that thay with tyme wald remember thair dewatie, and abstene
fra sick evill behaviouris, quhilk conversioun hir Grace ever
sochtt, rather than any puneisment, with sick cair and solicitud be
all meaneis, quhill, in the menetyme, na thing was providit for hir
awin securitie. Bot at last, be thair frequent messageis to and fra
Ingland, thair intelligence than was persavit: yit hir Grace
trestis the Quene of Ingland (lett thame seik as thay pleise) will
do the office of ane Christiane Princes in tyme of ane sworne peax;
throw quhilk force was to hir Grace (seand sua greit defectioun of
greit personageis,) to have recourse to the law of nature; and lyk
as ane small bird, being persewit, will provide sum nest, sua hir
Grace could do na less, in caise of persute, nor provide sum sure
retrait for hir selff and hir cumpany; and to that effect, chusit
the toun of Leith, as place convenient thairfoir; becaus, first, it
was hir derrest dochteris propertie, and na uther persone could
acclame tytle or enteress thairto, and als becaus in tyme afoir it
had bene fortifeit. About the same tyme that the seiking support of
Ingland was maid manifest, arryvit the Erle of Arrane, and adjoinit
him selff to the Congregatioun, upoun farder promisses nor the[961]
pretendit quarrell of religioun that was to be sett up be thame in
authoratie, and sua to pervert the haill obedience. [SN: FALSE
LEYING TOUNG, GOD HAS CONFOUNDIT THEE!] And as sum of the said
Congregatioun at the samyn tyme had putt to thair handis, and takin
the Castell of Brochty, put furth the keiparis thairof: immediatlie
came fra the said Duike to hir Grace unluikit for, ane writing,
beside many uther,[962] compleneand of the fortificatioun of the
said toun of Leith, in hurt of the ancient inhabitantis thairof,
brether of the said Congregatioun, quhairof he than professit him
self ane member; and albeit that the beirar of the said writting
was ane unmeitt messinger in ane mater of sick consequence, yitt
hir Grace direc[ted] to him twa personeis of guid creddeit and
reputatioun with answer, offerrand, gif he wald caus ane mendis be
maid for that quhilk was commitit aganeis the lawis of the realme,
to do further nor could be cravit of reassone, and to that effect
to draw sum conference, quhilk for inlaik of him and his collegis,
tuik no end. [SN: GOD HES PURGEIT HIS PEPILL OF THAT FALSE
ACCUSATIOUN.] Nochttheles thay continewallie sensyne contynewis in
thair doingis, usurping the Authoratie, commanding and chargeing
free Borrowis to cheise Provestis and officiaris of thair nameing,
and to assyst to thame in the purpoise thay wald be att; and thatt
thay will nocht suffer provisioun to be brocht for sustentatioun of
hir Graceis housseis; and greit pairt hes sa planelie sett asyde
all reverence and humanitie, quhairby everie man may knaw that it
is na mater of religioun, bot ane plane usurpatioun of authoratie,
and na dout bot sempill men, of gude zeall in tymeis bigane,
thairwith falslie hes bene desavit. Bot as to the Queneis Grace
pairt, God, quha knawis the secreitis of all hartis, weill kennis,
and the warld sall see be experience, that the fortificatioun of
Leith was devisit for na uther purpoise bot for recourse to hir
Hienes and hir cumpany, in caise thay war persewit. Quhairfoir, all
gud subjectis that hes the feir of God in thair hartis, will not
suffer thame selffis be sick vaine perswatiouns to be led away from
thair dew obedience, bot will assist in defence of thair Soveraneis
quarrel aganeis all sick as will persew the same wrangouslie.
Thairfoir, hir Grace ordaneis the officiaris of armeis to pas to
the Mercat-Croceis of all heid Borrowis of this realme, and thair
be oppin proclamatioun command and charge all and sundrie the
liegeis thairof, that nane of thame tak upoun hand to put thame
selfis in armeis, nor tak pairt with the said Duke or his
assistaris, under the pane of treassone."
Thir letteris being devulgatt, the hartis of many war steirit; for thay
jugeit the narratioun of the Queue Regent to have bene trew: uthiris
understanding the samin to be utterlie false. Bot becaus the Lordis
desyreit all man [to] juge in thair cause, thay sett out this
Declaratioun subsequent:--
[SN: THE DECLARATIOUN OF THE LORDIS AGAINST THE FORMER
PROCLAMATIOUN.]
"We ar compellit unwillinglie to answer the grevouse accusatiouns
maist injustlie laid to our chargeis be the Quene Regent and hir
perverst Counsall, quha cease not, by all craft and malice, to mak
us odiouse to our darrest brethren, naturall Scotismen; as that we
pretendit na uther thing bot the subversioun and owerthraw of all
just authoritie, quhan, God knawis, that we thocht na thing bot
that sick authoratie as God approvis by his word, be establischeit,
honourit, and obeyit amangis us. Trew it is that we have complenit,
(and continewallie must complene,) till God send redress, that our
commun cuntrey is oppressit with strangearis; that this inbringing
of suldiouris, with thair wiffis and children, and planting of men
of weir in oure free tounis, appeiris to us ane reddy way to
conqueist: And we maist eirnistlie requyre all indifferent
personeis to juge betwix us and [the] Quene Regent in this
cause,[963] to wit, quhidder that our complaynt be just or nott;
for, for quhat uther purpoise sould sche this multiplie strangearis
upoun us, bot onlie in respect of conqueist; quhilk is ane thing
not of lait devisit be hir and hir avaritiouse House. [SN: THE
AVARICE OF THAME OF LORANE AND GWEISE.] We ar not ignorant, that
sax yeris past, the questioun was demandit, of ane man of honest
reputatioun, quhat nomber of men was abill to dantoun Scotland, and
to bring it to the full obedience of France. She allegeis, that to
say the fortificatioun of Leith was ane purpoise devisit in France,
and that for that purpoise war Monsieur de La Broche, and the
Bischop Amiance send to this cuntrey, is ane thing sa vaine and
untrew, that the contrarie thairof is notour to all men of fre
jugement. Bot evident it is, quhatsoever sche allegeis, that sence
thair arryvall, Leith was begun to be fortifeit. Sche allegeis,
that sche, seing the defectioun of greit personageis, was
compellitt to have recourse to the law of nature, and lyk ane small
bird persewit,[964] to provide for sum sure retreitt to hir selff
and hir cumpany. Bot quhy dois sche not answer, for quhatt purpoise
did sche bring in hir new bandis of men of weir? Was thair any
defectioun espyit befoir thair arryvall? Was not the Congregatioun
under appointment with hir? quhilk, quhatsoever sche allegeis, sche
is not abill to prove that we haid contravenit in any chief poynt,
befoir that her new throt-cuttaris arryvit, yea, befoir that thay
began to fortifie Leith; ane place, says sche, maist convenient
for hir purpoise, as in verray deid it is for the resaving of
strangearis at hir plesour: for gif sche haid fearit the persute of
hir body, sche haid the Insche, Dumbar, Blaknes, fortis and
strenthis alreddy maid. Yea, bot they could not sa weill serve hir
turne as Leith, becaus it was hir Dochteris propertie, and na uther
could haif tytill to it, and becaus it had bene fortifeit of
befoir. That all men may knaw the just tytle hir Dochter and sche
hes to the toun of Leith, we sall in few wordis declair the trewth.
"It is not unknawin to the maist pairt of this realme, that thair
hes bene ane auld haitrent and contentioun betuix Edinburght and
Leith;[965] Edinburgh seiking continewallie to possess that
libertie, quhilk be donatioun of kyngis thay have lang injoyit; and
Leith, be the contrary, aspyring to ane libertie and fredome in
prejudice of Edinburgh. [SN: THE TITLE THAT THE QUENE [HAD] OR
HES[966] TO LEITH.] The Quene Regent, ane woman that could mak hir
proffitt of all handis, was nott ignorant how to compass hir awin
mater; and thairfoir secreitlie sche gaif adverteisment to sum of
Leith, that sche wald mak thair Toun fre, gif that sche mycht do it
with any cullour of justice. [SN: THE LAIRD OF RESTALRIG SUPERIOUR
TO LEITH.] Be quhilk promeise, the principall men of them did
travell with the Laird of Restalrig,[967] ane man nether prudent
nor fortunat, to quhome the superioratie of Leyth appertenit, that
he sould sell his haill tytle and rycht to our Soverane, for
certane sowmeis of money, quhilk the inhabitantis of Leith payit,
with ane large taxatioun mair, to the Quene Regent, in hoip to have
bene maid free in dispite and defraud of Edinburgh. Quhilk rycht
and superioratie, quhan sche haid gottin, and quhan the money was
payit, the first fruittis of thair libertie thay now eitt with
bitternes, to wit, that strangearis sall possess thair town. This
is hir just tytle quhilk hir Dochter and sche may clame to that
Towne. And quhair sche allegeis that it was fortifeit befoir, we
ask, gif that [was] done without consent of the Nobilatie and
Estaitis of the realme, as sche now, and hir craftie Counsallouris
do in dispyte and contempt of us the lauchfull heidis[968] and
borne counsallouris of this realme.
"How far we have socht support of Ingland, or of ony uther Princes,
and how just cause we haid, and haif sa to do, we sall schortlie
mak manifest unto the warld, to the prayse of Godis haly name, and
to the confusioun of all thame that sclander us for sa doing. For
this we feir nott to confess, that as in this oure interpryse
against the Devill, idolatrie, and the mentenance of the same, we
cheiflie and onlie seik Godis glorie to be notifeit unto man, synne
to be puncisit, and vertew to be mentenit; sua quhair power faillis
of oure self, we will seik quhair soever God sall offer the same;
and yitt in sa doing, we ar assureit, nether till offend God,
nether yitt to do any thing repugnant to our dewiteis. We hartlie
prayse God, quha movit the hart of the Erle of Arrane to joyne him
selff with us, his persecuteit brethren; bot how maliciouse ane
ley it is, that we have promesit to sett him up in authoratie, the
ischew sall declair. God we tak to record, that na sick thing hes
to this day enterit in oure hartis. Nether yitt hes he, the said
Erie, nather any to him appertenyng, movit unto us ony sick mater;
quhilk, gif thay sould do, yitt ar we not sa sklender in jugement,
that inconsidderatlie we wald promeis that quhilk efter we mycht
repent. We speik and write to Goddis glorie:[969] The leist of us
knawis better quhat obedience is dew to ane lauchfull authoritie,
than sche or hir Counsall dois practise the office of sick as
worthelie may sitt upoun the sait of justice; for we offer, and we
performe, all obedience quhilk God hes commandit; for we nether
deny toll, tribute, honour, nor feir till hir, nor till hir
officiaris: We onlie brydill hir blynd raige, in the quhilk sche
wald erect and mentene idolatrie, and wald murther oure brethren
quha refusses the same. Bott sche dois utterlie abuse the
authoratie establischeitt by God: sche prophaneis the throne of his
Majestie in erth, making the Saitt of justice, quhilk aucht to be
the sanctuary and refuge of all godlie and vertuouse personeis,
injustlie afflictit, to be ane den and receaptakle to thevis,
murtheraris, idolateris, huremongaris, adulteraris, and
blasphemaris of God and all godlynes. [SN: THE WICKITNESS OF THE
BISCHOPIS.[970]] It is mair than evident, quhat men thay ar, and
lang have bene, quham sche by hir power mentenis and defendis; and
alssua quhat hes bene our conversatioun sence it hes plesit God to
call us to his knawlege, quham now in hir fury sche crewellie
persecuteis. We deny nocht the taking of the House of
Brouchty;[971] and the cause being considderit, we think that na
naturall Scottisman will be offendit at oure fact. Quhan the
assureit knawlege came unto us that the fortificatioun of Leith was
begun, everie man began to inquyre quhat daingear mycht ensew to
the rest of the realme, giff the Frensche sould plant in dyverse
placeis, and quhat war the placeis that mycht maist [annoy]
us.[972] [SN: THE CAUS THAT BROWCHTY CRAIG WAS TAKIN.[973]] In
conclusioun it was found, that the taking of the said housse be
Frensche men sould be destructioun to Dundie, and hurtfull to Sanct
Johnnstoun, and to the haill cuntrey; and thairfoir it was thocht
expedient to prevent the daingear, as that we did for preservatioun
of oure brethren and commun cuntrey. It is nocht unknawin quhat
ennemyis thir twa Tounis have, and quhow glaidlie wald sum haif all
guid ordour and pollecey owerthrawin in thame. The conjectureis
that the Frensche war of mynd schortlie to have takin the same, war
not obscure. Bot quhatsoever thay pretendit, we can nott repent
that we (as said is) have preventit the daingear; and wald God that
our power haid bene in the same maner to have foircloissit thair
entres to Leith; for quhat trubill the pure realme sall endure
befoir thatt thay murtheraris and injust possessouris be removit
from the same, the ischew will declair. [SN: LETT ALL MAN JUGE.]
Giff hir accusatioun against my Lord Duikis Grace, and that we
refusit conference, be trewlie and sempillie spokin, we will nott
refuise the jugement of thay verray men, quham sche allegeis to be
of sa honest a reputatioun. [SN: THE DUIKEIS ANSWER.] Thay knaw
that the Dukeis Grace did answer, that gif the realme mycht be sett
at libertie frome the bondage of thay men of weir quhilk presentlie
did oppress it, and was sa feirfull to him and his brethren, that
thay war compellit to absent thame selfis from the placeis quhair
sche and thay maid residence; thatt he and the haill Congregatioun
sould cum and gif all debtfull[974] obedience to oure Soverane hir
dochter, and unto hir Grace, as Regent for the tyme. Bot to enter
in conference, sa lang as sche keipis above him and his brethren
that feirfull scourge of crewell strangearis, he thocht na wyise
man wald counsall him. And this his answer we approve, adding
farther, That sche can mak us no promeis quhilk sche can keip nor
we can creddeit, sa lang as sche is forceit with the strenth, and
reuillit be the counsall of Frensche.[975] We ar not ignorant that
princeis think it guid policey to betray thair subjectis be breking
of promeissis, be thay never so solempnitlie maid. We have nott
forgett quhat counsall sche and Monsieur Dosell gaif to the Duike
against thame that slew the Cardinall, and keip the Castell of
Sanctandrois: And it was this, "That quhat promeis thay list to
requyre sould be maid unto thame: bot how sone that the Castell was
randerit, and thyngis brocht to sick pass as was expedient, that he
sould chope the heidis frome everie ane of thame." To the quhilk
quhan the Duike answerit, "That he wald never consent to sa
treassonabill ane act, bot gif he promesit fidelitie, he wald
faithfullie keip it." Monsieur Dosell said, in mockage to the
Quene, in Frensche, "That is ane guid sempill nature, bot I knaw na
uther prince that wald swa do." Gif this was his jugement in sa
small ane mater, quhat have we to suspect in this oure caus: [SN:
_NOTA._] For now the question is not of the slauchter of ane
Cardinall, bot of the just abolisching of all that tyrannie quhilk
that Romane Antechryst hes usurpit above us, of the suppressing of
idolatrie, and of the reformatioun of the haill religioun, by that
verming of schavelingis utterlie corruptit. [SN: THE QUARRELL
BETUIX FRANCE AND THE CONGREGATIOUN OF SCOTLAND.] Now, gif the
slauchter of ane Cardinall be ane syn irremissebill,[976] as thay
thair selffis affirme, and gif faith aucht not to be keipit to
heretykes, as thair awin law speikis, quhat promeise can sche that
is reullit be the counsall and commandyment of ane Cardinall, mak
to us, that can be sure?
"Quhair sche accusis us, that we usurp authoritie, to command and
charge free Browchis to cheise Provestis and officiaris of our
nameing, &c., we will that the haill Browchis of Scotland testifie
in that caise, quhydder that we have usit ony kynd of violence, bot
lovinglie exhortit sick as askit support, to cheise sick in office
as had the feir of God befoir thair eyis, luffitt equitie and
justice, and war nott notit with avarice and brybing. Bot wonder it
is, with quhatt face sche can accuse us of thatt quhairof we ar
innocent, and sche sua oppinlie criminall, that the haill realme
knawis hir iniquities. In that caise, hes sche nott compellit the
toun of Edinburgh to reteane ane man to be thair Provest,[977] [SN:
THE LORD SEYTOUN UNWORTHY OF REGIMENT.[978]] maist unworthy of ony
regiment in ane weill rewlit commun-wealth? Hes sche nott
enforceitt thame to tak Baillies of hir appoyntment, and sum of
thame sua meitt for thair office, in this trubilsum tyme, as ane
sowtar is to saill[979] ane schip in ane stormy day? [SN: _OPTIMA
COLLATIO._] Sche compleneis thatt we will nott suffer provisioun to
be maid for hir House. In verray deid we unfeinzeitlie repent, that
befoir this we tuik nott better ordour that thir murtheraris and
oppressouris, quham sche pretendis to nureise, for oure
destructioun, had not bene disapointit of that greit provisioun of
victuallis quhilk sche and thay have gadderit, to the greit hurt of
the haill cuntrey. Bot as God sall assist us in tymeis cuming, we
sall do diligence sum-quhatt to frustrat thair devillysche
purpoise. [SN: LETT THE PAPISTIS JUGE GIF GOD HES NOT GEVIN
JUGEMENT TO THE DISPLESOUR OF THAIR HARTIS.] Quhatt baith sche and
we[980] pretend, we dout not bot God, quha can not suffer the
abuse of his awin name lang to be unpunischeit, sall one day
declair; and unto him we feir nott to committ oure cause. Nether
yitt feir we in this presentt to say, that against us sche makis
ane maist maliciouse ley. [SN: THE LEY TO THE QUENE REGENT.] Quhair
that sche sayis, that it is na religioun that we ga about, bot ane
plane usurpatioun of the Authoritie, God forbid that sick impietie
sould enter into oure hartis, that we sould mak his holie religioun
ane cloik and covertour of oure iniquitie. Frome the begynning of
this contraversie, it is evidentlie knawin quhat have bene oure
requeistis, quhilk gif the rest of the Nobilitie and communitie of
Scotland will caus be peformeit unto us, giff than ony sygne of
rebellioun appeir in us, lett us be reputit and punisit as
traytouris. Bot quhill strangearis ar brocht in to suppres us, our
commun-welth, and posteritie, quhill idolatrie is mentenit, and
Christ Jesus his trew religioun dispysit, quhill idill bellies and
bludy tyrantis, the Bischopis, ar mentenit, and Christis trew
messingeris persecutit; quhill, fynallie, vertew is contemnit, and
vice extollit, quhill that we, ane greit pairt of the Nobilitie and
communaltie of this realme, ar maist injustlie persecuteit, quhat
godlie man can be offendit that we sall seik reformatioun of thir
enormiteis, (yea, evin be force of armes, seing that uthirwayis it
is denyit unto us;) we ar assureit that nether God, neather nature,
neather ony just law, forbiddis us. [SN: THE CAUS THAT MOVIT THE
NOBILITIE OF THIS REALME TO OPPONE THAME TO THE QUENE REGENT.] God
hes maid us counsallouris be birth of this realme; nature byndis us
to luiff our awin cuntrey; and just lawis commandis us to support
oure brethren injustlie persecutit. Yea, the aith that we have
maid, to be trew to this commune-wealth, compellis us to hasard
quhatsoever God hes gevin us, befoir that we see the miserabill
rewyne of the same. Gif ony think this is not religioun quhilk now
we seik, we answer, That it is nathing ellis, bot the zeall of the
trew religioun quhilk movis us to this interpryse: [SN: THE SAME
MYND REMANIS TO THIS DAY.] For as the ennemy dois craftelie foirsee
that idolatrie can not be universalie mentenit, onless that we be
utterlie suppressit, sua do we considder that the trew religioun
(the puritie quhairof we onlie requyre) can not be universalie
erectit, unless strangearis be removit, and this pure realme
purgeit of thir pestilencis quhilk befoir have infectit it. And
thairfoir, in the name of the eternall God, and of his Sone Chryst
Jesus, quhais caus we sustene, we requyre all oure brethren,
naturall Scottis men, prudentlie to considder oure requeistis, and
with judgment to decerne betuix us and the Quene Regent and hir
factioun, and not to suffer thame selfis to be abused by her craft
and deceat, that eather thei shall lift thair weaponis against us
thair brethren, who seik nothing butt Godis glorie, eyther yitt
that thei extract frome us thare just and detfull[981] supporte,
seing that we hasard our lyves for preservatioun of thame and us,
and of our posteritie to come: Assuring suche as shall declair
thame selves favoraris of her factioun, and ennemeis unto us, that
we shall repute thame, whensoever God shall putt the sword of
justice in our handis, worthie of such punishment, as is dew for
such as studie to betray thair countree in the handis of
strangearis." [SN: THIS PROMEISS WAS FORYETT,[982] AND THAIRFOIR
HES GOD PLAGUED. WHAT SPREIT COULD HAUE HOPED FOR VICTORIE IN SO
DISPERATE DANGEARIS.]
This our Answer was formed, and divulgat in some places, but not
universallie, be reassone of our day appointit to meitt at Striveling,
as befoir is declaired. In this meantyme, the Quene her postes ran with
all possible expeditioun to draw men to her devotioun; and in verray
deid, sche fand mo favoraris of her iniquitie then we suspected. For a
man that of long tyme had bene of our nomber in professioun, offered (as
himself did confesse) his service to the Quene Regent, to travaill
betuix hir Grace and the Congregatioun for concord. Sche refused nott
his offer; bott knowing his simplicitie, sche was glad to employ him for
her advantage. The man is Maister Robert Lockart,[983] a man of whome
many have had and still have good opinioun, as tweiching his religioun;
bott to enter in the dresse of suche affaris, nott so convenient, as
godlie and wyise men wold requyre. He travailled nocht the less
earnestlie in the Quene Regentis affares, and could nott be perswaded
bot that sche ment sincerlie, and that sche wold promote the religioun
to the uttermost of her power. He promissed in hir name, that sche wald
putt away hir Frensche men, and wald be reulled by the counsall of
naturall Scottismen. When it was reassoned in his contrary, "That yf
sche war so mynded to do, sche could have found mediatouris a great
deall more convenient for that purpose." He feared nott to affirme,
"That he knew more of her mynd then all the Frenche or Scottis that war
in Scotland, yea more then her awin brethren that war in France." He
travailled with the Erle of Glencarne, the Lordis Uchiltrie and Boid,
with the Larde of Dun, and with the Preacheouris, to whome he had
certane secreat letteris, which he wald not deliver, onless that thei
wald maik a faithfull promeise, that thei should never reveill the thing
conteaned in the same. To the whiche it was answered, "That in no wyise
thei could maik suche a promeise, be reassone that thei war sworne one
to another, and altogetther in one body, that thei should have no
secreat intelligence nor dress with the Quene Regent, bot that thei
should communicat with the Great Counsall whatsoever sche proponed unto
thame, or thei did answer unto her." As by this Answer, written by Johne
Knox to the Quene Regent, may be understand,[984] the tennour whairof
followis:--
"[MADAME,][985]
"My dewitie moist humilie premissed: Your Grace's servand, Maister
Robert Lockard, maist instantlie hes requyred me and otheris, to
whome your Graceis letteris, as he alledged, war directed, to
receave the same in secreat maner, and to geve to him answer
accordinglie. Bot becaus some of the nomber that he required war
and ar upoun the Great Counsall of this realme, and thairfoir ar
solempnedlie sworne to have nothing to do in secreate maner,
neather with your Grace, neather yitt with any that cumis fra yow,
or fra your Counsall; and swa thei could not receave your Grace
letteris with sick conditionis as the said Maister Robert required;
and thairfoir thocht he good to bring to your Grace agane the said
letteris close. And yitt becaus, as he reportis, he hes maid to
your Grace some promeise in my name; att his requeist, I am content
to testifie by my letter and subscriptioun, the sume of that quhilk
I did communicat with him. In Dondie, after many wourdis betuix him
and me, I said, that albeit diverse sinister reportis had bene maid
of me, yitt did I never declair any evident tockin of haiterent nor
inmitie against your Grace. For yf it be the office of a verray
freind to geve trew and faythfull counsall to thame whome he seis
ryn to destructioun for lack of the same, I could nott be provin
ennemye to your Grace, bot rather a freind unfeaned.[986] For what
counsall I had gevin to your Grace, my writtingis, alsweall my
Letteris and Additioun to the same, now prented,[987] as diverse
otheris quhilkis I wrait fra Sanct Johnestoun, may testifie. I
farther added, that sick ane ennemye was I unto yow, that my tung
did bayth perswaid and obteane, that your authoritie and regiment
should be obeyed of us in all thingis lawchfull, till ye declaired
your self open ennemye to this commoun-wealth, as now, allace! ye
have done. This I willed him moreover to say to your Grace, that yf
ye, following the counsall of flatterand men, having no God bot
this world and thair bellies, did proceid in your malice against
Christ Jesus his religioun, and trew ministeris, that ye should do
nothing ellis but accclerat and haste Godis plague and vengeance
upoun your self and upoun your posteritie: and that ye, (yf ye did
not change your purpose hastelie,) should bring your self in sick
extreame danger, that when ye wold seak remeady, it should nott be
sa easy to be found, as it had bene befoir. This is the effect and
sume of all that I said at that tyme, and willed him, yf he
pleased, to communicat the same to your Grace. And the same yitt
agane I notifie unto your Grace, by this my letter, writtin and
subscryved at Edinburgh, the 26 of October 1559.
(_Sic subscribitur_,)
"Your Grace's to command in all godlynes.
"JOHN KNOX.
"_Postscriptum._--God move your harte[988] yitt in tyme to
considder, that ye feght nott against man, bot against the eternall
God, and against his Sone Jesus Christ, the onlie Prince of the
kingis of the earth."
* * * * *
At whiche answer, the said Maister Robert was so offended, that he wald
nott deliver his letteris, saying, "That we wer ungodlie and injuriouse
to the Quene Regent yf we suspected any craft in hir." To the whiche it
was answered, by one of the preacheouris, "That tyme should declair,
whitther he or thei war deceaved. Yff sche should nott declair hir self
ennemye to the trew religioun whiche thei professed, yf ever sche had
the upper hand, then thei wald be content to confesse that thei had
suspected her sinceritie without just cause. Bot and yf sche should
declair her malice no less in tymes cuming than sche had done befoir,
thei required that he should be more moderat then to dampne thame whose
conscience he knew nott." And this was the end of the travaill for that
tyme, after that he had trubled the conscience of many godlie and qwiet
personis. For he and other who war her hyred postes, ceassed nott to
blaw in the earis of all man, that the Quene wes hevelie done to; that
sche required nothing bot obedience to her Doghtter; that sche was
content that the trew religioun should go fordwarde, and that all abuses
should be abolished; and be this meane thei broght a gruge and divisioun
amang our selfis. For many (and our brethrene of Lowthiane especiallie)
began to murmur, that we soght another thing than religioun, and so
ceassed to assist us certane dayis, after that we wer cumed to
Edinburgh, whiche we did according to the former diet, the 16 day of
October. This grudge and truble amangis our selfis was not reased by the
foirsaid Maister Robert[989] onlye, bot by those pestilentis whome
befoir we have expressed, and Maister James Balfour especiallie, whose
vennemouse tounges against God and his trew religioun, as thei deserve
punishement of men, so shall thei not escheap Godis vengeance, onless
that spedelie thei reapent.
[SN: THE SECOUND ADMONITIOUN TO THE QUENE REGENT.]
After our cuming to Edinburgh the day foirnamed, we assembled in
counsall, and determined to geve new advertisement to the Quenis Grace
Regent, of our Conventioun, and in suche sorte; and so with commoun
consent we send unto her our requeast, as followis:--
"[MADAME,][990]
"It will pleise your Grace reduce to your remembrance, how at our
last Conventioun at Hammyltoun, we required your Hienes, in our
maist humbill maner, to desist from the fortifeing of this town of
Leyth, then interprysed and begone, quhilk appeared to us (and yitt
does) ane entree to ane conqueist, and overthrow to our liberties,
and altogidder against the lawis and custumes of this realme,[991]
seing it was begune, and yit continewis, without any advise and
consent of the Nobilitie and Counsall of this realme. Quhaifoir
now, as of befoir, according to our dewitie to our commoun-wealth,
we most humelie requyre your Grace to caus your strangearis and
soldiouris whatsumever to departe of the said town of Leyth, and
maik the same patent, not onlye to the inhabitantis, bot also to
all Scottishmen, our Soverane Ladyes liegis. Assureand your Hienes,
that yf, refusand the samyn, ye declair thairby your evill mynd
toward the commoun-weill and libertie of this realme, we will (as
of befoir) mene and declair the caus unto the haill Nobilitie and
communaltie of this realme; and according to the oath quhilk we
have sworne for the mantenance of the commoun-weall, in all maner
of thingis to us possible, we will provid reamedy: thairfoir
requyring most humblie your Grace answer in haist with the berar,
becaus in our eyis the act continewallie proceadis, declaring ane
determinatioun of conquest, quhilk is presumed of all men, and not
without caus. And thus, after our humill commendatioun of service,
we pray Almychttie God to have your Grace in his eternall
tuitioun."
* * * * *
These our letteris receaved, our messinger was threatned, and withholdin
a whole day. Thairefter he was dismissed, without ony other answer bot
that sche wald send ane answer when sche thocht expedient.
In this meantyme, becaus the rumour ceassed nott, that the Duke his
Grace usurped the Authoritie, he was compelled, with the sound of
trumpete, at the Mercat Croce of Edinburgh, to maik his purgatioun, in
forme as followis, the xix day of October:
[SN: THE DUIK LONG BEFOIR FALSLIE ACCUSED OF USURPATIOUN.[992]]