To the end that all that feares God may understand my proceedings in
this matter, I shall shortly declare what I did, and what moved me
to defend the samen, leaving the finall judgement of all things to
the Kirk. First, be the request of Mr Thomas Hepburne, in the Queen’s
name, to proclame her with Lord Bothwell, I plainly refused, because
he had not her hand wreit; and also the common bruit that my Lord had
both ravished her and keeped her in captivitie. Upon Wednesday last
the Justice Clerk brought me ane writing subscryved with her hand,
bearing in effect that she was neither ravished nor yet retained
in captivitie, and, therefore, charged me to proclaime. My answer
was, I durst proclaime no bands, and chiefly such without consent
and command of the Church. Upon Thursday next, the Kirk, after
long reasoning with the Justice Clerk, and amongst the brethren,
at length concluded that the Queen’s mynde should be published to
her subjects thrie nixt preaching dayes: But, because the Generall
Assembly had inhibited all sic marriages, we protested we would
neither solemnize, naither yet approve that marriage, but would only
declare the Prince’s mynde, leaveing all doubts and dangers to the
counsellors, approvers, and allowers of that marriage: And so, upon
Fryday thereafter, I declared the haill minde and progress of the
Kirk, desyreing every man, in God’s name, to discharge his conscience
before the Secret Councill; and to give boldness to uthers, I
desyred of the Lords there present in tyme and place, to speak my
judgement before the parties, protesting, if I were not heard and
satisfied, I either wald desist from proclameing, or else declare
my minde publickly before the Kirk. Therefore, being admittit,
afternoone, before my Lord in Councill, I laid to his charge the
law of adulterie, the ordinance of the Kirk, the law of ravishing,
the suspicion of collusioune betwixt him and his wife, the sudden
divorcement and proclaiming within the space of four dayes, and
last the suspicioune of the King’s death, whilk his marriage will
confirme. But he answered nothing to my satisfactione: Wherefore,
after many exhortationes, I protested that I could not but declare
my minde openly to the Kirk. Therefore, upon Sonday, after I had
declared what they had done, and how they would proceed whether we
would or not, I tooke Heaven and earth to witness that I abhorred
and detested that marriage, because it was odious and sclanderous
to the world; and seeing the best part of the realme did approve
it, either be flatterie or else be their silence, I desyred the
faithfull to pray earnestly that God would turne it to the comfort
of this realme, that thing whilk they intended againes reasone and
good conscience. I, because I heard some persones gangand againes
me, used thir reasones for my defences: First, I had broken no law
be proclaiming of thir persones at their request: Secondly, If
their marriage was sclanderous and hurtfull, I did well for warning
all men of it in tyme: Thirdly, As I had of dewtie declareit to
them the Prince’s will, so did I faithfully tell them be word and
example what God craveit of them. But upon Tuesday last I was calleit
before the Councill, and accuseit that I had passed the bounds of my
commissioune calling the Prince’s marriage odious and sclanderous
before the world. I answered, the bounds of my jurisdictione, whilk
was the word of God, guid lawes, and naturall reasone, was able to
prove whatsoever I spake; yea, that their owne conscience could not
but beare witness that sic a marriage would be odious and sclanderous
to all that should hear of it, give all the circumstances thereof
were rightly considered: But whill I was comeing to my probatione,
my Lord put me to silence, and sent me away; and so upon Wedensday
I first repeatit and ratified all things before spoken; and after,
exhorted the brethren not to accuse me give that marriage proceeded,
but rather themselves, who would not, for feare, oppone themselves,
but rather sharpeit their tongues against me, because I admonished
them of their deutie, and suffered not the kankert consciences of
hypocrites to sleep at rest; protesting at all tymes to them, that
it was not my proclaiming, but rather their silence, that give any
lawfullness to that marriage: ffor as the proclaiming did take all
excuses from them, so my private and publick impugnatione did safe my
conscience sufficiently; and this farr I proceeded in this marriage,
as the Kirk of Edinburgh, lords, earles, and barrones that heard me,
beare me witnes. Now, seeing I have been shamefully sclandered, both
in Scotland be wrang informatione, and als report of them that hated
my ministrie, I desyre first the judgement of the Kirk, and next
the same to be published, that all men may understand whether I be
worthie sick ane bruit or not.
Sess. 5^a. December ultimo 1567.
Anent the complaint give in against my Lady Argyle, declaring how
sche once being at the table of the Lord Jesus, and professing his
Evangell, had revolted therefrae, in giving her assistance and
presence to the baptizing of the King in ane papisticall manner.
The said lady being present, grantit that she had offended to the
eternall God, and been ane sclander to the Kirk in committing the
premises; and therefore willingly submitted herself to the discipline
of the Kirk and discretioune of them. Therefore, the Kirk ordaines
the said lady to make publick repentance in the Chapell-Royall
of Stirling, upon ane Sonday in tyme of preaching; and this to
be done at sick tyme as the Kirk hereafter shall appoint to the
Superintendant of Lowthiane, provyding alwayes it be before the next
Assembly.