reconciliation. But the blood of the innocent servant of God buried
in oblivion all that bragging and boasting; for the Archbishop of
Glasgow was the first unto whom the Cardinal wrote, signifying unto
him what was done, and earnestly craving of him that he would
assist with his presence and counsel, that such an enemy unto their
estate might be suppressed. Thereto the other was not slow, but
kept time appointed, sat next to the Cardinal, voted and subscribed
first in the rank, and lay over the east block-house with the said
Cardinal, until the martyr of God was consumed by fire. For we must
note that as all these beasts consented in heart to the slaughter
of that innocent, so did they approve it with their presence,
having the whole ordnance of the Castle of St. Andrews bent towards
the place of execution, ready to have shot if any would have made
defence or rescue to God's servant.
Upon the last day of February,[81] by the commandment of the
Cardinal and his wicked Council, the Dean of the town was sent to
the prison where lay the servant of God, the said Master George
Wishart. Him he summoned to appear before the judge upon the
following morning, then and there to give account of his seditious
and heretical doctrine. The said Master George answered: "What
needeth my Lord Cardinal to summon me to answer for my doctrine
openly before him under whose power and dominion I am thus straitly
bound in irons? May not my Lord compel me to answer to his
extortionate power; or believeth he that I am not prepared to render
account of my doctrine? To manifest what kind of men ye are, it is
well that ye keep your old ceremonies and constitutions made by men."
[81] Knox acknowledges that he has here incorporated John Foxe's
account of the trial of Wishart.
[Sidenote: Master George Wishart before the Cardinal's Tribunal.]
Upon the next morn, my Lord Cardinal caused his servants to dress
themselves in their most warlike array, with jack, knapscall,[82]
splent,[83] spear, and axe, more seemly for war than for the
preaching of the true Word of God. And when these armed champions,
marching in warlike order, had conveyed the Archbishops into the
Abbey Church, incontinently they sent for Master George, who was
conveyed unto the said church by the captain of the Castle and a
hundred men dressed in manner foresaid. Like a lamb led they him to
sacrifice. As he entered the Abbey Church door, a poor man, vexed
with great infirmities, asked his alms. To him he flung his purse.
When he had come before the Cardinal, the sub-prior of the Abbey,
Dean John Winram, stood up in the pulpit and made a sermon to all
the congregation there assembled, taking his matter out of the
thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
[82] Head-piece.
[83] Armour for the legs.
[Sidenote: The Sub-prior preaches on Heresy.]
His sermon was divided into four principal parts. The first was a
short and brief declaration concerning the evangelist. The second
was of the interpretation of the good seed; and because he called
the Word of God the good seed, and heresy the evil seed, he declared
what heresy was and how it should be known. He defined in this
manner: "Heresy is a false opinion, defended with pertinacity,
clearly repugning to the Word of God." The third part of his sermon
was concerning the cause of heresy within that realm and all other
realms. "The cause of heresy," quoth he, "is the ignorance of those
who have the cure of men's souls. To them it necessarily belongeth
to have the true understanding of the Word of God, that they may be
able to win again the false doctors of heresies, with the sword of
the Spirit which is the Word of God; and not only to win again, but
also to overcome, as saith Paul, 'a bishop must be faultless, as
becometh the minister of God, not stubborn, nor angry; no drunkard,
no fighter, not given to filthy lucre; but harberous,[84] one that
loveth goodness, sober minded, righteous, holy, temperate, and such
as cleaveth unto the true word of the doctrine, that he may be able
to exhort with wholesome learning, and to improve that which they
say against him.'"
[84] Hospitable.
The fourth part of his sermon was as to how heresies should be
known. "Heresies be known on this manner. As the goldsmith knoweth
the fine gold from the imperfect, by use of the touchstone, so
likewise may we know heresy by the undoubted touchstone, that is,
the true, sincere, and undefiled Word of God." At the last, he added
that "heretics should be put down in this present life. The Gospel
appeared to repugn this proposition--'let them both grow unto the
harvest.' The harvest is the end of the world: nevertheless, he
affirmed, they should be put down by the civil magistrate and law."
[Sidenote: A fed Sow accuses and curses Master George.]
When the Sub-prior ended his sermon, incontinently they caused
Master George to ascend into the pulpit, there to hear his
accusation and articles. Right against him stood up one of the fed
flock, a monster, John Lauder, laden full of cursing written on
paper. Of these he took out a roll both long and full of cursings,
threatenings, maledictions, and words of devilish spite and malice,
saying to the innocent Master George so many cruel and abominable
words, and hitting him so spitefully with the Pope's thunder, that
the ignorant people dreaded lest the earth then would have swallowed
him up quick. Notwithstanding, he stood still with great patience
hearing these sayings, not once moving or changing his countenance.
When this fed sow had read throughout all his lying menaces, his
face running down with sweat and he frothing at the mouth like a
bear, he spat at Mr. George's face, saying "What answerest thou,
thou runagate, traitor, and thief, to these sayings, which we have
duly proved by sufficient witness against thee?" Master George,
hearing this, sat down upon his knees in the pulpit, making his
prayer to God. When he had ended his prayer, sweetly and Christianly
he answered to them all in this manner.
[Sidenote: His Oration in Reply to his Accusers.]
"Many and horrible sayings, many words abominable to hear, ye have
spoken here unto me a Christian man this day, words which, not only
to teach but also to think, I thought it ever great abomination.
Wherefore, I pray you quietly to hear me, that ye may know what
were my sayings, and the manner of my doctrine. This my petition,
my Lords, I desire to be heard for three causes. The first is that
through preaching of the Word of God, His glory is made manifest. It
is reasonable, therefore, for the advancement of the glory of God,
that ye hear me preaching truly the pure and sincere Word of God,
without any dissimulation. The second reason is that your health
springeth of the Word of God, for He worketh all things by His Word.
It were therefore an unrighteous thing, if ye should stop your ears
when I am teaching truly the Word of God. The third reason is that
your doctrine speaketh forth many pestilentious, blasphemous, and
abominable words, coming by the inspiration not of God, but of the
Devil, on no less peril than my life. It is just, therefore, and
reasonable, that you should know what my words and doctrine are, and
what I have ever taught in my time in this realm, so that I perish
not unjustly, to the great peril of your souls. Wherefore, both for
the glory and honour of God, your own health, and the safeguard of
my life, I beseech your discretions to hear me, and in the meantime
I shall recite my doctrine without any choler.
"First, and chiefly, since the time I came into this realm, I have
taught nothing but the ten commandments of God, the twelve articles
of the faith, and the prayer of the Lord, in the mother tongue.
Moreover, in Dundee, I taught the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans;
and I shall show faithfully what fashion and manner I used when I
taught, without any human dread, so that your discretions give me
your ears benevolent and attent."
Suddenly then, with a high voice, cried the accuser, the fed sow,
"Thou heretic, runagate, traitor, and thief, it was not lawful for
thee to preach. Thou hast taken the power at thine own hand, without
any authority of the Church. We forethink[85] that thou hast been a
preacher so long." Then said the whole congregation of the prelates,
with their accomplices, "If we give him licence to preach, he is so
crafty and in Holy Scripture so exercised that he will persuade the
people to his opinion, and raise them against us."
[85] Repent.
Master George, seeing their malicious and wicked intent, appealed
from the Lord Cardinal to the Lord Governor, as to an indifferent
and equal judge. The accuser, John Lauder, with hoggish voice
answered, "Is not my Lord Cardinal the second person within this
realm, Chancellor of Scotland, Archbishop of St. Andrews, Bishop
of Mirepoix, Commendator of Arbroath, _Legatus Natus_, _Legatus a
Latere_?" And so reciting as many titles of his unworthy honours as
would have laden a ship, much sooner an ass,--"Is not he," quoth
John Lauder, "an equal judge apparently to thee? Whom else desirest
thou to be thy judge?"
This humble man answered, "I refuse not my Lord Cardinal, but I
desire the Word of God to be my judge, and the Temporal Estate,
with some of your Lordships, my auditors; because I am here my Lord
Governor's prisoner." Whereupon the prideful and scornful people
that stood by, mocked him, saying, "Such man, such judge!" speaking
seditious and reproachful words against the Governor and other the
nobles, meaning them also to be heretics. Incontinent, without
delay, they would have given sentence upon Master George, and that
without further process, had not certain men there counselled my
Lord Cardinal to read again the articles, and to hear his answers
thereupon, that the people might not complain of his wrongful
condemnation.
Shortly declared, the following were the articles, with his answers,
as far as they would give him leave to speak; for when he intended
to mitigate their lesings[86] and show the manner of his doctrines,
by and by they stopped his mouth with another article.
[86] Lying.
1. Thou, false heretic, runagate, traitor, and thief, deceiver of
the people, despisest the holy Church, and in like case contemnest
my Lord Governor's authority. And we know for surety that, when
thou preachedst in Dundee, and wast charged by my Lord Governor's
authority to desist, thou wouldest not obey, but persevered in the
same. And therefore the Bishop of Brechin cursed thee, and delivered
thee into the Devil's hand, and gave thee commandment that thou
shouldest preach no more. Yet, notwithstanding, thou didst continue
obstinately.--My Lords, I have read in the Acts of the Apostles,
that it is not lawful, for the threats and menacings of men, to
desist from the preaching of the Evangel. It is written, "We shall
rather obey God than men." I have also read in the Prophet Malachi,
"I shall curse your blessings, and bless your cursings, says the
Lord:" believing firmly that He would turn your cursings into
blessings.
2. Thou, false heretic, didst say that a priest standing at the
altar saying Mass was like a fox wagging his tail in July.--My
Lords, I said not so. These were my sayings. The moving of the body
outward, without the inward moving of the heart, is nought else but
the playing of an ape, and not the true serving of God; for God is a
secret searcher of men's hearts. Therefore, who will truly adorn and
honour God, he must in spirit and verity honour Him.
Then the accuser stopped his mouth with another article.
3. Thou, false heretic, preachest against the Sacraments, saying
that there are not seven Sacraments.--My Lords, if it be your
pleasure, I taught never of the number of the Sacraments, whether
they were seven or eleven. So many as are instituted by Christ, and
are shown to us by the Evangel, I profess openly. Except it be the
Word of God, I dare affirm nothing.
4. Thou, false heretic, hast openly taught that auricular confession
is not a blessed sacrament; and thou sayest that we should only
confess to God, and to no priest.--My Lords, I say that auricular
confession, seeing that it hath no promise of the Evangel, cannot
be a sacrament. Of the confession to be made to God, there are many
testimonies in Scripture; as when David saith, "I thought I would
acknowledge my iniquity against myself unto the Lord; and He forgave
the trespasses of my sins." Here, confession signifieth the secret
knowledge of our sins before God. When I exhorted the people on
this manner, I reproved no manner of confession. And further, St.
James saith, "Acknowledge your sins one to another, and so let you
to have peace amongst yourselves." Here the Apostle meaneth nothing
of auricular confession, but that we should acknowledge and confess
ourselves to be sinners before our brethren and before the world,
and not esteem ourselves as the Grey Friars do, thinking themselves
already purged.
When he had said these words, the horned bishops and their
accomplices cried, and girned[87] with their teeth, saying, "See ye
not what colours he hath in his speech, that he may beguile us, and
seduce us to his opinion."
[87] Gnashed.
5. Thou, heretic, didst say openly, that it was necessary to every
man to know and understand his baptism, and that it was contrary
to general councils, and the estates of Holy Church.--My Lords, I
believe there be none so unwise here that will make merchandise
with a Frenchman, or any other unknown stranger, except he know and
understand first the condition or promise made by the Frenchman or
stranger. So, likewise, I would that we understood what things we
promise in the name of the infant unto God in baptism. For this
cause, I believe ye have confirmation.
Then said Master Bleiter, chaplain, that he had the devil within
him, and the spirit of error. A child answered him, "The Devil
cannot speak such words as yonder man doth speak."
6. Thou, false heretic, traitor, and thief, saidst that the
Sacrament of the altar was but a piece of bread, baken upon the
ashes, and nothing else; and all that is there done is but a
superstitious rite against the commandment of God....--O Lord God!
So manifest lies and blasphemies the Scripture doth not teach you.
As concerning the Sacrament of the altar, my Lords, I never taught
anything against the Scripture, which I shall, by God's grace, make
manifest this day, I being ready therefor to suffer death.
The lawful use of the Sacrament is most acceptable unto God: the
great abuse of it is very detestable unto Him. But what occasion
they have to say such words of me, I shall shortly show your
Lordships. I once chanced to meet with a Jew, when I was sailing
upon the water of Rhine. I did inquire of him what was the cause of
his pertinacity in not believing that the true Messias was come,
considering that they had seen fulfilled all the prophecies which
were spoken of Him; moreover, the prophecies taken away, and the
sceptre of Judah. By many other testimonies of the Scripture, I
vanquished him, and proved that Messias was come, whom they called
Jesus of Nazareth. This Jew answered me, "When Messias cometh, he
shall restore all things, and he shall not abrogate the Law, which
was given to our fathers, as ye do. For why? we see the poor almost
perish through hunger among you, yet you are not moved with pity
towards them; but among us Jews, though we be poor, there are no
beggars found. Secondly, it is forbidden by the Law to feign any
kind of imagery of things in heaven above or in the earth beneath
or in the sea under the earth, but one God only to honour: your
sanctuaries and churches are full of idols. Thirdly, ye adore and
worship a piece of bread baken upon the ashes, and say that it is
your God." I have rehearsed here but the sayings of the Jew, which I
never affirmed to be true.
Then the bishops shook their heads, and spat on the ground. What he
meant to say further in this matter, they would not hear.
7. Thou, false heretic, didst say that extreme unction was not a
sacrament.--My Lords, forsooth, I never taught anything of extreme
unction in my doctrine, whether it was a sacrament or no.
8. Thou, false heretic, saidst that the holy water is not so good
as wash, and such like. Thou contemnest conjuring, and sayest that
Holy Church's cursing availeth not.--My Lords, as for holy water,
of what strength it is, I never taught in my doctrine. Conjurings
and exorcisms, if they were conformable to the Word of God, I
would commend. But in so far as they are not conformable to the
commandment and Word of God, I reprove them.
9. Thou, false heretic and runagate, hast said that every layman
is a priest; and thou sayest that the Pope hath no more power than
any other man.--My Lords, I taught nothing but the Word of God. I
remember that I have read in some places in St. John and St. Peter,
of whom one sayeth, "He hath made us kings and priests;" the other
sayeth, "He hath made us the kingly priesthood." Wherefore, I have
affirmed that any man, being cunning and perfect in the Word of God
and the true faith of Jesus Christ, has his power given him from
God, and that not by the power or violence of men, but by the virtue
of the Word of God--the Word which is called the power of God, as
St. Paul witnesseth evidently enough. And again I say that any
unlearned man, not exercised in the Word of God, nor yet constant
in his faith, of whatsoever estate or order he be, hath no power
to bind or loose, seeing he lacketh the instrument by the which he
bindeth or looseth, that is to say, the Word of God.
After he had said these words all the bishops laughed, and mocked
him. When he beheld their laughing, "Laugh ye," saith he, "my Lords?
Though these my sayings appear scornful and worthy of derision to
your Lordships, they are nevertheless very weighty to me, and of a
great value; because they stand not only upon my life, but also the
honour and glory of God."
In the meantime many godly men, beholding the wodness[88] and great
cruelty of the bishops, and the invincible patience of the said
Master George, did greatly mourn and lament.
[88] Fury.
10. Thou, false heretic, saidst that a man hath no free will,
but is like to the Stoics, who say that it is not in man's will
to do anything, but that concupiscence and desire cometh of God,
of whatsoever kind it be.--My Lords, I said not so, truly: I say
that unto as many as believe in Christ firmly is given liberty,
conformable to the saying of St. John, "If the Son make you free,
then shall ye verily be free." Of the contrary, as many as believe
not in Christ Jesus, they are bound servants of sin: "He that
sinneth is bound to sin."
11. Thou, false heretic, sayest it is as lawful to eat flesh upon
Friday, as on Sunday.--May it please your Lordships, I have read in
the Epistles of St. Paul that "to the clean, all things are clean."
Of the contrary, "To filthy men, all things are unclean." A faithful
man, clean and holy, sanctifieth by the Word the creature of God;
but the creature maketh no man acceptable unto God: so that a
creature may not sanctify any impure and unfaithful man. But to the
faithful man, all things are sanctified by the prayer of the Word of
God.
After these sayings of Master George, all the bishops, with their
accomplices, said, "What witness need we against him: hath he not
openly here spoken blasphemy?"
12. Thou, false heretic, dost say that we should not pray to
saints, but to God only. Say whether thou hast said this or no:
say shortly.--For the weakness and the infirmity of the hearers,
without doubt, plainly, saints should not be honoured or called
upon. My Lords, there are two things worthy of note: the one is
certain and the other uncertain. It is found plainly and certain in
Scriptures that we should worship and honour one God, according to
the saying of the first commandment, "Thou shall only worship and
honour thy Lord God with all thy heart." But as to praying to and
honouring of saints, there is great doubt among many, whether or no
they hear invocation made unto them. Therefore, I exhorted all men
equally in my doctrine that they should leave the unsure way, and
follow the way which was taught us by our Master Christ: He only is
our Mediator, and maketh intercession for us to God, His Father: He
is the door, by which we must enter in: He that entereth not in by
this door, but climbeth another way, is a thief and a murderer: He
is the truth and life. There is no doubt but he that goeth out of
this way shall fall into the mire; yea, verily, he is fallen into
it already. This is the fashion of my doctrine, which I have ever
followed. Verily, that which I have heard and read in the Word of
God I taught openly and in no corners, and now ye shall witness
the same, if your Lordships will hear me. I dare not be so bold as
affirm anything unless it agree with the Word of God.
These sayings he rehearsed divers times.
13. Thou, false heretic, hast preached plainly that there is no
purgatory, and that it is a feigned thing that any man, after this
life, will be punished in purgatory.--My Lords, as I have oftentimes
said heretofore, without express witness and testimony of Scripture,
I dare affirm nothing. I have oft and divers times read over the
Bible, and yet such a term found I never, nor yet any place of
Scripture applicable thereto. Therefore, I was ashamed ever to teach
of that which I could not find in Scripture.
Then said he to Master John Lauder, his accuser, "If you have any
testimony of the Scripture, by the which ye may prove any such
place, show it now before this audience." But that dolt had not a
word to say for himself, but was as dumb as a beetle in that matter.
14. Thou, false heretic, hast taught plainly against the vows of
monks, friars, nuns, and priests, saying that whosoever was bound by
such vows did vow themselves to the state of damnation. Moreover,
thou hast taught that it was lawful for priests to marry wives,
and not to live sole.--Of sooth, my Lords, I have read in the
Evangel that there are three kinds of chaste men: some are gelded
from their mother's womb; some are gelded by men; and some have
gelded themselves for the kingdom of heaven's sake: verily, I say,
these men are blessed by the Scripture of God. But as many as have
not the gift of chastity, nor yet for the Evangel have overcome
the concupiscence of the flesh, and have vowed chastity, ye have
experience, although I should hold my tongue, to what inconvenience
they have vowed themselves.
When he had said these words, they were all dumb, thinking it better
to have ten concubines, than one married wife.
15. Thou, false heretic and runagate, sayest that thou wilt not
obey our General or Provincial Councils.--My Lords, I know not what
your General Councils are. I never studied that matter; but gave my
labours to the pure Word of God. Read here your General Councils, or
else give me a book wherein they are contained, that I may read of
them. If they agree with the Word of God, I will not disagree.
Then the ravening wolves became mad, and said, "Whereunto do we
let him speak any further? Read forth the rest of the articles,
and stay not upon them." Amongst these cruel tigers there was one
false hypocrite, a seducer of the people, called John Scott, who,
standing behind John Lauder's back, hasted him to read the rest of
the articles, and not to tarry for Master George's witty and godly
answers; "For we may not abide them," quoth he, "no more than the
Devil may abide the sign of the Cross when it is named."
16. Thou, heretic, sayest, that it is vain to build to the honour of
God costly churches, seeing that God remaineth not in churches made
by men's hands, nor yet can God be in so little space, as betwixt
the priest's hands.--My Lords, Solomon saith, "If the heaven of
heavens cannot comprehend Thee, how much less this house that I have
builded." And Job consenteth to the same sentence, saying, "Seeing
that He is higher than the heavens, what canst thou build unto
Him? He is deeper than the hell, then how shalt thou know Him? He
is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea." God cannot be
comprehended into one space, because He is infinite. These sayings
notwithstanding, I never said that churches should be destroyed;
but, on the contrary, I ever affirmed that churches should be
sustained and upholden, and that the people should be congregated
in them to hear the Word of God preached. Moreover, wheresoever
there is the true preaching of the Word of God and the lawful use of
the Sacraments, undoubtedly God is there Himself. Thus, both these
sayings are true together. God cannot be comprehended into any one
place: and, "Wheresoever there are two or three gathered in His
name, there is He present in the midst of them."
Then said he to his accuser, "If thou thinkest any otherwise, then I
say, show further thy reasons before this audience." He, without all
reason, was dumb, and could not answer a word.