shouldest not fast.--My Lords, I find that fasting is commanded
in the Scripture; therefore I were a slanderer of the Gospel if I
contemned fasting. Not only so, I have learned by experience that
fasting is good for the health and conservation of the body. But God
knoweth only who fasteth the true fast.
18. Thou, false heretic, hast preached openly, saying, that the
souls of men shall sleep to the latter day of judgment, and shall
not obtain life immortal until that day.--God, full of mercy and
goodness, forgive him that sayeth such things of me. I wot and know
surely, by the Word of God, that the soul of him that hath begun to
have the faith of Jesus Christ and believeth firmly in Him, shall
never sleep, but ever shall live an immortal life. That life is
renewed in grace from day to day and augmented; nor shall it ever
perish or have an end, but shall ever live immortal with Christ its
Head. To this life, all that believe in Him shall come, and then
shall remain in eternal glory. Amen.
When the bishops, with their accomplices, had accused this innocent
man, in manner and form aforesaid, they incontinently condemned
him to be burned as a heretic, not having respect to his godly
answers and the true reasons which he alleged, nor yet to their own
consciences. They thought, verily, that they should do to God good
sacrifice, conformably to the sayings of Jesus Christ in the Gospel
of St. John, chapter sixteen: "They shall excommunicate you; yea,
and the time shall come that he which killeth you shall think that
he hath done to God good service."
The following is the prayer of Master George. "O immortal God!
how long shalt Thou suffer the wodness and great credulity of the
ungodly to exercise their fury upon Thy servants, who do further Thy
Word in this world. They desire to do the contrary, to choke and
destroy the true doctrine and truth, whereby Thou hast showed Thee
unto the world, which was all drowned in blindness and misknowledge
of Thy name. O Lord, we know surely that Thy true servants must
needs suffer, for Thy name's sake, persecution, affliction, and
troubles in this present life, which is but a shadow, as Thou hast
showed to us by Thy prophets and apostles. But yet we desire Thee,
merciful Father, that Thou wouldest preserve, defend, and help Thy
congregation, which Thou hast chosen before the beginning of the
world, and give them Thy grace to hear Thy word, and to be true
servants in this present life."
Then, by and by, the common people were removed (for their desire
was always to hear that innocent speak) and the sons of darkness
pronounced their sentence definitive, not having respect to the
judgment of God. When all this was done and said, my Lord Cardinal
caused his tormentors to pass again with the meek lamb unto the
Castle, until such time as the fire was made ready. When he was
come into the Castle, there came two Grey fiends, Friar Scott and
his mate, saying, "Sir, ye must make your confession unto us." He
answered and said, "I will make no confession unto you. Go fetch me
yonder man that preached this day, and I will make my confession
unto him." Then they sent for the Sub-prior of the Abbey, who came
to him with all diligence; but what he said in this confession I
cannot show.
When the fire and the gallows were made ready at the west part of
the Castle, near to the Priory, my Lord Cardinal, dreading that
Master George should have been taken away by his friends, commanded
his men to bend all the ordnance of the Castle against the place
of execution, and commanded all his gunners to be ready, and stand
beside their guns, until such time as he was burned. All this being
done, they bound Master George's hands behind his back, and led him
forth from the Castle with their soldiers, to the place of their
cruel and wicked execution. As he came forth from the Castle gate,
there met him certain beggars asking his alms, for God's sake. To
these he answered, "I want my hands, wherewith I was wont to give
you alms. But may the merciful Lord, who feedeth all men, vouchsafe
of His benignity and abundant grace to give you necessaries, both
for your bodies and souls." Then met him two false fiends--I should
say, Friars--saying, "Master George, pray to our Lady that she may
be a mediatrix for you to her Son." To them he answered meekly,
"Cease: tempt me not, my brethren." After this he was led to the
fire, with a rope about his neck, and a chain of iron about his
middle.
[Sidenote: Master George Wishart is brought to the Stake.]
When he came to the fire he sat down upon his knees, and rose again;
and thrice he said these words, "O Thou Saviour of the world, have
mercy upon me: Father of heaven, I commend my spirit into Thy
holy hands." When he had made this prayer, he turned him to the
people, and said these words: "I beseech you, Christian brethren
and sisters, that ye be not offended at the Word of God because of
the affliction and torments which ye see already prepared for me. I
exhort you that ye love the Word of God, your salvation, and suffer
patiently and with a comfortable heart, for the Word's sake, which
is your undoubted salvation and everlasting comfort. Moreover,
I pray you, urge upon those of my brethren and sisters who have
heard me oft before that they cease not nor leave off to learn that
Word of God which I taught them, according to the grace given unto
me--not for my persecution or troubles in this world, which lasteth
not. And show unto them that my doctrine was no wives' fables,
after the constitution made by men; if I had taught men's doctrine,
I should have gotten greater thanks from men. But, for the Word's
sake, and for the true Evangel, given to me by the grace of God, I
suffer this day by men, not sorrowfully, but with a glad heart and
mind. For this cause I was sent, that I should suffer this fire for
Christ's sake. Consider and behold my visage; ye shall not see me
change my colour. This grim fire I fear not; and so I pray you to
do, if any persecution come unto you for the Word's sake. Do not
fear them that slay the body, and afterwards have no power to slay
the soul. Some have said of me that I taught that the soul of man
should sleep until the last day; but I know surely that this night,
before six o'clock, my soul shall sup with my Saviour, for whom I
suffer this."
Then Master George prayed for them that accused him, saying, "I
beseech Thee, Father of Heaven, to forgive them that have of any
ignorance, or else of any evil mind, forged lies upon me; I forgive
them with all mine heart: I beseech Christ to forgive them that
have condemned me to death this day, ignorantly." And last of all,
he said to the people on this manner, "I beseech you, brethren and
sisters, to exhort your prelates to the learning of the Word of God,
that they at least may be ashamed to do evil and learn to do good;
and if they will not convert themselves from their wicked error,
there shall hastily come upon them the wrath of God, and that they
shall not eschew."
Many faithful words said he in the meantime, taking no heed or care
of the cruel torments which were then prepared for him. Then, last
of all, the hangman that was his tormentor, sat down upon his knees,
and said, "Sir, I pray you, forgive me, for I am not guilty of your
death." To whom he answered, "Come hither to me." When he was come
to him, he kissed his cheek, and said, "Lo! here is a token that I
forgive thee. My heart, do thine office." And then by and by he was
put upon the gibbet, and hanged, and there burned to powder. When
the people beheld the great tormenting of that innocent, they could
not refrain from piteous mourning and complaining of the innocent
lamb's slaughter.
[Sidenote: Vengeance on the Cardinal is vowed.]
After the death of this blessed martyr of God, the people began, in
plain speaking, to damn and detest the cruelty that was used. Yea,
men of great birth, estimation, and honour, avowed at open tables
that the blood of the said Master George should be revenged, or else
it should cost life for life. Amongst these John Leslie, brother
to the Earl of Rothes, was the chief; for he spared not to say in
all companies, "This same whinger," drawing his dagger, "and this
same hand, shall be priests to the Cardinal." These bruits came to
the Cardinal's ears; but he thought himself stout enough for all
Scotland; for in Babylon, that is, in his new block-house, he was
secure, as he thought; and upon the field he was able to match all
his enemies. To write the truth, the most part of the nobility of
Scotland had either given unto him their bonds of manrent, or else
were in confederacy, and promised amity with him....
After Easter, the Cardinal came to Edinburgh to hold the seinye,[89]
as the Papists term their unhappy assembly of Baal's shaven sort.
It was bruited that something was purposed against him at that time
by the Earl of Angus and his friends, whom he mortally hated, and
whose destruction he sought. But it failed, and so returned he to
his strength; yea, to his god and only comfort, as well in heaven
as in earth. And there he remained without the least fear of death,
promising unto himself no less pleasure than did the rich man of
whom mention is made by our Master in the Evangel. He did not only
rejoice and say, "Eat and be glad, my soul, for thou hast great
riches laid up in store for many days;" but also, "Tush, a fig for
the feud, and a button for the bragging of all the heretics and
their assistants in Scotland. Is not my Lord Governor mine? Witness
his eldest son there in pledge at my table? Have I not the Queen
at my own devotion? (He alluded to the mother of Mary that now
mischievously reigns.) Is not France my friend, and am not I friend
to France? What danger should I fear?" Thus, in vanity, the carnal
Cardinal delighted himself a little before his death....
[89] Synod; consistory.
Early upon Saturday morning, the twenty-ninth of May 1546, there
were sundry companies in the Abbey kirk-yard, in St. Andrews, not
far distant from the Castle. The gates of the Castle being opened,
and the draw-bridge let down for admission of lime and stones
and other things necessary for building, for Babylon was almost
finished, William Kirkaldy of Grange, younger, and with him six
persons, got entrance, and held purpose with the porter, inquiring
"If my Lord was walking?" He answered, "No." While the said William
and the porter talked, and his servants pretended to look at the
work and the workmen, Norman Leslie approached with his company;
and, because they were in no great number, they easily got entrance.
They directed their course to the very middle of the close, and
immediately thereafter came John Leslie, somewhat rudely, and four
persons with him. The porter, taking fright, would have drawn the
bridge; but the said John, being entered thereon, stayed and leapt
in. When the porter made for his defence, his head was broken, the
keys were taken from him, and he cast into the fosse; and so the
place was seized.
Shouts arose; the workmen, to the number of more than a hundred,
ran off the walls, and were without hurt put forth at the wicket
gate. The first thing, William Kirkaldy took the guard of the privy
postern, fearing that the fox should escape. Then went the rest to
the gentlemen's chambers, and without violence done to any man, put
more than fifty persons to the gate. The number that enterprised and
did this was but sixteen persons. The Cardinal, awakened with the
shouts, asked from his window what that noise meant. It was answered
that Norman Leslie had taken his Castle. This understood, he ran for
his postern; but, perceiving the passage to be guarded, he returned
quickly to his chamber, took his two-handed sword, and gart[90] his
chamber-child move chests and other impediments to the door.
[90] Caused.
In the meantime came John Leslie and bade the door be opened. The
Cardinal asking, "Who calls?" he answered, "My name is Leslie."
He again asked, "Is that Norman?" The other said, "Nay; my name
is John." "I will have Norman," said the Cardinal; "for he is my
friend." "Content yourself with such as are here; ye shall get none
other." With the said John were James Melvin, a man familiarly
acquainted with Master George Wishart, and Peter Carmichael, a
stout[91] gentleman. While they forced at the door, the Cardinal
hid a box of gold under coals that were laid in a secret corner. At
length he asked, "Will ye save my life?" The said John answered,
"It may be that we will." "Nay," said the Cardinal, "Swear unto me
by God's wounds, and I will open unto you." Then answered the said
John, "It that was said, is unsaid;" and cried, "Fire, Fire," for
the door was very stark.[92] Then was brought a chimley[93] full of
burning coals. This perceived, the Cardinal or his chamber-child
opened the door, and the Cardinal sat down in a chair and cried, "I
am a priest, I am a priest; ye will not slay me."
[91] Staunch.
[92] Strong.
[93] Fire-basket.
[Sidenote: Assassination of Cardinal Beaton: 29th May 1546.]
John Leslie, according to his former vows, struck the Cardinal
once or twice, and so did the said Peter. But James Melvin, a man
of nature most gentle and most modest, perceiving that they were
both in choler, withdrew them, and said, "This work and judgment of
God, although it be secret, ought to be done with greater gravity."
Presenting the point of his sword at the Cardinal, he said, "Repent
thee of thy former wicked life, but especially of the shedding of
the blood of that notable instrument of God, Master George Wishart,
which, albeit the flame of fire consumed it before men, yet cries a
vengeance upon thee. We are sent from God to revenge it: for here,
before my God, I protest that neither the hatred of thy person, nor
the love of thy riches, nor the fear of any trouble thou couldst
have brought on me in particular, doth move me to strike thee, I
do so only because thou hast been and remainest an obstinate enemy
against Christ Jesus and His holy Evangel." And so he struck him
twice or thrice through with a stog sword;[94] and so the Cardinal
fell, never word heard out of his mouth, but "I am a priest, I am a
priest: fie, fie: all is gone."
[94] Long small sword.
The death of this tyrant was dolorous to the priests, dolorous
to the Governor, most dolorous to the Queen Dowager; for in him
perished faithfulness to France, and comfort to all gentlewomen,
especially to wanton widows: his death must be revenged.... The
Archbishop, to declare the zeal that he had to revenge the death
of him that was his predecessor (and yet he would not have had him
living again) still blew the coals. And first, he caused to be
summoned, then denounced, accursed, and last, proclaimed rebels, not
only the first enterprisers, but all such as did accompany them. And
last of all, the siege of the Castle was decided upon.
[Sidenote: The Reforming Party is besieged in the Castle of St.
Andrews.]
The siege began in the end of August; for on the twenty-third day
thereof the soldiers departed from Edinburgh, and it continued until
near the end of January. At that time, they had no other hope of
winning it but by hunger; and of that they were despaired, for those
within had broken through the east wall, and made a plain passage
by an iron gate to the sea. This greatly relieved the besieged, and
abased the besiegers; for they could not stop them of victuals,
unless they should be masters of the sea, and that they clearly
understood they could not be.
The English ships had been there once already, and had brought
William Kirkaldy from London, and had taken with them to the
Court of England, John Leslie and Master Henry Balnaves, for the
perfecting of all contracts. King Harry had promised to take them
into his protection, upon condition that they should keep the
Governor's son, my Lord of Arran, and stand friends to the contract
of marriage before mentioned. These things clearly understood by the
Governor and by his Council, the priests, and the shaven sort, they
concluded to make an Appointment, to the end that they might either
get the Castle betrayed, or else some principal men of the company
taken unawares.
[Sidenote: A treacherous Truce.]
The heads of the coloured Appointment were:--1. That they should
keep the Castle of St. Andrews, until the Governor and the authority
of Scotland should get unto them a sufficient absolution from
the Pope, Antichrist of Rome, for the slaughter of the Cardinal
foresaid. 2. That they should deliver pledges for delivery of that
House as soon as the absolution should be delivered unto them. 3.
That they, their friends, familiars, servants, and others pertaining
to them, should never, for the slaughter foresaid, be pursued at law
or by the law, by the authority. Also, that they should bruik[95]
spiritual or temporal commodities, possessed before the said
slaughter, even as if it had never been committed. 4. That they of
the Castle should keep the Earl of Arran, so long as their pledges
were kept. There were other such articles, and all were liberal
enough; for the Governor and his Council never intended to keep a
word of them, as the issue did declare.
[95] Enjoy; possess.
[Sidenote: John Rough resumes Preaching.]
The Appointment was made, and all the godly were glad; for they had
some hope that thereby God's Word should somewhat bud, as indeed
it did. For John Rough, who had entered the Castle soon after the
Cardinal's slaughter, and had continued with them during the siege,
began to preach in St. Andrews. Albeit he was not the most learned,
his doctrine was without corruption, and therefore well liked by the
people.
[Sidenote: John Knox comes to the Castle of St. Andrews.]
At the Easter following, John Knox came to the Castle of St.
Andrews. Wearied of removing from place to place, by reason of the
persecution that came upon him by this Archbishop of St. Andrews,
he had determined to have left Scotland, and to have visited the
schools of Germany. Of England he had no pleasure then. There,
albeit the Pope's name had been suppressed, his laws and corruptions
remained in full vigour. But the said John had the care of some
gentlemen's children, whom for certain years he had nourished in
godliness, and their fathers solicited him to go to St. Andrews,
that he himself might have the protection of the Castle, and their
children the benefit of his tuition. So came he thither at the time
mentioned, and, having in his company Frances Douglas of Longniddry,
George his brother, and Alexander Cockburn, then eldest son to the
Laird of Ormiston, he began to exercise them after his accustomed
manner.
Besides their grammar and other human authors, he read to his
pupils a catechism of which he caused them to give an account
publicly, in the Parish Kirk of St. Andrews. Moreover, he read unto
them the Evangel of John, and that lecture he delivered in the
chapel within the Castle, at a certain hour. Those of the place,
but especially Master Henry Balnaves and John Rough, preacher,
perceiving the manner of his doctrine, began earnestly to travail
with him that he would take the preaching place upon him. But he
utterly refused, alleging that he would not run where God had not
called him; meaning that he would do nothing without a lawful
vocation.
[Sidenote: John Knox is called to the Office of Preacher.]
Whereupon, advising privily among themselves, and having with them
Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount, they decided to give a charge to
the said John, and that publicly by the mouth of their preacher.
And so, upon a certain day, a sermon was delivered concerning the
election of ministers--what power the congregation (however small,
passing the number of two or three) had over any man in whom they
supposed and espied the gifts of God to be, and how dangerous it
was to refuse, and not to hear the voice of such as desired to be
instructed. Then the said John Rough, preacher, directed his words
to the said John Knox, saying, "Brother, ye must not be offended
if I speak unto you that which I have in charge from all those
that are here present, namely this: In the name of God and of His
Son Jesus Christ, and in the name of these that presently call you
by my mouth, I charge you that ye refuse not this holy vocation,
but that--as ye seek the glory of God, the increase of Christ's
Kingdom, the edification of your brethren, and the comfort of me,
whom ye well enough understand to be oppressed by the multitude of
labours--ye take upon you the public office and charge of preaching,
even as ye look to avoid God's heavy displeasure, and desire that He
shall multiply His graces with you."
In the end, the preacher said to those that were present, "Was
not this your charge to me? And do ye not approve this vocation?"
They answered, "It was; and we approve it." Thereat the said John,
abashed, burst forth in most abundant tears, and withdrew himself
to his chamber. His countenance and behaviour, from that day until
the day that he was compelled to present himself in the public place
of preaching, did sufficiently declare the grief and trouble of his
heart. No man saw in him any sign of mirth, nor yet had he pleasure
to accompany any man, for many days together.
[Sidenote: John Knox denounces the Roman Kirk: his Challenge.]
Another necessity caused him to enter the public place, besides
the vocation foresaid. Dean John Annan, a rotten Papist, had long
troubled John Rough in his preaching: and the said John Knox had
fortified the doctrine of the preacher by his pen, and had beaten
the said Dean John from all defences, so that he was compelled to
fly to his last refuge, that is, to the authority of the Church,
"which authority," said he, "damned all Lutherans and heretics; and
therefore he needed no further disputation." John Knox answered,
"Before we hold ourselves convicted, or ye can sufficiently prove us
so, we must define the Church, by the right notes of the true Church
given to us in God's Scriptures. We must discern the immaculate
spouse of Jesus Christ from the Mother of Confusion, spiritual
Babylon, lest imprudently we embrace a harlot instead of the chaste
spouse; yea, to speak it in plain words, lest we submit ourselves
to Satan, thinking that we submit ourselves to Jesus Christ. For,
as for your Roman Kirk, as it is now corrupted, and the authority
thereof, wherein stands the hope of your victory, I no more doubt
that it is the synagogue of Satan, and the head thereof, called the
Pope, that man of sin of whom the Apostle speaks, than do I doubt
that Jesus Christ suffered by the procurement of the visible Kirk of
Jerusalem. Yea, I offer myself to prove, by word or writing, that
the Roman Church is this day further degenerate from the purity
which was in the days of the Apostles than was the Church of the
Jews from the ordinance given by Moses, when it consented to the
innocent death of Christ."
These words were spoken in open audience, in the parish Kirk of
Saint Andrews, after the said Dean John Annan had spoken as it
pleased him, and had refused to dispute. The people, hearing the
offer, cried with one consent, "We cannot all read your writings,
but we may all hear your preaching; therefore we require you, in
the name of God, that ye let us hear the probation of that which ye
have affirmed; for if it be true, we have been miserably deceived."
And so, the next Sunday was appointed to the said John to express
his mind in the public preaching place.
[Sidenote: The first Public Sermon of John Knox is made in the
Parish Kirk of St. Andrews.]
The day approaching, the said John took the text written in Daniel,
the seventh chapter, beginning thus: "And another King shall rise
after them, and he shall be unlike unto the first, and he shall
subdue three kings, and shall speak words against the Most High, and
shall consume the saints of the Most High, and think that he may
change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hands until
a time, and times, and dividing of times."