yea, alace, O Lord, our owne consciences bear us record that we
are unworthie that thou should either encreass or yet continue thy
graces with us, be reason of our horrible ingratitude. In our extreme
miseries we called, and thou in the multitude of thy mercies heard us;
and first thou delivered us from the tyrannie of mercieless strangers,
next from the bondage of idolatry, and last from the yoak of that
wretched woman, the mother of all mischief, and in her place thou
didst erect her sonne, and to supply his infancie thou didst appoynt
a regent endued with such graces as the divell himself cannot accuse
or justly convict him, this only excepted that foolish pity did so
farre prevaill in him, concerning execution and punishment which
thou commanded to have been executed upon her, and upon her complices,
the murtherers of her husband. O Lord, in what miserie and confusion
found he this realme! To what rest and quietnesse now be his labours
suddanlie he brought the same, all estates, but speciallie the poor
commons, can witness. Thy image, Lord, did so clearlie shyne in that
personage, that the {403} divell, and the wicked to whom he is prince,
could not abyde it. And so to punish our sinnes and ingratitude, who
did not ryghtlie esteem so pretious a gift, thou hes permitted him
to fall, to our great griefe, in the hands of cruell and traterous
murtherers. He is at rest, O Lord, and we are left in extreme miserie!
Be mercifull to us, and suffer not Satan to prevaill against thy
little flocke within this realme, neither yet, O Lord, let bloode
thirsty men come to the end of their wicked enterprises. Preserve,
O Lord, our young king, although he be ane infant; give unto him the
spirit of sanctification, with encreasse of the same as he groweth
in yeares. Let his raigne, O Lord, be such as thou may be glorified,
and thy little flock comforted by it. Seeing that we are now left as
a flock without a pastor in civill policie, and as a shippe without
a rudder in the midst of the storm, let thy providence watch, Lord,
and defend us in these dangerous dayes, that the wicked of the world
may see that as weill without the help of man, as with it, thou art
able to rule, maintain, and defend the little flock that dependeth
upon thee. And because, O Lord, the shedding of innocent bloode hes
ever been, and yet is odious in thy presence, yea, that it defyleth
the whole land where it is shed and not punished, we crave of thee,
for Christ thy sonnes sake, that thou wilt so try and punish the two
treasonable and cruell murthers latelie committed, that the inventars,
devysers, authors, and maintainers of treasonable crueltie, may be
either thoroughlie converted or confounded. O Lord, if thy mercie
prevent us not, we cannot escape just condemnation, for that Scotland
hath spared, and England hath maintained, the lyfe of that most
wicked woman. Oppose thy power, O Lord, to the pryde of that cruell
murtherer of her owne husband; confound her faction and their subtile
enterprises of what estate and condition soever they be; and let
them and the world know, that thou art a God that can deprehend the
wise in their own wisdome, and the proud in the imagination of their
wicked hearts, to their everlasting confusioun. Lord, retain us that
call upon thee in thy true fear. Let us grow in the same. Give thou
strength to us to fight our battell, yea, Lord, to fight it lawfullie,
and to end our lives in the sanctification of thy holy name.
* * * * *
{404}
Nº XVIII. [Buik of the Universall Kirk, p. 45.
Advocates’ Library.]
My Lord Regent’s letter to the Assembly.
After our maist heartie commendationes, seing we are not able to
[be] present [at] the assembly now approachand, as our intentioun
was, we thoght it convenient brieflie to give you significatioun of
our meaning in wryte, of the qlk we pray you take good consideration,
and accordinglie to give you advertisement. Ye are not ignorant, as
we suppose, what hes bene the estate of the kirk of God within this
realme, baith before we accepted the burdein of regment, and sensyne.
How first the thrids of benefices were grantit and the ministrie
thereby partly releivit and sustainit in sick sort, that nothing
inlaikit that our travells could procure. The first ordour indeed was
diverse ways interruptit and broken, bot chieflie in that yeir when
we were exylit in Ingland, quherthrough the haill ministers that year
were frustrate of their living; shortlie the estate of government
altering at Gods pleasure, and the king our soveraine being inaugurate
with the crowne of this kingdom, the first thing y{t} we were
carefull of was, that the trew religioun might be established, and
the ministers of the evangell made certaine of their livings and
sustentation in tyme comeing. Ye knaw, at the parliament we war maist
willing that the kirk should have been put in full possession of the
proper patrimonie. And toward the thrids, we exped in our travels, and
inlaikit only a consent to the dissolution of the prelacies, whereunto
althogh we were earnestly bent, yet the estates delayit, and wald
not agrie therunto. And sen that tyme to this houre, we trust ye
will affirme, that we have pretermittit nothing that may advance the
religione, and put the professors thereof in suretie, whereanent the
haill and only inlaik hes been in the civill troubles that God hes
suffered the countrey to be plaguet with: now the matter being after
so great rage brocht to some stay and quyetnes, it was convenient that
we return where matters left, and prease to reduce them to the estate
they stood in. Ane thing we man call to remembrance, that at sick
time as we travellit in the parliament to cause the estates to grie
that the thrids should be discernit to pertaine to the ministrie,
they plainly opponit {405} them to us in respect of the first act,
alledgand that with the sustentation of the ministrie, there was
also regard to be had to the support of the prince, in sustaining of
the publick chairges, quhilks if they had not some reliefe be that
meines, the revenue of the crown being so diminischit, and the ordinar
chairges cume to sic grytnes, on force they wold be burdenit with
exactionis, and so this dangerous argument compellit us to promitt
to the estates, That we wald take upon us, the act being grantit to
the kirk, they should satisfy and agrie to any thing suld be thocht
reasonable for supporting of the publick chairges of the prince, and
according to this the commissioner deput for the affairs of the kirk
agreit to certaine assignations of the thrids for supporting of the
king and us bearing authoritie. Quhilk order had been sufficient for
the haill, if the civill trouble had not occurit, yet the disobedience
growand so universallie, we ar content to sustain our part of the
inlaik and loss for the tyme bypast, but because there hes been
murmure and grudge for that thing assignit to the kings houss and
ours, and some other needful things in the state, as that thereby
the ministers were frustrate of their appointit stipendis, some
communicatione was had at St Androes, and nothing yet concludit,
quhill the general assembly of the kirk; quhilk now moves us to wreit
to you in this forme, prayand you rychtly to consider the necessitie
of the cause, and how the same hes proceeded fra the beginning,
haveing respect that the kirk will [not] be very well obeyit without
the king’s authoritie and power, and that now the propertie of the
crowne is not able to sustaine the ordinarie chairges. how in the
beginning the thrids had not been grantit, if the necessitie of the
prince had not been ane of the chiefe caussis, and at the parliament
the estates, as we before have written, stack to consent that the
haill thrids sould be declareit to pertaine to the ministrie, whill
first we tooke in hand, that they being made without conditione in
favours of the kirk, the same wald againe condescend to sa meikle as
wold be sufficient to the support of the public affaires, in foorth
setting of the kings authoritie, and that therefore ye will now
aggrie, and condescend to ane certaine and speciall assignatione of
it that sal be imployit in this use. The quantity whereof diverse of
yourselves, and the beirer Mr John Wood our servant, can informe you,
that after ye {406} may distribute to everie man having chairge in
the kirk of God, his stipend, according to the conditione of the place
he serves in, according to your w. discretione. Hereby all confusione
that lang has troublit the estate of the kirk toward the stipend sal
be avoydit, and some special provisione being made for sustaining of
their publick chairges, we may the better hald hand to sie the kirk
obeyit of that whereon the ministers sould live, as we [_sic_] sall
report, that dureing our travells in the north countrey, have found
our effectuous good will, and travellis in their furtherance. farther,
we man put you in mind brieflie, of ane matter that occurit at our
late being in Elgin. Ane Nicoll Sudderland in ffores, was put to the
knawledge of ane assyse for incest, and with him the woman; the assyse
hes convict him of the fault, but the question is, whether the same
be incest or not, so that we behoovit to delay the executione whill
we behoovit to have your resolution at this assemblie. The case is,
that the woman was harlot of before to the said Nicholl’s mother’s
brother, herein Mr Ro{t} Pont can informe you more amplie, to whais
sufficiencie we remitt the rest. Moreover, at our coming at Ab{d}
y{r} came ane nameit Portfeild, minister provydit of before to the
viccarage of Ardrossane, and requyrit also of vs, that he might have
the viccarage of Stevinsone, seing both was ane matter meane enough
to sustaine him, and because the kirks were neir, he might discharge
the cure of both. We haveing him comendit be diverse great men to the
same, but thocht gude to advertyse you, y{t} this preparative induce
not evill example and corruption: alwayes in cace sick things occurre
heireafter, let vs vnderstand what ye wald have vs to doe, as in
lyke maner towards the chaplenries y{t} sall happin to vaike, q{r}
anent because there is no certaine ordour, and prescryvit [_sic_]
some confusion stands, some desyreand them for lyfetime, some for
infants that are of the schooles, and some for vii zeirs, we are
sometyme preasit to receive or confirme assignatiouns or demissioun
of benefices, the preparative whereof apperis to bring with it
corruptioun, and so we wold be resolvit how to proceid, befor our
coming fra fyfe. and sensyne we have been very willing to doe justice
on all suspectit persons of witchcraft, as also vpon adulterers,
incestuous persons, and abusers of y{e} sacrament, q{r}in we could
not have sick expeditioun as we wold have wischet, because {407} we
have no uther probabilitie whereby to try and convict y{m}, but ane
generall delation of names, y{e} persons suspect not being for the
most part tryit and convict be ordour of the kirk of befoir. This
hindrit many things q{lk} utherwayes might have bein done, and y{r}
fore we pray you appoint and prescryve how the judgement of the
kirk may proceid and be execute against all sick trespassors, befor
complaint be made to vs, that when we come to the cuntrey, we may
cause execute y{e} law, and be releivit of the triall of inquisition
heiranent. We thoght expedient to give you this to advertisement, and
so remitts the haill to your care and diligence, committis you in the
protection of eternall God. aberd. y{e} last day of Junii 1569.
Your assurit friend,
James Regent.
* * * * *
Nº XIX. PEDIGREE
OF
BOWES OF STREATLAM.
(See Vol. I. p. 89.)
[For the information contained in this article, I am
indebted to Robert Surtees of Mainsforth, Esq.]
“Richard Bowes (of Aske in Yorkshire) youngest sonne of S{r} Raph
Bowes of Streatlam Knight (& of his wife Marjory daughter & one of
ye heirs of S{r} Richard Conyers of South Cowton Knt). He married
Elizabeth ye daughter & one of ye co‑heirs of S{r} Roger Aske of Aske
K{t} & by hir had issue S{r} George Bowes ye Knight Marshall & at
length heire maile of the whole family of Bowes: Robert Bowes 2{d}
sonne: and ten daughters: viz. 1. Bridgit married to Thomas Hussey
Esq{r}. ye next heire maile to ye Lord Hussey. 2. Eliz. mar{d} John
Bainbrigge of Snotterton Esq. 3. Anne mar{d} Marmaduke Vincent Esq.
Muriall mar. to ―― Jackson of Bedale Esq. _Marjory † to Mr Knoxes §
a Devine in Scotland._ Margaret to Thomas Middleton Esq. & after to
Ambrose Burbeck. Margery Lucy Agnes & Jane all died unmarried.”
[On the margin, in a different hand,] Ҡ sometime _called Joane_ to
{408} distinguish her from her sister of the same name. § Knox the
famouse Reformer.”
The above is extracted verbatim from a narrative Pedigree compiled
about 1640 by Thomas Bowes, whose autograph is on the last page, and
which is now in the possession of Mr Surtees, having been purchased
by him at the sale of Counsellor Gill’s Library several years ago.
The Pedigree in the Herald’s office stands on the opposite page. It
notices only four of the daughters, entirely omitting Mrs Knox and the
four unmarried maidens mentioned above. This is from the Visitation of
Durham, by Flower, Norroy, 1575.
The Visitation by St George, 1615, is still less full; it names only
Ralph, Robert, and Richard, omitting all the daughters.――A modern
Pedigree of less authority amongst Mr Allan’s collections at Grange,
states Knox’s wife to be Joan――but is answered by the old narrative
statement, which is far the fullest, and by the marginal note affixed
to it. It was very common at that time to have two children of the
same Christian name.
The Knight Marshall had two wives. From the first, a Mallory of
Studley, descends Thomas Bowes, now of Bradley, Esq. Co. Pal. who
is the male heir of the whole family; but the issue of the second
match, a Talbot of Grafton, got the chief estate, now in the Earl
of Strathmore by heirs general.
{409}
Radulphus Bowes ╤ Margeria filia et coheres
Miles (4th son but │ Richardi Conyers Militis
at last heir) made │
his will 1482, 8 Jul. │
────┬──────────────────────┬──────┴────────────┬───────┐
Radulphus ╤ Eliz. Robert ╤ Alicia John Richard ╤ Eliz.
Bowes │ filia Bowes │ filia s.p. Bowes │ fil. &
Miles │ Domini Miles │ Jacobi 4 filias │ una her.
│ Clifford Magister │ Medcalfi │ Roger
│ Rotulorum │ Militis │ Aske de
│ ──────────────┴────────── │ Aske.
│ 4 filii omnes obier. s.p. │
│ │
────┬─────┘ │
Georgius ╤ Muriella │
Bowes de │ filia │
Stretlam │ Willimi │
Miles │ Domini │
│ Eure │
┌─────┴────┬────────────┬─────────┐ ┌────────────┬──┴──────┐
Radulphs Eliz. Uxor Dorothea Anna ╤ Robert 2. Georgius │
ob. Johannis Uxor │ Bowes Bowes de │
juvenis Blaxton de Cuthberti │ 5 fil. Stretlam │
Blaxton arm. Collingwood │ Miles & │
─────────────┘ heres │
Rads Bowes de masculus │
Barnes arm. totius │
Com. Pal 1615 nominis │
⫛ Miles │
Marescallus │
&c. &c. │
│
┌─────────────────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────┘
Anna uxor Brigetta uxor 1 Ralph
Marmad. Vincent. Tho. Hussey Arm. 5 Francis
Murrella ux. 4 Christops.
Joh. Jackson. obier.
Eliz. ux. infant.
Georgii Bainbrigg.
* * * * *
{410}
Nº XX. THE TESTAMENT OF JOHN KNOX.
[From the Commissary Records of Edinburgh.]
Ye testament testamentare & Inventare of the guids geir sowmes of
money & dettis ꝓtenīg to vmqle Johnne Knox mīister of ye evangell of
Christ Jesus the tyme of his deceis quha deceissit vpoun ye xxiiii day
of november The zeir of God i{m} v{c} lxxii zeiris ffaithfullie maid &
gevin vp be him self vpoun ye xiii day of May the zeir of God foirsaid
And ꝓtlie be m̅garet Stewart his relict quhome w{t} Martha m̅garet &
Elizabeth Knoxis his dochteris he vpoun ye xiii day of Maii in his
Lattir will vnderwrittin nōīate his executors testamētaris as the samē
of the dait foirsaid beiris.
Johnne Knox
xiii Ja{rii} 1572.
In the first the said vmqle Jhonne grantit him to haif had the tyme
foirsaid Tua sylver drinking coupis m̅kit with J. K. M. on ye ane syde
and on the vthir syde with E. B. N. cōtening xxv vnces or thairby
Tua salt fattis of syluer of xiiii vnces vecht and ane half Auchtene
sylver spvnes contening xx vnce wecht & a quarter price of the
vnce xxvi s. viii d. Summa ffoureskoir punds of the qlk syluer work
abonewritten the airschip is to be deducit and takin of. Item the
said m̅garet ane of the saids executours grantit that the said vmqle
Johne had the tyme of his deceis foirsaid in pois ane hundē{t} pundes.
Item his buikis alsweill vpoun the Scriptures as vyer ꝓphane authors
wor{t} vi{xx} and x li. Item in vtensile & domicile the airschip being
deducit to the avail of xxx li.
Sūma Inventarii.――――ii{c} lxxxxvi li. vi. s. viii d.
ffollowis the dettis awing to the deid.
Item yair wes awing to the said umqle Johnne ye tyme of his deceis
foirsaid be Andro lord Stewart of Vchiltree his guidfather the sowme
of lxxx li. of Lent money. Item be W{m} Fiddes baxter xli. restand
awand to the said vmqle Johnne of quheit qlk he ressavit to gif breid
for. Item be Agnes Weymes relict of vmqle Andro Mernis cietener of
St Androis xix li. xi s. 1 d. 1 ob. for the rest of beir qlk scho
ressauit fra ye said vmqle Johnne to mak aill {411} of. Item be m̅garet
Spens Spous to Mr Robert Glen xviii li. xv s. iii d. for beir qlk scho
ressauit fra the said vmqle to delyuer aill of. Item restand awand to
the said vmqle Johnne the tyme foirsaid for ane pairt of his pensioun
qlk he had furth of the kirk of Haddingtoun be the ꝓsones following
the victualles underwritten of the zeiris and cropes res{ive}
underspecifeit viz. of the crope and zeir of god i{m} v{c} lxxi zeiris
be James Fiddes for ane pairt of his teyndis of the Nūland liand in
the parochin of Haddingtoun Ane boll of quheit ane boll ane firlote
beir vii bollis aitts. be Adame Ethingtoun in Quhitrig ane boll of
quheit sex bollis aitts price of the boll of quheit the said zeir 1 s.
price of the boll of beir the said zeir twa m̅kis and price of the boll
of aittis the same zeir xx s. Sūma xix li. xiii s. iiii d. Item be
the said James Fiddes for his teyndis of the saids lands of Nūland of
the crope & zeir of God i{m} v{c} lxxii zeiris ane boll of quheit ane
boll ane firlote beir sevin bollis aittis. Be James Oliphant & Robert
Hepburne for yair teyndis of the landis of Stenestoun liand within
the said parochin ye said zeir sex bollis quheit sex bollis beir and
xx bollis aittis. be ye said Adame Ethingtoun in Quhitrig for his
teyndis of the saidis lands the said zeir ane boll of quheit ane boll
of beir & sex bollis aittis. Be Johnne gulanis wyfe in Auldersoun for
hir teyndis y{r}of of ye zeir foirsaid twa bollis quheit twa bollis
beir and viii bollis aittis Price of ye boll of quheit the said zeir
1 s. price of the boll beir ye said zeir twa m̅kis and price of the
boll aittis ye same zeir xx s. Summa lxxix li. xiii s. iiii d. Item
restand awand to the said umqle Johnne the tyme of his deceis foirsaid
be the ꝓsons following the sowmes of money & victuale underwrittin as
for ane ꝓt of his stipende assignit to him for s̃uīg in the mīistrie
of the said crope & zeir of God, i{m} v{c} lxxi zeiris in the first
be Margaret Haldane Lady Colingtoun for the lambes term in the said
zeir xxxiii li. vi s. viii d. Be Mr Robert Wynrahame collector of
Fyfe xxxii li. xvii s. for ye said vmqle John̄is victuale of the said
pensioun sauld be him the said zeir. Be Robert Bennet thre firlottis
quheit ꝓce of the boll 1 s. Summa xxxii s. vi d. Item restand awand
to the said vmqle Jhonne the victuale and underspecifeit as for ane
ꝓt of his said stipend the crop & zeir of God i{m} v{c} lxxii zeiris.
In the first be Williame m̅chingstoun in Inneresk thre bollis tua
firlottis tua peckis quheit. Be {412} Williame Vernor yair tua bollis
tua firlottis thre peckis quheit. Be George Formā yair thre bollis
tua firlottis tua pectis quheit. Be Robert Dowglas thre bollis tua
firlotis tua pectis quheit. Be Johnne Cranistoun in Monktounhall
thre bollis thre firlottis quheit. Be Johne Kerss yair thre bollis
ane firlot tua pectis quheit. Be Thomas Thomsoun yair tua bollis tua
firlottis tua pectis quheit. Be Adame wricht tua bollis ane firlit
quheit. Be Williame Johnestoun foure bollis ane firlot quheit. Be
Dauid Hill in Inneresk ane boll thre firlotts thre pectis quheit.
extenden̄ to tua chalder quheit price of ye boll of quheit the said
zeir 1 s. Sūma lxxx li. Be helene Cowtis relict of umqle Richard
Prestoun of quhithill ane chalder beir. Be Jonet Betoun in Litill
Monktoun ellevin bollis beir. Be Williame Wauchop of Nudry m̅schell
for the teyndis of the lands of Calcoittis thre bollis beir. Be
Johnne Hill of that ilk tua bollis beir. Be the tennentis of the
parochin of Kynglassie fo{r} chalderis beir as followis. Be Johnne
Boswall in Gaitmylk ane chalder beir. Williame Swyne yair viii bollis
beir. George Tod in Kyninmonth ane chalder beir. Helene Mertyne in
Kynglassie and W{m} Boswall hir sone tuelf bollis beir. W{m} Boswall
in Stintoun xii bollis beir extenden̄ in ye haill to sex chalderis
beir price of the boll ōrheid tua m̅kis. Sūa ane hundret twentie aucht
pundis. Be the tennētis of the parochin of Newbirnshyre in Fyffe foure
chalderis aittis as follows viz{t} Williame Dishingtoun in Ranelery
fourtene bollis aittis. Thome Alcheur yair xiiii bollis beir. Johnne
Zoung in the Coittis sex bollis aittis. Be David Sympsoun yair sex
bollis aittis and be Andro . . . . . . . . yair sex bollis aittis. Be
David Johnesoun in Moncturpie aucht bollis aittis. Be . . . . . . . .
Sympsoun foure bollis aittis price of the boll ouerheid xx s. Summa
lxiiii li. Item restand awand to ye said umqle Johnne, the sowmes
underspecifeit as for ane ꝓt of ye sylver of his said stipend of the
said zeir of God i{m} v{c} lxxii zeiris. In the first be James Rig of
Carberry for the half teynd of Cowsland xxxiii li. vi s. viii d. Be
. . . . . . lady Edmestoun Spous to Andro Ker of hirsell kny{t}, for
the vy{r} half of the teyndis of the lands foirsaids xxxiii li. vi s.
viii d. Be the said m̅garet Haldane lady Colyngtoun for the teynd of
Hailis lxvi li. xiii s. viii d. Be Robert Bennet xxxiii li. vi s.
viii d. Be Mr James Macgill of Rankelor, {413} neyer for his males
of the lands of Pinkie for the t̃mes of Witsonday and m̅tymes In the
said zeir of god i{m} v{c} lxxii zeiris li lib. vi s. viii d. And
als resting be him of the males of the landis foirsaids of the zeir
of God i{m} v{c} lxx zeiris xlv s. viii d. Be the executirs of vmqle
Gilbert Edmestoun for the males of the lands of Wowmet of the t̃me of
m̅tymes the said zeir of God i{m} v{c} lxxii zeiris xxii li. viii s. Be
Jonet betoun for the males of Litill Monktoun Nyne pundis. Be the said
. . . . . . . Lady Edmestone and Archibald Prestoun of Wallefeild for
the males of Netoun xiiii li. xi s. vi d. Be James Rig of Carberry for
the Maill y{r}of xx li. Item be . . . . . . . of Nudry for the Males
of Calcottes thre pundes. Be Robert Douglas in Inneresk for his males
iii lib. xix s. iiii d. Be W{m} m̅chinston thair for his few maill
xxvii s. x d.
Summa of the detis abone writtin } viii{c} xxx li. xix s. vi d.
awing to ye deid }
Na detis awing be the deid
Summa of ye Inventare w{t} ye } i{m} v{c} xxvi li. xix s. vi d.
detis awing to the deid }
To be Diuidit in thre ꝓtis ye } iii{c} lxxv li. xiii s. ii d.
deidis pairt y{r}of extends to }
ffollowis the latter will and legacie.