7th APRIL, 1607.
Pleas your Gratious Maiestye,
This prasent is to giwe your maiestye most hartelye thanks for all your
maiestyes fauors touards me, speciallye for the constant continuance of
your maiestyes loue with me, as it vas vount, assuring your maiestye you
haue the man vho neuer vas nor shall, Godwilling, be found alterable in
his duetifull affection to serue your maiestye, as becomes him. If it
fall out that I suspend my judgment in something is proponed to me
affhand, till I got fuller resolution both to speak and to stand
honestlye to that vhiche I speak assuredlye, it arryses of no vnsound
and altered affection touard your maiestyes seruice, bot onlye off laik
of foreinforming, vhiche geues light and curage to men to doe; and for
the clearing of this point I referre my self to my Lord of Dunbars
testification, who can and will giue iust information to your maiestye
of it. I heare that your maiestye is ressolued to haue the ministree of
Edinburgh plainted, the estate vhereof is more miserable and desolat nor
ony toune or kirk in Scotland; and, whiche is vorse, the pulpittis ar
sometymes possessed with yong people and persones vnmeete for that
place, vhiche bringis the Gosple and ministree into a contempt and will
ouerturne all in end if it be not remeadit. The planting of it will doe
great good to all the countrey, and help to amend mony thinges amisse,
and procure great forderance of your maiestyes seruice and quyat of this
kirk, provyding the persones be good teachers, peaceably disposed, and
weyll affected. I heare also that your maiestye is somequhat moued to
haue me placed there; bot, Ser, beleefe me, in truth I am not for it, in
respect of mony thinges in thame, and more in me vhiche can not concurre
weyll to make vp so good manage betuix vs. I need not to vse mony vordes
with your maiestye who knoues vs both alsueyll as our selfis doe. I
mynd, Godwilling, to teache euery Sabboth, where euer I be, so long as I
may, and to be readye in most duetifull maner to concurre in your
maiestyes seruice, as I salbe employed, bot to take on the charge of a
particular flock, and such are flock, my heart cannot yeeld, and I hope
your maiestye sall not burden me with it. The bearer hereof, Mr Peter
Heuat,[22] is ane honest man, and your maiestye may reiose in the
planting of him, being ane of your maiestyes owne plantation there, and
ansuring to your maiestyes expectation of him in all pointis, and can
truely and sufficiently informe your maiestye of all particulars here;
bot he is not, as he deserues, and as your maiestye appointed for his
encuragement, ansured of his small pension assigned to him, vhiche is
pitie, and wald be helped to put difference betuix those that are your
maiesties owne men and others. If Mr Jhone Hall,[23] ane honest man, and
ane of your maiestyes owne planting also, and he war remoued, I wat not
vhat suld become of Edinburgh, your maiestyes cheefe toune her. Bot
leafing those particulars, appardone me, Ser, to speak one word of the
common cause. Ser, at Ligbqubo, my Lord of Dunbar did good seruice to
your maiestye, and by God blissing his vyse and canny forme of doing, he
prevailed so as I neuer sawe ane more peaceable and ordourlye assembly
in my tyme, bothe in the progress and end, as it was, and therefore was
admired and praised in all the publique sermones and privat speaches.
The hope of taking order with Papists and quyating of distraction among
ourselves be constant moderation led all menn joyfullie to your maiestys
vay, and if that course selected there be prosequute your maiestey may
assure yourself of peace here during our dayes, that is, if Papistis can
be keeped under be your maiestys auctorite soundly used here, and the
kirk censures be suffered to have their awne place against thame, our
pace will grow, ill tongues wilbe silenced, and all things will go
calmely to your maiestys contentment. Your maiestys glory hath bene, and
is the professing and manteaning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and all
the vorld sees your maiestys multiplyed preferments and preservations to
aryse of the presence of Jesus, the Lord of the Gosple with you, and to
tend to the preservatioun and advancement of it by your maiestys
preservation and advancement, tuo thinges inseparably united sense your
maiesty hade being. Lat thame therefor be computed your enemyes that
will not conforme thame selfis to it, and God sall continue his blessing
with your maiesty, and croune you with an incorruptible croune of Glory
in the end. So, most humblye taking my leefe I commend your maiestys
persone, familye, kingdome and affaris to the blessing of God. From
Edinburgh this 7 of Aprle 1607.