Early
Persecutions.
In the Records of Glasgow, mention is found of one
that, in the year of God 1422, was burnt for heresy.
His name is not given, and of his opinions or of the
order upon which he was condemned there is no evidence left.
But our Chronicles make mention that, in the days of King
James the First, about the year of God 1431, there was apprehended
in the University of St. Andrews one named Paul Craw,
a Bohemian, who was accused of heresy before such as then were
called Doctors of Theology. The principal accusation against
him was that, in his opinion of the Sacrament, he followed John
Huss and Wycliffe, who denied that the substance of bread and
wine were changed by virtue of any words, or that confession
should be made to priests, or prayers made to saints departed.
Paul Craw:
A.D. 1431.
God gave unto the said Paul Craw grace to
resist his persecutors, and not to consent to their
impiety, and he was committed to the secular judge (for our
bishops follow Pilate, who both did condemn, and also washed
his hands) who condemned him to the fire. Therein he was
consumed at St. Andrews, about the time mentioned. To
declare themselves to be of the generation of Satan, who from
the beginning hath been enemy to the truth and desireth the
same to be hid from the knowledge of men, they put a ball
of brass in his mouth, to the end that he should not give
confession of his faith to the people, nor yet that they should
understand the defence which he had against his unjust
accusation and condemnation.
The
Lollards
of Kyle:
1494.
These practices did not greatly advance the
kingdom of darkness, nor were they able utterly to
extinguish the truth. In the days of King James
the Second and King James the Third we find small
question of religion moved within this Realm, but in the time
of King James the Fourth, in the year of God 1494, thirty
persons were summoned before the King and his Great
Council, by Robert Blackader, called Archbishop of Glasgow.
Some of these dwelt in Kyle-Stewart, some in King's-Kyle,
and some in Cunningham. Amongst them were George
Campbell of Cessnock, Adam Reid of Barskymming, John
Campbell of New Mills, Andrew Shaw of Polkemmet, Helen
Chalmers, Lady Polkellie, and Marion Chalmers, Lady Stair.
Whereof
the
Lollards of
Kyle were
accused.
These were called the Lollards of Kyle. In the
Register of Glasgow we find the Articles of Belief for
which they were accused. These were as follows:—(1)
Images are not to be possessed, nor yet to be
worshipped. (2) Relics of Saints are not to be worshipped.
(3) Laws and Ordinances of men vary from time to time, and
so do those of the Pope. (4) It is not lawful to fight, or to
defend the faith. (We translate according to the barbarousness
of their Latin and dictament.[2]) (5) Christ gave power
to Peter only, and not to his successors, to bind and loose
within the Kirk. (6) Christ ordained no priests to consecrate.
(7) After the consecration in the Mass, there
remains bread; and the natural body of Christ is not there.
(8) Tithes ought not to be given to Ecclesiastical Men—as
they were then called. (9) Christ at His coming took away
power from Kings to judge. (This article we doubt not to
be the venomous accusation of the enemies, whose practice
has ever been to make the doctrine of Jesus Christ suspect
to Kings and rulers, as if God thereby would depose them
from their royal seats, while, on the contrary, nothing
confirms the power of magistrates more than does God's
Word.—But to the Articles.) (10) Every faithful man or
woman is a priest. (11) The anointing of kings ceased at
the coming of Christ. (12) The Pope is not the successor of
Peter—except where Christ said, "Go behind me, Satan."
(13) The Pope deceiveth the people by his bulls and his
indulgences. (14) The Mass profiteth not the souls that are
in purgatory. (15) The Pope and the bishops deceive the
people by their pardons. (16) Indulgences to fight against
the Saracens ought not to be granted. (17) The Pope exalts
himself against God and above God. (18) The Pope cannot
remit the pains of purgatory. (19) The blessings of the
bishops—of dumb dogs they should have been styled—are of
no value. (20) The excommunication of the Kirk is not to
be feared. (21) In no case is it lawful to swear. (22) Priests
may have wives, according to the constitution of the law.
(23) True Christians receive the body of Jesus Christ every
day. (24) After matrimony is contracted, the Kirk may make
no divorce. (25) Excommunication binds not. (26) The
Pope forgives not sins, but only God. (27) Faith should not
be given to miracles. (28) We should not pray to the glorious
Virgin Mary, but to God only. (29) We are no more bound
to pray in the kirk than in other places. (30) We are not
bound to believe all that the Doctors of the Kirk have written.
(31) Such as worship the sacrament of the Kirk—we suppose
they meant the sacrament of the altar—commit idolatry.
(32) The Pope is the head of the Kirk of Antichrist. (33) The
Pope and his ministers are murderers. (34) They which are
called principals in the Church are thieves and robbers.
Albeit that the accusation of the Archbishop and his
accomplices was very grievous, God so assisted his servants,
partly by inclining the King's heart to gentleness (for divers
of them were his great familiars), and partly by giving bold
and godly answers to their accusators, that the enemies
in the end were frustrated in their purpose. When the
Archbishop, in mockery, said to Adam Reid of Barskymming,
"Reid, believe ye that God is in heaven?" He answered,
"Not as I do the Sacraments seven." Thereat the Archbishop,
thinking to have triumphed, said, "Sir, lo, he denies that God
is in heaven." The King, wondering, said, "Adam Reid, what
say ye?" The other answered, "Please your Grace to hear
the end betwixt the churl and me." Therewith he turned
to the Archbishop and said, "I neither think nor believe, as
thou thinkest, that God is in heaven; but I am most assured
that He is not only in heaven, but also on earth. Thou and
thy faction declare by your works that either ye think there
is no God at all, or else that He is so shut up in heaven that
He regards not what is done on earth. If thou didst firmly
believe that God was in heaven, thou shouldst not make
thyself cheek-mate[3] to the King, and altogether forget the
charge that Jesus Christ the Son of God gave to His Apostles.
That was, to preach His Evangel, and not to play the proud
prelates, as all the rabble of you do this day. And now, Sir,"
said he to the King, "judge ye whether the Bishop or I believe
best that God is in heaven." While the Archbishop and his
band could not well revenge themselves, and while many taunts
were given them in their teeth, the King, willing to put an
end to further reasoning, said to the said Adam Reid, "Wilt
thou burn thy bill?"[4] He answered, "Sir, the Bishop and ye
will." With these and the like scoffs the Archbishop and his
band were so dashed out of countenance that the greatest part
of the accusation was turned to laughter.
Archbishop
James
Beaton.
After that diet, we find almost no question for
matters of religion, for the space of nigh thirty
years. For not long after, to wit, in the year of God
1508, the said Archbishop Blackader departed this life, while
journeying in his superstitious devotion to Jerusalem. Unto
him succeeded Mr. James Beaton, son to the Laird of Balfour,
in Fife. More careful for the world than he was to preach
Christ, or yet to advance any religion, but for the fashion only,
he sought the world, and it fled him not. At once he was
Archbishop of St. Andrews, Abbot of Dunfermline, Arbroath,
and Kilwinning, and Chancellor of Scotland. After the unhappy
field of Flodden, in which perished King James the
Fourth, with the greater part of the nobility of the realm,
the said Beaton with the rest of the prelates, had the
whole regiment[5] of the realm. By reason thereof, he held
and travailed to hold the truth of God in thraldom and
bondage, until it pleased God of His great mercy, in the year
of God 1527, to raise up His servant, Master Patrick Hamilton,
at whom our history doth begin. Because men of fame and
renown have in divers works written of his progeny, life, and
erudition, we omit all curious repetition. If any would know
further of him than we write, we send them to Francis
Lambert, John Firth, and to that notable work, lately set
forth by John Foxe, Englishman, of the Lives and Deaths of
Martyrs within this Isle, in this our age.
The
Coming of
Patrick
Hamilton.
This servant of God, the said Master Patrick, being
in his youth provided with reasonable honour and
living (he was titular Abbot of Ferne), as one hating
the world and the vanity thereof, left Scotland, and
passed to the schools in Germany; for then the fame of the
University of Wittenberg was greatly divulged in all countries.
There, by God's providence, he became familiar with these
lights and notable servants of Christ Jesus of that time,
Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, and the said Francis
Lambert, and he did so grow and advance in godly knowledge,
joined with fervency and integrity of life, that he was in
admiration with many. The zeal of God's glory did so eat
him up, that he could of no long continuance remain abroad,
but returned to his country, where the bright beams of the
true light, which by God's grace was planted in his heart,
began most abundantly to burst forth, as well in public as
in secret. Besides his godly knowledge, he was well learned in
philosophy. He abhorred sophistry, and would that the text
of Aristotle should have been better understood and more used
in the schools than then it was: for sophistry had corrupted
all, as well in divinity as in humanity.
Persecution
of
Patrick
Hamilton.
In short process of time, the fame of the said
Master Patrick's reasoning and doctrine troubled the
clergy, and came to the ears of Archbishop James
Beaton. Being a conjured enemy to Jesus Christ, and
one that long had had the whole regiment of this realm, he bare
impatiently that any trouble should be made in that kingdom
of darkness whereof, within this realm, he was the head. Therefore,
he so travailed with the said Master Patrick, that he got
him to St. Andrews, where, after conference for divers days,
he received his freedom and liberty. The said Archbishop
and his bloody butchers, called Doctors, seemed to approve
his doctrine, and to grant that many things craved reformation
in the ecclesiastical regiment. Amongst the rest, there was
one that secretly consented with Master Patrick almost in all
things, Friar Alexander Campbell, a man of good wit and
learning, but corrupted by the world, as after we will hear.
When the bishops and the clergy had fully understood the
mind and judgment of the said Master Patrick, fearing that
by him their kingdom should be damaged, they travailed with
the King, who then was young and altogether at their command,
that he should pass in pilgrimage to St. Duthac in Ross,
to the end that no intercession should be made for the life of
the innocent servant of God. He, suspecting no such cruelty
as in their hearts was concluded, remained still, a lamb among
the wolves, until he was intercepted in his chamber one night,
and by the Archbishop's band was carried to the Castle. There
he was kept that night; and in the morning, produced in
judgment, was condemned to die by fire for the testimony of
God's truth. The Articles for which he suffered were but of
pilgrimage, purgatory, prayer to saints and prayer for the
dead, and such trifles; albeit matters of greater importance
had been in question, as his Treatise may witness. That the
condemnation should have greater authority, the Archbishop
and his doctors caused the same to be subscribed by all those
of any estimation that were present, and, to make their number
great, they took the subscriptions of children, if they were of
the nobility; for the Earl of Cassillis, being then but twelve or
thirteen years of age, was compelled to subscribe to Master
Patrick's death, as he himself did confess.
Martyrdom
of
Patrick
Hamilton.
Immediately after dinner, the fire was prepared
before the old College, and Master Patrick was led
to the place of execution. Men supposed that all was
done but to give him a fright, and to have caused him
to have recanted and become recreant to those bloody beasts.
But God, for His own glory, for the comfort of His servant,
and for manifestation of their beastly tyranny, had otherwise
decreed. He so strengthened His faithful witness that neither
the love of life nor yet the fear of that cruel death could move
him a jot to swerve from the truth once professed. At the
place of execution he gave to his servant, who had been
chamber-child[6] to him for a long time, his gown, coat, bonnet,
and such like garments, saying, "These will not profit in the
fire; they will profit thee. After this, thou canst receive no
commodity from me, except the example of my death. That,
I pray thee, bear in mind; for, albeit it be bitter to the flesh
and fearful before men, it is the entrance unto eternal life,
which none shall possess who deny Christ Jesus before this
wicked generation."
The innocent servant of God being bound to the stake in
the midst of some coals, some timber, and other matter
appointed for the fire, a train of powder was made and set
afire. This gave a glaise[7] to the blessed martyr of God,
scrimpled[8] his left hand and that side of his face, but kindled
neither the wood nor yet the coals. And so remained he in
torment, until men ran to the Castle again for more powder,
and for wood more able to take fire. When at last this was
kindled, with loud voice he cried, "Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit! How long shall darkness overwhelm this realm? And
how long wilt Thou suffer this tyranny of men?" The fire
was slow, and therefore was his torment the more. But most
of all was he grieved by certain wicked men, amongst whom
Campbell the Black Friar (of whom we spoke before) was
principal. These continually cried, "Convert, heretic; call
upon our Lady: say Salve Regina," etc. To them he answered,
"Depart, and trouble me not, ye messengers of Satan." But,
while the foresaid Friar still roared one thing with great
vehemency, he said unto him, "Wicked man, thou knowest
the contrary, and the contrary to me thou hast confessed: I
appeal thee before the tribunal seat of Jesus Christ!" After
these words, and others that could not well be understood or
marked, both for the tumult and the vehemence of the fire,
the witness of Jesus Christ got victory, after long suffering,
on the last day of February in the year of God 1527. The
said Friar departed this life within few days after, in what
estate we refer to the manifestation of the general day. But
it was plainly known that he died, in Glasgow, in a frenzy,
and as one in despair.
Questionings
arise.
When these cruel wolves had, as they supposed,
clean devoured the prey, they found themselves in
worse case than they were before; for within St. Andrews,
yea, almost within the whole realm, of those who heard of
that deed, there was none found who began not to inquire,
Wherefore was Master Patrick Hamilton burnt? When his
Articles were rehearsed, it was questioned whether such Articles
were necessarily believed under pain of damnation. And so,
within short space, many began to call in doubt that which
before they held for a certain truth, in so much that the
University of St. Andrews, and St. Leonard's College principally,
by the labours of Master Gavin Logie, and the novices
of the Abbey, by those of the Sub-Prior, began to smell
somewhat of the truth, and to espy the vanity of the received
superstition. Within a few years, both Black and Grey Friars
began publicly to preach against the pride and idle life of
bishops, and against the abuses of the whole ecclesiastical estate.
Friar
William
Arth
speaks
out.
Friar William Arth, in a sermon preached in
Dundee, spake somewhat more liberally against the
licentious lives of the bishops than they could well
bear. He spake further against the abuse of cursing
and of miracles. The Bishop of Brechin, having his placeboes[9]
and jackmen[10] in the town, buffeted the Friar, and called him
heretic. The Friar, impatient of the injury received, passed to
St. Andrews, and communicated the heads of his sermon to
Master John Major, whose word then was held as an oracle in
matters of religion. Being assured by him that such doctrine
might well be defended, and that he would defend it, for it
contained no heresy, there was a day appointed to the said
Friar, to make repetition of the same sermon. Advertisement
was given to all who were offended to be present. And so, in
the parish kirk of St. Andrews, upon the day appointed,
appeared the said Friar, and had amongst his auditors Master
John Major, Master George Lockhart, the Abbot of Cambuskenneth,
and Master Patrick Hepburn, Prior of St. Andrews,
with all the Doctors and Masters of the Universities. The
theme of his sermon was, "Truth is the strongest of all things."
The Abuse
of God's
Curse.
Concerning cursing, the Friar said that, if it were
rightly used, it was the most fearful thing upon the
face of the earth; for it was the very separation of
man from God; but that it should not be used rashly, and
for every light cause, but only against open and incorrigible
sinners. "But now," said he, "the avarice of priests, and the
ignorance of their office, has caused it altogether to be vilipended[11];
for the priest, whose duty and office it is to pray for
the people, stands up on Sunday and cries, 'One has lost a
spurtle.[12] There is a flail stolen from those beyond the burn.[13]
The goodwife of the other side of the gate has lost a horn
spoon. God's malison and mine I give to them that know of
this gear, and restore it not.'" The people, he continued,
mocked their cursing. After a sermon that he had made at
Dunfermline, where gossips were drinking their Sunday penny,
he, being dry, asked drink. "Yes, Father," said one of the
gossips, "ye shall have drink; but ye must first resolve a
doubt which has arisen amongst us, to wit, What servant will
serve a man best on least expense?" "The good Angel," said I,
"who is man's keeper, does great service without expense."
"Tush," said the gossip, "we mean not such high matters. We
mean, "What honest man will do greatest service for least
expense?" "While I was musing," said the Friar, "what that
should mean," he said, 'I see, Father, that the greatest clerks
are not the wisest men. Know ye not how the bishops and
their officials serve us husbandmen? Will they not give us a
letter of cursing for a plack,[14] to last for a year, to curse all that
look over our dyke[15]? That keeps our corn better than the
sleeping boy, who demands three shillings of fee, a sark,[16] and
a pair of shoes in the year. Therefore, if their cursing do
anything, we hold that the bishops are the cheapest servants,
in that behalf, that are within the realm.'"
False
Miracles.
As concerning miracles, the Friar declared what
diligence the ancients took to try true miracles from
false. "But now," said he, "the greediness of priests not only
receives false miracles, but they even cherish and fee knaves
on purpose, that their chapels may be the better renowned,
and their offering be augmented. Thereupon are many chapels
founded, as if our Lady were mightier, and as if she took more
pleasure in one place than in another. Of late days our Lady
of Carsegreen has hopped from one green hillock to another!
Honest men of St. Andrews," said he, "if ye love your wives
and your daughters, hold them at home, or else send them in
honest company; for, if ye knew what miracles were kythed[17]
there, ye would neither thank God nor our Lady." And thus
he merrily taunted the trysts of whoredom and adultery used
at such devotion. Another Article in his sermon was judged
more hard; for he alleged from the Common Law that the
Civil Magistrate might correct the Churchmen, and for open
vices deprive them of their benefices.
Notwithstanding this kind of preaching, this Friar remained
Papist in his heart. The rest of the Friars, fearing to lose the
benediction of the bishops, to wit, their malt and their meal
and their other appointed pension, caused the said Friar to fly
to England, and there, for defence of the Pope and Papistry,
he was cast into prison at King Harry's commandment. But
so it pleaseth God to open up the mouth of Baalam's own
ass, to cry out against the vicious lives of the clergy of
the age.
Shortly after this, new consultation was taken that some
should be burnt; for men began to speak very freely. A
merry gentleman named John Lindsay, familiar to Archbishop
James Beaton, standing by when consultation was had, said,
"My Lord, if ye burn any more, unless ye follow my counsel,
ye will utterly destroy yourselves. If ye will burn them, let
them be burnt in how[18] cellars; for the reek[19] of Master Patrick
Hamilton has infected as many as it blew upon." But, so
fearful was it then to speak anything against priests, the least
word spoken against them, albeit it was spoken in a man's
sleep, was judged heresy. Richard Carmichael, yet living in
Fife, being young and a singer in the Chapel Royal of Stirling,
happened in his sleep to say, "The Devil take away the priests,
for they are a greedy pack." He was accused by Sir George
Clapperton, Dean of the said Chapel, and was for this compelled
to burn his bill.
Friar
Alexander
Seton
preaches
the
Evangel.
God shortly after raised up stronger champions
against the priests. Alexander Seton, a Black Friar,
of good learning and estimation, began to tax the
corrupt doctrine of the Papistry. For the space of a
whole Lent he taught the commandments of God only,
ever beating in the ears of his auditors that the law of God had
not been truly taught for many years, men's traditions having
obscured the purity of it. These were his accustomed propositions.
First: Christ Jesus is the end and perfection of
the law. Second: There is no sin where God's law is not
violated. And, third: To satisfy for sin lies not in man's
power, but the remission thereof comes by unfeigned repentance,
and by faith apprehending God the Father, merciful in
Christ Jesus, His Son. While oftentimes this Friar put his
auditors in mind of these and the like heads, and made no
mention of purgatory, pardons, pilgrimage, prayer to saints, or
such trifles, the dumb doctors and the rest of that forsworn
rabble began to suspect him. They said nothing publicly until
Lent was ended, and he had gone to Dundee. Then, in his
absence, one hired for that purpose openly damned the whole
doctrine that he had taught. This coming to the ears of the
said Friar Alexander, then in Dundee, he returned without
delay to St. Andrews, caused immediately to jow[20] the bell, and
to give signification that he would preach; as he did indeed.
In this sermon, more plainly than at any other time, he
affirmed whatsoever in all his sermons he had taught during
the whole Lent-tide; adding that within Scotland there was
no true bishop, if bishops were to be known by such notes
and virtues as St. Paul requires in bishops.
Friar
Seton's
Apology.
This delation[21] flew with wings to the Archbishop's
ears. Without further delay, he sent for the said
Friar Alexander, and began grievously to complain
and sharply to accuse him for having spoken so slanderously
of the dignity of the bishops, as to say that "it behoved a
bishop to be a preacher, or else he was but a dumb dog, and
fed not the flock, but fed his own belly." The man, being
witty, and minded of his most assured defence, said, "My
Lord, the reporters of such things are manifest liars." Thereat
the Archbishop rejoiced, and said, "Your answer pleases me well:
I never could think that ye would be so foolish as to affirm
such things. Where are these knaves that have brought me
this tale?" These compearing[22] and affirming the same that
they did before, he still replied that they were liars. Witnesses
were multiplied, and men were brought to attention, and then he
turned to the Archbishop and said, "My Lord, ye may see and
consider what ears these asses have, who cannot discern betwixt
Paul, Isaiah, Zechariah, Malachi, and Friar Alexander Seton.
In very deed, my Lord, I said that Paul says, 'It behoveth a
bishop to be a teacher.' Isaiah saith, that 'they that feed not
the flock are dumb dogs.' And Zechariah saith, 'They are idle
pastors.' I of my own head affirmed nothing, but I declared
what the Spirit of God had before pronounced. If ye be not
offended at Him, my Lord, ye cannot justly be offended at me.
And so, yet again, my Lord, I say that they are manifest liars
that reported unto you that I said that ye and others that
preach not are no bishops, but belly gods."
Persecution
of
Friar
Seton.
Albeit, the Archbishop was highly offended at the
scoff and bitter mock, as well as at the bold liberty
of that learned man; yet durst he not hazard for that
present to execute his malice conceived. Not only
feared he the learning and bold spirit of the man, but also the
favour that he had with the people, as well as with the Prince,
King James the Fifth. With him he had good credit; for
he was at that time his confessor, and had exhorted him to
the fear of God, to the meditation of God's law, and to purity
of life. The Archbishop, with his complices, foreseeing what
danger might come to their Estate, if such familiarity should
continue betwixt the Prince and a man so learned and so
repugnant to their affections, laboured to make the said Friar
Alexander odious unto the King's Grace. With the assistance
of the Grey Friars, who by their hypocrisy deceived
many, they readily found means to traduce the innocent as a
heretic.
This accusation was easily received and more easily believed
by the carnal Prince, who was altogether given to the filthy
lusts of the flesh, and abhorred all counsel repugnant thereto.
He did remember what a terror the admonitions of the said
Alexander were unto his corrupted conscience, and without
resistance he subscribed to their accusation, affirming that he
knew more than they did in that matter; for he understood
well enough that he smelled of the new doctrine, from such
things as he had shewn to him under confession. Therefore,
he promised that he should follow the counsel of the bishops
in punishing him and all others of that sect. These things
understood by the said Alexander, as well by information
of his friends and familiars, as by the strange countenance
of the King unto him, he provided the next way to avoid the
fury of a blinded Prince. In his habit, he departed the realm,
and, coming to Berwick, wrote back again to the King's Grace
his complaint and admonition....
Persecution
flags.
After the death of that constant witness of Jesus
Christ, Master Patrick Hamilton, when God disclosed
the wickedness of the wicked, as we have seen, there was one
Forrest of Linlithgow taken. After long imprisonment in the
Sea Tower of St. Andrews, this man was adjudged to the fire
by the said Archbishop James Beaton and his doctors, for
none other crime but because he had a New Testament in
English. More of his story we have not, except that he
died constant, and with great patience, at St. Andrews. The
flame of persecution ceased after his death for the space of
ten years or thereby. Not that these bloody beasts ceased by
all means to suppress the light of God, and to trouble such as
in any sort were suspected to abhor their corruption; but
because the realm was troubled with intestine and civil wars.
In these, much blood was shed; first, at Melrose, betwixt the
Douglas and Buccleuch, on the eighteenth day of July, in the
year of God 1526; next, at Linlithgow, betwixt the Hamiltons
and the Earl of Lennox, where the said Earl, with many others,
lost his life, on the thirteenth day of September in the same
year; and last, betwixt the King himself and the said
Douglases, whom he banished from the realm, and held in exile
during the rest of his days. By reason of these, and of other
troubles, the bishops and their bloody bands could not find
the time so favourable unto them as they required, for
executing their tyranny.
The
Reformation
in
England.
In this mid time, the wisdom of God did provide
that Harry the Eighth, King of England, should
abolish from his realm the name and authority of the
Pope of Rome, and suppress the Abbeys and other
places of idolatry. This gave hope, in divers realms, that
some godly reformation should have ensued therefrom. From
this our country, divers learned men, and others that lived in
fear of persecution, did repair to that realm. They found not
such purity as they wished, and some of them sought other
countries. But they escaped the tyranny of merciless men,
and were reserved to better times, that they might fructify
within His Church, in divers places and parts, and in divers
vocations. Alexander Seton remained in England, and publicly,
with great praise and comfort of many, taught the Evangel in
all sincerity certain years. Albeit the craftiness of Winchester,
and of others, circumvented the said Alexander, so as to cause
him, at Paul's Cross, to affirm certain things repugnant to his
former true doctrine; there is no doubt but that, as God had
powerfully reigned with him in all his life, in his death, which
shortly after followed, he found the mercy of his God, whereupon
he ever exhorted all men to depend.
Scots
Reformers
abroad.
Alexander Alesius, Master John Fyfe, and that
famous man Dr. Macchabeus,[23] departed unto Germany,
where by God's providence they were distributed to
several places. Macdowell, for his singular prudence, besides
his learning and godliness, was elected burgomaster in one
of the Stadts. Alesius was appointed to the University of
Leipsic; and so was Master John Fyfe. There, for their honest
behaviour and great erudition, they were held in admiration
by all the godly. And in what honour, credit, and estimation,
Dr. Macchabeus was with Christian King of Denmark, let
Copenhagen and famous men of divers nations testify. Thus
did God provide for His servants, and frustrate the expectation
of these bloody beasts who, by the death of one in whom
the light of God did clearly shine, intended to have suppressed
Christ's truth for ever within this realm. But the contrary
had God decreed; for his death was, as we have said, the cause
of awakening many from the deadly sleep of ignorance; and
so did Jesus Christ, the only true Light, shine unto many,
from the away-taking of one. These notable men, Master John
Fyfe only excepted, did never after comfort this country with
their bodily presence; but God made them fructify in His
Church, and raised them up lights out of darkness, to the
praise of His own mercy, and to the just condemnation of
them that then ruled—to wit, the King, Council, and nobility,
yea, the whole people—who suffered such notable personages,
without crimes committed, to be unjustly persecuted, and so
exiled. Others were afterwards treated in the same manner;
but of them we shall speak in their own places.
Persecution
revived:
1534.
As soon as the bishops got the opportunity which
they constantly sought, they renewed the battle against
Jesus Christ. In the year of God 1534, the foresaid
leprous Archbishop caused to be summoned Sir
William Kirk, Adam Deas, Henry Cairns, and John Stewart,
indwellers of Leith, with divers others, such as Master William
Johnstone, and Master Henry Henderson, schoolmaster of
Edinburgh. Some of these compeared in the Abbey Kirk of
Holyroodhouse and abjured, and publicly burned their bills:
others compeared not, and were exiled. But two were brought
to judgment, to wit, David Stratoun, a gentleman, and Master
Norman Gourlay, a man of reasonable erudition. Of them we
must shortly speak.
David
Stratoun
and his
Teind Fish.
In Master Norman appeared knowledge, albeit
joined with weakness. But in David Stratoun there
could only be espied, from the first, a hatred against
the pride and avarice of the priests. The cause of his
delation was as follows. He had made himself a fishing boat
to go to sea, and the Bishop of Moray, then being Prior of
St. Andrews, and his factors, urged for the teind thereof. His
answer was that, if they would have teind of that which his
servants won in the sea, it was but reason that they should
come and receive it where he got the stock.[24] So, as was
constantly affirmed, he caused his servants to cast every tenth
fish into the sea again. Process of cursing was led against
him, for non-payment of such teinds; and when he contemned
this, he was delated[25] to answer for heresy. It troubled him
vehemently; and he began to frequent the company of such
as were godly; for before he had been a very stubborn man,
and one that despised all reading, chiefly of those things that
were godly. Miraculously, as it were, he appeared to be
changed; for he delighted in nothing but in reading, albeit he
himself could not read, and he became a vehement exhorter
of all men to concord, to quietness, and to the contempt of the
world. He frequented much the company of the Laird of Dun,
whom God in those days had marvellously illuminated.
The Conversion
of
Stratoun.
One day, the present Laird of Lauriston, then
a young man, was reading to him from the New
Testament, in a certain quiet spot in the fields. As
God had appointed, he chanced to read these sentences of our
Master, Jesus Christ: "He that denies Me before men, or is
ashamed of Me in the midst of this wicked generation, I will
deny him in the presence of My Father, and before His angels."
At these words he suddenly, being as one ravished, platt[26] himself
upon his knees. After extending both hands and visage fixedly
to the heavens for a reasonable time, he burst forth in these
words: "O Lord, I have been wicked, and justly mayest Thou
withdraw Thy grace from me. But, Lord, for Thy mercy's
sake, let me never deny Thee or Thy truth, from fear of death
or corporal pain."
Martyrdom
of
Stratoun
and
Gourlay.
The issue declared that his prayer was not vain:
for when he, with the foresaid Master Norman, was
produced in judgment in the Abbey of Holyroodhouse,
the King himself (all clad in red) being present, there
was great labour to make the said David Stratoun recant, and
burn his bill. But he, ever standing at his defence, alleging
that he had not offended, in the end was adjudged unto the
fire. When he perceived the danger, he asked grace of the
King. This would the King willingly have granted unto him,
but the bishops proudly answered that his hands were bound
in that case, and that he had no grace to give to such as by
their law were condemned. And so was David Stratoun, with
the said Master Norman, after dinner, upon the twenty-seventh
day of August, in the year of God 1534, led to a place beside
the Rood of Greenside; and there these two were both hanged
and burned, according to the mercy of the papistical Kirk.
The True
Light
spreads:
Cardinal
David
Beaton
notwithstanding.
This tyranny notwithstanding, the knowledge of
God did wondrously increase within this realm, partly
by reading, partly by brotherly conference, which in
those dangerous days was used to the comfort of
many; but chiefly by merchants and mariners, who,
frequenting other countries, heard the true doctrine
affirmed, and the vanity of the papistical religion openly
rebuked. Dundee and Leith were the principal centres of enlightenment,
and there David Beaton, cruel Cardinal, made a
very strait inquisition, divers being compelled to abjure and
burn their bills, some in St. Andrews, and some at Edinburgh.
About the same time, Captain John Borthwick was burnt in
effigy, but by God's providence he himself escaped their fury.
This was done for a spectacle and triumph to Mary of Lorraine,
lately arrived from France, as wife of James the Fifth, King
of Scots. What plagues she brought with her, and how they
yet continue, may be manifestly seen by such as are not blind.
The Reformation
in Court
and
Cloisters.
The rage of these bloody beasts proceeded so that
the King's Court itself escaped not danger; for in it
divers were suspected, and some were accused. And
yet ever did some light burst out in the midst of
darkness; for the truth of Christ Jesus entered even into the
cloisters, as well of Friars, as of Monks and Canons. John
Linn, a Grey Friar, left his hypocritical habit and the den of
those murderers the Grey Friars. A Black Friar, called Friar
Kyllour, set forth the history of Christ's Passion in the form
of a play, which he both preached and practised openly in
Stirling, the King himself being present, upon a Good Friday
in the morning. In this, all things were so lovably expressed
that the very simple people understood, and these confessed
that, as the priests and obstinate Pharisees persuaded the
people to refuse Christ Jesus, and caused Pilate to condemn
Him, so did the bishops and men called religious blind the
people, and persuade princes and judges to persecute such as
professed the blessed Evangel of Christ Jesus.
Friar
Kyllour
and others
go to the
Stake:
Feby. 1538.
This plain speaking so inflamed the hearts of all
that bare the beast's mark, that they did not cease their
machinations until the said Friar Kyllour, and with
him Friar Beveridge, Sir Duncan Simson, Robert
Forrester, a gentleman, and Dean Thomas Forret,
Canon Regular and Vicar of Dollar, a man of upright life, were
all together cruelly murdered in one fire, on the last day of
February, in the year of God 1538. This cruelty was used by
the said Cardinal, the Chancellor, Archbishop of Glasgow, and
the incestuous Bishop of Dunblane.
The Trial
of Friar
Russell
and Friar
Kennedy.
After this cruelty was used in Edinburgh, upon
the Castle Hill, two friars were apprehended in the
Diocese of Glasgow, to the effect that the rest of the
bishops might show themselves no less fervent to
suppress the light of God than was he of St. Andrews. The
one was Jerome Russell, a Cordelier Friar, a young man of a
meek nature, quick spirit, and good letters. The other was one
Kennedy, who was not more than eighteen years of age, and
was of excellent ingyne[27] in Scottish poesy. To assist the Archbishop
of Glasgow in that cruel judgment, or at least to cause
him to dip his hands in the blood of the saints of God, there
were sent Master John Lauder, Master Andrew Oliphant, and
Friar Maltman, sergeants of Satan, apt for that purpose. The
day appointed for their cruelty having come, the two poor
saints of God were presented before these bloody butchers.
Grievous were the crimes that were laid to their charge.
At the first, Kennedy was faint, and gladly would have
recanted. But, when a place of repentance was denied unto
him, the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of all comfort,
began to work in him. The inward comfort began to burst
forth, in visage as well as in tongue and word; for his countenance
began to be cheerful. With a joyful voice he said, upon
his knees, "O Eternal God! how wondrous is that love and
mercy that Thou bearest unto mankind, and unto me the most
caitiff and miserable wretch above all others; for, even now,
when I would have denied Thee, and Thy Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ, my only Saviour, and so have casten myself into everlasting
damnation; Thou, by Thine own hand, hast pulled me
from the very bottom of hell, and makest me to feel that
heavenly comfort which takes from me the ungodly fear
wherewith before I was oppressed. Now I defy death; do
what ye please, I praise my God I am ready."
The godly and learned Jerome, railed upon by those godless
tyrants, answered, "This is your hour and that of the power
of darkness: now sit ye as judges; and we stand wrongfully
accused, and more wrongfully to be condemned; but the day
shall come, when our innocency shall appear, and ye shall see
your own blindness, to your everlasting confusion. Go forward,
and fulfil the measure of your iniquity."
When these servants of God thus behaved themselves, there
arose a variance betwixt the Archbishop and the beasts that
came from the Cardinal. The Archbishop said, "I think it better
to spare these men, rather than to put them to death." Thereat
the idiot Doctors, offended, said, "What will ye do, my Lord?
Will ye condemn all that my Lord Cardinal and the other
bishops and we have done? If so ye do, ye show yourself
enemy to the Kirk and us, and so we will repute you, be ye
assured." At these words the faithless man, effrayed,[28] adjudged
the innocents to die, according to the desire of the wicked.
The
Friars are
burned.
The meek and gentle Jerome Russell comforted
the other with many comfortable sentences, oft saying
unto him, "Brother, fear not: more potent is He that
is in us, than is he that is in the world. The pain that we
shall suffer is short, and shall be light; but our joy and consolation
shall never end. Therefore, let us contend to enter in
unto our Master and Saviour, by the strait way which He has
trod before us. Death cannot destroy us; for it is destroyed
already by Him for whose sake we suffer." With these and
the like comfortable sentences, they passed to the place of
execution, and constantly triumphed over death and Satan,
even in the midst of the flaming fire.
The
Bigotry of
James V.
Thus did these cruel beasts intend nothing but
murder in all quarters of this realm. For so far had
that blinded and most vicious man, the Prince,—most
vicious, we call him, for he neither spared man's wife nor
maiden, no more after his marriage than he did before,—so far,
we say, had he given himself to obey the tyranny of those
bloody beasts that he had made a solemn vow, that none
should be spared that was suspected of heresy, yea, although
it were his own son. He lacked not flatterers enough to press
and push him forward in his fury. Many of his minions were
pensioners to priests; and among them, Oliver Sinclair, still
surviving and an enemy to God, was the principal.
God speaks
to the King.
Yet did not God cease to give to that blinded Prince
documents[29] that some sudden plague was to fall upon
him, if he did not repent his wicked life; and that his own
mouth did confess. For, after Sir James Hamilton was beheaded,
justly or unjustly we dispute not, this vision came
unto him, as he himself did declare to his familiars. The said
Sir James appeared unto him, having in his hands a drawn
sword. With this he struck both arms from the King, saying
to him, "Take that, until thou receivest a final payment for all
thy impiety." He showed this vision, with sorrowful countenance,
on the morrow; and shortly thereafter his two sons
died, both within the space of twenty-four hours; some say,
within the space of six hours. In his own presence, George
Steel, his greatest flatterer, and the greatest enemy to God
that was in his Court, dropped off his horse, and died without
word, on the same day that, in open audience of many, the
said George had refused his portion of Christ's kingdom, if the
prayers of the Virgin Mary should not bring him there.
Men of good credit can yet report a terrible vision the said
Prince saw, when lying in Linlithgow, on the night that Thomas
Scott, Justice Clerk, died in Edinburgh. Affrighted at midnight,
or after, he cried for torches, and raised all that lay in
the Palace. He told that Thomas Scott was dead; for he had
been at him with a company of devils, and had said unto him
these words, "O woe to the day that ever I knew thee or thy
service; for, for serving thee against God, against His servants,
and against justice, I am adjudged to endless torment." Of
the terrible utterances of the said Thomas Scott before his
death, men of all estates heard, and some that yet live can
witness. His words were ever, "Justo Dei judicio condemnatus
sum"; that is, I am condemned by God's just judgment. He
was most oppressed for the delation and false accusation of
such as professed Christ's Evangel, as Master Thomas Marjoribanks
and Master Hew Rigg, then advocates, did confess to
Mr. Henry Balnaves. These came to him from the said
Thomas Scott, as he and Mr. Thomas Bellenden were sitting
in St. Giles's Kirk, and in the name of the said Thomas asked
his forgiveness.
George
Buchanan:
his Arrest
and
Escape.
None of these terrible forewarnings could either
change or mollify the heart of the indurate, lecherous,
and avaricious tyrant: still did he proceed from impiety
to impiety. In the midst of these admonitions
he caused hands to be put on that notable man, Master George
Buchanan to whom, for his singular erudition and honest
behaviour was committed the charge of instructing some of
his bastard children. But, by the merciful providence of God,
Master George escaped the rage of those that sought his blood,
albeit with great difficulty, and he remains alive to this day,
in the year of God 1566, to the glory of God, to the great
honour of his nation, and unto the comfort of those that
delight in letters and virtue. That singular work of David's
Psalms in Latin metre and poesy, besides many others, can
witness the rare grace of God given to the man whom that
tyrant, by instigation of the Grey Friars and of his other
flatterers, would altogether have devoured, if God had not provided
to his servant remedy by escape.
This cruelty and persecution notwithstanding, these monsters
and hypocrites the Grey Friars, day by day, came further into
contempt; for not only did the learned espy their abominable
hypocrisy, but men, in whom no such grace or gifts were
thought to have been, began plainly to paint the same forth to
the people....
When God had given unto that indurate Prince sufficient
documents that his rebellion against His blessed Evangel
should not prosperously succeed, He raised war against him,
as He did against obstinate Saul, and in this he miserably
perished, as we shall hear.
The
broken
Tryst.
The occasion of the war was this. Harry the
Eighth, King of England, had a great desire to have
spoken with our King; and with that object he
travailed long until he got a full promise made to his ambassador,
Lord William Howard. The place of meeting was
to be at York; and the King of England kept the appointment
with such solemnity and preparation as never, for such a purpose,
had been seen in England before. There was great
bruit[30] of that journey, and some preparation was made for it
in Scotland: but in the end, by persuasion of the Cardinal
Beaton and others of his faction, the journey was stayed, and
the King's promise was falsified. Thereupon, sharp letters of
reproach were sent unto the King, and also unto his Council.
King Harry frustrated, returned to London; and, after declaring
his indignation, began to fortify with men his frontiers
fornent[31] Scotland. Sir Robert Bowes, the Earl of Angus, and
his brother, Sir George Douglas, were sent to the Borders.
Upon what other trifling questions, as, for example, the Debateable
Land and such like, the war broke out, we omit to
write. The principal occasion was the falsifying of the
promise. Our King, perceiving that the war would rise, asked
the prelates and kirkmen what support they would make to
the sustaining of the same; for rather he would yet satisfy the
desire of his uncle than would he hazard war, when he saw
that his forces were not able to resist. The kirkmen promised
mountains of gold, as Satan their father did to Christ Jesus
if He would worship him. They would have gone to hell,
rather than that he should have met with King Harry: for
then, thought they, farewell our kingdom; and, thought the
Cardinal, farewell his credit and glory in France. In the
end, they promised fifty thousand crowns a year, to be well
paid, so long as the wars lasted; and further, that their servants,
and others that appertained unto them and were exempt
from common service, should not the less serve in time of
necessity.
War with
England:
1542. Halden
Rig.
These vain promises lifted up in pride the heart of
the unhappy king: and so began the war. The realm
was quartered, and men were laid in Jedburgh and
Kelso. All men, fools we mean, bragged of victory; and
in very deed the beginning gave us a fair show. For at the first
warden raid, which was made on St. Bartholomew's Day, in the
year of God 1542, the Warden, Sir Robert Bowes, his brother
Richard Bowes, Captain of Norham, Sir William Mowbray,
knight, a bastard son of the Earl of Angus, and James Douglas
of Parkhead, then rebels, with a great number of borderers,
soldiers, and gentlemen, were taken. The Raid was termed
Halden Rig. The Earl of Angus, and Sir George his brother,
did narrowly escape. Our papists and priests, proud of this
victory, encouraged the King. There was nothing heard but,
"All is ours. They are but heretics. If we be a thousand
and they ten thousand, they dare not fight. France shall
enter the one part, and we the other, and so shall England be
conquered within a year." If any man was seen to smile at
such vanity, he was no more than a traitor and a heretic.
And yet, by these means, men had greater liberty than they
had before, as concerning their conscience; for then ceased
the persecution.
Fala Raid.
The war continued until mid September; and then
was sent down the old Duke of Norfolk, with such an
army as for a hundred years before had not come into Scotland.
The English were engaged in amassing their forces, and
setting forward their preparations and munitions, which were
exceeding great, until mid October, and after. Then they
marched from Berwick and tended to the west, ever holding
Tweed upon their one side, and never camping more than a
mile from that river during the whole time they continued in
Scotland, which was ten or twelve days. Day forays were run
to Smailholm, Stitchel, and such places near about, but many
snappers[32] they got. They burned some corn, besides that which
the great host consumed, but they carried away small booty.
The King assembled his force at Fala, for he had information
that they had proposed to advance on Edinburgh. Taking the
muster all at one hour, two days before Halloween, there were
found with him eighteen thousand able men. Ten thousand
men, with the Earl of Huntly and Lords Erskine, Seton and
Home, were upon the borders, awaiting the English army.
These were adjudged men enough to hazard battle, albeit the
enemy were estimated at forty thousand.
The Lords
plot
against
the
Courtiers.
While the King lay at Fala, waiting for the guns
and for information from the army, the Lords began
to remember how the King had been long abused by
his flatterers, and principally by the pensioners of the
priests. It was at once concluded that they would make some
new remembrance of Lauder-bridge, to see if that would for a
season somewhat help the state of the country. But the Lords
amongst themselves could not agree upon the persons that
deserved punishment. Every man favoured his friend, and
the whole escaped; and, besides, the purpose was disclosed to
the King, and by him to the courtiers. After that, until they
came to Edinburgh, the courtiers stood in no little fear; but
that was suddenly forgotten, as we shall hear.
The
English
Army
retires.
While time was thus protracted, the English army,
for scarcity of victuals, as was rumoured, retired over
Tweed by night, and so began to skaill.[33] The King,
informed of this, desired the Lords and Barons to
assist him to follow them into England. With one consent,
answer was given that they would hazard life and whatsoever
they had to defend his person and the realm; but, as for
invading England, neither had they so just title as they
desired, nor could they be then able to do anything to the
hurt of England, considering that they had now been long
absent from their houses, their provisions were spent, their
horses were wearied, and, greatest of all, the time of year did
utterly forbid. This answer seemed to satisfy the King; for
in words he praised their prudent foresight and wise counsel.
But the mint[34] made to his courtiers, and that bold repulse of
his desires given to him in his own face, wounded his proud
heart. Long had he governed as he himself chose, and he
decreed a notable revenge. This, no doubt, he would not have
failed to have executed had not God, by His own hand, cut
the cords of his impiety. He returned to Edinburgh; and the
nobility, barons, gentlemen, and commons dispersed to their
own habitations. This was on the second and third days of
November.
The
Courtiers
and
Priests
plot
against
the Lords.
Without delay, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a
new Council was convened, a Council, we mean, of the
abusers of the King. There accusation was laid against
the most part of the nobility. Some were heretics, some
favourers of England, some friends to the Douglases, and
so could there be none faithful to the King, in their opinion.
The Cardinal and the priests cast faggots in the fire with all their
force. Finding the King wholly given over to their devotion,
they delivered unto him a scroll containing the names of such
as they, in their inquisition, deemed heretics. For this was
the order of justice kept by these holy fathers in damning
innocent men. Whosoever would delate any one of heresy was
heard; no respect or consideration was taken as to what mind
the delater bare to the person delated. Whosoever were produced
as witnesses were admitted, however suspicious and
infamous they were. If two or three had proven any point
that by their law was holden heresy, the delated person was a
heretic. There remained no more to be done but to fix a
day for his condemnation, and for the execution of their
corrupt sentence. The world may this day consider what
man could be innocent where such judges were party. True
it is that by false judgment and false witnesses innocents
have been oppressed from the beginning. But never gat
the Devil his freedom to shed innocent blood except in the
kingdom of Antichrist, "that the innocent should die, and
neither know accuser nor yet the witnesses that testified
against him." But how shall the Antichrist be known, if he
be not contrarious to God the Father and His Son, Christ
Jesus, in law, life, and doctrine. But this we omit.
"An
Answer
worthy of
a Prince."
The Cardinal and prelates had once before presented
the same scroll unto the King, at the time of
his return from the circumnavigation of the Isles.
But then it was refused by the prudent and stout
counsel of the Laird of Grange, who opened clearly to the King
the practice[35] of the prelates, and the danger that might ensue.
The King, being out of his passion, was tractable, and after
consideration gave answer in the Palace of Holyroodhouse to
the Cardinal and prelates, when they had uttered their malice
and shown what profit might arise to the crown if he would
follow their counsel. "Pack you, Jesuits; get you to your
charges, reform your own lives, and be not instruments of
discord betwixt my nobility and me; or else, I avow to God, I
shall reform you, not by imprisonment, as the King of Denmark
does, nor yet by hanging and heading, as the King of England
does, but I shall reform you by sharp whingers[36] if ever I
hear such motion of you again." The prelates, dashed and
astonished by this answer, had ceased for a season to attempt,
by rigour against the nobility, to pursue their schemes any
further.
Solway
Moss:
how it
began.
But now, being informed of all proceedings by their
pensioners, Oliver Sinclair, Ross, Laird of Craigie, and
others who were faithful to them in all things, they
concluded to hazard once again their former suit.
This was no sooner proposed than it was accepted, with no
small regret made by the King's own mouth that he had so
long despised their counsel; "For," said he, "now I plainly see
your words to be true. The nobility desire neither my honour
nor continuance; they would not ride a mile for my pleasure
to follow my enemies. Will ye therefore find me the means
whereby I may have a raid made into England, without their
knowledge and consent—a raid that may be known as my own
raid—and I shall bind me to your counsel for ever." There
concurred together Ahab and his false prophets; there were
congratulations and clapping of hands; there were promises of
diligence, closeness, and felicity.
Finally, conclusion was taken that the west border of
England, which was most empty of men and garrisons, should
be invaded; the King's own banner should be there; Oliver,
the great minion, should be general lieutenant; but no man
should be privy of the enterprise, except the council that was
then present, until the very day and execution thereof. The
Bishops gladly took the charge of that raid. Letters were sent
to such as they would charge to meet the King, on a day and at
a place appointed. The Cardinal was directed to go with the
Earl of Arran to Haddington, to make a show against the east
border, when the others were in readiness to invade the west.
And thus neither counsel, practice, closeness, nor diligence
lacked to set forward that enterprise. And, among these
consulters, there was no doubt of a good success. So was
the scroll thankfully received by the King himself, and put
into his own pocket, where it remained to the day of his
death, and then was found. In it were contained the names
of more than a hundred landed men, besides others of meaner
degree. Amongst these, the Lord Hamilton himself, then
second person of the realm, was delated.
It was bruited that this raid was devised by the Lord
Maxwell; but we have no certainty thereof. The night
before the day appointed for the enterprise, the King was
found at Lochmaben. To him came companies from all
quarters, as they were appointed, no man knowing of another.
No general proclamation had been made; all had been
summoned by privy letters. Nor did the multitude know
anything of the purpose until after midnight, when the
trumpet blew, and all men were commanded to march forward,
and to follow the King, who was supposed to be with
the host. Guides were appointed to conduct them towards
England, and these did so both faithfully and closely.
Upon the point of day, they approached to the enemies'
ground; and passed the water without any great resistance
made unto them. The foray went forward, fires rose, and
herschip[37] might have been seen on every side. The unprepared
people were altogether amazed; for, bright day
appearing, they saw an army of ten thousand men, and
their corn and houses upon every side sending flames of
fire unto the heaven. To them it was more than a wonder
that such a multitude could have been assembled and convoyed,
without knowledge thereof coming to their wardens.
They looked not for support, and so at the first they utterly
despaired. Yet began they to assemble together, ten in one
company, twenty in another; and, as the fray proceeded, their
troops increased, but to no number; for Carlisle, fearing to
have been assaulted, suffered no man to issue from the gates.
Thus the greatest number that ever appeared or approached
before the discomfiture, did not exceed three or four hundred
men; and yet they made hot skirmishing, for, on their own
ground, they were more expert in such feats.
About ten o'clock, when fires had been kindled and almost
slokened[38] on every side, Oliver thought it time to show his glory.
Incontinently,[39] the King's banner was displayed; Oliver was
lifted up on spears upon men's shoulders, and there, with sound
of trumpet, he was proclaimed general lieutenant, and all men
were commanded to obey him, as the King's own person,
under all highest pains. The Lord Maxwell, Warden, to whom
properly appertained the regiment, in absence of the King, was
present; he heard and saw all, but thought more than he spake.
There were also present the Earls Glencairn and Cassillis,
with the Lord Fleming, and many other Lords, Barons, and
gentlemen of Lothian, Fife, Angus, and Mearns.
The Rout
at Solway
Moss.
In the meantime, the skirmishing grew hotter than
it had been before: shouts were heard on every side.
Some Scotsmen were stricken down; some, not knowing
the ground, laired,[40] and lost their horses. Some English
horses were of purpose let loose, to provoke greedy and
imprudent men to prick at them: many did so, but found no
advantage. While disorder arose more and more in the army,
men cried in every ear, "My Lord Lieutenant, what will ye
do?" Charge was given that all men should alight and go
to array; for they would fight it. Others cried, "Against
whom will ye fight? Yon men will fight none otherwise
than ye see them do, if ye stand here until the morn."
New purpose was taken that the footmen (they had with
them certain bands of soldiers) should softly retire towards
Scotland, and that the horsemen should take horse again,
and follow in order. Great was the noise and confusion
that was heard, while every man called his own slogan.[41]
The day was nearly spent, and that was the cause of the
greatest fear.
The Lord Maxwell, perceiving what would be the end of
such beginnings, remained on foot with his friends, and, being
admonished to take horse and provide for himself, answered,
"Nay, I will here abide the chance that it shall please God to
send me, rather than go home, and there be hanged." And
so he remained on foot and was taken prisoner, while the
multitude fled, to their greater shame. The enemy, perceiving
the disorder, increased in courage. Before, they had shouted;
but then they struck. They threw spears and dagged[42] arrows
where the companies were thickest. Some rencounters were
made, but nothing availed. The soldiers cast from them their
pikes, culverins, and other weapons of defence; the horsemen
left their spears; and, without judgment, all men fled.
The tide was rising, and the water made great stop; but the
fear was such that happy was he that might get a tacker.[43]
Such as passed the water and escaped that danger, not
well acquainted with the ground, fell into the Solway Moss.
The entry to it was pleasing enough, but all that took that
way, either tint[44] their horses or else themselves and horses
both.
To be short, a greater fear and discomfiture, without cause,
has seldom been seen. It is said that, where the men were
not sufficient to take the hands of prisoners, some ran to
houses and surrendered themselves to women. Stout Oliver
was taken, without stroke, fleeing manfully; and so was his
glory (stinking and foolish pride we should call it) suddenly
turned to confusion and shame. In that discomfiture were
taken the two Earls foresaid, the Lords Fleming and Somerville,
and many other barons and gentlemen, besides the great
multitude of servants.
Worldly men may think that all this came but by misorder
and fortune, as they term it; but whosoever has the
least spunk[45] of the knowledge of God, may as evidently see
the work of His hand in this discomfiture, as ever was seen
in any of the battles left to us on record by the Holy Ghost.
For what more evident declaration have we that God fought
against Benhadad, King of Aram, when he was discomfited
at Samaria, than that which we have that God fought with
His own arm against Scotland? In the former discomfiture,
two hundred and thirty persons in the skirmish, with seven
thousand following them in the great battle, did put to flight
the said Benhadad, with thirty kings in his company. But
here, in this shameful discomfiture of Scotland, very few more
than three hundred men, without knowledge of any back or
battle to follow, did put to flight ten thousand men without
resistance made. There did every man rencounter his marrow,[46]
until the two hundred slew such as matched them. Here,
without slaughter, the multitude fled. There those of Samaria
had the prophet of God to comfort, to instruct, and to promise
victory unto them. England, in that pursuit, had nothing.
But God by His providence secretly wrought in these men
that knew nothing of His working, nor yet of the causes
thereof; no more than did the wall that fell upon the rest
of Benhadad's army know what it did. Therefore, yet again
we say that such as behold not in that sudden dejection the
hand of God, fighting against pride for the freedom of His
own little flock, unjustly persecuted, do willingly and maliciously
obscure the glory of God. But the end was yet more
notable.
The Blow
falls on
the King.
The King waited upon news at Lochmaben, and
when the certain knowledge of the discomfiture
came to his ears he was stricken with a sudden fear
and astonishment, so that scarcely could he speak, or hold
purposed converse with any man. The night constrained him
to remain where he was, and so he went to bed; but he rose
without rest or quiet sleep. His continual complaint was,
"Oh, fled Oliver! Is Oliver ta'en? Oh, fled Oliver!" These
words in his melancholy, and as if he were carried away in
a trance, he repeated from time to time, to the very hour of
his death. Upon the morn, which was St. Katherine's Day, he
returned to Edinburgh, as did the Cardinal from Haddington.
But the one being ashamed of the other, the bruit of their
communication came not to the ears of the public. The King
made inventory of his poise,[47] and of all his jewels and other
substance; and departed to Fife. Coming to Hallyards, he
was humanely received by the Lady Grange, an ancient and
godly matron: the Laird was absent. There were in his
company only William Kirkaldy, now Laird of Grange, and
some others that waited upon his chamber. At supper, the
lady, perceiving him pensive, began to comfort him, and urged
him to take the work of God in good part. "My portion of
this world is short," he replied, "for I will not be with you
fifteen days." His servants, repairing unto him, asked where
he would have provision made for Yuletide, which then
approached. He answered with a disdainful smirk, "I cannot
tell: choose ye the place. But this I can tell you, ye will be
masterless before Yule day, and the realm without a King."
Because of his displeasure, no man durst make contradiction
unto him. After he had visited the Castle of Carny, pertaining
to the Earl of Crawford, where was the said Earl's
daughter, one of his paramours, he returned to Falkland and
took to bed. No sign of death appeared about him, but he
constantly affirmed that, before such a day, he would be
dead.
The Birth
of Mary
Stuart.
In the meantime the Queen was upon the point
of her delivery in Linlithgow, and on the eighth day
of December, in the year of God 1542, was delivered
of Mary, that then was born, and now does reign for a plague
to this realm, as the progress of her whole life to this day hath
declared. The certainty that a daughter was born unto him
coming to his ears, the King turned from such as spake with
him, and said, "The devil go with it! It will end as it began:
it came from a woman; and it will end in a woman." After
that, he spake not many words that were sensible. But ever
he harped upon his old song, "Fie, fled Oliver! Is Oliver
ta'en? All is lost."
The
Death of
James V.
In the meantime came the Cardinal, in the King's
great extremity, an apt comforter for a desperate
man. He cried in his ear, "Take order, Sire, with
your realm: who shall rule during the minority of your
daughter? Ye have known my service, what will ye have
done? Shall there not be four regents chosen, and shall not
I be principal of them?" Whatsoever the King answered,
documents were taken that things should be as my Lord
Cardinal thought expedient. As many affirm, a dead man's
hand was made to subscribe a blank, that they might write
above the signature what pleased them best. This finished,
the Cardinal posted to the Queen. At the first sight of the
Cardinal, she said, "Welcome, my Lord. Is not the King
dead?" Divers men are of divers opinions as to what
moved her so to conjecture. Many whisper that of old his
part was in the pot, and that the suspicion thereof caused
him to be inhibited the Queen's company. Howsoever it
may have been before, it is plain that, after the King's death,
and during the Cardinal's life, whosoever might guide the
Court, he got his secret business sped by that gracious lady,
either by day or by night. Whether the tidings liked her
or not, she mended with as great expedition of that daughter
as ever she did before of any son she bare. The time of her
purification was accomplished sooner than the Levitical law
appoints: but she was no Jewess, and therefore in that she
offended not.
King James departed this life on the thirteenth day of
December, in the year of God 1542, and on news thereof the
hearts of men began to be disclosed. All men lamented that
the realm was left without a male to succeed; yet some
rejoiced that such an enemy to God's truth was taken away.
By some he was called a good poor-man's king; by others
he was termed a murderer of the nobility, and one that
had decreed their utter destruction. Some praised him for
suppressing theft and oppression; others dispraised him for
the defiling of men's wives and of virgins. Men spake as
affection led them. And yet none spake altogether beside
the truth; for all these things were in part so manifest that,
as the virtues could not be denied, so could not the vices be
cloaked by any craft.
The
Cardinal
claims the
Regency.
Throughout this realm the question of government
was universally moved. The Cardinal proclaimed
the King's last will. Therein were nominated four
Protectors or Regents, of whom he himself was the
first and principal, with him being joined the Earls Huntly,
Argyll, and Moray. This was done on the Monday at the
Market Cross of Edinburgh. But on the Monday following
the whole Regents had remission from their usurpation.
By the stout and wise counsel of the Laird of Grange, the
Earl of Arran, then second person to the Crown, caused
assemble the nobility of the realm, and required the equity
of their judgment in his just suit to be governor of this realm
during the minority of her to whom he would succeed, in the
event of her death without lawful succession. His friends
convened, the nobility assembled, and the day of decision
was appointed. The Cardinal and his faction opposed themselves
to the government of one man, and especially to the
regiment of any called Hamilton: "For who knows not," said
the Cardinal, "that the Hamiltons are cruel murderers,
oppressors of innocence, proud, avaricious, double, and false;
and, finally, the pestilence in this commonwealth." Thereto
the said Earl answered, "Defraud me not of my right, and
call me what ye please. Whatsoever my friends have been,
unto this day no man has had cause to complain upon me,
nor am I minded to flatter any of my friends in their evil
doing. By God's grace I shall be as forward to correct their
enormities as any within the realm can reasonably require of
me. And therefore, yet again, my Lords, in God's name I
crave that ye do me no wrong, nor defraud me of my just
title, before ye have experience of my government." At these
words, all that feared God or loved honesty were so moved
that with one voice they cried, "That petition is most just,
and unless we would act against God, justice, and equity, it
cannot be denied."
The Earl
of Arran is
proclaimed
Regent.
In despite of the Cardinal and his suborned faction,
the Earl of Arran was declared Governor, and with
public proclamation so announced to the people. The
King's Palace, treasure, jewels, garments, horse, and
plate were delivered unto him by the officers that had the
former charge; and he was honoured, feared, and obeyed more
heartily than ever any king was before, so long as he abode
in God. Great favour was borne unto him, because it was
bruited that he favoured God's Word; and because it was
well known that he was one appointed to have been persecuted,
as the scroll, found in the King's pocket after his
death, did witness. These two things, together with an
opinion that men had of his simplicity, did, in the beginning,
bow unto him the hearts of many who afterwards, with dolour
of heart, were compelled to change their opinions. We omit
a variety of matters, such as the order taken for keeping the
young Queen; the provision for the mother; and the home-calling
of the Douglases. These appertain to a universal
history of the time. We seek only to follow the progress of
religion, and of the matters that cannot be dissevered from
the same.
Thomas
Williams
and John
Rough
preach, in
despite of
the Friars.
The Governor being established in government,
godly men repaired unto him, and exhorted him to
call to mind for what end God had exalted him; out
of what danger He had delivered him; and what
expectation all men of honesty had of him. At their
suit, more than of his own motion, Thomas Williams, a Black
Friar, was called to be preacher. The man was of solid
judgment, reasonable letters for that age, and of a prompt and
good utterance: his doctrine was wholesome, without great
vehemence against superstition. John Rough, who after, for
the truth of Christ Jesus, suffered in England, in the days
of Mary of cursed memory, preached also sometimes, not so
learnedly, yet more simply, and more vehemently against all
impiety. The doctrine of these two provoked against them
and against the Governor the hatred of all that favoured
darkness more than light, and their own bellies more than
God. These slaves of Satan, the Grey Friars (and amongst
the rest Friar Scott, who before had given himself forth for
the greatest professor of Christ Jesus within Scotland, and
under that colour had disclosed and so endangered many)
croaked like ravens, yea, rather they yelled and roared like
devils in hell, "Heresy! heresy! Williams and Rough will
carry the Governor to the devil."
Edinburgh
drowned in
Superstition.
The town of Edinburgh was, for the most part,
drowned in superstition: Edward Hope, young
William Adamson, Sibella Lindsay, Patrick Lindsay,
Francis Aikman; and in the Canongate, John Mackay,
Ryngzean Brown, with a few others, had the bruit[48] of knowledge
in those days. One Wilson, servant to the Bishop of
Dunkeld, who neither knew the New Testament nor the Old,
made a despiteful railing ballad against the preachers and
against the Governor, and for this he narrowly escaped
hanging. The Cardinal moved both heaven and hell to
trouble the Governor and to stay the preaching; but the
battle was stoutly fought for a season. He was taken
prisoner, and was confined first in Dalkeith, and after that
in Seton. But, in the end, by means of bribes given to
Lord Seton and to the old Laird of Lethington, he was
restored to St. Andrews. Thence he wrought all mischief,
as we shall afterwards hear.
Liberty
to read
the Scriptures
is
demanded.
At the approach of Parliament before Easter,
there began to be question of abolishing certain
tyrannical acts, formerly made at the instance of
the prelates, for maintaining of their kingdom of
darkness; to wit, the Act "that under pain of heresy, no
man should read any part of the Scriptures in the English
tongue, nor yet any tractate or exposition of any place of
Scripture." Such articles began to come into question, we
say, and men began to inquire if it was not as lawful to men
that understood no Latin to use the Word of their salvation
in the tongue they understood, as it was for Latin men to
have it in Latin, and for Greeks or Hebrews to have it in
their tongues. It was answered that the first Kirk had
forbidden all tongues but these three. But men demanded
when that inhibition was given; and what Council had
ordained that, considering that Chrysostom complained that
the people used not the Psalms, and other holy books, in
their own tongues? If it be said that these were Greeks,
and understood the Greek tongue, we answer that Christ
Jesus commanded His Word to be preached to all nations.
Now, if it ought to be preached to all nations, it must be
preached in the tongue they understand. If it be lawful to
preach it and to hear it preached in all tongues, why should
it not be lawful to read it, and to hear it read in all tongues,
to the end that the people may try the spirits, according to
the commandment of the Apostle.
Beaten with these and other reasons, it was admitted that
the Word might be read in the vulgar tongue, provided that
the translation were true. It was demanded, what could be
reprehended in the translation used? Much searching was
made, but nothing could be found, except that "love," said
they, was put in the place of "charity." When they were
asked what difference was betwixt the one and the other,
and whether they understood the nature of the Greek term
Agape, they were dumb. The Lord Ruthven, father to him
that prudently gave counsel to take just punishment upon
that knave Davie,[49] a stout and discreet man in the cause of
God, and Mr. Henry Balnaves, an old professor, reasoned for
the party of the seculars. For the Clergy, Hay, Dean of
Restalrig, and certain old bosses[50] with him.
An open
Bible is
secured.
The conclusion was that the Commissioners of
Burghs and a part of the nobility required of the
Parliament that it might be enacted, "That it should
be lawful to every man to use the benefit of the translation
which then they had of the Bible and New Testament, together
with the benefit of other tracts containing wholesome doctrine,
until such time as the prelates and kirkmen should give and
set forth unto them a translation more correct." The clergy
hereto long repugned; but, in the end, convicted by reason
and by multitude of contrary votes, they also acquiesced. So,
by Act of Parliament, it was made free to all men and women
to read the Scriptures in their own tongue, or in the English
tongue; and all Acts of contrary effect were abolished.
The Bible
becomes
fashionable.
This was no small victory of Christ Jesus, fighting
against the conjured enemies of His truth; no small
comfort to such as before were so holden in bondage
that they durst not have read the Lord's Prayer, the Ten
Commandments, or the Articles of their faith in the English
tongue, without being accused of heresy. Then might have
been seen the Bible lying upon almost every gentleman's table.
The New Testament was borne about in many men's hands.
We grant that some, alas! profaned that blessed Word; for
some that, perchance, had never read ten sentences in it had
it most commonly in their hands. They would chop their
familiars on the cheek with it, and say, "This has lain hid
under my bed-foot these ten years." Others would glory,
"Oh! how often have I been in danger for this book. How
secretly have I stolen from my wife at midnight to read upon
it." Many did this to make court; for all men esteemed the
Governor the most fervent Protestant in Europe. Albeit
many abused that liberty granted by God miraculously, the
knowledge of God wondrously increased, and God gave His
Holy Spirit to simple men in great abundance. Then were
set forth works in our own tongue, besides those that came
from England, disclosing the pride, the craft, the tyranny, and
the abuses of that Roman Antichrist.
King
Harry
suggests
the Betrothal
of
Queen
Mary to
Prince
Edward.
The fame of our Governor was spread in divers
countries, and many praised God for him. King
Harry sent unto him his Ambassador, Mr. Sadler,
and he lay in Edinburgh a great part of the summer.
His commission and negotiation was to contract a
perpetual amity betwixt England and Scotland. God
seemed to have offered the occasion, and to many men it
appeared that from heaven He had declared His good pleasure
in that proposal. For, to King Harry, Jane Seymour (after
the death of Queen Katherine, and of all others that might
have made his marriage suspect) had borne a son, Edward the
Sixth of blessed memory, older some years than our Mistress,
and unto us was left a Queen. This wonderful providence of
God caused men of greatest judgment to enter into disputation
with themselves, whether, with good conscience, any man
might repugn to the desires of the King of England, considering
that thereby all occasion of war might be cut off, and
great commodity might ensue to his realm. The offers of
King Harry were so large and his demands were so reasonable
that all that loved quietness were content therewith. There
were sent from the Parliament to King Harry, in commission,
Sir William Hamilton, Sir James Learmonth, and Mr. Henry
Balnaves. These remained long in England, and so travailed
that all things concerning the marriage betwixt Edward the
Sixth and Mary Queen of Scots were agreed upon, except the
time of her deliverance to the custody of Englishmen.
The Contract
of
Marriage
is adjusted
and
ratified.
For the final conclusion of this head, William,
Earl of Glencairn, and Sir George Douglas, were added
to the former commissioners, and to them were given
ample commission and good instructions. Mr. Sadler
remained in Scotland. Communications passed frequently,
yea, the hands of our Lords were liberally anointed.
Other commodities were promised, and by some received;
for divers persons taken at Solway Moss were sent home,
ransom free, upon promise of their fidelity,—how this was
kept, the issue will witness. In the end, all were well content
(the Cardinal, the Queen, and the faction of France ever
excepted), and solemnly, in the Abbey of Holyroodhouse, the
contract of marriage betwixt the persons foresaid, together
with all the clauses and conditions requisite for the faithful
observation thereof, was read in public audience, subscribed,
sealed, approved, and allowed by the Governor for his part,
and the Nobility and Lords for their part. That nothing
should lack that might fortify the matter, Christ's sacred body,
as Papists term it, was broken betwixt the said Governor
and Master Sadler, Ambassador, and received by them both
as a sign and token of the unity of their minds, inviolably to
keep that contract, in all points, as they looked to Christ
Jesus to be saved, and to be reputed men worthy of credit
before the world in after time.
The
Papists
refuse to
acknowledge
the
Contract.
The Papists raged against the Governor and against
the Lords that consented, and abode sweir[51] at the
contract. They made a brag that they would depose
the Governor, and confound all. Without delay, they
raised their forces and came to Linlithgow, where
the young Queen was kept. But, upon the return of the
Ambassadors from England, pacification was made for that time.
By the judgment of eight persons for either party, chosen to
judge whether anything had been done by the Ambassadors,
in contracting that marriage, for which they had not sufficient
power from the Council and Parliament, it was found that
all things had been done by them according to their commission,
and that these should stand. So the Seals of England
and Scotland were interchanged. Master James Foulis, then
Clerk of Register, received the Great Seal of England; and
Master Sadler received the Great Seal of Scotland. The heads
of the contract we pass by.
As soon as these things were ratified, the merchants made
frack[52] to sail, and to resume the traffic which had for some
years been hindered by the trouble of wars. From Edinburgh
were freighted twelve ships richly laden with the wares of
Scotland. From other towns and ports departed others. All
arrived in Yarmouth; and entered not only within roads, but
also within ports and places where ships might be arrested.
Because of the lately contracted amity and the gentle entertainment
that they received at first, they made no great
expedition. Being, as they supposed, in security, they spent
the time in merriness, abiding upon the wind.
The
Papists
turn the
Tables.
In the meantime there arrived from France
to Scotland the Abbot of Paisley, called bastard
brother to the Governor, but by many esteemed
son to Crichton, the old Bishop of Dunkeld, and
with him Master David Panter, afterwards Bishop of Ross.
The bruit of the learning and honest life of these two,
and of their fervency and uprightness in religion, was such
that there was great hope that their presence should have
been comfortable to the Kirk of God. It was constantly
affirmed that, without delay, the one and the other would
occupy the pulpit, and truly preach Jesus Christ. Few days
disclosed their hypocrisy. What terrors, what promises, or
what enchanting boxes they brought from France, the common
people knew not, but shortly after it was seen that Friar
Williams was inhibited from preaching, and so departed to
England. John Rough retired to Kyle, a receptacle of God's
servants of old.
The men of counsel, judgment, and godliness that had
travailed to promote the Governor, and that gave him faithful
counsel in all doubtful matters, were either craftily conveyed
from him, or else, by threats of hanging, were compelled to
leave him. Of the former number were the Laird of Grange,
Master Henry Balnaves, Master Thomas Bellenden, and Sir
David Lyndsay of the Mount; men by whose labours the
Governor was promoted to honour, and by whose counsel he
so used himself at the beginning that the obedience given to
him was nothing inferior to that possessed by any king of
Scotland for many years before. Yea, it did surmount the
common obedience, in that it proceeded from love of those
virtues that were supposed to have been in him. Of the
number of those that were threatened were Master Michael
Durham, Master David Borthwick, David Forrest, and David
Bothwell. These had counselled the Governor to have in his
company God-fearing men, and not to foster wicked men in
their iniquity, albeit they were called his friends and were of
his surname. When this counsel came to the ears of the foresaid
Abbot and the Hamiltons, who then repaired to the Court
as ravens to the carrion, it was said in plain words, "My
Lord Governor and his friends will never be in quietness, until
a dozen of these knaves that abuse his Grace be hanged."
These words were spoken in his own presence, and in the
presence of some of them that had better deserved than so
to have been entreated. The speaker was allowed his bold
and plain speaking, and the wicked counsel being tolerated,
honest and godly men left the Court and the Governor in the
hands of such as led him so far from God that he falsified his
promise, dipped his hands in the blood of the saints of God,
and brought this commonwealth to the very point of utter
ruin. These were the first-fruits of the godliness and learning
of the Abbot of Paisley: hereafter we will hear more.
The Abbot
and the
Cardinal
next
threaten
the Regent.
All honest and godly men once banished from the
Court, the Abbot and his council began to lay before
the inconstant Governor the dangers that might ensue
the alteration and change of religion; the power of the
King of France; and the commodity that might come to
him and his house by retaining the ancient league with France.
He was also called on to consider the great danger that he
brought upon himself if, in any jot, he suffered the authority
of the Pope to be violated or called in question within this
realm; for thereon alone stood the security of his right to the
succession of the Crown of this realm. By God's Word, the
divorcement of his father from Elizabeth Home, his first wife,
would not be found lawful, his second marriage would be judged
null, and he himself declared bastard. Caiaphas spake prophecy,
and wist not what he spake; for at that time there
were no men that truly feared God that minded any such
thing. With their whole force they would have fortified the
title that God had given unto him, and things done in time of
darkness would never have been called in question.
Another practice was used. The Cardinal, being now at
liberty, ceased not to traffic with such of the nobility as he
might draw to his faction or corrupt by any means, seeking
thereby to raise a party against the said Governor, and against
such as stood fast for the contract of marriage and peace with
England. The said Cardinal, the Earls Argyll, Huntly, and
Bothwell, and the bishops and their bands, assembled at
Linlithgow: thereafter they passed to Stirling, and took with
them both the Queens, the mother and the daughter, and
threatened the deposition of the said Governor, as inobedient
to their Holy Mother the Kirk, as they term the harlot of
Babylon, Rome.
The Regent
breaks
Faith with
England,
and
receives
Absolution.
The inconstant man, not thoroughly grounded upon
God, was left destitute of all good counsel by his own
default, and had the wicked ever blowing in his ears,
"What will ye do! Ye will destroy yourself and your
house for ever." Beaten with these temptations, the
unhappy man surrendered himself to the appetites of the
wicked. Quietly stealing away from the Lords that were with
him in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, he passed to Stirling,
subjected himself to the Cardinal and to his council, received
absolution, renounced the profession of the holy Evangel of
Christ Jesus, and violated the oath that he had made for
observation of the contract and league with England.
King Harry
remonstrates
without
avail.
At that time our Queen was crowned, and new
promise was made to France. The certainty hereof
coming to King Harry, our Scottish ships were stayed,
the sails taken from their rays,[53] and the merchants and
mariners were commanded to sure custody. New commission
was sent to Master Sadler, who still remained in Scotland, to
demand the reason for that sudden alteration, and to travail
by all means possible that the Governor might be called back
to his former godly purpose, and that he would not do so
foolishly and inhonestly, yea so cruelly and unmercifully, to
the realm of Scotland. He was assured that he would not
only lose the commodities offered and presently to be received,
but that he would also expose Scotland to the hazard of fire
and sword, and other inconveniences that might arise from
the war that would follow upon the violation of his faith:
but nothing could avail. The Devil kept fast the grip that
he had got, yea, even all the days of his government. The
Cardinal got his eldest son in pledge, and kept him in the
Castle of St. Andrews until the day that God punished his
pride.
War is
declared
by King
Harry.
King Harry, perceiving that all hope of the Governor's
repentance was lost, called back his ambassador,
and that with fearful threatenings, as Edinburgh afterwards
felt. He proclaimed war, made our ships prizes,
and our merchants and mariners lawful prisoners, and this alone
was no small hardship to the burghs of Scotland. But the
Cardinal and priests did laugh, and jestingly said, "When we
shall conquer England, the merchants shall be recompensed."
The summer and the harvest passed over without any notable
thing. The Cardinal and Abbot of Paisley parted the prey
betwixt them: the abused Governor bare the name only.
The revolt
of the Earl
of Lennox.
In the beginning of the winter the Earl of Lennox
came to Scotland, sent from France in hatred of the
Governor, whom the King, by the Cardinal's advice,
promised to pronounce bastard, and so make the said Earl
Governor. The Cardinal further put the Earl in vain hope that
the Queen Dowager would marry him. He brought with him
some money, and more he afterwards received from the hands
of La Broche. But, at length, perceiving himself frustrated
of all expectation that he had either from the King of France,
or yet from the promise of the Cardinal, he concluded to seek
the favour of England, and began to draw a faction against the
Governor.
In hatred of the other's inconstancy, many favoured him in
the beginning. At Yule there assembled in the town of Ayr,
the Earls of Angus, Glencairn, and Cassillis, the Lords Maxwell
and Somerville, the Laird of Drumlanrig, and the Sheriff
of Ayr, with all the force that they and the Lords that remained
constant to England might make. After Yule they
came to Leith. The Governor and Cardinal, with their forces,
kept Edinburgh, for they were slackly pursued. Men excused
the Earl of Lennox in this matter, and laid the blame upon
some that had no good will towards the regiment of the
Stuarts. However it was, the said Earl of Lennox was disappointed
of his purpose, and narrowly escaped; and first got
himself to Glasgow, and after that to Dumbarton. Sir George
Douglas was delivered to be kept as pledge. The Earl his
brother was taken at the siege of Glasgow in the following Lent.
It was bruited that both the brethren and others with them
would have lost their heads if, by the providence of God, the
English army had not arrived sooner.
Cardinal
Beaton
stirs up
Strife betwixt
his
Enemies.
After the Cardinal had got the Governor wholly
under his control, and had obtained his desires concerning
a part of his enemies, he began to practise
that such as he feared and therefore hated should be
set by the ears, one against another. In that, thought
the carnal man, stood his greatest security. The Lord Ruthven
he hated, by reason of his knowledge of God's Word: the
Lord Gray he feared, because at that time he sought the company
of such as professed godliness, and bare small favour to
the Cardinal. Now the worldly-wise man reasoned thus: "If
I can put enmity betwixt those two, I shall be quit of a great
number of unfriends; for the most part of the country will
either assist the one or the other; and, otherwise occupied,
they will not watch for my displeasure." Without long process,
he found the necessary means; for he laboured with John
Charteris, a man of stout courage and many friends, to accept
the provostship of Perth, which he purchased[54] to him by
donation of the Governor, with a charge to the said town to
obey him as their lawful provost. Thereat, not only the said
Lord Ruthven, but also the town was offended. These gave
a negative answer, alleging that such intrusion of men into
office was hurtful to their privilege and freedom. This granted
unto them free election of their provost from year to year, at
a certain time appointed, and this they could not or would not
prevent.[55]
The said John, offended hereat, said that he would occupy
that office by force, if they would not give it unto him of
benevolence; and so departed, and communicated the matter
with the Lord Gray, with Norman Leslie, and with other
friends. These he easily persuaded to assist him in that pursuit,
because he appeared to have the Governor's right, and
had not only a charge to the town, but also had purchased
letters empowering him to besiege it and to take it by strong
hand, if any resistance were made unto him. These letters
made many favour his action. The other party made for defence,
and the Master of Ruthven (the Lord that afterwards
departed to England) undertook the maintenance of the town,
having in his company the Laird of Moncrieffe, and other
neighbouring friends.
The Fight
for the
Provostship
of
Perth.
The said John made frack for the pursuit; and
upon the Magdalene's day, in the morning, anno 1543,
approached with his forces, the Lord Gray taking
upon him the principal charge. Norman Leslie, with
his friends, should have come by ship, with munition and
ordnance, and they were in readiness. But because the tide
served not soon, the other, thinking himself of sufficient force for
all that were in the town, entered by the bridge. They found
no resistance until the foremost were well within the Fish
Gate, when the Master of Ruthven, with his company, stoutly
rencountered them, and so rudely repulsed them that such as
were behind gave back. The place of the retreat was so strait,
that men durst not fight, and could not flee at their pleasure,
for Lord Gray and his friends were upon the bridge. The
slaughter was great; for there fell by the edge of the sword
threescore men. The Cardinal had rather that the unhap had
fallen on the other side; but, howsoever it was, he thought
that such trouble was for his comfort and advantage. The
knowledge of this came unto the ears of the party that had
received the discomfiture, and was unto them no small grief.
Many of them had entered into that action for his pleasure,
and thought they should have had his fortification and assistance.
Finding themselves frustrated, they began to look more
narrowly to themselves, and did not so much attend upon the
Cardinal's devotion, as they had been wont to do. Thus was a
new jealousy engendered amongst them; for whosoever would
not play to him the good valet was reputed amongst his
enemies.
Treachery
of the
Cardinal.
The Cardinal drew the Governor to Dundee; for
he understood that the Earl of Rothes and Master
Henry Balnaves were with the Lord Gray in the
Castle of Huntly. The Governor sent command to the said
Earl and Lord, with the foresaid Master Henry, to come unto
him to Dundee, and appointed the next day, at ten o'clock
forenoon. This hour they decreed to keep; and for that
purpose assembled their folks at Balgavie. They were more
than three hundred men, and the Cardinal, informed of their
number, thought it not good that they should join with the
town, for he feared his own estate; and so he persuaded the
Governor to pass forth from Dundee before nine o'clock, and
to take the straight road to Perth. The Lords, perceiving this,
began to fear that they were come to pursue them, and so put
themselves in order and array, and marched forward of purpose
to have bidden[56] the uttermost.
The crafty fox, foreseeing that his security stood not in
fighting, ran to his last refuge, that is, to manifest treason;
and consultation was taken as to how the force of the others
might be broken. And at the first, the Laird of Grange and
the Provost of St. Andrews, knowing nothing of treason, were
sent to ask, "Why they molested my Lord Governor in his
journey?" Thereto they answered that "nothing was less
their intention; for they had come at his Grace's commandment,
to keep the hour in Dundee appointed by him. When
they saw this prevented, and knew the Cardinal to be their
unfriend, they could not but suspect their coming forth of the
town contrary to previous arrangement. They had therefore
put themselves in order, not to invade, but to defend in case
they were invaded." This answer being reported, there was sent
to them the Archbishop of St. Andrews, Master David Panter,
and the Lairds of Buccleuch and Coldinknowes, to desire certain
of the other company to talk with them. This was easily
obtained, for they suspected no treason. After long communication,
it was demanded whether the Earl and Lord and
Master Henry foresaid would not be content to talk with the
Governor, provided that the Cardinal and his company were
off the ground? They answered that the Governor might
command them in all things lawful, but that they had no will
to be at the Cardinal's mercy. Fair enough promises were
made for their security. Then the Cardinal and his band were
commanded to depart; and, according to the purpose taken,
he did so.
The Governor remained, and another with him; and,
without company, the said Earl, Lord, and Master Henry came
to him. After many fair words given unto them all, protesting
that he would have them agreed with the Cardinal, and that
he would have Master Henry Balnaves the worker and instrument
thereof, he drew them forward with him towards Perth,
whither the Cardinal had ridden. When it was too late,
they began to suspect, and desired to have returned to their
folk. But it was answered, "They should send back from the
town, but they must needs go forward with my Lord Governor."
And so, partly by flattery and partly by force, they were compelled
to obey. As soon as ever they were within the town
they were apprehended, and upon the morn all three were
sent to Black Ness. There they remained so long as it pleased
the Cardinal's graceless Grace, and that was until bond of
manrent[57] and of service set some of them at liberty. Thus the
Cardinal with his craft prevailed on every side; so that the
Scots proverb was true in him, "So long runs the fox, as he
foot has."
The Persecution
at Perth.
We cannot affirm whether it was on this journey,
or at another date, that that bloody butcher executed
his cruelty upon the innocent persons in Perth.
Indeed, we do not study to be curious; we travail to express
the actual facts, rather than scrupulously and exactly to record
day and date, although we do not omit these when we are
certain of them. The truth in regard to the cruel deed at
Perth is this. On St. Paul's Day, before the first burning in
Edinburgh, the Governor and Cardinal came to Perth, and
there, upon envious delation, a great number of honest men
and women were called before the Cardinal, and accused of
heresy. Albeit they could be convicted of nothing more than
suspicion that they had eaten a goose upon Friday, four men
were adjudged to be hanged, and a woman to be drowned; and
this cruel and most unjust sentence was unmercifully put into
execution. The husband was hanged, and the wife, having a
sucking babe upon her breast, was drowned. "O Lord, the
land is not yet purged from such beastly cruelty; neither has
Thy just vengeance yet stricken all that were criminal of their
blood. But the day approaches when the punishment of that
cruelty and of others will evidently appear."
The names of the men that were hanged were James
Hunter, William Lamb, William Anderson, and James
Ronaldson, burgesses of Perth. At that same time there were
banished Sir Henry Elder, John Elder, Walter Pyper, Lawrence
Pullar, and divers others whose names have not come to our
knowledge. That sworn enemy to Christ Jesus, and unto all
in whom any spunk of true knowledge appeared, had divers
persons in prison about that same time. Amongst these was
John Roger, a Black Friar—godly, learned, and one that had
fruitfully preached Christ Jesus, to the comfort of many in
Angus and Mearns. Him that bloody man caused to be
murdered in the ground of the Sea-Tower of St. Andrews,
thereafter causing his body to be cast over the crag, sparsing[58] a
false bruit that the said John, seeking to flee, had broken his
own craig.[59]
The English
invade
Scotland,
and sack
Edinburgh
and Leith.
Thus Satan ceased not, by all means, to maintain
his kingdom of darkness, and to suppress the light of
Christ's Evangel. But potent is He against whom
they fought; for, when the wicked were surest of their
triumph, God began to show His anger. On the third
day of May, in the year of God 1543, without knowledge of any
of those in Scotland who should have had the care of the realm,
there was seen a great fleet of ships approaching the Forth.
Posts came to the Governor and Cardinal, who both were in
Edinburgh, informing them of the multitude of ships seen, and
of the course they took. This was upon the Saturday, before
noon. Some said there was no doubt they were Englishmen
and would land. The Cardinal scripped[60] and said, "It is but
the Island fleet: they are come to make a show, and put us in
fear. I shall lodge in my eye all the men-of-war that shall
land in Scotland." The Cardinal sat still at his dinner, as if
there had been no apparent danger. Men ran together to
gaze upon the ships, some to the Castle Hill, some to the Crags
and other eminent places. But no one asked what forces we
had for resistance, if we should be invaded. Soon after six
o'clock at night, more than two hundred sails were arrived and
had cast anchor in the Road of Leith. Shortly thereafter, the
Admiral shot a fleet boat, and this sounded the depth of water
from Granton crags unto the east of Leith, and then returned
to her ship. Men of judgment foresaw what this meant. But
no credit was given to any that said, "They mind to land." And
so everybody went to bed, as if these ships had been a guard
for their defence.
Upon the point of day, upon Sunday, the fourth of May,
the fleet made ready for landing, and arranged their ships so
that a galley or two laid their snouts to the crags. The small
ships, called pinnaces and light horsemen, approached as near
as they could. The great ships discharged their soldiers into
the smaller vessels, and these, by boats, set upon dry land,
before ten o'clock, ten thousand men, as was judged, and more.
The Governor and Cardinal, seeing then what they could not,
or at least would not, believe before, after they had made a brag
to fight, fled as fast as horse would carry them; nor did they
afterwards approach within twenty miles of the danger. The
Earl of Angus and George Douglas were that night freed of
ward in Black Ness, and the said Sir George in merriness said,
"I thank King Harry and my gentle masters of England."
The English army entered Leith betwixt twelve and one,
found the tables covered, the dinners prepared, and abundance
of wine and victuals, besides other substance. The like riches
within the like bounds were not to be found, either in Scotland
or England. Upon the Monday, the fifth of May, there
came to them from Berwick and the Border, two thousand
horsemen; and, after these had rested somewhat, the army,
upon the Wednesday, marched towards the town of Edinburgh,
spoiled and burnt the same, and also the Palace of
Holyroodhouse. The horsemen took the House of Craigmillar,
and got great spoil therein; for, it being judged the strongest
house near the town, other than the Castle of Edinburgh, men
sought to place their movables therein for safety. But the
courageous Laird gave it over without shot of hackbut, and for
his reward was caused to march upon foot to London. He is
now captain of Dunbar and Provost of Edinburgh.
The Englishmen seeing no resistance, hurled[61] cannons up
the causeway to the Butter-throne, or above, and hazarded a
shot at the fore-entry of the Castle. But that was to their
own discomfiture; for, without trench or gabion, they were
exposed to the force of the whole ordnance of the said Castle.
This opened fire, and not all in vain; for the wheel and axletree
of one of the English cannons were broken, and some of
their men were slain. So, with small honour, they left off that
enterprise, which was taken in rashness rather than of any
advised counsel. When for the most part of the day the
English had spoiled and burned, they returned to Leith towards
the night; upon the morrow returning to Edinburgh, and
executing the rest of God's judgments for that time. When
they had consumed both towns, they laded the ships with
spoil thereof, and returned to Berwick by land, using the
country for the most part at their own pleasure.
This was a part of the punishment which God laid upon
the realm for the infidelity of the Governor, and for the violation
of his solemn oath. But this was not the end; for the
realm was divided into two factions: the one favoured France;
the other the league lately contracted with England. In
nothing did the one thoroughly trust the other. The country
was in extreme calamity; for divers strongholds, such as Carlaverock,
Lochmaben, and Langholm, were delivered to the
English. And the most part of the borders were confederate
with England. Albeit Sir Ralph Evers and many other
Englishmen were slain at Ancrum Moor, in February, in the
year of God 1544, and in the year after some of the said
strongholds were recovered, this was not accomplished without
great loss and detriment to the commonwealth.
France
comes to
the Aid of
Cardinal
Beaton.
In the month of June, in the year of God 1545,
Monsieur de Lorge Montgomery, with bands of men
of war, came from France for a further destruction to
Scotland; and upon their brag was an army raised
and pushed forward towards Wark, even in the midst of
harvest. The Cardinal's banner was that day displayed, and
all his dependents were charged to be under it. Many had
promised to follow the standard, but in the issue it was left so
bare that for shame it was shut up in the pock[62] again, and
after a show the army returned, with more shame to the realm
than scathe to their enemies. The black book of Hamilton
makes mention of great vassalage[63] done at that time by the
Governor and the French. But such as with their eyes saw
the whole progress knew that to be a lie, and do repute it
amongst the venial sins of that race, which is to speak the
best of themselves they can.
The following winter so nurtured the French men that
they learned to eat, yea to beg, cakes which at their entry
they scorned. Without jesting, they were so miserably treated,
that few returned to France again with their lives. The
Cardinal had then almost fortified the Castle of St. Andrews,
and he made this so strong, in his opinion, that he regarded
neither England nor France. The Earl of Lennox, as we have
said, disappointed of all things in Scotland, passed to England,
where he received protection from King Harry, who gave him
Lady Margaret Douglas to wife. Of her was born Harry,[64]
umquhile[65] husband to our Jezebel mistress.
John
Hamilton,
Abbot of
Paisley.
While the inconstant Governor was sometimes
dejected and sometimes raised up again by the Abbot
of Paisley, who before was called "chaster than any
maiden," the latter began to show himself; for, after
he had by craft taken the Castles of Edinburgh and Dunbar,
he took also possession of his eme's[66] wife, the Lady Stenhouse.
The woman is and has been famous, and is called Lady Gylton.
Her Ladyship was holden always in property; but how many
wives and virgins he has had since that time in common, the
world knows, albeit not all, and his bastard birds bear some
witness. Such is the example of holiness that the flock may
receive of the papistical bishops.
Master
George
Wishart
comes to
Scotland.
In the midst of all the calamities that came upon
the realm after the defection of the Governor from
Christ Jesus, there came to Scotland, in the year of
God 1544, that blessed martyr of God, Master George
Wishart, in company of the commissioners before mentioned.
A man of such graces was never before him heard of within
this realm; yea, and such graces are yet rarely found in any
man, notwithstanding the great light of God that since his
days has shined upon us. He was not only singularly learned,
as well in godly knowledge as in all honest human science, but
he was also so clearly illuminated with the spirit of prophecy
that he saw not only things pertaining to himself, but also
such things as some towns and the whole realm afterwards felt.
These he forespake, not in secret, but in the audience of many,
as in their own places shall be declared.
He is
driven from
Dundee.
He began teaching in Montrose. Thence he went
to Dundee, where, with great admiration of all that
heard him, he taught the Epistle to the Romans,
until, by procurement of the Cardinal, Robert Mill, then one
of the principal men in Dundee, and a man that of old had
professed knowledge and for the same had suffered trouble,
did, in the Queen's and Governor's name, give inhibition to the
said Master George that he should trouble their town no more;
for they would not suffer it. This was said unto him in the
public place. After musing for some time, with his eyes bent
to heaven, he looked sorrowfully to the speaker and to the
people, and said, "God is witness that I never minded your
trouble but your comfort. Yea, your trouble is more dolorous
unto me, than it is unto yourselves. But I am assured that
the refusal of God's Word and the chasing from you of His
messenger shall not preserve you from trouble; it shall bring
you into it. God shall send unto you messengers who will not
be afraid of horning,[67] nor yet of banishment. I have offered
unto you the Word of salvation, and at the hazard of my life I
have remained amongst you. Now ye yourselves refuse me, and
therefore must I leave my innocency to be declared by my God.
If it be long prosperous with you, I am not led by the Spirit of
truth. But if trouble unlooked for apprehend you, do ye acknowledge
the cause, and turn to God, for He is merciful. If ye turn
not at the first, He shall visit you with fire and sword." These
words pronounced, he came down from the preaching place.
Master
George
goes to
Kyle.
The Lord Marischall and divers gentlemen were
present in the kirk, and these would have had the said
Master George remain, or else have gone with him into
the country. But for no request would he any longer
tarry, either in the town or on that side of Tay. With all possible
expedition he passed to the west-land, where he began to offer
God's Word. This was gladly received by many, until Dunbar,
Archbishop of Glasgow, by instigation of the Cardinal, came
with his gatherings to the town of Ayr, to make resistance to
the said Master George, and did first occupy the kirk. The Earl
of Glencairn being informed of this, repaired with diligence to
the town with his friends, and so did divers gentlemen of Kyle
(amongst whom was the Laird of Leifnorris, a man far different
from him that now liveth, in manners and religion) of whom
to this day many yet live, and have declared themselves always
zealous and bold in the cause of God. When all were assembled,
conclusion was taken that they would have possession of the
kirk. But Master George utterly repugned, saying, "Let him
alone; his sermon will not do much hurt. Let us go to the
Market Cross." This they did, and there he made so notable
a sermon that the very enemies themselves were confounded.
The Archbishop preached to his jackmen and some old bosses
of the town. The sum of all his sermon was: "They say that
we should preach: why not? Better late thrive than never
thrive: hold us still for your Bishop, and we shall provide
better for the next time." This was the beginning and the
end of the Archbishop's sermon. With haste he departed
from the town, nor did he return to fulfil his promise.
The said Master George remained with the gentlemen in
Kyle, until he should get sure knowledge of the state of Dundee.
He preached commonly at the kirk of Galston and much in
the Barr. He was required to come to the kirk of Mauchline,
and did so. But the Sheriff of Ayr manned the kirk, for preservation
of a tabernacle that was there, beautiful to the eye.
The persons that held the kirk were George Campbell of
Monkgarswood, who yet liveth, Mungo Campbell of Brounsyde,
George Reid in Daldilling, and the Laird of Templeland.
Some zealous men of the parish, among whom was Hugh
Campbell of Kinyeancleuch, offended that they should be
debarred their parish kirk, determined to enter by force.
But the said Master George drew the said Hugh aside, and
said unto him, "Brother, Christ Jesus is as potent upon the
fields as in the kirk; and I find that He Himself preached
in the desert, at the sea side, and other places judged profane,
more often than He did in the Temple of Jerusalem. It is the
word of peace that God sends by me; the blood of no man
shall be shed this day for the preaching of it." And so, withdrawing
the whole people, he came to a dyke at the side of
a moor, upon the south-west side of Mauchline, and upon
this he climbed. The whole multitude stood and sat about
him, God giving a pleasing and hot day. He continued in
preaching more than three hours. In that sermon, God
wrought so wonderfully with him that one of the most wicked
men that was in that country, Lawrence Rankin, Laird of Sheill,
was converted. The tears ran from his eyes in such abundance
that all men wondered. His conversion was without hypocrisy,
for his life and conversation witnessed it in all after-times.
The
Plague
comes to
Dundee:
Wishart
returns.
While this faithful servant of God was thus
occupied in Kyle, word came that the plague of
pestilence had arisen in Dundee. This had begun
within four days after Master George was inhibited
from preaching, and was so vehement that it almost
passed credibility to hear what number died every four-and-twenty
hours. This certainly understood, Master George took
his leave of Kyle, with the regret of many. No request could
make him remain. "They are now in trouble," he said, "and
they need comfort. Perchance this hand of God will make
them now to magnify and reverence that Word, which before,
for the fear of men, they set at light price." On his coming
to Dundee, the joy of the faithful was exceeding great. He
delayed no time, but even upon the morrow gave signification
that he would preach. The most part were either sick or
were in company with those that were sick, and for this reason
he chose the head of the East Port of the town for his
preaching place. Those who were whole sat or stood within
the Port, the sick and suspected without. The text of
his first sermon was taken from the hundred-and-seventh
Psalm, "He sent His Word and healed them;" joining
therewith these words, "It is neither herb nor plaster, O Lord,
but Thy Word healeth all." In this sermon he most comfortingly
treated of the dignity and utility of God's Word; the
punishment that comes for contempt of the same; the
promptitude of God's mercy to such as truly turn to Him;
yea, the great happiness of them whom God takes from this
misery, even in His own gentle visitation, a happiness that the
malice of man can neither eke nor pare.[68]
By this sermon Master George so raised up the hearts of
all that heard him that they regarded not death, but judged
those more happy that should depart, than such as should
remain behind; considering that they knew not if they should
have such a comforter with them at all times. Master George
did not hesitate to visit them that lay in the very extremity of
sickness. Them he comforted as well as he might in such a
multitude. He also caused that all things necessary for those
that could use meat or drink should be ministered; and in
that respect the town was wondrously benefited; for the poor
were no more neglected than were the rich.
The
Cardinal
attempts
to assassinate
Wishart
at Dundee.
While Master George Wishart was spending his
life to comfort the afflicted, the Devil ceased not to
stir up his own son the Cardinal again. He, by money,
corrupted a desperate priest named Sir John Wighton
to slay the said Master George, who did not look to
himself in all things so circumspectly as worldly men would
have wished. One day, the sermon ended, and the people
departing, suspecting no danger and therefore not heeding the
said Master George, the priest that was corrupted stood waiting
at the foot of the steps, his gown loose, and his drawn whinger
in his hand under his gown. The said Master George, who
was most sharp of eye and judgment, marked him, and as he
came near said, "My friend, what would ye do?" Therewith
he clapped his hand upon the priest's hand wherein the
whinger was, and took this from him. The priest, abashed,
fell down at his feet and openly confessed the truth. The
noise coming to the ears of the sick, they cried, "Deliver the
traitor to us, or else we will take him by force;" and burst in
at the gate. But Master George took him in his arms and
said, "Whosoever troubles him shall trouble me. He has
hurt me in nothing, but has done great comfort both to you
and me, he has let us understand what we may fear in times
to come. We will watch better." Thus he appeased both the
one part and the other, and saved the life of him that sought his.
When the plague was so ceased that there were almost
none sick, Master George took his leave of the people of
Dundee; saying that God had almost put end to that battle,
and he found himself called to another. The gentlemen of the
west had written unto him that he should meet them at Edinburgh;
for they would demand disputation with the bishops,
and he should be publicly heard. Thereto he willingly agreed;
but first he passed to Montrose to salute the kirk there.
There he remained, occupied sometimes in preaching but for
the most part in secret meditation, in which he was so earnest
that he would continue in it night and day.
Further
Treachery
of the
Cardinal.
While Master George was so occupied with his
God, the Cardinal drew a secret draught for his
slaughter. He caused to be written unto him a
letter, purporting to be from his most familiar friend,
the Laird of Kynneir, desiring him to come unto him with all
possible diligence, for he was stricken with a sudden sickness.
In the meantime the traitor had provided threescore men,
with jacks[69] and spears, to lie in wait within a mile and a half
of the town of Montrose, for his despatch. The letter coming
to his hand, he made haste at the first, for the boy had brought
a horse; and so with some honest men, he passed forth of the
town. But suddenly he stayed and, musing a space, turned
back. "I will not go," he said; "I am forbidden by God.
I am assured there is treason. Let some of you go to yonder
place, and tell me what ye find." Diligence made, they found
the treason, as it was; and this being shown with expedition
to Master George, he answered, "I know that I shall finish
my life in that bloodthirsty man's hands; but it will not be
in this manner."
The
Agony of
Master
George
Wishart.
When the time at which he had appointed to meet
the gentlemen at Edinburgh approached, Master George
took his leave of Montrose, and, sorely against the
judgment of the Laird of Dun, entered on his journey.
He returned to Dundee, but did not remain, going on to the
house of a faithful brother named James Watson, who dwelt
in Invergowrie, two miles distant from the said town. That
night, according to information given to us by William Spadin
and John Watson, both men of good credit, he passed forth
into a yard, a little before day. The said William and John
followed privily, and took heed what he did. When he had
gone up and down in an alley for some time, with many sobs
and deep groans, he platt upon his knees, and remaining thus,
his groans increased. From his knees, he fell upon his face;
and then the persons forenamed heard weeping, and an indistinct
sound, as it were of prayers. In this agony he continued
for nearly an hour, and afterwards began to be quiet,
when he arose and came in to his bed.
They that had watched got in before Master George, as if
they had been ignorant of his absence until he came in; and
then they began to ask where he had been. But that night he
would answer nothing. Upon the morrow they urged him
again; and, when he dissimulated, they said, "Master George,
be plain with us; we heard your groans; yea, we heard your
bitter mourning, and saw you both upon your knees and upon
your face." With dejected visage, he said, "I had rather ye
had been in your beds. It would have been more profitable
for you, for I was scarcely well employed." They insistently
urged him to let them know something for their comfort, and
he then said, "I will tell you that I am assured that my
travail is near an end. Therefore call to God with me, that
now I shrink not, when the battle waxes most hot." When
they wept, and said, that was "small comfort unto them;" he
answered, "God shall send you comfort after me. This realm
shall be illuminated with the light of Christ's Evangel, as
clearly as ever was any realm since the days of the Apostles.
The house of God shall be builded in it. Yea, it shall not lack
the very copestone, whatsoever the enemy imagine to the
contrary." Neither shall this be long; there shall not many
suffer after me, before the glory of God shall evidently appear,
and shall once triumph in despite of Satan. But, alas! if the
people shall thereafter be unthankful, fearful and terrible shall
the plagues be that shall follow." With these words he marched
forward in his journey towards Perth; and so to Fife, and then
to Leith.
Master
George
arrives in
Leith.
Arrived in Leith, and hearing no word of those
that had appointed to meet him, to wit, the Earl of
Cassillis and the gentlemen of Kyle and Cunningham,
Master George kept himself secret for a day or two.
But beginning to wax sorrowful in spirit, and being asked the
cause, he said, "What differ I from a dead man, except that I
eat and drink? Unto this time, God has used my labours for
the instruction of others, and for the disclosing of darkness;
and now I lurk as a man that is ashamed, and dare not show
himself before men." From these and like words, they that
heard him understood that his desire was to preach; and
therefore said they, "Most comfortable it were unto us to
hear you; but, because we know the danger wherein ye
stand, we dare not desire you." "Only dare ye and others
hear," said he, "and then let my God provide for me,
as best pleaseth Him." Finally, it was concluded that he
should preach in Leith on the next Sunday. This he did,
taking the text, "The parable of the sower that went forth
to sow seed." (Matthew xiii.) This was fifteen days before
Yule.
For Safety
he is
removed
to the
Lothians;
preaches
at
Inveresk.
The sermon ended, the gentlemen of Lothian, who
then were earnest professors of Christ Jesus, thought
it not expedient that Master George should remain
in Leith, as the Governor and Cardinal were shortly
to come to Edinburgh. Therefore they took him with
them, and kept him sometimes in Brunstone, sometimes
in Longniddry, and sometimes in Ormiston; for those three
Lairds diligently waited upon him. On the Sunday following,
he preached in the kirk of Inveresk, beside Musselburgh, both
before and after noon. There was a great congregation of
people, amongst them being Sir George Douglas, who said
publicly after the sermon, "I know that my Lord Governor
and my Lord Cardinal shall hear that I have been at this
preaching. Say unto them that I will avow it, and will not
only maintain the doctrine that I have heard, but also the person
of the teacher, to the uttermost of my power." These words
greatly rejoiced the people and the gentlemen then present.
We cannot pass by one notable thing in that sermon.
Amongst others, there came two Grey Friars, who, standing in
the entry of the kirk door, made some whispering to such as
came in. This perceived, the preacher said to the people that
stood nigh them, "I heartily pray you to make room for those
two men. It may be that they be come to learn." Unto them
he said, "Come near,"—they stood in the very entry of the
door,—"for I assure you ye shall hear the Word of truth, which
shall this same day seal unto you your salvation, or your condemnation."
He then proceeded with his sermon, supposing
that they would have been quiet. But, when he perceived
that they still troubled the people that stood nigh them (for
vehement was he against the false worshipping of God), he
turned unto them the second time, and with an awful
countenance said, "O sergeants of Satan and deceivers of
the souls of men, will ye neither hear God's truth, nor suffer
others to hear it? Depart, and take this for your portion,—God
shall shortly confound and disclose your hypocrisy.
Within this realm ye shall be abominable unto men, and your
places and habitations shall be desolate." This sentence he
pronounced with great vehemence, in the midst of the sermon;
and, turning to the people, he said, "Yon wicked men have
provoked the Spirit of God to anger." Then he returned to
his matter, and proceeded to the end.
That day's travail ended, he came to Longniddry; and on
the two next Sundays he preached in Tranent, with the like
grace and like confluence of people. In all his sermons, after
his departure from Angus, he forespake the shortness of the
time that he had to travail, and of his death, the day whereof,
he said, approached nigher than any would believe.
Master
George
goes to
Haddington.
Towards the close of those days that are called the
holy days of Yule, he passed, by the consent of the
gentlemen, to Haddington, where it was supposed the
greatest confluence of people might be found, both by
reason of the town and of the country adjacent. On the first
day, before noon, the audience was reasonable, and yet nothing
in comparison with that which used to be in that kirk. But,
in the afternoon and on the next forenoon, the audience was so
slender that many wondered. The reason was thought to have
been that the Earl Bothwell, who in these bounds had great
credit and obedience, had, by procurement of the Cardinal,
given inhibition to the town, as well as to the country, that
they should not hear Master George, under the pain of his
displeasure. On the first night he lay within the town with
David Forrest, now called the general, a man that long has
professed the truth, and upon whom many in that time
depended. On the second night he lay in Lethington, the
Laird whereof was ever civil, albeit not persuaded in religion.
John
Knox's
first Appearance.
On the day following, before the said Master
George passed to the sermon, a boy came to him
with a letter from the west land. This read, he
called for John Knox, who had waited upon him carefully
from the time he came to Lothian. With him he began
to enter into purpose,[70] saying that he wearied of the world,
for he perceived that men began to weary of God. The cause
of his complaint was that the gentlemen of the west had
written to him that they could not keep diet at Edinburgh.
The said John Knox, wondering that he desired to keep any
purpose before sermon, for that was never his custom, said,
"Sir, the time of sermon approaches: I will leave you for
the present to your meditation;" and so left him. The said
Master George paced up and down behind the high altar for
more than half an hour; his very countenance and visage
declared the grief and alteration of his mind. At last he
passed to the pulpit, but the audience was small.
The last
Sermon of
Master
George
Wishart:
his
Arrest.
Master George should have begun to have treated
of the second table of the Law; but thereof in that
sermon he spake very little, and began in this manner:
"O Lord, how long shall it be that Thy holy Word
shall be despised, and men shall not regard their own
salvation. I have heard of thee, Haddington, that in thee two
or three thousand people would have been at a vain clerk play;[71]
and now, to hear the messenger of the Eternal God, of all thy
town or parish there cannot be numbered a hundred persons.
Sore and fearful shall the plague be that shall ensue this thy
contempt: with fire and sword thou shalt be plagued; yea,
thou Haddington, in special, strangers shall possess thee, and
you, the present inhabitants, shall either in bondage serve
your enemies, or else ye shall be chased from your own habitations;
and that because ye have not known, and will not
know, the time of God's merciful visitation." That servant of
God continued for nearly an hour and a half in such vehemency
and threatening, and during this he foretold all the plagues
that ensued, as plainly as afterwards our eyes saw them performed.
In the end he said, "I have forgotten myself and the
matter that I should have entreated; but let these my last
words as concerning public preaching remain in your minds,
until God send you new comfort." Thereafter he made a short
paraphrase upon the second table, with an exhortation to
patience, to the fear of God, and unto His works of mercy;
and so ended, as it were making his last testament that the
spirit of truth and of true judgment was both in his heart and
mouth. Before midnight he was apprehended in the house of
Ormiston, by the Earl Bothwell, who for money was become
butcher to the Cardinal....
Master
George is
betrayed
into the
Hands
of the
Cardinal.
The servant of God, Master George Wishart, was
carried first to Edinburgh; thereafter brought back to
the House of Hailes, which was the principal place
that then the Earl of Bothwell had in Lothian. As
gold and women have corrupted all worldly and fleshly
men from the beginning, so did they him. For the Cardinal
gave gold, and that largely; and the Queen, with whom the
said Earl was then in the glondours,[72] promised favours in all
his lawful suits to women, if he would deliver the said Master
George to be kept in the Castle of Edinburgh. He made some
resistance at the first, by reason of his promise:[73] but an
effeminate man cannot long withstand the assaults of a
gracious Queen. And so the servant of God was transported
to Edinburgh Castle, where he remained not many
days. For that bloody wolf, the Cardinal, ever thirsting for
the blood of the servant of God, so travailed with the abused
Governor, that he was content that God's servant should be
delivered to the power of that tyrant.
Thus, small inversion being made, Pilate obeyed the petition
of Caiaphas and of his fellows, and adjudged Christ to be
crucified. The servant of God being delivered into the hand
of that proud and merciless tyrant, triumph was made by the
priests. The godly lamented, and accused the foolishness of
the Governor; for, by retaining the said Master George, he
might have caused Protestants and Papists to have served:
the one to the end that the life of their preacher might have
been saved; the other, for fear that he should have set him at
liberty again, to the confusion of the bishops. But, where God
is forsaken, what can counsel or judgment avail?
The
Bishops
and Clergy
are convoked
to
the Trial of
Wishart.
How the servant of God was treated, and what
he did from the day that he entered within the Sea-Tower
of St. Andrews, which was in the end of
January, in the year of God 1546, until the first of
March in the same year, when he suffered, we cannot
certainly tell. We understand that he wrote something when
in prison; but that was suppressed by the enemies. The
Cardinal delayed no time, but caused all bishops, yea all
the clergy that had any pre-eminence, to be convocated to
St. Andrews against the penult[74] of February, for consultation.
The question was no less resolved in his own mind than was
Christ's death in the mind of Caiaphas; but, that the rest
should bear the burden with him, he desired that, before the
world, they should subscribe to whatsoever he did.
In that day was wrought no less a wonder than that at
the accusation and death of Jesus Christ, when Pilate and
Herod, who before were enemies, were made friends, by both
of them consenting to Christ's condemnation. There was no
difference between the two cases, except that Pilate and
Herod were brethren under their father the Devil in the
estate called temporal, and these two of whom we are to
speak were brethren, sons of the same father the Devil, in
the estate ecclesiastical. If we interlace merriness with
earnest matters, pardon us, good reader. The fact is so
notable that it deserveth long memory.
A merry
Tale of the
Cardinal
and
Archbishop
Dunbar.
The Cardinal was known to be proud; and Dunbar,
Archbishop of Glasgow, was known for a glorious fool;
and yet, because for some time he had been called
the King's Master,[75] he was Chancellor of Scotland.
The Cardinal had come to Glasgow this same year,
in the end of harvest, upon what purpose we omit. But while
they remained together, the one in the town, the other in the
Castle, question arose as to precedence in the bearing of their
croziers. The Cardinal alleged that, by reason of his cardinalship
and of his office of Legatus Natus and primate within
Scotland in the kingdom of Antichrist, he should have the
pre-eminence, and that his crozier should not only go before,
but should alone be borne, wheresoever he was. Good
Gukstoun Glaikstour,[76] the foresaid Archbishop, lacked no
reasons, as he thought, for maintenance of his glory. He
was an Archbishop, and, within his own diocese and in his
own Cathedral seat and Church, ought to give place to no
man. The power of the Cardinal was but begged from
Rome, and appertained but to his own person, and not to his
bishopric; for it might be that his successor should not be
Cardinal. But his dignity was annexed to his office, and did
appertain to all that ever should be archbishops of Glasgow.
Howsoever these doubts were resolved by the doctors of
divinity of both the prelates, the decision was as we shall hear.
Coming forth, or going in, at the choir door of Glasgow Kirk
there began a strife for position betwixt the two cross-bearers.
From glooming they came to shouldering; from shouldering
they went on to buffets, and from dry blows, by neifs and
neifeling;[77] and then for charity's sake they cried, "Dispersit,
dedit pauperibus," and assayed which of the croziers was finest
metal, which staff was strongest, and which bearer could best
defend his master's pre-eminence; and, that there should be no
superiority in that behalf, to the ground went both the croziers.
And then began no little fray, but yet a merry game, for
rochets were rent, tippets were torn, crowns were knapped,[78]
and side gowns might have been seen wantonly wag from
the one wall to the other. Many of them lacked beards,
and that was the more pity, for they could not buckle each
other by the birse,[79] as bold men would have done. But fie
on the jackmen that did not their duty; for had the one
part of them rencountered the other then had all gone
right. The sanctuary, we suppose, saved the lives of many.
However merrily this be written, it was bitter bourding[80] to
the Cardinal and his court. It was more than irregularity.
Yea, it might well have been judged lese-Majesty to the son
of perdition, the Pope's own person; and yet the other in his
folly, as proud as a peacock, would let the Cardinal know
that he was a bishop when the other was but Beaton, before
he got Arbroath!
Pilate and
Herod
patch the
Quarrel.
This enmity was judged mortal, and without all
hope of 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."
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.
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.'"
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."
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.
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."
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.
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."
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.
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.
17. Thou, false heretic, contemnest fasting, and sayest
thou 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.
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.
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....
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.
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."
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
1. In the beginning of his sermon, he shewed the great love
of God towards His Church, whom it pleaseth Him to forewarn
of dangers to come, many years before they come to
pass. 2. He briefly treated of the state of the Israelites, who
then were in bondage in Babylon for the most part; and made
a short discourse concerning the four Empires, the Babylonian,
the Persian, that of the Greeks, and that of the Romans; in
the destruction whereof rose up that last Beast, which he
affirmed to be the Roman Church,—for all the notes that
God hath shewn to the prophet do appertain to none other
power than has ever yet been, except to it alone, and unto
it they do so properly appertain, that such as are not more
than blind may clearly see them. 3. But before he began to
open the corruptions of the Papistry, he defined the true Kirk,
shewed the true notes of it, whereupon it was builded, why it
was the pillar of truth, and why it could not err, to wit,
"Because it heard the voice of its own pastor, Jesus Christ,
would not hear a stranger, neither yet would be carried about
with every kind of doctrine."
Every one of these heads sufficiently declared, he entered
on the contrary proposition; and, upon the notes given in his
text, he shewed that the Spirit of God in the New Testament
gave to this king other names, to wit, "The Man of Sin," "The
Anti-Christ," "The Whore of Babylon." He shewed that this
man of sin, or Anti-Christ, was not to be restricted to the
person of any one man only, no more than by the fourth beast
was to be understood the person of any one Emperor. But by
such means the Spirit of God sought to forewarn His chosen
of a body and a multitude having a wicked head, who should
not only be sinful himself, but should be occasion of sin to
all that should be subject unto him,—as Christ Jesus, is
cause of justice to all the members of His body. He is
called the Anti-Christ, that is to say, one contrary to Christ,
because he is contrary to Him in life, doctrine, laws, and
subjects.
Then began he to decipher the lives of divers Popes, and
the lives of all the shavelings for the most part; their doctrine
and laws he plainly proved to be directly repugnant to the
doctrine and laws of God the Father and of Christ Jesus, His
Son. This he proved by comparing the doctrine of justification
expressed in the Scriptures, which teach that man is "justified
by faith only," and "that the blood of Jesus Christ purges us
from all our sins;" and the doctrine of the Papists, which
attributeth justification to the works of the law, yea, to such
works of man's invention as pilgrimage, pardons, and other
such baggage. That the papistical laws were repugnant to
the laws of the Evangel, he proved by the laws made concerning
observation of days, abstaining from meats, and from
marriage which Christ Jesus made free, and the forbidding
whereof Saint Paul called "the doctrine of devils."
In handling the notes of that Beast, given in the text, he
willed men to consider if these notes, "There shall one arise
unlike to the other, having a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemous," could be applied to any other but the Pope and
his Kingdom; for "if these," said he, "be not great words and
blasphemous, 'the Successor of Peter,' 'the Vicar of Christ,'
'the Head of the Kirk,' 'Most Holy,' 'Most Blessed,' 'that
cannot err;' that 'may make right of wrong, and wrong of
right;' that 'of nothing, may make somewhat;' that 'hath all
truth in the shrine of his breast;' yea, 'that has power over
all, and none power over him;' nay, 'not to say that he does
wrong, although he draw ten thousand million of souls with
himself to hell:' if these," said he, "and many other, able to
be shown in his own canon law, be not grave and blasphemous
words, and such as never mortal man spake before, let the
world judge.
"And yet," said he, "there is one note most evident of all.
John, in his Revelation, says that 'the merchandise of that
Babylonian harlot, among other things, shall be the bodies
and souls of men.' Now, let the very Papists themselves
judge if ever any before them took upon them power to relax
the pains of them that were in purgatory, as they affirm to the
people that they do by the merits of their Mass and of their
other trifles, daily." In the end, he said, "If any here"—and
there were present Master John Major, the University, the
Sub-prior, and many Canons, with some Friars of both the
Orders—"will say that I have alleged Scripture, teaching,
or history, otherwise than it is written, let them come unto
me with sufficient witness, and by conference I shall let
them see not only the original where my testimonies are
written, but I shall prove that the writers meant what I have
spoken."
The People
comment
on Knox's
Sermon
against
Papistry.
Of this sermon, which was the first that ever John
Knox made in public, there were divers bruits. Some
said, "Others sned[96] the branches of the Papistry, but he
strikes at the root, to destroy the whole." Others said,
"If the doctors and Magistri Nostri do not now defend
the Pope and his authority, which in their own presence is so
manifestly impugned, the Devil may have my part of him, and
of his laws also." Others said, "Master George Wishart spoke
never so plainly, and yet he was burned: even so will he be."
In the end, others said, "The tyranny of the Cardinal made
not his cause the better, nor yet did the suffering of God's
servant make his cause the worse, and therefore we would
counsel you and them to provide better defences than fire and
sword, for it may be that else ye will be disappointed. Men
now have other eyes than they had then." This answer
gave the Laird of Nydie, a man fervent and upright in
religion.
John Knox
is called on
to defend
his Doctrine.
The bastard Archbishop, who was not yet execrated
(consecrated, they call it) wrote to the Sub-prior at
Saint Andrews, who, sede vacante, was Vicar-general,
that he wondered that he suffered such heretical and
schismatical doctrine to be taught, and did not oppose himself
to the same. Upon this rebuke, there was appointed a Convention
of Grey Friars and black fiends with the said Sub-prior,
Dean John Winram, in Saint Leonard's yards. Thereunto was
first called John Rough, and certain Articles were read unto him;
and thereafter was John Knox called for. The cause of their
Convention, and why they were called, was set forth, and the
following Articles were read:—(1) No mortal man can be the
head of the Church. (2) The Pope is an Anti-Christ, and so is
no member of Christ's mystical body. (3) Man may neither
make nor devise a religion that is acceptable to God: but man
is bound to observe and keep the religion that from God is
received, without chopping or changing thereof. (4) The
Sacraments of the New Testament ought to be administered
as they were instituted by Christ Jesus, and practised by His
Apostles: nothing ought to be added unto them; nothing
ought to be diminished from them. (5) The Mass is abominable
idolatry, blasphemous to the death of Christ, and a
profanation of the Lord's Supper. (6) There is no purgatory
in which the souls of men are pained or purged after this
life. Heaven remains for the faithful, and hell for the
reprobate and unthankful. (7) Praying for the dead is vain,
and prayer to the dead is idolatry. (8) There are no bishops
unless they preach themselves, without any substitute.
(9) By God's law the teinds do not appertain of necessity to
the Kirk-men.
"The strangeness," said the Sub-prior, "of these Articles,
which are gathered from your teaching, have moved us to
call for you to hear your own answer." John Knox said, "I,
for my part, praise my God that I see so honourable, and
apparently so modest and quiet, an audience. But because it
is long since I have heard that ye are one that is not ignorant
of the truth, I must crave of you, in the name of God, yea,
and I appeal to your conscience before that Supreme Judge
that, if ye think any Article there expressed to be contrary
unto the truth of God, ye oppose yourself plainly unto it, and
suffer not the people to be therewith deceived. But if in your
conscience ye know the doctrine to be true, then I will crave
your patronage thereto, that, by your authority, the people
may be moved the rather to believe the truth, whereof many
doubt by reason of our youth."
Sub-prior. I came not here as a judge, but only to talk
familiarly, and therefore I will neither allow nor condemn;
but, if you like, I will reason. Why may not the Kirk, for
good causes, devise ceremonies to decorate the Sacraments
and other of God's services?
Knox. Because the Kirk ought to do nothing that is not
of faith, and ought not to go before. She is bound to follow
the voice of the true Pastor.
Sub-prior. It is in faith that the ceremonies are commended,
and they have proper significations to help our faith.
The hardess[97] in baptism signifies the richness of the law, and
the oil the softness of God's mercy. Likewise, every one of
the ceremonies has a godly signification, and therefore they
both proceed from faith, and are done in faith.
Knox. It is not enough that man invent a ceremony, and
then give it a signification, according to his pleasure. The
ceremonies of the Gentiles, and to-day the ceremonies of
Mahomet, might be so justified. If anything proceed from
faith, it must have the Word of God for assurance; for ye are
not ignorant that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by
the Word of God." Now, if ye would prove that your ceremonies
proceed from faith and do please God, ye must prove
that God in expressed words has commanded them. Else ye
shall never prove that they proceed from faith, nor yet that
they please God. Ye will but show that they are sin, and do
displease Him, according to the words of the apostle, "Whatsoever
is not of faith is sin."
Sub-prior. Will ye bind us so strait that we may do
nothing without the express Word of God? What! If I ask
a drink, do you think that I sin? I have not God's Word for
this. (It would appear that he gave this answer to shift over
the argument upon Friar Arbuckle.)
Knox. I would we should not jest in so grave a matter;
neither would I that ye should begin to elude the truth with
sophistry; but, if ye do, I will defend myself as best I can.
As to your drinking, I say that, if ye either eat or drink without
assurance of God's Word, in so doing ye ill-please God,
and ye sin in your very eating and drinking. For, says the
Apostle, speaking even of meat and drink, "the creatures are
sanctified unto man, even by the Word and by prayer." The
word is this: "All things are clean to the clean," and so forth.
Now, let me hear thus much of your ceremonies, and I shall
give you the argument; but I wonder that ye compare profane
and holy things so indiscreetly. The question was not, and is
not of meat and drink, wherein the Kingdom of God consists
not, but the question is of God's true worshipping, without
which we have no society with God. It is doubtful if, in the
use of Christ's Sacraments, we may take the same freedom as
we may do in eating and drinking. One meat I may eat,
another I may refuse, and that without scruple of conscience.
I may change one for another, as often as I please. May we
do the same in matters of religion? May we cast away what
we please, and retain what we please? If I recollect aright,
Moses, in the name of God, says to the people of Israel, "All
that the Lord thy God commands thee to do, that do thou to
the Lord thy God: add nothing to it; diminish nothing from
it." By this rule, I think, the Kirk of Christ should measure
God's religion, and not by that which seems good in their own
eyes.
Sub-prior. Forgive me, I spake but in mows,[98] and I was
dry. And now, Father (said he to the Friar), follow the
argument. Ye have heard what I have said, and what is
answered unto me again.
Arbuckle, Greyfriar. I shall prove plainly that ceremonies
are ordained by God.
Knox. Such as God has ordained, we allow, and with
reverence we use them. But the question is of those that
God has not ordained, such as, in Baptism, are spittle, salt,
candle, cuid[99] (except to keep the bairn from cold), hardess, oil,
and the rest of the papistical inventions.
Arbuckle. I will even prove that these ye damn be ordained
of God.
Knox. The proof thereof I would gladly hear.
Arbuckle. Says not Saint Paul, that "another foundation
than Jesus Christ may no man lay. But upon this foundation
some build gold, silver, and precious stones; some hay, stubble,
and wood." The gold, silver, and precious stones are the
ceremonies of the Church, which do abide the fire, and consume
not away. This place of Scripture is most plain.
Knox.—I praise my God, through Jesus Christ, for I find
His promise sure, true, and stable. Christ Jesus bids us
"not fear, when we shall be called before men, to give confession
of His truth;" for He promises that "it shall be given
unto us in that hour what we shall speak." If I had sought
the whole Scripture, I could not have produced a place more
proper for my purpose, nor more potent to confound you.
Now, to your argument. The Ceremonies of the Kirk, say ye,
are gold, silver, and precious stones, because they are able to
abide the fire; but I would learn of you, what fire is it that
your Ceremonies abide? And in the meantime, until ye be
advised how to answer, I will show my mind, and make an
argument against yours upon the same text. First, I have
heard the text adduced for a proof of purgatory; but for
defence of Ceremonies, I have never heard or yet read of its
use. Omitting whether ye understand the mind of the Apostle
or not, I make my argument, and say, that which may abide
the fire may abide the Word of God. Your Ceremonies cannot
abide the Word of God: ergo they cannot abide the fire; and
if they cannot abide the fire, they are not gold, silver, nor
precious stones. Now, if ye find any ambiguity in the term
"fire," which I interpret to be the Word, find me a fire by
the which things builded upon Jesus Christ should be tried,
other than God and His Word, which are both called fire in
the Scriptures, and I shall correct my argument.
Arbuckle. I stand not thereupon; but I deny your minor
argument, to wit, that our Ceremonies may not abide the trial
of God's Word.
Knox. I prove that that which God's Word condemns,
abides not the trial of God's Word. But God's Word condemns
your Ceremonies: therefore they do not abide the trial
thereof. As the thief abides the trial of the inquest, and is
thereby condemned to be hanged, even so may your Ceremonies
abide the trial of God's Word, but not otherwise. And
now I make plain in few words that wherein ye may seem
to doubt, to wit, that God's Word damns your Ceremonies.
This thing is evident; for the plain and straight commandment
of God is, "Not that thing which appears good in thy
eyes shalt thou do to the Lord thy God, but what the Lord
thy God has commanded thee, that do thou: add nothing to
it; diminish nothing from it." Now, unless ye be able to
prove that God has commanded your Ceremonies, this His
former commandment will damn both you and them.
The Friar, somewhat abashed what first to answer, fell into
a foul mire while he wandered about in the mist: for, alleging
that we may not be so bound by the Word, he affirmed that
the Apostles had not received the Holy Ghost when they did
write their Epistles; but that they did ordain the Ceremonies
after they received Him. (Few would have thought that so
learned a man would have given so foolish an answer; and
yet it is even as true as that he bare a grey cowl.) John
Knox, hearing the answer, started and said, "If that be true,
I have long been in an error, and I think I shall die therein."
The Sub-prior said to him, "Father, what say ye? God forbid
that ye affirm that; for then farewell the ground of our faith."
The Friar, astonished, made the best shift that he could to
correct his fall; but it could not be. John Knox brought
him often again to the ground of the argument; but he would
never answer directly, but ever fled to the authority of the
Kirk. Thereto the said John answered oftener than once
that "the spouse of Christ had neither power nor authority
against the Word of God." Then said the Friar, "If so be,
ye will leave us no Kirk." "Indeed," said the other, "in
David I read that there is a church of the malignants, for
he says, 'Odi ecclesiam malignantium.' That church ye may
have without the Word, and therein ye may do many things
directly fighting against the Word of God. If ye choose to
be of that Church, I cannot impede you. But, as for me, I
will be of none other Church than that which hath Christ
Jesus to be pastor, which hears His voice, and will not hear
a stranger."
In this Disputation many other things were merely skiffed
over; for the Friar, after his fall, could speak nothing to a
purpose. For purgatory he had no better proof than the
authority of Virgil in his sixth Æneid; and the pains thereof
to him were an evil wife. How John Knox answered that
and many other things, he did witness in a treatise that he
wrote in the galleys. This contained the sum of his doctrine
and the confession of his faith, and was sent to his familiars
in Scotland; with the exhortation that they should continue
in the truth which they had professed, notwithstanding any
worldly adversity that might ensue. Thus much of the Disputation
have we inserted here, to the intent that men may
see how Satan ever travails to obscure the light; and how God
by His power, working in His weak vessels, confounds his craft
and discloses his darkness.
After this, neither Papists nor Friars had great heart for
further disputation or reasoning; but they invented another
shift, which appeared to proceed from godliness. It was an
ordinance that learned men in the Abbey and in the University
should preach in the Parish Kirk, Sunday about. The Sub-prior
began, next came the Official called Spittal (sermons
penned to offend no man), and all the rest followed in their
ranks. John Knox smelled out the craft, and in the sermons
which he made upon the week-days he prayed to God that
they should be as busy in preaching when there should be
more myster[100] in it than there was then. "Always," said he,
"I praise God that Christ Jesus is preached, and nothing is
said publicly against the doctrine ye have heard. If in my
absence they shall speak anything which in my presence they
do not, I protest that ye suspend your judgment until it please
God ye hear me again."
Signs
follow the
Ministry
of John
Knox:
the Backsliding
of
Sir James
Balfour.
God so assisted his weak soldier, and so blessed his
labours, that not only all those of the Castle, but also
a great number of the town, openly professed Christ,
by participation at the Lord's Table, in the same
purity as now it is administered in the churches of
Scotland. Among them was he that now either rules,
or misrules, Scotland: Sir James Balfour[101] (sometimes called
Master James), the chief and principal Protestant that then
was to be found in this realm. We write this because we
have heard that the said Master James alleges that he
never was of this our religion, but was brought up in
Martin Luther's opinion of the Sacrament, and therefore
cannot communicate with us. His own conscience, and two
hundred witnesses besides, know that he lies, and that he
was one of the chief that would have given his life, if men
might credit his words, for defence of the doctrine that the
said John Knox taught. But there is no great wonder if those
that never were of us (as none of Montquhanie's sons have
shewn themselves to be) depart from us. It is proper and
natural that the children follow the father; and let the godly
liver of that race and progeny be shewn. If in them be either
fear of God or love of virtue, further than the present commodity
persuades them, men of judgment are deceived. But
to return to our History.
The
Regent
and the
Queen-Dowager
violate the
Appointment:
a French
Army
comes to
their Aid.
The priests and bishops, enraged at these proceedings
in Saint Andrews, ran now to the Governor,
now to the Queen,[102] now to the whole Council, and
there might have been heard complaints and cries,
"What are we doing? Shall we suffer this whole
realm to be infected with pernicious doctrine? Fie
upon you, and fie upon us." The Queen and Monsieur
D'Oysel (who then was a secretis mulierum in the Court)
comforted them, and counselled them to be quiet, because
they should see remedy before long. And so it proved; for upon
the second last day of June there appeared in sight of the Castle
of Saint Andrews twenty-one French galleys, with a powerful
army, the like whereof was never seen in that firth before.
By these means the Governor, the Archbishop, the Queen
and Monsieur D'Oysel had treasonably broken the terms of the
Appointment. To excuse their treason, they had, eight days
before, presented to the party in the Castle of St. Andrews an
absolution bearing to be sent from Rome, containing, after the
aggravation of the crime, this clause, Remittimus Irremissible,
that is, we remit the crime that cannot be remitted. When
this had been considered by the most of the company that was
in the Castle, answer was given that the Governor and Council
of the Realm had promised them a sufficient and assured absolution,
such as that did not appear to be; and that therefore
they could not deliver the house, nor did they think that any
reasonable man would require them so to do, considering that
the promise made had not been truly kept.
On the day after the galleys arrived, the house was summoned.
This was denied, and they prepared for siege. They
began to assault by sea, and shot for two days. But they
neither got advantage nor honour; for they dang[103] the slates
off houses, but neither slew man nor did harm to any wall. The
Castle handled them so that Saint Barbara (the gunners' goddess)
helped them nothing; for they lost many of their rowers, men
chained in the galleys, and some soldiers, both by sea and land.
And further, a galley that approached nearer than the rest was
so dung with the cannon and other ordnance, that she was
stopped under water, and so almost drowned. Indeed, so she
would have been, were it not that the rest gave her succour in
time, and drew her first to the west sands, beyond the shot of
the Castle, and thereafter to Dundee. There they remained
until the Governor, who then was at the siege of Langhope,
came unto them, with the rest of the French faction.
By land the siege of the Castle of St. Andrews was made
complete on the nineteenth day of July. Trenches were cast;
and ordnance was planted upon the Abbey Kirk, and upon
Saint Salvator's College. This so annoyed the Castle that they
could keep neither their block-houses, the sea tower head, nor
the west wall; for in all these places men were slain by great
ordnance. Yea, they mounted the ordnance so high upon the
Abbey Kirk, that they might discover the ground of the close
in divers places. Moreover, the pest was within the Castle,
and divers died thereof. This affrighted some that were
therein more than did the external force without. John
Knox was of another opinion, for he ever said that their
corrupt life could not escape the punishment of God: that he
continually asserted, from the time that he was called to
preach. When they triumphed of their victory, and during
the first twenty days they had many prosperous chances, he
lamented, and ever said that they saw not what he saw.
When they bragged of the strength and thickness of their
walls, he said that they should prove but egg-shells. When
they vaunted, "England will rescue us," he said, "Ye shall not
see them; but ye shall be delivered into your enemies' hands,
and shall be carried to a strange country."
The Castle
is stormed,
and surrenders
upon
Terms.
Upon the second last day of July, at night, the ordnance
was planted for the assault; nineteen cannons,
whereof four were cannons-royal, called double
cannons, besides other pieces. The cannonade began
at four o'clock in the morning, and before ten o'clock of
the day, the whole south quarter, betwixt the fore-tower and
the east block-house, was made assaultable. The lower trance
was condemned, divers were slain in it, and the east block-house
was shot off from the rest of the place between ten and
eleven o'clock. Then fell a shower of rain that continued
nearly an hour. The like of it had seldom been seen. It was
so vehement that no man might abide without shelter. The
cannons were left alone. Some within the Castle were of
opinion that men should have ished,[104] and put all in the hands
of God. But because William Kirkaldy was coming with the
Prior of Capua, on commission from the King of France,
nothing was enterprised. And so an Appointment was made,
and the Castle surrendered upon Saturday, the last of July.
The heads of the Appointment were:—That the lives
of all within the Castle should be saved, as well English as
Scottish. That they should be safely transported to France;
and in case that, upon conditions that should be offered unto
them by the King of France, they could not be content to
remain in service and freedom there, they should, upon the
expense of the King of France, be safely conveyed to such
country as they should require, other than Scotland. They
would have nothing to do with the Governor, nor with any
Scotsman; for these had all traitorously betrayed them, "and
this," said the Laird of Grange, elder, a simple man of most
stout courage, "I am assured God will revenge before long."
The
Company
of the
Castle are
carried to
France,
and cast
into Prison
and the
Galleys.
The galleys, well furnished with the spoil of the
Castle, returned to France, after certain days. Escaping
a great danger (for they all chapped[105] upon the
back of the Sands), they arrived first at Fecamp,
and thereafter passed up the water of Seine, and lay
before Rouen. There the principal gentlemen, who
looked for freedom, were dispersed, and put in sundry prisons.
The rest were left in the galleys, and there miserably treated.
Amongst these was the foresaid Master James Balfour, with
his two brethren, David and Gilbert, men without God. We
write this because we hear that the said Master James,
principal misguider now of Scotland, denies that he had
anything to do with the Castle of St. Andrews, or that ever
he was in the galleys. In breach of express promises (but
Princes have no fidelity further than for their own advantage),
these things were done at Rouen, and then the galleys departed
to Nantes, in Brittany, where they lay upon the water of Loire
the whole winter.
The
Papists
rejoice,
and the
Regent
receives
the Pope's
Thanks.
Then was the joy of the Papists both of Scotland
and France in full perfection; for this was their song
of triumph—
Priests content ye noo; priests content ye noo;
For Norman and his company has filled the galleys fou.
The Pope wrote his letters to the King of France, and to the
Governor of Scotland, thanking them heartily for taking pains
to revenge the death of his kind creature, the Cardinal of
Scotland; and desiring them to continue in their severity as
they had begun, that such things should not be attempted
again. And so were all these that were taken in the Castle
condemned to perpetual prison; and the ungodly believed that
Christ Jesus should never have triumphed in Scotland after that.
In Scotland, that summer, there was nothing but mirth;
for all things went with the priests, at their own pleasure.
The Castle of St. Andrews was rased to the ground, the block-houses
thereof were cast down, and the walls round about were
demolished. Whether this was done to fulfil their law, which
commands that places where Cardinals are slain shall so be
used, or else for fear that England should have taken it, as
afterwards they took Broughty Craig, we remit to the judgment
of such as were consulted.
The
Duke of
Somerset
invades
Scotland.
This same year, 1547, in the beginning of September,
an army of ten thousand men from England
entered Scotland, by land, and some ships with
ordnance came by sea. The Governor and the Archbishop,
informed of this, gathered together the forces of Scotland
and assembled at Edinburgh. The Protector of England, with
the Earl of Warwick, and their army, remained at Preston,
and about Prestonpans: for they had certain offers to propose
unto the nobility of Scotland. These concerned the promises
formerly made by them to King Harry. Before his death, he
had gently required them to stand fast; and had undertaken
that, if they would do so, they should have no trouble from
him or his kingdom, but rather the help and comfort that he
could give them in all things lawful. On this subject, a letter
was now directed to the Governor and Council; but this fell
into the hands of the Archbishop of St. Andrews, who, thinking
that it could not be for his advantage that it should be
divulged, suppressed it by his craft.
The Battle
of Pinkie
Cleuch.
Upon Friday, the ninth of September, the English
army marched towards Leith, and the Scottish army
marched from Edinburgh to Inveresk. The whole
Scottish army was not assembled, and yet skirmishing began;
for nothing was expected but victory without a stroke. The
Protector, the Earl of Warwick, the Lord Gray, and all the
English captains were playing at the dice: no men were
stouter than the priests and canons, with their shaven crowns
and black jacks. The Earl of Warwick and the Lord Gray,
who had the chief charge of the horsemen, perceiving the
host to be molested by the Scottish prickers, and that the
multitude were neither under order nor obedience (for they
were divided from the great army), sent forth certain troops
of horsemen, and some of their borderers, either to fight them,
or else to put them out of their sight, so that they might
not annoy the host. The skirmish grew hot, and at length
the Scotsmen gave back, and fled without once turning. The
chase continued far, both towards the east and towards the
west. Many were slain, and he that now is Lord Home was
afterwards surrendered to the Englishmen. The loss of these
men neither moved the Governor, nor yet the Archbishop, his
bastard brother. They would revenge the matter well enough
upon the morrow; for they were hands enough (no word of
God): the English heretics had no faces; they would not
abide.
Upon the Saturday, the armies of both sides arrayed
themselves. The English army took the mid part of Falside
Hill, having their ordnance planted before them, and their
ships and two galleys brought as near the land as the water
would allow. The Scottish army stood at first in a reasonably
strong position and in good order, having betwixt them and
the English army the water of Esk, otherwise called Musselburgh
Water. At length, on the Governor's behalf, with
sound of trumpet, order was given that all men should march
forward, and go over the water. Some say that this was procured
by the Abbot of Dunfermline, and Master Hugh Rigg, for
preservation of Carberry. Men of judgment did not like the
move; for they thought it no wisdom to leave their strong
position. But commandment upon commandment, and charge
upon charge were given, and, thus urged, they obeyed unwillingly.
The Earl of Angus was in the vanguard, and had
in his company the gentlemen of Fife, Angus, Mearns, and the
Westland, with many others that for love resorted to him
and especially those that were professors of the Evangel; for
they supposed that England would not make great pursuit of
him. He passed first through the water, and arrayed his
host directly before the enemies. The Earl of Huntly, and his
Northland men followed. Last came the Duke, having in his
company the Earl of Argyll, with his own friends, and the
body of the realm.
The Englishmen, perceiving the danger, and that the
Scotsmen intended to take the top of the hill, made haste to
prevent the peril. The Lord Gray was commanded to give
the charge with his men of arms. This he did, albeit the
hazard was very unlikely; for the Earl of Angus's host stood
even as a wall. These received the first assaulters upon the
points of their spears (which were longer than those of the
Englishmen) so rudely that fifty horse and men of the first
rank lay dead at once, without any hurt being done to this
Scots army, except that the spears of the two foremost ranks
were broken. This discomfiture received, the rest of the
horsemen fled; yea, some passed beyond Falside Hill. The
Lord Gray himself was hurt in the mouth, and plainly refused
to charge again; for, he said, "It was like running against a
wall." The galleys, the ships, and the ordnance planted upon
the mid hill shot terribly. The cross-fire of the ordnance
of the galleys affrighted the Scots army wondrously. While
every man laboured to draw from the north, whence the
danger appeared, they began to reel, and at that point the
English footmen were marching forward, albeit some of their
horsemen were in flight. The Earl of Angus's army stood
still, expecting that either Huntly or the Duke would rencounter
the next battle; but it had been decreed that the
favourers of England, and the heretics, as the priests called
them, and the Englishmen should have the struggle to themselves
for the day.
Panic arose, and, in an instant, those who before were
victors and were not yet assaulted with any force, except with
ordnance, as we have said, cast their spears from them and
fled. Thus was God's power so evidently seen, that in one
moment, yea, in one instant, both the armies were fleeing.
From the hill, from those that hoped for no victory upon the
English part, the shout arose, "They flee, they flee." At the
first it could not be believed, but at last it was clearly seen
that all had given back; and then began a cruel slaughter,
which was the greater by reason of the late displeasure of the
men at arms.
The chase and slaughter extended almost to Edinburgh,
upon the one part, and be-west Dalkeith upon the other.
The number of the slain upon the Scottish side was judged to
be nigh ten thousand men. The Earl of Huntly was taken,
and carried to London; but he relieved himself, being surety
for many ransoms. Whether he did so honestly or unhonestly
we know not; but, as the bruit passed, he used
policy with England. In the same battle was slain the
Master of Erskine, dearly beloved of the Queen, who made
great lamentation for him, and bare his death in mind for
many days. When the certainty of the discomfiture came,
she was in Edinburgh, waiting for tidings; but with expedition
she posted that same night to Stirling, with Monsieur
D'Oysel, who was as fleyed[106] as "a fox when his hole is
smoked." Thus did God take the second revenge upon the
perjured Governor and such as assisted him to defend an
unjust quarrel; albeit many innocents fell with the wicked.
The English army came to Leith, and, after securing their
prisoners and spoil, returned to England with this unlooked-for
victory.
During the following winter, great hardships were inflicted
upon all the Borders of Scotland. Broughty Craig was taken
by the Englishmen, besieged by the Governor, but still kept.
There Gavin, the best of the Hamiltons, was slain, and the
ordnance lost. The Englishmen, encouraged, began to fortify
the hill above Broughty House. The position was called the
Fort of Broughty, and was very noisome[107] to Dundee. This it
burned and laid waste; as it did the most part of Angus,
which was not assured and under friendship with England.
At the Easter following, Haddington was fortified by the
Englishmen. The most part of Lothian, from Edinburgh east,
was either assured or laid waste. Thus did God plague in
every quarter; but men were blind, and would not, or could
not, consider the cause. The Lairds of Ormiston and Brunstone
were banished, and afterwards forfeited, and so were all
those of the Castle of St. Andrews.
The sure knowledge of the troubles of Scotland coming to
France, there was prepared a navy and army. The navy was
such as never was seen to come from France for the support of
Scotland.... They arrived in Scotland in May 1549. Preparations
were made for the siege of Haddington; but it was
another thing that they meant, as the issue declared.
The
Parliament
at
Haddington:
Queen
Mary is
sold to
France.
The whole body of the realm having assembled,
the form of a Parliament was held in the Abbey of
Haddington. The principal head was the marriage to
the King of France of the Princess, who had formerly
been contracted to King Edward; and her immediate
transfer to France, by reason of the danger to her
from the invasion of our old enemies of England. Some
were corrupted with buds,[108] some were deceived by flattering
promises, and some for fear were compelled to consent, for
the French soldiers were the officers of arms in that Parliament.
The Laird of Buccleuch, a bloody man, sware, with
many "God's wounds," that "they that would not consent
should do worse." The Governor got the Duchy of Châtelherault,
with the order of the Cockle, a full discharge of all
intromissions with the treasure and substance of King James
the Fifth, and possession of the Castle of Dumbarton, until
issue of the Queen's body should be seen. Upon these and
other conditions, he stood content to sell his sovereign.
Huntly, Argyll, and Angus were likewise made knights of the
Cockle; and, for that and other good deeds received, they also
sold their interest. In short, none was found to resist that
unjust demand; and so the Queen was sold to go to France, to
the end that in her youth she should drink of the liquor that
should remain with her all her lifetime, for a plague to this
realm, and for her final destruction. Therefore, albeit there
now comes out from her a fire that consumes many, let no
man wonder. She is the hand of God, who, in His displeasure,
is punishing our former ingratitude....
The Siege
of Haddington.
Once it was decided that our Queen, without
further delay, should be delivered to France, the siege
continued. There was great shooting, but no assaulting;
and yet they had fair occasion offered unto them. For
the Englishmen, approaching the town with powder, victuals,
and men for the comforting of the besieged, lost an army of
six thousand men. Sir Robert Bowes was taken prisoner, and
the most part of the Borderers were either captured or slain.
The town might justly have despaired of any further succour,
but yet it held good; for the stout courage and prudent
government of General Sir James Wilford did so inspire the
whole captains and soldiers that they determined to die upon
their walls. From the time that the Frenchmen had gotten
the bone for which the dog barked, the pursuit of the town
was slow. The siege was raised, and the Queen was conveyed
by the west seas to France; and so the Cardinal of
Lorraine got her into his keeping, a morsel meet for his own
mouth....
That winter Monsieur de Dessé remained in Scotland with
the bands of Frenchmen. They fortified Inveresk, to prevent
the English from invading Edinburgh and Leith. Some
skirmishes there were betwixt the one and the other, but no
notable thing was done, except that the French almost took
Haddington, as we shall see.
The
French
Fruits:
Arrogance
of the
French
Soldiery.
Thinking themselves more than masters in all
parts of Scotland, and in Edinburgh principally, the
French thought that they could do no wrong to any
Scotsman. A certain Frenchman having delivered a
culverin to George Tod, a Scotsman, to be stocked, he
was bringing it through the street, when another Frenchman
claimed it. He would have reft it from the said George; but
he resisted, alleging that the Frenchman did wrong. Parties
began to assemble to succour of the Scotsman, as well as
to that of the Frenchman. Two of the Frenchmen were
stricken down, and the rest were chased from the Cross to
Niddrie's Wynd head. The Provost, being upon the street,
apprehended two of the French, and was carrying them to
the Tolbooth; when from Monsieur de Dessé's lodging and
close issued forth Frenchmen, to the number of threescore
persons. These, with drawn swords, resisted the said Provost.
But the town, assembling, repulsed them, until they came to
the Nether Bow. There Monsieur de La Chapelle, with the
whole bands of Frenchmen in arms, rencountered the said
Provost and repulsed him (for the town was without weapons
for the most part), and then attacked all that they met. In
the throat of the Bow were slain David Kirke and David
Barbour, who were at the Provost's back, and then were slain
the said Provost himself, who was Laird of Stenhouse and
captain of the Castle, James Hamilton, his son, William
Chapman, a godly man, Master William Stewart, William
Purves, and a woman, named Elizabeth Stewart. Thereafter
the soldiers tarried within the town, by force, from five o'clock
until after seven at night, and then retired to the Canongate, as
to their receptacle and refuge.
The whole town, yea, the Governor and Nobility, commoved
at the unworthiness of this bold attempt, craved justice upon
the malefactors, and threatened that they would otherwise
execute justice on the whole. The Queen, craftily enough,
Monsieur de Dessé, and Monsieur D'Oysel laboured for pacification,
and did promise that "unless the Frenchmen, by themselves
alone, should do such an act as might recompense the
wrong that they had done, they should not refuse that justice
should be executed, with rigour."
These fair words pleased our fools, and the French bands
were the next night directed to Haddington. They approached
the town a little after midnight, so secretly that they were
never espied until the foremost were within the base court, and
the whole company in the churchyard, not two pair of butt-lengths
from the town. The soldiers, Englishmen, were all
asleep, except the watch, which was slender, and yet the shout
was raised, "Bows and bills: bows and bills," which in all towns
of war signifies need of extreme defence, to avoid present danger.
The affrighted arose; weapons that first came to hand serving
for the need. One amongst many came to the east port, where
lay two great pieces of ordnance, and where the enemies were
known to be. Crying to his fellows that were at the gate
making defence, "Ware before," he fired a great piece, and
thereafter another. God so conducted this discharge that,
after it, no further pursuit was made. The bullets rebounded
from the wall of the Friar Kirk, to the wall of St. Catherine's
Chapel, which stood directly fornent it, and from the wall of the
Chapel to the Kirk wall again, so often that there fell more
than a hundred of the French, at those two shots only. The
firing was continued, but the French retired with diligence,
and returned to Edinburgh, without harm done, except the
destruction of some drinking beer, which lay in the said Chapel
and Kirk. Herein was ample satisfaction for the slaughter of
the said captain and Provost, and for the slaughter of such as
were slain with him. This was the beginning of the French
fruits.
This winter also did the Laird of Raith most innocently
suffer, the head of the said nobleman being stricken from him;
especially because he was known to be one that unfeignedly
favoured the truth of God's Word, and was a great friend to
those that were in the Castle of St. Andrews. Of their
deliverance, and of God's wondrous working with them during
the time of their bondage, we must now speak, lest, in suppressing
the record of so notable a work of God, we might
justly be accused of ingratitude.
Of the
Scots
Prisoners
in France,
and their
Deliverance.
The principals being confined in several houses, as
before we have said, there was great labour to make
them have a good opinion of the Mass. Chiefly was
there travail with Norman Leslie, the Laird of Grange,
and the Laird of Pitmilly, who were in the Castle
of Cherbourg. Pressed to go to Mass with the captain, they
answered that "The captain had commandment to keep their
bodies, but he had no power to command their conscience."
The captain replied that "He had power to command and to
compel them to go where he would." They answered that
"They would not refuse to go to any lawful place with him;
but they would not, either for him or for the King, do anything
that was against their conscience." The captain said,
"Will ye not go to the Mass?" They answered, "No; and
if ye would compel us, we will displease you further; for we
will so use ourselves there that all those that are present shall
know that we despite it."
Similar answers, and somewhat sharper, did William
Kirkaldy, Peter Carmichael, and such as were with them
in Mount St. Michael, give to their captain; for they said
they would not only hear Mass every day, but that they would
help to say it, provided that they might stick the priests.
Master Henry Balnaves, who was in the Castle of Rouen, was
most sharply assaulted of all; for, because he was judged
learned, learned men were appointed to travail with him, and
with them he had many conflicts. But, God so assisting him,
they departed confounded, and he, by the power of God's
Spirit, remained constant in the truth and profession of the
same, without any wavering or declining to idolatry.
These that were in the galleys were threatened with
torments, if they would not give reverence to the Mass; but
the French could never make the poorest of that company
give reverence to that idol. Yea, when, upon the Saturday
night, they sang their Salve Regina, the whole Scotsmen put
on their caps, their hoods, or such things as they had to
cover their heads; and when others were compelled to kiss a
painted board, which they called "Notre Dame," they were
not pressed more than once; for this was what happened.
Soon after the arrival at Nantes, their great Salve was sung,
and a glorious painted Lady was brought to be kissed, and was
presented to one of the Scotsmen then chained, amongst others.
He gently said, "Trouble me not; such an idol is accursed;
and therefore I will not touch it." The patron and the
arguesyn[109] with two officers, having the chief charge of all such
matters, said, "Thou shalt handle it;" and so they violently
thrust it to his face, and put it betwixt his hands. He, seeing
the extremity, took the idol, and advisedly looking about, cast
it into the river, saying, "Let our Lady now save herself: she
is light enough; let her learn to swim." After that no Scotsman
was urged with that idolatry.
These are things that appear to be of no great importance;
and yet, if we do rightly consider, they express the same
obedience as God required of His people Israel when they
should be carried to Babylon. He gave charge unto them
that, when they should see the Babylonians worship their gods
of gold, silver, metal, and wood, they should say, "The gods
that have not made the heaven and the earth shall perish from
the heaven, and out of the earth."
John Knox
prophesies
of himself:
his Confidence
in
God's Deliverance.
Master James Balfour being in the same galley as
John Knox, and being wondrously familiar with him,
would often ask his opinion whether he thought that
they should ever be delivered. His answer ever was,
from the day that they entered the galleys, that God,
for His own glory, would deliver them from that bondage,
even in this life. The second time that the galleys returned
to Scotland, when they were lying betwixt Dundee and St.
Andrews, and the said John was so extremely sick that few
hoped his life, the said Master James willed him to look to
the land, and asked if he knew it? He answered, "Yes, I
know it well; for I see the steeple of the place in which God
first in public opened my mouth to His glory. I am fully
persuaded that, however weak I may now appear, I shall not
depart this life until my tongue shall glorify His godly name
in the same place." The said Master James reported this in
presence of many famous witnesses, many years before the
said John set his foot in Scotland this last time.
William Kirkaldy, then younger of Grange, Peter Carmichael,
Robert and William Leslie, who were all together in
Mount St. Michael, wrote to the said John, asking his counsel
as to whether they might, with safe conscience, break their
prison? His answer was that if, without the blood of any
shed or spilt by them for their deliverance, they could set
themselves at freedom, they might safely take it: but that he
would never consent to their shedding any man's blood for
their freedom. He added, further, that he was assured that
God would deliver them and the rest of that company, even
in the eyes of the world; but not by such means as we had
looked for; that was, by the force of friends or by their other
labours. He affirmed that they should not be delivered by
such means, but that God would so work in the deliverance
of them, that the praise thereof should redound to His glory
only. He therefore urged every one to take any occasion for
deliverance that God might offer, provided that nothing was
done against God's express commandment.
John Knox was the more earnest in giving his counsel,
because the old Laird of Grange, and others, were averse from
their purpose, fearing lest the escaping of the others should be
an occasion of their own worse treatment. Thereto the said
John answered that such fear proceeded not from God's Spirit,
but only from a blind love of self. No good purpose was to
be stayed for things that were in the hands and power of God.
In one instant, he added, God delivered all that company into
the hands of unfaithful men, but so would He not relieve them.
Some would He deliver by one means, and at one time, and
others must, for a season, abide upon His good pleasure. In
the end, they embraced this counsel. Upon the King's Even,
when Frenchmen commonly drink liberally, the foresaid four
persons, having the help and conduct of a boy of the house,
bound all those that were in the Castle, put them in sundry
houses, locked the doors upon them, took the keys from the
captain, and departed without harm done to the person of
any, or without touching anything that appertained to the
King, the Captain, or the house.
Great search was made through the whole country for
them. But it was God's good pleasure so to conduct them
that they escaped the hands of the faithless, albeit it was with
long travail, and endurance of great pain and poverty; for the
French boy left them, and took with him the small poise that
they had. Having neither money, nor knowledge of the
country, and fearing that the boy should discover them, as
in very deed he did, of purpose they divided themselves,
changed their garments, and went in sundry parties. The two
brethren, William and Robert Leslie (who now are become,
the said Robert especially, enemies to Christ Jesus and
to all virtue) came to Rouen. William Kirkaldy and Peter
Carmichael, in beggars' garments, came to Le Conquet, and
for the space of twelve or thirteen weeks they travelled as
poor mariners, from port to port, till at length they got a
French ship, and landed in the west. From thence they came
to England, where they met with the said John Knox, he and
Alexander Clark having been delivered that same winter.
John Knox
in England
and on the
Continent.
The said John was first appointed preacher to
Berwick, then to Newcastle; and lastly, he was called
to London and the south parts of England, where
he remained until the death of King Edward the
Sixth. Then he left England, and went to Geneva, where he
remained in his private study, until he was called to be
preacher to the English congregation at Frankfort. This call
he obeyed, albeit unwillingly, at the commandment of that
notable servant of God, John Calvin. He remained at Frankfort
until some of the learned, more given to unprofitable
ceremonies than to sincerity of religion, began to quarrel with
him. These men, because they despaired of prevailing before
the magistrate there in the overt purpose of establishing their
corruptions, accused him of treason committed against the
Emperor, and against their sovereign Queen Mary, in that,
in his Admonition to England, he called the one little inferior
to Nero, and the other more cruel than Jezebel. The magistrate,
perceiving their malice and fearing that the said John
should fall into the hands of his accusers by one means or
another, gave secret warning to him to depart from the city;
for they could not save him if he were required by the
Emperor, or by the Queen of England, in the Emperor's name.
So the said John returned to Geneva, from thence to Dieppe,
and thereafter to Scotland, as we shall hear.
In the winter that the galleys remained in Scotland, there
were delivered Master James Balfour, his two brethren, David
and Gilbert, John Auchinleck, John Sibbald, John Gray,
William Guthrie, and Stephen Bell. The gentlemen that
remained in prisons were, by the procurement of the Queen-Dowager,
set at liberty in the month of July 1550. These
were shortly thereafter recalled to Scotland, their peace was
proclaimed, and they themselves were restored to their lands,
in despite of their enemies. And that was done in hatred of
the Duke, and because France began to thirst to have the
regiment of Scotland in her own hands. Howsoever it was,
God made their enemies set them at liberty and freedom.
There still remained a number of common servants in the
galleys, but these were all delivered when the contract of
peace was made betwixt France and England, after the taking
of Boulogne. So was the whole company set at liberty, none
perishing except James Melvin, who departed from the miseries
of this life in the Castle of Brest in Brittany.
This we write, that the posterity to come may understand
how potently God wrought in preserving and delivering
those that had but a small knowledge of His truth, and for the
love of the same hazarded all. We or our posterity may see a
fearful dispersion of such as oppose themselves to impiety, or
take upon them to punish the same otherwise than laws of men
will permit: we may see them forsaken by men, and, as it
were, despised and punished by God. But, if we do, let us not
damn the persons that punish vice for just causes, nor yet
despair that the same God that casts down, for causes unknown
to us, will again raise up the persons dejected, to His glory and
their comfort....
Haddington
proves
the Truth
of Master
George
Wishart's
Foreboding.
Haddington being in the hands of the English, and
much herschip being done in the country (for what the
Englishmen did not destroy, the French consumed),
God did begin to fight for Scotland; for to the town
named He sent so contagious a pest, that with great
difficulty could the English garrison have their dead
buried. They were oft reinforced with new men, but all was
in vain. Hunger and pest were within the town, and the
enemy, with a camp-volant,[110] lay about them and intercepted
all victuals, unless these were brought by a convoy from
Berwick; and the Council of England was compelled, in
spring, to withdraw its forces from that place. So, after
spoiling and burning some part of the town, they left it to
be occupied by such as first should take possession—and those
were the Frenchmen, with a mean number of the ancient
inhabitants. Thus did God perform the words and the
threatening of His servant Master George Wishart, who
said that, for their contempt of God's messenger, they
should be visited with sword and fire, with pestilence,
strangers, and famine.
Peace proclaimed
(April
1550): the
Papists
resume
Persecution.
After this, peace was contracted betwixt France
and England and Scotland; and a separate contract of
peace was made betwixt Scotland and Flanders, with
all the Easterlings; so that Scotland had peace with
the world. But yet the Bishops would make war with
God. As soon as they got any quietness, they apprehended
Adam Wallace, a simple man, without great learning,
but zealous in godliness and of an upright life. He with his
wife, Beatrice Livingston, frequented the company of the Lady
Ormiston, for the instruction of her children during the trouble
of her husband, who then was banished. That bastard, called
Archbishop of St. Andrews, took the said Adam from the place
of Winton, and carried him to Edinburgh. And, in the kirk
of the black thieves, alias Friars, he was brought to trial before
the Duke, the Earl of Huntly, divers others besides, and the
Bishops and their rabble.
The
faithful
Testimony
and
Martyrdom
of
Adam
Wallace.
Master John Lauder was accuser, and alleged that
he took upon him to preach. He answered that he
never considered himself worthy of so excellent a vocation,
and therefore never took upon him to preach;
but that he would not deny that, sometimes at the
table and sometimes in other privy places, he had read
the Scriptures, and had given such exhortation as God pleased
to give him, to such as pleased to hear him. "Knave," quoth
one, "what have ye to do to meddle with the Scriptures?"
"I think," said he, "it is the duty of every Christian to seek
the will of his God, and the assurance of his salvation, where it
is to be found, and that is within his Old and New Testament."
"What then," said another, "shall we leave to the bishops and
kirkmen to do, if every man shall be a babbler upon the
Bible?" "It becometh you," said he, "to speak more reverently
of God and of His blessed Word. If the judge were incorrupt,
he would punish you for your blasphemy. To your question, I
answer that, albeit ye and I and other five thousand within
this realm should read the Bible, and speak of it what God
should give us to speak, yet should we leave more to the
bishops to do than either they will or yet can well do. We
leave to them to preach the Evangel of Jesus Christ publicly,
and to feed the flock which He hath redeemed with His own
blood, and hath commended to the care of all true pastors.
When we leave this unto them, methinks we leave to them a
heavy burden; and we do them no wrong if we search our own
salvation where it is to be found, considering that they are but
dumb dogs, and unsavoury salt that has altogether lost its
season." The Bishops, offended, said, "What prating is this?
Let his accusation be read."
And then was begun, "False traitor, heretic, thou didst
baptize thine own bairn. Thou saidst there is no purgatory.
Thou saidst that to pray to saints and for the dead is idolatry
and a vain superstition, and so on. What sayest thou of these
things?" He answered, "If I should be bound to answer, I
would require an upright and indifferent judge." The Earl of
Huntly disdainfully said, "Foolish man, wilt thou desire another
judge than my Lord Duke's Grace, great Governor of Scotland,
and my Lords the bishops, and the clergy here present?"
Thereto he answered, "The bishops can be no judges of me;
for they are open enemies to me and to the doctrine that I
profess. And, as for my Lord Duke, I cannot tell if he has
the knowledge that should be in him that should judge and
discern betwixt lies and the truth, the inventions of men and
the true worshipping of God. I desire God's Word," and with
that he produced the Bible, "to be judge betwixt the bishops
and me, and I am content that ye shall all hear. If by this
book I shall be convicted to have taught, spoken, or done, in
matters of religion, anything that repugns to God's will, I
refuse not to die; but if I cannot be convicted, as I am assured
by God's Word I shall not be, then I in God's name desire your
assistance, that malicious men may not execute unjust tyranny
upon me." The Earl of Huntly said, "What a babbling fool
this is. Thou shalt get none other judges than these that sit
here." Thereto the said Adam answered, "The good will of
God be done. But be ye assured, my Lord, with such measure
as ye mete to others, with the same measure it shall be meted
to you again. I know that I shall die, but be ye assured that
my blood will be required of your hands."
Alexander Earl of Glencairn, yet alive, then said to the
Bishop of Orkney, and others that sat near him, "Take you
yon, my lords of the clergy; for here I protest, for my part,
that I consent not to his death." And so, without fear, the
said Adam prepared to answer. As to the baptizing of his own
child, he said, "It was and is as lawful to me, for lack of a true
minister, to baptize my own child, as it was to Abraham to
circumcise his son Ishmael and his family. And as for purgatory,
praying to saints, and praying for the dead, I have read
both the New and Old Testaments often, but I neither could
find mention nor assurance of them; and, therefore, I believe
that they are but mere inventions of man, devised for covetousness's
sake." "What sayest thou of the Mass?" speired[111] the
Earl of Huntly. He answered, "I say, my Lord, as my
Master Jesus Christ says, 'That which is in greatest estimation
before men is abomination before God.'" Then all cried
out, "Heresy! heresy!" And so this simple servant of God
was adjudged to the fire; which he patiently sustained that
same afternoon, upon the Castle Hill.
Thus the Papists began again to pollute the land, which
God had lately plagued. Their iniquity was not yet come to
that full ripeness in which God willed that it should be made
manifest to this whole realm that they were faggots prepared
for the everlasting fire, and men whom neither plagues might
correct, nor the light of God's Word convert from their darkness
and impiety.
The Duke
is deposed,
and
the Queen-Dowager
is made
Regent:
1554.
Peace contracted, the Queen-Dowager passed by
sea to France, and took with her divers of the nobility of
Scotland, to wit, the Earls Huntly, Glencairn, Marischall,
and Cassillis, the Lords Maxwell and Fleming, and Sir
George Douglas; together with all the King's natural
sons, and divers barons and gentlemen of ecclesiastical
estate, the Bishop of Galloway and many others, with promises
that they should be richly rewarded for their good service.
What they received we cannot tell; but few made ruse[112] at
their returning. The Dowager practised somewhat with her
brethren, the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine,
and the Governor afterwards felt the weight of this: for
shortly after her return he was deposed from the government—justly
by God, but most unjustly by men—and she made
Regent in the year of God 1554. A crown was put upon her
head—as seemly a sight, if men had eyes, as to put a saddle
upon the back of an unruly cow. Then did she begin to practise
practice upon practice, how France might be advanced, her
friends made rich, and she brought to immortal glory....
The
Death and
Virtues of
Edward
VI.
Thus did light and darkness strive within the
realm of Scotland; the darkness ever before the world
suppressing the light, from the death of that notable
servant of God, Master Patrick Hamilton, unto the
death of Edward Sixth, the most godly and most virtuous King
that hath been known to have reigned in England or elsewhere
these many years bypast, who departed the misery of this life
on the sixth of July 1553. The death of this Prince was
lamented by all the godly within Europe; for the graces given
unto him by God, by nature as well as through erudition and
godliness, passed the measure that is commonly given to other
Princes in their greatest perfection, and yet he exceeded not
sixteen years of age. What gravity beyond his years, what
wisdom passing all expectation of man, and what dexterity in
answering all questions proposed, were in that excellent Prince,
the Ambassadors of all countries did bear witness. Yea, some
that were mortal enemies to him and to his realm, amongst
whom the Queen-Dowager of Scotland was not the least, could
and did so testify. The said Queen-Dowager, returning from
France through England, communed with him at length, and
gave record, when she came to this realm, that she found more
wisdom and solid judgment in young King Edward than she
would have looked for in any three princes that were then
in Europe. His liberality towards the godly and learned,
persecuted in other realms, was remarkable. Germans, Frenchmen,
Italians, Scots, Spaniards, Poles, Greeks, and Hebrews
can yet give sufficient document[113] of this. Martin Bucer, Peter
Martyr, Joannes Alasco, and many others were honourably
entertained upon his public stipends, as their patents can
witness, and as they themselves during their lives never would
have denied.
The superstitious
Cruelty of
Mary of
England,
and of the
Queen
Regent.
After the death of this most virtuous Prince, of
whom the godless people of England, for the most
part, were not worthy, Satan intended nothing less
than that the light of Jesus Christ should have been
utterly extinguished within the whole Isle of Britain.
For there was raised up after him, in God's hot displeasure,
that idolatrous Jezebel, mischievous Mary, of the
Spaniards' blood; a cruel persecutrix of God's people, as the
acts of her unhappy reign can sufficiently witness. And in
Scotland, at that same time, as we have heard, there reigned
that crafty practiser, Marie of Lorraine, then named Regent of
Scotland; who, bound to the devotion of her two brethren, the
Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine, did only abide the
opportunity to cut the throats of all those within the realm of
Scotland in whom she suspected any knowledge of God. Satan
thought that his kingdom of darkness was in quietness and
rest, in the one realm as well as in the other; but that
provident eye of the Eternal our God, who continually watches
for preservation of His Church, did so dispose all things, that
Satan shortly after found himself far disappointed in his
conclusions. For in the cruel persecution carried on by
that monster, Mary of England, godly men were dispersed
among divers nations, and then it pleased the goodness of
our God to send some of these unto us, for our comfort and
instruction.
John Knox
follows
William
Harlaw
and John
Willock to
Scotland.
First came a simple man, William Harlaw, who,
although his erudition excels not, is yet, for his zeal,
and diligent plainness in doctrine, to this day worthy
of praise, and remains a faithful member within the
Church of Scotland. After him came that notable
man, John Willock, with some commission from the Duchess
of Embden to the Queen Regent. But his principal purpose
was to ascertain what work God had for him in his native
country. These two did sometimes assemble the brethren in
several companies, and by their exhortations those began to be
greatly encouraged, and did show that they had an earnest
thirst of godliness. Last came John Knox, in the end of
harvest, in the year of God 1555. Lodged in the house of
that notable man of God, James Syme, he began to exhort
secretly in that same house; and thereto repaired the Laird
of Dun, David Forrest, and some certain personages of the
town.
The good
Testimony
of
Elizabeth
Adamson,
Mistress
Barron.
Amongst these was Elizabeth Adamson, spouse to
James Barron, burgess of Edinburgh, who had a
troubled conscience, and delighted much in the company
of the said John, because he, according to the
grace given unto him, opened more fully the fountain
of God's mercies, than did the common sort of teachers that
she had heard before, for she had heard none but Friars. She
did with much greediness drink of that fountain, and at her
death she expressed the fruit of her hearing, to the great
comfort of all those that repaired to her. Albeit she suffered
most grievous torment in her body, from her mouth there was
heard nothing but praising of God, except that sometimes she
would lament the troubles of those that were troubled by her.
When her sisters asked what she thought of the pain which
she then suffered in body, in comparison with that with which
sometimes she had been troubled in spirit, she answered, "A
thousand years of this torment, and ten times more joined unto
it, is not to be compared to the quarter of an hour that I
suffered in my spirit. I thank my God, through Jesus Christ,
that He has delivered me from that most fearful pain; and
welcome be this, even so long as it pleaseth His godly Majesty
to discipline me therewith."
A little before her departure, the said Elizabeth desired her
sisters and some others that were beside her to sing a psalm.
Amongst others, she appointed the Hundred and Third Psalm,
beginning, "My soul, praise thou the Lord always." This
ended, she said, "At the teaching of this Psalm, my troubled
soul first began effectually to taste of the mercy of God, which
now to me is more sweet and precious than were all the
kingdoms of the earth given to me to possess for a thousand
years." The priests urged her with their ceremonies and
superstitions, but to them she answered, "Depart from me, ye
sergeants of Satan; for I have refused, and in your own presence
do refuse, all your abominations. That which ye call your
Sacrament and Christ's body, as ye have deceived us to believe
in times past, is nothing but an idol, and has nothing to do
with the right institution of Jesus Christ. Therefore, in God's
name, I command you not to trouble me." They departed,
alleging that she raved, and wist not what she said. Shortly
thereafter she slept in the Lord Jesus, to the no small comfort
of those that saw her blessed departing. We could not omit
mention of this worthy woman, who gave so notable a confession
before the great light of God's Word did universally
shine throughout this realm.
John Knox
argues
that the
Mass is
Idolatry.
At the first coming of the said John Knox, divers
who had a zeal to godliness made small scruple to
go to the Mass, or to communicate with the abused
sacraments in the papistical manner. Perceiving
this, he began, in privy conference as well as in preaching,
to show the impiety of the Mass, and how dangerous it was
to participate in any way with idolatry. The consciences of
some were affrighted, and the matter began to agitate from
man to man. So the said John was called to supper by the
Laird of Dun for that purpose, and there were convened David
Forrest, Master Robert Lockhart, John Willock, and William
Maitland of Lethington, younger, a man of good learning, and
of sharp wit and reasoning. The question was proposed, and
it was answered by the said John that it was nowise lawful
to a Christian to present himself to that idol. Nothing was
omitted that might make for the temporiser, and yet was
every head fully answered, and especially one wherein they
thought their great defence stood, to wit, that Paul, at
the commandment of James and the elders of Jerusalem,
went to the temple and feigned to pay his vow with others.
After a full discussion, William Maitland concluded, saying,
"I see perfectly that our shifts will serve nothing before
God, seeing that they stand us in so small stead before
man."
The answer of John Knox to the act of Paul, and to the
commandment of James, was that Paul's act had nothing to do
with their going to the Mass. To pay vows was sometimes
God's commandment, and was never idolatry: but the Mass
was from the beginning, and still remained odious idolatry.
"Secondarily," said he, "I greatly doubt whether either
James's commandment or Paul's obedience proceeded from
the Holy Ghost...." After these and like reasonings, the
Mass began to be abhorred by such as before had frequented
it for the fashion, and for avoidance of slander, as then they
termed it.
John Knox
preaches
in different
Parts, and
administers
the
Lord's
Table.
At the request of the Laird of Dun, John Knox
followed him to his place of Dun, where he remained
a month, daily occupied in preaching; and the principal
men of that country were among his audiences.
After his return, his residence was most in Calder.
The Lord Erskine that now is, the Earl of Argyll,
then Lord of Lorne, and Lord James Stewart, then Prior of
St. Andrews, and now Earl of Moray, came to Calder and
so approved his doctrine that they expressed a desire that it
should have been public. That same winter he taught
commonly in Edinburgh; and, after Yule, on the invitation
of the Laird of Barr and Robert Campbell of Kinyeancleuch,
he came to Kyle, and taught in the Barr, in the house of the
Carnell, in the Kinyeancleuch, in the town of Ayr, and in the
houses of Ochiltree and Gadgirth, and in some of them he
ministered the Lord's Table.
Before Easter, the Earl of Glencairn sent for him to his
place of Finlayston; where, after preaching, he likewise
ministered the Lord's Table. Besides Glencairn himself, his
lady, two of his sons, and certain of his friends were partakers.
When he returned to Calder, divers from Edinburgh,
and from the country about, assembled there, for the preaching
as well as for the right use of the Lord's Table, which they
had never practised before. Thence he departed the second
time to the Laird of Dun. His teaching was then with
greater liberty, and the gentlemen required that he should
likewise minister unto them the Table of the Lord Jesus,
whereof were partakers the most part of the gentlemen of
Mearns. To the praise of God, these do, to this day, constantly
adhere to the doctrine which then they professed, to
wit, that they refused all society with idolatry, and bound
themselves to maintain, to the uttermost of their powers, the
true preaching of the Evangel of Jesus Christ, as God should
offer unto them preachers and opportunity.
John Knox
is summoned
to
Answer
for his
Doctrine:
the Diet
abandoned.
The Friars from all quarters flocked to the bishops
with the bruit, and the said John Knox was summoned
to appear in the Kirk of the Black Friars in
Edinburgh on the fifteenth day of May 1556. The
said John decided to obey the summons, and for that
purpose John Erskine of Dun, with divers other
gentlemen, assembled in the town of Edinburgh. But that
diet was not held; for the bishops either perceived informality
in their own proceedings, or feared that danger might ensue
upon their extreme measures. On the Saturday before, they
cassed[114] their own summons; and the said John, on the day
appointed by the summons, taught in Edinburgh in a greater
audience than ever before he had done in that town. The
place was the Bishop of Dunkeld's great lodging, and there
he continued teaching for ten days, both before and after
noon.
John Knox
writes to
the Queen
Regent.
The Earl of Glencairn allured the Earl Marischall,
with Harry Drummond, his counsellor for that time,
to hear an exhortation, one night. They were so well
satisfied, that they both desired the said John to write
unto the Queen Regent a letter that might move her to hear
the Word of God. He obeyed, and wrote that which was
afterwards printed, and is called "The Letter to the Queen
Dowager." This was delivered into her own hands by the
said Alexander, Earl of Glencairn. When she had read this
letter, she delivered it to that proud prelate, Beaton,[115] Archbishop
of Glasgow, a day or two after, and said in mockage,
"Please you, my Lord, read a pasquil."
John Knox
is recalled
to Geneva,
and leaves
the Realm:
he is
burned in
Effigy.
While John Knox was thus occupied in Scotland,
letters came unto him from the English Kirk in
Geneva, in God's name commanding him, as their
chosen pastor, to repair unto them for their comfort.
Upon this, the said John prepared to obey the
summons. He bade farewell in almost every congregation
in which he had preached, and exhorted us to
prayers, to reading of the Scriptures, and to mutual conference,
until such time as God should give unto us greater
liberty. By the procurement and labours of Robert Campbell
of Kinyeancleuch, he visited the old Earl of Argyll in
the Castle of Campbell, and there he taught certain days.
The Laird of Glenorchy, being one of his auditors, desired
the Earl of Argyll to detain him; but he, purposed upon his
journey, would not at that time stay for any request. He
added that, if God so blessed these small beginnings and
they continued in godliness, they should find him obedient
whensoever they pleased to command him; but that he must
needs visit once that little flock which the wickedness of men
had compelled him to leave. In the month of July he left
this realm and passed to France, and so to Geneva. Immediately
after, the bishops summoned him, and, for non-compearance,
burned him in effigy at the Cross of Edinburgh,
in the year of God 1555.
The
Regent
declares
War on
England:
the Nobles
decline to
move.
In the winter that the said John abode in Scotland,
there appeared a comet, the course of which was
from the south and south-west to the north and northeast.
It was seen during the months of November,
December, and January, and was called "the fiery
besom." Soon after, Christian, King of Denmark,
died, and war rose betwixt Scotland and England; for the
Commissioners of both realms, who for almost six months
had treated upon the conditions of peace and were upon a
near point of conclusion, were disappointed. At Newbattle,
the Queen Regent, with her Council of the French faction,
decreed war, without giving any intimation to the Commissioners
for Scotland. Such is the fidelity of Princes, guided
by priests, whenever they seek to serve their own affections.
But the nobility of Scotland, after consultation amongst themselves,
went to the pavilion of Monsieur D'Oysel, and to his face
declared that in nowise would they invade England. They
commanded the ordnance to be retired; and this was done without
further delay. This put an affray[116] in Monsieur D'Oysel's
breath, and kindled such a fire in the Queen Regent's stomach
as was not well slockened until her breath failed. And thus
was that enterprise frustrated, although war continued.
The
Evangel
begins to
flourish in
Scotland.
During this period the Evangel of Jesus Christ
began wondrously to flourish. William Harlaw began
publicly to exhort in Edinburgh; John Douglas, who
had been with the Earl of Argyll, preached in Leith,
and sometimes exhorted in Edinburgh; Paul Methven began
publicly to preach in Dundee; and so did divers others in
Angus and Mearns. And last, in God's good pleasure, John
Willock arrived the second time from Embden; and his
return was so joyful to the brethren that their zeal and
godly courage daily increased. Albeit he contracted a dangerous
sickness, he did not cease from labour, but taught and
exhorted from his bed. Some of the nobility (of whom some
are fallen back, among whom the Lord Seton is chief), with
many barons and gentlemen, were his auditors. These were
instructed in godliness by him, and wondrously comforted.
They kept their conventions, and held councils with such
gravity and closeness, that the enemies trembled. The
images were stolen away in all parts of the country; and
in Edinburgh the great idol called Saint Giles was first
drowned in the Nor' Loch, and then burned. This raised
no small trouble in the town.
Images
are stolen,
and the
Prelates
practise
with the
Regent.
The Friars rowping[117] like ravens upon the bishops,
the bishops ran to the Queen. She was favourable
enough to them, but she thought it could not be to
her advantage to offend such a multitude as then took
upon them the defence of the Evangel and the name
of Protestants. Yet she consented to summon the preachers;
and the Protestants, neither offended nor yet afraid, determined
to keep the day of summons, as that they did. When the
prelates and priests perceived this, they procured that there
should be made a proclamation that all men that were come
to the town without commandment of the authority, should
with all diligence repair to the Borders, and there remain
fifteen days: for the Bishop of Galloway, in this manner of
rhyme, said to the Queen, "Madam,
Because they are come without order,
I red ye, send them to the Border."
Now, God had so provided that the Quarter of the
Westland, in which were many faithful men, were that same
day returned from the Border. Understanding the matter to
proceed from the malice of the priests, they assembled and
made passage for themselves until they came to the very
privy chamber, where the Queen Regent and the bishops
were. The gentlemen began to complain of their strange
entertainment, considering that her Grace had found in them
faithful obedience in all things lawful. When the Queen
began to craft, a zealous and a bold man, James Chalmers
of Gadgirth, said, "Madam, we know that this is the malice
and device of these Jefwellis,[118] and of that bastard (meaning
the Archbishop of St. Andrews) that stands by you. We avow
to God we shall make a day of it. They oppress us and our
tenants that they may feed their idle bellies: they trouble
our preachers, and would murder them and us: shall we
suffer this any longer? Nay, Madam: it shall not be."
And therewith every man put on his steel bonnet.
Then was heard nothing on the Queen's part but, "My
joys, my hearts, what ails you? Me means no evil to you
nor to your preachers. The bishops shall do you no wrong.
Ye are all my loving subjects. Me know nothing of this
proclamation. The day of your preachers shall be discharged,
and me will hear the controversy that is betwixt the bishops
and you. They shall do you no wrong. My Lords," said
she to the bishops, "I forbid you either to trouble them or
their preachers." And unto the gentlemen, who were
wondrously moved, she turned again, and said, "O my
hearts, should ye not love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your mind? and should ye not love your
neighbours as yourselves?" With these and the like fair
words, she kept the bishops from buffets at that time.
The downcasting
of
Saint
Giles's
Image, and
Discomfiture
of
Baal's
Priests.
The day of summons being discharged, the brethren
universally began to be further encouraged. But the
bishops could not be quiet; and Saint Giles's day
approaching, they gave charge to the Provost, Bailies,
and Council of Edinburgh, either to get again the old
Saint Giles, or else at their own expense to make a
new image. The Council answered that to them the charge
appeared very unjust; for they understood that God in some
places had commanded idols and images to be destroyed.
Where He had commanded images to be set up, they had
not read; and they desired the Bishop to find a warrant for
his commandment. The Bishop, offended, admonished them
under pain of cursing; but they prevented[119] this by a formal
appellation, appealing from him, as from a partial and corrupt
judge, unto the Pope's Holiness. Greater things shortly
following, that passed into oblivion.
Yet the priests and Friars would not cease to have that
great solemnity and manifest abomination which they accustomably
had upon Saint Giles's day. They would have that idol
borne; and therefore all necessary preparation was duly made.
A marmoset idol was borrowed from the Grey Friars, a silver
piece of James Carmichael being laid in pledge. It was fast
fixed with iron nails upon a barrow, called their fertour.[120]
There assembled priests, Friars, Canons, and rotten Papists,
with tabors and trumpets, banners and bagpipes, and who was
there to lead the ring, but the Queen Regent herself, with all
her shavelings, for honour of that feast. West about it went,
and came down the High Street, and down to the Canon Cross.
The Queen Regent dined that day in Sandy Carpetyne's house,
betwixt the Bows, and so, when the idol returned again, she
left it, and went to her dinner. The hearts of the brethren
were wondrously inflamed, and, seeing such abomination so
manifestly maintained, were determined to be revenged. They
were divided into several companies, of which not one knew
of another. There were some temporisers that day (amongst
whom David Forrest, called the General, was one) who, fearing
the chance would be taken to do as it befell, laboured to stay
the brethren. But that could not be.
Immediately after the Queen had entered the lodging,
some of those that were in the enterprise drew nigh to the
idol, as if willing to help to bear him, and getting the fertour
upon their shoulders, began to shudder, thinking that thereby
the idol should have fallen. But that was provided for and
prevented by the iron nails, as we have said; and so one
began to cry, "Down with the idol; down with it;" and
without delay it was pulled down. One took him by the
heels and, dadding[121] his head on the causeway, left Dagon
without head or hands, and cried, "Fie upon thee, thou
young Saint Giles, thy father would have tarried four such."
The priest's patrons made some brag at the first; but when
they saw the feebleness of their god, priests and Friars fled
faster than they did at Pinkie Cleuch. Then might have
been seen so sudden a fray as seldom has been amongst that
sort of men within this realm. Down went the crosses, off
went the surplice, and the round caps cornered with the
crowns.[122] The Grey Friars gaped, the Black Friars blew, the
priests panted and fled, and happy was he that first reached
the house; such a sudden fray amongst the generation of
Antichrist within this realm never came before. By chance,
there lay upon a stair a merry Englishman, who, seeing that
the discomfiture was without blood, thought he would add
some merriness to the matter, and so cried he over the stair,
and said, "Fie upon you, why have ye broken order? Down
the street ye passed in array and with great mirth. Why
flee ye now, villains, without order? Turn and strike everyone
a stroke for the honour of his god. Fie, cowards, fie, ye
shall never be judged worthy of your wages again!" But exhortations
were then unprofitable; for, after Baal had broken
his neck, there was no comfort to his confused army.
The Queen Regent laid this up amongst her other
mementoes, until she might see the time proper to revenge
it. Search was made for the doers, but none could be
apprehended; for the brethren assembled themselves in
such sort, in companies, singing psalms and praising God,
that the proudest of the enemies were astonished....
The most part of the Lords that were in France at the
Queen's marriage, although they got their congé from the
Court, yet forgot to return to Scotland. For whether it was by
an Italian posset, or by French figs, or by the potage of their
potinger, who was a Frenchman, there departed from this life
the Earl of Cassillis, the Earl of Rothes, Lord Fleming, and the
Bishop of Orkney, whose end was even according to his life....
When word of the departing of so many patrons of the papistry,
and of the manner of their departing, came to the Queen Regent,
she said, after astonishment and musing, "What shall I say of
such men? They lived as beasts, and as beasts they die: God
is not with them, neither with that which they enterprise."
The
Dean of
Restalrig,
Hypocrite,
begins to
Preach.
While these things were happening in Scotland
and France, that perfect hypocrite, Master John
Sinclair, then Dean of Restalrig, and now Lord
President and Bishop of Brechin, began to preach
in his Kirk of Restalrig. At the beginning he kept
himself so indifferent that many were of the opinion that he
was not far from the Kingdom of God. Such as feared God
had begun to have a good opinion of him, and the Friars
and others of that sect had begun to whisper that if he did
not take heed to himself and to his doctrine he would be
the destruction of the whole estate of the Kirk. But his
hypocrisy could not long be cloaked; for, when he learned
of this change in public opinion, he promised a sermon, in
which he should give his judgment upon all such heads as
were then in controversy in the matters of religion. The
bruit hereof secured him a great audience at the first; but he
so handled himself that day that no godly man did credit him
after that. Not only gainsaid he the doctrine of Justification
and of prayer, which before he had taught, but he also set up
and maintained the Papistry to the uttermost prick; yea, holy
water, pilgrimage, purgatory, and pardons were of such virtue
in his conceit that he looked not to be saved without them.
In the meantime, the clergy made a brag that they would
dispute. But Master David Panter, who then lived and lay
at Restalrig, dissuaded them therefrom, affirming that if ever
they disputed—except where they themselves were both judge
and party, and where fire and sword should obey their decree—their
cause was wrecked for ever. Their victory, he said,
stood neither in God nor in His Word, but in their own wills,
and in the things concluded by their own councils, together
with sword and fire, "and thereto," said he, "these new start-up
fellows will give no place. They will call you to your
account book, the Bible; and by it ye will no more be found
the men that ye are called, than the Devil will be proven to
be God. And therefore, if ye love yourselves, never enter
into disputation; nor yet call ye the matter in question; but
defend your possession, or else all is lost." Caiaphas could
not give a better counsel to his companions; but God disappointed
both them and him, as we shall hear afterwards.
The Recall
of John
Knox.
At this same time, some of the nobility directed
letters to call John Knox from Geneva, for their
comfort, and for the comfort of their brethren the
preachers and others that then courageously fought against
the enemies of God's truth.... These letters were delivered
to the said John in Geneva, in the month of May immediately
thereafter. Upon their receipt, he took consultation with his
own church as well as with that notable servant of God, John
Calvin, and with other godly ministers. All, with one consent,
said that he could not refuse that vocation, unless he would
declare himself rebellious unto his God, and unmerciful to his
country. And so he returned answer, with promise to visit
Scotland with reasonable expedition, as soon as he might make
arrangements for the dear flock that was committed to his
charge. In the end of the following September, he departed
from Geneva, and came to Dieppe, where there met him
contrary letters; as by this his answer thereto we may understand.
"The Spirit of wisdom, constancy, and strength be multiplied
with you, by the favour of God our Father, and by the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
"According to my promise, Right Honourable, I came to
Dieppe on the twenty-third of October, of full mind, by the
good will of God, with the first ships to have visited you.
But because two letters, not very pleasing to the flesh, were
there presented unto me, I was compelled to stay for a time.
The one was directed to myself from a faithful brother, who
made mention that new consultation was appointed for final
conclusion of the matter before purposed, and desired me
therefore to abide in these parts until the determination of
the same. The other letter was direct from a gentleman to a
friend, with charge to inform me that he had communed with
all those that seemed most frack and fervent in the matter,
and that in none did he find such boldness and constancy as
was requisite for such an enterprise; but that some did, as he
writeth, repent that ever any such thing was moved; some
were partly ashamed; and others were able to deny that ever
they did consent to any such purpose, if any trial or question
should be taken thereof, etc. Which letters, when I had considered,
I partly was confounded, and partly was pierced with
anguish and sorrow. Confounded I was, that I had so far
travelled in the matter, moving the same to the most godly
and the most learned that this day we know to live in Europe,
to the effect that I might have their judgments and grave
counsels, for assurance as well of your consciences as of mine,
in all enterprises. That nothing should succeed so long consultation,
cannot but redound either to your shame or mine;
for either it shall appear that I was marvellously vain, being
so solicitous where no necessity required, or else that such as
were my movers thereto lacked the ripeness of judgment in
their first vocation.... The cause of my dolour and sorrow,
God is witness, is for nothing pertaining either to my corporal
contentment or worldly displeasure; but it is for the grievous
plagues and punishments of God, which assuredly shall apprehend
not only you, but every inhabitant of that miserable
realm and Isle, except that the power of God, by the liberty
of His Evangel, deliver you from bondage.... If any persuade
you, for fear of dangers that may follow, to faint in your
former purpose, be he never esteemed so wise and friendly,
let him be judged by you both foolish and your mortal enemy:
foolish, because he understandeth nothing of God's approved
wisdom; and enemy unto you, because he laboureth to separate
you from God's favour; provoking His vengeance and grievous
plagues against you, because he would that ye should prefer
your worldly rest to God's praise and glory, and the friendship
of the wicked to the salvation of your brethren. I am not
ignorant that fearful troubles shall ensue your enterprise, as
in my former letters I did signify unto you; but O joyful and
comfortable are those troubles and adversities which man
sustaineth for accomplishment of God's will, revealed by His
Word! For, however terrible they appear to the judgment of
the natural man, yet are they never able to devour nor utterly
to consume the sufferers. For the invisible and invincible
power of God sustaineth and preserveth, according to His
promise, all such as with simplicity do obey Him.... Your
subjects, yea your brethren are oppressed, their bodies and
souls are held in bondage: and God speaketh to your consciences,
unless ye be dead with the blind world, that you
ought to hazard your own lives, be it against Kings or Emperors,
for their deliverance; for only for that cause are ye
called Princes of the people, and ye receive of your brethren
honour, tribute, and homage, at God's commandment; not by
reason of your birth and progeny, as the most part of men
falsely do suppose, but by reason of your office and duty,
which is to vindicate and deliver your subjects and brethren
from all violence and oppression, to the utmost of your
power...."
The Lords
of the Congregation
make a
Covenant.
New consultation was taken as to what was best
to be done: and in the end it was concluded that they
would follow out their original purpose, and commit
themselves and whatsoever God had given unto them
into His hands, rather than suffer idolatry so manifestly to
reign, and the subjects of that realm, as long they had been,
to be defrauded of the only food of their souls, the true preaching
of Christ's Evangel. And that every one should be the
more assured of the other, a common bond was made and by
some subscribed. The tenor thereof was as follows:—
"We, perceiving how Satan in his members, the Antichrists
of our time, cruelly doth rage, seeking to down-thring[123] and to
destroy the Evangel of Christ and His Congregation, ought,
according to our bounden duty, to strive in our Master's cause,
even unto the death, being certain of the victory in Him.
The which our duty being well considered, we do promise
before the Majesty of God, and His Congregation, that we, by
His grace, shall with all diligence continually apply our whole
power, substance, and our very lives to maintain, set forward,
and establish the most blessed Word of God and His Congregation;
and shall labour at our possibility to have faithful
ministers purely and truly to minister Christ's Evangel and
Sacraments to His people. We shall maintain them, nourish
them, and defend them, the whole Congregation of Christ, and
every member thereof, at our whole power and wearing of our
lives, against Satan, and all wicked power that does intend
tyranny or trouble against the foresaid Congregation. Unto
the which holy Word and Congregation we do join us, and we
do forsake and renounce the congregation of Satan, with all the
superstitious abomination and idolatry thereof: And moreover,
we shall declare ourselves manifestly enemies thereto, by this
our faithful promise before God, testified to His Congregation by
our subscription of these presents:—At Edinburgh, the third
day of December, the year of God 1557: God called to witness.
"A. Erle of Ergyle.
"Glencarne.
"Morton.
"Archibald Lord of Lorne.
"Johnne Erskyne of Doun."
Et cetera.
The first
Heads for
the Government
of the
Reformed
Kirk.
Immediately after the subscription of this foresaid
Bond, the Lords and Barons professing Christ Jesus
convened frequently in counsel; when these Heads
were concluded:—
First, it is thought expedient, devised, and ordained,
that in all parishes of this realm the common prayers be read,
weekly on Sunday, and on the other festival days, publicly in
the parish kirks, with the lessons of the New and Old Testament,
conform to the order of the Book of Common Prayers:
and, if the curates of the parishes be qualified, to cause them
to read the same; and, if they be not, or if they refuse, that
the most qualified in the parish use and read the same.
Secondly, it is thought necessary that doctrine, preaching,
and interpretation of Scriptures be had and used privately in
quiet houses, without great conventions of the people thereto,
until afterwards God move the Prince to grant public preaching
by faithful and true ministers.
The Earl
of Argyll
promotes
the Cause
of the
Reformed
Kirk.
These two heads concerning the religion and some
others concerning the policy being concluded, the old
Earl of Argyll, took the maintenance of John Douglas,
caused him to preach publicly in his house, and reformed
many things according to his counsel. Divers others
took the same boldness within towns as well as to landward;
and this did not a little trouble the bishops and Queen Regent....
Shortly after this, God in His mercy called the said
Earl of Argyll from the miseries of this life. The bishops
were glad; for they thought that their great enemy was taken
out of the way; but God disappointed them. For the said
Earl departed most firmly adhering to the true faith of Jesus
Christ, with a plain renunciation of all impiety, superstition,
and idolatry; and in his testament he directed his son to study
to set forward the public and true preaching of the Evangel
of Jesus Christ, and to suppress all superstition and idolatry,
to the uttermost of his power.
The
Bishops
make a
feeble
Show of
Reformation.
The bishops continued in their Provincial Council.
That they might give some show to the people that
they proponed reformation, they spread abroad a rumour
of this, and published a printed manifesto, which the
people dubbed "The Twa-penny Faith." Amongst the
Acts of the Council, there was much ado (1) for caps, shaven
crowns, tippets, long gowns, and such other trifles: (2) That
none should enjoy office or benefice ecclesiastical, except a
priest: (3) That no Kirk-man should nourish his own bairns
in his own company; but that every one should hold the
children of others: (4) That none should put his own son in
his own benefice: (5) That, if any were found in open adultery,
for the first fault, he should lose the third of his benefice; for
the second crime, the half; and for the third, the whole benefice.
The Bishop of Moray, and other prelates, appealed against these
Acts, saying that they would abide by the Canon law. And
this might they well enough do, so long as they remained
interpreters, dispensers, makers, and disannullers of that
law....
The
Regent
practises
for Grant
of the
Crown-matrimonial
to
the King
of France.
Persecution was decreed by the Queen Regent and
the prelates. But there remained a point which the
Queen Regent and France had not at that time
obtained from the Scots Parliament. It was desired
that the crown-matrimonial should be granted to
Francis, husband to our Sovereign, so that France and
Scotland should be one kingdom, the subjects of both realms
having equal liberty, Scotsmen in France, and Frenchmen in
Scotland. The glister[124] of the profit that was supposed to have
ensued to Scotsmen blinded many men's eyes at the first sight.
But a small wind caused that most suddenly to vanish away;
for the greatest offices and benefices within the realm were
given to Frenchmen. Monsieur de Ruby kept the Great Seal.
Villemore was Comptroller. Melrose and Kelso were to be a
Commend[125] to the poor Cardinal of Lorraine. On the other hand,
the freedoms of Scottish merchants were restrained in Rouen,
and they were compelled to pay toll and taxations other than
their ancient liberties did bear.
To get the matrimonial crown, the Queen Regent left no
point of the compass unsailed. With the bishops and priests
she practised in this manner. "Ye may clearly see that I
cannot do what I would within this realm; for these heretics
and confederates of England are so bound together, that they
stop all good order. But, if ye be favourable unto me in this
suit of the matrimonial crown to be granted to my daughter's
husband, ye shall see how I shall handle these heretics and
traitors before long." And truly, in these promises she meant
no deceit in this respect. To the Protestants she said, "I am
not unmindful how often ye have suited me for reformation in
religion, and gladly would I consent thereunto; but ye see
that the power and craft of the Archbishop of St. Andrews,
together with the power of the Duke, and of the Kirkmen, are
ever bent against me in all my proceedings. So that I can do
nothing, unless the full authority of this realm be devolved to
the King of France, and this cannot be except by donation of
the crown-matrimonial. If ye will bring this to pass, then
devise ye what ye please in matters of religion, and they shall
be granted."
The
Parliament
of
October
1558: the
Crown-matrimonial
is granted.
Lord James Stewart, then Prior of St. Andrews, was
directed to the Earl of Argyll, with this commission
and credit, and more promises than we list to rehearse.
By dissimulation to those that were simple and true of
heart, she inflamed them to be more fervent in her
petition than she herself appeared to be. And so, at
the Parliament held at Edinburgh in the month of October,
the year of God 1558, the crown-matrimonial was clearly
voted. No man protested (except the Duke for his interest),
and yet for this proceeding there was no better law produced
than that in the Pontifical there was a solemn Mass appointed
for such a purpose.
