Volume I Part 5 (2/2)

And how sone that ever thei war within the toune, thei war apprehended, and upoun the morne send all three to the Black Nesse, whare thei remaned so long as that it pleased the Cardinallis graceless Grace, and that was till that the band of manrent and of service, sett some of thame at libertie. And thus the Cardinall with his craft prevalled on everie syd; so that the Scotesh proverbe was trew in him, ”So long rynnis the fox, as he fute hes.”[308]

Whether it was at this his jorney, or at ane other, that that b.l.o.o.d.y bowchar executed his crueltye upoun the innocent personis in Sanct Johnestoun, we can not affirme; neyther yett thairin study we to be curious; but rather we travall to expresse the veritie, whersoever it was done, then scrupluslye and exactly to appoint the tymes,[309] which yitt we omitt nott when the certaintye occurres. The veritie of that cruell fact is this. At Sanct Paules day,[310] befoir the first burnyng of Edinburgh, came to Sanct Johnestoun the Governour and Cardinall, and there, upoun invyous delatioun, war a great nomber of honest men and wemen called befoir the Cardinall, accused of heresye; and albeit that thei could be convict of nothing but only of suspitioun that thei had eittin a guse upoun Fryday, four men war adjudged to be hanged, and a woman to be drouned; which cruell and most injust sentence was without mercy putt in executioun. The husband was hanged, and the wyfe, having ane suckin babe upoun hir breast, was drowned.--”O Lorde, the land is nott yitt purged from such beastlye crueltye; neyther has thy just vengence yitt strickin all that war criminall of thare blood: But the day approchcs when that the punishment of that cruelty and of otheris will evidentlye appear.” The names of the men that war hanged, war James Huntar, Williame Lambe,[311] Williame Andersoun, James Rannelt, burgesses of Sanct Johnestoun. At that same tyme war banissed Schir Henrie Eldar,[312] Johnne Eldar, Walter Pyper, Laurence Pullare, with diverse utheris, whose names came nott to our knowledge. That sworne ennemye to Christ Jesus, and unto all in whome any sponk of trew knowledge appeared, had about that same tyme in preason diverse; amonges whome was Johne Roger, a Blak Freir, G.o.dly, learned, and ane that had fruetfully preached Christ Jesus, to the conforte of many in Anguss and Mearnes, whome that b.l.o.o.d.y man caused murther in the ground of the Sea-toure of Sanctandross, and then caused to cast him ower the craig, sparsing a false bruyt, ”That the said Johnne, seaking to flie, had broken[313] his awin craig.”

Thus cea.s.sed nott Sathan, by all meanes, to manteane his kingdome of darkness, and to suppresse the light of Christis Evangell. But potent is he against whome thei faught; for when thay wicked war in greatast securitie, then begane G.o.d to schaw his anger. For the thride day of Maij, in the year of G.o.d J^m. V^c. xliiij yearis, without knowledge of any man in Scotland, (we meane of such as should haif had the care of the realme,) was seene a great navye of schippis arryving towardis the Firth. The postis came to the Governour and Cardinall, (who boith war in Edinburgh,) what mult.i.tud of schippis ware sene, and what course thei took. This was upoun the Setterday befoir nune. Questioun was had, what should thei meane? Borne said, It is no doubt but thei ar Englismen, and we fear that thei shall land. The Cardinall scripped and said, ”It is but the Island flote: thei ar come to mak a schaw, and to putt us in feare. I shall lodge all the men-of-ware into my cae,[314] that shall land in Scotland.” Still sittis the Cardinall at his dennare, eavin as that thare had bene no danger appearing. Men convenis to gase upoun the schippis, some to the Castell Hill, some to the Craiggis, and other places eminent. But thare was no questioun, ”With what forces shall we resist, yf we be invadit?” Sone after sax houris at nycht, war arryved and had casten anker in the Read of Leyth, mo then two hundreth sailles. Schortlie thare after the Admirall schot a flote boite, which, frome Grantoun craigis[315] till be east Leyth, sounded the deipe, and so returned to hir schippe. Heirof war diverse opinionis. Men of judgement foresaw what it ment. But no credite was geavin to any that wold say, ”Thei mynd to land.” And so past all man to his rest, as yf thei schippis had bene a gard for thare defence.

Upone the poynt of day, upon Sounday, the fourt of Maij, addressed thei for landing, and ordered thei thare schippis so that a galay or two lade thare snowttis to the craiggis.[316] The small schippis called pinaces, and light horsmen approched als neir as thei could. The great schippis discharged thare souldiouris in the smallare vesch.e.l.lis, and thei by bottis, sett upon dry land befoir ten houris ten thousand men, as was judged, and mo. The Governour and Cardinall seing then the thing that thei could nott, or att least thei wold nott beleve befoir, after that thei had maid a brag to feght, fled as fast as horse wold cary them; so that after, thei approched nott within twenty myllis of the danger. The Erle of Anguss, and George[317] Dowglas war that nycht freed of ward, (thei war in Blakness.)[318] The said Schir George in merynes said, ”I thank King Hary and my gentill Maisteris of England.”

[SN: THE BIRNING OF EDINBURGH.]

The Engliss army betuix twelf and one hour[319] entered in Leyth, fand the tables covered, the dennaris prepared, such aboundance of wyne and victuallis, besydis the other substance, that the lyik riches within the lyik boundis was nott to be found, neyther in Scotland nor England.

Upone the Mononday the fyft of Maij, came to thame from Berwik and the Bordour, two thowsand horsmen, who being somewhat reposed, the army, upoun the Wedinsday marched towardis the Toune of Edinburgh, spoyled and brynt the same, and so did thei the Palice of Halyrudhouse.[320] The horsmen took the House of Cragmyllare, and gatt great spoyle tharein; for it being judged[321] the strongast house near the Toune, other then the Castell of Edinburgh, all man sowght to saif thare movables thairin.

But the stoutness of the Larde gave it over without schote of hack-que-boote, and for his reward was caused to merch upoun his foote to Londoun. He is now Capitane of Dumbar and Provest of Edinburgh.[322]

The Englismen seing no resistance, hurlled by force of men cannounes up the calsay to the b.u.t.ter-throne,[323] or above, and hasarded a schoote at the for-entree of the Castell. b.u.t.t that was to thare awin paines; for thei lying without trinche or gabioun, war exponed to the force of the hole ordinance of the said Castell, which schote, and that nott all in vane; for the quheill and extrye of one of the Engliss cannownes war brokin, and some of thare men slayne; and so thei left with small honour that interprise, tackin rather of rashnes, then of any advised counsall.

When the most parte of the day thei had spoyled and brynt, towardis the nyeht thei returned to Leyth, and upoun the morow returned to Edinburgh, and executed the rest of G.o.ddis judgementis for that tyme. And so when thei had consumed boyth the Tounes, thai laded the schippis with spoyle thareof,[324] and thei by land returned to Berwik, using the c.u.n.try for the most parte at thare awin pleasur.

This was a parte of the punishment, which G.o.d took upoun the realme for infidelitie of the Governour, and for the violatioun of his solempned oath. b.u.t.t this was nott the end; for the realme was devided in two factionis; the one favored France; the other the league laitly contracted with England: The one did in no thingis throwghlie credite the uther; so that the countrey was in extreame calamitie; for to the Englismen war delivered diverse strenthis, such as Carelaverok, Lowmaben and Longhame. The maist parte of the Bordouris war confederat with England. And albeit that first, at Ankrome Mure, in Februare, in the year of G.o.d J^m. V^c. fourty four, was Schir Raif Evers,[325] with many other Englismen slayne, and the yeare after war some of the saidis strenthis recovered; yitt was it nott without great loss and detriment to the commoun wealth. For in the moneth of Junij, in the year of G.o.d J^m. V^c. fourty fyve, Monsoure de Lorge,[326] with bandis of men of warr, came frome France for a further destructioun to Scotland; for upoun thare brag was ane army rased. Fordwarte go thei towardis Wark,[327] evin in the myddist of harvist. The Cardinallis baner was that day displayed, and all his fecallis war charged to be under it.

Many had befoir promissed, but at the poynt it was left so bayre, that with schame it was schut up in the pock againe, and thei after a schaw returned with more schame to the realme, then skaith to thare ennemyes.

The black booke of Hammyltoun maikis mentioun of great va.s.salege[328]

done at that tyme by the Governour, and the Frenche.[329] But such as with thare eyis saw the hole progresse, knew that to be a lye, and dois repute it amonges the veniale synnes of that race, which is to speake the best of thameselves thei can.

That wynter following, so nurtored the French men, that thei learned to eatt, (yea, to beg,) caikes which at thare entrie thei skorned. Without jesting, thei war so miserable entreated, that few returned to France agane with thare lyves. The Cardinall had then almost fortifeid the Castell of Sanctandross, which he maid so strong, in his opinioun, that he regarded neyther England nor France. The Erle of Levenox, as said is, disapoynted of all thingis in Scotland, past to England, whare he was receaved of King Hary in protectioun, who gave him to wyffe Lady Margaret Dowglas,[330] of whome was borne Hary, umquhile husband to our Jezabell Maistres.

Whill the inconstant Governour was sometymes dejected and sometymes resed up againe be the Abbot of Paslay,[331] who befoir was called ”chaster then any madyn,” begane[332] to schaw him self; for after he had tackin by craft the Castellis of Edinburgh and Dumbar, he tooke also possessioun of his Eme's wyiff,[333] the Lady Stennoss:[334] the woman is and hes bein famouse, and is called Lady Gylton. Hir Ladis.h.i.+p was holdin alwayis in propertie;[335] but how many wyiffis and virgenes he hes had sen that tyme in commoun, the world knowis, albeit nott all, and his b.a.s.t.a.r.d byrdis[336] bear some witness. Such is the example of holynes that the flock may receave of the Papisticall Bischoppis.

[SN: THE WOORDIS OF MAISTER GEORGE WISHARTE IN DONDYE.]

In the myddest of all the calamities that came upoun the realme after the defectioun of the Governour from Christ Jesus, came in Scotland that blissed Martyre of G.o.d MAISTER GEORGE WISHARTE,[337] in c.u.mpany of the Commissionaris befoir mentionat, in the year of G.o.d 1544; a man of such graces as befoir him war never hard within this realme, yea, and ar rare to be found yit in any man, nocht withstanding this great lyght of G.o.d that sence his dayis hes schyned unto us. He was not onlye singularlye learned, aisweall in G.o.dlye knowledge, as in all honest humane science; bot also he was so clearlye illummated with the spreat of prophesye, that he saw nott only thingis perteanyng to him self, but also such thingis as some Tounes and the hole Realme afterward felt, which he foir-spak, nott in secreat, but in the audience of many, as in thare awin places shalbe declaired. The begynnyng of his doctrin was in Montrose. Tharefra hie departed to Dundy, whare, with great admiratioun of all that heard him, he tawght the Epistill to the Romanes, till that, by procurement of the Cardinall, Robert Myll, then one of the princ.i.p.all men in Dundye, and a man that of old had professed knowledge, and for the same had sufferred trublc, gave, in the Quenis and Governouris name, inhibitioun to the said Maister George, that he should truble thare toune no more; for thei wold not suffer it. And this was said unto him, being in the publict place; which heard, he mused a pretty s.p.a.ce,[338]

with his eis bent unto the heavin, and thareafter looking sorowfullie to the speakar, and unto the people, he said, ”G.o.d is witness, that I never mynded your truble, but your conforte. Yea, your truble is more dolorous unto me, then it is unto your selves. But I am a.s.sured that to refuse G.o.ddis Word, and to chase from yow his messinger, shall not preserve yow frome truble; but it shall bring yow into it. For G.o.d shall send unto yow messingeris, who will not be efinayed of bornyng, nor yitt for banishment. I have offerred unto yow the woorde of salvatioun, and with the hasarde of my lyef I have remaned amanges yow. Now ye your selves refuise me, and tharefoir man I leave my innocencye to be declared by my G.o.d. Yf it be long prosperus with yow, I am nott ledd with the Spreitt of treuth. b.u.t.t and yf truble unlooked for apprehend yow, acknowledge the caus, and turne to G.o.d, for he is mercifull. But yf ye turne not at the first, he shall viseitt yow with fyre and sword.” These woordis p.r.o.nunsed, he came doune frome the preaching place. In the kirk present was the Lord Mersch.e.l.l,[339] and diverse n.o.blemen, who wold have had the said Maister George to have remaned, or ellis to have gone with him in the countrey. b.u.t.t for no requeast wold he eyther tary in the toune or on that syd of Tay any longar. b.u.t.t with possible expeditioun past to the west-land, whare he begane to offerr G.o.ddis woord, which was of many gladlye received, till that the Bischop of Glasgw, Dumbar, by instigatioun of the Cardinall came with his gatheringis to the toune of Ayr, to mack resistance to the said Maister George, and did first occupy the kirk. The Erle of Glencarne being thairof advertissed, repaired with his freindis to the toune with diligence, and so did diverse gentilmen of Kyle, (amonges whome was the Lard of Lefnoryss,[340] a man far different frome him that now lyvith*, [SN: ANNO 1566.*] in maneris and religioun,) of whome to this day yitt many lyve, and have declared thame selfis alwayes zelous and bold in the caus of G.o.d, as after wilbe heard.

When all war a.s.sembled, conclusioun was tackin that thei wold have the kirk; wharto the said Maister George utterlye repugned, saying, ”Lett him allone; his sermon will nott much hurte: Lett us go to the Merkate Croce;” and so thei did, whare he made so notable a sermon, that the verray ennemies thame selves war confounded. [SN: THE BISCHOPE OF GLASGOW HIS PREACHING IN AYRE.] The Bischope preached to his jackmen, and to some old bosses of the toune. The summe of all his sermon was: ”Thei say that we shuld preach: why nott? Bettir late thrive then never thrive: had us still for your Bischop, and we shall provid better for the next tyme.” This was the begynnyng and the end of the Bischoppis sermon, who with haist departed the toune, b.u.t.t returned nott agane to fulfill his promisse.

The said Maister George remaned with the gentilmen in Kyle, till that he gate suyre knowledge of the estate of Dondye. Hie preached commonlie at the kirk of Gaston,[341] and used much in the Barr.[342] He was requyred to come to the kirk of Mauchlyne, as that he did. But the Schiref of Ayr[343] caused man the kirk, for preservatioun of a tabernakle that was thare, bewtyfull to the eie. The personis that held the kirk was George Campbell of Mongaswood, that yitt lyveth,* [SN: ANNO 1566.*] Mongo Campbell of Brounesyd, George Read in Dawdeling, the Lard of Tempilland.[344] Some zelous of the parishyne, amangis whome Hew Campbell of Kingzeanclewch,[345] offended that thei shuld be debarred thare parish kirk, concludit by force to enter. But the said Maister George withdrew the said Hew, and said unto him, ”Brother, Christ Jesus is as potent upoun the feildis as in the kirk; and I fynd that he him self often preached in the deserte, at the sea syd, and other places judged prophane, then that he did in the Tempill of Hierusalem. It is the woord of peace that G.o.d sendis by me: the blood of no man shalbe sched this day for the preaching of it.” And so with drawing the hole people, he came to a dyck in a mure edge, upoun the sowth-west syd of Mauchlyne, upoun the which he ascended. The hole mult.i.tude stood and sat about him, (G.o.d gave the day pleasing and hote.) He continewed in preach[ing] more then three houris. In that sermoun, G.o.d wrowght so wonderfullye with him, that ane of the most wicked men that was in that countrey, named Laurence Ranckin lard of Scheill,[346] was converted.

The tearis rane from his eis in such habundance, that all men wondered.

His conversioun was without hipochrysye, for his lyif and conversatioun witnessed it in all tymes to come.

Whill this faithfull servand of G.o.d was thus occupyed in Kyle, woord rais that the plague of pestilence was rissen in Dondye,[347] which begane within foure dayis, after that the said Maister George was inhibite preaching, and was so vehement, that it almost pa.s.sed credibilitie, to hear what nomber departed everie foure and twenty houris. The certantie understand, the said Maister George tooke his leave of Kyle, and that with the regrate of many. Bot no requeist could mack him to remane: his rea.s.sone was, ”Thei ar now in truble, and thei nead conforte: Perchance this hand of G.o.d will make thame now to magnifie and reverence that woord, which befoir (for the fear of men,) thei sett at light price.”[348] c.u.ming unto Dondye, the joy of the faythfull was exceading great. He delayed no tyme, bot evin upoun the morow gave significatioun that he wold preache. And becaus the most parte war eyther seak, or ellis war in c.u.mpany with those that war seak, he chosed the head of the East Porte of the Toune for his preaching place; and so the whole sat or stood within, the seik and suspected without the Porte.[349] The text upoun the which his first sermoun was made, he took fra the hundreth and sevin Psalme; the sentence thareof, ”He send his woorde and heallod thame;” and tharewith joyned these woordis, ”It is neather herbe nor plaster, O Lord, b.u.t.t thy woord healleth all.” In the which sermoun, he maist confortablie did intreat the dignitie and utilitie of G.o.ddis woord; the punishment that c.u.mis for the contempt of the same; the prompt.i.tude of G.o.ddis mercy to such as trewlye turne to him; yea, the great happynes of thame whome G.o.d tackis from this miserie, evin in his awin gentill visitatioun, which the malice of man cane neyther eak nor paire. By the which sermoun he so rased up the hartis of all that heard him, that thei regarded nott death, but judged thame more happy that should departe, then such as should remane behynd; considering that thei knew nott yf thei shuld have such a confortar with thame at all tymes. He spared not to viseit thame that lay in the verray extreamitie; he conforted thame as that he mycht in such a mult.i.tude; he caused minister all thingis necessarye to those that mycht use meat or drynk; and in that poynt was the Toune wonderouse beneficiall; for the poore was no more neglected then was the rich.

Whill he was spending his lyve to conforte the afflicted, the Devill cea.s.sed nott to stirr up his awin sone the Cardinall agane, who corrupted by money a disperat preast, named Schir Johne Wightone, to slay the said Maister George, who looked not to him self in all thingis so circ.u.mspectlie as worldlie men wold have wissed. And upoun a day, the sermoun ended, and the people departing, no man suspecting danger, and tharefore nott heading the said Maister George, the Preast that was corrupted stood wating at the foot of the steppis, his goune lowse, and his whinger drawin into his hand under his gown, the said Maister George, as that he was most scharpe of eie and judgement, marked him, and as he came neyr, he said, ”My friend, what wald ye do?” And tharewith he clapped his hand upoun the Preastis hand, wharein the whingar was, which he tooke from him. The Preast aba.s.sed, fell down at his feitt, and openly confessed the veritie as it was. The noyse rysing, and c.u.ming to the earis of the seik, thei cryed, ”Deliver the tratour to us, or ellis we will tack him by forse;” and so thei birst[350] in at the yett. But Maister George took him in his armes, and said, ”Whosoevir trubles him shall truble me; for he has hurte me in nothing, bot he hes done great conforte boyth to yow and me, to witt, he hes lattin us understand what we may feare in tymes to come. We will watch better.”

And so he appeased boith the one parte and the other, and saved the lyif of him that soght his.

When the plague was so cea.s.sed, that almost thare war none seak, he tooke his leave of thame, and said, ”That G.o.d had almost putt end to that battell: he fand him self called to ane other.” The gentilmen of the West had written unto him, That he should meitt thame at Edinburgh; for thei wald requyre disputatioun of the Bischoppis, and that he should be publictlie heard. Whaireto he willinglye aggreed; but first, he pa.s.sed to Montrose, to salute the Kirk thare; whare he remaned occupyed sometymes in preaching, but most parte in secreat meditatioun, in the which he was so earnest, that nycht and day he wold continew in it.

Whill he was so occupyed with his G.o.d, the Cardinall drew a secreat drawght for his slawchter. He caused to writt unto him a letter, as it had bein frome his most familiare friend, the Larde of Kynneyre,[351]

”Desyring him with all possible diligence to come unto him, for he was strickin with a suddane seakness.” In this meantyme, had the tratour provided thre score men, with jackis and spearis, to lye in wate within a myll and a half of the toune of Montrose, for his dispatche. The letter c.u.ming to his hand, he maid haste at the first, (for the boy had brought a horse,) and so with some honest men, he pa.s.ses forth of the toune. But suddandlye he stayed, and musing a s.p.a.ce, returned back; whareat thei wondering, he said, ”I will nott go: I am forbiddin of G.o.d: I am a.s.sured thare is treasone. Lett some of yow, (sayis he,) go to yonder place, and tell me what ye fynd.” Diligence made, thei fand the trea.s.sone, as it was; which being schawin with expeditioun to Maister George, he ansured, ”I know that I shall finysh this[352] my lief in that blood-thrusty manis handis; b.u.t.t it will not be of this maner.”

The tyme approching that he had appointed to meit the gentilmen at Edinburght, he took his leave of Montrose, and, sore against the judgement of the Lard of Dune,[353] he entered in his jorney, and so returned to Dondy; but remaned not, but pa.s.sed to the hous of a faythfull brother, named James Watsone, who dwelt in Inner Gowrye, distant frome the said toune two myles, and that nycht, (as informatioun was gevin to us by Williame Spadin and Johnne Watsoun, both men of good credyte,) befoir day a litill he pa.s.sed furth into a yard. The said Williame and Johne followed previlie, and took head what he did. When he had gone up and doune into ane alay a ressonable s.p.a.ce, with many sobbes and deape grones, he platt upoun[354] his knees, and setting thareon, his grones increa.s.sed; and frome his knees he fell upoun his face; and then the personis fornamed heard weaping and, as it war ane indigest sound, as it war of prayeris, in the which he continewed neyre ane hour, and after begane to be qwiet; and so arrose and came in to his bed. They that awated prevented him, as thei had bein ignorant, till that he came in; and than begane thei to demand whare he had bein? b.u.t.t that nycht he wold ansuer nothing. Upoun the morow, thei urged him agane; and whill that he dissimuled, thei said, ”Maister George, be plaine with us; for we heard your grones; yea, we heard your bitter murning, and saw yow boyth upoun your kneis and upoun your face.” With dejected visage, he said, ”I had rather ye had bein in your beddis, and it had bein more profitable to yow, for I was ska.r.s.e weall occupyed.” When thei instantlie urged him to lett thame know some conforte; he said, ”I will tell yow, that I am a.s.sured that my travail is neir ane end; and tharefor call to G.o.d with me, that now I schrink not when the battell waxis moist hoote.” And whill that thei weaped, and said, ”That was small conforte unto thame;” [SN: PROPHECIE SPOKIN BY MAISTER GEORGE WISHARTE.] he ansured, ”G.o.d shall send yow conforte after me. This realme shalbe illuminated with the light of Christis Evangell, as clearlie as ever was any realme sence the dayis of the Apostles. The house of G.o.d shalbe builded in to it. Yea, it sall not lack, (whatsoever the ennemye imagyne in the contrare,) the verray cope stone:”[355]

Meanyng that it shuld anes be browght to the full perfectioun. ”Neyther, (said he,) shall this be long to: Thare shall nott many suffer after me, till that the glorie of G.o.d shall evidently appear, and shall anes triumphe in dispyte of Sathan. b.u.t.t, allace! yf the people shall after be unthankfull, then fearfull and terrible shall the plagues be that after shall follow.” And with these woordis he marched fordwardis in his jorney towardis Sanct Johnestoun; and so to Fyff, and then to Leyth.

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