Volume I Part 6 (2/2)
Nochtwythstanding, he stood still with great patience hearing thare sayingis, not ones moving or changeing his countenance. When that this fedd sow had red throwghout all his lying minasingis, his face runnyng doune with sweat, and frothing at the mouth lyik ane bayre, he[399]
spate at Maister George his face, saying, ”What ansuerist thow to these sayingis, thow runnigat, tratour, theef, which we have dewlye proved by sufficient witnes against thee.” Maister George hearing this, satt doune upoun his kneis in the pulpete, making his prayer to G.o.d. When he had ended his prayer, sweitlye and Christianelie he answered to thame all in this maner.
MAISTER GEORGE HIS ORATIOUN.
”Many and horrible sayingis unto me, a Christiane man, many wordis abhominable for to hear, ye haif spokin heir this day, which not only to teach, but also to think, I thowght it ever great abhominatioun. Wharefore, I pray your discretionis quietlie to hear me, that ye may know what war my sayingis, and the maner of my doctrin. This my pet.i.tioun, my Lordis, I desyre to be heard for three causes: The First is, Becaus throw preaching of the word of G.o.d, his glorie is maid manifest: it is ressonabill tharefoir, for the avanceing of the glorie of G.o.d, that ye heare me teaching treulye the pure and syncere worde of G.o.d, without any dissimulatioun. The Second rea.s.sone is, Becaus that your helth springeth of the worde of G.o.d, for he workith all thing by his word: it war tharefoir ane unrychteous thing, yf ye should stope your earis from me teiching trewlye the word of G.o.d. The Thrid reason is, Becaus your doctrine speaketh furth many pestilentious,[400] blasphemous, and abhominable wordis, not c.u.ming by the inspiratioun of G.o.d, bot of the devill, on[401] no less pearrell then my lyif: It is just tharefoir, and ressonable, your discreationis to know what my wordis and doctrine are, and what I have ever tawght in my tyme in this realme, that I perish not injustlye, to the great perrell of your soulles. Wharfoir, boyth for the glorie and honour of G.o.d, your awin health, and savegard of my lyef, I beseik your discretionis to hear me, and in the meantyme I sall recyte my doctrin without any cullour.
First, and cheiflie, since the tyme I came into this realme, I tawght nothing but the Ten Commandimentis of G.o.d, the Twelf Articles of the Fayth, and the Prayer of the Lord, in the mother toung. Moirovir, in Dundy, I tawcht the Epistill of Sanct Paule to the Romanes; and I shall schaw your discretionis faythfullie what fa.s.sion and maner I used when I tawcht, without any humane dread, so that your discretionis give me your earis benevolent and attent.”
Suddanlie then, with ane heycht voce,[402] cryed the Accusare, the fed sow, ”Thow heretike, runnigate, tratour, and theif, it was not lauchfull for thee to preach. Thow hes tackin the power at thyne awin hand, without any autoritie of the Church. We forthink that thow hes bene a preachar so long.” Then said all the hole congregatioun of the Prelattis, with thare complices, these woordis, ”Yf we give him licience to preach, he is so craftie, and in Holy Scriptures so exercised, that he will perswaid the people to his opinioun, and rase them against us.”
Maister George, seing thare maliciouse and wicked intent, appealed [from the Lord Cardinall to the Lord Governour, as[403]] to ane indifferent and equall judge.[404] To whome the Accusare, Johne Lauder foirsaid, with hoggish voce answered, ”Is not my Lord Cardinall the secund persone within this realme, Chancellar of Scotland, Archibischope of Sanctandross, Bischope of Meropose, Commendatour of Abirbrothok, _Legatus Natus, Legatus a Latere_?” And so reciting as many t.i.tilles of his unworthy honouris[405] as wold have lodin a schip, much sonare ane a.s.se; ”Is not he, (quod Johnne Lauder,) ane equall judge apparantlye to thee? Whome other desyrest thow to be thy judge?”
To whome this humble man answered, saying, ”I refuise not my Lord Cardinall, but I desyre the word of G.o.d to be my judge, and the Temporall Estate, with some of your Lordschippis myne auditoures; becaus I am hear my Lord Governouris presonar.” Whareupone the pridefull and scornefull people that stood by, mocked him, saying, ”Suche man, such judge,” speaking seditious and reprochfull wordis aganis the Governour, and other the n.o.bles, meanyng thame also to be Heretykis. And incontinent, without all delay, thei wold have gevin sentence upoun Maister George, and that without farther process, had not certane men thare counselled my Lord Cardinall to reid agane the Articles, and to heir his ansueris thareupoun, that the people mycht nott complaine of his wrongfull condemnatioun.
And schortlie for to declair, these war the Articles following, with his Ansueris, as far as thei wold give him leave to speak; for when he intended to mitigate thare lesingis, and schaw the maner of his doctrine, by and by thei stoped his mouth with ane other Article.
THE FIRST ARTICLE.
Thow fals Heretyk, runiagate, tratour, and theif, deceavar of the people, dispysest the holy Churches, and in lyik case contemnest my Lord Governouris authoritie. And this we know for suyrtie, that when thow preached in Dundye, and was charged be my Lord Governouris authoritie to desist, nevertheles thow woldest not obey, but persevered in the same.
And tharefoir the Bischope of Brechin curssed thee,[406] and delivered thee into the Devillis handis, and gave thee in commandiment that thow souldest preach no more: Yitt nochtwythstanding, thow didest continew obstinatlye.
THE ANSUER.
My Lordis, I have red in the Actes of the Apostles, that it is not lauchfull, for the threattis and minacinges of men, to desist from the preaching of the Evangell.[407] Tharefoir it is writtin, ”We shall rather obey G.o.d then men.” I have also red [in] the Propheit Malachie, ”I shall curse your blissinges, and bliss your cursingis, sayeis the Lord:” beleving firmelie, that he wold turne your cursingis into blissinges.
THE SECUND ARTICLE.
Thow fals Heretike did say, that a preast standing at the altare saying Ma.s.se, was lyik a fox wagging his taill in Julie.
THE ANSUER.
My Lordis, I said not so. These war my sayinges: The moving of the body outward, without the inward moving of the harte, is nocht ellis bott the playing of ane ape, and nott the trew serving of G.o.d; for G.o.d is a secreit searchare of menis hartes: Tharefoir, who will trewlye adorne and honour G.o.d, he must in spreit and veritie honour him.
Then the Accusatour stopped his mouth with ane other Article.
THE THRID ARTICLE.
Thow fals Heretik preachest aganis the Sacramentis, saying, That thare ar not Sevin Sacramentis.
THE ANSWER.
My Lordis, if it[408] be your pleasuris, I tawght never of the nomber of the Sacramentis, whither thei war sevin, or ane ellevin. So many as ar inst.i.tuted by Christ, and ar schawin to us by the Evangell, I professe opinlie. Except it be the word of G.o.d, I dar affirme nothing.
THE FOURTE ARTICLE.
Thow fals Heretike hes oppinlie tawght, that Auriculare Confessioun is not a blessed Sacrament; and thow sayest, that we should only confess us to G.o.d, and to no preast.
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