Volume I Part 12 (1/2)

And so began thei agane to pollute the land, which G.o.d had laitlie plagued; for yitt thare iniquitie was nott come to so full rypnes, as that G.o.d wold that thei should be manifested to this hole realme, (as this day thei ar,) to be f.a.ggottis prepared for the everlesting fyre, and to be men whome nether plagues may correct, nor the light of G.o.ddis woorde converte from thare darknes and impietie.

The Peace, as said is, contracted, the Quein Dowager past by sea to France, with galayes,[622] that for that purpose war prepared, and took with hir diverse of the n.o.bilitie of Scotland, to witt, the Erles Huntley, Glencarne, Marsch.e.l.l, Ca.s.silles, the Lordis Maxwell, Fleyming, Schir George Dowgla.s.s, togither with all the Kinges Sonnes, and diverse baronis and gentillmen of ecclesiasticall estait, the Bischope of Galloway, and many otheris, with promisses that thei should be richely rewarded for thare good service. What thei receaved we can nott tell; but few maid ruse at thare returnyng. The Dowager had to practise somewhat with hir brethrein, the Duck of Gueise, and the Cardinall of Lorane, the weght wharof the Governour after felt: for schortly after hir returnyng, was the Governour deposed of the governement, (justly by G.o.d, but most injustly by men,) and she maid Regent in the year of G.o.d J^m. V^c. fyfty four;[623] and a croune putt upone hir head, als seimlye a sight, (yf men had eis,) as to putt a sadill upoun the back of ane unrewly kow. And so began she to practise practise upoun practise, how France mycht be advanced, hir freindis maid riche, and sche brought to immortall glorie: for that was hir commoun talk, ”So that I may procure the wealth and honour of my freindis, and a good fame unto my self, I regard nott what G.o.d do after with me.” And in verray deid, in deap dissimulatioun, to bring hir awin purpose to effect, sche pa.s.sed the commoun sorte of wemen, as we will after heare. b.u.t.t yit G.o.d, to whose Evangell she declared hir self ennemye, in the end frustrat hir of all hir devises.

[SN: THE DEATH AND VERTEUS OF EDWARD THE s.e.xT.]

Thus did light and darknes stryve within the realme of Scotland; the darknes ever befoir the world suppressing the light, from the death of that notable servand of G.o.d, Maister Patrik Hammyltoun, unto the death of Edwarde the Saxt, that most G.o.dly and most verteous King that hath bein knowin to have rounge in England, or elles whare, these many yearis bypast, who departed the miserie of this lyef the vj of Julij, Anno, &c., 1553. The death of this Prince was lamented of all the G.o.dly within Europe; for the graces gevin unto him of G.o.d, as weall of nature as of eruditioun and G.o.dlines, pa.s.sed the measur that accustomablye useth to be gevin to other Princes in thare grettast perfectioun, and yitt exceaded he nott s.e.xtein yearis of aige. What gravitie abuf age, what wisdome pa.s.sing all expectatioun of man,[624] and what dexteritie in answering in all thingis proponed, war into that excellent Prince, the Amba.s.sadouris of all countreeis, (yea, some that war mortall ennemyes to him and to his realme, amonges whome the Quein Dowager of Scotland was not the least,) could and did testifie; for the said Quein Dowager, returnyng from France throwght England, commoned with him at lenth,[625] and gave record when sche came to this Realme, ”That sche fand more wisdome and solidd judgement in young King Edward, then she wold have looked for in any three Princes that war then in Europe.” His liberalitie towardis the G.o.dly and learned, that war in other realmes persecuted, was such as Germanes, Frenchmen, Italianes, Scottis, Spainzardis, Polonianes, Grecianis, and Hebrewis borne, can yitt geve sufficient doc.u.ment; for how honorablie war Martyn Buceir,[626] Petir Martyre, Joannes Alasco, ...[627] Emanuel Gualterus,[628] and many otheris, upoun his publict stipendis interteaned, thare patentis can witnesse, and thei thame selfis during thare lyffis wold never have denyed.

After the death of this most verteous Prince, of whome the G.o.dless people of England, (for the most parte,) was nott worthy, Sathan intended nothing less then the light of Jesus Christ utterly to have bein extinguissed, within the hole Ile of Britannye; for after him was rased up, in G.o.ddis hote displeasur, that idolatress Jesabel, mischevous Marie, of the Spaynyardis bloode;[629] a cruell persecutrix of G.o.ddis people, as the actes of hir unhappy regne can sufficiently witnesse.[630] And in to Scotland, that same tyme, (as we have hard,[631]) rang that crafty practisar, Marie of Lorane, then named Regent of Scotland; who, bound to the devotioun of hir two brethrein, the Duck of Gueise, and Cardinall of Lorane, did onlye abyd the oportunitie to cutt the throttis of all those in whome she suspected any knowledge of G.o.d to be, within the realme of Scotland. And so thought Sathan, that his kingdome of darkness was in qwietness and rest, asweall in the one realme, as in the other: but that provident eie of the Eternall our G.o.d, who continually watches for preservatioun of his Church, did so dispone all thingis, that Sathane schorte after fand him self far disapointed of his conclusioun tackin. For in that cruell persecutioun, used by that monstour, Marie of England, war G.o.dlie men dispersed in diverse nationis, of whom it pleaseth the goodnes of our G.o.d to send some unto us, for our conforte and instructioun.

[SN: WHO FIRST AFTER THE DEATH OF KING EDWARDE BEGANE TO PREACH IN SCOTLAND.]

And first cam a sempill man, WILLIAME HARLAW,[632] whose eruditioun, althowght it excell nott, yit for his zeill, and diligent plainess in doctrin, is he to this day worthy of praise, and remanes a fruitfull member within the Church of Scotland. After him cam that notable man, JOHNE WILLOK,[633] as one that had some commissioun to the Quein Regent, from the d.u.c.h.ess of Emden. b.u.t.t his princ.i.p.all purpose was to a.s.say what G.o.d wald wirk by him in his native countrey. These two did sometymes, in severall c.u.mpanyes, a.s.semble the brethrein, who by thare exhortationis begane greatlie to be encoraged, and did schaw that thei had ane earnest thrist of G.o.dlines.

[SN: ELIZABETH ADAMESOUN AND HIR DEATH.]

And last came JOHNE KNOX,[634] in the end of the harvest, in the year of G.o.d J^m. V^c. fyfty fyve; who first being loodged in the house of that notable man of G.o.d, James Syme, begane to exhorte secreatly in that same house; whareunto repared the Lard of Dun, David Forress, and some certane personages of the toune, amonges whome was Elizabeth Adamsoun, then spous to James Barroun,[635] burges of Edinburgh, who be rea.s.son that she had a trubled conscience, delyted much in the c.u.mpany of the said Johne, becaus that he, according to the grace gevin unto him, opened more fullie the fontane of G.o.ddis mercyes, then did the commoun sorte of teachearis that sche had hard befoir, (for sche had heard none except Freiris,) and did with such gredynes drynk thairof, that at hir death she did expresse the frute of hir hearing, to the great conforte of all those that repared to hir; for albeit that she sufferred most grevous torment in hir body, yitt out of hir mouth was heard nothing but praising of G.o.d, except that somtymes she wold lament the trubles of those that war trubled by hir. Being somtymes demanded by hir Sisteris, ”What she thought of that pane, which she than sufferred in body, in respect of that wharewith sometymes she was trubled in spreit?” She ansuered, ”A thowsand year of this torment, and ten tymes more joyned unto it, is not to be compared to the qwarter of ane hour that I sufferred in my spreit. I thank my G.o.d, throught Jesus Christ, that hes delivered me from that most fearfull pane; and welcome be this, evin so long as it plea.s.sed his G.o.dlie Majestie to exercise me thairwith.” A litill befoir hir departuyre, she desyred hir Sisteris, and some otheris that war besyd hir, to sing a psalme, and amonges others, she appointed the 103. Psalme, begynnyng, ”My saule praise thow the Lord alwyes;”[636] which ended, sche said, ”At the teaching of this Psalme, begane my trubled soule first effectually to taist of the mercy of my G.o.d, which now to me is more sweat and precious, then[637] all the kingdomes of the earth war gevin to me to possesse thame a thowsand yearis.” The Preastis urged hir with thare ceremonies and superst.i.tionis; to whome she answered, ”Depart from me, ye sergeantis[638] of Sathan; for I have refused, and in your awin presence do refuise, all your abominationis. That which ye call your Sacrament and Christes body, (as ye have deceaved us to beleve in tymes past,) is nothing but ane idole, and hes nothing to do with the rycht inst.i.tutioun of Jesus Christ; and thairfor, in G.o.ddis name, I command yow nott to truble me.” Thei departed, allegeing, That she raved, and wist not what sche said. And she short thereafter sleapt in the Lord Jesus, to no small conforte of those that saw hir blessed departing. This we could nott omitt of this wourthy woman, who gave sa notable a confessioun, befoir that the great lycht of G.o.ddis word did universallie schyne throwght this realme.

At the first c.u.ming of the said Johne Knox, he perceaving diverse who had a zeall to G.o.dlynes maik small scrupill to go to the Messe, or to communicat with the abused Sacramentis in the Papisticall maner, begane alsweall in privy conferance as in doctrin, to schaw the impietie of the Messe, and how dangerous a thing it was to communicat in any sort with idolatrie. Wharewith the conscience of some being effrayed, the mater began to be agitat fra man to man, and so was the said Johne called to suppar by the Lard of Dun, for that same purpose, whare war conveaned David Forress, Maister Robert Lockart, Johne Willock, and Williame Maitland of Lethingtoun youngar, a man of good learnyng, and of scharpe witt and rea.s.sonyng. The questioun was proponed, and it was answered by the said Johne, ”That no-wyise it was lauchfull to a Christiane to present him self to that idoll.” Nothing was omitted that mycht maik for the temperisar,[639] and yitt was everie head so fullie ansuered, and especially one whairinto thei thought thare great defence stood, to wit, ”That Paule at the commandiment of James, and of the eldaris of Jerusalem, pa.s.sed to the tempill and fanzeid him self to pay his vow with otheris.” This, we say, and otheris, war so fullye ansuered, that Williame Maitland concluded, saying, ”I see perfytlye, that our schiftis will serve nothing befoir G.o.d, seing that thei stand us in so small stead befoir man.” The answer of Johne Knox to the fact of Paule, and to the commandiment of James, was, ”That Paule's fact had nothing to do with thare going to the Messe; for to pay vowes was sometymes G.o.ddis commandiment, and was never idolatrie: but thare Messe, from the originall, was and remaned odiouse idolatrie; tharefor the factes war moist unlyik. Secundarly, (said he,) I greatly dowbt whitther eyther James's commandiment or Paule's obedience proceaded frome the Holy Ghost. We knaw thare counsall tended to this, That Paule should schaw him self one that observed the verray small pointes of the law, to the end that he mycht purchase to him the favouris of the Jewes, who war offended at him be rea.s.sone of the bruittis that war spa.r.s.ed, that he tawght defectioun from Moses. Now, whill he obeyed thare counsall, he fell into the most disperat danger that ever he susteaned befor, whareof it was evident, that G.o.d approved nott that meane of reconciliatioun; but rather that he plainelie declaired, 'That evill should not be done that good mycht come of it.' Evill it was to Paule to confirme those obstinat Jewes in thare superst.i.tioun by his exampill; worse it was to him to expone him self, and the doctrin which befoir he had tawght, to sklander and mockage; and tharefoir, (concluded the said Johne,) that the fact of Paule, and the seqwell that tharof followed, appeired rather to feght against thame that wold go to the Messe, than to geve unto thame any a.s.surance to follow his example, onless that thei wold, that the lyik truble should instantlye apprehend thame that apprehended him, for obeying worldly wyise counsall.” After these and lyik rea.s.sonynges, the Messe began to be abhorred of such as befoir used it for the fa.s.sioun, and avoiding of sclander, (as then thei termed it.)

Johne Knox, at the request of the Lard of Dun,[640] followed him to his place of Dun, whare he remaned a moneth, dalye exercised in doctrin, whairunto resorted the princ.i.p.all men of that countrey. After his returnyng, his residence was most in Calder,[641] whare repared unto him the Lord Erskin that now is,[642] the Erle of Argyle, then Lord of Lorne,[643] and Lord James, then Priour of Sanctandrois,[644] and now Erle of Murray; whare thei hard and so approved his doctrin, that thei wissed it to have bein publict. That same wynter[645] he tawght commonly in Edinburgh; and after the Youle, by the conduct of the Lard of Barr, and Robert Campbell of Kingyeancleucht, he came to Kyle,[646] and tawght in the Barr, in the house of the Carnell, in the Kingyeancleuch, in the toune of Air, and in the houssis of Uchiltrie, and Gathgyrth, and in some of thame ministrat the Lordis Table. Befoir the Pasche,[647] the Erle of Glencarne send for him to his place of Fynlastoun;[648] whare, after doctrin, he lyikwiese ministrat the Lordis Table, whairof besydis him self war parttakaris, his Lady, two of his sonnis, and certane of his freindis; and so returned he to Calder, whare diverse frome Edinburgh, and frome the countrey about, convened, asweall for the doctrin, as for the rycht use of the Lordis Table, which befoir thei had never practised. From thense he departed the secound tyme to the Lard of Dun; and teiching then in grettar libertie, the gentilmen required that he should ministrat lyikwiese unto thame the Table of the Lord Jesus, whairof war partakaris the moist parte of the gentilmen of the Mernse; who, G.o.d be praised, to this day constantlie do remane in the same doctrin which then thei professed, to witt, that thei refuissed all societie with idolatrie, and band thame selfis,[649] to the uttermost of thare poweris, to manteane the trew preaching of the Evangell of Jesus Christ, as G.o.d should offer unto thame preachearis and oportunitie.

The bruyt heirof spa.r.s.ed, (for the Freiris from all qwarteris flokked to the Bischoppes,) the said Johne Knox was summond to compeir in the Kirk of the Black Freiris in Edinburgh, the xv day of Maij [1556,] which day the said Johne decread to keape; and for that purpose Johne Erskin of Dun, with diverse otheris gentilmen, convened to the toune of Edinburgh.

b.u.t.t that dyet held nott; for whitther that the Bischoppis perceaved informalitie in thare awin proceidyngis, or yf thei feared danger to ensew upoun thare extremitie, it was unknown unto us. But the Setterday befoir the day appointed, thei caist thare awin summondis; and the said Johne, the same day of the summondis, tawght in Edinburgh in a greattar audience then ever befoir he had done in that toune: The place was the Bischope of Dunkellis his great loodgeing, whare he continewed in doctrin ten dayis, boyth befoir and after nune. The Erle of Glencarne allured the Erle Merschall,[650] who with Harye Drummound,[651] (his counsallour for that tyme,) heard ane exhortation, (but it was upone the nycht,) who war so weall contented with it, that thei boyth willed the said Johne to wrait unto the Quein Regent somwhat that mycht move hir to heir the word of G.o.d. He obeyed thare desyre, and wrait that which after was imprinted, and is called ”THE LETTER TO THE QUEIN DOWAGER;”[652] which was delivered into hir awin handis by the said Alexander Erle of Glencarne. Which letter, when sche had redd, within a day or two, she delivered it to that proud Prelate, Betoun,[653]

Bischope of Glasgw, and said in mockage, ”Please yow, my Lord, to reid a pasqwill.” Which woordis c.u.ming to the earis of the said Johne, war the occasioun that to his Letter he maid his additionis,[654] as yitt may be sein. [SN: _NOTA._] As concernyng the threatnyngis p.r.o.nunccd against hir awin persone, and the most princ.i.p.ale of hir freindis, lett thare verray flatteraris see what hath failled of all that he hes writtin. And tharefor it war expedient that hir Dochtter, now mischevouslye rynging, should look to that which hath pa.s.sed befoir, least that in following the counsallis of the wicked, she end more miserablie then hir crafty Mother did.

Whill Johne Knox was thus occupyed in Scotland, letteris came unto him from the Engliss Kirk that was a.s.sembled in Geneva, (which was separated from that superst.i.tious and contentious c.u.mpany that war at Franckfoord,) commanding him in G.o.ddis name, as he that was thare chosin pastor, to repayre unto thame, for thare conforte. Upone the which, the said Johne took his leave from us, almost in everie congregatioun whare befor he had preached, and exhorted us to prayaris, to reading of the Scriptures, and mutuall conference, unto such tyme as G.o.d should geve unto us grettar libertie. And hearupon he send befoir him to Deape, his mother in law Elizabeth Bowes,[655] and his wyef Marjory, with no small dolour to thare hartes, and unto many of us. He him self, by procurement and laubouris of Robert Campbell of Kingzeanclewch,[656] remaned behynd in Scotland, and pa.s.sed to the old Erle of Ergyle,[657] who then was in the Castell of Campbell,[658] whare he tawght certane dayis. The Lard of Glenurquhare,[659] (which yit liveth,) being one of his auditouris, willed the said Erle of Ergyle to reateane him still; but he, purposed upoun his jorney, wold not att that tyme stay for no requeast, adding, ”That yf G.o.d so blessed thei small begynnynes, that thei continewed in G.o.dlyness, whensoever thei pleased to command him, thei should fynd him obedient;” but said, ”That ones he must neadis visit that lytill flock which the wickedness of men had compelled him to leave.” And so in the moneth of Julij he left this realme, and past to France, and so to Geneva. Immediatly after, the Bischoppis summoned him, and for none compeirance, brunt him in effigie at the Croce of Edinburgh, in the year of G.o.d 1555.[660] Fra the which injust sentence the said Johnne maid his APPELLATIOUN, and caused to print the same, and direct it to the n.o.bilitie and Commounes of Scotland,[661] as yitt may be redd.

[SN: WARR AGAINST ENGLAND BY THE MEANES OF QUEIN REGENT.]

In[662] the wynter that the said Johne aboad in Scotland, appeired a comet, the course whairof was from the south and south-west, to the north and north-east. It was sein the monethis of November, December, and Januare. It was called ”The fyrie boosome.”[663] Sune after dyed Christierne, King of Denmark: And warr raise betuix Scotland and England; for the Commissionaris of boyth realmes, who almost the s.p.a.ce of s.e.x monethis entraitted upoun the conditionis of peace, and war upoun a neyr point of conclusioun [war disappointed.] The Quein Regent with hir Counsall of the French factioun decreatted war at Newbattil,[664]

without geving any advertisment to the Commissionaris for the parte of Scotland. Such is the fidelitie of Princes, guyded by Preastis, when soever thei seik thare awin affectionis to be served.

[SN: A CALF WITH TWO HEADIS.]

In the end of that nixt harvest, was sein upoun the Bordouris of England and Scotland a strange fyre, which discended from the heavin, and brunt diverse cornes in boyth the realmes, but most in England. Thare was presented to the Quein Regent, by Robert Ormestoun, a calf having two headdis, whareat sche scripped, and said, ”It was but a commoun thing.”

The warr begane in the end of the harvest, as said is, and conclusioun was tackin that Wark[665] should be a.s.seged. The army and ordinance past fordwarte to Maxwell Heucht.[666] The Quein Regent remaned in the Castell of Home,[667] and thinking that all thingis war in a.s.surance, Monsieur Dosell, then Lieutenant for France, gave charge that the cannonis should be transported ower the watter of Twead, which was done with expeditioun, (for the French in such factes ar experte;) [SN: THE FACT OF THE n.o.bILITIE OF SCOTLAND AT MAXWELL HEWCHT.] but the n.o.bilitie of Scotland nothing content of such proceadingis, after consultatioun amongis thame selfis, past to the palzeon[668] of Monsieur Dosell, and in his awin face declared, ”That in no wiese wald thei invade England,”

and tharefoir command the ordinance to be reteired; and that it was, without farther delay.[669]

This putt ane effray in Monsieur Dosell his breathe,[670] and kendilled such a fyre in the Quein Regentis stomak, as was nott weall slockened till hir braith failled. And thus was that enterprise frustrate. b.u.t.t yitt warre continewed, during the which the Evangell of Jesus Christ begane wonderouslye to floriss; for in Edinburgh begane publictlie to exhorte, Williame Harlaw; Johnne Dowgla.s.s,[671] who had (being with the Erle of Ergyle) preached in Leyth, and sometymes exhorted in Edinburgh; Paule Meaffen begane publictly to preach in Dondye; and so did diverse otheris in Anguss and the Mernse.

[SN: THE SECUND RETURNE OF JOHNE WILLOK TO SCOTLAND.]

And last, at G.o.ddis good pleasur, arryved Johnne Wyllok the secound tyme from Emden;[672] whose returne was so joyfull to the brethrein, that thare zeall and G.o.dly courage daly encrea.s.sed. And albeit he contracted a dangerous seaknes, yitt he cea.s.sed nott from laubouris, but tawght and exhorted from his bed: some of the n.o.bilitie, [SN: LORD SETOUN ANE APOSTAT.] (of whome some ar fallen back, amongis whome the Lord Setoun[673] is cheaf,) with many baronis and gentilmen, war his auditouris, and by him war G.o.dly instructed, and wonderouslie conforted.

Thei keapt thare conventionis, and held counsallis with such gravitie and closnes, that the ennemyes trembled. [SN: THE ABOLIs.h.i.+NG OF IMAGES AND TRUDLE THAREFOIR.] The images war stollen away in all partes of the countrie; and in Edinburgh was that great idole called Sanct Geyle,[674]

first drouned in the North Loch,[675] after brunt, which rased no small truble in the toun. For the Freiris rowping lyik reavins upoun the Bischoppes, the Bischoppes ran upoun the Quein, who to thame was favorable yneweh, but that she thowght it could not stand with hir advantage to offend such a mult.i.tud as then took upon thame the defence of the Evangell, and the name of Protestantes. [SN: THE PREACHARIS SUMMONED.] And yitt consented sche to summond the Preachearis; whareat the Protestantis neyther offended, neyther yitt thairof effrayed, determined to keape the day of summondis,[676] as that thei did. [SN: THE PRACTISE OF PRELATTIS, AND WHAT THAIROF ENSEWED.] Which perceaved by the Prelattis and Preastis, thei procured a proclamatioun to be publictlie maid, ”That all men that war come to the toune without commandiment of the authoritie, should with all diligence repayre to the Bordouris, and thare remane xv dayis:” for the Bischope of Galloway,[677] in this maner of ryme, said to the Quein, ”MADAME,

Becaus thei ar come without ordour, I red ye, send thame to the Bordour.”