Volume I Part 16 (1/2)

In the same tennour we wrate to Monsieur Dosell in Frenche, requiring of him, that by his wisdome he wold mitigate the Quenis raige, and the raige of the Preastis; otherwyis that flambe, whiche then begane to burne, wold so kendle that quhen some men wold, it culd not be slokenned; adding farder, that he declairit him self[781] no faithfull servand to his maister the King of France, yf for the plesour of the Preistis he wald persecut us, and so compell us to taik the sweard of just defence. In lyke maner we wrait to Capitane Serra la Burse, and to all uther Capitanis and Frenche soldiouris in generall, admonischeing thame that thair vocatioun was nocht to fyght aganis us naturall Scottishmen; nather yit that thai had any suche commandiment of thair maister. We besowght thame thairfoir nocht to provok us to inemitie aganest thame, considdering, that thay had found us favorable in thair most extreme necessiteis. We declairit farther unto thame, that yf thay enterit in hostilitie and b.l.o.o.d.y warre aganest us, that the same sould remane langar than thair and oure lyves, to witt, evin in all posteriteis to come, so lang as naturall Scottishmen suld have power to revenge suche crewelty, and maist horribill ingrat.i.tude.

Thease letteris war causit be spred abroade in great habundance, to the end that sum myght c.u.me to the knawlege of men. The Quene Regent hir letter was layed upoun hir cussing in the Chapell Royall at Striveling, quhair sche accustomit to sitt at Messe. Sche looked upoun it, and put it in the pocket of hir goune. Monsieur Dosell and the Capitanis receavit thairis deliverit evin be thair awin soldiouris, (for sum amongis thame war favoraris of the treuth,) quho efter the reading of thame, began to ryve thair awin beardis; for that was the modest behaveour of Monsieur Dosell, quhen treuth was told unto him, so that it repugne to his fantasie. These our letteris war suppressed to the uttermost of thair power, and yit thay come to the knowlege of mony. Bot the raige of the Quene and Preistis culd nocht be stayed; bot fordwart thay move against us, quho than war bot are verrie few and meane number of gentilmen in Sanct Johnestoun. We perceaving the extremitie to approche, did wrytt to all bretherin, to repair towardis us for our releve; to the quhiche we fand all men so readie bent, that the work of G.o.d was evidentlie to be espyed. And becaus that we wold omitt na diligence to declair our innocencie to all men, we formit ane letter to those of the n.o.bilitie who than persecuted us, as efter followeth:--

”TO THE n.o.bILITIE OF SCOTLAND, THE CONGREGATIONIS OF CHRYST JESUS WITHIN THE SAME, DESYR THE SPREIT OF RYGHTEOUS JUDGEMENT.”

”Becaus we ar nocht ignorant, that the n.o.bilitie of this realme who now persecute us, employing thair hole study and force to manteyne the kingdome of Sathan, of superst.i.tioun and idolatrie, ar yit nochttheles devidit in opinioun; We, the Congregatioun of Christ Jesus by yow injustlie persecuted, have thocht good, in one letter, to write unto yow severallie. Ye ar devidit, we say, in opinioun; for sum of yow think that we who have tackin upoun us this interpryise to remove idolatrie, and the monumentis of the same, to erect the trew preaching of Chryst Jesus in the boundis committ.i.t to our chargis, ar Heretickis, seditious men, and trubilleris of this commone wealth; and thairfoir that no punischment is sufficient for us: and so, blyndit with this rage, and under pretens to serve the Authoritie, ye proclame warre, and threattin distructioun without all ordour of law aganis us. To yow, we say, that nather your blynd zeale, nather yit the colour of authoritie, sall excuse yow in G.o.dis presence, who commandeth ”None to suffer death, till that he be opinlie convict.i.t in jugement, to have offendit against G.o.d, and against his law writtin,” whiche no mortall creature is able to prove against us: for quhatsoevir we have done, the same we have done at G.o.dis commandiment, who planelie commandis idolatrie, and all monumentis of the same to be destroyed and abolisshed, Oure ernist and long requeist hath bein, and is, that in opin a.s.semblie it may be disput.i.t in presence of indifferent auditouris, [SN: THE PERPETUALL REQUEIST OF THE PROTESTANTIS OF SCOTLAND.] ”Whether that theis abhominationis, namit by the pestilent Papistis, religioun, whiche thay by fyre and sweard defend, be the trew religioun of Christ Jesus or not?” Now, this our humbill requeast denyed unto us, our lyves ar sought in most crewell maner. And ye, the n.o.bilitie, (whose dewetie is to defend innocentis, and to brydle the fury and raige of wicked men, wer it of Princes or Emperouris,) do nochtwithstanding follow thare appetytis, and arme your selfis against us, your bretherin, and naturall c.u.n.triemen; yea, against us that be innocent and just, as concerning all suche crymes as be layid to our chargis. Yf ye think that we be criminall becaus that we dissent from your opinioun, considder, we beseiche yow, that the Prophetis under the law, the Apostles of Christ Jesus efter his a.s.sentioun, his primitive Churche, and holy Martyris, did disa.s.sent from the hole world in thare dayis; and will ye deny bot that thair actioun was just, and that all those that persecuted thame war murtheraris befoir G.o.d?

May nocht the lyek be trew this day? What a.s.surance have ye this day of your religioun, whiche the warld that day had nocht of thairis? Ye have a mult.i.tude that aggre with yow, and so had thay.

Ye have antiquitie of tyme, and that thay lacked nocht. Ye have counsales, lawis, and men of reputatioun that have establisshed all thingis, as ye suppose: Bot none of all these can maik any religioun acceptable unto G.o.d, whiche onelie dependeth upon his awin will, revealled to man in his most sacred word. Is it nocht than a wonder that ye sleip in so deadlie a securitie, in the mater of your awin salvatioun, considdering that G.o.d gevith unto yow so manifest tockens, that ye and your leaderis ar boith declynit from G.o.d? [SN: PROBATIOUN AGAINST THE PAPISTIS.] For yf ”the tree salbe judgit by the fruit,” (as Christ Jesus affirmeth, that it must be,) than of necessitie it is that your Prelattis, and the hole rable of thair clergie, be evill treeis. For yf adultrie, pryde, ambitioun, dronknes, covetousnes, incest, unthankfulnes, oppressioun, murther, idolatrie, and blasphemye, be evill fructis, thare can none of that generatioun, whiche clame to thame selfis the t.i.tle of Churche men,[782] be judged gud treeis; for all these pestilent and wicked fruittis do they bring furth in greittest habundance: And gif thai be evill treis, (as ye your selfis must be compelled to confes thay ar,) advise prudentlie with what consciences ye can manteyne thame, to occupy the roume and place in the Lordis vyne yarde. Do ye nocht considder, that in so doing ye labour to manteyne the servandis of syne in thair filthie corruptioun; and so consequentlie ye labour, that the Devill may regne, and still abuse this realme, by all iniquitie and tyrannye, and that Chryst Jesus and his blessed Evangell be suppressed and extinguesshed?

[SN: AGAINST SUCHE AS UNDER COLOUR OF AUTHORITIE PERSEQUTE THAIR BRETHERIN.]

”The name and the cloke of the Authoritie, whiche ye pretend, will nothing excuse yow in G.o.dis presence; but rather sall ye beir duble condempnatioun; for that ye burdeane G.o.d, as that his good ordinance wer the caus of your iniquitie. All authoritie quhilk G.o.d hath establisshed, is good and perfyte, and is to be obeyed of all men, yea under the pane of d.a.m.natioun. [SN: DIFFERENCE BETUIX THE PERSONE AND THE AUTHORITIE.] But do ye nocht understand, that thair is a great difference betuix the authoritie quhiche is G.o.ddis ordinance, and the personis of those whiche ar placit in authoritie? The authoritie and G.o.ddis ordinance can never do wrang; for it commandeth, That vice and wickit men be punischit, and vertew, with verteous men and just, be maynteaned. But the corrupt Persone placed in this authoritie may offend, and most commonelie doeth the contrare heirof; and is than the corruptioun of the persone to be followed, be ressone that he is cled with the name of the authoritie? Or, sall those that obey the wicked commandiment of those that ar placed in authoritie be excusable befoir G.o.d? Nocht so; nocht so. Bott the plagues and vengeances of G.o.d tackin upoun Kingis, thair servandis, and subjectis, do witnes to us the plane contrarie. Pharao was a King, and had his authoritie of G.o.d, who commandit his subjectis to murther and torment the Israelites, and at last most crewellie to persecut thair lyves. But was thare obedience, (blynd raige it should be called,) excusable befoir G.o.d?

The universall plague doeth planelie declair, that the wicked commander, and those that obeyed, war alyke giltie befoir G.o.d. [SN: THE FACT OF KING SAULE.] And yf the example of Pharao shalbe rejected, becaus he was ane Ethnik, than lat us considder the factis of Saule: He was a King anoynted of G.o.d, appoynted to regne ower his people, he commanded to persecut David, becaus (as he alledged) David was a traytour and usurper of the Crowne; and lyekwyis commanded Abimelech the Hie Preast and his fellowis to be slane: But did G.o.d approve any parte of this obedience? Evident it is that he did nott. And think ye, that G.o.d will approve in yow that whiche he did dampne in otheris? Be nocht deceaved: with G.o.d thair is no suche partialitie.[783] Yf ye obey the injust commandimentis of wicked rewlaris, ye sall suffer G.o.ddis vengeance and just punishment with thame. And thairfoir as ye tender your awin salvatioun, we most earnistlie requyre of yow moderatioun, and that ye stay your selfis, and the furye of utheris, from persecuting of us, till our cause be tryed in lauchfull and opin judgement.

”And now, to yow that ar perswaded of the justice of our cause, that sumtyme have professed Chryst Jesus with us, and that also have exhorted us to this interpryse, and yit have left us in our extreme necessitie, or at the least look throw your fingaris, in this our truble, as that the matter apperteaned nocht unto yow; we say, that onles (all fear and warldlie respectis sett asyde) ye joyne your selffis with us, that as of G.o.d ye ar reputed traytouris, so shall ye be excomunicated from our societie, and from all partic.i.p.atioun with us in the administratioun of Sacramentis. The glorie of this victorie, quhilk G.o.d shall geve to his Churche, yea evin in the eyis of men, shall nocht apperteane to yow; bot the fearfull judgement, whiche apprehended Ananias and his wyfe Sapphyra, sall apprehend yow and your posteritie. [SN: LETT BOTH THE ONE PART AND THE UTHER JUDGE YF G.o.d HAVE NOCHT JUSTIFIED THE CAUS OF THE INNOCENTIS.] Ye may perchance contempne, and dispyise the excomunicatioun of the Churche now by G.o.dis myghtie power erected amongis us, as a thing of no force; bot yit doubt we nothing, but that our Churche, and the trew ministeris of the same, have the same power whiche our Maister, Christ Jesus, granted to his Apostles in these wordis, ”Whose synnis ye sall forgeve, shalbe forgevin; and whose synnis ye shall reteane, shall be reteaned;”

and that, becaus thay preiche, and we beleve the same doctryne whiche is conteyned in his most blessed wourd. And thairfoir except that ye will contempne Chryst Jesus, ye nether can despyise our threatnyng, nether yit refuise us calling for your just defence.

[SN: FROM QUHENS THIS CORAGE DID PROCEID THE ISHEW DECLAIRED.] By your faynting, and by extracting of your support, the enimeis ar incoraged, thinking, that thay shall find no resistance: In whiche point, G.o.d willing, thay salbe deceaved. For gif thay war ten thowsand, and we bot are thowsand, thai sall nocht murther the least of our bretherin, but we (G.o.d a.s.sisting us) shall first committ our lyves in the handis of G.o.d for thair defence. But this shall aggravat your d.a.m.natioun; for ye declair your selfis boith traytouris to the treuth ones professed, and murtheraris of us, and of your bretherin, from whome ye draw your detfull and promisshed support, whome your onelie presence (to manis judgement) myght preserve from this danger. For our enimeis looke nocht to the power of G.o.d, bot to the force and strenth of man. When the nomber is mean to resist thame, than rage thay as b.l.o.o.d.y wolvis; bot a party equall or able to resist thame in apperance, doeth brydill thair fury. Examinat your awin consciencis, and wey that sentence of our Maister, Chryst Jesus, saying, ”Whosoevir denyeth me, or is aschamed of me befoir men, I shall deny him befoir my Father.” Now is the day of his battell in this realme: Yf ye deny us, your bretherin, suffering for his name's saik, ye do also deny him, as him self doeth witnes in these wordis, ”Whatsoevir ye did to any of these litill ones, that ye did to me; and what ye did nocht to one of those litill ones, that ye did nocht to me.” Gif these sentencis be trew, as concerning meat, drink, cloithing, and suche thingis as apperteane to the body, shall thai not be lykewyis trew in these thingis that apperteane to the preservatioun of the lyves of thowsandis, whose bloode is now sought, for professioun of Christ Jesus? And thus schortlie leave we yow, who sumtymes have professed Christ Jesus with us, to the examinatioun of your awin consciencis.

And yit ones agane, of yow, who, blynded by superst.i.tioun persecute us, we requyre moderatioun, till our cause may be tryed, whiche gif ye will nocht grant unto us for G.o.dis cause, yit we desyre yow to have respect to the preservatioun of our commone c.u.n.tree, whiche we can not sonnar betray in the handis of strangeris, than that one of us distroy and murther ane uther. Considder our pet.i.tionis, and call for the spreit of richteous judgement.”

These our Letteris being divulgat, some man began to reasoun whether of conscience thai myght invaid us or not, considdering that we offered dew obedience to the Authoritie; requiring nothing bot the libertie of conscience, and our religioun and fact to be tryed by the word of G.o.d.

Oure Letteris came with convenient expeditioun to the handis of the bretherin in Cuninghame and Kyle, who convened at the Kirk of Craggie,[784] whare, efter some contrarious rea.s.sonis, Alexander Erle of Glencarne, in zeall, burst furth in these wordis, ”Lat everie man serve his conscience. I will, by G.o.ddis grace, see my bretherin in Sanct Johnestoun: yea, albeit never man should acc.u.mpany me, I will go, and gif it war bot with a pick upoun my shulder; for I had rather dye with that c.u.mpany, nor leve efter thame.” These wordis so encoraged the rest, that all decreed[785] to go fordward, as that thai did so stoutlie, that when Lyoun Herault, in his coat armour, commanded all man under the pane of trea.s.sone to returne to thair housses by publict sound of trumpett in Glasgw, never man obeyed that charge, but all went fordward, as we will efter hear. When it was clearlie understand that the Prelattis and thair adherantis, suppressing our pet.i.tionis so far as in thame lay, did kindill the furye of all men against us, it was thoght expedient to writt unto thame sum declaratioun of our myndis, whiche we did in this forme following:--

”TO THE GENERATIOUN OF ANTICHRIST, THE PESTILENT PRELATTIS AND THARE SCHAVILLINGIS WITHIN SCOTLAND, THE CONGREGATIOUN OF CHRIST JESUS WITHIN THE SAME, SAYETH,

”To the end that ye shall not be abused, thinking to eschaipe just punishment, efter that ye in your blind fury have caused the bloode of many to be sched, this we notifie and declair unto yow, that yf ye proceid in this your malicious creweltie, ye shalbe entreated, wharesoevir ye shalbe apprehended, as murtheraris and oppin enimeis to G.o.d and unto mankind; and thairfoir, betymes cease from this blind raige. Remove first from your selfis your bandis of b.l.o.o.d.y men of warre, and reforme your selffis to a more quiet lyve; and thairefter mitigat ye the authoritie whiche, without cryme committed upoun our parte, ye have inflammit aganis us; or ellis be ye a.s.sured, that with the same measure that ye have measured against us, and yit intend to measure to utheris, it salbe measured unto yow: That is, as ye by tyranny intend nocht onelie to destroy our bodyis, bot also by the same to hold our sowllis in bondage of the Devill, subject to idolatrie, so shall we with all force and power, whiche G.o.d shall grant unto us, execut just vengeance and punishment upoun yow. Yea, we shall begyn that same warre whiche G.o.d commanded Israell to execut aganis the Cananites; that is, contract of peace shall never be maid, till ye desist from your oppin idolatrie and crewell persecutioun of G.o.dis childrein. And this we signifie unto yow in the name of the eternall G.o.d, and of his Sone Christ Jesus, whose veritie we profess, and Evangell we will have preached, and holy Sacramentis ryghtlie minstrat, so long as G.o.d will a.s.sist us to ganestand your idolatrie. Tak this for Advertisment, and be nocht deceaved.”

[SN: SPEIKARIS SEND BY THE QUENE TO SANCT JOHNESTOUN.]

These our requeistis and advertismentis nochtwithstanding, Monsieur Dosell and his Frenchemen, with the Preastis and thair bandis, marched fordward against Sanct Johnestoun, and approched within ten myles to the town. Than repaired the bretherin from all quartaris for our releaff.

The gentilmen of Fyffe, Anguss, and Mernis, with the town of Dundie, war thay that first hasarded to resist the enimie; and for that purpoise was chosin a platt of ground,[786] a myle and more distant from the town. In this meantyme the Lord Ruthven, Provest of the town of Sanct Johnestoun, and a man whome many judged G.o.dlie and stout in that actioun, (as in verray dead he was evin unto his last breath,[787]) left the town, and depairt.i.t first to his awin place, and efter to the Quene: whose defectioun and revolt was a great discoragement to the hartis of many; and yit did G.o.d so confort,[788] that within the s.p.a.ce of tuelf houris efter, the hartis of all men war erected agane; for those that war than a.s.sembillit did nocht so muche houp victorie by thair awin strenth, as by the power of Him whose veritie they professed; and began one to confort another, till the hole mult.i.tude was erected in a reasonable esperance. The day efter that the Lord Ruthven depairted, whiche was the 24 of Maij, cam the Erle of Argyle, Lord James, Priour of Sanctandrois, and the Lord Sempill, directed from the Quene Regent to inquire the caus of that convocatioun of liegis thare. To quhome, quhen it was ansuered, that it was onelie to resist that crewell tyranny devised against that poore town, and the inhabitants of the same, thay asked, ”Gif we myndit nocht to hold that town against the authoritie, and against the Quene Regent?” To the whiche questioun ansuered the Lairdis of Dun and Pittarro, with the Congregatioun of Anguss and Mernis, the Maister of Lyndesay, the Lairdis of Lundy, Balvaird,[789] and otheris Barronis of Fyffe, ”That gif the Quenis Grace wald suffer the religioun thare begun to proceid, and nocht truble thair bretherin and sisteris that had professed Christ Jesus with thame, that the town, thay thame selffis, and quhatsoevir to thame perteaned, should be at the Quenis commandiment.” [SN: THE FALS SUGGESTIOUN OF THE QUENE REGENT.] Whiche ansuer understand,[790] the Erle of Ergyle and the Priour (quho boith war than Protestantis) began to muse, and said planelie, that thay war far utherwayis informed by the Quene, to witt, ”That we mentt no religioun, but a plane rebellioun.” To the whiche when we had answered simplie, and as the treuth was, to wit, ”That we conveaned for none other purpose, bot onelie to a.s.sist our brethrein, who than war most injustlie persecuted; and thairfoir we desyred thame faithfullie to report our answer, and to be intercessouris to the Quene Regent, that suche creweltie suld nocht be usit against us, considering that we had offered in our former letteris, alsweill to the Quenis Grace, as to the n.o.bilitie, our mater to be tryed in lauchfull judgement.” Thay promesed fidelitie in that behalff, whiche also thay keipt.

The day efter, whiche was the 25 day of Maij, befoir that the saidis Lordis depairted, in the morning Johne Knox desyred to speak with the same Lordis; whiche grant.i.t unto him, he was conveyed to thair ludgeing by the Laird of Balvaird,[791] and thus he began:--

[SN: THE ORATIOUN OF JOHNE KNOX TO THE LORDIS.]

”The present trublis, Honorable Lordis, owght to move the hartis, nocht onlie of the trew servandis of G.o.d, bot also of all suche as beare any favour to thare c.u.n.tree, and naturall c.u.n.treymen, to discend within thame selfis and deiplie to considder quhat shalbe the end of this pretended tyranny. The raige of Sathan seaketh the destructioun of all those that within this realme professe Christ Jesus; and thay that inflambe the Quenis Grace, and yow the n.o.bles aganis us, regard nocht who prevaill, provided that thay may abuse the warld, and leve at thair pleasour, as heirtofoir thay have done. Yea, I fear that some seak nothing more than the effusioun of Scottis bloode, to the end that thair possessionis may be more patent to utheris. Bot, becaus that this is nocht the princ.i.p.all whiche I have to speak, omitting the same to be considderit by the wisdome of those to quhome the cair of the commone wealth apperteaneth.

”1st. I most humbillie require of yow, my Lordis, in my name, to say to the Quenis Grace Regent, that we, who sche in hir blynd raige doeth persecute, ar G.o.ddis servandis, faithfull and obedient subjectis to the authoritie of this realme; that that religioun, whiche sche pretendeth to maynteyne by fyre and sweard, is nott the trew religioun of Christ Jesus, bot is expres contrarie to the same; a superst.i.tioun devised be the brane of man; whiche I offer my selff to prove aganis all that within Scotland will maynteane the contrarie, libertie of towng being granted unto me, and G.o.dis writtin word being admitted for judge.

[SN: LETT THE PAPISTES, RATHER AMBITIOUS ROMANISTIS, JUDGE.]

”2d. I farder require your Honouris, in my name, to say unto hir Grace, that as of befoir I have writtin, sa now I say, that this hir interpryise shall nocht prosperouslie succeid in the end; and albeit for a tyme sche truble the sanctis of G.o.d, for sche feghteth nocht aganis man onelie, bot against the eternall G.o.d and his invincible veritie; and thairfoir, the end shalbe hir confusioun, oneles betymes sche repent and desist.

”These thingis I require of yow, in the name of the eternall G.o.d, as from my mouth, to say unto hir Grace; adding, that I have bein, and am a more a.s.sured friend to hir Grace, than thay that either flattering hir ar servandis to hir corrupt appetytes,[792] or ellis inflambe hir against us, who seik nothing bot G.o.ddis glorie to be advanceit, vice to be suppressed, and veritie to be maynteaned in this poore realme.”

[SN: THE DILIGENCE OF THE ERLE OF GLENCARNE, AND OF THE BRETHERIN OF THE WEST, FOR THE RELEIF OF SANCT JOHNESTOUN.]

Thei all three did promese to report his wordis sa fer as thai culd, whiche efterwardis we understoode thai did. Yea, the Lord Semple[793]

him self, a man sold under syne, enymye to G.o.d and to all G.o.dlynes, did yit maik suche report, that the Quene was sumquhat offended, that any man suld use suche libertie in hir presence. Sche still proceaded in hir malice; for immediatelie thairefter sche send hir Lyoun Herauld,[794]

with letteris, straitlie chargeing all man to avoid the toun, under the pane of treasone. Whiche letteris, efter he had declaired thame to the cheife men of the Congregatioun, he publictlie proclamed the same, upoun Sounday, the 27 [28th] of Maij.[795] In this mean tyme, come sure knawlege to the Quene, to the Duke, and to Monsieur Dosell, that the Erle of Glencarne, the Lordis Uchiltrie and Boyd, the young Schiref of Air, the Lairdis of Cragy Wallace, Sesnock, Carnell, Barr, Gaitgirth,[796] and the hole Congregatioun of Kyle and Cuninghame, approched for our releve; and in verray dead thay came in suche diligence, and suche a nomber, that as the enymie had just caus to fear, so have all that professe Christ Jesus just matter to praise G.o.d for thair fidelitie and stout corage in that nead; for by thair presence was the tyranny of the enymie brydilled. Thare diligence was suche, that albeit the pa.s.sage by Striveling, and s.e.x myles above, was stoppit, (for thair lay the Quene with hir bandis, and gart cutt the brigis upoun the watter of Forth, Gwdy and Teath,[797] above Striveling,) yit maid thay suche expeditioun throw desert and montane, that thay prevented the enymie, and approched within s.e.x myles to our campe, whiche than lay without the town, awaiting upoun the enymie, befoir that any a.s.sured knawlege come to us of thair cunning. Their number was judged to[798] to tuentie fyve hundreth men, whairof thair was 12 hundreth horsmen. The Quene understanding how the said Erle and Lordis, with thair c.u.mpany approched, causit to besett all wayis, that na advertisment should come to us, to the end that we, dispared of support, myght condiscend to suche appointment as sche required; and send first to require, that some discreat men of our number wald c.u.m and speik the Duke and Monsieur Dosell, (who than with thair armye did lye at Auchterardour,[799] ten myles fra Sanct Johnestoun,) to the end that some reasonable appointment myght be had. Sche had perswaded the Erle of Ergyle, and all utheris, that we ment nothing bot rebellioun; and thairfoir had he promisshed unto hir, that in case we should nocht stand content with ane reasonable appointment, he should declair him self plane enymie unto us, nochtwithstanding that he professed the same religioun with us. From us war send the Laird of Dun,[800] the Lard of Inverquharitie,[801] and Thomas Scot of Abbotishall,[802] to heir quhat appointment the Quene wald offer. The Duke and Monsieur Dosell required, ”That the town should be maid patent, and that all thingis should be referred to the Quenis plesour.” [SN: THE PEt.i.tIOUN OF THE PROTESTANTIS FOR RANDERING OF SANCT JOHNESTOUN.] To the whiche thai answered, ”That nather had thay commissioun so to promese, nather durst thay of conscience so perswaid thair bretherin. Bot yf that the Quenis Grace wald promeise, that no inhabitant of the town should be trublit for any suche crymes as myght be alledged aganis thame for the lait mutatioun of religioun, and abolishment of idolatrie, and for douncasting the places of the same; yf sche wald suffer the religioun begun to go fordward, and leif the town at hir depairting free from the garysonis of Frenche soldiouris, that thay wald labour at the handis of thair bretherin that the Quene should be obeyed in all thingis.” Monsieur Dosell perceaving the danger to be great, yf that are suddane appointment should nocht[803] be maid; and that thay war nocht able to execut thair tyranny against us, after that the Congregatioun of Kyle (of quhose c.u.ming we had no advertisment) should be joyned with us; with gud wordis dismissed[804] the saidis Lairdis to perswaid the bretherin to quiet concord. To the whiche all men war so weill mynded, that with one voce thay cryed, ”Curssed be thay that seak effusioun of bloode, war, or dissentioun. Lett us possess Christ Jesus, and the benefite of his Evangell, and none within Scotland shalbe more obedient subjectis than we shalbe.” With all expeditioun war send from Striviling agane, (efter that the c.u.ming of the Erle of Glencarne was knawin, for the enymie for fear quaiked,) the Erle of Ergyle and Lord James foirsaid, and in thair c.u.mpany a crafty man, Maister Gavine Hammiltoun, Abbot of Kilwynning,[805] who war send by the Quene to finishe the appointment foirsaid. Bot befoir that thay came, was the Erle of Glencarne and his honorable c.u.mpany arryved in the town; and then began all men to praise G.o.d, for that he had so mercifullie hard thame in thare maist extreme necessitie, and had send unto thame suche releafe as was able, without effusioun of bloode, to stay the raige of the ennemy. The Erle of Ergyle and Lord James did earnistlie perswaid the agreement,[806] to the whiche all men was willing. But sum did smell the craft of the adversarie, to wit, that thay war mynded to keip no point of the promeise longar than thay had obteanit thair intent.