Volume I Part 17 (1/2)
”At Garlabank,[831] the xiij daij of Junii 1559.
[Signed] [Signed]
_The uther subscriptioun we culd nocht read, bot the simile is this_,--[832]
[Signed]
And, this receaved, we departed first, becaus we war thairto requeasted be the Duke, and so we returned to Cowper, lawding and praising G.o.d for his mercie schewed; and thairefter everie man departed to his duelling place. The Lordis, and a great part of the gentilmen, pa.s.sed to Sanctandrois, who thair abode certane dayis, still looking for those that war promessed to come frome the Quene, for appointment to be maid.
Bot we perceaving hir craft and disceat, (for under that a.s.surance sche ment nothing ellis, but to convey hir selff, hir ordinance, and Frenche men, over the wattir of Forth,) took consultatioun what should be done[833] for delivering of Sanct Johnestoun from these unG.o.dlie soldiouris, and how our bretherin, exiled from thair awin housses, mycht be restored agane.
[SN: THE DELIVERANCE OF SANCT JOHNESTOUN.]
It was concluded, that the bretherin of Fyffe, Anguss, Mearnis, and Stratherin, should convene at Sanct Johnestoun, the 24 day of Junij for that purpoise; and in the meantyme, war these letteris writtin be the Erle of Ergyle and Lord James, to the Quene than Regent.
[SN: LETTERIS TO THE QUENE REGENT.]
”Madame,--Efter our hartlie commendationis of service, this shalbe to schaw your Grace, that upoun the 13 day of Junij, we war informed by thame that war communeris betuix my Lord Duke, Monsieur Dosell, and us, that we should have spoken irreverentlie of your Grace, whiche we beseik your Grace, for the trew service that we have maid, and ar reddy to maik at all tymes to your Grace; that of your goodnes ye will lat us knaw the sayeris thairof, and we shall do the dewetie of trew subjectis to defend our awin innocencie; as we tak G.o.d to witnes of the gud zeale and love we beir towardis yow, to serve yow with trew hartis and all that we have, alsweill landis as goodis, desyring na uther thing for our service bot the libertie of our conscience, to serve our Lord G.o.d as we will ansuer to him, whiche your Grace aucht and should geve to us frelie unrequired. Mairover, please your Grace, that my Lord Duik, and the n.o.ble men being in Striveling for the tyme, be your Gracis avise, solisted us to pa.s.s to the Congregatioun convened at the town of Perth, to commoun of concord, whair we did our exact diligence, and brocht it to pas, as your Grace knawis. And thair is a point that we plane is nocht observed to us, whiche is, that na soldiour should remane in the town, after your Grace departing. And suppois it may be inferred, that it was spokin of Frenche soldiouris allanerlie, yit we tuik it utherwais, lyik as we do yit, that Scottishmen, or any uther natioun, takand the King of Francis waiges, ar repute and haldin Frenche soldiouris. Thairfoir, sen we of good will and mynde brocht that matter to your Gracis contentment, it will please your Grace, of your goodnes, to remove the soldiouris and thair Capitanes, with utheris that hes gottin charge of the town, that the same may be guyded and reulled frelie, as it was befoir, be the Baillies and Counsale, conforme to thair infeftmentis gevin to thame be the ancient and maist excellent Kingis of this realme, to elect and cheise thair officiaris at Michelmess, and thai to indure for the s.p.a.ce of one yeir, conforme to the auld ryte and consuetude of this realme; whiche being done be your Grace, we traist the better success shall follow thairupoun to your Grace contentatioun,[834] as the bearar will declair at mair lenth to your Grace; whome G.o.d preserve.”
[SN: THE SUMMONING OF SANCT JOHNESTOUN.]
To Sanct Johnestoun, with the Gentilmen befoir expressed, did conveane the Erle of Menteath,[835] the Lard of Glenurquhar,[836] and diverse utheris who befoir had nocht presented thame selffis for defence of thair bretherin. When the hole mult.i.tude was conveaned, a trumpet was send by the Lordis, commanding the Capitanes and thair bandis to avoid the town, and to leave it to the ancient libertie and just inhabitantis of the same; alsua commanding the Laird of Killfaunes,[837] insett Provest be the Quene, with the Capitanes foirsaidis, to cast up the portis of the town, and maik the same patent to all our Soveraneis liegis, to the effect, that alsweill trew religioun now aneis begun thairin may be maynteaned, and idolatrie utterlie suppressed; as alsua the said town mycht joise and brooke thair ancient lawis and liberteis unoppressed by men of wear, according to thair old privilegis granted to thame be the ancient Princes of this realme, and conforme to the provisioun conteaned in the Contract of Mariage maid be the n.o.bilitie and Parliament of this realme with the King of France, beirand, that nane of our aid lawis nor liberteis should be alterat: adding thairto, gif they folishlie resisted, and thairin happined to commit murther, that thay should be entreated as murtheraris. To the whiche thay ansuered prowdlie, ”That thay wald keap and defend that town, according to thair promess maid to the Quene Regent.”
[SN: COMMUNING AT SANCT JOHNESTOUN.]
This answer receaved, preparatioun was maid for the seage and a.s.sault; for amangis all it was concluded, that the town should be sett at libertie, to what dangeris soever thair bodyis should be exponed. Whill preparatioun was in making, came the Erle of Huntlie, the Lord Erskin, and Maister Johne Bannatyne, Justice Clerk,[838] requireing that the persute of the town should be delayed. To speak thame war appointed the Erle of Ergyle, Lord James, and Lord Ruthven, who, perceaving in thame nothing but a drift of tyme, without any a.s.surance that the former wrangis should be redressed, gave unto thame schort and plane ansuer, ”That thay wald nocht delay thair purpoise ane hour; and thairfoir willed thame to certifie the Capitanes in the town, that gif by pryde and foolishnes thay wald keape the town, and in so doing slay any of thair bretherin, that thay should everie one dye as murtheraris.” The Erle of Huntlie displeased at this ansuer, departed, as hielie offended that he culd nocht dress suche appointment as should have contented the Queue and the Preastis. After thair departing, the town was agane summondit; bot the Capitanes, supposing that na suddane persute should be maid, and looking for releif to have bein send from the Quene, abode in thair former opinioun. And so upoun Setterday, the 25 [24th] of Junij, at ten houris at nycht, commanded the Lord Ruthven, who beseaged the west quarter, to schoote the first voley; whiche being done, the town of Dundie did the lyke, whose ordinance lay upoun the eist syde of the brig. The Capitanes and soldiouris within the town, perceaving that thai war unable long to resist, required a.s.surance till xij houris upoun the morne, promessing, ”That gif or that hour thair came unto thame na releaf frome the Quene Regent, that thay wald rander the town, providing that thay should be suffered to departe the town with ensenzie displayed.” We, thrusting the bloode of no man, and seaking onlie the libertie of our bretherin, condiscended to thair desyris, albeit that we mycht have executed against thame jugement without mercie, for that thay had refused our former favouris, and had slane one of our bretherin, and hurt two in thair resistance;[839] and yit we suffered thame freelie to depart without any forther molestatioun.
[SN: THE BISCHOPE OF MURRAY.]
The Town being delivered from thare thraldome, upoun Sounday the 26 [25th] of Junij, thankis war gevin unto G.o.d for his great benefite receaved, and consultatioun was taikin what was forder to be done. In this meantyme, four[840] zealous men, considdering how obstinat, prowde, and dispitefull the Bischope of Murray[841] had bein befoir; how he had threatned the town be his soldiouris and freindis, who lay in Skune,[842] thought good that some ordour should be taikin with him and with that place, whiche lay neir to the town end. The Lordis wrait unto him, (for he lay[843] within two myles to Sanet Johnestoun,) ”That oneles he wald c.u.m and a.s.sist thame, thay nather culd spair nor save his place.” He ansuered be his writing, ”That he wold c.u.m, and wold do as thay thoght expedient; that he wold a.s.sist thame with his force, and wald vote with thame against the rest of the Clargie in Parliament.” Bot becaus this ansuer was slaw in c.u.ming, the town of Dundie, partelie offended for the slauchter of thair man, and especiallie bearing no goode favour to the said Bischope, for that he was and is cheif ennemy to Christ Jesus, and that by his counsale alone was Walter Mylne our brother put to death, thay marched fordward. To stay thame was first send the Provest of Dundie, and his brother Alexander Halyburtoun, Capitane, who litill prevaling, was send unto thame Johne Knox; bot befoir his c.u.ming, thay war entered to the pulling down of the ydollis and dortour. And albeit the said Maister James Halyburtoun, Alexander his brother, and the said Johne, did what in thame lay to have stayed the furie of the mult.i.tude, yit war thay nocht able to put ordour universalie; and tharfoir thay send for the Lordis, Erle of Ergyle, and Lord James, who, c.u.ming with all diligence, laboured to have saved the Palace and the Kirk. [SN: THE DISTRUCTIOUN OF SCONE.] Bot becaus the mult.i.tude had fundin, bureid in the Kirk, a great number of idollis, hid of purpose to have preserved thame to a bettir day, (as the Papistis speak,) the townis of Dundie and Sanct Johnestoun culd nocht be satisfeit, till that the hole reparatioun and ornamentis of the Churche, (as thay terme it,) war distroyed. And yit did the Lordis so travell, that thay saved the Bischopis Palace, with the Churche and place, for that nicht: for the two Lordis did nocht depart till thay brocht with thame the hole nomber of those that most sought the Bischopis displesour. The Bischope, greatlie offended that any thing should have bein interprised in Reformatioun of his place, asked of the Lordis his band and hand-writting, whiche nocht two houris befoir he had send to thame. Whiche delivered to his messinger, Sir Adame Brown,[844]
advertisment was gevin, that yf any farder displesour chanced unto him, that he should nocht blame thame. The Bischopis servandis, that same nycht, began to fortifie the place agane, and began to do violence to some that war careing away suche baggage as thay culd c.u.m by. The Bischopis girnell was keapt the first nycht by the laubouris of Johne Knox, who, by exhortatioun, removed suche as violentlie wald have maid irruptioun. That same nycht departed from Sanct Johnestoun the Erle of Ergyle, and Lord James, as efter shalbe declaired.
[SN: THE CAUS OF THE BURNING OF SCONE.]
The morrow following, some of the poore, in houp of spoyle, and sum of Dundie, to considder what was done, pa.s.sed up to the said Abbay of Scone; whairat the Bischopis servandis offended, began to threattene and speak proudlie: and, as it was constantlie affermed, one of the Bischopis sonis stogged throuch with a rapper one of Dundie, for becaus he was looking in at the girnell door. This brute[845] noysed abrode, the town of Dundie was more enraged than befoir, who, putting thame selffis in armour, send word to the inhabitants of Sanct Johnestoun, ”That onles thay should supporte thame to avenge that injurie, that thai should never after that day concur with thame in any actioun.” The mult.i.tud easelie inflambed, gave the alarme,[846] and so was that Abbay and Palace appoint.i.t to saccag; in doing whairof thay took no lang deliberatioun, bot committed the hole to the merciment of fyre; wharat no small nomber of us war offended, that patientlie we culd nocht speak till any that war of Dundie or Sanct Johnestoun. [SN: SPEAKING OF ANE ANCIENT MATRONE WHEN SCONE WAS BURNING.] A poore aged matrone, seing the flambe of fyre pas up samichtelie, and perceaving that many war thairat offended, in plane and sober maner of speaking, said, ”Now I see and understand that G.o.ddis judgementis ar just, and that no man is able to save whare he will punische. Since my remembrance, this place hath bein nothing ellis bot a den of hooremongaris. It is incredible to beleve how many wyffes hath bein adulterat, and virginis deflored, by the filthie beastis whiche hath bein fostered in this den; bot especiallie by that wicked man who is called the Bischope. Yf all men knew alsmuche as I, thay wald praise G.o.d; and no man wald be offended.” This woman duelt into the toun, neye unto the Abbay; at whose wordis war many pacifeid; affirming with hir, that it was G.o.ddis just judgement. And a.s.suredlie, yf the laubouris or travell of any man culd have saved that place, it had nocht bein at that tyme destroyed;[847] for men of greattest estimatioun lawboured with all diligence for the savetie of it.
[SN: THE TAKING OF STRIVILING.]
Whill these thingis war done at Sanct Johnestoun, the Quene, fearing what should follow, determinat to send certane bandis of Frenche soldiouris to Striveling, for purpose to stop the pa.s.sage to us that than war upoun the north syde of Forth. Whiche understand, the Erle of Ergyle and Lord James departed secreatlie upoun the nycht, and with great expeditioun, preventing the Frenchemen, thay took the town, (befoir whose c.u.ming the rascheall mult.i.tude put handis in the thevis, I should say, frearis places and utterlie distroyed thame;) wharat the Quene and hir factioun nocht a litill affrayed, with all diligence departed from Edinburgh to Dumbar. And so we with reasonable diligence merched fordwart to Edinburgh, for Reformatioun to be maid thair, whare we arrived the 29 of Junij. [SN: LORD SEYTOUN.] The Provest for that tyme, the Lord Seytoun, a man without G.o.d, without honestie, and oftentymes without reasone, had befoir greatlie trubled and molested the bretherin; for he had taikin upoun him the protectioun and defence of the Blak and Gray Frearis; and for that purpose did nocht onelie lye him self in the one everie nicht, bot also constraned the most honest of the town to wache those monstouris, to thair great greaf and truble.
[SN: THE c.u.mING OF THE CONGREGATIOUN TO EDINBURGH.] Bot hearing of our suddane c.u.ming, he abandoned his charge, and had left the spoile to the poore, who had maid havock of all suche thingis as was movable in those placis befoir our c.u.ming, and had left nothing bot bair wallis, yea, nocht sa muche as door or windok; wharthrow we war the less trubilled in putting ordour to suche places.
After that certane dayis we had deliberat what was to be done, and that ordour was tackin for suppressing of all monumentis of idolatrie within that town, and the places nixt adjacent, determinatioun was taikin, to send some message[848] to the Quene, than Regent; for sche had bruted, (as hir accustomed maner was, and yit hir Dochteris is, ever to forge lyes,) that we sought nothing bot hir lyef, and a plane revoltment from the lawfull obedience dew to our Soverane, hir authoritie, as by the tennour of these Letteris may be sene:--
”FRANCES AND MARIE, be the Grace of G.o.d, King and Quene of Scottis, Daulphine and Daulphines of Viennois, to our lovittis, Lyoun King of Armes, &c., our Schireffis in that parte, conjunctlie and severallie, specialie const.i.tute, greting: For sa mekle as our darrest moder Marie, Quene Dowager, Regent of our Realme, and Lordis of our Secreat Counsale, perceaving the seditious tumult rased be ane parte of our liegis, nameing thame selffis THE CONGREGATIOUN, who, under pretense of religioun, have putt thame selffis in armes;[849] and that hir Grace, for satisfeing of everie manis conscience, and pacifeing of the saidis trubles, had offerred unto thame to affix ane Parliament to be haldin in Januare nixt to c.u.m, (this was a manyfest leye, for this was nether offerred, nor by hir ancis thought upoun, till we required it,) or sonnar, gyf thay had pleased, for establissing of ane universall ordour in matteris of religioun, be our advise and Estatis of our Realme;[850] and, in the meantyme, to suffer everie man to leaf at libertie of conscience, without truble, unto the tyme the said ordour war tackin be advise of our foirsaid [Estates.[851]] And at last, becaus it appeared mekle to stand upoun our burght of Edinburght, offerred in lyke maner to latt the inhabitants thairof chease what maner of religioun thai wald sett up and use for that tyme; swa that na man mycht alledge that he was forsed to do against his conscience: Quhilk offer the Quenis Grace, our said darrest Moder, was at all tymes, and yit is, ready to fulfill.
Nochttheles, the said Congregatioun being of mynd to receave no reasonable offerris, hes sensyne, by oppin dead, declaired, that it is na religioun, nor any thing thairto perteaning, that thai seak, bot onelie the subversioun of our authoritie, and usurpatioun of our Crown; in manifest witnessing whairof, thay daylie receave Inglismen with messagis unto thame, and sendis siclyk in Ingland; and last of all, have violentlie intrometted with, taikin, and yit withhaldis the irnis of our Cunzee hous,[852] quhilk is ane of the cheife pointis that concernis our Crown; and siclyke lies intrometted with our Palice of Halirudhouse. Oure will is heirfoir, &c., that ye pas to the Mercat Croce of our said burght of Edinburght, or any uther publict place within the same, and thair, be oppin proclamatioun in our name and authoritie, command and charge all and sindrie personis of the said Congregatioun, or yit being presentlie within our said burght other than the inhabitantis thairof, that thay, within s.e.x houris nixt efter our said charge, depart furth of the same under the pane of treasone; and als, that ye command and charge all and sindrie personis to leave thair c.u.mpany, and adhear to our authoritie; with certificatioun to suche as do the contrare, shalbe repute and haldin as manifest traytouris to our Crowne, &c.”
These letteris did nocht a litill greave us, who most injustlie war accused; for thare is never a sentence of the narrative trew, except that we stayed the irnes, and that for most just causses, to witt, because that daylie thair was suche nomber of Hard-headis printed,[853]
that the basenes thairof maid all thingis exceiding dear; and thairfoir we war counsaled by the wysest to stay the irnes,[854] whill farther ordour mycht be tackin. Sche, with all possible diligence, posted for hir factioun. Maister James Balfour was nocht ydill in the meantyme. The Lordis, to purge thame of these odious crymes, wrait unto hir a letter, in forme as efter followeth:--
[SN: THE THRID LETTER TO THE QUENE REGENT.]