Volume I Part 18 (2/2)
Efter we had abiddin certane dayis in Striviling, the Erle of Argyle depairt.i.t to Glasgw; and becaus he was to depairt to his awin c.u.n.trey, (with wham also past Lord James,) to pacifie sum trubill quhilk, be the craft of the Quene, was rasit in his absens, he requyreit the Erle of Glencairne, Lord Boyde, Lord Uchiltre, and utheris of Kyle, to meit thair, for sum ordoure to be taikin, that the brethren sould not be oppressit; quhilk with ane consent thay did, and appoynt.i.t the tent of September for the nixt Conventioun at Striveling.
[SN: THE FIRST KNAWLEGE OF THE ESCHAIPING OF THE ERLE OF ARRANE OUT OF FRANCE.]
Quhill thir thingis war in doing at Glasgw, letteris and ane servand came fra the Erle of Arraine[881] to the Duik his father, signifeing unto him, that be the providence of G.o.d, he had eschaipit the Frensche Kyngis handis, quha maist treason abillie and maist crewellie had socht his lyfe, or at leist to have committ.i.t him to perpetuall presoun: [SN: LET THIS BE NOt.i.t.] for the same tyme, the said Frensche King, seing he could [not] have the Erle him self, gart put his youngar brother,[882]
ane bairne of sick aige as could not offend, in strait presoun, quhair he yitt remaneis, to witt, in the moneth of October, the yeir of G.o.d J^m. V^c. lix yeiris: quhilk thingis war done be the craft and policie of the Quene Dowager, quhat tyme the Duik and his freyndis war maist frack to sett fordwart hir caus. Thir letteris resavit, and the estait of his twa soneis knawin, of whame the ane was escaipit, and the uthir in vyle prea.s.soun ca.s.sin,[883] the Duke desyreit communing of the Erle of Argyle, quha, pairtlie against the will of sum that lovit him, raid unto the Duik fra Grlasgw to Hammiltoun; quhair, abyding ane nycht, he declairit his jugement to the Duik and to his freindis, especiallie to Maister Gawyne Hamyltoun. The Duik requyreit him and the Lord James to write thair freindlie and confortabill letteris to his sone, quhilk thay baith maist willinglie did, and thairefter addressit thame to thair jornay. Bot the verray day of thair depairting, came one Bowtencourt,[884] from the Quene Regent, with letteris, as was allegeit, from the Kyng and Quene of France to Lord James, whilk he delyverit with ane braggin countenance and many threatning wordis. The tennour of his letteris was this:--
”_Le Roy._
”My Cousing, I have bein greittumlie mervellitt, having understand the trubillis that ar happinnit in thir pairtis; and yit mair mervell that ye, of wham I had ane haill confidence, and alsua hes this honour to be sua neir the Quenis Grace, my wiffe, and hes resavit of umquhile the Kyngis Grace my father, hir Grace, and me, sick graceis and favouris, that ye sould be sa forgetfull as to mak youre self the heid, and ane of the princ.i.p.all begynnaris and nureischaris of the tumultis and seditiounis thar ar sene thair.
The quhilk, becaus it is sa strange as it is, and syne against the professioun that ye at all tymeis have maid, I can not gudlie beleif it; and gif it be sa, I can not think bot ye have bene entyseit and led thairto be sum personis that haif seduceit and caussit yow commit sic ane falt, as I am a.s.sureit ye repent of alreddy, quhilk will be ane greit emplesour[885] to me, to the effect I mycht lose ane pairt of the occasioun I have to be miscontent with yow, as I will yow to understand I am, seing sua far ye have dissavit the esperance I had of yow, and your effectioun towart G.o.d, and the weill of our service, unto the quhilk ye knaw ye ar als mekill and mair obleist nor ony uther of the Lordis thair. For this cause, desyrand that the materis mycht be dutelie[886] amendit, and knawand quhat ye may heirintill, I thocht gude on this maner to write unto yow, and pray yow to tak heid to returne to the guid way, from quhilk ye ar declyneit, and caus me knaw the samin be the effectis that ye have ane uther attentioun nor this quhilk thir folies bipast makis me now to beleif; doing all that ever ye can to reduce all thyngis to thair first estait, and put the samin to the rycht and gud obedience that ye knaw to be dew unto G.o.d and unto me: [SN: BRAGGIS NOW.[887]]
Utherwayis, ye may be weill a.s.sureit, that I will put to my hand, and that in gud eirnest, that ye and all thay have done, and dois as ye, sall[888] feill, (throw thair awin falt,) that quhilk thay have deservit and merit.i.t; evin as I have gevin charge to this Gentilman, present beirar, to mak yow knaw mair largelie of my pairt; for quhilk caus, I pray yow creddeit him, evin as ye wald do my selff. Prayand G.o.d, my Cousing, to haif yow in his holy and worthy protectioun.
”Writtin at Pareis, the xvij day of July 1559.”
The samyn messinger brocht alssua letteris frome the Quene our Soverane, mair scharp and threatning than the former; for hir conclusioun was, ”_Vous senteras la poincture a jamais_.”[889]
This creddeit was, ”That the Kyng wald spend the Croun of France, or that he war not revengeit upoun sick seditious personis. That he wald never have suspect.i.t sick in.o.bedience and sick defectioun frome his awin sister in him.” To the quhilk the said Lord James ansuerit, first by word, and than by writting, as followis:--
”SCHIR,
”My dewtie rememberit. Your Majestieis letter I resavit frome Pareis, the xvij of Julij last, proporting in effect, that your Majestie sould mervell that I, being forgetfull of the graceis and favouris schawing me be the King, of blissitt memorie, your Majestieis Father, and the Quenis Grace, my Soverane, sould declair my selff heid, and ane of the princ.i.p.all begynnaris of the allegeit tumultis and seditioun in thir pairtis, desaving thairby your Majestieis expectatioun at all tymis hard of me; with a.s.surance, that gif I did not declair by contrarie effectis my repentance, I, with the rest that had put, or yitt putis handis to that wark, sould resave the rewaird quhilk we had deservit and merit.i.t.
”Schir, it grevis me heavelie that the cryme of ingrat.i.tude sould be laid to my charge be your Hienes, and the rather that I persave the same to haif proceidit of sinister informatioun, of thame quhais pairt it was not sua to have report.i.t, gif trew service bigane had bene regairdit. And as tuiching the repentance, and declaratioun of the same be contrar effectis,[890] that your Majestic desyris I schaw, my conscience perswaidis me in thir proceidingis to have done na thing aganeis G.o.d, nor the debtfull[891] obedience towartis your Hienes and the Queneis Grace my Soverane, utherwayis it sould have bene to repent, and als amendit allreddy, according to your Majestieis expectatioun of me.
Bot your Hienes being treulie informeit, and perswaidit that the thyng quhilk we have done makis for the advancement of G.o.dis glorie, (as it dois in deid,) without ony maner derogatioun to your Majesteis dew obedience, we dowt not bot your Majestie sall be weill content.i.t with our proceidingis, quhilk being groundit upoun the commandiment of the eternall G.o.d, we dar [nocht] leif the samyn unaccompleischeit; onelie wisching and desyreing your Majestie did knaw the same, and treuth thairof, as it is perswaidit to our conscience, and all thame that ar treulie instruct.i.t in the eternall word of our G.o.d, upoun quham we cast our cair for all daingearis that may follow the accompleisment of his eternall will; and to quham we commend your Hienes, beseiking him to illuminat your hart with the evangell of his eternall trewth, to knaw your Majestieis dewtie towartis[892] your pure subjectis, G.o.dis chosin pepill, and quhat ye aucht to craif justlie of thame agane; for than we sould haif na occatioun to feir your Majestieis wraith and indignatioun, nor your Hienes suspitioun in our in.o.bedience. The samyn G.o.d mot[893] have youre Majestie in his eternall saifgard.
”At Dumbartane, the 12 of August 1559.”
This answer, direct.i.t to the Quene our Soverane, and to Francis hir husband, the Quene Dowager resavit, and was bold upoun it, as sche mycht weill yneuch; for it was suppoisit that the former letteris war forgeit heir at hame in Scotland. The answer red by hir, sche said, ”That sua proud ane answer was never gevin to King, Prince, or Princess.” And yitt indifferent men thocht that he mycht have answerit mair schairplie, and not have transgressit modestie nor treuth. For quhair thay burding him with the greit benefitis quhilk of thame he had resavit, gif in plane wordis he had purgeit him self, effirming, that the greitest benefit that ever he receavit of thame was to spend in thair service, that quhilk G.o.d be utheris had providit for him, na honest man wald have accusit him, and na man wald have bene abill to have convickit him of ane lye. Bot Princeis must be pardonit to speik quhat thay pleise.
[SN: THE RESIDENCE OF JOHNNE WILLOCK IN EDINBURGH.]
For confort of the brethren, and contynewance of the Kyrk in Edinburgh, was left thair our deir brother Johnne Willock, quha, for his faithfull laubouris and bald curage in that battell, deserves immortall prayse.
For quhan it was fund dangerous that Johnne Knox, quha befoir was elect.i.t Minister[894] to that Kyrk, sould contynew thair, the brethren requeist.i.t the said Johnne Willock to abyde with thame, least that, for laik of ministeris, idolatrie sould be erect.i.t up agane. To the quhilk he sua glaidlie consent.i.t, that it mycht evidentlie appeir, that he preferrit the confort of his brethren, and the contynewance of the Kirk thair, to his awin lyiff. One pairt of the Frensche men war appointt.i.t to ly in garnesoun at Leith, (that was the first benefit thai gat for thair confideracie with thame,) the uthir pairt war appoint.i.t to ly in the Cannogait; the Quene and hir tryne abydeing in the Abbay. Oure brother Johnne Willock, the day efter our departure, prechit in Sanct Geillis Kirk, and ferventlie exhort.i.t the brethren to stand constant in the trewth quhilk thay had professit. At this and sum uther sermondis was the Duke, and diverse utheris of the Queneis factioun. This libertie and preching, with resort of all pepill thairto, did hielie offend the Quene and the uther Papistis. And first thay began to gif terrouris to the Duke; affirmyng, that he wald he repute as ane of the Congregatioun, gif he gaif his presence to the sermondis. Thairefter thay begould[895]
to requyre that Messe sould be sett up agane in Sanct Geillis kirk, and that the pepill sould be sett at libertie to chuse what religioun thay wald; for that, say thay, was contenit in the Appointmentt, that the town of Edinburgh sould cheis quhat religioun thay list. For obtening heirof, was send to the Tolbuith,[896] the Duke, the Erle of Huntlie, and the Lord Seytoun, to solist all men to condiscend to the Quenis mynd; quhairin the twa last did laubour that thay could, the Duik not sa, bot as ane behalder, of quham the brethren had guid esperance. And efter many perswationis and threatningis maid be the saidis Erle and Lord, the brethren, stoutlie and valiantlie in the Lord Jesus, ganesaid thair maist injust pet.i.tionis, reasonyng, ”That as of conscience thay mycht nocht suffr idolatrie to be credit quhair Christ Jesus was treulie precheit, sua could nocht the Quene nor thay requyre any sick thyng, unless sche and thay wald plainlie violat thair faith and cheif article of the Appointment; for it is planelie appoint.i.t, That na member of the Congregatioun sall be molest.i.t in any thing that, the day of the Appointment, be peaceabillie possessit. Bot sua it was that we, the Brethren and Protestantis of the toun of Edinburgh, with oure ministeris, the day of the Appointment, did peaceabillie possess Sanct Geilis Kirk,[897] appoint.i.t for us for preching of Christis trew Evangell, and rycht ministratioun of his holy Sacramentis. Thairfoir, without manifest violatioun of the Appointment, ye can not remove us thairfra, quhill ane Parliament have decydit the contraversie.”
[SN: THE QUENE REGENTIS MALICE AGAINST PURE MEN.]
This answer gevin, the haill brethren depairt.i.t, and left the foirsaid Erle, and Lord Seytoun the Provest of Edinburgh, still in the Tolbuyth; quha persaving that thay could not prevaill in that maner, bot began to entreat that thay wald be quyett, and that thay wald sa far condiscend to the Quenis plesour, as that thay wald chuse thame ane uthir Kirk[898]
within the toun, or at the least be content.i.t that Messe sould be said ather efter or befoir thair sermonis. To the quhilk, ansuer was gevin, ”That to gif place to the Devill, (quha was the cheif inventar of the Messe,) for the plesour of ony creature, thay could not. Thay war in possessioun of that Kirk, quhilk thay could not abandone; nether could thay suffer idolatrie be erect.i.t in the samyn, unless be violence thay sould be constrancit sa to do; and than thay war determinit to seik the nixt remedy.” Quhilk ansuer resavit, the Erle of Huntlie did lovinglie intreat thame to quyetnes; faithfullie promissing that in na sort thay sould be molest.i.t, sa that thay wald be quyett, and mak na farther uproir. To the quhilk thay war maist willing; for thay socht onlie to serve G.o.d as he had commandit, and to keip thair possessioun, according to the Appointment; quhilk be G.o.ddis grace thay did till the moneth of November, nochtwithstanding the greit bosting of the ennemy. For thay did not onlie convene to the preching, dailie supplicatiounis, and administratioun of Baptisme, bot alssua the Lordis Tabill was ministratt, evin in the eyis of the verray ennemy, to the greit confort of mony afflict.i.t conscience. And as G.o.d did potentlie wirk with his trew Minister, and with his trubillit Kirk, so did nocht the Devill cease to enflamb the malice of the Quene, and of the Papistis with hir.
For schort efter hir c.u.ming to the Abbay of Halyrudhouse, sche caussit Messe to be said, first in hir awin Chapell, and efter in the Abbay, quhair the altaris befoir war ca.s.sin doun. Sche dischargit the Commoun Prayeris, and foirbad to gif ony portioun to sick as war the princ.i.p.all young men quha redd thame. Hir malice extendit in lik maner to Cambuskynneth;[899] for thair sche dischargeit the portionis of als many of the Channonis as had forsaikin Papistrie. Sche gaif command and inhibitioun, that the Abbot of Lundoris[900] sould be[901] ansuerit of any pairt of his leving in the North, becaus he had submit.i.t him self to the Congregatioun, and had put sum reformatioun to his place. Be hir consent and retrahibitioun[902] was the preching stuleis brokin in the Kirk of Leith, and idolatrie was erect.i.t in the samyn, quhair it was befoir suppressit. Hir Frensche Capitaneis, with thair suldiouris in greit companeis, in tyme of preching and prayeris, resort.i.t to Sanct Geillis Kirk in Edinburgh, and maid thair commune deambulatour thairin, with sick lowd talking, as na perfyte audience could be had; and althocht the Minister was ofttymes thairthrow compellit to cry out on thame, praying to G.o.d to red thame of sick locustis; thay nevirtheless continewit still in thair wickit purpoise, devisit and ordaneit be the Quene, to have drawin our brethren of Edinburgh and thame in c.u.mmer; swa that sche mycht have had ony cullorat occatioun to have brokin the liegue with thame. Yitt, be G.o.ddis grace, thay behaveit thame selfis swa, that sche could fynd na falt with thame; albeit in all thir thingis befoir nameit, and in every ane of thame, sche is worthelie compt.i.t to have contravenit the sayd Appointment. We pa.s.s over the oppressing done of oure brethren in particular, quhilk had bene sufficient to have provin the Appointment to have bene playne violat.i.t; for the Lord Seytoun, without ony occasioun offerrit unto him, brak a chaise upoun Alexander Quhitelaw,[903] as he came frome Prestoun, acc.u.mpaneit with Williame Knox,[904] towartis Edinburgh, and cea.s.sit not to persew him till he came to the toun of Ormestoun: And this he did, supposing that the said Alexander Quhitelaw had bene Johnne Knox. In all this menetyme, and quhill that ma Frensche men arryvit, thay ar not abill to pruif that we brak the Appointment in any jote, except that ane hoirnit capp was taikin of ane proud preistis heid, and cut in four quarteris,[905]
becaus he said he wald weir[906] it in dispyte of the Congregatioun.
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