Volume I Part 19 (2/2)
Indeid, hir Grace is, and lies bene at all tymes cairfull to procure be hir craft of fair wordis, fair promeissis, and sumtyme buddis, to allure your simplicitie to that poynt, to joyne your self to hir suldiouris, to dantoun and oppres us, that ye the remanent, (we being cut of,) may be ane easie pray to hir slychtis, quhilk G.o.d, of infinite gudnes, lies now discoveritt to the eyeis of all that list to behald. Bot credeit the warkis, (deir Brethren,) gif ye will not creddeit us; and lay the exampill of forane natiouns, yea, of your awin brethren, befoir your eyis and procure not your awin rewyne willinglie. Yff ye tender trew religioun, ye see how hir Grace beiris hir[self] plane ennemy thairto, and mentenis the tyrannie of thair idill bellies, the Bischopis, aganeis G.o.dis Kirk. Giff religioun be nott perswaidit unto yow, yit cast ye not away the cair ye aucht to have ower your commun-welth, quhilk ye see manifestlie and violentlie rewyneit befoir your eyis. Gif this will nott move yow, remember your deir wyffis, children, and posteratie, your ancient heretageis and houssis; and think weill thir strangearis will regaird na mair your rycht thairunto, than thay have done your brethrenis of Leyth, quhan ever occatioun sall serve. Bot gif ye purpoise, as we dout not bot that all thay that ather haif wit or manheid will declair and prove indeid, to bruik your ancient rowmeis and heretageis, conquerit maist valiantlie, and defendit be your maist n.o.bill progenitouris against all strangearis, invaidaris or the same, as the Frenscheis pretendis planelie this day; gif ye will not he slavis unto thame, and to have your liffis, your wiffis, your bairnes, your substance, and quhatsoever is deir unto yow, ca.s.sin at thair feitt, to be usit and abusit at the plesour of strange suldiouris, as ye see your brethrenis at this day befoir your eyeis; gif ye will not have experience sum day heirof in your awin personeis, (as we suppone the least of yow wald not glaidlie have, bot rather wald chuse with honour to die in defence of his awin natyve rowme, than leif and serve sa schamefull ane servitud;) than, Brethren, let us joyne our forceis, and baith with witt and manheid resist thir begynningis, or ellis our libertieis heirefter sall be deirar bocht. [SN: ANE PROVERB.] Lett us surelie[934] be perswaidit, 'Quhan our nychtbouris house be on fyre, that we duell nott without daingear.'[935] Lett na man withdraw himself heirfra: and gif any will be sa unhappy and myschevous, (as we suppone nane to be,) let us altogidder reput, hald, and use him, (as he is indeid,) for ane ennemy to us, and to him self, and to his commun-weill. The eternall and omnipotent G.o.d, the trew and onlie revengear of the oppressit, be oure confort and oure protectour against the fury and raige of the tyrantis of this warld; and especiallie frome the insaciabill covetousnes of the Guisianeis[936] generatioun. AMEN.”
Besydis this, our publict letter, sum men answerit certane heidis of hir proclamatioun on this maner:--
”Gyff it be seditious to speik the treuth in all sobrietie, and to complayne quhan thay ar woundit, or to call for help against unjust tyrannie befoir that thair throttis be cutt, than can we not deny, bot we ar criminall and giltie of tumult and seditioun. For we have said that our commun-wealth is oppressit, that we and our brethren ar hurt be the tyrrannie of strangearis, and that we feir bondage and slaverie, seing that mult.i.tudeis of cruell murtheraris ar daylie brocht in our c.u.n.trey, without our counsall, or knawlege and consent. We dispuit not sa mekill quhidder the bringing in of ma Frensche men be violating of the Appointment, (quhilk the Quene nor hir factioun can not deny to be manifestlie brokin be thame, in ma caisses than ane,) as that we wald knaw, gif the heipping of strangearis upoun strangearis above us, without our counsall or consent, be ane thing that may stand with the libertie of our realme, and with the proffitt of our commun wealth. It is not unknawin to all men of jugement, that the fruitis of our c.u.n.trey, in the maist commun yeiris, be na mair than sufficient rea.s.sonabill to nureis the borne inhabitantis of the same. Bot now, seing that we have bene vexit with weiris, taikin upoun us at the plesour of France, by the quhilk the maist fruttfull portioun of our c.u.n.trey in corneis hes bene waist.i.t; quhatt man is sa blynd bot that he may see, that sic bandis of unG.o.dlie and idill suldiouris can be na thing ellis bot ane occatioun to fameis our pure brethren? and in this poynt we refuise nott, (quhilk is the cheif,) the jugement of all naturall Scottis men.”
The Quene Regent allegeit, ”That althocht thair war ane hundreith Frensche men for ane in Scotland, yitt sche is not myndit to trubill any in his just possessioun.” Quhairto we answer, ”That we disput not quhat sche intendis, (quhilk nochttheless, be probabill conjectouris, is to be suspect.i.t;) bot alwayis we affirme, that sick ane mult.i.tude of Frensche men is ane burding, not onlie unproffitabill, bot alssua intollerabill to this pure realme, especiallie being intreat.i.t as thay ar be hir and Monsieur Dosell; for gif thair waigeis be payit out of France, than ar thay baith (the Quene, we say, and Monsieur Dosell,) traytouris to the Kyng and Counsall; for the pure communis of this realme have sustenit thame with the sweit of thair browis, sence the contracting of the peace, and sumquhat befoir.
”Quhat motherlie effectioun sche hes declairit to this realme, and to the inhabitantis of the same, hir warkis have evidentlie declairit, evin sence the first houre that sche hes borne authoritie; and albeit men will not this day see quhat daingear hyngis over thair heidis, yitt feir we, that or it be long, experience sall teich sum that we feir not without cause. The crewell murthar and oppressioun usit be thame quham now sche fosteris, is till us ane sufficient argument, quhatt is to be luikit for, quhan hir nomber is sa multipleit, that oure force sall not be abill to gainestand thair tyranie.
[SN: THE DOCTRINE OF OUR PRECHARIS CONCERNING OBEDIENCE TO BE GEVIN TO MAGISTRATTIS.[937]]
”Quhair sche complenis of our Prechearis, affirmyng that irreverentlie thay speik of Princeis in generall, and of hir in particular, induceing the pepill thairby to defectioun frome thair dewatie, &c., and thairfor that sick thing can nott be sufferit: Becaus this occatioun is had aganis[938] G.o.dis trew Ministeris, we can not bot witnes quhat tred and ordour of doctrine thay have keipitt and yitt keip in that poynt. In publict prayeris thay commend to G.o.d all Princeis in generall, and the Magistrattis of this our natyve realme in particular. In oppin audience thay declair the auctoratie of Princeis and Magistratis to be of G.o.d; and thairfoir thay affirme, that thay aucht to be honourit, feirit, obeyit, evin for conscience saik; providit that thay command nor requyre nathing expreslie repugning to G.o.dis commandiment and plane will, reveillit in his holy worde. Mairover, thay affirme, that gif wickit personeis, abusing the auctoratie estableischet be G.o.d, command thingis manifestlie wickit, that sick as may and do brydill thair inordinatt appetyteis of Princeis, can not be accusit as resistaris of the aucthoratie, quhilk is G.o.dis gud ordinance. To brydill the fury and raige of Princeis in free kingdomes and realmeis, thay affirme it appertenis to the n.o.bilitie, sworne and borne Counsallouris of the same, and allsua to the Barronis and Pepill, quhais voteis and consent ar to be requyreit in all greit and wechty materis of the commun-welth. Quhilk gif thay do not, thay declair thame selffis criminall with thair Princeis, and sa subject to the same vengeance of G.o.d, quhilk thay deserve, for that thay pollute the sait of justice, and do, as it war, mak G.o.d author of iniquytie. Thay proclame and thay cry, that the same G.o.d quha plaigit Pharoo, repulsit Senacherib, struik Herod with wormes, and maid the bellies of dogis the grave and sepulchrie of despytefull Jesabell, will nott spair the crewell Princeis, murtheraris of Chrystis memberis in this our tyme. On this maner thay speik of Princeis in generall, and of youre Grace in particular. [SN: LETT SICK AS THIS DAY LEIF WITNES QUHAT G.o.d HES WROCHT SINCE THE WRYTTING AND PUBLICATIOUN HEIROF.[939]] This onlie we have hard ane of oure Prechearis say, rebuiking the vane excuise of sick as flatter thame selffis, be rea.s.sone of the auctoratie; 'Many now a dayis, (said he,) will have na uther religioun nor faith than the Quene and the authoratie hes.'[940] Bot is it [not] posseble, that the Quene be sa far blyndit that sche will haif na religioun, nor na uther fayth, than may content to the Cardinall of Lorane? and may it nott lykwyise be abill, that the Cardinall be sua corrupt, that he will admitt na religioun quhilk dois nott establische the Paip in his kingdome: Bot plane it is, that the Paip is lievetenent to Sathan, and ennemy to Chryst Jesus, and to his perfyte religioun. Lett men thairfoir considder quhat daingear thay stand in, gif thair salvatioun sall depend upoun the Queneis faith and religioun. Farder we have never hard any of oure Prechearis speik of the Quene Regent, nether publictlie nor privatlie. Quhair hir Grace declairis, 'It will nocht be sufferit that oure prechearis mell with policie, nor speik of hir nor of uther Princeis bot with reverence,' we answer, 'That as we will justifie and defend nathing in oure prechearis, quhilk we fynd not G.o.d to have justifeit and allowit in his messingeris befoir thame; sua dar we not forbid thame oppinlie to reprehend that quhilk the Spreit of G.o.d, speiking in the Propheitis and [SN: THE PROPHETTIS HAIF MIDDILLIT WITH POLICEY, AND HIS REPROVIT THE CORRUPTIOUN THAIROF.] Apostillis, hes reprehendit befoir thame. Helias did personallie reprove Achab and Jesabell of idolatrie, of avarice, of murther; and sicklik Esaias the Propheit callitt the magistrattis of Jerusalem in his tymeis companzeounis to thevis, princeis of Sodome, brybe-takeris, and murtheraris: He complenit that thair silver was turnit in to dross, that thair wyne was myngleit with watter, and that justice was bocht and sauld. Jeremias said, 'That the baneis of King Jehoiakim sould widder with the sone.' Christ Jesus callit Herod a fox; and Paul callit the Hie Preist ane paynt.i.t wall, and prayit unto G.o.d that he sould strike him, because that against justice he commandit him to be smyttin. Now gif the lyk or greittar corruptiounis be in the warld this day, quha dar interprise to put silence to the Spreit of G.o.d, quhilk [will] not be subject[941] to the appetyteis of wickit Princeis?”
[SN: THE c.u.mING OF THE ERLE OF ARRANE TO SCOTLAND, AND HIS JOYNING WITH THE CONGREGATIOUN.[942]]
We have befoir said, that the tent day of September was appoint.i.t for ane Conventioun to be haldin at Striveling, to the quhilk repairit the maist pairt of the Lordis of the Congregatioun. At that same tyme arryvitt the Erle of Arrane, quha, efter that he had salut.i.t his Father, came with the Erie of Ergyle and Lord James to Striviling to the said Conventioun. In quhilk diverse G.o.dlie men complenit upoun the tyrranie usit against thair brethren, and especiallie that ma Frensche men wer brocht in to oppress thair c.u.n.trey. Efter the consultatioun of certane dayis, the princ.i.p.all Lordis, with my Lord of Arrane and Erie of Ergyle, past to Hammyltoun, for consultatioun to be taikin with my Lord Duikis Grace. And in this menetyme came a.s.sureit word that the Frensche men war begun to fortifie Leith; quhilk thing, as it did mair evidentlie discover[943] the Queneis craft, sua did deiplie greiff the hartis of the haill n.o.bilitie thair, quha, with ane consentt, aggreit to write unto the Quene, in forme as followis:--
[SN: LETTERIS TO THE QUENE REGENT.]
”At Hammyltoun, the xix[944] day of September 1559.
”Pleise Your Grace,
”We ar credibillie informeit, that your army of Frensche men sould instantlie begin to plant in Leith, to fortifie the same, of mynd to expell the ancient inhabitants thairof, our brethren of the Congregatioun; quhairof we marvell not a littill, that your Grace sould sua manifestlie brek the Appointment maid at Leith, but ony provocatioun maid be us and our brethren. And seing the samyn is done without ony maner consent of the n.o.bilitie and Counsale of this realme, we esteme the same nocht onlie oppressioun of our pure brethren, indwellaris of the said town, bot allsua verray prejudiciall to the commun-wealth, and playne contrair to oure ancient lawis and libertieis: Heirfoir desyreis your Grace to caus the samyn warke interprysit, be stayit; and nott to attempt sua raschlie and manifestlie against your Graceis promeis, against the commun-wealth, the ancient lawis and libertieis thairof, (quhilk thingis, besyde the glorie of G.o.d, ar maist deir and tender unto us, and onlie our pretence;) utherwayis, a.s.suring your Grace, we will complayne to the haill n.o.bilitie and Communitie of this realme, and maist eirnistlie seik for redress thairof. And thus, recommending oure humyll service unto youre Hienes, your Graceis answer maist eirnistlie we desire, quham we committ to the eternall protectioun of G.o.d.
”At Hammyltoun, day and yeir forsaid. Be youre Graceis humyll and obedient Servitouris.”
(This letter was subscrivit with the handis of my Lord Duik, the Erie of Arrane, Argyle, Glencairne, and Menteith; be the Lordis Ruthwen, Uchiltre, Boyd, and by utheris diverse, Barronis and Gentilmen.)--To this requeist sche wald nott answer be writt, bot with ane letter of creddeit sche send Sir Robert Carnegy[945] and Maister David Boirthick,[946] tua, quham amangis many utheris, sche abusit, and by quham sche corrupt.i.t the hartis of the sempill. They travellit with the Duik, to bring him agane to the Queneis factioun. La Broche and the Bischop of Amiance were schort befoir arryvit; and, as it was brut.i.t, war direct.i.t as amba.s.sadouris; bot thay keipitt cloise thair haill commissioun: Thay onlie maid large promeisses to thame that wald be thairis, and leif the Congregatioun. The Quene did grevouslie complayne, that we haid intelligence with Ingland. [SN: THE PEt.i.tIOUN OF LABROCHE.] The conclusioun of thair commissioun was to solist my Lord Duike to put all in the Queneis will, and than wald sche be gratious aneuch. [SN: THE ANSWER.] It was answerit, ”That na honest men durst committ thame selfis to the mercie of sick thrott-cuttaris[947] as sche had about hir; quham, gif sche wald remove, and joyne to hir ane Counsall of naturall Scottismen, permitting the religioun to have fre pa.s.sage, than sould nane in Scotland be mair willing to serve hir Grace than sould the Lordis and Brethren of the Congregatioun be.”
[SN: LETTER TO THE LORD ERSKIN.]
At the same tyme, the Duik his Grace and the Lordis wrait to my Lord Erskin, Capitane of Castell of Edinburgh, in forme as followis:
”MY LORD AND COUSING,
”Efter oure hartlie commendatioun, this present is to adverteise yow, that we ar credibillie informeit, the army of Frensche men instantlie in this realme, but ony avise of the Counsale of n.o.bilitie, ar fortifieand, of ellis schortlie intendis to fortifie the town of Leith, and expell the ancient inhabitantis thairof; quhairby thay proclame to all that will oppin thair eiris to heir, or ene to se, quhat is thair pretence. And seing the faithfulnes of youre antecessouris, and especiallie of your Father, of honorabill memorie, was sa recommendit and experiment.i.t to the Estaitis and Counsallouris of this realme, throwch affectioun thay persawit in him towartis the commun-wealth thairof, that thay doubt.i.t not to gif in his keiping the key, as it war, of the Counsall, the Justice, and Policey of this realme, the Castellis of Edinburgh and Striveling;[948] we can not bot beleif ye will rather augment the honorabill favoure of your housse, be steidfast favour and lawtie to your commun-wealth, than throuch the subtell persuatioun of sum, (quhilk cair not quhat efter sail c.u.m of yow and your house,) at the present wald abuse yow, to the performance of thair wickit interprysis and pretensis against oure commun-wealth, utterlie to destroy the same. And heirfoir, seing that we haif writtin to the Queneis Grace, to desist fra that interpryse, utherwise that we will complane to the n.o.bilitie and Communitie of the realme, and seik redress thairof. We lykwise beseik yow, as our tender freynd, brother, and member of the same commun-wealth with us, that ye on na wayis mell or a.s.sent to that unG.o.dlie interpryise aganeis the commun-wealth; and lykwyise, that ye wald saif your body, and the jewell of this countrey commit.i.t to yow and your predicessouris lawtie and fidelitie toward youre natyve countrey and commun-wealth, gif ye think to be repute heirefter ane of the samyn, and wald rather be brother to us, nor to strangers; for we do gather by the effectis, the secreitis of menis hartis, utherwayis inserceabill unto us. This we write, nott that we ar in dout of yow, bot rather to wairne yow of the daingear, in caise ye thoill your self to be enchant.i.t with fair promeissis and craftie counsalouris. For lett na man flatter him selff: We desyre all man [to] knaw, that thocht he war our father, (sen G.o.d hes oppinnit oure eyes to se his will,) be he ennemy to the commun-wealth, quhilk now is a.s.sailzeit, and we with it, and all trew memberis thairof, he sall be knawin (and as he is in deid) ennemy to us, to oure lyvis, housses, babis, heretageis, and quhat sumevir is contenit within the same. For as the schip perischeing, quhat can be saif that is within?[949] Sua the commun-wealth being betrayit, quhat particular member can leif in quyetnes? And thairfoir in sa far as the saidis Castellis ar commit.i.t to your credeitt, we desyre yow to schaw youre faithfulnes and stoutnes, as ye tender us, and quhatsumevir appertenis to us. And seing we ar a.s.sureit ye will be a.s.sailzeit bayth with craft and force, as now be wairnyng we help yow against the first, sua against the last ye sall not myss in all possibill haist to have oure a.s.sistance. Onlie schaw your selff the man. Saiff your persone by wisdome, strenth your selff against force, and the Almychtie G.o.d a.s.sist yow in baith the ane and the uther, and oppin youre eyis[950] understanding, to see and persaif the craft of Sathan and his suppoistis.
”At Hammyltoun, the xix day[951] of September 1559. Be your Brethren, &c.”
[SN: THE TYRRANNY OF THE FRENSCHE.]
The Duike and Lordis understanding that the fortificatioun of Leith proceidit, appoint.i.t thair haill forceis to convene at Striviling the xv day of October, that frome thence thai mycht marche fordwart to Edinburgh, for the redress of the greit enormyteis quhilk the Frensche did to the haill c.u.n.trey, quhilk be thame was sua oppressitt that the lyfe of all honest man[952] was bitter unto him.
In this meintyme, the Lordis direct.i.t thair letteris to diverse pairtis of the c.u.n.trey, makand mentioun quhat dangear did hing ower all men, giff the Frensche sould be sufferit to plant in this c.u.n.trey at thair plesoure. Thay maid mentioun farder, how humblie thay had socht the Queue Regent, that sche wald send away to France hir Frensche men, quha war ane burding unproffitable and grevous to thair commun-wealth; and how that sche nochtwithstanding did daylie augment hir nomber, brynging wyffis and bairneis; a declaratioun of ane plane conqueist, &c.
The Quene, than Regent, perseving that hir crafte began to be espiit, be all meaneis possebill travellit to blynd the pepill. And first, sche send furth hir pestilent postis foirnameit in all pairtis of the c.u.n.trey, to perswaid all man that sche offerit all thingis rea.s.sonabill to the Congregatioun; and that thay refusing all rea.s.soun, pretendit na religioun, bot ane plane revolt frome the Authoratie. Sche tempt.i.t every man in particular, alse weill thay that war of the Congregatioun, as thame that war neutrallis. Sche a.s.sault.i.t everie man, as sche thocht maist easelie he mycht have bene ovirc.u.m. To the Lord Ruthven sche send the Justice Clerk and his wiff, quhn, is dochter to the wife[953] of the said Lord. Quhat was thair commissioun and creddeit, is na farther knawin than the said Lord hes confessit, quhilk is, that large promeisses of proffitt was offerrit, gif he wald leiff the Congregatioun and be the Queneis. To Lord James, Priour of Sanctandrois, was send Maister Johnne Spense of Condy, with ane letter and creddeit, as followis:--
”THE MEMORIALL OF MAISTER JOHNNE SPENSE OF CONDY,[954]
THE THRETTY DAY OF SEPTEMBER.
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