Volume I Part 20 (2/2)
”JOHN KNOX.
”_Postscriptum._--G.o.d move your harte[988] yitt in tyme to considder, that ye feght nott against man, bot against the eternall G.o.d, and against his Sone Jesus Christ, the onlie Prince of the kingis of the earth.”
At whiche answer, the said Maister Robert was so offended, that he wald nott deliver his letteris, saying, ”That we wer unG.o.dlie and injuriouse to the Quene Regent yf we suspected any craft in hir.” To the whiche it was answered, by one of the preacheouris, ”That tyme should declair, whitther he or thei war deceaved. Yff sche should nott declair hir self ennemye to the trew religioun whiche thei professed, yf ever sche had the upper hand, then thei wald be content to confesse that thei had suspected her sinceritie without just cause. Bot and yf sche should declair her malice no less in tymes c.u.ming than sche had done befoir, thei required that he should be more moderat then to dampne thame whose conscience he knew nott.” And this was the end of the travaill for that tyme, after that he had trubled the conscience of many G.o.dlie and qwiet personis. For he and other who war her hyred postes, cea.s.sed nott to blaw in the earis of all man, that the Quene wes hevelie done to; that sche required nothing bot obedience to her Doghtter; that sche was content that the trew religioun should go fordwarde, and that all abuses should be abolished; and be this meane thei broght a gruge and divisioun amang our selfis. For many (and our brethrene of Lowthiane especiallie) began to murmur, that we soght another thing than religioun, and so cea.s.sed to a.s.sist us certane dayis, after that we wer c.u.med to Edinburgh, whiche we did according to the former diet, the 16 day of October. This grudge and truble amangis our selfis was not reased by the foirsaid Maister Robert[989] onlye, bot by those pestilentis whome befoir we have expressed, and Maister James Balfour especiallie, whose vennemouse tounges against G.o.d and his trew religioun, as thei deserve punishement of men, so shall thei not escheap G.o.dis vengeance, onless that spedelie thei reapent.
[SN: THE SECOUND ADMONITIOUN TO THE QUENE REGENT.]
After our c.u.ming to Edinburgh the day foirnamed, we a.s.sembled in counsall, and determined to geve new advertis.e.m.e.nt to the Quenis Grace Regent, of our Conventioun, and in suche sorte; and so with commoun consent we send unto her our requeast, as followis:--
”[MADAME,][990]
”It will pleise your Grace reduce to your remembrance, how at our last Conventioun at Hammyltoun, we required your Hienes, in our maist humbill maner, to desist from the fortifeing of this town of Leyth, then interprysed and begone, quhilk appeared to us (and yitt does) ane entree to ane conqueist, and overthrow to our liberties, and altogidder against the lawis and custumes of this realme,[991]
seing it was begune, and yit continewis, without any advise and consent of the n.o.bilitie and Counsall of this realme. Quhaifoir now, as of befoir, according to our dewitie to our commoun-wealth, we most humelie requyre your Grace to caus your strangearis and soldiouris whatsumever to departe of the said town of Leyth, and maik the same patent, not onlye to the inhabitantis, bot also to all Scottishmen, our Soverane Ladyes liegis. a.s.sureand your Hienes, that yf, refusand the samyn, ye declair thairby your evill mynd toward the commoun-weill and libertie of this realme, we will (as of befoir) mene and declair the caus unto the haill n.o.bilitie and communaltie of this realme; and according to the oath quhilk we have sworne for the mantenance of the commoun-weall, in all maner of thingis to us possible, we will provid reamedy: thairfoir requyring most humblie your Grace answer in haist with the berar, becaus in our eyis the act continewallie proceadis, declaring ane determinatioun of conquest, quhilk is presumed of all men, and not without caus. And thus, after our humill commendatioun of service, we pray Almychttie G.o.d to have your Grace in his eternall tuitioun.”
These our letteris receaved, our messinger was threatned, and withholdin a whole day. Thairefter he was dismissed, without ony other answer bot that sche wald send ane answer when sche thocht expedient.
In this meantyme, becaus the rumour cea.s.sed nott, that the Duke his Grace usurped the Authoritie, he was compelled, with the sound of trumpete, at the Mercat Croce of Edinburgh, to maik his purgatioun, in forme as followis, the xix day of October:
[SN: THE DUIK LONG BEFOIR FALSLIE ACCUSED OF USURPATIOUN.[992]]
THE PURGATIOUN OF THE DUIK.
”Forsamekle as my Lord Duik of Chastellerault, understanding the fals reporte maid be the Quene Regent against him, that he and his sone, my Lord of Arrane, should pretend usurpatioun of the Croune and Authoritie of this realme, when in verray deid he nor his said sone never anis mynded sic thingis, bott allanerlie in simplicitie of heart, movit partlie be the violent persute of the religioun and trew professouris thairof, partlie by compa.s.sioun of the commoun-wealth and poore communitie of this realme, oppressed with strangearis, he joyned him self with the rest of the n.o.bilitie, with all hasard, to supporte the commoun caus of that ane and of that uther; hes thoght expedient to purge him self and his said Sone, in presence of yow all, as he had done in presence of the Counsall, of that same cryme, of auld, evin be summondis, laid to his charge the secound year of the regne of our Soverane Lady.
Quhilk malice hes continewed ever against him, maist innocent of that cryme, as your experience bearis witness; and planelie protestis, that neather he nor his said Sone suittis and seikis any pre-eminence,[993] eather to the Croune or Authoritie, bot als far as his puissance may extend, is readdy, and ever shalbe, to concur with the rest of the n.o.bilitie his brethren, and all otheris whais hartis ar tweichet to manteane the commoun caus of religioun and liberty of thair native c.u.n.trey, planelie invaded be the said Regent and hir said soldiouris, wha onlye does forge sick vane reportis to withdraw the heartis of trew Scottis.e.m.e.n from the succour thai aught of bound dewitie to thair commoun-weall opprest.
Quharefoir [he] exhortis all men that will manteane the trew religioun of G.o.d, or withstand this oppressioun or plane conquest, interprysed be strangearis upoun our native Scottis.e.m.e.n, nott to credyte sick fals and untrew reportis, bot rather concurr with us and the rest of the n.o.bilitie, to sett your countree at libertie, expelling strangearis thairfra; whiche doing, ye shall schaw your self obedient to the ordinance of G.o.d, whiche was establisshed for mantenance of the commoun-weall, and trew members of the same.”
The xxi day of October, cam fra the Quene then Regent Maister Robert Forman,[994] Lyoun King of Armes, who broght unto us ane writting in this tennour and credit:--
”Eftir commendatioun: We have receavit your letter of Edinburgh the xix of this instant, whiche appeared to us rather to have c.u.mit fra ane Prince to his subjectis, nor fra subjectis to thame that bearis authoritie: For answer whairof, we have presentlie directed unto yow this berar, Lyon Herald King of Armes, sufficientlie instructed with our mynd, to whome ye shall geve credence.
”At Leyth, the 21 of October 1559.
(_Sic subscribitur_,) ”MARIE R.”
[SN: LETT THIS BE NOTED, AND LEFT ALL MEN JUDGE OF THE PURPOSE OF THE FRENCHE.]
His Credit is this:--
”That sche woundered how any durst presume to command her in that realme, whiche neaded not to be conquest by any force, considering that it was allready conqueissed by marriage; that Frenche men could nott be justlie called strangearis, seing that thei war naturalized; and thairfoir that sche wald neather maik that Toun patent, neather yitt send any man away, bot as sche thocht expedient. Sche accused the Duik of violating his promeise: Sche maid long protestatioun of her love towardis the commoun-wealth of Scotland; and in the end commanded, that under pane of trea.s.sone, all a.s.sistaris to the Duke and unto us, should departe from the toune of Edinburgh.”[995]
This answer receaved, credite heard, preconceaved malice sufficientlie espyed, consultatioun was tacken what was expedient to be done. And for the first it was concluded, that the Herauld should be stayed till farder determinatioun should be tacken.
[SN: THE ORDOUR OF THE SUSPENSIOUN OF THE QUEIN REGENT, FROM AUTHORITIE WITHIN SCOTLAND.]
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