Volume I Part 46 (2/2)
[350] In MS. G, ”thay thrist in.”
[351] John Kynneir of Kynneir, in the parish of Kilmany, in Fife. He was served heir to his father David Kynneir _de eodem_, in the lands and barony of Kynneir, 30th July 1543.--(Retours, Fife, No. 2.)
[352] In Vautr. edit., MSS. G, A, &c., ”I shall ende my lyfe.”
[353] John Erskine of Dun, near Montrose, a zealous and consistent friend of the Reformation. After the establishment of the Reformation, in July 1560, although a layman, he was admitted to the office of Superintendent of Angus and Mearns.
[354] In MS. G, ”with money siches and deip grones, he plat doun.” In Vautr. edit. ”he fell upon.”
[355] In MS. G, ”keape-stone:” Vautr. edit. has ”keepe stone.”
[356] The words following ”to meitt him,” are a subsequent marginal addition by the author.
[357] In MS. G, ”and this the fyftein day befoir Yuill.” Vautr. reads, ”the xv day before Christmas.”
[358] That is, Alexander Crichton of Brunstone, Hugh Douglas of Long-Niddry, and John c.o.c.kburn of Ormiston.--As there are two places of the name of Brunstone in Mid-Lothian, it may be proper to notice, that it must have been the old Castle now in ruins, in the parish of Pennycuik, where Wishart occasionally resided, and not the house of that name, at the eastern extremity of Libberton parish, which was built, or afterwards belonged to the Lauderdale family. See a subsequent note respecting the Crichtons of Brunstone.
[359] Or Inveresk, six miles from Edinburgh.
[360] Sir George Douglas of Pittendreich, was a younger son of George, Master of Angus, who was killed at Floddon in 1513, and brother of Archibald, seventh Earl of Angus. ”He was, (says Sir Walter Scott,) a man of spirit and talents; shared with his brother in the power which he possessed during the minority of James V.; was banished with him, and almost all the name of Douglas, into England, where they remained till the death of the King; and were then sent by Henry back to their native country, along with the Solway prisoners, in order to strengthen the English party in Scotland.”--(Sadler's Papers, vol. i. p. 66, note.) His name appears on the 1st of April 1549, as an Extraordinary Lord of Session, which disproves the account in Douglas's Peerage of his having been killed at Pinkie, in September 1547. Having predeceased his brother, his eldest son, in 1556, became eighth Earl of Angus.
[361] In MS. G, ”audience.”
[362] In MS. G, ”auditors.”
[363] David Forres, or Forrest, is several times mentioned by Knox: he afterwards held the office of General of the Conzie House or Mint.
[364] Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington: see note 254.--The house of Lethington, being a ma.s.sive old tower, with some modern additions, and now called Lennox Love, is rather more than a mile to the south of Haddington.
[365] This is the first occasion on which Knox introduces himself.
[366] In MS. G, the words after ”world,” are omitted.
[367] Clerk Plays was another name for those dramatic entertainments, which in France and England were known under the t.i.tle of _Mysteries_, and which were usually founded on some pa.s.sage of Scripture.
[368] Long-Niddry is situated in the parish of Gladsmuir, East-Lothian, about four miles from Tranent, near the sh.o.r.e of the Firth.
[369] In MS. G, ”mirrelie.”
[370] These lines occur in a metrical version of some of the Psalms, visually, and no doubt correctly, attributed to John Wedderburn, Vicar of Dundee. Whether there was any printed edition so early as 1546, cannot be ascertained; but there was a large impression (1034 copies) of what was culled ”the Dundee Psalms,” printed in Scotland before 1603, in the stock of Robert Smyth, bookseller in Edinburgh.--(Bannatyne Miscellany, vol. ii. pp. 189, 234.) The collection of Psalms and Sacred Poems, known by the t.i.tle of ”The Gude and G.o.dly Ballates,” may have been the Psalms alluded to; and of this collection there still exist one copy at least of editions printed at Edinburgh, by John Ross, in 1578; by Robert Smyth, in 1600; and again by Andre Hart, in 1621.
In this collection is found the version of the 51st Psalm, mentioned by Knox as having been sung by Wishart. It extends to 40 verses: the first four may serve as a specimen. The reader may consult Calderwood's History, vol. i. pp. 141-143, for an interesting account of the family of James Wedderburn, merchant in Dundee, his eldest son James, and another son, as well as John the translator of the Psalms, having distinguished themselves by their ”good gifts of poesie.”
_Miserere mei Deus._ PSAL. 51.
Have mercy on me, G.o.d of might, Of mercy Lord and King; For thy mercy is set full right Above all eirdly thing.
Therefore I cry baith day and night, And with my hert sail sing: To thy mercy with thee will I go.
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