Volume II Part 14 (2/2)
or ”cleave to.”
THIE ACTIS AND ARTICLES WAR RED[262] IN FACE OF PARLIAMENT, AND RATIFIED BE THE THRE ESTAITIS OF THIS REALME, AT EDINBURGH, THE SEVINTENE DAY OF AUGUST,[263] THE YEAR OF G.o.d J^M. V^C. AND THRESCOIR YEARIS.
[262] In the Acts 1560 and 1567, ”ar red.”
[263] In the MSS. of Knox, and in Vautrollier's edition, the erroneous date, 17th July, is given instead of the 17th August, as the day when the Confession of Faith was ratified by Parliament. The same mistake occurs in the rare edition of the Confession, printed at Edinburgh by John Scott, 1561, 4to.--See Herbert's Typographical Antiquities, vol.
iii. p. 1817.
[Sidenote: THE ERLE MERSCh.e.l.lIS VOTE IN PARLIAMENT]
THIS oure CONFESSIOUN was publictlie red, first in audience of the Lordis of Articles, and after in audience of the haill Parliament; whair war present, not onlie suche as professed Christ Jesus, but also a great number of the adversaries of our religioun, suche as the foirnamed Bishoppis, and some others of the Temporall Estate, who war commanded in G.o.ddis name to object, yf thei could, any thing against that doctrine. Some of our Ministeris war present, standing upoun thair feit, reddye to have ansuered, in caise any wald haif defended the Papistrie, and impugned oure affirmatives: but whill that no objectioun was maid, thair was a day appointed to voting in that and other headis. Oure Confessioun was redd, everie article by itself, over agane, as thei war wryttin in ordour, and the vottis of everie man war requyred accordinglie. Of the Temporall Estate onlie voted in the contrair, the Erle of Atholl,[264] the Lordis Somervaill[265] and Borthwik;[266] and yit for thair disa.s.senting thei produced no bettir rea.s.sone, but, ”We will beleve as oure fatheris beleved.” The Bischoppis, (Papisticall, we meane,) s.p.a.ck nothing. The rest of the haill thre Estaittis, by thair publict votes, affirmed the doctrine; and many, the rather, becaus that the Bischoppis wold nor durst say nothing in the contrair; for this was the vote of the Erle Mersch.e.l.l,[267]--”It is long since I have had some favour unto the trewth, and since that I have had a suspitioun of the Papisticall religioun; but, I praise my G.o.d, this day hes fully resolved me in the one and the other. For seing that my Lordis Bischoppis, who for thair learing can, and for the zeall that thei should bear to the veritie, wold, as I suppose, ganesay any thing that directlie repugnes to the veritie of G.o.d; seing, I say, my Lordis Bischoppis heir present speakis nothing in the contrair of the doctrine proponed, I can nott but hold it to be the verie trewth of G.o.d, and the contrarie to be deceavable doctrine. And thairfoir, so far as in me lyeth, I approve the one and dampne the other: And do farther ask of G.o.d, that not onlie I, but also all my posteritie, may enjoy the comforte of the doctrin that this day our earis have hearde. And yitt more, I man vote, as it war by way of protestatioun, that yf any persones ecclesiasticall shall after this oppone thame selfis to this our Confessioun, that thei have no place nor credite, considdering that thei having long advis.e.m.e.nt, and full knawledge of this oure Confessioun, none is now found in lauchfull, free, and quyete Parliament to oppone thame selfis to that whiche we professe: And thairfoir, yf any of this gencratioun pretend to do it after this, I protest he be repute rather one that loveth his awin commoditie and the glorie of the world, than the trewth of G.o.d, and the salvatioun of menis saullis.”
[264] John Stewart, fourth Earl of Atholl. He succeeded his father in 1542. He enjoyed the favour of Queen Mary, and promoted her marriage with Darnley. He afterwards joined in the a.s.sociation, and signed the warrant for the Queen's custody in Loch-Leven. In 1577, he became Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and died 24th April 1579.
[265] James sixth Lord Somerville, succeeded to the t.i.tle in 1550.
From Sadler's Correspondence it appears he was in England in 1543, as a hostage for his father, who had been taken prisoner at Solway.
(State Papers, vol. i. pp. 182, 348.) His name occurs as signing the Bond in April 1560: (see page 63.) It may be questioned, therefore, whether Knox is quite correct in the names of the persons whom he mentions as having openly opposed the Confession in Parliament. See in the Appendix an extract from Randolph the English envoy's letter to Sir William Cecil, on the 19th of August, in which he says, ”of the Temporal Lords, the Earl of Ca.s.sillis, and the Earl of Caithness, said Noe; the rest of the Lords, with common consent, allowed the same.”
(Tytler's Hist. of Scotland, vol. vi. p. 184, note.) Lord Sommerville, who continued his adherence to the Queen's party, at the battle of Langsyde, in May 1568, was severely wounded; and he died in the month of December following.
[266] John fifth Lord Borthwick, in 1543, was served heir of his father, William fourth Lord Borthwick, (his elder brother, the Master of Borthwick, having died without issue.) He a.s.sisted the Queen Regent in her contests with the Lords of the Congregation, and died in 1565.
[267] William Keith, fourth Earl Marischall, who succeeded his grandfather in 1530. In 1541 he was appointed Extraordinary Lord of Session. See vol. i. p. 251. note 2. He died 7th October 1581, having spent many of his latter years in retirement, in his Castle of Dunnottar.
After the voting and ratificatioun of this oure Confessioun, by the haill body of the Parliament, thair war also p.r.o.nunced two Actis, the one against the Ma.s.se and the abuse of the Sacramentis, and the other against the Supreamacye of the Pape;[268] the tenouris whairof followis:--
[268] The Acts referred to were renewed in the Parliament, held by the Regent Earl of Murray, in December 1567. There was likewise another Act annulling all former Acts made for the maintenance of Idolatry, or ”contrary to the Confession of Fayth, published in this Parliament.”
It was only by such ratifications that any proceedings of the Parliament in 1560 were recorded. The Acts alluded to were republished in a separate form, along with some of a subsequent date, connected with Religion.--1st, in an edition ”Imprint.i.t at Edinburgh, be Johne Ros, Anno Do. 1580,” 4to; and 2dly, at ”Edinburgh, prent.i.t be Robert Waldegrave,” 1593, 4to.
THE ACT AGAINST THE MESSE.[269]
IN the Parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the tent of Julij, the year of G.o.d J^m fyve hundreth threscoir yearis, the said Parliament being continewed to the first of August nixt thairafter following, with continewatioun of dayis, upoun the twenty-four day of the said moneth of August, the Thre Estaitis then being present: The whiche day, forsamekle as Almychtie G.o.d be his maist trew and blessed worde, hes declaired the reverence and honour quhilk should be gevin to him: and, be his Sone Jesus Christ, has declaired the trew use of the Sacramentis, willing the same to be used according to his will and worde: Be the quhilk it is notour and perfitlie knawin that the Sacramentis of Baptisme and of the body and bloode of Jesus Christ, hes bene in all tymes bygane corrupted be the Papisticall Kirk, and be thair usurpit ministeris; and presentlie, notwithstanding the Reformatioun allreaddy maide according to G.o.ddis worde, yit nottheless thair is some of the same Papis Kirk that stubburnelie perseveris in thair wicked idolatrie, sayand Messe, and Baptizand conforme to the Papis Kirk, prophanand thairthrow the Sacramentis foirsaidis, in quyett and secreatt places, regardand thairthrow nowther G.o.d nor his worde: Thairfoir it is statut and ordeaned in this present Parliament, that na maner of persone nor personis, in ony tyme c.u.ming, administrat ony of the Sacramentis foirsaidis secreatlie, or ony other maner of way, but thei that ar admitted and havand power to that effect; nor say Messe, nor yit hear Messe, nor he present thairat, under the paine of confiscatioun of all thair goodis, [movabill and unmovabill,] and punisheing of thair bodyis at the discretioun of the Magistrattis, within whais jurisdiction sick personis happynnis to be apprehended, for the first fault; banisching of the Realme, for the secound fault; and justifieing to the dead, for the thrid falt: And ordainis all Schireffis, Stewartis, Bailleis, and thair deputtis, Provestis, and Bailleis of Burrowis, and otheris judges whatsumever, within this Realme, to taik diligent suyt and inquisitioun within thair boundis, whair ony sick usurped ministerie is used; Messe saying, or thei that beis present at the doing thairof, ratifeand and apprevand the samyn, and tack and apprehend thame, to the effect that the panis above wrettin may be execut upon thame.
_Extractum de libro Parliamenti, per me, etc._
(_Sic subscribitur_,) JACOBUS M^CGILL.[270]
[269] The t.i.tle in the Acts of Parliament 1567, is, ”Anent the Messe abolischit, and punisching of all that heiris or sayis the samin.--Cap. v.”
[270] Mr. James M^cGill, Clerk Register: see a subsequent note.
THE ACT FOR ABOLIs.h.i.+NG THE JURISDICTIOUN OF THE PAPE.[271]
IN the Parliament haldin at Edinburgh, the tent day of Julij, the year of G.o.d J^m V^c lx yearis, and thairefter continewit to the first day of August nixt thairefter following, with continewatioun of dayes, upoun the xxiiij of the said moneth of August:[272] The thre Estaitis, then being present, understanding that the jurisdictioun and authoritie of the Bischope of Rome, callit the Pape, usit [with]in this Realme in tymes bypast, hes [not onlie bene contumelious to the Eternall G.o.d, but also] verry hurtsome and prejudiciall to our Soveranis authoritie, and commoun weall of this Realme: Thairfoir hes statut and ordainit, that the Bischope of Rome, [callit the Paip,]
have na jurisdictioun nor authoritie [with]in this Realme in tymes c.u.ming; and that nane of oure said Soveranis subjectis sute or desyre, in ony tyme heirefter, tytill or rycht, be the said Bischope of Rome or his sect, to ony thing within this Realme, under the panis of Barratrie; that is to say, proscriptioun, banishment, and never to bruik honour, office, nor dignitie within this Realme: And the contraveaneris heirof, to be callit befoir the Justice or his deputtis, or befoir the Lordis of the Sessioun, and punist thairfoir according to the lawis of this Realme: And the furnessaris of thame with fynance of money, and purchessaris of thair tytle of rycht, or manteaneris and defenderis of thame, sall incurr the samyn panis: And that na Bischope, nor uther Prelatt of this Realme, use ony jurisdictioun in tymes to c.u.m, be the said Bischope of Rome's authoritie, under the paine foirsaid.
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