Volume II Part 37 (1/2)
[Sidenote: DIVISIOUN BETWIX THE LORDIS AND THE MINISTERIS.]
The Generall a.s.semblie of the Churche[695] approched, holdin in December[696] after the Quenis arryvall; in the which began the reullaris of the Courte to draw tham selfis apart from the societie of thair brethren, and began to sturr and grudge that any thing should be consulted upoun, without thair advises. Maister Johne Wode,[697] who befoir had schawin him self verray fervent in the caus of G.o.d, and fordward in giveing of his counsall in all doubtfull materis, planelie refused ever to a.s.sist the a.s.semblie agane, whairof many did wonder.
The Courteouris drew unto thame some of the Lordis, and wold nott convene with thair brethren, as befoir thai war accustomed, but keapt thame in the Abbay. The princ.i.p.all Commissionaris of the Churches,[698] the Superintendentis, and some Ministeris, past unto thame, whair thai war convened in the Abbottis ludging within Halyrudhouse. Boyth the partyis began to oppin thair greaf. The Lordis complayned that the Ministeris drew the gentilmen into secreat, and held counsallis without thair knowledge. The Ministeris denyed that thai had done any thing in secreat, or otherwyse than the Commoun Ordour commanded thame; and accused the Lordis (the flatteraris of the Quene we mean) that thai keapt not the Conventioun with thair brethren, considdering that thai know the Ordour, and that the same was appointed by thair awin advises, as the Buke of Discipline, subscrivit with the most part of thair awin handis, wold witness. Some began to deny that ever thai knew such a thing as the Buke of Discipline; and called also in doubt, whitther it was expedient that such Conventionis should be or not; for glaidlye wold the Quene and hir Secreat Counsall have had all a.s.semblies of the G.o.dly discharged.
[695] In MS. G, here and elsewhere, ”Kirk;” in the MS. 1566, except in the later portions, it is usually ”Church.”
[696] The Third meeting of the General a.s.sembly was held in December 1561; but no notice of the proceedings is recorded in the Book of the Kirk, except the Supplication to the Queen, which will be found at page 316.
[697] Mr John Wood, son of Andrew Wood of Largo, was educated for the church, and took his degree of Master of Arts in St. Leonard's College, St. Andrews, in 1536. He has been styled Vicar of Largo; and is said to have accompanied the Prior of St. Andrews to France in 1548. He joined the Reformers, and at the first General a.s.sembly in December 1560, his name occurs among those at St. Andrews who were considered qualified for ”ministring and teaching.” He was nominated an Extraordinary Lord of Session, by the t.i.tle of Tullidavie, 9th December 1562, but was deprived in 1565; and although restored he retained only a temporary possession of his seat on the Bench. When his patron the Earl of Murray was appointed Regent, Wood became his Secretary, and was employed in the proceedings against Queen Mary, at York, in 1568, as related by Sir James Melville, who styles him ”a great ringleader.” In September 1568, the Treasurer furnished Mr. John Wood fyne black velvet, and black satin, for a dress. The Regent, it is well known, was a.s.sa.s.sinated in January 1570, and Bishop Lesley in his Negotiations says, ”That within a few days after his man Mr. John Wood, was killed in Fife, by the Laird of Rires.” The cause of this murder is nowhere stated, but it took place on the 15th of April, by Arthur Forbes of Reres, (in the parish of Kilconquhar,) a.s.sisted by his son Arthur, and Henry Forrest; for which the latter were denounced rebels, 6th February 1572-3. (Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. i. p.
40.) From the Treasurer's Accounts we learn that on the 23d September 1570, ”the Laird of Reres was at the horne, (that is, denounced as rebel,) for the slauchter of umquhile Maister Johne Wood.”
[698] In MS. G, ”of the Kirk,”
The rea.s.sonyng was scharp and quick on eather part.[699] The Quenis factioun alledged, that it was suspitious to Princes that subjectis should a.s.semble thame selffis and keape conventionis without thair knowledge. It was ansuered, That without knowledge of the Prince, the Churche did nothing. For the Prince perfytlie understood, that within this Realme thair was a Reformed Churche, and that thai had thair ordouris and appointed tymes of conventioun; and so without knowledge of the Prince thai did nothing. ”Yea,” said Lethingtoun, ”the Quene knew and knowest it weill yneuch; but the questioun is, Whetther that the Quene allowis such Conventionis?” It was ansuered, ”Yf the libertie of the Churche should stand[700] upoun the Quenis allowance or dyssallowance, we are a.s.sured not onlie to lack a.s.semblies, but also to lack the publict preaching of the Evangell.” That affirmative was mocked, and the contrarie affirmed. ”Weill, (said the other,) tyme will try the treuth; but to my formar wordis, this will I add, tack from us the fredome of a.s.semblies, and tack from us the Evangell; for without a.s.semblies, how shall good ordour and unitie in doctrine be keapt? It is not to be supposed, that all Ministeris shalbe so perfyte, but that thai shall nead admonitioun, alsweill concernyng maneris as doctrin, as it may be that some be so styff necked that thai will not admitt the admonitioun of the simple; as also it may be that falt may be found with Ministeris without just offence committed: and yit yf ordour be not tacken boyth with the compleaner and the personis compleaned upoun, it can not be avoided, but that many grevouse offenses shall aryse. For remeady whairof, of necessitie it is, that Generall a.s.semblies maun be, in the which the judgement and the gravitie of many may concur, to correct or to represse the folyes or errouris of a few.” Heirunto consented the most parte, alsweill of the n.o.bilitie as of the Baronis, and willed the rea.s.sonaris for the parte of the Quene to will hir Grace, yf that sche stood in any suspitioun of any thing that was to be entreated in thair a.s.semblies, that it wold please hir Grace to send such as sche wold appoint to hear whatsoever was proponed or rea.s.soned.
[699] In MS. G, ”on eyther syde.”
[700] In MS. G, ”stude or sould stand.”
[Sidenote: LEDINGTON APPONED HYM TO THE BOOK OF DISCIPLENE]
Heirafter was the Buke of Discipline proponed, and desyred to have been ratified by the Quenys Majestie. That was scripped at, and the questioun was demanded, ”How many of those that had subscrived that Buke wald be subject unto it?” It was answered, ”All the G.o.dly.” ”Will the Duck?” said Lethingtoun. ”Yf he will nott,” answered the Lord Ochiltrie,[701] ”I wold that he war sc.r.a.pped out, not only of that book, but also out of our nomber and c.u.mpany: For to what purpoise shall laubouris be tane to putt the Kirk in ordour, and to what end shall men subscrive, and then never mean to keap wourd of that quhilk thei promeisse?” Lethingtoun answered, ”Many subscrived thair _in fide parentum_, as the barnes ar baptized.” One, to wit Johne Knox,[702]
answered, ”Albeit ye think that scoiif propir, yit as it is most untreu, so is it most improper. That Buke was red in publict audience, and by the s.p.a.ce of diverse dayis the headis thairof war reasoned, as all that hear sit know weill yneuche, and ye your self can nott deny; so that no man was required to subscrive that whiche he understood not.” ”Stand content, (said one,) that Buke will nott be obteaned.”
”Let G.o.d (said the other) requyre the lack which this poore Commoun-wealth shall have of the thingis thairin conteaned, from the handis of such as stope the same.”
[701] See page 260, note 19.
[702] The words, ”to wit, Johne Knox,” interlined in the MS. 1566, are likewise added in the margin, apparently in Knox's own hand. In MS. L 4, it is ”Maister Knox answered.”
The Baronis perceaving that the Buke of Discipline was refused, presented unto the Counsall certane articles, requiring Idolatrie to be suppressed, thair Churches to be planted with treu Ministeris, and some certane Provisioun to be maid for thame, according to equitie and conscience; for unto that tyme, the most parte of the Ministeris had lyved upoun the benevolence of men. For many held into thair awin handis[703] the fructis that the Bischoppis and otheris of that sect had befoir abused; and so some parte was bestowed upoun the Ministeris. But then the Bischoppis began to grypp agane to that which most injustlie thei called thair awin; for the Erle of Arrane was discharged of Sanctandrois and Dunfermeling, whairwith befoir, be verteu of a factorie, he had intromitted: and so war many otheris. And thairfoir the Barones requyred, that ordour mycht be tacken for thair Ministeris, or ellis thei wold no moir obey the Bischoppis, neather yitt suffer any thing to be lifted up to thair use after the Quenis arryvall, then that thei did befoir; for thei verrelie supposed that the Quenys Majestie wold keapt promeisse maid unto thame; whiche was, nott to alter thair religioun, whiche could nott remane without Ministeris, and Ministeris could nott lyve without provisioun: and thairfoir thei heartlie[704] desyred the Counsall to provid some convenient ordour in that head.
[703] So in MS. L 4. MS. G, has ”For many had into thair hands.”
[704] In MS. G, ”most hartely.”
That somewhat moved the Quenys flatteraris; for the rode of impietie was not then strenthened in hyr and thair handis. And so began thei to practise how thei should pleise the Queyn, and yit seam somewhat to satisfie the faythfull; and so devised thei, that the Church men should have intromissioun with the Two parte of thair benefices, and that the Third parte[705] should be lifted up by suche men as thairto should be appointed, for suche uses, as in these subsequent Actis[706]
ar more fullie expressed.
[705] In MS. L 4, ”that the Third parte sould be lifted up for the sustentatioun of Ministry and the Quenis use, as is expressed in the Acts which we will set down in their owne place.”
[706] The following Acts relating to the proposed arrangements for supporting the Ministry, by appropriating the Thirds of Benefices, have been collated with the Register of Privy Council, which has furnished the Sederunts of the meetings, and some slight corrections.
In Knox, the first Act is dated the 20th instead of the 22d December 1561.
APUD EDINBURGH, XXIJ DECEMBRIS, ANNO LXJ^O. [SEDERUNT.
Jacobus Dux de Chattellarault, Georgius Comes de Huntlie, Archibaldus Ergadie Comes, Willelmus Marescalle Comes, Joannes Atholie Comes, Willelmus Comes de Montross, Jacobus Comes de Mortoun, Alexander Comes de Glencarne, Jacobus Commendatarius St. Andree et Pittenweme, Joannes Dns. Erskin, Mag^r. Robertus Richardsoun Thesaurarius, Mag^r. Ja^{bus} Makgill de Nether Rankelour Clericus Registri, Joannes Ballenden de Auchnoule miles Clericus Justiciarie, Willelmus Maitland de Lethingtoun junior Secretarius.
Presentibus etiam Dominis subscriptis ratione Conventionis, viz.