Volume II Part 46 (1/2)
[Sidenote: HUNTLEY FOIRFALTED.]
The summondis war direct against the Messe-mongaris with expeditioun, and in the streatest form. The day was appointed the xix of May, a day onlie befoir the Parliament. Off the Papis knychtis[887] compeared the Bischop of Sanctandrois,[888] the Priour of Whitthorne,[889] the Parsone of Sanquhair,[890] Williame Hammyltoun of Camskeyth, Johne Gordoun of Barskeoghe, with otheris diverse. The Protestantis convened hoill to crave for justice. The Quene asked counsall of the Bischope of Ross,[891] and of the old Laird of Lethingtoun,[892] (for the youngar was absent, and so the Protestantis had the fewar unfreindis,) who affirmed, ”That she must see hir lawis keapt, or ellis she wold get no obedience.” And so was preparatioun maid for thair accusationis. The Bischope, and his band of the exempted sorte, maid it nyse to entyre befoir the Erle of Argyle who sat in judgement;[893]
b.u.t.t at last he was compelled to entir within the barr. A meary man, (who now sleapis in the Lord,) Robert Norwell, instead of the Bischoppis croce, bair befoir him a steyll hammer; whairat the Bischope and his band was not a lytill offended, becaus the Bischoppis priviledges war nott then currant in Scotland, (which day G.o.d grant oure posteritie may see of longar continuance then we possessed it.) The Bischope and his fellowis, after much ado, and long dryft of tyme, cam in the Quenis will, and war committed to warde, some to one place, some to ane other. The Lady Erskin,[894] (a sweatt morsall for the devillis mouth,) gatt the Bischoppis for hir part. All this was done of a most deape craft, to abuse the simplicitie of the Protestantis, that thei should not prease the Quene with any other thing concernyng materis of religioun at that Parliament, quhilk began within two dayis thairefter.[895] Sche obteined of the Protestantis whatsoever sche desyred; for this was the rea.s.sone of many, ”We see what the Quene has done; the lyek of this was never heard of within the Realme: we will bear with the Quene; we doubt not but all shalbe weill.” Otheris war of a contrarie judgement, and foirspak thingis, as after thei cam to pas, to wit, that nothing was meant but deceat; and that the Quene, how soon that ever Parliament was past, should set the Papistis at freedome: and thairfoir willed the n.o.bilitie not be abused. But becaus many had thair privat commoditie to be handilled at that Parliament, the commoun cause was the less regarded.
[887] On the 15th of February 1562-3, proclamation had been made for Parliament to a.s.semble on the 20th March. It was delayed till the 26th of that month: see next page, note 2.
[888] On the 19th of May 1563, John Archbishop of St. Andrews, and forty-seven others, chiefly persons in holy orders, were tried before the Court of Justiciary for celebrating Ma.s.s, and attempting to restore Popery, at Kirk Oswald, Maybole, Paisley, and Congalton. Among the pannels were the persons mentioned by Knox--Malcolm Prior of Whitehorn, Robert Creichton, parson of Sanquhar, William Hamilton, tutor of Cammiskeyth, and John Gordon of Barskcocht. Most of the persons were committed to ward in Edinburgh, Dumbarton, and other places. See Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. i. p. *427, and the Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 75.
[889] See page 370, note 4.
[890] See page 371, note 3.
[891] Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross, and President of the Court of Session.
[892] Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington. This venerable Judge was born in 1496, and survived till 1586. His attachment to literature has conferred an enduring celebrity on his name.
[893] Archibald Earl of Argyle, as hereditary Lord Chief Justice, presided on such occasions.
[894] Daughter of Sir William Murray of Tullibardine: see page 128, note 2.
[895] The meeting of Parliament took place on the 26th May 1563.
Randolph, on the 3d June, writes thus to Cecil: ”The Parliament began 26th May, on which day the Queen came to it in her robes, and crowned; the Duke carrying the crown, Argill the scepter, and Murray the sword.
She made in English an oration publiquely there, and was present at the condemnation of the two Earles, Huntley and Sutherland.” In like manner, the Diurnal of Occurrents states, that ”Upon the xxvj day of the said moneth of Maij, the Quenis Majestie come to the Tolbuith of Edinburgh, with the Lordis of Parliament, in the maist honourable manner, and past thairin; and efter that she had maid hir proposition and orisoun in Parliament, the Lordis chesit the Lordis of the Articles,” &c. (p. 76.)
The Erle of Huntley, whose corps had lyn unburyed till that tyme, it was brought to the Tolbuyth:[896] he was accused, his armes rent of, him self, the Erle of Sudderland, and ellevin Baronis and Lairdis, bearing Gordoun to surname, war that day foirfalted. The Lady Huntley craftely protested, and asked the support of a man of law. In that Parliament war restored the Laird of Grange in Fyff, Maister Henrie Balnaves, Johne Lesly, and Alexander Whytlaw.[897]
[896] According to a barbarous custom, the body of a person deceased, when accused of treason, was brought into Court. It will be seen from the note at page 359, that Huntley's body, in the view of carrying through his forfeiture, had been brought to Edinburgh in December 1562. And, ”Upoun the xxviij day of the said moneth, [May 1563] the Quenis Majestie come to the Tolbuith of Edinburgh and Lordis of Parliament, at ane efternone, and foirfalt.i.t George Erle of Huntlie, _being in the said Tolbuyth in ane kist_, &c.; and als Alexander Erle of Sutherland was foirfalt.i.t, and the saidis Erlis armes reven and delet.i.t furth of memorie.” (Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 76.)
[897] The record of this Parliament is lost; and in the printed Acts no mention is made of the forfeitures of Kirkaldy of Grange, Balnavis of Halhill, Lesley of Parkhill, and Whytlaw of New-Grange, having been rescinded.
[Sidenote: THE PRYDE OF WEMEN AT THAT PARLIAMENT.]
[Sidenote: FLATTERARES VNEW.]
Such styneken pryde of wemen as was sein at that Parliament, was never sein befoir in Scotland. Thre syndrie dayis the Quene raid to the Tolbuyth. The first day sche maid a paynted orisoun;[898] and thair mycht have bene hard among hir flatteraris, ”_Vox Dianae!_ The voce of a G.o.ddess, (for it could not be _Dei_,) and not of a woman! G.o.d save that sweat face! Was thair ever oratour s.p.a.ck so properlie and so sweitlie!”
[898] In MS. G, ”an oration.”
[Sidenote: WHY RELIGIOUN AND THE COMMOUNWEALTH WAR DOYTH NEGLECTED.]
[Sidenote: VARIANCE BETWIX THE ERLE OF MURRAY AND JOHNE KNOX.]
All thingis myslyking[899] the Preachearis, thei s.p.a.ck boldlie against the tarejatting of thair taillies, and against the rest of thair vanitie, which thei affirmed should provock G.o.ddis vengeance, not onlie against those foolishe wemen, but against the hoill Realme; and especiallie against those that manteaned thame in that odiouse abusing of thingis that mycht have bene better bestowed. Articles war presented for ordour to be tacken for apperall, and for reformatioun of other enormities; but all was scripped at. The Earldome of Murray neaded confirmatioun, and many thingis war to be ratified that concerned the help of friendis and servandis; and thairfoir thei myght nott urge the Quene, for yf thei so did, she wald hald no Parliament; and what then should become of thame that had melled with the slaughter of the Erle of Huntley? Lett that Parliament pas ower, and when the Quene asked[900] any thing of the n.o.bilitie, as sche most do befoir hir mariage, then should the Religioun be the first thing that should be establessed. It was answered, That the poetts and paynteris erred nott altogether, that fayned and paynted Occasioun with a bald hynd-head:[901] for the first, when it is offered, being lost, is hard to be recovered againe. Thc mater fell so hote betwix the Erle of Murray and some otheris of the Courte, and Johne Knox, that familiarlie after that tyme thei s.p.a.ck nott togetther more then a year and half; for the said Johne, by his letter, gave a discharge to the said Erle of all further intromissioun or cayr with his effaires.
He maid unto him a discourse of thair first acquaintance; in what estait he was when that first thei s.p.a.ck togetther in London;[902] how G.o.d had promoted him, and that abuf manis judgement; and in the end maid this conclusioun, ”But seing that I perceave myself frustrat of my expectatioun, which was, that ye should ever have preferred G.o.d to your awin affectioun, and the advancement of his treuth to your singular commoditie, I committ you to your awin wytt, and to the conducting of those who better can please you. I praise my G.o.d, I this day leave you victour of your enemyes, promoted to great honouris, and in credytt and authoritie with your Soverane. Yf so ye long continew, none within the Realme shalbe more glad than I shalbe: but yf that after this ye shall dekay, (as I fear that ye shall,) then call to mynd by what meanes G.o.d exalted you; quhilk was neather by bearing with impietie, neather yitt by manteanyng of pestilent Papistis.”
[899] In MS. G, ”mislyked.”
[900] In MS. G, ”sall ask.”
[901] In MS. G, is this marginal note, ”Occasioun painted with a bald hind-heid.”
[902] This was probably in July 1552, Lord James having remained for some time in London on his way to France, or upon his return in December following. In 1556-7, he subscribed the letter sent to Knox at Geneva, inviting him to return to Scotland. See vol. i. p. 267.