The Works of John Knox Volume I Part 10

THE SUPPRIOUR.

"Will ye bynd us so strait, that we may do nothing without the expresse word of G.o.d? What! and I ask a drynk? think ye that I synne? and yitt I have nott G.o.ddis word for me."

This answer gave he, as mycht appear, to schift ower the argument upon the Freare, as that he did.

JOHNE KNOX.

"I wald we should not jest in so grave a mater; nether wold I that ye should begyn to illud the trewth with sophistrie; and yf ye do, I will defend me the best that I can. And first, to your drinking, I say, that yf ye eyther eat or drynk without a.s.surance of G.o.ddis worde, that in so doing ye displease G.o.d, and ye synne into your verray eatting and drynking. For sayis nott the Apostle, speaking evin of meatt and drynk, 'That the creatures ar sanctifeid unto man, evin by the word and by prayer.' The word is this: 'All thingis ar clean to the clean,' &c. Now, let me hear thus much of your ceremonyes, and I sall geve you the argument; bot I wonder that ye compare thingis prophane and holy thingis so indiscreatlie togetther. The questioun wes not, nor is nott of meat or drynk, whairinto the kingdome of G.o.d consistis nott; b.u.t.t the questioun is of G.o.ddis trew wirschiping, without the quhilk we can have no societie with G.o.d. And, hear it is dowbted, yf we may tack the same fredome in the using of Christis Sacramentis, that we may do in eatting and drynking. One meat I may eatt, another I may refuise, and that without scrupill of conscience. I may change ane with ane other, evin as oft as I please. Whither may we do the same in materis of religioun? May we cast away what we please, and reteane what we please? Yf I be weill remembred, Moses, in the name of G.o.d, sayis to the people of Israell, 'All that the Lord thy G.o.d commandis thee to do, that do thow to the Lord thy G.o.d: add nothing to it; diminyshe nothing from it.' Be this rewill, think I, that the Kirk of Christ will measur G.o.ddis religioun, and not by that which seames good in thare awin eis."

THE SUPPRIOUR.

"Forgeve me: I spak it but in mowes, and I was dry. And now, Father, (said he to the Freir,) follow the argument. Ye have heard what I have said, and what is answered unto me agane."

ARBUCKILL GRAY-FREIR.[489]

"I shall prove plainlye that Ceremonyes ar ordeyned by G.o.d."

JOHNE KNOX.

"Such as G.o.d hes ordeyned we allow, and with reverence we use thame. But the questioun is of those that G.o.d hes nott ordeyned, such as, in Baptisme, ar spattill, salt, candill, cuide, (except it be to keap the barne from cald,) hardis, oyle, and the rest of the Papisticall inventionis."

ARBUCKILL.

"I will evin prove these that ye dampne to be ordeyned of G.o.d."

JOHNE KNOX.

"The pruif thareof I wald glaidly hear."

ARBUCKILL.

"Sayis not Sanct Paule, 'That another fundatioun then Jesus Christ may no man lay.' But upone this fundatioun some buyld, gold, silver, and precious stones; some hay, stuble, and wood. The gold, sylver, and precious stones, ar the Ceremonyes of the Church, which do abyd the fyre, and consumes nott away.' This place of Scripture is most plaine,"

(sayis the foolish Feind.)

JOHNE KNOX.

"I prayse my G.o.d, throwght Jesus Christ, for I fynd his promeis suyre, trew, and stable. Christ Jesus biddis us 'Nott fear, when we shalbe called befoir men, to geve confessioun of his trewth;' for he promisses, 'that it salbe gevin unto us in that hour, what we shall speak.' Yf I had sowght the hole Scripturis, I could not have produced a place more propir for my purpose, nor more potent to confound yow. Now to your argument: The Ceremonyes of the Kirk, (say ye,) ar gold, silver, and pretious stonis, becaus thei ar able to abyd the fyre; but, I wold learne of yow, what fyre is it which your Ceremonies does abyd? And in the meantyme, till that ye be advised to answer, I will schaw my mynd, and make ane argument against youris, upoun the same text. And first, I say, that I have heard this text adduced, for a pruf of Purgatorie; but for defence of Ceremonies, I never heard, nor yitt red it. But omitting whetther ye understand the mynd of the Apostill or nott, I maik my argument, and say, That which may abyd the fyre, may abyd the word of G.o.d: But your Ceremonies may not abyd the word of G.o.d: _Ergo_, Thei may not abyd the fyre; and yf they may not abyd the fyre, then ar they not gold, silver, nor precious stones. Now, yf ye find any ambiguitie in this terme, Fyre, which I interpret to be the woord, fynd ye me ane other fyre, by the which thingis buylded upoun Christ Jesus should be tryed then G.o.d and his woord, which both in the Scriptures ar called fyre, and I shall correct my argument."

ARBUCKILL.

"I stand nott thairupoun; but I deny your Minor, to wit, that our Ceremonies may not abyd the tryall of G.o.ddis woord."

JOHNE KNOX.

[SN: _OPTIMA COLLATIO._]

"I prove, that abydis not the tryall of G.o.ddis word, which G.o.ddis word condempnes But G.o.ddis word condempnes your Ceremonies: Therefor thei do not abyd the tryall thairof. But as the theaf abydis the tryall of the inqueist, and tharby is condempned to be hanged, evin so may your ceremonies abyd the tryall of G.o.ddis word; but not ellis. And now, in few wordis to maik plane that wharein ye may seme to dowbt, to wit, That G.o.ddis woord d.a.m.nes your Ceremonies, it is evident; for the plaine and strate commandiment of G.o.d is, 'Not that thing which appearis good in thy eis, shalt thow do to the Lord thy G.o.d, but what the Lord thy G.o.d hes commanded thee, that do thow: add nothing to it; diminish nothing from it'. [SN: DEUTE. 4.] Now onless that ye be able to prove that G.o.d hes commanded your Ceremonies, this his formar commandiment will dampne boyth yow and thame."

The Freir, somewhat abased[490] what first to answer, whill he wanderis about in the myst, he falles in a fowll myre; for alledgeing that we may nott be so bound to the woord, he affirmed, "That the Apostles had not receaved the Holy Ghost, when thei did wryte thare Epistles; but after, thei receaved him, and then thei did ordeyn the Ceremonies." (Few wold have thought, that so learned a man wold have gevin so foolishe ane answer; and yitt it is evin as trew as he bayre a gray cowll.) Johne Knox, hearing the answer, starte, and said, "Yf that be trew, I have long bein in ane errour, and I think I shall dye thairintill." The Suppriour said to him, "Father, what say ye? G.o.d forbide that ye affirme that; for then fayre weall the ground of our fayth." The Freir astonyed, made the best schift that he could to correct his fall;[491]

but it wold not be. Johne Knox brought him oft agane to the ground of the argument: but he wold never answer directlie, but ever fled to the authoritie of the Kyrk. Whairto the said Johnne answered ofter then ones, "That the spous of Christ had nether power nor authoritie against the word of G.o.d." Then said the Freir, "Yf so be, ye will leave us na Kirk." "Indead, (said the other,) in David I read that thare is a church of the malignantis, for he sayis, _Odi ecclesiam malignantium_. That church ye may have, without the word, and doing many thingis directly feghtting against the word of G.o.d. Of that church yf ye wilbe, I can not impead[492] yow. Bott as for me, I wilbe of none other church, except of that which hath Christ Jesus to be pastor, which hearis his voce, and will nott hear a strangeir."

[SN: FREIR ARBUCKILLIS PRUF FOR PURGATORYE.]

In this Disputatioun many other thingis war merealy skooft ower;[493]

for the Freir, after his fall, could speak nothing to a purpose. For Purgatorie he had no better pruf, but the authoritie of Vergile in his s.e.xt aeneidos; and the panes thareof to him was ane evill wyff. How Johne Knox answered that, and many other thingis, him self did witness in a treatise that he wrate in the gallayis, conteanyng the some of his doctrin, and Confessioun of his fayth,[494] and send it to his familiaris in Scotland; with his exhortatioun, that thei should continew in the trewth, which thei had professed, nochtwithstanding any worldly adversitie that mycht ensew thareof. [SN: THE CAUS OF THE INSERTING OF THIS DISPUTATIOUN.] Thus much of that Disputatioun have we inserted hear, to the intent that men may see, how that Sathan ever travellis to obscure the lyght; and yitt how G.o.d by his power, in his weak vesch.e.l.lis, confoundis his craft, and discloses his darkness.

[SN: THE PRACTISE OF PAPISTIS THAT THARE WICKIDNES SHOULD NOT BE DISCLOSED.]

After this, the Papistes nor Frearis had not great heart of farther disputatioun or rea.s.sonyng; b.u.t.t invented ane other schift, which appeared to proceid frome G.o.dlynes; and it was this. Everie learned man in the Abbay, and in the Universitie, should preach in the parishe kirk his Sonday about. The Suppriour began, followed the Officiall called Spittall,[495] (sermones penned to offend no man,) followed all the rest in thare ranckes. And so Johne Knox smelled out the craft, and in his sermonis, which he maid upone the Weak dayis, he prayed to G.o.d, that thei should be als busye in preaching when thare should be more myster of it, then thare was then. [SN: THE PROTESTATIOUN OF JOHNE KNOX.]

"Allwyise, (said he,) I praise G.o.d, that Christ Jesus is preached, and nothing is said publictlie against the doctrin ye have heard. Yf in my absence thei shall speak any thing, which in my presence thei do nott, I protest that ye suspend your judgement till that it please G.o.d ye hear me agane."

[SN: MAISTER JAMES BALFOUR ANES JOYNED WITH THE CHURCH, AND DID PROFESSE ALL DOCTRINE TAWGHT BE JOHNE KNOX.]

G.o.d so a.s.sisted his weak soldeour, and so blessed his laubouris, that not onlye all those of the Castell, but also a great nomber of the toune, openlie professed, by partic.i.p.atioun of the Lordis Table, in the same puritie that now it is ministrat in the churches of Scotland, wyth that same doctrin, that he had taught unto thame. Amongis whome was he that now eyther rewillis, or ellis misrewillis Scotland, to wit, Schir James Balfour, (sometymes called Maister James,[496]) the cheaf and princ.i.p.all Protestant that then was to be found in this realme. This we wryte, becaus we have heard that the said Maister James alledgeis, that he was never of this our religioun; but that he was brought up in Martine's[497] opinioun of the Sacrament, and tharefoir he can nott communicat with us. But his awin conscience, and two hundreth witness besydes, know that he lyes; and that he was ane of the cheaff, (yf he had not bein after Coppis,) that wold have gevin his lyef, yf men mycht credite his wordis, for defence of the doctrin that the said Johnne Knox tawght. But albeit, that those that never war of us, (as none of Monquhanye's sones have schawin thame selfis to be,) departe from us, it is no great wonder; for it is propir and naturall that the children follow the father; and lett the G.o.dly levar of that rase and progeny be schawen;[498] for yf in thame be eather fear of G.o.d, or luf of vertew, farther then the present commoditie persuades thame, men of judgement ar deceaved. b.u.t.t to returne to our Historye.

[SN: THE RAGE OF THE MARKED BEASTIS AT THE PREACHING OF THE TREUTH.]

The Preastis and Bischoppis, enraged at these proceadingis, that war in Sanctandrois, ran now upoun the Governour, now upoun the Quene, now upoun the hole Counsall, and thare mycht have been hard complainetes and cryes, "What ar we doing? Shall ye suffer this hole realme to be infected with pernicious doctrin? Fy upoun yow, and fy upoun us." The Quein and Monsieur Dosell,[499] (who then was _a secretis mulierum_ in the Courte,) conforted thame, and willed thame to be quyet, for thei should see remeady or it was long. [SN: THE FIRST c.u.mING OF THE GALAYES ANNO 1547.] And so was provin in dead; for upoun the penult day of Junij, appeared in the sight of the Castell of Sanctandrois twenty ane Frenche galayis, with a skeife of an army,[500] the lyik whairof was never sein in that Fyrth befoir. [SN: THE TREASONABLE FACT OF THE GOVERNOUR AND THE QUEIN DOWAGER.] This trea.s.sonable meane had the Governour, the Bischope, the Quein, and Monsieur Dosell, under the Appointment drawin. Bot to excuse thare treasone, viij dayis befoir, thei had presented ane absolutioun unto thame, as sent from Rome, conteanyng, after the aggravatioun of the cryme, this clause, _Remittimus Irremissibile_, that is, We remitt the cryme that can nott be remitted. Which considdered by the worst of the company[501] that was in the Castell, answer was gevin, [SN: THE ANSWER GEVIN TO THE GOVERNOUR WHEN THE CASTELL OF SANCTANDROIS WAS REQUIRED TO BE DELIVERED.] "That the Governour and Counsall of the Realme had promissed unto thame a sufficient and a.s.sured absolutioun, which that appeared nott to be; and tharefor could thei nott deliver the house, nether thought thei that any rea.s.sonable man wald requyre thame so to do, considering that promeis was nott keapt unto thame." The nixt day, after that the galayis arryved, thei summoned the hous, which being denyed, (becaus thei knew thame no magistrattis in Scotland,) thei prepared for seage. And, first thei begane to a.s.salt by sey, and schote two dayis. Bott thairof thei nether gat advantage nor honour; for thei dang the sclattis of houssis, but neyther slew man, nor did harme to any wall. [SN: THE GUNNARRIS G.o.dDESS.] But the Castell handilled thame so, that Sancta Barbara, (the gunnaris G.o.ddess,) helped thame nothing; for thei lost many of thare rowaris, men chained in the galayis, and some soldeouris, bayth by sea and land. And farther, a galay that approched neyar then the rest, was so doung with the cannoun and other ordinance, that she was stopped under watter, and so almost drowned, and so had bein, war nott that the rest gave hir succourse in tyme, and drew hir first to the west sandis, without the schot of the Castell, and thaireftir to Dondye, whare thei remaned, till that the Governour, who then was at the seige of Langhope,[502] came unto thame, with the rest of the French factioun.

The seige by land was confirmed about the Castell of Sanctandrois, the xviiij day of Julij. The trenchess war cast; ordinance was planted upoun the Abbay Kirk, and upoun Sanct Salvatouris Colledge, and yitt was the steaple thairof brunt; which so noyed the Castell, that neyther could thei keape thare blok-houssis, the Sea-tour head, nor the west wall; for in all these places war men slaine by great ordinance. Yea, thei monted the ordinance so height upoun the Abbay Kirk, that thei mycht discover the ground of the close[503] in diverse places. Moreover, within the Castell was the pest,[504] (and diverse thairin dyed,) which more effrayed some that was thairin, then did the externall force without.

[SN: THE SENTENCE OF JOHNE KNOX TO THE CASTELL OF SANCTANDROIS BEFOIR IT WAS WON.] But Johne Knox was of ane other judgement, for he ever said, "That thare corrupt lyef could nott eschape punishment of G.o.d;" and that was his continuall advertisment, fra the tyme that he was called to preache. When thei triumphed of thare victorie, (the first twenty dayis thei had many prosperous chances,) he lamented, and ever said, "Thei saw not what he saw." When thei bragged of the force and thicknes of thare walles, he said, "Thei should be b.u.t.t eggesch.e.l.lis."[505] When thei vanted, "England will reskew us," he said, "Ye shall not see thame; but ye shalbe delivered in your ennemyis handis, and shalbe caryed to ane strange countrey."

[SN: PRIOR OF CAPPUA]

Upone the penult of Julij,[506] at nycht, was the ordinance planted for the battery; xiiij cannons, whareof four was cannons royall, called double cannons, besydis other peices. The battery begane att iiij houris in the mornyng, and befoir ten houris of the day, the haill sowth qwarter, betuix the foir tour and the East blok-house, was maid saltable. The lawer transe was condempned, diverse slane into it, and the East blok-house was schote of fra the rest of the place, betuix ten houris and ellevin. Thare fell a schour of rane, that continewed neir ane hour, the lyek wharof had seldom bein sein: It was so vehement, that no man myeht abyd without a house: The cannounes war left allone. Some within the Castell war of judgement, that men should have ished, and putt all in the handis of G.o.d. But becaus that Williame Kirkcaldy was commonyng[507] with the Priour of Cappua,[508] who had the commissioun of that jorney from the King of France, nothing was interprysed. And so was appointment maid, and the Castell randered upone Setterday, the last of Julij.

[SN: THE CASTELL OF SANCTANDROIS REFUISED IN THARE GREATEST EXTREMITIE TO APPOINT WITH THE GOVERNOUR.]

The headis of the Appointment war; "That the lyefis of all within the Castell should be saved, alsweall Engliss as Scottish; That thei should be saiflie transported to France; and in case that, upoun conditionis that by the King of France should be offerred unto thame, thei could nott be content to remane in service and fredome thare, thei should, upoun the King of France expenssis, be saiflie conveyed to what contrey thei wold requyre, other then Scotland." Wyth the Governour thei wold have nothing ado, neyther yitt with any Scottishe man; for thei had all tratorouslye betrayed them, "Which," said the Lard of Grange eldar, (a man sempill, and of most stout corage,) "I am a.s.sured G.o.d shall revenge it, or it be long."

[SN: MAISTER JAMES BALFOUR WAS FLEYED YNEUCH.]

The galayes, weall furnessed with the spoyle of the Castell foirsaid, after certane dayis, returned to France; and eschaping a great danger, (for upon the back of the sandis thei all schopped,) thei arryved first at Fekcam,[509] and thareafter past up the watter of Sequane,[510] and lay befoir Rowane; whare the princ.i.p.all gentilmen, who looked for fredome, war dispersed and putt in syndrie preasonis. The rest war left in the galayis, and thare miserable entreated, amonges whome the foirsaid Maister James Balfour was, with his two brethrein, David and Gilbert, men without G.o.d. Which we wryt, becaus that we hear, that the said Maister James, princ.i.p.all mysgydar now of Scotland, denyes that he had any thing to do with the Castell of Sanctandrois, or yet that ever he was in the galayis. Then was the joy of the Papistis boyth of Scotland and France evin in full perfectioun; for this was thare song of triumphe:--

Preastis content yow now; Preastis content yow now; For Normond and his c.u.mpany hes filled the galayis fow.

The Pope wrote his letters to the King of France, and so did he to the Governour of Scotland, thanking thame hartlie for the tacking panes to revenge the death of his kynd creature, the Cardinall of Scotland; desyring thame to continew in thare begune severitie, that such thingis after should not be attemptat. And so war all these that war deprehended in the Castell dampned to perpetuall preasone; and so judged the unG.o.dly, that after that in Scotland should Christ Jesus never have triumphed. One thing we can not pa.s.s by: From Scotland was send a famous clerk, (lawghe not, readar,) Maister Johnne Hammyltoun of Mylburne,[511]

with credite to the King of France, and unto the Cardinall of Lorane, (and yitt he nether had French nor Latine, and some say his Scottishe toung was nott verray good.) The sume of all his negotiatioun was, That those of the Castell should be scharplie handilled. In which suyt, he was heard with favouris, and was dispatched fra the Courte of France with letteris, and great credyte, which that famouse clark foryett by the way; for pa.s.sing up to the craig[512] of Dumbertane, befoir his letteris war delyvered, he brack his nek; and so G.o.d took away a proude ignorant ennemye. b.u.t.t now to our Historie.