The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 41

[798] John Lockhart, son of John Lockhart of Barr in Ayrs.h.i.+re. He was served heir of his father, 10th May 1575.

[Sidenote: HAWICK RAIDE.]

The Erle of Murray maid a privey raid to Hawick upoun the fayre-day thairof, and apprehended fyftie theaffis; of which nomber war sevintene drowned;[799] otheris war executed in Jedburght. The princ.i.p.allis war brought to Edinburgh, and thair suffered, according to thair merittis, upoun the Burrow Mure.[800] The Quene was nothing content of the prosperitie and gude successe that G.o.d gave to the Erle of Murray in all his interprysses, for sche hated his uprycht dealling, and the image of G.o.d which evidently did appear into him; but at that tyme sche could not weall have beyn served without him.

[799] The disturbed state of the Borders called for this summary act of justice. According to Randolph's letter, dated 7th July 1562, there were eighty-three persons apprehended at Hawick, "of the which twenty were acquitted by the a.s.size; the rest condemned; of the which twenty-two were presently drowned there, for lack of trees and halters; six hanged at Edinburgh, yesterday being Monday," &c.

(Chalmers' Queen Mary, vol. iii. p. 360; Tytler's Hist. vol. vi. p.

259. But Chalmers dates this letter 7th June; Tytler, the 8th July.)

[800] The Borough or Common Muir, about a mile to the south of Edinburgh, was of great extent, stretching from the Pleasance westward to beyond Merchiston Castle. The place where the old wooden gallows stood for the execution of criminals, according to Maitland, was "on the west side of the Dalkeith road, where it is left by the way to Musselburgh." The position was afterwards changed: see his History of Edinburgh, p. 176, chap. 177, respecting the Borough Muir.

[Sidenote: SCHARPE LEFT PREACHING AND TOOK HIM TO THE LAWES.]

[Sidenote: ANNO 1566 IN MAIJ.]

The a.s.semblye of the Kyrk at Mydsymmer, the [29th] of Junij,[801] anno 1562, approached, in the which war many notable headis entreated concernying good ordour to be keapt in the Churche; for the Papistis and the idolatrie of the Queyn began to truble the formar good ordouris. Some ministeris, suche as Maister Johne Scharpe,[802] had left thair charges, and entered into other vocationis more profitable for the belly; against whom war actis maid, althought to this day thei have nott bene putt in executioun.

[801] In MS. 1566, "the 24;" in MS. L 4, "the penult of Junij;" in MS.

M, "the penult of Julie." The General a.s.sembly met at Edinburgh on the penult or 29th of June 1562. See the Booke of the Universall Kirk of Scotland, vol. i. p. 13. It should no doubt be, in "Mr. Henry Lawder's lugeing," instead of "Mr. _Hendrie Lands_ house," (ib. p. 14,) where the a.s.sembly was held.

[802] Mr. John Scharp was educated in St. Leonard's College, St.

Andrews, having taken his Bachelor's degree in 1555; and he became a licentiate or Master of Arts in 1557. At the Reformation he appears to have occasionally exercised himself in the office of the ministry, without being appointed to any particular church. The want of efficient preachers to supply the vacant charges rendered the General a.s.sembly more anxious to secure the services of qualified persons. On the 2d July 1562, the a.s.sembly "finding him able to preach the word and minister the sacraments, as he had done before times, charged him to re-enter to the ministry, the place where he should minister being reserved to farther deliberation." And on the 4th July, "It was concludit that Mr. John Scharp should re-enter in the ministrie, and to serve in the kirk whilk the Superintendent of Lothian should appoint; and if he refused, that the censures of the Kirk be execute against him." Scharp, however, according to the above marginal note, became an Advocate, and long practised at the bar with great success.

Mr. John Scharp, Advocate, had a charter of the lands of Houston, in the s.h.i.+res of Edinburgh and Linlithgow, 25th March 1576. His name occurs in an Act of Parliament, in July 1604, as "Maister John Scharp of Houston, Lawer." (Acta Parl. Scot. vol. iii. p. 264.) He was one of five persons connected with Scotland who were knighted by King James at Whitehall, on the 17th December 1604.

The tennour of the Supplicatioun redd in oppen audience, and approved by the hoill a.s.semblye to be presented to the Quenis Majestie, was this:--

TO THE QUENIS MAJESTIE, AND HIR MOST HONORABLE PRIVEY COUNSALL, THE SUPERINTENDENTIS AND MINISTERIS OF THE EVANGELL OF JESUS CHRIST WITHIN THIS REALME, TOGETHER WITH THE COMMISSIONARIS OF THE HOILL CHURCHES,[803] DESYRE GRACE AND PEACE FROM G.o.d THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WITH THE SPREIT OF RYCHTEOUSE JUDGEMENT.

[803] In the Booke of the Kirk, "of the haill Kirk."

HAVING in mynd that fearfull sentence, p.r.o.nunced by the Eternall G.o.d against the watchemen that see the sweard of G.o.ddis punishement approche, and do not in plane wordis foirwarne the people, yea, the Princes and Reularis, that thei may repent, we can not but signify unto your Hienes, and unto your Counsall, that the estait of this Realme is sic for this present, that onless redress and remeady be schortlie provided, that G.o.ddis hand can not long spayr in his anger, to stryck the head and the taill; the in.o.bedient Prince and synfull people: For as G.o.d is unchangeable and trew, so must he punische in these our dayis, the grevouse synnes that befoir we read he hes punished in all aiges, after that he hes long called for reapentance, and none is schawin.

[Sidenote: THIS[804] CAUSES THE QUENIS RELIGIOUN TO HAVE MANY FAVOURARIS.]

[804] In MS. G, "These cause;" MS. L 4, "This causethe."

And that your Grace and Counsall may understand what be the thingis we desyre to be reformed, we will begyn at that quhilk we a.s.suredlie know to be the fontane and spring of all other evillis that now abound in this Realme, to wit, That idoll and b.a.s.t.a.r.d service of G.o.d, the Messe; the fontane, we call it, of all impietie, not only becaus that many tack boldnes to syn be rea.s.sone of the opinioun which thei have conceaved of that idoll, to wit, That by the vertew of it, thei get remissioun of thair synnes; but also becaus that under the cullour of the Messe, are hoores, adulteraris, drunkardis, blasphemaris of G.o.d, of His holy Word and Sacramentis, and such other manifest malcfactouris, manteaned and defended: for lett any Messesayare, or earnest manteanar thairof be deprehended in any of the foirnamed crymes, no executioun can be had, for all is done in haiterent of his religioun; and so are wicked men permitted to live wickedlie, clocked and defended by that odious idoll. But supposing that the Messe war occasioun of no such evillis, yit in the self it is so odiouse in G.o.ddis presence, that we can not cease with all instance to desyre the removing of the same, alsweall frome your self as from all otheris within this Realme, tacking heavin and earth, yea, and your awin conscience to record, that the obstinat manteanance of that idoll shall in the end be to you destructioun of saule and body.

Yf your Majestie demand, why that now we ar more earnest then we have bein heirtofoir; We ansuer, (our formar silence no wiese excused,) becaus we fynd us frustrat of our hope and expectatioun; quhilk was, that in processe of tyme, your Grace's heart should have bein mollifyed, so far as that ye wold have heard the publict doctrin taught within this Realme; by the quhilk, our farther hope was, that G.o.ddis Holy Spreit should so have moved your hearte, that ye should have suffered your religioun (quhilk befoir G.o.d is nothing but abominatioun and vanitie) to have been tryed by the trew tueich-stone, the writtin word of G.o.d; and that your Grace fynding it to have no ground nor fundatioun in the same, should have gevin that glorie unto G.o.d, that ye wold have preferred his treuth unto your awin preconceaved vane opinioun, of what antiquitie that ever it hes bene.

Whairof we in a parte now discoraged[805] cane no longer keape silence, onless we wold mack our selfis criminall befoir G.o.d of your blood, perisheing in your awin iniquitie; for we plainlie admonishe you of the dangearis to come.

[805] In MS. G, "discharged." In the Book of the Kirk, and MS. L 4, "disappointed."

[Sidenote: GRUDGEING OF THE n.o.bILITIE ONE AGAINST OTHER]

The Secound that we requyre, is punishement of horrible vices, sic as ar adultery, fornicatioun, open hurdome, blasphemye, contempt of G.o.d, of his Word, and Sacramentis; quhilkis in this Realme, for lack of punishement, do evin now so abound, that syne is reputed to be no syne. And thairfoir, as that we see the present signes of G.o.ddis wrath now manifestlie appear, so do we foirwarne, that he will stryck, or it be long, yf his law without punishement be permitted thus manifestlie to be contempned. Yf any object, that punishementis can nott be commanded to be executed without a Parliament; We answer that the eternall G.o.d in his Parliament has p.r.o.nounced death to be the punishement for adulterye and for blasphemye; whose actis yf ye putt not to executioun, (seing that Kingis ar but his lieutennentis, having no power to geve lyefe, whair he commandis death,) as that he will reputt you, and all otheris that foster vice, patronis of impietie, so will he nott faill to punishe you for neglecting of his judgementis.

Our Third requeast concerneth the Poore, who be of thre sortis: the poore lauboraris of the ground; the poore desolat beggaris, orphelyns, wedoes, and strangaris; and the poore ministeris of Christ Jesus his holie evangell, quhilk ar all so crewallie entreated by this last pretended Ordour tacken for sustentatioun of Ministeris, that thair latter miserie far surmonteth the formar. For now the poore lauboraris of the ground ar so oppressed by the creualtie of those that pay thair Thrid, that they for the most parte advance upoun the poore, whatsoever they pay to the Quene, or to any other. As for the verray indigent and poore, to whome G.o.d commandis a sustentatioun to be provided of the Teyndis, they ar so dyspised, that it is a wonder that the sone geveth heat and lycht to the earth, whair G.o.dis name is so frequentlie called upoun, and no mercy (according to his commandiment) schawin to his creaturis. And also for the Ministeris, thair lyvingis ar so appointed, that the most parte shall lyve but a beggaris lyef.

And all c.u.meth of that impietie, that the idill bellies of Christis ennemyes mon be fedd in thair formare delicacie.

We dar nott conceall frome your Grace and Honouris our conscience, quhilk is this, That neather by the law of G.o.d, neather yitt by any just law of man, is any thing dew unto thame, who now most creuellie do exact of the poore and riche the Two partes of thair Benefices, as they call thame: And thairfoir we most humblie requyre, that some other Ordour may be tacken with thame, nor that thei be sett up agane to impyre above the people of G.o.d, eathir yitt above any subject within this Realme. For we fear that sic usurpatioun to thair formar estaite be neather in the end pleasing to thame selfis, nor profitable to thame that wold place thame in that tyrannye. Yf any think that a competent lyving is to be a.s.signed to thame, we repugne not, provided that the Lauboraris of the ground be nott oppressed, the Poore be nott utterlie neglected, and the Ministeris of the word so scharplie entreated as now thay ar. And, finallie, that those idill bellies, who by law can crave nothing, shall confesse that thei receave thair sustentatioun, nott of debt, but as of benevolence. Our humble requeast is thairfoir, that some suddane ordour may be tacken, that the poore Lauboraris may fynd some releaf, and that in everie parochine some portioun of the Teyndis may be a.s.signed to the sustentatioun of the Poore within the same; and lykwise that some publict releaf may be provided for the Poore within Broughtis; that collectouris may be appointed to gatther, and that scharpe comptis may be tacken, alsweall of thair receat as of thair deliverance. The farther consideratioun to be had to our Ministeris, we in some parte remitt to your Wisdomes, and unto thair particular complayntis.

Oure Fourt pet.i.tioun is for the mansses, yardis, and gleibes, justlie apperteanyng to the Ministeris, without the quhilkis it is unpossible unto thame quyetly to serve thair chargeis; and thairfoir we desyre ordour to be tacken thairinto without delay.

Oure Fyft concerneth the in.o.bedience of certane wicked personis, who not onlie truble, and have trubled Ministeris in thair functioun, but also disobey the Superintendentis in thair visitatioun; whairof we humblye crave remeady; which we do not so much for any fear that we and our Ministeris have of the Papistis, but for the love that we bear to the commoun tranquillitie. For this we can not hyd from your Majestie and Counsall, that yf the Papistis think to triumphe whair thai may, and to do what thai list, whair thair is not a partie able to resist thame, that some will think, that the G.o.dlie mon begyn whair thai left, who heirtofoir have borne all thingis patientlie, in hope that Lawes should have brydilled the wicked; whairof yf thai be frustrat, (albeit that nothing be more odiouse to thame then tumultis and domesticall discord,) yit will men attempt the uttermost, befoir that in thair awin eyes thai behold that House of G.o.d demolisshed, quhilk with travaill and danger G.o.d hath within this Realme erected by thame.

Last, We desyre that sick as have receaved remissioun of thair Thriddis be compelled to susteane the Ministerie within thair boundis, or ellis we foirwarne your Grace and Counsall, that we fear that the people shall reteane the hoill in thair handis, unto sic tyme as thair ministery be sufficientlie provided. We farther desyre the kirkis to be repared according to ane Act set furth by the Lordis of Secreat Counsall, befoir your Majesties arryvall in this countrey: That Judges be appointed to hear the causes of divors.e.m.e.nt; for the Kirk can no longare sustean that burthen, especiallye becaus thair is no punishement for the offendars: That sayeris and heararis of Messe, prophanaris of the Sacramentis, such as have entered in [to] benefices by the Papis bulles, and such otheris transgressouris of the Law maid at your Grace's arryvall within this Realme, may be seveirlie punished; for ellis men will think that thair is no treuth ment in macking of sick Lawis.

Farther, We most humblye desyre of your Grace and Honorable Counsall, a resolut ansuer to everie ane of the headis foirwritten, that the same being knawin, we may somewhat satisfie such as be grevouslie offended at manifest iniquitie now manteaned, at oppressioun under pretext of Law done against the poor, and at the rebelliouse disobedience of many wicked personis against G.o.dis word and holy ordinance.

G.o.d the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, so reull your heartis, and direct your Grace and Counsallis judgementis by the dyttament and illuminatioun of his Holy Spreit, that ye may ansuer so as that your consciences may be absolved in the presence of that rychteous Judge, the Lord Jesus; and then we doubt nott but ye your selfis shall fynd felicitie, and this poor Realme, that long hes bene oppressed by wicked men, shall enjoy tranquillitie and rest, with the treu knowledge of G.o.d.

[Sidenote: ESAI.]

[Sidenote: ANSUERE TO LETHINGTON.]

These thingis redd in publict a.s.sernblie,[806] as said is, war approved of all, (and some wissed that moir scharpness had bene used, becaus that the tyme so craved,) but the monzeoris of the Court, and Secreatarie Lethingtoun abuf otheris, could not abyd such hard speiking; "For who ever saw it writtin (said he) to a Prince, That G.o.d wold stryck the head and the taill: That yf Papistis did what thei list, men wold begyn whair thei left." But abuf all otheris that was most offensyve, that the Quene was accused, as that sche wold raise up Papists and Papistrie agane. To put that in the people's head was no less then trea.s.sone; for oathes durst be maid[807] that sche never ment such thing. To whom it was ansured, "That the Prophete Esaias used such manor of speiking; and it was no doubt but he was weill acquented in the Court; for it was supposed he was of the Kingis stock. But howsoever it was, his wordis mack manifest, that he s.p.a.ck to the Court and Courteouris, to Judges, Ladies, Princes, and Preastis: And yit, (sayes he,) "The Lord shall cut away the head and the taill," &c. "And so," said the first wryttar, "I fynd that such phrase was ones used befoir us. And yf this offend you, that we say, 'Men maun begyn whair thei left,' in case that Papistis do as thei do; we wold desyre you to teache us, not so much how we shall speak, but rather what we shall do, when our Ministeris ar strycken, our Superintendentis disobeyed, and a plane rebellioun decread against all good ordour." "Complean," said Lethingtoun. "Whom to?" said the other.

"To the Quenis Majestie," said he. "How long shall we do so?" quod the whole. "Till that ye get remeady," said the Justice Cleark: "geve me thair names, and I shall geve you letteris." "Yf the shepe," said one, "shall compleane to the wolf, that the wolves and whelpis hes devoured thair lambis, the compleanar may stand in danger; but the offendar, we feare, shall have libertie to hunt after his prey." "Sic comparisonis," said Lethingtoun, "are verray unsaverie; for I am a.s.sured, that the Quene will neather erect, nor yit manteane Papistrie." "Let your a.s.surance," said ane other, "serve your self, but it can not a.s.sure us, for hir manifest proceadings speakis the contrair."

[806] At the 6th Sess., 4th July.

[807] In MS. G, "wer maid."

After sick tanting rea.s.sonyng of boyth the sydis, the mult.i.tude concluded, that the Supplicatioun, as it was conceaved, should be presented, onless that the Secreatarie wold forme one more aggreable to the present necessitie. He promest to keap the substance of ouris, but he wold use other termes, and ask thingis in a mair gentill maner.

The first writtar ansured, "That he served the Kirk at thair commandiment, and was content, that in his dictament should men use the libertie that best pleased thame, provided that he was not compelled to subscryve to the flatterie of such as more regarded the personis of men and wemen, then the simple treuth of G.o.d." And so was this formar Supplicatioun gevin to be reformed as Lethingtounis wisdome thought best. And in verray deid he framed it so, that when it was delivered by the Superintendentis of Lotheane and Fyfe, and when that sche had redd somewhat of it, sche said, "Here ar many fair wordis: I can not tell what the heartis ar." And so for our paynted oratorye, we war termed the nixt name to flatteraris and dissemblaris.

But for that Sessioun the Kirk receaved none other ansuer.

[Sidenote: JOHNE GORDOUN AND OGILBY.]

Schort after[808] the conventioun of the Kirk, chansed that unhappy persuyt whilk Johnne Gordoun, Laird of Fynlater,[809] maid upoun the Lord Ogilby,[810] who was evill hurt, and almost yit abydis mutilat.

The occasioun was, for certane landis and rights, quhilkis old Fyndlater had resigned to the said Lord, which he was perseuing, and was in appearance to obteane his purpose. Whairat the said Johne and his servandis war offended, and thairfoir maid the said persuyt, upoun a Setterday, at nycht, betwix nyne and ten. The freindis of the said Lord war eather not with him, or ellis not weall willing to feght that nycht; for thei took straikis, but geve few that left markis. The said Johne was tane, and put in the Tolbuyth, whair he remanent certane dayis, and then brack his warde, some judged, at his fatheris commandiment; for he was macking preparatioun for the Quenis c.u.ming to the North, as we will after hear.

[808] As mentioned in the previous page 337, Knox has mistaken the time when the General a.s.sembly met, and in this way he probably committed the mistake of saying, "Schort after," instead of "Short before the Conventioun." The meetings of the a.s.sembly were from Monday the 29th June, till Sat.u.r.day the 4th July 1562. The above conflict took place on Sat.u.r.day the 27th June. The Magistrates having apprehended and imprisoned Gordon of Finlater, and ordered two of the Ogilvies to be kept in ward, they sent a messenger to the Queen, who was then in Stirling, to obtain her instructions. The Queen's letter, dated penult of June, is preserved in the Council Register, and is printed by Keith. (Hist. vol. ii. p. 156.) But Sir John Gordon, as Knox mentions, soon afterwards made his escape to the North.

[809] Sir John Gordon was third son of George fourth Earl of Huntley.

Alexander Ogilvy of Ogilvy, in 1545, having disinherited his son James Ogilvy of Cardell, settled his estates of Finlater and Deskford upon John Gordon, who a.s.sumed the name of Ogilvie, which was the occasion of the animosity that existed between the two families. James Ogilvy of Cardell had been in France, and was Master of the Household of Queen Mary. He was now endeavouring to recover possession of his father's estates. The claim between the rival families of Gordon and Ogilvy having at length been referred to arbitration, the estates of Deskford and Finlater, in 1566, were affirmed to James Ogilvy, the ancestor of the Earls of Finlater; and this award was ratified in Parliament, 19th April 1567.

[810] According to most accounts James sixth Lord Ogilvy of Airly was so severely wounded in this conflict, on the 27th June 1562, that his life was considered to be in imminent danger; but he recovered and survived till the year 1606.

The interview and meating of the two Quenis, delayed till the nixt year, oure Soverane took purpose to visyt the North, and departed from Striveling in the moneth of August. Whitther thair was any secreat pactioun and confederacye betwix the Papistis in the South, and the Erle of Huntley and his Papistis in the North; or, to speak more planelie, betwix the Quene hir self and Huntley, we can not certanlie say.[811] But the suspitionis war wounderous vehement, that thair was no good will borne to the Erle of Murray, nor yit to such as depended upoun him at that tyme. The History we shall faythfullie declair, and so leave the judgement free to the readaris.

[811] In MS. G, "certanely affirme."

That Johne Gordoun brack his ward, we have already heard, who immediately thairafter reapared to his father George, then Eric of Huntley;[812] and understanding the Quenis c.u.ming, maid graite provisioun in Strabogye, and in other partis, as it war to receave the Quene. At Aberdene the Quene and Court remaned certane dayis to deliberat upoun the affaires of the countrey; whair some began to smell, that the Erle of Huntley was under gatthering, as heirefter shalbe declaired.

[812] George fourth Earl of Huntley succeeded his grandfather in 1524.