The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 44

[857] Of the five persons here named, who were proposed as husband to Queen Mary, the first was Don Carlos, Infant of Spain, son of Philip the Second, born in 1545, and died in 1568. The next was the Archduke Charles, a younger son of the Emperor Ferdinand the First, and brother of Maximilian the Second, born in 1540, and died in 1596. The third was Lord Robert Dudley, the favourite of Queen Elizabeth, who created him Earl of Leicester, born in 1532, and died in 1588. The fourth was James (of the house of Savoy) Duke de Nemours, born in 1531, and died in 1585. He was reckoned as "l'un des plus beaux Princes de son tems, et des plus braves, fut liberal, magnifique, et scavoit des langues."

In 1566, he married Anne d'Este, widow of Francis Duke de Guise.

(Anselme, Hist. Geneal. vol. iii. p. 512.) The last was Henry Lord Darnley, eldest son of Matthew Earl of Lennox, born 1545, and whom she afterwards married, 29th July 1565.

[858] See page 335, note 2.

[859] Robert Melvin or Melville, the second son of Sir John Melville of Raith. In May 1555, "Robert Melville, servand to the Quenis Grace, received be hir speciale command," the sum of 50; and in September following, 75, as his pension for the Whitsunday term, that year. He had long resided at the Court of France, during the reign of Henry the Second; and was afterwards much employed in public affairs. He was knighted in 1582, and was raised to the Peerage, by the t.i.tle of Lord Melville of Monimail, in 1616, having survived till 1621, when he died at the very advanced age of 94.

The Erle Bothwell, who befoir had brocken ward, fearing apprehensioun, prepared to pas to France; but by storme of weather was dryven into England, whair he was stayed, and was offerred to have bein randered by the Quene of England. But our Quenis ansuer was, "That he was no rebell, and thairfoir sche requeasted that he should have libertie to pas whair it pleiseth him."[860] And thairto Lethingtoun helped not a litill; for he travailled to have freindis in everie factioun of the Courte. And so obteined the said Erle licence to pas to France.

[860] In MS. G, "quhair he pleased."

[Sidenote: THE PREACHEOURIS RAILLED UPOUN OF THE COURTEOURIS.]

[Sidenote: THE PREACHERIS ADMONITIOUN AFTER THE DEATH OF THE ERLE HUNTLEY.]

[Sidenote: HUNTLYE.][861]

[861] In MS. G, "mening of Huntlie."

[Sidenote: LET THE WARLDE JUDGE NOWE, 1571, FOR LETHINGTOUN THEN WAS THE FATHER OF ALL MISCHEIF.[862]

[862] In MS. 1566, the marginal note at the top of the next page, judging from the different hand and colour of ink, was evidently added in 1571. The words "then was," refer to the year 1562-3. The note occurs in MS. G, with this addition, "then was (as he is now)."

The wynter after the death of the Erle of Huntley, the Courte remaned for the maist part in Edinburgh. The Preacheouris war wonderous vehement in reprehensioun of all maner of vice, which then began to habound; and especiallie avarice, oppressioun of the poor, excesse, ryotouse chear, banketting, immoderat dansing, and hurdome, that thairof enseuis. Whairat the Courteouris began to storme, and began to pyck querrallis against the Preachearis, alledging that all thair preaching was turned to raylling. Whairunto one of thame gave ansuer as followeth: "It c.u.mis to our earis that we ar called raillaris, whairof albeit we wounder, yitt we ar not eschamed, seing that the most worthy servandis of G.o.d that befoir us have travalled in this vocatioun, have so bein styled. But unto you do I say, that that same G.o.d, who from the begyning has punished the contempt of his word, and hes poured furth his vengeance upoun such proude mockaris, shall not spair you; yea, he shall not spair you befoir the eyis of this same wicked generatioun, for the pleasur whairof ye dispyse all holsome admonitionis. Have ye not sein ane greattar than any of you sitting whair presentlie ye sitt, pyck his naillis, and pull down his bonet ower his eyis, when idolatrie, witchecraft, murther, oppressioun, and such vices war rebuked? Was not his commoun talk, When thei knaiffis have railled thair fill, then will thei hald thair peace? Have ye not heard it affirmed to his awin face, that G.o.d should revenge that his blasphemy, evin in the eyis of such as war witnesses to his iniquitie?

Then was the Erle Huntley accused by you, as the manteanar of idolatrie, and only hinderar of all good ordour. Him hes G.o.d punished, evin according to the threatnyngis that his and your earis heard; and by your handis hath G.o.d executed his judgementis. But what amendment in any caise can be espyed in you? Idolatrie was never in greattar rest: vertew and verteouse men war never in more contempt: vice was never more bold, nor less feared punishement. And yitt who guydis the Quene and Court? Who but the Protestantis? O horrible sclanderaris of G.o.d, and of his holie evangell. Bettir it war unto you plainelie to renunce Christ Jesus, then thus to expone his blessed Evangell to mockage. Yf G.o.d punishe not you, that this same aige shall see and behold your punishement,[863] the Spreit of rychteous judgement guydis me not."

[863] In MS. G, is this marginal note, which cannot be attributed to the author:--"The end declared thair words to be trew." Lethington, it is well known, having adhered to the Queen's party, he remained in the Castle of Edinburgh during the whole time of the siege by the English troops in 1573, until its surrender, under promise that the Governor and his a.s.sociates should be favourably treated. But Queen Elizabeth delivered them up to their implacable enemy the Regent Morton; and Lethington was with Kirkaldy of Grange, and the other prisoners, carried to Leith; but whether it was his own act, to save the disgrace of a public execution, or that of others, he died, "not without suspicion of poison," on the 9th June 1573.

[Sidenote: THE DEFENCE OF THE COURTEOURIS.]

This vehemence provocked the hatterent, not onlie of the Courteouris, but also of diverse otheris against the speakar;[864] for such as be in credyte never lack flatteraris. "Thair brethren of the Courte war irreverentlie handilled. What was that, but to raise the heartis of the people against thame? Thei did what thei myght; such speaking wold cause thame do less." And this was the frute the Preachearis gatthered of thair just reprehensionis.

[864] In MS. G, "the speaker, quhilk was John Knox."

[Sidenote: 1562.]

[Sidenote: THE QUENIS PRACTISE.]

The Generall a.s.semblie of the Churche,[865] holden the twenty-fyve of December, the year of G.o.d 1562, approched, in the which, great complentis war maid, that churches lacked Ministeris; that Ministeris lacked thair stipendis; that wicked men war permitted to be School-maisteris, and so to infect the youth; amongis whom one Maister Robert c.u.myn, school-maister in Aberbrothok, was compleaned upoun by the Laird of Dun,[866] and sentence was p.r.o.nunced against him. It was farther compleaned, that idolatrie was erected in diverse partis of the Realme; for redress whairof, some thought best, that new supplicatioun should be presented to the Quenis Grace. Otheris demanded, what ansuer was receaved of the formar? The Superintendent of Lowtheane confessed the deliverance of it, "But," said he, "I receaved no ansuer." It was ansuered for the parte of the Quene, (for hir suppostis war ever thair,) "That it was weill knawin to the hoill Realme what trubles had occurred since the last a.s.semblie; and thairfoir, that thei should not wounder albeit that the Quene had not ansuered: but betwix that and the Parliament which was appointed in May, thei doubted not but that such ordour should be tacken, as all men should have occasioun to stand content." This satisfyed, for that tyme, the hoill a.s.semblie: And this was the practise of the Quene and of hir Counsall, with fair wordis to dryve tyme, as befoir we have said.

[865] In MS. G, "of the Kirk."

[866] John Erskine of Dun, Superintendent of Angus and Mearns.

Calderwood repeats this notice, and says, that c.u.mming was accused "for infecting the youth committed to his charge with idolatrie."

The a.s.semblie, nochtwithstanding, proceided fordward in establessing of such ordouris, as whairby vice myght be punished, and vertew myght be manteaned. And becaus that thair was a great sclander rissen upoun Paule Meffen,[867] of whom mentioun is maid in the Secound Booke of this Historie, commissioun and charge was gevin unto Johne Knox, minister of Edinburgh, and unto certane of the eldaris of the Kirk of Edinburgh, to pa.s.s to the toune of Jedburgh, whair the said sclander was rased, and to be found thair the thrid of Januar nixt, for the tryall to be tane in the sclander rased, and to hear the articules and complaynt of the said Paule; and after the tryall, to report the treuth to the Sessioun of the Churche of Edinburgh; to whom, with the a.s.sistance of the Superintendent of Lowthiane, commissioun was gevin to decern thairintill. The tryall and examinatioun of that cryme was difficill. The sclander was universall in that toune and countrey. The servand woman of the said Paule had betwix termes left his house; sche had borne a child; no father to it could she fynd; but alledged hir self to have bein oppressed late in ane evening. The said Paule constantlie affirmed him self innocent, and wold have gevin his publict purgatioun; but becaus that his accusatouris had tacken upoun thame to prove thair accusatioun, that was denyed. Many witnesses war produced, of whom some deponed so clearlie, that the Commissionaris suspected that thei had bene suborned, and thairfoir thei requyred to have inspectioun of the places, whair some said thei saw, and some said thei heard thame in the verray act of iniquitie. The syght and consideratioun of the places augmented greatlie the suspitioun. But one thing was most suspitiouse of all otheris; for the wyiff of the said Paull, ane auncient matron, was absent from him the s.p.a.ce of aucht or nyne weakis in Dundye; which tyme (or at least a great part thairof) thei suspected, and he lay nyghtlie in ane house, without other c.u.mpany than a child of sevin or eight yearis of aige.

[867] Knox has previously mentioned Paul Methven as an active and zealous preacher, (vol. i. p. 300.) The proceedings against him by order of the a.s.sembly, contained in the Book of the Kirk, consist of extracts from Calderwood. Knox was appointed on the 30th December 1562, to proceed to Jedburgh, and on the 3d of January to take trial of the slander raised against Methven. At the next General a.s.sembly, on the 25th June 1563, Knox reported that Methven had been removed from his charge, and excommunicated.

[Sidenote: HEIR THE INIQUITIE OF PAULL MEFFEN WAS CLEARLIE PROVEN]

The Judges, notwithstanding these suspitionis, haveing a good opinioun of the honestye and G.o.dlynes of the man, travalled what thei could (conscience not hurte) to purge him of the sclander. But G.o.d, who wold not that such vilanye should be clocked and conceiled within his Churche, otherwyese had decreed; for he brought the brother of the gyltie woman to the toune, having no mind of such materis, who being produced by the accusatouris, as one that was prevey of the fact, and knew the veritie with all circ.u.mstances: This witness, (we say,) which could not be suspected, being produced, maid the mater so plane and clear, that all suspitioun was removed; for he it was that convoyed the woman away; he it was that caused the child to be baptised, alledging it to be his awin: he it was that caryed frequent message betwix thame, and from Paull caryed money and claythis diverse tymes.

How soon that ever the said Paule saw that man produced, as witnesse, he withdrew himself, and left the toune, by that mean plainlie tacken upon him the cryme; and so the Commissionaris with full informatioun returned to Edinburgh, and notified the fact unto the Churche, who caused publictlie summond the said Paull to hear the sentence p.r.o.nunced; who not compearing, in the end, for his odiouse cryme and contumacye, was publictlie excommunicated, and depryved of all functioun within the Churches of Scotland: and so left he the Realme.

For two causes we insert this horrible fact, and the ordour keapt in punishment of the same: formar, To foirwarne such as travaill in that vocatioun, that, according to the admonitioun of the Apostle, "Suche as stand, tack head lest thei fall." No man in the begyning of the Evangell was judged more fervent and more upryght, and yit we have heard how far Sathane has prevailled against him. G.o.d grant that we may hear of his reapentance.[868] Neather yitt aught his fall any thing to prejudge the authoritie of the doctrin which he taucht; for the doctrin of G.o.d have authoritie of no creature, but has the a.s.surance of G.o.d him self, how weak or imperfite that ever the instrumentis be by whom it pleases G.o.d to publishe the same. The treason of Judas, the adulterie of David, and the abnegatioun of Petir, did derogat nothing to the glorie of Christis evangell, nor yit to the doctrin which befoir thei had taught; but declaired the one to be a reprobat, and the other to be instrumentis in whome mercy must neadis surmount judgement. The other caus is, That the world may see what difference thair is betwix light and darknes, betwix the uprychtness of the Churche of G.o.d, and the corruptioun that ringes in the synagoge of Sathan, the Papisticall rable; for how many of that sorte hath bein, and still remane openlie knowin hooremongaris, adulteraris, violataris of virgenis, yea, and committaris of such abhominationis as we will nott name; and yit ar thei called and permitted to be Bischoppis, Archbischoppis, Cardinallis, and Papis thame selfis. For what synnes can unable the sworn servandis of Simonye, and of his father the devill? For bragg what thei lyst of Christ, of Petir, and of Paule, thair lyves and conversationis bearis witnesse whom to they belong. But we return to our Historye of thingis done in Courte.

[868] The writer of the Fifth or Supplemental Book of the present work, notices Methven's contrition and public repentance; and his earnest desire to be received again into church-fellows.h.i.+p. It does not appear that he was permitted to resume his ministerial functions.

[Sidenote: CHATTELETT AND THE QUENE.]

[Sidenote: THE QUENIS DESYRE CONCERNYNG CHATTELETTIS DEATH.]

Amongis the monzeonis of the Courte,[869] thair was one named Monsieur Chattelett,[870] a Frencheman, that at that tyme pa.s.sed all otheris in credytt with the Quene. In dansing of the Purpose, (so terme thei that danse, in the which man and woman talkis[871] secreatlie--wyese men wold judge such fa.s.sionis more lyke to the bordell than to the comelynes of honest women,) in this danse the Quene chosed Chattelett, and Chattelett took the Quene. Chattelett had the best dress. All this wynter Chattelett was so familiare in the Quenis cabinett, ayre and laitt, that scarslye could any of the n.o.bilitie have access unto hir.

The Quene wold ly upoun Chattelettis shoulder, and sometymes prively she wold steall a kyss of his neck. And all this was honest yneuch; for it was the gentill entreatment of a stranger. But the familiaritie was so great, that upoun a nycht, he privelie did convoy him self under the Quenis bed; but being espyed, he was commanded away. But the bruyte arysing, the Quene called the Erle of Murray, and bursting furth in a womanlie affectioun, charged him, "That as he loved hir, he should slay Chattelett, and let him never speak word." The other, at the first, maid promesse so to do; but after calling to mynd the judgementis of G.o.d p.r.o.nunced against the scheddaris of innocent bloode, and also that none should dye, without the testimonye of two or thre witnesses, returned and fell upoun his kneis befoir the Quene, and said, "Madam, I beseak your Grace, cause not me tack the blood of this man upoun me. Your Grace hes entreated him so familiarlie befoir, that ye have offended all your n.o.bilitie; and now yf he shalbe secreatlie slane at your awin commandiment, what shall the world judge of it? I shall bring him to the presence of Justice, and let him suffer be law according to his deserving." "Oh," said the Quene, "ye will never let him speak?" "I shall do," said he, "Madam, what in me lyeth to saiff your honour."

[869] The following account of Chastelard, in MS. L 4, is introduced with a pa.s.sage relating to "Danvill, son to Annas Montmorrencie, Constable of France," who had accompanied "the Guises to Scotland;"

but the reference, "as Thua.n.u.s sayeth," clearly shews it to be a subsequent interpolation. "When he (Danvill) departed, he left behind him Monsieur Chattellet, nephew to the famous knyght Pierr Tertall, by his daughter. Whill he is left a brocker between Danvill and the Queen, he lauboured to conquist hir affection to himself. He pa.s.sed all others in credit," &c. See Cald. Hist. vol. ii. p. 211. It may be added, in reference to this MS. L 4, that it corresponds very closely with the MS. portion of Mr. M'Crie's copy of Vautrollier's edition; and the latter was probably the copy that Calderwood the Historian made use of, as his extracts correspond with it, and the MS. additions resemble the handwriting of his amanuensis.

[870] The name of Chastelard, among other varieties by different writers, occurs as Chatelar, Chastellet, Charterlet, Chatillon. But we cannot well identify him with a person of nearly the same name who had been attached to the household of the Queen Regent in 1555, as appears from this entry in the Treasurer's Accounts, on the 7th January:--"Item, Given to _Franschois Chattillihon_, kepar of the Quenis Grace chalmer dur, be ane precept and speciale command at his departing to Fransche--1 lb." (50.)

Chastelard arrived in Scotland in 1561, as one of the suite of M. de Damville. He returned with him to France; but in November 1562, he again visited Scotland as the bearer of letters to the Queen. He remained about the Court until the 12th of February 1562-3, the night when he concealed himself in the Queen's bed-chamber in the Palace of Holyrood. He followed her to Fife, and two days later, he was discovered, as Knox relates, at Burntisland, and being arrested, he was conveyed and tried at St. Andrews, where he was executed on the 22d February 1562-3. No account of his trial has been preserved, the scroll Court-book of Justiciary, from May 1562 to May 1563, being lost. (Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. i. p. 427.)

[871] In MS. G, "talketh."

Poor Chattelett was brocht back from Kinghorne to Sanctandrois, examinat, putt to ane a.s.sise, and so beheaded, the twenty-twa day of Februar, the year of G.o.d J^m V^c threscoir twa. He begged licence to wryte to Fraunce the cause of his death, which, said he, in his toung, was, "Pour estre trouve en lieu trop suspect;" that is, "Becaus I was found in a place too much suspect." At the place of executioun, when he saw that thair was no remeady but death, he maid a G.o.dly confessioun, and granted, that his declyning from the treuth of G.o.d, and following of vanitie and impietie, was justlie recompensed upoun him. But in the end he concluded, looking unto the heavenis, with these words, "O cruelle Dame," that is, "Cruell Maistress."[872] What that complaint imported, luvaris may devine. And so receaved Chattelett the reward of his dansing; for he lacked his head, that his toung should nott utter the secreattis of our Quene. "Deliver us, O Lord, from the raige of such inordinat reullaris."

[872] Brantome has given a tolerably full account of Chastelard, and says, he was a gentleman of Dauphine, and grand-nephew on the mother's side of the celebrated M. de Bayard. On the day of his execution, he says, when brought to the scaffold, he took into his hands the hymns of the French poet Ronsard, "et, pour son eternelle consolation, se mit a lire tout entierement l'hymne de la mort, _qui est tres-bien fait, et propre pour ne point abhorrer la mort_; ne s'aydent autrement d'autre livre spirituel, ny de Ministre, ny de Confesseur." He then adds that Chastelard turned to the place where he supposed the Queen to be, and cried aloud,--"Adieu, the most beautiful and the most cruel Princess of the world." (Oeuvres, tome ii. p. 357.) Randolph, however, says, "he died with repentance." (Tytler's Hist. vol. vi. p. 274)

[Sidenote: THE PUNISHMENT OF G.o.d FOR MANTEYNYNG AND ERECTING OF THE MESSE.]

[Sidenote: DEARTH AND FAMYN IN THE NORTH.]

The year of G.o.d a thousand fyve hundreth threscoir thre yearis, thair was ane universall dearth in Scotland. But in the northland, whair the harvest befoir the Quene had travailled, thair was ane extreame famyn, in the qubilk many dyed in that countrey. The dearth was great ower all, but the famyn was princ.i.p.allie thair. The boll of wheat gave sax pound: the boll of bear, sax markis and ane half: the boll of meill, four markis: the boll of aittis, fyfty schillingis: ane ox to draw in the pleuch, xx markis: a weddir, thretty schillingis. And so all thingis apperteanyng to the sustentatioun of man, in tripill and more exceaded thair accustomed prices. And so did G.o.d, according to the threatnyng of His law, punish the idolatrie of our wicked Quene, and our ingrat.i.tud, that suffered hir to defyle the land with that abominatioun agane, that G.o.d so potentlie had purged, by the power of his wourd. For the ryotouse feasting, and excessive banquetting, used in Court and countrey, whair soevir that wicked Woman repaired, provocked G.o.d to stryck the staff of braid, and to geve his maledictioun upoun the fructis of the earth.[873] But, O allace, who looked, or yit lookis to the very cause of all our calamities.

[873] Bishop Keith animadverts with some severity on Knox's language in thus attributing this dearth and high price of provisions "as an immediate punishment upon what he calls 'the idolatry of our wicked rulers.'" (Hist. vol. ii. p. 193.) He also quotes an Act of Privy Council, 11th February 1562-3, against eating flesh during the season of Lent, because, as the Act bears, "The cattle had suffered much by the tempestuous storms of the winter bypast."

[Sidenote: PASCH OR EASTER.]

Lethingtoun was absent, as befoir we have heard, in the Quenis effairis.[874] The Papistis, at that Pasche,[875] anno lxiij^o, in diverse partis of the Realme, had erected up that idoll, the Messe; amongis whom the Bisshope of Sanctandrois, the Priour of Whithorne,[876] with diverse otheris of thair factioun, wold avow it.

Besydis the first proclamatioun, thair had letteris past in the contrair, with certificatioun of death to the contraveanar.

[874] On the 13th February 1562-3, "Williame Maitland apperand of Lethingtoun, and Secretar to our Soverane Ladie, depairt.i.t furth of Edinburgh to France in amba.s.satorie, to quhat effect none knowis."

(Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 75.) Keith has printed from what he calls "the Shattered MS.," the "Instructions by the Queen of Scots to her Secretary, Mr. William Maitland, younger of Lethingtoun." (Hist. vol.

ii. p. 188.) They have reference, however, to his mission to Queen Elizabeth, and not to the Court of France. The date, 12th February 1562-3, is confirmed by a letter quoted by Mr. Tytler, vol. vi. p.

275.