The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 46

[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.

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOXES DISCHARGE TO THE ERLE OF MURRAY.]

This bill and discharge was so pleasing to the flatteraris of the said Erle, that thei triumphed of it, and war glad to have gotten thair occasioun; for some invyed that so great familiaritie was betwix the said Erle and Johne Knox. And thairfoir fra the tyme that thei gat ones that occasioun to separat thame, thei cea.s.sed nott to cast oyle in the burnyng flambe, which cea.s.sed nott to burne, till that G.o.d by watter of afflictioun, began to slocken it, as we shall after hear.

But least that thei[903] should alltogetther have bein sein to have foirsaikin G.o.d, (as in verray deid boyth G.o.d and his Word was far frome the hearttis of the most parte of the Courteouris in that aige, and a fewe excepted,) thei began a newe schift, to wit, to speak of the punishement of adulterye, of witchcraft, and to seik the rest.i.tutioun of the glebes and manses to the Ministeris of the Kirk, and of the reparatioun of churches: and thairby thei thought to have pleased the G.o.dlye that war hyghtlie offended at thair slackness.

[903] After the words, "least that they," in the margin of MS. 1566, there was added, "Lethingtoun and his Companyons;" but this note was afterwards deleted. At this Parliament, Lethington was not present.

Two or three slight corrections in the text of the MS. also occur in this place.

The Act of Oblivioun pa.s.sed, becaus some of the Lordis had intresse; but the actis against adulterye, and for the mansses and gleibes, war so modifyed, that no law, and such law mycht stand _in eodem predicamento_; to speak plaine, no law and such Actis war boyth alyik.

The Actis ar in prynt:[904] lett wyese men read, and then accuse us, yf without cause we compleane.

[904] The Acts of this Parliament were printed in a separate form at Edinburgh by Robert Lekprewik, 1565, folio,--an edition of great rarity. The Acts of 1563, are twenty-five in number, "extract.i.t furth of the buikis of Parliament," by Maister James Makgill, Clerk Register. They are included in the collected edition of the Acts of 1424 to 1564, which issued from the same press in 1566, and in all the subsequent editions.

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOX HIS SERMON.]

[Sidenote: [905]THE SPEAKAR WAS THE DEANE OF RESTALRIG.]

[905] Mr. John Sinclair, Dean of Restalrig, and afterwards Lord President of the Court of Session.

In the progresse of this corruptioun, and befoir the Parliament dissolved, Johne Knox, in his sermon befoir the most parte of the n.o.bilitie, began to enter in a deape discourse of G.o.ddis mercyes which that Realme had felt, and of that ingrat.i.tude quhilk he espyed almost in the hoill mult.i.tude, which G.o.d had marvelouslie delivered from the boundage and tyrannye boyth of body and saule. "And now, my Lordis,"

said he, "I praise my G.o.d, throught Jesus Christ, that in your awin presence I may powre furth the sorowis of my hearte; yea, your selfis shalbe witnesse, yf that I shall maik any ley in thingis that ar bypast. From the begyning of G.o.ddis myghty wirking within this Realme, I have bein with you in your most desperat tentationis. Ask your awin consciences, and lett thame answer you befoir G.o.d, yf that I, (not I, but G.o.ddis Spirite by me,) in your greatest extremitie willed you nott ever to depend upoun your G.o.d, and in his name promissed unto you victorye and preservatioun from your ennemyes, so that ye wold only depend uponn his protectioun, and preferr his glory to your awin lyves and worldlie commoditie. In your most extreame dangearis I have bein with you: Sanct Johnestoun, Cowper Mure, and the Craiggis of Edinburgh, ar yitt recent in my heart; yea, that dark and dolorouse nyght whairin all ye, my Lordis, with schame and feare left this toune,[906] is yitt in my mynd; and G.o.d forbid that ever I forgett it.

What was (I say) my exhortatioun unto you, and what is fallen in vane of all that ever G.o.d promised unto you by my mouth, ye your selfis yitt lyve to testifie. Thair is nott one of you against whom was death and destructioun threatned, perished in that danger: And how many of your ennemyes hes G.o.d plagued befoir your eyis! Shall this be the thankfulness that ye shall render unto your G.o.d, to betray his cause, when ye have it in your awin handis to establesh it as ye please? The Quene, say ye, will not agree with us: Ask ye of hir that which by G.o.ddis word ye may justlie requyre, and yf she will not agree with you in G.o.d, ye ar not bound to agree with hir in the Devill: Lett her plainelie understand so far of your myndis, and steall not from your formar stoutness in G.o.d, and he shall prosper you in your interpryses.

But I can see nothing but such a reculling frome Christ Jesus, as the man that first and most spedelie flyeth from Christis enseignzie, holdeth him self most happy. Yea, I hear that some say, That we have nothing of our Religioun establesshed, neather by Law or Parliament.

Albeit that the malitious wordis of sick can neather hurte the treuth of G.o.d, nor yitt us that thairupoun depend, yitt the speakar for his treasone against G.o.d committed, and against this poore Commounwealth, deserves the gallowes. For oure Religioun being commanded, and so establesshed by G.o.d, is accepted within this Realme in publict Parliament; and yf thei will say that was no Parliament, we man, and will say, and also prove, that that Parliament was also lauchfull as ever any that pa.s.sed befoir it within this Realme. Yea, yf the King then lyving[907] was King, and the Quene now in this Realme be lauchfull Quene, that Parliament can nott be denyed.

[906] After the skirmish of Restalrig, (see vol. i. pp. 460-463,) on Monday the 6th November 1559, "the said day at evin in the nycht, the Congregatioun depairt.i.t furth of Edinburgh to Lynlithquo, and left thair artailzerie void upon the calsay lyand, and the Toun [of Edinburgh] desolute." (Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 54.)

[907] This refers to Queen Mary's first husband, Francis the Second, who was styled King of France and Scotland.

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOX HIS AFFIRMATIOUN.]

"And now, my Lordis, to putt end to all, I hear of the Quenis mariage: Duckis, brethren to Emperouris, and Kingis, stryve all for the best game; but this, my Lordis, will I say, (note the day, and beare witnesse efter,) whensoever the n.o.bilitie of Scotland professing the Lord Jesus, consentis that ane infidell (and all Papistis are infidellis) shalbe head to your Soverane, ye do so far as in ye lyeth to banishe Christ Jesus from this Realme; ye bring G.o.ddis vengeance upoun the countrey, a plague upoun your self, and perchaunse ye shall do small conforte to your Soverane."

These wordis, and this maner of speaking was judged intollerable.

Papistis and Protestantis war both offended; yea, his most familiaris disdained him for that speaking. Placeboes and flatteraris posted to the Courte to geve advertis.e.m.e.nt that Knox had spockin against the Quenis mariage. The Proveist of Lyncluden,[908] Dowgla.s.s of Drumlangrik by surname, was the man that geve the charge that the said Johne should present him self befoir the Quene: quhilk he did sone after dennar. The Lord Ochiltrie, and diverse of the faythfull, bayr him c.u.mpany to the Abbay; but none past in to the Quene with him in the cabinet but Johne Erskine of Dune, then Superintendent of Anguss and Mearnes.[909]

[908] In MS. 1566, it was originally written "The Persone of Dundrennan," but this is deleted, and "Proveist of Lyncluden, Douglas of Drumlanrig by name," inserted. In the MS. the name Lyncluden appears as if written Glyncluden; and this form of the name is retained in the later MSS., adding an additional blunder, by writing, "N. Douglas _of Lanerk_ by surname, &c."--Lincluden was a Priory or Convent of Black Nuns, situated upon the water of Cluden a few miles above Dumfries; but owing to their scandalous lives, the Priory had been changed by the Earl of Douglas, in the reign of Robert the Third, into a College or Provostry. (Keith's Catalogue, pp. 459, 470.)

According to the peerage writers, Mr. Robert Douglas, Provost of Lincluden, (from whom the Dougla.s.ses of Burford are descended,) was the second son of Sir William Douglas of Drumlanrig, who was killed at Floddon in 1513. But Chalmers has shown, that he was the natural son of Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig, who succeeded to the estates in 1513, and died in 1578. Mr. Robert Douglas obtained letters of legitimation, 8th October 1559, being twelve years after his appointment as Provost of Lincluden, 16th September 1547. (Caledonia, vol. iii. p. 309.) In December 1585, Mr. Robert Douglas still retained his t.i.tle as Provost of Lincluden, and the fruits of the benefice, when a gift of the Provostrie was ratified by an Act of Parliament in favour of William Douglas, lawful son to ---- Douglas of Drumlanrig.

(Acta Parl. Scot. vol. iii. pp. 415, 436.) About the same time he was appointed Collector General and Treasurer of the New Augmentations: he is so styled in deeds and Parliamentary proceedings between 1587 and 1594. William Douglas of Lincluden and Grenelaw, "the eldest son and apparent heir of William Douglas of Baitford," was tried and executed at Edinburgh in September 1610. (Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. iii.

p. 90.)

[909] This interview with the Queen must have been at the end of May or beginning of June, as Knox says it was immediately after a sermon he had preached before Parliament was dissolved.

[Sidenote: THE QUENIS FUME AGAINST JOHNE KNOX.]