The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 47

The Quene, in a vehement fume, began to cry out, that never Prince was handled as she was. "I have," said sche, "borne with you in all your rigorouse maner of speaking, bayth against my self and against my Uncles; yea, I have sought your favouris by all possible meanes. I offered unto you presence and audience whensoever it plea.s.sed you to admonishe me; and yitt I can nott be quyte of you. I avow to G.o.d, I shalbe anes revenged." And with these wordis, skarslie could Marnock,[910] hir secreat chalmer-boy, gett neapkynes to hold hyr eyes drye for the tearis; and the owling, besydes womanlie weaping, stayed hir speiche.

[910] Evidently the same person with Marna, whose name occurs among the "gentilhomes servans," in the "Menu de la Maison de la Royne, faict par Mons. de Pinguillon," 1562; as the names of persons, in this curious record, are very incorrectly written. A few copies were printed for private circulation, by Thomas Thomson, Esq., in 1818, 4to.

[Sidenote: ANSURE.]

The said Johne did patientlie abyde all the first fume, and att opportunitie answered, "Trew it is, Madam, your Grace and I have bein att diverse controversies, into the which I never perceaved your Grace to be offended at me. b.u.t.t when it shall please G.o.d to deliver you fra that bondage of darknes and errour in the which ye have been nurisshed, for the lack of trew doctrin, your Majestie will fynd the libertie of my toung nothing offensive. Without the preaching place, Madam, I think few have occasioun to be offendit at me; and thair, Madam, I am nott maister of my self, but man obey Him who commandis me to speik plane, and to flatter no flesche upoun the face of the earth."

"But what have ye to do," said sche, "with my mariage?"

"Yf it pleise your Majestie," said he, "patientlie to hear me, I shall schaw the treuth in plane wordis. I grant your Grace offered unto me more than ever I requyred; but my answer was then, as it is now, that G.o.d hath not sent me to await upoun the courtes of Princesses, nor upoun the chamberis of Ladyes; but I am send to preache the Evangell of Jesus Christ, to such as please to hear it; and it hath two partes, Repentance and Fayth. And now, Madam, in preaching reapentance, of necessitie it is that the synnes of men be so noted, that thei may know whairin thei offend; but so it is, that the most parte of your n.o.bilitie ar so addicted to your affectionis, that neather G.o.d his word, nor yitt thair Commounwealth, ar rychtlie regarded. And thairfoir it becomes me so to speak, that thei may know thair dewitie."

"What have ye to do," said sche, "with my mariage? Or what ar ye within this Commounwealth?"

[Sidenote: LETT PAPISTIS JUDGE THIS DAY, 1567.]

"A subject borne within the same," said he, "Madam. And albeit I neather be Erle, Lord, nor Barroun within it, yitt hes G.o.d maid me, (how abject that ever I be in your eyes,) a profitable member within the same: Yea, Madam, to me it apperteanes no lesse to foirwarne of suche thingis as may hurte it, yf I foirsee thame, then it does to any of the n.o.bilitie; for boyth my vocatioun and conscience craves playness of me. And thairfoir, Madam, to your self I say that whiche I speak in publict place: Whensoever that the n.o.bilitie of this Realme shall consent that ye be subject to ane unfaythfull husband, thei do as muche as in thame lyeth to renunce Christ, to banishe his treuth from thame, to betray the fredome of this Realme, and perchance shall in the end do small conforte to your self."

At these wordis, owling was heard, and tearis mycht have bene sein in greattar abundance than the mater requyred. Johne Erskin of Dun, a man of meak and gentill spreit, stood besyd, and entreated what he could to mitigat hir anger, and gave unto hir many pleasing wordis of hir beautie, of hir excellence, and how that all the Princes of Europe wold he glaid to seak hir favouris. But all that was to cast oyle in the flaming fyre. The said Johne stood still, without any alteratioun of countenance for a long sea.s.son, whill that the Quene gave place to hir inordinat pa.s.sioun; and in the end he said, "Madam, in G.o.ddis presence I speak: I never delyted in the weaping of any of G.o.ddis creatures; yea, I can skarslie weill abyd the tearis of my awin boyes whome my awin hand correctis, much less can I rejoise in your Majesties weaping. But seing that I have offered unto you no just occasioun to be offended, but have spocken the treuth, as my vocatioun craves of me, I man sustean (albeit unwillinglie) your Majesties tearis, rather then I dar hurte my conscience, or betray my Commounwealth through my silence."

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOX HIS TALK AMONGIS THE QUENIS LADYIS.]

Heirwith was the Quene more offended, and commanded the said Johne to pa.s.s furth of the cabinet, and to abyd farther of hir pleasur in the chalmer. The Laird of Dun taryed, and Lord Johne of Coldinghame cam into the cabinet, and so thei boyth remaned with hyr neyr the s.p.a.ce of ane houre. The said Johne stood in the chalmer, as one whom men had never sein, (so war all effrayed,) except that the Lord Ochiltrie bayre him companye: and thairfoir began he to forge talking of the ladyes who war thair sitting in all thair gorgiouse apparell; whiche espyed, he mearelie said, "O fayre Ladyes, how pleasing war this lyeff of youris, yf it should ever abyd, and then in the end that we myght pa.s.se to heavin with all this gay gear. But fye upoun that knave Death, that will come whitther we will or not! And when he hes laid on his areist, the foull wormes wilbe busye with this flesche, be it never so fayr and so tender; and the seally sowll, I fear, shalbe so feable, that it can neather cary with it gold, garna.s.sing, targatting, pearle, nor pretious stanes." And by suche meanes procured he the c.u.mpany of women; and so past the tyme till that the Laird of Dun willed him to departe to his house quhill new advertis.e.m.e.nt. The Queue wold have had the cens.e.m.e.nt of the Lordis of Articles, yf that such maner of speaking deserved not punishement; but sche was consailled to desist: and so that storm quiett.i.t in appearance, but never in the hearte.

[Sidenote: THE BISCHOPPE OF SANCTANDROIS SETT AT LIBERTIE.]

[Sidenote: LEDINGTHONIS PRACTISES.]

Schort after the Parliament, Lethington returned frome his negotiatioun in England[911] and France. G.o.d, in the Februare befoir, had strycken that b.l.o.o.d.y tyrane the Duke of Gueise,[912] which somwhat brak the fard of our Quene for a sea.s.sone. But schort after the returnyng of Lethington, pryde and malice begane to schaw thame selfis agane. Sche sett at libertie the Bischope of Sanctandrois, and the rest of the Papistes that befoir war put in preasone for violating of the lawis. Lethingtoun, at his returnyng, shew him self nott a litill offended, that any bruit should have rissen of the Quenis mariage with the King of Spane; for he took upoun him that suche thing never entered in hir hearte: but how trew that was we shall after hear. The end of all his acquittance and complaynt was to discreditt Johne Knox, who had affirmed, that such ane mariage was boyth proponit, and, upoun the parte of our Quene, by the Cardinall accepted.[913] Lethingtoun, in his absence, had run intill ane verray evill bruite among the n.o.bilitie for too muche serving the Quenis affectionis against the Commounwealth; and thairfoir had he, as one that lacketh no worldly wisdome, maid provisioun boyth in England and in Scotland: For in England he travailled for the freedome of the Erle Bothwell, and by that meane obteaned promesse of his favour. He had thair also tacken ordour for the hamec.u.ming of the Erle of Levenox, as we shall after hear. In Scotland he joyned with the Erle of Atholl: him he promoted, and sett fordwart in Courte; and so began the Erle of Murray to be defaced. And yitt to the said Erie, Lethingtoun at all tymes schew a fayre countenance.

[911] Lethington returned from England towards the end of June. Keith says, "The Secretary was not in Council on the 18th of June, but he was present next Council-day, viz. 8th July."

[912] Francis de Lorraine succeeded his father as Duke de Guise, in 1550. He died 24th February 1562-3, having been a.s.sa.s.sinated by one of his own gentlemen, named Poltrot, while besieging the city of Orleans, which was defended by the Protestants. In the following month, the Grand Prior, (see page 268, note 7,) another of the Queen's uncles, was slain at the battle of Dreux.

[913] The Cardinal de Lorraine, in August 1563, had actually proposed the Archduke Charles of Austria to Queen Mary for a husband; but she declined such an overture.

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOX HIS ANSURE TOWARDIS HIS PRAYER.]

The rest of that Sommer the Quene spent in hir progresse throught the West countrey, whair in all tounes and gentilmennes places she had her Messe.[914] Which c.u.ming to the earis of Johne Knox, he began that forme of prayer which ordinarlie he sayeth after thankis-giving at his table: "1. Deliver us, O Lord, from the boundage of Idolatrie. 2.

Preserve and keap us from the tyranny of strangearis. 3. Continew us in quyetnesse and concord amangis our selfis, yf thy good pleasur be, O Lord, for a sea.s.sone," &c. Whille that diverse of the familiaris of the said Johne asked of him why he prayed for quyetnesse to continew for a sea.s.sone, and nott rather absolutlie that we should continew in quyetness? His answer was, "That he durst nott pray but in fayth; and faith in G.o.ddis word a.s.sured him, that constant quietness could nott continew in that Realme whair Idolatrie had bene suppressed, and then was permitted to be erected agane."

[914] Knox, in a letter to Cecil on the 6th October 1563, (quoted by Mr. Tytler,) expresses this same feeling in regard to the Queen's progress, when he says, "the carrying of the Ma.s.s through those quarters which longest had been best reformed, had dejected the hearts of many, and caused him to disclose the plainness of a troubled heart." (Hist. vol. vi. p. 286.)

From the West countrey, the Quene past in Ergyll[915] to the hunting, and after returned to Striveling. The Erle of Murray, the Lord Robert of Halyrudhouse,[916] and Lord Johne of Coldinghame, past to the Northland. Justice Courtis war halden; thevis and murtheraris war punished; twa witches war burnt, the eldest was so blynded with the Devill, that sche affirmed, "That na Judge had power ower hir."

[915] Randolph, on the 13th June 1563, informs Cecil that "The Queen, the Parliament now ended, hath made her Highland apparel for her journey into Argile." The absence of the English amba.s.sador from Scotland during the next three months, has deprived us of much minute information. Keith states that the Queen "sat in Council at Glasgow on the 8th of July, after which day both she and the Earl of Argyle were not in Council until the 19th of August at Dumfries."

[916] See vol. i. p. 458; vol. ii. pp. 271, 321.

[Sidenote: THE LAST COMMENDATIOUN OF LORD JOHNE TO THE QUENE.][917]

[917] In the MS. 1566, these words, "quhairof more is spoken after,"

form part of this note, but are deleted, probably when the additional pa.s.sage was inserted: see next note.

That same tyme Lord Johne of Coldinghame[918] departed this lyfe in Innerness. It was affirmed, that he commanded suche as war besyd him to say unto the Quene, "That onless she left hir idolatrie, that G.o.d wold nott fail to plague hir. He asked G.o.d mercy, that he had so far borne with hir in hir impietie, and had manteaned hir in the same:[919] And that no one thing did him more regreat then that he had flattered, fostered, and menteyned hir in hir wickednes against G.o.d and his servandis." And in verie deid great cause had he to have lamented his wickednes; for besydes all his other infirmities, in the end, he, for the Quenis plesour, became enemie to verteu and all verteous men, and a patrone to impietie to the uttermost of his power: yea, his vennome was so kendled against G.o.d and his word, that in his rage he bursted forth thir wordis: "Or I see the Quenis Majestie sa trubled with the railing of thir knaves, I shall have the best of thame sticked in the pulpett," What farther villanie came fourth of baith their stinking throttes and mouthes, modestie will not suffer us to wryte; wherof, yf he had grace to unfeynedlie repent, it is no small doc.u.ment to G.o.dis mercyes. But howsoever G.o.d wrought with him, the Quene regarded his wordis as wynd, or ellis thocht thame to have been forged be otheris, and not to have proceaded from him self; and affirmed plainlie, that they wer devysed be the Laird of Pettarro and Mr. Johne Wode, whome sche both hated, because they flattered hir not in hir danceing and other doinges.[920] One thing in plane wordis she spak, "That G.o.d tuik alwyse from hir thay persounes in whome sche had greatest pleasour:" and that she repented; but of farther wickednes no mentioun.

[918] Lord John Stewart, Commendator of Coldingham: see page 320, note 5. By his marriage with the sister and sole heir of James Hepburn Earl of Bothwell, his family inherited a reversion of that lords.h.i.+p; and his son, Francis Stewart, in 1587, obtained the dignity of Earl of Bothwell.

[919] The remaining portion of this paragraph is added in the MS.

1566, upon a separate slip of paper, written in a hand very like Knox's own; and there is written as a marginal direction to his amanuensis, "_Tak in this that is sewed in this place quhar it is sc.r.a.ped out_." The words that are so scored through to be deleted, are: "When such thingis war schawin unto the Quene, thei war but mocked at, sche affirmyng that thei war devised by Maister Johne Woode and by the Laird of Pettarrow; as we sall after more planelie heare."

See fac-simile.

[920] In MS. G, "uther things."

Whill the Quene lay at Striveling, with hir idolatrie in hir chapell, in the Palice of Halyrudhouse war left certane dontybouris, and otheris of the Frenehe menzie, who raised up thair Messe more publictlye then they had done at any tyme before. For upon those same Sundayes that the Church of Edinburgh had the ministration of the Lordis Table, the Papistis in great number resorted to the Abbay, to thair abomination. Which understand, dyverse of the brethren, being sore offended, consulted how to redress that inormitie; and so war appoynted certane of the most zelous, and most upryght in the religion, to await upon the Abbay, that thai myght note such persones as resorted to the Messe. And perceaving a great number to enter into the chapell, some of the brethren burst also in; whereat the Preist and the Frenche dames being affrayed, made the schout to be sent to the town; and Madame Raylie,[921] maistres to the Quenis dontiboures, (for maides that Court could not then beare,) posted on with all diligence to the Comptrollar, the Laird of Pettarro, who then was in Sanct Gelis Kirk at the sermon; and cryed for his a.s.sistance, to save hir lyfe, and to saif the Quenis Palice: Who, with greattar haist then nead requyred, obeyed hir desyre, and tuik with him the Provest, the Baillies, and a great part of the faithfull. But when they came where the feare was bruted to have bene, they fand all thingis quyet, except the tumult they broght with thame selves, and peaceable men luiking to the Papistis, and forbidding thame to transgress the lawis. Trew it is, a zelous brother, named Patrick Cranstoun, past into the chapell, and fynding the altar covered, and the Preast reddye to go to that abomination, said, "The Quenis Majestie is not heir: how dar thou then be so malepart, as opinlie to do against the law?" No farther was done nor said, and yit the bruit heirof was posted to the Quene, (with such information as the Papistis could give; which fand such credit, as thair heartis could have wished for,) which was so haynous a cryme in hir eyes, that satisfactioun for that syn was there none without bloode. And therfore, without delay was summoned Andro Armstrang[922]

and Patrik Cranstoun, to fynd suyrtie to undirlie the law, for forethought, fellonie, hamesukkin, violent invation of the Quenis Palice, and for spoliation of the same.

[921] In MS. G, "Madame Baylie."--This Madame Raylie was the wife of Mons. Raullet or Roullet, the Queen's private Secretary. The disturbance which is here alluded to, happened on Sunday the 15th of August 1563. Roullet is frequently mentioned in Queen Mary's correspondence. He was sent to Flanders with letters of credit from the Queen, addressed to the Cardinal de Granville, in January 1564-5.

(Labanoff, Recueil, &c., vol. i. pp. 197-206, vol. vii. p. 291.) He died 30th August 1574, as the Queen informs Beaton, Archbishop of Glasgow, in a letter dated Sheffield, 4th September, (ib. vol. iv. p.

216.) The Earl of Shrewsbury took this occasion to search his coffers in the hope of discovering letters or papers that might implicate his Royal Mistress, the unfortunate Queen of Scots. (Chalmers's Life, &c., vol. ii. p. 68.) In 1586, in the list of the Queen's attendants, one of the "gentlewomen of her chamber," was Renee Rallay _alias_ Beauregard. (Labanoff, Recueil, &c., vol. vii. p. 252.)

[922] Andrew Armstrong and George Rynd, burgesses of Edinburgh, on the 1st October, found surety "to underly the law," on the 24th of that month, for breaking the Queen's proclamation, "in carrying sundry pistollets, and for convocation of the lieges at the Palace of Holyrood, and invading sundry of the Queen's domestick servants therein." The case was postponed to the 13th November, when Patrick Cranston was commanded to appear. (Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. i.

p. *434.) No account of the subsequent proceedings has been preserved.

At the same time Christian Pinkerton, spouse of James Rogers, and twenty-one other persons, of whom eight were females, were impannelled for being present at the celebration of Ma.s.s, in the Chapel of Holyrood, on the 8th August.

These letteris divulged,[923] and the extremitie feared, Brethren (the few that war within the town) consulted upon the next remedie; and in the end concluded, that Johne Knox (to whom the charge was geven to mak advertismentis whensoever daunger sould appear) should wryte to the Brethren in all quarteris, geving information as the matter stoode, and requyring thair a.s.sistance: which he did in tennour[924]

as heir followes:--

[923] In MS. 1566, "devulgat."

[924] In the MS. 1566, the transcriber has written thirteen lines of the paragraph at page 397, beginning, "The Brethren advertissed," &c., preceded with the words, "as after we shall heare." Having obtained a copy of his own letter, all this is deleted; the words "as heir followes" are added, and the paragraph itself repeated, after the letter: see p. 397.

[Sidenote: THE SUPERSCRIPTIOUN.]

"_Wheresoever two or thre are gathered together in my name, thare am I in the middest of thame._

[Sidenote: MR. ROBERT PONT STRIKKEN IN THE HEAD WITH A QUHINGAR BE CAPTANE LAUDER.][925]

[925] This marginal note is omitted in MS. G; but it occurs in MS. L 4; and in MS. L 3, it forms part of the text.--The name of Captain Robert Lauder occurs in the Treasurer's Accounts for 1561, and at other times. Captain Robert Lauder had a charter of the lands of Straegthrow, in Forfars.h.i.+re, 20th July 1566. Parliament, in 1578, pa.s.sed an Act of Pacification in his favour. (vol. iii. p. 111.) In March 1566-7, we find the names of "Capitanes Robert and Hew Lauderis, Alexander Stewart, and James Culane." (This Stewart was probably the person mentioned at p. 354.)

"IT is not unknawen unto yow, deare Brethren, what conforte and tranquillitie G.o.d gave unto us, in tymes most dangerous, by our Christian a.s.semblies, and G.o.dly conferences, as oft as any danger appeared to any member or members of oure bodye; and how that since we have neglected, or at the least not frequented our conventionis and a.s.semblies, the adversaries of Christ Jesus his holie Evangill have interprysed, and boldened thame selves publictlie and secretlie, to do many thingis odious in G.o.ddis presence, and maist hurtfull to the libertie of trew religion, now of G.o.ddis great favour granted unto us. The holie Sacramentis are abused be profane Papistis. Messes have bein (and yit are) opinlie said and manteyned. The bloode of some of our dearest ministeris has bein shed, without fear of punishment or correction craved be us. And now last, are two of our dear brethren, Patrik Cranstoun and Andro Armstrang, summoned to underly the law, in the town of Edinburgh, the 24th of this instant October, 'For forethought fellonie, pretended murther, and for invading the Quenis Majesties Palice of Halyrudhouse, with unlauchfull convocatioun, &c.'

This terrible summonds is direct against owre Brethren, because that they with two or thre more, pa.s.sed to the Abbey upon Sunday, the 15th of August, to behald and note what persones repared to the Messe; and that because that the Sunday before, (the Quenis Grace being absent,) there resorted to that idole a rascall mult.i.tude, having opinlie the least devillissh ceremonie (yea even the conjuring of thair accurssed watter) that ever they had in the tyme off greatest blyndnes. Becaus, (I say,) our said Brethren pa.s.sed, and that in maist quyet maner, to note sick abusearis, thir fearfull summondis ar directed against thame, to mak (no doubt) preparation upon a few, that a door may be opened to execute creweltie upon a greattar mult.i.tude. And yf so it come to pa.s.s, G.o.d, no doubt, has justlie recompanced oure formare negligence and ingrat.i.tude, towardis hym and his benefittis receaved in oure awin bosoms. G.o.d gave to us a most notable victorie, of his and our ennemies: he brak thair strength, confounded thair counsailles: he sett us at fredome, and purged this Realme (for the maist part) of oppin idolatrye; to the end, that we, ever myndfull of so wounderous a deliverance, should have keapt this Realme clean from sick vyle filthiness, and dampnable idolatrie. But we, alace! preferring the pleasour of flesche [and blude,] to the pleasour and commandement of our G.o.d, have suffered that idoll, the Messe, to be erected agane, and therfore justlie sufferis he us now to fall in that danger that to luke to ane idolatour, going to his idolatrie, salbe repute a cryme lityll inferiour to treasone. G.o.d grant that we fall not farther. And now I, whom G.o.d has of his mercye made one amangis many to travell in setting fordward of his trew religion within this Realme, seing the same in danger of ruin, can not but of conscience crave of you, my Brethren, of all estaitis, that have professed the treuth, your presence, comfort, and a.s.sistance, at the said day, in the Town of Edinburgh, even as that ye tender the advancement of G.o.ddis glorie, the saiftie of your brethren, and your awin a.s.surance; togedder with the preservatioun of the Kirk in thir appearing daungers. It may be, perchance, that persuasions be made in the contrarie, and that ye may be informed, that either your a.s.semblie is not necesser, or ellis that it will offend the uppar poweris: But my gude hope is, that nether flatterie nor feare sall mak you sa far to declyne fra Christ Jesus, as that, against your publict promise and solempned band, ye will leave your brethren in sa just a cause. And albeit there ware no great daunger, yet cannot oure a.s.semblie be unproffitable; for many thingis requyre consultation, quhilkis can not be had, onles the wysest and G.o.dliest convein. And thus, doubting nothing of the a.s.sistance of owre G.o.d, yf that we uniformlie seik his glory, I cease farther to trouble you, committing you heartlie to the protection of the Eternall.

"JOHNE KNOX.

"Fra Edinburgh, the 8th of October 1563."

[Sidenote: THE MINISTER OF FAILL, AND BISHOPE OF ROSSE.]

THE Brethren, advertissed be this bill, prepaired thameselves, so many as war thocht expedient for everie town and province, to keap the day appoynted. But by the meanis of false brethren, the letter came to the handis of the Quene; and the maner was this: It was read in the town of Ayre, whare wes present Robert Cunyghame, minister of Faillfurde,[926] who then was halden an earnest professor of the Evangell; who (be what meanes we knaw not) gat the said letter, and send it with his token to Maister Hendrie Sinkclare, then President of the Seat and College of Justice, and styled Byshope of Ross, ane perfyct hypocrite, and ane conjured ennemye to Christ Jesus,[927]

whome G.o.d after straik according to his deservingis. The said Mr.