The Works of John Knox Volume I Part 32

The woman of Leith was detected hereof, that when the mydwife in tyme of her labour, bad her say our Ladye helpe mee: She cryed, Christe helpe me, Christ helpe me, in whose helpe I trust. Shee also was caused to recant, and so escaped, without confiscation of her goodes, because she was maryed.

Maister Norman Gurlay, for that he sayd, there was no such thyng as Purgatory, and that the Pope was not a Byshop, but Antichrist, and had no Jurisdiction in Scotland.

Also Dauid Straton, for that he sayd, there was no Purgatorie, but the Pa.s.sion of Christe, and the tribulations of this world, and because that, when M. Robert Lowson Vicare of Eglesgrig asked his tieth fishe of hym, he dyd cast them to him out of the boate, so that some of them fell into the Sea: therefore he accused him, as one that shoulde haue sayd, that no t.i.thes should be payed. These two, because after great solicitation made by the kyng, they refused to abiure and recant, were therefore condemned by thee Byshop of Rose as heretickes, and were burned vpon the grene side, betwene Leith and Edenburgh, to the entent that the inhabitaunts of Fiffe, seyng the fyre, might be stricken with terrour and feare, not to fall into the lyke. _Ex eodem Scripto._

-- And thus much touchyng those Martyrs of Scotland, whiche suffered vnder James Beton, Archbishop of S. Andrewes. After whom succeded Dauid Beton in the same Archbyshopprike, vnder whom diuers other were also martyred, as hereafter (G.o.d w.i.l.l.yng) in their order shall appeare."

"-- THE HISTORIE TOUCHING THE PERSECUTION IN SCOTLANDE, WITH THE NAMES AND CAUSES OF SUCHE BLESSED MARTYRS, WHICHE IN THE SAME COUNTREY SUFFERED FOR THE TRUTH, AFTER THE TYME OF PATRICKE HAMELTON.

"Thus hauyng finished the tyme and rase of kyng Henry the Eight, it remayneth nowe according to my promise made before, here to place and adjoine so much as hath come to our handes, touchyng the persecution of Scotland, and of the blessed Martyrs of Christ, whiche in that countrey likewise suffred for the true religion of Christ, and testimony of their fayth.

To proccede therefore in the history of these Scotlandc matters, next after the mention of Dauid Straton and M. Nicholas Gurlay, with whom we ended before, pag. 956, the order of tyme woulde require nexte to inferre the memorye of Sir John Borthwike Knight, commonly called Captayne Borthwyke. Who beyng accused of heresie (as the Papistes call it) and cited therfore, an. 1540, and not appearyng, and escaping out into other countreys, was condemned for the same, being absent, by the sentence of Dauid Beaton Archbishop of Saint Andrewes, and other prelates of Scotland, and all his goodes confiscate, and his picture at last burned in the open market place, &c. But for so muche as the storye of hym, with his articles obiected against hym, and his confutation of the same, is already expressed sufficiently in the Firste edition of Actes and Monuments, and because he being hapily deliuered out of their handes, had no more but onely his picture burned, referring the reader to the booke aboue mentioned, we wyll now (the Lord willing) prosecute suche other as followed, begynnyng firste in order with Thom. Forret and his felowes. Their story is this.

Persecutors.

Dauid Beton, Bishop and Cardinal of Saint Andrewes. George Creichton, Bishop of Dunkelden.

Martyrs.

Tho. Forret, priest. Fryer Iohn Kelowe. Fryer Benarage. Duncan Sympson, priest. Rob. Foster, a gentleman, with three or foure other men of Striuelyng, Martyrs.

The Causes.

Not long after the burnyng of Dauid Strutton, and M. Gurlay aboue mentioned, in the dayes of Dauid Beaton Bishop and Cardinall of S.

Andrewes, and George Creichton Bishop of Dunkelden, a Canon of S. Colmes Inche, and vicar of Dolone, called Deane Thomas Forret, preached euery Sonday to his parishners, the Epistle or Gospel, as it fell for the tyme: whiche then was a great noueltie in Scotlande, to see anye man preach, except a Blacke fryer, or a gray frier: and therefore the Fryers enuyed hym, and accused hym to the Bishop of Dunkelden (in whose Dioces he remayned) as an heretike and one that shewed the mysteries of the scriptures to the vulgare people in Englishe, to make the Clergie detestable in the sight of the people. The Bishop of Dunkelden moued by the Fryers instigation, called the sayde Deane Thomas, and saide to hym: My joye Deane Thomas, I loue you well, and therefore I must geue you my counsayle, how you shal rule and guide your selfe. To whom Thomas sayd, I thanke your Lords.h.i.+p hartily. Then the Bishop begun his counsaile on this manner.

My joy Deane Thomas, 1 am enfourmed that you preache the Epistle or Gospell euery Sonday to your Parishners, and that you take not the kowe, nor the vpmoste cloth from your Parishners, whiche thyng is very preiudiciall to the Churche men: and therefore my joye Deane Thomas, I would you tooke your kowe and your vpmost cloth, as other church men do, or els it is too much to preach euery Sonday, for in so doyng you may make the people think that we shoulde preache likewise. But it is enough for you, when you finde any good Epistle, or any good Gospel, that setteth foorth the libertie of the holy church, to preache that, and let the rest be.

Thomas answeared: My Lorde, I thinke that none of my parishners wyl complaine that I take not the kow nor the vpermost cloth, but wyll gladly geue me the same together with any other thing that they haue, and I wyll geue and communicate with them any thyng that I haue, and so my Lord we agree right wel, and there is no discord among vs.

And where your Lords.h.i.+p sayth, it is too muche to preache euery Sonday: in deede I thinke it is too litle, and also woulde wishe that your Lordshyp dyd the like. Nay, nay, Deane Thomas (sayth my Lord) let that bee, for we are not ordeyned to preache. Then said Thomas, when your Lords.h.i.+p byddeth me preach, when I finde any good Epistle, or a good Gospell, truely my Lorde, I haue readde the Newe Testament and the Olde, and all the Epistles and the Gospels, and among them all I coulde neuer finde any euyl Epistle, or any euyl Gospel: but if your Lords.h.i.+p wil shewe me the good Epistle and the good Gospell, and the euyll Epistle and the euyll Gospel, then I shall preache the good, and omyt the euyl.

Then spake my Lord stoutly, and said, I thanke G.o.d that I neuer knewe what the Olde and Newe Testament was, (and of these wordes rose a Prouerbe which is common in Scotland: Ye are like the Bishop of Dunkelden, that knewe neither newe nor olde lawe:) therefore Deane Thomas, I wyll know nothyng but my Portous and my Pontifical. Go your way, and let be al these fantasies: for if you perseuer in these erroneous opinions, ye wyl repent it when you may not mende it.

Thomas said, I trust my cause be iust in the presence of G.o.d, and therefore I pa.s.se not muche what doo folowo thereupon, and so my Lorde and he departed at that tyme. And soone after a Summons was directed from the Cardinall of Saint Andrewes and the said Bishop of Dunkelden vpon the said Deane Thomas Forret, vpon two blacke Fryers called fryer John Kelow, and an other called Benarage, and vpon one priest of Striueling called Duncane Sympson, and one Gentleman called Robert Foster in Striuelyng, with other three or foure, with them of the towne of Striuelyng: who at the day of their appearaunce after their summonyng, were condemned to the death without any place of recantation, because (as was alleged) they were heresiarkes or chiefe heretikes and teachers of heresies, and especially because many of them were at the bridal and marriage of a Priest, who was vicar of Twybodye beside Striuelyng, and dyd eate fleshe in Lent at the said brydal, and so they were altogether burnt vpon the castle hyll of Edenbrough, where they that were first bounde to the stake, G.o.dly and marueylously dyd comfort them that came behynde.

HERE FOLOWETH THE MANER OF PERSECUTION VSED BY THE CARDINALL OF SCOTLAND, AGAINST CERTAINE PERSONS IN PERTH.

Persecutors.

Dauid Beton, Bishop and Cardinall of St. Andrewes.

Martyrs.

Robert Lambe. William Anderson. Iames Hunter. Iames Raueleson. Iames Founleson. h.e.l.len Stirke, his wyfe.

The Causes.

First there was a certayne Acte of Parlamente made in the gouernment of the Lorde Hamleton Earle of Arran, and Gouernour of Scotlande, geuyng priuilege to all men of the Realme of Scotlande, to reade the scriptures in their mother tongue, and language, secluding neuerthelesse all reasonyng, conference, conuocation of people to heare the scriptures readde or expounded. Which liberty of priuate reading being graunted by publike proclamation, lacked not his own fruit, so that in sundry partes of Scotlande thereby were opened the eyes of the elect of G.o.d to see the truth, and abhorre the papistical abominations. Amongst the which were certane persons in Saint Johnston, as after is declared.

At this tyme there was a Sermon made by Fryer Spense, in Saint Johnston, _alias_ called Perth, affirmyng prayer made to saintes to be so necessarye, that without it there coulde be no hope of saluation to man.

Whiche blasphemous doctrine a Burges of the saide towne called Robert Lambe, could not abide, but accused hym in open audience, of erroneous doctrine, and adiured hym in G.o.ds name to vtter the truth. The which the Fryer beyng striken with feare, promised to do, but the trouble, tumult, and sturre of the people encreased so, that the fryer could haue no audience, and yet the saide Robert with great daunger of his life escaped the handes of the mult.i.tude, namely of the women, who contrary to nature, addressed them to extreme cruelty agaynst hym.

At this tyme in the yeare of our Lord, 1543, the enemies of the truth procured John Chartuous, who fauoured the truth, and was Prouost of the saide citie and towne of Perth, to be deposed from his office by the sayd Gouernours authoritie, and a Papist called Master Alexander Marbecke to be chosen in his roum, that they might bring the more easily their wicked enterprise to an ende.

After the deposing of the former Prouost, and election of the other, in the moneth of January the yeare aforesaid, on Saint Paules day, came to Saint Johnston, the Gouernour, the Cardinall, the Earle of Argile Justice, Sir John Campbel of Lunde knight, and Justice Depute, the Lord Borthwyke, the bishop of Dunblane, and Orkney, with certeyne others of the n.o.bilitie. And although there were many accused for the crime of heresie (as they terme it) yet these persons were only apprehended vpon the said Saint Paules day, Rob. Lambe, Wil. Anderson, James Hunter, James Raueleson, James Founleson, and h.e.l.len Stirke his wife, and cast that night in the Spay tower of the said citie, the morowe to abide judgement.

Upon the morow, when they appeared and wer brought forth to judgement in the towne, was laid in general to all their charge, the violatyng of the act of parlament before expressed, and their conference and a.s.semblies in hearing and expoundyng of scripture against the tenour of the saide acte. Robert Lambe was accused in speciall for interruptyng of the fryer in the pulpit: which he not only confessed, but also affirmed constantly, that it was the dutie of no man, which vnderstood and knew the truth, to heare the same impugned without contradiction, and therfore sundry which there wer present in judgement, who hyd the knowledge of the truth, should beare their burden in G.o.ds presence for consenting to the same.

The said Robert also with William Anderson, and James Raueleson, were accused for hanging vp the image of Saint Fraunces in a corde, nailyng of Rammes hornes to his head, and a Cowes rumpe to his taile, and for eating of a Goose on Alhalow euen.

James Hunter being a simple man, and without learnyng, and a Fletcher by occupation, so that he coulde be charged with no greate knowledge in Doctrine, yet because he often vsed the suspect companye of the rest, he was accused.

The woman h.e.l.len Stirke was accused, for that in her chyldbed shee was not accustomed to cal vpon the name of the virgine Mary, beyng exhorted thereto by her neighbours, but onely vpon G.o.d, for Jesus Christes sake, and because shee saide in like maner, that if shee her selfe had ben in the tyme of the virgin Mary, G.o.d might haue loked to her humilitie and base estate, as he dyd to the virgins, in making her the mother of Christe, thereby meaning, that ther was no merites in the virgin, which procured her that honor, to be made the mother of Christ, and to be preferred before other women, but G.o.ds only free mercy exalted her to that estate. Which wordes were counted most execrable in the face of the Clergie and whole mult.i.tude.

James Raueleson aforesaid building a house, set vpon the round of his fourth stayre, the three crowned Diademe of Peter carued of tree, which the Cardinal tooke as done in mockage of his Cardinals hat, and this procured no fauor to the said James at their handes.

These forenamed persons vpon the morow after Saint Paules' day were condemned and iudged to death, and that by an a.s.sise, for violatyng (as was alleged) the act of parlament, in reasoning and conferring vpon scriptures, for eatyng flesh vpon dayes forbidden, for interruptyng the holy fryer in the pulpit, for dishonoring of Images, and blasphemyng of the virgin Mary, as they alleged.

After sentence geuen, their hands were bound, and the men cruelly entreated. Which thyng the woman beholding desired likwise to be bound by the sergeantes with her husband for Christes sake.

There was great intercession made by the towne in the meane season for the lyfe of these persons aforenamed, to the Gouernour, who of him self was wyllyng so to haue done, that they might haue bene deliuered. But the Gouernour was so subiect to the appet.i.te of the cruel priestes, that he could not do that which he would. Yea, they manaced to a.s.sist his enemyes, and to depose hym, except he a.s.sisted their cruelty.

There were certaine priestes in the citie, who dyd eate and drinke before in these honest mens houses, to whom the priestes were much bounden. These priestes were earnestly desired to entreate for their hostesse, at the Cardinalles handes: but they altogether refused, desiryng rather their death then preseruation. So cruell are these beastes from the lowest to the highest.

Then after, they were caryed by a great band of armed men (for they feared rebellion in the towne, except they had their men of warre) to the place of execution, whiche was common to al theeues, and that to make their cause appeare more odious to the people.

Robert Lambe at the gallowes foote made his exhortation to the people, desiryng them to feare G.o.d, and leaue the leauen of papistical abominations, and manifestly there prophesied of the ruine and plague whiche came vppon the Cardinall thereafter. So euery one comfortyng an other, and a.s.suring them selues to sup together in the kingdome of heauen, that nyght commended them selues to G.o.d, and dyed constantly in the Lord.

The woman desired earnestly to dye with her husband, but shee was not suffered: yet folowyng hym to the place of execution, shee gaue hym comfort, exhortyng hym to perseuerance and pacience for Christes sake, and partyng from hym with a kysse, sayd on this maner: Husband, reioyce, for we haue lyued together many ioyful dayes: but this day, in which we must dye, ought to be most ioyful to vs both, because we must haue ioy for euer. Therfore I wyll not byd you good night, for we shall sodaynely meete with ioy in the kyngdome of heauen.

The woman after was taken to a place to be drowned, and albeit shee had a chyld sucking on her breast, yet this moued nothyng the vnmerciful hartes of the enemies. So after she had commended her children to the neighbors of the towne for G.o.ds sake, and the suckyng barne was geuen to the nurse, shee sealed vp the truth by her death. _Ex Registris et instrumentis a Scotia missis._"

No. VI.

NOTICES OF THE PROTESTANT EXILES FROM SCOTLAND DURING THE REIGN OF KING JAMES THE FIFTH.

Dr. M'Crie, in his Life of Knox, Appendix, vol. i., and the Rev.

Christopher Anderson, in his Annals of the English Bible, vol. ii., have collected nearly all the information that can be gleaned respecting the chief persons who became Exiles on account of their religious sentiments at this early period. I shall, therefore, content myself with giving little more than a simple enumeration of their names.

ALEXANDER ALESSE, (in Latin, ALESIUS,) as mentioned in a note to page 55, was a native of Edinburgh, born in the year 1500, and educated at St. Andrews. The Rev. Christopher Anderson in his Annals of the English Bible, has introduced a variety of interesting notices of Alexander Alesse, with extracts from some of his earlier publications. According to a statement in one of his works, he fled from Scotland in the year 1529, and his conversion was owing to his interviews with Patrick Hamilton when under confinement. A collection of his writings, if carefully translated, and accompanied with a detailed Memoir of his life, would form a very suitable and valuable addition to the series of the Wodrow publications. He became Professor of Divinity in the University of Leipzig, where he died on the 17th of March 1565.

JOHN ELDER, according to his own information, was a native of Caithness, and had spent twelve years as a student at the Universities of Aberdeen, St. Andrews, and Glasgow. He fled to England probably in 1541 or 1542; and about two years later, he addressed a letter to Henry the Eighth, with a Plan or Description of Scotland, containing a project for the Union of the two Kingdoms. The letter written in 1543 or 1544, contains a bitter invective against Beaton and "the proud papisticall bishops" in Scotland. It was printed in the Bannatyne Miscellany, vol.