The Works of John Knox Volume I Part 43

[206] John Ross of Craigie, near Perth, was one of the prisoners taken at Solway Moss, in 1542.--(State Papers, vol. v. p. 233.)

[207] In the later copies, "once."

[208] Oliver Sinclair, see note 224.

[209] In Vautr. edit. "minion."

[210] Knox has previously alluded to this scroll or list of names. See pages 81 and 82. Sir Ralph Sadler, in a letter to Henry the Eighth, dated 27th of March 1543, details a conversation he had with the Governor, who told him, "That a number of n.o.blemen and gentlemen the late King had gotten written in a Roll, _which were all accused of Heresy_; of the which, (he said,) he was the first, and the Earl of Ca.s.silis, the Earl of Glencairn and his son, the Earl Marishal, and a great many gentlemen, to the number of eighteen score, because they were all well minded to G.o.d's Word, which then they durst not avow; but now, (quoth he,) I shall do mine endeavour to set forth the glory of G.o.d with the a.s.sistance of the King's Majesty."--(Sadler's Papers, vol. i. p.

94.)

[211] Herbert Lord Maxwell, Warden of the West Marches, was taken prisoner at the battle of Solway. Sir Ralph Sadler, in a letter dated 4th April 1543, reports a detailed conversation he had with him on the state of Scotland.--(State Papers, vol. i. p. 117.) He died in 1546.

[212] Lochmaben--see note 225.

[213] That is, the foray. In Vautr. edit. this sentence, reads, "The forward goeth forth, feare ryses, daunger might have bin scene on every side." The later MSS. are equally unintelligible.

[214] The words, "cornes and houses," connecting the foot of p. 71, and the top of p. 72, in Vautr. edit, have been omitted; and this omission occurs also in MSS. I, and L 2.

[215] In Vautr. edit. "fentes."

[216] In Vautr. edit. "slaked."

[217] In Vautr. edit., and MS. G, &c., "the regiment of things."

[218] In MS. G, "gritter."

[219] In Vautr. edit. "were mired, and lost their horses."

[220] In MS. G, "proik;" MS. A, "p.r.i.c.ke."

[221] In MS. G, "of futemen soldeors."

[222] In Vautr. edit. "his own sluggard;" in MSS. G, I, and L 2, "slughorne."

[223] In MS. A, "Solloway Mosse;" in Vautr. edit. "the slimy mosse."

Solway Moss derives its name from the Solway Frith, a well known arm of the sea, which forms the boundary between England and Scotland for upwards of fifty miles. The Moss lies on the c.u.mberland side of the small river Sark, in the tract of land formerly known as the Debateable Ground.

[224] Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairns was the third son of Sir Oliver Sinclair of Roslin. He was a favourite of James the Fifth; and Pitscottie says the King placed him as Governor of Temptallon or Tautallon Castle, when the powerful family of the Dougla.s.ses were driven into exile.--(Hist. p. 224.) It is more probable it was some years later that he received the command of this stronghold, which is on a cliff overhanging the sea, about two miles to the east of North Berwick. In the Treasurer's Accounts, June 1537, we find 120 "was delivered to Olivere Sinclare, in Cowper, to pay the Kingis gentillmen with." In the following month, 20 was paid "to Olivere inclare, in compleat payment of his lyveray clathis." And on the 6th Oct. 1540, there was "gevin to Olipher Sinclar at the Kingis command, to the warkis of Tamtalloun,"

66, 13s. 4d. In November 1541, when the Queen Dowager died at Methven, he and John Tennant, two of the gentlemen of the King's Privy Chamber, were sent to take and lock up all her goods.--(State Papers, vol. v. p.

194.) He was taken prisoner after his shameful defeat at Solway; but obtained his liberty in 1543. Sadler mentions, that when he was about to repair to Tantallon Castle, at the end of that year, as a place of security, under the protection of Sir George Douglas, Sinclair was lying in wait, in a small village near hand, in the hope of seizing him and his retinue.--(Sadler's Papers, vol. i. pp. 220, 329, 333.)

[225] Lochmaben, in the parish of that name in Annandale. Lesley, however, says, "During the tyme of this Raid, the King of Scotland remanit in Carlaverock upoun the Bordour, not far from Soloway Moss."--(Hist. p. 165.) The distance of either place from the scene of this disgraceful defeat was not considerable. Lochmaben was a Royal Castle; and Pitscottie, like Knox, says, that the King "was in the Castle of Lochmaben."--(Hist. p. 174.) But Pinkerton and Tytler follow Lesley.

[226] _Hand_, or hold: in MS. G, "hald."

[227] In Vautr. edit., MS. G, &c., "and so went."

[228] 25th of November.--James was still at Edinburgh on the 30th of November, when he wrote a letter to Henry the Eighth.--(State Papers, vol. v. p. 228.)

[229] See note 245.

[230] Hallyards, in the parish of Auchtertool.

[231] In Vautr. edit., MS. G, &c., "the Lady of Grange." This was Janet Melville, daughter of Sir John Melville of Raith, and Helen Napier. She married James Kirkcaldy of Grange, High Treasurer, from 1537 to 1542.

See page 82, note 3.

[232] Yule, or Christmas; as in Vautr. edit., MSS. E, I, and L 2.

[233] In Vautr. edit. "Christmas daye."

[234] Castle of Carny, in the parish of Moonzie, in the s.h.i.+re of Fife.

[235] These words are omitted in MS. G.

[236] Lesley and later writers say that Mary was born on the 7th of December. Prince Labanoff, however, proves that it was the 8th, "C'est la veritable date.--J'ai trouve dans le _State Paper Office_ de Londres, une lettre autographe de Marie Stuart de 1584, dans laquello elle dit: _le viij Decembre, xlij^e de ma naissance_."--(Lettres de Marie Stuart, vol. i. p. 1.)

[237] This story of Cardinal Beaton having forged, or caused the King, in his last moments, to subscribe his name to a paper, which he afterwards filled up as a Will, const.i.tuting Beaton Regent during the minority of Mary, has been discredited; (see note in Keith's Hist. vol.

i. p. 63;) but it undoubtedly obtained credence at the time, as Sadler reports a conversation he had with the Governor on the 12th April 1543, who said, "We have other matters to charge the Cardinal with; for _he did counterfeit_, (quoth he,) _the late King's Testament_; and when the King was even almost dead, (quoth he,) he took his hand in his, and so caused him to subscribe a blank paper."--(Sadler's Papers, vol. i. p.

138.) Lesley also says the Cardinal made some impediment to Arran's appointment as Governor, "alleging that the King be his Testament nominat four Regentis: _bot the same on no wise could be verefeit nor provin_."--(Hist. p. 169.) Buchanan further confirms this by a.s.serting, that Beaton "having bribed Henry Balfour, a mercenary priest, he, with his a.s.sistance, forged a false Will for the King," &c.--(Hist. lib. xv.

1.) This Henry Balfour is the Priest or Chaplain who is mentioned at the end of note 186.

[238] In MS. G, this sentence occurs on the margin, having been omitted in the text by the transcriber.

[239] James the Fifth died at Falkland, and was buried in the Chapel of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The day of his death is variously stated.

Some writers, as Knox, calling it the 13th, others the 14th of December; but in the Treasurer's Accounts, there are various payments connected with his obsequies, under this head,--

"The Expensis debursit be the Compter fra the tyme of the Kingis Grace decess quhoine G.o.d a.s.solze, _quhilk ves the xxj day of December_, anno etc. xlij^e" &c.

[240] See note 237.

[241] Buchanan states, that the three persons who were joined with Beaton, when the King's pretended Will was proclaimed, were the Earls of Huntly, Argyle, and Arran. Knox and Spottiswood, instead of Arran, name the Earl of Murray, who was b.a.s.t.a.r.d brother of James the Fifth.--(Keith's Hist. vol. i. p. 64.)

[242] James Hamilton, Earl of Arran, failing Mary Queen of Scots, then an infant, was next heir to the Crown.

[243] In MS. G, "successors."

[244] In Vautr. edit. "appoints;" the same blunder is copied in MSS. I, and L 2.

[245] On the last of February 1542-3, the Treasurer's Accounts exhibits this "Item, gevin to Henry Wardlaw, for the writing of the Inventour Buke of all the Kingis clething, jowellis, and uther gere, for his laubouris, xl s."

[246] The infant Queen remained in the Palace of Linlithgow, under the nominal charge of the Queen Dowager. Parliament, in March 1543, nominated the Earls Marishal and Montrose, Lords Erskine, Ruthven, Livingstone, Lindesay of Byres, and Seton, and Sir James Sandilands of Calder, "as keepers of the Quenis Grace," or any two of them quarterly.--(Acta Parl. Scot. vol. ii. p. 414.)

[247] On the 22d of December 1542, after the death of James the Fifth, James Hamilton, 2d Earl of Arran, was chosen Regent or Governor of Scotland during the minority of the infant Princess. At the first meeting of the Estates of Parliament, on the 12th of March 1543, his appointment was confirmed, with a declaration of his being second person of the realm, and nearest to succeed to the Crown, "failing our Sovereign Lady, and the children lawfully to be gotten of hir body."--(Acta Parl. Scot, vol. ii. p. 411.)

[248] Friar Thomas Guilliam, (or Williams,) is described as a native of Athelstaneford in East Lothian; and is said to have attained considerable distinction in his Order of Dominican or Black Friars in Scotland. The Governor entertained him as his Chaplain, until the return of his brother the Abbot of Paisley from France, had the effect of withdrawing him from the English interest, and disowning the new doctrines. The Friar's name occurs in the Treasurer's Accounts:--

1542-3, On the 23d of February, there was furnished "to be ryding gownis, with hudis, to Freir Thomas Gilzame, and Freir Alexander Lindsay, of Scottis black," &c. Also, "cottis, ryding sokkis," &c.

1543, 21st April, "Gevin to Freir Thomas Gilzem, at his Grace command, at his pa.s.sing to Hamilton, v lib. x s."