The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 1

The Works of John Knox.

Volume 2.

by John Knox.

THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE PROGRESSE OF TREW RELIGIOUN WITHIN THE REALME OF SCOTLAND.

[Sidenote: NOTA.--HEBBURN AGAINST THE ERLE OF ARRANE BEING INNOCENT.]

[Sidenote: THE DROWNYNG OF THE FRENCHE.]

AFTER this our dolorous departing from Edinburgh,[1] the furye and the raige of the Frenche increa.s.sed; for then durst neither man nor woman that professed Christ Jesus within that toune be seyn. The housses of the most honest men war gevin by the Quene to Frenchemen for a parte of thair reward. The Erle Bothwell, by sound of trumpett, proclaimed the Erle of Arrane traytour,[2] with other dispytefull wourdes: whiche all was done for the pleasure and by the suggestioun of the Quene Regent,[3] who then thought the battell was won without farther resistance. Great practising sche maid for obteaneing of the Castell of Edinburgh. The Frenche maid thair f.a.ggottis, with other preparationis, to a.s.sault the said Castell either by force, or ellis by trea.s.sone. But G.o.d wrought so potentlie with the Capitane, the Lord Erskin,[4] at that tyme, that neither the Quene by flatterye, nor the Frenche by trea.s.soun prevailled. Advertis.e.m.e.ntis with all diligence past to the Duck of Gwise, who then was King of France (as concerneing power to command[5]), requiring him then to make expeditioun, yf he desyred the full conquest of Scotland. Who delayed no tyme, but with a new armye send away his brother, Marquis Dalbuf, and in his company the Martikis,[6] promissing, that he himself should follow. But the rychteouse G.o.d, who in mercy looketh upon the afflictioun of those that unfeanedlye sob unto him, fought for us by his awin out-stretched arme; for, upon one nycht, upon the coast of Holand, war drowned of thame aughttein ensenzeis, so that onlye rested the schip in the whiche war the two princ.i.p.allis foirsaid, with thair Ladyis; who, violentlie dreven back agane to Deape,[7] war compelled to confesse, That G.o.d fawght for the defence of Scotland.

[1] As related in vol. i. page 462, the Lords of the Congregation, after the unfortunate skirmish at Restalrig, on the 6th November 1559, retreated to Linlithgow that night, leaving their artillery on the streets of Edinburgh. See also Diurnal of Occurrents, pp. 55, 271; and Sadler's State Papers, vol. i. p. 554. Sadler describes the Protestants as retiring from Edinburgh, "bytuene one and two a clocke in the mornyng;" and adds, "And the Quene Dowager and her French be now in Edynburgh in gret tryumphe, the most parte of the substanciall men of the same being fled out of the towne, with their hole families."

[2] In a letter to Sadler, dated Stirling, 11th November 1559, Thomas Randall says, "Upon Thursdaye last (9th November) the Erle of Arraine received a cartell of defiance from the Erle of Bothwell, requyering of him the combate; the copie whereof, and aunswer to the same, I will bring with me." (State Papers, vol. i. p. 565.)

[3] The Earl of Bothwell had previously joined himself to the party of the Queen Regent. According to the Treasurer's Account, on the 29th October 1558, a messenger was sent with "clois writtingis of the Quene to the Erle Bothwell, Lieutennant." On the 12th January 1558-9, James Earl of Bothwell received 100, "be the Queen's precept, for keiping of the Castell of Armitage, from the 15th day of September to the 15th of Januar instant last bipast."

[4] John Lord Erskine, afterwards Earl of Mar: see vol. i p. 416.

[5] That is, Francis the Second, the young King of France, was wholly governed by the Duke of Guyse, brother of the Queen Regent of Scotland.

[6] In MS. G, "Marquis D'Albufe, and his c.u.mpanie the Maritickis." In the MS. of 1566, the name was originally written "Marquis D'Omall,"

but is corrected to "Dalbul," or "Dalbuf."--Rene de Loraine, Marquis of D'Albeuf, was the seventh son of Claude de Loraine, first Duke de Guyse. He was born in 1536, and died in 1566. (Anselme, Hist. Geneal., vol. iii. p. 492.) He was General of the French galleys.

[7] The town of Dieppe, in France.--On the 11th January 1559-60, Queen Elizabeth wrote to the Duke of Norfolk: "Our s.h.i.+pps have bene stayed with contrary wynds, and so be the French also;" and referring to what Knox has stated, it is added, "We be advertised that Martiges is dryven by wether into Denmark; and one thousand Frenchmen lost by tempest in Zeland; so as it shuld seme that G.o.d is pleased the French purposees should not so speedely be accomplished, as their meaning is."--(Burghley State Papers, by Haynes, p. 223.)

Frome England returned Robert Melven,[8] who past in c.u.mpanye to London with the Secreatarie,[9] a lytill befoir Christenmesse,[10]

and brought unto us certane Articles to be ansuered, as by the contract that after was made, more planely shall appeir. Whairupon the n.o.bilitie convened at Striveling, and returned ansuer with diligence.

Whairof the Frenche advertisshed, thei marched to Lynlythqw, spoiled the Duckis house, and waisted his landis of Kynneill;[11] and thairefter came to Striveling,[12] whair thei remaned certane dayis: (the Duck, the Erles of Ergyle and Glencarne, with thair freindis, pa.s.sed to Glaskow; the Erle of Arrane, and Lord James, past to Sanctandrois; for charge was gevin to the haill n.o.bilitie, Protestantis, to keap thair awin bodyis, till that G.o.d should send thame farther supporte.) The Frenche took purpose first to a.s.sault Fyffe; for at it was thair great indignatioun. Thair purpose was, to have tacken and fortifyed the Toune and Abbay, with the Castell of Sanctandrois; and so thei cam to Culross, after to Dumfermeling, and then to Bruntyland, whair thei began to forte; but desisted thairfra, and marched to Kynghorne, upoun the occasioun as followeth.

[8] Robert Melville was the second son of Sir John Melville of Raith (whose death is recorded by Knox, vol. i. p. 284.)

[9] William Maitland of Lethington, younger, was appointed by the Queen Regent, Secretary of State, 4th December 1558. (Reg. Secr.

Sigilli.) He had previously been employed in her affairs. In September 1555, the Treasurer paid to William Maitland, "be the Quenis grace precept, for his pensioun of this instant zeir," 150. On the 11th February 1557-8, when sent in emba.s.sy to London, he received from the Treasurer 600 crowns of the Sun, extending to 765; and on the 30th March 1558-9, he received a similar sum, when "pa.s.sand of Edinburgh to London and France, on the Quenis grace affairis." He joined the Protestants in October 1559.

[10] Maitland was accompanied by Thomas Randall, under the a.s.sumed name of Barnabie, and they were expected at Newcastle on the 21st November. (Sadler's State Papers, vol. i. p. 592.) Some of Maitland's letters at this time, also the "Instructions for the Lorde of Lidington, how to conceyve and directe the sute and complaynte of us the n.o.bles, Gentlemen, and Burgesses of Scotland, in this our distresse, to the Quenis Majestie of England," dated 24th November, are preserved by Sadler. (Ib. pp. 604, 628, 686, 716.)

[11] Kinneill House, in the parish of that name, now conjoined with Borrowstounness, is the property, and was occasionally used as the family residence of the Dukes of Hamilton.--The Treasurer, in October 1553, paid, "Be my Lord Gouernouris commande, to the masonis in Kynnele, in drinksyluer, _at the laying of the ground-stane of the Palice of Kynnele_." The house has a beautiful exposure on the south side of the Frith of Forth, near where the old Roman Wall terminated.

[12] In the MS. of 1566, and Vautr. edit., "Stirveling."--It may be remarked that several leaves of the MS. in this place form one of those quires or sets which appear to have been rewritten, about 1570, with very little attention to minute accuracy. Occasional corrections, chiefly in orthography, have therefore been made on the authority of the Glasgow MS., but few of such importance as to require special notice.

[Sidenote: THE ERLE OF SUDDERLANDE SCHOTE]

When certane knowledge came to the Erle of Arrane, and to Lord James, that the Frenche war departed from Striveling, thei departed also from Sanctandrois, and begane to a.s.semble thair forces at Cowper, and send thair men of warr to Kinghorne;[13] unto whome thair resorted diverse of the coast syd, of mynd to resist rather at the begynnyng, than when thei had destroyed a parte of thair townes. But the Lordis had gevin ane expresse commandiment, that thei should hasard nothing whill that thei thameselfis war present. And for that purpose was send unto thame the Lord Ruthven, a man of great experience, and inferiour to few in stowtnes. In his c.u.mpany was the Erle of Sudderland,[14] send from the Erle of Huntley, as he alledged, to conforte the Lordis in thair afflictioun; b.u.t.t otheris whispered, that his princ.i.p.all commissioun was unto the Quene Regent. Howsoever it was, he was hurte in the arme by the schote of ane haquebute; for the men of warr, and the rascall mult.i.tude, perceaving certane boatis of Frenchemen landing, whiche cam from Leyth, purposed to stoppe thair landing; and so, nott considering the ennemeis that approched from Bruntyland, unadvisedlie thei russhed doune to the Petticurr, (so is that bray be-west Kynghorne[15]

called,) and at the sea-coast began the skarmissing, b.u.t.t never took head to the ennemye that approached by land, till that the hors.e.m.e.n charged thame upon thair backis, and the hole bandis cam directlie in thare faces; and so war thei compelled to geve backis, with the loss of s.e.x or sevin of thair men, and with the takein of some, amangis whome war twa that professed Christ Jesus, one named Paule Lambert,[16] a d.u.c.h.eman, and a Frenche boy, fervent in religioun, and cleane of lyef, whome, in despyte, thei hanged ower the steaple.[17]

Thou shall revenge, O Lord, in thy appointed tyme! The caus that in so great a danger thair was so small a losse, nixt unto the mercyfull providence of G.o.d, was the suddane c.u.ming of the Lord Ruthven; for evin as our men had gevin backis, he and his c.u.mpany came to the head of the bray, and did not onlie stay the Frenche footemen, but also some of ours brack upoun thair hors.e.m.e.n, and so repulsed thame that thei did no farther hurte to oure footemen. In that rencontare was the Erle of Sudderland foirsaid schote in the arme, and was caryed back to Cowper. The Frenche took Kinghorne, whair they lay, and wasted the countrey about, alsweall Papistis as Protestantis; yea, even those that war confidderat with thame, suche as Seafield, Weames, Balmowto, Balwearry, and otheris,[18] ennemyes to G.o.d and traytouris to thair countrey. Of those (we say) thei spaired not the scheipe, the oxen, the kyne, and horse; and some say that thair wyffis and doughtaris gatt favouris of the Frenche soldiouris. And so did G.o.d recompense the Papistis in thair awin bosomes, for, besydis the defoulling of thair housses, as said is, tuo of thame resavit more damage then did all the gentilmen that professed the Evangell within Fyff, the Laird of Grange onlye excepted, whose [house][19] of the Grange the Frenche owerthrew by gun pouder.

[13] On the 8th of January 1559-60. (Sadler's State Papers, vol. i. p.

684.)

[14] John, tenth Earl of Sutherland. The Earl of Arran, and Lord James Stewart, in a letter to Sadler, dated Dysart, 19th January, make mention of the Earl of Huntly having sent "in commission to us, his cousen the Erle of Sutherland, to offer unto us adjunction in our common actioun in his name, and all his a.s.sistance; and, at the first skirmishe, hazarding himself too farre, was shott in the left arme, and hurt very evill; for which cause he is departed home, and shall cause the Erle Huntley performe his promesse." (Vol. i. p. 691.) "The Lorde of Southerland, sithens he was hurte, is becom a greate enemye of the Franches." (Letter to Sadler, 4th February 1559-60. Ib. p.

702.) His wound did not prove fatal, but he died from the effects of poison, in 1567, in the forty-second year of his age.

[15] In MS. G, "that Bey betuix Kinghorne."--The places here mentioned are all well known, stretching along the coast of Fife, on the north side of the Frith of Forth, to the west of Kirkaldy.

[16] In MS. 1566, "Paule Lambett."

[17] In MS. G, "over the stipell of Kinghorne."

[18] The persons here referred to, with other gentlemen of Fife, are afterwards noticed by Knox, as having been apprehended by the Earl of Arran and Lord James Stewart for the a.s.sistance they had rendered to the French. Seafield and Balmuto are in the parish of Kinghorn; Wemyss in the parish of that name; and Balweary in that of Abbotshall.

[19] Omitted in the MS.--The House of Grange is about a mile to the north-east of Kinghorn, and in that parish.

[Sidenote: THE CASTEIN DOUN OF THE HOUSE OF THE GRANGE.]

The Quene Regent, proude of this victorie, burst furth in hir blasphemous rayling, and said, "Whair is now Johne Knox his G.o.d? My G.o.d is now stronger than his, yea even in Fyff." Sche posted to hir freindis in France news[20] that thousandis of the heretickis war slaine, and the rest war fled; and thairfoir requyred, that some n.o.bleman of hir freindis wald c.u.m and tak the glorie of that victorye.

Upon that informatioun was the Martikkis, with tuo schippis, and sum Captanis and horse, directed to c.u.m to Scotlande; but litill to thair awin advantage, as we sall after heare.

[20] In MS. 1566, "of new."

[Sidenote: JOAN. 6]

The Lordis of the Congregatioun, offended at the folisheness of the rascall mult.i.tude, called to thameselfis the men of warr, and remaned certane dayes at Cowper; unto whome repaired Johne Knox, and, in our greatest disperatioun, preached unto us a most comfortable sermon. His text was, "The danger in whiche the disciplis of Christ Jesus stude quhen thei wer in the mydest of the sea, and Jesus was upon the mountaine." His exhortatioun was, "That we sould not faint, but that we sould still row aganis these contrarius blastis, till that Jesus Christ sould come; for (said he,) I am as a.s.suredlie persuaded that G.o.d sall delyver us frome the extreme trowbill, as that I am a.s.sured that this is the Evangell of Jesus Christ whiche I preche unto [you]

this day. 'The fourth watche is nocht yet come;' abyde a lytill: the boit salbe saved, and Peter, whiche hes left the boit, sall not droune. I am a.s.sured, albeit I cannot a.s.sure[21] you, be reason of this present rage; G.o.d grant that ye may acknawlege his hand, after that your eyes hes seine his delyverance."

[21] In MS. G, "affirme."

In that sermon he comforted manye. And yit he offended the Erle of Arrane; for, in his discourse upoun the manifald a.s.saultis that the Churche of G.o.d had sustained, he brocht for exampille the mult.i.tude of strangeris that persewed Jehosaphat after that he had reformed religioun. He entreted the fear of the pepill, yea, and of the King himself att the first; but after, he affirmed, that Jehosaphat was stout, and to declair his courage in his G.o.d, he conforted his pepile and his souldiouris; he come fourth in the mydest of thame; he spak lovinglie unto thame. He keipit not himself (said he) inclosed in his chalmer, but frequented the mult.i.tude, and rejoised thame with his presence and G.o.dlie comforte. These, and the lyik sentences, took the said Erle to be spoken in reproache of him, because he keipit himself more close and solitary then many men wald half wisshed.

After these thingis, determinatioun was tacken that the Erle of Arrane, and Lord James, with the men of warr, and sum company of hors.e.m.e.n, sould goe to Dyserte, and thair lye to wait upoun the Frenche, that they distroyed not the sea-cost, as thei intendit utterlie to have doun. The said Erle, and Lord James, did as thei war appointed, albeit thair company was very small; and yet thei did so valiantlie, that it pa.s.sed all credabilitie:[22] for twentie and ane dayis thei lay in thair clothes; thair b.u.t.tis never come of: thei had skarmissing almost everie day; yea, some dayis, from morne to evin.[23] The Frenche war foure thousand souldiouris,[24] besyde thair favoreris and factioun of the countrey. The Lordis war never togidder fyve hundreth horsmen, with a hundreth souldiouris; and yitt thai held the Frenche so busye, that for everie horse thai slew to the Congregatioun, thai lost foure Frenche souldiouris.

[22] Several joint letters written by the Earl of Arran and Lord James Stewart, between the end of November 1559, and February following, communicating intelligence of their proceedings in Fife, are preserved among Sir Ralph Sadler's State Papers, (vol. i. pp. 620, _et seqq._)

[23] In MS. 1566, "inevin."

[24] Bishop Lesley estimates their number at about 2000.--(Hist. p.

281.)

[Sidenote: THE SLAUCHTER OF A FRENCHE CAPITANE, WITH HIS BAND.]

w.i.l.l.yeaume Kirkaldie of Grange, the day efter that his housse was ca.s.sein doun, send in his defiance to Monsieur D'Osell, and unto the rest, declaring, that to that hour had he used the Frenche favourablie: He had saved thair lyves, when that he mycht have suffered thair throttis to have been cutt.i.t; bot seing thai haid usit him with that rigor, let thame not luik for that favour in tymes to c.u.m. And unto Monsieur D'Osell he said, "He knew that he wald not gett him in the skirmissing, becauis he knew he was bot a cowart; bot it mycht be that he sould quyte him a commoun ather in Scotland, or ellis in France." The said w.i.l.l.yeaume Kirkaldie, and the Maister off Lyndsay, eschaped mony dangeris. The Maister had his hors slaine under him: the said w.i.l.l.yeaume was almost betrayed in his hous at Hawyairdis.[25] But yet thei never seased, bot nycht and day thai waitted upon the Frenche. Thai laid thameselves in a secreit place, with sum gentilmen befoir the day, to await upoun the Frenche, quho usit commonlie to isch in companyis, to seik thair pray; and so cam fourth ane Capitane Battu,[26] with his hundreth, and begane to spoilzie; quhom the said Maister, now Lord of Lyndsay,[27] and the said Wilyeaume, suffered, without declaratioun of thameselfis, or of thair c.u.mpany, till that thai had thame more than a myle fra Kinghorne, and then begane the horsmen to brek; whiche perceved, the Frenche altogither drew to a place callit Glenniss[28] House, and maid for debait: sum tuik the housse, and utheris deffended the close and yaird. The hasard appereth verry unliklie, for oure men had na thing bot speris, and war compellit to lycht upoun thair feit. The other war within dykis; and everie man had culverinis: the schote was feirfull to mony, and dyverse war hourt, amongis quhome war Robert Hamiltoun,[29] and David Kirkaldie, brother to the said Laird, quho both war supposed to have bein slaine. The said Laird perceving men to faynt, and begyne to recule, said, "Fy, lett us never leive efter this day, that we sall recule for Frenche schybaldis;" and so the Maister of Lyndsay and he burst in at the yett, and so utheris followed. The Maister struik with his speir at La Battu, and glansing upoun his harness, for feirceness stamered almost upoun his kneis. But recovering suddendlie, he fessned his speir, and bare the Capitaine bakward, who, becauis he wald not be takein, was slaine, and fyftie of his c.u.mpanie with hym. Those that war into the house, with sum utheris, war saved, and [sent] to Dundye to be kept. This mischance to the Frenche men maid thame to be more circ.u.mspect in scatring abrod into the countrie; and so the poore creaturis gat sum releive. To fourness thame[30] of victuelis, was appointed Capitane Cullen,[31]

with tuo schippis, quho traveled betuix the south schoire and Kinghorne, for that purpois. For his waiges he spoilzied Kinghorne, Kirkaldie, and so muche of Dyserte as he mycht. For remedy quhairof war appoint.i.t tuo schippis from Dundye: Andro Sandis, a stout and fervent man in the cause of religioun, was the princ.i.p.all. This same tyme arrived the Martekis,[32] quho, without delay, landit himself, his cofferis, and the princ.i.p.all gentilmen that were with him at Leith,[33] leiving the rest in the schippis till better oportunitie.

But the said Andro, and his companioun, streicking saill and making as thai wald cast anker hard besyde thame, burded thame both, and carried thame to Dundye. In thame war gotten sum horse, and muche harness, with sum uther triffilis; but of money we hard nocht. Heareat the Frenche offended, avowed the distructioun of Sanctandrois and Dundye; and so, upoun a Mononday in the morning, the xxiij. day of Januare,[34] thai marchit frome Dyserte, and pa.s.sed the water of Levein;[35] ever keaping the sea-cost, be rea.s.soun of thaire schippis and victuallis, as said is. About tuelf houris thai espyed schippis, (quhiche war seine that morning by us that war upoun the land, but war not knawin.) Monsieur D'Osell affirmed thame to be Frenche schippis, and so the souldiouris triumphit, schot thair volie for salutatioun, and marchit fordward till Kincraige,[36] fearing no resistance.

[25] Or, Hallyards, in the parish of Auchtertool. It afterwards came into the possession of the Family of Skene.