The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 8

[172] In MS. G, "of weir" is omitted.

[173] In MS. 1566, it is "const.i.tute;" in Vautr. edit.

"const.i.tutions."

[174] In Vautr. edit., "from henceforth;" in MS. G, "fra this tyme furth."

_Item_, Upoun the pet.i.tioun present.i.t to the saidis Lordis Deputis, anent the demolitioun of the fortificationis, the saidis Deputis consent.i.t, concordit, and affirmit, That the fortificatioun of Leith sall be demolischit, and that twa, thre, or four capitaneis sall be chosin be baith of the pairteis, to visite the Castell of Dumbar; and gif it beis fundin be thame, that the reparatioun, amplificatioun, and fortifeing[175] maid thairof now efter the peace, greittar nomber of men to the keiping thairof is requyreit, the reparatioun and fortificatioun thairof sall be demolischeit, sua sone as may be done, and sall remane onlie untuicheit, that thing quhilk may mak the said Castell mair sure, and leist dainger fra invasioun; provyding nocht the less that na grettar nomber of men thairin be requyreit for keiping of the same. Mairover, in tymeis c.u.ming the Kyng and Quene sall mak na ma new fortis within this realme, and sall nocht augment thame that ar ellis maid, nor sall repair thame that are demolischeit, without counsal and consent of the Estaites; nor yitt sall transport to uthir partis ony artailyerie, munitioun of war, powder, or victuallis, bot sa mekill as may gayne for keiping of the saidis placeis be the s.p.a.ce of sax monethis or ane yeir.

[175] In MS. G, "fortificatioun."

_Item_, Anent the pet.i.tioun maid anent the debtis contract.i.t be the Frenche men of weir in this countrey, the saidis [Deputis] concordit, That the Kyng and Quene sall cause restoir all that quhilk happinis to be fund gevin and grant.i.t to the Kyngis Lieutennent and his Capitaneis, and uthiris Officiaris, for the nureisment, sustentatioun, and menteinance of the said Frensche men, or that quhilk beis fundin aucht be the lieutennent for service of his Majestie, that may appeir be writt, or confessioun of parteis.

_Item_, Upoun the pet.i.tioun maid anent the Conventioun of Estaitis of this Realme, the saidis Deputis consent.i.t, concordit, &c., That the Estaites of the Realme may convene and hald Parliament, the twenty day[176] of the moneth of Julij nixt to c.u.m; upone the quhilk day the Parliament sall be contyneuit, as use is, unto the fyrst day of the moneth of August following. Provyding alwayis, that befoir or thay begin to treat ony thyng in the said Parliament, all tumult of weir be dischargeit and ceise, that they that are present may be free without feir of men of weir or uthiris; and that in the menetyme ane messinger be send be the saidis Deputis to the Kyng and Quene, to certifie thame of thay thyngis aggreit, treat.i.t, and concordit, requeisting thair Majesteis humbillie to be content.i.t with the samyn: And the said Conventioun sall be alse lauchfull in all respectis, as the samyn had bene ordanit and done be expres commandyment of thair Majesteis; providing that na mater be treat.i.t thairintill befoir the said fyrst day of August.

[176] See note _infra_, page 84.

_Item_, Upoun the article present.i.t anent Weir and Peace, the saidis Deputis consent.i.t, concordit, etc., That the Kyng and Quene neither mak peace nor weir in thir pairtis, bot be counsale, judgment, and consent of the Thre Estaitis, according to the ordinance and consuetudis of the countrey; and as was observit be thair predecessouris.

_Item_, Upoun the pet.i.tioun present.i.t to the saidis Deputis, anent the governament and regiment of the Policey, thay have consent.i.t, etc., That twenty-four worthy men of this realme be chosin be the Three Estaitis, of the quhilkis the Kyng and the Quene sall chuse sevin, and the Estaitis sevintene; quhilkis in thair Majesteis absens sall tak ordour, and mak an ordinarie counsall for administratioun foirsaid, sua that na man, of quhatsoever qualitie he be, sall have the power to ordour ony thing to be done touching the saidis busynes, without the mediatioun, authorities, and consent of thame: sua that the saidis counsallaris sall convene togidder alse oft as thay may, but thay sall convene na less nor sax[177] togidder; And quhen ony mater of importance occurris, thay sall be all callit to counsale, and tak ordour be thame, or the maist pairt of thame, gif neid beis. And gif it happinis ony of the said sevin chosin be the Kyng and Quene to deceis, thair Majesties sall choise ane uthir furth of the said nomber of xxiv. in place of him that decea.s.sit; and gif ony of the saidis xvii. chosin be the Estaitis deis, the remanent foirchosen be thame sall name are uther of the said nomber of twentie foure. Mairover, gif it beis thocht expedient be the saidis Estaitis, that uther twa be augment.i.t to the said nomber of twelf, than and in that caise, the Kyng and Quene sall choise ane, and the Estaitis ane uther. And sua was this Article aggreit under conditioun, that is to say, That the samyn be na prejudice in tyme c.u.ming to the Kyng and Quene, and rychtis of the Croune: And the saidis Deputis offerrit thair laubouris to mak mediatioun to the Kyng and Quene, for menteining pensiouns and expensses of the said Counsellouris, and ordinar officiaris of the said counsall, to be providit of the rentis and proventis[178] of the Croun.

[177] In MS. G, "no les than twelf."

[178] In Vautr. edit., "rents and reuenewes."

_Item_, Upoun the pet.i.tioun maid to the saidis Deputis anent the Officiaris of this realme, thay consent.i.t and concordit, &c., That in tyme c.u.ming the King and Quene sall not depute ony stranger in the administratioun of the civile and criminall Justice; and in lykwyise in the office of Chancellarie, Keipar of Seall, Thesaurer, Compttrollar, and uther lyk officeis, and sall not use thame, but sall be content with thair awin subjectis borne in this realme. Mairover, it sall not be lefull to put the office of Thesaurarie, Comptrollarie, in the handis of any kirk man, or utheris quhilkis ar not abill to exercise the saidis officeis; the quhilkis Thesaurer and Compttrollar sall be providit of sufficient commissioun to use the saidis officeis.

Bot it sall not be lefull to thame to dispone or sell wairdis of mariageis, or uther casualiteis, or any uther thyngis quhatsumever thay be perteinyng to thair officeis, without counsall or consent of the said Counsale, to that effect that the Counsale may know that all thyngis be done to the proffitt of the Kyng and Quene; and yitt thay will not bynd, or astrict the Kyng and Quene be this article, that thay may not gif quhen thay think expedient.

_Item_, Thay concordit, That in the first conventioun of the Estaitis of this Realme, thair sall be const.i.tut, ordanit, and establischeit ane law of oblivioun, quhilk efterward sall be confirmit be the Kyng and Queneis Majesties; be the quhilk all rememberance of beiring of armour, and utheris thyngis quhilk it hes bene done, sall be eirdit and forgett,[179] fra the saxt day of the moneth of Marche, in the yeir of G.o.d J^m V^c fyftie aucht yeiris:[180] And be the samyn law, thay quhilkis hes contravenit the lawis of the realme, sall be exemit and fre of all payne contenit thairin, siclik as gif it never had bene contravenit; providing that the privilegis of the said law be not extendit to thame, quhilkis the Estaitis of the Realme sall judge[181]

unworthie thairof.

[179] In MS. G, "sall be buryed, earthed, and forget;" in Vautr.

edit., "shalbe buried and forgotten."

[180] That is, the year 1558-9.

[181] In MS. G, "sall think;" in Vautr. edit., "shall judge."

_Item_, It is aggreit and concludit, That in the said Conventioun or Parliament, the Estaitis of the Realme, as use is, and of the maner is requireit, sall be callit; in the quhilk all thay that hes usit to convene, and be present, may c.u.m without all feir or force done, or to be done to thame be any persone, sua that the saidis sall oblisse thame, that quhair in tyme c.u.ming ony seditioun, or conventioun of men of war sall happin to be, without command of the Counsall, being of the number of twelf, the realme and c.u.n.trey sall repute the causseris thairof, and thame that conveneis as rebellis, and sall persew thame as siclyk, that thay may be punischeit be the lawis of the Realme, sua that the Kyng and Quene sall not be compellit in tyme c.u.ming to send ony men of war, or strangeris in thir pairtis, for obtenying of dew obedience of thair subjectis.

_Item_, Thay offerit, concordit, and aggreit, That thair sall be generall peace and reconciliatioun amang all Lordis and subjectis of this Realme; so that thay that are callit of the Congregatioun, and thay quhilkis are not of the samyn, sall put na reproche to utheris of the thingis quhilk are done fra the said saxt day of Marche 1558 [-9.]

_Item_, Thay offerrit, concordit, and affirmit, That the King and Quene sall not persew, revenge, nor mak ony persecutioun of the thyngis that hes bene done, nor yitt sall thay suffer the samyn to be done be thair subjectis, Frenche men, bot sall have all thyngis in oblivioun, as the samyn had never bene done. And siclyk, the Lordis of this Realme of Scotland sall do of all busynes betwix thame and the Frenche men in thir pairtis. And gif, be sinister informatioun, or ony uther occasioun, thair Majesteis hes conceavit ony evill opinioun against thair subjectis, thay sall alluterlie forgett, and change the samyn; nor thay sall not depryve any of thame, nor denude any of thame, or of thair subjectis, of the officeis, beneficeis, or estaitis, quhilkis thay have bruikit in the said Realme befoir, be ra.s.sone of ony thyngis thay have middillit with, fra the said saxt day of Marche 1558 [-9.] And farther, sall mak na occasioun of deprivatioun, or deposing of thame be any uther cullour without caus; bot rather thay sall esteme and treit thame in tyme c.u.ming as gude and obedient subjectis, providing that the saidis Lordis and uther subjectis, on thair pairtis, mak to thair Majesteis haill obedience, siclyk as utheris faithfull and naturall subjectis aucht to thair Soveraneis.

_Item_, It is concordit and aggreit, That it sall be lefull to nane of the Lordis of the n.o.bilitie of Scotland, or ony utheris, to mak convocatioun of men of weir, bot in the ordinarie causses approvit be the lawis and consuetude of the Realme; and that nane of thame sall cause ony men of weir, strangeris, to c.u.m in thir pairtis, and mekill less sall attempt to do ony thyng against the Kyng and Quene, or aganeis the authoritie of the Counsall, and utheris Magistratis of the Realme; and thay quhilkis hes present.i.t the said pet.i.tioun sall be obleist thairunto. And in caise any of thame, or utheris, find occasioun to invaid, or tak armour aganist any man, as he pretendis, efter that he have communicat.i.t the mater with the counsall of the Realme, he sall present his complaynt to thair Majesteis: and generallie, thay sall obliss thame, under the saidis paines, to do the thyngis quhilkis pertenis to guid and faithfull subjectis, for the quyetnes and tranquillitie of the Realme, and rychtis of thair Soveraneis.

_Item_, It is aggreit, &c., That gif ony Bischopis, Abbotis, or uther kyrk men sall playnt, or allege thame to have resavit any injureis, eyther in thair personeis or guidis, the playnt sall be sene and considderit be the Estaitis in the said Conventioun and Parliament; and thair sall be maid redress, as thay sall find according to rea.s.sone: And in the meinetyme, na man sall stopp thame, bot thay sall bruik thair guddis; nor sall do any skaith, injurie, or violence to thame: and gif ony dois contravene to this article, he sall be persewit be the Lordis as ane perturbar of ane guid communwelth.

_Item_, It is concordit, &c., That the saidis Lordis sall obliss thame to observe, and cause be observit, all and sindrie pointis and articleis aggreit in this Treateis: and gif it happinis that any of thame, or ony uther, wald contravene the same, the remanent Lordis and residew of the haill pepill, sall be ennemeis to him, and sall persew him till he be chaistisit and puneisit according to his demereitis.

_Item_, It is concordit, &c., That all the haill Realme may know that the Kyng and Quene ar not willing to keip any rememberance of the trubillis and differencis bygane; and sa far as concernis the n.o.bilitie and utheris subjectis of the Realme, that thair Majesteis desyris to treit thame humanelie, and to be favourabill to thame; the saidis Deputis hes promeist and concordit that the Duck of Chastellarault, and all uthiris n.o.billmen of Scotland, sall be remitt.i.t, and put again in all thair guddis and beneficeis, quhilkis thay haid and joysit in France, that thay may bruik and joyse the same in the samyn maner as thay did of befoir thay differenceis, the said saxt day of Marche, and yeir foirsaid, evin as the saidis contraverseis had never chanceit. And alssua, that all capitulatiouns and articleis aggreit upoun in tymeis bigane, and speciallie thay that war appoint.i.t in the Kyng and Queneis contract, sall be observit and keipit, alsweill for the pairt or thair Majesteis as for the pairt of the n.o.bilitie and pepill of Scotland. And as concerning David, sone to the said Duck of Chastellarault,[182] now being in Boys de Vincent, libertie sall be grant.i.t to him to returne to Scotland, and to do as he pleise.

[182] Lord David Hamilton, the third son of the Duke of Chatelherault: see note, vol. i. p. 383. He returned to Scotland in October 1560.

Mairover, quhen the saidis Deputis exponit, that sum tyme it mycht chance that the Kyng mycht mister of his greit gunis and artailyerie in France, the saidis Lordis having consideratioun thairof, concordit, That na uther artailyerie be translat.i.t out of this Realme, bot thay quhilkis war send and brocht in fra the day and deceise of Francis, King of France,[183] of guid memorie to thir pairtis; and that all uther artailyerie and munitioun be reponit in placeis quhair thay war takin furth, and speciallie [those] that hes the armeis[184] of Scotland sall be put in the placeis quhair thay war takin furth of; and their sall be n.o.bill men of Scotland [appointed] thairfoir, and twa for the pairt of the Kingis Majestie is to be deput, to recognosce the samyn befoir the schipping thairof.

[183] Francis the First, died 31st March 1547.

[184] In MS. G, "and in speciall that have the armes."

And, mairover, that quhair for the pairt of the n.o.bilitie and pepill of Scotland, certane Articles concerning the Religioun[185] and uthiris pointis war present.i.t, quhilkis the saidis Deputis wald not tuyche, bot considering the wecht and importance of thame, remitt.i.t the samyn to be recognoscit and decidit be thair Majesties; the saidis Lordis and n.o.bilitie promeisit, that ane certane number of n.o.bill men sall be chosin in the nixt Convention and Parliament, to be sent to their Majesties, quhilkis sall expone to thair Hienes the thingis quhilkis sall be thocht neidfull for the estait of thair busyness, and for the foirmentionat and utheris articles and pointis undecidit with the saidis Deputis, to the effect that thay may knaw thair Majesties intention and benevolence upon the thingis quhilkis sall be exponit for the pairt of the country; the quhilkis alsua sall have with thame ane confirmatioun and ratificatioun be the Estaitis of the Realme of the Articleis quhilkis ar concordit and aggreit be the saidis Deputis, to quham alsua the same tyme, or of befoir, sall be gevin and delyverit ane lyk confirmatioun and ratificatioun maid be thair Majesties, sua being that the saidis Estaitis send thair ratificatioun foirsaid.

[185] In mentioning "the soum and effect" of this Treaty, in which, "as to the state of religions, the same was deferrit to ane new Treatie," Bishop Lesley subjoins the following explanation: "Heir is necessar to be rememberit, the caus quhy in this Treatye thair was nothing aggreit tueching Religione; becaus the Commissioners of Ingland wald haif wished the Congregatione of Scotland to haif ressavit the discipline and ceremonies conforme to the Order establis.h.i.+t laitly befoir in thair Parliament of Ingland, so that boith the Realmes micht haif ben uniforme in religione and ceremonies; bot the Ministers and Congregatione of Scotland, thinking thair awin profession eftir the order and discipline of Geneva, to be moir puir, as conteyning no uther ceremonies nor is expressely mentioned in the Scriptour, thairfore wald not ressave or admitt any uther; and the Commissioners for France walde not appreve nane of the twa; and thairfoir that mater was delayit."--(History, p. 292.)

[In witness whereof, &c.]

THE PROCLAMATIOUN OF THE THYNGIS ABOVE WRITTIN, MAID THE AUCHT DAY OF JULIJ, THE YEIR OF G.o.d J^M V^C THRESCOIR YEIRIS.

TO THE LOVING OF THE MAIST PUISSANT LORD, AND CONFORT OF ALL CHRISTIANIS: The maist puissant Prince and Princess, and maist Christiane Kyng and Quene Francis and Marie, be the grace of G.o.d Kyng and Quene of France and Scotland, and the maist puissant Princess Elizabeth, be the samyn grace Quene of Ingland, Ireland, &c.: It is concordit, and reconciliatioun of peace and amitie maid, quhilk is to be observit inviolablie amangis thame, thair subjects, realmes, and countreys: Forsamekle in name of the said Prince and Princesses, it is commandit and straitlie chargeit, to all maner of personis under thair obedience, or being in thair service, fra this furth,[186] to desist fra all hostilitie, baith by sey and land, and to keip ane good peace the ane with the uther; and with charge to the brekaris under their greit parrell, &c.

[186] In MS. G, "from this tyme furth;" in Vautr. edit., "from henceforth." In the Diurnal of Occurrents, "fra this day furth, to desist and ceis fra all."

[Sidenote: THE PROFFITT THAT LEYTH GAT OF THAIR PROMESIT LIBERTIE.]

Thir thingis transact.i.t, and the peace proclamit, as said is, suddane provisioun was maid for the transporting of the Frensche to France, of whom the maist pairt were put into the Ingliss schippis, quha alsua careit with thame the haill spulzie of Leith; and that was the secund benefite quhilk thay resavit of thair lait promeisit libertie, the end quhairof is not yitt c.u.m. The Ingliss army be land depairt.i.t the s.e.xtene day of Julij, the yeir of G.o.d J^m V^c threscoir yeiris. The maist pairt of oure n.o.bilitie, Protestantis, honorabillie convoyit thame (as in verray deid thay had weill deservit): Bot the Lord James wald nocht leave the Lord Gray, with the uther n.o.bill men of Ingland, till that thay enterit in Berwick. Efter quhaise returnyng, the Counsall began to luik, alsweill upoun the effairis of the commonwelth, as upoun the matteris that mycht concerne the stabilitie of Religioun.

As befoir we have heard, the Parliament [was] concludit to begyn the xx. [10th] of July, and to be contynewit to the first of August nixt;[187] and thairfoir the Lordis maid the greater expeditioun, that all thyngis mycht be put in convenient ordour. Bot befoir all thyngis the Preachouris exhort.i.t thame, (for than in Edinburgh war the maist pairt of the cheif Ministeris of the Realme) to be thankfull unto G.o.d, and nixt to provyde, that the ministeris mycht be distributeit as the necessitie of the countrey requyreit. Ane day was statute, quhen the haill n.o.bilitie, and the greitest pairt of the Congregatioun a.s.sembillit in Sanct Geilis Kirk in Edinburgh, quhair, efter the sermond maid for that purpoise, publick thankis war gevin unto G.o.d for his mercifull deliverance, in forme as followis:--

[187] The Treaty of Peace thus concluded and signed, peace was proclaimed, as above, on the 8th of July; and Parliament was a.s.sembled on the 10th of that month, to adjourn, as had been determined, until the first of August. The 10th of July occurs also in the Acts printed immediately after the Confession; but both here, and at page 76, Knox specifies the 20th of that month. The solemn public thanksgiving held in St. Giles's Church, on the 19th July, was undoubtedly conducted by Knox himself, although he withholds his own name, in the above narrative.

THANKIS GEVING FOR OUR DELYVERANCE, WITH PRAYERIS.

O Eternall and Everlasting G.o.d, Father of oure Lord Jesus Chryst, quha hes nocht onlie commandit us to pray, and promeisit to heir us, but alsua willis us to magnifie thy mercies, and to glorifie thy name quhen thou schawis thy self pitiefull and favorabill unto us, especiallie quhen thow delyveris us frome disperatt daingearis: ffor sa did thy servantis Abraham, David, Jehosaphatt, and Ezekias; yea, the haill pepill of Israell omitt.i.t nott the same, quhen thow by thy mychtie hand did confound thair ennemeis, and deliver thame frome feir and daingear of death intent.i.t. We aucht not, nor can not forgett, O Lord, in how miserabill estait stude this poore countrey, and we the just inhabitants of the same, not many dayis past, quhen idolatrie was menteynit, quhen creuell straingearis did impyre, quhen virgennis war deflorit, matronis corrupt.i.t, mennis wyfeis violentlie and vylanouslie oppressit, the blud of innocentis sched without mercie; and finallie, quhen the unjust commandementis of proud tyrannis war obeyit as ane law. Out of thir miseries, O Lord, could nather our witt, policey, nor strength delyver us; yea did schaw unto us how vayne was the help of man, quhair thy blessing gevis not victorie. In thir our anguischeis, O Lord, we suit.i.t[188]

unto thee, we cryit for thy help, and we reclameit[189] thy name, as thy trubillit flock, persecut.i.t for thy treuth saik. Mercifullie hes thow hard us, O Lord, mercifullie, we say, becaus that neither in us, neither yitt in our confederatis was thair any caus quhy thou souldest have gevin unto us sa joyfull and suddane a delyverance: for neither of us bayth cea.s.sit to do wickitlie, evin in the myddis of oure greitest trubillis. And yitt hes thow lukit upoun us sa pitifullie as that we haid gevin unto thee maist perfyte obedience, for thou hes disapoynt.i.t the counsals of the crafty, thow hes brydillit the rage of the crewell; and thow hes of thy mercie sett this oure perisching Realme at ane reasonabill libertie. Oh, gif us hartis (thou, Lord, that onlie gifis all guid gyft,) with reverence and feir, to meditat thy wondrouse warkis lait wrocht in oure eyes. Let not the remembrance of the same unthankfullie to slip frome oure wavering myndis. We grant and acknawlege, O Lord, that quhat soever we haif resavit sall fall in oblivioun with us, and so turne to oure condempnatioun, unless thou, by the power of thy Holie Spreit, keip and reteyne us in recent and perpetuall memorie of the same. We beseik thee thairfoir, O Father of mercyis, that as of thy undeservit grace thow hes partlie removit our darknes, suppressit idolatrie, and taikin frome above oure heidis the devouring sword of mercyless strangearis, that sa it wald pleise thee to proceid with us in this thy grace begune. And albeit that in us thair is nathing that may move thy Majestie to schaw us thy favour, O yit for Christ Jesus, thy onlie weilbelovit Sonis saik, quhais name we beir, and quhais doctrin we profess, we beseik thee never to suffer us to foirsaik or deny this thy veritie quhilk now we professe. Bot seing that thou hes mercifullie heard us, and hes caussit thy veritie to triumphe in us, sa we crave of thee continewance unto the end, that thy G.o.dlie name may be glorifeit in us thy creaturis. And seing that nathing is mair odiouse in thy presence, O Lord, than is ungrat.i.tud and violatioun of ane aith and convenant maid in thy name; and seing that thou hes maid our confederatis of Ingland the instrumentis by quhom we are now sett at this libertie, to quhom we in thy name have promeisit mutuall fayth agane; lett us never fall to that unkyndnes,[190] O Lord, that ather we declair oure selfis unthankfull unto thame, or prophanaris of thy holie name. Confound thow the counsalls of thame that go about to brek that maist G.o.dlie liegue contract.i.t in thy name, and reteyne thou us sa firmlie togidder by the power of thy Holie Spreit, that Sathan have never power to sett us agane at variance nor discord. Geve us thy grace to leif in that Christiane cheritie quhilk thy Sone, our Lord Jesus, hes sa earnestlie commandit to all the memberis of his body; that uther natiouns, provockit be our example, may sett asyde all unG.o.dlie weir, contentioun, and stryff, and studie to leif in tranquilitie and peace, as it bec.u.mis the scheip of thy pasture, and the pepill that daylie luikis for our finall delyverance, by the c.u.ming agane of oure Lord Jesus; to whom with Thee, and the Holie Spreit, be all honour, glorie, and prayse, now and ever. AMEN.

[188] In MS. G, and Vautr. edit., "we sobbed."

[189] In MS. G, "proclaimed;" in Vautr. edit., "reclamed."

[190] In MS. G, "unthankfulness."

Heirefter war the Commissionaris of Bruchis, with sum of the n.o.bilitie and Barronis, appoynt.i.t to see the equall distributioun of Ministeris, to change and transport as the maist pairt sould think expedient. And sua was Johne Knox appoint.i.t to Edinburgh; Christopher Gudman, (quha the maist pairt of the trubillis had remanit in Ayre,) was appoint.i.t to Sanctandrois: Adame Heryot to Abirdene; Maister Johnne Row to Sanct Johnestoun; Paull Meffen, (to quhom was no infamie than knawin,) to Jedburgh; Williame Crystesoun to Dundie; and David Fergusoun to Dumfermling, and Maister David Lyndsay to Leith. Thair war nominat for Superintendantis, Maister Johnne Spottiswod for Lowtheane; Maister Johnne Wynrame for Fyff; Maister Johnne Willok for Glasgow; the Laird of Dun for Anguss and Mearnis; Maister Johnne Carswall for Ergyle and the Iles.[191] Thir to be elect.i.t at the dayis appoint.i.t, unless that the countreyis quhairto thay war to be appoint.i.t could in the menetyme fynd out men mair abill and sufficient, or ellis schaw sick causses as mycht inhabill thame from that dignitie.

[191] The first appointment of Ministers and Superintendents to the chief towns and districts in Scotland, was made about the 20th of July 1560, or previously to the meeting of Parliament.

The Parliament[192] approaching, dew adverteisment was maid, be the Counsall, to all sick as by law and ancient custome had or mycht clame to have vote thairin. The a.s.sembillie was great, nochtwithstanding that sum, alsweill of thame that be callit Spirituall as Temporall Lordis, contemptuouslie did absent thame selffis: And yit the cheif pillaris of the Papisticall Kirk gave thair presence, sick as the Bischoppis of Sanctandrois,[193] Dumblane,[194] and Dunkell,[195] with otheris of the inferiour sort, besydeis thame that had renunceit Papistrie, and oppinlie professit Jesus Chryst with us; sick as the Bischop of Galloway,[196] the Abbotis of Lendorse,[197] Culroiss,[198]

Sanct Colmeis Insche,[199] Newbottill,[200] Halyrudhouse,[201] the Priour of Sanctandrois,[202] Coldinghame,[203] and Sanct-Marie Ile,[204] the Suppriour of Sanctandrois,[205] and dyverse otheris quham we observit not.