Chapter 58

[912] Monsieur de la Brosse, and the Bishop of Amiens, arrived in Scotland on the 24th September 1559. Sir Ralph Sadler, on the 27th, says, "the Bishop arrived in Leith three days previously, with three vessels, and 800 men." On the 29th he writes, "La Brosse, and the Bishop of Amyens, are arrived at Leyth, with so gret company, besyds ther housholde men, as far as we can lerne. And the Bishop, as they say, cometh to curse, and also to dispute with the Protestants, and to reconcile them, if it wolbe," &c.--(Sadler's Letters, vol. i. p. 470.) "Jacques de la Brosse, knycht," had been one of the French ambassadors, who were present at the Parliament, 11th December 1543, for treating of a renewal of the amity between the two kingdoms.--(Acta Parl. Scot. vol. ii. p. 432.) When again sent to this country, in September 1559, on the accession of Francis the Second to the throne of France, Bishop Lesley calls him "Monsieur de La Broche."--(History, p. 278.) The Bishop of Amiens was Nicholas de Pellevé, who was afterwards Archbishop of Sens, and elected Cardinal. He came in the character of Legate _a latere_ from the Pope, and was accompanied by three Doctors of the Sorbonne, whom Spotiswood calls Dr. Furmer, Dr. Brochet, and Dr. Ferretier.--(Hist. p. 133.)

[913] In Vautr. edit. "Ammiance."

[914] In MS. G, "The arryval of 1000 Franchemen and ma." Vautr. edit. corresponds with the text.

[915] This marginal note is taken into the text in MS. G.

[916] In MS. G, this marginal note ends, "witness how this was kept;" but Vautr. edit. is the same with the text. The Letters here referred to as having been sent to France, are not contained in any printed collection.

[917] In the orig. MS. and in Vautr. edit. "proclamation."

[918] In MS. G, "inriche."

[919] In MS. G, "our liberties," and "our laws."

[920] In MS. G, "as obedient."

[921] In MS. G, "And seing ye have presently." Vautr. edit. has, "And seeing you have presently."

[922] A genealogical account of the ancient family of the Scots of Balweary, in Fife, is inserted in Douglas's Baronage, pp. 302-306. From this we learn, that there were five persons of the same name, in regular succession, at the end of the 15th, and during the 16th century. Sir William Scott, who was taken prisoner at Floddon, was nominated the first of the Lords of Session on the Temporal side, at the institution of the College of Justice in May 1532; but he died very soon after; as Thomas Scott of Petgormo, his second son, was appointed his successor, 19th November that year. This Thomas Scott was Justice-Clerk, whose death, in 1539, Knox has recorded: see page 69. Another Thomas Scott of Petgormo, probably a younger son of his brother Sir William, had a charter of the lands of Petgormo, confirmed 22d March 1551. I have some old deeds, between the years of 1570 and 1574, in some of which he is styled of Abbotshall, in others, of Petgormo.

[923] See note 197.

[924] In the MS. "laid;" Vautr. edit. has "laied money;" MS. G, "layit mony." In September 1554, the Treasurer delivered to an English miner, "aucht unce of siluer, to mak ane assay of siluer and _layit_ mony." In 1587, it is called "allayed" (alloyed) money.

[925] During the minority of Queen Mary, great quantities of base money had been struck, or brought from France and Flanders, and obtaining circulation, had the effect of raising the prices of provisions and other necessaries in this country. Many enactments were made in regard to the currency at this time, apparently without much effect; at length, in the year 1574, all such money was called in by public proclamation, to prevent the further circulation of false, counterfeit, and clipped money. The particular kinds here named, were _Hard-heads_, or Lions, a small coin with the royal cypher crowned, on one side, and a Lion _rampant_ on the other. The _Non Sunts_, so called in Acts of Parliament, had the arms of Francis and Mary, mostly bearing the date 1559. This name was given them from the legend, on the obverse, IAM. NON. SVNT. DVO. SED. VNA. CARO. The comparative value of these coins is determined by an Act of Parliament, December 1567, by which "all Non Sunts were proclamit to 6d., Bawbies to 3d., Plakis to 2d., and Hard-heidis to half-penyis; and the penneis to stand as thai ar."--(Acta Parl. Scot. vol. ii. p. 43; Lindsay's Coinage of Scotland, p. 239.)

[926] See page 372.

[927] In MS. G, "thair clippit and rongit sollis." Vautr. edit. has "clippit and rounged souses." That is, clipped or _ronged sols_ or _sous_, (a kind of small French money well known,) worn away, or reduced in size by a file: the _sou_ being equivalent to 10 _centimes_, and 10 _sous_ to a _franc_.

[928] In MS. G, "derthning of all victuillis;" Vautr. edit. has "vivaris."

[929] In MS. G, "and how are they cum?"

[930] In MS. G, "townes;" in Vautr. edit. "roomes."

[931] In the other copies "garrisouns."

[932] In MS. G, "see to it;" in Vautr. edit. as above.

[933] In MS. G, "realme;" in Vautr. edit. "roomes."

[934] In MS. G, "further."

[935] "Quhen thy neighbours house is on fire, take tent to thy awn."--("Scottish Proverbs: Gathered together by David Fergusson, sometime Minister at Dunfermline," &c. Edinburgh, 1641, 4to.)

[936] In MS. G, "Guysianis;" in Vautr. edit. "Guisians."

[937] In MS. G, "gevin to Princes."

[938] In MS. G, "Becaus this accusatioun is layd against;" Vautr. edit. has, "Because this occasion is layd against."

[939] This marginal note occurs both in MS. G, and in Vautr. edit.; but MS. G, makes it, "Let sick as this day live, witness if God hes wrocht since the writting of this."--The precise time when this note was written is doubtful, as several leaves of the original MS., (folios 137 to 158,) corresponding with pages 381 to 432 of the present edition, seem to have been rewritten, after 1566, but before Knox's death, in 1572, and in all probability in the hand of his Secretary, Richard Bannatyne. In this portion of the MS. the colour of the ink, &c., resembles the latter part of Book Fourth; but it exhibits a peculiar orthography, and is transcribed with much less accuracy than usual.

[940] In MS. G, "haldis;" in Vautr. edit. "had."

[941] In the MS. "subjit."

[942] In MS. G, this marginal note reads, "The hame cuming of the Erie of Arran out of France."

[943] In the MS. "discryve;" Vautr. edit. and MS. G, have "discover."

[944] In Vautr. edit. "the xxix day."

[945] Robert Carnegy of Kynnaird, in Fife, was the son of John Carnegy, who was killed at Floddon. On the 4th July 1547, he was nominated a Lord of Session.--(Senators of the College of Justice, p. 90.) He was sent to England in 1548, to treat for the ransom of the Earl of Huntley, Lord Chancellor, who had been taken prisoner at the Battle of Pinkie. In 1549 and 1550, Carnegy filled the office of "Clerk of our Soueraine Ladyis Thesaurar," for which he had a yearly pension of £26, 13s. 4d.--(Treasurer's Accounts.) In February 1551-2, the Treasurer paid "to Robert Carnegy, for his expensis passand to France and England, in our Soueraine Ladyis and my Lord Governouris service, quhen he remanit the space of xv weekis, in iiij^c crounis of the sone, v^c lib." (£500.)--He was frequently employed in public negotiations; and had the honour of knighthood conferred on him for his services.

[946] Mr. David Borthwick of Lochill, Advocate, will be afterwards noticed. In 1578, he became Lord Advocate, and one of the Judges in the Court of Session.

[947] In MS. G, "cut-throattis."

[948] The charge of the royal family became a kind of hereditary employment for the Erskines of Mar. John, fourth Lord Erskine, had the keeping of James the Fifth in his youth; and was appointed Governor of Stirling Castle. In May 1525, he had a charter constituting him and his heirs Captain and Constable of the Castle of Stirling. He was likewise one of two noblemen to whom the charge of Queen Mary, in her infancy, was entrusted. He was afterwards made Keeper of Edinburgh Castle, and died in 1552. He was succeeded by his third son, John fifth Lord Erskine, (as already noticed at page 213,) both in his title and heritable offices. When the Duke of Chatelherault resigned the Regency to the Queen Dowager, the Castle of Edinburgh was put in the hands of Lord Erskine. In 1559, as Governor of this important fortress, he maintained a strict neutrality between the two contending parties, as Knox mentions at the beginning of Book Third of his History. And James the Sixth, while yet an infant, was entrusted to his care.

[949] In MS. G, "within it."

[950] In Vautr. edit. "your eyis of."

[951] In Vautr. edit. "the 29 day."

[952] In the other MSS. "men."

[953] Sir John Bellenden of Auchinoul, who, for thirty years, from 1547, was Justice-Clerk, appears to have been twice married. The above reference is to his first wife; and from a charter dated 12th May 1559, we learn that her name was Barbara Kennedy. She was thus the daughter of Sir Hugh Kennedy of Girvan-mains, by Lady Janet Stewart, eldest daughter of John second Earl of Atholl, who was killed at Floddon in 1513. This lady was four times married: first, to Alexander Master of Sutherland, who died in 1529; then, in 1532, to Sir Hugh Kennedy; next, in 1545, to Henry Lord Methven, who was killed at Pinkie in 1547. Her fourth husband was Patrick Lord Ruthven; and in a charter, granted in the prospect of this marriage in 1557, she is styled Lady Methven. She was Lord Ruthven's second wife, and probably survived him. Sir John Bellenden's second wife, according to a charter, 20th July 1574, was Janet Seyton. She survived him, as we learn from his Confirmed Testament: he having died on the 6th October 1576.--(Register of Conf. Test., &c., vol. vi. 19th August 1578.)

[954] He was the son of John Spens of Condie, in the county of Perth, and was born about the year 1520. He was educated at St. Andrews, and became a Determinant, in St. Salvator's College, in 1543. In 1549, he was one of nine Advocates selected by the Court of Session, to procure before them in all actions. He was joined with Henry Lauder as Advocate to our Soueraine Lady, in 1558, and had the salary of £40; and on Lauder's death in 1560, he became his successor, and at the same time was raised to the Bench. He joined the Reformers, and is frequently noticed in the proceedings of the General Assembly.

[955] In MS. G, "that the Quenis Grace favour."

[956] In Vautr edit. "craftie flatterer:" in MS. G, this marginal note is omitted.

[957] In MS. G, and Vautr. edit. "poore."

[958] In MS. G, the name is written in full, "James Stewart;" in Vautr. edit. it is contracted as above, "J. St."

[959] This word, omitted in the MS., is supplied from Vautr. edit.

[960] In the orig. MS. "as."

[961] In Vautr. edit. and MS. G, "than the pretended."

[962] In MS. G, "mony uther thingis."

[963] In MS. G, "and the Quein Regent in this cais." Vautr. edit. has, "in this cause."

[964] Vautr. edit. has here in the margin, "Nota."

[965] This feeling of jealousy between the Towns of Edinburgh and Leith, originating in narrow-minded policy, was of an old standing. The harbour and mills of Lieth, then known as Inverleith, were granted by Robert the First, in the year 1329, to the community of Edinburgh; and in 1398, they acquired other rights and privileges by purchase from Logan of Restalrig, who possessed the banks of the river. During the 15th and following century, the Magistrates of Edinburgh passed some Acts of a very oppressive and illiberal kind, against the inhabitants of Leith. In 1547, during the English invasion, the town and harbour were completely destroyed; but the Queen Regent, in favour of the inhabitants, purchased anew the superiority in 1555, from Robert Logan of Restalrig, for £3000 Scotish money; it was strongly fortified in 1559; and was taken possession of by the French auxiliary troops, on behalf of the Queen Regent, who proposed to have erected the Town into a Royal Burgh. Her death, in June 1560, defeated this project; and the citizens of Edinburgh afterwards obtained the superiority from Mary Queen of Scots, for the sum of 10,000 marks.

[966] In the MS. "had" is omitted; in MS. G, it is "hes or had;" in Vautr. edit. "hath or had."

[967] The Logans of Restalrig were an ancient family of great influence, from their possessions at Leith and Restalrig. The factious person to whom Knox alludes was Robert Logan, who was arrested by order of the Magistrates of Edinburgh, and committed to prison, 9th September 1560.

[968] In MS. G, "lawfull heirs and borne counsallers." Vautr. edit. omits "heirs," or "heidis," and reads, "the lawfull and borne counsellers."

[969] In Vautr. edit. on the margin, "Nota."

[970] Not inserted in MS. G.

[971] See note 538.

[972] In the orig. MS. it is, apparently, "neir us:" MS. G. has "micht most noy us;" Vautr. edit. reads, "might most annoy us."

[973] In MS. G, "The caus of the taking of Brochtie Craig."

[974] In MS. G. and Vautr. edit. "dutifull."

[975] In MS. G, "forced with the Frenchmen, and reullit with be the counsaill of France;" Vautr. edit. has, "forced with the strength, and ruled by the counsell of France."

[976] This alludes to the emphatic phrase in the absolution sent from Rome, to Cardinal Beaton's murderers, _remittimus irremissibile_; but which was rejected by the parties who were concerned as not being the "sufficient assured absolution," which had been promised should be obtained for them: see page 203.

[977] George fifth Lord Seaton, was elected Provost of Edinburgh at Michaelmas 1558, by command of the Queen Regent; and he conducted the affairs of the City in such an arbitrary manner, that in April 1559 he committed one of the Bailies and the Town-Clerk to prison. On another occasion he threatened all the Bailies with a similar imprisonment, if, during his absence, they failed in securing certain persons whom he named.--(Maitland's Hist. of Edinburgh, p. 15.)

[978] In MS. G, "The Lord Seytounis unworthie regiment:" and it omits the three following marginal notes.

[979] In MS. G, "to steir;" Vautr. edit., as above, has, "to saile a schippe."

[980] In the orig. MS. "baith we and sche."

[981] In MS. G, "debtfull;" in Vautr. edit. "dutifull."

[982] In Vautr. edit. "forged."

[983] Mr. Robert Lockhart has already been mentioned by Knox, (page 300,) among the laymen who undertook the office of exhorters. He appears to have been gained over to her views by the Queen Regent; and the Treasurer's Accounts exhibit the following payments made to him by her special command. On the 16th January 1559-60, "be the Quenis Grace precept to Master Robert Lockhart, xxx lib." "Item, the xxiij day of Februar, be the Quenis Grace precept to Maister Robert Lockhart, xl lib."

[984] In MS. G, "unto Hir Grace the Quein Regent, may be understude."

[985] Supplied from MS. G.

[986] In MS. G, these words are thus transposed,--"I culd not be proven enemie, bot rather an unfayned freind to your Grace." Vautr. edit. follows the text, except "proved" for "proven."

[987] In the year 1558, at Geneva: see note 3, page 252.

[988] In MS. G, "your Graces hairt." Vautr. edit. has, "your hearte."

[989] Robert Lockhart, see page 434.

[990] Supplied from MS. G.

[991] In MS. G, "of this cuntrey." Vautr. edit. has, "realme."

[992] Vautr. edit. omits this marginal note; but it occurs in MS. G.

[993] In MS. G, "seikes or sutes ony pre-eminence, eyther to." Vautr. edit. makes it, "sues nor seekes anie pre-heminence."

[994] "Maister Robert Foirman," in 1551, was Ross Herald; and in that capacity, on the 7th May 1552, he was "direct fra the Counsale, with certain Articulis to be schawand to the King of France; and frathin to the Empriour," the Treasurer on that day having paid "to hym, to be his expenses in his jornay, £400."--On the death of the celebrated poet, Sir David Lyndesay of the Mount, Forman, in 1558, became his successor as Lyon King-at-Arms.

[995] Keith has copied from Knox the "Credeit" or Commission from the Queen Regent; but in the Appendix to his History he says, "I make little doubt he (Knox) has curtailed the same, and formed it so as to serve his own purpose: And had this Credit been contained in as few words as this author relates it, the Regent might have easily inserted the whole of it in her letter, without any unbecoming prolixity. I do, therefore, recommend to my readers not to satisfy themselves with this account of the Credit, but to look into _that_ which Archbishop Spottiswood narrates; which, as it is much more distinct in answering to each part of complaint from the Congregationers, so it has all the air of ingenuity, and seems fully to answer the character of that wise and worthy Princess." He then proceeds to quote from Spottiswood's MS. some remarks, differing from the corresponding passage in the printed History; but these are too long to be here quoted: see Keith, Hist. vol. i. pp. 232, 400-492.

[996] In MS. G, "of the Kirk of Edinburgh, being commanded." Vautr. edit. is the same as the text.

[997] In MS. G, "was thair protest." Vautr. edit. has, "process."

[998] In MS. G, "in sygne of manifest oppresioun." Vautr. edit., as in the text, omits the words "sygne of."

[999] In MS. G, "commonaltie."

[1000] In MS. G, "and to performance of thir hir wicked nterprises." Vautr. edit. reads, "to performe these her wicked interprises."

[1001] The stranger referred to, was Monsieur de Ruby, who has already been noticed: see pages 262, 292. Secretary Cecil, in a letter to Sir Ralph Sadler, from London, 25th November 1559, says, "At this present Monsieur Ruby is here, and hath spoken with the Quenes Majestye this daye. His errand, I thynke, be to goe into Fraunce, and, by the waye here, to expostulate upon certain greeffs in that Quenes name. He telleth many tales, and wold very fayne have the Queenes Majestye beleve that he sayth truth." Some of these "tales" are specified--such as, that the Scotts report they have had £6000 in ayde from England, &c. It is afterwards added, "Ruby departeth to-morrow."--(Sadler's State Papers, vol. i. p. 630.)

[1002] This marginal note, in MS. G, reads, "Hir dauchter followis the same, for to Davie was the Greitt Seill gevin."--In the List of Officers of State, appended to Scott's Staggering State, (see note, page 293,) Riccio is said to have succeeded Mons. de Ruby; but the public records furnish no evidence to show that David Riccio ever was intrusted with the Great Seal. His highest promotion was Private Secretary to the Queen and Darnley; as will more particularly be noticed in the next volume, towards the conclusion of the History.

[1003] The words enclosed within brackets, occur both in MS. G. and Vautr. edit.; but neither copy has any signatures. Keith, in his remarks on this Act of Deposition of the Queen Regent, says, "And for this reason, (the few persons present at framing it,) perhaps, they thought fit not to sign the Act man by man, but to wrap it up after this general manner, viz., _By us the Nobility_," &c.--(Hist. vol. i. p. 237.) This evidently is a mistake, as the Act itself concludes with the express statement, "subscrivit _with our handis_," &c.--In the MS. of 1566, a blank space of half a page at the end of the above Act, has been left for the purpose of inserting the signatures, we may suppose, in a kind of fac-simile.

Keith previously mentions, that the Councillors who signed the Letter to the Queen, on the 23d October, were twenty-nine in number, viz., The Duke of Chatelherault; _Earls_, Arran, Eglinton, Argyll, Rothes, Morton, Glencairn, Marischal, Sutherland; _Lords_, Erskine, Ruthven, Home, Athens (Alexander Gordon, afterwards Bishop of Galloway,) the Prior of St. Andrews (Lord James Stewart,) Livingston, Master of Maxwell, Boyd, Ochiltree; _Barons_, Tullibardine, Glenorchy, Lindsay, Dun, Lauriston, Cunningham, Calder, Pittarrow; _Provosts_ of Edinburgh, St. Andrews, Dundee. But see the note to the Letter itself, in the following page 451.

[1004] In MS. G, "your doingis." Vautr. edit. has, "proceedings."

[1005] In MS. G, "for our Regent." Vautr. edit. has, "anie."

[1006] The town of Leith.

[1007] In MS. G, "placed." Vautr. edit. has, "planted."

[1008] In MS. G, "accustomed."

[1009] In Vautr. edit. "the 24 day;" and this date is followed in all the copies, excepting MS. G.

[1010] In the British Museum (MSS. Cotton. Calig., B. x., f. 42.) there is a contemporary transcript of this Letter, which contains the signatures, or rather the names of the persons who signed it, as follows:

"Your Grace's humble Serviteurs,

THE COUNCIL, having the authority unto the next Parliament, erected by common election of the Earls, Lords, and Barons, convened at Edinburgh, of the Protestant faction. (_Earls._) My Lord Duke's Grace and Earl of Arran. The E. of Argile. The E. of Glencairn.

(_Lords._) James of St. Andrews. The Lord Ruthven. The Master of Maxwell.

(_Barons._) Tullibardine. The Laird of Dun. The Laird of Pittarrow. The Provost of Aberdeen, for the Burrows."

[1011] In MS. G, "the ane and the other." Vautr. edit. has, "either the one or the other." Some other trivial differences in this Summonds occur in MS. G.

[1012] In the MS. of 1566, "scalles."

[1013] In MS. G, "at that."

[1014] In May 1555, we find him styled, "Maister James Balfoure, Officiall of Sanctandrois, within the Archedenerie of Lowthiane."--(Criminal Trials, vol. i. p. 378.)

[1015] In MS. G, "quhilk we thocht."

[1016] Sir William Murray of Tullibardine.

[1017] John Hart was connected with the Mint in some subordinate capacity. His name does not occur among the Officers of the Mint, in the Treasurer's Accounts, at this time; but it occurs in a proclamation, dated 5th March 1574, respecting the false and adulterated coins (placks and hard-heads) which were ordered to be brought to the Mint.--(Lindsay's Coinage of Scotland, pp. 184, 239.)

[1018] The Cunyie House, or Scotish Mint, was near the foot of Gray's Close, entering from the Cowgate, and formed a kind of small court or square. But these buildings bear the date of having been erected in 1574. The Mint had previously been moved from one place to another, such as Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood House, Dalkeith, &c. Thus we find in the Treasurer's Accounts, February 1562-3, is the following payment:--"Item, allowit to the Comptar, be payment maid be Johne Achesoun, Maister Cwnzeour, to Maister William M'Dowgale, Maister of Werk, for expensis maid be him vpon the bigging of the Cwnze-house, within the Castell of Edinburgh, and beting of the Cwnze-house within the Palace of Halierudhouse, fra the xi day of Februar 1559 zeris, to the 21 of April 1560, &c., £460, 4s. 1d."

[1019] In the view of affording aid to the Lords of the Congregation, a commission was granted to the Earl of Northumberland, Sir Ralph Sadler, and Sir James Crofts. The ostensible object was the settlement of some Border disputes, which were arranged on the 22d September; but by remaining at Berwick, they were able, with greater facility and secrecy, to hold communication with the Protestant party in Scotland, without apparently infringing the Treaty of Peace which had previously been concluded. Sadler's private instructions to this effect are dated 8th August 1559, and he was empowered to treat with any persons he thought advisable, and to distribute, with all due discretion and secrecy, money to the extent of £3000.--(Sadler's State Papers, vol. i. pp. xxix. 391.) The arrival of the French troops in aid of the Queen Regent, led to a more direct and ostensible assistance on the part of England, in sending auxiliary forces to support the Scotish Reformers.

[1020] In MS. G, "beset;" in Vautr. edit. "foreset."