Part 26

[625] René de Lorraine, Marquis d'Elbeuf, was the youngest son of Claude Duke de Guise, and was born in 1536. He became successor to his brother Francis in 1563, as General of the French galleys; but he died in 1566, aged 30.

[626] Henry second son of Anne Duke de Montmorency, and Constable of France, is known in history as the Seigneur de Damville. He was born in 1534, and upon the death of his elder brother in 1579, he succeeded to the Dukedom, and survived till 1614. (Anselme, Histoire Genealogique, vol. iii. p. 605.)

[627] In the Queen's retinue, among other persons of note, was Peter de Bourdeille, known by the name of the Sieur de Brantome, of which he was Abbot. He was attached to the Court as one of the gentlemen of the bed-chamber to Charles IX., and Henry III. of France. He owes his distinction to his posthumous Memoirs, which serve at least sufficiently to illustrate the licentious and corrupt state of manners of the time. In his _Vies des Dames Illustres_, there is a _Discours_ on Mary Queen of Scots, who, he says, on the day of her nuptials with Francis, "paroistre cent fois plus belle qu'une Deesse du Ciel." He died in July 1614, at the age of 87.

[628] In MS. G, "surfece weitt." MS. L 4, follows that of 1566, in "surfett."

[Sidenote: THE QUENIS FIRST GRACE IN DISPYTE OF RELIGIOUN.]

At the sound of the cannonis whiche the galayis schot, the multitude being advertissed, happie was he and sche that first myght have the presence of the Quene. The Protestantis war not the slowest, and thairintill thai war not to be blamed.[629] Becaus the Palace of Halyrudhous was not throughlie put in ordour, (for hir cuming was more suddane[630] than many looked for,) sche remaned in Leyth till towardis the evenyng, and then repaired thitther. In the way betwixt Leith and the Abbay, met hir the rebellis of the craftis, (of whom we spak befoir,[631]) to wit, those that had violated the authoritie of the Magistratis, and had besieged the Provost. But, because sche was sufficientlie instructed, that all thai did was done in dispite of the religioun, thai war easilie apardoned. Fyres of joy war sett furth all nyght, and a cumpany of the most honest,[632] with instrumentis of musick, and with musitians, geve thair salutationis at hir chalmer wyndo.[633] The melody, (as sche alledged,) lyked hir weill; and sche willed the same to be contineued some nightis after.

[629] Instead of this sentence, in MSS. M, and L 4, we find, "Shee wes honnorablie receaved be the Erle of Argyle, the Lord Areskin, Lord James, and other Noblemen, and the Citizens of Edinburgh. Becaus," &c.

[630] The Queen's arrival was earlier than was expected. On the 7th of August, the Treasurer had paid messengers passing "with clois writings" of the Lords of Secret Counsall to the Nobility and Magistratis, and others, "to be in Edinburgh with thair honorable cumpaneis to the Quenis grace enteres furth of France, _agane the last day of August_." It has been seen that she landed on the 20th of that month.

[631] See pages 155-159.

[632] In MS. G, "of most honest men." MSS. A, and L 4, "the most honest."

[633] Brantome in his account of the Queen's arrival, takes notice of the thick fog (grand broüillard) which prevailed, so that they could not see from one end of the vessel to the other. His account of the serenading of the pious minstrels, is very unlike that of the text. His words are,--"Le soir, ainsi qu'elle se vouloit coucher, estant logée en-bas en l'Abbaye de l'Islebourg, qui est certes un beau bastiment, et ne tient rien du Pays, vindrent sous la fenestre cinq ou six cent marauds de la ville, luy donner aubade de meschants violons et petits rebecs, dont il n'y en a faute en ce pays-la; et se mirent à chanter Pseaumes, tant mal chantez et si mal accordez, que rien plus. He! quelle musique! et quel repos pour sa nuit!"

[Sidenote: THE QUENIS FIRST MESSE.]

[Sidenote: LORD JAMES [HIS] FACT.]

[Sidenote: CONVOYARIS OF THE PREAST.]

With great diligence[634] the Lordis repared unto hir from all quarters. And so was nothing understand[635] but myrth and quyetness till the nixt Sunday, which was the xxiiij of August, when preparatioun began to be maid for that idoll the Messe to be said in the Chapell; which perced the hartis of all. The godlie[636] began to bolden; and men began openlie to speak, "Shall that idoll be suffered agane to tack place within this Realm? It shall not." The Lord Lyndesay, (then but Maister,)[637] with the gentilmen of Fyiff, and otheris, plainlie cryed in the close, "The idolater Preast should dye the death," according to Goddis law. One that caryed in the candell was evill effrayed; but then began flesche and blood to schaw the self. Thair durst no Papist, neathir yitt any that cam out of France whisper. But the Lord James[638] (the man whom all the godlye did most reverence) took upoun him to keap the Chapell door. His best excuse was, that he wald stop all Scotishe men to enter in to the Messe. But it was, and is sufficientlie known, that the door was keapt, that nane should have entress to truble the Preast; who, after the Messe, was committed to the protectioun of Lord Johne of Coldinghame,[639] and Lord Robert of Halyrudehouse,[640] who then war boyth Protestantis, and had communicat at the Table of the Lord. Betwix thame two was the Preast convoyed to his chalmer.

[634] In MS. G, these words are added to the previous sentence. MS. L 4, follows that of 1566.

[635] In MS. G, "understude."

[636] In MS. G, "which perceaved, the hearts of all the godlie." In MS. M, "The hearts of the godly being pierced with that grosse abhomination, began to bowden and swell." In MS. L 4, "pierced all the heartis of the godlie, that they began to bowden and swell."

[637] Patrick, eldest son of Lord Lindesay, was styled Master of Lindesay, during his father's life. As already noticed, he succeeded to the title in 1563.

[638] Lord James Stewart, Prior of St. Andrews.

[639] Lord John Stewart, a natural son of James the Fifth, had the Priory of Coldingham conferred on him in his youth. He has previously been mentioned (_supra_, page 88) as having joined the Reformers.

[640] Lord Robert Stewart, also a natural son of King James the Fifth, by Euphemia Elphinstone, daughter of Lord Elphinstone. He had a grant of the Abbacy of Holyrood in 1539, when only seven years of age. See vol. i. p. 458, and a subsequent note in the present volume.

[Sidenote: THE END IS NOTT YITT SEANE.]

And so the godlie departed with great greaf of heart, and at after noon repaired to the Abbay in great companeis, and gave plane significatioun, that thai could not abyd that the land which God by his power had purged from idolatrie, should in thair eyes be polluted agane. Which understand, thair began complaint upoun complaint. The old dounty-bowris, and otheris that long had served in the Court, and hes no remissioun of synnes, but by virtew of the Messe, cryed, "Thai wald to France without delay: thai could not live without the Messe." The same affirmed the Quenis Uncles. And wold to God that that menzie, togitther with the Messe, had tacken good nyght at this Realme for ever; for so had Scotland bene rydd of ane unprofitable burthen of devouring strangearis, and of the maledictioun of God that hes stricken, and yitt will strike for idolatrie.

[Sidenote: THE PERSUASIOUN OF THE COURTEOURIS.]

The Counsall assembled, disputatioun was had of the nixt remeadye. Polytick headis war send unto the Gentilmen, with these and the lyke persuasionis, "Why, allace, will ye chase our Soverane from us? Sche will incontinent return to hir galayes; and what then shall all Realmes say of us? May we nott suffer hir a lytill whill? We doubt not but sche shall leave it. Yf we war not assured that sche myght be wonne, we should be als greate ennemyes to hir Masse, as ye should be. Hir Uncles will depart, and then sall we reull all at our plesour. Wold not we be as sorry to hurt the Religioun as any of you wald be?"

With these and the lyke persuasionis, (we say,) was the fervencie of the Bretheren quenched; and ane Act[641] was framed: the tennour whairof followeth:--

[641] This Act is not contained in the existing volumes of the Privy Council Records.--In MS. M, the Act itself is omitted, but its purport is briefly stated.

APUD EDINBURGH, XXV^{TO} AUGUSTI ANNO &C. LXI^O.

FORSAMEKLE as the Quenis Majestie hes understand the great inconvenientis that may come, through the divisioun presentlie standing in this Realme, for the difference in materis of Religioun, that hir Majestie is most desirous to see [it] pacifeit be ane good ordour, to the honour of God, and tranquillitie of hir Realme, and meanes to tack the same be advyse of hir Estaitis, sa soon as convenientlie may be; and that hir Majesties godlie resolutioun thairin may be greatlie hyndered, in case any tumult or seditioun be raised amanges the lieges, yf any suddane[642] alteratioun or novatioun be preassed [at] or attempted, befoir that the ordour may be establissed: Thairfoir, for eschewing of the saidis inconvenientis, hir Majestie ordanes letteris[643] to be direct to charge all and sindrie hir leiges, be oppin proclamatioun at the Mercat Croce of Edinburgh, and otheris places neidfull, that thai, and everie ane of thame, conteane thame selffis in quyetnesse, keap peace and civile societie amongis thame selffis: And in the meanetyme, while the Estaittis of this Realme may be assembled, and that hir Majestie have tackin ane finall ordour be thair advyse and publict consent, quhilk hir Majestie hopes shalbe to the contentment of the haill, That nane of thame tack upoun hand, privatlie or openlie, to mack alteratioun or innovatioun of the staite of Religioun, or attempt any thing against the form quhilk hir Majestie fand publictlie and universallie standing at hir Majesties arryvell in this hir Realme, under the pane of death: With certificatioun, that yf any subject of the Realme, shall cum in the contrarie heirof, he shalbe estemed and holden a seditious persone and raiser of tumult, and the said paine salbe execut upoun him with all rigour, to the example of otheris. Attour, hir Majestie, be the advise of the Lordis of hir Secreit Counsall, commandis and charges all hir leiges, that nane of thame tack upoun hand to molest or truble any of hir domesticall servandis, or personis whatsumever, come furth of France, in hir Gracis cumpany at this tyme, in wourd, deed, or countenance, for any caus whatsumever, eather within hir Palace or without, or mack ony derisioun[644] or invasioun upoun any of thame, under whatsumever cullour or pretence, under the said paine of death: Albeit hir Majestie be sufficientlie persuaded, that hir good and loving subjectis wold do the same, for the reverence thai bear to hir persone and authoritie, notwithstanding that na sick commandiment war publisshed.

[642] MS. G, omits "suddane."

[643] It appears that such Letters of Proclamation were accordingly issued on the 29th of August. (Treasurer's Accounts.)

[644] In MS. G, "divisioun."

* * * * *

This Act and Proclamatioun, penned and put in form by such as befoir professed Christ Jesus, (for in the Counsall then had Papistis neathir power nor vote,) it was publictlie proclaimed at the Mercat Croce of Edinburgh, upoun Mononday foirsaid. No man reclamed, nor maid repugnance to it, except the Erle of Arrane onlie;[645] who, in open audience of the Heraldis and people protested, "That he dissasented that any protectioun or defence should be maid to the Quenis domestickis, or to any that came from France, to offend Goddis Majestie, and to violat the lawis of the Realme, more then to any other subject: for Goddis law had pronunced death against the idolater, and the lawis of the realme had appoynted punishment for sayaris and heararis of Masse; quhilkis, (said he,) I here protest, be universallie observed, and that none be exempted, unto such tyme as a law, als publictlie maid, and als consonant to the law of God, have disannulled the formar." And thairupoun he took documentis, as the tenour of this his Protestatioun doeth witnesse:--

[645] MS. L 4, has this marginal note, "The Erle of Arran's protestation against this proclamation."

* * * * *

IN sa far as be this Proclamatioun it is understand to the Kirk of God, and memberis thairof, that the Quenis Grace is mynded, that the treu religioun and wyrschipping ellis establissed procead fordwart, that it may daly increase, unto the Parliament, that ordour then may be tane for extirpatioun of all idolatrie within this Realme: We rander maist hartlie thankis to the Lord our God for hir Gracis good mynd, earnestlie praying that it may be encreassed in hir Hienes, to the honour and glorie of His name, and weill of his Kirk within this Realme. And as tueching the molestatioun of hir Hienes servandis, we suppose that nane dare be sa bald as anes to move thair fyngar at thame, in doing of thair lefull busines; and as for us, we have learned at oure maister Christis school, "to keap peace with all men;" and thairfoir for our part, we will promeis that obedience unto hir Majestie (as is our dewitie) that nane of hir servandis salbe molested, trubled, or anes tueched, be the Kirk, or any member thairof, in doing thair lefull affairis. But, sen that God hes said, "The idolater shall die the death;" we Protest solempnedlie, in presence of God, and in the earis of the haill people that hearis this Proclamatioun, and specialie in presence of you Lyoun Herald, and of the rest of your collegues, &c., makaris of this Proclamatioun, that yf any of hir servandis shall commit idolatrie, specialie say Messe, participat thairwith, or tack the defence thairof, (quhilkis we war leyth should be in hir Grace cumpany,) in that caise, that this Proclamatioun be nott extended to thame in that behalf, nor be not a salfgard or gyrth to thame in that behalf, na mair nor give thai committ slauchter or murther, seing the ane is mekle mair abhominable and odiouse in the syght of God, then is the other: But that it may be laughtfull to inflict upoun thame the painis conteyned in Goddis word aganis idolateris, whairever thai may be apprehended, but favour. And this oure Protestatioun we desyre you to notifie unto hir, and gif hir the copie heirof, least hir Hienes should suspect ane uproar, gif we should all come and present the same. At Edinburgh, the day and year foirsaid.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: ROBERT CAMPBELL TO THE LORD VCHILTRIE.]

[Sidenote: THE QUENIS PRACTISES AT THE FIRST.]

This baldnes did somewhat exasperat the Quene, and such as favoured hir in that poynt. As the Lordis, callit[646] of the Congregatioun, repared unto the Town, at the first cuming thai schew thame selves wonderouslie offended, that the Messe was permitted; so that everie man as he cam accused thame that war befoir him: but after that thai had remaned a certane space, thai war as quyet as war the formare. Which thing perceaved, a zealous and godlie man, Robert Campbell of Kingzeancleucht, said unto the Lord Vchiltrie, "My Lord, now ye are come, and almost the last of all the rest; and I perceave, by your anger, that the fyre-edge is nott of you yit; but I fear, that after that the holy watter of the Courte be sprinckled upoun you, that ye sall become als temperat[647] as the rest: For I have bene here now fyve dayis, and at the first I hard everie man say, 'Let us hang the Preast;' but after that thai had bene twyse or thrise in the Abbay, all that fervency was past. I think thair be some inchantment whareby men ar bewitched." And in verray deed so it came to pass: for the Quenis flattering wordis, upoun the ane pairte, ever still crying, "Conscience, conscience: it is a sore thing to constreane the conscience;" and the subtile persuasionis of hir suppostis (we mean evin of such as sometymes war judged most fervent with us) upoun the other parte, blynded all men, and putt thame in this opinioun, sche wilbe content to hear the preaching; and so no doubt but sche may be wone. And thus of all it wes concluded, to suffer hir for a tyme.

[646] In MSS. G, A, and L 4, "then called." The latter has this marginal note, "The fervencie of professors cooled."

[647] In MS. G, "als temperat here."

[Sidenote: THE JUDGMENT OF JOHNE KNOX UPOUN THE SUFFERING OF THE QUENIS MESSE.][648]

[648] MS. L 4, instead of this marginal note, has "Mr. Knox findeth fault with the toleration of the Quenis Messe."

[Sidenote: THE COURTEOURIS.]

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOX CONFESSIOUN.]

The nixt Sounday, Johnne Knox, inveighing against idolatrie, schew what terrible plagues God had tacken upoun Realmes and Nationis for the same; and added, "That one Messe (thair war no mo suffered at the first) was more fearful to him then gif ten thousand armed enemyes war landed in any pairte of the Realme, of purpose to suppress the hoill religioun. For (said he) in our God thair is strenth to resist and confound multitudis, yf we unfeanedlie depend upoun him; whairof heirtofoir we haif had experience; but when we joyne handis with idolatrie, it is no doubt but that both Godis amicable presence and confortable defence leaveth us, and what shall then become of us? Allace, I fear that experience shall teach us to the greaf of many." At these wordis, the guydaris of of the Court mocked, and plainlie spak, "That such fear was no poynt of thair fayth: it was besyd his text, and was a verray untymelie admonitioun." But we heard this same Johnne Knox, in the audience of the same men, recyte the same wordis agane in the myddest of trubles; and in the audience of many ask God mercy, that he was nott more vehement and upryght in the suppressing of that idoll in the begynning. "For, (said he,) albeit that I spack that which offended some, (which this day thai see and feall to be treu,) yit did I not [that] which I myght have done; for God had not onlie gevin unto me knowledge, and toung to maik the impietie of that idoll knowin unto this Realme, but he had gevin unto me credyte with many, who wold have put in executioun Goddis judgmentis, yf I wold onlie have consented thairto: But so cairfull was I[649] of that commoun tranquillitie, and so loth was I to have offended those of whom I had conceaved a good opinioun, that in secreat conference with earnest and zealous men, I travaled rather to mitigat, yea, to slokin, that fervencye that God had kyndled in otheris, than to animat or encorage thame to put thair handis to the Lordis work: Whairintill I unfeanedlie acknowledge my selff to have done most wickedlie; and from the bottom of my hart, askis of my God grace and pardon, for that I did not what in me lay to have suppressed that idoll in the begining." These and other wordis did many hear him speak in publict place, in the moneth of December, the year of God J^m V^c and threscoir fyve yearis, when such as at the Quenis arryvell onlie manteyned the Masse, war exyled the Realme, summoned upoun treassone, and decreit of forfaltour intended against thame. But to return from whence we have digressed.

[649] MS. G, adds here, "quoth he."

[Sidenote: THE FIRST REASSONING BETWIX THE QUEYN AND JOHNE KNOX.]

Whetther it was by counsall of otheris, or of the Quenis awin desyre, we knaw not; but the Quene spack with Johne Knox, and had long ressoning with him, none being present except the Lord James: (two gentilwemen stood[650] in the other end of the house.) The summe of thair reassoning was this. The Quene accused him, that he had raysed a part of hir subjectis against hir Mother, and against hir self: That he had writtin a book against hir just authoritie, (sche ment the treatise against the Regiment of Wemen[651]) which sche had, and should caus the most learned in Europe to wryte against it: That he was the caus of great seditioun and great slauchter in England; and that it was said to hir, that all which he did was by necromancye, &c.

[650] In MSS. G, and L4, "two gentilmen."

[651] See this vol. i. page 28.

To the whiche the said Johne answered, "Madam, it may please your Majestie patientlie to hear my sempill ansures. And first, (said he,) yf to teach the treuth of God in synceritie, yf to rebuke idolatrie, and to will a people to wyrschip God according to his word, be to raise subjectis against thair Princes, then can not I be excused; for it hes pleased God of his mercy to mack me ane (amongis many) to disclose unto this Realme the vanitie of the Papisticall religioun, and the deceat, pryde, and tyranny of that Romane Antichrist. Bot, Madam, yf the treu knowledge of God, and his rycht wirschipping be the cheaf causses, that must move men from thair heart to obey thair just Princes, (as it is most certane that thai ar,) whairin can I be reprehended? I think, and am surelie persuaded, that your Grace have had, and presentlie have, als unfeaned obedience, of such as profess Jesus Christ within this Realme, as ever your Father, or other progenitouris had of those that war called Bischoppis. And tueching that booke, which seameth so highlie to offend your Majestie, it is most certane that I wrait it, and am content that all the learned of the world judge of it. I hear that ane Englishe man hath writtin against it,[652] but I have not redd him. Yf he have sufficientlie improved my ressones, and establissed his contrarie propositioun, with als evident testimonyes as I have done myne, I shall nott be obstinat, but shall confess my errour and ignorance. Bot to this hour I have thocht, and yit thinkis my self allone to be more able to sustene the thingis affirmed in that my wark, than any ten in Europe salbe able to confute it."

[652] John Aylmer: see this vol. page 26, note 3.

"Ye think then, (quod sche,) that I have no just authoritie?"

"Pleise your Majestie, (said he,) that learned men in all aiges have had thair judgmentis free, and most commonlie disagreing frome the commoun judgment of the warld; suche also have thei publisshed, boyth with pen and toung, and yit notwithstanding thei thame selves have lived in the commoun societie with otheris, and have borne patientlie with the errours and imperfectionis whiche thei could not amend. Plato, the philosopher, wrote his Bookis of the Commounwealth, in the whiche he dampneth many thingis that then war manteaned in the world, and required many thingis to have bene reformed; and yitt, notwithstanding he lived evin under suche policies, as then war universallie receaved, without farther trubling of any estait. Evin so, Madam, am I content to do, in uprightness of heart, and with a testimonye of a good conscience. I have communicat my judgment to the world: Yf the Realme fyndis no inconvenience frome the regiment of a woman, that whiche thei approve shall I not farther disallow, then within my awin breast, but salbe alse weall content to lyve under your Grace, as Paull was to lyve under Nero; and my hope is, that so long as that ye defyle not your handis with the blood of the sanctis of God, that neather I nor that Booke shall eather hurt you or your authoritie: for in verray deed, Madame, that Book was written most especialie against that wicked Jesabell of England."[653]

[653] That is, Mary, Queen of England.

"But (said sche) ye speak of women in generall."