Part 30

Thair war appointed to modifie the Ministeris stipendis,[730] the Erles Ergyle, Murray, and Mortoun, Lethingtoun, the Justice Cleark, and Cleark of Registrie. The Laird of Pittarro was appointed to pay the Ministeris stipendis, according to thair modificatioun. Who wold have thought, that when Joseph reulled Egypt, that his brethren should have travailled for vittallis, and have returned with empty seekis unto thair families? Men wold rather have thought that Pharao's pose, treasure, and garnallis should have bene diminished, or that the houshold of Jacob should stand in danger to sterve for hungar.

[730] Among the Public Records, there are several volumes of Accounts of the Collectors General of the Thirds of Benifices, commencing in the year 1561.

[Sidenote: ANE PROVERBE.]

But so busy and circumspect war the Modificatouris, (becaus it was a new office, the terme must also be new,) that the Ministeris should nott be ower wantoun, that ane hundreth markis was sufficient to a singill man, being a commoun minister. Thre hundreth markis was the hiest that was appointed to any, except unto the Superintendentis, and unto a few otheris. Schortlie, whitther it was the nygartnesse of thair awin heartis, or the cayre that thei had to enryche the Quene, we know nott; but the poor Ministeris, Readaris, and Exhortaris cryed out to the heavin, (as thair complaintis in all Assemblies do witnesse,) that neathor war thei able to lyve upoun the stipendis appointed, neather could thei gett payment of that small thing that was appointed. So fayne wold the Comptrollare have played the goode vallett,[731] and have satisfyed the Quene, or ellis his awin proffeitt in everie point, that he gatt this dicton and proverbe, "The good Laird of Pittarro[732] was ane earnest professor of Christ; but the mekle Devill receave the Comptrollar, for he and his Collectouris ar become gready fectouris."[733]

[731] In MS. L 3, this word is left blank.

[732] John Wishart, Laird of Pittarrow in Forfarshire, son of Sir James Wishart, Justice Clerk, was an early and active supporter of the Reformation. At the Parliament in August 1560, he was one of the number selected for the government of the State; and some time after Queen Mary's arrival in Scotland, he was appointed Comptroller, in which office he was succeeded by Sir William Murray of Tullibardine, in 1563-4. Upon occasion of the marriage of Lord James, Earl of Murray, (see notes to page 314,) Wishart was one of ten gentlemen who had the honour of Knighthood conferred. He was advanced to be an Extraordinary Lord of Session, 19th November 1567, and accompanied the Regent Murray to York in the following year. He died 25th September 1576.

[733] In MS. G, "gredie Fectours."

To put ane end to this unpleasing mater: when the Brethren compleaned of thair povertie, it was disdanfullie ansuered of some, "Thair ar many Lordis have not so much to spend." When men did reassone that the vocatioun of Ministeris craved of thame bookis, quyetnesse, studye, and travell, to edifye the Kirk of Jesus Christ, when that many Lairdis war waitting upoun thair worldly busyness; and thairfoir, that the stipendis of Ministeris, who had none other industrye, but to lyve upoun that which was appointed, aught nott to be modifyed according to the lyvingis of[734] commoun men, who mycht, and did daily augment thair rentis by some other industrie. When suche reassonis war laid befoir thame, thei gat none other ansuer, but "The Quene can spair no greattar soumes." Oft was it cryed into thair earis, "O happy servandis of the Devill, and miserable servandis of Jesus Christ; yf that after this lyef thair war nott hell and heavin." For to the servandis of the devill, to your dum dogges and horned bischoppis, to one of those idill bellies (I say) ten thousand was nott yneuch; but to the servandis of Christ that painefullie preache his evangell, a thousand pound; how can that be susteaned?

[734] In MS. G, "the living of uther."--MS. L 4, corresponds with the text.

One day, in reassoning of this mater, the Secretar burst out in a pece of his cholere, and said, "The Ministeris have this much payed unto thame by year, and who yitt ever bad the Queyn 'grand-mercies' for it? Was thair ever a Minister that gave thankis to God for hir Majesties liberalitie towards thame?" One smyled and ansuered, "Assuredlye, I think, that such as receave any thing gratis of the Quene, are unthankfull yf thei acknowledge it not, boyth in heart and mouth. But whitther that the Ministeris be of that rank or not, I greatlie doubt. Gratis, I am assured, thei receave nothing; and whitther thai receave any thing at all fra the Quene, wyese men may reassone. I am assured that neather Thrid nor Twa part ever apperteaned to any of hir predecessouris within this Realme these thousand yearis bypast, neather yitt hes the Quene bettir title to that whiche sche usurpes, be it geving to otheris, or in tacken to hir self, then suche as crucifyed Christ Jesus had to devide his garmentis amonges thame. And yf the treuth may be spoken, sche hes nott so good titill as thai had; for such spoyle use to be the reward of such men: And in that point these soldiouris war more gentle than the Quene and hir flatteraris, for thai parted not the garmentis of our Maister till that he him self was hung upoun the croce; but sche and her flatteraris do part the spoyle, whill as poore Christ is yet preaching amangis you. But the wisdome of our God tackis tryall of us by this meane, knowing weall yneuch what sche and hir factioun hes purposed to do. Lett the Papistis, who have the Twa partis, some that have thair Thriddis free, and some that have gotten Abbacies and few landis, thank the Quene, and syng, _Placebo Dominæ_. The poore preachearis will not yit flatter, for feading of thair bellye." These wordis war judged proud and intollerable, and engendered no small displeasur to the speakar.

This we put in memorie, that the posteriteis to cum may know that God ones maid his treuth to triumph; but becaus that some of oure selfis delyted more in darknes than in lyght,[735] God hath restreaned our fredome, and putt the hoill body in bondage. Yea, the greatest flatteraris have not eschaiped so free as thai supposed; yea, the latter plagues appear yit to be worse than the first. "Be mercyfull to us, O Lord, and entreat us nott according to our deservingis; but look thou to the equitie of the cause which thou hast put into our handis, and suffer not iniquitie to oppresse thy treuth, for Thy awin nameis saik, O Lord."

[735] Randolph in his letter to Cecil, 7th December 1561, furnishes a remarkable instance of profanity at this time. Referring to the Marquis d' Elbeuf, he says, "We fell in talk of the pastimes that were the Sunday before, where the Lord Robert, the Lord John, and others rang at the ring, six against six, _disguised and apparelled, the one half like women_, the other like strangers, in strange masking garments. The Marquis that day did very well; _but the women, whose part the Lord Robert did sustain, won the ring_. The Queen herself beheld it, and as many others as listed."

[Sidenote: MARRIAGE OF THE ERLE OF MARE][736]

[736] In MS G, "Erle of Murray."

In this meantyme, to wit, in Februar, the year of God J^m V^c threscoir ane,[737] was Lord James first maid Erle of Marr,[738] and then maryed upoun Agnes Keyth, dowghter to the Erle Merschell. The mairiage was publict in the Church of Edinburgh[739]. In the marriage thai boyth gat ane admonitioun to behave thame selves moderatlie in all thingis; "For, (said the preachear[740] to him,) unto this day the Kirk of God hath receaved confort by you, and by your laubouris; in the which, yf heirafter ye shalbe found fayntar then that ye war befoir, it wilbe said that your Wyeff hath changed your nature." The greatness of the bancquett, and the vanitie used thairat, offended many godly. Thair began the masking, which from year to year hath continewed since. Maister Randolph, agent for the Quene of England, was then, and sometyme after, in no small conceat with our Quene; for his Maistres saik, she drank[741] to him [in] a coupe of gold, which he possessed with greattar joy, for the favour of the gevar, then of the gift and valew thairof; and yit it was honourable.

[737] That is, 1561-2. The Earldom of Murray was first taken from the Earl of Huntly, and granted to Lord James Stewart, by a charter, dated 30th January 1561-2. On the 7th of February following, the Earldom of Mar being conferred on him he publicly assumed this title, until it was restored, _per modum justiciæ_, to John Lord Erskine. Lord James then resumed the title by which he is chiefly known to posterity as the Earl of Murray.

[738] In MS G, "first maid Erle of Murray" In MS L 4, the commencement of this paragraph is thus amplified--"The Quene this winter preceding made Lord James Erle of Mar, as some thought to conciliat his good will quhom she had found in absence offendit. At this time he married also Agnes Keith, daughter to the Erle Marchell. Soone efter the Erledome of Murray was bestowed upon him instead of the Erledome of Mar. Lord Erskin had an old right to the Erldome of Marr."

[739] The marriage of Lord James Stewart with Agnes Keith, daughter of William Earl of Marischel, was celebrated on the 8th of February 1561-2, in the Church of St. Giles, Edinburgh, "with sik solemnitie as the lyk hes not bene sein befoir; the haill Nobilitie of this Realme being thair present, and convoyit thame doun to the Abbay of Halyrudhous, quhair the banket wes maid, and the Quenis Grace thairat." (Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 70) The same authority mentions the rejoicings on that occasion, and that the Queen conferred the honour of Knighthood on Wishart of Pittarrow, Lermonth of Dairsy, Kirkaldy of Grange, Stewart of Traquair, Murray of Balvaird, and five others.

[740] That is, John Knox.

[741] "At this notable marriage, (says Randolph to Cecil,) one thing there was which I must testify with my own hand, which is, that upon Shrove Tuesday, at night, sitting among the Lords at supper, in sight of the Queen, and placed for that purpose, she drank unto the Queen's Majesty (Elizabeth,) _and sent me the cup of gold_, which weighed eighteen or twenty ounces." (Letter, 12th February 1561-2, quoted by Mr Tytler, vol. vi. p. 258.)

The thingis that then war in handilling betwix the two Quenes, whairof Lethingtoun, Secreatarie Cycill, and Maister Randolph, war ministeris, war of great weight, as we will after hear.

This wynter, the Erle Bothwell, the Markques Delabuf, and Lord Johne of Coldingham, played the ryote in Edinburgh, mysordoured the hoill toune,[742] brack Cuthbart Ramsayis[743] yettis and durris, sought his house for his good-dowghter Alisone Craik: And this was done in dispyte of the Erle of Arrane, whose hoore the said Alison was suspected to have been. The horrour of this fact, and the raritie of it, heyghlie commoved all godlie heartis.[744] The Assemblie, and also the Nobilitie, for the most parte war in the toun; and so thei concluded to crave justice, as that thei did, as by this subsequent Supplicatioun doeth appear.

[742] Randolph, in a letter to Cecil, dated 27th December 1561, has given a somewhat similar account of this riot or "disorder which was of late in this town." The letter is printed in Keith's History, vol. ii. p. 128.

[743] In June 1571, Cuthbert Ramsay was elected one of the Magistrates of Edinburgh. He joined the Queen's adherents in defending the Castle, under Sir William Kirkaldy of Grange, in 1573; and on the 3d of June, when the Castle was surrendered, Ramsay was one of the prisoners who were conducted by the English forces to Leith; but he appears to have escaped the ignominious fate awarded by Queen Elizabeth to the gallant chief, and his brother Mr. James Kirkcaldy, who were hanged for treason on the 3d of August 1573.

[744] It would appear that a General Assembly or Convention was sitting at Edinburgh, towards the end of December 1561, when this occurence took place; and it was resolved to present the Supplication to the Queen:

"The whilk day, tuiching the slander takin be the horrible fact and impietie committed within this burgh under silence of night, be Marques Dalbuiff and his colleagues, in breaking up of Cuthbert Ramsay his zets and doores, and searching and seiking his dochter-in-law to oppresse her, as appeirit; it is thought good be the haill Kirk, that a Supplicatioun be made and given in to the Quenis Majestie, in the name of the Professors of the Evangell, and the personis before nominat present the samein, to seik the answer thairof." (Booke of the Universal Kirk, vol. i. p. 11.)

TO THE QUEYNIS MAJESTIE AND HIR SECREAT AND GREAT COUNSALL, HIR GRACE'S FAYTHFULL AND OBEDIENT SUBJECTIS, THE PROFESSOURIS OF CHRIST JESUS HIS HOLY EVANGELL, WISHES THE SPREIT OF RYGHTEOUSE JUDGEMENT.

The feare of God conceaved of his holy worde, the naturall and unfeaned luif we bear unto your Grace, the dewtie whiche we aw to the quyetness of our countrie, and the terrible threatnyngis which our God pronounces against everie Realme and Citie in the quhilk horrible crymes ar openlie committed, and then be the committars obstinatlie defended, compell us, a great parte of your subjectis, humblie to crave of your Grace upryght and trew judgement aganis sick personis as have done what in thame lyes, to kendle Goddis wrayth against this hoill Realme. The impietie be thame committed is so haynous and so horrible, that as it is ane fact most vyle and rair to be heard of within this Realme, and principallie within the bowells of this Citie, so should we think oure selfis gyltie in the same, gif negligentlie, or yitt for warldlie feare we pass it ower with silence: And thairfoir your Grace may nott think that we requyre ony thing (whill that we crave open malefactouris condignelie to be punished) but that quhilk God hes commanded us to crave, and hes also commanded your Grace to geve to everie ane of your subjectis; for be this lynk hes God knytt togitther the prince and the people, that as he commandis honour, feare, and obedience to be gevin to the poweris established by him, so does he in expressed wordis command and declair what the prince aweth unto the subjectis, to witt, that as he is the Minister of God, bearing his sweard for vengeance to be tackyn on evill doaris, and for the defence of peceable and quyett men, so aucht he to draw the same without all parcialitie so oft as in Goddis name he is requyred thairto: Seing so it is, (Madam,) that this cryme so recentlie committed, and that in the eyes of your hoill Realme now presentlie assembled, is so haynous, for who heirtofore have heard within the bowellis of Edinburgh, yettis and durris under silence of nycht burst up, housses ryped, (and that with hostilitie,) seaking a woman as appeared to oppresse hyr; seing we say that this cryme is so haynouse, that all godlie men fear nott onlye Goddis soir displeasur to fall upoun you and your hoill Realme, but also that sick libertie brede contempt, and in the end seditioun, yf remeady in tyme be not provided,[745] quhilk in our judgement is impossible, yf sevir punishement be nott executed for the cryme committed: Thairfoir, we maist humblye beseik your Grace, that all affectioun sett asyd,[746] ye declair your self so uprycht in this caise, that ye may geve evident demonstratioun to all your subjectis, that the fear of God, joyned with the luif of the commoun tranquillitie, have principall seat and dominioun in your Grace hearte. This farther, Madam, of conscience we speik, that as your Grace in Goddis name does crave of us obedience, (whilk to render in all thingis lauchfull we ar most willing,) so in the same name do we, the hoill Professouris of Christis Evangell within this your Grace Realme, crave of you and of your Counsall scharpe punishement of this cryme; and for performance thairof, that without all delay the principall actouris of this most haynous cryme, and the persewaris of this pretended vilanye, may be called befoir the Cheaf Justice of this Realme, to suffer an assise, and to be punished according to the lawes of the same: And your Grace's answer maist humilie we beseik.

[745] In the Book of the Kirk, "gudlie provydit."

[746] In the Book of the Kirk, "laid asyde."

* * * * *

[Sidenote: THE MASK OF ORLEANCE.]

This Supplicatioun was presented by diverse gentilmen. The flatteraris of the Courte at the first stormed, and asked, "Who durst avow it?" To whom the Maister, now Lord Lyndesay answered, "A thousand gentilmen within Edinburgh." Otheris were eschamed to appone thame selfis thairto in publict; but thei suborned the Quene to geve a gentill answer unto such tyme as the Conventioun was dissolved. And so sche did; for sche lacks no craft, boyth to cloik and to manteane impietie (and hurdome in especiall.) Sche alledged, "That hir Uncle was a strangear, and he had a young cumpany; but sche should putt suche ordour unto him, and unto all otheris, that heareafter thei should have no occasioun to compleane." And so deluded sche the just petitioun of hir subjectis; and no wounder, for how shall sche punische in otheris that vice, which in France is free without punishement, and which Kingis and Cardinallis use most commonlie, as the mask and dansing of Orleance can witness, whairin virgenis and menis wyeffis war maid as commoun to King Harie and Charles, the Cardinallis, unto thair Courte and pages, as commoun harlottis of the bordell ar unto thair compainzeonis. The maner was thus:

At the entrie of King Harie of France, in the towne of Orleance, the matrones, virgenis, and menis wyiffis, war commanded to present thame selfis in the Kingis palice at nycht, to daunse: and thei obeyed; for commounlie the Frenche natioun is not hard to be entreated to vanitie. After fidling and flyngyng, and when the Cardinall of Lorane[747] had espyed his pray, he said to the King, "_Sire, la primiere est vostre, et faut que je suis[748] le second_." That is to say, "Sire, the first choise is youris, and I man be the secound." And so the King gat the preeminence, that he had his first electioun. Bot becaus Cardinallis ar companeonis to Kingis, the Cardinall of Lorane had the nixt: And thairafter the torches war putt out, and everie man commanded to provid for him self the best he myght. What cry was thair of husbandis for thair wyeffis; of wyiffis, for thair husbandis; of auncient matronis, for thair dochteris; and of virgenis for thair freindis; or for some honest man to defend thair pudicitie, Orleance will remember mo kingis dayis then one.

[747] The Cardinal Charles de Lorraine, Archbishop and Duke of Rheims, was the second son of Claude Duke de Guise. He was born 17th February 1524. He obtained the See of Rheims in 1538, and was consecrated in 1545, when twenty-one years of age. We need not refer to Protestant writers for his character, or to the work entitled the Legend of his Life, as it is admitted that to avarice and inordinate pride, he joined cruelty, want of faith, and licentiousness. Brantome admits that the Cardinal was no ornament to the Church, when he says, "qui, quoique mauvais Chrétien, etait, pour le temps, tres-bon Catholique." He died 24th December 1574, aged 49.

In addition to note 4, page 267, it may be noticed that Calderwood says, when the Queen was preparing to return to Scotland, "In the meanetyme, Charles Cardinal of Lorraine, counselled her to leave beside him her apparell and household stuffe, till it was seene what was the successe of her voyage. She being acquainted with his nature, answered, she could not see wherefore she should be more carefull of her stuffe and apparell nor of her owne persone." (Hist. vol. ii. p. 131.)

[748] In MS. G, "que je soy."

[Sidenote: OURE QUENIS EDUCATION.]

This horrible vilanay, a fruet of the Cardinall of Lorane's religioun, we shortlie tueche, to lett all the world understand, what subjectis may looke of suche magistratis; for such pastyme to thame is but joyousitie, whairin our Queyn was brocht up.[749] We call hir nott a hoore, (albeit hir deame heard more then we will wrytt,) but sche was brought up in the company of the wyldast hooremongaris, (yea, of such as no more regarded incest, then honest men regard the company of thair lauchfull wyeffis;) in the company of such men, (we say,) was our Queyn brought up. What sche was and is, her self best knowis, and God, (we doubt nott,) will farther declair.

[749] Henry the second of France succeeded to the throne in 1547, and died in 1559. This incident is not recorded in the Histories of the time, but may be referred to the later period of his reign. As noticed in a previous note (page 269,) the extreme profligacy that prevailed at the Court of France is but too manifestly exhibited in the pages of Brantome: a more unfortunate place could not have been chosen for the young Scotish Princess to have received her education.

[Sidenote: [G]OD HES NOW [D]ONE IT, 1567.][750]

[750] This marginal note does not occur in MS. G, and seems to have been added in MS. 1566, subsequently to the transcription of this portion of the text. It contains an evident allusion to the Queen's imprisonment after her surrender at Carberry Hill in July 1567: see vol. i. p. 218, note 4.

[Sidenote: THE HAMMYLTONIS AGAINST BOTHWELL AND THE MARQUESS.]