Part 37

The Erle of Huntley, whose corps had lyn unburyed till that tyme, it was brought to the Tolbuyth:[896] he was accused, his armes rent of, him self, the Erle of Sudderland, and ellevin Baronis and Lairdis, bearing Gordoun to surname, war that day foirfalted. The Lady Huntley craftely protested, and asked the support of a man of law. In that Parliament war restored the Laird of Grange in Fyff, Maister Henrie Balnaves, Johne Lesly, and Alexander Whytlaw.[897]

[896] According to a barbarous custom, the body of a person deceased, when accused of treason, was brought into Court. It will be seen from the note at page 359, that Huntley's body, in the view of carrying through his forfeiture, had been brought to Edinburgh in December 1562. And, "Upoun the xxviij day of the said moneth, [May 1563] the Quenis Majestie come to the Tolbuith of Edinburgh and Lordis of Parliament, at ane efternone, and foirfaltit George Erle of Huntlie, _being in the said Tolbuyth in ane kist_, &c.; and als Alexander Erle of Sutherland was foirfaltit, and the saidis Erlis armes reven and deletit furth of memorie." (Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 76.)

[897] The record of this Parliament is lost; and in the printed Acts no mention is made of the forfeitures of Kirkaldy of Grange, Balnavis of Halhill, Lesley of Parkhill, and Whytlaw of New-Grange, having been rescinded.

[Sidenote: THE PRYDE OF WEMEN AT THAT PARLIAMENT.]

[Sidenote: FLATTERARES VNEW.]

Such styneken pryde of wemen as was sein at that Parliament, was never sein befoir in Scotland. Thre syndrie dayis the Quene raid to the Tolbuyth. The first day sche maid a paynted orisoun;[898] and thair mycht have bene hard among hir flatteraris, "_Vox Dianæ!_ The voce of a goddess, (for it could not be _Dei_,) and not of a woman! God save that sweat face! Was thair ever oratour spack so properlie and so sweitlie!"

[898] In MS. G, "an oration."

[Sidenote: WHY RELIGIOUN AND THE COMMOUNWEALTH WAR DOYTH NEGLECTED.]

[Sidenote: VARIANCE BETWIX THE ERLE OF MURRAY AND JOHNE KNOX.]

All thingis myslyking[899] the Preachearis, thei spack boldlie against the tarejatting of thair taillies, and against the rest of thair vanitie, which thei affirmed should provock Goddis vengeance, not onlie against those foolishe wemen, but against the hoill Realme; and especiallie against those that manteaned thame in that odiouse abusing of thingis that mycht have bene better bestowed. Articles war presented for ordour to be tacken for apperall, and for reformatioun of other enormities; but all was scripped at. The Earldome of Murray neaded confirmatioun, and many thingis war to be ratified that concerned the help of friendis and servandis; and thairfoir thei myght nott urge the Quene, for yf thei so did, she wald hald no Parliament; and what then should become of thame that had melled with the slaughter of the Erle of Huntley? Lett that Parliament pas ower, and when the Quene asked[900] any thing of the Nobilitie, as sche most do befoir hir mariage, then should the Religioun be the first thing that should be establessed. It was answered, That the poetts and paynteris erred nott altogether, that fayned and paynted Occasioun with a bald hynd-head:[901] for the first, when it is offered, being lost, is hard to be recovered againe. Thc mater fell so hote betwix the Erle of Murray and some otheris of the Courte, and Johne Knox, that familiarlie after that tyme thei spack nott togetther more then a year and half; for the said Johne, by his letter, gave a discharge to the said Erle of all further intromissioun or cayr with his effaires. He maid unto him a discourse of thair first acquaintance; in what estait he was when that first thei spack togetther in London;[902] how God had promoted him, and that abuf manis judgement; and in the end maid this conclusioun, "But seing that I perceave myself frustrat of my expectatioun, which was, that ye should ever have preferred God to your awin affectioun, and the advancement of his treuth to your singular commoditie, I committ you to your awin wytt, and to the conducting of those who better can please you. I praise my God, I this day leave you victour of your enemyes, promoted to great honouris, and in credytt and authoritie with your Soverane. Yf so ye long continew, none within the Realme shalbe more glad than I shalbe: but yf that after this ye shall dekay, (as I fear that ye shall,) then call to mynd by what meanes God exalted you; quhilk was neather by bearing with impietie, neather yitt by manteanyng of pestilent Papistis."

[899] In MS. G, "mislyked."

[900] In MS. G, "sall ask."

[901] In MS. G, is this marginal note, "Occasioun painted with a bald hind-heid."

[902] This was probably in July 1552, Lord James having remained for some time in London on his way to France, or upon his return in December following. In 1556-7, he subscribed the letter sent to Knox at Geneva, inviting him to return to Scotland. See vol. i. p. 267.

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOXES DISCHARGE TO THE ERLE OF MURRAY.]

This bill and discharge was so pleasing to the flatteraris of the said Erle, that thei triumphed of it, and war glad to have gotten thair occasioun; for some invyed that so great familiaritie was betwix the said Erle and Johne Knox. And thairfoir fra the tyme that thei gat ones that occasioun to separat thame, thei ceassed nott to cast oyle in the burnyng flambe, which ceassed nott to burne, till that God by watter of afflictioun, began to slocken it, as we shall after hear. But least that thei[903] should alltogetther have bein sein to have foirsaikin God, (as in verray deid boyth God and his Word was far frome the hearttis of the most parte of the Courteouris in that aige, and a fewe excepted,) thei began a newe schift, to wit, to speak of the punishement of adulterye, of witchcraft, and to seik the restitutioun of the glebes and manses to the Ministeris of the Kirk, and of the reparatioun of churches: and thairby thei thought to have pleased the godlye that war hyghtlie offended at thair slackness.

[903] After the words, "least that they," in the margin of MS. 1566, there was added, "Lethingtoun and his Companyons;" but this note was afterwards deleted. At this Parliament, Lethington was not present. Two or three slight corrections in the text of the MS. also occur in this place.

The Act of Oblivioun passed, becaus some of the Lordis had intresse; but the actis against adulterye, and for the mansses and gleibes, war so modifyed, that no law, and such law mycht stand _in eodem predicamento_; to speak plaine, no law and such Actis war boyth alyik. The Actis ar in prynt:[904] lett wyese men read, and then accuse us, yf without cause we compleane.

[904] The Acts of this Parliament were printed in a separate form at Edinburgh by Robert Lekprewik, 1565, folio,--an edition of great rarity. The Acts of 1563, are twenty-five in number, "extractit furth of the buikis of Parliament," by Maister James Makgill, Clerk Register. They are included in the collected edition of the Acts of 1424 to 1564, which issued from the same press in 1566, and in all the subsequent editions.

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOX HIS SERMON.]

[Sidenote: [905]THE SPEAKAR WAS THE DEANE OF RESTALRIG.]

[905] Mr. John Sinclair, Dean of Restalrig, and afterwards Lord President of the Court of Session.

In the progresse of this corruptioun, and befoir the Parliament dissolved, Johne Knox, in his sermon befoir the most parte of the Nobilitie, began to enter in a deape discourse of Goddis mercyes which that Realme had felt, and of that ingratitude quhilk he espyed almost in the hoill multitude, which God had marvelouslie delivered from the boundage and tyrannye boyth of body and saule. "And now, my Lordis," said he, "I praise my God, throught Jesus Christ, that in your awin presence I may powre furth the sorowis of my hearte; yea, your selfis shalbe witnesse, yf that I shall maik any ley in thingis that ar bypast. From the begyning of Goddis myghty wirking within this Realme, I have bein with you in your most desperat tentationis. Ask your awin consciences, and lett thame answer you befoir God, yf that I, (not I, but Goddis Spirite by me,) in your greatest extremitie willed you nott ever to depend upoun your God, and in his name promissed unto you victorye and preservatioun from your ennemyes, so that ye wold only depend uponn his protectioun, and preferr his glory to your awin lyves and worldlie commoditie. In your most extreame dangearis I have bein with you: Sanct Johnestoun, Cowper Mure, and the Craiggis of Edinburgh, ar yitt recent in my heart; yea, that dark and dolorouse nyght whairin all ye, my Lordis, with schame and feare left this toune,[906] is yitt in my mynd; and God forbid that ever I forgett it. What was (I say) my exhortatioun unto you, and what is fallen in vane of all that ever God promised unto you by my mouth, ye your selfis yitt lyve to testifie. Thair is nott one of you against whom was death and destructioun threatned, perished in that danger: And how many of your ennemyes hes God plagued befoir your eyis! Shall this be the thankfulness that ye shall render unto your God, to betray his cause, when ye have it in your awin handis to establesh it as ye please? The Quene, say ye, will not agree with us: Ask ye of hir that which by Goddis word ye may justlie requyre, and yf she will not agree with you in God, ye ar not bound to agree with hir in the Devill: Lett her plainelie understand so far of your myndis, and steall not from your formar stoutness in God, and he shall prosper you in your interpryses. But I can see nothing but such a reculling frome Christ Jesus, as the man that first and most spedelie flyeth from Christis enseignzie, holdeth him self most happy. Yea, I hear that some say, That we have nothing of our Religioun establesshed, neather by Law or Parliament. Albeit that the malitious wordis of sick can neather hurte the treuth of God, nor yitt us that thairupoun depend, yitt the speakar for his treasone against God committed, and against this poore Commounwealth, deserves the gallowes. For oure Religioun being commanded, and so establesshed by God, is accepted within this Realme in publict Parliament; and yf thei will say that was no Parliament, we man, and will say, and also prove, that that Parliament was also lauchfull as ever any that passed befoir it within this Realme. Yea, yf the King then lyving[907] was King, and the Quene now in this Realme be lauchfull Quene, that Parliament can nott be denyed.

[906] After the skirmish of Restalrig, (see vol. i. pp. 460-463,) on Monday the 6th November 1559, "the said day at evin in the nycht, the Congregatioun depairtit furth of Edinburgh to Lynlithquo, and left thair artailzerie void upon the calsay lyand, and the Toun [of Edinburgh] desolute." (Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 54.)

[907] This refers to Queen Mary's first husband, Francis the Second, who was styled King of France and Scotland.

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOX HIS AFFIRMATIOUN.]

"And now, my Lordis, to putt end to all, I hear of the Quenis mariage: Duckis, brethren to Emperouris, and Kingis, stryve all for the best game; but this, my Lordis, will I say, (note the day, and beare witnesse efter,) whensoever the Nobilitie of Scotland professing the Lord Jesus, consentis that ane infidell (and all Papistis are infidellis) shalbe head to your Soverane, ye do so far as in ye lyeth to banishe Christ Jesus from this Realme; ye bring Goddis vengeance upoun the countrey, a plague upoun your self, and perchaunse ye shall do small conforte to your Soverane."

These wordis, and this maner of speaking was judged intollerable. Papistis and Protestantis war both offended; yea, his most familiaris disdained him for that speaking. Placeboes and flatteraris posted to the Courte to geve advertisement that Knox had spockin against the Quenis mariage. The Proveist of Lyncluden,[908] Dowglass of Drumlangrik by surname, was the man that geve the charge that the said Johne should present him self befoir the Quene: quhilk he did sone after dennar. The Lord Ochiltrie, and diverse of the faythfull, bayr him cumpany to the Abbay; but none past in to the Quene with him in the cabinet but Johne Erskine of Dune, then Superintendent of Anguss and Mearnes.[909]

[908] In MS. 1566, it was originally written "The Persone of Dundrennan," but this is deleted, and "Proveist of Lyncluden, Douglas of Drumlanrig by name," inserted. In the MS. the name Lyncluden appears as if written Glyncluden; and this form of the name is retained in the later MSS., adding an additional blunder, by writing, "N. Douglas _of Lanerk_ by surname, &c."--Lincluden was a Priory or Convent of Black Nuns, situated upon the water of Cluden a few miles above Dumfries; but owing to their scandalous lives, the Priory had been changed by the Earl of Douglas, in the reign of Robert the Third, into a College or Provostry. (Keith's Catalogue, pp. 459, 470.)

According to the peerage writers, Mr. Robert Douglas, Provost of Lincluden, (from whom the Douglasses of Burford are descended,) was the second son of Sir William Douglas of Drumlanrig, who was killed at Floddon in 1513. But Chalmers has shown, that he was the natural son of Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig, who succeeded to the estates in 1513, and died in 1578. Mr. Robert Douglas obtained letters of legitimation, 8th October 1559, being twelve years after his appointment as Provost of Lincluden, 16th September 1547. (Caledonia, vol. iii. p. 309.) In December 1585, Mr. Robert Douglas still retained his title as Provost of Lincluden, and the fruits of the benefice, when a gift of the Provostrie was ratified by an Act of Parliament in favour of William Douglas, lawful son to ---- Douglas of Drumlanrig. (Acta Parl. Scot. vol. iii. pp. 415, 436.) About the same time he was appointed Collector General and Treasurer of the New Augmentations: he is so styled in deeds and Parliamentary proceedings between 1587 and 1594. William Douglas of Lincluden and Grenelaw, "the eldest son and apparent heir of William Douglas of Baitford," was tried and executed at Edinburgh in September 1610. (Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, vol. iii. p. 90.)

[909] This interview with the Queen must have been at the end of May or beginning of June, as Knox says it was immediately after a sermon he had preached before Parliament was dissolved.

[Sidenote: THE QUENIS FUME AGAINST JOHNE KNOX.]

The Quene, in a vehement fume, began to cry out, that never Prince was handled as she was. "I have," said sche, "borne with you in all your rigorouse maner of speaking, bayth against my self and against my Uncles; yea, I have sought your favouris by all possible meanes. I offered unto you presence and audience whensoever it pleassed you to admonishe me; and yitt I can nott be quyte of you. I avow to God, I shalbe anes revenged." And with these wordis, skarslie could Marnock,[910] hir secreat chalmer-boy, gett neapkynes to hold hyr eyes drye for the tearis; and the owling, besydes womanlie weaping, stayed hir speiche.

[910] Evidently the same person with Marna, whose name occurs among the "gentilhomes servans," in the "Menu de la Maison de la Royne, faict par Mons. de Pinguillon," 1562; as the names of persons, in this curious record, are very incorrectly written. A few copies were printed for private circulation, by Thomas Thomson, Esq., in 1818, 4to.

[Sidenote: ANSURE.]

The said Johne did patientlie abyde all the first fume, and att opportunitie answered, "Trew it is, Madam, your Grace and I have bein att diverse controversies, into the which I never perceaved your Grace to be offended at me. Butt when it shall please God to deliver you fra that bondage of darknes and errour in the which ye have been nurisshed, for the lack of trew doctrin, your Majestie will fynd the libertie of my toung nothing offensive. Without the preaching place, Madam, I think few have occasioun to be offendit at me; and thair, Madam, I am nott maister of my self, but man obey Him who commandis me to speik plane, and to flatter no flesche upoun the face of the earth."

"But what have ye to do," said sche, "with my mariage?"

"Yf it pleise your Majestie," said he, "patientlie to hear me, I shall schaw the treuth in plane wordis. I grant your Grace offered unto me more than ever I requyred; but my answer was then, as it is now, that God hath not sent me to await upoun the courtes of Princesses, nor upoun the chamberis of Ladyes; but I am send to preache the Evangell of Jesus Christ, to such as please to hear it; and it hath two partes, Repentance and Fayth. And now, Madam, in preaching reapentance, of necessitie it is that the synnes of men be so noted, that thei may know whairin thei offend; but so it is, that the most parte of your Nobilitie ar so addicted to your affectionis, that neather God his word, nor yitt thair Commounwealth, ar rychtlie regarded. And thairfoir it becomes me so to speak, that thei may know thair dewitie."

"What have ye to do," said sche, "with my mariage? Or what ar ye within this Commounwealth?"

[Sidenote: LETT PAPISTIS JUDGE THIS DAY, 1567.]

"A subject borne within the same," said he, "Madam. And albeit I neather be Erle, Lord, nor Barroun within it, yitt hes God maid me, (how abject that ever I be in your eyes,) a profitable member within the same: Yea, Madam, to me it apperteanes no lesse to foirwarne of suche thingis as may hurte it, yf I foirsee thame, then it does to any of the Nobilitie; for boyth my vocatioun and conscience craves playness of me. And thairfoir, Madam, to your self I say that whiche I speak in publict place: Whensoever that the Nobilitie of this Realme shall consent that ye be subject to ane unfaythfull husband, thei do as muche as in thame lyeth to renunce Christ, to banishe his treuth from thame, to betray the fredome of this Realme, and perchance shall in the end do small conforte to your self."

At these wordis, owling was heard, and tearis mycht have bene sein in greattar abundance than the mater requyred. Johne Erskin of Dun, a man of meak and gentill spreit, stood besyd, and entreated what he could to mitigat hir anger, and gave unto hir many pleasing wordis of hir beautie, of hir excellence, and how that all the Princes of Europe wold he glaid to seak hir favouris. But all that was to cast oyle in the flaming fyre. The said Johne stood still, without any alteratioun of countenance for a long seasson, whill that the Quene gave place to hir inordinat passioun; and in the end he said, "Madam, in Goddis presence I speak: I never delyted in the weaping of any of Goddis creatures; yea, I can skarslie weill abyd the tearis of my awin boyes whome my awin hand correctis, much less can I rejoise in your Majesties weaping. But seing that I have offered unto you no just occasioun to be offended, but have spocken the treuth, as my vocatioun craves of me, I man sustean (albeit unwillinglie) your Majesties tearis, rather then I dar hurte my conscience, or betray my Commounwealth through my silence."

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOX HIS TALK AMONGIS THE QUENIS LADYIS.]

Heirwith was the Quene more offended, and commanded the said Johne to pass furth of the cabinet, and to abyd farther of hir pleasur in the chalmer. The Laird of Dun taryed, and Lord Johne of Coldinghame cam into the cabinet, and so thei boyth remaned with hyr neyr the space of ane houre. The said Johne stood in the chalmer, as one whom men had never sein, (so war all effrayed,) except that the Lord Ochiltrie bayre him companye: and thairfoir began he to forge talking of the ladyes who war thair sitting in all thair gorgiouse apparell; whiche espyed, he mearelie said, "O fayre Ladyes, how pleasing war this lyeff of youris, yf it should ever abyd, and then in the end that we myght passe to heavin with all this gay gear. But fye upoun that knave Death, that will come whitther we will or not! And when he hes laid on his areist, the foull wormes wilbe busye with this flesche, be it never so fayr and so tender; and the seally sowll, I fear, shalbe so feable, that it can neather cary with it gold, garnassing, targatting, pearle, nor pretious stanes." And by suche meanes procured he the cumpany of women; and so past the tyme till that the Laird of Dun willed him to departe to his house quhill new advertisement. The Queue wold have had the censement of the Lordis of Articles, yf that such maner of speaking deserved not punishement; but sche was consailled to desist: and so that storm quiettit in appearance, but never in the hearte.

[Sidenote: THE BISCHOPPE OF SANCTANDROIS SETT AT LIBERTIE.]

[Sidenote: LEDINGTHONIS PRACTISES.]

Schort after the Parliament, Lethington returned frome his negotiatioun in England[911] and France. God, in the Februare befoir, had strycken that bloody tyrane the Duke of Gueise,[912] which somwhat brak the fard of our Quene for a seassone. But schort after the returnyng of Lethington, pryde and malice begane to schaw thame selfis agane. Sche sett at libertie the Bischope of Sanctandrois, and the rest of the Papistes that befoir war put in preasone for violating of the lawis. Lethingtoun, at his returnyng, shew him self nott a litill offended, that any bruit should have rissen of the Quenis mariage with the King of Spane; for he took upoun him that suche thing never entered in hir hearte: but how trew that was we shall after hear. The end of all his acquittance and complaynt was to discreditt Johne Knox, who had affirmed, that such ane mariage was boyth proponit, and, upoun the parte of our Quene, by the Cardinall accepted.[913] Lethingtoun, in his absence, had run intill ane verray evill bruite among the Nobilitie for too muche serving the Quenis affectionis against the Commounwealth; and thairfoir had he, as one that lacketh no worldly wisdome, maid provisioun boyth in England and in Scotland: For in England he travailled for the freedome of the Erle Bothwell, and by that meane obteaned promesse of his favour. He had thair also tacken ordour for the hamecuming of the Erle of Levenox, as we shall after hear. In Scotland he joyned with the Erle of Atholl: him he promoted, and sett fordwart in Courte; and so began the Erle of Murray to be defaced. And yitt to the said Erie, Lethingtoun at all tymes schew a fayre countenance.

[911] Lethington returned from England towards the end of June. Keith says, "The Secretary was not in Council on the 18th of June, but he was present next Council-day, viz. 8th July."

[912] Francis de Lorraine succeeded his father as Duke de Guise, in 1550. He died 24th February 1562-3, having been assassinated by one of his own gentlemen, named Poltrot, while besieging the city of Orleans, which was defended by the Protestants. In the following month, the Grand Prior, (see page 268, note 7,) another of the Queen's uncles, was slain at the battle of Dreux.

[913] The Cardinal de Lorraine, in August 1563, had actually proposed the Archduke Charles of Austria to Queen Mary for a husband; but she declined such an overture.

[Sidenote: JOHNE KNOX HIS ANSURE TOWARDIS HIS PRAYER.]