The Works of John Knox Volume I Part 59

[845] In MS. G, "The brute heirof."

[846] In the MS. "alarmezand."

[847] Knox in this place not only disclaims any share in the destruction of the Abbey; but he expressly states he exerted himself for its preservation. According to "The Chronicle of Perth," the burning of Scone, took place "on Tuysday efter Midsomer day, the 27th of Junij 1660 zeiris;" and the same authority says, "the Reformation of the Charter House and Freiris beside Perth," was on the 10th of May 1660, (pp. 2, 3.

Edinb. 1831, 4to.)

[848] In MS. G, "messingers." Vautr. edit. has "message."

[849] In MS. G, "in armour." Vautr. edit. has "in armes."

[850] In Vautr. edit. "of our religion."

[851] "Estates" omitted in the orig. MS., and supplied from Vautr. edit.

It is "Statis" in MS. G.

[852] Vautr. edit. reads, "have violently intermitted withtaken, and yet withholdes the irones of our counsell house:" see subsequent note.

[853] In MS. G, "numbers of Lions (alias called Hardheids) prented;"

that is, a particular kind of coin struck. Some explanation will be given in a subsequent note of the coins here mentioned, which were in ordinary circulation.

[854] Irons, or instruments made use of in coining money.

[855] John Wishart of Pittaro, and William Cunningham of Cunninghamhead, in the parish of Dreghorn, Ayrshire. Respecting the latter, it may be mentioned, that he sat in the Parliament, August 1560; and that his name occurs in the proceedings of the General a.s.sembly, June 1565, and August 1570.--(Booke of the Universall Kirk, vol. i. pp. 38, 60, 200.)

[856] In the MS. "bonds."

[857] In MS. G, "dutifull;" in Vautr. edit. "dutiefull."

[858] Sir John b.e.l.l.e.n.den of Anchinoul, Justice-Clerk: see note 838.

[859] In MS. G, "the Kirk." Vautr. edit. has "the Church there."

[860] In MS. G, "it was thought expedient and necessarie." Vautr. edit.

is the same as the text, but omits "to thame," before the word "pertaining."

[861] A reference to the History of France will explain Knox's allusion to the treacherous conduct of Henry the Second, in the arrestment and execution of two of his councillors who had avowed their attachment to the Protestant faith. The death of the French King, which followed almost immediately after, was occasioned in a tournament held in honour of the marriage of his daughter with the King of Spain. In jousting with the Count de Montgomery, a splinter of his lance inflicted a deep wound over the King's left eye, and after lingering for twelve days, he expired on the 10th July 1559. His son the Dauphin, and husband of Mary Queen of Scots, was only sixteen years of age when he succeeded to the throne, under the name of Francis the Second.

[862] Mr. Robert Richardson, according to one of the most accurate of our Antiquarian Genealogists, "was descended of a stock of ancient and opulent burgesses of Edinburgh, where they had long remained in reputation and respect;" and he being "a person of great wealth and credit, was upon the fame of his integrity preferred to the Treasurer's place by the Queen Regent, on the death of the Earl of Cussilis, anno 1558, and made also General of the Mint. When Mr.Richardson came first to the office, he designs himself _Burgense de Edinburgh_; but soon after that, having got the Commendatory of St. Mary Isle, which was a cell of Holyroodhouse Abbay, from that he henceforth took his t.i.tle."--(Crawfurd's Officers of State, p. 383.)

Richardson's name occurs as one of the Auditors of the Treasurer's Accounts, 1551, 1552; and as connected with the Mint, in 1554-5. As Clerk of the Treasury, he rendered the Accounts of the late Gilbert Earl of Ca.s.sillis on the 24th March 1558-9, that n.o.bleman having died in France, on the 14th November 1558, (Register of Conf. Testaments, Feb.

24, 1575,) and not on the 28th of that month, as stated at page 263.

Richardson continued to officiate in the room of the High Treasurer, until his own appointment to the office 5th March 1560-1. He also held more than one lucrative ecclesiastical situation. On the 10th February 1555-6, a charter under the Great Seal, of the lands of Nether Gogar, in the county of Edinburgh, was granted to Mr. Robert Richardson, _Vicar of Exfurde_. On the last of March 1558-9, he obtained a gift of the Priory of St. Mary's Isle of Trail, near Kirkcudbright (Reg. Secr. Sig.): this dignity ent.i.tled him to sit as a Lord and member of Parliament. At a later date, (in 1567,) we find him styled Archdeacon of Teviotdale. He died in 1571: and William Lord Ruthven, on the 24th June 1571, was appointed High Treasurer, the office being vacant by the death of the Commendator of St. Mary's Isle. Sir John Scott says, that Richardson had "conquest a great estate." This is very evident, from the various charters he had of lands in the counties of Edinburgh and East Lothian; and his estates were apportioned to his two sons, Sir James Richardson of Smeaton, and Sir Robert Richardson of Pencaitland, Baronet: see Crawfurd, _ut supra_, and Scott's Staggering State, p. 27.

[863] A _bawbee_, the vulgar name for a halfpenny. In the reign of Queen Mary, it was equivalent to three pennies Scotish money, but was afterwards raised to six pennies. The particular coins so designated, were billon or copper, and are described in Lindsay's "Coinage of Scotland," p. 183. Cork, 1844, 4to.

[864] Robert Logan of Restalrig, in the vicinity of Edinburgh, and parish of South Leith. This ancient family possessed considerable influence, from their connexion with Leith, of which they held the superiority; as will be more fully detailed in a subsequent note.

[865] In MS. G, "and yit, notwithstanding."

[866] This name is probably a corruption of Craig-end gate. The Calton Hill was then known as the North Craigs, and the street called the Low Calton, the road leading from Edinburgh to Leith, was also known by that name; although the Easter Road would better suit the localities, as elsewhere described.--(Wodrow Miscellany, vol. i. pp. 65-67.)

[867] Better known as Sir Alexander Erskine of Gogar, fourth son of John fourth Lord Erskine. He was born about the year 1521; and was Captain of the Castle of Edinburgh, under his brother Lord Erskine, Earl of Mar, who became Regent of Scotland. After the Regent's death, in 1572, he had the charge of Stirling Castle, and the custody of James the Sixth. In 1578, he was Constable of Edinburgh Castle; and died sometime between 1588 and 1594. His eldest surviving son was created Earl of Kelly, in 1619.

[868] In Vautr. edit. "pa.s.sed."

[869] Lord James Stewart, as already noticed, was son of James the Fifth, by Lady Margaret Erskine, daughter of John fourth Lord Erskine: see page 249, note 5. He was thus sister's son of the Governor of the Castle of Edinburgh, who maintained at this time a strict neutrality between the Queen Regent's party and the Reformers. "There is something very gallant, (says Sir Walter Scott,) in the conduct of this n.o.bleman, who, during such a period, was determined to refuse admittance either to French or English, the two powerful allies of the contending factions."--(Sadler's Papers, vol. i. p. 712.)

[870] MS. G reads, "the uther n.o.billmen that war with us."

[871] He was no doubt the same person who appears at page 251, as the Earl Marischal's "counsaillour," in 1556; but it may be doubted whether it was not his son who was killed at the seige of Leith, in May 1560.

General Drummond, afterwards Lord Strathallan, in his "Genealogie of the House of Drummond," refers to the former pa.s.sage in Knox, as an incident in the life of Henry Drummond of Riccarton, the second son of Sir John Drummond of Innerpeffrey. Having married Janet Creichton, who was heiress of the property of Riccarton, (in the parish of Linlithgow,) he became the founder of the family of Drummond of Riccarton. Lord Strathallan says, "He was a valiant gentleman, and of good breeding, and served the French King Henrie the Second, as Capitane of his Archer-Guard," (p. 152. Edinb. 1831, 4to.) In the Appendix to that volume, the Editor says, "This 'Counsaillour' was certainly no great clerk, as among the Balcarras Letters and Papers in the Advocates Library, is an original receipt, in French, for 500 crowns, (Cinq cens cscuz,) which is thus signed, 'Hary Dr[=o]mond, wy^t my hand at the pen, led be my Lord Marschallis servand, Maister Jhone Elder.' It has no date, but was probably about the year 1560." (Ib. p. 291.)--On the 18th July 1555, the Treasurer paid 8s. to a boy "pa.s.sand to Dumblane to Hairie Drummond with ane clois writting of the Quenis Grace, with deligence."

[872] Bishop Lesley has given the articles of this pacification in a different form from Knox: see Keith's History, (vol. i. p. 220,) whose remarks, however, apply to the Latin History, _De Rebus Gestis_, &c., p.

552. Romae, 1578, 4to. In the corresponding pa.s.sage of his English History, Lesley has given the erroneous date 23d July; and says the Appointment took place "be mediatione and labouris of the Erle of Huntlie, quha travelled ernistlie for stanching of bluidshed that day."--(Hist. p. 276.)

[873] In MS. G, "and in ane uther forme disposed, as efter followis."

[874] The office of the Mint, of which Richardson was then General. See subsequent note.

[875] In MS. G, "hir Palace."

[876] In Vautr. edit. "garrisons."

[877] The Quarrel or Quarry Holes, afterwards called the "Upper Quarries," towards the east declivity of the Calton Hill, at the head of the Easter Road to Leith, opposite Maryfield.

[878] In MS. G, "and haill Protestantis."

[879] In MS. G, "murmuirs." Vautr. edit. also has "murmures."

[880] Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne of England 17th November 1558.

At the beginning of Book Third, Knox has entered more into detail respecting the application which was made by the Protestants of Scotland for aid at this time.

[881] James third Earl of Arran was the eldest son of the Duke of Chatetherault. About the year 1554, he went to France, and obtained the command of the Scotish Guard, at the Court of Henry the Second. In 1559, he fell into so much disgrace, on account of his expressing himself to the Duke of Guise in favour of the Reformed doctrines, that, as stated in the next note, his life was in danger. Having made his escape from Paris, he came to Geneva, and returning by the north of Germany to England, he was received with much distinction by Queen Elizabeth. He arrived in Scotland, on the 7th September 1559, (Sadler's State Papers, vol. i. p. 435,) and openly joined the Reformers.

[882] Lord David Hamilton was the third son of the Duke of Chatelherault. He had a charter of lands in Fife, granted to him 31st August 1547. He was in France, along with his eldest brother the Earl of Arran, in 1559, as mentioned in the previous note. Secretary Cecil, in a letter dated 28th July 1559, as quoted by Mr. Tytler, says, "What may the Duke's Grace there (in France) look for, when his eldest son was so persecuted, as, to save his life, he was forced to flee France and go to Geneva, not without great difficulty; his second brother, the Lord David, now cruelly imprisoned by Monsieur Chevigny, one chosen out to show cruelty to your nation; divers Scots of the Earl's (Arran's) family put to torture; and, finally, all the Duchy of Chastelherault seised to the Crown."--(Hist. vol. vi. p. 124.)

[883] In Vautr. edit. "the other cast in vile prison."

[884] The Sieur de Bethencourt arrived from France about the end of July 1559. A letter of recommendation from Mary Queen of Scots, addressed to the Duke of Chatelherault, dated at Paris (16th) July, is contained in Prince A. Labanoff's collection of "Lettres de Marie Stuart," vol. i. p.

67. He was sent to this country, in the view to ascertain and use all means that were necessary, for restoring matters to the good estate in which they had previously been. After thanking the Duke for his good offices rendered to the Queen Regent her mother, in circ.u.mstances of great difficulty, her words are,--"S'estant pour ceste cause delibere y mectre la main et chercher tous moens pour reduire les choses au bon estat ou elles estoient, il a advise depescher par dela le Sieur de Bethencourt, present porteur, par lequel j'ay bien voullu vous faire entendre le contentement quo j'ay du service quo vous vous este essaye m'y faire, et prier, mon Cousin, emploer tous moens pour faire rabiller les faultes doulcement et oster l'occasion de faire par autre voye sentir aux mauvais combien ils ont offence le Roy, mondit Seigneur, et moy: estant a.s.seuree que jamais vous ne scaurez faire chose qui me soit plus agreable."--(Lettres, &c., vol. i. p. 68.)--Among various payments by the Treasurer, after the Queen Regent's death, (in June 1560,) to her attendants and other persons, we find, "Item, to Monsieur b.u.t.tonecourt and his wife, lx.x.x lib."

[885] In MS. G, "plesour;" in Vautr. edit. "displeasure."

[886] In MS. G, "duetifullie," Vautr. edit. has "dewly amendid."

[887] In this marginal note, Vautr. edit. has "Brages inough."

[888] In MS. G, "that yow and all they that hes done, and dois as ye do, sall."