The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 19

Upone the quhilk requeist and Articles, the Lordis of Counsall foirsaid maid ane act and ordinance answering to everie heid of the foirsaid Articles,[333] and commandit letteris to be answerit thairupon, quhilk diverse ministeris raysit, as in the buykis of Secreit Counsall is yit to be found. And thus gat Sathan the secund fall, efter that he haid begun to truble the estait of the religioun, ones establissit by law. His first a.s.sault wes by the raschall mult.i.tude, opponying thame selfis to the punischement of vice: The secound wes, by the Bischoppis and thair bandis, in quhilk he thocht uterly to haif triumphit; and yit he in the end prospered wer[334]

then ye haif herd.

[333] According to the "Booke of the Universall Kirk of Scotland,"

containing the Acts and Proceedings of the a.s.sembly, the meeting was held on the 26th of May; and the persons above-named were appointed on the 28th to present the Supplication and Articles "tuitching the Suppressioun of Idolatrie." The result of the application is thus recorded:--

"Upoun the whilk Supplicatioun, Articles and sute thairof was grant.i.t, and followit be the Lords of Secreit Counsell, and Act and Ordinance thairupon, with letters therupon, answering to every head of the said Articles and Supplicatioun, at length specified in the Act of Secreit Counsell made therupon; whilk is to be had in the hands of John Johnstone, scrybe therof, and letters and publicatioun past therupon."

[334] In MS. G, &c. "prosperit worse."

For in this meyntyme, returnit fra France the Lord James,[335] quha, besyid his greit expensis, and the lose of ane box quhairin wes his secreit poise, eschapit a desparit danger in Pareise: for, his returning from our Soverane (quha then lay with the Cardinall of Lorane at Reims) understood[336] of the Papistis at Pareise, thai haid conspired some tresonable act aganis him; for thai intendit ather to besett his hous by nycht, or ellis to have a.s.saulted him and his company as thai walkit upoun the streittis. Quhairof the said Lord James advertist by the Ryngrave,[337] by ressone of auld familiaritie quhilk wes betwix thame in Scotland, he tuke purpoise suddenlie and in gude ordour to depart from Pareise; as that he did, the secund day efter that he arrived thair. And yit culd he not depart sa secreitlie, bot that the Papistis haid thair prevy ambusches; for upone the Pont of Change[338] thai haid prepared ane processioun, quhilk met the said Lord and his c.u.mpany evin in the teith; and knawing that thai wald not do the accustumat reverence unto thame and thair idolis, thai thocht thairupone to haif picked a quarrell; and sa as ane part pa.s.sed by, without moving of hatt to ony thing that wes thair, thai haid suborned some to crye "Hugenottis," and to cast stanis. Bot G.o.d disapoynted thair interpryse; for the said Ryngraife, with other gentilmen, being with the Lord James, rebuykit the fulische mult.i.tude, and over raid some of the formaist; and sa the rest war dispersit; and he and his c.u.mpany saiflie eschapit, and come with expeditioun to Edinburgh, quhill that yit the Lordis and a.s.semblie wer togither, to the greit comfort of many G.o.dlie hertis, and to na litile astonischement of the wicked: for, fra the Quene oure Soverane he brocht letteris to the Lordis, praying thame to intertenye quyetnes, and to suffer na thing to be attempt.i.t aganis the Contract of peace quhilk wes maid at Leyth, till her awin hame-c.u.ming, and to suffer the religioun publictlie establissit to go fordward, &c. Quhairupone the saidis Lordis gaif answer to the Frenche Amba.s.sadour, a negatyve to everie ane of his pet.i.tiouns.[339]

[335] Lord James Stewart (see page 142, note 3.) Queen Mary, in a letter to Throkmorton, dated at Nancy 22d April 1561, declares that Lord James who was then with her, had come without any special mission: "Quant a Lord James qui est devers moy, il y est venue pour son devoir, comme devers sa souveraine Dame, que je suis, sans charge ou commission qui concerne autre chose que son droit." She was anxious he should not return through England; and there can be no doubt, his conduct was too much influenced by the English Court. See the letters quoted by Mr. Tytler, vol. vi. pages 218 to 225. Lord James returned from France before the end of May 1561. The Diurnal of Occurrents (p.

283) has the 19th of May; but according to a letter quoted by Mr.

Tytler, it appears that Lord James was in London on the 20th of that month, but had reached Edinburgh on the 3d of June. (History, vol. vi.

p. 225.)

[336] In MS. 1566, "at Reins) understand."

[337] The Count Rheingrave had the command of the German troops which formed one of the divisions of the French forces sent to Scotland in 1548. He distinguished himself at the sieges of Haddington and Dundee.

(Lesley's History, pp. 206, 207, 219, 223.) He returned to France in 1549, but it seems doubtful whether he again visited this country. He appears to have settled in France. John Philip Rheingrave, Count Palatine of the Rhine, before 1554, married an heiress, Jean de Genouillac, the widow of Charles Seigneur de Crussol, Vicomte d'Uzes.

(Anselme, Hist. Geneal. vol. iii. p. 768.) In December 1562, "the Rhyngrave lost fourscore of his hors.e.m.e.n," or, "reisters," when Harfleur was taken by the English. (Wright's Queen Elizabeth, vol. i.

pp. 119-120.)

[338] In MS. G, "upon the Change-brig;" Vautrollier's edition makes it, "upon the point of change." The place referred to was the princ.i.p.al bridge in Paris, across the river Seine, formerly known as the _Grand Pont_. It takes its name, _Pont au Change_, from the _changeurs_ or money-brokers who resided there, so early as the 12th century; but the houses upon the bridge were finally removed in 1788, by order of Louis XVI.

[339] See _supra_, page 156.

And First, That France haid not deserved at thair handis, that ather thai or thair posteritie, suld enter with thame agane in ony league or confideracie, offensive or defensive, seying that sa tratrouslie and crewallie, thai haid persecuted thame, thair Realme and liberteis, under pretense of amitie and mariage.

Secundlie, That besydis thair conscience, thai culd not tak suche a warldlie scheme, as without offence committ.i.t, to breke the league, quhilk in G.o.ddis name thai haid maid with thame, quhom he haid maid instrumentis to set Scotland at fredome from the tyranny of the Frenche, at the leist of the Guisians and thair factioun.

And last, That suche as thai callit Bischoppis and Kirkmen, thai knew nather for pastouris of the Kirk, nather yit for ony just possessouris of the patrimonye thairof; bot understude thame perfitlie to be wolves, theaves, murtheraris, and idill-belleis: And thairfoir, as Scotland haid forsakin the Pape and Papistrie, sa culd thai not be debttouris to his fore-sworne va.s.sallis.

With thir answeris depart.i.t the said Amba.s.sadour.[340] And the Lordis of Secreit Counsall maid ane act, that all places and monumentis of ydolatrie suld be destroyit.[341] And for that purpose wes directed to the West, the Erle of Arrane, having joyned with him the Erlis of Argyle and Glencarne, togidder with the Protestantes of the West: quha burnt Paislay,[342] (the Bischope [of Sanctandrois, quha was Abbot thareof,][343] narrowlie eschapit,) kest doun Failfurd,[344]

Kilwynnyng,[345] and a part of Corsragwell.[346] The Lord James wes appointed to the North, quhair he maid sick reformatioun, as nathing content.i.t the Erie of Huntlie, and yet seemed he to approve all thingis. And thus G.o.d sa potentlie wrocht with us, sa lang as we dependit upone him, that all the warld mycht se his potent hand to mayntene us, and to feght aganis oure ennemeis; yea, most to confound thame, quhen that thay promest to thame selfis victory without resistance. "Oh! that we suld rychtlie considder the wonderouse werkis of the Lord oure G.o.d."

[340] Monsieur de Nouailles left Edinburgh on the 7th June 1561.

(Diurnal of Occurrents, p. 64.)

[341] As Knox has enjoyed more than his full share of credit for destroying the ecclesiastical buildings of this country, I may be permitted to call the reader's attention to Dr. M'Crie's remarks on the "Alleged Excesses of the Reformers," in his notes to the Life of Knox, vol. ii. pages 450-456. But it might not be difficult to show that the actual devastations committed by the Reformers have been greatly exaggerated. The object they had in view was not to destroy the buildings, but to remove objects of idolatrous worship and superst.i.tion. It should also be remembered, that the revenues appropriated for keeping such buildings in repair, being diverted to other channels, these large and imposing edifices, more suited for the services of the Romish Church than the simpler forms of Presbyterian worship, were allowed to fall into utter ruin. When portions were restored to serve as parish churches, this was too often done but little in accordance with their original richly decorated style of architecture.

[342] The Monastery of Paisley, in the shire of Renfrew, was not wholly destroyed, as the nave of the church, with its aisles, remain very entire, and have continued to be used as the collegiate church of the Abbey Parish.

[343] The words inclosed within brackets, omitted in the MS. 1566, and in Vautr. edit., are supplied from MS. G.--In vol. i.p. 124, it is mentioned, that John Hamilton, who afterwards became Archbishop of St.

Andrews, had obtained the Abbacy of Paisley in the year 1525. In 1544, he proposed to resign Paisley to his brother James, reserving to himself the whole fruits of the benefice, with a right to re-enter to it, should his brother predecease him. (Epist. Regum Scot. vol. ii. p.

212.) This arrangement probably was not confirmed; as the Abbot eventually resigned the Commendatorship to Lord Claud Hamilton, third son of James Duke of Chattelherault. This appears to have taken place in 1553, when Lord Claud was aged eleven years; the Archbishop still acting as Administrator in spiritual as well as temporal matters, till the Commendator had attained the age of twenty-three. In various deeds, so late as April 1565, the former continued to be styled "John, &c. Archbishop of Sanctandrois, Primat and Legat of the haill Realme of Scotland, and Abbot of the Abbay of Pasley." Lord Claud Hamilton was the ancestor of the Earls of Abercorn.

[344] Only some inconsiderable remains now exist of the Monastery of Failfurd, in the parish of Tarbolton, Ayrshire.

[345] Some portions of this stately building still exist, adjoining the Parish Church of Kilwinning.

[346] The Abbay of Crossraguel, in the parish of Kirkoswald, about two miles from Maybole, although in ruins, is preserved with great care, and is more entire than any other monastic building in the West of Scotland.

In the Treatye of Peace contracted at Leyth, thair war contened certane heidis that requyred the ratificatioun of baith the Quenis.

The Quene of Ingland, according to hir promese, subscriptioun, and seill, without ony delay performit the same,[347] and sent it to oure Soverane by hir appoynted officiaris. Bot our Soverane (quhidder because hir awin craftie nature thairto moved hir, or that hir Uncles cheiff counsallouris sa wald, we knaw not) with mony delatouris frustrat the expectatioun of the Quene of Ingland; as by the copy of a Letter, sent from the Amba.s.sadour of Ingland to his Soverane,[348] we may understand.

[347] The Treaty of Leith, as already noticed at pages 73-84, was ratified by Queen Elizabeth, 20th September 1560: The Ratification is printed in Rymer's Foedera.

[348] Sir Nicholas Throkmorton:--His correspondence, addressed to Queen Elizabeth and Secretary Cecil, whilst English amba.s.sador at the Court of France, includes much curious and interesting matter relating to Scotland. See in particular Dr. Forbes's Collection of State Papers, Lond. 1740, 1741, 2 vols. folio: unfortunately the intermediate portion of his Collections, from May 1560 to July 1562, was never published. Throkmorton returned from France in 1564, and was afterwards sent on more than one occasion to Scotland. He was made Chamberlain of the Exchequer; and died in 1570.

At Pareis, the xxiij of Junij 1561.

"THE xviij of this present Junij, I send Sommer[349] to the Quene of Scottis for audience, quha appoynt.i.t me to come to hir the same day efter denner; quhilk I did. To hir I did [remember] youre Majesteis hertlie recommendations, and declarit unto hir your Majesteis lyik glaidsomnes of hir recoverye of hir lait seikness, quhais want of helth, as it wes grevouse unto youre Majestie, so did yow congratulat and greitlie rejoise of the gude termes of helth scho wes presentlie in. After these offices, I put hir in remembrance agane quhat haid pa.s.sed from the begynning, in the mater of youre Majesteis demand of hir ratificatioun, according to the proporte[350] of the said Treatie, alsweill by me at the first, as efterwart by my Lord of Bedfurd at his being heir, and alsua followed sensyne agane be me in audience, and by my letter to hir being in Lorane: adding heirto youre Majesteis farther commandiment; and recharge to me agane, presentlie to renew the same demand, as befoir haid bene done."

[349] "Mr. Somer," or Sommers, was a confidential agent or messenger employed by Cecil, in his correspondence with the English Amba.s.sadors at the Court of France.

[350] In MS. 1566, "propertie."

[Sidenote: ANSURE.]

[Sidenote: CRAFTIE DEALLAR; THOU NEVER RESPECTED THEM FARTHER THEN THAI MYCHT SERVE TO THY CORRUPT AFFECTIONS.]

[Sidenote: THIS WES A SECREIT LARDON.]

[Sidenote: SCHO MENT SCHO WALD SEIK A SAIF CONDUCT.]

[Sidenote: * EVER QUHILL THAT SCHO MAY SCHAW HIR EVILL WILL][351]

[351] This marginal note forms part of the text in MS. G. It evidently is one of those remarks of the author which form a kind of running commentary by Knox on this communication. They are contained in Vautrollier's edition; but not in MS. G, with the exception of this marginal addition.

[Sidenote: GIF FRANCE WALD HAIF SUSTENIT THAM, THAI HAID NOT YIT DEPARt.i.t.]

[Sidenote: THE SECUND SECREIT LARDON.]

The said Quene maid answer: "Monsieur l'Amba.s.sadour, I thank the Quene, my gude-sister, for this gentle visitatioun and congratulatioun of this my recoverye; and thocht I be not yit in perfite helth, yit I thank G.o.d I feill my self in verray gude[352] in the c.u.ming to. And for ansuer to youre demand, (quod sche,) of my ratificatioun, I do remember all thai thingis that yow haif recited unto me; and I wald the Quene, my gude-sister, suld think that I do respect the resolute ansuer in this mater, and performyng thairof, untill suche tyme as I may have the advyses of the n.o.blis and Estaitis of my awin Realme, quhilk I trust sall not be lang a doing; for I intend to mak my voyage thither schortlie. And thocht this mater (quod scho) dois twiche me princ.i.p.allie, yit dois it also twiche the n.o.blis and Estaitis of my Realme too; and thairfoir it salbe meit, that I use thair advyses thairin. Heirtofoir, thai haif semed to be greved that I suld do ony thing without thame; and now thai wald be mair offendit gif I suld proceid in this mater of my self, without thair advyses. I do intend (quod scho) to send Monsieur Dosell[353] to the Quene youre Maistres, my gude-sister, quho sall declair that unto hir from me, that, I trust, sall satisfie hir; by quhom I will gif hir to understand of my jurnay into Scotland. I meyne to embarque at Calice. The King hes lent me certane galeis and schippis, to convoy me hame; and I intend to requyre of my gude-sister those favouris that princes usis to do in those cases. And thocht the termes quhairin we haif heirtofoir [been], hes bene some quhat hard,* yet, I trust that from hensfurth we sall accord togidder as cousignes and gude nychtbouris. I meyne (quod scho) to reteir all the Frenche men furth of Scotland, quho hes gevin jelose to the Quene, my gude-sister, and miscontentment to my subiectis; so as I will leve nathing undone to satisfie all parties, trusting the Quene, my gude-sister, will do the lyke, and that from hensfurth none of my disobedient subjectis (gif thair be ony suche) sall fynd ayd or supporte at hir handis."

[352] In Vautr. edit. "in very good health:" MS. G, (omitting the words, "I thank G.o.d,") is the same as the text.

[353] The Seigneur D'Oysel: See notes in vol. i. pp. 328 and 355. Lord Clinton, in a letter to the Earl of Suss.e.x, 8th August 1560, mentions that D'Oysel and Martigues, having 3500 French soldiers in their company, had then landed at Calais, on their return from Scotland.

Queen Mary had purposed sending him again to Scotland in the spring of 1561. From letters of the time we learn he was not expected to reach Greenwich before the 8th of July, and Cecil on the 25th of that month says, "Monser d'Oyzell came from the Scottish Quene, with request that the Quene his Mistress might have a salve conduct to pa.s.s alongst our sea coast, and hymself to pa.s.s into Scotland to provide for her coming. Many reasons moved us to myslike her pa.s.sadge, but this only served us for answer," &c., namely, her refusal to ratify the Treaty of Peace. It is added, "Monser d'Oyzell was also gently required to returne with this answer." (Wright's Queen Elizabeth, vol. i. pp. 43, 62, 66.) Mr. Tytler has shown, that D'Oysel "was altogether unworthy of the trust reposed in him," by his secret communications both to the English Amba.s.sador and Queen Elizabeth. (Hist. vol. vi. p. 228.)

[Sidenote: THE ARMYS OF INGLAND WER USURPIT.]

I answered, "That I was nocht desyrous to fall in the discours how those hard termes first beganne, nor by quhat meanys thai wer nurischit; becaus thairin I most charge some partie with injurie, and perrel offered to the Quene my maistres, quhilk wes the verray ground of those materis: Bot I wes weill a.s.sured thair culd be no better occasioun offered to put the formar unkyndnes in forgetfulnes, than by ratifyeing the Treatie of Peace, for that suld repay all injureis past. And Madame, (quod I,) quhair it plesis yow to suspend the Ratificatioun, untill yow haif the advyses of the n.o.bles and Estatis of youre Realme, the Quene my maistres dois nothing doubt of thair conformitie in this mater, becaus the Treatie wes maid by thair consentis."