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Consiliis Christum oppugnans et fraudibus, ingens Regum ille terror Carolus: Ipsis ridiculis pueris, furiosus, et excors, Totus repente corruit. Tuque Henrice, malis dum consultoribus utens, Sitis piorum sanguinem: Ipse tuo vecors, inopina, cæde peremptus Terram imbuisti sanguine. Henrici deinceps, sectans vestigia patris Franciscus infoelix puer, Clamantem Christum surda dum negligit aure, Aure putrefacta corruit. Versuti, fatui, surdi, hæc spectacula, Reges, Vos sapere vel mori jubent.

KYNGE CHARLES that tyrane terrible, Withstanding Christ with witt and craft, As mocking stock most miserable, Endit at ones ragine and daft.¹ Then Henrie through evill cumpany, Thristing the blood of godlie men, With his awin blood, schedd suddantlie, Was maid to wait the end ye ken.² Last, Francis, that unhappie child, His Father's footsteps following plane, To Christ crying, deafe eares did yeild, Ane rotten eare then was his baine. O craftie, deif, and foolische Kyngs, These fearfull judgments gone befoir you, Biddeth you be wyser in your reignes, Or schamefull death will sone devoir you.

The death of this King maid great alteratioun in Fraunce, England, and Scotland. France was erected in some esperance, that the tyranny of the Gwysianis should no longar ring above thame, becaus that God at unwares had brokin the staff whairupoun thei leaned. But, allace, thei war deceaved: for the simplicitie of some was so abused, that, against the lawes of the Realme, to the Quene Mother was committed regiment: which lifted up asweill the Duck of Gwyse, as the cruell Cardinall for a seassone.

The Quene of England and the Counsall, remitted our Ambassadouris with answer, "That sche wald nott marye hastelye, and, thairfoir, willed the Counsall of Scotland, and the Erle of Arrane, foirsaid, nott to depend upoun any hope thairof."³ What motives she had, we omitt.

The pryde of the Papists of Scotland begane to be abated, and some that ever had schawin thame selfis ennemyes unto us, begane to think, and planelie to speak, (amanges whom the auld Schiref of Ayr⁴ was one,) that thei perceaved God to feght for us. The Erle of Arrane him self did more patientlie abyd the repulse of the Quene of England, becaus that he was nott altogitther without hope that the Quene of Scotland bare unto him some favour. And so he wrait unto her, and send for credite a ryng, whiche the said Quene our Soverane knew well yneuch. The letter and ring war baith presented to the Quene, and of her receaved. Answer was returned to the said Erle, after the whiche he maid no farther persuyte in that mater: and yitt, not the less, he bare it heavelie in harte,⁵ and more heavelie then many wold have wissed.

The certaintie of the death foirsaid was signified unto us both by sea and land. By sea receaved Johnne Knox (who then had great intelligence both with the churches,⁶ and some of the Courte of France) letteris, that the King was mortallye seak, and could nott weall eschap the death. Which letteris receaved, that same day at afternoon, he passed to the Duckis Grace, to his awin ludging at the Kirk of Feild,⁷ [with] whome he fand the Lord James in conference togitther, (the Erle of Arrane was in Jedburgh,) to whome he opened such newis as he had receaved, and willed thame to be of good conforte; for, said he, the advertissare never hes yitt abused me: it is the same gentilman that first gave us knawledge of the slauchter of Hary King of France; and shew unto thame the letter, but wold nott expresse the manis name. Whill thei war reassonying in diverse purposes; and he upoun the one parte conforting thame, and thei upoun the other parte conforting him, (for he was in no small heaviness be reassone of the late death of his dear bedfellow, Marjorie Bowis,)⁸ whill (we say) thei three war familiarlie commonyng togetther, thair came a messinger from the Lord Grey,⁹ furth of Berwick, with letteris, assuring him of the death of the King of France. Which devulgat and noysed abrode, a generall Conventioun of the haill Nobilitie was appointed to be holdin at Edinburgh the fyvetene¹⁰ day of Januare following, in the whiche the Booke of Discipline was perused newlie oure agane, for some pretended ignorance, be reassone thei had not heard it.

In that assemblie was Maister Alexander Andersone, sub-principall of Abirdene,¹¹ a man more subtill and craftye then ather learned or godlie, called, who refused to dispute in his fayth, abusing a place of Tertulliane to cloik his ignorance. It was ansuered unto him, That Tertulliane should nott prejudge the authoritie of the Holy Ghost, who, by the mouth of Peter, commandis us to geve reassone for our faith to everie one that requires the same of us. It was farther answered, That we neather required him neather yitt any man to dispute in any pointe concernyng our fayth, whiche was grounded upoun Godis word, and fully expressed within his holy Scriptures; for all that we belevit without contraversie. But we required of him, as of the rest of Papistis, that thei wald suffer thair doctrin, constitutionis, and ceremonies to come to tryall; and principallie, that the Messe, and the opinioun thairof by thame taught unto the people, mycht be laid to the squair-reull of Goddis worde, and unto the rycht institutioun of Jesus Christ, that thei mycht understand whither that thair Preacheris offended or nott, in that, that thei affirmed, "The actioun of the Messe to be expressedlye repugnyng unto the last Supper of the Lord Jesus; the sayar of it to committ horrible blasphemye, in usurping upoun him the office of Christ; the hearars to committ damnable idolatrie, and the opinioun of it conceaved to be derogatioun, and as it war, disanulling of Christis death." Whill that the said Maister Alexander denyed that the preast took upoun him Christis office, to offer for syne, as was alledged, a Messe book was produced, and in the begyning of the Canon war these wordis redd: Suscipe, Sancta Trinitas, hanc oblationem, quam ego indignus peccator offero tibi vivo Deo et vero, pro peccatis meis, pro peccatis totius Ecclesiæ vivorum et mortuorum, &c.¹² "Now, (said the reasonare,) yf to offer for the synnes of the haill Kirk was nott the office of Christ Jesus, yea, that office that to him onlie mycht, and may apparteane, lett the Scripture judge. And yf a vyle knave, whome ye call the preast, proudlie tackis the same upoun him, lett your awin hook witnesse." The said Maister Alexander ansuered, "Christ offered the propitiatorie, and that could nane do but he; but we offer the remembrance." Whairto it was ansuered, "We praise God, that ye have denyed a sacrifice propitiatorie to be in the Masse; and yet we offer to prove, that in mo then a hundreth places of your Papisticall Doctouris, this propositioun is affirmed, 'The Messe is a sacrifice propitiatorie.' But, to the secound parte, whair ye allege that ye offer Christ in remembrance, we ask, first, Unto whome do ye offer him? and nixt, By what authoritie are ye assured of weall-doing? In God the Father, thair fallis no oblivioun: and yf ye will yitt schift and say, That ye offer it nott as God war forgetfull, but as willing to apply Christis merittis to his Churche; we demand of you, What power and commandiment ye have so to do? We know that our Maister, Christ Jesus, commanded his Apostles to do that whiche he did 'in remembrance of him;' but plane it is, that Christ took bread, gave thankis, braik bread, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 'Tak ye, eat ye; this is my body whiche is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me,' &c. Here we fynd a commandiment to tak, to eat, to tak and to drink; but to offer Christis body eather for remembrance or applicatioun, we fynd not: and thairfoir, we say, to tack upoun you ane office which is nott gevin unto you, is injust usurpatioun, and no lauchfull power." The said Maister Alexander being more then astonished, wold have schifted; but then the Lordis willed him to ansuer directlie. Whairto he ansured, "That he was better seane in philosophie, then in theologie." Then was commanded Maister Johne Leslie, (who then was Parsone of Une, and now Lord Abbote of Londoris,)¹³ to ansuer to the formare argument: and he with grait gravitie begane to answer, "Yf our Maister have nothing to say to it, I have nothing; for I knaw nothing but the Cannoun Law: and the greatest reassone that ever I could fynd thair, is Nolumus and Volumus." And yitt we understand that now he is the onlie patrone of the Messe. But it is no mervall, for he understoode that he is a Preastis gett; and thairfoir we should nott wonder albeit that the auld trowane verse be trew, Patrem sequitur sua proles. The Nobilitie hearing that neather the one nor the other wold ansure directlie, said, "We have bene miserable deceaved heirtofoir; for yf the Messe may not obteane remissioun of synnes to the quick and to the dead, whairfoir war all the Abacyes so richelie doted with oure temporall landis?"

Thus much we thocht good to insert here, becaus that some Papistis ar nott eschamed now to affirme, That thei with thair reassonis could never be hearde; but that all that we did, we did by fyn force; when that the haill Realme knawis, that we ever requyred thame to speak thair judgmentis freelie, not onlie promissing unto thame protectioun and defense, but also that we should subscrive with thame, yf thei by Goddis Scriptures could confute us, and by the same word establisse thair assertionis. "But who can correct the leasingis of such as in all thingis schaw thame selves the sones of the Father of all lyes. Preserve us, Lord, from that perverst and malitious generatioun. AMEN."

AT this same Assemblie was the Lord James appoynted to go to France to the Quene oure Soverane;¹⁴ and a Parliament was appointed to begyn the twenty of Maij nixt following; for at that tyme was the returne of the said Lord James looked for. And so was that Conventioun dissolved without any other thing of importance concluded. The said Lord James prepared him for his jornay; (for albeit he past in the publict effairis, he susteaned the charge of his awin expensses; and yit thair never past fra this Realme in the cumpanye of one man so many, and so honest, throwght England to France.) Befoir he departed, he was foirwarned asweill of the danger in France, as of the Quenis craft, (not that we then suspected her nature, but that we understoode the malice of hir freindis:) he was planelie premonisshed, that yf ever he condiscended that sche should have Messe publictlie or privatlie within the Realme of Scotland, that then betrayed he the caus of God, and exponed the religioun evin to the uttermoist danger that he could do. That sche should have Messe publictlie, he affirmed that he should never consent: but to have it secreatlie in hir chalmer, who could stopp hir? The danger was schawin; and so he departed.

The Electioun of the Superintendentis heirefter followed in this maner:¹⁵—

THE FORME AND ORDOUR OF THE ELECTIOUN OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS, QUHILK MAY SERVE ALSO IN ELECTIOUN OF ALL UTHER MINISTERS. AT EDINBURGHE THE 9TH OF MERCHE 1560¹⁶ YEIRIS, JOHNE KNOX BEING MINISTER.¹⁷

FIRST was made a Sermone, in the quhilk thir Heids war intreated. First, The necessity of Ministers and Superintendents. 2. The crymes and vyces that micht unable thame [of the ministrie]. 3. The vertues required in thame. And last, Quhidder sick as by publict consent of the Kyrk wer callit to sick Office, micht refuis the same.

The Sermone finisched, it was declared be the same Minister, (maker thareof,) that the Lords of Secrete Councell had given charge and power to the Kirkis of Lauthiane, to chuse MR. JOHNE SPOTTISWODE¹⁸ Superintendent; and that sufficient warning was made be publict edict to the Kirks of Edinburghe, Linlythgow, Striveling, Tranent, Hadingtoun, and Dunbar; as also to Earles, Lords, Barones, Gentilmen, and uthers, having, or quho micht clame to have voite in Electioun, to be present that day, at that same hour; And, tharefore, inquisitioun was made, Quho wer present, and quho wer absent.

Efter was called the said Mr. Johne, quho answering; the Minister demanded, Gif ony man knew ony cryme or offence to the said Mr. Johne, that mycht unabill him to be called to that office? And this he demanded thryis. Secundlie, Questioun was moved to the haill multitude, If thair was ony uther quhome they wald put in Electioun with the said Mr. Johne. The pepill wer asked, If they wald have the said Mr. Johne Superintendent? If they wald honour and obey him as Christis Minister? and comfort and assist him in every thing perteining to his Charge? They Answerit.—We will; and we do promeis unto him sick obedience as becumethe the scheip to give unto thair Pastour, sa lang as he remains faythfull in his office.

The Answers of the Pepill, and thair consents receaved, thir Questiouns wer proponit unto him that was to be elected.

Questioun.—Seing that ye hear the thrist and desyre of this people, do ye not think yourself bound in conscience befoir God to support thame that so earnestly call for your comfort, and for the fruit of your labours?

Answer.—If anie thing wer in me abill to satisfie thair desyir, I acknowledge myself bound to obey God calling by thame.

Questioun.—Do ye seik to be promoted to this Office and charge, for ony respect of warldly commoditie, riches or glory?

Answer.—God knawes the contrarie.

Questioun.—Beleve ye not that the doctrine of the Propheits and Apostles, conteined in the buiks of the Auld and New Testaments, is the onely trew and most absolute foundatioun of the universall Kirk of Christ Jesus, insamekill that in the same Scriptures ar conteined all things necessary to be beleved for the salvatioun of Mankind?

Answer.—I verely beleve the same, and do abhorre and utterly refuis all Doctrine alleged necessary to Salvatioun, that is not expressedly conteined in the same.

Questioun.—Is not Christ Jesus Man of Man, according to the flesche, to wit, the Sone of David, the Seid of Abrahame, conceaved by the Holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Marie his mother, the onely Head and Mediatour of his Kirk?

Answer.—He is, and without him thair is nouther salvatioun to man, nor lyfe to angell.

Questioun.—Is not the same Lord Jesus, [the] onely trew God, the Eternall Sone of the Eternall Father, in quhome all that sall be saved wer elected befoir the foundatioun of the world was layd?

Answer.—I confes and acknawlege him in the unitie of his Godheid, to be God above all thingis, blessit for evir.

Questioun.—Sall not they quhome God in his eternall councell hes electit, be callit to the knawlege of his Sone, our Lord Jesus? And sall not they, quho of purpoise are elected in this lyfe, be justified? And is not justificatioun and free remissioun of sinnes obtained in this lyfe by free grace? Sall not this glorie of the sonnes of God follow in the generall resurrectioun, quhen the Sone of God sall appeir in his glorious majesty?

Answer.—I acknawlege this to be the doctrine of the Apostles, and the most singular comfort of God's childrein.

Questioun.—Will ye not contein yourself in all doctrine within the boundes of this foundatioun? Will ye not study to promote the same, alsweill by your lyfe as by your doctrine? Will ye not, according to the graces and utterance that God sall grant unto yow, profes, instructe, and mantene the purity of the doctrine, conteined in the sacred Word of God? And, to the uttermost of your power, will ye not ganestand and convince the gaynsayers and teichers of mennis inventiouns?

Answer.—That I do promeis in the presence of God, and of his congregatioun heir assembled.

Questioun.—Knaw ye not, that the excellency of this office, to the quhilk God hes called yow, requires that your conversatioun and behaviour be sick, as that ye may be irreprehensible; yea, even in the eyis of the ungodly?

Answer.—I unfaynedly acknawlege, and humilly desyre the Kirk of God to pray with me, that my lyfe be not scandalous to the glorious Evangell of Jesus Christ.

Questioun.—Becaus ye are a man compassed with infirmities, will ye not charitably, and with lawlines of spirit, receave admonitioun of your Brethrein? And if ye sall happin to slyde, or offend in ony point, will ye not be subject to the Discipline of the Kirk, as the rest of your Brethrein?

The Answer of the Superintendent, or Minister to be elected.—I acknawlege myself to be a man subject to infirmity, and ane that hes neid of correctioun and admonitioun; and tharefoir I maist willingly submit and subject my self to the hailsume disciplin of the Kirk; yea, to the discipline of the same Kirk by the quhilk I ame now called to this office and chairge; and heir in God's presens and youris do promeis obedience to all admonitiones, secretly or publickly gevin; unto the quhilk, if I be found inobedient, I confes myself most worthie to be ejected not onely from this honour, bot also frome the society of the Faythfull, in cais of my stubburnnes: For the vocatioun of God to bear charge within his Kirk, makethe not men tyrantes, nor lordis, but appoynteth thame Servandis, Watchemen, and Pastoris of the Flock.

This ended, Questioun man be asked agane of the Multitude.

Questioun.—Require ye ony farther of this your Superintendent?

If no man answer, let the Minister proceid. Will ye not acknawlege this your Brother, for the Minister of Christ Jesus? Will ye not reverence the word of God that proceids fra his mouthe? Will ye not receave of him the sermone of exhortatioun with patience, not refuising the hailsome medicine of your saules, althocht it be bitter and unpleising to the flesche? Will ye not finally, mantene and comforte him in his ministry, against all sick as wickedly wald rebell against God and his holy ordinance?

The Peple answereth.—We will, as we will answer to the Lord Jesus, quho hes commandit his Ministeris to be had in reverence, as his ambassadours, and as men that cairfully watche for the salvatioun of our saullis.

Let the Nobility also be urged with this.—Ye have heard the dewty and professioun of this your Brother, by your consentis appointit to this charge; as also the dewty and obedience, quhilk God requireth of us towards him heir in his ministry: Bot becaus that neyther of bothe are abill to performe ony thing without the especiall grace of our God in Christ Jesus, quho hes promeised to be with us present, even to the consummatioun of the world; with unfayned hairtis, let us crave of him his benedictioun and assistance in this work begun to his glory, and for the comfort of his Kirk.