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Befoir his returnyng,¹ the Queyn upoun a nycht took a fray in hir bedd, as yf horse men had bein in the close, and the Palace had bene enclosed about. Whitther it proceaded of hir awin womanlie fantasye, or, yf men pat hir in fear,² for displeasur of the Erle of Arrane, and for other purposes, as for the erecting of the garde, we know not. But the fear was so great, that the toun was called to the watch. Lordis Robert of Halyrudhous,³ and Johne of Coldinghame³ keapt the watche by course. Scouttis war send furth, and centenallis war commanded under the pane of death to keap thair stationis. And yitt thai feared whair thair was no fear: neathir yit could ever any appeirance or suspitioun of suche thingis be tryed.

Schort after the returnying of the Lord James, thair cam from the Quene of England, Sir Petir Mewtess,⁴ with commissioun to requyre the ratificatioun of the Peace made at Leyth. His ansuer was⁵ evin such as we have heard befoir, that sche behoved to advise, and then sche should send ansuer.

In presence of hir Counsall, sche keapt hir self [very] grave, (for under the dule wead, sche could play the hypocryte in full perfectioun;) but how soon that ever hir Frenche fillockis, fydlaris, and otheris of that band, gatt the howse allone, thair mycht be sean skipping not verry cumlie for honest wemen. Hir commoun talk was in secreat, sche saw nothing in Scotland but gravitie, which repugned alltogetther to hir nature, for sche was brocht up in joyusitie; so termed sche hir dansing, and other thingis thairto belonging.

The Generall Assemblie of the Churche⁶ approched, holdin in December⁷ after the Quenis arryvall; in the which began the reullaris of the Courte to draw tham selfis apart from the societie of thair brethren, and began to sturr and grudge that any thing should be consulted upoun, without thair advises. Maister Johne Wode,⁸ who befoir had schawin him self verray fervent in the caus of God, and fordward in giveing of his counsall in all doubtfull materis, planelie refused ever to assist the Assemblie agane, whairof many did wonder. The Courteouris drew unto thame some of the Lordis, and wold nott convene with thair brethren, as befoir thai war accustomed, but keapt thame in the Abbay. The principall Commissionaris of the Churches,⁹ the Superintendentis, and some Ministeris, past unto thame, whair thai war convened in the Abbottis ludging within Halyrudhouse. Boyth the partyis began to oppin thair greaf. The Lordis complayned that the Ministeris drew the gentilmen into secreat, and held counsallis without thair knowledge. The Ministeris denyed that thai had done any thing in secreat, or otherwyse than the Commoun Ordour commanded thame; and accused the Lordis (the flatteraris of the Quene we mean) that thai keapt not the Conventioun with thair brethren, considdering that thai know the Ordour, and that the same was appointed by thair awin advises, as the Buke of Discipline, subscrivit with the most part of thair awin handis, wold witness. Some began to deny that ever thai knew such a thing as the Buke of Discipline; and called also in doubt, whitther it was expedient that such Conventionis should be or not; for glaidlye wold the Quene and hir Secreat Counsall have had all assemblies of the godly discharged.

The reassonyng was scharp and quick on eather part.¹⁰ The Quenis factioun alledged, that it was suspitious to Princes that subjectis should assemble thame selffis and keape conventionis without thair knowledge. It was ansuered, That without knowledge of the Prince, the Churche did nothing. For the Prince perfytlie understood, that within this Realme thair was a Reformed Churche, and that thai had thair ordouris and appointed tymes of conventioun; and so without knowledge of the Prince thai did nothing. "Yea," said Lethingtoun, "the Quene knew and knowest it weill yneuch; but the questioun is, Whetther that the Quene allowis such Conventionis?" It was ansuered, "Yf the libertie of the Churche should stand¹¹ upoun the Quenis allowance or dyssallowance, we are assured not onlie to lack assemblies, but also to lack the publict preaching of the Evangell." That affirmative was mocked, and the contrarie affirmed. "Weill, (said the other,) tyme will try the treuth; but to my formar wordis, this will I add, tack from us the fredome of Assemblies, and tack from us the Evangell; for without Assemblies, how shall good ordour and unitie in doctrine be keapt? It is not to be supposed, that all Ministeris shalbe so perfyte, but that thai shall nead admonitioun, alsweill concernyng maneris as doctrin, as it may be that some be so styff necked that thai will not admitt the admonitioun of the simple; as also it may be that falt may be found with Ministeris without just offence committed: and yit yf ordour be not tacken boyth with the compleaner and the personis compleaned upoun, it can not be avoided, but that many grevouse offenses shall aryse. For remeady whairof, of necessitie it is, that Generall Assemblies maun be, in the which the judgement and the gravitie of many may concur, to correct or to represse the folyes or errouris of a few." Heirunto consented the most parte, alsweill of the Nobilitie as of the Baronis, and willed the reassonaris for the parte of the Quene to will hir Grace, yf that sche stood in any suspitioun of any thing that was to be entreated in thair Assemblies, that it wold please hir Grace to send such as sche wold appoint to hear whatsoever was proponed or reassoned.

Heirafter was the Buke of Discipline proponed, and desyred to have been ratified by the Quenys Majestie. That was scripped at, and the questioun was demanded, "How many of those that had subscrived that Buke wald be subject unto it?" It was answered, "All the godly." "Will the Duck?" said Lethingtoun. "Yf he will nott," answered the Lord Ochiltrie,¹² "I wold that he war scrapped out, not only of that book, but also out of our nomber and cumpany: For to what purpoise shall laubouris be tane to putt the Kirk in ordour, and to what end shall men subscrive, and then never mean to keap wourd of that quhilk thei promeisse?" Lethingtoun answered, "Many subscrived thair in fide parentum, as the barnes ar baptized." One, to wit Johne Knox,¹³ answered, "Albeit ye think that scoiif propir, yit as it is most untreu, so is it most improper. That Buke was red in publict audience, and by the space of diverse dayis the headis thairof war reasoned, as all that hear sit know weill yneuche, and ye your self can nott deny; so that no man was required to subscrive that whiche he understood not." "Stand content, (said one,) that Buke will nott be obteaned." "Let God (said the other) requyre the lack which this poore Commoun-wealth shall have of the thingis thairin conteaned, from the handis of such as stope the same."

The Baronis perceaving that the Buke of Discipline was refused, presented unto the Counsall certane articles, requiring Idolatrie to be suppressed, thair Churches to be planted with treu Ministeris, and some certane Provisioun to be maid for thame, according to equitie and conscience; for unto that tyme, the most parte of the Ministeris had lyved upoun the benevolence of men. For many held into thair awin handis¹⁴ the fructis that the Bischoppis and otheris of that sect had befoir abused; and so some parte was bestowed upoun the Ministeris. But then the Bischoppis began to grypp agane to that which most injustlie thei called thair awin; for the Erle of Arrane was discharged of Sanctandrois and Dunfermeling, whairwith befoir, be verteu of a factorie, he had intromitted: and so war many otheris. And thairfoir the Barones requyred, that ordour mycht be tacken for thair Ministeris, or ellis thei wold no moir obey the Bischoppis, neather yitt suffer any thing to be lifted up to thair use after the Quenis arryvall, then that thei did befoir; for thei verrelie supposed that the Quenys Majestie wold keapt promeisse maid unto thame; whiche was, nott to alter thair religioun, whiche could nott remane without Ministeris, and Ministeris could nott lyve without provisioun: and thairfoir thei heartlie¹⁵ desyred the Counsall to provid some convenient ordour in that head.

That somewhat moved the Quenys flatteraris; for the rode of impietie was not then strenthened in hyr and thair handis. And so began thei to practise how thei should pleise the Queyn, and yit seam somewhat to satisfie the faythfull; and so devised thei, that the Church men should have intromissioun with the Two parte of thair benefices, and that the Third parte¹⁶ should be lifted up by suche men as thairto should be appointed, for suche uses, as in these subsequent Actis¹⁷ ar more fullie expressed.

The samyn day, forsamekle as the Quenis Majestie, be the advise of the Lordis of hir Secreit Counsall, foirseand the eminent truble quhilk appeirandlie was to aryse amangis the lieges of hir realme for materis of Religioun; to evaid the samyn, and to stay all inconvenientis that may follow thairupoun,¹⁸ intercommonit with ane parte of the Clergie and Estait Ecclesiasticall; with whome then reasonyng being had, it was thocht good and expedient be hir Hienes, that ane generall Conventioun should be appointed the xv. day of December instant, whairto the rest of that Estaite mycht have repaired, and be the advyse of the haill, ane reassonable overtoure maid and ordour taken for staying of the appearand truble, and quyetting of the haill countrey: Quhilk Conventioun being be hir Majestie appointed, and syndrie dayis of Counsale keaped, and the said Ecclesiasticall Estaite ofttymes required, that the said ordour mycht be taken and overtoure maid for staying of truble and quyetting of the countrey; last of all, in presence of the Quenis Majestie, and Lordis of Counsale foirsaid, and otheris of the Nobilitie of this Realme, compeired Johne Archbischopp of Sanctandrois, Robert Bischopp of Dunkelden, Patrik Bischopp of Murray, and Henrie Bischopp of Ross,¹⁹ and for thame selfis respective offered to the Quenis Grace, to be content of Three partis of the rentis of thair benefices, and the Ferd parte thairof to be employed²⁰ as hir Grace thocht expedient. And becaus the certantie thairof was not knawin, nor yitt what sowmes of money wald sufficientlie susteane the Ministrie and Ministeris of Goddis worde within this Realme, nor yit how mekle was necessar to supporte the Quenis Majestie abone hir awin rentis for the commoun effairis of the countrey: Thairfoir, it is concludit, decernit, and determinat be the Quenis Grace and Lordis of Counsale foirsaid, and utheris of the Nobilitie present, that gif the Ferd parte²¹ of the fructes of the haill Benefices ecclesiasticall within this Realme may be sufficient to susteane the Ministerie throw the haill Realme, and supporte the Quenis Majestie to interteany and sett fordwarte the commoun effaires of the countrey, failzeing thairof, the Third parte of the saidis fructis, or mair, quhill it be found sufficient to the effect foirsaid, to be tacken up yearlie in tyme cuming, quhill ane generalle ordour be taken thairin; samekle thairof to be employed to the Quenis Majestie for entertenying and setting fordwarte of the commoun effaires of the countrey, and samekle thairof unto the Ministeris and sustentatioun of the Ministerie, as may reassonablie susteane the samin, at the sycht and discretioun of the Quenis Majestie and Counsale foirsaid: and the excrescens and superplus to be assigned unto the auld Possessouris. And to that effect that the rentis and yearlie availl of the haill benefices within this Realme may be clearlie knawin to the Quenis Majestie and Counsale foirsaid, It is statute and ordanit, that the haill Rentallis of all benefices within this Realme be produced befoir hir Grace and Lordis foirsaidis, at the tymes underwritten; That is to say, of the Benefices on this syde of the Month,²² the xxiiij day of Januar nixttocum, and beyond the Month, the tenth of Februar next thairefter. And ordanis letteris to be direct to officiaris of the Quenis schirreffis in that parte to pass, charge, and requyre, all and syndrie Archbischoppis, Bischoppis, Abbottis, Commendatouris, and Priouris of this Realme, on this syd of the Mounth personallie, gif thai can be apprehended, and failzeing thairof, at the saidis Archbischoppis, Bischoppis, Abbottis, Commendatouris, and Priouris dwelling-places, cathedrall kirkis, or abbayis; and all Deanis, Subdeanis, Archdeanis, Chantouris, Subchanteris, Provestis, Personis, Vicaris, and other beneficit men whatsomever, thair Chalmerlanis and Factouris, personallie or at thair dwelling-places, or at thair paroche kirkis, quhair thai suld remane, to exhibit and produce befoir the Quenis Majestie and Lordis foirsaidis, the said xxiiij day of Januar nixttocum, the just and treu Rentalle of the availle and rentis of thair Benefices to the effect foirsaid; and to charge the Prelattis and utheris beneficit men on the yond syd of the Mounth in maner respective foirsaid, to [exhibite and]²³ produce the just and treu Rentale of thair Benefices befoir the Quenis Majestie and Lordis foirsaidis the said tent day of Februar nixttocum, to the effect abone rehersit, With certificatioun to thame that failzeis, the Quenis grace and Counsale will proceid heirin as accordis: And sicklyk to charge the haill Superintendentis, Ministeris, Eldaris, and Deaconis of the principall townes and schyres of this Realme, to give in befoir the Quenis Grace and Lordis of Counsale foirsaidis, the said xxiiij day of Januar nixttocum, ane formall and sufficient roll and memoriall, what may be sufficient and reasonable to susteane the Ministerie and hale Ministeris of this Realme, that hir Majestie and Lordis of Counsale foirsaidis may tak ordour thairintill as accordis: And farther, that the Quenis Majestie and Lordis of Counsale foirsaidis may ryplie and digestlie wey and considder what necessarie supporte is required to be taken yearlie of the fructis of the saidis Benefices by hir Grace's awin yearlie rent, to enterteany and sett fordwart the commoun effaires of this Realme, agane the said xxiiij day of Januare nixttocum, that then it may be proceided in the said mater, all parties be satisfied, and the haill countrey and lieges thairof sett in quyetnesse.

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