Works

Thus did light and darkness strive within the realm of Scotland; the darkness ever before the world suppressing the light, from the death of that notable servant of God, Master Patrick Hamilton, unto the death of Edward Sixth, the most godly and most virtuous King that hath been known to have reigned in England or elsewhere these many years bypast, who departed the misery of this life on the sixth of July 1553. The death of this Prince was lamented by all the godly within Europe; for the graces given unto him by God, by nature as well as through erudition and godliness, passed the measure that is commonly given to other Princes in their greatest perfection, and yet he exceeded not sixteen years of age. What gravity beyond his years, what wisdom passing all expectation of man, and what dexterity in answering all questions proposed, were in that excellent Prince, the Ambassadors of all countries did bear witness. Yea, some that were mortal enemies to him and to his realm, amongst whom the Queen-Dowager of Scotland was not the least, could and did so testify. The said Queen-Dowager, returning from France through England, communed with him at length, and gave record, when she came to this realm, that she found more wisdom and solid judgment in young King Edward than she would have looked for in any three princes that were then in Europe. His liberality towards the godly and learned, persecuted in other realms, was remarkable. Germans, Frenchmen, Italians, Scots, Spaniards, Poles, Greeks, and Hebrews can yet give sufficient document¹ of this. Martin Bucer, Peter Martyr, Joannes Alasco, and many others were honourably entertained upon his public stipends, as their patents can witness, and as they themselves during their lives never would have denied.

After the death of this most virtuous Prince, of whom the godless people of England, for the most part, were not worthy, Satan intended nothing less than that the light of Jesus Christ should have been utterly extinguished within the whole Isle of Britain. For there was raised up after him, in God's hot displeasure, that idolatrous Jezebel, mischievous Mary, of the Spaniards' blood; a cruel persecutrix of God's people, as the acts of her unhappy reign can sufficiently witness. And in Scotland, at that same time, as we have heard, there reigned that crafty practiser, Marie of Lorraine, then named Regent of Scotland; who, bound to the devotion of her two brethren, the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine, did only abide the opportunity to cut the throats of all those within the realm of Scotland in whom she suspected any knowledge of God. Satan thought that his kingdom of darkness was in quietness and rest, in the one realm as well as in the other; but that provident eye of the Eternal our God, who continually watches for preservation of His Church, did so dispose all things, that Satan shortly after found himself far disappointed in his conclusions. For in the cruel persecution carried on by that monster, Mary of England, godly men were dispersed among divers nations, and then it pleased the goodness of our God to send some of these unto us, for our comfort and instruction.

First came a simple man, William Harlaw, who, although his erudition excels not, is yet, for his zeal, and diligent plainness in doctrine, to this day worthy of praise, and remains a faithful member within the Church of Scotland. After him came that notable man, John Willock, with some commission from the Duchess of Embden to the Queen Regent. But his principal purpose was to ascertain what work God had for him in his native country. These two did sometimes assemble the brethren in several companies, and by their exhortations those began to be greatly encouraged, and did show that they had an earnest thirst of godliness. Last came John Knox, in the end of harvest, in the year of God 1555. Lodged in the house of that notable man of God, James Syme, he began to exhort secretly in that same house; and thereto repaired the Laird of Dun, David Forrest, and some certain personages of the town.

Amongst these was Elizabeth Adamson, spouse to James Barron, burgess of Edinburgh, who had a troubled conscience, and delighted much in the company of the said John, because he, according to the grace given unto him, opened more fully the fountain of God's mercies, than did the common sort of teachers that she had heard before, for she had heard none but Friars. She did with much greediness drink of that fountain, and at her death she expressed the fruit of her hearing, to the great comfort of all those that repaired to her. Albeit she suffered most grievous torment in her body, from her mouth there was heard nothing but praising of God, except that sometimes she would lament the troubles of those that were troubled by her. When her sisters asked what she thought of the pain which she then suffered in body, in comparison with that with which sometimes she had been troubled in spirit, she answered, "A thousand years of this torment, and ten times more joined unto it, is not to be compared to the quarter of an hour that I suffered in my spirit. I thank my God, through Jesus Christ, that He has delivered me from that most fearful pain; and welcome be this, even so long as it pleaseth His godly Majesty to discipline me therewith."

A little before her departure, the said Elizabeth desired her sisters and some others that were beside her to sing a psalm. Amongst others, she appointed the Hundred and Third Psalm, beginning, "My soul, praise thou the Lord always." This ended, she said, "At the teaching of this Psalm, my troubled soul first began effectually to taste of the mercy of God, which now to me is more sweet and precious than were all the kingdoms of the earth given to me to possess for a thousand years." The priests urged her with their ceremonies and superstitions, but to them she answered, "Depart from me, ye sergeants of Satan; for I have refused, and in your own presence do refuse, all your abominations. That which ye call your Sacrament and Christ's body, as ye have deceived us to believe in times past, is nothing but an idol, and has nothing to do with the right institution of Jesus Christ. Therefore, in God's name, I command you not to trouble me." They departed, alleging that she raved, and wist not what she said. Shortly thereafter she slept in the Lord Jesus, to the no small comfort of those that saw her blessed departing. We could not omit mention of this worthy woman, who gave so notable a confession before the great light of God's Word did universally shine throughout this realm.

At the first coming of the said John Knox, divers who had a zeal to godliness made small scruple to go to the Mass, or to communicate with the abused sacraments in the papistical manner. Perceiving this, he began, in privy conference as well as in preaching, to show the impiety of the Mass, and how dangerous it was to participate in any way with idolatry. The consciences of some were affrighted, and the matter began to agitate from man to man. So the said John was called to supper by the Laird of Dun for that purpose, and there were convened David Forrest, Master Robert Lockhart, John Willock, and William Maitland of Lethington, younger, a man of good learning, and of sharp wit and reasoning. The question was proposed, and it was answered by the said John that it was nowise lawful to a Christian to present himself to that idol. Nothing was omitted that might make for the temporiser, and yet was every head fully answered, and especially one wherein they thought their great defence stood, to wit, that Paul, at the commandment of James and the elders of Jerusalem, went to the temple and feigned to pay his vow with others. After a full discussion, William Maitland concluded, saying, "I see perfectly that our shifts will serve nothing before God, seeing that they stand us in so small stead before man."

The answer of John Knox to the act of Paul, and to the commandment of James, was that Paul's act had nothing to do with their going to the Mass. To pay vows was sometimes God's commandment, and was never idolatry: but the Mass was from the beginning, and still remained odious idolatry. "Secondarily," said he, "I greatly doubt whether either James's commandment or Paul's obedience proceeded from the Holy Ghost...." After these and like reasonings, the Mass began to be abhorred by such as before had frequented it for the fashion, and for avoidance of slander, as then they termed it.

John Knox preaches in different Parts, and administers the Lord's Table.

At the request of the Laird of Dun, John Knox followed him to his place of Dun, where he remained a month, daily occupied in preaching; and the principal men of that country were among his audiences. After his return, his residence was most in Calder. The Lord Erskine that now is, the Earl of Argyll, then Lord of Lorne, and Lord James Stewart, then Prior of St. Andrews, and now Earl of Moray, came to Calder and so approved his doctrine that they expressed a desire that it should have been public. That same winter he taught commonly in Edinburgh; and, after Yule, on the invitation of the Laird of Barr and Robert Campbell of Kinyeancleuch, he came to Kyle, and taught in the Barr, in the house of the Carnell, in the Kinyeancleuch, in the town of Ayr, and in the houses of Ochiltree and Gadgirth, and in some of them he ministered the Lord's Table.

Before Easter, the Earl of Glencairn sent for him to his place of Finlayston; where, after preaching, he likewise ministered the Lord's Table. Besides Glencairn himself, his lady, two of his sons, and certain of his friends were partakers. When he returned to Calder, divers from Edinburgh, and from the country about, assembled there, for the preaching as well as for the right use of the Lord's Table, which they had never practised before. Thence he departed the second time to the Laird of Dun. His teaching was then with greater liberty, and the gentlemen required that he should likewise minister unto them the Table of the Lord Jesus, whereof were partakers the most part of the gentlemen of Mearns. To the praise of God, these do, to this day, constantly adhere to the doctrine which then they professed, to wit, that they refused all society with idolatry, and bound themselves to maintain, to the uttermost of their powers, the true preaching of the Evangel of Jesus Christ, as God should offer unto them preachers and opportunity.

The Friars from all quarters flocked to the bishops with the bruit, and the said John Knox was summoned to appear in the Kirk of the Black Friars in Edinburgh on the fifteenth day of May 1556. The said John decided to obey the summons, and for that purpose John Erskine of Dun, with divers other gentlemen, assembled in the town of Edinburgh. But that diet was not held; for the bishops either perceived informality in their own proceedings, or feared that danger might ensue upon their extreme measures. On the Saturday before, they cassed² their own summons; and the said John, on the day appointed by the summons, taught in Edinburgh in a greater audience than ever before he had done in that town. The place was the Bishop of Dunkeld's great lodging, and there he continued teaching for ten days, both before and after noon.

The Earl of Glencairn allured the Earl Marischall, with Harry Drummond, his counsellor for that time, to hear an exhortation, one night. They were so well satisfied, that they both desired the said John to write unto the Queen Regent a letter that might move her to hear the Word of God. He obeyed, and wrote that which was afterwards printed, and is called "The Letter to the Queen Dowager." This was delivered into her own hands by the said Alexander, Earl of Glencairn. When she had read this letter, she delivered it to that proud prelate, Beaton,³ Archbishop of Glasgow, a day or two after, and said in mockage, "Please you, my Lord, read a pasquil."

John Knox is recalled to Geneva, and leaves the Realm: he is burned in Effigy.

While John Knox was thus occupied in Scotland, letters came unto him from the English Kirk in Geneva, in God's name commanding him, as their chosen pastor, to repair unto them for their comfort. Upon this, the said John prepared to obey the summons. He bade farewell in almost every congregation in which he had preached, and exhorted us to prayers, to reading of the Scriptures, and to mutual conference, until such time as God should give unto us greater liberty. By the procurement and labours of Robert Campbell of Kinyeancleuch, he visited the old Earl of Argyll in the Castle of Campbell, and there he taught certain days. The Laird of Glenorchy, being one of his auditors, desired the Earl of Argyll to detain him; but he, purposed upon his journey, would not at that time stay for any request. He added that, if God so blessed these small beginnings and they continued in godliness, they should find him obedient whensoever they pleased to command him; but that he must needs visit once that little flock which the wickedness of men had compelled him to leave. In the month of July he left this realm and passed to France, and so to Geneva. Immediately after, the bishops summoned him, and, for non-compearance, burned him in effigy at the Cross of Edinburgh, in the year of God 1555.

In the winter that the said John abode in Scotland, there appeared a comet, the course of which was from the south and south-west to the north and northeast. It was seen during the months of November, December, and January, and was called "the fiery besom." Soon after, Christian, King of Denmark, died, and war rose betwixt Scotland and England; for the Commissioners of both realms, who for almost six months had treated upon the conditions of peace and were upon a near point of conclusion, were disappointed. At Newbattle, the Queen Regent, with her Council of the French faction, decreed war, without giving any intimation to the Commissioners for Scotland. Such is the fidelity of Princes, guided by priests, whenever they seek to serve their own affections. But the nobility of Scotland, after consultation amongst themselves, went to the pavilion of Monsieur D'Oysel, and to his face declared that in nowise would they invade England. They commanded the ordnance to be retired; and this was done without further delay. This put an affray⁴ in Monsieur D'Oysel's breath, and kindled such a fire in the Queen Regent's stomach as was not well slockened until her breath failed. And thus was that enterprise frustrated, although war continued.

During this period the Evangel of Jesus Christ began wondrously to flourish. William Harlaw began publicly to exhort in Edinburgh; John Douglas, who had been with the Earl of Argyll, preached in Leith, and sometimes exhorted in Edinburgh; Paul Methven began publicly to preach in Dundee; and so did divers others in Angus and Mearns. And last, in God's good pleasure, John Willock arrived the second time from Embden; and his return was so joyful to the brethren that their zeal and godly courage daily increased. Albeit he contracted a dangerous sickness, he did not cease from labour, but taught and exhorted from his bed. Some of the nobility (of whom some are fallen back, among whom the Lord Seton is chief), with many barons and gentlemen, were his auditors. These were instructed in godliness by him, and wondrously comforted. They kept their conventions, and held councils with such gravity and closeness, that the enemies trembled. The images were stolen away in all parts of the country; and in Edinburgh the great idol called Saint Giles was first drowned in the Nor' Loch, and then burned. This raised no small trouble in the town.

The Friars rowping⁵ like ravens upon the bishops, the bishops ran to the Queen. She was favourable enough to them, but she thought it could not be to her advantage to offend such a multitude as then took upon them the defence of the Evangel and the name of Protestants. Yet she consented to summon the preachers; and the Protestants, neither offended nor yet afraid, determined to keep the day of summons, as that they did. When the prelates and priests perceived this, they procured that there should be made a proclamation that all men that were come to the town without commandment of the authority, should with all diligence repair to the Borders, and there remain fifteen days: for the Bishop of Galloway, in this manner of rhyme, said to the Queen, "Madam,

Because they are come without order, I red ye, send them to the Border."

Now, God had so provided that the Quarter of the Westland, in which were many faithful men, were that same day returned from the Border. Understanding the matter to proceed from the malice of the priests, they assembled and made passage for themselves until they came to the very privy chamber, where the Queen Regent and the bishops were. The gentlemen began to complain of their strange entertainment, considering that her Grace had found in them faithful obedience in all things lawful. When the Queen began to craft, a zealous and a bold man, James Chalmers of Gadgirth, said, "Madam, we know that this is the malice and device of these Jefwellis,⁶ and of that bastard (meaning the Archbishop of St. Andrews) that stands by you. We avow to God we shall make a day of it. They oppress us and our tenants that they may feed their idle bellies: they trouble our preachers, and would murder them and us: shall we suffer this any longer? Nay, Madam: it shall not be." And therewith every man put on his steel bonnet.

Then was heard nothing on the Queen's part but, "My joys, my hearts, what ails you? Me means no evil to you nor to your preachers. The bishops shall do you no wrong. Ye are all my loving subjects. Me know nothing of this proclamation. The day of your preachers shall be discharged, and me will hear the controversy that is betwixt the bishops and you. They shall do you no wrong. My Lords," said she to the bishops, "I forbid you either to trouble them or their preachers." And unto the gentlemen, who were wondrously moved, she turned again, and said, "O my hearts, should ye not love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind? and should ye not love your neighbours as yourselves?" With these and the like fair words, she kept the bishops from buffets at that time.

The downcasting of Saint Giles's Image, and Discomfiture of Baal's Priests.

The day of summons being discharged, the brethren universally began to be further encouraged. But the bishops could not be quiet; and Saint Giles's day approaching, they gave charge to the Provost, Bailies, and Council of Edinburgh, either to get again the old Saint Giles, or else at their own expense to make a new image. The Council answered that to them the charge appeared very unjust; for they understood that God in some places had commanded idols and images to be destroyed. Where He had commanded images to be set up, they had not read; and they desired the Bishop to find a warrant for his commandment. The Bishop, offended, admonished them under pain of cursing; but they prevented⁷ this by a formal appellation, appealing from him, as from a partial and corrupt judge, unto the Pope's Holiness. Greater things shortly following, that passed into oblivion.

Yet the priests and Friars would not cease to have that great solemnity and manifest abomination which they accustomably had upon Saint Giles's day. They would have that idol borne; and therefore all necessary preparation was duly made. A marmoset idol was borrowed from the Grey Friars, a silver piece of James Carmichael being laid in pledge. It was fast fixed with iron nails upon a barrow, called their fertour.⁸ There assembled priests, Friars, Canons, and rotten Papists, with tabors and trumpets, banners and bagpipes, and who was there to lead the ring, but the Queen Regent herself, with all her shavelings, for honour of that feast. West about it went, and came down the High Street, and down to the Canon Cross. The Queen Regent dined that day in Sandy Carpetyne's house, betwixt the Bows, and so, when the idol returned again, she left it, and went to her dinner. The hearts of the brethren were wondrously inflamed, and, seeing such abomination so manifestly maintained, were determined to be revenged. They were divided into several companies, of which not one knew of another. There were some temporisers that day (amongst whom David Forrest, called the General, was one) who, fearing the chance would be taken to do as it befell, laboured to stay the brethren. But that could not be.

Immediately after the Queen had entered the lodging, some of those that were in the enterprise drew nigh to the idol, as if willing to help to bear him, and getting the fertour upon their shoulders, began to shudder, thinking that thereby the idol should have fallen. But that was provided for and prevented by the iron nails, as we have said; and so one began to cry, "Down with the idol; down with it;" and without delay it was pulled down. One took him by the heels and, dadding⁹ his head on the causeway, left Dagon without head or hands, and cried, "Fie upon thee, thou young Saint Giles, thy father would have tarried four such." The priest's patrons made some brag at the first; but when they saw the feebleness of their god, priests and Friars fled faster than they did at Pinkie Cleuch. Then might have been seen so sudden a fray as seldom has been amongst that sort of men within this realm. Down went the crosses, off went the surplice, and the round caps cornered with the crowns.¹⁰ The Grey Friars gaped, the Black Friars blew, the priests panted and fled, and happy was he that first reached the house; such a sudden fray amongst the generation of Antichrist within this realm never came before. By chance, there lay upon a stair a merry Englishman, who, seeing that the discomfiture was without blood, thought he would add some merriness to the matter, and so cried he over the stair, and said, "Fie upon you, why have ye broken order? Down the street ye passed in array and with great mirth. Why flee ye now, villains, without order? Turn and strike everyone a stroke for the honour of his god. Fie, cowards, fie, ye shall never be judged worthy of your wages again!" But exhortations were then unprofitable; for, after Baal had broken his neck, there was no comfort to his confused army.

The Queen Regent laid this up amongst her other mementoes, until she might see the time proper to revenge it. Search was made for the doers, but none could be apprehended; for the brethren assembled themselves in such sort, in companies, singing psalms and praising God, that the proudest of the enemies were astonished....

The most part of the Lords that were in France at the Queen's marriage, although they got their congé from the Court, yet forgot to return to Scotland. For whether it was by an Italian posset, or by French figs, or by the potage of their potinger, who was a Frenchman, there departed from this life the Earl of Cassillis, the Earl of Rothes, Lord Fleming, and the Bishop of Orkney, whose end was even according to his life.... When word of the departing of so many patrons of the papistry, and of the manner of their departing, came to the Queen Regent, she said, after astonishment and musing, "What shall I say of such men? They lived as beasts, and as beasts they die: God is not with them, neither with that which they enterprise."

While these things were happening in Scotland and France, that perfect hypocrite, Master John Sinclair, then Dean of Restalrig, and now Lord President and Bishop of Brechin, began to preach in his Kirk of Restalrig. At the beginning he kept himself so indifferent that many were of the opinion that he was not far from the Kingdom of God. Such as feared God had begun to have a good opinion of him, and the Friars and others of that sect had begun to whisper that if he did not take heed to himself and to his doctrine he would be the destruction of the whole estate of the Kirk. But his hypocrisy could not long be cloaked; for, when he learned of this change in public opinion, he promised a sermon, in which he should give his judgment upon all such heads as were then in controversy in the matters of religion. The bruit hereof secured him a great audience at the first; but he so handled himself that day that no godly man did credit him after that. Not only gainsaid he the doctrine of Justification and of prayer, which before he had taught, but he also set up and maintained the Papistry to the uttermost prick; yea, holy water, pilgrimage, purgatory, and pardons were of such virtue in his conceit that he looked not to be saved without them.

In the meantime, the clergy made a brag that they would dispute. But Master David Panter, who then lived and lay at Restalrig, dissuaded them therefrom, affirming that if ever they disputed—except where they themselves were both judge and party, and where fire and sword should obey their decree—their cause was wrecked for ever. Their victory, he said, stood neither in God nor in His Word, but in their own wills, and in the things concluded by their own councils, together with sword and fire, "and thereto," said he, "these new start-up fellows will give no place. They will call you to your account book, the Bible; and by it ye will no more be found the men that ye are called, than the Devil will be proven to be God. And therefore, if ye love yourselves, never enter into disputation; nor yet call ye the matter in question; but defend your possession, or else all is lost." Caiaphas could not give a better counsel to his companions; but God disappointed both them and him, as we shall hear afterwards.

At this same time, some of the nobility directed letters to call John Knox from Geneva, for their comfort, and for the comfort of their brethren the preachers and others that then courageously fought against the enemies of God's truth.... These letters were delivered to the said John in Geneva, in the month of May immediately thereafter. Upon their receipt, he took consultation with his own church as well as with that notable servant of God, John Calvin, and with other godly ministers. All, with one consent, said that he could not refuse that vocation, unless he would declare himself rebellious unto his God, and unmerciful to his country. And so he returned answer, with promise to visit Scotland with reasonable expedition, as soon as he might make arrangements for the dear flock that was committed to his charge. In the end of the following September, he departed from Geneva, and came to Dieppe, where there met him contrary letters; as by this his answer thereto we may understand.

"The Spirit of wisdom, constancy, and strength be multiplied with you, by the favour of God our Father, and by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"According to my promise, Right Honourable, I came to Dieppe on the twenty-third of October, of full mind, by the good will of God, with the first ships to have visited you. But because two letters, not very pleasing to the flesh, were there presented unto me, I was compelled to stay for a time. The one was directed to myself from a faithful brother, who made mention that new consultation was appointed for final conclusion of the matter before purposed, and desired me therefore to abide in these parts until the determination of the same. The other letter was direct from a gentleman to a friend, with charge to inform me that he had communed with all those that seemed most frack and fervent in the matter, and that in none did he find such boldness and constancy as was requisite for such an enterprise; but that some did, as he writeth, repent that ever any such thing was moved; some were partly ashamed; and others were able to deny that ever they did consent to any such purpose, if any trial or question should be taken thereof, etc. Which letters, when I had considered, I partly was confounded, and partly was pierced with anguish and sorrow. Confounded I was, that I had so far travelled in the matter, moving the same to the most godly and the most learned that this day we know to live in Europe, to the effect that I might have their judgments and grave counsels, for assurance as well of your consciences as of mine, in all enterprises. That nothing should succeed so long consultation, cannot but redound either to your shame or mine; for either it shall appear that I was marvellously vain, being so solicitous where no necessity required, or else that such as were my movers thereto lacked the ripeness of judgment in their first vocation.... The cause of my dolour and sorrow, God is witness, is for nothing pertaining either to my corporal contentment or worldly displeasure; but it is for the grievous plagues and punishments of God, which assuredly shall apprehend not only you, but every inhabitant of that miserable realm and Isle, except that the power of God, by the liberty of His Evangel, deliver you from bondage.... If any persuade you, for fear of dangers that may follow, to faint in your former purpose, be he never esteemed so wise and friendly, let him be judged by you both foolish and your mortal enemy: foolish, because he understandeth nothing of God's approved wisdom; and enemy unto you, because he laboureth to separate you from God's favour; provoking His vengeance and grievous plagues against you, because he would that ye should prefer your worldly rest to God's praise and glory, and the friendship of the wicked to the salvation of your brethren. I am not ignorant that fearful troubles shall ensue your enterprise, as in my former letters I did signify unto you; but O joyful and comfortable are those troubles and adversities which man sustaineth for accomplishment of God's will, revealed by His Word! For, however terrible they appear to the judgment of the natural man, yet are they never able to devour nor utterly to consume the sufferers. For the invisible and invincible power of God sustaineth and preserveth, according to His promise, all such as with simplicity do obey Him.... Your subjects, yea your brethren are oppressed, their bodies and souls are held in bondage: and God speaketh to your consciences, unless ye be dead with the blind world, that you ought to hazard your own lives, be it against Kings or Emperors, for their deliverance; for only for that cause are ye called Princes of the people, and ye receive of your brethren honour, tribute, and homage, at God's commandment; not by reason of your birth and progeny, as the most part of men falsely do suppose, but by reason of your office and duty, which is to vindicate and deliver your subjects and brethren from all violence and oppression, to the utmost of your power...."

New consultation was taken as to what was best to be done: and in the end it was concluded that they would follow out their original purpose, and commit themselves and whatsoever God had given unto them into His hands, rather than suffer idolatry so manifestly to reign, and the subjects of that realm, as long they had been, to be defrauded of the only food of their souls, the true preaching of Christ's Evangel. And that every one should be the more assured of the other, a common bond was made and by some subscribed. The tenor thereof was as follows:—

"We, perceiving how Satan in his members, the Antichrists of our time, cruelly doth rage, seeking to down-thring¹¹ and to destroy the Evangel of Christ and His Congregation, ought, according to our bounden duty, to strive in our Master's cause, even unto the death, being certain of the victory in Him. The which our duty being well considered, we do promise before the Majesty of God, and His Congregation, that we, by His grace, shall with all diligence continually apply our whole power, substance, and our very lives to maintain, set forward, and establish the most blessed Word of God and His Congregation; and shall labour at our possibility to have faithful ministers purely and truly to minister Christ's Evangel and Sacraments to His people. We shall maintain them, nourish them, and defend them, the whole Congregation of Christ, and every member thereof, at our whole power and wearing of our lives, against Satan, and all wicked power that does intend tyranny or trouble against the foresaid Congregation. Unto the which holy Word and Congregation we do join us, and we do forsake and renounce the congregation of Satan, with all the superstitious abomination and idolatry thereof: And moreover, we shall declare ourselves manifestly enemies thereto, by this our faithful promise before God, testified to His Congregation by our subscription of these presents:—At Edinburgh, the third day of December, the year of God 1557: God called to witness.

"A. Erle of Ergyle. "Glencarne. "Morton. "Archibald Lord of Lorne. "Johnne Erskyne of Doun." Et cetera.