The Works of John Knox Volume I Part 51

[518] Preston is near the village of Prestonpans, in the parish of that name, being about eight miles east from Edinburgh.

[519] In this place in the MS., half a page on the reverse of fol. 70, and nearly as much at the top of the next leaf, are left blank, us if for the purpose of afterwards inserting the letter here mentioned.--There is still preserved among the "State Papers, in the reign of Henry the Eighth," a letter addressed by that Monarch to the Governor and Council of Scotland, on the 20th December 1546, (vol. v. p.

576.) It expresses his desire for peace and tranquillity; but stipulates that the siege of St. Andrews shall be relinquished, as he formerly had made promise to the gentlemen in the Castle "to helpe them in their necessities." The English Monarch died on the 28th of January 1546-7; and it is scarcely necessary to add, that the expected aid was not sent.

[520] In all the copies, "Friday the 7th."

[521] Or Inveresk.

[522] In MS. G, "playand;" in Vautr. edit., "playing."

[523] In Vautr. edit. "preachers."

[524] Hume Castle, in Roxburghs.h.i.+re, in the united parishes of St.i.tch.e.l.l and Hume, was a celebrated border fortress, often besieged by the English.--Alexander fifth Lord Home, succeeded his father in 1547, a few days after the battle of Pinkie. It was in order to save his life, he being then a prisoner, that his mother, Lady Home, was influenced to surrender the Castle to the English, 20th September 1547; from whom it was recovered by stratagem, in 1548, as minutely detailed by Beaugue, in his History of the Campaigns, &c., pp. 77-82. Lord Home was appointed Warden of the East Marches; and was a supporter of the Reformation. He died in 1575.

[525] Falside hill or bray, is in the parish of Inveresk, near Carberry hill.

[526] The battle of Pinkie took place in a field to the east of Musselburgh, and adjacent to Pinkie house.

[527] George Durie, Abbot of Dunfermline: see note 463.

[528] Hugh Rigg of Carberry: see note 165. Buchanan mentions him as one of the persons by whose advice the Governor suppressed the Duke of Somerset's letters; and calls him "a lawyer, more remarkable for his large body and personal strength, than for any knowledge of military affairs."

[529] Archibald Douglas seventh Earl of Angus, succeeded his grandfather, the sixth Earl, who was slain at Floddon, along with his son George Master of Angus. He married Margaret, the Queen Dowager, mother of James the Fifth, and during the King's minority he obtained and exercised great power; but was banished when James had a.s.sumed the Royal authority. His daughter, Lady Margaret Douglas, by the Queen Dowager, became Countess of Lennox, and mother of Darnley. The Earl of Angus died at Tantallon Castle in the year 1556.

[530] Archibald Campbell, fifth Earl of Argyle: see a subsequent note near the end of Book First.

[531] MS. G, has "the armie."

[532] The word "host," omitted in the MS., is supplied from MS. G.

[533] In MS. G, "frayed thame grettumlie." Vautr. edit. has, "affraied them wonderouslie."

[534] In MS. G, "the Erle of Huntlie."

[535] Dr. Patrick Anderson, in his MS. History of Scotland, in describing the disastrous flight at Pinkie, says, "it was owing more to lack of good and prudent government, than by any manhood of the enemie.

For it was plainly reported, that some were traitors amongst us, and that they received gold from England; whereupon the following distich was said,

It was _your_ gold, and _our_ traitors wanne The field of Pinkie, and noe Englishman."

The date of this calamitous defeat at Pinkie, near Musselburgh, was the 10th of September 1547. The English forces were accompanied by William Patten, who, from his notes or diary, published his curious and interesting work, int.i.tuled, "The Expedicion into Scotlande of the most woorthely fortunate prince Edward, Duke of Soomerset, vncle vnto our most n.o.ble souereign lord the kinges Maiestie Edvvard the VI. Goouernour of hys hyghnes persone, and Protectour of hys graces Realmes, dominions, & subiectes: made in the first yere of his Maiesties most prosperous reign, and set out by way of diarie, by W. Patten, Londoner. VIVAT VICTOR."--Colophon, "Imprinted in London, by Richard Grafton, &c., M.D.XLVIII." Small 8vo, bl. 1.

[536] In MS. G, "many ransomes;" in Vautr. edit., "many reasons, Honestie or unhonestie."

[537] Robert Master of Erskine, eldest son of John fourth Lord Erskine, (and fifth Earl of Mar, who died in 1552.) As stated in the text, he was slain at Pinkie, 10th September 1547; and leaving no issue, his next brother Thomas, Master of Erskine, having also predeceased his father, John Erskine, originally intended for the Church, became sixth Earl of Mar, in 1552.

[538] In Vautr. edit. _craig_ is rendered "mountains."--Broughty Craig, now known as Broughty Ferry, at the mouth of the river Tay, four miles below Dundee. The old Castle, now in ruins, forms a conspicuous object from the opposite side of the river.--Among other disburs.e.m.e.nts for "resisting of our old enemies," are the following:--

"Item, (Jan. 1547-8,) at my Lord of Argilys pa.s.sing to Dunde, Lieutenant for the tyme, for the recovering of the said toun and fort of Brochty furth of the Inglismennis bandis, rasit ane band of J^o [100 men] of weyr, send with him, and put under the governance of Duncan Dunda.s.s; and to the said men of weyr, ... iij^m lib."

"Item, (Feb. 1548-9,) to summound Alexander Quhitlaw of New Grange, to underly the law for his tressonable art, part, and counsale geving to the putting of the House of Brouchtye in the Englische mennis handis, continewall remanying with thame, conveying of thame to the byrnyng of Dunde and Forfair, rydand and gangand with thame in all thair dedis and heir-schippis upoun our Souerane Ladyis landis and subjectis, etc."

[539] Probably in January or February 1547-8. Bishop Lesley mentioning Gawin Hamilton's death, calls him "Gubernatoris cognato," (De Rebus, &c., p. 489,) and "awin tender kynisman" of the Governor.--(Hist. p.

203.) We may therefore suppose he was the same person with Gawin Hamilton of Orbiston, who was named in the settlement of the Hamilton estates in 1540.--(Anderson's House of Hamilton, p. 271.) In October 1547, the Treasurer repaid "to Maister Gawyne Hammyltoun, quhilk he debursit in the Castle of Edinburgh, the tyme of the field (of Pynkeclouch) xxvi lib." He had previously been engaged in conducting the siege of St. Andrews, as in December 1547, "The Compttar, (or Treasurer,) discharges him in this moneth, quhairwith he sowld have been dischargeit in the moneth of December, in Anno 1546, quhilk was deliverit to J^c lx.x.x culvering men, under the governaunce of Capitane Gawyne Hammylton and Robert Lindesay, parson of Covingtoun; quhilk band was rasit for recovering of the Castell of Sanctandrois, and indurit v monethis, to ilkane of thir culvering men in the moneth, iiij lib. Summa to the said s.p.a.ce, ... iij^m vj^c lib." (3600.)

"Item, the samyne tyme, under the governaunce of the saidis Capitanis J^c xx pikmen, quhilkis alsua remanit the tyme of the said a.s.sege, to every ane of thame in the moneth, iij lib. x s. Summa be the said s.p.a.ce, ... ij^m lib." (2000.)

"Item, to the saidis twa Capitanis, for thair awin feis, thair hand-seinze lieutenant, provest, clerk, and officiaris of band, ilkane of the said Capitanis in the moneth, J^c lib. Summa in the saidis v monethis, J^m lib." (1000.)

[540] In Vautr. edit. "That Lent."

[541] John c.o.c.kburn, (who has been already noticed, and will be again met with under the year 1559,) was forfeited 14th December 1548.

[542] Alexander Crichton of Brunstone was a leading agent in the English schemes for a.s.sa.s.sinating Cardinal Beaton, although eventually accomplished without his aid. From his connexion with George Wishart, some fruitless attempts have been made to implicate Wishart in such schemes. See Appendix, No. IX.--The situation of Brunstone, in the barony of Pennycuik, is already noticed at page 135. A charter under the Great Seal of the lands of Gilberton, was granted to Alexander Creichtoun of Burnstoun, and John Creichtoun his son and heir, 19th November 1542. On the 8th November 1545, there was paid, "be my Lord Governouris speciall command, to the Laird of Brounstoun, in support of his expensis maid in tyme of his being in Ingland, lauborand for redres of certane Scottis schippis tane be the Inglische men, &c., 44 lib." He was forfeited, and escaped from Scotland in the year 1548. His death must have taken place before the 5th December 1558, as on that day the process of forfeiture against him was reduced by the Scotish Parliament, at the instance of John Creichton, eldest lawful son and heir of _umquhile_ Alexander Creichton of Burnstane.--(Acta Parl. Scot. vol. ii.

p. 520.) On the 26th February 1564-5, John Creichton of Brunstone, had a charter of confirmation of the lands of Gilbertoun; and another, on the 12th February 1565-6, of the lands of Stanyhill, in the s.h.i.+re of Edinburgh. In the Retours we find the names of James Creichton junior, as heir of his brother John, of lands in the barony of Pennycuik, 30th May 1604; and James Creichton, as heir of John Creichton of Brunstone, his father, of the lands of Brunstone, &c., in the barony of Pennycuik, 17th May 1608.

[543] In Vautr. edit. "after sore a.s.salted."

[544] Knox has evidently mistaken the year. Mons. de Desse, Mons.

Dandelot, and Pierre Strozzi, Captain of the galleys, arrived in Scotland, about June 1548; and Mons. de Termes, in the year following: see 555. Bishop Lesley has given a detailed account of their proceedings.--(History, p. 206, &c.) See also "L'Histoire de la Guerre d'Escosse, traitant comme le Royaume fut a.s.sailly, & en grand'

partie occupe par les Anglois, & depuis rendu paisible a sa Reyne, & reduit en son ancien estat & dignite, Par Ian de Beaugue, gentilhomme Francois. A Paris, 1556," 8vo. A translation of this work, ascribed to Dr. P. Abercromby, was published at Edinburgh in 1707, 8vo, with an historical preface. A MS. note by the celebrated Dr. Archibald Pitcairne, in a copy in my possession, a.s.serts that the preface was written by Crawford the Historiographer, although claimed by the translator as his own; "but poor Crawford," he adds, was then dead.

[545] This meeting of Parliament referred to, was "holdin at the Abbay of Hadingtoun," on the 7th July 1548; of which the only proceedings recorded are the "Propositioun by the maist Christian King of France; and the determinatioun of the Three Estatis, concerning the mariage of our Soverane Lady with the Dolphin of France."--(Acta Parl. Scot., vol.

ii. p. 481.)

[546] Sir Walter Scott of Branxholm, was served heir of his father, Sir Walter, in October 1517. He was slain in Edinburgh by Sir Walter Ker of Cessfurd, and Andrew Kerr of Fernyhurst, in October 1552.--(Acta Parl.

Scot. vol. ii. p. 461.) In the Diurnal of Occurrents, the writer noticing his slaughter, calls him "ane valzeand guid Knycht," (p. 51.) Knox simply styles him "a b.l.o.o.d.y man."--(See Douglas and Wood's Peerage, vol. i. p. 240; and Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel.)

[547] The proposed alliance between Queen Mary and the Dauphin of France having been agreed to at Stirling, on the 8th February 1547-8, the same day, the Governor, James Earl of Arran, was created Duke of Chatellerault, by the King of France and the letters patent of his nomination were registered by the Parliament of France, on the 22d of April.

[548] The Order of St. Michael was inst.i.tuted by Louis XI., King of France, in 1469. The number of Knights was limited to thirty-six. It received the name of the c.o.c.kle, from the escalop-sh.e.l.ls of gold with which the collar of the Order was ornamented.--In September 1548, is this payment by the Treasurer, "Item, for paintting of my Lord Governoures armes setting furth of the Collar that day that my Lord of Angus and Argyle had ressavit the Ordour, xlv s." From the date, we might have concluded that this referred to the Order of the c.o.c.kle, had it not been that three years previously mention is made, in a letter from one of the English "espialles," in Scotland, (communicated to Lord Wharton, on the 12th June 1545,) that "the Order of the Cocle," with a collar of gold, had then been sent from France to the Earl of Angus.--(State Papers, vol. v. p. 460.)

[549] In the MS. this marginal note is scored through, as if to be deleted; but this seems to have been done by a later hand. A few of the letters are cut away by the binder, but the note itself occurs in Vautrollier's edition, p. 176; which does not contain the marginal words that follow, marking the precise time when this portion of the History was written. It is worthy of notice, that on the 15th June 1567, Bothwell having escaped to Dunbar, Queen Mary surrendered herself to the n.o.bles at Carberry Hill, and two days later, she was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle. The marginal words, therefore, to this purport, "Finish what thou hast begun, O my G.o.d, for the glory of thy name: 15th June 1567," may be regarded as if the author had viewed that event as being a partial accomplishment of his prediction which he states to have been written in April 1566. But the language here used by Knox, it is impossible to vindicate.

[550] On the 26th November 1549, a pursuevant was sent to Stirling "with letters to the Maister of Arskine, charging him to keip Sir Robert Bowes, Inglisman, untransport.i.t hame in his awin c.u.n.tre, quhill my Lord Governour and Counsale be farder avisit."--(Treasurer's Accounts.)

[551] Sir James Wilford was taken prisoner by the French at Dunbar, in the year 1549: See Holinshed's Chronicles, England, vol. ii. p. 996; Scotland, p. 349, edit. 1586.

[552] Prince Alexander Labanoff, in his collection of the Letters of Mary Queen of Scots, states, that at the end of July 1548, M. de Breze, who arrived for that end, and Villegaignon, commander of the French squadron, received the young Queen and her suite, at Dumbarton. On the 13th August, he adds, Mary Stuart disembarked at the port of Brest, and was immediately conducted to St. Germain-en-Laye, where she was educated as one of the Royal family.--(Lettres de Marie Stuart, &c., vol. i.)

The following entries from the Treasurer's Accounts, as relating to the young Queen, are not devoid of interest, in connexion with the similar payments quoted in note 287,--

"Item, (March 1548,) the Comptar dischargis him, gevyn to my Lord Erskyn and Lord Levingstoun, to ane compte of thair feyes restand awyn thame for keping of the Quenis Grace persoun, the sowme of J^c lxxvi lib. vi s. viij d.

"Item, mair to thame, in compleit pament of all feyes restand awyn thame for the causis forsaid, (fra the last day of November in the zeir of G.o.d 1545 zeris,) unto the last day of Februar, in the zeir of G.o.d J^m V^c and fortye sevyn zeris, [1547-8,] quhilk was the day of thair departing with the Quenis Grace to Dumbartane, and sa dischargit the sowme of ij^m (2000) lib.

"Item, (July 1548,) to Johnne Patersoun, to pas for marinaris to be pylattis, and to pas about in the galayes to the Vest seyes, that past to France with the Quenis Grace, xxij s."

[553] In MS. G, and Vautr. edit., "I a.s.sure yow."