The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 20

[Sidenote: YOUR PAPISTIS AND OURIS HAIF PRACTISIT, AND STILL PRACTISIS DEVISIOUN.]

[Sidenote: SA THAT SCHO MYCHT HAIF INGLAND AND THE PAIPIS RELIGIOUN, I THINK SCHO LYET NOT.]

The Quene answered, "Yea, by some of thame, but not by all. It will appeir, quhen I c.u.m amangis thame, quhidder thai be of the same mynd that yow say thai wer than of, [or no:] Bot of this I a.s.sure yow, Monsieur l'Amba.s.sadour, (quod scho,) I, for my parte, am verray desyrouse to haif the perfite and the a.s.sured amitie of the Quene, my gude-sister, and will use all the meanis I can to geve hir occasioun to think that I meane it in deid."

I answered, "Madame, the Quene my maistres, yow may be a.s.surit, will use the lyik towardis yow, to move yow to be of the same opinioun towardis hir."

[Sidenote: THE FEIR OF G.o.d IN THE HERT OF HELIAS WAS DISOBEDIENCE TO CURSIT JESABELL.]

"Than (said scho) I traist the Quene your maistres, will not support nor encurage none of my subjectis to continew in thair disobedience, nor to tak upone thame thingis that appertene not to subjectis."--[This we mon answer heir: It appertenis to subjectis to wirschip G.o.d as he hes commandit, and to suppres idolatrie, by quhomsoevir it be erected or mayntened.][354]

[354] The words enclosed within brackets are evidently added by Knox.

[Sidenote: G.o.d GEVIS HIS LAW ALSWEILL TO THE PRINCE AS TO THE SUBJECT.]

"Yow knaw, (quod scho,) thair is moche ado in my Realme about materis of religioun; and thocht thair be a greittar nomber of a contrarie religioun unto me then I wald thair war, yit thair is na ressone that subjectis suld gif a law to thair Soverane, and speciallie in materis of religioun, quhilk, I feare, (quod scho,) my subjectis sall tak in hand."--[Answer for the parte of Scotland: and gif sa thai haid done, thai haid eschapit G.o.ddis indignatioun, quhilk hes bene felt, and still hingis over this Realme, for the idolatrie and other abominationis committ.i.t in the same, quhilk sall not ceise till that it be suppressit.][355]

[355] This is one of Knox's additions.

[Sidenote: THE CONSECRATIOUN OF THE CARDINALL WILL NOT SUFFER YOW.]

[Sidenote: THE THRID LARDON, ACCUSING INGLAND OF INCONSTANCIE IN RELIGIOUN.]

I answerit, "Madame, youre realme is in na uther caise at this day, than all uther realmes of Christiandome ar; the prufe quhairof you see verefied in this realme: and you see quhat grit difficultie it is to gif ordour in this mater, thocht the King and all his Counsall be verray desyrouse thairunto. Religioun is of the grittest force that may be. You haif bene lang out of your awin realme, so as the contrarie religioun to youris hes wone the upper hand, and the grittest parte of youre realme. Youre Mother wes a woman of greit experience, of deip dissimulatioun, and keipit that Realme in quyetness, till scho begane to constraine[356] menis consciences; and as you think it unmeit to be constranit by your subjectis, so it may lyk you to considder, the mater is also intollerabill to thame to be constraynit by you in materis of conscience; for the dewtie deu to G.o.d can not be gevin to ony uther without offence of his Majestie." "Quhy, (said scho,) G.o.d dois command subjectis to be obedient to thair Princes, and commandis Princes to reid his law, and governe thairby thame selfis and the peple committ.i.t to thair chargis." Answer, "Yea, Madame, (quod I,) in those thingis that be not aganis his commandimentis." "Weill, (quod scho,) I will be plane with you: the Religioun that I profess, I tak to be maist acceptable to G.o.d: and, in deid, neither do I knaw nor desire to knaw any uther. Constancie dois become all folkis weill; but none better than Princes, and suche as have reull over Realmes, and speciallie in materis of Religioun." [The Turk is als constant in his Alcoram, as the Paip and his sect ar in his const.i.tutionis.][357] "I haif bene brocht up, (quod scho,) in this Religioun; and quho mycht creditt me in ony thing gif I suld schaw my self lycht in this case; and thocht I be young and nott weill learned, yitt haif I herd this mater oft disputed by my Uncle my Lord Cardinall, with some that thocht thai could say somquhat in the mater; and I fand thairin na grit ressone to change my opinioun." [Neather yitt did Caiaphas, quhen Christ Jesus did rea.s.sone in his presence: Bot quhat wes the Cardinall compelled to confesse at Poysie?][357]

[356] In MS. G, "to strayne."

[357] These words, enclosed, are remarks by Knox.

[Sidenote: BOT THE DEVILL WALD PUT ORDOUR TO HIM SELF.]

"Madame, (quod I,) gif you will juge weill in that mater, you mon be conversant in the Scriptures, quhilk ar the tuichstone to try the rycht from the wrang. Paradventure, you ar so partiallie affected to your Uncle's argument, that you culd not indifferentlie considder the uther partie. Yit this I a.s.sure you, Madame, (quod I,) your Uncle my Lord Cardinall, in conference with me about these materis, hes confessed, that thair be grit errouris and abuses come into the Kirk, and grit disordour in the Ministeris and Clargye; insomuche that he desyred and wisched that thair mycht be a reformatioun of the ane and of the uther." "I have oftyne tymes hard him say the lyik," (quod scho.) Than I said, "Weill, I trust G.o.d will inspyre all you that be Princes, that thair be some gude ordour tackin in this mater, so as thair may be one unitie in Religioun throcht all Christiandome."

[Sidenote: CHANGE IT NOT BEFOIR YOW HAVE IT; FOR DANSING AND HIR SISTER IS THE GROUND OF THAT QUHILK YIT YE HAIF PROFESSIT.]

"G.o.d grant, (quod scho,) bot for my parte, you may perceave I am none of those that will change my Religioun, everie yeir. And, as I tauld you in the begynnyng, I meyne to constrane none of my subjectis, bot wald wische that thai wer all as I am; and I trust thai suld haif na supporte to constrane me. I will send Monsieur Dosell, (quod scho,) to you befoir he go, to knaw quhether you will ony thing into Ingland. I pray you, so ordour yourself in this mater, betwix the Quene my gud sister and me, that thair may be perfite and sure amitie betwix us; for I knaw, (quod scho,) Ministeris may do muche gude and harme."

I tauld hir, "I wald faithfullie and treulie mak declaratioun, of all that scho haid said unto me, unto your Majestie; and trusted that scho wald so satisfie your Majestie by Monsieur Dosell in all thingis, as I suld heirefter have no moir occasionis to treatie with hir of ony thingis bot of the encrease of amitie." Scho said, "Thair suld be no want thairin on hir behalf."

"This is the effect of the Quene of Scotlandis answer to youre Majesteis demand of hir said Ratificatioun, and of my negotiatioun with hir at this tyme."

These advertis.e.m.e.ntis somewhat exasperated the Quene of Ingland, and nott altogither without cause; for the armys of Ingland wer befoir usurpit by oure Soverane, and by hir husband Francis; and Elizabeth, Quene of Ingland, wes of the Gwysians reputed litill better then a b.a.s.t.a.r.d. It was appointed that this t.i.till suld be renuncit. Bot heirof haid oure proude and vane glorious Quene no plesour, and especiallie efter that hir husband was deid; for, thocht scho, the toluyke of Ingland[358] sall allure mony wowaris to me. The Gwysians and the Paipistis of baith the Realmes did not a litill animat hir in that persute; the effect quhairof will sonar appeir then the G.o.dlie of Ingland wald desyre: And yit is scho that now reigneth ovir thame, neather gude Protestant, nor yit resolute Papist: Lat the warld juge quhilk is the thrid.

[358] In Vautr. edit., "the shew of England."

Queyn Elizabeth,[359] we say, offendit with the former ansueris, wrait unto the n.o.bilitie and Estaittis of Scotland, in forme as followis:--

[359] The remark on Queen Elizabeth, in the preceding paragraph, "And yet is scho," &c., is omitted in Vautrollier's edition; and the words that follow, read, "Let the world judge whether Queen Elizabeth, we say," &c., as above.

THE QUENE OF INGLANDIS LETTER TO THE ESTAITTIS OF SCOTLAND.

[Sidenote: THE PEACE CONTRACt.i.t AT LEYTH.]

[Sidenote: PRINCES LITILL REGARD THAT.]

[Sidenote: I THINK THIS SENTENCE MANCK, BUT I WILL ALTER NO WORD.][360]

RYCHT trusty and rycht enteirlie belovit Cousingis, we greit yow. We doubt not, bot as oure menyng is, and hes bene alwayis sithence oure regne, in the sycht of Almichty G.o.d, streycht and direct towart the advancement of his honour and trewth in religioun, and consequentlie to procure peace and mayntene concord betwix baith thir Realmes of Ingland and Scotland; so also our outwarde actis have weill declared the same to the warld, and speciallie to yow, being oure nychtbouris, quho have taisted and proved in these oure friendschip and ernest gude will, mair then we think any of youre antecessouris have ever receaved from hence; yea, moir then a greit nomber of youre selfis culd weill houpe of us, all former examples being weill weyit and considered. And this we haif to rejoise of, and so may ye be glaid, that quhair, in the begynnyng of the trublis in that c.u.n.trey, and of our succours ment for yow, the jelosie, or rather the malice of diverse, boith in that Realme and in uther c.u.n.treis, wes suche, boith to deprave boith us in the yielding, and yow in requyring our aide, that we were noted to have meant the surprise of that Realme, by depryving of your Soverane the Quene of hir croune, and yow or the greittar parte of yow to haif intendit by our succour the lyik; and ather to prefer some other to the croune, or ellis to mak of that monarchie a commonweill: materis verray sclanderouse and false. Bot the end and determinatioun, yea, the haill course and process of the actioun on boith oure partis have manifested, boith to the sclanderaris, and to all utheris, that no thing wes more meant and prosecuted, then to establish youre Soverane the Quene, our cousigne and sister, in hir estait and crowne, the possessioun quhairof wes in the handis of strangearis. And althocht no wordis culd then weill satisfie the malitious, yit our deids do declair, that no uther thing wes soucht, but the rest.i.tutioun of that Realme to the auncient libertie, and, as it wer, to redeme it frome captivitie. Off these oure purposes and deidis, thair remanis, amongis uther argumentis, gude testimonye by a solempne treatie and accord, maid the last yeir at Edinburgh, by Commissionaris sent boith from us and from your Quene, with full auctoritie in wryting, under boith our handis, and the Greit Seills of boith oure Realmes, in suche maner as uther Princes, oure progenitouris, have alwayes used. By quhilk treatie and accord, eather of us have fullie accordit with uther, to keip gude peace and amitie betwix oure selfis, oure countreis, and subjectis. And in the same also ane gude accord is maid, nott onlie of certane quarrellis happened betwix us, bot also of some differences betwix the Ministeris of the lait Frenche King, your Soveranis husband, and yow the Estaittis of that Realme, for the alteratioun of lawis and customes of that countrey attempt.i.t by thame.

Upone quhilk accord thair maid and concludit, hes. .h.i.therto followit, as yow knaw, suyrtie to your Soveranis estait, quyetnes to your selfis, and a better peace betwix boyth Realmes, then ever wes herd of in any tyme past.

Nevertheless, how it happeneth we knaw not, [--We can: for scho in hir consait thinkis hir self Quene of boyth,][361]

that your Soverane eather not knawing in this parte hir awin felicitie, or ellis dangerouslie seduced by perverse counsall, quhairof we wald be most sorye; being of lait at sundry tymes requyred by us, according to hir Band remanying with us, signed with hir awin hand, and sealled with the Greit Seall of that Realme, and allowed by yow being the Estaittis of the same, to ratifie hir said Treatie, in like maner as we by wryting have done, and ar reddy to deliver[362] it to hir, [yet she] makketh suche delatorie answeris thairinto, as quhat we sall juge thairof, we perseave by hir answer, that it is meit to requyre of yow.

For althocht scho hes alwayis answerit, since the deith of hir Husband, that in this mater scho wald first understand the myndis of certane of yow, befoir scho wald mak answer; and so having now of long tyme suspendit oure expectatioun, in the end, nochtwithstanding that scho hes haid conference boyth by messingeris, and by some of your selfis being with hir, yit scho still delayis it, alledgeing to oure Amba.s.sadour in France (quho said that this Treatie wes maid by your consentis) it was not by consent of yow all; and so wald have us forbeir, unto scho sall returne in that hir countrey. And now seing that hir ansuer dependis, as it suld seme, by hir wordis, upone your opinionis, we can nott bot planelie latt yow all understand, that this maner of ansuer, without some moir frute, can nott long content us. We have meant weill to our sister your Quene in tyme of offence gevin to us by hir. We did planelie, without dissimulatioun, charge hir in hir awin dowbtfull estait: quhylest strangearis possessit hir Realme, we stayed it from danger.

And now, having promissed to keip gude peace with hir, and you hir subjectis, we have hitherto observed it; and salbe sorye gif eather scho or yow sall geve us contrary cause. In a mater so profitable to boyth the Realmes, we think it strange that your Quene hes no better advise: and thairfoir we do requyre yow all, being the Estaittis of that Realme, upone quhom the burthen resteth, to considder this mater deiplie, and to mak us ansuer quhairunto we may trust. And gif yow sall think meit scho sall thus leif the peace imperfite, by breking of hir solempned promeis, contrary to the ordour of all princes, we salbe weill content to accept your ansuer, and salbe als cairless to see the peace kepit, as ye sall gif us cause; and doubt nott, by the grace of G.o.d, bot quhosoever of yow sall first inclyne thairto sall soonest repent. Yow must be content with oure plane writing.

And, on the uther syid, gif yow continew all of one mynd to have the peace inviolablie keipit, and sall so by your advise procure the Quene to ratifie it, we also planelie promisse yow, that we will also continew oure gude dispositioun to keip the same in such gude termes as now it is: and in so doing, the honour of Almychty G.o.d sall be dewly soucht and promoted in boyth Realmes; the Quene your Soverane sall enjoy hir stait with suyrtie; and your selfis possesse that quhilk yow have with tranquillitie, to the encreas of your families and posterities quhilk by the frequent warris heirtofoir your ancestouris never haid long in one estaite.

To conclude, We requyre yow to advertise us of quhat mynd yow be, speciallie gif yow all continew in that mynd, that yow meane to have the peace betwix boith the Realmes perpetuallie keipit. And gif yow sall forbeir ony long tyme to advertise us, ye sall geve to us some occasioun of doubt, quhairof moir hurt may grow than gude.

From, &c.

[360] "Manck," or deficient; that is, "I think (says Knox) there is something deficient or wanting in this sentence, but I will not alter one word."

[361] Evidently a remark by Knox.

[362] In MS. G, "to declair."

These letteris receaved and perused, albeit the Estatis culd nott be convened, yit did the Counsall, and some utheris also in particulare, returne ansures with resonable diligence. The tennour of oure Letteris was this:--

PLEIS YOUR MAJESTIE,

That with jugement, we have advysed your Majesteis letteris; and albeit the haill Estaittis culd not suddandlie be a.s.semblit, yit we thocht expedient to signifie somquhat of oure myndis unto your Majestie. Far be it frome us, that eather we tak upone us, that infamye befoir the warld, or grudge of conscience befoir oure G.o.d, that we suld lychtlie esteme the observatioun of that peace laitlie contract.i.t betwix these two Realmes. By quhat motives oure Soverane delayeth the ratificatioun thairof, we can nott tell: but of us, (of us, we say, Madame, that have in G.o.ddis presence protested fidelitie in oure promeisses,) hir Grace hes none.

Your Majestie can not be ignorant, that in this Realme thair ar mony ennemeis; and, farther, that oure Soverane hes Counsalouris, quhois jugementis scho in all suche cases preferreth to ouris. Oure allegeance bindeth us, nott onlie reverentlie to speik and write of oure Soverane, but also so to juge and think: and yit your Majestie may be weill a.s.sured, that in us salbe noted no blame, gif that peace be nott ratifiet to your Majesteis contentment: for G.o.d is witness, that oure cheiff cair in this earth, nyxt the glorie of oure G.o.d, is, that constant peace may remane betwix these two Realmes; quhairof your Majestie and realme sall have suyre experience sa lang as oure counsall or votes may stay the contrarie. The benefite that we haif receaved is so recent, that we can nott suddandlie bury it in forgetfulnes. We wald desyre your Majestie rather to be perswaded of us, that we to oure powaris will studye to leave it in remembrance to oure posteritie. And thus, with lauchfull and humble commendatioun of oure service, we committ youre Majestie to the protectioun of the Omnipotent.

Of Edinburgh, the 16 of Julij 1561.

Thair war some utheris that answered some of the ministeris of Ingland somequhat more scharplie, and willed thame nott to accuse nor threatten sa scharplie, till that thai war able to convict suche as haid promised fidelitie of some evident cryme; quhilk, althocht thai war able to lay to the charge of some, yit respect wald be haid to suche as long haid declared thame selfis constant procureris of quyetnes and peace.

The suddane arryvall of the Quene maid grite alteratioun evin in the Counsall, as efter we will heir. In this meantyme, the Papistis by surmising, trublit quhat thai mycht: thair postis, letteris, and complaintis wer from day to day direct, some to the Paipe, some to the Cardinall of Lorane, and some to oure Quene. The princ.i.p.all of these curriouris war, Maister Stevin Wilsoun,[363] Maister Johnne Leslie, called _Nolumus_ and _Volumus_,[364] Maister James Thorntoun,[365]

and utheris, suche as leved, and still leve, by the trafique of that Romane harlott.

[363] Mr. Stephen Wilson, who probably held some preferment in the Romish Church, was an active partisan of Queen Mary. He had also been in the service of her mother, the Queen Regent. On the 11th February 1559-60, the Treasurer paid, "be the Quenis Grace speciale command to Maister Stevin Wilsone, pa.s.sand of Edinburgh throuch Ingland, in the Quenis Grace effairis, in France," the sum of 80. Randolph, in a letter to Cecil, 7th February 1565-6, referring to a Band or Confederacy "to maintayne Papistrye throughout Christendome," but more especially directed against Queen Elizabeth and the Protestants in Scotland, which had been sent from France to be signed by the Queen of Scots; he says, it was "to be returned very shortlie, as I heare, by Mr. Steven Wilson, a fit minister for such devilish devices."

Killegrew, in a letter to Lord Burghley, written from Edinburgh, 4th March 1573, says, "Stephen Wilson, that carried letters from the Erle of Argile into France, is returned, and taken by the Regentis commandment. To-morrow he shall be examined." (Wright's Queen Elizabeth, vol. i. pp. 220, 470.) His intercepted correspondence is also mentioned in Killegrew's letter, on the 9th March, quoted by Mr.

Tytler, vol. vii. p. 340.

[364] See page 141, and foot-note to page 139.