Читать книгу The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland - John Armoy Knox - Страница 7

Scots Reformers abroad.

Alexander Alesius, Master John Fyfe, and that famous man Dr. Macchabeus,[23] departed unto Germany, where by God's providence they were distributed to several places. Macdowell, for his singular prudence, besides his learning and godliness, was elected burgomaster in one of the Stadts. Alesius was appointed to the University of Leipsic; and so was Master John Fyfe. There, for their honest behaviour and great erudition, they were held in admiration by all the godly. And in what honour, credit, and estimation, Dr. Macchabeus was with Christian King of Denmark, let Copenhagen and famous men of divers nations testify. Thus did God provide for His servants, and frustrate the expectation of these bloody beasts who, by the death of one in whom the light of God did clearly shine, intended to have suppressed Christ's truth for ever within this realm. But the contrary had God decreed; for his death was, as we have said, the cause of awakening many from the deadly sleep of ignorance; and so did Jesus Christ, the only true Light, shine unto many, from the away-taking of one. These notable men, Master John Fyfe only excepted, did never after comfort this country with their bodily presence; but God made them fructify in His Church, and raised them up lights out of darkness, to the praise of His own mercy, and to the just condemnation of them that then ruled—to wit, the King, Council, and nobility, yea, the whole people—who suffered such notable personages, without crimes committed, to be unjustly persecuted, and so exiled. Others were afterwards treated in the same manner; but of them we shall speak in their own places.

Persecution revived: 1534.

As soon as the bishops got the opportunity which they constantly sought, they renewed the battle against Jesus Christ. In the year of God 1534, the foresaid leprous Archbishop caused to be summoned Sir William Kirk, Adam Deas, Henry Cairns, and John Stewart, indwellers of Leith, with divers others, such as Master William Johnstone, and Master Henry Henderson, schoolmaster of Edinburgh. Some of these compeared in the Abbey Kirk of Holyroodhouse and abjured, and publicly burned their bills: others compeared not, and were exiled. But two were brought to judgment, to wit, David Stratoun, a gentleman, and Master Norman Gourlay, a man of reasonable erudition. Of them we must shortly speak.

David Stratoun and his Teind Fish.

In Master Norman appeared knowledge, albeit joined with weakness. But in David Stratoun there could only be espied, from the first, a hatred against the pride and avarice of the priests. The cause of his delation was as follows. He had made himself a fishing boat to go to sea, and the Bishop of Moray, then being Prior of St. Andrews, and his factors, urged for the teind thereof. His answer was that, if they would have teind of that which his servants won in the sea, it was but reason that they should come and receive it where he got the stock.[24] So, as was constantly affirmed, he caused his servants to cast every tenth fish into the sea again. Process of cursing was led against him, for non-payment of such teinds; and when he contemned this, he was delated[25] to answer for heresy. It troubled him vehemently; and he began to frequent the company of such as were godly; for before he had been a very stubborn man, and one that despised all reading, chiefly of those things that were godly. Miraculously, as it were, he appeared to be changed; for he delighted in nothing but in reading, albeit he himself could not read, and he became a vehement exhorter of all men to concord, to quietness, and to the contempt of the world. He frequented much the company of the Laird of Dun, whom God in those days had marvellously illuminated.

The Conversion of Stratoun.

One day, the present Laird of Lauriston, then a young man, was reading to him from the New Testament, in a certain quiet spot in the fields. As God had appointed, he chanced to read these sentences of our Master, Jesus Christ: "He that denies Me before men, or is ashamed of Me in the midst of this wicked generation, I will deny him in the presence of My Father, and before His angels." At these words he suddenly, being as one ravished, platt[26] himself upon his knees. After extending both hands and visage fixedly to the heavens for a reasonable time, he burst forth in these words: "O Lord, I have been wicked, and justly mayest Thou withdraw Thy grace from me. But, Lord, for Thy mercy's sake, let me never deny Thee or Thy truth, from fear of death or corporal pain."

Martyrdom of Stratoun and Gourlay.

The issue declared that his prayer was not vain: for when he, with the foresaid Master Norman, was produced in judgment in the Abbey of Holyroodhouse, the King himself (all clad in red) being present, there was great labour to make the said David Stratoun recant, and burn his bill. But he, ever standing at his defence, alleging that he had not offended, in the end was adjudged unto the fire. When he perceived the danger, he asked grace of the King. This would the King willingly have granted unto him, but the bishops proudly answered that his hands were bound in that case, and that he had no grace to give to such as by their law were condemned. And so was David Stratoun, with the said Master Norman, after dinner, upon the twenty-seventh day of August, in the year of God 1534, led to a place beside the Rood of Greenside; and there these two were both hanged and burned, according to the mercy of the papistical Kirk.

The True Light spreads: Cardinal David Beaton notwithstanding.

This tyranny notwithstanding, the knowledge of God did wondrously increase within this realm, partly by reading, partly by brotherly conference, which in those dangerous days was used to the comfort of many; but chiefly by merchants and mariners, who, frequenting other countries, heard the true doctrine affirmed, and the vanity of the papistical religion openly rebuked. Dundee and Leith were the principal centres of enlightenment, and there David Beaton, cruel Cardinal, made a very strait inquisition, divers being compelled to abjure and burn their bills, some in St. Andrews, and some at Edinburgh. About the same time, Captain John Borthwick was burnt in effigy, but by God's providence he himself escaped their fury. This was done for a spectacle and triumph to Mary of Lorraine, lately arrived from France, as wife of James the Fifth, King of Scots. What plagues she brought with her, and how they yet continue, may be manifestly seen by such as are not blind.

The Reformation in Court and Cloisters.

The rage of these bloody beasts proceeded so that the King's Court itself escaped not danger; for in it divers were suspected, and some were accused. And yet ever did some light burst out in the midst of darkness; for the truth of Christ Jesus entered even into the cloisters, as well of Friars, as of Monks and Canons. John Linn, a Grey Friar, left his hypocritical habit and the den of those murderers the Grey Friars. A Black Friar, called Friar Kyllour, set forth the history of Christ's Passion in the form of a play, which he both preached and practised openly in Stirling, the King himself being present, upon a Good Friday in the morning. In this, all things were so lovably expressed that the very simple people understood, and these confessed that, as the priests and obstinate Pharisees persuaded the people to refuse Christ Jesus, and caused Pilate to condemn Him, so did the bishops and men called religious blind the people, and persuade princes and judges to persecute such as professed the blessed Evangel of Christ Jesus.

Friar Kyllour and others go to the Stake: Feby. 1538.

This plain speaking so inflamed the hearts of all that bare the beast's mark, that they did not cease their machinations until the said Friar Kyllour, and with him Friar Beveridge, Sir Duncan Simson, Robert Forrester, a gentleman, and Dean Thomas Forret, Canon Regular and Vicar of Dollar, a man of upright life, were all together cruelly murdered in one fire, on the last day of February, in the year of God 1538. This cruelty was used by the said Cardinal, the Chancellor, Archbishop of Glasgow, and the incestuous Bishop of Dunblane.

The Trial of Friar Russell and Friar Kennedy.

After this cruelty was used in Edinburgh, upon the Castle Hill, two friars were apprehended in the Diocese of Glasgow, to the effect that the rest of the bishops might show themselves no less fervent to suppress the light of God than was he of St. Andrews. The one was Jerome Russell, a Cordelier Friar, a young man of a meek nature, quick spirit, and good letters. The other was one Kennedy, who was not more than eighteen years of age, and was of excellent ingyne[27] in Scottish poesy. To assist the Archbishop of Glasgow in that cruel judgment, or at least to cause him to dip his hands in the blood of the saints of God, there were sent Master John Lauder, Master Andrew Oliphant, and Friar Maltman, sergeants of Satan, apt for that purpose. The day appointed for their cruelty having come, the two poor saints of God were presented before these bloody butchers. Grievous were the crimes that were laid to their charge.

At the first, Kennedy was faint, and gladly would have recanted. But, when a place of repentance was denied unto him, the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of all comfort, began to work in him. The inward comfort began to burst forth, in visage as well as in tongue and word; for his countenance began to be cheerful. With a joyful voice he said, upon his knees, "O Eternal God! how wondrous is that love and mercy that Thou bearest unto mankind, and unto me the most caitiff and miserable wretch above all others; for, even now, when I would have denied Thee, and Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, my only Saviour, and so have casten myself into everlasting damnation; Thou, by Thine own hand, hast pulled me from the very bottom of hell, and makest me to feel that heavenly comfort which takes from me the ungodly fear wherewith before I was oppressed. Now I defy death; do what ye please, I praise my God I am ready."

The godly and learned Jerome, railed upon by those godless tyrants, answered, "This is your hour and that of the power of darkness: now sit ye as judges; and we stand wrongfully accused, and more wrongfully to be condemned; but the day shall come, when our innocency shall appear, and ye shall see your own blindness, to your everlasting confusion. Go forward, and fulfil the measure of your iniquity."

When these servants of God thus behaved themselves, there arose a variance betwixt the Archbishop and the beasts that came from the Cardinal. The Archbishop said, "I think it better to spare these men, rather than to put them to death." Thereat the idiot Doctors, offended, said, "What will ye do, my Lord? Will ye condemn all that my Lord Cardinal and the other bishops and we have done? If so ye do, ye show yourself enemy to the Kirk and us, and so we will repute you, be ye assured." At these words the faithless man, effrayed,[28] adjudged the innocents to die, according to the desire of the wicked.

The Friars are burned.

The meek and gentle Jerome Russell comforted the other with many comfortable sentences, oft saying unto him, "Brother, fear not: more potent is He that is in us, than is he that is in the world. The pain that we shall suffer is short, and shall be light; but our joy and consolation shall never end. Therefore, let us contend to enter in unto our Master and Saviour, by the strait way which He has trod before us. Death cannot destroy us; for it is destroyed already by Him for whose sake we suffer." With these and the like comfortable sentences, they passed to the place of execution, and constantly triumphed over death and Satan, even in the midst of the flaming fire.

The Bigotry of James V.

Thus did these cruel beasts intend nothing but murder in all quarters of this realm. For so far had that blinded and most vicious man, the Prince—most vicious, we call him, for he neither spared man's wife nor maiden, no more after his marriage than he did before—so far, we say, had he given himself to obey the tyranny of those bloody beasts that he had made a solemn vow, that none should be spared that was suspected of heresy, yea, although it were his own son. He lacked not flatterers enough to press and push him forward in his fury. Many of his minions were pensioners to priests; and among them, Oliver Sinclair, still surviving and an enemy to God, was the principal.

God speaks to the King.

Yet did not God cease to give to that blinded Prince documents[29] that some sudden plague was to fall upon him, if he did not repent his wicked life; and that his own mouth did confess. For, after Sir James Hamilton was beheaded, justly or unjustly we dispute not, this vision came unto him, as he himself did declare to his familiars. The said Sir James appeared unto him, having in his hands a drawn sword. With this he struck both arms from the King, saying to him, "Take that, until thou receivest a final payment for all thy impiety." He showed this vision, with sorrowful countenance, on the morrow; and shortly thereafter his two sons died, both within the space of twenty-four hours; some say, within the space of six hours. In his own presence, George Steel, his greatest flatterer, and the greatest enemy to God that was in his Court, dropped off his horse, and died without word, on the same day that, in open audience of many, the said George had refused his portion of Christ's kingdom, if the prayers of the Virgin Mary should not bring him there.

Men of good credit can yet report a terrible vision the said Prince saw, when lying in Linlithgow, on the night that Thomas Scott, Justice Clerk, died in Edinburgh. Affrighted at midnight, or after, he cried for torches, and raised all that lay in the Palace. He told that Thomas Scott was dead; for he had been at him with a company of devils, and had said unto him these words, "O woe to the day that ever I knew thee or thy service; for, for serving thee against God, against His servants, and against justice, I am adjudged to endless torment." Of the terrible utterances of the said Thomas Scott before his death, men of all estates heard, and some that yet live can witness. His words were ever, "Justo Dei judicio condemnatus sum"; that is, I am condemned by God's just judgment. He was most oppressed for the delation and false accusation of such as professed Christ's Evangel, as Master Thomas Marjoribanks and Master Hew Rigg, then advocates, did confess to Mr. Henry Balnaves. These came to him from the said Thomas Scott, as he and Mr. Thomas Bellenden were sitting in St. Giles's Kirk, and in the name of the said Thomas asked his forgiveness.

George Buchanan: his Arrest and Escape.

None of these terrible forewarnings could either change or mollify the heart of the indurate, lecherous, and avaricious tyrant: still did he proceed from impiety to impiety. In the midst of these admonitions he caused hands to be put on that notable man, Master George Buchanan to whom, for his singular erudition and honest behaviour was committed the charge of instructing some of his bastard children. But, by the merciful providence of God, Master George escaped the rage of those that sought his blood, albeit with great difficulty, and he remains alive to this day, in the year of God 1566, to the glory of God, to the great honour of his nation, and unto the comfort of those that delight in letters and virtue. That singular work of David's Psalms in Latin metre and poesy, besides many others, can witness the rare grace of God given to the man whom that tyrant, by instigation of the Grey Friars and of his other flatterers, would altogether have devoured, if God had not provided to his servant remedy by escape.

This cruelty and persecution notwithstanding, these monsters and hypocrites the Grey Friars, day by day, came further into contempt; for not only did the learned espy their abominable hypocrisy, but men, in whom no such grace or gifts were thought to have been, began plainly to paint the same forth to the people. …

When God had given unto that indurate Prince sufficient documents that his rebellion against His blessed Evangel should not prosperously succeed, He raised war against him, as He did against obstinate Saul, and in this he miserably perished, as we shall hear.

The broken Tryst.

The occasion of the war was this. Harry the Eighth, King of England, had a great desire to have spoken with our King; and with that object he travailed long until he got a full promise made to his ambassador, Lord William Howard. The place of meeting was to be at York; and the King of England kept the appointment with such solemnity and preparation as never, for such a purpose, had been seen in England before. There was great bruit[30] of that journey, and some preparation was made for it in Scotland: but in the end, by persuasion of the Cardinal Beaton and others of his faction, the journey was stayed, and the King's promise was falsified. Thereupon, sharp letters of reproach were sent unto the King, and also unto his Council. King Harry frustrated, returned to London; and, after declaring his indignation, began to fortify with men his frontiers fornent[31] Scotland. Sir Robert Bowes, the Earl of Angus, and his brother, Sir George Douglas, were sent to the Borders. Upon what other trifling questions, as, for example, the Debateable Land and such like, the war broke out, we omit to write. The principal occasion was the falsifying of the promise. Our King, perceiving that the war would rise, asked the prelates and kirkmen what support they would make to the sustaining of the same; for rather he would yet satisfy the desire of his uncle than would he hazard war, when he saw that his forces were not able to resist. The kirkmen promised mountains of gold, as Satan their father did to Christ Jesus if He would worship him. They would have gone to hell, rather than that he should have met with King Harry: for then, thought they, farewell our kingdom; and, thought the Cardinal, farewell his credit and glory in France. In the end, they promised fifty thousand crowns a year, to be well paid, so long as the wars lasted; and further, that their servants, and others that appertained unto them and were exempt from common service, should not the less serve in time of necessity.

War with England: 1542. Halden Rig.

These vain promises lifted up in pride the heart of the unhappy king: and so began the war. The realm was quartered, and men were laid in Jedburgh and Kelso. All men, fools we mean, bragged of victory; and in very deed the beginning gave us a fair show. For at the first warden raid, which was made on St. Bartholomew's Day, in the year of God 1542, the Warden, Sir Robert Bowes, his brother Richard Bowes, Captain of Norham, Sir William Mowbray, knight, a bastard son of the Earl of Angus, and James Douglas of Parkhead, then rebels, with a great number of borderers, soldiers, and gentlemen, were taken. The Raid was termed Halden Rig. The Earl of Angus, and Sir George his brother, did narrowly escape. Our papists and priests, proud of this victory, encouraged the King. There was nothing heard but, "All is ours. They are but heretics. If we be a thousand and they ten thousand, they dare not fight. France shall enter the one part, and we the other, and so shall England be conquered within a year." If any man was seen to smile at such vanity, he was no more than a traitor and a heretic. And yet, by these means, men had greater liberty than they had before, as concerning their conscience; for then ceased the persecution.

Fala Raid.

The war continued until mid September; and then was sent down the old Duke of Norfolk, with such an army as for a hundred years before had not come into Scotland. The English were engaged in amassing their forces, and setting forward their preparations and munitions, which were exceeding great, until mid October, and after. Then they marched from Berwick and tended to the west, ever holding Tweed upon their one side, and never camping more than a mile from that river during the whole time they continued in Scotland, which was ten or twelve days. Day forays were run to Smailholm, Stitchel, and such places near about, but many snappers[32] they got. They burned some corn, besides that which the great host consumed, but they carried away small booty. The King assembled his force at Fala, for he had information that they had proposed to advance on Edinburgh. Taking the muster all at one hour, two days before Halloween, there were found with him eighteen thousand able men. Ten thousand men, with the Earl of Huntly and Lords Erskine, Seton and Home, were upon the borders, awaiting the English army. These were adjudged men enough to hazard battle, albeit the enemy were estimated at forty thousand.

The Lords plot against the Courtiers.

While the King lay at Fala, waiting for the guns and for information from the army, the Lords began to remember how the King had been long abused by his flatterers, and principally by the pensioners of the priests. It was at once concluded that they would make some new remembrance of Lauder-bridge, to see if that would for a season somewhat help the state of the country. But the Lords amongst themselves could not agree upon the persons that deserved punishment. Every man favoured his friend, and the whole escaped; and, besides, the purpose was disclosed to the King, and by him to the courtiers. After that, until they came to Edinburgh, the courtiers stood in no little fear; but that was suddenly forgotten, as we shall hear.

The English Army retires.

While time was thus protracted, the English army, for scarcity of victuals, as was rumoured, retired over Tweed by night, and so began to skaill.[33] The King, informed of this, desired the Lords and Barons to assist him to follow them into England. With one consent, answer was given that they would hazard life and whatsoever they had to defend his person and the realm; but, as for invading England, neither had they so just title as they desired, nor could they be then able to do anything to the hurt of England, considering that they had now been long absent from their houses, their provisions were spent, their horses were wearied, and, greatest of all, the time of year did utterly forbid. This answer seemed to satisfy the King; for in words he praised their prudent foresight and wise counsel. But the mint[34] made to his courtiers, and that bold repulse of his desires given to him in his own face, wounded his proud heart. Long had he governed as he himself chose, and he decreed a notable revenge. This, no doubt, he would not have failed to have executed had not God, by His own hand, cut the cords of his impiety. He returned to Edinburgh; and the nobility, barons, gentlemen, and commons dispersed to their own habitations. This was on the second and third days of November.

The Courtiers and Priests plot against the Lords.

Without delay, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a new Council was convened, a Council, we mean, of the abusers of the King. There accusation was laid against the most part of the nobility. Some were heretics, some favourers of England, some friends to the Douglases, and so could there be none faithful to the King, in their opinion. The Cardinal and the priests cast faggots in the fire with all their force. Finding the King wholly given over to their devotion, they delivered unto him a scroll containing the names of such as they, in their inquisition, deemed heretics. For this was the order of justice kept by these holy fathers in damning innocent men. Whosoever would delate any one of heresy was heard; no respect or consideration was taken as to what mind the delater bare to the person delated. Whosoever were produced as witnesses were admitted, however suspicious and infamous they were. If two or three had proven any point that by their law was holden heresy, the delated person was a heretic. There remained no more to be done but to fix a day for his condemnation, and for the execution of their corrupt sentence. The world may this day consider what man could be innocent where such judges were party. True it is that by false judgment and false witnesses innocents have been oppressed from the beginning. But never gat the Devil his freedom to shed innocent blood except in the kingdom of Antichrist, "that the innocent should die, and neither know accuser nor yet the witnesses that testified against him." But how shall the Antichrist be known, if he be not contrarious to God the Father and His Son, Christ Jesus, in law, life, and doctrine. But this we omit.

"An Answer worthy of a Prince."

The Cardinal and prelates had once before presented the same scroll unto the King, at the time of his return from the circumnavigation of the Isles. But then it was refused by the prudent and stout counsel of the Laird of Grange, who opened clearly to the King the practice[35] of the prelates, and the danger that might ensue. The King, being out of his passion, was tractable, and after consideration gave answer in the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the Cardinal and prelates, when they had uttered their malice and shown what profit might arise to the crown if he would follow their counsel. "Pack you, Jesuits; get you to your charges, reform your own lives, and be not instruments of discord betwixt my nobility and me; or else, I avow to God, I shall reform you, not by imprisonment, as the King of Denmark does, nor yet by hanging and heading, as the King of England does, but I shall reform you by sharp whingers[36] if ever I hear such motion of you again." The prelates, dashed and astonished by this answer, had ceased for a season to attempt, by rigour against the nobility, to pursue their schemes any further.

Solway Moss: how it began.

But now, being informed of all proceedings by their pensioners, Oliver Sinclair, Ross, Laird of Craigie, and others who were faithful to them in all things, they concluded to hazard once again their former suit. This was no sooner proposed than it was accepted, with no small regret made by the King's own mouth that he had so long despised their counsel; "For," said he, "now I plainly see your words to be true. The nobility desire neither my honour nor continuance; they would not ride a mile for my pleasure to follow my enemies. Will ye therefore find me the means whereby I may have a raid made into England, without their knowledge and consent—a raid that may be known as my own raid—and I shall bind me to your counsel for ever." There concurred together Ahab and his false prophets; there were congratulations and clapping of hands; there were promises of diligence, closeness, and felicity.

Finally, conclusion was taken that the west border of England, which was most empty of men and garrisons, should be invaded; the King's own banner should be there; Oliver, the great minion, should be general lieutenant; but no man should be privy of the enterprise, except the council that was then present, until the very day and execution thereof. The Bishops gladly took the charge of that raid. Letters were sent to such as they would charge to meet the King, on a day and at a place appointed. The Cardinal was directed to go with the Earl of Arran to Haddington, to make a show against the east border, when the others were in readiness to invade the west. And thus neither counsel, practice, closeness, nor diligence lacked to set forward that enterprise. And, among these consulters, there was no doubt of a good success. So was the scroll thankfully received by the King himself, and put into his own pocket, where it remained to the day of his death, and then was found. In it were contained the names of more than a hundred landed men, besides others of meaner degree. Amongst these, the Lord Hamilton himself, then second person of the realm, was delated.

It was bruited that this raid was devised by the Lord Maxwell; but we have no certainty thereof. The night before the day appointed for the enterprise, the King was found at Lochmaben. To him came companies from all quarters, as they were appointed, no man knowing of another. No general proclamation had been made; all had been summoned by privy letters. Nor did the multitude know anything of the purpose until after midnight, when the trumpet blew, and all men were commanded to march forward, and to follow the King, who was supposed to be with the host. Guides were appointed to conduct them towards England, and these did so both faithfully and closely.

Upon the point of day, they approached to the enemies' ground; and passed the water without any great resistance made unto them. The foray went forward, fires rose, and herschip[37] might have been seen on every side. The unprepared people were altogether amazed; for, bright day appearing, they saw an army of ten thousand men, and their corn and houses upon every side sending flames of fire unto the heaven. To them it was more than a wonder that such a multitude could have been assembled and convoyed, without knowledge thereof coming to their wardens. They looked not for support, and so at the first they utterly despaired. Yet began they to assemble together, ten in one company, twenty in another; and, as the fray proceeded, their troops increased, but to no number; for Carlisle, fearing to have been assaulted, suffered no man to issue from the gates. Thus the greatest number that ever appeared or approached before the discomfiture, did not exceed three or four hundred men; and yet they made hot skirmishing, for, on their own ground, they were more expert in such feats.

About ten o'clock, when fires had been kindled and almost slokened[38] on every side, Oliver thought it time to show his glory. Incontinently,[39] the King's banner was displayed; Oliver was lifted up on spears upon men's shoulders, and there, with sound of trumpet, he was proclaimed general lieutenant, and all men were commanded to obey him, as the King's own person, under all highest pains. The Lord Maxwell, Warden, to whom properly appertained the regiment, in absence of the King, was present; he heard and saw all, but thought more than he spake. There were also present the Earls Glencairn and Cassillis, with the Lord Fleming, and many other Lords, Barons, and gentlemen of Lothian, Fife, Angus, and Mearns.

The Rout at Solway Moss.

In the meantime, the skirmishing grew hotter than it had been before: shouts were heard on every side. Some Scotsmen were stricken down; some, not knowing the ground, laired,[40] and lost their horses. Some English horses were of purpose let loose, to provoke greedy and imprudent men to prick at them: many did so, but found no advantage. While disorder arose more and more in the army, men cried in every ear, "My Lord Lieutenant, what will ye do?" Charge was given that all men should alight and go to array; for they would fight it. Others cried, "Against whom will ye fight? Yon men will fight none otherwise than ye see them do, if ye stand here until the morn." New purpose was taken that the footmen (they had with them certain bands of soldiers) should softly retire towards Scotland, and that the horsemen should take horse again, and follow in order. Great was the noise and confusion that was heard, while every man called his own slogan.[41] The day was nearly spent, and that was the cause of the greatest fear.

The Lord Maxwell, perceiving what would be the end of such beginnings, remained on foot with his friends, and, being admonished to take horse and provide for himself, answered, "Nay, I will here abide the chance that it shall please God to send me, rather than go home, and there be hanged." And so he remained on foot and was taken prisoner, while the multitude fled, to their greater shame. The enemy, perceiving the disorder, increased in courage. Before, they had shouted; but then they struck. They threw spears and dagged[42] arrows where the companies were thickest. Some rencounters were made, but nothing availed. The soldiers cast from them their pikes, culverins, and other weapons of defence; the horsemen left their spears; and, without judgment, all men fled. The tide was rising, and the water made great stop; but the fear was such that happy was he that might get a tacker.[43] Such as passed the water and escaped that danger, not well acquainted with the ground, fell into the Solway Moss. The entry to it was pleasing enough, but all that took that way, either tint[44] their horses or else themselves and horses both.

To be short, a greater fear and discomfiture, without cause, has seldom been seen. It is said that, where the men were not sufficient to take the hands of prisoners, some ran to houses and surrendered themselves to women. Stout Oliver was taken, without stroke, fleeing manfully; and so was his glory (stinking and foolish pride we should call it) suddenly turned to confusion and shame. In that discomfiture were taken the two Earls foresaid, the Lords Fleming and Somerville, and many other barons and gentlemen, besides the great multitude of servants.

Worldly men may think that all this came but by misorder and fortune, as they term it; but whosoever has the least spunk[45] of the knowledge of God, may as evidently see the work of His hand in this discomfiture, as ever was seen in any of the battles left to us on record by the Holy Ghost. For what more evident declaration have we that God fought against Benhadad, King of Aram, when he was discomfited at Samaria, than that which we have that God fought with His own arm against Scotland? In the former discomfiture, two hundred and thirty persons in the skirmish, with seven thousand following them in the great battle, did put to flight the said Benhadad, with thirty kings in his company. But here, in this shameful discomfiture of Scotland, very few more than three hundred men, without knowledge of any back or battle to follow, did put to flight ten thousand men without resistance made. There did every man rencounter his marrow,[46] until the two hundred slew such as matched them. Here, without slaughter, the multitude fled. There those of Samaria had the prophet of God to comfort, to instruct, and to promise victory unto them. England, in that pursuit, had nothing. But God by His providence secretly wrought in these men that knew nothing of His working, nor yet of the causes thereof; no more than did the wall that fell upon the rest of Benhadad's army know what it did. Therefore, yet again we say that such as behold not in that sudden dejection the hand of God, fighting against pride for the freedom of His own little flock, unjustly persecuted, do willingly and maliciously obscure the glory of God. But the end was yet more notable.

The Blow falls on the King.

The King waited upon news at Lochmaben, and when the certain knowledge of the discomfiture came to his ears he was stricken with a sudden fear and astonishment, so that scarcely could he speak, or hold purposed converse with any man. The night constrained him to remain where he was, and so he went to bed; but he rose without rest or quiet sleep. His continual complaint was, "Oh, fled Oliver! Is Oliver ta'en? Oh, fled Oliver!" These words in his melancholy, and as if he were carried away in a trance, he repeated from time to time, to the very hour of his death. Upon the morn, which was St. Katherine's Day, he returned to Edinburgh, as did the Cardinal from Haddington. But the one being ashamed of the other, the bruit of their communication came not to the ears of the public. The King made inventory of his poise,[47] and of all his jewels and other substance; and departed to Fife. Coming to Hallyards, he was humanely received by the Lady Grange, an ancient and godly matron: the Laird was absent. There were in his company only William Kirkaldy, now Laird of Grange, and some others that waited upon his chamber. At supper, the lady, perceiving him pensive, began to comfort him, and urged him to take the work of God in good part. "My portion of this world is short," he replied, "for I will not be with you fifteen days." His servants, repairing unto him, asked where he would have provision made for Yuletide, which then approached. He answered with a disdainful smirk, "I cannot tell: choose ye the place. But this I can tell you, ye will be masterless before Yule day, and the realm without a King." Because of his displeasure, no man durst make contradiction unto him. After he had visited the Castle of Carny, pertaining to the Earl of Crawford, where was the said Earl's daughter, one of his paramours, he returned to Falkland and took to bed. No sign of death appeared about him, but he constantly affirmed that, before such a day, he would be dead.

The Birth of Mary Stuart.

In the meantime the Queen was upon the point of her delivery in Linlithgow, and on the eighth day of December, in the year of God 1542, was delivered of Mary, that then was born, and now does reign for a plague to this realm, as the progress of her whole life to this day hath declared. The certainty that a daughter was born unto him coming to his ears, the King turned from such as spake with him, and said, "The devil go with it! It will end as it began: it came from a woman; and it will end in a woman." After that, he spake not many words that were sensible. But ever he harped upon his old song, "Fie, fled Oliver! Is Oliver ta'en? All is lost."

The Death of James V.

In the meantime came the Cardinal, in the King's great extremity, an apt comforter for a desperate man. He cried in his ear, "Take order, Sire, with your realm: who shall rule during the minority of your daughter? Ye have known my service, what will ye have done? Shall there not be four regents chosen, and shall not I be principal of them?" Whatsoever the King answered, documents were taken that things should be as my Lord Cardinal thought expedient. As many affirm, a dead man's hand was made to subscribe a blank, that they might write above the signature what pleased them best. This finished, the Cardinal posted to the Queen. At the first sight of the Cardinal, she said, "Welcome, my Lord. Is not the King dead?" Divers men are of divers opinions as to what moved her so to conjecture. Many whisper that of old his part was in the pot, and that the suspicion thereof caused him to be inhibited the Queen's company. Howsoever it may have been before, it is plain that, after the King's death, and during the Cardinal's life, whosoever might guide the Court, he got his secret business sped by that gracious lady, either by day or by night. Whether the tidings liked her or not, she mended with as great expedition of that daughter as ever she did before of any son she bare. The time of her purification was accomplished sooner than the Levitical law appoints: but she was no Jewess, and therefore in that she offended not.

King James departed this life on the thirteenth day of December, in the year of God 1542, and on news thereof the hearts of men began to be disclosed. All men lamented that the realm was left without a male to succeed; yet some rejoiced that such an enemy to God's truth was taken away. By some he was called a good poor-man's king; by others he was termed a murderer of the nobility, and one that had decreed their utter destruction. Some praised him for suppressing theft and oppression; others dispraised him for the defiling of men's wives and of virgins. Men spake as affection led them. And yet none spake altogether beside the truth; for all these things were in part so manifest that, as the virtues could not be denied, so could not the vices be cloaked by any craft.

The Cardinal claims the Regency.

Throughout this realm the question of government was universally moved. The Cardinal proclaimed the King's last will. Therein were nominated four Protectors or Regents, of whom he himself was the first and principal, with him being joined the Earls Huntly, Argyll, and Moray. This was done on the Monday at the Market Cross of Edinburgh. But on the Monday following the whole Regents had remission from their usurpation. By the stout and wise counsel of the Laird of Grange, the Earl of Arran, then second person to the Crown, caused assemble the nobility of the realm, and required the equity of their judgment in his just suit to be governor of this realm during the minority of her to whom he would succeed, in the event of her death without lawful succession. His friends convened, the nobility assembled, and the day of decision was appointed. The Cardinal and his faction opposed themselves to the government of one man, and especially to the regiment of any called Hamilton: "For who knows not," said the Cardinal, "that the Hamiltons are cruel murderers, oppressors of innocence, proud, avaricious, double, and false; and, finally, the pestilence in this commonwealth." Thereto the said Earl answered, "Defraud me not of my right, and call me what ye please. Whatsoever my friends have been, unto this day no man has had cause to complain upon me, nor am I minded to flatter any of my friends in their evil doing. By God's grace I shall be as forward to correct their enormities as any within the realm can reasonably require of me. And therefore, yet again, my Lords, in God's name I crave that ye do me no wrong, nor defraud me of my just title, before ye have experience of my government." At these words, all that feared God or loved honesty were so moved that with one voice they cried, "That petition is most just, and unless we would act against God, justice, and equity, it cannot be denied."