Knox to the Geneeal Assembly.^
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pryde of flesche be beaten doun, nether be ye discouraged, albeit that iniquitie prosper before the worlde
; for the tyme of their felicitie, which troubleth yow for the present, shall be short : joyne not with them, therefore, as ye will avoyde plagues present, and condampnation eternall.
Be faithfull and loving one to another : let bitternes and suspicion be farre out of your hartes ; and let everie one watche for the preservation of another, without grudgeiug or murmuring
; being assured, that as God hath appointed yow to suffer affliction for righteousnes sake, so^hath he appointed yow to posses_an kingdome, wherein nether Sathan, sin, nor deith, shall have power to molest yow.
Eejoice in the Lord, that he hath compted yow worthie to suffer for_Jiis Name's sake.
Pray for me, Brethren, that I may feght my battell laughfullie to the end.
The Lord Jesus preserve yow now and ever.
Amen.
Of Sanctandrois, the 17th of Julij 157L Your Brother to power in Christ Jesus, JoHNE Knox.
If I might wryte, I wolde exhort yow to remember, that by many tribulationes we must enter in the Kingdome of Heaven.
XCVII.
Knox to the Geneeal Assembly.^ The mightie Spirit of comfort, ivisdome, and concord in God, remaine ever with you.
Amen.
Deake Brethken,—If abilitie of bodie wald have suffered, I sould not have troublit you with this my rud dytement.
I have ^ This letter, accompanied with a tov juaKapirov Cygnea Cantio, sive EpisLatia translation, was subjoined to a tola quam in lecto doloris sui scripsit tract entitled, " Gemitus Ecclesise Scotiad nationalem Synodum Ecclesiae Scoticanpe, sive Tractatus de Sacrilegio," etc., canje qiise Sterlini celebrabatur, mense Jo. Forbesii, SS. Theol. Doct., printed at Augusto, a. d.
1571;" and adds this Aberdeen, 1631, 4to (sig. G.
1, 2).
The note, " Hanc gravem tanti viri praeauthor, Dr. John Forbes of Corse, gives monitionem libnit adjungere threno lachit this title:—" Magistri Joannis Knoxi rymantis Ecclesiae ad finem tractatiis
; ;
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not forgot qubat was laid to my charge be famous lybells the last Assemblie, and qubat a brag the adversaries made personallie to accuse me at this Assemblie, quhilk I pray you patiently to heare, and judge of me as ye will ansuer to God for unto you, unto that held, submitt I my selfe ; being assurit that I neither offendit God, nor yet good men, in any thing that hitherto lies bein laid to my charge.
And now, Brethren, because the dayly decay of naturall strenth threatens unto me certaine and sudden departure fra the miseries of this lyfe of "love and conscience I exhort you, yea, in the feare of God, I charge and command you, that ye take held to your selvis and the flock over the quhilk God has placit you pastours.
To discourse of the behaviour of your selves, I may not ; but to command you to be faithful to the flock, I dare not cease.
Unfaithfull and traitours to the flock sail ye be before the Lord Jesus, if that, with your cuiisfiit, direetlie or indirectlie, ye suffer unworthie men to be thrust in into the ministrie of the Kirk, under qubat pretence that ever it be.
Eemember "the" Judge befor quhom ye must make account, and resist that tyiTannie, as ye wald avoyd hell's fyre.
This battell, I grant, will be hard ; bot in the second it will be harder ; that is, that with the lyke uprightnes and strenth in God, ye gainstand the mercilesse devourers of the patrimonie of the Kirk.
If men will spoyle them, let them doe it to their awin perill and condemnatioun ; but communicat not ye with their sinnes, of qubat estate soevir they be, neither be consent nor yet be silence ; but be publick protestation make this knowen unto the world, that ye are innocent of sick robberie : quhilk will, or it be long, provocke God's vengeance on the committers therof ; quhereof ye will seik redresse of God and man.
God give you wisdoms nostri Je Sacrilegio, qui iuscribitur Gelingua ab autore olim scripta est, et mitus JSccleslce Scoticance.
Atque ut adhuc in Synodi ilHus arcbivis exstat, omnes suis oculis videant, qiiam sit fideexhibeo."
These archives unfortunately liter in Latinumsermonem translata haec do not exist.
F.nistola, ipsani, piout vulgari nostra
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and strength, knowlege and courage in so just a cause, and me a happie end.
Of Sanctandrois, the 3d of August 1571.
Your Brother in Christ Jesus, JoHNE Knox.
[This letter (says Calderwood) was read, considered witli mature deliberation and allowed in all points
; with firme purpose to doe and proceed according to the godlie counsell contained therein, touching the affairs of the whole Kirk.
And, as concerning his own part contained in the said letter, the Assemblie ordained all persons to be warned at the Tolbuith door, that had or pretended to have any tlimg to lay to the charge of the Superintendents or Ministers, either presently conveened or absent from the Assemblie, to compear before the dissolving of the same and accuse, if they had any just matter but chiefly those that gave infamous lybells at the last Assemblie holden in Edinburgh, in the moneth of Marche last by past ; promising to hear their accusations, to try the same and to minister justice therein, in so farre as in them lyeth, according to God's word].
XCVIII.
Alexander Hay to Kjnox.^ Sir,—Keturning yisternycht to Leith, I met with Eichard [Baunatyne], be whome I thocht meit to send yow thir few lynis, with my maist heartlie commendatiounes.
I wald be glaid to write to you guid newis in our expeditione at this journay; but I know weill ye layke not to be abused with uncertanties and untreuthis : yit according to my knowledge and opinione, ye sail imderstand as I can lerne.
The Lord Hunisdaill^ had ample commissione ; but, as now appeiris, sa ' From Richard Bannatyne's Memotyne's MS. his name occurs as Hunisrials, compared with CaldevwooJ's MSS. daill, and Hunnisdoun indiscriminately ^ Henry Carey was created Baron of He was ajipointcd about this tinie GoHuiisdon, in Hertfordshire.
In Bannavernor of Berwick, by Queen Elizabctli.
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restricted be instructiones, as he could do nothing but niinasse thame in the Castle, and heir what on our pairt was craved and offered ; and swa to adverteis the Queine and Counsall.
The Merschell was in full reddines to pas to the court, when we come from Berwicke this last Weddinsday.
He lies with him the writtis of baith, and is to give iuformatioune of the stait of this cuntrie ; whairupoun it is thocht resolutioune salbe tackeu auent the sending out of ane arniie, whairof thair is alreddie some licklieheid, bot no sic fordwardnes as our necessitie craves.
The matter is apparent to continow in suspence, while the Merschelis returning, who lies not only the iuformatioune of both pah'ties in Scotland, but the opiniones of the Captanes and best experimeutit men of warre in Berwicke, how the enterpryse may be performed.
He luikis to have the conducting of the forces ; yit utheris judges that men of gritter calling salbe imployit in that service, and that whensoever the power cumis, it salbe gritter nor we have requyred or yit luikis for.
The first assay that the Castle lies gottin is be boasting and perswasiones ; it is thocht iiixt it salbe persewed be offering silver for it ; and lastly by force ; and in cais it be recoverit be ony of the last meanes, men doubtis that the Queine of England sail not be content to want it hir self, for hir suirtie, at this hand.
Sua I can not tell what to say, but to behald what it salbe Godis pleisour to worke.
The cauldnes of the dealing of England puttis mony in a brangle : and yit I feir they laike nocht reasone to give for the fassione of thair doing ; for thei ar acquentit weill aneughe with our natures, and ar not ignorant of our fetches, as thei dissemble not in thair speiking, as I lament thair is sa just cans : for gif it wer ather peace or weir, some ressonabill order of leving wer for men.
Bot as it is, all true and honest men ar wreakit, every noblman having his particular intelligence, with ane at leist to whome he is patrone, althocht it be of the cheifest enemies to the Kingis obedience and commone cans.
When England findis us craving ayde to suppres
LETTERS, ETC.
the adversareis in general!, and yit every uoblnian to procuire the savetie of ane of the cheifest in particular, na doubt thai smell our doingis, and ar the mair slaw to resolve in ony thing tuiching us.
Now I wearie you, and sua will mak ane end.
I was desyred be the guid wyfe, the Gierke of Eegisteris wyfe, to send you the copeis of some thingis, according to a memorie left with Eichard ; whairof I have part, and uther part ar not in my handis.
My absence this whyle hes stayed that I could not satisfie yow ; but alsfare as I can I sail fulfill that memorie, and sic thingis farther as ye thinke worthie, being in my handis, upoun your adverteisment I sail travell to seike thaim.
Thus efter my most heartlie commendatiounes, I conimitt you in the protectione of the Almichtie.
At Leith, the first of December, 1571.
Youris assuiredly to command, Alexander Hay.^ XCIX.
Alexander Hay to Knox.
Sir,—I ressavit your writting of the vi of this moneth fra the Superintendent, not long befoir Johne Brand delyverit to me Eichard Bannatyne's letter of the 14 of November, which I had not sene quhen himself was heir.
I had no commoditie to write at the depairtore of the Superintendent, nor knew not certanly his dyet.
As to the lettres writtin be you to my Lord the last Eegent, now resting with God, I can not certainlie affirme whidder I half it or not ; bot gif it be in my handis, it is in Striveling, whair I sail searche for it, at my passing thither ; and gif I haif it, I sail send it to yow.
I have no farder certantie of the Englishe resolutiounes, toward our estait, nor I had at my last wryting to you, for no '
Alexander Hay of Easter Kennet Lord of Session in 1579, and died 19th was Clerk of the Privy Council in 1564, of September 1594.— (Senators of Coland Director of Chancery in 1577.
He lege of Justice, \). 175.) was apiminted Clerk Register and a
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ansuer is returned frome the court.
The Lord Hunisdailis dealing is nocht pleising : whither his owin imperfectiones of nature, or commandement, is the occasione, I will not yit judge.
They have set in England our Queinis lyfe and proces, both in Latine and Engiis ; whairin is conteinet the discourse of our tragicall doingis ; the proces of the Erie of BothueUs clengeing, hir sonnetis and letteris to him ; the dispositiounes of the persones execute, and cartellis efter the Kingis murther.^ In apeirance they leive nothing unsett outj tending to hir infamy, and to make the Duke of JSTorthfolke odious, wha hes a grit benevolence of the people.
But thair slaw resolutiones in that cuntrey dois us grit harme heir, and is lyke aneughe, in worldlie appeirance, to prove incommodious to thame selvis at lenth.
We may not command, and swa necessarily man suffer.
Be comm one report of some comed from Flanderis, we heir the newis of the Turkis overthrowe affirmed, for the which fyres wer made in London ; that thair hes bene a Counsall at Bruxellis, and aid of money, men, and munitione granted to our adversaries, at the Lord Seatonis procurement.
He was twyse on the sea, and constrayned be tempest to returne.
It is said, the Cardinall of Lorane was at the same Counsall ; and that the Prince of Oreinge, with some uther princes of Germany and nobhnen of France, wer come to the fronteiris of Flanderis
; for resisting of whome, Duke D'Alva has drawin his men of warre from aU the tounis whair thai lay in garaysoun, and send them to the fronteiris :
That thair is a guid number of schipis at Dover-raid, and utheris the narrow sies, under the name of the Prince of Oreinge, whilkis hes taken mony of the buscheis and thair wachteris ; and that thir shippis of the Prince of Oreinge
^ Buchanan's well known treatise, in other, "Ane Detectioun of theDuinges Latin as well as in English, appears of Marie Quene of Scottes, louchand the from this letter to have been printed murder of hir Husband," etc.
There at the end of the year 1571, apparently is also a Scottish version, " Ane Deat London, by John Daye.
The one is tectioun," etc., " Impreutit at Sanct entitled, " De Maria Scotorum Regina, Androis be Robert Lekprenik, AnncDo. etc., plena et tragica Historia."
The m.d.lxxh." sm. 8vo.
VOL. VI.
2 Q
; .
GIO
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lies oversicht to make sale of tliair weiris in ony pairt of the King of France liis dominiones ; which apeiris strange, gif it be trew, on the uther pairt, that the Cardinall was at the Connsall in Bruxellis.
It is reported also, that the Admiral [Coligny] is returnet to his house, and the Cardinall of Lorane returned to the Court of France ; that the marriage haldis fordward l^etwixt the Prince of Nawarre, and Madame Claud, the King of Frances sister ; and that the same prognosticateth a warre betwix France and Spaine.
The Admirall hes gottin the Kingis licence that the Protestantes may contribute amonges thaim selves, for payment of the money borrowed fra the Queine of England during the tyme of the weiris ; and the toun of Deip has elis payit fyve thowsand franckis, as ane pairt of that contributioune.
As I gett knowledge farder in forane materis, ye sail, God willing, be made participant.
Tliair hes bene some conference betwixt some of the Superintendentis and Ministeris, and my Lord Eegentis grace, and the Counsall, for agrienient in materis twiching the policie of the Kirke and dispositioun of benefices.
The mater is deflferit till the viii of Januar.
It seimes rather to differ in circumstances nor in effect ; and, to speike treuth, I find the Eegent willing and desyrous to have a forme agriet unto, whilk I traist he sould performe for his enterest.
The stay of the aggriement in this hinderis alsweill the cause of the Kirke as of the Estaite, whairof I wald wislie your habilitie myclit trie the best and the worst.
Gif ye have with you the buike I sent unto yow when I come from England, intitulat if^res Ji'cc/estVi's^tccp^w^^lsazl^^, or Reformatio Legum Ucclcsiasticarmn,^ which is the worke of Johiie
Foxe, I will i^ray yow send the same to me with this beirar ancl'T sail doe gudwill to send yow some uther buike to supplie the place of that, while I return it, gif ye thiiike it worth ; for ^ " Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasti1571, 4to.
Foxe was the editor, and curum," etc., Lond., ex offic. Job. Daii, wrote tlie Preface.
LETTERS, ETC.
sic thingis being in my handis as wer nieit to decoir the Historie.
I asked of yow befoir what were the thingis you thought meit, for I have sindrie thingis in my judgement not unmeit for that purpose.
And therefore, that I sail not be put to extraordinary paines to copie thingis that ye have alreddie, let me know gif ony of the thingis heirafter noted be convenient, and may serve your turne ?
Sic thingis as are newlie sett out, in print, I traist be not neidfull to be written ; as the Discours of the Quenis doingis, hir Lettres to the Erie Bothwell, the proces of his clenging and cartellis, all which are set out bayth in Latine and Euglis ; in the end of which Englis bulk thir sentences or conclusiones are written, whilkis I thought not gude heir to slip :
Now judge, Englischmen, if it be gud to change Quenis, uniting confounding !
Quhen rude Scotland hes vomited up ane poysoun, must fyne England lick it up for a restorative
O vyle indignitie !
Quhile your Quenis enemie liveth, hir dangir continueth ; desperate necessitie wyll dare the uttermost. cruell mercie ! ambitioun, fed with prosperitie, strengthened with indulgence, irritated with adversitie, not to be neglected, tmsted, nor pardouned ! ^ 1 have, bot thei ar in Striveling, the tuo processes of divorce betwix the Erie Bothwell and his wyfe.
Some proclamatiounes about that tyme.
Instructiones gevin to the Bischope of Dumb! ane to excuse that mariage.
Band of the Lordis befoir that mariage.
Declaratioune of the Queine that sho was at libertie, efter her reveissing.
' Corrected by the old English copy of Buchanan's Detection (1571).
LETTERS, ETC.
Proclamatioune, and bandis, at the Kingis Coronatioune and afoir.
Conditiones of the randering of Dumbar.
Some band maid about the Parliament, in December 1567.
Proclamationnes efter the feild of Longsyde.
Negotiations with England thairefter, while we past to Yorke; and all the publict proces we had in England.
-Articles at Glasgow, in Merche 1561.
Ordour for the theives at the Bordeouris.
Articles of agriement with the Erie of Huntlie, Lord Ogilvie, Erie of Crawfurd, Macqyntosche, Laird of Grant.
New band of thaim with relapse.
Projectis brocht hame with Mr. Johne Wood, whairon foliowit the an Slier at the Conventione at Perth.
The order tacking with the theivis, in October 1569.
Proclamationnes be the Erie of Sussex, twiching the rebellione in the north of England.
Actis and doingis efter the murther of the Erie of MuiTay, Eegent.
Proclamatioune at the incuming of the Englismen to Hammiltoun.
The constitutione of the Erie of Lennox, Eegent.
And finallie, all sic comnone thingis as past registeris ar in my handis, and salbe at commandement how sone I have commoditie to be in the rowme whair thei ar ; and mon have thame copeit out of the buikis, or whair thei ar in scrollis sail send the scrollis.
Thus having too long trublet yow, efter my maist heartlie commendatiounes, committis vow in the protectione of the Almychtie God.
At Leyth, the xiiii day of December, 1571, Youris assuiredlie to use and command, A. Hay.
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Theodore Beza to John Knox, his very dear Brother
AND FeLLOW-MESTISTER.-^
Although, my Kuox, we are in body separated by so great a distance both of land and sea, yet I have not the least doubt that there has always existed, and that there will exist to the last between ns, that complete union of mind which is confirmed by the bond of one and the same spirit and faith.
And truly I believe that this Church of Geneva especially is often in your thoughts, as we, in our turn, have you in continual remembrance before God, which most holy reciprocity of spirit almost solely sustains me, and you also where you are, as I think, amidst so great a confusion of himian affairs
; for, albeit they^ whose citizenship is in heaven, ought to have their whole dependence on heaven, as those who, being in the body, are ab"seht from the Lord, yet in mind sit together in heavenly places, still there is no reason why, however weak and ineffectual are those things which have the appearance of some strength and firmness, we should not contemplate heaven as it were situated on earth, the goodness, namely, of God (as seen) in his own people.
From the surest proofs, I infer that the Scottish churches are such, that the numerous and severe and ^ contmued attacks of Satan, the like of which I believe no nation has hitherto borne within so few years, have not succeeded in corrupting among them the purity of doctrine, or in changing the rule of strict discipline neglected by so many nations.
Blessed be the Lord our God, who has gifted thee, my brother, as placed at the helm, and others as rowers and under-rowers, with such constancy and courage.
It is a great gift of God, that you carried together into Scotland both pure religion and good order, the bond by which doctrine is secured.
I beseech and implore you, that ye so keep those two together, ^ The original is No. Ixxis. p. 314, iu Liber Unns," edit. 1573
; p. 314.
Gethe " Epistolurum, etc.
Tlieod. Bez;e, nevpe, 1575.
See supra, p. 562.
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that you may always remember, that wlieii one is lost the other cannot long endure.
This, certainly, both the very nature of things (for who would expect that laws could be rightly observed except by appointing guardians and executors of them ?)
And also experience itself, the teacher even of fools, teach us by the example of those nations, to whom chiefly through this error, which the people will not allow to be corrected, it is \ certain that at this day the gospel is proclaimed in judgment ! rather than in mercy (I except a very few of the elect of God).
But of this also, my Knox, which is now almost patent to our very eyes, I would remind yourself and the other brethren, that as Bishops brouglit forth the Papacy, so will false Bishops i (the relicts of Popery) shall bring in Epicurism into the world.
Let those wdio devise the safety of the Church avoid this pestilence, and when in process of time you shall have subdued that plague in Scotland, do not, I pray you, ever admit it again, however it may flatter by the pretence of preserving unity7 which deceived even many of the best of those of former times.
As to our own affairs, while you in your country are occupied with tragedies such as the whole of Greece never acted in its N tlieatres, w^e meantime have for six whole years been struggling
! with the plague, nor have we yet finished the conflict, which truly has destroyed no fewer than twelve thousand persons in this, as you know, rather small town.
Although, however, both evils are sent by God to chastise us for oiir sins, yet we know what a difference that most wise and most experienced prophet
David, when bidden to choose his punishment, judged to exist between our chastisement and yours.
Your struggle, therefore, was even harder than ours.
But blessed be the Lord who has so tried us in this furnace, that he has consumed neither, and may he grant, that by such chastisement we may at length be made wiser.
Our city indeed is not as you saw" it.
The benches of our school, formerly not quite full, are now empty.
One or another also of ourselves lias severely tried us ; but we are still