In the end of January the Queen past to Fyfe,[1062] and visiting the Gentlemen"s houses, was magnificently banquetted every where, so that such superfluity was never seen before within this Realme; which caused the wilde fowl to be so dear, that partridges were sold for a crown a piece. At this time was granted by an Act of Parliament, the confirmation of the feues of Church Lands, at the desire of divers Lords, whereof the Earle of Murray was chief. During the Queen"s absence, the Papists of Edinburgh went down to the Chappell to hear Ma.s.se; and seeing there was no punishment, they waxed more bold: some of them thinking thereby to please the Queen, upon a certain Sunday in February, they made an Even-song of their own, setting two Priests on the one side of the quire, and one or two on the other side, with Sandy Stevin, Menstrall, (baptizing their children, and making marriages,) who, within eight days after, convinced of blasphemy, alleadging, That he would give no more credit to the New Testament than to a tale of Robin Hood,[1063] except it were confirmed by the Doctors of the Church. The said superst.i.tious Even-song was the occasion of a great slander, for many were offended with it; which being by the Brethren declared to the Lords of the Privy Councell, especially to the Earle of Murray, who lamented the cause to the Queen"s Majestie, shewing her what inconveniency should come if such things were suffered unpunished: And, after sharp reasoning, it was promised, That the like should not be done hereafter: The Queen also alleadged, That they were a great number; and that she could not trouble their conscience.
[1062] The Queen left Edinburgh on the 19th January 1564-5. Randolph, who followed soon after, transmitted to England an interesting account of his interviews with her at St. Andrews. (Chalmers" Life of Queen Mary, vol. i. p. 123-127. Keith"s Hist., vol. ii. p. 261.) She afterwards visited Wemyss Castle. where she received Darnley"s first visit, on the 16th February, and returned to the Palace of Holyrood on the 24th of that month.
[1063] Randolph, in a letter to Cecil, dated 20th March 1564-5, refers to the excesses of both parties at this time; and in particular, that "one of the Queen"s chappel, a singing man, said, that he believed as well a tale of Robin Hood as any word is written in the Old Testament or New." He further adds, the Queen"s "own Ma.s.s, and the resort into it; such blasphemies as there unpunished; her will to continue Papistry, and her desire to have all men live as they list, so offendeth the G.o.dly men"s consciences, and so many besides that desire alteration, that it is continually feared that these matters will shortly break out to some greater mischief."
About the 20. of this moneth, arrived at Edinburgh, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley;[1064] from thence he pa.s.sed to Fyffe: And in the place of Weemes he was admitted to kisse the Queen"s hand; whom she liked so well, that she preferred him before all others, as shall hereafter, G.o.d willing, be declared. Soon after, in the moneth of March, the Earle Bothwell arrived out of France; whereat the Earle of Murray was highly offended, because of the evil report made to him of the Lord Bothwell; and pa.s.sing immediately to the Queen"s Majestie, demanded of her, If it was her will, or by her advice, that he was come home; and seeing he was his deadly enemy, either he or the other should leave the countrey, and therefore desired that he might have justice.
Her answer was, That seeing the Earle Bothwell was a n.o.bleman, and had done her service, she could not hate him: Nevertheless she would do nothing that might be prejudiciall to the Erle of Murray, but desired that the matter might be taken away. Within few days she caused summon the Earle Bothwell to answer to the course of law the 2d of May, for the conspiracy which the Earle of Arrane had alledged two years before, and for the breaking of the ward of the Castle. In the meanwhile there was nothing in the Court but banquetting, balling, and dancing, and other such pleasures as were meet to provoke the disordered appet.i.te; and all for the entertainment of the Queen"s cousin from England, the Lord Darnley, to whom she did shew all the expressions imaginable of love and kindenesse.[1065]
[1064] Henry Lord Darnley, then in the twentieth year of his age, arrived in Edinburgh, on the 13th February 1564-5. After visiting the Queen at Wemyss Castle, in Fife, on the 16th, he proceeded to Dunkeld, where his father the Earl of Lennox was residing; but he hastened back to Edinburgh to wait the Queen"s arrival at Holyrood.--In both edit.
1644, his name is always printed "Darley."
[1065] Within a month of Darnley"s arrival in Scotland, Queen Mary had fixed her affections on him, as her proposed husband, and to communicate this to Queen Elizabeth, was the main object of Lethington"s mission to the English Court. He had arrived there on the 18th April, and had returned to Edinburgh on the 13th May 1565.
(Chalmers"s Life of Queen Mary, vol. iii p. 551.)
Within few days, the Queen being at Sterlin, order was given to Secretary Lethington to pa.s.s to the Queen of England. The chief point of his message was, to declare to the Queen of England, That the Queen was minded to marry her cousin the Lord Darnley; and the rather, because he was so near of blood to both Queens: for by his mother, he was cousin-german to the Queen of Scotland, also of near kindred, and of the same name by his father: His mother was cousin-german to the Queen of England. Here mark G.o.d"s providence: King James the Fifth having lost his two sons, did declare his resolution to make the Earle of Lenox his heir of the Crown; but he prevented by sudden death, that design ceased. Then came the Earle of Lenox from France, with intention to marry King James his widow; but that failed also: He marries Mary[1066] Dowglas, and his son marrieth Mary, King James the Fifth his daughter. And so the King"s desire is fulfilled, to wit, The Crown continueth in the name and in the family. The Queen of England, nevertheless, shewed her self nothing pleased therewith, but rather declared, That she would in no wise suffer her subjects to make such contracts or alliance that might be prejudiciall to her; and for the same purpose sent a post to the Queen with letters, wherein she complained greatly of the mind of our Mistris, seeing the great affection she bare to her, intending to declare her heretrix of her Realme of England, providing only that she would use her counsell in marriage; but she could not approve her Marriage with the Lord Darnley, although he was their near cousin by birth, since he was below the rank of the Queen by condition, being but a private subject.
At the same time she wrote to the Earle of Lenox, and to his son, commanding them to repair both into England. Some write, That all this was but counterfeit by the Queen of England, and from her heart she was glad of the marriage, for by that means the Succession of the Crown of England was secured, the Lord Darnley being the right heir after the Queen of Scotland: and Queen Elizabeth was not angry to see her married to one of inferior rank, for by that means she thought the Scots Queen would be less proud.
[1066] An error in both edit. 1644 for Lady Margaret Douglas: see page 336, note 2.
[Sidenote: At this time an Italian named Davie, entered in great familiarity with the Queen so that there was nothing done without him.]
During this time there were certain letters directed to the Brethren of Edinburgh, to Dundie, Fyfe, Angus, and Mernes, and other places, from the Brethren of Kyle, and other places in the West Countrey, desiring the professors of the Evangel in all places, to remember what the Eternall G.o.d had wrought, and how potently he had abolished all kind of idolatry and superst.i.tion, and placed his word in this Realm, so that no man could say otherwise but it was the work of G.o.d, who also had delivered this countrey from the bondage and tyranny of strangers: Nevertheless by our slothfulness, we have suffered that idol the Ma.s.se not only to be planted again, but to increase so, that the maintainers thereof are like, by all appearance, to get the upper hand, which would be the occasion of our destruction: And for that the Papists purposed to set up their idol at Easter following, in all places, which was to be imputed to the slothfulness and want of G.o.dly zeal of the professors. Therefore they admonished the Brethren to strive to avert the evil in time, and not to suffer such wickedness to continue and encrease, lest G.o.d"s heavy wrath come upon us unawares like a consuming fire. By these letters many Brethren were animated, and their spirits wakened, minding to provide as G.o.d should give them grace. And first of all, by the advice of the most learned in Edinburgh, there was a Supplication made, and given to the Queen"s Majestie by the Superintendent of Lowthian, containing, in effect, That the Church in generall of the Realme, had divers times most humbly craved of her Majesty, That committers of adultery should be punished according to the law of G.o.d and the Acts of Parliament, nevertheless they continued in their wickednes; and the Papists, of obstinate malice, pretended nothing else but to erect and set up their idolatry and superst.i.tion; and at Easter day following, they intended to put the same in practice, which the Brethren and Professors of the Evangel could not suffer; therefore wished her Majestie to take heed of the matter.
This Supplication the Secretary received of the hands of the Superintendents of Lowthian and Glasgow, and told them, in the Queen"s name, That there should be such provision made as should serve to their contentment: And for the same purpose, the Queen"s Majestie writ to all such places as were suspected, especially to the Bishop of Saint Andrewes and Aberdeine, (as was said,) not to use any Ma.s.se, and that they should not do any such thing as was feared by the Protestants, or convene any Councell, and thereto commanded them. Now the Communion was administred in Edinburgh, the 1st day of April 1565: At which time, because it was near Easter, the Papists used to meet at their Ma.s.se; and as some of the Brethren were diligent to search such things, they having with them one of the Bayliffs, took one Sir James Carvet, riding hard, as he had now ended the saying of the Ma.s.se, and conveyed him, together with the master of the house, and one or two more of the a.s.sistants, to the Tolbuith, and immediately revested him with all his garments upon him, and so carried him to the Market-Crosse, where they set him on high, binding the chalice in his hand, and himself fast tyed to the said Crosse, where he tarried the s.p.a.ce of one hour; during which time the boyes served him with his Easter eggs. The next day following, the said Carvet, with his a.s.sistants, were accused and convinced by an a.s.size, according to the Act of Parliament: And albeit for the same offence he deserved death, yet for all punishment, he was set upon the Market-Crosse for the s.p.a.ce of three or four hours, the hangman standing by, and keeping him, the boyes and others were busie with eggs casting; and some Papists there were that stopped as far as they could: And as the presse of people encreased about the Crosse, there appeared to have been some tumult. The Provost, Archibald Dowglas, came with some Halberdiers, and carried the Priest safe againe to the Tolbuith. The Queen being advertised, and having received sinister information that the Priest was dead, suddenly thought to have used and inflicted some extreme punishment; for she thought that all this was done in contempt of her, and of her Religion; and it was affirmed, That the Towne should have been sacked, and a great number executed to death: she sent to such as she plea.s.sed, commanding them to come to her at Edinburgh suddenly with their whole forces; and in the mean time she sent her Advocate, Master Spence of Condie, to Edinburgh, to take a sure triall of the matter. The Provost and Councell wrote to the Queen the truth of the matter as it was, desiring her Majestie to take the same in good part, and not to give credit to false reports, and therewith sent to her Majestie the processe and enrolment of the Court of the Priest convict. Thus the Queen"s Majestie being informed of the truth by her said Advocate, sent againe, and stayed the said meeting of men, and sent to the Town a grave Letter, whereof the copie followeth:--
_The Queen"s Letter to the Provest, Bailiffe, and Councell of Edinburgh._
"PROVEST, Bayliffe, and Councell of our Citie of Edinburgh, We received your letter from our Advocate, and understand by this report what diligence you took to stay the tumult in the late disorder attempted at Edinburgh; wherein, as you did your duty in suppressing the tumult, so can We not take in good part, nor think our self satisfied of so notorious a thing, without certain seditious persons, who were pleased to do justice perforce and without the Magistrates authoritie, be condignly and really punished for their rashnesse and misbehaviour; for if all private persons should usurpe to take vengeance at their own hands, what lies in ours? And to what purpose hath good laws and statutes been established? Since, therefore, We have never been obstinate to the due punishment of any offenders, prescribed by the lawes, but have alwayes maintained justice in that case without respect of persons, it is our will, and We command you, as you will answer to us upon your obedience and allegiance, that you will take before you certane of the most responsall persons which are declared authors of the said sedition, and usurpers of our authority, and to administer justice upon them, in such sort as We may know a sinceritie on your parts, and our authority no wayes slighted. But if you faile, perswade your selves, (and that shortly,) We will not oversee it, but will account this contempt not only to be in the committers thereof, but in yourselves, who ought to punish it, and relieve us on our part, remitting the rest to your diligence and execution, which We look for so soon as reason will permit.
"Subscribed with our hand at Sterlin, this 24. of April, Anno 1565."
By this manner of writing and high threatning, may be perceived how grievously the Queen"s Majestie would have been offended if the said Tarbot[1067] and Messe-monger had been handled according to his demerite, being not only a Papist idolater, but a manifest wh.o.r.emaster, and a common fighter and blasphemer; nevertheless, within few dayes the Queen charged the Provest and Bailiffs to set him at libertie, commanding them further, that no man should trouble nor molest him in any sort for whatsoever cause, and soon after rewarded him with a benefice, and likewise his a.s.sisters, John Low and John Kennedie, set at libertie in the same manner. At this Easter-tyde, in Sterlin, the Queen made her domestick servants use Papisticall rites and ceremonies, and more, she perswaded others by faire means to do the same, and threatned those that were most constant at the Earle of Ca.s.sels house.
[1067] So in both edit. 1644; but at page 476 the name is "Carvet."
Upon the second day of May 1565, conveened at Edinburgh, the Earl of Murray with his friends in great numbers, to keepe the day of law against the Earle of Bothwell; who being called, appeared not, only the Laird of Rickerton protested, That the personall absence of the Earle Bothwell should not be prejudiciall to him, by reason, that for just fear, which might happen in the heart of any man, since he had so potent an enemy as the Lord of Murray, who, next the Queen"s Majesty, was of greatest estimation and authority of any man within this Realm, to whom a.s.sisted at this present day of law, seven or eight hundred men, which force he could not resist, and therefore had absented himself; which protestation being made, those that had been sureties for his appearance, were outlawed. The said Earle Bothwell, a few dayes after, past into France, after he had been in Liddesdale, where, suspecting almost every man, he was not in great a.s.surance of his life, notwithstanding he was not put to the horne; for the Queen continually bore a great favour towards him, and kept him to be a souldier, as appeared within lesse than half a year; for she would not suffer the Lord Morton, nor my Lord Ariskin, my Lord of Murray"s great friends, to keep the day. There a.s.sisted my Lord of Murray, the Earles of Argyle, Glenearne, and Crawford, with great numbers, and many Lords and Barons, who for the most part conveened the same afternoon to treat and consult for the maintaining of Religion; where some articles were devised, and delivered to the Lord of Murray to be presented to the Queen"s Majestie and Privie Councell; which articles were enlarged at the Generall a.s.sembly following, as shall be declared.
In the meane time, as they were informed in Court of this great a.s.sembly of people in Edinburgh, they were affraid, for naturally the Queen hated and suspected all such Conventions as were not in her own presence, and devised by her self. The chief Counsellors in the Court were the Earls of Lenox and Athole. The Queen writ incontinent for all the Lords to come to Sterlin, so soone as she was advertised that they had treated in Edinburgh of Religion; she writ likewise for the Superintendants and other learned men who went thither, and being there, they caused to keep the ports or gates, and make good watch about the towne. The speciall cause of this Convention was to give to the Lord Darnley t.i.tle of honour, openly and solemnly, with consent of the n.o.bles, before the marriage.
The fourth day of May the Earle of Murray came to Sterlin, where he was well received by the Queen"s Majestie, as appeared; and immediately, as he past with her to my Lord Darnley"s chamber, they presented to him a contract, containing in effect, That forasmuch, as, or since, the Queen had contracted marriage with the Lord Darnley, and that therefore sundry Lords of the n.o.bilitie had under-written, ratified, and approved the same, and obliged themselves to grant unto him in full Parliament the Crowne Matrimoniall, (by a new Court solecisme in policie, the Crowne for the second time is surnamed Matrimoniall; before, when the Queen was first married, it was so called also,) to serve and obey him and her as their lawfull Soveraignes. The Queen desired my Lord Murray to subscribe, as many others had done before; which hee refused to do, "Because, (said he,) it is required necessarily that the whole n.o.bility be present, at least the princ.i.p.all, and such as he himself was posteriour unto, before that so grave a matter should be advised and concluded."
The Queen"s Majesty no wayes content with this answer, insisted still upon him, saying, The greatest part of the n.o.bilitie were there present and content with the matter, wished him to be so much a Stewart, as to consent to the keeping of the Crown in the family, and the surname, according to their Father"s will and desire, as was said of him a little before his death: But he still refused for the causes above written.
Now as the Lords were a.s.sembled, an Amba.s.sadour from England, named Sir Nicholas Throckmorton,[1068] arrived at Sterlin, and in his company the Laird of Lethington; the Amba.s.sador was at the Castle gate or ever they were aware; and as he stood there in the entry, he was desired to pa.s.se to his lodgings. The next day he had audience of the Queen, and was graciously received according to the dignity of his message. The whole summe of this his message was, to shew and declare to the Queen, how highly the Queen his mistris was offended with this precipitated marriage, and wondered what had moved her to take a man of inferiour rank and condition to her selfe: and therefore disswaded her therefrom. And specially desiring her most earnestly to send home her subjects, the Earle of Lennox and the Lord Darnley: but all in vaine; for the matter was well farre proceeded. In her heart Queen Elizabeth was not angry at this marriage; first, because if Queen Mary had married a foraign Prince, it had been an accesse to her greatnesse, and consequently she had been more redoubted by the other; next, both Harry and Mary were alike and in equall degree of consanguinitie unto her, the father of Mary and the mother of Harry being children to her Father"s sister.
[1068] Throckmorton, in his letter to the Queen of England, on the 20th May 1565, mentions that he reached Edinburgh on the 13th, and Stirling on the morning of 15th May; when, he says, "At my arrival at the Castle, the gates were shut against me, whether it proceeded from fear, or of some other pa.s.sion, I know not. I thus remaining some time before the gate, there came unto me the Master of Arskine and the Justice-Clerk, who desired me, in the Queen their Mistress"s behalf, to retire unto my lodging which was appointed in the town, saying, that after I had reposed myself, the Queen did mind to give me audience." (Keith"s History, vol. ii. p. 279.)
With many fair words the Queen let the Amba.s.sadour depart, promising to do all she could to satisfie the Queen of England; and for the same purpose she would send an Amba.s.sador to her.
[Sidenote: The Earl of Murray seeing the other n.o.bles consent gave his, which before he refused.]
In the meane time the Queen"s marriage with the Lord Darnley was prepared and propounded in Councell, and the chief of the n.o.bilitie, such as the Duke, the Earles of Argyle, Murray, Glenearne, with the rest, granted freely to the same, providing that they might have the Religion established in Parliament, by the Queene, and the idolatrous Ma.s.se and Superst.i.tion abolished; shortly it was concluded, that they should convene again to Saint Johnstoun, where the Queen promised to take a finall order for Religion. The day was appointed, to wit, the last of May, at Perth: my Lord of Argile came too late. The Queen"s Majestie communed with the Lords, who were very plain with her, saying, Except the Ma.s.se were abolished, there should be no quietnesse in the countrey. The twelfth day of May the Lord Darnley was belted, (that is, created) Earle of Rosse, with great solemnity, a belt or girdle being tyed about his waist or middle; and albeit all kinde of provision was made to make him Duke of Rothesay, yet at that time it came not to effect, albeit the crown and robe-royall were prepared to him for the same. For the entertainment of this triumph there were many Knights made, to the number of fourteen.[1069] The next day, which was the thirteenth of May, the Queen called for the Superintendants, by name John Willock, John Winram, and John Spotswood, whom she cherished with faire words, a.s.suring them, that she desired nothing more earnestly than the glory of G.o.d, and satisfying of men"s consciences, and the good of the Commonwealth; and albeit she was not perswaded in any Religion but in that wherein she was brought up, yet she promised to them that she would hear conference and disputation in the Scriptures: And likewise she would be content to hear publike preaching, but alwayes out of the mouth of such as pleased her Majestie; and above all others, she said, she would gladly hear the Superintendant of Angus, (for he was a mild and sweet natured man,) with true honesty and uprightnesse, John Ariskin[1070] of Dun.
[1069] According to a memorial transmitted by Sir Nicholas Throckmorton to Queen Elizabeth, this ceremony took place at Stirling on the 15th May; and he enumerates the names and t.i.tles of the fourteen Knights. (Keith"s History, vol. ii. p. 289.)
[1070] In the Lond. edit. 1644, "Sir Ariskin;" in the Edinb. edit.
"Sir aerskin."
Soon after the Queen past to Saint Johnston, after that she had directed Master John Hay,[1071] Prior of Monimusk, to pa.s.se to England, who sped at the Queen of England"s hand, even as Sir Nicholas Throckmorton did in Scotland.
[1071] Mr. John Hay was Master of Requests, a Privy Counsellor, and Commendator of Balmerinoch. He died on the 3d December 1573. (Register of Confirmed Testaments.)
Before the day which was appointed for the meeting at Saint Johnston, my Lord of Murray, most carefull of the maintenance of Religion, sent to all the princ.i.p.all Churches, advertising them of the matter, and desiring them to advise, and send the most able men in learning and reputation, to keep the day; but their craft and dissimulation appeared, for the Dean of Restalrigge who lately arrived out of France,[1072] with others, such as Mr. John Lesley, Parson of Oyne,[1073] afterward Bishop of Rosse, caused the Queen to understand that thing whereof she was easily perswaded, to wit, That there ought to be given to all men libertie of conscience, and for this purpose to shun or put off the first day appointed. The Queen writ to the n.o.bility, That because she was informed that there was great meetings out of every shire and town in great number; and then the other partie, (so termed she the Papists,) were minded to gether to the said Convention, which should apparently make trouble or sedition, rather than any other thing; therefore she thought it expedient, and willed them to stay the said meetings, and to deferre the same till such a day that she should appoint with advice of her Councell. At this time there was a Parliament proclaimed to be held at Edinburgh the twentieth day of July. By this Letter, some of the Protestants having best judgement, thought themselves sufficiently warned of the inconveniences and troubles to come. Now her Councell at this time was only the Earles of Lenox and Athole, the Lord Ruthven, but chiefely David Rizio the Italian ruled all; yet the Earle of Rosse[1074] [was]
already in greatest credit and familiarity.
[1072] Queen Mary applied for a safe conduct to "Maister John Sinclair, Deane of Restalrig, being from the partes of France, and willing to returne hameward," 18th September 1561. (Labanoff, Recueil, vol. i. p. 227)
[1073] In both edit. 1644, Lesley is called "Parson of Vune," an error for Une, or Oyne, in Aberdeenshire: see the Appendix to this volume.
[1074] Henry Lord Darnley: see page 495.
These Letters were sent out to the Lords about the eight and twentieth day of May; and within twelve dayes thereafter, she directed new missives to the chief of the n.o.bility, desiring, or commanding them, to come to Saint Johnston the three and twentieth day of June following, to consult upon such things as concerned Religion, and other things, as her Majesty should propose; Which day was even the day before that the Generall a.s.sembly should have been held in Edinburgh. This last Letter uttered the effect of the former; so that the Protestants thought themselves sufficiently warned. Always as the Earle of Murray was pa.s.sing to Saint Johnston to have kept the said day, he chanced to fall sick of the fluxes in Lochleven, where he remained till the Queen came forth of Saint Johnston to Edinburgh, where the Generall a.s.sembly of the whole Church of Scotland was held the four and twentieth day of July.[1075] The Earles of Argyle and Glencarne a.s.sisted the Church, with a great company of Lods, Barons, and others: It was there ordered and concluded, That certain Gentlemen, as Commissioners from the Church National, should pa.s.se to the Queen"s Majestie, with certain Articles, to the number of six, desiring her most humbly to ratifie and approve the same in Parliament.
[1075] The General a.s.sembly met at Edinburgh, on the 25th June 1565.
And because the said ARTICLES are of great weight, and worthy of memory, I thought good to insert the same word by word.[1076]
[1076] The Articles here inserted were drawn up by John Erskine of Dun, John Willock, Christopher Goodman, and John Row; and, on the following day, they received the a.s.sembly"s approbation.
_Imprimis_, That the Papisticall and blasphemous Ma.s.se, with all Papisticall idolatry, and Papall jurisdiction, be universally supprest and abolisht thorowout this Realme, not only in the subjects, but also in the Queen"s own person, with punishment against all persons that should be deprehended to transgresse and offend in the same: And that the sincere word of G.o.d, and Christ"s true Religion, now at this present received, be established, approved, and ratified, thorowout the whole Realme, as well in the Queen"s own person as in the subjects: And that the people be [astricted] to resort upon the Sundays at the least, to the prayers and preaching of G.o.d"s word, even as they were before to the idolatrous Ma.s.se: And these Heads to be provided by Act of Parliament, and ratified by the Queen"s Majesty.
_Secondly_, That [sure] provision be made for sustentation of the Ministry, as well for the time present, as the time to come: And that such persons as are presently admitted to the Ministry, may have their livings a.s.signed unto them, in places where they travell in their calling, or at least next adjacent thereto: And that the Benefices now vacant, or hath been vacant since the month of March 1558, or that hereafter shall happen to be vacant, be disponed to qualified and learned persons, able to preach G.o.d"s Word, and discharge the vocation concerning the Ministry, by tryall and admission of the Superintendents and Overseers: And that no Benefice or Living, having many Churches annexed thereunto, be disponed altogether in any time to come, to any [one]
man, but at the least the Churches thereof be severally disponed, and that to severall persons; so that every man having charge may serve at his own church according to his vocation: And to that effect, likewise the Gleebs and the Manses be given to the Ministers, that they may make residency at their Churches, whereby they may discharge their consciences according to their vocation; and also, that the Kirks may be repaired accordingly; and that a law be made and established hereupon by Act of Parliament, as said is.
_Thirdly_, That none be permitted to have charge of Souls, [Schools,] Colledges, or Universities, neither privately or publickly to teach and instruct the youth, but such as shall be tried by the Superintendents or Visitors of churches, and found sound and able in doctrine, and admitted by them to their charges.
_Fourthly_, For the Sustentation of the Poor, That all lands founded for hospitality of old be restored again to the same use; and that all lands, annual-rents, or any other emoluments, pertaining any ways sometimes to the Friers, of whatsoever Order they had been of; as likewise the annuities, alterages, obits, and other duties pertaining to Priests, to be applied to the sustentation of the poor, and uphold of the town-schools in towns, and other places where they lie.
_Fifthly_, That such horrible crimes as now abound within this Realme, without any correction, to the great contempt of G.o.d and his Word; such as Idolatry, blasphemie of G.o.d"s name, manifest breaking of the Sabbath-day, witchcraft, sorcery, inchantment, adultery, manifest wh.o.r.edome, maintenance of bordals, murther, slaughter, oppression, with many other detestable crimes, may be severely punished; and Judges appointed in every province and diocesse, for execution thereof, with power to do the same, and that by Act of Parliament.
_Lastly_, That some order be devised and established for ease of the poor labourers of the ground, concerning the [un]reasonable payment of the tythes, who are oppressed by the leasers of the tythes set over their heads, without their own consent and advice.
The persons who were appointed by the Church to carry these Articles, and present them to the Queen"s Majestie, were the Lairds of Cunninghamhead, Lundie, Spot, and Grange of Angus, and James Baron for the Broughs:[1077] These five past from Edinburgh to Saint Johnston, where they presented the said Articles to the Queen"s Majestie, desiring and requiring her Highnesse most humbly to advise therewith, and to give them answer. The next day, ere they were aware, the Queen departed to Dunkeld, and immediately they followed; and after they had gotten audience, they desired the Queen"s Majestie most humbly to give their dispatch. She answered, That her Councell was not there present, but she intended to be in Edinburgh within eight dayes, and there they should receive their answer.
[1077] These five Commissioners were, Walter Lundie of Lundie, in Fife; William Cunningham of Cunninghamhead, in Ayrshire; William Durham of Grange, in Forfarshire; George Hume of Spot, in Berwickshire, and James Barron, merchant-burgess of Edinburgh.
At the same time, as the Generall a.s.sembly was holden in Edinburgh, the Brethren perceiving the Papists to brag, and trouble like to be, they a.s.sembled themselves at Saint Leonard"s Craig,[1078] where they concluded they would defend themselves; and for the same purpose, elected eight persons of the most able, two of every quarter, to see that the Brethren should be ready armed.