The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 7

[148] In all the other copies this marginal note forms part of the text. It is in the same hand with the MS.: see note 1, page 68.

This Contract and Band came not onlie to the eiris, bot alssua to the sycht of the Quene Dowager; quhairat sche stormit nott a little, and said, "The maledictioun of G.o.d I gif unto thame that counsaleit me to persecute the prechearis, and to refuise the pet.i.tiouns of the best pairt of the trew subjects of this realme. It was said to me, That the Yngliss army could not ly in Scotland ten dayis; bot now thay [have]

lyin near ane moneth, and ar mair lyk to remane than the first day thay came." Thay that gaif sick informatioun to the Quene, spak as wardlie wyise men, and as thingis appeirit to have bene; for the c.u.n.trey being almaist in all the partis thairof waist.i.t, the victuallis nixt adjacent to Leith either brocht in to thair provisioun, or ellis destroyit; the mylnis and uther placeis, as befoir is said, being ca.s.sin doun, it appeirit that the camp could not have bene furnissit (except it haid bene by thair awin schippis, and as that could nocht have bene of ony lang continewance, sua sould it have bene nathing confortable:) Bot G.o.d confoundit all warldlie wisdome, and maid his awin benedictioun als evidentlie to appeir as gif in ane maner he had fed the army from above. For all kind of victuallis thair was mair aboundante, and of mair easie priceis, in the camp all the tyme that it lay, efter that aucht dayis war past, than either thay haid bene in Edinburgh any of the twa yeires of befoir, or yit hes bene in that toun to this day. The pepill of Scotland sa mekill abhorrit the tyrrannye of the Frenche, that thay wald have gevin the substance that thay had, to have bene ridd of that chargeable burding, quhilk oure synnis had provockit G.o.d to lay upoun us, in geving us in the handis of ane woman, quhom our n.o.bilitie in thair fulischnes sauld unto strangearis, and with hir the libertie of the Realme. "G.o.d, for his greit mercies saik, preserve us yitt from farther bondage, in the quhilk we ar lyke to fall, gif he provyde not remedy; for oure n.o.bilitie will yett remane blynd still, and will follow hir affectiouns, c.u.m efter quhat sua may." Bot to returne to oure Historie.

[Sidenote: THE a.s.sAULT OF LEITH, THE 7 OF MAIJ 1560.]

The campe abounding in all necessarie provisioun, ordour was taikin for confirmatioun of the Seige;[149] and sa the trynches war drawin als neir the toun, as thay gudlie mycht. The greitt campe removit fra Restalrig to the west syde of the Watter of Leith; and sa war the cannounis plant.i.t for the batterie, and did schute at the south-west wall. But be rea.s.sone all was eird, the brek[150] was nott maid sa greit upoun the day bot that it was sufficientlie repairit upoun the nycht. Quhairof the Inglismen begynning to weary, determinit to gyve the brusche and a.s.sault; as that thay did upoun the sevint day of Maij, beginning befoir the day-licht, and contineuing till it was neir sevin houris. And albeit that the Ingliss and Scottis, with greit slauchter of the suldiouris of baith, were repulsit, yitt was thair never ane scharpar a.s.sault gevin of so few handis; for thay exceidit not ane thousand men that a.s.sault.i.t the haill twa quarteris of the toun, and yitt thay dampnit the haill blok-housses; yea, thay anis pat the Frenche clene of thair wallis, and were upoun baith the west and eist blokhousses. Bot thay want.i.t baking; for thair ledderis want.i.t sax quarteris of the just hicht; and sua quhill the former wer compellit to fecht upoun the tope of [the] wall, thair fellowis could nott win to support thame, and sa war thay be mult.i.tude dung back agane, quhen it was anis thocht the Toune was win.

[149] In Holinshed's Chronicles is contained a minute account of the Siege of Leith, in May 1560. Thomas Church-yard, the English Poet, who was present among the troops commanded by Lord Gray de Wilton, published in "The First Part of Churchyarde's Chippes," (a kind of Poetical Miscellany,) "The Siege of Leith," written in stanzas of seven lines. It was first printed at London in 1565; again in 1575, and 1578. This poem referred to, is included in the volume of "Churchyard's Chips concerning Scotland," edited by George Chalmers, Lond. 1817, 8vo.

[150] In MS. G, "Bot be ressoun the wall was eirthe, the breiche," &c.; Vautr. edit. has, as in the text, "But by reason all was earth, the breache," &c.

Sir James Croftis[151] was blamit of mony for not doing his dewitie that day; for he was appoynt.i.t, with ane sufficient nomber of the maist abill men, to haif a.s.sault.i.t the north-west quarter upoun the sey-syde, quhair, at an low-water (as at the tyme of the a.s.sault) [the pa.s.sage] was easy:[152] bot neather he nor his approchit to thair quarter appoynt.i.t. He had befoir, at thair first c.u.ming in, spokin with the Quene Regent[153] at the foir blok-house of the Castell of Edinburgh. Quhidder sche had enchant.i.t him we knew nott, but by suspitioun of that day, in the quhilk he desaivit the expectation of many, and, sa far as man could judge, was the caus of that greit repulse; for sum ascribit the schortnes of the ledderis to him: bot that omitt.i.t, quhilk mycht have proceidit of negligence, his absens frome the persute of his quarter, was the cause that sick Frenche as war appoint.i.t thair to defend, seing na persewar, came to the releif of thair fellowis, and sa the twa joyning togidder, with greit slauchter gaif the repulse to oure company. The Frenche menis harlotis, of quhom the maist pairt war Scottis hureis, did na less creweltie than did the souldiaris; for besydis that thay chargeit thair peceis, and ministrit unto thame uther weaponis, sum continewallie cast staneis, sum careit chymnayis of burnyng fyre, sum brocht tymmer and uther impedimentis of wecht, quhilk with great violence thay threw over the wall upoun oure men, bot especiallie quhen thay began to turne backis. Now, albeit in all this we acknawlege the secreit wark of G.o.d, quha by sick meanis wald beat doun alsweill the pryde of Ingland as of Scotland, yitt neather aucht the febilnes nor falsett of man to be excusit, neather yitt the cruelty of the adversareis be conceilit. The Quene Regent satt all the tyme of the a.s.sault (quhilk was baith terribill and lang) upon the foir-wall of the Castell of Edinburgh; and quhen sche perceivit the overthraw of us, and that the ensenyeis of the Frenche war agane displayit upoun the wallis, sche gaif ane gawfe of lauchter, and said, "Now will I go to the Messe, and prayse G.o.d for that quhilk my eyes have sene!" And sa was Freir Black[154] reddy for that purpose, quhom sche hir self a little of befoir had deprehendit with his harlott in the chapell: But huredome and idolatrye aggre weill togidder, and that oure Courte can witnesse this day, 16 Maij 1566.[155]

[151] As mentioned by Knox, _supra_, page 31, Sir James Crofts was captain of the Town and Castle of Berwick, and warden of East Marches.

"He had," says Sir Walter Scott, "a good military reputation; having governed Ireland, and defended Haddington (in 1547) against the French and the Scotch. He was attainted by Queen Mary, but restored by Queen Elizabeth, and made Governor of Berwick; an office which he enjoyed at the date of these letters." (State Papers, vol. i. p. 387.) But Crofts, for his conduct at this time, was impeached by the Duke of Norfolk, and removed from his office as Governor, which was conferred on Lord Gray. He afterwards became Comptroller of the Household, and died in 1595.

[152] In MS. 1566, "of the a.s.sault it was easy."

[153] The interview of Crofts with the Queen Regent that Knox alludes to, took place on the 6th April 1560, during the skirmish at Restalrig. "In this meantyme (says Bishop Lesley) the Lord Gray, and Sir George Hawart, and Sir James Croftis to the Castell of Edinburgh, to speik with the Quein to this effect (viz. the cause of the coming of the army, &c.); quha had long conference with hir upoun the blok hous at the uter yeit of the saide Castell, the same day, during the tyme of the scarmishe," &c. (Hist. p. 283.) See also the Historie of the Estate of Scotland, in the Wodrow Miscellany, vol. i. p. 82.

[154] Some notices of this Frier Black will be given in the Appendix.

[155] This date, like that on the margin at page 65, is in the same hand with the MS., and serves to show that this portion of the volume was written or transcribed in May 1566. In MS. G. the date, by mistake, is May 1560.

[Sidenote: THE INUMANITIE OF THE MERCYLES FRENCHE.]

[Sidenote: THE QUENE REGENTIS CREWELL HART.]

The Frenche, prowd of the victorie, strypeit naikit all the slayne, and laid thair deid[156] carca.s.sis befoir the hot sune alang thair wall, quhair thay sufferit thame to lye ma dayis nor ane: unto the quhilk, quhen the Quene Regent luikit, for myrth sche happit and said, "Yonder are the fairest tapestrie that ever I saw: I wald that the haill feyldis that is betwix this place and yon, war strowit with the same stuiffe." This fact was sene of all, and hir wordis war hard of sum, and mislykeit of many. Against the quhilk Johnne Knox spak oppinlie in pulpeit, and baldlie affirmeit, "That G.o.d sould reveange that contumelye done to his image, not onlie in the furiouse and G.o.dless souldiaris, bot evin in sick as rejoysit thairat." And the verray experience declairit, that he was nott deceavit; for within few dayis thair efter, (yea sum say that same day,) began hir bellie and lothsome leggis to swell, and sa continewit, till that G.o.d did execute his judgementis upoun hir, as efter we sall heir.

[156] In MS. G, "dead" is omitted.

The defait receavit, it was fully perswadit to the Queen Regent and hir factioun, that the Seige wald ryse, and that the Ingliss army wald depairt: and sua began the Papistis wondrouslie to brag; and yitt G.o.d did frustratt thair expectation; for the army concludit[157] to remane till new adverteisment came fra the Quene in Counsall.

[157] In MS. G, "determined."

[Sidenote: THE COMFORTABLE LETTER OF THE DUICK OF NORTHFOLK.]

The Duck of Northfolk, quha than lay at Berwick, commandit the Lord Gray to continew the seige, and promeisit "That he sould not laick men sa lang as ony war to be had betwix Trent and Tweid, for sa far was he lieutennent." He farther promeisit his awin presens, in caise he sould be requyreit; and for a.s.surance thairof, he send his awin palzeounis,[158] sic as seldome befoir had bene sene in Scotland, with his officiaris and provisioun. And with expeditioun war send twa thousand fresche men, quhairby the campe, greitlie confort.i.t, began to forgett the former disconfiture, and to sustene the daylie skyrmissing as thay did befoir; in the quhilk the Frenche, efter the day of the a.s.sault, did ever resaif the hurt and the repulse, as the slauchter of many that came to the c.o.c.kill-raik[159] did witnesse. The greatest damage that ather Ingliss or Scottis receavit efter that day, was the slauchter of twa gentilmen, the ane Master of Househald to my Lord James, Robert Colvene of Cleysche,[160] ane man stowt, modest, and wise; quha was schot in the thigh with ane falcone or haquebute of crock, and depairt.i.t the miserie of this lyfe within twa houris efter.

The uther was Alexander Lockart, brother to the Laird of Barr,[161]

quha raschelie discovering him selff in the trynschis, was schot in the heid, and immediatlie thairefter depairt.i.t this lyff.

[158] In MS. G, "paviliounes;" in Vautr. edit., "pallions."

[159] In MS. G, "the Cole-raik;" Vautr. edit. follows the text.

[160] Robert Colville of Cleish, has already been mentioned, in a Note to vol. i. p. 348. The property of Cleish, in the parish of that name, Kinross-s.h.i.+re, had belonged to William Meldrum of Cleish and Binns, whom Sir David Lyndesay has celebrated in his well-known poem, "The History of Squyer Meldrum." There is every reason to believe that this Robert Colville was the person who detected the imposture of the pretended miracle of restoring sight to a blind person at Loretto.--See Row's History, Wodrow Society edition, pp. 449-455. He was Master of the Household to Lord James Stewart, Prior of St.

Andrews.

[161] This was probably Alexander Lockhart, styled Burgess of Ayr, who was convicted for an unlawful convocation of the lieges within the borough of Ayr, 19th January 1539-40. He had a charter of the lands of Quhitstanes, in that County, in 1547. His brother, John Lockhart of Bar, is elsewhere mentioned by Knox.

Quhill the seige thus continewit, ane suddane fyre chanceit in Leith, quhilk devourit many housses and mekill victuall; and sa began G.o.d to fecht for us, as the Lord Erskin in plane wordis said to the Quene Regent: "Madam, (quod he,) I can se na mair, but seing that men may not expell injust possessouris furth of this land, G.o.d him self will do it; for yon fyre is nocht kindellit be man." Quhilk words offendit the Quene Regent not a littill; quhais seiknes daylie increa.s.sing, greit craft sche usit that Monsieur D'Osell mycht have bene permit.i.t to have spokin with hir; belyke sche wald have biddin him fairweill (for auld familiaritie was greit); bot that denyit, sche wrait as it [had] bene to hir chyrurgian and apothecar, schawing hir seiknes, and requyreing sum droggis. The letter being present.i.t to the Lord Gray, he espyit the craft; for few lyneis being writtin above and sa mekill quhyte paper left, he said, "Drogis ar aboundand and freschear in Edinburgh than thay can be in Leith: thair lurkis heir sum uther misterie." And sa he began to try; and be halding the paper to the fyre, he persavit sum writting [to] appeir, and sa began he to reid.

Bot quhat it was, na uther man can tell; for immediatelie he brunt the bill, and said to the messinger, "Albeit I have bene hir Secretary, yitt tell hir I sall keip hir counsall. But say to hir, Sik wairis will nocht sell till a new marcatt."

[Sidenote: THE DEATH OF THE QUENE REGENT.]

The answer receavit, sche was nathing content: and than travellit sche earnistlie that sche mycht speik with the Erlles Argyle, Glencairne, Mersch.e.l.l, and with the Lord James. Efter deliberatioun it was thocht expedient that they sould speik hir, bot nocht altogidder, leist that sum pairt of the Guysianis practise had lurkit under the cullour of [sik] freindscheip. Hir regrait was unto thame all, "That sche haid behavit hir self sa fulischlie, that sche had compellit thame to seik the support of otheris than of thair awin Soverane; and said, that sche soir repent.i.t that ever it came to that extremitie. Bot sche was nocht the wyte, bot the wickit counsell of hir freyndis on the ane pairt, and the Erle of Huntley upoun the uther; for gif he had nocht bene, sche wald have fully aggreit with thame at thair communyng at Prestoun." Thay gave unto hir baith the counsale and the confort quhilk thai could in that extremitie, and willit her to send for sum G.o.dlie learnit man, of quhom sche mycht resaif instructioun; for these ignorant Papistis that war about hir, understude nathing of the mysterie of oure Redemptioun. Upoun thair motyve was Johnne Willock send for, with quhom sche talkit ane rea.s.sonabill s.p.a.ce, and quha did planelie schaw unto hir, alsweill the vertew and strenth of the death of Jesus Christ, as the vanitie and abominatioun of that idole the Mess. Sche did oppinlie confesse "That thair was na salvatioun, bot in and by the death of Jesus Christ." Bot of the Mess we hard not hir confessioun. Sum said sche was annoynt.i.t of the Papisticall maner, quhilk was ane sygne of small knawledge of the treuth, and of less repentance of hir former superst.i.tioun. Yitt quhowsoever it was, Christ Jesus got na small victorie over sick an ennemy. For albeit before sche had avowit, that in dyspite of all Scotland, the preachearis of Jesus Christ sould ather die or be banischeid the realme; yitt was sche compellit not onlie to heir that Chryst Jesus was precheit, and all idolatrie oppinlie rebuikit, and in many placeis suppressit, bot alssua sche was constraineit to heir ane of the princ.i.p.all ministeris within the realme, and to approve the cheif heid of oure religioun, quhairin we dissent frome all Papistis and Papistrie. Schort thairefter sche fynischeit hir unhappy lyfe; unhappy, we say, to Scotland, fra the fyrst day sche enterit into it, unto the day sche depairt.i.t this lyfe, quhilk was the nynt of June,[162] the zeir of G.o.d J^m V^c threscoir zeiris. "G.o.d, for his greit mercyis saik, red us frome the rest of the Guysiane blude. Amen, Amen." For of the tyrranie of the Guysiane blud in hir,[163] that for our unthankfulness now reignis above us, we have had sufficient experience. Bot of any vertew that ever was espyit in Kyng James the Fyft (quhais dochter sche is callit) to this houre we have never sene any sparkle to appeir.

[162] Instead of the 9th of June, the Queen Regent died on the 10th of that month. Her body, by her own desire, was transported to France, after an interval of several months; and towards the close of this Third Book, Knox takes occasion to notice the delay of her funerals.--See note on the pa.s.sage referred to.

[163] Mary of Lorraine was the daughter of Claude, Duke of Guyse.--See vol. i. p. 61, note 6.

Upone the saxtene day of June, efter the death of the Quene Regent, came in Scotland[164] Monsieur Randan,[165] and with him the Bischop of Valance,[166] in commissioun fra France, to entreat of peace. Fra Ingland thair came Sir Williame Cicill,[167] chief Secretary, and Doctor Wottoun.[168] Thair negotiation was langsum; for baith Ingland and we feiring deceat, socht be all meanis that the contract sould be sure. And thay upoun the uther pairt, meanyng to gratifie sick as had send thame, (quha menit nathing bot mere falsett,) protract.i.t tyme to the uttermost; yea, quhill thame of Leith war verray skairce of victualls, and thay of the Insche had perescheit, had not bene that by policy thay gatt ane schip with victuallis, and some munitioun, quhilk was upoun Mydsomer evin, quhairof thay maid no small tryumphe; quhilk alsua for ane sea.s.sone stayit the Appoyntment. Yitt in the end peace was concludit, in forme as follows:--

[164] The Articles agreed upon, at Berwick, 14th June 1560, are printed by Keith.

[165] Charles de la Rochefaucault, Seigneur de Randan. In the Latin treaty, he is designed "Dominus de Randan, Miles et Eques Auratus." In his pa.s.sage through England, he had an interview with Queen Elizabeth, in May 1560. Throkmorton, in his letters 4th May, calls him "Monsieur de Randan, brother to the Comte Rochefaucault, and to the Abbot of Cormery," and says, "he is a faire spokesman, and a good courtesan, very well esteemed in this court, and of the faction of Guise." His journey was delayed for some days; and Cecil, on the 22d May, informs Throkmorton,--"Monsieur de Randan hath taken good leasure, and cam yesterdaye hyther to the Court, with the Emba.s.sador, and the Bishop of Vallence."--(Forbes's State Papers, vol. i. pp. 432, 433, 449, 460.)

[166] Monsieur John de Monluc, Bishop of Valence. On the 13th May 1560, Henry Killegrew, at Cecil's desire, informed Throkmorton, "Yt was lang ere the Bishope of Valence cold have save condyt of the Lords of Scotland, to repaire into the Quyne Doujar, by cause they did mistrust the sufficiencye of his authoritie; bot yet at length yt was granted. So as he went and spak with the Quyne in the Castell of Edenburgh," &c.--(Forbes's State Papers, vol. i. p. 456.)

[167] See _supra_, p. 17, note 2.

[168] In the copies of Knox, "Wittoun." Dr. Nicholas Wotton, was Dean of Canterbury and York. "He was much employed (says Sir Walter Scott) in foreign negotiations, during the Reigns of Henry VIII. and his successor, and died in 1566, after having served in nine embasies to the several States of Europe."--(Note in Sadler, vol. i. p. 395.)

THE ARTICLES TRANSACt.i.t AND AGGREIT BE THE REVEREND FATHER IN G.o.d, JOHNE BISCHOP OF VALANCE, AND MONSIEUR RANDAN, DEPUTTIS TO THE KING AND QUENE OF SCOTLAND, UPOUN THE MATTERIS PRESENt.i.t TO THAME, BE WAY OF PEt.i.tIOUN, FOR THE PAIRT OF THE n.o.bILITIE AND PEPILL OF SCOTLAND.[169]

[169] The following Articles form only part of the last Convention or Treaty of Peace, which was signed at Edinburgh, on the 6th July 1560.

It is printed at full length in Rymer's Foedera. See also Keith's History, vol. i. pp. 298-306. It has not, therefore, been thought necessary to supply the variations or omissions in this doc.u.ment.

In Rymer's collection there will likewise be found, (1.) The Commission from Francis and Mary, King and Queen of France and Scotland, appointing Commissioners for a Treaty of Amity and Peace with England, dated 12th May 1560. (2.) The Convention (also in French) for the demolition of the Fortifications at Leith, 5th July 1560. (3.) The Treaty or Convention (in Latin) alluded to, as signed at Edinburgh, on the 6th July. The last two are signed,

J. MONLUC E. DE VALENCE.

RANDAN.

W. CECIL.

N. WOTTON.

(4.) Rymer also inserts the Ratification of this Treaty, by Queen Elizabeth, dated at Windsor, 20th September 1560.

In the first, Upoun the complaynt and pet.i.tioun of the said n.o.bilitie and pepill of this c.u.n.trey, anent the number of men of weir sustenit be thair Majesties in thir pairtis in tyme of peace; It is humblie requeist.i.t to the saidis Deputis, that thay wald provide oportune remedy thairupoun, to the solace and releif of the c.u.n.trey. The saidis Deputis considerand the said desyre to be just, and conforme to reasone, concludit, concordit, and affirmit, That the Kyng and Quene sall procure na Frenche men of weir, nor na uther natioun to c.u.m to thir pairtis in tyme c.u.ming; bot gif strangearis wald pretend to enter in this realme with ane navy or army to occupy the same; in the quhilk caise provisioun sall be maid be thair Majesties, the judgement and counsale of the Estaitis of the realm be haid thairto: And that the Frenche men of weir, being now in the toun of Leith, sall be send to France the same tyme that the navy and army of Inglissmen and Scottismen has scaillit and depairt.i.t baith be sey and land; the quhilk sall be done in the best maner may be, as at mair lenth consideratioun sall be had thairupone. As to the bandis of Scottismen of war being at the said place, thay sall be brokin, and the men of war licentiat[170] to depairt. Mairover, as to the fortis of Dumbar and Insche Keyth,[171] thair sall remane in thame ane hundreth and twenty Frenche men of weir[172] allanerlie, quhilkis sall be pairt.i.t and distribut.i.t in thir twa placeis; and thair sall remane na ma in Dumbar bot threscoir men of war, sua it be not affirmit be the Capitaneis chosin to that effect be baith the pairteis, that for the keiping of the same ane greitar number is not neidfull; alssua to depairt quhen the Estaitis of the realme can fynd ane guid and sure remedy, upoun the expensses maid in the saidis placeis, to keip the same fra perell of invasioun, or deprivatioun thairof fra thame that wald pretend to occupy the samyn, thay sall schaw the same to thair Majesties alse haistilie as may be done: and in the menetyme, the number of the said men of war sall not be augment.i.t. And in lyk maner it sall nocht be lefull to the said men of war to do ony injureis to ony personis, or yitt to menteyne or defend ony Scottismen, of what qualitie so ever thay be of, againis the will and authoritie of the magistratis of the realme, nor to resaif thame in the saidis placeis that the minister of justice may not putt handis in thame; nor yitt sall intromett with tham any maner of way, with the quarrellis and discordis of the Lordis, or uthir particular men of this realme; bot thay thame selffis sall be obligit, in caise of ony quarrell to be punischitt efter the lawis and consuetude[173] of this Realm, and to answer for thame selffis befoir the Judgeis Ordinaris of the same.

Last of all, that fra this furth[174] thay be not compellit to taik ony credeit, they sall be every moneth satisfeit of thair wageis; sua that twa Scottis Lordis chosin be the Counsale, may present it, at weappon-schawing and mustouris of the said men of weir; and alsua to viseit the saidis fortis to se gif the number of thame be eikit; and it sall not be lesum to the said men of war to tak ony victuallis for thair sustentatioun, to the munitioun of the saidis placeis, bot be payment of reddy money, numerat, and with the plesour of thame that delyveris the same to thame: And thairfoir, the saidis Lordis oblisses thame to gif thame sa mekill as is neidfull to thame, thay having to pay thairfoir.

[170] Vautr. edit. "licensed."

[171] Vautr. edit. makes it, "Dunbar, and in such that."