3.8. The kings maiesties charge to all commissioners and ministers, within his realme.

The kings maiesties charge to all commissioners and ministers, within his realme.

_SEeing that we and our houshold haue subscribed & giuen this publike confes|sion of our faith, to the good example of our subiects, we command and charge all commissioners and ministers to craue the same confession of their parishioners, and to procéed a|gainst the refusers according to our lawes, and or|der of the church: deliuering their names and law|full processe to the ministers of our house, with all hast and diligence, vnder the paine of fortie pounds to be taken from their stipend: that we with the ad|uise of our councell, maie take order with such proud contemners of God, and our lawes. Subscribed with our hand at Holierood house one thousand fiue hundred foure score and one, the second daie of March, the fourtéenth yere of our reigne.

Religion thus setled in Scotland, it fell hervpon, 1582 that Amies duke of Leneux, to which honor he was not long before aduanced, as is alreadie set downe The duke of Leneux bani|shed. in the yeare of Christ one thousand fiue hundred thréescore and ninetéene, was now in this yeare vp|on displeasure, conceiued against him by others of the nobilitie, banished Scotland, & enforced to re|turne into France, there to passe the rest of his life as he had doone before. In whose exile was perfor|med an old prophesie, which I haue heard, that a nag of fiue shillings should beare all the dukes of Eng|land and Scotland. For when this duke was out of the Scotish kingdome, there was neither duke in that countrie, or England. But as I greatlie fa|uor not these things, so yet finding manie of them to sort to vnhappie successe; I cannot altogither A digression touching the duke of Sum|merset. condemne them, especiallie, sith I find two other which concerning the last duke of England, being the duke of Summerset, did prognosticat both the aduancement of religion by him, and that he should not long kéepe his head vpon his shoulders, after that he began to make his statelie buildings. Of which propheticall verses, declaring the same, the first verse expressing his name, was as followeth:

The mare of the sea, which backe|ward is sea|mare. Cessabit missa cùm regnat equa marina.

The other prophesie mentioning his name of honor was in this sort, as also the time of his fall:

Summers seat, or Sum|merset. Aestatis sedes cum scandis ad alta per aedes,

Pro certo credes quòd caput perdere debes.

And to proue that Summerset was manie yeares past called in Latine Aestatis sedes, I find this matter in Roger Wall sometime an herald liuing in the time of Henrie the fift, who named him accor|dinglie, when the said author excusing himselfe of all eloquence, and complaining of his owne rudenesse, sent his booke to D. Iohn Summerset to correct; which doctor being the kings schoolemaister and phy|sician, a great learned man well séene in the mathe|matikes, one that had written much therein, and ve|rie eloquent also, was as this Roger Wall thought, Roger Wall submitteth his worke to the censure of doctor Iohn Summerset. most méete to haue the ouersight of his workes: which matter, as it is set downe in the latter end of the same worke of the acts of Henrie the fift, writ|ten by this Roger Wall, I shall not gréeue (although they belong not, and be vtterlie impertinent to the matters of Scotland) to set downe, both because I would not maime the author in telling his owne tale, and would a little recreat the reader by the ob|scuritie of the stile of Roger Wall, with some varie|tie EEBO page image 435 of other than Scotish matter: for Nihil tam dul|ce, quod varietas non refieit. These therefore be the words of that writer.

Vecors, inculta, pauper & pannosa pagina, video quia nuditatem, pauperiem, ac ruditatem tuamex|pauescens patefeci: ad hoc immensae verecundiae terrore ducta in lustralibus latebris, & abditis de|sertis, & inuijs latitare decreuisti, fortassis tamen, si quenquam reperies qui nuditatem tuam operire, pauperiem tuam locupletare, & ruditatem tuam re|formare dignaretur, induturafores animositatisspi|ritum processura in lucem. Eia igitur consilijs meis adquiescere non deseras: & meis monitis edocta, doctoré gloriosum inuenies, qui Summerset. Aestatissedes glo|riosum cognomen sortitus est. Hic Tulliani testa|menti executor, purpura abisso quibus te vestiat, bonorum Oratij ministrator, thesau [...]is innumeris quite ditet ac ipsius opulentissimae imperatricis Rhe|toricae The commen|dation of doc|tor Iohn Summerset. custos, gazarum, & aerarij gemmis pretiosis, quibus ruditatis tuae tenebras excutiens, ipsum syde|rea politura perornare poterit, prae caeteris copia ple|niori floret & abundat, hic est qui coeli empeirei sitù & mobilitatem, ac vacui, si quid extra ipsum repe|riri possit: Chaos & confusionem primi mobilis, mo|tus ac ornamenta syderea, & actam per ipsum inferi|orum rapinam planetarum, cursus erraticos in suis epicyclis & retrogradationibus intellectui multùm difficiles, elementorum [...] coniugia, qualitates & actiuitates mutuas, [...] impressionum causas & effectus, & quicquid Aristotelicae demonstrationes seu Hippocratici aphorismi suadere sufficiunt, nouit, rimatur & intelligit. Hic est quod plurimùm ponde|randum existimo, qui regalispectorissacrarium tan|tarum virtutum, tantaeque literaturae imbalsamauit aromatibus, & corpus regium ab aegritudinum in|commodis seruauit incolume, qui semper reipublicae promotor & pauperum procurator extitit. En pagi|na vecors & misera tibi iutumae consolationis mini|straui materiam. Esto igitur fortis animi, & vt virum tantum attingas, quem me docente reperies ad iter accingere. Verum quia dum regis assistit lateri, aut pauperum procurando negotia, aut reipublicae bo|num promouendo, vel regiam celsitudinem salutari|bus exhortando artis salutigerae consilijs [...]ic solicitus redditur, vt vix ei quietis indulgeatur horula infra domum regiam, reuerentiam suam solicitare nolito praesumere, sed vsque ad mansionem suam propriam, quam per signa quae tibi monstrabo inuenies omni expeditione ne pigriteris currere. Quum igitur iter tuum arripueris strata regia, qua per aliquot miliaria gradieris ad quandam semitam versus dextram, pro|tensam non procul à quadam capella pulcherrima fundationis regiae in honorem sanctorum archange|lorú Raphaelis, Gabraelis, & Michaelis, atque omni|um angelorum sanctorum Dei, quam nuper procu|ratio sua construxerat, tritura multiplicise ipsum ma|nifestan temducet. In qua cùm pauperũ nudipedum ad suam domum confluentium impressa vestigia perceperis: & corundem redeuntium pedum calci|atorũ quos eleemosyna sua iam pecuali pelle vestijt inueneris: & cùm per eandem semitam nudos, esuri|entes & tristes ad habitaculum suum concurrentes prospexeris, & eosdem per suae charitatis liberalita|tem vestitos, saturatos, & gaudentes obvios hab [...]|ris, scito quoniam haec est via in tabernaculum ipsius, quem quaerisductrix infallibilis & directissima. Sup|plica igitur pauperrima pagina pauperibusillis, vt ti|bi Aestatis sedẽ velint ostendere, &c. After which this Wall setteth downe the supplication, which his booke should dedicate to this doctor (when he hath found him) in these verses, beginning also with the same name of Aestatis sedes, in English Summerset:

Thus hauing expressed the words and verses of Roger Wall, which in Latine termed some hun|dred yeares passed (as you haue heard before) the name of Summerset by the words of Aestatis sedes, I haue trulie béene the willinger to set downe the same by wait of digression (besides the former de|clared causes which mooued me thereto) for that I would not suffer so worthie a man as that Iohn Summerset was to be buried in obliuion. And for that I would in some part (as anie occasion maie serue therefore) make this worke of Roger Wall more common to the world, being onelie now in the hands of one painefull antiquarie. Wherefore in that sort, leauing our Englishmen, let vs returne to the affaires of Scots and Scotland: intreating first of some thing doone by them in the low coun|tries, where one Steward a Scot, hauing had Surius in com [...] de reb. in orbe histor. pa. 1062. charge of men in some part of the low countries of Flanders, Zeland, and Holland, vnder William of Nassaw, earle of Aurange, did now fall from the states of that countrie, emploie all his force on the king of Spaines side, and went to assist the prince of Parma (the deputie of king Philip in those parts) because the states did not paie to him and his soldi|ors their due stipend and wages for the wars. At what time also the garison of Bruxels were for the like cause in an vprore. But some portion of monie being offered vnto them, they were for that time somewhat pacified. All which notwithstanding, one certeine Scot, called Lichféeld, & surnamed Sem|ple, being captaine of the garison of Lire, and long EEBO page image 436 vnpa [...]ed his sallarie, for those warres did in vaine The Spani|ards obtei [...]e Lire by a stra|tagem deuised by the Scots. ma [...] times demand that monie due vnto him. Wherevpon, imagining with himselfe howhe might deceiue Hietfield the gouernour of the citie, as they had beguiled him in deteining of his due, he deuised with a new stratagem to bring this towne into the subiection of Philip king of Spaine. Wherefore, feining himselfe that he would in the middest of the night with his people go [...]oorth to bring home some great bootie for his and the townes benefit, he de|parted the towne, & late in the night gathered togi|ther a great preie of catell, horsses, oxen, kine, shéepe, and such like, with some prisoners of the kings part. All which he brought to the towne gate of Lire, and then commanded the gates to be opened vnto him, whereby they with their bootie might enter all at once. But the porter fearing at such time of night to set the gates full abroad, onelie opened a little wic|ket or doore, thereby to receiue Semple into the towne. Which thing Semple then perceiuing (& not finding all things to answer his expectation) feined that the enimies were hard at their backs, would kill them all, and recouer their bootie, vnlesse he did spéedilie open the great gate, through the same to receiue them into the towne all at once. Then the porter beléeuing all this to be true, foorthwith set o|pen the great gates of the citie, which doone, the Scot entereth thereat, [...]ue those which kept the watch, pos|sessed the towne, & into the same receiued the kings souldiors, which were not farre behind, but secretlie laie in wait expecting the successe of this deuise. By which meanes the Spaniards and their followers first woone the market place, and the next daie after the calends of August reduced the whole towne of Lire vnder their owne subiection: the same Lire being a place well fensed, and set in such a conueni|ent soile, that it would prohibit all passage and cari|age to come to Antwerpe, Mecheline and Bruxels.

After this, much about the beginning of Sep|tember, Ambassador frõ the French into Scotland. monsieur de la Mot was sent from Hen|rie the third the French king ambassador into Scot|land, the outward effect of whose commission was to renew and conclude the old league of amitie be|twixt those two nations, as it had been long conti|nued betwéene them in times past, which doone, he returned, well accepted by his French master. After which in like sort the king of Scots sent the lord Seton ambassador into France to the same king 1583 Ambassador from the Scot to the French. Henrie, which lord came to Paris in the beginning of March, and there remained about six wéekes or more before he could find conuenient passage for him to returne into his countrie, because there was wait laid (as was supposed) to the end that he might haue béene intercepted by some of his enimies, be|fore he should haue atteined the presence of the king his maister.

But now as a litle before I haue set downe the exploits doone by the Scots in the low countries out of their owne nation, so I thinke it not amisse to adde to the same somewhat doone by a Scot héere in England, the summe whereof is after this man|ner. One William Creicton a Scot by birth, and Lesleus lib. 6. pag. 210. a Iesuit by profession, which name of Creicton first came into Scotland, in the yeare of Christ one thou|sand thréescore and six out of Hungarie amongst o|thers with Agatha, the mother of Maud the wife to Malcolme king of Scots, hauing trauelled the most part of Europe, had conference with one William Parrie an Englishman, by waie of dis|course and argument touching such matter of trea| [...]on as concerned the death of the quéene of Eng|land. After which (Parrie being returned into England in Ianuarie following) this Creicton also, not tarrieng long behind him, did come from the parts of beyond the sea [...] to take his iornie towards Scotland, who determining to passe through Eng|land, arriued here, was apprehended, & committed Creicton a Scot commit|ted to [...]ison in England prisoner to the Tower of London, in such sort as before you haue heard that Iohn Lesle bishop of Rosse was staied by the duke of Bauier vpon suspi|cion, that the same bishop had dealt with the eni|mies of that prince against the state of his coun|trie. The cause wherefore the said Creicton was so committed, was for that he had about him diuerse plots for inuasions of this our realme of England. When he was thus prisoner in the Tower, William Parrie was after for the same treason apprehended, examined, committed also to the Tower, and final|lie executed on the second daie of March in the yere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred foure score and foure. In the Februarie before which execution, sir Francis Walsingham knight, principall secre|tarie to hir maiestie of England, came to the Tow|er, examined the said Creicton and dealt with him, to vnderstand if the said Parrie had euer had confe|rence with him in the parts beyond the seas touch|ing that question, whether it were lawfull to kill hir maiestie of England or not, the which at that time the said Creicton called not to his remembrance; yet afterwards vpon better consideration thereof it fell into his mind, where, when, & on what occasion such spéech had passed [...] [...]e the said Parrie and him. Wherevpon the [...]ntith daie of Februarie, in the yeare of Christ one thousand fiue hundred foure score and foure, during the time that Parrie also was a prisoner in the Tower, this Creicton wrote to maister secretarie Walsingham a volun|tarie letter penned all with his owne hand, which being alreadie set downe in the historie of England is needlesse here to be repeated. Wherefore hauing thus said somewhat of this prisoner, we will leaue him still remaining in the same state, expecting some folowing successe of libertie to come to him, and returne our pen to the countrie of Scotland, thereof to set downe such occurrents as happened from this time.

In March was renewed a great & old contention A contention betweene the earle Morton and the l [...]rd Iohnstane. betwéene the lord Maxwell earle Morton warden of the west marches of Scotland, and the lard of Iohn|stane; the occas [...]on of which new dissention procéeded of an old enimitie begun in the time of Dowglasse earle Morton beheaded, as before in the yeare of Christ one thousand fiue hundred eightie and one, touching the receiuing of the same wardenship. In which hurlie burlie the lard of Iohnstane behaued himselfe verie rigorouslie against the lord Maxwell, in blowing vp with gunpouder the lockes of the cas|tell of Lochmaben. Which dissention secretlie after the death of Dowglasse earle Morton, continuing betwéene the lord Maxwell and Iohnstane, with further increase of malice, they in this yeare sought a fresh reuenge thereof, [...]th the lord Iohnstane had not (before this) either power or meanes to incoun|ter with the lord Maxwell. But now the ladie Iohn|stane (being verie familiar and fauored with and of Iames Steward earle of Arrane) obteined of the Ladie Iohn|stane hath aid of the king. king some succors of men of warre against the lord Maxwell earle Morton, hir husband (as was suppo|sed) not being able otherwise to make his part good against the same earle. Wherevpon canteine Lamie and capteine Granestane were sent with two com|panies of hackbuts vnto the reliefe of the lard of Iohnstane. Who being thus furnished, did in the kings name raise the nobilitie and countrie therea|bouts to assist him with their power: which being had, he meant and therefore went to haue ioined with the said two capteins Lamie and Grane|stane. But as man purposeth, and God disposeth EEBO page image 432 quite contrarie to our determination. So the lard Iohnstane was disappointed of that méeting; for the earle Morton (whose héedfull watch was not idle in learning out the deuises of his enimies, a néed|full policie for all such as intend to bring great acti|ons to effect) hauing intelligence by some of his friends tendering his safetie, of this determination and preparation of the lard Iohnstane, and wiselie (as behooued him) seeing what danger might rise vn|to him, if their two forces met, which would rise to a greater number than he were able to incounter, and iudging it best in the beginning to prouide for mischiefe, and to stop their passage, did prepare to preuent all their deuises, and for that cause sent his base brother Robert Maxwell capteine of Lang|holne Robert Max|well base bro|ther to earle Morton sent against cap|teine Lamie. with some horssemen and footmen vnder the conduct of Iames Fraiser brother to the lord of Fullorth, which Robert meeting on Cra [...]ford mere with the foresaid capteins Lamie and Cranestane, before that they had ioined with the lard Iohnstane gaue the charge vpon them, and that so fiercelie as they ouerthrew the whole strength of his enimies, slue Lamie, tooke Cranestane prisoner, and so hand|led Capteine La|mie & Crane|stane ouer|throwen. the matter that all the rest were taken or s [...]ame except some few, who sought their liues by the bene|fit of flieng. After which victorie the report thereof came to the lard Iohnstane, who desirous to be re|uenged thereof, vsed the helpe of other meanes when he perceued that force would not preuaile. And for that cause assembling such power as he had, he vsed the strength of one element against an o|ther, of the highest against the lowest, of the heauen against the earth, of the fire against mettall, and of burning against fighting. For with all spéed he has|tened to the lands of the earle Morton, which he cru|ellie spoiled, and in the same did burne certeine houses and other places belonging to the earle, as Comers trées, Duncoll, Cowhill, and such like. Wherevpon the earle Morton, who in like sort did not neglect his owne cause, but as opportunitie ser|ued, sought the requit all thereof, did with the like furie, but with more hurt, enter the lands of Iohn|stane, vtterlie spoiled them, and yet not so satisfied, The castels Louchhouse and Louch|wood burnt. committed to the fire both the castels of Louchhouse and Louchwood belonging to Iohnstane, and slue sundrie gentlemen of name, the friends to Iohn|stane, being persons of good sort, as the two bro|thers of Lokierbie, a brother of the lord Wanefraie, some of the sons of Iohn of Iohnstane of Holgill, with others. Which doone, the earle Morton procée|ded vnto further pursute, and determining fullie to reuenge himselfe vpon Iohnstane, and his follow|ers, forced the lard Iohnstane himselfe to flie his fu|rie. Wherefore he fled to a strong house called the The lard Iohnstane forced to f [...]ie. Bonshaw castell belonging to Edward Yrwine of the Bonshaw, whome the earle pursued, and besie|ged in the same place, at what time he so battered the castell with artillerie, that the house was almost gotten. Which being perceiued of those within, not able to make further resistance, they fell to par|lée, and so to composition; whereby in the end the matter was wholie compounded and ended betwéen them, by the mediation and furtherance of the lord Scroope of England, with certeine conditions to be The lord Scroope com|pounded the contention be|tweene earle Morton and the lard Iohn|stane. performed as well on the part of the earle as of the lard Iohnstane. But the coles of inward griefe be|ing couered with cold ashes of outward reconcili|ation, did not long lie couered, but in the end be|gan afresh to shew their fire. For the lard Iohnstane falling from the said accord, vpon what occasion I know not, either for cause giuen by the earle Mor|ton, or for an euill disposition in himselfe, or for both, they burst foorth againe into the like conflicts & part taking, which in the end falling to the worst, for the lard Iohnstane, he was taken betwéen Tin|wall The lard Iohnstane taken. and the Warden ditches (where he was lard in ambush to haue performed some action against the said Robert Maxwell comming from the towne of Domfreies to Laugham from the earle Morton his brother) by William Carrutheris (baron of Hol|mence and capteine of the kings castell named Traife) being by the earle Morton appointed to in|counter with the said lard Iohnstane: which this ba|ron was the more willing to doo, because he intirelie loued the earle, and had alwaies from the beginning followed the earles faction.

These things thus performed and the successe ther|of comming to the kings knowledge, he grew so The king dis|p [...]eased with earle Morton for the cause of the lard Iohnstane. heauilie displeased with the earle Morton that he was scarse able to susteine the kings displeasure, by reason that the earle attempted these things against the kings mind, when the king had supported the lard Iohnstane with men and weapons. But the kings displeasure onlie growing against the earle, was partlie for that the earle of Arrane did bitter|lie exasper at the cause against him, and partlie by the persuasion & lamentation of the ladie of Iohn|stane, whereof the last was enimie to the earle, as of dutie she ought in respect of hir husband, and the first (which was the earle of Arrane) became a bitter and heauie enimie besides all reason against earle Mor|ton, because that Morton refused to exchange the baronies of Poke and Maxwell Hewch with Ar|rane, which most instantlie required the same, in re|spect they adioined neere vnto other lands which Ar|rane The earle of Arrane would exchange lands with the earle Morton. had procured to himselfe. For although that Ar|rane would in place of those required lands haue de|liuered others of no lesse value and honor (for he would haue giuen the baronie of Kinneile for the same) yet Morton had good cause and no lesse reason not to yeeld therevnto: as well for that Maxwell Hewch was his ancient inheritance, and the first land which his ancestors had, and whereof they tooke the name of lord Maxwell; as for that, that there were manie of the surname of the Maxwels, who dwelling vpon these lands, would not become subiect The Max|wels would not be subiect to the earle of Arrane. to the earle of Arrane, as they must haue béene if he had departed with those lands; amongst which Max|wels so refusing to become tenants to Arrane, were Iohn Maxwell lard of Newarke, and William Maxwell lard of Poke.

This thus handled, the king assembled a parle|ment in Maie, wherein were certeine lawes enac|ted, which giuing occasion to some of the nobilitie and clergie to misconceiue thereof, and to depart the realme, did after minister cause to the king (for the more discharge of his honour, the better explai|ning of the said lawes, and the manifesting of secret practises against him) to set downe this following declaration thereof to the view of the world. Wher|in he shewed himselfe of a rare and good disposition, in that he would humble himselfe beneath the maie|stie of his crowne, publikelie to render a reason to his neighbours and to his subiects of his dealings, towards such as were vnder his gouernment, sith he was not bound therevnto, being to dispose of those his subiects according to the lawes of his realme and the customes of those countries. But be|fore I set downe that declaration, I thinke it not vnmeet to saie somewhat of such things as went be|fore, and were the cause of setting foorth of the same declaration. There were some lawes in the same parlement enacted for the reformation of religion, which to the king séemed to be growne ouer dange|rous, in séeking a certeine equalitie of gouern|ment in the ecclesiasticall hierarchie. Upon which law established, the earles of Angus and Mar, with diuers others of the temporaltie and the spiritualtie, EEBO page image 433 as Andrew Meluine, and such as professed the purer and reformed religion (as it was termed) were infor|ced for the vse of their conscience and for other cau|ses, to banish themselues from their countrie, and to flie into England there to vse the libertie of their re|ligion, and to prouide for the safetie of their persons, who comming into this realme, made their abode and soiourned at Norwich. About which time also of their departure out of Scotland, there was a suppo|sed treason discouered by Robert Hamilton vnto the king, intended to be practised against his maie|stie, wherevpon some were summoned vpon suspici|on, some were apprehended, and some were executed for the same cause. Of the first sort, the lord Blakater and George Dowglasse were summoned to the court vpon suspicion that they were consenting and conceling to and of the same treasons. For the se|cond part touching the same, the lord of Donwhasell, the lord of Dunkreth, the lord of Baithkict, Robert Hamilton of Inchmachan, and Iames Sterling, were apprehended at the kings court: besides which Iohn Hoppingell of the Moores was taken at his owne house by the capteine of the kings gard, and the lord Keier with the lord Maius and other gentle|men were taken about Sterling; and lastlie the lord Donwhasell and the lord Maius were executed, with the lord Ruthwine earle of Gowrike, treasuror of Scotland, who was be headed in Scotland. Which being thus doone, the king as is before said made this following declaration vpon the said acts of par|lement, in which he sheweth reason and cause why he ought and might both make and execute those laws, with a further explanation also of the same lawes deliuered in that declaration with these words.