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tibtaty  of Ithe  theological  Seminary 

PRINCETON    •   NEW  JERSEY 


///  w 

PRESENTED  BY 

The  Rev.   John  M.  Krebs 
Class  of  1832 


BX    9225    .M42   A3    1842    c.l 
Melville,    James,    1556-1614. 
The   autobiography  and   diary 
of   Mr.    James   Melvill,    with 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  AND  DIARY 


MR  el  AMES  MELVILL. 


M.D.LVL— M.DCX. 


J 


/ 


THE  WODEOW  SOCIETY, 

INSTITUTED   MAY,   1841, 

FOR  THE  PUBLICATION  OF  THE  WORKS  OF  THE  FATHERS  AND  EARL! 
WRITERS  OF  THE  REFORMED  CHURCH  OF  SCOTLAND. 


i  in: 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  AND  DIARY 


OF 


MR  JAMES  MELVILL, 

MINISTER  OF  KILKENNY,    IN   FIFE,   A  XT)  PROFESSOR   OF  THEOLOGY 
IX  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  ST   AXDREWS. 


WITH    A 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  DIARY. 


EDITED  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  IN  THE  LIBRARIES  OF  THE  FACULTY 
OF  ADVOCATES  AND  UNIVERSITY  OF  EDINBURGH,    ' 


]>V 


ROBERT  PITCAIRN,  ESQ. 

F.S.A.    SPOT. 


EDINBURGH: 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  YVODROW   SOCIETY. 
\i.n<  <  c.xlii. 


EDINBURGH     JMtlXTIMU    IOMPANY,    SOUTH     ST     DAVID    Ml.  I    I    1 


PREFATORY  NOTICE, 


I.    THE  AUTHOR'S   BIRTH  AND    EDUCATION. 

Mr  James  Melvill,  Melvyne,  or  Melvin,  (in  which  latter 
form  the  family  name  was  generally  known,  both  in  Scotland  and 
in  foreign  countries '  at  the  period  when  our  Author  flourished,) 
was  one  of  the  sons  of  Richard  Melvill  of  Baldowy  or  Baldovy, 
Minister  of  the  parish  of  Marytoun,  near  Montrose,  in  the  presby- 
tery of  Brechin,  by  his  spouse  Isabell  Scrymgeour,  sister  to  the 
Laird  of  Glasswell.  The  Melvills  of  Baldowy  were  then  a  respect- 
able family,  and  near  cadets  of  Melvill  of  Raith,  who  was  consi- 
dered to  be  the  chief  of  a  rather  powerful  and  influential  name  in> 
the  county  of  Fife.  Melvill  of  Dysart,  however,  was  acknowledged 
by  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  to  have  been  the  chief  of  the  Baldovy  branch 

1  In  all  the  interesting  correspondence  which  took  place  between  our  Author  and  his 
celebrated  uncle,  which  is  in  Latin,  (Melvini  Epistolse,  MS.  in  Adv.  Lib.)  the  name 
is  uniformly  written  "  Melvinus."  It  may  also  be  remarked,  that  in  Fifeshire  the 
name  is  still  vulgarly  pronounced  "  Melvin,"  and  at  an  earlier  period  it  was  fre- 
quently pronounced  and  written  "  Melin,"  "  Mellin,"  and  "  Melling." 

a 


VI  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

of  the  family.1  The  Author  states,  in  his  Autobiography,  that  he 
was  born  on  the  26th  day  of  July  1556,  but  at  the  same  time 
quaintly  remarks,  "  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  haulds  that  I  was  born 
in  anno  1557."2 

Of  the  early  life,  education,  and  pursuits  of  Mr  James  Melvill, 
a  simple  but  lively  and  unaffected  narrative  has  been  preserved  by 
himself  in  his  Autobiography,  in  which  will  be  found  many  curious 
and  important  particulars  as  to  the  state  of  classical  and  theologi- 
cal education  in  Scotland  in  his  younger  days,  and  more  especially 
in  the  Universities  of  St  Andrews  and  Glasgow.  He  has  also,  in 
the  commencement  of  his  work,  recorded  much  interesting  infor- 
mation as  to  the  early  introduction  of  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  lan- 
guages into  Scotland,  and  the  methodical  study  of  Oriental  Lan- 
guages as  a  regular  branch  of  theological  education  in  these  Uni- 
versities, at  a  period  when  it  has  generally  been  considered  that 
too  little  attention  was  paid  to  these  departments  of  learning.  It 
may  perhaps  not  be  unworthy  of  a  cursory  notice  in  this  place,  that 
it  likewise  appears  from  this  work,  that  at  St  Andrews  and  elsewhere, 
at  and  before  the  middle  and  close  of  the  sixteenth  century,  not 
only  was  the  mind  assiduously  cultivated  by  the  study  of  theology, 
philosophy,  mathematics,  the  classics,  and  other  kindred  branches 
pf  a  polite  education,  in  a  manner  hardly  to  be  surpassed  in  the  pre- 
sent day,  but  the  bodily  faculties  were  strengthened  and  developed 
by  the  regular  practice  of  archery,  fencing,  running,  leaping,  wrest- 
ling, swimming,  and  other  athletic  and  manly  exercises  and  sports, 
in  regard  to  which  many  amusing  instances  arc  alluded  to  or  en- 
larged on  by  our  Author.  The  enquirer  into  the  manners,  customs, 
'   M'Crie's  MclviU,  i.  409.  2  See  Diary,  p.   13. 


PEEFATOBY  NOTICE.  Vli 

and  superstitions  of  our  countrymen,  at  this  period,  will  also  find 
numerous  passages  of"  considerable  interest  and  curiosity. 

It  would  be  equally  unnecessary  and  out  of  place  to  attempt  a 
recapitulation  of  what  is  so  forcibly  and  graphically  narrated  by 
the  Author  on  these  subjects  ;  but  it  may  here  be  briefly  noticed, 
that  through  the  kindness  of  Principal  Lee,  the  Editor  is  now  en- 
abled from  his  notes  (which  have  been  most  obligingly  communi- 
cated at  a  time  when  busily  engaged  in  important  public  avoca- 
tions) to  throw  some  additional  light  on  the  exact  dates  of  Mr 
James  MelvilPs  matriculation  at  St  Andrews,  and  the  period  of 
his  laureation  as  a  Master  of  Arts. 

As  has  been  recorded  by  himself,  Mr  J  ames  Melvill  got  the  ru- 
diments of  his  education  at  Logie  and  Montrose  ;  and  in  his  Diary, 
he  states  that  he  was  entered  as  a  student  at  St  Leonard's  College, 
St  Andrews,  in  1571.  In  this  latter  instance,  however,  it  would  ap- 
pear that  he  had  quoted  from  memory,  at  an  advanced  period  of 
his  life,  as  the  Very  Rev.  Principal  Lee  has  politely  communicated 
to  the  Editor,  from  his  notes  of  matriculations,  &c,  that  our  Author 
was  enrolled  so  early  as  1569,  ("  Jacobus  Melwal,")1  when  in  his 
fourteenth  year.  From  the  same  authentic  source  it  is  gratifying  to 
state,  that  the  accuracy  of  the  previous  entry  in  the  matriculation 
books  of  St  Andrews  is  amply  proved  by  the  following,  in  the  list  of 
Bachelors  of  Arts  who  were  admitted  on  the  9th  day  of  February 
1572,  "James  Melvyn  ;"  which  exactly  corresponds  with  the 
earliest  period  at  which  he  could  have  been  admitted  to  this  de- 
gree by  the  statutes  of  that  L^niversity.  It  is  possible  that  Mel- 
vill may  have  taken  his  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  either  at  Glas- 
1  His  name  is  so  inscribed  in  the  original  Register, 


Via  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

gow  or  subsequent  to  his  return  to  St  Andrews ;  but  the  period  of 
his  laureation  is  uncertain,  from  the  imperfection  of  the  lists,  about 
that  period,  both  at  Glasgow  and  St  Andrews. 

The  Editor  trusts  that  the  Members  of  the  Wodrow  Society,  as 
well  as  the  Church  and  public,  will  cordially  join  him  in  the  wish 
that  the  Very  Rev.  and  learned  Principal,  to  whose  notes  the  So- 
ciety is  indebted  for  this  information,  may  still  be  prevailed  on  to 
favour  the  world  with  his  long  projected  work  on  the  Ecclesiastical 
and  Literary  History  of  Scotland,  at  no  very  distant  date.  It  is  uni- 
versally acknowledged  that  no  one  is  better  qualified  for  undertak- 
ing so  important  a  task ;  and  a  large  number  of  his  friends  are 
well  aware  that  during  the  last  thirty  years  he  has  amassed  a  most 
valuable  store  of  materials,  at  immense  personal  labour  and  consi- 
derable expense,  and  that  he  has  ever  been  willing  most  liberally 
to  afford  his  advice,  and  to  communicate  information  to  others  en- 
gaged in  kindred  pursuits.  Already  have  the  pages  of  many  of  our 
authors  been  enriched  from  these  stores,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
sufficient  leisure  may  still  be  afforded  him  for  completing  so  very 
desirable  a  work. 

II.   PROFESSOR  IN  THE  UNIVERSITIES  OF  GLASGOW  AND 
ST  ANDREWS. 

On  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  being  appointed  Principal  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Glasgow,  our  Author,  his  nephew,  was  invited  by  him 
to  accompany  him  thither ;  and,  we  are  informed  by  Mr  James 
Melvill,  that  at  the  early  age  of  nineteen,  he  began,  as  a  Regent, 
about  Michaelmas  1575,  to  instruct  his  class  in  Greek,  Logic,  and 
Rhetoric  ;    and,   in  the  following   year,  he  taught  them  Mathe- 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  IX 

matics  and  Natural  Philosophy.  Dr  M'Crie  records  that  "  he  was 
the  first  Regent  in  Scotland  who  read  the  Greek  authors  to  his 
class  in  the  original  language," l  in  which  both  he  and  his  uncle 
were  great  proficients. 

In  the  year  1580,  after  his  uncle  had  returned  to  his  charge  as 
Principal  of  St  Andrews,  our  Author  was  appointed  Professor  of 
Hebrew  and  Oriental  Languages  in  the  same  University,  and  was 
soon  afterwards  invited  to  be  Minister  of  Stirling,  which  offer, 
however,  he  declined  to  accept. 

III.    HIS  FIRST  MARRIAGE,  AND  HIS  CONDUCT  AS  A  MINISTER 
OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

On  the  1st  day  of  May  1583,  Mr  James  Melvill  married  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  his  friend  and  patron,  Mr  John  Dury,  Minister 
of  Edinburgh,2  afterwards  of  Montrose,  by  Marion  Marjoribanks, 
who  is  understood  to  have  been  daughter  of  Sir  John  Marjori- 
banks, Provost  of  Edinburgh. 

Having  preached  his  first  sermon  at  the  early  age  of  eighteen,3 
the  increasing  expenses  of  his  family  induced  bim,  in  the  autumn 
of  1586,  to  accept  of  a  call  from  the  parish  of  Anstruther-Wester  ; 
and  he  was  soon  afterwards  admitted  by  the  presbytery  to  that 
charge.  From  the  Registers  of  that  parish  the  following  entry 
occurs  :  "  1586,  22  day  [of]  Oct.,  being  Sonday,  Mr  James  Mel- 
vill, our  ministair,  now  began  and  ministered  the  sacrament  of 
baptisme,  as  after  followes,  in  Anstruther,"  &c.  &c.4     Mr  Robert 

1  M'Crie's  Life  of  Melvill,  i.  74.  2  He  had  been  transported  to  that  im- 

portant charge  from  Leith.  8  At  "  the  Exercise."  '  Diary,  p.  50.         4  Register 

of  Births,  &c.  of  the  parish  of  Anstruther-Wester. 


X  PREFATOKY  NOTICE. 

Wood,  who  had  been  appointed  minister  of  the  parish  of  Kenno- 
way,  December  4, 1582,  was  his  predecessor,  and  held  the  office  from 
the  year  1584  ;  and  from  the  manner  in  which  the  Author  speaks 
of  him  in  his  Introduction,1  it  would  seem  that  he  was  far  from 
being  acceptable  to  the  people. 

It  would  appear  that  on  the  death  of  Mr  William  Clark,  in 
February  1583,2  who  had  been  burdened  with  the  care  of  the 
three  parishes  of  Pittenweem,  Abercrombie,  and  Kilrenny,  Wood 
got  a  presentation  to  the  whole  from  the  Archbishop  of  St  An- 
drews, (Adamson  ;)  and  on  his  removal,  Mr  James  Melvill  entered 
on  the  same  extensive  and  laborious  charge.  Greatly  to  his 
honour,  and  to  the  credit  of  his  religious  profession,  our  Author, 
in  place  of  attempting  the  arduous  task  of  performing  the  duty  of 
minister  to  four  large  parishes,  immediately  used  all  his  influence 
and  exertions  to  get  separate  ministers  appointed  to  each.  In  this 
he  finally  succeeded,  and,  despising  the  mere  motive  of  pecuniary 
aggrandisement,  he  then  betook  himself  seriously  to  the  discharge 
of  his  ministerial  duties  in  the  parish  of  Kilrenny,  to  which,  in 
October  1590,  he  was  enabled  exclusively  to  restrict  himself. 
The  manner  in  which  he  effected  this  is  beautifully  and  simply 
narrated  in  his  Introduction. 

The  charge  of  Anstruther- Wester  he  resigned  in  favour  of  his 
friend,  Mr  Robert  Dury,3  in  1588.  That  distinguished  man  was 
banished  by  King  James  VI.  in  1606,  and  died  at  Leyden  in  1616. 

1  Diary,  p.  4.  2  Register  of  Presentations  to  Benefices,  ii.  133. 

3  It  is  probable  that  he  was  his  brother-in-law,  but  the  Editor  has  not  been  able  to 
satisfy  himself  of  this  on  proper  evidence.  He  married  Elizabeth  Ramsay.  Sir 
Andrew  Melvill  was  witness  to  the  baptism  of  his  son  and  daughter,  Andrew  and  Mar- 
garet, in  1605  and  1G07.     Session  Record  of  Anstruther. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XI 

The  charge  of  Pittenweem  was  committed  to  Mr  Nicol  Dal- 
gleish,  who,  on  3d  November  1603,  got  Mr  Roger  Melvill  ap- 
pointed as  helper  to  him.  In  April  1613,  Mr  John  Durie  suc- 
ceeded to  the  cure  of  souls  in  this  parish ;  and  on  his  translation 
to  the  parish  of  Logie  in  1614,  the  parish  remained  vacant  until 
1617,  when  our  Author's  eldest  son,  Mr  Ephraim  Melvill,  who  was 
translated  thither  from  Newburn,  was  appointed.  On  his  death, 
in  1629,  Mr  John  Melvill  succeeded.  He  conformed  to  Presby- 
tery in  1638,  and  died  in  1649.  The  succession  of  ministers  in 
this  parish  has  been  noted,  in  consequence  of  one,  and  perhaps  two, 
of  the  sons  of  our  Author  having  been  included  in  the  number  of 
its  ministers. 

The  charge  of  Abercrombie  was,  in  1593,  considerably  after  the 
resignation  of  Mr  James  Melvill,  bestowed  on  Mr  Alexander  For- 
syth, who  went  to  England  in  1604.  It  may  be  remarked,  in  re- 
ference to  this  subject,  that  in  the  year  1646,  the  parish  of  Aber- 
crombie had  the  town  and  lands  of  St  Monance  united  to  it.  These 
were  ecclesiastically  dismembered  from  that  of  Kilconquhar ;  but 
as  the  Kirk  of  St  Monance  was  "  most  capable  to  conteine  the  whole 
parish,  and  because  the  grytest  nomber  of  the  parishioners  duell 
neerest  to  that  kirk,  and  for  other  reasons  conteined  in  the  suppli- 
cation given  in  to  the  Presbyterie  for  that  effect,"  Divine  worship 
was  ordained  to  be  performed  therein  for  the  future.1 

The  charge  undertaken  by  Mr  James  Melvill,  as  minister  of 
Kilrcnny,  in  which  he  continued  from  the  period  of  his  admission 
until  he  was  called  to  England  by  order  of  the  King,   Avas  most 

1  Ecclesiastical  Records  of  the  Synod  of  Fife,  1611-1687,  p  201,  presented  to 
the  Abbotsford  Club  by  Charles  Baxter,  Esq.  as  his  private  contribution. 


XU  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

faithfully  and  zealously  discharged  by  him ;  and  when  the  duties  of 
his  professorship  and  the  increasing  wants  of  the  parish  demanded 
further  assistance  in  that  important  duty,  he  got  his  dear  friend,  Mr 
John  Dykes,  admitted  as  his  "  fellow  laborer,"  or  colleague,  in  1596. 
Mr  John  Dykes,  however,  was  translated  to  the  parish  of  Newburn 
in  October  1604;  but,  on  the  invitation  of  the  parish,  he  returned 
to  Kilrenny  in  1614,  shortly  after  Mr  James  Melvill's  death.  He 
died  in  1634.  It  may  be  mentioned  generally,  that  there  was 
another  Minister  of  the  same  name  flourishing  at  the  same  time, 
probably  a  near  relation,  who  was  appointed  as  the  first  Minister 
of  Culross  in  1567.  He  was  confined  by  order  of  James  VI.  in 
1607.  This  individual  seemed  to  have  been  a  considerable  plural- 
ist, as  he  also  held  the  large  and  important  parishes  of  Tulliallan  and 
Clackmannan,  being  assisted  in  the  former  by  Walter  Myllar,  "  Ex- 
hortar,"  and,  in  the  latter,  by  Robert  Maxwell,  "  Reidare,"  in  these 
charges.  If  this  Mr  John  Dykes  was  the  same  individual  who 
was  so  intimately  associated  in  the  bonds  of  friendship  and  of  the 
holy  ministry  with  Mr  James  Melvill,  he  must  have  been  a  Mini- 
ster above  forty  years,  and,  consequently,  advanced  in  life  when 
confined  by  order  of  the  King  in  1 607  ;  and  if  he  lived  to  the 
year  1641,  when,  so  far  as  the  Editor  has  been  enabled  to  discover, 
it  is  believed  he  died,  he  must  then  have  been  above  ninety-four 
years  of  age.  The  Editor,  however,  is  convinced,  from  the  cir- 
cumstance of  the  plurality  of  livings  held  by  him,  and  the  discre- 
pancy of  the  periods  of  the  death  of  the  incumbents  of  these  pa- 
rishes, that  they  must  have  been  different  individuals.1 

i  See  Records  of  the  Synod  of  Fife,  pp.  208,  210,  236. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  Xin 

It  is  not  a  little  complimentary  to  the  popular  talents  of  our 
Author,  that  we  have  it  to  relate  that  his  separation  from  his  parish 
of  Anstruther  was  deplored  by  his  people  as  a  subject  to  them  of 
deep  and  lasting  regret ;  and  had  he  left  so  affectionate  and  at- 
tached a  body  of  parishioners  merely  for  pecuniary  gain  or  personal 
aggrandisement,  such  an  expression  must  have  been  not  only  ex- 
tremely affecting,  but  must  have  afforded  cause  for  bitter  remorse. 
The  Kirk-Session  of  Anstruther- Wester  thus  forcibly  record  their 
regret : — "  Mr  James  Melvill  took  his  guid  nycht  from  this  con- 
gregatioun  the  said  moneth  of  October  1590  yeiris,  and  took  him 
to  Kylrynnie  to  be  thair  minister.  God  forgif  him  that  did  sa ! 
for  I  know  and  saw  him  promes  that  he  suld  never  laif  ws  for  any 
vardlie '  respect,  sa  lang  [as]  he  lyvit,  except  he  var  forssit  be  the 
Kirk  and  his  Majestie;  bot,  nevir  being  forsit  aither  be  Kirk  or  his 
Majestic,  leift  ws."2  It  may  be  noticed,  that  the  contiguous  town 
of  Anstruther-Easter  was  then  annexed  to  the  parish  of  Kilrenny, 
and  all  the  three  parishes  are  situated  within  a  short  distance  from 
each  other. 

The  various  steps  which  led  to  the  final  endowment  and  estab- 
lishment of  four  ministers  in  these  four  populous  parishes,  by  the 
extraordinary  exertions  of  one  conscientious  minister,  in  whose  per- 
son the  whole  had  been  originally  united,  through  the  pernicious 
system  of  pluralities  then  so  prevalent  in  Scotland — and  that  within 
the  almost  incredibly  short  space  of  three  years — are  related  by  our 
Author  in  his  own  simple  and  forcible  manner,  and  are  well  worthy 
of  admiration.  They  afford  a  very  striking  instance  of  what  maybe 

1  Worldly.  a  Kirk-session  Records  ot  Anstruther- Wester,  October  G,  1590. 


XIV  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

achieved  by  the  untiring,  conscientious  perseverance  and  energe- 
tic application  of  the  mind  and  influence  of  one  good  man,  having 
only  before  his  eyes  the  glory  of  God  and  the  eternal  interests  of 
his  fellow  Christians. 

IV.    HIS  PUBLIC  LIFE. 

The  personal  history  of  the  Author,  and  his  proceedings  in  the 
public  affairs  in  which  the  Church  was  involved  during  the  event- 
ful period  which  followed,  are  so  fully  narrated  in  his  Autobio- 
graphy, and  in  the  Continuation  of  his  Diary,  and  are  so  much 
connected  with  the  History  of  Scotland,  that  it  is  only  necessary 
here  to  advert  generally  to  his  work  itself.  The  noble  stand  which 
he  made,  in  common  with  his  uncle,  Mr  Andrew  Melvill,  and  the 
other  Ministers  who  accompanied  him  to  England,  in  a  situation 
of  singular  difficulty  and  delicacy,  where  their  religious  liberty  and 
that  of  the  Church,  with  which  they  so  completely  identified  them- 
selves, was  so  much  at  stake,  is  one  which  has  exercised  the  pens, 
and  called  forth  the  commendation  of  our  best  Ecclesiastical  histo- 
rians.1 The  leading  circumstances  connected  with  this  remarkable 
passage  of  British  History  are  detailed  with  admirable  precisiou 
and  candour  by  our  Author. 

The  particulars  relating  to  the  oppressive  and  cruel  detention  of 
the  Ministers  in  London,  from  their  families  and  flocks,  the  con- 
finement of  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  m  the  Tower  of  London,  and  the 
banishment  of  our  Author  as  a  prisoner  at  large  to  Newcastle  and 
Berwick,   with  his  active   and  zealous   professional   employment 

l  Sec  cs[)cci;ill)'  Calilerwooil'b  Church  History,  M'Crie's  Life  of  Melvill,  &c.    ' 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XV 

while  there,  arc  all  detailed  with  touching  simplicity  and  fidelity, 
Avhich,  indeed,  are  highly  characteristic  of  the  whole  of  this  most 
valuable  contribution  to  the  History  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  and 
they  stamp  on  it  the  indelible  impress  of  truth. 

V.    HIS  SECOND  MARRIAGE. — HIS  BANISHMENT  AND  RESIDENCE 
AT  NEWCASTLE  AND  BERWICK. 

During  his  residence  at  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  the  Author  lost  his 
affectionate  wife,  Elizabeth  Dury,  who  had,  for  so  long  a  period, 
been  his  faithful  companion  and  friend,  and  the  fond  partaker  with 
him  in  all  his  toils  and  troubles.  The  date  of  her  death  cannot  now 
be  exactly  ascertained,  but  it  is  supposed  to  have  occurred  between 
the  years  1G09  and  1610.  After  a  most  diligent  search  of  all  the 
Registers  and  Vestry  books  of  the  parishes  of  Newcastle-on-Tyne 
and  Gateshead,  as  well  as  of  the  town  of  Berwick-on-Tweed,  (for 
which  the  Society  is  indebted  to  the  zeal  and  kindness  of  Thomas 
Bell,  Esq.,  and  J.  Bailey  Langhorne,  Esq.  of  Newcastle,  and  of 
Robert  Weddell,  Esq.,  of  Berwick,)  no  entry  has  been  found  of  the 
death  or  burial  of  Mrs  Melvill. 

It  appears,  however,  from  the  interesting  correspondence  above 
alluded  to,  which  took  place  between  the  Author  and  his  uncle, 
Mr  Andrew  Melvill,1  that  Mr  James  Melvill  remained  above  two 
years  a  widower  ;  and  that  previous  to  July,  1612,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Debora  Clerke,  daughter  of  the  then  deceased 
Richard  Clerke,  A.B.,  Vicar  of  Berwick-on-Tweed.  No  entry  oc- 
curs in  the  Parish  Registers  of  Berwick ;  and  until  now  it  was 

l  Melvini  Epistohe,  MS.  in  Adv.  Lib.  It  may  be  remarked  that  this  valuable  col- 
lection formerly  belonged  to  Mr  James  Melvill,  and  is  partly  in  his  own  hand-writing. 


XVI  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

merely  known,  or  rather  reported,  that  our  Author  married  a  young 
girl  of  nineteen  years  of  age,  who  was  believed  to  have  been  the 
daughter  of  a  deceased  Vicar  of  Berwick.  Through  the  persever- 
ing activity  of  Robert  Weddell,  Esq.,  of  Berwick,  a  note  of  the  suc- 
cession of  Vicars  in  that  town  was  procured,  and  the  conclusion 
drawn,  that  the  Author's  second  wife  was  likely  to  have  been  the 
daughter  of  Richard  Clerke.1 

The  name  of  Clerke  was  a  common  name  in  Berwick,  from  the 
reign  of  Henry  VIII.  downwards.  Richard  Clerke,  probably  a 
near  relation,  perhaps  the  grandfather  of  the  Author's  second  wife, 
in  a  deed  dated  15th  October  1594,  is  called  "  Richard  Clarke, 
precher  of  God's  Word  in  Berwick."  It  relates  to  a  property  in 
Berwick  belonging  to  the  Gardiner  family  ;  one  of  whom,  George, 
was  Dean  of  Norwich,  (Wood's  Ath.  Oxon.)  The  only  other  no- 
tice of  Richard  is,  that  he  "  lived  in  the  Churchyard  !" 

After  much  trouble,  and  a  prolonged  but  fruitless  search,  which 
was  instituted  by  the  editor  into  the  Books  of  the  Commissa- 
riats of  St  Andrews  and  Edinburgh,  he  at  length  applied  to 
his  friend  Mr  Weddell,  in  the  hope  that  Mr  James  MelvilPs  Will 
might  have  been  proved  at  Durham,  York,  or  some  of  the  Eccle- 
siastical Courts  in  the  northern  or  middle  districts  of  England ; 
and  that  gentleman  at  length  succeeded  in  tracing  the  interest- 
ing document  forming  No.  I.  of  the  Appendix  to  this  Prefatory 

l  Thomas  Clerke  was  Vicar  of  Berwick  18th  December  1  567,  and  died  before 
2Gth  February  1589,  when  we  find  Richard  Clerke,  A.B.  in  that  living.  On  22d 
July  1607,  William  Selbye,  A.M.  was  Vicar,  and  resigned  the  same  year.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Leo.  Rountrec,  who  also  resigned  in  1 6 1 0,  and  was  succeeded  by  Richard 
Smith,  who  died  in  1(513.  Gilbert  Durie  was  Vicar  from  that  time  till  about  1G60. 
It  is  not  unlikely  that  he  was  connected  with  Mr  James  MelviU's  family. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XVU 

Notice,  in  the  Registry  of  the  Consistory  Court  at  Durham.  The 
Will  of  Mr  James  Melvill  settled  the  point  most  satisfactorily,  so 
far  as  concerns  the  Christian  and  family  name  of  his  second  wife, 
which  had  previously  been  so  very  doubtful. 

Previous  to  this  marriage  taking  place,  a  very  serious  remon- 
strance had  been  addressed  to  the  Author  by  his  uncle,  Mr  An- 
drew Melvill,  to  whom  the  courtship  had  been  revealed,  both  on  ac- 
count of  the  unsuitableness  of  her  age,  and  from  the  circumstance  of 
a  long-formed  friendship,  which  Mr  Andrew  concluded  to  have  sub- 
sisted between  his  nephew  and  the  widoAv  lady  with  whom  Mr 
James  had  lodged  at  Newcastle,  and  whom  Mr  Andrew  most 
anxiously  pressed  him  to  marry.  Mr  James,  however,  persisted 
in  maintaining  the  inexpediency  of  becoming  united  to  the  excel- 
lent and  respectable  widow  alluded  to  by  him  in  his  Diary;1  and, 
ultimately,  Mr  Andrew  yielded  the  point  to  his  nephew.  In  the 
whole  of  this  protracted  correspondence,  an  abstract  of  which  has 
been  ably  and  humorously  given  by  Dr  M'Crie,2  and  even  to  the 
conclusion  of  that  collection,3  embracing  a  period  before  and  after 
his  second  marriage,  the  name  uniformly  given  by  Mr  Andrew  to 
his  niece  was  Melissa,4  which  led  to  the  conclusion  that  such  was 
indeed  her  Christian  name,  until  the  discovery  of  the  Author's 
Will. 

There  is  now  no  evidence  to  prove  that  there  was  any  issue  of 
our  Author's  second  marriage — at  least  no  traces  of  such  are  to  be 

1  "  Whose  sone-in-law,"  (says  our  Author,  Diary,  p.  172,)"guidman  of  the  house, 
was  lyand  seik  of  nianie  deadlie  wounds  giffen  him  be  the  Scottes  theives  on  the  Bor- 
der." 2  M'Crie's  Life  of  Andrew  Melvill,  ii.  pp.  364-375.  3  Melvini  Epistola?, 
passim.  4  She  is  frequently  termed  by  Mr  [Andrew  Melvill,  in  his  letters, 
"  melitissitna  Melissa,"  which  Dr  M'Crie  has  happily  translated  "  the  honied  Melissa." 


xvill  FREFATORY  NOTICE. 

found  iii  the  Will,  nor  in  the  Account  of  his  Death-bed,  which  is 
sufficiently  minute  in  many  similar  particulars ;  neither  do  the  pa- 
rish Records  bear  any  entries  of  the  birth  of  children  after  the  date 
of  that  marriage.  On  the  contrary,  there  is  every  reason  to  con- 
clude there  were  none. 

VI.    IS  OFFERED  A  BISHOPRIC. — HIS  CONDUCT  WHEN  IN  FAVOUR 
AT  COURT,  &C. 

It  is  recorded  by  Calderwood  in  his  Ecclesiastical  History, '  that 
in  the  month  of  October  1607,  Sir  John  Anstruther2  was  sent  by 
the  King  to  Newcastle,  with  the  offer  of  a  bishopric  to  Mr  James 
Melvill,  at  a  period  when  the  Court  seems  to  have  calculated  that 
it  was  not  unlikely  that  Melvill  might  be  inclined  to  purchase  his 
liberty  at  the  expense  of  his  integrity,  and  the  consistency  of  his 
religious  principles.  This  offer,  however,  he  unhesitatingly  reject- 
ed ;  and  he  preferred  to  remain  in  obscurity  and  captivity  in  the 
North  of  England,  rather  than  compromise  his  deliberate  opinion 
as  to  Church  government,  and  the  form  of  religion  which  he  had 
conscientiously  embraced,  and  maintained  at  so  great  a  cost,  by 
the  acceptance  of  an  office  of  such  dignity  and  emolument  in  his 
native  country.  This  is  no  more  than  might  reasonably  have  been 
expected  of  a  man  of  such  inflexible  integrity. 

In  the  course  of  his  Autobiography,  it  is  clearly  discoverable  how 
great  a  favourite  at  Court  Mr  James  Melvill  was,  at  an  early  period 
of  his  professional  career,  and  how  easily  he  might  have  risen  to 

1  Calderwood's  History,  in  Adv.  Lib.  vii.  72,  2)8.      M'Crie's  Melvill,  ii.  3"j. 

2  Calderwood's  MS.,  in  the  British  Museum,  states  this  courtier's  name  to  have 
been  Sir  William  Anstruther. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XIX 

the  highest  eminence  and  ecclesiastical  preferment.      Numerous 
passages  are  there  to  be  found  of  the  personal  intimacy  and  friend- 
ship which  subsisted  between  him  and  the  King,  and  the  great 
freedom  and  honesty  with  which  he  expressed  his  opinions  before 
his  Majesty.     But  when  rigorous  measures  were  adopted  against 
his  uncle,  Mr  Andrew,  then  Principal  of  the  New  College  of  St 
Andrews,  in  July  1602,  and  after  Mr  Andrew  had  been  put  in 
ward  within  the  precincts  of  that  University,  our  Author  conducted 
himself  with  the  utmost  determination  and  courage.     Dr  M'Crie 
states,  "  that  he  attended  the  Assemblies  of  the  Church  at  the  risk  of 
his  life  ;  and  when  confined  by  a  lingering  disease,  he  wrote  thence 
from  his  sick-bed  letters  containing  the  freest  advices,  and  the  most 
powerfid  exhortations  to  constancy."1     Some  of  these  have  been 
preserved  in  the  present  work,  and  show  most  forcibly  hoAV  the  ut- 
most possible  gentleness  and  meekness  of  temper  and  disposition, 
and  the  most  indomitable  courage,  sometimes  meet  in  the  character 
of  individual  Christians,  when  aroused  to  action  in  times  of  trial 
and  persecution. 

Among  other  instances  of  this  leading  trait  in  the  character  of 
Mr  James  Melvill  may  be  cited  two  remarkable  anecdotes,  which 
have  fortunately  been  preserved.  The  first  was  connected  with  the 
proceedings  of  the  General  Assembly  1602.  In  the  spirit  of  con- 
ciliation, and  with  a  view  to  promote  peace  and  harmony,  our 
Author  had  in  some  cases  made  certain  compliances,  of  which  un- 
handsome advantage  had  been  taken  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  he 
had  generally  rather  shunned  controversy,  and  often  preferred  to 
remain  silent  when  action  did  not  seem  to  him  to  be  essentially 

1    M'Crie's  Melvill,  ii.  181. 


xx  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

necessary.  This  line  of  conduct  was  misconstrued  by  the  enemies 
of  the  cause  which  he  espoused,  into  constitutional  timidity  and 
vacillation  of  character.  During  that  eventful  time  the  King- 
thought  proper  to  send  for  him  to  his  palace,  with  the  view  of 
talking  him  over,  and  counted  on  his  being  able  to  carry  the  mea- 
sures which  he  then  contemplated,  through  the  influence  and  in- 
strumentality of  Mr  James  Melvill.  As  he  came  out  of  the  King's 
cabinet,  Mr  William  Row,  minister  of  Strathmiglo,  who  had  been 
waiting  for  access,  overheard  his  Majesty  saying  to  one  of  his  at- 
tendants, "This  is  a  good  simple  man.  I  have  streaked  cream  in 
his  mouth  !  I'll  warrant  you  he  will  procure  a  number  of  votes  for 
me  to-morrow."  Row  lost  no  time  in  communicating  this  to  our 
Author ;  who,  having  next  day  given  his  vote  directly  against  the 
proposal  of  the  Court,  the  King  would  not  believe  it,  until  the 
Clerk  of  the  Assembly  had  called  his  name  a  second  time.1 

The  other  instance  is  related  by  Calderwood.  With  the  view  of 
preventing  the  opposition  of  the  Author  to  the  Court  measures 
which  were  about  to  be  proposed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Synod  of 
Fife,  intimation  was  made  to  him  that  the  King  had  placed  one  of 
his  letters  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord  Advocate,  for  the  purpose  of 
instituting  a  criminal  prosecution  against  him.  So  little,  however, 
did  he  regard  this  intimidating  threat,  that  Sir  Robert  Murray,  in 
reporting  the  proceedings  of  that  Synod  to  the  King,  informed  his 
Majesty  that  James  Melvill  had  become  more  fiery  than  his  uncle  ! 
Calderwood  thus  closes  his  allusion  to  this  matter :  "  At  the  time 
of  the  sitting  of  the  Synod  of  Fife,  in  April  1604,  Mr  James  Mel- 
vine,  being  assured  that  the  King  hated  him  worse  than  any  Scot- 

1   Livingston's  Characteristics,  art.  William  Row. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XXI 

ish  man,  because  lie  crossed  all  his  designes,  and  was  a  ringleader 
to  others,  answered  to  the  informer,  '  My  resolution  is  this, 

Nee  sperans  aliquid,  nee  extimescens, 
Exarmaveris  impotentis  iram  ! ' "  1 

During  his  detention  in  England,  many  ineffectual  attempts  were 
made  by  his  parish,  Presbytery,  and  Synod,  and  by  the  General 
Assembly,  by  supplications  presented  to  the  King,  petitioning  for 
the  return  of  our  Author  to  Ms  duties.  The  same,  indeed,  had 
been  done  on  behalf  of  the  other  Ministers.  Two  instances  may 
be  quoted,  beside  those  alluded  to  in  the  Diary,  which  are  to  be 
found  in  the  Records  of  the  Synod  of  Fife  : 

April  3,  1611.  "  Petitio  Kilrynnie. — Anent  the  supplication  giffen 
in  be  the  parochinars  of  Kilrinnie  for  Mr  James  Melvill,  thair  Mi- 
nister, that  he  may  be  restored  to  thame,  my  Lord  Archbishop  de- 
clared that  he  had  written  to  the  King's  Majestie  for  that  effect, 
but  had  not  effectuate  it.  The  Assemblie,  as  yet,  requeistit  his 
Lordship  to  insist."2 

And  in  April  1612,  "the  parochiners  of  Kilmanie3  proponed 
thair  suitt  that  his  Majestie  may  be  dealt  with  for  granting  libertie 
to  Mr  James  Melvil,  thair  Minister,  to  returne  to  thame  ;  quhairin 
my  Lord  Archbishop  sail  travell."4 

There  is  a  passage  in  the  history  of  Mr  James  Melvill  which  has 
hitherto  been  unknown,  but  it  is  well  worthy  of  notice  in  this  place. 
The  Society  is  indebted  to  Principal  Lee's  notes  for  the  informa- 

1  Calderwood's  History,  folio  edit.  p.  481.  J  Records  of  Synod  of  Fife,  p.  7. 

3  There  is  no  doubt  this  refers  to  his  own  parish  of  Kilrenny.  4  Ibid.  p.  50. 


XX11  TREFATORY  NOTICE. 

tion.  It  would  appear  that  our  Author,  either  for  the  recovery  of 
his  shattered  health,  or  feeling  an  overwhelming  anxiety  to  see  his 
uncle  Mr  Andrew  before  he  died,  had  made  preparations  to  embark 
for  France.  With  this  view  he  applied  to  his  nephew,  Mr  Andrew 
Balfour,  one  of  the  many  individuals  who  were  named  after  Mr  An- 
drew Melvill.  Mr  Andrew  Balfour  was  a  son  of  his  youngest  sister, 
Barbara,  who  was  married  in  1575  to  her  cousin,  Mr  James  Bal- 
four, Minister  at  Guthrie.  Mr  Andrew  became  Minister  at  Kirk- 
newton  in  the  year  1613,  to  which  living  he  was  presented  by 
Lord  Balmerinoch  in  1612,  and  ordained  by  the  Archbishop  of  St 
Andrews.  After  his  admission,  there  was  a  long  litigation  for  the 
purpose  of  reducing  the  settlement,  which  was  carried  on  at  least 
as  late  as  August  1615.  Its  issue,  however,  is  not  at  present  known, 
and  is  perhaps  unimportant.  In  the  Minutes  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Linlithgow,  7th  July  1613,  it  is  stated  that  Mr  Andrew  Balfour 
applied  for  leave  of  absence,  because  his  uncle,  "  Mr  James  Mel- 
win,"  had  written  to  him  to  visit  him  in  Berwick,  as  "  he  was  pur- 
posed to  pass  to  France  shortlye,  that  he  might  meet  with  lum 
before  liis  remuiffing  from  Berwick  :"— "  Quhilk  being  considered, 
licens  was  grantit  to  him  upon  that  respect." 

It  would  also  appear  from  the  above  quotation  that  Mr  James 
Melvill  had  contemplated  a  permanent  residence  abroad.  His 
uncle  had  formerly  held  out  the  prospect  of  a  respectable  living 
from  a  Professor's  chair  at  Sedan,  or  elsewhere  abroad,  if  the  state 
of  public  affairs  in  Scotland  precluded  the  probability  of  his  being 
speedily  restored  to  his  church  and  parish,  and  to  the  quiet  enjoy- 
ment of  his  Theological  Chair  at  St  Andrews.  Many  of  his  per- 
secuted brethren  in  the  ministry  had  taken  refuge  in  foreign  coun- 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XX111 

tries,  andlaid  the  foundation  of  many  a  Protestant  Church,  where 
formerly  Popery  had  reigned  with  undisputed  sway.  The  increas- 
ing infirmities,  and  the  death  of  our  Author,  within  half  a  year 
after  that  proposal  had  been  made,  prevented  the  accomplishment 
of  his  wishes,  in  this  respect.  No  traces  are  now  to  be  foimd  of 
Mr  James  Balfour's  visit,  which  it  is  likely  he  cheerfully  paid  his 
uncle. 

VII.   MANUSCRIPTS  FROM  WHICH  THIS  WORK  HAS  BEEN  EDITED. 

The  Editor  has  now  briefly  to  explain  that  the  Manuscripts 
from  which  the  present  Work  has  been  edited  are  preserved  in  the 
Libraries  of  the  Faculty  of  Advocates  and  the  University  of  Edin- 
burgh. 

In  preparing  these  valuable  and  important  historical  remains 
of  our  pious,  faithful,  and  learned  Author  for  the  press,  the  Editor 
has  deemed  it  to  be  an  indispensable  duty  to  present  them  to  the 
Members  of  The  Wodrow  Society  as  nearly  in  the  same  dress 
in  which  they  have  been  handed  down  by  the  writer  as  circum- 
stances now  permit. 

The  first  portion  of  this  Work  consists  of  The  Autobiography 
and  Diary  of  Mr  James  Melvill,1  which  is  now  printed  from 
what  appears  to  be  the  Author's  original  Manuscript,  and  which, 
fortunately,  has  the  advantage  of  being  enriched  by  the  numerous 
enlargements  and  corrections  which  he  from  time  to  time  found 
it  necessary  to  make  on  these  biographical  and  historical  Memoirs. 

1   Advocates'  Library,  Jac.  V-  G,  29,  (new  mark,  34,  4,  15.) 


XXIV  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

No  other  contemporary  transcript  is  known  to  exist,  although 
there  are  traces  still  to  be  found  of  many  copies  and  extracts 
having  been  made  at  and  subsequent  to  the  period  of  the 
Author's  death,  and  of  the  Diary  being  very  largely  made  use 
of  by  all  our  early  Ecclesiastical  and  Historical  Writers,  as  a 
Work  on  which  perfect  reliance  can  be  placed.  Besides  having 
served,  in  some  respects,  as  the  ground-work  of  the  valuable 
"  Life  of  Andrew  Melville,"  by  the  learned  and  indefatigable  Dr 
M'Crie,1  it  is  a  well  known  fact,  that  the  Autobiography  and 
Diary  of  Mr  James  Melvill  has  been  very  copiously  quoted  by 
Mr  David  Calderwood  in  his  History  of  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land, by  Mr  John  Row,  Minister  of  Carnock,  in  his  Ecclesiasti- 
cal History,  and  by  nearly  every  writer  who  has  treated  of  the 
political  and  ecclesiastical  affairs  of  Scotland,  during  the  troublous 
period  embraced  in  the  narrative  of  our  Author's  Work. 

The  honesty  and  integrity  of  Mr  James  Melvill,  his  highly 
conscientious  character,  and  the  very  conspicuous  part  he  was  fre- 
quently called  on  to  perform,  when  placed  in  situations  of  the 
utmost  delicacy  and  difficulty,  peculiarly  fitted  him  to  be  a  faith- 
ful and  true  Chronicler  of  the  remarkable  occurrences  which 
passed  under  his  own  observation  during  the  very  eventful  times 
in  which  he  lived ;  and  the  value  which  has  been  placed  on  the 
Memoirs  he  has  left  behind  him,  ever  since  that  time,  affords  a 
pretty  sure  criterion  of  their  general  accuracy  and  fidelity.  No 
man  can  read  his  graphic  pages  without  being  deeply  impressed 

1  "  The  Life  of  Andrew  Melville  :  Containing  Illustrations  of  the  Ecclesiastical  and 
Literary  History  of  Scotland,  during  the  latter  part  of  the  Sixteenth,  and  beginning 
of  the  Seventeenth  Century."     2  vols.  8vo.     Edinburgh,  Blackwood,  1819. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE*  XXV 

with  a  high  veneration  for  the  character  and  integrity  of  the 
Author,  however  much  he  may  otherwise  be  disposed  to  differ 
from  him  in  the  views  he  entertained  of  the  affairs  of  Church  or 
State  which  he  discusses.  An  open,  frank,  and  manly  spirit  ap- 
pears in  every  page  of  his  writings ;  and  the  disposition  and  temper  of 
the  humble  and  sincere,  but  zealous  and  uncompromising,  Christian 
Minister  shine  forth  throughout  his  highly  interesting  Autobio- 
graphy and  Diary. 

The  original  Manuscript  is  written  in  a  neat,  small,  but  very 
correctly  formed  character ;  and  although,  like  other  Manuscripts 
of  the  same  period,  it  abounds  in  many  abbreviations  and  arbitrary 
variations  of  the  orthography,  it  is,  to  those  conversant  with  the 
writings  of  that  age,  sufficiently  distinct  and  perspicuous.  It 
consists  of  371  pages,  closely  written  on  foolscap  folio  by  the 
Author.  For  the  satisfaction  of  the  reader,  it  may  be  interesting 
to  mention,  that  in  a  transcript  of  this  Manuscript  which  belongs 
to  Adam  Gibb  Ellis,  Esq.,  it  appears  that  the  original  Volume 
had  by  descent  come  into  the  hands  of  Sir  William  Calderwood 
of  Polton,  one  of  the  Senators  of  the  College  of  Justice,  and  a 
Lord  of  Justiciary,  "  who  had  it  among  other  papers  which  be- 
longed to  his  grand-uncle,1  Mr  David  Calderwood,  author  of  Al- 
tare  Damascenum,  History,  &c."  Sir  William  Calderwood  was 
admitted  advocate,  July  1,  1687,2  and,  after  having  filled  the 
office  of  sheriff-depute  of  the  county  of  Edinburgh,  with  consider- 
able reputation,  was  elevated  to  the  bench  on  the  death  of  Sir 
William  Anstruther  of  Anstruther,  Nov.  6,  1711,  under  the  title 

1   Wodrow's  Letters,  Adv.  Lib.  Hi.  173.  2  Pitmedden  MS — lb. 


xxvi  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

of  Lord  Polton.1  It  is  believed  that  Lord  Polton  presented  the 
original  MS.  to  the  Faculty  of  Advocates,  of  which  he  was  long 
a  distinguished  member,  and  to  whose  valuable  Library  he  is  un- 
derstood to  have  made  other  benefactions. 

The  second  portion  of  the  present  Work,  being  "  a  true  nar- 

RATIOUNE  OF  THE  DECLYNErNG  AIGE  OF  THE  KIRK  OF  SCOTLAND, 

from  m.d.xcvi.  to  m.dc.x.,"  has  all  along  been  considered  as  the 
Author's  Continuation  of  his  Autobiography  and  Diary,  which  is 
alluded  to  by  him  as  being  contained  in  a  separate  volume.  It 
is  quoted  and  marked  as  such  by  Wodrow,  in  his  MS.  Collec- 
tions, and  has  also  been  cited  by  Dr  M'Crie,  and  other  writers, 
who  all  appear  to  have  been  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  authenti- 
city of  these  Manuscripts,  from  their  own  internal  evidence,  as  well 
as  from  the  circumstance  of  the  two  MSS.  belonging  to  the  Fa- 
culty of  Advocates  having  uniformly  been  reputed  to  be  the  work 
of  Mr  James  Melvill,  and  marked  as  such  on  the  Volumes 
themselves.  Until  now  the  Continuation  has  never  been  printed. 
After  the  Editor  had  completed  the  collation  of  the  two  Ma- 
nuscripts of  this  Continuation,  belonging  to  the  Advocates'  Li- 
brary,2 it  was  fortunately  discovered  that  a  MS.  in  the  Library  of 
the  University  of  Edinburgh,  which  has  for  a  long  period  been 


i  He  died  Aug.  7,  1733,  in  the  73d  year  of  his  age — Historical  Account  of  Sena- 
tors of  College  of  Justice,  p.  492. 

2  The  first  is  in  foolscap  folio,  pp.  188,  (shelf-mark,  34,  2,  11.)  The  other  MS. 
is  in  small  quarto,  pp.  286;  shelf-mark,  Rob.  III.  2,  12;  being  Vol.  XIV.  of  the 
Wodrow  MSS.,  entitulod,  "  James  Mel v ill's  History  of  the  Declining  Age  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland." 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XXV11 

known  as  a  work  on  Church  History,  by  Mr  Ninian  DuNLor, 
from  1596  to  1610,  was  in  reality  a  transcript  of  Mr  James  Mel- 
vilPs  Continuation,  above  a  century  earlier  in  date  than  the  two 
Manuscripts   before  alluded  to. 

The  University  Manuscript  of  the  Continuation  of  Mr  James 
Melvill's  Diary  is  also  a  foolscap  folio,  consisting  of  139  pages, 
very  illegibly  written  on  a  discoloured,  thin,  spongy  paper.  It 
seems  to  have  been  transcribed  early  in  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury, by  Mr  Ninian  Dunlop,  who  has  (apparently  for  the  pur- 
pose of  identifying  his  transcript,  and  stamping  the  value  which 
he  set  on  its  contents)  pertinaciously  subscribed  his  name  or 
initials  on  some  part  of  almost  every  leaf.  This  probably  led 
the  Keepers  of  the  Library  to  catalogue  and  title  this  Volume 
as  a  work  on  Ecclesiastical  History  by  Mr  Ninian  Dunlop ;  while, 
at  the  same  time,  that  very  circumstance  would  serve  to  with- 
draw the  attention  of  those  who  have  had  occasion  to  consult 
the  valuable  stores  preserved  in  that  National  Collection.  The 
Editor  has  followed  this  last  MS.,  as  containing  the  oldest  and  the 
most  correct  text,  and  has  also  adopted  its  orthography ;  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  various  readings  of  the  more  modern  tran- 
scripts, in  the  Advocates'  Library,  have  been  scrupulously  noted. 
Without  the  aid  of  the  University  MS.  the  Editor  would  have 
considered  it  to  be  inexpedient  for  the  Wodrow  Society  to  have 
delayed  the  publication  of  the  Continuation  until  a  more  correct 
MS.  could  be  discovered,  owing  to  the  very  incorrect  manner  in 
which  these  more  modern  transcripts  have  been  made.  There 
seems  to  be  no  reason  for  doubting,  that  all  the  three  Manuscripts 
have  been  copied  from  one  common  original  ;  but,  after  having 


XXV111  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

bestowed  considerable  pains,  the  Editor  has  not  been  able  to  trace 
any  original  or  earlier  Manuscript  of  this  part  of  Mr  James  Mel- 
vilFs  work.  The  value  of  the  "  Narratioun"  itself,  as  well  as 
the  important  papers  and  documents  which  the  Continuation  has 
served  to  perpetuate,  are  too  apparent  to  render  any  observa- 
tions necessary  in  this  place. 

It  may  be  remarked  here,  that  while  all  abbreviations  have 
been  carefully  discarded,  the  Editor  did  not  feel  himself  at  li- 
berty to  modernize  the  orthography,  or  to  make  the  slightest 
alteration  on  the  forcible  style  of  the  Author.  In  publishing, 
from  original  Manuscripts,  historical  or  poetical  works  of  Scotish 
authors,  written  in  the  racy  vernacular  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
it  seems  to  be  highly  inexpedient,  indeed  it  would  be  unwar- 
rantable, in  an  Editor  to  attempt  any  alteration  in  the  style,  or 
to  translate  the  language  then  in  common  use  at  Court  and  in 
the  pulpit.  However,  for  the  sake  of  aiding  the  modern  English 
reader,  and  to  obviate  the  difficulty  of  any  of  the  Members  of 
the  Wodrow  Society  perusing  the  dialect  of  our  Author,  it  has 
been  considered  necessary  very  briefly  to  explain,  in  foot-notes, 
such  words  and  phrases  as  might  be  supposed  to  occasion  hesi- 
tation in  the  minds  of  those  not  conversant  with  the  phraseology 
and  idiom  of  the  Scotish  dialect,  at  that  period. 

VIII.   DEATH  OF  MR  JAMES  MELVILL. 

The  Author  died  on  the  19th  January  1614.     The  particulars 
attending  his  deathbed  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix1  to  this 

1   See  App.  No.  II.  to  this  Prefatory  Notice. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XXIX 

Preface,  but  they  are  so  briefly  and  feelingly  narrated  by  the 
talented  Biographer  of  Mr  Andrew  Melville,  that  no  apology  is 
needed  to  lay  them  before  the  reader,  in  his  own  words : — "  A 
letter  from  Sir  James  Fullerton,  which  he  (Mr  Andrew)  received  in 
the  month  of  April  1614,  gave  a  shock  to  his  feelings  which  it  re- 
quired all  his  fortitude  to  bear.  His  dearest  friend  and  most  affec- 
tionate and  dutiful  nephew,  James  Melvill,  was  no  more.  His  health 
had  for  some  time  been  in  a  state  of  decline,  which  was  accele- 
rated by  grief  at  the  issue  of  public  affairs  in  Scotland,  which  his 
extreme  sensibility  disposed  him  to  brood  over  with  too  intense 
and  exclusive  interest.  In  consequence  of  the  importunity  of  his 
friends,  and  an  apparently  earnest  invitation  from  Archbishop 
Gladstanes,  he  set  out  for  Edinburgh,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
year  1614,  to  arrange  matters  for  his  return  to  Kilrinny,  or,  if  this 
was  found  impracticable,  to  make  permanent  provision  for  that 
parish.  But  he  had  not  gone  far  when  he  was  taken  so  ill  as  to 
be  unable  to  proceed  on  the  journey,  and  with  difficulty  returned 
to  Berwick.  The  medicines  applied  could  not  impede  the  pro- 
gress of  the  distemper,  which  soon  exhibited  alarming  symptoms. 
He  received  the  intimation  of  this  with  the  most  perfect  compo- 
sure, and  told  his  friends  that  he  was  not  only  resigned  to  the 
will  of  God,  but  satisfied  that  he  could  not  die  at  a  more  proper 
season.  On  Wednesday  the  19th  of  January,  he  '  set  his  house 
in  order ; '  and  all  his  children  being  present,  except  his  son 
Andrew,  (who  was  prosecuting  his  theological  studies  at  Sedan,) 
he  gave  them  his  dying  charge  and  parental  blessing.  His  bro- 
ther-in-law, Joshua  Durie,  minister  at  St  Andre ws,  and  Hume  of 
Ayton,  a  gentleman  who   had  shown   him  great  kindness  during 


XXX  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

his  residence  at  Berwick,  waited  by  his  bed-side.  He  was  much 
employed  in  prayer.  When  he  mentioned  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land, he  prayed  for  repentance  and  forgiveness  to  those  who  had 
caused  a  schism  in  it,  by  overturning  its  reformed  discipline. 
And,  addressing  those  around  him,  he  said  :  '  In  my  life,  I  ever 
detested  and  resisted  the  hierarchy,  as  a  thing  unlawful  and  an- 
tichristian,  for  which  I  am  an  exile ;  and  I  take  you  all  to  witness 
that  I  die  in  the  same  judgment.'  He  made  particular  mention 
of  his  uncle  at  Sedan ;  gave  him  a  high  commendation  for  learn- 
ing, but  still  more  for  courage  and  constancy  in  the  cause  of 
Christ;  and  prayed  that  God  would  continue  and  increase  the 
gifts  bestowed  on  him.  In  the  midst  of  the  acute  bodily  pain 
which  he  endured,  during  that  night  and  the  succeeding  morning, 
he  expressed  his  resignation  and  confidence,  chiefly  in  the  lan- 
guage of  Scripture ;  and  often  repeated  favourite  sentences  from 
the  Psalms  in  Hebrew\  Being  reminded  of  the  rapture  of  the 
Apostle  Paul,  he  said — '  Every  one  is  not  a  Paul ;  yet  I  have 
a  desire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  and  I  am  assured  that  I 
shall  enter  into  glory.' — '  Do  you  not  wish  to  be  restored  to 
health  ?'  said  one  of  the  attendants.  '  No ;  not  for  twenty  worlds  !' 
Perceiving  nature  to  be  nearly  exhausted,  his  Mends  requested 
him  to  give  them  a  token  that  he  departed  in  peace ;  upon  which 
he  repeated  the  last  words  of  martyr  Stephen,  and  breathed 
gently  away.1  He  died  in  the  fifty-ninth  year  of  his  age,  and  in 
the  eighth  year  of  his  banishment."2  - 


Calderwqod's  MS.  History,  vii.  502-513.  -'  M'Crie's  Life  of  Andrew 

Melville,  ii.  438. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XXXI 

In  the  Register  of  Burials,  at  Berwick,  the  following  entry  is 

made : 

"  1613,1  Januarie  21,  James  Melvill." 

The  present  Church  was  built  during  the  Commonwealth,  and 
the  tombstones  in  the  ancient  Churchyard  appear  to  have  been 
used  as  flagging-stones  or  pavement  for  the  more  modern  structure. 
It  is  likely  that  the  pious  and  grateful  affection  of  his  friends  would 
induce  them  to  erect  a  tombstone  over  his  grave,  or  a  commemora- 
tive tablet  on  the  wall  of  the  Church  ;  but  if  so,  it  has  long  since 
been  defaced,  like  all  the  older  sepulchral  monuments  of  the  kind 
of  that  place. 

ix.  character  of  the  author. 

His  character  is  thus  summed  up  by  the  same  impartial  autho- 
rity :  "  The  Presbyterian  Ministers  of  that  age  were  in  general 
characterized  by  piety,  assiduity  in  the  discharge  of  parochial  du- 
ties, disinterestedness,  public  spirit,  and  the  love  of  freedom.  In 
James  Melville,  these  qualities  were  combined  with  the  amiable 
dispositions  of  the  man,  and  the  courteous  manners  of  the  gentle- 
man. '  He  was  one  of  the  wisest  directours  of  Kirk  affaires  that 
our  Kirk  had  in  his  tyme,  (says  Calderwood,)  and  for  that  caus 
was  ever  imployed  by  the  Generall  Assemblies,  and  other  public 
meetings  appointed  by  the  King  and  General  Assemblies.  He 
acted  his  part  so  gravelie,  so  wiselie,  so  calmelie,  that  the  ad- 
versarie  could  gett  no  vantage  ;  yet  the  King,  being  bent  to  per- 
fyte  that  worke  which  he  had  begunne  of  his  advancement  of  the 

3  That  is,  1614,  new  style. 


XXX11  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

estate  of  Bishops,  called  him  up  to  Court ;  not  doubting,  by  the  in- 
stigation of  the  aspyring  Prelates;  but  suffered  him  never  to  re- 
turne  backe  againe  to  his  owne  native  countrie,  least  his  presence 
and  action  sould  be  anie  impediment  to  his  designes.  Thus  was 
the  man  of  God  exiled  and  deteaned  in  a  forreine  countrie,  without 
conviction  of  anie  cryme  but  onlie  for  feare  of  these  good  parts  that 
were  in  him.'1  Though  gentle  and  not  easily  provoked,  he  possessed 
great  sensibility ;  could  vindicate  himself  with  spirit ;  and  testified  an 
honest  indignation  at  whatever  was  base  and  unprincipled,  especially 
in  the  conduct  of  men  of  his  own  profession.  He  felt  a  high  vene- 
ration for  the  talents  and  character  of  his  uncle  ;  but  he  was  a  confi- 
dential friend  and  able  coadjutor,  not  a  humble  dependent  or  syco- 
phantish  admirer ;  and  his  conduct,  during  the  last  years  of  his  life, 
Avhen  he  was  thrown  on  the  resources  of  his  own  mind,  served  to  dis- 
play the  soundness  of  his  judgment,  and  to  unfold  the  energy  of  his 
character.2  Besides  what  he  had  published  at  an  early  period  of  his 
life,  he  prepared,  a  short  time  before  his  death,  several  treatises  for 
the  press.  His  Supplication  to  the  King,  in  the  name  of  the  Church 
of  Scotland,  a  work  on  which  he  bestowed  great  pains,  is  composed 
in  an  elegant  and  impressive  style.  Possessing  less  fancy  than 
feeling,  his  poems,  which  are  all  written  in  the  Scotish  dialect,  do 
not  rise  -above  mediocrity ;  but  from  this  censure,  some  parts  of 

1  The  foregoing  extract  has  been  obligingly  communicated  by  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Thomson,  from  the  original  MS.  of  Calderwood's  History,  in  the  British  Museum. 

*  When  some  urged  that  James  Melvill  might  be  allowed  to  return  home,  although 
it  was  dangerous  to  set  his  uncle  at  liberty,  Archbishop  Spotts  wood  is  said  to  have 
replied:  "  Mr  Andrew  is  but  a  blast,  but  Mr  James  is  a  crafty,  byding  man,  and 
more  to  be  feared  than  his  uncle  1" — Wodrow's  Life  of  James  Melvill,  p.  14G. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XXX111 

his  Lamentation  over  the  overthrow  of  the  Church  of  Scotland 
deserve  to  be  exempted." l 

X.    THE  DISTRESS  OF  MR  ANDREW  MELVILL  ON  LEARNING 
THE  AUTHOR'S  DEATH. 

The  distress  which  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  felt  at  receiving  the  tid- 
ings of  his  nephew's  death  was  calm  and  silent,  because  it  was 
deep.  It  is  expressed  with  a  tender  simplicity,  in  the  following 
Epitaph,2  which  he  wrote  for  him  : 

Epitaph  on  Mr  James  Melvill,  written  by  his  uncle, 
Mr  Andrew  Melvill. 

Chare  nepos,  de  fratre  nepos,  mihi  fratre,  nepote 

Charior,  et  quicquid  fratre  nepote  queat 
Charius  esse  usquarn  ;    quin  me  mihi  charior  ipso, 

Et  quicquid  mihi  charius  esse  queat. 
Consiliis  auctor  mihi  tu,  dux  rebus  agendis, 

Cum  privata,  aut  res  publica  agenda  fuit. 
Amborum  meus  una  animo,  corde  una  voluntas, 

Corque  unum  in  duplici  corpore,  et  una  anima. 
Una  ambo  vexati  odiis  immanibus,  ambo 

Dignati  et  Christi  pro  grege  dura  pati. 
Dura  pati,  sed  iniqua  pati,  sub  crimine  ficto, 

Ni  Christum,  et  Christi  crimen  amare  gregem. 
Qui  locus,  aut  quas  me  hora  tibi  nunc  dividat,  idem 

Hie  locus,  me  ha?c  eadem  dividat  hora  mihi. 
Tune  tui  desiderium  mihi  triste  relinquas  ? 

Qui  prior  hue  veni,  non  prior  hinc  abeam  ? 
An  sequar  usque  comes  ?   sic,  sic  juvat  ire  sub  astra, 

Tecum  ego  ut  exul  eram,  tecum  ero  et  in  patria. 

i  M'Crie's  Melville,  ibid.  *  M'Crie's  Melville,  ii.  509. 


xxxiv  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

Christus  ubi  caput,  seternam  nos  poscit  in  aularn, 

Arctius  ut  jungat  nos  sua  membra  sibi. 
Induviis  donee  redivivi  corporis  artus 

Vestiat,  illustrans  lumine  purpureo. 
JEternum  ut  patrem,  natumque  et  flamen  ovantes, 

Carmine  perpetuo  concelebremus,  Io. 

In  a  letter  to  his  friend,  Mr  Robert  Durie,  at  Leyden,1  Mr 
Andrew  Melvill  thus  expresses  himself:  "  The  Lord  hath  taken 
to  himself  the  faithfull  brother,  my  dearly  beloved  son,  Mr 
James  Melville,  in  January,  as  I  am  informed  by  Mr  James  Ful- 
lerton.  I  fear  melancholy  to  have  abridged  his  days.  He  was  in 
great  perplexity  and  doubt  what  to  do,  as  ye  know,  and  as  Mr 
Bamford  wrote  me ;  and  I  answered,  by  these  letters  which  I  sent 
you.  I  cannot  tell  if  they  be  yet  beside  you ;  but  I  persuade 
myself  he  has  never  seen  them.  He  was  resolved  to  accept  no 
restitution  without  you  and  Mr  Forbes.2  Now  he  is  out  of  all 
doubt  and  fashrie,3  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  suffering  here.  God 
forgive  the  instruments  of  his  withholding  from  his  flock !  I  can- 
not write  more  at  this  time.  If  ye  have  received  the  particulars 
of  his  sickness  and  his  death,  I  pray  you  let  me  know  the  circum- 
stances at  large." 

XI.    CHILDREN  OF  MR  JAMES  MELVILL. 
Of  the  family  of  our  Author  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  little  infor- 
mation can  now  be  gleaned  ;  but,  in  the  absence  of  more  ample  in- 
formation, the  following  memoranda  may  in  part  suffice  to  satisfy 
the  reader's  curiosity  : 

1    Letters  from  Mr  Andrew  Melville  to  Mr  Andrew  Durie,  No.  b,  MS.  in  Bibl. 
.Turid.  Edin.  M.  6,  9,  No.  42.  -   Two  of  the  banished  Ministers,  whose  suffer- 

ings are  related  at  great  length  in  the  Diary.  3  Trouble,  O.  Fr.  fascherie. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XXXV 

I.  Epiiraim  was  born  at  Newcastle,  loth  January  1584-5, l  dur- 
ing the  temporary  flight  of  his  parents  to  England.  The  earliest 
reference  made  to  him  in  the  Records  of  the  parish  of  Anstruther- 
Wester  is  on  29th  April  1606,  and  31st  May  1608 ;  where  he  is 
mentioned  as  a  "  Preacher."2  In  the  Records  of  the  Synod  of  Fife, 
his  name  appears  among  the  "  Expectantis,"  or  Probationers,  in 
September  161 1.3  He  was  admitted  minister  of  Newbum,  a 
small  parish  in  the  Presbytery  of  St  Andrews,  in  1614  ;4  and  was 
translated  to  Pittenweem,  in  the  same  Presbytery,  in  1617.5  He 
is  said  to  have  died  in  1629,fi  and  to  have  been  succeeded  by  Mr 
John  Melvill,  probably  his  brother,  who  conformed  to  Presbytery 
in  1638,  and  died  1649.  Wodrow,  in  his  Life  of  Mr  James  Mel- 
vill, states  that  "  Mr  Epiiraim  was  afterwards  a  faithful  and  useful 
minister  of  the  Gospel  at  Queensferry,  and  singularly  blessed  with 
success  in  his  ministry.  I  have  been  told  he  was  the  instrument 
of  converting  that  extraordinary  light  of  this,  and  I  may  say,  all 
the  Reformed  Churches,  Mr  James  Durham."7 

It  is  believed  that  Mr  Ephraim  Melvill  was  translated  from 
Queensferry  to  Linlithgow.  In  the  Record  of  Retours,  under  date 
4th  June  1653,  "Andrew  Melvill,  merchand  burges  of  Edinburgh," 
is  mentioned  as  being  "  second  and  third  of  kyne,  on  the  father's 
syd,  to  Bessie,  Eufame,  and  Kathrein  Melvills,  daughters  to  the  de- 
ceist  Mr  Ephraim  Melvill,  minister  of  Linlithgow."8     If  Wodrow 

1  Diary,  p.  221.  2  The  Society  is  indebted  to  the  Rev.  Hew  Scott,  Minister  of 

Anstruther- Wester,  for  this  information.  3  Records  of  Synod  of  Fife,  p.  39. 

4  Records  of  Synod  of  Fife.  p.  210.  5  MJ.  p.  211.  6  /£/</. 

7  Wodrow's  MSS.  xii.  154,  Bibl.  Coll.  Glasg.  For  this  extract  the  Society  is 
indebted  to  Professor  J.  Seaton  Reid,  D.D.  of  Glasgow,  who  politely  communicat- 
ed it  to  the  Editor.  8  Register  of  Retours  do  Tutela,  No.  801. 


XXXVI  FREFATORY  NOTICE. 

is  correct  in  supposing  this  individual  to  have  been  the  eldest  son 
of  Mr  James,  there  must  be  an  error  with  regard  to  the  period  of 
his  death.  Lamont,  in  his  Diary  of  Fife,  also  mentions  that  Mr 
Ephraim  Melvill  and  two  other  Ministers  in  Lothian  died  in  April 
1653,  which  exactly  tallies  with  the  above-mentioned  Retour.1  The 
same  authority,  referring  to  the  Sacrament  having  been  dispensed 
in  several  places,  on  Sunday  13th  July  1651,  states :  "  Att  this 
time,  in  Sconie,  was  present  (beside  Mr  Samuel  Rutherfoord)  Mr 
James  Gutherie  and  Mr  David  Bennet,  Mr  Ephraim  Meluen,  and 
Mr  William  Oliphant  minister,  in  Dumfermling.  Hither  did  re- 
sort many  strangers,  so  that  the  thronge  was  great ;  for  Mr  Ephraim 
and  Mr  David  Benet,  both  of  them  did  sitt  within  the  pulpit  whille 
the  minister  had  his  sermon.  Mr  Ephraim  on  the  Sabath,  and 
Mr  David  on  the  Moneday."2 

There  is  no  doubt,  however,  that  Mr  James'  eldest  son,  Ephraim, 
was  minister  of  Newburn ;  for,  in  a  letter  to  his  uncle,  Mr  Andrew, 
the  Author  thus  writes,  in  the  month  of  July  1612  : — "  Ephraimus 
meus  Newburnenses  pascit,  doletque  quod  ad  Kilriminos  meos  ad- 
mitti  non  potuit.  Non  potuit  siquidem  adduci  ut  eos  relinqueret 
Deixius."3 

II.  Andrew,  bom  at  St  Andrews,  9th  July  1586.4  He  was 
named  after  his  grand-uncle,  Mr  Andrew  Melvill.  This  child  died 
in  infancy,  to  the  great  grief  of  his  parents,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
year  1588.5 


l  Lamont's  Diary,  p.  54.         '  Ibid.  p.  32.  3  In  allusion  to  his  colleague,  Mr 

John  D^kes.  Melvini  Epistolfe  MS.,  Adv.  Lib.         *  Diary,  p.  254.     5  Ibid.  p.  269. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  xxxvil 

III.  Andrew,  who  was  born  (probably  at  Anstruther)  in  the 
month  of  August  1588. '  He  was  in  after  life  a  very  great  favour- 
ite of  his  grand-uncle,  Mr  Andrew,  after  whom  he  also  was  named. 
This  young  man  generously  partook  of  his  great  relation  and  pa- 
tron's imprisonment  in  the  Tower  of  London.  In  this  duty  he 
seems  to  have  been  occasionally  relieved  by  his  cousin,  Andrew 
Melvill,  another  name-son  of  Mr  Andrew,  a  young  man  of  a  ro- 
mantic and  unsettled  disposition,  who  was  the  son  of  Mr  Andrew's 
deceased  brother,  who  died  leaving  a  large  family  unprovided  for. 

Mr  James's  son,  Andrew,  after  having  left  the  Tower,  where  his 
grand-uncle  had  thoroughly  grounded  him  in  the  languages,  and 
completed  his  classical  and  philosophical  education,  resided  with  a 
Scotsman  named  Guthrie,  who  was  a  brother  of  Mr  Alexander 
Guthrie  of  Edinburgh,  and  related  to  Mr  James  Lawson,  the  Mi- 
nister. Guthrie  taught  an  academy  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lon- 
don, and  appears  to  have  been  assisted  by  young  Andrew  Melvill 
for  some  time.  His  school  was  at  Hoddesdon  as  early  as  the  year 
1584.     He  died  in  the  year  1609.2 

Owing  to  the  names  of  the  two  cousins,  Andrew  Melvill,  being 
the  same,  it  is  difficult  now  correctly  to  trace  the  history  of  the 
second  son  of  Mr  James ;  but  fortunately  there  have  been  preserv- 
ed some  notices  in  the  valuable  correspondence,  already  so  often 
quoted,3  which  suffice  to  show  the  progress  of  Ins  education,  and 
how  he  was  employed  down  to  the  conclusion  of  this  collection  of 
the  epistolary  intercourse  between  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  and  his 
nephew. 

1  Diary,  p.  269.  -  Ibid.  s  Melvini  Epistola?,  MS.  Univ.  Lib.   pp.  56, 

64,100:   M'Crie's  Melville,  ii.   355;    Life  prefixed   to  Bishop  Cowper's  Works. 

c 


XXXV111  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

Mr  Andrew  Melvill  writes  thus  to  his  nephew,  Mr  James,  Idibus 
Octobris  1609:  "Kedit  ad  te  Andreas  tims  (Guthraeo  jam  altero 
patre  vita  functo)  melior ;  quidni  ita  credam  ?  Si  non  multo  doctior 
ea  provincia,  et  severi  senis  quanquam  amicissimi  domestica  disci- 
plina."  And  again,  November  28,  he  adds,  "  ilndreas  tuus,  ut 
spero,  jam  aliquot,  non  dies  modo,  sed  etiam  hebdomadas  apud  te 
est."  Of  his  nephew  (young  Andrew  Melvill)  he  thus  writes, 
April  1610  :  "  Abit  Andreas,  nepos  tuus,  in  Galliam." 

His  stay,  however,  must  have  been  very  short  in  France,  or 
probably  he  merely  returned  through  France  to  Scotland  ;  for  our 
Author,  in  a  letter  to  his  uncle,  April  29,  1610,  states  that  his  son 
Andrew  had  just  entered  as  a  student  of  Theology  and  Hebrew,  in 
Scotland.  This  Avas  no  doubt  under  his  own  eye,  in  the  University 
of  St  Andrews. 

In  the  summer  of  the  following  year,  young  Andrew  left  the 
University  to  pay  a  visit  to  his  grand-uncle  at  Sedan.  Accordingly, 
on  15th  July  1611,  from  Berwick,  Mr  James  writes  his  uncle  in 
these  terms  :  "  Nescio  an  Andreas  meus  dextram  tuam  adhuc  teti- 
gerit."  He  appears  to  have  continued  in  the  same  high  favour 
with  his  venerable  relative  as  when  he  helped  to  while  away  part 
of  the  time  which  hung  so  heavily  on  his  hands,  during  his  confine- 
ment in  the  Tower  of  London.  In  a  letter  dated  at  Sedan,  4  Cal. 
Maii  1612,  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  writes  to  Mr  James  :  "Tuus,  apud 
me,  Andreas,  in  officio  est  et  ut  se  dant  principia  bene  sperare  de 
progressu  in  Uteris  jubet."  To  which  Mr  James  replies  from  Ber- 
wick, "  Julio  mense"  1612  :  "  Quam  me  beasti  testimonio  tuo  de 
meo  Andrea!  Sed  velini  eum  sudore  vultus  sui  vivere,"  &c. 

In  the  same  letter  he  writes  his  uncle  with  the  following  inter- 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  XXXIX 

esting  particulars  as  to  the  members  of  his  family  :  "  Ephraimus 
mens  Newbumenses  pascit,  doletque  quod  ad  Kilriminos  meos  ad- 
mitti  non  potuit.  Non  potuit  siquidem  adduci  ut  eos  relinqueret 
Deixius.  Joannes  meus  mecum  est,  bonas  horas  inutiliter  locatus 
mea  opera  redimens.  Isabella  mea,  jam  nubilis,  si  essent  nuinmi, 
Edinburgi  manet  cum  cognata  sua,  D.  Bancalquelli  filia,  bona  et 
amante  focmina.  Anna  est  apud  me,  Anglice  educta.  Adhaerens 
lateri  quae  semper  chara  Melissa  sustinuit  conjux  exulis  esse  viri. 
Tui  quara  ego  saepius  memor  et  cupida  magis  !  Tibi  et  Andraee 
meo  omnem  salutem." 

At  the  beginning  of  the  following  year,  we  find  that,  in  the 
month  of  January,  (1613,)  our  author  thus  addresses  his  uncle  : 
"  Cajterum,  nisi  tibi  ad  nutum  placide  demisseque  inserviet  Andreas 
meus,  non  amplius  erit  meus.  Eat  quo  velit,  nihil  pensi  habebo  I" 
So  great  was  the  veneration  he  felt  for  his  highly  valued  uncle  and 
friend. 

Having  remained  with  his  grand-uncle  since  the  beginning  of 
summer  1611,  young  Andrew  appears  to  have  been  recalled  home 
to  complete  his  studies  at  St  Andrews,  and  probably  to  prepare 
himself  for  the  holy  ministry.  On  15th  June  1613,  the  author 
again  writes  to  his  uncle  that  he  had  not  yet  seen  his  son,  Andrew, 
and  gives  the  following  reason  for  his  delay  : — "  Detinetur  enim 
juxta  Linam  oppidum  ad  Cami  ostium  tertiana  notha  laborans." 

The  last  notice  that  we  find  of  this  very  promising  young  man  is 
preserved  in  the  following  quotation,  which  contains  a  contrast 
drawn  between  the  characters  of  the  two  young  men,  and  was  writ- 
ten on  the  5th  September  1613,  from  Sedan,  by  Mr  Andrew  Mel- 
vill,  to  his  nephew : — u  Andreas  alter,  fratris  tui  filius,  ante  alterius 


xl  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

Andrea^  filii  tui  discessum,  hue  venerat  in  re  tenui  admodum,  ut 
qui  ne  obulo  quidem  gravis  aut  onustus  esset  quo  se  hospitio  expe- 
diret !  Mussat  nescio  quid  de  suo  patriraonio  non  persoluto.  Sim- 
plex est  et  apertus  imbecillione  judicio.  Tuus  tectior  et  versutior. 
Uterque,  si  utilem  non  tardus  provisor,  certe  prodigus  ajris." 

Whether  or  not  young  Andrew  Melvill  died  shortly  after  his 
arrival  in  England,  the  Editor  has  not  been  able  to  discover ;  but 
certain  it  is,  that  no  mention  is  made  of  him  in  the  Will  of  our 
Author,  nor  is  any  blessing  left  by  Mr  James  while  on  his  death- 
bed, which  would  seem  to  indicate  that  he  had  died  before  January 
1614.  In  the  Account  of  the  Last  Illness  and  Deathbed  of  Mr 
James,  it  is  mentioned  that  "  he  callit  on  his  childring,  quho  wer 
all  thair,  saiff  ane."  This  probably  alludes  to  his  daughter  Isa- 
bella, who,  in  July  1612,  at  least,  remained  in  the  family  of  her 
relation,  who  was  probably  a  daughter  of  Mr  Walter  Balcanquall, 
one  of  the  ministers  of  Edinburgh.  That  excellent  man  was,  with 
Lawson  and  Pont,  one  of  the  protesters  against  the  "black  acts'* 
of  1584,  and,  with  twenty  other  ministers,  was  forced  to  take  re- 
fuge in  England  ;J  and  the  persecution  against  him  was  so  hot, 
that  he  was  denounced  rebel  after  he  had  returned,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled again  to  return  to  England  in  1596.  If  AndreAv  had  been 
the  individual  alluded  to,  and  if  he  had  been  with  his  grand-uncle 
at  that  period,  assuredly  Mr  James  would  not  have  failed  to  be- 
stow on  him  a  father's  blessing. 

1  It  is  related  of  Arran,  that,  with  his  usual  coarseness,  he  threatened  -'that  lie 
would  make  Lawson's  head  to  leap  from  his  haUo.  (neck,)  though  it  were  as  big  as  a 
haystack!" — M'Cric's  Melville,  i.  314. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  xli 

IV.  Margaret,  born  28th  August  1593.     She  died  in  infancy, 
having  only  survived  six  or  seven  months.1 

V.  John,  born  on  Thursday,  27th  March  1595.  This  son  is 
stated  to  have  been  named  after  his  "  guid-schyr,"  (grandfather  by 
the  mother's  side,)  Mr  John  Durie.2  Of  the  history  of  this  son 
little  can  be  discovered,  excepting  that  he  studied  for  the  Church, 
and  that  it  is  probable  he  succeeded  his  brother,  Mr  Ephraiin,  in 
the  charge  of  the  parish  of  Pittenweem,  in  the  year  1629.  That 
charge  appears  to  have  remained  vacant  from  the  year  1617,  when 
Mr  Ephraim  was  translated  to  Newburn,  in  1629.  Mr  John  con- 
formed to  Presbytery  in  1638,  and  died  in  1649.3  In  the  roll  of 
the  Presbytery  of  St  Andrews,  preserved  in  the  Kecord  of  the 
Synod  of  Fife,  Mr  John  Melvill  appears  to  have  been  present  at 
"  the  Provenciall  Assemblie  of  Fyffe,  hauldine  at  St  Androis  the 
4th  Aprile  1648."  The  ruling  elder,  who  was  present  with  him 
for  Pittenweem,  was  "  Johne  Keith."  No  other  authentic  traces 
can  at  present  be  recovered  of  him  by  the  Editor. 

VI.  Issobel.  It  is  singular  that  no  mention  is  made  of  his  two 
daughters  by  Mr  James,  in  his  Diary.  In  the  letter  above  quoted, 
dated  at  Berwick  in  July  1612,  the  Author  writes  to  his  uncle  at 
Sedan  : — "  Isabella  mea,  jam  nubilis,  si  essent  nummi,  Edinburgi 
manet  cum  cognata  sua,  D.  Bancalquelli  filia,  bona  et  amante  foe- 
mi  na."     Supposing  her  to  have  been  sixteen  years  of  age  at  that 


1  Diary,  p.  309.  J  Diary,  p.  323. 

'  Records  of  the  Synod  of  Fife,  p.  '2  1 1  ;    Lament's  Diary,  p.  8. 


xlii  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

time,  he  is  likely  to  have  been  born  in  the  summer  of  1 596.     No 
notice  of  her  marriage  or  death  has  been  discovered. 

VII.  Anna.  It  is  likely  this  daughter  was  born  in  1597  or 
1598.  In  the  above-cited  letter1  the  only  mention  the  Editor 
can  find  of  this  daughter  occurs  :  "  Anna  est  apud  me,  Anglice 
educta." 

Perhaps  it  ought  to  be  mentioned  that  Mr  Andrew  Melvill,  in 
one  of  his  letters,  speaks  of  his  nephew  as  being  then  the  father  of 
five  children.  Omitting  Ephraim,  he  speaks  of  Andrew,  John, 
Elizabeth,  (in  all  probability  a  mere  slip  of  memory  or  a  clerical 
error  for  Issobel,)  and  Anne.  There  is  no  trace  of  Mi*  James  Mel- 
vill having  any  daughter  of  the  name  of  Elizabeth.2 

It  is  probable  that  this  is  the  last  child  our  Author  had.  In  his 
Diary  3  it  is  related,  that  about  the  montli  of  August  1600  his  wife 
11  was  strucken  with  sic  infirmitie  that  sche  could  nocht  be  a  wyff 
to  mie." 

As  has  already  been  hinted,  the  precise  date  of  the  death  of  the 
Author's  first  wife  is  not  known  to  the  Editor,  but  it  is  believed  to 
have  occurred  in  June  or  July  of  the  year  1607.4  It  is  believed 
she  died  in  Scotland ;  for  Mr  James  Melvill  was  not  only  detained 
as  a  prisoner  in  England,  but  he  was  barbarously  refused  leave  to 
visit  his  wife  in  Scotland  when  on  her  deathbed.  Calderwood,  how- 
ever, records,  that  after  her  demise  Melvill  was  allowed,  as  a  special 
favour,  to  go  to  Anstruther  to  put  his  family  affairs  in  order  short  - 

1  Melvini  Epistolae,  Jul.  1612.     MS.  Univ.  Lib. 

*   Melvini  Epistolse,  pp.  81-96.   Univ.  Lib.  3  Diary,  p.  486. 

4  See  Caldcrwood's  History,  MS.  British  Museum. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  xliii 

ly  after  the  period  of  her  decease  ;  but  he  was  strictly  prohibited 
from  preaching,  or  attending  any  meeting  of  Presbytery  or  Synod, 
during  his  stay  ;  and  he  was  taken  bound  to  return  to  the  place  of 
his  confinement  at  the  end  of  one  month.1 

Since  the  earlier  part  of  this  Prefatory  Notice  was  printed,  the 
Editor  has  had  an  opportunity  of  examining  more  carefully  the 
valuable  MS.  Collection  of  Letters  in  the  University  Library,  so 
often  quoted,  (Melvini  Epistolse.)  It  is  proper,  therefore,  to  state 
a  few  particulars  in  further  explanation  of  our  Author's  second 
marriage.  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  writes  thus  to  his  nephew,  in  the 
month  of  April  1610  : — "  Remitto  progymnasma  tuum,  expecto 
tuas.  Quiescat  Melissa  ad  tempus."  At  that  period,  Mr  James 
Melvill  was  engaged  in  completing  certain  works,  the  rough  draught 
of  which  he  appears  to  have  shown  his  uncle.  The  exhortation  Mr 
Andrew  gives  him,  to  defer  all  ideas  of  love  and  marriage  in  the 
meantime,  and  seriously  to  betake  himself  to  the  completion  of  the 
works  in  question,  shows  that,  at  that  date  at  least,  the  marriage 
had  not  taken  place.  In  a  subsequent  letter,  Mr  James  promises 
duly  to  observe  his  good  advice. 

On  11th  April  of  the  following  year,  1611,  Mr  Andrew  thus 
addresses  our  author  : — "  Mi  fili,  mi  Jacobe,  vale,  vale,  cum  Melissa 
mellitissima,  in  Domino  !"  At  that  date,  there  is  no  doubt  that  they 
were  married  persons  ;  but  it  is  likely,  from  the  tenor  of  the  cor- 
respondence with  his  uncle,  that  the  marriage  took  place  in  the 
summer  of  the  year  1610 ;  for,  before  the  close  of  that  year,  Mr 

•  Calderwood's  History  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  MS.  Adv.  Lib.,  vii.  49. — A 
much  fuller  account  is,  however,  given  in  the  larger  MS.  in  the  British  Museum, 
which  is  now  in  the  course  of  publication  for  the  Wodrow  Society. 


xliv  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

Andrew  sends  his  affectionate  regards  to  "  Melissa,"  as  the  wife 
of  his  nephew  and  friend,  and  the  worthy  successor  of  "  Eliza !" 
He  then  prays  that  they  may  pass  many  happy  years  in  each  other's 
society,  and  that  Melissa  might  enable  him  to  become  the  father  of 
a  fair  offspring.1 


XII.      WORKS  OF  MR  JAMES  MELVILL. 

After  bestowing  considerable  pains  in  collecting  suitable  ma- 
terials, the  Editor  has  not  succeeded  in  preparing  such  ample  and 
satisfactory  bibliographical  notices  of  our  Author's  Works  as  he 
would  have  wished.  The  limited  time  permitted  for  this  purpose, 
his  other  laborious  avocations,  and  the  difficulty  of  recovering  the 
necessary  information,  will,  it  is  hoped,  plead  his  apology  with  the 
Members  of  the  Wodrow  Society. 

I.  "  The  Description  of  the  Spainyarts'  Naturall,  out 
of  Julius  Scaliger,  with  sum  Exhort ationes  for  warning 
of  Kirk  and  Countrey."  This  seems  to  have  been  the  first  of 
Mr  James  Melvill's  published  works,  in  verse.  He  says,  under  date 
1592,  "  then  did  I  first  put  in  print  sum  of  my  Poesie."2  No  copy 
of  this  Poem  is  known. 

II.  "  A  Spirituall  Propyne  of  a  Pastour  to  his  People/' 
Edinburgh,  printed  by  Robert  Waldegrave,  printer  to  the  Kings 

1  Melvini  Epistola?,  MS.  Univ.  Lib.  pp.  134,  141,  143,  &c.      See  also  M'Crie's 
Life  of  Andrew  Melville,  ii.  374. 
-  Diary,  p.  307. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE. 


xlv 


Majestic.     Cum  Privilegio  Regis.     Quarto,  pp.  127.     This  book  is 
extremely  rare.     A  very  imperfect  copy  is  in  the  Advocates'  Li- 
brary.  This  work  he  styles  his  "  Catechisme,"  by  the  publication 
of  which  he  lost  four  hundred  merks.1     It  is  dated  from  "  Anste- 
ruther,  the  20  day  of  Nouember,  1598."     The  first  part  is  in  prose  : 
It  consists  of  Prayers  and  Meditations  suited  to  different  occasions, 
Directions  for  Self-examination,  and  "  The  Forme  of  Tryall  and 
Examination  taken  of  all  sik  as  ar  admitted  to  the  Table  of  the 
Lord,"  in  the  form  of  question  and  answer.     The  second  part  is 
in  verse,  and  is  introduced  by  the  following  title :  "  A  Morning 
Vision :  or  Poem  for  the  Practise  of  Pietie,  in  Devotion,  Faith, 
and  Repentance :  Wherein  the  Lord's  Prayer,  Beleefe,  and  Com- 
mands, and  sa  the  whole   Catechisme,  and  right  vse  thereof,  is 
largely  exponed."      It  is  prefaced  by  a  metrical  Dedication  to 
"  James  the  Sext,  King  of  Scottes,  and  Prince  of  Poets  in  his 
language ;"  and  contains,  among  other  devotional  and  moral  pieces, 
a  singular  composition  set  to  music,  and  entitled  :  "  Celeusma  Nav- 
ticvm :  The  Seaman's  Shovte,  or  Mutuall  Exhortation  to  ga  for- 
ward in  the  Spirituall  Voyage." 2 

iii.  "  a  poeme,  tn  print,  called  tlie  black  bastill,  or  a 
Lamentation  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  compyled  by  Mr 
James  Melvill,  Minister  at  Anstruther,  (now,  in  anno 
1611,  confyned  in  England.")3 

Dr  M'Crie  cites  a  manuscript  copy  of  this  poem,  which  is  dated 
November  1611.     The  MS.  is  preserved  in  the  collection  of  Ro- 

1  Diary,  pp.  12,  443.  2   M'Crie's  Melville,  ii.  505. 

:i   Row's  History  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  {Mailland  Club's  Edit.)  i.  260. 


xlvi  PBEPATOBY  NOTICE. 

bcrt  Graham,  Esq.,  of  Redgorton.  It  extends  to  93  stanzas.  In 
the  year  1634,  an  abridged  copy  of  the  poem  was  published,  ap- 
parently abroad,  under  the  following  title  :  "  The  Black  Bastel,  or 
a  Lamentation  in  name  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  composed  by  M. 
lames  Melvil,  when  he  was  confined  at  Berwick,  anno  1611. 
Abridged  by  N.— Ann.  Dom.  [1634.]"  sm.  8vo,  8  leaves.  This 
copy  was  reprinted,  and  is  included  in  a  very  curious  and  valuable 
collection,  entitled,  "  Various  Pieces  of  Fugitive  Scotish  Poetry  ; 
principally  of  the  Seventeenth  Century,"  edited  by  David  Laing, 
Esq.     Edin.  1825,  8vo. 

IV.  A  Poem,  entitled,  "  Thrie  may  keip  counsell,  give 
twa  be  away;1  or  Eusebius,  Democritus,  Heraclitus." 
This  poem,  which  consists  of  69  stanzas,  is  in  the  same  MS.  volume 
with  the  above. 

V.  A  Translation  into  English  Verse  op  part  of  the 
Zodiacus  Vit^e  of  Marcellus  Palingenius  :  "  Dedicat  to  the 
E[arl]  of  D"[unbar.]     It  contains  only  Aries  and  part  of  Tan  run. 

This  work  is  contained  in  the  following  interesting  manuscript : 

VI.  D.  Andrew  Melvini  Epistol^e,  Londino  e  Turri  Car- 
eens, ad  Jacobum  Melvinum,  Novocastri,  exulantem  Scripts; 
cum  cjusdem  Jacobo  nonnullis  ad  eundem.  Annis  supra  1608, 
L609,  1610,  et  1611.  Item,  Ecclcsias  Scoticame  Apologetica  ad 
Regem  anno  1610,  mense  Aprilis.     It  is  preserved  in  the  Library 

1  If,  or  providing,  two  be  absent. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  xlvii 

of  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  and  has  been  largely  quoted  by 
Dr  M'Crie,  in  his  Life  of  Andrew  Melville.  This  remarkable  col- 
lection is  Avell  worthy  of  being  printed  by  some  of  our  literary  as- 
sociations. 

VII.  Collection  of  Poems,  Autograph  MS.,  4to,  102  leaves, 
presented  to  the  Library  of  the  Faculty  of  Advocates  by  the  Rev. 
William  Blackie,  Minister  of  Yetholm,  in  May  1822.  It  has  since 
been  inlaid  and  bound.  The  chief  contents  are  thus  enumerated  in 
the  Catalogue  of  MSS. 

(1.)  Sonnets  and  other  short  Poems,  written  in  1610  and  1611, 
and  some  of  them  relating  to  Andrew  Melvill,  followed  by  a  copy 

of  a  Petition  to  the  Lords  to  examine  the and  carriage  of 

D.  Ban[croft,]  Archbishop,  by  Hugh  Broughton.     Anno  1608. 

(2.)  A  PRESERVATIVE  FROM  APOSTASIE,  or  THE  SONG  OF  MOSES,1 

with  short  notes  for  the  deduction  and  doctrine  thereof.  Trans- 
lated out  of  Hebrew,  and  put  into  Metre,  first  shortly,  and  then 
more  at  large  paraphrastically. 

1  It  is  probable  that  this  may  be  a  translation  or  adaptation  of  a  work  of  Mr  Andrew 
Melvill's  : — "  Carmen  Mosis,  Ex  Deuteron.,  Cap.  XXXII.  quod  ipse  moriens  Is- 
raeli tradidit  ediscendum  &  cantandum  perpetuo,  Latina  paraphrasi  illustratum. 
Cui  addita  sunt  nonnulla  Epigrammata,  &  Iobi  Cap.  III.  Latino  carmine  reddi- 
tum.  Andrea  Melvino,  Scoto,  Avctore.  Basilea?,  M.D.LXXIIII."  8vo,  pp.  16. 
The  manuscript  of  this  work  was,  it  is  probable,  left  on  the  Continent  by  the 
author  when  he  returned  to  Scotland.  But  one,  at  least,  of  the  Epigrams,  (that  on 
the  death  of  Charles  IX.)  must  have  been  transmitted  to  the  printer  by  Melvill  after 
his  arrival  in  Britain.  In  the  inventory  of  books  belonging  to  Thomas  Bassinden, 
printer  in  Edinburgh,  inserted  in  his  Testament  Testamentar,  is  the  following  ar- 
ticle : "  Item,  xlviii.  Carmen  Moyses,  the  dosane  xviii.  d.  summa,  vj.  s."     There 

can  be  no  doubt  that  this  is  Melvill's  work.  Bassinden  died  18th  October  1577. 
Commissary  Records  of  Edinburgh — M'Crie's  Melville,  i.  92. 


xlviii  PREFATORY  notice. 

(3.)  David's  tragique  Fall,  in  Verse,  concluding  with  a  Pa- 
raphrase of  the  51st  Psalm. 

(4.)  The  Reliefe  of  the  longing  Soule,  or  the  Song  of 
Songs,  which  is  Solomon's,  exponed  by  a  large  paraphrase  in 
metre,  for  memorie  and  meditation.  Dedicated  by  James  Melvil 
to  his  sister,  M.  Nicolas  Murray,  at  London,  November  5,  1606.1 

(5.)  A  Meditation  of  the  Love  of  Christ,  and  effects  thereof,  for 
true  thankfulness,  and  two  Sonnets,  end  the  volume. 

VIII.  His  celebrated  Apology  for  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land, which  was  not  published  until  many  years  after  his  death  : 
"  Ad  Serenissimum  Jacobvm   Primvm,  Britanniarvm  Mon- 

ARCHAM,  ECCLESLZE    SCOTICAN^E   LIBELLUS   SUPPLEX,  avoXoynruhg 

?.at  oXotpvgnxog.  Auctore  Jacobo  Melvino,  Verbi  Dei  Ministro, 
Domini  Andrea?  Melvini  rou  vdvu,  nepote.  Londini,  Excudcbat  J.  R. 
pro  Georgio  Thomason  &  Octaviano  Pullen,  anno  1 645,"  4to,  pp. 
49,  besides  two  pages  not  numbered,  containing  "Epitaphium  Auc- 
toris,  a  Domino  Andrea)  Melvino  conscriptum."     24  lines. 

IX.  Autobiography  and  Diary  of  Mr  James  Melvill, 
1556-1(501. 

X.  A  True  Narratioune  of  the  Declyneing  Aige  of  the 

Kirk  of   Scotland,  1596-1610,  being  a  Continuation  of  the 

Diary. 

1  Perhaps  this  is  the  same  with  the  "  Book  of  Canticles,"  alluded  to  in  the  Account 
of  his  Last  Illness,  (App.  No.  II.)  as  having  been  '•'  anc  pairt  of  Scripture  in  which  he 
was  dcligentlie  versed,  quhilk  he  had  parraphrased  and  turned  in  pleasand  Poesie." 
No  such  work  is  known  to  have  been  printed. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  xlix 


Before  concluding  these  Prefatory  Remarks,  the  Editor  may 
take  this  opportunity  of  explaining,  that  in  that  portion  of  Wodrow's 
Manuscript  Collections  which  was  bequeathed  to  the  Library  of  the 
University  of  Glasgow,  there  is  a  Life  of  Mr  James  Melvill, 
written  by  Mr  Robert  Wodrow,  which  is  frequently  quoted  by 
Dr  M'Crie,  extending  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  pages  of  foolscap 
folio  ;l  and  in  another  volume,  in  the  same  Collection,  there  is  a 
brief  Appendix,  illustrative  of  that  Life.2  Of  these  materials 
the  Editor  had  only  a  very  cursory  inspection  when  last  in  Glas- 
gow ;  and,  as  he  considered  the  entire  Life,  as  written  by  Wodrow, 
likely  to  prove  too  copious  to  admit  of  its  being  prefixed  to  the 
present  Work,  before  resolving  what  was  fit  to  be  done,  he  recom- 
mended the  Council  of  the  Wodrow  Society  to  apply  to  the  cura- 
tors of  the  university  of  Glasgow  for  the  use  of  these  manu- 
scripts, or  for  leave  to  have  them  transcribed.  However,  there 
being  other  two  volumes  in  the  same  Collection  containing:  Wod- 
row's  Life  of  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  with  relative  Appendix,3  the 
Council  were  desirous  that  the  Editor  of  Bruce's  Sermons  (also 
in  the  course  of  progress  through  the  press  for  the  Wodrow  So- 
ciety) should  previously  examine  them  before  preparing  a  Biographi- 

1  Wodrow's  MSS.  in  the  University  of  Glasgow  Library,  vol.  xii.  pp.  160. 
2  Vol.  ii.  of  the  same  Collection  contains  the  Appendix  to  the  Life  of  Mr  James 
Melvill.  3  Wodrow's  MSS.,  vol.  x.  (marked  Nov.  23,  1724,)  extends  to  112 

pp.  of  small  quarto,  and  contains  several  quotations  of  Letters,  &c,  with  Life  or  Me- 
moirs of  Mr  Robert  Bruce.  Vol.  iv.  contains  an  Appendix  to  this  Life,  viz.  : — 64 
pp.  of  Letters  :  Sermon  on  XL.  Psalm,  (printed,)  pp.  18:  "  Ane  Exhortatione  to 
the  Provincial!  Assemblie  of  the  Presbyteries  of  Louthiane,  haldin  at  Edinburgh  the 
16th  of  September  1589;  made  be  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  Minister  of  Christe's  Evangell 
there."  pp.  12. 


1  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

cal  Sketch  of  Mr  Robert  Bruce.  For  that  purpose,  a  regular  official 
application  was  made  by  desire  of  the  Council  to  the  University  of 
Glasgow.  The  Senatus  Academicus  having  declined  that  request, 
no  further  steps  could  be  taken  by  the  Council,  in  compliance 
with  the  wishes  of  the  Editor,  to  obtain  access  for  him  to  Wodrow's 
Papers,  in  relation  to  the  Life  of  Mr  James  Melvill. 

Owing  to  the  extent  to  which  this  Work  has  reached,  it  has 
been  deemed  proper  to  print  two  separate  sets  of  title-pages,  so 
that  Members  who  prefer  it  may  ultimately  bind  the  Auto- 
biography and  Diary  in  two  volumes,  which  would  be  advisable,  as 
was  originally  contemplated,  although  from  motives  of  economy  it 
has  been  boarded  in  the  present  shape. 

R.  P. 

Edinburgh,  25th  November  1842. 


APPENDIX  OF  DOCUMENTS 


REFERRED  TO 


IN  THE  FOREGOING  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 


LAST  WILL  AND  TESTAMENT  OF  MR  JAMES 
MELVILL.1 

Berwick  upon  Tweed. — In  the  name  of  God,   Amen.     I 
James  Melvine,  precher  of  God's  Word,  sick  of  body,  but  in  per- 
fitt  memory,  do  make  this  my  Last  Will  and  Testament  in  man- 
nour  and  forme  followeing,  viz. 

First,  I  comend  my  soule  into  the  hands  of  Almightye  God, 
my  Maker,  surelye  trusteing,  throughe  the  mirretts  of  his  Sonn, 
Jesus  Christ,  my  Redeamer,  that  all  my  sinns  ar  washed  away 
and  pardoned ;  and  my  body  to  be  buryed  at  the  discretion  of  my 
executrix. 

•  Extracted  from  the  Registry  of  the  Consistory  Court  of  Durham.  The  above 
has  been  taken  from  the  original  Will,  which  is  still  extant,  and  is  written  on  vellum. 
It  is  broken  into  paragraphs  as  it  is  here  printed,  and  is  indorsed  thus  : 
"  1 G 13.      Testamentum  Jacobi  Melvin,  clerici,  &c. 
Parh.  de  Barwick  deft. 

Probatum,  25  Feb." 
The  Inventory  which  follows  is  on  paper. 


Ill  APPENDIX  TO 

Imprimis,  I  give  unto  Debora  Melvine,  my  wife,  all  that  my 
house  and  tenement,  wherein  I  now  dwell  at  Berwick,  toge- 
ther with  all  my  goods  and  moveables  whatsoever  therein  con- 
tained. 

Item,  I  give  to  the  said  Debora,  my  wife,  the  some  of  one  hun- 
dreth  pounds  sterlinge,  which  is  oweing  unto  me  by  Henry  Mad- 
dison  of  Necastle  upon  Tyne,  marchant,  appeareing  by  his  bill, 
bcareing  date  the  xvith  of  Maye,  10 10. 

And  also  the  some  of  ten  pounds,  which  he,  the  said  Henry 
Mnddison,  is  oweing  unto  me,  dew  in  May  ncxte  insueing  the  date 
hereof,  for  which  I  have  no  spetialty.  Desireing  my  said  wife,  at 
her  departure  from  this  life,  (if  God  so  inable  her,)  to  despose  the 
foresaid  to  such  of  my  children  as  she  shall  best  like. 

Item,  Whereas  there  is  given  unto  me  a  yearly  anewety  by  my 
worshipfull,  godly,  and  well  disposed  frends,  to  witt,  Mr  Adam 
Newton,  Deane  of  Durham,  five  pounds  by  year,  Sir  James  Fol- 
lerton,  ten  pounds,  and  by  Mr  Thomas  Murey,  Tuttor  to  the 
Prence,  five  pounds  ;  I  trust  in  ther  godly  desposissions  they  will 
pay  the  same  to  my  said  wife,  for  and  towards  the  satisfieing  of 
my  debts  and  credits,  and  as  it  shall  pleas  God  to  move  them  to 
consider  further  on  her  as  my  wife. 

Item,  My  will  also  is,  that  whatsoever  lands,  goods,  or  tene- 
ments I  have  in  Scotland,  my  wife  shall  not  medle  therewith, 
nor  have  any  parte  therof,  for  that  I  have  desposed  of  them  to  my 
children.1  Nether  shall  any  of  my  children  medle  with  any  of 
the  estate  before  mentioned  givin  to  my  said  Avife,  nor  have  anve 
parte  thereof. 

Item,  I  do  give  and  bequeath  to  Isabell  Clebke,  my  mother- 
in-law,  ten  pounds  sterlinge. 

Item,  I  do  mak  my  said  wife,  Debora  Melvin,  my  full  and  sole 
executrix  of  this  my  Last  AVill  and  Testament.     Witnes  my  hand 

l  After  every  care  has  been  bestowed  on  the  subject,  no  (.race  of  our  Author's 
disposition  and  settlement  of  these  "  lauds,  goods,  or  tenements,"  can  be  discovered. 

The  Inventary,  for  the  lime,  displays  considerable  wealth. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  liii 

and  seall,  the  xiiijth  day  of  Januarye,  1613,  [1614,]  according  to 
the  computacon  of  the  Church  of  England.1 

Signed,  sealled,  and  delivered  in  presents  of  Michaell  Sander- 
son,2 James  Lanye,  William  Fenwick.3 


A  TREW  INVENTORY  OF  THE  GOODS  OF  MR  JAMES  MELVEN,  DE- 
CEASED, TAKEN  BY  US  WHOSE  NAMES  AR  HER  UNDR  WRIT- 
TEN, THE  XXIIIJ™  OF  FEBRUARY  1613.      [1614.] 

In  the  Hall.  L.   s.     d. 

It.    i.  Fir  table  and  frame,     .             .  .             00  03  04 

ij.  Litle  small  fir  tables,         .             .  .       00  02  00 

j.  Litle  old  corr.  cubbert,4           .  .             00  01  04 

ij.  Shorte  fir  formes,               .             .  .       00  01  00 

ij.  Old  litle  gren  chares,                .  .             00  00     8 

j.  Scots  needle-worke  carpett,           .  00  06     8 

j.  Old  screane,                 .             .  .             00  01  00 

Six  thrume  cushens,               .             .  .       00  06  00 

1  02  00 

In  the  Citchen. 

j.  Bras  pott,        .             .             .  .             00  04  00 

j.  Iron  pott,               .             .             .  .       00  02  00 

ij.  Small  pans,      .              .             .  .             00  03     4 

ix.  Pewter  dishes,       .             .             .  .       00  09  00 


1  The  Will  does  not  bear  the  signature  of  Mr  James  Melvill.  It  is  probable  that, 
on  his  deathbed,  this  excellent  man  had  been  wholly  unable  to  sign  his  name  ;  which 
may  account  for  the  subscriptions  of  three  attesting  witnesses. 

2  Michael  Sanderson  was  Mayor  of  Berwick  in  1 603  ;  and  again  in  the  years  1612, 
1619,  and  1628. 

3  William  Fenwick  was  likewise  Mayor  in  the  years  1629,  1635,  and  1638.  For 
these  notices,  the  Society  is  indebted  to  Robert  Weddell,  Esq.  They  are  recorded 
here  in  testimony  of  the  very  high  estimation  in  which  Mr  James  Melvill,  though  a 
prisoner  at  large,  was  held  by  those  highest  in  authority  in  this  ancient  borough. 

*  Corner  cupboard. 

d 


liv  APPENDIX  TO 

L.    B.       (1. 

iiij.  Small  sauc'8.                  .             .  .             00  01  00 

ij.  Hand  basons,         .             .             .  .       00  02     6 

ij.  Pewter  candlesticks,                  .  .             00  02  00 

j.  Old  quart  pot,       .             .             .  .       00  01  04 

j.  Pottle  pot,        .             .             .  .             00  03  04 

ij.  Chamber  pots,       .             .             .  .       00  02  00 

j.  Chaffing  Dishe,             .             .  .             00  00  10 
01  11  4 

In  the  Chambr.  and  Parler. 

j.  Short  table  and  frame,        .             .  00  05  00 
j.  Cornr.  cubbert,             .              •  .             00  02     6 
vj.  Leather  chares,     .             .             .  .       01  00  00 
x.  Scots  nedle-work  quishens,1      .  .              00  15  00 
vj.  Gren  carsey  quishens,        .              .  .       00  05  00 
ij.  Picklers,          .             .             .  .             00  02  00 
j.  Standing  bedsted,  wth.  curtens  and  vallence,    01  00  00 
ij.  Fethr.  Bedds,  j.  bolster,  and  ij.  pillowes,  03  00  00 
j.  Tooll  twilte,          .              .             .  .       00  06     8 
j.  Grean  rugg,                  .             .  •             01  05  00 
j.  Pr.  of  blankets,  andj.  Scots  plad,  .       00  08  00 
ij.  Othr.  bedsteads  wth.  the  furnisheing,     .  01  06     8 
j.  Small  trunke,         .             .             .  .       00  03  00 
j.  Othr  Scots  nedle-worke  carpett,     .  00  06  08 
ij.  Small  cabenets,            .             .  .             00  08  00 
Certaine  books  worth,        .             .  .       02  00  00 
His  apparrell,              .              .  .             05  00  00 
Linen  sheets,  table  clothes,  pellebrf,2  and  nap- 
kins,          .             .             .  •             03  10  00 
vj.  Silver  spounes,       .             .             .  .       02  00  00 
j.  Silver  kmy       .              .              •  •              01   10  00 
24  13  6 

Sin"".  027  06  10 

i  Cushions.                              2  Pillowberes.  s  Can,  tankard. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  lv 

It.  Mrs  Henry  Maddison  of  Newcastle  is  oweing  L.    s.     d. 

by  spetialty,                .             .             .  100  00     0 
And  more,  the  said   Henrye  Maddison1  is 

oweing  whout  spetialty,     .             .  010  00  00 


Sin"",  totalis,         137  06  10 
James  Lanty. 
Willm.  Fewnk. 
Will  proved  25th  February  1613.     [1614.] 

Duly  compared  and  examined  this  twenty-sixth  day  of  Octo- 
ber 1842. 

Joseph  Davison, 
Depy.  Regr. 
Extracted  by 
Robert  Burrell, 
Proctor. 

1  In  St  Nicholas'  church,  Newcastle,  there  is  a  monument  erected  to  the  Maddison 
family,  "  of  marble,  painted  and  gilded  since  its  erection,"  {Brand's  Hist,  of  New- 
castle, i  21)1,)  from  which  Mr  Weddell  has  kindly  noted  what  relates  to  the  friend  of 
Mr  James  Melvill : — 

"  Here,  interred  also,  are  the  bodys  of  Henry  Maddison,  and  Elizabeth,  his 
wife,  (daughter  to  Robert  Barker,  of  this  tonne,  Alderman,)  who  lived  together  most 
comfortably  and  lowingly,  in  true  wedlock,  the  space  of  40  yeares.  He  was  sometyme 
Maior  of  this  towne,  and  having  lived  in  good  name  and  fame  60  yeares,  deceased 
in  the  trve  faith  of  Chryst,  the  14th  of  Jvly,  1634.  Elizabeth,  his  only  wife,  had 
issve  by  him  ten  sonnes : — Sir  Lionel  Maddison,  knight,  Raphe,  Robert,  William 
Henry,  Peter,  George,  Timothy,  [John,]  and  Thomas  ;  and  six  davghters,  Jane,  Svsan, 
Elizabeth,  Barbara,  Elenor,  and  Jane  :  All  the  sonnes  at  his  death  were  living  but 
John,  who  died  in  the  late  expedition  to  Cadiz.  She  lived  his  widow  19  years,  and 
being  aged  79  yeares,  dyed  the  24  of  September,  1653." 

He  derived  his  Newcastle  "  franch'^from  a  second  son  of  Rowland  Maddison  of 
Unthank,  near  Berwick,  (Surtee's  Durham,  ii.  135 J  In  1554,  an  Anthony  Maddy- 
son  was  made  a  burgess  of  Berwick,  and  he  seems  to  be  of  the  same  family.  There 
are  still  wealthy  families  of  that  name  resident  in  Newcastle  and  other  places  in  the 
county  of  Northumberland. 


APPENDIX  TO 


II. 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  LAST  ILLNESS  AND  DEATH  OF 
MR  JAMES  MELVILL. 


ANE  MINUTE  OF  SIK  THINGIS  HARD  AND  SEINE  IN  THE  DEATH  OF 
THAT  FAITHFULL  SERVAND  OF  GOD,  MR  JAMES  MELVILL,  MI- 
NISTER AT  KILRANIE,  QUHO  DIED  LN  EXYLL1  AT  BERVICK,  THE 
20  OF  JANUAR,  1614  YEIRIS. 

"  Mark  the  vpright  man,  and  behold  the  just,  for  the  end 
of  that  man  is  peace." — Psal.  xxxvii.  37. 

First,  it  wes  markit  that  his  heavie  diseas  seasit  upon  him  at 
that  time  quhen  the  Bischop  of  Sanctandrois  sent  for  him  to  cum 
to  Edinburgh,  to  conferre  upone  the  conditiones  of  his  home  coming ; 
for,  being  one  his  journay,  his  bodie  alteris,  and  that  so  grytlie,  that 
he  wes  compellit  to  turne  bak  again,  and,  efter  ane  schort  space,  to 
tak  bed. 

Secondlie,  the  pain  of  his  diseas  wes  wonderfull  vehement,  as 
the  Doctor  affirmed,  fra  ane  hudge  quantitie  of  teuch2  humoris 
gathered  togidder  in  his  syd,  in  the  forme  of  ane  postrum,3  quhair- 
untill  the  melancholie  humor  wes  predominant.  Sindrie  thingis 
wes  applyed  for  purgatioun,  baith  above  and  under ;  quhilk 
wrought  verrie  weill,  geving  due  intermissione  to  pain,  but  never 
ane  full  exemptione  thairfra. 

Thridlie,  the  continuance  and  humoris  of  this  paine  maid  him 

1  He  had  been  in  all  seven  years  in  confinement  in  England.  '-'  Tough. 

3  Calderwood's  abstract  of  this  paper  properly  reads,  "  ane  aposteme,"  i.e.  an  apos- 
tume  or  imposthume.  "  Postrome,"  however,  it  may  be  remarked,  was  frequently  used 
for  a  poster?},  from  L.  B.  posturinm  :  and  might,  in  this  case,  denote  the  shape  of  the 
abscess,  or  carbuncle,  with  which  Mr  James  Melvill  was  so  much  afflicted. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  Ivil 

to  think  that  it  wes  deadlie.  He  fed  himselff  so  with  this  thought, 
that  noe  reasounc  used,  aither  be  doctoris  or  utheris,  could  dissuade 
him  thairfra,  saying  oft  tymes,  it  gave  him  in  his  heart  he  wold 
die;  and  in  his  conceit  he  could  not  in  anc  better  tyme. 

His  contentnientis  by  death  were  thir,  as  he  himselff  rehearsit 
thame : 

First,  ane  exemptione  fra  sinne  and  paine ;  citing  that  place 
in  the  second  of  the  Corrinthianis,  v.  4,  "  For  indeid  we  that  are 
in  this  tabernacel  siche1  and  are  burdenit,  becaus  we  wald  not  be 
vncled,2  bot  wald  be  cled,  that  mortaletie  might  be  swallowed  up 
of  lyff." 

The  second  wes,  the  testimonie  of  his  conscience,  in  keipeing 
fast  the  trewth  without  a  brek,  notwithstanding  of  sindrie  tenta- 
tiones,  till  his  dying  day ;  and  so,  oft  tymes  rejoyced  himselff  with 
that  speich  of  [Paid,  in  ii.]  Timothie,  [iv.]  chap.  [6-8]  verse, 
"For  I  am  now  readie  to  be  offered  up,  and  the  tyme  of  my 
departure  is  at  hand ;  I  haiff  faught  the  good  fight,  I  haiff  fin- 
isched  my  course,  I  haiff  keipit  the  faith ;  from  hence  furth  is 
laid  up  for  me  the  croune  of  righteousnes." 

The  thrid  wes,  that  in  his  death,  and  by  his  death,  he  might 
confirme  the  trewth  of  the  cans  for  the  quhilk  he  suffred,  to  the 
consciences  of  all,  deing3  constantlie  in  that  trewth  as  he  leived ; 
in  it  rejoycing  with  the  Apostle,  Philip,  ii.  chap.  ver.  17,  to  be 
offred  up  upone  the  sacfifice  and  service  of  thair  faith. 

The  fourt  wes,  the  sight  of  the  face  of  God  in  glorie ;  rehearsing 
that  verse  of  the  xvi.  Psalm,  "  Thow  wilt  schaw  me  the  pathe  of 
lyff;  in  thy  sicht  are  the  fulnes  of  all  joyes,  at  thy  right  hand  is 
the  plentie  of  pleasures  for  evir."4 

His  only  refreschment  and  releiff,  in  the  extremitie  of  paine,  wes 
prayer,  beleiffing  that  part  of  the  word,  "  Call  upon  me  in  the  day 
of  trubel,  I  will  hear  the,"  Psal.  1.  verse  1.  His  prayeris  were 
often,  as  the  heareris  can  record,  bothe  day  and  night ;  they  wer 
verrie  pithie,  with  manie  tearis.     In  all  his  prayeris,  efter  he  had 

'  Sigh.  *   Unclothed.  !   Dying.  '   Psal.  xvi.  11. 


lviii  APPENDIX  TO 

begged  mercie  and  confort  to  himself,  he  ever  rememberit  the 
kirk  in  generall,  and  Scotland  in  particular,  lamenting  heavilie 
hir  dissolutione ;  applyeing  that  speich  of  Chryst,  in  the  Gospell, 
to  give  hir  thousand  eis  "  to  sie  thos  thingis  that  belongeth  unto 
thy  [her]  peace."  He  prayed  for  repentance  of  so  manie  of  the 
breithering  as  had  made  ane  schisme  in  the  kirk,  by  ranverseing1 
that  forme  of  Governement  quhilk  wes  anes,  upon  the  warrand 
of  Godis  word,  with  ane  uniforme  consent  of  all,  establisched  ; 
and  quhairwith  the  Kirk,  be  the  space  of  manie  yeiris,  wes 
hapelie  relivit.2  He  ever  rememberit  his  fellow-suffereris,  and 
craved  earnestlie  strenth  and  courage  to  thame  for  perseverance 
to  the  end  ;  naming  them  all  in  particular  to  God  by  thair  names. 
Throw  the  waiknes  of  his  awin  bodie,  being  grytlie  extenuat  by 
the  grouth  of  pain,  he  wes  subject  to  syndrie  suerfes  and  soun- 
inges,3  quhilk  he  himselff  called  the  foirrunneris  of  death. 

On  Weddinsday,  in  the  morning,  quhilk  wes  the  19th  Januar. 
the  day  befoir  his  death,  ane  heavie  suerf  overtaketh  him ;  quhilk 
continued  lang,  sua  that  scarslie  we  lookit  for  onie  recoverie ; 
yit,  throw  the  Lordis  providence  bhssing  good  meanes,  at  lenth 
he  revived,  saying  to  us,  pitifullie,  that  he  wes  weill,  if  we  had 
lattin  him  be  so  !  He  began  to  think  with  himselff  that  his  tyme 
is  not  to  be  long  heir ;  and,  thairfoir,  with  gud  King  Hesekiach, 
resolved,  sua  lang  as  strenth  served  him,  to  put  his  hous  to  or- 
dour ;  and  imediatlie  callit  on  his  childfing,  quho  wer  all  thair 
saifF  ane,4  and  lifting  up  himself  bothe  in  bodie  and  spreitt  in  the 
bed,  in  the  audience  off  all,  he  declared  his  will,  appoyntit  his 
eldest  sone  to  be  in  his  place  as  ane  father  to  the  rest,  and  leaving 
untill  everie  ane  a  pledge  of  his  fatherlie  cair  and  affectione.  The 
declaratioune  of  his  will  being  finisched,  his  eldest  sone  craved 
for  his  blissing  earnestlie,  without  whilk  all  wes  nothing  :  Quhair- 
unto  he  wes  most  willing;  and,  gaddring  spirit  tis  to  himselff, 
abruplie,  he  had  a  speich  to  everie  ane,  be  way  of  blissing,  so  elo- 

1   Overturning  ;  turning  upside  down. — Fr.  renverser.  *  Rewlit?  ruled. 

3  Fainting  fits  and  swoonings.  i   Saving,  excepting  one.      Probably  in 

allusion  to  Andrew,  his  second  son,  who  was  then  completing  his  theological  studies 
under  his  grand-uncle,  Mr  Andrew  Melvill,  at  Sedan. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  lix 

quentlie  and  so  pertinentlie,  so  heartilie,  and  in  sik  confidence, 
as  wes  mervelous  to  hear  : 

To  Ephraime,  he  wisched  the  blissing  of  Ephraim,  [Abraham  ?] 
Isaak,  and  Jacob ;  saying,  "  God  mak  the  as  Ephraim,  quhilk  is 
ansuerabill  to  thy  name,  being  fruitfull  in  all  sort  of  good  workis." 

To  Johne,  "  that  he  might  be  gratius,  bothe  in  the  sight  of  God 
and  man,  throw  Godis  grace." 

To  Issobell,  he  wissed  "  that  scho  might  be  lyke  hir  mother  in 
all  godlines,  vertew,  and  in  all  comelie  behaviour." 

To  Anna,  he  wisseth  "  humilitie  and  meekness ;  and  that,  ac- 
cording to  hir  name,  scho  sould  insinuathir  selffin  the  acceptatione 
and  love  of  all." 

Haiffing  endit  thais  blissingis  to  his  childring,  he  rememberit  the 
Kirk,  and  his  most  excellent  Majestie,  in  his  speich  [with  teares 
uttering  these  words,1]  "  The  Romish  hirarchie  will  schortlie  undo 
religione  in  Scotland  ;  I  pray  the  Lord  oppin  the  Kingis  eiis, 
that  he  may  sie  it,  and  grant  him  grace  to  amend  it.  In  my 
lyff  I  ever  deteastit  it,  and  resistit  the  same  as  ane  thing  unlaw- 
full  and  antechrystiane,  for  the  quhilk  I  am  heir  in  exyll ;  and 
now,  I  tak  yow  all  to  vvitnes  I  die  in  the  same  judgment  this  day." 

He  rememberit,  most  lovinglie,  all  his  dear  freindis  and  acquant- 
ance  in  Chryst  ;  and,  namelie,  his  loving  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  to 
quhom  he  gave  ane  honorabill  comendatione  for  his  literator,  bot 
speciallie  for  sinceritie  and  courage  in  the  caus  of  Chryst,  quhilk 
he  besought  the  Lord  to  [increase  and2]  continow  to  the  end. 

He  rememberit  sum  gentlemen  in  Angus,  to  quhais  gudwill  he 
wes  oblegit. 

He  rememberit,  in  lyk  maner,  the  faithfull  Breithering  of  the 
Ministrie  of  Fyff  most  eftectuallie. 

As  ane  loving  schiphird,  he  blissed  his  flok  ;  thanking  God  for 
the  occasione  they  had,  praying  earnestlie  they  might  use  it  weill, 
for  the  crowning  of  that  work  quhilk  God  had  maid  him  the  instru- 
ment to  begin  and  prosequut. 

He  mentionit  manie  of  the  Ministrie  of  Louthain,  the  Merse, 

1  Supplied  from  Calderwood's  History,  MS.  s  Ibid. 


lx  APPENDIX  TO 

and  in  particular  named  some  gentlemen  to  quhois  kyndnes  and 
gudwill  he  acknouledged  God  himselff  grytlie  to  be  bund. 

He  blissed  the  toune  of  Berwick,  the  Doctor,  for  his  paines. 

He  rememberit  some  of  his  acquentance  at  Londoune  ;  and  from 
thence,  passing  over  the  seas,  he  sueitlie  named  the  haill  banisched 
Brethering,  thanking  God  for  thair  constancie,  and  wissed  perse- 
verance to  the  end. 

And  after  he  had  endit  his  speich,  he  earnestlie  desyred  Mr 
Durie1  to  conclud  all  with  ane  prayer ;  quhilk  he  did  verie  zealous- 
lie.  Efter  the  quhilk  he  tuik  him  to  rest,  and  passed  over  that 
haill  day,  sum  tyme  in  rest,  as  it  seimed,  and  sum  tymes  in  paine. 

About  sex  of  clok  at  night,  the  Laird  of  Aitoune,2  ane  of  his 
deir  acquentance,  cam  in  to  him,  to  quhom  he  spak  most  conforta- 
billie  ;  and  affected  him  sua  with  joy,  that  he  resolved,  howbeit  Ins 
awin  hous  wes  neir  hand,  to  stay  all  night  to  heir  and  sie  farder ; 
quhilk  efterward  he  ascryved  to  Godis  providence,  and  thanked 
him  for  it. 

About  nyne  houris  at  night,  waking  from  his  sleip,  he  fand  in 
his  bodie  ane  sensibille  alteratione  to  worse ;  forby3  that  his  pain 
increased  and  his  strenth  decreased,  sua  that  he  wes  cast  in  ane 
mervelous  feare  of  impatience  ;  and  thairfoir  desyred  his  wyff  to 
send  about  the  Laird  [of  Aitoune,]  the  Doctor,  with  Mr  Durie, 
(who  a  litill  befoir  wer  gone  frome  him,)  to  come  to  him  in  hast. 
He  seing  the  Doctor,  he  sayis,  "  For  Chrystis  saik,  use  some 
meanes  to  quench  this,  for  I  am  vnhabill  to  abyd  it !"  The  Doctor 
replyes,  that  he  had  used  all  meanes  that  lay  in  the  witt  of  man  : 
"  Thair  is  no  remeid  but  patience,  quhilk  God  most  give,  and  ye 
most  crave,  and  we  helpe  yow."  With  ane  hcavie  sich,  he  sayes, 
"  Lord,  grant  me  it !"  and  desyred  us  to  fall  doun  upon  our  knies, 
for  begging  the  same.  The  Minister,  as  before,  in  prayer,  craved 
it  of  God. 

The  prayer  being  endit,  he  cryes  out,  with  David,  in  the  xxxix. 
Psal.,  "  Tak  away  the  plag,4  for  I  consume  with  the  straik  of  thync 

1  Joshua  Durie,  Minister  of  St  Andrews,  his  brother-in-law. 

2  William  Hume  ?  '  Besides.  '    Plague. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  lxl 

hand;"1  and,  with  Job,  "Albeit  thow  sould  slay  me,  yit  will  I 
trust  in  thee  ;"2  and  rememberit  him  of  Moses'  busch  quhilk  wes 
burning  and  yit  neuer  wes  consumed,3  becaus  God  wes  in  it.4 

Being  ovir  mutch  with  the  pain,  he  fallis  over  in  ane  quyet 
sleipe,  quhilk  lested  till  tuelff  of  the  clok ;  syndries  of  the  chamber 
went  to  thair  bed,  upon  good  hoipe  of  his  recoverie.  About  ane 
of  the  night  he  wakned  exstreame  seik,  and  sayes  to  his  sone,  "  I 
feare  my  aAvin  weaknes ;  I  cannot  last  long.  Tak  hed  to  me,  or 
ellis  I  will  slip  away  !"  On  his  wakning  [he  says,  "  Goe  walken5] 
the  Laird,  Doctor,  and  Mr  Durie."  The  Doctor  comeing  in  in 
hast  to  him,  he  tellis  him  the  pain  had  flitted  from  his  syd  and 
bak,  and  had  com  to  his  heart ;  useing  thir  wordis,  "  Palpitat  cor." 
The  Doctor  replyes,  it  wes  ane  tokin  his  battell  wes  neir  ane 
end.  Fearing  this,  he  cryes,  with  Simeone,  "  Now,  lettest  thow 
thy  servand  depart  in  peace  ;  myne  eyes  [haiff]  sein  my  [thy] 
salvatione  :  A  light  revealed  to  the  Gentillis,  and  the  glorie  of 
Israeli,"  Luk.  ii.6 

He  says  to  the  minister,  "  Good  Mr  Durie,  give  me  the  last 
gudnight.  Comend  my  saull  and  bodie  unto  the  handis  of  God, 
my  Redeemer."  This  being  done,  he  comforteth  himselff  with  syn- 
drie  speiches  out  of  the  Psalmes,  quhilk  he  rehearsit  in  Hebrew ; 
as  namelie,  ane  speich  out  of  the  iv.  Psal.,  "  Lord,  lift  up  the  lyght 
of  thy  countenance  upon  me  :"7  The  xxvii.  Psal.,  "  The  Lord  is 
my  light  and  my  salvatione,  quhat  can  I  fear  ?"8  The  xxiii.  Psal., 
"  Albeit  I  wakit  through  the  valley  of  the  schadow  of  death,  yit 
will  I  fear  none  evill,  becaus  God  is  with  me ;  thy  rod  and  thy 
staff  they  confort  me."9 

The  candell  being  behind  bak,  he  desyred  that  it  sould  be 
brought  befoir  him,  that  he  might  sie  to  die.  Be  occasione  quhair- 
of,  that  pairt  of  the  Scripture  wes  rememberit,  "  Light  aryses  to 
the  righteous  in  the  middcs  of  darknes,"  Psal.  cxii.10    '*  The  Lord 

1  Psal.  xxxix.  10.  ■  Job  xiii.  15.  3  Exod.  iii.  2. 

4  Acts  vii.  35.  5  Calderwood  MSS.  r'  Luke  ii.  29-3_>. 

7  Psal.  iv.  6.  B  Psal.  xxvii.   1.  9  Psal.  xxiii.  4.  '"  Psal.  cxii.  4. 


lxii 


APPENDIX  TO 


will   lighten   ray   candell,  he   will   inlighten   my   darknes,"  Psal. 
xviii.1 

For  the  space  of  tua  houris,  the  pain  and  seiknes  held  him  so 
at  the  heart  that  he  wes  Avithout  language ;  dureing  the  quhilk 
tyme  his  sone  rememberit  him  of  manie  confortabill  speiches  of 
Scripture,  quhilk  he  heard  with  great  joy,  and  greatt  cheirfullnes. 
In  takin  quhairof,  he  geve  ever  ane  demonstratione,  and  signed2  with 
his  handis,  testefieing  his  inward  motione  conforrae,  [in  token  of  his 
joy  and  feeling,  quhen  anie  comfortable  sentence  of  Scripture  was 
uttered  to  him.3] 

Quhen  the  xiv.  of  Johne  wes  rememberit,  "  Lett  not  your 
heartis  be  trubled,  ye  beleiv  in  God,  beleiv  also  in  me,"  he  lifted 
up  his  hand  towardis  heaven. 

Quhen  the  fyve  wyse  virgines  wer  rememberit,  quho  had  their 
lampes  in  readines  to  meitt  the  brydgrome,  he  putt  his  hand  to 
his  heart,  and  chaped 4  thryse  on  it.  Quhen  he  wes  rememberit 
of  Paulis  speich,  Rom.  viii.  "  Quho  sail  separat  me  from  the  love 
of  God  ?  Sail  principalities,  or  pouaris,  thingis  present  or  to  cum, 
lyfF  or  death  ?"5  he  turned  the  bak  of  his  hand  to  them  all ;  and 
rejoyced  in  this,  that  in  them  all  he  sould  be  more  than  conqueror 
throw  Chryst  that  [loved]  him.  So,  feilling  his  pain  to  work  up- 
ward, and  perceiving  his  eare  to  faill  him,  that  he  hard  not  so 
weill  as  he  did  befoir ;  eftir  ane  long  silence,  quhen  we  thought 
the  pouar  of  speaking  had  left  him,  in  vearie  cleir  tearmes,  he 
cryes  out,  putting  his  hand  one  his  eare,  "  He  is  heir,  he  is  heir  ! 
Welcome,  welcome  !" — meaning  deathe.  [Being  asked,  If  he  Avere 
desirous  to  turne  backe?  He  answered6]  and  said,  "  Wiiliame, 
Williame,  I  am  now  sure  I  sail  not  goe  again  bak  for  twentie 
worldis  !"  Comforting  himself  with  that  speich,  xxxvi.  [Psal.] 
"  How  excellent  is  thy  mercies  to  us ;  thairfoir  the  childring  of 
men  trust  under  the  schadow  of  thy  weingis :  Thou  feidis  him 
with  the  f'att  thingis  of  thyne  hous,  and  gives  them  to  drink  of  the 

i  Ps.  xviii.  2M.  *  Made  a  sign  with  his  hand.  3  Cald.  MSS. 

1  Knocked.  5  Rom.  viii.  35-39.  '    ('aid.  MSS. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  lxlli 

riveris  of  thy  pleasuris ;  for  with  the  [is  the]  wall l  of  lyff,  in  thy 
light  I  sail  sie  light."2 

Being  rememberit  of  Jacob  his  visione  of  a  ledder  that  he  saw 
betiiix  heaven  and  earth,  God  upon  the  head,  the  angellis  going 
up  and  doune,  he  sayis,  "  Stay3  is  the  ledder  of  death,  and  leith4  is 
flesh  to  clim  it !" 

Being  rememberit  of  Paull  his  revischeing  to  the  thrid  heavens, 
and  of  the  glorius  revelationes  he  gatt  thair,  he  ansuered,  "  Everie 
ane  Aves  rot  with  Paull,  alwayes5  he  wes  assured  to  be  filled  with 
glorie."5 

Quhen  they  told  him  of  the  sight  of  Stevin,  how  he  saw  the 
heavins  oppin,  and  the  glorie  of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  he  prayed  Stephane  his  prayer,  "  Lord  Jesus, 
receave  my  spirit."  6 

Quhen  ane  speich  of  the  Canticle  wes  fitted  unto  him,  it  grytlie 
rejoyced  him,  being  ane  pairt  of  the  Scripture  quhairintill  he  wes 
deligcntlie  versed,  quhilk  he  had  parraphrased  and  turned  in  plea- 
sand  poesie.  This  wes  oft  in  his  mouth,  "  My  weill  beloved  is 
myne,  and  I  am  his."  7  "  Cover  me  with  the  leaner  of  his  love ; 
stay  me  with  flagones  ;  confort  me  with  apples."8 

Eftcr  this  maner  the  morning  wes  putt  off,  his  breath  drawing 
upward,  continuallie,  in  als  gryt  peace  and  quyetnes  as  befoir  he 
had  pain. 

Quhen  Ave  thought  that  all  his  senses  wer  gone,  and  he  almost 
without  fealing,  he  lay  so  quyet,  his  sone  cryed  unto  his  eare,  and 
askit  Quhat  he  wes  doing  ?  He  ansuered,  albeit  with  grytt  defi- 
cultie,  he  avcs  "  singing  the  Song  of  the  Lamb."  At  the  quhilk 
all  then  Avondered. 

We  desyred  him  to  give  us  the  last  signe  of  his  inward  joy, 
through  the  sense  of  Godis  presence,  and  his  reddines  to  depart 
cheirfullie  :  He  lifted  up  baith  handis,  and  said,  "  Sucitt  Jesus, 
receave    my  saulc !"     [After  these   Avords  he  never  stirred,  but 


1  Well,  fountain.  8  Psal.  xxxvi.  8,  9.  8  Steep  is  the  ladder. 

*  Laithe  ;  loath,  unwilling.  5  Notwithstanding.  6  Acts  vii.  59. 

7  Cant.  ii.  16.  8  lb.  4,  5. 


lxiv  ArPENDIX  TO 

sobbed  softer  and  softer,  till  at  length  he  surrendered  the  spirit;1] 
and  that  so  quyetlie,  [peaceablie,  and  insensiblie,2]  that  nain  could 
perceave ;  and  [like]  the  Patriarch  Jacob,  he  endit  his  dayes,  quhilk 
wer  few  and  exyll,  and  he  holy  spent  in  the  service  of  God,  as  the 
storie  of  his  lyff  will  declair ;  and  he  eattis  the  fruittis  of  his  la- 
bouris,  in  ane  pairt  of  the  sawell,  amonges  the  number  of  the 
righteous,  till  the  day  of  the  full  redemption  of  the  childring  of 
God ;  quhen,  in  bodic  and  sanell,  he  sail  schine  in  the  heavens  as 
the  sune  and  moone  in  the  firmament :  To  the  quhilk  place  the  Lord 
may  bring  me  to  that  evirlasting  joy  and  portione,  for  Chrystis 
saik.     Amen.3 


Give4  thow  wald  lyff  a  godlic  lyff, 
Think  daylie  thow  most  die : 

Give  thow  wald  die  ane  happic  death, 
Live  weill,  I  counsell  thee ! 5 


1  Supplied  from  Calderwood's  MS.  History  in  British  Museum.  2   lb- 

3  "  Thus  endit  that  faithfull  servant  of  God,  Mr  James  Melvine,  his  dayes,  in  exile, 
after  he  had  spent  a  great  part  of  his  life  in  the  service  of  God,  and  suffering  for  the 
truthe."— Ibid.  *  If. 

5  The  writer  of  this  interesting  account  adds  below,  "  This  is  my  gutcheris  [i.e., 
grandfather  by  the  mother's  side]  testament." 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  lxv 

III. 

POEMS  ON  THE  DEATH  OF  MR  JAMES  MELVILL, 


BY  MR  THOMAS  MELVILL. 


TO  THE  TItEWLIE  HONORABLE,  A  VERRIE  ACCOMPLISHED  AND  SINCERLIE  AF- 
FECTED CHRISTIANS  GENTELMAN,  HIS  VERRIE  ASSTJRIT  IN  THE  LORD 
JESUS,  ALEXANDER  KEITH  OF  BALUMIE. 

SONET. 

Quhen  as  I  think  upon  that  dolent  day, 

Quhais  bad  aproch  lies  bailfull  newes  brocht, 

Quhilk  maid  thy  weiping  eyes  thy  wois  bewray, 
As  seconde  treuchman2  to  thy  sadder  thoght : 
Nixt,  quhen  I  find  how  he  forgot  the  nocht 

Quhen  streames  of  deith  most  stronglie  with  him  strave ; 
His  love  to  thee  thy  worth  to  him  hes  wrocht 

To  link  your  heartis  in  love,  above  the  leave.3 
Quhairthrow  I  sie,  and  sensiblie  perceave, 

As  aie  thow  did,  with  oppin  heart  and  hand, 
His  memorie,  howbeit  he  be  in  grave 

And  lair,  yow  loveis,  howbeit  in  unholy  land  : 
Go,  since  thow  art  compartner  of  my  cairis, 
To  yow,  guid  Sir,  I  dedicat  my  tearis. 

Youris,  ever  devoted  to  serve  yow  in  the  Lord, 

T.  M. 

1  Of  this  ingenious  young  man,  who  wrote  the  following  poems  in  the  fourteenth 
year  of  his  age,  the  Editor  has  not  been  able  to  collect  any  satisfactory  information. 
It  is  probable  he  was  a  nephew  or  near  relative  of  Mr  James  Melvill. 

a  Interpreter.      O.  Fr.  trurhcman.  3  Lave,  rest. 


lxvi  APPENDIX  TO 


II. 


THE  FUNEHALL  TEAMS  OF  T.  M.  FOR  THE  DEATH  OF  HIS  DEIREST  FREIND 
AND  LOVING  FATHER,  THAT  FAITHFULL  SERVANT  OF  GOD,  MR  JAMES 
MELVILL,  MINISTER  OF  GODIS  WOKD  AT  KILRANIE  ;  QUHA  DEIT,  CONFYNIT 
AT  BERWICK,   THE  20TII  OF  JANUAR,   1614. 

INVOCATIONE. 

Imanuel !  my  muse,  heich  Prince,  Apollo  myne, 

Jove's  loud  and  match  God  will  [with  ?]  trew  delites  devyne 

Inspire  me  from  above,  beir  witnes  to  my  cairis  ! 

Iff  in  my  lynes  thair  lyrkis  dissait,  or  treson  in  my  tearis, 

Iff  from  my  pen  proceid  a  word  bot  veritie, 

Then,  thow  protector  of  the  trewth,  condem  it  as  ane  lie. 

Bot  if  I  treat  of  trewth,  and  wald  that  trewth  war  kend, 

Thoch  Momus  freit,  I  feir  him  not,  Thow  sail  thy  trewth  defend. 

And  yow  that  temporize,  and  schames  the  trewth  to  tell, 

Thow  trewthles  tounge,  and  hoplcs  hert,  go  hay1  thee  hence  to  hell ! 

I  treat  of  tragik  tearis,  my  sangis  are  of  the  same, 

Sen  murning  mater  best  beseames  my  mirtliles  muse  to  fraime. 

Melpomene,  that  Muse  that  onlie  myndis  to  mone, 

Sail  cum  and  tak  lier  place  be  me ;  scho  sail  not  murnc  alone. 

The  baldest  fyrie  flaim  that  in  Mont  Etna  burnis, 

Quhair  wglie  mefist2  Schedalus  his  tomb  with  terror  tumis : 

His  ludge  is  left  of  lait,  and  in  my  breist  is  boun 

With  greif  to  gall  my  hcavie  hert,  and  beir  my  body  doun. 

The  tall  trymling  treis,  quhois  staitlie  topis  uprise, 

And  seames  throw  watric  woltis3  of  air  to  cut  the  chrystell  skyes, 

Did  lour  and  bent  them  low,  as  witnes  of  my  wrangis, 

Alse  scho  out  of  hallow  caves  resoundis  my  dririe  sangis. 

'    Hie,  haste.  '  Perhaps  from  O.  Fl    meffier,  to  distrust.  *  Vaults. 


PREEATOBY  NOTICE.  lxvii 

The  cloudis  do  ceis  to  drop,  the  wavering  windis  to  blow, 

The  ventyes1  one  bankis  leif  off  to  blow,  the  sies  to  fill  and  flow ; 

The  birdis,  with  chirming  chair,  that  cuttis  the  azure  skyes, 

They  ceis  to  sing ;  the  beistis  to  low,  the  fisch  to  sowme  our  seis  : 

The  sone  and  moone  amas'd,  and  steris  all  still  thai  stand, 

And  all  Jove's  hudge  and  curious  workis  the  sei  they  left  the  land, 

Left  off  thair  kyndlie  cours,  and  cairit  with  me  to  ken, 

About  ane  tombe  quhat  meanit  to  murne  so  many  modest  men  ? 

Bot  quhill  agast  me  gazed,  thrie  out  amangs  the  leave2 

In  Durik  nombcris3  sadlie  soundis  thair  sangis  about  his  grave. 


[fikst]  songe. 

This  land  hes  lost  a  light,  our  Kirk  may  now  bemoane  ; 

Religione  lakis  hir  love  sinterit  a  sone.4 

Iff  leirning  mycht  with  wit,  if  grace  with  gravetie  ; 

Iff  prudent  cariage  be  in  pryce,  if  matchles  modestie  ; 

And,  in  a  word,  I  vow,  iff  vertew  ludge  below, 

Heir  lyes  the  worthiest  wicht,  for  one  my  self  did  know : 

His  faith,  his  hope,  his  love,  his  cours  of  lyff  wes  kend, 

Oh !  lat  me  lyff  his  holie  lyff,  and  mak  his  blissed  end ! 


SECOND  SONGE.      MEL-VINUM. 

As  hony,  mixt  with  Celtik  or  Hebereane  wyne, 
The  one  the  other  qualifie ;  so  both  are  guid  and  fyne ; 
Richt  so,  quhair  Naturis  giftis,  and  skill  acquyred  be  Art, 
Both  in  ane  compas  are  conteinit  within  ane  hallowit  hert, 
Grace  suggeris  all  the  rest,  and  seasonis  all ;  and  then 
The  first  a  pleasant  portione  makes,  the  nixt  a  perfect  man. 

1    Probably  for  breezes — Fr.  vents.  2  Rest,  lave.  3  Doric  numbers. 

4   Perhaps  this  implies  that  a  favourite  son  was  thus  sunderea  or  torn  from  her. 


Ixviii 


APPENDIX  TO 


Then  hapie  lie  quhois  name  and  fassione  had  that  seat 
To  get  the  grace  to  sanctifie  his  giftis,  quhilk  were  so  gret ! 
His  name  includis,  we  know,  the  hony  and  the  wyne ; 
His  saul  now  drinkis  the  ambrosie  and  nectar  most  devyne. 
His  [body]  now  closit  in  clay  must  in  his  cave  remain 
Untill  the  tyme  that  trumpettis  sound  the  righteous  call  again. 
His  gloir  that's  now  begun  sail  then  accomplisched  be, 
But1  intermissione  or  exchange  for  all  eternitie. 


THRID  SONGE.       SONET. 

This  leife  is  nothing  but  a  vaill  of  tearis ; 
This  leife  is  most  inconstant,  cled  with  cairis ; 
This  febill  leif  is  frauchtit  full  of  fearis  ; 
This  leif  lies  sillie  hopis,  bot  deip  disparis  ; 
This  leif  is  nothing  but  a  schoole  of  wearis, 
Now  seame  Ave  sound,  but  schortlie  full  of  fearis. 
Our  surtie's  small,  our  hopis  are  hung  be  hairis  ! 
This  nane  denyes,  but  few  this  lessone  leiris.2 
Few  lothis  to  live,  few  for  the  end  preparis, 
Few  sichis  for  sin,  bot  gled  the  burding  beiris. 
Few  leirnis  to  die,  and  few  thair  comptis  clairis  ;3 
Few  in  the  land  of  leif  seikis  to  be  airis.4 
Then  hapie,  hapie,  hapie  thryse  is  he 
Quho  lothit  his  leife,  and  lerneth  to  die  ! 

Without.  2  Learn.         3  Clear  or  settle  their  accounts.  1  Heir 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  lxix 

III. 

ANE  DIALOGUE  UPON  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SAID  DEFUNCT. 

Interloquitoris. 
Viator.  Fama. 

Viator. 

Stay,  passenger, 

I  pray,  a  prettie  space, 

Quhair  haldis  the  race, 
That  garis  the  tie  so  fast  ? 
Art  thow  in  haist  ? 

May  yow  not  pair  thy  pace  ? 

How  cumes  the  case 
Thow  seames  to  be  agast  ? 

Off  courtesie,  I  pray  ye,  be  so  kynd 

To  stay  a  quhill,  and  tell  us  of  thy  mynd. 

Fama. 

Let  be,  my  freind, 

Impach1  me  not,  I  pray, 

I  may  not  stay ; 
For  so  purportis  my  name, 
I  am  fleing  Fame, 

That  dar  mak  no  delay, 

Be  night  nor  day, 
Till  I  the  trewth  proclaim. 

1  Hinder  me  not.     O.  Fr.  empescher. 


lxx  APPENDIX  TO 

It  is  my  calling.     I  have  tane  in  hand 

To  sound  Tyme's  trumpett,  both  be  sie  and  land. 

Viator. 

Welcume  to  me, 

Sueit  saul,  quhair  hes  thow  bein  ? 

Quhat  hes  thow  sein  ? 
Speake  out,  and  do  not  pante, 
Quhat  is  the  chante  ? 

Quhat  may  this  murning  mein  ? 

Seldome  is  sein 
In  the  sic  conntinuance. 

Quhat  newis  in  hevin,  in  hell,  in  earth,  in  air  ? 

It  seames  nae  mowis1  that  makis  the  murne  so  eair. 

Fama. 

I  spair  to  speak, 

Lest  I  sould  seame  to  lie. 

Fane  wald  I  flie, 
Iff  thow  wald  let  me  go. 
But  sen  yow,  so 

Importune,  urgis  me, 

The  veritie 
I  sail  yc  schortlie  scho ; 

Sic  strange  event  is  fallin  furth  of  lait 

Makis  heavin  rejoyce,  hell  rage,  and  eirth  regrat. 

That  auld,  untymelie, 
Irrant,  dolent  Death 
Hes  stopit  a  breath, 

1  Serious  matters ;   no  jokes  or  sport. 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  lxxi 

Sen  y ester  day  at  morne, 
Of  quhom  my  home 

Sail  vant ;  quha  ever  be  wrath, 

I  will  be  laith 
To  srnoir1  him,  I  have  suorne. 

Quhill  he  wes  heir,  his  name,  be  me,  wes  knawin 

Throw  Britain  boundis  ;    but  now  mair  boundles 
blawin. 

The  hevin  rejoyces 

At  his  gratfull  gast, 

Quhom  all  the  host 
Of  angellis  thair  convoyit. 

The  hellis  are  nocht, 

Sen  Plutois  beattis  and  boittis 
Are  hoples  lost, 
Thocht  coastlie  imployit. 

On  earth  ane  sabill  hew  the  Sanctis  bemone, 

Gryt  spaittis  of  teiris2  thair  spend,  caus  he  is  gane. 

Our  Kirk,  and  cuntry 

Baith,  hes  lost  a  light. 

Nane  schynit  mair  bricht 
In  Kirk  nor  Polecie  ; 
Sinceritie 

He  socht  with  all  his  might ; 

His  heartis  delight 
In  Chryst  to  live  and  die  : 

And  now  maid  be  malanchollie,  at  last, 

Died  in  exyll,  and  given  up  the  gost. 

Sueit  steiring  streames, 

That  posting  spuria  with  speid 
In  Ersk  and  Tueid, 
1  Smother  or  conceal  his  fame.  Floods. 


Lxxii  APPENDIX  TO 

Now  your  Lord  ye  sie 
Cum  furth  with  me 

Throw  land  with  uncoth  leid. 

Ye  sail,  indeid, 
Nobilitated1  be. 

Beseidis  the  first  his  body  gan  to  breath, 

And  now  the  last  maid  famous  be  his  deith. 

Braid-walit 2  Berwick, 

Tueidis  toune,  famosit  befoir 

Throw  many  scoir 
Off  mortall-myndit  men ; 
Bot  now  we'll  ken 

His  death  is 3  gained  mair  gloir 

Then  ever  befoir, 
Thocht  thowsandis  in  thee  slain. 

Gife 4  cities  stroave  quha  brocht  to  Homer  breath, 

Then  baldlie  Berwick  brag  of  sic  a  death. 
Giv  cities  sevin  for  Paganis  birth  contend, 
Then  much  mair  Berwick  famous,  be  his  end  ! 

Viator. 

Now,  now,  I  heir 

The  man  quhom  of  ye  mein ; 

For  lait  yistrein,5 
As  I  my  ludging  tuik, 
Ane  litill  buik, 

Be  me  befoir  unsein, 

With  oppin  eine 
The  leiffis7  I  overluik, 

Within  quhilk  lynis,  in  staitlie  styll  wes  pen'd 

His  famous  factis,  his  hapie  leif  and  end. 

1  Ennobled.      "  Villus  sola  nobilitat.'  *  Broad-walled.  "  For  has, 

*  if.  Last  night.  6  Eyes.  7  Leaves 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  lxxiii 

And  sen  I  sie 

That  he  wes  sic  ane  one 

Quhom  I  expone 
A  perles l  A  per  se ; 
Then  Fame  go  fle, 

Thow  sail  not  pas  alone 

Him  to  bemone ; 
I'll  beir  ye  companie. 

Go  saill  the  sie,  compas  the  Continent, 

Leirn,  sie  and  land,  his  los  for  to  lament ! 

Go  throw  the  puir 

Protestant  Kirk  of  France  ; 

Schaw  them  the  chance  : 
Thence  to  Geneva  toune, 
To  Berna  boune, 

Throw  Cantonis2  him  advance  ; 

To  Cedar  lance,3 
To  Netherlandis  goe  doune  : 

Tell  his  auld  uncle  and  the  banischit  band 4 

He  is  lanceit 5  befoir  tham  to  the  Holy  Land 

Go  throw  the  Germanis, 

Tell  Prince  Palatone, 

With  weiping  ein, 
Lament  our  los,  alace  ! 
Proclame  the  cace. 

Schaw  forth  what  thow  hes  sein 

To  King  and  Quein  : 
Schame  not  to  schaw  thy  face. 

Spair  not  to  speak,  his  praise  to  proclaime 

Throw  all  the  world,  to  eternize  his  fame. 


1  Peerless,  matchless.  *  The  Cantons  of  Swisserland.  J  Launch. 

1  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  ami  the  banished  Ministers.  5  Launched. 


lxxiv  APPENDIX  TO  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

Syne  schortlie  boune 

Quhairever  thow  lies  bein 

Or  sail  be  sein, 
Quhill  men  heir  lyvs  be  law,1 
Thy  bugall  blaw. 

His  garland  gar  grow  grein. 

Caus  him  to  schyne ; 
Mak  all  the  warld  him  knaw  ! 

Fama. 

Throw  out 2  all  ageis  trewlie  I  intend 
To  schaw  his  leif,  his  exyll,  and  his  end. 


Finis. 


Thais  Verses  wes  written  upon  the  tuentie-thrid  day  of  Decem- 
ber, in  the  yeir  of  God  1647  yeiris,  and  off  my  aige  14  yeiris. 

»  Until  men  live  by  law.  2  Throughout. 


POSTSCRIPT. 


The  Editor  has  much  satisfaction  in  notifying  to  the  Members  of 
the  Wodrow  Society,  that  some  time  after  this  Work  was  com- 
pleted at  press,  and,  indeed,  far  advanced  in  the  hands  of  the 
binder,  a  small  quarto  Manuscript  Volume,  chiefly  in  the  auto- 
graph of  Mr  James  Melvill,  has  been  purchased  by  David  Laing, 
Esq.,  at  the  sale,  in  London,  of  the  Library  which  belonged  to  the 
late  George  Chalmers,  Esq.,  F.  S.  A.,  the  well-known  author  of 
u  Caledonia,"  &c.  Immediately  on  the  arrival  of  this  Manuscript 
in  Edinburgh,  Mr  Laing  kindly  communicated  it  to  the  Editor  for 
examination ;  and  although  it  cannot  now  be  made  fully  avail- 
able to  the  Society  for  the  present  Volumes,  it  is  very  gratifying 
to  state  that  it  completely  establishes  the  authenticity  of  the  Con- 
tinuation of  the  Author's  Diary,  for  which,  until  now,  there  exist- 
ed merely  a  very  strong  probability,  nearly  approaching  to  cer- 
tainty, of  its  being  the  genuine  production  of  our  Author. 

In  a  comparatively  modern  hand,  the  following  title-page  to  this 
Manuscript  has  been  supplied  by  some  former  proprietor,  but 
which  gives  a  most  erroneous  idea  of  its  contents,  and  of  our  An- 

/ 


lxxvi  POSTSCRIPT  TO 

thor's  office,  as  its  compiler :  "  Acts  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  from  anno  1560  to  1605,  by 
James  Mellvil,  their  Secretary."  Mr  James  Melvill  never 
was  Secretary  or  Clerk  to  the  General  Assembly,  and  the  Ma- 
nuscript which  has  been  recovered  is,  no  doubt,  the  separate  vo- 
lume of  Memoranda,  to  which  the  Author  frequently  refers  in  the 
course  of  his  truly  valuable  Autobiography  and  Diary. 

There  is  contained  in  that  valuable  volume  copious  abstracts  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  General  Assemblies  during  the  period  al- 
luded to,  with  the  Authors  remarks ;  and  occasionally  there  are 
inserted  copies  of  documents  founded  on  in  the  acts,  or  conse- 
quent on  the  various  movements  of  parties  in  Church  and  State. 
Many  of  these  are  incorporated  in  the  present  Work ;  and  it  is 
interesting  to  remark  that,  in  one  of  these  instances,  where  a  do- 
cument is  purposely  omitted,  Mr  James  Melvill  thus  briefly  refers 
to  his  Autobiography  :  "  Sie  the  Buik  of  my  Lyfe."  In  another 
place,  after  describing  the  proceedings  of  the  General  Assembly 
in  November  1602,  he  remarks:  "Befoir  the  dissolving  of  this 
Assemblie,  the  penult  sessione  theirof,  thir  tua  heids  following  / 
put  in  wrytt,  and  presented  them  to  the  Assemblie  ;  but  they  wer 
cast  by,  and  na  audience  gevin  to  woord,  nor  accepting  of  wreate." 

Had  Melvill's  MS.  been  acquired  by  Mr  Laing  a  few  months 
earlier,  the  Society  would  have  had  the  advantage  of  the  additional 
collation  from  it  of  the  former  part  of  the  Continuation  ;  and,  per- 
haps, some  few  documents,  to  which  the  Author  merely  alludes  in  his 
Autobiography,  might  have  been  incorporated  in  these  Volumes.  It 
is  believed,  however,  that  no  material  omission  occurs  in  the  Vni- 


PREFATORY  NOTICE.  lxxvii 

versity's  and  Advocates'  MSS.  from  which  the  whole  of  the  Conti- 
nuation was  carefully  compiled,  although  this  Work  might  have 
been  enriched  by  the  insertion  of  additional  papers  from  this  authen- 
tic source. 

But  the  most  satisfactory  and  gratifying  circumstance  in  con- 
nexion with  the  recovery  of  the  Manuscript  is,  that  it  demonstrates 
that  The  Continuation  of  the  Diary  of  Mr  James  Melvill, 
which  has  been  printed  in  the  present  Volumes,  proceeded  from  his 
pen.  The  question,  therefore,  of  the  authenticity  of  the  sources 
whence  the  MSS.  of  "A  True  Narratioune  of  the  Declyneing 
Aige  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  from  1596  to  1610,"  which  are 
preserved  in  the  Libraries  of  the  University  of  Edinburgh  and  Fa- 
culty of  Advocates,  have  been  derived,  is  thus  for  ever  set  at  rest. 
It  is  fortunate  that  the  proof  of  this  fact  has  reached  the  Editor 
just  in  proper  time  to  be  announced  previous  to  the  present  Work 
being  issued  to  the  Members  of  the  Wodrow  Society. 

It  is  probable  that  Mr  George  Chalmers,  the  last  owner,  acquired 
the  MS.  at  the  sale  of  the  Library  of  Joseph  Ames,  the  Author  of 
Typographical  Antiquities,  whose  name  is  faintly  stamped,  in  blank 
types,  on  one  of  the  boards.  From  what  quarter  Ames  procured 
the  MS.  cannot  now  be  traced  ;  but  it  is  likely,  that  after  MelvilFs 
death,  his  books  and  manuscripts  were  sold  by  his  widow. 

The  Editor  has  also  the  pleasure  of  announcing  that,  on  a  se- 
cond application  to  the  Senate  of  the  University  of  Glasgow, 
access  has  now  been  afforded  to  Wodrow's  Life  of  Mr   Ko- 


Ixxviii  POSTSCRIPT  TO  PREFATORY  NOTICE. 

bert  Bruce,  to  make  such  transcripts  as  may  be  thought  ad- 
visable. It  is,  of  course,  unfortunately,  now  too  late  to  apply  for  a 
similar  leave  in  relation  to  his  Life  of  Mr  James  Melvill,  the 
present  Volumes  being  nearly  completed  in  the  binder's  hands  ; 
the  Work,  besides,  having  extended  much  further  than  was  origi- 
nally contemplated.  This,  however,  is  the  less  to  be  regretted,  as 
it  is  understood,  on  good  authority,  that  the  materials  collected 
fey  "Wodrow  are  in  this  instance  very  meagre  and  unsatisfactory. 

R.  P. 

Edinburgh,  Sth  December  1842. 


MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY. 


M.D.LVL— M.DC.I. 


MR  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIARY. 


THE  AUTHOR'S  INTRODUCTION. 


At  Anstruther,  the  10  of  August,  in  the  Yeir  of 
the  last  Age,  1600. 

Forsamikle  as  the  corruption  of  man  is  readie,  nocht  onlie  un- 
gratlie  to  forget  the  benefittes  of  God,  bot  also  most  sacrilegiuslie  to 
ascrybe  to  tham  selves  the  praise  of  anie  thing  commendable  and 
weill  done,  I  haiff  thought  it  maist  necessar  to  inregistrat,  in  this 
book,  the  warks  of  God  for  the  ministrie  of  his  worschipe,  and  sal- 
vation of  his  peiple  within  this  congregation  of  Kilrynnie,  for  amen- 
diment  of  unthankfidnes,  and  remembring  and  steiring  upe  the  hartes 
of  all  the  members  thairof  to  acknawlage  fra  tyme  to  tyme  the 
graitnes  of  his  cair,  love,  guidnes,  and  grace  ;  and  that  all  thanks  and 
praise  may  be  gifFen  to  his  Majestie,  all  haill  and  alleanerlie. 

In  the  yeir  1583,  Mr  Wilyeam  Clark,  of  maist  happie  memorie 
for  godlines,  wesdome,  and  love  of  his  nok,  departed  this  lyff,  leav- 
ing four  congregationes,  wkarof  he  haid  the  charge,  destitute  ofmi- 
nisterie,  viz.  Abercrombie,  Pittenweim,  Anstnither,  and  Kilrynnie, 
whase  desolat  miserie  was  the  man  that  it  fell  in  the  yeirs  of  feir- 
full  plages  and  confusion  bathe  upon  the  Kirk  and  Comounweill ;  to 
wit,  the  yeirs  fourscore  four,  and  fourscore  fyve  yeirs,1  in  the  quhilk 
unhappie  tyme  Bischope  Adamsone  of  St  Androis,  tyrannizing  in  the 

1  The  years  1584  and  1585. 


4  MB  JAMES  MKLViu/s  DIAK1  . 

Kirk,  obtrudit  to  thame  ane  of  whome  they  lyked  nathing,  whase 

name  I  spair,1  for  the  niaist  part;  be  occasion  wharof  thair  enterit 
in  very  grait  dissentioun  in  thair  bowelles,  quhilk  vexed  tham  with 
anguise  of  mynd,  grait  peanes  and  expences,  during  the  said  twa 
yeirs,  and  raikle  of  the  fourscore  sax'2  also. 

To  the  remead  and  composing  wharof,  supplicationes  wer  gevin 
in  to  the  presbyterie  of  St  Androis,  of  the  mercie  of  God  neAvlie 
erected  and  restored  againe,  whilk  directed  commissionars  at  dyvers 
tymes  to  visit  the  esteat  of  these  kirks,  and  travell  to  draw  the 
peiple's  harts  togidder  in  ane,  and  aggrie  upon  a  pastour.  Amanga 
the  quhilk  commissionars  was  James  Melvill,  ane  of  the  Maisters  of 
tlie  Collage  of  Theologie  ;  whase  doctrine  and  dcalling,  when  they 
haid  hard  and  war  acquented  withe,  they  condisendit  all  in  ane  to 
crave  at  the  presbyterie  that  his  peanes  might  be  imployed  and  con- 
tinowed  with  thame,  nocht  onlie  for  composing  of  thair  controver- 
sies, and  reconciling  tham  in  Chryst,  bot  also  for  undertaking  of  a 
pastorall  charge  amangs  tham  ;  sa  the  said  Mr  James  being  ernest- 
lie  delt  withall,  bathe  be  the  presbyterie  and  the  congregatiounes, 
yeildit  to  the  calling  of  God  and  his  Kirk,  and  enterit  in  the  sim- 
mer seasone,  in  the  monethe  of  July  1586,  to  teatche  at  the  kirk 
of  Anstruther,  situat  in  the  middes  of  the  said  congregatiounes. 

It  pleasit  the  Lord  of  the  hervest  to  bliss  his  tra  veils,  sa  that  all 
debattes  and  controversies  amangs  the  congregatiounes,  and  with- 
in the  bowelles  of  everie  ane  of  thame,  (quhilk  Avar  bothe  grait  and 
in  number,)  being  taken  upc  and  removit,  with  grait  joy  and  com- 
fort, the  communion  was  ministrat  in  the  kirks  of  Anstruther  and 
Kilrynnie,  in  the  spring-tyme  of  the  yeir  1587. 

Thcrefter,  finding  the  four  congregationes  a  burding  intolerable 
and  importable,  with  a  guid  conscience,  whowbeit  the  said  Mr  .Tames 
haid  brought  with  him  at  the  beginning  a  fellow-laborare,  viz.  Mr 
Robert  Dury,  yit  nather  could  the  said  Mr  Robert  be  provydit  of  a 
Btypend,  nather  could  they  find  tham  selves  able  to  discharge  BO 
grait  a  cair  of  saulles  ;  therfor,  the  said  Mr  .lames  sett  him  selfcair- 

1  Tliis  alludes  to  Mr  Robert  Wood.  -  The  year  1586. 


THE    AUTHOR'S    INTRODUCTION.  5 

fullie  for  the  separating  and  severall  planting  of  the  said  congrega- 
tiounes,  resolving  to  tak  him  self  to  Kilrynnie  alean ;  and  delt  with 
Pittenweim,  and  cansit  thame  prepeare  ane  auditorie  and  kirk  with- 
in thair  awin  town,  in  the  qnhilk  he  teached  to  thame  bathe  on  the 
Sabothe  and  ouk  dayes,1  nocht  intermitting  his  ordinarie  doctrines 
in  the  nther  kirks,  untill  Pittenweim  was  provydit  and  planted  Avith  a 
minister  of  thair  awin,  and  that  without  hurt  or  impearing  of  the  sti- 
pend of thekirkof  Anstruther Waster;  the  quhilk,  be  grait  fascherie2 
and  travell  at  the  Plat,  and  dy  vers  actions  of  pley 3  befor  the  Lords 
of  Sessioun  and  Exchacker,  be  the  speciall  blessing  of  God,  he  haid 
augmented  from  fourscore  pounds  to  a  hunder  lib.,  and  thrie  chal- 
ders  victuall,  with  glebe  and  manse  recovered  and  repeared.  And 
sa  Pittenweim  being  planted  with  Mr  Nicol  Dalgleishe,  the  said  Mr 
James  quyttes  and  resignes  the  said  new  purchassit  stipend,  with 
the  kirk  of  Anstruther,  gleib,  and  manse,  to  his  felloAv-laborar,  Mr 
Robert  Dury  ;  and  freithing4  him  selff  of  the  charge  bathe  of  An- 
struther and  Pittenweim,  with  all  the  stipend  and  commodities  thair- 
of,  whowbeit  disponit  to  him  steadfastHe  under  the  King's  privie  seall, 
and  tuik  him  to  the  kirk  of  Kilrynnie  alleanerlie.5 

For  soone  therefter6  the  parochinars  of  Abercrombie  aggreit  with 
Mr  Alexander  Forsythe,  and  cravit  of  me  their  vicarage,  with  sax- 
tein  pounds  money  peyit  out  of  their  teind  scheaves,  quhilk  I  haid 
also  disponit  to  me  for  my  lyfftime  ;  bot  I  quyt  all,  in  lyk  maner, 
and  incontinent  efter  admission  of  the  said  Mr  Alexander  to  that 
ministerie,  delyverit  him  my  pices  and  rights  of  vicarage  and 
stipend,  togidder  with  the  burding  of  the  said  peiple  and  congre- 
gation. 

Now,  in  this  mean  tyme,  the  stipend  of  Kilrynnie  was  but  four- 
score lib.  but7  ather  gleib  or  manse  ;  but  God  moved  the  peiple's 
hartes  to  have  a  cear8  of  me,  and  mak  me  sufficient  securitie  of  four 
hounder  markes  in  stipend ;  the  town  of  Anstruther  Eister  bund 
for  the  twa  part,  and  the  gentlemen  to  landwart  for  the  thride,  and 

1  Week-days.  a  Trouble.      O.  Fr.  fascherie.  3  Law  pleas.  4  Free- 

ing, relieving.  '•>  Only,  solely.  8  On  the  margin  of  the  MS.  the  author  has 

noted"  1589."  "Without.  8  Care. 


I)  MR    JAMES  MELVILLS  DIART. 

ford  a  r  oblesit  tham  selves  to  big  me  a  house  upon  a  piece  of  ground, 
quhilk  the  Lard  of  Anstrnther  gaiff  frielie  for  that  effect.  This 
was  undcrtakin  and  begoun  at  Witsonday  in  anno  1590,  bot  wald 
never  haiffbein  perfyted,  gift'  the  bountifull  hand  of  my  God  haid 
noeht  maid  me  to  tak  the  wark  in  hand  my  selff,  and  fumisched 
stranglie  to  my  eonsidderation  all  things  ncidfull ;  sa  that  never  ouk1 
past  bot  all  sort  of  warkmen  was  weill  peyit,  never  a  dayes  inter- 
mission fra  the  beginning  to  the  complcitting  of  it,  and  never  a 
soar  finger  during  the  haill  labour.  In  Junie  begoun,  and  in  the 
monethe  of  Merche  efter,  I  was  resident  thcrin.  It  exceides  in  ex- 
pences  the  soum  of  thrie  thowsand  and  fyve  bounder  marks  ;  and 
of  all  I  haid  nought  of  the  paroche,  bot  about  a  thrie  thowsand 
sleads2  of  steanes,  and  fourtein  or  fyftein  chalder  of  lyme  ;  the 
stancs  from  the  town,  and  lyme  from  the  landwart,  skarslie  the  half 
of  the  materialles,  lyme  and  stean,  and  thairfor  justbie  I  may  call  it 
a  spectakle  of  God's  liberalitie. 

The  hous  being  endit,  and  I  resident  thairin,  I  becam  mikle  in 
deat,  and  my  familic  thairwithall  to  increase  ;  for  bearing  the  bur- 
ding  wharof  I  fand  my  four  bounder  marks  to  com  far  Bchort,joyn- 
ing  thairwithall  a  grait  part  thairoff  unpleasandlie  peyit,  and  out  of 
tyme  ;  quhilk  did  cast  me  in  grait  heavines  and  perplexitie,  sa  that 
I  was  mightelie  tempted  to  haiff  abandonet  this  ministerie  of  Kil- 
rvnuie,  and  veildit  to  maist  ernest  callings  in  uther  places  ;  for 
Edinburgh,  Sterling,  Dondie,  and  St  Androis  also,  haid  divers  t  vines 
ernestlie  dealt  with  me.  Yit,  finding  my  deir  peiple's  hartes,  thair 
obedience  to  my  ministerie,  and  the  woundcrfull  blessing  of  God 
growing  alwayes  with  me,  I  durst  mi  waves  waver  or  mint  away,8 
bot  stand  stedfast  in  that  roum4  and  station  wlier  he  haid  placed 
me  :  and  sa  fand,  in  notable  experience,  the  treuthe  of  Chrystes 
words,  saying,  "Seik  first  the  kingdome  of  God  and  the  righteous- 
nes  thairof,  and  the  rest  salbe  castin  in  to  vow."     As  to  the  grait 

1  Week.  2  Sledges.      At  this  period,  all  heavy  carriages  of  this  sort  were 

performed  in  sledges,  wheeled  carts  not  being  at  that  time  in  common  use.  Lighter 
loads  were  carried  on  pack-saddles.  3    Aim,  or  attempt  to  leave,  or  go  away. 

*  Place,  situation. 


THE  AUTHORS  INTRODUCTION.  7 

glorie  of  his  name  I  continow  this  narration ;  for  the  sam  yeir 
1590,  meining1  my  self  to  the  Plat,  I  gat  fourscore  pounds  in  aug- 
mentatioun,  and  the  yeir  following,  maist  easelie,  by 2  expectatioun, 
four  chalders  of  victuall:  Sa  I  fand,  be  sure  experience,  that  it 
was  guid  to  len  and  gifF  to  God,  and  nocht  stand  for  his  honour  to 
quyt  whatsumevir,  for  he  wald  repey  twyse  als  guid,  and  nocht  ly 
lang  in  na  man's  comoun.3  Whowbeit,  alas  !  what  can  we  gifF  him 
bot  his  a  win  ?  Bot  behold  yit  the  gopine.4 

It  pleased  his  grace,  indeid,  to  twitche  my  conscience  with  a 
solist  cear  of  my  charge  and  flok,  sa  that  whowbeit  my  distraction 
and  occupatione  war  in  grait  and  maist  weghtie  and  necessar  ef- 
feares  of  the  Kirk,  yit  his  fear  sufferit  me  nocht  to  leave  my  peiple 
without  daylie  attendance  and  comfort ;  and  sa,  of  unspeacable 
mercie  and  favour,  the  Lord  steirit  upe  a  young  man,  indewing 
him  with  singular  graces,  and  setting  the  cairfull  afFectioun  of  his 
hart  to  supplie  my  absence  and  weaknes,  yea,  as  a  fathfull  yok-fel- 
low  to  undertak  the  halfF  of  my  burding,  viz.  Mr  Jhone  Doig,  in 
whase  roum  in  the  schole,  the  Lord  send  another  youthe  also  of 
speciall  godlines,  and  cear  of  Chryst's  honour,  and  of  the  weill5  bathe 
of  young  and  aukl.  Thir  twa,  my  happie  halfF  marrow6  (of  whome 
1  man  wryt  to  the  glorie  of  God,  as  he  is  witnes  I  do  in  all  this  re- 
hersall,  that  sche  evir  haid  als  grait  a  cear  of  my  calling  as  I  haid 
my  self,  delyting  above  all  things  to  sie  the  wark  of  God  to  grow 
and  go  fordwart,  and  esteiming  that  onlie  rightlie  and  weill  be- 
st owit  that  was  want  that  way,  neglecting  and  casting  asyde  the 
can*  of  provision  for  hir  selfF  and  childring,  whowbeit  now  growing 
seiklie  and  impotent)  haid  a  speciall  can*  of,  and  delyt  into  for  the 
helpe  of  my  charge,  bathe  amanges  the  young  and  auld,  and  thair- 
for  interteaned  tham  in  houshauld  ;  sa  that  the  burding  of  hous- 
haulding  and  deattes"  contracted  in  biging,8  with  verie  «rait  ex- 
pences  in  the  comoun  efFeares  of  the  Kirk,  wherin  almaist  the  halfF 

1  Making  suit,  or  complaining  to  the  Commissioners  of  the  Plat.  2  Contrary 

to,  beyond.  3  Not  lie  long  in  any  man's  debt.  4  Gowpin,  or  handful ;  here 

meaning  an  overflowing  measure,  a  bountiful  return.  5  Welfare.  fi  Wife 

literally  half  a  pair,  his  "other  half."  "  Debts.  *  Building. 


8  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABT. 

of  sum  yeirs  I  Avas  employed,  maid  me  above  sit  equal  at  the  yeir's 
end. 

Bot  my  guid  God  and  maister,  whom  I  servit,  and  whaise  turn 
and  wark  I  haid  in  hand,  provydit  ane  uther  helpe,  be  a  purpose 
and  in  a  maner  quhilk  I  could  nocht  haiff  devysit  nor  linked  for. 
First,  he  moved  the  Lard  of  Anstruther  to  be  willing  to  dispone 
and  quyt  the  right  of  the  teind  fisehes  to  the  paroche  and  toun,  ane 
or  bathe,  for  the  soum  of  thre  thowsand  marks,  quhilk  annes '  be- 
ing bestowit,  might  purchas  a  stedfast  steipend  to  thair  minister  for 
ever.  Nixt,  when  bathe  town  and  paroche  haid  refusit  the  blok,2  it 
pleasit  God  to  move  the  Lard  to  offer  it  to  my  selff  a  thowsand 
mark  better  scheape,3  to  be  acquyrit  to  me  and  myne.  And  God 
also  put  in  my  hart  to  accept  of  the  blok  ;  bot  nocht  sacrilegiuslie 
to  purchas  a  leiving  to  me  or  myne,  of  that  quhilk  sould  sustein 
the  ministerie  of  God's  worschipe  and  salvation  of  the  peiple,  but  to 
acquvere  it  for  the  sustentatioun  of  the  ministerie  of  the  town  of 
Anstruther  Ester.  When  we  haid  aggreit  upon  the  blok  for  twa 
thowsand  mark,  the  an  halff  to  be  peyit  befor  and  at  Mertimes  in 
anno  1592,  and  the  uther  at  Witsonday  in  anno  1593, 1  knew  nocht 
whar  nor  avIiow  to  gett  the  soumes :  I  conveinit,  thairfor,  the  haill 
Eldars  of  the  paroche  to  brouche  and  land4  within  the  sessioun-hous 
in  the  kirk,  and  thair  I  maid  them  this  offer  ;  to  be  content  with  my 
present  leiving,  and  let  the  revenew  of  the  teind  fisehes  be  taken 
upe  veirlie,  till  twa  thowsand  marks  and  the  profit  Avar  peyit  compt- 
lie,  and  therefter  to  quyt  tham  thair  augmentation,  and  tak  me  to  my 
assignation  and  these  teind  fisehes,  to  live  upon  and  sustein  a  felloAA-- 
labourar  with  me,  quhilk  might  be  thairefter  a  constant  provision  for 
thair  ministrie  in  all  tyme  to  come.  Manie  scheAv5  guid  will  to  the 
mater,  when  they  saw  that  I  Avas  na  way  seiking  my  awin  com- 
moditie,  bot  the  weill  and  proA'ision  of  thair  ministerie  ;  bot,  in  end 
and  effect,  as  it  feares  with  comoun  turnes,6  when  it  cam  to  the  pre- 
paring and  debursing  of  soumes,  it  fealled.7    And  then,  giffit  haid* 

1  Once.  2  Agreement,  or  bargain.  3  At  1000  raerks  lower  in  price. 

1  Both  burgh  and  landward.  b  Shewed.  6  As  it  fares  in  ordinary  busi- 

ness transactions.  7  Failed.  ft  If  it  had. 


the  author's  introduction.  9 

nocht  pleasit  God  to  move  the  hart  of  a  speciall  freind  of  myne  (to 
whom  I  was  regrating  the  mater,  and  to  whome,  in  that  ceas,  the 
ministerie  of  Kilrynnie  is  mail*  behauldin  nor  to  all  the  paroche  and 
parochinars)  to  get  me  the  soum  I  sould  delyver  at  the  first  term, 
I  wald  haiff  bein  forcit  to  quait  the  blok  againe,  and  left  the  purchas 
of  the  speciall  inoyen  and  provision  of  this  ministerie,  quhilk  now, 
of  the  speciall  gift  and  providence  of  God,  is  acquired  unto  it. 

Now,  the  first  termes  soum  being  delyverit,  and  the  Lardes  right 
put  in  my  hand,  it  could  haiff  avealit  the  ministerie  na  thing,  unles 
I  haid  the  tytle  of  the  vicarage,  quhilk  was  in  Jhone  Anstruther's 
possessioun,  with  whome  it  behoved  me  to  blok  of  new  againe  for 
his  dimissioun ;  the  quhilk  I  did,  and  contented  him  with  thrie 
hounder  marks,  and  reservatioun  of  the  dewtie  of  the  Silverdyk. 
Sa  yit  I  haid  threttein  hounder  marks  to  delyver  and  purchas,  for 
the  quhilk  I  meined  my  self  againe  to  my  sessioun,  and  was  compellit 
in  end  to  sell  tham  my  agmentatioun,  quhilk  they  war  bund  to  pey 
me  yeirlie,  to  thair  grait  ease  and  my  grait  hurt,  (war  nocht  thair 
ease  cidd  nocht  be  my  hurt,  whase  ease  and  weillfear  in  God  was 
all  my  cair  and  respect  in  the  mater ;)  for  haiffand  the  town  of 
Anstruther  bund  be  sufficient  contract  in  wrait  to  me  for  twa  houn- 
der marks  yeirlie,  during  my  ministerie,  and  the  gentle  men  to 
landwart  for  a  hounder,  I  quat  tham  bathe  for  thrie  yeirs'  dewtie, 
viz.  nyne  hounder  marks ;  wharas,  sen  syne,  I  might  haiff  gottin  of 
tham  twyse  samikle,  and  my  right  standing  to  the  fore.  The  quhilk 
I  wald  nocht  sa  particularlie  sett  down,  war  nocht  sum,  forgetting 
them  selves  and  the  grait  benefit  of  God,  lies  alleagit  that  they  de- 
bursit  soumes  for  acquyring  of  the  teind  fisches  to  the  ministerie, 
quhilk  is  far  from  the  treuthe ;  for,  indeed,  giff  God  haid  nocht 
done  that  turn  without  their  soumes  or  cair,  thair  haid  skarslie  bein 
a  ministerie  in  Kilrynnie  this  day.  And  this  I  wryt  nocht  to  im- 
pear  the  praise  of  guid  men  in  the  paroche,  wharof  I  thank  God 
thair  is  a  guid  number,  and  als  weill  affected  as  in  the  land  agean, 
bot  to  repress  the  unwarrie  ingratitud  of  sum  that  considders  nocht 
the  bountifull  guidnes  of  God,  in  the  planting  and  preservation  of 
thair  ministerie. 


ID  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'8  DIABY. 

Bot  to  return  to  the  narration  :  With  thifl  nyne  houndrethe 
marks,  and  lour  bounder  of  my  brother-sonnes  gear,1  I  satisfeit  the 
next  termes  soum,  and  enterit  be  presentation,  collation,  and  insti- 
tution of  the  vicarage,  as  actuall  minister  in  possession  of  the  said 
teind  fisches,  and  na  way  be  the  tytle  receavit  fra  the  Lard  as  tax- 
mmi,-  to  mak  it  eleir  and  sui-e  that  I  sought  the  provision  of  the 
ministerie,  and  nocht  a  leiving  to  me  and  myne.  Quhilk  I  sett 
down,  partlie  to  stope  the  mouthes  of  calumniators,  giving  out  my 
doing  as  a  conquaist  of  the  kirk  gear  to  me  and  myne  ;  partlie  to 
resolve  my  warldlie  frindes,  who  thinks  I  wald  never  be  sa  daft  as 
to  tak  on  sonnies  sa  grait  to  acquyre  and  bring  hame  to  the  kirk 
hir  teinds  againe  :  Bot  it  is  nocht  the  warlde,  but  my  God,  -\vhome  I 
seik  to  please,  and  I  thank  his  bonte  continualie,  lies  in  sa  doing 
fund  mair  of  the  warlde  nor  sic  as  lies  done  utherwayes,3  or  ever  I 
sought  or  luiked  for.  The  haill  expences  of  the  proces  and  pices  of 
the  tytle  lyand  in  a  severall  bust4  be  tham  selves  in  my  lettron,5  I 
estimat  to  a  houndrethe  marks  ;  sa,  in  debursit  money,  the  haill  is 
to  me  four-and-twentie  houndrethe  marks. 

The  quhilk  soum,  by  the  speciall  blessing  of  God,  in  the  fischings 
I  might  haiffeaselie  utreade6  sen  my  first  possessioun,  giffthe  bur- 
ding  of  my  forsaids  fellow-laborar  and  scholmaister  haid  nocht  lyen 
upon  me,  the  grait  expences  of  the  comoim  effeares  of  the  kirk,  and 
the  lang  and  heavie  disease  of  my  wyff.  Now,  this  my  frind  wald 
ask,  What  I  haiff  for  my  releiff  of  sic  soumes  ?  I  answer,  the  favour 
and  providence  of  my  guid  God.  For  giff  God  spear  my  dayes, 
with  rest  in  his  Kirk,  I  hope  he  sail  utreade  all  my  deattes,7  that  it 
may  be  left  frie  to  the  intrant ;  giff  nocht,  and  the  intrant  be  worthie 
of  the  roum  of  this  ministerie,  God  and  his  conscience  will  move  him 
to  pey  the  deat  resting.  Giff  he  will  nocht,  the  greiff  and  loss  wil- 
be  graitter  to  haiff  sic  a  man  in  that  roum,  nor  of  myne  to  pey  my 
deattes,  whowbeif  they  sell  the  books  and  plenessing  for  that  effect. 
As  for  the  bernes,  giff' they  lem  to  be  God's  Bervantes  and  herns, 

1  My  nephew's  money.  2  As  holding  the  tack  or  lease  of  the  teinds.  3  Than 

those  who  have  done  otherwise.  '  Lying  in  a  separate  shuttle.  •  Reading 

desk.      O.  Fr.  lectron.  fi  "  Outred,"  cleared  off',  discharged.  "  Debts. 


THE  AUTHOR'S  INTRODUCTION.  11 

he  will  provyde  for  tham  as  he  hes  done  for  me  :  giff  nocht,  (as  God 
forbid  !)  they  ar  inair  wordie  to  beg  nor  to  bruik.1  For  my  reward 
at  the  hands  of  God,2  the  Lord  of  his  infinit  mercie  and  grace 
friethe3  me  from  the  just  desert  of  my  vyle  sinnes,  for  the  merit  of 
the  deathe  and  prctius  bloode  of  his  Sone,  my  Saviour,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Chryst,  wha  is  God  over  all,  blessit  for  ever.  For  when  all 
is  done,  as  he  and  my  conscience  beares  witnes  against  me,  a  maist 
wretched,  vyle,  unworthie  servand  in  his  sight,  unles  he  behauld  me 
in  his  Chryst,  whas  I  am,  and  nocht  my  awin.  And  far  be  it  fra  me 
to  glorie  in  anie  thing  bot  his  cross,  wharby,  wald  to  God,  this 
warld  war  fullie  crucified  to  me,  and  I  to  it. 

As  for  the  town  and  paroche,  the  benefit  indeid  is  thairs  :  Let 
tham  thairfor,  as  I  hope  they  will,  considder  thair  dewtie  in  con- 
science befor  thair  God,  to  whome,  for  thair  ministerie,  I  am  suir 
they  ar  mair  addettit  nor  anie  paroche4  I  knaw.  The  Lord  mak 
tham  to  acknawlage  it  and  be  thankfull !  This  onlie  I  beseik  tham, 
for  the  mercies  of  Chryst,  let  never  that  be  takin  away  or  abusit 
from  the  right  use  quhilk  God  hes  annes5  apply  ed  it  unto,  sa  far  as 
may  ly  in  thame,  as  they  love  the  honour  of  God,  and  his  worschipe 
to  stand  in  the  middes  of  tham,  joynit  with  the  salvation  of  thair 
saulles.  And,  namlie,  I  man6  ernestlie  admonische  the  hous  of  An- 
struther  never  to  mem  to  acclame  againe  the  tytle  or  possessioun  of 
thay7  teinds,  whowbeit  they  might  find  a  corrupt  and  sacrilegius 
perjured  persone  to  put  in  the  roum,  be  whome  they  might  gett  a 
new  sett8  and  possessioun  of  thay  teind  fisches  ;  for  I  pronunce  heir  a 
curse  and  maledictioun  from  God  upon  whosoever  sail  intervert  and 
draw  away  the  commodities  thairof  from  the  right  use  ofsusteining 
of  the  ministerie  of  God's  worschipe,  and  of  the  salvatioun  of  God's 
peiple's  saulles  within  the  town  of  Anstruther,  and  congregation  of 
Kilrynnie  !  And  God  forbid  that  ever  that  hous  sould  bring  on  it 
the  feirfull  effect  of  this  curse,  quhilk  of  dewtie  I  man  love  best  of 
anie  hous  in  the  land. 

1  They  deserve  rather  to  beg  than  to  enjoy  or  possess.  2  "  Nehcm  v.  ver.  19." 

On  margin  of  MS.  3  Free.  4  Than  any  parish.  5  Once.  8  Must. 

7  These.  8  Lease. 


12  MR  JAMES  IfELYILl/S  DIABY. 

In  the  yeir  1598,  I  cawsit  print  my  Catechisme1  for  the  profit  <»t' 
my  peiple,  and  hcstowit  thairupon  f'yvc  hounder  marks,  quhilk  God 
moved  the  hart  of  a  maist  godlie  and  Loving  f'rind  to  frilie  offer  to 
me,  in  len2  for  that  effect.  Of  this  I  remean  addettit,  hot  could 
never,  to  my  knawlage,  attein  to  a  hounder  marks  again  for  the 
buiks.3 

1  An  imperfect  copy  of  this  Catechism,  which  is  now  of  great  rarity,  is  preserved 
in  the  Advocates'  Library.  It  is  partly  in  prose  and  partly  in  verse ;  but  the  copy 
alluded  to  is  so  much  mutilated,  that  no  use  can  be  made  of  it  in  the  present  work. 
The  portion  which  is  preserved  chiefly  consists  of  a  "  Propyne  (gift  or  present)  of  a 
Pastor  to  his  People."  2  Loan.  3  This  last  paragraph  seems  to  have 

been  added  by  the  Author  at  a  later  period  than  the  present  Introduction.      The  wor- 
thy Author  appears  to  have  lost  400  merks  by  this  publication. 


^SIITCJSTOH 


TH 


^LOGICAL 


THE  HISTORIE 


THE  LTFF  OF  JAMES  MELVILL. 


Thow  does  manie  things,  O  Jehova,  my  God.  Thy  merveals  and  thoughts  to- 
ward us  can  nocht  ordourlie  be  recompted  before  thie  ;  gifF  I  wald  set  me  to  schaw 
and  speak  tham  out,  they  ar  mo  in  number  then  I  can  rehearse  ;  Psalme  xl.  6. 

Thow  art  my  hope,  Lord  Jehova ;  my  confidence  fra  my  bernhead. 

I  lean  upon  thie  from  the  wombe ;  from  my  mother's  bowels  thow  cacht  me  ;  in 
thie  sail  my  praise  be  continualie. 

Let  my  mouthe  be  filled  with  thy  laude,  even  all  the  day  with  thy  glorie. 

Cast  mie  nocht  away  in  my  auld  age ;  when  my  strainthe  fealls  mie,  leave  mie 
nocht  ;  Psalme  lxxi.  5,  6,  8,  9. 

I  will  sing  the  mercies  of  the  Lord  for  ever  :  with  my  mouthe  will  1  declare  thy 
treuthe  from  generation  to  generation  ;  Psalme  lxxxix.  [1.] 

0  whow  deir  ar  thy  thoughts  towards  mie,  O  strong  God !  whow  graft,  is  the 
soum  therof ! 

1  wald  recount  tham,  bot  they  are  ma  then  the  sand  :  I  wake  that  I  may  bie  yit 
withe  thie  ;    Psalme  cxxxix.  17,  18. 

I  KNAWE  a  man  in  Chryst,  brought  from  the  wombe  of  his  mo- 
ther be  God,  the  25  day  of  the  monethe  July,  (dedicat  of  auld  to  S. 
James  the  Apostle  and  Martyr,)  in  the  yen*  of  our  Lord  1556  -,1  wha, 
for  thankfulness  of  hart,  to  the  praise  and  honour  of  Ins  gratius  God 
and  deir  father  in  Chryst,  and  for  edification  and  comfort  of  his 
childring,  and  sic  as  sail  reid  the  saming  heirefter,  is  movit  to  sett 
down,  in  monument  of  wryt,  the  benefets  of  God  bestowit  on  him 
sen  Ins  first  conception  and  day  of  his  birthe  foremarked ;  sa  far, 
at  leist,  as  his  weak  understanding  and  freall  memorie  in  maters 
that  ar  csteimed  of  importance  can  conceave  and  recompt.     Whow- 


1  '•  My  vncle,  Mr  Andro,  haulds  that  I  was  born  in  anno  1557."     Margin  of  MS. 


14  MR  JAMES  MELVlLl/S  DIARY.  L556. 

beit,  as  I  haiff  professed,  in  the  words  of  the  Psalme  with  David, 
that  the  smalest  of  bis  unknown)  benefits  passes  the  graittest 
reatche  of  my  apprehension  and  utterance. 

And,  first,  God  wald  haiff  me  begottin  of  godlie,  f'atht'ull,  and 
honest  parents,  bathe  lightned  with  the  light  of  the  gospel!,  at  the 
first  dawning  of  tlie  day  thairof  within  Scotland,  knawing  and  be- 
leving  that  Covenant  of  Grace,  and  sa  the  seid  of  the  fathfull,  ex- 
preslie  mentioned  in  that  Covenant,  quhilk  assures  niie  of  the  be- 
nefit thairof,  yea  of  that  root  and  weal-spring  of  all  his  benefites.  my 
eternall  election  in  his  Chryst  befor  the  foundation  of  the  warld. 
These  parents,  be  name,  Avar  Richard  Melvill  of  Baldowy,  and  Iso- 
bell  Scrymgeour,  sistar  to  the  Lard  of  Glaswell  for  the  tyme. 
My  said  father,  brought  upe  in  letters  from  his  youthe,  and  gen- 
tlemanie  effearcs  till  he  was  past  twentie  yeirs  of  age,  therefter 
chosine  predagog  to  James  Erskine  appeirand  of  Donne,  he  past 
with  him  to  Germanic,  whar  he  remeaned  at  the  studie  of  letters, 
namlie,  Theologie  ;  first  with  Doctor  Macabeus,  in  Denmark,  and 
thairefter  a  heirar  of  Philip  Melaneton  in  Wittenberg,  be  the  space 
of  twa  yeirs.  Of  the  grait  mercie  of  God,  haiffing  the  happe  of 
sic  maisters  as  war  the  graittest  lights  of  that  age  within  the  coun- 
trey,  in  the  toun  of  Montrose,  and  companie  of  that  Lard  of 
Donne,1  and  the  maist  godlie,  lerned,  and  noble  Scots  Martyre,  Mi- 
George  Wyshart,  and  these  nominat  in  Germanic.  And  the  Lord 
blessing  the  seid  sawin  be  thain  in  his  hart,  at  last,  soone  efter  the 
first  Reformation  of  Eeligion,  thrust  him  out  into  his  hervest,  and 
placed  him  Minister  of  his  Evangell  at  the  kirk  of  Mariton,  a  myle 
from  Montrose,  harde  adjacent  to  his  awin  house  and  roum  of  Bal- 
dowy ;  in  the  quhilk  he  continowed  iathfullie  unto  his  lvtl'es  end. 
He  died  the  53  yeir  of  his  age,  [in  the  nioneth  of  Jimie,-]  anno 
1575,  in  a  icterik  levar,;i  maist  godlie  ;  for  efter  manic  most  com- 
fortable exhortationes  maid  to  the  noble  and  gentle  men  of  the 
eowntrey,  wha  all  resorted  to  visit  him  during  his  disease,  and  to 

1  Jhone  Axeskin  of  Dun,  Superintendent  of  Angus  and  Mernes.  Margin  of  MS. 
2  What  is  within  brackets  is  supplied  on  the  margin  of  the  .MS.  [cterich  or 

bilious  fevtrj  the  jaondice,      Fr.  Jievre  icterique. 


1561.  ME  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  15 

his  I  neither  and  frinds  wlni  remeaned  about  him,  about  the  verie 
hour  of  his  deathe,  he  caused  reid  to  him  the  8  chapter  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans,  and  immediatlie  efter  his  brother,  Mr  James, 
minister  of  Arbrothe,  asking  him,  what  he  was  doing  ?  Lifting  npe 
eyes  and  handis  toward  heavin,  Avith  reasonable  might  of  voice,  he 
answerit,  "  I  am  glorifeing  God  for  the  light  of  his  gospell,  and 
resting  in  assurance  of  his  sweit  promises  of  lyff  maid  unto  mie,  in 
my  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Chryst ;"  and  na  ma1  intelligible  words 
thairefter.  He  Avas  a  man  of  rare  wesdome,  judgment,  and  discre- 
tion ;  and,  therfor,  mikle  implovcd  in  the  trysts  and  effeares  of  the 
noble  and  gentle  men  of  the  coimtrey,  qidiilk  distracted  him  fra  his 
calling,  hinderit  his  vertew,  and  sclmrtened  his  lyff.  The  recom- 
pence  quhilk  he  had  Avas  estimation  and  affection  of  all.  Ther  Avas 
nane  of  his  rank,  and  Aerie  few  above  it,  that  Avas  sa  honored  and 
loven  as  he ;  quhilk  kythed 2  specialie  at  his  buriall,  and  lies  bein 
often  tauld  me  be  men  of  all  degries  sen  syne. 

My  mother  died  about  a  thrie  quarters,  or  at  least  within  a  yen, 
efter  I  Avas  bom ;  a  woman  exceidinglie  belovit  of  hir  housband's 
frinds  and  nibours.  I  haiff  divers  tymes  hard,  when  my  father- 
breither  Roger,  Jhone,  Mr  James  and  Robert,  could  nocht  satisfie 
tham  selves  in  comending  hir  godlines,  lionestie,  verteAV,  and  affec- 
tion toward  thame.  And  I  haiff  often  hard  Mr  Andro  say,  that  he 
being  a  bern  verie  seiklie,  Avas  maist  lovinglie  and  tenderlie  treated 
and  cared  for  be  hir,  embrasing  him  and  kissing  him  oftentymes, 
Avith  these  Avords,  "  God  giff  me  an  uther  lad  lyk  thie,  and  syne  tak 
me  to  his  rest !"  Noav  sche  haid  haid  tAva  laddies  befor  me,  wharof 
the  eldest  was  dead ;  and  betAvix  him  and  the  second,  sche  bure 
thrie  lasses  ;  sa,  in  end,  God  granted  hir  clesyre,  and  gaiff  hir  an, 
Avha  Avald  to  God  he  Avar  als  lyk  to  Mr  Andro  in  gifts  of  mynd  as 
he  is  thought  to  be  in  proportion  of  bodic  and  lineaments  of  face  ; 
for  ther  is  nane,  that  is  nocht  utherwayes  particularlie  informed,  hot 
taks  me  for  Mr  Andro' s  brother. 

The  nixt  benefit  is  of  my  education,  till  I  cam  to  the  age  of  a 

1  He  uttered  no  more.  a  Which  was  made  manifest. 


16  mi;  JAMES  MELVELL'S  DIARY.  1566. 

man,  and  entered  in  my  calling,  wharin  als  manic  moments,  ala 
manie  benefits ;  botthe  maisl  remarkable,  to  my  judgement  and  me- 

morie,  I  will  record.  And  first,  in  generally  to  the  praise  of  my  hea- 
vinlic  parent,  I  man  confess,  with  David,  "  My  mother  has  now  left 
mie,  bot  Jehova  lies  receavit  mie  ;"  and  with  Esai,  "  The  mother 
lies  forgat  the  fruit  of  hir  wombe,  bot  the  Lord  lies  rcmemberit  me 
alwayesl"  I  haid  an  evill-inelyncd  woman  to  my  nuris  ;  thereftcr 
speaned1  and  put  in  a  cottar  hous,  and  about  four  or  fyve  yeir  auld 
brought  hame  to  a  step-mother;  yit  a  verie  honest  burges  of  Mon- 
tros2  hes  oft  taidd  me,  that  my  father  wald  ley  me  down  on  my 
bak,  pleying  with  mie,  and  lauche  at  me  because  I  coidd  nocht  ryse, 
I  was  sa  fatt ;  and  wald  ask  mie  what  ealed  mie  :  I  wald  answer, 
"  I  am  sa  fatt  I  may  nocht  geang."  And  trewlie  sen  my  remem- 
berance,  I  cam  never  to  the  place  bot  God  moved  sum  an  with  a 
motherlie  affection  towardis  me.  About  the  fyft  yeir  of  my  age,  the 
Grate  Buik  was  put  in  my  hand,  and  when  I  was  seavine,  lytic  thair- 
of  haid  I  lernit  at  hame  ;  therfor  my  father  put  my  eldest  and  onlic 
brother,  David,  about  a  year  and  a  halff  in  age  above  me,  and  me 
togidder,  to  a  kinsman  and  brother  in  the  ministcrie  of  liis,  toscholl, 
a  guid,  lerncd,  kynd  man  ;  whonic  for  thankfulncs  I  name,  Mr  AYil- 
yam  Gray,  minister  at  Logic-Montrose.  He  haid  a  sistar,  a  godlie 
and  honest  matron,  rewlar  of  his  hous,  wha  often  rcmemberit  me  of 
my  mother,  and  was  a  verie  loving  mother  to  us,  indeid.  Ther  was 
a  guid  nomber  of  gentle  and  honest  men's  berns  of  the  cowntrey 
about,  weill  treaned  upe  bathe  in  letters,  godlines,  and  excrceise  of 
honest  geames.3  Ther  we  lerned  to  reid  the  Catechisme,  Prayers, 
and  Scripture  ;  to  rehers  the  Catechisme  and  Prayers  parceur  :  also 
nottes  of  Scripture,  efter  thereiding  thairof ;  and  ther  first  I  fand, 
(blysed  be  my  guid  God  for  it !)  that  Sprit  of  sanctification  begin- 
ing  to  work  sum  motiones  in  my  hart,  even  about  the  aughl  and 
nynt  yeir  of  my  age  ;  to  pray  going  to  bed  and  rysing,  and  being 
in  the  fields  alan4  to  say  ower  the  prayers  I  haid  lernit  with  a  Bweil 
moving  in  my  hart:   and   to  abhore  swearing,  and  rebuk   and  com- 

1  Weaned.  '-'  "  Robert  Clark,"  supplied  1>\  the  author  on  the  margin 

1  Games,  sports,  exerci  es,  '  Alone. 


lod><0.  MR  JAMES  MELVILLS   DIARY.  17 

plean  upon  sic  as  I  hard  swear.  Wherunto  the  exemple  of  that 
godlie  matron,  seiklie,  and  giften  to  read  and  pray  in  hir  bed,  did 
mikle  profit  me  ;  for  I  ley  in  hir  chamber  and  heard  hir  exerceises. 
We  lerned  ther  the  Rudiments  of  the  Latin  Grammair,  withe  the 
vocables  in  Latin  and  Frenche  ;  also  dyverse  speitches  in  Frenche, 
with  the  reiding  and  right  pronunciation  of  that  toung.  \\e  pro- 
ceidit  fordarto  the  Etymologieof  Lilius  and  his  Syntax,  as  also  a  lytle 
of  the  Syntax  of  Linacer  ;  therwith  was  joyned  Hunter's  Nomen- 
clatura,  the  Minora  Colloquia  of  Erasmus,  and  sum  of  the  Eclogs 
of  Virgill  and  Epistles  of  Horace  ;  also  Cicero  his  Epistles  ad  Teren- 
tiam.  He  haid  a  verie  guid  and  profitable  form  of  resolving  the  au- 
thors ;  he  teatched  grammaticallie,  bathe  according  to  the  Etymolo- 
gie  and  Syntax  ;  bot  as  for  me,  the  trewthc  was,  my  ingyne  and 
memorie  Avar  guid  aneuche,  bot  my  judgment  and  understanding 
war  as  yit  smored1  and  dark,  sa  that  the  thing  quhilk  I  gat  was 
man  be  rat  ryme  nor  knawlage.2  Ther  also  we  haid  the  aire  guid, 
and  fields  reasonable  fear,  and  be  our  maister  war  teached  to  handle 
the  bow  for  archerie,  the  glub  for  goff,  the  batons  for  fencing,  also 
to  rin,  to  loope,  to  swoom,  to  warsell,3  to  preve  pratteiks,  everie  ane 
haiffing  his  matche  and  andagonist,  bathe  in  our  lessons  and  play. 
A  happie  and  golden  tyme,  indeid,  giff  our  negligence  and  unthank- 
fidlnes  haid  nocht  moved  God  to  schorten  it,  partlie  be  deceying  of 
the  number,  quhilk  caused  the  maister  to  weirie,  and  partlie  be  a 
pest  quhilk  the  Lord,  for  sinne  and  contempt  of  his  Gospell,  send 
upon  Montrose,  distant  from  Over  Logie  bot  twa  myles  ;  sa  that 
scholl  skalled,4  and  we  war  all  send  for  and  brought  hame.  I  was 
at  that  scholl  the  space  of  almost  fy ve  yeirs,  in  the  quhilk  tyme,  of 
publict  news  I  remember  I  hard  of  [the  manage  of  Hendrie  and 
Marie,  King  and  Quein  of  Scots,5]  Seingnour  Davie's  slauchter,6  of 
the  King's  mourder  at  the  Kirk  of  Field,  of  the  Quein's  taking  at 
Carbarn,  and  the  Langsyd  feild.  Wherof  reid  Mr  BowcI:annan 
Cornicle,  lib.  17,  18,  19. 

1  Smothered,  obscure.  2  Was  more  by  rote  than  knowledge.  3  Wrestle. 

4  "  Skailled,"  was  dismissed.  5  This  supplied  on  margin  of  MS.  6  The 

murder  of  Riccio,  then  usually  styled  "  Signior  Davie." 

n 


18  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1568. 

Even  at  that  tyme,  me  thought  the  heiring  of  these  things  moved 
me,  and  stak  in  my  hart  with  sum  joy  or  sorrow,  as  I  hard  they 
might  helpe  or  1  lender  the  Relligion  :  Namelie,  I  remember  the  ordour 
of  the  fast  keipit  in  anno  1566  :  the  c\  ill  handling' of  the  ministerie 
be  taking  away  of  their  stipends;  for  Mr  .James  Melvill.  my  uncle, 
and  Mr  James  Balfour,  his  cusing-german,  bathe  ministers  and  sti- 
pendles,  with  guid,  godlie,  and  kynd  Patrick  Forbes  of  Cors.  The 
Lard  of  Kinnaber,  and  the  godlie  and  zealus  gentlemen  of  the  coun- 
trey,  partlie  for  than  bernes'  cause,  and  partlie  for  that  notable  in- 
strument in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  Jhone  Erskine  of  Done,  Super- 
intendent of  Alems  and  Angus,  liis  residence  in  Logy  at  certean 
tymes,  did  oftentymes  frequent  our  hous,  and  talk  of  sic  maters. 
Also,  I  remember  weill  whow  we  past  to  the  head  of  the  muir  to  sie 
the  fyre  of  joy1  burning  upon  the  stiple  head  of  Montrose,  [at  the 
day  of  the  King's  birthe.2]  These  tilings  I  mark  for  the  grait  bene- 
fit of  that  place  and  companie,  wherin  the  Lord  wald  haifl'  me 
treaned  upe  in  my  first  and  tender  age. 

Now,  when  my  brother  and  I  war  come  hame,  our  father  ex- 
amined us,  and  was  glad  to  sie  that  we  had  profited  reasonablie  : 
Nevertheless,  the  esteat  of  the  countrey  was  sa  uncertain  and 
troublesome,  the  moyen  he  haid  (wanting  his  awin  stipend,  and 
helping  diverse  that  wanted  of  his  breithring)  bot  mean  and  small, 
and  the  occasione  of  scholles  nocht  serving,  we  remeaned  a  wintar 
at  hame,  rememberit  of  our  buiks  bot  now  and  then,  as  our  father 
haid  leaser,  quhilk  was  bot  verie  seindle.3  Yit  the  Lord  sufferit 
nocht  that  tyme  1<>  be  fruittles  nather,  bot  I  remember  therin  twa 
benefites  ;  ane  the  reiding  of  the  Stone  of  the  Scripture  that  win- 
tar, quhilk  stak  in  my  mynd  ;  and  of  David  Lindsayes  book,  quhilk 
my  eldest  sistare,  Isbel,  wald  reid  and  sing,  namlie,  concerning  the 
letter  judgment,  the  peanes  of  hell,  and  the  joy  es  of  heavin,  wherby 
scho  wald  cans  me  bathe  greit  and  be  glad.  I  lovit  hir,  therfor, 
exceiding  deirhe,  and  scho  me  by4  the  rest.  Scho  schew  me  a5  day, 
amangs  others,  a  ballet  sett  out  in  print  against  ministers,  that  for 
want  of  stipend  left  thair  charge,  beginning — 

1  Bonfire.         2  On  margin  of  MS.         a  Seldom,  rarely.        4  More  than.        B  One. 


1568.  am  james  melvill's  diaey.  L9 

Who  so  do  put  hand  to  the  pleuche, 

And  therfra  bakward  goes  ; 
The  Scripture  maks  it  plean  aneuchc, 

My  kingdom  is  nocht  for  those,  &c. 

With  this  scho  burst  furthe  in  teares,  and  saves,  "  Alas !  what  will 
com  of  thir  at  that  letter  day  ?  God  keip  my  father,  and  Mr  James 
Melvill,  and  Mr  James  Balfour,  fra  this  !"  And  efter,  cryes  out  the 
verses  of  Davie  Lindsay  : — 

Alas  !  I  trimble  for  to  tell 
The  terrible  torments  of  the  hell ; 
That  peanful  pit  who  can  deplore  ? 
Quhilk  sail  endure  for  evermore. 

AVith  hir  speitches  and  teares  sche  maid  me  to  quak  and  chout 
bitterlie,  quhilk  left  the  deipest  stampe  of  God's  fear  in  my  hart  of 
anie  thing  that  ever  I  haid  hard  befor.  I  was  giffen  to  a  bernlie 
evill  and  dangerus  use  of  pyking  ; l  the  quhilk  sche  perceaving,  of 
purpos  gain0  me  the  credit  of  the  key  of  hir  kist,2  and  haiffing  sum 
small  silver  in  a  lytle  schottle,  I  tuk  sum  of  it,  thinking  sche  sould 
not  haifF  misset  it.  Bot  be  that  occasion  sche  enterit  sa  upon  me 
with  sa  soar  threatnings,  and  therwithall  sa  sweit  and  loving  admo- 
nition and  exhortations,  that  I  thank  thie,  my  God,  I  absteinit  from 
it  all  my  dayes  therefter ;  and  wherever  I  was,  giff  I  could  haifF 
gotten  anie  thing  to  by,  worthie  of  hir,  I  was  accustomed  to  send  it 
liir,  [in  taken  of  our  affectioun,3]  sa  lang  as  sche  leivit.  This  benefit 
I  haid  of  God,  by  hir  meanes,  that  wintar,  for  incress  of  his  fear 
and  honestie  of  lyfF. 

The  uther  was  for  civill  conversation  and  prudence.  My  father, 
that  wintar,  put  in  our  hands  Palingenius,  wherin  he  delyted  milde 
him  self;  injoyning  to  us,  at  his  ry dings  fra  ham,  to  lem  sa  manie 
verses  par  ceicr.     Therby  I  lemt  weill,  and  ever  keipit  in  memorie, 

1  Committing  petty  thefts,  pilfering.  *  Chest.  3  Margin  of  MS. 


20  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1569. 

for  daylie  practise  sen  syne,  these  precepts  for  winning  of  heartes, 
concielliating  of  affectiones,  and  peacable  conversation,  qnhilk  he 
hes  in  Cancro  from  these  verses  following  to  the  end  of  the  buik : — 

Quicunque  ergo  cupit  niultnm  dum  vivit  amari 
Aut  studeat  delectare,  aut  prodesse,  vel  in  se 
Virtutes  habeat,  quas  compelluntur  et  ipsi 
Commendare  niali,  et  quamvis  odere,  verentur,  &c. 

Onlie  a1  thing  in  the  end,  (quhilk  he  wald  nocht  haiff  us  to  lern,)  for 
subtill  revenge  is  nocht  Christian,  bot  yit  maist  neidfnll  to  be  mar- 
ket, it  is  sa  in  use  in  the  warld  in  this  our  age,  and  esteimed  a  mean 
point  of  prudence  : 

Nimirum  magna  est  prudentia  vincere  blande, 
Atque  animi  ad  tempus  pressum  coelare  dolorem. 

Machiavel  him  selff  could  nocht  haiff  prescryvit  it  sa  weill  as  I 
haiff  knawin  it  practised  in  this  countrey  ;  and  as  yit  it  is  working 
on  :  God  mak  us  simple  as  doves,  and  wyse  as  serpents !  I  thank 
God  fra  my  heart,  that  maid  me  to  ken  it  fra  my  youthe  to  be  war 
of  it,  bot  nocht  to  use  it,  as  I  bles  my  Chryst  I  deteast  all  revenge 
as  devillrie,  and  namlie  serpentine. 

About  the  spring  tyme,  my  father  resolved  to  keipe  my  eldar 
brother  at  hame  withe  him,  to  lern  him  housbandrie  and  experience 
of  the  warldlie  lyff,  noAv  almost  past  from  the  age  of  bernheid ; 2  and 
to  send  me  to  the  scholl  againe  for  a  yeir  or  twa,  that  therefter  he 
might  acquent  me  also  with  housbandrie,  and  prepear  for  me  a 
roum  ;3  and  that  becaus  he  nather  saw  the  meanes  to  mak  us  at- 
tein  to  sic  lerning  as  we  might  live  upon,  nor  when  we  haid  gottin 
it,  anie  sure  intcrtcinment  in  the  countrey  for  it.  Sa  I  was  put  to 
the   scholl   of  Montrose  ;    finding,  of  God's  guid  providence,   niy 

1  One.  5  Childhood.  *  A  small  farm. 


1569.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  21 

auld  mother,  Marjorie  Gray,  wha  parting  from  hir  brother  at  his 
mariage,  haid  taken  upe  hons  and  scholl  for  lasses  in  Montrose ;  to 
hir  I  was  welcome  againe  as  her  awin  sone.  The  maister  of  the 
scholl,  a  lerned,  honest,  kynd  man,  whom  also  for  thankfidnes  I 
name,  Mr  Andro  IMiln  ; l  he  was  verie  skilfull  and  diligent.  The 
first  yeir  he  causit  us  go  throw  the  Rudiments  againe,  thairefter 
enter  and  pas  throw  the  first  part  of  Grammer  of  Sebastian  ;  thair- 
with  we  hard  Phormionem  Terentii,  and  war  exerceisd  in  composi- 
tion ;  efter  that  entered  to  the  second  part,  and  hard  thairwith  the 
Georgics  of  Virgill,  and  dyvers  uther  things.  I  never  get  a  strak 
of  his  hand,  whowbeit  I  comitted  twa  lurd 2  faultes,  as  it  war  with 
fyre  and  sword  :  Haiffing  the  candle  in  my  hand  on  a  wintar  night, 
befor  sax  hours,  in  the  scholl,  sitting  in  the  class,  bernlie  and  ne- 
gligentlie  pleying  with  the  bent,3  it  kendlet  sa  on  fyre,  that  we  haid 
all  ado  to  put  it  out  with  our  feit.  The  uther  was  being  molested 
by  a  condisciple,  wha  cutted  the  stringes  of  my  pen  and  ink-horn 
with  his  pen-knyfF,  I  minting4  with  my  pen-knyfF  to  his  legges  to 
fley  him  ;  he  feared,  and  lifting  now  a  lag,  now  the  uther,5  rasht  on 
his  lag  upon  my  knyff,  and  strak  him  selff  a  deipe  wound  in  the 
schin  of  the  lag,  quhilk  was  a  quarter  of  a  yeir  in  curing.  In  the 
tyme  of  the  trying  of  this  mater,  he  saw  me  sa  humble,  sa  feared, 
sa  greived,  yeild  sa  manie  teares,  and  by  fasting  and  murning  in  the 
scholl  all  day,  that  he  said  he  could  nocht  find  in  his  hart  to  punishe 
me  fordar.  Bot  my  righteus  God  let  me  nocht  slipe  that  fault,  bot 
gain0  me  a  warning,  and  rememberance  what  it  was  to  be  defyld  with 
blude,  whowbeit  negligentlie  ;  for  within  a  short  space  efter  I  haid 
causit  a  cutlar,  new  com  to  the  town,  to  polishe  and  scharpe  the  sam 
pen-knyfF,  and  haid  bought  a  pennie-worthe  of  aples,  and  cutting 
and  eatting  the  sam  in  the  Linkes,  as  I  put  the  cheive0  in  [my] 
mouthe,  I  began  to  lope  upe  upon  a  litle  sandie  bray,  haiffino-  the 
pen-knyffin  my  right  hand,  I  fell,  and  thairwithe  strak  my  sehT,  miss- 

1  "  Minister  of  Fedresso."    Margin  of  MS.  2  Clumsy,  stupid,  awkward.     Fr. 

lourd.  3  It  was  usual  to  strew  the  floors  with  rushes  or  bent  -grass,  in  winter, 

as  we  use  carpets.  This  custom  was  also  prevalent  in  England,  as  well  as  in  foreign 
countries.         *  Aiming  at.         b  Now  one  leg,  now  the  other.        6  *'  Shave,"  or  slice. 


22  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  1570. 

ing  my  wombe,  an  inche  deipe  in  the  in  wart  syde  of  the  left  knie, 
even  to  the  bean,1  wherby  the  requitie  of  God's  judgment  and  my 
conscience  strak  me  sa,  that  I  was  the  mair  Avar  of  knyffes  all  my 
dayes. 

In  Montrose  was  Mr  Thomas  Andersone,  minister,  a  man  of  mean 
gifts,  bot  of  singular  guid  lvfF.  God  moved  him  to  mark  me,  and 
call  me  often  to  his  chalmer  to  treat  me,  when  he  saAv  anie  guid  in 
me,  and  to  instruct  and  admonish  me  utherwayes.  He  desyrit  me 
ever  to  rehearse  a  part  of  Calvin's  Catechisme  on  the  Sabothes  at 
eftcrnoone,  because  he  hard  the  peiplc  lyked  weill  of  the  cleames  of 
my  voice,  and  prommcing  with  sum  feiling ;  and  thairby  God  moved  a 
godlie  honest  matron  hi  the  town  to  mak  mikle  of  me  thairfor,  and 
called  me  hir  lytle  sweit  angle.  The  minister  was  able  to  teatche 
na  ofter  but  annes  in  the  ouk  ; 2  but  haid  a  godlie  honest  man  reid- 
ar,3  wha  read  the  Scripture  dist'inctlie,  and  with  a  religius  and 
devot  feilling ;  wherby  I  fand  my  selff  movit  to  gifF  guid  eare,  and 
lern  the  Stories  of  Scripture,  also  to  tak  plesure  in  the  Psalmes, 
qvdiilk  he  haid  almost  all  by  hart,  in  prose.  The  Lard  of  Done, 
mentioned  befor,  dwelt  oft  in  the  town,  and  of  his  charitie  intertein- 
cd  a  blind  man,  wha  haid  a  singular  guid  voice  ;  him  he  causit  the 
doctor  of  our  scholl  teatche  the  wholl  Psalmes  in  miter,  with  the 
tones  thairof,  and  sing  tham  in  the  kirk  ;  be  hciring  of  whome  I  was 
sa  delyted,  that  I  lernit  manie  of  the  Psalmes  and  toones  thairof  in 
miter,  quhilk  I  haiff  thought  ever  sen  syne  a  grait  blessing  and  com- 
fort. The  excrceise  of  the  ministerie  was  keipit  ouldie  then  in  Mon- 
trose, andthair  assemblies  ordinarlie  ;  quhilk  when  I  saw  I  was  movit 
tolyk  fellon  weill4  of  that  calling,  bot  thought  it  a  thing  impossible 
that  ever  I  could  haiff  the  abilitie  to  stand  upe  and  speak  when  all 
helde  thair  toung  and  luiked,  and  to  continow  speaking  alean5  the 
space  of  an  houre.  Ther  was  also  ther  a  post,6  that  frequented 
Edinbruche,  and  brought  ham  Psalme  buikesand  ballates  ;  namlie, 
of  Robert  Semple's  making,  wherin  I  tuik  pleasour,  and  Lernit  Bum 

i  ]5, me.  i  Once  in  tlie  week.  s  "Jhone  Beatie."     Margin  of  MS. 

1  Extremely  well.     This  word  was  in  frequent  use  us  a  superlative.  Alone. 

\  carrier  or  messenger.      "  John  Finheavin."      Margin  of  MS. 


1571.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  dlary.  23 

thing  bathe  of  the  esteat  of  the  countrey,  and  of  the  missours  and 
cullors  of  Scottes  ryme.  He  schew  me  first  Wedderburn's  Songs, 
wharof  I  lerned  diverse  par  ceur,  with  great  diversitie  of  toones. 
He  frequented  our  scholl,  and  of  him  also  I  lerned  to  understand 
the  Calender,  efter  the  commoun  use  thairof. 

And,  finalie,  I  receavit  the  comunion  of  the  bodie  and  bind  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Chiyst  first  at  Montrose,  with  a  graitter  reverence 
and  sence,  in  my  saull,  then  oft  thairefter  I  could  find,  in  the  13 
year  of  my  age  ;  whar,  coining  from  the  table,  a  guid  honest  man, 
ane  eldar  of  the  kirk,1  gaifF  me  an  admonition  concerning  lightnes, 
wantonnes,  and  nocht  takin  tent 2  to  the  preatching  and  word  read, 
and  prayers,  quhilk  remeaned  with  me  ever  sen  syne.  Sa  God 
maid  everie  persone,  place,  and  action,  to  be  my  teatchers ;  bot, 
alas  !  I  used  tham  never  sa  fruitfullie,  as  the  guid  occasiones  servit, 
bot  was  caried  away  in  vanitie  of  mynd  with  young  and  fullishe 
conceattes,  quhilk  is  the  heavie  challange  of  my  conscience.  The 
tyme  of  my  being  in  Montrose  was  about  twa  yeirs,  during  the 
quhilk  the  comoun  newes  that  I  hard  was  of  the  grait  praises  of  the 
government ;  and,  in  end,  the  heavie  mean3  and  pitiful  regrat,  amangs 
men  in  all  esteatts,  for  the  traiterus  murdour  of  James  Earl  of 
Murro,  called  the  Guid  Regent,  anent  the  quhilk,  sie  the  19  book 
of  the  fornamed  Cornicle.4 

M.D.LXXI. 

The  esteat  of  Montrose  schol  changit,  be  occasion  of  the  master  s 
taking  of  him  to  the  ministerie,  I  cam  hame  to  Baldowy  about  the 
Lambes,5  in  anno  1571.  The  fourtein  yeir  of  my  age,  now  expyred, 
whar  my  father  setts  me  about  the  hervest-labour,  wherin  I  haid 
litle  pleasour  ;  for  whowbeit  I  spendit  nocht  the  tyme  sa  fructfullie 
as  I  might  at  scholl,  yet  I  lyked  the  schollar's  lyff  best ;  bot  my  fa- 
ther held  us  in  sic  aw,  that  we  durst  nocht  reasone  with  him,  bot  his 
will  was  neidfull  obedience  to  us.    Sa  to  the  glorie  of  my  God,  I  re- 

1  "  Richart  Andersonc,  brother  to  the  former,  Mr  Thomas  Andersonc."  Margin 
of  MS.  2  Not  bestowing  attention.  3  Moaning,  lamentation.  '  Alluding 

to  Buchanan's  History,  quoted  above.  ''  Lammas,  1st  August. 


24  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  1571. 

member  a  eertenn  day  my  father  .-end  me  to  the  smeddy '  for  dressing 
of  hewkes2  and  sum  yron  instruments,  the  way  lying  hard  by  Marie- 
kirk,  wherin  my  father  pretched,  I  begoude3  to  weirie  soar  of  my 
lyfi  ;  and  as  my  coustome  haid  bein  fra  my  bernheid  to  pray  in  my 
hart,  and  mein  my  esteat  to  my  God,  coming  foment  the  kirk,  and 
linking  to  it,  the  Lord  steirit  npe  an  extraordinar  motion  in  my  hart, 
quhilk  maid  me  atteans,  being  alean,4  to  fall  on  gruiff 5  to  the  ground, 
and  pour  out  a  schort  and  emest  petition  to  God,  that  it  wald  please 
his  guidnes  to  offer  occasion  to  continow  me  at  the  scholles,  and  in- 
clyne  my  fathers  hart  till  use  the  saming  ;6  with  promise  and  vow, 
that  whatever  missour  of  knawlage  and  letters  he  wold  bestow  on 
me,  I  sould,  by  his  grace,  imploy  the  saining  for  his  glorie  in  the 
calling  of  the  ministerie  ;  and  rysing  from  the  ground  with  joy  and 
grait  contentment  in  hart,  again  fell  downe  and  worschipped,  and 
sa  past  on  and  did  the  earand,  retouming  and  praising  my  God, 
singing  sum  Psalmes.  Within  a  few  dayes  thairefter,  Mr  James 
Melvill,  my  uncle,  comes  to  Baldowy,  and  brings  with  him  a  godlie 
lernit  man,  named  Mr  Wilyeam  Collace,  wha  Avas  that  sam  yeir  to 
tak  upe  the  class  as  first  regent  of  St  Leonard's  Collage,  within  the 
CJniversitie  of  St  Andros  ;  efter  conference  with  whome  that  niffht, 
God  moves  my  father's  hart  to  resolve  to  send  me  that  sam  yeir  to 
the  Collage.  Trew  it  was,  I  was  bot  weaklie  groundit  in  grammar, 
and  young  of  yeirs  ;  yit  thclovingnes  of  the  gentleman,  and  promise 
of  the  benefeit  of  a  bursare's  place,  and  of  taking  peanes  on  me, 
maid  the  mater  to  go  fordwart ;  wherof,  when  I  was  informed  be 
my  said  uncle,  and  haid  sein  and  spoken  a  lytle  with  the  man,  Re- 
becca was  never  blyther  to  go  with  the  servant  of  Abraham,  nor  I 
was  to  go  with  him.  And  trewlie  this  finding  of  God,  at  a  neid, 
was  the  beginning  of  a  ritche  treassour  of  the  pruiff  of  his  provi- 
dence, mercie,  and  grace,  continowallie  increassing  sen  syne,  that  I 
wald  nocht  ghTfor  ten  thowsand  warlds. 

Sa  1  cam  to  St  Androis  about  the  first  of  November,  in  the  for- 
said  yeir  L571,  and  enterit  in  the  course  of  Philosophic,  under  the 

1  Smithy.  -'  Reaping  hooks,  sickles.  •"  Began.  '  At  once,  licinc 

alone.  ■'■  Prostrate.  (i  Same. 


1571.  ME  JAMES  MKLVILL'S  DIARY.  25 

regenteric  of  the  said  Mr  "Wilyeam,  wha  haid  the  estimation  of  the 
maist  solide  and  lernit  in  Aristotle's  Philosophic  And  first  hard 
under  him  Cassander  his  Rhetorik ;  but  at  the  beginning,  nather 
being  weill  groundet  in  grammer,  nor  com  to  the  yeirs  of  natural! 
judgment  and  understanding,  I  was  cast  in  sic  a  greiff  and  dispear, 
because  I  understood  nocht  the  regent's  langage  in  teatching,  that  I 
did  nathing  bot  bursted  and  grat l  at  his  lessones,  and  was  of  mynd 
to  haiff  gone  ham  agean,  war  nocht  the  huffing  cear  of  that  man 
comforted  me,  and  tuik  me  in  his  awin  chalmer,  causit  me  ly  with 
him  selff,  and  everie  night  teatched  me  in  privat,  till  I  was  acquented 
with  the  mater.2  Then  he  gaiff  us  a  compend  of  his  awin  of  Phi- 
losophi  and  the  partes  thairof;  of  Dialectik,  of  Definition,  of  Divi- 
sion, of  Enunciation,  and  of  a  Syllogisme  Enthymen,  and  Induction, 
&c. ;  quhilk  I  thought  I  understand  better.  About  the  quhilk  tyme 
my  father  coming  to  the  town,  begoude 3  to  examine  me,  and  finding 
sum  beginning  Avas  exceidinglie  rejoysit,  and  uttered  sweittar  affec- 
tion to  me  then  ever  before.  He  interteined  my  regent  verie  hartlie 
in  liis  ludging,  and  gaiff  him  grait  thanks.  He  send  me  to  him, 
efter  he  haid  taken  leive,  with  twa  piece  of  gold  in  a  neapkine ; 
bot  the  gentleman  was  sa  honest  and  loving,  that  he  wald  haiffnon 
of  his  gold,  but  with  austere  countenance  send  me  bak  with  it,  na 
never  wald  receave  gold  nor  silver  all  the  tyme  of  my  course.  We 
enterit  in  the  Organ  of  Aristotle's  Logics  that  yeir,  and  lernit  till 
the  Demonstrations.  He  haid  a  lytle  boy  that  servit  him  in  his 
chamber,  called  David  Elistone,  wha,  amangs  threttie-and-sax  schol- 
lars  in  number,  (sa  manie  war  we  in  the  class,)  was  the  best.  This 
boy  he  causit  weat  on  me,  and  confer  with  me  ;  whase  ingyne  and 
judgment  past  me  als  far  in  the  wholl  course  of  philosophic,  as  the 
aigle  the  howlet.4  In  the  multiplication  of  Propositiones,  Medalles, 
Conversion  of  Syllogismes,  Pons  Asinorum,  etc.,  he  was  als  read  as 
I  was  in  telling  an-and-threttie.  This  I  mark  for  a  speciall  cause 
of  thankfulnes  following. 

1  Sobbed  and  wept.  2  "  We  hard  the  Oration,  Pro  Rege  Deiotaro."      Mar- 

gin of  MS.  3  Began.  *  As  the  eagle  the  owl. 


26  MB  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIARY.  1571. 

Bot  of  all  the  benefitcs  I  haid  that  yeir  was  the  coming  of  that 
maist  notable  profet  and  apostle  of  our  nation,  Mr  Jhone  Knox,  to 
St  Androis  ;  wha,  be  the  faction  of  the  Quein  occupeing  the  cas- 
tell  and  town  of  Edinbruche,  was  compellit  to  remove  thairfra  with 
a  number  of  the  best,  and  chusit  to  com  to  St  Androis.  I  hard  him 
teatche  ther  the  prophecic  of  Daniel  that  simmer,  and  the  wintar 
following.  I  haid  my  pen  and  my  litle  book,  and  tuk  away  sic 
things  as  I  coidd  comprehend.  In  the  opening  npe  of  his  text  he 
wras  moderat  the  space  of  an  halfF  houre  ;  bot  when  he  enterit  to 
application,  he  maid  me  sa  to  grew '  and  tremble,  that  I  could  nocht 
haid  a  pen  to  wryt.  I  hard  him  oftymes  utter  these  thretenings 
in  the  hicht  of  their  pryde,  qukilk  the  eis  of  monie  saw  cleirlie 
brought  to  pass  within  few  yeirs  upon  the  Captean  of  that  Castle, 
the  Hamiltones,  and  the  Quein  hir  sehT.  He  ludgit  down  in  the 
Abbay  besyde  our  Collage  ;  and  our  [Prhnarius,  Mr  James  "Wilkie, 
our2]  Regents,  Mr  Nicol  Dalgleise,  Mr  Wilyeam  Colace,  and  Mr 
Jhone  Davidsone,  went  in  ordinarlie  to  his  grace  efter  denner  and 
soupper.  Our  Regent  taried  all  the  vacans3  to  heir  him,  whowbeit 
he  haid  urgent  effeares  of  his  brother-sonnes  to  handle,  to  whom  he 
was  tutor.  Mr  Knox  wald  sum  tymes  com  in  and  repose  him  in  our 
Collage  yeard,  and  call  us  schollars  unto  him  and  bless  us,  and  ex- 
hort us  to  knaw  God  and  his  wark  in  our  contrcy,  and  stand  be  the 
guid  cause,  to  use  our  tymc  weill,  and  lcrn  the  guid  instructiones, 
and  follow  the  guid  exemple  of  our  maisters.  Our  haill  Collage, 
maisters  and  schollars,  Avar  sound  and  zelus  for  the  guid  cause. 
The  uther  twa  Collages  nocht  sa ;  for  in  the  New  Collage,  whow- 
beit  Mr  Jhone  Dowglass,  then  Rector,  was  guid  ancuehc  :  the 
thric  uther  maisters  and  sum  of  the  Regentes  war  evill  myndit, 
viz.  Mrs  Robert,  Archibald  and  Jhone  Hamilton*,  (wharof  the  last 
twa  becam  efter  apostates,)  hated  Mr  Knox  and  the  guid  cause  ; 
and  the  Commissar,  Mr  Wilyeam  Skein,  could  nocht  lyk  weill  of 
his  doctrine.     The  Auld  Collage  was  rewlit  be  Mr  Jhon  Ruthcr- 

1   Shudder.  !  Margin  of  MS.  i  Vacation. 


1572.  MB  JAMBS  MELvTLL'S  DIABT.  27 

find,  then  Dean  of  Facultie,  a  [man  lemit  in  philosophic,  bot  *]  in- 
vyus,  corrupt.  This  I  mark  for  the  setting  fnrthe  of  the  benefit  I 
receavit  in  the  Collage  and  companie  I  was  into.  The  public 
newes  I  hard  that  yen  was  of  the  Engliss  armie  that  cam  in  under 
the  conduct  of  Mr  Druri,  and  brunt  and  sleAV  throuchout  Cliddis- 
dall  and  all  the  dominiones  of  the  Hamiltons,  for  the  slauchter  of 
the  Gnid  Regent.  They  brunt  the  castell,  and  palice,  and  town  of 
Hamiltone,  and  caried  away  grait  pray  ;  they  wracked  all  the  Bor- 
dars  wast  and  est,  and  tuik  the  castell  of  Hume.  Also  Mathew 
Stewart,  Erie  of  Lennox,  was  schosine  Regent,  wha  that  hervest 
cam  to  Breadline,  beseigit  the  castell  thairof,  haldin  be  the  suddarts 2 
of  the  Erl  of  Hountlie,  compellet  tham  to  rander,  and  hangit 
threttie  thairof,  quhilk  was  callit  "  the  Bonrde  of  Breachine." 

[This  yeir,  in  the  monethe  of  July,  Mr  Jhone  Davidsone,  an  of 
our  Regents,  maid  a  play  at  the  mariage  of  Mr  Jhone  Colvin, 
quhilk  I  saw  playit  in  Mr  Knox  presence  ;  wherin,  according  to  Mr 
Knox  doctrin,  the  Castle  of  Edinbruche  was  beseiged,  takin,  and 
the  Captan,  with  an  or  twa  with  him,  hangit  in  effigie.3] 

M.D.LXXII. 

The  second  yeir  of  my  course,  we  hard  the  Demonstrations,  the 
Topiks,  and  the  Sophist  Captiones.  And  the  Primarius,4  a  guid, 
peacable,  sweit  auld  man,  wha  huffed  me  weill,  teached  the  four 
speaces  of  the  Arithmetik,  and  sum  thing  of  the  Sphere  ;  bot  the 
graittest  benefit  I  had  of  him  was  his  day  lie  doctrine  at  the  prayers 
in  the  kirk,  eyerie  morning ;  for  he  past  throw  the  twa  buiks  of 
Samuel,  and  twa  of  the  Kings,  very  pleanlie  and  substantiuslie, 
quhilk  I  rememberit  the  better  ever  since.  He  causit  sing  co- 
mounlie  the  44  and  79  Psalmes,  quhilk  I  lernit  pa?'  ceur,  for  that  was 
the  yeir  of  the  bludie  massacres  in  France,  and  grait  troubles  in 
this  countrey,  the  warres  betwix  Leithe  and  Edinbruche  being 
verie  hat.  The  Castel  of  Dumbarten  was  notablie  tean,5  and  Jhone 
Hamilton,  Bischope  of  St  Androis,  hangit. 

1  Margin  of  MS.  2  Soldiers.  8  Supplied  on  margin  of  MS. 

*   "  Mr  James  Wilkie."     Margin  of  MS.  *  Taken. 


28  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1574. 

In  the  monethe  of  August,  "  the  Blak  Parliament"  of  Stirling 
haldin,1  whar  the  second  Regent  was  slean,  in  AVolmistones  amies, 
&c,  vide  Bnchan.  Giro.2 

M.D.LXX1I1. 

The  thrid  yeir  of  our  course,  we  hard  the  fyve  builds  of  the 
Ethiks,  with  the  aught  buikis  of  the  Physiks,  [and  De  Ortu  et  Inte- 
ritu.*]  That  yeir  we  haid  our  Bachlar  art,  according  to  the  solem- 
nities then  used  of  declamations,  banqueting,  and  playes.  And  in 
the  mean  tyme  thairof,  my  father  maried  my  said  eldest  sistar 
Isbell,  and  second,  Marjorie,  bathe  on  a  day  ;  bot  efter  that  fest- 
ing,  we  gat  hard  newes  of  the  defeat  of  the  Forbesses  at  the  Crab- 
stean,  besyd  Aberdein. 

M.D.LXXIV. 

The  fourt  and  last  yeir  of  our  course,  quhilk  was  the  17  yeir  of 
my  age  outpast,  and  18  rinsing,  we  lerned  the  buikis  de  Coelo  and 
Mateors,  also  the  Spher,  more  exactlie  teachit  be  our  awin  Regent, 
and  maid  us  for  our  Vicces  and  Blakstens,  and  haid  at  Pace4  our 
promotion  and  finissing  of  our  course.  The  beginning  of  this  yeir 
was  also  maist  dulfull  to  me,  by  the  departour  of  my  deirest  sistar 
Isbell,  wha  died  of  hir  first  bern  ;  in  whom  I  lossit  my  naturall 
mother  the  second  tyme. 

[The  ordour  of  four  kirks  to  a  minister,  then  maid  be  the  Erl  of 
Morton,  now  maid  Regent ;  against  the  quhilk  Mr  Jhone  David- 
sone,  an  of  the  Regents  of  our  Collage,  maid  a  buik  called  the 
"  Conference  betwix  the  Clark  and  the  Courtieur  ;"  for  the  quhilk 
he  was  summoned  befor  the  Justice-car  at  Hadinton  this  wintax, 
the  last  of  our  course,  and  banisched  the  cowntrey.6] 

In  the  thrid  and  fourt  yeirs  of  my  course,  at  the  direction  of  my 
father,  I  hard  the  Comissar,  Mr  \Yilyeam  Skein,  teatche  Cicero  de 
Legibus,  and  divers  partes  of  the  Institutiones  of  Justinian.     I  was 

1  "  The  parliament  was  haldin  in  August  1571,  before  I  cam  to  the  TTniversitie." 
Margin  of  MS.  2  Buchanan's  History  of  Scotland.  :I  Margin.  ■  Pasch, 

Easter.  5  This  paragraph  is  also  supplied  from  the  margin  of  the  MS 


1574.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  29 

burdet  in  the  hous  of  a  man  of  law,  a  very  guicl  honest  man,  An- 
dro  Greine  be  nam,  wha  lovit  me  exceiding  weill ;  whase  wyff  also 
was  ane  of  my  mothers.  I  am  sure  sche  haid  nocht  sone  nor  bem 
sche  loved  better.  This  lawier  tuk  me  to  the  Consistorie  with  him, 
whar  the  Comissar  wald  tak  pleasour  to  schaw  us  the  practise,  in 
judgment,  of  that  quhilk  he  teatched  in  the  scholles.  He  was  a 
man  of  skill  and  guid  conscience  in  his  calling,  lernit  and  diligent 
in  his  profession,  and  tuk  delyt  in  na  thing  mair  nor  to  repeat  ower 
and  ower  again  to  anie  schollar  that  wald  ask  him  the  thingis  he  haid 
bein  teatching.  Lykwayes  my  ost,  Andro,  acquentit  me  with  the 
formes  of  summonds  and  lybelling,  of  contracts,  obligatiounes,  actes, 
&c.  ;  but  my  hart  was  nocht  sett  that  way. 

Mairower,  in  these  yeirs  I  lemed  my  music,  wherin  I  tuk  grait- 
ter  delyt,  of  an  ?  Alexander  Smithe,  servant  to  the  Primarius  of  our 
Collage,  wha  haid  been  treaned  upe  amangis  the  mounks  in  the  Ab- 
bay.  I  lerned  of  him  the  gam,  plean-song,2  and  monie  of  the  treables 
of  the  Psalmes,  wherof  sum  I  could  weill  sing  in  the  kirk ;  bot  my 
naturalitie  and  easie  leming  by  the  ear  maid  me  the  mair  unsolide 
and  unreadie  to  use  the  forme  of  the  art.  I  lovit  singing  and  play- 
ing on  instruments  passing  weill,  and  wald  gladlie  spend  tyme  whar 
the  exerceise  thairof  was  within  the  Collage  ;  for  twa  or  thrie  of  our 
condisciples  played  fellon  weill  on  the  virginals,  and  another  on  the 
lut  and  githorn.  Our  Regent  haid  also  the  pinalds3  in  his  chalmer, 
and  lernit  some  thing,  and  I  eftir  him  ;  bot  perceaving  me  ower 
mikle  caried  efter  that,  he  dishanted  and  left  of.  It  was  the  grait 
mercie  of  my  God  that  keipit  me  from  anie  grait  progress  in  sing- 
ing and  playing  on  instruments  ;  for,  gifF  I  haid  atteined  to  anie  rea- 
sonable missure  thairin,  I  haid  never  don  guid  utherwayes,  in  re- 
spect of  my  amorus  disposition,  wherby  Sathan  sought  even  then  to 
deboiche  me  ;  bot  my  God  gaiff  me  a  piece  of  his  fear,  and  grait  na- 
turall  shamfastness,  quhilk  by  his  grace  war  my  preservatives.  Als 
I  haid  my  necessars  honestlie  aneuche  of  my  father,  bot  nocht  els ; 
for  archerie  and  goff,  I  haid  bow,  arrose,  glub  and  bals,  but  nocht  a 

1  One.  2  The  gamut  and  plain-song  or  tenor.  3  The  spinet.      Fr.  espinet. 


30  mi:  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  L574. 

pure  forcatchpull1  and  tavern;  Bic  was  his  fatherlie  wisdom  for  my 

wcill.      "lit  now  and  then  I  lernit  and  usit  sa  mikle  bathe  of  the  liand 
and  racket  catche  as  might  serve  for  moderat  and  halsomeexerceise 

ill'  the  bodj  . 

I  wald  haiff  gladlic  bein  at  the  Greik  and  Hebrew  toungs,  be- 
eaose  I  red  in  our  Byble  that  it  was  translated  out  of  Hebrew  and 
Greik  ;  botthe  Langages  war  nocht  to  begottine  in  the  land.  Our 
Regent  begoud  and  teatched  us  the  A,  B,  C,  of  the  Greik,  and  the 
simple  deelintiones,  bot  went  no  farder.  Be  that  occasion  he  tauld 
me  of  my  uncle  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  whom  he  knew  in  the  tyme  of 
his  course  in  the  New  Collage  to  use  the  Greik  Logics  of  Aristotle; 
quhilk  was  a  wounder  to  tham  that  he  was  sa  fyne  a  schollar,  and 
of  sic  expectation.  This  maid  me  inquyre  for  Mr  Andro,  when 
I  cam  ham,  the  second  and  thrid  yeirofour  course  ;  bot  my  father 
and  Mr  dames  schew  me  they  fearit  he  was  dead,  because  of  the 
grail  eivill  wanes  in  France,  and  that  they  hard  he  was  in Poicteare 
beseiged  ;  that  it  was  aught  or  nyne  yeirs  sen  he  past  to  France,  and 
four  or  fyve  yeirs  sen  they  gat  anie  letters  or  word  from  him.  This 
twitched  my  hart  wounder  soar,  in  respect  of  the  grait  comendation 
I  hard  of  him  be  my  Regent  and  diverse  uthers.  Bot  soon  efter, 
about  the  middes  of  our  thrid  yeir,  Alexander  Young  cam  ham  from 
(  renev,  from  his  uncle,  and  my  ncir  kinsman,  Mr  Hemic  Scrymgour, 
of  honourable  memorie,  with  sum  propynes3  to  the  King,  and  let- 
ters to  Mr  George  Bowel lanan  and  Mr  Piter  Young,  that  an  the 
King's  inaister,  that  uthcr  his  p&dagog  :  and  amangs  the  rest 
brought  letters  from  the  said  Mr  Andro  to  my  father,  and  his  bro- 
ther Mr  daiucs  ;  and  thairwithall  word  of  his  weilfear  and  singular 
estimation  in  Grenev,  whar  he  baid  four  yeira  professit.  Of  these 
newes  my  hart  was  exeeiding  glade,  and  the  said  Alexander  being 
with  all  diligence  to  return  agame  to  Genev,  I  haid  a  letter  in  rea- 
dincs  pennil  at  lainthe  in  Latin,  the  best  1  could, quhilk  Idelyverit 
to  my  COWSing  Alexander,  wha  within  a  t  wa  nioiiethcs  put  it  in  the 
bands  of  my  said  uncle  Mr  Andro.     And  he  tauld  me  at   meitting, 

1  Also  termed  catch-peill,  a  sort  of  game  of  tennis  or  rackets.  -  Presents. 


1574.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  31 

and  oft  sen  syne,  it  was  a  speeiall  motion  of  his  ham-coming,  then 
the  qnhilk,  I,  nor  Scotland  nather,  receavit  never  a  graitter  benefit 
of  the  hands  of  God,  as  will  better  appeir  heirefter. 

Bot  because,  in  all  my  course,  the  graittest  benefit  was  the  sight 
and  heiring  of  that  extraordinar  man  of  God,  Mr  J  hone  Knox  ;  sa 
far  as  I  then  knew  and  hard  of  him,  I  man  heir  record.  In  the 
t  vine  of  his  being  in  St  Androis,  ther  was  a  General  Assemblie  hauldin 
in  the  scholles  of  St  Leonards,  our  Collage.  Thair,  amangs  uther 
things,  was  motioned  the  making  of  Bi&chopes  ;  to  the  quhilk  Mr 
Knox  opponit  him  selff  directhe  and  zealuslie.  Yit  a  number  of 
Comissionars  of  the  Kirk,  meatt  at  Leithe,1  with  the  Lords  that 
haid  the  guid  caus  in  hand,  (wharof  everie  ane  was  hounting  for  a 
fatt  kirk  leiving,  quhilk  gart  them  feght  the  fastar,)  and  ther  aggreit 
to  mak  Bischopes  ;  the  warst  turn  that  ever  was  done  for  the  kirk 
leiving,  as  experience  atteanes  declared,  when  they  war  named 
"  Tulchains,"  that  is,  calfFs'  skinnes  stuffed  with  stra,  to  cause  the 
cow  giff  milk  ;  for  everie  lord  gat  a  bischoprie,  and  sought  and  pre- 
sented to  the  kirk  sic  a  man  as  wald  be  content  with  least,  and  sett 
tham  maist  of  fewes,  takes,2  and  pensiones.  Amangs  the  rest,  the 
Erie  of  Mortoun  gat  the  bischoprik  of  St  Androis,  efter  the  hanging 
of  Jhone  Hamiltone  ;  and  presented  therunto  that  honorable  father 
of  the  Universitie,  as  Rector  thairof  for  the  present,  Mr  Jhone 
Dowglass,  a  guid,  upright-harted  man,  bot  ambitius  and  simple, 
nocht  knawing  wha  delt  with  him.  I  hard  Mr  Knox  speak  against 
it,  bot  sparinglie,  because  he  lovit  the  man  ;  and  with  regrat,  saying, 
"  Alas  !  for  pitie,  to  lay  upone  an  auld  weak  mans  back  that  quhilk 
twentie  of  the  best  gifts  could  nocht  bear.  It  will  wrak  him  and 
disgrace  him  !"  And,  indeid,  it  cam  to  pass  sa ;  for  within  twa  or 
thrie  yeirs  he  died  ;  during  the  quhilk  he  haid  nather  that  honour, 
welthe,  nor  helthe,  as  he  was  wount  to  haiff,  ever  repenting  that  he 
tuk  it  on.  That  was  the  first  tyme  I  hard  Mr  Patrik  Constantine, 
wha,  then  new  retourned  out  of  France  with  young  Mr  James  Mac- 
gill,  the  Clark  Register  eldest  sone,  thought,  be  the  said  Clark's 

1  "The  Conference  at  Leithe  was  in  Januare  ;  and  the  General  Assemblie  in  Merohe 
therefter,  1571.''     Margin  of  MS,  -  Tacks,  leases. 


32  MR  JAMES  MELVILLS  UIART.  1.374. 

court,  wha  was  grait  with  the  Erie  of  Mortoun,  to  haiff  bein  pre- 
ferrit  to  the  bischoprik,  bot  coming  schort,  becara  a  zealus  preatchour 
against  Bischopes.  I  hard  a  sermont  of  his  the  ouk  efter  the  Bis- 
chope  was  maid,  upon  ane  extraordinar  day,  that  he  might  haiff  the 
graitter  audience  ;  wherin  he  maid  time  sorts  of  Bischoppea  :  My 
Lord  Bischop,  My  Lord's  Bischop,  and  The  Lord's  Bischope.  "  My 
Lord  Bischope,"  said  he,  "  was  in  the  Papistrie  :  My  Lord's  Bis- 
chope is  now,  when  my  Lord  getts  the  benefice,  and  the  Bischope 
serves  for  na  thing  bot  to  mak  his  tytle  sure  :  And  The  Lord's 
Bischope  is  the  treAV  Minister  of  the  Gospell."  Mr  Patrik  was 
then  Aveill  lyked,  and  of  guid  expectation  with  sic  as  knew  him 
nocht  intus.1  The  yeir  efter  was  maid  Bischope,  Geordie  of  Murro, 
whom  I  saw  a  haill  wintar  mumling  on  his  pretching  af  his  peapers 
everie  day  at  our  morning  prayers  ;  and  haid  it  nocht  weflljMW  ceur 
when  all  was  done  :  And  efter  him,  Bischope  Patone  of  Dunkell.2 
This  greivit  the  hart  of  the  man  of  God  to  the  dead ;  bot  the  warrea 
war  sa  hatt,  and  the  Lords  cryed  they  behud3  to  leave  tharn,  gifF 
they  gatt  nocht  the  kirk  leiving ;  and  monie  knew  nocht  yit  the 
corruption  and  unlawfulness  of  that  invention  of  men,  and  sa  the 
mater  past  ford  wart. 

At  Mr  Knox  coming  to  St  Androis,  Robert  Lekprivik,  printar, 
transported  his  lettres  and  press  from  Edinbruch  to  St  Androis, 
whar  first  1  saw  that  excellent  art  of  printing  ;  and  haid  then  in 
hand  Mr  Patrik  Constant's  Catechisme  of  Calvin,  converted  in 
Latin  heroic  vers,  quhilk  with  the  author  was  mikle  estimed  of. 

About  the  sam  tyme  cam  to  St  Androis,  to  visit  Mr  Knox, 
Jhone  Durie,  fellow  minister  of  Leith  with  Mr  David  Lindsay,  wha 
was  then  for  stoutness  and  zeall  in  the  guid  cause  mikle  renouned 
and  talked  of.  For  the  gown  was  na  sooner  af,  and  the  Byble  out 
of  hand  [fra  the  kirk,4]  when  on  ged5  the  corslet,  and  fangit  was 
the  hagbot,6  and  to  the  fields !  Him  I  saw  first  at  St  Androis  with 
Mr  Knox. 

1  Inwardly,  thoroughly,   intimately.  2  "  I  saw  them  bathe  gett  imposition  of 

hands  be  B.  Douglas  and  Mr  Jhon  Woundroin,  Superintendent,  whom    I   saw  inau- 
garat  (as  they  eald  it)  B.  Douglas."     Margin  of  MS.  •'<  Behoved  *  Taken 

from  the  margin  of  MS.  :'  Went.  «  The  hagbnt  was  snatched  up. 


1574.  mk  .tames  melvill's  diary.  33 

The  town  of  Edinbruclie  recovered  againe,  and  the  guid  and 
honest  men  therof  retonrned  to  thair  housses.  Mr  Knox  with  his 
familie  past  hame  to  Edinbrnche.  Being  in  St  Androis  he  was  verie 
weak.  I  saw  him  everie  day  of  his  doctrine  go  hulie  and  fear,  with 
a  furring  of  martriks  about  his  neck,  a  staff  in  the  an  hand,  and  guid 
godlie  Richart  Ballanden,  his  servand,  halding  upe  the  uther  oxtar, 
from  the  Abbay  to  the  paroche  kirk  ;  and  be  the  said  Richart  and 
another  servant,  lifted  upe  to  the  pulpit,  whar  he  behovit  to  lean 
at  his  first  entrie  ;  bot  or  he  haid  done  with  his  sermont,  he  was  sa 
active  and  vigorus  that  he  was  lyk  to  ding  that  pulpit  in  blads,  and 
fly  out  of  it !  Sa,  soone  efter  his  coming  to  Edinbruche,  he  becam 
unable  to  preatche  ;  and  sa  instituting  in  his  roum,  be  the  ordinar 
calling  of  the  kirk  and  congregation,  Mr  James  Lawsone,  [a  man  of 
singular  learning,  zeal,  and  eloquence,  whom  I  never  hard  preatche 
bot  he  meltit  my  hart  with  teares,1]  he  tuk  him  to  his  chamber,  and 
most  happelie  and  comfortablie  departed  this  lyff.  Vide  concerning 
his  lyff  and  dathe,  Mr  Thomas  Smeton's  bulk  against  Hamiltone 
the  Apostat. 

Ther  was  twa  in  St  Androis  wha  war  his  aydant  heirars,  and  wrot 
his  sermonts ;  an,  my  condisciple,  Mr  Andro  Yowng,  now  minister 
of  Dumblean,  wha  transleated  sum  of  tham  in  Latin,  and  read  tham 
in  the  hall  of  the  Collage  in  stead  of  his  orations :  that  uther  was 
servant  to  Mr  Robert  Hamilton,  minister  of  the  town,  whom  Mr 
Robert  causit  to  wrait,  for  what  end  God  knawes.  The  threatnino-s 
of  his  sermonts  war  verie  soar  ;  and  sa  particular,  that  sic  as  lyket 
nocht  the  cause,  tuk  occasion  to  reprotche  him  as  a  rashe  raler, 
without  warrand.  And  Mr  Robert  Hamilton  himselff  being  offend- 
it,  conferrit  with  Mr  Knox,  asking  •  his  warrand  of  that  particular 
thretning  against  the  Castel  of  Edinbruche,  that  it  sould  rin  lyk  a 
sand-glass  ;  it  sould  spew  out  the  Captan  with  scham ;  he  sould 
nocht  com  out  at  the  yet,  bot  down  ower  the  walles  ;  and  sic  lyk. 
Mr  Knox  answerit,  "  God  is  my  warrant,  and  yie  sail  sie  it."  Whill 
as  the  uther  was  skarslie  satisfeit,  and  tuk  hardlie  with  it,  the  nixt 


1  This  has  been  afterwards  added  by  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  the  MS. 

C 


34  MB  JAMES  MEL VILL'S  DIAET.  1574. 

sermont  from  pulpit,  ho  repeatea  the  thretnings,  and  addee  therto, 

"  Thow,  that  will  nocht  beleive  my  warrant!,  sail  sie  it  with  thy  eis 
that  day  ;  and  sail  say,  What  half*  I  to  do  heir  T  This  sermont  the 
said  Mr  Robert's  servand  wrot ;  and,  being  with  his  maister  in  Edin- 
bruche  a  twa  ycir  thairefter,  at  the  taking  of  the  Castell,  they  ged ' 
upe  to  the  Castell-hill,  saw  the  forwark  of  the  Castell  all  demolish- 
ed, and  rinning  lyk  a  sandie  bray  ;  they  saAV  the  men  of  wear  all 
sett  in  ordour ;  the  Captan,  with  a  lytic  cut  of  a  staff  in  his  hand, 
takin  doim  owcr  the  wall  upon  the  leathers ; 2  and  Mr  Robert, 
troublet  with  the  thrang  of  the  peiple,  sayes  to  his  man,  "  Go,  what 
haif  I  ado  heir  ?"  And,  in  going  away,  the  servant  remembers  his 
maister  of  that  sermont,  and  the,  words  ;  wha  was  compellit  to 
glorifie  God,  and  say,  he  was  a  trew  prophet. 

Ane  uther  strange  particular  was  recompted  to  me  be  Mr  David 
Lindsay,  minister  of  Leithe  :  That  efter  Mr  Knox  haid  taken  bed,  he 
cam  in  to  visit  him,  as  he  was  accustomed,  and  asked  him  whow  he 
did  ?  He  answerit,  "  Weill,  brother,  I  thank  God.  I  haiff  desyrd 
all  this  day  to  haif  yow,  that  I  may  send  yow  yit  to  yon  man  in 
the  Castell,  whom  yie  ken  I  haif  loved  sa  deirlie  :  Go,  I  pray,  and 
fell  him  that  I  haif  send  yow  to  him,  yit  amies,3  to  warn  and  bid 
him,  in  the  nam  of  God,  leave  that  evill  cause,  and  giffower  that 
Castle;  gift*  nocht,  he  salbe  brought  down  owcr  the  wals  of  it  with 
shame,  and  hing  against  the  sune  :  Sa  God  has  assurit  me.*'  Mr 
David,  whowbeit  he  thought  the  message  hard,  and  the  thretning 
own' particular,  yit  obevit,  and  past  to  the  Castell;  and  inciting 
with  Sir  Robert  Melvill  walkin  on  the  wall,  tauld  him;  wha  was,  as 
lie  thought,  niikle  movit  with  the  mater.  Thcrcfter  communed 
with  the  Captan,  whom  he  thought  also  sumwhal  moved  :  but  he 
pasl  from  him  to  the  Secretar  Lithintone,  with  whom,  when  he 
liaid  conferrit  a  whyll,  he  cam  out  to  Mr  David  again,  and  said  to 
liim,  "  Go,  tell  Mr  Knox  he  is  bot  a  drytting prophet  I"  Mr  David 
returning,  tauld  Mr  Knox  he  haid  dischargit  the  commission  fath- 
f'ullie  ;  but  that  it  was  nocht  weill  accepted  of,  efter  the  Captan 
haid  conferrit  with  the  Secretar.  "  Weill,"  (sayes  Mr  Knox,)  "  I 
1  Went.  Ladders,  s  Yet  once  more.  *  Over,  too. 


1574.  3IR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  35 

haif  bein  ernest  with  my  God  anent  tha  twa  men  ;  for  the  an  I  am 
sorie  that  sa  sould  befall  him,  yit  God  assures  me  ther  is  mercie  for 
his  said  ;  for  that  nther  I  haif  na  warrand  that  ever  he  salbe  weill." 
Mr  David  sayes,  he  thought  it  hard,  yit  keipit  it  in  mynd  till  Mr 
Knox  was  at  rest  with  God. 

The  Engliss  armie  cam  in,  with  munition  meit  for  the  seage  of 
the  Castell ;  and  within  few  dayes  the  Captean  is  sean  to  rander, 
and  com  down  the  leathers  ower  the  wall.  He  is  committed  to  a 
ludging  in  the  town  with  a  custodie  of  souldarts.1  Mr  David,  be- 
cause of  grait  acquentance,  comes  to  visit  him,  whom  he  employes  to 
go  to  the  Erie  of  Morton,  and  offer  him  his  haill  heritage,  the  band  of 
manrent  of  all  his  frinds,  and  to  pass  af  the  countrie  in  exyll,  during 
his  will.  Mr  David  goes  that  night  and  speakes  the  Erie,  then 
being  Regent,  proponing  to  him  the  offers.  The  Regent  goes  asyde, 
and  consultes  Avith  the  Abbot  of  Dumfemiling  and  Clark  Register  ; 
thairefter  Mr  David  comes,  craving  his  answer.  It  was  gifFen,  It 
could  nocht  be  :  The  peiple  could  nocht  be  satisfeit,  nor  ther  cause 
clerit  and  crowned,  with[out]  exemplar  punishment  of  that  man  and 
his  counsellour,  the  Secretar.  Mr  David  the  morn,  be  nyne  horns, 
comes  agean  to  the  Captean,  the  Lard  of  Grange,  and  taking  him 
to  ane  fore  stare  of  the  ludgin  apart,  resolves  him  it  behoved  him 
to  suffer.  u  O  then,  Mr  David/'  sayes  he,  u  for  our  auld  frind- 
schipe,  and  for  Chryst's  seak,  leave  me  nocht !"  So  he  remeanes 
with  him,  wha  paecing  up  and  down  a  whyll,  cam  to  a  schot,  and 
seeing  the  day  fear,  the  sune  cleir,  and  a  scaffald  preparing  at  the 
Corss  in  the  Hie-geatt,2  he  falles  in  a  grait  studie,  and  alteris  coun- 
tenance and  cullour  ;  quhilk,  when  Mr  David  perceaved,  he  cam  to 
him,  and  asked  him  what  he  was  doing  ?  "  Fathe,  Mr  David," 
sayes  [he,]  "  I  perceave  weill  now  that  Mr  Knox  was  the  trew  ser- 
vant of  God,  and  his  thretning  is  to  be  accomplissed  ;"  and  desyred 
to  heir  the  treuthe  of  that  againe.  The  quhilk  Mr  David  rehersed  ; 
and  added  thaiiimto,  that  the  sam  Mr  Knox,  at  his  retourning,  haid 
tauld  him  that  he  was  ernest  with  God  for  hiin  ;  was  sorie,  for  the 

1  Under  a  guard  of  soldiers  a  At  the  Cross,  in  the  High  Street. 


36  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1574. 

love  he  buir  him,  that  that  sould  com  on  his  bodie,  bot  was  assurit 
ther  was  mercie  for  bis  saull.  The  quhilk  he  wald  hahT  repeated 
owcr  againe  to  him  ;  and  thainipon  was  graitlie  comforted,  and  be- 
cam  to  be  of  guid  and  cheirfull  cowrage.  Sa  that  he  dyned  mode- 
ratlie  ;  and  thairefter  tuk  Mr  David  apart,  for  his  streinthning  to 
suffer  that  dethe ;  and  in  end  beseikes  him  nocht  to  leave  him,  bot 
convoy  him  to  the  place  of  execution  :  "  And  tak  heid,"  sayes  he, 
"  I  hope  in  God,  efter  I  salbe  thought  past,1  to  giff  vow  a  taken2  of 
the  assurance  of  that  mercie  to  my  saull,  according  to  the  speakine 
of  that  man  of  God  !"  Sa,  about  thrie  houres  efter  none,  he  was 
brought  out,  and  Mr  David  with  him ;  and  about  foure,  the  sune 
being  wast  about  af  the  north-west  nuk  of  the  steiple,  he  was  put 
af  the  leddar,  and  his  face  first  fell  to  the  est ;  bot  within  a  bonie 
whyll3  turned  about  to  the  west,  and  ther  remeaned  against  the 
sune  :  At  quhilk  tyme,  Mr  David,  ever  present,  saves,  he  marked 
him,  when  all  thought  he  was  away,4  to  lift  upe  his  hands  that  war 
bund  befor  him,  and  ley  tham  doun  again  softlie  ;  quhilk  moved 
him,  with  exclamation,  toglorifie  God  befor  all  the  peiple.  This  last 
part  of  his  execution  1  hard  also  of  J  hone  Durie,  wlia  was  present 
with  him  on  the  scafiald. 

Sa,  in  lvk  maner,  whatever  he  spak  concerning  the  Hamiltones 
and  the  Quein,  whowbeit  in  appeirance,  in  the  mean  tyme,  bot  con- 
trar,  and  nionie  guid  folks  thought  hard  and  strange,  yit  cam  to 
pass,  and  was  marked  in  particular  to  the  grait  glorie  of  God,  ter- 
rour  of  the  enemies,  and  joy  of  the  godlie. 

Thus,  ending  my  course  of  Philosophic  in  St  Androis,  wliar  upon 
the  part  of  God  I  haid  offerit  to  me  all  guid  occasion  of  godlines, 
leming,  and  wesdome,  sa  mikle  as  was  in  the  countrey  for  the  tyme, 
[and  might  fall  in  my  age  ;6]  bot  on  my  part,  wha throw  wantones 
ami  vanitie  neglected  and  unspent  the  occasiones,haid  got  tin  na  thing 
bot  a  nam  and  opinion  of  lerning,  a  babling  of  words  without  wit, 
at  least  wresdome  :  For  my  light  young  nature  was  giffen  niair  to 

1  After  his  spirit  had  passed  away.  s  To  give  you  a  token  or  sign.  3  A  con- 

siderable time.  4  Dead.  '  Added  on  margin  of  the  MS. 


1574.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  37 

be  superficial!  nor  solid,  circumferentiall  nor  centrik,  desyring  to 
heir  and  haiff  the  names  of  manie  things,  bot  never  weill  degesting 
nor  ryping  out  the  nature  of  anie,  bot  fleiting  and  flowing,  soon 
lyking  and  soon  lothing  everie  thing.  Onlie  now  and  then  I  fand 
sum  sweit  and  constant  motiones  of  the  feir  and  love  of  God  within 
me. 

I  cam  to  Dondie,  whar  my  uncle  Roger,  a  man  godlie,  kynd,  and 
wyse,  enterit  with  me  to  understand  to  what  calling  my  hart  in- 
clyncd ;  and  gaiff  out  that  my  father's  intention  was  to  haiff  me  a 
lawer.  I  said  nocht  milde  against  it,  bot  wissed  at  God  I  might 
haiff  the  gifts  and  grace  to  be  a  minister.  Coming  ham,  my  father 
tented 1  me  in  the  sam  maner,  bot  nocht  sa  familiarlie  ;  nather  durst 
I  utter  anie  thing  against  his  opinion  and  judgment,  bot  said  I  was 
readie  to  obey  his  will  and  direction  in  all  things.  He  commandit 
me  then  to  occupie  my  tyme  weill  amangs  his  books  till  the  vacans, 
at  what  tyme  he  wald  haiff  occasion  to  meit  with  sum  guid  man  of 
law  in  Edinbruche,  to  whom  he  wald  put  me  in  service.  Giff  sa  he 
meinde,  indeid,  because  he  saw  na  provision  for  the  ministerie,  or  to 
essay  my  resolution,  I  can  nocht  tell.  Going  a 2  day  to  Bonitone,  I 
past  by  the  Kirk  of  Maritone  and  place  wher  I  haid  prayed,  and 
vowed  to  God  :  the  sam  cam  in  my  memorie,  with  a  grait  motion 
of  mynd  and  determination  to  pay  my  vow,  giff  God  wald  giff  the 
grace  and  moyen.  Sa,  praying  and  worschiping  befor  God,  it  cam 
in  my  mynd  to  pen  a  sermont  upon  a  part  of  Scripture,  and  leave 
it  in  a  buik  of  my  father,  whar  he  might  find  it ;  and  sa  I  tuk  the 
beginning  of  the  nynt  of  Jhone's  Evangell,  of  the  blind  man,  and 
studeing  his  comentares  thairon,  Musculus  and  Marlorot,  wrot  it  and 
left  it  in  Musculus'  Comentars ;  quhilk,  when  he  fand  it,  lyked  him 
weill ;  yit  spak  na  thing,  bot  left  me  in  suspence  till  it  pleasit  God 
to  giff"  me  full  resolution.  For,  a  lytle  befor  IJambes,3  word  cam 
that  Mr  Andro  was  com  to  Edinbruche,  and  within  twentie  daycs 
efter  lie  cam  to  Baldowy  ;  with  whom  when  my  father  had  conferit, 
and  knawin  what  opinion  he  haid  of  me,  he  del  went  me  owerunto 

1  Tried.  2  One.  3  Lammas;  the  feast  of  St  Peter  ud  vinculus. 


38  mr  james  melvill's  diabt.  1574. 

him,  thinking  he  was  disburdenit  of  me  ;  and  sa  indeid  he  waa,  as 

the  continuation  of  this  narrative  will  declar.     This  was  in  the  yeir 
of  God  1574. 

Because  I  said  befor,  that  Scotland  receavit  never  a  graitter  bene- 
fit at  the  hands  of  God  nor  this  man,  I  will  schortlie  sett  down, 
first,  a  litle  discours  of  his  lyff  befor  his  coming  ham,  and  syne1 
what  he  brought  with  him.  He  was  born  in  Baldowy,  a  place 
pleasand,  fertill,  and  Weill  aired,  lyand  within  a  myll  to  the  town  of 
Montrose,  upon  the  south-west,  hard  be  the  kk -Estuarium  flummis 
^Eska?  meridionalis,"  in  the  yeir  of  Chryst's  birthc  1545,  the  first 
day  of  the  monethe  August,  begottin  of  gentill  and  honest  parents, 
Kichard  Melvill  of  Baldowy,  brother-german  of  Jhone  Melvill  of 
Dysart,  and  Gills  Abcrcrombic,  doucliter  to  Thomas  Abercrombie, 
burgess  of  Montrose,  of  the  house  of  Murthlc.  He  was  the  young- 
est of  nyne  breither,  all  left  alyve  when  thair  father  was  slean  with 
the  graittcst  part  of  the  gentilmen  of  Anguss,  in  the  vangard  of  the 
field  of  Pinkie.  His  mother  leivit2  an  honorable  weidow  till  he  was 
twall  yeir  of  age,  trancd  upe  in  letters  in  the  scoll  of  Montrose, 
under  Mr  Thomas  Andersone,  esteimed  the  best  maister  in  his 
tyme,  whowbeit  nocht  the  maist  lernit.  Sche  left  sax  of  hir  sonnes 
in  honest  roumes;3  all,  even  then  orschortlie  thairefter,  bearing  office 
in  kirk  or  comoun  weill,  and  with  the  best  estimed  in  thair  rank 
and  above.  They  war,  Richart  Melvill  of  Baldowy,  and  minister 
of  Chryst's  Evangell  sone  efter,  the  eldest:  Mr  Thomas,  a  fyne 
schollar,  weill  travelit  in  France  and  Italic,  Secretar-deput  of  Scot- 
land :  Walter,  burgess,  and  oft  bailyie  of  Montrose,  a  wyse  and 
stout  man  :  Roger,  burgess  of  Dondie,  a  man  of  singular  giftes  of 
nature  and  God's  grace,  bot  was  nocht  traned  upe  in  lettres.  I 
hard  that  fathfnll  pastor  of  Dondie,  Wilyeam  ( 'hr\  stisone,  a  lytic 
efter  his  deathc,  with  tcarcs  say,  "Alas  !  when  God  tuk  this  Roger 
Melvill,  he  tnk  from  me  my  father,  and  the  carefulesl  father  that 
ever  Dondie  haid.     His  nam  wilbe  rememberit  sa  lang  as  Dondie 

1  Then.  :  Lived  "  Respectable  situations. 


1574.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DLA.RY.  39 

is  a  town."1  Mr  James,  minister  of  Chryst's  Evangell :  J  hone, 
then  guidman  and  rewlar  of  his  mother's  effeares,  and  efter  a  mini- 
ster in  the  kirk  :  the  rest  war  Robert,  David,  and  Andro  ;  wharof 
the  first  twa  was  keipt  at  the  scholl  till  they  tyrde,  and  war  put  to 
craftis  ;  the  last  was  a  seiklie  tender  boy,  and  tuk  pleasur  in  na  thing 
sa  mikle  as  his  buik.  Sa  with  the  portion  that  was  left  him,  he 
spendit  a  yeir  or  twa  in  Montrose,  namlie,  heiring  a  France  man, 
called  Petrus  de  Marsiliers,  teache  the  Greik  grammer,  and  sum 
tliino-  of  that  language,  honestlie  conducit  to  the  sam  as  a  rare  tiling 
in  the  countrcy,  nocht  hard  of  befor,  be  that  notable  instrument  in 
the  kirk,  Jhone  Erskine  of  Done,  of  most  honourable  and  happie 
memorie  ;  wherin  he  profited  sa,  that  entering  thairefter  in  the  course 
of  Philosophic  within  the  Universitie  of  St  Androis,  all  that  wes 
teatched  of  Aristotle  he  lerned  and  studeit  it  out  of  the  Greik  text, 
quhilk  his  maisters  understud  nocht.  He  past  his  cuirse2  in  the 
New  Collage,  tenderlie  belovit  of  Mr  Jolme  Dowglass,  provost  of 
that  Collage  and  rectour  of  the  Universitie  ;  wha  wald  tak  him 
betuix  his  legges  at  the  fyre  in  wintar,  and  warm  his  hands  and 
cheiks,  and  blessing  him,  say,  "  My  sillie  fatherles  and  motherles 
chyld,  it's  ill  to  wit  what  God  may  mak  of  thie  yit !" 

Sa,  ending  his  course  of  Philosophic,  he  left  the  Universitie  of  St 
Androis  with  the  commendation  of  the  best  philosopher,  poet,  and 
Grecian,  of  anie  young  maister  in  the  land  ;  and  with  all  possible 
diligence  maid  his  preparation,  and  past  to  France.  Be  the  way  lie 
was  extreamlie  tormented  Avith  sie-seiknes  and  storme  of  wathcr,  sa 
that  oft  tymes,  whylls  be  danger  of  schipwrak,  whylls  be  infirmitie 
and  seiknes,  he  luikcd  for  deathe.  He  arryvit  first  in  England,  and 
again  imbarking  cam  to  Bnrdeaux,  wher  he  taried  nocht  lang,  bot 
embarking  from  that  cam  to  Deipe  ;  from  that  to  Paris,  whar  he  re- 
meanit  in  the  Universitie  twa  yeiris  at  his  awin  studies,  heiring  the 
lightes3  of  the  maist  scyning  age  in  all  guid  lettres,  the  king's  pub- 

1  "  I  haiff  hard  Mr  Robert  Bruce  say  oft  of  Roger,  that  giff  he  haid  haid  Mr  An- 
dro's  lerning,  he  wald  be  the  oddest  man  in  Europe."     Margin  of  MS.  •  Course. 

3  "  Salinacus,  Pascasius,  Foreatellus,  Mathematiciens  ;  Balduinus  the  lawcr,  Duretus 
Mediciner  ;  Carpantarius,  Quinquarborius,  Hebrew."     Margin  of  MS. 


40  Mi:  JAMES  MELVTLL's  DIABY.  1574. 

lict  professors,  Andreas  Tornebus  in  Greik  and  Latine  Humanitie  ; 
Petrus  Ramus  in  Philosophic  and  Eloquence  ;  Jo.  Mercerus  in  the 
Hebrew  Langage,  wherupon  he  was  specialie  sett.  In  the  last  yeir 
of  they  twa,  lie  grew  sa  expert  in  the  Greik,  that  he  declamit  and 
teatchit  lessones,  uttering  never  a  word  bot  Greik,  with  sic  rea< li- 
nes and  plcntie,  as  was  niervelus  to  the  heirars.  From  Paris  he 
past  to  Poieteors,  whar  he  regented  in  the  Collage  of  St  Marcean 
thrie  yeirs.1  Ther  he  haid  the  best  lawers,  and  studeit  sa  mikle 
thairof  as  might  serve  for  his  purpose,  quhilk  was  Theologie,  wherto 
he  Avas  dedicat  from  his  mother's  wonrbe.  And  when  the  Collages 
war  giffen  upe,  because  of  the  seage  leyed  to  the  town,  quhilk  was 
lang  and  feirfull,  he  was  employed  be  an  honourable  councellar  to 
instruct  his  onlie  sone.  The  bem  profited  exceiding  weill,  and  was 
of  a  sweit  inclination,  takin  away  from  him  and  his  parents  be  a 
schot  out  of  the  campe,  quhilk  parted  the  wall  of  his  ehalmer,  and 
wounded  him  deadlic  in  the  thie.  He  called  incontinent  for  his 
maister,  whom  wIioav  soonehesaw,  hecaucht  him  in  his  amies,  and 
uttered  the  words  of  the  Apostle  in  Greik',  8i8a<rxuke,  rbv  bgoftov  pov 
rercXqxa,  "  Maister,  I  haiff  pcrl'yted  my  course  I"  and  sa,  with  inonie 
uther  godlie  and  sweit  words,  he  died.  That  bem  gaed  never  out 
of  his  hart ;  bot  in  teatching  of  me,  he  often  rememberit  him  with 
tender  compassion  of  mynd.  He  taried  in  that  hous,  quhilk  was 
weill  fume-sit,  (hiring  the  tyme  of  the  Beadge.  Ther  was  a  corporal] 
with  a  few  suddarts  put  to  keipe  the  house,  who  espyed  him  in  his 
prayers  and  speitches  to  behalie  and  devot :  and  on-  day,  (being  a 
Papist  and  man  of  warr,)  with  a  grail  aithe  he  challengit  Mr  An- 
dro  that  he  was  a  Hugonot,  and  wald  helpe  to  betray  the  town  ; 
thairfor,  because  the  alarms  was  strikken,  he  could  nocht  trust  him 
in  that  hous.  Mr  Andrew  answers  incontinent,  "Iamals  honesl 
a  man  to  my  God,  andmagistrat,  and  estat  of  the  town,  and  maister 
of  this  familie,   as  thow   art  ;   and   sa   sail    prove   this   day — do   thy 


1  "  Ther  was  grail  emulation  and  contention  in  rerses,  and  harangs  betuix  thetwa 
Collages,  8.  Marcean  and  Pivareau;  bol  during  lii^  presence  ther,  S.  Marcean  bald 
without  question  the  upper  hand."     Margin  of  .MS.  i  One. 


1574.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  41 

best !"  And  with  that  starts  to  the  nixt  armour,  and  on  with  it ; 
and  all  in  amies  to  the  stable,  and  takes  the  best  horse  be  the  heid. 
This  when  the  corporall  saw,  he  comes  with  fellon  fear  termes,1  and 
intreats  him  to  leave  of  and  forgiff  him.  "  O  no,  no  !"  sayes  he,  "  I 
sail  prove  als  honest  and  stout  as  thy  selff."  "  O  Monsieur,"  sayes 
the  uther,  "  my  captean  and  the  maister  of  this  hous  will  rebuk  me 
and  put  me  from  it,  giff  yie  be  thus  troublet ;  thairfor  I  pray  yow 
tak  me  oblesit  to  my  uttermaist,  and  tarie  and  forgiff  me."  Sa  he 
tuk  ease  in  guid  part,  and  was  never  troublet  thairefter.  Giff  it  haid 
com  to  the  warst,  he  Avas  resolved,  being  weill  horst,  to  haiff  gottin 
him  to  the  campe  of  the  Admirall,  wha  Avas  in  persone  beseageand 
the  town. 

The  seage  of  the  town  being  rasit,  he  left  Poicteors,  and  accom- 
panied with  a  Frenche  man,  he  tuk  jorney  to  Genev,  leaving  builds 
and  all  ther,  and  caried  na  thing  with  him  hot  a  litle  Hebrew  Byble 
in  his  belt.  So  he  cam  to  Genev  all  upon  his  fut,  as  he  haid  done 
befor  from  Deipe  to  Paris,  and  from  that  to  Poicteors  ;  for  he  Avas 
small  and  light  of  body,  but  full  of  sprites,  vigourus  and  coAvragius. 
His  companiones  of  the  AA^ay,  when  they  cam  to  the  ine,2  wald  ly 
doAvn  lyk  tyred  tyks,3  bot  he  Avald  out  and  sight4  the  tOAAmes  and 
A'ilages  Avithersoever  they  cam.  The  ports  of  Genev  Aver  tentilie 
keipit,  because  of  the  troubles  of  France,  and  multitud  of  strangers 
that  cam.  Being  thairfor  inquyrit  Avhat  they  Avar,  the  Franche  man 
his  companion  ansAverit,  "  We  ar  pm'e  scollars."  Bot  Mr  Andro, 
perceaving  that  they  haid  na  avlLL  of  pure5  folks,  being  alreadie 
OAArerlaid  thainvith,  said,  "  No,  no,  Ave  are  nocht  puir  !  We  haiff 
alsmikle  as  "will  pey  for  all  we  tak,  sa  lang  as  avc  tarie.  We  haiff 
letters  from  his  acquentance  to  Monsieur  di  Beza  ;  let  us  deliver 
those,  Ave  crave  na  fordar."  And  sa,  being  convoyit  to  Beza,  and 
then  to  thair  ludging,  Beza,  perceaving  him  a  schollar,  and  they 
haiffmg  neid  of  a  Professour  of  Humanitic  in  the  Collage,  put  him 
Avithin  a  twa  or  thrie  dayes  to  tryell  in  Virgill  and  Homer ;  quhilk 
he  could  acquait  so  Aveill,  that  but  farder6  he  is  placed  in  that  roum 

1  Very  fair  or  smooth  terms.  2  Inn.  :!  Dogs,  hounds.  '  Inspect, 

examine.  •' Poor.  ,;  Without  further  ado  or  examination. 


42  &ER  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIABT.  1574. 

of  profession ;  and  at  his  first  entrie,  a  quarter's  fie  peyit  him  in 
hand.  Sa  that  whowbeit  thair  was  but  a  crown  to  the  fore '  betwix 
tham  bathe,  and  the  Frenchman  wcak-sprited,  and  wist  nocht 
what  to  do,  yit  he  fund  God's  providence  to  relieve  bathe  him  selff 
and  helpe  his  marrow2  till  he  was  provydit. 

In  Gencv  he  ahead  fyvc  years  ;  during  the  quhilk  tyme  his  cheiff 
studio  was  Divinitie,  Avheranent  he  hard  Beza  his  daylie  lessons  and 
preatchings  ;  Cornelius  Bonaventura,  Professour  of  the  Hebrew, 
Caldaik,  and  Syriac  langages  ;  Portus,  a  Greik  born,  Professour  of 
the  Greik  toung,  with  whom  he  wald  rcassone  about  the  right  pro- 
nuntiation  thairof ;  for  the  Greik  pronuncit  it  efter  the  comoun 
form,  keiping  the  accents  ;  the  quhilk  Mr  Andro  controllit  be  pre- 
cepts and  reasone,  till  the  Greik  wald  grow  angrie,  and  cry  out, 
"  Vos  Scoti,  vos  barbari !  docebitis  nos  Grrccos  pronunciationem 
lingua?  nostra;,  scilicet  ?"  He  hard  ther  also  Francis  Ottoman,  the 
renounedest  lawer  in  his  tyme.  Ther  he  was  weill  acquented  with 
my  earn,3  Mr  Hendrie  Scrymgeour,  wha,  be  his  lerning  in  the 
lawes  and  polecie  and  service  of  manie  noble  princes,  haid  atteined 
to  grait  ritches,  conquesit  a  prettie  roum  within  a  lig  to  Genev,  and 
biggit  thairon  a  trim  house  called  "  the  Vilet,"  and  a  fear  bulging 
within  the  town,  quhilks  all  with  a  douchtar,  his  onlie  born,  he  left 
to  the  Syndiquos  of  the  town. 

About  the  end  of  fyve  yeirs,  the  Bischope  of  Brechine,  and  Mr 
Andro  Pulwart  with  him,  cam  ther  ;  and  tareing  a  whyll,  purposit 
hamwart ;  with  whom  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  efter  the  receaving  of 
letters  from  his  brethering  and  me,  with  grait  difficultie  pnrchassit 
leave  of  the  kirk  and  magistrate's  of  ( reneVj  [wha  wald  on  na  waves 
haifF  contented  to  part  with  him,  giff  his  conscience  haid  suffered 
him  to  reserv  his  gifts  aide  langcr  onofFered  to  his  cowntrev,  and 
imployed  for  the  benefit  of  his  frinds.  Beza,  in  his  Letter  to  the 
Generall  Kirk  of  Scotland,  alleages,  that  as  the  graittest  taken  of 
affection  the  Kirk  of  Genev  could  sehaw  to  Scotland,  that  they 
haid  suffered  tham  selves  to  be  spoiled  of  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  wherby 

1  Remaining.  ■  Fellow,  companion.  8  His  uncle  by  the  mother's  side. 


1574.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  43 

the  Kirk  of  Scotland  might  be  inritched,1]  and  takin  jomey  cam 
hamwart.  From  Lions  they  traversit  the  Franche  Compte  to  the 
heid  of  the  river  of  Loir,  and  cam  down  the  sam  be  water  to  Or- 
leans, haiffirig  in  companie,  sevin  or  aught  dayes,  a  captean,  a  mc- 
diciner,  and  a  preist,  supcrstitius  Papists  at  thair  meitting  kythcd 
in  ther  speitche  and  meattes,  bot  be  mime  and  solid  reasoning 
withall,  becam  flech-eatters  on  Fredday,  and  the  captean  nocht  far 
from  the  kingdome  of  heavin  or2  they  parted.  The  portes  of  Or- 
leans wer  streat  keipet,  (being  bot  a  yeir  and  halff  efter  the  horrible 
massacres.)  Brechine  and  Mr  Andro  Polwart  was  on  fut,  and  Mr 
Andro  weill  mounted  on  horse,  because  he  haid  wraisted3  his  leg, 
they  past  the  twa  futmen,  and  deteining  the  horseman,  the  souldarts 4 
inquyres  what  he  was  ?  He  answerit,  u  a  Schottes  man."  "  O  !  yie 
Scottes  men  are  all  Hugonotes,"  sayes  the  gard.  "  Hugonotes  !" 
says  he  lt  what's  that  ?  we  ken  nocht  sic."  "  O,"  sayes  the  soul- 
dart,  "  yie  haiff  nocht  mess."  "  Forsuthe,"  sayes  he  mirrelie, 
"  our  berns  in  Scotland  gaes  daylie  to  mess  !"  "  Guid  companion," 
sayes  the  other,  lauching,  "  go  thy  way."  Coming  to  thair  lodg- 
ing, he  tells  his  nibours,  and  garres  them  lauche  :  u  Bot  surlie,"  say 
they,  "  we  war  verie  fleyed5  our  pasport  sould  haiff  bein  loked,6 
and  finding  us  com  from  Genev,  sould  haiff  bein  troublet."  "  Yea," 
sayes  thair  host,  "  tak  it  for  a  speciall  providence  of  God,  for  with- 
in  this  twall  monethe,  monie  thowsands  for  les  lies  lost  thair  lyves." 
Going  out  of  the  town  again  at  the  turn  of  a  rew,7  they  meit  the 
procession  ;  Breachin  and  his  paedagog  was  befor,  Mr  Andro  a  lytic 
efter.  Brechin  turns  bak  and  sayes,  "  What  sail  I  do  ?"  "  Ford- 
wart!"  quod  he  ;  and  so  he  does.  Mr" Andro  haulds  out  his  syde 
clok8  with  his  amies  als  thought  he  haid  bein  bearing  sum  thing 
under  his  oxstars,9  and  so  passes  by.  But  his  hart  bet  him  thairefter 
oft  and  sear,10  that  he  sould  haiff  sa  stoutlie  counsellit  the  utlier,  and 
usit  a  piece  of  dissimulation  him  selff.     Coming  to  Paris,  ther  they 

1  What  is  contained  within  brackets  is  inserted  on  the  margin  of  MS.  2  Ere, 

before.  3  Twisted,  sprained.  •  Soldiers  s  Afraid,  terrified.  6  Nar- 

rowly inspected.  7  Street.     Fr.  rue.  *  Long  cloak.  9  Under  his  arms. 

ln  His  heart  or  conscience  smote  him  afterwards  frequently  and  severely. 


44  bib  james  melttll's  diary.  1574. 

remeaned  dyvers  dayes  ;  whar  Mr  Andro,  meitting  with  the  Lord 
Ogilbie,  Ins  countreyman,  is  requeisted  be  him  to  go  to  the  Jesuits' 
Collage,  whar  he  reasonit  with  Father  Tyrie  sindrie  dayes  ;  bot 
the  tynie  being  sa  dangeras,  and  of  sum  minassing  speitches  of  the 
Bischope  of  Glasgw,  he  was  counsellit  to  hast  af  the  town.1  Sa 
they  cam  from  Deipe  ower  to  Ry  in  Eingland,  from  thence  to  Lon- 
done,  whar  they  remanit  a  space ;  and  bying  horsses,  cam  hame 
Loudon-way,  be  Berwik,  to  Edinbruche.  And  this  for  a  schort  re- 
citall  of  his  lyff  till  his  coming  ham. 

As  to  that  he  brought  ham  with  him  :  It  was  that  plentifull  and 
inexhaust  theassour  of  all  guid  letters  and  lerning,  bathe  of  humen 
and  devyne  things  ;  and  that  quhilk  superexcelles,  ane  profnnd 
knawlege,  upright  sinceritie,  and  fervent  zeall  in  trew  relligion,  and 
to  put  the  sam  in  use  for  the  profit  of  his  Kirk  and  countrey  ;  ane 
unwearied  peanfulnes  and  insatiable  pleasour  to  giff  out  and  bestow 
the  sam  without  anie  rccompence  or  gean.  Yen,  rather  sa  far  as 
his  small  moyen  might  reak,2  conduceing  and  inviting  all  guid  in- 
gynes  to  receave  and  imbrace  the  saining.  Wherby  within  these 
sax  and  twentie  yeirs  he  lies  inritched  his  nation  with  incorruptible 
substance,  mor  without  all  compear  nor  in  anie  age  sen  it  was  a 
kingdoine,  [or  manie  nations  in  the  warld  this  day,  gift"  ther  war 
honour  and  mentinance  for  lerning,3]  quhilk  the  deduction  of  this 

1  "  At  Witsonday  he  cam  out  of  Paris,  the  quhilk  day  King  Charles,  that  maid 
that  horrible  massacre,  died  of  an  issew  of  blod,  bursting  out  at  all  the  conduits  of 
his  body  ;  wharon,  in  London,  he  maid  that  Epigram  : 

Naribus,  ore,  oculis  atque  auribus  undique  et  ano, 
Et  pene  erumpit  qui  tibi,  Carle,  cruor, 
Non  tuus  istc  cruor  :  Sanctorum  at  cede  cruorem, 
Quern  ferus  hausisti,  concoquere  baud  poteras  ! 

At  nease,  at  mouthe,  at  ein,  at  ears,  at  -wand, 

That  blud,  that  bursts  From  all  tbv  conduits  weast, 

Is  nocht  thyne,  Charts,  bot  of  that  holie  band, 

Quhilk  thow  did  drink,  but  could  nocht  weill  digeasl  !"    Margin  of  MS. 

-'    As  far  as  his  small  means  might  stretch,  ;  This  i--  added  on  the  margin. 


1574.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  45 

storie  will  verifie  and  cleir  at  large.  The  nixt  simmer  cam  ham  his 
librarie,  ritche  and  rare,  of  the  best  authors,  in  all  langages,  artes 
and  sciences  ;  cleirlie  declaring,  be  his  instruments,  what  a  craftes- 
man  he  was. 

He  was  nocht  weill  come  to  Edinbruche,  when  word  was  of  him 
at  Court,  and  the  Regent  Erie  of  Morton  called  unto  him  Mr 
George  Buchanan,  Mr  James  Halibourton,  coronall,  and  Alexander 
Hay,  soone  efter  Clark  Register,  and  directes  tham  to  dell  with  Mr 
Andro  to  content  to  be  my  Lord  Regent's  grace  domestic  instruct- 
our,  and  to  giff  a  few  notes  upon  his  chaptour  read  daylie,  and  he 
sould  be  honorablie  advanced  at  the  first  occasion.  The  Regent's 
meining  was  to  haiff  him  and  his  giftes  framed  for  his  purpose,  to 
restrean  the  fridome  of  application  in  preatching,  and  authoritie 
of  the  General!  Assemblies,  and  bring  in  a  conformitie  with  Eing- 
land  in  governing  of  the  Kirk  be  Bischopes  and  injunctiones  ; 
without  the  quhilk,  he  thought,  nather  the  kingdome  could  be  gydet 
to  his  fantasie,  nor  stand  in  guid  aggriement  and  lyking  with  the 
nibour  land.  For  this  form  of  polecie  he  usit  to  mak  schose  of  the 
men  of  best  giftes,  and  first  try  tham  at  Court  giff  they  wald  be 
conformable  and  serve  his  purpose,  and  syne1  prefer  thame  to 
bischopries  and  government  of  the  Kirk,  as  he  did  with  twa  thair- 
efter ;  and  haid  proceidit  fordar,  giff  God  haid  nocht  disapointed 
him.  Mr  Andro,  whowbeit  nocht  weill  acquented  with  thir  pur- 
poses then,  yit  lyked  nocht  to  be  in  Court,  bot  rather  to  be  in  sum 
Universitie,  and  profess  thair  as  the  King's  Lectors  in  Parise  ;  and 
sa,  as  God  directed  him,  refusit,  and  cravit  his  grace's  favour  to 
repose  a  whyll  with  his  frinds,  till  God  callit  him  to  sic  a  roum 
quhilk  he  thought  meittest. 

Sa  he  cam  to  Baldowy  to  his  brother,  my  father,  whar  he  re- 
meaned  that  hervest  quarter,  and  whar,  within  a  few  dayes  efter 
his  coming,  I  was  resigned  ower  be  my  father  hailelie  unto  him  to 
veak 2  upon  him  as  his  sone  and  servant ;  and,  as  my  father  said  to  him, 
to  be  a  pladge  of  his  love.  And  surlie  his  service  was  easie,  nocht  to 

1  Then,  afterwards.  2  To  vaik,  or  await  on  his  leisure.      Lat.  vacare. 


4G  MR  JAMES  MKLVILLS  DIABY.  1574. 

me  onlie,  bot  even  to  the  fremdest  man l  that  ever  served  him  ;  for 
he  schosed  for  his  servantes  onlie  schollars,  and  gifF  they  haid  done 
anie  guid  at  thair  hook,  he  eared  nocht  what  they  did  to  liim. 
That  quarter  of  yeir  I  thought  I  gat  graitter  light  in  letters  nor  all 
my  tyme  befor  ;  whowbeit  at  our  meitting,  in  my  conceat  I  thought 
I  could  haiff  taked  to  him  in  things  I  haid  hard,  as  he  did  to  me  as 
a  Maister  of  Arts  ;  bot  I  perceavit  at  aimes  that  I  was  bot  an  igno- 
rant bable,  and  wist  nocht  what  I  said,  nather  could  schaw  anie 
use  thairof,bot  in  clattering  and  crying.  He  land  me  bauche 2  in  the 
Latin  toung,  a  pratler  upon  precepts  in  Logik  without  anie  profit 
for  the  right  use,  and  haiffing  sum  termes  of  Art  in  Philosophic 
without  light  of  solid  knawlage  ;  yit  of  ingyne  and  capacitie  guid 
aneuche,  wherby  I  haid  cunned3  my  dictata,  and  haid  them  readie 
aneuche.  He  enterit  thairfor  and  conferrit  with  me  siun  of  Bow- 
chanan's  Psalmes,  of  Virgill  and  Horace  ;  quhilk  twa,  namlie  Vir- 
gin, Avas  his  cheiff  refreschment  efter  his  grave  studies  ;  wherin  he 
hit  me  sie,  nocht  onhe  the  proper  Latin  langage  and  ornaments  of 
poesie,  bot  also  mair  guid  Logik  and  Philosophic  then  ever  I  haid 
hard  befor.  I  had  tean '  delyt  at  the  Grammer  Scheie  to  heir  reid 
and  sung  the  verses  of  Virgill,  taken  with  the  numbers  thairof, 
(whowbeit  I  knew  nocht  what  numbers  was  till  he  taukl  me,)  and 
haid  mikle  of  him  par  ceur  ;  bot  I  understud  never  a  lyne  of  him  till 
then.  He  read  a  Comedie  of  Tyrence  with  me,  schawing  me  that 
thcr  was  bathe  fyne  Latin  langage  and  wit  to  be  lcrnit :  That  of 
laix'-ao-e  I  thought  weill,  bot  for  wit  I  merveled,  and  haid  nocht 
knawin  befor.  He  put  in  my  hand  the  Comentares  of  Caesar,  co- 
mending  him  for  the  simple  puritie  of  the  Latin  toung;  also  Sa- 
lust,  and  read  with  me  the  Conjuration  of  Catelin.  He  haid  gottin 
in  Paris,  at  his  by-coming,  Bodin  his  Method  of  Historic,  quhilk  he 
read  owerhimselffthryse  or  four  tymes  that  quartes,  amies  with 
me,  and  the  rest  whilll  was  occupied  in  the  (iivik  grammer,  quhilk 
he  put  in  hand,  of  Clenard  ;  causing  me  understand  the  precepts  on- 
lie, and  lear  the  cagafo/y^ocra  exactlie;  the  practise  wharof  he  sehew 

i  To  the  greatest  rtsaager.      '  Defioieat,  inexpart.      !  Conned,  leaned.     '  Taken. 


1574.  M  It  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  47 

me  in  my  buik,  going  throw  with  me  that  Epistle  of  Basilius,  and 
cawsing  me  lem  it  be  hart,  bathe  for  the  langage  and  the  mater. 
Thairefter  to  the  New  Testament,  and  ged  throw  sum  chapters  of 
Mathew,  and  certean  confortable  places  of  the  Epistles,  namlie  the 
Romans.  And  last,  entering  to  the  Hebrew,  I  gat  the  reiding  de- 
clamations and  pronons,  and  sum  also  of  the  conjugations  out  of 
Martinius'  Grammer,  quliilk  he  haid  with  him,  and  schew  me  the 
use  of  the  Dictionair  also,  quhilk  he  haid  of  Reuclius  with  him. 
And  all  this,  as  it  war,  bot  pleying  and  craking ;  sa  that  I  lernit 
mikle  mair  by  heiring  of  him  in  daylie  conversation,  bathe  that 
quarter  and  thairefter,  nor  ever  I  lernit  of  anie  buik ;  whowbeit  he 
set  me  ever  to  the  best  authors. 

The  Generall  Assemblie  was  haldin  in  the  monethe  of  August, 
soone  efter  his  ham-coming,  whar  ther  Avas  grait  word  of  him, 
arysing  be  the  commendation  of  the  Bischope  of  Brechine,  and  Mr 
Andro  Pulwart.  Sa  commissionars  from  dy  verse  partes  of  the  cown- 
trey  maid  sutt  to  the  Assemblie  for  him  ;  namlie,  they  of  Fyff  wald 
hauT  haid  him  to  St  Androis,  in  the  roum  of  Mr  Jhone  Dowglass, 
newlie  departed  this  lyff ;  and  thair,  indeid,  Avas  he  marked  be  the 
Regent  to  haiff  bein  maid  Bischope  of  St  Androis,  giff  he  haid  bein 
capable  of  Court  bischopriks.  Bot  the  maist  ernest  instance  of  Mr 
James  Boid,  latlie  maid  Bischope  of  Glasgw,  and  Mr  Andro  Hay, 
Superintendent  of  thaise  partes,  obteined  of  the  Assemblie  and  sum 
of  his  frinds  ther  present,  that  he  sould  come  and  visit  Glasgw,  and 
sie  the  beginning  of  a  Collage  ther,  and  heir  Avhat  conditiones  sould 
be  offered  to  him,  that  giff  he  lyked  he  soidd  condisend  till  abyde 
vnth  tham.  This  Mr  James  Boid  Avas  a  gentle  man  of  the  Lord 
Boid's  kin,  a  guid  man,  and  lover  of  lerning  and  lcrnd  men,  inducit 
be  Ins  Cheiff  to  tak  the  bischoprie,  the  gift  Avharof  the  said  Lord 
Boid,  being  a  grait  counsallour  to  the  Regent,  haid  purchassit  for  his 
commoditie ;  bot  Avithin  a  yeir  or  twa,  when  he  land  nocht  his  Bis- 
chope plyable  to  his  purpose,  he  caust  his  sone,  the  Maister  of  Boid, 
tak  the  Castell,  and  intromeat  with  all  thairin,  keipe  it,  and  gather 
upe  the  rents  of  the  bischoprik  to  intertein  the  saming ;  and  this 


48  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'8  DIABY.  L574. 

was  done  impune,  nochtwithstanding  the  Regent's  streat  justice,  lo- 
calise the  Tulchain1  causit  nocht  the  kow  giff  milk  anenehe  to  my 
Lord.  Sa  that  I  haiff'  liard  the  honest  gentle  man  rew  whow  sear 
that  ever  he  tuk  on  that  bischoprie,  efter  he  haid  understand  be  Mr 
Andro  of  the  unlawfnlnes  thairof,  and  fand  sic  a  curse  upon  it. 
That  uther,  Mr  Andro  Hay,  was  an  honest,  zealus,  frank-harted 
gentleman,  Persone  of  Renthrow,  and  Rector  of  the  Universitie  of 
Glasgw,  wha  lyked  never  those  bischopries,  and  wha  specialie  was 
the  ernest  suttar  for  Mr  Andro  Melvill.  Sa,  upon  thair  lettres,  he 
tnk  jorney,  accompanied  with  twa  of  his  breither,  Mr  James  and 
Roger,  and  Mr  James  Balfour,  then  minister  at  Edinbruche,  his 
cowsing  german,  and  cam  nnto  Glasgw  ;  whar  he  contented,  at  the 
end  of  vacance,  to  enter  and  teatche  in  the  Collage  as  principall 
maister  ;  and  thus  aggreing,  he  returned  ham  again  to  Baldowy.  At 
the  tyme  apointed,  about  the  end  of  October,  we  tuk  jorney,  ac- 
companied with  his  brother  Jhone,  and  cam  to  Dondie,  from  that 
to  St  Johns  Town,2  the  first  tyme  I  saw  it ;  from  that  to  Stirling, 
whar  avc  remaned  twa  dayes,  and  saw  the  King,  the  sweitest  sight 
in  Europe  that  day,  for  strange  and  extraordinar  gifts  of  ingyne, 
judgment,  memorie,  and  langage.  I  hard  him  discours,  walking  upe 
and  doun  in  the  auld  Lady  Mart's  hand,  of  knawlage  and  ignorance, 
to  my  grait  merveU  and  estonishment.  Ther  Mr  Andro  conferrit 
at  lynthe  with  Mr  George  Bowchanan,  then  entering  to  wrait  the 
storie  of  his  count  rev  ;  also  with  Mr  Piter  Young  and  Sanders  his 
brother  ;  Mr  [Gilbert  Moncreif,  the  King's  Medicinar,3]  whome  with 
he  haid  bein  weill  acquented  in  Genev  ;  also  with  Mr  Thomas 
Bowchanan,  then  schohnaister,  the  wha  accompanied  us,  of  his 
kyndnes,  to  Glasgw. 

We  cam  to  Glasgw  about  the  first  of  November  L574,  whare  we 
fand  Mr  Piter  Blakburn,  a  guid  man,  new  com  from  St  Androis,  enterif 
in  the  Collage,  and  begoun  to  teatche  conform  to  the  ordour  of  the 
course  of  St  Androis.     But  Mr  Andro.  entering  principal]  maister, 

1  Spc  p.  31,  where  this  is  explained.       ■  Perth.       3  Added  on  tho  margin  of  MS. 


1574.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  49 

all  was  committed  and  submitted  to  him ;  wha  permitted,  willing- 
lie,  to  the  said  Mr  Piter  the  cair  of  the  Collage  leiving,  quhilk 
was  but  verie  small,  consisting  in  litle  annualles  then ;  and  sett 
him  haillelie *  to  teatche  things  nocht  hard  in  this  countrey  of 
befor,  wherin  he  travelit  exceiding  diligentlie,  as  his  delyt  was 
thairin  alleanerlie.  Sa  falling  to  wark  with  a  few  number  of  capa- 
ble heirars,  sic  as  might  be  instructars  of  uthers  thairefter,  he 
teatched  tham  the  Greik  grammer,  the  Dialectic  of  Ramus,  the 
Rhetoric  of  Taleus,  with  the  practise  thairof  in  Greik  and  Latin 
authors,  namlie,  Homer,  Hesiod,  Phocilides,  Theognides,  Pytha- 
goras, Isocrates,  Pindarus,  Virgill,  Horace,  Theocritus,  &c.  From 
that  he  enterit  to  the  Mathematiks,  and  teatched  the  Elements  of 
Euclid,  the  Arithmetic  and  Geometrie  of  Ramus,  the  Geographic 
of  Dyonisius,  the  Tables  of  Hunter,  the  Astrologie  of  Aratus.  From 
that  to  the  Morall  Pliilosophie  ;  he  teatched  the  Ethiks  of  Aristotle, 
the  Offices  of  Cicero,  Aristotle  de  Virtutibus,  Cicero's  Paradoxes, 
and  Tusculanes,  Aristot.  Polyb.  and  certean  of  Platoes  Dialoges. 
From  that  to  the  Naturall  Philosophic  ;  he  teatched  the  buiks  of 
the  Physics,  De  Ortu,  De  Ccelo,  &c,  also  of  Plato  and  Fernelius. 
With  this  he  joyned  the  Historic,  with  the  twa  lights  thairof, 
Chronologie  and  Chirographic,  out  of  Sleidan,  Menarthes,  and  Me- 
lancthon.  And  all  this,  by  and  attoure 2  his  awin  ordinal*  profes- 
sion, the  holie  tonges  and  Theologie ;  he  teachit  the  Hebrew  gram- 
mar, first  schortlie,  and  syne 3  mor  accuratlie  ;  thairefter  the  Caldaic 
and  Syriac  dialects,  with  the  practise  thairof  in  the  Psalmes  and 
wai'ks  of  Solomon,  David,  Ezra,  and  Epistle  to  the  Galates.  He 
past  throw  the  haill  comoun  places  of  Theologie  verie  cxactlie  and 
accuratlie  ;  also  throAv  all  the  Auld  and  New  Testament.  And  all 
this  in  the  space  of  sax  yeirs  ;  during  the  quhilk  he  teatchit  everic 
day,  customablie,  twyse,  Sabothe  and  uther  day  ;  with  an  ordinar 
conference  with  sic  as  war  present  efter  denner  and  supper.  His 
lerning  and  peanfulnes  was  mikle  admired,  sa  that  tlic  nam  of  that 
Collage  within  twa  yeirs  was  noble  throwout  all  the  land,  and  in 

1    Wholly,  exclusively.  ■   Ovei  and  above.  3   Then,  afterwards. 

D 


50  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  l.'">74. 

uther  countreys  also.  Sic  as  haid  passed  ther  course  in  St  Androia 
cam  in  number  ther,  and  entered  schollars  again  under  ordour  and 
discipline,  sa  that  the  Collage  was  sa  frequent1  as  the  roumes  war 
nocht  able  to  receave  tham.  The  scolmaistcr  of  the  town,  Mr  Patrik 
Scharpe,  was  his  ordinar  heirar  and  contubernall,2  whome  he  in- 
structed, and  directed  in  the  maist  commodius  bringing  upe  of  the 
youthe  in  grammer  and  guid  authors  ;  whom  I  hard  oftentymes 
profes  that  he  lenied  mair  of  Mr  Andro  Melvill  craking  and  pley- 
ing,  for  understanding  of  the  authors  quhilk  he  teatched  in  the 
scholl,  nor  be  all  his  comentares.  Sic  lyk  Mr  Piter  Blackburn, 
wha  tuk  upe  the  first  clas.  Finalie,  I  dar  say  ther  was  na  place  in 
Europe  comparable  to  Glasgw  for  guid  letters,  during  these  yeirs, 
for  a  plentiful!  and  guid  chepe  mercat  of  all  kynd  of  langages,  artes, 
and  sciences. 

In  the  simmer  of  the  first  of  these  sax  yeirs,  about  the  18  yeir  of 
my  age  compleit,  God  opened  my  mouthe  first  in  publict  upon  the 
excrceis,  with  sic  comendation  out  of  the  mouthe  of  Mr  Andro 
Hay,  Rector  and  Superintendent,  namlie,  even  ther  in  publict  in  his 
addition,  as  I  was  wounderfullie  incouragit  to  go  fordwart.  In  the 
middes  of  that  ouk,3  I  dreamed  that  I  haid  maid  the  excrceis  in 
Montros,  and  being  demissed  from  the  breithring  with  comfortable 
commendation,  I  cam  ower  to  Baldowy  to  my  fetter,  and  entering 
in  the  place  ther  was  nan  that  knew  me  :  I  past  upe  to  the  hall, 
and  enterit  in  the  chahuer  at  the  end  thairof,  whar  I  met  with  my 
father,  and  tauld  him  whow  I  haid  bein  occupied,  wha  tuk  me  in 
his  amies,  and  kissing  me,  said  in  my  car,  "  Jamie,  serve  God,  for 
thow  art  behauldin  to  him  !"  and  with  that  he  goes  and  sitting 
down  on  a  bedsyde,  he  kcaves  bak  ower,1  s.i  that  his  feit  stak  out 
stiff  and  dead.  With  that  I  walkned5  with  grait  feir  and  commo- 
tion, quhilk  abaid  with  me  the  space  of  an  houre.  But  theburding 
of  the  exerceise  lyand  upon  me,  maid  me  to  forget  it,  till  going  to 
''    ■  Rector,  Mr  Andro  Hay,  his  bulging,  to  dclyver  cevtean  huiks  I 


1   Crowded,  well  attended  2  Comerade,  companion.     Lot.  contuberxalis, 

'  In  the  middle  of  thai  week.  (   Fell  over  backwards.  Vwoke. 


1574.  AIK  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAHY.  51 

haid  borrowit,  and  at  the  first  sight  he  takes  me  in  his  armes,  and 
thrusting  and  kissing  me,  he  sayes,  "  My  hart,  serve  God,  for  thow 
art  behauldin  to  him  !"  Ther  is  my  dream  !  thought  I,  and  taidd  it 
to  my  companion  going  to  the  Collage  againe.  Bot  within  twa 
dayes,  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  returning  from  Edinbruche,  whar  he 
haid  bein  taking  ordour  with  his  buiks  new  com  hame  ;  by  his 
countenance  first,  and  after  a  swcit  and  confortable  delling  Avith  me, 
thairefter  tauld  me  that  his  brother,  my  father,  was  deperted  this 
lyff,  and  efter  inquisition,  fund  it  was  the  sam  verie  night  I  haid 
dreamed.  Sa  it  pleased  God  to  mak  me  warning,  and  fumeise  me 
confort  against  the  heaviest  newes  that  ever  I  haid  hard  befor  in  all 
my  lyff ;  for  as  I  haiff  schawen  befor,  he  was  a  rare  man,  and  a  maist 
loving  father  to  me ;  at  the  closing  of  whase  mouthe,  God  thus 
opened  myne. 

Be  occasion  of  the  recounting  of  this  dream  to  my  uncle,  Mr 
Andro,  he  rememberit  me  of  an  uther  I  haid  dreamed,  and  taidd 
him  the  ouk  befor  his  going  to  Edinbruche,  that  my  brother  David 
Avas  hangit,  with  certean  circumstances,  quhilk  troublit  me.  The 
quhilk,  at  the  Aerie  instant  I  taidd  him,  he  interpreted  of  my 
brother's  mariage,  whilk  Avald  nocht  be  to  his  Aveill  and  confort ; 
knawing  na  tiling  of  that  mater,  till  with  the  neAves  of  my  father's 
dethe  he  Avas  informit  that  he  haid  maried  his  sone  David  in  a  sum- 
mar1  and  hastie  maner  a  feAv  dayes  befor  his  departour  ;  quhilk  was 
almaist  a  Avrak  to  him  and  his  hous,  as  heirefter  Ave  sail  declare. 

Nocht  lang  efter  Mr  Andro  receavit  letters  from  Monsieur  du 
Bez,  and  therin  amangs  the  rest,  "  Colaceus  vester,  exemplar  omnium 
viiiiitum,  nuper  apud  ?ios  vita  functus  est."  This  was  my  guid  regent, 
Avha,  efter  the  ending  of  our  course,  haid  gean2  to  France,  and  coming 
to  Genev,  ther  died  ;  a  grait  los  to  the  Kirk  of  God  in  his  countrey, 
for  he  Avas  solidlie  lernit,  hailelie  addicted  to  divinitie,  with  a  sin- 
cear  and  zealus  hart.  Ther  Avas  never  twa  thinges  befor  that,  quhilk 
ofter  and  mail*  heavilie  I  regreated  in  my  mynd,  nor  the  deing3  of 
these  my  fathers,  befor  I  haid  testified  my  thankfull  hart  to  tham, 

1  Summary.  "•   Gone.  3  Thau  the  death. 


.~>2  MB  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIAUV.  1574. 

el'ter  the  atteining  to  sum  light  of  letters  and  knawlage  of  God  ; 
quhilk,  when  I  was  even  then  about  to  do  be  sum  litle  essay  in  the 
thrie  langages,  I  was  be  the  newes  of  thair  deathe  cutt  aff. 

That  yeir  also,  in  the  monethe  of  Merche,  I  haid  the  benefeit  to 
be  present  with  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  at  the  Generall  Assemblie 
haldin  in  Edinbruche.  At  the  quhilk  the  question  being  movit 
about  the  Jurisdiction  and  Polecie  of  the  Kirk,  Mr  Andro  Melvill, 
withe  certean  uther  breithring,  Avar  ordeanit  to  tak  peanes  thair- 
anent,  and  gifF  in  ther  judgment  to  the  nixt  Assembhe.  And  in 
deid  that  mater  cost  him  excciding  grait  peans,  bathe  in  mynd, 
body,  and  gear,1  during  the  space  of  fyve  or  sax  yeir,  with  the  gean 
of  the  Regent,  Erl  of  Morton,  and  his  Bischope's  utter  indignation. 
Yit,  with  the  wounderfull  assistance  of  God,  he  bure  it  out  till  the 
abolishing  of  Bischopes,  and  establissing  of  the  Presbyteries  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God  ;  wharby  he  gatt  the  nam  of  evigxoTofiaffTi^ 
Episcoporum  exactor,  the  flinger  out  of  Bischopes.  Ther  I  hard  first, 
in  Edinbruche,  Mr  James  LaAvson,  a  godlie  lernit  man,  of  a  woun- 
derfull moving  utterance  in  doctrine  ;  whom  I  delyted  mikle  to  heir, 
and  AArhom  I  never  hard  bot  Avithe  teares  bathe  of  remors  and  joy. 
As  also  Jhone  Durie,  newlie  transported  from  Leith  to  Edinbruche, 
a  man  zealus  and  mightie  in  spreit,  with  Mr  Walter  Balcanquall, 
anc  honest,  upright-harted  young  man,  latlie  enterit  to  that  mini- 
sterie  of  Edinbruche.  Thir,  informed  mair  throAvlie  be  Mr  Andro 
of  the  unlaAvfnlnes  of  Bischopes,  and  the  right  maner  of  governing 
of  the  Kirk  be  Presbyteries,  dealt  diligentlie  and  forciblie  in  ther 
doctrine  against  that  ane  ;  and  for  that  uther  wakned  upe  the  spreits 
of  all  guid  brethring,  and  crabet2  the  Court  stranglie.  Bot  surlie 
ther  ministerie  and  exemple  of  lyff  movit  me,  and  tnk  sic  hauld 
upon  my  hart,  that  I  went  never  to  na  place  with  better  will  nor  to 
Edinbruche,  and  tyred  never  les  in  anie  place  nor  in  thair companie.' 

1  "  Keiping  Assemblies  and  dycttes  of  conference,  reasoning  and  advysing  with 
brethring  anent  that  wark."     Margin  of  MS.  2  Vexed,  pat  out  of  temper. 

3  "  The  tym  was  veric  favorable,  for  God  haid  glorefied  his  nam  wounderfullie  of 
leat,  in  performing  strange  things  forspoken  be  Mr  Knox  against  the  Castell  of  Edin- 
bruche."     Margin  of  MS. 


1575.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  53 

M.D.LXXV. 

Being  at  the  Assemblie  thairefter  in  August,  at  Edinbruche,  1575, 
the  question  was  proponed,  "  Giff  Bischopes,  as  they  war  at  that 
tyme  in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  haid  a  lawfull  calling  or  office  by  the 
word  of  God  ?"  Efter  advyse  of  certean  breithring  thairupon,  and 
reasoning  in  publict,  it  was  resolvit  negative  ;  and  that  the  nam 
"  Bischope"  was  comoun  to  everie  Pastor,  and  ordeanit  that  breither 
sould  inquyre  fordar,  bathe  in  that  and  uther  poinctes  of  the  Dis- 
cipline and  Polecie  of  the  Kirk. 

Efter  the  Assemblie  we  past  to  Anguss  in  companie  with  Mr 
Alexander  Arbuthnot,  a  man  of  singular  gifts  of  lerning,  wisdome, 
godlines,  and  sweitnes  of  nature,  then  Principall  of  the  Collage  of 
Aberdein  ;  whom  withe  Mr  Andro  communicat  anent  the  haill 
ordour  of  his  Collage  in  doctrine  and  disciphne  ;  and  aggreit,  as 
thairefter  was  set  down,  in  the  new  reformation  of  the  said  Collages 
of  Glasgw  and  Aberdein.  In  Angus  we  maried  my  youngest  sistar 
Barbara  upon  Mr  James  Balfour,  then  minister  at  Guthrie  ;  and 
buried  guicl  auld  Thomas  Melvill  of  Dysart,  the  niirrie  man  ;  and 
sa,  efter  vacans,  returned  to  Glasgw. 

About  Michaelmas,  in  the  yeir  1575,  in  the  19  yeir  of  my  age,  I 
enterit  Regent,  and  tuk  upe  the  class,  and  teatched  the  Greek  gram- 
mer,  Isocrates  Paranesis  ad  Demonicum,  the  first  buk  of  Homer's 
Iliads,  Phocylides,  Hesiod's  i^ya  %at  r^i^cu,  the  Dialectic  of  Ramus, 
the  Rhetorik  of  Taleus,  Avith  the  practise  in  Cicero's  Catilinars  and 
Paradoxes,  &c. 

Ther  was  then  resident  in  Glasgw  Mr  Patrik  Adamsone,  aHas 
Constant,  minister  of  Pasley,  a  man  of  notable  ingync,  letters,  and 
eloquence,  wha  was  Mr  Androes  grait  frind  and  companion  ;  and, 
efter  he  haid  craftelie  insinuat  him  selff  in  Mr  Androes  favour,  and  the 
ministerie  of  Edinbruche,  he  began  to  step  on  fordwart  to  the  first 
degrie  of  a  Bischope  ;  and,  leaving  Pasley,  past  to  Court,  and  be- 
cam  minister  to  the  Regent,  Erie  of  Mortoun.  About  the  quhilk 
tyme  the  personage  of  GifFen  vaked,  a  guid  benefice,  lyand  hard 
besyde  the  town  of  Glasgw,  peying  four  and  twentie  chalder  of 
victual!.     This  benefice  is  offered  to  Mr  Andro,  provyding  he  wald 


54  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  L576. 

be  the  Regent's  man,  and  leave  aff  the  persut  of  the  Bischopes. 

Quhilk  he  refusit,  hot  delt  emestlie  with  the  Regent  him  selff,  and 
be  all  moyen,  namlie,  of  the  said  Mr  Patrik,  to  haiff  it  annexit  to 
the  Collage,  the  rent  wharof  was  verie  small,  nocht  able  to  sustein 
twa  maisters,  without  anie  bursares.  The  Regent  keipit  the  benefice 
in  his  hand  nndisponit  mikle  of  twayeir  ; '  alleaging,  that  Mr  Andro 
haid  the  wait,2  wha  wald  defraud  that  Collage,  and  him  selff  bathe, 
of  sic  a  benefit,  because  of  his  new  opiniones,  and  owersie3  dreames, 
anent  the  Kirk  Discipline  and  Polecie.  Yit,  at  last,  the  Regent, 
seing  he  could  nocht  be  broken  be  bost,4  be  advyse  of  the  said  Mr 
Patrik,  he  essayes  to  move  him  be  benefit,  and  makes  a  new  erec- 
tion and  reformation  of  the  Collage  of  Glasgw,  annexing  and  rnor- 
tefeing  thairunto  the  said  benefice  of  Giffen ;  quhilk  was  the  best 
turn5  that  ever  Iknewather  the  Regent  or  Mr  Patrik  to  do.  Bot 
the  speciall  drift  was  to  demearit  Mr  Andro,  and  cause  him  relent 
from  dealing  against  Bischopes  ;  bot  God  keipit  his  awin  servant 
in  uprightnes  and  treuthe,  in  the  middes  of  manie  heavie  tentationes, 
(whilas  his  coleg,  Mr  Piter,  and  uthers,  nocht  onlie  surmeisit,  bot 
spak  out,  that  he  Avas  a  grait  hinder  of  a  guid  wark,)  and  by  his 
blessing  eff'ectuat  the  turn  be  crewked  instruments. 

M.D.LXXVL 

The  second  yeir  of  my  regenting,  I  teatehit  the  elements  of 
Arithmetic  and  Geometrie  out  [of]  Psellus  for  schortness  ;  the  Offi- 
ces of  Cicero  ;  Aristotle's  Logic,  in  Greik,  and  Ethic,  (and  was  the 
first  regent  that  ever  did  that  in  .Scotland  ;)  also  Platoe's  Phaedon 
and  Axiochus  ;  and  that  profession  of  the  Mathcmatiks,  Logic,  and 
Moral!  Philosophic,  I  keipit  (as  everie  anc  of  the  regents  keipit 
their  awin,  the  schollars  ay  ascending  and  passing  throw)  sa  lang 
as  I  regented  ther,  even  till  I  was,  with  Mr  Andro,  transported  to 
St  Androis. 
Thai  yeir,  in  Apryll,  the  General]  AssembHe,  convenit  at  Edin- 


1  Undisposed  of  for  (Ik-  greatest  part  of  two  yi  -  Wyte,  bl 

3  Litcrallv  "over  sea,"  i.e.  far-fetched,  '  Threatening.  Good  office. 


157 G.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  55 

bruche,  resolved,  concerning  Bischopes,'  the  nam  and  office  to  be 
comoun  to  all  the  Pastors  of  the  Kirk  ;  out  of  the  quhilk  might  be 
schosin  commissionars  for  visitation,  planting,  &c.  Item,  All  Bis- 
chopes  war  ordeanit  to  tak  them  selves  to  a  particular  flok.  Item, 
Contribution  ordeanit  to  be  maid  for  releiff  of  the  exylit  Frenche 
kirks.  Item,  Nominat  for  making  overture  of  the  Polecie  and  Juris- 
diction of  the  Kirk :  for  the  West  countrey,  James  Bischope  of 
Glasgw,  Mr  Andro  Melvin,  Mr  Andro  Hay,  Mr  James  Grig,  Mr 
David  Cimingham  ;  for  Lawdien,  Mr  Robert  Pont,  Mr  James 
Lawsone,  Mr  David  Lindsay,  and,  adjoynit  to  tham,  Mr  Clement 
Lytic,  and  Mr  Alexander  Sim,  lawers  ;  for  Fyff,  Mr  Jhone  Wind- 
rame,  Superintendent,  with  the  principall  maisters  of  the  Universi- 
tie  ;  for  Mems  and  Anguss,  the  Laird  of  Din,  Wilyeam  Chrysti- 
sone,  Mr  Jhone  Row,  Mr  Wilyeam  Rind,  Jhone  Duncansone  ;  for 
Aberdein,  Mr  Jhone  Crag,  and  Mr  Alexander  Arbuthnot  ;  the 
places  ordeanit  whar  they  sould  meit,  and  thair  diligence  to  be  gif- 
fen  in  to  the  nixt  Assembhe,  to  be  haldin  at  Edinbruchc  in  October. 

In  this  mean  tyme,  the  Chancellar,  Lord  Glamms,  being  a  guid, 
lenied  nobleman,  wryttes  to  Geneva  to  Theodor  Bez,  craving  his 
judgment  in  the  questiones  moved  at  our  Generall  Assemblies ;  and, 
be  that  occasion,  we  gett  ham  Bezae's  Treatiss,  De  Triplici  Episco- 
patu,  quhilk  did  mikle  guid. 

All  the  tyme  I  could  get,  by  my  ordinar  calling,  I  employed  to 
the  studio  of  the  Hebrew  toung  and  theologie.  I  read  Bezae's  Con- 
fession, giffen  me  be  my  uncle,  diligentlie,  and  hard  his  lessons  ac- 
cording to  Calvin's  Institutiones  ;  and,  being  myndful  of  my  vow 
and  finding  God  to  ha  iff  blessed  the  first  and  second  openino-  of  my 
mouthe  in  publict  on  the  exerceise,  I  thought  guid  to  continoAv. 
The  ordour  of  the  Collage  was,  that  everie  regent,  his  ouk  about,1 
convoyit  the  schollars  to  a  kirk  hard  adjacent,  whar  the  peiple  con- 
venit ;  and  that  regent  red  the  comoun  prayers,  with  a  chaptour  or 
twa.  I,  for  my  part,  contented  nocht  simplie  to  reid  ;  bot  taking 
sum  pcan,  when  I  might  haiff  sliped,  the  night  befor  indevorit  t  o 

1  Each  in  his  own  turn,  weekly. 


56  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'B  DIARY.  L576. 

tak  upe  the  soum  of  the  chaptour,  and  giff  sum  notes  of  doctrine, 
with  exhortation.  This  pleasit  and  confortit  guid  peiple  vcrie 
mikle,  sa  that  they  resorted  verie  frequentlie  my  ouk  ;  quhilk  also 
movit  the  rest  of  the  regents  to  essay  and  follow  the  sam  form,  and 
sa  bathe  profited  tham  selves  and  others.  All  the  quhilk  I  record 
to  the  praise  of  the  grace  of  my  guid  God  alleancrlie  ;'  for  uther- 
wayes,  a  vcaner,  fulishar,  cornipter  youthe  was  ther  nocht  in  that 
Collage  ;  sa  that  giff  my  God  haid  nocht  put  in  me  sum  bit  of  con- 
science, and  fear  of  his  nam,  in  discharging  my  office,  and  a  peice 
of  honestie  and  scham  befor  the  warld,  I  soidd  never  haiff  done 
guid,  hot,  by  sluggishnes  and  wandering  fantasies,  easelie  caried 
away  to  all  deboicherie. 

The  breithring  appointed  be  the  Assemblie  convenit  at  Glasgw, 
in  Mr  David  Cuninghame's  hous,  then  Subdean  of  Glasgw,  and 
Dean  of  our  Facultie  of  Artes  ;  a  man  lernit  and  of  verie  guid  ac- 
compt  at  that  tyme,  haid  fear  houss  and  yeards  wherin  an  erle 
micht  haiff  dwelt,  and  a  thowsand  mark  of  rent,  with  the  better.2 
Nan  was  sa  frak 3  in  the  cause  as  he.  lie  moderat  the  reasoning, 
gatherit  iq)e  the  conclusiones,  and  put  all  in  wrait  and  ordour  to  be 
reported  to  the  Assemblie.  Bot,  to  mark  the  strange  sagacitie  of 
my  uncle  Mr  Andro,  he  ever  suspected  bathe  Mr  Patrik  Alamsone 
and  this  Mr  David,  and  said,  he  fearit  they  soidd  nocht  prove  frinds 
in  the  cause,  they  war  sa  courtlie.  And  sa  fell  out,  indcid,  as  we 
sail  heir. 

The  Generall  Assemblie,  convened  at  Edinbruche  in  October, 
ordcanit  the  travelles  of  the  Breithring  to  be  sighted  and  advysil 
upon,  that,  being  brought  in  open  Assemblie,  they  might  proceed 
to  determine.  In  the  mean  tyme,  compeires  Alexander  Hay,  Clark 
of  Itegistar,  and  gifFcs  in,  from  my  Lord  Regent's  grace,  a  number 
of  questiones  to  be  rcsolvit  be  the  Assemblie,  anentthe  Polecie  and 
Jurisdiction  of  the  Kirk,  quhilk  sett  tham  to  fardar  consultation. 
Ther  was  Mr  Patrik  Adamsone,  presented  to  the  Bisohoprik  of  St 

1  Only.  2  And  upwards.  3  Hearty,  Forward. 


1576.  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  57 

Androis  ;  and  being  inquyrit,  in  the  publict  Assemblie,  gift'  he  wald 
receave  that  bischoprik?  he  answerit,  he  wald  receave  na  office  judgit 
unlawful!  be  the  Kirk  ;  and  as  to  that  bischoprik,  he  wald  na  wayes 
accept  of  it  without  the  advyse  of  the  General!  Assemblie.  And, 
nevertheless,  or J  the  nixt  Assemblie,  he  was  seasit  hard  and  fast  on 
the  bischoprik  ;  wherby  all  gossoprie 2  ged  upe 3  betwin  him  and  my 
uncle  Mr  Andro.  Ther  was  at  Court  then  Captan  Mongumerie,  a 
guid  honest  man,  the  Regent's  domestic,  wha  mai'ket  an  accustom- 
ed phrase  of  Mr  Patrik's  in  his  doctrine,  "  The  prophet  wald  mein 
this/'  And  whow  soone  he  saw  Mr  Patrik  gripe  to  the  bischoprie, 
he  cryes  out  amang  his  companions,  "  For  als  oft  as  it  was  repeated 
be  Mr  Patrik,  '  The  prophet  wald  mein  this,'  I  understud  never 
what  the  profit  meins  whil 4  now  !"  quod  he. 

[To  mak  the  Assemblie  lyk  the  better  bathe  of  the  presenter  and 
presented,  the  Regent  directs  his  minister  to  the  Assemblie,  schawin 
he  had  receavit  a  letter  from  the  Quein  of  Eingland,  informing  his 
grace  that  the  Princes  of  Germanic  war  to  keipe  a  Generall  Con- 
vention at  Magdeburg,  for  ratefieing  of  the  Augustan  Confession, 
whar  wald  be  present  lernit  Commissionars  from  all  Protestant 
princes  ;  and  that  hir  Majestie  was  to  send,  requyring  him  to  do 
the  sam.  The  Regent's  grace,  thairfor,  desyrit  the  Assemblie  to 
nominat  the  persones,  and  he  sould  mak  provision.  The  Assemblie 
nominat  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  Mr  Alexander  Arbuthnot,  and  Mi- 
George  Hay ;  bot  when  ther  was  an  appeirance  of  the  bischoprie 
the  ambassadrie  fealit/'] 

Mr  Patrik  taking  him  to  the  bischoprie,  the  sufFragantes  roiun  is 
filled  atteanes6  be  Mr  David  Cuninghame,  wha  leived  Glasgw  and 
the  guid  cause,  and  becomes  the  Regent's  minister,  bot  with  a  curs 
accompaning  him  ;  for  he  haid  never  that  wealthe  nor  estimation 
efter  quhilk  he  haid  befor,  whowbeit  within  a  yeir  advancit  to  the 
bischoprik  of  Aberdein  ;  and  nocht  onlie  sa,  bot  became,  soone 
efter  the  Erie  of  Morton's  execution,  an  of  the  [maist]  miserable 
wretches  in  all  the  "West  country,  lyand  debochit  and  out  of  credit, 

1  Before.  J  Familiarity,  interchange  of  friendly  offices.  3  Were  given  up. 

*  Till.  '■  This  paragraph  on  margin  of  MS.  fi  At  once. 


58  ME  JAMES  MELYILL'S  D1ABT.  L576. 

in  a  cot  housj  him  selff  at  the  an  syde  of  the  fyre,  and  his  cow  at 
tlic  uther!  Thus  God  cursed  that  bischoprie  of  his;  but  aa  for  Mr 
Patrik's,  we  will  haiffmair  ado  with  it  heirefter. 

[This  yeir,  in  the  wintar,  appeired  a  terrible  Comet,  the  stem  ' 
wharof  was  verie  grait,  and  proceeding  from  it  toward  the  est  a  lang 
teall,  in  appeirance,  of  an  call2  and  a  lialff,  lyk  unto  a  bissom  or 
scurge  maid  of  wands,  all  fyrie.  It  rease  nightlie  in  the  south- 
weast,  nocht  above  a  degrie  and  an  halff  ascending  above  the  ho- 
rizon, and  continowed  about  a  sax  oukes,  or  twa  monethe,  and 
piece  and  piece  weir  away.  The  graittest  effects  wharof  that  out 
of  our  countrey  we  hard  was  a  grait  and  mightie  battell  in  Bar- 
bara in  Afric,  wharin  thrie  kings  war  slean,  with  a  huge  multitud 
of  peiple.  And  within  the  countrey,  the  chasing  away  of  the  Ha- 
miltoncs  :  For  whowbeit  the  Regent,  soone  cfter  the  talcing  of  the 
government  upon  him,  maid  a  law  of  oblivion,  yit  the  Hous  of  Mar 
consentit  nocht  thairto,  thinking  the  young  King,  whom  they  haid 
in  keiping,  could  never  be  sure  sa  lang  as  the  llamiltones  keipit 
ther  roumes  ;  and  thairfor  maid  a  read3  against  them  the  sain  sim- 
mer, wherby  the  Lords  of  Arbrothe  and  Pasley,  with  the  specialles 
of  thair  frinds,  namlie,  sic  as  Avar  giltic  of  the  guid  Regent's  mur- 
thour,  fled  away  in  Eingland.  The  Castell  of  Hamilton,  keipit  a 
whyll  l)e  Arthour  of  Mirritoun,  was  takin  and  demolissed  to  the 
ground,  and  the  said  Arthour  cxecut  at  Stirling  in  my  sight  :  wha 
died  verie  penitcntlie  and  wcill,  to  my  grait  edification,  being  the 
first  execution  that  ever  1  saw,  except  of  a  witche  in  St  AndroiSj 
against  the  quhilk  Mr  Knox  delt  from  pulpit,  sche  being  set  upe  at 
a  pillar  befor  him.  Lyk  as,  I  haiff  hard  the  sam  maist  notable  r- 
vant  of  God,  almost  ordinarlic,  threttin  these  llamiltones  maist  fer- 
fullie  for  the  murder  of  the  gud  Erie  of  Murray,  Regent.  The  Lord 
Arbrothe  maried  the  Countes  of  Cassels,  sistar  to  the  Lord  Glanunes, 
then  Chancellar,  wharby  he  gat  tolerance  for  a  schorl  tyme.  But 
the  wintar  befor  the  said  Chancellar  being  cut  of  at  Stirling,  in  the 
simmer  following  he  was   lean  to  flic  away.     The  minister  of  Ha- 

1  Star,  nucleus.  "  Ell,  yard.  Raid,  or  incursion. 


1  o  7  7 .  MB  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIABT.  59 

milton,  Mr  J  hone  Davidsone,  a  giiid  man,  haid  admonissed  and 

thrctncd  that  Castell  for  ryot,  hurdome,  &c. ;  and  saw  in  a  vision, 
as  I  hard  him  record,  a  grait  arm,  with  a  sword  in  the  neff,1  stand- 
ing above  the  Castell,  qnhilk,  with  swift  force  stricking  down  upon 
it,  did  overthrow  the  sam  to  the  grund,  and  thairefter  coming  down 
throw  the  wood  and  town,  did  spoile  and  hurt  the  sam.2] 

M.D.LXXVIL 

The  yeir  following,  1577,  the  Generall  Assemblie  conveined  at 
Edinbruche  in  October,  whar  the  Heades  of  the  Polecie  war  or- 
deanit  to  be  drawin  in  conclusiones ;  and  certean  breither  apointed 
to  gather  togidder  the  travelles  of  the  brethring  from  all  partes,  and 
digest  and  put  the  sam  in  ordour,  drawing  tham  in  certeane  propo- 
sitiounes,  for  brevitie. 

At  that  Assemblie,  Mr  Patrik  Adamsone  is  fund  to  haifF  intrusit 
him  selff  in  the  bischoprik  of  St  Androis,  against  the  actes  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  Kirk  ;  and  thairfor  ordeanit  to  be  proceidit  against  be 
his  Synodall.  Bot,  as  he  was  wounderfull  craftie,  he  offerit  to 
ley  down  all  at  the  feit  of  the  breithring,  and  be  ordourit  at  the 
pleasure  of  the  Assemblie,  avIiow  soone  the  sam  war  throuche  and 
at  a  point  with  the  mater  of  the  Polecie  ;  and  sa,  with  fear  pro- 
mises, drifted  and  pat  aff  till  he  gat  his  tyme. 

About  the  end  of  that  sam  October,  ther  was  an  uther  Assem- 
blie haldin  at  Edinbruche,  at  the  quhilk  the  Heids  of  the  Polecie 
war  reported,  digest  in  order.  They  war  ordeanit,  eftcr  revising, 
to  be  put  in  muudo,  and  presented  to  the  Regent's  grace  ;  and  cer- 
tean breithring  nominat  to  confer  with  his  grace  thairanent,  and  a 
dyet  sett  at  Stirling  for  the  sam. 

During  all  these  Assemblies  and  crnest  indevors  of  the  breith- 
ring, the  Regent  is  often  requyrit  to  gifF  his  presence  to  the  Assem- 
blie, and  fordar3  the  cause  of  God  ;  bot  nocht  onlie  in  effect  refuses, 
bot  uses  grait  thretning  against  the  maist  zelus  breithring,  schoring4 
to  hang  of  thame,  uthcrwayes  ther  could  be  na  peace  nor  ordour  in 

1  Hand.  2  Margin  of  MS.  3  Further.  1  Threatening. 


60  MR  JAMES  MELVTLL'S  DIAKY.  1577. 

the  countrey.  Sa,  ever  resisting  the  wark  of  discipline  in  hand, 
bure  fordwart  his  Bischopes,  and  pressed  to  his  injunctiones  and 
conformitie  with  Eingland ;  and,  but !  question,  haid  steyed 2  the 
wark,  giff  God  haid  nocht  steired  upe  a  faction  of  the  Nobilitie 
against  him,  wha  maid  a  grait  convocation  at  the  Faw-kirk,  and 
haid  almost  com  to  straks,  gifF  the  Einghs  Ambassatour,  a  guid, 
godlie  man,  and  lover  of  our  nation,  Mr  Robert  Bowes,  with  the 
Chancellar's  guidnes  and  wesdome,  haid  nocht  steyit  for  taking  or- 
dour ;  wherwith  a  Convention  was  sett  in  Stirling  of  the  Esteates, 
and  the  brcithring  nominat  and  apointed  be  the  Assemblie  weating 
on,  fell  out  that  unhappie  murdour  of  that  lerned  and  guid  noble 
man,  Lord  Glammes,  Chancellar,  slean  in  a  tumult  be  a  schot  of  a 
pistolet  in  the  head.3  Whom  when  God  had  sa  taken  away  from 
the  Regent  Mortoun,  his  contrar  faction  drawes  a  draught  at  annes4 
to  cause  the  King,  now  about  fourtein  yeirs  of  age,  to  tak  the  go- 
vernment in  his  awin  persone  ;  wharby  Morton  is  compellit  to  go 
to  the  Market  Cross  of  Edinbruche,  in  solemne  maner,  and  giff 
ower  his  Regentschipe,  and  all  publict  administration  of  the  realme. 
This  Regent,  Erie  of  Mortoun,  was  a  man  ever  cast  upon  the 
best  syde,  and  did  honestlie  and  stoutlie  in  the  cause.  He  lovit 
Mr  Knox  whill  he  was  alvve.  At  his  deathe  and  buriall  lie  aaiff 
him  aue  honorable  testimonie,  "  That  he  nather  fearit  nor  flatterit 
anie  flcche  !"  and,  efter  his  deathe,  was  frindlie  to  his  wyff  and  child- 
ring.  He  was  verie  wyse,  and  a  guid  Justiciar,  in  administration. 
His  fyve  yeirs  war  estimed  to  be  als  happie  and  peacable  as  ever 
Scotland  saw.  The  name  of  a  Papist  durst  nocht  be  hard  of;  ther 
was  na  theiff  nor  oppressour  that  durst  kythe.5  Bot  he  could  nocht 
suffer  Chryst  to  reing6  frielie  be  rebuking  of  sinne,  bot  maid  oppo- 

1  Without.  2  Delayed. 

3  "  Mr  Andro  maid  upon  him  this  Epigram  : — 

"  Tu,  Leo  magne,  jacis  ingloriua  ;  ergo  mancbunt 
Qualia  fata  canes  ?  Qualia  fata  sues  ? 

Sen  lawlie  lyes  thow  noble  Lyon  fyne, 

What  sail  betyde  behind  to  doggea  and  swyne  ?"      Margin  of  MS. 
*  His  opponents  at  once  devise  a  stratagem.  5  Shew  himself.  6  Reign. 


1578.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  (51 

sition  to  the  ministrie  of  Edinbruche  in  publict  place  ;  nor  be  the 
right  government  of  his  Kirk  be  the  Presbyterie  of  his  lawfullie 
callit  pastors  and  eldars,  mislyked  the  Assemblies  Generall,  and 
wald  haiff  haid  the  name  thairof  changit,  that  lie  might  abolishe  the 
previlage  and  force  thairof.  Wharunto  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  spe- 
cialie  opponit  him  selff,  and  thairby,  and  for  the  Bischops,  incurrit 
his  speciall  indignation  ;  [and  thairabout  first  discordit  with  Mr  David 
Lindsay,  to  whom  he  was  comounlie  contradictor,  saying,  that 
Maister  Knox  haid  commendit  him  to  the  Court  all  his  dayes  ;  that 
he  was  a  guid  mid-man,  and  maker  of  brues1  amangs  men,  bot  sould 
nocht  haiff  place  betwix  God  and  man.  Yit,  in  effect,  the  said  Mr 
David  keipit  honest  in  the  cause  of  the  discipline  till  it  was  con- 
eludit,  and  efter.]  He  sought  to  insinuat  him  selff,  efter  the  leying 
doun  of  his  Regentrie  in  the  King's  favour  and  sum  Counsallours, 
be  twa  things  in  speciall  that  concernit  the  King's  weill  and  the 
realmes.  Ane,  that  the  King  might  be  a  frie  King  and  monarche, 
haiffing  the  re  well  and  power  of  all  Esteates,  quhilk  the  Kirk's  Ge- 
nerall Assemblie  empeared.2  Ane  uther,  to  be  conform  with  Eing- 
land  in  the  Kirk's  Polecie  ;  to  haiff  Bischopes  to  rewll  the  Kirk,  and 
they  to  be  answerable  to  the  King,  and  sa  the  frie  preatching  re- 
pressed. With  this,  he  was  wounderfullie  giffen  to  gather  gear, 
thairby,  as  he  said,  to  inritche  the  King  withall.  Thir  things,  whow- 
beit  humblit,  yit  he  amended  nocht,  bot  keipit  out  of  his  course  till 
he  might  do  na  mair,  and  then  glorifiet  God,  as  in  the  a  win  place 
salbe  declarit. 

[This  yeir,  in  the  simmer,  God  brought  ham  Mr  Thomas  Smeton, 
a  man  of  singular  giftes  of  lerning  and  godlines,  a  grait  benefit  to 
his  Kirk,  and  speciall  blessing  of  my  guid  God,  for  me  in  particular.3] 

M.D.LXXVm. 

The  Generall  Assemblie  conveinit  at  Edinbruche  in  Apryll  1578, 
in  the  Magdalen  Chapell.4    Mr  Andro  Melvill  was  schosin  Modera- 

'   Reconciler  of  quarrels,  peace-maker.  s  Impaired.  3  Margin  of  MS. 

4  "  At  this  Assemblie  waranumberof  questiones  giffen  in  from  Court  be  Alexander 
Hay,  Clark  Register,  and  the  answers  thairof  cravit  at  diverse  Assemblies  thairefter, 
for  the  Courtes  profeit."     Margin  of  MS. 


62  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  1578. 

tor,  whar  was  concludit,  That  Bischopes  Bould  be  callit  be  thair 

a  win  names,  or  be  the  names  of  "  Brcither,"  in  all  tyme  coming,  and 
thatlordlie  name  and  anthoritiebanissed  from  the  Kirk  of  God,quhilk 
hes  bot  a1  Lord,  Chryst  Jesus.  Also  the  haill  Heids  of  the  Polccic, 
put  in  propositiones,  and  sett  in  ordour,  war  ratefied  and  allowit,  ex- 
cept a  litle  of  the  Diaconat  to  be  farther  advysit.  Item,  That  na 
Bischope  sould  be  elected  or  maid  thaireftcr,  nor  na  Minister  con- 
sent thairto,  under  the  pean  of  deprivation.  Item,  The  leat  mur- 
dour  of  the  Lord  G lames,  Chancellar,  regreted  ;  and  for  that  blud 
and  uthers,  for  the  King's  prosperus  government,  undertaken 
newlings  2  in  his  awin  person,  and  for  the  guid  acceptation  of  the 
wark  of  the  Polecie  and  Discipline  of  the  Kirk  now  concludit,  and  to 
be  presented  to  his  Majestie  and  Counsall,  ther  was  a  Genorall  Fast 
concludit  to  be  zealuslie  keipit  throwout  the  land. 

[When  the  Assemblie  haid  concludit  the  Discipline,  diverse  of  the 
breithring,  as  namlie,  Mr  Andro  Mclvill  and  Andro  Hay,  desyrit  the 
sam  to  be  subscryvit  be  the  haill  breithring.  To  the  quhilk  Mr 
Patrik  Adamsone  answered,  "  Nay,  we  haif  an  honest  man,  our 
Clark,  to  subscryve  for  all ;  and  it  war  to  dcrogat  to  his  fathfnlnes 
and  estimatioun,  gif  we  sould  all  severalie  subscryve."  "  Weill," 
saves  Mr  Andro  Hay,  "gif  anie  man  com  against  this,  or  deny  ii 
heirefter,  he  is  nocht  honest."  And  to  Mr  Patrik  he  said,  before 
thrie  or  fowcr,  "  Thcr  is  my  hand,  Mr  Patrik  ;  gif  vie  com  against 
this  heirefter,  consenting  now  sa  thorowlie  to  it,  I  will  call  vow  a 
knave,  and  :i  it  war  never  sa  publictlie  !"  Mr  Patrik  receaves  the  con- 
ditionn  :  Bot  at  the  presenting  of  the  conclusiounes  befor  the  Re- 
gent and  Counsall,  the  Regent  askes  Mr  Patrik,  gif  he  haid  as- 
sented thairto  ?  He  denyit  it,  and  that  lie  haid  refusit  to  subscryve 
it.  Wherupon  the  said  Conclusiones  of  Discipline  war  refused  be 
the  Counsall.  The  cause  wharof,  when  Mr  Andro  Hay  haid  in- 
quyrcd  atdiversc  honorable  Counsellors,  they  leyed  the  wait  '  on  the 
said  Mr  Patrik;  wha  coining  by  in  the  mean  tyme,  Mr  Andro  Hay 
takes  him  be  the  hand  befor  the  said   Counsallour,  and   di-qnt  I'ullie 

i   One.  -   Newly.  3  If.  '    Wyte,  bla  ne. 


1578.  Mil  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  03 

to  his  face  sayes,  "  O  knave !  knave  !  I  will  crown  thee  the  knave  of 
all  knaves  !"  '] 

The  Assembly  thaircfter  conveined  at  Stirling  in  July,  that  sain 
yeir ;  wherin  the  form  of  conclusion,  as  in  all  the  former  Assem- 
blies, sa  in  that,  was,  That  the  Kirk,  all  in  a  voice,  lies  concludit  the 
haill  articles  and  propositiounes  of  the  Bmk  of  the  Polecie  of  the  Kirk, 
to  be  conform  to  the  Word  of  God,  and  meit  for  the  Esteat  of  the 
Kirk  in  this  land  ;  and  ordeanes  the  sam,  with  a  supplication,  to  be 
presented  to  the  King's  Majestic  The  quhilk  was  done,  and  his 
Hienes  gaifF  a  verie  confortable  and  guid  answer  thairanent,  nomi- 
nating certean  of  his  Counsall  to  confer  with  the  breithring  apointed 
be  the  Kirk  thairupon. 

That  yeir  my  uncle  dedicat  to  the  King  his  Carmen  Mosis,  with 
certean  Epigrames,  and  a  chapter  of  Job  in  vers,  quhilk  put  all 
men  in  hope  of  graitter  warks  ;  but  partlie  his  grait  occupationes 
and  distractiones,  partlie,  as  he  wes  wount  to  say,  ScribiUantium  et 
scriptu rimtium  turba  ;  and  cheiflie,  that  he  thought  the  tyme  maist 
profltablie  bestowit  in  doing,  teatching,  and  fi'aming  of  guid  instru- 
ments for  the  meantenence  of  the  treuthe  and  wark  of  the  ministeric 
and  scholles,  moved  him  to  neglect  wraitting,  except  of  verses  and 
epigrammes,  as  his  humor  and  occasiones  moved  him ;  wharof  he 
lies,  in  his  peapers,  a  grait  number  ;  and  nocht  a  few,  as  Carmina 
St/billma,  lost.  Bot  for  commendation  of  thrie  notable  verteus  in 
him,  thrie  things,  amangs  manie  ma,  I  man  recompt  :2  Interpreta- 
tion  of  dreamcs,  patience,  and  heroic  stoutnes. 

The  Collage  haid  monie  pleyes  in  law  depending  that  yeir,  and 
Mr  Piter  Blakburn  was  (Economus  and  speciall  actor  ;  yit,  because 
the  animation  of  Mr  Andro  was  graitter,  he  desyrit  him  at  cer- 
tean peremptor  dyettes  to  be  present  in  Edinbruche.  For  sic  a 
dyet,  being  to  go  to  Edinbruche,  Mr  Piter  comes  in  to  his  chalmer 
in  the  morning,  heavie  and  grim-lyk.     Being  inquyrit  be  the  Prin- 

1  Margin  of  MS.  2  Among  many  more,  which  1  must  recount. 


1)4  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  1578. 

cipall  what  caled  him,  he  answerit,  "  I  haifF  dreamed  an  unsall ' 
dream,  and  I  am  sum  thing  solist 2  efter  it." — "  What  is  it  ?"  saves 
he.  "  Methought  we  Avar  sitting  at  our  Collage  burde,  and  a  cap 
full  of  barmie  drink  befor  us.  I  luiked  to  the  cap,  and  I  thought  I 
saw  a  read-headit  tead  lope3  out  of  it,  and  craled 4  upe  upon  the  wall, 
the  quhilk  I  perceved  and  dang  down,  and  tramped  under  my  feit ; 
and  as  I  turned,  1  saw  an  uther  lope  out  also,  quhilk,  whowbeit  I 
followed,  it  gat  away  in  a  holl  out  of  my  sight." — "  Be  nocht  solist," 
sayes  he,  u  Mr  Piter ;  I  will  interpret  your  dream,  and  warrand  the 
interpretation  trcw,  for  a  pynt  of  wyne  !" — "  For  suthe,"  sayes  the 
uther,  "  and  it  be  guid,  a  quart !" — "  The  Collage  burd  and  cap  is 
our  Collage  leiving,  into  the  quhilk  twa  read-nebbit  teades  lies  in- 
trusit  thamselff.  They  ar  the  twa  read-neased  Compcditours 5  of 
our  Collage,  against  the  quhilk  yie  haifF  presentlie  the  actiones, 
viz.  Jhone  Grame,  the  first  whom  yie  persewing  at  this  dyet,  clim 
als  weill  as  he  will  on  the  wall  of  the  law,  yie  sail  ding  down  and 
owercome.  The  uther  is  the  read-faced  Commissar,  Mr  Arehbald 
Beaton,  wha  be  some  wyll  sail  eschew  presentlie,  and  win  away. 
Assure  thyselff,  man,  thow  sail  find  it  sa."  Mr  Piter  lauches,  and 
sayes  he  was  worthe  the  wyne,  whow  ever  it  was  ;  for  the  twa  men 
war  verie  read  and  tcad-lyk  faced,  for  ploukes  and  hunpes.  And 
in  deid  it  cam  sa  to  pass,  for  they  brought  hame  a  notable  decreit 
of  reduction  of  a  few  of  the  Freires-yeard  against  Jhone  Grame; 
and  the  uther,  by  moycn  and  ernest  solistation,  gat  the  action  de- 
layit,  and  brought  to  arbitrhnent. 

[I  haifF  also  marked  manic  experiences  in  him  of  wounderfull  sa- 
gacitie  and  smelling  out  of  men's  naturalls  and  dispositiones  ;  sa 
that  tho'  sum  haid  bein  never  sa  fair-farrand 6  and  curtens,  lie 
could  nocht  gif  thain  a  guid  countenance  nor  word  ;  quhilk,  in  deid, 
wald  prove  ill  men.  Uthers,  altho'  nocht  of  sa  guid  apeirance,  he 
wald  lyk  of,  and  be  hamlie  with,  wha  wald  prove  weil.  Of  bathe 
the  sortes,  I  could  rackon  divers  be  nam  and  surnam,  but  it  is  nocht 

1  Unlucky,  unfortunate.  !  Anxious,  sol'citous.  '  A  red-headed  toad  leap. 

4  Crawled.  s  Rod  nosed  accountants  or  treasurers.  ,;  Plausible. 

3 


1578.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  t}5 

expedient ;  onlie  an  I  can  no-cht  omit,  Avha  about  this  tyme  was  or- 
deanit  be  the  Generall  Assemblie  to  be  tean  ordour  withall  be  the 
Synod  of  Glasgw,  for  deserting  of  his  ministerie  ;  wha,  be  his  fear 
civill  facions  fund  favour  with  all  except  Mr  Andro,  wha,  delling 
scharphe  with  him  for  his  desertion  of  the  ministerie,  gat  this  an- 
swer :  "  I  will  nocht  profes  povertie." — "  O  then,"  sayes  Mr  Andro 
to  him,  "  yow  will  deny  nocht  onlie  the  ministerie,  bot  also  trew 
Christianitie."  This  man  was  Mr  Jhone  Colvin,  first  apostat  fra 
the  ministerie,  and  syne  fra  trew  Christian  religion  to  foull  Papis- 
trie  !  '] 

Now,  for  his  patience  ;  whowbeit  he  was  verie  hat  in  all  ques- 
tiones,  yit  when  it  twitched  his  particular, 2  no  man  could  crab 3  him, 
contrair  to  the  comoun  custome  ;  as,  amangs  manie  uther,  I  marked 
this. — My  Lord  Ilearise  haid  a  sone  in  the  Collage,  named  Jhone, 
wha  was  drawin  away  from  his  studies  and  ordour  be  sum  youno- 
men  of  the  town,  namlie,  a  burgess  air  named  Andro  Heriot.  The 
Principall  calles  for  Jhone,  and  reproving  him,  sayes,  "  What  ?  lies 
my  Lord,  your  father,  send  yow  heir  to  spend  your  tyme  with  de- 
bauchit  persones  of  the  town  ?"  &c.  This  was  tauld  Andro  Heriot, 
wha,  partlie  of  intemperat  disposition,  and  parthe,  as  was  supposed, 
be  the  Collage  mislykers  stired  upe,  cam  to  Mr  Andro,  the  Princi- 
pall, a  day  efter  sermont,  coming  out  of  the  Kirk,  haiffing  all  his 
schollars  and  Kegents  at  his  bak,  and  quarrels  him  schammllie  with 
manie  thows  and  lyes  ;  continowing  from  the  Kirk  almaist  down  to 
the  Collage,  quhilk  is  a  grait  space,  yea,  with  sword  about  him, 
with  menassings  and  brawlles  ;  but  Mr  Andro  verie  patientlie  and 
meiklie  answers  never  a  word  bot  "  God  facher  ! 4  what  lies  muvit 
yow  yie  neid  to  bost?5  We  ar  ma  nor  yie." 6  The  schollars  war  out 
of  thair  wittes,  and  fean  wald  haiff  put  hands  in  him  ;  bot  he  re- 
buiked  tham  in  sic  sort  that  they  durst  nocht  steir.     As  for  my  selff, 


1  The  author  has  made  the  above  addition  on  the  margin  of  MS.  *  When  it  con- 
cerned his  own  private  interest.  3  Enrage  or  put  him  out  of  temper.  *  Good 
faith  !            '■>  Scold,  threaten.              fi  We  are  more  in  numbers  than  you  are. 


66  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1578. 

for  als  patient  as  I  am  called,  I  doucht  nocht '  suffer  it,  bot  withdrew 
my  selff  from  him. 

Within  a  schort  space  efter,  the  said  Andro  contractes  a  fiver,  of 
the  quhilk  he  died  ;  and  a  day  or  twa  befor,  he  send  for  the  Prin- 
oipall,  wha  glaidlie  cam  and  visit  him  ;  wha,  with  grait  remorse,  con- 
cessit his  offence,  and  commendit  the  uther's  grait  patience,  say- 
ing, That  he  haid  win  a  graitter  victorie  of  him,  nor  giff  he  haid 
sufferit  his  schollars  to  ding  out  his  harnes  ! 2  and  oft  tymes  em- 
brasing  and  kissing  him  for  the  sweit  confort  he  bestowed  on  him, 
being  sa  unworthie,  cryed  ay  for  him  sa  lang  as  the  breathe  was  in 
him  ;  and  sa  gaiff  upe  the  ghaist,  being  a  lustie  youthe  in  his  mide- 
age. 

The  young  man,  Jhone  Maxuell,  parthe  eschewing  disciphne,  and 
partlie,  as  was  supposed,  caried  away  be  the  counsall  of  Papists, 
(for  he  haid  gottin  evill  groundes  thairof,  and  all  his  father's  houss, 
be  Mi*  Gilbert  Broun,  Abbot  of  New  Abey,)  left  the  Collage,  and 
abad  3  in  the  town.  Bot  whowsoone  the  Lord  Heres,  his  father, 
hard  of  it,  he  cam  to  the  town,  scharplie  rebuked  his  sone,  and 
brought  him  to  the  Collag,  efter  he  haid  lovinglie  and  maist  cur- 
teslie  delt  with  the  Principall,  causit  the  haill  maisters  and  disciples 
convein  in  the  verie  closs  of  the  Collage  ;  and  ther,  in  presence  of 
all,  austerlie  commandit  his  sone  to  sitt  down  upon  his  knees,  and 
humblie  offer  him  selff  to  what  sort  of  disciphne  the  Principall  of  the 
Collage  and  his  Regent  (against  whome  cheifflie  he  haid  bein  re- 
fractar)  wald  put  him  to.  The  young  man  obeyit  hiunblie,  and 
the  Principall  lifted  him  upe  be  the  hand,  efter  promise  of  amendi- 
ment ;  and,  efter  reconciliation,  he  enterit  him  to  the  Regent  againe, 
humblie  presenting  to  him  a  piece  of  golde.  What  that  Lord  Heres 
was  utherwaycs,  I  leave  it  to  the  Cornicle  ;  bot  in  this  he  left  a  not- 
able excmple  to  all  noble  men  and  fathers  to  follow. 

For  fordar  verification  of  his  grait  patience,  because  he  wald  seim 
verie  hat  and  impatient :  At  our  table,  comoimlie  at  mealies  and 
efter,  was  movit  be  him  sum  question  of  philosophic  orartes,  namlie, 

1  Could  not.  2  Knock  out  his  brains,  3  Abode. 


1578.  MS  JAMES  MELVILLS  DIARY.  67 

for  this  end  to  schaw  that  Aristotle  could  err,  and  haid  erred,  con- 
trar  to  S.  Androis  axiom,  Absurdum  est  dicere  errasse  Aristotelem.  Mr 
Piter  Blakbum,  our  coleg,  was  a  bitter  propugnar  of  Aristotle  ;  a 
verie  guid  and  lerned  man,  bot  rud  and  carlisse  of  nature  ;  and  when 
he  coidd  nocht  bear  out  his  defence  be  reasone,  he  wald  do  it  be 
coler  and  invection  upon  the  persone  of  Mr  Andro,  that  he  was  ar- 
rogant, proud,  and  full  of  his  awin  sence  ;  but  when  it  cam  to  that, 
the  argument  seassed,  for  the  Principall  never  spak  a  word  mair. 
And  be  this  form  of  doing  he  wan  Mr  Piter  from  monie  baith  wranjr 
opiniones  and  evill  fasones ;  for  the  guid,  honest-harted  man,  frie 
from  his  coler,  eschamed  of  him  selff,  amendit  him  sehT.  And  this 
I  marked  ever  to  be  Mr  Androes  maner  :  Being  sure  of  a  truethe 
in  reasoning,  he  wald  be  extream  hat,  and  suffer  na  man  to  bear 
away  the  contrar ;  bot  with  reasone,  words,  and  gesture,  he  wald 
carrie  it  away,  caring  for  na  persone,  whow  grait  soever  they  war, 
namlie,  in  maters  of  relligion.  And  in  all  companies,  at  table  or 
utherwayes,  as  he  understud  and  tuk  upe  the  necessitie  of  the  per- 
sones  and  mater  in  hand  to  requyre,  he  wald  frilie  and  bauldlie 
hauld  thair  eares  fow  of  the  treuthe  ;  and  tak  it  as  they  wald,  he 
wald  nocht  ceas  nor  keipe  sylence ;  yea,  and  nocht  onlie  ance  or 
twyse,  bot  at  all  occasiones,  till  he  fand  tham  better  instructed,  and 
sett  to  go  fordwart  in  the  guid  purpose.  And  verelie,  be  lang  ex- 
perience, I  haiff  knawin  him  to  haiff  done  as  mikle  guid  in  sic  con- 
ferences and  meittings  as  be  his  public t  doctrine  ;  for  sic  as  war 
willing  to  understand  in  sa  doing,  he  pleasurit  tham  mair  and  mail ; 
and  sic  as  wer  nocht,  he  suffered  never  to  rest  till  he  ather  brought 
tham  from  ther  contrarie  mynd,  or  els  discovered  a  perverss  dispo- 
sition against  the  truethe.  Giff  he  haid  nocht  bein  throuche  and 
resolut  him  selff  in  a  mater,  he  wald  haiff  hard  verie  patientlie  and 
quietlie,  and  reasonit  thairupon  caldlic  and  camlie  aneuche  till  he 
war  fullie  resolvit,  and  fand  his  grounds  sure.  But  for  his  awine 
particular,  in  persone,  gear,  or.  fame,  I  knew  him  never  hard  in  pub- 
lict  with  anie  man  to  this  houre. 

Now  for  his  heroic  cowrage  and  stoutness :    The  Regent,  seeing 


68  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1578. 

he  could  nocht  divert  him  [be]  benefits  and  offers,  he  calles  for  him 
a  day  indirectlie,  and,  efter  lang  discoursing  upon  the  quyetnes  of 
the  cowntrey,  peace  of  the  Kirk,  and  advancment  of  the  King's  Ma- 
jestie's  esteat,  he  brak  in  upon  sic  as  war  disturbers  thairof  be  thair 
conceats  and  OAversie  l  dreames,  imitation  of  Genev  discipline  and 
lawes ;  and,  efter  sum  reasoning  and  grundes  of  God's  Word  al- 
leagit,  quhilk  irritat  the  Regent,  he  braks  out  in  coler  and  bosting  : 2 
— u  Ther  will  never  be  quyetnes  in  this  countrey,  till  halif  a  dissone 
of  yow  be  hangit  or  banished  the  countrey  ! " — "  Tushe  !  sir,"  sayes 
Mr  Andro ;  "  Purpuratis  tuis  ista  minitare  mihi,  idem  est  humi  an 
sublime  putrescam:  Domini  est  terra.  Patria  est  ubicimque,  est  bene. 
I  haiff  bein  ready  to  giff  my  lyff  whar  it  was  nocht  halff  sa  weill 
wared,  at  the  pleasour  of  my  God.  I  leived  out  of  your  countrey 
ten  yeirs  as  weill  as  in  it.  Let  God  be  glorified,  it  will  nocht  ly  in 
your  power  to  hang  nor  exyll  his  treuthe  ! " 

[This  Regent  objected  against  the  Generall  Assemblie,  That  it 
was  [a]  convocation  of  the  King's  leiges.  Mr  Andro  answerit, 
"  That  Chryst  and  his  Apostles  war  giltie  of  that  cryme,  wha  con- 
veinit  with  houndrethes  and  thowsands,  taught  tham,  and  governed 
without  anie  leive  of  the  magistrat ;  and  yit  did  all  dewtie  to  Cassar, 
and  bade  giff  him  that  quhilk  was  his."  Item,  Mr  Andro  alleaging 
a  place  of  the  Actes  to  the  said  Regent,  the  Regent  sayes  tanting- 
lie,  "  Read  yie  ever  of  sic  an  act  as  we  did  at  St  Jhonstoun  ?" 
Answeres  Mr  Andro  :  "  Gif  yie  be  escheamed  of  that  act,  Chryst 
wilbe  escheamed  of  yow !"  The  Reformatioun  of  Relligioun  in 
Scotland  was  don  as  the  men  in  the  Gospell,  wha,  bringing  a  man 
seik  of  the  palsey,  careidbe  foursome  in  a  bed,  brak  the  houss  abone 
whar  Chryst  was,  unasking  leive  of  the  gudman  and  maister  thairof, 
for  the  grait  desyre  quhilk  they  haid  to  com  to  Chryst  for  the  man's 
helthe.  Yit  Chryst  fand  na  fault  thairwith  ;  hot  seing  thair  fathc, 
approved  the  sam,  and  healed  the  man.  Sa  throw  zeall  the  king- 
dom of  Heavin  suffered  violence  at  the  beginning,  and  men  sought 
to  com  to  Chryst  without  asking  leive  of  King  or  Caesar.3] 

1  Far-fetched,  over-sea.  2  Choler  and  scolding.  •  What  is  contained  within 

brackets  has  been  added,  at  a  subsequent  period,  bv  the  author  on  the  margin  of  MS. 


1578.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  69 

Monie  siclyk  lies  he  hard,  and  for  me  reported  in  mair  ferfull 
form;  bot  for  all  nevir  jarged  a  jot  ather  from  the  substance  of  the 
cause,  or  forme  of  proceeding  thairin.  Bot  a  piece  of  storie  I  man 
report,  steirit  upe  in  particular  against  him  in  my  persone. 

The  Lord  Boid  was  grait  with  the  Regent,  and  haid  a  cusing  in 
our  Collage,  named  Alexander  Boid,  a  youthe  of  a  grait  spreit  and 
ingyne,  bot  verie  commersom  and  refractar.1  He  haid  pleyit  the 
companion  wickedhe  with  the  maister  in  the  grammar  schul,  and 
siclyk  with  the  first  regent  the  first  yeir  of  his  course  in  the  Col- 
lage. The  nixt  yeir  he  comes  to  me  :  At  his  entrie  I  delt  with  him 
fearlie,  and  besought  him  to  be  weill  conditioned,  and  he  sould  find 
na  thing  in  me  bot  special!  courtessie  and  affect  i  one  ;  bot  giff  he 
sould  preass  to  missuse  me,  and  mak  trouble  as  he  haid  done  to  his 
maisters  befor,  for  als  meik  as  I  seimed,  he  wald  find  me  schaqier 
nor  anie  he  haid  delt  with.  Upon  this  premonition  he  continowes 
halff  a  yeir  as  guid  a  bern  as  was  in  the  seage.2  Till  taking  occa- 
sion of  Mr  Thomas  Smetone's  companie,  in  the  quhilk  I  mikle  de- 
lyted,  I  past  with  him  to  Edinbruche  to  fetche  ham  his  wyff;  and 
befor  my  going,  I  tuk  exact  ordour  with  my  schollars,  injoyning 
large  task  to  tham,  and  apointing  of  censurers  and  deleattors  of  all 
ther  behaviour.  Coming  ham  again,  I  land  the  said  Alexander  often 
deleated  in  grait  faultes,  namlie,  absenting  him  selff  from  the  kirk, 
and  pleying  the  loun  on  the  Sabbathe.  I  begin  to  deall  with  him 
in  words  ;  he  disdeanes  and  vilipends  with  misbehaviour  in  words 
and  countenance  ;  I  command  him  to  correction,  he  rebelles  :  To 
be  schort,  I  wald  nocht  be  deforcit ;  and  he  gat  his  deat  peyit,  bot 
indeid  far  within  his  demearit.  He  sittes  down  in  a  nuk  fra  my 
sight,  and  whill  I  was  teatching  my  lessone,  he  takes  his  pen  and 
ink-horn,  and  striks  him  selff  on  the  face  and  nease 3  till  effusion  of 
bluid ;  he  ryves4  his  buik,  and  dightes5  his  nease  with  the  leaves 
thairof,  and  drawes  the  bluid  athort6  his  face,  and  spots  his  clothes 
with  the  saming  ; 7  and  incontinent  efter  the  lessone  rinnes  out  of 


1   Quarrelsome  and  refractory.  2  Form,  seat.      Kr.  siege.  :1  Nose, 

*   Tears.  s   Wipes.  6    Across,  athwart.  7   Same. 


70  BOB  JAMES  MELVTLL'S  DIAliY.  157tf. 

the  Collage,  and  away  and  compleanes  to  his  frinds  he  was  sa  mis- 
usit  crewalie  be  me.  The  Principal!  and  Maisters  at  the  boat,1  and 
my  desyre,  takes  try  ell,  and  finds  it  as  is  spoken.  He  byds  away 
fra  the  Collage  a  monethc  ;  about  the  end  wharof,  on  a  simmer 
evening  efter  supper,  I  was  coming  out  of  the  Castell  with  twa  of 
my  companions,  whar  Ave  haid  bein  visiting  a  guid  gentleman,  wha, 
imbeset  be  twasmn,2  haid  defendit  him  selff  notablie,  being  weill 
fensed,3  till  his  dagger  cas  [was]  cut  in  pices,  and  brought  to  extream 
danger  of  his  lyff,  was  compellit  ather  to  slay  an  of  thani  or  be  slean. 
For  the  quhilk  apprehendit,  he  was  deteined  in  pressone  in  the 
Castell,  whar  Ave  customablie  \risited  him,  and  lemit  of  him  to  fence. 
Sa,  coming  from  him  in  the  kirk-yeard,  my  schollar  lying  in  weat 
with  an4  Alexander  Cuningham,  sistar-sonc  to  the  Lord  Boid,  Avha 
hounds  out  the  youthe  with  a  baton  in  his  hand  to  strik  me  behind 
my  bak.  Hemng  the  sound  of  his  feit,  I  turned  and  spak  a  few 
Avords,  at  the  quhilk  the  boy  rinnes  by  me  and  luiks  for  his  helper, 
Alexander  Cuninghame,  Avha  cam  Avith  speid  efter  him  Avith  a 
draAvin  sword  and  monie  bludie  words.  The  twa  that  war  with  me 
saw  nocht  this  Alexander,  bot  ran  and  tuk  the  boy ;  sa  Alexander 
leyes  out  a  strak  at  mcAA'ith  thesAvord,  quhilk,  declyning5  my  bodie 
a  litle,  I  escheAvcd,  and  closing  "with  him,  I  gripped  his  sword  arm 
under  my  left  oxter,  and  with  my  right  hand  caucht  his  quhing  n\'; 
haiffing  na  kynd  of  wapean  upon  my  selff,  and  bids  him  stand. 
Withe  this,  incontinent  my  tAA'a  companiones  commes  and  sinders 
us  ;  sa  my  God  keipit  me  that  night,  bothe  from  doing  or  reeeaA-- 
ing  anie  fordar  hannc.  Coming  to  the  Collage,  I  scIicav  the  mater 
to  the  Principall,  Avha  first  commandit  all  the  schollars  to  thair 
bedds,  perceavnng  tham  incensit :  And,  fearing  a  wark  of  the  Dcvill 
to  deboichc  tham  from  ther  studies,  enter  tham  in  bind,  and  Avrak 
the  wholl  Collage,  yit  wald  noch  suffer  the  preparative  to  pass  un- 
tcan  ordour  Avith,  upon  the  morn  conveines  the  Rector  and  Magi- 
strata  of  the  town,  according  to  the  ordour,  and  cites  the  parties 


1   Rumour,  report.      Fr.  bruit.  2   Attacked  or  beset  by  two.  3   Skilled  in 

the  art  of  self-defence.  '  One.  B  Stooping,  "  short  sword. 


1578.  MR  JAMES  JIKLVILLS  DIARY.  71 

befor  tham.  I  compeir  ;  the  uther  is  contumax,  and  persevers  in 
his  bost.1  The  mater  is  tryed  exactlie.  They  decern  Alexander 
Cuninghame,  for  his  wrang,  to  come  to  the  place  whar  it  was  done 
and  ther,  humblie,  bear-futted  and  bear-headet,  to  crave  the  Rectour, 
the  Principall,  and  me,  the  persone  offendit,  forgiffnes.  This  being 
notefied  to  Alexander,  he  malings,  and  vowes 2  ther  sould  be  graitter 
cause  maid  or  anie  forgiffnes  cravit. 

Ther  na  thing  was  noysit  sa  inikle  in  the  countrey,  as  the  Boids 
and  Ciminghams  wald  slay  the  Maisters  and  bum  the  Collage. 
Bot  the  Principall  jarget  never  a  whit,3  nor  movit  him  seliF,  whow- 
beit  sum  of  us  war  right  fleyd  ;4  but  send  and  reasit  Letters,  and 
summoned  Alexander  befor  the  King  and  Secreit  Counsall,  wha 
compeired  with  a  grait  munber  of  his  frinds,  thinking  to  bost  us  fra 
it ;  bot  we  cam  befor  the  King  and  Counsall  at  St  Androis,  pro- 
ducit  the  proces  and  decreit  of  the  Rector  and  Bailyies  of  Glasgw, 
and  obteined  the  sam  to  be  ratefiet ;  and  the  said  Alexander  chargit 
to  fulfill  and  obey  it  sic  a  day,  or  then  to  enter  in  ward  within  the 
Castell  of  Blaknes. 

Coming  ham  to  Glasgw,  and  the  day  approtching,  our  speciall 
frinds  dealt  with  us,  namlie,  the  Rector,  Mr  Andro  Hay,  a  man  of 
grait  moyen5  in  the  countrey,  to  quyt  that  decreit  and  forgiffit,  se- 
ing  ther  was  na  evill  done,  utherwayes  lie  was  certified  it  wald  com 
to  war,6  for  the  man  was  neir  in  blod  on  the  father  syde  to  the  Erl 
of  Glencam,  and  on  the  mother's  to  the  Lord  Boid,  the  naturall  and 
fasones  wharof  he  knew,  [that  they  wald  nocht  suffer  ther  blud  sched 
(as  they  alleagit)  unrevengit.7]  The  Principall  answers,  "  GifF  they 
wald  haiff  forgiffnes,  let  them  crave  it  humblie,  and  they  sail  haiff 
it ;  but  or  that  preparative  pass,  that  we  dar  nocht  correct  our  schol- 
lars  for  fear  of  bangstars  and  claimed  gentlemen,  they  sail  haiff  all 
the  blud  of  my  body  first !"  Sa  the  day  comes,  at  the  qiihilk  the 
Lord  Boid  comes  to  Glasgw,  accompanied  with  all  his  frinds  ;  so 
comes  my  Lord  of  Glencarn  with  his,  to  the  number  of  four  or  fyve 


Threat.  3   Maligns,  or  curses  and  vows.  3  Never  swerved  a  whit. 

Were  much  afraid.  5  Influence.  6   Worse  would  hefal.  7  Margin. 


72  MB  JAMES  MELVILLE  DIARY.  1578. 

houndrethe  gentilmcn.  The  Principall  is  delt  with  be  diverse  in- 
tercessors nocht  to  present  the  place  :  Bot  terrific  as  they  wald,  he 
sayes,  "  They  that  will  go  with  me  go  ;  they  that  are  fleyd,1  let  them 
tarie  !"  And  sa  tlic  Rector,  the  Principall,  and  I,  with  our  schol- 
lara  at  our  bak,  in  our  gowns,  com  to  the  kirk-yeard,  and  stude  at 
the  place  wher  I  was  unbesett  ;  the  kirk-yeard  being  fidl  of  gentle- 
men, gifFes  place.  Then  comes  Alexander,  arrayit  in  his  best  abuily- 
ment,  in  the  middes  of  twa  gentlemen,  wherof  an  was  the  eldest 
brother  of  my  Bchollar,  the  uther  his  neirest  frind  ;  and  the  said 
Alexander,  bear-headit  and  bear-futed,  and  offers  to  fidfill  the  de- 
creit  gifF  anie  wald  accept  of  it.  "  Dout  nocht  of  the  acceptation," 
answers  the  Principall :  "  We  are  heir  readie  !"  And  sa  the  said 
Alexander,  in  presence  of  all  his  frinds,  to  bear  him  witness,  recited 
the  words  of  the  decreit,  and  obeyed  conform  to  eyerie  circumstance. 
The  quhilk,  when  the  gentilmen  saw,  wha,  for  the  maist  part,  knew 
nocht  for  what  cause  they  cam,  luche  him  to  skom,  spendit  thrie  or 
four  houndcr  mark  in  the  town,  and  returned,  as  they  confessit,  grait- 
ter  fulles  nor  they  cam  a-field  ! 

Now  to  Mr  Thomas  Snieton,  of  whom  I  maid  mention  befor.  I 
marked  the  wounderfull  guidnes  and  providence  of  God  towards  his 
Kirk  in  this  realme,  wha,  as  first  efter  the  blud  of  these  martyrs, 
Mr  George  Wischart  and  AValter  Miln,  steired  upe  Mr  Knox  to  ef- 
fectuat  the  Avark  of  Reformation  ;  and  taking  him  to  his  rest,  send 
ham  .Mi'  Andro  Melvill  for  continuance  of  zeall  and  sinceritie,  with 
exquisit  literature  and  knawlage,  and  for  putting  on  of  the  ceapstean 
of  the  trew  and  right  discipline  and  poleeie.  Sa,  when  the  course 
of  Papistrie  begoud  againe  to  creipe  in  be  the  alteration  of  the  go- 
vernment, and  Guisian  counsall 2  entering  about  the  King,  then  God 
plucked  out  from  amangs  the  Jesuits  a  wadge  of  thairawin  timber, 
wherwith  to  rent  and  cross  thair  deceaits.  This  was  Mr  Thomas 
Smcton,  wha,  in  that  jomey  to  Edinbruche,  recomptcd  to  me  the 
strange  wirking  of  God  with  him  ;  this  in  soum  :3  — That  at  the 

J  Afraid,  terrified.     -  The  council  <>r  polio;  <>f  the  House  of  Guise.        A  summary. 


1578.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DLA.RY.  73 

Reformation  of  Religion,  he  being  put  from  the  Auld  Collage  of  St 
Androis,  past  to  France,  whare  in  Paris  he  thought  mikle  upon  the 
trew  way  of  salvation,  and  be  dealling  of  diverse  of  his  acquentance, 
namlie,  Mr  Thomas  Matteland,  a  young  gentilman  of  guid  literature 
and  knawlage  in  the  treuthe  of  religion,  was  brought  to  ken  and  be 
inclynde  to  the  best  way.     Whar  also  he  was  acquentit  with  my 
uncle,  Mr  Andro,  and  Mr  Gilbert  Moncreiff.     Yit  lothe  to  alter  his 
mynd  wherin  he  was  brought  upe,  and  fand  him  selffsum  tyme  ful- 
lie  perswadit   in  the  mater  of  his  fatlie  and  salvation,  he  thought  he 
wald  leave  na  thing  untryed  and  esseyit  perteining  therto.     And 
understanding  that  the  ordour  of  the  Jesuits  was  maist  lerned,  haHe, 
and  exquisit  in  the  Papistrie,  he  resolvit  to  enter  in  than  ordour, 
during  the  years  of  probation  ;  at  the  end  wharof,  giff  he  fand  him 
selff  satteled  in  his  auld  fathe,  he  wald  continow  a  Jesuist  ;  and  giff 
he  fand  nocht  amangs  tham  that  might  remove  all  the  douttes  he 
was  cast  into,  it  was  bot  folie  to  seik  fordar  ;   he  wald  yeild  unto 
that  light  that  God,  be  the  ernest  delling  of  his  loving  frinds  and 
companions,  haid  enterit  him  into.     And  sa  he  enterit  in  the  Je- 
suists'  Collage  at  Paris,  whar  he  fand  Mr  Edmond  Hay,  a  verie 
loving  frind,  to  whom  he  communicat  all  his  mynd.     Mr  Edmond, 
seing  him  worthie  to  be  win  to  tham,  and  giffen  to  lerning  and  sight, 
directes  him  to  Rome  ;  and  be  the  way  he  cam  to  Genev,  whar  Mr 
Andro  Melvill  and  Mr  Gilbert  Moncreiff  being  for  the  tyme,  he 
communicat  with  tham  his  purpose,  and  cravit  thair  prayers.     Of 
his  purpose  they  could  sie  na  guid  warrand,  but  thair  prayers  they 
promisit  hartlie.     Sa,  making  na  stey  ther,   he  past  fordwart  to 
Rome,  whar  he  was  receavit  in  the  Jesuists'  Collage  gladlie.     In  the 
quhilk  Collage  was  a  father  hauldin  of  best  lerning  and  prudence, 
wha  was  ordeanit  to  travcll  with  sic  as  wer  deteined  in  pressone, 
for  religion,  to  convert  tham.     Of  him  he  cravit  that  he  might  ac- 
companie  him,  at  sic  tymes,  when  he  went  to  deall  with  these  pre- 
soners  ;  quhilk  was  granted  to  him.     Be  the  way  as  they  cam  from 
the  presoners  to  the  Collage,  quhilk  was  neir  a  myll,  Mr  Thomas 
w*Jd  tak  the  argument  of  the  presoners,  and  mcntein  it  against  the 
Jesuist  for  reasoning's  cause,  and  indeid  to  be  resolvit  ;  and  the 


74  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'8  DIARY.  1578. 

more  he  insisted  he  fund  the  treuthe  the  stranger,  and  the  Jesuist's 
answers  never  to  satisfie  him. 

This  way  he  continowit  about  a  yeir  and  a  halff  in  Rome,  till  at 
last  he  becam  suspitius  ;*  and  thairfor  was  remitted  bak  to  Paris, 
throw  all  the  Collages  of  the  Jesuists  be  the  way  ;  in  all  the  quhilks 
he  endevorit  mail'  and  mair  to  haiff  his  douttes  resolvit,  bot  fand 
him  selff  ay  fordar  and  fordar  confirmed  in  the  veritie.  Coming  to 
Paris  again,  he  abaid  ther  a  space,  verie  lovinglie  interteined  be 
Mr  Edmond  ;  till  at  last  he  could  nocht  bot  discover  him  selff  to 
Mr  Edmond  ;  to  whom,  he  sayes,  he  was  alse  mikle  behauldin  as  to 
anie  man  in  the  warld  :  For  notwithstanding  that  he  perceavit 
his  mynd  turned  away  from  than-  ordour  and  relligion,  yit  he  ceased 
nocht  to  counsall  him,  frindlie  and  fatherlie,  and  suffered  him  to 
want  na  thing.  And  being  a  verie  wyse  man,  he  thinks  to  keipe 
Mr  Thomas  quyet,  and  nocht  to  suffer  him  to  kythe 2  an  adversar 
against  them.  Perceaving,  thairfor,  the  young  man  to  be  giffen  to 
his  buik,  he  giffes  him  this  counsall,  to  go  to  a  quyet  Collage,  situat 
in  a  welthie  and  pleasant  part  in  Lorain,  whair  he  sould  haiff  na 
thing  to  do  but  attend  upon  his  buiks  ;  whair  he  sould  haiff  all  the 
Antient  Doctors,  and  sic  buiks  as  yie  pleasit  to  reid ;  he  sould  leak 
na  necessars  ;  thair  he  sould  keipe  him  quyet  till  God  wrought  for- 
dar with  him  ;  utherwayes  he  wald  cast  him  selff  in  grait  danger. 
Thair  was  na  thing  that  could  allure  Mr  Thomas  mair  nor  this,  and 
thairfor  he  resolved  to  follow  his  counsall ;  and  taking  jorney,  went 
towards  Lorain,  whair  be  the  way  the  Lord  leyes  his  hand  upon 
him,  and  visites  him  with  an  extream  fever,  casting  him  in  utter- 
maist  pean  and  perplexitie  of  body  and  mynd.  Thair  he  faught  a 
maist  stransr  and  ferfull  battell  in  his  conscience  ;  bot  God  at  last 
prevealing,  he  determines  to  schaw  him  selff,  abandone  that  dam- 
nable societie,  and  utter  in  plean  profession  the  treuthe  of  God,  and 
his  enemies'  falshods,  hypocrasie,  and  craft.  Sa,  coming  bak  to  Paris 
again,  he  takes  his  leive  of  Mr  Edmont,  wha  yit,  nocht  withstanding, 
kythes  na  thing  bot  lovin  fidndschipe  to  him,  and  at  his  parting 

1  Suspected.  -'  Turn  out,  prove,  or  manifesl  himself  to  be. 


1578.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  75 

giffes  thrie  coimsallcs  :  1.  To  reid  and  studie  the  Ancient  Doctors 
of  the  kirk,  [and  nocht  to  trow '  the  ministers  ;]  2.  To  go  ham  to  his 
awin  countrey  ;  and,  thridlie,  To  marie  a  wyff.  From  that  he 
manifested  him  selff  amangs  the  professours  of  religion,  till  the  tyme 
of  the  Massacre 2  quhilk  schortlie  ensewit ;  at  the  quhilk  being  nar- 
rowlie  sought,  he  cam  to  the  Engliss  Ambassator,  Mr  Secretarie 
Walsingham,  in  whase  houss,  lyand  at  Paris  for  the  tyme,  as  in  a 
comoun  girthe,3  he,  with  manie  ma,  war  seaff.  With  whome  also 
he  cam  to  Eingland  soone  efter,  whar  he  remeaned  scholmaister  at 
Colchester  till  his  coming  to  Scotland. 

At  his  coming  in  Scotland,  he  was  gladlie  content  to  be  in  com- 
panie  with  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro ;  and  sa  aggreit  to  be  minister  at 
Pasley,  in  place  of  Mr  Andro  Pulwart,  wha  enterit  to  the  Sub- 
deanrie  of  Glasgw,  when  Mr  David  Cuninghame  was  bischopit  in 
Aberdein.  A  litle  efter  his  placing,  Mr  Andro,  Principall  of  the 
Collage,  put  in  his  hand  Mr  Archbald  Hamiltone's  apostat's  buik, 
De  Confusione  CaJviance  Sectce  apud  Scotos ;  and,  efter  conference 
thairanent,  movit  him  to  mak  answer  to  the  sam,  quhilk  was  pub- 
lished in  print  the  yen*  following,  to  the  grait  contentment  of  all  the 
godlie  and  lemit.  Mr  Thomas  was  verie  wacryff4  and  peanfull,5  and 
skarslie  tuk  tyme  to  refreche  nature.  I  haiff  sein  him  oft  find  fault 
with  lang  denners  and  suppers  at  Generall  Assemblies  ;  and  when 
uthers  wer  thairat,  he  wald  abstein,  and  be  about  the  penning  of 
things,  (wherin  he  excellit,  bathe  in  langage  and  form  of  letter,) 
and  yit  was  nocht  rustic  nor  auster,  bot  sweit  and  affable  in  com- 
panie,  with  a  modest  and  naive6  gravitie  ;  verie  frugall  in  fade  and 
reyment,  and  walked  maist  on  fut ;  whom  I  was  verie  glad  to  ac- 
companie,  whylls  to  Sterling,  and  now  and  then  to  his  kirk,  for  my 
instruction  and  comfort.  He  lovit  me  exceiding  weill,  and  wald  at 
parting  thrust  my  head  in  his  bosome  and  Ids  me. 

He  being  weill  acquented  with  the  practizes  of  Papists,  namlie, 
Jesuists,  and  than-  devyccs  for  subverting  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland, 

1  Believe.  Margin.  2  The  Massacre  of  St  Bartholomew's  Eve.  :i  Sanctuary. 
*  Wakeful,  taking  little  sleep.  5  Pains-taking.  R  Lively,  natural.      Fr.  naif. 


76  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIAJRY.  1578. 

bathe  publiclie  and  privatlie,  ceassit  nocht  to  cry  and  warn  ministers 
and  schollars  to  be  diligent  upon  th^r  charges  and  buiks,  to  studie 
the  controversies,  and  to  tak  head  they  neglected  nocht  the  tyme, 
for  ther  wald  be  a  Strang  unseatt 1  of  Papists.  Also  he  was  cear- 
full  to  know  the  relligion  and  affection  of  noble  men,  insinuating 
him  in  thair  companie  in  a  wyse  and  grave  maner,  and  warning* 
tham  to  be  war  of  evill  companie,  and  nocht  to  send  thair  bems  to 
dangerus  partes.  And,  finalie,  Mr  Andro  and  he,  mervelouslie  con- 
spyring  in  purposes  and  judgments,  war  the  first  motioners  of  an 
Anti-Seminarie  to  be  erected  in  St  Androis,  to  the  Jesuist  Semi- 
naries, for  the  course  of  Theologie  ;  and  cessit  never,  at  Assemblies 
and  Court,  till  that  wark  was  begoun  and  sett  ford  wart. 

The  Generall  Assemblie  convenit  at  Edinbruche,  October  1578. 
Therin  the  Noble  men,  frequentlie  conveinit,2  war  desyrit  to  allow 
of  the  Polecie  of  the  Kirk  by  grait  peanes  and  deliberation  con- 
cludit ;  and,  as  they  haid  accepted  the  right  and  trew  Confession 
of  the  Christian  Fathe,  sa  of  the  Discipline  also  drama  out  of  the 
word  of  God.  They  accepted  thairof,  and  promisit  to  meantein  the 
sam  to  ther  powar,  except  in  sa  far  as  the  King's  Majestic  and  Coun- 
sall  was  nocht  rcsolvit,  namlie,  of  the  Diaconerie.  Thir  Noble  men 
war  the  Erles  of  Atholl,  Argyll,  Montrose,  &c,  wha  haid  drawin 
the  faction  against  the  Regent  Mortoun  ;  sa  it  plcasit  God  to  work. 

That  yeir  arryvit  Monsieur  d'Obignie  from  France,  with  instruc- 
tions and  devysses  from  the  Houss  of  Guise,  and  with  manie 
Frenchc  fasones  and  toyes  ;  and,  in  effect,  with  a  plean  course  of 
Papistrie,  to  subvert  the  esteat  of  the  Kirk  neAV  planted,  bathe  with 
trew  doctrin  and  discipline.  He  brought  with  him  an  Monsieur 
Mombirneau,3  a  subtill  spreit,  a  mime  fellow,  veric  able  in  bodie, 
and  maist  meit  in  all  respects  for  bewitching  of  the  youthe  of  a 

1   Or  unsaucJit ;  dispeaec,  trouble.  2  Numerously  assembled.         8  "  Mr  Nicol 

Dalgles  tauld  me  that  this  Monbirneu's  mother  was  a  verie  godlie  lady,  and  schew 
grait  curtessie  to  tham  in  France,  at  Burge  in  Berie,  and  warnit  tham  of  INI.  Obig- 
nie's  sending  in  Scotland  ;  wherupon  he  maid  advertismenl  to  the  ministers  <>f  Edin- 
bruche."     Note  by  the  author,  inserted  on  margin  of  MS. 


1579.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  77 

Prince.  They  within  few  dayes  insinuat  tham  selffs  sa  in  favour  of 
the  young  King,  that  they  gyclit  all,  brought  in  be  Mortone's  mis- 
lykers,  bot  to  the  wrak  bathe  of  him  and  thame.  Under  thair 
winges  crape  in  craftie  fellowes,  wha  maid  the  Reformation  of  Rel- 
ligion,  and  all  the  guid  service  done  for  the  King  befor,  to  be  bot 
turbulent  and  treasonable  delling,  &c. ;  against  the  quhilk  the 
ministers  of  Edinbruche,  lyk  fathfull  watchmen,  maid  loud  and  ty- 
mus  warning. 

M.D.LXXIX. 

The  Assemblie  convenit  at  Edinbrache  in  the  New  Kirk,  July 
1579.  To  convoy  the  mair  craftelie  and  quyetlie  the  course  in- 
tendit,  thair  is  presentit  from  his  Majestie  a  Letter  to  the  Assem- 
blie, schawing  his  Hienes  guid  mynd  towards  the  Kirk,  and  craving 
the  Heads  of  the  Polecie  to  be  presented  to  the  Parliament  instant, 
to  be  past  thairat.  This  was  to  conciliat  the  favour  of  the  Kirk, 
and  mak  Mortoun  mair  odius  till  they  war  stranger.  Item,  Bischopes 
and  Superintendents  haillie  removit,  and  Commissioners  from  As- 
semblie to  Assemblie,  in  number  sufficient  for  the  haill  realm,  acord- 
ing  to  the  severall  Provinces,  placed  in  ther  room.  The  Bischopes 
ther  began  to  withdraw  tham  selves  fra  the  Assemblies,  and  ordour 
takin  thairanent.  The  reformation  of  the  Universitie  of  St  Androis 
intendit,  and  sutt  maid  to  the  King's  Majestie  thairanent.  Presby- 
teries ordeanit  to  be  erected,  and  that  the  Exerceises  sould  be  as 
Presbyteries  in  the  mean  tyme. 

It  was  a  maist  pleasand  and  confortable  thing  to  be  present  at 
these  Assemblies,  thair  was  sic  frecjuencie  and  reverence  ;  with  hali- 
nes  in  zeall  at  the  doctrine  quhilk  soundit  mightelie,  and  the  Ses- 
siones  at  everie  meiting,  whar,  efter  ernest  prayer,  maters  war 
gravlie  and  cleirlie  proponit ;  overtures  maid  be  the  wysest ;  douttes 
reasonit  and  discussit  be  the  lernedest  and  maist  quik  ;  and,  finalie, 
all  withe  a  voice  concluding  upon  maters  resolved  and  cleirit,  and 
referring  things  intricat  and  uncleired  to  farder  advysment.  Namlie, 
it  is  to  be  noted,  that  in  all  these  Assemblies  anent  the  Polecie, 
ther  was  nocht  sic  a  thing  as  a  careing  away  of  anie  poinct  with  a 


78  KB  JAMES  melvill's  diabt.  1579. 

number  of  vottes,  an  or  ma,  or  by  a  preoccupied  purpo.se  or  led 
course;  bot  maters  indifferentlie  proponit,  and  efter  beging light  of 
God,  and  serving  the  Scripture  by  conference  and  reasoning  dis- 
Cussit,  with  large  and  sufficient  tyme  takin  and  diligentlie  employed 
for  that  effect,  all  with  a  voice,  in  an  consent  and  unitie  of  mynd, 
determines  and  concludes. 

God  glorified  him  self  notablie  with  that  ministerie  of  Edinbruche, 
in  these  •  laves.  The  men  haid  knawlage,  uprightnes,  and  zeall; 
they  dwelt  vcrie  commodiuslie  togidder,  as  in  a  Collage,  with  a 
wounderfull  consent  in  varietie  of  giftes,  all  strak  on  a l  string  and 
BOundet  a  liarmonie.  Jhone  Dury  "was  of  small  literature,  bot  haid 
-(in  and  marked  the  grait  warks  of  God  in  the  first  Reformation, 
and  bein  a  doer  bathe  with  toung  and  hand.  He  haid  bein  a  dili- 
gent heirar  of  Mr  Knox,  and  observer  of  all  his  waves.  He  con- 
ccavit  the  best  grounds  of  maters  weill,  and  could  utter  tham  fearlie, 
iiillic,  and  fecfullic,  with  a  inightic  spreit,  voice,  and  action.  The 
Bpeciall  gift  I  marked  in  him  Avas  halines,  and  a  daylie  [and  nightlie2] 
oearfull,  continnall  walking  with  God  in  meditation  and  prayer, 
lie  was  a  verie  guid  fallow,  and  tnk  delyt,  as  his  speciall  comfort, 
to  haiff  his  table  and  houss  filled  with  the  best  men.  These  he  wald 
gladlie  heir,  with  tliam  confer  and  talk,  professing  he  was  bot  a 
buik-bearer,  and  wald  lean  lern  of  thame  :  and  getting  the  ground 
and  light  of  knawlage  in  anic  guid  poinct,  then  wald  he  rcjoyse  in 
God,  praise  and  pray  thainipon,  and  urge  it  with  sa  cleir  and  for- 
cible  exhortation  in  Assemblies  and  pulpit,  that  he  was  cstimed  a 
verie  fordersum3  instrument.  Ther  ludgit  in  his  house  at  all  these 
Assemblies  in  Edinbrnehe,  [for  comoun,]  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  Mr 
Thomas  Smcton,  Mr  Alexander  Arbiithnot,  thrie  of  the  lernedest 
in  Europe  ;    Mr  James  Melvill,  my  uncle.  Mr. lames  Balfour,  David 

Fergusone,  David  Home,  ministers :  with  sum  zclus,  godlie  ban-ones 
and  gentilmcn.  In  tyme  of  mealies  was  reasoning  upon  guid  purposes, 

namlie,  maters  in  hand  :  thairet'ter  cnie-t  and  lang  prayer:  thairet'ter  a 
ohaptoui  read,  and  evcrie  man  about'  gailf  his  not  and  observation 

1  One         3  IfarginofMS  Beady,  active.         *  Alternately,  one  by  one. 


1579.  Mil  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  7i) 

thairof :  Sa  that  giff  all  haid  bein  sett  down  in  wryt,  I  haiff  hard  the 
lernedest  and  of  best  judgment  say,  they  wald  nocht  haifF  wissed  a 
fuller  and  better  commentar  nor  smn  tymes  wald  fall  out  in  that 
exerceise.  Thairefter  was  sung  a  Psalme  ;  efter  the  quhilk  was  con- 
ference and  deliberation  upon  the  purposes  in  hand  ;  and  at  night, 
befor  going  to  bed,  ernest  and  zealus  prayer,  according  to  the  esteat 
and  success  of  maters.  And  often  tymes,  yea,  almost  daylie,  all 
the  Collage  was  togidder  in  an  or  uther  of  than  housses  ;  for,  befor 
Mr  James  Lawsone  and  Mr  Walter  war  maried,  they  war  burdit 
with  Jhone  Durie,  and  efter  entring  to  thair  awin  housses,  keipit 
exceiding  guid  fallowschipe  togidder. 

Heir  I  man  remember  a  singular  benefit  of  God's  providence  and 
government  towards  me.  I  was  then  in  the  floure  of  my  age,  about 
a  twa  and  twentie  and  thrie  and  twentie  yens  ;  a  young  man  nocht 
unlovlie,  and  of  nature  verie  loving  and  ainorus,  quhilk  was  the 
proped  schot  of  Sathan  wharby  to  snare  me,  and  spoill  the  haill 
wark  of  God  in  me.  Manie  lovers  haid  I,  and  sum  loves  also ; 
monie  occasiones,  in  dyvers  places  and  sortes  of  persones,  and  nocht 
of  inferior  rank  :  Yit  my  guid  God,  of  his  frie  grace  and  love  to- 
wards me,  a  vean,  vyll,  corrupt  youthe  ;  partlie  by  his  fear  wrought 
in  my  heart,  partlie  by  necessar  occupation  in  my  calling,  and  part- 
lie  be  a  certean  schamfastnes  of  a  bashfull  nature,  quhilk  he  pat  in 
me,  sa  keipit  me  that  I  was  nocht  overcome  nor  miscaried  be  na 
woman,  offensivlie  to  his  Kirk,  nor  greivuslie  to  my  conscience,  in 
blotting  of  my  bodie.  I  markit  befor  the  occasion  I  haid  of  lcming 
to  sing  and  play  on  instruments  of  music  in  St  Androis,  wharof 
my  hart  was  verie  desirus,  [bot  from  grait  skill,  wherin  God  keipit 
me ;]  far  graitter  and  sweittar  haid  I  in  Glasgw  of  a  gentihnans 
houss  in  the  town,  wha  interteined  maist  expert  singars  and  play- 
IB,  and  brought  upe  all  his  beras  thairin,  namlie,  his  eldest  douchtar, 
a  verie  pleasand  gentilwoman,  endewit  with  manie  guid  verteus. 
I  haid  everie  yeir  smn  of  this  gentilman's  sonnes  my  schollars,  and 
be  that  occasion  was  hamlie  in  his  houss,  and  maist  lovinglie  and 
hartlie  interteined.     Affection  enterit  verie  extreamlie  betwix  that 


80  MK  JAMES  mi.i.\  ill's  diabt.  L580. 

gentlewoman  and  me,  bot  as  God  and  man  bathe  knew,  honest  and 
cheast ; l  yit  sic  as  gifF  my  God,  and  the  can-full  and  fatherlie  admo- 
nitiones  and  conforts  of  my  uncle,  haid  nocht  supplied,  it  haid  un- 
done me.  Manie  sear 2  battels  and  greivus  tentatiounes 3  did  my  God 
uphauld  me  in,  and  carie  me  throw  ;  and  at  last  put  in  my  hart  a  pur- 
pose to  seik  and  use  that  holie  and  lawfull  remeid  of  manage;  and 
thairin.  namlie  to  respect  a  helpe  and  confort  for  that  calling  wher- 
unto  I  haid  advowit  my  selff.  Sa,  be  my  banting  to  the  General! 
Assemblies  in  Kdinbruche,  and  takin  with  the  godlie  ordour  and 
exerceise  in  the  famine  of  Jhone  Durie,  and  with  that  cairfull 
walkine  with  God  I  saw  in  him  ;  as  also  with  sum  appeirance  of 
God's  fear  and  honestie  I  saw  in  the  face  and  fasones4  of  the  bern, 
being  bot  about  alleavin  or  twall  yeirs  of  age,  I  resolvit  with  my 
God  to  settle  my  hart  ther,  tak  hir  for  my  love,  and  put  all  uther 
out  of  my  hart  :  And  this  almost  a  four  yeir  befor  our  manage. 

M.D.LXXX. 
The  Generall  Assemblie  convenit  at  Dondie,  July  1580,  wharat 
ZMr  James  LawBone  was  Moderator:  The  King's  Commissionars 
war  ther.  Ther  Episcopatw  was  utterlie  abolisched,  and  all  bruik- 
and  that  office  ordeanit  to  demit  the  sam,  and  with  dew  tryall  to 
be  receavit  as  pastors  of  particular  congregationes  de  novo,  and  that 
under  pean  of  excomunication  ;  and  the  Provinciall  Synods  ini- 
mediatlie  following  to  put  the  act  in  execution.  Item,  Anent  the 
office  of  Reidars,  that  ther  is  nocht  sic  an  office  in  the  Kirk  of  God 
as  of  simple  reiding;  and,  thairfor,  all  Reidars  to  be  tryed  within 
twa  yeir,  and  girl'  they  haiff  nocht  profited  sa  that  they  ar  able  to 
exhort  with  doctrine,  to  be  deposit  ;  and  that  nan  sould  be  admit- 
ted, in  tyme  coming,  to  anie  benefice  that  could  dona  mairbot  reid. 
Also  manie  dclationes  was  maid  of  Papists  that  haid  flocked  hame 
with  and  efter  Monsieur  d'Obignie,  wha  haid  presence  and  credit 
:it  Court;  wheranenl  the  King's  ministers,  Mr  Jhone  Crage  and 
Jhone  Dunkaneon,  war  admonised. 

1  Chaste.  '  Sore.  '  Grievous  trials.  '  Manners. 


1580.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  81 

At  that  Assemblie,  Captan  Robert  Anstruther,  father-brother  to 

the  present  Lard  of  Anstruther,  wha  haid  spendit  liis  haill  lyfF  in 
the  warres  in  France,  and  haid  atteined  ther  to  honour  and  ritches, 
moved  of  conscience,  cam  hame  to  end  his  lyfF  in  his  awin  coun- 
trey,  in  the  Reformed  Kirk  thairin  ;  and  offerit  him  sekT  as  a  peni- 
tent to  the  said  Assemblie,  for  being  sa  manie  yeirs  present  at  mess 
with  liis  maister,  the  King  of  France,  knawin  the  ydolatrie  thairof, 
and  professing  the  trew  religion  in  his  hart.  The  Assemblie  re- 
mitted him  to  the  Synod  of  Fyff  and  Presbyterie  of  St  Androis, 
to  be  receaved  in  the  favour  of  the  Kirk,  as  he  was  the  vrintar 
thairefter ;  and  within  a  yeir  died  happelie,  full  of  dayes.  He  was 
a  verie  wyse  and  valiant  man  in  amies,  spendit  all  his  time  in  the 
warres  with  grait  honour,  and  yit  haid  the  hape  never  to  sched 
bind  with  his  a  win  hand,  nor  to  haiff  liis  blud  schede.  He  left  to 
the  pure  of  the  congregation  of  Kilrinny,  whare  he  was  born,  and 
whare  he  died,  the  soum  of  a  thowsand  marks. 

That  yeir  was  the  King's  first  progress  and  promene  athort l  his 
eountrey,  with  solemnities  of  entrees  in  manie  of  his  Hienes' 
branches  ;a  and  amangs  the  rest  of  St  Androis,  whar  we  war  for 
that  present  come  from  Dondie  with  the  supplication  and  articles 
of  the  Assemblie,  and  keiping  a  dyet  befor  the  Counsall  about 
Alexander  Cuninghame,  in  the  mater  mentioned  befor.  Whar,  on 
a  day,  the  gentihnen  of  the  countrey  about  haid  a  gyse  and  farce 
to  play  befor  the  King :  His  Majestie  was  in  the  new  Lines  of  the 
Abay,  befor  the  windowes  wharof  the  schow  was  to  be  maid. 
Grait  confluence  of  peiple  conveined,  and  the  place  read  with  a  fear 
circuit :  It  continowed  void  for  the  space  of  a  lang  liourc,  wither 
that  his  Majestic  was  noeht  rcadie  to  behauld,  or  the  playars  to 
present  tham  selves,  I  can  nocht  tell,  bot,  whill  all  ar  gasing  and 
Langing  for  the  play,  in  stappes  Schipper  Lindsay,  a  knawin  fre- 
netic man,3  and  pacsses4  upe  and  down  in  the  circuit  with  a  grait 
gravetic,  his  hands  in  his  syde,  looking  verie  big  and  hiche.     The 

1  Athwart  2  Burghs.         3  A  known  madman.  4  Paces,  strut-;. 

F 


$2  MR  JAMES  MELVTLL'a  DIABT.  L580. 

man  was  of  a  grait  telyie,1  weill  bigged,2  of  a  large  face,  and  guid 
manlie  countenance,  all  rouche  with  heire,  his  browes  grait  tuftea 
of  heire,  and  als  grait  a  tnft  upon  the  verie  neb  of  his  nease  ;8  his 
look  was  verie  reasit  and  hiche  :  Wherat  first  the  peiple  maid  a 
noyse  with  lauching  ;  hot  when  he  began  to  speak,  he  movit  sic 
attention  as  it  haid  bein  to  a  preateher ;  and,  indeid,  for  my  part. 
I  was  mair  movit  with  it  then  with  monie  preatchings.  Ther  he 
discoursit  with  grait  force  of  sprit  and  mightie  voice,  crying  upon 
all  of  all  ranks  and  degries  to  heir  him,  and  tak  exemple  be  him, 
whow  wicket  and  ryottous  a  man  he  haid  bein  ;  what  he  had  done 
and  conqueist  be  the  sie,  and  whow  he  had  spendit  it,  and  abosit 
him  selfF  be  land ;  and  Avhat  maist  justhe  for  that  the  grait  God 
and  Judge  of  the  warld  haid  brought  upon  him.  He  haid  wit,  he 
haid  ritches,  he  haid  strenthe  and  abilitie  of  body ;  he  haid  fam 
and  estimation  passing  all  of  his  tread  and  rank  ;  bot  all  was  vanitie, 
that  maid  him  misken  his  God,  wha  wald  nocht  be  miskenned, 
aamlie,  be  the  Inchest.  And  turning  him  selfFto  the  boss  windo, 
whar,  in  the  nedmaist,  the  Erie  of  Morton  Avas  standing  gnapping 
on  his  staff-end,  and  the  King  and  Monsieur  d'Obignie  above,  he 
makes  sic  application  to  him  in  speciall  as  movit  him  throw  the 
hart,  and  Avas  marvellus  in  the  eares  of  the  heirars  :  For  my  self!', 
I  was  estonisehed  and  movit  to  tears,  heiring  and  seing  the  man. 
Amangs  the  rest,  he  Avarned  him,  nocht  ohscnrlie,  that  his  judg- 
ment was  neir,  and  his  dome  Avas  dichten.  And,  indeid,  the  verie 
sam  tvme  was  the  platt  a  dressin  against  the  Erie  of  Morton,  na 
waves  knawin  nor  suspected  of  anie  [in  comoun.4]  8a,  that  the  platt 
levers  wald  haiff  suspected  a  discoveric,  gift' they  haid  nocht  knawin 
the  man  to  be  hmatik  and  bereft  of  his  wit.  I  market  the  Erie, 
standing  just  foment  him,  mikle  movit  with  this  first  interlude,  as 
ernest  and  nocht  play:  sa,  that  during  all  the  sportes  that  follow- 
ed, he  altered  never  the  gravitie  of  his  countenance. 

In   the  monethe  of  October  immediatlie  thairafter,  the  General! 

1  Stature.  '-'  Huilt.  Point  of  his  nose.  '  Margin . 


1580.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diabt.  83 

Assemblie  conveinet  at  Edinbruche.  Ther  Bischopea  callit  upon  ; 
all  war  fund  absent.  The  actes  maid  against  them  ordeanit  to 
be  put  in  operation.  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  scar  against  his  will,  de- 
cernit  and  ordeanit  to  transport  him  selff  from  Glasgw  to  St  An- 
drois,  to  begine  the  wark  of  Theologie  ther,  with  sic  as  he  thought 
meit  to  tak  with  him  for  that  effect,  conform  to  the  leat  reformation 
of  that  Universitie,  and  the  New  Collage  thairof,  giffen  in  be  the 
Kirk  and  past  in  Parliament.  Wharupon  compulsators  of  horning 
[last  out  against  him,  and  Mr  Thomas  Smeton  ordeanit  to  be  placed 
in  the  Collage  of  Glasgw  in  his  roum. 

[About  this  tyme  rested  happelie  in  the  Lord  Mr  Jhone  Row, 
minister  of  St  Jhonstoun,  a  wyse,  grave  father,  and  of  guid  litera- 
ture, according  to  his  tynie ;  wha,  be  information  of  my  uncle,  Mr 
Andro,  haid  first,  in  a  Generall  Assemblie,  be  doctrine,  clerit  all  the 
Heads  of  the  Discipline,  to  the  grait  contentation  of  the  haill  Kirk  ; 
and  thairefter  continowit  a  constant  promoter  thairof  to  his  end. '] 

The  vacans2  befor,  and  all  that  yeir,  I  was  resolved  haillelie  to 
haiff  gean 3  to  France ;  bot  could  na  wayes  obtein  my  uncle's  guid 
will,  nor  yit  the  guid  breithring's,  whaes  judgments  I  reverenced  : 
yit  I  haid  almost  prevealed  till  this  transportation  was  concludit. 
And  then,  partlie  moved  with  the  lov  and  reverence  of  my  uncle, 
whom  I  could  nocht  leave,  so  ernestlie  desyring  me  to  tak  a  part  of 
that  charge  with  him ;  and  partlie  glad  to  be  frie  from  the  davlie 
labor  of  regenting  in  Philosophic,  to  ascend  to  the  profession  and 
daylie  travell  in  Theologie,  wherin  I  Avas  blythe  to  spend  mv  haill 
lyff,  I  cast  away  that  purpose  of  France,  and  tuk  me  haillelie4  to 
tak  part  with  my  uncle,  namlie,  finding  the  approbation  of  all  the 
guid  breithring  and  calling  of  the  Kirk  to  that  purpose.  Yit  a 
benefit,  quhilk  I  haid  of  that  purpose,  to  pass  in  France,  was  the 
studie  of  the  Frenche  toung,  wharto  I  was  mikle  giffen  that  yeir, 
and  wherin,  to  satisfie  me,  my  uncle  helped  me  graitlie,  by  confer- 
ring with  me  tcxtcs  of  Scripture  :    also  sum  thing  of  the  best  au- 

1  Margin  of  MS.  "Vacation.  ''Gone.  'Wholly. 


S4  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.     .  1580. 

thors  in  the  Frenche  toung,  as  of  Plutarche's  Lyves  and  Ileliodor's 
Ethiopic  Historic,  conferring  the  Greik  with  the  Frenche  ;  wherin 
I  profited  in  bathe,  namlie,  in  tlie  right  pronunciation  of  the  Frenche 
langage,  quhilk  is  liardest  to  attein  unto.  Be  quhilk  occasion  I  tuk 
mikle  delyt,  and  rcade  manic  things  in  the  Frenche  langage. 

We  tuk  leive  from  Glasgw  with  infinit  tcares  on  batlie  sydes,  sa 
that  sic  as  war  our  mislykers  befor  (wharof,  except  sum  Boyds  and 
that  Alexander  Cuninghame,  ther  was  nan)  wald  haiff  fean  ky thed 
frindschipethen;  and  leaving  Mr  Thomas  Smeton  in  the  Principalis, 
and  my  cusing,  Mr  Patrik  Melvill,  (sone  to  guid  Roger,  wha  leatlic 
haid  past  his  course  in  Philosophic  ther,)  in  my  roum,  we  cam  to 
Edinbruche  about  the  end  of  November,  whare  I  fand  my  bern l 
growand  in  grace  and  favour  with  God  and  man,  quhilk  eased  me 
sum  what  of  the  langour  of  our  frinds  at  Glasgw. 

But  the  grait  feir  and  cear  quhilk  was  in  my  hart  of  my  inhabili- 
tic  to  undertak  and  bear  out  sa  grait  a  charge  as  to  profess  Theo- 
logie  and  holie  tounges  amangs  ministers  and  maisters,  namlie,  in 
that  maist  frequent2  Universitie  of  St  Androis,  amangs  divers  alterit 
and  displacit,  and  thairfor  malcontents  and  mislykers,  occupied  me 
sa,  that  I  behovit  to  forget  all,  and  rin  to  my  God  and  my  buik. 

Mr  .James  Lawsone,  Jhonc  Dury,  with  the  Lards  of  Bread  and 
Faldownsydc,  convoy  it  us  to  Londy,  and  so  with  the  Lard  thairof, 
to  St  Androis,  and  cnterit  us  in  the  Collage  in  the  monethe  of  De- 
cember 1580.  Mr  Andro,  Principal]  Maister,  Mr  Jlione  Robcrt- 
sonc,  wha  haid  bein  lang  in  that  Collage  befor,  and  haid  studiet 
sum  thing  in  Theologic,  a  guid  weill-conditionet  man,  but  of  small 
literature  and  giftes,  and  me.  Mr  Andro  maid  his  preface,  and  cn- 
terit to  the  comoun  places  :  So  did  I,  and  cnterit  to  the  Hebrew 
( i  ranunar.  Mr  Jlione  did  as  he  could  in  the  New  Testament ;  bot 
was  supplied  thairin  be  the  Principal!,  wha  remitted ne  thing  of  his 
wounted  pcanes. 

At  our  first  cntrie,  ther  was  a  student  chalmerit8  abon  a  laftcd 


1  His  future  wife,  tli°  daughter  of  John  Durio.     Soe  p.  mi.  '-'  Numerously 

attended.  :1  Who  resided  or  lodged  in  n  chamber. 


1580.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL  S  DIARY.  85 

leache  seller, '  in  the  quliilk  sellar  wrights  war  working,  and  it  was 
full  of  dry  timber  and  spealles, 2  grait  and  small.  The  student  coll 
ing 3  his  candle  in  a  morning,  the  coll  falles  throw  the  laft,  and 
kendles  the  small  speales  lyand  alangs  a  pleaning  burde,4  and  sa 
athort  the  house.  He  conies  out  greitting  and  crying ;  quliilk,  my 
chamber  being  nixt,  I  heir,  and  coming  down  with  speid,  lookes  in 
at  a  window,  and  sies  all  the  house  athort  in  fyre,  and  the  key  of 
the  dure  coidd  nocht  be  gottin.  GifF  I  haid  a  dammist  sear  hart, 
God  knowes,  luiking  for  na  thing  bot  the  burning  of  the  haill  place 
at  our  first  entrie,  to  the  grait  discourage  and  greiff  of  all  guid  men, 
and  the  joy  of  the  wicked,  and  sic  as  heated 5  the  wark.  Wnarfor, 
crying  mightilie  to  God  in  my  hart,  I  with  the  auld  portar  presses 
the  breaking  of  the  dur  in  vean ;  bot  it  pleased  God  mercifullie  to 
luik  on  and  pitie  the  mater,  sending  the  wright  boy  with  the  key, 
onluikit  for,  and  twa  or  thrie  with  water  ;  wherby  we  quenched  the 
fyre  befor  it  tuk  haid  of  the  gests  and  lafting0  above  ;  and,  indeid, 
the  house  being  sa  full  of  dry  timber  and  spealles,  it  was  a  wounder 
to  sie  the  fyre  sa  soone  slokned  ; 7  and  that,  quliilk  I  thought  a  spe- 
ciall  benefit,  befor  anie  thing  was  hard  thairof  in  the  toAvn,  or  noysc 
maid  thairabout :  Bot  it  sank  sa  in  my  hart,  that  I  could  nocht  for- 
get nor  conceill  it,  for  danger  of  unthankfulnes  to  God,  wha  sa  mer- 
cifullie keipit  that  wark  from  sklander  and  discuragment  at  the  first 
entres  thairto. 

Ther  was  nan  that  welcomde  us  mair  than  Mr  Patrik  Adamsone, 
called  Bischope,  wha  resorted  to  our  lessones,  and  keiped  verie  fa- 
miliar frindschipe  with  Mr  Andro,  promising  what  could  ly  in  him 
for  the  weill  of  that  wark.  He  haid  takin  him  to  the  ministerie  of 
St  Androis,  and  teatched  twyse  in  the  ouk  exceiding  sweitlie  and 
eloquentlie ;  but  the  Sabothes,  at  efter  noone,  vaked,  because  of 
Mr  Robert  Hamilton's  seiklines,  wha  was  ordinar  minister.      And 


1  A  low  cellar  in  the  New  College  of  St  Andrews,  having  a  "loft"  for  drying  timber. 
2  Carpenters'  chips  and  shavings  of  wood.  3  Snuffing.  '  A  carpenter's 

planing-bench.  5  Hated.  '"'Joists  and  lofting.  r  Quenched. 


86  am  james  melvill's  diaby.  1581. 

thairfor,  at  the  desyre  of  sum  of  the  eldars  of  the  kirk  send  from  the 
session,  I  occupied  the  pulpit  on  the  Sabaths  at  efter  noone ;  lyk 
as  the  Principall  did  oftentymes  in  the  fornoone,  in  absence  of  the 
Bischope.  Thus  it  pleased  God,  of  unspeakable  grace,  to  hald  the 
mouthe  quhilk  he  haid  opened,  sounding  his  treuthe  and  praise, 
quhilk  was  done  with  grait  tentationes  and  mikle  trembling  and 
fear  in  the  present  tyme,  bot  now  rememberit  to  the  graittest  joy 
of  my  hart.  And  thus  we  war  occupied  all  the  ouk  in  the  schoolls, 
and  in  the  Kirk  on  the  Sabothe  ;  quhilk  was  my  onlie  releiff  against 
monie  foolishe  thoughts  and  languissing  cears,  and  held  me  fast  upon 
my  God,  with  ernest  wakryffnes, l  to  beg  liis  grace. 

Ther  was  twa  things  that  daylie  sterrit  me  upe  to  thankfulnes 
towards  God,  and  ernest  endevour  in  my  calling.  That  an,  when 
I  lewked  upon  sic  as  haid  bein  maisters  and  regents  when  I  was  a 
schollar,  now  to  be  receavers  of  instruction  out  of  my  mouthe, 
saying  oft  with  David,  "  Thou  has  maid  me  wysar  nor  my  teatch- 
ers."  Another,  I  saAV  a  condisciple  of  myne,  mentioned  befor, 
Mr  David  Elison  be  name,  wha  was  the  best  schollar  of  his  class  all 
the  tyme  of  our  course,  and  going  to  France  with  the  Clark  Re- 
gister sonnes,  ther  he  falles  in  a  phrenesie  and  daffing, 2  quhilk  keipit 
him  to  his  deathe  ;  whom,  when  I  beheld  out  of  the  pulpit  in  the 
scholles,  and  rememberit  the  mercifull  working  of  my  God  with 
mie,  my  breist  could  nocht  contein  my  breathe  nor  my  eis  teares. 
Then  I  had  the  honour,  of  Him  to  Avhome  all  honour  aperteines,  to 
be  the  teatcher  of  Mr  Robert  Rolloc,  of  most  worthie  memorie,  the 
Hebrew  toung,  wha  resorted  ordinarlie  to  my  lessone  and  chalmer 
to  that  effect. 

M.D.LXXXI. 

The  Generall  Asscmblie  conveined  at  Glasgw  in  Apryll,  1581, 

wherat,  throw  distance  of  place,  and  the  new  beginning  of  our  wark 

in  St  Androis,  Mr  Andro  thought  lang  nocht  to  be;  bot  at  last, 

borrowinga  guid  horse  from  the  Bischope,  aff-hand  takes  jorney  and 

1  Wakefulness,  watchfulness,  •'  Lunacy  and  idiotcv. 


1581.  MB  james  melvill's  diaky.  87 

keipes  that  Assemblie.  Therin  the  office  of  Bischopes,  as  they  war 
mentioned,  judged  damnable.  The  Act  of  Dondie  cleirliar  exponit, 
and  ordeanit  to  be  put  in  execution.  The  ordour  of  Presbyteries, 
in  all  Provinces,  sett  down  ;  and  Commissionars  apointed  for  estab- 
lissing  of  the  sam.  [The  King's  Confession,  published  for  removing 
suspition  of  Papistrie  from  the  Court,  sighted l  and  allowit.  This 
Confession  is  maist  notable  ;  bot  because  it  is  publict  and  comoun 
in  the  housses  and  hands  of  all,  I  have  omitted  it.2]  Bot,  namlie,  the 
Buik  of  the  Polecie,  efter  almaist  a  ten  yeirs  labours,  was  throwlie, 
and  in  everie  poinct,  ratified,  and  ordeanit  to  be  inregistrat  in  the 
buiks  of  the  Assemblie,  and  copies  thairof  given  furthe  to  all  Pro- 
vinces. The  quhilk,  because  this  declyning  age  is  beginning  to 
forget  and  slipe  fra,  I  thought  guid  to  insert  in  this  place,  wharof 
the  tenor  followes  : — 


THE  HEADS  AND  CONCLUSIONS  OF  THE  POLECIE 
OF  THE  KIRK,  M.D.LXXXL 

CAP.  I. 

Of  The  Kirk  and  Polecie  therof,  in  general! ;  and  wherinitis  different 
from  The  Civill  Polecie. 

I.  CONCLUSION. 

"  Proposition  1.  The  Kirk  of  God  is,  sum  tymes,  larglie  tean3 
for  all  them  that  professes  the  Evangell  of  Jesus  Chryst ;  and  sa  it 
is  a  companie  and  fellowschipe,  nocht  onlie  of  the  godlie,  bot  also 
of  hypocrites  professing  alwayes,  outwardlie,  a  trew  relligion. 

"  2.  Uther  tymes,  it  is  taken  for  the  godlie  and  elect  onlie  ;  and 
sum  tymes  for  them  wha  exerceises  the  spiritual!  functiones  amangs 
the  Congregation  of  them  that  professes  the  treuthe. 

1  Examined,  inspected.  2  This  on  margin  of  MS.  3  Taken. 


88  -Ml:  JAMES  melvtll's  diaey.  L581. 

"  3.  The  Kirk,  in  the  last  sence,  ha8  a  certean  powar  granted  be 
God,  according  to  the  quhiJk  it  uses  a  propre  Jurisdiction  and  Go- 
vernment exercit  to  the  comfort  of  the  haill  Kirk. 

"  4.  This  powar  Ecclesiastical  is  a  powar  and  anthoritie  granted 
be  God  the  Father,  throw  the  Mediator,  Jesus  Chryst,  unto  sic 
wha  lies  the  speciall  government  of  the  Kirk  committed  to  them, 
be  lawfull  calling,  according  to  the  Word  of  God. 

"  5.  The  Polecie  of  the  Kirk,  flowing  from  this  powar,  is  an  ordour 
or  form  of  Spiritual]  Government,  exercit  be  the  members  apointed 
ihairto  be  the  Word  of  God,  giffen  be  Clrryst  unto  his  Office-bearers, 
to  be  usit  for  the  weill  of  the  haill  bodie  of  his  Kirk. 

"  6.  This  powar  is  diverslie  usit ;  for  sum  tymes  it  is  severalie ' 
exercit,  (cheiffie  be  the  teatchers,)  sum  tyme  conjimctlie,  be  mutual] 
consent  of  them  that  bears  the  office  and  charge,  efter  the  form  of 
judgment :  That  an  is  comounlie  callit  Putestas  Ordinis ;  that  uther, 
Potestas  Jurisdictionis. 

et  7.  These  twa  kynds  of  poAvar  lies  bathe  a  author  and  ground, 
and  a  finall  cause,  bot  ar  different  in  the  form  and  niancr  of  execu- 
tion ;  as  is  evident  in  the  speaking  of  our  Maister  in  the  16  and  18 
of  Mathew. 

"  8.  Tins  powar  and  Polecie  Ecclesiasticall  is  different  and  distant 
in  the  awin  nature  fra  that  powar  and  Polecie  quliilk  is  callct 
Civill,  aperteinand  to  the  Civill  Government  of  the  Comoun-weill ; 
albeit  they  be  bathe  of  God,  and  tend  to  a2  end,  giff  they  be  rightlie 
usit;  to  wit,  to  advance  the  gloreof  God,  and  to  haiffguid  subjects. 

"9.  For  this  powar  Ecclesiastical flowes  inmiediatlie  from  God, 
throw  the  Mediator,  Jesus  Chryst,  and  is  spiritual!,  nocht  haiffing 
a  tcinporall  head  on  crthc,  bot3  onlie  Chryst,  the  spiritual]  King  and 
Govcrnour  of  his  Kirk,  iioav  in  glorie  within  the  heavines,  at  the 
right  hand  of  his  Father. 

"  10.  Therfor,  this  powar  and  Polecie  of  the  Kirk  sould  lcin  upon 
the  Word  immediatlie,  as  the  onlie  ground  thairoi',  and  BOuld  be 
takin  from  the  pure  fonteans  of  the  Scripture  :   heiring  the  voice  of 

1  Separately.  Doe.  '  Unless,  except. 


1581.  MR   JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  89 

Chryst,   the  onlie  King  of  his  Kirk ;  and  therfor  sche  sonld  be 
rewlit  be  his  lawes  alleanerlie. 

"11.  It  is  a  tytle  falslie  usurpit  be  Antichryst,  to  call  him  sell!' 
Head  of  the  Kirk,  and  aught  nocht  to  be  attributit  to  angell  or 
man,  of  what  esteat  soever  he  be,  saving  to  Chryst  Jesus,  the  onlie 
Head  and  Monarche  of  his  Kirk. 

"  12.  It  is  proper  to  kings,  princes,  and  magistrates,  to  be  callit 
Lords  andDominators  ower  than-  subjects,  whom  they  govern  civilie ; 
bot  it  is  proper  to  Chryst  alean  to  be  callit  Lord  and  Maister  in  the 
spirituall  government  of  the  Kirk.  Nor  aught  anie  that  bears  office 
thairin  to  usurpe  dominion,  or  be  callit  Lords  within  the  Kirk,  bot 
onlie  ministers,  disciples,  and  servants ;  for  it  is  Chryst's  proprc 
office  to  command  and  reull  his  Kirk  Universal],  and  evcrie  particu- 
lar Kirk,  throw  his  Spreit  and  Word  be  the  ministeric  of  men. 

"  13.  Nochtwithstanding,  as  the  ministers  and  uthers  of  the  Ec- 
clesiasticall  esteat  ar  subject  to  the  magistral;  civilie,  sa  aught  the 
persone  of  the  magistrat  to  the  Kirk  spiritualie,  and  in  Ecclesiasti- 
call  government  and  discipline. 

"  14.  The  exerceise  of  bathe  thir  Jurisdictiones  can  nocht  stand 
in  a  persone  ordinarlie. 

"  15.  The  civill  powar  is  callit  The  Powar  of  the  Sword;  the  uther 
is  callit  The  Powar  of  the  Keyes. 

"  16.  The  civill  powar  soidd  command  the  spirituall  to  exerceise 
and  do  than."  office  according  to  the  Word  of  God.  The  spirituall 
reulars  soidd  require  the  Christian  magistrat  to  minister  justice  and 
punishe  vyce,  and  to  meantein  the  libertie  and  quietnes  of  the  Kirk 
within  than-  bounded. 

"  17.  The  magistrat  commandit  externall  tilings  for  cxternall 
peace  and  quietnes  amangs  the  subjects.  The  ministrie  handlit  on- 
lie externall  things  for  conscience  cause. 

"  18.  The  magistrats  handlit  onlie  externall  tilings  and  actiones 
don  befor  men  ;  bot  the  spirituall  rewlars  judge  bathe  in  wart  aflfec- 
tiones  and  externall  actiones,  in  respect  of  conscience,  be  the  Word 
of  God. 

"19.  The  civill  magistrat  craves  and  gettes  obedience  be  the 


(.'«)  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAKY.  1  .r»S  1 . 

sworde,  and  utlier  cxtcrnall  meanes ;  bot  the  ministrie,  be  the 
spiritual]  sword  and  meanes. 

kk  l;().  The  magistrat  nather  aught  to  pretche  the  AYord,  minister 
the  Sacrament!*,  nor  execut  the  Censours  of  the  Kirk,  nor  yit  prc- 
scryve  anie  form  or  reuU  vfhoie  it  sould  be  done,  bot  command  the 
minister  to  observe  the  reull  conimandit  in  the  Word  of  God,  and 
punishe  the  transgressonrs  be  civill  meanes.  The  minister,  on  the 
nther  part,  exerces  nocht  the  civill  jurisdiction,  but  teatches  the 
magistrat  whow  it  sonld  be  done  according  to  the  Word  of  God. 

"21.  The  magistrat  aught  to  assist,  meantcin,  and  fortifie  the 
Jurisdiction  of  the  Kirk.  The  minister  sonld  assist  thair  prince  in 
all  things  aggreiable  unto  the  Word  of  God,  provyding  they  neglect 
nocht  thair  awin  charge,  be  involving  them  selves  in  civill  effeares. 

"  22.  Finalie,  As  ministers  ar  subject  to  the  judgment  and  punis- 
ment  of  the  magistrats  in  external!  things,  if  they  offend  ;  sa  aught 
the  magistrates  to  submit  them  selves  to  the  discipline  of  the  Kirk, 
if  they  transgress  in  maters  of  religion  and  conscience. 


CAT.   II. 

Of  the  Parts  of  the  Polecie  of  the  Kirk,  and  Persons  and  Office-bearers, 
to  whome  the  Administration  therofis  committed. 

"  I.  As  in  the  Civill  Polecie,  the  wholl  comoun-Aveill  consist es  in 
the  governours  or  magistrats,  and  sic  as  ar  governit  or  subjects;  sa, 

in  the  Polecie  of  the  Kirk,  sum  ar  apointed  to  be  renlars,  and  the 
rest  of  the  members  thairofto  be  reuled  and  obey  according  to  the 
Word  of  God  and  inspiration  of  his  Spirit,  alwayes  under  that  an 
Head  and  GovernOUT,  ( 'hrvst  .lesns. 

"2.  Again,  the  hail!  Polecie  of  the  Kirk  consistes  in  thir  things  : — 
In  Doctrine,  in  Discipline,  and  in  Distribution.  With  Doctrine 
anncxit   the  administration  of  the  Sacraments. 

'•.">.  And  according  to  the  partes  of  this  division  arysethe  a  thrie- 
fauld  sort  of  Officiars  in  the  Kirk  :   to  wit.  of  Ministers  or  Preach- 


L581.  SIR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAEY.  '.)1 

ours  ;  of  Eldars  or  Governours  ;  and  of  Deacones  or  Distributars. 
And  all  these  may  be  called  be  a  general!  word,  Ministers  of  the 
Kirk. 

"  4.  For  albeit  the  Kirks  of  God  be  reuled  and  governed  be  Jesus 
Chryst,  wha  is  the  onlie  King,  Hie-priest,  and  Head  thairof ;  yit  he 
uses  the  ministerie  of  men,  as  a  maist  necessarie  midds1  for  his 
purpose. 

"  5.  For  sa  he  lies,  from  tyme  to  tyme,  befor  the  Law,  under  the 
Law,  and  in  the  tyme  of  the  Evangell,  for  our  grait  comfort,  reased 
upe  men  indeued  with  the  gifts  of  the  Sprcit,  for  the  spirituall  go- 
vernment  of  his  Kirk,  for  the  exerceising  and  bearing  of  his  awin 
powar,  throw  the  Spirit  and  Word,  to  the  building  of  the  sam. 

"  6.  And  to  tak  away  all  occasion  of  tyrannie,  He  will  that  they 
sould  re  well,  with  mutuall  consent  of  breithring  and  rcqualitie,  everie 
an  according  to  thair  functioncs. 

"  7.  In  the  New  Testament  and  tyme  of  the  Evangell,  he  lies  usit 
the  ministerie  of  the  Apostles,  Prophetes,  Evangelists,  Pastors,  and 
Doctors,  in  administration  of  the  Word ;  the  Eldarship  for  guid 
ordour  and  administration  of  discipline,  and  the  Deaeonschipe  to 
have  cure  of  the  Kirk  guiddes. 

"  8.  Sum  of  thir  Ecclesiasticall  functiones  ar  Ordinar,  and  sum 
Extraordinar  or  Temporall. 

"  9.  The  Office  of  Apostles,  Evangelists,  and  Prophetes,  ar  nocht 
perpetuall ;  bot,  serving  for  the  first  planting  of  the  Kirk,  now  haitf 
ceassit,  except  when  it  pleasethe  God  extraordinarlie  to  steire  upe 
sum  of  thani  for  a  tyme  againe. 

"  10.  Ther  ar  four  Ordinar  functioncs,  or  Offices,  in  the  Kirk  of 
God  :  The  Office  of  the  Pastor,  Minister,  or  Bischope  ;  the  Office 
of  Doctor  ;  of  the  Presbyter  or  Eldar  ;  and  of  the  Deacon. 

"11.  Thir  offices  are  ordinar,  and  aught  to  continow  pcrpetualie 
in  the  Kirk,  as  necessarie  for  the  Government  and  Polccie  of  the 
sam  ;  and  na  ma2  offices  aught  to  be  receavit  or  sufferit  in  the  trew 
Kirk  of  God  cstablisscd  according  to  his  Word. 

1   Means,  medium.  No  more. 


(.»2  BIB  JAMES  MELVXLL'S  DIARY.  1581. 

u  12.  Thcrfor,  all  the  anibitius  tytilles  invcntit  in  the  Kingdoinc 
of  Antiehryst,  and  in  his  usurped  Hierarchic,  quhilk  ar  noeht  of 
th'u-  Bortes,  togidder  with  the  offices  depending  therupon,  in  a  word, 
aught  to  be  rejected. 


CAP.  III. 

Whow  TJte  Persons  that  be  in  Ecclesiasticall  Offices  ar  admitted  to 
thai?-  Functions. 

"  1.  Vocation  or  Calling  is  comoun  to  all  that  soidd  bear  Office 
within  the  Kirk,  quhilk  is  a  lawfull  way,  be  the  quliilk  qualefiet 
persones  ar  permitted  to  anie  Spirituall  Office  within  the  Kirk  of 
God. 

"  2.  Without  this  lawfull  calling  it  was  never  leisome  to  anie  per- 
eone  to  middle  with  anie  function  ecclesiasticall. 

"  3.  Thcr  is  twa  sortes  of  calling  ;  ane  Extraordinar,  immediatlie 
be  God,  as  wcr  the  Prophets  and  Apostles  ;  quhilk,  in  Kirks  estab- 
lissed,  and  alreadic  weill  reformed,  hes  na  place. 

"  4.  That  uther  calling  is  Ordinar,  quhilk,  besyde  the  calling  of 
God,  and  inwart  testimonie  of  guid  conscience,  hes  the  lawfull  ap- 
probation and  outward  judgment  of  men  according  to  God's  Word 
and  ordour  establissed  in  his  Kirk. 

"  5.  Nan  aught  to  presume  to  enter  in  anie  Ecclesiasticall  Office 
without  he  hairl'this  guid  testimonie  of  conscience  befor  God,  wha 
onlie  knawes  the  harts  of  men. 

"  I).  This  ordinar  and  outward  calling  lies  twa  partes  :  Election  and 
Ordination. 

"  7.  Election  is  the  chusing  out  of  a  personc  or  persones  maist 
habill1  to  that  office  that  veakes,2  be  the  judgment  of  the  Elderschipe 
:iinl  consent  of  the  Congregation  wherunto  the  persone  or  persones 
ar  to  hi-  apointed. 

1  Fit,  proper.     Lai.  Iiul-ihs  '  Becomes  vacant. 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  93 

"8.  The  Qualities  in. general!  rcquisit  in  all  them  wha  souldbear 

charge  in  the  Kirk,  consistes  in  soundnes  of  religion  and  godlincs 
of  lyfF,  according  as  they  ar  sufficientlie  sett  furthe  in  the  Word. 

"  9.  In  this  ordour  of  Election  is  to  be  eschewit,  that  na  persone 
be  intrusit  in  anic  of  the  offices  of  the  Kirk  against  the  will  of  the 
Congregation  over  quhilk  they  ar  to  be  apointed,  or  without  the  vot 
of  the  Elderschipe. 

"  10.  Nan  aught  to  be  intrudit  or  put  in  the  places  alreadie  plant- 
ed, nor  in  anie  roum  that  veakes,  for  anie  warldlie  respect.  And  that 
quhilk  is  called  the  Benefice,  sould  be  nathing  els  bot  the  Stipend 
of  the  Minister  wha  is  lawfullie  called  and  elected. 

"  11.  Ordination  is  the  separation  and  sanctefeing  of  the  persone 
elected  to  God  and  his  Kirk,  efter  he  be  weill  tryed  and  fund  qualifiet. 

"  12.  The  Ceremonies  of  Ordination  ar,  Fasting,  Prayer,  and  Im- 
position of  the  hands  of  the  Elderschipe. 

"  13.  All  thir,  as  they  ar  ordinat  of  God,  and  maid  able  be  him  for 
the  Avark  wherunto  they  ar  limited  within  God's  word,  sa  aught  they 
nocht  to  pas  the  bounds  thairof. 

"  14.  All  these  Office-bearers  sould  haiffther  awin  particular  flocks, 
whom  amangs  they  exerceise  thair  charge ;  and  sould  mak  residence 
with  tham,  and  tak  the  inspection  and  oversight  of  tham,  everie  ane 
in  his  vocation.  And,  generalie,  thir  twa  things  aught  they  all  to 
respect ;  the  glorie  of  God,  and  edifeing  of  his  Kirk,  in  discharging 
the  dewties  in  ther  calling. 


CAP.  IV. 

Of  The  Office-bearers  in  particular ;  and,  first,  Of  The  Pastor  or 

Minister. 

"  1.  Pastors,  or  Bischops,  or  Ministers,  ar  they  wha  ar  apointed  to 
particular  Congregationes  and  Kirks,  quhilk  they  reull  be  the  Word 
of  God,  and  ower  the  quhilk  they  watche.  In  respect  wharof,  sum 
tymes  they  are  called  Pastors,  for  feiding  of  thair  flocks ;  sum  tym 


'.'I  tfR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L581. 

tiriaxoToif  or  Biachopes,  because  they  watche  over  the  Congregation  ; 
sum  tym  Ministers,  be  reasone  of  thair  service  and  office  ;  mum 
tyme  also  Presbyters, or  Seniores,  or  Ejldars,  for  thair  age,  gravitie, 
and  maners,  quhilk  they  aught  to  haiftj  in  taking  care  of  the  spiri- 
tual! government  that  aught  to  be  maist  deir  unto  tham. 

"2.  They  that  ar  called  to  the  ministerie,  or  that  offer  tham 
selves  thairunto,  aught  nocht  to  be  elected  without  a  cert  can  flockc 
he  assigned  unto  tham. 

"  3.  No  man  aught  to  ingyre l  him  selff,  or  usurpe  this  office,  with- 
out a  lawful!  calling. 

"  4.  They  wha  ar  annes 2  callit  be  God,  and  dewlie  elected  be 
man,  efter  that  they  haiff  annes  accepted  the  charge  of  the  mini- 
sterie, may  nocht  leave  thair  function. 

"  5.  The  desertours  sould  be  admonisched,  and,  in  case  of  obsti- 
nacie,  finalie  excommunicat. 

"  (5.  Na  Pastor  may  leave  his  flock  without  license  of  the  Provin- 
cial! or  National]  Assemblie;  giffhe  do  utherwayes,  efter  admoni- 
tion nocht  obeyit,  let  the  censours  of  the  Kirk  strik  upon  him. 

"  7.  Unto  Pastors  of  the  Kirk  aperteines  the  teatching  of  the 
Word  of  God,  in  seasone  and  out  of  seasone,  publictlie  and  privat- 
lie  ;  alwayes  teatching  to  edific  and  discharge  of  his  conscience  be 
God's  Word  prescryvit  to  him. 

"8.  Unto  the  Pastors  onlie  aperteines  the  Administration  of  the 
Sacraments,  in  lyk  maner  as  of  the  Word;  for  bathe  ar  apointed 
be  God  as  meanes  to  teatche  us,  that  an  be  the  eir,  that  utherbe 
the  ei  and  uther  senses;  that  by  baithc  knawlage  maybe  trans- 
ferrit  to  the  mynd. 

"  9.  It  aperteines,  be  the  sam  reason,  to  the  Pastor  to  pray  for  the 
peiple;  and,  namlie,  for  the  flock  committed  to  his  charge,  and  to 
bliss  tham  in  the  nam  of  the  Lord,  wha  will  nocht  sutler  the  bless- 
ing of  his  fathl'ull  servands  to  be  without  effect. 

"  10.    He  aught   to  watche  above  the  maners  of  his  (lock,  that  he 

may  the  better  apply  to  tham,  in  rebuking  dissolut  persones,  and 

1  'I'd  insinuate  himself  into  the  ivOico  by  artful  means,  -'  Once. 


1581.  MU  JAMES  MELYILL's  DIARY.  95 

exhorting'  the  godlie  to  continow  in  holines  and  the  feir  of  the 
Lord. 

"11.  It  apperteines  to  the  Minister,  efter  lawfull  proceiding  be 
the  Elderschipe,  to  pronnnee  the  sentence  of  binding  and  lowsing 
upon  anie  persone,  according  to  The  Powar  of  the  Kcyes  granted 
to  the  Kirk. 

"12.  It  belanges  to  him,  in  lyk  wayes,  efter  lawfull  proceiding  of 
the  Elderschipe,  to  solemnize  the  band  of  Mariage,  and  bliss  the 
persones  joynet  thairin. 

"  13.  And  generalie  all  denunciationes  that  ar  to  be  maid  in  the 
Kirk,  befor  the  Congregation,  concerning  Eeclesiasticall  effearcs, 
belanges  to  the  office  of  the  ministerie ;  for  he  is  the  mouthe,  mes- 
singer,  and  herauld  of  God,  betwix  him  and  liis  peiple,  in  all  these 
effeares. 

CAP.  Y. 

Of  Doctors  and  thair  Office,  and  of  The  Scholles. 

"1.  Ane  of  the  twa  ordinal*  and  perpetuall  functiones  that  traYelles 
in  the  Word,  is  the  office  of  a  Doctor,  wha  may  also  be  called  a 
Prophet,  Bischope,  Eldar,  or  Catechisar,  that  is,  a  teatcher  of  the 
Catechisme  and  Rudiments  of  Religion. 

"  2.  His  office  is  to  opin  upe  the  mynd  of  the  Sprcit  of  God  with- 
in the  Scriptures,  simplie  without  sic  application  as  the  Minister 
uses,  to  that  end  that  the  fathfull  may  be  instructed  in  the  right 
warrands  of  halsome  doctrine  ;  and  that  the  puritie  thairof  may 
abyde  in  the  Kirk,  uncorrupted  be  ignorance  and  CYill  opiniones. 

"  3.  He  is  different  from  the  Pastor,  nocht  onlie  in  name  bot  in 
diYersitie  of  giftes  :  For,  to  the  Doctor  is  giffen  the  word  of  knaw- 
lage,  to  open  upe,  be  simple  doctrine,  the  mysteries  of  fat  he;  to 
the  Pastor  the  gift  of  wisdome,  to  apply  the  sam,  be  exhortation, 
to  the  mancrs  of  the  flocks,  as  occasion  servit. 

"  4.  Under  the  name  and  office  of  a  Doctor  Ave  comprehend  the 
ordour  of  Scholes  in  Collages  and  Universities;  quhilk  lies  bein 


96  MB  JAMES  MELYILl/S  DIAEY.  1581. 

meanteined  carfnllie,  alswcill  among  the  Jewes  and  Christ  ianes  as 
profane  nationes. 

"  5.  The  Doctor,  being  an  Eldar,  as  said  is,  sould  assist  the 
Pastor  in  the  government  of  the  Kirk,  and  conenre  with  the  El- 
dars,  his  breithring,  in  all  Assemblies ;  be  reasone  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Word,  qnhilk  is  onlie  judge  in  Ecclesiasticall  maters,  is 
committed  to  his  charge. 

"  6.  Bot  to  preatche  unto  the  peiple,  to  minister  the  Sacraments, 
and  to  eclebrat  manage,  perteines  nocht  to  the  Doctor,  unles  he 
be  utherwayes  cajlit  ordinarlie  ;  whowbeit,  the  Pastor  may  teatche 
in  the  Schollcs  as  he  wha  lies  the  gift  of  knawlagc,  oftcntymes  meit 
thairfor,  as  the  cxcniple  of  Policarpus  and  uthers  does  tcstifie. 


CAP.  VI. 
Of  The  Eldars  and  thair  Office. 

"1.  The  nam  of  Eldar,  in  the  Scripture,  is  snmtyme  the  nam  »»t 
age,  and  sumtyme  of  office. 

"  2.  When  it  is  the  nam  of  Office,  sumtymc  it  is  taken  larglie  ; 
comprehending  alswcill  the  Pastors  and  Doctors,  as  tham  wha  ar 
comounlie  call  it  Seniors  or  Eldars. 

"  3.  In  this  onr  division,  we  call  those  Eldars  -whom  the  Apostle 
tytillcs  Presidents  or  Govemours. 

"  4.  Thair  office,  as  it  is  ordinal",  sa  it  is  perpetually  and  alwayes 
ncccssar  in  the  Kirk  of  God. 

"5.  The  Eldarschipc  is  a  spiritual]  function  as  the  ministerie. 

"  6.  Eldars  annes  called  to  the  office  lawfullie,  and  haiffing  the 
gifts  of  God  meit  to  excrccisc  the  sum,  may  nocht  leave  it  againe. 

"  7.  Albert  sic  anomber  of  Eldars  may  be  schosin  in  certean  Con- 
gregationes,  that  an  part  of  them  may  rclcivc  an  uther,  lor  a  rea- 
sonable space  ;  as  was  aniangs  the  Levites,  under  the  law,  in  serv- 
ing of  the  Temple. 

"8.  The  number  of  Eldars  in  everie  Congregation  can  nochl  be 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  07 

limitat,  bot  suld  be  according  to  the  bounds  and  necessitie  of  the 
peiple. 

"  9.  It  is  nocht  nccessar  that  all  the  Eldars  be  also  teatchars  of 
the  Word  ;  albeit,  cheiflie,  they  aught  to  be  sic,  and  sa  worthie  of 
double  honnour. 

"  10.  What  inaner  of  persones  they  aught  to  be,  we  referre  it  to 
the  express  Word,  namlie,  the  Canons  wrytten  be  the  Apostles. 

"11.  Thair  office  is  also,  severalie  as  conjunctlie,  to  watche  dili- 
gentlie  upon  the  flock  committed  to  thair  charge,  bathe  publictlie 
and  privatlie,  that  na  corruption  of  relligion  or  maners  enter  thairin. 

"  12.  As  the  Pastors  and  Doctors  sould  be  diligent  in  sawing  the 
seid  of  the  Word,  sa  sould  the  Eldars  be  cairfull  in  seiking  the 
fruitt  of  the  sam  amangs  the  peiple. 

"13.  It  aperteines  to  tham  to  assist  the  Pastors,  in  examination 
of  them  that  comes  to  the  Lord's  Table,  and  in  visiting  of  the  seik. 

"  14.  They  sould  be  cairfull  to  cause  the  Actes  of  the  Assemblie, 
alsweill  particular  as  provinciall,  or  generall,  to  be  put  in  execution. 

"  15.  They  sould  be  diligent  in  admonising  all  men  of  thair  dewtie, 
according  to  the  reull  of  the  Evangell. 

"16.  Things  that  can  nocht  be  corrected  be  privie  admonition, 
they  sould  bring  and  deleat  to  the  Elderschipe. 

"17.  Thair  principal]  office  is  to  hauld  Assemblies  with  the  Pas- 
tors and  Doctors,  wha  ar  also  of  thair  nomber,  for  establissing  of 
guid  ordour  and  execution  of  discipline.  Unto  the  quhilk  Assem- 
blie all  men  ar  subject  that  remeanes  within  thair  boiinds. 


CAP.  VII. 
Of  EldarschipSj  Assemblies,  and  of  Discipline. 

"I.  Elderschipes  or  Assemblies  ar  constitut  of  Pastors,  Doctors, 
and  Eldars,  that  labour  nocht  in  the  Word  ;  of  whom,  and  of  whase 
severall  powar,  has  bein  spoken. 

"  2.  Assemblies  ar  of  four  sortes ;  for  ather  ar  they  of  particular 


i")8  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1581. 

Kirks  and  Congregationnes,  an  or  ma,  ather  of  a  Province,  ather 
of  a  haill  Nation,  or  of  all  and  sindrie  Nationes,  professing  Jesus 
Chryst. 

"  3.  All  Ecclesiasticall  Assemblies  hes  powar  to  convein  lawfullie 
togidder,  for  treating  of  things  concerning  the  Kirk  and  thair  charge. 

"  4.  They  haiff  powar  till  apoint  tymes  and  places  to  that  effect, 
and  a l  Assemblie  to  appoint  dyet,  tyme,  and  place  for  an  other. 

"  5.  In  all  Assemblies  a  Moderator  sould  be  chosin,  be  comoim  con- 
sent of  the  haill  breithring  convenit  ;  wha  sould  pray,  propone 
maters,  put  in  reasoning,  gather  the  vottes,  and  keipe  the  Assemblie 
in  guid  ordour. 

"  6.  Tent2  sould  be  tean3  be  the  Moderator,  that  onlie  Ecclesiasti- 
call maters  be  handlit  in  Assemblies  ;  and  na  melling4  with  anie 
thing  perteining  to  the  Civill  Jurisdiction. 

"  7.  Everie  Assemblie  lies  powar  to  send  furthe  from  them  a  nora- 
ber,  an  or  ma,  Visitors  to  sie  whow  maters  ar  handlit  in  the  bounds 
of  thair  Jurisdiction. 

"  8.  Visitation  of  ma  Kirks  is  na  ordinal*  office  Ecclesiasticall  in 
the  persone  of  a  man  ;  nather  may  the  name  of  a  Bischope  be  at- 
tribute to  the  visitour  onlie ;  nather  is  it  necessar  to  abyde  al- 
wayes  in  the  persone  of  a  man,  bot  it  is  the  part  of  the  Elderschipe 
to  send  out  qualefiet  pcrsones  to  viseit. 

"  9.  The  finall  end  of  all  Assemblies  is,  first  to  keipe  the  Relllgion 
and  doctrin  in  puretic,  without  errour  and  corruption  ;  nixt,  to 
keipe  comlie  and  guid  ordour  in  the  Kirk. 

"  10.  For  this  ordour s  cause  they  may  mak  cert  can  reulles  and 
constitutions  aperteining  to  the  guid  behaviour  of  all  the  members 
of  the  Kirk,  in  thair  Visitation. 

"11.  They  haiff  powar  also  till5  abolishe  and  abrogat  all  statutes 
and  ordinances  concerning  Ecclesiasticall  maters  that  ar  fund  noy- 
sum  or  unprofitable,  and  aggrie  nocht  with  the  tyme,  or  abbused  be 
the  peiple. 

•■12.  They  haiff  powar  till  execut  Ecclesiasticall  Discipline  and 

1  Oiip.  J  Heed.  3  Taken.  '  Meddling,  interfering.  »  To. 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIARY.  09 

punisment  upon  all  transgressours  and  provide  contemners  of  all 
guld  ordour  and  Polccie  of  the  Kirk  :  And  sa  the  haill  discipline  is 
in  thair  hands. 

"  13.  The  first  kyndand  sort  of  Assemblies,  albeit  they  be  within 
particular  Congregationes,  yit  they  exerceise  the  powar  and  Juris- 
diction of  the  Kirk  with  mutuall  consent,  and  thairfor  bears  the  nam 
of  the  Kirk. 

"  14.  When  we  speak  of  particular  Congregationes,  we  mein  nocht 
that  eyerie  particular  paroche-kirk  can,  or  may,  haiff  thair  awin 
particular  Elderschipe  specialie  to  laudwart ;  bot  we  think  thre, 
four,  ma  or  fewar,  particidar  Kirks  may  haiff  a  comoun  Elderschipe 
unto  tham  all  to  judge  in  Ecclesiasticall  causses. 

"  15.  Albeit  it  is  meit  that  sum  of  the  Eldars  be  chosin  out  of 
everie  particular  Congregation,  to  concur  with  the  rest  of  thair 
breithring  in  the  comoun  Assemblie,  and  to  tak  upe  the  delationes 
of  offences  within  ther  awin  Kirks,  and  bring  tham  thairto. 

"  1 6.  This  we  gather  of  the  practise  of  The  Primitive  Kirk,  whar 
Eldars,  or  Collages  of  Seniors,  Avar  constitut  in  cities  and  famous 
places. 

"  17.  The  powar  of  the  particular  Elderschipe  is  to  gift*  diligent 
laboures  in  the  boundes  committed  to  thair  charge,  that  the  Kirks 
be  keipit  in  guid  ordour,  to  inquyre  diligentlie  of  naughtie  and  un- 
godlie  persones,  to  travell  to  bring  tham  in  the  way  againe,  be  ad- 
monition, thretning  of  God's  judgments,  or  be  correction  of  censours. 

"18.  It  apperteines  to  the  Elderschipe  to  tak  heid  that  the  Word 
of  God  be  purlie  teatched  within  thair  bounds,  and  Sacraments 
dewlie  ministrat,  the  Discipline  menteined,  and  the  Ecclesiasticall 
guids  uncorruptlie  distribut. 

"  19.  It  belanoes  to  this  kynd  of  Assemblies  to  cause  the  ordon- 
nances  maid  be  the  Provincialles,  Nationall  and  General!,  to  be 
keipit  and  put  in  execution. 

"  20.  To  mak  Constitutiones  concerning  t6  <x%ikov  in  the  Kirk,  for 
decent  ordour  of  the  particular  Kirks  whar  they  govern,  provyding 
they  alter  na  rewles  maid  be  the  Provinciall  or  Generall  Assemblies. 
And  that  thev  mak  the  Provinciall  Assemblies  reulles  to  sie  as  thev 


LOO  BJH  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L581. 

sail  mak ;  and  abolishe  constitutiones  tending  to   the  hurt  of  the 
sum. 

"21.  It  hes  powar  to  Exeommunicat  the  obstinat. 

"  22.  The  powar  of  Election  of  tham  wha  beares  Ecclesiasticall 
charges,  perteines  to  this  kynd  of  Assemblie  within  thair  awin 
bounds,  being  weill  erected  and  constitut  of  Pastors  and  Doctors  of 
sufficient  abilitie. 

"  23.  Be  Elderschipe,  or  Presbyterie,  is  meined  sic  as  ar  constitut 
of  Pastors,  Doctors,  and  sic  as  ar  now  called  Eldars. 

"  24.  Be  the  lyk  reasone,  thair  Deposition  aperteines  also  to  this 
kynd  of  Assemblie,  as  of  tham  that  teatche  erronius  doctrin  and  cor- 
rupt ;  that  be  of  sklanderus  lyff,  and  efter  admonition,  amend  nocht ; 
that  argiffen  to  schisme  or  rebellion  against  the  Kirk ;  to  blasphemie 
manifest ;  to  symonie,  and  all  corruption  of  brybes,  falshode,  per- 
jurie,  hurdom,  thift,  drunkennes,  flyting,  feghting,  worthie  of  pun- 
isment  be  the  law  ;  usurie,  dansing,  and  sic  dissolutions  and 
crvmes  that  importea  civill  infamie  ;  and  all  uthers  that  deserves 
separation  fra  the  Kirk. 

"25.  These  also,  wha  ar  fund  altogidder  insufficient  to  execut  thair 
charges,  sould  be  deposit ;  wharof  uther  Kirks  wald  be  advertised 
that  they  rceeave  nocht  the  persones  deposit. 

"  26.  Albeit  they  aught  nocht  to  be  deposed,  wha,  throw  age, 
seiknes,  or  uther  accidents,  becomes  unmeit  to  do  thair  office  ;  in  the 
quhilk  cais,  thair  honour  Bould  remean  unto  tham,  thair  Kirks  sould 
meantein  tham,  and  uthers  aught  to  be  provydit  to  do  thair  office. 

"27.  Provincial!  Assemblies  we  call  lawt'uil  Conventiones  of  the 
Pastors,  Doctors,  and  Eldars  of  an  Province,  gathered  lor  the 
comoun  effearea  of  the  Kirk  thairof;  quhilk  also  may  be  eallit  The 
Conference  of  Kirks  and  Breithring. 

"  28.  Thir  Assemblies  ar  constitut  for  weghtie  maters,  aecessar  to 
be  intreated  be  mutuall  consent  and  assent  <>f  Breithring  within  that 
]>n>\  ince,  as  laid  requyres. 

"29.  This  Assemblie  hes  powar  to  handle,  order,  and  redress  all 
thing-  oommitted  or  done  amiss  in  the  particular  Assemblies  or 
Presb^  terie  . 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVTLL'S  DIARY.  L01 

"  30.  It  lies  powar  to  depose  the  Office-bearers  of  that  Province, 
for  guid  and  just  causses,  deserving  deprivation. 

"  31.  And,  generalie,  thir  Assemblies  lies  the  haill  powar  of  the 
particular  Elderschippea  wherof  they  ar  collected. 

"  32.  An  National!  Assemblie  (quliilk  is  our  Generall  of  this 
realm)  is  a  lawfull  Convention  of  the  Kirks  of  that  haill  realme  or 
nation,  whar  it  is  usit  to  be  gadderit  for  the  comoun  effeares  of  the 
Kh'k ;  and  may  be  callit  The  Generall  Elderschipe  of  The  Haill 
Kirk  within  the  Realme. 

"  33.  Nan  ar  subject  to  repeare l  to  this  Assemblie  to  vot 2  thairin, 
but  Ecclesiasticall  persones,  in  sic  number  as  salbe  thought  guid  be 
the  sam  Assemblie ;  nocht  excluding  uther  persones  that  will  re- 
peare to  the  said  Assemblie,  and  ther  propone,  heir,  and  reasone 
ordourlie.3 

"  34.  This  Assemblie  is  constitut,  that  tilings  omitted  or  done 
amiss  in  the  Provinciall  Assemblies  may  be  redressit ;  and  things 
generalie  serving  for  the  weill  of  the  haill  body  of  the  Kirk,  in  that 
realme,  may  be  forsein,  intreated,  and  sett  furthe  to  God's  glorie. 

"  35.  It  sail  can-  that  Kirkes  be  planted  in  places  whar  they  ar 
nocht. 

"  36.  It  sould  prescryve  the  reidl  who  the  uther  twa  kynd  of 
Assembhes  soidd  proceid  in  all  things. 

"37.  This  Assemblie  sould  tak  heid  that  the  Spirit uall  Jurisdic- 
tion and  Civill  be  nocht  confoundit,  to  the  hurt  of  the  Kirk. 

"  38.  That  the  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk  be  nocht  diminisched  nor 
abbusit. 

"  39.  And,  generalie,  concerning  all  weghtie  effeares  quhilks  con- 
cernes  the  Avcill  and  guid  ordom'  of  The  Kirk  Universall  of  this 
realm,  it  aught  to  interpon  hir  authoritie  thairunto. 

1  Repair.  2  Vote.  3  It  is  of  course  to  be  understood,  that  although  this 

privilege  was  so  liberally  granted,  yet  such  persons  who  were  neither  Members  nor 
Commissioners  had  not  the  power  of  voting  in  the  affairs  brought  under  the  consider- 
ation of  the  Assembly. 


102  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'8  DIARY.  L581 


CAP.  VIII. 

Of  The  Deacones  and  thair  Office ;  the  last  Ordinar  Function  in  the 

Kirk. 

u  1.  The  word  Deacon  is  sum  tyme  larglie  takin  ;  comprehending 
all  them  that  bear  office  in  the  ministrie  and  spirituall  function  of 
the  Kirk. 

"  2.  Bot  now,  as  we  speik,  it  is  tean1  onlie  for  tham  to  whom  the 
collection,  and  distribution,  of  the  almes  of  the  fathfull  and  of  the 
Kirk  guide  does  belang. 

"  3.  The  office  of  the  Deacon,  so  takin,  is  an  ordour  and  perpetuall 
Ecclesiasticall  function  in  the  Kirk  of  Chryst. 

"  4.  Of  what  properties  and  beauties  he  aught  to  be  that  is  called 
to  this  function,  we  remit  to  the  manifest  Scripture. 

"  5.  The  Deacon  aught  to  be  elected  and  called  as  the  rest  of  the 
Spirituall  Official's,  as  was  spoken  of  befor. 

"  6.  Thair  Office  and  powar  is  to  collect  and  distribut  the  haill 
Ecclesiasticall  guide  unto  tham  to  whom  they  ar  apointed. 

"  7.  This  they  aught  to  do  according  to  the  judgment  and  apoint- 
ment  of  the  Presbyteries  and  Eldarschips,  of  the  quhilks  the  Dea- 
cones ar  nocht ;  that  the  patrimonie  of  the  Kirk  and  pure 2  be  nocht 
interverted3  to  privat  men's  uses,  nor  wrangfullie  distributed. 


CAP.  IX. 

Of  The  Patrimonie  of  The  Kirk,  and  Distribution  thairof. 

"  1.  Be  The  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk,  we  mein  whatsumever  thing 
has  bein  at  anie  tyme  befor,  or  salbc  in  tyme  coming,  doted4  and 
given,  or  be  consent  and  univcrsall  custom  of  countrcyes  professing 


1  Taken,  understood.  'Poor.  '  Perrerted,  misapplied.  '  Endowed, 

gifted  by  legal  deed  or  latter-will,  &c.     L/at.  dotare. 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  103 

Christian  religion,  apointed  to  the  publict  use  and  utilitie  of  the 
Kirk. 

"2.  Sa  that  under  this  Patrimonie  Ave  comprehend,  first,  all  things 
gevin,  or  to  be  gevin,  to  the  Kirk  and  service  of  God ;  as  lands, 
bigings,  possessiones,  annualrents,  and  all  sic  lyk  wherwith  the 
Kirk  is  dotted,  ather  be  donation,  fundation,  or  mortification,  or 
anie  uther  lawfull  tytles,  be  kings,  princes,  or  anie  inferiour  per- 
sones,  given  to  God  and  his  Kirk,  with  the  continuall  oblationes  of 
the  fathfull. 

"  3.  We  comprehend  also  all  sic  things,  as  be  Lawes,  Custome,  or 
use  of  Countreyes,  hes  bein  applyed  to  the  use  and  utilitie  of  the 
Kirk ;  of  the  quhilk  sort  ar  the  Teinds,  small  and  grait,  Manses, 
Gleibs,  and  sic  lyk ;  quhilk,  by  comoun  and  municipall  lawes  and 
universall  custome,  ar  possessed  be  the  Kirk. 

"4.  To  tak  away  onie  thing  of  this  Patrimonie  be  unlawfull  meanes, 
and  convert  it  to  the  particular  and  profean  use  of  anie  man,  we 
hald  it  a  detestable  sacrilege  befor  God. 

"  5.  The  guids  Ecclesiasticall  aught  to  be  collected  and  distribut 
be  the  Deacones,  as  the  Word  of  God  apoints  ;  that  they  wha  bears 
office  in  the  Kirk  may  be  provydit  for,  without  cear  and  sollicitude. 

"  6.  In  the  Apostolicall  Kirk,  the  Deacones  war  apointed  to  dis- 
tribut whatsoever  was  collected  of  the  fathfull  to  the  necessitie  of 
the  saincts,  sa  that  nan  lakit  amangs  them. 

"  7.  These  Deacones  was  nocht  onlie  collectors  of  that  quhilk  was 
gathered  in  maner  of  Almcs,  (as  sum  suppose,)  bot  of  uthers  guids 
movable  and  unmovable,  of  lands  and  possessiones,  the  pryce  wherof 
was  brought  and  leyit  at  the  feit  of  the  Apostles. 

"  8.  This  office  continowed  in  the  Deacones'  hands,  wha  intro- 
meated  with  the  haill  guids  of  the  Kirk,  ay  whill  the  estcat  thairof 
was  corrupted  be  that  Antichryst,  as  the  ancient  Canones  does 
witness. 

u  9.  The  sam  Canones  makes  mention  of  a  four-fauld  distribution 
of  the  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk  ;  wharof  a  part  was  apointed  for  the 
Pastors  or  Bischopes,  for  thair  sustentation  and  hospitalitie ;  the 
second  to  the  Eldars  and  Deacones,  and  all  the  Claroio  :  the  thride 


104  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'8  DIAJRY.  1  58  1 . 

to  the  Pure,1  Seik  persones,  and  Strangers  ;  the  fourt  for  the  Fabric 
and  uphauld  of  the  Kirks,  and  nther  efFeares,  namlie,  extraordinar. 
"  10.  We  add  heir  unto  the  Scholles  and  Scholmaisters,  quhilk  may 
be  weill  sustained  of  the  sam  guids,  and  ar  comprchendit  under  the 
Clargie  ;  to  whom  we  joyne  the  Clerks  of  the  Assemblies,  alswcill 
Particular  as  Generall,  Syndics  or  Procurators  of  the  Kirk's  efFeares, 
Takers  upe  of  the  Psalme,2  with  sic  lyk  nther  Ordinar  Offices  of  the 
Kirk,  sa  far  as  thev  ar  necessar. 


<  \i\  x. 
Of  The  Office  of  a  Christian  Magistrat. 

"  1.  Albeit  all  the  members  of  the  Kirk  be  haldin,  eyerie  an  in 
thair  vocation,  to  advance  the  Kingdome  of  Jesus  Chryst,  sa  far  as 
lyes  in  thair  powar ;  yit,  cheiflie  and  namlie,  Christian  Princes, 
Kings,  and  Magistrates,  ar  hauldin  to  do  the  sam. 

"2.  For  theyar  callit  in  the  Scriptures,  Nurishars  of  the  Kirk,  forsa- 
niikle  as  be  tham,  (at  least  aught  to  be.)  meantencd,  fosterit,  uphauld- 
in,  and  defendit  against  all  thatwald  procure  the  hurt  of  the  sam. 

"3.  Sa  it  apertcines  to  the  office  of  a  Christian  Magistrat  till  assist 
and  fortefie  the  godlie  proceidings  of  the  Kirk  in  all  behaltis  :  and, 
namlie,  to  sic  that  the  publict  esteat  and  ministerie  thairof  be  mean- 
teined  and  susteined  as  aperteines,  confonn  to  the  Word  of  God. 

"4.  To  sic  that  the  Kirk  of  God  be  nocht  invadit  nor  hurt  be  false 
teatchers,  or  hyrlings,  nor  the  roumes  thairof  occupied  be  dum  dogges 
and  ydle-bellies. 

"j.  To  assist  andmeantein  the  Discipline  of  the  Kirk,  andpunishe 
tham  civillie  that  will  nocht  obey  the  censures  of  the  sam  :  without 
confounding,  alwayes,  the  an  Jurisdiction  with  the  nther. 

"  <i.  To  sic  that  sufficient  provision  be  maid  for  the  Ministerie, 
Scholles,  and  Pure:   and  gift' they  haiffnochl  Bufficienl  tor  ;ivating;! 

Poor.  -'  ,\(i\\  termed  Precentors.  Awaiting. 


1  ,r)S  1 .  MB  JAM  ES  Id  ELVILL'S  DIARY.  105 

on  thair  charges  to  support  thair  indigences,  even  with  thair  awin 
rentes,  giff  neid  sa  rcquyrc. 

u  7.  To  hauld  hand  to  them  alsweill  concerning  thair  awin  per- 
sones,  savcing  thani  from  opin  injurie  and  violence,  as  concerning 
thair  rentes  and  posscssiones,  that  they  be  nocht  defraudit,  rabbet,1 
nor  spoiled  thairof. 

"  8.  Nocht  to  Buffer  the  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk  to  be  applyed  to 
profean  and  unlawfull  usses,  or  to  be  devorit  be  ydle-bellies,  and  sic 
as  haifF  na  lawfull  function  in  the  Kirk,  to  the  hurt  of  the  Ministerie, 
Scholles,  and  Pure,2  and  uther  godlie  usses,  wherupon  the  saniing 
aught  to  be  bestowit. 

"9.  To  mak  Lawes  and  Constitutiones  aggreiable  to  God's  Word, 
for  the  advansment  of  the  Kirk,  and  Polecic  of  the  sam  ;  without 
usurping  upon  anie  thing  nocht  perteining  to  The  Civill  Sword,  but 
belanging  to  the  offices  that  ar  mere  Ecclesiastical,  as  is  the  Mini- 
sterie of  the  Word  and  Sacraments,  using  of  Ecclesiasticall  Disci- 
pline and  spirituall  execution  thairof,  or  anie  part  of  the  powar  of 
The  Spirituall  Keyes,  quhilk  our  Maister  gaiff  to  his  Apostles  and 
thair  trew  successours. 

"  10.  And  altho  Kings  and  Princes,  that  be  godlie,  sum  tymes  be 
thair  awin  authoritie,  (when  the  Kirk  is  corrupted,  and  all  things 
out  of  ordour,)  place  Ministers  and  restore  the  trew  service  of  the 
Lord,  efter  exemple  of  sum  godlie  Kings  in  Juda,  (the  quhilk  they 
did  be  direction  of  Prophets,)  and  divers  godlie  Kings  and  Em- 
perours,  in  the  light  of  the  Gospell ;  yit  whar  the  Ministerie  of  the 
Kirk  is  amies3  lawfullie  institut,  and  they  that  ar  placed  in  offices 
lawfullie  callit,  then  all  godlie  Princes  and  Magistrates  aught  to  heir 
and  obey  thair  voice,  and  reverence  the  Majestie  of  the  Sone  of 
God,  be  them  speakand. 

1  Robbed.  2  Poor.  3  Once. 


10(5  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1581. 


CAP.  XI. 

Of  The  pr?sc?tt  Abbuses  remcaning  in  The  Kirk,  quliilk  we  desyre  to 

be  Reformed. 

"  1.  It  is  the  dewtie  of  the  godlie  Magistral  to  meant ein  the  pre- 
sent libertie,  quhilk  God,  of  his  mercie,  hes  granted  to  the  Pretch- 
ing  of  the  Word,  and  the  right  Administration  of  the  Sacraments 
within  this  realm  ;  sa  it  is  to  provyd  that  all  Abbuses,  quhilk  as  yit 
remeanes  within  the  Kirk,  be  removit  and  utterly  takin  away. 

"  2.  Therfor,  first,  the  Admission  of  men  to  Papisticall  Benefices, 
sic  as  serves  nocht,  nor  hes  na  function  in  the  Reformed  Kirk  of 
Chryst,  as  Abates,  Comendators,  Pryores,  Pryoresses,  and  uther 
tytles  of  Abbayes,  whase  places  ar  iioav,  for  the  maist  part,  be  the 
judgment  of  God,  demolished  and  purgit  of  Idolatrie,  is  plean  ab- 
busion,  and  is  nocht  to  receave  the  Kingdome  of  God  in  Chryst 
amangs  us,  bot  rather  to  refuse  it. 

"  3.  Sic  lyk  they  that  war  called  of  auld  the  Chaptours  and  Con- 
vents of  Abbayes,  Cathedrall  Kirks,  and  lyk  places,  serve  for  na 
thing  now,  but  to  sett  Fewes  and  Takes '  (if  anie  thing  be  left)  of 
the  Kirk-lands  and  teindes,  in  hurt  and  prejudice  thairof,  as  daylie 
experience  teatches ;  and  thairfor  aught  to  be  alluterlie2  altcrit  and 
abolished. 

"4.  Of  the  lyk  nature  ar  the  Doaeones,  Archdeacones,  Chantors, 
Thesaurars,  Chanccllours,  and  uthers  haiffand  the  lyk  tytle  flowand 
from  the  Pape  and  Canon  Law  onlie,  quhilk  hes  na  place  in  a  Re- 
formed Kirk. 

"5.  Mikle  les  is  it  lawful!  thai  persones,  amangs  thir  men,  haiff 
fyfteen,  saxteen,  twentie,  or  ma  Kirks,  all  haifting  charge  of  saulles, 
and  bruik  the  patrhnonie  thairof,  at  her  lie  admission  of  the  Prince, 
or  of  the  Kirk,  in  this  light  of  the  Evangell;  for  it  is  bot  moeage3 
to  crave  reformation  whar  sic  lyk  hes  place. 

1  Tacks,  lea  i  '  Entirely,  altogether.  "  Mockery. 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  107 

"  6.  And  albeit  it  was  thought  guid  for  avoiding  of  graitter  incon- 
venients,  that  auld  possessonrs  of  sic  benefices  wha  embrassit  The 
Religion,  sould  enjoy,  be  permission,  the  twa  part  of  the  rentes 
quhilk  they  possessit  of  befor,  during  thair  lyfF  tyine  ;  yit  it  is  nocht 
tolerable  to  continow  in  the  lyk  abuse,  and  giff  thair  places  and  uther 
benefices  of  new  to  als  unmeit  -nor,  or  rather  unmeittar,  wha  ar 
nocht  myndit  to  serve  in  the  Kirk,  bot  leive  an  ydle  lyff,  as  the 
uthers  did  wha  bruiked  them  in  tym  of  blindnes. 

"  7.  And  in  sa  far  as  in  the  ordour  tean  at  Leithe,  anno  1571,  it 
appeirs  that  sic  may  be  admitted,  being  fund  qualefiet,  &c,  ather 
that  pretendit  ordour  is  against  all  guid  ordour,  or  els  it  man  be  un- 
derstud  nocht  of  tham  that  be  qualefied  to  worldlie  effeares  to  serve 
in  the  Court,  bot  sic  as  ar  qualefiet  to  teatche  God's  Word,  haiffing 
the  lawfull  Admission  of  the  Kirk. 

"  8.  As  to  the  Bischope,  if  the  nam  i-7i<s-/.oKog  be  properlie  takin, 
they  ar  all  an  with  Ministers,  as  we  befor  declarit ;  for  it  is  nocht 
a  name  of  Superioritie  and  Lordschipe,  bot  of  Office  and  Watch- 
ing. 

"  9.  Yit  because  in  the  corruption  of  the  Kirk  this  nam,  as  uthers, 
hes  bein  abbusit,  and  yit  is  lyk  to  be,  we  can  nocht  allow  this  fachion 
of  chusing  of  Bischopes,  nather  of  the  Chaptours  that  ar  electores  of 
tham,  to  sic  a  sort  of  office  as  they  ar  chosine. 

"  10.  The  trew  Bischopes  sould  addict  tham  selves  to  a  particular 
flok,  quhilk  sindrie  of  tham  refuses  ;  nather  sould  they  usurpe  lord- 
schipe ower  thair  breithring  and  inheritance  of  Chryste,  as  these 
men  do. 

"11.  Pastors,  in  sa  far  as  they  ar  Pastors,  hes  nocht  the  office  of 
Visitation  of  ma  Kirks  joyned  to  the  Pastorschipc,  without  it  be 
gifFen  to  tham. 

"  12.  It  is  a  corruption  that  Bischopes  sould  hahT  fordar  boundes 
to  visit  nor  they  may,  possiblie,  or  lawfullic. 

"  13.  Na  man  aught  to  haiff  the  office  of  Visitation,  bot  he  that  is 
lawfullie  chosine  by  the  Presbyterie  thairunto. 

"  14.  The  Elderschipe,  being  weill  establissed,  hes  powar  to  send 
out  Visitors,  an  or  ma,  with  commission  to  visit  the  bounds  within 


108  MB  JAMES  MELVILLS  DIABY.  1581. 

thair  Elderschipe ;  and  sic  lyk,  ef'ter  compt  tean1  of  tham,  ather  to 
continow  or  remove  them,  as  the  Presbyterie  thinks  meit,  to  the 
quhilk  they  salbc  alwayes  subject. 

"15.  The  Temporall  Jurisdiction,  joynit  in  the  person  of  a  Pastor, 
is  corruption. 

"  16.  It  agreis  nocht  with  the  Word  of  God,  that  a  Bischope  sould 
be  a  Pastor  of  Pastores  of  manie  flockes,  and  yit  without  a  flock 
certean,  and  without  ordinar  teatching. 

"  17.  It  agreis  nocht  with  the  Scriptures,  that  they  soidd  be  ex- 
eimed 2  fra  correction  of  thair  Breither,  and  Discipline  of  the  parti- 
cular Elderschipe  of  the  Kirk  whar  they  soidd  serve  ;  nather  that 
they  sould  usurpe  office  of  Visitation  of  uther  Kirks,  nor  anie  uther 
function  besyde  uther  Ministers,  bot  sa  far  as  beis  committed  to  tham 
be  the  Kirk. 

"  18.  Heirfor,  we  desyre  the  Bischopes  that  now  ar,  ather  to  aggrie 
to  that  ordour  that  God's  Word  requyres  of  tham,  and  as  the  Gene- 
ral! Kirk  will  prescry  ve  unto  tham,  nocht  passing  the  bounds,  nather 
in  Ecclesiastical  nor  Civill  efteares,  or  els  to  be  deposit  from  anie 
function  of  the  Kirk. 

"  19.  We  deny  nocht,  in  the  ineantynie,  bot  Ministers  soidd  assist 
thair  Prince,  when  they  ar  requyrit,  in  all  things  aggreiable  to  the 
Word  and  thair  calling,  whither  it  be  at  Counsall,  Parliament,  or 
utherwayes  :  provyding,  tliat  they  nather  neglect  thair  awin  charges, 
nor,  be  flateric  of  Princes,  hurt  the  publict  esteat  of  the  Kirk. 

"  20.  Bot,  gencralie  we  say,  na  persone,  under  whatsoever  ty tic  of 
the  Kirk,  and  specialie  the  abbusit  tytilles  of  Papistrie,  as  Prclattes, 
Convents,  and  Chapters,  aught  till3  attempt  anie  act  in  the  Kirk's 
name,  ather  in  Counsall,  Parliament,  or  without,  haiffand  na  Com- 
mission of  The  Reformed  Kirk  within  this  rcalme. 

"21.  And  be  Act  of  Parliament,  it  is  provydit,  that  the  Papistical 
Kirk  and  Jurisdiction  sould  haiff  na  place  within  the  sam  :  and  na 
Bischope,  nor  uther  Prclat,  in  tyme  coming,  sould  use  anie  Juris- 
diction (lowing  Ira  that  authoritie. 

Taken.  '  Excepted,  exempted.      I. at.  eximert.  '  To. 


1*58.1.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  1  ( )(.t 

"  22.  And  again,  that  na  nther  Ecclesiasticall  Jurisdiction  sould 
be  acknawlagit  within  this  realm,  bot  that  quhilk  is  and  salbe  with- 
in The  Reformed  Kirk,  and  flowing-  thairfra. 

"  23.  Sawe  esteim  holding  of  Chaptours,  in  Papisticall  maner,  ather 
in  Cathedral!  Kirks,  Collages,  or  utlier  Conventuall  places,  usurping 
the  nam  and  authoritie  of  the  Kirk,  to  hurt  the  patrimonie  thairof, 
or  use  onie  uther  act  to  the  prejudice  of  the  sam,  sen  the  yeir  of  our 
Lord  1560,  to  be  abbusion  and  corruption,  contrair  the  libertie  of 
the  Kirk  Reformed  of  Jesus  Chryst,  and  lawes  of  this  realme  ;  and 
thairfor  aught  to  be  annullit  and  reducit,  and  in  tymes  coming  all- 
uterlie '  dischargit. 

"  24.  The  dependances  also  of  this  Papisticall  Jurisdiction  ar  to  be 
abolished,  of  the  quhilk  sort  ar  the  mingled  Jurisdiction  of  the 
Commissars,  in  sa  far  as  they  mell 2  with  Ecclesiasticall  maters,  and 
haiffna  commission  of  the  Kirk  thairto ;  but  war  erected  in  the  tyme 
of  our  Soveraine  Lord's  mother,  when  things  war  out  of  order.  It 
is  an  absurd  thing,  that  sindrie  of  tham,  haiffing  na  function  of  the 
Kirk,  sould  be  Judges  to  Ministers,  and  depose  tham  from  thair 
roumes. 3  Therfor,  they  wald  ather  be  dischargit  from  Ecclesiasti- 
call maters,  and  anie  melling  thairwith,  or  it  wald  be  limitat  to  tham 
in  what  maters  they  might  be  Judges,  and  nocht  hurt  the  libertie 
of  the  Kirk. 

"  25.  They,  also,  that  war  befor  the  Ecclesiasticall  esteat  in  the 
Pape's  Kirk,  or  that  ar  admitted  of  new  to  Papisticall  tytilles,  and 
now  ar  toleratit  be  the  Lawes  of  this  Realme,  to  place  the  twa 
part  of  thair  Ecclesiasticall  rents,  aught  nocht  to  haiff  anie  fordar 
libertie  bot  to  intromet  with  the  portion  assignet  and  granted  to 
tham  for  thair  lyff  tyme  ;  and  nocht,  under  the  abbusit  tytles  quhilk 
they  hade,  dispone  the  Kirk  rents,  sett  takes  and  fewes  thairof  at 
thair  pleasour,  to  the  wrak  of  the  Kirk,  and  of  the  pure  laborars 
that  dwell  upon  the  Kirk-lands,  contrair  to  all  guid  conscience  and 
ordour. 

1  Wholly,  altogether.  *  Meddle,  interfere  with.  3  Places,  situations. 


LlO  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1j81. 


CAP.  XII. 
Certean  Speciall  Heids  of  Reformation  craved. 

"  1.  Whatsoever  hes  bein  spoken  of  the  Offices  of  the  Kirk,  the 
severall  powar  of  the  Office-bearers,  thair  conjunct  powar  also  ; 
and  last,  of  the  patrimonii  of  the  Kirk,  we  understand  it  to  be  the 
ri^ht  reformation  that  God  craves  at  our  hands,  that  the  Kirk  be 
ordourit  thairto,  as  with  that  ordour  quhilk  is  maist  aggreiable  unto 
the  Word  of  God. 

"  2.  Bot  because  sum  things  wilbe  twitched,  in  particular,  anent 
the  esteat  of  the  countrey,  and  that  quhilk  we  seik  principalie  to 
be  reformed  in  the  sam,  we  haiff  collected  tham  in  thir  heids  fol- 
lowing : — 

"  3.  First,  seeing  the  haill  countrey  is  devydit  in  Provinces,  and 
thir  Provinces  again  ar  devydit  in  Parodies, l  alsweill  to  bruche  as 
land,2  and  in  everie  parochine  a  reasonable  Congregation,  ther  Avald 
be  place  1  an  or  ma3  Pastors  to  feid  the  floks,  and  na  Pastor  or  Mini- 
ster to  be  burdeanit  with  particular  charge  of  ma  flocks  or  Kirks 
then  an  alleanerlie. 

"  4.  And  because  it  wilbe  thought  hard  to  find  out  Pastors  to  all 
the  Parochc-kirks  of  the  realme,  alsweill  to  landwart  as  in  townes, 
we  think,  be  the  a  vyse  of  sic  as  commission  may  be  giffen  to  be 
the  Kirk,  and  the  Prince,  Paroches  in  landwart  or  small  villages 
may  be  joyned  tAva  or  thrie,  or  ma  in  sum  places  togidder,  and  the 
principal]  and  maist  commodius  Kirks  to  stand  and  be  repearit  suf- 
fieientlie,  andqualefiet  Ministers  placed  thairat;  and  the  uther  Kirks 
nocht  fund  necessarie  sufferit  to  decay,  thair  kirk-ycards  alwayes 
being  kcipit  for  buriall-places ;  and  in  sum  places,  whar  neid  re- 
quyres,  ane  parochine,  whar  the  Congregation  is  ower  grait,  may 
be  devydit  in  twa  or  ma. 

"5.  Doctors  wald  be  apointed  in  Universities,  Collages,  and  utlier 

1  Parishes.  -  As  well  burgh  as  landward.  5  One  or  more. 


1  581 .  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1  1  1 

places  neidful,  and  sufficieutlie  provydit  for,  to  open  upe  the  mein- 
ing  of  the  Scriptures,  and  to  haiff  the  charge  of  saulles,  and  to 
teatche  the  rudiments  of  relligion. 

"6.  As  to  the  Eldars,ther  wald  be  sum  to  be  censors  of  the  maners, 
ane  or  ma,  in  everie  Congregation  ;  but  nocht  an  Assemblie  of 
Eldars  in  everie  particular  Kirk,  but  in  towns  onlie  and  famous 
places,  whar  resort  of  men  of  judgment  and  abilitie,  to  that  effect 
may  be  haid  ;  whar  the  Eldars  of  particular  Kirks  about  may  con- 
vein  togidder,  and  haiff  comoun  Eldarschipe  and  Assemblie  place 
amangs  them,  to  treat  of  all  tliino-s  that  concernes  the  conoreo-ationes 
ower  whom  they  haiff  the  owersight. 

"  7.  And  as  ther  au  ht  to  be  men  apointed  to  unit  and  devyde 
the  parodies  as  necessitie  and  commoditie  requyres,  sa  wald  ther 
be  apointed  be  The  Generall  Kirk,  with  the  assent  of  the  Prince, 
sic  men  as  feires  God,  and  knew  the  esteat  of  countries,  that  war 
able  to  denominat  and  assinge1  the  places  whar  the  Assemblies  of 
particular  Elderschips  sould  convein,  taking  consideration  of  the 
Dioceises  as  they  war  devydit  of  auld,  and  of  the  esteat  of  the 
countries  and  Provinces  of  the  realme. 

"8.  Lykwayes,  as  concerning  Provinciall  or  Synodall  Assem- 
blies, consideration  war  alswa  to  be  haid,  whow  manie  and  in  what 
places  they  war  to  be  hauldin,  and  whow  often  they  sould  convein, 
aught  to  be  reservit  to  the  libertie  of  The  Generall  Kirk,  and  or- 
dour  to  be  apointed  thairin. 

"  9.  The  Nationall  Assemblies  of  this  countrey,  callit  comounly 
the  Generall  Assemblies,  aught  alwayes  to  be  reteined  in  than  awin 
libertie,  and  haiff  thair  awin  place ;  with  powar  to  the  Kirk  to 
apoint  tyme  and  places  convenient  thairfor.  And  all  men,  alsweill 
magistrate  as  inferiours,  to  be  subject  to  the  judgment  of  the  sam, 
in  Ecclesiasticall  causses,  without  anie  reclamation  or  appellation 2  to 
anie  Judge,  Civill  or  Ecclesiasticall,  within  this  realme. 

"  10.  The  libertie  of  Election  of  Ecclesiasticall  persones  callit  to 
bear  function  in  the  Kirk,  observit  without  interrupted  continow- 

1  Assign.  l  Without  reclaiming  or  right  of  appeal  to  another  tribunal. 


1  L2  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diabt.  1581. 

ance  unto  the  corraption  of  Antichryst,  we  desyre  to  be  restored 
and  reteined  a\  ithin  this  realm  ;  sa  that  nan  be  intrusit l  upon  anie 
Congregation,  ather  be  Prince  or  anie  inferiour  persone,  without  law- 
full  Election  and  consent  of  the  peiple  ower  whome  the  persone  is 
to  be  placed;  as  the  practise  of  the  Apostolicall  Primitive  Kirk, 
and  all  guid  reasone  and  ordour,  craves. 

"11.  And  because  this  Ordour,  quhilk  God's  Word  and  all  guid 
reasone  craves,  can  nocht  stand  with  Patronages  and  Presentationes 
to  Benefices,  usit  in  the  Pape's  Kirk,  Ave  desyre  all  sic  as  trewlie 
feires  God  earnestlie  to  consider,  That  forsamikle  as  the  names  of 
Patronages  and  Benefices,  togidder  with  the  effect  thairof,  flowed 
from  the  Pape  and  closit  of  the  Canon  Law,  wharby  unmeit  and 
corrupt  persones  ar  intrusit  and  placed  in  Kirks  haifiand  curam  ani- 
marum  ;  and  forsamikle  as  that  maner  of  proceiding  lies  na  ground 
in  the  Word  of  God,  bot  repugnes  flatlie  to  the  saming,2  ower- 
thrawing  the  ordour  and  libertie  of  Election,  they  aught  nocht  to 
haiff  place  in  the  light  of  Reformation  ;  and,  thairfor,  whasoever 
will  trewlie  embrace  God's  Word,  and  desyre  the  Kingdome  of  his 
Sone,  Jesus  Chryst,  to  be  advanced,  they  -will  also  embrace  and  re- 
ceave  the  Polccie  and  ordour  quhilk  the  will  of  God  and  upright 
esteat  of  his  Kirk  craves  :  Utherwayes,  it  is  in  vean  that  they  haiff 
professed  the  Gospell. 

"12.  Nocht  withstanding,  as  concerning  uther  Benefices  and  Pa- 
tronages thairofj  that  lies  nocht  curam  animarum,  sic  as  ar  these 
Altarages,  Prebends  foundit  on  temporall  lands,  Annucls,  and  sic 
lvk,  may  be  reservit  to  the  ancient  Patrones  to  dispone  thairupon, 
when  thev  veak,3  to  Schollars  and  Bursares,  as  they  ar  requyred 
lie  Act  of  Parliament. 

"  13.  As  to  the  Kirk-rents  in  gencrall,  we  desyre  that  ordour  to 
be  admitted  and  mcanteined  amangs  us  that  may  Btand  with  the 
sinceritie  of  God's  Word,  and  practise  of  the  Kirk  of  Chryst. 

"  14.  To  -wit,  that  wasbet'or  spokin,  thehaill  Kent  and  Patrimo- 
nii' of  the   Kirk,  (excepting  small  Patronages  befor  mentioned,) 

1  Intruded.  '-'  I-  flatly  repugnant  to  the  same,         :l  Fall  vacant.    T.at.  vacare. 


1581.  31  It  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  113 

may  be  devydit  in  four  portiones  :  Ane  thairof  to  be  assigned  to 
the  Pastor,  for  his  interteinment  and  hospitalitie  :  Ane  uther  to 
the  Eldars,  Deacones,  and  uther  Official's  of  the  Kirk,  sic  as  Clarks 
of  AssembUes,  Takers  upe  of  the  Psalmes,  Beddels,  and  Kirk-mais- 
ters  and  keipars,  sa  far  as  they  ar  necessar ;  joyning  in  speciall 
maner  the  Doctores  and  Scholles,  that  than*  ancient  foundationes 
may  be  helped  whar  neicl  requyres  :  The  thrid  portion  to  be  be* 
stowit  upon  the  Pure  members  of  the  fathfull,  and  Hospitalls  :  The 
fourt  and  last,  for  Reparation  of  the  Kirks,  and  uther  extraordinar 
charges  as  ar  profitable  for  the  Kirk,  as  also  for  the  comoun  weill, 
as  grait  need  sail  requyre. 

"  15.  We  desyre,  thairfor,  the  Ecclesiasticall  guids  to  be  uphfted 
and  distributed  fathfullie  to  whom  they  apertein,  and  that  be  the 
ministerie  of  the  Deacones,  to  the  quhilk  office  properlie  the  col- 
lection and  distribution  thairof  belanges  ;  that  the  Pure  may  be  an- 
swerit  of  thair  portion  thairof,  and  they  of  the  Ministerie  left  with- 
out care  and  sollicitude  ;  as  also  the  rest  of  the  treassours  of  the 
Kirk  may  be  reservit  and  bestowit  on  the  right  uses. 

"16.  Giff  these  Deacones  be  elected  with  sic  qualeties  as  God's 
Word  craves  to  be  in  tham,  ther  is  na  feir  that  they  sail  abbuse 
tham  selves  in  thair  office,  as  the  profean  Collectors  did  of  befor  ; 
yit  because  that  this  vocation  appeires  to  manie  to  be  dangerus,  let 
tham  be  oblist,  as  they  war  of  auld,  to  a  yeirlie  compt  to  the  Pas- 
tors and  Eldarschipe  ;  and  iff  the  Kirk  and  Prince  think  expedient, 
let  cautioners  be  oblist  for  than  fidelitie,  that  the  Kirk-rents  na 
way  be  delapidat. 

"17.  And  to  the  effect  this  ordour  may  tak  place,  it  is  to  be  pro- 
vydit  that  all  uther  intromeittours  with  the  Kirk-rents,  Collector 
generall  or  speciall,  whither  it  be  be  apointment  of  the  Prince  or 
utherwayes,  may  be  dischargit  of  fordar  intromission  thairwith  ; 
and  suffer  the  Kirk-rents,  in  tyme  coming,  to  be  hailelie  intrometit 
with  be  the  ministerie  of  the  Deacons,  and  distributit  to  the  usses 
befor  mentioned.  And  also  to  the  effect,  that  the  Ecclesiasticall 
rents  may  suffice  to  those  usses  for  the  quhilk  they  ar  apointed,  we 
think  it  necessar  to  be  desyrit  that  alienationnes,  setting  of  fewes 

H 


114  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAKY.  1581. 

or  taks  of  the  rents  of  the  Kirk,  alsweill  landes  as  teindes,  to  the 
hurt  and  diminution  of  the  auld  rentalles,  be  reducit  and  annullit, 
and  the  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk  restorit  to  the  auld  integritie.  In 
lyk  maner,  that  the  Teinds,  in  tyme  coining,  be  sett  to  nane  bot  to 
the  laborars  of  the  ground,  or  els  nocht  sett  at  all,  as  it  was  aggreit 
upon  and  subscry  vit  be  the  Nobilitie,  in  the  First  Buik  of  Discipline, 
anno  1560. 


CAP.  XIII. 

The  Utilitie  that  sail  follow,  of  this  Reformation,  to  all  Esteattes. 

"  1.  Seing  the  end  of  this  Spiritual!  Government  and  Polecie, 
wharof  we  speik,  is  that  God  may  be  glorified,  the  Kingdome  of 
Chryst  Jesus  advancit,  and  all  they  that  ar  of  his  mysticall  body 
may  live  peaceblie  in  conscience  :  Therfor,  we  dar  bauldlie  affirm, 
that  all  sic  wha  hes  trew  respect  to  these  ends  will,  evin  for  con- 
science' cause,  glaidlie  agrie  and  conform  them  selves  to  this  ordour, 
and  advance  the  sam  sa  mikle  as  lyes  in  them ;  that,  thair  con- 
science being  sett  at  rest,  they  may  be  replinished  with  spiritual] 
gladnes,  in  dewtifull  obedience  to  that  quhilk  God's  Word  and  the 
testimonie  of  thair  aAvin  conscience  does  crave,  and  refusing  all  cor- 
ruption contrare  unto  the  sam. 

"  2.  Nixt,  we  sail  becom  an  exemple  and  patron  '  of  guid  and  god- 
lie  order  to  uther  Nationnes,  Countries,  and  Kirks  professing  the 
sam  Religion  with  us ;  that  as  they  haiff  glorified  God  in  continow- 
ing  in  the  sinceritie  of  the  Word  hitherto,  without  all  errours,  praise 
be  to  that  grait  Keippar !  so  they  may  haiff  the  lyk  occasion,  in  our 
conversation,  when,  as  we  conform  our  selves  to  that  Discipline, 
Polecie,  and  guid  Order,  quhilk  the  sam  Word  and  puritie  of  He- 
formation  craves  at  our  hands.  Uthenvayes,  that  feirfull  sentence 
salbc  justlie  said  and  sein :  "  The  servand  that  knaws  the  wil  of 
his  Maister  and  does  it  nocht,  salbe  beatin  with  manic  whipps."8 
1  Pattern,  }  Shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes  or  strokes. 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  115 

"3.  Mairower,  giffwc  haifF  anie  pitie  or  respect  to  the  Pure *  mem- 
bers of  Chryst,  wha  sa  graitlie  increas  and  multiplie  amangs  us,  we 
will  nocht  suffer  tham  to  be  lang  defraudit  of  that  part  of  the  Pa- 
trimonie  of  the  Kirk  quhilk  justlie  belangs  unto  tham.  And  be 
this  order,  giff  it  be  dewlie  put  in  execution,  the  burding  of  tham 
salbe  takin  af  us,  to  our  grait  comfort ;  the  streites  salbe  cleingit 2 
from  the  crying  and  murmuring  of  them  ;  as  we  salbe  na  mair  a 
sklander  to  uther  nationes  as  we  hithertiles 3  haifF  been,  for  nocht 
takin  ordour  with  our  Pure,  and  causing  of  the  Word  quhilk  we 
profes  to  be  evill  spokin  off,  giffing  occasion  of  sklander  to  the  ene- 
mies, and  offending  the  conscience  of  the  simple  and  godlie. 

"  4.  Besyd  this,  it  salbe  a  grait  ease  and  commoditie  to  the  comoun 
peiple,  in  releiving  of  thair  burdings,  and  uphaulding  thair  Kirks 
for  than  instruction  and  saulles'  helthe,  and  residence  of  God 
amangs  tham ;  as  also  for  the  saiftie  of  thair  bodies,  in  biging  and 
haulding  upe  of  briggs4  and  uther  publict  warks,  for  the  comlines 
and  polecie  of  the  countrey ;  also  ane  ease  to  the  laborars  of  the 
ground,  in  peyment  of  thair  teinds,  and  all  uther  things  wherinto 
they  haifF  bein  hithertils  riguruslie  handlit  be  these  fals  callit 
Kirk-men,  thair  talesmen,  suffers,  and  extortioners. 

"  5.  Finalie,  to  the  King's  Majestie  and  haill  Comoun-weill,  this 
profit  sail  redounde,  that  the  curse  of  sacrilage,  (quhilk  wounder- 
fullie  eates  upe  and  consumes  all  that  auld  luk  and  welthe  in  the 
patrimonie  of  his  croun  and  rents,  guid  and  gear  of  all  his  leiges,) 
being  removit,  the  Lord  sail  bliss  all,  in  sic  sort  as  thair  salbe  na 
want,  bot  plentie  and  store  of  all  guid  things.  The  Lord  wil  open 
the  heavines,  the  erthe  and  sie  sail  giff  thair  incres,  and  all  salbe 
satisfeit  with  aboundance.  And  when  the  ordinar  necessarie  ef- 
fares  of  the  Kirk,  Scholles,  and  Pure,  ar  satisfeit,  the  superplus 
being  collectit  and  put  in  the  threasors  of  the  Kirk,  may  be  profit- 
ablie  imployed  and  liberalie  bestowit  upon  the  extraordinar  support 
of  the  effeares  of  the  Prince  and  Comoun-weill,  and  specialie  of  that 
part  of  the  Kirk-rents  quhilk  is  apointed  for  the  Reparation  of  the 
Kirks  and  fabric  thairof. 

1  Poor.  2  Cleansed.  3  Hitherto.  *  BricVes, 


116  \n:  JAMES  \lKl.Vll.l/s  DIABY.  1581. 

"  G.  Sa  we  conclud,  all  being  willing  to  apply  tham  selves  to  this 
Order,  the  peiple  suffering  tham  selves  to  be  rewlit  thairby,  the 
Prince  and  Magistrate  tham  selves  nocht  being  exeimit  ;l  and  they 
wha  ar  placed  in  Ecclesiasticall  esteat,  rightlie  rewling  and  govern- 
ing, God  salbe  glorifiet,  the  Kirk  axlifiet,  the  bounds  thairof  inlargit, 
Chryst  Jesus  and  his  Kingdom  sett  upe,  Sathan  and  his  subvertit, 
and  God  sail  dwell  in  the  middes  of  us,  to  furnise  all  guid  and  keipe 
from  all  evill,  in  his  Sone,  the  Lord  Jesus ;  wha,  with  thair  Etemall 
Sprit,  abyds  holie  and  blessed  for  ever.     Amen." 

ENDS  THE  CONCLUSIONS  OF  THE  POLECIE. 


In  the  yeir  1580,  in  the  wintar,  brak  out  a  notable  effect  of 
Monsieur  d'Obignie's  course  and  coming  in  Scotland.  For  the 
King,  sitting  at  Counsall  a  day  with  his  nobles,  amangs  the  quhilk 
the  Erie  of  Mortoun  last  Regent  was,  in  comes  Captean  James 
Stewart;  a  brother  of  the  house  of  Ochiltrie,  advancit  in  creadit  of 
Court  be  D'Obignie,  and  maid  Captean  of  the  King's  Gard,  quhilk 
of  new  was  then  tean  upe,2  and  fallin  down  on  his  knies,  accused 
the  Erie  of  Mortone  of  hie  treasone  :  Wharupon  the  said  Erie  was 
incontinent  committed  to  warde  in  the  Castle  of  Edinbruche  ;  the 
Erie  of  Angus,  his  cusing,  chargit  to  ward  benorthe  Tay,  with  cer- 
tean  cheiff  men  of  that  nam.  And  thairefter  Mortoun  was  trans- 
ported from  Edinbruche  to  Dumbartane,  whar  he  remeaned  till  the 
monethc  of  May.  In  the  mean  tymc,  his  landes  and  gear  Avar  dis- 
ponit  to  Monsieur  Obignie,  maid  and  called,  then,  Due  of  Lennox  ; 
sa  of  a  noble  and  ritebc  prince  as  ever  governde  in  Scotland,  he  be- 
cam  a  pure  prisoner,  wha  skarslie  haid  to  furnise  his  nccessitie.  In 
tin  monethe  of  May  he  was  brought  till  Edinbruche,  and  keipe  in 
Robin  Ghirlayes  house,  with  a  band  of  men  of  wear  ;  and  the  verie 

i  Exempted,  eveepted.     Lat.  eximere.  '-'  Taken  up,  established. 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  117 

dayes  of  his  puting  to  assyse  and  execution,  I  hapned  to  be  ther  in 
Edinbruche,  and  hard  and  saw  the  notablest  exeinple,  bathe  of  God's 
judgment  and  mercie,  that  to  my  knawlage  ever  fell  out  in  my  tyme. 
For  in  that  Tolbuthe,  whar  oftentymes,  during  his  government,  he 
haid  wrysted  and  thro  win1  judgment,  partlie  for  gean,2  wharto  he 
was  gein,3  and  partlie  for  particular  favour,  was  his  judgment  over- 
tkrowin  ;  and  he,  wha  above  anie  Scotsman  haid  maist  gear,  frind- 
schipe,  and  clientell,4  haid  nan  to  speak  a  word  for  him  that  day, 
bot  the  graittest  part  of  his  assysars  being  his  knawin  unfreinds,0 
he  was  condamned  to  be  headit  on  a  sklaffauld ;  and  that  head, 
quhilk  was  sa  wittie  in  warldlie  effeares  and  polecie,  and  haid  com- 
mandit  with  sic  authoritie  and  dignitie  within  that  town  and  judg- 
ment-seat, to  be  sett  upe  on  a  prik6  upon  the  hichest  stane  of  the 
geavell7  of  the  Tolbuthe,  that  is  towards  the  publict  streit.  The 
quhilk  sentence,  in  my  sight,  was  put  in  execution  upon  the  morne. 
But,  in  grait  mercie,  when  the  Lord  haid  stryped  him  naked  and 
bear  of  all  these  things  warldlie,  and  of  a  cable  maid  a  twynde  thride 
to  go  in  at  the  narow  ei  of  that  neidle,  he  gaiff  him,  efter  unfeinyit 
repentance,  sic  fathe  and  assurance  of  his  favour  in  Chryst,  that  he 
maist  magnanimuslie  contemned  insulting  of  enemies,  bewaling  of 
frinds,  all  warldlie  dignitie,  ritches  and  pleasures,  and  tuk  him  with 
his  Chryst,  be  deathe,  to  owercom  and  gett  the  croun  of  lyff.  The 
Ministers  war  at  him  that  night  of  his  condemnation,  and  the  morn 
befor  he  was  brought  out ;  whom  he  satisfeit  verie  weill,  be  juste- 
feing  God,  his  Word  and  ministerie  thairof,  and  acknawleging  his 
sinnes  ;  bot  na  art  nor  part  of  the  King's  father's  murdour  wherfor 
he  was  condemnit.  Jhone  Durie  and  Mr  Jhone  Davidsone,  whom 
he  haid  hardlie  usit,  the  an  for  his  pretching,  the  uther  for  his  buik 
against  the  four  kirks,  cam  to  him,  of  whom  he  cravit  pardone ;  and 
wha  taried  with  him,  and  was  maist  movit  for  his  ceas.8  He  keipit 
the  sam  countenance,  gestour,  and  schort  sententius  form  of  langage 
upon  the  skaffalde,  quhilk  he  usit  in  his  princlie  government.     He 

1  "Wrested  and  twisted,  or  perverted.      a  Gain.      3  Given.       '  Clients,  followers. 
s  His  known  or  avowed  enemies.         8  Spike,  spear's-point,  '  Gable.  B  Case, 

condition. 


118  Mli  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1581. 

spak,  led  about  and  urgit  be  the  commanders  at  the  four  newkes1 
of  the  skaffald ;  bot  efter  that  ance  he  haid  verie  fectfullie 2  and 
gravelie  uttered,  at  guid  lainthe,  that  quhilk  he  haid  to  speak,  thair- 
efter  almaist  he  altered  nocht  thir  words  :  "  It  is  for  my  sinnes  that 
God  has  justlie  brought  me  to  this  place  ;  for  gif  I  haid  servit  my 
God  als  trewlie  as  I  did  my  King,  I  haid  nocht  com  heir !  Bot  as 
for  that  I  am  condem'd  for  be  men,  I  am  innocent,  as  God  knaws. 
Pray  for  me."  All  men  and  peiple  of  all  rankes  bewalit  his  deathe 
exceidinglie,  except  onlie  they  wha  haid  particular  hatred  against 
him  ;  for  Papistrie  durst  nocht  be  hard  of  in  his  dayes  of  govern- 
ment, and  the  land  injoyed  never  graitter  peace  and  plentie.  I 
coidd  wreit  mikle  mair  of  my  heiring,  seing,  and  knawlagc,  anent 
this  mater  and  the  things  that  followed,  giffmy  purpose  war  to  wrait 
the  storie  of  civill  efFeares  in  our  tyme  ;  but  that  nocht  being,  I  con- 
tent to  haifF  recordit  the  wark  of  God,  quhilk  I  saw  with  my  eis, 
and  hard  with  my  eares  ;  for  the  quhilk  I  could  nocht  bot  at  my 
returning  to  St  Androis  glorifie  God,  be  rehersall  thairof  in  opin 
audience  from  pulpit. 

That  yeir,  1581,  the  Generall  Assemblie  convenit,  in  October,  at 
Edinbruche  ;  in  the  quhilk,  certean  breither  war  apointcd  to  con- 
sult whow  the  Parliament  sould  nocht  inleak8  the  Spiritual]  Esteat, 
Bisehopcs  being  reinovit.  To  the  quhilk  deliberation  the  Assem- 
blie was  dryven  unto  be  Curt ;  the  grait  gvdar  wharof,  the  Due 
of  Lennox,  by  Guisian  counsall  and  direction,  nocht  daring  put  at 
relligion  pleanlie,  pressit  the  restoring  of  the  estcat  of  Bischopes, 
and  haid  latlie  intrus.it  Mr  Robert  Montgumerie  in  the  Bischoprik 
of  Glasgw,  without  all  ordour  of  the  Kirk,  plena  jure  principis, 
(quhilk  \c\it  the Breithring  of  Glasgw  wounderfullie,  sa  that  I  wat 
nocht  whow  nianie  score  of  dyettefi  they  war  eoiupellit  to  kcipe  in 
thai  earend.)  The  Breithring  apointed  be  the  Assemblie  returnee 
thairadvyse  in  thai  mater;  the  quhilk  being  eonsidderit  be  the  As- 
semblie, all  in  a  voice  determines,  That  concerning  vot  in  Parlia- 

1  Corners,  angle  -  Powerfiilly.  '  Want,  be  deficient  in. 


i 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  119 

ment,  and  using  of  Civill  and  Criminall  Jurisdiction,  Commissioners 
sould  be  directed  from  tyme  to  tyme  from  the  Generall  Assemblies 
to  the  Parliaments,  to  discharge  the  Kirkes  dewtie,  and  do  for  the 
sam  in  all  hir  effeares.  And  the  heritable  Bailyies  of  Regalities 
soidd  use  all  things  perteining  to  the  jurisdiction  of  civill  and  crimi- 
nall causses. 

The  Ministers  of  Edinbruche  all  this  whyll  was  maist  fathfullie 
and  wacryflie l  giffing  the  warning  to  all,  anent  the  cours  and  prac- 
tise of  Papists ;  and,  thairfor,  at  this  Assemblie,  Mr  Walter  Bal- 
canquall  was  accuisit  be  the  Court,  sedfrustra. 

At  that  tyme  it  was  a  pitie  to  sie  sa  weill  a  brought  upe  Prince 
till  his  bernhead2  was  past,  to  be  sa  miserablie  corrupted  in  the 
entress  of  his  springall3  age,  bathe  with  sinistrus  and  fals  informa- 
tion of  all  proceidings  in  his  minoritie,  and  with  evill  and  maist 
dangerus  grundes  and  principalles  in  government  of  Kirk  and 
Comoun-weill.  Then  was  he  maid  to  think  warst  of  the  best  men 
that  ever  servit  in  this  Kirk  and  Countrey ;  to  think  the  haill  maner 
of  Reformation  of  Religion  to  haiff  bein  done  be  a  privie  faction, 
turbulentlie  and  treasonablie ;  to  suspect  the  noble  men  and  haill 
ministerie  that  stude  for  the  cause  of  Religion  and  his  croun  against 
his  mother's  faction ;  yea,  to  tak  course  against  them,  and  put  at 
tham  as  his  unfrinds.4  Amangs  the  rest,  Captan  James5  put  the 
opinion  of  absolut  poAvar  in  his  Majestie's  head ;  Avhom,  in  sa  doing, 
I  can  compear  to  nane  sa  weill  as  to  Philomelus,  the  Captean  of 
the  Phocenses,  wha  being  about  a  maist  sacrilegius  purpose  to 
owerthraw  and  spulyie  the  Kirk  of  Delphus,  and  cut  out  of  the 
pillars  thairof  the  decreits  of  the  Ampliations,  whase  sacrat  judg- 
ment governed  the  comoun-weill  of  all  Greice,  and  sa  to  subvert 
bathe  religion  and  polecie,  he  compellit  the  Pythian  preist  to  go 
upe  on  the  Tripos,  to  giff  him  a  response.  The  woman,  urgit  vio- 
lentlie,  sayes,  "  Yow  may  do  what  yow  will."  The  quhilk  wourds 
Philomelus  gripped  at,  and  taried  na  langer  for  the  oracle,  but  gaiff 


'  Wakcfully,  watchfully.         2  Infancy,  childhood.         8  Stripling.  '  Enemies. 

5  Stewart. 


120  MB  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  1  .~>s  | . 

out  amangs  his  armic,  and  to  all,  that  he  haid  gottinaplean  licence 
of  Apollo  to  do  what  he  wald.1  Sic  lyk  Mr  Patrik  Adamsone, 
Bischope  of  St  Androis,  n  grait  counsellour  in  these  dayes,  amangs 
manie  uther  evil]  grounds  wharof  we  will  heir  heirefter,  inculcat 
this  :  "  That  a  Christian  Kinjy  sould  be  the  eheif  governour  of  the 
Kirk,  and  behovit  to  have  Bischops  under  him,  to  hald  all  in  order, 
conform  to  antiquite  and  maist  flurissing  esteat  of  the  Christian 
Kirk  under  the  best  Emperour,  Constantinc.  And  that  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  could  nocht  stand  with  a  frie  king- 
dome  and  monarchic,  sic  as  was  his  Majestie's  in  Scotland,"  &c. 
Mutche  lyk  Bischope  Caiphas,  wha  thought  that  Chrystfs  kingdome 
and  the  Roman  impyre  coidd  nocht  stand  togidder :  Or  Herod,  wha 
heiring  that  Chryst  the  King  was  borne,  was  troublit,  and  all  Jeru- 
salem with  him,  and  thairfor  send,  &c. 

But  nochtwithstanding  of  this  constitution  of  Court,  by  a  remark- 
able providence  of  God  cam  furthe  the  Cornicle  of  Mr  Georg  Bu- 
chanan, printed  with  privilege,  and  the  Buik  of  the  Polecie  of  the 
Kirk  concludit  in  Assemblie. 

That  September,  in  tyme  of  vacans,  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  Mi- 
Thomas  Buchanan,  and  I,  heiring  that  Mr  George  Buchanan  was 
weak,  and  his  Historic  under  the  press,  past  ower  to  Edinbruche 
annes  earend,2  to  visit  him  and  sic  the  wark.  When  we  earn  to  his 
chalmer,  we  land  him  sitting  in  his  chaire,  teatehing  his  young  man 
thai  servit  him  in  his  chalmer  to  spell  a,  b,  ab  ;  e,  b,  eb,  &c.  Efter 
salutation,  Mr  Andro  saves,  "  I  sic.  Sir,  vie  are  nocht  ydle."  "Better 
this,"  quoth  he,  "  nor  stelling  sheipe,  or  sitting  ydle,  quhilk  is  als 
ill!"  Thairefter  he  schew8  us  the  Epistle  Dedicatorie  to  the  King; 
the  quhilk,  when  Mr  Andro  haid  read,  he  tauld  him  that  it  was  ol>- 
scure  in  sum  places,  and  wanted  certean  words   to   perfvt    the   sen- 

1  "  Diodor.  Sicul.  Bihlioth.  Hist.  lib.  16.  Lyk  as  Stratocles,  in  Athens,  maid  a 
dii  tic-  ut'  Demetrius,  7ret»  Sri  6  BwjX.'u;   Sr.UY.rnio;   y.-yivart   tuto  kxi   ~po;  Stov; 

oai'iv  y.v.1  -rror,;  x»i>na7rrji>;  tt»*t  itmtiov Whatsumever  King  Demetrius  commandath, 

that  to  be  holie  toward  God  and  just  toward n.    1'lut  in  \  it  a  Demetrii."    Inserti  d 

bj  the  Author  on  margin  of  MS.         '-'  For  the  express  purpose.  Showed. 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  121 

tence.  Saves  he,  "  I  may  do  na  inair,  for  thinking  on  another 
mater."  ki  What  is  that  ?"  sayes  Mr  Andro.  "  To  die  !"  quoth  he; 
"  bot  I  leave  that  and  manic  ma  things  for  yow  to  helpe."1 
.  We  went  from  him  to  the  printar's  wark-hous,  whom  we  fand  at 
the  end  of  the  17  Buik  of  his  Cornicle,  at  a  place  quhilk  we  thought 
verie  hard  for  the  tyme,  quhilk  might  be  an  occasion  of  steying2 
the  haul  wark,  anent  the  buriall  of  Davie.3  Thairfor,  steying  the 
printer  from  proceiding,  we  cam  to  Mr  George  again,  and  fund  him 
bedfast  by4  his  custome  ;  and  asking  him,  who w  he  did?  "Even 
going  the  way  of  weilfare,"  sayes  he.  Mr  Thomas,  his  cusing, 
schawes  him  of  the  hardnes  of  that  part  of  his  Storie,  that  the  King 
wald  be  offendit  with  it,  and  it  might  stey  all  the  wark.  "  Tell 
me,  man,"  sayes  he,  "  giff  I  have  tauld  the  treuthe  ?"  "  Yis,"  sayes 
Mr  Thomas,  "  Sir,  I  think  sa."  "  I  will  byd  his  fead,5  and  aU  Ins 
kin's,  then  !"  quod  he  :  "  Pray,  pray  to  God  for  me,  and  let  Him 
direct  all!"  Sa,  be6  the  printing  of  lois  Cornicle  was  endit,  that 
maist  lemed,  wyse,  and  godlie  man,  endit  this  mortall  lyff. 

Efter  that  Generall  Assemblie,  in  October,  Mr  Patrik  Adamsone 
aggreit  to  all  the  poincts  of  the  Buik  of  Polecie,  and  concerning  the 
office  of  a  Bischope  ;  and  calling  to  dinner  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  my 
uncle,  Mr  Alexander  Arbuthnot,  and  uthers  divers,  he  subscryvit 
thairto  ;  quhilk  his  subscription  is  yit  in  my  uncle's  custodie.  Item, 
that  wintar  he  past  ower  to  a  Convention  of  the  Esteates ;  and 
efter  he  fand  nocht  Curt7  as  he  luiked  for,  he  drest  him8  to  the  Mini- 
sters of  Edinburche,  schawing  tham  whow  that  he  cam  ower  to  Court 
with  Balam's  hart,  of  purpose  to  curse  the  Kirk  and  do  evill ;  bot 
God  haid  wrought  sa  with  him,  that  he  haid  turned  his  hart  to  the 
contrare,  and  maid  him,  bathe  in  reasoning  and  votting,  to  stand  for 
the  Kirk,  promising  to  schaw  fordar  and  fordar  fruicts  of  his  con- 
version and  guid  meining.  Wnarat  Jhone  Dury  was  sa  rejoysit, 
that  he  treated  him  in  hous,  and  wrot  ower  at  lainthe  to  me  in  his 

1  "  He  was  telling  him  also  of  Blakwod's  answer  to  his  buik,  De  Jure  Regni." 

Margin  of  MS.  2  Stopping.  3  David  Riccio.  4  Contrary  to.  5  Feud, 

enmity.  6  By  the  time  that.  '  Favour  at  Court.  B  Addressed  him<elf. 


\22  BO  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1581. 

favour.  Wherupon  I  past  down  to  his  Castell  at  his  ham-coming, 
and  schew  him  what  information  concerning  him  I  haid  gottin  from 
the  breithring  of  Edinbruche ;  thanking  God  thairfor,  and  offering 
him,  in  cais  of  continuance,  the  right  hand  of  societie.  Wherat  re- 
joising,  he  tauld  me  the  mater  at  lainthe,  and,  namlie,  concerning 
the  grait  motiones  and  working  of  the  Spreit.  "  "Weill,"  said  I, 
u  that  Spreit  is  an  upright,  halie,  and  constant  Sprit,  and  will  mair 
and  mair  kythe '  in  effects  ;  bot  it  is  a  fearfull  thing  to  lie  against 
him !" 

But  to  return  to  Mr  Andro  Melvin.  The  light  of  his  lerning,  and 
hatt 2  of  his  zeall  to  haiff  reformation  in  the  kirk  and  scholles  of  St 
Androis,  brack  nocht  soonner  out,  when  the  darknes  of  ignorance  and 
cauldnes  of  Christian  profession  uttered  them  selves  in  his  contrare. 
Manie  and  grait  adversares  he  haid  ;  but  the  Lord,  wha  haid  sancte- 
feit  him  for  his  wark,  gaiff  him  notable  victories  ower  all.  First,  the 
Maistera  wha  war  displacit  out  of  the  New  Collage,  as  Mr  Robert 
Hamilton,  minister  of  the  town,  commandit  be  the  General]  Kirk  to 
Leave  the  office  of  principalitie  in  the  Collage,  and  tak  him  to  his 
ininisterie,  vexit  him  with  persut  of  compts  of  the  Collage  ;  but  he 
rejected  thai  upon  the  Commissionars  wha  haid  the  powar  of  the 
Reformation,  whom,  be  moyen  and  import  unitie,  the  said  Mr  Robert 
maid  to  relent,  and  direct  him  again  upon  Mr  Andro,  to  his  great 
vexation,  till  it  pleasit  God  to  cutt  schort  the  lyff  of  the  said  Mr 
Robert,  even  when  he  was  about  to  intend  action  against  Mr  Andro. 
Yet  that  cause  ceassit  nocht,  bot  was  followit  out  in  the  personnes 
<  >f  bis  weidow  and  hemes,  be  a  man  of  grait  wit,  peancs,  and  moyen,3 
an  of  Mr  Androe's  awin  companiones,  whase  comfort  he  haid  fund  in 
GrlaagW,  and  now  luiked  for,  coining  to  St  Androis.  to  sic  a  guid 
wark.  This  was  Mr  Thomas  Buchanan,  first  scholmaister  in  Stir- 
ling, and  syne  Provest  of  Kirkheiiehe  in  St  Androis.  and  minister  of 
Syres;  a  man  of  notable  gifts  of  lerning,  naturall  wit,  and  upright- 
Qee  in  the  cause  of  the  Kirk  against  the  Bischopes.  hot  haid  his  awin 

1  Manifest  itself.  Heat,  seal.  ■'■  Influence. 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  123 

imperfectiones,  namlie,  of  extream  partialitie  in  the  cause  of  his 
friuds  and  dependars,  quhilk  maid  him  to  alter  with  Mr  Andro  ;  and 
in  that  cause  of  Mr  Robert  Hamiltone's,  [whase  relict  he  maried,] 
and  his  collegges,  to  often  greive  Mr  Andro  :  Bot,  in  end,  a  glib  of 
the  Collage  gear  settlet  that,  allowit  be  the  saids  Commissionars, 
Mr  Andro  bearing  with  it,  because  he  could  nocht  mend  it.  Ane 
uther,  that  haid  bein  Regent  in  that  Collage  under  Mr  Robert  Hamil- 
ton, was  Mr  Jhone  Caldcleuche,  a  daft  wousten l  man.  He  bosted 2 
that  he  wald  houche 3  JVlr  Andro,  with  mikle  man*  daft  talk ;  and  a 
day  he  comes  in  to  Mr  Androe's  chalmer,  being  alan  in  it,  and  askes 
him,  weill  rudlie,  giff  he  knew  him  ?  "  Na,"  sayes  Mr  Andro,  "  I 
knaw  you  nocht."  "  I  sould  be  knawen,"  sayes  he,  "  as  a  Maister 
in  this  Collage ;  my  nam  is  Mr  Jhone  Caldcleuche."  "  Ho !"  quoth 
Mr  Andro,  "  Is  this  yie  that  will  houche  men  ?"  And  with  that  put 
to  the  chalmer  dure,  and  sayes,  "  It  is  even  best  tym  now !"  Bot 
the  uther  calmit  atteanes,4  and  beginnes  to  speak  with  mair  rever- 
ence ;  whom  JVIr  Andro,  by  manlie  courage  and  force  of  reasone,  sa 
dantoned  and  tamed,  that  the  Maister  was  fean  to  tak  a  bursare's 
place  in  the  Collage,  and  live  thairin  as  a  humble  student.  I  was 
in  the  chalmer  abon  and  hard  all,  and  cam  doun  at  last  to  the  end- 
ing of  it. 

Thir  fascheries5  war  skarse  weill  sattelit,  when  out  braks  a  grait- 
ter  contradiction.  This  was  of  the  Regents  of  Philosophie,  nam- 
lie  in  St  Leonard's  Collage,  wha  heiring,  in  Mr  Androe's  ordinal' 
publict  lessones  of  Theologie,  thair  Aristotle,  aniangs  the  rest  of 
the  philosophers,  the  patriarches  of  heresie,  as  ane  of  the  ancients 
termes  tham,  mightelie  confuted,  handling  the  heids  anent  God,  Pro- 
vidence, Creation,  &c,  maid  a  strange  steir6  in  the  Universitie,  and 
cryed,  "  Grait  Diana  of  the  Ephesians,"  thair  bread-winner,  thair 
honour,  thair  estimation,  all  was  gean,7  giff  Aristotle  soidd  be  sa  owir- 
harled 8  in  the  heiring  of  thair  schollars ;  and  sa  dressit  publict 
orationes  against  Mr  Androe's  doctrine.      But  Mr  Andro  insisted 

1  Woustour  or  woistare  f   A  silly,  boasting  fellow.  '-'  Threatened.        3  Literallv 

ham-string.  '  At  once,  immediately.  '  Troubles,  annoyances.      O.  Fr. 

fascheries.  ,;  Stir,  excitement.  "  Cone.  B  Overturned,  upset. 


124  MB  JAMES  MEL\  CLL'S  DIARY.  laM. 

mightelie  against  tham  in  his  ordinal  lessones  ;  and  when  thair 
counned l  haranges  cam  at  thair  Yickes  and  promotiones  of  Maisters, 
he  hit2  tham  nocht  slipe,  l>ut  ai-handansweritto  tham  presentlie  with 
sic  force  of  treuthe,  evidence  of  reasone,  and  spirituall  eloquence, 
that  lie  dashit  tham,  and  in  end  convicted  tham  sa  in  conscience, 
that  the  cheiff  Coryphoes  amangs  tham  becam  grait  students  of 
Theologio,  and  speciall  professed  frinds  of  Mr  Andro,  and  ar  now 
verie  honest  upright  pastors  in  the  Kirk  ;  whom,  for  honour,  I  nam ; 
in  speciall,  Mr  Jhone  Malcohn,  minister  at  Jhonse  Town,  and  Mr 
Andro  Duncan  at  Carell.  And  certeanlie  the  treuthe  was,  that  ig- 
norance, with  a  pronde  opinion  of  knaAvlage,  because  they  knew  na 
better,  wrought  all  this.  For  efter  the  first  zeall  of  Reformation,  in 
Mr  Knox  and  Mr  Guidman's  dayes,  the  cauldnes  of  Mr  Robert 
Ilamiltone's  ministerie,  and  ignorance  and  negligence  of  tham  that 
sould  haiff  teatehed  Theologie,  maid,  that  Regents  and  schollars 
carit  na  thing  for  Divinitie  ;  yea,  it  was  evin  a  pitie  to  sie  that  ig- 
norance and  profannes  that  was  amangs  tham.  And  as  for  Langa- 
ges,  Arts,  and  Philosophie,  they  haid  na  thing  for  all,  bot  a  few 
buikes  of  Aristotle,  quhilk  they  lernit  pertinatinslie  to  bable  and 
ll\  t  '  upon,  without  right  understanding  or  use  thairof.  Bot  within 
a  yeir  or  twa,  Mr  Andro,  be  his  delling  in  publict  and  privat  with 
everie  an  of  tham,  prevalit  sa,  that  they  fell  to  the  Laugages,  Btudeit 
thair  Artes  for  the  right  use,  and  perusit  Aristotle  in  his  awin  lan- 
gage ;  sa  that,  certatim  et  serio,  they  becam  bathe  philosophers  and 
theologes,  and  acknawlagit  a  wounderfuU  transportation  out  of  dark- 
nes  unto  light.  Bot,  indeid,  this  Avas  nocht  done  without  mikle 
feghtingand  fascherie,1  and  the  authoritie  of  the  Gencrall  Assemblie 
interponit,  in  end. 

The  thrid  thortar5  ami  debal  quhilk  he  haid  waa  with  the  pro- 
vistj  bailyies,  ami  counsall  of  the  town,  about  thair  ministerie. 
The  Session  of  the  Kirk  haid  a  custome  to  send  twa  of  thair 
eldars  everie  ouk6  to  desyre  Mr  Andro  and  me  to  helpe  tham  on 


1  <';u-' full v  conned  or  prepared.  2  Let.  8  To  babble  ami  wrangle  about. 

4  Fighting,  or  contention  and  trouble.      '  Opposition,  literally  thwarting.      '  Week. 


1581.  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  125 

the  Sabbathe,  during  the  want  of  a  minister  and  absence  of  the 
Bischope.  Sa  Mr  Andro,  coming  in  the  pulpit,  spak  the  treuthe  of 
all  tliingis  with  grait  ardentness  and  zeall ;  and  being  acquent  with 
sum  corrupt  proceidings  of  the  rewlars  against  equitie  and  justice, 
and  perceaving  they  lyked  nocht  of  guid  men  to  be  thair  minister, 
sic  as  Mr  Andro  wald  haiff  haid,  bathe  for  the  weill  of  the  Town 
and  Universitie,  namlie,  of  that  wark  of  Theologie,  sic  as  Mr  Thomas 
Smeton  or  Mr  Alexander  Arbuthnot,  he  causit  tham  heir  than-  do- 
ings in  the  deaffest  eare  !  This  was  takine  sa  liiche,  that  a  grait 
space  ther  was  na  thing  bot  affixing  of  plackarts  upon  the  Collage 
yett, l  bosting  with  batoning, 2  burning  and  chassing  out  of  the 
town ;  wherwith,  to  speak  the  treuthe,  I  was  mikle  fearit,  seing 
Town,  University,  and  all  malcontents  against  us  attannes  ;  and 
luikit  for  na  thing,  day  for  day,  but  steiring  upe  of  sum  tumult  for 
ane  evill  turn.  But  Mr  Andro,  with  ane  heroicall  spreit,  the  mair 
they  stirit  and  bostit,  the  mair  he  strak  with  that  twa-eagit 3  sword ; 
sa  that  a4  day  he  movit  the  Provest,  with  sear  rubbing  of  the  ga5 
of  his  conscience,  to  ryse  out  of  his  seatt  in  the  middes  of  the  ser- 
mont,  and  with  sum  muttering  of  words  to  goe  to  the  dure,  out- 
throw  the  middes  of  the  peiple :  For  the  quliilk,  being  delt  with 
be  the  Presbyterie,  and  convicted  in  his  conscience,  the  said  Pro- 
vest  maid  publict  satisfaction  be  acknawlaging  of  his  offence,  and 
craving  God  and  the  congregation  forgiffnes.  Another  day  he  tuk 
a  placcard,  affixed  upon  the  Collage  yet, 6  knawin,  be  the  Italian 
and  French  toung,  to  be  wry  tin  be  James  Lermont,  appeirand7  of 
Balcomie ;  and  in  the  application  of  his  doctrine,  quliilk  was  woun- 
derfull  pcrsing8  and  vehement,  he  produces  the  Avryt,  and  haiffing  the 
said  James  sittand  befor  him  in  the  Kirk,  he  thrctues  him  in  parti- 
cular with  a  judgment,  that  manie  years  efter  was  marked  to  strik 
upon  the  said  James,  to  this  effect :  "  Thow  Frencheist,  Italianist, 
jolie  gentleman,  wha  has  defyled  the  bed  of  sa  manie  maried,  and 
now  bosts9  with  thy  bastonados  to  defy  11  this  Kirk,  and  put  hands 


1  Gate.         2  Threatening  to  cudgel.  3  Two-edged.         4  One.  5  Gall. 

'Gate.  7  Younger,  or  heir-apparent .  s  Piercing.  'Threatens. 


L26  MB  JAMES  melvill's  DIAItV.  1581. 

in  his  servants,  thow  sail  never  enjoy  the  frnicts  of  manage,  be 
haifing  lawfnll  succession  of  thy  bodie ;  and  God  sail  bastone  thie 
in  his  righteous  judgments  ! "  This  was  rememberit  when  the  said 
James,  being  Lard  of  Balcomie,  leived  manie  yeirs  in  manage  with- 
out chyld,  and  taken  be  the  Heiland-men  coming  out  of  the  Leaws, ' 
was  sicccrlie  hastened,2  and  sa  hardlie  used,  that  soone  thairefter 
he  died  in  Orkney,  in  the  yeir  1598. 

The  fourt  feght  that  he  haid  was  against  the  Pryor  and  his  gen- 
tlemen-pensionars,  wha  colluded  with  tlie  rcwallars  of  the  town  to 
hald  the  ministerie  vacand ;  and  in  the  mean  t  vine  tuk  upe  the  sti- 
pend, and  spendit  the  sam,  with  the  rest  of  the  kirk-rents  of  the 
Pryorie,  at  the  gofF,  archerie,  guid  cheir,  &c.  Thir  things,  be  Mr 
Andro  and  I,  war  rounden3  out  of  pulpit  to  tham  :  quhilk  for  to  stay, 
they  preparit  a  purs  with  a  number  of  fourtic  shilling  pices  in  it, 
and  sending  for  me  to  the  Chalmerling's  hous,  efter  guid  intertein- 
ment,  they  offerit  it  to  me  for  my  peanes  takin,  in  pretching  and 
suppleing  the  default  of  a  Minister.  I  answerit,  It  was  trew  my 
peanes  haid  deservit  that  and  mair  at  thair  hands  ;  whowbeit  I  haid 
recompence,  in  all  aboundance,  at  the  hand  of  God,  in  honoring  me 
with  the  message  of  his  Word  and  service.  Bot  my  peanes  was 
nocht  takin  for  the  hinderance  of  that  ministerie,  bot  for  forderance 
of  the  saining;  and  I  fearit,  giffthay  gatt  a  fason  of  a  ministerie  sa 
easelie  provydit,  they  wald  be  lang  of  bringing  in  an  of  the  notable 
men  nominat  to  that  ministerie,  under  whase  feit  I  wald  be  glad  to 
sit,  with  my  pen,  and  with  whom  I  wald  be  blaithc4  to  helpe,  as  I 
could,  for  nought :  And  sa  refusit  thair  money.  This,  when  the 
Presbyterie  understud,  be  5  Mr  Andro  and  me,  and  espying  that 
oiu*  helping  on  the  Sabathes  hinderit  the  placing  of  a  man  of  giftes 
in  that  ministerie,  (for  they  haiffing  George  Blak  to  minister  the 
sacraments  and  marie,  and  us  to  teatche,  wald  content  thainvith 
and  seik  na  mair,)  thairfor  the  Presbyterie  discnargil  us  from  pretch- 
ing anic  mair,  and  ordeanit  me  to  pen  a  letter,  to  be  red  the  nixt 


1  The  bland  of  Lewis.  '-'  Smartly  or  severely  cudgelled,  :!  Whispered, 

insinuated.  *  Blythe,  glad.  By,  through. 


1581.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  127 

Sabbathe,  schawing  the  rcasones  of  our  leaving  af  pretching. 
Quhilk  being  done,  and  publicklie  read,  certean  of  the  rewlars  of  the 
town,  namlie,  Mr  David  Russell  and  Wilyeam  Lennont,  ragit 
thairat,  and  pennit  against  the  nixt  day  an  answer,  in  effect  and 
termes  unreverent ;  denying  the  authoritie  of  the  Presbyterie,  call- 
ing it  pretendit,  and  inveying  against  the  sam :  For  the  quhilk 
cause,  the  persone  that  red  it,  Ringand l  Rewll,  taker  upe  of  the 
Psahnes,2  being  callit  befor  the  Presbyterie,  schew  that  Mr  David 
Russell  and  Wilyeam  Lennont  commandit  him  to  reid  it ;  bot,  pure 
man,  he  gat  his  reward,  for  he  never  threave  nor  did  guid  effcer  that, 
bot  died  with  madnes  and  miserie.  The  saids  Mr  David  and  Wil- 
yeam being  callit,  the  Pryor  and  Provest  compeires  with  tham, 
thinking  to  bang  out  the  mater ;  bot  God  assistes  Mr  Andro  sa, 
that  he  dasht  tham  all,  and  maid  them  fean  to  go  packing.  The 
Generall  Assemblie  nocht  being  far  to,  the  Presbyterie  remittes  the 
mater  thairto,  and  summoned  the  said  Mr  David  and  Wilyeam  to 
compeir  befor  the  Assemblie,  quhilk  they  did  with  thair  assistars  ; 
bot  they  war  condemnit  be  the  Assemblie,  and  ordeanit  to  mak 
publict  repentance  in  the  Kirk  of  St  Androis,  and  Mr  Andro  to  re- 
ceave  the  saming  ;  the  quhilk  they  did  solemnlie,  and  sa  becam 
better-conditioned  thairefter. 3 

By  this  occasion  I  man  mark  be  the  way,  it  was  a  confortable 
thing  in  these  dayes  to  haiff  a  guid  cause  in  hand,  and  stand  be  it ; 
for  whowsoever  it  was  resisted  and  crossed  in  particular  Sessiones, 
Presbyteries,  or  Assemblies,  yit  sure  it  was  to  be  redressed  and 
brought  to  a  guid  poinct  at  the  Generall  Assemblies,  because  of  the 
friedom,  grait  authoritie,  and  uprightnes  in  zeall  that  was  thairin, 
to  the  grait  terrour  of  the  wicked,  and  confort  of  the  godlie :  Sa 
mikle  the  mair  is  the  loss  thairof  to  be  deplored  in  this  declyning 
age  and  tyme ! 

The  fyft  and  graittest  enemie  of  all  was  the  Bischope,  Mr  Pa- 
trik  Adamsone,  craftelie  and  quietlie  concurringwith  the  Court ; 

1  Ringan,  i.e.  Ninian.  2  Precentor.  3  "  Mr  David  Russall,  for  falshod, 

was  efter,  in  the  yeir  ....  deposit  from  his  office  of  Commissar  Clarkschipc,  with 
a  not  of  infamie  ;  and  Jhone  Arnot  placed  in  his  roum."     Margin  of  MS. 


128  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1582. 

bot  alwayes,  as  yit,  under  profession  of  grait  frindschipe,  and  sa 
maist  dangeruslie  seikand  his  distinction,  with  the  utter  overthrow 
of  the  libertie  of  Chryst's  Kirk  and  kingdome.  [Bot  the  Lord  not- 
ablie  upheld  and  preservit  his  awin  servant,  and  brought  his  ene- 
mies to  confusion  ;]  as  in  the  haill  narrative  and  storie  following 
will  be  manifest. 

M.D.LXXXII. 

The  Generall  Assemblie  convenit  at  St  Androis  the  24th  of 
Apryll,  anno  1582  ;  Mr  Andro  Melvin  schosin  Moderator.  To  it 
was  Mr  Robert  Mongomerie,  intrusit  Bischope  of  Glasgw,  sum- 
moned ;  wha  compeired,  with  letters  of  horning  to  discharge  the 
Assemblie,  yit  he  durst  nocht  use  tham,  sic  was  the  frequencie  of 
barrones  and  breithring,  with  sa  grait  authoritie  and  zeall.  And 
sa,  for  acceptation  of  the  Bischoprik  pleno  jure,  and  troubling  of  the 
breithring  of  Glasgw,  he  was  deposit  in  perpetuum,  and  thretnit  with 
excommunication,  till  he  humblie  presentit  him  selff  with  teares  be- 
for  the  Assemblie ;  and  then  Jhone  Dury,  wha  was  maist  seveire 
against  him,  rease  out  of  his  seat,  and  caught  him  in  his  armes.1 
But  at  that  sain  tyme  Mr  Wily  earn  Clark,  my  predecessour,  a  wyse, 
godlie,  sweit  man,  said  unto  me,  "  It  will  never  be  this  man  that 
will  trouble  and  hurt  the  Kirk  ;  bot  yie  wall  find  that  Mr  Patrik 
Adamsone  will  do  it,  wha  is  this  man's  counsallar,  and  causses  him 
now  to  yield  for  the  tyme."  At  that  Assemblie  was  apointed  a 
generall  Fast,  to  be  keipit  in  the  monethe  [of]  Junie  following; 
the  causses  wharof  was  conspiracie  of  Papists,  oppression  and  thral- 
dom of  the  Kirk,  &c. 

In  the  monethe  of  Junie  that  sam  yeir,  an  uther  Generall  Assem- 
blie was  conveinit  in  Edinbriiche,  wherat  Jhone  Dury,  for  his  plean 

1  "  Yit  the  sam  Mongumerie  insisted  and  troublet  the  Breithring  of  Glasgw  thair- 
efter,  and  thairfor  was  excommunicat ;  and  the  excommunication  annullit  be  ane  act 
of  Ccransall,  and  letters  publisched  thairupon,  receavil  thairefter,  in  Court,  and  in- 
terteined  id  the  King's  presence  be  the  Due;  and  the  sain  sentence  lhairefter,  in  the 
Parliament  1584,  be  an  act  thairof,  annullit."     Note  by  Author  on  margin  of  MS. 

l 


1582.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  129 

speitches  against  the  Due,  and  proceidings  of  the  Court,  was  ac- 
cusit ;  bot  hoping  for  na  speid  thair,  he  was  callit  befor  the  King 
and  Connsall,  at  Dalkeithe  ;  whar  narowlie  eschaping  the  Due  his 
cookes  (wha  cam  out  of  his  hitching  with  speittes  and  grait  knyves) 
with  his  lyff,  as  he  often  tauld  me,  he  was,  be  act  of  Counsall, 
banisched  out  of  Edinbruche  ;  bot  the  Generall  Assemblie  comman- 
dit  the  Presbyterie  of  Edinbruche  to  keipe  his  roum  frie, l  and  place 
nan  thairin.  In  this  Assemblie,  manie  Greiffes  and  Articles  war 
pennit,  and  commissionars  apointed  to  present  tham  at  the  Conven- 
tion of  the  Esteats,  to  be  haldin  at  Perthe  in  the  monethe  of  July 
nixt  following. 

The  Convention  keiping  at  Perthe,  Mr  Andro  Melvin,  Modera- 
tor, with  the  rest  of  the  Commissionars,  went  thither  with  the 
Greiffes  and  Articles  of  the  Kirk,  wha  gat  verie  evill  countenance, 
and  manie  secret  terrors. 


[GREIFFES  OF  THE  KIRK,  GIFFEN  IN  AT  PERTH. 

"Unto  your  Majestie  maist  humblie  meines2  and  schawes  your 
Grace's  maist  fathfull  and  obedient  subjects,  the  haill  Ministers  of 
God's  Word  within  this  your  Grace's  realme,  convenit  in  the  Ge- 
nerall Assemblie,  haldin  at  Edinbruche  the  27th  of  Junij  :  That 
whar  upon  the  occation  of  diverse  grait  and  evident  dangers  ap- 
peiring  to  the  haill  Kirk  of  God,  and  professours  of  his  treuthe  in 
this  countrey,  finding  the  authoritie  of  the  Kirk  abrogat,  Ecclesias- 
ticall  censures  contemnit,  and  violence  usit  against  sum  of  our 
breithring  unpunished ;  wharof  the  lyk  hes  never  bein  sein  within 
this  realme,  nor  in  anie  uther  whar  trew  rclligioun  hes  bein  pretchit 
and  resseavit :  And  fearing  lest  your  Majestie,  for  leak3  of  infor- 
mation, might  neglect  in  tyme  to  provyd  remedie  for  the  inconve- 
nients  lyklie  to  ensew  thairupon,  we  convenit  our  selves,  in  the  fear 

1  To  keep  his  living,  place,  or  pulpit,  vacant.  2  Complains.  3  Lack. 

I 


1  ."30  MB  JAMES  MELTTU/8  DIARY.  158£ 

of  God,  and  your  Hiencs  obedience,  and  efter  diligent  considera- 
tion of  the  present  esteat,  be  comoun  consent  thought  necessar,  be 
our  Commissionars,  to  open  ape  and  present  to  your  Grace  certean 
of  our  cheiff  and  weghtie  GreifFes,  without  hastie  redress  wharof 
the  Kirk  of  God  and  his  trew  relligion  can  na  wayes  stand '  and 
continow  in  this  your  Majestie's  countrey. 

"  First,  That  your  Majestie,  be  devyse  of  sum  counsallours,  is  caus- 
sit  to  tak  upon  your  Grace  that  spirituall  powar  and  authoritie 
quhilk  properhe  aperteines  to  Chryst,  as  onlie  King  and  Head  of 
his  Kirk  ;  the  ministerie  and  executioun  wharof  is  giffen  to  sic  only 
as  beares  office  in  the  Ecclesiasticall  government  of  the  saming ;  sa 
that,  in  your  Grace's  persone,  sum  men  presses  to  erect  an  new 
Papdom,  as  thought  your  Majestie  could  nocht  be  full  Head  and 
King  of  this  comoun-welthe,  unles  alse  w^eill  the  spirituall  as  tem- 
porall  sword  be  put  into  your  Grace's  hands,  unles  Chryst  be  be- 
reft of  his  authoritie,  and  the  Jurisdictiones  confoundit  quhilk  God 
lies  devydit ;  quhilk  directlie  tendes  to  the  wrak  of  all  trew  relli- 
gioun,  as  be  the  speciall  Heades  following  is  manifest :  For  bene- 
fices ar  giffen  be  absolut  powar  to  unworthie  persones,  intrusit  in 
the  office  of  the  ministerie  without  the  Kirk's  admissioun,  directlie 
against  the  lawes  of  God  and  actis  of  Parliament ;  wharthrow  the 
Kirk's  leivinges  comes  in  protean  men's  hands,  and  sidyk  as  sell 
their  saulles,  and  mak  Bchipwrak  of  conscience,  for  pleasur  of  men, 
and  obteaning  sum  warldlie  eommoditie. 

"  1 .  Eldarschips,  Synodall  and  General]  Assemblies,  ar  dischargit, 
be  letters  of  horning,  to  proceid  against  manifest  offendars,  and  to 
use  discipline  of  the  Kirk,  and  censures  thairof,  according  to  God'a 
Word. 

"2.  Jhone  Duric,  be  act  of  Counsall,  is  suspendit  from  pretching, 
and  banisched  from  his  flock. 

"3.  Excommunicat  persones,  in  contempt  of  God  and  his  Kirk, 

ar  interteined   in  cheiff  Lords'  housscs  :    and  namlic,   Mr   Robert 

Mongummerie  authorised  and  causit  to  pretche,  and  brought  in  your 

.Majestie's  house  and  presence,  quhilk  is  a  sear-  wound  to  the  con- 

1  Subsist.  *  Sore. 


1582.  MR  JAMES  HELVHil/8  DIARY.  131 

science  of  tham  that  loves  your  Majestic,  and  knawes  your  Grace's 
upbringing,  and  a  heavie  sklander  to  all  nationncs  professing  the 
ferew  relligioun. 

"  4.  An  act  of  delyverance  of  Counsall  is  maid  against  the  pro- 
ceidings  of  the  ministerie,  withe  a  sklanderus  narrative  suspending 
simplie,  and  disanuUing,  the  excommunicatioun  justlie  and  ordour- 
lie  pronuncit  against  Mr  Robert  Montgoumerie,  an  rebell  and  ob- 
stinat  offendar  and  troublar  of  the  Kirk  of  God,  and  open  procla- 
mation maid  according  thairto. 

"  5.  Contempt  of  Ministers,  and  dinging '  of  manie  doing  thair 
offices,  and  especialie  the  violent  drawing  of  Mr  Jhone  Howysone 
out  of  the  Judgment-seatt,  whar  he  was  placed  Moderator  of  the 
Presbyterie  of  Glasgw,  his  ere  wall  and  uttragius  handling  and 
careing  to  preasone,  lyk  a  theiff,  be  the  Provest  and  Bailyies  of 
Glasgw,  and  thair  complices  :  And,  efter  complent  maid,  na  ordour 
takin  with  the  doars  thairof,  but  contrairwayes  interteining  tham 
as  ffif  the  saining  haid  bein  mud  service. 

"  6.  and  7.  The  Minister  of  Glasgw  was,  be  force  of  amies,  dis- 
placed out  of  his  roum,2  quhilk,  without  reprotche,  he  lies  occupied 
thir  monie  yeirs ;  the  gentle  men  of  the  countrey  being  convocat 
for  that  effect.  Also  violence  was  usit,  be  an  of  your  awin  Gward, 
to  pull  him  out  of  the  pulpit  the  day  of  Communioun,  in  presence 
of  the  haill  congregatioun,  in  tym  of  sermont ;  and  na  fault  fund 
thairwith. 

"  8.  The  Official*  of  the  Kirk  was  cassin  in  preasone, 3  your  Grace 
being  present,  and  thair  keipit  a  lang  tym,  for  executing  of  Letters 
directed  against  a  sklanderus  man. 

"  9.  The  Ministers,  Maisters  of  Schoolles,  and  Collage  of  Glasgw, 
the  verie  schollars  thairof,  in  tym  of  publict  fast,  war,  be  letters  of 
horning,  compellit  to  leave  thair  flockes  and  scholles  destitut ;  and 
sensyne,4  from  tyme  to  tym,  and  place  to  place,  have  bein  conti- 
nowit  and  deleyit ;  thairby  to  consum  tham  be  exorbitant  expences, 
and  to  wrak  the  kirks  and  schoolles  whairof  they  have  the  charge. 

1  Striking,  beating.  -  Place,  situation.  :i  Cast  into  prison.  '  Since  tben. 


L32  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diabt.  1582. 

"  10.  The  Students  of  the  Collage  war  invadit,  and  ther  bluid 
crewalie  sched,  be  the  Bailyie  and  commonitie,  gatherit  thairto  be 
sound  of  comoun  bell,  and  stroak  of  drum  ;  and  be  certean  seditiu? 
personea  infiambet1  to  have  slean  tham  all,  and  brunt  the  Collage  : 
And  yit  na  thing  don  to  the  authores  of  the  tumult  and  seditioun. 

"11.  Hands  schakin  with  the  bludie  murderars  and  persecutors 
of  the  peiple  of  God,  be  letters  and  propynes2  ressavit  and  sent. 

"12.  The  Due  oftymes  promisit  to  reform  hishous,  and  na  thing 
don  thairin. 

"  13.  The  Lawes  maid  for  inentenance  of  the  trew  relligioun,  and 
punisment  of  the  enemies  thairof,  ar  nocht  put  to  executioun  ;  sa 
that  all  things  gaes  louse,3  and  warse  lyk  till  ensew.4 

"  Monie  uther  things  ther  be  that  crave  present  reformations) 
wherwith  we  think  nocht  expedient  to  trouble  your  Majestic,  until] 
we  sie  what  ordour  beis  takin  with  these  greivus 5  compleants.  Be- 
scikand,;  your  Majestie  maist  humblie,  for  the  love  of  God,  wha 
lies  placed  and  establissed  your  Majestie  in  this  royall  throne, 
hitherto  woundcrfullie  menteined  and  defendit,  cearfidlie  to  luik 
upon  thir  maters  as  becomes  the  lieutenant  of  God,  and  thankfull 
Christian  King;  and  withe  the  advyse  of  tham  that  feir  God,  and 
tenders  your  Grace's  esteat,  and  weill  and  quietnes  of  tliis  comoun- 
welthe,  sa  to  redres  tlie  premisses,  that  first  Chryst,  above  all,  may 
be  acknawlagit;  his  messingers,  without  feir  or  stope,  to  execut 
t hair  office  :  the  eours  of  the  Gospell  advancit  ;  and  sie  exemple 
maid  of  punisment  of  tham  wha  sa  licentiuslie  and  contemptuuslie 
have  wrangit  and  injtirit  the  Ministers  and  professours  of  God's 
Word,  that  uthers  heireftir  be  effrayit7  to  interpryse  the  lyk."8] 

To  that  Convention  cam  the  Erie  of  Hountlic,  weill  accompanied 
with  his  (rinds,  in  whase  favours,  to  thegrait  hurt  of  the  Forbasses, 
the  King  gaiffout  a  dccreit-arbitrall.     Ncwcs  Avar  sparpelit  athort9 


1  Inflamed.  ■  Gift?,  presents.  ■  Go  loose.  '  Worse  is  like  to  ensue. 

''  Grievous.  6  Beseeching.  "  Afraid,  terrified.  s  Tlie  whole  of  the 

preceding  document  lias  been  supplied  by  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  the  MS. 

''  Spread,  divulged  across,  or  athwart  the  country. 


1582.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  J  33 

the  countrey,  that  the  Ministers  war  all  to  be  thair  massacred  ; 
quliilk  moved  me  go  repear !  to  Perthe  with  diligence,  to  tak  part 
with  my  uncle  and  father  in  Chryst.  Coming  ther,  Sir  James 
Melvill  of  Hahill  schawes  me  whow  cvill  my  uncle  and  I  was 
thought  of  at  Court,  because  of  our  sermonts  in  St  Androis  the 
tymc  of  the  fast,  and  our  doings  and  sayings  at  Assemblies,  and 
counsallit  us  to  depart  af  the  town  ;  quhilk  I  schew  Mr  Andro,  and 
willit  sa  to  do,  bot  in  vean  :  "  For  I  thank  God,"  saves  he,  "  I 
am  nocht  fleyed2  nor  feible-spirited  in  the  cause  and  message  of 
Chryst.  Com  what  God  pleases  to  send,  our  commission  salbe  clis- 
chargit !" 

At  last  the  Commissionars  of  the  Kirk  Avar  callit,  wha,  coming  in 
befor  the  King  and  his  Counsall,  delyverit  thair  Greiffes  and  Arti- 
cles ;  quliilk  being  read,  Captan  James 3  beginnes  to  threttin,  with 
thrawin  brow,  and  hosting  langage.4  "  What !"  sayes  he,  "  wha 
dar  subscryve  tliir  treasonable  Articles  ?"  <fec.  Mr  Andro  answeres, 
"  We  dar,  and  wil  subscryve  tham,  and  gif  our  lyves  in  the  cause  !" 
And  withe  all  starts  to,  and  taks  the  pen  fra  the  Clark,  and  sub- 
scryves,  and  calles  to  the  rest  of  the  breithring  with  couragius 
speitches ;  wha  all  cam  and  subscryvit.  This  bauldnes,  when  the 
Due  and  Captan  perceavit,  they  gatherit  thairon  that  the  Kirk  haid 
a  bak,5  and  becani  effrayit ;  and,  efter  sum  calmer  langage,  dimissit 
tham  in  peace,  whom  everie  an  supposed  they  souldhaifFbein  hard- 
liar  delt  withall. 

In  the  monethe  of  August  therefter,  certean  of  the  Nobilitie  and 
Barrones  of  the  realme  repearit  to  the  King  at  Ruthven,  in  the  Erie  of 
Gowrie's  hous,  and  schew  liis  Majestie  Avhow  all  things  Avent  AArang 
be  the  misgoverning  of  that  neAV  Counsall  com  lathe  from  France, 
to  the  grait  offence  and  greiff  of  all  his  guid  subjects,  the  heavie 
vexation  of  the  Kirk,  and  extream  perrell  of  the  comoun-Aveill;  cravit, 
thairfor,  maist  hiunblie  of  his  Majestie,  that  he  Avald  content  till6 

1  Repair.  2  Terrified,  affrighted.  3  Stewart .  '  With  frowning 

brow  and  threatening  language.  Had  backing  or  support.  "  To. 


134  MB  JAME8  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1582. 

abandone  the  said  Cornwall,  and  tak  him  to  be  counsallit  be  hisauld 

Nobilitie,  as  his  princelie  progcnitours  haid  dune,  and  the  t'nnda- 
mentall  lawes  of  Scotland  cravit ;  and  sa  furthe,  as  at  niair  lainthe 
is  conteined  in  a  Declaration  of  them,  published  soone  thairefter  in 
print.  And  sa  the  King  and  the  Due  war  dissivered,1  and  never 
saw  nther  againc. 

This  brought  a  grait  releive  to  the  Kirk,  and  the  honest  breith- 
ring  of  Glasgw  and  Edinbrnche,  that  war  soar  tronblit  be  the  said 
Due.  Whowbeit,  the  treuthe  is,  for  aught  I  know,  (and  I  know 
whatever  the  specialles  of  the  Kirk  knew,  that  I  am  sine,)  the  Kirk 
was  nather  art,  part,  read  nor  counsall  in  that  mater,  nather  luiket 
for  anie  sic  thing  at  thair  being  in  St  Jhonstone.  And  what  ever 
the  instruments  war  and  respected,  they  could  nocht  but  rejoise  in 
God,  and  thank  him  for  delyvering  King,  Kirk,  and  Comoun-weill 
of  sic  cownsall,  as  sett  tham  selves  plainlie  to  pervert  all. 

Within  few  dayes  thairefter,  Jhone  Durie  gat  leive  to  ga  ham  to 
his  awin  flok  of  Edinbruche  :  At  whase  retournino-  ther  was  a  grait 
concurs  of  the  haill  town,  wha  met  him  at  the  Nather  Bow;  and, 
going  upe  the  streit,  with  bear  heads  and  loud  voices,  sang  to  the 
praise  of  God,  and  testifying  of  grait  joy  and  consolation,  the  124th 
Psalm,  "  Now  Israel  may  say,  and  that  trewlie,"  &c.,  till  heavin  and 
crthe  resoundit.  This  noyes,  when  the  Due,  being  in  the  town, 
hard,  and  ludgit  in  the  Hie-gat,  luiked  out  and  saw,  he  rave  his 
berde  2  for  anger,  and  hasted  him  af  the  town  ;  and  remeaned  in 
Dnmbartan,  at  the  Wast  Sie,  whar,  or3  he  gatt  passage,  he  was  put 
to  als  hard  a  dyet  as  he  causit  the  Erie  of  Morton  till  use  ther,  yea, 
evin  to  the  tother  extremitie  that  he  haid  usit  at  Court  :  For, 
wheras  his  kitehing  was  sa  sntnptuns  that  hunpes  of  butter  was  cast 
in  the  fyrc  when  it  soked,1  and  twa  or  thrie  crownes  \varit  upon  a 
stok  of  keall  dressing, '  he  was  fean  till  eat  of  a  magre  guse,  skowdrit 
with  bar  stra.'1 

1  Dissevered,  parted.  -  Tore  his  board.  a  Ere,  before.  '  Grew  dull. 

Wen  expended  on  the  dressing  of  a  single  stock  or  head  of  kale  orcolewort.     ,;  lb' 
was  fain  i"  eat  of  a  lean  goose  scorched  with  barley  straw. 


1582.  ME  JAMES  MELV1LL  B  DIARY.  135 

In  that  monethe  of  October,  the  Generall  Assemblie  convenit  at 
Edinbruche,  whar,  with  freche  corn-age,  the  Bischopes  war  sett 
upon,  and  seveire  ordour  takin  with  tham  ;  also  sic  as  haid  been  evill 
instruments  to  the  Due  against  the  Kirk  war  takin  ordour  with. 
Aniangs  the  rest,  Mr  David  Macgill,  Advocat,  for  penning  of  sklan- 
derus  and  wicked  proclamation,  publissed  against  the  Kirk.  This 
was  a  man  of  als  grait,  solide,  and  naturall  a  wit  as  in  our  tyme,  ex- 
celling thairin  all  his  colleages  of  the  Session  and  lawers,1  bot  with- 
out all  sense  of  God,  and  with  a  prydfull  disdean  and  contempt  of 
the  ministerie.  I  hard  him  als  dispytfullie  and  lightlifullie,  being  in 
his  aAvin  house,  tak  upe  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  being  send  with  uthers 
from  the  Assernblie  to  him,  as  movit  me,  being  present,  utherwayes 
estimed  nocht  verie  impatient,  to  almaist  debord,2  nocht  onlie  with 
toung,  bot  hand.  Bot,  or  he  died,  with  a  terrible  strak  of  con- 
science, God  tamde  him  lyk  a  lamb ;  sa  that  Mr  Andro  coming  to 
him  againe,  and  I  with  him,  was  as  the  Angell  of  God  in  his  eis  ; 
cust  his  hat  to  the  ground,  and  could  skarslie  link  him  in  the  face, 
till  he  hard  out  of  his  mouthe  the  words  of  consolation,  the  quhilk 
he  gaped  for  as  a  gorbet,3  and  receavit  as  Cornelius  the  instruction 
of  Piter  ;  yea,  the  meinnest  of  the  ministerie  that  cam  to  visit  him, 
was  mair  to  him  then  ghT  the  King  and  the  Lords  haid  com  to  him. 
I  thought  often  that  was  a  cleir  accomphsment  of  Esaias'  prophecie, 
"  The  lyon  sail  eat  stra  lyk  a  bullok,"  &c.  He  died  maist  happelie 
and  sweitlie,  efter  divers  yeirs  humiliation,  with  these  words  in  his 
mouthe,  "  Lord,  in  thy  light,  let  me  sie  light." 

At  that  Assemblie,  I  was  ernestlie  suted,  be  the  Town  of  Stir- 
ling, to  be  thair  Pastor  ;  bot  the  wark  of  Theologie  being  yit  in  the 
tender  bridding  leaff,4  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  could  nocht  consent 
thairto,  nor  the  Kirk,  with  his  miscontentment,5  command ;  whowbeit, 
my  mynd  was  to  the  ministerie,  remembering  ever  my  voav,  and 
nocht  the  mair  unwillinglie,  that  I  haid  the  purpose  of  my  manage 
in  hand. 

1  Lawyers.  2  To  exceed  proper  bounds,  to  lose  self-command.      Fr.  deborder. 

3  A  young  nestling  or  unfledged  bird,  (literally  a  young  crow.)  '  In  the  tender 

young  leaf  bursting  from  the  bud.  :>  Displeasure. 


L36  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1583. 

M.D.LXXXIII. 
The  yeir  following,  L583,  in  the  end  of  Aprvll,  and  begining  <>i' 
May,  the  General!  Asscmblie  conveinit  at  Edinbruehe.  Tliat  As- 
semblie was  frequentlic  keipit '  be  the  nobilitic,  (for  tlier  was  pre- 
sentlie  a  Convention  of  the  Esteatcs  at  Edinbrnehe, )  wha  requeisted 
the  Assemblie  to  approve  thair  proceidings,  inrepearing  to  his  Ma- 
jestic at  Kuthven,  &c.  Tlic  breithring's  judgment  was.  That  God 
haid  glorified  liis  nam,  and  wrought  thairby  to  the  grait  ease  and 
comfort  of  his  Kirk,  as  they  haid  fund  hithertils  ; 2  as  for  the  instru- 
ments, they  coidd  nather  approve  nor  disprove,  hot  wissit  with  thair 
hartes  they  might  be  fund  sanctified  veshalles3  of  mercie  to  the  Lord. 
To  the  quhilk  effect,  at  least,  they  desyrit  an  act  to  be  insert  in 
the  Buiks  of  the  Assemblie  ;  to  the  quhilk  the  Kirk  wald  noclit 
condiscend  till  they  haid  the  King's  guid  will  and  consent  thair- 
unto.  The  quhilk  his  Majestic,  sending  Coronall  Wilyeam  Stewart, 
new  com  ham,  and  of  grait  credit,  and  Mr  David  Lindsay,  to  the 
Assemblie,  in  large  termesand  maner  assented  unto  ;  and  sa  it  past, 
as  is  exstant  in  the  Buiks  of  the  Assemblie.  Amangs  the  rest,  J  hone 
Dury  haid  a4  day  in  his  doctrine  a  verie  cleir  and  pertinent  compa- 
risone  for  the  purpose,  of  the  blind  man  in  the  9th  of  Jhone's  Evan- 
gill.  When  the  Pharisies  said  that  Chryst  was  but  a  sinner,  Whow 
could  lie  do  anic  guid  ?  "I  can  nocht  tell,"  saves  the  blind  mail) 
"  bot  a  thing  I  am  sur  of,  that  I  was  blind,  and  now  I  sic."  This 
lie  applyed  with  grait  evidence  and  approbation  of  the  hcirars. 

At  that  Assemblie  I  maried  my  wyff,  the  first  day  of  May,  and 
gat  the  blessing  of  the  best  breithring  of  the  Kirk  ;  the  quhilk,  my 
blessed  ( rod  of  Hcavinbc  blessit  lor,  I  haitf  fund  wounderfull  effectual! 
to  this  houre,  for  als  grait  helpe  and  comfort  in  my  calling,  even  in 
the  middes  of  her  heavie  disease  and  impotencie,  as  anie  brother  in 
the  land  lus.  And  whowbeit,  the  haill  course  of  my  lyffsen  syne8 
has  bein,  in  outward  appcirance,  ln>t  a  Bcholl  of  atllietiones,  yit  (alas  ! 
for  thanknilnes)  and  maisf  halsome6  and  happie  Bcholl,  with  a  mix- 

1  Ninn'Ti'trh  attended.  •  Hitherto  found,  'Vessels.  'One. 

Since  thai  time.  U  holesome. 


1583.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  137 

ture  of  als  manie  provisiones,  preservationes,  privat  profits,  pleasure, 
joyes,  and  consolatiomies,  as  ever  anie  of  the  secret  amies '  of  the 
Lord  receavit. 

In  the  monethe  of  Junie  thairefter,  at  the  beginning  thairof,  a 
heavie  tertian  fever,  called  comonnlie  "  the  excese," 2  owertuk  me ; 
quhilk  pynned  me  extreamlie,  nanilie,  in  the  hat3  of  it,  that  ten  or 
t  wall  hours  I  wald  ly  burning  thairin  and  reaving,  and  ryse  againc 
without  anie  swyt.  This  continowed  till  the  middes  of  the  monethe 
of  August. 

All  this  whyll,  sen  the  Generall  Assemblie  in  Apryll,  anno  1582, 
and  befor,  untill  this  August,  a  lytle  befor  Bischope  Adamsone  keipit 
his  castle,  [lyk  a  tod  in  his  holl,4]  seik  of  a  disease  of  grait  fetiditie, 
and  oftymes  under  the  cure  of  women  suspected  of  witchcraft, 
namlie,  an  wha  confessit  hir  to  haiff  lernit  medecin  of  an  callit  Mr 
Wilveam  Simsone,  that  apeired  divers  tymes  to  hir  efter  his  dead,5 
and  gaiff  hir  a  buik,  &c.  This  woman  being  examined  be  the  Pres- 
byteric,  and  fund  a  witche,  in  thair  judgment,  was  giffen  to  the  Bis- 
chope to  be  keipe  in  his  castle  for  execution,  bot  he  sufferit  hir  to 
slipe  away ;  bot  within  thrie  or  four  yeirs  thairefter  sche  was  takin, 
and  execut  in  Edinbruche  for  a  witche. 

[It  was  reported  for  veritie  to  us,  that  the  Bischope  consulted 
with  these  witches  anent  the  King's  esteat,  of  the  countrey,  and  his 
a  win  ;  and  gat  a  response,  that  he  sould  stand  sa  lang  as  the  Kino- 
stud.  Bot  the  devill,  as  he  uses  to  do,  deceavit  him  ther.  Bot, 
verelie,  about  these  witches  we  Avar  plane  and  scharpe  with  him ; 
bathe  from  pulpit,  in  doctrine,  and  be  censur  of  our  Presbyterie/'] 

Notwithstanding,  the  King  coining  to  St  Androis  about  the 
end  of  July,  and  seperating  him  sclfF  ther  from  the  Lords  that  haid 
seasit  about  him  at  Ruthven,  the  Bischope  becomes  a  liaill  man  at- 
tcanes,7  and  occupies  the  pulpit  befor  the  King,  lustelie  declaming, 
as  it  was  markit,  in  a  possessit  and  inragit  mancr,  against  Ministerie, 

1  Ones.  2  Fever  and  ague.     It  is  also  met  with  in  the  MS.  under  these  various 

forms — axes,  axis,  aj.ysis,  and  axies.  :!  In  the  last  stage  of  the  fever.  *  A  fox 

in  his  hole  or  den.     Margin.  B  Death.  ,;  This  is  added  by  the  Author  on 

the  margin  of  the  MS.  7  Becomes  at  once,  all  of  a  sudden,  a  whole  man. 


138  B4E  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAKY.  1583. 

Lords,  and  all  thair  proceidings  ;  and  he  that  often  professit  from 
pulpit,  befor,  that  he  haid  nocht  the  sprit  of  application,  gat  the 
gift  of  application  he  inspiration  of  sic  a  sprit  as  neve  ■  spak  in  the 
Scriptures  of  God.  And  hecause  it  was  reported  for  treuthe,  that 
the  Due  in  Paris  haid  deid  a  Papist,  he  maid  opin  contradiction 
thairto,  affirming,  for  certean,  that  he  deid  a  guid  Protestant, 
quhilk  lie  provit  be  schawin  of  a  skroll  in  his  hand,quhilk  he  callitthe 
Due  his  Testament :  Bot  an  honest  merchant  woman,  sitting  befor 
the  pulpit,  and  spying  it  narowlie,  affirmed  it  was  a  compt  of  a  four 
or  fyve  yeir  aidd  dett,  that  a  few  dayes  befor  sche  haid  send  to 
him  ;  wharof  sche  gat  na  mair  peyment  nor l  the  Due  his  executors 
maid  hir ! 

At  that  tyme,  Sir  Robert  Melvill  cam  to  the  Collage  to  Mr  An- 
dro,  and,  as  a  frind,  schew2  him  whow  evill  the  King  was  informit 
of  him,  besaught  him  thairfor  to  go  to  the  King,  and  purge  him 
selff  of  these  calumnies.  Quhilk  Mr  Andro  refusit  to  do,  saying, 
purgation  presupponit  foulnes,  Avherof  his  conscience,  nor  na  man, 
was  able  justlie  to  accuse  him  in  anie  kynd  of  undewtifulnes  to  the 
Kings  Majestic:  G iff  his  Majestie  desyrit  his  coming  to  him  for 
his  advyse,  in  maters  of  the  Kirk  or  comoun-weill,  or  anie  uther 
dewtifull  obedience,  he  wald  maist  humbhc  do  it  with  all  observance; 
but  he  wald  nocht  be  an  indirect  accusar  of  him  selff  to  his  Sove- 
rain. 

The  Counsallours  and  Courteoura  now  giffes  out,  that  the  King 
captived  befor,  thought  him  selff  at  libertie,  and  sa  settes  tham  to 
be  evin,  bathe  with  the  Lords  of  the  Read  of  Ruthven  and  with 
the  Kirk,  quhilk  they  sklanderit  as  allowars  of  treassone.  Yit 
craftelie,  for  the  space  of  halff  a  yeir  or  mair,  dissembling  with  the 
Lords,  they  begin  to  put  at  some  of  the  Kirk.  And,  in  the  moncthe 
of  November,  .Thone  Durie  of  new  is  dischargit  Edinbruche  :  and 
(•(lining  ower  to  St  Aiidrois,  whar  I  haid  taken  upe  lions,  efter  the 
vacans,8  lie  finds  bis  douchtar,  my  wyff,  bol  beginnand  to  convales 

'  Than.  2  Shewed,  3  Recess,  vacation, 


1583.  mi;  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  139 

of  a  deadlie  hat  fiver,1  (wharout  of  sche  ha  id  cullit a  with  a  blediag 
excessive,  sa  that,  for  ought  the  mediciners  could  do,  it  steyed 
nocht  four  and  twentie  hours  till  lyfF  was  almost  flitting ;  bot  the 
Lord  haid  mercie  on  me,  and  sparit  hir  for  a  speciall  wark  of  com- 
fort to  me  against  the  day  of  a  grait  evill ;)  and  tareing  bot  a  few 
dayes,  behoved  to  go  to  his  ward  in  Montrose,  to  the  quhilk  I  con- 
voyit  him.  Be  the  way,  a  lytle  befor  we  cam  to  the  furde  of  the 
Water  of  Lownan,  a  sow  comes  in  the  hie  rod  befor  us,  and  trottes 
on  toward  the  furd,  swomes  ower  befor  us.  Now,  the  water  was 
weill  grait  in  speat,3  whar,  we  being  in  the  middes  thairof,  my 
father,  Jhone  Durie's  horse  lyes  down  in  the  water,  and  committes 
his  rydar  to  swoming  with  the  stream ;  bot  it  pleasit  God,  I  being 
nixt  under  him,  caught  him  be  the  cott  neak,4  and  taking  a  gripe  of 
my  horse  mean,5  he  wad6  and  wan  to  laud  :  Wharof  I  incuragit  him, 
speattes  of  afflictiones  war  to  sease  on  us,  bot  the  Lord  sould  dely- 
ver  out  of  them  all.  Sa,  coming  in  that  countrey,  I  acquented  him,7 
and  recommendit  to  all  our  frinds ;  whom  he  finding  thairefter  ever 
loving  and  frindlie,  fand  my  manage  a  speciall  providence  of  God 
towards  him. 

That  was  a  dark  and  hcavie  wintar  to  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  ec- 
clipsed  and  bereft  of  thrie  grait  lights  !  Of  Mr  Alexander  Arbuth- 
not,  in  the  beginning  thairof;  Mr  Thomas  Smeton,  in  the  middes, 
(of  quhilk  sort  1  wat  nocht  gift"*8  ther  was  manie  scores  in  all  Chris- 
tiandome  for  all  sort  of  lerning  and  godlines  ;)  and,  in  the  end  of  the 
wintar,  Mr  Wilyeam  Clark,  my  predecessour,  a  man,  whowbeit 
nocht  in  rank  of  lerning  with  the  uther  twa,  yit  the  light  and  lyff 
in  the  part  he  dwelt  in,  miklc  belovit  and  regratted  of  all  sorts  of 
persones  that  knew  him,  nainlie,  that  he  haid  the  charge  ower  :  Ower 
sure  a  presage  of  a  grait  calamitie  and  owerthraw  schortlie  till  en- 
sew  upon  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  !  Amangs  divers  Epitaphes  wher- 
with  Mr  Andro  beualit9  this  so  grait  a  loss,  I  man  heir  insert  an, 
becaus  it  stiks  recentlic  in  my  memorie  : 

1  Hot  or  burning  fever.  2  Cooled.  !  Was  very  great  or  full  with 

a  fresh,  or  spait.  4  Neck  of  his  coat.  s  Horse's  mane.  6  Waded. 

7  Introduced  him,  or  made  him  acquainted  with  all  his  friends.  8  Grant,  allow. 

:i  Bewailed. 


140  MK  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  1583. 

Vix,  lieu  !  vix  raptum,  deflcvimus  Arbuthnotum  ; 

Vix,  heu !  justa  datis  solvimus  exequiis.1 
Et  premit  altera  mors,  et  funere  funus  acerbat, 

Et  magno  extincto  lumine,  majus  obit. 
111c  quidem  Arctoa  tenebras  de  nocte  fugabat ; 

Fulg-ebas  medio  Glasgua  stella  die. 
Quod  si  luce  sua  spoliata  est  noxque  diesque 

Nostra,  Eheu  !  quantis  obruimur  tenebris. 
Aut  ergo  e  tenebris  revoca  lucem,  aut  hominum  lux, 

Christe,  redi,  lit  nobis  stat  sine  nocte  dies  ! 

TURNED  IN  SCOTS. 

Yit  skarse,  alas  !  haid  we  bemeande  our  deir  Arbuthnot's  dead, 
Yea,  skarse,  alas  !  his  exequies  liaid  we  and  funerales  maid, 
When  corps  with  corps  does  urn  us  cear,  and  deathe  with  deathe 

does  pres, 
And  on  grait  light  extinguised,2  an  other  fealles,  alas ! 
That  an  the  dark  and  drowsie  night  be  northe  did  dryve  away  ; 
That  uther  as  the3  Sun  did  schync  be  southe  at  mids  of  day. 
Gift"  sa,  then,  bathe  our  night  and  day  be  spuliyet  of  thair  light, 
Sa  fcirfullie  hes  us  owcrwhelmde  of  darknes  what  an  bight  ? 
Then  ather  Chryst  from  darknes  now  the  light  retourn  againe, 
Or  com  our  light,  that  but  all  night,  our  day  may  ay  remaine  ! 


MR  WEIL  I  AM4  CLARK'S  EPITAPHE. 

That  thow  a  Maistcr  was,  as  yet  thy  Schollar's  skill  can  prove  ; 
That  thow  art  weill,  full  weill,  confinnes  thy  godlincs  and  love. 
A  cunning  Clark,  right  cleirlic  knawin,  be  nature  and  hi-  art. 
And  all  the  thrie,  in  that  thow  play'd  sa  weill  a  Pastor's  part  : 


1  Inferiis.     Margin  of  MS.  2  "  Alas  !  put  out."     On  margin.  3«'Thow 

GlasgW  star  as."      J/>.  *  "  Weil  I  am,"  a  play  on  William. 


1583.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  141 

Then  happie  Master  Weil  I  am  Clark,  by  nam  thow  sail  abyd,1 
As  Carell,  with  Anster,  Pittenweim  lyes  leauche2  by  FyfPs  cost  syd! 

Bischope  Adamson,  for  all3  his  lang  seiknes,  becam  then  nocht 
onlie  able  to  pretche,  and  keipe  Conventiones  of  Counsall  and  Es- 
teates,  and  weat  upon  Court,  bot  also,  in  the  wintar,  to  tak  joraey 
and  go  in  ambassage  to  Eingland,  and  all  to  practise  the  alteration 
of  the  haill  esteat  and  discipline  of  the  Kirk.  [The  Presbyterie 
had  enterit  in  proces  with  him,  and  remitted  him  to  the  Synodall, 
and  that  to  the  Generall  (Assembly  ;)  in  the  quhilk  he  was  sus- 
pendit  from  the  office  of  the  ministerie,  as  corrupt,  bathe  in  doctrin 
and  lyfT,  and  ordeined  to  be  forder  proceidit  against.  In  the  mean- 
tyme,  to  eschew  the  censors  of  the  Kirk,  and  practise  the  wrak 
thairof,  he  undertakes  this  jorney.4] 

Coming  to  Londone  about  Yull,  he  infonnit  the  Quein  the  warst 
of  the  ministerie  and  guid  nobilitie,  and  the  best  of  the  Court  of 
Scotland.  He  practised  with  the  Bischopes  for  Conformitie,  and 
gaiff  tham  dextra  societatis ;  he  delt  for  lernit  preatchours  to  be 
placed  in  the  best  rowmes5  of  Scotland,  knawing  weill  the  best  men 
of  the  ministerie  of  Scotland  Avar  to  be  displaced ;  he  wrot  verie 
craftelie  to  Geneva  and  Tigurie,  and  send  tham  propositiones  and 
questiones  desyring  to  haifF  thair  judgment;  and,  finalie,  left  na 
stan  onturned  ower  that  might  mak  for  the  wark  of  Sathan,  to  be- 
seige  and  demolishe  the  walles  of  Jerusalem. 

Whill  he  is  a  bissie  Bischope  about  thir  things  in  outting,  as  the 
cours  was  layed,  they  war  nocht  ydle  at  hame  ;  for,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  Februar,  Mr  Andro  Melvin  is  summoned  to  compeir  befor 
the  King  and  Counsall  within  les  nor  thrie  dayes,6  to  answer  to  sic 
things  as  war  to  be  leyit  to  his  charge,  anent  certean  speitches 
uttered  be  him  from  pulpit,  seditius  and  treasonable.  Mr  Andro 
compeired,  accompanied  with  sum  of  his  schollars  and  frinds,  amano-s 

1  "  Thy  nam  als  lang  sail  byd."     On  margin.  2  Laiche,  low.  3  Notwith- 

standing. '  This  is  added  by  the  Author  on  the  margin.  '•>  Places,  situations. 

G  "  Summoned  on  Setterday,  to  compeir  on  Mounday  nixt."     Margin  of  MS. 


142  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAKT.  15#3. 

whom  was  Mr  Robert  Bruce;  and  I  being  in  Angus,  convoying  my 
mother-in-law  to  hir  housband,  gon  away  a  day  befor  his  summond- 

ing,  maid  diligence,  and  cam  to  Edinbruche  the  day  of  his  second 
compeiranee.  The  qnhilk  day  he  declyned  the  judicator  of  the 
King  and  Counsall,  being  aceusit  upon  na  civill  cryme  or  trans- 
gression, but  upon  his  doctrin  uttered  from  pulpit.  The  quhilk, 
when  the  King  and  Captan  James,1  then  maid  Grait  Chancellar, 
with  roarings  of  lyones,  and  messages  of  deathe,  haid  taken  sa  hat, 
that  all  the  Counsell  and  Courtes  of  the  Palice  war  filled  with  fear, 
noyes,  and  bruttes,  Mr  Andro  never  jarging,2  nor  daschit3  a  whit, 
Avithe  magnanimus  courage,  mightic  force  of  sprit,  and  fouthe4  of 
evidence  of  reasone  and  langage,  planlie  taidd  the  King  and  Coun- 
sall,  that  they  presumed  ower  bauldlie  in  a  constitut  esteat  of  a 
Christian  Kirk,  the  kingdome  of  Jesus  Chryst,  passing  by  and  dis- 
dcaning  the  prophets,  pastors,  and  doctors  of  the  Kirk,  to  talc  upon 
tham  to  judge  the  doctrin,  and  controll  the  ambassators  and  messin- 
gers  of  a  King  and  Counsall  graitter  nor  they,  and  far  above  tham  ! 
"And  that/'  saves  he,  "vie  may  sie  your  weakues,  owereight,  and 
rashnes,  in  takin  upon  vow  that  quhilk  vie  nather  aught  nor  can 
do,"  (lowsing  a  litle  Hebrew  Byble  fra  his  belt,  and  clanking  it 
down  on  the  burd  befor  the  King  and  Chancelar,)  "Thair  is,"  says 
he,  "  my  instructiones  and  warrand  ;  let  sie  quhilk  of  vow  can  judge 
thairon,  or  controll  me  thairin,  that  Ihaiff  past  by  my  injunctiones  !" 
The  Chanclar,  opening  the  buik,  findes  it  Hebrew,  and  putes  it  in 
the  Kings  hand,  saying,  "  Sir,  he  skornes  your  Majestic  and  Conn- 
sail."  "  Na,  my  lord,"  sayes  Mr  Andro,  "  I  skorn  nocht ;  hot  with 
all  emestnes,  zeall,  and  gravitie,  I  stand  for  the  cause  of  Jesus 
( Jhryst  and  his  Kirk." 

Manic  tvmes  put  they  him  out,  and  callit  him  in  againe,  whylles 
delling  with  minacings,  and  whylles  with  fear5  words,  t«»  brak  him  ; 
bot  he  grew  mair  and  mair  in  wesdome,  stryngthe,  and  courage, 
whowbeit,  nan  was  stiffen  t  to  com  in  with  him  :  and  when  he  cam 
out,  haid  skarslie  lasour  to  draw  his  end,  mikleles  to  tak  anie  advyse 

1  Stewart.         -  Swerved,  flinched.         :l  Abashed.         4  Abundance,         ''  Fair. 


1583.  M It  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  14;i 

with  his  Mads  and  brethring.  In  end,  they  proceides ;  admittee 
an  accusar,  wha  bruikit  that  nam  for  ignominie  manie  ycirs  efter, 
u  Wilyeam  Stewart  the  Accusar,"  a  pensionar  of  the  Pryor  of  St 
Androis ;  receaves  the  articles  of  accusation  ;  admittes  and  takes 
the  deposition  of  a  number  of  witnesses,  summoned  out  of  St  Androis, 
namlie  his  graittest  mislykers :  Mr  Andro  ever  adhering  to  his  de- 
clinator, and  at  all  tymes,  as  occasion  servit,  telling  tham  his  mynd 
mightelie  anent  the  treuthe  and  weght  of  the  cause  of  Chryst  and 
his  Kirk,  and  wrongs  done  thairunto,  quhilk  he  Avald  be  advengit  of 
sum  day.  And  when  they  haid  don  all,  lytle  or  na  thing  for  thair 
purpose  gat  they  provin,  bot  decemes  that  Mr  Andro,  for  his  un- 
revercnt  behaviour  befor  his  Majestie  and  Counsall,  sould  be  put  in 
ward  in  the  Castle  of  Edinbruche  during  the  King's  will. 

In  the  mean  tym,  Mr  Androe's  breithring  and  frinds  is  informit, 
be  sic  as  knew  the  plattes  leyed,  that  ther  wras  na  guid  meined  to 
Mr  Andro,  and,  if  he  war  annes  fast,1  he  wald  nocht  be  low^sit  again, 
unles  it  war  for  the  skaffald.  This  maid  him  to  keipe  him  quyet  a 
night  and  a  day,  during  the  quhilk  tyme  I  travelit  amangs  the  coun- 
sallors.  Manie  gain0  me  fear 2  words,  and  said  ther  was  na  danger ; 
bot  our  best  frinds  read  a  dictum,  wrytten  on  the  Avail,  sounding, 
"  Louss  and  Leiving."  We  understud,  fordar,  that  the  decreit  of 
the  Counsall  was  alterit,  and  the  ward  apointed  to  be  Blaknes,  a 
foull  holl,  keipit  be  Captan  James'  men.  Sa,  whill  we  was  all  in 
errait  and  hcavie  anxietie,  and  maist  dulfull  doutsomnes,  wrhat  to 
counsall — upon  the  an  part,  thinking  it  a  hard  and  sear3  mater  to 
bereave  the  Schollcs  and  Kirk  of  Scotland  of  sic  a  light  and  lead- 
der,  and  thinking  that  moyen4  and  tyme  might  mitigat  the  King, 
and  procure  his  libertic ;  upon  the  uther  part,  knawing  the  course 
and  plattes  leyed  be  the  enemies,  and  seing  the  violent  form  of 
Captean  James'  government,  we  thought  it  hardar  to  jeoperd  the  lyfP 
of  sic  a  man,  as  might  be  reserved  for  a  better  tyme — being,  I  say, 
in  this  dutfull  debeat 6  amangs  our  selves,  and  everic  an  with  his  awin 

1  If  he  were  once  laid  fast  in  ward.  -  Fair,  smooth.  3  Sore.  4  Means 

or  influence.  s  Put  his  life  in  hazard  or  jeopardy.  r'  Doubtful  debate. 


Ill  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAUV.  1  ">*;>. 

hart  nocht  knawin  weill  wharto  to  inclyne,  ^Nlr  Andro  him  Belff  cornea 

out  in  publict,  resolut  and  eheirfull,  and  bad  us  all  be  of  guid  cow- 
rage,  for  God  haid  resolvit  him  of  the  best,  and  he  was  assurit  wald 
be  with  him.  Sa  we  go  to  dinner  in  Mr  James  Law-one's  hous, 
wha  with  all  his  gheaste1  war  exceiding  heavie  harted,  and  often- 
tymes  could  nocht  contein,  bot  mix  thair  tearcs  with  thair  drink. 
Onlie  Mi-  Andro  cat,  drank,  and  crakked2  als  merrelie  and  frie- 
myndit  as  at  anie  tyme,  and  mair  ;  and  (according  to  his  continuall 
form  at  meat,  and  in  all  companie)  tuk  occasion  of  guid  conference 
and  discours,  pertinent  for  the  tyme  and  stat  of  maters,  to  his  awin 
wounderfull  incouragmcnt,  and  our  grait  comfort,  interlacing 3  alwayes 
sum  mime  interludes,  and  drinking  to  his  Captean  and  ward-fel- 
lowes,  bidding  us  mak  us  ready  to  follow,  &c.  Sa,  efter  denner, 
he  gaifF  it  out,  and  non  knew  uther,  bot  a  verie  few,  that  he  wald 
obey  the  charge,  and  enter  in  ward,  giff  the  King  cummandit,  and 
God  sa  directed  him.  Wherupon  the  meassar4  gettes  acces,  giffea 
him  the  charge,  with  his  warrand,  till5  enter  in  the  Castell  of  Blak- 
nes  within  four  and  twentie  houres,  the  quhilk  he  receaves  reve- 
rentlie ;  bot,  within  an  houre  or  twa,  his  brother  Roger  and  he 
slippes  out  at  the  Port,  hand  for  hand,  and  bulges  that  night  whare 
God  haid  preparit ;  and  within  four  and  twentie  houres  enterit  in 
Bcrvik,  in  place  of  the  Blaknes  !  [A  certean  of  Captan  James  hors- 
men  haid  immediatlie  befor  riddin  out  at  the  sam  Port  till  attend 
upon  him,  and  convoy  him  to  Blaknes,  ther  amies6  to  mak  him 
sure.7] 

Ther  was  na  thing  behind  bot  bitter  teares  and  heavie  lamenta- 
tion, partlie  for  the  present  lose,  bot  mikle  mair  for  tin1  esteat  that 
was  till  enscw  upon  the  Kirk,  quhilk  eyerie  an  apprehendit  in  graitter 
ami  graitter  missour  of  horrour  and  feirfulnes.  Bot  above  all.  that 
notable  and  maist  fathfull  minister  of  God,  Mr  James  Lawsone, 
wha,  Being  sa  terrible  a  tempest  breiding  and  coming  on  the  schippe 
of  the  Kirk,  and  the  wyesest,  stouttest,  and  ableast  schippars  and 


1  Guests.  2  Talked  or  conversed  cheerfully.  a  Interlacing,  interspersing. 

1  Macer.  •'■  To.  '•  For  once.  '  Added  by  the  Author  on  the  margin, 


1583.  MR    JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  145 

mariners  removit,  apprehendit  the  danger  sa  lnely,  and  drank  in  the 
greiffand  melancholic  sa  deiplie,  quhilk  being  augmentit,  and  na 
wayes  mitigat,  be  that  quhilk  followit,  namlie,  the  nndewtifulnes  of 
his  flock,  wasted  his  vital!  sprites  be  piece-meall,  and,  within  few 
monethes  thaireftcr,  cutted  the  thrid1  of  his  maist  stedable2  and 
comfortable  lyff  to  the  Kirk  of  Scotland. 

As  for  my  selff,  to  confes  the  treuthe,  I  was  almaist  exanimat3 
with  heavines  of  hart,  the  quhilk,  if  it  haid  nocht  resolvit  in 
aboundance  of  teares,  my  lyfF  haid  bein  suffocat ;  for  the  quhilk 
cause  I  tnk  me  to  a  chalmer,  and  closing  the  dur,  let  my  affec- 
tiones  brak  out,  and  go  louse  at  randon,  quhilk  a  special!  loving 
frind  of  myne,  wating  on  me,  sufferit  for  the  space  of  an  houre ; 
bot  efter,  knokkit  sa,  and  spak  to  me,  that  bathe  for  love  and  reve- 
rence it  behovit  me  till4  opin  ;  wha  nocht  onlie  usit  all  the  comforts 
he  coidd,  bot  wated  upon  me,  and  convoyed  me  ham  to  St  Androis  : 
This  was  Andro  Wod  of  Streavithie. 

Mr  James  Lawsone,  and  Mr  Walter  Balcanquall,  his  only  colleg 
that  remaned,  maid,  according  to  thair  disposition,  the  pidpit  of 
Edinbruche  to  sound  mightelie  in  the  praise  of  Mr  Andro,  and  to 
the  detestation  of  the  fact  of  the  Counsall,  that  haid  sa  proceidit 
against  him  ;  also,  they  prayit  for  him  in  particular,  at  all  thair 
ordinar  sermontes,  quhilk  moved  the  peiple  verie  mikle,  and  gallit 
the  Court. 

At  my  coming  to  St  Androis,  my  wound,  skarslie  stemit,5  beguid 
to  blude  apace,6  finding  na  thing,  whar  ever  I  cust  my  eis,  bot  mater 
of  melancholic.  His  bookes  war  in  danger,  [he]  being  put  to  the 
horn ;  and  thairfor  I  addressit  me  with  diligence  to  pak  tham  upe, 
and  put  tham  asyde,  and  skarse  was  ther  ane  quhilk  I  haid  knawin 
in  his  comoun  use  that  ranckled  nocht  my  wounds  againe,  sa  that 
that  labour  was  fellon7  peanfull  and  heavie  to  me.  Bot,  above  all, 
it  was  a  daylie  hart-brak  to  me  to  sie  that  notable  wark,  sa  weill 

1  Cut  the  thread.  2  Available.  3  Overcome,  half-dead.     Lat.  exanimix. 

4  To.  5  Stemmed,  staunched.         c  Began  to  bleed  apace.         7  Very,  extremely. 

K 


Ml)  Ml;  JAMES  mkj.yii.l's  DIARY.  1583. 

begoun,  yeilding,  in  tlie  first  spring-tyme  of  it,  sic  appeirance  of 
plentifiill  fruiets,  with  sic1  a  calamitie  cuttit  of  from  all  hope  of  her- 
\  est.  I  thought  I  felt  continualie  a  cauld  heavie  lumpe  lyand  on 
my  hart,  lyking  for  to  chok  me  ;  and  sure  I  am  it  haid  cost  me  my 
lyflf,  gift'  the  mightie  hand  of  my  God  haid  uocht  curit  bathe  bodie 
and  saidl ;  and  efter  the  curing  thairof,  fumesit,  by 2  all  conscience 
of  abilitie  and  expectatioun,  sum  missour  of  strynthe  and  gifts  to 
tak  a  piece  of  courage,  and  hauld  in  the  spunk3  of  lyffin  the  wark, 
till  God  sould  haifF  mercie,  and  retoum  for  the  restauration 
thairof. 

For  finding,  as  in  the  spring-tyme,  nature  beginning  to  purge,  I 
helped  the  sam  with  a  melancolique  purgation ;  quhilk  wrought 
lang,  and  in  grait  quantitie,  evidentlie  be  the  cullor,  ky thing4  the 
peccant  humour.  And  soone  thairefter,  finding  sum  enrage,  bathe 
naturall  and  spirituall,  I  fell  to  wark,  and  by5  my  awin  houres  for 
the  langages  quhilk  I  keipet  befor,  I  supplied,  as  I  could,  the  time 
dayes  of  Mr  Androe's  publict  Lessones  in  the  comoun  places  of  Re- 
ligion, and  teatched  the  twa  cheiff  controvertit  heads,  De  Verbo  et 
Ecclesia,  in  the  monethes  of  Merche  and  Apryll. 

By  and  besyde6  the  inward  hand  of  my  God,  to  whom  alan  per- 
teines  all  praise,  I  haid  twa  utward  special!  comforts.  An  was  the 
Maistera  and  members  of  the  Universitie,  wha  kythed  an  uther 
mynd  to  the  wark  then  I  luiked  for,  and  gaiflf  thair  presence  and 
guid  countenance  and  assistance  to  my  Lessons,  to  my  grait  com- 
fort and  incuragment.  The  uther  was  of  twa  speciall  daylie  frinds 
and  companiones  :  the  ane  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  the  uther  Mr  Robert 
Durie,  wha  keipit  companie  with  me  continualie,  to  my  grait  up- 
hald  and  forderance  in  God's  Word.  [Mr  Thomas  Buchannan  also 
was  my  guid  nibour  and  frind,  at  that  tyme,  and  all  his  dayes.7]  Of 
that  an  wharof,  namlie,  for  the  grait  praise  of  the  cahv  and  provi- 
dence of  God  towards  his  Kirk,  I  man8  remember  sum  thing  mair 
at  lainthe. 

1  Such.  -  Beyond.  :l  Spark.  *  Manifesting.  5  Forbyc, 

besides,  r'  Over  and  above.  "  Supplied  from  margin  of  MS.  *  Must. 


1583.  MB  .TAAIIis  melvill's  diary.  117 

Mr  Robert  Bruce,  second  sone  to  the  Lard  of  Arthe,  brought 
upe  in   letters,  past  his  course  of  Philosophic  iu  the   Universitie 
of  St  Androis ;  and  thairefter,  be  his  father  furnesit,  Avas  sent  to 
France,   whar,   and   in   the    Universitie    of  Lovan,   in   the   Law 
Countreycs,   he  studiet,  namlie,   till1  Humanitie    and  the  Juris- 
prudence, quliilk  his  father  and  frinds  haid  sett  to  be  the  end  of 
his  studies.     Thairefter,  coming  hame,   he  is   directed  till  attend 
on  Court  and  Session,  for  his  father's  effeares  and  his  frinds,  till 
the  Lord  began  to   call  upon  him,   and   wourk2  stranglie  in  his 
conscience,  sa  that  he  haid  na  rest  nor  confort,  bot  in  the  Word  of 
God  and  companie  of  guid  men.     Yit  the  manifald  effeares  of  his 
father  and  frinds  continualie  importuning  him,  maid  him  to  stryvc 
against  the  working  of  his  hart ;  bot  in  vean,  for  he  was  fean  at  last 
plainlie  to  schaw  his  father,  that  ther  was  na  rest  nor  lyff  for  him, 
miles  he  haid  leive  to  go  to  the  studie  of  Theologie,  and  be  in  com- 
panie of  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  in  St  Androis.    Sa  his  father  permitted 
at  last,  and  he  cam  to  us  at  the  beginning  of  that  sam  wintar,  at 
the  end  wharof  Mr  Andro  was  put  att,  whom  maist  lovinglie  and 
fathfullie  he  assisted  till  his  departour  out  of  the  countrey,  and  syne 
retourned  again  to  us,  and  sett  him  selff  inair  ernestlie  then  ever 
befor  to  his  studies  ;  and  that  nocht  onlie  to  be  a  heirar,  but  to 
essay  what  gift  God  wald  giff  him  of  utterance  of  that  quliilk  he 
studeit.     And  all  this  movit,  yea,  drawn  as  it  war  perforce,  with  a 
mightie  inwart  working,  quhilk  sufferit  him  never  to  gett  rest  bot 
when  he  was  about  that  purpose,  he  said  to  me  a3  day,  in  re- 
leiving  of  his  mikle  and  sear  occupied  mynd,  in  privat  conference 
purmeineing4  in  the  fields,  that  or  he  cust  him  selff  again  in  that 
torment  of  conscience  quhilk  was  leyed  on  him  for  resisting  the 
calling  of  God  to  the  studie  of  Theologie  and  Ministerie,  he  haid 
rather  go  throw  a  fyre  of  brinston  halff  a  inyll  lang  ! 

Sa,  befor  he  wald  open  his  mouthe  at  our  table,  whar  ordinarlie 
ther,  meall  about,'5  the  students  opened  upe  a  chapter,  and  gather- 


1  To.  2  Wrought.  8  One.        4  Walking.      O.  Fr.  pourmener,  (promencr .) 

'•  At  each  meal  alternately,  in  their  turn. 


148 


MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1583. 


ed  sum  nottes  thairupon,  he  desyrit  to  haiff  sum  exerceisein  privat 
with  me  and  Mr  Robert  Dury  ;  and  sa,  amies  in  the  ouk1  first, 
thairefter  thryse,  our  tyme  about,  in  a  large  wyde  hous  of  the  Col- 
lage, we  handlit  a  chapter,  till  that  way  we  past  throw  the  Epistles 
to  the  Romanes  and  Hebrews  :  But,  or2  we  cam  onie  way  fordwart 
in  the  Hebrews,  Mr  Robert  tuk  the  haill  exerceise  to  him  sclff,  and 
haid  us  auditors,  to  our  grait  joy  and  comfort.  Thereftcr,  we  drew 
him  to  the  scholl,  whar  the  students  haid  ther  privat  exerceises  be- 
for  the  Maisters  ;  from  that  to  the  table,  and  syne3  to  the  morning 
doctrine  on  the  Sabbathe,  to  quhilk  a  multitude  of  the  best  peiple 
of  the  town  resorted.  Sa  it  pleased  God  at  that  tyme,  to  my  sin- 
gular uphauld  and  incuragment  in  his  service,  to  begin  to  trean  upe 
and  fram4  that  maist  notable  preatchour  for  the  tyme  of  restitution 
of  his  deceyit  and  captived  Jerusalem. 

During  this  tyme,  the  first  intelligence,  be  wryt,  I  gott  of  Mr 
Andro,  was  of  the  Bischope's  bissines,  a  just  copie  of  whase  Articles 
he  send  me  name  ;  the  cndiilk  I  haiff  thought  meit  heir  to  insert, 
for  cleiring  of  the  controversie  betwix  the  Kirk  and  him,  and  to 
schaw  whow  craftelie  and  malitiuslie  that  sycophant  calumniattcs 
the  Ordourand  Conclusionnes  of  Discipline  befor  sett  down;  thairby 
to  haiff  catchit  a  vantage,  giffhe  could  haiff  gottin,  be  sic  informa- 
tion, a  censour  of  the  Breithring  of  the  French  Kirk,  Genev,  Ty- 
gurie,  &c,  and  to  mak  us  and  our  Discipline  odius  to  the  Quein 
and  Kirk  of  Eingland  : 

ARTICLES  QUHILK  THE  BISCHOPE  OF  ST  ANDROIS  GAIFF  OUT  IN 
LINGLAND  TO  THE  FRENCIIE  KIRK  AT  LONDONE,  SEND  TO  GE- 
NEV, TYGURIE,  &C.       1583. 

THE  0RD0UR  AB0INTED  BE  THE  MINISTERS  OF  SCOTLAND  OBTRUDIT   TO 
THE  KING  BE  THAM. 

"  1.  As  ther  [is]  a  difference  betwix  the  Civill  Polecie  and  Go- 
'  Once  a  week.         ■  Ere,  before.         s  Then,  afterwards.  •  Frame,  mould. 


1583.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  1  4«J 

vernment  of  the  Kirk,  sa  is  ther  divers  governours  apointed  for  the 
an  and  for  the  uther. 

"  2.  The  Civill  Magistrat  rewlit  in  his  politik  efFeares  only,  and 
the  Spirituall  Governours  in  the  efFeares  of  the  Kirk. 

"  3.  As  Spiritnall  Rewlares  does  exceid  thair  bounds,  if  they  in- 
terpryse  upon  civill  and  politik  matters  ;  so  does  the  Prince  or  Civill 
Magistrat,  if  he  pretend  in  maters  Ecclesiasticall. 

"  4.  The  exemple  of  Uzziah,  King  of  Juda,  declares  that  Kings 
soidd  be  aftrayed  to  middle  with  maters  perteining  to  the  Kirk. 

"  5.  It  is  an  heresie  to  a  Prince  to  usurpe  the  tytle  to  be  called 
The  Head  of  the  Kirk. 


THESE  ABOVE  WRYTTIN  CONCERN  THE  FRINGE  S  DEWTIE  :   THESE  THAT  FOL- 
LOW CONCERN  THE  GOVERNMENT  AND  POLECIE  OF  THE  MINISTERIE. 

"  1.  The  Ordour  wharby  the  Kirk  sould  be  governit,  alsweill  in 
preatching  of  the  Word,  ministration  of  Sacraments,  as  Discipline 
Ecclesiasticall,  is  sufficientlie  and  fullie  sett  furthe  in  the  Scriptures, 
and  lies  neid  of  na  farder  ;  and  the  Ministers  of  the  Word  of  God 
sould  haiffna  injunctionnes  giffen l  to  tham  in  pretching  of  the  Gos- 
pell,  bot  soidd  speak  as  the  Word  of  God  puttes  in  thair  mouthe. 

"  2.  The  Government  of  the  Kirk  consistes  in  thrie  sortes ;  in 
Pastor,  Doctor,  Senior,2  wha  aught  to  haiff  the  haill  Discipline  of 
the  Kirk  in  thair  powar ;  and  Pastors  to  be  sic  as  hes  a  particular 
flok,  wha  lykwayes  sould  be  called  Bischopes. 

"  3.  The  office  and  esteat  of  Bischopes,  as  they  ar  of  Provinces 
and  Dyoceis,  can  nocht  stand  with  the  Word  of  God. 

"  4.  Everie  Pastor  within  his  awin  Congregation  sould  haiff  a 
nomber  of  Seniores  or  Eldars,  of  laic  men,3  to  assist  tham  in  coun- 
sall  for  the  government  of  the  Kirk ;  and  in  everie  compas,  or 
reasonable  precinct  of  boundes,  thair  sould  be  erected  a  Presbyterie, 
consisting  in  the  Pastors  and  Doctors,  and  sic  uther  laic  persones, 
as  be  election  may  be  associat  within  the  sam.     And  these  Prcsby 

'.Given.  2  Elder.  *  Laymen. 


150  J£R  JAME8  MELVILL'S  D1ABY.  L583. 

ters  sould  haiff  cair  of  the  doctrine  and  manors  within  thair  bounds, 
and  of  the  Election  of  Pastors,  when  anie  of  tham  sail  happin  to 
inleak  ; '  and  powar  of  excommunication,  and  disposition  of  bene- 
fices. 

"  5.  The  Synodal]  Assemblie  does  consist  in  manie  Presbyteries  ; 
lyk  as  the  Presbyteries  in  manie  particular  Kirks ;  and  in  the  Pres- 
byteries and  Gcnerall  Assemblies  an  Moderator  is  to  be  chosin,  be 
the  consent  of  the  rest,  at  everie  meitting  ;  and  his  powar  to  con- 
tinow  to  the  nixt  Assemblie  thairefter. 

"  6.  Thair  is  appellation  from  the  particular  [Kirk]  to  the  Pres- 
byterie,  from  the  Presbyterie  to 'the  Synodall,  and  from  the  Synodal] 
to  the  Generall,  if  anie  man  be  hurt  or  greivit.  And  the  Generall 
Assemblie  does  consist  of  the  Commissionars,  quhilk  ar  directed 
from  the  Synodall  Assemblies  to  the  Generall :  And,  in  lyk  maner, 
the  Assemblie  Generall  sould  haiff  a  Moderator  chosin  at  eyerie 
meitting. 

"  7.  The  Assemblie  Generall  lies  powar  to  mak  Lawes,  Canones, 
and  Constitutionnes,  for  the  effeares  of  the  haill  Kirk,  and  to  deter- 
mine in  all  maters  Ecclesiasticall,  in  Election  of  Pastores,  Deposi- 
tion, Suspension,  Excommunication,  Heresie,  and  whatsuniever 
effeares  perteining  to  the  Kirk. 

"  8.  The  Assemblie  Generall  may  appoint  tymes  of  thair  con- 
vention from  Assemblie  till  Assemblie,  and  convein  tham  selves 
without  anie  licence  impctrat  of  the  Prince  lor  that  effect. 

"  9.  The  Assemblie  Generall  hcs  also  powar  to  direct  Commis- 
sionars to  the  King's  Parliament ;  quhilks  Commissionars  sould 
haiff  the  powar  and  authoritie  of  the  Kirk,  and  nocht  sic  us  ar  Bis- 
chopes,  except  they  be  from  tyme  to  tyme  authorised  with  thair 
commission. 

u  10.  The  Assemblie  Generall  lies  also  powar  to  direct,  of  thair 
a  win  number,  certean  to  visit  the  Kirks,  as  occasion  sail  tall.  And 
ther  is  na  ordinal  powar  to  visit,  except  they  haiff  commission  of 
the  Kirk,  and  be  directed  from  the  Generall  Assemblie  to  that  effect. 

1  To  In'  deficient  or  awaoting,  e.g.  by  death,  Sec, 


1583.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  151 

"11.  Benefices  ar  the  invention  of  the  devill,  and  na  man  aught 
to  possess  rent  or  leiving ;  bot  Deacones  sould  lift  upe  the  Kirk- 
rents,  and  distribut  the  sam,  according  to  the  ancient  canones. 

"  12.  Patrones  and  Patronages  ar  nocht  to  be  tolerated  in  the 
Reformit  Kirk,  as  occasiones  of  intolerable  corruptionnes.  Bot  the 
Patrons  soidd  resing 1  in  favours  of  the  Deacones  :  And  gifF  Patrones 
sould  be  permitted,  they  sould  nocht  haifF  the  choise  of  the  election 
of  the  persone ;  bot  efter  the  persone  is  elected  be  the  Parochine 2 
or  Presbyterie,  then  the  Patrones  aught  to  confer  the  leiving  onlie 
to  the  persone  intrant,  and  the  distribution  of  the  said  leiving  im- 
mediatlie  to  be  giffen  to  the  Deacones. 

"  13.  Therbelanges  to  the  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk  all  sic  tempo- 
rail  and  spirituall  lands,  teinds,  rents,  as  hes  bein  at  anie  tyme 
foundit  or  dotted 3  thairunto  ;  and  it  is  a  sacrilage  to  the  Prince,  or 
anie  inferior  persone,  to  middle  thairwith,  except  the  Deacones  onlie 
to  the  use  forsaid. 

"  14.  GifF  the  Prince  wald  contra  vein  the  Actes  of  the  General] 
Assemblie,  he  may  be  alsweill  excommunicat  as  anie  inferiour  in  the 
realme. 


FOLLOWES  THE  JUDGMENT  OF  THE  BISCHOP  OF  ST  ANDROIS,  QUHILK  HE 
PRESSED  TO  HALF  HAD  CONFIRMED  BE  THE  LERNED  DOCTORS  AND  MINISTERS 
OF  god's  WORD  IN  EINGLAND,  GENEV,  OR  ELSQHER,  FOR  SUPPLANTING  OF 
THE  KIRK  OF  SCOTLAND. 

1.  For  the  Prince. 

"  1.  It  is  ane  of  the  graittest  parts  of  the  Princlie  office,  to  ap- 
poinct  a  godlie  Ordour  to  the  Kirk,  and  to  tak  head  that  the  sam 
be  meanteined  and  keipit.4 

"  2.  It  proceidit  from  the  tyrannie  of  the  Paipe,  till  arrogat  to 
the  Clergie  the  haill  Government  of  the  Kirk,  and  to  exclud  ther- 

1  Resign.  2  Parish.  3  Left,  bequeathed,  or  endowed.  4  "  Giffthir 

grands  be  fast  stuken  to  or  nocht,  this  tym's  experience  may  tell !   1690."    The  above 
note  has  been  inserted  by  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  MS. 


152  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  D1ABY.  1583. 

fira  Christian  Princes  and  godlie  Magistrates,  wha  sould  be  nurishes ' 
of  the  Kirk,  and  kcipars  of  bathe  the  Tables.2 

"  3.  Princes,  in  thair  awin  cowntries,  ar  cheiff  heades  under 
Chryst,  as  weill  in  "Ecclesiasticall  Polecie  as  Temporall ;  and  thair 
judgment  in  bathe  is  soveran. 

"  4.  GifF  the  Kewlars  of  the  Kirk  lies  done  wrang,  appellation  is 
lawfull  to  the  Princlie  powar,  be  whase  authoritie  the  saming  sould 
be  redressit. 

2.   For  the  Ministrie. 

"1.  It  is  maist  necessar  that  a  guid  Ordour  and  Form  be  pre- 
scryvit  in  the  Kirk,  alsweill  in  the  service  of  God  as  in  publict 
doctrin,  that  all  things  may  be  don  ordourlie,  and  na  man  transgres 
the  limites  and  bounds  apointed  in  the  Scripture,  under  pretext  of 
the  libertie  of  the  Spreit  of  God. 

"2.  The  Government  of  the  Kirk  does  consist  in  the  authoritie 
and  powar  of  the  Bischopc,  to  whom  ar  committed  the  dyoceise  and 
provinces  in  government. 

"  3.  The  Office  of  Bischopc  is  of  the  Apostolic  institution,  and 
maist  aggreable  to  the  primitive  puritie  of  the  Kirk  of  God. 

"  4.  The  Ordination  and  ordinarie  Judgment  of  Pastors  belangit 
to  the  Bischopc,  without  Avhase  authoritie,  whasoever  docs  presume 
to  the  Pastoral!  cure  enters  nocht  at  the  dur,  bot  ower  the  dyk.3 

"  5.  Doctors  hes  na  power  to  preatche,  bot  be  the  apointment  of 
Bischops ;  nather  haiff  they  anie  fordar  powar  in  governing  the  Kirk. 

"  6.  Seniors  or  Eldars,  of  the  laic  sort,  is  nocht  agreablc  with 
the  Scripture,  nor  ancient  puritie  of  The  Primitive  Kirk. 

"  7.  Presbyteries  to  be  apointed  of  gentihnen,  or  lords  of  the 
ground,  and  uthers  associatt  with  the  Ministers,  is  na  uther  thing 
bot  till  induce  a  grait  confusion  in  the  Kirk,  and  an  occasion  of  con- 
tinual] sedition. 

"  8.  The  ordonr  of  apointing  Moderators  in  Presbyteries  or  As- 

i  Nui   i  2  Of  the  Law.  '  Over  the  wall. 


1583.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  153 

semblies  to  be  alterit  at  thair  meitting,  is  nather  Canonicall  efter 
the  Scriptures,  nor  aggreiable  to  the  ordour  of  The  Primitive  Kirk  ; 
in  the  quhilk  it  lies  bein  locall  in  the  Bischope's  seat,  and  nocht 
elective  and  variable,  as  was  the  Wardeanes  of  the  Frires. 

"  9.  The  Synodall  Assemblie  sould  be  moderat  and  governed  be 
the  Bischope,  in  everie  Province  and  Dyocie,  and  be  him  sould 
ordour  be  takin  that  the  Kirks  be  weill  servit. 

"  10.  The  Generall  Assemblie  of  a  realme  hes  nocht  powar  to 
convein  tham  selff  bot  upon  a  grait  and  weghtie  occasion  intimat  to 
the  Prince,  and  licence  granted  thairto. 

"11.  Ther  is  na  Assemblie  that  hes  powar  till  establise  lawes  and 
constitutiones  within  the  realm,  bot  sic  as  ar  allowit  of  the  Prince 
and  his  Esteat. 

"12.  The  resort  of  the  Prelates  of  the  Kirk  to  the  King's  Parlia- 
ment and  grait  Counsall,  for  the  weghtie  effeares  of  the  realme,  is 
maist  necessar ;  and  that  Ministers  sail  presum  to  direct  of  thair 
number  to  the  Counsall  and  Parliament,  it  is  an  intolerable  arro- 
gancic. 

"13.  Visitation  is  an  office  necessar  in  the  Kirk,  and  proper  to 
the  function  of  a  Bischope,  and  sic  as  ar  apointed  be  him  for  that 
effect. 

"  14.  Benefices  and  Patronages  hes  bein  zealuslie  and  godlie 
apointed  be  our  antecessours  ;  and  Christian  Pastors  may  with  saiff 
conscience  injoy  the  saming.  And  the  Deacones  to  be  apointed 
ower  the  Kirk-rents  is  an  preposterous  imitation  of  The  Primitive 
Kirk,  without  anie  kynd  of  reasone. 

"  15.  The  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk  is  that  quhilk,  be  the  lawes 
and  esteates  of  countreyes,  belangs  to  the  Kirk  and  interteinment 
thairof,  and  nocht  that  aboundance  wherwith  the  Roman  Kirk  did 
owerflow." 

Thir  last  Articles,  plean  contradictorie  to  the  establissed  Disci- 
pline of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  the  said  Bischope  of  St  Androis  pre- 
sented to  the  Bischopes  of  Canterberry  and  London ;  also  to  the 
Ministers  of  The  Frenehe  Kirk  at  Londone,  and  to  sindric  uther 


154  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1583. 

lernit  men,  alleaging  tham  to  be  foundit  upon  the  Scriptures,  and 
niaist  sinceare  antiquitie  ;  willing  tham,  be  vertew  of  a  commission 
giffbn  to  him  be  the  King's  Majestie  of  Scotland,  to  intreat  of  thir 
maters,  to  confirm  the  sam  be  thair  subscription  and  approbation. 
And  mairower,  he  wrot  to  Genev  and  Tigurie  sinistrus  information 
of  all  our  proceidings,  and  as  best  might  serve  to  purchase,  and  haid 
bein  never  so  lytle  a  hinkling l  of  ther  pen  till  haiff  born  out  his 
course,  and  maid  vant  of  for  his  creadit  at  Court.  Bot,  as  my  uncle 
directed  me,  I  maid  his  bissines  knawin  at  hame,  and  informit  all 
the  guid  breithring  of  his  proceidings,  and  send  copies  of  his  Articles 
abrode  throwout  the  contrey. 

And,  on  the  uther  part,  Mr  Andro,  wha  warred 2  him  for  in  credit 
without  the  contrey,  [amangs  the  best  and  maist  lerned,]  namlie  at 
Genev  and  Tigurie,  wrot  unto  the  Kirks  at  lainthe,  in  the  breith- 
ring's  nam,  and  informit  tham  of  the  man,  and  all  his  proceidings 
and  purpose  in  his  delling  with  thame.  The  quhilk  Epistle,  because 
it  cleires  bathe  the  cause  and  storie  better  nor3  I  can  set  it  down,  I 
haifF  translated,  and  thought  maist  meit  to  be  insert  in  this  place. 

[EPISTLE  FROM  MR  ANDRO  MELVILL] 

TO  THE    MATST    REVEREND   FATHERS,    AND  OUR    MAIST  LOVING    BRETHRI.Vi;    IN 
THE  LORD  JESUS,  THE  PASTORS  OF  THE  KIRK  OF  GENEVA  AND  TIGURIE. 

"  It  is  now  almaist  fyftein  yeirs,  Reverend  Fathers  in  God,  and 
Breithring  in  the  Lord,  maist  Worschipfull,  sen  that  grave  and 
lerned  men,  and  that  quhilk  is  cheiff  burning  with  wyse  and  sincere 
zeall  of  the  glorie  of  God,  and  helthe  of  his  Kirk,  informed  with 
your  precepts,  and  instructed  with  your  exemples,  hathe,  in  the 
first  planting  of  our  Kirks,  conjoyned  with  the  puritie  of  Doctrine 
the  holines  of  Discipline  :  And  that  thair  uniforme  consent  and 
aggreiment  in  all  poinctes  witnessed  unto  the  haillwarld,  might  lest 
unto  the  postcritie,  they  subscryvit  your  Confession.     In  the  ftilt- 

1  Inkling,  hint.  2  Surpassed,  excelled,  3  Than. 


1583.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  155 

steppes  of  the  quhilk  guid  and  godlie  renoumed  men,  we  therefter 

insisting,  haiff,  nixt  eftcr  the  hcavinlie  oracles  of  the  Word  of  God, 
following  the  doctrine  and  constitution  of  your  Kirk,  keip  the  sain 
course  unto  this  present  day;  and  farther,  also  leanning  on  the 
raercie  and  guidnes  of  our  God,  and  on  the  strynthe  of  his  Holie 
Spreit,  we  dout  nocht  constantlie,  Avithout  weireing,  to  hald  the 
sam  unto  the  end.  Of  the  quhilk,  our  purpose  and  constant 
aggriment  with  yow  in  doctrine  and  discipline,  we  hahT  fund  of 
God's  guidnes  this  fruict,  that  induring  sa  manie  yeirs  na  heresie 
hes  sprung  out  in  our  Kirks  ;  nan  com  from  uther  places  lies  taken 
rut,  entered  anie  thing  deiplie,  or  remeaned  anie  space  of  tyme  in 
the  hart  of  anie  man,  mikle  les  to  liahTgrowin  upe  or  cropen  abrode.1 
Na  obstinat  Papist  or  trespassour,  publictlie  knawin,  lies  it  sufferit 
lang  to  converse  amangs  us,  untean2  ordour  withe.  Sa  it  lies  pleasit 
the  Lord  to  bles  the  labours  of  his  servantes,  undertakin  according 
to  the  direction  of  his  Word  ;  and  unto  this  day  to  heape  sa  grait 
and  incredible  happines,  of  his  awin  singular  guidnes,  upon  the 
Conoreo-ationes  of  Scotland. 

"  But  in  the  mean  tyme,  alas  !  whill  as  we  answerit  nocht  unto  sa 
grait  and  rare  a  grace  and  guidnes  of  God  toward  us,  be  that  thank- 
fulnes  of  mynd,  obedience  to  his  Word,  and  diligence  in  our  dew- 
ties,  that  becam  us,  behauld,  of  the  fearrall  judgment  of  God,  but 
indeid  justlie  deservit,  Sathan  sa  blinds  with  avarice  and  ambition 
ane  nocht  of  us  albeit  amangs  us,3  bearing  the  office  of  a  Minister, 
that  forgetting,  as  sayes  the  poet,  bathe  his  awin  scham  and  the 
helthe  of  his  breithring,  and  (that  quhilk  is  niair  miserable !)  casting 
af  all  guid  conscience,  and  making  shipwrak  of  his  fathe,  goes  ford- 
wart  without  ceassing  to  mix  heavin  with  erthe,  and  with  utter  con- 
fusion to  trouble  all  things.  For,  when  he  haid  left  his  flok,  and 
Unwitting  of  the  Kirk  haid  croppin  in4  Court ;  when  he  haid  nocht 
onlie  with  subtill  craft  and  polecie  intrudit  him  sehT  in  the  esteat  of 
fals  Bischopes,  of  new  sprung  upe  againe  from  the  holies,  the  quhilk 
he  haid  oppugned  of  befor,  bot  also  haid  taken  planlie  unto  him 

1  Crept  abroad.       2  Untaken.       :i  One  not  of  us,  although  among  us.       '  Crept  into. 


150  Mil  james  melvill's  diaey.  1583. 

that  f'als  usurped  authoritie  quhilk  in  his  sermonts  publiclie  he  haid 
damned,1  quhilk  opinlie  in  a  maist  frequent  Assemblie  Generall  of 
the  Kirk  he  haid  oftentymes  abjurit,  and  the  quhilk,  be  sindricsub- 
BCiiptiones  and  hand-wryttes,  he  haid  renuncit  and  giffen  ower  ; 
when,  as  he  haid  addicted  him  selff  to  the  maist  vyle  servitude  and 
Blaverie,  and  with  the  sworn  enemies  to  the  guid  esteat  of  the 
Countrey,  Kirk,  and  Relligion,  in  a  maist  filthie  cause  joynit  and 
bandit  him  selff;  when,  that  in  doutfull  maters,  and  disparit  helthe 
of  his  body,  he  haid  nocht  onlie  consulted  with  witches  concerning 
the  esteat  of  King  and  Countrey,  bot  also  for  releiff  of  his  seiknes 
he  haid  ernestlie  sought  the  helpe  and  support  of  devilrie  and  witch- 
craft; when,  that  efter  a  stubburn  sylence  from  pretching  the  space 
of  a  haill  yeir,  under  clok  of  sicknes  and  infirmitie,  he  haid,  to  foster 
and   steir  upe  the  pernitius  affectionnes  of  the  Court,  maid  twa 
maist  turbulent  and  seditius  sermonts  ;   when  he  haid,  with  the 
Machiavellians  of  the  Court,  and  the  Pape's  trafectars  at  ham,2  de- 
vysit  maist  crewall  counsalles  against  the  lyff,  lands,  and  esteat  of 
the  best  and  maist  zealus  noble  men,  and  uthers  guid  gentilmcn  and 
subjects  of  the  countrey  ;  when  he  haid  don  monie  uther  things, 
quhilk  nather  tyme  sufieres,  and  scham  forbiddcs,  to  wryt;  and  now, 
when  formall  proces  upon  the  forenamed  maist  odious  and  hynous 
crymcs  was  lead  and  deducit  against  him  befor  the  Presby teries  and 
Assemblies,  and  for  that  cause,  efter  that  he  was  inhibit,  as  maist 
sklanderus  and  unworthie  till  use  the  function  of  ministerie,  unto 
the  tyme  that  the  last  censor  of  the  Kirk  might  strik  upon  him,  to 
cut  him  of  from  the  body  of  the  sam  as  a  maist  contagius  and  cor- 
rupt member,  he  obteines  a  frie  lcgacie  from  his  Majestic  to  pas  to 
ill  her  nationncs,  whar,  under  pretence  and  clok  of  curing  his  dis- 
eases  and  seiking  of  his  helthe,  he  might  moyen3  all  the  meanesand 
waves  he  could  (as  his  verie  deids  hes  declarit)  to  vex  and  trouble 
the  Kirk,  the  quhilk  now  he  haid  leyit  in  his  hart  to  slay  and  dis- 
troy  as  his  deadlie  enemie.     Vie  will  giffus,  as  we  hope,  this  leive, 
(Reverend  Fathers  and  Breithring  in  the  Lord,)  in  the  cause  of 

1  Condemned.  *  Traffickers  at  home  '  Compass  or  effect.     Fr.  moyenner. 


1583.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  157 

God  and  his  Kirk,  simplie  and  planlie  to  deall  with  yow,  for  that 
onlie  a  cearssar  of  the  hart  is  witnes  ■  that  we  yeild  na  thing  in  this 
present  narration  to  our  privat  affections,  bot  rather  owerpas2  manie 
things,  of  sett  purpose,  quhilk  the  cause  it  selff  requyres. 

"  In  London,  then,  letting  him  selff  out  as  Ambassator  for  his 
Majestie,  he  thifteiuslie  intreated  oftentymes  of  secret  purposes 
with  the  Ambassators  of  France  and  Spean.  Withe  our  nibourBis- 
chopes  (for  ther  amangs  our  nibours  he  remeaned,  nather  purposed 
he  at  the  beginning  to  go  anie  farder)  he  haid  sic  conference,  be 
the  quhilk  he  traducit  the  best  of  our  nobilitie  and  subjects  as  se- 
ditius  and  treasonable,  he  giffes  him  selff  to  sic  devysses  and  coun- 
salls,  be  the  strainthe  and  effect  wharof,  at  this  tyme,  the  maist  ler- 
nit  and  fathfull  Pastores  in  bathe  the  kingdomes  ar  forced  ather 
haillelie3  to  keipe  sylence  and  leave  the  ministerie,  or  then  by 
flight  and  exyll  to  saiff  thair  ly ves,  or  els  to  essay  the  filthie  weiri- 
nes  of  stinking  pressones  ;  or  then  of  necessitie  to  do  that  quhilk 
onlie  remeanes  agains  thair  dewtie  and  conscience,  to  subscryve  to 
the  ambitius  tyrannie  of  the  fals  Bischopes,  and  to  the  impietie  of 
manie  corrupt  rytes  and  ceremonies. 

"  Of  this  comes  those  Archiepiscopall  Letters,  wrytten  to  yow 
and  the  Breithring  of  Tygurie ;  be  the  quhilks  that  mervelus,  cun- 
ning, and  fyne  artifice,  in  feinyeing  and  dissembling  what  he  will, 
bathe  does  burding  us  with  false  and  forgit  crymes,  and  bring  the 
government  of  our  Kirk,  traducit  be  manie  calumnies,  into  dout 
and  question,  albeit  he  is  les  ignorant  then  anie  man  :  And  our 
awin  conscience  beares  us  record,  us  to  haiff  pressed  emestlie  to 
that,  that  the  Discipline  of  the  Kirk  might  be  taken  out  of  the 
Word  of  God,  sa  far  as  could  be,  and  that  it  sould  nocht  pas  a  jot 
from  the  judgment  of  your  Kirks.  Wharfor,  lyk  as  it  sould  be 
superfluus  to  vis  to  open  upe  and  declar  our  judgment  unto  yow, 
namlie,  concerning  maters  of  Discipline,  seing  Avhatsoever  wc  haiff 
in  that  mater,  we  willinglie  and  planlie  confes  to  haiff  receaved  it 
of  yow ;  and  that  Ave  altogidder  agrie  with  yow  in  all  poincts,  sa 

1  For  that  only  searcher  of  the  heart  is  witness.  2  Overpass,  omit.  :!  Wholly. 


158  MB  James  mki.yili/s  mart.  1583. 

mervelouslie  does  our  myndfl  and  wiUes,  be  the  vertew  of  God's 
Spreit,  concent  in  an  harmonic  ;  sa  will  we  nocht,  for  fear  bathe  of 
temeritie  and  impudence,  prescryve  unto  yow  anie  form  of  answer- 
ing, or  maner  of  wrytting  againe  to  the  Bischop's  Letters  and 
Questionnes.     Of  this  onlie,  at  this  tyme,  wald  we  haiff  yow  per- 
suadit,  that  the  guid  ordour  of  the  Kirk,  the  quhilk  Adamsone 
durst  first  undermynd  secretlie,  and  thairefter  opinlie  oppung,1  and 
now  at  last  wickedlie  to  calumniat,  fathleslie  to  mean-swear,  and 
malitiuslie  to  deteast  as  Papall  tyrannie,  mother  of  confusion,  and 
faggot  of  sedition,  lies  bcin  receavit  within  our  Kirks,  conform  to 
the  Word  of  God,  and  maner  of  the  constitutionnes  of  your  Kirks, 
ever  sen  the  first  tyme  that  Papistrie  was  chassit  away ;  and  in- 
continent approvit  be  the  vottes  of  the  haul  esteates  of  the  coun- 
trey  in  Parliament,  and,  piece  and  piece,  at  last,  of  the  mercie  of 
God,  hes  bein  brought  to  sum  mediocritie  of  perfection,  sa  far,  at 
the  least,  as  the  smalnes  of  that  missour  quhilk  God  hes  bestowit 
upon  us  might  attein  unto  ;  and  quhilk  thrie  yeirs  ago  hes  bein  ap- 
prove, sealled  upe,  and  ratefeid  be  the  profession  of  the  mouthe, 
holie  and  feirfiul  aithe  of  the  Lord  interponit,  and  subscription  of 
the  hand  of  the  King  him  selff,  and  everie  an  of  his  subjects,  grait 
and  small,  of  what  ordour,  rank,  and  estcat  soever  they  war  ;  and 
that  be  the  express  letters  patents  of  his  Majestie,  commanding  all 
and  sindrie,  under  the  hiest  pean,  to  do  the  sam. 

"  Now,  altho  these  things  be  sa  in  verie  deid  as  is  declarit,  and 
this  our  Discipline  be  corroborat  be  divers  and  manifold  use  and 
experience,  maister  of  fooles,  in  all  partes  and  in  everie  occasion 
fallin  out  continuallie  thir  xxv  yeirs  foypast ;  nevertheless  the  ad- 
versar,  efter  that  he  haid  maid  the  maist  godlie  and  stout,  alsweill 
of  the  nobilitie  as  of  inferiour  esteates,  wha  haid  bein  the  speciall  in- 
stmments  of  God  in  the  defence  and  establismcnt  of  Refflgion  and 
the  cause  of  the  King,  be  conduoit  and  suborned  acciisars,  wailht- 
oul  of  the  number  of  sic  men  wha  haid  saul.F  thani  selves  in  saull 
and  body  to  work  all  kynd  of  iniquitie  and  villanie  for  warldlie  pre- 


Impugn,  oppose. 


*  Chosen,  selected.  ;  Sold. 


1583.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  159 

ferment,  and  be '  fals  forgit  crymes  maist  craftelie  and  deceatfullic 
leyit  upon  tham,  ather  to  be  accusit  of  thair  lyves  and  want  the 
head,2  or  to  be  comprehendit  and  casten  in  prisson,  banissed,  and 
forfault,  to  the  intent,  that  nan  sould  be  left  to  ganstand  thair  god- 
les  course.  This  adversar,  I  say,  causit  the  King's  Majestie  incon- 
tinent, and  these  Papisticall  Epicureans  and  bludie  clients  of  the 
Hous  of  Guise  and  Quein  Mother,  be  the  quhilks  his  Grace  is 
hauldin  in  fearfull  bandes  and  abuse,  to  convocat  a  Parliament  of 
the  thrie  Estats  of  the  countrey,  to  bring  the  saining  into  vyle  and 
bund  slaverie.  For  nather  durst  they  reasone  of  the  maters  pro- 
ponit,  nor  thairefter  giff  thair  vottes  and  judgments  frilie,  according 
to  the  wounted  libertie  of  the  Esteates  of  Scotland,  and  the  laud- 
able government  of  our  nation  ;  bot,  in  a  new  and  maist  strange 
maner,  the  King's  will  being  maid  a  law  and  reasone  for  all  things, 
the  Presbyteries  ar  utterlie  perverted,  the  Pseudo-Episcopall  ty- 
ranie  restorit,  the  King,  be  a  plean  law,  receaves  a  full  and  abso- 
lut  powar  to  command  and  rewll  in  maters  alsweill  Ecclesiasticall 
as  Civill ;  the  sentences  of  excommunication,  lawfullie  pronunced 
be  the  Presbyteries,  be  thair  authoritie  is  disanulled,  and  declarit 
to  be  of  na  forse  or  effect ;  and,  finalie,  all  Ecclesiasticall  Jurisdic- 
tion, and  nixt  under  the  King,  all  powar  of  rewling  in  the  Kirk,  is 
giffen  to  the  fals  Bischopes,  quhilks  war  of  befor,  when  the  Kirk 
stude,  ather  maist  justlie  excommimicat,  or  lying  under  the  proccs 
of  the  Kirk's  censours,  as  knawin  maist  sklanderus  and  unhonest 
persones  throwout  all  the  countrey. 

"  Amang  the  quhilk  the  cheiff  captan  and  rewlar,  even  the  au- 
thor, and  forger,  and  cheiff  executor  of  all  this  wickednes,  is  Patrik 
Adamsone,  the  fals  Bischope  of  St  Androis ;  wha,  steying  upon 
this  perpetuall  and  pontificiall  dictatura,  mervelus  it  is  whow  crafte- 
lie he  rages  against  the  Pastors  of  the  Kirk,  and  all  guid  men,  for 
bathe  he  propynes  certean  Articles,  (skartit3  togidder  be  him,)  or 
rather  bloites  of  that  comlines  and  ordour  quliilk  sould  be  in  Chryst's 
Kirk,  drawin  newlie  out  of  the  dregges  of  the  cupe  of  the  Antichryst 

1  By.  2  Be  beheaded.  3  Scraped,  scratched. 


1(*><>  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  1583. 

unto  the  lawfbU  Pastors  to  drink  ;  and  als,  be  the  authoritie  of  the 
King,  obtenes  thani  to  be  subscryvit,  under  the  pean  of  banisment, 
incarceration,  or  depriving  of  tham  from  thair  ministerie.  Be  the 
quhilk  Articles,  bathe  that  libertie  of  preatching  the  Word  being 
oppressed,  is  atteinperat  unto  the  lusts  and  pleasures  of  men  ;  and 
steat  of  Publict  Prayer,  with  the  simplicitie  of  ryttes  in  ministra- 
tion of  the  Sacraments  and  celebrating  of  Mariage,  is  filthelie  adid- 
terat,  and  manic  uther  things  against  the  express  Word  of  God 
is  committed.  He  lies  pitiuslie  destroyed  the  Collage  a  fyve  yeirs 
since,  at  the  command  of  the  King  and  be  a  special]  Act  of  Parlia- 
ment consecrat  to  holie  erudition  and  vertew,  that  onlie  a '  Anti-Se- 
minarie  of  the  knawlage  of  the  tongues  and  sincere  Theologie,  in 
all  the  realme  of  Scotland,  sett  doun  and  planted  against  the  mani- 
fald  Seminaries  of  the  bissie  Jesuites ;  casting  out  thairof  all  the 
Professors  and  Students,  and  spulyeing2  the  Bibliothek  and  wrytt- 
ings  thairof :  It  noclit  being  obscure  what  Sathan  purposes  by  this 
doing ;  to  wit,  that  the  light  of  heavinlie  knawlage  being  extin- 
guish, we  be  involved  again  in  the  mist  and  darknes  of  Jesuitical] 
sophistrie  ;  that  Ave,  wha  began  in  the  Sprit,  may  end  in  the  fleche  ; 
that  the  vynyeard  of  the  Lord,  spoilled  of  the  savegarde  and  de- 
fence of  his  hedge,  might  be  eatten  upc  of  wyld  beasts  ;  and,  finalie, 
the  walles  of  Jerusalem  cast  down,  the  sanctuarie  may  be  brunt 
and  defylit. 

"  Unto  the  holie  peace,  concord,  and  unitie  with  our  nibours,  to 
whase  frindschipe  we  ar  joyned  sa  streatlie,  first  be  bands  of  reli- 
gion, libertie,  and  conquest  thairof  by  thair  speciall  helpe  and 
meanes,  and  thaireftcr  confirmed  with  manifald  benefitcs,  they  pre- 
fer the  favour  and  frindschipe  of  the  Gruisians,  and  the  rest  of  these 
monstruus  Kead-eattins 3  in  France,  quha  celebrat  that  bludie 
drunken  feast  of  Bartholomew  in  Paris,  with  that  horrible  butcherie 
of  the  holie  martyres  of  God,  the  quhilk  our  Court  now  affirmes 
justlie  to  haiffbein  massacred!  Yea,  they  have  persuadet  our  Joas 


1  S i n l; I < ■ ,  "lie  only.  2  Plundering,  spoiling.  3  A  Rcd-ettin,  or  giant  ;   a 

fabulous  Elawhead-and-bloody-bones,  who  conspicuously  figures  in  Scotish  Legends, 


1583.  MB  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIARY.  1  li  1 

to  receave  in  Athalia  in  the  association  and  fellowschip  of  the  Scep- 
ter and  Croun,  without  whase  guid  will,  benediction,  and  full  de- 
lyverance,  they  contend  that  nather  can  he  happelie  ring '  and  law- 
fullie  at  hame,  nor  obtein  the  empyre  of  the  whole  111  of  Britannic. 
Be  the  bludie  counsall  and  direction  of  the  quhilk  Athalia,  all  things 
hes  proceidit,  sen  Monsieur  Obignie's  first  coming  in  Scotland  ;  in 
sic  sort,  that,  according  thairto,  a  thrie  yeirs  ago,  the  Erie  of  Mor- 
ton, Regent  of  Scotland,  and  now  lathe  the  Erie  of  Gowrie,  bothe 
most  stout  and  valiant  advengars  and  defendars  of  Relligion  and 
the  King's  cause,  be  the  fals  sentence  of  corrupted  judges,  war  cir- 
cumvcnit  and  oppressed.  At  whase  pleasure  and  will,  albeit  cap- 
tive, the  best  nobilitie  and  penes  of  the  land,  the  frakest 2  and  maist 
zealus  in  Relligion,  in  dicta  causa  unhard,  ar  forfaulted,  apointed  for 
the  slauchtar,  and  drawin  to  the  gibets  and  comoun  place  of  execu- 
tion, and  all  thair  guids  and  geare,  as  the  clothes  of  the  innocent 
to  the  hangman,  ar  giffen  to  the  saulles3  clyent  of  Guise  and  Atha- 
lia. The  quhilk  merciless  men,  with  the  guids  and  gear  of  the 
noblest,  best,  and  maist  innocent,  as  with  the  spuilzie  of  thair  ene- 
mies, ar  gorgiuslie  arrayit,  and  accompanied  warlyke  with  a  sort  of 
limmers  and  godles  suddartes,4  most  feirfull  and  dolorous  to  the 
guid  and  godlie,  and  profitable  and  plesand  to  the  ungodlie  and 
wicked.  They  abrogat  and  braks  God's  lawes,  and  maks  wrang 
and  unjust,  and  puts  tham  scharplie  in  execution ;  sa  that  in  na 
place  ever  could  that  be  mair  treulie  spokin, 

Jam  late  iinpietas  grassatur  libera,  passim 

Omnia  plena  malis  : 
Cum  penes  injustos  jus  est,  et  jussa  malorum 

Sunt  metuenda  bonis. 

Now  rages  Iquss  ungodliness  in  land, 
In  everie  place  all  is  full  of5  molest, 


1  Reign.  2  The  most  forward,  hearty.  3  Soulless.  4  A  compam 

of  scoundrels  or  thieves,  and  godless  soldiers.  '■•  "  ill  and"  on  margin  >>)'  MS. 

L 


1<*)2  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  l"»s-">. 

Whill  as  the  right  is  in  the  wrongful!  hand, 
And  warst  men's  lawes  ar  fcirfull  to  the  best . 

"Sie,  now,  altho  we  soidd  keipe  silence,  Reverend  Fathers  and 
maist  loving  Breithring  in  the  Lord,  what  meines  the  questiones  of 
Adamsonc  anent  the  powar  of  the  Prince  in  making  of  Ecclesiasticall 
lawes,  and  constituting  of  the  Polecie  of  the  Kirk,  in  convocating 
of  Synods  and  Generall  Assemblies,  and  in  proclaiming  of  Fastee  : 
to  wit,  that  na  thing  be  sa  sur  and  sacrat  amangs  us,  quhilk  be  the 
wickednes  of  these  mischant l  men  sail  nocht  be  violat  and  undone  ? 
lie  knawes  weill  aneuche,  nather  can  he  be  ignorant  of  that  quhilk 
he  lies  so  often  read  and  lerned  of  your  maist  godlie  and  lerned 
wrytings,  That  it  perteines  nocht  to  the  Prince  to  prescryve  athcr 
Relligion  to  the  Kirk,  or  Discipline  to  the  Pastors  thairof ;  bot,  be 
his  authoritie,  to  confirme  bathe  the  an  and  the  cither,  apointed  be 
God,  and  sincerlie  declarit  out  of  his  Word,  be  the  ministrie  of  his 
servantes ;  to  revenge  and  punishe  all  corrupting  of  clein  doetrin, 
contempt  of  holic  Discipline,  and  perturbation  of  lawfull  Ordour, 
for  the  quhilk  use  and  purpose  he  hathe  receivit  the  sword  ;  to  de- 
core  the  Assemblies,  giff  neid  beis,  with  his  presence;  to  arme  the 
innocence  of  this  Ministrie  be  his  saiffgard  and  defence  :  iff  ther 
aryse  controversies  amangs  the  Pastors  sumtymes,  to  compose  and 
agrie  the  sam  be  his  authoritie  interponed ;  to  promove,  -  be  guid 
lawes  maid  lor  that  effect,  these  things  quhilk  ar  lawfullie  eonstitut 
be  the  Assemblies  ;  and  to  do  manie  uther  things  for  the  weill  of 
the  Kirk,  quhilks  wer  lang  to  rehers,  and  unncidfull.  Bot  far 
utherwayes  does  he  sitt  in  the  Synods  amangs  the  Pastors  then  he 
does  in  the  throne  of  the  kingdome  amangs  the  Esteattes  ;  heir,  to 
mak  lawes  for  subjeets  and  command,  bot  ther,  to  receave  lawes 
from  God  to  obey.  And,  finalic,  the  coming  of  the  cnemic  to  be 
declarit  be  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  of  the  watchmen,  as  Ezechiell 
and  Joel  commands. 

"  And  albeit,  that  sum  things  be  callit  EcclesiasticaU,  and  uther 

1  Wicked.     Fr.  mechant.  Promote,     Lat.  momovere. 


1583.  MR  JAMES  MELYILl/S  DIARY.  163 

things  Civill,  and  the  Civill  apertcan  to  the  Comoun-weill,  the  uther 
to  the  Kirk,  yit  it  is  nocht  sa  mikle  to  be  considdcrit  what  things  is 
handlit  as  avIioav ;  Being  the  knaAvlage  of  an  and  the  selff  sam  tiling, 
a '  way,  and  in  sum  respect,  aperteines  unto  the  Magistrat,  and  an 
uther  way  to  the  Senat  Ecclesiasticall ;  and  yit  sic  a  mater  nather 
does  the  Kirk  civilie  nor  the  Counsall  or  Parliament  ecclesiasticallic 
intreat — dxla,  yXavxag  tig  ' Adrivag — salt  to  Dysert,  or  colles  to  NeAv- 
castell  !  And  as  twitching  the  Convention  of  the  Nobilitie  at 
Ruthven,  and  the  judgment  of  the  Assemblie  concerning  that  mater, 
"VYhat  neid  is  ther  to  wryt  ?  The  halliest  and  best  part  of  the  No- 
bilitie and  Esteates  of  the  reahne,  without  anie  tumult  or  slauchter, 
comprehending  and  putting  in  prissone  ane  or  twa  wicked  men,  re- 
moved a  pest  from  the  Comoun-weill,  a  sure  mischeiff  fra  the  Kirk, 
and  delyverit  the  King  from  present  danger,  bathe  of  body  and 
saull.  The  King  callit  a  Convention  of  the  Esteattes.  He  declarit 
the  danger  wherin  him  selff,  the  Kirk  of  God,  and  Comoun-Avelthe, 
was  brought  in  by  the  counsall  of  wicked  men  ;  he  commends  the 
fathfulnes  and  stoutnes  of  the  Nobilitie,  wha  haid  delyverit  his  Ma- 
jestie,  the  Kirk,  and  Comoun-weill,  from  sa  present  a  danger,  frie 
and  grave  sentences  and  vottes  ar  spoken,  all  Avith  a  voice2  com- 
mends the  deid :  Ane  Act  is  maid  be  the  Esteates,  be  the  quhilk 
the  conveining  of  the  Nobilitie  at  Rutlrven  is  approven  as  guid 
service  done  for  King  and  Comoun-weill :  And  at  the  sam  tyme 
the  Generall  Assemblie  of  the  Kirk  Avas  comreinit,  unto  the  quhilk 
was  send  fra  the  Noble  men  that  tuk  sa  guid  a  wark  in  hand  to 
purge  tham  from  the  calumnies  of  evill-willars,  and  from  all  sus- 
pition  of  privat  factionnes  and  sedition,  and  to  notifie  and  approve 
the  deed  to  the  Assemblie  and  all  guid  men  :  Ther  is  also  send  to 
the  Assemblie  ane  or  tAA'a  Commissionars  from  the  King  :  From  the 
Assemblie  also  unto  the  King  ther  is  directed,  lykAvayes,  sum  of  the 
Breithring  Avith  his  Majestie's  Commissionars,  to  understand  the 
King's  aAvin  mynd  in  that  mater,  and  report  it  againe  to  the  Breith- 
ring :  In  the  King's  awin  nam  and  words,  it  is  reported  to  the  As- 

1  One.  -  All  with  one  voice,  unanimously. 


1(34  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1  .r»S  1 . 

semblie  againe,  that  his  Majestie  acknawlegit  in  verie  deid,  him 
selfF,  the  Comoun-weill,  and  the  Kirk  of  God,  to  haiff  bein  releived 
of  a  maist  grait  and  extream  danger  ;  and  for  that  cause  thanked 
God  hartlie,  and  willit  the  Assemblie,  and  everie  an  of  the  Breith- 
ring,  accoi'ding  to  thair  office,  diligentlie  to  travell  that  the  comoun 
danger  now  being  removit  be  the  stoutnes  of  the  Nobilitie,  the  wark 
of  delyverancc  begoun  sould  be  bauldlie  prosecut  and  perfyted,  sa 
that  bathe  in  thair  prayers  to  God,  and  sermontes  in  publict  to  the 
peiple,  they  sould  haiff  in  speciall  recommendation  sa  guid,  sa  holie, 
and  wholsome  a  cause  of  the  King,  Kirk,  and  Comoun-weill.  The 
Assemblie  obeyes,  and  giffes  thanks  to  God  in  a  singular  maner,  for 
heiring  of  the  prayers  of  the  Kirk,  quhilks  haid  bein  powred  out 
with  a  solem  fast  and  humiliation  a  lytle  befor  the  arysing  of  the 
delyverance  from  the  sworn  suddarts '  of  the  House  of  Guise,  and  of 
our  Athalia,  Obignie  being  Captan  to  tham,  wha  haid  sa  soarlie2 
oppressed  the  King's  Majestie,  Kirk,  and  Comoun-weill,  with  a 
mistie  night  of  captivitie  and  blak  darknes  of  schamfull  servitude. 

"  And  this  is  that  quhilk  our  guid  Bischope  exagitates,  to  bring 
the  Breithring  in  hatred  and  invy ;  wha  eschamcs  nocht  befor  yow 
to  plead  the  cause  of  the  Papists,  whom  he  can  nocht  suffer  to  be 
counted  for  goattes  be  the  trew  Pastors,  whase  office  is  to  feid  the 
lambes  of  Jesus  Chryst.  But  the  bearer  presses  us,  andperadven- 
ture  this  is  over  mikle,  namlie  unto  you  wha  is  acquented  with  the 
smelling  out  of  the  craft  and  subteltie  of  sic  wolffes.  And,  thairfor, 
in  end,  we  pray  yow,  bathe  in  your  privat  and  publict  prayers,  to 
commend  to  our  comoun  Father  the  Kirks  in  bathe  the  countries, 
for  the  graitest  part  is  destitut  of  thair  Pastors,  and  sa  exponit3  to 
the  intrusion  of  bludie  wolffes;  and  that  vie  wald,  in  this  grail  dark- 
nes, schyne  befor  us  be  your  fathfull  connsall,  wha,  sear  against  our 
willes,  ar  pullit  away  from  our  awin  dear  flockes.      Prom,  Ac." 

M.D.LXXXIV. 

Bot  to  turn  bak  againe]  and  deduce  the  storie  of  our  esteat  till 

1  Soldiers,  mercenaries.  '  So  sorely.  Exposed. 


1584.  ME  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  165 

we  followed  Mr  Andro,  and  Avar  all  fean  to  flie  efter  him.     About 
the  beginning  of  Apryll  that  yeir,  1584,  the  devill  essayit  the  stay 
of  my  weik  travelles  for  balding  upc  the  wark  of  the  Collage  of 
Theologie,  or  rather  hadding  in  anie  spark  of  lyfF  in  it.     For  the 
(Economus  of  the  Collage,  Avha  held  the  hous,  and  intrometed  with 
the  haill  leiving  thairof,  being  a  slight  and  war l  man,  and  perceaving 
the  esteat  of  the  Kirk  deceying,  and  graitlie  to  be  hated  be  the 
Court,  he  thought  it  wald  nather  be  profitable  nor  sure  for  him  to 
be  in  that  place  of  service  in  the  Kirk  ;  for  he  haid  his  intelligence 
and  collusion  with  the  Bischope  alwayes.     And,  therfor,  whowbeit 
in  the  middes  of  the  yeir,  when  all  things  war  at  the  deirest,  and 
he  haid  uplifted  the  best  and  surest  part  and  peyment  of  the  Col- 
lage leiving,  yit  he  comes  to  me,  and  wald  neides  gift'  ower  liis  office, 
and  leave  the  halding  of  our  hous  in  the  Collage.     This  was  woun- 
derfull  heavie  to  me,  being  owerburdenit  with  teatching  and  govern- 
ing of  the  students  in  thair  disputes,  exerceises,  and  conversation ; 
for  the  hous  of  the  Collage  amies  giften  upe,2  the  students  behoved 
to  skatter,  and  all  exerceis  cease.     Yit  it  pleased  God  to  giff  me  a 
hart  resolved  to  be  doing  what  I  could ;  thinking  it  the  best,  when 
ever  the  visitation  of  the  Lord  sould  com,  to  be  fund  occupeit  in 
his  wark.   Therfor,  with  the  aclvyse  of  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  wha  maist 
lovinglie  and  cearfullie  assisted  me  in  all,  I  called  the  said  CEcono- 
mus  to  his  comptes,  gaiff  him  a  discharge  of  his  intromission,  sa  far 
as  he  clared  him  be  just  compt,  and  undertuk  my  selffthe  fnrnesing 
of  the  hous,  whcmnto  my  wyff  was  a  right  and  stedable  helpe,  and 
sa  put  af  that  monethe. 

This  monethe  of  Apryll  was  a  most  anxius  and  perplext  monethe 
to  the  Kirk  and  haill  countrey  of  Scotland  :  Whcrin  about  the 
Pasch,3  the  Erics  of  Angus  and  Mar,  the  Maister  of  Glammes,  ac- 
companied with  thair  frinds,  occupied  the  town  and  Castle  of  Star- 
veling, linking  for  the  concurrance  of  the  countrey  to  stand  be  the 
guid  cause,  and  repres  Captan  James'  insolence.  Bot  finding  could 
concurrance,  and  herring  of  the  King  with  grait  forces  to  be  luerching 

'  Wary,  cautious.  '  Being  once  given  up,  3  Easter. 


166  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1584. 

from  Edinbruche  to  Stirling,  war  fean  to  flie  and  eschape  into  Eing- 
land.  At  the  sam  tyme,  the  breithring  from  all  partes  assembling 
to  St  Androis,  whar  the  Generall  Assemblie  was  apoincted  to  be 
keipit,  they  fand  a  bosting1  fyrie  Commissionar 2  directed  from  the 
King,  to  crave  a  retractation  of  the  approving  of  the  Read  of  Ruth- 
ven,  and  a  condamnator  and  excommunication  of  the  Noblemen 
conveined  at  Stirling :  Bot  the  graitest  part  of  the  breithring  de- 
parted, and  sic  as  remeaned  refused  to  hald  an  Assemblie,  and  sa 
suffered  the  sam  to  desert.  I  haid  then  bathe  the  confort  and  dis- 
confort  to  haiff  Mr  James  Lawsone  to  be  my  ghest ;  to  haiff  the 
man  to  Avhom,  for  his  grait  affection,  I  was  mikle  addetted,  and  wha 
was  cheiff  for  lerning,  holines,  powar  in  doctrine,  and  all  guid  ver- 
tues  amangs  the  haill  ministerie,  in  my  hous  interteaned  the  best  I 
could,  it  was  a  grait  comfort  and  joy  to  me  ;  bot  to  sie  him  in  sic 
perplexitie,  sorow,  and  melancholie,  it  wald  haiff  grievit  the  hart  of 
anie  that  loved  the  cause  of  Chryst. 

The  King,  with  his  forces,  coming  to  Stirling,  the  town  receaves 
him  obedientlie.  The  Castle  nocht  being  furnesit,  was  fean  to 
rander,  luiking  for  ther  lyves,  bot  gat  na  grace.  The  Erie  of  Gowrie, 
apprehendit  at  Dondie  a  whyll  befor,  is  brought  to  Stirling,  and 
ther  beheadit. 

About  the  beginning  of  May,  I  was  compellit  throw  necessitie, 
bathe  of  the  furnesing  of  the  foundat  persones  in  the  Collage,  and 
my  awin  famelie,  to  tak  jorney  athort  Angus  and  Merns,  whar  the 
Collage  leiving  lyes,  and  gather  in  the  rent  dew  to  the  Collage.  In 
this  mean  tyme,  the  Bischope  is  retourned  from  his  embassage.  A 
Parliament  is  keipit  at  Edinbruche,  in  the  quhilk  lawes  is  sett  down 
for  restraining  of  the  frie  pretching  of  the  Word,  and  owcrthraw  of 
the  haill  establissed  discipline  of  the  Kirk ;  and  that  of  speciall  pur- 
pose to  be  snares  to  tak  the  fathfull  ministers  in  ;  for,  do  what  they 
could,  they  sould  nocht  eschape  ather  trcassone  against  Chryst  or 
the  King  :  For  prcaching\frilic  the  trcuthe,  they  sould  fall  under 

1  Threatening.      -  ••  My  Lord  Lille  Justice,  Mr  Johne  Graham."    Margin  of  MS. 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  167 

the  danger  of  these  lawes ;  and  keiping  sylence,  or  pretching  to  the 
pleasour  of  men,  they  sould  betrey  the  cause  of  Chryst.  These 
lawes  ar  promulgat  at  the  mercat-cross  of  Edinbruche,  and  vowes 
maid  be  Captean  James,  the  Chancellar,  and  cheiff  hand  of  that 
coin's,  that  giff  Mr  James  Lawsone's  head  war  als  grait  as  a  hay- 
stak,  he  sould  cause  it  lope  from  his  hause ! l  The  quhilk,  when  Mr 
James  perceavit,  be  advys  of  his  brethring  of  the  Presbyterie,  and 
of  the  best  of  his  flok,  and  godlie  barones  and  gentlemen  about,  with 
his  brother  and  coleag,  Mr  Walter  Balcanquall,  withdrew  him  selff 
secretlie  from  Edinbruche,  and  past  in  Eingland.  Bot  befor  they 
past,  Mr  Robert  Pont,  accompanied  with  Mr  Walter  Balcanquall, 
and  certean  of  the  breithring,  cam  to  the  mercat-cros  at  the  verie 
publication  of  the  actes  of  parliament,  and  tuk  publict  documents, 
that  they  protested  against  the  said  actes,  (sa  far  as  twitched  the 
Kirk,)  in  the  nam  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  &c. 

Returning  from  Angus,  all  thir  newes  is  tauld  me,  and  that  the 
bruit 2  Avas,  that  I  was  away  with  the  rest ;  whoAvbeit  indeid,  as  yit  it 
cam  na  Avayes  in  my  mynd  to  leave  the  Collage,  bot  Avas  resolvit  to 
be  fund  ther  when  ever  it  pleasit  God  to  visit  me.  Sa,  the  Sabbathe 
efter  my  ham-coming,  I  Avent  to  the  Kirk ;  and  efter  noone  my 
uncle  Roger,  knawing  fordar  nor  I  did,  comes  OAver  from  Dondie, 
and  finding  a  frind  of  his  in  St  Androis,  tauld  him  that  the  Bischope 
was  coming  hame  Avith  a  commission  to  tak  me ;  and  thairfor  be- 
sought him  nocht  to  leave  me  till  I  aggreit  to  go  ower  to  Dondie 
Avith  him.  Sa  he  delt  Avith  Mr  Robert  Bruce  and  uthers  my  frinds, 
and  importuned  me  sa,  that  it  behoved  me  to  go  Avith  him,  as  I  did 
that  night,  to  Dondie.  The  newes  that  comes  to  me  the  mom  was, 
that  the  Bischope's  men,  with  the  Magistrats,  haid  bein  cersing 3 
the  Collage  and  my  hous  for  me,  and  haid  sought  out  all  my  let- 
trones 4  and  wry ttes  ; 5  and  that  my  dittay  Avas  allready  inacted,  in- 
terteining  of  intelligence  Avith  my  uncle,  the  King's  rebell,  &c. 


1  Halso,  throat  or  neck.  a  Rumour,  report.      Fr.  bruit.  3  Searching. 

1  Reading  and  writing  desks.      Fr.  lectron.  6  Papers,  writings. 


168  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  L584. 

Sa,  seiking  resolution  cairfullie  of  my  Grod  what  to  do,  a  cusing 
of  my  awin  name,  of  his  awin  fric  motion  and  accord,  offerit  to  me, 
he  the  assistance  of  God,  to  put  me  saifFin  Benvik  within  twentie- 
four  houres  he  sie.1  To  this  also  my  uncle  Roger,  and  other  frinds, 
aggreit.  Sa,  efter  consultation  with  my  God,  and  finding  of  his 
warrand  in  my  hart,  I  concludit  to  go,  albeit  noeht  without  grait 
tentationes2  and  miklc  heavines  ;  yit  on  the  part  rejoysing,  that 
God  gaiff  the  hart  to  leave  native  countrey,  house,  and  sweit  loving 
new-maried  wyff,  and  all  for  the  love  of  him  and  his  Chryst.  Thus 
mv  cusing,  being  a  mariner,  conducit  a  hott  to  carie  a  toAvn  of  his 
portage  wyn  about  to  Carell,  and  decking  me  upe  in  his  sie  attyre 
betymes  in  the  morning,  about  the  simmer  solstice,  tuk  me  in  down 
under  Dondic  as  a  shipbroken  sie-man ;  and  rowing  about,  behoved 
to  go  to  the  heavin  of  St  Androis,  to  lose  a  certean  of  skleatt  steanes ; 3 
and  because  it  was  law  water,  we  behoved  to  ly  a  why  11  in  the  road 
till  the  water  grew,4  whare  the  bott  wanting  ane  owerlaft,5  the 
seall  was  cassen  ower  hir  ta  end,  and  ther  I  leyed  upe,  lest  I  sould 
be  spyed  of  sum  shipes  rydding  besyde.  Bot  within  schort  space, 
partlie  be  rokking  in  the  sic,  and  partlic  for  want  of  care,  I  grew  sa 
extream  seik,  that  manic  a  tyme  I  besought  my  cowsing  to  sett  me 
a-land  :  schosin  rather  anie  sort  of  dethe,  for  a  guid  cause,  nor  sa  to 
be  tormented  in  a  stinking  holl.  And  yit,  whowbeit  it  was  extream 
peanftdl,  I  gatt  ther  notable  medicin  of  vomitine,  quhilk  was  a  pre- 
servative to  my  helthe  all  that  yeir.  Sa,  coming  hard  to  the  steppes 
of  the  Archbischope's  peire  at  St  Androis,  we  lossit  our  skleattes,6 
and  tuk  in  vivers,7  and  rowit  out  agean  immediatlie,  and  cam  that 
night  to  Pitmillie-burn-mouthe,  wherl  gead  a-land,  and  reposit  me 
in  my  sie  abbat.8  And  efter  offers  of  grait  kyndnes  be  the  Lard,  and 
rurnitour  of  a  rubber  of  starke  Merche  call,11  betymes  in  the  morn- 
ing we  rowit  out  about  the  Nes.10  The  day  was  hat.  Ther  was 
hut  twa  men  in  the  bott,  by11  twa  cusings  of  myne,  with  my  selff. 
( )f  these  twa,  we  haid  an  at  our  devotion  :  the  uther  was  the  awner 

1  By  Bea.  '-'  Trials.  ;|  '1'"  deliver  a  cargo  of  slates.  '  Till  high-water. 

•'•  The  boal  having  no  deck  or  loft.  '  Delivered  our  •'latcs.  r  Provisions. 

'  s,.;i  dress.         ''  Strong  March  ale  "'  Fife  Ne  -  "  Besides  ;  forbve. 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1  !_i<l 

pf  the  bott,  and  verie  evill-affected ;  bot  the  hat  rowing,  and  the 
stope  with  the  stark  call  hard  besyd  him,  maid  him  atteanes  to 
keave  ower  aslipe.1  And  it  pleased  God  to  send  a  prettie  pirhe  of 
a\ round,  wherby  getting  on  a  seall  upon  hir,  or  ever  our  schipper 
wakned  we  was  a  guid  space  besouthe  the  May  ;  wha,  seing  he 
could  nocht  mend  him  selff,  was  fean  to  yeild  and  agrie  with  his 
merchant  for  a  hyre  to  Berwik.  Bot  being  af  and  on  with  Dumbar, 
about  ane  efter  noone  comes  af  the  hilles  of  Lamermure-age 2  a  grait 
mist,  with  a  tempestous  schoure  and  drow,3  quhilk,  or4  we  could 
gett  our  sealles  taklit,  did  cast  us  about,  and,  or  my  cusing  was 
a  war,  caried  us  bak  almaist  to  the  May,  with  sic  a  how  wa5  and 
epene  drift,0  that  the  bott  being  opin,  he  lukit  for  grait  danger  giff 
the  stormie  schoure  haid  continowed.  Bot  the  young  man  being 
verie  skilfull  and  able,  starts  to  his  kist,7  and  tuk  out  a  compas, 
and  finding  us  contrare  our  course,  with  mikle  ado,  wanting  helpe, 
and  Bchipping  of  mikle  water,  he  cust  about  and  pykit  on  the  wind,8 
balding  bathe  the  helme  and  scheit,  susteining  in  the  mean  tymc 
evill  langage  of  the  schippar  in  stead  of  helpe,  till  it  pleasit  God 
mercifidlie  to  luik  upon  us,  and  within  an  houre  and  an  halff  to  dry ve 
away  the  schoure  and  calme  the  drow,  sa  that  it  fell  down  dead 
calme  about  the  sune  drawing  leache.9 

To  keipe  the  sie  all  night  in  an  opin  litle  bott,  it  was  dangerus, 
and  to  go  to  Dumbar  Ave  durst  nocht ;  sa,  of  necessitie,  we  tuk  us 
toward  St  Tab's  Heid.10  Bot  Ave  haiffing  but  twa  eares,11  and  the 
boot  sUiav  and  heavie,  it  was  about  alleavin  houres  of  the  night  or  avc 
could  Avin  ther ;  AvhoAvbeit,  na  man  was  ydle,  yea,  I  roAvit  my  selff, 
till  the  hyd12  cam  af  my  fingars,  mair  acquented  with  the  pen  nor 
Avorking  on  an  are.13  Coming  under  the  crag,  avc  rowit  in  within 
a  prettie  lytle  holl  betwix  the  mean  and  the  head,14  whare  easelie 
going  a-land,  Ave  refreschit  us  with  cauld  water  and  wyne ;  and  re- 

•  To  fail  over  asleep.  2  Edge<  3  Sudden  squall.  *  Before,  ere. 

1  Literally  hollow  wave  or  billow  ;  sea  running  high.  «  Spray  violently  driven  by 

the  wind.  <  Sea-chest.  "  Tacked  and  sailed  near  the  wind.         "!l  Drawing 

low;  sunset.  I0  St  Abb's  Head.  "Oars.  '-Skin.  '»  Than 

pulling  an  oar.  "  Betwbri  the  mainland  and  St  Abb's  Head. 


170  MR  JAMES  MELVTLL'S  DIARY.  1584. 

turning  to  our  boot,  sleipit  the  dead  of  the  night,  bot  neidit  nan  to 
wakin  us,  for  soon,  be  the  day-light  piped,1  ther  was  sic  a  noyse  of 
foulles  on  the  crag,  and  about  us,  because  of  thair  young  annes,  that 
we  war  almaist  pressed  to  lainchc  out.  Now  we  haid  Cawdingham 
bay  and  Hay-mouth  to  pas  by,  and  that  but  slawly,  rowing  be  the 
land,  whar  the  residence  of  Alexander  Home  of  Manderston,  an  of 
our  chehTconfederat  enemies,  and  wha  haid  intercepted  a  boot  of  the 
Earle  of  Angus  coming  about  from  Tamtallon  to  Berwik  nocht  lang 
befor.  This  put  us  in  grait  feir ;  but  our  guid  God  gardit  us,  mak- 
ing a  sweik  thik  mist  till  aryse,  Avherby  we  might  bot  skarslie  gis2 
at  the  sight  of  the  land ;  and  thairfra  nane  could  sie  us.  Sa  we  cam 
on  hulie  and  fear  till  we  wan  within  the  bounds  of  Berwik,  whar  we 
was  in  graittest  danger  of  all,  unbesett3  in  the  mist  be  twa  or  thrie 
of  the  cobles  of  Berwik,  quhilk  war  sa  swift  in  rowing,  that  they 
ged  round  about  us ;  bot  we  being  fyve  within  burd,  and  haifring 
twa  pistolets,  with  thrie  swords,  and  they  na  armour,  they  war  fean 
to  let  us  be,  namlie,  when  they  understud  that  we  was  making  for 
Berwik. 

Thus  gratiuslie  protected  be  my  guid  God,  I  cam  to  Berwik, 
whar  I  fand  Mr  James  Lawsone  and  Mr  Walter  Balcancmall,  my 
uncle,  Mr  Andro,  with  Patrik  Forbes,  appeirand  of  Ccrs,  and  sum 
uther  gentlemen,  but  twa  dayes  befor  entred  in  their  jorney  southe 
owcr.1  And  Mr  James,  with  his  colleg,  war  evin  upon  thair  voyage 
to  follow,  as  they  did  within  time  or  four  dayes,  acquenting  me 
with  thair  frinds,  and  leaving  me  in  thair  rowm  to  pretche  in  the 
Kirk,  as  I  was  desyrit. 

Being  in  Berwik,  I  rememberit  the  sweit  tender-harted  young 
las  that  I  haid  maried ;  and  thinking  our  burding  was  nocht  yit  i 
grait,  nather  knew  I  that  sche  was  with  ehyld,  I  resolved  with  my 
God  to  send  for  hir,  and  tak  sic  part  togidder  as  it  sould  pleia  his 
guidnea  to  bestow.  And  sa,  satisfeing  the  botmen  to  thair  con- 
tentment, I  send  bak  with  tham  my  cusing,  Mr  Alexander  Scrym- 

1  Peeped,  dawned.         -  Guess.         s  Surrounded  and  attacked.        'Southward, 


1584.  ME  JAMES  MELVELL'S  DIARY.  171 

geour,  (being  then  bot  a  schollar,  and  now  a  man  of  guid  giftes  and 
estimation  in  the  ministerie,)  with  a  letter  to  my  wyff,  wha,  casting- 
all  things  asyde,  cam  to  me  with  diligence,  be  the  conduct  of  a  ser- 
vant of  the  Einglis  Ambassatour,  lying  in  Edinbruche  for  the  tyme  ; 
and  tuk  part  with  me  during  all  my  sojourning  in  Eingland,  to  my 
grait  confort.  My  cowsing,  James  Melvill,  returned  noclit  bak  to 
Scotland,  bot  tareid  in  Eingland,  and  occupied  his  calling  ther  all 
the  tyme  of  our  exyll.  I  taried  at  Berwik  about  a  monethe,  and 
teatched  twyse  e  verie  ouk,1  wherby  I  gat  verie  grait  friendschipe, 
namlie,  of  a  maist  curteus  and  godlie  lady,  my  Lady  "Widdringtoun, 
spouse  to  Sir  Harrie  Widdringtoun,  Knight,  and  Maister  Gover- 
nour  of  the  town,  under  my  Lord  of  Houndesdean,  wha  defreyed 
me  of  all  my  charges  during  the  tyme  I  was  ther,  and  offerit  me  ten 
crownes  of  gold  at  my  parting ;  bot  I  haid  na  neid  of  tham,  and 
therfor  refusit  tham  thankfullie.  I  haid  also  offered  me,  be  divers 
guid  men  and  weimen  of  the  town,-  bot  haiffing  of  the  bountiful 
liberalitie  of  my  God  aneuche  brought  with  my  wyff,  I  wald  nocht 
incur  anie  liklihead 2  of  a  mercenar ;  bot  trewlie  I  fand  sic  fectfull 
professioim  of  trew  Christianitie  in  Berwik,  as  I  haid  never  sein  the 
lyk  in  Scotland. 

Efter  rype  and  lang  advysment  with  my  God,  I  resolved  to  tak 
jorney  suthe  ower,3  and  as  God  sould  call  me  to  anie  condition  to 
teatche  a  scholl,  and  therwithe  keipe  the  mouthe  quhilk  he  haid 
opened,  in  catecheising  and  pretching  of  Chryst  occupied,  till  these 
afflictiones  Avar  past  in  Scotland,  quhilk  I  linked  nocht,  indeid,  soidd 
haiff  bein  quarter  sa  schort  as  they  war. 

In  the  mean  tyme,  the  Erles  of  Angus  and  Mar,  lyand  at  New- 
castell,  wryttes  for  me  ans,  and  the  second  tyme  verie  instantlie,  to 
com  and  pretche  the  Word  unto  tham  for  ther  comfort.  To  whom 
I  answerit  I  could  nocht,  because  I  was  nocht  entered  in  the  mini- 
sterie;  nather  was  I  of  anie  experience  of  knawlage  in  thir  maters, 
being  but  a  young  man  brought  upe  in  the  scholles,  and  thairfor  haid 
resolved  to  keipe  my  awin  calling.     The  treuthe  waa  also,  that  my 

1  Preached  twice  every  week.  -  Suspicion.  3  Southward. 


172  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  L584. 

hart  abhorrit  and  fearit  to  haiff  to  do  with  thame,  being  the  King's. 
rebelles,  and  nocht  knowing  ther  cause  Aveill,  and  disposition  of 
ther  hart. 

Yit  I  could  nocht  bot  visit  tham  in  my  jorney  at  NeAvcastell,  whar 
I  purposed  to  tak  schipping  southwart  to  Londone.  Sa,  parting 
from  Berwik,  hartlie  recommendit  to  the  blessing  and  grace  of  God, 
be  inanie  godlie  men  and  women,  and  be  sum  sett  and  convoyet  a 
guid  way  on  our  jorney,  we  cam  that  night  to  Anweik,  and  ludgit 
in  the  house  of  a  weidow,  whose  sone-in-law,  guidman  of  the  hous, 
was  lyand  seik  of  inanie  deadlie  Avounds,  giffen  him  be  the  Scottes 
theives  on  the  Bordar  :  And  yit  we  receavit  never  an  evill  counte- 
nance of  tham,  bot  be  the  contrar  war  verie  Aveill  treated,  and  rea- 
sonablie,  and  at  our  departing,  gat  bathe  from  the  auld  woman  and 
hir  douchtar  manie  blessings. 

Coming  the  nixt  night  to  NeAvcastell,  we  resolvit  on  the  morn 
incontinent  to  seik  for  shipping,  and  na  wayes  made  anie  langtare- 
ing,  a  piece  of  deAvtic  amies  dischargit  to  the  Noble-men.  Bot  Mr 
,Ihone  Davidsone,  being  ther  with  the  Lords,  informes  me  sa  in  all 
maters,  yea,  and  being  my  Maister  in  St  Androis,  and  a  man  of 
authoritie  in  the  Word  and  Spreit  of  God,  and  namlie  schaAving  me 
it  was  nocht  his  judgment  onlie,  but  of  the  haill  breithring  that  haid 
past  by,  that  I  sould  abyd  with  the  Noble-men,  exerceising  tham 
in  the  Word  of  God,  till  that  ather  they  all,  or  sum  of  tham  at  least, 
sould  returnc  bak  againe,  brakes  me  from  my  purpose  and  resolu- 
tion, that,  at  the  ernest  delling  of  the  Lords,  and  cleiring  of  thair 
cause,  purpose,  and  conscience  unto  me  for  that  effect,  I  yeildittill 
abyde  with  tham. 

Thus,  finding  the  Avarrand  of  God  sattelil  in  my  hart,  cfter  divers 
dayes  deliberation  and  ernest  prayer,  I  followed  the  sam.  And 
soone  efter  Mr  Jhonc  Davidsone's  passing  away,  wha  haid  beindc- 
teined  be  tham  onlie  to  abyde  my  coming  and  enter  me,  thinking 
it  besl  i<>  setl  down  the  ordour  men"  t<>  he  keipif  amangs  tham  at 
the  beginning,  1  pui  the  sam  in  wryt  with  ane  exhortation,  direc- 
tion, and  fathfuU  warning  prefixed,  as  followee  : 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/s  DIARY.  173 


"  TO  THE  RIGHT  GODLIE,  ZEALUS,  AND  NOBLE,  MY  LORDS  OF 
ANGUSS  AND  MARRE,  THE  MASTER  OP  GLAMMES,  AND  OTHER 
NOBLE  AND  GENTLE  MEN  IN  COMPANIE  WITH  THAM  AT  THIS 
PRESENT  IN  NEWCASTLE,  IN  EINGLAND,  YOUR  HONORS  MOST 
HUMBLE  MINISTERS  AND  SERVANTS  IN  THE  LORD,  WISHETH  GRACE 
AND  PEACE  FROM  GOD  THE  FATHER,  AND  FROM  THE  LORD  JESUS 
CHRYST. 

"  Forsamikle  as  at  the  ernest  desyre  of  your  godlie  and  noble 
honors,  and  the  apointment  of  the  rest  of  our  breithring,  confirming 
that  inwart  calling  whilk  we  haiff  of  God  in  our  harts,  we  ar  placed 
heir  to  serve  your  Lordschips  and  your  companie  in  the  ministerie 
of  the  Word  of  God  in  a  tym  sa  necessar :  Lyk  as,  in  maist  tender 
love  and  affection  we  cease  nocht  in  our  exhortationes  to  put  yow 
in  mynd  of  all  things,  according  as  the  occasion  of  the  portion  of 
Scripture  intreated  offers  ;  •  sa  we  haiff  thought  it  expedient,  for  the 
mair  fathfull  discharging  of  our  dewtie  and  conscience  befor  God 
and  his  Kirk,  schortlie  in  wryt  to  call  to  your  continual  remem- 
berance  some  specinll  things,  the  diligent  consideration  and  often 
meditating  wharof  may  serve  graitlie  to  the  furtherance  of  the  wark 
of  God  put  in  your  weak  hands. 

"  It  behoved  us  first,  in  verie  deid,  till  acknawlage  in  our  con- 
sciences, and  confes,  as  the  treuthe  is,  that  the  Lord  has  maist 
justlie,  and  yit  in  grait  mercie,  corrected  us,  nocht  onlie  for  uther 
our  manifald  sinnes  and  offences,  be  the  quhilk  we  haiff  strayed 
away  from  him,  to  bring  us  ham  again  be  his  rod  of  humiliation,  to 
the  faidd  and  obedience  of  that  guid  Pastor  of  our  saulles,  the  Lord 
Jesus,  thairby  making  us  to  feill  and  perceave,  in  experience,  the 
fatherlie  cear  quhilk  he  hathe  of  us,  in  chasteising  us  as  his  aw  in 
deire  childring,  but  also,  and  maist  speciallic  at  this  tyme,  for  over 
lightlie  regarding,  and  negligentlie  using,  the  occasiones  offered,  of 
performing  the  guid  wark  of  the  Lord,  quhilk  we  haid  in  our  hands. 
For  nather  at  that  tyme,  as  becam  us  uprightlie,  was  the  glorie  of 


174  ME  JAME8  MELVILI/S  DIARY.  L584. 

God  sought,  nather  yit  afauldlie1  and  ardentlie  was  procured  the 
preservation,  advancement,  and  further  establisment  of  his  Kirk, 
the  kingdome  of  his  Sone  Chryst  Jesus,  sa  notablie  of  his  grait 
mercie  planted  within  our  countrey,  but  then  as  now  brought  in  ex- 
tream  danger,  be  craftie  and  wicked  Papists:  Nather  was  the  King's 
persone  and  esteat  diligentlie  gardit  from  pemitius  flatterars,  car- 
nail  AtheisteSj  seditiua  and  bludie  idolaters,  licentius  libertines, 
filthie  harlotes,  hellishe  witches,  and  sic  uther  divelishe  counsall- 
ours,  as  ceassed  nocht  to  nurishe  and  steir  upe  the  poisone  quhilk 
tliey  had  instilled  in  his  young  and  tender  breist :  Nather  was  ther 
maid  aide  redres  of  the  innumerable  abbusses  and  misordours  crop- 
pen2  in  within  the  body  of  our  miserable  comoun-welthe.  But, 
contrarie  wayes,  sum  haiffing  na  thing  bot  the  Word  of  God's  glorie 
in  thair  mouthe,  laked  all  love  and  desyre  thah'of  in  the  hart ;  the 
quhilk  appeired  plainlie  in  thair  Avarks  and  proceidings,  to  the  dis- 
honour of  God,  and  sklander  of  his  guid  cause  :  Sum  thought  it  a 
small  mater  to  flatter  the  King  in  all  his  conceattes  and  affectiones, 
and  mak  his  eares  patent  to  sic  wha3  coidd  alienat  his  mynd  from 
the  guid  cause  and  instruments  thairof,  and  hald  his  hart  and  favour 
bund  and  bent  to  the  former  faction  of  the  enemies,  and  thair  un- 
godlie  courses  :  Some  regairding  nought  at  all  bot  thair  awin  stand- 
ing and  guid  esteat  warldlie,  as  thought  than-  haid  beine  na  thing  in 
hand  but  a  comoun  alteration  and  change  of  Court,  played  prettelie 
the  part  of  Jak  on  bathe  the  sydcs.  The  compleants,  greiffes,  and 
petitiones  of  the  Kirk  was  hard,  but  with  dcaff  eares,  and  luiked  on 
with  winking  eis,  in  sic  sort,  that  the  King  now  triumphes  in  that 
poinct,  affirming  with  manie  attestationes  and  aithcs,  that  never 
annes  was  movit  to  him  be  the  Nobilitie  a  ward  of  the  Kirk's 
efFeares.  Na  remors  nor  redres  for  saerilage,  Avherwithe  the  graitt- 
est  part  was  dcfylit ;  no  provision  for  the  ministerie,  scholles,  and 
pure  ;  no  ministration  of  justice,  nor  punishement  for  maist  odius 
and  horrible  crymes,  quhilk  aboundit  in  everie  quarter  of  the  coun- 

1  Sincerely,  uprightly;  literally  one-fold.  Crept  ;1  Such  as. 


1584.  MR  james  melvill's  diabt.  175 

trey  ;  and,  fynalie,  all  was  said  to  haifF  sought  thair  a  win  particulars,1 
because  na  better  appeired  in  deid. 

"  And  yit,  nochtwithstanding  tliir  our  grait  sinnes,  quhilk,  gift" 
God  wald  enter  in  judgment  to  punishe,  might  deserve  a  thowsand 
fauld  mair  nor  he  hes  yit  leyde  on  us,  yea,  the  verie  helles-fyre,  we 
may  be  weill  assured,  if  we  be  rightlie  humblit  and  unfeinedlie 
turned  to  him  with  all  our  harts,  with  deliberat,  ardent  mynds  and 
willes,  to  travell  till  amend  all  thir  misses,2  in  cais  God  again  ans 
in  his  mercie  sail  offer  the  occasion,  that  of  his  superaboundant 
grace  washing  away  all  our  iniquities  in  the  blood  of  his  Sone  Chryst 
Jesus,  he  will,  for  the  glorie  of  his  awin  name,  and  that  compassion 
quhilk  he  hes  ever  haid  of  his  awin  deir  childring,  luik  upon  the 
oppression  of  his  awin  Kirk,  and  the  miserie  of  that  pure  afflicted 
nation  and  realme. 

"  For  treuthe  it  is,  when  Ave  luik  at  our  awin  deserving,  we  can 
find  na  thing  but  mater  of  mere  desperation.  But  I  pray  yoAv,  what 
hes  the  glorie  of  the  Lord  deservit,  that  is  trode  under  futt  be  these 
wicked  instruments  of  Sathan,  wha,  without  all  scham  and  feir  of 
God's  judgments,  hes  bein  sa  bauld  as  to  place  a  vanishing  sched- 
dow,  a  breathe  going  and  nocht  retourning  again,  with  absolut 
powar  and  authoritie  in  the  roum  and  seatt  of  the  Most  Hie  God  ? 
What  hes  the  kingdome  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  libertie  thairof, 
merited,  the  quhilk  by  vyle  dogs  turning  to  thair  vomit,  and  filthie 
swyne  waltring  in  the  foull  pudle  of  than  abominable  vyces  and 
corruptiones,  is  polluted,  defylit,  and  led  schamfullie  captive  to  the 
slaverie  of  the  corrupt  and  cancered  afFectionnes  of  profean  Jero- 
boams, that  hes  gean  about  with  knawladge  against  conscience  to 
force  the  trew  worschipping  of  God,  sett  down  and  established  with 
all  friedome,  liberties,  and  priviledges  of  the  Word,  in  his  awin 
sanctuarie  at  Jerusalem,  as  a  captive  slave  to  serve  to  sic  a  perni- 
tius  kynd  of  government  as  thair  undantoned  breanes  and  unbry- 
delit  afFectionnes  hes  against  all  pietie,  justice,  and  honestie,  blas- 
phemuslie  forget  and  impudentlic  obtrudit  to  God,  and  the  King's 

1  Their  own  interest.  2  To  travail  to  amend  all  these  omissions. 


176  MR  JAMES  melyill's  diabt.  1584. 

ilithfull  and  obedient  subjects?  Wba  hes  pulled  away  the  ordinarie 
sacrifices  of  contreit  and  brokin  harts  for  repentance,  the  peace- 
offerings  for  remission  of  sinnes  and  reconciliation,  and  oblation  of 
the  calves  of  the  lippes  for  joy  of  conscience  and  thanksgiffing  of 
the  peiple  of  God,  from  Chryst  Jesus,  the  holie  altar  of  the  Lord 
placed  in  the  middes  of  his  Kirk,  as  in  Mont  Sion  ;  and  hes  tyed 
the  sain  t<>  thair  newlie  erected  goldin  cahTes  and  abominationnes 
of  Bischopes'  seattes,  and  residence  of  Court,  as  in  Dan  and  Bethell  ? 
Wba  bathe  ruggit1  away,  but2  reasone  or  reasoning,  the  admini- 
stration and  government  of  the  Lord's  tempell  from  his  lawfullie 
called  Ministers,  Doctores,  Eldars,  and  Deacones,  to  the  quhilks 
onlie,  be  the  Word  of  God,  it  is  giffen  as  to  his  schosine  Levittes, 
and  anointed  Preists  of  the  childring  of  Aaron,  and  be  plan  law  hes 
applyed  the  sam  to  thair  belli-godes,3  fals  preists  of  Baal,  maist  in- 
famus  amangs  the  peiple,  theiffs,  drunkards,  gluttones,  whure  and 
witch  mungars,  perjurit,  sacrilegius,  deboushit'1  persones,  to  mean 
holiglasses,5  comoun  trickers  and  deceavers  ;  and,  finahe,  men  sham- 
les,  and  maist  sklanderas  in  all  thair  lyft'and  doings?  And  all  be- 
cause, say  they,  with  Jei-oboam,  the  sone  of  Nebat,  wha  maid  Israeli 
to  sin,  utluTwayes  our  kingdome  can  nocht  stand ;  our  course  can 
nocht  go  fordwart,  for  the  peiple  will  go  to  Jerusalem ;  they  will 
adheire  to  the  hous  of  David  :  they  wilbe  instructed  be  the  Priests 
of  the  leiving  God,  wha  can  nocht  comport  with  our  doing. 

"  They  haiff  pulled  the  Croun  of  Royall  Authoritie  within  the 
Spiritual]  kingdome,  and  thrawin6  the  sword  of  the  Word  of  God, 
and  schepter  of  ecclesiasticall  government,  af  the  head  and  from 
the  hands  of  Chryst  Jesus,  the  onlie  Head  and  King  of  his  Kirk  : 

1  Torn.  2  Without.  3  Belly-gods.  4  Debauched,  wortbli 

B  Ilolieglass,  or  Howleglass,  was  a  popular  hero  who  figured  in  the  poetic  fictions  and 
dramas  of  England  as  well  as  Scotland  in  the  sixteenth  century.  As  applied  In- 
one  of  the  Makaris,  Sempill,  the  Scotish  Poet,  in  his  "  Legend  of  the  Bischop  of  St 
Androis,"  (Adamson.)  lie  appeared  to  he  adopted  in  these  fictions  as  the  personifica- 
tion of  a  cunning,  deceitful,  and  scheming  character — for  Sempill  there  alternates 
Ilolieglass  with  "  Lotorie,"  "lurCan  (larking)  Lotorie,"  and  "deceatfittt  Lotorie,"  in 
allusion  to  the  well-known  characteristics  of  the  fox,  who  is  still  popularly  known  as 
••  Tod  Lowrie"  in  Scotland.  '   Wrested,  wrung. 


1584.  Mi;  JAMES  melvill's  DIARY.  177 

And  sa,  with  open  sound  of  trumpet,  casting  down,  sa  far  as  in  tham 
lay,  the  eternall  Sone  of  God,  King  immortall  of  heavinlie  glorie, 
from  his  throne,  wherout  of  he  rewlethe  his  Kirk,  lies  placed  in  his 
steade  a  chyld  of  corrupt  Adam,  even  an  erthlie  mortall  creatoure : 
They  haiff  followed  the  fulishe  exemple  of  Achaz,  the  King  of 
.Tuda,  and  Uria  the  preist,  in  removing  of  the  brasen  alter  of  the 
Lord,  and  placing  in  the  roum  thairof  an  uther,  according  to  the 
form  of  the  altar  of  Damascus  :  They  haiff  followed  the  pervers 
dealling  of  the  cursed  apostat  Julian  against  the  Kirk  of  Chryst, 
in  taking  away  the  leivings  from  the  Ministers,  to  destroy  tham  be 
houngar,  (mair  crewelly  nor  Dioclecian,  wha  cust  the  Christianes  to 
wyld  beastes  !)  and  making  waste  and  desolat  the  schoolles  of  Divi- 
nitie,  and  all  holie  erudition  :  They  haiff  said,  with  the  fey l  and 
desperat  Jewes,  to  the  Siers,  i  Sie  nocht ;'  and  to  the  Prophets, 
'  Prophesie  na  langer  to  us  in  the  nam  of  the  Lord,  but  speak  unto 
us  pleasand  things  according  to  our  lyking  !'  And,  whilles  the  fath- 
full  servantes  of  the  Lord,  in  love  of  ther  amendiment  and  fervent 
zeall  of  the  glorie  of  God,  discharged  frilie  thair  commissiones,  re- 
ceaved  of  the  Lord  unto  tham,  they  haiff  forced  tham,  for  feir  of 
thair  lyves,  to  flic  and  abandone  thair  native  countrey,  with  crewall 
Jezabell ;  cust  tham  in  pressone,  with  wicked  Achab  ;  and  thretned 
tham  with  death,  as  did  foolishe  Amazia,  when  the  Lord  haid  taken 
counsall  to  destroy  him  :  They  haiff  plucked  the  keyes  of  the  king- 
dom of  Heavin  from  the  trew  Apostles  of  Chryst,  and  giffen  tham 
to  the  wicked  Pharisies,  his  enemies,  wha  nather  Avill  enter  in  tham 
selves,  nor  suffer  uthers  till  enter  :  And,  finalie,  they  haiff  cast  down 
the  dyk,  cutted  the  hedge,  demolished  the  towre,  brokin  the  wyne- 
pres,  banished  the  watchmen  and  laborars,  the  snedders  and  delvers 2 
of  the  wyne-yeard  of  the  Lord,  to  mak  it  to  be  tramped  under  futt 
of  wyld  Atheists,  yea,  an  opin  prey  to  the  bloodie  and  creuall 
locusts  of  the  botomles  pit. 

"  Can  the  Lord  suffer  these  things  lang,  and  be  just  in  executing 
of  his  judgments,  and  pining  out  of  his  plages  upon  his  cursed  ene- 

1  Fr.ted,  infatuated.  '-'  Primers  or  vine-dressers,  and  diggers. 

M 


78  MB  JAMES  MKI.YIU.  S  DIART 


1 58  I . 


mies  ?  Can  the  Lord  suffer  his  sanetuarie  to  he  def'ylit,  and  his  awin 
to  smart,  and  he  the  Father  of  mercies,  God  of  consolation,  and 
maist  fathfull  kcipar  of  his  promises  ?  Can  the  Lord  Buffer  his  glorie 
to  be  giffen  to  an  uther?  Can  He,  wha  haithe  promised  to  mak  the 
enemies  of  Chryst  Jesus  his  futstool,  suffer  thani  to  tread  on  his 
head  ? 

"  Na,  na  !  right  honourable  and  deir  breithring,  he  hes  anointed 
him  King  on  his  holie  montean  ;  he  hes  giffen  him  all  nationes  for 
an  inheritance ;  he  hes  put  in  his  hand  a  schepter  of  yron,  to  bruse 
in  pouder  these  erthen  veshalles.  When  his  wrothe  sail  annes  be- 
gin to  kendle  bot  a  lytic,  he  sail  mak  it  notoriuslie  knawin  till  all 
the  warld,  that  they  onlie  ar  happie  wha  in  humilitie  kisses  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  trusts  in  him.  Now,  thairfor,  seing  the  Lord  hes  maid 
your  lordschipes  to  haiff  these  places  and  rowmes  be  birthe  within 
your  native  countrey,  wherthrow  it  lyes  on  your  shoulders,  of  spe- 
ciall  dewtie,  wherof  ye  sail  giff  acomptto  God,  to  procure  and  seik 
to  the  uttermaist  of  your  powar  the  releiff,  delyverance,  and  weil  of 
your  naturall  nation  and  Prince,  lying  this  day  in  sa  pitius  esteat  of 
captivitic  :  And  seing,  in  lyk  maner,  it  hes  pleased  the  Lord  of  his 
guidnes  to  call  yow  to  be  his  gutle  instruments  in  this  maist  accept- 
able wark  of  vindicating  of  his  glorie  defaced,  and  delyverie  of  his 
Kirk,  brought  in  sa  miserable  boundage,  as  also  of  the  reclaming  of 
your  native  King  from  sa  dangerus  a  companie  and  course ;  and 
seing  yow  haiff  also,  ance  or  twyse,  employed  your  selff  in  the  cause, 
but  for  the  just  reasones  befor  rehersed,  and  multitud  of  our  secret 
sinnes,  wherwith  the  Lord  hathe  bein  hilie  offendit,  it  hes  nocht  as 
yit  haid  an  expected  succes,  and  yit,  as  becomes  valiant  warriours 
and  capteanes  of  the  Lord's  armie,  ar  nocht  discuragit,  but  pur- 
poses, efter  trew  humiliation  and  assurance  of  God's  mercie  and 
favour,  to  go  fordwart,  we,  your  Ministers,  in  the  t'eir  and  nam  of  the 
Lord  our  God,  and  in  love  and  reverence  of  your  honours,  desyre 
thir  presentes  to  be  a  witnes  and  testimonic  befor  God  and  his 
Kirk,  of  the  fathfull  discharge  of  our  consc  ienee  and  dewtie  towards 
yow,  exhorting  yow  maist  ernestlie,  by  the  Lord  our  God,  and  his 
Sone  Chryst  Jesus,  that  withe  trew  repentance,  unl'einvit  humilia- 


1584.  Mil  .JAMES  MELVELL'S  diary.  17!' 

tion,  reformation  of  lyff  and  manors,  instruction  and  weadome  of 
the  Buik  of  God,  ardent  prayer  and  meditation,  fervent  love  and 
zeall  toward  God,  his  Kirk,  and  your  King,  yie  sail  fraclie '  and 
euragiuslie  to  the  wark  of  God,  and,  following  furthe  the  sam  di- 
rective, uprightlic,  fathfullie,  constantlie,  and  with  all  eair  and  di- 
ligence, fearing  alwayes  that  wa,2  quhilk  the  Profit  pronunces 
against  sic  as  does  the  wark  of  the  Lord  negligentlie  and  deceit- 
fullie,  voav  may  yit  hope  for  a  happie  succes  of  the  mercie  and 
blessing  of  God,  for  his  awin  glorie  and  name's  sak.  Yie  sie  the 
enemies  never  ceasses  to  devyse,  deliberat,  reasone,  tak  counsall, 
and  put  in  execution  thair  malice  and  creweltie  against  the  Kirk  of 
God,  his  treuthe  and  professours  thairof ;  whow  graitlie  then  sould 
we  be  eschamed  to  be  found  slipperie  ami  slaw  in  the  guid  cause  of 
our  Chryst ! 

"  Bot  this  a  thing,  in  speciall,  Ave  man  denunce  unto  yow,  taking 
God,  his  Kirk,  and  your  selves  to  record,  that  we  forwarn  yow, 
fathfullie,  and  in  tyme,  That  in  cais  (as  God  forbid !)  yie  ga  to  this 
wark  againe,  moved  cheifly  with  your  awin  particulars,  as  vengeance 
on  your  enemies,  and  to  be  restored  to  sic  honours,  rowmes,  pos- 
sessionnes,  and  commodities,  quhilk  yie  injoyed  of  befor,  making 
God's  glorie,  the  cause  of  his  Kirk,  of  your  King  and  Comoun-weill, 
to  be  bot  pretences  and  skugges,3  and  as  bot  slaves  and  gudiates 
serving  thairanto,  ather  the  Lord  sail  curse  the  wark  in  your  wick- 
ed hands,  and  mak  it  turn  to  your  graitter  schame  and  disadvantage 
then  of  befor,  or,  in  ceas  for  his  awin  name's  seak,  he  work  the  wark 
of  his  glorie  in  mercie  for  delyv erance  of  his  Kirk,  (as  he  is  accus- 
tomed to  do  with  maist  roustie  and  creuked  instruments  and  dell- 
ings,)  yit  will  he  nocht  feall  in  his  justice  to  reward  yow  with  the 
corrupt  and  hypocriticall  workers  of  iniquitie,  at  sic  tyme  thairefter 
as  he  thinks  convenient.  But  in  cease,  (as  we  hope  weill,  and  calles 
to  God  maist  ardentlie  that  sa  may  be,)  efter  trew  repentance  and 
effectuall  reformation  of  your  selffs  and  companies,  yie  go  to  wark, 
setting  directlie  befor  your  eis  the  honour  and  glorie  of  God,  acord- 

1  Freely,  heartily.  '  Woe.  3  Shelters,  stalking-horses. 


1*0  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1584. 

ing  to  his  will,  framing  your  willes  and  afFectiones  unto  the  sam  ; 
and  sa  uprightlie,  trewlie,  and  zealouslie,  be  all  guid  meanes  and 
wayes  seik  God  to  be  glorified,  his  Kirk  to  be  delyverit,  reformed, 
and  surlie  establissed,  your  tender  King,  and  sweit  native  countrey, 
to  be  redde  from  the  abbusars  and  misrewlares  of  the  sam ;  and  mak 
your  awin  particulars  to  follow  efter,  as  the  servant  and  sheddow, 
and  nocht  go  befor  as  the  maister  and  body,  and  be  maist  willing 
and  ernest  to  schaw  the  sam,  in  effect  when  God  sail  offer  the  oc- 
casion :  And,  finalie,  if  yie  go  to  with  upright,  deliberat  mynds,  and 
bent  willes,  till  amend  all  things  neglected  of  befor,  then  we  dar  be 
bauld,  be  the  warrand  of  the  Word  of  God,  till  assure  yow  of  the 
presence  and  blessing  of  God  to  be  withe  yow,  and  undoutedlie  to 
perform  the  wark  in  your  hands,  whow  weak  that  ever  they  be  ; 
and  whow  manie,  craftie,  and  puissant  so  ever  they  be  that  gean- 
stands  the  sam,  to  his  awin  glorie,  the  grait  comfort  of  his  Kirk,  and 
your  honour  and  weilfear,  nocht  onlie  temporall,  but  perpetuall  and 
everlasting. 

"  And  to  that  intent,  that  maters  may  this  wayes  happelie  pro- 
ceid,  we  ar,  in  conclusion,  maist  ernestlie  and  lovingbe,  in  the 
bowelles  of  Chryst  Jesus,  to  exhort  you  and  all  your  companie,  that, 
in  the  mean  tym,  whill  as  occasion  of  bodelie  exercise  in  the  mater 
is  nocht  yit  offered,  that  yie  giff  your  selves  diligentlie  and  ferventlie 
to  spirituall  exerceis,  in  heiring,  reiding,  and  meditating  continow- 
alie  of  the  Word  of  God,  wherby  yie  may  be  moved  to  unfeinyed 
repentance,  trew  humiliation,  amendiment  of  lyff,  and  devot  and  ar- 
dent prayer  to  the  Lord,  for  his  grace,  mercie,  and  favour,  and  for 
the  working  of  his  powcrfull  Spreit  in  yow,  yie  may,  out  of  the 
Word  of  God,  as  out  of  the  fontean  and  threassor  of  all  wesdome, 
draw  out  sic  store  and  aboundance  of  all  guid  knawlage,  wesdome, 
and  wholsome  counsall,  as  may  direct  yow  alwayes  aright  ;  and 
wharby  yie  may  find  strenthe,  courage,  confort,  patience,  hope,  and 
perseverance  in  all  your  battels,  bathe  within  and  without,  to  the 
end,  and  assurit  victorie  and  glorie  in  the  end. 

"For  the  quhilk  cause,  we  haiff  sett  down  to  y  our  lordschips  and 
companie  the  Order,  bathe  of  Doctrin  and  Discipline,  quhilk  aucht 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  181 

to  be  observit  in  effect  in  all  the  companies  and  fellowschippes  of 
the  fathfull,  but  speciallie  with  all  reverence  and  cair  be  us  now  in 
this  present  esteat,  wharby  we  our  selves  may  be  inarmed,  prepared, 
and  maid  fitt  in  all  things  for  the  wark  of  God,  the  enemies  heiring 
of  it,  discuragit,  and  sic  as  loved  God  and  his  guid  cause  provock- 
ed  be  our  exemple,  be  moved  to  praise  God,  and  baldlie  joyne 
them  selves  with  us,  being  persuadit  that  we  seik  unfeinedlie  the 
Lord. 

"  The  leiving  God  of  heavin  and  erthe,  in  the  tender  love  and 
mercies  of  his  Sone  Chryst  Jesus,  mak  liis  guid  Spreit  to  dwell  sa 
plentiouslie  in  your  noble  harts,  that  yie  may  be  fund  worthie  and 
notable  instruments  of  His  glorie,  bathe  in  this  and  all  uther  guid 
wai'ks  of  the  Lord  God  ;  and  that  nocht  onlie  at  this  tyme,  but  en- 
during the  haill  course  and  tyme  of  your  lyves,  that  efter  all  the 
battels  of  this  present  miserie,  yie  may  injoy  with  Him  that  everlast- 
ing croun  of  glorie,  quhilk  he  lies  leyde  up  in  store  for  all  his  fath- 
full servands  and  valiant  warriours.     Amen. 

"At  Newcastell,  the  2d  of  August,  1584." 

The  Ordor  and  Maner  of  Exerceise  of  the  Word  for  Instruction,  and 
Discipline  for  Correction  of  Maner -s,  used  in  the  Companie  of  those 
Godlie  and  Noble  Men  of  Scotland,  in  tyme  of  thair  aboad  in  Eng- 
land c,  for  the  guid  cause  of  God's  Kirk,  thair  King  and  Count rey. 

"  First,  Ther  shalbe  four  Sermones  in  the  ouk  ;  twa  on  the  Son- 
day,  and  twa  on  the  ouk-dayes ;  ane  befor  noone,  and  an  uther 
efter,  on  the  Sabothe  ;  and,  on  the  ouk-dayes,  an  on  Wednisday, 
and  an  uther  on  Fredday. 

"  The  Sermont  on  the  Sabbathe  sail  begin  at  halff  houre  befor 
ten,  and  continow  whill  efter  alleavin,  sa  that  the  haill  exerceise 
sail  nocht  pas  the  space  of  ane  houre  and  a  halff;  and  efter  noone  it 
sail  begin  at  halff  houre  to  four,  and  end  befor  fyve. 

"  The  Sermones  on  the  ouk-dayes  sail  begin  at  ten  houres,  and 
be  endit  be  alleavin  ;  sa  that  the  haill  exerceise  pas  nocht  the  space 
of  an  houre. 


182  MB  JAMES  MELYILL'fi  D1ABY.  1584. 

uTher  sall»c  daylie  Comoun  Prayers  twyse  everie  day,  befor 
nuonc  at  ten  homes,  and  efter  at  fourc,  at  quhilk  tyme  a  Psalme 
salbe  read  and  handlit,  sa  that  the  soum  thairof  be  schortlie  gather- 
ed, the  partes  sett  doun  in  ordour,  and  some  schort  notes  of  doc- 
trine, with  exhortation ;  bot  in  sic  schortnes,  that  the  bull  tyme  oc- 
cupied exec-id  nocht  the  space  of  an  halff  houre. 

"  Ther  salbe  at  everie  meall,  immediatlie  efter  thanksgiffing  at 
denncr  and  supper,  a  Chapter  read  of  the  historic  of  the  Bible,  and 
handlit  schortlie  as  tyme  and  occasion  sail  recpiyre ;  and  therefter 
a  Psalme,  or  reasonable  section  thairof,  being  lang,  salbe  soiing. 

"  Thcr  salbe  a  ouk  in  the  monethe  dedicat  till  Abstinence  and 
Publict  Humiliation,  spent  in  prayer,  doctrine,  meditation,  with  sic 
modest,  temperat,  and  humble  behaviour  as  effeires;  the  ordor  whar- 
of  salbe  observit  according  to  the  prescript  of  The  Buik  of  Fast  and 
Publict  Humiliation  used  in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  ;  wherof  the  pre- 
sent causses  salbe  the  miserable  esteat  of  our  Kirk  and  countrey  of 
Scotland,  and,  amangs  the  rest,  of  the  Kirks  in  Europe,  of  France, 
and  Flanders. 

"  At  the  quhilk  tyme,  upon  the  last  Sabbathe  of  the  ouk  imme- 
diatlie following  the  exerceise  of  fasting,  the  Super  of  the  Lord 
salbe  ministrat,  efter  that  just  try  ell  and  examination  haid  passed 
befor. 

"  On  the  Setterday,  at  the  houre  of  evening  prayer,  or  the  Sa- 
bathe,  at  efter  noon,  or  bathe,  salbe  a  Lecture,  or  plean  leasone  in 
the  Catechisms,  and  principal!  grounds  of  Christian  Eelligion. 

"  The  Ministers,  according  as  they  sail  agrie  among  thani  selves, 
sail  halff  there  ordinarie  Texts  out  of  the  cheiff  partes  of  the  Scrip- 
ture  ;  som  of  the  Law,  sum  of  the  Prophetes,  some  of  the  Evangelists 
and  Actes  of  the  Apostles,  and  some  of  the  Epistles  and  Revelation. 
And  the  ordinar  exerceise  at  prayers  and  mealies  salbe  in  the 
Psalmes,  Salomone's  Warks,  and  Historic  of  the  Auld  Testament. 

u  Everie  an  in  special!  is  ernestlie  exhorted  to  his  prival  exerceise 
of  fervent  prayer,  reiding,  and  meditation  of  things  hard  and  read, 
that  therby  he  may  be  Bteired  upe  to  grow,  day  by  day,  mairand 
mair  zealus  and  devot  in  Bpreit,  familiar  with  his  (i<>d.  armed  with 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  183 

spirituall  armour  against  all  adversitie,  and  diligentlie  moved  to 
practise  of  doctrine  in  a  godlie  lyff  and  halie  conversation. 

"  And  this  mikle  for  the  exerceis  of  doctrin  and  prayer ;  for  the 
quhilk  it  is  necessar  that  everie  an,  that  can  reid,  liaifF  a  Byble  and 
Psalme  Buik. 

Off  Discipline. 

"  Ther  salbe  a  day  in  the  ouk,  Tusday  or  Furisday,1  a  Conven- 
tion of  sic  as  salbe  chosin  Eldars  and  Deacones,  for  ordering  of  all 
things  perteining  to  the  comlie  maner  of  all  exerceises  of  the  Kirk, 
and  all  uther  things  necessar  to  a  hohe  Christian  Congregation. 
And  namlie,  to  watche  ower  the  maners  of  tham  selves  and  the  rest, 
and  spy  out  the  fructes  of  the  Word  in  all  behaviour ;  and  giff  anie 
opin  vyces  or  sklanders  falles  out  in  the  persones  of  anie  man,  to 
bring  that  persone  to  repentance  and  redres,  and  remove  the  sklan- 
der  from  the  companie  ;  as  also  to  haiff  a  cair  of  the  seik  and  dis- 
eased, pure  and  indigent. 

"  Ther  salbe  then  sax  Eldars  chosin,  and  ordourlie  callit  to  that 
office,  quhilk  consistes  specialie  in  censuring  and  owerseing  of 
maners,  and  rebuking  in  privat  of  all  sic  as  behaves  tham  selves  in 
speaking,  doing,  gestoure,  or  uther  wayes,  then  it  becomes  holie  and 
fathfull  Christianes.  And  in  ceas  of  na  amendiment,  efter  twa  or 
thrie  admonitionnes,  or  publict  offence  or  sklander  insewing,  to  de- 
leat  them  to  the  Assemblie  or  Session,  wherby  they  may  be  brought 
to  repentance,  and  mak  publict  satisfaction. 

"  Ther  salbe  twa  Deacones  :  an  till  attend 2  upon  the  box,  that 
sail  stand  on  the  table  at  everie  meall,  to  collect  and  distribut  to 
the  outward  pure 3  that  ar  nocht  of  our  nomber  ;  ane  uther  to  haiff 
the  cair  of  our  awin  inward  indigent  or  diseased,  to  recommend 
tham  to  the  Session  for  prayer,  or  collection  to  be  maid  for  releiff 
of  thair  necessitie. 

"  Giff  in  the  audience  of  an  Eldar,  ather  at  meat,  play,  or  els- 

1  Tuesday  or  Thursday.  -  One  to  wait.  :  Poor. 


184  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  1584. 

whore,  a  gentilman  ^all  nam  the  devil,  banning,1  pronunce  an  athe,- 
filthe  talk,  or  anie  evill-favoured  spetche,  the  Eklar  sail  cause  him 
pey  to  the  box  ;  and  in  cais  of  disobedience,  deleat  him  to  the  Ses- 
sion. And  giff  a  fallow  or  lad3  be  fund  with  sic  speiches  as  said 
is,  or  anie  waves  making  noyse  or  molestation,  the  Eldar  sail  ather 
correct  him  presentlie,  or  deleat  him  to  his  maister ;  wha,  giff  he 
correct  him  nocht  convenientlie  to  his  fault,  he  salbe  censured  be 
the  Session. 

"  All,  bathe  maister,  servant,  and  boy,  salbe  present  at  all  the 
exerceises  of  the  Word  and  Prayer,  except  sic  as  salbe  occupied 
efter  meals,  absent  from  Chapter  and  Psalme  ;  and  the  Eldars  ouk- 
lie,  thair  tyme  about,  with  ane  of  the  Ministers,  salbe  speciall  in- 
spectors and  notars  of  the  absents,  wha  salbe  for  the  first  fault 
caused  pey  to  the  box  sax  pence  ;  for  the  second,  a  schilling  ;  and 
for  the  thrid,  sumoned  befor  the  Session,  and  causit  mak  publict 
repentance. 

"  Iff  an  haiff  a  necessar  earand  to  do,  wherby  it  behovethe  him 
to  be  absent,  let  him  advertise  ane  of  the  Ministers  or  Eldars,  and 
he  salbe  excusit. 

"  The  Ministers,  Eldars,  and  Deacones,  shall  haiff  in  wryt  the 
names  of  all  the  companie,  an  and  uther,  for  the  effect  forsaid. 

"  The  rest,  referring  to  farther  deliberation,  and  to  be  concludit 
and  set  down  be  comoun  advyse,  as  tyme  and  occasion  sail  minister 
mater. 

"  Finis." 


This  Exhortation,  Warning,  and  Direction,  with  the  Ordonr  of 
Kxerceise  of  Doctrine,  Prayer,  and  Discipline,  being  presented  to 
the  Noble  men,  they  accepted  verie  weill  thairof,  and  gaiff  me  grail 

1  Cursing.  '-'  Oath.  :1  A  aerving-man  or  l><>\. 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  185 

thankes  ;  and  causing  it  to  be  notified  to  all  thair  corapanie,  they 
submitted  them  selves  hartlie  to  the  Ordour,  himiblie  embracing  the 
admonition  and  direction.  And  sa,  making  chose '  of  our  Eldars  and 
Deacones,  we  constitut2  a  Session,  the  Noble  men  tham  selves  being 
magistrate  and  civill  rewlars,  everie  an  of  tlier  awin  companie,  and 
togidder  of  the  haill.  And  about  the  beginning  of  August,  1584, 
we  entered  to  the  practise  and  keiping  of  the  Ordor,  wherin  we  con- 
tinoued,  by  the  grait  grace  of  our  mercifull  God,  during  the  haill 
tyme  of  our  sojourning  in  Eingland,  with  sic  fruict  of  spirituall  in- 
struction, confort,  and  joy,  as  bathe  grait  and  small  thought  it  the 
happiest  tyme  that  ever  they  spent  in  all  thair  lyff.  Gud,  godlie, 
wyse,  and  stout  Archbald,  Erie  of  Angus,  hes  oft  tymes  said  to  me, 
"  Before  my  God,  Mr  James,  giff3  the  conscience  of  theguid  cause 
we  haiff  in  hand  moved  me  nocht,  and  giff  I  haid  bot  sa  mikle  of 
my  awin  leiving  as  might  bot  in  this  maner  sustein  us,  I  wald  be 
hartlie  content  to  spend  all  my  lyff  in  this  esteat  and  forme  !" 

This  noble  man  was  fellon  weill  myndit,4  godlie,  devot,  wyse,  and 
grave;  and  by  and  besyde5  thir  comoun  exerceises,  was  giffen  to 
reiding,  and  privat  prayer  and  meditation,  and  ordinarlie  efter  din- 
ner and  super,  haid  an  houres,  and  sum  tyme  mair  nor  twa  houres, 
conference  with  me  about  all  maters  ;  namlie,  concerning  our  Kirk 
and  Comoun-weill,  what  war  the  abbusses  thairof,  and  wIioav  they 
might  be  amendit.  Wherof  he  was  sa  caii'full,  that  he  causit  me 
sett  tham  down  in  wryt,  and  present  tham  to  him,  being  in  com- 
panie with  the  rest ;  quliilk,  when  he  haid  red  him  selff  and  con- 
ferrit  thairon  with  tham,  he  causit  wryt  a  copie  in  guid  wrait,  qidiilk 
he  put  in  a  litle  coffer,  wharin  his  speciall  wreittes  and  lettres  war 
caried  about  with  him  selff  continualie,  that  he  might  haiff  tham 
in  memorie,  and  as  occasion  servit,  confer  and  reasone  thairon  Avith 
his  consortes  :  The  quliilk,  also,  I  thought  nocht  amiss  heir  to  insert. 


1  Choice.  2  Constituted.  3  If.  '  Very  well-minded,  or  well- 

affected.  s  Over  and  above. 


186  Mil  JAMES  melvill's  diabt.  1584. 


CERTEAN  GRAIT  ABBUSSES  AND  CORRUPTIONS  IN  THE  KIRK  AND 
(  OMOUN-WEILL  OF  SCOTLAND,  QUHILK  PARTLIE  THE  LEAT  MIS- 
REWLARS  HES  BROUGHT  EST,  PARTLIE  AS  THE  HLE  PLACES  LN  JUDA 
BES  REMEANED  UNREFORMED  UNTO  THIS  DAY,  GIFFEN  UPE  TO 
THE  NOBLE-MEN  EXYLED  IN  EINGLAND  TO  WET  AND  CONSIDDER, 
THAT  THEY  MIGHT  BE  REPENTED  FOR  THAIR  PART,  AND  LNDE- 
VORIT  TO  REDRESS,  WHEN  IT  SOULD  PLEASE  GOD  TO  GRANT 
ABILITIE  AND  OCCASION. 

AT  NEWCASTELL,  10  AUGUST  1584. 

PSALME  LXXXI. 

Hear,  O  my  peiple,  and  I  will  witnes  unto  thic  :  O  Israel,  if  thow  will  harken  un- 
to my  voice  ;  if  ther  sail  nocht  be  anie  strange  god  amang  vow  ;  or  sail  nocht 
worschipe  anie  uther  god. 

1  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  wha  brought  thie  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt :  Open  thy 
mouthe  wyd,  and  I  sail  fill  it. 

But  my  peiple  wald  nocht  heir  my  voice  ;  and  Israeli  wald  nocht  obey  me. 

Wharfor  I  gave  them  ower  unto  thair  awin  harts'  lust,  and  lut  them  follow  thair 
imaginations. 

0  that  my  peiple  wald  haiff  harkned  unto  me,  if  Israeli  wald  have  walked  in  my 
wayes  ! 

1  sould  soone  put  doun  thair  enemies,  and  turn  my  hand  against  thair  adversaries. 
The  haters  of  the  Lord  should  willinglie  haiff  yeildit  unto  him  ;  and  the  guid  esteat 

of  my  peiple  sould  haiff  indurit  for  ever. 
I  sould  haiff  fead  tham  also  with  the  fvnnest  whait  floure,  and  with  the  stonie  rok's 
bonie  sould  I  haiff  filled  thie.  ' 

"  Jesus  Cryst,  the  onlie  King  of  his  Kirk,  withe  the  libertie  and 
friedome  of  his  spirituaU  kingdome  in  preatching  of  the  Word,  and 
exerceising  of  Discipline,  is  brought  latlie  in  maist  abominable  sla- 
verie  to  the  corrupt  affectiones  of  fleche  and  blude. 

"  For,  whar  as  Chryst  audit  onlie 2  to  command  and  bear  rcwll  in 
the  Kirk  be  his  Word  and  Spreit,  and  be  the  ministerie  of  his  law- 
fullie  called  officiars  and  servants,  to  whom  he  lies  concredit 3  the 
dispensation  of  his  hcavinlie  mysteries,  the  gydding4  and  feiding  of 

1  Psalm  lxxxi,  s_K>.  'Ought  alone.  3  Entrusted.  'Guiding. 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  187 

his  lambes,  with  the  keyes  of  the  kingdom  of  heavine,  of  binding 
and  lowsing,  the  King  takes  upon  him  to  rewll  and  command  als- 
weill  in  Chiyst's  Spiritual!  kingdome  as  in  his  awin  Civill,  quhilk 
is  maist  sacrilegius,  and  war  nor '  Papistical]  ;  and  lies  apointed, 
not  servanda,  but  under-lords  and  commanders,  whase  authoritie 
and  powar  flowes  nocht  from  Chryst  or  his  Kirk,  but  from  the 
King,  (as  the  Bull  giffen  to  the  Bischope  of  St  Androis  planlie  tes- 
tifies,) and  wha  nocht  onlie  ar  maist  sklanderus  persones  them 
selves,  bot  also  whase  office  lies  na  thing  at  all  to  do  with  the  Scrip- 
tures of  God,  bot  mere  Anti-Christian,  to  tyrannise  over  the  Lord's 
Inheritance,  and  vex  the  bodies  and  consciences  of  Cliryst's  flok. 
And  that  quhilk  is  maist  dangerus,  and  ahnaist  desperat,  this  feir- 
full  and  horrible  spoliation  of  Chryst  Jesus,  and  tyrannie  over  his 
Kirk,  is  maid  and  confirmed  be  plan  lawes  in  Parliament. 

"  Heirby  is  the  libertie  of  God's  Sprit  bund  in  the  mouthes  of 
the  preachours,  the  gift  and  fredom  of  cutting  and  devyding  of  the 
Word  aright,  and  applying  till  everie  an  thair  part,  as  they  haiff 
neid,  without  spearing 2  of  the  graittest  because  of  graittest  neid,  sa 
mikle  commendit  in  the  Storie  and  Wryttings  of  the  Apostles,  re- 
stranit  and  opprest ;  the  reanes  of  Discipline,  Excommunication, 
with  all  the  spiritual!  censours  and  correctiones  of  the  Kirk,  Elec- 
tion, Ordination,  Deprivation  of  Ministers,  apointing  of  Assemblies, 
and  giffing  of  warning  to  the  peiple  to  eschew  plages  be  fasting 
and  prayer,  togidder  with  the  haill  government  of  the  Hous  of  God, 
ar  put  in  the  hands  of  the  Court  and  thair  corrupt  Bischopes,  the 
quliilk  of  all  uther  lies  maist  neid  of  discipline  ;  wha,  for  thair  odius 
crymes,  ar  maist  subject  till  excommunication  and  censors  of  the 
Kirk ;  wha  hes  nather  skill  nor  will  to  elect  guid  and  qualifiet 
Pastors  ;  wha  ar  readier  and  mair  willing  to  deprive  and  put  away 
the  fathfull  and  edificative  nor  the  mercenar  and  sklanderus  ;  wha, 
sleiping  in  thair  shines,  hes  nocht  wacryff  eis3  to  sie  the  plag 
coming,  and  thairfor  caires  nocht  for  fasting  and  prayer ;  and,  finalie, 
wha  being  the  cheiff  corruptars  and  deformers  of  the  Kirk,  can 

1  Worse  than.  !  Inquiring.  :i  Wakeful  or  vigilant  eves. 


188  M  EC  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1584. 

nocht  suffer  frie  Assemblies  to  be  haid  for  reformation  and  ordour- 
inof  thairof.  The  rentes  and  revenues  of  the  Kirk,  the  bread  of  the 
ministerie,  scholles,  and  pure,  is  giffen  to  dogs  and  swyne,  to  the 
graittest  contemners,  vexars,  and  oppressars  thairof;  and,  in  a 
word,  the  hous  of  God  is  maid  a  den  of  theives,  and  the  flockes  of 
Chryst  committed  to  hyrlings,  whom  the  forsaid  wolffs  hes  at  thair 
devotion. 

"  The  haill  body  of  the  nation,  and  namlie  the  graittest  members 
thairof,  wha  sould  be  gydders  and  guid  exemples  to  uthers,  ar  de- 
fylit  with  sacrilage,  swearing,  blasphemie,  blud,  adulteries,  reaf  and 
oppression,  &c,  sa  that  na  mervell  it  is  tho  the  fleing  buik  of  God's 
judgments  enter  in  thair  housses,  and  consume  timber  with  stean. 

"  Lawes  nather  throwlie  weill  maid  for  punishment  of  sic  hynous 
crymes,  and  manie  [lawes]  weill  maid  wantes  execution,  lyk  ather- 
cape  wobbes l  that  taks  the  sillie  flies,  bot  the  bumbarts  braks  throw 
thain  !2 

"  Be  the  insatiable  sacrilegius  avarice  of  Erles,  Lords,  and  Gen- 
tlemen, the  Kirk,  Scholles,  and  Pure,  ar  spulyied3  of  that  quhilk 
sould  sustein  tham.  The  materia]!  Kirks  lyes  lyk  sheipe  and  nout 
faulds4  rather  then  places  of  Christian  congrcgationes  to  assemble 
into.  The  parochinars B  will  haiff  a  couple  of  skores  of  hirdes  for 
thair  cattell,  bot  skarse  a6  Pastor  to  feid  thrie  thowsand  of  thair 
saulles.  Wharof  cumes  feirfull  darknes  of  ignorance,  superstition, 
and  idolatrie,  with  innumerable  filthie  and  execrable  shines,  quhilk 
procures  God's  just  advengance  upon  the  haill  land. 

"  The  small  number  that  is  of  the  Ministerie  can  haiff  na  cer- 
teantie  of  the  pure  stipend  assignet  unto  tham,  but  yeirlie  it  man 7 
be  cast  in  the  Lord  Modifier's  hands,  and  of  new  schapin  and  as- 
signed ower  again,  to  sie  whow  mikle  may  be  win  in  to  the  Collec- 
tor. Of  this  comes  that  sic  wha  hes  court  and  credit,  and  awaites 
thairon,  gets  weill  mikle,  namlie  giff  they  can  comport  and  flatter 
uthers  ;  and  the  best  gets  nocht  for  thair  necessitie. 

1  Spiders'  webs.  2  Catch  the  weak  flies,  but  the  laryo  blue-hottle  flies  break 

through  them.         8  Spoiled,  robbed.  '  Lie  like  sheep  and  cattle  folds.         ■'•  The 

parishioners  will  have  a  couple  of  score  of  herds.  "  Scarcely  one.  ~  Must 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  189 

"  Ther  is  na  provision  maid  for  the  pure  relicts  and  latherles '  of 
the  Ministerie.  But  nochtwithstanding  thair  ernest,  fathfull,  and 
maist  wakryff  cear  over  thair  flockes,  quhilk  maid  them  to  cast 
away  all  uther  Industrie  and  vertew  for  warldlie  provision  to  thair 
wyffes  and  childring,  they  ar  suffered  to  beg  and  ly  in  miserie  efter 
ther  departour. 

"  The  Scholles,  and  in  speciall  the  Collage  of  Theologie,  quhilk 
sould  be  the  Seminarie  of  the  Kirk  and  Ministerie,  leakes  provision 
bathe  for  Maisters  and  Students  ;  for  the  haill  rents  thairof  stand- 
ing in  Teinds,  ar  sparpeled2  in  sindrie  parts  and  provinces  of  the 
countrey,  far  from  the  Collage,  and  thes  gentilmen  tenants,  accus- 
tomed to  pay  a  small  silver-dewtie,  will  na  wayes  grant  till  aug- 
ment, uncompellit  be  law ;  the  quhilk  the  exception  of  omnium  in- 
terest steyes  from  taking  effect ;  sa  that  honest,  grave,  and  lernit 
men,  sic  as  sould  be  the  Professours  of  Theologie,  can  nocht  haiff 
thair  neidfull  and  honest  sustentation.  And  as  for  Students,  the 
childring  of  the  grait  and  riche  ar  nocht  desyrus  of  Divinitie.  The 
mid  rank  thinks  it  an  unthrift  to  bestow  thair  childring's  '  berns' 
part  of  geare '  in  susteining  tham  at  the  studie  of  Theologie ;  and 
when  they  haiff  past  the  course  thairof,  to  haiff  na  guid  roum  or 
moyen  of  lyff  preparit  for  them  in  Kirk  or  Comoun-weill.  And  as 
for  the  Pure,  quhilk  ar  comounlie  best  giffen  to  that  studie,  and 
wharof  comes  maist  fruict  to  the  Kirk  of  Chryst,  they  haiff  na 
thing  to  sustein  tham  withe  of  thair  awin,  nather  is  ther  provision 
of  bursars'  places  for  them  ;  sa  that  na  mervell  it  is  whoAvbeit  ther 
be  bathe  grait  raritie  and  ignorance  amangs  the  Ministerie  :  And, 
in  verie  deid,  it  is  of  the  extraordinar  benefit  of  God  that  ther  is 
ather  lerning  or  religioun  in  Scotland,  being  thairin  nather  funda- 
tiones  or  moyen  to  trean  upe  schollars,  nor  honour  and  profit  for 
sic  as  lies  atteincd  to  lerning. 

"  Of  this  comes  it,  that  the  guid  ingyns,  wharof  na  nation  lies 
graitter  store  nor  ours,  ather  is  applyed  for  necessitie  to  handie-crafts 
and  courting  service,  or  then  gaes  furthe  of  the  countrey,  whar  the 

1  Tlio  poor  widows  awl  orphan  children  of  the  Clergy.  2  Scattered. 


190  MR  JAMIvS  MELVILlAs  DIARY.  1584. 

graittest  part  is  corrupted  and  abbusit,  and  maid  maist  dangcrus 
enemies  to  the  Kirk  and  Esteat  of  thair  countrey. 

"  The  Nobilitie  and  Gentlemen  arunlerned  them  selflfs,  and  takes 
oa  delvt  to  ha  iff  thair  childring  and  frinds  brought  upe  in  lettres, 
to  the  grait  reprotche  and  schamc  of '  the  countrey,  and  thair  a  win 
grait  hurt  and  dishonour. 

"  Ther  is  manie  Noble  and  Gentil  men  that  lies  Prebendaries, 
Alterages,  and  uther  rents  and  casualties,  be  the  quhilk  they  plea- 
sure ther  servands  and  frinds  in  giffing  them  lyff-rents  thairof. 
The  quhilk,  giff  they  war  a  lytle  mendit,  rightlie  used,  and  maid 
bursses  in  the  schollcs  of  Philosophic  and  Theologie,  everie  Noble 
man  might  haiff  a  seminarie  of  the  youthe  of  thair  awin  frinds  or 
servands  within  few  yeirs  weill  instructed  in  guid  letters,  nocht  onlic 
to  serve  them  selves  in  thair  housses,  but  also  thair  uther  frinds  and 
haill  peiple  of  thair  lands  and  dominiones. 

"  Dilapidators  of  thair  benefices,  and  anuallers  thairof,  from  the 
right  use,  unto  thair  wyfFes,  childring,  and  frinds,  efter  they  are  de- 
posit justlie  be  the  Kirk  from  ther  office,  yit  nevertheless,  in  de- 
spy  t  of  God,  the  Kirk,  and  guid  ordour,  the  Prince  and  the  Law 
makes  him  to  possess  the  benefice.  And  incase  a  houndrethe  yeirs 
sen  syne,  the  laborars  or  factors  haid  peyit  victuall  or  fourtie  pen- 
nies money  for  the  boll,  giff  they  sett  it  now  in  few  or  lang  taks  for 
fourtie  pennies  the  boll,  or  change  the  victuall  in  silver,  it  is  nocht 
esteimed  diminution  of  the  rentall !  Albeit  the  treuthe  be,  that  fourtie 
pennies  money  now  is  diminished  in  valour  sax-fauld  from  that  it 
was  a  bounder  yeir  sync  ;  yea,  that  fourtie  pennies  growes  hoav  to- 
ward fourtie  shillings,  and  the  boll  of  victuall  that  was  then  bought 
for  fourtie  pennies  will  nocht  be  bought  now,  communibus  annis,  for 
ten  tymes  our  fourtie  pennies  at  this  day.  Yea,  sa  lies  the  grait 
abbus  growin,  that  in  ccas  the  predecessour,  being  a  waster  of  his 
benefice,  lies  sett  lang  takks  and  fewes  with  plean  diminution,  and 
also  contenting  just  causses  of  reduction,  ther  is  ua  remeadie  to  be 
gottin,  altho  the  law  be  plan,  because  .Judges,  Lawers,  Lords,  and 
all,  is  infected  with  the  sam  seiknes,  sa  that  the  remead  t'alles  amang 
impossibilities,  Ivk  the  Ileiland  or  Bordour  theift. 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  IMA  in '.  191 

"  The  rents,  lands,  and  leivings  of  the  Hospitalls,  Almes-housses, 
and  Masone  Dieus,1  ar  lyk  wayes  tean  in  few2  be  gentilmen  and  bur- 
gesses for  right  nocht ;  in  sic  sort,  that  thair  buildings  is  alwhare 
deceyit,  and  thair  fimdations  lost  and  abolished. 

"The  Pure,  partlie  for  want  of  thair  awin  patrimonie,  and  parthe 
for  yeirly  increassing  of  thair  number,  be  wrang  and  oppression, 
goes  throw  the  countrey  in  swarmes,  war  nor3  Turks  or  Infidelles, 
godles  and  lawles,  without  manage,  baptesme,  or  knawlage  of  dew- 
tie  to  God  or  man. 

"  The  Nobilitie  neglects  and  castes  af  thair  publict  callings,  leiv- 
ing  nocht  as  sic  as  sould  haiff  a  speciall  cair  and  charge  of  thair 
countrey  and  comoun-weill,  and  whom  God  lies  callit  to  be  counsal- 
lours  to  thair  King,  fathers  of  the  peiple,  and  defendars  and  mean- 
teiners  of  his  Kirk  in  this  cleir  light  of  the  Gospell ;  for  the  quhilk 
calling,  Chryst  sail  a  day  call  them  till  acompt ;  bot  rather  as  pri- 
vat  men,  tliinking  it  aneuche  to  keipe  that  quhilk  thair  fathers  lies 
left  tham,  and  tak  than*  pastyme  and  pleasur,  or  to  conqueise  mair 
to  thair  cliildring,  or  to  be  redoubted  of  thir  nibours,  and  pley  the 
oppressours  and  bangsters,  &c. 

"  As  for  the  rewlling  of  the  comoun-weill,  hald  in  hand  till  exe- 
cution of  justice,  reforming  and  establissing  of  the  Kirk,  counsalling 
and  assisting  of  thair  Prince  to  that  purpose,  they  cair  na  mair 
thairfor  nor  sa  mikle  as  may  be  a  pretence  for  thair  particulars  :  Sa 
that  whar  they  sould  be  rewlars  and  halders  of  uthers  in  guid  or- 
dom'  and  dewtie  bathe  in  Kirk,  Court,  and  Comoun-weill,  they  ar 
becom  degenerat  slaves  to  courteours,  and  corruptars  of  Judges, 
men  of  law,  and  Kirk  men,  for  bringing  to  pas  nianie  unjust  and 
wrangfull  turn  ;  or  to  be  sufferit  to  sit  at  hanie  for  thair  ease  and 
pastyme,  as  thouche  they  war  bom  for  ther  awin  bellie,  lyk  beasts. 
Wharof  hes  proceidit  thir  mischeiffs  following  : 

"  Ambassatours  of  Babel,  clyentes  of  the  Pape,  our  Athalia  and 
the  Hous  of  Guise,  and  the  Court  of  Spean,  profest  Papists,  hes  bein 
and  is  sufferit  to  carie  away  the  King's  hart  from  the  cheiff  profes- 

1  Maisons  Dieii.  2  Fcued,  taken  in  feu.  :;  Worse  than. 


192  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diaby.  1584. 

BOUTS  and  mcanteiners  of  the  Gospell,  to  runne  a  cours  direct  against 
relligion,  Weill  of  his  countrey,  and  .standing  of  him  selff  in  guid 
csteat  of  kinglie  honour,  bodie  and  saull.  Sa  that  it  is  thought  and 
spokin,  that  the  undewtifulnes  and  negligence  of  the  Nobilitie  lies 
indangerit,  and  almaist  lost,  that  rare  perle  of  sa  notable  expecta- 
tion. 

"  Debauschit '  men,  godles  flatterers,  wha  haid  sauld 2  them  selves 
in  body  and  conscience  to  do  anie  thing  for  warldlie  preferment, 
was  sufFerit  till  insinuat  tham  selves  in  the  King's  favour;  wha 
withe  violence,  outtragius  pryd,  craft,  falsed  and  flatterie,  war  meit 
to  execut  the  plat  leyed  doAvn  be  the  Papists,  and  now,  ingratfullie  in- 
deid,  and  injustlie  upon  the  part  of  men  imployed  to  wrak  thair  ad- 
vancsars,  bot  in  respect  of  God  maist  justlie  to  punishe  the  ower- 
sight  of  the  nobilitie.  Yea,  thair  degenerat  harts,  wha  cearit  nocht 
for  purchassing  of  thair  particidars  to  becom  servants  and  courters 
of  flattering  courteours,  and  permit  the  haill  government  of  the 
Comoun-weill  to  be  cast  lous  and  turn  in  tyrannie,  to  thair  just  de- 
Bervit  wrak  in  the  end. 

"  Of  this  hes  sprung  the  absolut  powar,  wharbe,3  as  a  monster 
never  hard  of  in  anie  just  government,  the  haill  privileges  of  the  thrie 
Esteates  of  the  Realme  is  weakned  and  almost  takin  away  ;  be  the 
quhilk  Esteates,  according  to  the  lovable  custom  of  the  Kingdome 
of  Scotland,  fra  the  beginning  thairof,  all  things  with  mature  deli- 
beration, die  reasoning  and  votting,  all  things  was  done,  and  be 
I  he  quhilk  Kings,  passing  thair  bounds  to  the  wrak  and  oppression 
of  the  Comoun-weill,  war  corrected  and  brought  in  ordour.  In  lyk 
maner,  the  privilages  of  Towns  and  Universities,  yea  of  the  holie 
Kirke  it  selff,  established  be  sa  manic  guid  rewlars  and  parliaments, 
according  to  the  Word  of  God,  ar  owerthrawin. 

"All  the  Judgments  of  the  Realme,  Secret  Counsall,  Session, 
.ln-licc  Courts.   Consistories,    Scherifls"    Courtes,    Provost,  Bailvies 

and  uthers,  arrewlit,  nochl  be  law,  civill  or  municipal!,  right  orrea- 
sone,  ted  Principis  placitum  legis  habei  vigorem.    It  is  the  King's  will, 

1  Debauched,  worthless.  ?  Bold.  ;  Whereby. 


1584.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaby.  193 

for  now  Captean  James,  as  Stratocles  in  Athens,  hes  maid  a  law, 
'  That  whatsoever  the  King  commands,  that  is  halie1  towards  God, 
and  just  anents 2  men.' 

"  From  thence  ar  sa  manie  score  of  slaughters,  and  murdours, 
hearschips  and  oppressiones,  lying  on  the  head  of  the  King  and 
bak  of  the  countrey,  crying  to  the  heavinnes  for  just  vengeance  from 
the  righteus  God  ;  for  as  everie  an  hes 3  moyen  at  Court,  sa  comes 
his  mater  to  pas.  And  because  the  Court  is  godles  and  wicked, 
the  maist  ungodlie  and  wicked  finds  the  graittest  moyen  thairin  : 
Wharof  it  comes  that  the  wicked  thus  triomphe,  and  the  guid  and 
godlie  is  oppressit  and  wracked ;  sa  that  na  mervell  it  is  to  sie  the 
countrey  thus  plegged,  yea,  whowbeit  it  sould  utterly  pearishe,  in 
God's  righteus  judgments. 

"  The  King's  patrimonie  and  casualities  ar  graitlie  hurt  and  ab 
busit ;  whilk  causes  nocht  onlie  his  povertie,  to  the  grait  scham  of 
the  countrey,  and  hinderance  of  comoim  warks,  bot  also  sa  monie 
intolerable  taxationnes,  exactiones,  and  imposts  to  be  maid  upon 
his  subjects,  to  the  tyning  of  thair  harts,  and  wrak  of  the  pure 
laborars ;  for  Lords,  Lards,  and  Prelates,  exacts  twyse  sa  mikle  from 
thair  pure  tenents  upon  that  occasion. 

"  Of  the  forementioned  Papisticall  course,  and  this,  comes  sa 
manie  forfaultries  and  banisment  of  the  best  and  maist  noble  men 
of  the  realme  ;  selling  of  slauchters  and  blud,  grait  soumes  of  com- 
positiones  exacted  for  na  faidts  bot  weill  doing;  the  quhilk  all  of 
God's  judgments  tumes  to  inischeiffs,  whill  as  be  thir  divelishe  se- 
ductors  it  is  abusit  to  execut  all  kynd  of  violence  against  the  guid 
men  of  the  land. 

"  The  rest  referring  to  your  Lordschips'  experience  and  wesdome, 
and  to  sic  ashes  graitter  insight,  be  yeirs  and  judgment,  I  ceas  nocht 
to  pray  God  to  giff  your  Lordschips  an  upright  and  constant  reso- 
lution to  sie  thir  things  sum  day  redressit  and  amendit." 

Zacharie  i.  "  Thus  sayes  the  Lord  of  Hostes,  Turn  unto  mie 
with  all  your  harts,  and  amend  your  evill  wayes,  and  I  will  turn 
unto  yow,  sayes  the  Lord  of  Hosts." 4 

1  Holy.  2  Concerning-.  :!  According  as  any  on<>  has.  4  Zech.  i.  3. 

N 


194  BO  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  l')S-l. 

Now,   because   amangs   these   horrible    corruptiones,   Ave   haiff 

affirmed  that  quhilk  wald  seim  incredible  in  a  reformed  and  sattled 
esteat  of  a  Kirk,  That  these  monstruus  misrewlars  wald  cause  the 
Ejng  tak  unto  him  to  be  the  onlie  Head  and  Monarche  in  the  Kirk, 
as  in  the  Comoun-wcill ;  and  that  the  cheiff  rewlars  of  the  Kirk, 
the  Bischopes,  sould  tak  the  authoritic  and  warrand  of  thuir  calling 
from  him,  (quhilk  is  pleane  Popish  Hierarchie,  and  so  mikle  Avars,1 
as  the  Pape  is  a  Bischope,  an  ecclesiastik  persone  and  office-bearer, 
provyding  he  and  his  Kirk  war  trew,)  as  indeid  I  could  skarslie  a 
lang  whyll  beleivc  my  selff  that  the  devill  durst  sa  soone  and  planlie 
utter  him  selff  in  Scotland,  whill  I  gat  the  actes  of  parliament  for- 
mentioned ;  and  efter  diligent  intreatie,  a  just  copie  of  the  Arch- 
bischope  of  St  Androis'  Bull  cam  in  my  hand,  quhilk  for  the  war- 
rand of  sa  hiche  alleageance  it  behoved  me  heir  till  insert  : 

"  A  COPIE  OF  THE  BULL  QUHILK  THE  ARCHBISCHOPE  OF  ST  AN- 
DROIS GAT  OF  THE  KING,  AS  SUPREAM  GOVERNOUR  OF  THE  KIRK, 
WIIERBY  HE  HAS  POWAR  AND  AUTHORITIE  TO  USE  HIS  ARCIIE- 
PISCOPALL  OFFICE  WITHIN  THE  KIRK  AND  HIS  DIOCESE. 

"  Our  Soveran  Lord,  with  advys  and  consent  of  the  Lords  of 
his  Hienes  Privie  Counsall,  ordeanes  a  Letter  to  be  maid  under  the 
Grait  Seall  in  dew  form,  geivand,  grantand  to  his  weilbelovit  clerk 
and  orator,  Patrik,  Archbischope  of  St  Androis,  powar,  authoritie, 
and  jurisdiction  to  exerceis  the  samiug  Arehbischopric,  be  him  selff, 
his  Deputes,  and  Commissionars,  in  all  maters  Ecclesiasticall  within 
the  diocease  of  St  Androis,  and  shireffdomes  quhilk  lies  bein  heirto- 
fore  annexed  thairunto  :  With  powar  to  the  said  Archbischope  under 
his  Hienes  to  call  and  convcin  Synodal!  Assemblies  of  the  ministerie 
within  the  diocease  for  kciping  of  guid  ordour,  meanteining  of  trew 
doctrine  and  reformation  of  manors  alleanerlie  : 2  To  plant  Ministers 
of  Kirks,  quhilks  sail  hnppin  to  be  dcsolat  and  vaeand  :3  To  giff  Ad- 
mission and  Collation  of  Benefices  to  pcrsones  qualefiet,  ather  pre- 

■  Much  worse.  2  Alone,  only.  s  Vacant. 


1584.  Mlt  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  L95 

sentit  be  the  lawful]  Patrones  or  us  :  To  Depose  persones  unquali- 
fied and  unable  in  lyff  or  doctrine  for  discharging  thair  cure ;  the 
quhilk  persones  being  sa  deposit,  thair  rents,  stipends,  and  bene- 
fices to  veak '  in  the  hands  of  the  lawfull  Patrones,  to  be  conferred 
of  new  to  qualefiet  and  godlie  persones  :  To  reform  Collages,  Kirks, 
and  sic  uther  places  apointed  for  lerning  :  To  place  and  displace 
Maisters  of  Collages  unqualefiet,  according  to  the  tenour  of  thair 
fundationes,  or  evill  affected  to  our  service  and  obedience,  contra- 
vening be  word  or  wryt  our  Royall  powar  and  privilage  establissed 
in  our  leat  actes  of  parliament,  or  sklandering  us  be  erroneus  doc- 
trine :  To  Visit  the  Hospitales  within  the  diocease,  and  Kirkes,  and 
sie  tham  weill  mrnesit,  menteined,  and  apperrelled :  Commanding 
our  fathfull  and  trew  subjects  to  yeild  unto  the  said  Patrik,  Arch- 
bischope  of  St  Androis,  dew  obedience :  And  that  the  sam  may  be 
better  reverenced  and  obeyit,  we  haifF  given  and  granted  powar  to 
the  said  Archbischope  to  haiff  an  of  the  maist  verteus,  godlie,  and 
honest  officers  of  armes  within  the  said  diocease,  wha  salbe  callit 
the  Officer  of  the  Kirk,  wha  sail  in  our  nam  and  authoritie  assist 
the  forsaid  Archbischope,  and  sail  command  all  and  sindrie  con- 
traveinars  and  brakars  of  the  guid  and  godlie  ordour  of  the  Kirk, 
of  what  degrie  or  qualetie  soever  they  be  under  us,  with  sic  penalties, 
mulcts,  imprisonments,  repentances  and  maner  thairof,  as  we,  our 
Counsallours  and  Esteates  sail  agrie  unto,  upon  the  humble  sutt  of 
the  said  Archbischope,  and  uther  Bischopes  and  Commissionars  in 
Ecclesiastical!  maters ;  in  the  quhilk,  giff  the  said  Bischope  and 
officer  be  disobeyit,  we  will  accompt  the  injurie  don  to  our  awin 
persone,  and  punishe  the  saining  with  all  rigour,  in  exemple  of  uthers. 
Provyding  alwayes,  that  giff  anie  persone  or  persones  receave  anie 
intolerable  wrang,  or,  without  cause  or  just  deserving,  be  uther 
wayes  usit  be  the  said  Bischope,  than  as  the  law  of  God  and  lovable 
constitution  of  this  realme  does  permit,  it  salbe  leisome 2  to  the  per- 
sones sa  inormlie  hurt  to  appell  to  us,  and  our  soveran  authoritie 
to  be  interponit  for  remead  thairof;  for  giff  the  seat  and  image  of 

1  Become  vacant.      Lat.  vacare.  2  Lawful,  allowable. 


19G  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  L584. 

Empcrours  in  ancient  tyme  Avar  a  sufficient  girthe,1  azill,2  and  pro- 
tection to  them  that  haid  refuge  thairunto,  it  becomes  us  mikle  mair 
in  our  awin  peiBOne  to  be  a  confort,  aid,  and  releifF  to  tham  that 
sail  seik  unto  our  cleamencie  against  whatsumever  oppression  be 
spirituall  or  temporal]  persones,  to  whom  we  promise  our  princelie 
favour;  the  quhilk  we  mynd  always  till  administrat  be8  the  gn  <•<•  <>t 
God  in  sic  sort  as  we  may  be  answerable  to  him,  whase  image  and 
leiutennantrie  we  bear  in  this  realm.  And  fordar,  because  it  is 
aecessar  tor  the  Kirk  of  God,  and  preservation  of  guicl  ordourto  be 
menteined  thairin,  that,  when  necessitie  requyres,  the  Bischopes  of 
everie  dyocease,  and  sic  uther  lerned  men  of  thair  diocease  as  salbe 
thought  meit  for  that  purpose,  assemble  togidder  for  taking  of  an 
uniform  ordour  to  be  observit  in  the  realm,  in  form  of  Comoun 
Prayer  and  uther  things  requisit,  for  the  comoun  esteat  of  the  Kirk, 
we,  of  our  princlie  powar,  grantes  the  priviladge  unto  the  said  Arch- 
bischope  to  convein  the  rest ;  provyding  alwayes,  that  befor  anie 
Convention  Generall  of  the  Clargie,  that  the  said  Bischope  sail  mak 
us  advertised  of  the  necessarie  causses  of  the  forsaid  Convention, 
that  we  may  understand  the  saming  to  tend  to  the  weilfear  of  the 
Kirk  and  polecie  of  the  countrey  ;  and  that  the  said  Bischope  may 
haiff  our  speciall  licence  thairunto  granted  unto  him  under  ourprhie 
BeaU  ;  and  that  na  act  or  constitution  maid  be  the  Assemblie  of 
Bischopes  or  Clerks  haiff  anie  force,  strenthe,  or  effect  within  our 
realm,  to  bind  anie  of  our  subjects,  without  they  be  allowit,  approvit, 
and  confirmed  be  us,  our  Counsall  and  Esteat :  And  cfter  the  pro- 
bation of  our  royall  authoritie,  they  to  stand  in  full  force  and 
effect,"  &c. 


Thus  it  pleased  God,  of  his  graft  mercie  and  grace,  to  haiff  me  oc- 
cupied the  first  monethe  of  my  entrie  with  our  Lords ;  about  the 
end  wharof  Mr  Patrik  Galloway,  returning  bak  againe  from  Lon- 
don, enrn  to  us,  and  undertaking  the  Mrnieterie  of  the  companie 

•Sanctuary.  Asylum.  3  To  administer  by. 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  197 

with  me,  (wha  travelit  onlie  in  the  Word  and  Discipline,)  lyked 
weill  of  our  ordour,  and  according  to  the  saming,  efter  the  exerceis 
of  tasting,  a  haill  ouk  going  before,  ministrat  the  Holie  Communion 
the  last  Sabothe  of  August ;  and  sa  continowing  conform  to  our 
ordour,  in  everie  poinct,  the  monethes  of  September  and  October ; 
in  the  quhilk,  because  my  wyff  was  becom  grait  with  chyld  of  hir 
first  birthe,  and  langit  to  be  in  Berwik,  ther  to  ly,  for  divers  rea- 
sones,  I,  obteining  leive  of  the  flok,  convoyed  hir  tliither,  and  re- 
tourned  to  my  chai'ge  till  the  monethe  of  November  :  In  the  quhilk, 
the  Lords  haiffing  Mr  Patrik  with  thame,  thought  it  meit  that  I 
soidd  remean  a  space  at  Berwik,  because  the  halff  of  the  companie 
and  my  wyff  was  ther  ;  for  ther  was  the  Lords  Abbots  of  Cambus- 
kinnell,1  Drybrouche,  andPasley,  George  Dowglas  of  Parkheid,  and 
dyvers  uther  gentilmen.  To  this  I  aggreit,  and  entering  with  tham, 
helde  tham  occupied  als  neir  the  ordour  leyed  down  as  could  win. 
And  surliel  was  never  niair  diligentlie  and  fruitfullie  occupied  nor2 
that  Avintar ;  for  by  the  exerceise  quhilk  I  haid  amangs  oivr  awin 
folks,  to  the  quhilk  resorted  a  number  of  godlie  peiple  of  the  town, 
because  the  publict  doctrin  in  the  Kirk  was  dischargit  be  a  prac- 
tising betwix  the  Lord  of  Hounsdan,  Governour,  and  Captean 
James,  gyddar  of  our  Court,  called  then  Erie  of  Arran  and  Chan- 
cellar  of  Scotland.  The  guid  Lady  "VYedringtoun,  of  whom  I  maid 
mention  befor,  being  cowsines,  and  in  creadit  with  the  said  Lord 
Governour,  obteined  licence  to  me,  for  hir  confort  and  of  a  number 
of  maist  godlie  and  zealus  peiple,  to  teatche  in  a  certean  hous  of 
the  Town  thryse  in  the  ouk,  to  thair  and  myne  grait  joy  and  con- 
solation. 

During  that  tyme  the  Communion  was  to  be  celebrat  in  Berwik, 
and  therfor  a  certean  dayes  I  teatched  to  tham  the  doctrine  of  Pre- 
paration before  the  sam ;  wherin  that  guid  Lady  fand  sic  instruc- 
tion and  confort,  that  sche  ernestlie  intreated  me  to  sett  doun  the 
substance  thairof  to  hir  in  wryt :  The  quhilk  I  did,  the  quhilk  also 
sche  schew  me  a  space  thairefter  copied  ower  in  her  awin  hand  wryt, 

1  Cambuskennetli,  generally  so  .spelled  in  ancient  MSS.  '-'  Than. 


L98  Ml.'  JAMES  MELV1LLS  DIAST.  15b4. 

exceiding  a  thrie  or  four  [leaves]  throuchc,  for  sche  wrot  verie  fear. 
Sic  was  hir  diligence  and  call  to  grow  in  knawlage  and  practise  of 
trew  relligion. 

The  newea  quhilk  ive  haid,  in  the  meantyme,  out  of  Scotland 
war  verie  evill ;  for  Arran,  with  his  authorised  Archbischope,  began 
then  to  rage. 

Diverse  gentillmen,  upon  naked  and  bear  suspitionnes,  was  appre- 
liendit  and  put  to  schamfull  execution.  Amangs  whom  was  the 
Lard  of  Drumwhasill,  wha  drank  a  bitter  coupe  of  liis  awin  brewing  ; 
for  he  was  a  grait  counsallour  and  doar  in  bringing  hame  Monsieur 
d'Obignie,  and  his  sone-in-law,  the  Lard  of  Meanse,  a  gentleman  of 
notable  gifts  of  body  and  mynd,  and  thairfor  mikle  hated  and  fearit 
of  these  wicked  men ;  whase  deathe  was  als  mikle  lamented  in 
Eino;land  as  ever  I  hard  Scotsman. 

The  Archbischope,  that  he  sould  nocht  be  behind,  fell  to  wark, 
and  in  tyme  of  modification  of  stipends,  sett  down  the  form  of  a 
Band,  the  quhilk  all  behoved  to  subscryve  that  gat  assignation  of 
stipends  ;  yea,  it  was  sa  prosecut,  that  wha  soever  refused  to  sub- 
scryve was  thretned  with  the  los  of  thair  benefices  and  leivings,  yea 
fordar,  with  imprisonment  and  banisment,  in  cais  of  anie  spetches 
littered  in  the  contrar.  Ileirnpon,  and  sum  uther  forget  causses, 
Mr  David  Lindsay  was  put  in  the  preasone  of  Blaknes,  Mr  Jhone 
Ilowisone  in  the  Spey  Towre  of  St  Jhonstoun,  Mr  Andro  Hay  put 
in  warde,  and  hardlie  usit  ;  yea,  ther  was  nocht  a  guid  man,  in  Kirk 
or  conntrey,  but  was  put  in  sic  fear,  and  oppressed  with  sic  greiff, 
that  they  weiried  of  thair  lvvis,  and  thought  us  happie  wha  was 
away, and naid  that  libertieofbody  and  mynd  toaerveour  God  and 
ease  our  conscience. 

A  grait  number  of  the  Ministerie  kythed1  what  they  war:  even 
Mini  at  the  beginning  went  throuchlie  with  the  Archbischope,  but 
efter  Mr  Jhone  Crag  and  Jhone  Dunkesone,  the  hong's  Ministers. 

yeildit  :    wharof  tli.it    .inc.    Mr   (rage,-   haid    stand   constant    verie 

1  Experienced,  realized.  '  "  Mr  Crag  at  this  twin'  pronuncit  ajodgmenl  upon 
the  Erie  of  Arran,  in  bis  race,  befor  the  Kin",,  saying,  -  As  the  Lord  i-  in  t.  he  will 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  199 

lang,  and  sustained  grait  thretnings  and  bost  of  Arran  ;  yit,  at  last, 
be  weaknes  and  a  sort  of  sophistication,  (casting  in  a  clause,  "  ac- 
cording to  the  Word  of  God,"  making  manifestam  repugnantiam  in 
adjecto,  as  giff  ane  sould  say,  he  wald  obey  the  Pape  and  his  Pre- 
lates, according  to  the  Word  of  God,)  he  yeildit  and  subscryvit, 
and  drew  with  him  the  graittest  part  of  the  Ministerie  of  Scotland, 
quhilk  was  the  heaviest  newes  that  could  com  to  us  ;  for,  alas ! 
then  the  enemies  triumphed,  and  all  the  harts  of  guid  men  war 
broken  and  discuragit.  Yit  ther  war  a  few  guid  breither  in  Mers 
and  Lawdien,1  wha,  as  they  might,  bathe  keipit  tham  selves  clein, 
and  withstude  the  adversar,  making  sum  stay  to  that  grait  defec- 
tion, wha  knawing  that  I  was  in  Berwik,  acquented  me  with  the 
mater,  and  send  me  the  forme  of  the  Band,  with  information  of  all 
proceidings.  "Wharupon,  with  grait  motion  and  greiff  of  mynd,  I 
permit  this  Letter  following,  and  send  in,  togidder  with  a  Letter  in 
Latine,  and  the  controversies  gathered  to  a  few  conclusiones,  con- 
firmed with  manifauld  reasones  and  places  of  Scripture,  directed  to 
the  Archbischopes  meache2  and  graittest  associat,  Mr  Alexander 
Home,  Minister  of  Diunbar  ;  provoking  him  to  answer  giffhe  could, 
or  gitT  nocht,  to  bid  his  ordinar,  the  Archbischope,  do  it  him  selff. 
Bot  I  haid  nather  answer  of  the  an  nor  uther,  and  the  guid  breith- 
ring  Avar  thairby  mikle  conforted  and  incuragit. 

A  JUST  COPIE  OF  THAT  QUHILK  THE  SUBSCRYVING  MINISTERS  FIRS  1 
AND  LAST  DID  SUBSCRYVE. 

"We,  the  beneficed  men,  Ministers,  Iieiddars,  Maisters  of  Schollcs 

humble  yow  !'  The  Erie,  mokking  him,  said, '  I  sail  mak  the  of  a  fals  Frier  a  trcw 
Profet !'  and  sa,  sitting  down  on  his  knie,  he  sayes,  (  Now  I  am  humblit !'  '  Na,'  sayes 
Mr  Crag,  'mok  the  servant  of  God  as  thow  will,  God  will  nocht  be  mocked  ;  bot  mak 
the  find  it,  in  ernest,  when  thow  salbe  humblit  af  the  hiche  hors  of  thy  pryde !'  Quhilk, 
within  a  certean  of  yeirs  thairefter,  (1598,)  cam  to  pas,  when  James  Dowglas  ran  him 
af  his  hors  with  a  spear,  and  slew  him  ;  and  his  oarcas,  cast  in  an  open  Kirke  besyde, 
or  [ere]  it  was  buried  was  fund  eattin  with  the  dogs  and  Bwyne  1  Mr  Crag,  utherwayes 
an  excellent  pretcher,  haid  disehargit  a  fathfull  dewtie  at  Court  in  all  his  ministerie, 
bot  heirin  grcvit  us  all  to  the  veric  hart." — Note  by  the  Author  on  margin  of  MS. 
1  Blerse  and  Lotbian,  -'  Muift,  companion,  confident. 


200  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAB1  .  1584. 

and  Collages,  undersubscry  ving,  testifies  and  fathfullie  promises,  be 
thir  our  hand-wreittes,  our  humble  and  dewtifull  submission  and 
fidelitie  to  our  Soveran  Lord  the  King's  Majestie  ;  and  to  obey  with 
all  humilitie  his  Hienes  actes  of  parliament  haldin  at  Edinbruche 
the  xxij.  day  of  May  1584  yeirs  :  And  that,  according  to  the  sam, 
we  sail  schaw  our  obedience  to  our  ordinal*  Bischope  or  Commis- 
sionar  apointcd,  or  to  be  apointed,  be  his  Majestie,  to  have  the  ex- 
erccise  of  the  spirituall  jurisdiction  in  our  diocese,  [according  to  the 
Word  of  God.]  And  in  ceas  of  non-obedience  in  the  premisses,  our 
benefices,  stipends,  and  leivings  to  vac,1  ipso  facto,  and  rmalefiet  and 
obedient  persones  to  be  provydit  in  our  rowmes,2  as  gift'  we  war 
naturalie  dead  ;  according  to  his  Hienes  Act  of  Parliament  maid 
thairanent  in  all  poincts. 

"  TO  THE  BREITHRING  OF  THE  MINISTERIE  OF  SCOTLAND, 

"  Wha  lies  latlie  subscryvit  to  the  Popish  Supremacie  of  the  King, 
and  ambitiua  tyrannie  of  the  Bischops  ower  thair  Brithring, 

"  J[ames]  M[elvill]  wissethe  unfeinyit  repentance. 

"  Ther  is  strange  newes  latlie  reported  unto  us,  (my  breithring,) 
that  yie  sould  haiff  altogidder  without  streakes 3  yeildit  to  the  adver- 
saries and  nocht  onlie  be  word  conscntit,  bot  alse  be  the  subscrip- 
tion of  your  hands  confirmed,  that  horrible  boundage  and  sklaverie, 
wharinto  our  Kirk  of  Scotland  is  brought  be  the  leat  actes  of  par- 
liament, and  this  present  intolerable  tyrannic  of  the  fals  Bischopes  ; 
the  quhilk,  undoutedlie  brought  upon  yow  be  Sathan,  the  adversar 
of  Chryst's  kingdome,  lies  bein  wrought  be  the  meanes  ather  of 
malice  and  hatred  against  the  treuthe  knawin,  or  of  ignorance,  or 
then  of  grait  weakness 

"  Trewlie,  my  breithring,  albeit  I  knaw  that  of  tham  that  wer 
Sathan'e  instruments,  be  feir  and  flatterie,  to  bring  vow  to  so  feir- 
I'nll  a  fall  and  greivus  sklandcr,  sum  be  new  Julians,  who,  altho  they 

1  Become  vacant.  '  Places.  a  Without  opposition,  without  a  blow  struck. 


1584.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  201 

confes  they  knaw  the  treuthe  of  the  sinceare  Eeligion  of  Chryst, 
yit  for  malice  and  hatred  conceavit  against  it  and  the  Ministers 
thairof,  they  haid  rather  bein  of  the  Turks'  fathe  then  of  the  fathe 
of  Ministers.  And,  thairfor,  following  the  fut-steaps  of  Julian,  they 
persecut  the  sam  mahtiuslie,  taking  the  leivings  from  the  Ministers, 
casting  tham  in  pressone,  banissing  tham  the  countrey,  owerthraw- 
ing  the  Scholles  and  Seminaries  apointed  for  the  continuance  thair- 
of ;  and  wald  undoutedlie,  with  fyre  and  sword,  persew  the  saming, 
giff  force  and  powar  answerit  to  thair  incensit  aire l  and  bludie  ap- 
petit.  Sum  ar  mail*  leing,  flattering,  and  ambitius,  then  was.  Ama- 
ziah,  the  Preist  of  the  King's  Chappell  at  Bethell,  wha,  perceaving 
the  prophetes  of  the  Lord  to  prophecie  against  King  Jeroboam's 
new  forgit  relligion,  be  serving  to  the  quhilk  his  ambition  and  glut- 
tonie  was  meanteined,  he  ceassit  nocht  till  invent  treassone,  sedi- 
tion, and  all  sort  of  lies  against  tham,  and  mak  the  King  to  ban- 
ishe,  imprissone,  and  persecut  tham  with  all  kynd  of  rigour ;  mair 
avaritius  and  war2  myndit  against  God's  childring  then  Balaam  the 
fals  prophet,  cursing  and  devysing  all  meanes  to  mak  the  peiple  of 
the  Lord  to  fall  in  the  hands  of  thair  enemies,  and  furnesing  to 
Balak  wicked  and  devillishe  counsall  till  intyse  tham  to  defection 
from  the  trew  worschipping,  and  sa  to  sin  against  God,  to  mak  the 
fyre  of  his  wrathe  to  kindle  against  tham ;  and,  finalie,  mair  rashe, 
and  void  of  guid  conscience,  in  maters  of  Relligion,  then  was  Urias 
the  preist,  wha  thought  idolatrus  King  Ahaz'  command  a  warrand 
guid  aneuche  for  him  to  displace  the  altar  of  the  Lord,  and  sett  in  the 
roum  thairof  an  new  dressit,  according  to  the  form  of  the  Altar  of 
Damascus.3  Sum,  wars  nor4  the  godles  Atheist  Machiavel,  wha 
careing  in  thair  sleives  maist  cunning  court-craft,  makes  na  thing 
of  God,  Chryst,  and  Relligion,  with  the  Ministers  thairof,  bot  pages 
and  slaves  to  serve  to  thair  turnes  :  For  if  they  may  mak  for  thair 
coiu'se,  and  sic  an  esteat  of  government  as  they  wald  haiff,  O  then 
they  will  speak  weill,  and  graitlie  esteim  of  tham  !  Bot  if  they  can 
do  na  thing  for  thair  purpose,  or  can  nocht  suffer  thair  wicked  at- 

1  Wrath,  ire.  2  Worse.  3  See  2  Kings  xvi.  10-16.  '  Worse  than. 


-»>^  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  1584. 

tempts,  or  will  nocht  change  and  alter  opiniones  when  they  will, 
then  can  they  nocht  be  sufferit  in  a  Comoun-weill ;  they  ar  ene- 
mies to  Princes  and  lawful!  authorities  ;  they  ar  seditius,  proude, 
and  treasonable,  and  thairfor  man  till  exyll,1  banissment,  preasone, 
and  skaffauld.  To  these  Hell  is  but  a  boggill  to  fley  bames,2  and 
Heavin  but  a  conceat  to  mak  foolles  fean !  And  last,  mair  ethnik 
nor  Numa  Pampilius,  esteiming  Uelligion  and  worschiping  of  God 
bot  a  superstitius  terrour  to  the  conscience  of  peiple  to  hauld  tham 
in  awe  and  under  obedience. 

"  This  I  say,  althought  they  be,  that  works  in  this  mater  be 
malice  and  hatred,  judgit  and  damnet  of  them  selves,  and  whasc 
portion  salbe  with  the  forenamed  workers  of  iniquitie,  to  whom 
they  ar  lyk  in  lyff  and  doing  ;  yit  can  yie  nocht  be  purgit  from  com- 
municating with  thair  feirfull  sinnes,  in  sa  far  as  yie  haiff  consented 
thairunto  be  word  and  wryt ;  wharas  yie  sould  rather  haiff  obeyit 
the  Word  of  God,  commanding  be  his  prophet — '  Say  nocht,  a 
confederacie  with  this  peiple,  nather  feir  yie  thair  feir,  nor  be  ef- 
frayit  of  tham,  bot  sanctefie  the  Lord  of  Hostes,  and  let  him  be 
your  dreid  :  Surlie  he  sould  haiff  bein  unto  yow  as  a  sanctuarie,  and 
unto  tham  a  stumbling-blok,  and  a  rok  to  fall  upon.' 3  Gladlie  wald 
I  purge  you,  my  breithring,  of  this  first  mean  of  malice  and  hatred 
against  the  treuthe  and  the  meanteinars  thairof.  And,  alas  !  that 
anie  occasioun  sould  ever  haiff  bein  offerit  annes  to  think  this  of 
anie  of  that  number !  But  what  sail  I  say  when  I  heir  that  sum  of 
yow  lies  nocht  onlie  subscryvit  your  selves,  bot  also,  lyk  desperat 
pest  folks,4  destitut  of  Christian  charitie,  travelles  to  seduce  and  in- 
fect sic  as  ar  haill6  and  wald  keipe  the  right  way,  and  betrays  the 
constancie  of  the  best  be  delatting  of  tham  to  the  persecutor  ;  and 
that  nocht  onlie  be  telling  the  treuthe,  bot  be  trattelles,6  lies,  and 
forgit  tealles,"  lyk  warldlie  pykthanks,"  to  mak  your  godlie  breithring 
ather  to  mak  defection  with  yow,  or  then  to  suffer  cxtremitie  in 
thair  bodies  ?  Alas,  for  sorrow  !  whar  is  the  fruicts  of  that  doctrine 

1  They  might  be  put  to  exile,  &c.  2  A  bugbear  to  terrify  children.  '  Isaiah  viii. 
1  People  infected  with  the  pestilence.  ''  Whole,  i"  good  health.  '•  [die 

talk,  tittle-tattle.  r  Forged  tales.  "  Pick-thanks, 


1584.  MR  JAMES  VLELVILL's  DIARY.  203 

of  Love  and  Charitie  quhilk  hessoundit  sa  often  out  of  your  mouthes? 
Bot  to  let  be  charitie,  whar  is  the  hatred  of  malice  and  homecid  ? 
Alas !  these  ar  rather  the  marks  of  bludie  burreaus l  and  crewall 
buchars2  of  Sathan,  the  lier  and  murderar,  then  of  the  disciples  of 
Chryst ;  the  takens  of  Turks,  Paganes,  and  Papists,  then  of  Chris- 
tian peiple,  to  let  be  Pretchours  and  instructors  of  uthers !  Wo  is 
me  for  yow,  unles  thir  things  be  repented  in  tyme  !  Behauld,  what 
it  is  to  slyde  bot  a  litle  from  the  treuthe,  and  mak  a  schisme  in 
opinion  from  the  brethering !  When  Sathan  gctts  ans  entres,  to  mak 
untreuthe  and  falshode  seim  to  be  born  withall,  and  yeildit  unto 
bot  a  lytle,  he  gaes  fordwart  incontinent,  and  begets  in  the  hart  a 
hatred  and  malice  against  the  treuthe  and  professours  thairof.  Be- 
war,  bewar,  my  breithring !  Mark  Sathan's  craftie  deallings ;  cast 
out  with  liim  and  resist  him  in  tyme,  least  he  gett  the  vantage  and 
preveall,  and  mak  the  last  warse  nor  the  first :  '  For  if  we  sin  will- 
inglie  efter  we  haiff  receavit  the  knaAvlage  of  the  treuthe,  ther  re- 
meanes  na  mair  sacrifice  for  sin,  but  a  feirful  looking  for  of  judg- 
ment, and  violent  fyre  to  devore  the  adversaries.'3 

"  Alwayes,  my  breithring,  I  wald  willinglie  heir  yow  all  purgit  of 
malice  ;  bot  I  knaw  sum  will  say,  I  knaw  na  better,  and  understand 
never  throwlie  the  maters  of  the  discipline,  and,  if  we  haiff  fellit,4 
it  is  of  ignorance  and  nocht  malice.  Certeanlie,  albeit  I  feir  that  to 
be  over  trew  in  over  manie  of  yow,  yit  it  is  a  schamfull  thing  to  be 
hard  tellit  in  your  awin  countrey,  and  abrod  in  other  nationes,  that 
yie,  wha  hes  bein  brought  upe  in  sa  notablie  constitut  a  Kirk  this 
twentie-sax  yeirs,  in  quhilk  sum  of  yow  also  hes  bein  Pastors  and 
teatchers  nocht  mikle  les,  and  all  hes  bom  function  and  charge, 
nocht  onlie  in  pretching  of  the  Word,  but  in  discharging  of  that 
uther  als  necessar  poinct  of  your  ministerie,  in  rewling  and  govern- 
ing of  the  Kirk  Avith  your  fellow  breithring  thir  manie  yeirs  bypast, 
to  say  that  yie  ar  yit  ignorant  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Jurisdiction  and 
spirituall  authoritie  of  the  kingdom  of  Chryst,  and  whow  it  differs 
from  the  temporall,  bodelie,  and  civill  polecie  ;  what  is  the  part  and 

1  Executioners,  hangmen.  -'  Butchers.  *  Hebrews  x.  'Failed. 


204  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1584. 

dewtie  of  the  Christian  magistrat  in  the  Kirk  ;  and,  namlie,  whither 
he  aught  to  be  maid  a  new  Pape,  to  use  tyrannie  over  the  Kirk, 
and  conscience  of  men  of  the  Ecclesiasticall  functiones.  And  gift' 
that  satanical  presumption  and  pryde  of  fals  Bischopes  may  be  tole- 
rat  in  the  Kirk  of  Jesus  Chryst,  cpihilk  from  the  dayes  of  Constan- 
tin,  be  whase  mair  zealus  affection  than  considerat  wisdonie,  they 
gat  warldlie  ritches  and  honour,  hes  infected  the  Kirk,  nocht  onlie 
with  all  kynd  of  vyces  against  the  Second  Table,  but  also  hes  rent 
and  devydit  the  saining,  with  sects,  schismes,  heresies,  and  dissen- 
tiones,  be  thair  ambitius  debeats,  ever  stvyving  for  steat,  wha 
might  be  hiest  and  graittest.  Efter  that  annes  that  command  and 
law  of  aequalitie  giften  be  Chryst  was  transgressed  and  violat,  they 
never  ceassit  unto  the  tyme  they  haid  hoised  upe  that  Man  of  Sin 
into  the  thron  and  roum  of  that  onhe  Supream  Rewlar  and  Head, 
the  Lord  Jesus ;  for  Bischopes  wald  be  Archbischopes,  and  they  Me- 
tropolitanes,  and  they  Patriarches,  and  sa  Papes  !  Yie  conveinit  your 
selves  in  Generall  and  Provinciall  Assemblies,  and  in  Presbyteries, 
to  the  quhilk  yeirlie,  half-yeirlie,  and  ouldie,  yie  resorted,  as  ordinal* 
members  and  charge-bearers  within  the  sam  ;  and  yit  can  nocht  tell 
what  ground,  warrant,  or  authoritie  yie  did  the  sam  npon,  as  tho  yie 
sould  planlie  say,  yie  did  it  nocht  in  fathe ;  and  sa  so  often  yie 
sinned  and  abbusit  those  holy  Conventionnes  of  the  Kirk  of  Chryst. 
"  To  your  grait  repruff,  I  man  call  to  mynd  the  notable  occasiones 
of  atteining  to  solid  knawlage  in  thir  maters  that  God  offerit  unto 
yow ;  bot  in  love,  as  of  God  his  glorie,  sa  of  your  saules,  as  God 
mot  love  mync  !  *  Forby  and  attour2  your  privat  studies  in  reiding 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  sa  monie  lerned  men's  wrytings  on  thir 
poincts,  aggreing  all  in  effect  in  maist  sweit  harmonic,  (wharinto, 
gift'  yie  haid  bein  als  diligentlie  occupied  as  God  gaiff  tyme  and  oc- 
casion, yie  neidit  nocht  to  alleage  ignorance  for  an  excuse,)  whow 
war  thir  heads  handlit  publictlie  in  the  Assemblies  ?  Was  nocht  the 
Generall  Assemblie,  be  the  space  of  sax  or  seavin  yeirs,  almaist 
hailelie  occupied  in  thir  questioncs  ?  War  nocht  the  Ministers,  in 

1  May  God  love  mini- !  -  Besides  and  moreover. 


1584.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  205 

all  the  quarters  of  the  countrey,  ernestlie  exhorted,  and,  be  publict 
authoritie,  commandit  to  cears l  and  seik  the  Scriptures  diligentlie, 
and  all  kynd  of  wrytters,  auld  and  new,  for  finding  furthe  of  the  so- 
lide  and  undoutted  treuthe  ?  Was  ther  nocht  apointed  Conferences 
to  be  haid  in  all  partes  amangs  the  breithring,  in  thair  Ouklie  Exer- 
ceises  and  Provinciall  Assemblies,  from  the  quhilks  men,  weill  in- 
structed with  reasones  and  judgment  of  the  rest,  war  send,  from 
tyme  to  tyme,  to  the  Generall  Assemblies  ;  whar,  bathe  be  privat 
and  opin  reasoning,  the  opinione  and  sentence  of  all  men  war  ex- 
amined and  tryed,  throw  everie  head  of  the  discipline  of  the  Kirk  ; 
and  efter  lang  and  often  reasoning,  all  put  in  votting,  and  be  haill 
and  uniforme  consent  and  aggriement  of  the  haill  Kirk,  in  a  Gene- 
rall Assemblie,  concludit,  and  digested  in  conclusion,  and  inregistrat 
in  the  Books  of  the  said  Assemblie,  and  extract  thairof  ordeanit  to 
be  giffen  to  everie  Presbyterie  throuchout  the  realm?  Whidder, 
giflf  this,  joyned  with  the  continuall  practise  of  the  sehT-sam  disci- 
pline, these  divers  yeirs  bypast,  may  mak  us  inexcusable  befor  God, 
his  Kirk,  and  Angelles,  the  verie  blind  warld  may  judge  ! 

"  Alas  !  deir  breithring,  yie  may  weill,  for  a  schort  tyme,  think 
yow  in  guid  esteat  that  lerned  nocht,  because,  as  yie  think,  with 
les  prik  of  conscience,  and  danger  of  bodies  and  geire,  yie  may  pas 
ower  thir  evil  days  :  But  O,  Mishnes  !  put  the  cais,  yie  might  put 
af  in  this  maner  manie  thowsand  yeirs,  ans 2  sail  com  the  day  when 
yie  sail  be  forcit  to  compeir  before  that  grait  Judge,  and  giff  an  ac- 
compt  of  the  discharging  of  that  maist  hie  calling,  when  a  compt 
salbe  cravit  of  all  the  ydle  houres,  words,  and  doings  that  yie  haiff 
spent !  Sail  yie  nocht  be  then  eschamit  of  that  wherinto  now  yie 
tak  pleasour  ?  Sail  nocht  this  sillie  ease  be  turned  in  sorrowfull 
wanrest  ? 3  Sail  ignorance  then  be  an  excuse  befor  Him  wha  sail 
schaw  him  selff  from  heavin,  with  the  angels  of  his  might,  in  flamb- 
ing  fyre,  to  tak  vengeance  on  tham  that  has  nocht  knawn  him, 
namlie,  on  sic  as  hes  neglected  and  dispysit  sa  manie  guid  occasiones 
of  knawlage  ministrat  unto  tham  ?  What  sail  the  flatterie  and  autho- 

1  Search.  *  Once,  at  length.  3  Restlessness. 


2(H)  KB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L584. 

ritie  of  your  King  and  Bisohop  then  availl  ?  Na  thing,  hot  to  be  par- 
takers of  judgment  as  of  sine,  except  repentance  mtervein. 

"  Oh  !  my  breithring,  yie  ar  f'arder  in  the  mist  with  this  igno- 
rance than  yie  suppose.     For  what  hope  sail  Sathan  haiff  now,  (of 
whase  force,  craft,  an  bissraes,  vie  sa  oftentymes  warn  your  hcirar.-,  | 
to  mak  you  to  yeild  in  the  verie  poincts  of  the  doctrine  of  salva- 
tion, seing  he  hea  fund  you  sa  easie  to  be  overcom  in  the  cais  of 
the  discipline,  wharof  vie  haiff  na  Less  sure  warrand  and  ground,  re- 
fering  to  the  mater  in  the  Word  of  God,  if  you  haid  list  to  haifF 
lcrncd  ?   \\liat  incuragment  sail  it  be  to  the  Papists,  that  lies  nocht 
bein  neglegent  in  lermng  the  untreuthe,  and  studeing  the  controver- 
sies in  thair  Seminaries,  and  wha  now  daylie  provokes  us  to  the  com- 
bat, when  they  sie  but  a  lytle  threatning  of  the  Prince,  nocht  of 
lvfF,  bot  leiving,  and  a  small  piece  of  flatterie  of  a  fals  Bischope,  is 
able  to  shak  you  from  your  grounds,  and  mak  you  to  fall  for  leak  of 
knawlage  ;  yea,  to  suffer  the  wall  and  blok-housses  of  your  discipline 
to  be  demolised  and  doling  doun,  thinking  (as  indeid  they  may)  it 
wilbe  easie  to  mak  the  breiche,  and  win  the  hauld  and  citie  of  your 
doctrine  and  Kirk  ?  Sail  they  nocht,  I  say,  haiff  guid  cause  to  hope 
weill  of  the  vietoric  and  conqueist  ?  Sail  they  nocht  haiff  reasonc  till 
affirmc  that  quhilk  they  haiff  sa  often  spokin  and  wryttin,  That  the 
Ministers  of  Scotland  is  bot  a  sort1  of  ignorant  and  feible  beasts, 
wha  nather  (low  abyde  reasoning  nor  thretning?  My  breithring,  the 
devil]  lies  maid  a  grait  brak  aniangs  you,  and  with  small  forces,  and 
few  strakes,  got  tin  a  grait  victorie  over  you;  and  yit  yie  will  find 
that  he  will  nocht  content  nor  stay  ther,  but  as  a  victor  puft  upc, 
will  preas  ford  wart.     And,  thairfbre,  in  the  tender  mercies  of  God, 
For  the  cair  I  haiff  of  your  salvation,  cxtreamlie  indangerit  now, 
when  fame  is  lost  and  gone,  I  man  apply  unto  you  an  extream  and 
harde  re  mead,2  to  phik  you  if  possible  out  of  the  claucs  of  Sathan; 
to  wit,  that  I'eirl'ull  eommination3  of  the  Apostle  to  the  Hebrews, 
'  It  is  impossible  that   they  qnhilk  war  anues   light  ned,  and  haiff 
tasted  of  the  heavenlie  gift,  and  war  maid   partakers  ot  the  Ilolie 

1  A  company,  an  assortment.  Remedy.  :!  Threatemn?. 


1584.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  207 

Ghost,  and  hathc  toasted  of  the  guid  Word  of  God,  and  of  the 
powar  of  the  warld  to  come,  if  they  fall  away,  salbe  renewit  againe 
be  repentance  ;  seing  they  crucifie  again  to  tham  selves  the  Sone  of 
God,  and  makes  a  mok  of  him.  The  erthe,  quhilk  drinks  upe  the 
rean  that  comes  upon  it,  and  brings  furthe  herbes  meit  for  tham  be 
whome  it  is  dressit,  receaves  a  blessing  of  God.  Bot  that  quhilk 
bears  thornes  and  breires  is  reprobat,  and  neir  cursing ;  the  end 
wharof  is  to  be  brunt.  Yit,  breithring,  weilbelovit,  we  ar  persuadit 
of  better  things,  and  meit  for  salvation,  of  you,' '  whowbeit  we 
thus,  with  the  Apostle,  wryt  to  terifie  you,  and  reclame  and  rease 
[you]  from  this  fall,  and  keipe  you  bak  from  farder  and  wars.2 

"  Alas !  what  a  face  sail  yie  have  to  com  befor  the  godlie  and 
fathful  breithring  of  the  countrey,  when  it  sail  pleise  God  to  dely- 
ver  his  awin  Kirk,  and  restore  it  again  to  the  former  or  better 
esteat  ?  or  rather,  What  a  conscience  and  niynd  sail  vie  haiff,  when 
yie  remember,  read,  or  heir,  that  wa  pronounced  be  Chryst  upon 
tham  be  whome  sklander  and  offence  conies  ?  And  O  !  whow  manie 
godlie  hartes,  bathe  in  Scotland  and  Eingland,  yea,  in  France,  and 
all  Reformed  Kirks,  ar  crewalie  wounded  with  this  fact  of  yours, 
and  that  nocht  without  grait  cause  !  For,  als  lang  as  the  haill  mi- 
nisterie  stud  constant,  ther  was  guid  hope  of  a  happie  redres  of 
maters  ;  bot  now,  be  this  fact,  yie  haiff  giffen  the  devill  entres  with- 
in the  walles  of  Jerusalem  to  spoil  and  destroy  all  the  guid  and  con- 
stant citiciners  thairof,  wha  will  nocht  defy  11  tham  selves,  bow  thair 
knies  to  Baall,  and  eat  swyne's  flesche  with  you.  What  will  yie 
think,  when  yie  com  to  that  vers  of  the  50th  Psalme,  '  Unto  the 
wicked  this  sayes  God,  What  hes  thow  to  do  to  declar  my  ordon- 
nances,  that  thow  souldest  tak  my  covenant  in  thy  mouthe,  seing 
thow  hates  discipline,  and  hes  casten  my  words  behind  thie  V  Wahl 
to  God  yie  sould  be  sa  moved  therby,  as  was  the  lerned  Origin, 
wha,  efter  he  haid  bein  inducit,  throw  weakness,  to  sacrifice  to 
idols,  thairafter  coining  unto  the  Kirk  to  preatche,  casting  npe  the 
buik,  he  fell,  be  God's  providence,  on  the  sam  place  of  the  Psalme. 


1  Hebrews  vi.  4-9.  '-'  Further  and  worse  falls.  3  Psalm  1.  10,  17. 

4 


208  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L584. 

and  bursting  out  in  teares  bcfor  the  pciplc,  he  maid  a  maist  dolo^ 
rous  and  bitter  lamentation  and  invection  against  him  selff,  as  ye 
may  reid  in  his  LyfF,  recorded  by  Suidas.  And,  finalic,  What  a 
dart  to  your  pure  conscience  sail  that  sentence  of  Chryst  be,  'He 
that  denyes  me  befor  men,  I  will  deny  him  befor  my  heavenlie 
Father?'  For  yie  knaw,  that  whosoever  heires  the  Word  of  God, 
and  does  it  nocht,  namlie,  in  the  tyme  of  tryall,  schawes  nocht  that 
he  is  solidlie  groundit  in  the  sam,  denyes  Chryst,  as  he  him  selft' 
teatches  in  the  7th  of  Matthew  utherwayes  :  '  Manie  sail  come  unto 
him  on  that  day.  and  Bay,  Lord,  did  we  nocht  prophecie  in  thy 
name  ?  Did  Ave  nocht  work  miracles  and  cast  out  devilles?  Bot  he 
will  answer,  I  knaw  you  nocht ;  depart  from  me,  yie  workers  of  ini- 
quitic.' ' 

"  Bot  it  may  be  that  sum  of  you,  your  unhappie  complices  and 
counsallours  in  this  course,  thinks,  and  will  say,  '  What  neids  all 
this  ado?  Why  aryie  sa  hat2  in  threatning?  the  mater  is  nocht  of 
sa  grait  weght,'  &c.  Alas  !  my  breithring,  miserable  and  lamentable 
experience,  except  God  of  his  mercie  prevent  it,  I  feir,  sail  teatche 
you  and  the  pure  Kirk  of  Scotland  what  ye  haiff  done,  and  whow 
grait  and  sear  ar  the  consequents  that  insewes  on  your  fact.  For, 
first,  be  the  approving  of  that  act  of  parliament  anent  the  King's 
Supremacie  in  all  causes  Ecclesiasticall  as  Civill,  and  na  appellation3 
to  be  maid  from  him,  yie  haiff  nocht  onlie  sett  upe  a  new  Pape,  and 
sa  becom  trators  to  Chryst,  and  condescendit  to  the  cheiff  error  of 
Papistrie,  wherupon  all  the  rest  dependes  ;  quhilk,  gift1  it  be  nocht 
to  deny  and  refuse  Chryst,  I  knaw  nocht  what  it  is  sa  to  do. 
Bot,  farder,  ye  haiff,  in  sa  doing,  granted  mair  to  the  King  then 
ever  the  Papes  of  Rome  peaceblie  obteined,  whow  tyrannuslic  and 
ambitiuslie  soever  they  sought  the  sam  ;  for  the  Counsalles  of  Con- 
stance and  Basil  decreit  in  the  Pape's  face,  and  be  infinit  argu- 
ments of  reasone  and  Scripture  evicted,  that  it  was  nocht  onlie  a 
veritie  bot  a  poinct  of  fathe,  The  Councill  to  be  above  the  Pape, 
and  appellationes  to  be  maist  lawfull  from  the  Pape  to  the  Coun- 

1  Matt.  vii.  22,  23.  s  Tint,  severe.  'Appeal, 


1584.  MR   JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  209 

cill.  And  sa,  from  the  Pape  ther  was  ever  appellationes  to  the 
Councells,  rewlit  be  the  Word  of  God  and  his  Spreit,  wherin 
the  trew  Bischopes  and  Pastors,  and  Doctors  of  the  Kirk,  satt  as 
Chryst' s  officiars,  to  judge  and  discern  on  maters  Ecclesiastical!,  ac- 
cording to  the  Word  of  God.  In  the  quhilk  the  best  Christian 
Emperours  that  ever  war,  Constantin  and  Theodosius,  sat  in  na  hier 
degrie  nor  the  Pastors,  as  obedient  members  of  the  Kirk,  humblie 
to  be  governed  and  rewled  with  the  rest  be  the  scepter  of  the  Word 
of  God,  and  nocht  as  heads  and  Lords  to  command  and  rewll  over 
it,  knawing  the  Lord  Jesus  Chryst  was  onlie  King  and  Empe- 
rour  thair.  Bot  ye  haifF  subscryvit,  that  whosoever,  in  anie  mater 
Ecclesiasticall,  declynes  the  King  and  Counsall's  judgment,  salbe 
reput  and  punished  as  a  tratour.  What,  I  pray  you,  giff  these  pro- 
fest  Papistes  and  Jesuistes  that  flockes  ham  out  of  France,  Spean, 
and  Italic,  and  finds  graitter  favour  and  credit  in  Court  then  all  the 
Ministers,  what  if  they  sail  challange  you  for  the  Doctrine  of  Jus- 
tification, frie  will,  reall  presence,  and  the  rest  of  the  Heids  of  Re- 
ligion, for  these,  as  chieff  maters  Ecclesiasticall,  sail  the  King  and 
his  Counsall  be  judge  to  you,  and  na  appellation  be  maid  under  the 
pean  of  treassone  !  What  sail,  then,  I  pray  you,  becom  of  Relligion 
and  the  professours  thairof  ?  Sail  they  nocht  be  ather  forced  to  deny 
Chryst,  or  maid  to  disput  with  the  torments  apointed  for  trators  ? 
And  syne  this,  for  a  clok,  to  be  casten  ower  it.  It  is  nocht  for  Rel- 
ligion,  but  for  Hie  Treassone,  that  sic  ar  sa  handlit !  Do  yie  nocht 
heir  espy  the  craft  of  the  crewall  feind,  wha  dar  nocht,  in  this  age 
of  knawlage  and  light  of  the  gospell,  oppon  him  selff  against  the 
treuthe,  as  the  Scrybes  and  Pharisies  durst  not  gainstand  the  doc- 
trine of  Chryst,  bot  seiks,  under  pretence  of  lawes,  and  clok  of  jus- 
tice, to  mak  the  godlie  and  trew  professours  and  preachours  to  be 
schamfull  spectacles,  that  thairby  men  may  be  eschamit  of  the  veri- 
tie  of  the  Evangell ;  even  as  Chryst  was  put  to  deathe  under  the 
nam  of  sedition  and  treassone  ! 

"  Secondlie,  Yie  haifF  taken  away,  be  your  subscriptiones,  the  law- 
foil  powar  of  the  Pastors  and  Doctors,  and  Eldars  of  the  Kirk,  to 
convein  tham  selves  in  the  nam  of  na  erthlie  Prince,  nor  temporall 

o 


210  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1584. 

autoritie  of  King,  nor  for  na  erthlie  nor  temporall  effears,  hot  in 
the  nam  and  anthoritie  of  Jesufl  Chrvst,  King  of  kings,  Lord  of 
lords,  the  onlie  Soveran  rewlar  and  commander  within  the  Kirk, 
quhilk  is  his  kingdome  spiritnall,  and  nocht  of  this  warld,  till  in- 
treat '  of  things  hcavinlie  and  eternall,  quhilk  directlie  coneernes  the 
sanies  and  consciences  of  men :  The  quhilk  powar  they  haiff  of 
Chrvst,  planlie,  in  his  Letter  Wilt,  joyning  a  maist  comfortable 
promise  against  sic  grait  difficulties  that  bchovit  till  aryse  in  the 
discharge  of  sa  hiche  an  office,  '  W  nansoever  twa  or  thrie  of  vow 
salbe  convenit  in  my  nam,  I  salbe  in  the  mids  of  yow.'  Leaning 
upon  the  quhilk  powar  and  promise,  the  Apostles  and  Disciples  con- 
veined  tham  selves  sindrie  tymes  efter  the  resmTection  of  Chrvst, 
and  efter  his  ascension,  to  choise  ane  in  the  roume  of  Judas  ;-  they 
assemblit  the  haill  congregation  to  the  election  of  the  Diacons:3 
and  now,  efter  a  grait  manie  kirks  war  planted,  nocht  onlie  amangs 
the  Jewes,  hot  also  amangs  the  Gentilles,  the  Apostles  and  Eldars 
assembHt  tham  selves  in  a  Generall  Counsall  at  Jerusalem,  to  de- 
termin  in  the  question  moved  about  the  circumcision,  and  sa  furthe. 
For,  when  the  command  be  Chrvst  is  giffen  ather  to  the  heirars  to 
lieir,  or  the  Pastors  to  feid,  or  the  Doctors  to  teatche,  or  the  Eldars 
to  govern  or  rewll,  surlie,  be  necessitie  of  relation,  it  man  be  that 
he  giffes  tham  also  authoritie  and  powar  in  his  nam  to  convcin  to- 
gidder,  and  with  thair  flockes,  for  that  effect.  Sa  that  be  that  act 
of  parliament  quhilk  discharges  the  Assemblies  and  Conventioncs 
of  Ecclesiasticall  Office-bearers,  is  restraint  that  friedom  quhilk 
Chrvst  Jesus  lies  giffen  to  the  officers  of  his  kingdome,  to  convein 
for  discharging  of  the  dewties  and  callings  quhilk  he  lies  leyed  on 
tham,  to  be  usit  for  his  service,  and  salvation  of  his  peiple. 

■•  And,  trewlie,  als  weill  might  they  haiff  dischargit  the  Convcn- 
tiones  for  heiring  of  the  Word  and  ministration  of  the  Sacraments, 
a<  for  the  exerccising  of  discipline  and  government  of  the  Kirk  : 
seine  this  is  na  les  leyed*  on  the  bak  of  the  officiars  of  Chrysfs 
Kingdom,  as  a  special]  part  of  thair  dewtie  and  charge  nor  the  for- 

1  To  r  'si.  3  Acts  vi.  '  Lftid,  imposed. 


1584.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  DIAB1  .  211 

mer,  and  lies  the  command  and  powar  giffen  to  use  it  na  less  then 
the  uther,  without  careing  for  anie  authoritie  or  command  of  men. 
For  that  quliilk  Chryst  sa  emestlie  repcates  to  Piter,  quhilk  also  is 
commoun  to  all  Pastors, '  Feid  !  feid !  feid !'  is  nocht  onlie  be  Word 
and  Sacraments,  bot  also  be  discipline,  rewling,  and  government, 
as  the  mater  it  selff  declares,  the  word  signifies,  and  the  similitud 
planlie  proves.      And  what,   I   pray  you,  meines  the  comand  of 
Chryst's  till  the  Kirk,  that  is,  the  Ecclesiastick  Senat  or  Assemblie 
of  the  Office-bearers,  as  the  lerned  expones  it,  '  And  if  he  refuse  to 
heir  the  Kirk,  let  him  be  unto  tliie  as  an  ethnic  and  publican !'  giff 
the  Kirk  lies  nocht  powar  and  authoritie  of  judgment  giffen  to  it 
be  Chryst  ?   And  that,  '  I  give  you  the  keyes  of  the  kingdome  of 
heavine  ;  whatsoever  yie  louse  on  erthe  salbe  lowsit  in  heavin;   and 
whatsoever  yie  bind  on  erthe  salbe  bund  in  heavin.'  War  thir  keyes 
giffen  to  anie  king  or  magistrat  ?  or  flowes  the  powar  thairof  from 
humcan  ordination  ?  And,  finalie,  what  meineth  the  Apostle  to  the 
Romanes  xii.,  when  he  so  ernestlie  exhortes  everie  officiar  in  the 
Kirk  to  discharge  thair  calling  diligentlie  ?    Willes  he  tham  till 
abyde  the  commandiment  of  anie  erthlie  King  or  Prince  ?    Xa,  als 
fHlie  as  the  King  hes  his  powar  and  authoritie  of  God,  the  Creator, 
to  discharge  his  office  in  things  civill  and  temporal!,  als  fHlie  hes 
the  Pastors,  Eldars,  Doctores,  and  Deacones  of  the  Kirk  powar 
and  authoritie  of  Jesus  Chryst,  the  Redeimer,  to  do  thair  office  in 
things  heavenlie  and  spirituall.      But  I  purpose  nocht,  my  breitli- 
ring,  to  insist  with  you  in  proving  of  maters  at  this  tynie ;  bot,  tak- 
ing things  to  be  sufficientlie  tiyed  and  concludit  unto  the  tyme  I 
heir  anie  reasones  alleagit  be  you  or  anie  uther  in  the  contrar,  I 
wald  discover  imto  you  the  feirfull  consequences  of  this  your  yeild- 
ing,  tending  to  the  wrak  of  Chryst's  Kirk,  and  the  libertie  thairof. 
"  It  was  onlie  the  Assemblies  and  Presbyteries,  as  all  that  feires 
God,  yea,  and  the  enemies  tham  selves  knawes,  that  was  the  ordi- 
narie  mean  to  keipe  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  from  the  pollution  of 
vyces,  hearesies,  and  schismes  ;  the  quhilk  now  being  takin  awav, 
vyce  and  wickednes  sail  overflow,  for  wha  sail  tak  ordour  thairwith  ? 
The  Court  and  Bisehopes  ?    Als  weill  as  Martin  Elwod  and  "Will 


212  MB  JAMES  MKLVH.l/s  DIAKV.  1584. 

of  Kinmont  with  stealing  on  the  Bordours  !  Heresie,  Atheisme,  and 
Papistrie,  sail  brak  in,  for  wlm  sail  resist  it  ?  The  Bischopes  ?  Put 
the  cais,  that  sic  wha  lies  sauld  God,  relligion,  and  heavin,  for  this 
present  warld,  and  the  things  thairof,  could  haiff  the  grace  to  gain- 
stand  the  Atheists  and  Papists,  and  cheiff  meinteiners  of  Atheisme 
and  Papistrie,  wilbe  graitter  in  Court  (frathe  quhilk  the  Bischopes 
hes  thair  poAvar  and  authoritie,  and  can,  nor  dar  do  na  thing  with- 
out speciall  leive  and  eonnnand  thairof)  nor  the  beggerlie  Bischopes 
and  all  thair  Clergie  can  be.  And  last,  the  schismes  and  contro- 
versies that  aryses  and  ar  sawin  be  Sathan  salbe  na  wayes  componit 
nor  extinguisit  be  the  brotherlie  and  humble  Conventiones  in 
ajqualitie,  (as  the  happie  experience  of  sax  and  twentie  year  bypast 
hes  proven  our  Assemblies  till  have  done,)  bot  contrarie  wayes,  be 
the  proude  ambition  and  vanities  of  the  Bischopes,  they  salbe  daylie 
fosterit,  increassit,  and  augmentit ;  the  pruiff  and  experience  wher- 
of  yie  may  reid  efter  the  first  thrie  hounder  yeirs  of  Chryst's  Kirk, 
when  the  persecutions  war  endit,  and  the  Bischopes  began,  under 
Christian  Emperours,  to  gett  ease,  honour,  and  ritches,  and  brak- 
ing the  commandiment  of  Chryst,  began  till  usurpe  lordhe  autho- 
ritie and  preheminence  over  thair  breithring.  Fra  that  tyme,  as 
never  of  befor,  miserablie  hes  the  Kirk  been  cut  and  devydit  be 
controversies,  schismes,  and  heresies  ;  sa  pcrnitius  hes  it  bein  to 
ley  asyde  the  Word  of  God,  and  right  re  wiles  of  governing  of  his 
Kirk  be  a^qualitie  amangs  the  Pastors. 

"  Thridlie,  Yie  haiff  conscntit  and  subscryvit  that  thir  Bischopes 
sail  haiff  the  owersight  and  rcwling  of  all  the  Kirks,  according  to 
the  powar  quhilk  they  rcceave  of  thair  Pape  and  head.  Quhilk 
office  hes  na  warrand  in  the  Scripture  of  God,  but  is  an  invention 
of  Sathan  brought  in  be  ambition  and  avarice  ;  yea,  that  pre- 
sumptous  and  lordlie  authoritie  over  the  rest  of  ther  breithring  is 
plat  contrar  to  the  word  and  commandiment  of  Chryst ;  Matth.  x. 
ID,  and  xxvi.  24,  28,  and  of  Luc  xxii.  24,  25,  26,  27,  and  [1]  Pet.  v. 
1,  <Sce.  And  that  mangrell  moiling  with  civill  and  warldlie  maters, 
exerceising  judicatour  in  civill  and  criminall  eausscs,  loudlie  cryes 
that  they  war  never  of  Chryst,  whase  kingdomc  is  nocht  of  this 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  213 

warld ;  wha  refused  to  be  maid  King  be  the  peiple,  yea,  wald  nocht 
sa  mikle  as  devyd  the  inheritance  amangs  breithring,  albeit  a  chari- 
table turn  ;  and  all  for  eschewing  of  incumbrance  in  erthlie  maters, 
quhilk  might  hinder  him  from  the  spirituall  and  heavinlie  wark  of 
his  Father,  for  the  quhilk  he  was  send.  And  by  and  attoure  the 
unlawfulnes  of  the  office,  quhilk  the  Scripture  and  nature  of  the 
kingdome  of  Chryst  can  nocht  bear  withall,  the  persones  that  pre- 
sentlie  yie  haiff  subscryvit  obedience  unto  are  infamus,  vyle  men, 
nocht  onlie  of  the  bas  and  cursest !  sort  amangs  the  peiple,  as  war 
the  Preists  of  profan  Jeroboam,  bot  maist  dissolut  and  sklanderus 
in  all  thair  lyff ;  be  whase  cairfulnes  in  gathering  upe  the  woll  and 
milk,  and  cairlesnes  in  feiding  of  the  floks,  and  evill  exemple  in  all 
kynd  of  vyce,  na  mervell  it  is  gift"  inumerable  saulles  drown  in  ig- 
norance, perishe  in  thair  sinnes,  and  Hve  without  God  or  religion. 

"  Therfor,  now,  I  beseik  yow,  my  breithring,  rightlie  to  considder, 
and  deiplie  to  pondir  this  mater  :  Whidder  haid  it  bein  better  to 
refuse,  and  undertak  the  displeasure  of  an  erthlie  Prince,  wha  onlie 
hes  powar  ower  the  body,  (and  that  na  mair  nather  nor  it  pleases 
God,)  and  haiff  esteimed  all  this  warld  but  dirt  and  draff  under 
your  feit,  in  respect  of  his  luiff  and  obedience,  wha  coidd  haiff  given 
yow  again  a  houndrethe  fauld  in  this  lyff,  and  the  lyff  eternall  to 
the  guid  ? 2  Or  to  haiff  consentit,  and  incurrit  the  hiche  displeasure 
of  Chryst  Jesus,  the  grait  Heavinhe  King,  wha,  efter  the  bodie  is 
slean,  may  cast  bathe  it  and  the  saull  in  the  fyre  of  hell ;  and  the 
offence  and  detestation  of  all  the  godlie  and  fathfull  for  the  scham- 
full  denying  of  sa  guid  a  Maister,  betraying  of  the  fHedome  of  his 
kingdome,  sclandering  of  his  Kirk,  and  offering  occasion  to  the  ad- 
versars  to  triumphe  and  be  incuragit. 

"  Again,  I  say,  for  God's  cause,  and  your  awin  salvation,  enter 
in  deiplie  to  wey  and  consider  what  yie  haiff  done,  that  the  hy- 
nousnes  of  the  fact  may  mak  yow  to  abhore  your  selves,  and  be  un- 
feinyitlie  cast  down  thairfor.  For  haiff  yie  nocht  be  your  hand 
wryt,  the  seall  of  your  treuthe,  bund  your  selves,  as  slaves,  to  the 

1  Base  and  coarsest.  2  Into  the  bargain,  over  and  above,  besides. 


214  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1584. 

wicked  appetit  and  affection  of  a  blind  godles  Court,  overflowing 
with  all  kynd  of  sine  and  iinpietie  ?  and  to  a  Bischope,  O  fy  !  to 
whom  I  can  nocht  giff  a  vicius  epithet  mair  nor  another,  and  I  am 
sure  a  thowsand  wald  nocht  express  his  vyces,  as  your  selffs,  and 
all  the  world,  is  Avitnes  ?  And  that  quhilk  is  warst  of  all,  haiff  yie 
nocht  brought  the  libertie  of  the  Spreit,  and  preatching  of  the 
Word  of  God,  the  dispensation  wharof  is  concredit '  unto  yow,  in 
maist  abominable  thraldome  ?  Sa  that  yie  dar  nocht  reprove  vyce 
without  exception  of  persones,  nor  pretche  the  treuthe  frilie,  as 
your  God,  your  buile,  and  your  conscience,  teatches  yow,  and  com- 
mands. For,  dar  yie  now  rebuk  the  contemners  of  God,  and  re- 
ligion, and  fathfull  Ministers  thairof,  the  blaspheamer  of  God's  nam 
and  his  treuthe  ;  divellishe  dissimidation,  yea,  open  divelrie,  per- 
jurie,  persecution,  tyrannic,  crewaltie,  oppression,  drunkennes,  hur- 
dome ;  scorning  of  God  and  man  ;  ambition,  avarice,  flatterie,  leing, 
braking  of  promise,  tricking,  taunting,  deceaving,  profanation  of 
the  Word  of  God,  sacrilage,  simonie,  witchcraft,  shamles  obscenitie, 
vilanie,  apostasie,  and  mensuaring 2  of  that  quhilk  the  niouthe  lies 
professit,  and  publictlie  spoken  and  teatched,  the  hand  lies  often 
subscryvit  with  the  grait  athe3  of  the  Lord  maid  and  interponit 
thairin  ?  seing  your  new  erected  Paprie,  and,  namlie,  your  famus 
Ordinar,  the  Archbischope,  to  whom  yie  haiff  bund  your  obedience, 
is  altogidder  festered  and  owcrgean '  with  thani. 

"  Now,  as  to  that  nam  of  obedience,  quhilk  is  cravit  in  a  fair 
and  honest  maner,  to  clok  a  maist  filthie  and  unhonest  mater,  mis- 
ter5 I  to  wryt  anie  thing  to  yoAv  thairanent  ?  for  can  yie  understand 
or  teatche  anie  uther  thing  thairanent  nor  this  ?  Obedience,  except 
it  be  in  God,  and  according  to  hie  command,  is  na  obedience,  bot 
sin,  rebellion,  and  disobedience,  the  quhilk  is  as  the  sin  of  witch- 
craft, wickedncs,  and  ydolatrie  befor  God,  as  Samuel  teatched 
King  Saul,  in  his  awin  face.  That  quhilk  man.  following  his  awin 
judgment  and  ill  affection,  calles  rebellion,  treasone,  and  disobe- 
dience, is  allowit  befor  God  as  dewtifull  dewtie,  guid  obedience, 
and  Bervice  :  Ami  contrar,  was  nocht  Sydrach,  Misach,  and  Abed- 

Eutrusted,  Perjury.  'Oath.  'Overrun.  *  Need. 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  215 

nego,  cast  in  the  furnace  be  Nebugednezar,  King  of  Babylon,  for 
thair  disobedience,  in  nocht  falling  down  to  worshipe  his  erected 
image  ?  Was  nocht  Daniel  cast  in  the  den  of  lyons  for  disobedience, 
because  he  brak  King  Darius'  godles  law,  in  making  his  prayer 
thryse  a  day  toward  Jerusalem,  and  wald  nocht  giff  sa  mikle  as  a 
secreit  consent  to  sett  upe  the  King  in  God's  stead  ?  The  gard  of 
King  Saul  disobeyit  him,  commanding,  be  his  awin  mouthe,  to  slay 
the  Preists  of  the  Lord.  Sa  did  his  awin  sone,  guid  Jonathan,  and 
wald  nocht  bring  in  David,  bot  conforted  him,  and  set  him  on  his 
jorney.  The  medwyffes,  King  Pharo,  Ioiaha,1  and  the  haill  esteates 
of  Juda,  bludie  Athalia,  Lobna,  a  citie  of  the  Levites,  preists,  the 
apostat  King  Amazia,  and  innumerable  ma  in  Holie  Scripture,  whase 
doings,  nevertheless,  the  Spreit  of  God  commends,  and  as  dew  obe- 
dience to  God  and  thair  superiors,  lies  left  tham  inregistrat  in  his 
Holie  Buik  to  be  followit. 

"  In  graitest  humilitie  and  dewtifull  reverence  of  that  maist  law- 
full  authoritie  giffen  be  God  to  Kings  and  Magistrats,  and  yit  in 
curage  and  bauldnes  of  spreit,  for  the  glorie  of  my  God  and  liber- 
tie  of  the  Kingdome  of  Chryst,  defaced,  alas  !  and  brought  under 
vyll  slaverie  be  the  pernitius  flatterers  of  princes,  wha,  deifeing 
tham  in  thair  conceattes,  makes  tham  to  tak  unto  tham  absolut 
powar  to  do  what  they  list,  and  trampe  the  Kirk  of  Chryst  under 
fiitt,  I  will  tak  this  proposition  to  defend  against  the  best  and 
maist  lernit  of  thair  courteours,  court  Bischopes  and  Ministers,  pro- 
vyding  they  disput  be  Scripture  and  guid  reasone,  and  nocht  be 
the  Blaknes,2  Spey  Tour,3  gibet  and  maden,4  that  to  obey  the 
King  of  Scotland,  as  he  craves  presentlie  obedience  according  to 
his  last  acts  of  parliament,  is  treasone  against  Chryst,  and  disobe- 
dience, yea,  rebellion  to  his  Word  and  command;  and,  thairfor,  wha- 
soever  may  stay  and  withstand  him,  be  refusall  of  obedience,  or 
uther  wayes  be  ordinar  and  lawfull  meanes  of  thair  calling,  and 

1  Probably  this  is  meant  to  apply  to  Jehoahaz,  or  Jehoiakim.  2  Imprisonment 

in  Blackness  Castle.  3  The  Spey  Tower  of  Perth.  '  The  gibbet  or  gal- 

lows, and  the  maiden,  a  sort  of  guillotine  for  beheading  criminals,  said  to  have  been 
invented  by  the  Earl  of  Morton, — himself  the  first  who  was  beheaded  bv  it. 


216  MK  JAMES  Ml.L\  ill's  D1ABY.  1584. 

doee  nocht,  is  a  treator   to  his  Majestic,  couutrey,  and  Kirk  of 
Chryst,  within  the  saining. 

"  And  lest  yie,my  breithring,  or  anie  uther,sould  tak  this  my  j)lean 
schawing  of  the  trcnthe  in  an  evill  part,  the  Lord  God  of  heavin 
is  witnes  to  my  conscience  that  I  mein  na  contempe  or  disdean  to 
his  Grace's  ather  persone  or  lawfull  authoritie,  nather  docs  this 
proccide  of  anie  evill-will  or  desyre  of  revenge  for  anie  wrong  done 
to  us ;  bot  the  Lord  knawes,  befor  whom  we  walk,  that  the  siches 
and  sobbes  of  our  dolorus  and  maist  affectioned  harts  toward  his 
weill  and  amendiment,  is  with  teares  powred  out  daylie  for  that  ef- 
fect ;  and  whom  I  knaw  assuredlie  that  all  the  godlie  in  Scotland 
and  Eingland  wald  obey,  love,  and  reverence  above  all  fleche  as 
thair  a  win  naturall  and  born  Prince,  giff,  leaving  thir  godles  Coun- 
sallors  and  courses,  he  wald  rewll  in  the  feir  of  God,  and  establis 
the  kingdome  of  Jesus  Chryst  according  to  his  Word.  Therfor, 
alas  !  my  breithring,  ye  haiff,  under  the  name  of  obedience,  defylit 
your  selff  with  these  crymes  that  Samuel  convicted  King  Saull  of, 
for  nocht  obeying  the  Word  of  the  Lord.  And  the  exemples  of 
God's  servantes  in  thair  feir  of  his  grait  Majestic,  and  constancie 
standing  in  his  trcnthe  and  obedience  stoutlie,  nochtwithstanding 
danger  of  lyff,  yea,  terrible  torments,  may  be  feirfull  judges  sett  be- 
for your  conscience  to  condenme  you,  except  yie  repent.  Peter  and 
Jhonc  ar  bathe  be  word  and  exemple  crying  unto  you,  That  it  had 
bcin  better  to  obey  God  nor  man. 

"  But,  me  thinks  I  heir  sum  of  you  lamenting  and  saying,  It 
was  weaknes  and  fciblenes  of  this  freall  nature  that  maid  you  do 
this  thing.  Trewlic,  breithring,  weaknes  and  infirmitie  is  natu- 
rall to  flesche,  and  lies  oftentymes  maid  the  childring  of  God  to 
slyde  and  fall,  for  sa  did  David  in  adulterie  and  murdour,  Piter  in 
the  thriefauld  denyall  of  his  Maister,  and  the  zealus  Origin,  of 
whase  fall  I  speak  befor.  Wharfor,  in  that  eeas  onlie,  the  remeadie 
incontinent  without  delay  is  to  be  sought ;  for  it  is  manlic,  and  of 
weaknes  to  fall,  bot  to  ly  still  andsleipein  Bine,  without  remorse  or 
amendiment,  it  is  the  rod  of  reprobation.  It  is  a  thing  maist  feir- 
full to  deny  Chryst,  but  far  mair  nocht  to  confes  him  eonstantlie 


1584.  >IU  JAMBS  MELY1LLS  D1AKY.  217 

ap-ean  unto  the  deathe.  It  is  a  horrible  mater  sa  to  sklander  the  Kirk 
of  God,  bot  far  mair  to  continow  th.iirin,  and  nocht  to  repear  and 
remove  the  sam.  And,  thairfor,  I  exhort  you,  deir  breithring,  maist 
ernestlie  and  tenderlie,  in  the  bowels  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  admo- 
nise  you,  befor  God,  his  Angelles,  and  haill  Kirk,  that  yie  pres ' 
with  speidie  repentance  till  amend  this  miserable  mis,2  and  repear 
sa  mikle  as  can  ly  in  you  this  bealfull  brak.  That  yie  meditat  and 
cry,  with  David,  that  is,  with  the  contrit  sprit  and  broken  liart  of 
David  in  that  51  Psalme  ;  yie  go  asyde,  with  Piter ;  yie  lament- 
ablie  cry  out  and  invey  against  your  selves,  with  Origine,  and  mak 
the  streames  of  your  bitter  teares  deleit  and  washe  away  that  sub- 
scription, and  the  wound  of  your  siches 3  and  sound  of  your  sobbes, 
blaw  abrod  your  repentance  for  that  denyall  of  Chryst ;  and  thair- 
after,  constantlie  confes  him  with  Piter  unto  the  deathe,  and  that 
spedelie,  befor  he  cum  in  judgment,  and  deny  you  befor  his  heavin- 
lie  Father. 

"  And,  finalie,  in  conclusion,  to  remove  bathe  the  publict  sklander 
and  wa4  pronuncit  against  sic  wharby  it  comes,  I  sie  nocht  wIioav 
it  can  be  don  utherwayes,  then  giff  yie  com  bauldlie  to  the  King 
and  Lords  of  Chacker  again,  and  schaw  tham  whow  yie  haiff  fallin 
throw  weaknes,  bot  be  God  his  powar  ar  rissin  againe  ;  and  thair, 
be  publict  not  and  witnes  takin,  frie  your  selves  from  that  subscrip- 
tion, and  will  the  sam  to  be  deleit,  renuncing  and  detesting  it  plan- 
lie,  and  thairefter  publictlie  in  your  sermonds  and  be  your  declara- 
tion and  retractation  in  wryt  presented  to  the  haill  Kirk,  and  fath- 
full  manifest  the  sam.  Let  tham  do  with  stipend,  benefice,  and  lyff 
it  selffwhat  they  list ;  yie  will  stik  be  Chryst,  wha  knawes  what  ye 
haiff  neid  of,  and  will  provyde  for  yow  sufficientlie,  yie  serving  him 
in  this  lyff,  and  bring  yow  heirefter  to  his  glorie  in  the  lyff  ever- 
lasting! The  quhilk  that  yie  may  do,  and  thairefter  constantlie 
stand  unto  the  end,  I  sail  ernestlie  call  to  God  for  yow,  to  assist  yow 
with  his  strong  and  Almightie  Sprit  for  the  glorie  of  his  awin  name, 
the  reparation  of  the  grait  offence  and  sklander  of  his  Kirk,  and 

1  Press,  strive.  '  Miss,  loss.  3  Sighs.  '  Woe. 


218  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1584. 

your  joy  full  receaving  again  in  the  number  of  Chryst's  warioures 
and  citieiners  of  his  Kingdome,  and  Capteanes  of  his  armie  ;  with 
whome  fechting  lawfullie  in  suffring  heir,  with  him  we  salbe  crownit 
with  immortal]  glorie  in  the  heavines,  whar  he  leives  and  ringes 
with  his  Father  for  ever." 

This  Letter,  with  the  conclusions  and  arguments  befor  mentioned, 
send  hame,  and  going  abrod,  did  mikle  conforte  the  constant,  and 
crab l  the  enemie.     Twa  of  our  students  in  Theologie  for  copeing 
thairof,  and  sending  to  breithring,  war  fean  to  flie  and  com  to  me  to 
Berwik  ;  Mr  James  Robertsone,  a  verie  guid  brother,  now  Minister 
of  Dondie,  and  Mr  Jhone  Caldcleuche,  whom  I  receavit  gladlie, 
and  wha  efter  certean  moneths  abyding  with  me  at  Berwik,  we  past 
southe  togidder  to  Londone.     Also  an  Wilyeam  Erde,  an  extraor- 
dinar  Avitnes  steired  upe  be  God  ;  wha  being  a  masone  of  his  craft 
till  he  was  past  twentie  yeirs  and  maried,  lernit  first  of  his  wyfF  to 
reid  Einglis,  and  taken  with  delyt  of  letters  he  him  selfF  studeit  the 
Latin,  Greik,  but  specialie  the  Hebrew  langage,  sa  that  he  haid  his 
Byble  als  hamlie  to  him  in  Hebrew  as  anie  uther  langage :  The 
quhilk  being  knawin  to  the  Kirk,  and  the  giftes  he  haid  besyde, 
bothe  of  knawlage  and  utterance  of  divinitie,  he  was  maid  to  leave 
his  handie-craft,  and  tak  him  heallie  till  attend  upon  the  Collage 
and  exerceis  ;  whar  he  profited  sa,  that  within  few  yeirs  that  he  was 
callit  and  placed  in  the  ministerie  at  the  Kirk  of  St  Cuthbcrt's, 
under  the  Castell  wall  of  Edinbruche,  and  is  now  a  notable  man  for 
uprightnes  and  grait  lerning  and  reidding.     This  brother,  for  just 
feir,  cam  away  also,  and  abaid  with  me  a  space  in  Berwik.     The 
cause  of  his  feir  was  the  apprehending  of  his  fellow  laborar,  a  grave 
and  godlie  brother,  Mr  Nicol  Dalglaishe,  keiping  of  him  in  clos 
pressone,  and  putting  him  till  ane  essaise,2  of  ernest  and  deliberat 
purpose  to  haifF  execut  him  as  a  trator,  onlie  for  the  sight  of  a  cer- 
tean letter  com  from  Mr  Walter  Balcanquall  to  his  wyfF,  hot  the 
saisc  wald  noeht  fyll  him,3  wherat  the  Court  was  verie  crabbit. 

1  Vex,  annoy,  enrage.  2  Assise,  inquest,  or  jury.  3  The  assise  would  not 

convict  him,  it  find  him  guilty.      Acquittal  \\:is  expressed  by  clenging,  (cleansing.) 


1584.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  210 

That  worthie  brother,  and  now  ancient  father  in  the  Kirk,  was  verie 
evill  handlit,  and  stude  wonderfull  constant. 

That  sani  wintar  to  thir  hard  newes  from  our  awin  countrey  be 
northe,  cam  unto  us  far  harder  newes  from  southe  out  of  Londone, 
of  the  departour  of  Mr  James  Lawsone  ther ;  wha,  for  giftes  and 
estimation,  was  cheiff  amangs  the  ministerie  :  For,  efter  my  uncle 
Mr  Andro,  with  the  said  Mr  James  and  certean  uther  of  the  breith- 
ring,  haid  in  the  monethe  of  July  visited  the  Universities  of  Oxfurd 
and  Cambridge,  and  conferrit  with  the  most  godlie  and  lernit  ther, 
retourning  againe  till  Londone,  partlie  throw  his  travell  and  altera- 
tion of  the  eare,  bot  chieflie  for  the  causses  twitched  befor  of  the 
behaviour  of  some  of  his  awin  flock,  wha  haid  subscry  vit  a  Letter  ' 
calling  tham  wolffes  and  hyrlings,  Mr  James,  being  a  melancholian 2 
of  constitution,  falls  in  a  heavie  disease,  quhilk  resolved  in  a  melan- 
colius  dysenterie,  quhilk  be  na  meanes  of  medecin  (whowbeit  he 
haid  ther  a  number  of  maist  lerned  and  godlie)  could  be  cured  ;  bot 
efter  dyvers  monethes  seiknes  he  died,  speiking  till  his  utter  houre 
maist  holilie  to  God's  glorie,  and  confortablie  till  all  the  heirars ; 
bot  his  deathe,  and  speitches,  quhilk  were  manie  and  notable,  I 
leave  to  tham  wha  war  present.  Bot  verelie  this  was  a  grait  lose 
and  disharting  amangs  us,  and  haid  undone  divers  of  us,  giff  God 
by  his  word  and  Spreit  of  consolation  haid  nocht  uphaldin  us.  His 
wyff  (whom,  for  hir  rare  and  maist  sweit  giftes  of  knawlage,  devo- 
tion, tender  and  maist  zealus  love  towards  God,  his  servants,  and 
all  that  loved  the  Lord  Jesus  Chryst,  I  can  nocht  of  dewtie  and 
conscience  bot  mak  mention  of,  for  a  happie  memorie  to  the  pos- 
teritie)  was  in  readines  to  go  to  him,  and  cam  to  Berwik  even 
about  the  tyme  of  tha3  dolorus  newes,  wharof  she  knew  na  thing  till 
she  was  by  a  convoy  brought  bak  again  to  that  maist  godlie  and 
confortable  hous  to  all  the  servands  of  God,  Huttonhall.  Bot,  as 
ever  persone  in  that  esteat,  sche  kythed  the  fruicts  of  trew  Chris- 


1  "  The  copic  of  this  Letter  is  amangs  my  scoralles."     Note  by  Author   on  tlic 
margin  of  MS.  2  A  hypochondriac.  3  These. 


220  Ml!  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  1584. 

tianitie,  nocht  onlic  at  that  tyme,  bot  all  the  dayes  of  liir  lyff  to  hir 
death,  leiving  as  a  trew  weidow  and  relict  of  sic  a  housband,  in 
fasting,  prayer,  meditation,  and  exerceise  of  the  warks  of  mercie 
and  love,  instructing  the  ignorant,  sweitlie  admonising  the  offendars, 
contorting  the  afflicted,  visiting  the  seik  and  diseased  in  body  or 
mynd,  and  persevering  in  prayer  with  thain  unto  the  end  ;  sa  that 
hir  refreshings  and  pastyme  was  to  tak  peanes  in  these  exerceises. 
Thus  sche  leived  in  Edinbruche  sevin  or  audit  yeir  eftcr  our  re- 
toum,  a  remarkable  mirroure  of  godlie  Aveidowheid,  and  died  with 
als  grait  mean  and  missing  of  the  godlie  in  all  degries,  namlie '  the 
pure,  as  anie  woman  that  ever  I  knew.  Sche  was  my  special!  ac- 
quentance  and  confort  in  Chryst,  from  the  deathe  of  hir  housband 
to  hir  lyve's  end. 

My  wyff  was  at  the  sam  tyme  grait  with  chyld,  neir  hir  birthe, 
and,  heiring  of  Mr  James'  deathe,  wha,  by  the  comoun  and  publict 
respect,  was  to  hir  in  affection  a  father,  brought  upe  daylie  in  his 
hous  and  companie  with  his  wyff,  sche  doollit  and  bursted  sa,2  I 
being  in  Newcastell  with  the  Lords,  that  they  war  all  in  grait  fear 
sche  sould  haifF  parted  with  her  birthe.  Amangs  whom,  a  godlie 
suddart,  [named  Francis  Goodwin,]  conforting  hir,  sayes,  "Tak  heid 
what  yow  do,  Mistres  Melvin,  that  yow  becom  nocht  an  unnaturall 
murderar  of  that  quliilk  is  in  your  bellie,  quhilk  by  appeirance  is  a 
man  chyld  ;  and  yow  knaw  nocht  if  God  may  mak  him  to  supplie 
a  place  in  his  Churche  againe !"  Within  a  monethe  thairefter  sche 
was  lichtar  of  a  man  chyld  indeid,  whom,  be  imitation  of  Josephe, 
I  callit  E])hraim,  because  God  haid  maid  me  fruietfull  in  a  strange 
land  ;  praying  God  of  his  grace,  nocht  regarding  my  shines  and 
unthankfulnes,  to  mak  anie  mean  instrument  in  his  Kirk.  I  can 
nocht  expres  the  cair,  kyndnes,  and  tender  affection  quhilk  God 
kindlit  in  the  harts  of  that  pciplc  towards  mc,  in  the  behalff  of  my  wyff 
and  chyld  :  For,  certcan  I  am,  if  all  hir  frinds  and  mvn  in  Scotland 
haid  bein  about  hir,  it  was  nocht  in  thair  powar  to  haiff  used  hir  sa 
cairfullie,  lovinglic,  tenderlie,  and  diligatlie  :3  and,  namlie,  I  war 

1  Especially.  '-'  Mourned  and  Bobbed,  in  such  a  manner.  3  Delicately. 


1585.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  221 

maist  ingrat  if  I  soiild  forget  my  guid,  godlie,  and  maist  courteus 
Lady,  my  Lady  Wedringhton,  wha  wated  on  malr  cairfullie  then 
the  maidwyff,  and  receavit  him  from  the  wombe  in  hir  awin  skirt, 
and  finding  him  nocht  livlie,  maid  hast  to  the  fyre,  and  thrusting 
in  her  curshar,1  brunt  it,  and  helde  to  his  naisthrilles,2  wherby  he 
quicned  and  ky thed 3  signes  of  lyft".  This  I  sa  particularlie  sett  down, 
partlie  till  extoll  the  cair  and  providence  of  God  towards  me,  and 
partlie  to  move  that  chyld  to  sett  him  selff  to  the  knawlage  and  ser- 
vice of  that  God  wha  thus  brought  him  from  the  wombe.  He  was 
born  the  15  day  o  Januar,  in  the  yeir  1584-(1585.) 

About  the  middes  of  Februar,  efter  a  grait  humiliation  and  fast 
for  all  thir  causses,  and  confort  of  the  holie  communion  keipit  at 
Newcastell,  the  noble  men,  partlie  because  they  perceavit  that  thair 
lying  neir  the  Border  indangerit  thair  frinds,  and  partlie  at  the  de- 
syre  of  hir  Majestie,  past  southe,  and,  efter  they  haid  remanit  about 
a  monethe  in  Northwitche,  they  cam  to  Londone  ;  and  I  returning 
to  Berwik,  as  my  calling  requyrit,  preparit  my  wyfF  and  companie, 
and  followed  to  Londone  be  water. 

My  guid  Lady  Wedringtoun  wald  neids  detein  my  young  sone, 
and  haiff  him  in  plege  till  my  retourning,  wha  lykwayes,  with  our 
uther  maist  cairfull  and  loving  frinds  in  Chryst,  maid  guid  provi- 
sion for  our  voyage.  Mr  Walter  Balcanquall  cam  down  from  Lon- 
done, and,  sending  for  his  wyfF,  went  in  companie  with  us.  We  war 
in  nomber  about  twoll  persones  passingers  inbarkit  about  the  be- 
ginning of  Merche,  bot  be  contrarie  windes,  with  grait  fascherie4 
and  seiknes,  war  put  in  in  Tinmouthe,  whar  we  ley  sax  dayes,  and 
again  lainching  furthe,  upon  the  fourt  day  we  arryvit  at  Londone, 
whar,  meitting  with  my  uncle  and  his  companie,  we  war  nocht  a 
lytle  conforted. 

M.D.LXXXV. 

A  lytle  efter  the  Noble-men  cam  to  Londone,  and  I  entered 
againe  to  my  awin  charge,  mikle  helped  and  incuragit  by  my  uncle, 

1  Kerchief.  2  Nostrils.  :!  Manifested,  showed.  4  Trouble. 


222  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L585. 

whom  the  Noble-men  drew  to  tham,  and  maid  him  Chair  domestic. 

Our  tentationcs  then  Avar  veric  grait,  for  be  Ambassatour  efter  Am- 
bassatour send  to  hir  Majestic,  first  we  war  callit  a  grait  stope  bak 
from  our  frinds,  quhilk  maid  tham  and  us  bathe  to  tyne  hart  and 
almaist  dispear ; '  bot  syne  it  was  ernestlie  suted  that  we  sould  be 
put  out  of  Eingland,  and  manic  promises  maid  for  that  effect.     Sa 
that,  indeid,  wc  miked  for  na  thing  bot  to  be  put  from  Eingland  aa 
Scotland ;  bot  the  Lord  our  God  haid  heirin  a  guid  wark  in  drawing 
us  neirar  and  neirar  unto  him,  and  making  us  knaw  that  he  was  to 
WOurk  that  wark  him  selff'for  his  awin  gloric.     And,  thairfor,  first 
in  that  simmer  he  send  a  pest,2  quhilk  past  throw  the  principal] 
townes,  and  raget  till  almaist  utter  vastation  in  the  townes  of  Edin- 
bruchc,  St  Androis,  St  Jhonstoun,  and  Dondie,  in  sic  sort  that  the 
comoun  clamer  of  the  peiple  was  against  the  Court.    With  this,  sic 
utragius  tyrannie  was  usit  be  Arran  and  his  licentius,  proudc,  im- 
pudent Lady,  that  all  esteates  mislykit  and  weiried  at  the  sam. 
Thus  God  prepared  the  peiple  at  hame  that  simmer ;  and  at  the 
hervest,  togidder  with  the  raging  pestilence  increasing  mair  and 
mair,  namlic  in  Edinbruche,  the  Lord  send  sic  tempest  of  wathcr 
and  rean,3  that  all  began  to  cry,  The  Lord's  hand  wald  nocht  stey 
nnto  the  tyme  the  Ministers  of  God  and  Noble-men  war  brought 
hame  againe !  The  quhilk,  when  our  frinds  perceavit,  they  maid  us 
advertisment ;    bot    the    difticultie  Avas  in  purchassing  of  licence, 
quhilk  our  unfrinds,4  confederates  with  Arran,  wald  nocht  suffer  to 
be  granted,  till  God  provydit,  in  lyk  mancr,  a  motive  for  that,  to 
Avit,  the  slauchtar  of  the  Lord  Russell,  Warden,  at  a  day  of  Trewes,8 
upon  the  Bordour.     The  quhilk,  for  all  excuses  could  be   maid, 
crabit6  sa  the  Quein,  that  sehe  licenced  our  Noble-men  joyned  Avith 
the  Ilamiltones,  to  return  to  thair  frinds  in  Scotland.    And  sa,  efter 
a  vcrie  crncst  cxereeise  of  humiliation  keipit  be  our  haill  companie, 
at  Westminster,  wharin  manie  tearcs  war  powred  out   befor  the 
Lord,  and  the  hartes  of  all  Aveill  prepared,  about  the  beginning  of 

1  Lose  heart,  and  almost  despair.  '  Plague,  pestilence.  ■''  Tempest  of 

weather  and  rain.  '  Enemies.  '  A  Warden- K aid.  or  "day  of  Trew." 

8  Vexed,  angered, 


1585.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  223 

October,  the  Erles  of  Angus  and  Mar,  with  the  Maistir  of  Glames, 
and  thair  companies,  past  from  Londone,  and  with  thamc  my  uncle 
Mr  Andro,  Mr  Patrik  Galloway,  and  Mr  Walter  Balcanquall,  wha 
coming  to  the  Bordour,  the  Lord  Hamilton  and  those  that  war  at 
Berwik  cam  to  tham  ;  and  as  they  enterit  in  the  countrey,  ther  re- 
sorted unto  tham  without  delay  the  haill  Bordours,  Est  and  Wast, 
conducted  by  thair  Lords  of  Hume,  Bodwell,  and  Maxwell,  and 
merching  fordwart  with  diligence  cam  to  St  Ninian's  Kirk,  a  myll 
from  Sterling,  upon  the  first  day  of  November,  and  ther  camped  to 
the  number  of  ten  thowsand  horsmen.  In  this  mean  tyme,  procla- 
mationes  with  all  diligence  Avas  send  athort  the  countrey,  and  double 
this  number  war  conveinit  within  the  town  of  Stirling,  but  nocht 
halff  sa  resolut  and  weill  harted  to  feght  in  the  quarrell  as  our  men 
war.  Sa,  to  be  schort,  on  the  morn  soone,  be  brak  of  day,  they 
unbesett '  the  town,  and  with  grait  quietnes  and  unresistable  courage 
ministred  be  God,  scaled  and  clam  ower  the  walles.  A  lytle  re- 
sistance was  maid  be  Captean  James  and  Coronell  Stewart  be  the 
space  of  twa  houres,  bot  seing  the  courage  of  the  uther  they  schrank 
bak,  and  reteiring,  gaiff  libertie  to  all  to  enter  and  win  the  town. 
Captean  James,  haiffing  in  his  poutche  the  key  of  the  brig,2  fled 
away  that  gett3  incontinent :  The  rest,  viz.,  Montrose,  Crafurd, 
Glencarn,  Aroll,  and  Colonell  Steward,  reteired  to  the  Castell,  whar 
the  King  was  ;  but  our  folks,  persuing  hatlie,  cam  all  to  the  Castell 
hill,  and  clos  under  foresnout  of  the  Blokhous  planted  thair  stand- 
dars  and  campe. 

The  King,  perceaving  that  he  was  nocht  able  to  keipe  the  Castell, 
and  knawing  that  the  peiple's  affection  was  towards  these  Noble- 
men and  Ministers,  resolved  to  Parliament,  and  send  furthe  unto 
our  Lords  the  Secretar  and  Justice-  Clark,  requyring  of  tham  : — 

First,  That  his  lyff,  honour,  and  esteat,  might  be  preservit. 

Secondlie,  That  the  lives  of  Montrose,  Crafurd,  and  Coronell 
Steward,  sould  be  sparit. 

Thridlie,  That  all  maters  soidd  be  transacted  peacablie.     And, 

1  Surrounded.  2  In  his  pocket  the  key  of  the  bridge.  8  Way,  road. 


22A  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diabt.  1585. 

upon  these  conditiones,  offerit  him  selff  to  be  governed  be  thair  advys 
and  counsall  in  tvme  coining. 

The  Noble-men  answered  to  the  King's  messangers  : — 

That,  for  the  First,  the  God  of  Heavin  knew  that  they  haid  never 
anie  uther  intention  than  to  preserve  his  Majestie's  persone,  esteat, 
and  dignitie ;  and  to  delyver  his  Majestie  from  the  handes  of  sic,  wha, 
under  pretext  of  his  name  and  authoritie,  haid  sa  creuallie  opprest  the 
Kirk  and  Comoun-weill,  and  haid  exponed  to  danger  bathe  his  Ma- 
jestie's lyff  and  croun  :  That,  haiffing  the  feu*  of  God  befor  than  eis, 
they  war  com  to  do  his  Majestie  all  dewtie  and  service,  and  to  schaw 
tham  selves  fathfull  and  obedient  subjects,  as  they  haid  done  of  be- 
for ;  exposing  tham  selves  to  the  violence  of  sic  as  befor  tyme  faught 
■with  his  mother  against  him  with  displeyed  baner,  to  depryve  him 
of  his  esteat  and  honour,  wha,  nochtwithstanding,  haid  bein  of  leat, 
at  least  thair  successours  in  that  cause,  admitted  to  the  handling  of 
all  his  effeares. 

As  to  the  Second,  seing  the  persones  befor  named,  whase  lives 
war  desyrit  to  be  sparit,  haid  troublet  the  liaill  countrey,  and  bein 
instruments  of  sic  confusion  as  the  lyk  haid  nocht  bein  hard  nor  sein 
in  Scotland,  they  could  do  na  les  for  his  Majestie's  honour,  and  af- 
fection they  bine  to  thair  countrey,  then  seik  the  meanes  wharby 
they  might  be  put  in  the  hands  of  Justice,  to  be  used  as  they  haid 
demerit. 

As  to  the  Thride,  they  tham  selves  declarit  to  the  King,  that  they 
maid  humble  supplication  to  his  Hienes,  that  he  him  selff  sould  tak 
ordour  and  sic  all  things  to  pas,  and  be  wrought  pacible  in  an  op- 
portune and  convenient  tyme,  to  the  grait  contentment  of  all  his 
guid  subjects  ;  and  for  that  effect  promised  all  ayde  and  assistance  : 
protesting  that  they  approchcd  nocht  to  his  Majestie  in  amies,  and 
with  sic  companies,  bot  be  constraint  for  saveing  of  thair  lvves  and 
leivinga  from  the  tyrannic  of  sic  as  sought  thair  mine  and  utter 
wrak. 

The    Bang's    messingers  being   departed,  the  Noble-men  send 


1585.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  225 

in   lyk   maner  unto  the   King,   requyring  of  his   Majestie   time 
things : 

First,  That  the  King  sould  giff  his  consent  to  reform  the  cor- 
ruptionnes  and  abbusses  that  war  crouppen  within  the  Kirk  and 
Comoun-weill,  be  the  evill  government  of  tham  wha  haid  abbusit 
his  authoritie ;  and  thairfor  he  wald  allow  as  lawfull  and  gnid  ser- 
vice thair  proceidings  in  seiking  the  said  reformation,  and  for  that 
cause  that  his  Majestie  wald  subscryve  the  schort  declaration  quhilk 
they  haid  formed  of  thair  cause  ;  and  that  for  thair  graitter  assur- 
ance, that  the  strainthes  and  Castells  quhilk  the  troublers  of  the 
esteat  haid  in  thair  handes  sould  be  delyvered  unto  tham,  to  be 
keipit  be  sic  as  the  Esteattes  of  the  Reahne  thought  meit. 

Secondlie,  That  the  said  troublers  of  the  Esteat  sould  be  giffen 
in  thair  keiping,  to  be  presented  to  justice. 

And,  Last,  That  the  King's  Gard  might  be  changit,  and  an  uther 
chosin  of  the  fathfull,  modest,  and  sobre  men,  under  sic  a  Captean 
and  Commander  as  the  Noble-men  sould  nam. 

All  these  things  wer  granted.  The  Lord  Hamilton  maid  Cap- 
tean of  Dumbartan  ;  the  Lard  of  Cowdounknowes  of  Edinbruche, 
and  Stirling  restored  to  the  Erie  of  Mar ;  and  the  Maistcr  of  Glames 
maid  Captean  of  the  Garde.  In  end  a  Parliament  was  proelamed 
to  be  haldin  at  Linlithgow,  the  tent  of  December  following,  for 
restoring  again  of  Noble-men,  Ministers,  and  all. 

The  King  receavit  all  the  Noble-men  in  favour,  and  granted  tham 
what  they  wald  ask  for  ther  particular.  Bot  concerning  the  maters 
of  the  Kirk,  that  twitched  his  honour  sa,  that  he  wald  nocht  be 
controlled  thairin,  nor  grant  to  na  thing  bot  efter  his  pleasour ;  and 
sa  tuk  upe  a  heiche  humor  against  all  the  guid  breithring,  partlie 
because  he  perceavit  that  the  Noble-men  Avar  nocht  verie  emest  in 
the  maters,  getting  their  awin  turnes  done,  as,  indeed,  (except  the 
guid  Erie  of  Angus,  to  whase  hart  it  was  a  continwall  grieff  that  he 
could  nocht  get  concurrance,)  ther  was  lytle  or  small  ccar  amangs 
tham  thairof,  for  all  the  vowes  and  fair  promises  maid  to  God  and 
his  servants,  the  quhilk  the  Lord  in  mercie  mak  them  to  tak  till 
hart  in  tvmo  and  repent,  befor  the  last  come,  quhilk  can  nocht,  in 


226  MR  JAMES  melvill's  DIAKT.  L585. 

his  just  judgment,  bot  be  mair  feirfiillnor  the  first ;  partlie  because 
he  estimed  the  Kirk  to  be  the  cheiff  cause  of  his  controlinent  in  his 
proceidings  first  and  last,  the  discipline  wharof  he  could  na  waves 
lyk,  ex  metu  Herodiano  et  Jcroboamino. 

About  the  end  of  November,  warning  was  maid,  according  to  the 
ordour  of  the  Kirk  be  the  last  Moderator,  athort  the  countrey  to  the 
breithring,  to  convein  in  General]  Assemblie,  conforme  to  custome 
befor  the  Parliament  at  Dumfermling,  na  uther  meit  town  being 
frie  of  the  pest.  The  breithring  frcquentlie  }  furthe  of  all  partes 
resorting  thither.  The  portes  of  the  town  war  closit  upon  tham  be 
the  Provest  for  the  tvme,  the  Lard  of  Pitfirren,  alleainnj;  he  haid 
the  King's  expres  command  sa  to  do.  Therfor  the  breithring,  co- 
mending  that  wrang  to  God,  the  righteus  Judge,  convenit  sa  monie 
as  [they]  might  in  the  fields,  and  conforting  them  selves  mutualie  in 
God,  apointed  to  meit  in  Linlithgow  a  certcan  dayes  befor  the  Par- 
liament. Bot  God,  within  a  few  yeirs,  peyit  that  Lard  and  Pro- 
vest  his  hyre  for  that  piece  of  service,  when,  for  the  balding  out  of 
his  servantes  from  keiping  his  Assemblie  in  that  town,  he  maid  his 
awin  hous  to  spew  him  out:  For  a2  day,  in  the  morning,  he  was 
fund  fallen  out  of  a  window  of  his  awin  hous  of  Pitfirren,  thrie  or 
four  hous  [stories?]  hight,  wither  be  a  melancolius  dispear  casting 
him  selff,  or  be  the  violence  of  unkynd  ghests  ludgit  within,  God 
knawes  ;  for,  being  taken  upe,  his  speitche  was  nocht  sa  sensible  as 
to  declar  it,  bot  within  few  hours  efter  deit. 

The  newes  of  the  taking  of  Stilling  was  at  the  Court  of  Eing- 
land  and  in  Londone  within  aught  and  fourtie  houres  ;  for  it  being 
done  on  Tysday  in  the  morning,  on  the  Furisday3  thairefter  Mr 
Robert  Bowes  tauld  us,  and  on  the  Fredday  it  was  comoun  in  the 
mouthes  of  all  Londone.  At  the  quhilk  we  graithimlie4  rejoysing 
in  the  soveran  guidnes  and  mercie  of  our  God,  and  resorting  togid- 
der  to  steir  us  upe  mutualie  to  thankfulncs  :  Sa,  with  all  conveni- 

1  In  numWrs,  numerously.         2  Ono.  '  Thursday.        * " Graittumlie,"  greatly. 


1585.  MB  JAMES  MKLYILLV  DIABY.  1^7 

ent  diligence  we  maid  for  the  jorney  hame  ower  ; '  in  the  quhilk,  as 
in  going,  sa  in  returning,  we  fund  the  bountifnll  and  gratius  hand  of 
our  God  with  us,  sa  that  we  haid  occasion  divers  tvmes  to  sing 
unto  the  praise  of  our  God  that  126  Psalme,  with  manie  ma,  but 
namlie  at  our  coming  to  Anwik  on  the  second  Sabathe  of  our  jor- 
ney. Ther  we  rested,  and  war  called  to  dinner  be  Sir  Jhone  Fostar, 
Lord  Warden,  wha,  at  mides  of  dinner,  began  bathe  to  glorifie  God 
in  recompting  what  he  haid  wrought  already,  and  to  prophesie  con- 
cerning the  stay  of  foull  wather  and  of  the  pestilence,  whowsone  all 
the  Ministers  of  God  war  brought  ham  againe  ;  as,  indeid,  it  was 
marked  and  found  within  a  monethe,  that  Ave  war  estonished  to  heir 
the  mouthe  of  a  warldlie  civill  man  sa  opened  to  speak  "out  the 
woundarfull  warkes  and  prases  of  God,  wrought  for  us.  We  war 
in  companie  a  nine  or'  ten  horses,  and  fand  him  the  gratius  God  of 
the  land  in  retourning,  as  we  fund  him  of  the  sies  in  our  passage 
southwart. 

Coming  in  Scotland,  I  left  my  wyfF,  weirie  of  sa  lang  a  jorney, 
to  rest  at  Hutonhall,  in  companie  with  the  relict  of  Mr  James  Law- 
sone,  guid,  sweit,  and  godlie  Janet  Guthrie,  and  with  Mr  Robert 
Durie  tuk  jorney  to  Linlithgow  to  the  Parliament,  swalleing  upe2  be 
hope,  inquenchable  joy  of  reformation  of  all  things  amiss,  and  grait 
welcoming  with  manie  guid-morrowes.  But  as  at  our  going  out  of 
the  countrey,  we  knew  nor  saw  na  thing  that  might  rease  us  in  anie 
grait  hope  of  provision  or  comfort,  and  yit,  by  the  guid  providence 
of  our  God,  we  fand  far  beyond  expectation  ;  sa,  be  the  contrar,  at 
our  retourning,  loking  for  all  guid  and  comfortable,  we  fund  na 
thing  les. 

For,  first,  ryding  from  Hadington  to  Smeton,  reposing  on  our 
gyde,  we  went  ford  wart,  whowbeit  under  night,  far,  bot  when  we 
war  in  graittest  danger  of  coll-pittes  and  sinks,  the  darknes  was  sa 
grait,  that  our  gyd  knew  nocht  whar  he  was,  nor  whow  to  gyde ; 


1  Homewards. "  My  individuos  comes  "sen  syne,  and  maist  sure  and  fathfull  bro- 
ther and  frind,  Mr  Robert  Dury,  was  with  mo,  wha  haid  a  monethe  or  twa  of  befor 
com  from  the  Rotchell  to  London  to  us."    Margin  of  MS.  '-  Swelling,  buoyed  up. 


228  BIB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1585. 

sa  that  iff  God  haid  nocht  gydet  us,  we  liaid  bein  lyk  Thales,  wha 
compased  the  erthe,  and  dyed  in  a  draw-well  at  his  awin  duv  !  When 
we  haid  .spent  a  guid  part  of  the  night,  at  last  ane  of  our  hors  rash- 
ed  on  his  nes1  upon  a  gevill2  of  a  hous  ;  bot  whither  it  was  hous, 
or  stak,  or  heuche,  we  knew  nocht,  nather  saw  hors  or  man,  na 
nocht  our  awin  fingar-end,  till  ane  lightand  down  grapes  ellanges,3 
and  finds  a  dur,  and  chapping4  we  gat  sum  folks  that  tauld  us  we 
war  in  Trenent,  fra  the  quhilk  conducing5  a  gyde,  with  a  lantern 
knit  to  his  hors-teall  to  schaw  us  the  way,  with  grait  fascherie6 
throw  the  Coll-hors-gett  avc  cam  to  Smeton.  On  the  morn  we  maid 
hast,  and,  coming  to  Lestarik,7  disjoned,8  and  about  alleavin  hours9 
cam  ryding  in  at  the  Water-gett  of  the  Abbay,  upe  throw  the 
Canow-Gett,  and  red  in  at  the  Nether-bow,  throw  the  grait  streit 
of  Kdinbruche  to  the  Wast  Port,  in  all  the  quhilk  way  we  saw  nocht 
thrie  persones,  sa  that  I  miskend 10  Edinbruche,  and  almost  forgot 
that  ever  I  haid  sein  sic  a  town.  About  evein  we  cam  to  Lithgow, 
to  a  nomber  of  heavie  and  greived  breither,  and  a  miserable  vyll 
presone,  the  lyk  wharof  I  was  never  in  all  my  dayes. 

The  occasion  of  the  breithring's  greiff  was,  that  they  war  out  of 
hope  to  gett  anie  thing  undone  at  that  Parliament,  quhilk  was  done 
at  the  Parliament  of  the  1584;  and  that  because  the  Kino-  haid 
sett  him  selff  dispytfullie  against  the  Kirk,  and  these  in  speciall 
wha  haid  bein  with  the  Lords  ;  namlie,  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  wha 
haid  bein  verie  quik  and  plean  with  the  King  divers  dayes.  And 
as  for  the  Noble-men,  they  required  that,  first,  they  might  be  sat- 
telit  in  thair  roumes,11  and  sync  la  wald  do  ancuche  ;  bot  it  was  tank! 
them,  that  that  wald  bathe  weaken  and  scham  tham  and  thair 
cause  with  God  and  man.  Yit,  in  effect,  the  guid  breithring  war 
left  and  deserted  be  tham,  and  behoved  to  bear  thair  reprotches 
that  wald  do  na  thing  for  Chrvst.  But  by  this,  a  heavier  cause  of 
greiff  was  giffen  by  a  bitter  invection  that  Mr  Crag  maid  against 


1  Nose.  »  Gable.  3  Alongst.  *  Knocking.  »  Hiring. 

■  Trouble.  7  Restalrig,  near  Edinburgh.         ■  Breakfasted.  9  Eleven  o'clock. 

10  Forgot,  knew  not.  "  Settled  in  their  situations  or  livings.  "  Then. 


1585.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  229 

us  befor  the  King  and  haill  Lords  of  Parliament,  steired  upe,  as  he 
alleadgit,  be  a  sermont  that  James  Gipsone  haid  maid,  in  the  pul- 
pit of  Edinbruche,  against  the  Subscryving  Ministers,  of  whom  Mr 
Crag  was  the  cheiff ;  sa  that  ther  was  the  seid  of  a  feirfull  schisme, 
giff  God,  be  the  meanes  of  patient  and  wyse  breithring,  haid  nocht 
born  down  the  saming1  at  the  nixt  Assemblie.  Togidder  with 
this,  the  thrang  of  the  town  was  sa  grait,  that  we  haid  na  confort 
of  meit,  drink,  or  ludging,  bot  sa  evill  and  miserable,  and  thairwith 
sa  extream  deir,  that  we  war  rather  brought  from  wealthe,  ease, 
and  libertie,  and  cast  in  a  wretched  foull  pressone,  nor  from  exyll 
till2  our  native  countrey.  Yit  the  conscience  of  our  cause  and  ser- 
vice of  Chryst  upheld  us,  and  maid  us  to  keipe  togidder,  in  a  de- 
ceyit  house,  that  nather  helde  out  wind  nor  weit,  with  confort  furnesit 
be  the  mightie  Confortar,  the  space  of  ten  dayes  or  fyftein,  till  the 
Parliament  endit ;  efter  the  quhilk  also  I  was  constreanit  to  tarie 
uther  ten,  partlie  to  gett  our  Letters  of  Eestitution  exped,  and 
partlie  for  my  hors,  whom,  for  want  of  stabling,  the  first  night  I 
founder  in  bathe  the  twa  former  feit,3  to  my  grait  los. 

Efter  divers  hatt,  rouche,  and  maist  scharpe  reasonings,  haid  be- 
twix  the  King  and  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  in  end  the  King  desyrit 
us  to  giff  in,  in  wrait,  what  we  haid  to  say  against  the  actes  of  par- 
liament maid  in  anno  1584.  Upon  the  quhilk  we  formed  and  gain0 
in  to  his  Majestie  thir  Animadversiones  following : 


ANIMADVERSIONS  OF  OFFENCES  CONCEAVED  UPON  THE  ACTES  OF 
PARLIAMENT  MAID  IN  THE  YEIR  1584,  LN  THE  MONETHE  OF 
MAY,  PRESENTED  BE  THE  COMMISSIONERS  OF  THE  KIRK  TO  THE 
KING'S  MAJESTIE  AT  THE  PARLIAMENT  OF  LINLITHGOW,  IN  DE- 
CEMBER, 1585. 

"  In  the  First  Act,  it  is  thought  a  grait  impearing4  of  the  libertie 
of  the  trew  Kirk,  in  sa  far  as  na  thing  thairby  is  granted  to  the 

1  Same.       -  Then  from  exile  to.        s  I  foundered  in  both  the  fore-feet.       '  Impaired, 


230  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'g  DIARY.  1585. 

sam,  hot  the  libertie  of  prcatching  and  ministration  of  sacraments  ; 
seing  the  powar  of  binding  and  lowsing,  qnhilk  is  called  the  powar 
of  the  keyes  of  the  kingdom  of  heavin,  consistes  nocht  onlie  in 
these  poincts,  bot  also  in  judgment,  jurisdiction,  and  removing  of 
offences  out  of  the  Kirk  of  God,  and  excommunication  to  be  pro- 
nunced  against  the  disobedient  be  tham  that  ar  office-bearers 
within  the  sam  :  And  sa  the  haill  discipline  is  left  out.  And  this 
act  restrictcs  the  libertie  granted  be  uther  actes  of  Parliament  of 
befor.  concerning  discipline  and  correction  of  maners,  quhilk  war 
establissed  be  a  law  in  the  first  yeir  of  your  Majestie's  reing.  Our 
warrands  of  the  Word  of  God  for  this  part  of  the  libertie  of  the 
Kirk  we  ar  to  bring  furthe  when  your  Majestie  pleases. 

"  As  concerning  the  Second  Act,  the  narration  thairof  apeires  to 
be  sklanders  against  sum  of  the  Ministerie,  quhilk  we  wald  wis  to 
be  reformed,  or  uther  wayes  conceaved,  except  the  treuthe  thairof 
war  verefied.  And,  as  to  the  substance  of  the  act  it  selff,  it  attri- 
butes unto  your  Majestie  a  soverane  powar  of  judgment,  nocht 
onlie  upon  the  persones  of  all  your  subjects,  but  also  in  all  maters, 
wherin  they,  or  anie  of  them,  salbe  apprehendit,  summoned,  or 
chargit,  &c.  :  Quhilk  appeires  to  be  verie  strange,  the  lyk  wharof 
we  heir  nocht  to  haiff  bein  practised  in  anie  Christian  comoun- 
welthe,  and  can  nocht  stand  Avith  the  Word  of  God.  For,  although 
the  persones  of  men  ar  subject  to  your  Majestie  and  Civill  Judges, 
when  they  offend  against  your  lawes,  yit  in  maters  mere  Ecclesi- 
asticall,  and  concerning  conscience,  na  Christian  Prince  can  justlie 
clame,  nor  ever  clamit,  to  him  selff  sic  powar  to  judge,  seing  the 
Prince  in  that  behalffis  bot  a  member  of  the  Kirk,  and  .Jesus  Chryst 
onlie  the  Head,  wha  onlie  lies  powar  to  giff  lawes  in  maters  of  con- 
science. And  sa  said  the  godlie  Ambrose,  *  Tmperator  bonus  intra 
Ecclesiam  non  supra  Ecclesiam  est.1  And  to  confound  the  Jurisdic- 
tiones  Civill  and  Ecclesiastical!  i>*that  thing  wherin  all  men  of 
guidjudgmenl  haiff  justlie  fund  fault  with  the  Pape  of  Rome,  wha 
clames  to  him  selff  tin-  powar  of  bothe  the  swords,  quhilk  is  ala 
grait  a  fault  to  a  Civill  Magistrat  till  acclam  or  usurpe,  and  Bpeci- 
alie  to  judge  upon  the  doctrine.  errours,  and  heresies,  he  nocht  be 


1585.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  231 

ing  placed  in  Ecclesiasticall  function  to  interpret  the  Scriptures. 
The  warrands  heirof  out  of  the  Word  of  God  we  ar  lykwayes 
readie  to  bring  furthe. 

"  Anent  the  Thrid  Act,  it  appeires  to  be  obscure,  bot  yit  the  ef- 
fect thairof  to  tend  to  this,  That  nane  desyre  alteration  of  the 
form  or  custome  of  the  conveining  of  the  Esteats  in  Parliament, 
as  sum  hes  sought  the  sam  to  be  iunovat.  Sir,  we  understand  that 
the  ancient  libertie  of  the  said  Thrie  Esteates  is  lovable  and  an- 
cient ;  bot  lykwayes  it  is  of  treuthe  that  arnangs  uther  corruptionnes 
that  war  in  tym  of  Papistrie,  the  Ecclesiasticall  Esteat  was  cor- 
rupted, and  apointed  to  be  of  sic  persones  wha  haid  na  laAvfull 
function  in  the  Kirk  of  God,  and  specialie  aught  nocht  to  haiff 
place,  Religion  being  reformed  within  this  realme  ;  we  mein  of  Bis- 
chopes,  Abbots,  and  sic  lyk  Popishe  Prelacies,  in  consideration  that 
be  Actes  of  Parliament  maid  of  befor,  all  authoritie  and  jurisdiction 
of  the  Pape  of  Rome,  and  of  uthers  floAving  from  him,  nocht  agrie- 
able  to  the  Word  of  God,  is  abolished  within  this  realme.  Ther- 
for,  we  think  in  our  conscience,  and  haiff  oft  suted  it  of  your  Ma- 
jestie,  that  nan  should  vot  in  Parliament  in  nam  of  the  Esteat  of 
the  Kirk  bot  they  that  haiff  thair  calling  of  God,  and  ar  constitut  in 
Ecclesiasticall  office  and  function  according  to  his  Word;  and  thair- 
for  discreit  Commissionars,  of  the  maist  lernit  bathe  in  the  law  of 
God  and  of  the  countrey,  being  of  the  function  of  the  Ministerie,  or 
Eldars  of  the  Kirk,  to  represent  that  esteat  at  whase  mouthe  the 
law  aught  to  be  requyrit,  namlie,  in  Ecclesiasticall  maters.;  and  it 
is  nocht  the  grait  rents  or  promotion  to  grait  benefices,  nor  yit  the 
dignitie  of  kinred  or  blood,  that  caries  with  it  all  knawlage  or  judg- 
ment, bot  uther  men,  wha  ar  coumpted  of  inferiour  rank  to  the 
judgment  of  the  warld,  may  preveall  thairin.  And  ther  is  na  incon- 
venient that  Commissionars  may  be  send  fra  the  Kirk,  representing 
the  Thrid  Esteat,  alsweill  as  from  the  Burrowes,  to  haiff  vott  in 
Parliament.  Therfor,  Ave  huinblie  desyre  your  Majestie  to  declar 
the  said  act,  and  deny  nocht  unto  us  that  libertie  that  God's  Word 
and  the  lawcs  of  the  countrey  maid  of  befor,  and  aequitie  and  reas- 
sone  in  this  behalff,  craves. 


232  mi:  JAMES  mi.i.\  [LL'fl  iuauv.  ldtfa. 

"  As  concerning  the  Fourt  Act,  the  tvtle  thairof  i=^  discharging 
nil  Jurisdictiones  and  Judgments  nocht  approved  be  Parliament, 
and  all  Assemblies  and  Conventionnes  without  your  Majestie's 
special]  licens  and  commandiment.  And,  in  the  narrative,  it  ap- 
peires  ther  is  a  Bklanderus  report  reased  upon  the  Kirk  and  Office- 
bearers within  the  sam,  for  using  certean  Jurisdictiones  nocht  ap- 
proved be  the  lawes  of  the  realm,  and  alleaging  ane  Act  maid  in 
the  dayes  of  your  Hienes  grandschir,  that  all  the  lieges  audit  to  be 
rewled  be  the  comoun  lawes  of  the  realm,  and  be  na  uther  lawes. 
And,  thairfor,  the  said  act  discharges  all  Judgments  and  Jurisdic- 
tiones, spiritual]  or  temporally  accustomed  to  be  used  thir  xxv.  years 
bypast,  nocht  approved  be  your  Hienes  and  Esteats  in  Parliament, 
with  thretning  of  execution  upon  all  persones  that  uses  or  obeyes 
the  sam,  as  usurpers  and  contemners  of  your  Hienes  authorities  and 
for  convocation  of  your  Hienes  lieges. 

"  Sir,  we  maist  humblie  crave  your  Hienes  mynd  to  be  farder  de- 
clared heirin,  for  it  appeires  to  us  to  be  verie  strange,  and  a  thing 
that  can  nocht  stand  with  the  libertie  granted  be  Jesus  Chryst  to 
his  Kirk,  and  tham  that  bear  function  and  office  within  the  sam. 
And,  first,  as  to  the  Act  of  King  James  the  Fourt,  your  Hienes 
grandschir,  we  say,  that  the  sam  act  appeires  pleanlie  to  mean  of  the 
Civill  Jurisdiction,  quhilk  he  and  his  predecessours  and  Buccessours 
may  clam  within  this  reahne  be  thair  Royall  powar,  and  nocht  of 
the  Ecclesiastical]  Jurisdiction;  for  that  law  was  maid  against  tham 
of  the  Ylles,  that  used  the  King  of  Denmark's  lawes  in  civill  maters  ; 
and,  in  your  grandschir's  dayes,  ther  was  an  uther  Ecclesiastical] 
Jurisdiction  within  this  realme,  efter  the  maner  of  Papistrie,  used 
be  tham  that  war  called  Kirkmen,  unto  the  dayes  of  Reformation 
of  Relligion,  as  hes  beln  u^vd  continualie  sen  that  tyme,  with 
quhilk  na  limit  was  bind.  And  it  is  oftreuthe  that  ther  is  a  Spirit- 
ual] Jurisdiction  granted  to  the  Kirk  of  God  be  his  Word,  (ipihilk 
make-  na  derogation  to  the  Jurisdiction  of  erthlie  Prince.-,)  wherof 
the  ( MSce-bearers  within  the  Kirk  in  this  realm  hes  bein  in  peace- 
able   possession    and    use   thir   xxiiij.   ycirs    bypast    with    the   mair, 

wherof  followed  na  trouble,  bol  grait   quietnee  to  the  Kirk  and 


1585.  ME  JAMES  melvlll's  diarv.  233 

Conioun-welthe.  And  ther  has  bein  mair  trouble  in  the  Ecclesiasti- 
eall  Esteat  within  thir  twa  yeirs  last  bypast,  nor  ever  was  sen  the 
Relligion  was  reformed  within  this  countrey.  Alwayes  Ave  offer  us 
to  prove,  be  guid  warrands  of  the  Word  of  God,  that  it  is  lawfull 
to  the  Ecclesiasticall  Esteat  to  convocat  Assemblies,  and  to  hauld 
the  sam,  and  till  apoint  an  ordour,  place,  and  tyme,  for  conveining 
of  the  sam,  to  treat  upon  sic  maters  as  concemes  the  Kirk's  effeares, 
quhilk  na  wayes  impears  your  Majestie's  civill  and  royall  jurisdic- 
tion, bot  rather  fortifies  and  decores  the  sam.  Nocht  denying,  in 
the  mean  tyme,  bot  it  is  lawfull  to  your  Majestie  and  Esteates, 
when  anie  extraordinar  necessitie  sail  requyre,  to  call  the  members 
and  Office-bearers  within  the  Kirk,  in  few  or  graitter  number,  and 
cause  tham  be  conveined  to  resolve  upon  sic  things  as  concemes 
thair  esteat,  and  necessitie  of  the  tyme.  And  fordar,  concerning 
the  Generall  Assemblies  of  the  Kirk,  ther  is  an  Act  in  the  first  yeir 
of  your  Hienes  reing,  ratefeing  the  authoritie  thairof,  and  decern- 
ing appellationes  to  be  devolvit  thairto,  as  to  the  last  judgment  of 
maters  concerning  the  Kirk.  The  sam  argument  we  use  concern- 
ing uther  Assemblies,  alsweill  particular,  and  of  the  Presbyteries,  as 
Provinciall,  be  the  paritie  of  reasone  and  guid  grounds  of  the  Word 
of  God,  quhilk  we  offer  us  to  schaw.  Beseikand  your  Majestie  to 
reform,  or  repear  and  qualefie  this  act  according  thairto ;  for,  if  it 
sail  stand  in  the  form  that  it  is,  nocht  onlie  Conventiones  for  dis- 
cipline, bot  also  for  heiring  of  the  Word,  wilbe  thairby  dischargit. 

"  As  to  the  Fyft  Act,  we  allow  weill  with  our  hartes,  that  all 
they  that  ax  planted  in  the  function  of  the  Ministerie,  if  they  com- 
mit onie  offence  worthie  of  deprivation,  they  be  deprvvit  bathe  of 
thair  fnnctiones  and  reveneus,  quhilk  they  possess  for  using  the  sam. 
Bot,  to  mak  exception  of  persones,  that  they  quhilk  haiff  vott  in 
Parliament  sail  nocht  be  controllit  in  that  behalff,  nor  the  lyk  judg- 
ment execut  upon  tham,  we  can  nocht  understand  whow  that  can 
agrie  with  reasone  and  guid  lawes,  seing  we  ar  able  to  verefie  the 
maist  part  of  tham  in  that  esteat  to  be  mair  sklanderus,  and  wordy 
to  be  deprived  bathe  of  thair  function  and  benefice  then  anie  uther. 
And,  as  to  the  votting  in  Parliament,  who  they  audit  to  be  that 


2:3 1:  mr  james  melvill's  diary.  1585. 

sould  haiff  place  ther,  we  haiff  tleclarit  our  judgment  of  befor. 
Therfbr,  this  act  appeires  to  mak  exception  of  persones,  quhilk  can 
nocht  wcill  stand  be  the  law  of  God  or  man.  As  to  the  causses  of 
deprivation,  it  requyres  also  a  conference,  quhilk  war  ower  lang  now 
to  put  in  wrait  to  your  Majestie.  Therfor  pleise  your  Hienes  also 
till  advys  better  heirupon,  and  qualefie  the  sam. 

"  Now,  for  the  Saxt  Act,  the  dytter l  thairof  apeires  to  be  verie 
cairfull  that  Ministers  sail  aAvait  upon  thair  function  and  office,  and 
sail  use  na  uther  function,  judgment,  or  office,  that  may  abstract 
tham  thairfra.  GhT  it  be  simplie  meined,  the  act  is  verie  guid.  Bot, 
with  your  Majestie's  licens,  they  ar  verie  far  in  the  wrang  to  your 
Hienes  that  wald  burding  you  with  all  fimction  and  jurisdiction 
bathe  in  Civill  and  Ecclesiasticall  maters,  being  bot  a2  persone, 
and  mikle  les3  able  to  discharge  nor4  a  simple  Minister  of  a  Kirk 
to  discharge  his  cure.  And,  fordar,  seing  the  sam  acte,  and  uther 
actes  of  this  Parliament,  attributes  Jurisdiction  to  Bischopes  over 
manie  kirks,  and  to  be  Judges  in  Ecclesiasticall  causses  also,  they 
ar  far  mair  unmeit  to  discharge  tham  selves  thairof  nor  a  simple 
Minister  that  hes  onlie  a  flok  or  kirk,  and,  peradventure,  an  colleg 
with  him  in  the  sam.  And,  fordar,  in  sa  far  as  the  Ecclesiasticall 
Esteat  is  an  of  the  Thrie  Esteates  in  Parliament,  and  as  we  ar  able 
to  prove  the  Office-bearers  and  Ministers  in  the  Kirk  aught  to  re- 
present the  said  Esteat,  it  can  nocht  weill  stand  that  all  Judicators 
sould  be  taken  from  tham,  seing  it  is  the  Supream  Judicator  in  this 
realme,  wherin  bathe  Civill  and  Criminal!  causses  ar  decydit ;  and, 
thairfor,  to  tak  away  this  judgment  from  tham  that  ar  of  the  Ec- 
clesiasticall function  it  is  verie  hard,  and  can  nocht  weill  stand  with 
the  libertie  granted  to  the  Kirk  of  ancient  tyme.  As  to  the  uther 
Civill  Judgments  that  may  abstract  Ministers  from  than-  cure,  we 
think  they  aucht  nocht  to  mell5  thair  withe,  bot  sa  far  as  they  ar 
called  lawfullie  by  the  Prince,  and  ar  able  to  discharge  the  sam.6 


1  Inditer,  the  person  who  framed  or  drew  up.  2  One.  8  Much  less. 

1  Than.  :>  Meddle,  interfere.  6  "  Notandum,  That  Mr  Robert  Pont 

penned  this  Animadversion,  and  wald  hailfit  thus  in.  by  |  i,  e  against  or  contrary  to] 


1585.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  235 

"  Passing  ower  the  rest  of  the  Actes,  as  nocht  perteining  to  the 
Kirk,  till  we  com  to  the  Thretteint,  in  the  quhilk  the  first  yeir's 
frnicts  of  all  benefices  is  decemit  to  be  taken  to  yonr  Hienes'  use 
and  your  Gard,  na  provision  being  maid  for  the  Ministers  that  serves 
whar  the  benefice  lyes  ;  and  the  first  yeir's  fruicts  war  never  cravit 
within  Prelacies  befor  this  Act.  And  also  a  grait  yeirlie  taxation 
is  leyed  upon  the  benefices,  as  appeires,  bathe  grait  and  small,  be- 
sydes  the  thrids.  Remedie  wald  thairfor  be  provydit  be  your  Ma- 
jestie  whow  the  Kirks  may  be  served  sufficientlie,  and  the  Ministers 
nocht  disapointed  of  thair  stipends ;  for  the  reveneus  of  the  Kirk 
ar  already  sa  diminished,  that  although  new  impositiones  be  nocht 
leyed  thairupon,  it  is  difficill  to  keipe  anie  ordour  within  the  Kirk, 
quhilk  mikle  mail'  salbe  impossible,  if  they  be  farder  diminishit. 
And  as  to  the  Munks'  portiones,  it  wald  be  a  godlie  ordinance  to 
your  Majestic  till  apoint  the  sam,  or  els  a  guid  part  thairof,  for  Bur- 
sares  in  Collages,  as  sum  tyme  it  was  proponit  and  halfrlie  grantit. 

"  Sa,  passing  to  the  Twentie  Act :  The  sam  giffes  commission  to 
Patrik,  called  Archbischope  of  St  Androis,  and  uther  Bischopes,  or 
sic  as  your  Majestie  sail  constitut  Judges  in  Ecclesiasticall  causses, 
nocht  specifeing  of  what  esteat  they  sould  be,  Ecclesiasticall  or 
Civill ;  and  siclyk  mention  is  maid  of  sum  Commissionars  in  the 
Saxt  Act,  to  quhilk  Commissionars  powar  is  granted  to  put  ordour 
to  all  maters  and  causses  Ecclesiasticall,  visit  the  Kirks  and  stat  of 
the  Ministrie,  reform  Collages,  receave  Presentationes,  and  they 
onlie  giff  Collationnes  upon  benefices,  and  that  Commissiones  sould 
be  extendit  heirupon,  under  your  Hienes  Grait  Seall ;  conform  to 
that  quhilk  diverse  Commissiones  ar  direct,  with  powar  to  Bis- 
chopes alleanerlie,  in  thair  awin  persones,  without  anie  assessours 
or  assistars,  and,  namlie,  to  the  Archbischope  of  St  Androis,  within 
his  haill  diocese,  or  to  anie  his  deputes  and  commissionars  under 
him  ;  with  powar  also  to  Depose  Ministers,  quhilk  is  nocht  con- 
teined  in  the  act,  and  lykwayes  to  Place  and  Displace  Maisters  of 


the  judgment  of  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  myne,  and  uthers  ;  wha  haid  bcin  upon   the 
Session,  and  it  is  of  opinion  yit  that  sa  is  lawfull."     Margin  of  MS. 


236  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  1585. 

Collages,  attoure  the  tennour  of  the  act.  Sir,  to  speak  our  con- 
sciences planlie  concerning  this  act,  we  suppose  your  Majestic  be  of 
guid  mynde  that  the  sam  sail  continow  na  langer  nor  this  present 
Parliament,  bot  sail  allutterlie l  be  dischargit ;  for  sa  it  is  conteined 
in  the  act  it  selff,  in  the  end  thairof,  in  expres  temies,  wharbe  we 
think  your  Majestie  and  Esteates  war  of  mynd  it  sould  nocht  con- 
tinow when  it  was  first  maid. 

"And,  indeid,  giff  it  sould  continow,  manie  and  grait  incon- 
venients  soidd  of  necessitie  follow  to  the  Kirk  of  Jesus  Chryst  and 
esteat  thairof.  For,  first,  to  devolve  that  powar  in  a  manes  hand, 
altho  he  wer  never  sa  wyse,  lerned,  and  godlie,  to  do  all  things  in 
the  Kirk  at  his  a  win  pleasure  and  authoritie,  be  him  selff  allanerlie,2 
or  his  deputs,  takes  away  that  libertie  and  guid  ordour  qnhilk  the 
Sprit  of  God,  be  the  mouth e  of  Paull,  willes  to  be  in  the  Kirk,  and 
wharof  we  haifF  manie  uther  warrands  into  God's  Word ;  for  it 
aperteines  to  the  Ecclesiasticall  Senat,  and  nocht  to  anie  a  man,  to 
do  those  things.  Nather  is  it  a  civill  thing,  and  to  be  committed 
to  a  Civill  Magistrat,  or  to  whome  they  pleise,  to  govern  the  Hous 
of  God,  quhilk  is  his  Kirk,  and  can  haifF  na  exemple  of  anie  uncor- 
rupt  age  or  persone.  Therfor,  we  suppon  your  Majestie  will  clam 
no  fordar  to  the  sam,  nor  yit  suffer  sic  men  to  abbuse  the  Kirk  in 
that  sort.  And,  as  to  uther  Judges  to  be  constitut  in  Ecclesiasti- 
call causses  be  your  Majestic,  nocht  specifeing  of  what  esteat  they 
soidd  be,  Civill  or  Ecclesiastik,  that  is  indeid  till  use  the  powar  of 
bathe  the  swords,  quhilk  all  men  of  guid  judgment  lies  damnit3  in 
the  Pape.  Sir,  we  ceas  to  mak  fordar  discourse  upon  this  act,  or 
to  dcclar  the  qualities  of  tham  to  whom  sic  Commissiones  ar  giffen, 
because  we  suppose  your  Majestie  will  willinglie  rcforme  and  abro- 
gat  alluterlie  that  act." 

ANENT  THE  ACTS  NOCHT  IMPRENTED. 

"  Sir,  We  find  amangs  these  Acts  nocht  imprented,  the  Act  an- 
1  Entirely,  altogether.  '  Onlyi  alone.  3  Condemned. 


1585.  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  237 

nulling  the  Excommunication  of  Mr  Robert  Mongumery,  wherin 
your  Majestie  t^fces  authoritie  with  your  Esteates  in  Parliament,  to 
mell !  with  that  thing,  quhilk  can  haiff  na  exemple  that  anie  Prince 
ever  melled  with  sen  the  first  planting  of  the  Relligion  of  Jesus 
Chryst.  To  pronunce  excommunication  upon  impenitent  sinners, 
or  to  absolve  tham  thairfra,  or  to  decern  the  saming  effectuall,  or 
nocht  effectuall,  can  na  mair  pertein  to  Prince,  or  anie  Civill  Magi- 
strat,  nor  to  preatche  the  Word  of  God,  and  ministrat  Sacraments, 
for  they  ar  bathe  in  lyk  maner  committed  be  Chryst,  our  Maister, 
to  the  trew  Office-bearers  within  his  Kirk,  when,  as  he  said, '  Die 
ecclesicej  &c.  Therfor,  amangs  all  uther  things,  we  can  nocht  mer- 
vell  a  lytle  wha  sould  be  sa  baidd  to  put  in  your  Majestic' s  head  till 
usurpe  that  powar,  or  mell  thairwith,  seing,  for  the  lyk  fact,  Uzzia, 
the  King  of  Juda,  was  sa  terrible  plagget,2  and  his  haill  land  schaken. 
God  forgiff  tham  that  wald  sa  jeoperd  your  Hienes,  without  respect 
of  conscience,  or  the  feir  of  God.  We  beseik  your  Majestie  to  re- 
vok  this,  and  mell  na  fordar  thairwith,  as  a  thing  nocht  perteining 
to  your  office,  or  anie  Civill  Magistrat. 

"  Ther  is  an  uther  act,  amangs  the  nocht  imprented,  concerning 
the  payment  of  the  Ministers'  stipends,  of  the  quhilk  we  can  speak 
na  thing,  because  we  want  the  copie  of  it;  beseikand  your  Majestie 
to  giff  commandiment  to  the  Clark  of  Registar  that  we  may  haiff, 
and  giff  our  reasones  in  against  it,  giff  neid  beis." 


THE  SUPPLICATIONE. 

"  Sir,  We  haiff,  in  the  feir  of  God,  at  your  Majestie's  command, 
as  schortnes  of  tyme  wald  suffer,  giffen  our  Animadversiones  upon 
the  kit  actes  of  Parliament,  May  1584,  beseikand  your  Majestie  to 
bear  with  our  langage,  if  in  anie  part  it  be  nocht  sa  perfytted  and 
courtlie  as  some  men  wald  wis,  for  we  tend  onlie  unto  the  end  of 
these  things  wherof  we  war  in  conference  with  your  Grace,  to  open 

1  Meddle,  interfere.  2  Plagued. 


238  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1585. 

thani  upe  simplie  and  planlie  ;  and  to  speak  the  treuthe  in  our  eon- 
science,  (for  it  is  nocht  our  dewtie  to  dissemble  with  your  Grace,) 
when  Ave  ha  iff  perused  and  read  these  actes  ower  and  ower  againe, 
sa  diligentlie  as  we  can,  we  can  nocht  think  in  our  judgment  avIioav 
the  sam  can  stand  as  they  ar  formed,  or  whow  anie  interpretation 
that  can  he  maid  thairuponc,  miles  it  was  to  contein  contradiction, 
quhilk  is  an  uncomlie  thing  in  making  or  setting  out  of  lawes  :  for 
the  law  it  self  sayes,  '  They  that  may  speak  planlie  in  making  of 
lawes,  contracts,  or  anie  sic  thing,  and  speaks  obscurlie  and  am- 
biguuslie,  sic  contracts  and  lawes  ar  to  be  exponed  against  the  maker 
or  former  thairof,  quia  potuerunt  apertius  dicere?  Therfor,  saving 
the  honors  of  your  Majestie  and  your  Esteates,  Ave  think  it  mair 
comlie  to  place  neAA-,  reformed,  and  plean  lawes  in  ther  roum  nor 
till  interpret  these  quhilk  can  nocht  be  Aveill  interpret,  in  anie  guid 
sence.  We  trust  your  Majestie  avlII  tak  this  our  simple  meining  in 
a  good  part,  and  do  that  quhilk  is  maist  meit  according  thairto. 
The  Lord  grant  your  Majestie  the  sprit  of  trew  and  upright  judg- 
ment.    Amen." 

"  There  is  a  thing  fordar,  quhilk  in  maist  humble  maner  Ave  crave 
of  your  Majestie,  that  it  be  provydit  be  Act  of  Parliament,  That 
tykas  your  Hienes  is  to  restore  tham  of  the  Nobilitie  to  thair 
honours  and  leivings,  sa  your  Majestie  Avill  restore  the  Kirk  of  God, 
and  Ministerie  thairof,  to  thair  former  possessiones,  alsAveill  in  dis- 
cipline, as  thair  leivings,  roumes,  and  offices,  fra  the  quhilk  they 
war  displaced  be  occasion  of  the  saids  actes,  or  anie  thing  following 
thairupon  ;  and  to  thair  stipends,  alsweill  bygean  as  to  cum,  seing  a 
grait  part  thairof  remeanes  as  yit  on-takin  upe." 

Thir  Animadvcrsioues  and  Supplication,  penned  af-hand,  because 
of  want  of  all  commoditie,  and  presented  to  his  Majestie  be  us,  the 
King  tuk  pean  him  selflf,  be  the  space  of  four  and  tAventie  houres,  to 
tak  him  to  his  cabinet ;  and,  Avithe  his  awin  hand,  wrot  and  penned 
his  Declaration  following,  Avord  be  word: 


158.r).  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  239 

THE  KING'S  DECLARATION  AND  INTERPRETATION  OF  BUS  ACTES   OF 
PARLIAMENT  SET  FURTHE. 

Nam  ejus  est  explicare,  cujus  est  condere. 

"  The  First  [Act]  makes  onlie  mention  of  the  pretching  of  the 
Word  and  Sacraments,  nocht  thairby  to  abrogat  anie  guid  fardar 
Polecie  or  Jurisdiction  in  the  Kirk,  bot  allanerlie l  to  remit  a  part 
thairof  to  the  actes  insewing ;  and  the  maist  quhilk  as  yit  is  un- 
aggreit  upon  or  concludit,  I  entend,  God  Avilling,  to  cause  to  be 
perfyted  be  a  godlie  Generall  Assemblie  of  Bischopes,  Ministers, 
and  uther  godlie  and  lerned,  Imperatore  presidente ;  and  then  sail 
the  act  be  maid  mair  ample,  according  to  the  conclusion  aggreit 
upon  tham,  bathe  in  Polecie  and  Jurisdiction. 

"  The  Second  Act  lies  twa  parts,  an  narrative  and  a  charge. 
The  narrative  hes  twa  partes  ;  an,  affirming  that  sum  of  your  voca- 
tion haid  appelit  fra  me,  as  nocht  being  thair  Judge  ordinar.  I 
dout  nocht  your  selves  will  na  wayes  deny  this,  sen  sum  of  your 
selves  did  it,  and  I  dout  be  yit  skarse  far  from  it.  The  uther  part 
makes  mention  of  the  treasonable,  seditius,  and  contumelius  speitches 
uttered  be  sum  of  your  calling,  in  pulpit,  against  me  and  my  pro- 
genitors. This  part  lykwayes  can  nocht  weill  be  denyit,  sen  it  is 
man-  nor  evident  that  it  hes  bein  the  maist  part  of  sum  Ministers' 
exerceis  thir  four  or  fyve  yeirs  past.  Allwayes,2  whowsoone  the 
haill  Ministers  of  Scotland  sail  mend  than-  maners,  in  this  poinct,  the 
forsaid  act  salbe  rescindet.  As  to  the  second  part  of  the  Act,  it 
conteines  a  charge  that  nane,  being  summoned  or  accused  be  me,  sail 
declyne  my  judgment,  in  respect  I  am  declarit  and  confirmed  Judge 
be  the  Parliament  over  all  persones  within  this  realme,  in  all  causses 
that  they  salbe  apprehendit  or  summoned  for ;  and  in  the  lyne  end 
it  sayes,  that  nane  sail  declyne  my  judgment  in  the  premisses.  Now, 
say  I,  and  declares,  (quhilk  declaration  salbe  als  authentik  as  the 

1  Only.  -  Nevertheless. 


240  MB  JAMES  MELVHil/8  DIARY.  1585. 

Act  it  selff,)  that  I,  for  my  part,  sail  never,  nathcr  my  posteritic, 
audit  ever  oite,  sumond,  or  apprehend,  anie  Pastour  or  Preatchour 
for  maters  of  doctrine  in  relligion,  salvation,  heresies,  or  trew  inter- 
pretation of  the  Scripture ;  bot  according  to  my  first  Act,  quhilk 
confirmes  the  libertie  of  prctching  the  Word,  ministration  of  the 
Sacraments,  I  avow  the  sam  to  be  a  mater  mere  Ecclesiastieall,  and 
altogidder  impertinent  to  my  calling  ;  thairfor  never  sail  I,  nor 
never  audit  they,  I  mein  my  posteritie,  acclame  anie  powar  or  juris- 
diction in  the  forsaids. 

"  The  Thrid  Act  is  sa  reasonable  and  necessar,  that  it  neids  nn 
declaring  nor  explication,  except  onlie  this,  that  my  Bischopes, 
quhilk  ar  ane  of  the  Thrie  Esteates,  sail  haifF powar,  als  far  ns  God's 
"Word  and  exemple  of  the  Primitive  Kirk  will  permit,  and  nocht 
according  to  that  man  of  sine,  his  abominable  abuses  and  corrup- 
tiones.  But  I  can  nocht  aneuche  wounder  whar  yie  fund  that  rewll 
or  exemple,  ather  in  God's  Word  or  anie  Reformed  Kirk,  that  sum 
Ministers,  be  commission  of  the  rest,  aught  to  be  an  of  the  Esteates 
in  Parliament !  Weill,  God  purge  your  sprits  from  ambition  and 
uther  indecent  affectiones  for  your  calling,  and  giff  you  grace  to 
teatche,  in  all  humilitie  and  simplicitie,  his  Word  and  vcritie  ! 

"In  the  Fourt  Act,  I  discharge  all  Jurisdictiones  nocht  approved 
in  Parliament,  and  Conventionnes  without  anie  speciall  licence. 
As  to  the  discharge  of  Jurisdictiones,  my  meining  and  declaration 
is,  That  they  sail  ceas  whil  a  setled  Polecie  and  Jurisdiction  be  es- 
tablissed  according  to  the  missour  and  lyne  of  God's  Word.  As  to 
discharge  of  Assemblies,  they  ar  nocht  simplie  disehargit,  bot  onlie 
ordaint  that  they  sould  be  haldin  with  my  speciall  licence.  And 
surlie,  I  trust,  that  in  all  Reformed  Kirks,  whar  the  Princes  and 
Magistrates  war  sound  in  relligion,  yie  sail  find  that  the  Assemblies 
of  the  Kirk  was  noch  onlie  be  thair  speciall  licence,  bot  cvin  be 
thair  calling,  and  they  tham  selves  Presidents  and  Moderators  of 
tham.  Yie  do  evill  in  making  your  selves  to  be  ignorant  of  your 
a  win  act,  as  to  think  the  narrative  of  this  act  sklanderus  and  untrcw. 

"  As  to  the  Fyft  Act,  it  exemes  the  Bischopes  onlie  for  this 
cause,  for  that  it  speakes   onlie   of  deprivation  of  Bischopes  be  Sy- 


1585.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  241 

nodall  Assemblies,  wheras  they  sould  be  deprived  be  Generall.  As 
to  the  causses  of  deprivation,  they  salbe  aggreit  upon  be  the  Kirk, 
and  thairafter  my  act  accordinglie  qualefiet. 

"  The  hindmaist  part  of  my  Declaration  upon  the  Thrid  Act  ex- 
pones,  and  with  sufficient  reasones  proves  the  Saxt  Act  to  be  weill ; 
and  besyd  the  forsaid  Saxt  Act,  I  am  assurit  na  thing  repugnant, 
but  justlie  aggreing  with  the  Word  of  God. 

"  As  to  the  Thretteint,  my  intention  was  ever  that  all  benefices 
of  cure  under  Prelacies  soidd  be  excepted,  and  sa  sail  they  be  re- 
served in  the  Act.  As  to  the  xx.  Act,  it  is  indeid  bot  temporall, 
and  sen  it  is  maid  till  indure  onlie  whill  the  Parliament,  and  furder 
during  my  will,  it  may  be  alsweill  callit  bak  without  a  Parliament 
as  with  it.  As  indeid  I  mein,  efter  further  conference  with  sum  of 
the  Ministrie,  to  tak  a  solide  ordour  thairanents  ;  but  in  a  thing  yie 
misconstrue  it ;  wharas,  yie  alleage  that  it  gifFes  authoritie  to  a  per- 
sone  to  reforme  the  Kirk,  quhilk  is  nofclit,  but  it  apoincts  everie 
Bischope  to  reform  his  awin  diocese  ;  and  the  Bischope  of  St  An- 
drois'  awin  declaration  apointes  illc  Bischope  a  counsall  of  his  awin 
dioceise,  sa  as  in  effect  this  act  ordeanes  ilk  Bischope  with  his  dio- 
cese to  reforme  his  aAvin  dioceise.  And  as  to  the  commissionars 
nocht  Ecclesiasticall  joyned  to  thani,  they  ar  joyned  to  giff  thair 
advysses,  and  nocht  to  interpone  thair  authoritie,  as  yie  your  selves 
hes  haid  sindric  men,  mere  civill,  assisting  your  Assemblies ;  and 
as  it  wilbe  maist  necessar  that  sum  men  lerned  and  godlie  be  yit 
schosin  out  for  satteling  of  the  Polecie. 

"  As  to  the  Act  concerning  the  Excommunication  of  the  Bis- 
chope of  Glasgow,  I  man  first  deleat  the  occasion  schortlie,  and 
thairupon  induce  the  answer  and  meining.  Efter  that  he  haid  bein 
often  cited,  summoned,  and  admonished,  under  pean  of  excommuni- 
cation, to  demit  his  benefice,  and  he,  notwithstanding,  still  pos- 
sessing the  saining,  depending  upon  me  wha  gaifF  it  to  him  ;  at  last, 
sum  of  the  Ministers,  specialie  sum  of  the  Presbyterie  about  Edin- 
bruche,  was  called  (as  oft  befor  they  haid  bein  for  the  sam  cause) 
befor  the  Counsall,  and  desyrit  to  leave  af  that  form  of  proceiding, 
whil  it  war  trycd  be  further  conference,  wither  Bischopes  Avar  toler- 
able in  the  Kirk  of  God  or  nocht.      This  desyre  was  granted  and, 

Q 


242  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIAXT.  1585. 

promisit  be  the  haill  Ministers  present ;  bot  irnmediatlie  thairefter, 
be  was  excoinmunicat  at  the  Kirk  of  Libbertoun,  a  landwart  kirk, 
against  promise.1  They  being  callit  for  againe,  and  accused  of  ther 
promise,  they  all  denyit  the  knawlage  thairof ;  and  nocht  onlie  they, 
but  the  haill  Ministerie  of  Scotland,  except  that  onlie  man,  David- 
sone,  that  pronunced  the  sentence,  the  haill  Kirk  then  disavowing, 
and  that  onlie  man  advowing  the  deid.  Chryst  saying,  'Die  Ec- 
clesice]  and  a2  onlie  man  stelling  that  dint3  in  a  quyet  holl.  The 
Act  of  Parliament  reduces  the  sentence  for  informalitie  and  nulletie 
of  proces,  nocht  as  Judges  whidder  the  excommunication  was 
grundit  on  guid  or  just  causes  or  nocht,  but  as  witneses  that  it  was 
informalie  proceidit  against  the  warrand  of  God's  Word,  exemple 
of  all  Reformed  Kirks,  and  your  aAvin  particular  custome  in  this 
countrey.  And  for  approbation  of  the  premisses,  the  forsaid  Bis- 
chope  salbe  producit  befor  the  first  Generall  Assemblie  that  I  sail 
apoint ;  and  thairupon,  tlie  crymes  that  war  leyed  to  his  charge  sail 
ather  be  peremptorlie  absolved  or  condemned. 

"  Then,  schortlie,  till  end  my  Declaration,  I  mynd  nocht  to  cut 
away  anie  libertie  granted  be  God  to  his  Kirk :  I  acclame  nocht  to 
my  selff  to  be  Judge  of  Doctrine  in  Relligion,  salvation,  heresies,  or 
trew  interpretation  of  Scripture  :  I  allow  na  Bischopes  according  to 
the  traditiones  of  men,  or  inventionnes  of  the  Pape,  but  onlie  ac- 
cording to  God's  Word,  nocht  to  tyranise  ower  his  breithring,  or 
to  do  anie  thing  of  him  selflf,  but  with  the  advyse  of  his  haill  dio- 
eeise,  or  at  least  with  the  wysest  number  of  tham  to  serve  him  for 
a  counsall ;  and  to  do  na  thing  him  alean,4  except  the  teatching  of 
the  Word,  ministration  of  the  Sacraments,  and  votting  in  Parlia- 
ment and  Counsall.  Finalie,  I  say,  his  office  is,  solum  sKioxomiv  ad 
vitam,  haiffing  thairfor  sum  prelation  and  dignitie  above  his  breith- 
ring, as  was  in  the  Primitive  Kirk.  My  intention  is  nocht  to  dis- 
charge anie  Jurisdiction  in  the  Kirk  that  is  conform  to  God's 
Word,  nor  to  discharge  anie  Assemblies  bot  onlie  those  that  salbe 
haldin  by  my  licence  and  counsall.  My  intention  is  nocht  to  mell 
with  excommunication  ;    natter  acclame  I  to  my  selff  or  my  aires, 

1  "  Fides  hie  penes  Principem  !"     Margin  of  MS.  2  One.  3  Concealing 

that  occasion  or  opportunity.  '  To  do  nothing  alone  or  by  himself. 


1585.  MR  JAMES  MELYILL'S  BIARY.  2.43 

powar  in  anie  thing  that  is  mere  Ecclesiasticall  and  nocht  udiapogov, 
nor  with  anie  thing  that  God's  Word  lies  simplie  devolvit  in  the 
hands  of  his  Ecclesiasticall  Kirk.  And,  to  conclud,  I  confess  and 
acknawlage  Chryst  Jesus  to  be  Head  and  Lawgiffar  to  the  sam ; 
and  whatsumever  persones  do  attribut  to  thara  selves  as  Head  of  the 
Kirk,  and  nocht  as  member,  to  suspend  or  alter  anie  thing  that  the 
Word  of  God  lies  onlie  remitted  to  tham,  that  man,  I  say,  com- 
mites  manifest  ydolatrie,  and  sinnes  against  the  Father  in  nocht 
trusting  to  the  words  of  his  Sone  ;  against  the  Sone  in  nocht  obey- 
ing him,  and  taking  his  place  ;  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  said 
Halie  Spreit  bearing  contrarie  record  to  his  conscience. 

"  This  mikle  for  my  Declaration,  promised  at  our  last  Confer- 
ence, sa  far  as  schortnes  of  tyme  could  permit.  Wharin  whatso- 
ever I  haiff  affirmed,  I  will  offer  me  to  prove  be  the  Word  of  God, 
purest  ancients  and  moderns,  neoterics,  and  be  the  exemples  of  the 
best  Reformed  Kirks.  And  whatsoever  is  omitted  for  leak  of  tyme, 
I  remit  first  to  a  Convention  of  godlie  and  lerned  men,  and  nixt 
till  a  Generall  Assemblie,  that  be  thay  meanes  a  godlie  Polecie 
being  sattelit,  we  may  uniformly  arme  our  selves  against  the 
comoun  enemie,  whom  Sathan,  els  feiling  the  brathe  of  God,1  makes 
to  rage  in  thir  letter  dayes.     December  7,  anno  1585. 

"  James  Rex." 

Efter  the  receaving  and  reiding  of  this  Declaration,  the  Parlia- 
ment posting  till  an  end,  and  all  men  mikle  weired,  in  a  cauld  win- 
tar,  sa  ill  eased ;  and  finding  na  assistance  nor  confort,  bot  contrar, 
bathe  in  Nobilitie  and  Breithring,  we  behoved  till  content,2  and  tak 
that  might  be  gottin  for  the  present.  And  sa,  efter  exhibition  of 
this  Supplication  following,  the  meiting  dissolved  : 

THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  THE  KIRK'S  SUPPLICATION,  GIFFEN  IN 
EFTER  THE  RECEATT  OF  THE  FORMER  DECLARATION. 

"  Sir,  Let  it  please  your  Hienes,  we  haiff  sein  and  considderit 

1  Already  feeling  the  breath  or  inspiration  of  God.  -  To  be  contented. 


244  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  15SG. 

your  Majestie's  Declaration  and  interpretation  upon  the  mentioned 
Actes  of  Parliament.     AVe  praise  God,  as  it  becometh  us,  for  your 
Majestie's  judgment  and  knawlage.     Nochtwithstanding,  we  wald 
maist  liumblie  crave  that  in  this  weghtie  cause  concerning  the  esta- 
blismcnt  of  a  perfyt  Polecie  and  stat  of  Government  in  the  Kirk, 
to  stand  to  all  ages  and  posterities  to  cum,  that  the  mater  might  be 
mair  deiplie  and  digestlie  considderit,  be  Conference  of  the  maist 
lemed  and  godlie  of  your  Hienes  realme,  and  giff  neid  be,  with 
consultation  of  the  best  Reformed  Kirks  in  uther  countries,  that 
thairefter  your  Majestie,  with  advyse  of  your  Esteats,  may  establishe 
a  perfyt  and  settelit  law  in  Parliament.      And,  in  the  mean  tyme, 
or  at  lest  to  the  nixt  Parliament,  your  Hienes  will  grant  us  libertie 
and  frcidome  to  hauld  our  ordinarie  Assemblies,  and  use  sic  disci- 
pline as  we  war  in  use  of  befor  thir  leat  Actes,  for  government  of 
the  Ecclesiasticall  effeares,  concerning  the  quhilk  we  salbe  at  all 
tymes  readie  to  giff  an  accompt  to  God,  your  Majestie,  and  guid 
Counsall,  if  we  do  anie  thing  besyds  our  dewtie,  or  to  perturbc  the 
Comoun-wealthe,  sa  far  as  lyes  in  us.    And  in  this  mean  tyme,  that 
your   Majestie    will   grant    to    restore    all  Ministers,    Maisters  of 
Scholles  and  Collages,  to  thair  roomies  and  possessiones :  And  spe- 
cialie,  that  our  breithring,  Mr8  Jhone   Howisone   and  Wilyeam 
Watsonc,  be  delyverit  out  of  warde,  and  that  we  be  nocht  troublet 
in  the  mean  tyme  ;    to  suspend  and  stay  all  execution  of  the  lait 
maid  Actes  of  Parliament,  mentioned  sa  oft  against  us :  And  that 
the  Bischopes  use  na  thing  botthat  quhilk  they  war  in  use  of  befor 
the  making  of  the  forsaids  Actes,  and  perturbc  nocht  the  Kirk  nor 
Assemblies." 

M.D.LXXXVI. 

That  wintar  my  uncle  spent  in  Glasgw,  being  ernestlie  intreated 
!o  visit  that  Collage,  quhilk  was  his  eldest  bern  ;  and  I  was  occu- 
pied, first,  in  transporting  of  my  wyff  from  the  Southe  to  the 
Northe,  whar  hir  father  was  in  Montrose.  Thairefter,  leaving  hir 
titer,  I  was  occupied  in  Edinbruche  and  iitliev  places  about  the 
Collage  effeares  :  in  getting  the  leiving  and  ordour  thairof  restorit 


158().  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  2  I  5 

and  restablished,  quhilk  the  Bischopc  haid  altered  and  turned  from 
Theologie  to  Philosophic,  ab  equis  ad  ashios,  and  be  contentius  plcy ' 
betwix  Mr  Jhone  Bobertsone,  an  of  the  Maisters  wha  remeaned 
behind  us,  and  Mr  David  Achmoutie,  claiming  again,  efter  my  de- 
parting, the  tytle  and  intromission  of  (Economer  thairof,  was  piti- 
fulie  rent  and  confoundit. 

Fra  the  Parliament2  the  pest  abated,  and  began  to  be  stranglie. 
and  remarkablie  withdrawin,  be  the  mercifull  hand  of  God,  sa  that 
Edinbruche  was  frequented  again  that  wintar ;  and  at  the  entrie  of 
the  spring,  all  the  townes,  almost  desolat  befor,  repeipled,  and  St 
Androis  amangs  the  rest ;  to  the  quhilk  Mr  Andro  and  I  retourned 
and  enterit  in  the  Collage  about  the  middes  of  the  monethe  of 
Merche.  At  our  entrie  Ave  war  put  in  mynd  of  the  Provincial!  As- 
semblie,  accustomed  to  be  keipit  in  the  beginning  of  Apryll,  inter- 
mitted during  the  haill  twa  yeirs  of  our  absence  ;  and  understand- 
ing that  I  haid  bein  Moderator  at  the  last  Synod  quhilk  was  keipit, 
it  lay  on  me  to  mak  the  doctrine  at  the  beginning  of  the  Assemblie 
following.  The  text  and  purpose  wharof,  be  my  uncle's  advyse,  I 
chusit  out  of  the  xii.  to  the  Romans,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8. 

The  Assemblie  being  conveined,  in  the  place  accustomed,  vcrie 
frequentlie,3  and  the  Bischope  placing  him  selff  hard  besyde  me  that 
teatched,  with  a  grait  pontificalitie  and  big  countenance,  as  he  brag- 
git  he  was  in  his  awin  citie,  and  haid  the  King  his  maister's  favour, 
he  neidit  to  fear  no  man ;  efter  incalling  of  the  nam  of  God,  entring 
in  the  doctrine,  efter  the  deduction  and  opening  upe  of  the  text,  I 
intreated,  First,  the  groundes  and  poincts  of  the  trew  discipline,  con- 
firming the  sam  be  cleir  warrands  of  Scripture  .  Thairefter  refuted 
the  contrarie  corruptiones,  namlie,  of  the  humane  and  dcivillishe 
bischoprik :  Thridlie,  was  discoursit  the  maner  of  planting  and 
settling  with  maist  profitable,  comlie,  and  confortable  possession  of 
the  right  and  treAV  discipline  within  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  untill 
these  twa  or  thric  yeirs  last  bypast :  Fourtlie,  it  was  deducit  and 
declarit  throwout  the  haill  ages  of  the  Kirk,  sen  the  planting  thairof 
be  the  Apostles,  whow  that  the  presuming  and  swalling  of  the  cheiff 
1  Litigation,  contention.     2  From  the  period  the  Parliament  ended.       s  Numerously 


246  BIB  JAMES  blelvtll's  DJAEY.  L586. 

corrupt  member!?,  be  avarice  and  ambition,  haid  vitiat  and  wraMt ' 
the  esteat  of  the  Kirk  from  tvin  to  tym,  bringing  in  sectes,  schism*  -. 
heresies,  and  all  kynd  of  corruption,  bathe  in  doctrine  and  manci-  : 
And,  last,  coming  in  particular  to  our  awin  Kirk  of  Scotland,  I  turn- 
ed to  the  Bischope,  sitting  at  my  elbow,  and  directing  my  speitche 
to  him  pcrsonalie,  I  recompted  to  him  schortlie  his  lyff,  actionem, 
and  proceidings  against  the  Kirk,  taking  the  Assemblie  ther  to 
witnes,  and  his  awin  conscience  befor  God,  giffhe  was  nocht  an  evi- 
dent pruifY  and  cxemple  of  that  doctrine,  whom,  being  a  Minister 
of  the  Kirk,  the  dragon  haid  sa  stangit2  with  the  poisone  and 
venom  of  avarice  and  ambition,  that  swalling  exorbitance  out  of 
missour,  thretned  the  wrak  and  destruction  of  the  haill  bodic,  in  cease 
he  war  nocht  tymouslie  and  with  courage  cut  of.  This  particularlie 
confirmed  and  cleired,  exhortation  was  direct  to  the  Assemblie,  con- 
venit  ther,  to  play  the  chirurgian  for  preserving  of  the  body,  namlie, 
seing  all  meanes  of  amendiment  haid  bein  lang  syne  used  upon  that 
maist  corrupt  member  and  monstruus  :  And  this  was  done  with  sic 
powar  of  the  Spreit  and  force  of  utterance  as  it  pleased  God  to 
furneisc  for  the  wark  he  haid  in  hand. 

When  I  haid  endit,  the  Bischope  begoud3  with  certean  frivolus 
and  forgit  questiones  and  chalenges  against  me  :  adding  thairunto 
thretnings  that  I  sould  be  maid  till4  answer  befor  his  Majestie  for 
my  doctrine,  offensive  against  the  King  and  actes  of  his  Hienes  Par- 
liament, hot  sa  dashit  and  strucken  with  terror  and  trembling  that 
he  could  skarse  sitt,  to  let  be5  stand  on  Ins  feit.  Bot  the  Assem- 
blie, keiping  thair  ordour,  chusit  a  Moderator,  and  thaireftcr  eensurit 
my  doctrine,  and  all  in  a  voice  glorified  God,  and  approved  the  sam, 
praying  God  to  gifftham  grace  to  bydebe6  that  trcuthequhilk  haid 
bein  cleirlie  and  mightelie  delyverit  to  tham  out  of  God's  Word, 
and  to  endevour  to  discharge  that  dew  tie  wharto  they  Avar  sa  mov- 
inglie  exhorted.  Therefter  cntcrit  in  proees  with  the  Bischope,  w  ha 
mines  getting  out  of7  the  Assemblie,  wald  na  waves  giff  his  presence 


1  Vitiated  and  wrecked.  *  Stung.  *  Began.  'To.  ■'•  Not  to 

mention.  Aliido,  stand  last  l>\.  '  Who,  if  once  he  £ot  out  of. 


1580.  MB  -JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  247 

thairto  againe,  alleaging  proudlic  that  it  aperteined  to  him  to  judge  it, 
and  nocht  to  it  to  judge  him.  Bot  the  treuthe  was,  he  was  dashit  in 
conscience,  and  terrified  with  the  number  of  gentilmen  conveincd, 
that,  nochtAvithstanding  his  awin  citie  and  his  maister's  favour,  he 
seimed  to  feir  evcrie  man  he  saw.  To  be  schort,  the  Assemblie  pro- 
ceiding  with  all  gravitie,  leasor,  and  ordour,  in  end,  for  manie  noto- 
rius  crymes,  troubling  of  the  Kirk,  and  present  malignant  contu- 
macie,  pronuncit  that  sentence  of  excommunication  against  him  ; 
the  weght  wharof  he  felt  the  sarer1  thairefter,  thatuphaldin  a  whyll 
be  the  authoritie  of  man,  he  proudlie  repyned  against  the  sam. 

A  day  or  twa  efter,  he  penned  an  excommunication,  and  in  a 
bischoplie  maner  send  out  a  boy  with  ane  or  twa  of  his  jakmen,2  and 
red  the  sam  in  the  Kirk,  wherby,  be  his  Archiepiscopall  authoritie, 
he  excommunicat  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  me,  and  a  certean  ma3  of  the 
brethring  ;  quhilk  was  as  mikle  thought  of,  even  amangs  the  peiple, 
as  giff  he  haid  fylled  the  Kirk. 

Then  with  diligence  he  directs  away  to  the  King  a  heavie  com- 
plent,  with  a  large  and  schrewdlie  penned  Appellation,  the  quhilk  I 
answered  at  lainthe,  as  was  thought  maist  neidfull  for  the  tyme  ; 
and  to  the  quhilk,  because  it  conteines  a  full  declaration  of  the  haill 
cause  and  proceiding  thairin,  with  the  reasones  and  warrands  thairof, 
I  remit  the  reidar. 

The  Sabathe  following,  the  Bischope  wald  neids  tak  courage,  and 
nochtwithstanding  his  suspending  from  pretching  of  aidd  be  the  Ge- 
nerall  Assemblie,  and  now  excommunication  be  the  Synodall,  yit  he 
wald  to  the  pulpit  and  preatche.  But  being  com  to  the  Kirk,  and 
the  bell  roung,  and  he  ready  to  go  to  pulpit,  an  comes  and  telles 
him,  (upon  what  mynd  I  knaw  nocht,)  that  a  number  of  gentilmen, 
with  ceartean  citiciners,  war  con  veined  within  the  New  Collage,  of 
purpose  to  tak  him  out  of  the  pulpit  and  hang  him  !  Wharat,  call- 
ing for  his  jakmen  and  frinds  to  byde  about  him,  he  reased  a  grait 
tumult  in  the  Kirk,  and  for  feir  could  nocht  byd  in  the  Kirk,  but 

1  Sorer,  more  severely.       2  Hired  and  armed  retainers.        3  A  certain  Dumber  more. 


248  MR  JAMES  MELVTLl/S  DIARY.  1586. 

tuk  him  to  the  stiple;1  out  of  the  quhilk,  be  the  bailyies,  accom- 
panied with  all  hie  favorars  and  freinds,  skarslie  could  he  be  drawii) 
to  be  convoyed  saifflie  to  his  awin  Castell ;  but  being  halff  against 
his  will  ruggit '-'  out,  and  halfF  borne  and  careit  away,  sic  as  was  neir- 
est  him  all  the  way  war  lyk  to  burst  for  stink  !  And  it  was  reported 
for  veritie  to  me,  be  manic  honest  men  that  saw  it  with  their  eis, 
thai  a  heare3  brak  out  amangs  the  multitude  in  the  middes  of  the 
comoun  Ilic-gett  and  streit,4  and  ran  befor  tham  toward  the  Cas- 
tell, and  down  throw  the  Northe-gett.  This  the  vulgar  callit  the 
Bischope's  Witche.5  Upon  this  he  reascd  and  gaiff  out,  yea  wrot 
to  the  King  maist  fals  and  malitius  sklanders  on  my  uncle  and  me ; 
alleaging  that  I  haid  posted  a  day  or  tAva  befor  athortG  the  countrey 
to  cause  the  gentlemen  convcin  against  him,  and  that  Maistcr  Andro 
haid  tham  convenit  in  the  Collage  of  purpose  to  tak  his  lyff :  When 
the  trcuthe  Avas,  that  immediatlie  efter  the  ending  of  the  Assemblic, 
a  lua  vie  feat  of  the  tertian7  overtuk  me,  that  causit  me  kcipe  my 
hous  tAva  dayes  befor  that  Sabathe  ;  and  that  sam  morning  it  scaled 
sa  on  me  that  I  SAvined  and  lay  dead,8  till,  by  the  grait  and  pitifidl 
cryes  of  my  Avyff,  the  nibours  cam  in  for  hir  helpc  and  comfort ; 
quhilk  convicted  him  of  a  malitius  lie.  And  as  to  Maister  Andro, 
the  trcuthe  was,  that  the  Lard  of  Lundy,  haif'and  a  special]  earand 
with  his  brother-in-law,  Pitmillie,  cam  to  St  Androis  with  certean 
(rinds,  and  about  the  last  bell  ged9  in  to  the  Collage  to  confer  Avith 
Mr  Andro,  and  haiff  exerceise  of  the  Word  ther,  because  he  wald 
nocht  heir  an  excommunicat  man  pretchc  :  The  quhilk  the  guid 
peiplc  of  the  toAvn  perceaving,  left  the  Kirk  and  drew  tham  to  the 
Collage  ;  quhilk  Avas  all  that  Avas  in  that  mater,  upon  the  part  of  Mr 
Andro;  Avha,  albeit  he  hated  his  wickednes,  yit  loved  thesaulland 


1  Ketook  himself  to  the  steeple  of  the  church.  2  Dragged.  3  A  hare. 

1   High-road  and  street.  5  The  Arehhishop  was  said  to  have  consulted  with 

witches;  audit  was  popularly  considered  that  witches,  when  hard  pressed,  frequent- 
ly assumed  the  form  of  a  hare,  in  order  the  more  swiftly  (<>  make  their  escape  from 
their  pursui  8  Across,  athwart.  "  A  severe  tit  of  (lie  tertian  fever  ami 

ague.  "  Swooned  awaj  and  lay  insensible,  as  if  dead.  Went. 


1586.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diaby.  249 

bodie  of  him  better  nor  him  selff,  the  quhilk  he  wald  never  haul  de- 
stroyed, hot,  if  it  war  possible,  be  all  guid  meanes  win  to  God. 

The  King,  at  this  mater,  was  graitlie  incensed ;  and  knawing  that 
a  Generall  Assemblie  was  to  be  in  Edinburgh  in  the  monethe  of 
May  following,  travelit  maist  diligentlie  and  ernestlie  with  eourte- 
ours,  official's,  Xobilitie,  and  Ministerie,  to  haifF  that  sentence  anull- 
ed,  and  his  Bischope  restored  and  relaxed.  And  with  fellon  grait ' 
bissines,  and  mikle  ado  maid  at  the  Assemblie,  at  last  skarslie  be  a 
few  number  of  ma  vottes,  threw  out  this  conclusion,  That  the  Bis- 
chope sould  be  halding  and  reput  in  the  sam  cais  and  condition  that 
he  was  in  befor  the  haulding  of  the  Synod  of  St  Androis,  without 
prejudice,  dicerning  or  judging  anie  thing  of  the  proceedings,  pro- 
ces,  or  sentence  of  the  said  Synod.  Wherin,  to  the  grait  greiff  of 
the  godlie  and  zelus  upright  hartes,  was  first  espyed  what  the  fcir 
and  flattcrie  of  Court  could  work  in  a  Kirk,  amangs  a  multitud  of 
weak  and  inconsiderat  breithring. 

Na  intimationes  from  pulpit  was  maid  of  this  sentence,  but  with 
all  speid  a  proclamation  with  sound  of  trumpet  was  maid  thairupon. 
And  thairefter  Mr  Andro  and  I  called  befor  the  King,  and  efter  a<l- 
mitting  to  his  gratius  presence  in  his  Cabbinet,  and  kissing  of  his 
Hienes'  hand,  yit  Mr  Andro  was  commandit  to  ward  in  the  place 
whar  he  was  born,  during  the  King's  will ;  and  I,  because  I  was  -<  ik 
of  the  tertian  fever,  send  hame  to  the  Collage.  And  the  Bischope 
ordeanit,  by  his  preatching  in  the  pulpit,  to  teatehe  publict  lessones 
in  Latin  within  the  Auld  Collage  seholl,  and  the  haill  Universitie  com- 
mandit to  frequent  the  saming.  Sathan  mightelie  stryving  thairby 
to  hauld  upe  the  banner  against  the  kingdomc  of  Jesus  Chryst. 

Thus,  with  patience,  parting  from  Edinbruehe,  Mr  Audio  to  In- 
ward, and  I,  withe  his  directiones,  entering  againe  to  that  lang  in- 
terrupted and  almost  ruyned  wark  of  the  Collage,  the  Bischope  to 
hie  teatching  and  pretching  in  pulpit  and  schooles  :  he  triumphing, 
and  we  almaist  dejected,  thus  remeaned  all  that  simmer.     Yit.  in 

i  Very  great. 


250  ME  JAMES  melyill's  diakv.  1586. 

the  mean  tyme,  under  grait  Aveaknes,  befor  the  warld,  God  was 
working  strongelie;  wha  furnesing  sum  helthe  aud  courage  to  me 
on  the  ane  part,  and  graitter  desyre  of  knawlage  and  hallines  in 
the  hartes  of  the  haill  heirars  of  the  Universitie,  maid  our  auditorie 
and  schooles  to  be  frequented  againc.  I  began  till  allure  the  au- 
ditor1 [with]  a  maist  pleasand  and  fruit  full  purpose,  to  wit,  the  His- 
toric of  the  Byble,  with  the  twa  lightes  for  cleiring  thairof,  Geo- 
graphic and  Chronologic,  and  intermelling2  thairwithe,  in  thair  ages 
as  they  fell  out,  the  cheifF  poincts  of  the  Greik  and  Latine  storie  ; 
bot,  namlie,  myndfull  of  the  wark  of  Chryst :  Everie  uther  day 3  I 
teatched  the  Epistle  to  Timothe,  intreatting,  as  I  could,  of  the 
discipline,  and  namlie  insisting  on  the  contraverted  questionnes, 
bringing  in  all  the  Bischopes  reasones,  and  refuting  tham,  and  esta- 
blissing  the  treuthe  to  my  uttermaist.  These  disputes,  at  the  de- 
syre of  our  students,  for  thair  memorie  in  the  efter  noone  houres,  I 
dytted4  to  tham. 

Bot  skantlie  haid  I  bein  a  monethe  thus  wayes  exerceised,  to 
my  grait  confort,  and  haldin  in  of  sum  spunk5  of  lyff  in  the  Col- 
lage and  cause  of  Chryst,  when  the  devill  devyses  a  distraction. 
The  Collage  haid  a  takisman6  of  a  Kirk  of  thars,  named  Jhone 
Yrewing,7  wha  finding  hia  takes8  draw  to  an  end,  and  knowing 
that  he  coidd  noeht  gett  tham  renewed  bot  be  moyen9  of  Court, 
dresses  him  to  attend  thairon  ;  namlie,  perceaving  the  King  to  be 
giffen  to  halkin  and  hounting,10  wherin  he  was  expert,  he  employes 
his  service  officiouslie,  sa  that  he  becomes  a  man  of  credit ;  and 
seing  Mr  Androes  cease  to  stand  sa,  makes  his  sutt  that  he  sould 
nocht  be  receivit  till  his  tak  was  renewit :  And  yit,  that  he  might 
haiff  the  turn  done  fearlie,11  causses  the  King  to  wrait  for  me  to 
come  to  him  with  diligence  ;  and  when  I  haid  come  twyse  or  thiyse, 
na  thing  was  meincd12  to  me  of  that  mater  be  the  King,  bot  onlie 
be  his  Maister  Haker.18 

1  Auditory.  a  Intermingling.              3  Each  alternate  day.               i  Dictated. 
1  Spark.          '■  Tenant,  one  who  held  a  lease.           '  Irving.           B  Tacks,  leases, 
[nfluem  e.  "'  Hawking  and  bunting,  spurts  of  which  King  James  was  passion- 
ately fond.  "  Fairly,  plausibly.            '-  Complained.           1:i  Master  Falconer. 


158(3.  ME  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIABY.  251 

This  wayes  being  distracted,  the  Universitie,  wanting  the  profit 
of  Mr  Andro  and  the  small  thing  I  could  do,  also  sondes  an  ernest 
supplication  directed  with  the  Dean  of  Facultie  and  a  maister  of 
everie  Collage  to  his  Majestic,  schawing  the  grait  los  of  Mr  An- 
droes  travelles  and  lerning  amangs  them  ;  as  also  whow  I  was  dis- 
tracted fra  my  charge,  liumblie  beseikand  his  Hienes  to  releive  Mr 
Andro  from  ward,  and  restore  him  to  his  teatching  and  office  in 
the  Collage,  quhilk  was  sa  profitable  for  the  Kirk  and  Comoun- 
weill,  and  honourable  for  his  Majestie's  esteat  and  reahne. 

The  King,  moved  with  this  commission  and  supplication  of  the 
Universitie,  promises  to  tak  ordour  with  that  mater  and  satisfie  the 
Universitie,  provyding  the  Bischope  might  be  in  quyetnes  and  re- 
verendlie  hard  and  usit,  wherof  Mr  Andro  making  him  sure,  he 
soidd  be  frie.  "Wherupon  I  was  directed  to  Mr  Andro,  and  re- 
tourned  answer,  that  as  he  haid  ever  behavit  him  selff  befor,  sa  he 
soidd  do,  troubling  na  man,  bot  attending  on  the  discharge  of  his 
calling.  Nochtwithstanding  the  moyen  of  the  Maister  Haker  pre- 
vealed,  and  maid  all  our  exerceises  to  veak1  except  now  and  then 
for  a  monethe,  and  cost  me  neir  a  couple  of  hounder  mylles  ryding ; 
till  at  last,  about  the  beginning  of  August,  I  was  directed  ower  to 
convoy  my  uncle  to  his  Majestic,  wha,  coming  to  Falkland  to  his 
Hienes,  was,  be  the  convoy  of  the  Maister  of  Gray,  brought  to  his 
Majestie,  and  efter  lang  and  fear2  conference,  was  receavitin  favour 
and  send  hame  to  the  Collage,  bot  sa  that  upon  the  King's  fathfull 
promise  to  better  the  Collage  twyse  sa  mikle,  the  Maister  Haker's 
tak  was  subscryvit. 

Therefter,  in  the  monethe  of  September,  accompanied  with  my 
fathfull  frind  and  companion,  Mr  Robert  Dury,  I  tuk  jorney  to 
Berwik  to  bring  hame  my  sone  Ephraim,  on  whome  befor  I  haid 
skarslie  lasor  to  think ;  and  thanking  that  godlie,  guid,  courteus 
lady,3  and  all  our  frinds  ther,  Ave  retoumed  the  neirest  way  be  the 
Feme  of  Northe  Berwik,  passing  the  quhilk  I  was  in  the  graittest 
perplexitie  of  ane  that  ever  I  was  in  my  tyme  befor,  and  haid  the 

1  To  remain  vacant.      Lat.  vacare.  -  Fair.  3  Lady  Widdrington. 


252  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  L586. 

maist  suddan  and  confortable  relciff  of  my  guid  and  gratius  God 
and  Father,  to  whase  honour,  as  in  all,  I  man  record  it.  We  schip- 
pit  in  weill  unadvysedlie, '  because  the  day  was  verie  fcare,  in  a 
miklc  coll-bott, 2  wherin  thcr  was  bot  a  auld  man  and  twa  young 
boyes,  we  haifring  twa  horses,  a  boy,  the  nurise,  an  Einglis  woman, 
a  souldiers  wyff  of  Berwik,  wha  haid  a  desyre  to  com  with  the 
bern  in  Scotland,  and  whom  I  could  nocht  refuse,  bathe  because  of 
hir  kyndlie  offer,  and  the  bem  was  sa  browdin  upon3  hir,  that 
without  danger  he  could  nocht  be  speaned4  from  hir.  We  hoised 
seall5  with'  a  lytic  pirhe  of  est  wind,6  and  lainshed  furthe  till  al- 
maist  the  thrid  of  the  passage  was  past,  and  then  it  fell  down  dead 
calme.  For  rowing,  nather  was  ther  eares  meit  nor  handes, "  the 
boott  was  sa  heavie,  the  man  auld,  and  the  boyes  young.  In  this 
mean  tyme,  the  honest  woman  becomes  sa  seik,  with  sic  extremitie 
and  preas  of  vomiting  first,  therefter  with  swinings,8  that  it  was 
pitifull  to  behauld.  Withe  hir  working,  the  barn  wackens,9  and  be- 
comes cxtream  seik,  being  nan  bot  my  selff  to  curie 10  tham,  for  Mr 
Robert  was  rowing.  This  dreing11  for  the  space  of  thrie  houres, 
in  end  I  becam  dead  seik  my  selff,  sa  that  then  it  becam  a  maist 
pitifull  and  lamentable  spectakle,  to  sie  a  woman,  a  stranger,  an 
honest  man's  wyff  com  fra  ham  to  pleasour  me,  to  be  with  cxtream 
pres  apeirand  everie  minut  to  gifFupe  the  ghost ;  an  infant  of  thrie 
halfF  yeirs  auld  spreauling  in  the  awin  excrements,  and  the  father, 
partlie  for  feir  and  cair  of  mynd,  and  partlic  for  sear  seiknes,  lifting 
upe  pitifull  hands  and  eis  to  the  hcavines,  voide  of  all  erdlie1-  eon- 
fort  or  helpe  of  man !  Now,  that  quhilk  maid  our  esteat  almaist 
disperat  was,  if  the  calme  remeanit,  the  woman  could  nocht  haiff 
indurit,  bot,  but  dout,13  haid  died,  the  cxtreamitic  of  hir  pean  and 
Bwining  was  sik, l '  and  being  sa  far  fra  land  in  a  halfF  of  the  night 
with  that  quhilk  rested  of  the  day,  nocht  past  thrie  houres,  we 
could  nocht  haifF  rowed  to  land,  if  anie  drow l6  haid  rissen  ;  nather 

1  We  embarked  most  unadvisedly.  2  A  large  coal  boat.  3  Doatingly  fond  of. 
'  Weaned.  •''  Hoisted  sail.  "  Light  breeze  of  cast  wind.  ?  Neither  were  the  oars 
ttOr  hands  meet,  or  suitable.  s  Swooning,  fainting  fit.  ;i  The  child  awakes. 

10  Take  care  of.  "  Suffering,  enduring.  '-  Earthly.  ,a  But  without  doubt. 
"  The  extremity  of  her  pain  and  swoooning  were  such.  '•''  Sudden  squall. 


1586.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  253 

was  ther  handea  to  takle  the  sealles.,1  nor  was  the  grathe  haill  and 
freshe  to  byd  the  wound.2  And  thairwith,  be  hir  tumbling  and 
yea  wing,3  the  mast  schouk  sa  louse,  that  Mr  Robert  (the  auld  man 
being  dammist  and  macules4)  haid  mikle  ado  to  fasten  the  sam  ;  sa 
that  na  releiff  being  bot  in  the  sweit  mercie  and  helpe  of  our  God, 
my  hart  maist  urgentlie  importuned  him  ;  and  hoping  patientlie, 
(for  everie  houre  was  mair  nor  the  haill  tyme  of  our  banisment,) 
at  last  the  Lord  linked  mercifidlie  on,  and  send,  about  the  sune 
going  to,  a  thik  ear5  from  -the  South-east,  sa  that,  getting  on  the 
seall  ther  was  upon  hir,  within  an  houre  and  a  halff,  quhilk  was 
strange  to  our  consideration,  na  wound  blawing,  we  arryved  within 
the  Alie,6  and  efter  a  maist  weirisome  and  sear7  day,  gat  a  confortable 
night's  ludging  with  a  godlie  lady  in  Carmury. 

[I  twitched  befor,  the  sermon  that  James  Gipsone,8  Minister  of 
Pencatland,  maid  in  the  pidpit  of  Edinbruche,  at  the  incoming  of 
the  Lords,  and  taking  of  Sterling.  Thairin,  as  he  was  thought  to 
be  scharpe  against  the  Snbscryving  Brethering,  so  was  he  judgit 
vehement  and  over  peremptorie  against  the  King,  whom  he  threat- 
ned  with  the  judgments  of  Jeroboam,  in  these  words,  or  verey  neir : 
"  That  if  he  persisted  in  perverting  the  established  Discipline  of 
the  Kirk,  and  persecuting  of  God's  faithfull  servants,  his  posteritie 
should  be  cutt  aff,  and  he  should  be  the  last  of  his  race  !"  The  King 
caussed  seik  him  lang ;  and  at  last,  by  some  of  his  Gward,  appre- 
hendit  him  and  put  him  in  prisone  ;  and  at  the  Generall  Assemblie, 
hauldin  at  Edinbruche  in  the  moneth  of  October,  travelit  sa  that 
by  maniest  vottes  he  was  condemnit  as  rasche  in  application,  and 
over  particular  and  sair  against  the  King  ;  and  sa  removit  from  his 
ministerie  whar  he  servit.  Yit  could  he  by  na  meanes  be  moved 
to  call  bak9  or  deny  his  doctrine,  unles  he  should  lie  against  that 
Avarrand  both  of  the  Word  and  Spirit  wharby  he  haid  spoken,  &c.10] 

1  Tackle  the  sails.  2  Neither  was  the  tackling  whole  and  fresh  enough  to 

stand  the  wind.        3  Yawing,  rolling,  or  heeling  with  the  ground-swell.  *  Feeble, 

void  of  might  or  strength.  5  About  sun-set,  a  thick  fog  or  mist.  G  No  wind 

blowing,  we  arrived  within  the  harbour  of  Elie,  "  in  the  East-nuik  of  Fife."  7  Tedious 
and  sore,  or  severe.  *  Gibson.  9  Revoke  or  recal.  10  On  margin  of  MS. 


254  MB  JAMES  melvill's  DIARY.  L586. 

That  wintar  it  pleased  God  to  repear '  againe  the  temple  of  his 
awin  Jerusalem,  opening  the  mouthe  of  his  servant  Mr  Andro  again 
Avitli  sic  grace  and  powar,  that  all  began  in  ernest  to  be  Theologes ; 
the  treuthc  bathe  concerning  doctrine  and  discipline  to  be  narow- 
lier  lniked  unto,  and  the  Bischopes  fear  schawes,  and  scheddowes,2 
to  vanishc  and  wear  away.  Then,  also,  God  opened  the  monthe 
of  Mr  Robert  Bruce  at  a  speciall  remarkable  tyme  within  the  Col- 
lage. For  all  was  jnstlie  casten  in  dout  wither  they  soidd  heir  the 
Bischopes  pretching,  being  bathe  snspendit  and  excommunicat ;  yit 
manic  yeildit  for  feir  and  favour  of  the  man's  smothe  and  pleasand 
utterance ;  bot  the  best,  bathe  of  the  Town  and  Universitie,  could 
nocht  of  conscience  heir  him,  and  therfor  resorted  verie  firequentlie3 
to  the  Collage  everie  Sabothe,  and  fand  of  Mr  Andro  and  Mr  Kobert 
Bruce  exceiding  grait  edification  and  confort.  As  for  me,  I  was 
then  apointed  be  the  Presbyterie  to  teatche  at  Anstruther  everie 
Sabothe,  and  was  in-calling4  to  that  ministerie,  wherin  I  enterit  the 
simmer  following,  about  the  sam  age  that  the  Preistes,  and  Chryst 
him  selff,  enterit  and  began  thair  ministerie.  Anent  the  occasion, 
maner,  and  effects  wharof,  reid  in  beginning  of  tliis  book,  inregistrat 
ther  at  lvnthe,  and  of  purpose.  The  quhilk  narration,  in  this  dis- 
course of  my  lyff,  and  maist  mercifull  and  gratius  working  of  God 
with  me,  an  unworthie  wratche,  comes  in  in  this  place  ordonrlie. 

Bot  the  memorie  of  my  grait  fascherie5  and  vexation  wherin  I 
was  occupied  in  the  simmer  of  the  1586  yeir,  haid  almost  maid  me 
forget  a  confortable  benefit  of  God  bestowit  on  me  in  the  middes 
thairof;  to  wit,  of  a  pleasand  second  sone,  in  this  respect  contrare 
to  the  uther,  that  the  first  was  gottin  in  Scotland,  and  born  in  Eng- 
land ;  the  second,  gottin  at  London,  was  born  in  St  Androis  the 
nynt  day  of  July.  Be  occasion  I  haid  the  Erie  of  Mar  to  my  gos- 
sope,6  whom  I  rememberit  of  his  dewtie ;  bot  in  love  and  remem- 
beraace  of  him  whom  it  was  nocht  thair  part  to  lot  ly  In  ward  from 
his  calling,  I  called  the  bern  Andro. 


1  Repair.  2  Fair  shows  and  shadows.  3  Resorted  in  considerable  numbers. 

Called.  5  Trouble.  fi  Godfather  or  sponsor. 


1587.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  255 

M.D.LXXXVII. 

At  the  Generall  Assemblie  in  the  spring  tyme  of  the  yeir  1587, 
Mr  Anclro  moved  the  Kirk  of  Edinbruche  to  desyre  the  Assemblie 
to  cause  Mr  Robert  Bruce  pretche,  and  efter  to  sutt  him  att  the 
said  Assemblie  to  be  thair  pastor,  in  the  place  of  Mr  James  Law- 
gone,  and  the  said  Assemblie  to  grant  and  appoinct  him  thairto : 
bot  whowbeit  that  he  and  I  bathe  delt  ernestlie  with  Mr  Robert, 
he  wald  nocht  assent  thairto,  but  contented  to  teatche  titer,  and  tak 
a  sey  l  what  God  wald  work  with  him ;  the  quhilk  he  did,  with  the 
notable  fruict  that  followed. 

That  yeir,  in  the  monethe  of  May,  Guiliaum  Salust,  S[eignour]  du 
Bartas,  cam  in  Scotland  to  sie  the  King,  of  whome  he  was  receavit 
according  to  his  worthines,  interteined  honourablie,  and  liberalie  pro- 
pyned2  and  dimissed  in  thehervest,  to  his  Majesties  grait  praise,  sa 
lange  as  the  French  toung  is  used  and  understuid  in  the  warld. 

About  the  end  of  Junie,  his  Majestie  cam  to  St  Androis,  and 
brought  with  him  the  said  Du  Bartas,  and  coming  first  without  anie 
warning  to  the  NeAV  Collage,  he  calles  for  Mr  Andro,  saying  he  was 
com  with  that  gentleman  to  haiff  a  Lessone.  Mr  Andro  answeres, 
That  he  haid  teatched  his  ordinar  that  day  in  the  fornoone.  "  That 
is  all  ane,"  sayes  the  King,  "  I  mon  haiff3  a  lessone,  and  be  heir 
within  an  houre  for  that  effect."  And,  indeid,  within  les  nor  an 
houre,  his  Majestie  was  in  the  scholl,  and  the  haill  Universitie  con- 
venit  with  him  ;  befor  whom  Mr  Andro  ex  tempore  intreated  maist 
cleirhe  and  mightelie  of  the  right  government  of  Chryst,  and  in 
effect  refuted  the  haill  Actes  of  Parliament  maid  against  the  dis- 
cipline thairof,  to  the  grait  instruction  and  confort  of  his  auditor, 
except  the  King  allcan,4  wha  was  verie  angrie  all  that  night. 

Upon  the  mom  the  Bischope  haid  bathe  a  prepared  lessone  and 
feast  maid  for  the  King.  His  lessone  was  a  tichted  upe5  abreg- 
ment  of  all  he  haid  fetched6  the  yeir  bypast,  namlie,  anent  the  cor- 
rupt grouncles  quhilk  he  haid  put  in  the  King's  head,  contraric  to 


1  Trial.  -  Presented  with  gifts.  3  Must  have.  4  Alone. 

5  A  close  (literally  a  tightened  up)  summary  or  abridgment.  6  Taught. 


256  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diajry.  1587. 

the  trew  discipline.  To  the  quhilk  lessone  Mr  Andro  went,  contrar 
to  his  custome,  and  withe  his  awin  pen  market1  all  liis  fals  grounds 
and  reasones,  and,  without  farder,  caussit  ring  his  bell  at  twa  efter- 
noone  the  sam  day  ;  wharof  the  King  heiring,  he  send  to  Mr  Andro, 
desyring  him  to  be  moderat,  and  haifF  regard  to  his  presence,  uther- 
wayes  he  wald  discharge  him.  He  answered  couragiouslie,  that  his 
Majestie's  ear  and  tender  breist  was  pitifullic  and  dangeruslie  filled 
with  errours  and  untreuthes  be  that  wicked  man,  the  quhilk  he 
could  nocht  suffer  to  pas,  and  bruik  a  lyff,  utherwayes,  except  the 
stopping  of  the  breathe  of  God's  mouthe,  and  prejudging  of  his 
treuthe,  he  sould  behaiff  him  selff  maist  moderatlie  and  reverentlie 
to  his  Majestic,  in  all  respects.  The  King  send  againe  to  him  and 
me,  desyring  it  sould  be  sa,  and  schawin  that  he  wald  haiff  his  four 
hours2  in  the  Collage,  and  drink  with  Mr  Andro.  Sa  coming  to 
that  lessone  with  the  Bischope,  wha  rcquysted  the  King  for  leive 
to  mak  answer  instantlie,  in  cais  anie  thing  war  spoken  against  his 
doctrine.  Bot  ther  Mr  Andro,  making  him  as  thouche  he  haid  na 
thing  to  do  but  with  the  Papis%  brings  out  thair  works,  and  reids 
out  of  tham  all  the  Bischopes  grounds  and  reasones.  The  quhilk, 
when  he  haid  at  lainthc  and  maist  cleirlie  schawin  to  be  plean 
Papistrie,  then  he  settes  against  the  sam  with  all  his  mean,3  and 
with  invincible  force  of  reasone,  from  cleir  grounds  of  Scripture, 
with  a  mightie  parrhesic  and  fluide  of  eloquence,  he  dinges  tham  sa 
down,  that  the  Bischope  was  dasht  and  strukken  als  dum  as  the  stok 
he  satt  upon  !  Efter  the  lessone,  the  King,  in  his  mother  toung, 
maid  sum  distingoes,4  and  discoursit  a  whyll  thairon,  and  gaiff  cer- 
tean  injunctiones  to  the  Universitie  for  reverencing  and  obeying  of 
his  Bischope ;  wha,  fra  that  day  furthc,  began  to  tyre  of  his  teateh- 
ing,  and  fall  mair  and  mair  in  disgrace  and  confusion.  The  King, 
with  Monsieur  du  Bartas,  cam  to  the  Collage  Hall,  wher  I  causit 
prepear,  and  haiff  in  readincs  a  banquet  of  wat  and  dry  confec- 
tioncs,  with  all  sortes  of  wyne,  wharat  his  Majestic  camped5  verie 

1  Marked,  noted.  2  His  refreshment  or  repast  at  four  o'clock.  3  Might. 

4  Distinctions.  8  Caroused,  kemped,  or  drank  deep. 


1587.  MK   JAMES  SEELVILL'S  DIARY.  257 

mirrelie  ;i  guid  why  11,  and  thairefter  went  to  his  hors,  Bot  Monsieur 
du  Bartas  taxied  behind  and  conferrit  with  my  uncle  and  me  a  wholl 
houre,  and  syne  followed  efter  the  King ;  wha  inqnyring  of  him  that 
night,  as  ane  tauld  me,  "  What  was  his  judgment  of  the  twa  he  haid 
herd  in  St  Androis  ?"  He  answeret  the  King,  "  That  they  Avar  bathe 
lerned  men,  bot  the  Bischope's  war  cunned,1  and  prepared  maters, 
and  Mr  Andro  haid  a  grait  reddie  store  of  all  kynd  of  lerning  within 
him  ;  and  by2  that,  Mr  Andro  his  spreit  and  courage  was  far  above 
the  other."     The  quhilk  judgment  the  King  approved. 

That  Witsonday  I  removit  my  wyff  and  famelie  from  St  Androis 
to  Anstruther,  quhilk  was  the  twolt  tyme  I  haid  flitted  sen  my  ma- 
nage in  the  space  of  four  yeir ;  wherby  I  was  rememberit  this  lyff 
to  be  but  a  sojourning  in  a  wildernes,  and  wTas  sett  to  considder 
mair  neirlie  the  historie  of  the  peiple  of  God  in  thair  jorney  from 
Egypt  to  the  Promist  Land,  &c. 

At  my  first  coming  to  Anstruther  ther  fell  out  a  heavie  accident, 
quhilk  vcxit  my  mynd  mikle  at  the  first,  bot  drew  me  mikle  neirar 
my  God,  and  teatched  me  what  it  was  to  haiff  a  cear  of  a  flok. 
Ane  of  our  creares 3  retourning  from  Eingland  was  unbesett  be  an 
Einglis  pirat,  pilled,4  and  a  verie  guid  honest  man  of  Anstruther 
slean  thairin.  The  quhilk  lown5  coming  perthe  to  the  verie  roade 
of  Pittenweim,  spuilzied6  a  schipe  lying  thairin,  and  misusit  the  men 
thairof.  This  wrang  could  nocht  be  suffered  be  our  men,  lest  they 
sould  be.  maid  a  comoun  prey  to  sic  limmcrs.7  Thairfor,  purchass- 
ing  a  commissioun,  they  riget  to  a  propre  flie-boot,8  and  everie  • 
man  incuraging  uther,  maid  almaist  the  haill  honest  and  best  men 
in  all  the  town  to  go  in  hir  to  the  sic.  This  was  a  grait  vexation 
and  greiff  to  my  hart,  to  sie  at  my  first  entres  the  best  part  of  my 
flok  ventured  upon  a  pak  of  pirates,  wharof  the  smallest  member  of 
the  meinest  was  mair  in  valour9  then  a  schipfull  of  tham.    Andvit 

1  Conned,  prepared  beforehand.  2  Besides,  over  and  above,  forbi/r. 

3  A  sort  of  lighter  or  barque  with  one  mast.  4  Pillaged.  5  Loon,  a  worth- 

less fellow,  a  rascal.  G  Spoiled,  plundered.  7  Thieves,  scoundrels. 

"  Rigged  out  a  proper  fly-boat,  i.  e,  a  swift-sailing  vessel.  9  Worth.      Lat    valor. 

n 


258  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1587. 

I  durst  nocht  stay  sura  les  nor  I  steyed  all,1  and  all  I  durst  nocht, 
bathe  for  the  dangerus  preparative,2  and  the  frinds  of  the  honest 
man  wha  was  slean,  and  of  tham  that  Avar  abbusit,  wha  war  manie, 
in  sic  sort  as  the  mater  concerned  the  haill.  Bot  my  God  knawes 
what  a  sear  hart  they  left  behind  when  they  parted  out  of  my  sight, 
or  rather  what  a  hart  they  caried  with  them,  leiving  a  bouk  be- 
hind. I  nather  eat,  drank,  nor  sleiped,  bot  be  constraint  of  nature, 
my  thought  and  cair  alwayes  being  upon  tham,  and  commending 
tham  to  God,  till  aught  or  ten  dayes  war  endit,  and  they  in  sight 
retourning,  with  all  guid  takens  of  joy,  flagges,  streamers,  and  en- 
seingyie  displayit,  whom  with  grait  joy  we  receavit,  and  went  to- 
gidder  to  the  Kirk,  and  praised  God. 

The  Captean  for  the  tyme,  a  godlie,  wyse,  and  stout  man,  re- 
compted  to  me  trewlie  ther  haill  proceiding :  That  they  inciting 
with  thair  Admiral!,  a  grait  schipe  of  St  Androis,  weill  riget  out  be 
the  Burrowes,  being  fyne  of  seale,3  went  befor  hir  all  the  way,  and 
maid  everie  schipe  they  forgatherit  with,  of  whatsumever  nation, 
to  strik  and  do  homage  to  the  King  of  Scotland,  schawing  tham  for 
what  cause  they  war  riget  furthe,  and  inquyring  of  knaves  and  pi- 
rats.  At  last,  they  meit  Avith  a  proude,  stiff  Einglisman,  AA'ha  remises 
to  do  reverence ;  thairfor  the  Captean,  thinking  it  was  a  lown,  com- 
mands to  giff  tham  his  nose-piece,4  the  quhilk  delashit5  hghtes  on 
the  tye  of  the  Einglisman' s  mean  seale,6  and  doAvn  it  comes  ;  then 
he  yeilds,  being  but  a  merchant.  Bot  ther  Avas  the  mercifull  pro- 
vidence of  God,  in  steying  a  grait  piece  of  the  Einglisman  lying 
out  hir  starn  in  readines  to  be  schot,  quhilk  if  it  haid  lichted  amang 
our  folks,  being  manie  in  litle  roum,  without  fence,  Avald  haiff  ci'cav- 
alie  demeaned  tham  all :  But  God  directing  that  first  schot  pre- 
served tham.  From  them  they  approtched  to  the  schore  at  Suffolk, 
and  findes  be  Providence  the  Ioavu,  Avha  haid  ncAvlings7  takin  a 
crear  of  our  aAvin  toAvn,  and  was  spuleing8  hir.  Whowsotne  they 
spy  ane  coming  war-lyk,  the  loAvnes  leaves  thair  pryse,9  and  rines 

1  I  dared  not  prevent  some,  unless  I  had  prevented  all  of  them.  -'  Example. 

:1  A  fast  sailer.  '  A  piece  of  ordnance  in  the  fore-part  of  the  ship.  ■  Which 

being  discharged.  ,;  Mainsail.  7  Newly.  H  Plundering.  '■'  Prize. 


1587.  MB  JAMES  MELYILL-'S  DIARY.  259 

thair  schipe  on  land.  Our  flie-boot  efter,  and  almaist  was  on  land 
with  tham  ;  yit  steying  hard  be,  they  delaishe '  thair  ordinance  at 
the  lownes,  and  a  nomber  going  a-land  persewes  and  takes  a  halff 
a  dissone  of  tham,  and  putes  tham  abord  in  ther  boot.  The  gentle 
men  of  the  countrey  and  townes  besyde,  heiring  the  noyes  of  schot- 
ing,  gathers  with  hast,  supposing  the  Spainyard  haid  landit,  and 
apprehending  a  number  of  the  lownes  in  our  men's  handes,  desyrit 
to  knaw  the  mater.  The  quhilk,  when  the  Justices  of  Peace  under- 
stude,  and  saw  the  King  of  Scotland's  armes,  with  twa  galland 
schippes  in  war-lyk  maner,  yeildit  and  gaifF  reverence  thairto,  suf- 
fering our  folks  to  tak  with  tham  thair  prisoners  and  pirat's  schipe, 
quhilk  they  brought  hame  with  tham,  with  halff  a  dissone  of  the 
lownes ;  Avharof  twa  war  hangit  on  our  Pier-end,  the  rest  in  St 
Androis  ;  with  na  hurt  at  all  to  anie  of  our  folks,  wha  ever  sen  syne 
lies  bein  Me  from  Einglis  pirates.  All  praise  to  God  for  ever.  Amen. 

[This  yeir,  ryding  upe  to  Cambie,  in  companie  with  the  Lard  of 
Balfour  and  his  brother,  to  desing  the  manse  and  gleib  of  the  Kirk 
to  Mr  Andro  Hounter,  minister,  upon  an  kitle  hat  ridden  hors,  ap- 
protching  to  a  strype  weill  how  of  sevin  or  aught  feet  brod,  I  put 
at  the  hors  to  cause  him  lope 2  it ;  and  because  he  was  evill-mouthed 
and  hat  ridden,  I  held  his  head  streat,  wharat  he  repyning  in  the 
middes  of  his  lope,  cust  down  his  head,  sa  that  all  the  seddle-gear 
braking,  he  cust  me  ower  on  the  uther  bank  with  the  scdle  be- 
twix  my  legges,  and  his  heid  going  down,  he  lopes  the  supersault,3 
and  his  buttokes  hghtes  hard  besyd  me,  with  all  his  four  feit  to 
the  lift  !4  The  lyk  wharof  was  never  hard  in  the  judgment  of  the 
behaulders,  and  all  that  hathe  considderit  it  sen  syne,  without  anie 
hurt  to  man  or  beist,  except  the  sadle-grathe  braking.] 

That  yeir,  about  the  end  of  July  and  beginning  of  August,  was 
haldin  the  first  Parliament  be  the  King  efter  his  perfyt  age  of 
twentie  and  a5  yeirs  :  Wherin,  except  the  ratefication  of  the  Actes 
maid  of  befor  for  establishino;  of  the  trew  Relligion  and  abolishing- 

O  E3  O 

1  Discharge.  2  Leap.  3  Casts  a  somerset,  '  Sky.  firmament.  5One. 


260  MRJAMES  MELYILL'S  DIAKY.  L588. 

of  Papistrie,  na  guid  was  done  for  the  Kirk;  bot,  be  the  contrar, 

sche  was  spuilyet  be  a  plane  law  of  the  ane  halff  of  her  patrimonii-. 
t(»  wit,  of  the  temporal!  landes  of  all  her  benefices  be  that  Act  of 
Annexation  :  Her  ci  in  the  mean  tyme  blearit  with  twa  fear1  pro- 
mises ;  ane  of  abolishing  of  all  Bischopries  and  Prelacies,  and  yit 
the  Bischope  of  St  Androis  was  a  speciall  doar  thairin,  (and  was:  the 
last  publict  act  that  ever  he  was  at;)  ane  uther,  that  the  haill 
teinds  sould  be  peaceablie  put  in  the  Kirk's  posssession.  Bot  of 
God's  just  judgment,  that  annexation  of  the  temporalitie  lies  done 
the  King  alsmikle  guid  as  sic  promises  of  the  Kirk's  Spiritualitie. 

The  sam  yeir,  in  the  hervest,  brak  upe  a  graft  pest2  in  Leithe, 
and  continowit  all  that  wintar,  quhilk  strak  a  grait  terrour  in  Edin- 
bruche  and  all  the  cost  syde.  Be  the  occasion  wharof  we  began 
the  exerceise  of  daylie  doctrine  and  prayers  in  our  Kirk,  quhilk  con- 
tinoAves  to  this  day  with  grait  profit  and  confort,  bathe  of  the 
teitchars  and  heirars. 

[This  wintar  I  past  ower  toDalkethe,  and  obteined  the  gift  of  the 
stipend  of  Anstruther  AYaster,  whar  God,  be  sum  helpc  of  me,  an 
unworthie  instrument,  called  Air  James  Nicolsone  from  the  Court 
in  the  Ministerie  ;  and  in  rctourning,  of  mere  Providence,  was  the 
occasion  of  the  manage  of  Patrik  Forbes  of  Cors  with  Lucres3 
Spence0sistar  to  the  Lard  of  Wilmerston,4  maried  in  Anstruther  in 
the  simmer  following.] 

M.D.LXXXVTH. 

That  wintar  the  King  was  occupied  in  commenting  of  the  Apo- 
calypse, and  in  setting  out  of  sermontes  thairupon  against  the 
Papists  and  Spainyarts  :  And  yit,  by  a  piece  of  grait  owersight, 
the  Papists  practeised  never  mair  bisselie  in  this  land,  and  maid 
graitter  preparation  for  receaving  of  the  Spainyarts  nor"'  that  yeir. 
For  a  lang  tyme  the  newes  of  ;i  Spanishe  navie  and  armie6  haid 


'  Fair.  2  Pestilence,  plague.  '  Lucrece,  Lucretia.  '  Wormiston. 

1  Than.  fi  The  "  Invincible  Armada."  which,  through  the  merciful  Providence 

of  God,  was  wonderfully  dispersed  and  destroyed  so  shortly  afterwards. 


L588.  MR  jambs  melvill's  diary.  261 

bein  blasit  abrode  ;    and  about  the  Lambes  tydc  of  the  1558,  this 
Yland  haid  fund  a  feirfull  effect  thairof,  to  the  utter  subversion  bathe 
of  Kirk  and  Polecie,  giff  God  haid  nocht  Avounderfullie  watched 
ower  the  sam,  and  mightelie  fauchten  and  defeat  that  armie  be  his 
souldiours,  the  elements,  quliilk  he  maid  all  four  maist  fercelie  to 
afflict  tham  till  almost  utter  consumption.      Terrible  was  the  feir 
persing  Avar1  the  pretchings,  ernest,  zealus,  and  fervent  war  the 
prayers,  sounding  Avar  the  siches  and  sobbes,  and  abounding  was 
the  teares  at  that  Fast  and  Generall  Assemblie  keipit  at  Edin- 
bruche,  when  the  newes  AA-ar  crediblie  taidd,  sum  tymes  of  thair 
landing  at  Dumbar,  sum  tymes  at  St  Androis,  and  in  Tay,  and 
noAV  and  then  at  Aberdein  and  Cromertie  first  :  And  in  verie  deid, 
as  we  kneAV  certeanlie  soone  efter,  the  Lord  of  Armies,  Avha  ryddes 
upon  the  winges  of  the  Avounds,2  the  Keipar  of  his  aAvin  Israeli, 
was  in  the  mean  tyme  convoying  that  monstruus  navie  about  our 
costes,  and  directing  thair  hulkes  and  galiates  to  the  ylands,  rokkes, 
and  sandes,  wharupon  he  haid  destinat  thair  Avrak  and  destruction. 
For  within  tAva  or  thrie  monethe  thairefter,  earhe  in  the  morning, 
be  brak  of  day,  ane  of  our  bailyies  cam  to  my  bedsyde,  saying, 
(but  nocht  with  fray,3)  "  I  haiff  to  tell  yow  newes,  Sir.      Ther  is 
arryvit  within  our  herbrie  this  morning  a  schipe  full  of  Spainvarts, 
bot  nocht  to  s;ifF  mercie  bot  to  ask ! "    And  sa  schaAves  me  that  the 
Commanders  haid  landit,  and  he  haid  commandit  tham  to  thair  schipe 
againe  till  the  Magistrates  of  the  toAvn  haid  advysit,  and  the  Spain- 
yarts haid  humblie  obeyit :  Therfor  desyrit  me  to  ryse  and  heir 
thair  petition  with  tham.       Upe  I  got  AAath  diligence,  and  assem- 
bling the  honest  men  of  the  toAvn,  cam  to  the  Tolbuthe  ;   and  efter 
consultation  taken  to  heir  tham,  and  what  ansAver  to  mak,  ther  pre- 
sentcs  us  a  verie  reverend  man  of  big  stature,  and  grave  and  stout 
countenance,  grey-heared,  and  verie  humble  lyk,  wha,  efter  mikle 
and  verie  laAv  courtessie,  boAving  down  with  his  face  neir  the  ground, 
and  twitching  my  scho1   with  his  hand,  began  his  harang  in   the 
Spanise  toung,  wharof  I  understud  the  substance  :  and  being  about 

1  Piercing  wore.  '-'  Winds.  :(  A  Aright,  terror.  '  Touching  my  shoe. 


202  ah;  JAMES  melvill's  diaby.  158*. 

to  answer  in  Latinc,  he  haiffing  onlie  a  young  man  with  him  to  be 
his  interpreter,  began  and  tauld  ower  againe  to  us  in  gold  Einglis. 
The  sum  was,  that  King  Philipe,  his  maister,  haid  riget  out  a  navie 
and  armie  to  land  in  Eingland  for  just  causes  to  be  advengit  of 
manic  intolerable  wrangs  quhilk  he  haid  receavit  of  that  nation; 
but  God  for  ther  shines  haid  bein  against  thame,  and  be  storme  of 
wather  haid  dryven  the  navie  by  the  cost 1  of  Eingland,  and  him 
with  a  ccrtean  of  C'apteancs,  being  the  General!  of  twentie  hulks, 
upon  an  yll  of  Scotland,  called  the  Fear  Yll,2  wher  they  maid 
sehipewrak,  and  whar  sa  monie  as  haid  eschapit  the  merciles  sies 
and  rokes,  haid  mair  nor  sax  or  sevin  ouks  suffred  grait  hunger  and 
cauld,  till  conducing  that  bark  out  of  Orkney,  they  war  com  hither 
as  to  thair  speeiall  friuds  and  confederats  to  kiss  the  King's  Majes- 
tie's  hands  of  Scotland,  (and  thairwith  bekkit3  even  to  the  yeard,) 
and  to  find  releiff  and  comfort  thairby  to  him  selff,  these  gentilmen 
Capteanes,  and  the  poore  souldarts,  Avhase  condition  was  for  the 
present  maist  miserable  and  pitifull. 

I  answerit  this  mikle,  in  soum:4  That  whowbeit  nather  our  f'rind- 
schipe,  quhilk  could  nocht  be  grait,  seing  ther  King  and  they  Avar 
I'rinds  to  the  graitest  enemie  of  Chryst,  the  Pape  of  Rome,  and  our 
King  and  avc  defyed  him,  nor  yit  thair  cause  against  our  nibours 
and  speeiall  i'rinds  of  Eingland  could  procure  anie  benefit  at  our 
hand-  IV»r  thair  releiff  and  confort ;  nevertheles,  they  sould  knaw 
be  experience,  that  avc  Avar  men,  and  sa  moved  be  human  compas- 
sione,  and  Christiannes  of  better  relligion  nor  they,  quhilk  sould 
kythe/'  in  the  fruicts  and  effect,  plan  contrar  to  thars.  For  Avheras 
OUT  peiple  resorting  amangs  tham  in  peacable  and  laAvfidl  effeares 
of  merchandise,  war  violentlic  takin  and  cast  in  prist  me,  thair  guids 
and  gear  confiscat,  and  thair  bodies  committed  to  the  creAvall  flam- 
ing fyrc  for  the  cause  of  Relligion,  they  sould  find  na  thing  amangs 
us  bot  Christian  pitie  and  works  of  mercic  and  ahnes,  leaving  to 
God  to  work  in  thair  harts  concerning  Relligion  as  it  pleased  him. 
This  being  tfewlie  reported  again  to  him   be  his  trunshman,''  With 

1  Past  the  coast.  -  Fair  Isle.  3  Made  obeisance,  *  In  brief,  iu  sum. 

■  Manifest.  °  interpreter.     Evidently  from  Fr.  trucheman, 


1588.  Mil  JAM  Ks  MELVlLL's  DIARY.  203 

grait  reverence  he  gaiff  thankes,  and  said  he  could  nocht  mak 
answer  for  thair  Kirk  and  the  lawes  and  ordour  thairof,  onlie  for 
him  selff,  that  ther  war  divers  Scotsmen  wha  kneAV  him,  and  to 
whome  he  haid  schawin  courtesie  and  favour  at  Calles,1  and  as  he 
supposit,  sum  of  this  sain  town  of  Anstruther.  Sa  schew  him  that 
the  Bailyies  granted  him  licence  with  the  Capteanes,  to  go  to  thair 
ludging  for  thair  refreschment,  bot  to  nane  of  thair  men  to  land, 
till  the  ower-lord2  of  the  town  war  advertised,  and  understand  the 
King's  Majestie's  mynd  anent  thame.  Thus  with  grait  courtessie  he 
departed. 

That  night,  the  Lard3  being  advertised,  cam,  and  on  the  morn, 
accompanied  with  a  guid  nomber  of  the  gentilmen  of  the  countrey 
round  about,  gaiff  the  said  Generall  and  the  Capteanes  presence,  and 
efter  the  sam  speitches,  in  effect,  as  befor,  receavit  tham  in  his  hous, 
and  interteined  tham  humeanlie,  and  sufferit  the  souldiours  to  com 
a-land,  and  ly  all  togidder,  to  the  number  of  threttin  score,  for  the 
maist  part  young  bcrdles  men,  sillie,  trauchled,4  and  houngered,  to 
the  quhilk  a  day  or  twa,  keall,  pattage,  and  fische  was  giffen ;  for 
my  advyse  was  conforme  to  the  Prophet  Elizeus  his  to  the  King  of 
Israel,  in  Samaria,  "  Giff  tham  bread  and  water,"  &c.  The  names 
of  the  commanders  war  Jan  Gomes  de  Medina,  Generall  of  twentie 
houlkes,  Capitan  Patricio,  Capitan  de  Legoretto,  Capitan  de  Luf- 
fera,  Capitan  Mauritio,  and  Seingour  Serrano. 

Bot  verehe  all  the  whyll  my  hart  melted  within  me  for  desyre  of 
thankfulnes  to  God,  when  I  rememberit  the  prydfull  and  crewall 
naturall  of  they  5  peiple,  and  whow  they  wald  haiff  usit  us  in  ceas 
they  haid  land  it  with  thair  forces  amangs  us ;  and  saw  the  woira- 
derfull  wark  of  God's  mercie  and  justice  in  making  us  sie  tham, 
the  cheiff  commanders  of  tham  to  mak  sic  dewgard0  and  curtessie 
to  pure  simen,  and  thair  souldarts7  so  abjectlie  to  beg  almes  at  our 
dures8  and  in  our  streites. 

In  the  mean  tyme,  they  knew  nocht  of  the  wrak  of  the  rest,  but 

1  Calais.  2  Over-lord  or  feudal  superior.  3  The  Laird  of  Anstruther. 

1  Young  beardless  men,  feeble,  dragging  their  limbs  after  them  with  debility. 
5  These.        6  Salutation,  God  save  you.      Fr.    Dieu  </arde.       7  Soldiers.       *  Doors. 


I'Cl  MB  JAMES  MELVILI/S  DIARY.  15**. 

supposed  that  the  rest  of  the  armie  was  -aifrlie  returned,  till  a1  day 
I  gat  in  St  Androis  in  print  the  wrak  of  the  Galliates2  in  particu- 
lar, with  the  names  of  the  principal!  men,  and  whow  they  Avar  usit 
in  Yrland  and  our  Ililands,  in  Walles,  and  uther  partes  ofEing- 
land ;  the  qnhilk  when  I  recordit  to  Jan  Gomes,  be  particular  and 
speciall  names,  O  then  he  cryed  out  for  greifF,  bursted  and  grat.;i 
This  Jan  Gomes  schew  grait  kyndnes  to  a  Bchipe  of  our  town, 
qnhilk  lie  fund  arrested  at  Calles  at  his  ham-coming,  red  to  court 
for  hir,  and  maid  grait  rus1  of  Scotland  to  his  King,  tuk  the  honest 
meu  to  his  hous,  and  inquyrit  for  the  Lard  of  Anstruther,  for  the 
Minister,  and  his  host,  and  send  hame  manie  commendationes.  Bot 
avc  thanked  God  with  our  hartes,  that  Ave  haid  sein  tham  amangs 
us  in  that  forme. 

That  [15]8*  yeir  Avas  also  maist  notable  for  the  deatheof  Queiu 
Mother  of  France,  Catherin  de  Medieis,  bludie  Jezabell  to  the 
Sanctes  of  God,  AA'ha  then  Avas  callit  to  hir  recompence.  As  also 
the  maist  remarkable  Avark  of  God's  Justice  in  repeying  the  twa 
cheiffexecutors  of  that  horrible  carnage  and  Massacre  of  Paris,  mak- 
ing, first,  King  Hendrie  to  cause  his  Gard  stik  the  Due  of  Guise, 
under  trest,  with  the  Cardinall  of  Lorean  :  And  syne  a  Jacobin 
Frier,  of  that  ordour  qnhilk  the  King  did  maist  for,  maist  treason- 
ablie  to  stik  the  King.  The  Lord  Avorking  be  maist  Avicked  instru- 
ments, maist  Avyslie  and  justlie  !  [The  Due  and  Cardinall  Avar  slean 
in  December  [15]88  ;  the  Quein,  for  hartseames,  folloAA'it5  in  Ja- 
nuar ;  and  the  King  Avas  sticked 6  the  August  folloAving.7] 

Thus  God  glorefiet  his  name  maist  remarkablie  injustice  against 
the  graittest  enemies  of  his  Kirk,  and  sAveit  mercie  and  favour  to- 
wards  his  :  for  by  the  continuance  of  pace  in  this  Yll,  the  Kirks  of 
France,  from  almaist  a  desperat  esteat,  becam  mair  and  mair  to  be 
confortcd,  betterit,  and  at  last  rcleivit.  In  the  [15]85  and  [15]86 
veirs,  all   the  Protestants  Avar  chargit  af  France  within  sic  a  day, 


'  One,  'Galleons.  8  Sobbed  and  wept.  '  Praise,  commendation. 

1  Followed  her  husband,  dying  of  a  broken  heart.        "  Stabbed.        '  Margin  of  ^is. 


1588.  mi;  james  melvtll's  diary.  205 

under  pean  of  lyff,  lands,  guids,  and  gear ;  sa  that  the  number  of 
banished  in  Eingland  war  sa  grait,  and  the  pure  of  tham  so  manic, 
that  they  war  compelled  to  seik  rcleiff  of  us  for  the  saming.  And 
to  the  glorie  of  God  I  remember  it,  in  the  pure  bounds  I  haid  under 
charge  at  the  first  beginning  of  my  ministeric,  we  gatherit  about. 
fyve  bounder  marks  for  that  effect ;  [bot  few  or  nan  did  samikle,  as 
be  the  smalnes  of  the  soum  may  appeir.]  The  soum  of  the  hail! 
collection  quhilk  the  Frenche  Kirks  gat  extendit  bot  till  about  ten 
thowsand  marks,  as  thair  acquittances  and  letters  of  thanksgifting 
beares,  quhilk  I  haiff  in  custodie,  dely verit  to  me  be  the  Generall 
Assemblie  to  translat  in  Scottes,  and  set  furthe  to  close  the  mouthes 
of  invyfull  sklanderars,  Avha  gaiff  out  that  that  collection  was  maid 
for  an  uther  purpose.  As  also,  the  collection  maid  for  the  town  of 
Geneva,  wharfore '  Ave  gat  mair  thankes  by  a  Letter  of  Theodor  du 
Bez,  in  the  name  of  the  Senat  and  Kirk  thairof,  nor  it  was  all  worthe, 
readie  to  be  producit. 

Nochtwithstanding  of  the  Lord's  judgments  that  yeir  upon  Pa- 
pists, yit  efter  the  spreit  of  the  serpent  wharwith  they  are  led,  altho 
cut  and  deadlie  woundit  in  divers  partes,  nevertheles  war  ever  stcir- 
ing  and  menassing.  Sa  that  divers  practeisars  and  trafectars,  Je- 
suistes,  Seminarie  Preists,  and  uther  emissars  of  the  Antichryst 
crape  in  the  countrey,  and  kythed2  dangerus  effects  in  divers  partes, 
namlie,  in  the  Northe  and  Southe.  And,  thairfor,  the  maist  wac- 
ryff 3  and  ccarfull  of  the  breithring,  everie  an  warning  and  moving 
uthers,  as  the  custome  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  Avas  from  the  begin- 
ning, convcined  at  Edinbruche  in  the  monethe  of  Januar  the  sani 
yeir,  and  gaiff  in  to  the  King  and  Counsall  the  Petitiones  folloAving  : 

THE  KIRK'S  HUMBLE  PETITION  TO  HIS  MAJESTIE  AND  COUNSALL 
FOR  PREVENTION  OF  THE  DANGERS  TURK  ATX  ED  TO  THE  PROFES- 
SION OF  THE  TREAV  RELLIGION  WITHIN  THIS  REALME.      JAN.  1588. 

"  That  it  may  plcise  his  Majestic  giff  command,  bathe  to  parti- 
1  For  which.  2  Produced,  manifested.  ;  Wakeful,  watchful. 


266  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  1588. 

cular  Presbyteries,  and  sic  uther  ministers,  and  barrones,  and  gen- 
tilinen,  as  salbe  thought  meit,  to  convein  and  consult  upon  the 
readiest  remedies  of  thir  dangers  appeirand,  sa  oft  as  they  sail  think 
expedient,  and  to  report  thair  opiniones  and  advyses  to  his  Majestic 
betwix  this  and  the  xx.  day  of  Januar. 

"  That  it  may  pleise  his  Hienes  to  forbeare,  in  tyme  to  cum,  to 
interpon  his  Privie  Letters  or  discharges  to  the  Kirk  for  steying  of 
thair  proceiding  with  thair  censures  against  the  Papists,  when  as 
they  can  nocht  be  reclaimed  be  lawfull  admonitiones. 

"  That  Commissiones  may  be  directed  to  sum  specialles  of  his 
Plienes'  Counsall,  best  affected  and  of  graittest  powar  to  serche,  seik, 
and  apprehend  and  present  to  justice  all  Jesuistes  and  uthers,  privat 
or  publict  seducers  of  his  Hienes'  leiges,  and  that  the  saids  Com- 
missionars  may  be  instantlie  named,  and  a  day  apointed  to  the  re- 
port of  thair  diligences  in  that  behalff. 

"  That  sum  specialles  of  the  ministerie,  assisted  with  sum  weill 
affected  barrones  or  uther  gentilmen,  may  be  authorized  with  his 
Ilienes'  Commission  and  licence,  to  pas  to  everie  quarter  of  this 
realme  ;  and  ther,  be  meanes  that  they  find  meittest,  try  and  exploir 
what  Noble-men,  Burrowes,  Barrones,  and  uthers  of  anie  rank  or 
calling,  profes  the  lielligion,  and  will  joyne  afauldlie '  in  the  defence 
thairof,  and  wha  will  nocht ;  and  that  a  day  be  appointed,  in  lyk 
niancr,  for  reporting  of  thair  diligence. 

"  That  seing  the  speciall  occasion  of  the  sinister  suspitiones  con- 
ceavit  of  his  Hienes'  synceritie  in  the  treuthe,  and  that  inanimates2 
the  Papists  maist,  is  his  authoritie  and  service  put  in  the  hands 
of  Papists,  under  whase  winges  all  Jesuistes,  and  uthers  devoted  to 
that  superstitioun,  findes  countenance  and  confort :  That,  for  remead 
thairof,  it  may  pleis  his  Majestie  to  purge  his  Hous,  Counsall  and 
Sessioun,  and  to  reteire  his  powar  of  Lieutenantdrie,  Wardanrie, 
and  uther  his  auctoritie  whatsumever,  from  all  and  whatsumever 
personeSj  avowit  or  suspected  to  be  Papists  ;  and  to  let  proelama- 
tiones  be  immediatlie  directed  for  publication  of  his  Hienes'  guid 

Sincerely,  without  duplicity.  '  Encourages,  inspirits. 


158<S.  MB  JAMES  MELVTLL'S  DIAKY.  2))7 

intention  and  meaning  in  that  behalf!!,  to  tlie  confusion  of  the  Papists 
and  thair  patrones,  and  eonfort  of  the  godlie,  offendit,  this  tyme  by- 
gean,  with  thair  lang  intolerance  and  oversight. 

"  Finis." 

Thir  Petitiones  presented  be  us  to  his  Majestie  and  Counsall 
war  granted,  and  thairefter  meitting,  Commissionars  war  nominat 
throuchout  all  the  partes  of  this  land,  to  put  in  execution  the  things 
cravit ;  wharupon  an  Act  of  Counsall  and  Proclamation  past  out  ex- 
stant  in  print.  The  sain  day,  it  was  thought  guid  that  a  certean 
sould  be  nominat  to  consult  in  privat  concerning  the  best  and  maist 
reddie  way  of  the  said  execution,  wharof  was  ten  of  Noble  men, 
lawers,  and  burgeses,  viz.  the  Erie  of  Angus,  Guid  Archbald,  the 
Erie  Mareschall,  Mr  [of]  Glames,  Thesaurar,  the  Lard  of  Louch- 
leaven,  the  Clark  Register,  Mr  Jhone  Scharpe,  Mr  Thomas  Crag, 
Mr  Jhone  Nicolsone,  Jhone  Jhonestone  of  Elphistone,  and  Jhone 
Adamsone  ;  and  ten  of  the  Ministrie,  viz.  Mr  Andro  Malvin,1  Mr 
Robert  Pont,  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  Mr  David  Lindsay,  Mr  Andro  Hay, 
Mr  Thomas  Bowchanan,  Mr  Patrik  Galloway,  Mr  Nicol  Dalglas, 
Mr  Andro  Mill,  and  my  selff :  Wha,  meitting  the  sam  day  at  efter 
noone,  efter  lang  reasoning  and  advysment,  thought  it  maist  expe- 
dient and  neidfull,  First,  that  the  said  execution  sould  be  without 
deley,  in  respect  of  the  imminent  danger ;  nixt,  that  forsamikle  as 
ther  war  thrie  rankes  of  enemies — the  first  of  cheiff  meanteiners  of 
Papists  and  Papistrie  ;  the  second  of  Jesuists,  Seminarie  Preists, 
and  Trafectars ;  the  thrid  of  allowars,  receavears,  and  interteiners 
of  these  in  thair  housses,  and  partakers  of  thair  purposes  and  ydola- 
trie — It  was  thought  best  that  the  first  sort  soidd  be  chargit  to 
Avarde ;  the  second  apprehendit  at  unaware 2  and  punished  ;  the 
thride  proccidit  against  conforme  to  the  lawes  of  the  countrey  ;  and 
being  found  culpable,  to  be  punished  accordinglie.  And,  last,  to 
the  intent  that  sa  weghtie  a  mater  might  be  solidlie  advysit  and  sett 
doun  in  all  poincts,  the  Clark  Register,  Alexander  Hay,  Mr  Jhone 

1  Melvill.  :  Suddenly,  unaware. 


268  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaby.  1588. 

Scharpe,  Mr  Thomas  Crag,  and  uthers,  war  requested  to  taktyme 
and  panse1  upon  the  mater,  and  evcrie  ane  severalie  sett  down 
thair  judgment  in  wrait.  The  quhilk  being  conferrit  togidder,  con- 
elusion  was  taken  and  reported  to  his  Majestic,  wharof  proccidit  the 
ads  and  proclamationes,  and  commissiones  soonc  efter  published  in 
print. 

At  the  sam  tyme,  in  that  Convention  war  apointed  cert  can  Com- 
missionars  and  Breithring  to  meit  everie  ouk  in  Edinbruche  for  con- 
sulting upon  maters  perteining  to  the  weill  of  the  Kirk  in  sa  danger- 
us  a  tyme,  viz.  Alexander  Hay,  Clark  Register,  Mr  Jhone  Lindsay, 
Lord  of  Session,  Mr  Jhone  Scharpe,  Mr  Thomas  Crag,  Mr  Jhone 
Skein,  Mr  Jhone  Nicolsone,  Advocats,  Wilyeam  Lytle,  Provost  of 
Edinbruche,  Jhone  Jhonstone,  Jhone  Adamsone,  Hendrie  Charters, 
Burgesses  of  Edinbruche,  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  Mr  David  Lindsay,  and 
Mr  Robert  Pont,  Ministers. 

Also  the  King's  Ministers,  with  sum  uther  breither,  war  apointed 
to  travell  with  his  Majestie  for  a  proclamation  to  be  sett  furthe,  to 
let  all  his  subjects  understand  his  Hienes'  zeall  and  cair  for  replugg- 
ing of  the  land  of  Papistrie,  and  meantenance  of  the  trew  religion  : 
And  to  desyre  his  Majestie  of  new  again,  noAv  in  his  pcrfyt  age,  to 
subscryve  the  Confession  of  Faithe  maid  ;  and  renew  the  charge 
giffen  in  his  minoritie  to  all  his  subjects  to  subscryve  the  earning 
ower  again.  The  quhilk  also  was  obteined  and  published  in  print. 
It  was  fordar  ordeanit  that  all  Commissionars  and  Moderators 
of  Presbyteries  in  all  partes  sould  be  cairfull  to  haiff  intelligence  of 
all  maters  concerning  Religion  and  weill  of  the  Kirk  within  thair 
boundes,  and  to  mak  advertisement  of  the  saining  from  tyme  to 
tyme  to  the  forsaid  Commissioners  apointed  ouklie  to  eonvein  in 
Edinbruche. 

Item,  ther  was  a  Generall  Assemblie  apointed  to  be  hauldin  at 
Edinbruche  the  saxt  of  Februar  following  ;  and  the  Provinciall  As- 
semblies in  evcrie  schyre  to  be  endit  befor  the  xxiij.  of  that  in- 
stant Januar.     For  the  quhilk  cause,  it  was  thought  necessar  that 

1  Reflect,  study.     Fr.  penser. 


1588.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaky.  269 

the  Commissioners  of  Provinces,  and  everie  Minister  within  thair 
awin  bounds,  sould  inform  all  weill-affectioned  gentlemen  to  Relli- 
gionn,  of  the  attempts  of  Papists,  and  imminent  danger  thairby,  and 
of  the  libertie  granted  to  convein  be  his  Majestie  and  Counsall,  wher- 
by  they  may  be  moved  to  tak  Commissiones  from  Synods  without 
feall  to  keipe  the  Generall  Asscmblie,  and  mak  it  frequent.1 

And,  last,  as  concerning  Jesnistes,  Seminarie  Preists,  and  uthers 
deceavers  of  the  peiple,  it  was  ordeanit  that  [at]  thair  nixt  Synods 
charge  sould  be  o-iffen  to  everie  Minister  to  declar  tham  excommu- 
nicat  out  of  pulpit,  at  thair  return  immediatlie  to  thair  awin  kirks, 
that  the  peiple  may  bewar  of  thame,  and  siclyk  the  companie  of  sic 
as  favours,  interteines  tham  in  thair  housses,  or  lies  anie  thing  to  do 
with  thame  :  And  for  that  effect  everie  Minister  to  haiff  thair  names 
inrollit.     At  this  Convention  my  uncle  moderat,  and  I  wrot. 

That  Generall  Assemblie  in  Februar  was  verie  frequent  of  noble 
and  gentlemen.  Thairat  the  Greiv'es  of  everie  Province  and  Pres- 
byterie  war  giffen  in,  wherby  it  might  be  easelie  perceavit  whow 
horriblie  the  land  was  defyled  all  throuchout,  bot  namlie  in  the 
Northe  and  Southe,  with  Papistrie,  Superstitione,  blodsched,  and 
all  sort  of  villanie.  Upon  the  quhilk,  regrates,  grives,  complents, 
and  petitiones,  war  formed  and  presented  to  the  King  and  Counsall 
for  punishment  and  redres,  quhilk  war  ower  lang  and  tedius  to  be 
registrat.  And  the  breithring  steired  upe  to  wakryffnes2  and  dili- 
gence, in  watching  over  thair  floks  and  calling  for  the  haill  Kirk. 

For  conclusion  of  this  mervelus  yeir,  I  can  nocht  forget  my  par- 
ticular, seing  that  it  is  my  speciall  purpose  to  recompt  the  gratius 
working  of  my  God  with  me.  He  corrected  me  sweitlie  in  taking 
from  me  at  the  beginning  thairof  my  litle  sone  Andro ;  bot  recom- 
penced  the  sam  again  maist  bountifullie,  in  giffing  me  another 
Andro,  born  that  sam  yeir,  in  the  monethe  of  August :  Sa  the 
Lord  taksj  the  Lord  giftes,  blessed  be  the  nam  of  the  Lord  for  over! 

1  Well  frequented,  numerously  attended.  -  Wakefulness. 


270  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1588. 

The  bern  was  fallen  beautifull, '  loving,  and  mirrhie,  and  seimed 
to  be  of  a  fyne  sanguine  constitution  till  a  quarter  efter  he  was 
speaned  ; 2  bot  syne,  wither  be  wormes  or  a  hectik  consumption,  I 
knaw  nocht,  bot  his  Heche  and  cullor  fealed,  and  be  the  space  of  a 
quarter  of  yeir  consumed  and  dwyned3  away,  keiping  alwayes  the 
sweitest  and  pleasandest  ei  that  could  be  in  amies  heid.4  I  was  ac- 
customed to  sett  him  at  the  end  of  the  table  in  tyme  of  denner  and 
supper,  as  the  Egyptiens  did  the  picture  of  dead,5  till  acquent  me 
thairwith ;  and  yit,  when  he  died,  I  mervelit  at  my  awin  hart  that 
was  sa  urened6  and  moved  with  it,  sa  that  yit,  when  I  wrot  this,  I 
was  nocht  frie  of  the  bowdnings  of  the  bowelles  of  that  naturall  af- 
fection. And  if  Ave  that  ar  erdlie7  wormes  can  be  sa  affected  to  our 
childring,  what  a  love  beares  that  heavinlie  Father  to  his  ?  He  was 
my  first  propyne  and  hansell8  to  heavin.  I  can  nocht  forget  a  strange 
thing  at  his  deathe.  I  haid  a  pear  of  fyne  milk  whait  dowes,9  quhilk 
I  fed  in  the  hous  :  The  ane  wharof  that  day  of  his  deathe  could 
nocht  be  haldin  af  his  cradle,  bot  stopped  from  sitting  above  it,  crape 
in  and  sitt  in  under  it,  and  died  with  him  :  The  uther,  at  my  ham- 
coming  on  the  morn,  as  I  was  washing  my  hands,  cam,  lighted  at 
my  futt,  and  pitiuslie  crying,  "Pipe,  pipe,  pipe!"  ran  a  litle  away 
from  me.  Then  I  called  for  peyes  and  beanes 10  to  giff  it ;  bot  they 
schew  me  it  wald  nocht  eatt.  I  tuk  it  upe,  and  put  pikles  in  the 
mouthe  of  it,  bot  it  sclmk  tham  out  of  the  throt ;  and  parting  from 
me  with  a  pitifull  piping,  within  twa  or  thrie  houre  died  also. 
I  maid  on  him  this  Epitaphe. 

A  sojournar  in  London,  I  thie  gat, 

At  hame,  in  tyme  of  trouble,  thow  was  born. 

The  babbes  for  beautie  thought  maist  diligat, 
Thy  beautie  seim'd  yit  farder  till  adorn. 

1  The  child  was  extremely  beautiful.  2  Weaned.  3  Pined.  4  The  pleasant- 
est  eye  that  could  be  in  any  one's  head.  5  Death.  r'  Probably  troubled,  wrung. 
In  the  form  urisum,  urusum,  or  ooriesome,  it  is  more  commonly  met  with  in  MSS. 
7  Earthly.  8  Present  and  offering.  "  A  pair  of  fine  milk-white   pigeons. 

10  Pease  and  beans. 


1588.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  271 

As  Democrit  thow  first  the  world  did  skorn, 
For  to  refraishe  the  mynd  a  meakles  marrow  : ' 

Syn  to  beweall  my  wickednes  forlorn, 

The  tears  of  Heraclit  thow  seimed  to  borrow. 

I  set  thie  in  my  sight  at  evin  and  morrow, 

My  hart  till  humble,  acquenting  me  with  deathe  : 

But,  O  the  love  of  parents !  what  a  sorrow 

Did  sease  on  me,  fra  th'  anes  thow  lost  thy  breathe ! 

Oh  !  first  lyk  pleasand  floure  on  erthe  thow  grew  ! 
Syne  dwyn'd  to  dead,  with  dowes 2  to  heavin  thow  flew  ! 

This  page,  if  thow  be  a  pater 3  that  reids  it,  thow  wilt  apardone 
me.  If  nocht,  suspend  thy  censure  till  thow  be  a  father,  as  said 
the  grave  Lacedemonian,  Agesilaus. 

The  ministerie  of  Mr  Robert  Bruce  was  verie  steadable4  and 
mightie  that  yen,  and  divers  yeirs  following,  maist  confortable  to 
the  guid  and  godlie,  and  maist  feirfull  to  the  enemies  :  Sa  that  it 
was  sensabilie  perceavit  that  as  God  haid  substitut  to  Mr  Knox, 
Mr  Lowsone ;  sa  haid  he  provydit  Mr  Robert  to  supplie  that  in- 
leak.5  The  godlie,  for  his  puissant  and  maist  moving  doctrine, 
lovit  him ;  the  warldlings,  for  his  parentage  and  place,  reverenced 
him  ;  and  the  enemies,  for  bathe,  stude  in  aw  of  him.  The  Chan- 
cellar,  Mr  Jhone  Metcllan,6  enterit  in  speciall  frindschipe  with  him, 
Mr  Andro,  and  me,  and  keipit  trew  and  honest  till  the  day  of  his 
deathe.  He  helde  the  King  upon  twa  groundes  sure,  nather  to 
cast  out  with  the  Kirk  nor  with  Eingland.  Whowbeit  he  haid 
maid  informationes  to  him  of  guid  men  by 7  the  treuthe,  to  win  him 
court  at  the  beginning  in  the  Due  his  dayes,  quhilk  he  wald  fean 
haiff  mendit,  bot  could  nocht. 


1  A  matchless  companion.         2  Doves,  in  allusion  to  the  above  story.         3  Parent, 
father.  4  Serviceable,  profitable.         5  Deficiency.         6  Mnitland.         "  Against, 

contrary  to. 


'^72  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIAKY.  1589. 

M.D.LXXXIX. 

The  yeir  following  ther  fell  out  a  mater  in  St  Androis  that 
wrought  heavie  and  grait  trouble  to  the  best  and  honestest  men  in 
all  that  town,  and  quhilk  occupied  me  inikle  and  sear ;'  bathe  in 
niyinl  and  body,  manie  yeirs  efter.     The  occasion  wherof  was  this  : 

The  Bischope  haid  lurked  a  yeir  or  twa  lyk  a  tod 2  in  his  holl,  as 
his  custom  was  when  things  framed  nocht  with  him ;  and,  indeid, 
be  the  Chancellar's  moyen,  efter  he  was  joyned  with  us,  the  King's 
opinion  and  lyking  was  far  diverted  from  him.  He  devyses  in  this 
mean  tyme  a  mischchT  to  be  revengit  upon  his  mislykers,  and 
steires  upe  a  jakman3  of  his,  called  Hendrie  Hamilton,  to  quarrell  a 
Maister  of  the  Universitie,  Mr  Wilyeam  Walwode,  Professour  of 
the  Lawes,  a  man  bathe  in  blude  and  affinitie  joyned  neir  to  the 
maist  honest  in  all  the  town,  knawing  weill  that  bathe  sic  of  the 
Universitie  and  town  that  lyked  him  nocht,  wald  tak  part  with  the 
said  Mr  Wilyeam.  This  Hendrie  comes. upon  the  Hie-gett,  Mr 
Wilyeam  going  to  the  Principal's  Lessone  of  the  New  Collage,  and 
efter  quarreling  words,  touks4  him  and  striks  him  with  the  gardes 
of  his  sword.  Mr  "Wilyeam  plarites5  to  the  Kector,  wha  calling  the 
said  Hendrie  befor  him,  efter  cognition,  depryves  him  of  his  name 
of  Maister,  (for  he  was  maid  Maister,)  and  ordeanes  him  to  mak  a 
humble  satisfaction  to  Mr  Wilyeam  in  the  sam  place  whar  he  in- 
jourit  him.  This  he  refusing  to  do,  the  complainer  meined  his 
cause  to  the  Lords  of  Session,  wha  gaiff  out  compulsitors  upon  the 
Rector's  decreit,  wherwith  the  said  Hendrie  being  chargit,  first  be 
the  moyen  of  a  certean  wicked  men,  misgyders  of  the  town,  fa^or- 
ars  of  the  Bischope,  and  haters  of  thair  honest  and  guid  nibours, 
onlie  for  their  vcrtew,  he  is  receaved  in  the  number  of  the  citicin- 
ers,  and  maid  burges.  Then  he  comes  dissimulatlie  to  the  Rector, 
desyring  the  execution  of  the  charges  to  be  superceidit,  and  pro- 
misit  to  mak  a  mends  to  Mr  Wilyeam  on  the  BQe-streit  sic  an  da  v. 
Be  this  Mr  Wilyeam  is  secoure,  and  within  a  day  or  twa  addresses 

1  Sore.  l  Fox.  a  Jackmcn  wore  armed  retainers,  who  generally  acted 

as  bullies.     Ft.jaque.  4  Tugs,  or  pulls  him  violently.  B  Complains. 


1589.  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  '21 3 

him  to  his  ordinal-  Lcssone  of  the  Lawes  within  the  Aukl  Collage, 
and  going  from  his  lious  in  the  town  to  the  Collage,  his  gown  on, 
his  book  in  the  a  hand,  and  sand-glass  in  the  uther,  meditating  on 
his  Lessone,  Hendrie  Hamiltone  ushes '  out  of  a  hous,  where  he  lay 
in  wait  for  bloode,  and  unbeseatting 2  Mr  Wilyeam,  with  the  first 
strak3  wounds  him  in  the  hand  and  mutilate  him,  and  haid  pro- 
ceidit  fordar,  giff  be  sum  gentle  men  passing  that  way  he  haid 
nocht  been  steyed.  Mr  Wilyeam  is  lead  to  his  mother's  hous 
crewallie  woundit ;  the  newes  wharof  gaes  amang  his  frinds,  they 
ryse  and  rine  togidder  in  amies  to  assist  the  Bailyies  for  justice. 
Bot  an  of  the  Bailyies  being  upon  the  conspiracie,  refusing  thair 
assistance,  brings  the  murdarer,  accompanied  with  the  Bischopcs 
guid  brother,  James  Arthour,  called  comounlie  Jaques,  and  a  offi- 
cer or  twa  and  na  ma, 4  and  in  plane  provocation,  by  the  teithe  of 
the  partie,  convenit  befor  Mr  Wilyeam' s  mother's  stare,  yet  whar 
he  was  lying  with  his  wound  bleiding,  sa  that  it  could  nocht  be 
steamide.5  The  quhilk,  his  brother  and  brother-in-law  seing,  could 
nocht  abyde,  bot  making  a  mint,6  maid  the  lown  to  flie,  and  steirit 
upe  a  grait  tumult  of  all  sort  rinning  togidder  in  armes,  Universitie, 
citie,  and  gentle  men  being  in  the  town  for  the  tyme.  In  this  tu- 
mult naine  is  sa  bissie  to  schow  his  manreid7  in  feghting  as  the  said 
Jaques  Arthour,  and  meitting  with  his  marrow,8  with  rapper  and 
dagger,  missing  his  ward,  he  gettes  a  porh9  at  the  left  pape,  whar- 
of he  dies.  His  corps  is  brought  to  a  cheirurgian's  boothe  and  sight- 
ed ther,  and  sought  be  his  frinds  and  a  number  in  publict,  and 
fund  to  haiff  that  onlie  a  poinct  streak  of  a  rapper  sword,10  be  whom 
giffen  na  man  could  certeanlie  knaw,  sum  suspecting  an,  and  sum 
another.  Mr  Wilyeam's  brother,  Jhone,  persewes  efter  Hamilton ; 
wha,  crying  for  mercie,  and  randring  him  selff,  obteines  mercie  at 
the  said  Jhone' s  hand,  and  be  him  is  brought  out  and  delyverit  to 
the  Bailyies  againe. 

1  Issues.         2  Besetting,  attacking.         3  Stroke.        4  No  more.        ft  Stemmed, 
staunched.  G  Attempt.  7  Manfulness.     It  also  implies  his  obligation,  as 

a  feudal  retainer  bound,  by  bond  of  manred  or  manrent,  to  fight  in  his  superior's  quar- 
rels. 4  Match,  equal.  9  Thrust,  stab.  I0  Rapier  or  small  sword. 

S 


274  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  1589. 

The  tumult  steying,  the  honest  men  goes  to  thair  houses,  ignorant 
altoeidder  of  anie  evill  done,  namlie  of  the  slauchter  of  the  said 
Jaques.  Amangs  the  rest,  an  [James  Smithe,]  a  man  of  singular  qua- 
lities, graitlie  beloved  of  all  godlie  and  guid  men  for  his  vertew  and 
guid  conditiones,  and  asmikle  invyed  and  hated  be  the  wicked,  is 
warned  be  divers  that  loved  him,  that  ther  was  a  man  slaine,  and  the 
mater  was  dangerus,  prayed  him  thairfor  to  hauld  him  sehT  quyet 
and  out  of  the  way  for  a  tyme.  The  quhilk  he  refused,  reposing 
on  his  innocencie,  and  saying  they  haid  sufferit  wrang  in  the  per- 
sone  of  thair  frind,  bot  haid  done  nane.  Incontinent,  the  Bailyies 
comes  to  the  hous  of  the  said  honest  man,  better  accompanied  nor 
when  they  convoyit  Hamiltone  to  the  Tolbuthe,  and  charges  him 
in  the  King's  name  to  go  to  warde  with  thame.  He  willinglie 
obeyes  and  gaes  with  thame,  and  sa  does  the  rest,  to  the  number 
of  nyne  or  ten. 

These  simple  foulles,  this  way  fangit l  in  the  net  of  these  craftie 
hountars,  (wharin  the  partis  of  all  I  could  pent  out,  2  particulate 
giff  my  purpose  permitted,)  Avar  from  the  Tolbuthe  brought  to  the 
Provest's  hous,  wha,  withe  the  Bischope  and  rest  of  the  misreaul- 
lars3  of  the  town,  war  all  under  a  complot,  resolving  then  to  be 
weill  revengit  upon  those  honest  men,  wha,  at  the  ham-coming  of 
the  Lords  out  of  Eingland,  haid  sought  redres  of  manie  grait  abuses 
and  inormities  committed  be  the  saids  misrewlars  of  St  Androis, 
linking  that  all  things  then  souldhaiff  bein  corrected  and  sett  in  guid 
ordour — that  Yuillcomoun  they  thought  to  repey  weill  now  at  Pasch.4 

Sa  they  ar  summoned  to  a  day  of  law  in  Edinbruche,  whar,  un- 
derstanding the  law  to  be  streat,5  and  wanting  the  Prince's  favour, 
quhilk  was  caried  by6  tham  be  the  Bischope's  faction,  and  thairwith- 
all  craftelie  abbusit  be  thair  feinyied7  frinds,  they  ar  brought  in  ef- 
fect to  com  in  the  will  of  the  partie,  wha  decernes  upon  thame  all 
banisment  furthe  of  the  town  during  than  will ;  and  upon  twa  in 
speciall,  to  wit,  James  Smithe,  to  whase  worthie  praise  I  spak  be- 

1  Caught,  secured.  2  Depict.  3  Misrulers.  4  A  proverbial  expression, 

denoting  that  they  would  handsomely  repay  their  Yuill  or  Christmas  reckoning  at 
Easter.  5  Stringent,  strict.  6  Past.  7  Feigned,  pi-etended. 


1589i  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  275 

for,  and  Jhone  Walwode,  brother  to  the  said  Mr  Wilyeam,  banis- 
ment  out  of  the  countrey,  upon  grait  soumes  of  contravention  and 
sure  caution.  By  this  malitius  craftie  devys  and  convoy  war  these 
guid  honest  men  thus  wayes  maist  innocentlie  and  unjustlie  vexed 
and  banissed  out  of  the  realme  from  thair  Avyffes  and  childring  [sax 
yeires,]  and  at  thair  retouming  warse l  handlit,  as  we  sail  heir  in  the 
awin  place.  Bot  as  the  Bischope,  withe  the  rest  of  the  misrewlars 
of  that  town,  Avar  the  beginnars,  sa  I  can  nocht  omit  unmentioned  a 
maist  vennemus  and  malitius  prosecutor,  whase  implacable  hatred  and 
insatiable  gredines  of  these  honest  men's  gear  was  sic,  as  na  kynd 
of  dealling,  credit,  favour,  or  requeist  of  men  of  all  sortes,  rankes, 
and  degries  within  the  countrey,  employed  ernestlie  for  to  brak  and 
mitigat  him,  could  purchas  nor  procure  ony  kynd  of  dres 2  at  his  hand. 
This  was  Mr  Jhone  Arthour,  stubburnlie  and  despytfullie  refusing  all 
reasone ;  for  this  speciall  cause,  for  that  the  Ministers  favorit  tham, 
inspyrit,  but  question,3  be  the  spreit  contrar  to  Chryst  and  his  Mini- 
sters. The  pretence  of  his  malice  and  avarice  was,  that  as  he  wald 
affirme  against  all  the  warld  and  treuthe  it  selff,  that  James  Smithe 
was  the  slayer  of  his  brother,  against  whom  James  haid  never  anie 
querrell,  nor  cam  near  him  that  day ;  bot  was  cleirlie  sein  and 
knawin  to  be  a  pair  of  buttes  lainthe 4  from  him  when  he  was  slaine ; 
and  farder,  fyve  hounder  saw  that  onlie  a  porhe  of  a  rapper,5  whar- 
of  he  died,  haiffing  na  kynd  of  stroak  or  wound  ma,6  and  everie 
man  spyed  James'  sword  that  day  to  be  a  brad  sword.7  Bot  the 
treuthe  was,  James  was  ritche,  honest,  and  upright,  verteus  in  his 
calling,  and  the  uther  pure,8  debauchit,  greidie,  and  neidie,  and 
thairwithal  a  lawer,  attending  on  Session,  and  wating  to  mak  his 
prey  of  the  soumes  of  contravention,  quhilk  war  grait  and  large, 
or  then  thair  equivalent  be  composition  ;  for  he  kend  they  could 
nocht,  nor  wald  nocht,  byde  out  of  thair  awin  countrey. 

The  mere  pitie  and  indignation  of  my  hart  (as  the  Cerschar  of 
hartes  knawes  !)  maid  me  to  indevor  what  I  could  for  the  helpe 

1  Worse.  2  Redress.        3  Without  a  doubt.  4  A  butt's  length,  in  archery, 

being  about  200  yards  for  rovers,  and  80   yards  for  point-blank  or  butt-shooting. 
5  Only  one  thrust  of  a  rapier.  6  More.  7  Broad-sword.  8  Poor. 


276  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1589. 

and  confort  of  that  honest  man,  in  speciall.  Lykas  ther  was  na 
honest  or  godlie  man  in  the  land  wha  ather  knew  him  or  hard  of 
him  hot  meined  his  ceas,1  and  moyenned2  for  it  as  they  might,  bot 
na  grace  was  to  be  fund  at  a  graceless  man's  hand. 

About  the  middes  of  that  yeir  1589,  Francois,  Erie  of  Bothe- 
wall,  tuk  upe  bands  of  men  of  weare,  under  the  conduct  of  Coronell 
Hakerston,  under  pretence  to  tak  ordour  with  the  Ylles,  bot  it 
preived,  in  end,  a  Spanishe  Papisticall  course,  as  is  discovered  in 
the  buik  of  the  execution  of  Fyntrie.3  His  Capteanes,  leading  his 
men  langs  the  cost  syde,  opprest  and  troublet  the  townes  thairof, 
evill  favored  by  going  and  returning  anes.  The  second  tyme  they 
enterit  to  compas  and  visit  ower  againe,  and  cam  to  Kirkady,  send- 
ing thair  furriours4  and  commissars  befor,  to  prepear  for  tham  sum 
pices  of  armour  and  interteinment.  But  Carell,  Anster,5  and  Pit- 
tenweim,  with  assistance  of  sum  gentilmen  of  the  coimtrey  about, 
resolved  to  resist  and  feght  tham.  The  quhilk  when  I  perceaved, 
I  maid  hast  to  Court,  and  informed  the  King  of  the  abbus  and 
commotion  that  was  lyk  to  be,  and  purchassed  Letters  to  discharge 
the  Capteanes  from  proceiding  any  farther,  and  if  they  wald  nocht, 
to  warrand  the  subjects  to  resist.  The  Erie,  being  Admirall,  dis- 
charges the  bottes  at  Leithe  from  giffing  me  passage  ;  bot,  taking 
jorney  to  the  Quern' s-ferrie,  I  cam  with  sic  diligence  as  I  could ;  bot 
or  I  cam,6  the  Coronell,  with  his  men  of  wear,  war  fean  to  tak  the 
steiple  of  St  Monians  on  thair  head,  utherwayes  haid  gottin  sic  wages 
peyed  tham  as  wald  haiff  interteined  tham  all  thair  dayes.  And 
yit  insisting,  they  brak  the  apointment  quhilk  the  Tutor  of  Pitcure 
(that  notable  Provost  of  Dondie)  maid  betwix  tham  and  the  towns, 
and  cam  fordwart  to  Pittenweim  ;  bot,  at  my  coming  with  the 
King's  discharge  to  tham,  and  warrand  to  our  townes  to  resist,  in 
cais  of  disobedience,  they  war  fean  to  reteire  and  leave  af.      Sa  it 


1  Bemoaned  his  case.  2  Used  moyen  or  influence.  3  David  Graliame 

of  Fintry,  who  was  executed  Feb.  15,  1592.  '  Forayers,  foragers.      Here  it 

denotes  Quarter-masters.  b  Craill,  Anstruther.  6  But  before  I  came. 


1590.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  277 

pleased  God  to  keipe  from  blod-schedding,  and  releive  our  townes 
of  a  grait  feir  and  vexation. 

In  the  beginning  of  wintar,  the  King,  accompanied  with  the 
Chancellar  and  certean  uthers  of  the  Counsall,  with  twa  of  the  Mi- 
nisterie,  in  very  secret  maner  imbarkit,  few  knawing  till  he  was 
aAvay,  and  landit  at  Upslaw  in  Norroway,  efter  mikle  foull  wather 
of  a  stormie  wintar,  and  from  that  travelit  be  land  to  Denmark, 
throw  manie  woods  and  wildernes,  in  confermed  frost  and  snaw, 
and  thair  maried  his  Quein  Anne,  and  maid  guid  cheir,  and  drank 
stoutlie  till  the  spring  tyme.  At  his  departing,  he  apointed  Mr 
Robert  Bruce  to  be  on  the  Counsall,  and  recommendit  the  esteat 
of  his  countrey  to  him,  and  the  Ministerie  in  speciall,  reposing,  as 
he  professit,  upon  him  and  tham  above  all  his  Nobles.  And,  in- 
deid,  he  was  nocht  disapointed,  for  of  the  favour  of  God  thair  was 
never  a  mail-  peaceble  and  cpryet  esteat  of  the  countrey  nor l  during 
that  tyme  of  the  King's  absence  :  Sa  that,  whar  befor  or  sen  syne, 
few  monethes,  yea  oukes,  was  ther  without  sum  slauchter,  ther  was 
na  sic  tiling  during  that  tyme. 

Boduell2  cam  then  in  publict,  and  of  his  awin  accord  maid  his 
repentance  befor  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  in  the  Kirk  of  Edinbruche,  for 
his  licentius,  dissolut  lyff,  and  all  his  bypast  sinnes  ;  and  promised, 
be  God's  grace,  to  kythe3  another  man  in  tyme  coming,  &c.4  Bot 
it  was  a  taking  of  God's  name  in  vean,  and  publict  abusing  of  him 
selfF  and  the  Lord's  peiple ;  and  thairfor  the  Lord  cursed  him,  for 
na  thing  succeidit  weill  with  him  thairefter. 

M.D.XC. 

In  the  spring  tyme  of  the  yeir  following,  the  Generall  Assemblic 
conveined  at  Edinbruche.  At  quhilk  diligent  tryall  being  taken, 
it  was  fund,  that  na  steirage5  at  all  was  in  the  countrey  of  Papists, 
of  thehTes,  or  anie  trubelsonie  inordinat  persones.  Wharof  the 
breithring  praisit  God,  and  apointed,  efter  the  ordour  that  the  Kirk 

1  Than.  2  The  Earl  of  Bothwell.  3  Turn  out,  manifest  himself  to  ho. 

*  See  Bruce's  Sermons,  Wod.  Soc.  Edit.  5  There  was  no  stir  or  movement. 


278  MB  JAMES  melyill's  diaby.  1590. 

of  Edinbruclie  haid  taken  upe,  that  thair  sould  be  fasteing  and 

nioderat  dyct  usit  everie  Sabathe  till  the  King's  returning.  The 
quhilk  custom  being  found  verie  meit  for  the  exerccise  of  the 
Sabathe,  was  keipit  in  Edinbruclie,  in  the  housses  of  the  godlie, 
continualie  thairafter.  Sa  that  sparing  thair  gros  and  sumptuue 
dinners,  they  usit  nocht  bot  a  dishe  of  brothe,  or  sum  Htle  recrea- 
tion, till  night  ;  and  that  quhilk  was  sparit  was  bestowit  on  the  pure. 
Boduell  resorted  to  that  Assemblie,  and,  keiping  hous  in  the  Abba y 
in  the  King's  awin  housses,  he  haid  the  Quein  of  Eingland  be  hir 
Ambassator  ordinar,  (Mr  Robert  Bowes,  wha  ley  at  Edinbruche,  a 
verie  godlie  man,  and  to  his  uttermaist  loving  and  cairfull  of  the 
peace  and  weill  of  the  twa  realmes  of  Eingland  and  Scotland,)  to 
be  his  commer,1  and  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  my  uncle,  and  me,  being 
Moderator  of  that  Assemblie,  invited  now  and  then  to  guid  cheir, 
haiffing  sum  grait  purpose  and  to  luik  in  hand  ;  bot  he  wes  never 
lukkie  nor  honest  to  God  nor  man. 

At  this  Assemblie  it  was  ordeanit,  That  all  and  everie  Minister 
that  haid  ma  Kirks  nor  ane2  in  cure  sould  demit  the  rest,  and  tak 
him  till  ane  only.  Also  that  the  townes  of  Edinbruclie,  Dondie, 
Stirling,  and  St  Androis,  sould  aggrie  with  sic  as  they  thought  meit 
for  tham,  and  report  againe  to  the  Assemblie  for  thair  transporta- 
tion. Upon  the  quhilk  I  was  ernestlie  delt  with  be  all  the  saids 
townes  ;  bot  the  love  of  my  awin  flok  and  Presbyterie,  and  vicinitie 
of  my  uncle  in  St  Androis,  permitted  me  nocht  to  condiscend  unto 
tham.  For  this  my  parochiners  aggreit  amangs  tham  selves  to  big 
me  a  hous  ;  bot  being  undertaken,  as  it  comes  of  comoun  warkes, 
it  fealit.  Thairfor  my  God  and  heavinlie  Father,  the  giffar  and 
provyder  for  me  of  all  guid  things,  put  in  my  hart  to  tak  the  wark 
in  hand  my  self;  and,  albeit  I  haid  nocht  fourtie  pound  in  readie 
money,  yit  furuesit  all  things  so  stranglie  to  me,  that  amies  begoun, 
it  ley  never  a  day  till  it  was  compleit,  God  haiffing  sum  confort  to 
minister  to  his  awin  servants  thairby,  from  tyme  to  tyme,  thair- 
efter.  It  was  begun  the  5th  of  Junij,  and  endit  with  October  fol- 
lowingj  L590. 

1  Intimate  friend,  companion,  "gossip."         -'  More  than  cue  ;  a  plurality  of  livings. 


1590.  MB  JAMES  MELV1LLS  DIARY.  279 

Iii  the  yeir  1590,  the  King,  accompanied  with  his  Quern,  cam 
hame  the  first  of  May,  to  the  grait  joy  and  contentment  of  all  the 
countrey.  Divers  practeses  of  witchcraft  and  devilrie l  was  against 
him,  as  he  was  certified  of  thairefter,  bot  the  mercifull  and  mightie 
hand  of  God  watched  over  him,  and  preserved  him  at  the  ernest 
prayers  of  his  fathfull  servands  the  Ministers,  whom  then  he  acknaw- 
lagit  to  be  his  maist  fathfull  freinds.  Within  a  monethe  or  twa 
efter  his  retourn  was  keipit  a  maist  solemne  action  and  magnific  of 
the  Quein's  Coronation,  and  entres  in  Edinbruche ;  at  the  quhilk 
my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  in  favour  of  the  Ambassatours  sent  from 
divers  Duces  and  Princes  of  Almanie  and  Flanders,  maid  and  pro- 
nuncit  an  Oration  in  vers  to  the  grait  admiration  of  the  heirars,  and 
thair  exceiding  joy  and  contentment,  namlie  of  bathe  thah'  Majes- 
ties. The  King  gaiff  him  grait  thankes,  saying,  he  haid  sa  honored 
him  and  his  countrey  that  day,  that  he  could  never  requyt  him  ; 
and  thairefter  wald  insist  farder,  and  command  him  to  giff  the  sam 
to  the  printar,  that  with  diligence  it  might  be  exped,  for  ther  was 
nan  of  the  Ambassadours  bot  haid  maid  him  requeist  for  that  effect. 
And,  indeid,  this  was  the  wark  of  God,  to  haiff  his  awin  servand 
honored,  for  Mr  Andro  haid  nocht  bein  warnit  to  this  Coronation 
in  anie  convenient  tyme,  and  haid  na  thing  preparit  bot  sic  as  cam 
in  his  meditation  a  night  or  twa,  anent  the  right  way  of  re  wling  and 
goverment,  the  quhilk  he  utterit  with  a  mervelus  dexteritie  and 
grace  ;  and,  at  the  King's  comand,  the  morn  efter  the  pronuncing, 
gaiff  it  to  the  printar,  with  an  epigram  of  dedication  to  the  King, 
and  intitulat  the  ^.ncpavisxiov.  The  copies  of  it  past  throw  all  Europe, 
and  was  mikle  esteimed  of  be  the  lernit.  Josephus  Scaliger  wrait 
to  him  congratulating,  and  said,  "  Nos  talia  non  possumus."  Lipsius, 
reiding  it,  said,  "  Revera  Andreas,  Melvinus  est  serio  doctus."  Be 
the  quhilk  occasion,  as  often  befor  and  sen  syne,  all  the  lerned  in  a 
maner  lamented  that  he  wald  nocht  set  him  selff  to  wryt,  quhilk 
was  mikle  meined2  to  him  be  all  Ins  frinds,  bot  he  said,  that  God 
haid  callit  him  to  use  his  toung  and  vive  voice  yit ;  when  he  fand 

1  Sec  Pitcairn's  Ancient  Crim.  Trials,  I.  '209-223.  2  Complained,  lamented. 


2<S0  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1590. 

the  calling  and  warrant!  for  the  pen,  quhilk  God  Avald  gift'  if  he 
thoucht  it  guid,  he  BOuld  do  thairefter. 

The  apointed  ordinar  Generall  Assemblie  was  keipe  at  Edin- 
bruche  in  August,  at  the  quhilk  it  behoved  me  to  mak  the  exhorta- 
tion. I  cam  to  the  Kingorn  the  night  befor,  and,  imbarking  with 
certean  breithring,  we  cam  within  a  myle  and  lcs  to  Leithe ;  bot  a 
contrarie  wind  coming  just  in  our  teithe  when  Ave  haid  usit  all 
mcanes  be  burding l  and  rowing,  we  war  compcllit  to  go  bak  againe, 
with  a  foull  schoure,  and  landit  at  Brintyland,  whar  na  horses  Avar  to 
be  gottin,  and  being  past  sax  hours  at  evin,  I  Avas  to  enter  in  jorney 
on  my  feit  to  go  about ;  when  God,  respecting  his  aAvin  Avark,  send 
the  Avound  in  the  wast2  with  a  pleasand  fear  night ;  and  sa  finding 
be  the  sam  Providence  a  lytle  schollab,3  reposing  on  him  Avhase  turn 4 
Avas  in  hand,  Ave  tuk  the  sie,  and  gat  verie  fear  passage,  and  cam  to 
Edinbruche  even  as  nyne  of  the  night  strak,  obteining  of  God's 
mercie  that  night's  repose,  quhilk  I  luiked  nocht  for,  to  inable  me 
for  the  morne's  action. 

It  sail  nocht  be  impertinent  to  remember  sum  poincts  of  the  doc- 
trine uttered  at  that  tyme  upon  the  1  Thess.  v.,  ver.  12,  13. 

The  text  being  soumed  and  opened  upe,  thir  heades  Avar  insisted 
into  : — First,  anent  the  weght  of  the  charge  of  the  Ministerie ;  nixt, 
anent  the  honour  thairof ;  thridlie,  avIioav  neidfull  vovozaia,  rebuk  or 
admonition,  Avas  in  the  Kirk  and  amangs  breithring.  Upon  this 
last  head,  occasion  Avas  takin  to  speak  at  lainthe  of  disciplin,  quhilk 
also  at  mair  lainthe  I  thought  pertinent  heir  till  insert,  because  the 
course  of  the  cheiff  mater  of  this  storie  rinnes  upon  that. 

First,  That  discipline  Avas  maist  necessar  in  the  Bark,  scing  with- 
out the  saming,  Chryst's  Kingdome  could  nocht  stand.  For,  onles 
the  Word  and  Sacraments  Avar  keipit  in  sinceritie,  and  rightlie  usit 
and  practesit  be  direction  of  the  discipline,  thev  wald  soone  be  cor- 
rupted. And,  thairfor,  certean  it  was,  that  without  sum  discipline, 
na  Kirk  without  trcAV  discipline,  na  rightlie  Reformed  Kirk;  and 
without  the  right  and  perlyt  discipline,  na  right  and  perfyt  Kirk. 

1  Tacking.  Sent  the  wind  into  the  west  s Shallop.  '  Business 


1590.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  281 

[At  this  the  Einglishe  Ambassatour,  being  present,  sturred,1  and 
conferrit  with  me  thairefter  at  lainthe,  whom  I  satisfeit.2]  This 
was  cleirlie  declarit  be  the  exemples  of  a  republict  and  citie,  and  of 
artcs  of  warfcar  and  pastorage.  The  storie  of  the  giffing,  begin- 
ning, continowing,  brak  and  restoring  againe  of  the  trew  discipline 
within  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  was  recompted  and  callit  to  remem- 
berance  ;  and  thairupon  exhortation  gifFen  to  dell3  with  his  Majestic 
in  maist  grave  and  instant  maner,  That  his  Majestie  wald  schaw 
that  taken4  of  trew  thankfulnes  to  God  for  the  grait  benefit  of  his 
saifF  preservation  and  rctourning  with  his  Qnein  from  Denmark,  as 
to  reschinde  and  abolishe  obscure  and  dangerus  lawes  maid  in  pre- 
judice of  the  discipline  and  libertie  of  Chryst's  Kingdome  within 
this  realme,  haiffing  fund,  in  guid  experience,  in  his  absence,  as 
al waves  befor,  the  guid  will,  fidelitie,  love,  and  cear5  of  the  Mini- 
sterie  as  of  thair  God,  and  Chryst  Jesus  his  King,  be  him  anointed 
and  sett  over  all,  whase  cause  this  was  cmhilk  he  haid  put  in  the 
hands  of  his  pure  servants,  &c. 

Also,  the  haill  breithring  war  ernestlie  exhorted  to  studie  the  dis- 
cipline diligentlie,  and  practise  it  cearfullie,  that  they  might  be  able 
at  all  occasiones  to  stand  in  defence  thairof,  as  it  lies  bein  of  God's 
grait  favour  with  the  treuthe  of  the  doctrine  sett  doun  out  of  the 
Word  of  God  ;  and  the  practise  of  the  sam  fund  maist  halsome  and 
profitable  within  the  Kirk  of  Scotland.  And  that  at  this  tyme,  for 
thric  causses,  namlie ;  first,  because  of  the  esteat  of  the  godlie,  guid, 
and  zealus  breithring  in  Eingland,  our  nibour  Kirk,  standing  for  the 
treuthe  thairof,  and  searlie6  suffering  for  the  sam.  Secondlie,  be- 
cause these  Amaziases,  belli-godBischopes  in  Eingland,  be  all  moyen, 
yea  and  money,  war  seikand  conformitie  of  our  realme  with  thairs, 
till  invert  and  pervert  our  Kirk,  as  did  Achaz  and  Unas  with  the 
King  and  Altar  of  Damascus.  Thridlie,  because  we  haid  lurking 
within  our  awin  bowelles  a  poisonable  and  venncmus  Psyllus,  a 
warlow,7 1  warrand  yow,  sa  empoisoned  be  the  vennome  of  that  auld 


1  Objected,  remonstrated.  '-'  This  added  by  the  Author  on  margin  of  MS. 

sDeal.  'Token.  5  Care.  6  Sorely.  7  Warlock,  wizard. 


282  MB  JAMES  MELvTLL'S  DIABY.  l.V.M). 

.serpent,  and  sa  altered  in  his  substance  and  naturall,  that  the  dead- 
lie  poisonc  of  the  vipcre  is  his  familiar  fuid  and  nuritnre,  to  wit, 
lies,  falshode,  malice,  and  knaverie  ;  wha  lies  bcin  lurking  a  lang 
tyme  hatching  a  cocatrice  eagg,  and  sa  fynlie  instructed  to  handle 
the  whissall1  of  that  auld  inchantar,  that  na  Psyllus,  Circe,  Medea, 
or  Pharinaccutrie,  could  ever  haiff  done  better.  This  is  Patrik 
Adainsone,  fals  Bischope  of  St  Androis,  wha  at  this  tyme  was  in 
making  of  a  buik  against  our  discipline,  quhilk  he  intytles  Psyllus, 
and  dedicates  to  the  King,  the  epistle  dedicatorie  wharof  is  in  my 
hand,  wharin  he  schawes  his  purpose  to  be,  to  souk  out  the  poisone 
of  the  discipline  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  as  the  Psylli,  a  vennemus 
peiple  in  Afric,  soukes  out  the  vennom  of  the  wounds  of  sic  as  ar 
stangit2  with  serpents.  But  I  trust  in  God  (said  I)  he  sail  prove 
the  foole  als  madlie  as  did  these  sillie  Psyllies,  of  w7hom  Herodot,  in 
his  Melpomene,  Avryttes,  that  they  perished  altogidder  in  this  maner  : 
When  the  south  wround3  haid  dryed  upe  all  thair  conservars  and 
cisterns  of  water,  they  tuk  counsall,  all  in  a  mynd,  to  go  against  it 
in  amies  for  advengement ;  but,  coming  amang  the  deserts  and  dry 
sandes,  the  wound  blew  hichlie  and  ovcrwhclnide  thame  with  sand, 
and  destroyed  thani  cverie  man.  Sa,  I  dout  nocht,  sail  com  of  this 
obstinat,  malitius  foole,  whilas  he  intends  nocht  onhe  to  stope  the 
breathe  of  God's  mouthe,4  bot  also  to  be  advengit  upon  it,  because 
it  lies  strukken  him  sa,  that  he  is  blasted  thairwith  and  dryed  upe, 
and  maid  voide  of  all  sape  and  moisture  of  hcavinlie  lyff.  But,  alas  ! 
my  brcithring,  (said  I,)  gift'  yie  wald  do  that  quhilk  I  think  vie 
bathe  might  and  soidd  do  at  this  tyme,  to  wit,  to  ratefie  and  approve 
that  sentence  of  excommunication  maist  justlie  and  ordourlie  pro- 
nuncit  against  that  vennemus  enemie  of  Chryst's  Kingdome,  as  I 
am  assurit  it  is  ratefeit  in  the  licavincs,  as  cleirlie  may  appeir  be 
the  effects  thairof,  na  les  then  in  the  dayes  of  Ambrose,  when  Sathan 
sensiblie  possesit  sic  as  Avar  dclyvcrit  to  him  be  excommunication, 
lie  wald  feill  better  his  miserable  folic,  and  be  woun  againe  to 
Chryst,  if  he  be  of  the  number  of  the  elect.     The  quhilk  if  vie  do 

1  Win  2  Sinn;;.  Wind.  l  The  free  preaching  of  the  Gospel. 


15iH).  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diabt.  283 

nocht,  my  breithring,  be  a  soar  experience  nocht  lang  syne  past 
befor,  I  may  foretell  yow  a  thing  to  come,  giff  God  in  mercie  for 
his  Chryst's  seak  stey  it  nocht,  that  yie  Avill  find  and  feill  yit  mair 
pernitiuslie  the  reserved  poisone  of  that  Psyllns  in  brangling l  the 
discipline  of  the  Kirk,  and  pimissing  of  our  undewtifull  negligence. 

An  uther  poinct  of  the  doctrine  then  uttered  I  hald  it  nocht  un- 
profitable heir  to  insert,  because  of  the  necessitie  thairof  yit  abyd- 
ing  unamendit.  This  was  anent  the  dewtie  of  the  flockes  to  thair 
Pastors  and  watchmen.  The  flocks  aught  to  love  their  Pastors 
deirlie,  be  this  text  and  uther  of  Holie  Scripture  ;  they  aught  to 
provyde  for  tham  all  things  neidfull  and  confortable  for  this  lyff, 
and  to  giff  tham  that  honour  cpihilk  aperteines  to  the  ambassatours 
of  Chryst.  God  biddes  thee  honour  him  in  the  ministerie  of  his 
worschiping,  and  thy  salvation  with  the  best  of  thy  substance ;  and 
giif  thow  do  nocht,  this  way,  acknawlage  the  awnar  of  all  thy  sub- 
stance and  giffar  thairof,  thow  art  bot  an  unthankfull  theiff,  and 
nocht  a  lawfull  possessor  thairof  with  guid  conscience,  and  at  that 
day  of  God's  justice  court,  thow  sail  heir  the  dome  and  feill  the 
punisment  of  a  theiff,  if  thow  prevent  nocht  be  repentance. 

But  heir  our  flockes  excuses  thamselves,  saying,  Our  teinds  ar 
riguruslie  exacted  and  taken  upe  from  us,  therfor  this  burding  lyes 
upon  tham  that  gettes  the  teinds,  &c.  Answer,  If  men  pitie  [nocht?] 
thair  awin  saulles,  it  is  na  excuse  for  tham  ;  for  gift1  they  Avar  never 
sa  sear  spulyied  and  oppressed,  Avald  they  Avant  the  necessar  fuid  of 
the  body,  and  reyment  thairof,  sa  lang  as  they  haid  anie  thing  left, 
yea,  or  could  beg  or  borroAV  ?  Na  :  They  Avald  use  the  reddiest  for 
the  present  necessitie,  and  prease  to  remead  the  oppression  and 
wrang,  by  Avhat  meanes  they  could.  And  AAdiy  will  they  nocht  use 
the  lyk  for  the  fude  and  reyment  of  the  saull  and  inwart  man  ?  Is 
it  Avarse  then  the  bodie  ?  Is  it  nocht  to  be  ceared  for  ?  Or  is  ther 
nut  ht  a  saull,  a  heavine,  a  hell,  a  God,  a  devill?  Na,  I  am  sure  my 
breithring,  if  this  doctrine  soundit  often  in  publict  and  priyat  amangs 
the  pure  famising  saulles  in  this  land,  a  guid  number  at  least  wald 

1  Shaking,  menacing.      O.  Fr.  bransler. 


^84  MB  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIABY.  1590. 

be  walkned  and  moved  to  seik  pastors  on  thair  awin  charges.1  1 
speik  be  guid  experience,  I  thank  God  for  it :  Tak  peanes  and  dis- 
trust noelit  God,  he  will  work  and  bring  fnrthe  sum  guid  effect.  I 
never  saw  yit  a  piece  of  fathfull  peanes  taken  uprightlie  for  the 
honour  of  God,  and  salvation  of  pure  saulles,  bot  it  fand  a  blessing 
and  succes  worthie  of  all,  and-  it  haid  bein  ten  tymes  mair.  Nather 
yit  ever  knew  I  in  Scotland  a  man  of  guid  conscience,  that  durst 
in  conscience  come  to  the  schaking  af  of  the  dust  of  his  feit  against 
anie  town  or  congregation.  And  for  my  awin  pairt,  I  fand  ever 
the  fault  mair  in  the  peanes  of  the  Pastor  nor3  the  purs  of  the  peiple, 
if  they  haid  it.  Yea,  can  it  be  possible  that  a  man  sail  gean  or  for- 
dar  a  saull  to  Chryst  and  the  lyfF  everlasting,  and  nocht  rcceave  of 
his  purs  and  things  of  this  lyff  as  he  may  spear,  and  it  war  to  spcarc 
it  on  him  selfF?  Na,  nocht  possible  !  for  a  thankfull  hart  getting 
mon  giff  againe  ;  and  if  nocht  thankfull,  na  Christian  ;  and  winning 
the  mans  hart  and  saidl  to  Chryst  and  thie, the  man  him  selff,  and 
what  he  lies,  mon  be  at  thy  command  in  Chryst. 

O  bot  they  will  say,  Sail  the  sacrilegius  then  pas  frie,  and  bruik 
the  tenuis  ?  Na,  nocht  sa  :  Bot  let  the  flocks  and  Pastours  joyne 
togiddcr,  and  cry  and  crave  at  the  King,  Counsall,  and  Esteattes, 
and  be  bot  als  ernest  in  that  mater  concerning  the  service  of  God, 
and  the  wcill  of  thair  awin  saulles,  as  gentilmen  and  uthcrs  are  in 
things  twitching  thair  heritage,  honour,  and  uther  civill  or  criminal] 
actiones,  and  I  will  warrand  they  sail  com  speid  !  For  whow  ather 
could  they,  or  durst  they,  be  refused  in  sa  reasonable  a  petition,  &c, 
Bot  what  is  the  Kirk's  dewtie  in  this  ceas  ?  That  we  leave  na  thing 
undone  that  Chryst  lies  put  in  our  hands,  and  requires  of  us,  ac- 
cording to  our  office,  in  the  rewling  of  his  Kirk  and  Kingdome. 
Ar  we  the  trew  Kirk?  Ar  we  the  lawful]  Ministerie  ?  Haiffwe  the 
authoritie  and  powar  of  his  schapter?4  Haiffwe  that  lyre  that  de- 
vores  the  adversar,  and  that  hammer  that  braks  the  rokkee  ?  Yea, 

1  "  Nuia That  nochtwithstanding  of  the  ordinance  of  the  lasi  Assemblie,  men 

war  leathe  to  quyt  the  multitud  of  Kirks,  saying,  ther  vrald  na  stipends  be  gottin 

<•>  Kirks,  ami  men  could  noohl  enter  to  charges  without  stipends."     Margin  of  Ms 

h.  ''  'I'll. in.  .  '  Sceptre. 


1590.  ME  TAMES  MELVELL'S  DIARY.  285 

and  haiff  Ave  nocht  that  scharpe  twa-eagit  sword  ?  or  is  it  scharpe 
and  drawin  onlic  against  the  pure  and  mean  amies,1  and  nocht 
potent  in  God  for  owerthrawing  of  hauldes,  for  doing  vengeance 
upon  haill  nationes,  chestesing  of  peiples,  yea,  binding  of  kings  in 
channes,  and  the  maist  honourable  princes  in  fetters  of  yron,  to 
execnt  upon  tham  the  judgment  wryttin  ?  And,  finalie,  is  thair  ex- 
ception ather  of  persones  or  sinnes  befor  the  judgment  seat  of 
Chryst  ?  or  sail  his  sword  or  censour  strik  upon  the  pure  adulterat- 
or fornicator  being  eontumax,-  and  ly  in  the  scabart  rusting  from  the 
sacrilegius,  suffering  tham  to  go  on  contemptiuslie  obstinat  ?  Na, 
na  !  deir  breithring,  I  man  utter  the  advys  that  God  lies  put  in  my 
hart,  submitting  alwayes  my  spreit  to  the  prophettes. 

First,  I  wald  the  King's  Majestic  sould  be  traveled  withe  for  his 
favour  and  concurrence,  wha  is  neir  als  far  hurt  in  this  mater  as  the 
Kirk  is.  We  haiff  his  will ;  we  haiff  his  promise  ;  we  haiff  mani- 
fold exemples  and  reasones  to  ley  befor  him.  We,  and  the  graittest 
and  best  number  of  our  flockes,  haiff  bein,  ar,  and  mon  be,  his  best 
subjects,  his  strynthe,  his  honour.  A  guid  Minister  (I  speak  it 
nocht  aiTogantlic,  bot  according  to  the  treuthe !)  may  do  him  mair 
guid  service  in  a3  houre,  nor  manie  of  his  sacrilegius  courteours  in 
a  yeir,  &c. 

Nixt,  I  wald  wis  that  from  this  present  Asseinblie  war  directed 
to  the  cheiff  sacrilegius  persones  in  all  the  schyres  of  this  realmc, 
chosin  men  of  godlie  gravitie  and  authoritie,  fxill  of  the  Holie  Ghost, 
till  instruct,  admonise,  and  charge  tham,  in  the  name  of  God,  and 
of  his  Sone  Chryst  Jesus,  till  amend  but4  deley,  &c. 

Last,  that  a  frequent  and  honourable  Assemblie  war  kcipit, 
assisted  be  the  King's  awin  presence  in  persone,  solemnlie  sanctified 
with  the  exerceis  of  fasting  and  humiliation,  with  a  guid  number  of 
gentilmen  and  burgesses,  directed  in  commission  from  evcric  paroche 
and  brouche  thairunto :  Befor  the  quhilk  certcan  of  the  specialles 
of  these  sacrilegius  persones  might  be  callit,  and  compeiring,  in- 
quyrit  if  they  war  of  Chryst,  and  of  the  trcw  members  of  his  Kirk 

1  Poor  and  mean  ones.  '-'  Contumacious.  3  One.  '  Without. 


286  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1590. 

or  nocht?  Ef  they  answered  they  war,  then  let  them  testifie  it  be 
heiring  of  his  voice  and  the  voice  of  his  Kirk.  If  nocht,  let  be 
schawin  tham  that  Chryst  commands  to  hald  tham  as  publicanes 
and  ethniks.1 

O  then,  me  tliinks,  I  heir  sum  crying,  "  Will  ye  excommunicat 
tham  ?  That  will  breid  a  grait  schisme  and  uproare ;  they  are  the 
cheifF  that  fought  for  Relligion ;  yie  will  ryde  with  a  thine  court  if 
vie  want  tham  !"  Soft,  I  pray  you,  and  heir  reasone.  I  wald  ask 
tham,  wither  it  war  the  nam  or  the  mater  of  excommunication  that 
they  abhorrit  and  fearde  ?  Giff  it  be  the  mater,  ar  they  ignorant  of 
that  quhilk  is  sa  aft  dung2  in  thair  heides,  to  wit,  that,  ipso  facto, 
befor  God  they  ar  excommunicat,  sa  lang  as  indurdlie3  against  thair 
conscience  they  ly  under  the  curs  of  that  execrable  sacrilage  ?  And 
as  for  the  effects  and  inconvenients  alleadgit,  I  ask  onlie,  if  this  be 
that  dewtie  that  God  bids  us  do,  and  requyres  of  us  conforme  to 
our  office  ?  When  anie  abyds  in  sinne,  wherby  God  is  dishonoi'it, 
the  Kirk  hurt  and  sklanderit,  and  the  persone's  selff  indangerit  of 
condemnation,  can  the  Pastors  be  answerable  for  the  discharge  of 
thair  dcAvtie,  except  they  dcall  with  that  persone  be  all  the  meancs 
that  God  preseryvit  to  thair  calling,  wharof  the  speciall  ar  the  word 
and  discipline?  And  if  it  be  our  dewtie.  what  haiff  we  mair  to  do 
hot  to  obey  and  do  it,  leaving  to  God  the  effects,  quhilk  ar  in  his 
hand  alleanerlie  ?4 

And  yit  to  answer,  by  guid  appeirance,  this  mater  sail  proceide 
sa  fearlie  and  clcirlie,  that  nan  can  repung  thairto,  except  they  will 
planlie  ganstand  God,  the  Kirk,  the  King,  and  all  guid  reasone; 
and,  sa  doing,  wilbe  sa  weak,  that  they  may  be  easilie  owereom. 
As  to  thair  number,  it  is  na  thing  in  respect  of  the  multitude  of 
pure  saulles  that  wants  thair  spirituall  i'nid,  and  are  oppressed  in 
thair  teinds,  and  of  the  number  of  guid  men  that  lean  wald 
sir  Reformation.  As  for  thair  feghting  for  Relligion,  sa  did  sacri- 
legius  Achan  for  the  inheritance  of  Canaan,  Saull  for  Israeli,  Joab 
and  the  sonnes  of  Seruia'r'  for  the  kingdomc  of  David  :  hot  they  war 

1  Heathen.  '-'  Hammered.  8  Indurately.  '  Only,  solely.  '°  This 

evidently  alludes  to  the  sons  of  Zeruiah. — 2  Sam.  iii.  89 ;   wi.  10,  &r. 


L590.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  287 

nocht  approved  of  God.  It  is  nocht  the  feghtar  that  is  commendit 
and  allowit,  but  he  that  feghtes  rightlie  and  lawfullie.  The  praise 
of  planting  of  Relligion  in  this  land  apperteines  to  the  Lord  of 
Ilostes  alleanerlie,  and  when  ever  they  bost  of  that,  they  fall  in  a 
dowble  and  hiehar  degrie  of  sacrilage,  arrogating  to  tham  the  glorie 
of  God,  and  that  maist  falslie,  nocht  being  sa  mikle  as  God's  guid 
instrument. 

For  if  they  refuse  that  quhilk  we  crave,  they  declar  evidentlic 
they  faught  never  for  God  nor  Relligion,  bot  for  the  Kirk  gear,  to 
disturbe  the  possessours  thairof  that  they  might  invade  the  sam  ; 
they  faught  never  against  the  Papists,  bot  against  the  titulars  of 
the  teinds  and  rents  of  the  Kirk ;  they  sett  nocht  tham  selves  to 
hauld  out  Jesuistes,  bot  the  suddarts '  that  clamed  right  to  Chryst's 
cott ; 2  they  wald  nocht  rut  out  the  Seminarie  Preists,  bot  the  seid  of 
the  Kirk,  guid  lerning,  and  all  relligion.  Sa  that  if  God,  if  Chryst, 
if  relligion,  if  ministerie,  salbe  reclamers  of  the  teinds  and  Kirk  gear 
againe,  they  sail  at  an  instant  becom  to  tham  Satan,  Antichryst, 
Papistrie,  and  Jesuittes.  And  now  if  it  salbe  the  number  of  sic 
that  sail  mak  out  our  number,  war  it  nocht  better  to  be  few  ?  or 
sic  courteours  to  sett  out  our  court,  war  it  nocht  better  to  be 
courtles  ? 

Wharfor,  deir  breithring,  (said  I,)  to  be  schort,  and  conclud  my 
opinion,  that  it  may  receave  ather  your  approbation  or  censure,  my 
exhortation  is,  that  we  be  cearfull  till3  understand  our  dcwtie,  and 
what  command  we  haiff  of  God  in  this  poinct,  and  weying  it  right- 
lie,  that  we  be  about  cairfullie  to  put  it  in  practise,  leaving  to  God 
the  event  and  effect,  reposing  our  selves,  what  ever  fall  out  upon  the 
warrand  of  his  will,  and  the  testimonie  of  a  sound  and  upright  con- 
science. Let  us  nocht  say  with  the  slugart,  "  Ther  is  a  lyon  in  the 
way  ;"  nor,  for  feir  of  stormie  wound  or  wather,  leave  af  to  saw  and 
schear4  the  Lord's  land.  Gif  Chryst  and  his  Apostles  haid  sa  done, 
the  Gospell  haid  never  bcin  preatched.  And  if  these  noble  instru- 
ments steired  upe  in  this  last  age,  even  in  this  countrey,  haid  been 

1  Soldiers.  *  Coat.  3  To.  4  To  sow  and  reap. 


288  mb  jame8  melvill's  diart.  1590. 

sa  terrified,  \vc  haid  never  enjoyed  this  libcrtie  and  fruict  thairof. 
Let  us  be  then  incuragit  in  the  strainthe  of  our  Almightie  God,  and 
in  the  authoritie  of  his  hie  calling ;  and  the  mair  that  sacrilcgius 
avarice  carie  men  away  from  God  and  Relligion,  let  us  the  mair 
cmestlie  seik  efter  him,  and  procure  the  weill  and  confort  of  the 
saulles  concredit1  to  us.  And  without  question  we  salbe  terrible 
to  whatsumever  encmie  and  contrarie  powar,  and  sail  want  na  guid 
tiling.  AVe  sail  feid  sweitlier  and  better  on  a  dishe  of  pottage,  nor 
they  on  thair  kinglie  fear,2  serving  an3  God  trewlie,  and  stryving 
with  our  Chryst  against  the  unthankfull  warld.  It  was  God,  even 
our  God,  wha  almost  by  all  meanes  begoud 4  the  wark  mervelouslie, 
and  na  les  mervelouslie  by  all  meannes  hes  continowed  it,  in  despyt 
of  all  contrarie  craft  and  powar ;  and  the  sam,  our  guid  God,  in  the 
sam  sort  will  croun  and  end  it,  that  all  praise  thairof  haillelie  ' 
may  be  His,  to  whom  be  it  for  ever.     Amen. 

This  doctrine  and  advys  was  weill  lyked  and  approvit  of  all,  bot 
was  nocht  thought  expedient  to  be  practised  at  that  tyme  be  the 
wesdome  of  the  politik  and  warldlic-wyse.  And  siclyk  concerning 
the  Bischope,  whom  they  perceavit  to  be  fallin  alreadio,  gif  he  war 
lcttin  alcan  ;6  bot  if  he  war  put  at,  the  King  wald  tak  his  part; 
thinking  it  was  for  his  cause  he  war  put  at.  Onlie  this  was  con- 
eludit,  That  everie  Minister  sould  haiffa  copie  of  the  Book  of  Dis- 
cipline and  peruse  it ;  and  everie  Presbyterie  sould  cause  thair  hail! 
members  subscryvc  the  sam,  and  the  refusal's  to  be  exconmmnk'at, 
purposing  thairby  to  ather  cause  the  Bischope  subscrive  the  sam, 
or  then  to  be  of  new  excommunicat :  Bot  God  wrought  that  mater 
better. 

The  Bischope,  being  a  man  that  delt  deceatfullic  with  all,  and 
never  dischargit  sa  mikle  as  a  civill  dewtie  according  to  the  lawes, 
reposing  upon  the  King's  favour,  at  last  the  King  was  sa  fasehit" 
with  complents  of  all  sortes  of  men  upon  him,  that  he  was  sa  often 


1  Entrusted.  '-'  Fare.  3  One.  '  Against,  beyond,  or  contrary  to 

all  means  begun.  :'  Wholly,  entirely.  ''  Let  alone.  7  Troubled. 


1590.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  289 

denuncit  to  the  born,  and  sa  lang  lying  registrat  thairat ;  and  un- 
derstanding thairwith  that  he  was  infamus  and  evill-loved  be  all 
men,  he  was  eschamed  of  him,  and  cust  him  af ;  and  fordar,  dispo- 
nit  his  lyffrent  to  the  Due  of  Lennox,  with  the  temporalitie  of  the 
bischoprik,  wherby  the  miserable  Bischope  fell  in  extream  povertie^ 
and  thairwithall  in  a  heavie  disease  of  body  and  mynd.  Bot  he 
haid  simulat l  sa  often  seiknes,  that  nan  beleived  him  till  he  was 
brought  to  sic  necessitie  that  he  was  compellit  to  wrait  to  Mr 
Andro,  my  uncle,  mak  confession  of  his  offences  against  God  and 
him,  and  crave  his  helpe  ;  wha,  but  fordar,2  visited  him,  and  sup- 
ported him  sa,  that  the  space  of  divers  monethes  he  leived  on  his 
purse.  At  last  he  besought  him  to  get  him  sum  collection  of  the 
breithring  in  the  town,  and  for  than-  satisfaction  promised  to  pre- 
sent the  pulpit,  and  mak  publict  confession.  Bot  whither  he  feiniyit 
excuses,  or  that  it  was  sa  indeid  that  God  wald  nocht  permit  him, 
I  knaw  nocht,  bot  he  haid  never  that  grace  to  present  the  pulpit 
againe. 

In  the  end  of  that  wintar  he  send  to  the  Presbyterie,  and  maid 
humble  suit  to  be  relaxed  from  excommunication  ;  and  the  breith- 
ring, douting  whither  it  was  that  he  felt  the  dint  thairof  in  effect 
upon  his  conscience,  or  to  be  a  mean  to  insinuat  him  in  the  breith- 
ring's  pitie,  to  gett  wharby  to  sustein  him,  send  Mr  Andro  Mon- 
creiff,  of  guid  memorie,  and  me,  with  sum  others,  to  try  him.  We 
fand  him  in  a  miserable  esteat ;  and  whowsone  he  marked  me,  he 
plukked  af  the  thing  on  his  head,  and  cryed,  "  Forgiff,  forgiff  me, 
for  God's  seak,  guid  Mr  James,  for  I  haiff  offendit  and  done  wrang 
to  yoAv  manic  wayes !"  I  schawing  him  his  sine  against  Chryst 
and  his  Kirk,  exhorted  him  to  unfeiniyit  repentance,  and  thairwith 
conforted  him  in  the  mercie  of  God,  and  forgaifF  him  with  all  my 
hart.  Then  proponing  to  him  anent  his  excommunication,  giff  he 
acknawlagit  it  lawfullie  done,  and  felt  the  force  of  it  in  his  con- 
science, he  interrupted  me,  and  cryed  pitiouslie  out  in  these  words  : 
"  Louse3  me,  for  Chryst  seak  !"  dyvers  tymes,  over  and  over.    The 

1  Feigned,  dissembled.  -  Without  further  ado.  3  Loose,  absolve, 

T 


290  MR  JAMES  MELT  ILLS  DIARY.  1591. 

quhilk,  when  we  reported  to  the  breithring,  with  prayer  and  thanks- 
giffing  he  was  relaxit.1 

M.D.XCI. 

At  the  Provinciall  Assemblie  conveined  in  St  Androis  the  6  of 
Apryll  1591,  Mr  Jhone  Caldclenche  presented,  in  his  name,  to  the 
Assemblie,  certean  Articles  of  Recantation,  wryttin  in  Latine. 
The  quhilk  being  red,  the  Assemblie  directs  Mr  Andro  Melvill, 
(chosine  that  yeir  Rector  of  the  Universitie,  in  the  roum  of  Mr 
James  Wilkie,  latlie  departed,  a  guid,  godlie,  honest  man,)  Mr  Ro- 
bert Wilkie,  David  Fergusone,  and  Mr  Nicol  Dalglaishe,  to  the 
said  Mr  Patrik  Adamsone,  Bischope,  to  crave  of  him,  in  the  name 
of  the  Assemblie,  a  mair  cleir  and  ample  Recantation,  and  that  in 
vulgare  langage,  that  all  might  understand  the  sam.  The  said 
Bischope  sendes  the  sam,  subscryvit  with  Ins  awin  hand,  as  efter 
followes  : 


I  1 1 1     RECANTATION  OF   PATRICK  ARCHBISHOP    OF]  BANT  ANDROIS, 

DIRECT  TO  THE  SYNOD  CONVENIT  AT  ST  ANDROIS,  6  OF 

APRIL  1561. 

"  Breithring,  being  troublet  with  sicknes,  that  I  might  gift' 
confession  of  that  doctrine  wherin  I  hope  that  God  sail  call  me.  and 
that  at  his  pleasour,  I  aught  depart  in  an  unitie  of  Christian  fatlie. 
I  thought  guid  to  utter  the  saming  to  your  Worschips,  and  like- 
wyse  to  crave  your  godlie  Worschips'  assistance,  nocht  for  the  res- 
titution of  anic  warldlie  pompe  or  pre-eminence,  quhilk  I  lytic  re- 
spect, as  to  remove  from  me  the  sklandcrs  quhilk  ar  reasit  in  this 
countrie  concerning  the  varietie  of  doetrin,  speeialie  upon  my  part. 
wherin  I  protest  befor  God,  that  I  haift'  onlic  a  single  respect  to  his 
glorie,  and  be  his  grace  I  sail  abyde  heirin  unto  my  lyve's  end. 

"First,  I  confes  the  trew  doctrine  and  Christian  Relligion  to  be 

1  From  the  sentence  of  excommunication  pronounced  against  him. 


1591.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIA11Y.  291 

tcatched  and  rightlie  annuncit  within  this  realnie,  and  deteasts  all 
Papistrie  and  superstition,  lyk  as,  blessed  be  God,  I  haifF  detested 
the  sam  in  my  hart  the  space  of  threttie  yeirs,  sen  it  pleased  God  to 
gift'  me  the  knawlage  of  the  treuthe,  wharin  I  haifF  walkit  uprightlie, 
alsweill  heir  as  in  uther  countries,  as  the  Lord  beares  me  record, 
unto  thir  last  dayes  ;  wherin,  partlie  for  ambition  and  vean  glore  to 
be  preferit  to  my  breithring,  and  partlie  for  covetousnes,  I  haifF 
possessit  greidelie  the  pelfF  of  the  Kirk,  I  did  undertak  this  office 
of  Bischoprik,  wherwith  justlie  the  sinceirest  professours  of  the 
Word  lies  fund  faidt,  and  lies  condemnit  the  saming  as  impertinent 
to  the  office  of  a  sinceir  Pastor  of  God's  Word.  And  albeit  men 
wald  cullor  the  saming  and  imperfectiones  thairof  be  divers  clokes, 
yit  the  sam  can  nocht  be  concilit  from  the  spirituall  eis  of  the  fath- 
full,  nather  yit  can  the  men  of  God,  when  they  ar  put  to  thair  con- 
science, dissemble  the  sam. 

"  Nixt,  I  confes  I  was  in  an  eroneus  opinion,  that  I  beleivit  the 
government  of  the  Kirk  to  be  lyk  the  kingdomes  of  the  erthe, 
plean  contrar  to  the  commandiment  of  our  Maister  Chryst,  and  the 
monarche  wherwith  the  Bark  is  governit,  nocht  to  be  onlie  in  the 
persone  of  our  Saviour  Chryst  (as  it  is)  bot  in  the  Ministers,  wha 
ar  na  thing  but  vassalles,  and  under  him  in  an  axpaalitie  amangs 
thamselves. 

u  Thridlie,  That  I  maried  the  Erie  of  Huntlie  contrar  the  Kirk's 
command,  without  the  confession  of  his  fathe,  and  profession  of 
the  sinceir  doctrine  of  the  Word ;  I  repent,  and  craves  God  par- 
done. 

"  That  I  travelit,  bathe  be  reasoning  and  utherwayes,  to  subject 
the  Kirkmen  unto  the  King's  ordinance  in  tilings  that  aperteines 
to  Ecclesiastick  maters,  and  thinges  of  conscience  ;  I  ask  God  mer- 
cie,  wharupon  grait  enormities  lies  fallen  furthe  in  this  countivv. 

"  That  I  beleived,  and  sa  teatchit,  the  Presbyteries  to  be  a  fool- 
ishe  invention,  and  wald  haifF  it  sa  esteimed  of  all  men,  quhilk  is 
an  ordinance  of  Chryst ;  I  crave  God  mercic. 

"Fordar,  I  submit  my  selfF  to  the  mercie  of  God  and  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Assemblie,  nocht  missuring  my  offences  be  my  a  win 


LUJ2  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1591  . 

selff,  nor  infirmities  of  my  uwin  ingyne,  bot  to  the  guid  judgment 
of  the  Kirk,  to  the  quhflk  alwayes  I  submit  my  selff,  and  beseikes1 
yow  to  mak  intercession  to  God  for  me,  and  to  the  King's  Majes- 
tic, that  I  may  haiff  sume  inoyen2  to  live,  and  consume  the  rest  of 
this  my  wretched  tymc,  for  whase  cause  and  favour  I  committed 
all  thir  error,- :  and  God  has  justlie  recompensed  me  in  his  judg- 
ments. 

"  And  wharas  I  am  burdenit  to  haiff  bein  the  settar  furthe  of 
the  buik  called  The  King's  Declaration,  wherin  the  haill  ordour  of 
the  Kirk  is  condemnit  and  traducit,  I  protest  befor  God  that  I  was 
sa  commandit  to  wrait  be  the  Chancellar  for  the  tyme,  bot  cheiflie 
be  the  Secretar,  whahim  selff  pennit  the  second  Act  of  Parliament 
concerning  the  powar  and  authoritie  of  Judicatour  to  be  absolutlie 
in  the  King's  powar,  and  that  it  sould  nocht  be  lcisome3  to  anie 
subject  to  reclame  from  the  saming,  under  the  penaltie  of  the 
Aete.-,  qubilk  I  suppose  was  treasone. 

"  Item,  Whar  it  is  alleagit  that  I  sould  haiff  condemnit  the  doc- 
trine announced  and  teatched  be  the  Ministers  of  Edinbruche,  to 
haiff  avowit  onlie  concerning  obedience  to  the  Prince,  my  doctrine, 
I  confes  and  protest cs  befor  God,  that  I  never  understud  nor  kneAv 
anie  thing  but  shiceritie  and  uprightnes  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Mini- 
sters of  Edinbruche,  in  that  poinct,  nor  na  uther. 

"  Fordar,  I  confes  that  I  was  author  of  the  Act  discharging  the 
Ministers'  Stipends  that  did  nocht  subseryve  the  Actes  of  Parlia- 
ment :  wherwith  God  lies  justlie  recompensed  my  selff." 

The  premisses  and  divers  uther  poincts  conteined  in  the  Buik  of 
the  Assemblie  war  dyted  lie  Mr  Patrik  Adamsone,  and  wrytm  at 
his  command  be  his  servant,  Mr  Samuel  Cunninglmme,  and  sub- 
scryvit  with  his  awin  hand,  befor  thir  witneses,  directed  to  him 
from  the  Svnodall,  because  of  his  inabilitie  of  body  till1  repear  to 
the  Assemblie,  James  Monipennie,  fear  of  Pitmlilie,  Andro  Wod 
of  Streawithe,  David  Murray,  portionar  of  Ardet,  Mr  David  Kus- 

jeech,  allowable,  ;  Means.  'Lawful.  *  To. 


1591.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  293 

sail,  bailvie  of  St  Androis,  Mr  "Wilyeam  Murray,  Minister  at  Dy- 
sart,  with  utliers  clivers. 

This  man  haid  manie  grait  giftes,  bot  specialie  excellit  in  thr; 
toung  and  pen ;  and  yit  for  abbusing  of  the  sam  against  Chryst,  all 
use  of  bathe  the  ane  and  uther  was  takin  from  him,  when  he  was 
in  graittest  miserie,  and  haid  maist  need  of  tham.  In  the  latter 
end  of  his  lyff  his  neirest  frinds  was  naconfort  to  him,  and  his  sup- 
posed graittest  enemies,  to  whom  indeid  he  offerit  graittest  occa- 
sion of  enmitie,  Avas  his  onlie  frinds,  and  ceased  nocht  to  recom- 
pence  guid  for  evill,  namlie,  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  but  fand  small 
takings l  of  anie  spiritual  contort  in  him,  quhilk  specialie  lie  wald 
haiff  wisset2  to  haifi'sein  at  his  end. 

Thus  God  delyverit  his  Kirk  of  a  maist  dangerus  encmie,  wha, 
if  he  haid  bein  endowit  bot  withe  a  comoun  civill  piece  of  honestie 
in  his  delling  and  conversation,  he  haid  ma  meanes  to  haiff  wrought 
mischeiff  in  a  kirk  or  countrey  nor3  anie  I  haiff  knawin  or  hard  of 
in  our  yland. 

Mr  David  Blak,  a  man  mightie  in  doctrine,  and  of  singular  fideK- 
tie  and  diligence  int  he  ministerie,  haid,  be  the  cairfull  procurment 
of  my  uncle  at  the  Generall  Assemblie,  bein  apointed  Minister  of 
St  Androis,  Mr  Robert  Wilkie  taking  him  to  a  part  thairof  within 
the  Collage  of  St  Lenord's,  as  maist  aggrieable  with  his  naturall* 
and  giftes.  He  attendit  maist  eharitablie  upon  the  Bischope,  fur- 
nesing  him  confort  bathe  for  bodie  and  saull,  to  whom  the  Bischope 
promisit  divers  dayes  to  com  to  the  pulpit,  and  suppleing  his  roum 
to  makpublict  confession  ;  bot  so  often  was  Mr  David  disapointed, 
and  maid  to  occupie  his  awin  roum5  with  the  les  preparation.  He 
cravit  of  his  wyff,  and  tham  that  wated  on  him,  that  in  anie  ccas 
he  sould  be  advertised  of  the  tyme  when  they  saw  him  weakest, 
for  Mr  David  wald  haiff  fellon  fean  sein6  sum  confortable  mark  of 
God's  Spreit  working  with  him  ;  bot  being  warnit,  came  and  fand 
him,  as  he  levit,  sensles  of  spiritual  sanctification,  sa  to  die  ;  thair- 


1  Tokens.  -  Wished.  •">  Than.  '  Temper,  disposition.      Fr.  m 

1  Place  in  the  pulpit.  "  Would  have  very  fain  have  seen. 


204  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaky.  1592. 

tor,  comending  him  to  the  mercie  and  guid  pleasour  of  God,  with 
a  heavie  hart,  departed. 

That  voir  also  Boduell  lost  the  King's  favour,  the  quhilk  being 
excessivelie  indulgent  towards  him  divers  vcirs,  turned  at  last  in 
implacable  hatred.  He  maid  manie  attempts  for  surprysing  of  the 
King's  persone,  quhilk  was  the  cause  of  manie  pitiful  executiones, 
wharof  a  number  I  saw  with  my  eis,  as  tragical!  spectacles  in  the 
theater  of  this  miserie  of  man's  lyff.  But  things  done  be  forme  of 
justice  haid  with  tham  joyned  sum  confortable  consideration ;  but 
the  murdour  done  of  the  Erie  of  Murray,  at  Dinnibirsall,  be  the 
Erie  of  Hountlie,  on  fear1  day- light,  the  King  luiking  on  it  with 
forthought,  fellon  hamsukin,  and  treason  under  tryst,  maist  crew- 
alie  with  fyre  and  sworde,  yit  mightelie  cryes  and  importunes  the 
ear  of  the  righteus  inquyrar  and  revengar  of  bloode  ! 

M.D.XCII. 

The  aw  of  Boduall's  remeaning  alwayes  within  the  countrey, 
and  often  tymes  hard  about  the  Court,  togidder  with  the  horrour 
of  the  deid  of  Dinnibirsall,  quhilk  the  iinburied  corps,  Iyand  in  the 
Kirk  of  Leithe,  maid  to  be  nocht  onlie  unburied  amangs  the  peiple, 
but  be  comoun  rymes  and  sangs  keipit  in  recent2  detestation,  als- 
mikle  as  the  publict  threatning  of  God's  judgments  thairupon  from 
pulpites,  obteined  (at  the  Parliament  hauldin  at  Edinbruche  in  the 
monethe  of  Junie  1592,  for  better  expeding  of  the  forfaultrie  of 
Boduall)  by3  our  expectation,  that  quhilk  haid  cost  us  mikle  pean 
in  vean  monie  yeirs  befor,  to  wit,  The  Batification  of  the  Libertie 
of  the  Trew  Kirk,  of  Generall  and  Synodall  Assemblies,  of  Presby- 
teries, [and]  of  Discipline  ;  the  tennor  wharof,  because  it  is  the 
speciall  evident  of  our  discipline  amangs  eivill  men,  and  for  that  it 
cost  me  a  piece  of  peancs,  I  could  nocht  bot  heir  inrcgistrat. 

1  Open,  fair,  broad.  -  Fresh.      Lat.  recens.  '  Beyond,  contrary  to. 


1592.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  29") 


THE    RATIFICATION  OF    THE    LIBERTIE    OF    THE    TREW    KIRK  ;     OF 
GENERALL,    SYNODALL    ASSEMBLIES,  PRESBYTERIES    AND    DISCI- 
PLINE ;    AND  LA  WES  IN  THE  CONTRAR,  ABROGRAT  [iN]  PARL. 
JUNIE  1592. 

"  Our  Soveraine  Lord  and  Estaites  of  this  present  Parliament, 
following  the  lovable  and  gude  exemple  of  than*  predecessours,  lies 
ratified  and  approved,  and  be  the  tenour  of  the  present  act  ratifies 
and  aproves,  all  liberties,  privileges,  immunities,  and  friedomes 
whatsumever,  given  and  granted  be  his  Hienes  his  Regents  in  his 
name,  or  anie  of  his  predecessours,  to  the  trew  and  halie  Kirk, 
presentlie  established  within  this  realme,  and  declared  in  the  first 
act  of  his  Hienes  parliament,  the  twentie  day  of  October,  in  the 
yeir  of  God  a  thowsand  fyve  houndrethe  threescore  nyntein  yeirs,1 
and  all  and  whatsumever  Actes  of  Parliament  and  statutes  maid  of 
before  be  his  Hienes  and  his  Regents,  anent  the  libertie  and  fredom 
of  the  said  Kirk  :  And,  specialie,  the  first  Act  of  Parliament  haldin 
at  Edinbruche  the  twentie-four  day  of  October,  the  yeir  of  God  a 
thowsand  fyve  hounder  fourscore  ane  yeirs,2  with  the  haill  particular 
Actes  there  mentioned,  quliilk  salbe  als  sufficient  as  gif  the  sam 
war  heire  expressed  ;  and  all  uther  Acts  of  Parliament  maid  sen- 
syne  in  favour  of  the  trew  Kirk  :  And  siclik  ratifies  and  approves 
the  Generall  Assemblies  apointed  be  the  said  Kirk,  and  declares 
that  it  salbe  lawfull  to  the  Kirk  and  Ministers,  everie  yeir  at  the 
least,  and  ofter,  pro  re  nata,  as  occasion  and  necessitie  sail  requyre, 
to  hald  and  keipe  Generall  Assemblies  :  Provyding  that  the  King's 
Majestie,  or  his  Commissionars  with  them,  to  be  apointed  be  his 
Hienes,  be  present  at  ilk  Generall  Assembhe,  befor  the  dissolving 
thairof,  nominat  and  apoint  tyme  and  place  when  and  whare  the 
nixt  Generall  Assemblie  salbe  haldin  ;  and  in  case  nather  his  Ma- 
jestie nor  his  said  Commissionars  beis  present  for  the  tyme  in  that 
town  whare  the  said  Generall  Assemblie  beis  halden,  then  and  in 
that  case,  it  salbe  leisum 3  to  the  said  Generall  Assemblie,  be  tham- 
'1579.  2  1581.  ^  Allowable,  lawful. 


296  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/s  DIAR1  .  1592. 

selves,  to  nominat  and  appoint  tyme  and  place  whare  the  nixt 
Generall  Assembly  of  the  Kirk  salbe  keipit  and  haldin,  as  they 
have  bein  in  nse  to  do  thir  tymes  bypast.  And  als  ratefiea  and 
appreivcs  the  Synodall  or  Provinciall  Assemblies  to  be  haldin  be 
the  said  Kirk  and  Ministers  twyse  ilk  yeir,  as  they  have  bein  and 
ar  presentlie  in  use  to  do  within  cveric  Province  of  this  reahne. 

"  And  als  ratefies  and  appreivcs  the  Presbyteries  and  particular 
Sessions  apointed  be  the  said  Kirk,  with  the  hail]  Jurisdiction  and 
Discipline  of  the  sam  Kirk  aggrcit  upon  be  his  Majestic,  in  con- 
ference haid  be  his  Hienes  withe  certean  of  the  Ministers  conveined 
to  that  effect :  Of  the  quhilk  Articles  the  tenor  followes  : — '  Maters 
to  be  intreated  in  Provinciall  Assemblies :  Thir  Assemblies  are  con- 
stitut  for  weghtie  maters,  necessar  to  be  intreated  be  mutuall  con- 
sent and  assistance  of  breithring  within  the  Province,  as  neid  re- 
quyres :  Thir  Assemblies  hes  powrar  to  handle,  ordour,  and  redres 
all  things  omitted  or  done  amiss  in  the  particular  Assemblies  :  It 
hes  powrar  to  depose  the  Office-bearers  of  that  Province,  for  gude 
and  just  cause  deserving  deprivation  :  And,  generalie,  thir  Assem- 
blies hes  the  haill  powar  of  the  particular  Elderschipes  wharof  they 
ar  collected.  Maters  to  be  intreated  in  the  Presbyteries  :  The  powar 
of  the  Presbyteries  is  to  give  diligent  laboures  in  the  boundes  co- 
mitted  to  thair  charge  ;  that  the  kirks  be  keipit  in  gude  ordour ;  till 
inquyre  diligentlie  of  nauchtie  and  ungodlie  persones  ;  and  to  travell 
to  bring  tham  in  the  way  again  be  admonition  or  threatning  of  God's 
judgments,  or  be  correction  :  It  aperteines  to  the  Elderschipe  to 
tak  heide  that  the  Word  of  God  be  purlie  pretched  within  thair 
bounds ;  the  Sacraments  rightlie  ministered ;  the  Discipline  inter- 
teined,  and  Ecclesiasticall  glides  uncorruptlie  distributed :  It  be- 
Ian<rs  to  thir  kvnd  of  Assemblies  to  cause  the  ordinances  maid  be 
the  Assemblies,  Provineialles,  Nationalles,  and  Generalles,  to  be 
keipit  and  put  in  execution  ;  to  mak  constitutiones  quhilk  eoncernes 
r&VsETov  in  the  Kirk  for  decent  ordour  in  the  particular  kirk  whar 
they  govern,  provyding  that  they  alter  na  rewles  maid  be  the  Pro- 
vinciall  or  General!  Assemblies :  and  thai  they  mak  the  Provincial! 
Assemblies  foresaid  privie  of  the  rewles  that  they  sail  mak  ;  and  to 


1592.  MR  JAMES  MELVlLL's  DIARY.  297 

abolishe  constitutiones  tending  to  the  hurt  of  the  sam  :  It  lies  powar 
till  excommunicat  the  obstinat,  formall  proces  being  led,  and  dew 
intervall  of  tymes  observed.  Anent  particular  kirks,  giff  they  be 
lauehfullie  reuled  be  sufficient  Ministerie  and  session,  they  have 
powar  and  jurisdiction  in  thair  awin  congregationes  in  maters  Ec- 
clesiasticall.' 

"  And  decernes  and  declare  the  said  Assemblies,  Prebyteries,  and 
Sessiones,  Jurisdiction  and  Discipline  thairof  foresaid,  to  be  in  all 
tymes  coming  maist  just,  gude,  and  godlie  in  the  selff,  notwith- 
standing of  whatsumevcr  statutes,  actes,  canon,  civill,  or  municipal! 
I  awes  maid  in  the  contrarc  :  To  the  quhilks,  and  everie  an  of  tham, 
thir  presentes  sail  nocht  express  derogation.  And  because  there  ar 
divers  Actes  of  Parliament  maid  in  favour  of  the  Papisticall  Kirk, 
tending  to  the  prejudice  of  the  libertie  of  the  trcw  Kirk  of  God  pre- 
sentlie  professit  within  this  realm  e,  jurisdiction  and  discipline  thair- 
of, quhilk  standes  yit  in  the  Buikes  of  the  Actes  of  Parliament,  nocht 
abrogated  nor  annulled,  therfor  his  Hienes  and  Esteatcs  forsaida 
lies  abrogated,  cassed,  and  annulled,  and  be  the  tenor  heirof  abro- 
gates, casses,  and  annulles  all  Actes  of  Parliament  maid  be  his  Hienes' 
predeces^ours,  or  anie  of  tham,  for  meantenance  of  superstition  and 
ydolatrie,  with  all  and  whatsumever  actes,  lawes,  and  statutes,  anie 
tyme  befor  the  day  and  dait  heirof,  against  the  libertie  of  the  trew 
Kirk,  jurisdiction  and  discipline  thairof,  as  the  earning  is  used  and 
exerceised  within  this  realme. 

"  And  in  speciall,  that  part  of  the  Act  of  Parliament  halden  at 
Stirling,  the  fourt  of  November,  the  yeir  1443,  commanding  obedi- 
ence to  be  giffen  to  Eugenius,  the  Pape  for  the  tyme  ;  the  act  maid 
be  King  James  the  Thride,  in  his  parliament,  haldin  at  Edinbruche 
the  24  Februar  1480,  and  all  uther  actes,  wharby  the  Pape's  autho- 
ritie  is  established  :  The  act  of  King  James  the  Thrid,  in  his  par- 
liament haldin  at  Edinbruche,  20  November  14(39,  anent  the  Sattcr- 
day  and  uther  vigilles  to  be  halie  dayes  from  even-sang  to  even-sang. 

"  Item,  that  part  of  the  act  maid  be  the  Quein  Regent  in  the 
parliament  haldin  at  Edinbruche,  1  Februar  L552,  giving  speciall 
3icence  for  balding  of  Peace  and  Zuill.' 

1  Pasch  or  Easter,  and  Yule  or  Christmas. 


298  ME  JAMES  MELVTLL'S  DIABT.  1592. 

"  Item,  the  King's  Majestic  and  Esteates  forsaids  declares,  that 
the  129  Act  of"  the  Parliament  haldin  at  Edinbruche,  the  22  day  of 
May,  the  yeir  of  God  a  thowsand  fyve  houndrethe  fourscore  four 
ycirs,1  sail  na  waves  be  prejudicial!,  nor  derogat  anie  thing  to  the 
privilage  that  God  lies  giffen  to  the  spirituall  Office-bearers  in  the 
Kirk,  concerning  Heads  of  Eelligion,  maters  of  heresie,  excommuni- 
cation, collation  or  deprivation  of  Ministers,  or  anie  siclyk  cssenti- 
all  censors,2  spccialie  groundit,  and  haiffand  Avarrand  of  the  Word 
of  God. 

"  Item,  our  Soveran  Lord  and  Estaites  of  Parliament  forsaids  ab- 
rogates, casses,  and  annulles  the  act  of  the  sam  parliament  haldin  at 
Edinbruche  the  said  yeir  1584,  granting  Commissiones  to  Bischopes 
and  uthers  Judges  constitut  in  Ecclesiasticall  causses,  to  receave  his 
Hienes'  Presentatiounes  to  Benefices,  to  give  Collation  thairupon, 
and  to  put  ordour  in  all  causses  Ecclesiasticall ;  quhilk  his  Majestic 
and  Estaits  forsaids  declares  to  be  expyred  in  the  selff,  and  to  be 
null  in  tyme  coming,  and  of  nan  availl,  force,  nor  effect ;  and,  thair- 
for,  ordeanes  all  Presentationes  to  benefices  to  be  direct  to  the  par- 
ticular Presbyteries  in  all  tyme  comming,  with  full  powar  to  give  col- 
lationes  thairupon  ;  and  to  put  ordour  to  all  maters  and  causses  Ec- 
clesiasticall within  thair  bounds,  according  to  the  Discipline  of  the 
Kirk:  Provyding  the  forsaid  Presbyteries  be  bund  and  astricted  to 
receave  and  admit  what sumever  qualified  Minister  presented  be  his 
Majestic  or  laik  Patrones." 

This  act  is  maist  remarkable,  for  the  passing  thairof  was  flatlie 
denyed  till  it  was  extract,  and  being  extract  and  fund  to  haiff  bein 
published  and  giffen  out  with  the  rest,  it  was  mikle  rowed  and  de- 
tested in  anno  1596.  And,  in  dcid,  the  Kirk  is  addcttit  to  Mr  Jhone 
Mettellan,3  Chancellar  for  the  tyme,  for  the  sam,  wha  indueit  the 
King  to  pas  it  at  that  tyme,  for  what  respect  I  leave  it  to  God,  wha 
workes  for  the  confort  of  his  Kirk  be  all  kynd  of  instruments,  to 
whom  thairfor  be  all  praise  and  thankes  for  ever ! 

Ther  was  that  yeir,  in  the  monethe  of  November,  a  Convention 
1  1584  Church  censures.  8  Maitland. 


1592.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  299 

keipit  at  Edinbruche  of  a  number  of  breithren,  conveined  from 
divers  partes  of  the  countrey,  to  foresie  and  prevent  the  dangers 
imminent  to  the  Eelligioun  and  professours  thairof.  The  quhilk  I 
mention  and  sett  down  of  purpose,  to  schaw  the  custom  of  our  Kirk, 
lovablie  and  profitablie  observit  heirtofore  in  tyme  of  neid  and 
danger,  quhilk,  to  the  graitt  pcrrell  of  the  Kirk,  is  now  restranit 
and  dischanrit. 


[proceedings  of  the  convention] 

"at  edinbruche,  the  15, 16, 17, 18,  and  20  dates  of  November, 

tn  the  yeir  1592. 

"  The  quhilk  dayes  the  Breithring,  conveined  from  divers  partes 
of  the  countrey,  to  foresie  and  prevent  the  dangers  imminent  to  the 
Kelligion  and  professours  thairof,  efter  incalling l  of  the  name  of  God, 
haiffing  communicated  mutuallie  thair  intelligences,  lies  fund  the 
enemies  of  the  treuthe  within  this  countrey  verie  diligentlie  labor- 
ing for  subversion  of  the  Relligion,  and  sindrie  crewall  and  dangerus 
plottes  concludit  and  intendit  to  be  execut  with  all  possible  dili- 
gence, unles  the  Lord,  of  his  mercie,  disappointed  thair  interpryse. 
For  remead 2  wharof,  it  is  concludit,  that  ther  be  a  General!  Fast 
in  all  the  Kirks  of  this  countrey  the  17  and  24  dayes  of  December 
nixt,  that  be  trew  humiliation  and  unfeinyed3  repentance,  the  feir- 
full  judgments  of  God  that  hingethe  ower  this  land  may  be  pre- 
vented. 

The  Causses  of  the  General  Fast. 

"  1.  The  practises  of  the  enemies  without  and  within  this  coun- 
trey, intending  till  execut  that  blodie  decric  of  the  Counsall  of  Trent 
against  all  that  trewlie  profes  the  Relligioun  of  Chryst,  to  the  utter 
subversion  thairof,  and  of  the  King's  cstcat  and  pcrsone,  whase 

1  Invoking.  2  Remedy.  »  Unfeigned. 


300  SIR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABT.  1592. 

standing  and  decey  they  acknawlage  tu  be  joyned  with  tlie  stand- 
ing and  decey  of  Relligion. 

"  2.  A  miserable  desolation  of  the  graittest  part  of  the  conntrey, 
perishing  in  ignorance,  throw  leak  of  Pastors  and  sufficient  moyen1 
to  intertean  the  Word  of  God  ainangs  tham,  with  a  cearlesnes  of 
the  Magistrate  to  remead  thir  miseries. 

"  3.  A  feirfull  defection  of  a  grait  number  of  all  esteats  in  this 
land  to  Papistrie  and  Atheisme,  specialie  of  the  Nobilitie,  throw 
the  resorting  and  trafecting  of  Jesuites,  Seminarie  Priests,  and  nther 
Papists,  without  execution  of  anie  law  against  thame. 

"  4.  The  general!  disordour  of  the  hail]  esteat  of  the  Comoun- 
welthe,  overflowing  with  all  kynd  of  impietie,  as  contempt  of  the 
Word,  blasphemie  of  the  name  of  God,  contempt  of  the  Magistrat, 
tresson,  innocent  blood  schede,  adulteries,  witchcrafts,  and  sic  uther 
abominable  crymes. 

"  Thir  causscs  to  be  inlargit  and  eiked2  be  the  discretion  of  everie 
brother,  according  as  he  sail  haiff  sure  knawlage  and  sense  of  the 
premisses. 

"  Item,  it  is  ordcanit  that  everie  Presbyterie  travell  within  thair 
a  win  bounds  till  inform  the  specialles  and  best  affected  gentilmen 
amang  tham  of  the  practise  of  the  enemies,  and  to  move  tham  to  be 
upon  thair  gard,  and  in  readines  upon  advertisment  for  defence  of 
Eelligion  and  professours  thairOf,  and  resisting  of  the  enemie  ;  and 
to  tak  upe  and  compose  all  feiddes,3  namlie  amang  tham  that  ar 
trew  professours,  or  at  the  least  assurances,  whar  full  aggriement  can 
nocht  be  presentlie  procured,  andtoresave  thair  subscriptiones  unto 
The  Generall  Band,  at  least  whar  it  salbe  thought  requisit,  at  the 
discretion  of  cverilk4  Presbyterie.  And  becaiw  the  Presbyteries 
onderwrytten,  lor  divers  considerationes,  craves  (he  assistance  of 
sura  uther  breithring,  the  breithring  heir  conveined  lies  anointed 
Mr  Robert  Pont  to  concure  with  the  Presbyterie  ofAberdein  for 
the  effect  above  wreittin  ;  Mr  Robert  Rollok  with  the  Presbyterie 
<>l'  Dalkethe,  and  Mr  Robert  Bruce  and   David  Lindsay  with  the 

'  M. .  'Added  to.  'Deadly  feuds  '  Each,  every. 


1592.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  301 

Presbyteries  of  the  AVast,  for  uptaking  of  the  deadlie  feiddea  be- 
twix  the  Maister  of  Eglintoun  and  the  Erie  of  Glenearn,  the  Lardes 
of  Garlics  and  Blakwhcan,  &c.  And  to  this  effect,  that  the)-  obtein 
his  Majestie's  Commission,  and  procure  his  Majestie's  Commission- 
ars  may  be  direct  with  thame  ;  and  they  till  attend  on  this  as  thair 
lesar  will  serve.  And,  in  the  mean  tyme,  that  his  Majestie's  Letters 
be  obteined  to  move  the  parties  till  assure,  and  the  Presbyteries  to 
travell  sa  far  as  they  may,  be  thair  awin  labours. 

"  Item,  that  the  breither  acquent  tham  selves  Avithe  the  histories 
of  the  erewaltie  of  the  confederates  of  the  Counceill  of  Trent,  prac- 
teised  against  the  fathfull  in  uther  countreyes,  and  inform  thair  con- 
gregationes  thairof,  as  lykwayes  of  the  lyk  crewelties  against  tham 
selves,  gif  they  preveali  in  thair  wicked  attempts.  And,  in  respect 
of  the  subtiltie  and  secreit  craft  of  the  adversars,  wha  now  sa  deiplie 
hes  lerned  to  dissemble  thair  proceidings,  that  speciall  sutt  be  maid 
to  God  in  our  publict  prayers,  that  the  plats  and  hid  practises  of 
the  enemies  may  be  discovered,  brought  to  light,  and  disapointed. 

"  Item,  it  is  ordeanit  that  ther  be  an  Ordinarie  Counseill  of  the 
breithring  underwrytten,  viz.  Maisters  Robert  Bruce,  David  Lind- 
say, Robert  Pont,  Jhone  Davidsone,  Walter  Balcanquall,  James 
Balfour,  Patrik  Galloway,  Jhone  Dunkesone,  wha  sail  con  vein 
ordinarlie  everie  ouk  ans,  and  ofter,  as  occasion  sail  crave,  to 
consult  upon  sic  advertisment  as  salbe  maid  to  them  from  divers 
partes  of  the  countrey  or  uthenvayes,  and  providere  in  omnibus,  ne 
quid  Ecclesia  detrimenti  capiat.  And  .for  the  better  execution  of 
thair  conclusionnes,  it  is  ordeanit  that  ther  be  ane  ordinarie  Agent 
to  attend  in  Edinbruche  upon  tham,  viz.,  Mr  James  Carmichael, 
till  the  nixt  Assemblie  Generall,  whase  office  sail  consist  in  the 
poincts  following  : — 

"Imprimis,  He  sail  travell  diligentlie,  be  all  meancs,  to  be  informed 
of  the  practises  of  Papists,  as  be  merchants  and  passingers  comino- 
from  uther  countreyes,  and  all  sic  as  from  anie  part  of  this  countrey 
resorts  to  Edinbruche.  For  the  quhilk  cause  also,  the  Ministers  in 
everie  part  ar  commandit  to  mak  cearfull  advertisment  of  all  kynd 
of  practises  against  the  Ivclligioun  of  all  Papists,  Jesuistes,  and  re- 


.">02  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  15i»2. 

seatters  of  thain  within  thair  bounds,  and  all  uther  weightie  enor- 
mities that  sail  fall  out  and  com  to  thair  knawlage,  and  that  in 
forme  as  efter  followes  : — 

"Mr  Andro  Craniby  and  Mr  George  Monro  for  Ross;  Mr  Tho- 
mas Howisone  for  Inverncs,  and  Jhone  Forstar  for  Forrese,  sail 
send  thair  advertisments  to  Mr  Alexander  Dowglas,  Minister  of 
Elgean. 

"  Mr  Alexander  Dowglas  for  Elgean  sail  send  to  Mr  Piter  Blak- 
burn,  Minister  of  Aberdein.  Mr  George  Hay  for  Banff,  Mr  James 
Duff*  and  Mr  Gilbert  Gardin  for  Strathbogy,  Mr  Jhone  Strath 
auchsone  for  Mar,  Mr  George  Patersone  for  Garioch,  and  Mr  Doun- 
ean  Davidsone  for  Dear,  sail  send  to  Mr  David  Cunningham,  Mini- 
ster at  Aberdein.  Mr  Piter  Blakbum  and  Mr  David  Cunninghame 
sail  send  thair  advertisments  to  Montrose.  Mr  Andro  Miln  for 
Mernes,  Jhone  Dury  for  Breachin,  Mr  Arthour  Fithie  for  Arbrothe, 
Mr  James  Nicolsone  for  Meigle,  sail  send  to  Wilyeam  Chrystisone, 
Minister  of  Dondie.  Wilyeam  Chrystisone  sail  send  to  Mr  Adam 
Mitchell,  Minister  at  Cowpar,  and  Mr  Adam  to  Mr  Thomas  Biggar, 
Minister  at  Kingorn,  and  Mr  Thomas  to  Mr  Walter  [Balcanquall,] 
Minister  at  Edinbruchc. 

"  Mr  Wilyeam  Glas  for  Dunkeld  sail  send  to  Mr  Jhone  Mal- 
colme  at  Perthe ;  Mr  Jhone  Malcohne  to  Mr  Walter  [Balcanquall] 
at  Edinbruchc.  Mr  Wilyeam  Stirling  for  Dumblean,  Mr  Patrik 
Simsone  for  Stirling,  Mr  Jhone  Spotswode  for  Linlithgow,  Mr 
Adam  Jhonstoun  for  Dalkethe,  James  Gipsone  for  Hadintoun,  Mr 
Robert  Habroun  for  Dumbar,  Mr  Archbald  Dowglas  for  Peapblcs, 
Jhone  Clapperton  for  Hutton,  Mr  Wilyeam  Meftan  for  Dunse,  Mr 
Jhone  Knox  for  Melrose,  Mr  Andro  Clay  hill  tor  Jedbrouehe,  INIr 
Hew  Foullarton  for  Druml'reise,  Mr  David  Blythc  for  Kirkco  w  brie, 
Mr  James  Davidsone  for  Wigtoun,  Mr  Andro  Hay  for  Glasgw, 
Mr  Robert  Darrouche  for  Hamilton,  Mr  Robert  Lindsay  for  Lan- 
nerik,  David  Fergusonc  for  Dmnfcrmling  :  All  thir  sail  send  thair 
advertisments  directlic  to  Mr  Walter  BalcanquaU  in  Edinbruchc 

"Jhone  Porterfield  for  Aire,  Mr  Robert  Wilkie  for  Irewing,  Mr 
Jhone  Rose  for  Dumbartan,  Mr  Andro  Knox  for  Pasley,  sail  send 


15;>2.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  303 

to  Mr  Andro  Hay  in  Glasgw,  and  he  to  Mr  Walter  [Balcanquall] 
in  Edinbruche. 

"  Mr  Andro  Melvill  for  St  Androis,  Mr  Thomas  Bowehanan  for 
Cowpar,  sail  send  to  Mr  Thomas  Big-gar,  Minister  at  Kingorn,  and 
he  to  the  said  Mr  Walter;  and  last,  Mr  David  Spense  for Kirkady 
to  the  earn  Mr  Walter.  Provyding  that  if  anie  of  the  above  wrettin 
breithring  haiff  the  commoditie  of  a  trustic  bearer  utherwayes,  or 
if  the  mater  be  of  sic  weght  that  it  will  noeht  suffer  delay,  in  that 
case  they  sail  send  to  Edinbruche  to  the  said  Mr  Walter  imme- 
diatlie.  And,  to  the  end  that  the  forsaid  breithring  may  haiff  the 
mair  sure  intelligence,  it  is  ordeanit  that  everie  brother  within  the 
Presbyterie  sail  gift'  tham  sure  information  at  all  occasionnes  neid- 
full. 

"  Secondlie,  Efter  the  said  Agent  sail  receave  thir  intelligences 
and  advertisments,  he  sail  at  the  first  meitting  communicat  tham  to 
the  Conceill  of  the  Breithring ;  and  if  the  mater  requyre  hast,  the 
Agent  sail  convein  the  Counceill  for  that  effect ;  and  being  found 
be  tham  to  requyre  fordar  advyse  of  uther  breithring,  the  said  Agent 
sail  convocat  them  be  his  lettres,  according  as  he  sail  receave  direc- 
tion fra  the  Counceill. 

"Thridlie,  Whatsoever  sail  happin  to  be  concludit  be  the  Coun- 
ceall  of  the  Breithring  to  be  suted  at  his  Majestie,  Counsall,  Session, 
Provest  and  Balyies  of  Burrowes,  Convention  of  Esteates,  Bur- 
rowes  or  Barrones,  or  uthers  whatsumever,  the  said  Agent  sail 
attend  fathfullie  and  diligentlie  for  executing  thairof,  and  report  his 
diligence  to  the  Counceill. 

"  The  said  Agent  sail  seik  out  and  extract  all  Letteres,  Acts,  and 
Decreits  anent  the  causes  committed  to  him,  and  use  and  direct  tham 
as  they  aught  to  be,  and  to  communicat  tham,  togidder  with  the 
conclusiones  of  the  Counceill,  to  sic  Presbyteries  and  partes  of  the 
countrey  as  the  Counceill  sail  direct,  according  to  the  forme,  and 
be  the  persones  above  wry  t  ten,  or  dine  retrogrado. 

"  The  said  Agent  sail  wryt  the  Memoirs  of  the  Kirk's  proceidings 
and  dealling  with  the  Prince,  Councell,  and  Esteattes  of  this  realme, 
fra  tyme  to  tyme  sen  the  Reformation  of  Relligion,  to  be  a  monu- 


304  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1592. 

ment  to  the  posteritie.  And  for  that  effect,  it  is  ordeanit,  that  from 
all  Presbyteries,  scrolles,  wryttes,  and  anie  pices  that  ar  in  the  haldin 
of  anie  breither,  salbe  directed  to  Mr  Walter  Balcanquall,  to  be  de- 
lyverit  to  him.  And  lykwyse  all  proceidings  and  deallings,  quhilk 
the  Kirk  sail  Imift*  with  the  King,  to  be  noted  be  him  heirefter,  &c. 

"  Item,  It  is  ordeanit,  that  thair  be  a  comoun  purse  for  fnrnesing 
of  necessarie  expences  for  the  effaires  foreaids,  without  the  quhilk 
they  can  nocht  tak  effect.  And  that  for  the  present,  Mr  Robert 
Bruce,  with  sic  as  he  thinks  guid  to  adjoyne  to  him,  sail  mein  the 
want  of  thir  comoun  expences  in  sa  dangerus  a  tyme  to  sic  men  of 
all  esteates  as  he  knawes  to  be  weill  affected,  that  be  thair  liberali- 
tie  this  want  may  be  supplied,  until]  sum  guid  ordinarie  mean  be 
fund  out  for  that  effect.  And  that  the  soumes  collected  be  put  in 
a  box,  wharof  thair  salbe  tAva  or  thrie  keyes  in  the  hands  of  twa  or 
thrie  Breithring  of  the  Councell,  wha  sail  deburse  thairof  as  the  said 
Counsall  sail  command  thame. 

"  Item,  It  is  ordeanit,  that  the  said  Counsall  sail  travell  ernestlie 
with  his  Majestie  and  Counsall,  that  the  Articles  following  may  be 
granted  : — 

"  That  his  Majestie,  be  publict  proclamation,  mak  his  guid  affec- 
tion toward  the  Relligion  and  professours  thairof  knawin  to  his  haill 
subjects,  and  promise  to  meant ein  and  defend  it  against  all  enemies 
without  and  within,  to  the  uttermaist  of  his  powar  ;  and  that  he 
accompt  all  the  enemies  thairof  to  be  enemies  of  his  esteat  and  per- 
sone,  and  of  this  Comounwealthe ;  charging  heirfor  his  haill  sub- 
jects to  joync  tham  selves  in  a  unitie  and  profession  of  the  trew  Re- 
ligion professed  within  this  countrey,  and  subscryve  The  General] 
Band  for  the  meantenance  thairof  against  whatsoever  enemies, 
quhilk  salbe  presented  to  tham  be  the  Ministrie. 

"  That  a  Commission  be  granted  till  a  cert  can  of  the  best  affected 
Noble  men,  Barrones,  and  Gentilmen  and  Magistrate  within  Bor- 
rowes,  that  is  to  say,  to  the  Provest  and  Bailyies  of  eyerie  broughe 
within  thair  towns  and  liberties  thairof:  Robert,  Erie  of  Orkney, 
James,  Lord  Zetland,  Michall  Balfour  of  Montwhanie,  for  Orkney, 
&C«  t<»  execut  all  acts  of  Parliament  and  Counsall  against  what- 


L592.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'8  DIARY.  305 

sumever  Jesuites,  Scminarie  Preists,  excommunicat  and  trafecting 
Papists  and  tliair  reseatters,  and  to  cause  mak  wapinscha  wings,1 
and  convein  the  countrey  in  armes,  at  all  occasions  neidfull  for  de- 
fence of  the  trew  Relligion,  and  resisting  of  the  enemies  thairof. 

"  That  a  sufficient  number  of  the  wysest  of  the  Noble  men,  Bar- 
rones,  and  best  affected  to  Relligion,  his  Majestie's  esteat  and  stand- 
ing, and  the  weill  of  this  Commoun-welthe,  be  apointed  upon  the 
Secret  Counsall,  and  mak  thair  residence  in  Edinbruche  this  wintar, 
and  fordar,  ay  whill 2  the  conspiracies,  plattes,  and  attempts  of  the 
enemies  of  Religion  within  this  countrey  be  disapointed  and  re- 
pressed. 

"  That  all  Papists  and  practcisars  against  the  Relligion  be  re- 
moved from  his  Majestie's  companie,  and  debarrid  from  all  publict 
charge,  commission,  licutenandrie,  or  publict  office. 

11  That  all  skippars  and  maisters  of  shippes  sail  present  to  the 
Magistrat  and  Counsall  of  the  place  whar  they  sail  aryve,  all  pas- 
singers,  merchants,  and  uthers  that  sail  com  with  tham  in  thair 
shippes,  wha  sail  giff  thair  conscience  and  aithe3  of  all  persones  and 
packets  of  letters  or  buiks  whatsumever,  quhilks  they  haiff  reccavit 
at  anie  port  sen  than'  departour,  to  be  delyverit  to  anie  persone  or 
persones,  within  this  countrey  or  without.  And  giff  they  haiff  sett 
on  land,  at  anie  part,  anie  persone  or  persones,  or  delyverit  packets 
or  buiks,  coffars  or  kists,4  to  anie  whatsoever,  under  pean  of  confis- 
cation of  shippes,  guids,  and  gear. 

"  That  a  Commission  be  giffen  to  the  persones  underwryttiii,  viz. 
,5  to  sett  down  a  constant  form  of  pro- 
vision of  Ministers'  Stipends  at  everie  Congregation  within  this 
countrey ;  and  that  to  be  ratefied  in  Secret  Counsall,  Sessioun,  and 
Chacker,6  to  haiff  the  strainthe  of  a  law  quhill7  Parliament,  and 
then  to  be  ratefied  be  the  haill  Esteatts. 

"  Last,  It  is  ordeanit  that  tlier  be  a  Generall  Assemblie  at  Edin- 
bruche, the  nynt  of  Januar  nixtocom,  in  cais  the  Parliament  hald  ; 
and  giff  the  Parliament  be  continowed,  that  the  Presbyterie  of  Edin- 

1  Musters  for  military  exercises,  &c.        s  Until.        :1  Oath.  *  Coffers  or  chests. 

5  A  blank  is  left  in  the  MS.  for  inserting  names.  fi  Exchequer.  7  Until. 

U 


306  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1592. 

bruche  giff  advertisment  thairof  to  the  breither  of  all  Presbyteries, 
that  they  mak  na  wast  travell." 

And  thir  things,  devysit  be  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  with  the  rost 
of  the  breithring,  Mr  James  Nicolsonc  and  I  war  ordeanit  to  pen 
and  sett  in  ordour. 

Betwix  this  Convention  and  the  General!  Assembly  following 
apointed,  the  Lord,  ever  watchfull  over  his  Kirk,  detected  a  strange 
Conspiracie  of  certean  of  our  Nobles1  in  maner  following.  A  cer- 
tean  young  gentilman,  Mr  George  Car  be  nam,  was  attending  on 
a  schipe  at  the  AVast-sie,  whar  his  privie  conversation  being  espyed 
and  his  speitches  taken  heid  to,  it  was  perceavit  him  to  be  a  Papist 
passing  to  Spean  ;  and  first  greatly  suspected,  and  thaireftar  cer- 
teanlie  knawin  be  sum  of  his  familiares  that  he  was  a  trafectar  di- 
rected with  commission,  in  word  and  wryt,  to  the  King  of  Spean 
be  sum  Scotes  Noble  men.  Of  this  Mr  Andro  Knox,  Minister  at 
Pasley,  being  certeanlie  informed,  accompanied  with  sum  of  his 
frinds,  went  a  borde  on  the  sheppe,  sche  being  readie  to  mak  seale, 
and  apprehends  the  said  Mr  George,2  and  cersing  his  coffers,  finds 
divers  Letters  and  Blankes,  directed  from  George,  Erie  of  Hount- 
lie,  Frances,  Erie  of  Arrol,  and  Wilyeam,  Erie  of  Angus,  subscry- 
vit  with  tliair  hands,  wryttin,  sum  in  Latin  and  sum  in  Frenche, 
togidder  with  thair  cachets,3  signets,  &c.      He  being  thus  apprc- 


1  The  singular  story  of  "  The  Spanish  Blanks,"  the  particulars  of  which  will  be 
found  at  length  in  Pit  cairns  Ancient  Criminal  Trials,  vol.  i.  310,  ct  seq.  2  Vide 
'•  The  Discoverie,  &c.  and  examination  of  Mr  George  Car  and  David  Grame  of 
Fentrie,  publist  in  print  at  the  executioun  of  the  said  David."  Margin  of  MS. — The 
title  of  this  scarce  tract  is  as  follows  :  "  A  Discoverie  of  the  Ynnaturall  and  Trai- 
torous Conspiracie  of  Scottisch  Papistos  against  God,  his  Kirk,  their  native  enntrv, 
the  Kingis  Maiestie's  persone  and  estate.  Set  downe  as  it  was  confessed  and  sub. 
scrived  bee  M.  George  Ker,  jit  remaining  in  prison,  and  David  Grahame  of  Fentrie, 
iustly  executed  for  his  Treson  in  Edinburgh,  the  15  of  Februarie  1592.  Whcrvnto 
are  annexit  certain  Intercepted  Letters,  written  by  Bundrie  of  that  faction,  to  the 
sain.'  purpose.  Printed  and  published  at  the  speeiall  command  of  the  Kingis  Majes- 
tic. At  Edinburgh,  printed  by  Robert  Waldegrave,  Printer  to  the  Kingis  Maj< stie. 
Cum  privilegio  Regali."  8  Fr.  mrhrt,  a  stamp  for  marking  n  signati  re. 


1592.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  PIARY.  307 

hendit,  is  brought  with  diligence  to  the  King,  and  put  in  prcs- 
sone.  Upon  the  quhilk  also  the  said  Erie  of  Aiigus  is  put  in  the 
Castell  of  Edinbruche,  and  a  most  frequent l  Generall  Assemblie 
convenit  at  Edinbruche,  of  a  grait  number  of  Barrones  from  all  the 
partes  of  the  realme,  besought  the  King  to  tak  ordour  with  these 
unnaturall  subjects,  betrayers  of  thair  countrey  to  the  ere  wall 
Spainyeard.  With  the  quhilk  the  King  tuk  nocht  weill  at  the 
first,  quarreling  the  Barones  for  thair  conveining  in  sic  number  at 
the  Ministers'  warning,  without  his  calling  for  and  licence.  To  the 
quhilk  they  answerit  freilie,  that  it  was  na  tyme  to  attend  on  warn- 
ings when  thair  Relligion,  Prince,  countrey,  thair  lyres,  lands,  and 
all  was  brought  to  jeopard  be  sic  treasonable  delling.  Thairfor, 
the  King  satteling,  aggreagit2  thair  cryme  verie  hilie,  and  said  it 
was  of  the  nature  of  the  things  that  was  abon  him,  and  withe  the 
quhilk  he  could  nocht  dispense ;  and  thairfor  promisit  to  tak  tryell 
thairin  with  diligence,  and  put  ordour  thairto  with  all  severitie,  to 
thair  contentment.  Nevertheles,  the  Erie  of  Angus  eschaped  out 
of  the  Castle  of  Edinbruche.  The  rest  war  oversein,3  quhilk 
wrought  a  grait  suspition  and  miscontentment  in  the  harts  of  all 
the  guid  subjects  of  the  land  towards  the  King.  [Then  did  I  first 
put  in  print  sum  of  my  Poesie  ;  to  wit,  the  Description  of  the 
Spainyarts'  Naturall,  out  of  Julius  Scaliger,  with  sum  Exhortation  es 
for  warning  of  Kirk  and  countrey.4] 

In  that  simmer  the  devill  steired  upe  a  maist  dangerus  uproar 
and  tumult  of  the  peiple  of  St  Androis  against  my  uncle,  Mr  An- 
dro,  to  the  extream  perrell  of  his  lyrF,  if  Grod  haid  nocht  bein  his 
protection  and  delyverance.  The  wicked,  malitius  misrewlars  of 
that  town,  of  whom  I  mentioned  befor,  in  the  trouble  of  the  honest 
men  thairof,  hated  Mr  Andro,  because  he  could  nocht  bear  with 
thair  ungodlie  and  unjust  delling,  and  at  thair  drinking,  incensit 
the  rascals  be  fals  information  against  Mr  Andro  and  his  Collage, 
making  tham  to  think  that  he  and  his  Collage  sought  the  wrak  and 

1  Crowded,  numerously  attended.  2  Aggravated.     Ft.  aggreger.  'Over 

looked,  their  crimes  winked  at.  *  .Margin  of  MS. 


308  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diakt.  L592. 

trouble  of  the  town  ;  sa  that  the  barme '  of*  thair  drink  began  to 
rift2  out  ere  wall  thretnings  against  the  Collage  and  Mr  Andro.  They 
being  thus  prepeared,  the  devill  devyses  thara  an  appeirance  of  just 
occasion  to  fall  to  wark.  Ther  Avar  a  certean  of  Students  in  Theo- 
logie,  wha  weircing  to  go  out  of  the  Collage  to  thair  exerceise  of 
bodie  and  gham,3  causit  big  a  pear  of  buttes4  in  the  Collage  gard- 
ing,  joyning  to  a  wynd  and  passage  of  the  town.  Wharat  a  certean 
of  thani  shootting  a  efter  noone,  amangs  the  rest  was  Mr  Jhone 
Caldcleuche,  then  an  of  the  Maisters  of  Theologie,  bot  skarsc  yit  a 
schollar  in  archerie,  wha  missing  the  butt  and  a  number  of  thak6 
housses  beyonde,  schouttes  his  arrow  down  the  hie  passage  of  the 
wynd,  quhilk  lightes  upon  a  auld  honest  man,  a  matman6  of  the 
town,  and  hurts  him  in  the  crag.7  This  coming  to  the  cares  of  the 
forsaid  malitius  and  seditius,  they  concitat  the  multitud  and  popu- 
lar crafts  and  rascall,8  be  thair  words  and  sound  of  the  comoun 
bell ;  wha  setting  upon  the  Collage,  braks  upe  the  yett9  thair- 
of,  and  with  grait  violence  unbesets 10  the  PrincipalTs  chalmcr,  ding- 
ing at  the  forstare11  thairof  with  grait  gestes,12  crying  for  fyre,  &c. 
Bot  the  Lord  assisting  his  servant  with  wesdome  and  courage, 
maid  him  to  keipe  his  chalmer  stoutlie,  and  dell  with  sum  of  tham 
fearlie,13  whom  he  knew  to  be  abbusit,  and  with  uthers  scharplie, 
whom  he  knew  to  be  malitius  abbusars  of  the  peiplc.  Be  the  tra- 
velles  of  Mr  David  Blak,  new  cntred  to  his  Ministerie,  and  Mr 
Robert  Wilkie,  Primarius  of  St  Leonard,  with  uther  Maisters  and 
schollars  of  the  Universitie,  efter  lang  vexation  and  mikle  adoc, 
the  peiple's  insurrection  was  sattelit. 

The  King,  be  the  Canccllar's  counsall  and  moyen,  was  graitlic 
offendit  with  this,  and  calling  the  Magistrate  and  certean  of  the 
ring-laders,  ordeanit  tham  to  be  tryed,  in  particular,"  be  the  Ba- 
roncs  and  gentilmen  of  the  conn  trey  about  St  Androis  ;  bot  be 
that  occasion  getting  graittcr  bands,15  and  mair  streat,  abone  the 

'Yeast.  2  Belch.  3  Game,  '  Erect  a  pair  of  butts  for  archery. 

5  Thatch.  BMaltster.  7  Neck,  throat.  8  "  The  rascal  nniltitudr." 

9  Gate.       ln  Surround  and  attack.        "  The  fox  stair.       '-'  Great  joists  or  beams. 
18  Fairly,  gently.  "  Individually.  I5  Bonds,  security. 


1593.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  309 

hcids  of  the  town,  for  staying  of  the  lyk  in  tynie  coming.  Seing 
God  haid  keipit  bathe  the  honest  man  that  was  schot,  and  the 
Collage  from  grait  hurt,  Mr  Andro  overpassit  and  forgaiff  by- 
geanes,1  upon  a  humble  submission  and  band  of  preventing  and  ab- 
steining  from  sic  fasones  in  tyme  to  come. 

M.D.xcm. 

[This  yeir,  1593,  in  the  monethe  of  August,  the  28  day,  being 
Tysday,  efter  fyve  yeirs  cessing,  my  wyff  brought  furthe  a  douch- 
ter,  quhilk  I  named  Margrat.  Sche  never  leuche2  in  this  lyff,  bot 
within  sax  or  sevin  moneths  died  ;  the  onlie  corpse  that  past  out 
of  my  hous  these  dissone  of  yeirs.  Of  the  quhilk  visitation  I  thank 
God  I  gat  a  saftned  hart  and  graite  contort,  quhilk  I  can  nocht  omit 
unrememberit  to  His  praise.   For  the  quhilk  I  wrot  this  Epitai'HE  : 

Sen  all  mon3  enter  into  presson  Strang 
Of  erdlie  fleche,  and  ther  remean  a  space, 

They  ar,  but  dout,  maist  happie  all  amang, 
Wha  schortest  tym  remeanes  in  sic  a  place. 

Lo  !  this  lies  bein  my  luk  and  happie  cease, 

Above  sax  monethes  nocht  to  ly  opprest 
Withe  erdlie  bands,  when  God,  of  his  guid  grace, 

Has  tean  me  ham  to  his  reternall  rest. 

Sen  Chryst  lies  then  receav'd  me  in  his  glorc, 
Deir  mother,  cease,  lament  for  me  no  more  !4] 

• 

In  the  monethe  of  September  1593,  the  Provinciall  Assemblie 
convenit  at  St  Androis,  wharin  the  Lord's  watchmen  of  the  schyr 
of  FyfF,  being  informit  of  the  bissines  and  dangerus  delling  of  the 
Papist  Erles  and  Lords,  throw  impunitie  and  oversight  of  the 
Prince,  began  to  wey  the    mater  gravelie  ;    and  efter  guid  and 

1  Bygone,  all  that  was  past.  -  Laughed.  'Must.  *  Margin  of  MS. 


310  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diabt,  1593. 

throuche  advysment,  condiscendit  ail  in  on  voice  to  pronunce  the 

sentence  of  excommunication  upon  certean  of  the  cheiff  of  tham. 
The  quhilk  was  done  be  my  mouthe,  Moderator  for  the  tyme,  and 
the  quliilk  God  sa  blessed  that  the  haill  Kirk  of  Scotland  approvit 
the  sam,  and  the  quhilk  the  Lord  maid  to  be  a  speciall  mean  of 
preventing  extreame  danger  of  wrak  of  the  Kirk  and  Comoun-weill 
of  Scotland,  and  bringing  of  the  enemies  to  forfaultrie  and  exyll. 
The  names  of  the  excommunicat  was  Wilyeam,  Erie  of  Angus ; 
George,  Erie  of  Hountlie  ;  Francis,  Erie  of  Arroll ;  Jhone,  Lord 
Home  ;  Sir  Patrik  Gordoun  of  Achindown,  and  Sir  James  Chis- 
holme,  Knights.  This  our  Synod  communicat  with  diligence  to 
all  the  Provinces  of  the  land,  and  cravit  a  meiting  of  Commissionars 
from  thame  to  be  keipit  at  Edinbruche  in  October  following,  for 
prosecuting  of  the  mater. 

That  Convention  at  Edinbruche  was  frequentlie  keipit  bathe  be 
Ministers  and  Barones,  wherin  it  was  thought  guid  that  Commis- 
sionars thairfra,  bathe  of  the  Ministrie,  and  gentilmen,  and  burgesses, 
sould  be  direct  to  the  King,  craving  ordour  taking  with  these  ex- 
communicat Papist  Lords  ;  namlie,  it  was  vci'ic  greivus  to  the 
breithring  to  heir  that  the  saids  excommunicat  Lords  haid  repearit 
to  his  Majestie  and  spokin  him  at  Faley,1  even  immediatlie  befor 
the  meiting  of  the  Kirk.  This  was  gevin  in  Commission  to  be  re- 
gratit.  The  King  at  this  tyme  was  in  Jedbruche,  and  the  mater 
suffered  nocht  delay,  for  these  Papist  Lords  was  making  grait  pre- 
paration of  amies,  and  amassing  thair  frinds  to  repear  to  the  King 
and  cease2  about  his  persone.  Therfor  it  behoved  me  (all  uther  re- 
fusing except  Mr  Patrik  Galloway,  the  King's  ordinar  Minister, 
wha  was  to  go  thither)  to  tdfc  jorney  to  Jedwart,8  accompanied 
with  twa  Barrones,  the  Lards  of  Merchistoun  and  Caderwoode,  and 
twa  Burgesses  of  Edinbruche  ;  whar,  finding  the  King,  war  hot 
bauchlie4  lukit  upon.  Our  Assemblie  of  Fyff  was  bitterlie  inveyit 
against,  namlie  my  uncle  Mr  Andro  and  Mr  David  Blak.  1  an- 
swerit  for  all,  as  it  pleasit  God  to  gilt',  and  efter  the  King's  color 

1  Fala.  '  Seize.  'Jedburgh.  1  Sorrily,  indifferently. 


1593.  Mli  JAMES  MELTILL'S  DIARY'.  311 

appeasit,  we  dischargit  our  Commission  in  maist  humble  and  fect- 
t'ull  maner.  The  King  againe  was  crabit1  at  the  Convention  of 
Edinbruche,  namlic  at  the  Barrones  and  Burgesses,  wha  stude  ho- 
nestlie  be  it,  saying  it  was  in  trew  and  upright  hartes,  with  all 
dewtie  and  reverence  to  his  Majestie  for  preventing  of  imminent 
evill  and  danger  to  his  Stat,  Relligion,  and  Countrey.  Sa  that 
night  delyvering  our  petitiones  in  wryt,  betymes  on  the  morn,  we 
gat  our  answers  in  wrait  fear  aneuche,  and  returned  on  the  thride 
day  to  the  breithring.  Ane  of  the  speciall  answers  was,  That  the 
King  sould  hauld  a  Convention,  at  Lithgow,  soone  efter  his  retourn 
from  the  Southe,  whar  he  sould  tak  ordour  with  all  these  maters. 

Bot  the  Breithring,  certeanlie  informit  that  the  Papist  Erls  was 
conveining  all  thair  frinds,  of  purpose  to  be  present  at  the  said 
Convention,  and  place  tham  selves  about  the  King,  thought  meit 
that  all  sould  with  diligence  retourn  ham  to  thair  countreyes,  and 
mak  warning  thairof  to  thair  Barrones  and  brouches,2  schawing  the 
King's  guid  answers  and  the  enemies'  purpose ;  dcsyring  thairfor 
all  to  be  in  readines  to  keipe 3  the  said  Convention,  for  disapointing 
the  adversar ;  and  for  that  effect  to  repear  till  Edinbruche  a  few 
dayes  befor,  ther  till  advys4  anent  thair  proceidings.  The  quhilk 
was  done  be  everie  Commissionar  with  exact  diligence. 

Ther  was  a  Convention  of  the  Barrones  of  Fyff  keipe  at  the  sam 
tyme  at  Cowpar,  to  the  quhilk  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  aftd  I  hasting, 
maid  tham  to  direct  speciall  Barrones  of  thair  number  with  certean 
of  the  ministerie,  to  the  town  of  Perthe  to  incurage  tham,  and  to 
promise  tham  assistance  for  keiping  of  thair  town  against  the  ex- 
cominunicat  Erls  and  thair  forces.  The  quhilk  they  did,  till,  be 
the  King's  charge,  they  war  constreanit  to  receave  tham.  The 
best  and  maist  zealus  Barrones,  gentilmen  and  burgesses,  war  on 
fat  in  readines  to  keipe  the  dyet  at  Edinbruche,  namlie  heiring  of 
the  Erls  of  Hountlie  and  Errol's  forces  come  to  St  Johnstoun,  till 
the  King  send  expres  discharge  of  the  said  Erics'  force-,  and  eom- 
mandit  tham   withe  a  few  of  thair  frinds   to  abyde  quyetlie  in 

1  Cross,  angry.  -  Burghs.  ;  Hold.  *  To  advise. 


312  MB  JAMES  MELTIIil/S  DIARY.  1593. 

Perthe,  attending-  his  will  anent  thair  efFeares.  Quhilk  being  un- 
derstud,  leaving  ther  amies,  eommissionars  coming  from  everie 
paroche  and  presbyterie,  keipit  the  dyet  at  Edinbruche,  at  quhilk 
they  resolvit  to  direct  from  that  Convention  a  Comission  of  Bar- 
rones,  Burgesses,  and  Ministers,  to  the  King  and  Convention  of 
Esteattes  at  Linlithgow,  withe  petitiones,  as  of  befor.  Sa  the 
number  send  to  Jedwart  being  dowblit,  cam  to  Lithgow,  amangs 
the  quhilk  (because,  as  they  said,  best  acquent  with  the  haill  pro- 
ceadour  of  the  mater)  I  was  chosin  to  be  speitchman 1  and  presentar 
of  the  petitions.  Bot  the  Chancellar,  Mattellan,2  haid  dressit  all  to 
our  coming,  sa  that  thair  was  nocht  mikle  ado  at  that  dyet,  bot  all 
remitted  to  a  new  Convention  of  Esteats,  to  be  haldin  at  Edin- 
bruche  the  monethe  following.  The  Erles  Papists  turning  bak, 
and  all  our  folks  going  ham,  with  thankfull  harts  to  God  for  disa- 
pointing  of  a  maist  dangerus  interpryse,  as  ever  was  of  an  be 
Papists  in  this  land. 

The  Convention  at  Edinbruche  followit  efter,  in  the  monethe  of 
December,  whar  I,  withe  uthers  apointed,  presented  of  new  our 
former  petitions  ;  the  quhilk  the  King  perccaving,  contentedlie 
promised  to  satisfie  at  efter  noone.  At  quhilk  tyme  we  attending, 
ther  was  offers  of  satisfaction  to  the  Kirk  and  the  King's  Majestic, 
giffin  in  be  the  Erls'  agents ;  wherupon  the  nixt  day,  the  King, 
with  large  discourse,  schawes  to  the  Esteattes  whow  dangerus  the 
mater  was ;  for  gifF3  the  offers  of  these  Noble  men  war  refusit,  they 
wald  disperatlie  go  to  amies,  and  get  forean  assistance,  quhilk 
might  wrak  King,  Countrey,  and  Kelligion.  And  sa,  be  that  and 
sic  lyk  arguments,  inducit  the  Esteattes  (wha,  seing  the  King's  in- 
clination, uses  nocht  to  gainstand,  for  manic  of  tham  that  ar  called 
ar  prepeared  befor  hand  fur  the  purpose)  to  condiscend  to  an  up- 
taking  of  the  mater.  And  sa  divers  dayes  was  devysit  that  Act  of 
Abolitioun  ;  of  the  quhilk  I  will  nocht  speak,  nocht  being  my  pur- 
pose to  wrvt  a  >toric,4  ather  Civil!  <>r   Ecclesiastick,  bot  onlie   to 

1  Spokesman.  '  Maitland.  '  li.  •  History. 


1593.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  313 

minut,  in  Memoirs,  the  things  quhilk  God  maid  me  to  heir  and 
sie ;  bot  trewlie  quhilk  my  hart  pitied  fallon  sear.1  The  King,  by 
this  dealing,  brought  him  selff  in  graitt  suspition  and  mislyking  of 
his  best  subjects,  bathe  for  favouring  of  Papists,  and  of  him  wha 
haid  sa  notoriouslie  committed  that  filthie  murdour  of  the  Erie  of 
Murray  at  Donibirsall. 

My  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  using  alwayes  to  speak  planlie,  with  zeall 
and  birning  affectiones  to  the  honour  of  God  and  the  King's  weill, 
gahT  him  at  this  time  a  maist  scharpe  and  frie  admonition  concern- 
ing his  evill  thinking  and  speaking  of  the  best  frinds  of  Chryst  and 
him  selff,  the  Guid  Regent,  Mr  Knox,  and  Mr  George  Bowchanan  ; 
and  his  thinking  weill  and  favouring  of  Chryst  and  his  graitest  ene- 
mies the  Papists,  and,  namlie,  that  Hous  of  Hountlie  ;  desyring, 
confidentlie,  that  sic  as  war  his  counsallours  thairin  sould  kythe2  in 
presence  of  the  Esteatts,  and  giff  he  convicted  tham  nocht  of  fals, 
treasonable,  and  maist  pernitius  doing  thairin  against  Chryst,  the 
King's  persone,  his  esteat  and  realme,  he  sould  nocht  refuse  to  go 
to  the  gibbet  for  it,  provyding  they  being  convict  sould  ga  the  sam 
gett  !3  Withe  the  quhilk  the  King  and  Ins  Counsallors  comported, 
and  past  ower  the  mater  with  smylling,  saying  the  man  was  mair 
zealus  and  coleric  nor  wyse. 

[On  the  Michelmes  that  yen*,  the  crafts  and  burgesses  of  St  An- 
drois  changing  thair  Provest,  for  the  Lard  of  Darsie,  chosit  Capitan 
Wilyeam  Murray,  quhilk  maid  Darsie's  frinds  to  rage  sa,  that  Bur- 
ley  cam  under  sylence  of  night,  and  tuk  an  honest  man  out  of  his 
hous  and  caried  him  away ;  at  the  quhilk  brave  exployt  Burley  was 
mutilat  of  a  fingar  to  begin  his  warrs  withall.  His  man,  Mylles, 
another  night,  with  certean  companioncs,  his  complices,  cam  to  an 
uther  honest  man's  hous  and  reft  away  his  douchtar  :  And  last,  the 
said  Lard  of  Darsie  maid  a  grait  convocation  of  his  frinds,  with  the 
quhilk  in  amies  he  purposed  to  enter  in  the  town,  and  abbuse  cer- 
tean citiciners  thairof  at  his  pleasour,  and  that  indeid  of  the  best 
sort.     The  quhilk,  when  it  was  meincd1  to  my  uncle,  Mr  Audio, 

1  Very  sorely.      3  Appear,  show  themselves.       '  The  same  way.      '  Complained  of. 


ol4  MB  JAMES  MELVnx'8  DIARY.  1594. 

being  then  Rector  of  the  Universitie.  and  ?a  a  eiviil Magistral,  eun- 
voeat  the  haill  Universitie,  and  achew  tham  whow  thair  nibouTB  of 
the  town  war  oppressed,  and  what  God's  law.  and  mane's  bathe, 
craved  in  sic  a  ceaa  :  And  sa  resolvit  to  tak  armes  for  helps  and 
defence  of  the  town,  and  confortablie  assisted  with  my  Lord  Lind- 
sav.  Sir  George  Dowglas,  and  divers  gentilmen  of  the  eountrcy. 
maid  the  invadder  fean.  for  all  his  forces,  to  byd  out,  and  tak  reasone 
in  part  of  payment.  He  merehet  mikle  of  that  day1  with  a  whait" 
speare  in  liis  hand,  as  he  ware3  a  corslet  thairefter  at  the  dinging 
down  of  Streabogy. 

The  wintar  following,  God  provydit.  in  the  place  of  ^Ir  Jhone 
Ivobertsone,  an  of  the  ATaisters  of  the  Xew  Collage,  a  godlie,  honest, 
and  lemed  man.  Mr  Jhone  Jhonston.  wha,  efter  divers  yeirs'  pere- 
grinatioun  for  the  studie  of  girid  letters  in  Germany.  Genev.  France. 
and  Eingland,  cam  ham  and  contented  to  tak  part  with  my  uncle, 
Mr  Andro,  in  the  said  Collage ;  and  wha  sen  syne  lies  bein  a  grait 
helpe  and  comfort  to  my  said  uncle,  and  ornament  to  the  Collage 
and  Universitie.  ALr  Jlioue  Caldcleuche  withstud  his  electioun, 
and  tronblit  the  Collage  and  Universitie  vcrie  mikle.  and  last  raisit 
M.uimmonds  and  callit  us  befor  the  King  and  Counsall :  bot  he  was 
.-end  ham  the  graitter  fooll.  whar,  for  his  violation  of  the  actes,  and 
troubling  of  the  Universitie.  he  Avas  deposit  from  all  office-bearing 
within  the  sam.  God  warnit  me  of  that  trouble  be  a  dream  of 
fyre  and  water,  quhilk  moved  me  mikle,  and  wharof  I  land  a  notable 
effect  be  an  extream  danger  of  drownning  going  over  the  Ferrie  of 
Kingorn.  at  Grant  on  Cragges."  tokeipe  a  dyct  in  that  mater.  And 
a  wounderfull  delyverance  alas  for  thankfnlnes !  The  xx.  Day  of 
Mektuie,  at  Granton  Cragi  9. 

MJD.XdV. 

About  the  spring  tyme  in  the  yeir  following.  1594,  the  outlaw. 
Uodwall."  kythe  openlie7  with  forces  at  Leithe  and  at  Preistfeild, 

II     marched  the  greatest  part  of  that  day.  -  White.  '  Wore.  '  Near 

to  where  tin-  Duke  of  Buccleuch's  Pier  and  Docks  at  Grant  on  are  now  being  erected. 

Margin  of  MS.       "  The  Earl  of  Bothwell.       '  Appeared,  showed  himself  openly. 


159-4.  Mi:  JAMES  Ml.LVILL*>  DIABT.  315 

bot  withe  lyk  suoces  as  often  tyines  befor.  He  tuk  upe  men  of 
war,  in  secret,  upe  and  down  the  countrey,  and  gaifF  out  that  it  was 
at  the  Kirk's  employment  against  the  Papists,  quhilk  maid  me,  be- 
ing then  mikle  occupied  in  publict  about  the  Kirk's  effeares,  to  be 
graitlie  suspected  be  the  King,  and  bak-speirit  '  be  all  meanes  ;  bot 
it  was  hard  to  find  [that]  quhilk  was  never  thought.  For  I  never 
lyket  the  man,  nor  haid  to  do  with  him  directlie  or  indirectlie  ;  yea, 
efter  Guid  Archbald,  Erie  of  Angus,  whom  God  called  to  his  rest  a 
yeir  or  twa  befor  this,  I  kend  him  nocht  of  the  nobilitie  in  Scotland 
that  I  coidd  communicat  my  mynd  with  anent  publict  effears.  let 
be  to  haifr'  a  delling  with  in  action. 

The  Generall  Assemblie  conveined  at  Edinbruche  in  the  monethe 
of  May  :  my  uncle.  Mr  Andro,  chosin  Moderator.  Thau  coinpeir- 
ed  the  Lord  Home,  making  humble  supplication  to  be  relaxed  from 
excommunication.  It  was  granted  upon  certean  conditioncs  verie 
streat ; 2  the  quhilk,  in  cais  he  sould  thairefter  contravein  or  nocht 
fulfill,  he  soidd  be  of  new  denuncit  accursit.  Bot  the  said  Moderator 
nocht  finding  sic  takens  of  trew  repentance  as  he  wald  have  cravit, 
and  thought  neidfull  to  be  sein  be  the  Kirk,  namlie,  sic  grair  num- 
ber and  force  of  enemies  being  in  the  countrey,  efter  he  haid  Bchawin 
his  reasones  to  the  Assemblie,  wald  nocht  prommce  the  sentence  of 
absolution  :  bot  Mr  David  Lindsay,  being  last  Moderator,  did  it. 

Thairefter  a  Commission,  with  the  sentence  pronuncit  be  the 
Synod  of  Fyff  against  the  rest,  was  approven  and  ratefied  be  the 
haill  Assemblie,  acknawlaging  tliairin  the  speciull  benefeit  of  God's 
providence  in  steiring  upe  the  spreits  of  his  servants  to  be  wacryif,3 
cearfull,  and  curagius  in  the  wark  of  his  glorie  and  cause  of  his 
Kirk.  And  daring  the  tyme  of  Assemblie  was  directed,  with  Com- 
missionars.  certean  Articles  and  Petitiones  to  the  King.  A  manga 
the  quhilk  commissionars  I  being  named,  sum  said  it  was  nocht  con- 
venient, being  suspected  and  evill-lyked  of  be  the  King.  To  the 
quhilk  opinion  the  Assemblie  beginning  to  inclyne,  L  stud  upe  and 
said,  "  I  haid  bein  employed  in  commission  oft  tyines  against  my 

1  Cross-questioned,  :  Strict,  stringent.  ;  Wakeful,  watchful. 


316  MR  JAM E8  MEL AILL's  DIARY.  1594. 

will,  and  when  things  was  mair  peanfull  and  dangerus,  even  Avhen 
uthers  refusit ;  hot  now,  even  for  the  reasone  qnliilk  was  alleagit,  I 
wald  requeist  for  it  as  a  benefit  of  the  breithring  to  send  me,  quhilk 
wald  be  the  onlie  way  to  cleir  bathe  them  and  mie  of  suspition  and 
sklander,  for  even  ntherwayes  I  meined  to  present  my  sehT  at  Court 
befor  the  King,  to  sie  gif  anie  man  haid  ought  to  say  to  me."  Of 
this  the  breithring  war  glaid,  and  resolved,  in  a  voice,1  to  send  me. 
8a,  coming  to  Sterling,  whar  the  King  was,  far  by 2  our  expecta- 
tioun  we  war  maist  gratiouslie  accepted. 

All  our  Articles  Avar  reasonit  and  answerit  be  his  Majestie's  awin 
hand-wryt  upon  the  mergent,  and  that  verie  favourablie,  to  our  grait 
contentment ;  and  thairefter,  I,  that  was  the  grait  tratour,  with  the 
rest  callit  in  to  the  Cabbinet  with  the  King  allean  !3  His  Majestic 
beginnes  to  regrat  that  he  could  nocht  find  that  freindlines  in  the 
Kirk  quhilk  he  cravit  and  wissed.4  I,  haiffing  the  speitche,  answer- 
ed, Ther  Avas  a  peccant  humor  in  the  body  quhilk  behoved  to  be 
purged,  or  it  could  nocht  be  out  of  danger  of  disease,  yea,  deathe. 
The  King  asked  me  what  that  Avas  ?  I  said  it  was  suspition  on  ather 
svde  ;  for  purging  wharof  it  A\rar  best  we  sould  be  frie  on  ather  syde, 
and  schaAV  our  greiffs  and  occasiones  of  suspecting  the  Avarst,  the 
quhilk  being  removit,  the  body  Avald  be  curit  and  haill.  The  King 
thought  it  maist  mcit  and  pertinent,  and  begins  and  expones  what 
he  haid  [to  say  ?] 

First,  concerning  the  assembling  of  his  subjects  without  his 
licence : — To  the  quhilk  Ave  ansAverit,  Ave  did  it  be  the  warrant  of 
his  Majestie's  kiAves,  and  of  Chryst,  according  to  the  Word,  and 
custom  of  our  Kirk  sen  the  beginning ;  quhilk  nather  haid,  nor  be 
God's  grace  ever  sould  be  to  his  Majestie's  hurt,  bot  honour  andweill. 

Second,  concerning  the  excommunicating  of  his  speciall  servant 
and  noble-man,  the  Lord  Home  : — We  answerit,  That  he  Avas  a 
profest  dangerus  Papist,  in  course  with  the  rest,  and  whowsone  he 
repented  and  retcired  from  them,  as  avc  Avar  in  guid  hope  he  sould 
do,  and  approve  him  selffto  the  present  Assemblie,  he  sould  be  re- 
laxed, and  his  Majestic  satisfeit  thairanent. 

1  Unanimously.  -  Beyond,  exceeding.  3  Alone.  '  Wished. 


1  594  .  M  It  JAMES  melvill's  diahy.  -*3 1 7 

The  Third  and  last  was  concerning  Mr  Andre-  Hountar,  Mini- 
ster, wha  haid  kythed 1  in  open  fields  with  Bodwell : — We  answerit, 
that  incontinent  thairefter  the  Presbyterie  of  St  Androis  haid  pro- 
ceidit  against  him,  and  haid  deposit  him  of  his  office  of  Ministerie. 

Then  his  Majestic  ceassing,  I  asked,  if  his  Majestie  haid  anic 
thing  to  say  to  me  ?  He  answerit,  Na  thing  mair  nor  to  all  the  rest, 
saift'  that  he  saw  me  ane  in  all  commissiones  !  I  answerit,  I  thanked 
God  thairfor,  for  thairin  I  was  serving  God,  his  Kirk,  and  the  King 
pnblictlie,  and  as  for  anie  privat  unlawfull  or  undeAvtifull  practise, 
I  wald  wis  tradncars  (if  anie  was  of  me  to  his  Majestie)  sonld  be 
maid  to  schaw  thair  face  befor  ther  King,  as  I  presentlie  haid  pro- 
cured of  the  Kirk  to  do,  of  sett  purpose.  And  thairefter  exponing 
all  our  greifts  and  petitiones,  receavit,  as  said  is,  verie  guid  answers, 
namlie  a  promise  of  a  Parliament  with  all  convenient  diligence, 
wharin  these  excommunicat  Papist  Erles  sould  be  forefaultit,  and 
thairefter  proceidit  against  with  fyre  and  sword.  Efter  the  quhilk, 
the  King,  taking  me  asyde,  caussit  ushe2  the  Cabinet,  and  ther 
conferrit  with  me  at  lainthe  aleaii3  of  all  purposes,  and  gaiff  me 
speciall  commendationes  and  directiones  to  my  uncle  Mr  Andro, 
whom  with  me  he  acknawlagit  to  be  maist  fathfidl  and  trustie  sub- 
jects. Sa  of  the  Strang  working  of  God,  I,  that  cam  to  Sterling 
the  trator,  retourned  to  Edinbruche  a  grait  courteour,  yea  a  Cabi- 
net Counsallour !  And  sa,  indeid,  cqntinowed  till  these  Papist  Erls 
war  brought  hame  and  restored  againe,  as  we  will  heir  at  lainthe 
hoirefter. 

The  Parliament,  according  to  promise,  was  solemnizet  in  the 
moneth  of  Junij,  1594,  at  quhilk  the  excommunicat  Erls  forsaid 
war,  upon  the  intercepted  wryttings  and  blanks,4  forfaulted,  streat 5 
actes  maid  against  Mes-heirars 6  and  Papists,  and  monie  guid  in 
favour  of  the  Kirk,  for  ministers'  leivings,  gleibs,  and  manses.  And 
I  being  then  in  grait  credit,  purchassit,  be  the  King's  aAvin  speciall 

1  Appeared;  had  shown  himself.  2  Caused  the  Cabinet  to  be  dissolved. 

"  Alone.         *  See  Notes  to  p.  306.         B  Strict,  stringent.  li  Hearers  of  .Mass. 


318  MR  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIARY.  1594. 

cear  and  favour,  ane  act  in  favours  of  the  honest  men  of  St  Androis, 
James  Smithe  and  Jhone  Walwode,  for  retouming  of  tham  from 
exyll  to  tliair  a^nn  countrey,  citie,  hous,  wyff,  and  childring. 

In  the  hervest  quarter  thaireftcr,  the  Erie  of  Argyll,  authorised 
with  the  office  of  Lieutenantrie,  prepcared  a  grait  armie,  with  the 
quhilk  lie  cam  upon  the  Erie  of  Hountlie,  and  faught  him  at  Glen- 
rinnes,  above  Murray  land,  with  uncertan  victorie,  bot  graittest  los 
to  Hountlie  ;  for  excommunicat  AuchindoAvn  was  ther  slean,  with 
uther  divers  gentilmen  of  his  kin,  ther  horses  all  spoilled,  and  a 
grait  number  of  the  best  heavilie  woundit ;  quhilk  maid  tham  un- 
able thairefter  to  mak  anie  resistance  to  the  King's  armie. 

This  was  in  the  end  of  September,  and,  in  the  beginning  of  Octo- 
ber following,  the  King,  with  companies  of  horsmen  and  mttmen, 
under  Avages,  by l  the  comoun  forces  gathered  be  proclamation,  past 
Northe  against  these  rebelles,  whom  my  uncle  Mr  Andro  and  I, 
with  uthers  of  the  ministerie  accompanied  also  at  his  Majestie's 
desyre,  to  bear  witness  of  his  peanes  and  sevear  proceidings  against 
these,  because  the  peiple  Avar  yit  gealous  over  the  King  for  his 
knawin  and  kythit2  favour  to  the  Erie  of  Hountlie.  At  our  coming 
to  Aberdein  Ave  fund  na  resistance,  bot  the  enemies  fled  and  darn'd.3 
Yit  the  Kino-  resorvit  to  «;o  fordAvart  to  thair  cheiff  housses  for  de- 
molishing  thairof;  bot  extremitie  of  AAather  stcyed  him  till  almaist 
the  first  monethe  was  consumed,  and  for  the  nixt  ther  was  na  pay 
to  the  AAragit  horsmen  and  futmen,  AA-herin  stud  the  forces  that  war 
reposit  on  to  do  the  turn.4  It  AATas  thairfor,  be  his  Majestic  and 
Counsall,  thought  a  turn  Avdicron  the  haill  cause  dependit,  to  direct 
a  man  of  credit,  fathfulnes,  and  diligence,  to  move  the  brouches 5 
and  Aveill  affected  of  all  rankes  to  send  with  diligence  the  second 
monethes  pay,  for  the  quhilk  I  was  maid  ehoisc  of  be  the  King. 
Counsall,  and  Brcithring.  Wharof  I  mak  mention  to  the  praise  of 
my  guid  God,  Avha  keipit  me,  and  directed  all  aright,  the  message 
being  inaist  pcanfull  and  pcrrillus,  bathe  for  my  persone,  and  fame, 


'  Forbye,  besides,  over  and  ;)1)<»\(>.  -  Manifested.  '  Hid  or  concealed 

themselves.  *  Business.  b  Burghs 


1  594.  M  B  JAMES  M  KLVILL'S  DIARY.  319 

and  estimation.  The  jorncy  was  lang  to  go  to  Edinbruche  and  re- 
tourn  again  with  diligence  to  Aberdein,  in  extremitie  of  evill  wather; 
the  countrey  broken  and  dangerus ;  and  that  qnhilk  effraved  me 
maist,  I  was  commandit  to  wrait  to  Eingland  to  Mr  Bowes,  ordinar 
Ambassatour,  and  to  assure  the  Breithring  of  the  ministerie  of  Edin- 
bruche and  all  uther,  yea  to  preatche  it,  that  seing  the  rebels  war 
fugitive,  thair  principall  housses  sould  be  demolished  to  testifie  the 
King's  utter  indignation  against  thame.  And  yit  the  treuthe  was, 
I  was  nocht  twa  dayes  on  my  jorney,  when  sic  moyen  was  maid 
that  thair  soidd  be  na  mair  done  bot  a  viewing  of  the  places  and 
returning  againe  !  Bot  the  Lord  my  God,  haiffing  a  cear  of  me, 
saved  all,  except  my  man,  wha,  at  my  retourning,  throw  exces  of 
travell,  tuik  seiknes  in  Cowy  and  died.  I  haid  also  a  speciall  frind 
behind,  whom  God  usit  as  instrument  to  work  that  wark  and  saift* 
my  creadit.  This  was  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  wha  being  at  Strea- 
bogy,  and  present  in  Counsall  daylie,  when  be  maniest  vottes  it 
was  inclyning  to  spear1  the  hous,  he  reasoned  and  bure  out  the 
mater  sa,  be  the  assistance  of  the  guid  Lord  Lindsay,  and  Capteans 
of  horsmen  and  futmen,  that  at  last  the  King  takes  upon  him,  con- 
trar  to  the  graitest  part  of  the  Counsall,  to  conclud  the  demolishing 
of  the  hous,2  and  giff  command  to  the  maister  of  wark  to  that  effect ; 
quhilk  was  nocht  lang  in  executing  be  the  souldiours.  When  all 
was  done,  lytle  sound  meining  and  small  effect  fordar  was  producit. 
For  the  King  returned  Southe,  and  left  the  Due,  Lieutenant,  be- 
hind to  accomplis  the  mater  ;  wha  tuk  upe  rigoruslie  the  penalties 
of  countrey  peiple  that  obeyed  nocht  the  proclamationes,  and  com- 
poned3  easelie  with  the  assistars  of  the  rebels,  be  avaritius  and 
craftie  counsallars  wha  Avar  left  with  him,  quhilk  rased  a  grait 
offence  and  out-cry,  and  litle  uther  guid.  Alwayes,4  in  end,  these 
Papist,  excommunicat,  and  forfaultit  Erie,  war  compellit  to  pas  aff 
the  countrey,  and  sa  God  triumphit  ower  tham,  till,  in  his  justice 
for  our  sinnes,  they  war  retournit  and  sett  upe  againe.   Bot  because 


1  Spare.  2  Of  Strabogy,  the  Earl  of  Huntly's  seat.  :  Compounded. 

Novcrtholess. 


320  ME  JAMES  melyill's  diabt.  1594. 

thairefter  my  diligence  Avas  thought  ower  grait,  and  my  speitchea 
ower  frie  in  that  mater,  for  my  awin  relciff  and  defence  I  liaiff 
thought  guid  till  inregister  heir  the  wrytings  quhilk  I  gat  at  that 
tyme  from  the  King  and  Breithring : — 


TO  OUR  TRAIST  FRINDS,  THE  MINISTERS  OF  THE  EVANGILL  AT 
EDINBRUCHE. 

"  Trest  Frentds,  We  greit  yow  hartlie  weill.  At  the  leat  Con- 
ventioun  of  our  Esteats  assemblit  for  the  preventing  of  the  dangerus 
practeises  of  the  Papists,  and  uthers  our  unnaturall  subjects,  joynit 
and  conspyring  the  subversion  of  Relligion,  the  wrak  of  our  persone 
and  esteat,  and  perpetuall  thraldome  of  our  countrey,  to  maist  mer- 
ciles  strangers,  it  was  resolvit  that  Ave  sould  with  all  celeritie  haist 
in  expedition  towards  the  Northe,  lest,  gifF  tymous  remead1  war 
nocht  proATydit,  thair  expected  strangers  might  arryA'e  :  And  for  the 
better  effectuating  thairof,  it  was  thoueht  requisit  that  aatg  sould 
liaiff  our  ordinarie  force  of  horsmen  and  futmen,  (of  the  quhilks  our 
BurroAves  verie  kyndlie,  and  of  guid  will,  yeildit  to  a  sowme  for  sus- 
teining  of  a  thoAVsand  futmen  the  space  of  twa  monethes,  as  Ave 
our  selff  proArydit  be  our  aAvin  privat  moyen  the  first  monethe  to  our 
horsmen,)  the  wather  being  A*erie  unseasonable,  and  sic  spaittes 2  of 
AATaters,  as  Avith  grait  difficultie,  and  nocht  without  perrell  of  a  grait 
part  of  our  armie,  could  Ave  attein  to  this  toAArn  befor  the  halff  of  the 
first  monethe  Avas  expyrit :  Wherby,  and  be  the  retreat  of  our  re- 
belles,  coveredlie,  to  corners  and  hiddillcs,3  thinking  to  Aveirie  us, 
and  abyding  the  ischeAV  of  the  pay  of  our  waigit  men,  as  things  heir 
ar  lyk  to  draw  to  graitter  lainthe  then  we  expected,  yit  seing  what 
our  dcpartour  from  this  might  import,  and  avIioav  manic  dangers  ar 
imminent,  Ave  are  fullie  resolved  to  mak  our  residence  heir,  and  to 
depart  na  Avhar  clles,  Avhill  Ave  have  fullie  settled  this  part  of  the 
countrey,  and  put  it  to  sic  poinct  as  litle  danger  salbe  fearit,  giff 

1  If  timely  remedy.  2  Floods.  ~  Hiding-places. 

4 


1594.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  321 

we  be  aydit  be  your  kyndlie  helpe  and  promised  releiff.  We  will, 
thairfor,  maist  effecteouslie  desyre  you,  that  yie  wilbe  instant  be  all 
meanes  to  move  that  our  Brouche  of  Edinbruche,  and  the  rest  of 
our  Burro wes,  to  have  at  us  in  this  town  befor  the  xxviij.  of  this 
instant  the  second  monethes  pay,  with  the  rest  of  the  first  monethes, 
Avherof  onlie  that  an  halfF  yit  is  ressaved ;  without  the  quhilk  we 
wilbe  constreanit  to  leave  this  guid  and  necessar  wark  undone, 
wharby  the  adversaries  wilbe  sa  incouragit  as  they  will  luk  for  na 
resistance,  and  haiff  the  countrey  opin  to  strangers ;  quhilk,  befor 
it  sould  fall  out  in  our  tyme,  or  anie  blam  might  be  imput  to  us,  we 
haid  rather  gifF  croun,  lyff,  and  whatsoever  God  lies  put  in  our 
hands  !  Be  nocht,  thairfor,  cauld  nor  slaw  in  this  mater,  but  employ 
your  haill  means,  and  sie  the  sam  effectuated,  whilk  we  dout  nocht 
bot  yie  will  do,  and  interpon  all  your  guid  travelles  and  diligence 
to  that  effect.  Fordar,  we  commit  to  this  bearar,  Mr  James  Mel- 
vill,  whom  we  haiff  expreslie  chosin  to  this  message,  and  we  wis 
you  to  credit  as  our  selff.  Sa  we  comit  you  in  God's  holy  protec- 
tioun.     From  Aberdein,  the  xvj.  of  October,  1594. 

(Sic  subscribitur,)  "  James  R." 


TO  OUR  TREST  FRINDS,  THE  RROVEST,  BA1LYIES,  AND  COUNSALL 
OF  OUR  BROUCHE  OF  EDINBRUCHE,  AND  THE  REST  OF  OUR 
BURRO  WES. 

"  Traist  Frinds,  We  greit  you  hartlie  Aveill :  This  bearer,  Mr 
James  Melvill,  being  an  of  the  Ministerie  that  hes  accompanied  us 
in  this  haill  jorney,  and  thairthrow  best  acquented  with  all  our  pro- 
ceidings  in  the  way,  and  since  our  heir  coining,  We  haiff  takin  oc- 
casion, annes  earand,1  to  direct  him  toward  you,  to  signifie  to  you 
particularlie,  whow  we  haiff  bein  occupied,  and  what  our  intention 
is  befor  our  retourn.  As  alswa,  haiff  instructed  him  in  sic  thinp-s  as 
he  sail  specialie  impart  to  you  in  our  name,  anent  the  furtherance 

1  For  the  express  purpose. 

X 


:Y22  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  1594. 

of  the  cause  in  hands,  whom  we  will  desyre  you  firmlie  to  credit  as 
our  selff.  And  sa,  remitting  the  mater  to  his  sufficiencie,  and  the 
particular  Letter  of  the  rest  of  the  Ministerie  heir,  "We  commit  you 
to  God.     From  Aberdein,  the  xv.  of  October,  1594. 

(Sic  snbscribitur,)  "  James  R." 


TO  OUR  RIGHT  WORSCHIPFULL  AND  DEIR    BREITHRTNG    THE 
MINISTERS  OF  EDINBRUCHE. 

"  Manic  ar  the  tribulations  of  the  righteus,  but  the  Lord  delyvereth  tham 

out  of  tham  «//." 

"  Right  Worschipfull  and  deir  Breithring  :  Albeit  the  Lord, 
in  justice,  thretned  this  land  withe  heavie  judgments  for  the  con- 
tempt of  his  favour,  yit  we  find  that  in  the  middes  of  wrathe  he  re- 
membrethe  mercie,  and  owercomethe  when  he  is  judged !  For  the 
King  and  his  Counsall,  with  his  haill  companie,  daylie  growes  in 
ernest  affection  to  advance  the  guid  cause  against  the  enemies 
thairof,  and  lies  reasolutlie  concludit,  be  the  grace  of  God,  nocht  to 
remove  out  of  thir  partes  befor  the  utter  overthrow  of  the  adver- 
sarie  cans,  wherin,  as  we  haive  just  occasion  to  prais  God,  sa  we 
ernestlie  recommend  to  your  prayer  the  guid  and  happie  succes  of 
this  actioun.  Requysting  you  lykwayes  to  employ  your  selffs  with 
our  brother  Mr  James  Melvill,  the  bearer,  at  the  hands  of  your  awin 
town,  that  a  guid  cause  be  nocht  forsaken  at  the  utmaist  poinct, 
and  fall  throw  leak  of  sufficient  moyen  to  bear  it  furthe  ;  as  we  dout 
nocht  to  find  your  effectuall  assistance  according  to  your  zeall.  The 
rest  to  the  bearer,  whom  yie  will  creadit.  The  Lord  preserve  you, 
and  direct  all  your  proceidings  to  his  glorie.  From  Aberdein,  the 
xvj.  of  October,  1594. 

"  Your  breithring  and  fellow-laborars  in  the  Lord's  hervest, 
(Sic  subso'ibitur,)  "An.  Meluile. 

"  Mr.  P.  Gallotjay. 

"  Ja.  Nicolson." 


1  595.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  .'*:>;} 

M.D.XCV. 

[In  the  monethe  of  Merche,  27,  [1595,]  being  Furisday,1  about 
alleavin  houres  of  tlie  night,  in  place  of  a  sarie  las  that  never 
leuche,2  God  gave  me  of  my  wyff,  clearlie  beloved,  a  pleasand  boy, 
wha,  during  his  infancie,  being  of  a  fyne  sanguine  complexioun,  was 
a  pastyme  and  pleasour,  nocht  onlie  to  my  haill  familie,  bot  almost 
throAv  all  the  town  whar  ever  he  was  caried.  Sa  it  is  a  guid  thing 
to  tak  in  patience  whatever  God  sends.  His  guid-shyr,3  Jhone 
Durie,  being  with  me  at  that  tyme,  gave  him  the  bage 4  of  baptisme, 
and  called  him  Jhone,5  in  remembrance  of  thejnspeakable  grace  of 
God  bestowit  on  him  and  his  successioun.  The  grace  of  God  mak 
as  mikle  to  kythe  in  him,  coining  to  age,  if  sa  be  His  pleasure,  as 
appeires  in  the  youthe  inwartlie  and  outward  !] 

The  yeir  following,  [1595,]  Mr  David  Blak's  ministerie  in  St  An- 
drois,  quhilk  haid  Avrought  notable  guid  effects,  bathe  in  the  town 
for  the  weill  of  all  the  peiple's  saulles,  and  ther  republict,  and  guid 
ordour  of  provisioun  for  the  pure,  as  also  to  landwart  for  purpose 
of  biging  of  kirks,  and  in  the  Presbyterie  moving  non-residents  to 
tak  tham  to  thair  kirks  and  charges,  began  now,  be  the  devill  invy- 
ing  it,  to  be  branglit.6  The  instruments  war  the  Manse-moungar, 
(sa  Mr  David  named  him,)  Wilyeam  Balfour,  and  his  favourars, 
wha,  fearing  Mr  David's  prevaling  against  him,  and  evicting  of  his 
hous  in  the  Abbay  to  be  a  manse  to  the  Minister,  causit,  be  divers 
courtiours  and  uthers,  the  King's  eares  to  be  filled  with  calumnious 
informationes  of  the  said  Mr  David  his  doctrine  and  ministerie  : 
As  lykwayes  be  his  occasioun  of  Mr  Andro,  my  uncle,  Rector  of 
the  Universitie,  being  the  principal]  mean  of  the  said  Mr  David's 
bringing  and  placing  thair,  and  meantiner  and  assistar  of  him  in  his 
ministerie. 

Sa,  in  the  monethe  of  August  1595,  the  said  Mr  David  and  my 
uncle  ar  chargit  to  compeir  befor  the  King  and  Counsall  at  Falk- 
land, to  answer  for  certean  speitches  uttered  be  tham  in  thair  doc- 

1  Thursday.  2  Sorry,  sad,  or  weakly  girl,  that  never  laughed.      See  ante, 

p.  309.  3  Grandfather,  by  the  mother's  side.  *  Badge,  seal.  ■''  John 

signifies  the  grace,  gift,  or  mercy  of  the  Lord.  6  Menaced.      O.  Fr.  bransler. 


32  I  Mi:  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1595. 

trin  against  his  Majestie's  progenitours ;  of  the'quhilk  I  knew  Qfl 
thing  hot  be  advertisment  fra  my  uncle  from  St  Androis  to  keipe 
the  dyct.  Coming  to  Falkland,  the  King  inquyres  of  me,  TVliat  I 
thought  of  Mr  David  Blak  ?  I  answerit,  "  I  thought  him  a  "guid 
and  godlie  man,  and  a  mightie  prcatchour,  and  a  man  whase  mini- 
sterie  haid  bein  verie  forcible  and  fruitfull  in  St  Androis." — "  O," 
sayes  the  King,  "  yie  ar  the  first  man,  and  onlie,  that  ever  I  hard 
speak  guid  of  him  amangs  ministerie,  gentilmen,  or  burgesses  !" — 
"  Surlie,  then,  (says  I,)  I  am  verie  sorie,  Sir,  that  your  Majestie 
hes  nocht  spoken  with  the  best  sort  of  them  all." — "  I  ken,"  sayes 
the  King  in  coler,  "  the  best,  and  hes  spoken  with  tham ;  bot  all 
your  seditius  deallings  ar  cloked,  and  hes  bein  with  that  name  of 
the  best  men." — "  Then,  surlie,  (says  I,)  Sir,  your  Majestie  sail 
do  weill  to  gifF  Mr  David  a  syse  of  anie  in  all  tha  thrie  ranks,  ex- 
cepting nan  bot  sic  as  lies  knawin  particulars  ;  and  gifF  they  fyle l 
him,  I  sail  speak  na  mair  in  this  maner  to  your  Majestie,  till  your 
Majestie  find  what  he  is  in  effect."  The  King  slipping  away  fra 
me,  goes  to  a  speciall  courtier,  and  sayes  to  him,  "  Fathe,  Mr 
James  Melvill  and  I  ar  at  our  graittest,  for  I  perceave  he  is  all  for 
Mr  David  Blak,  and  that  sort  !"  The  King,  lest  he  sould  iiritai 
the  Kirk  be  calling  befor  his  Counsall  anie  Minister  for  thair  doc- 
trine, quhilk  haid  nocht  succeidit  weill  of  befor,  called  onlie  a  nom- 
ber  of  the  Brcithring  of  the  ministerie,  (namlie,  sic  whilk  war  of- 
fendit  with  Mr  David's  scharpe  and  plean  forme  of  doctrine,  sparing 
nather  King  nor  Minister,)  to  try  the  mater,  and  judge  thairapon. 
Mr  David  compeiring,  dcclynit  the  King's  judicator,  in  doctrine  ; 
and  as  for  the  Brcithring,  he  refusit  tham  nocht,  being  anie  sort  of 
Assemblie  of  the  Kirk,  rightlie  callit  for  that  effect,  or  utherwayes 
in  privat  to  confer  with  thame,  and  satisfie  tham  in  anie  dout  con- 
ceavit  of  his  doctrine.  The  King  summarlie  and  confusedlie  passit 
ower  all,  and  put  nan  of  these  things  to  interloquutor,  bot  called  for 
the  witneses.  And  Mr  David,  called  to  sie  what  he  haid  to  say 
against  tham,  answerit,  Gif  that  was  a  judicator,  he  souldjiaiff  an 

1  Fyle,  find  him  guilty. 


1595.  MB  james  melvill's  diary.  325 

answer  concerning  the  unlawfulnes  and  incompetencie  alleagit  ; 
as  lykwayes,  put  ceas '  it  war,  as  it  is  nocht,  he  sould  haiff  an  accu- 
sal' fortifeit  with  tAva  witneses,  according  to  the  rewll  of  the  Apostle, 
&c.    That  in  lyk  maner  is  past,  and  a  nomber  of  witneses  is  examin- 
ed, Burley,  the  delatter2  and  accusar,  being  alwayes  present :  Whilk, 
when  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  perceaving,  chapping3  at  the 
chalmer  dure,  whar  we  war,  comes  in,  and  efter  humble  reverence 
done  to  the  King,  he  braks  out  Avith  grait  libertie  of  speitche,  let- 
ting the  King  planlie  to  knaw,  that  cmhilk  dyvers  tymes  befor  with 
small  lyking,  he  haid  tooned4  in  his  ear,  "  That  thair  was  twa 
Kings  in  Scotland,  twa  Kingdomes,  and  twa  Jurisdictiones  :    Thir 
was  Chryst  Jesus,  &c. :  And  gif  the  King  of  Scotland,  civill  King 
James  the  Saxt,  haid  anie  judicator  or  cause  thair,  presentlie,  it 
sould  nocht  be  to  judge  the  fathfull  messanger  of  Jesus  Chryst,  the 
King,  &c,  bot  (turning  him  to  the  Lard  of  Burley,  standing  there) 
this  trator,  wha  lies    committed    divers  poincts  of  hie    treasone 
against  his  Majestie's  civill  lawes,  to  his  grait  dishonour  and  of- 
fence of  his  guid  subjects,  namlie,  taking  of  his  peacable  subjects 
on  the  night  out  of  thair  housses,  ravishing  of  weimen,  and  receat- 
ting  within  his  hous  of  the  King's  rebels  and  forfault  enemies!"  &c. 
With  this,  Burley  falles  down  on  his  knies  to  the  King,  and 
craves  justice.     "  Justice  ! "  sayes  Mr  Andro,  "  wald  to  God  yow 
haid  it !  Yow  wald  nocht  be  heir  to  bring  a  judgment  from  Chryst 
upon  the  King,  and  thus  falslie  and  unjustlie  to  vex  and  accuse  the 
fathfull  servants  of  God  ! "  The  King  began,  with  sum  countenances 
and  speitches,  to  command  silence  and  dashe  him  ;  bot  he,  insurg- 
ing5  with  graitter  bauldnes   and  force  of  langage,  buir  out  the 
mater  sa,  that  the  King  was  fean6  to  tak  it  upe  betwix  tham  with 
gentill  termes  and  mirrie  talk ;  saying,  "  They  war  bathe  litlc  men, 
and  thair  hart  was  at  thair  mouthe  !"  Sa  that  meittino-  was  demis- 
sit  the  forenoone.     Nather  war  we  assemblit  again  in  anie  forme  of 
judicator  ;    bot,  when  I  perceavit  the  King  to  be  incensed,  and 

1  Tut  the  case.        2  The  dilator  or  informer.        'Knocking.        '  Tuned,  sounded. 
6  Rising,  overflowing.      Lat.  insimjerc.  fi  Fain,  glad. 


326  \n;  james  melvill's  diary,  1595. 

verie  evill-myndit  bathe  against  Mr  Andro  and  Mr  David,  I  spak 
the  Erie  of  Mar,  being  at  Court,  informing  him  of  the  treuthe  of 
maters,  and  whow  dangerus  a  thing  it  was  to  his  Majestie,  at  sic  a 
tyme,  to  brak  out  with  the  Kirk,  whill  as  Boduell  haid  confederit ' 
with  the  Papist  Lords,  and  as  he  knew  ther  war  presentlie  a  grait 
eommotioun  in  all  the  Bordars,  besought  him  thairfor  to  coimsall 
his  Majestie  aright,  and  mitigat  these  maters.  The  quhilk  he  did 
fathmllie.  And  sa,  the  King  callit  Mr  David  to  him  selff,  in  privat 
and  hamlie  maner,  desyring  to  understand  the  treuthe  be  way  of 
conference  ;  the  quhilk  Mr  David  schew  him  to  his  satisfactioun. 
In  lyk  maner,  Mr  Andro,  wha,  efter  his  fasone,  maist  frilie  reasonit 
with  the  King,  and  taidd  him  his  mynd  betwix  tham  to  the  King's 
contentation  ;  and  sa,  in  end,  his  Majestie  directed  me,  efter  lang 
conference  on  thir  maters,  to  go  to  St  Androis  and  teatche,  and 
declar  the  mater,  sa  as  the  peiple  might  be  put  out  of  evill  opinion, 
baithe  of  his  Majestie  and  thair  Minister,  and  whow  that  all  was 
weill  aggreit.  Whilk  I  did  upon  the  morn,  in  St  Androis,  teateh- 
ing  the  127  Psalme ;  and  because  I  knew  it  wald  be  marked,  I  sett 
down  the  haill  poincts  I  was  to  speak,  in  wrait,  upon  that  mater, 
as  folio  wes : 

"  Now,  I  am  sure,  guid  Christiancs  and  brcithring,  yie  wald 
fean  haiff  newes  from  this  last  dyet  whilk  we  have  keipit  with  his 
Majestie  at  Falkland!  And,  indeid,  the  King's  Majestie  and  brcith- 
ring of  the  Ministerie  ther  convenit,  fearing  that  quhilk  in  effect  is 
fallen  out,  viz.,  the  fasones  of  evill  fame,  quhilk  ever  reports  of  all 
things  to  the  warst,  and  oftentymes  sawcs  abrod2  lies  for  vcritie, 
and  evill  newes  for  guid,  as  we  heir  it  lies  been  reported  amangs 
yow,  that  the  King  haid  begoun  to  put  at  the  Kirk,  and  to  plunge 
in  maters  with  the  Ministerie,  namlie,  haid  melde3  with  your  Pas- 
tor, and  ather  put  him  in  exyll,  warde,  or  sylence,  whilas,  indeid, 
ther  is  na  thing  les  ;  therfor  lies  his  Majestie  and  the  -aid  breith- 
ring  directed  me   to  this  place  to  testiiie  and  declar  the  treuthe. 

1  Confederated.  -  Sows  abroad.  ;  Meddled,  interfered  with. 


1505.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  327 

First,  then,  it  is  of  veritie,  that  a  grait  number  of  evill  reports  lies 
bein  caried  from  this  place  to  the  King,  sa  bissie  lies  men  bein, 
specialie  sic  as  war  twitched  in  thair  particulars,1  quhilk  might 
have  easelie  moved  and  crabet2  the  King;  bot  he  suspendit  his 
opinion,  and  reservit  all  to  a  just  tryell,  as  occasion  might  best 
serve  for  the  saminar. 

"  Amangs  the  rest,  a  delatioun  of  leat  was  maid,  maist  offensive 
and  odious,  That  Mr  David,  your  Pastor,  by  name,  sould  have3 
publictlie  from  pulpit  traducit  the  King's  mother  maist  vyllie,  to 
mak  his  Majestie  contemptible  in  the  eis  of  his  peiple,  and  to  steir 
upe  the  seditius  to  treasonable  and  dangerus  attempts  against  his 
Majestie's  esteat  and  persone ;  the  quhilk  could  nocht  be  sufferit 
unput  to  tryell.  Compeiring  then  befor  his  Majestie,  and  a  guid 
number  of  the  breithring  of  the  Ministerie,  bathe  the  accusar  and 
accusit,  the  accusar  affinned  that  your-  Pastor  haid  spokin  never  a 
guid  word  of  the  King's  mother,  but  mikle  evill ;  the  quhilk,  gif  he 
sould  nocht  prove  be  sufficient  witneses  ther  present,  he  sould  be 
content  to  tyne  his  land,  his  lyff  and  all. 

"  Your  Pastor  answered,  he  haid  comendit  his  Majestie's  mother 
for  manie  grait  and  rare  gifts,  and  excellent  verteus ;  and  onlie 
verie  sparinglie  and  soberlie  haid  twitched  the  treuthe  of  the  judg- 
ments of  God,  quhilk  haid  com  on  hir  for  remising  the  wholsome 
admonitioun  of  the  Word  of  God.  Sa  the  witneses  war  producit 
and  examined.  It  was  fund  cleir,  in  end,  that  your  Pastor,  contral- 
to the  accusation,  haid  spokin  mikle  guid  of  the  King's  mother,  as 
also  haid  spokin  concerning  the  judgments  of  God  upon  hir,  in  hir 
fall. 

"  The  King  coidd  nocht  think  it  altogidder  unlawfull  to  use  his 
mother  for  example  ;  bot  thought  it  na  wayes  expedient  in  his 
tyme,  because  of  the  peiple,  that  is  ever  readie  to  draw  that  to  the 
contempt  of  his  Hienes'  persone,  and  of  the  seditius  and  treason- 
able, wharof  ther  is  manie  in  the  land,  wha  ar  ever  readie  to  grip 
thairat ;  as  thought  the  forme  of  men's  dealing  against  hir,  quhilk 

'  Their  own  interests.   -  » Irritated,  incensed.  3  Had  publicly,  &c. 


328  MB  JAMES  MELVXLl/S  DIABY.  159.3. 

was  extraordinar,  might  be  drawin  in  exemple,  and  usit  be  tham  : 
Therfor,  it  was  thought  expedient  be  the  haill  breithring  ther,  that 
nather  Mr  David  nor  na  Minister  sould  speak  a  word  of  his  Majes- 
tic** mother,  till  that  a  certean  Act  of  the  Generall  Assemblie, 
maid  thairanent  at  Dondie,  war  sein  and  considderit,  and  in  all 
tymes  coming  the  tennour  thairof  to  be  keipit  preceislie. 

"  And  for  satisfaction  of  his  Majestic,  the  said  Mr  David  cam 
maist  humblie  in  his  Majestie's  presence,  and  acknawlagit  ther, 
that,  as  he  sould  mak  answer  to  God,  upon  the  usage  of  his  mini- 
sterie,  lie  thought  nocht  that  his  speitches  could  be  offensive  to  his 
Majestic,  nor  anie  waves  meinit  to  haiff  offendit  his  Hiencs,  bot 
onlie  usit  that  exemple  to  bear  down  shine  in  the  persone  quhilk 
he  was  rebuking ;  nather  yit  wald  he  heirefter  use  that  speitche, 
nor  anie  uther  wilfullie  or  undewtifullie,  to  his  Majestie's  offence  or 
displeasour  ;  bot  as  his  hart  wes  afauld,1  upright  and  maist  affec- 
tioned  to  his  Majestic,  as  anie  subjects  or  Ministers  in  this  realme, 
sa  wald  he  mak  it  knawin  in  experience,  and  all  dewtie  to  his 
Hienes  heirefter.  Wharwith  his  Majestie  was  weill  pleasit,  and  in 
guid  favour  dimissed  the  said  Mr  David.  Conceave  thairfor  right- 
lie  and  reverentlie,  and  stand  in  guid  opinion  bathe  of  your  Prince 
and  Pastor,  for  the  discharge  of  all  dewties  addettit  to  tham,  and 
pray  God  to  keipe  his  Majestie  in  guid  concord  and  aggriment 
with  his  fathfull  and  trcw  servanda,  deteasting  from  your  harts  the 
evill  disposition  of  sic  persones,  that,  for  thair  particular,2  is  sett  to 
the  contrar." 

This  piece  of  service  was  weill  aneuchc  lyked  and  accepted  on 
bathe  the  partes ;  bot  my  court  grew  lea  thairefter,  ami,  as  we  will 
heir,  at  the  ham-coming  of  the  Papists  Lords,  clean  decevit.  And 
to  leave  the  treuthc  of  my  courting  testified  befbrGod,  befor  whom 
I  walked,  I  sought  it  nocht,  but  it  fell  on  me  be  the  occasion  re- 
hersed.  When  it  cam  on,  I  interteined  it  as  I  could  in  eon- 
science,  (quhilk,  indeid,  was  hard  to  do,  and  cost  me  manic  soar  prik 

1  Single,  sincere.  '  To  promote  or  further  their  own  private  interests. 


1595.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL  S  DIARY.  .°)20 

in  hart,)  chieflie  and  first,  to  mak  the  King  to  ken  that  we  loved 
him  deirlie,  and  wald  do  anie  thing  that  ley  in  us  for  his  pleasuring 
with  the  warrand  of  God  and  a  guid  conscience,  that,  by  his 
throuche  lyking  and  conjunction  with  the  Kirk  maters,  bathe  in 
Kirk  and  polecie,  might  go  right  and  weill  fordwart.  And  trewlie, 
I  thank  God,  during  my  twa  yeirs  court,  it  was  sa.  Bot  as  I  was 
thus  about  to  win  the  King,  as  in  me  lay,  to  the  Kirk,  sa  was  he 
in  winning  of  me  to  the  Court ;  and  when  on  ather  syde  all  meanes 
was  usit,  and  bathe  keipit  our  groundes,  without  grait  vantage  an 
of  another,  we  relented  and  fearlie  reteired,1  as  the  continowing  of 
this  storie  will  in  the  awin2  place  declar.  The  onlie  particular 
quhilk  I  haid,  was  the  pitifull  esteat  of  the  guid  honest  men  of  St 
Androis,  whase  cause  and  condition  was  joyned  sa  with  the  esteat 
of  the  Kirk  and  guid  breithring,  that  thairwith  it  stud  and  fell. 
Bot  for  my  selff,  as  God  knawes,  I  haid  never  a  croun  be  my  cour- 
tein,  bot  spendit  everie  yeir  the  halff  of  my  stipend  thairon  ;  and 
the  treuthe  was,  I  never  sought  nane,  and  I  gat  nan  unsought. 

In  the  monethe  of  September  following,  the  Erie  of  Orkney,  be 
the  Lard  of  Burleyes  moyen,  cam  to  St  Androis,  as  direct  from 
the  King,  and  reconcyled  the  said  Lard  with  Mr  Andro  Melvill, 
Rector,  and  Mr  David  Blak,  and  Mr  Robert  Wallace,  Ministers  of 
St  Androis,  and  that  yerie  craftelie,  under  pretext  thairof  to  draw 
again  the  peiple  to  the  hous  of  Darsy,  and  cause  tham  change  thair 
Provest  again,  as  they  did :  For  Captean  Murray,  perceaving  the 
changeablenes  of  the  peiple,  and  the  wcght  of  the  office,  demittcd 
the  sain  willinglie  ;  and  sa  be  the  ather  faction  of  the  peiple,  favor- 
ed be  Court,  the  Lard  of  Darsy  wes  receavit  again.  That  cost  us 
a  faschius  jorney  to  St  Jhonstoun.3  Returning  fra  the  quhilk, 
certean  newcs  cam  of  the  Chancellar,  Mr  Jhone  Metellans  depar- 
tour,  whom  Mr  Andro,  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  and  I,  haid  visited  nocht 
lang  befor,  and  left  at  a  verie  guid  esteat  for  the  lyff  to  come.  He 
was  a  man  of  grait  leming,  wisdome,  and  stoutnes,  and  kythe  in 
end  to  have  the  feir  of  God,  deing  a  guid  Christian,  and  lovar  of 

1  Fairly  retired.  -  In  the  proper.  3  Perth. 


330  MR  JAMES  Ml. I. \ ILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

Chryst's  servants.  Ami,  indeid,  he  was  a  grait  instrument  in  keip- 
ing  the  King  af  the  Kirk,  and  fra  favoring  of  Papists,  as  the  yeir 
efter  it  kythed  cleirlie. 

M.D.XCVI. 

That  Wintar  the  haill  Official's  of  Esteat  war  alterit,  and  the 
King's  haill  effearcs  concerning  his  patrimonie,  propertie,  and  ca- 
rnalities, war  put  in  the  hands  of  aught,1  and  sa  ahnaist  the  haill 
administratioun  of  the  realme,  and  thairfor  named  Octavtaxs  ; 
the  an  halff  wharof  war  suspected  Papists,  and  the  rest  litle  better 
This  was  mikle  thought  of,  and  portendit  a  grait  alteration  in  the 
Kirk,  whilk  fell  out  the  yeir  following,  159(3,  quhilk  may  be  mar- 
kett  for  a  speciall  periodic  and  fatall  yeir  to  the  Kirk  of  Scotland, 
and  thairfor  man  tak  mair  pean 2  to  schaw  the  maters  that  fell  out 
thairin.  It  haid  a  strange  varietie  and  mixture  :  The  beginning 
thairof  with  a  schaw  of  profit  in  planting  of  the  Kirks  with  perpe- 
tuall  locall  stipends  ;  the  mids3  of  it  verie  confortable  for  the  exer- 
ceise  of  Reformat ioun,  and  renewing  of  the  Covenant ;  bot  the  end 
of  it  tragically  in  wasting  the  Sion  of  our  Jerusalem,  the  Kirk  of 
Edinbruche,  and  thretning  na  les  to  manic  of  the  rest.  The  re- 
deiming  wharof,  I  feir  be  tyme,  salbe  fund  to  have  cost  us  deirar 
be  the  los  of  the  liaill  libcrtie  of  Chryst's  kingdomc  in  Scotland,  nor 
giff  all  annes  haid  bein  wasted  and  overrune.  Wherin  I  pray  God, 
of  his  mercie,  that  my  feir  may  be  fund  foolishe. 

[This  yeir  had  twa  prodigius  things,  quhilk  I  marked  amangs  us, 
on  the  coste  syd.  Anc  in  the  Seinzie  ouk  efter  Pace,1  the  day  being 
fear,5  about  noonc,  ther  fell  a  cloud  of  rean6  upon  Kelhc  Law,  and 
the  mounteans  besyd,  that  lor  a  space  covered  them  with  tinning 
water,  the  quhilk  descending  thairlia.  rasil  sa  at   ane  instant  the 

1  Eight.         2  IMnst  take  more  pains.  'Middle       '  The  Svmul  or  Consistory 

Week,  at  Easter.  Knox  lias  the  following  pith]  passage  on  this  Assembly,  which  had 
its  origin  in  the  old  Roman  Catholic  times  : — "  Efter  the  Pasche,  he  came  to  Edin- 
burghe  to  bald  the  Seinje,  as  the  Papistcs  tearme  their  onhappie  Assomblie  of 
Paale's  sehavin  sort."  Knox's  Hist.  p.  M.  It  was  usual,  during  "Seinzie  week" 
to  have  processions  of  the  Priests,  when  their  pretended  Saints  ami  idols  were  carried 
in  great  pomp  through  the  Btreets,  with  banners,  &c.       '  fair.        "  A  water-spout. 


1591).  MR  JAMES  MELVTLL'S  DIARY.  331 

strypes  and  bnrnes,  that  they  war  impassable  to  the  travellars, 
whowbeit  weill  horst.1  The  burn  of  Anstruther  was  never  sein  sa 
grait  in  man's  memorie,  as  it  rase  Avithin  an  hour.  The  read  speat- 
of  fresche  water  market  the  sie  mail'  nor  a  myll  and  a  halff.  That 
brought  grait  barrennes  upon  the  land  the  yeirs  following.  The 
uther  was  a  monstruus  grait  whaale,  befor  the  hervest  cam  in,  upon 
Kincrag  Sandes.3] 

The  occupatioun  and  continuall  laboring  to  eschew  rating  out, 
maid  me  befor  nocht  to  mention  anie  peanes  takin  upon  planting, 
whowbeit  ther  was  mikle  at  divers  tymes,  namlie,  in  the  yeirs  four- 
score ten,  twoll  and  threttein  yeirs.4  Wharanent  we  haid  divers 
Commissiones  from  Parliament  and  General!  Assemblie,  and  quhilk 
indeid  was  bathe  peanfull  and  expensive  to  me,  amangs  uthcrs ;  bot 
because  I  can  recompt  na  effect  of  tham,5 1  sail  set  down  this  yeir's 
wark  alleanerlie,  when  Commissiones  war  gifFen  out  upon  an  act  of 
Parliament  and  letters,  to  dell  with  taxmen6  and  all  titulars  of  teinds 
for  effectuating  of  the  best  Constant  Plat,  that  efter  lang  advys- 
ment  takin  amangs  us  wes  put  in  ordour  and  pennit  be  Mr  Jhone 
Lindsay,  Secretar,  and  the  quhilk  to  serve  for  all  those  biotik7 
maters,  I  thought  meit  to  be  heir  insert ;  if  that  first  I  mark  a8 
thing  that  I  hard  Mr  Alexander  Hay,  Clerk  Register,  a  man  of 
anie  in  Scotland  maist  exerceised  in  tha  maters,  and  the  said  Mr 
Jhone  Lindsay,  a  man  of  the  graitest  lerning  and  solid  natural!  wit 
joyned  with  that,  I  knew,  controvert  divers  tymes,  bathe  be  worde 
and  wrait,  ancnt  that  Plat :  The  an,  balding  that  it  was  an  impossi- 
bilitic,  as  things  stud  in  Scotland,  to  devyse  a  Constant  Piatt,  or, 


1  Horsed,  mounted.  '-'  The  flood,  carrying  the  red-coloured  soil  into  the  sea. 

'  Margin  of  MS.  4  In  the  years  1590,  1592,  1593.  5  "  For  the  general!, 

whowbeit  I  man  remember,  to  the  grait  praise  of  God,  that  our  particular  travelles 
war  sa  blissit,  that  whar  at  our  coming  to  St  Androis  ther  was  nocht  passing  four  or 
fyve  Kirks  thairabout  planted  with  Ministers,  ther  is  this  day  saxtcin  or  sevintein 
in  the  Presbyteric  thairof ;  manic  of  them  alsweill  provydit  as  anie  of  the  countrey, 
1600."  [This  is  added,  at  a  subsequent  date,  by  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  the  MS.  | 
6  Tacksmen,  lease-holders.  7  Extraordinary,  out  of  the  way.  B  One. 


332  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAKY.  L596. 

giff'  it  war  devysit,  to  efFectuat  it ;  and  deid '  in  that  opinion  :  The 
other,  to  wit,  Mr  Jhonc,  balding  that  bathe  was  possible  ;  and 
thairfor  sett  him  selff'  to  devyse  the  sam,  and  put  it  in  mundo2  as 
followes ;  bot,  concerning  the  effectuating  thairof,  he  died  in  the 
sam  fathe  with  the  Clark  Register! 


THE  NEW  AND  CONSTANT  PLAT  OF  PLANTING  THE  HAILL  KIRKS  OF 
SCOTLAND,  PENNED  TO  BE  PRESENTED  TO  THE  KING  AND  ESTEATS 
IN  ANNO  1596. 

"  Ouke  Soveeane  Lord,  with  consent  of  his  Thrie  Estaits  in 
Parliament,  understanding  that  be  the  Law  of  God  it  is  expreslie 
commandit,  lykas  alswa  for  interteinment3  of  Relligioun  and  God's 
service,  it  is  mair  nor  necessar  that  the  Ministers  of  his  Holie 
Word  haiff  sufficient  rents  for  thair  honest  sustentatioun  : 

Kirh-rcnt  damnified  be  A?inexatiouns,  Erectionnes,  Setting  of  king 
Tahs,  Pegment  of  Silver-dewtie,  Lyffrents,  Assignationnes,  Pen- 
sionnes,  King's  Super  joins,  Comoun  Kirks,  First  Fruits,  Fgft  Pennie, 
Patronages,  Disjmsitions  of  Benijices,  Ratification urs  in  Pari. 

"  Considering  also  that  the  rents  and  patrimonie  quhilk  perteined 
of  auld  to  the  Kirk  is  graitumlie  damnified  and  exhaust  be  the  an- 
nexatioun  of  the  haill  temporalitie  thairof  to  his  Hienes'  Croun,  and 
be  the  erectionnes  of  a  grait  part  of  the  said  temporall  lands  of  the 
Kirk  with  divers  Kirks  and  Teinds  includit  thairwith  in  new  Tem- 
porall Lordschipes,  and  be  the  new  fasone  of  setting  of  lang  takes 
of  the  said  teinds  for  divers  nyntcin  ycirs,  and  lyff-rents  successive 
for  peyinent  of  small  silver-dewtie,  nawayes  equivalent  to  the  halff' 
of  the  reasonable  valor  of  the  saids  Teinds  ;  and  be  the  pretendit 
rightes  of  sa  monie  pcrsoncs  lyff-rents,  assignationnes,  and  other 
dispositionnes  of  the  said  Teinds  and  dewties  of  taks,  and  be  his 
Majestic' s  rights  of  the  Thrids,   Boperplus,   comoon  Kirks,    first- 

1  Died.  ;  Write  it  oul  fairly.  '  Maintenance,  Bupport. 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  333 

fruicts,  and  fyft-pennie  of  ilk  benefice,  rights  and  disposition  of  the 
sam,  proceiding  from  his  Hienes  efter  his  perfyt  age  ;  and  fra  his 
Grace's  predec essoins,  for  the  maist  part  ratefied  in  ParHament : 
Wharby  ther  is  na  moyen l  left  presentlie  to  augment  the  small  sti- 
pend of  anie  pure 2  Minister,  albeit  he  haid  never  sa  grait  necessi- 
tie ;  nor  yit  to  plant  anie  new  Ministers  at  anie  Congregation,  al- 
beit the  maist  part  of  all  the  Paroche 3  Kirks  of  Scotland  ar  alto- 
gidder  destitut  of  all  exerceise  of  Eelligioun  :  And  that  ther  is  a 
grait  number  of  Ministers  nocht  provydit,  but  awating  upon  sum 
speciall  charge  and  vocatioun,  lykas  a  grait  number  of  guid  school- 
lars  of  the  youthe  of  this  realme,  for  the  lyk  povertie,  is  compellit 
to  pas  to  France,  to  the  grait  danger  of  apostasie  fra  Relligioun, 
whar  utherwayes  they  might  be  profitable  to  the  Kirk,  and  might 
be  honestlie  interteined  upon  the  said  Teinds : 

Teinds,  be  all  Law,  the  Kirk's  just  right. — Na  new  Provision  to 
Prelacies  befor  the  Ministers  of  the  Kirks  be  provydit. 

"  Quhilk  Teinds  nocht  onlie  befor  the  wryttui  Law  of  God,  and 
thairefter  be  expres  commandiment  of  the  sam,  bot  also  be  the  con- 
sent of  all  nationnes,  and  specialie  of  this  realme,  hes  ever  pertein- 
ed  to  the  Kirk  ;  wherby  of  all  reasone  the  Kirk,  haveing  na  uther 
patrimonie,  aught  to  be  meanteined  in  the  right  and  possessioun  of 
the  saids  Teinds,  at  leist  ay  and  whill 4  they  be  sufficientlie  provydit 
utherwayes  :  Conforme  to  the  quhilk,  divers  Actes  hes  bein  maid 
in  Parliament,  that  befor  the  new  provision  of  anie  Prelat,  the  Mi- 
nisters at  the  Kirks  and  Parodies  united  to  the  said  Prelacie  sould 
be  first  provydit  to  sufficient  Stipends,  utherwayes  the  provision  of 
the  Prelacie  to  be  null. 

Act  of  Parliament  [15]  67. — Act  of  Annexatioun. — [Manses,  Gleibs.~] 

"  And  lykwayes,  in  the  tent  act  of  the  Parliament,  hauldin  1567, 
it  is  ordeanit,  that  the  haill  Thriddes  sould  be  first  employed  to  the 
use  of  the  Ministers,  ay  and  whill  the  Kirk  com  in  possessioun  of 

1  Means.  2  Poor.  ■  Parish.  *  Until. 


334  Mi:  JAMES  melyill's  diabt.  1596. 

thair  awin  patrimonie,  quhilk  is  the  Teinds.  And  als,  in  the  Baid 
act  of  Annexation]],  and  divers  ntlicr  loveable  actes,  it  is  expreslic 
provydit,  that  the  Ministers  sould  be  snfficientlie  provydit  of 
leivings '  furthe  of  the  best  and  readiest  of  the  spiritualities,  and 
that  they  sould  be  provydit  in  tytle  to  all  small  benefices ;  that 
they  sould  be  provydit  to  Manses  and  Gleibs,  for  thair  residence  at 
thair  Kirks  ;  and  that  laic  Patrones  sould  provyde  qualifiet  per- 
sones. 

"  Whilk  actes  hes  nocht  tean2  fullie  effect,  but,  on  the  contrar,  the 
leivings  of  the  said  Ministers  left  incerteanlie  to  be  sought  from 
yeir  to  yeir  at  his  Hienes'  Checquer,3  out  of  the  Thrids,  with  infinit 
proces  in  law,  be  reasone  of  the  manifald  dispositiones  of  the  said 
Tinkles  to  uther  laic  persones,  procciding  fra  his  Hienes  as  having 
right  to  the  haill  Tin-ids,  comoun  Kirks,  superplus,  fyft-pennie,  and 
temporalitie  of  ilk  benefice,  and  be  reasone  of  the  collation  of  bene- 
fices pleno  jure  to  persones  na  wayes  qualefied,  contrar  to  the  guid 
meining  and  intentioim  of  the  forsaids  actes  of  Parliament,  to  the 
utter  wrak  and  distructioun  of  the  Kirk  be  plean  povertie,  as  the 
profest  enemies  of  Chryst  wald  have  done  of  auld,  gifF  spidie  re- 
meadie  be  nocht  fund  : 

All  Teinds  the  proper  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk. 

"  Thairfok  his  Hienes,  remembering  that  ther  is  na  thing  mail 
proper  to  his  royall  office  nor4  to  be  the  nurissar  of  the  trew  Kirk, 
and  to  be  cairfnll  of  the  advancment  of  the  trew  Relligioun,  and 
continowing  thairof  to  the  posteritie,  with  consent  of  the  Estaits  in 
Parliament,  be  the  tennour  of  this  act,  Declares,  That  the  haill 
Teinds  of  this  realme,  bathe  of  Personages  and  Vicarages,  asweill 
united  to  Prelacies  and  uther  dignities  as  nocht  united,  and  uther 
Teinds  whatsumever,  lies  perteined  in  all  tymes  bygean,  and  sail 
pertcin  in  all  tymes  coming  to  the  Kirk,  as  thair  proper  patrimonie  : 
And  of  new,  with  consent  forsaids,  giftcs,  grants,  and  dispones,  and 
perpetualie  mortefies  the  saids  Teinds  of  all  Personages  and  Vicar- 

1  Livings,  2  Taken.  :I  Exchequer,  *  Than. 


159G.  MK  JAMES  MELVTLL'S  DIARY.  335 

ages,  and  uther  Benefices  whatsumever  within  this  realme,  to  the 
Kirk,  to  remean  thairwith  as  thair  a\vin  proper  Patrimonie,  confonn 
to  the  tennour  of  tliis  present  Act,  in  all  tymes  coming. 

1.  Locall  Stijyends  of  a  modifiet  quantitie  of Victuall,  out  of  sic  and  sic 
Towns,  in  everie  Paroche,  with  Gleib  and  Manse,  nochtwithstanding 
anie  marts  right  ichatsumever. 

"  And  with  advys  forsaid,  statutes  and  ordeanes  that  the  Lords 
of  Checquar,  with  sic  of  the  Ministerie  as  salbe  apointed  heirunto, 
being  of  aequal  number  with  the  saids  Lords,  sail  modifie  and  assing ' 
out  of  certean  townes  of  ilk  Paroche2  a  certean  quantity  of  victuall 
of  the  Teind-scheaves  thairof,  and  uther  dewties  of  the  Vicarage, 
as  the  nature  of  the  ground  may  pay,  with  the  manse  and  haill 
gleib  land,  giff  the  sam  remean  yit  unfewed  ;  and  giff  the  said  gleib 
be  fewed,  four  aikers  of  the  said  gleib,  wither  the  sam  be  of  the 
Persones',  Vicars',  Bischopes',  Pryors'  or  Pryoreses',  Deans'  or  Sub- 
deans',  Abbayes',  or  anie  uther  Kirk-land  for  the  gleib  ;  as  an  locall 
stipend  to  ilk  Paroche  Kirk  of  this  realm,  without  exception,  for 
sustentation  of  the  Minister  thairat  sufficientlie  and  honestlie  in  all 
respects  of  the  fruicts  of  the  paroche  it  selfF,  nochtwithstanding  the 
saids  Kirks  be  annexed  to  Prelacies  or  uther  Benefices  or  nocht, 
doted  to  Colleages  or  Universities,  or  utherwayes  perteining  to  auld 
possessours  of  whatsumever  degrie,  or  to  Ministers  newlie  provvdit 
in  tytle  thairto,  at  the  King's  presentation  or  laic  patrones',  devydit 
amangs  manie  Prebendaries,  Dignities,  or  Chaplanries,  or  nocht 
devydit,  comoun  Kirks,  or  uther  whatsumever  qualitie  or  conditioun 
the  said  paroche  Kirks  lies  bein,  or  be  whatsumever  maner  of  way 
the  Teinds  thairof  lies  bein  bruiked  in  tymes  bypast ;  and  nochtwith- 
standing all  and  whatsumever  right  his  Majestie  may  haift'or  pretend 
to  the  Thrids,  superplus,  first-fruicts,  and  fyft-pennie  of  the  saids 
benefices  ;  and  nochtwithstanding  of  all  pensiones,  takes,3  assigna- 
tiones,  lyfrrents,  erectionnes,  of  the  said  Teinds,  or  anie  part  thairof, 
in  an  temporall  Lordschipe,  provision  to  Prelacies,  or  uther  bene- 

'  Assign.  2  Parish.  3  Tacks,  Leases. 


336  .MK  JAMES  MELVUl/S  DIABY.  1596. 

fices,  uniones,  or  divisiones  of  the  saids  paroches  and  uthcr  disposi- 
tionnes  of  the  saids  Teinds,  or  aide  part  thairof  whatsumever,  pro- 
ceiding  from  his  Majestic  or  his  predeeessours,  efter  his  or  thair 
perfyt  age,  confirmed  in  Parliament,  with  whatsumever  solemnitie 
or  utherways,  to  whatsumever  Castelles,  Collages,  or  Universities, 
particular  personc  of  whatsumever  degrie  :  And  nochtwithstanding 
whatsumever  uther  taks,  pensionnes,  lyfFrents,  fewing  of  the  saids 
Teinds,  with  landes,  and  fewing  of  the  saids  gleibs,  and  uther  dis- 
position whatsumever,  maid  be  Prelates  or  beneficed  persones,  with 
consent  of  thair  Chaptours,  to  whatsumever  particular  persone,  Col- 
lage, or  Universitie,  for  whatsumever  space  of  yeirs  or  yeirlie  dewtie : 
And  notwithstanding  the  privilage  of  Lords  of  Sessioun,  and 
actes  of  Parliaments,  and  uther  lawes  bygean,  uniones,  annexa- 
tionnes,  and  incorporationes  of  severall  paroche  Kirks  to  a  Prelacie 
or  uther  benefice,  or  division  of  the  fruicts  of  a  parochine  amang 
manie  Prebendaries,  or  Chapleans,  or  uthers  ;  and  nochtwithstand- 
ing  of  all  uther  impediments  cuihilk  anie  way  may  stay  the  full  exe- 
cutioun  of  tlus  present  Act. 

"DECLARING  all  and  whatsmnever  the  forsaids  provisions  of 
benefices,  uniones,  incorporationes,  divisiones,  takes,  pensionnes, 
lyfFrents,  erectiones,  and  fewing  of  Teinds,  Manses,  Gleibs,  privi- 
lages,  actes,  lawes,  and  constitutionnes,  formar  and  uther  disposi- 
tiones  whatsumever  of  the  saids  Teinds,  Manses,  and  Gleibs,  pro- 
ceiding  from  his  Majestie,  or  his  Majestic' s  predeeessours,  or  fra 
whatsumever  uther  beneficed  persone,  with  whatsiunever  solemnitie, 
to  be  null  in  tyme  coming,  in  sa  far  as  they  may  mak  anie  preju- 
dice to  this  present  act,  and  to  the  particular  locall  assignatioun  of 
stipends  to  be  assigned  to  ilk  paroche  kirk,  conform  thairto,  and  to 
the  full  execution  thairof,  but1  anie  uther  reduction  or  declarators 
of  law.  Withe  powar  to  the  saids  Lords  and  Ministers  to  tak  trew 
try  all  of  the  valour2  of  the  saids  Teinds,  and  to  apoinct,  ordean,  and 
assigne  the  saids  perpetuall  locall  stipend  at  ilk  paroche  out  of  sic 
speciall  towns  and  lands  of  the  said  paroches,  and  to  uneit3  severall 


1  Without.  J  Worth,  value.      Lat.  inlor.  3  Unite. 

3 


L596.  ME  JAME8  melvtll's  diabt.  337 

parodies  in  an,1  or  dissiver  and  separat  an  in  ma,2  withe  consent  of 
the  parochinars. 

Buik. —  The  Ministers  right  to  the  Teinds  locallie  assigned,  ivith 
reservatioun. 

"  And  to  mak  a  speciall  buik  thairupon,  and  generallie  to  do  all 
things  necessar  for  this  effect.  Whilk  locall  assignations  of  sti- 
pends and  teinds  whatsumever  of  the  particular  townes  and  lands  to 
be  specified  thairin,  sail  pertein  als  frielic  to  the  Minister  of  the  said 
paroche  as  giffhe  haid  bein  provydit  of  auld  in  tytle  thairto.  "Withe 
powar  to  the  said  Minister  to  collect,  gather,  and  intromeat  with, 
and  to  mak  warnings  and  inhebitionnes  against  the  possessours  of 
the  saids  Teinds,  Manses,  and  Gleibs,  with  als  grait  effect  as  anie 
Persone  or  Vicar,  or  anie  uther  beneficed  persone  might  have  done 
in  anie  tymes  bypast,  nochtwithstanding  all  impediments  forsaids 
and  uther  whatsumever,  but  prejudice  of  the  saids  Ministers'  rightes 
to  the  haill  remanent  of  the  saids  benefices,  when  the  sam  sail  veak* 
and  fall  in  thair  hands  be  deceas  of  the  present  possessours,  re- 
ducing or  expyring  of  takes,  or  utherwayes  whatsumever,  and  of 
the  frie  dispositioun  thairupon  as  accordes  of  the  law,  and  conform 
to  this  present  act  in  all  poincts. 

2.  Dissolution  of  grait  Benefices. — Patronages. 

"And  for  the  better  executioun  of  the  premisses,  Our  Soveraine 
Lord,  with  advys  forsaid,  dissolves  expreslie  all  and  whatsumever 
uniones  of  several!  paroche  Kirks  to  Prelacies,  Benefices  of  dignitie 
and  uthers,  and  suppresses  and  abrogattes  the  name  and  stylles  of 
the  said  Prelacies  and  dignities,  and  unites  of  new  the  Teinds  of  ilk 
paroche  whar  the  sain  was  devydit  of  auld  amangs  manie  Preben- 
daries, Chapleanes,  or  uthers,  in  a  haill  benefice  ;  and  ordeanes  that 
Ministers  be  provydit  in  tytle  to  ilk  paroche  Kirk  in  particular, 
quhilk  was  befor  united  to  Prelacies  now  vacand,  or  quhilk  hes 

vacked  in  his  Grace's  hands  sen  the  Parliament  halden  at 

anno  1584,  or  quhilk  sail  in  anie  waves  voak  heirefter  be  dimis- 

1  Into  one.  2  One  into  more.  3  Become  vacant. 

Y 


338  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

sioun,  deprivatiouii,  or  uthenvayes  whatsumcver  ;  and  to  all  uther 
scverall1  parodies,  vacand  bathe  to  the  parsonages  and  vicarages 
thairof,  with  the  manse  and  gleib  of  four  aikers  of  land,  conform  to 
the  formal*  actes  maid  ancnt  the  saids  gleibs  and  manses ;  at  the 
quhilk  Kirks  the  said  Ministers  salbc  oblesit  to  mak  thair  residence, 
and  sail  haiff  intromissionn  with  the  fruicts  thairof,  conform  to  this 
present  act  and  Buik  of  Perpetuall  Modificatioun  of  the  locall  Sti- 
pends to  follow  heirupon.  And  efter  thair  diceas,  demissionn,  or 
deprivatioun,  uther  cpialefiet  persones  to  be  presented  thairto  be  his 
Ilienes  and  his  Grace's  succcssours,  and  be  others  haveand  the  right 
of  presentatioim  and  patronage  thairof;  and  that  na  new  Preben- 
daries salbe  provydit  efter  the  deceis  of  the  present  possessours,  bot 
the  rent  to  accres  to  the  leiving  of  the  Minister,  conform  to  this 
Act,  etc. 

3.    The  ^Estimators  of  the  Valor  of  everie  Towne's  Teinds. 

"  And  because  it  is  maist  neccssar  that  the  saids  locall  stipends 
be  of  a  certean  quantitie,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  ground,  and 
out  of  certean  special!  landes  maist  ewest2  to  the  Kirk  and  com- 
modius  for  the  Minister,  that  the  Minister  may  knaw  whom  of  to 
crave  his  dewtie.  And  seing  it  is  impossible  to  the  Lords  of 
Chccquar  to  knaw  what  landes  till a  apoinct  for  peyment  heirof,  be 
reasone  they  knaw  nocht  nather  the  names  of  the  lands  nor  the 
valour  of  the  Teind-scheaves  of  ilk  particular  town  and  land  within 
this  realnic  ;  Thairfor  his  Hicnes,  with  advys  forsaid,  ordeans,  that 
ilk  Presbyteric  within  this  realme,  with  advys  of  thrie  Barrones  or 
landit  gentilmen,  wha  lies  thair  residence  within  the  said  Presby- 
terie,  of  guid  relligioun,  and  leist  participant  of  Kirk  rents,  choshi 
be  advys  of  the  Generall  Asscinblie,  and  failyeing  of  the  concur- 
rence of  the  saids  Barrones,  that  the  saids  Presbyteries  be  thani 
selves  sail  have  powar  till  estimat  rcasonablie  the  valour  of  Teinds, 
bathe  Personage  and  Vicarage,  of  ilk  particular  townes  and  landes 
lyand  within  ilk  ane  of  the  saids  parodies  of  thair  Presbyteries,  and 
of  the  commodiusnes  thairof  to  the  sustentatioun  of  the  Minister: 
1  Separate.  2  Lying  nearest,  most  contiguous.  3  To. 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  339 

Whilk  estimatioun  salbe  publist  upon  twa  severall  Sondayes  in 
tymc  of  Divyne  service  in  the  said  paroche  Kirks,  with  provisioun, 
that  whatsmnever  partie  enterest  in  anie  wayes  be  the  said  estima- 
tioun, and  pleise  to  complean  thairupon,  sail  haiff  maist  summar 
remead,  befor  the  saids  Lords  of  Checquar,  efter  summarie  cogni- 
tioun  of  the  cause  betwix  the  said  Presbyterie  and  particular  Mini- 
ster of  the  paroche  Kirk,  and  generall  Procutour  for  the  Kirk,  or 
uthers  having  enteres  on  the  an  part,  and  the  said  partie  compleaner 
on  the  uther  part. 

4.    The  maner  of  setting  Takes. 

"  Attour,  because  the  dilapidatioun  of  the  rents  of  the  Kirk  lies 
proceidit  for  the  maist  part  fra  the  Kirk  men  tham  selves,  wha  haid 
ower  grait  libertie  to  sett  sic  lang  takes  and  fewes,  and  for  sic  dewtie 
as  they  pleasit,  the  solemnitie  of  ordinar  Chaptours  serving  nocht 
to  restrean  the  said  dilapidatioun  for  the  quhilk  they  war  first  in- 
stitut,  bot  rather  to  authorise  the  sam,  quhilk  Chaptours  for  the 
maist  part  ar  now  worn  away ;  Thairfor,  Our  Soveraine  Lord,  with 
advys  forsaid,  statutes  and  ordeanes,  that  na  Minister  or  beneficed 
persone  sail  have  powar  to  sett  in  tak,  or  mak  anie  kynd  of  disposi- 
tioun,  alteratioun,  or  change  in  anie  wayes,  the  esteat  of  the  locall 
Stipends  of  the  parodies,  with  whatsumever  consent  or  solemnitie ; 
nather  to  sett  new  taks  or  to  renew  auld  takes  of  whatsumever  uther 
Teinds  of  his  paroche,  or  of  anie  part  thairof,  or  mak  whatsumever 
dispositioun  of  the  sam  in  tymes  coming,  without  the  consent  of  the 
haill  or  maist  part  of  the  Presbyterie  wherin  the  paroche  lyes, 
assemblit  at  thair  ordinarie  day  of  conveining,  efter  reasoning 
twa  former  ordinarie  dayes  anent  the  a3quitie  of  the  setting,  re- 
newing, or  making  of  the  saids  taks  and  dispositiounes :  And  de- 
clares, that  the  converting  of  victuall  or  uther  dcAvties  in  silver 
salbe  expres  diminutioun  of  the  rentall,  and  a  cause  of  nullitie  or 
reduction. 

5.  For  eschewing  of  anti-daittes  and  lang  Takes. 
"  And  for  eschewing  of  ante-deatting  of  Takes  and  rightes  of 


340  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

Teinds  whatsumever,  and  of  the  infinit  tyme  for  the  quhilk  the  sam 
is  sett  in  tyme  bypast,  his  Hienes,  with  advys  foresaid,  ordeanes, 
That  all  and  whatsumever  Taks  of  whatsumever  Teinds  sett  in 
anie  tyme  preceiding  the  dait  heirof,  for  whatsumever  langer  tyme 
of  nianie  nyntein  yeir  takes  or  lyffrents  successive,  sail  indure  onlie 
for  the  space  of  nyntein  yeirs  efter  the  dait  of  the  saids  Taks, 
Withe  provision,  that  whatsumever  nyntein  yeirs  taks  or  lyffrent 
of  teinds,  quhilk  lies  nocht  begoun  in  the  settar's  tyme,  salbe  null 
and  of  nan  aveall,  albeit  an  uther  nyntein  yeir  tak  or  lyffrent  con- 
tined  in  that  sam  tak  lies  begoun  or  run  out  in  the  said  settar's  tym. 
And  that  all  former  takes  of  teinds  preceiding  the  dait  heirof,  lyff- 
rents, assignationnes,  pensionnes,  erectionnes,  fewes,  and  uther  dis- 
positionnes  of  teinds,  salbe  producit  befor  the  Lords  of  Checquare 
before  the  day  of  nixtocome,  and  registrat  in  the  buiks 

of  the  Collectorie ;  at  the  leist,  sa  mikle  of  the  saids  erectionnes 
and  fewes  to  be  registrat  as  concernes  the  right  of  teinds  contenit 
thaii'in  :  And  the  dait  of  the  registratioun  thairof,  and  the  persone 
ingiffar  of  the  saids  taks  and  uther  rights,  to  be  registrat  thairwith 
in  lyk  maner,  and  market  and  snbscry vit  be  the  Collectour  Clark  upon 
the  bak  of  the  saids  taks  and  rightes,  for  eschewing  of  all  fraudes 
quhilk  may  be  heirin  ;  withe  certificatioun,  that  the  takes  and  uther 
rightes  of  whatsumever  teinds  nocht  registrat,  as  said  is,  salbe  null, 
and  mak  na  fa  the  in  j  udgment  nor  without.  And  that  the  imprent- 
ing  or  publicatioim  of  this  Act  salbe  sufficient  intimatioun  heirof,  and 
of  the  certificatioun  forsaid,  without  any  uther  speciall  Lettres,  etc. 

6.  For  eschewing  the  faschrie  and  danger  of  Spuilyie. 

"  Mairover,  because  the  Ministers  and  uther  beneficed  or  laic 
persones,  having  the  right  of  teinds  of  uther  mene's  heritage,  oftymes 
injustlie  troubles  bathe  tham  selves  and  the  lawful!  posscssours  of 
the  saids  teinds,  with  inhibitiones  and  actionnes  of  spuilyie,  wherby 
they  compell  tham  to  height  thair  teinds  above  the  reasonable  valor  : 
Thairfor,  Our  Soverain  Lord,  Avith  advys  forsaid,  declares  and  or- 
deanes,  that  whatsumever  persone  is  lawfullie  in  the  naturall  pos- 
sessioun  of  teinds  be  the  leading  and  intromeatting  thairwith,  the 


1596.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  341 

heritage  or  present  right  of  possessioun  of  the  land  being  his  awin, 
and  makes  guid  and  thankfull  peyment  within  dayes  efter 

ilk  term,  of  the  dewtie  of  the  said  teinds,  conform  to  the  estima- 
tioun  above  wrettin,  to  be  maid  be  the  Presbyteries  forsaid  to  the 
Ministers  and  nthers  having  right  to  the  said  teinds,  in  that  ceas  the 
said  persone  salbe  frie  of  all  actiomi  of  spulyie,  and  danger  qnhilk 
may  follow  upon  inhibitiones  led  against  him  thairanent :  Provyd- 
ing  alwayes,  that  Avhatsumever  persone  committes  anie  violence  in 
ejecting  of  an  uther  furth  of  the  naturall  possessioun  of  leadding  of 
teinds,  salbe  subject  ather  to  the  actiomi  of  spulyie,  or  to  the  quad- 
ruple of  the  estimatioun  forsaid,  at  the  optioun  of  the  partie  eject- 
ed, as  said  is.  Lykas  also  it  is  provydit,  that  whar  the  right,  bathe 
of  the  propertie,  and  present  right  of  the  actuall  possessioun  of  the 
land,  and  als  of  the  teinds,  concurres  in  a1  man's  persone,  it  sail  be 
leisome2  to  him  to  use  inhibitiounes,  and  conform  to  the  auld  ordour, 
apprehend  possessioun  of  his  awin  teinds,  payand  alwayes  the  dewtie 
and  valuatioun  thairof  to  the  Minister,  or  uthers  haiffing  right.  In 
the  qnhilk  cais,  the  offer  of  the  a3stimatioun  forsaid  salbe  na  relevant 
defence  to  rescind  the  naturall  possessioun  of  the  teinds  of  an  uther 
persone's  heritage  :  And  to  eschew  the  danger  of  spuilyie  in  preju- 
dice of  him  wha  hes  the  right  bathe  of  the  lands  and  teinds,  as  said 
is,  and  in  favour  of  him  Avha  hes  na  present  right  to  the  actuall  pos- 
sessioun of  an  uther  mane's  land,  nor  yit  of  the  Teinds  thairof,  etc, 

7.  The  Rentall  of  the  Superplus. 
"  Attour,  be  reasone  that  the  said  Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk  sould 
also  sustein  and  uphauld  Scholes  and  Pure3  with  the  comoun  effeares 
of  the  Kirk,  and  uther  godlie  uses ;  Thairfor,  Our  Soveran  Lord, 
with  advys  forsaid,  statutes  and  ordeanes,  that  a  pcrfyt  Rentall  be 
maid  of  the  superplus  of  the  rents  of  ilk  Paroche  Kirk,  by  and 
attoure  the  forsaids  locall  Stipends,  conteining  the  rightes,  be  the 
qnhilk  the  superplus  of  ilk  benefice  is  presentlie  possessit,  and  that 
the  Minister,  albeit  he  be  provydit  in  tytle  to  the  haill  benefice,  and 
haiff  the  collectione  of  the  haill  frnicts  thairof,  and  libertie  to  re- 
'  One.  -  Allowable,  lawful.  :i  Poor. 


342  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  15%. 

duce  takes  or  fewes,  as  anie  uther  beneficed  persone  might  have 
done  of  befor,  yit  the  saids  Ministers  sail  nocht  have  the  trie  dis- 
positioun  of  the  said  superplus  to  thair  awin  use,  bot  salbe  comptable 
thairfor  to  tham  wha  sail  obtein  the  right  thairof.  And  in  ceas  of 
thair  failyie  in  thankfidl  peyment,  or  commit  violence,  they  salbe 
subject  to  the  danger  of  spulyies,  duble  or  quadruple  of  the  estima- 
tioun  forsaid,  siclyk  as  utters  that  makes  nocht  peyment  thaukfullie 
to  the  said  Ministers  tham  selves,  conform  to  the  formar  Article. 

8.  Distribution  of  the  Superplus. 
"  And  as  for  the  said  Superplus  of  the  Rent  of  ilk  particular 
Paroche  Kirk,  by  and  attour  the  locall  and  perpetual!  stipend 
apointed  for  the  Minister,  whilk  supeqnus  ather  presentlie  perteines 
to  the  Kirk  be  vacking l  of  the  benefice  or  utherwayes,  or  sail  heir- 
efter  pertein  or  fall  in  the  Kirk's  hands,  be  expyring  or  reductioun 
of  Taks  and  uther  rightes,  deceis  of  the  present  possessours,  or  uther- 
wayes Avhatsumever  ;  Our^  Soverain  Lord,  with  advys  foresaid, 
ordeanes  and  statutes,  that  the  said^  superplus  salbe  disponit  be 
advys  of  the  Lords  of  Checquar,  and  breither  of  the  ministerie 
apointed  for  Modificatioun  of  Ministers'  Stipends  :  First,  to  the 
Collages  and  Lords  of  Sessioun,  and  auld  possessours  of  the  benefices 
induring  thair  lyfftymes,  forsamikle  as  salbe  tean2  fra  tham  be  the 
present  ordour  :  Nixt,  that  the  comoun  effeares  of  the  Kirk  be  sufn- 
cientlie  susteined  thairupon :  Thridlie,  that  reasonable  considera- 
tioun  be  haidof  the  Pure,  of  Strangers,  ofWeidows,and  Orphelings; 
Reparatioun  of  Brigges,  Kirks,  Hospitalles,  and  uther  godlie  warks  : 
And  gif  ther  be  anie  rest,3  the  sam  salbe  collected  and  keiped  to 
the  use  of  the  Kirk,  and  at  than  dispositioun  alleanerlie. 

The  Comoun  Effeares  of  the  Kirk,  the  Scholles,  and  Pure,  to  be 
provydit  out  of  the  Superplus,  sufficient-lie,  first  of  all. 

"And  whatsumever  particular  persone,  Collage,  or  uther,  sail  ob- 
tein assignations  of  anie  part  of  the  superplus  be  the  saids  Lords  and 
modifiers,  thair  said  assignatioun  and  letters  thairupon  salbe  speci- 
1  Vacancy,  remaining  vacant.  -  Taken.  3  Residue. 


159G.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  343 

alie  in  quantitie,  and  out  of  what  townes  and  landes  the  sam  is  as- 
signed; and  the  saids  lettres  salbe  specialie  directed  against  the 
tenents  and  actuall  possessours  of  the  saids  particular  lands,  and  the 
Minister  of  the  paroche  alleanerlie,  swa  that  na  lettres  in  tyme  com- 
ing be  directed  generall  against  '  all  and  sindrie  parochinars,'  etc. ; 
and  of  the  best  and  readiest  of  the  fruicts  quhair  the  right  quhairupon 
the  lettres  passes  extendes  onlie  to  ane  part  of  the  fruicts,  and  nocht 
to  the  haill  fruicts  of  the  paroche,  as  wes  of  befor,  quhilk  was  the 
occasioun  of  grait  confusioun. 

9.   Commissionars  from  Presbyteries  to  Voit  in  Parliament. 

"  And  because  the  Prelacies  in  effect  war  befor  dissolvit,  the  haill 
temporalities  thairof  being  annexit  to  the  Croun,  and  Ministers'  Sti- 
pends ordeanit  to  be  tean  out  of  the  Paroche  Kirks  united  and  in- 
corporated thairwith,  lyk  as  be  this  ordour  the  haill  Spiritualitie  and 
Teinds  is  of  new  destinat,  gevin,  and  mortefied  to  the  Kirk,  quher- 
by  the  saids  Prelacies  is  alluterlie  dissolvit,  and  sa  ceisses  in  tymes 
coming  to  be  an  of  our  Esteattes  in  Parliament :  Therfor,  Our  Sove- 
raine  Lord,  with  advys  forsaid,  statutes  and  ordeanes,  that  in  tyme 
coining  ilk  Presbyterie  sail  send,  of  thair  awin  number,  ane  Com- 
missionar  to  the  Parliament,  out  of  the  quhilk  haill  nomber  of  Com- 
missionars the  rest  of  the  Esteattes  sail  chuse  sa  manie  as,  being- 
joy  ned  with  the  auld  possessours  of  the  Prelacies  quha  salbe  pre- 
sent for  the  tyme,  may  mak  out  the  full  and  compleit  number  of 
tham  wha  lies  vott  in  Parliament  for  the  esteat  of  the  Kirk,  quhilk 
number  salbe  requall  with  the  number  of  anie  of  the  uther  Es- 
teattes. And  efter  the  deceis  of  the  haill  present  possessours  of  Pre- 
lacies, the  haill  number  of  the  Kirk's  Esteat  salbe  elected,  and  tean 
of  the  saids  Commissionars  of  Presbyteries,  wha  sail  have  sic  vott, 
privileages,  and  liberties  in  Parliament  as  the  saids  Prelattea  haid 
of  befor,  etc. 

Act  of  Febriiar. 

"  And  to  the  effect  that  the  rightes  of  na  parties  be  farder  pre- 
judget,  Our  Soveran  Lord,  with  advys  forsaid,  Ratifies  all  actes  and 


344  Mil  JAMES  melvill's  DIABT.  1596. 

statutes,  maid  of  bef'or  in  favour  of  the  Kirk,  in  sa  far  as  the  sam 
aggries  or  may  in  any  way  fortifie  this  present  act :  And  speciallie, 
the  Act  be  Secret  Counsall,  Sessioun,  and  Checquare,  upon  the  14 
of  Februar,  1587  :  And  in  lyk  maner,  all  Actes  and  Statutes  maid 
in  favour  of  Fewes,  Takes,  Patronages,  Pensiounes,  Erectiounes, 
and  uther  dispositiounes  of  the  Kirk-rents,  in  sa  far  as  they  ar 
nocht  contrare  or  anie  wayes  repugnant  to  this  present  act,  and  full 
execution  thairof.  Quhilk  Actes,  togidder  with  all  and  whatsum- 
ever  rights  perteining  to  privat  persones  and  parties,  sic  as  fewes, 
provision  of  their  benefices,  erectionnes,  takes,  lyffrents,  pensionnes, 
patronages,  assignationnes,  and  dispositiounes  whatsumever  of  the 
Teinds,  sail  stand  in  the  sam  force  as  of  befor  the  making  of  thir 
presents  ;  exceptand,  planlie,  in  sa  far  as  they  ar  expreslie  prejudgit 
be  the  said  locall  stipend  to  be  apointed  at  everie  particular 
paroche,  conform  to  the  tennour  of  this  present  Act,  and  Buik  of 
particular  Modificatioun  to  follow  thairupon,  and  uther  provisiouns 
and  restrictiounes  expreslie  conteined  heirin. 

"  Lykas  our  Soveran  Lord,  with  advys  forsaid,  abrogates  all 
former  lawes,  actes,  constitutionnes,  practiques,  and  ordinances 
whatsumever,  quhilk  may  in  anie  wayes  hinder,  stope,  or  imped 
this  present  act  and  full  force  and  execution  thairof;  and  declares 
whatsumever  salbe  done  in  the  contrar  thairof,  or  anie  part  of  it, 
the  feilyie  and  contraventioun  salbe  tryed,  and  the  right,  disposi- 
tion, or  uther  deid  whatsumever  done  contrar  to  the  tennour  heirof, 
salbe  reducit  and  annullit,  as  weill  be  way  of  exceptioun,  reply, 
or  duply,  as  be  way  of  actioun.  Lykas  our  Soveran  Lord,  with  ad- 
vys forsaid,  commands  that  na  Judges  remit  to  an  action,  or  delay 
the  proponar  of  the  said  nullities  be  way  of  exceptioun,  reply,  or 
duply,  but  proceid  instantlie  to  the  tryell  of  the  said  nullitie,  as 
said  is. 

10.    The  Modxfeing  of  the  Local  Stipend  pnyiortionablie. 
"  Attour,  because  there  is  divers  and  sindrie  persones  wha  pre- 
sentlie  brukes    the  rents  of  ilka  paroche  Kirk,  Our  Soveran  Lord, 
with  advys  forsaid,  ordeanes,  that  the  quantitie  of  the  locall  and 


15UG.  MR  J  AM  ES  MELVILL'S  DIARY .  34  5 

perpetual!  stipends  sould  be  aequalie  tean  fra  ilk  an  of  the  saids  per- 
sones  proportionate,  at  the  least  ilk  an  to  releive  uthers  propor- 
tionalie,  according  to  the  frie  profit  quhilk  they  receave  of  the  saids 
Teinds,  at  the  cliscretioun  and  summar  cognitioun  of  the  saids  mo- 
difiers, wha  salbe  onlie  judges  heirin,  and  sail  try,  judge,  and  cog- 
nos  sumarlie  upon  the  a?quitie  of  the  releiff  betwix  the  possessours 
of  the  saids  Teinds,  sic  as  whar  ther  is  an  Prelat  or  auld  provydit 
man,  an  or  ma  Taksmen  or  pensionars,  new  erected  Lordschipe, 
with  Teinds  includit,  with  the  fewes  of  lands,  fewes  of  fermes,  and 
whatsumever  uther  varictie  ther  is  of  rightes,  be  the  quhilk  the  pos- 
sessour  of  the  Teinds  of  ilk  paroche  respective  bruikes  the  sam. 

11.    The  King's  Right  and  Releiff. 

"  And  what  releifF  the  rest  aught  to  mak  to  them  fra  whom  im- 
mediatlie  the  rightes  of  the  Teinds  is  tean,  quhilk  salbe  assigned 
for  the  perpetuall  locall  Stipend  of  ilk  Paroche  Kirk,  quherein  also 
salbe  considderit  the  right  quhilk  our  Soverain  Lord  haid  to  the 
Thriddes  or  anie  uther  partes  of  the  Benefices,  togidder  with  sic 
uther  actio nnes  for  the  quhilk  his  Majestie  might  have  chargit  the 
possessours  of  the  said  Teinds.  Lykas  also  the  saids  Lords  of  the 
Checquar,  in  the  making  of  the  said  releiff,  sail  considder  immuni- 
ties and  privilages,  and  rightes  quhilk  parties  haid  of  befor,  and  va- 
liditie  thairof,  with  all  uther  circumstances,  ex  cequo  et  bono  :  And 
for  this  effect,  Our  Soveran  Lord,  with  advys  forsaid,  giffes  powar 
to  the  saids  Lords  of  Checquar,  and  Ministers  specialie  to  be 
apointed,  be  his  Hienes'  Commissioun,  being  alwayes  requall  in 
number  with  the  saids  Lords,  to  interpret  all  obscurities,  and  to 
decyde  summarlie  all  controversies,  quhilk  sail  aryse  upon  this 
present  act,  and  upon  the  forsaid  releiff,  betwix  all  parties  subject 
thairto. 

"  FINIS." 

This  Plat  was  thought  the  best  and  maist  exact  that  ever  was 
devysit  or  sett  down,  and  wald,  sum  litle  things  amendit,  [haiffj  bein 
glaidlie  receavit  be  the   breithring  of  best  judgment,  gif,  in  the 


346  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diabt.  L596. 

monethe  of  August  1596,  ther  haid  nocht  bein  ane  act  of  Esteattes 
devysit  anent  the  renewing  of  the  Takes  of  Teinds  to  the  present 
takismen  for  thair  granting  to  the  Perpetuall  Plat,  quliilk  in  effect 
maid  the  Teinds  in  all  tyme  coniming  heritable  to  tham ;  thir  lo- 
call  stipends  and  a  portioun  to  the  King  sett  asyde  in  ilka  parochc.1 
To  the  quhilk,  nather  the  Kirk,  nor  gentilmen  whase  teinds  was  in 
uther  men's  possessioun,  could  nor  wald  condiscend  to.  And  sa, 
as  I  mentioned  befor,  the  cheiff  of  this  wark  gaiff  it  ower  as  a  thing 
nocht  lyk  to  be  done  in  his  dayes. 

The  Generall  Assemblie,  convenit  at  Edinbruche  in  the  monethe 
of  Apryll  that  yeir,  1596,  be  the  motioun  of  sum  godlie  fathers  and 
guid  zealus  breithring,  was  almaist  haillelie  occupied  in  tryall  of 
thair  members,  and  exerceis  of  repentance  and  reformatioun  of  cor- 
ruptiones  in  the  office  and  lyves  of  the  Ministerie ;  and  remember- 
ing whow  the  peiple  of  God  upon  divers  occasiones,  namlie  a  grait 
apprehensioun  of  thair  shines  and  God's  judgments  imminent  thair- 
for,  did  tak  tham  to  Humiliation  and  Fasting,  and  Renewing  the 
Covenant  of  mercie  and  grace  with  thair  God,  for  preventing  of  his 
judgments,  and  continuance  of  his  gratius  favour  :  As  in  the  Plean2 
of  Moab,  be  the  motioun  and  direction  of  Moses,  Deut.  xxix.  and 
xxx. ;  in  the  Field  of  Sichem,  at  Silo,  be  Josua,  Jos.  xxiv. ;  be  Sa- 
muel, in  Mizpa,  1  Sam.  vii. ;  at  Jerusalem,  in  the  hous  of  the 
Lord,  be  Joiada,  2  Cornicl.  xxiii. ;  sic  lyk  in  the  8am  place  be 
Josia,  2  Kings  xxiii. ;  as  also  be  Ezra  and  Nehemias  ;  they  thought 
it  maist  neidfull  to  giff  tham  selves  to  the  saming,  beginning  ther 
presentlie  amangs  the  Pastors  at  that  Assemblie,  and  be  that 
exemple  to  pas  to  the  Synods  in  eyerie  Province,  and  from  tham  to 
the  Presbyteries,  and  sa  to  everie  Congregation  in  particular.  The 
quhilk,  of  the  grait  mercie  and  blessing  of  God,  was  effectuat,  the 
Lord  preparing  his  servants  and  Kirk  for  a  tryall  following,  be  a 
maist  profitable  and  confortable  exerceis  going  befor;  yea,  making 
that   Icirfnll  invasioun  of  the  devill  to  com  on  wlien  his  servants  war 

1  In  each  parish.  -  Plain. 


1596.  ME  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  347 

best  sett  and  maist  happelie  occupied,  quliilk  giffes '  me  yit  assu- 
rance that  God  will  yit  in  niercie  repeal*  the  brakes 2  and  decayes  of 
his  Jerusalem  ! 

First,  certean  Breithring  of  scharpest  and  best  insight  Avar  sett 
asyde  to  pen  The  Enormities  and  Corruptiones  of  the  Ministerie, 
and  the  Remead  thairof ;  the  quliilk,  returnit  to  the  Assemblie,  was 
hard,  considerit,  and  allowit.  The  tennour,  in  substance,  wharof 
followes : — 


THE  TENNOR  OF  THE  ADVYSE  OF  THE  BREITHRING  DEPUT  FOR 
PENNING  OF  THE  ENORMITIES  AND  CORRUPTIONS  OF  THE  MINI- 
STRIE,  AND  REMEAD  THAIROF  ALLOWIT  BE  THE  GENERALL  AS- 
SEMBLIE, APR.  1596. 

Corruptions  in  the  Office. 

11  Forsamikle  as,  be  the  over  suddan  admissioun  and  light  tryall 
of  persones  that  cntres  in  the  Ministerie,  it  comes  to  pas  that  manie 
sklanders  falles  out  in  the  persones  of  Ministers,  It  wald  be  or- 
deanit,  for  remead  in  tyme  coming,  that  man-  diligent  inquisition 
and  tryall  be  usit  of  all  sic  persones  as  sail  enter  in  the  Ministrie  : 
As  specialie,  in  thir  poincts,  That  the  intrant  salbe  posit  upon  his 
conscience,  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  that  in  maist  grave  ma- 
ner,  What  moves  him  to  accept  the  office  and  charge  of  the  Mini- 
strie upon  him  ?  If  it  be  a  trew  inwart  motioun  and  desyre  to  serve 
God  and  win  saullcs  to  Chryst,  or  warldlic  moyen  of  lyff  and  pre- 
ferment ?  That  it  be  inquyrit  giff  anie,  be  solistation  or  moyen,3 
directlie  or  indirectlie,  pres  to  enter  in  the  said  office  ?  And  it  being 
fund,  that  the  solistar  be  repellit ;  and  that  the  Presbyterie  repell 
all  sic  of  thair  number  fra  voting  in  the  electioun  or  admissioun  as 
salbe  fund  moyennars  for  the  solicitar,  posit  upon  thair  conscience 
to  declar  the  treuthe  for  that  effect. 

"  Because,  be  Presentationnes,  manic  are  intrusit  forciblie  in  the 

1  Gives.  2  Breaches.  :!  Interest,  influence. 


348  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  15%. 

Ministrie  and  upon  Congregationnes,  that  utters  thairefter  that 
they  war  nocht  callit  be  God,  It  wald  be  provydit,  that  nan  seik 
presentationnes  to  Benefices  without  advys  of  the  Presbyterie  with- 
in the  bounds  wharof  the  benefice  lyes ;  and  giff  anie  do  in  the 
contrare,  to  be  repelled  as  ret  ambitus. 

"  That  the  tryall  of  persones  to  be  admitted  to  the  Ministerie 
heirefter,  consist  nocht  only  in  thair  lerning  and  abilitie  to  preitche, 
bot  also  in  conscience,  and  feiling,  and  spirituall  wesdome,  and  naui- 
lie  in  the  knawlage  of  the  bounds  of  thair  calling,  in  doctrine,  disci- 
pline, and  wesdome,  that  he  may  behave  him  selff  accordinglie  with 
the  divers  rankes  of  persones  within  his  flock,  as  namlie  Atheists, 
rebellius,  and  those  that  ar  vexit  with  divers  tentationes,  and  ar 
waik  in  conscience,  and  sic  uther  Avherin  the  pastorall  charge  is 
maist  kythed,  and  that  he  be  meit  to  stope  the  mouthes  and  con- 
vince the  adversars  :  And  sic  as  ar  nocht  fluid  qualifeit  in  thir 
poincts,  to  be  deleyit  till  fordar  tryall,  if  ther  be  appeirance  they 
may  be  fand  qualefiet.  And  because  men  may  be  meit  for  sum 
places  that  ar  nocht  for  uther,  it  wald  be  considderit  that  the  prin- 
cipall  places  of  the  realme  be  provydit  be  men  of  maist  worthie 
gifts,  wesdome,  and  experience,  and  that  nan  tak  the  charge  of 
graitter  number  of  peiple  nor  they  ar  able  to  govern  ;  and  that  this 
Assemblie  tak  ordour  thairwitli. 

"  That  sic  as  salbe  mud  nocht  gevin  to  thair  buik,  and  studie  of 
(Scriptures,  nocht  cairfull  to  have  buikes,  nocht  gevin  to  sanctifica- 
tioun  and  prayer,  that  studie  nocht  to  be  powerful!  and  spirituall  in 
doctrine,  nocht  applying  the  sam  to  everie  corruptioun,  quhilk  is  the 
pastorall  gift,  obscure  and  over  scholastic  befor  the  peiple,  cauld 
and  wanting  spiritual!  zeall,  negligent  in  visiting  of  the  seik,  and 
caring  for  the  pure,  indiscreit  in  schosing  of  parts  of  the  Word 
nocht  meit  for  the  flok,  flatterers,  and  dissembling  at  publict  sinnes, 
namlie  of  grait  personages,  in  thair  Congregationes,  for  ather  flat- 
terie  or  fcir  :  That  all  sic  personnes  be  censured  according  to  the 
degrics  of  thair  faults;  and  if  they  amend  nocht,  bot  continow 
tliairunto,  to  be  depryved. 

"That  sic  as  be  sleuthfuU  in  the  ministration  of  the  Sacraments, 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIARY.  34i) 

and  irreverent  profaners  thairof,  receaving  clein  and  unclein,  igno- 
rant and  sensles,  profan,  making  na  conscience  of  thair  professioun 
in  thair  calling  and  families,  omitting  dew  tryell  and  examinatioun, 
or  using  light,  or  nan  at  all,  or  having  in  thair  tryell  respect  of  per- 
sones,  wharin  ther  is  manifauld  corruptiones  ;  that  all  sic  be  scharp- 
lie  rebuked,  and  if  they  continow  thairin,  deposit. 

"  GifF  anie  be  fund  sellars  of  the  Sacraments,  or  colludars  with 
sklanderus  persones  in  dispensing  and  ower-seing '  tham  for  money, 
be  deposit  simpliciter. 

"  That  everie  Minister  be  chargit  to  have  a  Sessioun  established 
of  the  meittest  men  in  his  Congregatioun,  and  that  discipline,  strik 
nocht  onlie  upon  gros  sinnes,  as  hurdome,  blodshed,  &c,  bot  upon 
all  sinnes  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God,  as  blasphemie  of  God's 
nam,  swearing  in  vean,  banning,2  profaning  of  the  Sabathe,  disobe- 
dience to  parents,  idle,  unrewlie  annes  without  calling,  drunkards, 
and  sic  lyk  deboushit  men  as  hes  na  conscience  in  thair  lyff  and 
rewling  of  thair  families,  specialie  in  bringing  upe  of  thair  bernes, 
liars,  sklanderars,  bakbyters,  braullars,  uncharitable,  merciles,  bra- 
kers  of  promise,  &c,  and  this  to  be  an  universall  rewll  throuchout 
the  realme.  And  sic  as  be  negligent  heirin,  and  continow,  efter 
admonitioun,  in  thair  negligence,  to  be  deposit. 

"  That  ther  be  a  cair  in  receaving  of  sic  as  fall  in  publict  sklan- 
der,  to  sie  tham  nocht  onlie  gif  outward  obedience  by  constrent, 
quhilk  is  the  Magistrat's  office,  bot  to  find  appeirand  warrand  in 
conscience  of  thair  trew  conversion,  finding  in  tham  bathe  a  feillino- 
of  thair  sine  and  apprehensioun  of  mercie  ;  and  that  nocht  onlie 
in  that  opin  sine  wherin  they  ar  tean,3  bot  in  far  graitter  covered 
sinnes  committed  against  God,  and  knawin  to  him :  And  sa,  to 
use  this  occasioun  to  win  the  saull  throwlie  to  Chryst,  be  all  dili- 
gence in  doctrine  and  exhortation  ;  and  namlie,  of  repentance, 
quhilk  nocht  being  trewlie  practised  then,  that  place  is  abbusit, 
and  the  persone  casten  in  graitter  sin,  and  God  mair  heilie  of- 
fendit  for  publict  profanatioun  and  mockage. 

1  Overlooking,  winking  at.  2  Cursing,  using  imprecations.  3  Taken. 


350  MB  JAMES  melvtll's  diart.  L596. 

"  Dilapidatioun  of  Benefices,  demitting  of  tham  for  favour  or 
money,  that  they  becom  new  Patronages  without  the  advys  of  the 
Kirk,  to  the  wrak  thairof ;  and  siclyk  interchanging  of  Benefices 
be  transactioun,  and  transporting  of  tham  selves  be  thatoccasioun, 
without  the  knawlagc  of  the  Kirk,  preceislie  to  be  punished.  Sic- 
lyk, setting  of  Takkis,  without  the  consent  of  the  Assemblie,  be 
punished  according  to  the  Actes;  and  that  the  demission  in  fa- 
vours, for  money  or  otherwise,  to  the  effect  above  wryttin,  be 
punished  as  dilapidators. 

Corruptiones  in  (hair  Persones  and  Lyfs. 

"  That  all  sic  as  ar  light  and  wanton  in  behaviour,  as  in  gorgeus 
and  light  apperrell,  in  speitche,  corrupt  communication,  morologie,1 
aischrologie,  entrapelie,  using  vean  and  profan  companie,  unlawfiill 
gaming,  as  dancing,  carting,  dicing,  and  siclyk,  nocht  beseiming 
the  gravitie  of  a  Pastor,  be  scharplie  and  gravlie  rebukit  be  the 
Presbyterie  according  to  the  degrie  thairof;  and  continowing  thair- 
in,  efter  dew  admonitioun,  that  sic  be  deprivit  as  sklanderus  to  the 
Gospell. 

"  That  Ministers  being  fund  swearers  or  banners,  profaners  of 
the  Sabbathe,  drunkards,  feghtars,  guiltie  of  all  thir,  or  anie  of 
tham,  be  deposed  simpliciter ;  and  sic  lyk  leiars,  detracters,  flatter- 
ers, brekers  of  promise,  brawlars,  and  quarrellars,  efter  admonitioun 
continowing  thairin,  incur  the  lyk  punishment. 

"  That  Ministers  gevin  to  unlawfiill  and  incompetent  traids  and 
occupationnes  for  filthic  gaine,  as  haulding  of  hostillaries,2  taking 
of  ockar  besyd  conscience3  and  guid  lawes,  and  bearing  warldlic 
offices  in  noble  and  gentihncn's  housscs,  merehandice,  hying  of 
victualles,  and  keiping  of  tham  to  the  darthe,1  and  all  sic  lyk 
Avarldlic  occupatiounes  as  may  distract  tham  from  than*  charge,  and 
that  may  be  sklanderus  to  that  pastorall  calling,  be  admonished, 
and  brought  to  the  acknawlagment  of  thair  shines,  and  if  they  con- 
tinow  thairin,  to  be  deposit. 

1  Foolish  divination.  2  Public  houses  or  inns.  a  Usury,  contrary  to  conscience. 
1 "  Forest  ailing"  and  "  regrating"  markets. 


159(3.  M  R  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  351 

"  That  Ministers  nocht  resident  at  thair  flockes  be  deposit,  ac- 
cording to  the  Actes  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  and  Lawes  of  the 
realme,  utherwayes  the  bnrding  to  be  leyed  upon  the  Presbyteries, 
and  they  to  be  censured  thairfor. 

"  That  the  Assemblie  command  all  thair  members,  that  nan  of 
tham  await  on  the  Court,  and  effaires  thairof,  without  the  advys  and 
allowance  of  thair  Presbyterie.  Item,  that  they  intend '  na  actioun 
civill  without  the  said  advys  ;  and  for  remeading  of  the  necessitie 
that  sum  Ministers  hes  to  enter  in  pley  of  law,2  that  remead  be 
cravit  for  summar  and  schort  processes  to  be  usit  in  Ministers' 
actiones. 

"  That  Ministers  tak  speciall  cair  in  using  godlie  exerceis  in 
thair  famihes,  in  teatcliing  of  thair  wyfFes,  childring,  and  servands, 
in  using  ordinar  prayers  and  reiding  of  Scriptures,  in  removing  of 
offensive  persones  out  of  thair  famihes,  and  sic  lyk  uther  poincts  of 
godlie  conversatioim  and  guid  exemple  :  And  that  they  at  the  visi- 
tatioun  of  thair  Kirks  try  the  Ministers'  families  in  thir  poincts 
forsaid  ;  and  sic  as  ar  fund  negligent  in  thir  poincts,  efter  dew  ad- 
monitioun,  salbe  adjudgit  unmeit  to  govern  the  hous  of  God,  ac- 
cording to  the  rewll  of  the  Apostle. 

"  That  Ministers,  in  all  companies,  stryve  to  be  spirituall  and 
profitable,  and  to  talk  of  things  perteining  to  godlines,  as  namlie, 
of  all  sic  as  may  strcinthen  in  Chryst,  instruct  in  thair  calling,  and 
of  the  meanes  whow  to  have  Chryst's  Kingdome  better  establishit 
in  Congregatiounes,  and  to  knaw  whow  the  Gospell  florishethe  in 
flockes,  the  hinderances  and  remeadies  thairof,  &c,  wharin  and 
anent  thair  is  manifauld  corruptiounes  bathe  in  our  companeing 
with  our  selves  and  uthers.  That  the  contravcinars  herof  be  tryed 
and  scharplie  rebukit. 

"  Finalie,  If  a  Minister  be  fimd  to  countinance,  procure,  or  assist 
a  publict  offendar  put  at  be  his  awin  Minister,  and  to  beir  with 
him,  as  tho  his  awin  Minister  war  over  seveir  upon  him,  he  be  re- 
buikit,"  &c. 

"  PENIS." 
1  Intent,  raise.  2  Enter  in  law-pleas. 


352  MR  JAMES  melvtll's  mart.  1596. 

Thir  Corruptiones  and  Kemeads,  being  read  in  the  Assemblie, 
was  recommendit  to  the  consideration  of  all  the  Breithring  betwix 
God  and  thair  conscience ;  and  all  war  exhorted  to  prepar  thani 
selves  again  the  day  following  to  the  exerceise  of  the  Word,  fast- 
ing and  prayer,  and  sa  to  the  actionn  of  renewing  the  Covenant. 

The  day  following,  the  haill  Breithring  war  assemblit  in  the 
Lessar  Kirk '  of  Edinbrnche,  tham  alean,2  without  the  peiple,  whar 
a  godlie,  zelus  father,  Mr  Jhone  Davidsone,  haid  the  doctrin  and 
directioun  of  the  actioun,  being  the  mouthe  of  the  rest  in  prayer. 
His  doctrine  was  upon  the  41,  42,  43,  44,  45,  and  46  verses  of  the 
xii.  of  Luc's  Evangell ;  verie  plean,  particular,  and  powerfull,  in  sic 
sort  as  the  gravitie  and  motion  of  the  man  him  selff,  with  the 
mightie  force  of  the  Word,  moved  the  haill  Breithring  exceidinglie. 
Efter  the  quhilk,  all  war  directed  to  thair  privat  meditationes,  con- 
fessioun,  and  prayer,  a  large  space;  efter  the  quhilk  the  forsaid 
mouthe  maid  publict  confessioun  and  deprecatioun,  during  the 
quhilk  tyme  teares  war  shed  aboundantlie.  Thairefter  the  Mode- 
rator, declaring  the  purpose  and  end  of  the  actioun,  as  be  the  teares 
and  countenance  of  the  Breithring,  unfeinyit  sorow  and  humilia- 
tioun  was  testified,  sa  he  desyrit  that  be  the  lifting  upe  of  thair 
handes  they  sould  signifie  the  desyre  and  resolution  quhilk  they 
haid  of  amendiment  of  all  bypast  shines,  in  commissioun  or  omis- 
sioun,  against  God  and  dewtie,  in  thair  office  and  persones,  promis- 
ing, be  his  grace,  an  ernest  indcvour  for  the  sam ;  and  sa  a  entring 
of  new  againe  in  Covenant  with  thair  God  in  Jesus  Chryst,  the 
grait  Pastor  of  the  saulles,  and  Mediator  of  the  Covenant,  &c. 
Efter  the  quhilk,  prayer  being  maid  be  the  Moderator,  for  obtain- 
ing of  grace,  and  working  of  the  Spreit  for  that  effect,  the  blessing 
was  pronuncit,  and  the  actioun  endit,  quhilk  lasted  about  the  space 
of  thrie  houres  and  mair. 

1  Also  called  the  Little  Kirk  and  Mr  Robert  Bruce's  Kirk,  and  latterly  Haddo's 
Hold,  or  the  New  North  Kirk.  2  Alone. 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIARY.  353 


THE  COVENANT  RENEWED  IN  THE  SYNOD  OF  FFYF,  12TH  MAY  159(5. 

In  the  fburt  sessioun  thairof,  anent  the  making  of  a  new  Cove- 
nant betwix  God  and  his  Ministerie  within  this  realme,  ordeanit  in 
the  last  Generall  Assemblie  to  be  done  in  everie  Synodall  throuch- 
out  the  land,  the  present  Assemblie  of  Fyff,  apprehending  the 
weghtines,  tending  ather  to  an  effectuall  reformatioim  of  all  things 
amis  (sa  far  as  can  ly  in  the  waiknes  of  man)  in  the  Pastors  first, 
and  syne  in  thair  flockes,  or  then  to  involve  all  in  a  mair  feirfull 
giltines  and  danger  of  horrible  judgment,  be  sealling  npe  a  new  and 
maist  grave  testimonie  and  witnessing  against  all,  thought  it  maist 
neidfull  that  all  meanes  sould  be  usit  that  might  move  and  steir  upe 
the  hartes  of  the  breithring  to  an  ernest  consideratioun  and  feilling 
of  thair  undewtifulnes  and  transgressiones  in  thair  offices,  families, 
and  persones,  to  bring  tham  to  a  trew  humiliatioun,  sorrow,  and 
greiff  thairfor,  to  a  plean  confessioun  of  the  sam  in  the  presence  of 
God,  a  cearfull  seiking  of  mercie  for  Jesus  Chryst's  seak,  an  avow- 
ing and  promising  of  amendiment  in  tyme  to  come,  be  the  assist- 
ance and  mair  effectual  working  of  the  Spreit  of  Grace,  and  a  ve- 
hement solisting  of  God  be  prayer  for  that  effect.  And  sa  causit 
first  to  reid  in  the  publict  audience  of  the  Assemblie,  distinctlie, 
the  Articles  of  Reformatioun  sett  down  in  the  last  Generall  Assem- 
blie, the  quliilks  war  ordeanit  to  be  insert  in  the  Buik  of  the  Synod, 
and  everie  Presbyterie  commandit  to  haiff  the  copie  thairof  in  thair 
buiks,  and  to  cause  everie  an  of  thair  members  to  extract  to  tham 
selff  a  copie  thairof  for  thair  rememberance.  Nixt,  for  preparatioun 
of  the  hartes,  ordeanit  the  Pastor  of  the  place,  David  Fergusone, 
to  keipe  his  awin  place  and  houre  of  doctrine  the  day  following, 
and  studie  to  fram  his  doctrin  for  the  purpose ;  and  be  the  vottes  of 
the  maist  part,  all  maid  chois  of  Mr  David  Blak  to  teatche  the  nixt 
day  thairefter,  to  be  keipit  with  preceise  abstinence.  Immediatlie 
efter  the  quhilk  doctrine,  the  haill  breithring  sould  convein  in  the 
place  of  the  Assemblie  for  the  solem  reneAving  of  the  said  Covenant ; 
and,  in  the  mean  tyme,  ernest  exhortatioun  was  maid  be  the  Mode' 

z 


354  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

rator  to  wey  the  mater  and  wark  they  war  about,  maist  deiplie  and 
ernestlie,  with  thair  God,  in  thair  conscience,  with  meditation  of 
the  forsaid  poincts  of  Reformatioun,  and  rememberance  of  that  curse 
upon  sic  as  does  the  Lord's  wark  negligentlie  and  deceatfullie. 
Also  to  call  to  God  ernestlie  for  the  breithring  apointed  to  deall  in 
doctrine. 

Sa,  upon  the  13  day  of  May,  being  Furisday,1  efter  the  doctrin 
delyverit  be  Mr  David  Blak,  upon  the  ground,  the  13  chapter  of 
Ezech.,  and  last  vers  of  the  5  Psalme,  the  quhilk  was  copius,  power- 
full,  percing,  and  pertinent,  the  breithring  of  the  Ministerie,  and 
Commissionars  of  eyerie  paroche  present,  haillelie  and  immediatlie 
convening  in  the  place  of  the  Synodall,  the  Moderator,  for  the 
better  disposing  of  the  harts,  and  exemple  of  ordourlie  proceiding  in 
the  actioun,  red  the  last  chaptour  of  the  Buik  of  Josua,  wherin 
Josua,  calling  togidder  the  heades  and  rewlars  of  the  peiple,  re- 
coumptes  the  benefites  of  God  bestowit  upon  tham,  and  settes 
the  said  rewlars  and  heades  of  the  peiple  to  advysment,  Whidder 
they  war  resolvit  and  uprightlie  meined  to  serve  that  God  in 
uprightnes  and  treuthe,  utherwayes  to  leave  af  anie  professioun 
of  his  service,  and  tak  tham  to  idolatrie ;  and  sa,  efter  divers 
demands,  and  answers  gevin  be  the  peiple,  he  settes  down  the 
Contract  and  Covenant  in  forme,  and  registers  the  sam  in  the 
Buik  of  the  Law,  and  setts  upe  a  stan  under  an  ake  trie,2  in  a 
monument  thairof  for  a  memorandum  in  all  tynie  to  come.  The 
quhilk  exemple  and  form  was  followed  poinct  be  poinct.  First,  be 
commemoration  of  the  benefites  of  God  bestowit  on  the  Kirk  of 
Scotland  in  planting  and  garding  the  saming  from  the  Castalians, 
Obenittes,  Spaniarts,  Bischopc  Balaam,  and  lait  Conspiracie  of  the 
Papist  Erles.  The  quhilk  being  endit,  and  a  lvtle  begoun  to  be 
spokin  of  unthankfulnes  and  undewti mines  in  caring  trewlic  and 
ernestlie  over  that  wark  of  God,  and  watching  over  the  flockes  of 
Chryst  committed  to  the  Pastor^  charge,  and  over  the  quhilk  the 
Lord  haid  sett  tham  sa  lang  with  sic  libertie  and  ease,  the  Lord 

1  Thursday.  '-'  Sets  up  a  stone  under  an  oak  tret'. 


1596.  MK  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARV.  355 

steirit  upe  sic  a  motioun  of  hart,  that  all  war  forcit  to  fall  down  be- 
for  the  Lord,  with  sobbes  and  teares  in  aboundance,  everie  man 
mightelie  commovit  with  the  affectionnes  of  thair  conscience  in  the 
presence  of  thair  God,  in  privat  meditatioun,  rypping  out  thair 
wayes,  confessing  and  acknawlaging  thair  unworthines,  and  craving 
ernestlie  grace  for  amendiment,  and  that  a  lang  space. 

Efter  the  quhilk,  the  hartes  being  sattelit,  the  Moderator,  as 
comoun  mouthe  of  all,  at  grait  lainthe  maid  open  confessioun  of 
unthankfulnes,  forgettfuhies,  undewtifulnes,  negligence,  and  caldnes, 
hardnes  of  hart,  darknes,  senslesnes,  instabilitie,  vanitie  of  mynd, 
stubburnes  and  rebellioun  in  will,  foulnes  and  uncleinnes  in  affec- 
tionnes,  undantoned  feritie l  in  perturbationes,  unsavorines  and  folie 
of  speiche,  and  of  conversatioim  facioned  efter  the  warld,  easeliar 
and  mair  reddelie  drawin  efter  the  manersand  custome  thairoffrom 
God,  then  having  force  of  holines  and  of  the  Spreit,  in  word  and 
actioun,  to  draw  the  peiple  from  thair  vean  conversatioim  to  God, 
and  the  seiking  of  thair  lyff  and  salvatioun  :  And,  finalie,  with  trim- 
bling  and  manie  teares  for  the  offence  of  sa  guid  and  gratius  a  Lord 
and  Father,  misusing  of  sa  grait  and  honourable  a  calling,  and 
quakking  for  feir  of  sic  a  weght  of  wrethe  hinging  on  for  the  blud 
of  sa  manie  saulles  lying  on  our  heids,  we  all  bitterlie  weipit,  and 
ernestlie  sought  for  a  blessing  and  grace  to  use  the  present  occa- 
sioun  of  the  grait  mercie  and  lang-suffering  of  God  grantit  to  us 
rightlie  and  fathmllie  for  amendiment. 

Efter  the  quhilk  confessioun,  the  Moderator,  entering  again  to 
deall  in  doctrine  upon  the  dialogisme  or  conference  of  Josua  with 
the  eldars  and  rewlars  of  the  peiple ;  and  first,  insisting  sum  what 
upon  the  rejecting  of  the  consent  as  a  thing  impossible  to  tham  to 
serve  God,  wha  was  holie,  angrie,  and  indling,2  to  mak  the  breith- 
ring  try  out  thair  awin  sinceritie  and  upright  meining  of  thair  hart, 
he  resolvit  the  dout  of  impossibilitie,  and  the  greiff  of  experience  of 
relapse,  schowing  that  the  graitest  perfectioun  we  can  attein  unto 
in  this  lyff  is  to  ken  and  feill  our  awin  imperfectioun,  and  stryve 

1  Violence.  2  Jealous.      The  common  form  in  which  this  word  occurs  in  old 

Authors  and  Manuscripts  is  eldmjng,  elduring,  and  indilling. 


356  MR  JAMES  MELVTLL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

and  labour  against  the  gaming  in  treuthe  and  uprightnes  of  hart  : 
absteining  from  all  things  that  may  quenche  the  Spreit,  andcearl'ul! 
using  of  all  that  may  steir  upe  the  sam,  sending  all  unto  Chiyst 
Jesus,  the  guid  and  gratius  Pastor,  and  to  his  fulnes  and  perfectioun. 

Nixt,  upon  the  thrid  consent  of  the  peiple,  and  reply  of  Josua, 
commanding  them  to  cast  away  their  idolles,  the  Moderator  in- 
sisted emestlie  upon  the  casting  away  of  our  idolles ;  that  is,  all 
these  things  of  this  warld  wharof  we  tak  mikle  thoucht,  and  wharin 
oftentymes  Ave  tak  mair  pean,  and  delytes  mair  nor  in  God  his  ser- 
vice, or  our  calling ;  schawing,  that  it  was  our  part,  in  this  Contract 
and  Covenant,  to  give  our  selves  haillelie  to  serve  the  Lord  in 
treuthe,  uprightnes,  and  fidelitie.  And  the  part  of  God  was  to  be 
our  God,  to  keipe  us  from  all  evill,  and  provyde  for  us  all  things 
guid  for  us  ;  the  quhilk  his  part  he  wald,  but  dout,1  fulfill  aboun- 
dantlie,  if  we  haid  a  cair  of  our  part.  But,  alas  !  whill  as  forgetting 
our  part,  and  leaving  it  undone,  we  tak  on  the  part  of  God,  caring 
for  provision,  defence  and  preservatioun  of  our  selffs,  we  fall  in  infi- 
delitie  and  distrust  of  him,  yea  and  in  proude  idolatrie,  placing  our 
selves  and  moyens  of  this  warld  in  the  roum  and  dignitie  of  God 
Almightie !  etc. 

And  sa,  efter  divers  other  poincts  of  doctrine,  admonitiones,  and 
exhortationes,  for  the  purpose,  be  lifting  upe  of  the  hand,  everie 
an  testified  befor  God,  and  mutualie  an  to  an  uther,  the  sinceare 
and  emest  purpose  of  the  hart  to  studie  till  amend  and  serve  God 
better  in  tyme  to  come,  bathe  in  their  privat  persones  and  in  the 
office  of  that  grait  Ministerie  of  God's  honour,  and  salvatioun  of 
the  peiple  concredit  to  thame,  etc. 

And  last,  the  Moderator  spak  upon  these  words,  "  You  are  wit- 
nesses this  day  against  your  selffs,"  etc.,  and  anent  the  monument  of 
the  stean  sett  under  the  ake,2  and  the  wreitting  of  the  Covenant  in 
the  Buik  of  the  Law,  preissing  to  imprent  and  ingrave  in  the  harts 
of  the  Breithring  andhisawin,  the  rememberance  of  this  Covenant, 
that    it  sould  nocht  be  forgot,  and  maid  irrit,3  and  of  na   effect, 

1  Without  doubt.         '-'   Stone  set  under  the  oak.         ;i  Null.  Law  I. at.  irritiu. 


159G.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  357 

((juliilk  was  oftymes  cast  upe  to  the  peiple  of  Israeli  be  the  Pro- 
phctcs  thairefter,)  declaring  whow  the  Lord  God  haid  our  awin 
consciences  to  bear  witnes  against  us,  out  of  the  qnhilk  the  mcmo- 
riall  of  this  actioun  sould  nocht  be  deleit ;  he  haid  his  angelles  and 
all  his  creatours ;  he  haid  that  sam  place,  yea  the  verie  pillars  of 
stean  standing  in  that  Kirk,  lykas  be  thair  awin  consent  this  minut 
and  souni  of  the  haill  actioun  soidd  be  insert  and  registrat  in  the 
Buik  of  the  Synodall  Assemblies,  thair  to  remean  for  admonitioun, 
and  rcmemberance  during  our  tyme,  and  for  exemple  to  the  posteritie. 

Therefter  the  Moderator,  remembering  of  the  defectioun  men- 
tioned soone  efter  the  deathe  of  Josua,  and  the  fathers  and  eldars 
that  haid  sein  the  warks  of  God  in  their  dayes,  for  preventing  of 
the  lyk  defectioun,  and  fastning  of  this  new  Covenant  the  mair  firm- 
lie  in  the  hart,  for  that  effect,  of  all  the  breithring  of  smaller  age, 
requyrit  certean  fathers,  godlie  and  zealus  breithring  thair  present, 
to  speak  as  they  haid  sein,  hard  and  helpit  to  do  in  the  grait  wark 
of  God,  in  planting  and  preservatioun  of  the  Gospell  and  libertie  of 
Chrystes  Kingdome,  trewlie  and  sincerlie  within  this  land. 

And  sa  David  Fergusone,  Pastor  of  Dunfermling,  a  reverend 
father,  spak  verie  pleasandlie  and  confortablie  of  the  beginning  and 
succes  of  the  ]\iinisterie  :  Namlie,  whow  that  a  few  number,  viz. 
onlie  sax,  wharof  he  was  an,  sa  mightelie  went  fordwart  in  the  wark, 
but  feir  or  cair  of  the  warld,  and  prevalit,  when  ther  was  na  name 
of  stipend  hard  tell  of ;  when  the  authoritie,  bathe  Eeclesiastik  and 
Civill,  opponit  them  selves,  and  skarslie  a  man  of  name  and  estima- 
tioun  to  tak  the  cause  in  hand,  etc.  But  now  it  was  fallen  to  that, 
the  feir  or  flatterie  of  men,  cair  of  getting  or  lothnes  of  losing  of 
stipend  and  moyen  of  lyff,  haid  weakned  the  harts  of  a  multitud  of 
Ministers,  etc. :  Joyning  thairunto  exhortatioun  meit  for  the  pur- 
pose. 

Mr  Jhone  Davidsone,  a  zealus  grave  father,  directed  from  the 
Grenerall  Assemblie  to  visit  our  Synodall,  folio Avit,  and  spak  verie 
movinglie  and  profitablie,  saying,  That  as  the  fathers  of  the  peiple 
of  the  Jcwcs,  efter  their  retourn  from  Babylon,  hiking  upon  the 
building  of  the  new  repearit  Temple,  and  comparing  it  with  tin 


358  MIt  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

facioun  of  the  aukl  that  they  haul  sein,  weipit  bitterlie ;  even  sa  was 
he  movit  when  he  beheld  the  present  estait  of  our  Kirk,  in  the  per- 
sones  and  conversatioun  of  the  Ministerie  and  professours,  and  con- 
ferrit1  the  sam  with  the  beginning  that  he  haid  sein,  being  sa  un- 
lyk  in  godlines,  zeall,  gravitie,  love,  and  hartlines,  stoutnes,  cair,  and 
peanfulnes,  mightines  and  powar  of  doctrin,  etc.;  with  ernest  ad- 
monitiounes  and  grave  exhortatiounes  moving  the  breithring  to  in- 
devour  to  find  the  fruicts  of  that  dayes  wark,  etc.  He  meinit2  al- 
so mikle  the  Avant  of  leming  in  the  Ministerie,  having  sa  guid  edu- 
catioun,  and  sa  grait  tyme  and  occasioun  of  letters  and  knawlage, 
that  yit  he  could  skarslie  meit  with  an  that  could  talk  or  reasone, 
in  an  exact  and  lemed  manor,  of  hard  places  of  Scripture  or  contro- 
versy questionnes  ;  or  that  could  schaw  takens  3  of  rcidding  of  An- 
tient  Doctors  of  the  Kirk,  or  the  Historic  thairof,  joyning  the  pre- 
cept of  the  Apostle,  Attendite  lectioni,  etc. 

Mr  Patrik  Simsone,  Minister  of  Sterling,  being  present  with  the 
said  Mr  Jhone,  and  joy  nit  with  him  in  commissioun  from  the  Gene- 
rall  Assemblie,  rcquyrit  be  the  Moderator,  spak  veric  halelie  and 
weill  anent  a  poinct  of  Keformatioun,  viz.,  of  the  mouthes  of  the 
Ministers  quhilk  sould  be  the  Oracle  of  God,  whase  lippes  sould  keipc 
knawlage,  and  at  whase  mouthes  the  Law  of  the  Lord  sould  bo 
sought  as  the  Messingers  of  the  Lord  of  Hostes,  as  sayes  the  Pro- 
phet. And  yit  to  be  sa  comounlie  and  openlie  defylit  and  abusit 
with  foolishe,  vean  gesting,  and  unsavorie  speitches  and  talk,  evin 
at  tables  in  open  audience,  schowing  an  unclcin  and  unsanctifcit 
hart,  cearlcs  of  the  honour  of  God,  and  a?dificatioun  of  his  peiple. 

Uther  breithring  also  being  rcquyrit  in  generally  as  God  gave  it. 
and  movit  thair  harts  to  continowthat  maist  profitable  and  confort- 
able  exerceise,  for  leaving  of  deipc  stampe  of  the  actioun  in  the  harts 
of  the  breithring.  Mr  David  Blak,  an  of  the  pastors  of  Sf  Androis. 
spak  of  the  dekey  and  falling  abak  of  Kclligioun,  sinceritie,  zeall,  and 
uprightnes  quhilk  he  haid  espyit,  being  yit  bo1  :i  schollar  in  St  An- 
drois, be  the  default  and  warldlie  and  unspirituall  behaviour  of  than 

1  Cr>mp ared,  contra  2  Bemoaned,  lament ed.  '  Toki 


15i)G.  MB  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIARY.  35fl 

that  succeidit  in  the  Ministerie  and  rewling  of  the  Universitie,  un- 
to these  godiie  and  upright  men  that  preceidit  thorn :  That  the 
greiff  thairof  haid  bein  grait  in  his  hart  during  his  abyding  out  of 
the  countrey,  except  sa  far  as  he  haid  hard  of  Mr  Andro  Melvin ; 
and  returning  in  the  countrey  he  haid  fund  the  sam  falling  to  al- 
maist  a  remedilcs  miserie,  and  yit  haid  bein  thrust  in  be  God  and 
his  Kirk  in  that  roum,  and  sa  schawing  his  indevours  wissit  the  con- 
currance  of  the  breithring,  and  helpe  of  thair  prayers ;  exhorting 
verie  powerfullie  everie  an  till  attend  upon  thair  awin  charge  in  a 
new  manner,  according  to  the  doctrin  dely verit  be  the  last  Modera- 
tor, repeated  againe  be  him  selff  that  day,  and  now  promisit  and 
advowit  solemhe  to  be  observit  and  pressit  unto  be  all  and  everie 
an  of  the  breithring  in  this  present  actioun,  etc. 

Mr  Andro  Melvill,  Hector  of  the  Universitie  of  St  Androis,  fol- 
lowit  furthe  the  sam  purpose,  and  insisting  on  the  feir  of  defectioun, 
warnit  the  breithring  of  a  lait  experience  of  a  grait  waiknes  and  slyd- 
ing  away,  when  the  holic  discipline  was  persccut  and  sought  to  be 
overthraAvin.  Whow  manie,  for  feir  of  the  want  of  thair  stipend 
onlie,  war  brought  to  a  sort  of  denying  of  Jesus  Chryst,  be  subscry  v- 
ing  to  the  wicket  Actes  of  Pai'liament  in  the  yeir  1584,  wharby  the 
libertie  of  his  throne  and  kingdomc  was  intendit  to  be  utterlie  sub- 
verted. What  sould  be  luiked  for  then  gif  the  Spainyards,  wha  haid 
leatlie  takin  Calis,  fra  quhilk  in  few  houres  they  might  easelie  trans- 
port thani  selves  to  this  Yland,  yea,  in  our  awin  Firthe,  he  sould 
essay  our  constancie  with  fyne  and  exquisit  torments  of  thair  Inqui- 
sitioun,  upon  the  quhilk  piece  of  service  our  excommunicat  forfaultit 
Papist  Erles  war  attending.  Wherby  he  mightelie  exhorted  all 
the  breithring  to  tak  heid  to  tham  selves,  and  fixt  the  doctrin  quhilk 
they  haid  hard  that  day,  and  this  present  actioun  and  Covenant  in 
thair  memories,  and  till  use  fructfullie  this  guid  occasioun  of  rest  and 
libertie  that  God  sa  gratiuslie  geves,  to  be  inarmit  and  prcparit 
against  the  day  of  tryall,  quhilk  was  nocht  far  of. 

Thir  speitches  endit,  efter  treating  .;;■>'.  finising  of  uther  incident 
maters,  erncst  prayer  was  powred  out  be  the  Moderator  for  getting 
of  grace  to  remember,  practise,  and  pey  the  vowes  thair  maid,  and 


3 GO  MB  JAMBS  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

efter  hartlie  thankgiffing  for  that  memorable  benefit  of  God,  the 
Assemblie  was  dimissed  about  four  efter  noone,  als  full  of  spiritual] 
joy  in  the  saull  as  emptie  of  corporall  fuid ;  everie  brother,  with 
exceiding  grait  gladnes,  glorifeing  God  for  that  actioun  above  all 
uther  that  ever  they  haid  bein  partakers  of :  To  whom  onlie  be  all 
praise  and  honour,  for  ever.     Amen. 


THE  COVENANT  RENEWIT  IN  THE  PRESBYTERIE  OF  ST  ANDROIS. 

Upon  the  penult  Furisday1  of  the  monethe  of  July,  1596,  the 
Covenant  was  renewit  in  the  Presbyterie  of  St  Androis  be  a  verie 
frequent  AssembHe  of  gentilmen  and  burgesses,  prepared  for  the 
purpose  befor  be  thair  Ministers  in  everie  paroche  ;  wherin,  as  the 
Synod  befor,  sa  the  Presbyterie  appointed  me  the  comoun  mouthe, 
keiping  the  form  sett  down  befoir,  as  neir  as  might  be.  The  gene- 
rail  heides  of  the  exhortatioun  war  these  : 

The  Covenant  of  God  is  the  contract,  securitie,  and  warrand  of 
all  our  weilfear,  maid  with  Adam  efter  his  fall,  renewit  with  Noe 
efter  the  flud,  then  with  Abraham,  etc. 

This  Covenant  is  broucht  to  remcmberaiicc,  and  sa  in  a  maner 
renewit  as  often  as  the  Word  is  pretched,  the  Sacrament  usit,  or 
exerceis  of  fasting  and  publict  repentance  keipit. 

Bot,  in  a  speciall  maner,  it  lies  bein  usit  amangs  the  peiple  of 
God  efter  a  grait  threatning  and  appeirance  of  manie  plagges,2  and 
grait  danger  for  sinne  and  unthankfulnes,  sic  as  hes  bein  espyed  be 
the  Seirs  and  Watchmen  in  this  land,  wha,  thairfor,  hes  begoun  at 
tham  selves,  in  thair  Generall  [Assemblies]  and  Synods. 

The  maner  thairof  is,  first:  To  try  the  brakes  of  the  Covenant 
of  God  maid  with  ns,  in  the  privat  persone  of  everie  an,  in  thair  fa- 
milies, in  nibourhead,  and  in  discharge  of  publict  offices  in  Kirk 
and  Comoun-weill :  2.  In  acknawlaging  and  confessing  the  sam 
wiili  unfeinyil  sorow  and  repentance:  3.  In  craving  mercie  lor  the 

1  The  last  Thursday  but  one.  '  Plagues,  judgments. 


151)6.  MR  JAMES  MELvTLl/s  DIARY.  361 

Mediator  of  this  Covenant  his  seak,  with  trew  fathe  beleiving  in 
him :  And  last,  in  taking  ernest  purpose,  and  making  promise  and 
vowes  of  amcndiment,  with  a  fathfull  endevour  of  keiping  and  pey- 
ing 2  of  the  sam  in  all  the  lyff  thairefter. 

The  Covenants  of  Ezra  and  Nehemia,  whilk  they  maid  with  the 
peiple  effcer  thair  retourn  from  Babylone,  quhilk  with  fasting  and 
prayer  war  maid,  wryttin,  sealled,  and  sworn,  was  read  distinctlie, 
and  conform  to  these  heads,  doctrin,  and  exhortatioun  nsit ;  and 
efter  meditatioun  in  privat  and  publict  prayer,  be  haulding  upe  of 
hands,  tliir  promises  and  vowes  war  maid  in  speeiall,  for  testefeing 
of  a  trew  conversionn  and  change  of  mynd. 

1.  The  exerceise  of  reiding  the  Word  with  prayer  and  thanks- 
geving,  and  catecheising  of  childring  and  servants,  to  be  nsit  and 
done  be  the  father  of  everie  familie,  ordinarlie,  within  the  sam. 

2.  The  resisting  of  all  enemies  of  Relligioim,  without  fear  or  fa- 
vour of  anie  persone. 

3.  The  planting  of  the  Ministerie  of  God's  honour,  and  salva- 
tioun  of  the  peiple  within  thair  Paroches,  bestowing  cost  thairon  to 
thair  abilitie,  and  seiking  the  Kirk  dewties  to  be  recoverit  for  that 
effect. 

4.  To  tak  ordour  with  the  pure,2  that  thair  be  nocht  vagabund 
beggars. 

5.  To  keipe  better  publict  Conventiones,  and  discharge  offices 
and  comoun  dewties  for  the  weill  of  Kirk  and  Countrey. 

And  last,  to  tak  cair  of  comoun  warks,  namlie  of  the  standing 
and  repearing  of  brigges. 3 

Sa,  efter  prayer  to  God  for  grace  to  perform,  lest  unto  all  the 
formar  transgressionnes  the  giltines  of  horrible  perjurie  war  ad- 
joyned,  to  hasten  the  extremitie  of  judgment,  etc.  the  action  endit. 

Efter  the  quhilk,  the  speeiall  Barrones  and  gentilmen  conveinit 
with  us  in  the  place  whar  the  Presbyteries  sittes,  whar,  be  confer- 
ence, understanding  that  tlier  was  grait  word  and  appeirance  of  In- 
vasioun  of  Spainyeards,  and  that  the  excommunicat  forfaulted  Pa- 

1  Paying,  fulfilling.  -  Poor.  3  Bridges. 


362  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

pist  Erlea  war  com  ham  quietlie,  the  gentilmen  ofterit  tham  selves 
verie  fraclie '  for  resistance,  and  named  thair  capteancs  of  horsmen 
and  futmen,  and  sett  down  an  ordour  anent  thair  armour  and  pro- 
visionn ;  wharof  it  was  thought  guid  the  King  soidd  be  advertised ; 
to  whom,  for  that  effect,  the  Lard  of  Reiras  and  I  war  directed,  bot 
war  nocht  takin  weill  withe;  and  thcr  was  an  other  degrie  of  decay 
of  my  Court,  for  the  King  haid  determined  to  bring  ham  the  Pa- 
pist Lords  again,  and  lyked  of  nan  that  wald  nocht  wag  as  the  bus 
waggit.2 

A  SOTJM  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  COVENANT  RENEWIT  IN  THE 
KIEK  OF  SCOTLAND,  AND  NAMLTE,  WITHIN  THE  PROVINCE  OF 
FTFF,  AND  EN'  THE  CONGREGATION  OF  KILRLNNY,  THE  FYFT  OF 
SEPT.  1596  :  SET  DOWN  FN  MANER  OF  CONFERENCE  FOR  THE 
USE  OF  THE  PEIPLE. 

"  M.  Thowt  heires  that  God  lies  movit  the  Watchmen  and  fath- 
full  Pastours  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  and  this  Province  of  Fyff, 
beginning  at  tham  selves,  to  call  and  labour  to  move  all  to  a  trvall 
of  the  brak  of  his  Covenant,  and  an  cxerceise  of  Renewing  of  the 
saminsr:  What  does  thow  think  and  csteim  of  the  Covenant  of  God  ? 

"P.  I  think  and  esteim  of  the  Covenant  of  God  as  the  onlie 
evident,  right,  seeuritie,  and  warrand  of  all  my  weilfear. 

"  M?  Wharfor  sa  ? 

"  P.  Because  it  is  the  contract,  band,  and  obligatioun  wharbe 
God  binds  and  obleses  him  selff  to  be  my  loving  God  and  Father  in 
Chryst,  sa  as  thairby  I  am  sure  to  want  na  guid  thing,  and  to  be 
kcipit  from  all  evill. 

"  M.  What  Avar  thy  ccas  and  cstcat  if  thow  wanted  this  warrand  ? 

"  P.  Even  that  maist  miserable  cstcat  of  Nature,  without  God, 
without  Chryetj  a  divide  of  wrathe,  alian  from  the  comoun-wcill  of 
his  peiple,  under  the  slavcric  of  the  devil]  and  shine,  and,  finalic.  a 
faggot  of  hclles-fvre. 

'  Freely,  heartily.  '  None  that  would  not  waj  as  the  bush  wagged. 

1  The  remainder  of  the  letters  M  and  V.  are  supplied  to  the  Questions  by  tlio  Mini, 
ster,  and  the  Answers  by  his  People. 


1596.  MK  JAMES  -MELVILL'S  DIARY.  363 

"  31.  What  is,  then,  the  substance  and  tennour  of  this  Covenant  ? 

"  P.  God  obleses  him  selff,  of  his  frie  grace,  to  be  my  God  and 
Father  in  his  Sonne  Jesus  Chryst ;  and  I  with  the  rest  ar  bound 
to  be  his  servants  and  childring. 

"  31.  Wha  lies  moyenned1  this  Contract  and  Covenant,  and 
knit  it  upe  betwix  God  and  tliie  and  his  peiple  ? 

"  P.  The  onlie  Mediator  and  Reconcylar,  my  Lord  Jesus  Chryst, 
and  that  be  his  awin  pretius  blood,  and  bitter  passioun  and  deathe. 

"  31.  And  what  is  the  conditioun  on  thy  part,  wharby  thow 
may  be  kend  his  servand  and  chyld  in  Chryst  ? 

"  P.  Gif  I  embrace  this  promise  of  God's  grace  and  benefeit  of 
the  blissed  Covenant  (purchassit  be  Jesus  Chryst)  be  a  treAV  fathe, 
and  testifie  the  sam  in  love,  halines,  and  obedience. 

"  31.  I  perceave,  then,  the  Contract  is  mutuall ;  sa  that  God  is 
nocht  bund  to  thie,  gif  conditioun  be  nocht  keipit  on  thy  part. 
What,  then,  gif  thow  hes  broken  ?  Is  nocht  the  Contract  dissolved, 
and  maid  to  thie  of  na  stead,  force,  or  effect  ? 

"P.  Yes,  in  verie  deid,  gif  God  sould  enter  hi  judgment  with 
us,  and  deall  streatlie  and  preceislie  according  to  his  justice  and 
right. 

"  31.  And  what  soidd  then  becom  of  thie  ? 

"  P.  Even  to  be  cast  away  in  the  former  miserie  and  condemna- 
tioun  with  the  devilles  ;  and  that  sa  mikle  the  mair,  as  we  ar  be- 
com fathles  and  mean-sworn,2  brakers  of  his  halie  Mutuall  Band 
and  Covenant. 

"  31.  Thow,  then,  tell  me,  hes  thow  enterit  in  this  Covenant  with 
God  ;  and  hes  thow  compromised  with  him  according  to  the  ten- 
nour of  this  Contract  and  Mutuall  Band  ? 

"  P.  Yes,  indeid  I  have,  or  then  I  war  maist  miserable. 

u  31.  When  enterit  thow  thairin  ? 

"  P.  Even  when  I  was  first  baptised,  and  lies  professit  the  sam 
ay  Ben  I  cam  to  anie  wit  or  knawlage,  be  gifting  confessioun  of  mv 
fathe,  and  using  of  the  Holie  Supper. 

1  Who  has  been  the  me;uis  of  procuring.  3  Perjured,  man-sworn. 


364  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diakv.  1596. 

"  M.  And  lies  God  keipit  Ins  part  to  tine  ? 

"  P.  Blessed  be  his  holie  nam  and  heavenlie  Majestic,  for  lie  lies 
briii  al  waves  to  mie  a  gratius  God  and  bountifull  loving  Father. 

"  M.  But  what  lies  bein  thy  part  againe  to  him  ? 

"  P.  Alas !  I  have  broken  and  transgressed,  maist  unthankfullie, 
sinning  searlie1  at  all  t vines  against  my  guid  God,  my  nibour,  and 
my  a  win  saull.  And  sa,  if  he  sould  deall  with  me  in  judgment  ac- 
cording to  his  right,  I  can  have  na  securitie  or  warrand  of  weill- 
fear  to  produce,  bot  man  close  my  mouthe,  and  confes  I  ly  maist 
miserablie  under  danger  of  God"s  wrathe,  and  all  his  pleagges  and 
judgments,  temporal!  and  et email. 

"  M.  Now,  what  if  God  might  be  moved  to  forget  and  remit  all 
bygeans,2  and  enter  in  a  new  Covenant  and  Contract  with  thie, 
wald  thow  nocht  be  olade  to  embrase  sic  Grace  ? 

"P.  0  !  with  all  my  hart ;  bot  whow  sail  that  be ? 

"  M.  Giff  thow  ernestlie  repent  thy  sinnes  bypast,  tak  upe  a  fee- 
full3  purpose  of  amendiment,  with  a  fathful  promise  and  vow  of 
the  sam  unto  the  Lord  by  his  grace  for  the  tyme  to  come,  and  by 
assurit  lathe  cleive  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  in  whom  is  all  holines  and 
perfectioun. 

"  P.  That  is  davlie  eravit  of  us  be  the  Word  of  God,  use  of  the 
llolic  Sacraments,  and  oftent vines  in  the  cxerceise  of  fasting  and 
publict  repentance. 

"  M.  Treuthc,  indeid  ;  for  the  Covenant  and  purpose  is  all  an  and 
the  sam  :  Bot  because  dayhe  we  brak,  it  haid  neid  davlie  to  be  re- 
newed  to  us  ;  and  namlie,  efter  a  lang  sparing  and  large  bountiful- 
nes  of  God,  and  manic  foull  sinnes  and  grait  unthanki'ulnes,  tend- 
ing to  an  utter  defectioun  from  God,  and  procuring  of  the  extremi- 
tie  of  his  wrathe  and  judgments.  When  God  votchaffes,4  then,  as 
he  maist  mercit'ullie  does  at  this  tyme,  to  call  us.  he  his  servants  the 
Watchmen,  to  the  Renewing  of  the  Covenant,  that  he  may  vit  de- 
ter his  plagges,  and  contino"w  his  merciful]  guidnes  toward  us,  Bould 
we  Qochl  be  "laid  thairof,  and  indevour  ourselves  with  all  eair  and 
reverence  to  meit  the  Lord,  offering  mercie  and  grace? 

i  Sorely.  'Bygones.  Strong,  powerful.  'Vouchsafes. 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIARY*  365 

"  P.  Now  the  God  of  mcrcie  grant  Ave  may  sa  do,  and  work  in 
my  hart  in  speciall  be  his  Halie  Spreit  for  that  effect.  Bot,  alas  !  I 
have  sett  my  selff  oftentymes  to  repent,  and  promised  and  advowit 
amendiment  with  my  selff,  bot  could  never  attein  to  the  perform- 
ance ;  and,  thairfor,  I  feir  I  sail  do  na  uther  thing-  at  this  tyme, 
bot  involve  my  selff  in  a  new  giltines  of  men-swearing  and  brak  of 
promise. 

"  M.  Gift'1  thy  hart  be  upright  and  trew  toward  God,  and  if  thow 
find  anie  ernest  desyre  of  amendiment,  with  a  laboring,  stryving, 
and  preassing  thairunto,  whowbeit  thow  can  nocht  attein  to  that 
thow  wald,  feir  nocht ;  for  God  requyres  nocht  perfectioun  of  us  in 
this  lyff,  quhilk  he  knaAves  Ave  can  never  attein  unto,  because  he  will 
nocht  giff  it.  Wha  is  the  God  of  ordour  that  hes  apointed  a  tyme 
of  feghting  and  a  tyme  of  triumphing,  a  tyme  of  sojourning  and 
Avandring,  and  a  tyme  of  habitatioun  and  dAvelling,  and,  finalie.  a 
tyme  of  AATarsling 2  and  suft'ering  heir,  to  mak  us  conform  to  Chryst, 
that  Ave  may  heirefter  ring  Avith  him  in  glorie  ?  Therfor,  heir  Ave 
have  to  strive  against  our  aAvin  imperfectiones,  and  against  his  ene- 
mies and  ours,  the  devill,  the  Avarld,  and  fleche  ;  and  be  treAV  fathe  to 
cleive  to  that  perfectioun  of  his  Sone,  the  Lord  Jesus  Chryst,  our 
Saviour,  in  whom  he  is  Aveill  appleasit,  and  of  Avhasc  perfectioun  he 
will  accept  of  as  ours  ;  for  Chryst  is  the  Cautionar 3  of  the  Covenant 
and  Contract  for  us,  and  sa  principall  dcatter,4  taking  the  sam  upon 
him  to  satisfie  in  all  whar  Ave  ar  unable.  Onlie  remember  this  ;  whar 
Chryst  dAvclles  in  the  hart  be  fathe,  than-  is  a  continuall  grouthe  and 
progres  in  knaAvlage  and  halines  during  this  lyff,  quhilk  hes  the  aAvin5 
perfectioim  in  the  lyff  to  come,  fulfilled  even  in  us  be  the  quicning 
Spreit  of  Chryst,  Avorking  then  Avithout  all  contradictioun,  impedi- 
ment, or  stay.6 

"P.  O  !  that  effrayes 7  me  maist  of  all ;  for,  alas  !  I  find  na  grouthe 
or  going  fordwart,  bot  rather  a  decay  and  bak-turning.8 

"  M.  Surlie,  if  thoAV  be  the  chyld  of  God,  thow  mon°  grow  upe 


1  If.  2  Contending,  wrestling.  3  Surety,  security.  *  Deli! or. 

'•>  Its  own  proper.       '■  Hindrance.        '•  Affrights,  alarms.        8  Relapsing.      9  .Must. 


366  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  \i){ji). 

to  the  just  stature  of  a  perf'yt  man  in  Chryst,  and  be  lyk  the  pleas- 
and  plants  in  the  Lord's  ortchyeard.  Bot  tab  heid,  I  pray  thie, 
whom  God  sa  disposes  and  moves,  (for  ther  is  nocht  monie  of  that 
sort !)  as  it  is  weill  done  to  think  na  thing  of  thy  sehT,  sa  be  war 
till  extcnuat  the  grace  of  God  and  working  of  his  Spreit,  quhilk 
sould  be  alwayes  acknawlagit  with  thankfull  hartcs  to  his  praise  : 
For  it  is  in  that  poinct  with  the  godlie  in  spirituall  giftes,  as  with 
the  warldlings  in  temporally  that  an  thinks  litle  or  na  thing  of  that 
quhilk  they  have  attcined  to  and  gotten,  bot  ay  wald  be  at  fordar 
and  mair ;  and  sa  does  that  uther.  Also,  ther  wilbe  a  decey,  in  ap- 
peirance,  for  a  farder  grouthe ;  and  a  grouthe  quhilk  will  nocht  be 
perceavit,  unles  it  be  narrowlie  luked  unto,  even  as  in  the  tries  and 
plantes  in  the  Avintar  seasone ;  quhilk,  notwithstanding  the  cauld 
frost  and  snaw,  having  the  rutt '  fast  in  the  ground,  is  ever  growing 
atlicr  within  or  without  the  erde,  in  bight,  graitnes,  or  sum  way  : 
yea,  and  that  quhilk  is  farder  in  the  Elect  of  God,  comounlie  ther 
is  graitter  grouthe  and  going  fordwart  when  they  think  and  feilles 
leist,  and  leist  when  they  feill  and  think  maist;  for,  but2  question, 
then  ar  we  best  in  God's  sight  and  cstimatioun  when  we  ar  warst 
in  our  awin,  and  contrair :  And  feilling  is  na  sure  rewell  of  fathe, 
for  we  will  feill  mair  a  whittell  in  our  fingar  nor  the  helthe  of  the  haill 
body.3  Yet,  for  treuthe,  the  mair  feilling  of  the  soares  of  sinne, 
the  graitter  missoure4  of  grace;  for  it  is  by  grace  that  we  can  feill 
sinne  sair.a  Assure  thy  selfF,  thairfor,  of  a  guid  cais  if  thow  find  that 
feilling,  yea,  or  the  sorow  for  want  thairof,  with  desyre  to  have  it, 
for  that  is  nocht  of  Heche  and  bluid,  bot  of  the  Spreit  of  grace,  quhilk 
can  work  bathe  the  will  and  deid  in  that  missour  that  he  knawes 
meit  for  thie  ;  with  the  quhilk  be  content. 

"P.  Weill,  Sir,  I  thank  God  with  all  my  hart,  of  your  confut- 
able instructioun,  wherby  I  am  brought  to  be  weill  resolvit  to  in- 
devour  my  sehTin  this  actioun,  beseikand"  yow  also  to  schaw  me 
whow  I  sail  proceid  thairinto. 


1  Root.         '-  Without.  ;  Fop  we  will  much  more  foci  a  whitlow  in  our  finger 

than  the  health  of  the  whole  body.      *  Measure.       •'•  Sure,  painful.       c  Beseeching. 


1596.  sib  james  melvill's  diary.  367 

"  M.  First,  be  preparatioun  traveling  cearfullie  to  try  and  find 
out  tliy  sinnes  and  transgressiones  of  God's  holie  law  :  Nixt,  with 
an  feilling  dispositioun  in  remorse  and  sorow  for  the  sinnes  com- 
mitted, craving  mercie  and  forgifFnes  thairof,  and  with  a  fectfull1 
purpose  promising  be  his  grace  till 2  amend  :  Thridlie,  in  traveling 
for  fruict  efter  the  actioun,  be  marking  these  sinnes  in  speciall  quhilk 
maist  greives  thy  conscience,  or  thow  knawes  to  be  offensive  to  the 
godlie,  and  indevoring  but3  delay  to  mend  the  sam. 

"  Anent  all  the  quhilk  thoAv  wilbe  at  lynthe  instructed  in  the  doc- 
trine quhilk  God  of  mercie  sail  witchaff'4  to  grant  for  that  effect ; 
and,  thairfor,  pray  ernestlie  to  God  to  grant  giftes  to  his  servants, 
of  knawlage,  feilling,  and  utterance  to  delyver  ;  and  to  thy  selff,  and 
the  rest  of  the  peiple,  grace  to  receave  the  sam  with  light  of  under- 
standing, and  cair  to  practise. 

"Now,  the  gratius  Lord,  for  Jesus  Chryst  his  Sonnes  seak,  be 
thair  Holie  Spreit  of  grace,  mot5  work  it  in  us  all.     Amen." 

Thus  was  our  peiple  catechised  the  haill  monethe  of  August,  and 
upon  the  first  Sabbathe  of  September,  the  Covenant,  with  the  Holie 
Communion,  celebrat,  to  thair  grait  confort. 

And  as  efter  all  our  fastes,  (quhilk  I  haiff  pretermitted  in  this 
storie,  because  I  have  wraitten  a  speciall  Treatise  thairof,)  sa  efter 
this  exerceise  we  wanted  nocht  a  remarkable  effect.  For  if  God 
haid  nocht  extraordmarlie  provydit  for  Scotland  victualles,6  (coming 
in  sic  store  and  aboundance  out  of  all  uther  countries  as  never  was 
sein  in  this  land  befor,  sa  that,  be  the  a3stimatioun  of  the  customers 
and  men  of  best  judgment,  for  everie  mouthe  that  was  in  Scotland 
ther  cam  in  at  least  a  boll  of  victuall,)  thowsandes  haid  died  for 
houngar ;  for  notwithstanding  of  the  infinit  number  of  bolls  of 
victuall  that  cam  ham  from  uther  partes,  all  the  horvest  quarter 
that  yeir,  the  meall  gave  aught,  nyne,  and  ten  pound  the  boll,  and 
the  malt  allcavin  and  twoll,  and  in  the  Southe  and  Wast  partes 
manic  died. 

1  Powerful.  2  To.  3  Without.  *  Vouchsafe.  5  Now,  may  the 

gracious  Lord,  &c.  G  There  was  a  prospect  of  groat  famine  that  winter. 


368  MR  JAMES  melvill's  DIARY.  L596. 

I  <lav  nocht  bot  mark  it,  whowbeit  against  my  will,  that  t lit- 
Ministers  of  Edinbruche  and  Kirk  thairof  neglected  and  omitted 
this  aetionn  of  the  Covenant,  with  the  effect  of  a  feirfull  desola- 
tioun,  gif  we  dar  judge  ! l 

About  the  end  of  August,  the  King  calles  a  Conventioun  of  the 
Esteattes  to  Falkland,  even  of  sic  as  be  favour  and  frindschipe  war 
neirest  joyned  with  the  excoinnmnicat,  forfaultit  Papist  Kris  ;  what 
Alexander  Setoun,  President  of  the  Sessioun,  a  Papist,  maid  a  pre- 
pared harang,  wharby  to  perswade  the  King  and  Esteattes  to  call 
hame  these  Erles,  lest,  lyk  Coriolanus  the  Poman,  or  Themistocles 
the  Athenian,  they  sould  joync  with  the  enemies,  and  creat  an  un- 
resistable  danger  to  the  esteat  of  the  countrey  !  Divers  of  the 
Ministerie  war  wraitten  for  to  that  Conventioun,  bot  sic  as  the 
King  kncAV  he  could  mak.2  But  Mr  Andro,  understanding  thairof, 
and  being  a  Commissionar  apointed  be  the  General]  Assemblie  to 
sic  to  the  dangei's  of  the  Kirk  at  all  occasiones,  cam  thither,  and  pre- 
sented him  selff  with  the  rest :  AY  horn,  when  the  King  saw,  he  send 
to  him,  asking  of  his  earand,  and  willing  him  to  go  hame  ;  bot  he 
said  he  haid  a  commissioun  first  to  discharge,  in  God's  nam  and 
the  Kirk's,  to  the  King  and  Esteattes. 

When  the  King  and  Esteattes  war  sett  doun,  the  King  causses 
the  Ministers  to  be  callit  upon  be  nam  andlettin  in,  having  out  Mr 
Andro,  who  cam  in  with  the  formaist.  The  King  finding  fault  with 
him  that  came  ther  uncallit,  he  answers,  "  Sir,  1  have  a  calling  to 
com  heir  be  Chryst  Jesus  the  King,  and  his  Kirk,  wha  lies  speciall 
cntres  in  this  tourn,8  and  against  quhilks  directlie  this  Conventioun 
is  mett;  charging  yow  and  your  Esteattes  in  his  nam,  and  of  his 
Kirk,  that  vie  favour  nocht  his  enemies  whom  he  hattes,  nor  go 
nocht  about  to  call  hame  and  mak  eiticineis,  these  that  has  trater- 
ouslie  sought  to  betrey  thair  citie and  native  countrey  to  the  crew  all 
Spainyard,  with  the  overthrow  of  Chrystfs  Kingdome,  fVa  the  quhilk 
they  have  bein  thairfor  maisl  justlie  cutt  of  as  rotten  members: 

1  If  we  mai  dare  to  judge.  2  Use  as  t<  '  [nterest  in  this  basin 

i 


15lJi).  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DLAJBT.  369 

certifeing,  if  they  sould  do  in  the  contrail-,  they  sould  feill  the  dint 
of  the  wrathe  of  that  King  and  his  Esteattes  !"  And,  braking  on 
in  particular  upon  the  graittest  part  of  that  Conventioun,  with  plane 
speitche  and  mightie  force  of  zeall,  he  challengit  tham  of  hiche 
treasone  bathe  against  Chryst  and  the  King,  against  the  Kirk  and 
countrey  of  Scotland,  in  that  purpose  and  counsall  they  war  about. 
Bot  the  King  interrupted  him,  and  commanded  him  to  go  out, 
whase  command  he  obeyit,  thanking  God  that  they  haid  knawin  his 
mynd,  and  gottin  his  message  dischargit.  Mr  David  Lindsay, 
Mr  James  Nicolson,  Mr  Patrik  Galloway,  and  I,  that  remeanit 
and  hard  all,  and  spak  in  the  contrar,  adhering  in  effect  to  that 
quhilk  Mr  Andro  haid  uttered,  bot  in  sic  sort,  that  the  King,  with 
fear  *  promises,  satisfeit  over  easelie  and  removit.  In  end,  the 
Esteattes  concludes,  that  the  King  and  Kirk  being  satisfeit,  it  war 
best  to  call  tham  hamc,  and  that  his  Majestie  sould  hen-  thair  offerres 
for  that  effect. 

In  the  monethe  of  September  following,  the  Commissionars  of 
the  General!  Assemblie,  with  divers  uther  guid  breithring,  conveinit 
in  Cowper ;  and,  understanding  certeanlie  of  the  retourn  of  the  Pa- 
pist Lords,  and  of  thair  plattes,2  purposes,  and  bissines,  with  thair 
favorars  and  associattes,  thought  guid  to  direct  certean  of  the  breith- 
ring thair  present  to  the  King,  being  in  Falkland,  to  mein 3  the 
mater  to  him,  and  crave  a  discharge  of  his  dewtie,  namlie,  that  seing 
without  his  licence  and  knawlage,  as  was  certefeit  to  the  Kirk  be 
his  Majestie's  Ministers,  these  rebelles  was  com  ham,  and  war  about 
to  mak  insurrectioun  in  the  countrey,  ther  dangerous  indevours 
sould  be  maturlie  prevented  be  his  Majestie  his  authoritie  and 
powar.  Also,  that  ther  sould  be  a  meitting  again  of  the  breithring, 
in  Edinbruche,  the  monethe  of  October  following. 

Sa,  Mrs  Andro  Melvill,  Patrik  Galloway,  James  Nicolsone,  and 
I,  cam  to  Falkland,  whar  we  fend  the  King  verie  quyet.  The  rest 
leyed 4  upon  me  to  be  speaker,  alleaging  I  could  propone  the  mater 
substantiuslie,  and  in  a  myld  and  smothe  maner,  quhilk  the  King 

1    Fair.  2  Plots.  3   Make  complaint.  4  Laid  the  burden. 

2    A 


37<>  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAUY.  159t>. 

lykccl  best  of.  And,  entering  in  the  Cabinet  with  the  King  alan, 
I  scliew  his  Majestie,  That  the  Commissionars  of  the  Generall  As- 
sernblie,  with  certean  uther  breithring  ordeanit  to  watche  for  the 
weill  of  the  Kirk  in  sa  dangerous  a  tym,  haid  convenit  at  Cowper. 
At  the  quhilk  word  the  King  interrupts  me,  and  crabbotlie '  quar- 
rels our  raeitting,  alleaging  it  was  without  warrand  and  seditius, 
making  our  selves  and  the  countrey  to  conceave  feir  whar  thair  waa 
na  cause.  To  the  quhilk,  I  beginning  to  reply,  in  my  maner,  Mr 
Andro  doucht  nocht 2  abyd  it,  bot  brak  af  upon  the  King  in  sa  zealus, 
powerfull,  and  unresistable  a  maner,  that  whowbeitthe  King  used 
his  authoritie  in  maist  crabbit  and  colerik  maner,  yit  Mr  Andro 
bure  him  down,  and  outtered  the  Commission  as  from  the  mightie 
God,  calling  the  King  bot  "  God's  sillie  vassall ;"  and,  taking  him  be 
the  sleive,  sayes  this  in  effect,  throw  mikle  hat  reasoning  and  manie 
interruptiones  :  "  Sir,  we  will  humblie  reverence  your  Majestie  al- 
wayes,  namlie  in  publict,  but  sen  we  have  this  occasioun  to  be  with 
your  Majestie  in  privat,  and  the  treuthe  is,  yie  ar  brought,  in  ex- 
tream  danger  bathe  of  your  lyff  and  croun,  and  with  yow  the 
countrey  and  Kirk  of  Christ  is  lyk  to  wrak,  for  nocht  telling  yow 
the  treuthe,  and  giffen  of  yow  a  fathfull  counsall.  we  mon  3  discharge 
our  dewtic  thairin,  or  els  be  trators  bathe  to  Christ  and  yow  !  And, 
tbairfor,  Sir,  as  divers  tymes  befor,  sa  now  again,  I  mon  tell  yow, 
thair  is  twa  Kings  and  twa  Kingdomes  in  Scotland.  Thair  is  Chryst 
Jesus  the  King,  and  his  kingdome  the  Kirk,  whase  subject  King 
James  the  Saxt  is,  and  of  whase  kingdome  nocht  a  king,  nor  a  lord, 
nor  a  heid,  bot  a  member !  And  they  whome  Chryst  hes  callit  and 
commandit  to  watch  over  his  Kirk,  and  governe  his  spiritual!  king- 
dome,  hes  sufficient  powar  of  him,  and  authoritie  sa  to  do,  bathe  to- 
gidderand  severalie  ;  the  quhilk  na  Christian  King  nor  Prince  sould 
controll  and  discharge,  but  fortifie  and  assist,  utherwayes  nocht  fath- 
full subjects  nor  members  of  Chryst.  And,  Sir,  when  yie  war  in  your 
awadling-cloutes,  Chryst  Jesus  rang4  friely  in  this  land  in  spyt  of  all 
his  enemies,  and  his  Officers  and  Ministers  convenit  and  asseinblit 
for  the  rewling  and  weill  of  his  Kirk,  quhilk  was  ever  for  your  weil- 

1  Angrily,  testily.  *  Could  not.  3  Must.  '  Reigned. 


15%.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  371 

fear,  defence,  and  preservatioun  also,  when  thir  sam  enemies  was 
seiking  your  destructioun  and  cutting  af.  And,  in  sa  doing,  be  thair 
Assemblies  and  meittings  sen  syne  continowalie  lies  bein  terrible  to 
these  enemies,  and  maist  stedable  '  for  yow.  And  will  yie  now, 
when  thair  is  mair  nor2  extream  necessitie  of  the  continowance  and 
fathfull  discliarge  of  that  dewtie,  drawin  to  your  awin  destructioun 
be  a  dcvillische  and  maist  pemitius  counsall,  begin  to  hinder  and  dis- 
hart3  Chryst's  servants,  and  your  best  and  maist  faithfull  subjects, 
quarrelling  tham  for  thair  conveining  and  can*  that  they  hahT  of 
thair  dewtie  to  Chryst  and  yow,  when  yie  soidd  rather  commend 
and  countinance  tham,  as  the  godlie  Kings  and  guid  Emperours  did  ? 
As  to  the  Avisdome  of  your  counsall,  quhilk  I  call  devilishe  and  per- 
nitius,  it  is  this,  that  yie  mon  be  servit  with  all  sort  of  men  to  come 
to  your  purpose  and  grandour,  Jew  and  Gentill,  Papist  and  Pro- 
testant ;  and  because  the  Ministers  and  Protestants  in  Scotland  is 
over  stark,  4  and  controlles  the  King,  they  mon  be  waikned  and 
brought  law, 5  be  steiring  upe  a  partie  to  tham,  and  the  King  being 
requall  and  indifferent,  bathe  salbe  fean  to  flie  to  him ;  sa  sail  he  be 
weill  servit.  Bot,  Sir,  gif  God's  wesclome  be  the  onlie  trew  wis- 
dome,  this  will  prove  mere  and  mad  folie,  for  his  curse  can  bot  light 
upon  it ;  sa  that,  in  seiking  of  bathe,  yie  sail  los  bathe,  wharas  in 
cleiving  uprightHe  to  God,  his  trew  servants  soidd  be  your  sure 
freinds,  and  he  sould  compell  the  rest,  counterfitlie  and  leinglic, 6  to 
giff  over  tham  selves  and  serve  yow,  as  he  did  to  David  !" 

Thir  things,  and  manie  uther,  was  spoken  be  occasioun  in  con- 
ference with  grait  libertie  and  vehemence,  till  at  last  the  King  sat- 
telit  and  dimitted7  us  pleasandlie,  with  manie  attestationes  that  he 
knew  nocht  of  the  Papist  Lords'  ham-coming  till  they  war  in  the 
countrey ;  and  whowbeit  the  Esteates  haid  licenced  tham  to  mak 
thair  offers,  they  sould  nocht  be  receaved  till  they  tham  selves  war 
fuvthe  of  the  countrey  again  ;  and  offer  what  they  wald,  they  sould 
gett  na  grace  at  his  hand  till  they  satisfeid  the  Kirk. 


1  Serviceable.  2  More  than.  3  Dishearten.  '  Strong,  powerful. 

5  Must  be  weakened  and  brought  low.  '•  Lyingly.  7  Dismissed. 


372  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1590. 

The  20  of  October  the  Coinmissionars  of  the  Geuerall  Assem- 
blie,  and  from  divers  Synodalls,  convened  at  Edinbruche,  the  liaill 
proceidings  wharof  from  that  day  untill  the  xvij.  day  of  December, 
that  accursed  wrakfull  day  to  the  Kirk  and  Comoun-weill  of  Scot- 
land, because  they  ar  at  lainthe,  and  particularlie,  in  forme  of  Ephe- 
merids,  sett  doun  be  me  in  a  buik  be  tham  selff,  for  contracting  of 
tins  volum,  I  mon  remit  the  reidar  thairto.  Only  heir  I  will  insert 
the  Offers  quhilk  the  Erie  of  Hountlie  maid  to  the  Synod  of  Mur- 
ray, be  his  Lady,  the  19  day  of  the  forsaid  monethe  of  October, 
that  it  may  be  knawin  whow  trew  the  Lord  lies  ever  bein  in  his 
promises  to  his  Kirk,  in  making  than*  and  his  enemies  leinglie  yeild, 
and  to  giff  ower  tham  selves  unto  his  David. 


THE  OFFERS  PRESENTED  BE  THE  LADY  HENRIET  STEWART,  COUNTES 
OF  HOUNTLY,  HAVING  COMMISSION  FROM  HIR  HOUSBAND  EST  HIS 
ABSENCE,  TO  THE  SYNODALL  ASSEMBLIE  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIES 
WITHIN  THE  DIOICESE  OF  MUREAY,  CONVENIT  IN  ELGEN  THE  XLX. 
DAY  OF  OCTOBER,   1596. 

"  In  the  first  heiring,  and  having  intelligence  that  your  Wisdomes 
heir  convenit,  and  remanent  of  the  Kirk  of  this  realm,  hes  bein  in 
tyme  past,  and  as  yit  remancs  evill  informit,  be  suggcstioun  of  mis- 
reportes  of  my  Lord  and  spouse,  that  he  sould  be  a  trafcctar l  with 
strangers  sen  his  departing  out  of  this  realme,  in  prejudice  of  the 
Relligioun  presentlie  professit  in  the  Bam,  and  of  the  estcat  of  his 
native  countrey,  I,  as  having  commissioun  in  his  nam,  offers,  nocht 
onlie  to  mak  his  purgatioun  of  the  sinister  misreportes  of  him  above 
wrytten,  bot  also  that  he  sail  abyd  and  submit  him  selff  to  all  law- 
full  tryall  thairanent ;  and,  if  he  beis  fund  culpable  and  giltie  thairof, 
to  suffer  and  underly  the  censours  of  your  ^Yisd(»mes,  King,  and 
Counsall. 

u  Secondlie,  I  offer  that  he  sail  mak  sufficient  securitie  nather  till 

1  Thnt  he  i^  reputed  to  have  been  a  trafficker. 


159(5.  Mil  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  373 

attempt,  assist,  nor  devyse  anic  thing  in  tymes  cuinming,  tending 
to  the  alteratioun  or  inversioun  of  the  Relligioun  presentlie  professit 
within  this  realm  e. 

"  Thridlie,  Offers  that  he  sail  banishe  and  eject  from  his  com- 
panie  and  societie  all  Jesuites,  Seminarie  Preist,  excommunicat 
persones,  and  notorins  knawin  Papists. 

"Feirdlie,  He  is  and  salbe  content  to  intercomoun  and  confer 
with  quhatsumever  of  the  Ministerie  your  Wisdomes  and  haill  Kirk 
sail  apoinct ;  and  in  cais  he  may  be  movit  be  guid  arguments  and  rea- 
sones,  and  thairby  persuadit  in  his  conscience  to  leave  the  Relligioun 
presentlie  profest  be  him,  he  sail  embrace  the  Relligioun  profest 
within  this  realme. 

"  Fyftlie,  Offeres  that  he  sail  ressave  an  ordinar  Minister  in  his 
companie,  for  his  better  instructioun,  on  his  awin  charges  ;  and  in 
mean  tyme  sail  keipe  guid  ordour. 

"  Sextlie,  For  better  assurance  of  his  guid  meining,  he  is  content 
till  assist  your  discipline  in  punishing  of  vyce. 

"  Sevintlie,  In  consideratioun  of  the  premisses,  I  will  desyre  your 
Wisdomes  to  giff  and  concead  a  reasonable  tyme  wharin  my  Lord 
my  spouse  may  be  resolved  in  his  conscience  ;  and  that  it  will  pleis 
your  Wisdomes  to  schaw  him  that  favour  to  absolve  him  fra  the 
proces  of  excommunicatioun  ;  and  that  he  may  have,  be  your  media- 
tioun  and  interceiding,  his  Majestie's  favour  and  oversight,  to  rer 
mean  within  the  countrey  untroublit  during  the  tyme  of  the  Con- 
ference. 

"  And  for  your  perswasioun  to  the  premisses,  I  offer,  in  his  name, 
that  he  sail  mak  sufficient  securitie  for  observing  of  the  Articles 
above  wrettin  ;  and  in  testimonie  of  his  guid  intcntiounes,  sail  assist 
the  planting  of  Ministers  in  the  Kirks  desolat  within  his  bounds. 
(  Thus  subscryvit,)  "  Henkett  Countess  of  Huxtlye." 

Thir  Articles  war  presentit  be  the  Barones  undenvryten  :  Sir 
Walter  Ogilbie  of  Findlater,  Knight,  Robert  Innes  of  that  Ilk,  Sir 
Jhone  Gordown  of  Pitlurg,  Knight,  Wilyeam  Sutherland  of  Duft'cs, 
Jhone  Urquhart  of  Tullo,  Tutor  of  Crommertie. 


374  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  159<). 

Upon  thir  offeree,  the  Papist  Erles  war  suffered  to  bruik  the 
countrey,  yea,  ther  a  win  housses  and  tarings,  till  the  monethe  of 
May  thairefter ;  when,  at  the  Generall  Assemblie  hauldin  at  Don- 
die,  they  war  absolved  :  Quhilk  was  easic  to  effectuat,  the  Mini- 
sterie  of  St  Androis  and  Edinbruche,  and  sa  of  the  haill  Southe, 
being  ather  defaced  or  drawin  to  the  King's  devotioun ;  and  tin- 
Ministerie  of  the  Northe  haillclie,  be  fear  and  flatterie,  maid  for  the 
purpose.  And  thus  our  undewtifulnes  did  lose  again  that  grait 
victorie  quhilk  God  haid  conqueist  ower  these  enemies  ;  the  quhilk 
I  pray  his  mercie  they  be  nocht  maid  just  skurges  to  the  Ministerie 
in  speciall  thairfor. 

Immediatlie  efter  that  xvij.  day  of  December,  the  Ministers  of 
Edinbruche,  Maisters  Robert  Bruce,  James  Balfour,  Walter  Bal- 
canquall,  and  Wilyeam  Watsone,  war  nocht  onlie  counsallit,  hot 
ernestlie  urgit  be  thair  flok  to  flie.  Twa  of  the  quhilk,  Mr  Robert 
and  Walter,  past  Southe,  in  England.  The  uther  twa  cam  Xorthe 
ower  to  Fyff,  whar  they  war  attendit  upon,  and  receavit  in  a  hous 
quhilk  the  Lord  haid  preparit  for  the  confort  of  his  servants.  Ther, 
under  the  winges  of  God's  providence,  they  reposit,  and  ther  thair 
host  penned  the  Apologie  of  thair  cause,  following  : — 


±  DECLARATIOUN  OF  THE  JUST  CAUSSES  QUHILK  MOVED  THE  MINI- 
STERS OF  EDINBRUCHE  TO  WITHDRAW  THAM  SELVES  FROM  THAIK 
FLOKES,  FOR  A  SEASONE,  IN  THE  MONETH  OF  DECEMBER,  1596; 
GIVEING  PLACE  TO  THE  WRATH E  OF  THE  PRINCE,  TO  RESERVE 
THAM  SELVES  FOR  A  BETTER  TYME. 

"  There  hes  bein  in  all  ages,  is,  and  salbe,  (1.)  Sum  proffessrl 
malitius  enemies  to  the  Lord  Jesus  and  his  servands  :  (2.)  Sum  that 
wald  profes  frindschipe  to  tham,  bot  the  love  of  this  warld  sa  ower- 
rewlea  thair  affectionnes,  that  when  the  frindschipe  of  the  an  and 
the  uther  comes  in  comparisone,  sa  that  of  necessitie  they  man  for- 
aeak  an  of  tham,  lyk  the  ritche  man  in  the  Gospell,  with  heavines 
of  hart  they  deparl  from  Chryst :  (3.)  Sum  weak  and  infirm  breith- 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  375 

ring  that  haid  neid  nocht  onlie  of  rightcus  informatioun  in  the  treuthe, 
bot  also  of  continuall  confort :  (4.)  And  sum  wyse  and  strong  favo- 
rers, wha  leakes  na  tiling  bot  intelligence  of  the  proceidings  of 
maters  tliat  they  may  meantein  the  caus,  and  stand  thairunto  against 
whatsoever  calumnie  or  sklander. 

"  Concerning  the  first,  wharof  we  mein  nocht  to  tyne  tyme  in  wass- 
ing  of  sic  Moores,1  nor,  contrar  to  the  command  of  our  Maister,  to 
cast  our  halie  things  to  doogges,  and  sett  our  peirles  befor  sic  SAvyne, 
seiking  to  find  and  save  sic  whom  the  Lord  will  have  lost  and  de- 
stroyed; and,  thairfor,  in  his  rightcus  judgments,  giffes  tham  over 
to  thair  awin  fantasies  to  forge  out  stumbling-blokes,  and  cast  tham 
in  thair  awin  way  to  fall  on,  and  go  from  evill  to  warse,  deceaving 
and  being  deceavit,  to  thair  awin  just  condemnatioun. 

"  As  for  the  second  sort,  it  war  bot  lost  labour  also  to  preas  to 
perswad  tham  of  the  treuthe ;  for  it  fearethe2  Avith  tham  as  with  an 
sa  affectionat  to  his  frind  that  he  meines  never  to  speir3  his  quarrell, 
what  ever  be  done,  what  ever  be  said,  right  or  wrang,  trew  or  fals, 
rashlie  or  advysedlie ;  sa  it  tend  anie  wayes  to  the  hurt  or  hinder- 
ance  of  his  affectionat  frind,  it  is  all  an ;  yea,  he  is  sa  ather  blindit 
or  Avillfullie  addicted  to  his  fond  frindschipe,  that  the  least  appeir- 
ance  of  the  hurt  thairof  makes  right,  treuthe,  wesdome,  advysitnes 
in  his  conceat  to  alter  bathe  name  and  nature,  and  be  esteimed  and 
giffen  out  for  contrarie  vyces :  Sa  ar  they  to  the  frindschipe  of 
thair  gear  and  this  warld. 

"  Our  onlie  cear  is  of  the  twa  rankes  that  remeanes,  rightlie  till 
informe  that  an  of  the  just  and  Avechtie  causses  moving  us  to  with- 
draw our  selves  from  our  charges,  and  leave  af  the  exerccise  of  our 
ministerie  amangs  our  flocks  of  our  awin  accord  for  a  seasone, 
(cjiihilk  utherwayes  Ave  sould  have  bein  compelled  to  do  against  our 
Avilles,  to  the  los  of  our  lives  and  graitter  disadvantage  of  the  co- 
raoun  cause,  as  evidentlie  Avill  appeir  in  our  Apologie  efter  follow- 
ing,) and  togidder  heirwithall  to  subjoyne  sum  comfort  also  for  the 
confirmatioun  of  that  uther ;  beseikand  tham  bathe  to  accept  of  the 

1  Washing  of  such  Blackamoors;  labour  in  vain.        2  Fareth.       s  Ask,  inquire  into. 


376  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

saming  rightlie  and  lovinglie,  in  the  tender  bowelles  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

"  Thair  is  twa  things,  as  we  understand,  blawin  abrode  of  us  for 
our  discredit,  and  the  hurt  of  the  cause  of  Jesus  Chryst.  An,  that 
we  have  left  our  flockes,  and  sa  becom,  of  pastors,  hyrlings.  The 
uther,  that  we  ar  fled  from  the  lawes,  and  sa  of  guid  subjects  be- 
com rebelles  and  outlawes.  The  quhilk  crymes  ar  befor  God  and 
man,  in  all  Reformit  Kirks  and  Comoun-weilles,  sa  hynous  and 
odius,  that,  giff  we  haid  nocht  the  testimonie  of  a  guid  conscience 
in  the  contrare  to  uphold  us  befor  God,  and  evident  reasones  to 
cleir  our  selves  befor  the  reasonable  and  godlie,  we  wald  esteim  our 
selves  of  all  men  maist  miserable. 

"  For,  as  concerning  the  flight  from  our  flockes,  Ave  have  the 
command  of  our  Maister  bidding  us,  being  persecut  in  a  citie  to 
flie  to  an  uther ;  and,  conform  to  the  saming  his  awin  exemple,  and 
the  exemple  of  his  apostles,  namlie  St  Paull,  who,  being  let  down 
in  a  basket  by  night  over  the  walles  of  Damascus,  eschaped,  and 
the  manifold  flightes  of  manie  reverend  fathers- of  the  Antient  Kirk, 
and  namlie  of  the  godlie  and  zealus  Athanasius,  weill  thought  of  and 
approvin  of  all  Christianitie.  And  wha,  I  pray  vow,  speaking  in 
conscience,  will  or  can  deny  our  persecutioun  ?  Having  sic  bludie 
bod  warts l  coming  to  us  from  Court  continuallie,  sic  schoring 2  to 
pi uk  us  out  of  our  pulpites,  sic  bitter  and  malitius  realling 3  against 
us  at  tables,  and  in  conference  of  counsallours,  sic  blasphemus  tra- 
ducing in  publict,  be  proclamatiounes  at  mercat  crosses  with  sound 
of  trumpet;  whar,  befor  that  ever  we  war  callit  or  hard,  we  war 
convict  of  seditioun  and  treasone,  and  proclaimed  to  be  sic  personnes, 
namlie,  in  that  maist  malitius  and  blasphemus  proclamationn,  whar- 
in  was  deducit  the  pieces  led  against  Mr  David  Blak,  in  the  selflf 
maist  informall,  impius,  and  injust,  and  avc  involvit  in  the  giltines 
of  the  sam  alleagit  crymes,  to  be  maid  part-takers  of  the  sam  punis- 
ment  at  the  pleasur  and  will  of  the  Prince;  wha,  God  wattes1  and 

1  Messages,  in  fiery  haste.  Literally.,  this  word  denotes  the  stick  or  fiery-cross, 
\\  hich  of  old  was  sent  from  place  to  place  to  call  the  people  to  defend  the  country,  ."vc. 
1  Threatening,  menacing.  »  Railintr.  'Wots  ki 


1590.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  377 

man  bathe,  what  guid  will  he  hathe  uttered  towards  us  and  all  our 
Maister's  servanda,  sen  the  receaving  of  our  deidlie  enemies  the  Pa- 
pist Erles  in  his  favour :  For  the  quhilk,  we  humblie  pray  the  Lord 
to  be  mercifull  to  the  King,  and  giff  him  repentance  in  tyme,  befor 
that  grait  Judge  of  the  warld  sett  his  Justice  Court,  enter  in  re- 
ductioun  of  that  proces,  and  pronunce  a  feirfull  sentence  in  his  con- 
trar,  to  be  execut  in  wrathe  without  delay.  And  at  last,  a  maist 
craftelie  devysit  tumult  and  insurrectioun  motiouned  be  our  enemies, 
and  moved  be  the  simple  populace ;  the  quhilk  nochtwithstanding, 
be  our  diligence  and  authoritie,  it  was  asswagit  without  anie  vio- 
lence or  tort1  done  to  anie  man,  praisit  be  God.  Yit,  forsuthe,  the 
sam  is  sa  hilie  aggreagit,2  that  it  is  giffen  out  to  the  warld  for  a  con- 
spiracie  of  us  and  our  associattes,  of  hie  treassone  against  his  Ma- 
jestie's  persone  and  counsallours,  and  maid  to  be  a  sufficient  cause, 
wharfore  we  sould  be  apprehendit  as  seditius  trators,  committed  to 
warde,  and  condemnit  to  schamfull  executioun. 

"  For  what  better  could  we  have  luiked  for  at  the  hands  of  our 
accursed  enemies,  the  excommunicat  Papist  Erles,  whase  speciall 
frinds  and  favourars  hes  nocht  onlie  alienat  the  hart  of  his  Majestie 
from  us,  bot  sa  incensit  the  saming  in  hatred  and  wrathe  against  us, 
steired  upe  be  our  frie  rebuiking  of  sinne,  and  fathfull  admonitiounes 
giffen  from  tyme  to  tyme  to  his  Majestie  for  eschewing  of  the  feir- 
full judgments  of  God,  that  his  awin  mouthe  hes  brathed  out 
bludie  sentences  and  domes  against  us.  The  quhilk  tiling,  when 
our  breithring,  the  Commissionars  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  haid 
espyed  and  considderit,  befor  thair  departing  of  the  town,  forcit  to 
leave  us  be  that  streat3  charge  and  proclamatioun,  they  gaiff  us 
thair  speciall  advys  and  counsall,  that  in  cais  our  Magistrates  and 
flock  wald  nocht  preserve  us  saiff  from  violent  invasioun  and  craftie 
dint  of  deidlie  malice,  in  that  ceas  we  sould  withdraw  our  selfFs  for 
a  tyme,  and  reserve  our  selffs  to  a  better  occasioun,  when  we  might 
serve  our  God  and  his  peiple  be  our  ministrie  in  saftie  and  freidome. 
And  it  is  of  veritie,  that  sa  far  was  our  bailyies  and  counsall  from 

1  Wrong,  hurt.    Fr.  tort.  "-'  Aggravated.  3  Stringent,  strict, 


378  MK  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

that  abilitie  or  dewtie,  that  they  war  fean,  for  feir  of  thair  awin 
esteattcs,  to  receave  a  comniissioun  to  tak  and  apprelieud  us,  and 
put  us  in  streat  wardc  and  sure  firmance,  to  be  producit  at  the 
pleasour  of  our  enemies,  and  maid  a  prey  to  the  recent  anger  of  an 
incensit  King,  whose  wrathe  is  as  the  roaring  of  a  lyoun,  or  as  a 
boare  rabbit  of  hir  whelpes,1  as  speakes  the  Scripture.  The  quhilk 
they  haid  nocht  fealit  to  have  effectuat  indeid,  giff  God  of  his  guid 
Providence  haid  nocht  carit  for  our  preservatioun,  and  movit  the 
haill  breithring  of  our  Presbyterie,  and  uthers  out  of  divers  partes 
of  the  countrey,  being  ther  for  the  tyme,  togidder  with  our  awin 
Sessioun  and  divers  of  our  flock  better  affected,  to  counsall  us  cair- 
fullie  and  maist  urgentlie  to  move  us  to  eschew  the  present  furie 
and  danger,  and  keipe  our  selves  to  the  fore2  for  the  wark  of  God 
at  a  better  tyme.  Giff  then  it  be  lawfull,  comendable,  and  honest, 
for  the  stouttest  to  feir  whar  thair  is  just  cause,  and  flie  to  that  end 
they  may  feght  againe,  namlie  to  Pastors  wher  thair  is  na  danger 
of  infecting  of  thair  flockes  with  heresie,  and  evident  danger  intendit 
against  thair  ly  ves :  And  if  the  premisses  and  mikle  mair,  cleirlie 
knawin  to  the  consciences  of  all  men  of  cair  and  sight  in  proceid- 
ino-s  of  maters,  be  trew,  it  is  manifest  that  sic  was  the  stat  in  deid 
of  us  and  our  flockes.  Thair  is  nan  of  sound  and  sancteficd  judg- 
ment that  will  blam  us  as  mercenarie  desertours  of  our  charges,  hot 
rather  praise  God,  wha  lies  of  his  gratius  guidnes  wotchaft'ed3  sa  to 
direct  and  protect  us,  to  be  reserved  in  hope  of  farder  imployment 
in  the  wark  of  his  glorie  and  grace  in  Jesus  Chryst. 

"  Now  to  the  uther  heid  of  our  accusatioun,  twitching  our  fleing 
from  the  lawes,  we  stand  jnstlie  to  the  flat  denying  thairof.  For  we 
flie  nocht  from  the  law,  bot  from  the  wrathe  and  evill  dispositioun 
of  the  Judge  that  may  easclic  pervert  the  law ;  or  rather  from  the 
partie  wha  intends,  be  pretence  of  law,  to  be  rcvengit  upon  us,  as 
upon  thair  noysome  enemies,  wha,  as  they  allcage,  hes  nocht  ccssit, 
be  our  just  rebuking  of  thair  shines,  quhilk  they  term  seditius  ser- 
montes,  to  disgrace  tham  befor  the  peiple,  and  thairby  at  last  hes 

1  A  bear  robbed  of  her  whelps,  Prov.  xvii.  12.  •  In  life.  3  Vouchsafed. 


151) G.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  379 

concitat1  the  saining  against  tham  to  bereave  tham  of  thair  lyves 
and  honors.  Giff  it  be  nocht  sa,  we  appeill  thair  conscience  befor 
God ;  and  if  it  be  sa,  as  it  is  indeid,  have  we  nocht  reasone  to  de- 
clyne  the  judgment  of  our  partie,  and  flie  from  a  craftie  and  crewall 
intendit  revenge  of  a  deidlie  and  malitius  enemie  ? 

((  For,  to  be  plean,  in  this  our  necessar  Apologie,  we  ar  forcit 
unto  for  defence  of  the  ffistimatioun  of  our  office,  and  creadit  of  our 
calling  amangs  the  peiple  of  God,  nocht  we  onlie,  bot  all  men  of 
guid  and  ajquitable  judgment,  thinks  it  all  an2  to  be  judgit  be  the 
present  Counsall  as  be  the  Erie  of  Hountlie,  in  whase  favour  the 
advancment  of  the  specialles  of  tham,  speak  what  they  will,  hes 
bein  procurit,  and  for  whase  effect  thair  credit  is  continowed  and 
increassit  at  Court.  And  we  ar  sure  nan  will  esteim  us  foolishe 
or  fleyed3  for  fleing  from  the  judgment  of  that  crewall  trator,  as 
from  the  Burning  of  Dunibirsall  or  Spanishe  Inquisitioun. 

"And  as  to  the  King's  Majestie,  we  flie  nocht  from  his  lawfull 
authoritie,  but  from  his  unlawfull  wrathe,  nocht  from  his  evill  natu- 
rall,  (quhilk  of  it  selff  is  maist  clement,)  but  from  his  prejudicat 
dispositioun  and  evill  opinioun  conceavit  against  us  be  the  maist 
subtill  and  importune  subjestioun4  of  craftie  serpentes,  from  whase 
pernitius  poisone  our  continuall  prayer  to  God  is,  that  his  Majestie 
may  be  saiff,  and  nocht  thairby  slean  in  body  and  saull.  For  as 
to  his  Majestie's  Judicatorie,  we  mein  nocht  to  declyne  it  in  this 
cause  ;  nather,  whowbeit  we  have  be  all  law  maist  just  cause  of 
appellatioun  thairfra,  being  sa  inormlie  greivit  and  hurt  be  all  his 
proceidings  against  us,  yit  Ave  mein  nocht  simplie  till  appeal  from 
his  Hienes'  throne  to  anie  Caesars,  Kings,  or  Princes,  in  the  erthe, 
but  a  Rege  male  consulto  et  affecto  ad  melius.  Sa'  that  whow  soone 
soever  it  pleis  God  to  delyver  him  from  the  companie  and  counsall 
of  wicked  Papists  and  malitius  Atheists,  and  turn  his  hart  and  af- 
fectioun  to  the  trew  professours  of  the  right  Christian  Relligioun 
and  fathfull  Ministers  thairof,  wha,  without  all  questioun,  is,  hes 
bein,  and  will  prove  his  onlie  sure  frinds  and  guid  subjects,  we  sail, 

Stirred  up.  2  Equal,  the  same  thing.  3  Afraid,  terrified.  *  Injection. 


380  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596. 

in  all  readines  and  humilitie,  present  our  selves  befor  his  Majestie, 
sitt  dow,1  fauld  our  feit,2  and  tholl  an  assyse3  of  anie  honest  men 
of  whatsumever  rank,  for  all  art,  part,  read,4  or  counsall  of  that 
insurrectioun,  or  anie  uther  interpryse  at  anie  tyme  attempted 
against  his  Majestie. 

"  Wharfor,  deir  breithring,  we  ernestlie  exhort  yow,  in  the 
bowelles  of  our  comoun  Saviour,  to  conceave  of  our  cause  and  do- 
ings aright ;  and  nocht  onlie  to  satisfie  your  selff  with  the  equit- 
able reasones  and  motives  thairof,  wherby  all  occasioun  of  offence 
and  mislyking  may  easilie  be  removed,  bot  also  of  Christian  dewtie 
and  love  to  play  the  advocat  for  us  at  the  hands  of  uthers,  namlie, 
of  sic  as  may  have  acces  to  deall  with  his  Majestie  for  the  treuthe, 
and  move  his  Hienes  to  a  better  dispositioun. 

"  For,  as  concerning  our  dewtie  to  his  Majestie,  the  God  of 
heavin,  the  cearsar5  of  all  hartes>  bears  us  witnes,  that  we  injoy  a 
guid  and  quyet  conscience  thairanent,  quhilk  accuses  us  nocht  of 
omitting  anie  thing  we  oucht6  of  dewtie  to  his  Majestie,  nor  com- 
mitting of  anie  thing  against  his  Majestie's  persone  or  esteat,  un- 
les  it  have  bein  be  the  exces  of  affectioun  or  zeall,  fearing  for  his 
danger,  and  caring  for  his  weill  and  preservatioun  against  all  sort 
of  trators  :  That  lyk  as  his  Majestie  haid  guid  pruff  and  experience 
thairof  against  Boduall,  from  whase  attempts  he  could  never  be 
frie  till  we  put  to  pur  hand;  and  after  redding7  of  his  Majestie 
divers  tymes  out  of  his  claues,8  at  last  maid  him  fean,  being  excom- 
municat,  till  abandone  the  countrey ;  sa  he  might  have  the  sam 
against  these  graitter  and  mair  dangerus  trators,  the  said  Bodualles 
confederattes  at  Menmure,  the  excommunicat  Papist  Erles,  wha 
seikes  maist  subtillie  to  betrey  his  Majesty  in  body,  saull,  king- 
dom, lyfF,  temporall  and  everlasting.  Gif  heirin  we  have  offeudit, 
let  the  King  pardone  and  forgiff  us. 

"  But,  alas  !  wald  to  God  the  wrang  war  done  to  us  onlie,  the 
pure  servants  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  nocht  dircctlie  to  him  selff, 

1  Dolefully.  2  Bond  our  knees.  3  Submit  to  a  jury.  !  Knowledge,  rede. 

5  Searcher.  6  Owed.  7  E.\tricating,  delivering.  'Clutches. 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  381 

whase  cromi  and  khigdome  is  violeutlie  invadit ;  withe  whome  the 
King  enterit  in  actioun  for  redding  of  merches,1  and  in  the  mean 
tym  maid  irruptioun  violentlie  within  the  middes  of  his  undoutted 
possessioun,  and  under  conference  of  tilings  alleagit  questionable 
betwix  his  ertlilie  kingdome  and  the  Kirk,  the  spirituall  kingdome 
of  Chiyst  Jesus,  satt  down  in  judgment,  tuk  decreit  to  him  selff, 
and  therby  acclamed  the  speciall  privilages  of  the  croun  of  Chryst, 
to  wit,  the  judicator  of  the  preatching  of  the  Word,  and  conceaving 
of  prayer,  and  annulling  of  the  constitutionnes  and  commissionnes 
of  his  Supream  Assemblie  within  this  realme.  Giff  anie  gentilman 
of  the  countrey  haid  bein  sa  used  with  his  nibour  in  questioun  of 
his  mertches,  wald  he  nocht  be  thought  to  have  just  occasioun  of 
compleant,  yea,  just  cause  and  quarrell  to  Avar2  his  gear,3  land,  him 
selff,  and  all  that  wald  tak  his  part  for  redres  thairof  ?  And  yit  sail 
nocht  the  Lord  Jesus  be  hard4  to  complean?  Sail  his  servants  be 
declarit  trators,  because  they  mein5  his  cause?  Sail  his  officers  be 
rebelles,  because  they  warn  his  frinds  to  cognos  upon  the  wrang 
and  sie  it  repearit?6  And  sail  sic  oppressioun  and  tyrannie  pas  un- 
repressit  ?  Sail  he  wha  has  received  the  haill  lands  and  costes  of 
the  erthe  for  a  just  possessioun,  yea,  all  powar  in  heavin  and  in  erd 
from  the  grait  Creator  thairof,  suffer  him  selff  to  be  thus  handlit 
and  usit  ?  Sail  the  Pagan  Turk,  the  Cam  of  Tartaric,  the  Muscovit 
and  Sophie  of  Pers,  defend  thair  bounds  and  conqueist  kingdomes  ? 
Sail  bastard  Christiarines,  sic  as  Prester  Jhone  in  Afric,  beir  im- 
pyre,  and  Philipe  of  Spean  mak  the  warld  agast,  inlarging  his  domi- 
niones  from  the  West  to  Est,  and  in  the  mean  tyme  the  Hair7  of  the 
Warld,  the  King  of  Glorie,  be  oppressed,  spulied,  and  dishonored 
be  a  litle  erthlie  Kegulus  ?  Na,  alas  !  wald  to  God  the  King  knew 
what  he  war  doing,  and  tuik  upe  rightlie,  and  considderit  tlie  fath- 
full,  loving,  and  cearfull  hartes  of  the  Ministrie,  wha  sies  the  hat 
wrathe  of  Jehova  kindlet  against  him,  for  helping  the  wicked,  and 
favoring  of  tham  whom  God  haittes,  and  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  King 

1  Literally,  a  process  at  law  for  settling  and  adjusting  of  marches  or  boundaries. 
2  Expend.  3  Wealth.  4  Heard.  5  Head.  6  Repaired.  7  Heir  • 


382  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaby.  1596. 

of  kinges,  for  invadding  of  his  possessiounes,  and  usurping  upon  his 
spiritual!  croun  and  kingdom c  :  And,  thairfor,  mon1  cry  thealarme, 
and  gifF  the  warning  in  tyme  to  leave  af  and  repent,  befor  he  be 
consumit  thairby,  and  maid  a  feirfull  spectacle  to  the  rewlars  of  the 
erde ! 

"  Alas  !  his  conscience,  and  the  conscience  of  all,  may  weill  ken 2 
it  is  natter  ritches,  honour,  land,  nor  rent,  nor  na  warldlie  particu- 
lar3 that  we  crave,  as  does  his  courtiours,  wha  goes  about  to  cla 
and  counsall  him,  nocht  according  to  his  weilfeare,  bot  efter  his  af- 
fectioun  and  present  dangerus  dispositioun ;  and  sa,  when  they 
have  gotten  that  quhilk  they  sought,  they  cair  na  mair  for  him,  bot 
wald  have  another  in  his  place,  of  Avhom  they  might  get  mair,  to 
serve  thair  insatiable  appeteit :  Bot  our  cair  onlie  is  lest  he  offend 
his  God,  and  sa  be  left  destitut  of  his  grace  and  protectioun,  and 
fall  in  the  hands  of  sic  as  seiks  his  wrak  and  distructioun.  And 
yit,  forsuthe,  they  ar  the  frinds,  and  we  the  enemies  !  they  the 
wyse  and  discreit,  and  we  the  inordinat  foolles  !  they  the  savears  of 
his  honour  and  privileages  of  his  croun,  and  we  the  empearers4 
thairof,  and  sic  as  seikes  to  disgrace  him  befor  the  peiple  !  But, 
alas  !  wald  to  God  his  Majestie  saAv  thair  plattes,  and  knew  thair 
devysses !  He  wald  flie  from  tham  as  from  the  sword,  or  consump- 
tion of  raging  fyre  ;  for,  as  Solomon  speakes  of  the  harlot,  '  Honnie 
is  in  ther  mouthe,  but  the  sting  of  bitter  cleathe  is  in  thair  end.' 
Let  the  King  persew  us  as  he  pleases,  we  sail  nocht  ceas  to  requyt 
him  with  ernest  prayer  to  our  God  to  preserve  his  grace  from  the 
miserable  experience  quhilk  sail  cleir  this  cause  to  the  haill  warld, 
o-if  he  brak  nocht  af  his  sines  be  repentance,  and  turn  to  God  in 

tyme. 

"  Now,  in  end,  we  turn  to  yow,  our  deir  afflicted  flok,  for  the 
saftie  of  whase  saulles  we  hope,  be  God's  grace,  to  gifF  our  lyves, 
gifF  neid  beis  ;  whowbeit  we  esteim  the  present  los  of  your  gear  of 
lytic  aveall,  in  respect  of  that  service  quhilk  yit  in  this  lyfF  we  may 
do  to  Chryst  and  his  Kirk.      What  ever  be  the  doings  of  men  in 

1  Must.  2  Know.  3  Interest,  advantage.  4  Impairers. 


1596-7.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  383 

this  your  visitatioun,  luik  yie  to  the  hand  of  God,  justlie  working 
that  quhilk  sa  often  be  our  mouthes  he  forwarned  yow  of,  for  the 
contempt  of  his  Gospell,  and  fruictles  passing  ower  the  lang  sim- 
mer and  seasonable  herveist  thairof.  He  lies  moved  the  folie  of  a 
mad  and  confusit  multitude  to  minister  to  your  troublers  the  occa- 
sioun  of  your  present  perplexitie,  yea,  of  this  heavie  plag  upon  your 
hartes,  bodies,  and  geare ;  to  the  spilling,1  be  appeirance,  of  a  guid 
cause,  and  moving  of  the  wrathe  of  an  ercllie  prince  against  yow. 
Bot  we  beseik  yow  thairin  to  perceave  and  tak  upe  the  angrie  face 
and  crabbit2  countenance  of  the  Lord  of  Hostes,  wha  lies  the 
coupe  of  his  vengeance,  mixit  with  mercie  and  justice,  in  his  hand, 
to  propyne 3  to  this  haill  land,  and  everie  member  thairof,  in  what 
rank  and  degrie  so  ever  they  be.  Of  the  quhilk  the  servants  of 
his  awin  hous,  and  yie  in  speciall,  lies  gottin  the  breird  to  drink. 
Drink  it  patientlie,  for  whowbeit  it  be  bitter,  it  is  a  halsome  po- 
tioun  of  repentance  propynit  to  yow  in  mercie  ;  bot  be  assurit  for 
your  confort,  when  that  hathe  wrought  weill  upon  yow  and  iis  for 
our  humiliatioun  and  amendiment,  the  thik  dreg  of  that  read  wyne 
of  the  Lord's  vengeance  is  preparit  in  wrathemll  justice  for  the  ene- 
mies to  drink,  the  quhilk  they  sail  drink,  nill  they  will  they,4  to 
thair  horrible  destructioun  and  confusioun  everlasting !  Amen." 

At  the  beginning  of  Januar,  the  King,  with  grait  forces,  of  the 
Homes,  Cares,5  and  Southland  gentell  men,  cam  to  Edinbruche, 
quhilk  pat  the  town  in  grait  feir,  and  thair  was  keipit  a  frequent6 
Conventioun  of  Esteates,  wharin  war  maid  manie  strange  and  seveir 
actes,  the  tytles  wharof  followes  : — 

Imprimis,  Thrie  actes  of  Counsall7  confirmed  be  thair  authoritic  : 
an,  finding  the  uproare  at  Edinbruche  the  xvij.  of  December  to  be 
hichest  treasone,  and  the  authors  and  partakers,  with  thair  favorars, 
to  be  trators  in  the  hichest  degrie  :  An  uther,  discharging  the  TVIi- 
nisters'  Stipends  that  wald  nocht  subscry  vc  a  Band,  acknawlaging 

'Spoiling.  2  Incensed.  3    Present  as  a  gift.  '  In  spite  of  them. 

5  Carrs,  Karrs.  6  Numerously  attended,  crowded.  7  Privy  Council. 


384  MR  JAMES  melvujl's  DIARY.  1596-7. 

the  King  to  be  onlie  Judge  in  maters  of  treassone,  or  uther  eivill 
and  criniinall  causses,  committed  be  preatching,  prayer,  or  what 
way  so  ever:  The  thrid,  ordeaning  all  provests  and  bailyies, 
shireffes,  Stewarts,  and  uthers  of  authoritie,  that  sould  happen  to  be 
present  at  anie  sklanderus  speitches  of  his  Majestie,  in  pulpit  or 
utherwayes,  to  stay  tham  from  anie  farder  proceiding,  tak  and  ap- 
prehend, keipe  and  detein  tham,  till  they  sould  understand  his  Hie- 
nes'  pleasure  anent  thair  offence. 

Item,  Ther  past  an  act  with  thir,  finding  his  Majestie  to  have 
powar  to  charge  and  discharge  a  Minister  to  teatehc  at  anie  tymc 
or  place,  as  he  sould  think  convenient. 

Item,  Ane  act  discharging  all  General!.  Synodall  Assemblies  and 
Presbyteries  to  be  keipit  at  anie  tymc  heirefter  within  the  brouch  of 
Edinbruche  ;  and  the  Presbyterie  of  Edinbruche  to  sitt  in  Mussel- 
bruchc  or  Dalkethe. 

Item,  Ane  act  ordeaning  the  Ministers'  houses  in  Edinbruche  to  be 
appropriat  in  tyme  coming  to  his  Hienes'  use,  be  reasone  of  the 
treasonable  and  seditius  complottes,  ther  devysit  at  sindrie  tymes 
be  the  formal*  inhabitantes ;  and  thairwithall  the  Xather  Counsall- 
hous,  for  that  it  was  sum  tymes  imployed  to  be  a  gard-hous,  to  be 
a  Chacquer-hous  in  all  tymes  coming. 

Item,  Ther  was  a  form  of  Band  to  be  subscryvit  be  the  provest 
and  bailyies  of  Edinbruche,  and  thairefter  to  be  presented  to  the 
remanent  Magistrates  within  Brouches,  bearing  a  maist  streat  aithe 
of  fidelitic  to  his  Majestie,  and  oblesing  tham  never  to  sutler  anie 
Minister  blaspheam  his  Majestic,  his  Counsall  and  Esteattes,  unap- 
prehendit,  under  the  pcanof  perjurie  against  the  haill  thrie  persones 
of  the  Godheid  ;  and  under  a  grait  pecuniall  soum  in  cais  of  failyic. 

Item,  The  Town  of  Edinbruche  bund  never  to  admit  thair  former 
Ministers  to  teatche  again  within  the  town,  without  his  Majestie's 
consent;  never  to  chuse  anie  uther,  in  thair  place,  without  his  Ma- 
jestie's allowance  ;  siklyk  never  to  chuse  a  Magistral  without  his 
Majestie's  approbatioun  ;  and  the  present  Magistrats  to  dimit  and 
resing  thair  offices  ower  in  his  Hienes'  hands,  to  the  intent  he 
may,  with  advye  of  Counsall,  elect  sic  uthers  as  lie  pleases.     And 


1596-7.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  385 

fordar,  was  injoyned  to  thain,  ather  to  find  out  the  principall  offend- 
ars,  and  mak  thair  proces  cleir,  that  ther  rest  na  thing  but  execu- 
tioun  befor  the  last  day  of  this  instant,  or  els  the  provest,  bailyies, 
deaeones,  and  counsall,  representing  the  haill  bodie  of  the  town,  till 
enter  thair  persones  in  warde,  within  the  town  of  Perthe,  upon  the 
first  of  Februar  next,  ther  till  underly  the  law  for  the  said  treason- 
able uproare,  and  for  thair  letting  to  libertie  of  Mr  James  Balfour, 
efter  his  apprehensioun. 

Item,  The  Sessioun  to  be  transported  to  Perthe,  ther  to  sitt  the 
first  day  of  Februar  nixt,  and  his  Majestie  and  the  Checquer  to  re- 
niean  till  then  at  Litho;ow.  The  Commissars  and  ShirefF  Court  to 
sit  at  Leithe. 

At  the  sam  Conventioun  was  read  on  a J  day  bot  thrie  biiles  : 
An  of  the  Erie  of  Hountlie's,  an  uther  of  the  young  Lard  of  Boni- 
tone's,  and  the  thrid  of  the  Lord  Sachar's, 2  thrie  excommunicat 
Papists.  In  the  twa  first,  Aberdein  was  chargit  to  heir  thair  of- 
fers, and,  finding  tham  agriable  to  the  law  of  God,  conscience,  and 
quietnes  of  the  realme  ;  to  accept  tham,  and  to  releive  the  complean- 
ers  of  the  sentence  of  excommunicatioun ;  utherwayes,  to  compeir 
befor  the  Counsall  within  fifteen  dayes  thairefter,  and  schaw  a  rea- 
sonable cause  why ;  with  certificatioun,  in  cais  of  failyie,  letters 
sould  be  direct  to  charge  tham  simphciter  thairto. 

And  last,  ther  was  apointed  a  number  to  sitt  in  everie  quarter 
of  the  town  of  Edinbruche,  and  examine  sic  as  they  pleasit,  or  sould 
be  gifFen  in  row 3  to  tham.  Of  whase  dispositionnes  ther  was 
wryttin  monie  quarres 4  of  paper,  and  yit  amangs  all  nocht  sa  mikle 
fund  as  might  justlie  mak  a  man,  to  let  be  a  Minister,  suspitius  of 
anie  conspiracie  or  for-devysit  uproare,  that  could  publictlie  be  pu- 
nishable. 

The  King,  finding  this  vantage  and  occasioun,  pousses  fordwart 
the  sam  to  the  conquering  of  the  libertie,  bathe  of  the  Kirk  and 
Borrowes,  within  this  land  ;  and  publisses  in  print  a  nomber  of  Ques- 
tiones,  wharby  he  calles  in  dout  the  haill  discipline  and  ordour  of 

1  One.  2  Sanquhar.  3  Roll,  list.  4  Quires. 

2    B 


386  MR  JAMES  melvill's  DIARY.  1596-7. 

the  Kirk,  ordeaning  the  sam  to  be  disputed  and  concludit  in  a  so- 
lem  Conventioun  of  the  Kirk  and  Esteattes  of  the  Realme,  to  be 
conveinit  be  him  at  St  Johnstoun,  about  the  end  of  Februar. 

Wharfor  the  Synod  of  Fyff,  cairfull  of  thair  dewtie  at  sa  neidfull 
a  tyme,  convenit  at  Cowper  the  8  of  Februar,  ordeanit  every  Pres- 
byterie  to  nominat  and  direct  twa  of  thair  maist  discreit,  wyse,  and 
resolut  breithring  to  meit  within  the  citie  of  St  Androis,  upon  the 
Munday  efter  the  xxj.  of  that  instant,  thair  to  confer,  reasone,  and 
resolve,  with  comoun  and  uniform  consent,  on  maist  solid  and  sub- 
stantia answers  to  be  sett  down  in  wryt,  verie  schortlie,  for  resolu- 
tioun  of  the  King's  Questionnes. 

Also,  efter  ernest  incalling '  of  the  nam  of  God,  and  grave  and 
weghtie  consideratioun  of  the  dangers  the  haill  esteat  of  the  Kirk 
might  fall  into,  if  the  government  thairof,  manie  yeirs  ago  estab- 
lissed  be  the  Word  of  God  and  lawes  of  the  countrey,  and  peaceable 
practise,  accompanied  with  a  rare  blissing  of  sinceritie  and  concord, 
voide  of  all  errour  and  schisme  even  unto  this  day,  soulcl  be  now 
callit  in  controversie,  and  brought  in  doutfull  and  uncertain  reason- 
ing amangs  men  unskilled  in  the  Scriptur  and  Kirk  effeares,  with- 
out the  advys  of  a  Generall  Assemblie,  or  anie  inferiour  Assemblie 
of  the  Kirk,  namlie,  at  sic  a  tyme  when  the  notour2  enemies  thairof 
ar,  efter  sa  lang  preparatioun,  now  in  full  readines  to  accomplis 
thair  attemptats,  to  hir  utter  overthrow  ;  the  Synod  did  nominat  and 
ordean  certean  of  thair  maist  grave,  godlie,  and  discreit  breithring, 
to  wit,  David  Fergusone,  Mr  Thomas  Buchanan,  Mr  Robert  Wilkie, 
Mr  Robert  Durie,  Mr  Wilyeam  Scot,  Mr  Thomas  Dowglas,  and 
Mr  Jhone  Fearfull,  to  pas  from  the  present  Assemblie  in  Commis- 
sioun  to  the  King's  Majestie,  and  in  all  humble  reverence  and  dew- 
tifull  mancr,  be  all  guid  arguments  and  reasones  to  travell  with  his 
Majestie,  that  this  apointed  Assemblie,  at  Perthe,  may  desert  and  bo 
left  of,  or  at  leist  be  prorogat  and  continowit  unto  the  tym  the  last 
apointed  Generall  Assemblie  be  the  haill  Kirk,  with  consent  of  his 

i  Invocation.  '  Notorious,  well-known. 


1590-7.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  387 

Majestie's  Commissionars,  according  to  the  act  of  his  Majestie's 
Parliament,  convein  in  St  Androis  in  the  monethe  of  Apryll  nixto- 
conie,  and  giff  thair  advys  anent  His  Majestie's  Intentionnes  and 
Purpose,  published  in  print ;  declaring  to  his  Majestie  in  speciall, 
that  na  Presbyterie  hes  powar  to  giff  commissioun  to  anie  of  thair 
breithring  to  cast  in  questioun  or  put  in  dout  the  determinationnes 
and  conclusionnes  of  a  Generall  Assemblie,  na  mair  nor  a  particular 
brouche1  may  call  in  controversie  his  Majestie's  actes  of  Parliament : 
Sa  that,  whowbeit  the  Presbyteries  sail  direct  thair  Commissionars 
to  his  Majestie  at  Perthe2  at  the  day  appointed,  for  testifeing  thair 
dew  obedience,  they  can  on  na  wayes  com  instructed  for  the  pur- 
pose mentionat  thairin,  to  put  in  questioun  or  alter  anie  constitu- 
tioun  of  a  Generall  Assernblie. 

In  lyk  maner,  that  it  wald  pleis  his  Majestie  to  relax  the  Mini- 
sters of  Edinbruche  from  the  horn,  and  repon  tham  again  in  thair 
awin  roumes  ;  as  also,  Mr  David  Blak  to  his  awin  charge  in  St 
Androis ;  certefeing  his  Majestie,  that  he  can  do  na  thing  mair  to 
the  contentment  and  winning  of  the  hartes  of  all  the  fathfull  and 
gocllie  of  this  land  at  this  present  tyme. 

Andfordar,  to  beseik3his  Hienes  nocht  to  suffer  anie  thing  to  be 
published  in  print  anent  the  proceiding  of  maters  betwix  his  Ma- 
jestie and  the  Kirk  of  leat,  having  thairin  a  speciall  cear  of  his 
Majestie's  honour  and  estimatioun,  quhilk  can  nocht  bot  be  imparit 
amang  the  godlie  and  sincere  professours  in  all  realmes,  if  our  con- 
troversies com  in  thair  hands. 

The  said  Synod  also  condisendit  upon  certean  Instructionnes  to 
be  giffen  to  the  Commissionars,  to  be  chosin  be  thair  Presbyteries, 
to  keipe  the  apointed  dyet  be  the  King  at  Perthe,  as  followes  : 

1  Any  more  than  any  single  or  particular  burgh.  2  "  Nota. — The  King  wrot 

to  all  Presbyteries  throw  the  countrey  to  send  thrie  of  ther  number  to  the  Assem- 
blie apointed  at  Perthe."  This  has  been  added  by  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  the 
Manuscript.  3  Beseech. 


388  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diaky.  159(5-7. 


INSTRUCTIONS  GEVIN  BE  THE  SYNOD  OF  THE  PROVINCE  OF  FYFF  TO 
THE  COMMI8SIONAR8,  TO  BE  CHOSINE  BE  EVERIE  PRESBYTERIE 
WITHIN  THE  SAID  SYNOD,  TO  GO  TO  THE  CONVENTIOUN  AP- 
POINTED BE  HIS  MAJESTIE  AT  PERTH  ;  THE  QUHILK  THE  SAID 
SYNOD  ORDEANIT  TIIAM  AND  EVERIE  AN  OF  THAM  PRECEISLIE 
TO  KEIPE. 

"  First,  yie  sail  schaw  that  yie  ar  com  for  obedience  to  his  Ma- 
jestie,  and  nocht  for  that  yie  acknawlage  that  to  be  a  lawfull  Gene- 
ral! Assemblie,  be  reasone  it  was  nocht  apointed  be  the  last  Gene- 
rail,  nor  convocat  be  the  advys  of  the  Commissionars  of  the  last 
Generall  Assemblie,  as  lies  bein  the  practise  of  the  Kirk  at  all  tymes 
befor  within  this  realme,  warranted  be  the  Word  of  God  and  lawes 
of  the  countrey. 

"  Item,  yie  sail  schaw  that  yie  may  nocht  condisend  in  anie  wayes 
to  the  reasoning  or  putting  in  questioun  the  maters  of  the  Polecie 
of  the  Kirk ;  because  the  Generall  Kirk  of  this  realme,  to  quhilk 
yie  ar  subject,  hes  alreadie  determined  the  saming ;  quhilk  deter- 
minatioun  yie  have  also  subscryvit  unto,  and  nan  may  call  the  sam 
in  dout,  and  put  tham  in  reasoning,  but  a  Generall  Assemblie. 
Therfor,  yie  sail  desyre  his  Majestic,  in  all  humilitie,  for  continua- 
tioun  of  the  reassoning  to  the  ordinar  assigned  Generall  Assemblie, 
to  be  hauldin  at  St  Androis  the  xxvj.  of  Apryll  nixtocome. 

iC  Item,  gif  na  continuatioun  can  be  obteined,  and  yie  be  urged  to 
proceide,  yie  sail  protest  for  The  Liberties  of  the  Kirk,  and  planlic 
disassenting,  keipe  your  selffs  frie  of  everie  thing  that  salbe  done 
thairanent. 

"Item,  because  the Conventioun  is  apointed  be  hisMajestie  onhe 
for  the  Qucstionnes,  yie  sail  nocht  mell x  in  anie  maner  of  way  withe 
the  receaving  of  Hountlie  or  utlier  excommunicats,  or  anie  uther 
thing  remitted  from  Synodalls,  or  Presbyteries,  or  properlic  belang- 
ing  to  a  Generall  Assemblie. 

1  Meddle,  interfere  with. 


1596-7.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  389 

"Item,  in  cais  the  brcthring  amangs  tham  selves,  or  his  Majestic, 
or  anie  of  his  Counsall,  enter  in  reasoning  with  vow,  or  anie  of  yow, 
in  privat,  that  vie  hanld  fast  be  thir  generall  grounds  : — 1 .  That  the 
haill  externall  Government  of  the  Kirk  mon  be  tean1  out  of  the 
Word  of  God  :  2.  That  the  ordinar  Pastors  and  Doctors  of  the 
Kirk  mon  schaw  the  will  of  God  out  of  his  "Word ;  and  that  onlie 
to  be  followed :  3.  That  the  Pastors  and  Doctors  of  the  Kirk  of 
Scotland  hes  with  lang  and  grave  deliberatioun  sett  down  and  con- 
stitut  the  haill  externall  Discipline  and  Governement  of  the  Kirk  ; 
according  to  the  quhilk  it  hes  bein  thir  manie  yeirs  sa  happelie 
govemit  and  rewlit,  that  na  heresie,  schisme,  or  dissentioun  hes 
haid  place  thairin  unto  this  houre ;  and  that  ther  is  nan  beiring 
office  in  the  Kirk  wha  calles  the  sam  in  dout.  It  wald,  thairfor, 
pleis  his  Majestie  nocht  to  suffer  the  ran  and  maist  peaceable  and 
decent  constitutioun  thairof  to  be  disturbit  be  exagitating  of  fruict- 
les  Questionnes,  namlie  at  this  tynie,  quhen  Papists  preasses,  be  that 
mean  of  disputatioun,  namlie,  to  brangle2  and  pervert  all. 

"  Item,  yie  sail  travcll  with  the  Ministers,  Barronnes,  and  Noble- 
men, that  sail  happin  thair  to  be  conveinit,  that  an  uniform  Sup- 
plicatioun  may  be  maid  and  giffen  in  for  restoring  of  the  Ministers 
of  Edinbruche  and  Mr  David  Blak  again  to  thair  flockes  ;  and  be- 
have your  selves  heirin  in  the  feir  of  God  and  love  of  Chryst  and 
his  kingdome,  fathfullie  and  providentlie,  with  all  dewtifull  reve- 
rence to  the  King's  Majestie. 

"  FINIS." 

In  this  Asseniblie  also  was  read  the  Band  quhilk  the  King  and 
Counsall  devysit  to  be  subscryvit  be  all  Ministers,  under  pean  of 
tinsall3  of  thair  stipends,  in  effect  to  rescind  the  declinator  subscry- 
vit be  all  of  befor  at  the  calling  of  Mr  David  Blak  befor  the  King 
and  Counsall  in  the  monethe  of  December.  The  quhilk  Band  the 
Assemblie  judged  to  be  unlawful]  and  superfluus,  for  manie  and 
divers  reasones ;  quhilks,  togidder  with  the  poincts  of  the  forsaid 

1  Must  bo  taken.  2  Confound,  throw  into  disorder.      Fr.  bransk> ,  3  Los:;. 


390  MR  JAMES  melvtll's  diabt.  159G-7. 

Supplicatioun,  yie  sail  find  in  the  volum  mentioned  befor,  of  the 
particulars  that  fell  out  in  the  monethes  of  November  and  De- 
cember. 

Upon  the  21  of  this  monethe,  Februar,  the  breithring  apointed 
out  of  everie  Presbyterie  conveined  at  St  Androis,  and  divers 
(laves  towtching  the  King's  Questionnes,1  the  schort  soum  wharof, 
togidder  -with  the  Questionnes  them  selves,  followes  : 


THE  QUESTIONNES  PROPONED  BE  TITE  KING,  TO  BE  RESOLV1T  AT 
THE  CONVENTIOUN  OF  THE  ESTAITS  AND  GENERALL  ASSEMBLIE, 
APPOESTTED  TO  BE  AT  THE  BROUCHE  OF  PERTHE,  THE  LAST  OF 
FEBR.  1596. 

answer. — 1  Tim.  vi.  [3,  4,  5.] 

"  Gif  anie  man  teatche  utherwayes,  (viz.  then  the  Apostle  hes 
taucht  concerning  the  government  of  the  hous  of  God,  quhilk  is 
his  Kirk,)  and  concentes  nocht  to  the  halsome  words  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Chryst,  and  to  the  doctrin  quhilk  is  according  to  godlines, 
he  is  puft  up  and  knawes  na  tiling  ;  hot  dottathe  about  questionnes 
and  stryff  of  words,  wharof  cumes  invy,  stryff,  reallings,  cvill  sur- 
misings,  vean  disputation  of  men  of  corrupt  mynds,  and  destitut 
of  the  treuthe,  quhilk  think  that  gean  is  godlines  ;  from  sic  se- 
perat  thy  selff." 

"  Quest.  1.  May  nocht  the  maters  of  the  externall  Gubernation 
of  the  Kirk  be  disputed,  salvajide  et  religione  ? 

"  Ans.  They  may  nocht :  1.  The  Government  of  the  Kirk  being 
alreadie  established  and  constitut  upon  guid  groundes  of  the  Word 
of  God,  be  lawes  of  the  countrcy,  and  mair  nor-  threttie  years  pos- 
sessioun :  2.  Namlie  at  sic  a  tyme  when  the  Papists  ar  rcadie  bent 
to  schak  and  overthrow  the  Kirk  and  Gospell :  3.  When  that  un- 

1  " Nota. — Mr  Jhone  Lindsay  "as  suspected  to  be  the  author  of  thir  Questiones. 

I  wat  he  was  chciflic  on  the  counsall  of  thara,  bathe  in  devysing  and  following  furthe 
oftham."      This  added  by  Mr  dauics  Melvill  on  margin  of  MS.  -'  More  than. 


1596-7.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  391 

formall  Conformitie  is  sought  be  our  nibour  enemies  of  the  disci- 
pline,  the  Bischopes  of  Eingland :  4.  In  sa  dissolut  estait  of  a  law- 
les  and  justiceles  peiple  :  5.  When  na  edificatioun  bot  distructioun 
and  breiddingr  of  schisnie  and  dissentioun  within  the  bowelles  of 
the  Kirk  may  aiyse  thairof :  6.  When  nane  of  the  Pastors  or  Doc- 
tors of  the  Kirk  douttes  thairanent :  7.  Let  the  King  and  Coun- 
sall  considder  whow  intolerable  they  wald  think  it,  to  cast  in  dout 
the  fundamentall  lawes  of  the  kingdoine,  and  actes  of  Parliament ; 
or  gif  anie  man  wald  put  in  arbitriment  or  reasoning  his  undoutted 
possessioun,  lenning  upon  a  law,  and  decreit,  and  right  unreducit. 

"  Quest.  2.  Is  it  the  King  severalie,  or  the  Pastor  severalie,  or 
bathe  conjunctlie,  that  sould  estabhshe  the  actes  anent  the  extemall 
Government  of  the  Kirk,  or  what  is  the  form  of  thair  conjunction 
to  mak  lawes  ? 

"  Ans.  All  actes  of  the  Kirk  sould  be  established  be  the  Word 
of  God,  conteined  in  Holie  Scripture,  the  ordinar  interpi'etars  whar- 
of  ar  the  Pastors  and  Doctors  of  the  Bark.  The  extraordinar,  in 
tynie  of  corruptioun  of  the  haill  esteat  of  the  Kirk,  ar  Prophettes, 
and  sic  as  God  indowes  with  extraordinar  giftes ;  and  Kings  and 
Princes  aucht,  be  thair  civill  authoritie,  to  ratifie  and  aprove  that 
be  thair  lawes,  and  vindicat  be  thair  civill  sanctiones,  quhilk  they 
declar  to  be  God's  will  out  of  his  Word. 

"  Quest.  3.  Is  nocht  the  consent  of  the  maist  part  of  the  flock, 
and  also  of  the  Patron,  necessar  in  the  electioun  of  the  Pastors  ? 

"  Ans.  The  electioun  of  Pastors  sould  be  maid  be  tham  wha  ar 
Pastors  and  Doctors  lawfullie  called,  and  wha  can  try  the  giftes 
necessarlie  belanging  to  Pastors,  be  the  Word  of  God ;  and  to  sic 
as  ar  sa  chosine,  the  flok  and  Patron  sould  giff  thair  consent  and 
protectioim. 

"  Quest.  4.  Is  it  laufull  for  the  Pastor  to  leave  his  flok  against 
thair  willes,  albeit  he  have  the  consent  of  the  Presbyterie ;  and  for 
what  cause  soidd  the  Presbyterie  consent  therto  ? 

"  Ans.  When  the  flok  will  feir  and  obey  men  and  nocht  God, 
and  nocht  keipe  thair  fathfull  Pastors  from  wrangr  and  dint  of 


392  MB  JAMES;  MEIA ILLS  DIABY.  loiHI-T. 

deadlie  malice  and  violence,  in  sic  ceas  the  Pastors,  be  consent  of 
thair  Presbyteries,  may  leave  tliair  flocks. 

"  QUEST.  ~>.  Is  it  laufull  for  a  Minister  to  use  farder  applicatioun 
nor1  that  quhilk  may  edifie  his  awin  flock;  or  is  the  haill  warld  the 
flock  of  everie  particular  Pastor  ? 

"  Ans.  A  Minister  may  declar  and  apply  the  Word  of  God 
throwout  the  haill  Scripture,  and  his  warks  wrought  throuchout 
the  haill  warld,  for  the  glorie  of  God,  and  eydification  of  his  parti- 
cular flock. 

"  Quest.  6.  Is  he  a  lawfull  Pastor  wha  wants  impositionem  ma- 
nuum  ? 

"  Ans.  Impositioun,  or  laying  on  of  hands,  is  nocht  essentiall  and 
necessar,  bot  ceremoniall  and  indifferent,  in  the  admissioun  of  a 
Pastor. 

"  Quest.  7.  Is  it  lawfull  to  Pastors  to  express  particular  men's 
names,  Counsallis,  or  Magistrate,  in  pulpit,  or  so  vivlie 2  to  descryve 
tham,  that  the  peiple  may  understand  whom  be  they  mcin,  with- 
out notorious  declarit  vices  and  privat  admonitions  preceiding  ? 

"  Ans.  The  Canon  of  the  Apostle  is  cleir,  '  Them  that  publiclie  sin 
rebuk  publictlie,  that  the  rest  may  feir.'  And  sa  mikle  the  mail  gifF 
the  publict  sinne  be  in  a  publict  persone,  bearing  pubhet  office  and 
charge  ;  quhilk  nocht  being  corrected,  might  indanger  the  publict 
esteat.  Nather  can  anie  sear3  be  healed  without  the  plaster  be  par- 
ticulate applyed  to  the  persone  and  place  of  his  seare  :  Uthcr- 
wayes,  he  does  na  thing  of  the  pastorall  dewtie  aright ;  and  sic  as 
finds  faidt  thairwith,  thinks  mail-  ill  to  be  called  vitius  nor  be  vitius 
indeid,  and,  lyk  foolles  and  bernes,  chuse  rather  to  die  in  thair 
disease  nor  abydc  the  cure. 

"Quest.  8.  For  quhilk  woes  sould  admonitiones  and  reproving 
ofMagistrats  pas  publictlie  from  pulpits,  in  thair  absence  or  pre- 
sence,  respective  ? 

"Ans.  For  all  publict  vyces,  against  the  tir.-t  and  second  Table 

i  Than.  2  To  describe  them  to  the  life,  3  Sore. 


1596-7.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  393 

of  the  Law  of  God  ;  and  that  in  all  congregationes,  because  all  lies 
interes  in  thair  King  and  superiour  Magistrats,  thairfor  all  sould 
ken  thair  danger,  and  be  moved  to  pray  for  thani. 

"  Quest.  9.  Is  the  application  of  doctrin  in  pulpits  lauchfull 
quhilk  is  foundit  upon  informatiouns,  bruits,  and  rumors,  suspitious 
conditions  gif  this  be  and  that  be  ;  probabilities,  liklines  or  unlikli- 
nes  in  things  to  come,  in  civill  matters,  quhilk  all  may  be  fals,  and 
consequentlie  the  doctrine  following  therupon  ?  or,  sould  all  appli- 
catioun  be  upon  the  veritie  of  knawin  and  notorius  vyces  ? 

"  Ans.  Ther  is  na  bruted  l  vyce  or  corruptioun  but  may  fall  in  the 
persones  and  offices  of  men,  and  comounlie  the  sin  is  mikle  war  nor 
the  bruit ;  thairfor  thouche  this  war,  thair  wer  na  grait  perrell  of 
an2  speaking  treuthe  thairin.  Albeit  thair  nather  lies  bein,  or  is 
anie  applicatioun  used  but  against  over  notorius  veritie  of  vyces. 

"  Quest.  10.  Is  the  text,  quhilk  is  read  in  the  pulpit,  the  ground 
wherupoun  all  the  doctrine  sould  be  buildit  ?  or,  may  all  things 
be  spokin  upon  all  texts,  so  that  the  reiding  therof  is  bot  a  ceri- 
monie  ? 

"  Ans.  The  Apostle  to  Timoth.  Epist.  ii.  chap.  3,  answers  cleirlie, 
that '  Ther  is  na  Scripture  quhilk  is  nocht  sa  ritchlie  inspyrit  be  God, 
that  it  is  profitable  for  doctrin,  refutatioun,  correctioun,  admoni- 
tioun,  yea,  even  to  mak  the  man  of  God  perfyt  for  all  guid  wark ;' 
and  to  the  Rom.  xv.  '  Whatever  is  wryttin  is  for  instructioun  and 
consolatioim :'  Sa  this  is  bot  an  ignorant  or  cerimonius  questioun. 

"  Quest.  11.  May  a  simple  pastor  exerceise  anie  jurisdictioun 
but 3  consent  of  the  maist  part  of  his  particular  sessioun  ? 

"  Ans.  He  may  with  consent  of  the  best  part,  quhilk  comounlie 
is  nocht  the  maist ;  for  he  being  the  messinger  of  God  and  inter- 
preter of  his  Word,  lies  mair  authoritie  with  a  few  nor 4  a  grait  niul- 
titud  in  the  contrare. 

"  Quest.  12.  Is  nocht  his  Sessioim  judge  to  his  doctrine? 

"  Ans.  The  Word  of  God  and  exponars  thairof,  the  Pastors  and 
Doctors,  are  onlie  judge  of  his  doctrin.  'The  sprit  of  the  prophetes 
ar  subject  to  the  prophetes,'  1  Cor.  xiv. 

1  Commonly  rumoured.  2  One.  8  Without.  '  Then. 


394  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596-7. 

"  Quest.  13.  Sould  nocht  the  Moderator  of  the  Session  be 
chosin  yeirlie  of  anie  wha  has  vot  therin  ? 

"  Ans.  The  cheifF  burding  of  moderatioun  over  the  haill  flock 
lyes  on  the  Pastor  or  Pastors.  And,  because  of  the  message,  gift, 
office,  and  commissioun  by  the  Word  quhilk  he  beares,  the  eldars 
and  deacones  mon '  be  moderat  be  him  also. 

"  Quest.  14.  May  the  Sessioim  be  lawfullie  elected  by  Ministers 
onlie,  but  the  consent  of  the  haill  Congregatioun  ? 

"  Ans.  Nocht,  for  the  Ministers  directs  and  moderates  the  elec- 
tioun  be  the  Word,  and  the  Congregatioun  obeyes  and  gifFes  con- 
sent thairto. 

"  Quest.  15.  Why  sould  nocht  Eldars  and  Deacones  of  ilk  par- 
ticular Sessioun  be  elected  ad  vitam  ? 

"  Ans.  They  are  elected  ad  vitam,  except  just  causses  of  depriva- 
tioun  intervein.  Bot  because  the  Kirk  leiving2  is  sacrilegiuslie 
spoiled,  quhilk  sould  sustein  tham,  they  may  nocht  everie  yeir  leave 
thair  occupationes  and  attend  on  that  office ;  and  thairfor  of  a  num- 
ber lawfullie  elected  successivlie  sum  releives  uther,  yit  all  abyding 
Kirk-officers  ;  and  this  is  of  necessitie  till  the  Kirks  get  hir  awin 
leving. 

"  Quest.  16.  How  manie  Presbyteries  is  meit  to  be  in  the  haill 
countrie,  in  what  places,  and  whow  manie  Pastors  of  Kirks  in  ilk 
Presbyterie  ? 

"  Ans.  Plant  the  countrey  weill  with  Kirks  out-throw,  and  the 
Kirks  with  Pastors  and  Doctors,  and  this  questioun  wilbe  soone 
solved ;  bot  if  this  forme  of  doing  hauld  out,  thair  wilbe  fewar  or 
they  be  ma.  3 

"  Quest.  17.  Sould  nocht  the  Eldars  and  Deacons  of  ilk  parti- 
cular Sessioun  have  vot  in  the  Presbyteries,  or  the  Pastors  only  ? 

"  Ans.  Eldars  also  having  commissioun  from  thair  Sessioun  in 
maters  of  maners,  lyk  as  also  Deacones  in  the  Pure's  efFeares,  and 
Patrimonie  of  the  Kirk. 

"  Quest.  18.  What  is  the  maters  of  the  Jurisdiction  of  the  Pres- 
byterie quhilk  may  nocht  be  intreated  in  particular  Sessions  ? 

'  Must.  *  Living.  3  Thero  will  be  fewer  before  there  be  more. 


1596-7.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  395 

"  Ans.  The  Buik  of  the  Polecie  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  sett  down 
be  the  Generall  Assemblie,  and  the  first  Act  of  the  Pari,  haldin  at 
Edinbruche  in  anno  1592,  answers  heirto  sufficientlie,  and  to  manie 
of  all  thir  Questiones  ;  and  thairfor  wald  never  have  bein  proponit 
gif  the  anld  aftectioun  haid  remeanit  towards  the  Kirk. 

"  Quest.  19.  What  Form  of  Process  in  libelling  and  citation, 
termes  and  dyattes,  probation  and  pronuncing  of  the  sentence,  sould 
be  usit  befor  the  said  particular  Sessiouns  and  Presbyteries  respec- 
tive ? 

"Ans.  Echo.  Form  summar,  equitable,  grave  and  spirituall, 
as  best  may  serve  for  the  end  of  thair  delling  to  win  saidles  from 
Sathan  and  his  snares  of  shine  to  God,  be  trew  repentance ;  and 
purging  and  preserving  of  the  Kirk  from  sklander,  and  danger  of 
corrupt  and  pernitius  members  respective. 

"  Quest.  20.  What  maters  sould  the  Synod  intreat  upon  quhilk 
may  nocht  be  decydit  in  the  Presbyteries  ? 

"  Ans.  The  Answer  to  the  18  answers  to  this. 

"  Quest.  21.  Sould  nocht  all  wha  hes  vot  in  the  Presbyteries, 
and  als  in  the  particular  Sessions,  have  vot  in  the  Synodall  Assem- 
blies ? 

"  Ans.  The  Pastors,  Doctors,  and  sic  as  hes  comissioun  from  par- 
ticular Sessionnes  of  Congregationnes,  hes  vott,  except  in  maters  of 
doctrin,  wherin  onlie  they  that  labors  in  the  Word  may  vott  and 
judge. 

"  Quest.  22.  Sould  ilk  Universitie  or  ilk  Collage,  or  ilk  Master 
or  Regent  within  ilk  Collage,  have  vot  in  the  Presbyteries  or  Sy- 
nodals  in  the  towns  or  countries  whar  they  ar ;  and  sic  lyk,  what 
form  of  vot  sould  they  have  in  the  Generall  Assemblie  ? 

"  Ans.  Doctors  and  Professours  of  Theologie,  arid  ordinar  in- 
structars  of  the  youthe  in  the  groundes  of  Relligion,  sould  vott. 
The  first,  because  they  ar  ordinar  Office-bearers  within  the  Kirk ; 
the  second  being  lawfullie  callit  to  be  Sym-presbyters. 

"  Quest.  23.  Is  it  lesum  to  convocat  the  Generall  Assemblie  by 
his  Majestie's  licence,  he  being  pins  et  Christianus  Magistratus  ? 

"Ans.  Gif  he  be  pins  et  Christianus,  he  will  alwayes  allow  and 


396  ME  JAMES  melvill's  diaet.  1596-7. 

protect  the  Assemblies  of  the  Office-bearers  of  the  Kirk  for  govern- 
ing of  the  sam,  wha  hes  thair  office  and  warrand  of  conveining  for 
discharge  thairof,  nocht  of  anie  erthlie  or  mortall  King,  but  of 
Chryst  Jesus,  whom  the  Father  hes  anointed  his  King  on  his  holie 
montan ;  and  thairfor  may  convein  in  hi.s  nam,  and  sould  whenso- 
ever  they  sie  the  weill  of  the  Kirk  and  doing  of  thair  office  to  re- 
quyrc  the  sam. 

"  Quest.  24.  Is  it  necessar  that  the  Generall  Assemblie  be  or- 
dinal*, or  onlie  extraordinarlie  convened  for  waightie  causses  con- 
cerning the  Kirk  ? 

"  Ans.  The  necessitie  hes  bein,  is  now,  and  yit  lyk  to  be,  in  this 
land  sa  grait,  that  bathe  the  an  and  uther  is  neidfull.  The  ordinar 
for  the  ordinar  causses  conteined  in  the  Buik  of  Discipline ;  the  ex- 
traordinar  for  preventing  of  dangers,  et  pro  re  nata. 

"  Quest.  25.  Hes  nocht  all  men  of  guid  lerning  and  relligion 
vot  in  the  Generall  Assemblie  ? 

"  Ans.  Nan  may  vott  bot  sic  as  hes  lawfull  calling,  viz.  Commis- 
sionars  from  Synods  and  Presbyteries :  yit  all  the  godlie  and  fath- 
full  may  assist,  heir,  or  speak,  in  a  grave,  ordourlie,  and  comlie 
manor,  with  leave  asked  and  given  be  the  Moderator. 

"  Quest.  26.  Is  ilk  particular  Pastor  oblesit  to  repear  to  the 
Generall  Assemblie,  or  is  it  sufficient  that  onlie  Commissionars 
com  fra  ilk  particular  Sessioun,  Prcsbytcrie,  or  Synodall? 

"  Ans.  Commissionars  ar  sufficient  for  votting,  but  the  haill  fath- 
full  for  assistance,  gifF  they  pleise  and  neid  be. 

"  Quest.  27.  Wha  sould  schuse  the  Commissionars  to  cum  fra 
ilk  schyre  to  vot  in  the  Generall  Assemblie? 

"  Ans.  The  Provinciall  Synodes. 

"  Quest.  28.  Quhat  is  the  number  of  votters  necessar  to  the 
lawfulnes  of  the  Generall  Assemblie?  and  whow  manic  of  the  haill 
number  sould  be  Pastors,  and  whow  manic  uther  nun? 

"  Ans.  A  certean  of  everic  Province,  and  fewar  or  ma,  as  the 
maters  to  be  intreated  of  craves. 

"  QUEST.   29.    Mav  anie  thing  be  acted  in  the  .Wemhlie   to  the 

qnhilk  his  Majestie  consents  aochl  ? 


159G-7.  MR  james  melvill's  diary.  397 

"  A?is.  The  King  sould  consent  to,  and  be  his  lawes  approve,  all 
that  be  the  Word  of  God's  Majestic  is  concludit  in  his  Assemblies. 
Bot  the  actes  thairof  hes  sufficient  authoritie  from  Chryst,  wha  lies 
promised,  that  l  whatsoever  twa  or  thrie,  conveined  in  his  nam,  sail 
agrie  upon  in  erde,  to  ratefie  in  the  heavins.'  The  lyk  wharof 
na  King  nor  Prince  hes ;  and  sa  the  actes  and  constitutionnes  of 
the  Kirk  is  of  graitter  authoritie  nor  anie  King  erdlie  '  can  giff ;  yea, 
even  sic  as  sould  command  and  overruell  Kings,  whase  graittest 
honour  is  to  be  members,  nuris-fathers,  and  servants  to  the  King, 
Chryst  Jesus,  and  his  spouse  and  Quein,  the  Kirk. 

"  Quest.  30.  Is  it  nocht  expedient  that  the  twa  part  of  tham, 
wha  hesj?^-  snffragii,  soidd  consent  to  anie  things  decernit  in  Eccle- 
siasticall  judgment,  that  maters  pas  nocht  be  a  vot  ma  or  les  ? 2 

"  Ans.  We  have  to  thank  God  alwayes  for  that  spreit  of  unitie 
in  judgment  quhilk  hes  accompanied  our  Assemblies  to  this  houre, 
in  sic  sort  that  na  thing  of  importance  ever  passit  till  all  war  fullie 
resolvit,  and  in  an  voice  votted  thairunto,  namlie  in  the  haill  poincts 
of  the  discipline.  God  grant  that  thir  Questiones  and  Court-dell- 
ino-  breid  nocht  contradictioun  ! 

"  Quest.  31.  Hes  nocht  ilk  Judgment  inferior  to  the  General! 
Assemblie  an  territor  limitat,3  outwith  the  qidiilk  they  have  no  powar 
of  citation  or  Jurisdiction  ? 

"  A?is.  They  haiff;  bot  in  sic  sort,  that  if  uther  persones  com- 
mit sklanderus  crymes  within  thair  bounds,  they  may  proceid 
against  tham  ther,  untill  they  satisfie  and  remove  the  sklander 
from  the  part  they  have  committed  the  crymes  into.  And  whar 
citatioun  is  requisit,  the  Assemblie  within  whase  bounds  the  per- 
sone  is  resident,  cites  him  and  causses  him  to  compeir,  etc. ;  bot 
contra  hostem  communem  et  publicam,  it  is  lawfull  to  anie  member  to 
deall. 

"  Quest.  32.  What  is  the  Ordinar  Ecclesiasticall  Judgment  to 
the  discipline  of  His  Majestie's  Houshold  and  Counsall,  removable 
with  his  Majestie  to  anie  part  of  the  realme  ? 

1  Earthly.  2  One  vote  more  or  less.  3  A  limited  territory. 


398  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596-7. 

"  Ans.  The  Sessioun  of  His  Majestie's  Hous,  and  Presbyterie 
within  the  bounds  whar  his  Majestie  makes  residence  for  the  tyme  ; 
or  the  Presbyterie  within  the  quhilk  the  sklander  is  or  was  com- 
mitted, pro  ratione  delicti. 

"  Quest.  33.  Sould  than  be  libellit  precepts  conteining  the 
cause  of  the  citation  and  certificatioun  of  the  censures  befor  all  Ec- 
clesiasticall  Judgments,  or  onlie  till  answer  super  inquirendis  ? 

"  Ans.  They  that  ar  cited  to  Ecclesiasticall  Judgments  ar  cited 
comounlie  for  a  deleated  or  arrissen  comoun  sklander,  ather  be 
word  or  wryt,  but  oftest  be  word,  partlie  for  schortnes  of  proces, 
partlie  for  want  of  the  Kirk-leiving  to  sustein  a  Clark ;  with  cer- 
tificationnes  as  effeires,  as  the  cause,  and  salus  Ecclesice  ant  persona, 
sail  requyre. 

"  Quest.  34.  Hes  the  Inferior  Judgment  powar  to  summon d 
to  compeir  befor  anie  Superior  Judgment,  or  soidd  men  be  sum- 
moned onlie  be  the  authoritie  of  that  Judgment  befor  quliilk  they 
sould  compeir? 

"  Ans.  Grait  sklanders  wharwith  Inferiour  Judgments  can  nocht 
weill  tak  ordour,  wilbe  referrit  to  the  Superior  or  graitter  Judg- 
ments, and  the  persones  giltie  chargit  till  answer  ther,  as  having  a 
warrand  sa  to  do,  in  sic  causses,  fra  the  Superiour  Assemblie. 

"  Quest.  35.  Is  it  nocht  necessar  that  privat  admonitionnes,  with 
reasonable  intervalles  of  tym,  pas  befor  all  maner  of  citationnes  ? 

"  Ans.  Whare  the  sklander  is  beconi  publict,  the  place  of  privat 
admonitioun  is  past ;  and  na  citatioun  befor  a  publict  Judgment 
befor  the  sklander  brak  out :  Sa  the  Questioun  is  answerit  negative, 

"  Quest.  36.  What  intervalles  of  tyme  is  necessar  betwix  ilk 
privat  admonitioun,  and  betwix  the  last  admonition  and  the  first 
citation,  and  betwix  the  citation  and  the  day  of  compeirance  befor 
ilk  an  of  the  saids  Judgments  ? 

"  Ans.  The  Officers  of  Chryst's  kingdom  ar  men  of  wesdome 
and  aermitable  discretion,  occupeit  in  maters  of  chieff  importance, 
concerning  the  glorie  of  God  and  salvatioun  of  his  peiple,  and  thair- 
for  sould  nocht  be  empeschit1  with  triffling  Questionnes. 
1  Hindered,  interrupted. 


1596-7.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  399 

"  Quest.  37.  Whow  manie  citationnes  sould  infer  contumacie  ? 

"  Ans.  Ane  may  infer  contmnacie  ;  bot  the  Kirk,  unles  ther  be 
publict  danger,  usethe  pluralitie,  bathe  of  publict  and  personall,  as 
best  may  serve  for  the  winning  of  the  offendar.  [The  law  sayes, 
Una  citatio  contumaciam  inducere  potest,  si  scientia  citationis  apprehen- 
derit  citatum,  atque  ita  comperiatur  maliciose  latitare :  H<bc  una  pro 
omnibus  dicitur.x~\ 

"  Quest.  38.  Is  simple  contumacie,  but2  probation  of  a  cryme, 
or  is  anie  cryme  but  contumacie,  sufficient  cause  of  excommunica- 
tion? 

"  Ans.  Conjunctlie  and  severalie  :  for  the  cryme  may  be  sa  hain- 
ous,  that  for  purging  of  the  Kirk,  and  moving  of  the  persone  to  a 
graitter  humiliatioun,  he  may  be  excommunicat,  whowbeit  obedient 
in  schort  tyme's  outward  appeirance.  And  being  called  for  befor 
the  Kirk,  gif  he  compeir  nocht,  nather  schaw  a  just  cause  why,  he 
bewrayes  a  pryde  and  corruptioun  of  hart,  testefeing  him  nocht  to 
regard  the  Kirk,  or  have  anie  societie  thairwith  ;  and  sa,  wordie 3  to 
be  declarit  and  publictlie  signified  sic  a  ane4  as  he  is  indeid. 

"  Quest.  39.  Is  ther  nocht  divers  kynds  of  censures,  sic  as 
prohibitio  privati  convictus,  interdictio  a  coznd,  nocht  published  to  the 
peiple  ;  and,  last  of  all,  publica  traditio  Satana  ? 

"  Ans.  We  have  in  comoun  use  of  our  Kirk,  as  was  in  the 
Antient,  but  twa,  abstentos  a  coznd,  et  excommunicatos.  As  for  the 
rest  of  the  sortes,  luik  our  Theologs'  Comoun-places,  and  our 
Answer  to  the  Bischope  of  St  Androis'  Appellatioun. 

"  Quest.  40.  Sould  the  Presbyteries  be  Judges  of  all  things 
that  imports  sklander ;  and  gif  sa  be,5  wharof  ar  they  nocht  Judges  ? 

"  Ans.  The  Presbyteries  sould  prease  to  purge  thair  bounds 
from  all  sklander,  and  separat  everie  saull  from  thair  sklanderus 
knawin  sine,  lest  it  sla  him,  and  his  blude  be  cravit  at  than*  hands. 
And,  as  Martyr  sayes,  Nihil  est  ad  quod  Dei  verbum  se  non  extendit, 
ac  proinde  censura>  Ecclesiastics.  And  yit,  in  the  mean  tyme,  it 
nather  considders  nor  twitches  that  quhilk  the  Civill  Magistrat 

1  Margin.  -'  Without.  :l  Worthy.  4  Such  a  one.  5  If  so  be. 


400  MR   I  AMI  >  mklvill's  DIARY.  15DG-7. 

does,  nor  for  that  end.      Vide  supra  in  Mr  Andrew's  Letter,  wryt- 
ten  to  the  Kirks  of  Genev  and  Tignrin.1 

"  Quest.  41.  Can  Excommunication  be  used  against  theiffis, 
murderars,  usurars,  or  nocht  peyars  of  thair  dettes ;  and  if  sa  it 
may  be,  why  ar  nocht  all  the  Bordour  and  Hieland  theiffs  cursed ; 
as  nls  all  the  manswering  merchants  and  occurrars2  amangs  the 
Borrowes  ? 

"  Ans.  It  can  verie  weill ;  bot  gif  the  Magistrat  do  his  dewtie,  it 
neids  nocht.  And  gif  the  Hiland  and  Bordour  Kirks  war  planted, 
ther  Avald  be  less  thift.  Also,  sic  merchants  ar  curst  indeid,  and 
brybing  Lords  of  Sessioun  to. 

"  Quest.  42.  Is  ther  anie  Appellation  fra  the  Inferiour  to  the 
Superior  Judgment  ?  and  is  nocht  the  sentence  suspendit  during 
the  Appellation  ? 

"  Ans.  Ther  is  Appellatioun  from  the  Inferior  Judgment  to  the 
Supcriour  upon  just  causses,  aye  and  whill3  it  com  to  the  Su- 
pream,  quhilk  is  the  Generall  Assemblie,  fra  the  quhilk  ther  is  nan. 
And  as  to  the  sentence,  gif  the  Appellation  be  admitted,  it  is  sus- 
pendit for  just  and  reasonable  causses,  giff  nocht  admitted,  bot 
justlie  repellit,  not. 

"  Quest.  43.  Sould  nocht  all  process  and  actes  be  extracted  to 
parties  havand  interest  ? 

"  Ans.  In  foro  poll  this  may  be  or  nocht,  as  the  Judge  sies  best  to 
be  for  the  honour  of  God,  weill  of  the  Kirk,  and  saiffing  of  the  per- 
sone  from  the  danger  of  his  sinne  ;  and  seing  the  Ecclesiasticall 
Judgments  is  nocht  astricted  alwayes  to  a  wryttin  proces,  for  di- 
vers reasones,  they  can  nocht  be  bund  to  giff  ane  extract  in  wryt 
alwayes. 

"  Quest.  44.  Is  Summar  Excommunication  lauchfull  in  anie 
cace,  but4  admonitionnes  and  citationnes  preceiding  ? 

"  Ans.  In  sum  ceases5  it  is,  sic  as  of  Boduall,  Spot,  and  the 
Papist  Erles  ;  and  wantes  nocht  guid  warrand  of*  reasone  and  Scrip- 
ture, with  exemples  of  the  Primitive  Kirk. 

1  Pp.  154-1(54.         -  Okerer8,  usurers.         :1  Until.  '  Without.  •''  Oases. 

i 


1596-7.  BIB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABT.  40l 

"  Quest.  45.  Hes  anie  uther  nor  the  Pastors  of  the  Kirk  vott  in 
Excommunication  ? 

"  Ans.  Doctors  that  interprettes  the  Word,  and  Elclars  that 
watches  over  the  nianers,  hes  vott  also.  Whowbeit,  cheiflie  that 
censur  is  deducit,  directed,  and  execut  be  the  Pastors,  the  ordinal* 
Ministers  of  the  Word  of  Wesdome,  "kbyov  sotpiag. 

"  Quest.  46.  Hes  ilk  Ecclesiasticall  Judgment  alik  power  to 
Excommunicat  ? 

"  Ans.  Everie  Ecclesiasticall  Judgment,  weill  constitut,  hes 
powar  to  Excommunicat  within  thair  bounds  ;  whowbeit,  in  respect 
of  the  Aveghtines  of  that  censure,  it  is  thought  guid  that  the  Ses- 
siones  proceid  nocht  without  the  advys  of  thair  Presbyterie. 

"  Quest.  47.  It  is  lawfull  till  Excommunicat  sik  Papists  as  pro- 
fessit  never  our  Relligion  ? 

"  Ans.  A  Papist  resident  within  our  bowelles,  esteimed  of  our  com- 
munioun,  and  under  schaddow  thairof,  indangering  the  Kirk,  may, 
by  Excommunicatioun,  be  decovered  and  maid  knawin  for  sic  a  an 
as  he  is. 

"  Quest.  48.  A  woman  being  Excommunicat,  having  a  fathfull 
housband  therefter,  sould  he  abstein  from  hir  companie  ? 

"  Ans.  Excommunicatioun  cuttes  nocht  af  the  dewties  of  manage 
nor  nature,  sa  they  be  usit  but *  danger  of  the  Kirk,  offence  of  the 
godlie,  and  stay  of  the  medicin  applyed,  quhilk  is  to  move  the  per- 
sone  to  be  eschamit  of  thair  detested  esteat,  and  seik  to  be  releivit 
thairfra. 

"  Quest.  49.  Is  it  nocht  reasonable,  that  befor  anie  letters  of 
horning  be  granted  be  the  Session  upon  the  process  of  Excommu- 
nication, that  the  partie  sould  be  summoned  to  lieu*  tham  granted  ? 

"  Ans.  The  ordour  prescryvit  heiranent  in  the  act  of  Parliament 
is  guid  and  reasonable.  As  to  this  summonding,  it  can  serve  for 
nan  uther  end  but  to  mak  the  Sessioun  judge  in  the  proces. 

"  Quest.  50.  Hes  nocht  a  Christian  King  powar  to  annull  an 
notorious  injust  sentence  of  Excommunication  ? 

1  So  that  they  be  used  without  danger  to  the  Kirk. 

2  c 


102  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diaky.  1596-7. 

••  Am.  Xa  mair  nor'  to  excommunical  ;  or  the  Kirk  lies  till  an- 
mill  an  notorious  injust  sentence  of  horning  or  forfaultrie. 

"  Quest.  51.  May  anie  Counsall  or  Universitie  be  excommti- 
nicat  ?  lor  what  cause,  whom  be,2  and  maner  therof ? 

"  Ans.  Sum  Counsall  or  Universitie  may  lie,  viz.  Wherof  everie 
member,  or  individuum  and  persone,  is  sklanderus  for  sic  crymes 
as  be  the  Word  of  God  deserves  excommunieatioun.  And  this 
sould  be  done  be  thair  ordinal*  Judgment  Ecclesiastic,  in  maner 
sett  down,  conform  to  the  Word  of  God. 

"  Quest.  52.  When  the  Pastors  does  nocht  thair  dewtie,  or  when 
a  Jurisdiction  usurpes  above  an  other,  or  anie  uther  schismc  falles 
out,  sould  nocht  a  Christian  King  mend  sic  3  disorders  ? 

"  Ans.  A  Christian  King  sould  imploy  his  authoritie  for  mend- 
ing of  all  disorders,  as  the  Pastors  and  Doctors  of  the  Kirk  declares 
be  God's  Word  ar  to  be  amendit  ordinarlie  ;  and  extraordinarlie  be 
an  extraordinar  wrarrand.  But  na  King  nor  Prince  sould  tak  upon 
hand  mending  or  reformatioun,  but  with  the  advvs  of  the  Watch- 
men,  and  at  the  sight  of  the  Siers,  wTha  hes  the  gift  and  calling  to 
tak  upe  the  just  cawses,  conform  to  the  Word  of  God. 

"  Quest.  53.  May  Fastes,  for  generall  causes,  be  proclamed  1» 
a  Christian  Prince's  command  ? 

11  Ans.  Be  the  advys  of  the  Watchmen,  and  at  the  sight  of  the 
Siers,  wha  lies  the  gift  and  calling  to  espy  the  just  causses  of  hu- 
miliation by  the  Word  of  God,  they  may. 

"  Quest.  54.  May  onie  Ecclesiasticall  Judgment  compell  a  man 
to  swear  in  suam  turpitudinem  ? 

"  Ans.  A  man  sklanderit  in  causa  turpi,  gif  witnesses  can  nocht 
be  gottin,  and  weghtie  presumtiones  and  motives  being  confirming 
the  suspitiones  of  the  sklander,  that  sklandercan  nocht  be  removit, 
the  Kirk  satisfeit,  nor  the  persone  purgit,  bot  be  the  aithc  of  the 
Lord  interponit ;  quhilk,  be  the  Word  of  God,  determines  all 
douttes  and  controversies. 

"Quest.  •">•">.  Sould  ther  onie  thing  be  intreated  in  the  Eccle- 

1  No  more  than.  2  Bv  whom.  '  Sach. 


1596-7-  mi;  james  melvill's  diary,  t03 

siastioall  Judgment,  prejudicial!  to  the  Civill  Jurisdiction  or  privat 
men's  rights  ;  and  may  nocht  the  Civill  Magistral  lauchfullie  stay 
all  sic  proccidings  ? 

"  Aits.  Naue  of  tham  sould  prejudge  another,  bot  bathe  sould 
judge  as  breither,  for  ther  mutuall  helpe  and  confort,  according  to 
the  diversitie  of  the  giftes  and  calling  bestoAvit  upon  tham  be  God, 
and  sett  down  in  his  Word,  wharhy  all  men's  lawfull  rightes  salbe 
helped,  and  nan  have  occasion  to  stay,  bot  bathe  to  fordar  and  ad- 
vance uther  mutualie. 

"  FINIS." 

Coming  to  Perthe  the  last  of  Februar,  Ave  land  the  Ministers  of 
the  Northe  conveined  in  sic  number  as  Avas  nocht  wount  to  be  sein 
at  our  Assemblies,  and  everie  ane  graitter  courteours  nor  uther. 
Sa  that  my  eis  saw  a  neAV  sight,  and  eares  hard  neAv  voces ;  \riz., 
flockes  of  Ministers  going  in  and  out  at  the  King's  palace,  let  at 
night,  and  betymes  in  the  morning.1  For  Sir  Patrik  Murray,  the 
diligent  Apostle  of  the  Northe,  haid  maid  all  the  Northland  Mini- 
sters' acquentance  with  the  King,  Avha  began  then  to  luik  big  on  the 
mater,  and  find  fault  Avith  the  Ministers  of  the  Southe  and  the 
Poprie  of  Edinbruche,  quhilk  haid  nocht  handlit  maters  Aveill,  and 
almost  losit  the  King,  etc.  Greivit  at  the  hart  Avith  this,  Ave  dis- 
chargit  our  commissioun  from  our  Synod,  and  usit  our  Instruc- 
tiones  bathe  privatlie  and  publictlie  in  sic  sort,  that,  do  what  they 
could,  AA^ee  delayit  the  haulding  of  anic  Asscmblie  thrie  dayes,  till 
my  speciall  comilito2  and  eompanioun  in  Chryst,  wha  also  at  that 
tvme  Avas  my  bed-fallow,  Avas  caried  in  to  the  King  be  Sir  Patrik, 
and  keipit  from  his  bed  weill  twoll  hourcs  of  the  night.  At  quhilk 
houre  coming  in  and  lying  dowing  besyde  me,  he  fcuk  twa  or  thrie 
hourcs  sleipe,  and  thairefter  finding  me  walking,3  begoud '  to  tell 
mo  avIioav  he  haid  bein  send  for  to  the  King,  and  what  lang  con- 
ference haid  bein  betvvix  tham,  mixed  with  thrctning  and  fiatterie. 
Tn  end  he  Avas  alterit  in  opinioun :  "  For  I  perceave,"  said  he,  "the 

1  Late  at  night,  and  early  in  the  morning.     *  Fellow-soldier.     'Awake.       'Began. 


-KM  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  1596-7. 

King  Avill  nocht  feall  to  wrak  him  Belff  ami  the  Kirk  bathe,  unles 
that  our  maters  be  better  hiked  unto,  and  lie  yeildit  unto  sa  far  as 
we  may  of  conscience ;  yea,  suppose  we  lose  sum  thing  rather  nor 
all !"  I  answerit,  "  I  could  sie  na  better  resolutioun  then  we  haid 
bein  upon  in  all  streattes  bygean,1  quhilk  Avas  to  seik  be  prayer  and 
cersing2  and  conference  of  the  Word  to  ken  our  dewtie,  and  be 
about  fathfullie  to  discharge  it  better  and  better  ;  leaving  the  events 
and  effect  to  God,  whose  the  cause  was.  Bot,  as  for  yeilding  and 
granting  anie  thing  against  that  wherof  we  haid  sufficient  warrand 
in  God's  "Word,  and  possessioun  with  sic  confortable  fruicts  sa  lang, 
for  nather  thretning,  feir  of  danger,  nor  flatterie,  be  God's  grace  I 
sould  never ;  for,  in  my  judgment,  at  sic  a  tyme  the  passing  from 
anie  poinct,  and3  it  war  never  so  small,  wald  be  a  schakingus  louse 
and  sindrie,4  disarming  of  us  of  the  trust  in  the  treuthe  of  our 
cause  and  unitie,  wharby  we  haid  stronglie  stand5  to  that  houre, 
and  sa  our  disgrace  and  weakning,  the  adversar's  incouragment 
and  fardar  hope,  to  the  scliamfull  wrak  of  the  cause  of  Chryst  and 
his  Kirk !" 

Efter  lang  conference  anent  thir  maters,  we  rease  and  past  out 
to  our  meditationcs  in  the  Inche  ;°  and  inciting  againe,  we,  that  war 
wount  wounderfullie  to  consent  and  aggric  in  all  things,  began  then 
first  to  differ  in  opiniones.  "  Weill,"  said  he,  in  end,  "  vie  ar  to  be 
send  for  to,  and  peradventour,  when  yie  have  hard  that  I  hard,  yie 
will  think  as  I  think  ;  for  the  King  begoud  with  me  in  thir  words  : 
*  As  I  said  to  Mr  James  Melvill  and  yow  in  Edinbruch,  when  I 
tuk  yow  twa  by7  and  spak  with  yow  last  in  my  chamber,  that  I 
haid  a  speciall  quarrell  against  yow  twa,  wha  bathe  was  discreit  and 
wyse  men,  and  sic  as  I  lipned8in,'  etc. ;  thairfor  prepear  yow  for  it." 
"lit  we  put  af  that  fore  noone  also  Avith  grait  reasoning  and  delling 
bathe  in  privat  Avith  divers  brethring,  and  with  a  number  togidder 
in  a  Yll9  of  the  Kirk ;  till  at  efter  noone  Sir  Patrik  Avas  send  with 
a  command,  that  all  sould  meit,  and  resolve  be  reasoning  and  vott- 
ing  ather  to  hauld  Assemblie  or  nocht.     The  question  being  pro- 

1  All  bypast  straits.  2  Searching.  3  If.  *  Separate,  asunder. 

4  Stood.  '  <>i'  Forth.  7  Aside.  8  Trusted,  depended.  "  A  Mr. 


159G-7.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  405 

ponit,  Mr  Piter  Blakburn  tuk  the  affirmative,  as  being  indeid  of 
that  opinion ;  and  I  gat  the  negative,  as  being  indeid  of  the  contrar. 
We  reasonit  the  mater  at  grait  lainthe,  till  the  graittest  part  of  the 
breithring  thoucht  it  aneuche,  and  inclyned  to  my  part,  desyring 
the  mater  to  be  voted  ;  when  my  said  commilito l  began  a  lang  dis- 
course, wharby  he  supplied  the  wants  of  the  formar  reasoning,  be 
speitches  in  appeirance  verie  wyse  and  perswasive,  quhilk,  with  the 
Kings  authoritie,  careid  a  grait  number  from  our  syde,  sa  that 
when  it  cam  in  votting,  the  number  of  the  Northland  Ministers  and 
Angus  prevealed.  Quhilk,  when  I  perceavit  sa  to  ga,2  with  grait 
greiff  of  mynd,  I  withdrew  my  selff,  reiding  in  that  entrie  a  dangerus 
course  of  defectioun  that  followed.  And,  efter  a  heavie  regrat  unto 
God,  and  consideratioun  of  my  awin  weaknes,  in  respect  specialie 
of  him  in  whase  vertew  I  confydit  maist  amang  all  the  breithring 
present,  (for  Mr  Andro  was  absent,  being  Rector  of  the  Univer- 
sitie,  the  choise  wharof  fell  just  at  that  tyine,)  and  yit  with  a  night's 
conference  of  the  King,  I  saw  him  sa  stranglie  alterit,  what  coidd  I 
promise  to  my  selff? 

Therfor,  efter  the  breithring  of  our  Commissioun  haid  maid 
honest  and  plane  protestatioun  of  thair  disassent  from  all  that  form 
of  proceiding  from  that  pretendit  Assemblie,  and  all  that  soidd  be 
done  thairin,  to  keipe  tham  selves  clein  and  frie  thairof,  understand- 
ing that  divers  war  direct  from  the  King  of  my  frinds  and  weil- 
willars  to  deall  with  me,  and  bring  me  to  his  Majestie,  I  quyetlie 
withdrew  my  selff  from  the  town.  And  this  mikle,  in  generall,  as 
I  knew  concerning  that  Assemblie.     Now  for  the  particulars. 

We  haid  tlirie  or  four  meittings  and  conferences  with  certean 
Lords  apointed  be  the  King  befor  that  Conventioun  was  named  a 
Generall  Assemblie ;  wherin  thir  Articles  following  Avar  towtced,3 
and  answers  sett  doun  unto,  quhilk,  as  I  hard,  haid  the  approba- 
tioun  of  the  Assemblie  thairefter  : — 

1  Fellow-soldier,  2  So  (<»  ^<>.  '•  Touched. 


•KM)  Mi:  JAMES  MELVILL'g  DIARY.  1596- 


CERTEAN   ARTN  LES  PROPONIT  1JE  HIS  MAJESTD3,  AT  PERTH,  2  AND 

3  OF  merch  1596;  and  answerit,  m  conference,  be  certean 

BREITHRING  CONVENIT  THERE. 

"Art.  1.  That  it  l)c  nocht  thought  unlawfnll,  nather  to  the 
Prince  nor  till  anie  of  the  Pastors,  at  anie  tyme  heirefter  to  move 
douttes,  reasone,  or  crave  Reformatioun  in  anie  poinct  of  the  ex- 
ternall  Polecie,  Discipline,  and  Government  of  the  Kirk,  that  ar 
nocht  essential!  concerning  salvationn,  or  is  nocht  answerit  affirma- 
tive or  negative  be  ane  expres  part  of  Scripture,  pro  vy  ding  it  be 
done  decenter,  in  the  right  tyme  and  place,  and  anbho  adificandi  non 
tentandi. 

"  Ans.  The  Breither  conveined  gives  thair  advys,  in  the  first 
Article,  That  it  is  nocht  expedient  to  mak  a  law  or  act  twitching 
this,  least  a  durre  soidd  be  opened  to  curious  and  turbulent  sprites  : 
Utherwayes  they  think  it  lawfnll  to  the  King,  be  him  sclff  or  his 
Commissionars,  to  propon  in  a  Generall  Assemblie  whatsumever 
poinct  he  desyres  to  be  resolvit  of,  or  to  be  rcformit  in  specie  extend 
ordinis,  Being  substantia  externa  administrationis  Ecclesiastical  is  ph- 
nissime  tradita  i?i  sacris  Uteris:  And  as  the  Generall  Assemblie  may 
accept  of  this  from  the  King,  sa  may  the  Generall  Assemblie  do 
ancnt  anie  thing  that  is  done  be  his  Hienes  in  anie  Conventioun, 
mcitting,  or  Assemblie,  convenit  be  him  heirefter. 

"Art.  2.  Seing  that  the  Civill  and  Politic  Government  of  the 
countrie  belangs  onlic  to  the  King's  office  and  Counsallars,  and  is  in 
na  way  pertinentto  the  Spiritnall  Ministerie  of  the  Word,  That  na 
Minister  heirefter  sail  mell '  with  anie  mater  of  esteat  in  the  pulpit, 
or  with  anie  of  his  Majestie's  lawes,  statutes,  and  ordinances  :  but 
gifanie  of  the  Ministerie  think  tham  hurtful]  to  Relligioun  or  con- 
trar  to  the  Word,  they  sail  privatlie  complcan  thairon  to  the  King 
and  his  Counsall. 

"  A/is.   The  advys  to  the  2d  Article  is.  That  lawes  alreadic  maid. 

1  Meddle,  interfere 


L596-7.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  407 

hurtfull  to  Relligioun  or  prejudiciall  to  the  Libertie  of  the  Word,  be 
declarit  to  be  expyrit,  as  the  sam  salbe  particularlie  eondisendit 
upon  ;  and  na  law  be  heirefter  maid  twitching  Relligioun  without 
the  advys  and  consent  of  the  Kirk,  wha  ar  declarit  to  be  the  Thrid 
Esteat  of  the  countrey  ;  and  that  na  act  whatsumever  be  maid  con- 
trare  to  the  Word,  the  preatching  wharof  the  Ministers  lies  concre- 
dit '  to  tham.  Whilk,  giff  it  sail  fall  out,  as  God  forbid,  they  think 
that  everie  Pastor,  be  the  advys  of  his  Presbyterie,  Synodal!,  or  Ge- 
nerall  Assemblie,  sould  first  complean,  and  seik  remeadie  of  the  sam  ; 
quhilk  remeadie  nocht  being  gottin,  they  sould  direct  the  force  of 
the  Word  against  the  sam,  with  all  libertie.  And,  as  concerning 
maters  of  esteat,  the  Breithring  desyres  the  explaning  of  this  poind 
of  the  article. 

"Art.  3.  That  it  sail  nocht  be  lawfull  to  Pastors  to  name  anie  par- 
ticular mene's  names  in  the  pulpit,  or  sa  vivelie  to  descry  ve  tham 
as  may  be  equivalent  with  thair  naming,  except  upon  the  notorietie 
of  a  cryme ;  quhilk  notorietie  may  onlie  be  defynit  be  the  giltie  be- 
ing fugitive  for  the  cryme,  or  fylit  be  an  assyse,2  or  excommunicat 
for  the  sam. 

"  Am.  Na  mane's  name  sould  be  expressit  to  his  rebnk  in  pulpit, 
bot  whar  the  fault  is  notorius  publict ;  yit  they  esteim  notorietie 
mon  be  defynit  utherwayes  then  by  being  fugitive,  fylit  be  assyse, 
or  excommunicat.  For  contumacie  efter  citatioun,  publict  commis- 
sioun  of  murdour,  adulterie,  or  siclyk,  as  was  Boduall's  coming  to 
the  Abbay,  the  murder  of  Dunibirsall,  and  manic  uther  of  that  sort, 
makes  notorietie  ;  as  also,  when  the  fact  is  sa  evident,  that  the  noto- 
rietie thairof  may  be  maid  out  befor  the  Judge  Ordinar.  As  to  the 
vive  descriptioun  equivalent  to  the  naming,  it  is  hard  to  sett  a  law 
thairto,  seing  a  giltie  persone  will  apply  to  him  self,  whowbeit  the 
Preatchour  never  thought  on  him. 

"Art.  4.  That  everie  Minister,  in  his  particular  applicatioun,  sail 
have  onlie  respect  to  the  sedificatioun  of  his  awin  flock  and  present 
auditour,3  without  expatiating  upon  uther  discourses  ua  waves  per- 
tinent to  thair  Congregationnes. 

1  Entrusted.  -  Found  guilb  by  a  jury  or  assize.  Auditory. 


408  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1596-7. 

"  Ans.  Na  Pastour  sould  use  appllcatioun  wharin  he  lies  nocht 
respect  to  the  anlificatioun  of  his  awin  flock  and  present  auditor. 

"  Art.  5.  That  everie  Presbyterie  salbe  comandit  to  tak  dili- 
gent accoumpt  of  everie  Pastor's  doctrin,  that  he  keipc  him  sehT  with- 
in the  bounds  of  these  premisses. 

"  Ans.  It  is  the  dewtie  of  everie  Presbyterie  to  tak  accoumpt  of 
everie  Pastor's  doctrine,  that  he  keipe  him  selff  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Word  of  God. 

"Art.  6.  That  Summar Excommunicatioun  be  utterlie  dischargit 
as  inept,  and  that  thrie  citationnes  at  least,  of  aught  dayes  intervall 
betwin  ilk  ane  of  thain,  preceid  the  sentence. 

"  Ans.  In  the  Generall  Assemblie  hauldin  at  Montros,  it  was  or- 
deanit  that  everie  Presbyterie  sould  seik  out  the  warrands  of  Sum- 
mar  Excommunicatioun  pro  et  contra,  and  produce  the  sam,  to  be 
considderit  in  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie,  that  decisioun  might  be 
taken  thairin  according  to  the  Word  of  God.  And  seing  the  Co- 
missionars  from  Presbyteries  at  this  present  lies  nocht  brought  with 
tham  the  said  Reasones,  it  is  best  to  leave  this  mater  to  the  ordinal* 
Generall  Assemblie.  In  the  mean  tyme,  the  act  of  Montrose  to  be 
keipit. 

"  Art.  7.  That  na  Presbyterie  or  Synodall  use  thair  censures 
upon  nan  bot  tham  that  ax  resident  within  the  bounds  committed 
to  thair  charge,  uthcrwayes  the  decreit  and  sentence  to  be  null. 

"  Ans.  The  Generall  Assemblie  lies  apointed  everie  offendar  to 
be  censurit  in  the  place  whar  he  offendes,  quhilk  they  can  nocht  ga 
by,1  nisi  in  causa  communi. 

"Art.  8.  That  all  suminonds  contein  a  speciall  cause  anderynie, 
and  nan  to  be  super  inqiurendis,  quod  est  mere  tyrannicum. 

"Ans.  Fiat. 

"  Art.  9.  That  na  Meittings  and  Conventionnes  be  amang  the 
Pastors  but2  his  Majestie's  knawlage  and  consent,  excepting  alwayes 
thair  ordinarie  Sessiones,  Presbyteries,  and  Synodes. 

"  Ans.  This  Article  is  against  the  meitting  of  Pastors  necessar,  as 

1  Wliich  thej  cannot  exceed  or  go  beyond.  2  Without. 


1596-7.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  DIARY.  409 

Visitatioun  of  Kirks,  Admissioun  of  Ministers,  concurrancc  of 
Breithring  in  maist  lawfull  earands,  as  in  taking  up  feaddes,1  re- 
solving of  questionnes,  and  sic  lyk.  Therfor,  besyde  thair  Ses- 
siones,  Presbyteries,  and  Synods,  Provinciall  and  Generall,  the 
Breithring  thinks  all  meittings,  for  discharge  of  thair  office,  aught  to 
be  allowit. 

"  Art.  10.  That  in  all  Provinciall  Townes  Ministers  be  nocht 
chosin  without  the  consent  of  thair  aAvin  flock  and  his  Majestie ;  and 
this  ordour  to  begin  presentlie  in  the  planting  of  Edinbruche. 

"  Ans.  This  Article  is  answerit  be  an  act  of  the  Generall  Assem- 
blie,  quhilk  statutes,  that  the  principall  Townes  salbe  planted  with 
Ministers  be  the  advys  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  at  the  quhilk  his 
Ilienes'  Commissionars  ar  and  suld  be  present. 

"Art.  11.  That  all  maters  concerning  the  haill  rest  of  his  Ma- 
jestie's  Articles  sail  rest  on-rnellit2  withe,  ather  in  pulpit  or  anie  of 
thair  Judicators,  whill  first  all  his  Hienes'  ather  Questionnes  be  fullie 
decydit ;  and,  in  speciall,  that  all  maters  importing  sklander  cum 
nocht  in  befor  tham  in  the  mean  tyme,  wherin  his  Majestie's  royall 
authoritie  is  hilie  prejudgit ;  but  onlie  in  causes  that  ar  mere  Eccle- 
siastical!. 

"  Ans.  This  Article  importes  a  discharge  of  manie  poincts  of  our 
Discipline,  sa  as  it  can  nocht  be  presentlie  answerit. 

"  ENDS  THE  ARTICLES." 

Ane  uther  particular  was,  the  morn  efter  it  was  concludit  and 
nainedan  extraordinar  Generall  Assemblie,  the  King  callit  it  in  to  his 
Palice,  and,  in  the  Grait  Hall  thairof,  joynit  it  with  his  Conventioun 
of  Estates,  and  thair  began  to  reasone  his  Questionnes  ;  whar  the 
Moderator  and  Breithring,  refusing  to  put  anie  of  the  poincts  of  the 
Discipline  of  the  Kirk  in  questioun  and  dout,  the  King  wald  neids 
have  reasoning,  and  maid  grait  provocatioun  thairfor.  Mr  Thomas 
Buchannan,  an  of  our  Commissionars,  maks  answer,  saying,  "  Sir, 
it  is  nocht  that  we  distrust  our  cause,  or  that  we  want  reasone  to 

1  Reconciling  deadly  feuds.  :'  Untouched,  not  interfered  with. 


410  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L596-7. 

resolve  anie  that  douttes  of  bur  maters,  sa  that  they  cam  in  a  loving 
and  weft-willing  raancr  to  inquyre ;  but  Ave  perceave  the  purpose 

is  bot  to  canves  and  towt  our  maters  heir  a  why  11,  that  thairefter  men 
of  lytic  skill  and  les  conscience  may  decern  in  to  tham  as  they  pleis." 
And  sa,  efter  divers  pertinent  protestationnes,  he  enterit,  in  his 
maner,  verie  scharplie,  solidlie,  and  oft  tymes  sarcasticlie,  he  gaiff 
tham  reasoning  ther  filles,  and  trewlie  played  a  stout,  honest,  and 
fathfull  part  that  day. 

And  last,  a  grait  and  large  Commissioun  was  giffen  for  conver- 
sioun  and  receaving  again  in  the  bosome  of  the  Kirk,  the  Eric  of 
Ilountlie  with  his  complices,  the  diligence  thairof  to  be  reported  to 
the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie,  apointed  to  be  hauldin  at  Dondie  in 
the  monethe  of  May  following ;  and  all  uther  maters  remitted  thair- 
unto. 

But  in  the  meantyme  this  Assemblie,  and  consequentlie  all  that 
flowed  thairfra,  or  followed  thairupon,  was  esteimed,  of  the  best  and 
most  godlie,  to  be  null  in  the  selff,  and  of  na  force  or  effect,  for 
manifald  rcasones. 

1.  First,  because  it  was  convocat  unlawfullie,  that  is,  against  the 
lawes  of  the  countrey  ordeaning  the  Generall  Assemblies  to  be 
apointed  be  tham  selves,  with  advys  of  the  King  or  his  Commis- 
sionares  :  Bot  sa  it  is  that  this  was  convocat  be  the  King  against 
the  advys  of  the  Kirk,  to  prejudge  the  ordinal-  apointed  General] 

mblie  in  St  Androis. 

2.  Because  it  was  nocht  till  cdifie,  bot  to  demolishe  the  Disci- 
pline established,  as  was  evident  be  the  printed  Questionnes,  cast- 
ing in  dout  the  haill  Discipline,  thairbyat  least  to  gean  sum  advan- 
tage against  the  sum, 

:».  Because  it  was  nocht  fensit  nor  sanctefied  be  the  Word  of 
God  and  prayer,  conceavit  and  done  be  the  moutheofthe  last  Mo- 
derator, [Mr  Robert  Pont.]  according  t<>  the  ordour  observit  in  all 
General]  Assemblies  sen  the  first  beginning. 

1.  Because  ther  was  na  Moderator  chosine  :  hut  an  Bubornde  i>>' 
( lourt,  [  Mr  David  Lindsay,  ]  intrusil  him  selff,  \\  hcrofproceidit  con- 
fusioun  and  unaccustomed  immodcral  behaviour. 


1596-7.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  i  1  1 

5.  Because  the  ordinar  Scrybe  being  sen  the  last  Assemblie  de- 
parted tliis  lyfF,1  ther  was  na  Scrybe2  chosine,  sworn,  or  admitted. 

6.  Because  almaist  the  halff  of  the  Comissionars  from  Presby- 
teries according  to  thair  commissionnes  disassentit  thairfra,  and  pro- 
tested against  it. 

7.  Because  it  was  efter  four  dayes'  deley,  be  fiatterie  and  bost3 
of  Court,  be  a  feAV  vottes  ma,  skarslie  at  last  thrawin  out,  and 
named  ane  Extraordinar  Assemblie,  as  it  Avas  indeid. 

8.  Because,  when  it  was  sett  down  for  ane  Assemblie,  ther  was 
nathcr  hallie,4  grave,  nor  ordourlie  proceiding  thairin. 

9.  Because  ther  was  na  cleir  proponing  of  maters,  bot  convovit 
and  dressit  for  the  purpose. 

10.  Ther  was  na  Article  gravelie  reasonit  thairin,  nor  na  waves 
reasonit. 

11.  Ther  was  nan  votted. 

12.  Ther  Avas  nan  concludit. 

13.  Ther  Avas,  indeid,  named  a  certean 5  Breithring  of  everie  Pro- 
a  ince  to  heir  his  Majestie's  Articles,  and  giff  thair  advys  to  the 
Assemblie  ;  the  quhilk  being  hard  in  opin  and  full  meitting,  aa- as 
Aveill  lyked  of  and  appro  vin.  Bot  the  sam  thairefter  AA\as,  upon 
post-hast,  altered,  eiked,  and  peared,  and  maist  confusedlie  par- 
bruilyied.6  And  nochtwithstanding  of  the  disassenting  and  protest- 
ing of  clivers  Breithring  against  the  saming,  yit  without  reasoning 
or  Aotting,  Avas  be  the  mouthe  and  pen  of  an  unchosin  Moderator 
and  Clark,  concludit  and  put  out  in  wryt. 

And  sa  it  was  of  the  grait  mercie  of  God  that  na  mail  ill  Avas 
done  there ;  and  that  the  ill  AA'as  done,  Avas  done  in  sic  a  sort  as  it 
may  for  thir  manifald  nullities  be  jnstlie  estimat  as  undone. 

1  "  This  was  Mr  James  Riche,  a  godlie,  Ierned,  fathfull,  guid,  honest  man,  with 
whom  the  honestie  and  uprightnes  of  our  Assemblies  is  lyk  to  end ;  whose  deathe 
that  voir,  and  Mr  Andro  MoncreifV's.  Minister  at  Carol],  a  godlie,  fathfull,  and  upright 
brother,  war  ominosc  to  the  Kirk  of  Scotland.''  Note  by  the  Author  on  margin  of 
MS.  -  Clerk  to  the  Assembly.  :!  Threatening.  '  Holy.  5  A  certain 

number.  6  Added  to,  pared,  and  mosl  confusedly  jumbled.     Fr.  brouiller. 


412  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  1597. 


M.D.XCVIL 

The  27  of  Apryll,  anno  1597,  Mr  Robert  Pont,  Moderator  of  the 
last  lawful!  Generall  Assemblie,  cam  to  St  Androis  of  purpose  to 
keipe  the  dyat '  apointed  for  the  Generall  Assemblie ;  bot  finding 
nan  convenit  ther  bot  the  Province  of  Fyff,  cam  to  the  New  Col- 
lage Scholl,  the  place  apointed  for  the  said  Assemblie,  and  ther, 
efter  incalling2  of  the  nam  of  God,  and  humble  confessioun  of  sine, 
that  haid  procured  that  brak  and  desolatioun,  cravit  mercie,  and 
fensit  the  Assemblie  ther  ordourlie  in  the  name  of  God,  taking  notes 
and  documents  of  protestatioun  for  the  libertie  of  the  Kirk. 

But,  alas  !  even  then  that  libertie  began  to  be  almost  lost !  For 
thairefter,  to  utter  it  in  a  word,  whar  Chryst  gydit  befor,  the  Court 
began  then  to  govern  all ;  whar  pretching  befor  prevalit,  then  poleeie 
tuk  the  place;  and,  finalie,  whar  devotioun  and  halie  behaviour 
honoured  the  Minister,  then  began  pranking  at  the  chare,  and  prat- 
ling  in  the  ear  of  the  Prince,  to  mak  the  Minister  to  think  him  selff 
a  man  of  esthnatioun  ! 


DIFFERENCE  BETW1X  THE  KIKK's  GENERALL  ASSEMBLIES  AND 
THE  KING'S. 

And,  hen,  amies3  to  mark  the  difference  betwix  the  Assemblies 
( ienerall  following  and  these  that  past  befor  : 

1.  Chryst,  be  His  spiritual!  Office-bearers,  convocat  and  apoint- 
ed tymes  and  places  befor ;  now,  the  King,  bearing  na  spiritual] 
charge  in  the  Kirk,  usurpes  that  allancrlie. 

2.  Chryst  prcscidit  be  his  Word  and  Sprit,  directing  the  Mode- 
rator and  Breithring  :  Now,  the  King,  his  lawes  and  poleeie  of  esteat 
directes,  I  will  nocht  say  eontrolles,  Moderator  and  Breithring. 

3.  Maters  war  proponit  simplie,  and  the  Breithring  send  '  to  seik 
light  thairin  out  of  the  Word  of  God,  be  reasoning,  conference, 

'Day,  or  set  time.  'Invocation.  s  For  once.  '  Sent. 


1597.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  413 

meditatioun,  [and]  prayer  :  Now,  plattes  and  courses  ar  wyslie  leyit 
befor  moyenes  and  meanes  ar  apointed  to  bring  tham  about ;  all  is 
devysit  and  advysit  in  the  King's  Cabbinet,  according  thairto  is 
the  proceiding.  Tent  is  weill  tean '  in  publict,  in  privat,  what  may 
fordar,  what  may  hinder  the  sam,  ther  is  mater  to  win  creadit  at 
Court.  He  is  the  King's  man,  an  honest  man,  a  guid  peacable 
Minister,  that  goes  that  way ;  and  they  ar  seditius,  troublesome, 
cappit,2  factius  against  the  King,  as  meines  or  reasones  in  the  con- 
trar. 

4.  In  reasoning,  the  Word  was  alleagit,  the  text  sighted,  the 
reasone  weyit  at  grait  lenthe  and  lasour,  and  according  to  the 
waight  thairof,  it  bure  the  conclusioun  away  be  a  plean  force  of  cleir 
treuthe  ;  the  quhilk  being  ans 3  fund  out,  he  that  helde  the  con- 
trar,  willinglie  and  pleasandlie  yieldit,  and  all  acquiescit :  Now,  the 
Word  is  ather  as  a  thing  knaAvin  and  comoun,  past  and  posted 
ower  ;  or  gif  it  com  directlie  and  cleir  against  the  leyed  purpose, 
then  the  King's  man,  that  is  quicest  of  ingyne,  man  devyse  a  glose 
or  distingo  ; 4  and  giff  it  be  insisted  upon,  the  King  him  selff  mon 
fall  on  him,  and  beare  him  doun,  and  put  him  doun,  and  put  him  to 
silence  with  reasone,  langage,  and  authoritie. 

5.  The  veritie  was  uprightlie  and  indifferentlie  soucht  without 
respect  of  this  syde  or  that,  this  purpose  or  that ;  quhilk  maid  men 
sattletlie,5  gravlie,  and  quietlie  to  bring  out  thair  reasones,  and 
speak  thair  opiniones  :  Now,  the  purpose  mon  be  respected  and 
delt  for  with  hat  and  contentioun,  or  they  can  nocht  be  thought 
frak6  aneuche  in  the  cause. 

6.  The  feir  of  God,  the  love  of  Chryst,  the  cair  of  the  Kirk, 
lerning  in  Scripture,  the  powar  of  pretching,  the  motioun  and  force 
of  prayer,  and  the  eis  and  presence  of  those  in  whom  these  giftes 
specialie  schyned,  wrought  armings  all,  rcstimatioun,  reverence,  and 
guid  ordour  :  Now,  it  is  the  persone,  presence,  purpose,  favour,  and 
regard  of  the  Prince  that  beares  out  and  controlles  all. 

7.  GifFanie  had  a  gift  and  missour  by  uthers7  of  lerning,  utter- 

1  Care  is  well  taken.  2  Ill-humoured,  peevish.  3  Once.  4  A  gloss 

or  distinction.         5  In  a  settled  manner.  c  Hearty.         7  Beyond  or  above  others. 


414  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L597. 

ance,  upright  nes,  zeall,  ernestnes  in  prayer,  force  in  exhortatioun, 
it  was  spyed  out  and  specialie  employed  be  consent  of  all  at  these 
Assemblies  :  Now,  the  plattes  ar  leyed  whow  nan  sail  have  place 
bot  sic  as  serves  for  the  purpose. 

8.  Giffan  offensive  word  or  gesture  haid  fallen  out  in  a  brother 
it  was  incontinent  censured,  and  redressit :  Now,  gif  a  treuthe  be 
uttered  frilie  and  in  zeall,  it  is  met  with  a  squar  ly,  and  he  that  is 
for  the  King's  cause  may  use  what  countenance,  gesture,  and  lan- 
gage  he  pleis. 

9.  And  votting  was  wount  to  be  usit  for  na  uther  purpose  bot  to 
testifie  an  universall  consent  and  aggriment  in  a  cleirit  and  found 
out  veritie  ;  sa  that  skarslie  yie  wald  have  fund  an  non  liquet,  be- 
cause that  tyme  and  all  meanes  war  granted  and  used  for  resolu- 
tioun  :  And  now,  reasoning  is  used  but  for  the  fasone,  and  na  thing 
is  sufferit  to  com  in  determining  bot  that  quliilk  is  sure  to  be  born 
away  be  maniest  vottes,1  and,  thairfor,  the  catalog  of  the  Commission- 
ars  man  be  perused,  to  ken  wha  is  with  us,  and  wha  is  against  us. 

10.  In  end,  the  end  of  the  Assemblies  of  auld  was,  whow 
Chryst's  kingdome  might  stand  in  halines  and  friedome  :  Now,  it 
is  whow  Kirk  and  Ilelligioun  may  be  framed  to  the  polytic  esteat 
of  a  frie  Monarchic,  and  to  advance  and  promot  the  grandour  of 
man,  and  suprcam  absolut  authoritie  in  all  causses,  and  over  all 
persones,  alsweill  Ecclesiasticall  as  Civill. 

Sic  an  Assemblie  then  as  this  first  cam  in,  and  was  haldin  at 
Dondie  the  .  .  day  of  May,  1597.  In  the  quhilk  the  twa  cheiti' 
purposes  was,  anc  to  relax  from  excommunicatioun  the  Papist 
Earls,  ane  uther  to  gett  the  Articles,  allcagit  concludit  in  anc  Ge- 
neral] Assemblie  at  Perth,  declarit  and  ratified  at  the  present  As- 
semblie, and  as  far  furthe  further  as  might  be  atteincd  unto.  For 
preparatioun  to  the  quhilk,  the  King,  perceaving  the  estats  of  the 
Ministers  ofEdinbruohe  and  of  Mr  David  Blak  to  be  mikle  mein- 
ed,a  for  purchassing  ther  favour  ami  forderance  to  his  purposses,  he 

1  Borne  <l<>\\n  by  ;>  plurality  of  votes.  *  Lamented,  bemoaned. 


1597.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  415 

hcires  sic  as  travclit  in  thair  cause,  and  makes  his  awin  men  of  the 
Ministerie  till1  obtein  sa  mikle  at  his  hand  as  to  bring  the  Mini- 
sters of  Edinbmche  to  his  conference  ;  cfter  the  quhilk,  he  grantes 
thani  to  be  relaxit  from  the  horn,  and  libertie  to  do  thair  effeares 
abrod  as  trie  subjects,  yea,  to  come  to  Dondie  to  the  Assemblie  to 
Jknaw  farder  of  his  mynd.  In  lyk  maner,  to  Mr  David  Blak  licence 
from  his  warde  to  com  to  Dondie. 

Also  ther  was  a  grait  plat  leyed,  and  mikle  ado  usit,  (plowing 
alwayea  with  our  buffers  !2)  whow  to  gett  a  Moderator  meit  for  the 
purpose.  For  this  effect,  Mr  Thomas  Buchannan  was  woun  be  the 
grant  of  a  verie  weill  lyked  sutt  for  the  guid  Lord  Lindsaye's  re- 
laxing and  restitutioun,  wha  haid  at  tutorie,  in  a  maner,  Mr  Robert 
Rolloc,  Principall  of  the  Collage  of  Edinbruche,  a  guid,  godlic, 
lernit  man,  bot  fellon3  simple  and  pusillanimie,  and  sa  as  he  was 
easilie  caried  with  counsall ;  sa,  efter  the  Assemblie  was  lawfullie 
fenced  be  the  doctrine  of  the  last  Moderatour  lawfull,  viz.,  Mr 
Robert  Pont,  and  a  Clark  chosine,  viz.,  Mr  Thomas  Nicolsone,  it 
was  drifted  and  weiried  be  the  Kino-'s  command  till  the  comino-  of 
the  said  Mr  Robert  Rolloc,  nocht  being  present  at  the  first ;  and 
then  be  the  fore-provydit  sure  course  of  maniest  vottes  moyennit4 
be  manie  and  grait  persuasiones  and  motives  usit  with  the  breith- 
ring,  bathe  in  publict  and  privat,  the  said  Mr  Robert  was  declarit 
Moderator ;  whom,  when  the  King  and  his  men  haid  dressit  for 
thair  purposses,  the  Assemblie  is  keipit  frequentlie,  Imperatore  pre- 
side//te,  with  grait  congratulatioun. 

With  this  all  men  of  anie  mark  or  valour  was  practised  be  Sir 
Patrik  ;  and  sic  as  war  alreadie  woun,  and  brought  to  be  acqucnt- 
ed,  and  to  confer  with  his  Majestic  This  was  the  exerceise,  morn- 
ing and  evening,  diverse  dayes.  On  a  night  at  evin,  I,  sitting  at 
my  supper,  Sir  Patrik  sends  for  me  to  confer  with  him  in  the  kirk- 
yeard.  I,  raising  from  supper,  cam  to  him.  The  matter  was 
anent  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  whom  the  King  could  nocht  abyde. 
I  Avald  do  Aveill  to  counsall  him  to  return  ham,  or  the  Kins  wald 

'  o 

1  To.         2  Ploughing  always  with  our  heifers.  ■1  Extremely.  '  Influenced. 

3 


416  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1597. 

discharge  him.     I  answerit,  It  wald  be  bot  in  vean  to  me  sa  to  do, 

for  he  wald  nocht  tak  that  counsall ;  and  gif  the  King  wald  use 
his  authoritie,  he  wald  suffer  patientlie  ;  bot  I  was  certean  that 
deathe  wald  nocht  cause  him  do  against  his  conscience  !  u  Surlie," 
saves  he,  "  I  fear  he  suffer  the  dint  of  the  King's  wTathe  !"  "  And 
trewlie,''  said  I,  "  I  am  nocht  fearit  bot  he  will  byd  all ! "  Re- 
turning to  my  uncle,  whar  I  left  him  at  supper,  I  tauld  him  :  Avhase 
answer  I  neid  nocht  to  wrait. 

Upon  the  morn,  befor  Assemblie  tyme,  I  was  commandit  to  com 
to  the  King,  and  Mr  Andro  withe  me  ;  wha,  entering  in  his  Cab- 
binet,  began  to  dell  verie  fearlie  '  with  my  uncle  ;  bot  thairefter  en- 
tering to  twitche  maters,  Mr  Andro  brak  out  with  his  wounted  hu- 
mor of  fredome  and  zeall,  and  ther  they  heeled  on2  till  all  the  hous, 
and  clos,  bathe  hard,  mikle  of  a  large  houre.  In  end,  the  King 
takes  upe  and  dismisses  him  favourablie. 

The  things  that  war  done  at  that  Assemblie  I  can  nocht  exactlie 
recount.  Ther  was,  at  the  chosing  of  the  Clark,  an  ordonnance, 
that  at  the  penning  of  everie  act  ther  sould  be  certean  Brether  with 
the  Clark,  wharof  I  was  an,  and  Mr  James  Nicolsone  an  uther  : 
but  whill  as  I  cam  till  attend,  they  war  commandit  to  com  to  the 
King  with  the  Minutes,  and  sa  I  gat  nocht  acces  againe.  Also,  it 
was  ordenit  that  all  sould  be  read  in  publict  befor  the  dissolving  of 
tin   Assemblie,  bot  [that  was]  nocht  keipit. 

The  Articles  proponit  at  St  Jhonstoun,  and  answerit,  war  hard 
a^-ain  at  this  Assemblie.  It  was  schawin  and  verifiet  to  the  Afl- 
semblie,  whow  they  haid  past,  bot  litle  mendit  ther  ;  whowbeit  a 
guid  nmnber  of  guid  honest  Breithring  did  honestlie  ther  part,  as 
they  might. 

The  Lords  excommunicat  war  be  a  worschipfull  Commissioun  or- 
deanit  to  be  relaxit,  and  that  be  a  few  vottes  ma,  efter  sic  reason- 
ing, u  when  a  special]  frind  asked  me,  coming  out  of  the  Assemblie 
the  SeflflbOOO  be&ar,  to  schaw  him  my  judgment  in  effect,  because  it 
dependit  on  his  credit,  wither  I  thought  they  wald  be  ordeanit  to 

1  Fairly,  smoothly.  *  And  there  they  continued  in  keen  disputation,  Ire. 


1597.  MB  JAMES  MELVILlAs  DIARY.  117 

be  absolvit  at  that  tyme  ?  I  tauld  him,  as  I  thought,  that,  in  my 
judgment,  they  wald  gett  na  absolutioun  at  that  Assemblie  nor  the 
nixt,  till  they  kythed J  better  fruicts  of  repentance.  Bot  by  votting 
and  dealling  the  King's  will  was  wrought. 

The  Ministers  of  Edinbruche's  mater  and  Mr  Blak  I  refer  to 
tham  selfF. 

Mr  Jhone  Lindsay,  Secretar,  intendit  an  accusatioun  against  Mr 
Robert  Walace,  Minister  of  St  Androis,  befor  his  Presbyterie,  wha 
Avas  ther  challengit  also,  bot  all  these  are  leiving,  and  can  declar 
thair  awin  causses  better  nor  I. 

In  end  was  devysit  a  certean  Commissionars,  to  have  powar  from 
the  Assemblie  to  convein  with  the  King  at  what  tyme  and  place 
his  Majestie  sould  requyre,  to  keipe  concord  betwix  the  Kirk  and 
King,  and  to  intreat  of  all  maters  that  might  serve  or  apertein  to 
that  effect.  The  quhilk,  as  experience  lies  provin  sen  syne,  lies  de- 
volvit  and  transferit  the  haill  powar  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  in 
the  hands  of  the  King  and  his  Ecclesiastic  Counsall,  these  Com- 
missionars ;  for,  bathe  in  Generall  Assemblies,  and  without,  they 
re  will  all. 

In  the  monethe  of  Junie,  immediatlie  efter  his  retourn  from  the 
Assemblie,  the  King  enters  in  practise  with  his  Commissionars  con- 
veinit  at  Falkland  ;  and,  calling  the  Presbyterie  of  St  Androis,  rc- 
ducit  a  sentence  of  depositioun  pronuncit  against  Mr  Jhone  Ruther- 
ford from  his  ministerie  of  Kinnouchar  be  the  said  Presbyterie,  and 
approvin  be  the  Synod  of  FyfFe.  The  quhilk,  nochtwithstaiiding,  I 
am  certean  was  ratefied  in  the  heavines,  for  he  never  did  guid  in 
the  ministerie  sen  syne  !  [And,  now,  lies  reuunced  the  ministerie,  and 
takin  him  to  be  a  mediciner.] a  The  said  Mr  Jhone  purchassit  his 
court  be  calumnies  and  dilationnes  of  Mr  David  Blak  and  his  mi- 
nisterie. 

And  within  a  fourtein  dayes  thairefter,  the  King  cominandit  Mr 
Jhone  Lindsay  to  com  to  St  Androis,   (as  the  said  Mr  Jhone  al- 

1  Showed  or  manifested.  -  Th's  is  added,  at  a  subsequent  period,  by  Hie 

Author  on  the  margin  of  the  MS. 

■2  i) 


418  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L597. 

legit,)  and  intend  the  prosecutioun  of  his  actionn  against  Mr  Ro- 
bert Wallace  befor  him  and  his  Conunissionars,  takand  it  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  Presbyterie. 

Mr  Robert  was  to  teatche  upon  the  morn  efter  the  King's  coming, 
according  to  the  cours  of  his  office  in  the  ministerie  of  St  Androis. 
The  King  coming  to  his  doctrin,  heires  him  till  he  cam  to  applica- 
tioun,  at  the  quhilk  he  interrupted  him,  and  spak  against  him  pub- 
lictlie.     For  the  quhilk,  all  others  being  sylent,  Mr  Andro  Melvill 
rebukit  the  King  maist  scharphe,  thretning  him  with  feirfull  judg- 
ments, gif  he  repented  nocht ;  and  those  Commissioners  of  the  Kirk, 
and  his  particular  Ministers  also,  for  nocht  discharging  a  fathfull 
and  maist  necessar  dewtie  to  him  in  that  respect.     Thus,  God  as- 
sisted his  servant  wounderfullie,  notwithstanding  he  knew  that 
the  cheiff  purpose  of  thair  coming  was  against  him.     For  his  cause 
they  intendit  a  visitatioun  and  reformatioun  of  the  Universitie  ; 
they  sought  out  all  they  could  gett  or  find  against  him.  [Ther  was 
a  number  of  strangers,  Polonians,  Dences,1  Belgians,  and  French- 
men, schollars,  wha,  at  the  fame  of  Mr  Androe  s  leming,  cam  to  the 
Universitie  of  St  Androis  that  yeir,  and  war  resident  within  the 
sam  ;    quhilk  crabit 2  the  King  mikle,  and    restranit  his  purpose 
against  him.     This  is  remarkable  for  God's  providence.]  3     I  saw 
befor  the  King  rying,  and  thairefter  haid  in  my  hand,  a  quare  of 
peiper4  of  calumnies,  in  fear  wraitt,  giffen  upe  to  the  King.     They 
called  him  diverse  tymes,  they  leyed  diverse  things  to  his  charge, 
they  hard  all  his  mislykers,  evill-willars,  and  sic  as  haid  anie  com- 
plents  against  him ;  bot  God  was  sa  withe  him,  with  sic  courage,  ut- 
terance, and  powar  of  his  image,  that  they  coidd  do  na  thing  to  him 
in  end,  but  mak  a  new  chose  of  the  Eector  of  the  Universitie.  At 
the  quhilk,  according   to  the  customc,    he  willinglie  dimitted  his 
office,  wherof  he  wald  have  gladlie  bein  quyt  for  manic  causses, 
namlie,  for  that  it  importcth  a  mixture  of  the  Civill  Magistracie, 
with  the  Ministerie  Ecclesiastic,  war  nocht  from  yeir  to  yeir  the 
haill  Universitie  haid  burdenit  him  thairwithe.     And  yit  they  fearit 

1  Polos,  Danes.         '-'  Vexed,  crossed.  '  Margin  of  MS.         '  Quire  of  paper. 


1597.  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIARY.  !  l'.l 

sa  the  publict  opinioun,  that  they  gaiff  him  ane  office  ala  honour- 
able, and  mair  setting  and  aggreiable  to  him  in  all  respects,  to  wit, 
to  be  Dean  of  the  Facultie  of  Theologie,  the  quhilk  indeid  they 
could  nocht  giff  by !  him  to  nan  uther  bearing  ever  the  sam  in  effect, 
without  compear  or  matche  for  his  incomparable  lerning ;  and  yit 
of  that  quhilk  they  behoved  to  do  of  necessitie,  they  wald  moyen 
thanks  bathe  at  his  hands  and  the  comoun  seetimatioun. 

As  they  wald  have  thankes  in  this,  sa  wald  they  in  the  mater  of 
the  Ministeric  of  Edinbruche,  for  whom  they  sufferit  tham  to  be 
suted  and  intreated  that  they  sould  be  enterit  againe  everie  an  in 
thair  awin  roumes,  and  that  to  thair  sevcrall  flocks,  with  a  new 
stampe  of  impositioun  of  hands.  Bot  all  this  was  to  the  wrak  of 
the  thrid,  viz.,  the  Ministerie  of  St  Androis  ;  that  that  being  done, 
the  rest  might  be  the  easiar  prey  as  occasioun  served  thaircfter. 
And  sa  Mr  Robert  Wallace  was  proceidit  against  and  removit  from 
St  Androis,  be  sum  form  of  kinglie  Commissionar  proceiding  and 
proces.  Bot  Mr  David  Blak  was  never  amies  called,  and  yit  of 
mere  kinglie  powar  it  behovit  him  to  be  debarrit  St  Androis,  and 
tak  him  to  an  upeland  roum,  or  then  want  all  roum  in  his  native 
countrey  ;  and  with  post  diligence,  summarlie,  Mr  George  Glad- 
steanes  placed  in  his  roum. 

To  receave  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  Minister  of  Edinbruche,  and  giff 
him  impositioun  of  handes,  war  apointed  be  his  Majestie  and  Com- 
missionars,  Mr  Thomas  Buchannan  and  Mr  James  Nicolsone,  wha 
apprehendit  sic  a  feare  of  leying  on  of  the  handes  of  the  peiple  upon 
tham,2  that  it  stak  to  thair  stomak  all  that  yeir  efter-hend ; 3  and 
was  the  occasioun  of  a  verie  faschius  antipathie  and  contradictioun 
betwix  the  Ministers  of  Edinbruche  and  the  Commissionars  ;  whom, 
gif  the  King  haid  nocht  stoutlie  with  might  and  mean  assisted,  the 
said  Commissionars  haid  gottin  lytle  thank,  and  all  thair  awin  travcll 
at  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie.    And,  as  it  was,  they  spak  na  thing 

1  Past.  2  "  The  peiple  of  Edinbruche  was  almost  in  an  uproar  that  day,  at 

least  the  Commissionars  war  effrayit  of  it." — Note  by  Author  on  the  margin  of  MS. 
:!  Afterwards. 


420  MB  JAMES  melyill's  diaby.  1597. 

les  tham  selves,  bot  that  they  haid  gottin  peyment  for  thair  travel! 
of  that  coync  and  streak. 

About  the  sam  verie  tyme  that  the  King  interrupted  Mr  Robert 
Wallace,  and  undid  the  Ministerie  of  St  Androis,  ther  was  an  erth- 
quak  quhilk  maid  all  the  North  parts  of  Scotland  to  trirable,  from 
St  Johnstoun1  throw  Athall,  Bredalban,  and  all  these  Hie-lands  to 
Ros,  and  thairin,  and  Kinteall ;  quhilk  was  schawin  me  for  certcan 
be  sum  of  our  merchants  wha  war  in  Ros  and  Crommartie  Firthe  for 
the  tyme  ;  and  as  the  countrey  peiple  ther  reported  it  to  my  selff, 
being  directed  that  sam  yeir,  in  the  monethe  of  October,  be  the 
King  and  Generall  Assemblie,  to  the  Visitatioun  of  the  Northe. 

This  maid  sic  as  haid  red  the  stori^  of  the  King  of  Juda,  Uzzias, 
to  remember,  whow  that  when  he,  at  a  solemn  feast,  usurped  the 
Priestlie  office,  and  went  in  to  the  Temple  to  offer  incense  on  the 
Golden  Altar,  the  Lord  sent  a  mightie  erthquak  quhilk  reased  the 
halff  of  the  montean  Eroge,  situat  on  the  southe  and  west  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  caried  it  four  stades,2  that  is,  halff  a  myll,  toward  the 
Est,  and  lighted  on  the  syde  of  the  Mont  of  Offence,  condamnit  the 
hie- way,  and  spilt3  all  the  King's  Gardings.  Thairwith  also  the 
Temple  reave,4  and,  a  beam  of  the  sune  coming  throw,  strak  the 
King  in  the  face,  wharby  he  becam  leprouse,  and  sa  be  the  prcist* 
was  cast  out  of  the  Temple,  yea  of  his  kingdome,  and  fmalie  died 
of  melancholic  and  greiff ;  as  Avryttes  Josephus,  lib.  ix.  Antiq.  Jud. 
cap.  11.  Wharof  also  by  the  storie  of  the  Kings,  Amos  and  Zacha- 
rie  the  prophetes  mentionnes.  Anent  the  quhilk  this  Dix-huitainc 
was  maid  : — 

Uziah  King  contented  nocht  to  bruke 
The  civill  sword  of  Juda's  government  : 

Bot  pristlie  office  proudlie  undertuke 
Till  offer  incense  at  the  altar  bent. 


Perth.  2  S/adia,  or  500  paces.  3  Spoilt,  d<  stroyed.  '  Rent. 


1597.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  421 

God  schuk  the  erd,1  and  bolie  Temple  rent, 
And  maid  a  montan  skipe  out  of  his  place  ; 

(Of  feirfull  wrath  a  'feet2  maist  evident !) 

Whilk  kinglie  gets3  and  gardings  did  disgrace. 

The  King  him  self  with  leprosie  in  face, 
Was  strucken  sa  for  schamles  sacrilage, 

That  he  was  forst,  with  manic  loud  alace  ! 
To  quyt  his  crown,  and  die  in  hermitage. 

King  James  the  Saxt,  this  yeir  thow  fast  aspyrs, 
Ou're  Chryst  his  Kirk  to  compas  thy  desyrs. 

O  wey  this  weill,  and  heire  exemple  tak, 
Lest  Chryst,  wha  this  yeir  schuk  thy  north-wast  party, 
And  withe  eclipsed  Sun  amasde  the  harts, 

For  kings  to  com  thie  just  exemple  mak ! 

A  heavie  fact  for  all  the  hartes  of  the  godlie  and  honest,  and 
maist  detestable,  traterus,  and  crewall  in  respect  of  the  devysars 
and  committal's,  fell  furthe  upon  this  alteratioun  of  the  ministerie 
of  St  Androis.  For  the  forementioned  malitius,  craftie  misrewlars 
of  the  citie,  seing  now  the  auband 4  of  that  ministerie  removit,  and 
all  sic  as  lyked  of  the  best  ministers  to  be  mislyked  at  Court,  and 
that  they  haid  gottin  a  ministerie  that  wald  go  throuch  with  thair 
factioun,  they  steir  upe  and  incitats  four  deboshit  young  limmers, 
and  wattes5  that  maist  notable  man  amangs  all  the  merchants  of 
St  Androis,  and  for  godlines  and  vertew  nocht  inferior  to  manie  in 
the  land,  James  Smithe,  as  he  was  coming  ham  at  night  from  the 
cost  syde,  and  crewallie  demeanes  and  murdares  him.  The  guid 
honest  man  was  maist  innocent  of  anie  cryme  or  wrang  done  to 
anie,  as  we  schew  befor,  (whowbeit,  personcs  led  with  the  sprit  of 
that  murdarar  and  liar  from  the  begining,  nocht  contented  to  have 
murderit  his  body,  presses  yit  to  murdar  his  guid  fame,  bot  in  vean, 

'Earth.  2  An  effect.  3  Gates.         4  Restraint.         6  Lies  in  wait  for, 


'--  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  D1AEY.  1597. 

amangs  the  childring  of  godlines  and  treuthe !)  and  thinking  it  was 
bot  gear  they  sought,  waa  resolvit  to  have  bought  pace  with  large 
soumes ;  and  for  aggriment  thairancnt ,  the  King  him  self  haid 
a  pointed  the  day  following  to  be  keipit  be  frinds,  and  a  commissioner 
directed  from  him  expreslie  for  that  effect,  and  thus  under  tryst 
was  cut  of.  Thair  was  never  a  cais  that  befell  a  man  that  woundit 
my  hart  sa  sare,  and  cast  me  in  sa  terrible  a  tentatioun  of  doutting 
of  the  Providence  of  God,  [seing  sa  guid  a  man  left  in  the  hands  of 
sa  vyll  lowns  !]  I  knew  the  innocencie  and  gudnes  of  the  man  sa 
weill,  the  vylnes  of  his  maist  wicked  enemies,  and  the  veritie  of  his 
cause.  I  was  even  droundc,  a  certean  dayes,  even  almaist  in  a  dead- 
lie  and  sencles  dispear,1  till  my  deir  Father  of  mercie  and  God  of 
all  consolatioun  haid  pitie  on  me,  and  brought  me  in  the  light  of 
his  sanctuarie,  and  maid  me  better  to  knaw  and  beleive  thairby, 
that  ther  was  a  hell  prepared  for  the  wicked,  and  a  heavine  for 
the  godlie  heirefter !  and  all  the  rest  of  the  poincts  of  that  maist 
deipe  and  comfortable  doctrine  of  his  Providence. 

I  haid  a  grait  cear  of  that  man's  esteat,  for  the  onlie  reasone  be- 
for  schawin  ;  and  seing  that  alteratioun  coming  on,  I  often  said 
to  him,  that  he  haid  a  thing  graitlie  for  his  comfort,  that  the  cause 
of  Chryst  and  his  Kirk  in  Scotland  was  sa  joyned  with  his,  that  sa 
lang  as  the  an  went  weill,  I  sould  warrand  the  uther ;  bot  when 
the  an  alterit  I  fearit  the  uther !  And  often  hes  he  answerit  me, 
"  That  was  over  grait  honour  for  sic  a  vyll  worme ;  and  that  maist 
gladlie  wald  he  tak  his  part  in  the  hardest  sort  as  in  the  best."  At 
the  tyme  of  that  alteratioun  I  was  meikle  and  verie  instantlie  urset 
be  the  King  to  mak  the  sermont  at  the  receaving  of  Mr  George. 
Fallon  leathe-  was  I,  and  soar  was  it  against  my  hart  for  manic 
weghtie  reasones,  bot,  seing  the  guid  honest  men  was  at  ane  ex* 
treain  poinct  of  wrak,  having  ane  interlocutor  of  the  Sessioun  past 
against  thani  of  ten  thowsand  mark,  quhilk  tendit  to  thair  utter 
liearschipe,3 1  indented  with  the  King  for  the  staying  of  that  dccreit, 
and  composing  of  that  mater,  (wherjn  I  haid  sa  lang  travelit  with 

1   Despair.  -  Extremely  unwilling.  3  Wreck  and  ruin  of  their  property. 


1597.  ME  JAMES  melvill's  diahy.  423 

his  Majestie,)  I  wald  condiscend  to  do^that  quhilk  utherwayes  my 
hart  could  nocht  suffer  me  to  do :  For  I  thoucht  ther  could  be  na 
ill  don  in  teatching  the  Word  trewlie ;  and  I  thank  God  thairin  I 
satisfeid  my  conscience ;  bot  the  doing  of  it,  at  that  tyme,  and  by 
sic  a  compactioun,  was  a  grait  huik  in  my  hart,1  and  wrought  scar 
remorse  at  the  newes  of  his  deathe.  Bot  as  the  cersar  of  harts  and 
reanes  knawes,  the  overthraw  of  that  ministerie  of  St  Androis  was 
a  heavie  overthraw  to  the  joy  and  pleasure  of  my  saull,  sa  far  was 
I  from  art,  part,  read,  counsall,  consenting  thairto,  or  allowing  thairof. 
And  wheras  I  tuk  grait  peanes  thairefter  in  placeing  of  Mr  Blak  at 
Mr  George's  Kirk,  I  did  it  because  I  kend  the  fathfull,  honest 
brother's  danger;  for  the  King  and  Commissionars  bathe  war 
carles 2  of  him,  and  desyrit  nocht  better  nor  to  cast  him  lous  on  his 
awin  default,  (as  they  wald  alleage,)  that  throw  necessitie  he  might 
be  compelled  till  abandone  the  countrey. 

James  Smithe  was  my  deir  frind  whill  he  leivit,  and  from  whom 
I  parted  in  my  awin  hous  about  twa  houres  befor  his  slauchter,  with 
als  grait  sweitnes  and  joy  of  hart,  arissin  of  a  heavinlie  conference, 
whilk  haicl  stowin 3  twa  houres  from  us  or  we  was  awar,  as  ever  I 
haid  in  this  warld;  during  the  quhilk  me  thought  that  he  and  I 
bathe  was  caried  from  the  erthe,  and  delyting  our  saulles  in  that 
lyff  and  glorie  purchassed  be  the  deathe  of  the  Mediator  and  Sa- 
viour Jesus  Chryst ;  till  Mr  George  Mernse,  bailyie  of  St  Androis 
for  the  tyme,  a  guid  simple  man,  and  his  frind,  cam  and  tuk  him 
out  of  my  maist  hartlie  embracing,  sear  against  my  will,  for  I  was 
determined  to  keipe  him  with  me  that  night,  and  go  Avith  him  to 
St  Androis  on  the  morn,  for  keiping  of  that  tryst  of  agriment 
apointed  be  the  King. 

Gif  the  reidar  be  holelie  affectionat  in  trew  and  godlie  frind- 
schipe,  he  will  nocht  lothe  of  the  poeticall  passioun  quhilk  pleasit 
and  easit  me  for  the  tyme ;  and,  thairfor,  for  my  frind's  sak,  I  can 
nocht  suffer  to  pearishe,  whowbeit  bot  a  dwabbling  countrey  ryme, 

1  Hook  rankling  in  my  heart.  -  Careless.  3  Stolen,  beguiled  away. 


424  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1597. 

meittar  to  be  Bwipped  away  with  the  mouse-wobbes,1  nor  byd*  as 
a  picture  in  the  palace  of  Apollo ! 


A  DULFULL  LAMENTATION  FOR  SIN,  QUHILK  HES  PROCURIT  THE 
THRALDOME  OF  THE  KIRK,  AND  CREWALL  MURDER  OF  JAMES 
KM  II  HE,  MERCHANT  AND  CITICINER  OF  SANCT  ANDROSE. 

Sept.  1597. 
With  the  toone  of  u  Alas,  I  die"  etc. 

Alas  !  the  tyme,  that  ever  I  did  offend 
Against  thy  hiche  and  dreidfull  magestie ; 
Alas  !  the  yeirs  and  seasons  I  have  spend 
In  erdlie  tourns 3  and  warldlie  vanitie  ; 

Alas  !  the  mounths,  alas  !  the  wkes 4  and  dayes, 
That  I  consum'd  in  foolishe  sports  and  playes. 

Alas !  alas  !  for  verie  greiff  and  paine  ; 
Alas  !  for  sin  ;  alas  !  for  sin  againe. 

This  pretius  loss,  quhilk  I  sa  seare  lament 

Withe  murnfull  mean,5  is  of  the  tyme  of  grace, 

When  God  sa  lang  his  Gospell  till  us  lent, 

Till  offer  lyf  with  everlasting  peace 

For  all  repentand,  fathfull,  halie  amies  :6 
This  wounds  my  hart,  my  rlaishe,  my  blud,  and  beans.7 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

I  may  lament  with  manie  loud  alace  ! 
I  may  regrat  with  manie  reuthfull  reare,8 
The  lichtleinff9  of  the  favour  and  the  "'race 
Of  thie,  my  God,  alas  !  withe  siches  scare  : 10 

1  The  slender  filmy  web  of  the  gossamer  spider.     -  Than  remain,  or  be  preserved. 
1  Earthly  coneerns.  '  Oulks,  weeks.  5  Lamentation,  complaint.  6  Ones. 

'   Bones.  8  Roar,  with  many  a  rueful  or  doleful  exclamation.  9  Under- 

valuing-, holding-  light.  '"  Sore  sighs. 


1597.  MR    JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  425 

Whare  grace  is  gean,1  what  rests2  bot  mortall  greiffj 
With  dulfull  deathe,  and  wa3  without  releiff. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

And  yit,  the  graittest  mater  of  my  grerff 
Is  nocht  this  heavie  saull  with  pean4  repleit, 
Bot  that  my  sinnes  hes  wrought  sa  grait  mischeiff 
To  crabe 5  my  heavinlie  Father,  deir  and  sweit ; 
And  move  him  nocht  to  speare  his  erthlie  glore, 
His  deirest  Kirk  quhilk  did  this  land  decore. 
Alas !  alas  !  etc. 

For  Avhare  the  scepter  of  thy  Chryst  did  gyde, 

And  govern  be  his  Word  and  Halie  Ghaste, 

It  is  contemn'd,  alas  !  and  set  asyde, 

And  fantasies  of  flaishe  for  it  is  plaste : 
Sa  sin  gets  not  his  just  and  frie  rebuik, 
The  godlie  grones,  the  wicked  proudlie  luik. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

The  standart  of  thy  treuthe  is  troden  down, 
And  lies  and  falshod  hes  the  upper  hand ; 
Restored  again  ar  trator,  thiff,  and  loun, 
And  honest  men  ar  murdrit  in  the  land  ; 

Whar  Chryst  did  gyd,  now  Court  does  govern  all. 

O  wratched  ceass  !  O  miserie  and  thrall ! 
Alas !  alas !  etc. 

But  na  thing  mail-  effrayes  and  terrifies, 
Then  the  renewing  of  that  Covenand  : 
At  grait  Assemblie,  Synods,  Presbyteries, 
And  all  our  Kirks,  bathe  up  and  down  this  land, 

1  Gone.  2  Remains.  3  Woe.  4  Pain.  5  Vex,  offend. 


426  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1597. 

Whare  monie  voued,  and  promis'd  till  amend  ; 
Bot  uthers  liiclie  in  rank  did  vilipend. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

The  purpose  therof  was  to  purge  the  land 
From  filthie  sin,  that  God  therm  might  dwell : 
Bot  Sathan's  sleaves l  wald  na  wayes  understand 
That  gud  intent,  nor  yit  the  purpose  tholl  :2 
And  sa  this  tow  lies  put  upon  our  rok,3 
And  brought  our  fredom  under  boundage  yok. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

And  ever,  alas  !  for  scham  and  weill-awa ! 4 

Even  we  our  selffs,  wha  promisde  all  the  best, 

Be  fen  and  flatterie  caried  clein  awa, 

Permits  thy  Spreit  in  us  to  be  represt. 

Yea,  sum  in  hart,  are  led  a  contrair  course, 
Of  all  this  wa,5  the  fontean  and  the  sourse. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

8a,  by  that  heape  of  hynous  sinnes  before, 
Whilk  ery'd  a  vengeance  to  the  heavinnes  hie, 
We  have  incenste  the  mightie  King  of  glore, 
Be  brak  of  promise,  and  withe  perjurie : 
Till  ather  quyt  his  justice  and  his  right, 
Or  then  to  cast  us  clein  out  of  his  sight ! 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

And  sen  the  frie  rebuk  of  sin  is  gean, 
And  of  our  censures  the  sevcritie  : 
The  Papists,  Atheist,  mockars  everilk  an,6 
And  bcastlie  slaves  to  sensualitie, 

'Slaves.  2  Suffer,  endure.  :t  Distaff  l'or  spinning  tow.  '  Wallawa ! 

an  interjection  denoting,  woe  is  me  !  5  Woe.  '  Each  or  every  one. 


1597.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  427 

At  fredomc  now  they  vant  and  wark  thair  will, 
Revyling  God,  his  Word,  and  servants  still. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 


FINIS. 


J[AMES]  S[MITHE.J 

A  crewall  deid  that  hereupon  ensewed, 
With  woundit  hart  I  woefullie  record, 
That  all  the  giltie  greivuslie  may  rewed, 
Hast  for  to  render  recompence,  O  Lord  ! 
I  mean  the  murder  of  that  meakles  man, 
Amangs  tham  all  St  Androis  did  belang. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

Guid  James  Smithe,  thy  fathe  and  feir  of  God, 

Thyn  honestie  in  lyff  and  conversation, 

Thy  vertues  rare  disseminat  abrod, 

And  weill  bekend  throw  manie  Christan  nation  ; 
Thy  gentilnes  and  trew  humilitie, 
Thyn  upright  meining  and  fidelitie. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

Thy  courtessie,  thy  fasones  fear  and  fyne, 
Thy  dealling  just  and  square  can  naine  concell, 
Thy  kyndnes,  frindschipe,  and  thy  spreit  devyne, 
In  lyking  polecie  and  comoun-weill : 

Thy  love  of  right,  and  hatred  of  all  wrang, 

Excelling  all  thy  citicines  amang. 
Alas!  alas!  etc. 


428  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAKY.  1597. 

Bot  specialie,  thy  lyking  of  God's  Word, 
And  interteining  of  his  servants  trew, 
Maid  Satan's  slaves  to  tak  the  blodie  sword, 
And  strik  tha  strakes,  quhilk  they  sail  ever  rew. 

They  did  pretend  a  forgett  cause  of  fead,1 

Bot  verelie  thy  vertew  was  thy  dead. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

For  certeanlie  thow  was  an  innocent ; 
To  God  and  man  approved  weill  be  tyme ; 
Altho  malicius  greidie  men  war  bent 
On  thic,  maist  falslie,  for  to  lay  a  cryme, 

Thair  consciens  ay  the  contrar  did  tham  tell, 

As  they  ar  yit  convicted  be  tham  sell. 
Alas !  alas  !  etc. 

For  why  the  ground  of  stryff  and  deadlie  fead  ? 
It  is  from  Sathan  sen  that  first  he  fell, 
Whase  sprit  the  wicked  reprobat  does  lead, 
And  maks  tham  first  to  hat  the  Lord  him  sell ;  *-' 
And  syn  abhore  sic  as  him  loves  and  feirs, 
Whase  spreit  and  lyff  is  contrarie  to  theirs. 
Alas !  alas !  etc. 

Invy  and  malice,  lang  inveterat, 

Did  bowden3  in  the  breist  of  craftie  men, 

Withe  Satan's  vennom  haill  intoxicat, 

As  God  at  last  will  mak  the  warld  to  ken ; 

Wha  houndit  fiu'the  these  ratehes4  under  night, 
On  Lambe  alan,  haill  four  to  set  thair  might ! 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

1  Deadly  feud.  2  Himself.  3  Swell.      It  is  often  written  boldin  or  bolden, 

in  old  MSS.  '  Whether  this  means  wretches,  or  "ratehes,"  a  sort  of  butcher 'a 

dog,  does  not  seem  obvious;  but  perhaps  the  latter  is  the  most  probable.      From  Fr. 
>o  (i,  lii  i .  a  kind  of  little  hound. 


1597.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  429 

And  that  at  unaware  behind  his  bak, 

They  interprys'd  thair  limmers  crewaltie, 

Quhilk  souldart-like l  they  durst  nocht  undertak ; 

Sic  was  his  manhead  and  activitie  : 

When  he  was  passing  lyk  a  seakles  lam, 2 
These  ere  wall  craftie  wolfs  upon  him  cam. 
Alas  !  alas !  etc. 

Wa  to  yow,  foolishe,  filthie,  feible  fallows  ! 

Yie  ar  mad  faggets  to  the  fyre  of  hell. 

Lyk  lowns  and  limmers,  your  carkashe3  for  the  gallows, 

Your  cursed  saull  for  Beelzebub  him  sell.4 

As  vagabounds,  lyk  Cain,  to  be  kend, 

Till  that  yie  mak  a  maist  unhappie  end. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

Fy!  on  the  limmer  Lindsay,  by  the  leave,5 
Thow  might  have  clam'd  sum  kinred  by  thy  name, 
Bot  making  thie  to  slaves  a  filthie  slave, 
Thou'rt  blotted  out  with  everlasting  scham ! 
Ah !  slave  to  Satan,  and  to  slaveishe  beasts : 
Ah  !  flashar  tyk,G  Avhom  all  the  land  deteasts. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

Yie  ventura rs7  beweall8  his  tragedie, 

Yie  kend  him  ever  godlie,  guid,  and  wyse. 

Yie  mariners  and  tradars  be  the  sie, 

Amang  your  merchants  he  haid  eu'r  the  pryse, 
All  honest  men,  all  burgesses  of  towns, 
Will  mein  his  cease, 9  unles  they  be  bot  lowns. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

1  Soldier-like,  i.e.  bravely  face.  2  Guiltless  lamb.        3  Carcase.        *  Himself. 

5  The  scoundrel  Lindsay,  beyond  all  the  rest.        6  Butcher's  dog.        "  Adventurers, 
merchants.  8  Bewail.  9  Lament  his  case. 


430  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1507 

But  maist  of  all,  the  honest  pure  will  miss 
His  merchandise,  Avith  mercie  ever  mixt  ; 
He  gat  a  thowsand's  bennesone '  and  bliss  ; 
They  wanted  nocht  wha  kept  thair  tym  affixt. 

Yea  manie  an,  he  quat2  full  liberallie, 

That  was  by  hasard 3  put  to  poverties 
Alas  !  alas !  etc. 

0  Kirk  and  King,  whow  gratlie  ar  yie  wrangde  ! 
Alas  !  for  losing  of  sa  rare  a  man. 

Gif  hounders  of  sic  knaves  war  tean  and  hangde, 

AVar  in  compear  a  wild-gus  for  a  Wran.4 
A  better  subject,  nor  a  better  sone, 
Haid  nocht  the  King  nor  Kirk  this  land  within. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

Then  if  yow  will  eschew  the  vengeance  grait, 
Of  seakles  5  blud  that  ower  this  land  does  king, 
Tak  pean  to  purge  ;  set  heir  your  harts  delait ; 
Think  this  beseats  a  godlie  Kirk  and  King : 
For,  gif  that  therin  yie  be  negligent, 
I  am  sure  to  lcat  yie  sail  it  scare  repent  ! 
Alas !  alas  !  etc. 

And  thow,  O  FyfF!  sa  filthelie  defyldc 
Withe  fore-thought  fellons'  bludie  crewaltie  ! 

1  rather  be  a  stranger  far  exylde, 

Nor  Erie,  or  Lord,  or  Baron,  into  thie  : 
Unles  thow  kythe  thir  murders  to  deteast, 
That  in  thy  Wast,  this  other  in  thyn  East. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 


1  Benediction.  '-'  Requited,  rewarded.  :i  The  Author  lias  also  the  word 

"jeopard"  in  the  text.  'A  wild-goose  for  a  wren.  ■'■  Guiltless. 


1597.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  431 

I  red  thie,1  therfor,  dull2  for  Dunnibirsall, 

And  for  St  Androse  now,  to  sobbe  full  sear, 

Or  thow  sail  feill  thy  judgment,  scliarpe  as  thirsah1,3 

Upon  thy  bak,  and  on  thy  buttoks  bear : 

For  why  whar  seakles  bluid  sa  fast  cryes  out, 
The  righteus  God  mon  punishe  ther,  but  dout. 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

Bot,  O  St  Androse  !  searlie  sail  thow  rew 

The  tym  that  thow  brought  out  that  wicked  race  ; 

For  thow  sail  drink  of  that  quhilk  thow  did  brew, 

AVith  mikle  wa,4  and  manie  loud  alace  ! 
For  sure  thyn  eis  sail  verelie  behauld, 
What  ever  thy  fathfull  Pastors  to  the  tauld. 
Alas !  alas !  etc. 

And  namlie  yie,  wha,  lauching  in  your  sleive, 
Now  maks  this  mater  seage  unto  your  drink ; 
For  surlie  God  sail  then  his  awin  releive, 
When  yie  your  craft  and  malice  sail  forthink. 

Lauche  on,  and  sport  yow  with  your  guid  success, 
Our  God  is  in  heavin,  wha  sies,  and  will  redress  ! 
Alas  !  alas  !  etc. 

Bot  weil's  thie  weidow,  supposed  miserable, 
God  give  thie  grace  to  knaw  thy  happines. 
The  devill  lies  done  mischeif  intolerable, 
Yit  God  his  graittar  guidness  sail  express. 
Whilk  thow  sail  find  with  wonderfull  delyt, 
To  thair  malicius  wicked  harts  dispyt. 

O  confort !  confort !  stedfast  to  remean. 
O  confort  meit  to  mitigat  thy  pean. 

1  Counsel  thee.  -  Dool,  mourn-     Fr.  devil.  3  Thistle.  *  Woo. 


432  MR  JAMES  MELYILL's  DIARY.  1597. 

God  lies  reteird  thy  housband  to  his  rest, 
And  him  inrolld,  for  to  mak  out  that  number 
Of  righteus  martyrs,  whom  he  loves  ay  best, 
Into  this  lyff  persewd  with  cross  and  cumber,1 
Beneathe  that  Altar,  blessed  Saincts  amang, 
Whilk  cryes,  "Hast,  Lord,  revenge  our  bluid  and  wrang!" 
Thair  cled  in  whait2  he  plesand  sail  remean: 
O  confort  meit  to  mitigat  thy  pean  ! 

I3ot  certeanlie  God  sail  thy  Housband  bie, 
And  Father  to  thy  childring  an  and  all ; 
He  sail  yow  freethe3  from  all  this  miserie  ; 
He  sail  yow  heir,  and  give  yow  hart  to  call. 
He  sail  yow  daylie  grace  and  blessing  send ; 
He  sail  yow  gyd  unto  that  blessed  end. 

O  confort !  confort !  stedfast  to  remean, 
O  confort  meit  to  mitigat  thy  pean ! 

Deir  damiselles  !  leave  af  your  dreirie  mean,' 
And  grow  in  godlines  to  womanhead  ; 
Yie  sail  nocht  live  lyk  orphelings  alean,5 
Altho  your  ertlilie  father  now  lie  dead. 

Your  Heavinlie  Father's  guidnes  yie  sail  feill ; 

He  sail  yow  touchar6  all,  and  marie  weill. 
O  confort,  etc.  etc. 

Thow  bonie  boy,  conceaved  and  brought  upe, 
Miraculuslie  by7  anie  expectation, 
Into  thy  youthe,  rejose  to  tholl  the  whupe,s 
Thy  God  salbc  thy  scheild  and  preservation  : 

1  Cummer,  strife,  contention.  2  Clothed  in  white  robes.                   3  Free  or 

deliver.           *  Moaning,  lamentation.  5  Orphans  alone.           "   Provide  yon  with 

tochers  or  doweries.         "  Beyond.  *  Rejoice  to  suffer  the  scourge  or  correction 
of  the  rod. 


1597.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  433 

He  sail  thie  bliss,  and  mak  tliie  sic  at  ease, 
A  feirfull  curse  on  all  thy  father's  faes.1 
O  confort,  etc.  etc. 

Sa,  efter  God  lies  maid  vow  meit  for  him, 
Be  all  your  suffrings  and  tentationnes, 
He's  mak  yow  on  the  ledder  Chryst  to  clim,2 
And  end  your  greifs  and  tribulationnes, 

Surmonting  far  the  skyes  and  sternes3  bright, 
Yie's  enter  in  the  Lord's  a?ternall  light. 

Ther  meit  with  him,  and  never  part  again. 
O  confort  meit  to  mitigat  your  pean ! 

Now  Chryst  our  King,  triumphal1  over  the  devills, 
Ou'r  sin,  ou'r  deathe,  ou'r  hell,  this  warld  and  all, 
Behauld  from  heavin  thir  maist  mischeivus  evills, 
And  heire  the  plaint  of  sic  as  on  thie  call. 
.    And  aither  stainche4  the  rage  of  thair  impyre, 
Or  come  and  cast  them  in  a3ternall  fyre ! 

O  com  !  O  com  !  O  com !  without  delay. 

O  com !  and  judge,  Lord  Jesus,  we  thie  pray. 

AMEN. 


In  the  monethe  of  October  thairefter,  with  a  heavie  hart,  grait 
pean  in  body,  be  a  distillatioun  falling  on  my  teithe,  and  with  grait 
expences,  I  entered  in  jorney  with  the  rest  apointed,  and  visited  the 
Provinces  of  Aberdein,  Murray,  and  Ros.  At  ther  Synods  and 
Presbyteries  we  tryed  the  Ministers,  particularlie  in  doctrine,  knaw- 
lage,  and  lyff :  Sum  we  deposit ;  sum  we'admonished  ;  sum  we  in- 
curagit :  manie  we  helped  in  ther  gleibs,  manses,  and  leivings.  We 
delt  with  all  the  Noble  men  and  cheiff  Barrones,  for  provyding  of 
thair  Kirks,  be  doctrine  and  privat  delling,  and  gat  Subscriptionned 


1  Foes.  2  Ladder  to  climb  to  Christ.  3  Stars.  4  Staunch. 

2  E 


434  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABT.  1597. 

to  the  particular  provisionnes  sett  down  in  wrait,  anent  everie  Kirk  : 
Wherin  the  penitents  recentlie  receavit  past  befor,  be  guid  exemple, 
the  Erics  of  Ilountlie  and  Arroll,  because  they  war  nocht  yit  re- 
stored in  Parliament;  but  sensyne  I  heir  litle  of  the  performance. 
But  thairin  MakinToshie '  warred2  all  the  rest,  wha,  meitting  us  at 
Ennernes,3  sett  down  the  plat  of  all  his  Kirks  with  sufficient  provi- 
sioun  ;  and  when  he  haid  done,  he  subscryvit  it  with  his  hand  be- 
for us,  and  said,  "  Now  it  may  be  thought  I  am  libcrall,"  sayes  he, 
"  because  na  Minister  will  venture  to  com  amangs  us,  therfor  get 
me  men  and  sey4  me,  and  I  will  find  sufficient  cautioun  for  saifftie 
of  ther  persones,  obedience  to  ther  doctrine  and  discipline,  and  guid 
peyment  of  thair  stipend  and  interteinment  in  St  Johnstoun, 
Dondie,  or  Aberdein  !"  And,  indeid,  I  have  ever  sensyne  regrated 
the  esteat  of  our  Hielands,  and  am  sure  gif  Chryst  war  j notched 
amangs  tham,  they  wald  scham  monie  Lawland  professours  ;  and 
gif  pcanes  war  taken  bot  als  willinglie  for  winning  of  tha  saulles 5  be 
the  Prince  and  Pastors  to  plant  ther  Kirks,  as  ther  is  for  wrakking 
and  displanting  of  the  best  constitut,  Chryst  might  be  pretched  and 
beleived,  bathe  in  Hielands  and  Bordours. 

In  that  jorney,  be  occasioun  of  conference  be  the  way  with  Sir 
Patrik  Murray,  Mr  James  Nicolsonc,  and  Mr  Piter  Blakburn,  I 
smeld  out  the  purpose  of  ercctioun  of  Bischopes  againc.  The  quhilk 
coming  to  Edinbruche  to  the  parliament  in  the  monethc  of  Decem- 
ber, I  fand  planlie  going  to  wark,  and  therfor  left  my  litle  Court 
Commissionaire,  and  all  fordar  dcalling  with  tham  in  anie  course  or 
purpose,  and  retcired  my  scltFham  to  my  awin  calling.  From  the 
quhilk,  whowbeit  I  was  often  absent  of  befor,  occupied  ever  in 
comoun  causses,6  to  my  great  pcanes  and  spending  of  all  I  haid,  yit 
I  haid  confort  in  my  conscience  and  joy  in  spreit  thairefter,  remem- 
bering sum  miid  done  to  the  contentment  of  the  godlic.  But  when 
I  perceavit  my  pcanes  and  expences  to  be  dowblit,  and  to  reape  na 
thing  in  end  hot  greiff  of  mynd,  and  evill  estimatiotin  amangs  guid 

1  The  Chief  of  the  Clan  Mackintosh.  -  Excelled,  outdid.  3  Inverness.  *  Try. 
:'  These  souls,     ,;  Public  concerns;  affairs  concerning  the  welfare  of  the  community. 


1597.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  135 

folks,  I  thought  it  hie  tyme  to  retcirc.     And  yit  twa  turnes  fell  out 
that  tyed  me,  as  efter  we  Avill  heir. 

At  the  parliament,  in  December,  the  mater  Avas  convoyed  and 
brought  in  this  manor.  The  Commissionars,  in  nam  of  the  Kirk, 
sought  be  petitioun  a  vott  in  parliament,  Avharof  they  thought  they 
haid  sufficient  warrand,  because  it  haid  oftentymes,  yea  almost  at 
everie  parliament,  compleanit,  that  men  satt  and  votted  in  parlia- 
ment in  nam  of  the  Kirk,  that  nather  bure  office  in  the  Kirk,  nor 
haid  anie  commissioun  thairfra.  The  Abbots,  Priours,  Lords  of 
Sessioun,  and  sic  as  they  drew  of  the  Nobilitie,  war  against  the 
Kirk ;  yit  be  ernest  delling  of  the  King,  wha  haid  promist  mikle 
guid  to  be  done  to  the  Kirk  at  that  parliament,  they  condiscend 
and  aggreis,  that  sic  of  the  ministerie  hcircfter,  as  his  Majestic 
sould  promot  to  the  dignitie,  office,  place,  and  title  of  Prelacie, 
Bischope,  Abbot,  or  uthcr,  sail  have  vott  in  parliament,  siklyk  and 
als  frilie  as  any  uther  Ecclesiasticall  Prelat  haid  at  anie  tym  by- 
gean,  etc. 

Now  this,  forsuthe,  was  a  grait  benefit  for  the  Kirk,  obteined  at 
that  parliament,  when  the  Papist  Erles  war  restorit,  and  for  the 
quhilk  the  Kirk  behoved  to  receave  tham  in  favour.  For  the  Kirk 
haid  lyen  lang  in  contempt  and  povertie,  quhilk  the  King  and  his 
Commissionars  soar  pitied,  and  this  was  the  way  to  mend  that : 
To  gett  of  the  godliest,  wyscst,  and  best  of  the  ministerie,  upon  the 
Counsall  of  the  realme,  Conventionnes  of  Esteattes  and  Inchest 
Court  of  Parliament,  thcr  they  sould  reasone  and  vott  in  ther  awin 
causscs,  and  bring  hame  the  Kirk  leiving,  and  nocht  stand  at  the 
durre  geiffing  in  peapers  of  pctitiones  ;  and  skarslie  Avhen  they  haid 
iakcd1  on  manie  daycs,  gott  sa  mikle  as  a  fear2  answer.  And,  in- 
deid,  gif  warldlie  honour  and  ritchcs  haid  bein  to  be  sought  for  to 
the  Kingdome  of  Chryst,  as  it  Avas  and  is  of  the  Antichryst,  or  gif 
ther  haid  bein  honour  and  ritchcs  to  be  gottin  in  Scotland,  even 
bot  sic  as  Avas  Avount  to  be  to  these  tytles,  dignities,  and  offices  of 
Prelates,  I  wald  haiff  caselie  bein  moved  and  caricd  away  with 

1  It  is  also  frequently  written  jauk,  to  spend  time  idly.  2  Fair. 


436  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1597. 

these  arguments,  wanting  the  grace  and  government  of  God's 
Spreit ;  bot  Chryst  teatching  us,  and  making  us  to  teatche  his 
peiple  the  contrar,  and  the  peiple  in  sic  a  cleir  light  of  the  Gospell, 
seing  and  spying  the  wandring  away  of  ther  gydes  in  the  mist  of 
Court  vanitie,  and  thairfor  the  mair  esteimed  ther,  the  mair  dispysit 
and  contemptible  befor  tham,  and  the  les  able  for  anie  guid  redifi- 
catioun  to  the  conscience,  maid  me  altogidder  to  avoid  and  abhore 
it.  And  heir,  again,  my  forsaid  commilito !  and  I  war  in  contra- 
dictorie  opiniones. 

Our  Synod  of  Fyff  conveinit  in  St  Androis  in  Februar  following. 
To  it  was  Sir  Patrik  direct  from  the  King  to  moyen  for  the  mater 
of  Bischopes.  It  was  far  and  fearlie 2  brought  about  with  a  Letter 
thairanent  from  the  King's  Majestie  to  the  Presbyteries.  Item,  an 
uther  from  the  Commissionars  with  a  copie  of  the  act  of  parliament, 
schawing  whow  hardlie  it  haid  obteined  by  the  King's  grait  peanes 
and  authoritie  at  the  hands  of  the  Lords  of  Articles,  and  what  com- 
moditie  might  therby  com  to  the  Kirk.  Therefter  the  questioun 
was  proponit,  Gif  it  war  expedient  and  profitable  for  the  Kirk,  that 
the  Ministers  sould  have  vot  in  parliament  for  and  in  nam  of  the 
Kirk  ?  The  quhilk  seiming  guid,  be  maniest  vottes  of  the  Breithring, 
to  be  answerit  affirmative,  I  planlie  discoverit  unto  thame  the  pur- 
pose, to  the  grait  offence  of  the  King's  Commissionar,  schawing 
tham  that  it  being  annes 3  fund  profitable  and  expedient,  that  Mini- 
sters sould  vott  in  parliament,  these  Ministers  behoved  to  be  Bis- 
chopes and  Prelates,  or  els  they  wald  nocht  be  admitted  to  vott ; 
and  sa  we  sould  fall  to  wark  and  big  upc  Bischopes,  quhilk  we  haid 
bein  all  our  dayes  dinging  down.  Mr  Andro  Melvill  insisted  herin, 
in  his  vehement  maner ;  wha,  taken  upe  rudlie  be  Mr  Thomas  Bu- 
chanan, that  he  sould  nocht  have  place  in  the  Assemblie,  (meining 
because  of  the  misordour  quhilk  the  King  and  Commissionars  haid 
maid  in  the  Universitie,  debarring  the  Maisters  thairof,  namlie  of 
Theologie,  from  the  Assemblies,)  he  answerit,   "  My  professioun 

'  Fellow-soldier.  2  Fairlv.  '1  Once. 


1597.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  437 

was  to  resolve  questionnes  in  the  Kirk  of  God  out  of  his  Word,  and 
to  reasone,  vott,  and  moderat  in  Assemblies,  when  yours  was  to 
teatche  the  grammar  re  wiles  !  Quhilk  answer  contented  and  moved 
the  Breithring  verie  mikle. 

Efter  the  quhilk  David  Fergusone,  the  auldest  Minister  that 
tyme  in  Scotland,  spak  gravlie,  cleirlie,  and  at  lainthe,  whow  the 
corruptiones  of  that  office  of  Bischopes  haid  bein  espyed  be  the 
Kirk  of  Scotland  from  the  begining ;  what  pean  haid  bein  taken 
bathe  in  doctrin  from  pulpites  and  in  Assemblies,  for  purging  and 
alluterlie  putting  away  thairof.  And  now  he  perceavit  a  purpose 
till  erect  tham  of  new,  conveyed  in  sic  a  maner  as  he  could  com- 
pear to  na  thing  better  nor  that  quhilk  the  Grecians  usit  for  the 
overthraw  of  the  antient  citie  and  kingdome  of  Troy,  busking  upe 
a  brave  horse,  and,  be  a  craftie  Sinon,  persuading  tham  to  pluk 
down  the  walles  with  thair  awin  hands  to  receave  that  in,  for  thair 
honour  and  weilfear,  quhilk  servit  for  thair  utter  wrak  and  distruc- 
tioun.  Therfor  he  wald,  with  the  Breithring  that  haid  gifFen  guid 
warning,  cry,  Equo  ne  credite  Teucri. 

Mr  Jhone  Davidsone,  an  of  the  antient  fathers  of  the  Kirk,  was 
present  with  us  at  that  Assemblie,  and  mightelie  and  gravelie  war- 
nit,  informit,  and  movit  the  Breithring.  Amangs  the  rest  he  said, 
mirrelie,  "  Busk,  busk,  busk  him  as  bonilie  as  ye  can,  and  fetche 
him  in  als  fearlie  as  yie  will,  we  sie  him  weill  aneuche,  we  sie  the 
homes  of  his  mytre  !" 

In  memoriall  wharof  this  Decatessarad  was  maid,  when  the  mater 
wrought  fordar  on  thairefter  : 

By  Pallas'  art  the  Grecians  built  an  horss, 
Als  hudge  as  hill,  presenting  him  to  Troy, 
And  craftie  Sinon,  taken  as  par  forss, 
Perswadit  them  to  brak  thair  walles,  with  joy, 

Be  than-  awin  hands,  this  horss  for  to  convoy, 
And  set  him  upe  in  thair  maist  sacrat  place  : 
Bot  therout  ushing  capteans  did  distroy 
With  fyre  and  sword  thair  citie  soone,  alace ! 


438  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  1597. 

Tho  Dardan  prophets  cry'd  and  bad  thain  seace, 
Alluring-  tham  to  work  thair  awin  relciff : 
Yit  foolishe  madnes  spuilyiet  tham  of  grace, 
Sa  God,  for  sin,  brought  on  thair  last  mischeiff. 
This  hors,  this  Sinon,  and  this  Troian  sak, 
Me  thinks  I  sic,  whill  we  our  Bischops  niak  ! 

In  that  Februar,  betwix  the  Synods  Provinciall  and  General],  was 
that  maist  conspicuus  eclipse  of  the  sunnc,  quhilk  strak  all  creatours 
with  sic  estonishment  and  feir,  as  tho  the  day  of  Judgment  haid 
bein  coin.  I  knew  befor  it  was  to  com ;  I  was  nocht  ignorant  of 
the  naturall  cause  thairof;  and  yit  when  it  cam  to  the  amazfull, 
uglie,  alriche  darknes,  I  was  cast  on  my  knies,  and  my  hart  almaist 
fealled.     On  that  I  gave  this  warning  : 

In  Februar,  the  twentie-fyve  exack, 

We  saw  the  sunne,  the  tent  hour  of  the  day, 

Begin  to  loss  his  light  and  turn  to  blak, 

Whilk  piece  and  piece  his  whait  did  weare  away . 

The  cause  is  this,  as  lerned  men  do  say, 
The  darksum  bodie  of  the  chan«;in<>;  moone 
Cam  in  betwix  our  sight  and  Phoebus  gay, 
And  hid  from  us  his  halsome  light  sa  soone. 

Amid  the  meittings  of  our  Kirk  this  done, 
Portends  the  dark  and  variable  warld 
Sail  com  betwix  the  Kirk  and  Chryst  abone, 
And  mak  hir  Pastors  crewked,  blind,  and  thrafd ! 

Then  statlic  starrs  stik  fast,  and  tak  gud  tent, 

The  dragon's  taill  will  rcng  the  firmament ! 

[Over  notable  effects  of  this  eclipse  ky the  the  yeir  following  in 
the  deathe  of  notable  lights  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  Mr  Thomas 
Bowchanan,  Mr  Kobert  Rolloc,  David  Fcrgusone,  and  Mr  Adam 
Jhonstoun;  also  of  Mr  Jhone  Lindsay,  lor  naturall  judgment  and 
learning  the  graittest  light  of  the  polccic  and  Counsall  of  Scotland. 


1598.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  439 

In  lyk  manor  of  guid  James  Smithe,  the  sune  amangs  the  mer- 
chants. 

A  mair  feirfull  eclipse  was  of  the  sun,  and  fall  of  starnes  from 
the  heavin,  when  in  the  Kirk  of  France  the  men  of  graittest  lern- 
ing  and  cstimatioun  (intysit  be  the  flatterie  and  giftes  of  the  King 
for  establissing  of  the  peace  quhilk  he  haid  fantyseit  in  his  brean  be- 
twix  the  Papists  and  Protestants,  for  the  commoditie  and  surnes  of 
his  esteat)  war  maid  to  set  and  imploy  thair  'thought,  pen,  and 
travell  to  erect,  and  set  furthe  ane  mid  and  weill-mixed  Relligioun 
and  new  Christianitie,  the  effectuating  Avharof  haid  nocht  feallit, 
gif  God  haid  nocht  cutted  schort  thair  dayes  with  exemplar  sorts 
of  deathe.  The  names  of  the  cheiff  war  Ardianus,  Serranus,  Ro- 
tanus,  Egbergius,  and  Martinius.1] 

M.D.XCV1II. 

In  the  monethe  of  Merche  following,  1598,  the  Generall  Assem- 
blie  held  at  Dondic.  Ther  the  King  and  Commissionars  met  be- 
for  togidder,  and  leyed  all  the  plattes  and  coursses,  being  in  grait 
fear  that  the  Commissionars  sould  be  soarlie  censurit  for  than*  pro- 
ceidings,  and  that  ther  sould  be  na  forderance,  in  thair  cheiff  pur- 
pos  of  erecting  of  Bischopes.  Ther  Avas  ther  bissines  day  and  night 
to  mak  and  try  all  in  everie  Province.  The  Moderator  was  befor- 
hand  prcparit,  and  all  and  everie  an  that  sould  teatche  and  open 
than  mouthe  in  pulpit ;  and,  finalie,  all  things  framed  for  the  purpose, 
sa  far  as  wit  or  diligence  might  mak  with  the  Prince's  authoritie. 

The  King  professit  to  stand  be  the  Commissionars,  and  they  be 
him.  The  uther  partie  war  the  ministers  of  Edinbruche  and  St 
Androis,  with  all  sic  as  stud  uprightlie  for  the  established  disci- 
pline and  fredome  of  the  Kirk.  The  Commissionars  offerit  tham 
to  giff  a  compt  of  thair  proceidings  to  the  Assernblie  ;  bot  sa  in  ef- 
fect that  they  war  judges  thair  selff,  for  they  war  sine  beforhand 
the  graittest  number  sould  be  on  thair  part.  Manic  greiffes  war 
giffen  in  be  Edinbruche,  St  Androis,  and  uther  Presbyteries  ;  grait 
hait  and  altercatioun  was,  sa  that  sic  an  Assernblie  was  never  sein 
1  These  two  paragraphs  have  been  added  by  the  Author  on  margin  of  MS. 


44:0  MR  JAMES  melvill's  DIABY.  1598. 

in  Scotland  sen  Reformatioun  of  lieligioun  ;  and  that  quliilk  was 
Avarst,  the  graittest  enemies  of  the  Ministerie  [the  lat  excommuni- 
cat  forfaultit  Papist  Erls]  war  brought  in  to  tak  their  pastyme  of 
the  imperfectionnes  of  the  Breithring,  and  skrape  togidder  mater 
of  sklander  and  calumnie  to  ventilat  and  saw  athort  amangs  the 
enemies  bathe  within  and  without  the  land.  My  uncle,  Mr  Andro, 
was  happie  in  that,  at  his  first  presenting  to  the  Assemblie  he  was 
dischargit ;  nather  wald  the  King  com  in  nor  suffer  anie  thing  be 
done  till  he  was  away,  (yit  he  past  nocht  on-uttering  his  mind  to 
the  Breithring  in  his  auld  maner.)  And,  nocht  satisfeit  that  he  was 
out  of  the  Assemblie,  he  was  chargeit  aff  the  town  under  all  heest 
peanes.  And  surlie,  I  say,  lie  Mas  happie  that  hard  nocht  the 
things  quhilk  woundit  our  hartes  throuclie  ;  better  to  be  buried,  as 
they  Avar  ordeanit  in  end,  nor  ever  rememberit ! 

Efter  that  a  large  tyme  was  evill  tint  upon  the  greiffes,  and  they 
(Male  Malcontent,  mother  of  the  Greives ! ')  buried,  the  questioun 
moyennit  at  all  the  Synods  befor  cam  in,  Whither  Ministers  might 
vot  in  parliament  ?  It  was  reasonit  at  lynthe,  wherin  I  had  my 
large  part,  as  they  follow  heirefter  ;  but  at  last,  when  it  cam  to  the 
roll,  Mr  Gilbert  Body  led  the  ring,  a  drunken  Orkney  ass  ;  and  the 
graittest  number  folio  wit,  all  for  the  bodie,2  but3  respect  of  the 
spreit.  And  yit,  praisit  be  God,  a  guid  number  of  honest  breith- 
ring glorifiet  God,  bathe  in  reasoning  and  votting  dircctlie  against : 
Another  sort  Avar  mistakine  bathe  in  reasoning  and  votting  :  And 
the  number  that  caried  the  conclusioun  away  Avar  nocht  sic  that 4 
laborit  or  haid  skill  in  the  Word,  bot  lait  Commissionars  Avha  vottcd 
with  the  King  and  thair  Ministers.  Efter  the  quhilk  conclusioun, 
Mr  J  hone  Davidsone,  of  whome  I  have  divers  tymes  spoken  befor, 
maid  publict  protestatioun  against  it  in  his  aAvin  nam,  and  the  nam 
of  the  Breithring  that  disassented,  first  in  word,  and  thairefter  gaiff 
ia  in  Avryt,  dcsyring  the  Clark  to  insert  it. 

1  '•  This  nam  was  giffen  to  that  dealing,  in  derision,  be  the  people."  Margin  of 
MS.  2  The  depreciating  way  in  which  the  Author  here  shows  his  contempt  for 

this  individual  is  accompanied  by  the  above  humorous  play  upon  his  name,  which  can 
only  be  fully  appreciated  by  a  Scotch  reader,       ■'■  Without.  '  Were  not  Buchas. 


1598.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  441 

Therefter,  going  fordwart  to  the  rest  of  the  Questionnes,  befor 
they  sould  be  reasonit,  to  mak  tham  the  mair  plausible  and  easie  to 
be  past,  the  haill  devys  and  forge  of  the  new  Bischoprik  was  brought 
furthe  fallon  weill  busket, '  and  fearlie  and  at  lynthe  red  befor  the 
Assemblie.  Ther  war  they  maid  clein  of  all  corruptioun  of  Papis- 
trie,  Antichristian  and  Anglicall  Bisehopries,  fyned  of  new  in  the 
furnace,  east  in  a  new  mould,  and  maid  of  a  freclie  strak ; 2  and 
finalie  embarrit  and  inclosit  with  sic  caveats,  as  range  and  fling 
thair  filles  tho  they  war  wyld,  they  sould  never  win  out !  Yit,  when 
the  rest  of  the  Questiones  war  read,  they,  perceaving  that  the 
Breithring's  hartes  wha  haid  assented  to  the  first  began  to  stand 
and  swidder,3  for  the  best  part  thought  it  meittest  to  tak  tyme  to 
mollefie  and  moyen  maters,  lest  they  sould  grow  fousome4  at  the 
first ;  and  sa  was  ordeanit,  that  efter  advysment  in  Presbyteries, 
the  Synods  of  everie  Province  soidd  assemble  in  May,  and  efter 
reasoning  of  the  Questiones  ther,  sould  direct  thrie  of  than-  number 
quha  sould  convein  with  the  King  at  the  tyme  and  place  to  be 
apointed  be  his  Majestie. 

[It  was  also  concludit  at  this  Assemblie,  that  this  office  of  votting 
in  parliament  Avas  of  a  mixt  qualitie,  and  thairfor  the  electioun  thair- 
to  behoved  to  be  mixt,  partlie  be  the  King  and  partlie  be  the  Kirk  ; 
and  the  nomber  of  vottars  to  be  fiftie.] 

Our  Synod  of  Fyff  convenit  in  Dunfermling  in  the  monethe  of 
Junie.  Ther  war  Commissionars  from  his  Majestie,  the  Lord  of 
Towngland,  and  Sir  Patrik  Murray.  Reasoning  was,  and  the  judg- 
ments of  all  the  Presbyteries  and  Breithring,  giffen  in  thir  Ques- 
tiones :  1.  Efter  what  maner  he  sail  be  chosin  wha  sail  vot  in  par- 
liament for  the  Kirk  ?  "Wither  the  Kirk  the  nominatioun,  and  the 
King  the  chose, 5  or  e  contra  ?  Cuper  Presbyterie,  quhilk  ]NIr 
Thomas  Buchanan  gydit,6  thought  that  the  Kirk  sould  nominat  fyve 
or  sax,  out  of  the  quhilk  the  King  soidd  chusc  an.     The  uther  thrie 

1  Extremely  well  dressed  out.  2  In  allusion  to  a  coin  fresh  struck  at  the  mint. 

3  Hesitate.  '  Surfeited,  nauseated.  b  Choice.  6  Guided. 


442  Mil  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  1598. 

Presbyteries  aggrcit  in  an, '  that  the  Kirk  sonld  mak  chose  of  thair 
aAvin  Commissionaire,  and  thairwith  the  King  sonld  content  and  ac- 
cept the  sam,  as  the  Barrones  and  Burro wes  does.  2.  Whow  lang 
soidd  they  continow  ?  Cuper  said,  Tota  vita,  nisi  interveniat  culpa. 
The  uther  thrie  in  an,  From  a  Generall  Assemblie  to  an  uther. 
3.  Whow  they  sould  be  caUit  ?  Cuper  thought  it  a  thing  indiffer- 
ent wither  they  war  callit  "  Bischopes"  or  "  Commissionars."  The 
uther  thrie  in  an  thought  the  consequens  of  the  nam  of  graitter 
importance,  because  the  verienam  of  Bischope  now  importcthe  cor- 
ruptioun  and  tyrannie  in  the  Kirk,  thairfor  that  they  sould  be  called 
"  Commissionars  of  the  Kirk."  4.  Concerning  the  rent  ?  All  ag- 
greit  in  that  it  sould  be  but2  hurt  of  uther  Kirks,  and  nocht  hinder 
the  Dissolution  of  Benefices. 

For  my  awin  part,  I  protested  I  wald  have  na  thing  ado  with  the 
forging  or  blocking  of  it  in  anie  sort ;  for  as  I  saAV  it  working,  the 
best  of  it  wald  be  bot  a  corruptioun  and  tyrannie  brought  in  within 
the  Kirk,  to  the  wrak  thairof. 

But  all  the  cair  and  travell  of  the  King's  Commissionars  was  to 
gett  sic  thrie  men  nominat  as  the  King  lyked  best  of;  grait  de- 
vyses  and  mikle  bissines  was  about  that.  In  end  they  fand  the  way 
to  put  upon  the  lyttes3  a  guid  number  of  the  thrie  Presbyteries  that 
war  against  tham,  that  they  might  be  quyt  of  thair  vottes ;  and  sa 
haiffing  moyenned4  the  rest  behind,  they  gatt  thair  intent,  viz., 
Mr  George  Gladstcanes,  Mr  Thomas  Buchannan,  and  Mr  Jhone 
Fearfull.  Whilk,  when  the  guid  Brethring  espyed,  they  wald  giff 
tham  na  uther  commissioun  bot  to  report  fathfullie  thair  judgment 
in  the  Questionncs,  and  according  thairto,  to  reasone,  vot,  and 
conclud,  and  sie  ne  quid  Ecclesia  detriment}  capiat:  Promitten.  to 
approve  and  allow  na  thing  bot  that  quhilk  they  did  lawfidlie  in 
that  mater. 

That  Conventioun  of  the  Synodicall  Commissionars  was  keipit 

1  Unanimously.  -  Without.  3  Lcots.  '  Influenced. 


1599.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  443 

with  the  King  at  Falkland,  in  the  monethe  of  August  thaireftcr ; 
wharin  what  was  done  I  can  nocht  righthe  sett  down,  because  I 
was  nocht  ther.  For,  efter  the  Conventioun  of  Perthc,  I  was  never 
at  Assemblie  nor  meitting  bot  against  my  will,  except  in  Presby- 
terie ;  and  my  opinioun  and  wis l  was,  ther  sould  be  na  generall 
meittings,  Rege  jwesidente,  unles  it  pleasit  God  to  turn  and  sett  his 
hart  utherwayes  ;  for  I  saw  and  was  certean,  we  sould  ay  be  farder 
and  farder  behind  in  the  sinceritie  and  libertie  of  Chryst's  king- 
dome  ;  and  they  sould  ever,  a  way  or  uther,2  gett  thair  intentes 
brought  about. 

All  way  cs,  in  generall,  they  fand  nocht  sic  fordar  in  the  purpose 
as  they  luiked  for ;  and  thairfor  the  Generall  Assemblie,  that  was 
apointed  to  be  the  yeir  following,  was  prorogat  almost  a  yeir,  for 
advysment  and  better  dressing  of  maters. 

[This  yeir  I  cawsit  print  my  Catechisme  for  the  profit  of  my 
peiple.  It  cost  me  fyve  bounder  marks,  quhilk  God  provydit  be  the 
motion  of  a  maist  godlie  and  loving  frind's  hart.  Of  the  quhilk 
soum  I  abyde  addettit,3  bot  never  could  gett  a  bounder  mark  of  it 
again  to  this  hour.] 


M.D.XCIX. 

[In  the  simmer  of  the  99  yeir,4  ther  was  a  meitting  of  manie 
Breither  with  the  King  and  Commissionars  in  St  Androis,  for  a 
purpose  of  aggreiment  and  concord ;  and  when  all  professit  frind- 
schipe  and  brotherlie  love  ane  to  another,  and  onlie  the  difference 
was  in  opiniones  of  proccidings,  and  anent  the  conclusionnes  past, 
it  was  thought  meit  to  refer  that  to  a  Conference,  quliilk  was 
keipit  thairefter  in  November,  in  Edinbruche.  I  trow  to  mitigat 
my  uncle  and  mak  him  amends,  it  was  then  that  Montrose  was 
maid  Chancellar  of  the  Universitie,  Mr  George  Gladsteanes,  Vice- 
Chancellar,  and  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  Dean  of  the  Facultie  of  Theo- 
logie.] 

1  Desire,  wish.  2  One  way  or  another.  3  Indebted.  '  A.D.  1599. 


Ill  MR  JAMES  MELvTLl/S  DIARY.  1599. 

In  the  mean  tyme,  at  our  Synod  in  September,  151)1),  a  weill- 
meining  brother,  my  coll  eg,1  gaiff  in  to  the  Assemblie  a  certean 
Anglo-pisco-papisticall  Conclusionnes,  wherof  he  haid  over  guid  a 
warrand  of  the  King's  bulk,  intitulat  Haei}.r/.ov  6w»oi/,  but  because  it 
haid  but  of  accident  cum  in  his  hand,  and  was  nocht  published,  he 
could  nocht  be  plane.  The  Synod  judget  tham  treasonable,  seditius, 
and  wicked,  thinking  that  sic  things  could  nocht  be,  and  directed 
tham  to  the  King.  The  King,  knawing  the  warrand  durst  nocht 
be  exhibit,  gettcs  knawlage  of  the  brother  that  gaifF  tham  in,  and 
sends  to  apprehend  him;  bot  God  watched  over  him,  and  saved 
him.  This  maid  me  fean,2  when  I  haid  resolvit  nocht  to  keipe  the 
Conventiones  of  the  Commissionars,  whowbeit  wraitten  for,  to  giff 
obedience,  and  tak  grait  peanes,  fascherie,3  and  expences,  with  greiff 
of  mynd,  till  attend  upon4  sum  guid  occasioun  to  gett  my  brother 
and  colleag  relaxit  from  the  horn,  and  reponed  in  his  awin  roum 
againe.  [Strange  and  vehement  war  the  exerceises  of  my  mynd 
during  that  tyme,  quhilk  God,  wha  lies  a  secret  delling  with  his 
awin  secret  annes,  knawes/']  And  this  was  an  of  the  causses  for- 
mentioned  why  I  contcinowed  in  my  Commissionarie,  leyed  on  me 
be  the  King  and  Assemblie.  Whilk  occasioun  I  gat  never  till  the 
fact  of  St  Jhonstoun  fell  out ;  and  immediatlie  thaircfter  the  cause 
of  the  Ministers  of  Edinbruche  teatherit 6  me  again,  sa  that  I  could 
nocht  gett  frie  till  that  was  disparit ;  and  God  leyed  his  hand  upon 
me  be  seiknes,  wharof  hcircftcr  in  the  awin  place. 

The  conclusiones,  wharby  Ave  gatt  certean  knawlage  of  the  Kings 
determinat  mynd  in  our  maters  of  the  Kirk,  war  namlie  these,  set 
down  in  that  Buik7  as  in  Testament  to  his  Sonne. 

1.  The  office  of  a  King  is  a  mixed  office  bctwix  the  Civil]  and 

Ecclesiastic  Esteat. 

2.  The  rcwling  of  the  Kirk  wcill  is  na  small  part  of  the  King's 

office. 

'Colleague.        ■  Fain,  glad.         'Trouble.     0.  Fr.  fascherie.       *  To  wait  for. 

s  This  added  by  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  MS.      ,;  Fettered,  entangled.      7  The 
King's  Basilicon  Doron. 


1599.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  445 

3.  The  King  sould  be  judge  if  a  Minister  vag1  from  his  text 
in  pulpit. 

4.  The  Ministers  sould  nocht  niell 2  with  maters  of  esteat  in 
pulpit. 

5.  The  Minister  that  appealles  from  the  King's  Judicator  in 
his  doctrine  from  pulpit,  sould  want  the  head.3 

6.  Na  man  is  mair  to  be  hated  of  a  King  nor  a  proud  Puritane. 

7.  Paritie  amangs  the  Ministers  can  nocht  agrie  with  a  Mon- 
archic. 

8.  The  godlie,  lerned,  and  modest  men  of  the  Ministerie 
sould  be  preferred  to  Bischopries  and  Benefices. 

Without  Bischops,  the  Thrie  Esteats  in  Parliament  can 
nocht  be  re-established ;  thairfor,  Bischops  mon4  be,  and 
^  paritie5  banished  and  put  away. 

10.  They  that  preatches  against  Bischops  sould  be  punished 
with  the  rigour  of  the  law. 

1 1 .  Puritans  ar  pests  in  the  Comoun-weill  and  Kirk  of  Scotland. 

12.  The  principals  of  tham  ar  nocht  to  be  suffered  to  bruik 
the  land. 

13.  For  a  preservative  against  thair  poisone,  ther  mon6  be 
Bischops. 

14.  The  Ministers  sought  till  establishe  a  democratic  in  this 
land,  and  to  becom  Tribuni  plebis  tham  selves,  and  lead 
the  peiple  be  the  nose,  to  bear  the  swy7  of  all  the  Go- 
vernment. 

15.  The  Ministers'  quarrell  was  ever  against  the  King,  for 
na  uther  cause  bot  because  he  was  a  King. 

16.  Paritie  is  the  mother  of  confusion,  and  cnemie  tounitie,  quhilk 

is  the  mother  of  ordour. 

17.  The  Minister  thinks  be  tyme  to  draw  the  Policie  and  Civill 

Government,  be  the  exemple  of  the  Ecclesiasticall,  to  the 
sam  paritie. 

1  Wander.     Eat.  vagare.       2  Interfere  with,  meddle.        3  Should  be  decapitated. 
4  Must.  5  Equality.  G  There  might.  7  Balance,  control. 


44G  MR  JAMES  melvill's  DIARY.  L599. 

18.  Na  Convcntionnes  or  meittings  of  Kirkmcn  to  be  suffered  bot 
be  the  King's  knawlage  and  permission. 

FESTIS. 


In  the  monethe  of  November  thairefter,  the  King,  maid  to  under- 
stand that  a  Conference  amangs  the  Breithring  of  all  sortes  wald 
mak  maters  to  go  fordwart  peacablie,  and  all  purposes  to  pas  at  the 
nixt  Generall  Assemblie,  send  his  Missives  athort  all  Provinces,1 
and  convocat  the  specialles  of  the  Ministerie  from  all  partes  to 
Edinbruche  against  the  17  of  November.  The  soum  of  the  quhilk 
Conference,  als  fathfullie  and  neir  as  I  could  collect  and  remember 
it,  immediatlie  thairefter,  I  sett  down  as  followes : 


THE  SOUM  OF  THE  CONFERENCE  KEIPIT  AT  HALIRUDHOUSE, 
THE  17  OF  NOVEMBER,   1599. 

The  Preface. 

"  Because  the  meittings  of  the  last  Generall  Assemblies  war 
factius,  tumultuus,  confuse,  haitt,  and  unordour-lyk,2  least  the  lyk 
sould  fall  out  at  the  nixt,  his  Majestie,  withe  advys  of  the  Commis- 
sionars,  thought  meit  till  apoinct  this  present  Conference,  and  call 
thairunto  of  all  sortes  of  the  ministerie,  zealus  and  fyrie,  modest  and 
grave,  wys  and  indifferent,  wherin  maters  might  be  quyetlie  and 
gravlie  reasonit,  and  a  way  prepearit  to  a  decent  and  peaceable 
Assemblie,  wherin  they  may  be  decydit  and  concludit." 

The  Proposition. 

The  propositioun  was  :  "  That  it  was  permitted  to  everic  an  ther 
conveined,  friely  to  reasone  and  schaw  thair  mynd,  bathe  upon 
things  concludit  in  Assemblies  and  Conferences  befor,  as  also  on 
things  to  be  concludit  that  war  yit  in  delibcratioun :  Provyding 
alwayes,  that  na  reasone  war  brought  against  things  concludit  in 

1  Sent  his  Missive  Letters  through  all  Provinces.  ■  Hot  and  disorderly. 


1599.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  447 

Assemblies,  but  onlic  out  of  Scripture,  quhilk  may  justliebc  brought 
and  used  against  the  constitutionnes  of  anie  Assemblic." 

The  Breithring  that  stud  for  the  Established  Discipline,  and  dis- 
assented  from  whatsoever  Constitutiones,  Actes,  or  Ordinances 
maid  in  the  lcat  and  new  form  of  Assemblies,  prejudicial!  to  the 
sam,  answerit,  they  nather  could  nor  wald  reasone  in  these  maters, 
nocht  being  preparit  thairfor,  nor  meining  to  prejudge  the  Generall 
Assemblie  following.  I  the  quhilk,  efter  the  instructioun  of  God's 
Word,  and  calling  for  his  wesdome,  they  purposed,  be  his  grace, 
being  called  thairto,  to  speak  thair  mynd  cleirlie  and  fullie,  as  God 
sould  furnise  abilitie  and  warrand  be  his  Word  and  Spreit. 

It  was  answered,  that  ther  was  na  prejudice  meinit  to  the  As- 
semblie, bot  onlie  a  preparatioun  for  it ;  and  in  cais  anie  having 
occasioun  to  speak  now,  being  wryttin  for  be  the  King  for  that 
effect,  and  keipe  upe  his  reasones  and  mynd  to  stand  in  the  head 
of  a  factioun  thairwith,  thairefter,  in  the  Assemblie,  he  might  be 
counted  a  fals  knave. 

The  Breithring,  being  thus  urged,  accordit  to  speak  as  they 
could  remember  presentlie,  protesting  alwayes  the  saftie  of  the 
cause  from  hurt,  that  the  Assemblie  war  nocht  prcjudgit,  and  that 
it  might  be  leisome  to  tham  to  helpe  thair  present  speitches  and 
reasones,  and  bring  out  fordar  as  they  might  attein  unto,  for  the 
weill  of  the  cause  at  the  nixt  Assemblie. 

Sa  the  Conclusiones  of  the  Assemblie  of  Dondie  was  read,  bear- 
ing, "  That  it  was  neidfull  and  expedient  that  Ministers  sould  vott 
in  Parliament ;  and  that  that  office  was  of  a  mixed  qualitie,  partlie 
Civill,  partlie  Ecclesiastic,"  &c.  In  lyk  maner  was  read  the 
thing  done  at  the  Conventioun  of  Falkland,  efter  the  said  As- 
semblie, with  the  Caveattes  for  keiping  of  the  saids  votters  in  Par- 
liament from  all  Episcopall  corruptioun,  &c.  And  sa,  returning  to 
the  former  conclusion,  the  cheiff  poinct  of  all,  it  was  proponit  to  be 
reasonit  upon  first,  and  the  said  Breithring  requyrit  what  they  haid 
to  say  against  the  saming  ? 

The  Breithring  answerit,  They  knew  na  warrant  of  the  Word  of 
God  for  sic  a  conclusioun ;  desyrit,  thairfor,  they  might  be  instruct- 


448  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L599. 

ctl  of  the  [same]  be  Scripture,  quhilk,  giff  they  could  find,  they 
wald  willinglic  aggrie  and  stand  content ;  gift'  nocht,  that  conclu- 
sioun  could  nocht  be  maid  in  fathc,  and  thairfor  wrang,  and  to  be 
reformed  in  thair  judgment. 

Na  scripture  was  producit,  onlie  a  reasone  buildet  upon  this 
principally  "  Evangelium  non  destruit  polytiam:  Atqui  hcec  est  pars 
politic :  Ergo,"  [&c]  To  the  quhilk  it  was  answerit,  be  distinction 
ofpoli/t/a  in  lawfull  and  unlawfull ;  and  the  lawfulnes  thairof  behov- 
ethe  to  be  schawin  be  the  Word  of  God,  els  Ethnik,  Turkishe,  and 
Jewishe  polecie  might  stand  withe  the  Gospell.  It  was  answerit, 
it  was  aneuche  that  the  Polecie  was  nocht  repugnant  to  the  "Word 
of  God,  whowbeit  the  warrand  of  everie  part  of  Polecie,  and  Act 
of  Parliament,  or  Civill  law,  war  nocht  producit :  "  Therfor,"  (said 
they,)  "  schaw  yie  the  affirmative,  that  it  was  repugnant  to  the 
Word,  the  probatioun  wherof  now  comes  upon  yow." 

[Ther  was  an  uther  argument  rather  meinit  nor1  proponit :  Mini- 
sters war  cives  and  libera  capita ;  and,  thairfor,  according  to  Pole- 
cie, behovethe  to  giff  ther  consent  to  the  making  of  lawes  in  Parlia- 
ment.— Ans.  Gif  a  consent  be  necessar,  it  is  douted  :  But  (put)  ceas 
it  be,2  they  consent  to  the  law  in  Parliament,  ather  be  the  Lords  or 
Barones  of  the  schyre  whar  they  war  born  and  remeanes,  or  be  the 
Commissionar  of  the  Brouche  Avherin  they  Avar  born  or  dwelles ; 
for,  as  to  his  ministerie,  it  is  na  part  nor  poinct  of  Polecie  nor  civill 
buro-eschipc  ;  or,  if  the  mouthe  of  the  Lord  is  to  be  consulted,  the 
Commissionar  directed  from  the  Generall  Assemblie  sould  be 
heard.3] 

It  was  therfor  provin  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God,  and  con- 
cludit  be  this  syllogisme  : — 

That  Ministers  sould  be  involvit  and  intanglit  with  cftears  of 
this  lyff,  namlie,  of  Polecie,  Civill  Judicators,  and  effeares  of 
Comoun-weill,  is  against  the  express  Word  of  God  : 

"  But  this  conclusion  and  office  thairby  impoeit,  will  intanggle 
mid  involve'  tham:  Ergo"  &C. 

1  Than.  -  Put  the  case  that  it  is  so.  3  What  is  contained  within  brackets 

has  been  taken  from  a  note  bj  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  the  MS. 


1599.  mr  j.uues  melvill's  diary.  449 

The  propositioun  is  proven  be  the  expres  Word,  2  Tim.  ii.  pridiis 
?gariuofx,hog  i/j,<rXsxirai  raig  rou  j3iou  ■rga.y'/,arsiaig,  whar  the  word  Tgayaa- 
niag  mcincs  properlic,  effeares  of  law,  j  urisdictioun,  and  rewling  of* 
the  comoun-weill ;  as  1  Cor.  vi.  o-gay/^a,  for  a  civill  actionn  or  cause. 

It  Avas  answeritj  That  that  place  tnk  nocht  away  naturall,  (eco- 
nomic, and  polytic  dewties,  quhilk  necessarlie  this  lyff  requyres  ; 
and  the  quhilk  man  be  done,  and  may  be  done  of  ever  ilk  an,1  sa 
that  they  involve  nocht  tham  selves,  and  intangle  thairin  to  the 
hinder  of  thair  calling. 

To  that  it  was  aggreit,  That  ther  was  certean  dewties  and  simple 
actionnes  to  be  dischargit  now  and  then  for  nature,  oeconomie,  and 
polecie,  be  evei*ie  an,  and  sa  be  Ministers  also,  for  the  helpe  and 
nocht  hinder  of  thair  cheiff  and  proper  callings.  Bot  ther  was  a  grait 
difference  betwix  sic  actiones  and  dewties  to  be  done,  at  certean 
tymcs  and  occasionnes,  of  urgent  necessities,  and  the  discharging 
of  a  sett  and  ordinare  office  in  a  comoun-weill,  namlie,  in  the  twa 
graittest  poincts  of  the  majestie  and  princelie  stat  vofiobrirr/.n  and 
biy.aerA.ri,  that  is,  the  making  of  lawes  in  a  comoun-weill,  and  judg- 
ing of  the  subjects  according  to  the  sam  in  the  Parliaments,  Coun- 
salls,  and  Conventionnes  of  Esteattes  of  the  realme,  quhilk  could 
nocht  be  done  without  intangling  and  involving  in  effeares,  and  sa 
distractioun  fra  the  cheiff  charge  ;  as  the  place  it  selff  cleirlie  de- 
clarit  what  intangling  was,  viz.,  whatsoever  might  hinder  the  wari- 
our  from  doing  the  dewtie  of  a  souldart,2  and  pleasing  his  captean. 

For  the  quhilk  purpose  also,  the  weghtines  of  the  charge  of  the 
ministerie,  and  graitnes  of  the  cure  of  saulles,3  was  insisted  into  ; 
and  plainlie  affirmed  they  knew  never  nor  felt  the  weght  thairof, 
that  thought  a  civill  office  of  government  in  the  comoun-Aveill 
might  be  undertakin  and  joyned  thair  with.  Whar  mirrelie  was 
cast  in  the  speitche  of  the  Quein  of  Eingland,  when  sche  makes  a 
Bischope  :  "  Alas !  for  pitie,  (sayes  sche,)  for  we  have  marred  a 
guid  Pretchour  to  day  ! "  And  the  King  exhorted  nocht  to  mar 
his  Pretchours  sa. 


1  Every  one.  2  Soldier.  3  Souls. 

2   F 


450  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL*  DIARY.  1599. 

For  corroborating  and  strynthning  of  the  reply?  this  syllogism  e 
was  subjoynit : — 

"  That  Ministers  soulcl  be  distracted  from  preatching  the  Word, 
is  against  the  Word  of  God  : 

" But  this  Avill  distract  tham.     Ergo"  &c. 

The  expi'es  word,  Luc.  ix.  ver.  59,  60,  61,  62,  Chryst  sayes  to 
an,  "  Follow  me  ;"  wha  answerit,  "  Let  me  first  go  burie  my 
lather."  Chryst  answers,  "  Let  the  dead  go  burie  the  dead,  and  go 
thow  and  preatche  the  Gospell  of  the  kingdome  of  God."  Another 
sayes,  "  I  will  follow  thie,  but  let  me  first  go  and  tak  ordour  with 
my  hous."  Chryst  answers,  "  Na  man  putting  hand  to  the  pleuche 
and  luikes  bak,  is  meit  for  the  kingdome  of  God."  Heir  ar  maist 
neidfull  naturall  dewties  and  osconomic,  quhilk  Chryst  expresslie 
forbiddes,  for  steying  of  the  pretching  of  the  Gospell,  and  attend- 
ing upon  his  ministerie.  Whow  mikle  mair,  then,  incompetent 
offices,  quce  sunt  Ccesaris  et  Reipublicce  I  as  we  will  schaw  heirefter. 

The  expres  word  is  in  the  saxt  of  the  Actes.  The  twoll  Apostles 
sayes  to  the  rest  of  the  disciples,  "  It  is  nocht  a?quitable,  or  to  be 
approved,  that  we  sould  leave  the  Word  of  God,  and  serve  the 
tables  :  therfor,  let  deacones  be  chosine  and  apointed."  Giff  the 
Apostles  wald  nocht  leave  the  preatching  of  the  Word  for  an  Ec- 
clesiastic office,  because  of  distractioun,  mikle  les  wald  they  that 
Ministers  sould  leave  thair  ministerie  of  the  Word  for  civill  and 
impertinent. 

Thridlie,  The  Scripture  calles  the  Ministers  upogia/Aivovs,  Rom.  1. 
— separat  and  sett  apart :  And  wharfra  ?  Questionles  fra  the  occu- 
pationes  of  this  lyfF,  to  save  the  peiple  and  tham  selves,  and  draw 
tham  be  the  Gospell  to  the  lyff  everlasting,  to  fishe  tham  out  of  the 
sic  of  this  warld  to  God  and  his  kingdome  of  heavin.  Sa  the  haill 
nature  of  ther  calling  is  separat  and  sett  apart  from  the  warld,  to 
the  quhilk  they  sould  nocht  be  callit  bak  again,  mikle  les  thairin 
involved  and  drownit. 

Fourtlie,  The  Lord's  ministerie,  under  the  law,  is  callit  "  a  war- 
fear,"  Num.  iv.,  and  his  Ministers  "  wariours  ;"  and  sa,  in  the  place 
alleagit  in  the  New  Testament,  the  sacrament  and  aithe  wliarof  is 


1599.  Mil  JAMES  MKLVLLLS   D1AKV.  151 

maist  streat,'  and  na  waves  suffers  distractioun.     For  tham  was 

allotted  na  inheritance,  but  haid  the  Lord  for  thair  inheritance, 
Deut.  xviii.  1 ;  Josu.  xiii.  14.  They  say  to  thair  father,  I  respect 
him  nocht ;  they  ken  nocht  thair  breithring,  they  acknawlage  nocht 
thair  sonnes,  bot  keipes  the  Lord's  words,  and  observes  his  Cove- 
nant; teatches  Jacob  his  judgments  and  his  law  to  Israeli,  settes 
incense  befor  his  face,  and  brunt  offerings  on  his  altar,  Deut.  xxxiii. 
Then,  mikle  mair  the  Ministers  of  the  New  Testament,  because  of 
a  graitter  and  cleirar  grace,  spirituall  and  frie  from  beggerlie  ceri- 
monies  and  elements  of  this  warld. 

And,  last,  to  conclud  this  poinct  with  that  maist  wechtie  and 
grave  attestatioun  of  the  Apostle  to  Timothe,  ii.  4  :  "  I  attest  the 
befor  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Chryst,  wha  sail  judge  the  quick 
and  the  dead  at  his  appeirance  and  kingdome  :  Pretche  the  Word ; 
be  instant  in  tyme,  and  out  of  tyme  ;  convict,  reprove,  exhort,  with 
all  lang-suffring  and  doctrine."  And,  in  the  fourt  of  the  first,  "  Tak 
cear  of  thir  things,  be  about  thir  things."  And  ar  thir  things  spoken 
to  Timothe  onlie,  and  nocht  to  all  Ministers  and  Pastors  ?  And  gif 
they  be  spoken  to  all,  what  tyme,  I  pray  yow,  is  left  to  be  imployed 
at  Parliament,  and  in  the  effeares  of  the  comoun-weill  ?  The  devill 
is  a  bissie  Bischope,  and  goes  about  lyk  a  roaring  lyon  ;  and  wha 
sail  giff  a  compt  of  the  torn  scheipe,  or  stollen,  in  the  Pastor's 
absence?  And,  finalie,  that  thrifauld2  demand  to  Piter,  Amas  me  ? 
and  charge,  Pasce  Agnos,  &c.  perteines  it  nocht  to  all  ? 

It  was  objected,  that  we  fell  in  the  sam  absurditic  with  the 
Papists,  that  gatherit  thair  Celibahtm  out  of  the  words  of  the  Apostle, 
1  Cor.  vii.  Conjugatus  curat  qua  sunt  mundi,  quomodo  placeut  uxori. 
And  gif  ane  with  a  Ecclesiastic  or  pastorall  charge  may  have  the 
charge  of  wyff  and  familie,  wharfor  nocht  of  the  comoun-weill  ? 
And  the  Apostle  sayes,  that  "  He  that  ceares  nocht  for  his  familie,  is 
wars  nor3  an  infidell." 

It  was  answerit,  That  the  Papists'  argument  was  frivolus  from 
the  abbus  of  mariagc  to  the  taking  away  of  the  benefit  thairof,  being 

1  Stringent,  strict.  2  Threefold.  '  Worse  than. 


452  .MR  JAM  ES  ME LV ILL'.S  DIARY.  1599. 

apointed  be  God,  and  rightlie  serving  for  the  helpe  of  man  in  liis 
calling ;  and  na  thing  lyk  unto  this,  wherin  an  evident  untangling 
and  distractioun  maybe  sein.  And  to  answer  for  the  caring  for  the 
hons  and  tham  that  ar  thairin,  that  is  meined1  for  instructioun  and 
rewling  thairof  be  Christian  discipline,  as  is  evident  out  of  the  3 
Chap.  ver.  4,  be  the  word  vgosrivai,  he  that  can  nocht  re  wall  and 
govern  his  awin  hous,  whow  sail  he  have  cair  em/ieXfiri  of  the  Kirk 
of  God  ?  For  the  Apostle  is  cleir  in  that  poinct,  1  Cor.  ix.  That 
the  flocks  sould  provyde  for  thair  pastors,  tham  and  tliair  families, 
the  things  that  ar  neidfull  for  this  lyfF,  as  the  Captan  or  Prince  for 
his  souldarts,  and  they  maid  frie  till  attend  on  thair  service. 

It  was  insisted,  that  ther  was  als  mikle  distractioun  and  tyme 
spendit  in  our  Commissions  and  Visitationnes,  in  a  watting  on  Plattes 
and  pleying2  of  Stipends,  attending  on  Parliaments  and  Conven- 
tionnes,  &c. 

Answerit :  That  these  war  the  wantes,  imperfectiones,  and  cor- 
ruptiones  of  our  Kirk,  as  yit  nocht  weill  constitut,  wharof  the  fault 
is  in  the  Magistrat  and  flockes,  schawin,  compleanit  upon,  and  re- 
buked at  all  occasionnes  be  the  Word  of  God,  quhilk  lies  na  place 
to  prove  anie  thing  in  this  mater,  ubi  guceriticr,  quid  fieri  debeat,  non 
quid  fiat  ?  And  as  for  Commissionars  for  Visitatioun,  we  ar  occu- 
pied thairin  in  our  aAvin  subject,  in  pretching  the  Word,  exerceising 
discipline,  and  using  of  censures ;  and  that  nocht  ordinarlie  or  be 
sett  office,  bot  ex  necessitate  Ecclcsics,  et  pro  re  nata. 

It  was  fordar  insisted,  that  we  granted  till  obey  and  com  to  the 
King's  Majestic  when  soever  he  called  for  us,  quhilk  was  all  an3 
with  that  in  question. 

Answerit :  His  Majestie  now  or  then  calling  for  us,  we  might 
repear  to  his  Hienes,  and  giff  our  advys  in  all  things  de  Jure  Divino, 
or  utherwayes  as  cives,  sa  that  the  benefit  redounding  to  the  Kirk 
or  Comoun-weill  thairby  preponderat  and  weyed  down  the  hurt  of 
our  particular  charges.  But  it  was  longe  aliud  to  have  an  ordinal- 
office  to  discharge  in  the  Kings  Counsall  and  Parliament ;  for,  as 

l  Meant.  *  Pleaing,  litigating.  3  All  one,  all  the  same. 


1599.  Mil  JAMES  melvill's  diary .  453 

was  twitched  befor,  ther  is  a  grait  difference  betwix  a  certean 
actioun  to  be  done  now  and  then,  as  necessitie  and  occasioun  craveth, 
and  a  sett  office  to  be  ordinarlic  discharged. 

It  was  objected,  That  the  Generall  Assemblie  haid  alwayes  from 
tymc  to  tame  cravit  this  votting  in  Parliament ;  and  now,  when 
the  King  offers  it,  it  was  evill  thought  of  and  refusit. 

Answerit :  The  Assemblies  haid  oftentymes  cravit  that  nan  sonld 
vott  in  Parliament  in  nam  of  the  Kirk,  bot  sic  as  bnir  office  within 
the  sam,  and  haid  commissioim  thairfra.  Bot  that  anie  Generall 
Assemblie,  befor  the  last  in  Dondie,  haid  determined  that  Mini- 
sters sould  vott  in  Parliament,  it  was  flatlie  denyed  :  And  it  was 
schawin  that  often  tymes  that  question  haid  bein  agitat  in  Assem- 
blies and  amangs  breitherinff,  bot  could  never  be  fund  whow  it  could 
stand  with  the  office  of  a  Minister  to  be  a  Lord  in  Parliament,  nor 
was  able  to  be  schawin  be  the  Word  of  God. 

It  was  then  demandit,  wha  coidd  vott  for  the  Kirk,  giff  nocht 
Ministers  ? 

Answerit :  It  might  stand  better  with  the  office  of  an  Eldar  and 
Deacon,  nor  of  a  Minister's,  they  having  commissioun  fra  the  Kirk, 
and  subject  to  rander  a  compt  of  thair  doing  at  the  Generall  As- 
semblies. And  that,  indeid,  we  wald  als  fean  have  the  Kirk  in- 
joying  hir  awin  privileages  as  anie  uther,  and  have  his  Majestie  sa- 
tisfeit,  and  the  effeares  of  the  Comoun-weill  helped,  bot  nocht 
with  the  hinder,  wrak,  and  corruptioun  of  the  spirituall  ministerie 
of  God's  worschiping,  and  salvatioun  of  his  peiple. 

It  was  replyit,  That  it  war  better  for  the  Ministers  to  be  thair 
awin  carvers,  and  sic  to  the  weill  of  the  Kirk,  bathe  in  the  order- 
ing and  provision  thairof  tham  selves,  rather  nor  commit  it  to  uthers, 
wha  wald  cear  bot  sklenderlie  for  it. 

Answerit :  That  the  King  and  his  Nobles  gave  the  ministerie 
credit  and  onlie  place  in  spirituall  maters,  ea  that  they  wald  nocht 
tak  the  sacraments,  nor  uther  benefites  of  the  Kirk,  at  thair  awin 
hands,  nor  of  the  hands  of  na  uther.  They  wald  nocht  think  thair 
bernes  weill  bapteised,  nor  the  Supper  weill  ministrat,  nor  thair 
manages  blessed,  bot  be  sum  Minister.     And  gif  his  Majestie  gav< 


454  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1599. 

us  sic  credit,  authoritie,  and  place,  in  things  perteining  to  the  saull, 
as  proper  to  our  office,  why  sould  we  nocht  giff  him  and  his  Lord's 
the  lyk  in  things  perteining  to  the  body  and  this  lyff,  as  proper  to 
tham  and  thair  office ;  and  think  it  als  grait  absurditie  to  mell ' 
thairwith  our  selves,  &c? 

It  was  objected,  That  the  Kirk  was  in  possessioim  of  voting  in 
Parliament  be  Bischopes,  viz.  Mrs  Jhone  Dowglas,  Patrik  Adam- 
sone,  David  Cuningham,  and  uthers. 

Answer  :  Sen  the  Generall  Assemblie  hauldin  at  Dondie,  anno 
1580,  whar  that  office  of  a  Bischope  was  declarit  unlawfull  be  the 
Word  of  God,  the  Kirk  cryed  out  continualie  against  tham,  and 
excepted  against  all  ther  doings  in  Parliament  or  els  whar,  as  hav- 
ing na  lawfull  office  in  the  Kirk,  nor  na  commissioun  fra  the  saming. 

Therefter,  place  being  given,  ther  was  producit  ane  uther  argu- 
ment to  schaw  the  conclusioun  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God : — 

"  That  Ministers  sould  bear  supremacie,  dominioun,  and  be  called 
'  Lords,'  is  against  the  Word  of  God : 

"  But  the  conclusion  imports  that:  Ergo"  &e. 

The  propositioun  is  cleir  out  of  the  time  Evangelists,  Math, 
xx.,  Marc,  x.,  Luc.  xxii.,  and  1  Piter  v.  iii. ;  and,  Nolite  vocari 
Rabbi,  etc.  This  reasone  was  nocht  insisted  into,  nor  answerit  for 
want  of  tyme.     Lykas  also  ane  uther,  in  the  sam  maner : — 

"  The  confounding  and  mingling  of  Jurisdictions,  distinguist  in 
the  Word  of  God,  is  repugnant  thairunto  : 

"  But  the  conclusioun  imports  that :  Ergo"  &c. 

The  propositioun  is  evident  of  the  2  Chron.  xix.,  and,  Quis  consti- 
tu.it  me  Judicem  ?  and,  Date  quce  sunt  Ccesaris  Ccesari,  et  qua  Dei  Deo, 
etc.  Chryst  refused  to  devyd  the  inheritance  amangs  breithring,  to 
judge  the  adulteres,  Jhon  viii.  lie  refused  to  be  maid  King,  and 
professed  that  his  kingdome  was  nocht  of  this  warld. 

Heir  was  declarit  at  lainthe,  and  verie  weghtelie,  be  ]\Ir  Andro, 
be  what  meanes  and  degries  the  Pape  was  hoised  upe2  into  that 
chaire  of  pestilence,  wherout  of  he  tyrannises  over  all  Kirks  and 

1  Meddle,  interfere  with.  -  Elevated,  hoisted  up. 


15i)y.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILLE  DIARY.  455 

Comoun-weills,  tramping  Kings  under  his  feit,  and  transferring 
thair  crownes  and  dominiones  at  his  pleasur ;  and  all  from  this 
usurping  of  bathe  the  powars  and  swox*ds,  the  Civill  and  Ecclesias- 
tic. In  end,  a  siccer '  Caveat  was  given  to  the  King,  to  be  war  he 
sett  nocht  upe  sic  as  sould  cast  him  or  his  down.  And  this  mikle 
anent  the  conclusioun  of  the  last  Generall  Assemblie,  as  mem  one 
might  serve. 

Therefter  was  proponit  the  twa  poincts  left  be  the  said  Assem- 
blie to  the  meitting  at  Falkland,  and  ther  also  left  undecydit  or 
determined  upon.  1.  Gif  these  votters  in  Parliament,  being  annes2 
chosin  be  his  Majestic  and  the  Kirk,  sould  bear  that  office  ad  vitam 
or  eidpam,  and  sa  be  perpetuall ;  or,  gif  they  sould  be  alterable  fra 
tyme  to  tyme  at  the  Assemblie's  pleasour  ?  2.  Gif  they  sould  bear 
the  nam  of  "  Bischopes,"  or  nocht  ? 

Against  the  perpetuitie,  the  distractioun  fra  thair  spirituall  office 
of  the  ministerie  was  mikle  urgit  againe ;  schawing,  cleirlie,  that 
sic  a  continuall  charge  and  burding  lying  on  a  few,  could  nocht  bot 
debaush  and  distract  tham  alluterlie3  from  the  pastorall  attending 
and  feidding  of  thair  flockes ;  the  quhilks  they  behoved  to  commit 
to  sum  Vicares  and  sum  Suffraganes. 

For  the  perpetuitie  thir  arguments  war  usit : 

First,  That  thair  wald  na  man  tak  the  peanes  and  mak  the  ex- 
pences  upon  the  tytle  of  the  benefice,  to  giff  it  over  the  nixt  yeir  to 
an  uther. 

It  was  answerit,  That  we  war  nocht  upon  men's  particular  com- 
moditie,  bot  seing  what  might  be  for  the  helpe  and  guid  of  the 
Kirk  and  Comoun-weill,  to  the  cuihilk  sic  wald  never  do  guid  wha 
war  seikinp-  thair  awin  honour  and  welthe. 

o 

Nixt  it  was  reasonit,  That  the  hinder  of  all  comoun  tumes  was 
be  twa  inleakes 4  cheifflie  ;  ane  of  skill  and  understanding  of  maters, 
and  right  way  of  proceiding  thairin  ;  ane  uther  of  continuance  and 
attendance  constantlie  on  tham  being  annes  begoun,  till  they  war 

'  A  .sure,  strong.  ~  Unce.  *  Entirely,  altogether.  *  Defects. 


456  ME  JAMES  MELVnj/S  DIARY.  1599. 

brought  to  sum  guid  poinct  aud  effect :  Botsa  it  was,  that  gif  these 
comoun  men  sould  he  changable,  they  could  nather  lern  skill,1  nor 
prosecut  things  :  Ergo. 

Answer :  They  might  gett  mair  skill  of  the  wit  and  lawes  of  men, 
and  lcs  of  the  wcsdome  and  buik  of  God  ;  mak  mair  attendance  on 
Court  and  the  warld,  bot  les  on  Chryst  and  his  Kingdome.  And 
it  was  hard  to  perswad  us  that  a  few  wald  sie  sa  mikle  for  the  weill 
of  the  Kirk  as  a  haill  Generall  Assemblie  conveinit  for  that  effect, 
or  follow  out  a  guid  comoun  cause  better  and  mair  constantlie,  seing 
experience  alwayes  teatched,  that  they  wha  Avilbe  ritche  and  honour- 
able, are  mikle  about  the  saming,  and  verie  litle  for  Chryst. 

At  last  thir  reasones  and  inconvenients  war  brought  out  dilated, 
and  insisted  into  against  perpetuitie  : 

First :  It  wald  brak  the  barres  of  all  thair  Caveattcs,  and,  but 
dout,2  establishe  lordschipe  over  the  breithering,  tyme  strynthning 
opinioun,  and  custome  confirming  conceat.  And  gif  the  best  de- 
vyce  lies  be  tyme  turned  to  corruptioun,  mikle  mair  this  of  the  law- 
fulnes  wharof  we  justlie  dout. 

To  this  was  ansAverit,  That  paritie3  amangs  Ministers  was  nocht 
to  be  lyk,  and  sould  nocht  be.  And  put  the  cais,  it  behoved  to 
stand,  because  of  our  constitutiones  and  ordour :  They  sould  be  pares 
and  alyk  as  Ministers,  whowbeit,  in  respect  of  thair  civill  office  and 
lordschipe,  they  war  abon  the  rest. 

Nixt,  perpetuitie  wald  bereave  and  defraud  the  Kirk  of  the  bene- 
fit and  libertie  of  electioun  and  choise  of  the  meittest  for  the  turn,  pro 
rei  nates  commotio  ;  for  it  is  sure  that  all  men  ar  nocht  meittest  for 
all  tumes,  etc.  Answerit :  The  meittest  sould  be  chosin  at  the  be- 
ginning, wha  Avald  grow  ay  meittar  and  meittar;  also  that  it  Avas 
frie  to  the  Kirk  till  adjoyne  sic  as  they  pleasit  to  thorn  for  coun- 
sall  and  assistance.  It  Avas  replvit,  That  sic  as  Avar  adjoyned  wald 
nocht  1)C  hard  to  rcasone nor  vott  in  Parliaments,  Conventiones,  and 
Counsall. 

Thridlie  :  Manic  alterationncs  befalls  to  mortal]  men  :  They  may 

1  Experience,  knowledge.  2  Without  doubt.  8  Equality. 


1509.  MB  JAMES  MBLVILL'S  DIARY.  157 

be  seik  in  body,  fall  in  offences,  quhilks,  albeit  nocht  mak  tham 
worthie  to  be  deposit,  (nam  difficilius  ejicitur  quam  non  admittitur 
hospes,)  yit  may  disgrace  them  sa  that  they  becom  unable  and  un- 
mcit  to  do  anic  guid  in  comoun  turnes  ;  they  may  tyne  the  gifts  of 
mynd  and  utterance,  etc.  In  sic  ceasses,  this  perpetuitie  will  de- 
fraudc  the  Kirk  of  an  in  that  roum ;  for  sic  a  man,  an  or  ma,  can 
nocht  nor  will  nocht  be  deposit,  and  a  Commissionar  in  his  place 
will  nocht  be  admitted. 

It  was  answerit,  The  number  of  Ministers  admitted,  and  ordein- 
ed  to  vott,  viz.,  fiftie,  was  sa  grait,  that  whowbeit  an,  twa,  thrie, 
four,  or  ten  or  twoll,  war  away,  ther  might  be  aneAV  behind.  Re- 
plyed :  It  wald  be  lang  or  sic  a  number  war  weill  sett  down  and 
provydit  with  guid  Lords'  leivings  in  Scotland  ;  and  when  they 
war,  ther  might  be  anew,  and  mair  nor  anew,  behind  of  the  guid- 
nes  they  wald  be  of;  bot  an  guid  man  might  be  mair  stedable  to 
the  Kirk  nor  an  and  fiftie  of  that  sort. 

Fourtlie :  Gif  these  men  serve  for  the  Prince  and  Steat,  whow- 
beit against  the  weill  of  the  Kirk,  the  Prince  will  meantein  tham 
ather  be  his  authoritie  and  moyen  amangs  the  breithring  in  Assem- 
blies, having  ther  lyff  and  gear  in  his  powar,  sa  that  they  will  nocht 
fear  depositioun  ;  or  whowbeit  the  Assemblie  wald  depose  tham  of 
the  ministerie,  yit  wald  the  King  cause  him  keipe  his  lordschipe  and 
leiving.  And  sa  sould  they  sett  tham  selves  to  be  advengit  on  the 
Kirk,  to  hir  wrak. 

Answerit :  Ther  was  na  thing  sa  guid  bot  might  be  bathe  ill  sus- 
pected and  abbusit ;  and  sa  we  sould  content  with  na  thing.  Re- 
plyed  :  That  we  doutted  of  the  guidnes,  and  had  over  just  cause  to 
suspect  the  evill  of  it.  Duply  it :  That  ther  was  na  fault  bot  we 
war  all  trew  aneuche  to  the  craft.  Bot  God  mak  us  all  trcAV  aneuche 
to  Chryst,  say  we. 

Fyftlie  and  last :  This  perpetuitie  will  overthraAv  the  powar  and 
libertie  of  the  Assemblies  of  the  Kirk,  and  altar  the  Christian  Go- 
vernment of  the  Kirk  to  Antichristian  Hierarchic,  placing  pcrpetu- 
all  Commissionars  or  Bischopes  above  Ministers  and  ther  Assemblies, 
and  syne  sum  ministeriall  head  nwn  lie  abon  tham,  the  hie  way  to 
Paprie !  At  least  the  haill  powar  of  the  Kirk  and  General!  Assem- 


458  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1599. 

blie  salbe  in  the  hands  of  these  twoll  or  threttein,  avIui,  1  warrand 
yow,  will  tak  na  limitat  Commissioun  from  the  Generall  Kirk,  hot 
to  reasone  and  vott  as  they  think  Lest  for  the  weill  of  the  Kirk,  for- 
suthe ;  sa  this  epitome  will  abolishe  the  grait  wark,  and  the  G  ene- 
rall  Assemblie  will  becom  to  be  bot  a  Chaptour  of  these  Bischopes, 
and  skarslie  that. 

AnsAver :  The  Caveattes  lies  provydit  for  all  these  inconvenients 
weill  aneuche.  Reply  :  These  comentares  wilbe  tedius  to  reid,  and 
ill  to  remember,  and  the  text  taken  to  be  schort  and  cleir  aneuche 
in  the  selff. 

In  end,  ther  was  alleadgit  a  number  of  inconvenients  that  sould 
fall  out  giff  these  vottars  Avar  nocht  perpetuall : — 1.  That  his  Ma- 
jestie  and  Esteattes  wald  nocht  admit  tham  in  Parliament  uther- 
wayes,  and  sa  Ave  sould  lose  the  grait  benefit.  Answer,  Facilisjac- 
tura.  2.  That  the  Ministers  sould  ly  in  contempt  and  povertie. 
AnsAver  :  It  was  thair  Maister's  cais  befor  tham  ;  it  may  serve  tham 
Aveill  aneuche  to  be  as  he  Avas ;  and  better  povertie  with  sinceritie, 
nor  promotioun  withe  corruptioun.  3.  That  uthers  Avald  be  pro- 
movit  to  that  roum  in  Parliament,  (for  his  Majestie  could  nocht 
want  his  thrie  Esteattes,)  wha  wald  opres  and  wrak  the  Kirk. 
AnsAver :  Let  Chryst,  the  King  and  advengar  of  the  wrangs  done 
to  his  Kirk,  and  tham  dell  togidder,  as  he  lies  done  befor ;  let  sie 
wha  gettes  the  warst !  4.  That  it  could  nather  stand  for  the  Aveill- 
fear  of  King,  nor  Kirk,  nor  Comoun-Aveill.  AnsAver :  It  was  best 
that  God  thought  best.  5.  That  it  wald  be  fashius  and  confuse 
ilka  yen'  to  chuse  Commissionars.  AnsAver  :  Na  profit  nor  pleasure 
without  pean-taken,  and  experience  haid  proven  it  maist  easie  and 
ordourlie.  6.  That  it  Avald  breid  variance  and  contentioun,  Avhill  a 
end  wald  preas  to  have  sic,  and  another  sic,  and  sa  forthe.  Answer  : 
Tak  away  profit  and  honour,  and  contentioun  will  ceas.  7.  Men 
Avald  be  that  way  disgraced,  noAv  sett  upe,  and  uoav  sett  by  and 
cast  down,  and  sa  discuragit  from  doing  guid.  Answer  :  He  that 
thinks  it  disgrace  to  be  employed  as  God's  Kirk  thinks  guid,  hes 
Ivtlr  grace  in  him  ;  for  grace  is  given  to  the  laAvlic. 

Thus,  cftcr  a  thrie  or  lour  houres  dealling  in  the  former  hcades,  it 


1599.  MK  JAMES  melvill's  diaky.  459 

waa  thought  insisted  lang  aneuche  thairon  ;  and  thairfor  the  poinct 
remeaninc:  concerning  the  nam  of  these  Vottars  in  Parliament 
sould  bear,  was  proponit  to  be  reasonit  upon. 

It  was  reasoned  for  the  Affirmative :  That  aggreing  upon  the 
mater  and  substance,  it  maid  nocht  what  nam  war  giffen  it.1  And 
seing  the  Parliament  last  haid  granted  to  the  mater,  under  condi- 
tioun  the  Ministers  votting  in  Parliament  sould  bear  the  nam  and 
office  of  "  Bischopes,"  quhilk  was  also  a  name  of  Scripture,  we 
sould  nocht  stand  till  aggrie  thairto,  lest  the  refusing  of  the  name 
sould  mak  the  benefit  to  be  refused,  quhilk  his  Majestie  haid  got- 
tin  past  in  favours  of  the  Kirk  with  grait  peanes  and  difficultie. 

It  was  answerit :  That  the  nam  Wttsxoaros  being  a  Scripture  nam, 
might  be  giffen  tham,  provyding,  that  because  ther  was  sum  thing 
man-  put  to  the  mater  of  a  Bischope's  office  then  the  Word  of  God 
could  permit,  it  sould  have  a  lytle  eik  put  to  the  nam  quhilk  the 
Word  of  God  joyned  to  it,  and  sa  it  war  best  to  baptize  tham  with 
the  nam  that  Piter,  1  Cap.  iv.  giffes  to  sic  lyk  officers,  calling  tham 
aX'korgioiftffxovovs  war  nocht  they  wald  think  scham  to  be  merschallit 2 
with  sic  as  Piter  speakes  of  ther,  viz.,  murderers,  theiffs,  and  male- 
factors ?  And  vcrelie  that  gossope 3  at  the  baptisme  (gif  sa  I  dar 
play  with  that  word)  was  na  litle  vokie4  forgetting  of  the  bern's 
name. 

But,  in  ernest,  it  was  reasonit  on  the  contrar,  That  the  nam  of 
"  Bischope"  could  nocht  be  giffen  tham  for  these  reasones,  the 
quhilk  war  nocht  fullic  handlit,  nor  replyed  unto,  partlie  for  want 
of  tyme,  and  partlie  for  want  of  patience,  because  of  litle  speid  in 
the  purpose. 

1.  Giff  they  sould  gett  the  nam  of  "  Bischope,"  they  behoved  to 
have  it  ather  as  it  was  taken  properlie  in  the  Word,  or  as  it  was 
comounlie  conceavit  be  the  peiple.  Bot  nather  of  the  twa  could 
thay  :  Nocht  as  in  the  Word,  because  it  sould  be  apply ed  to  signifie 

1  It  signified  not  what  name  was  given  it.  2  If  it  were  not  that  they  would 

think  shame  to  be  marshalled.  3  "  This  was  Andro." — Margin  of  MS.      Gossip 

properly  signifies  sponsor  or  god-father  at  a  christening  or  baptism.  4  Another 

and  older  form  for  vogie,  vain,  elated,  proud  of  the  honour.      Fr.  vogue. 


4G0  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diahy.  1599. 

that  quhilk  could  nocht  stand  with  the  Word,  as  lies  bcin  dcelarit, 
except  it  war,  Judas  Episcopatus  :  And  nocht  as  it  is  comounlie 
taken,  because  then  it  sould  import  the  corruptioun  of  Antichristian 
and  Anglican  Bischopes,  contrar  to  the  Caveats. 

2.  That  quhilk  offendes  the  Kirk  of  God  sould  be  eschewit, 
altho  a  thing  indifferent,  for  sa  it  becomes  evill :  Bot  this  nam  of 
Bischope  offendes  the  Kirk  of  God  in  this  land  :  Ergo,  &c. 

3.  That  quhilk  justlie  may  sklander  the  Ministers  and  bring 
tham  in  disgrace  sould  be  avoidit,  bot  giffing  to  them  of  that  name 
will  justlie  sklander  them ;  because,  these  twentie  yeirs,  thair  doc- 
trin  from  the  pulpit  lies  soundit  against  Bischopes,  till  they  war 
utterlie  overthrawin  :  And  now  sa  soone  to  turn  our  toung,  for 
hope  of  ritches  and  promotioun,  and  change  our  not,1  with  the 
clok2  on  the  uther  shoulder,  will  it  nocht  offer  just  occasioun  of 
sklander  ? 

4.  That  quhilk  may  and  will  bring  in  tyranie  and  corruptioun  in 
the  Kirk,  is  noclit  to  be  admitted  within  the  sam.  Bot  this  will 
do  it :  For  bearing  that  nam  that  caries  with  it  the  sigiiificatioun 
of  Bischopes,  comrptiones  amangs  the  peiple,  all  the  Caveattes 
will  nocht  keip  it  thairfra,  namlie  from  ina?qualitie,  pre-eminence, 
and  lordschipc  over  the  breithring.  For  they  wilbe  sa  esteimed 
and  saluted  amangs  the  rest  of  the  Lords  in  Parliament  and 
Court,  and  I  warrand  yow  thair  maners  and  faciones  will  caselie 
fram  thairunto,  bringing  from  Court  to  Kirk  sic  behaviour  as  they 
drink  in  thcr ;  for  being  callit  "  Lord"  at  ilka  word,3  and  bruking4 
principal!  roumes5  in  Court  and  Parliament,  they  will  luik  verie 
soure  gif  they  want  the  sam  in  Kirk  and  amangs  the  breithring 
and  peiple;  yea,  and  be  siccar6  in  thir,  even  at  Plat,  Court,  and 
utherwayes,  whom  they  think  to  contenine  tham,  and  nocht  giff 
tham  thair  stylles  and  honors. 

And  sa  for  that  night,  leat,  we  war  dimissit. 

Upon  the  xix.  of  November,  the  breithring  wivttin  for  bcino-as- 

1  Note.  'Cloak.  8  At  each  word.  'Enjoying.  ""Places. 

fi  Sure,  secure. 


1599.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  401 

scmblet  again  with  his  Majestic,  the  Moderator  reported  schortlie 
the  things  conferrit  upon  the  last  day,  requyring  yit,  that  gif  ther 
was  anie  man  wha  was  nocht  satisfeit  anent  the  heads  conferrit 
upon,  that  they  wald  yit  insist ;  and  gif  all  war  satisfeit,  they  sould 
proceid  to  the  poinct  remeaning  anent  the  nam. 

It  was  answerit  plainlie  be  the  Breithring  that  stud  against  this 
new  forging  of  Bischopries,  that  they  haid  hard  to  and  fra  reason- 
ing upon  the  poincts  proponit ;  they  war  throuche *  and  satisfeit  in 
their  awin  judgments  for  the  treuthc,  and  rather  confirmed  fordar 
tliairinto  nor2  anie  wayes  moved  to  the  contrar,  for  ought  that  haid 
bein  spokan  ;  wherin  they  haid  hard  na  thing  out  of  the  Word  of 
God,  quhilk  might  warrand  that  conclusion  of  the  last  Assemblie, 
to  thair  conscience,  or  anie  thing  yit  buildit,  or  to  be  buildet  thair- 
upon.  And  in  speciall,  Mr  Andro  appealit  the  Moderator,  Mi- 
David  Lindsay,  maist  Aveghtelie  and  vehementlie  on  his  conscience, 
That  seing  he  was  an  of  the  antient  fathers  of  the  Kirk,  wha  was 
present  at  sa  manie  godlie  and  grave  Assemblies,  hauldin  sa  manic 
yens  anent  these  maters,  and  wharin  they  war  cleirlie  decydit  be 
the  Word  of  God,  whow  could  he  now  mak  sic  a  propositioun,  or 
think  that  anie  sattlit  man  in  the  treuthe  could,  be  a  light  Confer- 
ence, wherin  the  Word  of  God  haid  bein  rather  profaned  then 
holelie,  reverentlie,  and  gravlie  usit,  be  moved  to  alter  his  judg- 
ment, and  be  satisfeit  in  the  contrar  ? 

This  word  of  the  profaning  of  the  Scripture  was  takin  in  verie 
evill  part  by  the  King,  and  answerit  courteously  with  a  lie  ; 
Avhowbeit,  the  speaker  condemnit  him  selff  for  undewtifull  handling 
of  the  Word,  als  weill  as  anie  uther.  Sa  the  King,  in  end,  brak  af 
the  Conference  thus,  in  effect : — That  he  haid  bein  inovit  be  the 
Commissionars  to  appoinct  this  Conference,  for  satisfaction  of  sic 
as  war  nocht  resolvit,  that  maters  might  proceid  mair  peaceablie 
and  uniformalie  ;  bot  seing  he  perceavit  men  to  be  sa  full  of  thair 
aAvin  conceattes,  and  pre-occupied  in  judgment,  that  they  plased 
tham  selves  mair  and  mair,  and  war  rather  obfirmed3  in  thair  opi- 

1  Resolved.  -  Than.  3  Confirmed. 


4G2  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1*"»()U. 

niones  nor '  moved  to  giff  place  to  reasone,  he  wald  leave  the  mater 
to  the  Assemblie.  Giff2  the  Assemblie  wald  receave  the  benefit 
quhilk  he  offered,  and  conclud  in  the  mater  accordinglie,  he  wald 
ratefie  thair  conclusionn  with  a  sanctionn  civill  of  his  laAv,  that 
nan,  following  thair  particular  and  privat  conceatt  and  opinioun, 
sould  be  permitted  to  speak  against  the  publict  ordinance  of  the 
Assemblie.  Giff  the  Assemblie  wald  nocht  embrace  the  benefit, 
let  them  wait 3  them  selves  giff  graitter  povertie  and  contempt  cam 
upon  the  Kirk.  As  for  him,  he  could  nocht  want  an  of  his  esteattes ; 
he  wald  put  in  that  roum,  and  these  offices,  sic  as  he  thought  guid, 
wha  wald  accept  thairof,  and  do  thair  dewtie  to  him  and  his  conn- 
trey. 

FINIS. 

M.DC. 

The  last  night  of  Februar  thairefter,  my  father-in-law,  Jhone 
Durie,  departed  this  lyff ;  wha,  as  he  leived  happelie,  walking  with 
God  in  prayer  day  and  night,  sa  he  died,  glorifeing  God  with  grait 
joy  and  assurance  of  everlasting  lyff  and  weillfear.  For,  efter  he 
haid  called  for  the  Magistrats  and  Counsall  of  the  brouche,  and  ex- 
horted tliani,  and  admonished  of  certean  things  for  thair  weill,  bathe 
togidder  and  severalie,4  and  siclyk  the  Eldars  of  his  Sessioun,  and 
divers  of  the  Breitlmng  of  the  ministcrie  ;  and  at  last,  efter  he  haid 
put  his  hous  in  ordour,  and  directed,  instructed,  and  conforted  his 
wyff  and  childring  present,  he  takes  him  to  privat  meditatioun  and 
prayer;  and  thairefter  inquyres  Avhat  day  of  the  monethe  it  was  : 
and  being  answerit  to  him,  that  it  was  the  last  of  Februar,  [and  the 
morn  the  first  of  Merche,6]  "  O  !  then,"'  saves  he.  "  the  last  day  of 
my  wretched  pilgrimage,  and  the  morn  the  first  of  my  rest  and 
glorie  !"  Nocht  lang  thairefter,  delyvering  his  saull  in  the  hands  of 
God,  throw  Jesus  Chryst,  leaning  his  head  to  his  eldest  sonaea 
breist,  wha  held  him  in  his  amies,  maist  qnvetlie  and  sweitlie  gili'es 
upe  the  ghast.     lie  was  upright,  zealus,  and  falon1'  familiar  with 

1  Than.         2  If.         ;t  Blame,  wyte.  '  Separately.       '  Margin.       '•  Extremely. 


1600.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  463 

God.  Sa  that,  gif  anie  tiling  haicl  bein  heavie  and  doutsome, '  he 
haid  na  resolutioun,  rest,  nor  releiff,  till  he  lmid  fund  it  in  medita- 
tioun  apart  with  God.  And  surlie,  bathe  in  his  particular  turnes 
and  publict  effeares,  when  things  seimed  falon  hard,  and  dangerus, 
whowbeit  of  nature  melancolius  and  feirfull,2  he  wald  gett  grait  as- 
surances ;  as,  namlic,  of  our  retourn  out  of  Eingland,  and  of  our 
saiftie  fra  the  Spainyars,  he  schew3  me  oft  tymes  that  his  God 
assured  him  night  and  day  thairof.  Whatever  haid  com  con- 
fortablc  to  him,  incontinent  apart  to  prayer  and  thanksgiffing ;  his 
haill  conference  and  speaking  upon  the  warks  of  God  to  the  glorie 
of  his  name ;  all  uther  things  was  (as  he  usit  that  word  oft,  "  tyn- 
tyme")  bot  vanitie  and  tinsall  of  tyme4  to  him.  8a  that  I  may 
say,  the  haill  course  of  his  lyfF  that  I  knew  was  an  unweireing  and 
constant  occupatioun  in  doctrine,  prayer,  and  praise.  The  mair  I 
think  on  him,  the  mair  I  thank  God  that  ever  I  knew  him ;  pray- 
ing God,  that,  as  I  have  sein  the  outgeat 5  of  his  con versatioun,  (as 
the  Apostle  sayes,  Heb.  xiii.  7,)  sa  I  may  follow  the  sam  in  fathe. 
He  oft  regrated  and  inveyit  upon  the  warldle  fasones  and  bissines 
of  the  ministerie,  saying,  he  fearit  they  sould  becom  als  vyll  in  the 
peiple's  eis  as  ever  the  preists  war.  And  as  concerning  this  mater 
of  Bischopes,  my  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  expressit  his  mynd  thairin  in  his 
Epitaphes,  quhilk  being  maist  pertinent  for  that  quhilk  was,  even 
at  his  deathe,  in  hand,  I  have  heir  insert.  He  desyrit,  indeid,  er- 
nestlie  to  have  levit6  till  the  Assemblie,  quhilk  was  hard  at  hand, 
that  he  might  have  dischargit  his  mynd  to  the  King  and  Breith- 
ring ;  bot  that  quhilk  alyve  he  could  nocht,  Mr  Andro  supplied 
fathfullie  efter  his  deathe.7 


1  Doubtful.  2  Timid,  predisposed  to  fear.  3  Shewed.  4  Loss  of 

time.  5  Utterance.  6  Lived,  survived.  7  Nota "  It  is  guid  to  be 

honest  and  upright  in  a  guid   cause  ;   for  the  guid  cause  will  honour  sic  a  persone, 
bathe  in  lyff  and  deathe." — Note  by  the  Author  on  margin  of  MS. 


464  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1600. 


K1I  I  AI'IIIUM  DE  JOAN.  DTJBJBI, 
PASTOR1S  INTE(:i:i:UI.Ml   LT  FIDISSIMI  CEIA1K  AM  ;  QUI  DIEM    I  A 
I  BEMUM  CLAUSIT,  CAL  :  MAST  :  1600. 

I. 
DURIUS  ore  tonans,  Edena  pastor  in  nrbe  : 

Arcuit  a  stabulis,  quos  dabat  aula  lupos. 
Celurca  in  ccelum  migravit  nunc,  quia  non  quit 

Arcere  a  stabulis,  quos  dabat  aula  lupos. 

II. 
Ipse  de  se,  sive  J.  D.  pastoris  fidelis. 
Testamentum  et  exteema  voluntas. 

Intonui  ipse  tuba  grandi,  cum  jus  fuit  et  fas  ; 

Arcere  a  stabulis  quos  dabat  aula  lupos. 
Nunc  cedo  statione  lubens,  cum  non  datur  ultra 

Arcere  a  stabulis,  quos  dabit  aula  lupos. 

ILL 

aliud  de  synodis. 

Res  grata  ac  jucunda  fuit,  milii  ca?tibus  inter- 

esse  sacris,  quando  sancta  corona  fuit. 
Nunc  patribus  Sanctis,  quia  succressere  prot'ani ; 

Quae  mibi  cum  diris  spes  ululare  lupis  ? 

IV. 

ALIUD. 

Cum  fuit  Archi-unus  milii  Christus  Episcopua  :  uni 
\iverc  et  in  vita  hac,  vita,  placcro  liiit. 

Nunc  postquam  Archi-unus  non  Christus  Episcopus  ;  uni 
Ut  Chrieto  moriar  Btat  mihi  vita  mori. 


1(J00.  MK  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIARY.  4(jJ 


V. 

ALirn. 

Celurcse  expectabam,  ultro  Regemque  patresque, 

Et  sanctum  in  Lethi  limine  Concilium. 
Quo  multum  obtestarer  ego  Regemque  patresque 

Est  qui  ovium  custos,  ne  siet  inde  lupus. 
Nunc  quia  me  e  tenia  sublimem  ad  syclera  cceli, 

Dux  meus  imperio  de  statione  vocat ; 
E  ccelis  obtestor  ego  Regemque  patresque, 

Est  qui  ovium  custos,  ne  siet  inde  lupus. 

VI. 

AD  8TMMISTAS. 

Ardua  res,  totumque  hominem,  lia^c  res  una  requirit, 

Coeleste  in  terris  pascere  ovile  Dei. 
Hue  vocat  ille  ovium  Pastor  bonus,  ille  vocatos 

Et  regni  atque  aliis  avocat  a  studiis, 
Hanc  unam  imponit  cum  sollicitudine  curam, 

Quam  feret  impensam,  prremia  magna  ferens. 
Cetera  de  manibus  vestris  non  ille  requiret : 

Neglecti  at  pcenas  exiget  officii. 

VII. 

EXTREMA  VOLUNTAS,  ET  VERBA,  AD  REGEM. 

Compellat  Regem  Divino  carmine  vates 

Durius,  in  fati  limine  dulcis  olor. 
Inclyte  Rex,  qui  tarn  mihi  Regum  a  Rege  secundus ; 

Quam  spe  reque  omni  Rege  priore  prior. 

Pro  te  vitam  ultro  objeci  vel  mille  periclis  : 

Pro  te  vota  Polo  millia  multa  tali ; 

2  G 


466  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1G00. 

Pro  te  quo  pugnavi  animo,  qua  mente  precatus ; 

Hac  mente,  hoc  animo,  hoc  te  precor  unum  abiens. 
Ne  regnum  cceleste  geras  mortalibus  ausis  ; 

Neu  sacer  Antistes  Rex  tua  sceptra  gerat. 
Mystica  pertractent  mystas,  regalia  Reges, 

Publica  jure  suo,  publicus  ordo  gerat : 
Da  divina  Deo  :  cape  Rex  tua,  sint  sua  plebi  : 

Distinctum  imperium  sub  Jove  Cassar  habet. 

FINIS. 


[TRANSLATIONS  OF  THE  PRECEDING.] 

THE    EPITAPHES    OF   A   MAIST    UPRIGHT   AND  FAITHFULL   PASTOR, 

JHONE  DURIE,  MINISTER  OF  MONTROSE,  WHA  DIED 

THE  FIRST  OF  MERCHE,  1600. 

In  Edinbrouche,  the  thoundring  of  Jhone  Durie  weill  -was  harde, 
When  courtlie  wolffes  from  Chrystes  flok  be  flegged  and  debarde. 
Now,  in  Montrose,  to  heavin  he  flites,  for  greiff  that  he  can  nought 
The  courtly  wolffes  debar  from  Kirk,  quhilk  Chryst  lies  deirlie 

[bought. 

II. 

HIS  TESTAMENT  OR  EETTER-WILL,  HE  UTTERING  IT  OF   HIM  SELF. 

I  blew  a  trumpet  terrible,  when  right  and  fredom  serv'd, 

To  male  Chryst's  flock  from  courtlie  wolffes  be  keiped  and  preserv'd  ; 

Bot  now  I  willinglie  mon  yield,  sen  that  we  may  na  mail 

Keipe  Chryst  his  flock  from  courtlie  wolffes,  wherof  Ave  stand  in  fair. 


J  GOO.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  407 

III. 

ANE  UTHER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLIES. 

A  gratfull  and  a  pleasand  tiling  to  me  it  was  to  bie 

Ay  present  in  Assemblies,  whare  God's  servands  I  might  sie. 

But  now,  for  holie  fathers,  when  profane  usurpes  the  place, 

To  byd  and  yeaide  with  wicked  wolffes,  I  can  nocht  have  a  face ! 

IV. 

ANE  UTHER. 

When  Chryst  was  onlie  Arche-bischope,  I  pleasure  haid  to  byde, 
To  him  to  live,  and  him  to  pleise,  I  lyked  tyme  and  tyde. 
Bot  now,  sen  onlie  Chryst  is  nocht  Arche-bischope,  I  do  chuse 
To  die  to  him,  and  ay  to  live,  and  all  the  warld  refuse. 

V. 

ANE  UTHER.. 

I  luiked  gladlie  for  the  King  and  Breithring  at  Montrose, 
And  at  the  dur  of  Deathe  to  sie  Assemblie  maid  of  those ; 
That  I  might  ernestlie  obtest  the  King  and  Breithring  all, 
That  keippars  of  the  scheipe  sould  nocht  to  wolffishe  fasones  fall. 

Bot  sen  that  now  from  erd  till  heavin  my  Captan  does  me  clam, 
According  to  his  right,  I  do  beseik  tham  all  for  schame, 
Furthe  of  the  heavines  obtesting  bathe  the  Breithring  and  the  King; 
That  keipars  of  the  flok  of  Chryst  do  nocht  as  wolffes  owering. 

VI. 

TO  HIS  FELLOW  MINISTERS. 

A  thing  maist  hard,  and  quhilk  requyres  the  man  all  haill  indeid, 
Is  heire  on  erthe  the  heavinlie  flock  of  Chryst  to  gyd  and  feid. 


468  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  1600. 

That  Pastor  guid  to  this  does  call,  the  sam  does  seperat 
The  called  from  all  warldlie  cares,  as  to  liim  dedicat ; 
And  this,  as  onlie  cear,  he  does  withe  grait  sollicitude 
Impone,  and  of  rewards  for  it  does  promise  multitude  ; 
And  as  for  uther  things,  he  will  nan  of  your  hands  requyre, 
Bot  fathles  negligens  of  this,  he  plagges  with  burning  fyre. 

VII. 

HIS  LETTER-WILL,  AND  WORDS,  TO  THE  KING. 

Jhone  Durie,  with  a  vers  devyne,  does  call  upon  the  King, 

As  sweitlie  singing  swan,  when  deathe  his  dayes  till  end  did  bring. 

O  noble  King,  whom  I  esteim  to  bruik  the  second  place 

Nixt  under  him  wha  is  abon,  and  first  in  everie  cace. 

For  thie  I  jeoperd  have  my  lyff  in  dangers  manie  an  ; 

For  thie  my  praer  lies  aydant  l  bein,  bathe  public  and  allan, 

And  withe  what  mynd  I  praed  for  thie,  and  with  what  hart  I  faught, 

Withe  that  sam  mynd  and  hart  at  deathe,  tins  on  thing  I  have  saught. 

Let  nocht  the  heavinlie  Kirk  of  Chryst  be  rewlde  on  erthlie  wayes ; 

Let  nocht  the  Pastors  for  to  twitche  thy  scepter  interpryse. 

Let  Ministers,  all  mystic  things,  and  kinglie  Kings  intreat ; 

Set  Counsallars  for  civill  tilings,  and  Lords  into  thy  seat. 

Giff  things  devyne  to  God,  tak  thyne,  let  peiple  have  ther  awin  ; 

For  under  Chryst,  the  King  impyre,  distinguist  hes  and  knawin. 

FINIS. 


The  Generall  Assemblie  conveinit  at  Montrose  in  Merche  1G00. 
Ther  was  the  King,  in  maner  wounted,  occupied  with  his  Commis- 
sionars.     The  Moderator  last  [Mr  Peter  Blakburn,  now  Bischope 

1  Constant,  anxious. 


1600.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  460 

of  Aberclein ']  delyverit  verie  guid  doctrine  befor  noone,  bot  he  was 
brought  in  effect  to  recant  it  at  the  efter  noone  befor  the  haill  As- 
semblie, to  the  grait  greiff  of  guid  Breithring,  a  grait  stepe  from  a 
preceise  honest  Minister  to  a  Bischope  of  this  new  strak,2  quhilk  he 
becam  the  yeir  efter. 

The  sam  polecie  was  usit  to  gett  a  Moderator  for  thair  purpose, 
quhilk  wes  in  the  Synod  of  Fyff  formentioned  :  For  they  put  a 
nomber  of  the  best  and  maist  estinied  Breithren  upon  the  leittes, 
wharby  the  ring-leaders  in  votting  was  removed,  and  the  vottes  of 
the  best  Breithring  distracted ;  sum  giffen  till  a  man,  an  sum  to  an 
other ;  and,  in  the  meantyme,  sic  as  the  King  was  sure  of  ged  all  a 
gett.3 

Nixt,  it  was  thought  best  to  put  the  choise  of  the  haill  Assemblie 
upon  the  Conference,  and  ther  to  reasone  all  maters,  wharby  they 
might  knaw  what  to  bring  in  publict,  and  whow. 

In  the  Conference,4  first  was  intendit  a  treatie  for  uniform  consent 
and  aggreiment  in  opiniones ;  and,  thairfor,  it  was  thought  guid  that 
four  of  the  an  opinioun,  and  four  of  the  uther,  sould  go  asyde  to  a 
chalmer  tham  alean,5  and  confer  togidder ;  the  quhilks  aggrieng  wald 
giff  guid  hope  of  an  universall  [agreement.]  Thir  aught6  spendit 
an  efter  noone  verie  fructfullie  ;  for  we  war  verie  plean,  squar,  and 
compendius,  efter  protestatioun  befor  God  to  be  secret ;  and,  indeid, 
I  luiked  for  sum  guid  effect  of  our  travelles.  But  on  the  morn,  when 
we  on  our  part  were  to  continow  and  go  fordwart,  the  King  wald 
have  na  mair  of  that  form,  but  wald  have  the  reasoning  in  the  Pub- 
lict Conference  befor  him  selff  and  certean  of  his  Counsall,  with 
the  haill  number  of  tham  that  war  nominat  be  the  Assemblie  upon 
the  Conference.     And  sa  we  entered  in  reasoning,  as  followes  : 

1  Written  on  the  margin  of  MS.  3  Strike,  stamp.    In  allusion  to  a  newly  coined 

piece  of  money  just  struck  at  the  mint.  3  Went  all  one  road.  *  This  was 

termed  "  The  Privie  Conference."      5  Alone,  apart  by  themselves.        c  These  eight. 


470  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  D1AEY.  1600. 


CERTEAN  ARGUMENTS  USED  AND  PROPONED  IN  THE  CONFERENCE 
AT  THE  GENERALL  ASSEMBLIE  HAULDEN  AT  MONTROSE  TN  THE 
MONETHE  OF  MERCHE  1600,  WITH  TnE  ANSWERS  GIFFEN  AT  THAT 
TTME,  SHORTLIE  MrNUTED. 

"First,  the  act  of  Parliament  1597,  the  title  wharof  is,  '  That  all 
Ministers  provydit  to  Praelacies  sould  have  vot  in  Parliament,'  was 
requyrit  to  be  redde ;  the  tenor  wharof  followes  : 

u  Our  Soveraine  Lord  and  his  Esteattes  in  Parliament,  haveand 
speciall  consideratioun  and  regard  of  the  grait  privileges  and  im- 
munities granted  be  his  Hienes'  predecessours,  of  maist  worthie 
memorie,  to  the  Halie  Kirk  within  this  realme,  and  to  the  speciall 
persones  exerceising  the  offices,  titles,  and  dignities  of  Prelacies 
within  the  sam ;  quhilks  persones  lies  ever  represented  an  of  the 
Esteattes  of  this  realme  in  all  Conventiones  of  the  saids  Esteattes  : 
And  that  the  saids  privileges  and  fridomes  lies  bein  from  tyme  to 
tyme  renewed  and  confermed  in  the  sam  integritie  and  conditiouu 
wharin  they  war  at  anie  tyme  of  befor  ;  sa  that  his  Majestie  acknaw- 
lages  the  saming  now  to  be  fallin  and  becoming  under  his  Majestie' s 
maist  favorable  protectioun.  Therfor  his  Majestie,  of  his  great  zeall, 
and  singular  affectioun  quhilk  he  alwayes  lies  to  the  advancement 
of  the  trew  Kclligioun  presentlie  professit  within  this  realme,  with 
advys  and  consent  of  his  Hienes'  Esteattes,  statutes,  decernes,  and 
declares,  That  the  Kirk  within  this  realme,  wherin  the  sam  Relli- 
gioun  is  professed,  is  the  trew  and  Halie  Kirk  ;  and  that  sic  Pastors 
and  Ministers  within  the  saming,  as  at  anie  tyme  his  Majestie  sail 
pleise  to  provyde  to  the  office,  place,  tytle,  and  dignitie  of  a  Bischope, 
Abbot,  or  uthcr  Prelat,  sail  at  all  tyme  heirefter  have  vott  in  Par- 
liament, siklyk  and  als  frielie  as  anie  uther  Ecclesiastical!  Prelat  haid 
at  anie  tyme  bygean :  And  als  declares  that  all  and  Avhatsumever 
Bischopries  presentlie  vacand  in  his  Hienes'  handes,  quhilks  as  yit  ar 
undisponit  to  anie  personc,  or  quhilks  sail  happin  at  anie  tyme  heir- 
efter to  vcak,  salbc  onlic  disponit  be  his  Majestic  to  actuall  Preatch- 
ars  and  Ministers  in  the  Kirk,  or  to  sic  uther  persones  as  salbc  fundin 


1600.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  471 

apt  and  qualified  to  use  and  exerceise  the  office  and  functioun  of  a 
Minister  and  Preatcher ;  and  wha  in  thair  provisionnes  to  the  said 
bischopries  sail  accept  in  and  upon  tham,  to  be  actuall  Pastors  and 
Ministers;  and,  according  thah'to,  sail  practise  and  exerces  the  saming 
thairefter  :  Item,  as  concerning  the  office  of  the  saids  persones  to  be 
provydit  to  the  saids  Bischopries,  in  thair  Spiritual!  Polecie  and 
Governement  in  the  Kirk,  the  Estates  of  Parliament  lies  remitted 
and  remites  the  saming  to  the  King's  Majestie,  to  be  advysit,  con- 
sulted, and  agrcit  upon  be  his  Hienes,  with  the  Generall  Assemblie 
of  the  Ministers,  at  sic  tymes  as  his  Majestie  sail  think  expedient  to 
treat  with  tham  thairupon ;  but  prejudice  alwayes,  in  the  mean  tyme, 
of  the  Jurisdictioun  and  Discipline  of  the  Kirk,  established  be  actes 
of  Parliament,  maid  in  anie  tyme  preceiding,  and  permitted  be  the 
saids  actes  to  all  Generall  and  Provinciall  xlssemblies,  and  uther 
whatsumever  Presbyteries  and  Sessionnes  of  the  Kirk." 

"  That  the  Constitutioun  of  the  Generall  Assembhe  hauldin  at 
Dondie,  1598,  takin  as  it  is  meined  efter  the  mynd  of  the  fore  sett 
down  actes  of  Parliament,  is  flat  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God." 

Argument  1. 

"  Antichristian  and  Anglican  Episcopal!  dignities,  offices,  places, 
and  tytles,  and  all  Ecclesiasticall  Prelacies,  ar  flat  repugnant  to 
the  Word  of  God ;  Luc.  xxii. ;  1  Tim.  iii. ;  Tit.  i. ;  1  Pit.  v. ; 
Math,  xxiii.  etc. :  Bot  sic  is  that  quhilk  is  sett  down  in  the  act  of 
Parliament  fore-placed,  and  meined  in  effect  be  the  constitution  of 
the  said  Assembhe  :  Ergo"  &c 

Answerit :  That  all  corruptionnes  of  those  Bischopries  ar  damned 
and  rejected ;  and  as  to  the  act  of  Parliament,  it  was  alleagit  to  be 
formed  and  sett  down  be  the  invyours  of  the  Kirk's  weill,  of  pur- 
pose that  the  benefit  might  be  refused,  and  the  Kirk  to  ly  over  in 
the  auld  miserie  and  contempt. 

Argument  2. 
"  That  the  Ministers  of  God  separat  from  the  comoun  efteares  of 


472  MB  JAMES  MEIiVILL'S  DIARY.  1600. 

the  warld,  sanctefied  and  consecrat  to  the  uiinisterie  of  God's  wor- 
schippiug  and  salvatioun  of  his  peiple,  sould  turn  agane  to  the  warld, 
and  bear  a  coinoun  office  and  charge  thairin  and  effeares  thairof,  is 
flat  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God  :  But  sa  it  is,  that  this  Consti- 
tutioun  will  irapon  that  on  the  Ministers  of  God  :  Ergo"  &c. 

The  propositioun  is  proven  be  thir  Places  following : 

"  Num.  iii.  44,  45.  l  And  the  Lord  spak  unto  Moses,  saying,  Tak 
the  Levites  for  all  the  first  born  of  the  childring  of  Israeli,  and  the 
Lcvites  salbe  myn :  I  am  the  Lord.' 

"  Num.  xviii.  6.  '  For  lo,  I  have  taken  the  Levites  from  the 
childring  of  Israel,  quhilk  as  a  gift  ar  given  to  the  Lord,  to  do  the 
service  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregatioun.' 

"  Deut.  x.  8.  '  The  sam  tym  the  Lord  separat  the  tryb  of  Levi, 
to  bear  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  of  the  Lord,  to  stand  befor  the  Lord 
to  minister  unto  him,  and  to  bless  in  his  nam,  unto  this  day.' 

"Deut.  xviii.  2.  '  The  preists  and  the  Levites  sail  have  na  part 
nor  inheritance  with  Israeli,  for  the  Lord  is  thair  inheritance,  as  he 
said  unto  tham.' 

"  Acts  xiii.  2.  '  Now,  as  they  ministred  unto  the  Lord,  and 
fasted,  the  Holie  Ghost  said,  Seperat  me  Barnabas  and  Saull  for  the 
wark  wherunto  I  have  called  tham.' 

"Rom.  i.  1.  '  Paull,  a  servant  of  Jesus  Chrvst,  put  apart  to 
prctche  the  Evangell  of  God.' " 

The  assumptioun  is  proven  be  the  act  of  Parliament,  whar,  unto 
the  Ministerie  is  adjoyncd  an  office  to  be  giffen  be  the  King,  called 
the  office  and  dignitie  of  a  Bischope  or  Ecclesiasticall  Prelat ;  and 
in  the  constitutioun  of  the  Assemblie,  it  is  determined  to  be  of  a  mist 
qualitic  partlic,  or  halff  Chill,  halff  Ecclesiastic. 

This  argument  was  answered  be  denying  the  assumptioun,  and 

sa  the  act  of  Parliament  and  conclusions  of  the  Assemblie  ;  and 

planlie  declarit  that  they  sould  bear  na  comoun  office  nor  charge  in 

things  civill. 

Argument  3. 

"  That  the  Ministers  of  Chryst  sould  be  distracted  from  preatch- 
ing  of  the  Word  and  doctrin,  is  flat  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God. 


1600.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  473 

Bot  this  office  and  dignitie  of  a  Bischope,  votting  in  parliament,  &c. 
Avill  distract :     Ergo"  &c. 

"  Lnc.  ix.  59.  '  Cliryst  sayes  to  an,  Follow  me ;  wha  answerit, 
Let  me  first  go  burie  my  father.  Chryst  answerit,  Let  the  dead 
burie  the  dead ;  and  go  thow  and  preatche  the  gospell  of  the  king- 
dom of  God.  Another  sayes,  Maister,  I  will  follow  the,  bot  lat  me 
first  go  and  tak  ordour  with  my  house.  Chryst  answerit,  Na  man 
putting  hand  to  the  pleuche,  and  hiking  bak,  is  meit  for  the  king- 
dom of  God.' 

"  Deut.  xxxiii.  8.  '  And  of  Levi  he  said,  Let  thy  Thummim  and 
thy  Urim  be  withe  the  holie  on ;  saying  to  his  father,  and  to  his 
mother,  I  have  nocht  fein  hhn,  nather  knawes  he  his  breithring, 
nor  his  awin  childring,  bot  observes  thy  Avord,  and  keipes  thy  cove- 
nant. They  teache  Jacob  thy  judgments,  and  Israeli  thy  law  ; 
they  put  incense  before  thy  face,  and  brunt  offrings  upon  thyn 
altar.' 

"  Acts  vi.  2.  '  Then  the  twoll  called  the  multitud  of  the  disciples 
togidder,  and  said,  It  is  nocht  meit  that  we  sould  leave  the  Word 
of  God  to  serve  the  Tables.' " 

The  argument  takin  from  thir  places  concludes  stronglic.  For 
giff  these  maist  necessar,  naturall,  oeconomic,  yea,  and  ecclesiasti- 
call  offices,  soidd  nocht  distract  from  the  preatching  of  the  Word, 
mikle  les  sould  civill  effeares  and  offices  have  place  to  distract. 

To  the  quhilks  it  was  answerit,  that  they  sould  nocht  be  dis- 
tracted, bot  necessarlie  imployed  in  pretching  of  the  Word,  and  in 
doctrine  at  these  solem  and  comoun  tymes,  for  the  weill  of  the  haill 
Kirk  and  Comoun-weill. 

Argument  4. 

"  Whosoever  ar  in  tyme  and  out  of  tyme,  day  and  night,  to  be 
occupied  in  the  bissines  of  thair  calling,  sould  be  freed  and  have 
immunitic  from  all  uthcr  turnes :  Bot  sa  aught  and  ar  the  Pastors 
of  the  Kirk  to  be  occupied:     Ergo"  <£<•. 

"  1  Chron.  ix.  33.  '  These  ar  the  chciff  fathers  of  the  Levites, 
abyding  in  the  chalmers,  (of  the  temple,)  exemed,  (from  warldlic 


474  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1600. 

turnes,)  because  day  and  night  the  wark  (of  the  temple)  lay  on 
tham.' 

"  2  Timoth.  iv.     '  I  attest  the  befor  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Chryst,  wha  sail  judge  the  quik  and  the  dead  at  his  appeirance  and 
kingdome :  Preatche  the  Word ;  be  instant  in  tyme,  and  out  of 
tyme ;  convict,  reprove,  exhort,  with  all  lang-suffring  and  doctrine  : 
Watche  in  all,  suffer  adversitie,  fulfill  thy  ministerie.' 

u  1  Tim.  iv.  15,  16.  '  Tak  cear  of  thir  things;  be  occupied  in 
thir,  that  thy  forderance  may  be  manifest  to  all  men.  Tak  heid 
to  thy  self,  and  to  the  doctrin ;  abyd  or  remean  therupon ;  for  in 
doing  sa,  thow  sail  save  bathe  thy  self  and  them  that  heirs  the.' 

"  Johan.  xxi.  15,  16,  17.  l  So,  when  they  had  dyned,  Jesus  said 
to  Simon  Piter,  Simon,  sone  of  Jonas,  loves  thow  me  mair  nor  these  ? 
He  said  unto  him,  Yea,  Lord ;  thow  knawes  that  I  love  the.  He 
said  unto  him,  Feid  my  Lambes.'     And  so  thryse. 

"  Acts.  xx.  20.  '  I  pretched  publiclie  and  throw  everie  house  ;  I 
warned  everie  an,  night  and  day,  with  teares.' " 

Answer  to  this  was :  They  salbe  occupied  in  na  thing  by  ther 
calling. 

Argument  5. 

"  To  make  the  charge  of  saulles  sa  light,  that  thairwithall  another 
may  bejoyned  and  born,  is  direct  against  the  Word  of  God.  Bot — 
Ergo"  &c. 

"  Ezech.  xxxiv.  1,  etc.  '  And  the  Word  of  the  Lord  cam  unto 
me,  saying,  Sone  of  Man,  prophesie  against  the  Pastors  of  Israeli, 
and  say  unto  tham,  Thus  sayeth  the  Lord  God,  Wo  be  to  the 
Pastors  that  feid  tham  selves !  sould  nocht  the  scheiphird  feid  the 
flocks  ?  Yie  eat  the  fatt,  and  cleithe  yow  Avith  the  woll,  bot  yie  feid 
nocht  the  flock.  The  weak  have  yie  nocht  straintlmed ;  the  seik 
have  ye  nocht  healed,  nather  have  yie  bund  upe  the  broken,  nor 
brought  again  that  whilk  was  driven  away,  nather  have  yie  sought 
that  quhilk  was  lost,  etc.  They  war  skattered  without  a  schiphird, 
and  the  scheipe  wandrit,'  etc. 

"  Zachar.  xi.  17.     '  O  idoll  scheiphird  that   leives  the  flok,  the 


1600.  MS  JAMES  MELVXLL'S  DIARY.  475 

sword  salbe  upon  his  arm,  and  upon  his  right  ei.  His  armc  salbe 
clein  dried  upe,  and  his  right  ei  salbe  utterlic  darkned.' 

"  Acts  xx.  20.  '  I  keip  bak  from  yow  na  thing  that  was  profitable, 
but  have  schawed  yow,  and  have  taught  yow  opinlie,  and  throw 
everie  house.  26.  I  tak  yow  to  record  this  day,  that  I  am  pure 
fra  the  blood  of  all  men.  28.  Tak  heid  unto  your  selves,  and  to  all 
the  flock,  wharof  the  Halie  Ghast  lies  maid  yow  oversiars,  to  feid 
the  Kirk  of  God,  quhilk  he  lies  purchassed  with  his  awin  blod. 
31.  Therfor  watche,  and  remember,  that  be  the  space  of  thrie  yeirs 
I  ceased  nocht  to  warn  everie  an,  bathe  night  and  day,  with  teares.' 

"  [1]  Pit.  v.  2.  '  Feid  the  flock  of  God,  caring  for  it  with  a  readie 
mynd.  8.  Be  sober,  and  watche  ;  for  your  adversar  the  devill  goes 
about  lyk  a  roaring  lyon  seikiug  whom  he  may  devore.' 

"  2  Cor.  ii.  15.  l  For  we  ar  unto  God  the  sweit  savour  of  Chryst, 
in  tham  that  ar  saiffed,  and  in  tham  that  pearishe.  16.  To  the  an 
we  are  the  savour  of  death  unto  deathe,  and  to  the  uther  the  savour 
of  lyfi°  unto  lyfF:  and  wha  is  sufficient  for  these  things?  17.  For 
we  are  nocht  as  manie,  quhilk  mak  merchandis  of  the  Word  of  God, 
but  as  of  sinceritie,  but  as  of  God,  in  the  sight  of  God  we  speak  in 
Chryst.' 

"  Heb.  xiii.  17.  '  Obey  your  gydes,  and  be  subject  to  tham,  for 
they  watche  over  your  saulles,  as  sic  as  sail  gifF  a  compt  for  tham.' " 

The  Answer  was  be  denying  the  assumptioun,  and  sa,  as  in  all 
thair  answers,  in  effect  denying  the  thing  they  war  doing. 

Argument  6. 

"  The  jumgling  and  confounding  of  Jurisdictiones  and  callings, 
quhilk  God  lies  distinguish  in  persones  and  maner  of  handling,  is 
against  the  "Word  :  Bot  sa  it  is  that  this  Constitution  imports  that 
expreslie,  terming  thair  office  to  be  of  a  mixt  qualitie  :  Ergo,"  &c. 

"  Num.  xviii.  4,  7.  '  Yie  sail  keip  the  charge  of  the  Tabernacle  of 
the  Congregatioun,  for  all  the  service  of  the  Tabernacle,  and  na 
stranger  sail  com  neir  to  yow.  The  stranger  that  cometh  neir  salbe 
slaine.' 

"  The  Ministers  then  [ar]  of  God's  service,  and  the  civill  admini- 


476  MR  JAMES  MELvTLL'S  DIARY.  1600. 

strators  ar  strangers  ane  to  an  uther,  and  sould  nocht  be  confoundit, 
under  pean  of  deathe. 

"2  Chron.  xix.  1 1.  '  Behauld,  Amaria  thepreist  salbe  cheif  over 
yow  in  all  maters  of  the  Lord ;  and  Zebadia,  the  sonc  of  Ismaell,  a 
rewlar  of  the  house  of  Juda,  salbe  for  all  the  King's  effeares.' 

"  Math.  xxii.  21.  l  Give  unto  Cassar  that  quhilk  is  Caesar's,  and  to 
God  quhilk  is  God's.' 

"Deut.  xxii.  21.  'Thou  sail  nocht  saw  thy  vynyeard  with  dy- 
versc  kynd  of  seids,  least  thow  defyl  the  increass  of  the  seid  quhilk 
thow  lies  sawin,  and  the  fruict  of  the  vynyeard.  Thou  sail  nocht 
plow  with  an  ox  and  an  ass  togidder.  Thou  sail  nocht  wear  a  gar- 
ment of  divers  sortes,  as  of  woollen  and  linning  togidder." " 

This  was  answerit  be  a  denyall  of  jumling  and  confusioun,  bot 
with  a  granting  of  conjoyning  and  conjunctioun,  and  sa  all  ane,  and 
bewraying  of  the  purpose  quhilk  they  seimed  befor  to  deny,  viz.  to 
conjoyne  a  Civill  office  with  an  Ecclesiastic. 

Argument  7. 

"  That  the  Official's  of  Chryst's  Kingdome  sould  meddle  with 
things  nocht  perteining  thairto,  is  aAXorgioiKignoKiTv  against  the  Scrip- 
ture ;  1  Pit.  iv.  15  :  Bot  poly  tic  and  civill  effeares  ar  sic  :  Ergo" 
&c. 

"  Johan.  vi.  15.  '  Jesus  then  knew  that  they  war  to  com  and  tak 
him  and  mak  him  thair  king,  he  withdrew  him  selff  unto  the  nion- 
tan  alan.' 

"Johan.  xviii.  36.  '  Jesus  answerit  and  said  unto  Pilat,  My  king- 
dom is  nocht  of  this  warld.' 

"Luc.  xii.  13,  14.  'An  of  the  multitud  said  unto  him,  Maister, 
speak  to  my  breithring,  that  he  may  devyd  the  heritage  with  mie. 
He  said  unto  him,  O  man,  wha  maid  me  judge  or  parter  over  yow  ¥ 

"  Johan.  viii.  11.  '  Jesus  said  to  the  adulteres,  Nather  do  I  judge 
thie ;  go,  and  sin  na  mail1.' " 

It  was  answerit,  That  the  spirituall  and  civill  fiinctionnes  differs 
nocht  in  subject,  bot  in  mancr  and  form  of  handling  and  treatting 
of  ane  and  the  sain  subject   to  divers  endes  ;   and  that  Chryst's  of- 


1000.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  177 

ficers  salbe  urgit  to  handle  things  civill  na  uther  wayes  bot  spirit- 
ualie. 

Argument  8. 

"  That  Chryst's  Ministers  sonldbear  warkllie  pre-eminence,  bruik 
ambitius  stylles,  and  be  callit  ixj^ytrai,  gratius  Lords,  is  against  the 
Word  of  God :  But  this  constitutioun  will  permit,  yea,  and  mak 
tham  sa  to  do:  Ergo"  &c. 

"  Math,  xxiii.  6.  '  The  Scribes  and  Pharisies  love  t^tokXisiuv  at 
Soupers,  and  <xgoroxa6edgiav  in  the  Synagoge,  salutatioun  in  the 
mercats,  and  to  be  called  Rabbi.  Bot  be  yie  nocht  callit  Rabbi, 
for  yie  have  a  Maister,  xahnynrm,  Chryst ;  and  yie  ar  all  breithring, 
&c.  Let  him  that  is  grait  amang  yow  be  servant ;  for  whasoever 
will  lift  him  selff  upe  salbe  cast  doun,  and  he  that  will  demit  him 
selff  salbe  lift  upe.' 

"  Luc.  xxii.  26.  '  Ther  enterit  a  contention  amang  them  wha 
sould  be  the  maist  or  graittest.  But  he  said  unto  tham,  The 
Kings  of  the  nations  bears  rewll  over  tham,  and  ar  called  euggysra/, 
gratius  Lords.  Bot  be  yie  nocht  sa ;  bot  he  that  is  maist  amang 
yow,  let  hhn  be  as  least,  and  he  that  is  the  gyd  as  the  servant.' 

"  Math.  xx.  26.  '  Bot  it  sail  nocht  be  sa  amangs  yow ;  bot  whoso- 
ever wilbe  grait  amangs  yow,  let  him  be  your  servant.'" 

To  tliis  was  answerit,  That  this  quhilk  they  war  about  to  do, 
sould  nather  permit  nor  mak  warkllie  pre-eminence  nor  ambitius 
stylles. 

Argument  9. 

"  That  the  souldiour  of  God  sould  be  involved  in  the  effeares  of 
this  lyff,  is  flat  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God  :  But  this  will  in- 
volve him :  Ergo"  &c. 

"  Num.  iv.  3.  '  From  threttie  yeir  auld,  and  above  unto  fiftie  yen', 
all  that  is  meit  to  tak  on  this  warfear,  to  do  the  wark  in  the  Taber- 
nacle of  the  Congregation; 

"  2  Tim.  ii.  3,  4.  '  Thow  therfor  suffer  affliction,  as  a  guid  soul- 
diour of  Jesus  Chryst.      Na  man  that  warreth  intanglit  him  selff 


478  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  1600. 

with  the  effears  of  this  lyff:  that  he  may  [(lease  him  wha  hes  schosin 
him  to  be  a  souldier,' "  &c. 

Answerit :  They  sail  nocht  be  involvit,  nor  sould  nocht,  be  the 
nature  of  ther  calling. 

Argument  10. 

"  The  Magistrat  and  Civill  rewlars  pretched  nocht  the  Word,  nor 
ministers  Sacraments,  nor  exerceises  spiritual]  discipline,  acknaw- 
laging  these  things  impertinent  to  thair  functioun  :  Ergo,  Nather 
sould  the  Ministers  mak  civill  lawes,  nor  judge  and  rewell  conform 
thairto." 

Answer  :  It  was  nocht  meinit  be  that  voting  in  Parliament,  that 
the  Ministers  sould  use  judicator  civill  or  criminal!,  or  anie  part  of 
the  Magistrate  office :  For  that  the  King  was  onlie  Judge  in  the 
Parliament,  and  the  Esteattes  gave  but  thair  advys. 

Argument  11. 

"  That  quhilk  wantes  bathe  precept  and  exemple  in  the  Evangels, 
Actes  and  Epistles  of  the  Apostles,  and  in  the  haill  storie  and 
wreittings  of  the  Christian  Kirks,  till  almost  aught  bounder  yeirs 
efter  Chryst,  and  at  what  tyme  the  Papes  cam  to  that  schamlcs 
usurpatioun  of  bathe  the  swords,  and  sett  him  sehT  in  that  chair  of 
pestilence  and  pryde,  trcadding  on  the  neks  of  emperours  and  kings, 
&c,  is  na  wayes  to  be  admitted  or  sufferit  in  our  Reformed  Kirk : 
Bot  sic  is  this  new  office  of  a  mixed  qualitie :  -Ergo,"  &c. 

For  answer  to  this  was  broucht  furthe  exemples  of  the  Auld 
Testament ;  Melchizedek,  King  and  Preist ;  the  government  of  the 
Kirk  in  the  families  of  the  Patriarches.  Item,  Moses  and  the  Le- 
vittes  wha  war  apointed  Judges  and  Interpreters  of  the  law  athort 
the  land. 

To  this  replyed  :  Melchizcdik,  Moses,  nor  the  Hie  Preist,  can 
nocht  be  exemples  for  the  Evangelical]  ministerie,  being  types  of 
the  heid  and  soveran  hichc  King  and  Preist,  the  Lord  Jesus  Chrj  Bt. 
Also  Moses  and  Aron  war  breithring  indcid  ;  bot  efter  Arone's  con- 
secratioun  buir  distinct  offices,  schawing  us  that  the  Ecclesiastic 

2 


1600.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  479 

and  Civill  rewlars  soultl  live  as  breitliring,  bot  everie  an  to  be  about 
than'  awin  office  and  calling  for  uthers  mutuall  weilfear.  As  for 
the  government  of  the  families,  ther  was  an  uther  reasone  thairof, 
then  of  cities  and  comoun-weilles,  in  sa  far  as  he  that  rcwles  his  fa- 
milie,  rewles  bot  him  selff;  bot  wha  rewles  a  citie  or  conioun-welthe, 
governs  manie  families  ;  thairfor  Arist.  1.  Pol.  makes  an  essential! 
difference  betwix  the  administration  of  a  republic  and  familie. 

And,  finahe,  as  for  the  Levittes,  they  represent  na  Ecclesias- 
tic Evangelicall  office,  and  concerning  those  that  war  apointed 
C")3t£>  tD*5J^  QTIflJP*  called  in  the  Gospell  yg&fifiareis,  giff 
they  represented  anie  office  under  the  Evangell,  it  was  the  office  of 
Doctores,  sa  that  thairby  the  Doctors  sould  be  apointed  votters  in 
Parliament. 

Argument  12. 

"  The  subject  of  the  office  of  a  Minister,  and  of  a  civill  warldlie 
office,  ar  divers  and  contrar  ;  thairfor  an  can  nocht  be  occupied  in 
bathe. 

"  Rom.  viii.  5,  6,  7.  '  They  that  ar  efter  the  fleshe  savour  the 
things  of  the  fleshe ;  but  they  that  ar  efter  the  Spreit,  the  things 
of  the  Sprit.  The  wesdome  of  the  fleche  is  deathe  ;  but  the  wis- 
dom of  the  Sprit  is  lyff  and  peace.  The  wesdome  of  the  fleshe  is 
enemie  against  God ;  it  is  nocht  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  nather 
indeid  can  be.' 

"  1  Cor.  ii.  12.  '  We  have  nocht  receaved  the  sprit  of  the  warld, 
but  the  spreit  quhilk  is  of  God,  that  we  may  knaw  the  things  that 
ar  giffen  to  us  of  God  ;  but  the  naturall  man  perceaves  nocht  the 
things  of  the  Sprit  of  God ;  for  they  ar  folishnes  to  him.  Nather 
can  he  knaw  tham,  for  they  ar  spiritualie  dec  emit.' 

"  1  Jhon  ii.  15,  16.  'Love  nocht  the  warld,  nor  the  things  that  ar 
in  the  warld :  Give  (if)  anie  man  love  the  warld,  the  love  of  the  Father 
is  nocht  in  him ;  for  all  that  is  in  the  warld  (as  the  lust  of  the 
fleche,  the  lust  of  the  eis,  and  the  pryd  of  lyff)  is  nocht  of  the 
Father,  but  of  the  warld.  And  the  warld  passethe  away,  and  the 
lust  therof,  but  he  that  fulfilles  the  will  of  God  abyds  for  ever.'" 


480  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1600. 

It  was  answerit :  That  this  argument  was  against  warldlie,  un- 
christian, and  unsanctified  civill  offices  and  actionnes.  Iteplyed  : 
That  manie  alleagit  Christian  war  mair  inipius  and  injust  nor  the 
Persian,  Grecian,  and  Roman. 

Argument  13. 

"  The  maner  of  doing  of  the  an  is  in  lyk  maner  ad  vers  to  the 
uther,  as  is  evident  of  the  sam  places,  and  manie  uther  :  Ergo"  &c. 

And  heir  was  pertinentlie  used  the  Apollog  of  JEsope  anent  the 
Colziar  and  the  Wakar  ;'  wharof  the  Colziar  desyrit  to  dwell  be- 
syde  and  with  the  Waker,  alleaging  manie  commodities  that  might 
com  to  bathe.  Bot  the  Wakar,  weill  advysit,  refused  altogidder ; 
"  For  it  is  nocht  possible,"  sayes  he,  "  but  thy  occupatioun  will 
mar  niyne,  for  thow  makes  blak,  and  I  mak  whait.'"2 

Argument  14. 

"  Thair  end  ar  also  contrar :  The  Minister's  office  being;  to  fishe 
men  out  of  the  sie  of  this  warld  unto  God ;  quhilk  they  can  nocht 
giff  they  ly  plunging  in  the  warld  tham  selves." 

Thus  said  Chryst  to  his  disciples,  Piter,  Jhone,  &c. — •"  Follow 
me,  and  I  will  mak  vow  fischars  of  men." 

Argument  15. 

"  The  experience  of  the  Kirk  in  all  ages  sen  that  corruptioun 
enterit  in,  and  namlie,  in  our  awin  age,  nocht  onlie  amangs  the 
Papists,  bot  in  our  nibour  land  of  Eingland,  and  amangs  our  selves, 
cleirlie  proves,  and  loudlie  cryes,  That  it  is  nocht  possible  that  they 
can  stand  togidder.  Therfor  the  Quein  of  Eingland' s  dictum  is. 
when  sche  makes  a  Bischope,  '  Alas  for  pitie !  for  we  have  mar- 
red a  guid  Prcatchour  to-day.'  And  what  geppes  of  gear  our  Bis- 
chopes  lies  bein  in  Scotland,  and  is,  the  haill  co-wntric  kennes. 

"  The  experience  also  of  the  godlie  Pastors  teatches  tham  this, 
when  they  have  bein  bot  never  sa  lytic,  and  of  neccssitie  occupied 

1  The  fable  or  apologue  of  the  Collier  and  t  he  Waulker,  or  fuller.         ■  White. 


1600.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  481 

in  the  warld,  whow  hard  it  is  to  gather  tham  selves  again,  and  gett 
the  hart  sett  towards  God  and  thair  spiritnall  dewties  and  actionnes : 
Qui  ambulat  in  sole,  coloratur ;  qui  tangit  picem  inquinatur ;  qui 
frsequemat  aulam  et  curiam,  profanatur.  Forum  Pontificis  Petrum 
ad  Christi  abnegationem  adegit.  Qua3  est  corporum  constitutio, 
ea  est  et  morum.  Circumposito  aere  calido  calescimus,  et  rursus 
frigido  frigescimus.  Sic  cum  Sanctis  sanctus  eris,  cum  perversis 
perverteris. 

"  Math.  vi.  24.  i  No  man  can  serve  twa  maisters ;  ather  sail 
he  hait  the  an,  and  love  the  uther,  or  cleive  to  that  an,  and  de- 
spyse  the  uther  :  Yie  can  nocht  serve  God  and  Mammon.' " 

Argument  16. 

"  Nature  and  the  sam  experience  lies  dyted  this  axiom  and  pro- 
verbe,  '  A  office  for  a  man  is  aneuche ;'  and,  '  Manie  yrons  in  the 
fyre,  sum  will  cull.'  Thairfor,  the  wyse  men  in  nature,  Plato  and 
Aristotle,  in  thair  Republicts,  setts  down  the  sam  ug  vgog,  fa,  and 
banisses  thairfra  dZsXigTcoXv^viov  and  dozvdo7}-a\iov,  instruments  serving 
for  ma  usses  at  annes,  as  unprofitable,  and  that  spilles  things,"  &c. 

Now,  gif  in  a  civill  comoun-weill,  by  the  light  of  nature,  in  sub- 
jecto  homogenio,  a  turn  and  office  is  aneuche  for  a  man,  surlie  it  is 
na  wayes  convenient  nor  possible,  that,  in  subjecto  heterogenio,  viz., 
bathe  in  Kirk  and  Comoun-weill,  a  man  can  bear  twa  offices. 

Argument  17. 

"  That  quhilk  lies  bein  as  a  pest  eschewit,  streatlie  forbidded  be 
Actes,  and  stoutlie  stand  against  in  public t  doctrine,  and  at  all  As- 
semblies, sen  the  first  planting  of  the  sinceritic  of  the  Gospell  with- 
in this  realm,  sould  nocht  now,  be  perswasioun  and  moyen  of 
Court,  be  brought  in  within  the  Kirk :  Bot  sic  is  this :  Ergo"  &c. 

The  Actes  of  our  Generall  Assemblies  forbids  a  Minister  to  joyne 
with  his  Ministerie  the  office  of  a  notar,  housbandrie,  or  laboring 
of  land,  hostelarrie,  &c,  under  pean  of  depositioun. 

Theod.  Beza  ad  Knoxium,  Epist.  79  :  "  Sed  et  istud  (mi  Knoxe) 
te  ceterosque  fratres  velim  meminisse,  quod  jam  oculis  pene  ipsis 

2n 


482  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaky.  1600. 

obversatur :  sicut  Episcopi  Papatum  pepercrunt,  ita  Pseudo-Epis- 
copos  Papatus  reliquias,  Epicureismum  terris  invecturos.  Hanc 
pestem  caveant  qui  salvam  Ecclesiam  cupiunt,  et  cum  illam  e  Scotia 
in  tempore  profligaris,  nc  quaeso  illam  unquam  admittas,  quantum 
vis  unitatis  retinendae  specie,  qua3  veteres  etiam  optimos  multos 
fefellit,  blandiatur." 

Argument  18. 

And  Last :  The  judgment  of  the  Fathers  and  Doctors  of  the 
Kirk,  antient  and  modern,  auld  and  new  :  Tertullian,  Cyrillus, 
Primasius,  Ambros,  etc. 

Tertull.  de  Idolat.  cap.  18  : — "  Si  potestatem  nullam  ne  in  fuos 
quidem  exercuit  Christus,  quibus  sordido  ministerio  functus  est,  si 
Eegem  se  fieri,  conscius  sui  regni  refugit,  plenissime  dedit  formam 
suis  dirigendo  omni  fastigio  et  suggestu,  tarn  dignitatis  quam  potes- 
tatis.  Quis  enim  magis  his  usus  fuisset  quam  Dei  Alius  ?  Quales 
enim  fasces  producerent  ?  quale  aurum  de  capite  radiaret  nisi  gloriam 
saeculi  ahenam,  et  sibi  et  suis  judicasset  ? 

"  Ideo,  quae  noluit  rejecit,  qua?  rejecit  damnavit,  qua?  damnavit 
in  pompa  diaboli  deputavit." 

Cyrillus  in  Joan.  lib.  3,  cap.  20  : — "  Honor  et  gloria  mundi  fugi- 
enda  sunt  iis,  qui  volunt  gloriam  Dei  consequi." 

Primasius  in  2  Tim.  2  : — "  Comparatione  militum  utitur,  ut 
ostendat  multo  magis,  nos  a  negociis  secularibus  liberos  esse  debere 
ut  Christo  placeamus,  si  etiam  seculi  milites,  a  reliquis  secuh  acti- 
bus  vacant,  ut  possint  Eegi  suo  placere." 

Ambros.  in  Epist.  2  Tim.  2  : — "  Ecclesiasticus  autem  idcirco 
Deo  se  probat  ut  huic  devotus  ofneium  impleat  quod  spopondit,  in 
Dei  rebus  sollicitus,  a  seculari  negocio  alienus.  Non  enim  convenit 
unum  duplicem  habere  professionem." 

Bernard,  de  Consider,  lib.  2,  cap.  4  : — "  Apostolicis  interdicitur 
dominatus,  ergo  tu  usurpare  aude,  aut  Dominus  apostolatum,  aut 
Apostolus  dominatum,  plane  ab  utraque  prohiberis  ;  si  utrumque 
simul  habere  voles,  perdes  utrumque." 

Idem. — "  Non  monstrabunt  ubi  quisquam  Apostolorum  aliquando 


[ 


1600.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diarv.  483 

judex  sederit  hominum,  aut  divisor  terminorum,  aut  distributor  ter- 
rarum,  stetisse  denique  lego  Apostolos  judicandos,  sedisse  judicantes 
non  lego." 

Can.  Apost.  Can.  80 : — "  Dicimus  quod  non  oportet  Episcopum 
aut  Presbytcrum,  publicis  se  administrationibus  immittere  sed  va- 
care,  et  comniodum  se  exhibere  usibus  Ecclesiasticis.  Animum 
igitur  inducito  hoc  non  facere  aut  deponitor.  Nemo  enim  potest 
duobus  dominis  servire." 

Vide  Qregor.  lib.  1,  Epistolarum,  Epist.  5,  ad  Theotistam,  Im- 
peratoris  sororem. 

Synod.  Nicen.  Can.  Si/la.  et  Constant. — u  Nemo  clericus  vel  dia- 
conus  vel  presbyter  propter  causam  suam  quamlibet  intret  in  curiam, 
quoniam  omnis  curia  a  cruore  dicta  est :  Et  si  quis  clericus  in 
curiam  introeat,  anathema  suscipiat,  nunquam  rediens  ad  matrem 
Ecclesiam." 

Damasus  et  Cone.  Neocces.  et  Antioch.  Anno  371  : — "  Episcopi  qui 
secularibus  intenti  curis  greges  chorepiscopis  vel  curiis  commendant 
videntur  mihi  meretricibus  similes,  qua?  statim  ut  pariunt,  infantes 
suos  aHis  nutricibus  tradunt  educandos,  quo  suam  citius  libidinem 
explere  valeant.  Sic  et  isti  infantes  suos,  in  populos  sibi  commis  sos 
aliis  educandos  tradunt,  ut  suas  libidines  expleant,  i.  pro  suo  libit  u 
secularibus  curis  inhibent,  et  quod  unicuique  visum  fuerit  liberius 
agant.  Pro  talibus  enim  animre  negliguntur,  oves  pereunt,  morbi 
crescunt,  hrereses  et  schismata  prodeunt,  destruuntur  Ecclesire,  sa- 
cerdotes  vitiantur,  et  reliqua  mala  proveniunt.  Non  taliter  Domi- 
nus  docuit  nee  Apostoli  instituerunt.  Sed  ipsi  qui  curam  suscipi- 
unt  ipsi  peragant,  et  ipsi  proprios  manipulos  Domino  rcprescntent. 
Nam  ipse  ovem  perditam  diligenter  quaesivit,  ipse  invenit,  ipse  pro- 
priis  humeris  reportavit,  nosque  id  ipsum  facere  perdocuit.  Si  ipse 
pro  ovibus  tantam  curam  habuit,  quid  nos  miseri  ducturi  sumus  ? 
Qui  etiam  pro  ovibus  nobis  commissis  curam  impendere  negligimus, 
et  aliis  eas  educandas  tradidimus?  Audiant  quasso  quid  Beatus  Jacob 
dixerit  socero  suo  : — '  Viginti  annos  fui  tecum  ;  oves  tua3  et  caprc 
steriles  non  fuerunt ;  arietes  gregis  tui  non  comedi,  nee  captum  a 
bestia  ostendi  tibi,  ego  damnum  omne  reddebam,  et  quidquid  furto 
perierat  a  me  exigebas  :  die  noctuque  ajstu  urgebar  et  gelu ;  fugiebat 


484  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  1600. 

somnus  ab  oculis  meis.'  Si  ergo  sic  laborat  et  vigilat  qui  pascit  oves 
Laban,  quanto  labori,  quantisque  vigiliis  debet  intendere  qui  pascit 
oves  Dei  ?  Sed  in  his  omnibus  nos  instruat  qui  pro  ovibus  suis  dedit 
animam." 

Calvinus  in  Epist.  ad  2  Tim.  2  : — "  Semper  Pastorem  memi- 
nisse  oportet  veteris  proverbii,  Hoc  age,  quod  significat  ita  serio 
incumbendum  esse  peragendis  sacris,  ut  studium  ejus  et  intentionem 
nihil  aliud  iinpediat." 

P.  Martyr,  in  loc.  Com.  Clas.  4,  cap.  13: — "Distingui  oportet 
has  functiones  Civilis  et  Ecclesiastica,  quia  utraque  earum  seorsim 
totum  hominem  requirit :  imo  vix  ullus  unquam  repertus  est  qui 
alterutram  recte  obire  posset,  adeo  est  difficilis  utraque  provincial 
Synodus  4  Carthaginensis  : — "  Ut  Episcopus  nullam  rei  familiaris 
curam  ad  se  revocet,  sed  ut  lectioni  et  orationi  et  verbo  praedica- 
tionis  tantummodo  vacat." 

Synod.  Calcedon.  CEcumenica.  consessu  15  : — "  Ne  Episcopi,  clerici 
et  monachi  rebus  se  polyticis  implicent,  aut  prasdia  aliena  condu- 
cant." 

Sexti  Uniuers.  Synodus  Constantinopolita.  Can.  80 : — "  Episcopis 
non  competerc  ecclesiasticam  et  politicam  eminentiam.  Episcopus 
aut  presbyter  aut  diaconus,  militia;  vacans,  et  volens  utrumque, 
principatum  Romanum  et  sacerdotalem  dignitatem  deponitor  :  Nam 
qua?  Cassaris  sunt  Ca^sari,  et  qua;  Dei,  Deo." 

Ex  Epistola  Concilii  Africani  ad  Papain  Celestmum  : — "  Execu- 
tores  etiam  clericos  vestros  quibusque  potentibus  nolite  mittere, 
nolite  concederc  ne  fumosum  typhum  seculi  in  Ecclesiam  Christi 
qua;  lucem  simplicitatis  et  humilitatis  diem  Demn  videre  cupienti- 
bus  praafert  videamur  inducere." 

Synod.  Macrensi: — "  Nee  Rex,  pontificis  dignitatem,  nee  Ponti- 
fex  regiam  potestatem  sibi  usurpare  prassumat.  Sic  actionibus  pro- 
priis  dignitatibusque  a  Deo  distinguntur ;  ut  et  Christiani  reges  pro 
a;terna  vita  pontificibus  indigerent,  et  ])ontiHces  pro  tomporalium 
rerun)  cursu  regum  dispositionibus  uterentur,  quatenus  spiritualis 
actio  a  carnalibus  distaret  in  ciu-sibus,  et  ideo  militans  domino  mi- 
nimc,  se  negotiis  secularibus  implicaret,  ac  vicissim  non  illc  rebus 
Divinis  presidere  vidiretur." 


1000.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  485 

Sy nodus  JRomcma,  an.  1215: — "  Universis  clericis  interdicimus,  nc 
quis  prretcxtu  Ecclesiastics  libertatis  suam  tie  castero  jurisdictionem 
cxtendat  in  prae judicium  justiciar  secularis :  ut  qua?  sunt  Caesaris 
reddantur  Caesari,  et  qua?  sunt  Dei,  Deo." 

Bohemi  quatuor  Articulos  Basiliensi  Si/nodo  proponunt,  quorum  se- 
cundus  est : — "  De  civili  domino,  quod  interdictum  clericis  Divina 
lege  dicebant." — Gesnerus  de  Synodis. 

Of  tliir  and  the  lyk  places,  the  Ancients  and  Neotoriks  are  lull 
and  cleir,  when  ever  they  treat  of  this  mater. 

Thir  Arguments,  being  sa  Strang  and  cleir,  could  nocht  be  dc- 
nyit,  thairfor  in  effect  they  war  all  granted ;  and  yit  they  sought, 
be  all  the  labor  and  meanes  they  could,  to  gett  it  past  in  Assemblie 
be  maniest  vottes,  "  That  these  Vottars  in  Parliament  sould  stand 
in  the  persones  chosen,  ad  vitam?  Bot  it  was  be  manie  honest  and 
guid  Breithring  mightelie  withstud  in  open  Assemblie,  sa  that  in 
votting  it  past  against  tham,  and  was  concludit  annuatim. 

My  uncle,  Mr  Andro,  cam  to  that  Assemblie,  but  the  King- 
called  for  him  and  quarrelit  him  for  his  coming;  wha,  efter  the 
auld  maner,  dischargit  his  conscience  to  him  with  all  fredome  and 
zeall ;  and,  going  from  the  King  in  grait  fervencie,  said,  putting  his 
hand  to  his  crag : l — "  Sir,  tak  yow  this  head,  and  gar  cut  it  af,  gif 
yie  will ;  yie  sail  sooner  get  it,  or  I  betray  the  cause  of  Chryst !" 
And  sa  he  remeanit  in  the  toAvn  all  the  why  11,  and  furnisit  argu- 
ments to  the  Breithring,  and  mightelie  strynthned  and  incuragit 
tham. 

This  yier,  in  the  monethe  of  August,  the  fyft  day  thairof,  the 
Erie  of  Gowrie,  and  his  brother  Mr  Alexander,  war  slean  be  the 
King's  folks  at  St  Jhonstoun,  for  a  maist  hid  and  horroble  conspi- 
racie,  intendit  be  tham  to  have  cut  af  the  King ;  and,  in  the  monethe 
of  November  thaireftcr,  forfaultit  in  Parliament,  &c.  [A  litle  be- 
for,  or  hard  about  the  (lav  of  this  accident,  the  sic2  at  an  instant, 

1  Neck,  or  throat  -  Sea. 


48G  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1600. 

about  a  law  water,  debordet  and  ran  upc  abon  the  sie-mark,  hier 
nor  at  anie  stream-tyd,  athort  all  the  cost  syde  of  Fyff;  and  at  an 
instant  reteired  again  to  almaist  a  law  water,  to  the  grait  admira- 
tioun  of  all,  and  skathe  don  to  sum.  About  that  sam  tym,  lying 
in  Kinkcll,  I  dreamed  my  wyff  was  dead;  and,  wakning,  appre- 
hendit  the  sam,  sa  that  with  grait  heavines  of  hairt,  I  murned  for 
hir  all  that  day,  even  after  I  knew  the  contrar.  And,  indeid,  thair- 
efter  sche  was  strucken  with  sic  infirmitie,  that  sche  could  nocht  be 
a  wyff  to  mie.1] 

The  King  immediatlie  thairefter  send  ower  the  word  to  the 
Counsall  that  was  at  Edinbruche,  commanding  the  Ministers  of 
Edinbruche  to  publis  the  maner  in  pulpit,  and  move  the  peiple  to 
giff  thankes  with  tham  to  God  for  the  King's  preservatioun.  The 
Ministers  gladlie  aggreit  to  thank  God  for  the  King's  delyverance, 
but  to  declar  and  preache  the  maner,  in  particular,  as  a  treuthe  of 
God  out  of  pulpit,  because  the  informationes  war  divers  and  uncer- 
tean,  they  refusit.  This  occasioun  was  gripped  at  till  undo2  that 
ministerie,  quhilk  oftenest  and  maist  crosit3  the  Court  in  all  evill 
proceidings,  and  was  the  graitest  auband4  and  terrour  to  Sessioun, 
Nobilitie,  and  all  the  land,  to  keipe  tham  from  impietie,  injustice, 
and  all  wickedncs. 

The  King  cam  to  Edinbruche,  whar  he  was  receavit  with  grait 
concourse,  and  past  in  persone  to  the  mercat  cors5  of  Edinbruche, 
and  thair  causit  his  awin  Minister,  Mr  Patrik  Galloway,  mak  a  de- 
claratioun  of  the  mater  to  the  peiple,  the  quhilk  the  King  him  selff 
secoundit  and  connrmit,  to  move  the  peiple  to  dewtie  and  thankful- 
nes.  Thairefter  satt  in  Counsall  with  his  ordinarie  counsallours, 
and  gave  out  a  sacrilegius  sentence  against  the  Ministers  of  Edin- 
bruche, usurping  Chryst  and  his  Kirk's  place  and  authoritic,  depo- 
sit tham  from  prctching  the  Gospell  within  his  countrey  for  ever ; 
quhilk  was  a  houndreth  tymes  war  nor6  if  be  form  of  civil]  proces 
he  haid  hangit  tham;  because  of  the  usurpation!!  of  Chryst's  juris- 


1  Note  written  by  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  MS.  '-'  Was  laid  hold  of  to 

undo.        *  Crossed,  thwarted.        '  Restraint.        •'•  Market- Cross.         fi  Worse  than. 


1600.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  487 

dictioun  and  his  Kirk's,  wha  lies  oiilie  powar  to  call  and  depose  his 
servants. 

The  Dron,  the  Doungeoun,  and  the  Draught, 

Did  mak  thair  cannon  of  the  King, 
Syn  feirfullie  withe  us  they  faught, 

And  doun  to  dirt  they  did  us  ding. 

Thairefter  the  Commissionars  war  wrettin  for  to  Falkland,  whar 
the  mater  was  schawin  us  at  lainthe,  and  ordeanit  that  the  Synodalls 
sonld  convein  and  aggrie  anent  a  form  of  publict  Thanksgiffing,  and 
apoint  a  certean  to  convein  at  Edinbruche  in  the  monethe  of  Octo- 
ber following,  to  tak  ordour  with  the  ministerie  of  Edinbruche. 

[At  that  tyme,  being  in  Falkland,  I  saw  a  funambidus,1  a  French- 
man, play  Strang  and  incredible  prattiks  upon  stented  takell2  in  the 
Palace-clos  befor  the  King,  Quein,  and  haill  court.  This  was  poli- 
tiklie  done  to  mitigat  the  Quein  and  peiple  for  Gowrie's  slauchter. 


1  A  rope-dancer.  In  the  Accounts  of  the  Lord  High  Treasurer  of  Scotland,  (pre- 
served in  the  General  Register  House,)  in  August  1600,  the  name  of  the  French  fun- 
ambulist is  thus  quaintly  given,  with  a  most  extravagant  reward  assigned  to  him  for 
playing  his  pavics  and  sowpill  trickis.      The  original  entry  is  as  follows  : — 

"Item,  be  command  of  his  Majestie's  Precept,  to  Peter  Bramhill,  Frenche  pavier  ; 
as  the  said  Precept,  with  his  acquittance,  producet  upoun  compt,  proportis,  iijcxxxiij. 
li.,  vj.  §.,  viij.  a."  (L.333,  6s.  Sd.  !)  an  enormous  sum,  considering  the  value  of 
money  at  that  period. 

Another  still  more  remarkable  instance  has  been  preserved  in  BirreVs  Diary,  MS., 
Advocates'  Library,  where  an  English  mountebank  is  recorded  to  have  performed 

wonderful  feats  of  agility  and  daring  in  Edinburgh,  on  10th  July  1598 "Ane  man, 

sume  callit  him  a  juglar,  playit  sick  sowpill  trickis  upone  ane  tow,  {rope,)  quhilk  wcs 
fesnit  betwix  the  tope  of  St  Geillis'  Kirk  stipill  and  ane  stair  benethe  the  Croce,  callit 
Josias'  Cloise  head  ;  the  lyk  wes  neuir  sene  in  this  conti-ie,  as  he  raid  doune  the  tow 
and  playit  sa  many  pavies  on  it !"  Besides  the  gratuities  which  he  doubtlessly  re- 
ceived from  the  nobility,  gentry,  and  citizens,  the  King  ordered  him  a  handsome 
donation,  viz.  : — "Item,  be  his  Hienes'  speciall  command,  to  an  Inglis  sportour  that 
comedoun  upon  ane  tow  fra  the  cok  of  the  stepill  of  Edinburgh,  xx.  li."  (L.20.)  And, 
in  the  same  month,  (September  1598,)  another  payment  is  made,  perhaps,  to  the 
same  person  : — "  Item,  lykwayis  to  David  Weir,  (Vere  ?)  sportour,  be  command, 
vj.  \l,  xiij.  s  ,  iiij.  ft."     (L.6,  I3s.  4d.)  i  Stretched  rope-tackle. 


488  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1600. 

Even  then  was  Hendereone  ■  tryed  befor  us,  and  Gowrie's  pedagog, 
wha  haid  bein  butcd.2] 

At  that  Synod  hauldin  at  Dumfermling,  I,  being  Moderator,  cam 
from  it  to  the  King  at  Falkland,  and  schew3  his  Majestie  the  forme 
of  thauksgiffiiig  concludit.  And,  using  that  occasioun,  maid  humble 
sutt  for  my  colleg  Mr  Jhone  Dykes  ;  and,  God  moving  the  Kings 
hart,  obteined  libertie  to  him  to  glorifie  God  again,  in  the  exerceis 
of  his  ministerie  at  our  awin  Kirk. 

Bot,  being  freed  from  that  quhilk  was  na  small  exerceis  to  my 
mynd,  being  tlien  resolved  to  have  left  Commissionarie,  Court,  and 
all  that  course,  I  was  compelled  of  conscience  to  continow  with  a 
mair  heavie  and  greivus  fascherie,  labour,  and  pean,  bathe  of  mynd 
and  body,  for  that  Ministerie  of  Edinbruche  ;  for  twa  of  the  Breith- 
ring  being  all  commandit  af  the  town,  cam  to  my  hous,  and  urgit 
me  to  continow  in  my  Commissionarie  for  thair  cause.  The  King 
wald  have  bein  at  the  planting  of  Edinbruche  with  others.  I  schew 
him  that  could  nocht  be  till  the  present  Ministers  war  deposit  be  the 
Kirk,  or  be  his  Civill  Judicator  justlie  cut  af,  giff  sa  they  haid  de- 
servit,  for  na  honest  man  wald  tak  thair  roumes  ower  thair  heid  ; 
and  ccrtean  I  was  that  nan  of  the  twa  could  be  justlie  done  :  Sa 
that,  of  necessitie,  they  behoved  to  be  reposit  in  thair  awin  roumes,4 
or  the  places  to  veak;5  also  the  peiple  of  Edinbruche  tham  selves  was 
a  grait  helpe,  for  they  stud  honestlie  affected  to  thair  awin,  and  wald 
agric  to  nan  uther. 

The  meitting  of  the  Commissionars  from  all  Provinces  was  at 
Halyrudhous  in  October.  Ther  was  lang  reasoning  and  devysing 
anent  the  Ministerie  of  Edinbruche  ;  bot  do  what  the  King  could, 
they  could  nocht  gett  by  that  quhilk  I  haid  spoken.  Therfor,  the 
King  declaring  his  detcrminatioun  that  they  sould  never  come  in 
Edinbruche  againe,  and  the  Kirk  thinking  it  hard  that  that  mini- 
sterie soidd  veak,  it  was  thought  meit  that  the  cais  sould  bo  Bchawin 
to  the  Ministers  of  Edinbruche  tham  selves,  and  sic  giff  they  wald 

1  Andrew  Henderson.  2  Put  to  torture  in  the  boots.      See  Pitcairn's  Criminal 

Trials,  ii.  14G-23".      This  paragraph  is  noted  by  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  MS. 
3  Shew  d.  4  Reponed,  or  restored  to  their  own  situations,  •'•  Become  vacant. 


1601.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  489 

content  of  thair  awin  accord  to  yeild  to  transportatioun.  For  the 
qnhilk  purpose,  the  King  and  Breithring  convenit  directed  Mr 
Wilyeam  Scot,  Jhone  Carmichaell,  and  me,  to  shaw  this  mater  to 
the  Breithring  of  Edinhruche,  and  report  thair  answer.  And  when 
we  war  absent,  the  King  with  his  Commissionars,  and  the  Breith- 
ring ther  conveined,  in  what  form  I  can  nocht  tell,  nominate  i 
chuses  thrie  Bischopes,  Mr  David  Lindsay,  Bischope  of  Ros  ;  Mr 
Piter  Blakburn,  Bischope  of  Aberdein;  and  Mr  George  Gladsteanes, 
Bischope  of  Catnes,  apointing  tham  to  vott  for  the  Kirk  in  the  nixt 
Parliament  at  the  forfaulterie  of  the  Erl  of  Gowrey,  without  anie 
regard  had  to  the  Caveates  or  Conclusioun  of  the  last  Generall  As- 
semblie.  Wharof  Ave  knew  na  thing  till  that  Convention  was  di- 
missit. 

M.DC.I. 

Sa  that  mater  of  the  ministeric  of  Edinbruche  keipit  me  catching 
heir  and  ther  all  that  wintar,  with  grait  heavines  of  hart  for  the 
wrak  of  the  libertie  of  Chryst's  Kirk,  overthraw  of  the  Sion  of  his 
Jerusalem,  the  Kirk  of  Edinbruche,  and  banissing  from  his  native 
countrey  of  that  maist  notable,  upright,  and  halie  servant  of  Chryst, 
Mr  Robert  Bruce ;  till  in  the  spring  tyme,  at  the  begining  of 
Apryll,  it  pleasit  my  God,  in  fatherlie  cear  and  afFectioun,  to  de- 
lyver  me  from  these  publict  vexationnes,  be  leying  his  hand  on  my 
awin  persone,  and  visiting  me  with  peanes  and  perplexities,  of 
heavie  seiknes  of  body,  and  grait  conflictes  of  mynd,  quhilk  his 
Majestie's  guid  Sprit  and  myne  only  knawes,  and  sail  keipe  in  secret 
till  it  please  him  to  inspyre  ;  sa  that  these  exerceises  of  my  spreit 
may  be  publisched  to  his  glorie,  and  confort  of  sic  consciences  as 
militattes  under  the  standart  of  Chryst,  in  the  feghting-feilds  of 
this  erd  and  lyff.  My  seiknes,  with  the  manifald  schowres  of  the 
vexationnes  of  mynd,  continowed  yeirand  day  ;  bot  he  wha  uphalds 
and  confortes  the  contreit  and  humble,  did  uphald  and  confort  me, 
to  whom,  thairfor,  be  everlasting  praise. — Amen.1 

1  "  Memor — The  Conference  of  Brintyland,  in  the  monethe  of  Merche.  Item,  the 
Synod  of  St  Androis  against  the  Papists,  whar  Mr  Jhone  Hamilton  was  excommn- 
nicat :  Thairat  I  taucht  upon  the  Testament  of  Moses  concerning  Levi,  and  pennit 
Articles  and  Petitiones,  presented  tham  to  the  King  at  Halirudhous,  with  lytle  thanks 
nr  effect."     Margin  of  MS. 


490  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1601, 

In  the  tyme  of  my  seiknes,  the  Generall  Assemblie,  apointed  to 
be  hauldin  at  St  Androis,  was,  be  the  King's  proclamation  at  Mer- 
cat-crosses,  commandit  to  be  keipit  with  him  at  Brinteyland  in  the 
monethe  of  May.  To  the  quhilk,  whowbeit  seik  and  unable,  it  be- 
hoved me  to  wryt.  The  quhilk  Letter  the  King  tuk  out  of  the 
Moderator's  hand,  and  sufferit  it  nocht  to  be  read,  but  keipit  it  in 
his  awin  poutche,1  and  hes  it  leyed  upe,  as  I  am  informed,  amangs 
his  privie  wryttes  as  yit ;  for  what  purpose  tyme  will  declar.  The 
copie  wharof,  word  be  word,  I  thought  thairfor  guid  to  sett  down 
heir : 


"  TO  THE  GODLIE  FATHERS  AND  BREITHRING  CONVENIT  IN  THIS 
PRESENT  GENERALL  ASSEMBLIE  AT  BRINTYLAND,  MAY  1601, 
j[ames]  m[elvjll]  WISSETHE  GRACE,  MERCIE,  AND  PEACE  FROM 
GOD  THROW  JESUS  CHRYST,  WITH  THE  SPREIT  OF  FREDOME,  UP- 
RIGHTNES,  AND  FATHFULNES. 

"  Havinge  manie  wayes  a  calling  to  be  present  Avith  yow  at  this 
Assemblie,  (godlie  Fathers  and  deir  Breithring,)  and  steyit  onlie  be 
infirmitie  of  body,  efter  a  lang  and  soar  seiknes,  I  could  nocht  at 
least  bot  communicat  my  mynd  with  yow  schortlie  in  wryt.  And 
first,  as  concerning  his  Majestie  :  Sen  it  hes  pleasit  God  to  indew 
him  with  sic  a  rare  and  singular  grace,  as  to  resolve  to  bestow  him 
sclff,  his  stat,  and  all  that  God  hes  giffen  him  in  possessioun,  or 
tytle,  for  glorefeing  of  Chryst,  King  of  Kings,  in  the  meantenance 
of  his  Gospell  and  trew  Religioun  ;  and  now  to  put  hand  to  justice 
against  impietie,  wrang,  and  all  oppressioun,  to  kythe 2  in  effect  the 
trew  and  ernest  dispositioun  of  his  hart. 3  I  think  it  all  our  partes 
to  praise  God  uncessantlie  thairfor,  and  to  concur  and  joyne  with 
his  Majestie  in  our  calling  to  our  uttcrmaist,  namlie  in  steiring  upe 
and  moving  the  harts  of  his  peiple  to  his  reverence  and  obedience, 

'Pocket.  2  Manifest.  ■  "  Nota — The  King  haid  maid  grait  profession 

and  promises  anent  Relligioun,  understanding  that  the  Jesuit tes  in  England  war  his 
<'onjurit  enemies  ;  and  haid  latlie  execut  justice  upon  grait  personages  for  "|>- 
rcssioun   notabhe."     The  above  added  by  the  Author  on  the  margin  of  MS. 


i 


1601.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  491 

yea,  to  bestow  thair  lives  and  all  that  they  have  with  his  Hines  in 
that  cause,  and  in  all  his  Majestie's  effeares  that  may  serve  for  the 
weill  thairof.  And  trewlie  they  are  worthie  to  be  accursed,  and 
nocht  bruik  the  nam  of  Christian  nor  Scottes  men,  bot  esteimed 
enemies  to  God,  Relligioun,  and  his  Hines,  that  will  nocht  willing- 
lie  yield  heirunto,  as  Deborah  cryes,  <  Curse  Meros  !  sayeth  the 
angell  of  the  Lord,  Curse  !  because  they  cam  nocht  to  assist  the 
Lord  against  the  mightie.'  I  wald  wis,  thairfor,  for  this  effect,  as  in 
the  dayes  of  Asa  and  Joas,  kings  of  Juda,  namlie  according  to  the 
derectioun  of  guid  Jehoiada  the  priest,  that  solemne  Covenants  and 
Bands,  the  Word  of  God  and  prayer  going  befor,  Avar  maid  betwix 
God  and  the  King,  God  and  the  peiple,  and  betwix  the  King  and 
the  peiple,  beginning  in  this  present  Assemblie,  and  sa  going  to 
Provincialles,  Presbyteries,  and  throw  everie  Congregatioun  of  this 
land. 

"  Nixt,  as  concerning  the  Ministerie  of  Edinbruche,  I  hald  fast 
that  aggreiment  of  the  Breithring  conveinet  in  Brintyland  in  the 
monethe  of  Merche  last ;  and  wald  beseik !  the  Breithrino-  of  the 
Assemblie  till2  insist  with  his  Majestie,  with  the  reasonnes  set  down 
at  that  Conference,  and  sic  uther  as  God  will  furneise,  joyning 
prayer  to  God,  wha  lies  the  King's  hart  in  his  hand,  wherby  his 
Hines  might  be  brought  to  yeild  thairunto,  as  a  speciall  weill,  nocht 
onlie  of  the  Kirk,  but  of  his  Majestie's  esteat  and  effeares,  (gif  God 
hes  giffen  me  anie  eis  to  sie  anie  thing  in  tham.)  For  by  that,  that 
the  cheiff  blokhous3  of  the  Lord's  Jerusalem  in  this  land  can  nocht, 
in  my  judgment,  be  weill  fortefied  without  tham.  In  my  con- 
science, I  knaw  nocht  braver  trompettes  to  incurage,  move,  and  sett 
fordwart  the  peiple  to  his  Majestie's  obedience  and  assistance,  when 
occasioun  of  his  Majestie's  wechtiest  effears  may  crave  the  sam. 
And  trewlie,  when  I  pas  throw  the  formes  of  proceidings  with  my 
selfT  to  spy  out  what  may  befall  in  end,  I  can  nocht  sie  giff  it  be 
weill,  bot  it  wilbe  repossessioun ;  for  processes  wilbe  fund  hard ; 
transportatioun  mil  of  fascherie  and  inconvenients,  and  in  end  fect- 

1  Beseech.  -'  To.  3  Bulwark,  fortification,  defence. 


492  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAKY.  1601. 

les,1  wanting  contentment ;  thairfor  the  best  mon  be  repossessioun, 
wherunto  I  pray  God  his  Majestie's  hart  may  be  inclyned,  as  the 
haill  Breitheringes  ar,  I  am  sure. 

"  Bot  ther  is  heir  an  incident  (dcir  Breither)  of  graitter  import- 
ance nor  all  the  rest,  wheranent  I  mon  nocht  onlie  exhort  you,  bot, 
in  the  nam  of  Chryst,  charge  and  adjure  yow,  as  yie  will  answer  to 
Ilini  upon  your  fidelitie  in  his  service,  that  yie  endevour  to  redres 
it :  This  is,  that  interest  quhilk  Chryst  sustenit  be  that  act  and 
decreit  of  Counsall,  wherby  the  Ministers  of  Edinbruchc  ar  deposit 
from  pretching  in  anie  tyme  heirefter,  because  they  refusit  to  pretche 
and  gifF  thankes  as  was  enjoyned  to  tham  be  the  said  Counsall ;  the 
graittest  interest  that  ever  Chryst  sustenit  in  this  land,  for  gif  he 
hes  nocht  soil  powar  to  chuse,  call,  and  depose  his  awin  messingers 
and  ambassadours,  he  lies  na  powar  at  all.  His  Majestie  hes 
schawin  him  sehT,  in  my  heiring  divers  tyines,  willing  that  this 
sould  be  amendit ;  bot  I  feir  the  decreit  stands  in  the  buiks  with- 
out anie  not  thairupon.  Forgett  nocht  this,  bot  remember  it  as  the 
graittest  poinct  yie  have  to  do.  And  let  nocht,  I  humblie  beseik, 
his  Majestie  and  Counsall  be  miscontent  with  the  bringing  of  this 
in  heid,  for  the  honour  of  Chryst,  and  feir  of  his  just  wrathe  against 
sic  as  say,  Nolumus  lame  regnare  suj)ra  nos,  (Luc.  xix.  14.  27.)  con- 
stranes  me  ;  the  quhilk  I  wis  to  be  als  far  from  his  Hienes  and 
honourable  Counsall,  as  from  my  awin  hart  and  saull ;  bot  contra rie 
waves,  that  in  the  favour,  and  be  the  blessing  of  Chryst,  his  throne, 
as  the  throne  of  David,  may  be  established  and  florishe  as  the 
palme. 

"Now,  as  to  the  rest,  revise  your  Caveattes,  for  corruptioun 
creipes  fast  on,  and  is  corroborat  be  custom  ;  sight2  the conclusioun 
of  your  last  Asscmblie,  and  sie  gifF  maters  hes  proceidit  conform 
thairunto  or  nocht,  gifF  it  may  pleise  his  Majestie  to  permit  thir 
thinges  to  be  done  at  this  tyme,  (quhilk  indeid  ar  maist  necessar  to 
be  done,  utherwayes  it  is  nocht  possible  to  keipe  fra  corruptioun.) 
Fordar,  the  restraining  of  the  fridome  of  cur  General!  Assemblies 

Feckless,  wanting  might  or  strength.  I  xaniino,  narrowly  inspect. 


1601.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  493 

in  the  ordinal-  Conventionnes  thairof,  Avald  be  heavelie  compleanit 
upon  and  regratit  to  his  Majcstie  ;  for,  seing  we  have  full  powar 
and  expres  charge  of  Chryst,  the  onlie  King  of  his  Kirk,  to  meit 
and  convein  togidder  for  the  government  thairof,  and  hes  our  ordi- 
narie  Conventiones  annes  •  in  the  yeir  at  least,  and  ofter  pro  re  uata, 
appro ven  be  his  Majestie  in  his  lawes  and  actes  of  Parliament, 
(Pari.  1592,  Act  1,)  wharfor  sould  oui-  meittings  depend  on  licences, 
letters,  and  proclamationes,  namlie  whill  uther  esteattes,  as  of  Bar- 
rones  and  Brouches,  ar  permitted  to  use  ther  privilage  frelie  ?  Sail 
the  Kirk  of  Jesus  Chryst  be  les  regardit,  and  restranit  in  hir  fre- 
dome  and  privilage,  in  a  setlit  and  constitut  esteat,  imder  the  pro- 
tectioun  of  a  rare  Christian  Magistral  ?  God  forbid  ! 

"  Finalie,  my  deir  Breithring,  charitie  and  the  love  of  Chryst 
comands  me  to  mak  yow  warning  be  my  experience,  that  in  all  your 
speitches  yie  respect  the  trew  profit  of  the  Kirk,  and  of  his  Majes- 
tie's  esteat  joynit  thairwith,  and  nocht  present  pleasuring.  Now, 
the  trew  profit  is  that  quhilk  hes  the  warrand  in  the  Law  and  the 
Prophetes,  whowsoever  the  reasone  of  men  think  of  it.  We  sould 
be  the  mouthe  of  God  to  all.  His  law  sould  be  in  our  lippes,  and 
trew  Avisdome  in  our  mouthes.  Our  speitches  sould  be  the  speitches 
and  oracles  of  God.  And,  as  the  lawers  sayes,  It  is  scham  to  speak 
without  a  law  ;  mikle  mair,  say  Ave,  It  is  scham  befor  God  and  his 
angeles,  and  befor  the  Kirk  of  God,  to  the  dispensator  of  the  hea- 
vinlie  mysteries,  to  speak  Avithout  Scriptoure  and  warrand  of  the 
Word  of  God.  Tak  head  to  this,  uthenvayes,  when  God  beginnes 
to  tak  yoAV  asyde  and  racken  with  voav,  and  ley  on  his  hand,  as  I 
thank  his  fatherlie  aftectioun  he  hes  done  AAath  me,  yie  will  detest 
from  your  hart  the  facionnes  of  this  A\rarld  ;  the  AA'isdome  of  fleche 
and  bluid,  the  exemple  and  maner  of  doing  of  this  tymo  in  special]  ; 
yea,  yie  will  repent  and  rcAv 2  that  ever  yie  kneAV  or  folio Aved  tham. 

"  In  conclusioun,  I  ley  down  at  your  feit  my  Commissioun,  as 
the  pynnour3  does  his  burding  A\hen  he  is  OAArerleyed.4  It  hes  spendit 
that  AAfharon  my  numerous  familie  sould  have  bein  susteined;  it  hes 

1  Once.  a  Rue,  regret.  3  Carrier,  porter.  '  Over-loaded. 


4H-A  MB  JAMES  MELVELL'S  DIART.  1601. 

greivit  my  mynd  continualie,  and  now,  in  end,  it  lies  brought  me  in 
cxtream  danger  of  my  lyff;  wharfor  I  beseik  you  burding  me  na 
mair  with  it,  miles  yie  wald  have  my  skine.  Now,  the  Lord  Jesus, 
of  the  sam  love  that  moved  him  to  giffhis  lyfffor  his  Kirk,  govern 
and  keipe  the  sam  fra  the  pollutionnes  of  this  last  age  ;  and  mak  us, 
and  all  the  laborars  within  the  sam,  ever  myndfull  of  that  grait  day 
when  he  sail  com  and  call  us  to  a  compt  of  our  dispensatioun.  Amen. 
From  the  bed  of  my  infirmitie,  the  12  of  May,  1601." 

Whowbeit,  the  King  conceallit  this  Letter,  and  wald  nocht  suffer 
it  to  be  red,  yit  he  followit  the  advys  of  the  first  part  thairof,  and 
renewit  the  Covenant,  to  the  grait  confort  of  all  the  Kirk  at  that 
Assemblie,  and  ordeanit  the  sam  to  be  done  throwout  the  land. 
The  King  ther,  as  I  hard,  maid  a  confortable  confessioun  of  his 
sinnes  and  his  fathe  ;  and  promesit,  maist  weghtelie  and  solemnlie, 
to  abhor  all  Papistrie,  Idolatrie,  and  Superstitioun,  and  to  live  and 
die  in  the  trew  Relligioun  wherin  he  was  brought  upe,  and  whilk 
was  pretched  and  professit  within  his  realme  of  Scotland  presentlie  ; 
also  to  execut  justice,  and  do  all  dewties  of  a  godlie  and  Christian 
King,  better  then  ever  befor. 


A  MEMORIAL!,  EUCHAEISTIC  AND  EUCTIC,  EFTER  MY  SEIKNES, 
IN  THE  TEIR  1601. 

Amangs  the  milliones  of  Thy  mercies,  Lord, 
Wliilks  Thow  lies  heaped  on  me  all  my  dayes, 
This  benefit  of  freche1  I  mon2  record  e, 
To  steire  me  up  to  thankfulnes  alwayes. 

For  even  as  Nature  dytts,3  and  all  men  sayes, 
He  is  a  wratchc  unworthie  of  the  light, 
AYha  is  ingrat,  and  namlie  in  Thy  sight. 

1  Of  now.  *  Must.  'Dictates. 


1601.  MR    JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  I'.l") 

And  first,  for  to  recompt  my  cearfull  case  : 
I  was  about  the  tryall  of  my  lyf, 
The  quhilk,  as  I  may  justlie  say,  alase  ! 
I  fand  of  everie  sin  exceiding  ryf.1 

I  thank  Thy  grace,  with  battell,  greifF,  and  stryf, 
But  oftentyms  ouerwhelm'd,  ouercom,  and  win, 
Be  Sathan's  slight,  the  wicked  warld,  and  sin. 

For  whilk  I  fasted,  pray'd,  and  meditat 
Upon  the  Word  full  oft  and  ernestlie  : 
I  did  indure  the  chastisments  I  gat, 
And  used  my  self  in  godlie  companie. 

For  all  this,  fra  my  self  I  coidd  nocht  flie, 
But  fand  a  woundrouse  force  that  did  withstand, 
And  oftest  sin  to  have  the  upperhand. 

Then  said  I,  Lord,  I  sie  ther's  na  remead2 
For  to  put  end  to  this  offending  Thie, 
All  meanes  I  use  in  vean !    It's  onlie  dead3 
That  will  releive  me  of  this  miserie. 

Therfor,  O  !  Lord,  gif  Thow  may  pleased  bie, 
Cut  af 4  thir  sinfull  dayes  and  tak  me  hame ; 
Na  graitter  gift  nor5  this  I  can  acclame. 

Thus,  efter  praer,  I  panset6  a  whyle  on  deathe, 
And  thoucht  it  passing  sweit  to  think  upone, 
Till  I  perceaved  an  altering  in  my  breathe, 
With  schuddring  caidd  and  ganting ; 7  then  anone 

I  hasted  hame,  because  I  was  alone, 
And  cal'd  for  chamber,  fyre,  and  bead  fra  hand,8 
And  skarslie  now  upon  my  feit  might  stand. 


1  Very  plentiful.     2  Remedy.     3  Death.     *  Off.     •'  Than.       6  Thought,  pondered 
on.      Fr.  penser.  7  With  cold  shivering  and  yawning.  8  Bed,  immediately. 


^96  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  L601. 

I  went  to  bead,  and  on  my  bouk  atteans,1 

A  crewaU  fiver2  ther  upon  mc  seas' d, 

Wilk  brunt  upon  my  fleche,  my  bluid  and  beans  ;3 

That  I  supposed  now  it  haicl  Thie  pleas'd 

Of  all  my  troubles  me  for  till  have  eas'd, 
Be  sending  deathe,  the  messinger  of  grace, 
To  tak  mie  hame  unto  my  resting  place  ! 

This  message,  whill  I  gladlie  did  abyde, 
Concluding  with  my  self  assuredlie, 
Be  grait  incressing  searnes4  in  my  syde, 
In  my  conceat  it  was  a  pleurasie  ; 5 

And  sa  indeid  it  kythe6  at  last  to  bie, 
And  past  sum  critik  dayes  withoutin  cure  ; 
Whilk  maid  me  think  my  deathe  wes  fellon  sure.7 

I  thank  Thy  grace  a  houndreth  thowsand  syse,8 
I  was  resolv'd  and  hartlie  weill  content ; 
Yit,  lest  the  meanes  of  lyff  I  sould  dispyse, 
They  for  the  Doctor  and  Chirurgian  sent ; 
Thow  lukkcd  sa,9  they  cam  incontinent, 
And  cairfullie  on  mie  they  did  thair  cure, 
Bot  O  !  that  why  11  what  pcan  did  I  indure ! 

O  pean  !  the  ghen,10  the  torment,  and  the  rak, 
"YVhow  sear  ll  art  thoAv  to  sillie  flechc  and  bludc  ! 
Whow  vexes  thow  the  head,  the  hart  and  bak  ! 
But  pruff'thy  preass  can  nocht  be  understude.19 

Whila  on  thow  raisches  with  thy  schowrs  sa  rude, 
Ther  is  na  reste  in  bodie  nor  in  mynd, 
Nor  nought  can  please  the  pitifullie  pynd.13 

1  On  my  whole  frame  at  once.  2  Fever.  3  Bones.  4  Soreness, 

feeling  of  pain.       6  Fever  of  the  pleura.        ,!  Proved,  turned  out.        "  Very  certain. 
*  Times  fold.  9  Caused  it  so  to  befall.  10  The  rack  or  torture  ;  from  O.  Fr. 

Gehenne,  Lat.  Gehenna.        "  Sore,  painful.  '-  Without. experience,  thy  pressure 

cannot  be  understood.  13  Subjected  to  lingering  pain. 


1601.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  407 

I  thought  it  sweit  with  deirest  deathe  to  ludge, 
Yit  felt  the  passage  peanfull,  soure,  and  hard, 
I  wald  have  fean  bein  at  my  last  refuge, 
Bot  pean  and  searnes  stirring  me  debar'd. 

I  lyked  nocht  for  to  reteire  sa  nar'd,1 
Bot  all  men's  love  to  live  did  me  allure, 
And  murning  flock,  wherof  I  had  the  cure. 

For  frinds  and  flock  for  me  did  fast  and  pray, 
The  pyn'de,  the  weidow,  and  the  fatherles 
Did  cry  on  Thie,  and  sobbing  sear  did  say, 
"  Delyver,  Lord,  our  helper  from  distres  !" 

(Bot  I,  alas !  my  God,  unworthie  was, 
For  I  am  nought,  and  Thow  art  all  in  mie, 
To  whom  perteines  all  praise  rcternalie.) 

Thus  Thow  did  move  thair  hart,  and  hard  thair  praer, 
And  blest  the  meanes  was  used  to  mak  mie  heall  ;2 
My  seiknes  ceased  daylie  mair  and  mair, 
Till  now  all  force  of  fiver  clein  did  feall.3 
Bot  efter  in  my  hand  began  to  beall4 
A  crewall  catarh,  working  mikle  wa, 
Bathe  mynd  and  bodie  was  tormentit  sa. 

My  mynd  was  vex't  with  strange  imaginations, 
My  bodie  haill  tormented  was  with  pean, 
Whilk  did  aryse  of  sympathetic  passions, 
And  na  remead  in  man  did  now  remean. 

Then  I  on  Thie,  my  God,  to  call  was  fean, 
And  maid  my  prayer  in  sa  ern'st  a  ways 
As  I  hope  to  remember  all  my  days. 


To  memorie  I  cal'd  quhilk  I  had  taught, 
And  meditat  into  my  mynd  full  oft ; 


1  Narrowed,  straitened.  *  Whole.  a  All  symptoms  of  fever  abated 

4  Suppurate.      This  appears  to  have  been  an  inveterate  kind  of  boil  in  the  hand. 

2  I 


498  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1601. 

"  (God's  Word  beleive,  when  ever  it's  teatch'd  we  aught, 
Bot  then  it's  best,  when  it  is  deirest  coft ! • 

We  all  in  ease  ar  lothsome,  weak,  and  soft ; 
Bot  when  the  cross  maks  Heche  to  feill  the  neid, 
Then  is  the  Word  right  stedable  indeid  !") 

The  special!  poinct  was,  whow  the  Lord  susteins 
His  awin  in  tym  of  thair  maist  sharpe  tentations  ? 
Withe  pitie  grait,  and  mercie  he  tham  meins, 
Induring  thair  extremitie  and  passions. 

Syn,  efter  pruff  and  tryall  of  vexations, 
He  tham  releives,  and  gives  tham  rest  in  end, 
With  graitter  pleasure  nor  ever  they  war  pen'd. 

The  praer  was  ithe,2  the  practise  verie  hard, 
For  to  beleive  and  weat3  withe  patience, 
Sic  greivous  pean  tormented  me,  and  mard 
That  I  could  skarslie  keip  me  but4  offence, 

Till  neir  dispearing,  void  of  confidence, 
Thow  turn'd  Thy  face,  and  gave  a  pleasand  blink,2, 
Quhilk  pers't  my  hart,  and  deiplie  ther  did  sink. 

Me  thoucht  I  saw  Thyne  eis  with  mortal!  sight ; 

But  weill  I  wat  I  felt  th'  effect  indeid, 

For  wlia  had  said,  "  to  pass  an  uther  night 

Thow  sail  have  strainthe,"  I  wald  have  thought  they  leid.6 

And  yit  that  luik  began  atteans7  to  breid 
Sic  courage,  confort,  strynthe,  and  patience, 
As  I  have  ever  to  praise  Thyne  excellence. 

As  Sydrak,  Misak,"  and  Abednego, 
Ley  in  the  flaming  furnace  frie  of  harme, 


1  Bought.  a  Constant,  steady.      This  is  the  same  word  with  eident,  ithind, 

and ythan.  3  Wait.  4  Without.  5  Look,  glance.  'Lied. 

7  At  once.  *  Shadrach,  Meshech. 


1(501.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  499 

Sa  fullie  was  I  f'enc'd  against  my  fo ; 

That  thouche  as  fyre,  sa  birning  was  myn  arme, 

I  lut  it  ly,1  as  it  had  bein  bot  warme  ; 
And  full  sax  dayes  indurit  patientlie, 
Till  Thow  at  last  with  joy  releived  mie. 

Let  anie  judge  whow  grait  my  pean  could  bie  : 
When  fourtie  dayes  ar  fullie  past  and  spent. 
And  yit  the  mater  rinnes  aboundantlie 
Out  of  my  hand,  and  litle  does  relent ; 

All  praise  to  God  wha  mad  me  patient, 
Wha  weill  will  cure  this,  and  all  uther  wonde, 
That  I  for  ever  his  benefits  may  sounde! 

And,  to  confes  the  treuthe  unto  his  glore, 
I  find  ten  fauld  of  joy  and  pleasure  sweit; 
Mair  then  my  seiknes  and  my  pean  before, 
Bathe  in  my  bodie,  and  in  to  my  spreit. 

Lord,  put  in  mie  thouchts,  words  and  warks  that's  meit, 
To  be  a  lasting  sacrifice  to  Thie, 
Of  thankfulnes,  even  to  the  day  I  die ! 

Lord,  mak  this  lyff,  be  seiknes  sa  perseu'd, 
And  keep  by  Thie,  still  serve  unto  Thy  glore ; 
Lord,  mak  this  lyff,  that's  sa  be  Thie  reneue'd 
A  new  lyff,  for  to  praise  Thie  more  and  more ; 
Lord,  let  the  ritches  of  Thy  mercies  store, 
Thus  in  sic  plentie  powred  upon  mie, 
Be  to  Thy  praise  and  glore  reternalie  ! 

And  sen  from  hopped  herbrie2  I  mon3  now 
Lainche  furthe  again  into  the  stormie  sies ; 


f  suffered  it  to  lie.  *  From  (ho  wished-for  haven.  3  Must. 


500  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1602. 

I  humblie  pray  Thie,  Lord,  Thyne  eare  to  bow, 
And  grant  to  me  as  Thow  kens  best  agries, 

Me  to  preserve  in  all  difficulties : 
And  cause  mie  syne  aryve  in  to  that  port, 
Whar  Thy  redeimed  maks  ther  best  resort. 

Thy  frie  and  constant  Spreit,  O  Lord,  therefore, 
Foir  Jesus'  seak,  whom  Thou'rt  weill  content, 
Set  in  my  saull :  that  dewlie  till  adore 
Thie  God,  in  Chryst,  by  Him  I  may  be  bent, 

To  surlie  trust,  and  rightlie  to  repent 
To  rin  my  course,  and  ply  my  voyage  out, 
Till  I  be  saved  and  past  all  kynd  of  dout. 

And,  namlie,  sen  the  quarrell  of  Thy  Chryst, 
Within  this  Land,  requyrs  a  dewtie 
Of  doing,  suffring,  manie  turn  and  tryst, 
Myn  instant  saull  beseiks  uncessantlie, 

First,  what  Thow  will,  that  I  may  planlie  sie, 
Syn  to  be  stout,  withe  readie  upright  hart, 
Amangs  the  rest  to  play  an  honest  part ! 

FINIS. 


Merck,  1602. 

I. 

QUATORZAIN. 

Skakse  fra  my  right  syd  past  the  pitius  pean 
Of  pungent  Pleuresie,  when  Catarha 

Maist  curstlie  kyth  hir  force  to  have  me  slean, 
Syn  soone  cam  on  this  crewall  Colica. 


1602.  MK  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  501 

In  this  respect  amangs  tham  warst  of  a', 

Because  she  setles  sa  in  my  left  syd, 
That  moneths  ten  can  nocht  hir  weare  avva, 

Bot  stikand  still  she  stubbornlie  does  byd. 
And  namlie  when  I  think  I  may  confyd 

Sa  in  my  helthe,  that  I  may  do  my  turns, 
Sic  greivus  gripps  she  maks  me  till  abyd, 

Of  seiknes  seare,  that  all  wha  sies  me  murns. 

But,  Lord,  sen  they  ar  pledges  of  Thy  Love, 
Draw  me  be  tham  to  Chryst  in  heaven  above ! 


I. 

D1XAIN. 

Lykas  the  raging  tempests  in  the  sie 

Does  crose  the  course  of  merchants,  in  sic  sort 

That  they  ar  fean  to  yeild,  and  let  it  bie, 

And  cast  about,  and  seik  the  neirast  port : 

Sa  when  I'm  set  my  peiple  to  confort, 

And  for  my  saulles  ease  to  serve  my  God, 

This  crewall  Colic  gives  me  battell  mort, 

And  dings  me  dead  when  I  wald  be  abrod. 

But  sen  sic  stormes  ar  send  from  God  alone, 
Lord,  grant  contentment,  "  Let  thy  will  be  done  !" 

AMEN. 


END  OF  THE  DIARY. 


TRUE  NARRATIOUNE 


THE  DECLYNEMG  AIGE  OF  THE  KIRK 
OF  SCOTLAND. 


FROM  M.D.XCVI.   TO  M.DC.X. 


CONTINUATION 


MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY. 


A  TRUE  NARRATIOUNE 


DECLYNEING  AIGE  OF   THE  KIRK  OF  SCOTLAND. 


The  Church  Universale  is  likened  unto  a  birthfull  mother,  and 
the  Particular  Churche  unto  the  daughter  of  the  samyne ;  of  the 
quhilk  the  birth,  growth,  and  declyneing  is  the  matter  of  Ecclesias- 
tical! Histories.  Our  Kirke  of  Scotland  being  one  of  thaise,  and  I 
about  to  wrytt  the  Historie  thairof,  I  doe  most  humbly  besiche  God 
hir  Father,  and  Jesus  Chryst  hir  spouse,  the  onlie  wisdome  and  ve- 
rity, that  I  may  doe  the  same  wysely  and  truely ;  suppressing 
nothing  of  the  truth  that  is  materiall,  and  expressing  nothing  that 
sail  nocht  be  neidfull  for  His  glory,  and  the  good  and  true  informa- 
tioun  of  the  posteritie  :  Protesting  befoir  His  dreidfull  Majestie,  in 
all  submissioun,  humilitie,  and  sinceritie,  that  what  I  doe  is  from 
the  uprycht  intention  of  my  heart,  without  wavereing  to  the  rycht 
or  left  hand,  for  feir  or  favour  of  oney,  saife  Jesus  Christ  above  all ; 
quhose  caus  to  furder  or  advance  with  any  leies  quhatsumevir,  I 
doe  account  it  a  detestable  and  sacriligious  boldness  ! 

The  aige  of  The  Kirk  of  Scotland,  since  scho  wes  brought  out 
of  the  darkness  of  Paperie  to  the  Reformation  begun  in  Scotland,  the 


506  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L596. 

clear  light  of  the  Gospell,  has  been  now  sa  perfect  jubilee  of  sevin 
sevine'  yeares,  from  the  yeir  of  hir  Lord's  incarnation  1560,  unto 
this  present  year  1610. 2  The  infancie  quhairof  wes  admirable,  the 
growth  to  hir  full  perfectioun  was  incomparabill  in  any  kingdome ; 
and  so  this  doolfull  decay,  in  this  almaist  dying  aige,  most  pitifull 
and  most  lamentabill.  Her  infancie,  most  happie  in  almost  blessed 
tyme,  hath  been  most  excellentlie,  boith  for  truth  and  stylle,  com- 
mitted to  wrytt.  Her  perfectioun,  just  according  to  the  paterae 
Bchawin  by  God  to  the  Prophettis  and  Apostelles  upon  the  Mon- 
taines  of  Sinay  and  Sion  :  In  doctrine  and  discipline,  without  any 
mixture  from  Babylon,  or  that  city  sett  on  seven  hills, 3  or  from 
the  policie  of  man's  braine,  hath  bein,  for  sinceritie,  truth,  and 
libertie,  thaise  mony  yeires,  of  all  Kirks,  in  all  the  kingdoms  of 
Europe,  with  admiration  beholding  and  looking  upon ;  faire  as  the 
morneing,  cleir  as  the  mone,  pure  as  the  soone  in  the  eyes  of  hir 
freinds,  and  dreidfull  as  ane  armie  feghting4  under  ane  banner,  to 
all  hir  enhnies  !  And,  now,  necessitie  is  laid  upon  me,  with  sor- 
rowfull  heart  and  drouping  eyes,  to  sett  doun  the  declyneing  aige 
thereof, 5  which  took  the  sensibill  begining  at  that  Evill  Synod,  the 
sevintein  day  of  December,  in  the  yeir  of  our  Lord  1596 ;  and 
haith  continewit,  from  evill  to  worse,  unto  this  present  yeir,  1610  ; 
as  the  true  Narratioun  subsequent  sail  mak  manifest. 

M.D.XCVI. 

The  Kirk  of  Scotland  having  obteined  not  only  hir  Doctrine,  bot 
hir  Discipline  and  Goveraement,  confirmed,  ratified,  and  approven 
by  the  King's  Majestie  and  quholl  Estaites  of  the  realme ;  first,  se- 
veralie,  by  subscribing  and  sweireing  to  his  Majestie' s  Confessioune 
of  Faith  tuo  dy verse  tymes,  viz.,  in  the  yeir  1581,  and  in  the  yeir 

1  Seven  times  seven  years  complete.  2  "  This  History  writ  tin  in  1610." — 

Note  on  Margin  of  Advocates'  MS.   Rob.  III.,  2,  12.  3  Rome,  the  mystical  Ba- 

bylon. 4  "  Marching"  in  the  other  MSS.  5  "  Handles  only  the  Declining  State 
of  the  Church,  from  the  year  1596. "—Margin  of  Adv.  MS.     Rob.  III.,  2,  12. 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  507 

1590  ;  and  thairet'ter  by  the  Estates,  solemnelie  assembled  in  Par- 
liament, lialdin  in  Edinburgh  in  the  moneth  of  June  in  the  yeir 
1592  ;  and  by  the  frie  and  powerfull  walding  of  the  tuo-edgit  Eom- 
phaia, l  put  in  the  mouth  of  hir  Ministers,  and  force  of  the  bands  of 
discipline  joynccl  therwith ;  and,  namely,  in  hir  Generall  Assemblies 
and  Presbyteries,  scho  had  gotten  the  Apostate  Earles,  Huntlie, 
Angus,  and  Arroll, 2  with  the  heidis  of  that  Papiste  factioune  ex- 
pelled the  realme,  1594  ;  and  that  most  speciaUie,  for  that  forraine, 
unnaturall,  and  treasonabill  conspiracy  with  the  Spainyairds,  scho 
did  beginne,  with  true  thankfullnes ,  seriouslie  to  seike  God  and  the 
obedience  to  the  liaill  will  of  Christ,  hir  spouse,  according  to  the 
perfect  la  wis  and  ordinances  of  his  kingdome,  now  fully  establischit : 
And,  first,  at  the  Generall  Assembly  holdine  at  Edinburgh,  in  the 
moneth  of  Marche  1596,  scho  tryed  exactlie  hir  haill  memberes; 
searcheing  out  the  corruptioune  of  all  estaites,  ordoures,  and  offices  ; 
preisching  to  abolishe  and  wasch  them  away  by  the  fire  and  wattir 
of  the  blood 3  and  Spirit  of  God  ;  and,  for  that  effect,  had  the  doc- 
trine daylie  sounding  mychtilie,  with  humiliatioune,  fasting,  and 
prayer,  confessing  hir  sinnes,  and  calling  for  mercie  and  grace  to 
amend  ;  and  sua  reneweing  and  binding  upe  the  Covenant  maid  to 
God  in  Jesus  Christ.4 

The  Excercise  beginning  in  the  Generall  Assemblies  passeth  by 
directioune  thereoff  to  all  the  Provinciall  Presbyteries  and  particu- 
lar Sessiounes  and  Parodies  of  the  realme,  and  was  cairfullie  keip- 
ed  dureing  the  sommer  and  harvest  sessioune  thairefter,  to  the 
gryt  joy,  comfort,  and  edificatioune  of  all  such  as  feired  God  and 
loved  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  I  am  certaine,  by  the  experience 
found  in  my  selff  and  maney  others  present  in  thaise  meittinges, 
that  the  Assemblies  of  the  saintes  in  Scotland  wes  nevir  more  beauti- 
full  and  gloriouse  by  the  manifold  and  mightie  graces  of  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  sua  nevir  moir  acceptabill  to  the 

1  The  reading  of  this  passage  in  the  two  Advocates'  MSS.  is  as  follows  :  "  And  by 
the  free  and  powerfull  pleading  of  the  High  God."  2  Adv.  MSS.  incorrectly  read 
"  Atholl."     The  Earl  of  Errol  is  the  person  alluded  to.  3  Adv.  MSS.  "  Word." 

*  Ady.  MSS.     "  Maid  againe  with  God  and  Christ  Jesus." 


508  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1596. 

Lord  and  Heid,  and  profitabill  to  everie  one  of  hir  true  members, 
nor  wes  at  thaise  times  ;  as  the  deductioune  of  the  particular 
actiounes  extant  in  the  Buikes  and  stories  of  thaise  Assemblies  will 
testifie  to  the  posteritie. 

Thaise  indeavores  so  enraged  the  Papistes  and  politictes,1  that 
thei  searched  out  all  the  cellars  of  Acheron,  and  in  verie  deid  raised 
the  very  devill  for  the  disturbance  thairoff.  The  Papistes  proving 
that  thair  wes  na  being  for  him  in  Scotland,  iff  that  course  schould 
continue,  the  politictis,  feiring  their  craft  and  tread  schould  be  un- 
done, quhilk  is  to  use  indifferently  all  men  and  meines  to  effectuate 
their  proffectes,  and  set  thame  selffes  upe,  and  it  were  in  the  throne 
of  Christ  him  selff :  So,  in  the  monethe  of  Auguste  the  King  was 
movit  in  the  Counsell  at  Falkland  to  decerne  the  recaveing  haim 
the  excommunicated  and  forfalted  traitoures,  apostat  Earles,  then 
to  make  choise  of  eight  persounes,2  viz. :  Alexander  Seaton,  Prior  of 
Pluscarty,3  Walter  Stewart,  Prior  of  Blantyre,  Mr  John  Lindsay, 
Mr  Thomas  Hamiltone,  Mr  James  Elphinstone,  Mr  John  Skeene, 
Mr  David  Carnigy,  and  Mr  Peter  Young  of  Seton,  quhairof  the 
chieffe  were  much  suspected  of  Papistrie,  called  Octavians,  quho 
schould  have  the  chieffe  matters  and  effaires  of  the  Kingdome  haillie 
concrcdited 4  to  them ;  and  thairwithall  the  Countesse  of  Huntly, 
ane  professed  obstinat  Papist,  to  be  resident  at  the  Court,  and  haiff 
the  governement  of  the  Queine's  persoune,  or  cheife  attendance  and 
caire  upon  hir.     These  things  effectuat  in  the  moneth  of  October. 

The  Commissionaris  of  the  Generall  Assembly,  being  put  in  just 
feir,  wer  moved  to  meit  together  at  Edinburgh,  in  the  monethe  of 
October ;  quhair  they  resolved  to  abide  and  continue  till  they  had 
usit  all  meines  that  lay  in  them  for  preventing  of  so  dangerous  at- 
tempts to  the  Kirk,  and  estait  of  all  the  realme,  not  omitting  daylie 
to  deille  with  the  Kinges  Majestie  and  Counsell  annent  these  pro- 
ceedings, and  making  the  doctrine  from  pulpits  stranglie  to  sownd 


1  Politicians.  2  University  MS.  reads,  "  And  therfoir  called  '  The  Octa- 

viannes,'" — but  does  not  give  their  names.  8  Pluscardine.  4  Entrusted. 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  509 

against  thame,  that  no  privie  dealing  nor '  admonitioun  could  take 
place  for  staying  thairof. 

In  the  mean  tyme,  Mr  David  Blak,  a  faithfull  watchman  in  the 
ministerie  at  Sanct  Androes,  made  for  wameing  to  the  peiple,  in 
ane  sermone  of  his,  from  the  pulpit  at  St  Androes  ;  for  the  quhilk, 
without  any  complaint  of  him  maid  aither  to  the  Sessioune  or  Pres- 
byterie,  or  to  the  Commissionares  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  he  was 
summond  at  ane  certaine  day  to  compear  before  the  King  and 
Counselle,  at  Edinburgh,  quhair  the  Commissionares  of  the  Gene- 
rall Assemblie  being  sitting,  he  advysethe  with  him  self  and  tham 
quhat  to  doe ;  and  be  the  commoune  advyse,  and  consent,  and 
counsell  of  the  haill  Ministerie  that  conveined  with  the  said  Com- 
missionares, he  was  moved  to  give  in  a  Declynatour,  in  wryt,  sub- 
scrived  by  the  hands  of  all,  schawing,  by  maney  invincibill  reas- 
souns  out  of  the  Word  of  God,  that  the  King  and  Counsell  could 
not  be  Judges  to  the  Ministeris  of  God  their  doctrine  utterit  from 
pulpit,  in  prima  instantia.  A  coppie  of  the  quhilk  Declinature,  for 
the  mair  weght  and  strenth,  wes  with  all  dilligence  sent  by  the 
Commissionaris  of  the  Generall  Kirk  to  everie  Presbyterie  [and] 
through  every  Province  of  the  realme,  and  returnit  againe  to  them 
subscribed  by  the  hands  of  every  severall  Minister  in  Scotland ; 
with  humble  and  earnest  exhortatioun  to  his  Majestie's  Counsell 
to  use  the  ordour  prescryved  by  the  Word  of  God,  constitutiounes 
of  the  Kirk,  and  established  by  the  lawis  and  practise  of  the  realme. 
The  tennor  of  this  Declinature2  followis: 

1  "Dreiding  or."    University  MS.  i  This  very  important  paper  is  omitted 

in  both  of  the  MSS.  belonging  to  the  Advocates'  Library.  It  has,  however,  been 
preserved  in  the  University  MS.,  and  has  also  been  printed  in  Calderwood's  Hist, 
fol.  edit.,  pp.  353,  et  seq. 

It  may  be  remarked  here,  that  very  few  of  the  Original  Papers  have  been  preserved 
in  the  two  transcripts  belonging  to  the  Faculty  of  Advocates,  both  of  which  have 
been  very  carelessly  copied  ;  but  it  is  satisfactory,  that  by  a  collation  of  the  three 
MSS.  a  pretty  correct  text  has  now  been  adjusted. — Editor. 


51U  Til K  COM  I M    V.TION  O]  1596. 


THE  DECLYNATOUR  OF  THE  KING  AND  COUNSELLE  S  JUDGMENT  IN 
MATTERES  SPIRITUALL,  NAMELY,  PREICHING  OF  THE  WORD,  GIVIN 
IX  TO  THE  SAME,  ATT  HALIRUDHOUSE,  BE  MR  DAVID  BLAK, 
M  I  MSTER  AT  SALNCT  ANDROES,  IN  HIS  AWEST  NAME,  AND  IN  NAME 
OF  HIS  BRETHEREIN  OF  THE  MINISTRIE,  THE  AUGHTEIN  DAY  OF 
NOVEMBER  1596. 


Decretal.  Lib.  5,  cap.  5. 

Qxiod  latenter  aut  per   vim  vel  alias  illicite  introductum  est    nulla 
stabilitate  debet  persistcre. 


Calvinus  Farello. 

Expccti  sumus  quam  difficile  sit  eos  moderari  quce  viam  sapiential 
opinions  desipuunt  pariendo  tandem  eluctdbimur  interea  gemma- 
mus  ferentes  qua?  corrigere  non  licet. 

"  Unto  your  Majestie  and  Lordis  of  Secrete  Counsel],  in  all  reve- 
rence in  Christ,  humblie  meines,1 1  Mr  David  Blak,  Minister  of  the 
Evangel]  at  Sainct  Androis,  That  quhair  I  am  chargit  be  yoiu' 
Highncs'  Letteris  to  compeir  and  answer  for  certain  unrevereand, 
unfamous,  and  undecent  speiches,  alledgit  be  me  utterit  in  some  of 
my  sermones  maid  in  publict,  in  the  Kirk  of  St  Androis,  in  the 
monethe  of  October  last  bypast,  1596;  as  at  more  length  is  conteincd 
in  the  said  Letteris:  Quhairin,  albeit  the  conscience  of  my  innocen- 
cie  uphaldis  me  sufficientlie  againes  quhatsumever  calumnies  of  men, 
and  that  1  am  roadie,  by  the  assistance  and  grace  of  my  God,  to 
give  ane  Confessioune,  and  [stand]  to  the  defence  of  evei'ie  point  of 
the  treuthe  of  [my]  (Jod,  utterit  be  me  in  the  said  sermones,  aithcr 
in  the  opining  up  of  his  Word,  or  application  thairof.  befoil  vonr 
Majestie  or  Councel,  or  quhatsumevir  persoun  or  persounea  that 
upon  any  lawfull  cause  "will  craiffe  ane  account  of  that  houpe  that 

1  Complains. 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  511 

is  in  me,  in  quhatsumevir  place  or  nianer,  so  far  as  salbe  requisit 
for  cleiring  and  maintinanee  of  the  trenthe  and  of  my  ministerie, 
and  may  be  done  -without  the  prejudice  of  that  libertie  quhilk  the 
Lord  Jesus  lies  given  and  establischit  in  the  spirituall  Office-bear- 
reris  of  his  kingdom  :  Yet,  sieing  I  am  brought  at  this  time  to  stand 
befoir  your  Majestic  and  Counseil  [as  a  Judge]  set  to  cognosce  and 
decerne  upon  my  doctrine,  quhairthrow  my  answering  to  the  preten- 
dit  accnsatioune  might  import  with  the  manifest  prejudies  of  the 
liberties  of  the  Kirk,  and  acknowledgement  also  of  your  Majestie's 
jurisdictioun  in  matteres  that  ar  rneir  spirituall,  quha  mycht  move 
your  Majestie  to  attempt  further  in  the  spirituall  government  of 
the  House  off  God,  to  the  provocatioune  of  his  holie 1  displeasure 
againes  your  Majestie  ;  and  in  end,  athcr  a  plain  subverting  of  the 
said  Spirituall  Judicature,  or  at  least  a  confounding  thairof  with 
the  civil,  if  at  oney  time  prophain  and  ambitiouse  Magistrats  mycht 
by  such  dangerous  bcginninges  finde  the  hedge  brokine  [downe]  to 
mak  a  violent  irruptioune2  upon  the  Lord's  inheritance,  quhilk  the 
Lord  forbid  !  Thairfor,  I  am  movid  with3  all  humilitie  and  submis- 
sioune  of  mynd,  to  use  a  Declinatour  of  this  judgment,  at  the  least, 
in  prima  instantia  ;  quhilk  I  beseik  your  Majestie  earnestlie  to  con- 
sider of  and  accept.  According  to  justice  :  For  the  Reassounes 
following. 

"  First,  The  Lord  Jesus,  the  God  of  ordour,  not  of  confusion,  as 
apperis  evidently  in  all  the  Kirkes  of  his  Sainctis,  and  of  quhom  onhe 
I  haiff  [the  grace  of  my]  calling,  as  his  ambassadour,  albeit  moste  un- 
worthie  of  that  calling  and  honour  to  beir  his  Name  amonges  his 
saincts,  he  hes  given  me  his  Word,  and  no  law  or  traditioune  of  men, 
as  the  only  instructiounes  quhairby  I  schould  rewle  the  hail  ac- 
tiounes  of  my  calling,  preiching  of  the  \Yord,  adininistratioune  of  the 
Sacramcntes'1  thairof,  and  excerceise  of  Discipline;  and  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  commissioune  I  cannot  fall  in  the  reverence  of  any 
civil]  law  of  man;  but  in  sua  far  as  I  salbe  found  to"'  pas  the  com- 

1  Cald.  Hist.  "  Hote.'  -  Tniv.  MS.  "  Corruptioune."  3  Cald.  Hist. 

"  Constrained  us."  *  Cald.  Hist.   "  Seales."  &  Cald.  Hist.   "  Have 

.  passed." 


512  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1596. 

passe  of  my  instructiounes,  quliilk  can  not  be  judgit,  according  to 
the  order  estabilischit  by  that  God  of  ordour,  bot  be  his  prophetes, 
quhoise  lypcs  he  hcs  oppined,  and  appoynted  to  be  the  keipers  of 
his  heavenlie  wisdome,  and  to  quhilk  he  has  subjected  the  spiritis 
of  the  propheitis.  And  now,  sieing  it  is  the  preiching  of  the  Word 
quhairoff  I  am  accusit,  quhilk  is  a  principal!  poynt  of  my  calling, 
of  necessitie  it  must  be  that  the  propheitis  first  clcir2  quhither  I 
haiff  kcipit  the  boundis  of  my  directiounes  befoir  I  cum  to  be  judgit 
be  your  Majestic' s  power3  for  my  offence. 

"  Secondly,  Because  the  Libertie  of  the  Kirke  and  haill  Discipline 
thereof,  according  as  the  same  has  bein  and  is  presently  excerceised 
within  the  boundis  of  your  Majestie's  realme,  hes  bein  confirmed 
by  diverse  actis  of  parliament,  and  approved  by  the  Confessioune 
of  Faith,  be  the  subscriptiounnes  and  oathesof  your  Majestie,  your 
Majestie's  Estaites,  and  haill  bodie  of  the  contrie,  and  peceablie 
brooked  be  the  Office-beirares  of  the  Kirke  in  all  poyntes;  and 
namely,  in  the  foresaid  poynt  annent  the  Judicatorie  of  the  preich- 
ing of  the  Word,  in  prima  instaTitia  ;  as  the  practeis  of  diverse  lait 
exemples  evidentlie  will  schaw.  Thairfoir,  the  questioune  annent 
my  preiching  aught,  first,  according  to  the  groundis  and  practise 
foirsaid,  be  judgit  be  the  Ecclesiasticall  Senat,  as  the  competent 
Judge  thairof,  in  prima  instantia. 

"  In  respect  quhairoff,  and  for  diverse  other  weightie  causses  and 
consideratiounes,  namelie,  for  eschewing  the  gryt  and  dangerous 
inconveniences  that  myght  both  fall  out  to  the  Religioune  and  to 
your  Majestie's  awin  Estaite  by  the  appeirance  of  distractioune  of 
your  Majestie's  affection  from  the  Ministrie  and  good  cause  of  God 
in  their  hands,  to  the  greiff  of  your  Majestie's  best  subjectes,  and  to 
the  encouragment  of  the  adversaries,  boith  of  your  Majestie's  Estate 
and  Religioun.  Thairfoir,  I  most  humblie  bescche  your  Majestie, 
in  name  of  my  Breitherein  the  Commissionaris  of  the  Generall  As- 
semblie,  and  the  remanent  of  the  Breitherein  of  the  Ministerie,  quho, 
for  testifieing  of  thair  earnest  affectioune  and  allowance  of  the  pre- 

1  Cald.  Hist.  "Mustfirst  declair."        *  "  Of  your  Majestie's  lawes."  Cald.  Hist. 


1596.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  513 

misses,  lies  subscryved  thir  presents  with  their  handis,  that  your 
Majestic,  in  this  action,  would  manifest  your  earnest  cair  to  men- 
tein  that  libertie  quhilk  the  Church  of  Christ  within  the  countrie, 
for  the  confort  of  his  saintis,  with  so  gryt  blessing  enjoyed,  since 
the  Gospell  was  first  revealed  in  this  land,  wherethrough  the  god- 
lie  may  be  comforted,  the  adversaria  frustrated  of  their  expecta- 
tioune,  and  your  Majcstie  truly  honoured,  in  honouring  the  Lord 
Jesus." 

This  moved  the  King  and  Counsell  so,  that  by  oppin  proclama- 
tioune,  conteineing  a  most  scandalous  narratioune  against  the  Mini- 
sters of  the  Kirk  and  their  proceidinges,  the  Commissionaris  of  the 
Generall  Assemblie  wer  commandit  to  avoid *  the  toune,  and  goe 
home  to  thair  places,  within  aught  and  fourtie  houres.  The  quliilk 
commandement,  efter  they  had  directed  lettres  to  all  the  Presbyteries 
of  the  land  concerneing  thair  proceedinges,  and  the  cause  of  thair 
departour,  they  humbly  obeyed ;  the  coppie  of  the  charge  followes  : 

[charge  against  the  ministers,  &c] 

"  James,  be  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  Scotis,  To 

Messengers,  our  Shereffis  in  that  pairt,  conjunctlie  and  severallie, 
speciallie  constitut,  greiting:  Forsomeiklc  as  we,  with  consent  of  our 
thrie  estaitis  of  our  parliament,  in  the  yeire  of  God  1584,  undir- 
standing  that  gryt  inconvenience  and  harme  has  fallin  in  our  realme 
throw  the  wicked  and  licentious  privat  and  publict  speiches  of  un- 
true calumneis  of  diverse  his  subjects,  to  the  disdain  and  contempt 
of  our  Consell  and  proceidinges,  and  to  the  dishonour  of  us,  our  pa- 
ran  tis,  and  progenitouris,  and  cstaite  ;  stciring  upe  of  our  subjectes 
thairby  to  mislyking,  seditioune,  unquyetnes,  and  to  cast  off  all 
thair  due  obedience  to  us,  to  than*  awin  evident  perrell,  tinsell, 2  and 
distructioune,  we  alwayis  concurring  in  love  and  clemencic  towardis 

1  Retire  from.  2  Loss. 

2    K 


.Ml  rHE  CONTINUATION  OF  1596. 

our  subjectes,  and  maist  willing  to  seike  thair  saifetie  and  preser- 
vationne :  Thairfoir,  it  Aves  then  statuted  and  ordained  be  us  and 
our  estaites  of  parliament,  that  non  of  our  subjectes,  of  quhat.-uni- 
ever  functioune,  or  degrie  or  qualities,  in  tyme  comeing,  schould 
presume  nor  tak  upon  hand,  privatlie  or  publiclie,  in  sermones,  de- 
clamatiounes,  or  familiar  conferences,  to  utir  any  slanderous  speiches 
to  the  disdain,  contempt,  and  reproche  of  us,  our  Conseles  and  pro- 
ceidinges,  or  to  the  dishonour,  hurt,  and  prejudice  of  us,  our  parentes 
and  progenitouris,  to  meddell  with  the  effaires  of  us  and  our  estait, 
present,  bygaine,  or  to  come,  under  the  paines  conteined  in  our 
actes  of  parliament,  againes  the  mockers  and  tellers  of  lies  betuix 
us  and  our  subjectes,  quhilk  is  the  pain  of  death ;  certifieing  thame 
that  Bould  be  found  contraveineres  thairofF,  or  that  hehvs  sick  slan- 
derous speiches,  and  repeitis  not  the  same  with  dilligence,  the  same 
salbe  execute  againes  thame  with  all  rigor,  in  example  of  utheris ; 
as  in  the  aught  parliament  foirsaid,  1584  yeiris,  at  lenth  is  con- 
tained ;  in  the  quhilk  also,  be  ane  uther  act,  our  royall  power  above 
all  estaites,  boith  spiritual]  and  temporall,  wes  estabillischit ;  and 
thairfoir,  it  wes  ordained,  that  no  persoune,  functioune,  or  degi'ee, 
spirituall  or  temporall,  schould  declyne  our  judgment  in  any  materes 
ofseditioune  or  of  treassoune,  or  of  uthiris  ci vill  or  criminal!  eausses. 
or  in  any  contumelious,  seditious,  or  tressonable  speiches  uttired 
be  thame  in  pulpites  or  scoolis,  or  uthirwayes,  to  the  disdaine,  re- 
proch,  and  contemp  of  us,  our  Counsell  and  proceidinges,  undir  the 
pain  of  tressoune,  as  the  said  uther  act  at  mail  lenth  is  conteined : 
And  by  reassoune  the  said  wiekit  and  licentious  forme  of  speiches, 
publict  in  sermones  and  pulpites,  and  meddling  with  the  estait  day- 
lie  increasses,  be  impugninge  of  loveabill  actes  of  parliament,  Coun- 
sell, and  proclamatiounes  following  thairupoune,  with  our  loveabill 
decreitis  in  civill  materes  givin  with  advyse  of  our  Nobilitie  and 
Counsell,  royall  power  and  auetoritie,  in  all  civill  and  criminalle 
matteres  ofseditioune  and  treassoune,  being  brought  in  doubt  and 
qua?stiounc,  as  thought  we  wer  not  Judge  to  any  speiches,  of  quhat- 
Bumevii  qualitie,  utcrit  in  pulpit,  or  that  the  said  place  for  utiring 


1  596.  M  K  JAMES  MELVILL'S  T>I  V  R  V.  .".  1  .'. 

of  God's  Word,  in  truth  and  in  veritie,  Bchould  be  a  girthe  '  and  im- 
munitie  to  false,  seditious,  and  tressonabill  words,  and  a  caus  of  de- 
clyneing  of  our  Judgement  thairin  ;  as  also  the  samyn  is  most  ne- 
gligentlie  sufferit  be  the  auditouris  thairof ;  testifyeing  thairby,  in  a 
maner,  they  consent,  specialie  be  the  Magistrates  and  men  of  power 
to  quhom  the  executioune  of  all  guid  lawis,  and  maintenance  of  our 
auctoritie  properUe  perteines :  Thairfoir,  it  is  statute  and  ordained, 
that  ilk  Schereff,  Stewart,  Bailies  of  our  Eegalities,  Provest,  Baillies 
and  Counsellis  within  Burghes,  Nobill  men,  Barrounes,  and  Gentil 
men  of  power  to  landwart,  and  ilk  ane  of  thame,  conjunctlie  and 
severallie,  qidio  sail  be  present  auditores  and  hereres  of  any  sic  false 
and  seditious,  or  treasonabill  speiches  foirsaids,  respective,  and  sail 
not  apprehend,  keip,  and  detein  the  heireres  thairof,  quho  sail  suffir 
the  utirer  to  speik  publictlic  any  mair  within  the  bounds  and  juris- 
dictioune  foil-said  :  And  thatlettres  be  directed  be  us,  at  our  Advo- 
cates instance,  chairging  the  said  Bailies,  Stewartis,  &c,  ilk  ane  of 
thame  respective,  to  put  our  said  act  of  parliament,  and  this  our  pre- 
sent act,  to  dew  executioune,  undir  the  pain  foirsaidis,  within  aught 
and  fortie  houris  eftir  ilk  ane  of  thame  be  chargit  thairto,  undir 
the  paine  of  rebellioune  ;  and  if  they  failie,  to  denunce,  &c. :  And 
that  the  tryall  thairof  sail  come  in  maist  summarlie,  suspensioune, 
by  way  of  supplicatioune  and  chairge  to  ane  messinger,  to  summond 
the  said  Advocate  the  morne  efter  the  chairge  be  obteinit  be  the 
pairtie  chairgit,  and  to  be  desyeit  severallie  before  us  and  our  Coun- 
sell,  in  caice  the  pairtie  chargeit  deny  all  bygane  contraventioune, 
and  offir  to  find  cautioune  undir  gryte  sowmes,  in  caice  he  hahTbein 
found  to  haiff  contraveinit,  and  for  obedience  in  tyme  comeing  ; 
but 2  prejudice  alwayis  of  our  richt  and  power  to  seike  furder  paines, 
sike  as  paine  of  lyffe,  landis  and  guidis,  competent  to  us  againes 
the  not  reveillares  of  lyes,  seditioune,  and  treassoun,  according  to 
the  qualitie  of  the  said  speiches  respective,  quhilk  salbe  publictlie 
utterit,  and  not  stoppite  and  reveillit3  be  the  persounes  foirsaid, 
heireres  thairoff,  conforme  to  the  auld  loveabill  lawis  and  consuetud 

1  Sanctuarv.  2  Without.  3  Stoppod  and  revealed. 


516  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L596. 

of  our  real  me,  in  pursuite  ofseditiounes  and  treassounabill  persounes. 
Our  Will  is,  &c.  :  Mak  publicatioune  heiroff." 

The  second  Declinatoure  of  the  King  and  Counsales  Judicatour 
in  matteris  spirituall,  namely,  of  the  preiching  of  the  Word,  gevin 
to  the  samyne  att  Edinbruche,  the  30th  of  November,  by  Mr  David 
Blacke,  in  his  awin  name  and  of  the  haill  Ministerie,  quho  had 
everie  ane  in  their  awin  persounes  subscryved  the  formere.1 

The  next  sermone  day,  quhilk  was  the  17  day  of  December,  ad- 
vertisement comes  to  the  Breither  in  the  morneing,  that  about  ane 
hundreth  of  the  best  professouris  of  the  burgesses  of  the  towne  of 
Edinburgh  were  commandit  to  warde,  out  of  the  towne ;  [and  the 
favourers  of  the  Papist  Earles,  their  servants,  and  friends,  and 
olyents,  were  nocking  to  the  toune,  and  gathering  together  therein.2] 
The  Watchemen,3  as  duetie  required,  maid  wairneing,  and  after  the 
sermone  requeist  the  Nobill  men  [and  Gentlemen4]  that  wer  pre- 
sent, in  the  name  of  Christ,  to  meit  there  immediatly  in  the  West 
Kirk,5  thair  to  advyse  quhat  were  meittest  to  be  done  for  prevent- 
ing Popische  attempts.  The  haill  number  gathered  and  convenit 
thought  it  maist  fitt  that  a  guid  number  of  the  best  that  were  thair 
schould  be  directed  to  the  Kingis  Majestie  and  Counsell,  presently 
sitting  in  the  commoune  Judgment-place,  thair  to  complein  hum- 
blie  and  heavilie  of  the  discharging  of  the  Commissionaris  of  the 
Generall  Assemblie,  and  of  the  trubleing  of  so  mony  homiest  men 
without  a  causs,  and  of  the  libertie  and  freedome  granted  to  excom- 
municat  tratour  Papists. 

Traitors,  Avhill  as  these  wcr  attending  his  Majestic's  answer,  and 
the  rest  of  the  Nobill  men  and  Gentill  men  abyding  togider  in  the 
Kirk,  and  waiting  for  his  Majestie's  plcasoure,  out  comes  ane  with 
a  gryt  fray,  and  sayis,  "  The  Papistis  ar  in  armes  to  tak  the  towne, 
and  to  cutt  all  your  throattis  !"  Quhairat  the  Nobill  and  Gentill 

1  This  document  is  contained  in  the  Univ.  MS.,  but  omitted  in  the  others.  It  is 
to  be  found  in  Cald.  Hist,  folio  edition,  pp.  340-348.  *  Omitted  in  Univ.  MS. 

3  The  Ministers  of  Edinburgh  '  Note  in  Univ.  MS.  b  The  parish  Church  of 

St  Cathbert's,  without  the  walls  of  the  city.      Univ.  MS,  read-;,  "in  the  nixt  Kirk." 


1596.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  517 

men,  with  gryt  feir  and  haste,  arose.  The  tumult  raissit,  all  the 
townc  gois  to  amies,  and  coming  togidder  to  the  commone  streit 
and  mercat-place ;  but  within  les  space  nor  ane  houre  of  time,  by 
the  Ministers  of  Edinburgh  thair  travell,  runneing  amongis  thair 
awin  people,  and  forbiding  thame,  the  tumult  wes  stayit  without 
any  hurt  or  harme  to  any  man.  HisMajestie  by  all  wes  most  reve- 
rentlie  convoyit  from  the  place  of  Judgment  downe  to  the  Palace 
off  Halirudhouse ;  quhair,  at  aftirnoone,  the  Nobill  and  Gentill  men 
directed  to  complaine  were  attending  ane  answer,  by  ane  messenger 
sent  by  the  King  and  Counsell  wer  commandit  to  depart  forth  of 
the  towne,  and  to  goe  home,  within  so  many  houris,  to  thair  places, 
under  the  paine  of  tressoun.  The  tumult  is  declairit  to  be  sedi- 
tious and  treasonabill,  and  the  Ministers  of  Edinbruche  the  cheif 
autouris  thairofF ;  the  burgesses  of  the  towne,  the  committeres  and 
all  pairt-takeres  of  quhatsumevir  place  or  ranke,  guiltie. 

The  King  with  his  Counsell  makes  haist  from  of  Edinbruche  to 
Lynlythgow,  and  thairfra,  20  December  1596,  directs  chairges  to 
the  Proveist  and  Baillies  of  Edinbruche  to  apprehend  thair  four  (five) 
Ministeres,  [viz.,  Masters  Kobert  Bruce,  Walter  Balcanquall,  Wil- 
liam Watsone,  James  Balfour,  and  Michael  Cranstoune,1]  and  put 
thame  in  stronge  and  closse  prissoun  to  abyd  thair  try  alls.  The 
Ministers  after  advyse  with  the  chief  and  wysest  of  thair  flockes, 
thought  best  to  ceid 2  and  give  place  to  the  present  furie,  and  re- 
serve thame  selffis  alyve  to  a  better  tyme  ;  mainly  tendering  his 
Majestie's  estait,  leist  he  schould  be  seduced  by  wicked  men  and 
Counsell  to  doe  that  quhilk  too  lait  mycht  be  repented ;  and  sua, 
eftir  the  Apologie  sett  doune  in  wrytt,  they  withdrew  tham  selves 
secreitlie,  and  lurkit  by  the  space  of  half  ane  yeare.  The  tennor 
of  which  Appologie  followeth  : 3 

1  The  names  of  the  five  Ministers  of  Edinburgh  are  not  inserted  in  Univ.  MS. 
2  Adv.  MSS.  "  To  flie."  8  The  reader  is  here  referred  to  the  note  on  p.  522  of  this 
work. 


518  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1  S'j6. 


ANE  HUMBILL  SUPPLICATIOUNE  APOLOGICALL,  AM)  PAITHFDLL 
ADMONITIOUN,  TO  HIS  MAJESTIE  AND  COUNSELL,  GIVIX  AT 
illAT  SAME  TYMi;  BE  THE  COMISSIONERES  OF  THE  GENERAUL 
ASSEMBLIE,  IN  NAME  OF  THE  HAIL  KIBKE. 

"  Pleas  your  Majestie,  and  your  Lordschips  of  your  Majestie' s 
Councell :  For  alsmeikle  as  the  Generall  Assemblie  of  the  Kirk,  hal- 
dine  at  Edinbruche  in  the  moneth  of  Mairch  last  bypast,  consider- 
ing, that  the  iniquity  of  the  land  in  all  estaitis  wer  allredie  com  to 
the  fulnes  that  it  could  not  longer  suffer  a  delay  of  the  judgmentis 
threattnid  againes  the  contempt  of  this  aige ;  and  percevinge  the 
raige  of  Sataun  kendled  up  all  his  instrumentis,  alse  Weill  within 
the  contrie  as  without,  that  evin  then  it  appeirit  that  the  Lord  wes 
preparing  the  scourge  of  his  indignatioun  quhairwith  he  wald  straik 
undoutedhe  befoir  it  wer  longe ;  thairfoir,  thai  gaif  thair  commis- 
sioun  to  certaine  chosine  Breithreine,  quho,  upon  the  occasioune  of 
the  approching  of  the  angrie  continence  of  God,  mycht  assemble 
tlianie  selffes  togidder,  and  give  thair  attendance  upoune  the  Lord's 
working,  that  by  thair  fidelitie,  every  anc  of  tlianie,  in  thair  awin 
calling,  mycht  be  in  the  convenient  tyme  steirit  upe  unfainedlie  to 
turne  unto  God  for  preventing  of  his  wraith :  According  to  the 
quhilk,  being  heir  eonveinit,  and  finding  the  foirfaulted,  excommu- 
nicated Earles  to  be  returnit  and  remaineing  within  the  contray, 
and  to  strenghtene  thame  selves  dayly,  by  hnpunitie  and  ovirsycat, 
quhairthorowe  they  become  able  to  give  the  concurrance  to  the  for- 
raiue  enemie,  in  eaice  of  forraine  assault,  and  Ivkewvis  to  attempt  be 
thame  selves  and  thair  confederals  within  the  contray,  quhatsum- 
ever  purpose  mycht  be  prejudicial!  to  the  Kirke  of  God  and  your 
.Majestie's  estait,  quhilk  is  a  evident  argumenf  of  the  wraith  of  the 
Lord  to  be  at  hand,  and  moir  neir  alwyis  nor  it   is  apprehendit  be 
your  Majesties    We  can  nocht,  thairfoir,  bul  give  your  Majestie 
faithful]  adverteisment,  beseiking your  Majestie  to  give  heid  thairto 
without  all  preoccupied  mind  and  affectioune,  as  we  he  the  grace 
of  God,  in  sinceritie,  love,  and  bumilitie,  Ball  propone  the  samyne  to 


1590.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  519 

your  Majestic :  And  becaus  we,  our  Presbyteries  and  Ecclesiasti- 
call  Judgment-is,  ar  greviouslie  traduced  at  Tabillis,  Counsel,  and 
mercat-crosses  in  publict  proclamatiounes,  be  giveing  us  out  to  be 
unlawfully  occupyed  in  devyseing  and  setting  doune  of  formes, 
ruelis,  and  places,  altogidder  againest  the  law  of  God  and  man,  pre- 
judiciall  to  your  Majestie's  auctoritie  and  persounc,  to  presume 
proudly  to  mak  convocatiounes  and  tumultis,  to  intend  to  brek 
your  Majestie's  peace,  the  raiseing  of  truble,  seditiounes,  and  insur- 
rcotiounes,  confusioune,  discord,  and  uther  inconvenientis  in  your 
Majestie's  contrie ;  seiking  only  to  cullour  thair  doinges  under  fri- 
volus  pretences  and  comissiounes,  as  thought  we  war  nocht  your 
Majestie's  subjectis,  or  [your]  Majestie  hes  nocht  power  to  command 
us,  and  to  be  usurperes  of  auctoritie  ovir  our  awin  brethrein ;  to  be 
cairles  ovir  our  fiockis,  and  leafe  thame  comfortles  :  Quhilk  crymes, 
if  they  mycht  justlie  be  laid  to  our  chairge,  we  wcr  of  all  your  Ma- 
jestie's subjectis  [most]  unworthie  to  live,  lett  be  to  half  the  recon- 
siliatioune  to  the  world :  And  as  they  ar  publischit  againes  us,  sua 
calunmiouslie  thay  can  proceid  from  no  uther  fountane  then  from 
the  dregis  of  antichristiane  sinne,  and  can  tend  to  no  uther  end  bot 
to  the  disgrace  of  our  holie  ministerie,  that  thairefter  the  truth  it 
self  mycht  lykwvis  fall  into  discreidit,  and  then  ane  plaine  way 
mycht  be  laid  oppine  to  Papistrie  or  Atheisme,  quhilk  we  beseik 
your  Majestie  to  consider  and  tak  heid  wysely  in  tyme,  befoir  it 
com  to  a  kanker  that  can  not  be  cured.  For  this  cans  we  wer  com- 
pellit,  for  cleiring  of  our  ministrie,  and  purging  of  us  of  all  suspi- 
tioune  of  sick  unnaturall  affectiounes  and  offices  towardis  your  Ma- 
jestie and  the  estait  of  your  Majestie's  contray,  to  call  the  Gryt 
Judge,  that  knawis  the  secreitis  of  all  heartis,  and  sail  give  to  everie 
on  according  to  thair  secrcite  thoughte  thairof,  to  judge  betuix  us 
and  the  auctouris  of  all  thaise  callumnies  and  speiches,  befoir 
quhoise  tribunal]  Ave  protest  that  we  haif  allwavis  borne,  now  beiris, 
and  sail  beir,  God  willing,  to  our  lyffe's  end,  alse  loyall  affectioune 
to  your  Majestie  as  any  of  your  Majestie's  best  subjectis  within 
your  Majestie's  contrie,  of  qnhatsumevir  degric  or  ranke,  and  ac- 
cording to  our  powir  and  calling,  salbe,  in  the  grace  of  our  Gbd, 


520  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  l.V.Mi. 

als  readie  to  procuire  your  Majestie's  welfair,  peace,  and  advance- 
ment, as  ony  of  the  best  affectionat  quhatsumevir :  Lykas  we 
call  your  Majestie's  awin  heart  to  record  quhair  thay  haif  nocht 
found  it  in  effect,  sua  in  your  Majestie's  streatis;1  and  if  your  Ma- 
jestie  be  nocht  fully  perswadit  to  find  the  lyk  of  us  all,  if  it  sail  fall 
out  that  your  Majestic  haif  occasioune  in  your  difficulties  to  haif 
the  tryall  of  the  effcctioune  of  your  subjectis  againe,  and  quhatso- 
evir  we  haif  uttirit,  ather  in  our  doctrin  or  uther  actiounes  to  your 
Majestie,  it  lies  proceidit  from  a  zealous  affectioun  to  your  Majes- 
tie's welfair,  nix  to  the  honor  of  God,  above  all  thingis,  as  we  pro- 
test; chuiseing  rathir,  be  the  libertie  of  our  admonitiounes,  to 
hazard  our  selves  then  by  our  sylence  to  suffir  your  Majestie,  in 
the  wraith  and  judgment  of  God. 

"  In  respect  quhairof,  we  most  humblie  beseik  your  Majestie  so  to 
csteim  of  us  and  our  proceidinges  as  tending  allwyis,  in  gryt  sin- 
ceritie  of  our  heartis,  to  the  estabilisching  of  Eeligioune,  the  suretie 
of  your  Majestie's  estait  and  croun,  quhilk  we  acknawledge  to  be 
inseparabillie  conjoyned  thairwith,  to  the  commoune  peice  and  wel- 
fair of  your  Majestie's  haill  contrie,  as  the  Lord  knawes;  and  that 
your  Majestie  would  carnestlie  consider  quhat  may  be  the  inten- 
tiounc  and  end  of  such  as  haif  sua  subtilie  and  cautely a  drawin 
your  Majestie  to  exagitat  thir  thornie  questiounes,  and  unnecessar 
at  sic  tymes,  quhairin  every  appeirance  of  your  Majestie  and  Majes- 
tie's course  from  the  Ministrie  of  the  Gospell  and  Preichours  thairof, 
will  give  a  dipe  wound  in  your  Majestie's  subjectis,  and  anc  greit 
encouragment  to  the  adversaris,  quhairby  they  may  and  doutles 
wilbe  bold  to  attempt  the  hightest,  in  this  sua  greitt  advantage 
(pihilk  is  presented  to  us  upone  this  occasioune :  For  we  persuade 
our  selffes,  howsocvir  the  first  motioun  of  the  actiones  mycht  haifi'e 
proceidit  upon  anc  purpose  of  your  Majestie  to  haif  the  limitis  of 
the  Spiritual!  juiisdietioune  distinguischit  from  the  Civil,  yit  the 
Bamyne  is  intertenit  and  blawin  up  by  the  favouris  of  thame  that 
ar  and  sail  prove  the  grytcst  cnimies  that  eyther  your  Majestic  or 

1  Stmts,  difficulties.  "  Craftih  ;  from  Fr.  cautetter,  l"  deceive  it  cozen 


1596.  MK  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  521 

causs  of  God  can  haiff  in  this  contrie ;  thinking  heirby  to  engendir 
sik  a  mislyking  betuix  your  Majestie  and  the  Ministeris  as  sail  by 
tyme  tak  away  all  further  trust,  and  make  ane  divisioun  betuix  the 
irreconcilabill,  quhairby  your  Majestie  mycht  thinke  your  grytest 
friendis,  (quhilk  the  Lord  foirbid,  for  his  mercie's  saike  !)  as  lykwyis 
herby  to  mak  your  Majestie's  affectioune  towardis  the  foirfaultcd 
Earlis  manifested  to  the  hail  world ;  as  if  this  heat  on  your  Majes- 
tie's pairtc,  againes  the  Ministerie,  had  proceidit  upoun  occasioune  of 
the  Kirke  insisting  againes  the  said  Earlis,  quhilk,  out  of  all  ques- 
tioun,  is  thought  alredie,  and  wilbe  thought  mair  and  man,  if  your 
Majestic  insistes  further  in  tliis  forme.  And  further,  we  maist  hum- 
blie  beseik  your  Majestie,  sieing  thair  is  no  necessitie  at  this  tyme, 
nor  occasioun  offirid  upon  any  pairt,  to  insist  on  the  decisioun  of 
implicat  and  unprofitabill  questiounes  and  processis,  to  the  dever- 
sioun  of  your  Majestie's  intentioun  and  causses  from  againes  the 
adversaries  upon  the  Ministerie ;  albeit  yit,  be  subtill  craft  of  the 
favoureris  of  the  adversaris  of  your  Majestie's  quyetnes,  sum  absurd 
and  alhnost  impossibill  suppositiounes,  (quhilk  the  Lord  foirbid 
soidd  entir  in  the  heartis  of  his  Messingeris  !)  be  drawin  in  and  urgit 
importunatlie  at  this  tyme,  as  if  the  seortie l  and  priviledge  of  your 
Majestie's  crowne  [and]  auctoritie  royal  dependit  upon  the  present 
decisioun  thairof. 

"  That  thairfoir  it  wald  pleis  your  Majestie  to  remitt  the  deci- 
sioun thairoff  to  ane  lawfull  Assemblie,  that  mycht  discerne  thair- 
upone  according  to  the  "Word  of  God,  and  not  to  croach2  on  the 
limit  of  Jesus  Christ,  under  quhatsumevir  pretence,  and  to  bend  to 
your  Majestie's  actioune,  according  to  the  sycht  of  God,  according 
to  the  light  he  hes  givin  us  in  his  truth  ;  that  the  speciall  caus  of 
the  blissing  that  hes  remainit  and  remaines  upoun  your  Majestie 
and  contray,  since  your  Majestie's  coronatioune,  hes  bein  and  is  the 
libertie  quhilk  the  Gospell  hes  had  Avithin  your  realme,  and  of  your 
Majestie,  undir  quhatsumevir  culloure  allcdge  the  same,  dircctlic  or 
indirectlie,  the  wraithe  of  the  Lord  Jesus  salbe  kendlit  againes 

1  Surety,  stability.  -  Encroach. 


522  THE  CONTINUATION  Oh'  L596. 

your  Majestie  and  kiugdonie ;  [of J  quhilk  we  haif  forewairnit  yow,  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  :  That  your  Majestie's  and  Counsel's 
blood  ly  not  upoun  us,  chairge,  in  lykways,  your  Lordsehips  of  his 
Majestie's  Counsel  and  Nobilitie,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to 
give  his  Majestie  feir  and  faithfull  counsel ;  and  as  hithertill  to  the 
honour  of  God  and  your  Lordsehips'  just  paines,  ye  haif  keipit  your 
sehTes,  baith  in  counseling  and  actioun,  from  all  prejudice  of  the 
libertie  of  the  Gospel,  by  laying  ony  injunctiounes  of  the  Mini- 
sterie  thairof,  sua  your  Lordschipis  wald  at  this  tyme  wyisely  and 
godlilie  forsie  that  they  be  noeht  drawin  in  the  guiltines  of  sic  ane 
greit  sine  againes  the  throne  of  Christ,  by  the  craft  of  sic  as  lies 
bein  subtilie  sciking  the  thraldome  of  the  Gospell,  and  now  wald 
laye  the  guiltines  of  thair  malitious  devyces  on  your  Lordschipis  as 
auctoris  of  thea1  iniquities,  but  yit  be  your  advyce  and  credit,  at 
his  Majestie's  hand,  all  controversies  moved  thairanent  be  remitted 
to  a  frie  and  lawful!  Assemblie,  that  the  samyn  may  be  queitlie  reas- 
souned  and  concludit  with  greit  evidence  of  the  Word  of  God,  as 
becumes  in  a  matter  of  sua  greit  a  weight,  impairting  the  brawling 
of  Religioun  estabilishchit,  quhairin  Ave  assure  our  selftes  your  Lord- 
schipis sail  doe  exceptabill2  service  to  God,  and  profitabill  to  his 
Majestie  and  haill  contraye."3 

Incontinent  thairefter,  the  Ministeres  [Avere  also  charged  to  ap- 
pear before  the  King  and  Councill  the  23  of  October,  as  traitors, 
seditious,  and  convocaters  of  the  lcidges.  The  Ministeres]4  are 
denunced  rebclls  and  put  to  the  home,  and  so  are  the  specialle  citi- 


1  Those.              2  Acceptable.  3  This  important  document  is  contained  in  the 

Univ.  MS.  only.  It  is  followed  in  that  MS.  by  "  A  Declaratioun  of  the  Cotn- 
missiounaris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  [their]  Proceedings  annont  the  Petitioun 
proponit  be  thame  to  the  Kingis  Majestie,  for  ordour  taking  to  purge  the  land  of  ex- 
communicato idolaterus  Earlis,  and  contraversiu  fallin  out  be  occasioun  thairof;  directit 
be  the  saidis  Commissionaris  to  everic  Presbyterie."  That  paper  being  very  prolix, 
and  besides  being  contained  in  the  folio  Edition  of  Cald.  Hist.,  (pp.  359-363,)  and  will 
of  course  be  printed  for  the  Wodrow  Society  in  the  progress  of  that  work,  it  has  not 
been  deemed  advisable  to  reprint  it  here  also.  The  "  Declaratioun"  is  not  preserved 
in  either  of  the  Adv.  Lib,  MSS Editor,  '  Not  in  (Jniv   MS. 


15%.  mi;  james  melvill's  diary.  523 

zenes '  and  burgesses  of  the  towne  of  Edinburghe  ;  the  towne  is  de- 
pryved  of  hir  libertie,  namelie,  in  chuseing  off  Magistratis  and 
Ministeres,  saifF  only  sic  as  it  sould  please  the  King  to  put  in  over 
thame.  And  thus  was  the  Kirk  and  towne  of  Edinburghe,  the  very 
Sioun2  of  our  Jerusaleme,  overthraAvin  and  put  at  undir ! 

This  successe  ovir  the  toun  of  Edinburgh  emboldit  the  enemies 
so,  that  publisching  ane  Book  of  Questiounes,  quhairby  the  Disci- 
pline and  Governement  of  the  Kirke  wes  maid  dispautabill  and 
brought  in  clout ;  [whereas  the  custome  of  the  Kirk  wes  before,  in 
all  common  matters,  and  of  any  importance,  after  earnest  prayer 
and  searching  of  the  Scriptures,  evidence  of  doctrine,  power  of  ex- 
hortation, grave  reasoning,  and  long  time  taken  in  consultation,  and 
good  advysement,  to  conclude  and  determine  all  things,  by  the  uni- 
forme  consent  of  the  whole  Assemblie  conveened.3]  The  King  wrytis 
to  the  Presbyteries  severallie,  and  appoyntis  ane  Conventioune  of 
the  Ministerie  with  the  Estaites  of  the  realnie  to  be  in  Pearth,  in 
the  end  of  Februar,  thair  to  dispute  and  discyd  the  Questiounes. 
The  Ministerie  conveining,  they  were  in  gryt  perplexitie  and  dout- 
surae  anguisch  of  mynd,  for  the  best  saw  cleirly  that  the  owirthraw 
of  the  Discipline  and  Governement  of  the  Kirk  wes  sought,  and 
thairfoir  wald  noways  condiscend  to  mak  the  meitting  a  Generall 
Assemblie,  or  entir  in  reassouneing  of  the  Questiounes,  but  remitted 
all  to  the  ordinar  Generall  Assemblie  apoyntit  in  Apryl. 

The  wisest  perceaved  that  by  most  dangerous  and  pernitious 
counsel,  the  Kirk  and  King  wes  brought  to  be  most  aposit,  that  the 
safetie  of  ane  Avas  Avraike  and  undoeing  to  the  other ;  and,  thairfor, 
taking  pity  of  boith,  they  thought  meittest  sumquhat  to  mitigat  the 
King,  and  by  ane  pice  of  toleratioun  to  putt  off  ane  evill  tyme. 
The  gryt  number,  in  the  meine  tyme,  pairtlie  terriefied  by  threat- 
neings,  and  pairtlie  allured  with  faire  promisses  of  the  restoring 
of  the  Ministerie  of  Edinburghe,  and  making  all  things  goe  Weill, 
\  it  Aver  brought  to  inclyne  to  the  Court ;  for  thairwithall  gryt  bussi- 
nes,  paines,  and  polHcie  wer  usit  by  courteouris  to  rent  the  Mini- 

1  Adv.  MSS.,  "  Artificers.'  -  Adv.  MSS.,  '•Sim."  3  Notin  Univ.  MS. 


524  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  15i)6. 

steris  in  contraric  factiounes.  Many  of  the  best  witts  and  gil'tis, 
namely,  of  the  North  part  of  Scotland,  were  brought  to  the  King's 
presence,  and  kisses  of  his  handis  to  quhom  complaints  wer  maid 
of  the  undiscreit,  severe,  and  unreverend  usage,  pryd,  and  arrogat- 
ing of  the  hail  Discipline  of  the  Kirke  of  the  Sutherene  Ministeres, 
namelie,  of  the  towne  of  Edinburgh  and  St  Androis.  That  the 
Northland  Ministers  were  men  of  better  dispositioune  and  discre- 
tioun,  Avith  whom  his  Majestie  being  acquantit  and  haifeing  to  doe 
with,  sic  things  they  sould  sie  in  schort  tyme  that  all  matteres 
schould  be  composed  and  brought  to  a  guid  poynt,  and  so  fraughtit 
Avith  guid  hope  and  Court  holye  Avatter,  Aver  sent  out  to  deall  with 
the  multitud  that  Aves  of  purpose  thair  assemblit  and  conveined  out 
of  the  North  pairts,  in  favour  of  excommunicat  Papist  Earlis'  Articles, 
quho  sought  to  be  relaxit  and  restorit  againe  to  the  Kirke  :  So 
that,  in  the  end,  the  greater  pairt  overcame  the  best ;  and  eftir  four 
dayis  deliberatioun  and  contraverting  of  the  mater,  that  meitting 
wes  decernit  to  be  a  Generall  Assemblie  of  the  Kirk  ;  hoAvbeit  the 
last  Moderator  Aves  absent,  no  exhortatioun  maid  at  the  begining 
thairof ;  the  Clark  being  laitlie  deid,  no  neAv  [one]  Aves  chosine  ; 
no  new  Moderator  Aves  chosine  noAV  :  The  Assemblie  ordinar  Gene- 
rall Aves  to  be  keiped  in  Appryl.  They  intendit  lichtly  to  dispaut 
of  sume  off  the  Questiounes,  viz.,  in  disputation,  referring  the  rest 
to  the  next  Generall  Assemblie,  to  be  haldine  att  Dundie  in  the 
moneth  of  May c  nixt  folio Aving,  and  thairwithall  they  gaiffcommis- 
sioun  to  certaine  of  the  Ministeris  of  the  North  to  reccave *  the 
offers  and  takines  of  repentance  of  the  excommunicat  Earles,  and 
report  to  the  nixt  said  Assemblie.2 

1  Univ.  MS  ,  "  Heir."  2  There  is  a  note  in  Adv.  MSS.  :   "  That  which  fol- 

loweth  in  this  page  should  proceed  the  Assembly  of  Perth.  Here  should  also  be  in- 
sert The  Book  of  Questions,  and  Answers  given  in  thereunto." 

In  the  Univ.  MS.  there  followes  "  Ane  Appollogie  or  Dkclaratioune  off  the 
causses  that  moved  the  Ministers  of  Edinburgh  to  withdraw  thame  selfes  from  thair 
llockis  for  a  seasone,"  &c.  This  has  been  inserted  by  Mr  Ninian  Dunlop,  along  with 
"  The  Huik  of  Questiounes,"  in  the  Univ.  MS.,  but  they  have  already  been  printed 
in  a  former  part  of  this  work.      See  pp.  374-383,  and  pp.  390-403, 


1597.  MR  TAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  ,525 


M.D.XCVII. 

In  the  moneth  of  Februar  thairefter  following,  upon  the  twentie- 
four '  day  thairoff,  being  the  Saterday,  betwixt  nyne  and  ten  houris 
befoir  noone,  a  maist  fearfull  and  conspicuous  ecclipse  of  the  soun 
began,  qnliilk  continnit  the  space  of  tua  houris  ;  for  the  body  of  the 
moone  enterit  on  that  of  the  sonne.  Till  the  going  off  the  samyn,2  the 
haill  face  of  the  sonne  semit  to  be  coverit  and  darknet  about  halffane 
quarter  of  ane  houre,  so  that  non  could  sie  to  reid  on  a  buik  :  The 
starris  appeirit  in  the  firmament,  and  the  sea,  land,  air,  and  tries  sua 
still  strickin  deid,  as  it  war,  that  upon  thair  astonishment  the  faint- 
nes  of  heartis  of  men  and  womene,  foulis  and  beistis,  were  prostrat 
to  the  ground.  I  knew,  out  of  ephemerides  and  almanak,  the  day 
and  hour  of  it,  as  was  also,  by  the  natural]  philosophic,  the  causses. 
I  sett  my  selff  to  marke  the  proceidingis  of  it  in  a  basine  of  watter 
mixit  with  hike,  thinking  the  matter  but  commoune ;  but  yit  quhair 
it  com  to  the  extremitie  of  darknes,  and  I  my  selff  lossit  all  the 
sunne,  I  was  struckin  with  such  feir  and  astonischment,  that  I  had 
no  refuge  but  to  prostrat  on  my  kneis,  and  commend  my  selff  to 
God,  and  to  cry  for  mercie.  This  wes  thought  by  all  the  wyiss 
and  godlie  verie  prodigious  ;  so  that  in  pulpit  and  by  wrytting,  boith 
in  prose  and  verse,  admonitiounes  wer  given  to  the  Ministeres  to 
be  warr  that  the  changeabill  glistering  shaw  of  the  world  sould  not 
go  in  betwix  thame  and  Christe,  and  remove  the  lycht  of  his  coun- 
tenance from  his  Kirk. 

That  samin  yeir,  in  the  moneth  of  Julij,  thair  was  ane  earthquake 
quhilk  maid  all  the  North  pairtis  of  Scotland  to  Kintail,3  Ross. 
Cromarty,  Braidalbain,  evin  doun  to  Perth,  to  schaik ;  even  as  qtihen 
King  Uzzias4  usurpit  the  preisthood,  was  the  great  earthquake  in 
Judea5  mentioned  by  the  Prophets  Amos  and  Zacharias,  Amos  i. 
4 ;  Zech.  xiv.  5.  Likewayes,  in  the  yeir  proceeding,  a  most  mon- 
strous and  feirfull  birth  wes  brought  furth,  not  farr  from  the  Kingis 


1  Adv.  MS.  "25  day."  2  Adv.  MS.  "  Going  down  of  the  sun."  -1  Adv. 

MSS.  "  Kintyre."  4  Uzziah,  king  of  Judah.  5  Univ.  MS.  reads  "  Jordane." 


526  THE  CONTINUATION  Ol  1597. 

Pallace  in  Falkland,  in  Fyffe.  Quhat  thais  things,  and  such  like 
signes  in  the  hevins,  as  heirefter  in  thair  awin  place  salbe  inarkit. 
did  portend  and  threttin,  the  wyise  and  godlie  did  tak  guid  notice 
of,  and  weill  consider,  as  by  their  sermounes  and  monumentis  of 
their  verse  wes  maid  manifest. 

It  is  not  to  be  omitted,  that  the  Bretherine  conveinit  in  that 
meitting,  being  desyrit  be  the  King's  Comissionaris  sent  from  his 
Majestie  to  that  effect,  to  repair  to  the  place  quhair  his  Hines  and 
Estaitis  wer  presentlie  sitting,  to  confer  anent  the  Kingis  Ques- 
tiounis,  they,  at  his  Majestie's  desyr,  resorted  to  the  Counsel-hous, 
and  thair,  befoir  any  further  reasoneing,  efter  the  King  had  dis- 
coursit  on  sic  thingis  as  > .:er  propoundit,  they  protestit  in  maner  as 
eftir  folloAves  : 


[protestation  by  the  brethren  to  the  kino's  majesty.] 

"  Sir,  Forsuameikle  as  we  ar  com  heir  to  testifie  unto  your  Ma- 
jestic our  obedience,  to  heir  quhat  salbe  proponit  to  us  by  your 
Hines,  in  all  reverence  we  Protest  that  this  our  meitting  be  not 
esteimed  as  thought  we  maid  our  selff  ane  Assemblie  with  the 
Estaites,  or  yit  that  we  doc  submitt  ony  matter  Ecclesiastik  con- 
cerning Doctrin  and  Discipline  to  your  Judicatour  ;  but  eftir  we 
have  conferrit  and  reassonit  with  your  Majestie  concerning  the 
Articles  propoundit  be  your  Majestic  tons,  wc  must  returne  to  the 
ordinarie  place  of  our  Assemblies  to  reassoun,  vote  and  resolve,  in 
all  these  points,  according  to  the  Word  of  God  and  guid  conscience  : 
And  this  our  Protestatioun  we  maist  humblie  beseik  your  Majestie 
to  insert  it  in  your  Majesties  Buikis  of  Counsel],  for  the  eschewing 
of  inconvenientis  that  heirefter  may  arryse." 

And  this  Protestatioun  was  reiterat,  ratified,  and  contirmit  by 
his  Majestie  ;  and,  after  reasouneing  on  the  Articles,  the  Breithrein 
wer  demissit. 

The  General!  Assemblie  wes  holdin  at   Dundie,   the  moneth  of 


1597.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  .r)27 

May  following,  by  the  King's  Majestie,  with  great  frequencie1  of 
the  Ministrie  from  all  pairtis  ;  but,  namely,  from  the  North :  For 
now  the  politicians  and  freindis  of  the  excommunicat  and  forfaulted 
Earles  had  purchessit  and  dressit  to  tham  selves  a  gryt  number 
and  factioun  of  the  Ministrie  ;  and  the  King  had  maid,  for  his  pur- 
pose, many  of  the  wisest  and  best  esteimit  men,  quhilkkythed2  first 
in  chuseing  of  ane  to  be  the  Moderator  quha  wres  absent ;  and  nixt 
the  voitting  of  the  relaxatioune  of  the  apostate  Earles  from  the 
excommunicatioune ;  but  concludit  in  ane  pluralitie  of  voitis,  in  a 
led  maner ;  and  last,  in  appointing  Commissionaris,  quho  thairefter 
eallit  for  at  Court  for  everie  occasioun  usurpit  the  govemement  of 
the  haill  Kirk,  and  caried  all  thingis  efter  the  King's  plesoure  ;  for 
all  matters  become  then  to  be  first  placed  and  drest  in  Court,  and 
syne  effec+uat  and  concludit  by  purchessit  voitis  of  the  greitest  num- 
ber at  Assemblies  [and]  Conventions  ;  [quhairas  the  Kirk  and  cus- 
tome  thairoff  wes  befoir,  in  all  commoun  matteris  of  importance, 
eftir  earnest  prayer,  searching  the  Scriptnris,  evidence  of  doctrin 
and  powar  of  exhortatioun,  guid  reassouneing,  and  long  tyme  taking 
for  consultatioun  and  guid  advysment,  to  conelud  and  detennine  by 
the  uniforme  consent  of  the  haill  Assemblie.3]  Moirover,  in  that 
same  manner,  the  lawfulnes  off  the  Assemblie  at  Perth,  and  thinges 
done  thairin,  Aves  ratified,  and  summar  excommunicatioun  for  no- 
torious crymes,  the  feirefullest  censure  of  the  Kirk,  wes  suspendit, 
and  in  effect  broken  and  takin  away.  In  end,  it  is  not  to  be  omitted 
how  matters  following,  quhilk  that  Assemblie  wes  solemnlie  de- 
clairit  by  the  King  and  haill  number  thairanent,  the  oracle  declair- 
ing  and  ordaining,  that  no  Conventioune  of  Pastouris  sould  be  with- 
out his  Majestie's  knawledge  and  consent.  His  Majestie's  consent 
is  declarit  to  be  extended  to  all  and  quhatsomevor  forme,  either 
Generall  Assemblies,  or  specially  permittit  and  auctorised  be  his 
Majestie's  Hienes  lawes,  according  as  they  have  warrand  in  the 
Word  of  God,  as  being  the  maist  authorised  and  authentick  forme 
of  consent  that  any  King  can  haiffe. 

1  Was  well  frequented;  numerously  attended.  -  .Manifested  itself.  s  This 

passage  is  altogether  omitted  in  Adv.  MSS. 


528  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L59' 


THE  FORME  OF  THE  FIRST  GENERALL  COMMI8SIOUN. 

"The  whilk  clay,  the  16  of  May,  sess.  9,  in  the  presens  of  the 
haill  Assemblie,  the  King's  Majestie  being  personallie  present,  de- 
clairetl,  that  throw  the  schortnes  of  tyme  thair  wes  sindrie  matters  of 
weight  and  importance,  not  only  concerneing  particular  folkis,  bot 
quhilk  did  in  speciall  tuich  the  haill  estait  and  body  of  the  Kirk, 
quhilk  could  not  commodiouslie  be  intreatcd  and  concludit  in  this 
present  Assemblie,  as  namely,  tuiching  boith  the  planting  of  parti- 
cular Congregatiounes  and  of  the  haill  Kirk  within  the  realme, 
quhilk  as  yit,  thoroAV  default  of  homiest  intertaincment,  remaines 
unplantit,  and  is  destitute  of  the  comfort  of  the  Word:  And  anent 
solid  ordor  to  be  takin  anent  a  constant  and  perpetual!  provisioune 
for  the  sustentatioune  of  the  haill  Ministerie  within  the  realme,  to 
the  end  that  they  be  not,  as  in  tyme  bygoine,  to  attend  and  awayit 
on  the  Commissionaris  appoynted  for  modifieing  of  thair  stipend, 
and  so  be  forcit  to  be  absent  thame  selves  the  maist  pairt  of  the 
yeir  from  thair  flockis ;  to  the  gryt  disgrace  of  thair  callingis,  dis- 
harting  of  their  Congregatiounes,  and  discontentment  of  his  Majes- 
tie whois  cair  hes  evir  bein,  and  earnest  desyre  as  yit  is  continuit, 
that  every  Conoregatioun  haiff  a  particular  Pastour  honorabillie 
sustcinit,  for  the  better  waitting  on  of  his  cuir,  and  dischairging 
of  his  deutifull  office  in  the  samyn.  And,  thairfoir,  his  Majestie 
desyris  the  Brcithrein  to  consider  whether  it  were  expedient  that 
a  Generall  Commission  should  be  granted  to  certaine  of  the  most 
wyse  and  discreet  of  the  Breithren  to  conveen  with  his  Majestie  for 
effectuating  of  the  premisses.  The  which  his  Majestie'a  advyse  the 
Generall  Assembly  thinks  very  necessar  and  expedient ;  and,  there- 
fore, hes  given  and  granted,  likeas,  be  the  tenor  heirof,  they  give  and 
grant,  their  whole  power  and  Commission  to  the  Breithrein  under- 
wrytten,  viz.:  [Masters  Alexander  Douglas,  James  Nicolson,  George 
Gladstones,  Thomas  Buchanan,  Robert  Pont,  Robert  Rollock,  David 
Lindsay,  Patrick  Galloway,  John  Duncanson,  Patrick  Scharpe, 
John  Porterfield,  James  Melvine,  William  Couper,and  John  (lap- 


15i>7.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  529 

pertoun,1]  to  the  number  of  fourteen,  or  any  seven  of  thame,  to 
con  vein  with  his  Majestic  betuixt  the  day  of  thir  presents  and  the 
last  of  the  monethe  of  May  instant ;  with  power  to  thame  to  tak 
solid  order  annent  the  provisioun  of  Ministeres  to  the  townes  of 
Edinburghc,  Dundie,  and  Sanct  Androis,  his  Majestie's  and  the 
Prince's  Houses,  to  gifFe  thair  advyse  and  judgment  to  his  Majestie 
annent  the  planting  of  everie  particular  kirke  within  the  realme, 
to  mak  sic  Overtures  as  they  can  best  devyse,  touching  the  Con- 
stant Plott  [Plat ;]  and,  generally,  to  give  advyse  to  his  Majestie 
in  all  affaires  concerning  the  weill  of  the  Kirke,  and  intertainment 
of  peace  and  obedience  to  his  Majestie  within  the  realme  ;  with 
expresse  power  and  command  to  the  said  Commissioncres  to  pro- 
pone to  his  Majestie  the  Petitions  and  Greivances  alsweill  of  the 
Kirk  in  generall  as  of  everie  member  thairoff  in  particular,  as  salbe 
meined  unto  them,  ]>romitten.  de  rato" 

Ane  fair  and  honest  taill,  and  ane  specious  fair  schaw  !  But, 
alace !  heir  wes  the  deid-stroake 2  and  baine  of  the  Kirk,  ever 
since  the  Court  lies  gydit  hir !  And  so  mikle  as  scho  is  inclined 
to  the  warld,  so  far  declynit  scho  from  Christ ;  as  her  honours  in- 
creassit  hir  graces  diminisched  :  For  thais  Commissionaris  being 
exalted  so  high  as  to  haiff  accesse  to  the  King  quhen  he  pleasit, 
and  to  sitt  with  his  Majestie  in  Counsell,  began  soone  to  chaing 
thair  maneres  and  luik  doun  on  thair  breithrin.  They  reulit  as  they 
list ;  they  rent  the  Kirk  in  tuo  quhill  as3  the  maist  pairt  followit 
thame ;  and  the  best  stood  to  the  Kirk  hir  establischit  constitu- 
tioun,  with  the  King's  distresse,  reproch,  and  contempt  of  cour- 
tieres  ;  and,  finallie,  they  were  the  very  neidle  to  draw  in  the  Epis- 
copall  threid  ;  our  enemies  kytheit  againes  us  by  them  with  our 
awin  armour,  and  maid  us  with  our  awin  handis  to  pull  doun  our 
own  walls,  and  ressaive  in  that  fatall  Trojan  horsse. 

With  these  forces  and  armouris  of  the  Kirkis   awin   in  the 
monethe  of  July  following,  they  unbeset  that  uther  maine  fortres 

1  The  names  have  been  supplied  from  the  folio  edition  of  Culdcrwood's  Hist  pp. 
409,  410.  ■  Death-blow.  3  Till  at  length. 

2l 


530  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1598. 

of  hire,  quhilk  wos  the  Kirk  and  Universitie  of  Sanct  Andn  ; 
and  by  auctoritie  inair  nor  order  they  callit  the  haill  Presbyteries 
of  Sanct  Androis  befoir  the  King  at  Falkland,  and  retreated  and 
annnllit  anc  maist  just  sentence  deprivative  given  againes  ane  most 
nnworthie  Minister,  Mr  John  Ruthei-ford,  and  reponed  him  againe 
to  his  place  at  Killnchames  ;l  they  threw  out  the  tua  maist  pain- 
full2 Pastours  therof,  togider  with  the  Rector  of  the  Universitie, 
without  any  advyse  at  all ;  and  directlie  againes  the  consent  of  the 
Presbyterie,  appointit  ane  new  Minister  for  the  Kirk,  and  Rector 
for  the  Universitie,  with  sic  new  orders  and  lawis  as  they  thought 
maist  fitting  for  the  course,  namely,  that  no  Professor,  nor  power, 
nor  Master  of  the  Universitie,  nor  Doctor  of  Divinity,  sould  sit  in 
Presbyteries,  in  matters  of  Discipline,  quhilk  wes  of  purpose  to  cntt 
off  Mr  Andro  Melvin. 

In  the  winter  following  the  Parliament  wes  keipit,  quhairin  the 
Papist  apostate  Earlis  were  restoirit  to  thair  livings  and  honouris  ; 
at  the  quhilk  Parliament  thais  Commissioners,  without  any  advyse 
or  directioun  from  the  Generall  Assemblie,  put  up  ane  petitioun 
that  the  Ministers  of  the  Kirk  soidd  haiff  voit  in  Parliament. 
Quhairupoun  thair  wes  ane  act  passed,  that  suche  of  the  Ministerie 
as  would  become  Prclatis,  sic  as  they  wer  of  old  in  the  Papistical] 
Kirk,  sould  be  admitted  to  have  voit  in  Parliament ;  the  estaites  of 
Parliament  thinking,  indeed,  that  no  honnest  men  in  the  Ministrie 
wald  undirtake  such  ane  office,  againes  the  quhilk  the  forme  and 
tennor  of  thair  doctrine  had  so  longe  and  myehtilie  soundit. 

M.D.XCVIH. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  moneth  of  Marche  following,  the  Gene- 
ral] Assemblie  wes  keipit  at  Dundie,  verie  frequentlie, :i  and  with 
gryt  expectatioun  on  boith  the  sydes.  The  Commissioners,  on  the 
one  side,  houping  to  be  assisted  and  fortified  be  the  Kingis  Majes- 
tie,  and  be  all  nieinis  he  could  perswad,  terrific,  or  niak.  For  the 
two  (ir.-t  dayis,  thair  wes  nothing  done.  frae  airly  '  in  the  morneing 

1  Left  blank  in  Univ.  MS.  -'  Pains-taking,  conscientious.  '  Very 

numerously  attended.  '  From  early. 


1598.  MR  JAMES  MELTILL'S  DIARY.  .Mil 

till  late  at  night,  but  calling  for  this  and  that  Minister  to  the  Kingis 

Majestic  ;  and  deilling  with  thame,  that  they  mycht  be  his.  The 
Brethreine,  standing  for  the  establishit  constitiitioiinc  of  the  Kirkc, 
on  the  nthcr  side,  finding  many  Presbyteries  that  had  Grieves  and 
Complaints  against  the  Commissioneris,  in  honpe  to  finde  Godis 
concurrancc,  and  standing  for  the  caus  of  the  Kirke  ;  the  Politicianis 
and  Papistcs,  in  the  mein  tyme,  bussie  to  cggc  the  bargaine, l  think- 
ing to  take  thair  pastyme  in  beholding  the  battell  and  the  blawis  of 
thair  enimies  amongis  thame  selves,  [as  they  did  for  sum  dayis,  to 
the  gryt  hart-breke  of  the  godly.2]  But  the  King,  feiring  that  his 
purpose  in  setting  up  Bischoppis,  by  quhom  he  mycht  reull  the  Kirk 
at  his  plesoure,  sould  not  succeed  weill  that  way,  efter  a  few  dayes 
controversies,  composeit  all  matteres,  buried  the  Grieves,  forgaiff  the 
Ministeres  of  Edinburghe,  and  enterit  in  freindschippe  with  thame 
again.  Sua,  at  the  tenth  sessioun,  the  King  had  a  speiche,  declar- 
ing how  gryt  care  he  had  to  pacifie,  adome,  and  accommodat  the 
Kirk,  and  remove  all  controversies,  and  estaiblische  the  discipline, 
and  restoir  the  patrimonie  thairoff ;  and  farder,  in  effect,  it  wes  most 
needful]  that  the  Ministeres  should  have  voit  in  Parliament,  with- 
out the  quhilk,  they  could  not  be  vindicat  from  the  povertie  and 
contempe  under  the  quhilk  they  had  bein  lying  so  long.  He 
meinit  not  to  bring  in  neither  Angelicall  nor  Papisticall  Bischop- 
rickes,  but  only  the  best  and  wysest  of  thair  Ministeres,  apoyntit 
by  the  Generall  Assemblie,  sould  haiff  place  in  Counscll  and 
Parliament,  to  sitt  upoun  thair  awin  matteres,  and  sie  them  done, 
and  not  to  stand  alwayes  at  the  doore,  dispysit  like  poor  snppli- 
cantis,  and  not  regardit.  In  the  mein  tyme,  he  promisit  solcnmelie 
to  deill  with  the  taxmen  of  the  teinds,3  by  his  Hienes'  auctoritie, 
for  the  augmenting  of  the  stipendis  of  the  Ministeric  of  the  Kirkc, 
and  to  mak  a  law  to  compell  such  as  wer  not  willing  ;  for  the 
quhilk  caus,  everie  Minister  sould  doe  weill,  against  a  certain  day, 
to  give  in  to  his  Majestie's  Exchakers  and  Commissioneris  of  the 

1  Foster,  or  encourage  the  strife  or  quarrel.      The  Univ.  MS.  reads  "  ogill ;"   to 
spy  or  look  on  the  quarrel,  as  an  unconcerned  spectator.  2  Not  in  Adv.  MSS. 

3  Those  who  held  tacks  or  leases  of  the  tithes. 


532  TILE  CONTINUATION  01  1598. 

Kirk,  the  names  of  thair  takismen  and  estait  of  tliair  Kirk.  And 
because  sindrie  of  the  Britherine  desyrit  to  be  satisfied  of  his  Ma- 
jestie's  mynd,  by  his  awin  mouth,  towardis  certaine  of  the  ZSIini- 
steris,  and  in  speciall  towardis  the  Ministeris  of  Edinburghe,  anent 
quhatsoevir  the  thorteris '  and  accidentia  fallin  out,  thais  tua  yciris 
bygaine,  his  Majestic,  for  making  of  his  Majestie's  mynd  to  be  moir 
cleirlie  to  be  understood  by  the  haill  Britherine,  declaired  his  mynd 
to  be  contentit  and  satisfied  with  the  Ministeris  of  Edinburghe,  and 
that  his  Majestie  did  beir  no  grudge  nor  evill-will  to  any  of  thamo 
for  any  accidents  that  hes  fallin  out  in  ony  tyme  bygaine  ;  and 
that  the  samyne  sould  nevir  be  rememberit  by  his  Majestie  in  tyme 
coming,  but  that  his  Hienes  and  they  (quhilk  the  Ministeris  of 
Edinburche  willinglie  consentit)  sould  never  call  any  of  these  acci- 
dentis  fallen  out,  in  any  tyme  bygaine,  to  rememberance  ;  neither 
mak  mentioune  of  the  samyn,  in  privat  speiches  or  publict  sermones, 
in  any  tyme  herefter.  This  being  done,  and  the  heartes  of  many 
hereby  movite  and  conciliat,  the  Generall  Commissioune  avcs  renewit 
for  the  Constant  Piatt,  to  put  the  finall  end  and  conclusioun  to 
the  samine,  and  solemnelie  to  plant  every  particular  Kirk  within 
the  land :  Item,  to  plant  Ministers  in  burghs,  and  in  the  King  and 
Prince  their  Housses  ;  also  to  attend  upon  the  Parliament,  and  to 
give  thair  advyce  to  his  Majestie  for  avoyding  and  eschewing  any 
danger  or  inconvenient  quhilk  may  be  lykelie  to  fall  out  in  the  pre- 
judice of  the  Kirke ;  and  lykwyis,  in  caice  his  Majestie  sould  find 
him  self  grieved,  or  craive  redresse  of  ony  cnormitie  done  to  his 
Hienes  be  any  of  the  Ministerie,  with  power  to  him  and  the  saids 
Commissioners,  or  any  nyne  of  thame,  to  sitt  and  recognosce  upon 
the  samine,  and  suafurth. 

In  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  sessioune,  the  maine  purpose  vres 
handillit  and  concludit  as  followis : 

"Forsomuch  as  the  Commissioneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie, 
at  the  Parliament  haldin  in  the  moncth  of  December  hist  hypast, 
upon  ane  earnest  zeale  that  they  did  evir  beir  to  the  Weill  of  the 

1  Disagreements,  wranglings. 


1598.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  533 

Kirk,  had  givin  in  ccrtaine  Articles  to  the  Lordis  of  Parliament  con- 
oerneing  the  libertic  of  the  Kirke  ;  and  in  spcciall,  had  craivit  that 
the  Ministerie,  as  representing  the  trew  Kirk  of  God  within  this 
realme,  and  so  being  the  thrid  Estait  in  this  realnie,  micht  haiff  the 
voit  in  Parliament,  according  to  the  loveabill  actes  and  constitu- 
tiounes  maid  befoir  in  Parliament  in  favouris  of  the  freidome  of  the 
Holy  Kirk  and  hir  liberties  ;  quhilk,  their  travells  and  endeavoiris, 
proceiding  allwayis  upon  a  godly  intentioune,  they  submittit  pre- 
scntlie  to  the  censure  of  the  present  Assemblie ;  desyring  the 
Bretherin  to  allow  or  disallow  of  the  samyn,  as  they  sould  think 
most  expedient  for  the  glorie  of  God  and  estaibilisching  of  trew  Re- 
ligiounc  within  the  realme.  Quhairupon  the  Bretherine  being  ryplie 
advysed,  allowit  the  honnest  and  godlie  intentioune  of  the  Commis- 
sioneris  in  craiving  voitt  in  Parliament  for  the  Ministrie  :  And  forso- 
meikle  as  his  Majestie,  Avilling  to  uttir  the  guid  intentioune  that  he 
lies  allwayis  borne  to  the  estaiblishing  of  the  time  Kirk  of  God  within 
this  realme,  declaired  that,  for  the  bettir  performance  thairoff,  his 
Hienes  had  assistit  the  Commissioneris  of  the  last  Assemblie  in 
craifing  voit  in  Parliament,  in  name  of  the  Kirk  ;  quhilk  thair  suite, 
albeit  in  some  pairt,  and  as  it  wer  in  a  certaine  manner,  grantit  be 
the  Lords  in  the  Parliament,  yit  the  acceptatioune  thairoff,  the 
forme,  constitutiounes,  and  haill  of  the  persones,  wer  reservit  to  the 
Generall  Assemblie,  to  be  acceptit  or  refusit  as  the  Kirk  soidd  think 
expedient :  And  sieing  his  Majestie  had  anticipat  the  appoyntit 
tyme  of  the  Assemblie,  and  desyrit  the  Brethrine  to  convein  at 
this  present  tyme,  especiallie  for  the  caus  foirsaid,  thairfoir  his  Ma- 
jestie desyrit  that  the  Bretherine  wald  enter  in  a  speciall  consulta- 
tioune  of  the  haill  poynts  of  the  samin  act,  in  evcrie  particular  poynt 
thairof :  And,  first,  to  reassoun,  in  publict  audience  of  the  haill  As- 
semblie, Quhither  if  it  wer  lawfull  and  expedient  that  the  Ministerie, 
as  representing  undoubtitlie  the  Kirk  within  this  realme,  sonld 
haifF  voit  in  Parliament  or  not  ? 

"  The  said  qucstionc  being  at  very  gryt  lenth  reassonit  and  dc- 
baitcd  in  utramque  partem,  in  presens  of  the  haill  Bretherine,  and 
thaireftir  voited,the  Generall  Assemblie,  by  pluralitie  of  voitis,  findis 


534  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1598. 

and  concludis  that  that  is  most  necessare  and  expedient  for  the 
weill  of  the  Kirk,  that  the  Alinisterie,  as  the  thrid  Estait  of  this 
realme,  in  name  of  the  Kirke  half  voit  in  Parliament.  In  vcric 
[truth]  thair  wes  not  halffane  scoir  of  voitis  in  the  one  syd  moir 
nor  on  the  uther,  and  thais  wer  of  lvk  persounes  that  had  no  com- 
missioune. 

"  For  the  argument  of  the  distinctioune  betwixt  the  Kirk  and 
the  Commoun-Aveill  of  the  kingdome  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  thais  of 
this  world  being  so  cleirit  and  insistit  upon,  as  it  wes  carvit  all  that 
wes  not  preoccupy  it  nor  corrupted  in  judgment  eftcr  it.  Also  they 
clearly  schaw  that  it  wes  ane  foundatioune  to  build  up  the  humane 
Bischoprick  upon  quhilk  in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  as  plaine  Poprie 
was  uttcrlie  abollischit. 

"  Concemeing  the  number  of  them  that  soidd  hairf  voite  in  Par- 
liament, in  name  of  the  Kirk,  it  wes  lykewayis  concludit  and  thought 
upon,  that  it  wes  very  expedient  that  as  many  of  thame  sonld  be 
chosine  to  voitt  in  Parliament  as  wes  wont  of  old,  in  tyme  of  the 
Papisticall  Kirke,  to  be  Bischops,  Abbotis,  and  Prioris,  that  had  the 
lyk  libertie  to  voit  to  the  number  of  fiftie-one  orthairby.  Item,  eftir 
reassouning,  it  wes  voited  and  concludit  that  the  electioune  of  sic 
of  the  Ministerie  as  schould  voit  in  the  Parliament  aught  to  be  of 
a  mixit  qualitie,  and  appertein  pairtlie  to  his  Majestic  and  pairtlie 
to  the  Kirk.  And  beeaus  be  schortnes  of  tyme  of  the  Bretherine 
could  not  perfytelie  be  resolvit  in  the  remanent  heidis  and  circum- 
stances concerning  the  office  of  thame  that  schould  haiff  voit  in 
Parliament,  viz.,  de  modo  eliyendi ;  of  his  rent;  of  continuance  of 
his  office  ;  whither  he  sould  be  chosine  ad  pcenam  or  not ;  of  his 
name;  of  the  Cautiounes;  of  the  prcservatione  of  him  fraceorrup- 
tioune  and  sic  uther  circumstances  :  And  thairfor  the  Assemblie 
ordained  everic  Presbyterie  to  be  ryplie  and  thruchtlie  advysit  with 
the  particular  headis  above  written,  and  thairfoir  to  convocat  their 
Provincial!  Synodis  thorow  the  hail!  realme  upon  ane  day,  quhilk 
salbe  the  first  Tuysday  of  June  nixttocome  ;  and  thair,  eftir  new 
reassouneing  and  advysement  with  the  saids  particular  heidis  above 
writtin,  that   every  Provincial!  Assembly  chuse  out  thrie  of  the 


1598.  MK  JAMES  MKLVILL'S  DIARY. 


.>.,.) 


wyiseste  of  thair  number,  quho  salbe  ready  ou  his  Majestie's  ad- 
vysemcnt,  quhilk  salbe  on  ane  monetlies  warneing  at  the  leist,  to 
convein  with  his  Majestic,  togider  with  the  Doctoris  of  Divinitie 
and  of  the  Universitie,  sic  day  and  place  as  his  Majestic  sould  think 
expedient ;  with  power  to  thame  to  treat,  reassounc,  and  conferr 
upon  the  saidis  headis  and  utheris  pertaincing  thairto  ;  and  in  caice 
of  agreement  and  uniformitie  of  opiniounes,  to  voit  and  conclud  in 
the  haill  questioune  concerneing  voit  in  Parliament,  uthenvayis, 
in  cais  of  discrepance  and  variance,  to  refer  the  conclusioun  thairof 
to  the  nixt  Gencrall  Assemblie." 

Howbeit  I  lyk  not  to  name  any  in  particulare,  yit  the  truth  and 
substance  of  the  storie  requyreing  sua,  I  must  heir  mentioun  tuo  : 
First,  that  Mr  Andrew  Melvill,  howbeit  directit  in  Commissioun 
from  his  Presbiterie  to  this  Assembly,  yit  quhen  he  come  he  wes 
not  suffirit  to  byd  in  the  Assemblie  ;  bot,  by  auctoritie,  wes  first 
commandit  to  keiphis  ludgein,  and  syne  chairgit  to  goe  hame  to  his 
Colledge.  Nixt,  Mr  John  Davidsoune l  did  give  in  ane  Protesta- 
tioun  in  wryt  againes  the  samine  Assemblie  and  proceidingis  thairof, 
as  no  lawfull  and  frie  Assemblie,  according  to  the  Word  of  God, 
and  estaiblischit  ordour  within  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  and  such  whois 
proceidingis  tendit  to  the  subversioun  of  the  ordinance  of  Jesus 
Christ :  But  at  the  ryseing  of  that  Sessioune,  he  wes  fain  to  with- 
draw him  selff,  and  wes  thaireftir  confyned  and  wardit  within  his 
parochinc. 

The  next  Gencrall  Assemblie  wes  apoyntit  to  be  haldinc  at  Aber- 
deine  the  first  day  of  July  1599,  bot  be  the  King's  proclamatioun 
wes  tossed  too  and  fra  tymc  to  tyme,  and  place  to  place,  as  befoir, 
from  Stirling,  qnliair  the  first  Assemblie  at  Dundie  appoyntit  it  to 
be  haldcn  at  Dundie  againe,  preventing2  the  day  ;  so  from  Aberdien 
now  to  Montrose,  postponeing  the  tyme  ;  and  this  mainely  becaus 
matteris  wer  not  weill  dressit ;  but  cheitlie  to  the  intent  that  the 
King  mveht  tak  from  the  Kirk  liberty  of  conveineing,  (quhilk  had 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  Adamsone."  a  Anticipating.      Lat.  pra-venirc. 


536  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1599. 

injoyed  it  evir  since  the  beginning,  tuyse  a  yeir  to  eonveine,  and 
oftner  pro  re  ?iata,)  and  mak  it  absolutlie  in  his  pleasoure  and  power, 
and  not  else ;  that  as  by  the  actis  and  dealing  of  the  Assemblie 
ratified  at  Perth  at  the  first,  and  this  last  at  Dundie,  the  frie  preich- 
ing  of  the  Word  was  restrained,  and  summar  excommunicatioun 
suspendit ;  and  so,  the  Kirk  strypit  nakit  of  hir  chieffe  armoure  ; 
and  sua,  now,  scho  mycht  altogider  be  taine  and  led  captive,  by 
caussing  either  Generall  Assemblie  not  to  be  holden  at  all,,  or  then 
such  only  as  wes  dressit  to  prosecut  the  purpose  in  hand  in  over- 
throwing the  Estaiblischit  Estait  of  the  Kirk,  by  such  Conven- 
tiouns  as  sould  beir  the  name  of  a  Generall  Assemblie,  and  so  by 
hir  sehTto  kill1  and  undoe  hir  selff! 

M.D.XCIX. 

The  Provinciall  Assemblies  conveinit  the  first  day  of  Junij,  being 
Tuysday,  at  every  ane  quhairof  wer  present  Commissioneris  directit 
from  his  Majestie,  with  expres  chairge  to  travell  by  all  meines,  that 
sic  thrie  as  the  King  sould  lyke  sould  be  nominat  to  convein  with 
his  Majestie,  according  to  the  Commissioune  given  at  the  last  Gene- 
rall Assemblie,  the  quliilk  being  aincs  obteinit,  they  cairit  nothing 
for  the  resolvit  judgementis  of  Assemblies,  for  they  percevit  that 
in  the  Kingis  absence  everie  ane  of  the  Bretherine  cleirit  their 
mynde  friely  against  the  course.  Thaireftir,  diverse  meittingis,  at 
diverse  meittingis  and  places,  wer  keipit  with  his  Majestie  by  these 
that  wer  nominat  to  the  Synodis  and  Commissioneres  ;  as  namely, 
at  Falkland,  in  August  immediatlie  thaireftir  ;  at  Sainct  Androis  in 
Junij  ;  at  the  Halirudhous  in  October ;  and  of  diverse  Bretherine, 
the  speciall  of  boith  sydis,  convenit  with  his  Majestie's  Commis- 
sioner att  Bruntyland ;  quhairin,  not  finding  the  successe  as  they 
wald,  the  Assemblie  wes  prorogat  to  be  keiped  at  Montrose,  in 
Merche  1600. 

Adv.  MSS.  "Unkirk." 


1600.  MR   JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  .     537 


M.DC. 

The  Generall  Assembly  conveening  at  Montrose,  the  King  left 
all  utheris  cffaires,  and  attended  hailie  thairupon,  so  that  there  was 
neither  Sessioune  nor  Privie  Conferrence  without  his  presence.  It 
wes  thought  guid,  first,  that  thair  sould  be  four  choisine  out  of 
either  syid,  to  advyse,  reassoune,  and  compose  matters  in  privatt ; 
but  the  King,  being  informit  by  ane  of  that  number  that  it  wes  to 
losse  rather  nor  gaine  thairby,  callit,  urgit,  and  reassounit  to  be  be- 
fore himself  and  the  Privie  Conference.  So  the  Questiouns  reas- 
sounit at  gxyt  lenth,  Quhither  the  voit  in  Parliament,  as  it  wes 
offirit  to  the  Kirk  in  the  statut  last  maid  thairannent,  sould  be  ac- 
ceptit  or  not  ?  The  Bretherine  quho  stood  for  the  estaiblischit  Dis- 
cipline brought  forth  many  Reassounes,  concluding  directly  that  it 
wes  againes  the  Word  of  God,  and  thairfor  could  not  be  acceptit 
off.     The  Reassounes  and  Answers  given  at  that  time  followes. 

When  matteris  succeidit  not  as  they  lookit,  in  that  plaine  deill- 
ing,  they  went  on  to  work  under  cover,  peice  and  peice,  as  they 
mycht ;  and  first,  to  conclud  and  ratifie  in  the  present  Assembly 
the  thinges  agreit  upoun  by  the  Commissiouneris  of  the  Provin- 
cial! Synods ;  and,  thaireftir,  to  assay  ane  maine  poynt  of  it,  giff 
it  mycht  be  gottin  through  in  the  present  Assemblie,  quhilk  wes 
the  continowance  of  the  Commissioune  to  voit  in  Parliament,  in 
the  persounes  of  sume  ones,  nominat  ad  vitam  aid  culpam ;  the  quhilk 
if  they  mycht  once  gaine,  thair  purpose  wes  near  a  poynt ;  bot  the 
matter  was  sone  taine  up,  and  ressouned  and  discoursit  upone  by 
mony  guid  bretherine,  that  the  voyce  of  the  Assembly  wente  and 
concludit  that  they  sould  be  chosine  annuatim.  Quhilk  conclusione 
the  King  and  the  Clerk  adding  thairto,  drew  alse  ncir  thair  purpose 
as  they  could ;  so  all  this  proceiding  past  forth,  as  followis : 


538  THE  CONTINUATION  OP  L600. 

[CONCLUSIONS  OF  THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY   AT  MONTROSE,   AS  TO 
MINISTERS  VOTING  IN  PARLIAMENT.] 

Sessio  6. 

"  The  Commissioneris  of  the  last  Generall  Assembly,  conveinit 
at  Falkland,  in  the  moneth  of  July  1598,  to  decyde  the  questioun 
anent  the  Voitis  in  Parliament,  &c,  being  ryplie  and  throwely  ad- 
vysit  with  the  heidis  following,  gaive  thair  advyce  and  conclusioune 
as  followis ;  the  samin,  in  effect,  quhilk  wcs  sett  doune  and  read  in 
the  Assembly  at  Dundie,  and  remitted  to  farder  advysment,  con- 
cerneing  the  maner  of  choysing  of  him  that  should  haiff  voit  in  Par- 
liament, in  name  of  the  Kirk :  It  is  condescendit  upon,  that  first, 
he  salbe  recommendit  from  the  Kirk  to  his  Majestic ;  and  that  the 
Kirk  sail  nominat  sex  for  every  place  that  lies  neid  to  be  filled  up, 
off  quhom  his  Majestie  sail  chuse  ane  of  quhom  he  best  lykis ;  and 
his  Majestie  promises,  oblisses,  and  bindis  him  selff  to  choyse  none 
utherbut  ane  of  that  number;  and  in  cais  his  Majestie  refuisses  tlic 
haill,  upon  ane  just  caus  of  insufficiencie  of  thame,  and  gryter  suffi- 
ciencie  in  uthers  that  are  not  recommendit,  the  Kirk  sail  mak  ane 
new  recommendatioune  of  men  according  to  the  first  number,  of 
the  quhilk  ane  by  his  Majestie  salbe  choisiue  without  any  farder 
refuisall  or  new  nominatioune ;  and  he  that  salbe  chosine  be  his 
Majestie  salbe  admitted  by  the  Synodis. 

"  Secundlie,  It  is  concludit  that  the  Generall  Asscmblie  sail  haiff* 
the  nominatioune  or  recommendatioune  of  him  that  in  name  of  the 
Kirk  sail  haiff  voit  in  Parliament,  quho  sail  tak  the  advyce  of  the 
Synods  and  Presbyteries  thairancnt,  direct  from  thame  in  wryt ; 
and  the  Synod  sail  haiff  leiff  to  nominat  alse  Weill  within  the  Pro- 
vince as  without,  provyding  that  iff  thair  be  ane  man  within  the 
Province  meit  for  that  place,  cceteris  paribus,  he  be  preferrit  to  ane 
uther. 

"  Thridly,  Anent  his  rent,   It  is  advvsit,  with  ane  consent,  that 
the  Kirk  being  planted  suffieicntlie,  the  Colledges  and  Sehoolis  al- 


1600.  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  539 

redy  erectit  not  prejudgit,  that  the  King  sail  provyde  him  to  all 
the  rest  that  may  be  obtainit  of  that  benefice  quhairto  he  is  pre- 
ferrit. 

"  As  to  the  Cantiouncs  to  keip  him  from  comiptioun  that   Ball 
haiff  voit  in  Parliament,  they  be  these  following  : 


THE  CAUTIOUNES. 

"  1.  That  he  presume  not  at  any  tyme  to  propone  to  Parliament, 
Counsell,  or  Convcntioun,  any  thing  in  name  of  the  Kirke,  without 
exprcsse  warrand  and  dircctioun  of  the  Kirke  ;  and  sic  thingis  as  he 
sail  ansuer  to  be  for  the  weill  of  the  Kirke,  undir  paine  of  deposi- 
tioun  from  his  office :  Neither  sail  he  keip  sylence,  in  any  of  the 
saidis  Conventionnes,  in  ony  thing  that  may  be  prejudiciall  to  the 
weill  and  libertie  of  the  Kirk,  under  the  said  paine. 

"  2.  He  sail  be  bund  at  everie  Generall  Assemblie  to  give  a  compt 
anent  the  dischairge  of  his  Commissioun  since  the  Assemblie  goe- 
ing  befoire,  and  shall  submitt  himsehT  to  the  censure,  and  stand  at 
thair  determinatioune  without  appellatioune ;  and  sail  seike  and  ob- 
tein  ratificatioune  of  his  doinges  at  the  said  Assemblie,  undir  the 
paine  of  infamie  and  excommunicatioune. 

"  3.  He  sail  content  himself  with  that  pairt  of  the  benefice  quhilk 
salbe  givin  him  from  his  Majestie  for  his  liveing,  not  hurting  nor 
prejudging  the  rest  of  the  Ministeres  of  the  Kirk,  within  his  bene- 
fice, plantit  or  unplantit  as  yet,  or  to  be  planted,  or  any  uther  Mini- 
ster of  the  contray  quhatsumevir ;  and  this  cans  to  be  insert  in  his 
provisioune. 

"  4.  He  sail  dilapidat  in  no  wayis  his  benefice,  neither  mak,  sett, 
nor  disponne  thairoff,  without  the  speciall  consent  and  advyce  of  his 
Majestie  and  Generall  Assemblie ;  and  for  the  gryter  warrand,  he 
sail  interdict  him  selff"  not  to  dilapidat  his  benefice,  nor  consent  to 
the  dilapidatiounc  thairoff  maid  be  uthcris  to  the  General]  Assem- 
blie ;  and  sail  be  content  that  inhibitionnes  be  raisit  on  him  to  that 
effect. 


540  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1600. 

"  5.  He  salbe  faithfully  bund  to  attend  upon  his  awine  particular 
Congregatioune,  quhair  he  salbe  Minister,  in  all  poyntis  of  a  Pas- 
tour  ;  and  heiranent  sail  subject  himselfF  to  the  tryell  and  censure 
of  his  awne  Presbyterie  and  Provinciall  Assembly,  as  ony  uther 
Minister  that  beiris  not  Commissioun. 

"  6.  In  the  administratioune  of  Discipline,  Collatioune  of  Bene- 
fices, Visitatioune,  and  all  uther  poyntis  of  Ecclesiasticall  Governe- 
ment,  he  sail  neither  usurpe  nor  acclaime  to  himselfF  ony  power  nor 
jurisdictioune  farther  nor  ony  uther  of  the  rest  of  his  Bretherine, 
except  he  be  imployit  by  his  Brether,  undir  the  paine  of  depriva- 
tioune ;  and  incais  he  usurpe  any  pairt  of  the  Ecclesiasticall  Go- 
vernement,  and  the  Synod,  Presbyterie,  and  Gcnerall  Assembly 
oppone  and  make  any  impediment  thairto,  quhatsumevir  he  dois 
eftir  that  impediment  to  be  null,  in  ipso  facto,  without  any  declarator. 

"7.  In  Presbyteries,  Provinciall  and  Generall  Assemblies,  he  sail 
behaive  himselfF  in  all  thingis,  and  sail  be  subject  to  thair  censuring 
as  any  of  the  Breithrin  of  the  Presbyterie. 

"8.  At  his  Admissioune  to  his  office  of  Commissionarie,  thir  and 
all  uther  poyntis  necessare  he  sail  sweir  and  subscryve  to  fulfill, 
undir  the  penalties  forsaidis ;  and  utherwayis  not  to  be  admittit. 

"  9.  And  in  cais  he  be  deposit  by  the  Generall  Assemblie,  Synod, 
or  Presbyterie,  from  his  office  of  his  Ministerie,  he  sail  also  tyne l  his 
voit  in  Parliament  ipso  facto,  and  his  benefice  sail  vaike.2 

"  10.  And  farder  Cautiounes  to  be  maid,  as  the  Kirk  pleisis  and 
findis  occasioun. 

"11.  Anent  his  Name  that  for  the  Kirk  sould  haiff  voit  in  Par- 
liament, It  is  advysit,  by  uniforme  consent  of  the  haill  Bretherine, 
that  he  salbe  callit  l  The  Commissioner'  of  sic  a  place ;  and  in  cais 
the  Parliament,  by  his  Majestie's  moyen,3  may  be  induceit  to  ac- 
knawledge  that  name,  it  sail  stand  so ;  iff  not,  the  Generall  As- 
sembly sail  voit  and  conclud  this  questioune  annent  his  name. 

"  12.  The  questioune  being  demandit,  Quhithcr  the  Commis- 
sioune  of  him  that  for  the  Kirk  sould  voit  in  Parliament  sould  in- 

1  Lose.  *  Rocnme  void  or  vacant.  n  Means,  influence. 


1G00.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  541 

dure  his  lyft-tyme,  except  sum  cryme  or  offence  intervein,  or  for 
a  schorter  tyme,  at  the  plesoure  of  the  Kirk  ?  The  Commissiouneris 
of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  being  of  diverse  opiniounes,  thought  guid 
to  refer  this  questioune  to  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie." 

Quhilk  haill  Conclusiounes  being  red,  in  the  audience  off  the  Ge- 
nerall Assembly,  and  they  being  ryplie  advysit  thairwith,  ratified, 
allowed,  and  approved  the  samyue,  and  thought  expedient  that 
the  samen  Cautiounes,  togider  with  such  utheris  as  salbe  concludit 
on  by  the  Assemblie,  be  insert  in  the  bodie  of  the  act  of  Parliament 
that  is  to  be  maid  for  confirmatioune  of  voit  in  Parliament  to  the 
Kirk,  as  maist  necessar  and  substantial!  pointis  of  the  same. 

Sessio  8. 

"  Forasmuch  as  the  Commissioneris  of  the  Synod  convenit  at 
Falkland,  the  25  of  July  1598,  being  of  diverse  opiniounes  con- 
cerneino;  the  continowance  of  the  Commissioneris  that  sould  haiff 
voit  in  Parliament,  quhither  he  sould  indure  for  his  lyftyme,  ex- 
cept sum  cryme  or  offence  intervein,  or  for  a  schorter  tyme,  at  the 
plesoure  of  the  Kirk,  they  thought  guid  to  refer  the  same  to  this 
present  Assemblie  :  Thairfor,  the  Generall  Assemblie,  haiffing  reas- 
souneit  at  lenth  the  said  questioun  tuiching  the  continowance  of 
him  that  sail  haiff  voit  in  Parliament ;  efter  voiting  of  the  same, 
findis  and  declairis  that  he  sail  annuatim  give  a  compt  of  the  Com- 
missioun  obteinit  from  the  Assemblie,  and  lay  doune  the  same  at 
thair  feit,  to  be  continowed  or  altered  thairfra  by  his  Majestie  and 
the  Assemblie,  and  that  as  the  Assemblie,  with  consent  of  his  Ma- 
jestie, sail  think  most  expedient  for  the  weill  of  the  Kirk. 

"  It  is  also  statute  and  ordained,  that  none  of  thame  that  sail  haiff 
voit  in  Parliament  sail  come  as  Commissioneris  to  any  Generall  As- 
semblie, nor  haiff  voit  in  the  same,  in  any  tyme  cuming,  except  he 
be  authorizit  with  Commissioun  from  his  awin  Prcsbyterie  to  that 
effect. 

"  It  is  moirover  fund  be  the  Assemblie,  that  crimen  ambitus  salbe 
sufficient  caus  of  deprivatiouue  of  him  that  sail  haiff  voit  in  Parlia- 
ment. 


542  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1600. 

"  In  end,  it  is  statute  and  ordained,  that  everie  Minister  intimat 
this  generall,  that  the  voit  in  Parliament  is  concludit  by  the  As- 
semblie,  and  that  naine  utter  speiehe  in  pulpit  contrail  to  the  same.'' 

Thair  wer  very  money  guid  Breitherine  at  this  Assemblic,  and 
did  stand  verie  honnestly  to  the  caus  ;  but  auctoritie,  dissimula- 
tioun,  crafte,  and  painfullness,  cairied  the  matter  away. 

As  for  example,  of  Auctoritie  ;  that  Moderator  quho  had  utterit 
excellent  guid  doctrine  befoir-noone  wes  compellit,  at  leist  inducit, 
by  auctoritie  to  recant  it  efter-fnoone,1]  to  the  gryt  greiff 'and  of- 
fence of  the  best.  Mr  Andro  Melvill  come  to  the  Assembly,  by 
Commissioune  of  his  Presbytrie,  but  wes  commandit  to  keip  his 
ludgeing ;  quho,  being  callit  to  the  King  in  private,  and  demandit, 
Quhy  he  wes  so  trublesume  as  to  come  to  the  Assemblie,  being 
dischairgit  ?  He  answerit,  He  had  a  calling  in  the  Kirk  of  God, 
and  of  Jesus  Chryst,  the  lung  of  kings,  quhilk  he  behovit  to  dis- 
chairge  at  all  occasiounes,  being  orderlie  callit  thairto,  as  he  wes  at 
this  tyme  ;  and  that  for  feir  of  a  grytter  punischment  then  could 
any  earthly  king  inflict.  Quhairat  the  King  being  angrie,  utterit 
sume  minassing  words.  The  said  Mr  Andro,  laying  his  hand  to 
his  hcid,2  said,  "  Sir,  it  is  this  that  ye  would  haiff !  Ye  sallhaiff  it  : 
Tak  it !  Tak  it !  or3  ye  bereave4  us  of  the  liberties  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  kingdome  !"  With  many  mo  speiches,  verie  zealouslie,  to 
that  effect. 

Dissimulatioun ;  in  sa  meikle  that  as  making  on  the  Bischoprie 
with  all  mycht  and  maine,  yet  they  did  give  it  out  amangis  the 
Breitherine  thair  wes  no  sick  thing  meinit,  saiff  onlie  vot  in  the 
1  'arliament,  to  vindicat  the  Kirk  from  contempt  and  povertie  ;  and 
-  ua  soundit  all  the  answeris  to  the  argumcntis  of  the  manifold  and 
maist  stronge  rcasounes  of  the  Breitherine  that  stood  for  the  Estai- 
blischit  Discipline. 

Craft  :  whereof  take  the  instance  of  the  choyseing  of  the  Mode- 


1  Advocates'  MSS.  *-'  "  On  his  neck."  Adv.  MSS.  3  Rather  than. 

1  "  Robe,"  (rob.)  Adv.  MSS. 


1601.  MR  JAMES  MELVXLL'S  DIARY.  543 

rator,  quliilk  wes  the  thing  they  evir  laborit  for  to  haiff  their  voices, 
and  to  have  ane  at  their  devotioune  :  For  the  quhilk  purpose,  all 
this  Assemblie,  they  used  this  stratageme ;  first,  they  compted  the 
voites  they  had  made  and  were  sure  off;  and,  feiring  they  sould  be 
overcume  by  a  gryter  numbir,  they  causit  put  upon  the  leitis  for 
ehuseing  of  the  Moderator  four  of  the  cheiftest  Breithcrine,  amongis 
all  with  him  quhoin  they  designit,  assuring  tham  selves  that  thair- 
by  that  the  voitis  wald  be  distracted,  quhille,  as  sume  sould  think 
ane  rneit,  and  sume  ane  uther  ;  and  in  the  mein  tyme,  they  keipit 
close  constant  thair  course,  and  voited  all  to  ane  ;  and  so  it  come  to 
passe,  indeidc ;  quhairas,  all  the  contrair  voites  sould  [have]  been 
given  to  ane  of  thais  guid  Breitherine,  they  had  farr  prevailed. 

And  as  for  Painfullness  ;  in  the  time  [of  this  Assembly]  the 
King  arose  earlie  at  morne  till  he  went  late  to  bed,  he  was  continu- 
ally with  Ministers,  and  so  bussie  with  them,  that  the  cortiouris 
compleaned  heavilie  that  they  could  gett  no  accesse.  Bot,  to  be 
short,  the  Generall  Commissioune,  that  reullit  all,  being  renewit, 
and  the  nixt  Assemblie  apoyntit  at  Sainct  Androis  in  the  last 
Tuysday  of  July  in  the  year  1601,  the  Assemblie  wes  dismissed. 

The  summer  eftir  following,  the  Ministeres  of  Edinbruche,  being 
repossessitin  thair  places,  begannefreilieto  preach  in  the  auldmaner; 
bot  by  the  occasioun  of  the  matter  of  Gowrie,  that  fell  forth  in  the 
moneth  of  August  thaireftir,  thair  pulpit  was  overthrawin  the  se- 
cond tyme  ;  for,  becaus  they  could  not  goe  on  immediatlie  upon 
the  first  occasione  and  informatioune  to  informe  the  people,  and 
convein  the  people,  and  give  publict  thankis  from  pulpit,  they  wer 
commandit  to  goe  out  of  Edinbruche,  and  not  to  preiche  nor  ap- 
proach within  eight  myles  neir  to  that  towne  ;  and  how  Mr  Robert 
Bruce,  for  his  uprychtnes  and  heriate  [hatred?]  of  the  Episcoi>all 
course,  wes  usit,  it  wrould  requyre  a  larger  treatie  nor  wo  can  in 
tliis  compend  of  storie  bestow  thairupon. 

M.DC.I. 

The  voir  following,  the  Generall  Assemblie  appoyntit  at  Saint 


544  THE  CONTINUATION  01  L601. 

Androis,  wes,  first  by  proclamatioune  anticipate  in  tyme,  reserving 
the  place  and  tyme,  and  syne  proclaimed  to  be  haldine  againe  at 
Bruntiland.1  What  with  feir  and  satisfactioun  of  discontentments, 
a  maist  fair  and  plausibill  forme  wes  used  ;  first,  forsuith,  to 
searche  for  the  causses  of  so  gryt  defectiounc  from  the  puritie,  zeal, 
and  practise  of  the  trew  Religione  in  all  estaitis  of  the  con  trie  ;  and 
nixt,  how  the  samyne  mycht  be  maist  effectually  rcleivit,  so  that 
maist  excellent,  comfortable,  and  maist  necessar  exercisses  of  humi- 
liatioune,  fasting,  and  renewing  the  Covenant  with  God,  wes  con- 
cludit  to  begin  at  that  Assembly,  and  thairfoir  upone  ane  weik  to 
be  solemnlie  keipit  throwout  all  the  realme  ;  approving  that  now, 
quhilk  boith  by  the  Court  and  by  monie  of  the  Ministeris  wes  not 
only  neglected,  bot  scornit  befoir.  The  King,  in  presens  of  the 
haill  Assemblie,  maid  a  lairg  and  humbill  confessioune  of  his  awin 
sines,  and  great  unthankfullnes,  committed  alswcill  in  the  commoune 
governement,  namlie,  in  spairing  of  Papistis,  and  giveing  remis- 
sioune  for  murther  as  done  before  in  his  familie  and  persoune,  with 
promisses  and  calling  for  grace  to  amend  ;  and  so  all  followit.  Bot 
howbeit  the  heartis  of  many  were  humblite  and  sett  to  seik  God 
and  the  honor  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  right  way,  yit  litle  sinceritie  or 
guid  meineing  kythed  in  the  reulleris  and  cheifF  directeris  of  that 
actioune  ;  for,  neither  wes  the  cheifF  caus  of  diffectioun  laid  oppine, 
nor  any  thing  meinit  of  the  rycht  way  to  remeid  the  samyne.  The 
four  Ministeres  of  Edinbruche  were  transportit  from  then  places  at 
Edinbruche,  and  ordained  to  be  placit  in  other  places,  and  in  the 
Generall  Commission  renewit  a  special!  caus  be  put  in  for  that  ef- 
fect. Uther  things  also  wald  hah?  bein  assayit  war  not,  after  they 
were  aschamed,  the  catalogue  of  the  Breitherine  then  conveinit, 
they  could  not  be  sure  to  carie  it  away  by  a  pluralitie,  namlie,  eftir 
so  pnblict  and  earnest  humiliatioune  ;  and  so,  eftir  ratificatioune 
againe  of  the  actes  of  the  former  Assemblies,  and  for  discharging 

1  The  General  Assembly  was  to  have  been  held  on  the  last  Tuesday  of  July  ;  but 
owing  to  the  King  having  fallen  from  his  horse  at  the  hunting  near  Falkland,  (when  he 
hurt  his  left  shoulder,)  it  was  appointed  by  him  to  bo  held  at  Burntisland  on  12th 
May,  1G01.     Sec  Cald.  Hist.,  &c.  a  Advocates'  MSS.  "Plantit." 

l 


1601.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  545 

appellatiounes  in  excerceisses,  and  yonge  men  from  pricheing  in 
cheifF  places,  the  nixt  Assemblie  wes  appointit  to  be  haldine  at 
Sainct  Androis  at  the  lastTuysday  1602  fbot  that  day  wes  only  for 
the  faschioun's  saike,  for  the  King  wes  now  accustomit  to  appoynt 
thame  quhen,  and  quhair,  and  how  he  pleisit,  by  his  proclamatiounes 
at  mercat  places. 

About  the  end  of  Junij,  Mr  Andro  Melvine,  making  his  excer- 
ceisses  in  his  ordinarie  places  upon  the  Ephesians,  v.  2,  he  insistit 
onlie  in  schawing  the  duetie  of  Ministeres  ;  and  tnichit  sua  the 
present  corruptiounes  to  the  quick,  namely,  of  the  degenerat  and 
intrusit  Ministerie  of  Saint  Androis,  that  they  compleined  to  the 
King,  causit  him  to  come  to  St  Androis,  in  July  thairafter,  and 
commandit  Mr  Andro  [Melvill]  to  ward  within  his  awin  Colledge 
of  Theologie,  quhairof  he  wes  Principall  Master  ;  lyke  as  the 
samyne  auctoritie,  he  had  bein  befoir  dischairgit  aff  the  Presby- 
terie  and  all  the  Doctoris  of  Theologie  with  him  for  this  cause  ;  bot 
the  wynler  thairefter,  the  lairnit  Ministeris  of  that  Presbyterie,  be- 
ing all  of  them  Mr  Andro  his  scholleris,  beganne  ane  excerciss  in 
the  Schooles  of  Divynitie,  and  continowit  it  ordinarlie  their  tyme 
about '  befoir  the  haill  Universitie ;  quhairin  they  disputed  all  contra- 
veined2  poynts  accuratly,  as  it  wer  againes  the  Papistis,  and  cleirit 
the  truth  stronglie  and  evidentlie  to  all.  This  grevit  thame  mychti- 
lie,  bot  becaus  it  wes  done  in  the  Latine  tongue  in  the  Schoolis, 
and  in  schaw  againes  the  Papistis,  according  to  ane  ordinance  of 
the  Generall  Assemblie,  it  could  not  be  for  a  gryt  space  counter- 
mandit,  till  be  these  travellis  the  lawfull  auctoritie  of  Presbyteries 
and  Generall  Assemblies  wes  confirmed,  Popish  supremacy  and  all 
Episcopall  auctoritie  ovirthrawin,  the  course  of  the  present  corrup- 
tiounes damned,  and  all  the  Ministerie  of  that  Presbyterie  verie 
much  edified  and  incuradgit.  Sa,  in  the  moneth  of  October,  the 
Provincial  Synod  of  Fyffe  wes  keipit  at  Kinghorne,  quhair  all  the 
corrupt  proccidingis  wes  sett  dounc  in  Gravis,  and  the  Commis- 
sionaris  appoyntit  to  mcin3  the  same  to  nixt  Generall  Assemblie, 

1  Alternately.  'Controverted.  3  Make  complaint  <>f. 

2  M 


54b"  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L602. 

quhilk  by  proclamatioune  wes  translaitit  from  Sainct  Androis,  quhair 
it  wes  ordaneit  to  be  keipit  in  July  by  the  last  Assemblie,  and  com- 
tnandit  to  be  haldine  at  Edinburght  in  November  following. 

This  was  sair  againes  the  heartis  and  laboris  of  sume  Episcopall 
Commissioneris  thair  present,  but  the  universall  myndis  of  the  guid 
Ministerie  of  that  Province  prevailit.  They  follow  heirafter,  as 
they  are  reeistrat  in  the  Buikis  of  the  Generall  Assemblie. 

M.DC.U. 

Now,  the  last  Generall  Assemblie  that  the  King  kepeit  in  Scot- 
land wes  at  his  Palace  of  Halirudhous,  in  the  moneth  of  November 
1602;  quhairin,  becaus  all  thingis  were  deliberated  and  painfnllie 
and  diligentlie  dressit,  he  thought  weill  to  obtein  his  purpose.  The 
quhilk  ane  of  the  Bretherine  weill  percaiving,  quhen  it  came  to  his 
voite  concerning  the  Moderator,  he  thus  protested,  with  all  rever- 
ence of  the  King's  Majestie's  presence,  but  in  the  feir  of  the  gryte 
God  and  in  love  of  Christ,  his  annoyntit,  quho  is  above  all : 

"  Befoir  I  speik  ony  thing  in  this  Assemblie,  I  man  protest  that, 
sieing  it  is  conveined  extraordinary  by  his  Majestie's  authoritie, 
besydis1  the  tyme  appoyntit  in  the  last  Assemblie,  and  is  keipit 
heir  within  his  Majestie's  Palace,  a  place  quhairin  no  Assemblie 
wes  accustomit  to  be  keipit  heirtofoir  ;  quhatsoevir  be  done  thairin 
contrair  to  the  Word  of  God  and  former  constitutiounes  of  the  Kirk, 
and  the  establischit  Disciplin  thairoff,  (as  God  forbid  thair  sould  be 
any !)  the  same  be  null  and  of  nane  effect ;  and  remeidit  at  the  nixt 
General]  Assemblie  ordinal*,  frie  and  lawful!,  of  the  Kirk  of  Scot- 
land."2 

The  haill  drift  of  the  Assemblie  being  to  sett  up  the  Bischoppis 
in  the  second  Sessioune,  the  same  wes  convoyit,  first,  be  the  tryell 
of  the  Commissioneris  appoyntit  by  the  last  Assemblie;  in  place 
quhairoff,  thair  wes  thrie  Bischopis  put  in  possessioune  of  thair 


1  Aparl  Iri'iii.  independent  of.  2  From  the  manner  in  which  this  brief  outline  of 

the  speech  is  given,  it  is  most  probable  to  have  been  delivered  by  Mr  James  Melvill, 
who,  with  his  accustomed  modesty,  thus  generally  alluded  to  himself  in  his  Diary. 


1602.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  547 

Bischopi'ickis,  undir  cure1  of  thair  Commissioun  givin  tharae  to 
Visit  thais  Provinces,  to  witt,  Rosse,  Caitnes,  and  Aberdeine, 
all  contrair  to  the  Cautiounes ;  and  to  be  continowit  by  the  re- 
newing the  foirsaid  Commissioun  for  Visitatioune  of  thais  Pro- 
vinces ;  and  thairfoir  to  convoy  the  matter  the  bettir,  a  new  exact 
ordour  wes  sett  doun  by  the  Assemblie  :  The  quhilk  convoy  being 
discoverit  befoir  the  Assemblie,  it  wes  stoutly  and  honnestlie  gain- 
stood,  namely,  in  the  persone  of  Mr  George  Gladstaines  for  Cait- 
nes ;  quhom,  notwithstanding  the  grytter  number  of  the  Assemblie 
refuissit  to  appoynt  a  new  Commissioun  for  Caithnes,  yit  auctoritie 
and  cunning  convoy  carreit  it  away  in  the  end. 

The  poynt  being  wounne,  and  a  new  Generall  Commissioun  sett 
doune  againe,  and  the  said  thrie  Bischoppis  continowit  in  their  Com- 
missiounes  and  Bischoprickis  in  the  fourt  Sessioune,  the  matter  gois 
on ;  and  undir  pretence  to  plant  and  provyd  the  Kirk,  the  Prelacies 
and  gryt  Benifices  ar  thought  meit  to  be  givin  and  disposit  to  Mi- 
nisteris,  as  followis  : 

"  Annent  the  Constant  Piatt,  the  Breitherine  ordainit  to  sitt 
thairone  with  his  Majestie's  Commissioneres  being  demandit,  Quhat 
effect  thair  travelis  had  takin  in  the  samyn?  They  producit  the 
conclusioune  of  the  Commissioneres  of  the  said  Piatt,  resolving 
thrie  heidis,  out  of  the  quhilk  one  sould  be  chosine  as  the  maist 
readiest  way  for  the  effectuating  of  the  said  work ;  quhairof  the 
tennor  followes : 


OVERTOURIS  OF  THE  COMMISSIONERS  OF  THE  PLATT  TO  BE 
ADVYSIT  WITH  HIS  MAJESTIE,  &C 

"  Giff  everie  Minister  being  assignet  out  of  the  fruictis  of  the 
Kirk  quhair  he  serves,  by  the  benevolence  of  the  takismen2  grantit 

'  Cover.  5  Tacksmen,  lease  holders,  or  tenants  of  the  teinds  or  tithes. 


548  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G02. 

to  the  augmentatiounc  of  the  said  stipend,  iff  thair  salbe  ane  perpe- 
tuall  seciiritie  maid  to  the  said  takismen  of  thair  teyndis  of  ane  spe- 
cial! gressowme  to  be  condescendit  upon  for  ilk  chalder,  for  the 
space  of  19  yeiris,  and  to  be  renewit  yeirly  thairefter  for  the  lyk 
space  and  the  lyk  gressowme ;  upon  this  conditioune,  that  the  said 
principall  taxmen  sail  grant  and  renew  the  lyk  securitie  to  the 
sub-taxmen  for  peyment  of  thair  pairt  of  the  said  gressowme  pro 
rato,  where  ony  tax '  are  :  Or  giff  the  gryt  benefices  salbe  provydit 
to  Ministeres  upon  this  conditioune,  that  all  the  Kirkis  of  the  Pre- 
lacies be  planted  with  sufficient  Ministeres,  and  be  provydit  with 
competent  livingis,  as  the  modifiaris  of  the  said  Constant  Plaite  sail 
think  expedient,  and  he  to  pay  to  the  Kingis  Majestie  yeirly  the 
tent  pairt  of  the  fruitis  of  the  said  benefice  quhilk  sail  rest,  by  and 
at  tour2  the  sustentatioune 3  of  the  said  Ministeres;  and  that  all  the 
inferiour  benefices  salbe  provydit  with  Ministeres  serving  the  cuir 
of  the  saidis  Kirkis,  alseweill  personage  as  viccaradge :  Or  giff  all 
the  gryt  benefices  salbe  dissolvit,  and  the  Prelat  to  haiff  the  prin- 
cipall Kirke  of  the  Prelacie  Avith  the  temporall  landis  thairof,  and 
the  rest  of  the  Kirkis  to  be  provydit  with  qualified  Ministeres, 
and  the  said  Prelat  and  Titularis  of  the  said  Kirkes  to  pey  ane  yeir- 
lie  duetic  to  his  Majestie  as  the  benefice  may  beire,  at  the  sight  of 
the  Commissioneres  forsaids." 

The  quhilk  Overtouris  being  red  in  the  sight  of  the  AssembHe,  It 
wcs  ordained  every  Synod  sould  haiff  a  coppy  of  the  same,  and  to 
be  advysit  thairwith  untill  the  morning,  that  they  mych  give  thair 
advyse  to  his  Majestie  quhilk  of  the  thrie  wer  maist  meit  to  be  im- 
braced. 

This  purpose  wes  also  plainly  espeyitt  and  withstood,  by  giveing 
in  ane  coppie  to  the  Kingis  Majestie  of  the  former  Plott  of  Plante- 
ing  of  all  the  Kirkis  of  the  realme,  scttin  downe  by  Commissioune 
from  his  Majestic  and  the  estaites  of  Parliament  1597,  by  dissolve- 
ing  of  Prelacies,  and  Planting  of  fyftic  Presbyteries  in  thair  places, 
the  Commissioncris  quhairoff  sould  haiff  voit  in  parliament;  bot  by 

1  Tacks,  lease-.  -'  Over  and  above.  "  Support. 


1602.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  549 

auctoritie  and  dressing  of  voitis  of  the  evill  advysed  multitud  it 
wes  rejected,  and  the  conclusioun  past  as  folio  wis : 

"  Anent  the  Overtouris  givin  in  by  the  Commissioneris  of  the 
Constant  Piatt,  with  the  quhilk  the  Bretherine  were  ordained  to  be 
advysit,  efter  mature  deliberatioune  and  voiting,  The  Assemblie 
thinkes  the  second  Overtour  maist  expedient  to  be  accepted,  bear- 
ing the  provisioun  of  Ministeres  to  all  Prelacies,  with  the  condi- 
tiounes  thairin  conteinit  as  is  above  expressit.  Item,  the  Assemblie 
thought  expedient  to  adjoyne  and  nominat  utheris  out  of  the  num- 
ber of  the  Britherine  to  be  adjoyned  to  thais  quhilk  wer  nominat 
by  the  Commissioneres  of  the  Provinces  conveinit  at  Halyrude- 
house,  the  fyftein  of  October;  out  of  the  quhilk  number  his  Majes- 
tie  sould  mak  his  chuise  of  sic  as  he  sould  present  to  the  benefice 
vacand.  The  names  of  thame  all  are  as  followes  :  Mrs  Robert  Pont, 
James  Melvill,  James  Nicolsoune,  Patrick  Galloway,  Jolme  Forbes, 
Jhone  Knox,  Robert  Wilkie,  Jhone  Howisoune,  George  Monro, 
Johne  Clappertoune,  Robert  Bruce,  Johne  Carmichaell,  William 
Malcohne,  Robert  Howie,  Alexander  Scrymgeour,  Alexander  Lynd- 
say,  James  Robertsoune,  Patrick  Lindsay,  Andro  Knox,  Johne 
Spottiswood,  Gavine  Hamiltoun,  Andro  Lambe,  Alexander  For- 
bes, Alexander  Douglas,  and  George  Graham e." 

Off  the  quhilk,  sume  plainely  refuised,  and  sume  wer  absent,  and 
yit  thair  names  wer  put  in  as  nominat  by  the  Assemblie. 

It  wes  long  and  verie  much  urgit,  or1  the  Greivances  of  the  Synod 
of  Fy fFe  could  be  gottin  hard 2  and  ans werit ;  but,  sieing  the  gry  test 
number  of  the  Assemblie  pressit  the  same,  thair  wes  halff  ane  dus- 
sane  namit  out  of  the  Assemblie  to  confer  with  so  many  of  the  said 
Synod  thairanent,  and  to  report  thair  agriement  to  the  full  As- 
semblie. 

FOLLOWS  THE  GREIVANCES  OF  THE  SYNOD  OF  FYFF. 

"  1.  It  wald  be  meined3  to  the  Gencrall  Assembly  nixt,  that  the 
Generall  Assemblies  of  the  Kirk  are  nocht  ordinarilie  keipit,  nocht- 

1  Before,  ere.  *  Heard.  3  Complained  of. 


550  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1602. 

withstanding  the  actis  of  Parliament  and  Generall  Assemblie,  and 
the  necessitie  of  the  tyme ;  but  that  the  dyatis  thairof  ar  altered 
without  the  knawledge  of  the  Presbyteries  and  Synodis. 

"  2.  That  Ministeres  are  callit  befoir  his  Majestie's  Secreit  Coun- 
cil!, in  prima  instantia,  for  Discipline  or  Doctrine,  quhilk  is  a  gryt 
incouradgment  to  the  enimies. 

"  3.  That  all  applicatiounes  of  Doctrine  in  Presbyteries  and  Ex- 
cercises  ar  found  fait  with,  undir  pretence  of  an  act  of  ane  Generall 
Assemblie ;  quhilk  act,  thairfoir,  wald  be  sichted  and  cleirlie  inter- 
pretit. 

"  4.  That  the  Governement  of  the  cheiff  matteres  of  the  Kirk 
continowis  in  the  handis  of  a  few,  undir  the  name  of  a  Comniis- 
sioune,  to  the  gryt  prejudice  of  the  liberties  of  Synods  and  Pres- 
byteries. 

"  5.  That  the  ordinarie  Doctoris  beiring l  ordinare  calling  in  the 
Kirk,  by  the  discipline  and  constitutioune  thairofF,  [and  are  now 
abrogat,  and  now2]  ar  debarrit  from  Presbyteries  and  Assemblies. 

"  6.  That  the  Assemblie  hes  takin  no  try  ell  hithertill3  annent  the 
Cautiounes  sett  doune  for  avoyding  of  corruptioune  in  the  Commis- 
sioneris,  and  voiteris  in  Parliament. 

"  7.  That  the  absence  of  the  Pastouris  in  Edinbruche,  and  al- 
teratioune  of  the  Ministerie  thairofF,  quhilk  wes  the  cheiff  Watch- 
tower  of  the  Kirk,  hurtis  greitlie  the  caus  of  true  Religioune,  and 
incowradges  the  enemies. 

"  8.  That  thair  is  distractiounes  in  opiniounes  far  different  from 
the  consent  and  unitie  of  heartis  quhilk  hes  bein  in  the  Kirk  befoir, 
in  all  weightie  causses,  and  ovir  letill  deliberatioune  and  reassoune- 
ing  had  in  matteres ;  quhairby  conclusiounes  are  past,  almaist  the 
halff  of  the  Bretherine  gaising  ;4  quhairas  our  Assemblies  wes  evir 
wont  to  consider  before  they  concludit  any  thing. 

"  9.  That  the  land  is  defiled,  and  the  Kirk  is  indomadgit  by  the 
French  Embassadour  his  mass. 


'  Univ.  MS.  reads,  "  diverse  learned  men  having."        2  Adv.  MSS.        3  Hereto- 
fore, hitherto.  *  Both  of  the  Adv.  MSS.  read  "  gainstanding." 


1(302.  MR  JAMES  MELVIEl/s  DIARY.  551 

"  10.  That  excommunicat  persounes  for  Papistrie  are  suffired 
to  haunt  the  countrey  publictlie  and  piceablie. 

"11.  That  the  Nobillmen  laitlie  relaxit  from  excommunicatione 
for  Papistrie  gives  no  toakines  of  thair  professioun  of  the  truth,  bot 
rather  the  contrarie. 

"12.  That  apprehendit  Papistis'  directiounes  and  Letteris  are 
kepit  close,  and  the  dangers  imminent  thairby  to  the  Kirk  are 
not  communicated  to  the  Watchmen,1  quhairby  they  may  make 
faithfull2  wairneing,  and  prevent  the  perrell. 

"  13.  That  the  Discipline  of  the  Kirk  againes  murther,  incest, 
and  aclulterie,  is  not  practised  with  that  holy  severitie  that  becomes, 
notAvithstanding  of  the  frequent  remissiounes  obtainit  by  criminal] 
persounes,  for  eschewing  of  civill  punischment. 

"  14.  That  the  remeidis  sett  doune  againes  apprehendit  dangeris 
at  diverse  tymes,  and  at  diverse  meittingis  of  the  Kirk,  ar  not  fol- 
io wit  furth."3 

Sess.  8,  November  13,  1602.4 
"  The  said  day,  the  Breither  they  appointit  to  visite  the  Grei- 
vances  and  Petitiounes  of  the  Synod  of  Fyfe,  condescendit  upon 
the  Answers  followino- : 


[answers  by  the  brethren  appointed  to  visit  the 
grievances  of  the  synod  of  fife.] 

"  First,  Findis  and  decerns  that  the  Generall  Assemblies  sould 
be  appoyntit  and  keipit  according  to  the  act  of  Parliament  haldin 
at  Edinbruche  the  fifth  day  of  June  1592,  quhairoff  the  tennour 
followis,  so  far  as  coneernes  that  poynt :  '  And  siclyk,  ratiflies  and 


1  The  Ministers.  2  Univ.  MS.   "  thankfull."  3  Immediately  following  this 

document,  there  follows  in  the  Univ.  MS.,  "  The  Sowme  of  the  Conference  keipit  at 
Halirudhous  the  17  of  Nov.  1595  ;"  which  the  reader  will  find  in  the  Diary,  pp.  446- 
462.  i  In  Univ.  MS.,  "  13  December,  Sess.  5." 


552  THE  CONTINUATION  ol  10<>2. 

approves  the  Generall  Assemblies  appoyntit  by  the  samyne  Kirk ; 
and  declaires  that  it  salbe  lawfull  to  the  said  Kirk  and  Ministeres, 
every  yeir  at  the  leist,  and  oftner  pro  re  nata,  as  occasione  and  ne- 
cessitie  sail  serve  and  requyre,  to  haiff  and  keip  Generall  Assem- 
blies ;  providing  that  the  King's  Majestic  or  his  Commissioneris  to 
be  appoyntit  with  thame  be  his  Hemes,  being  present  att  ilk  Gene- 
rall Assemblie,  befoir  the  dissolving  thairoff,  nominat  and  appoynt 
a  tyme  and  place  quhen  and  quhair  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie  sail 
be  keipit;  and  in  caice  that  naither  his  Majestie  nor  his  saids  Commis- 
sioners be  present  for  the  tyme  in  that  toune  quhair  the  Generall 
Assemblie  salbe  hidden,  that  then,  and  in  that  cais,  it  salbe  leisum 
to  the  said  Generall  Assemblie,  by  thame  selff,  to  nominat  and  ap- 
poynt tyme  and  place,  quhen  and  quhair,  the  nixt  Generall  Assem- 
blie of  the  Kirk  salbe  keipit  and  holdin,  as  they  haiff  bein  in  use 
thir  tymes  bygane. 

"  2.  Giff  his  Majestie  proceid  againes  Ministeres  according  to  his 
Majestie's  awin  declaratioune,  maid  and  inacted  in  the  Generall  As- 
semblie haldin  at  Dundie,  1597,  sess.  2,  the  desyre  of  the  second 
article  is  satisfiet,  and  no  uther  thing  meinit  thairby. 

"  3.  Thinkis  it  expedient  that  the  act  maid  annent  applicatiounes 
in  excerceis  be  interpreit  not  to  be  extended  to  forbid  the  useing  of 
the  Word  of  God,  in  applicatiounes  to  the  generall  endis  thairoff, 
quhilk  is  lawfull  to  use  efter  this  manner ;  this  heid  of  doctrine 
serves  for  refutatioune  of  sic  ane  errour,  for  the  rebuke  of  such  ane 
vice,  for  comforting  of  such  ane  people  or  persoune  in  such  ane  cais, 
&c. ;  and  as  for  particulare  or  personal!  applicatiounes,  leaves  it  to  be 
advysit  quither  it  salbe  in  tyme  comeing  or  noe,  and  how  farre.  And 
thinkis  guid  that  this  be  reassonit  in  the  Presbyteries  and  their 
Commissioneris  sent  with  utheris  reassounis  to  the  nixt  GeneraD 
Assemblie  thairannent ;  and,  in  the  meintyme,  no  invocatiounes  to 
be  used  againes  personall  applicatiounes. 

"  4.  Let  all  Commissiounes  be  givin  fnrth  and  usit  according  to 
the  actis  of  the  General]  Assemblie  from  this  tyme  fnrth. 

"  5.  Findis  that  Doctouris  lies  had,  and  may  haiff,  voit  in  General] 
Assemblies,  thai  haiffing  ane  generall   lawful]  COmmissioune  tor  that 


1  G02.  MR  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIAltV.  553 

effect,  according  as  it  lies  bein  elis  fund l  and  declared  by  the  Generall 
Assemblie's  Commissioun  for  that  effect,  haldin  at  Edinbruche,  May 
10,  1586,  and  at  Glasgow  1581 ;  quhair  it  is  fund  and  declareit  by 
the  act  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  that  Doctouris  sould  concurr  with 
the  Elderis  thair,  and  thair  Bretherein,  in  all  Assemblies. 

"  6.  Lett  the  Cautiounes  be  lookit  and  preceisely  keipit  in 
tyme  cumming,  undir  the  paines  conteinit  in  the  actis  maid  thair- 
annent." 

ANSWERIT  IN  THE  ASSEMBLIE. 

"7.  Nothing  to  be  done  and  concludit  in  Assemblie,  except  it  be 
sufficiently  reassounit  and  deliberat  upoune. 

"  8.  Acquiesces  in  the  deliberatioune  of  the  Breitherine  that 
hes  spokin  to  his  Majestie  thairannent ;  and  desyres  Mr  Walter 
Balcanquall  to  schew  the  samyn  to  the  Assemblie,  and  how  the 
Presbyterie  of  Edinbruche  is  satisfied  in  this  poynt. 

"  9.  Let  thair  names  be  given  up  to  his  Majestie,  that  he  may 
tak  order  with  thame  according  to  the  lawis ;  and  in  special  with 
Captain  Halkersoun,  Patrik  Butter,  Mr  Alexander  Leslie,  Dun- 
cane  Law,  Thomas  Browne,  William  Leslie,  and  Thomas  Mortimer." 

ENDIT  IN  THE  ASSEMBLIE. 

"  10.  To  acquiesce  in  his  Majestie's  declaratioune  thairannent ; 
and  to  requiest  his  Majestie  that  the  Presbyteries  heiraftir  be  ac- 
quentit  in  sic  causses,  quhen  it  salbe  neidfull. 

"11.  Quhair  thair  is  negligence  in  this  poynt,  let  it  be  mendit 
heireftir,  according  to  the  actis  of  the  Assemblie. 

"  12.  Let  farder  diligence  be  usit  quhair  negligence  hes  bein." 

Quhilks  Answers  the  Assemblie  allowis  of,  and  approves  thame  ; 
and  ordaines  the  samyn  to  be  insert  in  the  Builds  of  the  Assem- 

1  Already  found. 


554  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  ll'.O-l. 

blies.  And  so  ended  this  Assembly.  The  nixt  Assemblie  wea  ap- 
poyntit  to  hauld  at  Abirdein,  the  last  Tuysday  of  July,  anno  1604, 
the  King  voiting  thairto  him  selff  first,  and  the  rest  following ; 
howbeit,  he  did  schaw  him  selfF  mychtily  ofFendit  at  the  minting1 
to  keipe  the  samyn,  as  the  progress  of  this  storie  will  schaw.2 

M.DCIII. 

The  yeir  following,  guid  Quein  Elizabeth  restit  in  peace,  and  King 
James  entirit  King  in  England  more  peaceably  nor  him  selfF  or  any 
uthir  could  haiff  expectit.  So  it  pleasit  God  to  magnifie  his  mercie 
and  grace  with  his  blissit  Gospell  of  peace  ;  the  lycht  quhairoff  once 
entering  in  Britaine,  eftir  the  grosse  and  most  dark  night  of  Poprie, 
beganne  peace  betwixt  the  unconciliabill3  natiounes  of  Scottis  and 
English  :  The  continowing  quhairof  maid  peace  to  grow,  and  at 
last  perfytit  the  samyn  be  ane  blessit  Unioune,  iff  it  be,  in  the  true 
faith  of  boith  doctrine  and  discipline,  knitt  fast  with  the  band  of  love 
in  Chryst.  The  King  maid  gryt  haist  to  goe  to  tak  possessioun  in 
England,  and  in  oration  maid  publictlie  for  taking  his  leiff,  in  the 
Gryt  Kirk  of  Edinbruche,  he  thankit  God  that  he  had  sattled  boith 
Kirk  and  kingdome  of  Scotland,  and  left  it  in  that  estate  quhilk  he 
meinit  nocht  to  hurt  or  alter  ony  way,  the  subjectis  thairof  remaine- 
ing  and  injoying  the  samyn  peaceably  and  quyetly  ;  for  the  quhilk 
effect,  he  would  once  in  every  time  yeir  cume  and  visit  the  samyn. 
Also,  his  Majestic  send  back  word  with  diverse  Ministeris  that  mett 
him  by  the  way,  that  thai  sould  schaw  all  thair  bretherein,  in  his 
name,  that  thais  soidd  kcip  unitie  and  peace,  without  altering  anv 
thing  concludit  in  thais  Assemblies  quhairin  he  wes  present  him 
selff  in  persoune,  for  his  purpose  was  nocht  to  alter  ony  thing. 

M.DC.IV. 
In  the  moneth  of  January  thaireftir,  the  Conferrence  was  kv-ipit 

at  Hamptoune  Court,  of  gryt  expectatioune  that  all  the  great  and 
grosse  corruptiounes  of  the  Kirk  of  England  sonld  be  reformed; 

1  Aiming,  attempting.  '  Adv,  MStf.  "  to.stific."  3  Irreconcileable. 


1604.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  555 

the  effect  quhairof  wes  publischit  by  two  proclamations,  in  the 
monethe  of  Merche  following;  one  againes  Jesuites  and  Semi- 
naries, but  very  favourabill  to  the  Pape,  and  Papistis  in  Religioune  ; 
the  uthir  very  favourabill  to  the  Bisschoppis,  but  griveous  to  the 
sincere  Ministeres,  and  gryt  disapoyntment,  discouragement,  and 
disgrace  of  all  that  craiffed  and  luikit  for  reformatioune. 

The  Provinciall  Synods  in  Scotland  conveining  in  Appryl,  and 
heiring  of  ane  Parliament  proclamed  to  be  keeped  in  Edinburght, 
directit  ovir  thair  Commissioneris  to  joyne  and  advyse  with  the 
Commissioneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  annent  the  effaires  of  the 
Kirk ;  and,  according  to  the  custome,  desyrit  ane  Generall  Assem- 
blie to  be  grantit  and  haldin  befoir  or  with  the  Parliament,  namely, 
at  sic  a  necessare  tyme,  when  all  wes  on  fute  awaikit  to  look  to  thair 
matteris :  Sa,  we  passit  ovir  to  the  Parliament  haldin  at  Edinburg 
the  24th  of  that  moneth,  quhair  Mr  Patrik  Galloway  and  Mr 
David  Lindsay,  callit  Bischoppis l  laitly,  wer  cume  from  the  King  ; 
quho,  in  a  full  Conventioune  of  the  Commissioneris  boith  of  the 
Generall  Assemblie  [and  of  the  last  Provinciall,  declared  unto  us 
that  they  haddesyred  a  Generall  Assemblie  to  be2]  afoir3  or  at  the 
Parliament ;  [quhilk  the  King  said,  needeth  not,  in  respect  there 
wes  nocht  to  be  intreated  of  in  this  Parliament,4]  bot  concerning 
the  Unioun,  quhairin  the  Kirk  could  have  no  interest  in  at  this 
Parliament,  and  quhairby  the  ordour  and  discipline  of  our  Kirk  of 
Scotland  sould  nawayis  be  hurt.  The  Commissioneris  of  the  Pro- 
vinciall Assemblies  reassounit  in  the  contrair,  that  so  could  not  be  ; 
becaus  the  realmes  could  not  be  united  without  the  unioune  of 
the  Kirk ;  neither  could  the  Kirkis  be  united  in  discipline,  the  ane 
being  Episcopall  and  the  uther  Presbyteriall,  unles  that  the  ane  sould 
surrender  and  cede5  to  the  uther.    It  wes  reply  it,  that  nothing  wes 


1  Advocates'  MSS.  "  Bischope  of  Rosse."  '  Omitted  in  University  MS. 

3  Before.  *  Omitted  in  University  MS. — These  omissions  are  noted  here  to 

exhibit  a  specimen  of  the  extreme  carelessness  of  nearly  all  the  existing  transcripts 
from  old  MSS  ,  and  the  necessity  of  scrupulously  collating  them  with  as  many  copies 
as  can  conveniently  be  procured. — Ed.  s  Adv.  MSS.  "  Yeild." 


556  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G()4. 

to  be  done  in  this  Parliament  but  ckuseing  of  Commissioneris  to 
treat  of  the  Unioune,  and  report.  We  answerit,  that  commounly, 
as  thingis  wer  dressit  and  blokit  by  the  Conferrence  and  treiting, 
they  wer  at  last  sua  concludit  and  endit,  and,  thairfoir,  the  greittest 
danger  wes  in  the  want  of  skill,  tentivnes,  faithfullnes,  and  guid  ef- 
fectioune  of  Commissioneris,  and  quho  did  undertak  commissioune 
in  so  weightie  a  matter  for  the  Generall  Kirk,  without  warrand  and 
directioune  from  the  samyn,  or  quho  could  be  callit  Commissioneris 
for  ony  estait,  and  accept  it  as  such,  miles  thai  wer  chosen  by 
thame,  and  ressavit  instructiounes  and  warrand  from  thame.  Thai 
replyeit,1  that  the  Parliament  did  chuse  thame,  and  the  Kirk  had  ap- 
poyntit  certaine  to  vote  thairin.  We  answerit,  that  sic  wer  athare2 
of  old  Prelates,  or  men  namit 3  Bisschoppis.  Giff4  the  auld  Prelates, 
the  most  just  exceptiounes  of  the  Kirk,  had  bein  at  all  tymes  by- 
gaine  againes  thame,  as  neither  beiring  office  in  the  Kirk  nor  hav- 
ing commissioun  thairfra  :  Giff"  new[-named]  Bisschoppis,  thair  wes 
ane  express  cautioun,  disschairging  thame  to  presume  to  propone  any 
thing,  in  Parliament  or  in  ony  uthir  Conventioune,  in  name  of  the 
Kirk,  without  ane  expres  warrand  and  direction  of  the  samyn,  undir 
the  paine  of  deprivatioune  from  thair  office. 

This  reassouning  pleissit  not  the  Bisschoppis,  (of  new  so  nameit,) 
and  such  of  the  Commissioneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  in 
quhom  the  King  confided ;  and  thairfoir  Aves  lychtly  brokin  off,  and 
the  matter  eludit  and  put  off  to  further  advysement.  Wee,  sieing 
thingis  like  to  goe  so  that  the  Parliament  wald  chuse,  eftir  the 
commoune  maner,  Lordis  of  Articles,  and  thai  the  Commissioneris 
to  treat  of  the  Unioune,  we  wer  of  purpose  to  treat  and  protest  in 
oppin  Parliament ;  but,  being  assurit  of  new  that  the  King  menit5 
not  to  alter  any  thing  off'  our  order  and  discipline,  and  had  expressly 
promissit  thame,  provyding  we  had  behaived  our  selves  quvetly  at 
this  tyme  ;  also,  perceaving  that  the  treity  annent  the  Unioune  wes 
not  lyk  to  frame  in  neither  of  the  realmes,  but  lykly  to  be  erossit 


1  Advocates'  MSS.  "  Threiped,"  i  e.  pertinaciously  assorted.  2  Either. 

3  Adv.  MSS.  "New-named."  *  If.  5  Meant. 


1604.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  557 

be  uther  estaitis,  to  the  Kingis  miscontentment,  we  left  aft'  the 
purpose  of  publict  protestatioune,  and  resolvit  to  keip  us  within 
the  boundis  of  deilling;  with  the  Commissioneris  of  our  awin  Gene- 
rail  Assembly  ;  and  sua  putt  our  Advyse  and  Articles  in  wryt,  and 
to  present  thame  with  a  graiff  and  scharpe  admonitioun,  quhilk 
nochtwithstanding  was  reverently  ressavit,  and  our  advyce  promissit 
to  be  followit,  and  put  faythfullie  to  practise  by  thame  that  had 
place.     Followis  now 

THE  ADVYCE  OF  THE  COMMISSIOUNERIS  FROM  THE  PROVINCIAL!, 
SYNODIS,  GIVIN  UP  TO  THE  COMMISSIONERIS  OF  THE  GENERALL 
ASSEMBLY  CONVEINIT  AT  EDINBURGHE,  BEFOIR  THE  PARLIA- 
MENT, THE  24  OF  APRYLE   L604. 

"  Forsuameikle  as,  by  your  Missives  directit  to  our  Presbyteries, 
(Right  Reverent  and  worschipfull  Breithrin,)  we  wer  warnit  to  give 
in  our  advyce  to  yow  befoir  this  proclaimed  Parliament,  anent  mat- 
teris  to  be  propouned  be  the  same  for  the  weill  of  the  Kirk,  for  dis- 
chairgeing  of  that  dewtie,  we  haiff  sett  doun  and  sent  to  yow  in 
wrytt  by  our  Commissioneris,  with  all  heartly  salutatioune  in  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  Articles  of  our  Advyce  following  : 

"  And,  First,  we  thank  God  of  this  purpose  of  Unioune  of  thais 
realm es  togidder,  as  maist  loveabill  and  guid,  in  respect  that  all- 
ready  by  the  professioune  of  the  Gospell,  thai  haiff  bein  united  in 
God  thais  many  y  eiris  bypast ;  and  now,  by  a  speciall  blissing  of  that 
samyn  Gospell  of  peice  and  imioune  in  Jesus  Christ,  they  ar  come 
undir  ane  King  in  vertues  and  graces  incomparabill ;  and,  thairfoir, 
we  earnestlie  wis'che  the  same,  be  all  guid  meinis  and  indeavouris 
of  all  estaitis  to  be  present,  namely,  by  the  ecclesiasticall,  evin  till 
it  be  effectuat  for  the  estabilisching  and  maintinence  of  the  king- 
dome  of  Jesus  Christ,  quhilk  is  the  kingdome  of  true  peace  and 
unioune,  wirking  true  saftie  and  firme  wcillfare  to  all  kingdomes 
reigneing  and  standing  with  Christ  and  in  him.  Secondlie,  Becaus 
the  occasioun  and  treating  annent  the  Unioune  so  happily  be  God's 
gryt  and  guid  Providence  fallinc  furth,  is  since  the  last  Generall 


558  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1604. 

Assemblie,  and  in  name  of  the  said  Assemblie  of  the  Kirk  of  this 
realme,  ye  could  thairfoir  haifF  no  warrand,  directione,  or  informa- 
tioune  to  deall  in  any  particulare  concerneing  the  same  ;  yet  we 
think  that  thai  may  and  sould  doe  this  in  generall,  in  the  name  of 
the  said  Assembly  :  That  is  to  say, 

"  First,  To  craive  the  actis  maid  in  favours  of  the  Kirk,  in  Parlia- 
ments preceiding,  to  be  ratified  and  to  be  confirmit  off  new  in  this 
present. 

"  Nixt,  Solemnelie  we  protest  that  nothing  be  done  by  way  of 
Commissioune  or  utherwayis,  at  this  tyme,  quhairby  any  innova- 
tioune,  alteratioune,  hurt  or  prejudice  ensew  againes  the  present 
rycht  professioune  of  the  Doctrine,  Discipline,  and  Governement 
of  the  Kirk  and  kingdome  of  Jesus  Chryst  within  this  realme, 
estabilischit  be  the  Word  of  God,  confirmeit  by  the  law  of  the 
contrey,  breiffely  comprehendit  and  publischit  in  the  Kingis  Majes- 
tie's  Confessioun  of  Faith,  quhairunto  all  his  Heines'  subjectis  wer 
movit,  with  thair  King  and  Soveraigne  Lordis  solemnlie  to  sweir 
and  subscryve,  and  the  cmhilkhis  Majestic,  going  to  his  prosperous 
promotioune,  most  gratiously  vouchsaffit,  and  granted  it  sould  enjoy 
peiceabilly  and  unaltered  heireftcr.  And  incais  thair  be  any  thing 
done  in  the  contraire,  (as  God  forbid !)  to  protest  it  to  be  null,  and 
of  no  force  nor  effect  in  it  selff,  in  respect  that  ncithir  the  Generall 
Kirk  avcs  warnit  thairto,1  nor  had  directit  any  Commissiouneris 
thairannent. 

"Thridlie,  That  the  old  Petitiounes  of  the  Generall  Assembly 
be  reneued,  and  so  much  the  moir  presently  urgit,  as  the  danger  is 
gryt ;  to  witt,  that  none  vote  in  name  of  the  Kirk,  and  as  the  eatait 
thairof,  in  Parliament,  quho  beiris  not  office  within  the  samyn,  nor 
hes  any  Commissioun  so  to  doe  from  the  same  ;  and  iff  thai  be 
admittit  to  sit  and  voit  thairin  in  that  name,  to  protest  that  it 
be  not  estcimed  the  voit  and  judgment  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland. 

"  Fourtlie,  Forsuameikle  as  in  the  Generall  Assemblie  haldine 
in  presence  of  the  Kingis  Majestie's  presens,  at  Montrosse,  in  the 

1  Advocates'  MSS,  "  would  \<'il<l  thairto." 


1604.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  559 

monethe  of  Marche  anno  1600,  it  wes  expresslie  and  be  cautioune 
provydit,  that  thais  of  the  Miuistrie  quho  in  name  of  the  Kirk  ar 
appoyntit  to  voit  in  Parliament  sail  not  presume  at  ony  tyme,  in 
Parliament,  Counsell,  or  Conventioune,  to  proponne  any  thing  in 
name  of  the  Kirk,  without  ane  expresse  directioune  and  warrand 
thairfra  ;  neithir  yet  sail  keip  silence  in  oppoiming  thameselves 
thairto,  iff  thai  sail  heir  or  persaifF  ony  thing  uttirit  to  the  hurt  or 
prejudice  thairof,  under  the  paine  of  deprivatioune  :  Thairfoir,  we 
think  that  thai  sould  chairge  the  same  voitteris  in  Parliament,  in 
name  of  Christ  and  his  Kirk,  so  to  cloe,  undir  the  paine  of  depriva- 
tioune, and  further  as  Christ  by  his  Kirk  sail  inflict ;  and  to  re- 
commend to  thame  the  order  and  discipline  of  our  Kirk  to  be  weill 
considerit,  studeit,  and  hauldine  in  memory,  that  thai  may  men- 
teine  and  stand  faythfully  to  the  samyn  to  thair  uttirmost ;  remem- 
biring  that  accompt  thai  must  give  to  the  Generall  Kirk  of  this 
realme,  but  namely  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  gryt  and  glorious 
Parliament  off  his  last  appeirance  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  deid. 
"  Fyftlie  and  last,  We  most  earnestly  beseik  yoAv,  in  the  bowellis 
of  Christ  Jesus,  yea  evin  attesting  and  adjureing,  befoir  God  and 
his  elect  angellis,  as  ye  will  mak  answer  to  that  great  Judge  to 
quhom  ye  man  give  ane  accompt  of  your  stewartschip,  that  ye,  by 
these  presentis,  certiffie  and  inform e  the  Commissioneris  to  be 
chosine  in  the  present  Parliament  to  treat  upoun  this  Unioune,  for 
the  pairt  of  the  Kirk,  and  so  by  thame  the  King,  our  Soveraigne  his 
most  excellent  Majestie  on  earth,  that  we  belive  in  our  heart  and 
conscience,  and  have  it  instructit,  clcirit,  and  assurit  by  the  Word  of 
God,  wryttin  in  Holy  Scripture,  that  the  essentiall  grundis  of  the 
Discipline  and  Governement  of  the  Kirk  and  kingdome  of  Jesus 
Christ,  estabilischit  and  usit  within  this  realme  of  Scotland,  ar  not 
thingis  indifferent  and  altcrabill,  but  substantiall  pairtis  of  the  Gos- 
pell,  haiffing  as  great  and  lyk  warrand  as  ony  poynt  of  our  favth 
and  religioune  ;  quhilk  to  renunce  or  pass  f'ra  we  will  not,  by  his 
grace  :  We  will  esteime  it  as  hard  as  to  renunce  the  manifest  truth 
of  God,  reveilit  to  us  in  the  Scripture,  and  so  hardly  and  worse 
then  to  suffer  the  death,  quhilk  expressly,   by  thir  presentis,  we 


560  T 1 1 E  CON  TIN  UATION  OF  L604. 

protest  and  confesses,  chuseing  rather  so  to  doe  now  bef'oir  hand, 
for  the  eas  and  releife  of  our  conscience,  nor  ovir  lait '  heirefter, 
quhen  (as  it  may  be  yet,  God  forbid  !)  thair  is  constitutiounes  and 
lawis  maid  in  the  contraire." 

The  Parliament  being  prorogat  to  the  moneth  of  July,  and  keipit 
at  Perth,  the  Barrounes  and  Burgessis,  with  sume  of  the  ancient 
Nobilitie,  cpihois  numbir  wes  but  small,  in  respect  of  the  new-maid 
Lords  and  Erlis  advancit  to  honour  for  that  purpose,  as  namelie  the 
guid  auld  Earle  of  Mortoune,  most  uprycht  and  zealous  for  the  liber- 
tie  and  sincere  standing  of  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  the  Kirk, 
desyrit  ane  claus  to  be  insert  in  the  Commissioune  for  the  Unioune, 
to  preserve  and  kcipe  the  present  sincere  and  frie  estait  of  the  lie- 
ligioune  in  discipline  and  doctrine  within  the  Kirkis.  They  deall 
with  the  Commissiouneris  of  the  General!  Assembly  to  assist  thairin, 
as  such  to  quhom  it  appertaineth  cheifly ;  bot  thai  were  borne  back 
by  the  new  nameit  Bisschoppes  and  agentis  of  the  Court,  haid  lytle 
cair  thairin,  (a  blott  of  treasoun  againes  the  caus,)  yit  the  foir-nameit 
Nobillmen,  to  quhome  the  prais  heiroff  amonges  men  speciallie  be- 
longis,  insistit  so  in  oppine  Parliament,  that  howbeit  the  clause  wes 
not  insertit  in  the  Commissioune ;  yit,  in  the  first  act  of  that  Par- 
liament maid  in  favouris  of  the  Kirk,  it  wes  provydit  that  the  estail 
present  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  in  religioune  and  sinceritie,  boith 
of  doctrine  and  discipline,  sould  no  waves  be  prejudgit  or  hurt  by 
the  present  Commissioune,  or  grantit  be  the  Unioune,  &c,  and  that 
wes  all  we  desyrit  for  the  tynie. 

The  Generall  Assembly  wes  appoyntit  to  be  haldine  att  Aberdeine 
the  last  Twyisday  of  July.  Amongis  utheris  Articles  that  the 
Lord  Comptroller,  Lord  of  Scoone,  brought  from  Court,  (for  now 
our  country  begouth2  to  be  reulit  be  directioune  of  Articles,)  thair 
wes  one  annent  the  prorogating  of  the  said  General!  Assembly  till 
the  Unioune  wes  concludit,  and  the  nixt  adverteisement.  The  ques- 
tioune,  thairfoir,  being  niovit  in  the  Presbyteric  of  Saint  Androis, 
Quhither  Commissioners  BOuld  be  directed  to  keipe  that  day  or  not  ? 
1  Than  too  late.  Began. 


1604.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  5G1 

It  wes  concludit  that  thai  sould,  becaus  the  warrand  of  keipeing  wes 
greitter  nor  of  continowing  and  prorogatioune  thairoff,  to  witt,  the 
Word  of  God,  customc  of  the  Kirk  since  the  first  Reformatioune 
of  Religioun,  law  of  the  realme,  and  ordinance  of  the  last  Generall 
Assembly,  quhair  his  Majestie,  with  the  Assembly,  did  appoynt  the 
samyn ;  and  namely,  the  priviledges,  weill,  and  libertie  of  our  Kirk, 
wes  to  be  lookit  to  at  this  tyme,  quhen  all  estaitis  wer  zealous  of 
their  rychtis  and  liberties.  Quhairupoun  that  Presbyterie  directit 
the  Commissioneris  to  Aberdeine;  quhais  diligence  wes  reported 
by  thame  to  the  said  Presbyterie,  as  followis  ; 

<<  At  Aberdein,  the  last  day  of  July  1604,  within  Saint  Nicolas' 
Paroch  Kirk  of  the  Burght  off  Aberdein,  at  four  houris  efter  noone, 
or  thairby,  befoir  thir  wittnesses,  Mr  Peter  Blackburne,  James 
Rosse,  and  Archibald  Blackburne,  Ministeres  of  Aberdeene,  John 
Rought,  Minister  at  Rige,1  Mr  Thomas  Nicolsoune,  Commissioner 
of  Aberdein,  and  George  Nicolsone,  burges  off  the  said  Burgh  : 
"  The  quhilk  day,  in  presens  of  the  wittnesses  foirsaidis,  and  of 
the  connotaris  publict  under-subscry  vand,  compeirit  personally  within 
the  said  Paroche  Kirk,  Mrs  James  Melvill,  William  Erskine,  and 
Williame  Murray,  Ministeris  of  the  Evangell  of  Jesus  Chryst,  and 
presented  ane  Commissi oune  givin  to  thame  be  the  Breitherin  of 
the  Presbyterie  of  Saint  Androis,  &c,  quhairby  thai  ar  constitut 
Commissioneris  for  thame  for  keipeing  of  the  Generall  Assembly 
appoyntit  at  Aberdein  in  the  moneth  of  July  instant ;  as  the  said 
Commissioun,  quhilk  wes  red  in  audience  of  us  and  of  the  saidis 
Avittnesses,  in  the  selff  at  mair  lenth  beires ;  quhairof  the  tennour  fol- 
io wis :    'At  St  Androis,  the  26  day  of  July  1G04;  the  quhilk 
day,  after  incalling2  on  God,  the  Presbyterie  did  appoynt  and  con- 
stitute thair  Breither  Ministeris,  James  Melvill,  Williame  Erskine, 
and  William  Morray,  thair  Commissioneris  to  the  Generall  Assembly 
appoyntit  to  be  haldine  at  Aberdeine  [this  moneth ;  giving  to  thame 
thair  full  Commissiounc  and  express  command  to  pass  to  Aber- 

1  Adv.  MSS..  erroneously,  "John  Rower.  Minister  at  Rige."  2  Invocation. 

■1   N 


5G2  PHE  CONTINUATION  OF  1GU4. 

deine,1]  and  thair,  for  the  said  Presbyterie  and  in  thair  names,  to 
conferr,  voit,  and  conclud  sic  thingis  as  soidd  be  handelit  in  that  As- 
semblic,  and  to  doe  qnhatsunievir  thingis  that  perteinis  to  the  we  ill 
of  the  Kirk  :  Promiseing  to  ratifie  and  approve  quhatcvir  the  saids 
Commissioneris  sail  doe  thairinto,  according  to  the  Word  of  God. 
In  wittnes  quhairoff,  thai  haiff  commandit  thair  Clerk  to  subscryve 
this  present  Commissioune,  day,  yeir,  and  place  foirsaidis.  ( Sic  sub- 
scribitur,)  Mr  Robert  Roucht,2  Clerk  to  the  Presbyterie,  at  the 
command  of  the  same.'  And  thairwith  did  give  in  and  present  in 
wryt  thair  Protestatioime  subsequent ;  quhilk,  siclyk,  wes  red  in 
audience  of  us  and  the  said  witneses,  and  wes  subscry  vit  with  thair 
handis  in  our  presence ;  quhairoff'  lykwayis  the  tennour  followis : 
'  Forsuameikle  as  albeit  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  evir  since  the  Refor- 
matioune  of  Religioune,  and  lycht  of  the  Gospell  rychtly  instructit 
and  informit,  lies  thought  it  a  most  necessar  ductie,  awand  to  Chryst 
and  his  Kirk,  to  conveine  in  thair  Generall  Assemblie,  veirly,  for 
keiping  of  the  puritie  of  the  doctrine,  excerceise  of  discipline,  and 
governement  of  the  haill  estait  thairoff,  with  uniforme  consent  and 
agriement,  lvkas  thai  haiff  bein  in  continuall  use  and  possessioune  to 
keipc  the  same  inviolabill,  as  a  cheiff'  and  principall  pairt  of  the  li- 
bertie  and  office  of  the  Ministrie  commandit  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ :  As  also,  God  lies  movit  the  heart  of  the  King,  our  Sove- 
raine,  with  consent  of  his  Estaitis  in  Parliament,  by  speciall  actis 
and  lawis,  to  ratifie  and  approve  the  same,  granting  libcrtie  and  fin- 
dome  to  the  Ministeris  of  the  Kirk  to  convein  in  thair  Generall  As- 
semblies, once  in  the  yeir  at  the  least,  and  oftner  pro  re  nata  :  and 
the  Kingis  Majestic,  of  his  speciall  caire  and  ctteetionne  to  the  Kirk 
of  Jesus  Christ  within  his  Hiencs'  rcaline.  did  give  his  awin  presens, 
as  at  utliers  diverse  Generall  Assemblies,  so  at  the  last  holdine  at 
llalirndhons,  quhair  certaine  ( iiic\  ances  being  givin  in.  amang  the 
rot.  that  the  Generall  Assemblirs  wer  not  keipit  ordinarlie,  ([nhilk 
his  Majestic  and  the  said  Assembly  ordeinit  to  be  keipit  in  tvinc 
comming;  appoynting  the  actis  of  Parliament  maid  thairanncnt  to 

1  Omitted  in  lTni\.  MS.  -  Adv.  MSS.  "  Kooko." 


1004.  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIARY.  568 

be  observit,  inserting  the  very  wordis  of  the  act  of  Parliament  in  the 
ordinal!  of  the  Assemblie,  and  according  thairto  at  the  ending  of  the 
said  Assemblie,  appoyntit  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie  to  be  holden 
at  Aberdeine  the  last  Twysday  of  Jnlly,  in  this  instant  yeir  1604.' 
"  Nevertheless,  that  day  being  now  come  and  instant,  Ave  fand 
no  appeirance  of  the  keiping  of  the  said  Assemblie  by  the  presens 
of  the  last  Moderatonr,  nor  Conventioune,  nor  meiting  togither  of 
Bretherine,  Commissioimeris  directit  from  Provinces  or  Presbyte- 
ries, to  the  gryt  displesoure  and  greiff  of  our  heartis,  namely,  in  sua 
necessare  and  sua  neidfull  a  tyme,  quhen  messes  are  breking  forth 
in  diverse  pairtis,  and  sume  of  the  burghis  of  the  realme,  Kirks  and 
Congregatiounes  lyis  pitifully  unplantit,  a  cairles  cauldnes  in  all 
estaitis,  namely  in  the  Ministrie  it  selfF,  and  Atheisme,  with  all  kynd 
of  vyce  overflowing  the  face  of  the  land  :  Thairfoir,  we,  Mrs  James 
Melvill,  Williame  Erskine,  and  "Williame  Murray,  Commissioneris 
apoyntit  and  sent  hither  by  the  Presbyterie  of  Saint  Androis,  haiff- 
ing  preceisely  keipit  the  day  sett  for  the  Generall  Assemblie,  and 
attendit  on  in  the  Kirk  of  Aberdeine  all  the  foir  noone,  without 
meetting  of  ony  Commissioneris  from  uthir  Provinces  or  Presbyte- 
ries since  we  came ;  and  sieing  we  can  do  no  more,  hes  thoucht  it 
our  most  necessar  duetie,  befoir  God  and  his  angellis,  and  yow  that 
ar  present,  to  tak  documentis  and  mak  protestatioune :  Lykas,  in 
the  handis  of  yow  notaris  publict  we  tak  actis,  documentis,  and  in- 
struments, that  we,  abovenamit,  ar  heir  present,  directit  in  commis- 
sioune  from  our  said  Presbyterie  of  Saint  Androis,  for  keiping  of 
the  said  appoyntit  Generall  Assemblie  on  this  day  and  at  this  place  ; 
so  that  this  same  defect  hes  not,  so  much  as  lyes  in  us,  but  may 
hold  and  keipc  according  to  the  Word  of  God,  constitutiounes  and 
continuall  customes  of  the  Kirk,  the  lawes  of  the  realme,  and  the 
appoyntment  of  the  Generall  Assembly  last  holden,  the  Kingis  Ma- 
jestie  being  present  thairat,  and  voiting  first  to  the  samen :  And 
we  doe  protest,  befoir  God,  that  quhatsoevir  skaith,  hurt,  damnage, 
or  entres,1  the  Kirk  and  Kingdome  of  Jesus  Christ  within  the  realme, 

1  [nterest. 


564  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1  6l)4. 

in  the  priviledgis,  liberties,  or  friedomes,  or  utherwayis  in  the  gene- 
rail  or  particular  estait  thairoff,  sail  happine  to  incurre  or  susteine, 
by  the  oversycht,  negligence,  and  slipping  of  the  said  appoyntit 
Assemblie,  it  be  not  imputed  to  us  and  our  said  Presbyterie  of 
Saint  Androis  :  Protesting  also,  expressly,  that  the  samyne  (iff  any 
be)  may  be  amendit  and  redressit  by  remeid  of  the  Word  of  God, 
lawis  of  the  realme,  actis  and  constitutiounes  of  our  Kirk,  and  auld 
libertie  and  friedome  thairoff  in  sic  tyme  and  place  as  God  sail  think 
expedient. 

"  Thus,  protesting  and  procureing  most  earnestlie1  and  solemnely 
for  the  weill,  priviledgis,  and  libertie  of  the  said  Kirk  and  King- 
dome  of  Jesus  Christ  estaiblischit  in  this  realme,  movit  and  steirit 
up  thairto  for  no  uther  caus  (as  God  is  Judge)  but  that  we  may 
doe  and  dischairge  a  most  necessar  deutie  for  the  glorie  of  Christ, 
saftie  of  his  Kirk,  and  the  ease  and  releiff  of  our  consciences  in  the 
gryt  day  of  his  glorious  appeirance,  to  call  us  to  ane  accompt  of  our 
ministerie  and  dispensatioune  concredit2  to  us. 

[Sic  subscribitur)  "  Mr  James  Melvill. 

"  William  Murray. 
"  William  Erskine. 

"  Quhilk  Commissioune  and  Protestatioune  being  red  and  presentit, 
as  said  is,  the  said  Mr  James  Melvill,  William  Erskine,  and  Wil- 
liam Morray,  maid  their  Protestatiounes  conforme  thairto,  and  tuik 
documentis  and  instrumcntis  thairupone  in  the  handis  of  us  conno- 
taris  publict,  undirsubscryveand,  day,  monethe,  yeir,  and  place  foir- 
said,  and  befoir  the  witneses  above  mentionit,  witnessing  thais  our 
subscriptiounes  manuellis. 

"  Ita  est,  Mr  Thomas  Nicolsoune,  scriba  constitutes  communis 
Burgi  de  Aberdeine,  Notarius  Publicus,  ac  testis  ad  premissa  re- 
quisitus  ct  rogatus ;  testan.  hac  mea  subscriptions  manuali. 
"  Ita  est,  Walterus  Robertsons,  scriba  constitutus  Burgi  de 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "instantly."  »  Entrusted. 


1004.  MB  JAMES  melvlll's  diaky.  565 

Abirdiene,    Connotarius  Publicus,  ad  premissa  specialiter  rogatus 
et  requisites  ;  testan.  hie  meis  signo  et  subscriptione  manualibus. 
"  Ita  est,  David  Mar,  l  Connotarius,  in  premissa  rogatus  et  requi- 
sites ;  teste  mea  hac  subscriptione  manuali." 

The  guid  Breitherine  of  the  North,  sieing  Saint  Androis  to  haiff 
such  a  cair  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  quhairoff  thai  had  bein  cair- 
les,  condemned  thair  awin  negligence,  and  did  tak  advyce  to  di- 
rect Lettres  and  Coramissioneris  from  thair  nixt  Synod  to  be 
holdine  at  Abirdeine  in  the  moneth  of  August,  to  all  the  Provinces 
of  the  realme,  requesting  that  a  certaine  number  directit  from 
every  ane  of  thame  audit  to  be  present  at  the  Synod  of  FyfF,  to 
be  keipit  in  St  Androis  in  the  moneth  of  September,  quhair  thai 
mycht  expoune  their  Grivances,  namely,  annent  the  Earle  of 
Huntly,  quho  vexed  thame  with  his  proud  Poperie,  and  to  crave  all 
concurrance  for  a  Generall  Assemblie. 

Be  this  occasioune,  the  Synod  wes  keipit  verie  frequently2  at  Saint 
Androis.  Than-  wes  a  gryt  numbir  of  gentillmen  and  many  Com- 
missioneris  of  diverse  Provinces,  namely,  be-south  and  west.  The 
doctrine  wes  upon  Appostasie,  the  xxix.  of  Deut. ;  quhilk  God  blissit 
with  gryt  power  and  moveing  of  the  heartis  of  all.  Thair  wes  the 
Laird  of  Lauristoune,  the  King's  Commissiouner,  quho  being  in- 
formit  that  we  meineit  to  keep  ane  Generall  AssembHe,  had  Let- 
tres in  reddines  from  the  Councill  to  dischairge  our  meitting  ;  but 
quhen  he  heard  the  occasioune  expouned  be  our  Breitherine  of  Abir- 
deine, and  saw  all  our  proceidingis  in  ane  ordinar  and  quyet  forme, 
he  approvit  all.  Att  this  Synod  the  questioune  wes  movit, 3  Quhither 
the  Generall  Assemblie  mycht  be  haldine4  without  craiving  and 
obteineing  the  King's  leive  ?  It  wes  found,  by  guid  reassouneing, 
that  it  mycht ;  for,  besyd  the  warrand  of  Christ,  the  onlie  King  of 
the  Kirk,  quhilk  is  sufficient  and  great  aneugh,  we  haifF  a  law  for 
it,  quhilk  the  King  himselff,  in  a  Generall  Assemblie  at  Dundie, 
acknawledgit  to  be  the  most  autcntik  forme  of  license  and  consent 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "lilure."  2  Crowdedly,  great  numbers  attending  it. 

3  Adv.  MSS.  "reasoned."  4  Jl>.  "  oonveeq." 


566  THE  CONTINUATION  Ol  1604. 

that  a  King  could  give,  ct  id  possumus  quod  de  jure  possimus  :  Thair- 
foir,  we  sould  not  dout  of  it,  bot  even  as  Shereffis  and  Barrounes 
keepis  thair  Courtis  upoun  warrandis,  and  giftis,  and  infeftraentis, 
so  may  we.  Bot  the  Kingis  Commissiouner,  granting  that  so  it 
mycht  be,  counsellit  us  rather  to  attend  his  Majestie's  license  and 
guid  will ;  for  utherwayis  it  wald  mak  a  sturr,  and  the  Counsell  by 
Lettres  wald  dischairge  it :  We  sould  doe  weill  to  mak  warneing 
from  this  Synod  and  the  rest  of  the  Provinces  to  direct  thair  Com- 
missiouneris  to  meitt  with  such  as  this  Assemblie  sould  appoynt,  at 
Perth,  in  October  following,  quliair  also  he  sould  caus  the  Com- 
missiouneris  of  the  Generall  Assembhe  to  be  present  with  himselff, 
and  quhat  wes  thought  most  meitt  concerning  a  Generall  Assem- 
bhe, or  any  uther  thing,  then  he  sould  cary  it  to  the  King,  and  re- 
turne  a  guid  answer.  Quhilk  advyce  being  followit,  and  the  Com- 
missiouneris  being  nominat,  the  Assemblie  dissolvit. 

The  dyat  set  at  Perth,  in  the  moneth  of  October,  wes  very  fre- 
quently keipit,  quhair  the  Kingis  Commissiomier  declairet  the  caus 
of  thair  meiting,  and  desyrit  all  the  Commissiouneris  from  Provinces 
to  meitt  togidder  by  thameselves,  to  advyse  on  Articles  and  Peti- 
tiounes  to  be  sent  be  him  to  the  King,  for  he  wes  presently  on  his 
journay  towardis  his  Majestie ;  and  he,  with  the  Commissiouneris 
of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  would  advys  alon  in  the  lyk  maner.  So 
we  rose  from  thame,  and  went  togider  to  a  place  off  the  Kirk  by 
our  selvis,  quhair,  chuseing  a  Moderator,  the  Breither  that  come 
from  all  pairtis  and  Provinces  of  the  land,  with  gryt  gladnes  and 
contentment  of  mynd,  spent  the  foimoonc ;  every  man  orderly  and 
at  length  uttering  their  Grivances,  and  laying  thame  opin  in  plaine 
termes  to  their  Brithcrine,  regrating  hevihe  the  decaying  estait  of 
the  Kirk,  the  rcstraineing  of  the  fridomc  thairof,  the  usurpatioune 
of  the  Commissiouneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  in  taking  upone 
thame  the  haill  rculling  and  government  of  the  Kirk,  and  gryt  and 
manifold  inconveniences  falling  out  daylie  in  all  Provinces  thairby, 
namlie  for  the  wanting  of  a  frie  and  General!  Assemblie  J  adding 
also,  in  end,  thair  judgmentis  and  advyces,  bow  thaise  things  mycht 
be  mendit,  and  further  hurt  and  misoheiff  mycht  be  preventit;  so 


160 J:.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  567 

that  evirie  man  thought  thai  wer  begining  of  new  to  tast  againe  of 
the  sueiteness  of  the  auld  fridomes  thairof,  and  joy  foil  meiting  to- 
gidder  of  the  Breitherine  for  Chiystis  honour  and  thair  mutuall  con- 
fort.  Bot,  how  sone  as  the  knaAvledge  heiroff  come  to  the  Com- 
missiouneris,  (as  it  come  incontinent  be  sume  that  went  out  from 
amongst  us,  bot  wer  not  of  us,)  we  haiff  not  leive  to  meit  againe 
and  proceid  at  eftirnoone  ;  but  it  behovit  us,  of  need  force,  either 
to  sit  togidder  with  him,  and  advyse  on  matteres  in  commoune, 
or  then  to  be  dischairgit.  Many  guid  Breitherine  wald  haiff  con- 
tinowit  and  mett  again  togidder  at  eftirnoone,  but  the  grytest  pairt 
left  us ;  and  we  being  desyrit  to  continow  togidder  with  thame, 
wald  seime  to  be  singular,  and  be  auctoris  of  a  schisme,  but  come 
and  sat  doun  with  thame,  quhair  Ave  enterit  in  a  very  peice  off  free 
conferrence  about  the  male-contentment  of  Breither. 

We  did  schaw  plainly  thair  wes  aniongis  us  mony  more,  two 
causses  in  speciall,  that  grivit  us  ;  only  that  the  Commissiouneris  last 
chosine  be  the  Generall  Assemblie,  or  rathir  a  very  few  of  that 
numbir,  arrogatis  to  thame  the  haill  governement  of  the  Kirk  and 
power  of  the  Generall  Assemblie.  They  did  and  undid  in  the  name 
thairof  quhat  thai  list ;  sa  thai  maide  the  compend  to  abolische  the 
haill  gryt  work  [and  power  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,1]  and  re- 
dactit 2  the  Kirk  to  ane  oligarchic,  and  wald  not  leiff  off  thair  com- 
missioune,  nochtwithstanding  the  tyme  thairoff,  being  bot  to  the  nixt 
Generall  Assemblie,  wes  expyrit :  The  uthir  wes,  that  we  saw  thais 
new-nameit  Bischoppis  growne  up  fellounlie  and  ambitiouslie  to  tak 
it  on  thame  in  Parliament,  reassouneing  and  voiting  thairin  without 
any  commissioune  from  the  Kirk,  to  the  gryt  schame  of  the  Kirk  in 
hir  estimatioune,  and  hurt  of  hir  patrimony. 

Than*  answer  to  the  first  wes,  thai  undirstud  that  thair  Commis- 
sioune wes  to  continew  till  the  holding  of  the  nixt  Generall  Assem- 
blie, quhilk  keipit  not  at  Aberdeine  ;  and  it  wes  not  so  meiklc  thair 
desyre  to  remaine  commissioneris,  for  thai  wer  wearie  of  the  office, 
as  because  the  King  would  acknawledge  no  uthir  to  deall  with  him 

1  Not  in  the  Univ.  MS.  -'  Reduced,  Lat.  rcdaclus. 


568  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G04. 

bot  them,  and  that  Ave  wald  findc  iff  we  attemptit  any  thing  with- 
out them. 

To  the  nixt  annent  the  Bischoppis,  if  thai  had  done  any  thing 
contrair  to  the  Cautiouncs  and  Ordinances  of  the  Generall  Assem- 
blie, thai  sould  find  all  the  Commissiouneris  alse  sair1  censureris  as 
any  of  us  ;  upon  the  quhilk  poynt  thai  contendit  not  to  heir  the 
Moderator,  Mr  Patrik  Galloway,  to  speik  verie  zealously  and  lairge- 
lie  ;  bot  evirie  ane  of  the  Commissiouneris  and  Bisschoppis  thair 
present  spak  thair  tyme  about,  and  thair  stryving  quha  mycht  be 
most  zealous  and  preceis  againes  the  Bisschoppis  as  breking  off  the 
Cautiounes.  Many  thingis  wer  replyit,  bot  specially  againes  the 
second ;  that  thair  wes  never  one  jote  of  the  Cautiounes  keipit, 
eithir  in  the  entrie  or  behaviour  of  thais  Bisschoppis,  as  it  wes  evi- 
dent to  men  that  had  desertit  thair  flockis,  and  left  thair  ministrie 
to  goe  posting  to  Court,  and  come  home  Lord  Bisschoppis  againe, 
as  Mr  Johne  Spotiswood,  Mr  Alexander  Forbes,  and  utheris  had 
done.  All  quhilk  we  were  ready2  presentlie  to  verify,  and  all  the 
quhilk  Ave  wer  desyrit  to  reserve  to  the  Generall  Assemblie ; 
quhairat,  iff  avc  gat  not  concurrance,  as  every  ane  had  thair  pro- 
fessit  and  promissit,  thai  sould  neA'ir  be  estemit  as  Britherine. 
Quhairunto  this  avcs  answerit,  that  all  aycs  remittit  to  the  nixt 
Generall  Assemblie ;  and  by  them  that  feirit  controlment,  that  Aves 
moyencd  at  the  hand  of  the  Court  to  be  drift  it  and  delayit  till  cus- 
tome  had  corroborat  corruptiounes,  and  meinis  maid  evin  among  the 
Ministeres  for  thair  upsetting  and  standing  betwixt  thame  and 
Christ,  be  it  quhen  he  sould  come  and  call  all  to  ane  accompt. 

In  end,  thair  wes  four  Petitiouncs  aggriet  upon  to  be  sent  and 
directit  to  the  Kingis  Majestic,  with  his  Hemes'  Commissiouner, 
quho  promisit  fidelitie  thairannent  : 

First,  craiffing  a  Generall  Assemblie  to  be  keipit  AA'ithout  his 
Majestic's  offence,  according  to  the  actis  of  the  Parliament,  and  cus- 
tome  of  the  Kirk. 

That  order  mycht  be  takin  with  the  Papistis,  and  contemners  of 
Hie  Kirkis  discipline  and  censures. 

1  Severe,  '  Adv.  MSS.  "undertook." 


1(504.  MR  JAMES  MELV1LLS  DIARY.  569 

That  the  godlie  and  ftaithfull  Britherine  in  England,  vexit  with 
Bischoppis,  mycht  find  favour  with  his  Majestic,  and  be  reponit  to 
thair  offices  and  livingis. 

Annent  the  Piatt,  and  helping  of  their  Britherine  quho  had  bein 
enormly  hurt  at  the  last  modificatioune,  namely,  in  the  Priorie  of 
Sanct  Androis. 

No  further  that  yeir,  bot  of  a  Strang  meteor,  quhilk  wes  hard  and 
sein  in  the  aire,  the  seventh  day  of  December.  About  ane  houre 
befoir  the  sone  rose,  the  moone  schyneing  cleir  tuo  dayis  befoir  the 
chainge,  in  ane  calme  and  pleasant  morneing,  thair  wes  at  ane  in- 
stant sein  gryt  inflamatiounes  of  fyre-flauchtis l  in  the  Eisterne 
hemisphere,  and  suddentlie  thaireftir  thair  wes  hard  a  gryt  crack, 
as  of  a  gryt  cannoun,  and  sensibilie  markit  a  gryt  glob  or  bullat, 
fyrrie-cullorit,  with  a  mychtie  quhissilling  noyse,  flieing  from  the 
north-eist  to  the  south-west,  quhilk  left  behind  it  a  blew  traine  and 
draught  in  the  air,  most  lyk  ane  serpent  in  mony  faulds  and  linkit 
wimples ;  the  head  quhairof  breathing  out  flames  and  smooke,  as  it 
wald  directlie  invaid  the  moone,  and  swallowit  hir  up  ;  but  immedi- 
atlie  the  sone  ryseing,  faire  and  pleasant,  abolischit  all.  The  crack 
wes  hard  of  all,  alseweill  within  as  without  the  house  ;  and  sic  as 
wer  without,  in  the  tyme,  or  hastilie  ran  out  to  see,  did  verie  sensi- 
billy  sie  and  markit  the  rest  above  rehearsit.  Heir  wes  a  subject  for 
Poyetis  and  Prophettis  to  play  upoun,  as  wes  also  the  strange  comett 
so  much  discoursit  upoun  and  written  on,  togidder  with  the  starr 
that  appeirit  and  cleirly  schynit  aboune  Edinbruche,  hard  on  by  the 
sonne,  at  ten  hours,  elevin  hours,  and  at  tAvelve  and  ane  of  the  clock, 
in  the  middel  day;  prognosticatting,  undoutidlie,  Strang  alter- 
atiounes  and  changes  in  the  world,  namely  under  our  climat.  Bar- 
tholomeus,  Kelermannus,  the  learned  Dantiscane  philosopher,  in  his 
extraordinarie  Disputatiounes  of  his  Naturall  Philosophic,  did  tak 
it  for  ane  undoutit  comet  out  of  Petrus  Crugorius'  Observatiounes 
of  the  most  lairnit  Astrologianis,  namely,  that  nobill  Ticho  Brache, 
Thaddeus    Hagatius,    Paulus  Fabricius,   Hastarchus,    Honstelius, 

1  Plashes  of  lightning. 


570  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

Consul  Augustinus,  Mestelcnus  Briumas,  Minotius,  Valerius  Pra- 
tensis,  and  a  gryt  number  moe,  concerneing  the  strangnes  and 
eventis  from  tliair  Avorkis ;  namely,  the  said  Ticho  Brache,  in  his 
Astronomicall  Excercitatiounes,  and  Kelermannus,  Dialepsis  againcs 
thame. 

M.DC.V. 
In  the  monethe  of  Merch,  anno  1605,  Mr  Johne  Forbes,  ane 
faithfull  brother  [and]  godlie  Minister  in  the  North,  by  Commis- 
sioune  of  his  Brethir  of  the  Synodis  of  Abirdeinc  and  Murray,  and 
advyce  of  the  Secreit  Counsel,  past  to  the  King,  and  wes  verie  weill 
acceptit  of  his  Majestie,  and  wes  sent  backc  with  diligence,  carieing 
lettres  and  credit  againes  the  Erie  of  Huntlie  and  all  Papistis;  with 
certificatioune  of  the  King's  constancie  in  that  Religioune  he  wes 
brought  upe  into,  and  concerneing  the  order  of  the  Kirk ;  that  his 
Hienes  wes  not  myndit  to  alter  ony  thing  thairin  ;  but  that  his 
Majestie's  will  and  plesoure  wes,  that  the  acts  of  Parliament  and 
constitutiounes  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  namelie,  quhairat  he  wes 
present,  sould  be  keipit ;  and  that  his  Majestie  commandit  the  said 
Mr  Johne  to  utter  it  to  all  the  Britherine  of  the  Ministrie,  as  his 
manifest  will  wes  to  doe  soe  ;  the  quhilk  Mr  John  did  faithfullie. 
Now,  the  great  Commissiouner,  Lawristoune,  with  the  Commis- 
siouneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  had  writtine  to  all  the  Presby- 
teries for  keiping  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  at  Abirdeinc  the  second 
of  July ;  anncnt  the  keiping  quhairofF  great  troubill  and  disputa- 
tioune  fell  out,  as  at  length  the  following  exemple  and  most  true 
Narratioune  sail  particularly  informe  the  reider : 


A  TRUE  NARRATION  OF  THE  PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY  A  I 
ABERDEEN,  IN  JULY  1605. 

"  At  Aberdcene,  the  seconde  day  of  July  1605:  The  quhilk 
day,  diverse  and  sindric  Britherine  from  diverse  and  sindrie  places 
and  Provinces  of  the  land,  instructit  with  Bufficienl  Commissiounes 


1605.  MB  JAMES  MELVlLL's  DIARY.  571 

from  thair  Presbyteries  to  reassoune,  voit,  and  conclud  in  the  Ge- 
nerall Assemblie,  appoyntit  be  his  Majestie's  Commissiouner,  [and 
Commissionneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  directit  from  Perth, 
the  4  of  July  1604,  subscryvit  with  his  Majestie's  Commissiouner,1] 
the  Lairde  of  Lawristoune,  Mr  Patrik  Gallaway,  Moderator  of  the 
last  Generall  Assemblie  holdine  at  Halirudhous,  and  Richard 
Thomsoune,  as  Clerk  to  the  Commissiouneris,  to  be  and  begine  att 
Abirdeine  the  first  Twysday  of  July  1605,  iff  by  sooner  advertis- 
ment,  it  can  nocht,  being  lawfullie  assemblit  upoim  the  said  warrand 
and  clirectioun,  according  to  the  Word  of  God,  lawis  of  the  coun- 
trie,  nature  and  continuall  custome  of  the  Kirk  of  God,  eftir  incall- 
ing 2  on  the  name  of  God  be  Mr  Donald  Rob[ertsoune,3]  in  absence  of 
the  lait  Moderator,  Mr  Patrik  Gallaway,  Mr  Robert  Durie,  Johne 
Muray,4  Johne  Forbes,  being  put  on  the  leitt,  with  uniforme  con- 
sent, Mr  JohneTorbes  wes  chosine  Moderator,  his  Majestie's  Com- 
missiouner haveing  first  nominat  the  said  Mr  Johnne  to  be  mouthe 
to  the  rest ;  and  Mr  Johne  Scharpe,  in  abscence  of  Mr  Thomas 
Nicolsoune,  with  consent  of  the  haill  Britherine,  wes  nominat  and 
chosine  Clerk. 

"  The  same  day,  his  Majestie's  Commissiouner,  haiffmg  first  by 
word  declairit  and  oppinit  the  desyre  of  his  Majestie's  Secreit  Coun- 
sel, concerneing  the  said  meitting,  did  give  in  ane  Lettre  direct 
from  the  saidis  Lordis  of  his  Majestie's  Counsel  to  the  Britherine  of 
the  said  Ministerie  conveinit  at  the  said  Assemblie;  the  effect  quhair- 
off  wes,  to  desist  from  the  keipeing  of  the  Assemblie,  and  to  suffer 
that  meitting  to  desert.  Quhilk  Lettre,  and  desyre  conteinit  thairin, 
with  the  suit  and  desyre  of  his  Majestie's  Commissiouner  agrieing 
thairwith,  being  ryplie  considerit  by  the  said  Assemblie,  and  haiff- 
ing weyeit5  the  weightiness  off' the  effairis  to  be  thairin  treatit,  and 
rarenes6  of  thair  awin  number,  diverse  of  the  Commissiouners  be- 
fng  stayed  be  the  tempest  of  wethir,  and  willing  then,  as  at  all  tymes, 
to  wittnes  thair  willingnes  they  carriet  to  satisfie  the  Kingis  Ma- 


1  Omitted  in  Univ.  MS.  2  Invocation.  3  Adv.  MSS.  *'  David  Wait. 

lb.  -  Monroe.''  5  Weighed.  '   Fewness,  smallncss. 


572  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

jestie  and  Lordis  of  his  Hienes'  Secreit  Counsel,  in  all  thair  reas- 
sounabill  desyris,  insomuch  as  mycht  stand  with  the  Word  of  God 
and  testimonie  of  a  guid  conscience,  thought  meitt  and  expe- 
dient to  continow  the  intreating  of  the  effaires  perteining  to  the 
said  Assemblie  to  the  last  Twysday  of  Septembir  following ;  and  to 
dissolve  for  the  present,  according  to  the  said  suite  and  desyre  of 
the  Councill  and  Commissioners.  Befoir  the  quhilk  ordinance,  his 
Majestie's  Commissiouner  maid  protestatioune,  that  from  the  be- 
ginning he  did  not  acknawledge  that  present  meitting  to  be  a  law- 
full  Assemblie,  in  respect  of  the  absence  of  the  last  Moderator  and 
Clerk  ordinare.  The  Moderator,  in  name  of  the  Britherine,  protes- 
tit  againe,  that  the  said  meitting  now  wes,  and  behoved  to  be,  ane 
lawfull  Assemblie,  in  respect  of  the  warrand  of  thair  meitting  alled- 
git.  Quhairwith  the  Commissiouner,  not  being  contentit,  causit  a 
messenger,  thair  present,  with  letteris  to  chairge  the  Britherine 
thair  assemblit  to  depairt,  and  suffir  that  meitting  to  desert,  undir 
the  paine  of  horneing. 

"  The  Kingis  Lettres  being  red  and  considerit,  the  Moderator 
and  Britherine  immediatlie  yeilding  obedience,  callit  on  the  name 
of  God,  and  dissolvit  the  Assemblie,  taking  documentis  and  actis 
in  the  handis  of  the  said  messenger,  who  was  also  a  notar  publict, 
nameit  Johne  Wischart,  of  thair  present  readie  obedience  ;  and  be- 
caus  the  said  Johne  refusit  the  benefit  of  his  office  in  that  pairt,  the 
Moderator,  togidder  with  the  haill  Britherine  assemblit,  depairtit 
out  of  the  Kirk  and  place  quhair  thai  satt,  and  went  streight  to 
the  Commoune  Clerkis  chalmer  of  the  Towne  of  Aberdein,  at  halff 
ane  hour  to  four  eftir  noone,  and  thair  tuik  documentis  and  instru- 
mentis  in  the  handis  of  Mr  Thomas  Nicolsoune  ;  the  tennour  quhairof 
folio  wis : 

"  '  At  Abirdeine,  the  2d  of  July  1605,  in  the  Commoime  Clerk 
his  wrytting  chalmer  of  the  burght  of  Aberdein,  at  half  hourc  to 
four  eftir  noone,  or  thairby  :  In  prcsens  of  us,  connotaris  publict  and 
witnesses  undirwrittcn,  compeirit  personally  the  Conmiissiouneris 
of  the  Ministeric  of  this  realme  eftir  following:  Thai  ar  to  say, 
Mr  Robert  Dune,  Minister  at  Anstruther,  Mr  Andro  Duncan,  Mini- 


1605.  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY. 


D  ( 6 


ster  at  Carraill,  Mr  Jolmc  Scharpe,  Minister  at  Kilreny,1  Mr  Alex- 
ander Strachane,  Minister  at  Raith,2  Mr  Johne  Forbes,  Minister  at 
Ford,3  Mr  Alexander  Forbes,  Minister  at  Buittorhulk,4  Mr  James 
Irving,  Minister  at  Touch,  Mr  Robert  Youngstoune,  Minister  at 
Clatt,  Mr  Robert  Reid,  Minister  at  Banchrie  Trinitie,  Mr  Charles 
Ferme,  Minister  at  Fraserburght,  Mr  William  Davidsoune,  Mini- 
ster at  Ruthwen,5  Mr  David  Robertsoune,  Minister  at  Kinglatt, 
Mr  Johne  Mountro,6  Minister  at  Taine,  Mr  Archibald  Blackburne, 
Minister  at  Abirdein,  Mr  James  Ross,  Minister  thair,  Mr  Johne 
Roucht,7  Minister  at  Nig,  and  alledgit  that  thai  being  conveinit  in 
the  Sessioun-house  of  the  Kirk  of  this  burght  of  Abirdein  this  day, 
as  the  appoyntit  tyme  and  place  for  holding  of  the  Generall  Assem- 
blie  of  the  Ministerie  of  this  realme,  thai  wer  chairgit  be  Johnne 
Wischart,  messenger,  by  virtue  of  his  Majestie's  Lettres  givin  be 
act  of  his  Hienes  Secret  Counsel,  of  the  dait  at  Edinbruche,  the 
twentie  day  of  Junij 8  last  bypast,  within  the  space  of  ane  quarter  of 
ane  hour  since,  that  thai  sould  suffir  the  Assemblie  to  desert,  and 
to  repair  everie  one  to  thair  awin  dwelling  places  and  chairge ;  and 
that  thai  in  nowayis  presume  or  take  upoun  hand  to  convein  or  as- 
semble thame  selves  in  ony  place,  for  keipeing  of  the  said  Assembly, 
undir  the  paine  of  horneing ;  as  the  coppie  of  the  saidis  Lettres, 
quhilk  thai  schew  to  us,  connotaris  publict  and  witnesses  undirwrit- 
tin,  subscryvit,  as  appeirit  to  said  Johne  Wisschart,  messenger, 
proportis :  And  that,  for  obedience  to  the  command  and  chairge 
of  the  said  Lettres,  the  Ministerie,  eftir  the  giveing  of  the  said 
chairge,  dissolvit  without  any  further  actioun,  and  come  immediat- 
lie  forth  of  the  said  Sessioune-house  and  Kirk,  to  tak  notis  and  in- 
strumentis  of  their  obedience,  to  the  command  of  the  said  Lettres 
and  dissolveing  of  the  said  Assembly,  in  the  hands  of  us,  connottaris 
undir  subscryvand ;  and  heirupoun  thai  tuik  instruments  at  the 
saidis  Commoun  Clerkis  chalmer  at  the  west  end  of  the  towne  of 
Abirdein,  at  the  most  publict  place,  day,  moneth,  hour,  yeir,  and 

1  Blotted  in  Univ.  MS.    The  Adv.MSS.  read  "  Kirkman."  *  lb.  "  Careith." 

3  lb.  "  Alsford."  *  lb.  "  Kinkethauchie."  »  lb.  «  Ratraw." 

«  I/>.  "  Monroe."        7  lb.  "  Ronok."        *  Th.  "  July." 


574  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

place  fbirsaid ;  befoir  thir  wittnesses,  Mr  Alexander  Forbes  of  Fin- 
gas,1  David  Ronaldsoune  in  TullidafF,  Mathew  Donaldsoune,  Johne 
Ker,  Baxtar,  Alexander  Thomsoun,  Skinner,  Burges  of  Aberdeine, 
with  George  Speir,  servitour  to  the  said  Mr  Johne  Forbes,  and 
Thomas  Forbes,  sone  to  Thomas  Forbes,  elder,  burges  of  Abir- 
deine. 

" '  Ita  est,  Mr  Thomas  Nicolsoune,  Notarius  Publicus,  scriba 
communis  Burgi  de  Abredonia,  ad  premissa  requisitus. 

"  '  Ita  est,  Walterus  Hobertsoune,  scriba  substitutus. 
( Sic  subscribitur)    " '  Mr  Johne  Scharpe,  Clerk  of  the  Assemblies 

"Upon  the  Fry  day  thaireftir,  being  the  fyft2  of  July,  a  numbir 
of  Britherine,  directit  from  all  pairtis  and  Provinces  of  the  realme, 
in  Commissioune  to  the  said  Assemblie,  come  to  Abirdene,  hindrith 
pairtlie  by  evill  wether,  and  spaits  of  watteris,  and  pairtlie  by  mis- 
taiking  of  the  day  directit  by  the  Commissiouneris  lettres  sent  to 
than  Presbyteries  beiring  the  fyft  day  of  July  ;  quho,  quhen  thai 
had  undirstanding  and  considerit  the  doeing  of  than*  Britherine, 
quha  keipit  the  second  day,  thai  did  confirme  and  approve  the  samyn, 
directing  thair  proceidings  to  Edinbruche,  with  all  diligence  to 
the  Secreit  Counsel. 

"  The  Kingis  Commissiouner,  Lauristoune,  returneing  from 
Abirdein  to  the  Secreit  Counsel,  quhither  movit  with  the  spirit  of 
lies  and  falsehood,  or  intysit  and  corruptit  publictly3  to  tak  oeca- 
sioun  of  this  accident  to  undoe  the  General!  Assemblie  and  the 
haill  liberties  of  the  Kirk,  God  knpwis  ;  but  certainly  he  did  report 
ane  false  and  deidly  lie,  to  witt,  that  he  had  dischairgit  the  Brei- 
therine  to  meitt  on  that  day  befoir  the  Assemblie,  and  that  by 
oppin  proclamatioun  at  the  rnercat-cross  of  Abirdein,  and  notwith- 
standing thairoff,  in  manifest  contempt  of  the  Kingis  Majestic' s  auc- 
toritie,  thai  had  keipit  the  Assemblie  ;  yit,  nevirtheles  of  this 
schameles  lie,  for  vcrificatioun  thairof  he  wes  not  abill  to  produce 
ane  man  in  all  the  tonne  of  Aberdein.     The  Counsel  ordaines,  first, 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  Tagastar."  -'  Ih.  "  Fourt."  :1  //-.  "  politickly." 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  575 

all  the  Britherin  that  conveinlt  thair  to  be  demmceit  rebellis  and 
put  to  the  home ;  but  perceiving  that  wald  want  the  grund  of  law- 
full  chairgeing,  and  heiring  that  Mr  Johne  Forbes,  the  Moderator, 
and  Mr  Johne  Welsche,  Minister  at  Aire,  wer  in  Edinbruche, 
quhair  the  Counsel  did  sitt,  thai  usit  the  occasioun,  and  warnit 
thame  by  a  messenger  to  compeire  befoir  the  Counsel ;  quhair,  eftir 
certaine  interrogatoris,  notwithstanding  thair  answers  were  most 
pertinent  and  cleire,  according  to  the  truth  of  thair  proceidings,  as 
is  befoir  rehersit,  that  thai  schewed  thame,  it  wes  the  Kingis  will 
that  thai  sould  be  wardit  in  the  Castell  of  Blacknes  till  his  Majes- 
tie's  directioune. 

"  The  Counsel  was  betymes  conveinit  in  the  morneing,  betuixt 
sex  and  sevin  a  clock ;  and  so  lyk  that  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisies 
that  condemnit  Christ,  consisting  of  a  few  Court  Lordis  and  sum 
Ministeres,  to  schaw  the  oppositioune  of  the  Nobilitie,  quha  con- 
veineing  at  the  ordinare  houre  of  Counsel,  reassounit  honnestlie  for 
the  Britherine  of  the  Assemblie  of  Aberdeen. 

"  Thus,  Mr  Johne  Forbes,  and  Mr  Johne  Welsche,  eftir  thai  had 
bein  keipit  in  the  Castell  of  Edinburgh  one  night,  wes  transportit 
thairfra  to  the  dungeoune  of  Blacknes ;  quhairintill  thai  wer  res- 
savit,  and  none  suffirit  to  cum  unto  thame  for  thair  confort.  On 
Friday,  the  27  of  July,  the  rest  wer  ordainit  to  be  summoned  with 
lettres  to  compeir  at  Edinbruche  the  first  day  of  August. 

"The  foure  Commissiouneris  of  Fyfe,  Maisters  Robert  Durie, 
Andro  Duncan,  Johne  Scharpe,  [and  Alexander  Strauchane,1]  who 
came  to  sie  what  was  clone  at  Edinbruche,  [compearing  befoir  the 
Counsel,  and  standing  honnestlie  to  that  quhilk  wes  done  in  Abir- 
deine, 2]  were  incontinent  careit  aAvay  from  Edinbruche  to  the 
Blacknes  to  comfort  then-  Breitherine,  and  were  not  twenty-four 
houris  thairin,  quhen,  evin  on  the  morrow,  the  plague  of  pestilence 
brak  up  in  the  towne  of  Edinbruche,  Leith,  and  St  Androis,  and 
diverse  uthir  pairtis  of  the  land,  a  verie  feirfull  thing ;  and,  with 
the  first,  the  Lord  Chancelleris  awin  house  infectit  in  Edinbruche, 

1  Not  in  Adv.  MSS.  *  Not  in  Adv.  1USS. 


.r)7f)  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G05. 

and  betain '  with  the  penalty  pronunced  be  Josua  upon  the  building 
up  of  Jerieho ;  for  his  eldest  and  only  sonne  died,  and  a  young 
damosell,  his  neice,  so  that  he  wes  compellit  to  dissolve  his  familie, 
and  to  goe  with  his  wiff  alone,  as  in  hermitage,  with  gryt  feir  of 
the  death  of  his  daughter  also,  on  quhom  the  byles  brak  furth. 
This  Avas  markit2  and  talkit  of  be  the  peiple.3 

"  About  this  same  tyme,  Sir  George  Home's  sonne,4  of  the  house 
of  Manderstoune,  wes  advancit  to  gryt  honnour,  being  first  maid 
Lord  of  Barwick,  and  syne  Erie  of  Dumbar,  and  thairwith  imployit 
Gryt  Commissiouner  from  his  Majestic  to  governe  all  Scotland, 
Kirk,  and  Commounweill ;  to  cuihom  certaine  of  the  Ministerie,  of 
his  guid  acquaintance,  did  wrytt  as  followis  : 


[LETTER  TO  THE  EARL  OF  DUNBAR.] 

"  '  Unto  your  Honnour,  our  duetie  humblie  rememberit  in  the 
Lord,  pleas  that,  undirstanding  that  your  cuming  in  the  contray 
Avith  high  honouris  and  ample  Commissioun,  we  would  faine  haiff 
salutit  your  Lordschip  in  presens,  and  congratulat  your  Lord- 
schipia  advancement  to  sic  honor  and  wealth,  as  becam  us ;  but  be- 
ing debarritt  be  seiknes  and  uthir  impcdimentis,  we  haiff  takin 
boldnes  to  doe  the  same  by  this  schort  Lettre,  quhilk  Ave  pray  your 
honor  to  tak  in  gud  pairt,  as  the  humble  serA\antis  of  God.  We 
Avald  hold  you  in  remembrance,  that  sic  preferment  comis  not  from 
the  est  nor  from  the  Avest,  as  sayis  the  Psalmist,  but  from  God, 
quha  exaltis  and  dejectis  at  his  plcsour,  and  quho  will  honour  them 
quha  wiH  honor  him.  Thairfoir,  for  your  Lordschipis  stabilitie  in 
honour,  avc  wald  recomcnd  to  voav  eamestlie  the  Kirk  of  Jesus 
Christ  within  this  realme,  that  it  may  injoye  the  sinceritie  of  the 
Gospel,  and  rycht  goveniemcnt  and  discipline  prcscryvit  thairin,  as 
it  lies  bein  constitut,  and  be  the  Kingis  Majestie's  awin  lawes  esta- 
bilischit  in  the  Northerne  kingdome  of  his  Gryt  Britanne.    We  arc 

1  Overtaken.  '  Adv.  MSS.  "marvelled."  ;  //-.  "of  all  the  Brother." 

4  /!>.  "  ane  uncle" 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  D1ABY.  577 

put  in  sum  feir  be  the  plottis  and  attemptis  of  your  new  and  young 
Bisschoppis,  quho,  without  all  order  of  the  Kirk,  ethir  old  or  new, 
intruse '  thame  selves  in  thais  rooms,  quhilk  his  Majestie  sett  doun 
in  ane  Gencrall  Assemblie,  holdine  at  Montrose,  be  the  Commis- 
siouneris  for  the  Kirk  at  his  Hemes'  Parliament,  taking  thair  in- 
structiouncs  and  directiounes  from  the  General!  Assemblie ;  the 
quhilk  cautiounes,  notwithstanding,  if  thai  sail  keipe  and  observe, 
we  look  for  nothing  but  guid  pcice  and  quictnes  among  us  ;  quhair- 
unto  we  sie  the  haill  Ministerie  marvelouslie  inclyne  since  his  Ma- 
jestie's  last  directioune  at  the  entrie  of  his  Heines  progresse  to- 
wardis  the  South. 

"  '  But  if  thais  Bisschoppis  breick  the  cautiounes,  and  preas  lordly 
to  tyranise  owir  the  Britherine  and  the  Kirk  of  Jesus  Christ,  thai 
wilbe  the  brekeris  of  the  peicc  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  Kirk,  and 
quyetnes  of  his  Majestie's  subjectis,  soreagaines  our  will  and  heart. 
The  men  are  bot  yong,  and  easily  puft  up  with  the  auctoritie  and 
countinence  of  so  wyse  and  mychtie  a  King ;  but  Ave  know  thame 
weill  eneughe  that  they  have  been  under  the  rod  of  our  correctioun 
and  discipline  boith  in  the  scoolis  and  Kirk.  We  cannot,  with 
patience,  sie  thame  misken  God,  his  Kirk,  and  thame  selves,  with- 
out putting  order  thairto,  be  the  power  that  Chryst  lies  givin  us, 
according  to  our  calling  ;  the  boundis  quhairof,  by  Godis  grace,  we 
sail  nowayis  passe.  But  your  Lordschipis  gryt  wisdome  and  knaw- 
ledge  of  the  estait  of  this  countrie  may  easilie  tak  upe  quhair  that 
may  breid,  to  witt,  iff  possibill,  it  may  be  that  his  Majestie's  cle- 
mencie  may  be  expugnant  by  thair  importunity,  thai  will  procure 
his  Majestie's  wraith  and  indignatioune  upoun  us,  quhilk,  iff  thai 
obtein,  we  man  resolve  patientlie  and  constantlie  to  suffir ;  bot 
what  may  ensue  thairupoun  manifest  excmples  of  our  lait  aige  may 
cleirly  declair. 

"  '  Your  Lordschip  knawis  best  of  our  pure  approveing  fidelitie 
and  loyaltie  to  his  Majestie  in  all  thingis,  and  how  compleseing  we 
haife  bein  in  all  matteris,  saiff  this  poynt,  allenerlie,2  that  tuiches 

1  Intrude.  2  Only,  alone. 

2  o 


578  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L605. 

our  conscience  and  duetie  to  the  King  of  kingis,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Chryst,  to  quhom  quhosoevir  is  unfaithfull,  or  unfaithfull  in  thair 
ministerie,  sail  nevir  prove  faithfull  nor  stabill  to  men.  We  doe 
abyd  the  samen  men  quho  will  give  place  to  no  Bisschope  of  thame 
all  in  loyalty,  honour,  reverence,  obedience,  or  ony  sort  of  duetie  to 
his  maist  excellent  Majestie,  and  doeing  of  all  guid  offices  in  our  call- 
ings for  preservatioune  of  his  Majestie's  most  royall  estait  and  per- 
soun  in  suretie,  peace,  and  in  the  favour  of  God  and  all  guid  men, 
the  only  sure  foundatioune  of  sic  majestick  and  magnifick  a  building : 
Bot  in  this  opinioun  we  will  die,  (and  so,  we  ar  assurit,  will  the 
best,  yea,  evin  the  greattest  pairt  of  the  Ministerie  of  the  Kirk  of 
Scotland,)  that  to  suffir  the  tyrannie  of  Bisschoppis  to  come  within 
our  Kirk  of  new  againe,  is  to  committ  hight  treassoune  against 
Christ  and  the  King ;  and,  thairfoir,  must  oppoune  ourselves  thairto 
to  the  uttirmost  of  our  lyffis,  yea,  think  our  ly ves  most  honorabillie 
bestowit,  if  God  will  honour  us  so  meikle  as  to  suffir  thairfoir,  evin 
to  the  losse  of  our  lyvis,  being  assurit  that  so  we  sail  gaine  our 
saullis  and  lyvis  to  lyff  for  evir. 

"  '  Thairfoir,  as  we  haiff  evir  knawin  your  Lordschip  weill  and 
cairfullie  affectit  to  the  Kirk,  for  his  Majestie's  quiet  estait  and 
peaceabill  reigne,  we  most  humbilly  beseik  your  Lordschip  to  im- 
ploy  your  Lordschipe's  gryt  credit,  for  staying  the  ambitious  follie 
of  thais  men,  that  it  disturbe  not  the  piceabill,  most  quyet,  and  obe- 
dient estait  of  the  realme ;  and  hT  it  fall  out  any  uthenvayis,  (as 
God  forbid,)  we  tak  your  Lordschip  to  wittnes  be  thir  our  present 
lettres,  that  we  ar  wytles,1  being  of  purpose  to  doe  no  moire  for 
Christ  and  his  Kirk  establischit  within  this  realme  nor2  the  purest 
subject  thairin  wald  doe  for  ane  cot-hous  and  a  kail-yaird,  quhairto 
he  had  guid  rycht,  and  quhairin  he  wes  in  long  and  peaceabill  pos- 
sessioun  of  the  same ;  that  is,  to  stand  for  the  rycht,  and  doe  for  it 
his  uttirmost.  Thus  doeing,  as  we  dout  not  of  your  Lordschipe's 
approven  guid-will,  boith  of  old  and  of  new,  by  that  quhilk  our 
Brothir,  Mr  Johne3  Forbes,  fand,  being  laitlic  at  Court,  and  lies 

1  Free  of  wyte  or  blame.  2  Than.  a  Adv.  AISS.  "  Patrick." 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  579 

maid  knawin  to  all  the  guid  Britherine,  your  Lorclschip  sail  undout- 
edlie  procuire  the  blessing  of  God,  the  love  of  Chryst,  the  favour  of 
all  guid  men.' 

"  At  the  veric  selff-same  tyme,  ane  nobill,  weill-affectit  gentill 
man  to  the  kingdome  of  Chryst,  and  of  guid  credit  with  the  Earle 
of  Dumbarr,  Avrote  to  him  as  followis  : 


[letter  by  a  noble,  well-affected  gentleman  to 
the  earl  of  dunbar.] 

"  '  My  Lord,  haifeing  the  occasioun  to  meitt  with  sume  speciall 
of  the  Ministerie,  immediatly  eftir  my  departoure  from  your  Lord- 
schip, I  fand  that  thai  are  abill  to  justifie  thair  doeingis  at  the  As- 
semblie  at  Aberdein,  be  sufficient  warrand,  thai  being  nevir  dischair- 
git,  directlie  nor  indirectlie,  till  all  wes  concludit ;  and  feiring  the 
misconstructing  of  thair  matteris,  and  meittingis  be  the  Bisschoppis, 
behavit  thame  selves  in  sic  sort,  that  thai  meddilit  with  no  particu- 
laris  whatsumevir ;  only  electit  the  Moderator,  callit  the  Rollis, 
and  continowit  the  Assemblie  till  ane  uthir  dyat :  Quhilk  thingis, 
being  indifferentlie  considerit,  thai  (not  dischairgit)  wald  seime 
most  lawfidlie  to  be  done.  Thairfoir,  seing  thai  haiff  your  Lord- 
schip  in  sic  estimatioune  amongis  thame,  as  thair  awin :  patroune  at 
the  Kingis  Majestie's  handis,  let  me  be  this  bauld,  most  humblie  to 
intreat  your  Lordschip  at  this  tyme  so  to  doe,  that  thai  may  find 
your  Lordschipis  favour©  to  continow  with  thame ;  and  to  accept  of 
the  declaratioun  of  the  truth  of  that  matter  without  being  prejud- 
git,  and  I  will  promise,  in  thair  name,  for  so  I  haiff  commissioun 
to  wryt,  that  heireftir,  iff  your  Lordschip  wilbe  plessit  to  reveil  your 
Lordschipis  mynd  quhat  way  thai  sail  behaifF  thameselves  concerne- 
ing  his  Majestie,  thai  salbe  reulit  with  your  Lordschipe's  advyse  in 
all  thingis,  so  far  as  thai  may,  keipeing  thair  conscience  saiff  befoir 
God  in  all  thair  callingis.     And  for  this  effect,  thai  wald  be  glaid 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  only." 


580  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

that  your  Lordschip  wald  imploy  sume  one  to  quhom  your  Lord- 
schip  will  give  credit  in  the  contrary,  and  how  far  suche  thingis, 
qulia  from  tyme  to  tyme  mycht  accquant  thame  with  your  Lord- 
schipis  mynd  ;  by  the  quhilk  doeing,  your  Lordschip  will  not  only 
haiff  thame  youris  in  goeing  on  your  Lordschipis  awin  respectis, 
but  lykwayis  to  the  furtherance  of  quhatsumevir  uther  thing  sail 
occur  in  the  Kingis  Majestie's  estait,  in  contentment,  and  your 
Lordschipis  credit,  quhairin  none  can  doe  so  guid  offices  as  they, 
haiffing  the  heartis  of  all  the  godly  and  homiest  within  the  land. 

"  i  Iff  your  Lordschip  knew  thair  credit  in  the  contray,  and  how 
far  thai  ar  affectiouned  to  the  Kingis  Majestie's  obedience,  and  the 
quyetnes  of  the  land,  togidder  with  thair  homiest  and  unifold' 
meining  in  simplicitie  in  everie  thing,  as  I  doe,  your  Lordschip 
wald  mervell  how  thai  sould  be  so  misconstructed  as  thai  ar.  The 
truth  is  indeid  this,  that  in  thais  thingis  quhilk  concerned  the  liber- 
tie  of  the  Kirk  and  discipline  thairof,  thai  wilbe  instant  for  the  de- 
fence thairof,  be  all  meines  possibill,  lawfullie,  yea,  even  hazard  of 
their  lyves.  Thairfoir,  as  I  dout  not,  thai  ar  approvin  to  your  Lord- 
schipis conscience  to  be  the  best  sorte,  it  salbe  ane  honour  to  your 
Lordschip  to  take  thair  mentinence,  althought  for  the  present  your 
Lordschip  may  not  directlie  nor  yit  indirectlie ;  and  thairby  your 
Lordschip  sail  conqueiss  all  the  heartis  of  the  honnest  men  in  the 
land,  and  I  am  assurit  that  the  Lord  will  recompense  it  with  eter- 
nall  blissing.  Now,  sieing  thai  ar  your  Lordschipis,  for  the  present, 
loiss  thame  not,  for  thai  ar  worthie  to  be  keipit ;  ane  man  may  haiff 
the  credit  of  thame  as  your  Lordschip  lies,  and  may  haiff.  Many 
utheris  reassounes  I  mycht  wryt,  quhilk  I  refferr  it  to  your  Lord- 
schipis guid  and  wyse  consideratioune ;  and  sua,  I  bid  your  Lord- 
schip fairweill." 

"  Upoune  the  25  of  July  thair  wes  publischit  a  Proclamatioune, 
being  a  narratione  that  a  few  Ministeris,  not  content  to  continow 
in  the  guid  ordour  quhairin  the  Kirk  had  florischit  many  yeiris,  had 

1  There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  this  is  meant  for  afald,  sincere. 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  581 

of  lait,  in  a  manifest  contempt  and  misregarcl  of  the  King,  conveinit 
thameselves  at  Abirdein,  and  thair  held  ane  Assemblie,  and  ap- 
poyntit  a  new  Assemblie  to  be  haldin  the  last  Tuysday  of  Septem- 
ber nixt  to  come,  without  any  lawfull  warrand,  power,  or  commis- 
sioim  for  that  effect ;  thairfoir,  commanding,  chairging,  and  inhibit- 
ing the  Proveistis  and  Bailies  of  Abirdein,  and  of  all  burghes  and 
villages,  that  thai  suffir  not  Ministeres  to  come  within  thair  boundis 
to  that  effect,  the  said  day,  nor  eight  dayes  befoir  nor  eftir  the 
same  ;  and  siclyk,  all  nobillmen,  barrounes,  and  gentillmen,  and  all 
Burro wes,  Presbyteries,  and  Sessiounes,  magistratis,  and  inhabitantis 
of  tounes,  burchtis,  and  villages,  that  thai  direct  no  Commissiouneris, 
nor  repaire  thameselves  thairto ;  undir  the  paine  of  convocatioun 
of  the  King's  leidgies  and  horneing,  &c.  The  first  pairt  of  that 
proclamatioune  wes  remarkabill,  that  the  King  had  givin  so  mony 
proofes  and  testimonies  of  his  sinceritye  in  that  Eeligioune  quhairin 
he  wes  trainit  upe,  and  quhairin  he  had  given  ane  confessioun,  and 
maid  a  constant  professioune,  that  everie  weill-affectit  subject,  and 
namelie  the  Ministeris,  had  maist  just  caus  to  expect  assureitly  that 
stedfast  course  to  be  still  keipit  by  his  Majestie  ;  and  this  wes  to 
tak  away  all  suspitioune  of  alteratioune  intended  in  the  Kirk. 

"  Upon  the  eight  day  of  August,  immediatly  eftir  following,  wes 
publischit  ane  uther  Proclamatioune,  schawing  the  unlawfullnes  of 
that  Assemblie  halden  at  Abirdeine  ;  and,  thairfoir,  discharging  all 
Synods,  Presbyteries,  and  Sessiounes  of  Kirks,  and  Ministeres,  from 
ratifieing  and  approveing  of  the.  samen,  undir  the  paine  to  be  re- 
putt  '  as  gniltie  as  they  ;  also  all  nobillmen,  barrounes,  and  gentil- 
men,  burgesses,  or  uthiris,  from  heii'ing  of  the  samyn,  athir  pri- 
vatly  or  publictly  approvin,  undilating  the  samyn  to  the  Seereit 
Counsell,  and  fnrnesching  of  wittnes  for  probatioune  of  the  same, 
to  the  intent  thai  mycht  be  convictit  and  punischeit. 

"  The  samyne  moneth  of  August,  again  the  Britherine  committed 
)<>  ward  wer  seitid2  to  compeire  befoir  the  Counsel  to  answer  to 
certaine  Interrogatoris  that  come  from  Court;  quhilk  quhen  thai 

1  Reputed.  *  cited. 


.r)S2  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

had  done,  thai  wer  committit  againe  to  thair  waird  at  Blacknes,  and 
ordaineit  to  compeire  befoir  the  Counsell  at  the  toune  of  Perth,  at 
such  a  day  in  the  moneth  of  October  following.  In  the  meintyme, 
the  Synod  ordinal-  of  Fyff  being  convenit  in  Innerkitheing,  did  de- 
liberat  and  reassoune  in  the  matter  as  follows  : 


[PROCEEDINGS  OP  THE  SYNOD  OF  FIFE  HELD  AT  rNVERKEITHLNG, 

AUGUST  1605.] 

"  l  First,  they  find  it  most  necessar  to  haiff  ane  Generall  Assem- 
blie  without  anie  delay,  without  the  quhilk  the  Kirk  of  Jesus  Christ, 
within  this  realme  establischit,  could  not  remaine  long  Me  and  saiflf, 
in  respect  of  the  insolencie  of  Papistis,  grouthe  of  Atheisme,  dis- 
solutioune  of  maneris,  and  distractioun  amongis  the  Pastors  and 
Ministeris  of  the  Kirk,  quhilk  in  small  proces  of  tyme  mycht  pro- 
ceid  to  ane  horribill  and  feirfull  schisme,  to  the  uttir  overthrow  and 
subversioune  of  the  sinceritie  of  the  Gospell  and  libertie  of  the  king- 
dome  of  Jesus  Christ,  so  notably  settelit  and  faithfully  deliverit  to 
the  present  ofiice-bcireris  thairin  by  thair  godly,  wyse,  learnit,  and 
zealous  predecessoris,  and  of  the  inuttirabill  mercie  and  guidness  of 
God. 

" '  Nixt,  becaus  the  last  Synod  of  thair  Province,  haldine  at 
Bruntyland  in  the  moneth  of  April  last  by  past,  thai  had  thought  it 
most  necessar,  for  the  reassoune  above  specifeit,  and  diverse  utheris 
great  and  weightie  reassounes  and  causes  moveing  thame,  that  evirie 
Presbytcrie  within  the  Province  sould  elect  thair  Commissiouneris 
for  the  keipeing  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  appoyntit  by  the  Kings 
Commissioner,  with  the  advyce  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  Gene- 
rall Assembly  to  be  holdine  at  Abirdeine  the  first  Tuysday  of  July 
last  bvpast,  the  Presbyteries  thairof  had  done  faithful]  duety  by 
directing  thair  Commissiotmcris  ;  quhilk  Commissiouneris  had  re- 
ported thair  diligence  in  assisting  with  the  Commissiouneris  of  uthir 
IVcsbytei'ies  in  fenseing  the  said  Generall  Assembly,  day  and  place 
above  mentionit,  and  continowancc  of  the  samyn,  lor  the  causses 


1605.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  583 

contineit  in  the  actis  and  documentis  takin  at  Abirdein  thairannent, 
unto  the  last  Thursday  of  this  present  moneth  of  September :  The 
quhilk  doeing  and  diligence  the  said  Presbyterie  had  allowit. 

" '  Thairfoir,  this  present  Synod  sould  find  it  to  be  the  most  ne- 
cessar  for  the  foirsaid  causes,  and  for  the  keipeing  the  possessioun 
of  our  Generall  Assemblies  saif  and  frie,  (quhilk,  utherwayis,  mycht 
be  interruptit  and  brokin,  and  fall  be  prescriptioun  of  tyme,)  that 
the  said  day  sould  be  keipeit  at  Abirdein  be  the  Commissiouneris 
of  the  Presbyteries  :  But,  undirstanding  that  thair  haid  interveinit 
proclamatioune   and   edictis   publischit   in   the  Kingis  Majestie's 
name,  by  the  quhilk  the  said  Assemblie  holdin  at  Aberdeine  is  con- 
demned as  proceiding  of  contempt  and  rebellioun  againes  his  Majes- 
tie,  (the  contrair  quhairof  the  God  of  hevin,  and  guid  men  on  earth 
knawis,)  and  the  haill  occasiounes  and  behaviour  of  the  said  Com- 
missiouneris of  the  Presbyteries  evidently  testifies ;  and,  thairfoir, 
the  said  next  Assemblie  and  meitting  at  Abirdein  is  dischairgit 
undir  the  paine  of  horneing,  as  at  mair  lenth  is  conteinit  in  the  said 
proclamatioune,  the  said  Synode  fand  thameselves  brought  in  this 
strait,  athir  in  omitting  in  keipeing  of  the  said  dyet  at  Abirdeine, 
and  so  losseing  the  possessioune  of  thair  Generall  Assemblie,  or  then 
of  the  incurring  of  the  Kingis  hight  indignatioune  and  paines  con- 
teinit in  the  said  proclamatioune.     The  quhilk  gryt  strait  and  ex- 
treame  difficultie,  quhen  they  had  long  and  most  gravely  reassonit 
upon  and  considerit,  at  diverse  sessiounes,  and  eftir  invocatioune 
most  earnestlie  for  the  lycht,  wisdom e,  and  directioune  of  God,  in 
so  weighty  a  matter  and  gryt  perplexitie,  sould  resolve  in  end,  for 
thair  awin  pairt,  rather  nor  fall  undir  the  handis  of  men,  and  undir 
their  displeasure  and  danger  of  thair  decries,  then  to  omitt  so  ne- 
cessar  a  duetie,  and  to  fall  in  the  handis  of  God,  quho  is  a  consume- 
ing  fyre,  and  in  caise  of  ane  evill  conscience,  quhilk  is  that  con- 
tinowall  byting1  worme  that  never  dies  ;  and  yet,  feiring  least  that 
any  dangex1,  be  over  haistie  or  rasche  doeing  of  them,  mycht  come 
to  the  commoun  estait  of  Godis  Kirk,  and  so  to  the  just  offence  of 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  living." 


584  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G05. 

the  memberis  thairof  throughout  this  realme,  and  in  other  con- 
trayis  also,  assureing  tliamselves  that  thais  proclamatiounes  pro- 
ceidit  not  so  meikle  from  his  Majestie  as  from  sinisterous  informa- 
tiounes  and  evill-effectit  persounes  towardis  the  guid  estait  of  the 
Kirk ;  as  also  thinking  it  most  meit,  in  a  matter  of  extreame  im- 
portance, to  haifF  the  advyce  and  eoncurrance  of  the  Britherine  of 
uthir  Provinces,  for  meining  of  the  matter  by  humble  Supplica- 
tiounes  to  his  Majestie  ;  not  douting  but  his  Majestie,  being  rychtly 
informit  of  all  proceidingis,  and  sieing  sic  necessitie  for  a  Generall 
Assemblie,  and  so  greit  reverence  cariit  towardis  his  Majestie's 
obedience,  but  that  his  Majestie  wilbe  movit  to  grant  to  the  re- 
queist  of  the  Kirk  :  Thairfoir,  the  said  Synod  thought  it  meitt  to 
prorogat  the  day  appoyntit  be  the  Britherine  at  Abirdein  to  the 
moneth  of  Mali  nixt  following,  sieing  that  befoir  that  tyme,  neithir 
the  Kingis  Majestie  can  be  ryclitlie  informit  in  treating,  and  his 
Majestie's  answer  gottine,  neither  yit  the  advyce  and  eoncurrance 
of  the  Presbyteries  and  uthir  Provinces  obteinit,  ane  Supplicatione 
in  the  meintyme  wald  be  penned  and  sent  to  his  Majestie  with 
sume  of  the  maist  gracious  Britherine  from  the  Synod ;  lykas  from 
the  same  Commissioners  to  all  other  Provinces  nixt  adjacent  about, 
to  haifF  thair  advyce,  eoncurrance,  and  consent,  alseweill  to  the  said 
Supplicatioune  as  to  the  continouatioime  of  the  day  appoyntit  for 
the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie,  that,  if  it  be  possibill,  we  neither 
tyne1  the  possessioune  of  our  Generall  Assemblie,  nor  incur  his 
Majestie's  offence,  nor  any  way  is  prejudge  or  hurt  the  caus  of 
Christ,  the  Britherine  quhom  he  honouris  with  so  godly  and  homiest 
both  doeing  and  suffixing  for  the  samyn  ;  but  that  we  may  be  about, 
with  all  lawfull  indevouris,  to  purches  thair  relive.2 

"  i  This  being  weill  deliberat,  faillit  in  that  pairt  effectuating 
concerneing  that  Supplicatioune  and  sending  to  the  King ;  pairtly 
for  feir  thai  sould  not  be  admittit  to  the  Kingis  Majestie's  presens, 
(pilio  would  rcssavc  no  informatiounc  of  the  matteris  of  the  Kirk 
but  from  his  Commissioimeris,  pairtly  throught  distrust  that  it 

1  Lose.  •'  Procure  their  1 1  lief. 


1605.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILI/S  DIARY.  585 

could  work  anything  but  the  hurt,  boith  of  them  that  wer  in  pris- 
soun  and  uthiris :  Allwayis,  the  knawledge  thairoff,  goeing  athort l 
the  Presbyteries,  come  to  the  King  word  by  word ;  lykas,  also, 
that  quhilk  wes  with  universall  consent  agriet  upoun  in  that  Synod 
at  Fyff,  that  a  Fast  sould  be  keipit  throughout  all  the  haill  Pro- 
vinces, on  twa  dayis  solemnely,  immediatly  eftir  the  returne  of 
cvirie  Minister  to  his  flock,  viz.  upoun  the  15  and  22  dayes  of  that 
instant  September ;  the  Causses  quhairof  wer  agrieit  upoun  in  the 
verie  wordis  following : 


[causes  of  the  fast  to  be  kept  in  the  synod  of  fife.] 

" '  First,  The  plague  of  pestilence  so  long  continowing,  and  the 
litle  estimatioune  of  the  hand  of  God  thairin. 

"  '  %dly,  Unseassonabill  wether  in  the  tyme  of  harvest. 

"  '  odly,  The  distractioune  of  the  Ministerie,  and  sume  thairof 
seiking  thair  awin  preferrement,  contraire  to  the  Word  of  God  and 
eonstitutioune  of  our  Kirk. 

"  '  4;thli/,  The  restraint  of  Generall  Assemblies,  being  sua  neidfull 
in  tyme  of  Atheisme  and  Papistrie  growing. 

"  '  [5thly,~\  The  imprissounement  of  Ministeris,  and  restraineing 
of  thame  from  thair  flockis  at  the  tyme  quhairin  Godis  judgmentis 
are  brokine  furth. 

"  {  [Gtkli/,']  The  not  knawing  the  day  of  our  visitatioune,  in  thingis 
perteining  to  our  awin  peice,  neither  by  the  Sieris  and  Watchmen, 
nor  be  the  peiple.' 

"  This  deliberatioune  and  doeing  of  the  Synod  of  Fyff,  howbeit 
in  gryt  weaknes,  yet  goeing  abroad,  and  coming  to  the  knawledge 
of  the  Ministeris  and  their  flockis  athort  this  realme,  maid  monie  to 
look  neirer  to  the  matter,  and  tak  it  moir  to  heart ;  also  the  godly 
behavioure  and  zealous  excerceis  of  prayer  and  preicheing  of  the 
Word,  quhilk  the  imprissounit  Britherine  usit  in  all  thair  prissounes, 
Dumbarton,   Stirling,  Doun,"2   [and]  Blacknes,   movit  the  people 

1  Across,  athwart.  2  Adv   MSS.  ••  Dund 


586  rilE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

very  muche,  so  that  the  Couusell  thought  it  neidfull  to  direct 
lettres  to  evirie  Presbvterie  within  the  realme,  schawino-  thair  guid 
dispositioune  to  put  the  lawis  in  executioune  againes  the  Papistis, 
and  all  insolent  contemners  of  Ministeris  ;  notwithstanding,  thai 
wer  to  tak  order  with  the  few  number  that  had  factiously  and  se- 
ditiouslie  offendit  his  Majestie's  command  and  directioun.  The 
quhilk  wes  answerit  and  mett  be  ane  Appologie  givin  out  for  the 
Britherin,  taking '  upe  the  matter  schortlie  and  pithilie  in  this  sil- 
logisme  following,  the  assertioun  premittit : 

The  guid  and  godly  Britherine  their  caus  is  cleirit,  to  the  conscience  of 
all,  hy  the  force  of  this  Syllogisme : 

"  '  Giff  thai  haiff  assemblit  and  proceidit  in  thair  Generall  As- 
semblie  haldin  at  Abirdein,  the  second  day  of  July  1605,  be  the 
guid  warrand  of  the  Word  of  God,  of  the  Lawis  of  the  realme,  of 
the  Constitutiounes  and  continowall  Practise  of  the  Kirk  of  Scot- 
land, sin  the  first  Eeformatioune  of  the  Keligioune,  and  according 
to  the  Order  and  Discipline  of  the  Kirk,  subscryved  and  solemn e- 
lie  sworne  to  by  the  King,  and  Estaitis,  and  the  Ministeris,  and 
haill  body  of  the  Kirk  and  kingdome,  &c,  thai  haiff  done  lawfullie, 
weill,  and  wysely ;  and  so  sould  not  be  condemned  and  punischit, 
but  honourit  and  rewardit : 

"  '  Bot  so  it  is,  that  thai  evin  haiff  so  assemblit  thameselvis,  and 
proceidit  in  the  truthe  : 

"  '  Thairfore,  thai  haiff  done  lawfullie,  weill,  and  wyselie ;  and  so 
sould  not  be  condemned  and  punischit,  bot,  by  the  contraire,  honorit 
and  rewardit.' 

"  The  warrandis  of  the  Word  of  God,  quhen  he  had  deduceit  by 
severall  poyntis  orderlie,  and  cleirlie,  he  concluded  thus  : 

"  '  It  is  then  manifest,  of  the  Word  of  God,  that  Jesus  Christ,  to 
fjuhom  all  power  in  hevin  and  earth  is  givin,  lies  givin  power  to  the 
Pa&touris  and  Elderis  to  meit  togidder  solcmnelie  Avith  thair  flockis 
and  pciple,  not  only  to  Prciching  his  Evangell,  and  Publict  Service 

1  Adv.  I\ISS.  "  packing.'' 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIARY.  .r)S7 

and  Worschippeingj  in  Prayer  and  Administratioune  of  the  Holy  Sa- 
cramentis,  but  also  to  keipe  Assemblies  for  retcineing  of  the  samyn  in 
sinceritie  without  corruptioune,  and  for  conteineing  boith  Pastoris  and 
peiple  in  thair  Christiane  duetie  by  the  rod  of  Discipline  :  And  this 
power  is  givin  be  Christ  to  his  Pastores,  no  raortall  soidd  restraine, 
violatj  or  imped  any  wayis ;  no  King,  Prince,  nor  Magistrat,  much 
more  being  a  Christiane  Magistrat ;  but  the  more  truelie  and  sin- 
cerely the  Emperour,  King,  Prince,  or  Magistrat,  professes  Christ 
Jesus,  the  more  willing,  bent,  and  ardent  sould  he  be  in  imploying 
the  power  and  auctoritie  that  God  lies  givin  him,  to  sie  God  glori- 
fied and  obeyit  in  his  Kirk,  and  so  preserve  and  manteine  haill  and 
sound  the  priveledge  and  liberties  of  conveineing  and  assembling 
commandit  by  Jesus  Christ  unto  the  Pastoris  and  Elderis  of  the 
Kirk.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  oppine  the  eyis  of  the  King  and  his 
Consel  to  sie  with  quhom  it  is  they  have  adoe,  to  wit,  even  with 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  not  with  poor,  simple  men,  quhom  they  per- 
sewe ;  and  also,  quhat  thai  ar  doeing  in  this  caus,  for  by  the  last 
proclamatioune  givin  out  againes  the  Assemblies  and  meittinges  of 
the  Ministeres,  thai  being  the  best  servandis  of  Christ,  and  the 
maist  duetifull  subjectis  to  the  King,  to  that  extreamitie  of  The 
Thrie  Childrein  and  Daniel,  that  is,  either  to  transgresse  againes 
God,  or  to  be  cassin  in  the  fyrie  fornace  or  lyounes  denn ;  and  so 
that  is  maist  perteinent  to  this  purpose,  quhilk  Eusebius,  in  his  first 
book  of  the  Lyff  of  Constantine,  wrytis  of  Licinus  the  tyrant,  as 
the  Latine  interpreter  translaitit  it :  Utilitas  et  necessitas  Synod- 
orum  vel  inde  provideri  potest  quod  Licinus  Ecclesiis  exitum  machina- 
tur,  cum  nihil  haberet  cpiod  commiseretur  aliud,  hone  legem  promulgavit, 
Ne  Episcopi  inter  sc  de  rebus  suis  vel  Ecclesiarum  communiearent,  neque 
Conventus  end  Consilia  celebrarent^  And  this  he  subjoynes,  '  Hac 
tonquam  causa  Licinio  fuit  ad  nos  proterve  contumeliosque  tractandos 
out  cnim  legem  violando  supplicio  obnoxios  esse  opportebat,  ant  legis 
prcccepto  more  gerendo  Ecclesice  ritus  et  instituta  cvertere,  nam  magna 
et  graves  dcliberationes  de  rebus  Ecclesiaj  susccptce  non  alitor  possunt  quam 
per  rcctam  Conciliorum  administrationem  ratione  et  via  procedcrc? 
u  When  he  had  producit  his  warrands,  by  diverse  and  many  actis 


588  THE  CONTINUATION  OP  1605. 

of  parliament,  statutis,  and  lawis  of  the  realrae,  and  also  from  the 
constitutiouncs  and  custome  of  the  Kirk,  since  the  year  1560,  to 
the  year  15G3,1  he  bringis  in  the  oppugneris  objectiounes  and  an- 
sweris  to  them :  First,  The  few  number :  'idly,  The  forme  of  the 
ehuissing  the  Moderator  omitted :  3dly,  The  want  of  the  ordinar 
Scribe :  kthly,  The  way  and  place  of  keipeing  of  it,  as  nevir  wes 
usit  in  any  Assembly  in  Christis  Kirk  befoir :  hthly,  and  last,  The 
standing  preceisly  upon  the  keipeing  of  one  day  with  the  King,  quho 
meinit  not  to  tak  away  our  Generall  Assemblies  from  us. 

"  For  the  number  and  fewnes,  he  answers,  that  the  Assemblies  of 
Christis  Kirk  are  not  in  his  Gospell  defynit  by  great  numbers,  bot 
by  very  small;  as  that,  'At  quhatsumevir  tyme  two  or  thrie  ar 
gatherit  in  my  name,  I  wilbe  present  in  the  middest  of  yow :'   So 
that,  '  Agrieing  in  my  name,'  l  Quhatsoevir  ye  doe  on  earth  in  my 
name,  salbe  ratified  in  heavin.'     So  suir  ar  we  that  this  wes  and  is, 
and  farder  for  all  that  wes  donne,  thair  wer  anew,  and  ovir  many, 
to  witt,  to  fensse  the  Assemblie  with  prayer,  and  continow  the  samyn 
till  a  uthir  day  for  just  causes  moveing  thame,  with  thankisgiveing 
to  God,  in  the  end :  Quhilk  forme  of  doeing,  as  in  the  parliament 
of  our  realme  oftine  so  lies  it  bein  in  our  Kirk  in  use  :  For  instance 
and  example,  in  the  year  159(5,  the  Generall  Assembly  ordinarie  of 
our  Kirk  wes  appoyntit  at  Saint  Androis ;  thair  interveinit  a  great 
schaiking  of  the  Kirk,  and  brangeling  thairof  by  the  divil  at  that 
Evill  Synod,  17  day  of  December,2  and  ane  Assemblie  by  the  Kingis 
Missive  Letteris,  convocatid  at  Perthe  in  February.     Mr  Robert 
Pont,  a  godlie,  learnit  fathir  in  the  Kirk,  being  ordinarie  Moderator, 
accompanied  with  Mr  John  Hall,3  and  a  few  othir  godly  Britherin, 
come  to  St  Androis  on  the  27  day  of  Aprile,  ordained  for  the  ordi- 
narie Generall  Assemblie,  and  did  prorogat  and  continow  the  samyn 
till  the  moneth  of  May  nixt  following,  to  be  keipit  at  Dundie,  for 
(lie  keipeing  of  the  Kirk  in  the  posscssioun  of  hir  libcrtie,  quhilk 
that  Conventioune  of  Perth  wes  about  to  prejudge  and  tak  away. 
"  For  the  Moderator,  say  they,  thair  wes  ane  ordinarie    standing 

1  Adv.  MSS.  '•  1603."  '  U>.  "  September.'  '  lb.  -  Auld." 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  589 

answer :  He  wes  absent  undeutifullie,  and  thairfoir  another  chosine 
in  his  rowme  lawfullie,  to  moderat  that  meitting,  and  to  censure 
the  absent  :  Thair  wes  no  exhortatioune,  no  edictis ■  for  electioune, 
none  put  to  the  dore.  Answer,  The  last  Moderator,  lookit  for, 
came  not  to  preache,  and  no  uther  man,  upon  so  short  a  tyme, 
without  advysement,  could  tak  upon  him  sic  a  weightie  matter  ;  also 
the  ordinarie  doctrine  of  the  Ministerie  of  the  place  mycht  serve 
for  that,  and  supplie  it.  2.  Lettres  [leets  ?]  that  wer  maid  eftir 
prayer,  concevit  by  the  Moderator  of  the  Synod  of  the  Province  of 
Abirdeine ;  and  as  for  that  putting  out,  and  the  rest  of  these  acci- 
dentall  formes  and  ceremonies,  one  answer  may  serve  for  all,  that 
sic  triffles  can  not  stand  nor  [be]  sticken  upon,  qulien  the  substance 
of  all  is  in  sic  perrel  of  undoeing  and  perisching,  as  at  that  tyme, 
the  possessioun  of  the  libertie  of  the  keipeing  of  our  Assembly.  In 
end,  the  forme  of  moderatioun  is  not  thought  to  be  sua  strange,  and 
so  to  be  querrelit  by  thame,  iff  thai  wald  remembir  the  foir-men- 
tionit  Assemblie  at  Perthe,  quhair,  without  any  doctrine  or  letteris 
[leets]  at  all,  in  absence  of  Mr  Robert  Pont,  ordinare  Moderator, 
Mr  David  Lindsay,  at  the  only  nominatioun  of  two  or  thrie  of  the 
Brithcrine  present,  in  a  secreit  conference,  enterit  Moderator  to  that 
Assemblie.      Witnes  all  that  wer  present  thair. 

"  As  for  the  Ordinarie  Scribe,  for  feir  he  refusit  to  doe  his  office, 
being  stayit  be  the  King's  Commissiouner ;  but  it  became  not  the 
Ministeres  of  Jesus  Christ  so  dastardlie  to  leive  so  necessare  a 
dewtie,  and  thairfoir  thai  chusit  ane  moir  auctentik  Clarke,  ane  of 
thair  awin  numbir,  efter  the  maner  of  the  Synodis  and  Presbyteries 
of  the  Kirke,  ane  lairnit,  honnest  Minister  of  Christ's  Evangel. 

"  Annent  the  place,  it  wes  not  privat,  as  wes  alledgit  wrangous- 
lie  ;  nor  yit  with  closse  doris,  utherwayis  nor  is  the  common  ens- 
tome  of  keipeing  of  Assemblies,  but  in  the  ordinal*  Scssioun-Hous, 
without  the  Great  Kirk  of  Abirdein,  quhairin  the  Synodis  and  Pres- 
byteries ordinarlie  sittis ;  as  publict  ane  hous  as  athir  the  Counsell- 
hous,  within  the  Tolbuith  of  Dundie,  quhair  wes  keipit  a  most  notabill 

1  Adv.  MSS.  read  more  correctly  "  lites,"  (leets.) 


590  THE  CONTINUATION  <>1"  1605. 

Generall  Aasemblie  in  the  raonetlie  of  July  1580,  or  the  Counsel- 
hous  within  the  Tolbuithe  of  Edinburcht,  whair  ordinarily  twyee 
everie  yeir,  by  the  space  of  diverse  yeires,  the  Generall  Assemblie 
did  sitt.  Bot,  as  lies  been  answerit,  all  thais  circumstances  and 
formes  givis  place  quhen  the  essence  and  substance  of  matteris 
standis  in  hazard  and  jeopardie. 

"  Fyftlie,  and  last,  concerneing  the  preceis  keiping  of  a  day  with 
the  King ;  answer,  Thair  wes  ane  great  caus  in  standing  on  ane  day, 
quhen  ane  uthir  day  had  bein  appoyntit,  for  utherwayes  the  pos- 
sessioun  of  our  Generall  Assemblie  had  bein  interrupted  and  brokin 
off,  nather  could  the  way  have  been  fund  ordinarilie  to  convo- 
cat  againe  ane  Generall  Assemblie  ;  for  quho  had  powir  to  appoynt 
tyme  and  place  for  the  samyne  ?  None  ordinarlie  and  ordeilie  but 
the  Generall  Assemblie.  So  the  day  appoyntit  be  the  last  Gene- 
rall Assemblie  being  omitted  and  desertit  without  the  appoynting 
of  a  new  day,  the  possessioun  of  our  Generall  Assemblie  wras  lossit 
by  the  prescriptioun  and  circumduceing  of  the  terme,  as  the  laweris 
callis  it ;  and  further,  in  verie  deid,  thair  wes  manifest  just  causses, 
quhilk  did  mak  thame  to  feire  the  meineing  to  tak  away  and  dis- 
possess the  Kirk  of  hir  Generall  Assemblies,  at  the  least  the  lawful] 
ordinarie  Assemblies  continowit  since  the  beginning :  For  the  As- 
semblies convocat  be  the  King,  or  his  proclamatiounes  and  missives, 
ar  not  the  proper,  lawfull,  ordinare  Assemblies  of  the  Kirk,  becaus 
thai  flow  from  a  Civil!  Magistrat,  for  civill  obedience,  quhilk  is  but 
the  ordinance  of  man,  as  the  Apostle  Paull  callis  thame,  Coloss.  ii. 
20,  22,  and  not  spirituall,  and  ordinances  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  only 
King  of  his  Kirk." 

Ane  speciall  poynt  of  the  Appollogic  is  the  schawing  of  the  just 
caus  of  our  feir  of  our  wanting,  and  disspossessing  of  us  of  our  Ge- 
nerall Assemblies,  quhilk  ar  thais  following  : 

"  The  King  plainelie  professit  that  he  lykit  not  our  Generall  As- 
semblies, becaus  we  acknawledged  not  the  power  thairof  to  flow 
from  his  auctoritie  :  2dly,  The  Bischoppis  abhorrit  thame  becaus 
thai  wer  thair  judge,  for  feir  thai  sould  be  callit  to  ane  accompt  for 
breking  of  the  Cautiounes  thairof;  quhairof  in  all  thai  wer  gniltie  : 


1G0-).  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  591 

Mli/,  The  Gommissiouneris,  in  lyk  maner,  because  they  fearit  cen- 
sureing  and  putting  of  thame  from  the  haill  governement  of  the 
Kirk,  quhilk  thai  had  usurpit  and  plukit  away  from  the  Generall 
Assemblie,  under  pretence  of  a  Commissioun  therfra. 

"  We  sought  to  haiff  obteinit  leive,  and  beine  suffirit  to  keipe 
and  hold  ane  Assemblie  according  to  our  custome  and  Avarrand,  and 
usit  for  the  same  all  maner  of  earnest  Supplicatiounes  by  the  space 
of  tuo  yeires  and  mair,  but  could  not  obteine  the  samyn ;  pairtlie, 
becaus  of  the  forme  of  the  petitioune,  that  without  his  Majestie's 
offence  or  staying,  we  mycht  keipe  our  Generall  Assemblie;  pairt- 
lie,  for  feir  we  sould  ovirturne  so  meikle  of  the  Episcopal!  worke 
that  Aves  buildit  upe.  First,  to  this  effect,  the  Synod  of  Fyfe 
earnestlie  delt  with  and  wrote  to  Mr  Johne  Hall,  last  Moderator 
befoir  Mr  Patrik  Galloway,  quho  Aves  absent  out  of  the  countrie 
and  realme,  that  forsuameikle  as  thair  wes  ane  Parliament  to  be  for 
his  Majestie's  coronatione,  and  uthiris  maist  weightie  effaues  of  the 
Unioune  of  the  tuo  realmes  togider  undir  his  Majestie's  dominioune, 
Ave  mycht  haiff  ane  Generall  Assemblie  at  that  Parliament  [to  sie 
to  the  estait  of  our  Kirk,  as  it  had  eArir  bein  the  custome  of  the 
samyne,  since  the  first  Reformatione  of  Religione,  to  haAre  a  Gene- 
rall Assemblie *]  in  tyme  of  Parliament :  The  said  Mr  John  Hall 
promissit  to  wryt  to  the  King,  quho  reportit  ane  ansAArer  that  he  had 
so  done,  and  could  not  obteine  it. 

"Secondly,  The  Ministeris  of  Edinburcht  Avryt  to  Mr  Patrick 
GalloAray,  last  Moderator,  he  being  Avith  his  Majestie  at  Court,  to 
the  samyne  effect ;  quho,  eftir  delaying  and  mony  promisses,  at 
last  he  AATrot  that  he  sould  come  home  and  keipe  ane  Assemblie  ; 
but  eftir  his  home-cumming  no  sic  effect  folloAvit. 

"  Thirdlie,  The  Britherine  of  the  North,  eftir  thai  fand  the  As- 
semblie appoyntit  at  Abirdeine  in  July  1604  to  be  continoAvit,  came 
to  the  Synod  of  Fyff  holdin  at  Saint  Androis  in  September  soone 
eftir,  and  joyneing  with  thame  of  that  Synod,  besought  the  Kingis 
Commissiouner,  the  Laird   of  LaAvristoune,  thair  present  in   the 

1  Omitted  in  Univ.  MS. 


592  rHE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

Synode,  for  the  effect  foirsaid,  quho  answerit,  lie  was  repairing  to- 
wardis  his  Majestic ;  and,  thairfoir,  desyrit  the  Commissionneris  of 
everie  Province  to  meitt  at  Perth,  and  joyne  togider  in  one  Suppli- 
catioune,  quhilk  he  sonld  carie  as  that  from  the  Commissiouneris  of 
the  Generall  Assemblie,  to  be  assembht  thair,  (for  from  the  handis 
of  no  uthir  wald  the  King  ressave  aney  requeist  or  Supplicatioune 
concerneing  the  commonne  effaires  of  the  Kirk,)  and  said,  he  Aves 
in  gnid  honpe  to  obteine  the  samyn. 

"  The  Commissiouneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  conveinit  with 
the  Kingis  Commissiouner  at  Leith,1  in  Octobir  thaireftir ;  quhair 
wes  also  frequently  conveinit  many  diverse  Commissiouneris  from 
all  the  pairtis  and  provinces  of  Scotland,  quhilk  all  agreid  in  ane  to 
mak  Supplicatioune  for  a  Generall  Assemblie,  directing  the  samyne 
with  the  Kingis  Commissiouner,  and  sua  expectit  some  guid  answer ; 
but  all  in  vaine. 

"  Mentioun  being  maid  of  a  Generall  Assemblie  at  the  last  Synod 
of  Fyff,  haldin  at  Bruntiland,  the  Commissiouner  being  now  returnit 
from  Court,  and  thair  present,  did  strangely  withstand  the  samyne  ; 
schawing  that  he  had  ane  expres  article  in  his  Commissioune  not 
to  permitt  it.  It  wes  humblie  and  earnestlie  desyrit  than*  that  the 
tymc  and  place  mycht  onlie  be  appoyntit,  hou  schort  or  hou  long- 
soever,  that  the  Kirk  mycht  be  put  out  off  suspitioune  and  jealousie 
of  disspossessing  of  thame,  and  losseing  of  ane  Assemblie  for  cvir  : 
but  it  could  not  be  grantit. 

"  The  said  Commissiouner,  at  the  day  approaching,  appoyntit  for 
the  Generall  Assemblie  at  Abirdein  in  July  1605,  sent  Lettres  to 
all  the  Presbyteries  for  superceiding  thairoff;  the  quhilk  Lettres 
buire  no  certaine  day  nor  place  to  the  quhilk  the  Assemblie  sould 
be  prorogat  and  continowit. 

"  The  Lettres  directed  to  Abirdeine  from  the  Counsell  desyrit 
and  counselit,  directlie  and  expresslie,  that  the  Assemblie  mycht  be 
deserted  and  left ;  yea,  and  the  Britherine  conveined  thair  being 
callit  be  the  Counsel,  cravit  that  any  day  and  place  mycht  be  ap- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "Perthe." 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  593 

poyntit  for  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie,  that  thair  mycht  at  least  yet 
remaine  sume  houpe  of  the  samyn  ;  but  it  could  not  be  gran  tit : 
And,  Last,  it  wes  and  is  the  commoune  voyce  of  all,  to  the  grytest 
greiffof  the  guid  and  godly,  and  the  tryumphing  of  enemies,  Papistis, 
Atheistis,  and  licentious,  that  we  sould  nevir  have  a  Me  Generall 
Assemblie  of  our  Kirk  againe.  Let  onie  indifferent  man  then  judge 
quhither  thair  wes  not  just  caus  of  feir  for  the  lossing  all  libertie 
within  our  Kirk  and  Assemblies  or  not, !" 


FOLLOWIS  THE  APPOLLOGIE  FOR  THE  PRISSOUNERIS  OF  CITRYST 


PP.ESENTLIE  IN  BLACKNES. 


Soli  Deo  gloria. 


"  The  commoune  newis  and  maner  of  talk  is  now  of  the  im- 
prissounement  and  horneing  of  Ministeres,  (of  the  quhilk  thair  be 
money,)  yea,  even  of  the  Ministerie  that  is  not  evil  thought  of,  and 
so  almost  allowit  be  sum,  procurit  be  all,  is  not  takin  to  heart,  but 
coldlie  regairdit ;  and  yit  it  is  sure  that  sic  a  numbir  of  the  lairneit- 
est,  godliest,  and  best  of  the  Ministerie,  lies  done  amisse  and  fallin. 
The  breck  and  mine  of  the  Kirk  is  great,  for  the  quhilk  we  all,  true 
memberis  thairof,  maist  sensibillie  and  feillinglie  be  tuichit  and  so- 
rowe.  If  thai  haiff  not  failit,  but  done  ane  honnest  necessar  duetie, 
and  that  rychtly  and  wysely,  then  the  procureres  of  the  punisch- 
ment  of  sic  weill-doeing,  the  allowaris  thairoff,  yea,  and  the  lycht 


1  This  document  was  written  by  Mr  James  Melvill,  and  has  often  been  alluded  to 
by  historians.  In  the  folio  edition  of  Calderwood's  History,  p.  497,  it  is  merely  cited 
as  the  production  of  our  Author.  As  is  generally  the  case,  this  very  important  paper 
is  not  contained  in  either  of  the  MSS.  of  this  Continuation,  belonging  to  the  Faculty 
of  Advocates.  It  would  have  been  desirable  to  have  collated  so  remarkable  an 
Apology  with  a  more  perfect  transcript,  but  although  a  pretty  careful  search  was 
made  among  the  Miscellaneous  MS.  Collections  in  the  Advocates'  Library,  the  Editor 
was  not  so  fortunate  as  to  meet  with  a  perfect  copy.  No  doubt,  such  must  still  be 
extant,  and  it  is  not  unlikely  to  be  contained  in  the  larger  work  of  the  indefatigable 
Calderwood,  in  a  more  perfect  form. 

2  p 


594  THE  COM1M  AIION  OF  lb\>5. 

estimeria  and  cauld  considereris  of  the  cans,  ar  gryt  befoir  God, 
evirie  ane  on  in  thair  awin  rank,  and  can  not  sehaw  his  wraithe, 
quho  sufferis  none  to  doe  his  prophetis  wrong  nnpunischit,  bnt  re- 
provith  Kingis  for  thair  saikis,  saying, l  Tnich  not  myne  annoyntit, 
and  doe  my  prophetis  no  harme,'  Ps.  cv.  15 ;  but,  be  lik  the  sonnes 
of  Jacob,  quho  sould  Joseph  to  prissoun,  and  sync  sat  doun  to  eit 
and  drink,  and  without  repenting  in  tyme,  brought  on  a  plague,  as 
may  mak  thame,  witli  Jacob's  sonnes,  to  say  ane  to  ane  uthir,  ( We 
haiffveriely  sinneit  againes  ourbrothir,  in  that  we  saw  the  anguisch 
of  his  saulle  quhen  he  besought  us,  and  we  would  not  heir  him ;  thair- 
foir  is  this  trubill  cum  upon  us  !'  And  that  someikill  the  raair,  if 
thais  guid  Britherine  be  negligentlie,  cowardlie,  and  traterouslie  de- 
sertit  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  caus  of  our  Chryst,  commoun  to 
all  Christiannes,  namclie  his  Ministeris,  quho,  iff  thai  suffir  with  him, 
sail  reigne  with  him ;  iff  thai  denye  him,  he  will  also  denyc  thame, 
Tim.  ii.  12.  Heirfoir,  I  haiff  thought  it  expedient  and  neccssar  to 
cleir  the  caus  of  the  Britherine,  (if  it  be  Chrystis  Jesus  his  caus,) 
I  houpe  doc  mak  it  manifest,  that  it  is  all  trew  Christiannes  may 
tak  pairt  thairine,  as  they  would  be  acknawledgit  by  him  quhen  he 
comes  in  the  glorie  of  his  kingdome  ;  that  iff  ignorance  hinder 
thame,  thai  may  be  instructit ;  iff  negligence  or  foirgetfulnes,  thai 
may  be  remembcrit  and  steirit  upe  ;  if  reinisnes  and  cauldnes,  thai 
may  be  prickit  and  maid  zealous ;  least  the  caus  standing  be  the 
cair,  wisdome,  and  power  of  him  quhois  it  is,  thai  sail  fall  with  the 
enimies  ;  for  the  Heid '  said,  '  He  that  is  not  with  me  is  againes  me, 
and  he  that  gatherit  not  with  me  scattirith;  and  quhosoevir  is 
aschamed  of  me  and  of  my  wordis,  of  him  sail  the  Sonne  of  man  be 
3chamit  quhen  he  sail  come  in  his  glorie,  and  in  the  glorie  of  his 
Father  and  holy  angellis  !'  Luc.  ix.  26. 

"  Eftir  the  sillogisme  set  doune,  followia  the  probatioun  thairof, 
and  pairtis  of  the  Apollogie  : 

"  Gift'  the  propositiounc  of  this  hypothetick  sillogisme,  I  think 
noil  will  doubt  it,  but  it  is  true  ;  thairfoir  at  the  present  it  seimea 

1  Christ  Jc^us,  the  great  Head  of  his  Church. 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  595 

to  be  tain1  in  the  probatioune  and  cleiringof  the  assumptionnc  ;  and 
so  conies  in  order  the  pairtis  of  the  present  Appollogie. 

"  First,  Quhat  the  Word  of  God  teiches  thairannent,  and  iff  ac- 
cording thairto  thai  haiff  done. 

"  2.  Quhat  ar  the  lawis  of  the  realme  concerneing  the  same. 
"  3.  The  constitutiounes  and  practise  of  our  Kirk  since  the  first 
Reformatioune  thairoff. 

"  4.  and  last,  The  mentionned  Confessioune  of  Faith,  and  iff  the 
Britherine  haiff  done  rychtly  and  wysely  conforme  to  the  same. 

"  We  then  deduce  the  warrand  of  the  Word  of  God  orderly,  in 
thais  Propositiounes  : 

"  Thair  is  no  power  but  from  God,  Rom.  ii. 
"  The  Father  annoynting  Jesus,  his  only  begottin  Sonne,  King 
owir  his  Kirk,  lies  givin  him  all  power  in  hevin  and  in  earth,  Psal. 
xxvi. ;  Math,  xxviii.  18. 

"  Chryst  lies  givin  the  office,  power,  and  giftis  to  gather  his  Kirk, 
and  to  governe  the  same,  unto  his  Appostles,  and  that  for  that  caus 
promissit  to  be  with  thame  and  thair  successoris  unto  the  end  of 
the  world,  Math,  xxviii. :  And  not  to  leive  thame  orphaning,2  Joh. 
xvi.  18  :  And  as  the  Father  sent  him,  so  sent  he  thame,  Joh.  xx. 
1  :  Pie  breathit  on  thame,  saying, '  Ressaive  the  Holie  Ghost ;  quhois 
sinnes  ye  remitt  thai  salbe  remittit,  and  quhois  [sinnes]  ye  retein 
thai  salbe  reteined,'  ib.  23,  22  :  He  converssit  with  tham  eftir  his 
resurrectioune  fortie  dayes,  instnicting  thame  in  matteres  conceme- 
ing  the  kingdome  of  hevine,  that  is,  the  governement  of  his  Kirk, 
Acts  iii. :  And,  finally,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  he  sent  on  thame 
the  Holy  Ghost,  that  Comforter  promiseit,  Acts  ii. 

"  The  same  Chryst,  quhen  he  had  be  the  same  Appostles  collectit 
the  Kirke  and  foundit  thame,  be  thame  also  he  gaive  the  Kirke 
Pastouris,  Doctoris,  Elderis,  for  the  co-augmentatioune  of  the  saintis 
for  the  worke  of  the  Ministerie,  for  the  edificatioune  of  his  body,  till 
all  the  elect  sould  grow  upe  to  a  perfyt  man,  in  the  just  measure  of 
the  stature  of  Chryst,  Eph.  iv.  13  ;  Tit.  15  ;  1  Cor.  12.3 

1  Taken,  comprehended.  2  Orphans,  comforth   .  3  It  may  be  noted 

here,  once  for  all,  that  there  is  much  confusion  in  the  Scripture  proofs  and  references 
throughout  this  document,  and  in  many  of  the  other  Papers  in  this  Continuation. 


596  rHE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

"  Chryst,  not  to  thir  Appostles  only,  but  also  to  thais  Pastouris, 
Doctouris,  and  Ekleris  ordained  be  thame,  he  gave  thekeyes  of  the 
kingdome  of  heavin,  and  power  of  binding  and  lowsing,  of  reteine- 
ing  and  remitting  of  sines,  as  said  is  ;  and  that  be  the  use  and  mini- 
sterie  of  the  Word,  Sacramentis,  and  Censuris  of  the  Kirk,  Math, 
xvi.  17,  18  ;  John  xx.  20 ;  Acts  20,  28  ;  1  Pet.  v. ;  1  Cor.  v.  5 ; 
Math.  xvi.  19. 

"  Chryst,  then,  the  oidy  Lord  and  King  of  his  Kirk,  lies  appoyntit 
his  admiuistratoris  and  officeres  of  his  kingdome,  Pastouris,  Doc- 
toris,  and  Ekleris,  to  be  occupyit  about  the  Word,  Sacramentis, 
Discipline  of  maneris,  and  caire  owir  the  pure,  Eph.  iv.  12  ;  Rom. 
xii.  17,  18  ;  1  Cor.  ix. ;  2  Tim.  v.  7  ;  Phil. ;  2  Tim.  iii. 

"  Now,  all  thais  Ministeres  and  Office-beareris  in  the  Kirk  of 
Chryst  ressavit  from  thair  Lord  and  King  the  office  and  giftis  to 
dischairge  the  tame,  togider  with  the  expres  command  and  power 
to  execuit  and  doe  the  same  faithfully  and  dilligentlie ;  and  that 
not  only  severally,  but  conjunctlie  in  thair  Sessiounes,  Presbyteries, 
and  Synodis,  as  in  places  quotted,  is  evident,  Eph.  iv. ;  Math. ; 
1  Cor.  3  ;  and  of  the  practise  thairof,  in  the  xii.  of  the  Actis. 

u  Namelie,  the  office  and  duetie  of  Pastouris  is  to  superceid  for  the 
Presbyterie,  '  Tak  heid  to  theinselvis,  and  to  thair  flockis  ouir  the 
quhilk  the  Holy  Ghost  lies  appoyntit  thame  Pastouris.  Watchmen, 
and  Ovirsieris,'  Act?  ii.  28  :  And  that  baith  severally,  in  the  par- 
ticularc  functiounes  of  every  office,  Rom.  xii.  7,  8  :  And  together, 
in  the  Sessioun  of  the  Kirk  and  Presbyterie,  Math.  v.  22,  17,  18 ; 
1  Tim.  iv.  J  4  ;  1  Pet.  v.  2  :  For  the  quhilk  caus  the  solemne  nieitt- 
ingis  and  Generall  Assemblies  of  Meittingia  of  Pastouris  of  the 
Kirk  is  most  necessar  and  profitabill,  that  thai  may  thairin  tak  heid 
to  thame  selvis,  and  order  with  thame  selfF,  the  Kirkis,  and  Con- 
gregatiounes,  ouir  the  quhilk  Chryst  placit  thame,  in  doctrine  and 
maneris,  that  thai  niycht  entir  in  pice  and  uniformitie,  keipeing  the 
unitie  of  faith  by  the  band  of  charitie,  Acts  xx.  28  ;  xxi.  23 ;  Heb. 
x.  25. 

u  The  Assemblies,  in  the  legall  pollicie  of  the  Kirk,  Chryst  ap- 
provith,  Math.  v.  22  :  Luc.  xxii.  CO;  quhair  lie  makis  answer  befoir 


1605.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  597 

the  Presbyterie  of  the  Jewis  Kirk,  and  neither  damnes '  thair  Judi- 
catoure  nor  declynes  the  same,  it  being  the  lawfull  ordinance  of 
God.  So  did  his  Appostles,  Peter  and  Johne,  Acts  iv. ;  and  Paul], 
[Acts]  xxii.  xxiii.  3. 

"  But  in  the  Chrystiane  Kirk,  and  Pollicie  thairoff,  he  expressly 
constitutit  and  ordained  the  samyn,  translaiting  that  quhilk  wes  the 
lawfull  ordinance  of  God,  most  necessar  for  the  govcrnement  of  the 
Kirk,  from  the  Legall  to  the  Evangelicall,  Math,  xviii.  15,  16,  17, 
18,  19,  20  ;  commanding  to  tell  the  Kirk,  that  is,  the  Assemblies 
and  Meittings  of  Pastouris  and  Ruelleris  of  the  Kirk,  quhair  any 
Christiane  Bretherin  can  not  be  amendit  be  privat  admonitiounes  ; 
to  the  quhilk  he  gives  the  power  of  binding  and  lowsing,  quhom  he 
bids  expresslie  convein  quhair  he  promissit,  albeit  thair  number  wer 
niver  so  small,  but  '  tuo  or  thrie  being  convenit  in  his  name,  that 
thair  he  wilbe  with  thame,  evin  in  the  middis  of  thamc.' 

"  This  power  the  Appostles  ressavit  and  continowit ;  in  the  go- 
verning in  the  Primitive  Kirk,  Acts  i.  vi.  and  xv. ;  the  electioun 
of  Mathias  ;  in  chuseing  the  Deacounes  ;  and  in  holding  the  Coun- 
sell  at  Jerusalem ;  in  every  city  and  kirk,  Paull  and  Barnabas  or- 
dained the  same,  Acts  xi.  22,  and  xx.  17  ;  and  directit  Titus  to  doe 
the  same,  Titus  i. ;  and  the  calling  of  Timothe  is  commandit,  by 
laying  on  of  the  handis  of  the  Presbyterie,  1  Tim.  iv.  14, 

"  And  it  is  most  evident  that  the  Appostles,  obeying  the  com- 
mandimentis,  and  leining  on  the  promise  of  Chryst  thair  King  and 
Minister,  as  the  Heid  of  the  Kirk  requyrit,  conveinit  thameselvis 
in  his  name  and  auctoritie,  and  electit  Mathias  in  the  place  of  Judas 
the  traitor,  Actis  i.  12  ;  chusit  the  seven  Decounes  to  ministratthe 
tabiles,  and  tak  cair  of  the  powir,2  Actis  vi.  3  ;  relivit  the  Gentiles 
convertit  be  Chryst  from  the  burdein  of  the  Ceremoniall  Law, 
Actis  xv. ;  separat  Paul  and  Barnabas  for  the  workis  of  the  Gos- 
pell,  Actis  xiii. :  Lyk  as,  they  most  gravely  exhortit  the  Pastouris, 
and  electit  and  constitut  be  thame  in  every  Presbyterie,  to  doe  the 

'  Condemns.  '  Vnc; 


598  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

same  faithfully  and  dilligently,  so  oft  as  the  necessitie  of  the  Kirk 
requyrit,  Actis  xx.  28  ;  1  Cor.  v. 

"  It  is  manifest  by  the  Word  of  God,  &c,  but  so  it  is  then  (to 
assume)  that  the  nine  Britherin's  imprissounement,  viz.,  Mr  Johne 
Forbes,  Kobert  Durie,  Johne  Welch,  Mr  Andro  Duncane,  Alex- 
ander Strachane,  Johne  Scharpe,  Johne  Monro,  Charles  Ferine, 
and  Johnne  Eos,  and  the  rest  of  the  Ministeres  that  keipit  day  and 
place  appoyntit  for  the  Generall  Assemblie  in  the  moneth  of  July 
last,  are  the  weill-knawin  and  trewely  appoyntit  Ministeris  of  Chryst 
within  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  quhilk  no  member  within  the  same 
can  be  so  impudent  as  to  deny  ;  thairfoir,  thais  faithfull  Ministeres 
of  Chryst,  quho  assemblit  last  at  Abirdein,  had  that  warrand  and 
power  of  Jesus  Chryst  so  to  doe,  namely  at  so  necessary  a  tyme 
quhen  Papistis,  Atheistis,  and  licentious  men,  wer  ovirwhelmeing 
the  Pastouris  and  the  pairt  of  the  Kirk  of  that  realme,  and  so  mani- 
fest evidence  kythit  of  the  ovirthrawing  of  the  haill  liberties  of  the 
Kirk,  and  sinceritie  of  the  Gospel ;  and  sould,  thairfoir,  be  the 
Christian  Magistrat,  be  honourabilly  reverenceit  nor1  schamfully 
punischit. 

"  II.  The  second  poynt,  thair  warrand  of  the  Lawis. — Now,  as 
to  the  second  poynt  to  be  provin,  annent  the  Lawis  of  the  realme ; 
the  first  of  all,  in  the  actis  of  parliament,  is  annent  the  fridome  of 
the  Holy  Kirk  :  It  is  statut  and  ordainit,  that  the  Holy  Kirk  joy 
and  bruk,  and  the  Ministeris  thairof,  thair  old  priveledges  and  fri- 
domes ;  James  I.,  par.  1,  cap.  1.  Item,  in  lyk  maner,  the  first  act 
of  the  second  pari,  is,  in  the  first,  to  the  honour  of  God,  that  the 
fridome  of  the  Holy  Kirk  be  keipit  throught  out  the  realme.  The 
same  is  augmentit  and  confirmit  be  King  James  II.  in  his  first  pari, 
quhilk  is  all  in  print  in  Actis  of  Parliament.  Siclyk,  in  the  second 
pari,  of  King  James  III.,  in  the  first,  it  is  statut  and  ordaincit,  that 
the  priviledges  of  the  Holy  Kirk  and  spirituall  persounes  be  observit, 

1  Rather  than  bo. 


1605.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  599 

&c,  confirmit  be  the  sam  King  James,  in  the  first  and  fyft  pari., 
in  thir  wordis,  l  That  the  fridome  of  the  Holy  Kirk  be  keipit  in  all 
priviledgis  and  fridomes ;'  in  the  same  maner  and  wordis  be  King 
James  IV.  in  the  first  act  of  his  second  pari. ;  the  first  act  of  the 
pari,  of  King  James  V.  is,  that  fridomes  and  priviledges  of  the  Holy 
Kirk  and  spiritnall  persoimes  be  observit,  and  keipit  in  honour  and 
worschippe,  &c. 

"  Then,  iff  fridomes  and  priviledgis  of  the  Holie  Kirk  be  statut 
and  ordaineit  be  law  to  be  keipit  with  all  imimitie,  priviledg,  and 
fridome,  and  this  wes  knawin  evir  to  be  ane  of  hir  speciall  privi- 
ledgis to  convein  in  thair  Synodis,  surely  the  Synodis  and  Conven- 
tiounes,  as  also  the  Assemblies  of  the  Kirk,  may  lawfully  be  the 
warrand  of  the  actis  of  parliament ;  and  iff  ony  will  object  that  this 
wes  grantit  to  the  Papisticall  Kirk,  this  answer  is  easie  and  strong 
far  mair  to  the  trew  RefFormeit  Kirk  of  Chryst  Jesus  :  And,  indeid, 
the  godly  Provinces  following,  eftir  the  manifestatioune  of  the 
lyight  of  the  Gospell  and  Reformatioune  of  Religioune  cleirit  and 
inlairgit  the  priviledgis  and  fridomes  of  the  Kirk,  and  namely  to 
his  immortall  prais,  our  present  King  quho  now  reignes,  (and  cmho 
mot1  happily  reigne !)  and  that  not  only  be  the  advyce  of  his  four 
Regentis  in  his  minority,  but  maist  lairgely  and  particularly  eftir 
the  taking  of  the  governement  in  his  awin  hand  and  persoun,  and 
cleirest  and  fullest  eftir  his  perfytt  age  of  twenty-five  yeiris,  as  the 
actis  following  will  declair. 

"In  the  parliament  holdin  be  the  Erie  of  Morray,  callit  com- 
mounly,  as  he  wes  indeid,  '  The  Guid  Regent,'  ratified  in  his  secound 
pari,  haldin  be  his  Majestie's  guidschire,2  of  guid  memorie,  Mathow, 
Erie  of  Lenox,  in  the  second  act  thairof,  in  thais  wordes  :  '  Item, 
our  soveraine  Lord,  with  advyse  of  his  said  Regent,  his  thrie 
estaitis,  and  body  of  the  present  parliament,  lies  ratified,  and  by 
this  present  act  ratifies,  all  and  quhatsumevir  actis  and  statutis  maid 
off  befoir  be  our  soveraine  Lord  and  his  prcdicessoris,  annent  the 
fridome  and  libertie  of  the  Kirk  of  God,  and  Religioun  iioav  pub- 

1  May  he.  i  Grandfather  1>\  the  Father's  side. 


600  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

lictlie  professit  within  this  realme  ;'  and  namely  in  that  first  act  of 
that  pari,  of  King  James  the  Sixth,  the  15  of  December  1567,  an- 
nent  the  lait  Patronnes,  thais  wordis  ar  in  the  act,  '  It  salbe  leasume 
to  the  Patronnes  to  appeil  to  the  Superintendent  and  Ministerie  of 
the  Province  quhair  the  beneficis  lyis,  and  desyre  the  persoune  to 
be  presentit  to  be  admittit ;  quhilk  iff  thai  refusse,  to  appeil  to  the 
Generall  Assemblie  of  this  realme,  be  quhom  the  caus  being  de- 
cydit,  sail  tak  as  they  decerne  ;  quhairin  the  Suppreme  and  highest 
Judgment  of  the  Kirk  may  be  expressely  sein  the  acknowledgeing 
and  approbatioune  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  as  the  highest  Judge 
in  the  haill  realme  in  Kirk  matteris.' 

"  The  same  is  ratified  in  his  first  act  of  his  Majestie's  third  pari, 
holdin  eftir  the  haill  governement  wes  in  his  awin  hand ;  also,  in 
the  first  act  of  his  sixth  pari,  holdin  at  Edinbruche,  the  20th  of 
October  1579 :  '  Our  soverain  Lord,  with  advyce  and  consent  of 
his  thrie  estaitis,  and  haill  body  of  this  haill  parliament,  ratifies 
all  and  quhatsumevir  actis  and  statutis  maid  of  befoir  be  his  Hines, 
by  advyce  of  his  Regent,  in  his  awin  reigne  or  predicessoris,  annent 
the  fridome  and  libertie  of  the  true  Kirk  of  God,  and  Religioun,  as 
now  professit  within  the  realme.'  The  secound  act  of  the  same 
sixth  pari,  expresslie  for  the  jurisdictioun  of  the  said  Kirk,  quhilk 
is  confynit,  consistis,  and  standis  in  the  priching  of  the  Word  of 
Jesus  Chryst,  correctioun  of  manneris,  and  administratioune  of  the 
Holy  Sacramentis  ;  and  declairis  that  i  thair  is  no  uthir  face  of  Kirk 
nor  no  uthir  face  of  Religioun  then  is  presentlie,  by  the  favour  of 
God,  establischit  within  this  realme  ;  and  that  than-  is  no  uthir 
Jurisdictioun  Ecclesiasticall  acknawledgit  within  this  realme  uthir 
then  that  is  and  quhilk  salbe  within  the  same  Kirk,  or  that  quhilk 
followis  thairfra,  concerneing  the  premisses.' 

"  So  thair  is  ane  Jurisdictioun  of  the  Kirk  amplie  aneugh  dis- 
tinguischit  be  the  civill  pollicie,  quhilk  of  necessitie  must  haiff 
meittingis  in  tyme  and  place  to  excercise  and  execute  the  same. 

"  And  his  seventh  pari,  at  Edinbruche,  the  25th  of  October  1581 , 
in  the  first  act,  thair  is  a  generall  ratificatioun  of  the  libertie  of  the 
true  Kirk  of  God:  and  confirmatioune  of  all  the  actis  and  lawis 


1605.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaky.  601 

maid  to  the  effect  befoir  ;  and  that  be  particular  rehersall  and  catol- 
logie,  among  the  rest,  a  ratificatioune  of  the  libertie  of  the  true 
Kirk  of  God  and  Religioune,  annent  the  Jurisdictioune  of  the  true 
Kirk,  tuyse.  And  thaireftir  the  Kingis  perfytt  age  of  twenty-one 
yeiris,  at  the  eleventh  pari,  at  Edinbruche,  the  29  of  July  1587, 
thair  a  full  and  a  cleire  ratificatioune  of  all  lawis  maid  annent 
the  libertie  of  the  Kirk,  and  all  uthiris  maid  be  his  progenitouris  in 
his  minoritie  be  his  Regentis,  or  since  the  acceptatioune  of  governe- 
ment  in  his  awin  persoune.  And,  finally,  that  '  Golden  Act'  of 
twelfth  pari,  quhilk  cleirlie  crownnes  and  firmelie  concludis  the  caus, 
viz.,  the  first  act  of  that  twelfth  pari,  of  King  James  VI.  holdin  at 
Edinbruche,  the  8  of  July  1592,  intitulat  Ratificatioune  of  the  Li- 
bertie of  the  true  Kirk,  of  the  Generall  and  Synodall  Assemblies,  of 
Presbyteries,  of  Discipline ;  quhairin,  annent  our  Generall  Assem- 
blies, thais  ar  the  wordis  :  '  And  siclyk,  ratifies  and  approvis  the  Ge- 
nerall Assemblic  appoyntit  be  the  said  Kirk,  and  declairis  it  salbe 
lawfull  to  the  Kirk  and  Ministeres,  every  yeir  at  leist,  and  oftir ' 
pro  re  nata,  that  is,  as  occasioune  and  necessitie  sail  requyre,  to 
hold  and  keipe  Generall  Assemblies ;  that,  provyding  that  the 
Kingis  Majestie  or  his  Coinmissiouneris  with  thame,  to  be  ap- 
poyntit be  his  Hines  to  be  present  at  ilk  Generall  Assemblie  befoir 
the  dissolving  thairoff,  nominat  and  appoyntit  tyme  and  place  quhen 
and  quhair  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie  salbe  keipit  and  holdin,  as 
hes  bein  in  use  thir  tymes  bygaine.'  Quhair  the  gentill  and  benevo- 
lent reider  hes  to  mark,  that  the  King  and  Estaitis  takis  not  upoun 
thame  to  give  the  powir  to  the  Generall  Assemblie  thair  to  con- 
vein,  quhilk  nethir  thai  nor  the  Kirke  ever  thought  it  to  be  in 
thair  handis,  but  in  the  handis  of  Christ  Jesus  allenirely, 2  the  only 
King  off  his  Kirk,  [of]  quhom  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  had  it,  and  ac- 
cording thairto  practiseit  it  thirty-two  yeiris  befoir  thir  actis  of  par- 
liament, but  only  to  ratifie  and  approve  it,  conforme  to  thair  Christ- 
iane  duetie  by  the  auctoritie  that  God  hes  put  in  thair  handis. 

"  And  becaus  the  [15]84  yeir  myght  be  alledgit  againes  the  As- 
semblies and  liberties  of  the  Kirk,  thairfor  this  posterior  act  ex- 

1  Oftcner,  more  frequently.  2  Solely,  alone. 


602  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

presslie  speikis  thus  :  i  And  becaus  thair  is  diverse  actis  of  parlia- 
ment tending  to  the  prejudice  of  the  libeTtie  of  the  true  Kirk  of 
God,  and  Religioun  presently  professit  within  this  realme,  in  juris- 
dictioune  and  libertie  thairoff,  quhilk  standis  yit  in  the  buikis  of 
actis  of  parliament  not  abrogat  nor  annullit ;  thairfor  his  Hines  and 
Estaitis  foirsaidis  hes  abrogat  and  annullit,  and  be  the  tennour 
heiroff,  abrogattis  and  annullis  all  actis  of  parliament  respective,  with 
all  and  quhatsumevir  actis,  lawis,  and  statutis  maid  at  any  tyme 
befoir  the  day  and  daitt  heiroff,  againes  the  libertie  of  the  true  Kirk, 
and  jurisdictioun,  and  libertie,  and  discipline  thairoff,  as  the  samen  is 
usit  and  execuitit  within  the  realme,'  &c.  And  declaims,  in  129  [act] 
of  pari,  haldin  at  Edinbruche,  the  22  of  May  1584,  sail  no  ways  be 
prejudicial!  nor  derogat  any  thing  to  the  priviledge  that  God  hes 
givin  to  the  spirituall  office-beireris  in  his  Kirk,  concerneing  the 
Heidis  of  Religioune,  matteres  of  Heresie,  Excommunicatioune, 
Collatioune,  or  Dispositioune l  of  Ministeres,  or  any  siclyk  essen- 
tiall  censuris  specially  grundit  and  haivand  [warrant  ?]  of  the  Word 
of  God. 

"Now,  it  is  objectit  that  the  actis  may  be  grantit  indeid,  bot  it 
conteines  ane  expres  provisioun  that  the  Kirk  [King?]  and  his 
Commissiouneris,  with  the  Ministeres,  sail  appoynt  the  tyme  and 
place  :  Answer,  first,  we  grant  the  provisioune,  but  sic  as  it  is,  that 
is  not  privatly,  or  derogative  to  the  lawfullnes  of  the  meittingis 
ratifieit  be  the  actis  with  the  claus  '  utherwayis  not,'  or  sic  as  the 
laweris  and  formalistis  usis  ;  sua  that  iff  the  provisioune  be  not  ob- 
servit,  the  licences  is  null,  not  bot  only  for  the  strenth  and  further- 
ance of  the  Asscmblie,  pro vy ding  that  his  Majestie  or  his  Conmiis- 
siouner  sail  concur  as  the  claus  nided,2  (as  they  haiff  in  use  to  doe 
thir  tymes  bypast,)  cleirly  schawis. 

"  Nixt,  we  answer,  we  haiff  his  Majestie's  licence  and  consent, 
first,  be  plain  law,  as  we  presently  alledge  and  urge,  as  his  Majestie 
acknawledgit  spak  with  his  awin  mouth,  and  comandit  to  be  sett 
doun  in  actis,  being  present  in  the  Generall  Assemblie  holdin  at 
Dundic,  in  the  monethe  of  May  1597,  session  7,  annent  the  Arti- 

1  Deposition.  -  Needed. 


1(305.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  603 

cles,  and  ordaineing  that  no  Conventionne  of  Pastoris  be  without 
his  Majestie's  consent  acknawledgit.  His  Majestie's  consent  is  de- 
clairit  to  be  extendit  to  all  and  quhatsumevir,  from  either  Generall 
Assemblie  or  speciall,  permittit  and  authorisit  be  his  Majestie's 
lawis,  according  as  they  [have  the]  warrand  of  the  Word  of  God, 
being  the  maist  autentik  forme  of  consent  that  a  king  can  give  : 
And  nixt,  be  his  Majestie's  a  win  presens  in  the  Generall  Assem- 
blie holdin  at  Holirudhous,  in  November  immediatly  befoir  his 
Majestie's  progresse  in  the  South,  quhair  his  Majestie  gave  his 
voitt  first  of  all  in  that  Assemblie,  that  the  nixt  Assemblie  sould 
be  keipit  at  Aberdein  the  last  Tuysday  of  July  1604;  and  albeit 
that  appoyntit  Assemblie  held  not,  yit  it  wes  prorogat  be  his  Ma- 
jestie's consent  be  a  Lettre  subscryvit  with  his  Majestie's  Com- 
missiouner,  the  Laird  of  Lawristoun,  and  Mr  Patrik  Galloway,  last 
Moderatour,  continowit  to  the  first  Tuysday  of  July  1605  ;  accord- 
ing to  the  quhilk  appoyntment,  the  Presbyteries  coming  on  war- 
rand of  the  Word  of  God,  and  lawis  foirmentiounit,  sent  thair  Com- 
missiouneris,  and  keipit  day  and  place  :  But  thai  insist  and  reassoun 
that  that  day  wes  dischairgit  be  ane  uthir  Lettre  sent  to  the  Pres- 
byterie  from  the  said  Commissiouner,  not  that  day,  viz.,  the  2d  of 
July,  but  the  5th,  wes  dischairgit ;  as  the  samyn  extant  among  the 
Presbyteries  yitt  beiris :  Allwayis,1  say  they,  the  meineing  wes  to 
dischairge  that  Assemblie.  True,  but  wes  it  lawfull  and  duetifull 
to  the  Ministeres  of  Chryst  Jesus,  quho  lies  thair  calling,  office,  and 
all  pairtis  thairoff  from  Chryst  allennerly,2  and  mone3  give  answer 
and  accompt  thairof  to  him  upoun  thair  uttirmost,  upon  an  alledgit 
dischairge,  be  ane  Article  sent  from  the  King  dischairging  the  Ge- 
nerall Assemblie  at  so  necessar  a  tyme,  it  being  warrandit  be  so 
many  and  invincibill  reassounes  and  warrandis  as  ar  brought  furth 
heirtofoir,  to  desert  and  leivc  the  same,  undir  the  signe  and  pre- 
tence of  I  watt  not  quhat  obedience  to  a  light  Lettre,  not  of  the 
Kingis,  bot  of  sic  a  Commissiouner  ;  and  iff  thai  obeyit  the  Lettre, 
quhat  warrand  could  it  haive  bein  to  thame,  quhen  either  Chryst 
or  the  Chrystiane  [Kirk  ?]  sould  haiflf  callit  thame  to  accompt  and 

1  Notwithstanding,  nevertheless.  2  Alone,  solely.  3  Must. 


604  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

dischairge  so  expresslie,  at  so  necessar  a  tyme,  requyrit  of  thame  ? 
Add  heirunto,  that  the  Lettre  of  the  Commissiouner  and  last  Mo- 
deratour  conteinit  no  certaine  day  quhairunto  the  said  Assemblie 
sould  be  prorogat ;  so  that  it  is  evidently  importit  a  casting  lous 
and  deserting,  yea,  the  tyneing J  of  the  tittle  of  the  possessioun  of 
our  Assemblie,  then  the  quhilk  rycht,  quhat  could  be  moir  danger- 
ous to  the  fridome  and  libertie  of  Chrystis  Kirk,  at  sic  a  tyme, 
namely,  at  the  Treatie  of  the  Unioune,  quhen  all  the  Estaitis  of  the 
realm e,  and  every  frieholder,  wer  zealous  and  cairfull  for  thair  rychtis 
and  possessiounes  ?  I  am  suir  thair  is  not  ane  in  Scotland  that  hes 
the  rycht,  title,  and  possessioune  of  ane  cow-hous  or  a  caill-yaird, 
that  wald  so  easily  haiff  skippit  from  the  samyn,  or  could  haiff  done 
les  for  the  keiping  of  thair  possessioune,  than  thais  Ministeres  of 
Jesus  Chryst  did  for  the  rycht  and  tytle  of  his  kingdome  within 
Scotland.  O  fy  for  schame  !  that  Christiane  men,  zealous  Mini- 
steres, sould  lett  so  lycht  and  esteim  so  lyttle  of  the  fridome,  and 
liberty,  and  possessioun  of  the  Kirk  and  kingdome  of  Jesus  Chryst, 
plantit  and  peacabilly  estaibilischit  so  notabilly,  and  so  longe  con- 
tinowit,  within  the  realme  of  Scotland  ;  yit  they  continowit  to 
reassoun  againes  the  lawfullnes  of  thair  proceidingis !  Lett  it  be 
so,  that  the  day  mycht  haiff  bein  keipit,  yit  thai  sould  not  haive  sua 
usit  ane  Assemblie,  and  appoyntit  ane  tyme  for  ane  uthir,  without 
the  consent  of  the  Kingis  Majestie's  Commissiouner. 

"  Namelie,  the  said  Commissiouner,  dischairgeing  thame  baith 
by  a  missive  Lettre  from  the  Counsel,  and  Letteris  Patentis  pro- 
clamed  :  Ansuer,  thair  wes  no  proclaimeing  of  Lettres :  This  is  a 
manifest  forgit  lie  and  untruth,  cleirly  knawin  ;  and  how  soone  they 
wer  chairgit  thai  gaiff  obedience,  and  dissolvit,  for  eschewing  of  of- 
fence and  obedience  to  man ;  yea,  evin  indangering  thamselvis  ouir 
far  in  offence  and  dissobedience  to  God,  in  omitting  sua  necessar  a 
duetie  as  said  is ;  and  to  the  Counsellis  Lettres  it  continowit  a 
counscll,  quhilk  is  no  command,  to  desert  and  leive  the  Assemblie ; 
ane  thing  so  unlawfull,  that  iff  thai  had  followit  it,  thai  could  not 
haiff  bein  answerabill,  nethir  to  Chryst,  nor  to  the  King,  nor  to  the 

1  Losing. 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  605 

Kirk  thaireftir,  being  chairgit  thairfoir  at  ony  tyme,  for  the  reas- 
sounes  befoir  alledgit.  And  farther,  quhat  the  meineing  of  the 
laAvis  that  the  Kingis  Commissiouner  sould  cohonestat,  and  fortifie, 
and  foorder  the  Assemblie,  the  foirnameit  Commissiouner,  Lawris- 
toun,  expresslie  and  purposelie  to  hinder  that  Assemblie,  and  op- 
poune  himself  thairunto,  so  that  he  wes  not  Commissiouner  to  the 
Assemblie,  bot  againes  the  same ;  and  so,  all  alyk  ar  worse  as  iff 
thai  had  not  bein  in  the  toune ;  and,  thairfoir,  be  the  plain  meine- 
ing off  the  act,  it  wes  lesume  and  lawfull  to  that  Assemblie  con- 
veinit  to  nominat  tyme  and  place  for  the  nixt  Assemblie.  They  did 
nothing,  thairfoir,  bot  that  quhilk  boith  off  necessitie  and  duetie  it 
behovit  thame  to  doe,  or  els  betray  the  caus  of  Chryst,  or  losse  the 
fridome  and  libertie  of  his  Kirk  and  kingdome  peciabilly,  and  with- 
out interruptioune  possessit  in  Scotland  thes  42  yeiris  bygaine ;  as 
we  haiff  now,  in  the  nixt  point  of  probatioune,  to  verifie  be  the 
continowall  custome,  and  possessioune,  and  constitutioun  of  our 
Kirk,  since  the  Reformatioune  of  Religioune  within  the  realme  of 
Scotland. 

"  III.  And  becaus  that  poynt  is  evident  aneucht,  be  the  Buikes 
off  the  Generall  Assemblie  and  sum  ancient  Fathiris  of  the  Mini- 
sterie,  quho  ar  yit  on  lyff,  I  find  it  sufficient  to  sett  it  doune  in  the 
generall  assertioune,  that  from  the  yeir  of  our  Lord  1560,  the  25 
day  of  December,  quhen,  with  the  Parliament  of  the  realme,  the 
Generall  Assemblie  of  the  Kirk  satt  doune  at  Edinbruche  first,  for 
estabilisching  of  Religioun,  and  setling  the  Reformit  estait  of  the 
Kirke,  unto  the  yeir  1603,  in  the  begining  of  Apryle,  [quhen]  his 
Majestie  pairtit  from  Scotland  to  tak  possessioun  in  the  kingdome 
of  Ingland,  the  continowall  custome  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  ap- 
provit  and  reverenced  the  supreme  Magistratis  and  estaitis  of  the 
realme,  wes  to  convein  in  their  Generall  Assemblie  tuyse  a  yeir, 
and  sume  tyme  thryce ;  I  say,  almost  becaus  of  that  grytt  ecclipses 
in  the  yeir  1584  and  [15]85,  be  violent  injurie  of  that  tyme,  and  be- 
caus of  the  prorogatioune  and  useing  of  the  Assemblie,  so  bv  Let- 
tres  and  proclamatiounes,  from  tyme  to  tyme,  and  place  to  place 


606  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

eftir  1596 ;  yit,  in  all  thais  yeiris  and  Assemblies  of  our  Kirk,  the 
custome  wes,  that  in  the  end  of  the  Assemblie  presentlie  keipit,  the 
place  and  tyme  of  the  nixt  Assemblie  succeiding  wes  agrieit  and 
determineit  upoune ;  the  quhilk  wes  keipeit  without  interruptioune, 
upoune  the  warrand  that  Jesus  hes  givin  to  his  Kirk  to  convein, 
without  hcence  sought  or  givin  be  ony  Magistrat  or  Prince,  uthir 
then  the  commoun  and  approvin  custome  befoir  the  lawe,  and 
eftir  set  doun  for  the  ratificatioun  thairoff  in  the  parliament  befoir 
cited,  anno  1592.  This  to  be  true,  since  the  1574,  above  ane  hun- 
dred persounes  of  the  Ministerie,  and  ane  thousand  uthir  gentill- 
men  in  the  land,  can  weill  remember  and  testifie.  Quhat  wes  be- 
foir that,  evin  since  the  beginning,  lett  us  heir  out  of  the  Admoni- 
tioun  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  conveinit  at  Edinbruche,  in  the 
moneth  of  Marche  1573,  direct  in  wrytt  to  the  Erie  of  Mortoun, 
Kegent,  and  to  the  Lordis  of  Counsel  and  Estait,  beiring  this  nar- 
ratioune : 

"  l  It  is  knawin  to  your  Grace,  that  since  the  tyme  that  God 
blissit  the  countrie  with  the  Evangel,  the  haill  Kirk  most  godly 
appoyntit,  and  the  Parliament  be  actis  authorizit,  that  tua  godly 
Assemblies  of  the  haill  Generall  Kirk  of  the  realme  souldbe  evirilk 1 
yeir,  alsweill  of  all  memberis  of  all  estaitis  as  of  the  Ministeres ;  the 
quhilk  Assemblie  hes  bein,  since  the  first  ordinance,  continowallie 
keipit  in  sic  sort,  that  the  most  nobillest  and  hightest  hes  joynit 
thame  selvis,  be  thair  awin  presens  in  thais  Assemblies,  as  mem- 
beris of  ane  body ;  concurring,  voiting,  and  authoriseing  all  thingis, 
thair  proceidingis,  with  thair  Britherine.' 

"  IV.  The  Fourth  and  last  poynt  of  the  Appollogie  wes  annent 
The  Kingis  Confessioun  of  Faith,  (as  it  was  callit,)  notoriously  pub- 
lischit  in  Latine  by  Mercurius  Gallo-Belgicus,  the  noble  poster  of 
newis  athort  the  world,  upon  occasioun  of  a  sute  maid  by  the  French 
Kirk,  at  Loundoun,  to  his  Majestie  for  the  continowing  of  thair 
priviledges,  at  his  Hienes'  entry  in  Londoun ;  at  quhilk  tyme  his 
Majestie,  assureing  thame  of  his  guid  affectioune  towardis  the  true 

1  Each,  every. 


1605.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  GOT 

Religioune  maid  mentioune  in  the  said  Confessioune,  as  ane  un- 
doubtit  witnes  of  the  same  ;  and,  thairfoir,  the  said  Mercurius  setis 
doune  in  Latine,  as  it  is  also  extant  in  French,  Dutch,  and  all  uthir 
commoune  langweclgis  in  Europe. 

"  Quhilk  Confessioun,  as  they  alledgit,  did  furnisch  ane  ungain- 
standabill  argument  for  the  lawfullnes  of  the  said  Assemblie  haldin 
at  Abirdein,  closeing  the  mouth  of  all  guid  memberis  of  the  Kirk  and 
subjectis  of  the  realme  of  Scotland  from  speiking  againes  the  same, 
and  binding  thame  be  all  dewtie  and  conscience  to  stand  for  it, 
unles  thai  wald  declaire  thame  selves  apostatis  and  perjurit  in  the 
sycht  of  God  and  the  haill  world  :  For  quhy  it  is  all  veritie  that 
the  Kingis  Majestie  him  selff,  with  the  haill  Ministerie,  Counsell- 
ouris,  Nobilitie,  Estaitis,  and  subjectis  of  the  kingdome,  hes 
solemnely  subscryvit  and  sworne  thais  wordis  following  of  that 
Confessioune  : 

" '  To  the  quhilk  Faith  and  Relligioune  we  (the  trew  Reformit 
Kirk  of  Scotland  immediatlie  mentionit  befoir)  joyne  our  selves 
willinglie  in  Doctrine,  Faith,  Religione,  and  Discipline,  and  in  the 
use  of  the  Holy  Sacraments,  as  lyvely  memberis  of  the  samyne,  in 
Chryst  our  Heid  ;  promiseing  and  sweiring,  by  the  great  name  of 
our  Lord  God,  that  we  sail  continowe  in  the  obedience  of  the  Doc- 
trine and  Discipline  of  this  Kirk,  and  sail  defend  the  same,  accord- 
ing to  our  vocatioune  and  power,  all  the  dayes  of  our  lyff,  undir  the 
paine  conteined  in  the  law,  and  danger  boith  of  bodie  and  saulle  in 
the  day  of  Godis  feirfull  Judgement.'  And  eftir  a  few  lynes  it 
followis  : 

" '  We,  willing  to  tak  away  all  suspitioune  of  hypocrisie  and 
doubill-dealling  with  God  and  his  Kirk,  protestis  and  callis  the 
Searcher  of  all  heartis  to  wittnes  that  our  heartis  and  myndis  doe 
fully  agrie  unto  this  our  Consent,  Promeise,  and  Confessioune,  Oath, 
and  Subscriptioune,  so  that  we  are  not  movit  with  any  worldly  re- 
spect, but  are  persuadit  in  our  conscience,  only  throAV  the  knaw- 
ledge  and  love  of  Godis  trew  Religioune,  printed  in  our  heartis  by 
the  Holie  Spirit,  as  we  sail  answer  to  him  in  that  day  qulien  the 
secreitis  of  all  heartis  salbe  disclosit.' 


608  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  lt>05. 

" '  Now,  take  heed,  I  pray  vow,"  sayeth  the  Appollogie-maker, 
1  at  quhat  tyme  wes  this  Confessioune  publischit  by  auctoritie,  and 
commanded  to  be  sworne  and  subscryvit,  and  that  solemnely,  eftir 
his  Majestie  and  his  haill  Household1  goeing  befoir,  he  doeing  the 
same  ?* 2  It  wes  evin  subscryvit  quhen  the  Kingis  Minister,  Mr 
Johnne  Craige,  and  his  Majestie's  Commissiouner  for  the  tyme, 
the  Laird  of  Capringtoune,  to  the  Generall  Asseinblie  halden  at 
Glasgxnv,  in  the  moneth  of  Aprile,  in  the  year  1581,  at  the  quhilk 
Assembly  the  Buik  of  the  Policie  and  Discipline  of  the  Kirk,  soe 
many  yeires  befoir,  in  so  many  Assemblies  travellit  unto,  perfytit 
and  censurit  thairto  by  the  Kingis  Majestie  and  Coimsell,  eftir  the 
Generall  Assembly  haldin  at  Sth'linge,  by  directioun  of  the  samyn, 
in  the  yeir  1575,  gratiously  and  weill  acceptit,  wes  appro vin,  and 
ordained  to  be  registrat  in  the  Buikis  of  the  Generall  Assemblie, 
ad  perpetuam  rei  memoriam ;  lykas  at  the  same  Assemblie,  by  his 
Majestie's  said  Commissiouner  approving  the  Discipline  concludit 
in  the  said  Buik  of  Policie,  wes  presented  from  his  Majestie  a  Plat3 
of  the  Presbyteries  throughout  the  haill  reahne,  craiveing  Commis- 
siouneris  from  the  said  Assernblie  to  be  directit  with  such  as  his 
Majestie  sould  appoynt  for  planting  of  the  said  Presbyteries  in 
eyerie  Province  ;  the  quhilk  wes  done  :  And  sieing  that  Bisschoppis 
wer  utterlie  abolischit  in  the  Assemblie  haldin  at  Dundie  the  yeir 
preceiding,  his  Majestie  desyrit  to  know  how  thair  place  sould  be 
supplieit  at  Parliament ;  as  at  mail*  lenth  is  conteined  in  the  Buikis 
of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  and  namelie  the  Register  of  the  said 
Assemblie  at  Glasgow. 

"  This  cleireth  sufhcientlie  quhat  wes  then  the  Discipline  of  the 
Kirk  of  Scotland,  nameit  and  mentiouned  in  the  said  Confessioun 
of  Faith  ;  soe  that,  far  from  all  dout  or  questioune,  our  Generall 
Assemblies  wes  then  most  norisching  and  frequent,  full  of  reverence, 
erace,  gravetie,  and  auctoritie,  the  fridome  and  libertie  quhairoff 
wes  the  eheiff  heid  and  bullwark  of  all  the  DiscipUne  of  our  Kirk ; 

1  Univ.  MS.  "Counsel."  2  Adv.  MSS.  "  be  guid  example  had  done  the 

samvne."  3  lb.  "  of  the  place." 


1605.  MB  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIABY.  609 

quhilk  once  to  impair  or  brangle,  Aves  indeid  the  overthrow  of  our 
Kirk  and  Religioune  :  And  tins  wes  so  reverencit,  so  sAVome,  and 
subscry vit,  [yea,  and  publischit  in  print  of  new  againe,  and  ordained 
to  be  of  new  sworne  and  subscryvit,1]  in  a  General!  Band  in  the 
yeir  1590,  befoir  the  obteining  of  the  ratifieatioune  in  Parliament 
in  the  yeir  1592. 

"  This,  then,  behig  the  discipline  swome  and  subscryvit,  dar  any 
of  the  SAveireris  and  subscryveris  cum  in  the  contrair  thairoff,  or 
dar  the  faithfull  Ministeres  of  Chryst,  for  the  use  and  practiseing  of 
it,  unles  thai  woidd  prove  and  profess  thame  selves  apostatis,  and 
perjurit,  and  mensworne  ?  Yea,  or  can  they  refuse  to  obey  or  defend 
the  samyne,  according  to  thair  vocatioune  and  power,  all  the  day  is 
of  thair  lyffj  sieing  it  is  and  standis  upoun  the  danger  of  boith  saull 
and  body  in  the  day  of  Godis  feirfull  J  udgement,  as  the  foir  sett 
doun  tennour  of  thair  aith  beires  ?  No,  I  am  assurit  that  the  Kingis 
Majestie  himselfF,  (quhom  God  preserve,  and  mak  weill,  and  long  to 
regne  and  live,)  his  honorabiH  Counsell,  and  all  his  guid  Chrystiane 
subjectis,  quhen  they  haiffweyit2  this  matter,  and  laid  it  to  heart, 
wilbe  waiknit3  and  moveit  to  remember  thair  oathe,  they  will  feir 
and  trembill  that  the  gryt  name  Jehovah,  the  Lord  God,  interpounes 
and  beiris  witnes  in  that  matter  of  so  high  and  gryt  importance ;  and, 
finding  his  servants  to  haif  done  nothing  in  the  contraire,  but  ac- 
cording thairto,  as  Ave  haiff  sufficientlie  schawin  in  the  poynts  pre- 
ceeding,  will  sic  thame  honorit  and  rewardit  as  faithfull  Pastoris 
of  the  Kirk,  and  not  revillit  and  punischit  as  malefactoris.  Oft" 
this  haill  discours  also,  it  is  most  evident  that  thais  ar  far  deciveit, 
quha  thinkis  we  haiff  the  power  and  auctoritie  of  our  Assemblies 
from  the  King,  and  his  lawis,  as  the  cheiff  wariand  and  grand 
thair  off;  nay,  our  mcittingis  in  our  Assemblies  is  ane  essential! 
poynt  of  the  office  of  the  Ministerie  of  Chryst  Jesus,  quliilk  Mini- 
sterie  Ave  haiff  naither  in  full  nor  in  the  pairt  of  any  earthelie  king, 
but  of  him  quho  is  King  of  kings.  Lord  of  lords  :  but  forsnameikle 

'  Omitted  in  Univ.  MS.  :  Weig  \unkened. 

2    Q 


610  I  HI.  CONTINUATION  OF  L605. 

as  God  lies  ordained  kingis,  queenes,  and  princes,  to  be  aurischeris, 
nmnteineris,  and  defenderis  of  bis  Kirk,  as  the  speciall  end  quhair- 
by  they  haiff  ressavit  thair  auctoritie  and  preheminencie,  and  for 
quhois  saik  thai  ar  boith  sett  upe  and  cast  doune  by  God  :  Thair- 
foir  it  is,  that  in  all  reverent  snbmissioune  the  Kirk  craives  the 
benefit  of  the  mantinence  and  lawis  for  the  honour  of  Chryst  his 
anoyntit  King,  upon  his  holy  montaine,  the  quhilk  iff  they  dueti- 
fnlly  bestow,  thai  sail  not  doe  it  for  nought,  for  the  Lord  will  honour 
thame  quho  honouris  him ;  if  uthirwayis,  he  will  cans  thamc  knaw 
that  he  maid  thame  up  and  can  cast  thame  doun  againe,  and,  thair- 
foir,  in  all  reverence,  to  seek '  it ;  and,  saveing  quhatsoevir  incres 
the  guid  Britherin  may  incur2  thairby,  in  all  reassoune.  Thai  haiff 
evir  bein  obedient  in  leving  in  the  duetie  warrand3  andcommandit 
be  Chryst,  quhilk  no  man  sould  or  may  controvein,  and  not  holding- 
out  of  the  said  Assemblie  for  manadgeing  and  effectuating  the  ne- 
cessare  effaires  of  the  Kirk,  quhairfoir  it  wes  appoyntit,  rather  then 
rebellious  and  contemptuous  againes  the  King,  quhois  estimatioune, 
honor,  and  obedience,  must  stand  with  Chryst  and  his  holy  Ministerie 
of  the  Kirk,  and  not  againes  the  same. 

"  In  end,  thus  it  wes  concludit,  that  sieing  it  wes  sua  manifest  of 
the  premisses  that  the  Britherin,  Commissiouneris  of  the  Presby- 
teries of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  quhilk  Presbyteries,  iff  thair  had 
bein  any  fault,  sould  haiff  bein  punischit,  and  not  they  conveened 
at  the  last  Generall  Assemblie  at  Abirdein,  had  sua  evident  and 
strong  reassounes  and  warrantis  for  thame  of  the  Word  of  God, 
lawis  and  customes  of  the  realme,  and  constitutiouiies  of  the  Kirk, 
since  the  beginning  of  that  nobill  and  famous  Confessioun  of  Faith, 
and  that  thair  wes  so  just  caus  of  feir  of  lossing  of  the  libertie 
of  the  General]  Assemblie;  lor  aither  there  can  remaine  no  doubt 
in  the  heart  of  any  good  Christians,  bot  that  they  have  [done?] 
honest,  lawfullie,  and  Weill,  and  if  80,  they  must  needs  have  done 
wisely  allsoe.  For  it  is  special]  wisdome  even  for  kingis  and  princes 
to  serve  the  Lord  even  with  fear,  and  to  kiss  his  Sone  with  humble 

1  Univ.  MS.  " spcik."  ^dv.  MSS,  " receave.  Warranted. 


1605. 


MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  lil  1 


obedience,  lest  he  beangrie,  and  they  perische  in  the  way,  quho  for 
inobedience  and  rebellion  his  wrath  is  kindled,  Psalm  ii.  10, 11,  12. 
So,  what  obedience,  faith  in  the  Sone  of  God,  blessednes  and  wis- 
dome  to  preserve  that  the  treasure  of  the  Gospell  of  grace  and  life, 
to  keep  that  precious  pearle  which  lightens  the  eyes  and  quickens 
the  heart,  and  to  stand  for  the  honor  of  Christ,  the  King,  and  the 
liberties  and  fridome  of  his  kingdome,  and  againes  all  such  as  seik 
to  beir  doune  and  deface '  the  same,  or  to  usurp  and  incroch  thair- 
upoun ;  thair  to  suffir  with  him,  that  thai  may  regne  with  him,  is 
grytter  wysdome  then  to  conqueis  all  the  prelaceis  and  kingdomes 
upon  the  earth.     Iff  Chryst,  the  wysdome  of  the  Father,  be  to  be 
belivit,  sayeth,  Quhat  availeth  it  a  man  to  wine  the  haill  world 
and  tyne  his  saull  ?— and  this  wilbe  fund.     Quhat  salbe  said  to  the 
wyse  worldlingis  foole,  <  This  nycht  also  sail  thai  tak  away  thy 
saulle  from  thee?'  Also,  'I  knaw  yow  not;  depairt  from  me,  ye 
cursit  of  my  Father,  unto  unquanchabill  fyre  prepairit  for  the  divill 
and  his  angellis  ! '   Quhat  availis  it  for  wisdomis  commendatione  ? 
Will  it  be  then  mail'  to  haifffeirit  and  obeyitman  nor2  God  ?  And 
that  is  all  the  folie,  forsuith,  that  thais  wyse3  Breitherine  can  be 
accusit  off. 

"  In  end,  thairfoir,  iff  thai  haiff  donne  both  wyselie  and  lawfullic, 
let  thair  Judges  tak  heid  how  thai  judge,  least  condemneing  the 
innocent,  yea,  the  rychteous,  thai  be  abominatioune  befoir  God, 
the  great  and  feirful  Judge,  let  your  perse waris  be  em-ay ed1  least 
they  feight  not  againes  God  ;  least  he  prevaill  againes  thame,  and 
cutt  thame  in  cullopis  !5  Let  thair  fellow  Britherine  be  true,  just, 
and  honest,  and  frank  with  thame  in  the  caus,  as  they  wald  be  pair- 
takeris  with  thame  in  the  kingdome,  and  least  thai  heir  that  dome, 
'Tak  the  unthankfull0  servant,  bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and  cast 
him  in  the  kingdome7  of  uttir  darknes,' — and  that  wilbe  a  blacker 
nes  or  nest8  quhairin  ourguid  and  honest  Britherine  now  lye  !  Let 

1   Adv.  MSS.  "defame."     2  Than.      :!  Adv.  MSS.  "good  and  faithful."        '  //,. 
"  let  persecutors  he  afraid."  5  lb.  "  collops,"  in  pieces.  ';  Jit.  "  unfaithfull." 

;  lb.  '•'dungeon."  8  A  play  on  the  Castle  of  Blackness,  where  their  brethren, 

the  Ministers,   were  then  closely  imprisoned. 


(IJ2  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1605. 

thaine,  now,  that  thusstryk  and  imprissoune  thair  fellow  aervandis, 
and  sitt  doun  and  eit  and  drink  with  the  drunkinc,  feir  for  the 
cuming  of  that  great  Lord  to  discomfeis  judgment,  and  cutt  tham  in 
tuo  :  Let  all  Christianes  consider  quhat  Chrystiane  compassioune 
and  charitabill  duetie  craves  towardis  the  afflicted  Brethrine,  but 
namlie  to  Chryst  him  selff,  in  his  sufferinges,  as  they  would  wish  to 
hear  that  most  joyful!  call, '  Come,  ye  blissit  of  my  Father;  for  quhen 
1  was  in  prissoun  ye  visitet  me  !'  Let  the  guid  and  faithfull  Mini- 
steres,  presentlie  imprissouneit,  for  thair  incorragment  and  comforte, 
heir  and  meditat  thais  thingis,  quhilk  He  quho  hes  the  sevin  starris 
in  his  rycht  hand,  and  walkes  in  the  middes  of  the  sevin  goldine 
candilestickis,  qulio  is  the  First  and  the  Last,  qulio  wes  deid,  and 
is  now  alive  for  evir  inoir,  amen,  and  sayis,  '  I  knaw  thy  workis, 
and  thy  tribulatioune,  [and  patience,  and  povertie ;  bot  thow  art 
taught,1  and  I  know  the  blasphemie  of  them  quho  say  they  are 
Jews,  and  are  not,  bot  are  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan.  Fear  not 
for  these  things  thow  art  to  suffer ;  behold,  it  shall  come  to  'pass, 
that  the  devill  shall  cast  some  of  yoAv  into  prisone  that  ye  may 
be  tryed  ;  and  ye  shall  have  tribulatione 2]  ten  dayis.  Be  thow  faith- 
full  unto  the  deatlie,  and  I  will  give  ye  the  croune  of  lyff.  Come, 
come  [quickly,]  Lord  Jesus.    Amen.'" 


The  thrid  day  of  October  wes  directit  from  Perthe  a  lvbellit 
summonds,  at  the  instance  of  the  Kings  Advocat,  againes  the  pris- 
souneris  of  Blakncs,  and  the  rest  in  thair  prissouncs  of  Dumbartan, 
Stirling,  and  Donne,1  chairgeing  thame  personally  to  compear  l>e- 
foir  the  Lordis  of  Secreit  Counsel  at  Edinbruche  the  24  day  of 
October  instant,  to  heir  and  sic  it  be  found  and  declarit  that  the) 
haiffverie  contemptuously  and  seditiouslie  conveinit  and  assemblit 
tham  sel\'es,  and  proceidil  in  thair  said actioune,  the  tyme  foirsaid  : 

1  The  authorised  version,  "  rich."  -  Omitted  in  Univ.  MS.      This  is 

another  instance  of  the  carelessness  "iili  whicb  such  transoripts  were  formerly  made. 
•  A.dv.  MSS.  "  Dundie." 


Jli<>.">.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  613 

and,  thairfoir,  the  said  Assemblie,  and  approbatioune  thairof,  decer- 
nit  and  declairit  unlawfully  and  so  to  be  rcput,  holding-,  and  esteimit 
in  all  tymes  ennieing;  and  thai  to  be  pnnisehit  in  thair  persones 
and  guidis  for  thair  unlawfull  conveining,  holding,  and  appoynting 
of  the  samyne.  In  the  mcantyme,  persaifing  that  it  wes  spokin 
plainelie,  and  evill-takin  with,  by  all  the  Ministeris,  that  the  Gene- 
rail  Assemblies  wer  to  be  nttirly  ovirthrowin,  and  nevir  a  frie  one 
to  be  permittit  again e,  it  wes  thought  meitt  that  a  Generall  As- 
semblie sould  be  appoyntit  and  proclaimed  be  the  Kingis  Majestic 
to  tak  away  and  remove  that  offence,  and  yit  to  kcip  his  rycht,  as 
thought  no  Assemblie  wer  lawfull,  or  could  be  keipit  without  his 
appointment  or  ordinance.  The  day  wes  appoyntit  to  be  the  last 
Tuysday  of  July,  but  in  quhat  yeir,  nevir  a  word  ;  and  sua  the 
Greik  Calendis  and  Englische  proclamatioune,  in  matter  and  lan- 
gwedge,  givin  at  Hamptoun  Court,  and  printed  at  Edinburghe  by 
Robert  Charteres. 

The  Britherine  from  all  their  wardes  and  prissounes,  compelling 
befoir  the  Counsell  at  Edinbruche  the  24  of  October,1  gaiv  in  first 
thair  Supplicatioune  to  the  Counsell,  as  folio  wis  : 


"THE    SUPl'LICATIOUN    OP    THE    MINISTERIS,    IX    WARD,    TO    THE 
LORDIS  OF  SECREIT  COUNSELL. 


"My  Lordis  ofFSecreit  Counsell,  unto  your  Lordschipis  humblie 
meines  and  schawis,2  We,  the  Ministeres  of  the  Gospell  of  Jesus 
Chryst,  quho  hes  bein  callit  befoir  your  Lordschipis,  and  now  im- 
prissouncit  by  the  space  of  threttein  weekis,  for  conveineing  in  our 
Generall  Assemblie,  haldin  at  Aberdein  the  last  Tuysday  of  July 
last  by  past :  That  forsuainciklc  as  we  are  chairgit,  de  novo,  to  eom- 
peir  personallie  befoir  your  Lordschipis  at  Edinbruche,  the  24  of 
October  instant,  to  heire  and  sie  it  found  and  declairit,  that  we 
haiff  very  contemptuouslie  and  seditiouslie  conveinit  and  assemblit 

1  Adv.  MSS.  erroneously  ''July.''  -'  Complain  and  shew. 


614  the  i  oMixi  Aiiox  or  L605. 

ourselffis,    and  proceidit  in   our  actiouncs  in  the  said  Assemblie  ; 
and,  thairfoir,  the  samyn  Assemblie,  and  approbatiounc  thairoff,  dc- 
cernit  and  dcclairit  unlawfull ;  as  in  the  snmmonndis  execnt  againes 
us  thairannent  at  mail'  lenth  is  conteineit.     Quhilk  fonne  of  sum- 
moundis  and  proceidingis  bcfoir  your  Lordschipis  againes  us,  is  al- 
togidder  prejudicial]  to  the  authorized  authoritie  of  the  Kirk  of 
Scotland,  and  contrair  to  the  laudabill  order  observit  within  this 
realme  :  Because  it  is  of  veritie  that,  by  the  "Word  of  God,  Disci- 
pline of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  actis  of  Parliament  maid  in  favouria 
of  the  samyn,  and  practeis  since  the  Keformatioune  of  Religioune, 
thai  all  spiritual]  matteris  anent  Doctrine  and  Discipline  lies  bein 
and  aught  to  be  cognoscit  and  judgit  by  the  Kirk  aHennirlie,  as  the 
maist  competent  Judge  thairoff,  as  a  matter  spiritual!  :  And  trew  it 
is,  that  the  lawfullnes,  approbatiounc,  and  dissalloAvance  of  a  Gcne- 
rall  Assemblie,  and  the  proceidingis  thairoff,  is  a  matter  spiritual] ; 
the  Genera]]  Assemblie  following  lies  allowit  ever,  or  disallowit,  as 
they  haiff  found  just  occasioun  or  cause,  and  the  Assemblie's  pro- 
ceidingis and  thingis  done  or  allowit  thairin,  as  it  is  evident  in  the 
( renerall  Assemblie  holdin  at  Dundie  in  the  year  1597,  quhilk  de- 
clairit  and  allowit  the  preceiding  Assemblie  holdin  at  Perthe,  and 
proceidingis  thairoff,  to  be  lawfull,  his  Majestie  being  present  at 
baith  :  2.  Because  it  is  expressclie  sett  doun  in  his  Majestie's  lait 
proclamatioune  annent   the   Generall   Assemblie  to  be  holdin  at 
Dundie  the  last  Tuysday  of  July,  that  his  Majestie  expectit  repa- 
ratioune  of  dissorderis,  that  iff  thair  be  any  thrie  of  your  Lord- 
schipis sail  proceid  againes  us,  for  the  caus  above  specifeit,  your 
Lordschipis  may  give  occasioune  to  confound  the  Ecclesiastical]  and 
Civil]  Jurisdictioune,  quhilk  hiddertill  hes  bein  and  are  by  lawis 
and  practeis  happelie  distinguischit,  to  the  great  peice  and  unitie  of 
this  realme,  praisit  be  the  name  of  God  thairfoir!  And  iff  we  haiff 
ony  wayis  transgressil   againes  any  civil]  lawis,  we  offir  our  selvis 
maist  willingly  to  be  judgit  and  trvit   conforme  to  the  order  and 
forme  practcisit  amongie  Ins  Majestie's  Bubjectis  within  this  realme, 
the  dewtie  allwayis,  and  the  transgressioune  of  our  office,  being  re- 
mittit  to  the  Judge  Ordiner.      Heirfoir  we  most  humblie  beseik 


1605.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAEY.  1)15 

your  Lordschipia  maist  earnestlie,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Chryst, 
quho  sail  judge  quick  and  deid,  to  remit t  the  said  caus  and  tryall 
thairoff  to  the  said  Generall  Assemblie,  as  only  Judge  competent 
thairto,  and  to  dimitt  us  in  peice,  that  we  may  attend  on  our  call- 
ingis  :  According  to  all  equitie  and  reassoune,  and  your  Lordschipis 
answer  heirunto  we  maist  earnestlie  and  humbilly  beseik ;  and  bo 
meikle  the  mair,  becaus  we  haiff  givin  unto  your  Lordschipis  diverse 
Supplicatiouncs  hereanent  of  before,  and  hes  ressavit  no  answer 
hithirtill  as  yit." 

This  Supplicatioune,  being  givin  [in]  and  road,  wea  aluttirlie1  re- 
jectit  and  refuissit ;  and  the  Britherine  urgit  to  answer  to  the  libell, 
by  the  Kingis  Advocat,  his  accusar ;  and,  thairfoir,  thai  wer  con- 
strainit  to  refuse  the  Judicatorie,2  formally,  and  gaiff  in  the  De- 
clynatore  following,  undir  all  thair  handis  : 


THE  DECLYNATOURE. 

"  My  Lordis  of  Secreit  Counsell,  unto  your  Lordschipis :  Pleas 
your  Lordschipis,  the  approbatioune  and  allowance  of  ane  Generall 
Assemblie  hes  bein  and  soidd  be  a  matter  and  caus  spirituall,  and 
allwayis  cognoscit  and  judgeit  by  the  Kirk,  as  Judge  thairoff  com-, 
petent,  within  this  realme.  And  sieing  we  are  callit  befoir  your 
Lordschipis,  to  heire  and  sie  it  to  be  fund  and  declairit  that  we 
haiff  verie  seditiousely  and  contemptuouselie  convenit  and  asscmblit 
ourselffis  in  a  Generall  Assemblie  at  Abirdein,  &c. ;  and,  thairfoir, 
the  said  Assemblies,  and  the  approbatioune  thairof,  to  be  declaxil 
and  decernit  unlawfull,  as  at  mair  lenth  is  conteinit  in  the  said 
summoundis  execute  againes  us  thairannent,  We,  in  considcratioune 
of  the  premisses,  and  other  reassounes  to  be  givin  in  by  us,  hesjusl 
caus  to  declyne  your  Lordschipis  Judgment,  as  nowayis  competent 
in  the  caus  above  specifeit ;  and  by  thais  prcsentis,  we  doe  simpli- 

1  Altogether.  '-'  Decline  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Privy  Council. 


616  THE  CONTINUATION  Ol  1605. 

titer  declyne  the  same,  Bieing  we  are  maist  willing  to  submitt  our 
selfF  to  the  tryall  of  the  General!  Assemblie,  quhilk  is  only  Judge 
competent,  by  thir  presentis,  subscryvit  with  our  handis  as  follow  is, 
the  24  of  October  1605. 

"  Mr  Jotixe  Forbes.  Mr  Charles  Ferme.1 

Mr  Johne  Welsche.  Mr  Johne  Monroe. 

Mr  Robert  Durie.  Mr  James  Irving.2 

Mr  Andrew  Duncane.  Mr  Wm.  Forbes. 

Mr  Alex.  Strauchane.  Mr  Johne  Eosse. 

Mr  Johne  Sciiarpe.  Mr  Robert  Youngsone. 

Mr  James  Gregg.  Mr  Nathan  Inglishe.'"' 

Nevirtheles  of  this  Declynatoure,  the  Counsell  findis  thame 
selffis  Judgis,  and  urgis  thame  to  answer  to  the  lybell.  The  Brith- 
erine,  undir  protestatioune,  and  adhering  allwayis  to  thair  Declyna- 
toure, answeris  at  lenth  by  wrytt,  proveing  the  lawfullnes  of  thair 
Assemblie,  purging  thame  of  all  contempt  and  seditioun,  and  offir- 
ing  them  to  prove  the  indorsatioune  and  executioune  of  the  chairge 
givin  in  againes  thame  be  the  Kingis  Commissiouner,  the  Laird  of 
Lawristoune.  Notwithstanding  thairoff,  the  Counsell  givis  out 
sentance  againes  the  Assembly,  and  thame  quho  wer  the  holderia 
thairof,  conforme  to  the  summondis,  and  remittis  the  prissouneris 
to  thair  wairding-places. 

In  this  meintyme,  thair  wes  apprehendit  a  famous  excommuni- 
cato foirfaultit,  and  perverting  Papist,  namit  Mr  Gilbert  Broome, 
Abbot  of  New  Abbay.  quho,  evir  since  the  Reformatioune  of  Reli- 
gioun,  had  conteinit  in  ignorance  and  idolatrie  allmost  the  hail] 
South-west  pairtis  of  Scotland,  and  had  bein  continowaUie  occupyit 
in  practiseing  againes  the  Religiounc.  This  man,  being  [hot  one 
night]1  keipit  in  Blaknes,  fellow-prissouner  with  the  Britherine  of 
{lie  Ministerie,  wes  transportii  to  the  Castell  of  Edinbruche,  quhair 

1  Fairholme.  '  Adv.  MSS.,  erroneously,  "  Garbane."  "  Inglis. 

'  No1  in  Univ.  MS. 


1605.  MLR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  617 

he  wes  liberaJlie  intertained  upoun  the  Kingis  expensses,  and  ane 
of  his  special!  freindis  licensed  to  com  and  goe  to  him  at  his  plesoure ; 
and,  in  end,  haiffing  all  his  guidis  restorit  to  him,  evin  his  idola- 
trous relictis,  crosses,  Agnus  Dei,  &c,  wes  set  at  libertic,  and  per- 
mitted to  imbarque  and  goe  to  France,  not  without  great  suspi- 
tioun,  and  appearing  to  say  messe  in  Edinbruche,  and  greatly  feared 
and  supported  to  be  reall ;  for  the  nicht  befoir  his  departourc,  boith 
his  messe-clothes  and  chellis,1  &c,  wes  fund  and  takin  by  the  Bail- 
lies.  This  wes  very  evill-takin  off  by  all  guid  men,  as  seming  to 
be  done  in  despyt  of  the  Ministeris  deteinit  so  long  in  that  foull 
hous  and  dungeoun  of  Blacknes,  upon  thair  own  excessive  costis 
and  expenssis. 

The  Parliament  of  England  wes  to  sitt  downe  the  9  of  Novem- 
ber, the  year  of  God  1605 ;  a  few  daycs  befoir  the  quhilk  wes  de- 
tectit  ane  horribill  Conspiracie  of  Catholict  Papistis,  quho  had  un- 
dermyndit  the  Parliament  Hous,  and  had  laid  in  ane  hudge  quan- 
titie  of  gunpowder,  haiffing  ane  of  thair  number,  named  G  wy  Faux, 
reddilie  attending  with  a  sett  traine  and  prepairit  lount 2  and  match, 
to  haiff  blawin  all  the  Hous  in  the  aire,  immediatly  eftir  the  King, 
Quein,  Prince,  and  Nobillis,  with  the  haill  Estaitis,  had  bein  con- 
veinit  to  heir  the  Kingis  oratioune,  the  first  day  of  the  Parliament. 
The  newis  of  this  movit  all  guid  men  to  think  that  the  King  wald 
haiff  left  off  the  persuit  of  the  puire  Ministeris  in  boith  the  realm  es, 
and  requyring  thair  prayeris  and  pi'aiseing  of  God  in  thair  Congre- 
gatiounes,  and  amongis  thair  flockis,  for  so  gryt  a  deliverance  :  But 
the  effect  thairof  declairit  the  conti'airie ;  for  not  only  wes  thair  no 
reliveing,  but  a  insisting  moir  cagerlie  and  fiercelie,  boith  be  pen 
and  tungue,  saying,  The  Papistis  wes  seiking  his  lyff,  indeid,  but 
the  Ministeris  wes  seiking  his  Crowne,  deircr  to  him  nor  his  lyff! 
And  so,  expresse  chairgc  avcs  sent  home  to  the  Counscll,  namely, 
to  the  Chanceler,  Secretar,  Advocat,  Comptroller,  Officcris  of  the 
Estaite,  to  put  the  Ministeris  to  ane  asysc  or  jurie  upon  ane  dittay 

1  Chalice,  communion  cup  '  Matcb  of  slow  lire. 


1)18  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L606. 

of  treassoune,  because  of  the  Declynatoure  of  the  quhilk,  these  foir- 
namit  Counselleris,  dircctit,  for  feir  of  inabilitie  to  effectnat  so  hard 
a  matter,  as  to  dress  a  .Judge  and  assysse  with  all  thingis  neidfull 
to  gett  thame  convictit,  and  brought  undir  the  compas  of  the  law  ; 
and,  thairfoir,  pairtlie  for  that  and  pairtlie  for  the  Kingis  occupa- 
tiounes  annent  the  conspiracie,  the  matter  tuik  ane  delay  till  the 
first  moneth  of  the  new  yeir,  160G. 

M.DC.V1. 

The  first  newis  we  heard,  in  the  new  yeir,  wes  the  comming 
doune  from  Court  of  tuo  great  Counselleris,  to  witt,  the  Erles  of 
Marr  and  Dumbar.  Thair  home-comeing  was  thought  to  be  for 
great  mattcris ;  but  all,  in  end,  tendit  to  put  the  Ministeres  warded 
in  Blacknes  to  ane  assyse,  quhilk  wes  done  on  the  Friday,1  the  tenth 
of  Januar. 

The  Erie  of  Dumbar  sent  for  ane  of  the  Ministeres  of  his  best 
and  antient  accquantancc,  to  quhom  he  regraitit  heavilie  his  imploy- 
ment  and  present  service  he  wes  about ;  and,  thairfoir,  requeisted 
most  earnestlie  the  said  Minister  to  tak  the  paines  as  to  goe  and  deall 
with  the  prissouneris  of  Blacknes,  and  to  sie  iff  thai  wald  condiscend, 
and  it  wer2  to  never  so  lycht  a  confessioun  of  fault,  and  coming  in 
the  Kingis  will  thairfoir ;  and  he  sould  imploy  his  credit  to  the  ut- 
tirmost  for  pleasing  the  King  and  paciefieing  him.  The  Minister, 
glaid  to  halve  the  occasioun  to  talk  with  his  Britherine,  and  sic  how 
God  wrought  with  thame,  being  wairnit  that  thai  were  to  be  put 
lo  ane  assyse,  past  to  the  Blacknes,  and  all  that  nycht  commouned 
with  the  prissouners,  and  lcivit  no  argument,  that  he  could  heir  or 
invent,  unusit,  to  assay  thair  constancie ;  but  thai  stuid  firme  as  a 
rock,  broking  and  repulseing  all  the  waves  that  Boreas  could  blow 
out  of  the  sea  againes  thame:  And  so,  eftir  thair  most  coin fortabill 
execrcise  of  the  Word  and  prayer,  went  to  bed:  but  being  on  thair 
momeing  sleipc,  (haiffing  put  offmuche  of  the  nieht  with  guid  ex- 
cercise  of  rcassouncing,  reiding,  and  prayer,)  thai ar awakened  with 

1  A.lv.  MSS.  "  Thursday."  -  If  it  were. 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  G19 

the  sound  of  a  trumpet  of  the  Guard,  cum  from  Linlithgow  to  con- 
voy the  prissouneris  befoir  the  Counsell,  quhilk  the  Livetennent  of 
the  Guard  said  wald  sitt  doun  befoir  day-lycht,  and  thairfoir  be- 
hoveit  to  mak  haste.  Thai  made  ready,  and  callit  to  God,  and  so 
come  to  Linlythgow  by  the  sunne-riseing,  and  wer  brought  the 
hie-way  to  the  Palace,  quhair  the  Counsell  wes  most  full  and  fre- 
quent sitting.  The  Erie  of  Lithgow,  quho  keipit  hous  in  the  Pa- 
lace, and  quhois  wyf  wes  ane  obstinat  Papist,  ressavit  thame  verie 
courteousely,  and  caussit  thame  be  convoyit  into  ane  chalmer ;  quhair, 
eftir  guid  intertainement,  thair  assemblit  a  guid  number  of  the  Mi- 
nisterie  from  all  pairtis,  and  wer  permittit  to  call  to  God,  and  to 
consult  togidder  with  the  prissouneris. 

Mr  Johne  Forbes,  Moderator  of  the  Presbyterie  of  Abirdeine, 
being  Moderator,  according  to  his  office,  said,  "  Indeed,  thair  hes 
been  money  sessiounes  of  Generall  Assemblies  rarer  then  this  wes." 
Thair  wes  a  great  deiling,  by  dyverse  Counselleres  and  utheris,  usit 
to  break  thame,  quhy,  and  in  quhat  reassoune ;  but  all  in  vaine. 

Thaireftir  the  Counsell  directit  expresselie  the  Lordis  of  New- 
bottill,  Quhittinghame,  Blantyre,  the  Lord  Little  Justice,1  to  reas- 
soune with  the  Ministeres  conveinit,  that  thai  mycht  bring  the  Mi- 
nisteres,  prissouneris,  to  ane  submissioune,  but  in  vaine.  Then  they 
sent  the  same  again,  with  diverse  utheris,  and  namely  the  Advocat, 
to  accquant  us  with  the  proces,  and  assure  us  that  it  wald  proceid 
to  thair  convictioune  ;  thairfoir,  and  the  said  Advocat,  with  diverse 
utheris  men  of  law,  that  professit  gryt  freindschippe  and  favoure  to 
the  Ministeris,  [and  possessit  the  samyne,]2  sic  as  Mr  Thomas  Craig, 
Mr  William  Oliphant,  were  instant3  with  the  Breither  to  pas  from 
the  Declinatour,  pro  loco  et  tempore;  assuring  thame  that  it  wald 
be  no  wayis  prejudiciall  to  the  Kirk,  thair  cans,  or  thameselffis,  to 
use  it  againe  quhen  they  pleassit;  and  so,  iff  thai  wald  pas  from 
the  Assemblie  and  Declinatoure,  the  Counsell  wald  pas  from  all 
the  proces  and  present  pcrsuit,  and  the  prissouneris  sould  goo  frie. 
This  movit  many  of  the  Bretherin  present,  haifing  a  grytter  cair, 

'  The  Justice-depute.  '  Adv.  MSS.  :i  Ih.  <•  earnest.  ' 


620  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1(300. 

and  being  in  a  greitter  feir  for  the  present,  to  be  put  in  perrill  and 
danger  of  thair  lyvis  nor1  the  prissouneris  thameselffis,  quho  wer 
most  resolvit ;  and  sua  Ave  craifit  a  space  to  consult  togider,  that 
the  Counsell  mycht  haiff  ane  answer. 

Thair  wes  gryt  reassouneing  to  and  fro  amonges  us,  and  the 
matter  was  thought  to  be  of  sua  gryt  importance  concerneing  the 
haill  Kirk,  that  it  wes  hard  for  thame  quho  wer  thair  to  jeopard2 
it ;  and,  thairfoir,  thought  it  meit  to  direct  of  that  number  certaine 
to  the  Counsell  to  crave  a  tyme  to  communicat 3  with  the  Presby- 
teries of  the  Province  ;  and  that,  efter  advyce,  resolute  answer 
mycht  be  givin  to  the  Counsell.  So  halff  ane  dussane  of  the  Bri- 
therine  past  to  the  Counsell,  quhilk  thai  fand  sitting  verie  orderely 
and  magnificly  in  the  Chappell  of  the  Palice ;  and  eftir  proponeing 
of  the  matter  they  wer  removit,  and  within  a  schort  spaice  callit  in 
againe,  and  ressavit  a  plaine  Nolmnus.  The  quhilk  being  repeittit 
to  the  Breitherine,  the  Moderator,  Mr  Johne  Forbes,  Mr  Johne 
Welsche,  with  the  rest  of  the  prissouneris,  with  gryt  confidence, 
said,  That  thai  saw  that  the  Lord  had  callit  thame  that  day  to  give 
ane  testimonie  of  the  libertie  of  the  kingdome  of  Jesus  Chryst,  and 
to  stand  to  his  Croun  againes  the  usurpatioune  and  the  pryd  of 
men :  Quhairat  thai  wer  not  affray ed,  but  exceiding  glad  and  co- 
ragious ;  only  besought  the  Britherine  to  give  thame  thair  advyce 
that  thai  hurt  not  the  caus,  haiffing  no  respect  to  any  thing  that 
could  befall  thame,  in  compaire  of  that.  The  Britherine,  sieing 
thair  constancie,  courage,  and  resolutioun,  glorified  God  ;  and  quhill 
as  thai  wer  confirmeing  thame  by  thair  uniforme  assent  and  prayer, 
it  wes  schawin  thame  by  the  Livetcnnent  of  the  Guard  that  the 
Judge,  assistit  by  the  haill  Counsell,  wes  sett  in  the  Tolbuithc,  the 
place  of  publict  judgment  of  the  town,  attending  the  prissouneris 
presenting. 

Thus,  the  haill  Britherine  accompanieit  the  prissonneris  to  the 
Judgement-nous,  qnhair  the  prissouneris  of  Blacknes,  being  callit, 
enterit  within  the  ban  upon  the  pannell,  qnhair  the  Justice  Clerk- 

1  Than.  -  Hazard,  risk.  '•  Univ.  MS.  "  convocat." 


1C06.  MR  JAMES  JIELVILL'S  DIARY.  <>2l 

deput  schew  thame  that  thai  wer  indyttit  thair  for  treassouu  com- 
mittit  againes  the  Kingis  Majestic,  and  so  red  thair  libellit  dittay  ; 
and  being  inquyrit,  Quhat  advocat  thai  wald  haiff  to  speik  for 
thame  ?  they  desyrit  Mr  Thomas  Craig  and  Mr  Williame  Oliphant ; 
quho  being  callit  for,  it  wes  reportit  that  thai  wald  not  plead  for 
thame  :  Thairfoir,  it  behovith  thame  to  tak  sic  as  wald,  to  witt,  Mr 
Thomas  Gray,  ane  old  man,  weill-willing,  but  not  skillfull,  and  ane 
uther  young  man,  quho  nevir  befoir  pleadit  any  cans  befoir  the 
Justice,  yit  provit  notably  weill,  as  moved  by  God  for  that  effect ; 
in  whose  actione  nothing  Aves  missed  that  the  best  could  have  done. 
This  was  Mr  Thomas  Hope,  quho  conquisit  to  himself  that  day  the 
estimatioune  both  of  a  guid  man  and  of  a  guid  advocat.  Mr  Thomas 
Hammiltoun,  the  Kingis  Advocat,  in  accusing,  kythed !  gry t  sophis- 
trie,  craft,  and  evill-will,  schrewdlie  convoyit  with  eloquence,  boith 
in  oratioun  and  actioune.  The  substance  of  his  accusatioune  wes 
concludit  in  this  syllogisme  : 

"  Quhosoevir,  in  quhatsoevir  caus,  declynis  the  Kingis  and  Coun- 
sellis  Judicatour,  incurris  the  guiltines  and  paine  of  treassoun  : 
Bot  thais  upoun  the  pannall  hes  treassonabillie  declynit  the 
King  and  Counsellis  Judicatorie  :  Ergo,  thai  haivc  iucurrit  the 
guiltines  and  paine  of  treassoun." 
The  propositioune  he  provit  by  the  actis  of  parliament  haldin  at 
Edinbruche  in  May  1578.2    To  the  quhilk  it  wes  answcrit  :  1.  That 
the  mynd  of  the  act  wes  not  to  mak  all  declinatouris  guiltie  of  treas- 
soun ;  for  it  is  acknawlcdgit  most  lawfull  and  orderlie  done,  to  de- 
clyne  the  Secreit  Counsell  in  civill  matteris  or  criminal]  actiounes, 
as  not  Judgis  competent,  and  draw  thame  to  the  Sessioune,  SherefHs, 
and  Justices  ;  and   sua  maist  lawfull  in  matteris  ecclesiaatick,  to 
declyne  the  same  Counsell,  and  cleave  to  the  Generall  Assemblie, 
and  Inferior  Synodis  and  Presbyteries  :  2dh/,  That  act  and  the  haill 
force  thairof  wes  abrogatt  and  takin  away,  and  repellit  expresselie, 
by  a  posterior  act  in  the  parliament  haldin  at  Edinbruche  in  the 
yeir  1592,  in   sua   far  as  concernes  matteres  <>i'  heresie,  doctrine, 

1  Showed,  manifested.  -'  Adv.  MSS.  ••  1584.' 


1)22  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

sacramentis,  excomnmnicatioune,  or  discipline  of  the  Kirk  :  Bot  sua 
it  is  to  judge  of  the  lawfullnes  or  unlawfullnes  thairof  is  a  special! 
poynt  of  discipline ;  yea,  that  quhilk  keipit  Doctrine,  Sacramentis, 
and  Discipline,  and  all  in  order,  and  quhilk  keipit  all  uncorruptit. 
3dl//,  That  the  act  buire  the  incurring  of  the  paine  of  treassoune, 
quhilk  paine  can  never  be  inflictit  miles  the  fault  be  fund  treassoun- 
abill  be  law ;  but  so  it  is  that  thair  is  no  law  defyneing  the  decly- 
natour  of  ane  incompatiabill  Judge  to  be  treassoune.  After  long 
reassouneing  of  the  Advocatis  ultro  citroque1  upon  this  poynt,  the 
Judge  gois  to  ane  interlocutor,  quhilk  wes  dumbe  and  tacit,  asking 
every  ane  of  the  Counsell  assistinglie  and  secreitlie,  in  thair  ears, 
thair  judgment  ;2  and  thaireftir  pronunces,  by  the  uniforme  con- 
sent of  the  haill  Counsell  and  Lordis  thair  present  assisting  him, 
the  propositioune  wes  fund  relevant,  and  the  ansueris  maid  repellit. 
At  the  pronunceing  quhairoff,  the  Erie  of  Marr  and  two  Lordis 
with  him,  viz.,  Halyrudehous  and  the  Collector,  Mr  Jolme  Pres- 
toune,  answeris  him,  "  Say  not  all,  my  Lord ;  for  thair  ar  heir 
that  ar  not,  nor  nevir  wilbe,  of  that  judgment !" 

So  it  com  to  the  assumptioune,  quhilk  the  Advocat  said  was  evi- 
dent be  the  Declinator,  givin  in  and  subscryvit  with  thair  handis, 
and  red  ;  merkand,  that  they  treassounabilly  declynit  the  King  and 
Counsellis  Judicatour.3  To  the  quhilk  the  pannall  maid  answer, 
That  thai  had  not  declynit  the  Kingis  Majestie's  Judicatore,  but 
the  Counselis  only  ;  that  thai  wer  evir,  and  wald  be  glaidlie  con- 
tent to  be  judgit  be  his  Majestic  and  the  Generall  Assemblie,  or 
his  Majestic,  being  mor  with  the  Generall  Assemblie  ;  and  had  evir 
professit  and  had  offerit  thamselvis,  lykeas  presentlie  they  offer  and 
professe  thamselvis,  in  their  bodies  and  guidis,  and  quhat  they  had, 
to  be  in  no  othir  rank  or  conditioune  then  any  uthir  subject ;  but, 
in  all  humilitie,  to  be  judgit,  and  submitt  thamselves,  according  to 
the  lawis  and  commonc  ordour  of  the  realme  ;  craifingno  immunitie 
or  priviledge,  as  l*apistis  doc,  only  that,  according  to  the  Word  of 

'  From  one  side  to  ilio  other,  backwards  and  forwards.  2  "  In  that  judge- 

ment."    Univ.  MS.  3  Adv.  MSS.  "  wbilk  was  declared,  thai  they  had  ch>- 

elyncd  the  King's  Councill  Judicature,  and  the  King,  treasonablie." 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  623 

God  and  lawis  of  the  realme,  they  had  distinguisehit  the  civill  and 
ecclesiasticall  jurisdictioun,  and  so  had  evil'  keipit  tham  distinct  in 
all  quyetnes  and  guid  order  :  The  matteres  of  the  Kirk  may  be 
jndgit  and  cognosced  by  the  Kirk  in  hir  Assemblies,  the  quhilk  wes 
alseweill  ratified  and  confirmit  by  the  lawis  of  the  realme  as  any 
uthir  Jndicatore  wes.  Nixt,  quhairas  he  assumit  treasounabillie, 
that  wes  evill  logick  and  sophistrie,  assumeing  moir  nor  wes  pro- 
pouned ;  seeing,  neither  the  propositioun  nor  alleadgit  act  for  prove- 
ing  thairoff  conteinit  that  word  "  treasonabillie  declynis."  3<%, 
Naither  wald  he  be  abill  to  prove  that  Declinatore  treasonabill. 
And,  last,  the  pannell  desyrit  to  mak  a  declaratioun  upon  thair  owne 
Declynatore,  quhilk  wes  then  grantit  to  thame,  evin  to  dytt  the 
same  to  the  Clarke  at  thair  awin  pleasure  ;  lyk  as  the  haill  reas- 
souneing,  in  effect,  and  proces,  wes  sett  downe  and  dyttit1  by  the 
Advocatis  hinc  inde. 

Thaireftir  the  Judge  and  Syse  or  Jurie  wes  callit ;  againes  the 
quhilk  thair  wes  no  exceptioune  usit,  because  they  wer  all  uncertain 2 
to  the  pannell  and  their  advocattis  ;  yit  thair  wes  gryt  feir  of  cans, 
as  they  knew  thaireftir ;  for  sum  of  thame  wes  debosched  horneris,3 
as  wes  the  Laird  of  Craigihall,  Chancellour  of  that  Assyse  ;  uthiris 
knawin  Papistis,  as  Mark  Swintoun  and4  Innerkei thing  ;  and  sume 
had  suitis  at  Court,  the  Lairds  of  Caridine  and  Polwart ;  utheris 
mein  men,  easilie  conduceit  or  terrified  ;  but,  as  it  is  said,  they  wer 
unknawin,  and  nevir  heard  off  befoir  they  wer  presently  nominat. 
Eftir  thair  oath  takine  solemnelie,  conforme  to  the  order,  the  Advo- 
cate did  informe,  perswad  thame,  and  terrifie  thame  very  shrewdlie, 
that  the  Judge  had  alreadie  provine  the  propositioune  of  thair  aceu- 
satioune,  that  it  wes  treassoune  to  declyne  the  King  and  Counselis 
judgment ;  so,  only  the  second  part  remainit  for  thame  to  judge 
upoun  it  and  finde,  to  witt,  iff  the  prissouneris  quho  wer  thair  pre- 
sent on  the  pannellis  had  declynit,  quhilk  was  ane  easie  thing  to  be 
judgit  and  decernit,  in  sa  far  as  thair  Declinatourc,  undir  thair  awin 


1  Adv.  MSS.  "dictat."  2  lb.  "unknown.'  ;  Persons  denounced  ;it 

the  King's  horn.      The  Adv.  MSS.  reads  "whorers."  '  lb.  "of." 


624  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

handis,  wes  thair  present  befoir  the  Judge  ;  unto  the  quhilk  they 
thameselvis  stood  so,  that  of  all  rycht,  necessitie,  and  duetie,  thai 
behovit  to  fyle l  thame  ;  and  iff  thai  did  not  so,  he  wald  protest 
againes  thame  for  errour  Avilfullie  committit,  and  so  thair  lyff,  landis, 
and  guidis,  to  fall  in  the  Kingis  handis. 

On  the  uthir  pairt,  the  Advocat  for  thais  of  the  pannell  dischairgit 
ane  honest  duetie,  warneing  the  Assysse,  weightilie,  to  remember 
the  defences  usit ;  quhilk  he  resumit  schortlie  and  plainlie,  that  thai 
sould  judge  equitabillie,  rychtlie,  and  trewlie,  and  not  efter  alledgit 
lawis,  not  onlie  repellit  and  abrogat  in  that  pairt,  but  also  odious, 
maid  in  a  violent  tyme,  and  not  weill  groundit ;  againes  the  quhilk, 
at  the  verie  tyme  of  thair  proclameing  at  the  mercat-crosse  of  Edin- 
bruche,  Mrs  Robert  Pont  and  Walter  Balcanquall,  Ministeris,  in 
name  of  the  haill  Kirk,  by  publict  dissassenting,  tuikc  instrumentis 
and  documentis  of  thair  dissassenting,  in  the  handis  of  Mr  George 
Nicolsoune,2  nottar-publict,  that  thai  sould  feir  the  great  and 
rychteous  God,  and  his  Sonne  Jesus  Chryst,  qulio  salbe  the  great 
Judge  of  the  world;  and,  finallie,  to  remember  thair  conscience  and 
thair  honor  and  estimationc  in  the  contrie  and  Kirk  of  God,  in  the 
Ministerie  quhairof  these  Ministeris  had  servit  many  yeiris  with 
great  approbatioune  and  prais  of  all.  To  the  quhilk  also  thais  upon 
the  pannell,  namelie,  Mr  Johnne  Forbes  and  Mr  Johnne  Welsche, 
to  quhom  the  rest  gave  the  place  of  speich,  spake  very  powerfully 
and  unveighingly. 

Mr  Johnne  Forbes  rememberit  thame  of  the  Confessioun  of  Faith, 
quhairin  the  Discipline,  Jurisdictione,  and  haill  Order  of  the  Kirk, 
wes  conteinit,  quhilk  the  King,  his  Councill,  and  haill  Nobilitie,  and 
honourable  Estates  of  the  land,  had  sworne  and  subscryvit,  and  by 
the  publict  chairgc  givine  to  all  the  Ministeris  of  the  land,  lies  causit 
the  gentillmen  and  every  parischiner  of  the  parische  to  sweire  and 
subscryve  ;  the  quhilk  also,  by  Solemne  Covenant,  the  King  hhn- 
i-elff',  Estaites,  and  all  rankis  of  the  realme,  had  received  and  renewit. 
"Now,"  sayis  he,  "  tak  heid,  that  ye,  gentillmen,  haiffing  the  re- 

1  Find  them  guilty.  -  A.dv,  MSS.  "  Mackiesonc." 


1606. 


MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  (J2.r) 


putatioune  of  guid  Christianes,  be  not  notabillie  perjurit,  in  decern- 
ing that  it  be  treassoune  againes  us,  for  pleising  or  feir  of  any  man, 
quhilk  ye  haiff  sworne  and  subscryvit  to  profess,  mantein,  and  de- 
fend to  your  uttirmost ! "     And,  thairwithall,  taking  the  same  Con- 
fessioun  of  Faith  in  print  out  of  his  pockett,  the  oath  quhairof  is 
maist  feirfullie  conceivit,  he  red  the  same  distinctlie  and  moveing- 
lie ;  and  thaireftir  directit  his  speich  to  the  Nobillmen  and  Coun- 
seUeres  thair  presentlie  sitting  in  judgement,  he  gaive  thame  ane 
maist  grave  admonitioune,  with  horribill  threateningis,  and  appell- 
inge  the  Erie  of  Dumbar  in  particular,  abjureis  him  to  report  the 
admonitioune,  quhilk,  of  necessarie  urgent  duetie,  it  behoveth  him 
to  direct  to  the  Kingis  Majestic     So,  at  great  lenth,  he  recompteit 
the  historie  of  the  Oath  and  Covenant  quhilk  Josua  and  the  people 
maid  with  the  Gibeonitis ;  the  quhilk,  becaus  that  Saul,  King  of 
Issrael,  did  brek  and  violat,  longe  eftir  his  death  the  Lord  forgott  it 
not,  but  plagued  the  land  in  the  days  of  David,  till  the  haill  sonnes 
and  posteritie  of  Saull  wer  takine  and  hangit  up  befoir  the  sone 
and  so  he  and  his  alluttirly  rootit  out.     The  quhilk,  maist  pithilie 
reassounemg  from  les  to  moir,  he  applyit  to  the  King  ;  and  thairon, 
directing  the  admonitioun  and  threitneing  most  terribill,  maide  all 
the  heireris  astonischit,  and  their  hairis  to  stand  ! 

So  the  Assyse  past  out  of  the  place  of  judgment  and  enterit  in 
ane  hous  below ;    quhair  they  remainit  inclosit  with  the  Justice 
Clarke  above  sex  houris,  great  contradictioun  being  betuix  the 
Assyseris  ;  and,  in  end,  be  the  cleire  and  earnest  reassouneing  of 
Johnne  Liveingstoune  of  Dunipace,  in  favouris  of  the  prissouneris 
on  the  pannell,  all  wer  about  once  to  absolve  thame  :  Quhilk  being 
espeyit,  thair  wes  great  dealing  usit  with  the  Assysseris,  in  parti- 
cular, by  promises  and  threatenings ;- and  especially  by  this  argu- 
ment, that  thair  wes  no  harme  nor  dangeris  of  death  meined  againes 
thais  Ministeris,  but  only  that  the  King  behovit  to  be  pleasourit  in 
the  matter,  and  then  all  sould  goe  weffl.     Nevertheles,  in  end,  six 
of  the  gentilmen,  Assysseris,  absolvit  simpliciter,  and  the  uthir  nyne 
Aver  induceit  to  fylc  ;  ■  and  so  the  Chancelloure  of  the  Syse,2  com- 

'  Find  8'ui,t-v-  3  The  foreman  of  the  assize  or  jury 

2   K 


626  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L606. 

pairing  in  judgement,  pronunceit  that  the  Assyse,  be  moniest  voitis,' 
did  fyle  thaine.  Quhairupon  the  Laird  of  Dunipace,  as  befoir  he 
went  dounc,  so  tlicn  he  spak  furth  plainelic,  that  he  absolvit  and 
clengit 2  thame  as  cleine,  not  only  of  all  treassoun,  but  also  homiest 
Ministeres  of  Christ,  and  guid  subjectis  to  the  King. 

The  Judge,  continowing  the  sentence  doome  to  the  tyme  that 
his  Majestie's  will  and  plcasoure  sould  be  knawin,  ordainit  the  pris- 
souneris,  attentit3  and  convict,  to  be  returneit  to  thair  waird  and 
straitlie  keipit,  that  no  man  sould  be  admittit  to  thame.'1  Nivcrthe- 
les,  the  Britherinc  imbracit  ane  ane-uthir,  and  thankit  God  for  his 
present  assisting  with  thame  in  the  haill  actioune,  and  convoying 
with  thame  to  thair  Palice  chamber ;  and  as  the  Britherinc  of  the 
Ministerie  present  returnit  from  the  Palice  to  thair  ludgingis,  ten 
houris  in  the  night  soundit ;  and  the  pciple  said,  "  Certainely  this 
wes  a  worke  of  darknes,  to  mak  Chrystis  faithfull  Ministeres  tra- 
touris  to  the  King !  God  grant  he  be  niver  in  greater  dangeris  nor 
off  sic  traitouris  !"6 

On  the  morne,  diverse  of  the  Britherinc  of  the  Ministerie  con- 
voyed them  back  againe  to  the  Blacknes  ;  quhair,  with  thankisgiv- 
ingis,  prayeris,  and  many  terns,  thai  left  thame  gladcr  and  mair  con- 
firmit  in  the  caus  nor  evir  befoir;  rejoyecing  grcatlie  that  God,  be 
this  actioun,  had  cleirit  the  caus  to  the  knawledgc  and  conscience 
of  all  men,  moir  nor  off  befoir,  and  that  he  had  honorit  his  servantis 
with  a  plaine  and  constant  testimonie  givin  thairunto. 

The  Synodis  throughout  the  realme  wes,  by  the  Kingis  direc- 
tioune,  appoyntit  all  to  be  conveinit  and  haldine  within  the  moneth 
of  Februare  nixt ;  quhair  answeris  wer  to  be  givine  in  to  certaine 
Articles  proponit  be  his  Majestic.  They  follow,  as  they  wer  givin 
out: — 

1  Majority  of  votes.  2  Acquitted ;  found  clean  or  innocent.  3  Attainted. 

4  Adv.  MSS,  "have  access  to  speak  to  them."  '•'  Than  of  such  traitors. 


L606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  i\21 


ARTICLES  TO  BE  PROPONEIT  TO  THE  BYN0DI8  OF  THE 
PROVINCES  PROM  THE  KTNGIS  MAJESTIE. 

"  That  nothing  be  altcrit  that  wcs  done  in  the  Gcnerall  Assem- 
blies qnhairat  his  Majestic  wes  present  thairin. 

"  That  Bisschopis  sail  have  full  jurisdictioun  ovir  the  Ministeris, 
undir  his  Majestic. 

"  That  the  Commissioners  of  the  Gcnerall  Asscmblie  be  not 
alterit. 

"  That  thair  be  no  appellatioune  from  thame  to  the  Generall 
Assemblie. 

"  That  the  King  be  acknawledgit  suprem  rculer  of  the  Kirk  un- 
dir Christ ;  and  that  from  him  the  power  of  Ministeris  assembling 
and  spiritual!  meitingis  doc  lawfully  flow." 

These  inflamit  a  certaine  Brother  of  the  Synod  of  Fyff,1  being 
undir  Godis  scharpe  correcting  hand,  out  of  the  midis  of  his  paines, 
to  wryt  to  the  Synod,  conveinit  at  Couper,  as  follows  : 

[Mil  JAMES  MELVILL'S  LETTER  TO  THE  SYNOD  OP  FIFE.] 

Stand  fast  in  the  libertie  quhairwith  Chrgst  ties  maid  us  frie,  and 
be  not  intanglit  againc  with  the  yoche  of  bondage? 

"  I  had  nivcr  so  great  a  desyrc  to  be  with  yow  in  a  Synodal]  As- 
semblie, deir  Britherine,  and  wes  niver  withhaldin  with  stronger 
cordis  of  sciknes,  sairncs,  and  manifald  inabilities,  to  my  great  and 
hevie  regrait :  For  quhen  I  pcrcivc  my  miserabill  dayis  to  consume 
in  vanitic  and  vexatioune,  Alace !  said  I,  sail  I  not  be  refreschit  in 
the  Assemblies  of  the  Lordis  servantis,  and  in  the  presens  and 

1  The  Author  here  alludes  to  himself,  in  his  usual  modest  and  unpretending  man- 
ner.   He  has  not,  throughout  the  course  of  this  Continuation,  spoken  of  himself  in  the 
first  person  ;  and  it  is  by  no  moans  improbable  that  the  fear  of  future  annoyance,  to  him- 
1  self  or  his  family,  inch d  him  to  writ   with  such  extreme  reserve.  '  Gal.  iv.  1. 


628  THE  CONTINUATION  <>l  1606. 

lvclit  of  his  countinance  ?  Sail  T  not  sie  thame  conveinit,  and  fencit 
in  the  name  of  Jehovah,1  (in  quhom  all  the  lions  of  Israeli  is  lettin 
to  knaw,  for  a  suertie,  that  the  Lord  hes  maid  him  boith  Lord  and 
Chryst !)  with  prayer  and  invocatioune,  with  precheing,  holie,  solid, 
armed,  and  grave  eloquence  of  that  hevinlie  vertue  of  God,  con- 
cerneing  the  rueling  of  Discipline,  Ordering,  and  Governement  of 
tlio  Kirk ;  so  cleir  in  Scripture,  and  so  plaine  in  storie ;  so  allowit 
and  lovit  of  all  wrytteris,  anehient  and  moderne ;  so  profitabill  for 
unitie  and  sinceritie  againes  all  sortis  of  heresies,  schismes,  and  con- 
fusiounes  in  our  fourtie-six  yeiris  experience  ;  the  lyff  of  our  soulis ; 
the  glorie  of  the  Kirk  and  kingdom ;  in  sua  far  as  it  is  the  meinis 
to  reteine  Jesus  Chryst,  by  the  force  of  his  Comforter,  to  be  resi- 
dent amongis  us,2  the  gall  of  our  enemies  ;  and  as  uttered  so  ressa- 
vit  by  all  godly  approbatiounes  and  applauses  of  our  affectiounes, 
studie  and  zeall,  and  with  your3  indeavoure  to  keip  and  maintaine 
the  same ;  yea,  even  zealous  least  any  jott  thairoff  sould  fall  in 
haulting,  and  so  be  turnit  out  of  the  way.  Quhen  I  remember  so 
mony  guid  Britherine,  all  as  one  man,  mycht  be  for  the  Lord,4  in 
veritie,5  charitie,  wysdome,  and  moderatioune,  cair,  feire,  fastnes, 
conscience,6  [and]  guid  order,  my  verie  heart  brustis  for  my  un- 
thankfiillnes,  that  sould  depryve  and  bereave  me  of  my  greitest 
confort  on  earth !  But  all  the  wayis  of  the  Lord  are  mercie  and 
truth  to  thame  that  love  him,  and  are  in  his  covenant-mercy  in  for- 
giveing  of  sines,  and  truth  in  keiping  his  faithfull  promis  of  grace  : 
So  this  my  absence,  according  to  the  order,  excerciseit,7  is  but  my 
dwetie  as  yit  not  dischairgit. 

"  I  heir  [rumors]  of  a  strange  gnaverie*  of  Articles  to  be  presentit 
from  his  Majestic  to  all  our  present  services  ;!)  bot  verilie,  I  neither 
will,  nor  can  I  belive  it  to  be  true.  Quhat  ?  Is  it  possibill  that  a  most 
ChrystianeKing,  liveing I0  our  Kirk  and  realme  in  a  settlit  Keligioune 
and  Policie,  himselff  and  all  his  subjectis  standing  fast  bund  to  God 

1   Adv.  MSS.  "  Jesus  Christ.''  2  lb.  "  to  be  President,  present  amongst  us." 

3  lb.  "  with  open."  4  lb.  reads  more  properly,  "  meit  before  the  Lord." 

5  lh.  "  unitie."  •  Il>.  "  eonstancic  ."  7  lb.  "  execute."  B  //-.  "  rumors." 

"  (Inaverie  '  seems  liere  to  imply  dexterous  shifting,  from  Lat.  gnaws.  ■'  lh. 

"  Synods."         '"  Leavine. 


160G.  MB  JAMES  MEEVILL's  DIARY.  (320 

by  a  most  Solemne  Covenant,  sworne  and  subscryvit  throughout 
the  land,  [and  after  so  many  promises  and  protestationes  not  to  be 
ineaned  alterationes,1]  propoune  Articles  for  ran  versing2  and  turnc- 
ing  of  all  npsyd  donne  ?  Now,  put  the  cais  that  sum  Commissioun- 
eris  will  stand  up  and  affirme3  that  thais  Articles  are  from  his  Ma~ 
jestie,  signit  with  his  awin  hand,  and  sett  furthc,  yit  I  think  that  thair 
is  no  earnest  truth  in  thame  ;4  but  sum  such  wyse  and  godlie  policie, 
such  as  wes  commended  in  the  Emperour  Constant,  the  father  of 
Constantine  the  Great,  quho,  willing  to  mak  a  sure  proof  and  tryall 
of  the  truth  and  rcligioune  of  his  servandis,  chairgit  thame  with 
plaine  Pagannisme,  that  thai  sould  professe  the  samen  for  thair  R'e- 
ligioune,  or  elisr>  to  abandoun  his  Court,  and  quyt  thame  of  thair 
offices  ;  but  finding  sum  redie  to  foirfault  and  losse  all  or6  they  leive 
thair  Religioune,  he  takis  thais  for  sure  servantis  and  frcindis,  and  re- 
jectis  the  rest,  as  sic  as  could  nocht  be  true  to  the  Emperoure  quho 
wes  not  true  to  thair  God  in  thair  Religioune.    For,  thinkis  ony  man 
uthinvayis,  or  that  sua  wyse  and  godly  a  King  wald  evir  propoune 
to  the  Synodis  of  Scotland  [thais  poyntis  of  plaine  Papistrie,  and  hes 
not  the  pulpits  of  Scotland,7]  thais  fourtie  yeiris  bygone,  soundit  as 
mychtily 8  againes  the  Pope's  supremacie,  againes  the  Jurisdictioune 
of  a  Pastor  above  a  Pastor,  againes  tyrannie,  usurpatioune  of  the 
power  and  libertie  of  the  Kirke,  [sould  propone  plaine  poyntis  of 
Papistrie  that  wes  declareing  againes  all  these,  and  all  the  pulpitis 
within  the  land  crying  out  againes  it,  as  againes9]  the  Antichristian- 
isme  errouris  ;  yea,  baith  pulpitis  and  scoollis  lies  bein  moir  againes 
that,  yea,  moir  fierce  nor  againes  meritis,10  messes,  and  purgatorie  ! 
Can  this  be  true  and  earnest  deiling  ?   No ' l  possibill,  unles  they 
think  it  to  be  ane  draught  of  Circe's  disch  to  turne  us,  Vce  !  (mines, 
at  ane  instant  from  men  to  swyne,  and  from  preceise  Pricheris  to 
renunce  oui-  faith  at  the  view  off  ane  Article  cam12  from  Court,  and 
becum  apostate  renegatis. 

1  Omitted  in  Univ.  MS.  2  Overturning.      Fr.  renverser,  3  Adv.  .MSS. 

"  assume."  *  lb.  "  to  be  therein."  5  Else,  otherwise.  ''•  Ere,  before. 

7  Omitted  in  Adv.  MSS.  8  lb.  "  some  as  it  might  lie  "  !)  Omitted  in 

Univ.  MS.  1"  Adv.  MSS.  " maitins."  "  Not.  '"  Adv.  MSS.  « 


630  nil:  CONTINUATION  01  1(506. 

•v  Finalie,  deir  Britherine,  it'  thair  aalbe  fund  any  thing  in  the 

matter  of  effect,  by  quhatsumevir  inaner  buskit1  or  borne  upe,  my 
judgement  is,  not  to  illud2  it,  but  to  put  it  affto  a  Generall  Assem- 
blie, as  pertinent  only  thairto.  Sedprvnripiis  obsta  quarn  fortusime 
el  diligentissime :  For  iff  it  pas  without  plaine  controlment  and  gain* 

standing,  it  wilbe  nixt  among  the  Lordis  of  Articles  in  Parliament, 
to  be  sett  doune  for  a  law  and  a  statut,  befoir  that  evir  it  com 
to  a  Generall  Assemblie,  to  advyse  and  conclud  the  same;  and, 
thairfoir,  give  them  a  plaine  Nolumus,  detestamus,  execramus,  anathe- 
matizamus  ! 

"  First,  then,  I  wald  we  sould  doe  the  tluetie  of  true  Pricheris, 
Watchmen,  and  Sieris,  to  speik,  wryt,  [and]  send  to  mak  faithful] 
warneing  and  admonitioune,  in  all  humilitie  and  love  dew  to  them , 
[in  the  name  of  our  Chryst  to  our  Chrystiane  Kynge  :  The  quhilk 
being  done,3]  lett  every  ane  prepair  hiinselff  for  giveing  our  faithfull 
and  constant  testimonie,  as  it  sail  please  God  to  chape4  upon  him, 
and  call  him  out  thairto,  strenthening  our  selvis  in  the  word  and 
prayer,  and  in  espeying5  of  the  working  off  God  with  his  awin  ser- 
vandis,  our  deir  Britherine,  and,  verilie,  the  tryel  sail  not  haif  passit 
all  the  Tribes  of  Israeli  quhen  the  Sone  off  Man  sail  be  manifest  it 
in  his  glorie  !  Let  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilat  goe  to ; 6  let  Lacinius 
and  Julian  assay  thair  witis,  and  doe  all  that  the  hand  of  God  and 
his  counsell  lies  apoyntit  for7  the  try  all  of  his  Kirk;  only  the  Lord 
look  on  thair  threitneingis,  and  give  them  strenth,  courage,  and  fri- 
dome,  and  language  and  spirit  to  uttir  his  truth,  and  stand  to  the 
samyn,  not  only  in  pannel  and  prissoune,  bot  even  at  the  tyres  and 
at  the  Bcaffauld,  iff*  it  lyk  the  world  to  assay  the  same,  [whereat 
they  have  been  often  warned  by  the  patience  of  the  saints."]  And. 
finaly,  my  deir  Britherine,  1  wald  haitf  the  Assemblie  requeisting 
Mr  Audio  Melvill  to  wrytt  to  the  Kingis  Majestie  fullie  and  eleir- 
lie  '"  of  these  Fvve  Articles  following: 

1  Decked,  dressed  out,  disguised.  ■  Elude.  '  Omitted  in   Adv.   MSS. 

1  Chap  ;  literallj  t"  knock,  as  at  a  door.  Adv.  MSS.  "  [nspjreing." 

1  ///.  ■•  Agree."  '  lb.  "  Conoerniag."  B  ll<.  ••  Staick."  Not  in 

Univ.  Ms.  io  Adv.  MSS.  "  Plainly. 


1606.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diabt.  631 

"  First,  That  the  Ministerie '  of  the  Gospell  is  from  Christ  al- 
lenerlie,  quhairof  men  (evin  that  beiris  office  in  the  Kirk)  ar  but 
witnesses. 

"  2.  That  it  is  ane  essentiall  pairt  of  the  office  of  the  Ministerie 
to  keip  the  Assemblies,  for  taking  heid  to  the  doctrine  and  maneris 
of  thameselves  mutuallie,  and  to  thair  flockis. 

"  3.  Thridlie,  that  diverse  hnnderith  yeiris  befoir  thair  wes  ane 
Christiane  Magistrat,  thair  wes  maist  flurisching  Churches,  quhair 
wer  Pastouris,  Doctoris,  and  Professouris,  quho  wes  at  home  in 
thair  families,  and  in  utheris  pairtis  worschippcd  God  togither  ;2  and 
quho  keipit  many  famous,  and  frequent,  and  proffitabill  Assemblies 
and  Counsellis  againes  the  first  heretickis  to  represse  thame. 

"  4.  That  the  space  of  threttie-two  yeires  befoir  any  expres  and 
full  ratificatioune  in  parliament,  the  Generall  Assemblies  of  the 
Kirk  of  Scotland  were  bettir, 3  fuller,  and  greitter,  and  of  mair  auc- 
toritie  nor  syne.4 

"  5.  That  the  Gospell  of  peice  brought  peice  and  unitie5  from 
deedlie  warris  in  the  Yle  off  Britane,  and  lies  inriched  and  broucht 
foirward  the  same  to  the  present  perfectioune  ;  but,  unles  it  be 
keipeit  in  sinceritie,  and  Jesus  Chryst  suffirit  to  reignc  friely,  all 
the  wittis  of  the  world  sail  not  be  abill  to  keip  it  in  unitie ti  and 
peice. 

"  Your  Brothir,  trewlie, 7 

"J[ames]  M[elvill."] 

As  soone  as  this  Lettre  wes  red  in  the  Synod,  the  Kingis  Com- 
missiouner,  Sir  David  Moray,  laitly  maid  Lord  of  Scoone,  desyrit 
to  haiff  it,  for  it  behovit  to  be  sent  to  the  Kingis  Majestie  ;  lykas, 
ressaiveing  the  same,  he  did  post  it  away  with  all  diligence,  liveing 
the  Assemblie  bot  a  ooppie  thairof  undir  his  subscriptioun. 

The  fyftein  of  this  samen  moneth  of  February  a  Proclamatioune 
wes  maid  solemnelie,  by  sound  of  trumpet,  at  the  mercat-cross  of 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  Matters."  2  lb.  "  together  in  thousands."  :i  Ih.  ••  both.'' 

1  Il>.  ''they  have  been  since."  ''  lit.  "  veritic  '  '"'  /';.  •' veiitie.  '  '  Fniv. 

MS.  reads  "  poorely,"  in  allusion  to  the  then  feeble  state  "i  his  health. 


'i'">^  THE  CONTINUATION  <>I  1606. 

Edinbruche,  founded  upon  tuo  actis  of  parliament,  maid  in  tutnu 
lo84  :  One,  that  none  sould  speik,  in  privat  nor  in  publict,  againes 
]iis  Majestie  and  Counselis  proceidingis,  undir  the  paine  of  death  ; 
and  ane  uther,  that  none  sould  declynehis  Majestic' s  judgement,1  in 
any  [caisc  or'2]  caus,  undir  the  paine  of  treasoune  ;  commanding, 
chairging,  and  inhibiting  all  and  sindrie  persounes,  his  Majestie's 
subjectis,  of  quhatsoevir  degrie,  qualitie,  estait,  or  conditioune  soevir 
they  be,  that  non  of  thame  presume  nor  tak  upoun  hand,  [privatlie  or 
publictlie,  in  sermounes,  declamation nes,  or  privie  conferrences, 3]  to 
uttir  any  sclanderous  spiches  againes  the  proceidingis  of  his  Majes- 
tie's Counsel  and  Justice,  in  trying  and  punisching  of  the  seditious 
Ministeres,  and  onnawayis  to  meddel  with  that  matter,  nor  in  na 
uther  effairis  of  his  Hienes,  his  Counsel  or  estait,  bygaine,  present, 
or  to  come,  undir  the  paine  of  daith ;  with  certificatioune  effeirand:4 
Also  commanding  all  Shereffis,  Stewartis,  Bailies  of  legalities, 
Proveistis,  Bailies  and  Counsellis  within  Burghis,  Nobillmen,  Bar- 
lounes,  and  Gentillmen  of  power  in  landwaird,  that  incais  they 
sould  heir  from  pulpit  any  meddilling  with  thais  matters,  to  inter- 
rupt thais  spiches,5  tak  thame  doune  from  pulpit,  and  put  tham  in 
sure  firmance,  and  to  dilat  all  that  in  privat  or  publict  sould  talk 
of  the  Counsellis  proceidingis,  or  meddill  with  the  effairis  of  estait 
bygaine,  present,  or  to  cume ;  undir  the  paine,  that  the  heirer  and 
not  apprehender  or  dilator  of  it,  iff  it  be  in  his  power,  be  punisched 
in  the  samyne  degrie  and  missure  as  the  principall  offendaris. 

This  wes  the  effect,  utterit  in  moist  terribill  termes  and  maner  : 
so  that  the  proclamator  thairof,  or0  he  com  to  the  mides  of  the  pro- 
clamatioun  settillit7  doune  spicheles,  and  with  meikle  adoe  ane  uthir 
wes  enterit  into  his  rowme,8  the  peiple  marking  and  crying  out  for 
detestatioune.  In  the  meintyme,  the  prissouneris  wer  full  of  com- 
fort and  joye,  so  that  they  wreit  many  lettres  to  thair  Britherinc 
that  savourit  and  smeUit  myohtilie  of  that  oyle  of  glaidnea  andcon- 
etancie  :  In  witnes  quhairof,  [amongia  mony,  followit  on  ane  of  the 

1  Viz.  the  jurisdiction  of  the  King  and  Council.         -  Nut  in  Univ.  MS.  *  Not 

in  Adv.  MSS.  *  Corresponding  or  belonging  thereto.  '  Adv.  M8S, 

•  preachers."         » Before,  ere.         7  Adv.  .Mss.  •■  Fell."         s  Place. 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  tidS 

sehortest,  quhen1]  the  Brothir2  that  wes  sent  unto  thanie  by  the 
Erie  of  Dunbar  befoir  thair  attenting,3  had  be  this  same  directioun 
offerit  thame  pardoun  iff  thai  wald  eonfes  ane  fault  and  craiff  mer- 
eie,  and  receaved  this  answer  : 

"  Reverent  and  deirely  belovit  Brothir,  We  haiff  bein  so  fully 
confortit  by  your  consolatioune  and  the  confort  of  your  love,  that 
we  knaw  not  qukat  thankisgiving  to  randir  to  God.  Surelie4  our 
joy  hes  greitlie  abounded  since  this  last  day,  so  that  we  can  not 
sufficientlie  wonder  at  the  riches  of  his  fric  grace,  that  sould  haiff 
voutchsaffit  sic  a  grace5  upon  us  as  to  suffir  for  his  kingdome,  in 
the  quhilk  thair  is  joy  unspeikabill  and  glorious ;  by  the  quhilk  we 
ar  rather  in  feir  that  we  be  not  continowit,  and  sua  Ave  robbit  of 
further  consolatioune,  nor6  that  quhilk  it  sould  increas  ;  desyreing 
sumtime  to  finiseh  our  testhnonie,  by  giving  the  last  of  our  blood 
unto  the  same  :  For  thais  afflictiones  ar  so  far  from  discourageing, 
that  the  abondant  consolatioune  thairof  hes  encouragit  us  exceeding- 
lie;  desyring  now  to  be  maid  conformabill  to  the  death  off  our  Lord, 
that  we  may  be  maid  pairt-takeris  of  the  glorie  to  be  reveillit.  God 
be  thankit,  in  Chryst  Jesus,  for  all  his  unspeikabill  giftes  !  Surelie 
thair  is  great  consolatioune  to  suffir  for  Chryst  and  his  truth, 
quhairfor  we  now  suffir,  is  seillit  to  us  with  many  seiles  ;  only  we 
would  haif  the  helpe  of  the  prayeres  of  all  the  saintis  that  we  faint 
not  in  the  defence  of  the  Gospell,  but  that  the  Lord  would  assist 
us  in  the  same. 

"It  is  truth  (Brother  in  Chryst)  we  dow  not"  cxpres  unto  vow 
the  joy  that  our  God  hes  caussit  abound  in  us,  quhairoff,  under 
Him,  your  love,  and  fidelitie,  and  throughtnes  for  Chryst  and  his 
cause,  hes  bein  a  great  instrument.  Let  nevir  man,  for  pitie  and 
love  to  the  persoune,  misregard  the  cans;  for  we  haiff  fund  our 
love  growing  towards  yow  by  your  counsell.  Surelie  it  is  our  n- 
solutioune  nevir  to  blott  the  Lord  his  cause  that  way  :  but  as  long- 
as  the  Lord  our  God  sail  susteine  us,  we  mynd  rather  to  indure  the 

1  Not  in  Adv.  MSS.  *  Adv.  MSS.  "that  Minister."  3  Attainting.  Adv. 
MSS.  read  •' condemning."  '  Adv.  MSS    "Ircwlv."  *  lb.  "such  ane  gift." 

"  Than.         '  Adv.  MSS.  "cannot." 


634  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L606. 

greatest  extremitie  that  fiesch  and  blood  can  doc,  rather  then  to 
accept,  let  be  to  craive,  a  remissioune.  It  is  Chrystis  cans  and 
truth  ;  and,  thairfor,  let  men  ceis  to  think  oft1  thais  thingis ;  yea, 
that  quhilk  they  doe  let  thame  doe  it  quicklie.  We  houpe  our 
God  sail  strcnthene  us  to  the  end.  [Surelie  we  ar  not  solicite, 
neithir  cairfull  in  the  mater.  We  knaAv  that  our  God  can  deliver 
us  if  he  will,  and  iff1  not,  he  strenthneing  us,1]  we  sail  nevir  give  the 
leist  and  meinest  apeirance  of  denyall  of  that  truth  for  the  quhilk 
we  suffir.  Sua,  assure  his  Lordschippe  that,  as  we  look  for  that 
kingdome  and  glorie,  our  purpose  is  not  at  all  to  yeild,  neithir  to 
that  nor  any  uthir  thing  that  may  prejudge  his  caus,  in  sua  far  as 
our  God  sail  give  us  grace  and  wisdome  to  persevere,  or  strenth  to 
resist.  The  God  off  consolatioune  be  with  you  all  for  ever  mair. 
Amen." 

In  the  moneth  off  Appryl,  the  Counsel,  finding  thair  proceedingis 
againes  the  Ministerie  wes  evill  thought  off,  boith  within  and  with- 
out the  Kingis  dominiounes,  they  publischit  in  prent  a  book  of  the 
same,  intitulat  Againes  the  Ministeres  attentit  off  Trcassoune,  &c. : 
For  recountering  quhairoff,  not  long  eftir  com  out,  in  prent,  also, 
ane  faithfull  report  annent  thais  proceidingis  of  the  Assemblie  of 
the  Ministerie  at  Abirdein  on  Tuysday  the  2  of  July  1605  ;  boith 
the  quhilk  being  extant  in  prent,  we  rcferre  the  reider  to  thame. 

In  the  moneth  of  May  thaireftir  came  hame  aught  Lettres, 
closit,  dircctit  to  aught  Ministeres,  upon  the  back  thus  :  "  This  to 
our  trustie  and  weilbelovit"  such  a  man,  "Minister  of  Godis  Word" 
in  sic  a  place;  the  tennour  quhairof  followis  : 

"  James  Kex. 

"Trustie  and  wcillbelovit,  We  greit  yow  hairtlie  Weill.  Our 
earnest  desyrc  to  entertaine  that  happie  peice  of  the  Kirk  of  our 
kingdome  of  Scotland,  quhilk,  with  gryt  cair  and  travell,  we  left 
universallie  establischil  thairin  at  our  removeing  hither,  quhilk  lies 

1  Not  in  A.dv.  MSS. 


ll'.Oii.  MB  JAMES  MEJ/VILL'S  DIARY.  U35 

since  from  tyine  to  tyme  bein  manifestit  by  our  Lettres  to  the 
maist  pairt  of  the  Synodis  of  that  realme,  and  to  diverse  of  our 
Commissioneris  by  Missives  and  Instructiounes,  alsweill  verball  as 
wryttine,  and  mair  perfytlie  ratiffied  by  Lettres  writtine  to  our 
Counsel  with  our  hand,  proporting  most  cleir  testimonies  of  the 
firme  constancie  of  our  love  to  all  weill-effectit  memberes  of  that 
bodie  ;  quhilk,  by  proclamatiounes  and  imprentit  declaratiounes, 
wes  lykewyse  solemnely  publischit,  as  the  notoritie  thairoff  could 
not  be  unknawin  to  ony  but  to  sic  as  throught  wilfull  senslesnes 
would  nethir  heir  nor  sie  :  Haiffing,  nevirtheles,  so  lytic  prevailit 
with  sume  incredulous,  wilfull,  ingrat,  and  malicious-disposeit  per- 
sounes,  as  sume  of  thame  haiff  not  foirborne  raschlie  to  contemne 
and  dissobey  our  auctoritie,  andchairges,  and  our  commandementis, 
and  so  stubburnelie  to  persist  in  thair  contumacie,  as  thair  malicious 
obstinacie  hes  forcit  us  to  extend  gryter  rigour  againes  thame  nor 
our  proclamatiounes,  alwayis,  yit  far  les  then  thair  offences  did  de- 
serve ;  and  utheris  haiff  presumeit  in  pulpit  foolischlie  to  justifiethe 
obstinat  and  malicious  proceidingis  of  thair  Britherine,  and  thairfoir 
to  sclander  our  just  commandementis  and  lawfull  proceidingis  of  our 
Counsel :  As  also,  the  Synodis  being  requyrit  by  our  Lettres  and 
Commissiouneres  directit  to  thame,  to  provyd  for  thair  awin  pairtis 
sua  far  as  in  them  lay,  to  give  us  assurance  that  certaine  actis  esta- 
bihscliit  in  former  Assemblies,  necessar  for  the  peice  and  weil  of  the 
Kirk,  particularlie  expressit  in  our  Instructiounes  sent  to  thame, 
may  be  ordainit  by  thame,  not  to  be  proponit,  intreitit,  or  altered  at 
the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie,  quhilk  we  knaw  to  be  moir  fitt  to  be 
ourpaasit,  or  untwitchit,  at  the  same,  then  that  any  mentioune  sould 
be  maid  of  thame  thairin,  lest  thairby  occasioun  sould  ryse  of  dis- 
tractioun  in  the  Kirk,  and  offence  to  our  selffis :  Yet  they  so  lytic 
rco-airdit  the  earnestnes  ofoursute,  as  thair  answeres  universally 
tendit  to  a  present  delay,  without  any  assurance  to  us  of  thair  pcr- 
formeing,  at  the  Assemblie,  that  quhilk  for  thair  awin  weil  we  BO 
earnestlie  urgit.  Quhairin  we  finding  a  more  generall  oppositioun 
to  our  just  petitiounc  then  could  haiff  evir  bein  expectil  in  any  sic 
cans,  thaia  thingis,  and  utheris  weightie  reassounes,  Iks  movit  us 


(33(5  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1006. 

heartily  to  will  and  command  yow,  all  excuisses  set  apairt,  not  to 
faill  with  diligence  to  repaire  towardis  us  befoir  the  fyfteine  of  Sep- 
tember nixt,  to  the  intent  we  may  that  day  beginne  with  your 
selffis  and  sic  uthir  of  your  Britherine  as  we  have  knawin  to  be  of 
guid  lairning  and  experience,  and  command  lykwayis  to  be  heire  ; 
at  the  same  tvme  to  treat  with  yow  of  matteres  concerneing  the 
peice  of  our  Kirk  of  Scotland,  to  mak  our  constant  and  unchange- 
abill  favour  borne  to  all  the  dewtifull  memberes  of  that  body,  mani- 
festlie  knawin  to  yow,  quhairby  they  may  be  bund  in  dewtie  and 
conscience  to  conforme  your  selffis  to  our  godly  meineing,  and  to  beir 
time  witnessing  for  justifieing  the  lawfullnes  of  all  our  intentiounes 
and  actiounes,  alsweill  concerneing  the  haill  Kirk  as  the  particular 
actiounes  and  memberis  thairof ;  and  that  it  may  be  manifest  to  all 
the  world  that  we  haifF  embassed l  our  selvis  for  givein  satisfactioun 
to  all  the  professouris  thairoff  further  then  uthir  Princes  doe  compt 
beseimeing  to  thair  estait.  If  thaireftir  sum  turbulent  spiritis  be 
not  thairby  recallit  to  thair  duetie,  but  persist  maliciousely  in  un- 
duetifull  contempt  of  us,  it  may  then  be  worth  ely  judgit  that  the 
severitie,  quhilk  be  thair  obstinacie  we  may  be  forceit  to  use,  sail 
rathir  be  violentlie  extorted  againes  our  nature,  for  thair  amende- 
ment,  then  willinglie  inflictit  for  thair  ovirthraw.  Thus,  houpeing 
ye  will  not  fail  precisly  to  keip  the  foirsaid  day  appoyntit,  as  ye 
tender  our  service  and  the  weill  of  the  Kirk,  We  bid  yow  fair  weill. 
Att  our  Mansioun  in  Greinwitch,  the  22d  of  May  1606." 

In  the  monethe  of  June,  at  the  day  appoyntit  for  the  Parlia- 
ment for  to  hald  at  Edinbruch,  when  all  wes  conveinit  for  keipe- 
ing  of  the  same,  it  wes  by  solemne  proclamatioune  prorogat  to  the 
first  of  July,  to  be  haldin  at  Perth.  The  caus  pretendit  wes  the  in- 
fectious of  pest  in  Edinbruche,  quhilk  wes  almost  none  at  all ;  but 
the  trew  caus  wes  the  unmeitnes  of  the  place  for  the  purpose  in 
hand  ;  [viz.,]  the  setting  upe  of  Bisschopcs  upon  the  stage  of  hon- 
our, to  ryd  in  Parliament,  and  the  purchesing  of  ane  taxatioune  of 

1  Probably  meant  for  embarrassed .      Adv.  M^S.  " straitm d. " 


1606.  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  637 

four  hundreth  thousand  merkis ;  boith  quhilk  wer  effectuatit  at 
Perth.  Att  Edinburgh,  then,  thais  that  wer  writtine  for,  to  meitt 
togidder,  viz.,  Mr  Andro  Melvine,  Mr  James  Melvine,  Mr  James 
Balfoure,  Mr  William  Watsoune,  Mr  William  Scot,  Mr  Johne 
Carmichaell,  Mr  Eobert  Wallace,  and  Mr  Adam  Colt.  Thai  con- 
ferrit  thair  Lettres,  and  fand  thame  all  one  word  by  word ;  and  call- 
ing on  God,  they  advysit  quhither  they  sould  goe  or  find l  meines 
to  be  excuissit.  To  the  last  thai  all  inclynit,  becaus  they  percaifiit 
no  guid  to  be  meinit,  nor  any  profitabill  effect  to  follow  ;  and  thair- 
foir  appoyntit  sume  to  speik  the  Erie  of  Dumbar ;  but  quhen  they 
had  used  all  moyen  and  credit,  thair  wes  no  remeid  but  goe  they 
must,  or  doe  worse.  The  nixt  would  be  a  charge  to  our  greater 
paines  and  less  advantage  to  the  caus  ;  they  that  stud  into  the 
same  being  blottit  with  contempt  and  dissobedience.  It  wes  also 
schawin  us  that  this  wes  the  advyce2  of  sume  of  thame  that  would 
haif  matteres  to  goe  bettir,  and  procurit  againes  Bischoppis  and 
Commissiouneris  knawledge  and  will.  Thairfoir,  as  thai  loved  the 
weill  of  the  Kirk  in  commoune,  and  of  the  Britherine  in  prissoune, 
thai  sould  not  faille  to  goe ;  sua  they  resolvit  first  to  keip  the  Par- 
liament at  Perth,  and  thaireftir  mak  for  thair  journey. 

At  this  Parliament  at  Perthe,  the  Britherine  Commissioneris  from 
all  the  Presby  tries  of  all  pairtis  of  the  realme  wer  frequentlie 3  con- 
veined  ;  and  howbeit  the  Bischoppis  haiffing  in  suit  at  the  Councill 
to  haifF  them  dischairgit  the  Parliament  by  proclamation,  it  wes 
not  thought  meit  that  they  conveinit  ordinally  by  thamselvis,  and 
callit  unto  God,  and  advyseit  togidder ;  and  perceveing  that  the 
Episcopal!  purpose  wes  dressit  and  determined,  thai  agrieit  all  in 
ane,  that  a  Protestatioune  sould  be  in  redines,  with  a  number  of 
Keassounes  quhy  Bischoppis  sould  not  be  sett  up  at  that  Parlia- 
ment. Thais  they  thought  guid  and  meitt  to  be  offirit  first  by  the 
Commissiouneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  quhose  duetie  it  wes 
ordinarlv  to  deal  in  the  commoun  matteris  of  the  Kirk  at  Parlia- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "use."  -  Ih.  "a  devyce."  ;i  Numerously. 


638  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L606. 

ment,  and  from  no  uthir  would  thai  ressaive  any  tiling.  The  Com- 
missiouneris,  quhen  they  understood  that  the  Loi'ds  of  the  Articles 
wer  about  the  Episcopal!  duetie  and  dignitie,  desired  to  be  hard, 
but  wer  refusseit.  Then  thai  gaiff  in  thair  Protestatioune  in  wry t, 
making  mentioune  thairin  of  thair  argumentis ;  but  in  vainc.  All 
wes  repellit, '  the  Chancellour  saying  that  sua  thai  wer  commandit. 
Thairfoir,  it  was  thought  meitt  that  a  coppie  thairof,  with  tuo  of 
the  Britherine,  sould  be  directit  to  every  ane  of  the  Estaitis  quhair 
thai  continowit ;  severallie  exhorting  every  ane  of  them,  in  the  name 
of  God,  to  wey  and  consider  the  same,  and  stand  for  the  caus  of 
Chryst  againes  the  corruptiounes  of  such  tymes  :  Quho,  quhen  to- 
gidder,  they  wer  acceptit  weill,  and  promissit  fHelie  ;2  but  thair 
Commissiouneris  for  the  maist  pairt  wer  ane  way  or  other  maid  for 
the  purpose.  Thair  restit,  then,  only  a  Protestatioune  in  the  oppin 
Parliament,  to  be  maid  the  last  and  most  solemne  day  :  Quhilk  Mr 
Andro  Melvill,  with  sume  utheris  with  him,  resolvit  to  doe  ;  quho 
hardly  getting  in,  how  soone  he  stuid  up  in  oppin  sycht  he  wes 
espeyit  and  sent  to,  and  commandit  to  depairt ;  quhilk,  neverthe- 
less, he  did  not,  till  he  had  maid  all  that  saw  and  hard  him  to 
understand  his  purpose. 

The  day  befoir  the  Parliament  first  Ryding,  Mr  Williame 
Couper  maid  ane  excellent  powerfull  sermoune,  to  the  gryt  confort 
and  contentment  of  all  the  godly,  but  nethir  he  nor  his  collegue, 
Mr  Johne  Malcolme,  nor  none  of  that  sort,  wer  sufferit  to  come 
thair  againe  ;  for  ane  express  directioune  came  from  that  Court 
annent  thais  that  sould  preiche  :  So  Mr  Andro  Lambe  preichit  the 
nixt  day  ;  of  quhom  the  Inglischmen  present  said,  that  "  The 
lamb  had  provin  ane  old  scheipe  that  daye,  and  wes  of  all  counted 
unfitt  for  sic  ane  audience."  Mr  Patrick  Galloway  preichit  on  the 
Sabbath,  quho  tauld  the  Bisschoppis  and  all  plainly,  that  the  Kingis 
mynd  wes  not  to  sett  upe  Bisschoppis  boordis  in  Parliament,  to 
be  Lordis  over  the  Kirk,  and  above  thair  Britherine,  or  to  have 
any  authoritie  in  the  Government  of  the  Kirk,  over  or  above  the 

•  Adv.  MSS.  "rejectit."  2  Il>.  "fiurlie." 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  (539 

Britherine  ;  and,  thairfor,  to  prevent  such  corruptioune,  wes  or- 
dainit  be  his  Majestie  and  the  General!  Assemblie,  to  the  quhilk 
Cautiounes  the  Bisschoppis  had  sworne  and  subscryvit,  and  sould 
be  esteimit  schamefully  perjurit 1  iff  they  contraveinit  the  same. 

Quhairupone  the  Commissiouneris  of  the  Presbyteries  offirit  to 
prooffe  befoir  the  Commissiouneris  of  the  General!  Assemblie,  (be- 
ing at  thair  instant  desyre  conveinit  in  the  Kirk,)  that  the  Biss- 
choppes  had  brokine  all  the  Caveatis,  boith  in  thair  entrie  to  thair 
Bisschoprickis,  and  behaviour  since  thair  entering ;  but  the  Com- 
missiouneris refuissit  to  be  judgit  in  that  matter,  referring  the  same 
to  the  Generall  Assemblie  to  be  holdine  at  Dundie  the  last  Tuys- 
day  of  that  instant  July :  Bot  this  Assemblie  wes  disschargit  at 
the  ryseing  of  the  Parliament  by  oppine  proclamatioune,  and  pro- 
rogat  to  ane  uthir  yeir.  They  wer  instant,  at  the  last,  that  the 
Cautiones  sould  be  insert  in  the  act  of  Parliament  to  be  maid 
in  favouris  of  the  Bisschoppes,  the  quhilk  the  whole  Commis- 
siouneris of  the  Generall  Assemblie  thought  maist  neidfull  and  ne- 
cessar  ; 2  yea,  and  mony  of  the  Bisschoppis  too,  becaus  it  wes  so  or- 
dainit  and  aggrieit  upoun  by  the  King  and  Generall  Assemblie  at 
Montros ;  and  sua  ane  of  the  Cautiounes  did  expressely  contein 
and  beir :  But  notwithstanding  that  it  wes  earnestlie  sought  and 
urgit  by  the  same  reassounes  by  the  same  Commissiouneris  at  the 
handis  of  the  Lordis  of  Articles,  it  could  not  be  grantit. 

Mr  Johne  Spotiswoode,  Bisschoppe  of  Glasgow,  againes  quhom 
wes  produceit  his  awin  fatheris  testimonie  in  a  Generall  Assemblie, 
that  a  civill  functioune  wes  nowayes  competent  witli  the  office  of 
the  Ministerie,  maid  the  exhortatioun  in  the  Parliament  House, 
directing  the  maist  pairt  of  his  speiche  againes  the  estabilischit  dis- 
cipline. Him,  thairfoir,  the  Britherine  of  the  Presbyteries  conveinit 
befoir  the  Commissiouneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  quho,  as  of 
befoir,  refuissit  to  judge  him. 

The  first  day  of  the  Ryding  in  Parliament,  betuix  the  Erles  and 
the  Lordis  raid  the  Bisschoppes,  all  in  silk  and  velvet  fuit-mantelles, 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "shamless  perjured  persones."  s  lb.  "  reasonable." 


640  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

by  paires,  tuo  and  tuo,  and  Saint  Androis,  the  great  Metropolitanne, 
alone  by  him  selff,  and  ane  of  the  Ministeres  of  no  small  quantitie,1 
named  Arthur  Futhey,  with  his  capp  at  his  knie,  walkit  at  his 
stirrope  alongst  the  streit.  But  the  second  day,  for  not  haiffing 
thair  awin  place  as  the  Papist  Bisschoppis  of  auld  had,  unto  quhois 
place  and  dignitie  they  wer  now  restorit  fully  in  judgment,2  quhilk 
wes  befoir  the  Erles,  nixt  eftir  the  Marquesses,  thai  would  not  ryde 
at  all,  but  went  to  the  House  of  Parliament  quyetlie  on  fuit.  This 
maid  the  Nobillmen  to  tak  up  thair  presumeing  honour,  and  detest :i 
thame  as  soone  as  they  had  maid  thame  and  sett  thame  up,  per- 
ceiving that  thair  upelyfting4  wes  thair  awin  douncasting :  And 
this  Parliament  was  effectuatit,  indeid,  besyde  the  Kingis  authoritie 
and  earnestes,  upon  compleit  and  mutuall  stipulatioune  betwix  the 
Lordis  and  the  Bisschoppis,  that  the  ane  soidd  voit  to  the  confirme- 
ing*  of  the  seventeine  new  erectiounes  of  Spirituall  Prelacies  in 
Temporall  Lordschipes ;  and  the  uthir,  to  the  confirmatioune  and 
setting  up  in  integrum  of  the  old  Papistical  Bisschoprickis  to  their 
Lordschipes  :  And  this  wes  the  first  fruites  of  thais  Bisschoprickis, 
the  vindicateing,  forsuith,  of  the  Kirk  from  povertie,  and  drawing 
the  liveing  thairof  out  of  the  handis  of  Nobillmen,  quho  had  pos- 
sessed thame  selfes  thairwith. 

The  Commissiouneris  from  the  Presbyteries  also  dealt  earnest  lie 
with  the  Commissiouneris  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  to  give  in  the 
Supplicatioune  of  the  Imprissounit  Britherine,  and  of  Mr  Robert 
Bruce,  confynit  at  Innernes  ;  but  they  refuissit  so  to  doe,  alledging 
that  it  wald  rathir  hurt  nor  help  thame.  Yet,  lest  the  publisching 
of  the  Buik  of  the  Counsel  sould  haiff  decived  ony,  thai  sent  a  coppie 
of  the  said  Supplicatioune,  togider  with  schort  Instructiounes  of  all 
the  proccidingis  of  thair  caus,  unto  every  ane  of  the  Estaitis  seve- 
rallie,  quho  said  they  wer  sufficiently  confirmit  in6  the  truth  of  thair 
caus,  bot  could  not  helpe  thame. 

Finallie,  thair  wes  thrie  notabill  thingis  done  in  that  Parliament, 

1  Adv.  MSS.  read  "  qualitie,"  but  it  seems  evident  the  Author  meant  this  as  a 
pleasantry,  in  allusion  to  his  great  bulk.  -  lb.  "in  integrum."  3  lb.  "  to 

east  nt."  *  lb.  "upcast."  b  lit.  "establishing"  8  lb   "  informit  of." 


1601).  ME  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  641 

and  such  as  wes  never  lookit  to  haiff  bein  brought  to  pas,  no  not  in 
presens  of  a  King,  let  be  in  absence  :  Fust,  The  setting  up  of 
Bisschoppes  of  new  in  thair  haill  liveingis,  rentes,  and  priveledgis, 
conforme  to  thais  of  old  in  tyme  of  Papistrie  :  2.  Seventein  Kirk 
Prelacies  erectit  in  Temporall  Lordschipis  :  3.  Ane  Taxatioune 
upon  the  realme  of  four  hundred  thousand  merkis.  And  this  wes 
called  the  Rid 1  Parliament,  quhilk  in  old  prophecies  wes  talkit  many 
yeiris  agoe,  as  the  commoune  speiking  wes,  then  sould  be  keipit  in 
Perth  or  Saint  Johnestoune,  becaus  all  the  Nobillmen  and  Officeres 
of  estait  com  ryding  thairto,  and  satt  thairin  with  rid  gownes  and 
hoodis,  eftir  the  maner  of  England,  for  ane  new  solemnitie ;  quhilk 
many  did  interpret  a  toakine  of  the  rid  fyre  of  Godis  wraith  to  be 
kendelit,  boith  upone  Kirk  and  countrie ;  and  ane  did  affix  thais 
Verses  : 

Quhen  Constantine  sett  up  Sylvestir  hie, 

On  civill  state 2  of  his  impyre  of  Roome, 

This  voyce  from  heavine  then  soundit  michtilie  : 

"  Now  poysoune  is  pourit  out  on  Christendome  !" 

Great  James  of  Britanne,  quhy  didst  thow  sa, 

That  spiritual  poysoune  sould  thai  peiple  slay  ? 


FOLLOWIS  THE  PROTESTATIOUNE,  WITH  A  DETESSORIT8  OF  REAS- 
SOUNES  QUHY  THIS  NEW  SORT  OP  BISSCHOPES  SOULD  NOT  BE 
SETT  UP  IN  SCOTLAND. 

"  To  the  Kingis  maist  excellent  Majestie,  and  maist  nobil  and 
religious  Estaitis  of  this  present  Parliament,  holdine  at  Perthe  in 
July  1606.  In  the  moneth  of  August,  seing  that  than*  wes  no  re- 
meid  but  the  Britherine  Avritten  for  must  goe  or  doe  worse,  they 
did  communicat  with  thair  Presbyteries  and  Sessiounes,  quho 
counsellit  thame  to  obey,  but  wald  give  no  commissioune,  in  cais 

1  Red,  scarlet.  *  Adv.  MSS.  "seat."  3  lb.  "number." 

2  s 


f:42  THE  CUNTiNTATION  OK  1606. 

they  had  bein  urgit  to  disputatioune,  or  giveing  of  opinioun  in  mat- 
teris  proponed  to  thame.  Thair  wes  in  that  number  thrie  out  of 
the  Presbytrie  of  Saint  Androis,  Mr  Andro  Melvin,  James  Melvin, 
and  Mr  Johnne  Carmichell,  quho,  taking  leive  of  thair  Presbyterie, 
maid  aPetitioun,  and  obteinit  the  samyne  ;  the  whilk,  in  cais  of  ex- 
ceptioun  againes  it  by  sum  perjurit  backslyderes,  I  Avill  sett  the  mat- 
ter doun,  in  the  verie  forme,  word  by  word,  as  they  had  it  under  the 
Clerk  of  the  Presbyterie's  hand,  at  the  expres  command  of  the  same  : 

"At  Saint  Androis,  this  7  of  August,  1606. 

"  The  quhilk  day,  after  the  incalling l  of  the  name  of  God,  Mr 
Andro  Melvine  and  James  Melvine,  being  to  tak  jurney  toward 
his  Majestie,  with  Mr  Johne  Carmichaell,  according  to  his  Majes- 
tie's  Lettres,  desyrit  to  haiff  the  extract  of  all  the  actis  maid  or  sub- 
scryvit  heirtofoir  usit  in  the  Presbyterie,  annent  the  Discipline  of 
the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  with  consent  of  the  haill  Britherine  in  the 
Presbyterie,  [and  in  speciall,  the  act  of  the  Presbyterie  of  the  2  of 
August,  1604,  annent  the  haill  Britherine  of  the  Presbyteries, 2]  sub- 
scriptiounes  of  Confessiounes  of  Faith,  publiekly  authorisit  be  his 
Majestie  :  Quhilk  desyre  being  fund  reassonabill  be  the  Presbyterie, 
and  the  speciall  act  foirsaid  being  publictlie  red  in  the  audience  of 
the  haill  Presbytrie  fully  convenit,  without  any  oppositioune  of  any 
persoune  of  the  samyn,  the  Presbyterie  ordainit  the  extract  of  the 
foresaid  act,  togider  with  all  uthir  actis  in  generall  or  particular,  to 
be  givine  to  the  Britherine  foirsaid,  auctentickly  subscryvit  by  the 
Clark.     Extractum,"  &c. 

"  Mr  Robert  Roche,3  Clerk. 
"  At  command  of  the  said  Presbyterie  of  Sanct  Androis." 

"  At  Sanct  Androis,  the  2  of  August,  1604. 
"  The  quhilk  day,  after  the  incalling  on  the  name  of  God,  the 
bail]  Britherine  being  lawfully  convenit,  the  Confessioune  of  Faith 
authoriseit  in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  wes  publictlie  red  in  the  au- 

1  Invocation.  J  Omitted  in  Adv.  MSS.  3  Adv.  IVISS.  "  Rollock." 


L606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  643 

dience  of  all,  togider  with  the  actis  of  parliament  holdine  at  Edin- 
burgh anno  1592,  for  explanatioune  of  the  present1  Discipline  ge- 
nerally authoriseit  in  the  said  Confessioune  of  Faith,  quhilk  be  the 
foirsaid  actis  of  parliament  ratifiet  and  confirmit,  and  namely  in  the 
Liberties  of  the  Generall  Assemblies,  and  everie  year's  Synodall 
Assemblies,  and  particulare  Presbytries  and  Sessiounes  of  the  Kirk, 
were  to  renew  the  samyne,  dirogating  from  all  actis  maid  of  befoir 
in  prejudice  of  the  same ;  and  declareing  the  present  Discipline  usit 
in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  and  approvine  in  the  actis  foirsaid,  to  be 
the  only  just,  godly,  and  lawfull  Discipline  in  all  tymes  dimming  ; 
as  is  at  maire  lenth  conteined  in  the  actis  of  parliament  foirsaid  : 
Quhilk  Actis  and  Confessioun  of  Faith,  being  ryplie  advysit  and 
considered,  wes  publictly  subscryveit  with  uniforme  consent  of  the 
haill  Britherine,  to  testifie  thair  harmonie  and  hairtly  aggriement  in 
all  thingis,  boith  concerneing  Doctrine  and  Disciphne  ;  promiseing 
solemnely  to  defend  the  samyne  allwayis,  according  to  thair  call- 
ingis,  and  nevir  to  com  in  the  contrare,  according  to  the  great  oath 
sett  doune  in  the  foirsaid  Confessioune  of  Faith.  In  witnes  quhair- 
ofF,  first  the  Moderator  subscryvit,  then  Mr  George  Glaidstaines, 
Minister  at  Sanct  Androis,  Mr  Kobert  Wilkie,  Collector ; 2  and  so 
everie  man  as  they  satt  in  thair  places,  as  is  contenit  in  the  said 
principal!,  subscryvit  particularly  with  all  the  Britherine  thair 
handis.     Extractnm"  &c. 

(Sic  subscribitur,)         "Mr  Robert  Roche,3 

"  At  command  of  the  Presbyterie." 

["  I  had  Mr  George  Gladstaines'  awne  hand-write  and  subscrip- 

tione-mannual  to  the  Confessione  before  my  eyes ;  the  writeing 

heirof,  in  this  hand,  letter  by  letter,  "  Mr  George  Glad- 

STANES."  4] 

'  Adv.  MSS.  "Presbyterians."  2  lb.  "Rector."  a  lb.  "Rollock." 

*  Not  in  Univ.  MS.  In  the  original  MS.  there  had  doubtless  been  &  facsimile  of  Mr 
George  Gladstanes'  signature.  The  transcriber,  however,  does  not  attempt  such 
exactness. 


044  THE  CONTINUATION  OP  160(5. 


u  Saint  Androis,  the  10  of  Januare,  1G05. 
"  The  quhilk  day,  eftir  the  returne  of  Mr  George  Glaidstaines ' 
out  of  England,  declaired  in  presens  of  the  haill  Britheren  of  the 
Presbyterie,  that  as  he  depairtit  a  Brother,  so  he  returnit,  usurping 
no  superioritie  over  thame,  but  to  haiff  ane  simple  vote  as  the  rest ; 
promiseing  to  behahT  himselfF  in  alse  great  humilitie  and  greatter 
then  evir  befoir :  And  quhairas  he  depairtit,  not  advertising  the 
Presbyterie,  he  desyrit  that  thai  sould  not  be  offendit  thairwith,  be- 
caus  the  commoditie  of  jurnay  so  requirit  that  he  sould  not  adver- 
tise thame.  Of  the  quhilk  declaratioune  and  excuse  the  Presby- 
terie acceptit  weill.     JExtractum"  &c. 

"Mr  Eobert  Roche,2  Clark, 
"  At  the  command  of  the  Presbyterie  of  Sanct  Androis." 

This  Mr  George  Glaidstaines,  eftir  he  had  desertit  two3  flockis, 
and  two  Bischoprickis,  and  sworne  he  sould  niver  be  Bisschope  of 
Saint  Androis,  becaus  his  predicessoris  thairin  had  so  evill  success, 
and  wer  so  evill-haitit,  yit  evin  at  this  tyme  he  came  home  Biss- 
choppe  of  Saint  Androis  :  And  quhen  ony  gentilman  of  his  fami- 
liaris,  and  utheris  that  had  hope  of  his  advanceing  and  gaine  by 
him,  wald  ask  him,  Howe  he  could  so  jouk4  and  beir  with  the 
Ministeres  and  Presbyterie,  that  not  only  wald  not  acknowledge 
but  controll  him?  He  wes  accustomit  to  answer,  "Hold  your 
toungue !  We  sail  steill  thame  aff  thair  feit !" 

But  tliis  by  the  way,  leiveing  the  man  to  be  painted  out  in  his 
Legend,5  as  his  predecessoris  wes,  we  returne  to  sett  tham,  the 
foirnameit  Britherine,  on  thair  journay,  quhairoff  four  embarkit  the 
15  of  August,  and  come  to  Londoun  the  25  of  the  same,  by  Yar- 
muith,  Norwische,  Thelfurd,6  New-markit,  Brakum,  Bartillay,7  and 

1  He  had,  in  the  meantime,  been  regularly  consecrated  Archbishop  of  St  Andrews. 
2  Adv.  MSS.  "Rollock."  3  lb.  "  4."  4  Condescend,  literally  to  crovch  or 

stoop ;  as  in  the  proverbial  expression,  "jouk  and  let  the  jaw  gang  by."  5  The 

satirical  Poem,  "  The  Legend  of  the  Bischop  of  St  Androis."  6  Adv.  MSS. 

"  Hereford."  7  lb.  Bambury,  Barkway.    All  the  MSS.  are  often  equally  unintel- 

ligible in  the  names  of  these  and  other  places  and  persons. 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  645 

Ward.  The  other  four  com  by  land  about  the  end  of  the  same 
moneth.  At  thair  coming,  thai  wer  kyndly  visited  by  diverse  of 
the  guid  Britherine  of  the  Ministerie  of  Londoun,  and  thairabout : 
Also  the  tuo  Archbisschoppes  of  Canterburie  and  York  sent  and 
intreitit  thame  to  com  to  thair  housses  ;  but  thair  answer  wes,  they 
had  not  as  yit  seine  the  Kingis  Majestie,  quho  sent  for  thame,  and 
till  then  thai  would  salut  no  uthir.  Mr  Alexander  Hay,  the  Scotisch 
Secreatere,  com  to  tham  from1  Westminster,  directit  from  his  Ma- 
jestie, being  yit  unreturnit  from  his  summer  Progress,  and  schew 
thame  it  wes  his  Majestie's  will  and  pleasoure  that  we  sould  stay 
at  Westminster  all  till  the  twenty  off  September  ;  bot  thai,  not 
thinking  that  a  sufficient  warrand,  directit  Mr  William  Scot  to  the 
King,  with  Mr  Allexander  Hay,  by  quhom  they  ressavit  the  samyne 
answer. 

The  word  went,  in  the  meintyme,  that  the  earand  quhairfoir  they 
wer  sent  wes  to  disput  with  the  Bisschoppes  upon  the  heidis  of  our 
Discipline,  concerneing  the  quhilk  we  ressavit  many  weill-writtine 
Lettres  from  our  Britherine  out  of  Scotland  ;  quhairfoir  we  re- 
solvit  upon  the  mattir,  and  sett  doune  schortly  Reassounes  quhy 
nethir  we  would  nor  could  reassoune  :  First,  because  in  sua  doeing, 
we  sould  schaw  ourselves  unjust,  unfaithful],  arrogant,  foolisch,  and 
impious.  Unjust,  in  doeing  sic  a  wrong  to  the  Kirk  of  God  esta- 
blischit  in  Scotland,  in  this  place,  to  cast  in  questioune  the  Disci- 
pline thairof:  Unfaithfull,  in  dealing2  with  the  efFaires  of  the  Kirk 
without  commissioun  and  warrand  thairfra :  Foolische,  in  taking 
on  us  sic  weightie  a  cause  raschely,  without  lawfull  wairneing  and 
preparatioune  :  Arrogant,  in  presumeing  suameikle  of  our  selves  as 
off-hand  to  deall  in  such  a  matter,  being  but  a  few  of  the  waikest 
memberes  of  that  body,  quhairunto  the  caus  properly  perteines  : 
Impious,  iff  sua  we  sould  tempte  God,  wanting  both  calling  and 
meanes. 

Nixt,  we  could  haiff  no  partie  adversarc  to  contend  withal]  in 
the  caus  of  the  Kirke  of  Scotland  ;  they  can  nor  ought  not  in  this 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  to  us  at."  2  lb.  "  mcdlcing." 


64G  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

place  :  For  iff  ony  heir  Avald  disputt  of  the  Englisoh  Kirk,  thai 
may  find  a  partie  amongst  thameselffis,  and  neidit  not  to  provoke 
us ;  and  if  any  of  Scotland,  they  can  not  nor  aught  not  to  be 
hard,  sieing  thai  haiff  all  subscryvit  of  new,  lately,  by  all  the  mem- 
beres,  and  also  teichit,  sworne,  and  professit  the  Discipline  and  Go- 
vernement  estabilischit  in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland.  And,  indeed,  we 
had  with  us  "The  Kingis  Confessioune,"  subscryvit  of  new,  lately,  by 
all  the  memberes  of  the  Presbyterie  of  Saint  Androis,  and  that 
namely  for  Mr  George  Glaidstains'  caus,  in  cais  he  or  uthir  quho 
wer  sent  for,  and  did  come  hither,  wald  haiff  takine  in  hand  the 
reassouning :  Bot  the  truth  wes,  we  hard  nothing  at  any  tyme  pro- 
pounit  tending  to  sic  a  purpose.  The  Britherine  attentit i  and  lye- 
ing  in  prissoune  did  wryt  to  us  mony  guid  Lettres ;  and  all  to  the 
effect  continowit 2  in  this  following,  quhilk  salbe  sufficient  to  be  put 
in  heir : 


"  TO  THAIR  REVERENT  AND  WELBELOVIT  BRITHERINE,  MR  ANDRO 
AND  JAMES  MELVINE,  WITH  THE  REST  OF  THAIR  FELLOW-BRI- 
THEEINE  THAIR. 

"  Reverent  and  deirly  belovit  Britherine,  The  earnest  care  and 
solicitud  that  we  haiff  allwayis  of  yow,  altogider,  with  the  assu- 
rance quhairin  we  ar  dayly  confirmit,  that  he  quho  hes  sent  yow, 
and  evir  hithertill  hes  beine  with  yow,  and  keipit  yow  blameles 
evin  to  this  verie  tyme,  and  making  yow  lychtis  and  lampes  to 
schyne  befoir  the  rest  of  your  Britherine,  will  now  also  caus  yow  in 
this  last  and  maist  publict  testimonie  quhairunto  he  lies  callit  yow, 
be  with  yow.  Thais  thingis,  I  say,  will  not  suffir  avs  to  lett  any 
occasioune  of  wrytting  to  yow  pas  away  without  sum  testimonie 
of  our  remembrance  of  yow,  with  all  the  strenth  the  Lord  hes  be- 
stOAvit  on  us  ;  not  that  ye  neid  to  be  incouragit,  strenthened,  and 
confirmed  by  us,  bot  that  heirin  we  doe  eas  oursclffis,  but  disburd- 

1  Attainted.  2  Adv.  MSS.  "  contained." 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILLS  DIARY.  647 

ning  our  heartis  of  that  love  that  we  beir  imto  yow,  the  faithfull 
servauntis  of  the  maist  hight  God,  now  wailit  out1  and  chosine 
from  among  all  the  rest  of  your  Britherine,  to  beir  witnes  of 
Chryst,  not  only  befoir  Caesare,  but  as  it  wer  befoir  the  haill  world. 
For  quhois  eyis  ar  not  on  yow  ?  Quhois  heartis  ar  not  attentive,  in 
expecting  baith  the  actioun  and  the  event  ?  Your  Britherine  at 
home,  the  Kirkis  abrod,  and  your  enimies  baith  heir  and  every 
quhair  !  Now  is  the  tymc  He  hes  callit  yow  to  beir  witnes  of  his 
glorious  and  frie  Monarchic,  the  quhilk,  as  it  is  the  last  of  his  of- 
fices, so  it  is  the  last  put  at,  and  as  it  is  the  end  of  the  uthir  tuo, 
and  sua  mair  glorious,  sua  is  the  testimony  thairof  mair  glorious  to 
God,  mair  honorabill  to  his  Sone,  and  salbe  mair  con  fort  abill  to 
yow  nor  the  testimonie  either  of  his  Propheticall  [office]  or  Priest- 
hood. In  this  respect  and  consideratioune,  ane  thing,  deir  Brithe- 
rine, we  dare  say  be  experience,  and  our  God  is  witnes  that  we 
lie  not,  that  unspeikabill  is  the  joye  in  the  full  and  frie  testimonies 
of  Christis  Royall  auctoritie  ;  unspeikabill  is  the  joye  of  the  suffer- 
ing for  his  kingdome  ;  so  that  we  know  not  that  if  a  man  sould 
have  so  much  joye  in  suffering  for  prophesie  or  priesthood,  as  he 
sail  have  now,  and  at  this  tyme  of  suffering  for  his  kingdom,  be- 
caus  that  is  now  speciallie  oppugnit.  We  haiff  nevir  had  sic  joye 
in  preiching  of  it  as  we  haiff  had  in  suffering  for  it ;  for  it  is  so  that 
we  ar  evin  glaid  quhen  the  sufferingis  ar  multiplied,  our  deirest 
Britherine,  because  that  we  knaw  the  peice  and  joye  salbe  propor- 
tionatlie  multiplied :  And  our  deir  Brither,  that  quhilk  we  spak 
befoir  in  knawlage,  we  now  speik  by  experience,  that  the  kingdome 
of  God  standis  in  peice  and  joye.  Remember  that  commissiounc 
o-ivin  to  Jerimie,  '  Speik  all  that  I  command  yow,  and  be  not  af- 
frayit  of  their  face,  leist  I  destroye  thee  befoir  thame,  and  I  will 
mak  thee  a  brazen  wall,'  &c. :  And  that  in  another  place,  '  Turtle 
not  thow  unto  thame,  but  let  thame  turne  unto  yow  ::  And  that 
of  Micha,  'I  am  fillit  with  vertue  from  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.9 
Judirio  etpotentia,  \c.  Chryst  sail  regno,  and  all  his  enimies  salbe 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  marked."      Wailit  signifies  carefully  picked  or  Belected. 


648  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

strampit  under  fitt ;  and,  indeid,  they  ar  enimies  unto  him,  quho  will 
not  suffir  for  to  have  him  reigning,  and  to  be  King,  alseweill  as  to  be 
a  Prophet  and  Priest.  But,  our  deire  Britherine,  we  ar  perswadit 
his  grace  sail  beir  yow  out  with  all  confidence  to  witnes  a  guid 
confessioune  befoir  your  adversaries.  He  that  hes  evir  bein  hither- 
to with  yow  will  not  leive  yow  now.  The  greatest  confort  yow 
can  bring  unto  us  is  the  regairding  of  the  caus,  without  respecting 
of  our  persounes,  or  any  thing  we  can  suffer  for  the  same,  in  the 
fridome  of  the  kingdome  of  Chryst.  Our  fridome  standis  not  a  jot, 
Britherine,  for  us,  nor  for  any  libertie  or  benefit  can  be  brought  to  us. 
We  will  not  trubill  yow  with  farder,  for  we  knaw  it  is  needles. 
The  God  of  wisdome,  peice,  and  strenth,  be  with  yow  all  for  evir. 
From  Edinbruche  Castell,  the  3d  of  September  1606. 

"  Your  Britherine,  Johne  Welsche. 

"  JOHNE   FOEBES,"  &C. 

This  Lettre,  with  diverse  uthiris  from  thame,  wes  written  boith 
in  generall,  from  Blacknes,  Edinbruche,  Stirling,  and  Dundie  ;  and 
in  particular,  from  sundrye  of  thame,  togither  with  a  Supplicatioune 
sent  to  the  Kingis  Majestie  from  thame,  earnestlie  desyring  us  to 
present  the  same  with  the  Informatiounes  sent  be  thame  to  the 
Parliament  mentiounit  befoir,  maid  us,  being  meikle  movit  to  adniire 
the  gift  of  constancie  givin  unto  thame  by  Chryst ;  and  sua,  casting 
off  the  cair  of  thair  persounes  to  haiff  respect  to  the  caus  only,  and 
yit  to  tak  guid  heid  that  we  damned  not  uthir  actiounes  and  pro- 
ceidingis.  The  Supplicatioune  folio  wis,  quhilk  wes  put  in  the  Kingis 
hand,  as  the  narratioune  following  will  record  : 

[SUPPLICATION  OF  THE  IMPRISONED  MINISTERS  TO  THE  KING.] 

"  Please  your  sacred  Majestie,  GifF thair  werno  moir,  dread  Sove- 
raine,  but  the  estait  of  our  desolat  families  and  our  awin,  for  the 
maist  pairt  circuit  in  our  wardis  without,1  in  the  present  devouring 

1   Adv.  MSS.  "  circled  in  their  own  wardes,  in." 


1600.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  649 

plague  of  pestilence,  quhilk  is  sic  that  we  can  hardly  thinke  that  iff 
we  were  through tlie  knawin  to  your  Majestie,  it  could  not  but  oppin 
the  bowelis  of  your  Heines'  pitie  and  compassioune  towardis  us, 
quhairinto,  nixt  to  our  God,  we  haiff  recourse  forreleifF:  "Wesould 
not  haiff  importunat  your  Majestie  heirin  forder,  but  had  keipit 
silence,  and  restit  in  the  guid  pleasure  of  our  God,  quho  is  merci- 
full,  patiently  awaiting  for  the  gracious  appoyntit  tyme  of  our  dc- 
lyverie,  in  oppineing  your  Majestie's  eares  and  heart  to  haiff  hard 
and  reguardit  with  coramiseratioune  the  distres  of  your  Majestie's 
pure,  innocent,  and  obedient  servantis  and  subjectis,  the  servantis 
of  Jesus  Chryst,  quhom  he  hes  accomptit  worthie  to  be  put  in  his 
service  ;  haiffing  learnit  to  be  contentit,  with  meiknes  and  humbil- 
nes  of  mynd,  not  only  to  haiff  sufferit  reproches,  povertie,  hunger, 
[and]  imprissounement,  for  his  saik,  bot  also  in  the  power  of  his 
grace  allenerly,  to  lay  doune  our  lyfes  in  defence  of  the  Gospell  and 
Kingdome  quhairunto  he  hes  callit  us  ;  and  for  the  quhilk,  with 
dewtifull  patience,  we  haif  sufferit  thais  tuelve  or  threttine  monethis l 
imprissounement.  But  the  fearcenes  of  Godis  wraith  burneing  so 
hightly,  not  only  in  uthiris  pairtis  of  your  Majestie's  kingdome, 
but  also  and  speciallie  in  thais  places  and  Congregatiounes  amongis 
quliom,  undir  your  Majestie's  protectioune,  we  haif  heirtofoir  and 
now  lykwyse  sould  practeise  our  Ministerie,  quhairby  not  only  the 
destroyeing  angel  with  his  drawin  sword  is  hewing  doune  day  and 
nicht  continowally,  and  caussing  the  carcases  to  fall,  and  that  in  sic 
a  number  in  sume  of  our  Congregatiounes,  that  the  lyk  thairof  hes 
not  bein  hard  thais  many  yeires  befoire ;  but  also,  quhilk  is  most 
lamentabill,  and  cannot  but  perce  the  most  stainey  heart  that  evir 
had  hope  to  find  mercie  to  himself  in  that  great  day,  that  they  live 
and  die  comfortles  under  the  feirfull  judgment,  filling  the  hevin  and 
the  earth  with  thair  sighes,  sobbis,  and  cryes  of  than*  distressil 
sowles,  for  being  depryvit  not  only  of  outward  comfortis,  (quhilk 
wer  great  also,)  but  also  of  all  inward  consolatioune,  throw  the  want 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  weeks." 


050  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1  606. 

of  the  ordinarie  meines  of  thair  peace  and  lyff,  to  witt,  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Word  of  our  Ministerie. 

"  This,  Sire,  is  the  speciall  cans  quhy  we  wer  movit  to  present  be 
our  humbill  Supplicatioune  unto  your  Majestie's  pitie,  not  so  much 
our  awin  miserie  outward,  quhilk  mischief  it  selff  is  moir  nor  the 
boweles  of  true  compassiounc  could  Weill  suffer,  the  quhilk  we  can 
glaidlie  indure  for  his  saik  l  quho  hes  sent  us,  sieing  heir  we  haifP 
that  pence  quhilk  the  world  cannot  tak  from  us,  and  the  enjoying 
of  a  guid2  conscience,  that  in  nothing  we  haiffjustlie  offendit  your 
Majestie,  bot  haifF  walkit  in  all  sinceritie3  in  our  callinges.  We 
say,  not  so  meikle  our  awin  miserie,  as  the  maist  lamentabill  estaites 
and  desolatioune  of  our  poore  Congregatiounes,  confortles  now  baith 
Jn  body  and  mynde,  that  out  of  your  Hemes'  faithfull  love  and 
tender  compassiounc  thair  distres  may  be  supplied,  and  thair  sor- 
rowfull  heartis  comfortit,  by  permitting  to  thame  the  use  of  our 
Ministerie  againe  :  Thus  sail  the  God  of  your  Majestie's  preserva- 
tioune  and  wonderfull  preferrement,  in  dispyt  of  the  manifold 
attemptis  of  his  irreconcilabill  enimies,  be  glorifieit ;  the  heartis  of 
the  saintes,  the  best  effectit  of  your  Majestie's  subjectis,  quho  now 
sorowis  for  the  afflictioune  of  Joseph,  salbe  confortit ;  thus  sail  your 
Heines'  poore  people,  quho  live  and  die  in  such  miserie,4  bliss  the 
Lord  thair  God,  quho  haith  put  in  the  Kingis  heart  to  pitie  thair 
cais,  to  speik  nothing  of  the  blissing  that  sail  redounde  to  your  Ma- 
jestie's persoune  and  throne  according  to  the  Covenant,  'I  will 
blisse  thame  that  blisse  thee,  and  curse  thame  that  curse  thee.' 
Quhairfor  sail  the  guiltines  lye  on  the  King  and  his  children,  that 
so  many  saulis  that  wer  once  fed  abundantlic  with  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel,  ar  now  liveing  and  dicing  in  unspeakeabill  sorrow  and 
miserie,  and  in  want  of  that  only  confort  to  thair  saulis  ?  Quhy 
sould  thair  blood  be  fund  under  the  Kingis  wingis  ;  and  quhy  sould 
the  cry  of  thair  blood  cum  upe  in  the  cares  of  the  Lord  of  Elostes, 
quliois  heart  is  full  of  pitie,  that  lie  can  not  but  heir  the  crye  of  Ms 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "the  well  of  his  Kirk."  -  //>.  "  rejoyceing  of  our  good." 

1  Ih.  " simplicitie."  *  lb.  "faith and  fear." 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  651 

pure  anes,  and  sua  full  of  love,  that  he  quho  tuitches  thame  tuitches 
the  apple  of  his  eye  ;  and  that  he  that  does  the  meinest  duetie  to 
thame,  or  the  meinest  benefit  for  thame,  he  cannot  but  account  it 
done  to  himselfe  ;  and  quhois  severitie  is  sua  great,  that  howbeit 
for  a  tyme  he  spair,1  yit  at  the  lenth  he  will  avenge  the  cryes  of 
his  elect ;  and  if  his  severitie  be  sua  great,  that  evin  for  the  mein- 
est omissioune  of  the  dewties,  he  will  inflict  eternall  torment,  quhat, 
then,  will  the  wraith  be  that  is  reserved  for  the  withhaulding  of  the 
verie  meines  of  the  eternall  salvatioune  from  sua  many  thousand 
soules  ? 

"  If  it  wer  but  our  awin  lyfes  alenerly,  then  verilie  we  coidd  be 
silent ;  but  sieing  it  is  sua  greit  a  matter  that  concemes  so  highly 
the  honour  of  your  Majestie,  the  good  and  eternall  salvatioune  of 
many  thousand  soules  quhilk  he  hes  bought  with  his  blood,  we  dare 
not,  nor  dow  not,  keip  silence  thairoff  to  your  Majestie ;  and,  thairfoir, 
forcit  and  constrainit  thairunto  be  inevitabill  necessitie  of  that  most 
holy  calling  laid  upon  us,  if  we  maid  not  our  humbil,  yit  loveing  and 
faithfull  warneing  to  your  Majestie,  that  neither  the  former  by  gone 
guiltines  may  be  continowit,  nor  yet  uthir  greatter  may  be  addit 
thairto ;  the  quhilk  will  not  fail  (if  it  be  not  repentit  and  pardonit 
in  the  blood  of  Chryst  his  Sone)  to  bring  on  ane  manifest,  assured, 
heavie  and  lamcntabill  judgment,  the  quhilk  from  our  heartis  (the 
Lord  is  our  witnes)  we  deprecat  day  and  nycht ;  protesting  here, 
befoir  God  and  his  elect  angelis,  that  we  doe  this  with  all  dcwtifull 
reverence  unto  your  Majestie,  as  the  Lordis  Lieutcnnant  heir  uponc 
earth,  and  as  our  only  lord  and  lawfull  soveraine,  under  God,  ovir 
us,  in  all  thingis  perteineing  to  this  lyfF,  and  the  lyff  it  selff,  to 
quhom  we  are  bund  in  conscience,  and  gives  all  thingis  that  God 
in  his  Word  hes  ordaineit  and  commandit  to  be  givin  by  ony  sub- 
ject to  ony  Prince  under  hevin,  reserving  to  God  only  that  quhilk 
is  his,  and  quhilk  he  will  not  give  unto  any  of  his  creatures,  as  his 
awine  incommunicable  glory  and  auctoritie,  of  the  quhilk  sorl  we 
accompt  thais  tuo  to  be  : 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "suppose  ho  suffer  long." 


652  TUE  CONTINUATION  OF  160G. 

"  Ane,  the  authoritie  of  the  Meetlngis  of  the  servauntis  of  Chryst 
for  the  efFairis  of  his  kingdome,  quhilk  is  from  hevin  onlie,  and  not 
from  men ;  and  that  in  the  doeing  of  the  ordinarie  dewtie  of  our 
calling,  appro  ven  by  all  lawes,  Ave  haifF  no  thing  justly  offendit  your 
Majestic,  nor  violat  your  Hienes'  lawes,  bot  hes  in  simplicitie  servit 
our  God  in  the  same :  Nixt,  that  Soveraine  Judgment  in  all  the 
effaires  of  his  hous  and  kingdome  belonges  only  to  his  Kirk,  accord- 
ing to  the  same  Word,  [quhais  voyce  the  Father  only  hes  comman- 
dit  to  be  heard ;  and  that  the  ministerial  Judgment  of  the  Kirk 
being  only  to  the  Kirk  according  to  the  same  Word,1]  to  the  quhilk 
alanerly2  he  hes  given  the  keyis  of  his  kingdome,  and  from  the 
quhilk  we  doe  not  exclude  your  Majestie's  Hienes  as  ane  honour- 
abill  member  of  his  bodie ;  quhairunto,  by  vertue  of  that  supprcme 
power  quhilk  the  Lord  hes  givine  your  Majestie,  we  acknawledge 
that  it  belongis  to  sie  the  haill  worschipe  of  God  directit  and  ad- 
ministrat  according  to  his  Word ;  in  commanding  all  to  be  done  as 
he  hes  commandit,  and  foirbiding  all  that  he  hes  foirbidin ;  no  wayis 
inhibiting  that  quhilk  he  hes  commandit,  nor  commanding  that  quhilk 
God  hes  inhibitit  to  be  done ;  yea,  and  further,  to  punische  quhoso- 
evir  within  your  dominiounes  that  is  fund  to  be  againes  the  trew 
and  lawfull  Judgment  of  the  Kirk,  according  to  the  Word,  or  to 
be  contemneres  or  neglecteres  thairof.  And  in  this  holy  feir  of  our 
God,  and  humbill  reverence  of  your  Majestie,  in  whom  we  doe 
present  this  our  dewtifull  Testimonie  and  Supplicatioune  for  our 
libertie,  togider  with  our  Greives  and  Supplicatiounes  presentit  in 
Parliamentis,  but  not  rcssavit ;  houpeing  that  our  God,  in  quhois 
handis  the  heartis  of  Princes  ar,  sail  rettu'ne  from  your  Majestie 
ane  answer,  confortabill  to  his  saintis  and  joy  full  to  our  desolat  Con- 
gregatiounes,  and  rcfreschfull  to  us  poore  prissouneris,  to  the  glorie 
of  our  God  and  your  Majestie's  prais ;  in  quhom,  and  to  quhois 
mercifull  and  blissit  protectioun,  we  maist  heartly  commend  your 
Majestie,  your  Hienes'  kingdome,  governement,  and  haill  efFairis. 

1  Not  in  Adv.  MSS.  *  Alone,  solely. 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  653 

From  the  places  of  our  imprissounment,  respectively,  the  twenty- 
third  of  August,  1606. 

"  Your  Majestic' s  pure  and  most  humble  Supplicantis  and 
dayely  Oratoris,  in  God,"  &c. 

Fryday,  the  19th  of  September,  we  came  to  Kingstoune.  Thair 
Mr  Johnne  Gordoune,  Dean  of  Salisberrie,  directit  to  wait  upon  us, 
and  dres  us  the  best  he  could  for  the  purpose,  came,  salutit  and 
welcumit  us ;  and  on  the  morne  he  convoyit  us  to  Ilamptoun 
Court,  quhair,  eftir  the  Kingis  dinner,  immediatly  we  gat  presena 
of  his  Majestie,  as  yitt  sitting  at  his  dinner,  admitting  us  veric 
graciousely  to  the  kis  of  his  handis ;  and  eftir  a  few  wordis,  mirrily, 
to  Mr  James  Balfoure,  and  concerneing  the  guid  order  takin  with 
the  pest  at  Edinbruche,  we  wer  dimissit  with  a  very  guid  counte- 
nance, and  went  to  Kingstoune  to  dinner  with  Mr  Johnne,  our  at- 
tendar,  at  his  ludgeing. 

Eftir  noone,  walking  by  the  river,  the  Deane  of  AVestminster, 
directit  to  our  said  attendar,  requirit  us  to  be  present  to-morrow 
(being  the  Sabboith)  at  the  Kingis  Chappel  in  Hamptoune  Court, 
to  heir  the  sermone ;  quhair  comming,  we  fand  a  place  prepairit  for 
us  hard  besyd  the  Pricher,  Bischop  Barlo,  quhom,  befoir  the  King, 
Quein,  and  Nobilis,  we  patiently  hard  mak  a  long  or  well-joy ned 
sermone,  writtin,  and  fynely  compactit  in  a  lytle  buik,  quhilk  he 
had  allwayis  in  his  hand,  for  help  of  his  memorie.  It  wes  upoun  the 
20  of  the  Actis,  "  Attendite  vobis  ct  gregi"  &C.1  The  judicious 
termed  it  a  confutatioune  of  the  text ;  all  for  the  estaite  of  the  Bis- 
schoppis  thair  superioritie  above  Ministeres,  by  ordinatioune  and 
impositioune  of  handis  only,  and  proppirly  perteineing  to  thame, 
and  jurisdictioune  ecclcsiasticall,  &c.  Eftir  sermone,  we  wer  con- 
voyit to  the  Kingis  closet,2  quhair  we  dynit  on  the  Kingis  mcitt. 
The  Deane  of  Westminster,  with  Mr  Johnne  Gordoune,  attendit 
and  accompanied  us.     Amongis  the  rest  of  our  speiches,  this  wes 

1  "  Take  heed,  therefore,  unto  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock,  over  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased 
with  his  own  blood,"  Acts  xx.  28-  *  Adv.  MSS.  "  Queen's  closet." 


654  i  in:  (  o\  i  im  \ Hon  of  1606. 

markit  and  carieit  to  the  King,  that  our  Bisschoppes  had  compac- 
tit  with  sacrilegious  Lordia  to  undoe  the  patrimonie  of  the  Kirk  of 
Scotland ;  so  that  at  this  last  parliament,  quhair  the  giftis  of  our 
new  Bissehoppis  wer  confirmit,  they  sitting  and  voiting  in  parlia- 
ment without  any  commissioune  from  the  Kirk;  there  Avere  seven- 
teen Prelacies  erectit  in  temporall  Lordschippis,  and  that  Aves  the 
first  fruits,  forsuith,  of  their  votes  in  parliament !  For  this,  the  King, 
the  day  eftir,  amonges  the  rest  of  his  speiches,  maid  appollogie  for 
himselff  and  the  parliament ;  schawing  that  Aves  done,  upon  condi- 
tiounes  of  provyding  of  everie  kirk  of  thais  Prelacies  AA'ith  a  suffi- 
cient stipend,  quhairin  he  wes  and  sould  be  most  cairfull,  and  that 
the  parliament  had  only  ratifieit  and  confirmed  that  quhilk,  being 
his  aAvin,  he  had  disponed  as  pleased  him. 

Mononday,  the  22,  we  Aver  sent  for  to  conferrence  with  his  Ma- 
jestie ;  and  being  enterit  into  the  Chalmer,  the  hous  was  uschit ' 
by  the  Erie  of  Dumbar ;  and  none  Aves  sufferit  to  byde  thairin  but 
the  Scottis  Counsellouris  and  the  Ministeris,  saAre  only  Dr  Mon- 
tague, Deane  of  the  Kingis  Chappel,  Aves  permitted  to  stand  witliin 
to  keipe  the  doore.  Thus,  the  King,  sitting  in  his  chyre,  callit  on 
us  to  come  neir  about  him,  and  enterit  to  expone  the  caus  quhair- 
foir  he  had  writtin  for  us,  almost  according  to  the  tennor  of  the 
Proclamation c,  and  of  the  Lettre  sent  to  us  ;  gathering  upe  all  in 
end  to  tuo  poyntis,  quhairin  he  Aves  to  be  throucht  with  us  for  the 
piece  of  the  Kirk,  and  annent  the  pretendit  Gcnerall  Assemblie, 
(so  he  termit  it,)  haldin  at  Abirdein,  and  the  doeing  of  thais  Mini- 
steres  enseAving  thairupon.  The  uthir,  Iioav  thair  mycht  ane  orderly 
and2  peiceabill  Generall  Assemblie  keipit,  to  sett  all  thingis  in 
quietnes  and  guid  ordour.  Noav,  avc  had  agreit  amongis  our  selffis 
that  one  sould  be  speich-man  for  all ;  quhilk  burdein  aacs  laid  upoun 
Mr  James  Melvill,  and  that  Ave  sould  give  no  present  ansAver,  bot 
tak  all  to  guid  advysement.  So,  the  said  speiker  maid  answer  in 
thais  Avordis  : 

•  Cleared,  empt  ied.  *  Adv.  MSS.  "  He  shew  further  thair  might  be  ane  uthir  ano." 


1600.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  055 

"  Pleas  your  most  excellent  Majestie,  quheu  we  had  resavit  your 
Majestie's  Lettres,  we  inett  togider  at  Edinbruche ;  and,  reiding 
the  same,  we  wer  greathe  rejoyceit  to  haifF  so  guid  occasioune  to 
sie  your  INlajestie's  face,  and  kisse  your  hand,  bot  meikle  more  quhen 
we  perceivit  the  purpose  of  your  Majestie's  Lettres  to  tend  to  the 
intertaining  the  peace  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  in  that  cstait  in  the 
quhilk  your  Majestie  left  the  same,  and  to  testifie  your  Majestie's 
love  and  affectioune  thairto,  according  to  your  Majestie's  Lettres 
from  tyme  to  tyme,  sent  to  sume  of  the  Presbyteries  and  Synodis, 
and  also  to  the  Commissiouncris  of  the  Kirk,  and  maist  ample  to 
your  Majestie's  honoiu*abill  Counsel ;  so  that  howbeit  diverse  of  us, 
namely,  for  seiknes,  and  knawin  inhabilitie,  mycht  haif  excuisit 
our  selffis,  yit  we  resolvit  all  to  come  to  your  Majestie,  evir  with 
alacritie  and  diligence,  preventing2  the  day  appoyntit,  least  acci- 
dentis  of  wethir,  or  any  uthir  impediment,  mycht  haifF  impedit : 
And  now,  finding  your  Majestie  iu  helth,  welfair,  and  high  honour, 
and  testifieing  the  samyne  thingis  to  us  by  your  gracious  mouth, 
with  so  favourable  countinence  towardis  us,  we  can  not  expresse 
our  joy e  and  propens  dispositioune  to  serve  and  plesoure  your  Ma- 
jestie, in  quhat  can  lie  in  us,  under  God ;  but,  as  concemeing  any 
particular,  your  Majestie's  Lettres  beires  none,  nethir  haifF  we  be- 
foir  to  this  tyme  heard  of  thame.  We  wald  thairfoir  maist  lmm- 
blie  desyre  your  Majestie  to  give  us  tyme  to  advyse,  and  we  sail 
returne  with  ane  answer,  the  best  way  we  can." 

Thaireftir  was  a  guid  tyme  spent  in  reassouneing  annent  the 
Presbyteries  sending  thair  Commissiouncris,  eftir  the  ressaiving  of 
his  Majestie's  Commissiouneres  Lettres  for  dischairgeing  of  the 
Assemblie  at  Abirdein  :  Item,  annent  the  doeingis  of  the  Synod  of 
FyfF:  Item,  annent  the  praying  for  the  eonvictit  Britherine  :  And, 
last,  annent  Mr  James  Melvill's  Lettres  wryttine  to  the  Synod  of 
FyfF.  To  the  quhilk  Ave  answerit,  afF-hand,  at  that  tyme,  this 
meikle  for  the  Presbyteries :  That  many  of  thame  had  not  gottin 
advertisement,  nor  ressavit  any  Lettres  befoir  the  day.     Next,  that 

1  Anticipating,  coming  before.     Lat.  prevenire. 


656  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L606. 

sic  as  had  ressavit,  considering  far  greatter  and  weightier  reassounes 
to  keipe  thame  to  omitt,  resolvit  to  stand  to  the  day  appoyntit  by 
his  Majestie  ;  quhairas  theLettres  conteinit  no  day,  the  law  stand- 
ing, quhilk  is  the  most  auctentick  consent,  be  his  Majestie's  awin 
judgment,  in  oppin  Assemblie  at  Dundie,  that  a  King  can  give  ; 
the  enemies  so  bussie  and  malapairte  ;  so  mony  referrences,  and  ap- 
pellatiounes,  and  uthir  matteris  lyeing  ovir,  and  untakine  order 
with,  in  gret  confusioune  and  corruptioune,  quhilk  can  not  be  orderit 
nor  helpit  without  a  Generall  Assemblie  ;  and  last,  and  greatest, 
the  fear  of  the  losseing  of  the  right  and  possessioune  of  a  Generall 
Assemblie,  expyring  in  it  selff,  without  any  appoyntit  sett  day. 
And  as  for  the  Synod  of  Fyfe,  the  judgment  thairof  wes  sent  in 
wryt  to  many  of  the  rest  of  the  Provinces  of  the  realme,  and  so  no 
doubt  come  in  his  Majestie's  handis ;  quhilk  wes  sic,  eftir  our  mein 
judgment,  as  nethir  could  prejudge  the  Generall  Kirk  nor  his  Ma- 
jestie's Roy  all  power,  nor  yit  the  Breitherine  quhilk  wer  under  his 
Majestie's  mercie,  in  ward.  And  as  concerneing  prayeris  for  thame, 
we  confesse  we  did  it,  nethir  could  we  omitt  that  commoune  dewtie 
to  thame  quhilk  we  extendit  to  all,  evin  malefactoris,  for  thair 
amendment  !  Finally,  annent  Mr  James  Melvill's  Lettre,  thais 
wordis  wes  betuixt  the  King  and  hhn  :  "  I  hard,  Mr  James  Mel- 
vill,  that  ye  wreitt  a  Lettre  to  the  Synod  of  Fyff,  at  Cowper, 
quhairin  wes  meikle  of  Chryst,  but  lytle  guid  of  the  King.  Be 
God,  I  trow  ye  wes  reavand '  or  mad !  (for  he  spak  so.)  Ye  speik 
utherwayis  now.  Now,  wes  that  a  charitabill  judgment  of  me  ?" 
"  Sir,"  sayis  Mr  James,  with  a  low  courtessie,  "  I  wes  boith  seik 
and  sair2  in  bodie  quhen  I  wreit  that  Lettre,  bot  sober3  and 
sound  in  mynd.  I  wreit  of  your  Majestie  all  guid,  assureing  my 
selff  and  the  Britherine,  that  thais  Articles,  quhairoff  a  copy  com  in 
my  handis,  could  not  be  from  your  Majestie,  they  wer  so  strange  ; 
and  quhom  sould  I  think,  speik,  or  wryt  guid  of,  if  not  off  your  Ma- 
jestie, quho  is  the  man  under  Chryst  quhom  I  wisch  most  guid  and 
honour  unto?"   "But  quhair  ar  these  Articles?"  say es  the  King. 

1  Raving.  2  Sore,  pained.  3  Adv.  MSS.  "  suir,"  sure. 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  657 

"  The  coppie  of  thame  that  com  in  my  hanclis  is  at  Londoune,  Sir," 
(quoth  he.)  So  diverse  of  the  Bischoppis  and  Conimissiouneris,  to 
put  ane  end  to  that,  amrmeing  befoir  the  King,  that  thair  wes  di- 
verse coppies,  and  sume  very  [often]  hard  of  thais  Articles,  quhair- 
off  ane  mycht  haiff  cume  to  Mr  James  his  handis,  that  matter  wes 
left  off ;  and  the  King  reassouneing  againe  the  first  tuo  heidis, 
dimissit  us  to  the  nixt  day  for  advysement  and  giveing  answer 
thairto. 

We  Aver  not  well  cume  to  our  ludging,  at  Kingstoune,  quhen  we 
had  a  Lettre  from  Mr  Alexander  Hay,  Secretar  to  his  Majestie  in 
Scotis  effairis,  wairneing  us  in  the  Kingis  name  to  cume  to  sermone 
to-morrow,  in  the  Kingis  Chappel,  and  thaireftir  to  dyne  in  the 
Palice.  So  Tuysday,  the  23d  of  September,  Ave  came  be  tyme  in 
the  morning  to  Hamptoune  Court,  quhair  Ave  walkit  in  the  gardein 
quhill  the  tyme  of  sermone ;  quhair,  sitting  in  our  place  appoyntit 
in  the  Kingis  Chappel,  the  King  and  the  Quein  present,  AATith  many 
nobillis,  Mr  Doctor  Butricht1  preached  on  the  13  of  the  Romans, 
annent  the  Magistratis  auctoritie  in  matteres  Ecclesiasticall,  all  out 
of  Mr  Bilsoune's  buikis  Of  Obedience,  quhairinto  we  assentit,  ex- 
cept that  quhair,  of  ignorance  or  malice,  or  both,  he  joynes  diverse 
tymes  the  Presbyterie  with  the  Pope,  as  thought  the  ane  had 
beine  joynit  in  the  same  judgment  Avith  the  uthir.  Eftir  ser- 
mone by  Mr  Johne  Gordoune,  our  attendant,  Ave  Aver  led  to  the 
Kingis  closet,  quhair  Ave  saw  the  Royall  ceremonie  of  tuiching  of 
some  diseased  childrein  for  hailling  off  sume  of  the  escrolles,  com- 
mounly  callit  "  the  Kingis  seicknes  ;" 2  and  understood,  by  the  said 
Mr  Johne  his  discours,  in  quhat  respect  and  maner  the  King  usit 
it,  to  witt,  not  for  hailling,  (quhilk  Aves  only  in  Godishand,)  but  for 
prayer  and3  almes  towardis  the  poore  diseasit,  and  for  sume  poli- 
tik  reassounes,  least  omitting  the  ceremonie  usit  by  the  Kingis  of 
France,  he  sould  thairby  losse  sume  of  the  substance  thairof,  and 
title  quhilk  he  had  to  the  kingdome  and  croune  of  France  ;  quhilk 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "Buchridge."  2  Scrofula,  or  King's  evil,  popularly  "the  cruels." 
O.  Fr.  escrouelles.  3  This  is  left  blank  in  Adv.  MSS. 

2  T 


658  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  160(5. 

respectis  had  maid  the  King,  quho  wes  altogider  againes  it  at  the 
beginning,  to  yeild  to  the  use  thairof  now. 

Thaireffcir,  we  went  to  diner  in  the  Kingis '  closet,  and  maid  guid 
cheir.  Eftir  the  diner,  remembering  that  we  wer  to  be  callit  coram,2 
calling  on  God,  we  did  tak  this  resolutioune,  that  our  appoyntit 
speiker  sould  only  speik,  unles  that  utheris  wer  commandit  and 
askit  by  name  ;  and  that  our  speich-man  sould  declaire  how  we  could 
not  judge  of  the  Assemblie  at  Abirdeine,  for  the  reasounes  follow- 
ing :  1.  Sieing  his  Majestie  had  proclamit  a  Generall  Assemblie, 
quhairat  his  Majestie  expectit  a  reparatioune  of  all  disorderis,  in  sua 
far  as  belongit  to  the  Censures  of  the  Kirk ;  if  we  sould  give  our 
judgmentis  now,  either  in  condemning  or  absolving,  we  could  not 
be  hard  then,  haveing  prejudice,  for  the  quhilk  we  sould  call  to 
mynd  a  practise  usit  by  his  Majestie  at  the  Assemblie  at  Montrose, 
quhair  the  Presbyteries  of  Louthiane  and  Mers  were  hindered  for 
sua  doeing  :  2.  Resnon  est  Integra,  but  judgit  already  by  the  Coun- 
sel, quhilk  we  would  be  loath3  to  contradict:  3.  The  judgment  thair- 
of could  not  pertein  to  us  ;  Nam  quis  nos  constituit  Judices  ?  4.  Put 
the  cais,  we  could  be  Judges,  and  the  matter  committit  to  us,  we 
could  not  doe  it  lawfullie ;  Indicta  causa  reis  non  citatis  et  auditis. 

This  wes  our  prcmeditat  answer  for  the  first  heid  of  the  two 
proponit  by  the  King  :  But  by  quhat  counsellour,  or  on  quhat  con- 
sideratione,  I  can  not  tell ;  the  King  had  takin  ane  uthir  cours, 
quhilk  wes  to  appel4  every  ane  in  particular,  that  heiring5  every 
manis  forme  of  speiche  and  answer,  they  mycht  marke  and  tak  ad- 
vantage of  menis  infirmities  and  formes  of  behavior  for  thair  pur- 
pose. And  so  admitting  that,  after  menis  dyett,  diverse  of  the 
Counsel  of  England,  to  witt,  the  Bisschoppe  of  Canterbury,  placit 
at  the  Kingis  rycht  hand,  the  Erie  of  Salisberrie,  Great  Secretar, 
the  Erie  of  Suffolk,  Great  Chamberlane,  and  the  Erie  of  Worches- 
ter,  Maister  of  the  Hous,  the  Erie  of  Nottinghame,  Great  Admirall, 
the  Erie  of  North-Hamptoune,  Lord  Knollis,  [the  Lord  Stencrope,6] 
with  diverse  utheris  Nobillis,  and  with  thrie  or  four  Bisschoppis  and 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  Queen's."  2  Into  the  King's  presence.  3  Adv.  MSS.  "  could 
not  thus."  1  lb.  "pose."  ''  lb.  "  whilk  weighted."       R  Omitted  in  Univ.  MS. 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  659 

Deanes,  standing  in  diverse  duris  behind  the  tapestrie,  quho, 
comeing  in  noAv  and  then,  discoverit  thame  selffis  :  Hither  also  the 
Prince  wes  brought,  standing  at  his  fatheris  left  hand,  with  all  the 
Scottis  Nobillis  and  Counselloris.  The  King,  efter  reassonneing  of 
the  poynt  left  at  the  last  day,  com  in  end  to  be  resolvit  of  this 
questioune  particularly,  Quhither  the  Assembly  last  haldin  at  Abir- 
deine  wes  ane  lawfull  Generall  Assembly  or  not  ? — and  the  proceid- 
ings  of  thais  Bretherine  thairat  and  eftir,  and  quhether  thais  [were] 
justifiabill,  yea  or  no  ?  "  And,"  (sayis  he,)  "  I  will  beginne  at  yow 
Bisschoppis  and  Commissiouneres."  Thais  wer  Ministers,  Mr 
George  Glaidstanes,  Mr  John  Spotiswood,  Mr  James  Law,  Mr 
Andro  Lamb,  now  Bisschoppis  ;  Mr  George  Nicolsoune,  Mr  Patrik 
Scharpe,  Mr  Robert  Howie,  and  the  Great  Commissiouner  Lawri- 
stoune ;  quho  all  answerit,  "  They  had  evir  damnit l  that  Assembly 
and  the  proceidingis  of  thais  Brithrine  as  unlawfull." 

And  sua  it  com  to  us :  "  Now,  Siris,"  sayis  the  King,  "  Quhat 
say  ye,  and  first  Mr  Andro  Melvill  ?"  Quho,  with  meikle  low 
courtessie,  talkit  all  his  mynd  in  his  awin  maner,  roundly,  soundly, 
fully,  friely,  and  fervently,  almaist  the  space  of  ane  hour,  not  omit- 
ting any  poynt  he  could  remember.  In  end,  in  effect  he  refusit  to 
judge  of  that  Assemblie  ;  for  the  reassounes  afoir  sett  downe. 

Mr  James  Balfour  followis  at  the  Kingis  calling,  regraiting  hevily, 
uncharitabill  and  fals  delatiounes  maid  of  him,  in  end  answerit  him 
to  the  samyn  effect ;  and  that  utherwayis  he  could  not  sie  how  the 
peace  of  the  Kirk  could  be  settillit. 

The  King  spendit  meikle  tyme  with  thais  tuo  ;  and,  smelling  how 
the  matter  went,  semit  wery,  and  callit  on  Mr  James  Melvill ;  quho 
answerit  and  said,  "  Sir,  I  will  not  weary  your  Majestie,  quhairfoir 
pleis  yow  ressave  my  answer  schort.  Than  hes  bein  meikle  tyme 
spent  about  the  questioune :  Iff  it  be  in  thesi,  sett  it  doun  in  wiytt, 
and  we  sail  answer  as  we  can  :  Iff  it  be  in  hypothesi,  your  Majes- 
tie's  demand  is  anent  the  Presbyteries,  senderis,  and  the  doeingis 
of  thair  Commissiouneres  sent.     Anent  the  senderis,  I  did  schaw 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "esteemed." 


660  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L606 

your  Majestie  their  reasounes  yisterday  ;  and  iff  your  Majestie 
judge  a  fault  thairin,  let  the  Presbyteries  that  sent  the  Commis- 
siouueris  be  pimischit,  and  not  the  Britherine  that  Aver  sent  be 
thame.  Anent  thair  doeingis,  it  is  judgit  alreadie  by  your  Majes- 
tic and  Counsell;  quhairin  I  am  resohit,  with  the  pannell,  to  witt, 
to  obtemperat  either  by  obedience  or  patience.  Iff  your  Majestie 
pleas  to  judge  it  further  be  ane  Generall  Assemblie  of  the  Kirk, 
quhilk  is  all  our  Avisches,  I  can  not  prejudge  that ;  and  iff,  in  the 
mein  tyme,  your  Majestie  will  urge  me  for  my  judgment  of  the 
matter  according  to  my  conscience,  unles  that  alledgit  wronge  done 
unto  thame,  and  givin  in  by  wrytt  to  your  Majestie's  Estaitis  in 
Parliament,  last  haldin  at  Perth,  be  considerit  disscussit  and 
rychtly  j  udgit,  I  wald  not  for  all  the  world  condemne  thame  ;  ane 
coppie  of  the  quhilk  wrangis  we  are  earnestlie  desyrit  by  thame  to 
present  to  your  Majestie."  And  this  said,  he  stoppit  to, ]  and  de- 
lyverit  thame  in  the  Kingis  handis  ;  the  substance  quhairoff  is  sett 
doun  in  the  storie  befoir.  The  King  red  thame  all  ovir  quhill  as 
the  rest  wer  sporting, 2  and  with  ane  angry  smyle,  said,  he  wes  glaid 
thai  wer  givin  in. 

Mr  Robert  Wallace  followed,  regraiting  also  sume  delatiounes  ; 
and  gaiff  his  judgment  according  to  the  preceiding :  So  did  Mr  Wil- 
liame  Wattsoune,  speiking  scharpely  againes  the  Commissiouner, 
Lauristoune,  and  laying  the  burdein  of  all  upoun  him  ;  quho  nevir 
reply  it  ane  word. 

Mr  Williame  Scott  followit,  and  declairit  his  judgment  solidlie 
in  few  wordis,  and  conforme  to  thame  befoir:  With  quhom  to  deall, 
the  Advocat  craifit  licence  of  the  King ;  and  thair  wes  ane  prettie 
peice  of  logicall  and  legall  reasouneing,  quhilk  delighted  and  moved 
the  judicious  audicns. 

Mr  John  Carmichaell  and  Mr  Adamc  Colt  Aver  commandit  to  be 
schort,  and  to  speike  thair  mynd  conforme  to  the  rest,  all  most  re- 
verently on  kneis,  but  thairwith  most  friely,  statly,3  and  plainely,  to 
the  admiratioun  of  the  English  auditorie,  quho  Aver  not  accustomit 
to  heir  the  King  so  talkit  to  and  reassounit  with. 

1  Stept  up.  2  Adv.  MSS.  "speaking."  3  lb.  "  stoutlie." 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  661 

In  the  end,  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  craiffing  licence,  on  his  knees, 
humbly  to  speik  bak  again,  spake  out  in  his  awin  maner,  and  friely 
and  plainely  affirmit  the  innocence  of  thais  guid,  faithfull,  and  hon- 
nest  Britherin,  and  in  all  thair  proccidingis  at  Abirdein  ;  and  thair- 
foir  he  recomptit  the  wrongis  done  unto  thame  at  Linlithgow,  as 
ane  that  wcs  present  as  an  eye  and  ear  wittnes  ;  and  taking  him  in 
direct  termes  to  the  Advocat,  Mr  Thomas  Hammiltoune,  he  invyit ' 
scharpely  againes  him,  telling  him  planely  and  pathetically,  of  his 
favouring  and  spaireingthePapistis,  and  craftie,  cruell,  and  malicious 
dealing  againes  the  Ministeres  of  Jesus  Chryst ;  so  that  he  could 
have  done  no  moir  againes  the  saintis2  of  God  then  he  had  at  Lin- 
lithgow!  At  the  quhilk  wordis  the  King  miking  to  the  Arch- 
bisschoppes,  sayis,  "  Quhat  ?  Me  thinkis  he  makis  him  the  Anti- 
chryst !"  And,  suddentlie,  again  with  ane  oath,  [exclaims,]  "  Be 
God !  It  is  the  divelis  name  in  the  Eevelatioune  !  He  hes  maid  the 
divel  of  him,  wel-belovit  Bretherine,  brother  Johne  !"  And  so,  cut- 
titly  ryseing,  and  tumeing  his  back,  he  sayes,  "  God  be  with  yow, 
Siris  !" 

Quhen  we  wer  gone  out  of  the  Palice  a  lytle  way  towardis  Kings- 
toune,  Mr  Alexander  Hay  sendis  back  for  us,  and  withall,  in  the 
Uttir  Court,  rcidis  to  us  a  chairge  from  the  King  not  to  returne  to 
Scotland,  nor  to  com  neire  the  King,  Quein,  nor  Prince  their 
Com-tis,  without  a  speciall  calling  for,  and  licence, 

Wednisday,  the  24  of  September,  about  twelve  houris  of  the 
day,  a  yong  man  come  from  Mr  Alexander  Hay  with  a  ticket,  de- 
syring  us  all,  in  his  Majestie's  name,  with  all  convenient  speid,  to 
come  to  Court ;  and  first  to  the  said  Mr  Alexander  Hayis  chalmer, 
as  the  beirer  would  schaw  the  way.  The  ticket  wes  directit  on  the 
back  to  Mr  James  Melvill,  in  speciall.  Quhen  Ave  wer  com  ncir, 
and  at  the  place  desyrit,  Mr  Alexander  his  chalmer,  [he]  shew  us, 
and  the  said  Mr  James  in  speciall,  that  he  wes  directit  be  his  Ma- 
jestie  to   desyrc  him  to  subscryve  the  sched3  of  paper  givin  in  l>c 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "inveighed."  :  Ih.  "servants."  8  lb.  "  sch< 


662  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

him  yisterday  to  his  Majestie  :  Quho  answerit,  "  Lett  me  sic  it,  and 
wryt  the  answer  thairon,  quhilk  I  maid  to  his  Majestie  yisterday, 
concemeing  the  caus  and  maner  how  I  delyverit  it,  and  I  wald 
glaidly  subscrive  the  same  ;"  provyding  that  the  said  Mr  Alexander 
wald  give  him  sclff  thaircfter  a  coppic,  all  subscryvit  with  his  hand. 
So  he  gave  him  in  the  Instructioimes  to  perveise  !  the  coppie. 
Quhilk  being  done,  the  said  Mr  James  wret  the  answer  and  maner 
of  delivery  of  them  in  the  Kingis  hand,  as  is  above  sett  doun,  and 
subscryvit  the  same.  This  being  done,  the  said  Mr  Alexander 
schew  that  he  wes  desyrit  also  by  the  Kingis  Majestie  to  aske  him 
of  quhom  he  had  thais  Instructiounes,  and  quhen  he  gatt  thame  ? 
He  answerit,  "  In  a  packet  from  Scotland,  dely vered  to  him  since 
he  came  from  thence  to  Londoun,  be  quhom  truely  he  could  not 
remember,  (neither  coidd  he  indeid,)  for  that  the  beirer  was  un- 
knawin  to  him,  and  passit  away  suddently,  and  to  delait  any  man 
to  the  Kingis  Majestie  uncertain elie  he  could  not."  With  the 
quhilk  answer  he  passit  from  us  to  the  King. 

In  halff  ane  houre  eftir  com  to  us  the  Erie  off  Glencairne,  with 
Mr  Johne  Gordoun,  Dean  of  Salisberry,  schewing  us  that  thai  wer 
sent  from  the  Kingis  Majestie  to  desyre  of  us  ane  answer  in  wryt, 
subscryvit  be  our  handis,  to  this  questione,  "  Quiiat  the  Kin<.  MAT 

DOE  IN  MATTERES  ECCLESIASTICALL  ?  AND  QUHITHER  OR  NO  HE 
HAD    THE    WHOLE    POWER    OF    CONVE1XEIXG    OF    ASSEMBLIES    OR 

DISCHARGEING  thame  ?  We  answerit,  that  "  Iff  it  would  pleas  his 
Majestie,  or  thame  in  his  Majestie's  name,  to  sett  doun  the  qucs- 
tioun  in  wrytt,  and  subscryve  it  as  from  his  Majestie,  we  sould 
glaidly  also  sett  the  answer  doun  and  subscryve  the  answer ;  grant- 
ing to  us  sufficient  tyme  of  advysement  for  the  samyne,  becaus  the 
matter  wes  of  great  importance."  But,  eftcr  a  peice  of  reassoune- 
ing,  they  depairtit,  -  and  returned  back  to  the  King  without  ane 
answer.  Not  long  eftir  thair  goeing  from  us,  Mr  Alexander  Hay 
come  again,  schawing  Mr  James  Mclvill  that  the  King  had  red  his 
answer,  and  wischit  him  to  be  moir  laconike  ;  desyring  him  further, 

1  Collate,  compare  with.  2  Adv.  MSS.  "left  us." 


160b\  MR  JAMES  MELVUXs  DIARY.  663 

iff  it  pleasit  him,  for  thair  was  no  danger  of  intercommoning,  nethir 
carit  the  King  meikle  for  the  matter,  to  tell  him  from  quhom  he 
had  his  Instructiounes  at  Londoun.  He  answerit,  that  off  con- 
science he  wes  nocht  well  rememberit,  nor  wes  not  accquantit  with 
the  man  that  dclyvcrit  thame  ;  and  to  put  any  mania  name  in 
the  Kingis  hand  upon  conjecture  he  Avould  not.  So  Mr  Alex- 
ander, schewing  us  that  the  Erie  of  Glencairne,  and  Mr  Johne 
Gordoun,  would  not  come  againe  to  us,  and  it  drawing  neir  to 
evineing,  we  took  a  boat  and  com  to  Burstoune.1  That  day2  Counte 
de  Vaude-Mount,  brothir  to  the  Duke  of  Loraine,  and  Generall  of 
the  Venetian  Infantrie,  wes  lookit  for  to  come  to  Court  to  visit  the 
King  with  four  score  of  gentilmen  in  tryne,  quho  com  on  the  mornc. 
And  so  we  had  three  dayis  to  refresche  us  and  relax  our  myndis  ; 
durcing  the  quhilk  we  wer  visiting  the  feildis  about,  namely,  Non- 
suche  and  Kichmont ;  namely,  we  censurit  all  our  wordis  and  ac- 
tiounes,  with  thankfullnes  to  God  for  bypast  assistance,  and  prayer 
for  continowance  to  the  end. 

Sonday,  the  28  of  September,  writtin  for  by  Mr  Alexander  Hay, 
we  come  to  Court,  quhair  wes  prepairit  for  us  a  Koyall  Service, 
with  quhilk  the  haill  solemnitie  of  ceremonies  in  the  Kingis  Chappel, 
and  Doctor  Andrews,  then  Bischoppe  of  Exchester,  maid  the  ser- 
mone  on  the  tenth  of  Numberes,  of  the  tuo  trumpettis,  thairon  a 
long  discourse  ;  proveing,  that  the  conveincing  of  Assemblies  and 
Counseles,  and  dischairgeing  of  the  samyn,  pcrteinit  to  Christiane 
Kingis  and  Emperoures,  directly  against  his  text,  quhilk  sayis,  that 
the  sones  of  Aaron  should  blow  the  trumpets.  And  becaus  wc  wer 
attendit  on  by  no  honnest  man,  of  any  countinance,  to  leid  us  to 
dinner  as  befoir,  howbeit,  one  tauld  us  it  wes  ready  in  the  Q Heine's 
chalmer,3  as  befoir,  our  braines  full  of  wyne  and  musick,  and  our 
stomakes  emptic  of  victuallis,  we  come  home  to  dyne  at  Kingis- 
toune.  Being  at  supper,  ane  uthir  Lcttre  come  from  Mr  Alexander 
Hay,  biding  us  be  at  Court  to-morrow  againe-  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morneing,  for  the  Scottish  Counsel  wes  to  deall  with  us. 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  EJngstotuie,  *  lb.  "ni.xt."  '  lb.  "eloset." 


664  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

So,  on  Monounday,  the  29  of  that  moneth,  tymous  in  the  mornc- 
ing  as  we  wer  wairnit,  that  day  wes  Assembly  keipit  in  honour 
of  Saint  Michel ;  solemnly  keiped,  indeed,  with  strange  musick, 
and  hie  service  in  the  Kingis  Chappel ;  to  the  quhilk  Ave  wer  desyrit 
to  come,  and  commandit  to  bring  Mr  Andro  and  James  Melvill 
cheiffly,  be  Mr  Alexander  Hay,  at  the  Kingis  expres  command. 
The  said  Mr  Alexander,  becaus  of  the  great  thronge,  convoy  it  thame 
thairin  throucht  the  secreit  passage  throw  the  Chapplane's  chalmer. 
Mr  James  tauld  his  uncle  by  the  way,  that  it  wes  to  trappe  thame, 
and  assay  thair  patience,  in  cais  they  wer  hard  speik  or  wryt l  any 
thing  againes  that  superstitious  vanitie.  Thair  we  saw  the  King 
and  Quein  offer  at  the  altar,  quhilk  wes  decorit  with  tuo  bukes,  tuo 
basines  with  tuo  candelstickes  ;  and  upon  this  occasioun,  Mr  Andro 
maid  the  verses,  for  the  quhilk  thaireftir  he  was  trublit.  Thair  one 
of  the  Count  de  Vaudemontis  cumpanny,  a  German  man,  spake  in 
Latine,  in  the  hearing  of  many,  "  Ego  nunquam  vidi  talem  outturn  ! 
Nihil  hie  profecto  deest  de  solemna  missa,  preter  adorationem  transuh- 
stantiali  panis  /" 

Efter  service  we  waiteit  on  the  Counsell  till  twelve  houres ;  and, 
being  fasting,  we  wer  invited  to  breckfast  be  a  guid  freind,  quhair 
we  wer  sent  for  ones,  twyse,  thryse,  to  come  befoir  the  Scottish 
Counsel,  quhilk  had  sittin  long  calling  for  us.  Quhen  we  com, 
they  wer  angry  becaus  of  our  stay,  and  we  told  thame  we  had 
stayit  till  twelve  houres  a'clock  fasting,  and  wer  hungry,  and  could 
stay  no  longer.  Sederunt,  in  the  Erie  of  Dumbaris  house,  Argyll, 
Glencairne,  Orknay,  Wigtoun,  Dumbarr,  all  Erles,  Scone,  Control- 
ler, Advocat,  Hamiltoune,  Lindores,  Mr  Peter  Young,  Kilsyth. 
We  resolvit,  befoir  we  com  in,  to  make  answer  to  nothing,  bot  to 
crave  all  in  wryt  to  advisement,  bot  many  could  not  keep  that  re- 
solution. All  being  coram,  the  Erie  of  Dumbar  shew  us  it  wes  his 
Majestie's  will  that  the  Council,  thair  conveinit  in  that  kinde,  sould 
deall  with  us  severally  in  certaine  heidis  ;  quhairin  they  would 
pray  us  to  give  plain  and  cleir  answeris,  for  satisfactioun  of  his  Ma- 
jestie,  and  all  to  goe  furth  and  come  in  as  we  wer  callit. 
1  Adv.  MSS.  "sound,"  probably  tor  round  '»•  whisper. 


1606.  MR  JAMES   MELVILL'S  DIARY.  665 

Mr  James  Melvill,  first  callit,  compeirand,  wes  questiounit  by 
the  Advocat :  1.  Quhither  he  had  prayit  for  the  Britherine  in  pris- 
soun  ?  Quhither  he  allowit  the  keipeing  of  the  Assembly  at  Abir- 
dein,  and  the  declinatour  usit  be  tham  quho  keipit  the  same,  befoir 
the  Counsel  ?  3.  Quhither  this  wes  his  Lettre  writtin  to  the  Synod 
of  FyfF,  &c.  ?  He  answerit,  he  wes  a  frie  subject  of  the  kingdome 
of  Scotland,  quhilk  had  lawis  and  priveledges  of  its  awin,  as  any  in 
the  world,  to  the  quhilk  he  would  stand.  He  thoucht  thair  had 
bein  no  lawfull  summonds  lawfully  execut  againes  him  :  The  Nobil- 
men  thair  sitting,  nor  yit  he,  wes  not  at  home  in  thair  awin  native 
countrey  :  The  chairge  super  inquirendis  wes  long  syne  put  away 
and  abolischit,  as  iniquouse  and  injust :  He  wes  of  no  law  nor  reas- 
soun  bound  to  accuse  himselff,  be  furniseing  dittay  againes  himselff. 
He  desyrit  the  Nobillmen  quho  wer  thair  present  to  remember 
quhat  they  wer,  and  to  deal  with  him  (howbeit  ane  poor  man,  yit 
a  frie-born  gentil  Scotis-man)  as  they  would  be  content  to  be  usit 
thamselffis,  that  is,  by  the  lawis  of  Scotland.  The  Advocat,  nocht- 
withstanding,  urgit  him  to  answer  ;  with  quliom  he  interchangit 
sume  few l  sentences,  telling  him,  howbeit  he  had  not  studeit  in  the 
lawis  as  he  had,  yit  he  had  sume  piece  of  naturall  witt,  and  had 
bein  boith  lemit  and  taught  in  logic,  in  the  Scolis.  The  Erie  of 
Dumbar  sayis,  "  Mr  James,  will  ye  not  deinzie  the  Kingis  Majes- 
tie  with  ane  answer?"  "  With  all  submissive  reverence,"  said  he, 
"  iff  I  may  knaw  the  questioune,  and  haiff  tyme  to  advyse  on  ane 
guid  answer,  ye  sail  haiff  that,"  said  he,  "  and  I  sail  doe  all  duetie 
again,"  said  Mr  James.  "I  understand,"  sayis  the  Erie,  "  that  ye 
haiif  a  Supplicatioune  from  the  Ministercs  in  prissoun  to  the  King  ; 
will  ye  give  it  me  ?"  "  Yes,  my  Lord,  it  is  my  great  desyre  to  haiff 
it  presentit.  I  thank  your  Lordschip  for  mentiouneing  thairof, 
humbhe  intreiting  your  Lordschip  to  present  it  to  his  Majestic,  and 
to  helpe  thairin  quhat  your  Lordschip  can."  So  he  gave  it  to  him, 
and  wes  desyrit  to  remove  himselff  to  a  bed-chamber  thairin,  and2 
to  stay  quhill3  he  wes  callit  againe. 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  quick."  2  lb.  "  within,  there."  s  Until. 


$66  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G06. 

And  sua  wer  the  rest  callit  round  about,  and  sent  in  one  by  one 
to  him,  till  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  being  at  last  callit,  gaiflf  thame 
enought  of  it,  alse  plainely  and  scharplie  as  he  Aves  accustomit, 
namely,  telling  thame  flattly,  that  they  knew  not  quhat  they  did, 
and  wer  degenerat  from  the  antiant  nobilitie  of  Scotland,  quho  wer 
wont l  to  give  thair  landis  and  lyffes  for  the  fridom  of  the  kiugdome 
and  Gospel,  and  they  wer  bewraying  and  ovirturneing  the  same ! 
Till  it  became  laite,  and  eftir  sune-sett,  that  they  were  faine  to  di- 
mitt  us  to  the  nixt  calling  for. 

That  same  day,  befoir  noone,  Mr  James  Melvill,  walking  in  the 
great  Hall  of  the  Palice,  Mr  Doctor  Montague,  Deane  of  the 
Kingis  Chappel,  come  by,  with  quhom  Mr  James  had  this  confer- 
ence :  "  Will  it  pleas  yow,  Sir,"  (quoth  he,)  "  to  be  favourabill  to 
us  and  our  caus  at  the  Kingis  hand  ?"  "I  can  not,"  sayis  the  Doc- 
tor, "  for  ye  ar  againes  the  estait  of  our  Kirk,  that  is,  of  Bischoppis, 
quhilk  haith  bein  this  system  fyftein  hundrith  yeiris  in  the  Kirk  of 
Christ."  "  Not  so,"  said  he,  "  in  this  sort  of  Bisschoprick,  invol- 
vit  in  civill  and  worldly  effaires  cum  tipho 2  seculi  hujus  !  Such  was 
niver  in  the  Kirk  of  Chryst  but  since  the  Popes  of  Roome  declairit 
thamself  to  be  the  great  Antichryst."  "  Howsoevir,"  sayis  the 
Deane,  "  ye  ar  againes  our  Kirk  and  Bischoppes."  "  If  ye  truble 
not  us,  we  truble  not  yow,"  (quoth  he.)  "  Yes,"  sayis  the  Deane, 
u  ye  haiff  maid  mentioun  of  our  Bisschoppes  to  the  King  and  your 
Parhamcnt ! "  And  with  this  he  pulles  out  of  his  bosome  the  Pro- 
testatioune  givin  in  to  the  Parliament  at  Perthe,  and  poyntit  at  the 
place  quhair  it  mentiounit,  Papisticall  and  Angelicall  Bischoppes. 
"  Ay,  the  corruptioune  of  them  ! "  sayis  Mr  James,  "  and  I  pray 
yow,  Sir,  think  ye  not  thair  is  corruptioune  in  that  estait  ?"  "  I 
think  thair  may  be,"  said  he,  u  but  ye  deny  the  Kingis  Supremacie." 
"  None,"  sayeth  the  uthir,  "  that  he  sould  haiff  the  Supremacie  over 
the  Ministrie."  "  Yes,"  sayeth  he,  "  that  Supremacie  that  he  sould 
haifF  in  the  ministerial!  Kirk ;  the  quhilk  athir  the  Pope,  or  the 
Prince,  or  the  Presbyterie,  must  have."  "  The  Pope  sould  not,  wc  say 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  al waves  readio."  -  11).  uprmo." 


1606.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  667 

all."  "  Mr  Calvine  gives  it  to  the  Presbyterie,  and  soe  doe  we," 
sayeth  Mr  James.  "  Ay,"  saith  the  Doctour,  "  but  that  is  treassoun 
in  England,  for  the  Prince  hes  it  be  our  lawis."  "  But  not,"  saith 
the  uthir,  "  by  our  lawis  of  Scotland."  "  But  ye  must  haiff  it  sua 
in  Scotland  !"  saith  he  ;  and  sua  abruptly  went  his  way. 

Tuysday,  the  30  of  September,  we  wer  bidden  to  the  sermone 
againe  befoir  the  Kingis  removeall  from  Hamptoun  Court,  quhair 
Doctour  King  maid  a  most  violent  invective  againes  the  Presby- 
teries, cryeing  to  the  King,  "  Doune  !  Doune  with  thame  all!" 
The  quhilk  four  Sermones  wer,  by  commandement,  imprintit  soone 
eftir,  as  they  wer  purposely  long  befoir  prepairit  and  drcssit,  and 
this  day  every  ane  of  us  returnit  his  answer  in  wryt  to  the  Articles 
given  us  the  day  befoir,  everie  man  severallie,  to  the  samyn  effect 
and  substance,  as  we  had  answerit  in  word  befoir.  The  same  day 
also  the  King  enterit  in  his  progresse  Avith  Count  de  Vauddemount, 
and  becaus  thair  wes  a  grait  bussines,  we  behovit  to  haiff  patience 
that  day,  and  the  day  following. 

The  second  of  October,  we  wer  callit  befoir  the  Scotis  Counsel 
againe.  They  deliverit  to  us  thrie  Articles  in  wryt,  willing  us  to 
make  Answer  thairto  by  wrytt ;  every  man  severallie  to  tak  quhat 
tyme  he  pleisit,  and  to  goe  quhair  he  pleisit,  so  that  we  went  far 
from  Court,  and  maid  knawin  the  place  quhair  we  lay,  that  we  mycht 
be  fund  quhen  the  King  callit  for  us.  The  Articles  follow,  quhilk 
we  desyrit  to  be  subscrivit  be  the  Counsel ;  quhilk  they  refusit, 
and  commandit  Mr  Alexander  Hay  to  subscryve  for  thame,  quhilk 
he  did. 

ARTICLES  QUHAIRUNTO  MR  ANDRO  MELYILL,  MR  JAMES  MELVILL, 
MR  JAMES  BALFOURE,  MR  WILLIAME  SCOTT,  MR  JOHNE  CAR- 
MICHEL,  MR  WILLIAME  WATSOUN,  MR  ROBERT  WALLACE,  MR 
AD  Ail  COLT,  AR  DESYRIT,  IN  HIS  MAJESTIES  NAME,  TO  GIVE 
THAIR  DIRECT  ANSWERES ;  EVERY  ANE  OF  THEM  SEVERALLIE 
FOR  THAME  SELFIS. 

"  I.  Consider,  quhither  if  or  not  they  haiff  transgressit    thair 


668  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

duetie,  in  making  publict  prayeres  for  thair  Britherine  in  waird,  as 
being  afflictit,  and  ar  willing  to  craiv  his  Majestie's  favour,1  thair- 
foir,  sieing  that  thair  said  Britherine  bydis  in  waird  for  just  causses, 
and  be  anc  just  sentence  of  ane  lawfull  Judge,  standing  unquerrelit 
and  unreduceit  ? 

"  II.  Quhither  they  acknawledge  his  Majestie,  be  prerogative 
of  his  auctoritie  royall,  as  a  Christian  King,  to  haiff  lawfull  and  full 
power  to  convocat,  prorogat,  and  desert,  upoun  just  and  necessary 
causses  knawin  to  him,  the  Assemblie  of  the  Kirk  within  his  Ma- 
jestie's dominions? 

"  III.  Giff  his  Majestie,  be  his  auctoritie  royall,  lies  not  lawful! 
and  sufficient  power  to  call  and  convein  befoir  his  Majestie's  Coun- 
sel quhatsumevir  persoun  or  persounes,  civil  and  ecclesiastical!,  for 
quhatsumevir  faidtis,2  and  give  sentence  thairannent ;  and  iff  all  his 
Majestie's  subjectis  be  astricted  to  compeir,  being  citit  befoir  his 
Majestie  and  Counsel,  to  answer,  acknawledge,  and  obey  his  Ma- 
jestie and  his  Counselis  judgment  in  the  said  effaires  ?3 — 2  of  Octo- 
ber, 1606." 

"  The  Articles  above  writtin,  be  his  Majestie's  Counsel,  appoyn- 
tit  to  be  deliverit  out  of  my  hand  to  the  Ministeres  above  men- 
tiounit,  be  his  Majestie's  speciall  command, 

"  Alexk.  Hay." 

Incontinent  eftir  our  actioun  at  Hamptoun  Court,  Mr  James 
Elphistoune,  Secretar,  wes  directit  away  to  Scotland,  with  commis- 
sioune  to  pronounce  the  sentence  and  doome  againes  the  prissoun- 
eres  in  Blaknes;  and  unles  they  would  acknawledge4  thair  offence, 
and  craveing  forgivenes,  come  in  his  Majestie's  will,  to  be  banischit 
off"  his  Majestie's  dominiounes,  namely,  the  sex  attaintit;  and  the 
rest  to  be  confynit,  sume  in  the  Lewis/'  and  sume  in  Kintyre,  and 
sume  in  Caitnes ;  the  most  barbarrous  pairtis  of  the  realmc. 


1  Adv.  MSS.  "  carry  his  Majestie's  feed,"  feud,  enmity.  2  lb-  "  offences" 

3  lb.  "  offences."  '  //'•  "  confess."  ■  Lewi.-,,  one  of  the  largest  of  the 

Hebrides  or  Western  Islands. 

l 


1606.  J1K  JAMES  MBLVILL'S  DIARY.  069 


THE  MANER  OF  [THE  M1NISTERES]  THAIR  PAIRTENTG  FROM  SCOT- 
LAND WES  WRITTIN  TO  US,  AS  FOLLOWIS. ' 

"  I  wrett  a  Lettre  to  yow,  Ryclit  Reverend,  from  Lcith,  the  6th 
of  November,  concerneing  the  Britherine  in  Blaknes,  quho  imbarkit 
the  7  of  the  same  instant;  [quhois  depairtour  wes  boith  joy  full2] 
and  sorrowfull  to  many :  Joyfull,  in  that  many  guid  folkis  quho 
Aver  present  saw  thair  constancie  and  courage  to  stand  for  the  guid 
caus  they  had  in  hand :  But  sorrowfull,  becaus  the  land  is  deprivit 
of  sua  notabill  lightis  as  they  ar.  The  maner  of  thair  depairtoure 
wes  this :  The  6  of  November,  about  four  eftirnoone,  they  wer  de- 
syrit  to  come  to  the  boat  quhilk  Aves  prepairit  for  thame,  be  the 
Watter-Baillie  of  Leith  and  Edinburgh ;  quho,  obeying,  come,  ac- 
companeit  with  sume  of  thair  dearest  freindis  and  wyiffes  to  the 
peire,  quhair  thair  wes  a  guid  number  of  peiple  waiting  on,  to  tak 
the  guid-night 3  at  thame,  and  to  sie  thame,  but  eftir  thair  dimming 
hither,  Mr  Johne  Welsche  conceivit  a  prayer,  quhilk  bred  great 
motioune  in  the  heartis  of  all  the  heareres.  Prayer  endit,  they  tuk 
guid  nycht  of  thair  freindis,  wyffes,  and  many  uthir  wel-willeres  quho 
wer  present,  enterit  into  the  boat,  quhair  they  remainit  a  guid  space 
waitting  on  the  skipper,  quho,  becaus  he  wes  not  ready  that  nycht 
to  goe  aboard,  and  lyeing  in  the  schipp,  they  wer  desyrit  by  the 
Watter-Bailyie,  either  to  goe  aboard  and  lye  in  the  schipp  that 

1  The  six  Ministers  who  were  tried  for  treason  at  Linlithgow,  before  Mr  William 
Hairt  of  Levelands,  Justice-Depute,  and  twenty  Assessors,  (composed  of  the  Lord 
Chancellor,  and  Lords  of  the  Privy  Council,)  on  10th  January  1G0G,  were  Mr  John 
Forbes,  Mr  John  Welsh,  Mr  Robert  Durie,  Mr  Andrew  Duncan,  Mr  Alexan- 
der Strauchane,  and  Mr  John  Sharpe.  The  reader  is  referred  for  the  details  of 
these  most  oppressive  proceedings  to  Pitcairn's  Criminal  Trials,  II.  494-504  ;  Wod- 
row's  Church  Hist.,  pp.  506-5 1G  ;  Hailes  Memorials  and  Letters,  Jac.  I.  pp.  1-4; 
Cook's  Hist,  of  Ch.  of  Scot ,  II.  160  et  seq.  ;  M'Crie's  Life  of  Melville,  II.  201  et 
seq.  ;  and  Cahlerwood's  Hist.,  p.  509  et  seq.,  &c.  Doom  and  sentence  of  banish- 
ment was  pronounced  on  them,  Oct.  23,  1606,  in  the  Court  of  Justiciary,  and  the 
above  is  an  aflfectiDg  account  of  their  embarkation  at  Leith — Ed.  *  Not  in 

Adv.  MSS.  3  Taking  farewell. 


670  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G0G. 

nyclit  without  the  skipper,  or  eles  to  goe  to  thair  ludgeing  that 
nycht,  and  be  redy  at  the  nixt  call. 

"  They,  by  Godis  speciall  providence,  chusite  to  goe  to  thair  ludge- 
ing ;  for  that  nycht  come  on  a  great  storme,  that  the  schippe  wes 
forcit  to  saiff  her  selff  in  Kinghorne  road  all  that  nycht.  They  wer 
callit  againe  by  tuo  houres  in  the  momeing ;  quho,  obeying,  come  to 
the  schore  and  peer,  accompanieit  as  the  nycht  befoir,  no  small  con- 
curse  of  peiple  being  with  thame,  beyond  expectatioune,  so  airly  to 
sie  thame  boat.  Prayer  conceivit  as  befoir,  by  Mr  Johne  Welsche, 
they  imbarkit,  giving  many  exhortatiounes  to  all  to  hold  fast  the 
truth  of  the  doctrine  quhilk  they  had  deliverit ;  for  the  quhilk,  they 
doutit  no  thing  to  lay  doun  thair  lyffis,  let  be  to  suffer  banischment ; 
adding  thairto,  that  quhilk  they  sufferit  wes  the  great  joy  of  thair 
conscience.  In  the  meane  tyme,  the  marineris  haistit  thame  away, 
they  not  being  abill  to  speik  longer,  nor  we  to  heir,  that  boith  the 
courage  and  joye  they  had  in  God  mycht  be  manifest  to  all,  they 
depairt.it  out  of  our  sycht,  making  us  to  heir  the  confortabill  joye 
quhilk  they  had  in  God,  in  singing  a  Psalme.  Blissit  be  God,  quho 
maid  that  actioun  glorious,  and  gracit  them  in  the  heartis  and  eyis 
of  all  that  lookit  on  thame,  and  graunt  me  grace,  for  my  pairt,  niver 
to  forget  it ! 

"  The  Bischops,  returneing  from  England,  presentit  a  Proclama- 
tioune  to  the  Presbyterie,  that  no  Minister  soidd  be  so  bauld,  under 
the  pain  of  death,  as  to  pray  for  thame ;  lykAvayis  ane  Lettre  came 
from  the  Counsel,  schawing  them  that  it  wes  his  Majestie's  will, 
that,  the  Ministeres  of  the  Presbyterie  sould  supplie  thair  roumes 
that  wer  put  away,  till  he  saw  to  the  planting  of  thair  Kirkes.  I 
may  well  regrat  the  miserabill  estait  of  this  Presbyterie,  above  any 
of  the  land,  sen  thai  and  the  rest  left  it !  God  amend  it !  To  quhom 
we  ceise  not  to  commend  yow." 


1G0G.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  671 


THE  PROCLAMATIOUNE,  MENTIOUNIT  EST  THIS  FORMER 
LETTRE,  BY  THE  KING. 

"  Quhairas  diverse  of  the  Ministerie  of  that  our  realme  of  Scot- 
land, patrounes,  as  it  seimit,  of  that  contemptuous  Conventicle  at 
Abirdeine,  the  2  of  July  1605,  by  a  little  handfull  of  the  basest  and 
most  ignorant  sort  of  that  professioun ;  quhois  seditious  proceid- 
ingis  being  first  condemnit  by  our  Counsel  in  that  kingdome,  and 
thaireftir  the  samyn,  by  the  Commissiouneres  of  the  Generall  As- 
sembly, declairit  to  be  no  lawfull  meitting ;  and  the  principall  auc- 
toris  of  that  Conventicle,  haiffing  incurrit  the  paines  of  treassoun 
for  thair  treassounabill  declyneing  of  our  Counselis  auctoritie,  for 
the  quhilk  they  wer  convictit  in  a  Justice  [Court,]  holdin  at  Lith- 
gow,  the  10  of  Januar  last  bypast,  doe  not  spair,  in  thair  ordinarie 
sermounes  and  excercises,  and  in  thair  prayeres,  to  remember  thais 
convicted  traitoures,  as  distressit,  afflictit,  or  persecutit  Britherine, 
praying  for  thair  deliverie ;  implying  thairby  us  to  be  tyrantes,  and 
our  govemement  tyrannicall ;  to  the  high  contempt  of  us  and  our 
auctoritie,  as  without  all  example  of  ony  tyme  formerlie  observit  in 
ony  Christiane  Kirk.  Our  will  and  pleassoure  is,  heirfoir,  that  by 
oppin  proclamatioune  at  our  mercat-crosse  of  our  burght  of  Edin- 
burght,  and  all  uthir  places  neidfull,  in  our  name  and  auctoritie, 
command  all  and  quhatsomevir  Ministeres  of  that  our  kingdome, 
be  inhibit  and  dischairgit,  that  none  of  thame  presume,  or  at  any 
tyme  heireftir  to  remember  in  thair  sermounes  and  prayeres  any 
of  thais  convictit  traitouris,  or  any  uthir  of  than*  Britherin  quho  ar 
in  waird,  als  guiltie  of  the  same  treassoune,  neithir  any  way  mak 
mentioun  of  thame,  eithir  generally  or  particularly  of  thame,  in  any 
of  thair  publict  excercises,  eithir  in  preiching  or  prayeres,  (except 
it  be  in  disallowing  than-  proceidingis,)  under  the  pain  of  death,  to 
be  inflictit  with  all  rigour  upon  sic  as  will  presume  to  controvein 
presently  the  command  of  this  our  present  change :  Commanding 
thairby  expresselie  the  Loi'dis  of  our  Counsel,  Shereffes,  Bailyies, 


672  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

and  all  uthiris  Magistrates  quhatsomevir,  alseweill  in  regalitie  as  in 
rovaltie,  Provestis  and  Bailyies  of  our  burghtia  within  townes,  and 
all  Barronis,  and  Gcntillmen  of  any  qualitie,  within  our  kingdome, 
that  iff  any  of  thame  be  present  at  any  sic  excercises,  preaching, 
and  prayers,  quhair  thais  traitoures  and  utheris  followeris  salbe 
favourabillie  remembered,  that  incontinent  upoun  the  end  of  the 
sermone  thai  caus  the  Minister,  trespasser  heirin,  to  be  takin,  and 
then  committit  to  the  neirest  waird ;  and  eftir  acquanting  our  Coun- 
sel thairwith,  that  they  bring  sufficient  prooff  and  verificatioune 
thairof  befoir  thame,  to  the  effect  that  the  same  may  be  condignely 
punischit,  and  that  uthires  may  be  terrifieit  by  thair  example  from 
committing  the  lyk  :  And  our  further  plesour  and  will  is,  that  prin- 
tit  coppies  of  this  our  chairge  be  delyvered  to  the  principall  Ma- 
gistratis,  boith  to  burght  and  landwart,  and  to  all  the  Ministeres  of 
any  principall  burght  within  that  our  realme,  that  none  dar,  be  any 
maner  of  way,  pretend  ignorance  heirof.  Givin  at  our  Court  at 
Hamptoun,  the  26  of  September  1606.     God  saiffthe  King. 

"  Printit  at  Edinbruche  by  Robert  Charteres,  printer  to  the 
Kingis  most  excellent  Majestie,  anno  1606." 

Mononday,  the  sext  of  October,  Mr  Williame  Scott  and  Mr 
Williame  Watsoune  wer  sent  for  by  the  Archbischope  of  Canter- 
berrie  ;  and  eftir  long  conferrence,  he  propounit  to  thame  thrie 
Questiounes,  quhilk  he  wald  haiff  given  tham  in  wryt ;  bot  they 
would  not  ressaive  thame,  leist  that  sould  haif  brought  on  a  dispu- 
tatioune. 


THE  QUESTIOUNES,  AS  THEY  WER  REPORTIT,  WEE  THAIS. 

"  1.  Quhither,  in  any  of  the  Antiantis,  the  name  of  the  Presby- 
ter wes  found  givin  to  any  that  [had  not ']  teichit  the  Word  and 
ministerit  the  Sacramentis  ? 

"  2.  Quhither,  ever  among  the  Auntiauntis  we  red  of  a  Presby- 

1  Not  in  Univ.  MS. 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  673 

teric  or  Ecclesiastic  Senat, '  that  had  [not 2]  in  it,  and  above  it,  a 
Bischope  ? 

"  3.  Quhither  the  nam  of  a  Bischope,  in  the  Antiantis,  wes  found 
given  to  ony  qnho  had  no  superioritie  above  the  Presbyterie,  or 
Ecclesiastical  Synod,  and  the  rest  of  the  Presbyterie  and  Clergie  V 

\Ye  understood  also,  by  thame,  that  the  Archbisschop  had  gottin 
directioun  from  the  King  to  conferr  with  ns  all,  and  travell  to  con- 
vert us  ;  but  he  fand  thais  tuo  Brither  so  hard  of  his  lair, 3  that  he 
dispairit  to  call  for  thame  again,  or  for  any  moe  of  us.  We  under- 
stood also  that  thair  wes  moe  nor  ane  hundred  Missive  Lettres, 
wryttin  and  signettit,  to  be  directit  home  to  Scotland  about  sume 
great  matter  ;  quhilk  eftirwaird  we  knew  to  be  for  the  Conventioun 
at  Linlithgow. 

Twysday,  the  7  of  October,  Mr  Andro  Melvill  and  Mr  James  Mel- 
vill  were  callit  to  be  accquantit  with  a  wyse,  godly,  and  worschip- 
full  antient  Knight,  Sir  P.  Haistis,4  quho  thankit  God  exceidingly, 
and  congratulat  to  us  greitly  the  haill  actioune  at  Hamptoun  Comt ; 
schaAving,  that  it  wes  meikle  talkit  of,  and  commendit  amongst  all, 
and  would  doe  much  good,  not  only  to  our  Kirk,  but  to  uthiris, 
namely,  that  courage  and  friedome  of  speiche,  and  constant  stand- 
ing to  the  truth  of  the  caus.  Thais  Britheris  and  many  the  lyk 
approbatiounes,  togidder  with  the  rest  of  the  particularis  of  these 
eight  Britherine's  privat  actiounes  and  conferrences,  I  ovirpasse, 
and  will  now  proceid  to  thair  deiling  with  the  King,  and  of  his 
Majestie  with  thame. 

Amongis  the  Britherine  of  the  Ministerie  quho  stuid  with  the 
Bisschopes  againis  us  at  Hamptoun  Court,  than  wes  one  Mr  James 
Nicolsoune,  a  man  of  many  guid  qualities  and  deipe  natural]  witt, 
quho,  the  7th  day  of  December,  before  mentiounit  in  the  beginning 
of  this  Historic,  wes  a  cheife  counsellor  amongis  us,  in  all  his  pro- 
ceidingis,  and  a  standert-beirer  amongis  the  Conmiis.-iouneres  of  the 


1  Adv.  MSS.  "Ecclesiastical  Synod."  *  Not  in  Univ.  MS.  I  earning, 

tuition.  4  Left  blank  in  Adv.  MSS. 

2   i 


674  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  100(5. 

Kirk,  and  quhois  boitli  pen  and  mouth  wes  most  in  all  thais  ac- 
tiouncs.  This  man  wes  now  broken  to  tak  in  ane  Bisschopricke, 
and  become  to  the  King  cheiff  counsellere  againes  us  in  all  his 
proceidingis,  without  our  Kirk.  He  wes  the  speciall  familiar  of 
sume  of  us,  quhom  we  boith  lovit  and  reverencit ;  and,  thairfoir,  we 
thought  guid  to  send  unto  him  tuo  of  our  number,  and  his  great 
accquantance,  Mr  Williame  Scott  and  Mr  Johne  Carmichel,  quho, 
quhen  they  had  talkit  with  him,  and  conferrit,  fand  small  content- 
ment; yit  they  deliverit  to  him  all  our  Answeres  to  the  Articles  givin 
us  by  the  Counsel,  expouneing  to  him  also  our  Greiffes,  as  the 
King  desyrit  we  schould  :  The  substance  of  the  quhilk  followis,  for 
we  wer  all  conforme  to  one  effect,  howbeit  sume  more  lairge  nor 
uthiris  ;  and  becaus  it  wes  givin  out  sclanderousely  that  wc  agrieit 
with  the  Papistis  in  denyeing  the  Kingis  supremacie,  and  were  un- 
rully,  rebellious,  and  unreverent,  we  usit  the  greitter  submissioune. 


WITH  ALL  SUBMISSIOUN,  HUMILITIE,  AND  REVERENCE,  TO  THE 
KINGIS  SACREID  MAJESTIE,  AND  WITH  ALL  HEARTIE  AFFEC- 
TIOUNE  TO  HIS  GRANDNES,  AND  EXTOLLING  ABOVE  ALL  MEM 
UPON  THE  FACE  OF  THE  EARTH,  JAMES  MELVILL's  ANSWER 
TO  THE  QUESTIOUN  PROPOUNIT  BY  His  M  V.TESTIE's  MOST 
HONORABILL  COUNSEL. 

"  1 .  I  can  not  conceive  a  transgrcssioun  of  duetie  in  praying  for 
our  Britherinc  ;  the  command  and  the  warrand  being  sua  cleir  in 
the  Word  of  God,  I  Tim.  ii.  1  ;  1  John  v.  16  ;  Hcbr.  xiii.  3.  And 
if  I  could  conceive  any  prostrat  at  his  Majestic' s  fcit,  with  my  face 
upon  the  ground,  I  would  ask  Avillinglie,  and  most  humblie  craiw 
pardoune  and  favour. 

"  2.  The  lawes  of  the  realme,  the  judgment,  practise,  and  con- 
stitutiounes  of  on  Kirk,  are  cleir  heirannent ;  and  if  thair  be  any 
doubt  remaining,  if  it  is  by  the  law  and  estait  of  the  realme,  let  it 
be  resolvit  by  the  nixt  Gcnerall  Assemblie,  to  the  quhilk  by  the 
haill  Synod  it  is  referrit. 


1006.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.        *  1)75 

"  3.  The  third  is  civill,  for  the  most  pairt  maid  of  many  interro- 
gatiounes,  and  not  thairfoir  to  be  simplely  answerit ;  and  iff  it  be 
donbtit  off,  it  is  be  the  law  and  estaitis  of  the  realme  to  be  ressol- 
vit :  And  for  judging  of  the  Ministeres  in  matteres  spirituall  and 
meir  ecclesiasticall,  such  as  concernes  thair  calling  and  poyntis  of 
thair  Ministerie  ;  the  quhilk,  as  they  have  oft  in  Jesus  Chryst  and 
in  his  Kirk,  [alenerlie,  togidder  with  the  Jurisdictioun  of  the  Kirk, '] 
quhat  it  is,  and  how  it  differes  from  the  civill  Magistratis  Jurisdic- 
tioun and  power,  the  statutis  of  the  realme,  the  judgmentis  prac- 
tisit,  and  constitutioun  of  the  Kirk,  the  Kingis  Majestie's  Declara- 
tioune  at  Linlithgow,  and  in  diverse  Generall  Assemblies,  arc  most 
cleir  and  evident ;  to  the  quhilk  I  stand,  till  God  teich  my  con- 
science better :  Protesting  befoir  the  great  God  of  heavin  and  earth, 
that  iff  I  thought  it  nocht  a  sinne  againes  Jesus  Chryst,  the  Lord 
of  lordis,  and  King  of  kingis,  and  so  most  dangerous  to  the  Kingis 
Majestie's  persoun,  croun,  and  estait,  to  ascry  ve  2  any  further  to  him, 
thair  is  none  living  wald  be  glaider  to  imploye  quhat  lyis  in  his 
abilitie  for  avoweing,  maintaining,  and  standing  to  the  same  to  his 
uttirmost,  then  poore 

"  James  Melvill." 

The  caus  of  our  detentioune,  howbeit,  in  truth,  it  wes  to  with- 
hold us  till  they  had  effectuat  matteres  at  home,  yit  they  gave  it 
out  to  be  for  that  we  had  not  givin  in  our  Answeres  and  Greives 
with  our  advyse,  how  the  Kirk  might  be  paciefieit :  Thairfor,  avc 
thought  meitt  that  all  sould  goc  in  befoir  Mr  James  Nicolsoune 
went  away,  of  whom  we  lookit  for  favour,  he  being  now  almost  the 
Kingis  only  counseller  in  all  thais  matteres,  and  quho  wee  with  the 
Erie  of  Dumbar,  to  enter  to  his  journey. 

1  Not  in  Adv.  MSS.  '  Ascribe. 


67(3  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 


FOLLOWS  THE  GREIVANCES,  AND  ADVYSE   HOW  TO  PACIEFIE 
THE  KIEK. 

"  Pleis  your  most  excellent  Majestie  to  heir  the  Greives  quhilk 
your  Majestie  desyrit  us  to  give  upe  unto  your  Hienes  for  redress- 
ing, as  also  our  Advyse  for  paciefieing  the  estait  of  our  Kirk :  We 
are  greivit  that  this  four  yeiris,  the  Generall  Assemblie  of  the  Kirk 
of  Scotland  lies  bein  prorogat  in  so  neidfull  and  dangerous  a  tyme, 
quhen  all  estaites  ar  so  cairfull  of  thair  priviledgis ;  and  Papists, 
Atheistis,  and  licentious  persounes,  conteinneres  of  the  Word  and 
Discipline  of  the  Kirk,  incresses  and  aboundes  :  We  ar  grivit  that 
fourtein  Ministeres  sould  lye  holden  yeir  and  day  in  waird  and 
prissoune,  from  thair  flockes  and  families,  quhilk  the  hand  of  God 
is  stricking  sua  sore  by  the  plague  of  the  pestilence  amongis  tham  : 
We  ar  grived  that  the  Commissiouneres  of  the  Kirk,  that  voitis  in 
Parliament  in  name  thairoff,  had  nethir  enterit  in  that  office  nor 
behavit  thame  selffes  thairin,  according  to  thais  Cautiounes  and 
Orders  sett  down  thairunto  by  your  Majestie,  in  the  Generall  As- 
semblie holdin  at  Montrose ;  and  namely,  that  these  Cautiounes, 
ordained  to  be  insert  in  the  actis  of  parliament  to  be  maid  in  thair 
favour,  howbeit  offerit  be  the  Commissiouneres  of  the  Generall  As- 
sembly, were  refusit  and  rejectit  at  Perth  :  We  ar  grivit  that  the 
Commissiouneres  of  the  Generall  Assembly  maid  no  tymeous  and 
faythfull  wairneing   to  the  Presbyteries  of  your  Majestie's   will 
annent  the  prorogatioune  of  the  Assembly  appoyntit  be  your  Ma- 
jestie to  be  haldin  at  Abirdeine,  quhilk  wes  the  first  cans  of  all  this 
trubill,  and  yit  sume  of  thame  satt  in  Counsel,  and  wer  fordward  in 
condenmeing  thair  Britherine  in  prissoune  :  We  ar  grivit  that  your 
Majestie's  Commissiouncr,  Lauristoun,  his  unfaithfull,  foolich,  and 
false  deiling  at  Aberdein,  the  nixt  and  most  caus  of  your  Majestie's 
offence,  most   evidently  may  be  sein,   and   of  the   trubill  of  the 
Britherin :  We  arc  grivit  at  all  the  wrongis  quhilk  thais  Britherine 
alledges  done  unto  thame ;  most  humbilly  beseiking  your  Majestic 
to  examine,  consider,  and  amende  thame,  as,  nixt  under  God,  to 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  (377 

doe  the  same :  We  ar  grivit  that  we  ar  deteinit  so  long  frome  our 
flockes  and  famelies  in  so  dangerous  a  tyme  of  the  plague  of  pesti- 
lence, and  uthir  great  necessities  :  All  the  quhilk  Greivances,  if  it 
wald  pleis  your  gracious  Majestie  to  tak  it  to  heart,  we  dar  be  an- 
swerabill  for  it,  upon  the  redresse  thairof,  that  the  estaite  of  our 
Kirk  salbe  paciefiet." 

The  5  of  November,  the  Parliament  of  England  sat  doun  againe, 
quhilk  maid  us  to  be  excluded  againe  from  all  actioun  and  dealing 
for  our  selffes  at  Court.  In  the  meintyme,  we  keipit  ane  honnest 
tabille  and  ludgeing  hous  altogidder,  quhairunto  resorted  many 
honest  men  and  Britherin  of  the  best  sort :  So,  haiffing  comfortabill 
commoditic  of  our  being  togidder,  we  thought  it  guid  to  tak  us  to 
sume  guid  excerceise  of  the  Word  and  prayer,  and  fasting,  joynit 
with  humiliatioune,  one  day  in  the  weik,  namely,  becaus  of  the  dan- 
gerous deilling  at  home,  that  the  Britherin  thair  mycht  be  constant 
that  God  in  mercie  wald  give  unfainyieit  repentance  to  our  hail! 
Kirk,  baith  Pastour  and  peiple,  for  the  lycht,  estimatioune,  and 
fruitless  abuse  of  the  Gospel,  so  sincerely  and  friely  continowit  so 
long  a  tyme  in  our  country  ;  and,  for  the  quhilk,  this  heavie  dis- 
sipatioune l  and  danger  of  greater  corruptionne,  wes  hinging  on  ; 
that  it  mycht  pleas  God,  with  his  mercifull  eye,  to  look  doun  againe 
unto  his  awin  Sion,  to  gadder  him  againe  his  disperssit,  [and]  to 
repair  the  breiches.  That  excercise  continowit  about  ane  moneth ; 
in  the  meintyme,  not  ceisseing,  by  all  occasiounes  of  all  our  freindis, 
to  give  in  our  Supplicatioune  to  the  Kingis  Majestie,  and  to  use  all 
meines  quhat  we  could  for  our  friedome.  The  effect  we  fand  wes, 
on  Sonday  the  13  of  November,  Mr  Alexander  Hay  come  to  our 
ludgeing,  sent,  as  he  said,  from  the  King,  to  intimate  ane  ordi- 
nance for  wairding  of  every  ane  of  us  with  a  several!  Bisschoppe, 
so  greitlie  wes  our  remaineing  togidder  invyed  :  For  boith  the 
King  and  the  Bisschoppcs,  namely  of  Canterbury,  had  (heir  spyes, 
quho,  under  coullour  of  freindly    visitatioune,  reportit    boith  our 

1  So  in  all  the  MSS.      Probablj  For  dispensatioun, 


678  II I E  CONTINUATION'  OF  1606. 

speiches  and  actiounes ;  viz.  Mr  Andro  Melville  with  the  Bisschoppe 
of  Winchester,  Doctor  Bilsonne ;  Mr  James  Balfour  with  Nor- 
witch,  Doctor  Bigom  ;  Mr  William  Scott  with  Peter  Burrow,1 
Doctor  Done  ;  Mr  Johne  Carmichel  with  York,  Doctor  Matthow  ; 
Mr  Williame  Watsoune  with  Londoun,  Doctor  Vaintham  ; 2  Mi- 
Adam  Colt  with  Salisberry,  Doctor  Ravisch ; 3  Mr  Robert  Wal- 
lace with  Rochester,  Doctor  Barlow  ;  Mr  James  Melvill  with 
Duresm,4  Mr  D.  James. 

This  movit  us  all  to  great  indignatioune  and  anger  ;  so  that  Mr 
Alexander  [Hay]  wes  laid  upoun  us  all,  round  about,  and  in  end 
ressavit  this  answer  :  "  If  we  had  committit  any  cryme,  let  us  be 
judgit  orderly  and  punischit ;  uthirwayis,  we  would  not  disschonnour 
God,  the  King,  and  our  callingis,  to  goe  and  ly  at  sic  menis  houssis, 
but  would  rathir  chuse  imprissonement  or  banischement."  We 
maist  humbilly  againe  besought  his  Majestie  to  regaird  his  awin 
honour,  quho  had  writtin  for  us  so  fairlie,  the  honour  of  our  Kirk 
and  countrie,  affirmeing  bauldly  that  they  wer  not  guid  Counselleres 
quho  had  mentiounit  that.  This,  and  meikle  moir,  wes  reportit  be 
Mr  Alexander  Hay.  We  hard  no  moir  of  that  matter  till  anc 
quarter  of  ane  yeir  wes  donne;  and  eftir  being  mychtily  afirayit  thair- 
with,  we  wer  fain  to  breck  up  our  societie,  quhilk  wes  sua  invyit ; 
but  befoir  we  severit/'  we  thought  it  most  ncedfull  that  the  four 
aermounes  that  we  hard  at  Hamptoun  Court,  and  now  ar  newly 
publischit  in  prent,  sould  be  answerit ;  quhilk  travell  we  committit 
to  thame  quho  thought  thame  selffis  best  disposit  for  the  same.  Unto 
anc  of  the  numbir  we  injoynit  to  note  and  mark  eligantly  all  pro- 
eccdingis,  for  informatioune  to  ane  Historie,  as  it  mycht  plea- 
God  to  grant  this  benefit  thairof  to  the  posteritie. 

Sunday,  the  last  of  November,  Mr  Alexander  Hay  sent  ane  Lettre, 
dcsyreing,  in  the  Kingis  name,  Mr  Andro  Melvill  and  James  Mel- 
vill, with  Robert  Wallace,  to  come  to  his  chalmer  at  Quhithall  by 
anc  of  the  clock.  Coincing,  he  tauld  us  that  thair  wes  ccrtainc 
Verses  maid  in  Latine,  com  in  the  Kingis  hand,   for  the  quhilk  we 

1  Tin-  Bishop  of  Peterborough.        -  Adv.  MS*.  ••  Wathand."        '  //'.  ••  Beants." 
1  The  Bishop  ..f  Durham.  ^dv.  MSS.  "  separated  ' 


1606.  MB  JAMBS  MELYILL's  DIAE1  .  l'>7'.> 

wer  to  be  callit  befoir  the  Counsel  of  England ;   and  so  we  wer 
eallit  by  and  bye. 

Mr  Andro  Melvill  called,  confessit  that  he  had  maid  such  Verses, 
being  much  movit  in  his  mynd  with  indignatioun  to  sie  such  vani- 
ties1 and  superstitioun  in  a  Chrystiane  Reformed  Kirk,  under  a 
Chrystiane  King,  borne  and  brought  upe  in  the  lycht  of  the  Gos- 
pell  most  sincerely,  bcfoir  idollateres,  to  confirme  thame  in  the 
same,  and  grcive  the  heartis  of  true  worsehipperes.  And  being 
spokin  unto  by  the  Archebisschoppe  of  Canterburie,  quho  satt  upp- 
most  at  the  Counsell  table,  on  the  right  hand,  tuik  occasiounc 
plainely  in  his  face,  befoir  the  Counsell,  to  tell  him  all  his  mynd, 
quhilk  burst  out  as  inclossit  fyre  in  watter  !  He  burdeinit  him  with 
all  thais  corruptiounes  and  vanities,  and  superstitiounes,  Avith  pro- 
fanatioune  of  the  Sabbath  day,  silenceing,  imprisBOuning,  and  bcir- 
ing  doun  of  the  true  and  faithfull2  Preicheres  of  the  Word  of  God, 
of  setting  and  holding  upe  of  Antichrystiane  Hierarchic  and 
Popische  Ceremonies  ;  and  taking  him  by  the  quhyt  sleives  of  his 
rocket,3  and  schaiking  them,  in  his  manner,  frielie  and  roundlie, 
callit  thame  "  Romishe  ragis,  and  a  pairt  of  the  Beastes  mark  !" 
He  tauld  him  further,  that  iff  he  wes  the  authour  of  the  buik  inti- 
tulat,  "  Scotiseing  Genevating  Discipline,"  he  estimit  him  the  capi- 
tall  encmie  of  all  Reformed  Churches  in  Europe  ;  and  would  pro- 
fesse  him  enemie  to  him  and  all  such  proceidingis,  to  the  effusioun 
of  the  last  droppe  of  all  the  blood  in  his  bodie  ;  being  uncessantely 
grivit  at  his  verie  heart  to  sie  a  man  have  the  Kingis  care,  and  to 
sitt  so  hight  in  that  honourabill  Counsel  of  England  !  &c.  He  paintit 
out  alsoe  Bisschoppe  Barlo  for  the  wrytting  of  "The  Conferrence 
at  Hamptoun  Court,"  quhairin  he  had  sett  doun  that  "  the  King 
wes  in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  but  nocht  of  it,"  and  uthir  such  horri- 
bill  speiehes ;  marvelling  that  such  a  one  avcs  unpunisehit,  and  ex- 
amplarilie,  for  making  the  King  of  no  Religioune  !  And  entering  in 
his  sermounes  maid  last  at  Hamptoun  Court   befoir  the  King,  he 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  mom  :'  lb  '  1 


680  rHE  CONTINUATION  OF  1600. 

refutit  the  same  so  long  as  he  gat  audience  and  permissioune  ;  but 
he  wes  oft  interruptit,  and  at  last  put  furth  in  a  place  by  him, self. 
Mr  James  Melvill  [was  next]  callit  in,  quhom  the  Chanceler  usit 
verie  courteouslie,  with  the  style  of  lairneing,  gravitie,  godlines, 
wisdome,  honesty,  and  truthe  ;  feiring,  as  it  appeirit,  the  force  of 
that  Spirit,  quhilk  he  neidit  not,  in  useing  such  charmeing.  He 
shew  him  how  the  Kingis  Majestie  had  coinmandit  thame  off  the 
Counsell  to  aske  him  tuo  questiounes,  not  doubting  but  he  would 
answer  truely  and  plainely :  First,  Quhither  he  had  written  home 
to  Scotland  the  lait  proceidingis  at  Hamptoun  Court  betuixt  his 
Majestie  and  us  ?  He  ansuerit,  that  at  his  coming  from  Scotland, 
his  freindis  wes  desyreous  to  be  informit  of  our  matteres  how  they 
went,  and  sua  he  had  promisit  to  thame ;  and,  for  performeing  of  his 
duetie,  he  had  written  all.  The  Archbisschope  askit  him,  How  he 
had  writtin  of  justiefieing  his  awin  plott  and  pairt,  and  condemneing 
the  Kingis  pairt?  He  ansuerit,  nethir  byway  of  justificatioun  nor 
condemnatioun,  but  only  by  a  trew  and  simple  way  of  narratioune. 
The  Erie  of  Xorthamptoune  insisted  on  the  same  poynt  :  To 
quhom  he  said,  he  had  ansuerit  already.  The  Chanceler  sayis,  "  He 
hes  ansuerit  simpelie  and  plamelie,"  and  sua  movit  the  uthir  ques- 
tioune,  If  he  had  sein  certain  Verses,  Writtin  in  Latine,  againes  the 
ornamentis  of  the  Alter  of  the  Kingis  Chappel  ?  He  said,  he  could 
not  answer  till  he  saw  thame. '  They  gaiffhim  thame  to  reid ;  quho 
then  said,  he  had  sein  such  Verses  in  his  uncle's,  Mr  Androis  hand, 
eftir  the  making  of  thame  at  Hamptoun  Court,  and  knew  weil  the 
greit  greiff  thairof,  and  motioun  of  his  mynd  2  at  that  tyme.  They 
askit,  If  he  had  givin  out  any  coppies  thairof,  to  send  thame  to 
Scotland  ?  He  said,  Nay,  non  at  all ;  nethir  knew  he  yit  of  ony  givin 
out  by  his  uncle  to  any  man  being  on  lyff;  and  marvelit  how  they 
could  come  in  the  Kingis  hand.  So  he  wes  bidden  to  remove,  and 
Mr  Robert  Wallace  railed.  He  wes  demandit  the  samen  ques- 
tiounes,  and  answerit  conformc. 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "heard  those  Vera  //•    •  heart. 


1606.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  681 

Eftir  ane  houre'a  advyscment,  we  wer  all  callit  in  togidder ;  and 
Mr  Andro,  eftir  a  I0112  and  grave  admonitorie  oratioune  of  the 
Chancellor,  Lord  Edgertoune,  that  with  his  learneing  and  yeires 
hesouldjoyne  wisdome,  gravitie,  modestie,  and  discretioun,  he  wes 
committit  to  the  Deane  of  Paulis,  to  remaine  in  his  custodie  dnreing 
the  Kingis  Majestie's  will ;  and  the  uther  tuo  commandit  to  the  cus- 
todie ofthair  awin  wyse  and  discrcit  cariage,  with  agentill  wairne- 
ing  to  tak  heid  to  thair  actiounes,  speiches,  and  wryttingis  too. 

The  purpose  of  all  this  wes  to  snare  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  quhom 
they  knew  to  be  frie  of  speich,  that  they  raycht  haif  sume  appeir- 
ance  of  just  occasioun  to  mak  him  fast,1  and  sua  to  be  quyt  of  his 
hinder2  in  the  prosecutioun  of  the  Episcopall  purpose  ;  for,  soone  in 
the  morneing,  Mr  Alexander  Hay  com  with  the  warrand  and  com- 
missioun,  to  put  the  Counsellis  decreit  to  executioun,  and  restit 
not  till  the  tyme  he  had  gottin  Mr  Andro  enterit  in  the  Dean  of 
Paulis  hous  and  custodie,  quhair  he  remained  quhill  the  moneth  of 
Marche. 

In  the  moneth  of  March,  [1607,]  the  Counsel  sent  a  Lettre  of 
Warrand  to  the  Deane  of  Paulis  as  followeth  : 

THE  COUNSELIS  LETTRE  AND  WARRAND  UNTO  THE  DEANE 
OF  PAULIS. 

"  Quhairas  ane  Minister  of  Scotland,  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  hes,  be 
the  Kingis  Majestie's  commandement,  bein  callit  befoir  us  at  the 
Counsel-Boord,  quhair  he  had  confessit  himsclff  to  be  the  auctour 
of  certaine  Verses,  or  rathir  a  Pasquill,  tending  to  the  scandell  and 
dischonour  of  the  Kirk  of  England  ;  for  the  quhilk  his  great  offence 
he  had  been  censurit  to  be  restrainit  of  his  libertie  untill  such  forder 
proccedingis  sail  be  takin  order  with  him  as  sail  seim  guid  to  his 
Majestic,  in  such  a  caus  as  this,  and  by  impunitie  :  Vow  sail  heirby 
understand  that  his  Majestic  hes  made  chuse  of  yow,  for  the  pre- 
sent, torcssaive  him  in  your  custodie.    Quhairfoir,  in  his  Majestie's 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "sure."  '  I1'   '   hand 


682  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1600. 

name,  we  doc  requyre  yow  forthwith  to  ressaive  him  accordingly, 
to  remain  in  your  house  at  Paulis ;  not  suffering  any  to  haif  accesse 
unto  him,  until  his  Majestie's  further  plesoure  heirin  to  yow  be  sig- 
nified. It  is  also  thought  expedient  that  yourself  doe,  at  conveni- 
ent tymes,  conferr  with  him  in  such  poyntis  quhilk  yow  sail  find 
differing  from  the  discipline  of  the  Kirk  heir  establischit,  for  his 
better  satisfactioun  and  conformitie ;  quhairin,  by  your  guid  in- 
devour,  you  may  deserve  very  weill  of  his  Majestie,  and  so  of  us  : 
So,  not  doubting  of  your  extraordinar  reguard  heirin,  we  bid  yow 
fair  weill.*' 

THE  ALTAR  VERSES  FOLLOWIS — EPIGRAMMA. 

Cur  stant  clausi  Anglis,  libri  duo,  Regia  in  Ara, 

Lumina  creca  duo,  pollubra  sicca  duo  ? 
Nura  sensum  cultumque  Dei  tenet  Anglia  clausum 

Lumine  casca  suo,  sorde  sepulta  sua, 
Romano  et '  ritu,  Regalem  dum  instruit  Aram  ? 

Purpuream  pingit  religiosa  lupam  ! 


[translated  thus.] 

On  Kinglie  Chappell  aultar  standis 
Blind  candelstickis,  and  closit  buikis, 

Dry  silver  basines,  tuo  of  each  : 
Quhairfor,  saith  he,  quho  luikis, 

The  mynd  and  worschippe  of  the  Lord 
Does  England  so  keipe  closse  ? 

Blind  in  hir  sycht,  and  buried  in 

llir  filthines  and  drossc  : 
And  qohill  with  Roman  ritis  *choc  does 

1  Adv.  MS*.  •■  an 


1606.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  683 

Hir  kingly  altar  dresse, 
Religiously  a  purple  quhoore 
To  tame  sche  does  professe  !l 

The  speciallis  of  the  Ministrie  being  now  to  be  exilit, 2  wairdit, 
and  confynit,  they  thought  to  mak  ane  assay3  of  a  Generall  As- 
semblie,  quhereby  to  proceid  one  step  forward.     So  about  the  be- 
ginning of  December, 4  a  Lettre  com  from  his  Majestie  to  everie 
Presbyterie,  commanding  thame  to  send  such  men  to  Linlithgow, 
quhois  names  wer  in  the  Lettre,  the  tenth  of  that  instant,  to  con- 
sult and  resolve  with  sume  Nobillmen  for  suppressing  of  Papistis 
and  removeing  of  jarris  from  the  Kirk ;  (for  they  durst  not  as  yet 
nominat  a  Generall  Assemblie  for  feir  of  the  successe  thairof.) 
Privily  Lettres  wer  also  directit  to  particular  Brither,  commanding 
thame  to  keipe  the  place  appoyntit,  quhither  the  Presbyterie  gave 
thame  Commissioun  or  not.     Out  of  sum  Presbyteries  were  named 
none,  out  of  the  most  pairt  three,  out  of  sum  four  or  fy  ve,  out  of 
sum  six,  according  as  they  were  maid  to  favour  the  purpose.     So 
thair  met  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine  Ministeres,  and  No- 
bilmen,  Officeres  of  Estaitis,  and  Barrounes  thirty-three,  or  thairby, 
att  Lithgow  the  tenth  of  December.     Maister  Patrick  Galloway, 
last  Moderator,  wes  desyrit  to  mak  the  exhortatioune,  acording  to 
the  ordour ;  bot  he  refusit,  becaus  he  knew  not  of  any  tyme  ap- 
poyntit for  ane  Generall  Assembly,  and  thairfoir  wes  notprepairit. 
So  Mr  James  Law,  lait  Bisschope  of  Orknay,  made  the  exhorta- 
tioune ;  and  thereafter  Mr  Patrick  prayit,  and  producit  four  in 


1  In  the  Adv.  MSS.,  another  translation  of  these  Verses  follows  the  lines  by  Andrew 
Melvill,  which  it  has  been  considered  proper  to  be  inserted  here  : 

Why  stands  there  on  the  Royall  Altar  hy, 

Two  closed  bookes,  blind  lights,  two  basins  dry  ? 

Doth  England  hold  God's  mindc  and  worship  closs^B 

Blind  of  her  sight,  and  buried  in  her  dross  ? 

With  Romish  rites  King's  Chappell  doth  thee  dress, 

Religious  she  the  Red  Whore  dotlio  express  ! 

-  Adv.  MSS.  "  expelled."  "  //'•  "  offer.''  '  Ih   "  September,"  erroneously 


684  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1606. 

hut1  from  his  Majestic,  Mr  Patrick  Scharpe,  Alexander  Lyndsay, 
Robert  HoAvie,  and  Mr  James  Nicolsone,  quho  wes  chosine  Mo- 
derator. 

All  la  wis  wes  sought  out  againes  Papistis  ;  and  becaus  the  fault 
was  inlaike2  of  executioune,  ane  Ovirture  wes  fund  that  everie  Pres- 
byterie  sould  haifF  ane  Agent  for  persewing  of  Papistis,  and  the 
said  Agent  sould  haifF  ane  hundred  pundes  out  of  the  Thesaurie  for 
his  expensses.  Then  it  wes  askit  of  be  the  Moderator,  Quhat  wes 
the  caus  of  the  jarris  of  the  Kirk  ?  It  wes  answerit,  For  want  of 
a  frie  Generall  Assemblie ;  thairfoir  thair  wes  one  ordainit  presently, 
to  be  hauldin  at  Edinburgh,  the  last  Tuysday  of  July  nixt  follow- 
ing. Supplicatioune  being  maid  for  the  banischit  Britherin,  for 
Mr  Robert  Bruce,  and  all  these  that  wer  detcinit  at  Lundoun,  all 
wer  tint 3  in  the  houpe  of  thair  restoreing. 

Then  comes  in  his  Majestie's  speciall  desyre,  that  untill  the  tyme 
that  Papistis  wer  repressit,  and  all  jams  removit  out  of  the  Kirk, 
ane  Constant  Moderator  mycht  remaine  in  every  Presbyterie,  for 
sundry  rcassouncs,  namely,  for  that  betwixt  Moderatoris  quha  wer 
changit  sua  oft,  proces,  diligence,  and  executioun  followit,  the  new 
being  unacquantit  with  the  former  proccedingis.  The  matter  com 
to  reassouneing.  Mr  Patrick  GalloAvay  propounit  three  rcassouncs 
in  the  contrail* :  First,  The  prejudgeing  of  the  Presbyteries  of  thair 
frie  elcctioun  quho  best  did  knaw  the  qualitie  of  thair  memberes  : 
2dlt/,  The  danger  of  tyrannizing  of  the  Moderator  above  the  Bri- 
therin, and  usurpatioun  of  auctoritie  and  jurisdictioun  over  thame  : 
3dly,  The  prejudgeing  of  the  General]  Assemblie  of  the  frie  nomi- 
nating of  Commissiouneres  out  of  every  Presbyterie ;  for,  by  ap- 
peirance,  thair  wes  no  uthir  thing  meinit  by  this  but  to  mak  the 
Generall  Assembly  to  consist  of  Bisschopcs  and  Constant  Modera- 
torcs  of  Presbyteries,  quho  mycht  doe  quhat  they  list.  As  to  the 
rcassouncs  propounit,  it  wes  eisily  ansuerit,  that  all  the  Presbyteries, 


pro 


and  every  Hrothir  thairof,  sould  !<na\\  the  estait  and  proceidingis  of 


1  In  feci.     The  Adv.  MSS.  read,  probably  erroneously,  "  wailit,"  which  signifies 
chosen,  picked  out,  <u-  selected,  '  [jack.  s  Lost. 


1G0G.  Mil    JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1)85 

matteres  ;  and  so,  any  mycht  be  able  ancught  to  put  mattercs  in 
mynd  for  executioune,  meiklc  inaire  the  meittest  chosine  for  the 
purpose,  according  to  the  postoure  and  estait  of  the  matteres  in  hand, 
for  removeing  thereof,  and  of  sic  dangeres  and  difficulties,  thais 
Cautiounes  wer  provydit,  that  the  Constant  Moderatoris  sould  be 
answerabill  to  the  Moderator  of  the  Synode,  and  to  the  whole  Sy- 
nod itself,  for  all  his  oversycht  and  his  offences,  and  removeabill 
be  thame  eftir  a  lawfull  tryall,  and  the  worthiest  of  his  Presbyterie 
preferrit  to  his  place ;  that  every  Presbyterie  sould  haif  the  fric 
electioun  of  tuo  uthir  Commissiouneris  to  every  Generall  Assem- 
blie  ;  and  that  it  sould  be  in  that  Presbyterie' s  hand  and  adoptioun 
to  accept  of  that  Moderator  nominat  or  not. 

Thir  Cautiounes  being  sett  doun,  and  the  Articles  fully '  aggrieit 
upoun  in  the  Privie  Conferrence,  it  passit  in  the  oppin  Assemblic, 
and  agricit,  that  he  quho  befoir  wes  namit  the  Agent  sould  be  this 
Constant  Moderator.  The  Bisschoppes,  with  thair  awin  consentis, 
wer  ordainit  to  be  subject  thair  to  the  Discipline  of  the  Kirk,  and 
rernaine  and  be  Pastoris  in  the  Kirk  of  their  awin  Bisschopprickis, 
and  to  underly 2  the  censure  of  their  particular  Presbyteries :  And  in 
caice,  at  the  next  Generall  Assemblie  appoynted  to  be  holden  at 
Edinbruche,  it  salbe  found  that  they  haif  any  wayis  transgressit  the 
Cautiounes  they  offerit,  evin  thair  to  lay  doune  thair  Bisschopprickis 
at  the  Assemblie,  that  his  Majestic  mycht  bestow  the  same  upoun 
any  uthir  of  the  Ministerie  that  salbe  thought  meit  for  the  place. 

Immediatlie  eftir  the  Assemblie  the  Lordis  Collector,  Blantyrc, 
Clerk  off  Register,  with  the  Moderator  nominat  in  the  Assemblie, 
viz.,  Mr  James  Nicolsoun,  come  to  Edinbruche  ;  and  on  the  Pres- 
byterie day  urgit  thame  to  ressave  thair  Moderator,  nominat  at  the 
Assemblie,  viz.,  Mr  Johne  Hall.  Thair  the  Act  wes  red,  but  they 
quho  hard  it  and  wes  at  Lithgow,  to  witt,  that  the  Bisschoppes  ar 
ordainit  Moderatoris  of  the  Synodis  ;  quhilk  Mr  Patrick  Galloway, 
and  Mr  Johne  Hall,  and  more,  affirmit,  that  it  wes  nevir  spokin  of 
in  that  Assemblie. 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "openly."  Bi  subject  ami  submit  t<» 


086  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  l60b\ 

The  nixt  Wedinsday  the  Presbyterie  of  Dalkeith  wesurgit,  quho 
sought  the  Act  to  be  advysit,  withall  promiseing  thaireftir  to  give 
thair  answer ;  but  the  Act  could  not  be  had,  neither  by  thame  nor 
by  na  uthir,  till  it  wes  produceit  in  a  Synod  in  FyfF,  eftir  the  death 
of  the  Moderator,  almost  aught  monethis  thaireftir  :  But  in  the  place 
thairof  tliair  passit  out  Lettres  from  the  Counscll,  chairgeing  the 
Presbyterie  to  accept  of  thair  Constant  Moderator  in  every  Pres- 
byterie, in  the  Generall  Assembly  holdin  at  Lithgow,  quhairoff  the 
tennour  folio  wis  : 

[letters  from  the  privy  council  charglng  the  presbyteries 
to  accept  of  constant  moderators.] 

"  James,  be  the  grace  of  God,  &c.  Forsaumeikle  as  the  Generall 
Assemblie  of  the  Kirk,  keipit  at  our  burghe  of  Linlithgow,  in  the 
nioneth  of  December  last  bypast,  and  assistit  by  a  frequent  number 
of  the  Nobilitie,  Counsel,  and  Barrounes  of  this  our  kingdome,  it 
wes  thought  verie  meit  and  expedient,  and  in  end  concludit  and 
agrieit,  with  uniforme  consent  of  the  Assemblie,  that,  for  the  Avcill 
of  the  Kirk,  and  staying  of  the  number  and  growth  of  Papistis  in 
this  our  kingdome,  thair  sould  be  a  Constant  Moderator  for  a  cer- 
taine  space,  nominat  in  every  Presbyterie,  quho  sould  half  the 
chairge  to  informe  the  Lordis  of  our  Secreit  Counsel  of  all  Papistis, 
recusantis,  and  contemneris  of  discipline  in  this  land,  and  to  seik 
the  executioun  of  our  lawis  againes  thame  ;  as  in  the  act  maid 
thairanent  at  mair  lenth  is  conteinit :  Quhilk  being  sein  and  consi- 
derit  be  us,  we  haif  not  only  approvit  and  allowit  the  samyn,  and 
interpounit  our  auctoritie  thairunto,  but  haif  recommendit  it  to  our 
Counsel  that  they  haif  speciall  cair  and  regaird  to  sie  the  same  res- 
saive  thair  dew  obedience  and  executioun  ;  lykeas  N.  wes  nominat 
and  appoyntit  Moderator  for  the  Presbyterie  of  N. :  And  albeit  it 
wes  houped  that  this  godly  and  nccessare  conclusioun,  importing 
sua  hightly  the  weill  of  the  Kirk,  sould  haif  bein  ressavit  with  all, 
thankfullnes,  and  embracit  be  the  Presby tries  of  this  our  kingdome  : 
nevertheles,  the  Ministeree  of  the  Presbytrie  ofN.,  for  quhat  cans 


1606.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  687 

we  knaw  not,  refuisses,  or  at  the  leist  delayes,  to  ressaive  the  said 
Moderator,  and  to  conforme  tharaselvis  to  the  ordinance  and  con- 
clnsionne  forsaid ;  the  controveining  quhairofF  will  altogidder  mak 
the  samyne  ineflfectuall,  without  remeid  be  provydit.  Our  Will  is 
heirfoir,  and  we  chairge  yow  straitly,  and  commandis,  that  inconti- 
nent thir  our  Lettres  sein,  ye  pas,  and  in  our  name  and  auctoritie, 
command  and  chairge  N.  N.,  Ministeres  of  the  Presbytrie  of  N.,  and 
the  Clerk  of  the  said  Presbyterie,  to  conforme  thamselffis  to  the  or- 
dinance and  conclusioune  of  the  said  Assemblie,  and  to  ressave  the 
said  Moderator,  and  to  reverence  him  in  all  thingis  dew  to  the  pri- 
veledge  of  that  office,  without  excuise  or  delay,  within  twenty-four 
houres  nixt  eftir  they  be  chairgit  be  yow,  under  the  pain  of  rebel- 
lioun  and  putting  of  thame  to  our  home  ;  and  if  they  failyie  thair- 
in,  the  said  space  being  bypast,  that  incontinent  thaircftir  ye  de- 
nunce  the  dissobeyeris  our  rebellis,  and  put  thame  to  our  home  ; 
and  if  they  failyie,  that  ye  escheat,  &c. :  And  siclyk  that  ye,  in  our 
name  and  auctoritie,  command  and  chairge  the  said  Moderator  of 
the  Presbyterie  of  N.,  to  accept  the  said  chairge  upon  him  within 
the  space  of  twenty-four  houris  nixt  efter  he  be  chairged  be  yow  to 
doe  so,  under  the  pain  of  rebellioun  and  putting  of  him  to  our 
home,  and  if  he  failyie  thairin,  the  said  space  being  bypast,  that 
incontinent  thaircftir  ye  denunce  the  dissobeyeris  our  rcbelles,  and 
put  thame  to  our  home,  and  escheat  and  inbring  all  his  moveable 
guidis  to  our  use  for  his  contemptioun  :  The  quhilk  to  doe,  &c. 
Givin  under  our  Signett  at  Edinbruche  the  17  of  February,  and 
of  our  reigne  the  fourtieth  ycir,  1G06. 

"  Per  Action  Dominorum  Secret)  Consilii, 

"  Ja.  Pbymebose." 

About  the  end  of  December  the  Abot  of  Halirudhoua  and  Mais- 
ter  James  Law,  Bisschopc  of  Orknay,  wer  sent  t<>  the  King  with 
the  proceidingis  of  this  Convcntioune  at  Lithgow  sett  doune  in 
wiyt;  quhairwith  the  King  wes  title  content,  becaus  they  proceidil 
not  frielyer  ;  and  fardcr,  sieing  the  Bisschoppes  of  the  Presbyteries, 
and  appoynting  thame  Moderatoris    >vir  the  Provincial]  Synodes, 


088  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

the  Abot  laid  all  the  waitt1  on  the  -Bisschoppes,  quho  had  volun- 
tarily submitted  thamselffis  of  new  to  the  Presbyteries.  Bisschope 
Law  wes  for  this  thoroughly  chydit  upoun ;  allwayis,  the  remedie 
wes,  that  nothing  sould  be  put  out2  till  some  poyntis  being  put  and 
mendit,3  all  sonld  be  sent  back  againe  to  be  given  out  in  forme. 
And  this  was  supposit  to  be  death  to4  the  Moderator,  quho,  in  his 
wisdome,  thinking  to  pleise  both  King  and  Kirk,  had  thankes  of 
none. 

Bisschope  Law,  being  at  Londoun,  abassit  himselff  to  visit  the 
Britherine  deteinit  thair ;  and  coming  quhere  Mr  James  Balfour 
and  Mr  James  Melvill  lay,  begouth6  to  expoune  to  thame  the 
strait  ordour  takin  with  Papists  at  the  Conventioun  at  Lithgow. 
Mr  James  Balfour  sayis,  "  In  nomine  Domini  incipit  omne  malum  ! 
This  is  pretendit,  bot  the  dint  (as  yit,  hes  bein  a  long  tyme)  will 
lycht6  on  the  Kirk,  Discipline,  and  standeres  by  of  the  same." 
Quoth  the  Bisschope,  "  They  sail  call  me  a  false  knave,  and  never 
to  be  believit  againe,  iff  the  Papistis  be  not  sua  handleit  as  they 
wer  never  in  Scotland!"  "  That  may  weill  be,"  said  Mr  James 
Balfoure.  In  reassouneing  with  Mr  James  Melville  he  did  tak  a 
great  and  terribill  attestatiounc  that  he  knew  nothing  of  ony  pur- 
pose the  King  had  to  alter  and  translait  the  Discipline  and  Governe- 
mcnt  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  but  only  to  seik  the  provisioun 
and  estimatioun  thairoff;  vindicating  the  same  from  contempt  and 
poverty  ;  and  thairfoir  they  ar  far  to  be  blamed  quho  suspectit  his 
Majestic  and  his  Breitherine's  proceidinges  :  "  Nay,"  said  the  uthir, 
"  the  King,  boith  by  word  and  wryt,  hes  uttirit  his  mynde  plainely  ; 
but  ye  deall  deceitfully,  deceaving  yourselffes  and  utheris ;  but  God 
by  tyme  will  mak  all  manifest  ane  day  !" 

M.DC.VII. 

Upon  Tuysday,  the  third  of  Marche,  the  Britherin  deteinit  wer 
chairgit  of  new  againe,  but  in  a  new  maner,  to  goe  to  the  Bisschoppes 


1  Wyte,  blauic  -  Adv.  MSS.  "  goe  further."  ;1  Tb.  "  in  a  bettor  order." 

•  lb.  "the  deid  of."  b  Began.  r'  Alight,  fall. 


1(307.  MR  JAMES  MELVILLS  DIARY.  089 

house.  The  maner  of  ane  I  will  sett  doun,  for  example  of  the  rest. 
One  Williame  Sanderes  come  the  day  befoir  to  Mr  James  Mel- 
vill's  chalmer,  and  schew  him  that  he  wes  directit  be  one  of  the 
Clerkes  of  the  Counsel,  nameit  Sir  Anthonie  Ashlye,  to  delyver  to 
him  the  coppie  of  a  Lettre  from  the  Counsel  to  the  Bisschope  of 
Duresme,1  and  to  desyre  the  said  Mr  James,  in  the  Kingis  name, 
to  goe  with  him  to  the  said  Bisschope.  Mr  James  askit  the  fellow, 
iff  he  wald  deliver  a  Lettre  of  his  to  him  that  sent  him  ?  quho  said, 
he  wald.     So  he  wryt  to  Sir  Anthonie,  as  followis  : 

[LETTER  MR  JAMES  MELVILL  TO  SIR  ANTHONY  ASHLEY.] 

"  My  dewtie  premitted,2  Pleis  your  Worschip,  understand,  that 
one  WiUiame  Sanderes  come  to  me  this  morneing,  directit,  as  he 
doth  affirme,  from  your  Worschip,  with  a  Lettre  of  the  most  Hon- 
orabill  Counsel  of  England  to  the  Bischop  of  Durrahame,  requyring 
him  to  ressaive  me  into  his  hous,  and  give  me  guid  and  kynd  inter- 
tainement ;  and  addith  farder,  that  he  had  directioime  to  chairire 
me,  in  the  Kingis  name,  to  goe  with  him  to  the  said  Bisschoppe ; 
quhairoff,  quhen  I  had  askit  his  warrand,  he  said  he  had  non,  but 
only  directioun  from  your  Worschip.  Quhairfor,  I  haiff  takin  the 
boldnes  to  wrytt  thir  few  lynes  to  your  Worschip,  quhairby  I 
wauld  humbly  craiff  of  your  courtessie,  to  understand  quhat  this 
matter  sould  mein,  being  verie  strange  to  me ;  being  sent  for  by  a 
verie  loving  Missive  Lettre  from  his  Majestie,  to  come  from  my 
awin  countrie,  waiting,  calling,  and  attending,  thir  six  monethes 
past,  on  his  Majestie's  plesoure,  to  my  great  chairges  ;  not  being  ac- 
cusit  of  any  misbehaviour  or  cryme,  to  be  chairgit  to  becume  a  do- 
mestick  to  a  Bisschope  in  England,  knawin  to  be  of  a  contra  ir 
afFectioun  and  oppinion  of  the  Govcrnement  of  the  Kirk  and  Dis- 
cipline thairof,  quhilk  I  tak  to  be  ane  harder  punischment  than  im- 
prissounement  or  banischement :  And  as  concerneing  the  non-satis- 
factioun  of  his  Majestie  in  sindry  poyntis,  quhilk  his  Majestic  ex- 

1  Durham.  :  Premised. 

■1    X 


{][)()  THE  C0NTIN1  ATloN  01  L667. 

pcctit,  and  reclaiming  of  as  from  such  opiniounes,  quhilk  we  ar  al- 
ledgit  to  hould,  repugnant  to  the  guid  governemcnt  of  the  Kirk, 
mentionit  in  the  narratioun  of  the  Counselis  Lettre,  thais  can  be  no 
such  imputatiounes  as  deserve  punischment ;  for  quho  can  satisfie 
forder  nor  they  ar  able,  be  thair  judgement  and  conscience  ?  And 
quhat  opinioune  held  we  the  Governement  of  our  Kirk,  uthir  then 
that  quhilk  lies  bein  establischit  in  our  Kirk  of  Scotland  thais  many 
yeiris  bypast,  and  that  by  the  warrand  of  the  Word  of  God,  his 
Majcsteis  lawis  of  the  realme  professit,  subscryvit,  and  sworne,  boith 
by  the  Kingis  Majestic  and  haill  Estaitis  of  the  Kingdome  of  Scot- 
land ?  May  it  pleise  your  Worschip,  thairfoir,  to  ressaive  the  infor- 
matioune  of  the  order  of  this  proceiding,  that  I  may  understand 
the  nature  thairoff,  for  giveing  willing  obedience  in  patient  suffer- 
ing in  all  thingis  deAV  I  can,  as  I  am  most  willing  to  rander  obe- 
dience, in  all  humilitie,  to  his  Majestic  and  most  honourabill  Counsel, 
with  all  humble  thankfulnes  for  thair  cair,  dilligence,  and  courtesie, 
though  I  am  most  unwilling  to  precipitat  the  caus  of  our  Kirk,  or 
evin  my  awin  poore  conscience,  persoun,  and  honnestie,  in  unneccs- 
sarie  uncoacted  bussines,  suffering  danger  or  disgrace :  Et  si  quid 
morte  gravius  imponitur  mortem  oppetere  potius  ducimus.  So,  most 
humbly  and  most  ernestlie  rcquyring  your  Worschipis  answer  [of 
courtessie,  I  commend  yow  to  God.  Blackfriers,  the  3  of  Marche 
1G07.1]     Your  Worschipis,2  as  all  dutie  rcquyres, 

"  James  Melvill." 

The  gentleman  very  courtesslic  returnit  his  answer  as  folloAvis  :3 
"  Mr  James  Melvill, — Quhairas  by  your  Lettre,  ye  rcqueist ' 
to  ressaive  of  me  such  ane  order  and  directioun  as  lies  bein  prescryvit 
be  the  Lordis  of  his  INIajestie's  Privie  Counsel  concerneing  your 
present  goeing  to  the  Bisschope  off  Durrhamc,  I  pray  yow  under- 
stand, that  I  knaw  of  no  uthir  nor  is  conteinit  in  thair  Lordschipis 
Lettrcs,  dircctit  to  the  Bischope  oft1  Durrhame,  quhairof  I  sent  yaw 

1  Omitted  in  Adv.  MSS.  2  Univ.  MS.  "  AVisdomcs."  3  Adv.   MSS. 

'•  in  tin-  morning  after,  in  these  wordis."  '  II,.  "  yow  arc  earnest." 


1G07.  MK  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  Gi)l 

a  true  coppie  undir  my  hand,  for  your  better  satisfactioun ;  quhair- 
unto,  in  my  oppinioun,  ye  sail  doe  weill  to  obey  and  conforme  your 
selff,  as  is  requyrit,  the  rather  of  that  becaus  yow  sie  thair  is  nothing 
meinit  thairby  tOAvardis  yow  but  kynd  and  loveing  intertainement, 
sic  as  is  meitt  for  a  gentillman  lyk  yow. l  No  doubt,  his  Majes- 
tie  will  tak  a  speciall  notice  of  your  willing  obedience  in  this  behalff ; 
as,  on  the  uthir  .syd,  he  may  be  movit  on  the  contraire,  in  cais  of 
your  obstinacie,  quhilk  I  would  wische  yow  to  avoyde  by  all  meines 
possibil.  Yow  may  wysely  conceve  mor  nor  then  is  fitt  for  me 
to  wrytt  in  a  matter  of  this  nature.  Cor  Regis  in  manu  Domini. 
And  evin  sua  I  commend  yow  to  Godis  mercifull  and  saiff  keippeing. 
From  the  Court  of  Quhythall,  this  feard2  of  March,  1607. 

"  Your  loving  freind,  Ant.  Ashley." 

FOLLOWIS  THE  BISSCHOPPE  OF  DURRHAM  HIS  LETTRE  SENT  TO 
HIM  FROM  THE  COUNSEL. 

"  Efter  our  verie  hairthe  commendatiounes  to  your  Lordschip  : 
Quhairas  six  or  seven  of  the  Ministeres  of  Scotland,  haifeing  bein 
specially  sent  for  by  the  Kingis  Majestie,  on  sum  such  occasiounes 
as  doe  grytlie  tend  to  the  quyet  estait  of  the  Kirk,  hes  not  givin 
his  Hines  that  satisfactioun,  in  sundrie  poyntis,  quhilk  he  expectit ; 
and  in  regaird  thairof  ar  not  to  returne  home  againe  to  thair  coun- 
trie,  forasmeikle  as  his  Majestie,  in  his  most  princely  cair  for  the 
settling  of  the  Kirkes  efFaires  of  that  kingdome,  is  verie  dcsyreous 
to  haif  these  said  pah-ties  reclaimed  from  such  opiniounes,  quhilk 
they  hold  repugnant  to  the  guid  governement  of  the  Kirk,  and 
not  one  ar  fitter  for  that  purpose  nor  his  grave  and  learnit  Bis- 
schoppes,  alseweill  by  tham  selff  as  by  the  assistance  of  uthir  learnit 
men,  about  and  neir  thame,  quhom  they  knaw  fitt  to  be  imployit 
in  sic  a  work:  We,  by  his  Majestic's  directioun,  doe  desyre  your 
Lordschip  to  ressaive  to  your  hous  Mr  James  Melvill,  anc  of  the 
said  Ministeres,  to  give  kynd  and  guid  intertainement  for  him  self 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "of  yow  sort.'  -  Fourth. 


692  the  com  im  itiow  oi  L607. 

and  his  servant,  quhill  he  sail  remaine  with  yow  :  Letting  yow  i'ur- 
der  to  knaw,  that  it  is  not  his  Majestie's  mynd  to  send  him  to  yow 
as  a  prissouner,  and  to  be  in  any  wayes  keipit  or  restranit,  althought 
we  doubt  not  but  your  Lordschip,  in  your  wisdome,  and  Mr  Melvill, 
in  his  discretioun,  will  so  interprett  his  Majestie's  plesoure,  as  that 
neither  of  yow  will  permitt  ony  accesse  of  discontent  and  of  fac- 
tiounes  and  scismaticall  persounes,  quhilk  mycht  nocht  only  hinder 
that  guid  successe  quhilk  his  Majestie  docs  houpe  to  find  thairby, 
but  lykwayis,  to  tend  to  sume  fiirder  inconvenientis  to  be  preten- 
dit '  by  your  Lordschip.  And  so  we  bid  your  Lordschip  verie  wcil 
to  fair.2    From  the  Court  at  Quhythall,  the  28  of  February  1607. 

(Signit  by) 

"  Lord  Treassourer.  Earle  Shreusburie. 

L.  Ciianceler.  E.  Worchester. 
Lord  [Archiebishop  of3]  Can-    E.  Northamptoune.  ' 

terbury.  E.  Sallisberrie. 

D.  Lennox.  L.  Stainhoupe. 

L.  Admirael.  Mr  Seceeter  Harbaki  . 

L.  ClIALMERANE.  4 

(Directit  to)  "The  Lord  Bisschope  of  Durhame." 

"  Concordat  cum  original'^  An.  Ashlaye." 

Wednisday,  the  fourth  of  Marche,  Mr  James  [Melvill,]  knawing 
the  Bisschope  of  Durhame  to  be  at  Durrhamc  hous,  and  haiffing  the 
officer  waiting  on  him,  thought  to  goe  to  the  Bisschope  to  testifie 
his  obedience  to  the  King ;  but  thainvith  to  perswad  and  desyre 
the  Bischope,  iff  he  Aver  wyse,  to  concurr  with  him  in  suit  to  be  frie 
of  such  a  ghaist :  And  so,  accumpaneit  with  Mr  Williamc  Scott,  we 
went  to  him,  and  tauld  him  he  wea  come  to  testifie  the  dispositioun 
of  bis  heart  inclynit  and  bent  alwayis  to  rander  obedience  to  the 
Kingis  Majestie  in  all  thingis  dew  ;  but  thairwitb  to  requeist  his 
Lordschip  to  joyne  with  him  in  supplicatioun  and  dealing  with  his 

1    Adv.  MSS.  '•  prevented."  2  lb.  "  farewell."  ■  Supplied  from  Adv.  MSS. 

1  lb.  "  Chambell,"  \i/ ,  the  Lord  Chamberlain.  ■'•  //*.  "  Mortounc." 


1007.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  693 

Majestic  and  honorabill  Counsel  to  haif  licence  to  goe  home,  quhair 
lie  had  ane  homiest  hous,  calling,  and  vocatioun,  and  familie  to  at- 
tend upoun,  and  not  on  uthir  menis  tablis  ;  for  he  had  evir  bein 
accustomed  withall  to  give  rather  than  to  take  of  any  ;  and  truely 
it  wes  not  fitt  that  he  sould  be  his  hostler  and  he  his  guest,  being 
sua  farr  different  in  stait  and  opinioun,  the  quhilk  wauld  breid  but 
cauld  affectioun ;  and  how  unpleasant  would  the  societie  be,  quhair 
thair  wes  throuchtnes  of  opiniounes,  his  Wisdome  mycht  easiely 
consider ;  eikand '  heirto  that  he  wes  a  man  subject  to  manifold 
seiknes  and  diseasses,2  and  could  not  trouble  the  hous  of  a  stranger, 
and  such  a  nobill  Prelatt ;  furder,  he  being  a  man  professing  the 
cuir  of  many  saidis,  sould  take  pietie  of  many  thousand  saulis  in 
the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  that  laked  the  comfort  of  their  persounes 
[Pastoi's]  detained  so  long  from  them  in  England. 

His  answer  was  sillie  and  confuseit,  to  this  effect :  That,  sieing 
it  wes  his  Majestie's  and  Counselis  will,  he  sould  be  welcome  to  his 
hous ;  he  sould  prepair  him  a  chalmer  and  a  gardein ;  but  he  bc- 
hovit  to  put  a  gentilman  out  of  his  chalmer  for  his  caus,  and  that 
his  man  behovit  to  be  with  that  gentleman  his  man  ;  and  sume  such 
triffelingis.  Mr  James  besought  him  not  to  doe  sua,  for  he  com 
not  to  England  to  displace  any  man,  gentle  or  semple.  He  thankit 
God  he  had  housses  and  chalmeres  of  his  awin  in  Scotland,  quhair- 
in  he  wes  accustomit  to  ludge  and  plesour  gentilmen,  and  not  to 
displace  thame  :  And,  thairfoir,  in  that  respect  and  utheris,  he  had 
alleadared  he  would  rathir  concurr  with  us  in  satisfiehi£  the  King 
and  Counsel,  quhah'by  he  mycht  be  frie  of  such  a  burdcin.  "  Weill," 
said  the  Bisschope,  "  but  quhat  do  ye  talk  of  sua  many  peiple  com- 
mittit  to  your  chairge  and  ministrie?  Is  not  the  peiple  the  Kingis, 
and  haiff  ye  not  your  ministerie  of  him  ;  so  that  if  it  pleisc  the 
King  to  withhauld  yow,  and  ruel  his  people  utherwayis,  ye  should 
be  content  to  obey  ?"  "  We  must,"  said  he,  "  be  content,  and  Buffer 
paticntlic  ;  bot  the  peiple  is  the  Lordis,  and  thair  saulis  they  wet 
the  price  of  Chrvstis  pretions  blood  :  and  tor  our  ministerie,  in  the 

1  Adding,  subjoining.  '  Adv.  MSS.     many  infirmil 


694  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

chairge  thairofF,  wc  haiff  it  not  of  the  King,  nor  no  pairt  thairoft', 
bot  off  Chryst  and  his  Church,  and  is  much  unlyke  your  Bisschop- 
rickis,  quhilk  ar  the  inventioun  of  men,  and  so  givin  and  taken  be 
men ! " 

By  that  occasioun,  he  would  haif  bein  farther  at  the  mayne  poynt 
concerneing  the  Governement  of  the  Kirk  by  the  King  and  Bis- 
schoppes,  and  not  Presbyteries  and  Assemblies  conveinit  without 
the  Kingis  licence  ;  but  he  tauld  him  that  would  require  a  gryter 
tyme ;  yet  the  Bisschoppes  must  use  sume  arguments,  viz.,  that  he 
had  studeit  Divinitie  for  so  many  yeiris,  he  had  read  all  that  could 
be  said  and  wes  written  of  that  matter ;  he  wes  ane  old  Doctor ; 
had  bein  sua  oftymes  Vice-Chanceler  of  the  Universitie  of  Oxford. 
And  sicklyk  Mr  James  told  him,  plainly  and  schortly,  that  all  that 
proved  nor  concludit  nothing  :  It  would  be  stronger  reassounes  that 
would  reclaime  thame  iff  they  come  to  the  Schooles.  So,  upon  pro- 
mises that  we  sould  come  and  dyne  with  him  upoun  Settirday  nixt, 
we  tuik  our  leive  :  But,  befoir  Settirday,  one  quho  attendit  him  and 
us,  quhom  he  would  haifF  cautiouner  (forsuith)  for  our  comming  to 
dinner,  preventit  our  comming,  and  tauld  us  that  my  Lord  wes  not 
provydit  for  us  as  yit,  and  could  not  be  at  hame  quhill  the  nixt 
Aveik. 

Upon  the  Sabboth  nixt  following,  (for  on  that  day  the  Counsel 
sitis  ordinarly,  and  meit  together,  and  on  no  uthir  day  of  the  weik,) 
we  pennit  and  gave  in  to  the  Counsel  the  Supplicatioun  following : 


THE  SCOTIS  MINISTERES'  SUPPLICATIOUN  GIVIN  IN   TO   THE   COUN- 
SELL  OF  ENGLAND  THE  8TH  OF  MARCH  1607. 

"  Rycht  Honourabill,  and  our  most  singulare  guid  Lordis,  &c. 
May  it  pleas  your  Honouris,  of  your  commoun  equitie  towardis  all, 
and  spcciall  courtessie  visit  towardis  strangeres,  to  heir  us,  Mini- 
steres  of  the  Evangcll  of  Jesus  Chryst  within  the  Kirk  of  Scot- 
land, and  undcrsnbseryvand  :  That  quhairas  wo  Aver  brought  from 
our  countrie  and  calling  by  spcciall  Missive  Lettres,  directit  from 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  6#5 

the  Kingia  most  excellent  Majestie,  and  deliverit  to  ilk  aue  of  us  in 
particular,  quhairby  his  Heines  willed  and  commandit  us,  all  excuisses 
sett  apairt,  to  repair  to  his  Heines  befoir  the  17  of  September  last 
bypast,  for  the  weill  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland ;  and  notwithstanding 
that  diverse  of  us  wer  of  guid  age,  subject  to  seiknes  and  disseases 
of  body,  and  all  of  us  had  just  and  weightie  matter  of  just  cxcuiss  ; 
yit,  understanding  also,  by  his  Majestie's  speciall  Counseller  in  thais 
matteres,  that  it  wes  his  Heines'  plesoure,  evin  for  a  great  benefit 
to  our  Kirk,  we  sould  in  any  cais  repair  to  his  Majestie  and  sie  his 
face,  by  the  mercifull  hand  of  God  with  us,  all  wer  inableit,  and 
presentit  our  selffis  befoir  his  Majestie  the  day  appointit,  at  Hamp- 
toun  Court ;  quhair,  with  all  humilitie,  eftir  the  wcaknes '  of  our 
judgment  and  conscience,  answering  to  such  thingis  as  it  pleiseit 
his  Majestie  to  requyre  and  propoun  unto  us :  We  wer  from  that 
gratiousely  dismissit  to  attend  his  Majestie's  further  pleisoure  at 
Londoun,  quhair  diverse  sort  of  seiknes  and  disseases  of  bodie,  but 
meikle  moir  with  great  heavines,  and  grief,  and  vexatioun  of  mynd, 
by  reasone  of  the  chairge  and  burden  of  moir  then  twenty  thousand 
saules  lyand  on  our  ministerie,  besyd  the  numerous  pure  families, 
quhairoff,  iff  we  sould  not  half  a  cair,  we  ar  judgit  by  the  Apostle 
worse  nor  infidelis. 

"  We  haiff,  with  such  patience  as  we  could,  wrestled  throucht 
the  longsume  winter,  and  now  quhen,  eftir  many  Supplicatiounes, 
directit  with  all  cair,  reverence,  and  humilitie  to  his  maist  gratious 
and  excellent  Majestie,  we  luikit  for  a  comfortabill  dismissioun,  and 
sending  home  to  our  countrie,  callingis,  and  families,  we  find  that 
thair  is  certain  Inglischmen,  [calling  thame  Officeres  and  Purse- 
vantis,  directit,  as  they  say,  be  the  Clerkis  of2]  the  Secreit  Counsel 
to  chairge  us  in  the  Kingis  name  to  goe  with  thame  to  certain 
Bisschopes  of  the  Church  of  England  ;  and  gnawing  us  a  coppic  of 
your  Honoures'  Lettres  of  Requeist  to  the  saidis  Bisschoppes  to 
ressaive  us  in  thair  hous  :  The  quhilk  chairge,  baith  in  forme  and 
substance,  we  think  very  strainge,  being  frie  Scotismen,  and  Pas- 
touris  of  the  rycht  Reformit  Kirk,  and  long  renowned  in  the  realme  ; 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "verdicl  '  in  A.dv.  MSS.  "    <■"<  from,"  &c. 


G96  Tin:  continuation  of  I  GOT. 

and  againes  the  quhilk,  we  haif  just  caus,  and  necessitie  compellis 
us,  to  except i  and  protest,  we  knawing  certainely  that  nethir  his 
Majestie's  hight  honour,  that  loves  judgment,  and  quho,  in  maner 
foirsaid,  gratiously  callit  us  hither,  nor  yit  your  commoun  honnest 
cquitie,  the  rycht  and  priveledgis  of  natiounes,  substance,  or  forme 
of  justice,  (quhairof  your  Honouris  ar  most  observant,)  can  or  will 
approve  the  same  :  Lykas,  the  cair  quhilk  we  carie  towardis  the 
caus  of  our  Chryst  and  his  Kirk,  and  the  pure  homiestie  quhilk  we 
sustein  in  our  callingis  and  persounes,  makis  us  to  tak  it  as  a  pu- 
nischment  inflictit  upoun  us,  harder  nor  either  imprisounment  at 
home,  and  banischment  in  forrain  places  and  pairtis  ;  the  quhilk  we 
ar  assuirit  that  the  hight  honour  of  our  gratiouse  and  excellent 
King,  quho  loves  rycht,  and  your  Honouris  Ministeres  of  justice, 
wald  evir  have  imposit  on  us  :  And  indicta  causa,  if  we  haif  perpe- 
tratit  any  thing  againes  his  Majestie,  the  Estait,  or  la  wis  of  the 
realme,  justice  would  we  sould  be  orderly  tryit,  judgit,  and  pu- 
nischit,  but  if  our  carriage  and  conversatioun  lies  bein  yit  unac- 
cusit,  meikle  les  condemnit,  quhy  sould  we  losse  our  libertie,  disc- 
honour and  obscure  the  estimatioun  of  our  Kirk,  and  blott  our  awin 
honnestie,  quhilk  is  pure? — making  our  selffes  of  our  Masteris  bunde- 
men,  dayely  approveres  of  that,  to  the  appeirance  of  men,  quhilk 
our  Kirk  condemnis  ;  and  burdin  all  loittereres,  feiding  idille-bel- 
lies 2  at  the  tabillis  of  strangeres,  haifing  honnest  callingis,  provi- 
sioun  and  housses,  quhairby  to  live  as  Pastouris  of  Congregatiounes 
and  fatheres  of  families  at  home.  As  tuiching  thais  imputatiounes, 
quhilk  we  haiffnot  givin  satisfactione  to  his  Majestie,  (as  far  as  we 
could,)  as  his  Hightnes  expectit,  and  that  we  hould  opiniounes  re- 
pugnant to  the  guid  Govemement  of  the  Kirk,  we  haif  truely  in- 
devourit,3  boith  by  word  and  wrytt,  to  satisfie  his  Majestie  as  we 
could,  and  sould  we  satisfie  forder  nor  our  consciences  or  judge- 
ments affordeth  ?4  1ft1  it  pleis  your  Lordschipis,  we  would  most 
glaidly  understand  quhilk  ar  thais  opiniounes  we  hould  repugnant 
to  the  guid  Governcmcnt  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  to  the  end,  that 
if  thair  be  any  such,  (quhairoff  wo  knaw  non,)  at  his  Majestie's  com- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "object.1  '  lb.  "like  beffie-gods.'  "  lb.  "latourit. 

'  Jl>.  "  asscntoth." 


1607.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  (">(.I7 

mand,  by  admonitioun  of  our  awin  Kirk,  Ave  may  abandoun  the 
same,  and  not  trouble  the  Lord  Bisschopis  of  England. 

"  We  haif  forder  to  regrait  [and]  caus  to  bewaill  the  heavie  seik- 
ncs  of  sume  of  us,  the  languischeing  mynd  of  us  all,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  great  chairge  we  ar  at,  Avith  great  greiff  to  remember  the  im- 
pairing of  our  estait  at  home,  haifeing  attendit  his  Majestie's 
plesoure  thais  sevin  monethis :  But  commending  all  to  the  Avyse 
consideratioune  of  your  Honouris'  universalie  rememberit '  discre- 
tioun,  integritie,  equitic,  courtesie,  and  merciefull  dcalling,  we  will 
no  longer  detein  your  Honouris  ;  but,  in  the  great  occean  of  our 
sorow  and  greiff,  desyris  to  be  fred  of  the  danger  of  the  imminent 
tempest  upon  the  appeirance  of  safetie  in  seiking  that  heavin  of  your 
Honouris'  compassioun,  quhair  so  many  hes  bein  safeit  from  schipp- 
wrack  ;  namely,  becaus  it  hes  plesit  his  Majestic  to  give  direc- 
tioun  to  your  Honouris  annent  our  matteres,  nowayis,  as  we  ar  per- 
suadit,  to  prejudge  the  priviledges,  and  fridome,  and  liberties  of  our 
natioun.  In  the  name  of  the  Almychtie  God,  and  for  the  caus  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Chryst,  quhom  all  your  Honouris  doe  love  and  fcir, 
and  quhois  Messengeris  and  Ministeres  we  ar,  doe  intreat  and  be- 
seich  your  Honouris,  in  all  dewtifull  submisse  reverence,  that  by 
your  mediatioun  and  interccssioun  with  his  most  clement,  and  most 
gratious  Majestic,  sume  relieff  of  thir  our  present  misereis  may  be 
obteinit,  and  Ave  dismissit  and  sent  home,  to  the  confort  of  our 
flockes  and  families,  thair  to  pray  to  God  incessantly  for  his  most 
excellent  Majestie,  his  Quein  and  Royall  progenie,  for  yoAv  the 
Lordis  of  his  most  honourabill  Counsel,  for  the  mantinence  of  his 
Hightnes'  kingdomes  and  dominiounes  in  peax  and  unitie,  in  Jesus 
Chryst :  To  quhois  grace  and  merciefull  protectioun  avc  committ 
your  Honouris.  Houpeing  to  heir  quhat  guid  respect  it  sail  pleise 
your  Honouris  to  haiff  of  our  Supplicatioun,  We  rest,  your  Honouris" 
pure  Supplicantis,2 

"  James  Balfour.       James  Melvill.        William  Watsoun. 
Robert  Wallace.   Adam  Colt.  William  Scott." 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "renouned."  2  lb.  "  lmnililo  Berranta  " 


(>98  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G07. 

The  Supplicatiounc  Aves  takin  by  the  Counsell  out  of  the  Erie  of 
Salisberrie's  hand,  and  deliverit  to  the  Archbisschope,  to  make 
answer  to  the  samyne ;  quho  sent  for  tuo  of  our  number  to  cume 
and  speik  with  him.  So  Mr  James  Melvill  and  Mr  William  Scott 
went  to  Lambeth,  on  Mononday  the  seventh  of  Marche.  The  Arch- 
bisschop  puting  all  out  of  the  chalmer  but  us  alone,1  laying  his  capp, 
quhilk  wes  turnit,  asyd,  with  great  reverence  did  schaw  us  that  the 
Kingis  Majestie,  letting  us  and  the  Counsell  to  understand  that  it 
wes  not  his  plesoure  yit  that  we  sould  be  licenceit  to  goe  home  to 
Scotland  ;  and  willing  us  to  be  weill  interteined  in  the  mein  tyme, 
had  requyrit  the  Counsel  to  direct  us  to  sunie  of  the  principal!  of 
the  Clergie,  as  most  fitt  to  intertein  men  of  our  calling ;  thairfoir, 
the  Counsel  directit  Lettres  to  sume  of  the  Bisschopes  to  recom- 
mend us  to  thame,  and  that  the  Messengeres  sent  us  wer  not  Pur- 
sevantis  to  chairge  us,  bot  servantis  to  the  King  and  Counsel,  ap- 
poyntit  to  be  our  convoy  to  such  places  quhair  we  sould  be  weil 
ressavit  and  interteinit :  But  if  either  the  servantis,  quhilk,  eftir 
the  commoun  sort,  mycht  be  rude  and  indiscreit,  had  usit  us  uthir- 
Avayis  than  became,  or  that  we  feirit  that  the  Bisschoppes,  to  quhom 
we  wer  recommendit,  wald  not  lovinglie  ressaive  us,  and  use  us 
kyndlie  and  curtesely,  let  him  knaw  it,  and  he  sould  remeid  it,  and 
be  warrantabill  for  the  samyne. 

Our  answer  wes,  "We  could  accquyt2  nowayis  his  Majestie' s 
Counsellis'  cair  and  courtessie  towardis  us  bot  by  our  poore  prayeris ; 
yit,  sieing  no  injurie  wes  worse  nor  compulsatorie  courtessie,  iff  it 
wes  his  Majestie's  counsel3  we  sould  stay  longer,  we  Avould  wisch  it 
wer  his  Majestie's  pleisoure  also  to  suffer  us  to  continowc  and  at- 
tend his  Majestie's  leasure  upon  our  awin  coist  and  chairge,  as  we 
had  donnc  sume4  monethis,  and  not  to  truble  such  men,  quhom  to 
we  could  neither  be  pleisaunt  ghaistis,  nethir  they  pleisand  hostis 
to  us  :  We  Aver  men  that  had  homiest  housses  and  tabilis  of  our 
awin,  according  to  the  fasehioune  of  our  awin  countrie,  and  con- 


1  Ad\.  MSS.  ■•  bot  his  own  page."  ■  Requite,  repay.  "  Adv.  MSS. 

pleasure."  '  Jo.  "  Be\  in." 


1(507.  Ml!  JAMES  melvill's  DIA11Y.  699 

ditioun  of  our  callingis,  quho  wer  accustomit  to  give  moir  meit  nor 
to  take,  and  diverse  of  us  agit,  seiklie,  and  disseasit,  to  quhom  it 
wer  not  fitt  to  tye  to  the  dyatis  of  uthiris,  nor  that  men  of  such 
honour  and  worschippe  sould  be  trublit  with  ;  for  it  is  evident  that 
quhair  oppiniounes  differes  thair  afFectiounes  can  not  be  sound." 

"Trewlie,"  sayes  the  Archbisschope,  "ye  speik  truth  and  lyk 
homiest  men,  as  ye  ar ;  and  I  doe  think,  my  Breither,  that  the 
Bisschoppes  would  haif  litle  pleisoure  of  yow,  except  to  pleisoure 
the  Kingis  Majestic  ;  for  our  custome  is,  eftir  our  serious  matteres, 
to  refreschc  our  selffis  ane  hour  or  two  with  cairdis  and  uthir  sanies 
after  niailis,1  and  ye  are  mair  preceis  ;  but  it  wer  guid  the  King 
sould  be  satisfieit  to  further  his  Royall  indevour  to  unite  us  togider 
in  one  Kirk  and  Policie."  "  We  doe  think  the  same,"  say  we,  "  sa 
that  the  ground  of  the  Unioune,  quliilk  is  the  truth  of  Godis  Word, 
and  fundamentall  lawis  of  equitie  and  pollicie,  be  kcipit ;  but  quhair 
a  Kirk  and  Kingdome  is  solidlie  and  of  long  standing  buildit  on 
thais,  it  is  dangerous  to  seik  ane  alteratioun,  and  thair  is  no  Unioun 
can  be  maid  to  stand  sure  without  that ;  for,  the  ground  being 
schakin,  will  mak  of  that2  tuentie  peices." 

"  I  knaw  your  meineing,  Mr  Melvill,"  (sayis  the  Bisschope,)  "  by 
the  Lettre  sent  to  Mr  Ashely,  quliilk  I  haif  in  my  pocket  now ; 
but  Ave  will  not  reassoun  that  matter :  But  I  am  sure  we  doe  boith 
hauld  and  keipe  the  trew  groundis  of  Religioun,  and  are  Brithcrine 
in  Chryst,  and  sua  sould  behaif  our  selffis  one  towardis  ane  uthir. 
Our  difference  is  only  in  the  Governeing  of  the  Kirk  and  sume  cere- 
monies ;  but  I  understand,  since  ye  come  from  Scotland,  your  Kirk 
is  alwayis3  brought  to  be  one  with  ours  in  that  alsoe  ;  for  I  am  cer- 
tiefieit  that  thair  is  Constant  Moderatoris  appoyntit  in  your  Gene- 
rail  Assemblies,  Synodis,  and  Presbyteries,  evin  as  I  am  highest 
under  the  King  in  this  Kirk,  and  yit  am  nothing  above  the  rest  of 
my  Brither,  the  Bisschoppis,  but  in  pain  and  travel ;  so  that  1  wefl 
in  a  bettir  estait  quhen  I  wes  but  Richard  Bancroft,  evin  :is  ane 
Standing   Moderator  of  that  General!  Assemblie,   or  as  Maister 

I  Meals.  2  Adv.  MSS.  Mo  '  lb.  "  almost." 


700  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1(307. 

Patrick  Galloway,  or  sic  utheris  as  ar  in  Scotland ;  and  in  every 
Province  and  Dyosie  thair  is  a  Bisschoppe,  a  Moderator  of  a  Chap- 
ter, or  a  Presbyterie,  answerabill  all  to  the  King,"  &c.  Mr  William 
Scot  beganne,  upon  this,  a  wise  and  solid  conferrence  and  discourse, 
saving  and  laying  sic  groundis  as  mycht  beir  upe  a  suir  and  graiv 
worke  ;  and  making  mentioun  of  our  dewtie  to  Chryst  and  a  guid 
conscience.  The  Archbisschope  smyling,  and  chapping1  on  his 
arme,  said,  "  Tush,  man  !  Tak  heir  a  coupe  of  guid  seek  !"  And  sua, 
filling  the  coupe,  and  haulding  the  napkin  in  his  hand  him  self,  he 
maid  us  drink.  And  it  being  now  lait,  and  neir  sex  houris  of  the 
clock  eftirnoone,  eftir  many  guid  wordis  and  fair  ofFeris  of  all  he 
could  doe  at  the  Kingis  hand  for  us  to  obtein  our  libertie,  he  sent 
us  away  ;  and  we  wer  no  moir  trublit  with  that  matter  of  goeing 
to  Bischopis  againe. 

Againe,  the  26  of  March,  a  Messenger  of  his  Majestie's  Chalmer 
come  to  the  Deane  of  Paulis  hous  to  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  quho  eftir 
uttering  of  his  commissioun  by  word  and  writ,  and  subscryvit  the 
chairge  following : 

"  Mr  Melvin, — I  am  commandit  by  the  Lordis  of  his  Majestie's 
Privie  Counsel  to  cum  to  yow,  and  goe  with  vow  to  my  Lord  Bis- 
schoppe of  Winchester,  by  thair  commandement,  becaus  it  is  his 
Majestie's  plesoure,  that  thair  ye  sould  remaine  for  a  tyme,  till  his 
Majestie's  plesoure  be  farder  knawin :  And  so  rest  your  self  con- 
tentit  to  goe  with  me,  being  one  of  the  Messengeres  of  his  Majestie's 
Chalmer.    By  me, 

"  William  Watertoune." 

Mr  Andrew  thought  this  a  warrand  guid  ancucht  to  lcivc  the 
Deane  of  Paulis  hous  ;  but  he  wes  not  trublcit  with  this  Messenger 
eftir  this  ;  and  so  forgott  to  goe  to  his  appoyntit  Bisschope,  but 
keipit  on  with  us  all  Marchc  and  Apprill. 

The  proceiding  of  the  Synod  at  Perth,  [File,2]  Aprilc  <S,  1607, 
wes  come  t<>  Court  :  and,  thairfoir,  heir  l<>  be  registrat: 

'  Tapping,  patting.  '  Univ.  MS. 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIARY.  701 


[proceedings  of  THE  SYNOD  OF  PERTH,1  APRIL  8,  1607.] 

"  The  Synod  of  Perth  hauldin  within  the  Kirk  thairoff.  Mr 
William  Row  maid  the  doctrin  upon  the  seventh  of  Amos,  conccrne- 
ing  the  Bisschoppis  of  Bethel,2  quhairin  he  solidlie  and  touehingly 
handlet  matteres  present.  The  Lord  of  Scoone,  Commissiouner 
from  the  King,  dcsyrit  the  Assemblie  to  stay  a  quhill  upon  him  till 
he  might  be  at  leasur  eftir  dinner ;  but  they,  keipeing  the  order, 
proceidit  to  the  electioun  of  the  Moderator,  and  haifing  gathcrit  the 
voitis  of  tua  Presbytries,  word  goes  to  my  Lord,  quho,  cumming  in 
haist,  complanit  they  had  done  him  wrong  that  stayed  not  till  he 
had  produceit  his  Commissioun.  It  was  ansuerit  that  the  Modera- 
tor, quhois  office  it  wes  to  ressaive  Commissiounes,  wes  not  yit 
chosin,  and  thairfoir  would  proceid.  He  began  to  boast 3  that  he 
woidd  stay  and  dischairgc  the  Assemblie  if  they  would  not  reid  his 
Commissiounes,  quhairof  he  had  tuo  ;  the  one  from  the  Counsel  to 
himself,  the  Lord  Halirudhous,  the  Lairdis  of  Balwaird,  BalmanoAv, 
and  ane  uthir  from  his  Majestie  to  him  and  Mr  James  Nicolsoun, 
quho  wes  not  present.  The  Commissioune  bure  to  sie  four  Con- 
stant Moderatoris  of  the  Presbyteries  put  on  leit,  according  to  the 
ordinance  of  the  Generall  Assemblie.  The  Assembly  craivit  the 
sight  of  that  act,  quhilk  could  not  be  produceit,  and  thairfoir  they 
could  give  no  answer  thairto.  Moirovir,  they  schew  that  diverse  of 
thair  number,  quho  wer  at  the  Conventioun  of  Lithgow,  declairit 
that  they  hard  not  sic  a  thing  mcntiounit,  let  be  inactit  ;4  only 
Mr  Alexander  Lindsay  (eftir  a  Bischoppe)  said,  '  It  wes  anis  castin 
in  at  the  tail  of  ane  uthir  matter,  he  knew  not  how.'  One  askis 
him,  'Iff  confusitlic?'  'Yes,'  couth8  he.  Quhilk  gaiff  ane  occa- 
sioun  of  lauchtcr,  that  sic  confussioun  sould  trouble  thame  !  Quhen 
all  this  wes  done,  Scoone  wald  not  suffer  thame  to  proceid  ;  how- 

1  Univ.  MS.  inaccurately  reads  "  Fyff."  -  It  is  probable  that  Mr  William 

Row  insisted  chiefly  on  Amos  vii.  13,  "Prophesy  not  again  any  more  at   Beth-el: 
for  it  is  the  King's  Chapel,  and  it  is  the  King's  Court."         *  Threaten.  '  adv. 

MSS.  "much  less  then  actit."  b  Quoth. 


702  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G07. 

beit,  in  all  humilitic  and  sober  maner,  they  intreitit  him  not  to  dis- 
tnrbe  the  meittingis  of  God's  servants,  nor  bring  sic  a  scandel  on 
the  contrie,  and  sua  upoun  himself;  yit  he  persistit,  and  usit  menace- 
ing  and  boasting,  repeiting  evir,  they  should  not  make  Lawristoun ' 
of  him  !  The  Assemblie,  weirieit,  referrit  him  to  tak  advysment  that 
nicht  to  a  bettir  resolutioun,  and  offerit  any  of  the  Breitherin  he 
pleisit  to  conferr  with  him,  aftir  humble  prayer  to  God,  with  great 
carnestnes,  and  motioun  for  strenth  and  courage,  they  dissolvit. 

"  Upon  the  morne,  Scoone  wes  cum  west,2  and  would  neidis  dis- 
charge the  Assembly,  affirmeing  that  he  had  power  so  to  doe ;  and 
so  bringis  in  his  secret  Commissioun,  givin  to  him  and  a  Reverent 
Father,  James  Bisschop  of  Dunkeld.  This  wes  Mr  James  Xicol- 
soun,  quhom  to  heir  so  nameit,  the  Assemblie  wes  all  astonied,  and 
cryeit  out,  '  It  wes  not  credibil  that  that  man,  quho  had  bein  so  farr 
againes  that  corruptioun  all  his  tyme,  and  utterit  himselff  so  to  be, 
at  the  Conventioune  of  Lithgow  last  past,  quhair  he  wes  Modera- 
tor, sould  carie  that  title  and  stile  ;  or,  iff  he  did,  it  did  not  become 
a  Reverend  Father  to  reverence  the  Kingis  Majestic' s  commande- 
ment  in  assisting  and  ovirsieing  that  Assemblie  !'  Yit  the  Commis- 
sioun wes  red,  beiring  that  they  sould  tak  heid  that  thair  sould  be 
nothing  done  in  that  Assemblie  contrair  to  the  Kingis  Majestie's 
intentioun ;  and  that  the  thingis  done  at  the  Generall  Assemblie 
conveinit  last  at  Lithgow  sould  be  obeyit,  and  na  wayia  impugnit, 
else3  they  sould  oppone  thamselffis  thairto  :  And,  thairfoir,  sieing 
they  would  proceid  in  the  contraire,  he  woiUd  dischairge  the  As- 
semblie. 

"  They  schew  him  he  had  no  warrand,  and  his  Commissioun 
careit  no  such  mater.     If  it  sould  pleis  him  to  mak  oppositioune  by 

1  This  allusion  is  to  Sir  Alexander  Straiton  of  Laurenstoun,  Knight,  one  of  the 
Commissioners  for  the  Union  of  England  and  Scotland,  July  1 1,  1G04,  who  frequently 
occurs  in  the  preceding  parts  of  the  Continuation  to  the  present  volume.  A  Letter 
of  Gift  and  Pension  for  all  the  days  of  his  life  of  the  blench-cluty  of  the  lordship  of 
Scoon.  extending  to  1000  merks,  was  ratified  to  him  by  Parliament,  July  1 1,  1606. 
Hi'  was  appointed  to  represent  the  King  in  all  Ecclesiastical  Judicatories.  See  Pit- 
cairn's  Criminal  Trials,  II.  495,  »..  2  Adv.  MSS.  "  becomes  worse." 
-'  Otherwise. 


1007.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  703 

reassoune,  it  soukl  be  answerit '  or  obeyit.  The  questioim  wes 
thairfoir  movit,2  Quhither  they  soukl  proceitl  according  to  the  old 
maner  establischit  and  confirmeit  by  law  and  custome,  or  alter  ac- 
cording to  the  alledgit  new  act,  quhilk  wes  justlie  doubtit  of,  and 
could  not  be  produceit  ?  It  wes  concludit  by  uniforme  consent  of 
thanie  all,  except  anc  singular  man,  Archibald  Moncreiff,  that  they 
shoidd  keipc  thair  old 3  forme  ;  quhereat  Scoone  ragit  without  reas- 
soun,  cryeing  for  the  Bailyies  to  remove  thame.  They,  nothing  movit 
at  his  boastis,4  first  askit  his  conjoinit 5  Commissiouneris  foirsaid,  if 
it  wes  thair  will  to  dischairge  the  Assemblie  ?  They  answerit,  They 
had  no  such  Commissioune.  Nixt,  they  gravely  chairgit  Scoone, 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Chryst,  by  quhois  power  and  aucto- 
ritie  they  wer  conveinit,  not  to  truble  that  mcitting  ;  appealing 
him  befoir  the  tribunall  of  God,  and  remembering  him  quhat  judg- 
ments of  God  had  lighted  on  those  quho  had  bein  disturbercs  and 
troubleres  of  the  Kirk  in  tymes  bypast,  namcing  to  him  diverse 
quhom  he  knew  ;  but  he  in  a  furie  knocking  on  his  breist,  exclaimit, 
'  Thair  is  no  Jesus  heir  ! '  For  the  quhilk,  ethir  his  miserabill  confes- 
sioun  if  he  meinit  of  himselff,  or  blasphemie  if  he  spak  of  the  Assem- 
blie, conveinit  and  fensit  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Chryst,  by  the  Word 
and  prayer,  they  with  power  rebuikit  him  every  ane,  as  God  mini- 
sterit  grace,  that  he  wes  so  perplexit  and  daschit  that  he  had  not  a 
word  to  speik  !  At  last  he  beganne  to  use  violence,  and  to  pull  the 
catallogue  out  of  the  Moderatoris  hand,  quho  said  to  him,  '  Ceis,  my 
Lord,  we  will  not  be  boistit6  from  doeing  of  our  office  under  tin- 
Lord  Jesus  Chryst,  for  we  ar  his  servantis  and  guid-fellowis  too : 
Think  not  your  terroris  will  move  U8  !' 

"So,  notwithstanding  he  raigit,  the  Moderator  wes  chosinc,  Mr 
Henrie  Livingstoun,  quhom  Scoone  preissit7  to  haif  had  out  of  the 
chyrc,  sitting  doune  himselff  in  the  same,  and  dischairgeing  Mr 
Henrie  from  using  that  office  :  Quho  answerit,  lie  wes  chosine  and 
chairgeit  thairto  be  a  greatter,  evin  the  voyce  of  Chrystis  Kirk, 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "reasoned."  2  lb.  "askit."        3  lb.  "owne."  '  "  Threats. " 

5  lb.  "  fellow."  fi  lb.  "debarred."  "  lb.  "promised." 


704  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

quho  wes  Chrystis  awin  voyce ;  and,  thairfoir,  would  obey  [Him.] 
As  for  the  chyre,  and  high  place  or  heid  of  the  boord,1  it  wes  a  thing 
indifferent ;  let  his  Lordschip  keipe  it,  if  he  would  sit  at  the  table 
amongis  his  Brither  !  Then  Scoone  commandit  his  men  to  pull  away 
the  burd :  And  the  Moderator  with  the  Britherin  goeing  to  prayer, 
according  to  the  order,  Scoone  disturbis  them,  and  preissing  to 
overthrow  the  tabill  upoun  thame,  pulling  away  the  stulis,  and 
cryeing  for  the  Baillies,  lyk  ane  mad  man !  Notwithstanding, 
they  enterit  into  prayer,  and  with  great  motioun  continowit  thairin, 
that  mycht  haif  maid  the  man  afraid  and  aschamit  of  his  godles 
barberity  !  The  Bailyies  cummes ;  he  commandis  thame  to  ring 
the  commoun  bell,  and  remove  thais  rebellis  !  The  Baillies  said  they 
could  not,  without  advyce  of  the  Counsell,  quhilk  they  would  goe 
and  convein,  but  they  returnit  not  againe.  The  Assemblie  pro- 
ceidit  according  to  the  order,  and  removes  the  Presbytrie  of  Perth 
forth  for  tryel ;  upon  quhom  Scoone  lockit  the  doore,  and  closes 
thame  out ;  but  they,  getting  entres  to  a  loft,2  signifieit  to  thair 
Brither  thair  presense  from  that  place  ;  and  so  proceidit  in  tryel 
till  nine3  of  the  clock,  the  hour  at  quhilk  they  sould  dissolve;  ap- 
poynting  to  meit  againe  at  ten  houres. 

a  Returneing  againe  to  the  place,  they  fand  all  the  dores  closit 
and  shutt.  The  Baillies  come  and  schew  thame  that  Scoone  had 
done  so,  and  takin  the  keyes  with  him,  againes  thair  will  and  con- 
sent ;  quhairfoir,  they  wer  willing  the  Assembly  sould  tak  docu- 
mentis,  and  thairby  offerit  to  thame  another  house  to  sitt  in.  They 
answerit,  That  sieing  they  wer  excludit  out  of  Godis  hous,  they 
would  make  all  the  world  knaw  it,  that  the  thing  quhilk  they  did 
might  abid  the  lycht  off  the  sunne !  So,  resolveing  to  sitt  at  the 
Kirk-doore,  thair  wes  brought  to  them  with  diligence  boordis, 
furmes,  and  stooles  anew ;  and  thair,  with  great  confluence,  men  re- 
gratcing,  women  weipeing,  and  curseing  the  instrumentis  of  that 
disturbance  of  the  servantis  of  God  in  doeing  of  thair  office,  being 


1  Board,  table.  2  Gallery.      The  Adv.    MSS.  read  "  to  the  queer,"  that  is, 

to  the  choir  or  quire  of  the  Church,  :!  Adv.  MSS.  "  eight." 

4 


I 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  705 

veric  graifely  and  orderly  sett  downe  with  great  attendance  and 
silence,  the  prayer  wes  wonderfully,  and  powerfully,  and  movingly 
conceivit.  Thaireftir  the  Moderator  sayis,  t  This  is  the  fruit  of  thir 
Meittingis  at  Lithgow !  Let  us  sie  quho  hes  admittit  Moderatoris 
not  of  thair  awin  choyseing  in  any  of  our  Presby tries?'  None  was 
found  but  Perth,  quho  shew  how  they  wer  urged  thairto,  and  wer 
willing  to  be  censureit  thairfoir,  and  injoynit  :  2dly,  Sieing  it  is  said 
that  the  Brither  deteineit  in  England  holdis  opiniounes  againes  the 
Governement  of  the  Kirk,  they  would  declair  thair  judgment l  with 
thame,  appoyntit  a  confortabill  Lettre  to  be  written  to  the  said 
Britherin,  with  all  humble  Supplicatioun  to  the  Kingis  Majestie  to 
send  thame  haim  :  §dly,  Leist  the  Presbytries  sould  be  tempted 
with  prievy  Lettres,  they  maid  chuse  of  thrie  Commissiouneris  to 
the  Generall  Assemblie,  (quhilk  they  supposit  sould  be  haiddin  at 
Edinbruche  the  last  day  of  July  nixt,  as  wes  apoyntit  at  Lithgow,) 
out  of  ilk  Presbytrie  :  And,  last,  because  Scoone  had  boastit2  to 
chairge  thame  befoir  the  Counsel,  they  appoyntit  foure3  of  thair 
number  to  await  on  the  first  Counsel  day,  and  to  complaine  upon 
him  for  his  blasphemie,  disturbance,  and  violence.  And  so  they 
depairted  with  great  joy  and  contentment,  thanking  God  for  his 
most  gratious  and  confortable  assistance. 

"  The  redres  quhilk  we  gatt  at  the  Counsel  wes  the  denunceing 
to  the  home  of  the  most  pairt  of  thame,  speciallie  those  of  thame 
that  dissobeyit  the  Kingis  Commissiouner,  as  namely  of  us,  Mr 
Williame  Rowe,  quho  wes  much  sought  for,  to  be  apprehended  and 
imprissouneit ;  so  that  he  was  faine,  with  many  foide  steppis,  to  lurk 
heir  and  thair  amongis  his  freindis  ;  but  evir  with  courage  and  great 
edificatioune4  quhair  he  come."' 

The  23  of  Apryl  wes  St  George  day,  quhilk  wes  kcipit  at  Court 
with  great  superstitioun  and  vainitie  :  The  report  quhairof  come- 
ing  to  the  cares  of  Mr  Andro  Mclvill,  his  spirit  was  irritat  and 
much  incensit  within  him,  as  wes  Paulis,  quhen  he  saw  the  citie  of 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "agreement."  *  Threatened.  a  Adv.  MSS.  "some." 

*  lb.  "  cxultatione."  j 

2  v 


706  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

Athenes  full  of  idolatrie.     On  quhilk  occasioun  he  made  the  verses 
following  : 

[VERSES  BY  MR  ANDREW  MELVILL.] 

Andreas,  Christi  divinus  Apostolus,  est  qui 

Nunc  Scotos  ritus  signat  Apostolicos  : 
Armenijs,  (ut  fama,)  Georgius,  Hasresiarcha, 

Nunc  Anglos  ritus  signat  Apostolicos. 
Signa,  Andrea?,  ergo  sunt  nullo  G  corgi  ? 

Undique  Apostolicis,  minibus  Apostaticis  ! 

[  Translated  thus :] 
Saint  Andro,  Chrystis  Appostle  trew, 

Does  signe  the  Scotismenes  ritis  ; 
Saint  George,  Armenian  Heresiarch, 

The  Inglischmenes  delytis. 
Let  Scotismen,  thane,  hauld  fast  the  faith  ! 

That  is  holie '  Appostolicke, 
Ilowbeit  that  Ingland  keipes  the  cours 

That  Papistis2  Apostaticke. 

Upon  the  26  of  Appril,  being  the  Sabboth  day,  betymes,  in  the 
morneing,  being  foulle,  ane  of  my  Lord3  of  Salisberrie  his  men 
cume  to  Mr  Andro  Melvill,  lyand  at  Bow,  tuo  mylis  from  Londoun, 
in  Mr  Somaris  house,  and  verie  courteouselie  intrcatit  him,  in  his 
lord  and  maisteris  name,  to  come  to  the  Court  at  Quhythall,  to  my 
Lordis  chalmer,  at  nyne  of  the  clockc,  quhair  my  Lord  wald  talk 
with  him  ;  bcseiking  him  to  mak  no  stay,  for  my  Lord  wald  attend 
his  comcing.  Thairfoir,  Mr  Andro  makis  him  self  readic  with  dili- 
gence, thinking  it  wes  in  freindschippc,  and  that,  cftir  conferrencc, 
my  Lord  would  bid  him  to  dinner.  Cuming  from  his  chalmer  to 
our  ludging,  quhair,  wc  nocht  being  ready,  told  us,  he  must  goe 
to  Court,  and  would  schortly  stay  to  break  his  fast;  but  haifing 
1  Adv.  MSS.  "  whollic."  *  Il>.  "  That  is  whollic."  zIb.  "d" the  yeomen  of  the  Earle." 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  707 

borrowit  the  horse  of  his  hoiste,  he  with  his  men  postit  away  to 
Court.  Eftir  the  custom,  Mr  James  Melvill  had  said  ane  word  to 
him,  "  Tak  heid  that  your  biding  to  diner  be  not  a  new  calling  be- 
foir  the  Counsel  1"  Mr  William  Scot,  Mr  Robert  Wallace,  [and] 
Mr  James  Melvill,  followit  on  fut,  and,  taking  the  first  convenient 
boiteing,  com  by  watter  to  Westminster,  quhair,  a  little  eftir  elevin 
of  the  clock,  he  come  to  the  hous  out  of  the  Palace  to  James  Arche- 
soune's  hous,  and  tauld  us  how  he  Avaittit  in  a  gallerie  befoir  the 
Erie  of  Salisberrie's  chalmer  since  nyne  a' clock  ;  and,  sieing  the 
Erie  and  all  going  to  dinner,  and  he  left  alone,  come  to  dyne  with 
us  :  And  quhill  our  buird  coverit,1  and  the  meitt  put  thairon,  he 
uttirit  to  us  ane  excellent  meditatioun,  quhilk  he  had  walking  in 
the  gallerie,  on  the  second  Psalme,  joyneing  thairwith  prayer ; 
quhairby  we  wer  all  muche  movit ;  accounting  the  same  in  place  of 
our  Sabboth  foirnoone's  exercise,  endit,  and,  sitting  doun  to  dinner, 
he  rehersit  his  St  Georgis  Verses,  with  vehement  invectioun  againes 
the  corruptiounes  and  superstitiounes  of  England.  Thairfoir,  his 
f ousine  Mr  James  sayes  to  him,  "  Remember  Ovidis  verses  : 

"  Si  saperem  doctus  odissem  jure  sorores 
Numina  cultori  perniciosa  suo  ! " 

His  answer  wes  in  the  verses  following  : 

"  Sed  nunc  tanta  meo  comes  est  insania  morbo 
Saxa  demens  refcro  rursus  addicta  pedem." 

"  Weill,"  sayis  his  cousine,  "  eit  your  dinner,  and  be  of  good 
courage,  for  I  sail  warrand  yoAV  ye  salbe  befoir  the  Counsel  for  your 
Verses."  "  AVeill,"  sayis  he,  "  my  heart  is  full  and  boldenit,2  and  I 
will  be  glaid  to  half  ane  occasioun  to  disburdein  it,  and  spcik  all  my 
mynd  plaincly  to  thame  for  the  dishonouring  of  Cliryst,  and  wrnik 
of  sua  many  soulis  for  their  docings ;  be  the  beiring  dpuo  the  Bin- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  tabic  wes  drest  to  dinner."  -  /l>.  "  faint  and  burdened,  and 

I  would." 


708  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1  GOT. 

ceritie  and  fridom  of  the  Gospel,  stoping  that  healthsome  breath  of 
Godis  mouth,  and  maintaining  of  the  Papistis'  cqrruptiounes  and 
supcrstitiounes."  "  I  warrand  yow,"  sayis  Mr  James,  "  they  know 
yow  "will  speik  your  mynd  friely  ;  and,  thairfoir,  hes  concludit  to 
make  that  a  meines  to  keip  yow  from  going  home  to  Scotland." 
He  answered,  "  Iff  God  hes  ony  thing  to  doe  with  me  in  Scotland 
more,  He  will  bring  me  home  to  Scotland  again  iff  he  haiff  any  ser- 
vice for  me  :  GifF  not,  let  me  glorific  him,  quhidder  or  quhairevir  I 
be ;  and  as  I  haif  said  often  to  yow,  cousine,  I  think  God  hes  sumc 
pairt  to  play  with  us  on  this  theatre  !"  We  had  not  half  dyneit  quhen 
one  comes  to  him  from  Lord  Salisberie  ;  to  quhom  he  said,  u  Sir,  I 
waittcd  longe  upon  my  Lordis  dinner  till  I  waxed  verie  hungrie, 
and  could  not  stay  longer.1  I  pray  my  Lord  to  suffir  me  to  tak  a 
lytle  of  my  awin  dinner !"  That  messenger  wes  not  weill  gone 
quhill2  againe  comes  another  ;  soone  eftir  that,  Mr  Alexander  Hay, 
the  Scottish  Secretar,  telling  him  that  the  Counsel  wes  long  sett, 
attending  him.  At  the  heiring  quhairoff,  with  great  motioun, 
raysing,  he  prayit ;  and,  leiving  us  at  diner,  (for  we  wer  expressely 
chairgit  that  we  come  not  within  the  Palice,)  went  with  Mr  Alex- 
ander Hay,  with  great  commotioun  of  mynd.  This  wes  sone  eftir 
tuo  of  the  clocke.3  About  three,  one  of  our  men,  quhom  we  sent 
to  attend  at  the  Counsel  doore,  comes  to  us  with  tearis,  and  schew 
us  that  he  wes  carieit  direct  from  the  Counsel,  by  watter,  to  the 
Tour.  We  followit  with  dilligence,  yit  could  not  meit  with  him 
by  the  way,  neither  could  we  get  accesse  to  him  by  any  meines. 

Upon  the  6  of  May,  the  rest  of  us  gettis  a  Lettre  from  Mr  Alex- 
ander Hay ;  the  tennor  quhairof  followes  : 

"  Siris,  I  am  directit  to  mak  intimatioune  of  thais  Warrandis  to 
yow.  I  am  forcit  my  self  to  mak  personal  attendence.  I  haif  di- 
rectit the  beirer  to  schew  yow  the  principallis,  quhilk  he  must  re- 
turne,  and  leivc  the  coppies  of  thame  with  yow.  I  am  sua  directit. 
I  would  wisch  the  giving  to  yow  of  moir  contentment  than  thais 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "came  then  away."        *  Until.        8  Adv.  MSS.  "  in  with  the  mes- 
singer,  about  twelve  a'clook." 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MEL  VILL'S  DIARY.  709 

Warrandis  affordis,  wer  it  in  my  power ;  and  without  trubling  of 
yow,  I  rest, 

u  Youris  evir  to  his  power, 
",  The  6  of  May,  1607.  Alexr.  Hay." 


THE  COPPIE  OF  MR  JAMES  MELVINE  S  CHAIRGE,    QUHO    ONLY  WES 
CONFYNIT   AND   DETEANED    IN  ENGLAND    WITH   HIS   UNCLE,    MR 


ANDRO. 


"  James  Rex. — It  is  our  plesoure  and  will,  and  we  command 
and  change  yow  heirby,  Mr  James  Melvin,  Minister,  that  upon  in- 
timatioune  of  thais  presentis  unto  him,  and  within  audit  dayes 
thairefter,  he  depairt  out  of  the  citie  of  Londoun  and  liberties  of 
the  same,  and  repair  with  all  convenient  speid  to  our  burght  of 
New  Castel  upon  Tyne,  within  our  contrie  of  Northumberland,  and 
thair  to  mak  liis  stay  and  abod ;  and  no  way  to  depairt  furth  thairoff, 
and  tuo1  myles  about  the  same,  under  the  paine  of  rebellioun, 
and  putting  him  to  our  borne ;  certifieing  him  thairby,  that  if  he 
transcend  his  limitit  boundis,  that  lettres  of  horneing  salbe  direct 
to  denunce  him  our  rebel,  and  to  escheit  and  inbring  all  his  move- 
able goods  to  our  use,  &c.  Givin  att  our  court  at  Quhythall,  the 
10  of  May  1607. 

(Sic  subscribitur,)  "  Marr.   Dumbar.    Secretar." 

Mr  James  Balfour  ressavit  the  lyk  chairge  to  goe  home  to  Scot- 
land, and  to  be  confynit  at  Cockburnispathe  ;  Mr  Robert  Wallace, 
in  lyk  maner,  to  goe  home  and  be  confynit  at  Lawder ;  Mr  William 
Watsoun,  within  his  aAvin  paroche  at  Bruntiland ;  and  Mr  A  dame 
Colt,  within  his  awin  paroche  at  Mussilburght ;  Mr  William  Scot, 
as  Mr  Jolme  Carmichcl  befoir,  upon  great  meines  maid,  (bc- 
caus  of  the  bodily2  diseassc  of  his  wyff,)  gat  license  to  goe  home  i<> 
his  paroche  at  Cowpcr  in  Fyfe,  providing  he  did  returne  a  testi- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  ten.  '  "-  Tb.  "  deadly." 


710  THE  CONTINUATION'  OF  1G07. 

moniall  of  his  guid  beheaviour  from  the  Bisschop  of  Saint  Androis, 
and  sume  uthiris,  utliirwayis  to  turne  back  to  Londoun  befoir  the 
1 5  day  of  July.  So  the  rest  taking  jurnay,  they  depairtit  hame- 
wairdis,  leiving  Mr  James  Melvin  and  Mr  William  Scot  at  Lon- 
doun ;  quho  indeavourit  quhat  they  could  for  Mr  Andro  his  releiff, 
bot  could  obtcin  nothing,  save  only  that  his  servant  sould  entir  with 
him  in  closse  prissoun. 

Mr  James  insistit,  be  all  the  meines  and  credit  he  had,  to  be  li- 
cencit  to  stay  at  Londoun  or  thairabout,  for  his  uncle's  comfort : 
but  at  last  wes  counsellit  by  his  best  freindis  to  desist,  and  give 
obedience  to  his  chairge,  or  then  assuredly  both  he  and  his  uncle 
would  be  worse  usit.  Thus  much  schewing  him  the  lettres,  and 
provyding  for  his  necessities  the  best  way  they  could,  they  resolvit 
to  goe  by  sie  to  New  Castel.  The  day  they  wer  to  depart,  thair 
come  to  thair  chamber  Mr  Snape,  Mr  Balmefurd,  parochineres, 
with  Mr  Corsbey,  a  guid  brother,  apothecarie  of  calling;  quho 
brought  with  him  a  great  bag  of  monie,  alse  meikle  as  he  could 
Aveill  carie  in  his  oxter.1  Mr  Snapp,  schewing  us  that  some  guid 
Christianes,  perceiving  our  long  detentioun  at  Londoun,  unprovy- 
dit  for  be  the  King,  had  maid  a  collectioun  for  defraying  of  thair 
changes,  and  carrieing  thame  hainie,  understanding  they  tuo  wer 
left  to  mak  outred2  for  thame  selffis  and  the  rest  of  the  Britherine 
quho  wer  gain3  away  befoir.  They  thankit  thame,  and  all  the  guid 
Britherin,  but  tauld  thame  that  they  would  haiff  non  of  thair 
money ;  not  that  they  despysit  thair  charitabill  liberalitie,  for  the 
quhilk  they  praissit  God;  bot  pairtlie  to  eschew  offence,  and  pairt- 
lie  for  conscientious  consideratioun.  The  offence  wes  a  commone 
bruit/  and  opinioun  among  the  peiple  of  England,  that  all  Scot* 
tishmen  come  hither  to  begg,  and  purse  upe  the  money  of  the  land, 
and  carie  it  away  with  thame  ;  quhilk  wes  non  of  our  eirrand,  quhilk 
had  sufficient  to  live  on,  according  to  our  callingis,  at  haiiue,  and 
wantit  no  credite  to  outred •'  our  Belffia  out  of  all  expenses  thair. 

1  Under  his  arm.  '  Provision,  and  ruraishings  for  their  journey,  and  settle- 

ment of  accounts  due  bi  them.  8  Gone.  '  Rumour.  'Clear. 


1007.  BIB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  711 

[We  informed]  the  conferrence,  that,  considering  the  great  number 
of  godly  Britherin,  lairnit  and  honnest  men  of  thair  awin  Ministerie, 
quhilk  [had]  thair  families  bereft  of  thair  livingis  and  mantinence ; 
and  eharitie,  in  this  last  aige  of  the  world,  growing  cold,  we  caryit 
a  dispositioun  of  heart,  rather  to  procure  sume  helpe  to  tham  out 
of  our  awin  countric,  for  as  poore  as  it  wes,  nor 1  to  be  burdeinabill 
to  them,  and  to  intercept  that  quhairoff  the  bestowing  wes  neidfull 
to  thair  awin.  The  quhilk  thair  constant  refusall,  with  such  reas- 
sounes,  they  heigh tly  commendit,  and  gloriefieit  God  thairfoir. 
And  so,  convoyit  with  a  guid  number  of  most  loveing  and  godly 
Britherin  to  the  Tour-staires,  we  tuik  boitting  the  2  of  July ;  and 
devallit  toAvardis  our  schippe  with  vcrie  sorrowfull  heartis,  becaus 
of  him  we  left  behind  us  in  this  danger,2  and  of  the  scattering  and 
dissipatioun3  of  the  money  guid  Britherin,  so  firmer?  joynit  togid- 
der  in  Chryst  his  caus. 

To  returne  to  the  proceeding  of  materes,  the  nixt  Generall  As- 
semblie  wes  appoyntit  by  the  Conventioun,  haldin  at  Linlithgow, 
to  be  keipeit  at  Halirudhous  the  last  Tuysday  of  Julie.  But 
thingis  not  weill  succeiding  as  wes  expectit,  the  Assemblie,  by  pub- 
lict  proclamatioun,  as  in  the  yeir  bygaine,  wes  prorogat ;  the  tennour 
quhairoff  (with  a  narrative  most  bitter,  false,  and  scandalous,  that 
one  mycht  be  aneught,  and  too  many,  for  all !)  folio  wis  : 

"James,  be  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  Great  Brittane,  France, 
and  Ireland,  &c.  :  Forsuameikle  as  the  incresse  of  the  adversaria  of 
the  truth,  and  contrair  professiounes,  lies  proceidit  of  nothing  so 
much  as  of  the  dissensioun  amonges  the  Ministerie  within  our  King- 
dome  of  Scotland,  sume  of  thame  by  natural  inclinatioun,  being 
enimics  of  quyctnes,  and  turbulent  Bpiritis,  making  chuse  rather  to 
drink  in  mudie  watteres, *  then  to  taist  of  the  clcir  fountain  :  being 
imboldenit  be  reassoune  of  the  societie  of  a  great  many  atheris, 
quho,  being  guiltie  thamselffis  of  thair  awin  unworthinea  and  small 


1  Than.  2  Adv.  MSS.  "  that  dungeone,"  viz.,  the  Tower  of  London,  From 

which  they  were  then  preparing  to  embark.      *  lb.  "  diBpersing."     '  Muddy  waters. 


712  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G07. 

giftis,  and  in  that  respect,  out  of  all  houp  of  preferrment,  and  thair- 
upoun  invyous  and  uncharitabill  towardis  thair  Britherin  of  the 
best  qualitie ;  and  all  of  thame  runne  and  concurr  togider,  lyk  ane 
lieidstrong  factioun,  to  uphold  and  mantein  ane  anarchic, '  and 
thairby  to  induce  dissorder  and  confusioun  in  that  Kirk,  to  the  great 
hinderance  of  the  progres  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  dishonour  and 
scandel  of  the  professouris  thairof :  Quhairupoun,  We,  of  our 
princely  cair  and  fatherlie  affectioun  to  the  peice  of  the  Kirk,  de- 
syring  rather  to  extinguishe  the  fyre  of  divisioun,  then  to  suffer  it 
to  grow  to  ane  confusioun  in  that  Kirk  ;  and  being  evir  willing  to 
bring  thame  to  ane  uniformitie  of  myndis  and  affectioun,  did  thair- 
upoun  appoynt  a  most  grave,  free,  and  frequent  Assemblie  to  be 
keipit  at  Lithgow,  in  December  last  bypast,  of  a  great  number  of 
the  most  godly,  zealous,  and  weil-affectit,  of  the  Nobilitie,  Counsel, 
and  small  Barrounes,  from  all  the  pairtis  of  that  our  kingdome,  as 
alsoe  the  most  lairnit,  experimentit,  wyse,  godly,  and  discreit,  of  the 
Ministerie,  from  all  the  Presbytries,  in  great  number  ;  by  quhois 
travelis,  caires,  and  wisdome,  every  occasioun  and  pretext  of  greiff 
wes  in  sic  moderatioun  and  godlines  removit,  that  as  the  same  did 
yeild  us  contentment,  so  everie  thing  done  in  that  Assemblie,  with 
a  great  and  generall  applaus  of  all ;  giving  great  houpes  that  nothing 
from  that  tyme  furth  sould  be  found  but  unitie  and  concord  in 
the  Kirk,  and  that  all  thair  meittingis  thaireftir  sould  be  full  of  peice 
and  love :  And  thairupoun,  by  our  speciall  Warrand  and  allow- 
ance, it  wes  specially  appoyntit  that  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie 
sould  be  conveinit  and  holdin  at  Halirudhous  the  last  Tuysday  of 
July  nixt  to  cume.  But  We,  now  perceiving,  that  by  the  meincs 
of  thais  evill-disposit,  turbulent,  and  contentious  spiritis,  all  the 
proceidingis  in  that  Generall  Assemblie  ar  brought  in  questioun 
and  traduceit,  and  by  sume,  no  obedience  givin,  and  by  utheris,  di- 
rect2 oppositioun  maid  to  the  actis  concludit  at  that  tyme:  and 
t  hairtliroiigh,  among  the  Britherin,  sic  distractiouncs  of  myndis  and 
bitter  exasperatiounes,  ane  againes  ane  uthir :  And  howsoevir  the 

i  Adv.  MSS.  "  schisme."  //..  "  contradicted  by." 


1607.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL-'s  DIARY.  713 

meitting  of  the  Britherin,  if  it  wer  in  love,  peicc,  and  charitie,  no 
doubt  wald  doe  guid  in  the  Kirk,  so  thair  is  no  questioun  but  thair 
conveining  with  preoccupyit  mynd,  fraugh tit  with  invye  and  malice, 
wald  give  the  cnimic  too  much  advantage  to  cntir  by  that  breach 
of  thair  discord  and  divisioun,  to  mak  thame  selffis  odious,  and  so 
waikin  thame :  Thairfoir,  We,  to  prevent  the  danger  that  is  immi- 
nent to  the  estait  of  that  Kirk  by  the  distractiounes  of  menis  affec- 
tiounes  thairin,  and  that  the  said  Generall  Assemblie  may  be  keipeit 
with  the  greater  tranquilitie  and  peice,  lies  thought  meit  and  ex- 
pedient, that  the  haill  Provinciall  Assemblies  within  that  our  king- 
dome  sail  be  keipit  and  haldin  in  thair  ordinarie  places  of  meiting, 
the  fourth  of  August  nixt  to  cum,  with  the  remanent  Commis- 
siouneres  of  the  Provinces  ;  and  that  at  every  one  of  the  said  As- 
semblies thair  be  chosin  tuo  of  the  most  godlie,  peiceable,  wise, 
grave,  of  the  best  experience  of  that  number,  with  power  and  com- 
missioun  to  convein  at  Halyrudehouse  the  2d  of  August  nixt  to 
come,  with  the  Commissiouncris  of  the  Generall  Assembly,  and  sic 
of  oiu'  Counsel  as  it  sail  pleise  us  to  nominat  for  that  effect,  thair  to 
conferr,  commoun,1  and  conclud,  by  comoun  advyse,  upoun  the 
maist  convenient  remedies  againis  thais  evilis,  quhilk,  for  laik  of 
surae sufficient  preparatioun,  mycht  fall  out  at  the  said  Generall  As- 
semblie ;  that  thaireftir,  the  same  being  keipit  and  holdin  in  sic  ane 
peiceabil  and  quiet  maner  as  mycht  bring  true  confort  to  the  godlie, 
and  terrour  to  the  wickit :  And,  in  the  meintyme,  we  haif  thought 
expedient,  that  the  Generall  Assemblie,  quhilk  wes  to  be  hauldiu  be 
prorogat  to  the  24  of  November  nixtocum  ;  and  that  no  persoune 
presume  to  keip  the  said  Assemblie  in  any  place  quhatsunu-vir,  un- 
till  the  tyme  that  the  Commissiouneres  from  the  Synodis  first  prc- 
ceid  in  thair  meiting;  and  we  haif  appoyntit  the  place  of  the  keipe- 
ing  of  the  said  Generall  Assemblie  to  be  in  Dundie,  the  day  loir- 
said.  Our  will  is  heirfoir,  and  we  chairge  vow  straitlie  mid  com- 
mandis,  that  incontinent  thais  our  lettrea  sein,  ye  pas,  and  in  our 
name  and  auetoritie,  mak  publications  and  intimatioun  thairofbe 

'  Commune;  Adv.MSS.  "reason." 


714  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1007. 

oppin  proclamatioun,  &c. :  Certifieing  all  such  as  upon  ony  pretext 
quhatsumevir  sail  presume  to  convein  and  assemble  thame  selffis 
togider,  contrair  the  tennour  and  intent  of  this  our  Proclamatioun, 
that  they  salbe  proceidit  againes  and  punischit,  as  contemneres  and 
disobeyeres  of  this  our  most  royall  commandement.  Givin  under 
our  (Signet,  at  our  Court  of  Greinwitch,  the  twenty-fourth  of  May, 
and  of  our  reigne  the  fifth  and  fourtieth  yeir,  1607." 

As  we  haiff  hard  of  the  homiest  and  strait  proceidingis  of  the 
Synod  of  Perthe  untill  it  wes  dischairgit,  the  lyk  is  now  to  be  re- 
cordit  of  the  Synod  of  Fyff,  of  the  quhilk  the  adversaries  boith 
feirit  and  felt  more  oppositiounes  :  And,  thairfoir,  the  Archimetropo- 
litaun  purchesit  a  dischairge  thairof,  to  convein  at  the  day  appoyntit, 
with  prorogatioun  to  the  first  Tuysday  of  Junij  ;  yit,  nevertheles, 
they  met  at  Dysert,  the  place  appoyntit,  and  that  very  frequentlie,1 
so  that  few  wer  absent.  They  wer  debarrit  from  all  meiting  within 
the  toun,  upoun  a  very  strait  chairge  givin  to  the  Bailyie,  and 
thairfoir  wes  fore  it  to  tak  thame  to  the  Sandis  betwixt  Dysert  and 
Rivcnsheuch,2  the  raine  laying  on  about  their  luggis.3  They  spent 
thair  tuo  houris  in  reassouning  and  advyseing,  quhither  they  sould 
keip  Assemblie,  and  proceid  in  thair  matteres  according  to  the  war- 
rand  of  Jesus  Chryst,  lawis  of  the  realme,  customes  and  constitu- 
tiouncs  of  the  Kirk,  notwithstanding  the  dischairge  purchessit  by 
cnimies  and  false  Britherin  ?  It  wes  concludit,  by  pluralitie  of  voitis,4 
that  they  sould  proceid  in  thair  ordinarie  matteres  ;  but  sic  as  diss- 
assentit,  protesting  that  iff*  we  so  did,  thai  would  leive  thame,  and 
confessing  the  lawfullnes,  usit  many  argumentis  of  expedience  and 
prudencie.  The  Blither,  considering  that  the  number  wald  not  be 
sufficient,  in  cais  so  many  lefte  thame,  as  also  thair  wes  amonges 
thame  verie  many  guid  uprycht  Blither,  they,  all  in  ane  voit,  con- 
descendit  to  prorogat  the  Assemblie  to  that  same  day,5  that  wes 
contcinit  in  the  proclamatioun,  upon  eonditioun  that  iff  that  day, 

1  Numerously.  -  Adv.  MSS.  read  "  Rivenfirtli."     Probably  Dear  the  ancient 

Castle  ill'  Ravenscraig,  on  the  sands  or  sea-boaih.  *  Ears.  '  Il>.  "voyces." 

■'•  lit.  "eight  da]  ■' 


1607.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  715 

by  new  purchessit  Proclamatioun,  sould  be  prorogat  also,  the  haill 
Britlierin  sould  convein  and  proceid  in  thair  ordinarie  matteris  with- 
out any  questioun,  notwithstanding  of  quhatsumevir  mycht  insew 
or  follow  thairupoun.  It  wes  appoyntit,  in  the  meintyme,  that  a 
guid  number  of  the  Britlierin  sould  present  a  Complaint  to  the 
Counsel,  to  the  effect  they  mycht  sie  great  male-contentment  of  all 
the  Britlierin,  becaus  of  such  proclamatiounes ;  and  intimat  plainlie 
unto  thame,  that  iff  in  cais  sic  forme  of  dealing  wer  usit  to  disposses 
the  Kirk  of  hir  liberties,  againes  Godis  word  and  lawis  of  the  reahne, 
the  Counsel  would  dryve  the  Britlierin  in  [to]  the  snare  of  diso- 
bedience, thair[by]  to  marr  thair  consciences,  being  compellit  to 
obey  God,  notwithstanding  of  horneing,  wairding,  or  quhat  could 
insew.  This  Commissioun  wes  done  faithfully  :  Thair  bill  wes 
heard  and  red  in  the  Counsel.  The  answer  wes  litle  les  then  silence. 
The  tiring  most  concludit  for  wes  obedience  to  the  act  of  Lithgow, 
[that]  the  Archbisschope  of  St  Androis  sould  be  placit  and  chosine 
Constant  Moderator  in  the  Synod '  of  FyfF ;  the  quhilk  act  could 
not  be  produceit :  Howbeit,  six  monethis  eftir  the  making  thairof, 
thair  wes  not  yit  a  Province  in  Scotland  that  had  acceptit  ane 
Constant  Moderator,  except2  Angus,  and  that  not  without  opposi- 
tione  ;  bot  then,  in  end,  Mr  James  Nicolsoun  prevailit  by  reiding 
to  thame  the  act,  yit  by  no  meines  could  the  coppie  thairof  be  gottin. 
The  second  day,  being  the  second  Tuysday  of  Junij,  the  Synod 
of  FyfF  conveinit  at  Dysart ;  quhair  wes  three  Connnissiounercs  for 
the  King,  urgeing  the  acceptatioun  of  the  Bisschope  of  Saint  An- 
drois to  be  Constant  Moderator,  by  vertew  of  that  Act  at  Lithgow, 
but  all  in  vaine  ;  the  Lord  directing  the  heartis  of  the  Britlierin,  so 
that,  as  tyrannic  in  the  Kirk,  they  constantlie  refuissit  that  Mode* 
rator,  specially  in  persoun  of  sic  a  man  as  had  intrudit  him  Belff  in 
the  Ministerie  at  Sanct  Androis,  without  any  consent  of  the  Pres- 
bytric,  at  his  first  cumeing  amongis  thame  ;  and  he  behaiffit  him- 
self since  sua  that  they  scairsely  thought  him  worthie  («>  be  ane  of 
that   number,  much   les   thair  Constanl    Moderator.      Mr  William 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "Province.  '  lb,  "save  only.' 


716  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1007. 

Cranstoun  did  ane  horniest  and  stout  pairt,  in  prayer,  doctrine,  and 
haill  actioun  in  that  Moderatioun,  quhairat  the  Metropolitan  wes 
mychtily  dashed,  by l  expectatioun,  and  the  Lordis  of  Counsel,  Com- 
missiouneres  for  the  King,  far  frustrat ;  to  quhom  the  Bisschope 
had  promisit  that  all  sould  be  chewit  meit 2  againes  thair  cuming  ! 
To  quhom,  quhen  they  saw  the  constant  and  strong  oppositioun, 
the  Lord  of  Halirudhous  said,  "  Bisschope,"  (said  he,)  "  is  this  your 
chewit  meit  ?  Me  thinkis  that  ye  and  we  boith  ar  lyk  to  wirrie3  on 
it !"  Mr  James  Nicolsoun  thair  wes  put  to  a  great  pinch  to  mak 
guid  the  act  maid  at  Lithgow,  for  all  the  Brither  semeit  to  triumphe 
ovir  him,  saying,  They  could  not  think  uthirwayis  of  that  act  then 
wes  spokin  by  all  the  guid  Britherin  thair  present  at  Lithgow ;  but 
that  pairt  concerneing  the  Bisschope  to  be  Constant  Moderator  in 
the  Provinciall  and  Synod  wes  false,  fenyied,  and  forgit;  sieing 
that,  eftir  so  long  a  tyme,  thair  could  not  ane  coppie  thairof  be  givin 
furth ;  and  without  ane  copie  givin  under  the  hand  of  the  Moderator 
and  Clerkis  handis,  they  would  belive  nothing  !  In  end,  it  wes 
thought  expedient  the  Assemblie  sould  be  continowit  and  prorogat 
to  the  last  of  September,  uthirwayis  thair  wes  lettres  of  horneing  in 
reddines  presently  to  dischairge  the  same  ;  and  yit  thais  they  durst 
not  use  at  that  tyme.  The  Bisschope  wes  so  plainely  tauld  that  if 
he  liorncit  thame,  thai  sould  assay  quhois  sword  wes  scharpest,  and 
excommunicat  him ! 

Bot  the  Bisschope  wes  moir  imboldenit  and  blowne  upe  with  the 
honour  he  had  in  the  Parliament  holdin  at  Edinburgh,  the  first  of 
August ;  at  quhilk,  by  the  speciall  requeist  of  the  King,  he  had 
place  befoir  the  Erles  :  He  chairgit,  by  the  Kingis  lettres,  the  Synod 
of  FyfF  to  convein  the  eightein  day  of  the  same  nioneth  of  August, 
at  Dysert ;  the  quhilk  obeying,  hither  come  from  the  King  four 
Commissiouneres  to  sie,  without  all  failing,  the  Archbisschope  placit 
in  and  investit  Constant  Moderator  of  that  Province  ;  becaus  they 
had  now,  eftir  the  death  of  Mr  James  Nicolsoune,  gottin  out  the 
act  of  Lithgow,  under  the  Moderator  and  Clerkea  hand.    The  Com- 

1  Contrary  to.  '  Literally,  chewed  meat.  'Choke. 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  717 

missiouneres  wer  the  Lordis  Lindsay,  Halirudhous,  Scoone,  [and 
the]  Collector,  quho,  by  advyse  of  the  Bisschope,  had  prepairit  ane 
of  his  awine  opinioun  and  faschounes  to  mak  the  exhortatioune  be- 
foir  the  Assemblie.  But  Mr  William  Cranstoune,  ordinare  Mode- 
ratour,  walking  in  the  Sessioune-hous  within  the  Kirk,  and  desyre- 
ing  to  half  his  spirit  and  affectioune  steirit  upe  by  heiring  of  the 
Psalmes  sung  by  the  peiple  within  the  Kirk,  (he  being  at  his  mcdi- 
tatioune,  and  finding  himself  movit'  with  the  cloisncs  of  the  air 
within  the  hous,  and  being  somewhat  refreshed,)  he,  immediatlie 
eftir  the  second  bell,  goes  upe  to  the  pulpit,  knawing  litle  of  any 
uthir  appoyntit  to  preiche  :  Such  wes  Godis  providence  !  And  quhill 
as  he  wes  sitting  and  reposeing  thair,  a  messenger  with  a  lettre  is 
sent  to  him,  the  quhilk  he  tuik ;  and,  not  looking  thairon,  put  it  in 
his  pocket,2  haifing' greatter  matteres  to  think  on.  Thair  cumes 
eftir  a  schort  quhyl  ane  uthir  sent,  biding  him  cume  doun,  in  the 
Lordis  names  that  wer  thair.  He  answerit,  he  came  thair  in  a 
greater  Lordis  name,  with  a  message  quhilk  he  had  not  yit  dis- 
chairgit ;  and  thairwith  names  to  the  people  a  Psalme  to  be  sunge, 
becaus  he  perceivit  thame  sumequhat  to  be  astonishit.  Then  a 
Bailyie  of  the  towne  cumes  to  him,  and  tellis  him  in  his  eare,  that 
he  wes  commandit  by  the  Lordis  of  Counsel  thair,  to  desyre  him 
to  leive  that  place  :  "  And  I"  (sayis  Mr  Williame)  "  command  yow, 
in  the  name  of  God,  to  sitt  doun  in  your  place,  and  heir  quhat  God 
the  Lord  will  say  unto  yow  by  me !"  The  quhilk  the  Bailyie  most 
reverently  obeyit.  At  the  last,  even  as  he  was  entering  to  prayer, 
the  Conservator  of  the  Priviledgis  of  Merchandis  in  the  Law  Coun- 
tries,3 being  one  of  the  Counsel,  cummis  and  revcrentlic  in  his  eare 
desyris  him  to  desist,  for  the  Lordis  had  appoyntit  ane  uthir  to 
preich  :  "  But  the  Lord  "  (sayis  he)  "  and  his  Kirk  appoyntit  me  ; 
thairfoir  bewar  to  trublc  his  wark  !"  And,  heiring  no  moir,  enteres 
to  prayer ;  quhairin,  as  in  the  haill  doctrine  and  actiounc  following, 
it  wes  most  evident  that  the  Lord  had  sent  him  ;  all  wes  BOmychti- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  straitned."  *  lb.  "  poutch."  3  Tlic  Conservator  of 

Scotish  Privileges  at  Camprere. 


718  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L607. 

lie  moveing  and  steiring,  that  tlic  haill  people  and  auditorie  wer 
astonishit,  and  the  rest  in  admiratioun. 

The  Bisschop,  and  all  the  Lordis  Commissiouneres,  would  not 
come  to  heir,  except  the  Lord  Lyndsay ;  quho  wischit  the  rest  had 
bein  thair  present,  as  he  tauld  thame.  The  power  of  that  same 
Spirit  quhairhy  the  doctrine  and  exhortatioun  wes  delyverit,  wes 
sua  effectual  in  all  the  Britherin,  that,  iniediatlie  eftir  seruione  endit, 
they  mett  togider  couragiouslie  in  the  place  ordaineit  for  the  As- 
semblie,  nevir  staying  for  the  Commissiouneres,  quho,  becaus  they 
voutchaffed  not  thair  presens  to  Godis  Word,  quhair  Mr  Wil- 
liame,  according  to  the  order,  conceivit  the  prayer  most  pithelie  ; 
and  thaireftir  he  Avent  out  to  be  censurit  of  his  doctrine,  Mr  Johne 
CaAvdoun,1  last  Moderator,  occupeying  the  roume.  When  it  come 
to  the  voit  of  the  Ministeres  of  St  Androis,  the  ane  of  thame,  Mr 
David  Lyndsay,  gloriefeit  God  exceidinglie  for  the  notabill  sound, 
pertinent  doctrine,  and  mychtie  exhortatioun  ;  the  uthir,  Mi- 
George  Glaidstaines,  callit  by  the  name  of  "  The  Minister  of  Saint 
Androis,"  was  found  fault  with,  and  scharply  censurit  for  absenting 
himselff  from  the  doctrine;  and,  amongis  the  rest,  the  Moderator 
himselff  tould  him,  that  "  Ane  Atheist  could  not  haiff  done  Avorse  !" 
At  the  quhilk  Avordis  the  great  Bisschopc  kendelit  sua  in  a  raige  of 
foull  tlyting,  that  the  Lordis  Commissiouneres  Avais  faine  to  tell 
him  that  he  Aves  umvorthie  to  be  in  the  number  of  Ministeres,  let 
be  to  be  a  Bisschope  and  Constant  Moderator  over  thame,  sieing 
lie  could  not  modcrat  himselff  nor  his  aAvin  passiounes  ! 

The  Bisschoppis  blastis 2  being  bhiwne  out  and  calmit,  the  Mode- 
rator, Mr  Williame,  is  callit  in,  his  doctrine  justifieit  and  approvine, 
with  great  thankes  to  God  ;  and  so  entering  into  his  place  againe, 
propounes,  according  to  the  order,  a  leit  for  chuseing  ane  Modera- 
tor  to  the  present  Assemblie.  Then  comes  in  the  matter,  all  the 
Commissiouneres  for  the  King  standing  up  and  schawing  thair 
Commissioune  ;  the  effect  quhairof  wes,  to  sie  the  Archbisschope  of 
Saint   Androis  placit   Constant  and  Perpetuall  Moderator  in  the 

1  Adv   MSS.  "Gordoune."  2  lb.  "  tempost." 


1607.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  719 

Synod  in  all  Assemblies  of  that  Province  of  Fyff,  according  to  the 
act  and  ordinance  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  holdin  at  Lithsow. 
The  Moderator  desyrit  that  Act  to  be  producit ;  the  quhilk  at  last 
they  did,  causing  the  same  to  be  red,  and  vicwit,  and  subscryved 
be  Mr  James  Nicolsoune,  Moderator,  and  Mr  George1  Philip, 
Clerk.2  They  craved,  according  to  the  tennour  thairof,  the  Biss- 
chope  of  St  Androis  to  be  placit  and  acknawledgit  Moderator. 
The  Britherin,  all  in  ane  voyce,  answerit  that  the  act  bure  no  such 
thing  cleirly  and  fiillie ;  and  that  it  wes  constantly  affirmit  by  all 
the  Brither  of  Provinces  that  wer  present  at  the  inciting  at  Lith- 
gow,  that  thair  wes  nevir  such  thing  propounit  thair,  let  be  reassoun- 
it,  voitit,  and  concludit ;  and  thairfoir  they  could  not  acknawledgc 
that  act,  halff  a  yeir  and  moir  keipit  closse,  and  now  coming  out 
eftir  the  death  of  the  Moderator  quho  wes  thair,  befoir  that  the  haill 
Presbytries  of  the  Province  had  advysit  thairwith  speciallie,  and 
confen'ed  with  uthir  Provinces  also  ;  for  the  quhilk  effect  thai  de- 
syrit a  coppie  to  everie  ane  of  thair  Presbytries. 

At  the  quhilk  answer,  the  Commissiouneres  seimit  to  be  verie 
angrie,  and  said  the  lettres  of  horneing  wer  over-long  unexecute, 
and  the  King  wes  but  trubelit  by  thame ;  and  calling  for  ane  Offi- 
cer of  Armes,  quhilk  they  had  redie  with  the  lettres  of  horneing, 
ane  of  thame  tuik  the  cattologie  of  the  Brither  in  his  hand,  beginnes 
to  call  the  same,  demanding  every  man  severalie,  "  Quhither  they 
Avould  accept  of  the  Bisschope  to  be  Constant  Moderator  of  that 
Synod,  yea  or  not  ?"  Quho  answerit,  "  Nay."  Than  commandis 
he  the  Officer  presentlie  to  give  him  a  chairge  to  accept  him,  under 
the  paine  of  rebellioun  and  putting  of  thame  to  the  home  ;  quhilk 
the  Officer  solemnely  doeing  eftir  the  forme  and  order,  the  Brithe- 
rin answerit  severalie,  "  We  will  rather  abid  horneing,  and  all  that 
can  follow  thairon,  or3  we  doe  againcsour  consciences,  to  the  wrack 
of  the  libertie  of  our  Kirk.  The  office  is  unlawfull,  the  man  is  un- 
worthie !"  The  Commissiouneres  thairfoir  commandis  him  to  de- 
nunce  them  all  rebellis  :  But  the  Bisschope,  perceiving  the  Breithe- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  Henry.''  '  lb.  "  Scribe,"  ;<  Ere,  before. 


720  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

rine  so  stout,  feiring,  give '  that  iff  they  wer  put  to  the  home,  they 
would  presentlie  excommunicat  him,  as  his  predecessor  wes,  assay- 
ing quhois  homes  wes  hardest  !  He  did  withdraw  the  Lordis  Com- 
missiouneres  apairt,  and  said  unto  thame,  that  he  would  tak  upon 
him  to  satisfie  the  Kingis  Majestie,  and  he  would  spair  his  Brithe- 
rin,  and  sua  preis  to  accquyre  thair  favour.  Quhairunto  the  Com- 
missiouneres  glaidly  according,  said,  It  wes  his  awin  caus,  doe  thair- 
in  quhat  he  pleiseit,  they  would  lay  the  wait 2  of  all  on  him,  iff  the 
King  wer  offendit  !  And  sua,  causing  the  Officers  with  utheris 
Lettres,  quhilk  wes  also  in  readines,  to  dischairge  the  Assemblie  pre- 
sentlie, and  not  to  convein  again  without  special  warrand  from  the 
King,  that  Assemblie,  eftir  heartie  thankisgiven  unto  God,  wes 
dissolvit. 

The  Bisschope  presentlie  wryt  to  the  King,  and  informit  him  of 
all,  in  his  awin  maner ;  quhairby  he  procurit  the  Moderator,  Mr 
Williame  Cranstoune,  to  be  denuncit  rebell  and  put  to  the  home  ; 
and  uthir  thrie  of  the  Brither,  to  witt,  Mr  Johne  Scrimgeour,  Mr 
.John  Caudom,3  and  Mr  John  Dykis,  his  own  brothir-in-law,  to  be 
confynit  within  his  awin  Congregatioune  ;  they  nevir  being  citit 
nor  callit  befoir  any  Judge  for  thair  tryel,  were  punischit  thus  for 
insolent  cariage  and  misbehaviour. 

The  Synods  of  Lowthiane,  Merse,  and  utheris,  followit  the  same 
cours,  denying  the  act  of  Lithgow,  and  refuissing  Synodall,  un- 
chosine,  Constant  Moderators,  quhois  proceidingis  and  forme  of 
doeingis  wer  too  long  to  be  sett  doun  in  storie  ;  and,  thairfoir,  lett 
us  heir  of  thais  most  advysoit  actis  set  dounc  at  Lithgow.  The 
Moderatoris  cygncan  songe,'  the  quhilk  singis  not  indeid,  far  out  of 
toone,5  in  respect  of  that  quhilk  followis  ;  howbeit,  it  fast  maid  way 
to  the  broking  out  of  the  great  damme  quhilk,  allace  !  for  pitic,  wes 
the  cutting  aff,  in  the  mides  of  his  dayis,  of  a  man  of  rair,  baith 
spiritual]  and  naturall,  giftis  : 

1  Giving  or  granting  that  if,  &c.  -  Wyte,  blame.  3    Adv.  MSS 

"  Gordone."  '  Swan-like  song.  •''  Not  much  out  of  tunc 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  12i 


IN  THE  ASSEMBES  <>F  THE   KIRK  OF  SCOTLAND,   CONVENIT   BY    Ills 
MA.TESTIE,    VXD  HOULDIN  AT   LITHGOW,  ANNO   1006. 

Sess.  3,  12th  of  December. 

"  In  lyk  maner,  the  Conferrence,  finding  that  nothing  moir  weak- 
nit  the  credit  and  strenth  of  the  Ministerie  and  Discipline  of  the 
Kirk  againes  Papistis,  [nor]  moir  imboldnit  the  adversaria  to  goe 
forwaird  in  their  crronius  corruptiounes  and  courses,  then  the  ap- 
pcirancc  of  divisioune  in  the  IVIinisterie  among  thame  selff,  and  the 
alienatioune  quhilk  seimes  to  be  among  sume  of  thame ;  thairfoir, 
for  the  remoiving  of  all  eylistis '  and  schaAV  of  divisioun,  and  aliena- 
tioim  of  myndis,  ethir  amongis  the  Ministeres  thame  selffis,  or  of 
his  Majestie's  guid  afFectionne  and  favour  from  any  of  thame,  it 
wes  thought  ane  soveraigne  remedie  for  the  moir  effectuall  supress- 
ing  of  Papistrie,  and  haifing  fund  and  searchit  out  the  caus  of  dis- 
tractioun  and  alienatioun  of  myndis  foirsaidis  in  the  Ministrie,  to 
be,  pairtlie,  a  feir  that  sume  of  our  Britherin  wes  of  purpose,  and 
of  course  to  dissolve  and  subvert  the  Libertie  and  Discipline  of  the 
Kirk  of  Scotland,  by  removeing  thair  Sessiounes  and  Presbyteries, 
Provinciall  and  Generall  Assemblies,  and  by  usurping  in  thair  a  win 
persounes  such  lyk  tyrrannous  and  unlawfull  Jurisdictiounc,  as  is 
no  waves  lawfull,  nethir  to  be  licenceit2  in  any  trew  lieformit  Chris- 
tiane  Kirk,  and  to  schaik  off  thair  obedience  to  all  guid  order  and 
comlines  establischit,  or  to  be  establischit  be  the  lawfull  Assemblies, 
of  his  Majestie's  consent;  and  pairtlie,  a  greiff,  that  sume  of  thair 
P>rither  wer  so  banischit  furth  of  his  Majestie's  dominiouncs,  and 
utheris  diseasit,  by  thair  long  wairding3  and  detaineing  from  thair 
habitatiounes  and  chairgis :  And  finding,  lykwayes,  by  the  declara- 
tioune  of  his  Majestie's  Commissiouneres,  and  sic  as  wes  privie  to 
his  Majestie's  mynd,  that  his  Ilincs  wes  no  les  grcvit  with  diverse 
actiounes  and  formes  of  some  of  the  Ministrie,  sorie  for  not  huffing 

1  Literally,  eyesores.  The  Adv.  MSS.  read  erroneously,  "  the  Lettis,"  ;'.  c.  hin- 
drances or  obstacles.  !  Adv.  MSS.  "  tolerated."  ■  Imprisonment. 

2z 


722  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

dew  regaird  and  eair,  to  use  sic  courses  in  thair  actiounes  and  ad- 
ministratioune  of  the  lawfull  efFaires  of  the  Kirk,  as  mycht  seini  to 
intertein  ane  lawfull  and  ane  solid  place,  peice,  and  quietnes,  betuix 
liis  Majestic  and  thame,  as  lykwayis  mutuallie  among  thame  selff; 
and  speciallie  that  the  forme '  of  thair  Governement  wes  oftentymes, 
and  almost  ordinarlie,  committit  to  such  as,  for  laik  of  experience 
and  wisdome,  wer  no  wayes  able  to  keip  than-  estait  in  any  quietnes 
or  guid  forme;  quhairunto  his  Majestie  imputit  the  cheiff  causses  of 
all  the  greivis  and  troubles  that  haif  fallin  out  in  this  longe  tyme 
among  the  Ministerie  thame  self,  or  in  ony  offences  givin  by  ony  of 
thame  to  his  Majestie,  and  that  his  Majestie  could  not  be  satisfieit 
quhill  this  inconvenience  wes  first  removit,  and  a  faithfull  remedie 
wes  provydit,  that  the  lyk  quhairoff 2  should  not  fall  out.  Quhilk 
his  Majestie  comprehendit  summarely  in  this  :  Iff  the  efFaires  of  the 
Kirk  sould  be  administrat  by  the  most  wyse  and  most  godly,  quhair- 
annent  also  his  Majestie's  speciall  Overture,  as  heireftir  folio  wis, 
was  propounit : 

"  It  is  his  Majestie's  advyse  at  this  Assemblie,  and  pleasure,  that 
presently  thair  be  ane  nominat  in  every  Presbyterie,  of  the  most 
godly  and  graiff,  and  of  maist3  auctoritie  and  experience,  meitest 
for  governement,  to  haif  the  Moderatioune  of  his  Presbyterie,  quhair 
he  remaines,  till  the  present  j arris  and  fyre  of  dissentioune,  quhilk 
is  amonges  the  Ministerie,  to  the  great  prejudice  of  the  auctoritie 
and  credite  of  the  same,  and  the  hinderance  of  the  Gospel,  and  his 
Majestie's  hight  offence,  be  quenchit  and  taikin  away ;  and  the 
Nobillmen  and  uthiris  professing  Papistrie  within  this  kingdome  so 
repressed,  be  justice  and  executioun  of  lawis,  [by  the  labours  of  their 
Ministerie,  and  discipline  of  the  Kirks,  that  they  be  not  able  to 
hinder  the  course  of  the  Gospell,  or  Scripture,  and  enlarge  the 
power  and  credite  of  false  religion,  and  that  the  chiefest  binding 
of  delatiounes  of  the  saidis  Papistis,  and  satisfactiounes  for  justice 
and  cxecutioune  of  lawes4]  againes  thame,  be  committit  to  the  saidis 


1  Adv.  MSS.  "  cbairge."  2  lb.  "  hereafter."  3  lb.  "  greatest." 

4  Omitted  in  Univ.  MS. 


1  (307.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  7 2:> 

Moderatoris :  And  that  the  Bischopis  in  thair  Presbyteries,  quhair 
thai  ar  resident,  in  ane  of  thair  Kirkis  of  thair  Bisschopperickis  half 
this  cair  and  burdein  coinmittit  to  thame,  and  sieing  it  will  credibilly 
fall  out,  that  in  the  Bisschopprickis1  throw  greitnes  of  pairties,  and 
langsumnes  and  difficultie  of  the  proces  of  the  said  Moderator, 
wilbe  sometymes  constrainit  to  reffer  the  doeing  thairoff  to  the 
Provinciall  Assemblie,  in  preserving  actiounes  of  greatest  difficulties, 
be  coinmittit  to  the  Bisschoppis  making  lawfull  residence  within 
the  said  Province,  or  to  the  worthiest  of  thame,  quhen  it  sail  hap- 
pen that  rnoir  nor  one  of  thame  be  within  one  Province ;  in  respect 
that  his  Majesty  hes  bestowit  upoun  thame  moyen  and  place,  quhair- 
throw  they  may  be  abill  to  beir  out  the  chairges  and  burdein  of 
dangerous  and  difficult  actiounes,  quhilk  uthiris  Ministercs  wer  not 
abill  to  sustein ;  and  lykwayis  by  thair  credit  and  place  in  Counsel, 
ar  abill,  in  sic  causses,  to  procure  greatter  celeritie  and  executioun 
of  justice,  as  in  such  causses  is  requisit,  then  uthiris.  The  Confer- 
rence,  haiffing  first  advysit  annent  the  taking  away  of  the  forsaid 
feir,  and  suspitioune  and  satisfactioune  of  the  Greivis,2  and  willing 
to  understand  of  his  Majestie's  Commissiouneres,  and  sic  as  had 
bein  laitlie  accquentit  with  his  Majestie's  intentiounes,  and  willing 
lykwayis  to  heir  the  declaratioun  of  the  Bisschoppis  heirannent,  as 
tuiching  thair  awin  intentioun  and  purpose  in  that  erand  :  It 
was  declairit,  that  it  wes  not  in  any  way  his  Majestie's  intent  and 
purpose  to  subvert  the  Discipline3  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  but 
rather  to  augment  and  strenthen  the  same,  in  sua  far  as  could  serve ' 
for  the  weill  of  the  Gospell  and  restraint  of  vyec,  and  to  sic  such 
eyelistis5  and  offences  as  in  the  administratioun  thairoff  wes  the 
occasioun  of  just  discontentment  to  his  Majestic,  and  hindcrancc 
to  the  credit  and  auctoritie  of  the  Ministeric  among  the  people, 
and  among  the  Ministeric  thame  selffis,  be  removit  and  tain  away, 
be  sic  guid  Overturis  as  is  above  expressit :  In  signe  quhairof,  as 
thair  is  nothing  done  in  derogatioune  in  the  haulding  of  the  Sefl- 
siounes  of  Presbyteries  and  Provinciall  Assemblies,  so  it  wes  novir 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  Presbyteries."  2  lb.  "  danger. "  :1  lb.  "  this  present 

Government."  '  lb.  "  he  could  command."  I'm  sores. 


724  TIIE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607 

his  Majestie's  intcntioun,  but  that  tlic  keipeing  of  Generall  Assem- 
blies, at  certain  and  competent  tymes  and  places,  was  and  is  a  most 
necessare  mein  for  the  preservatioune  of  peice  and  unioune  in  the 
Kirk,  and  exterminatioune  of  all  heresie  and  schisme  in  the  same. 

"  And,  thairfoir,  his  Majestie  does  gratiousely  declair,  that  as  the 
act  of  parliament  does  still  stand  in  full  force  and  effect  for  the  con- 
vening of  the  said  Assemblie  once  in  the  year,  by  his  Majestie's 
directioun,  so  it  is  his  Majestie's  will  that  the  day  of  conveining 
the  nixt  Assemblie  salbe  in  Edinburgh,  the  last  Twysday  of  July : 
Siclyk,  the  haill  Bisschoppes  declairit  that  it  wes  not  thair  inten- 
tioun  to  usurpe  ony  tyrrannous  or  unlawfull  jurisdictioun  and  power 
over  thair  Britherin,  nor  to  ingyre l  thamselffis  ony wayis  unlawfully 
in  the  Kirkis  Governement,  or  ony  pairt  thairoff,  further  nor  sould 
be  committit  to  thame  be  the  Presbyteries,  Provinciall  and  Generall 
Assemblies ;  and  if  it  sould  be  found  to  fall  out  that  they,  or  ony 
of  thame,  should  do  in  the  contrair,  then  and  in  that  cais  they  ar 
content  to  submitt  thame  selffis  alse  humblie  unto  the  censuris  of 
the  Kirk,  as  ony  uthir  of  thair  Britherin  of  the  Ministerie. 

"  In  lyk  manner,  it  wes  declairit  that  his  Majestie,  according  to 
the  longanimitie  and  patience  towardis  sic  as  happinit  to  offend  him 
of  the  Ministry,  had  delayit  a  vcrie  long  tyme  to  give  furth  any  sen- 
tence againes  the  Brither  now  banischit,  still  houping  that  be 
their  guid  behaviour,  and  humble  sute  for  his  Hines'  pardoun  and 
favour,  his  Majestie  mycht  haiff  occasioun  to  schaw  his  clemencie 
towardis  thame  :  And  albeit  his  Majestie,  being  justlie  provokit, 
wes  movit  to  give  furth  his  will  annent  thair  banischment,  yit  he 
immediatly  being  requistit  in  thair  favouris  by  the  Bisschopis  and 
uthiris  Britherin  thair  present  with  him,  it  pleasit  his  Majestie  to 
declair,  that  the  want  of  his  favour  proceidit  upoun  thair  awin  de- 
fault, quho  had  nevir  humblit  thame  selfis  to  seik  his  pardoun  as 
becam  thame ;  in  respect  quhairoff,  it  wes  thoucht  meit  to  direct 
the  Bischop  of  Abirdein,  Mr  Patrick  Scharpe,  Patrick  Galloway, 
Robert  Wilkic,  John  Strachane,  John  Howie,2  John  Hay,  with 
the  Moderator  of  the  Assemblie,  to  wryt  a  Lettre  to  the  said  Bri- 

1  Insinuate.  *  Adv.  MSS.  "  Hal." 


1G07.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  725 

therin,  in  name  of  the  Assemblie,  giving  thanie  advyse  to  forme  and 
send  thair  humble  sute  to  his  Majestie,  for  his  favor  and  pardoim 
to  thame,  as  mycht  give  his  Majestie  best  satisfactioun ;  and  that 
the  Assemblie  earnestlie  requeistit  his  Majestie's  Commissiouneris, 
and  uthir  Nobillmen  imployit  by  his  Majestie  to  this  Assemblie,  so 
soone  as  the  said  Supplicatioun  sail  cum  from  thame,  of  the  tennour 
foirsaid,  to  concur,  by  thair  credit  and  commissioun,  and  to  mak  in- 
tercessioun  with  his  Hines  to  procure  thame  to  be  maid  pairtakeris 
of  that  gratious  favour,  quhilk  his  Majestie  at  no  tyme  heirtofoir 
refused  to  any  of  that  professioun,  quhom  he  fand  willing  to  ac- 
knawledge  and  amend  thair  oversight,  and  haif  recourse  to  his  cle- 
mencie.  For  the  quhilk  declaratioun,  the  Conferrence  praisit 
God ;  and  thought  guid,  that  the  Bri therin  sould  be  writtin  unto 
as  is  affoirsaid,  and  be  the  Britherin  foirnameit :  And  thaireftir, 
haiffing  considerit  the  Overturpropounit  to  thame  in  his  Majestie's 
name,  and  finding  it  in  schaw  to  carie  sume  appeirance  of  novatioun 
in  the  Discipline  of  the  Kirk,  and  feiring  that  it  mycht  bring  with 
it  sume  inconveniencie,  thairfoir  the  Conferrence  would  not  tak 
upoune  thame  to  determine  thair  advyse  thairannent,  quhill  first 
the  matter  wes  exactly  handlit  and  reassounit  in  thair  presens,  and 
sufficient  remeid  provydit  for  preventing  of  all  inconvenientis  quhilk 
mycht  be  feirit  to  follow  thairby. 

"  Quhairupoun  a  guid  number  of  the  most  godly,  laimit,  and 
wyse  of  the  Britherin  of  the  Conferrence,  being  appoyntit  to  reas- 
soun  ane  eftir  ane  uthir  ;  and  haiffing  exactlie,  and  at  guid  lenth 
reassouneit  and  examinit  quhatsoevir  inconvenient  mycht  follow  on 
the  establishment  of  the  same  Overture,  It  wes  considerit  and 
fund  at  last,  by  ane  universall  voyce  and  consent  of  the  haill  Con- 
ferrence, without  contradictioun,  that  the  said  Overture  wes  boith 
wyse  and  godly,  tending  to  the  weill  of  the  Kirk,  many  wayis, 
provyding  that  certain  Cautiounes  wer  obscrvit  for  preventing  such 
evil  as  mycht  happin  to  fall  out,  in  eais  of  the  said  Moderators  or 
ony  of  them  sould  either  arrogantlie  presume  or  usurpe  any  further 
powar  in  the  saidis  Presbytries  and  Assemblies  then  is  cumcly  and 
Jaw  lull  for  Moderators,  in  sic  a  cans,  to  doc,  and  presently  to  use, 


726  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

and  without  innovating  or  altering  at  thair  fantasies,  and  at  thair 
a  win  handis,  the  custome  that  the  discreit  Moderatoris  haiff  usit,  and 
ought  to  use  in  that  place,  or  uthirwayis  to  be  fund  remiss  in  pro- 
pouneing  or  prosecuting  any  guid  purpose  or  overtour,  quhilk  sould 
be  givin  in  by  the  Britherin,  or  any  of  thame,  to  the  saidis  Presby- 
tries  and  Assemblies,  and  according  to  the  doubtis  quhilk  in  reas- 
souneino;  wer  found  out  and  feint." 


THE  CAUTIOUNES  EOLLOWTNG  WER  AGRIEIT  UPOUN. 

"  First,  That  it  be  implyit  that  the  Moderatoris  of  the  Presby- 
tries  and  Provincial!  Assemblies  be  nominat  and  chosine  according 
to  his  Majestie's  Overtoure,  sail  presume  to  doe  nothing  in  the  Pres- 
bytries or  Provinciall  Assemblies,  quhair  they  moderat,  without  the 
speciall  advyse  and  consent  of  the  Britherin. 

"  2.  That  the  actis  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  and  Caveatis 
thairin  annent  Bisschoppis  prescryvit,  be  observit,  that  they  sail 
use  no  jurisdictioun  or  power,  further  nor  the  Moderatoris  of  the 
Presbytries  and  Provinciall  Assemblies  lies  bein  in  use  of,  be  the 
constitutiounes  of  the  Kirk,  befoir. 

"  3.  In  cais  it  sail  happin  Moderatoris  of  Presbytries  or  Provin- 
ciall Assemblies  to  be  absent  the  tyme  of  thair  Conventioun,  then 
it  salbe  in  the  power  of  the  said  Provincialls  and  Presbytries  to 
nominat  and  choyse  one  of  the  best,  and  wysest,  and  gravest  of  the 
Blither  to  be  Moderator  in  that  meitting,  in  absence  of  the  said 
Moderator. 

"  4.  Quhen  the  place  of  the  Moderator  in  any  Presbytrie  sail  hap- 
pin to  vaik,  the  electioun  of  ane  uthir  to  succeid  in  his  roume  sail 
be  maid  be  the  haill  Provinciall  Assembly,  with  consent  of  his  Ma- 
jestie's Commissiouneres,  if  ony  happin  to  be  thair  present  for  the 
tyme ;  and  that  quhen  any  of  the  saids  Moderatoris  sail  happin  to 
depairt  this  lyff  betuix  the  Assemblies,  it  sail  be  lawfull  to  the  Pres- 
bytrie to  nominat  the  honnestest,  gravest,  and  Avysest  of  thair  num- 
ber, to  continow  in  the  Moderatioun  of  that  Presbytrie  quhill  the 
nixt  Provinciall  Assemblie. 


1007.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  727 

"  5.  The  Moderatoris  of  the  Presbytries  salbc  subject  to  the 
tryallis  and  censuris  of  the  Provincialis ;  and  in  cais  it  sail  happin 
that  they  be  found  to  be  remiss  in  discharge  of  thair  dewtie,  or  to 
haif  presumeit  to  haif  usurpit  over  thair  Britherin  ony  further  power 
nor  is  given  tharae  be  the  Assembly,  it  salbc  a  caus  to  thamc  of  de- 
privatioun  from  the  office  of  Moderatioun  ;  and  they  salbe  depry vit 
thairfoir  be  the  Provinciallis. 

"6.  In  lyk  manor,  the  Moderatoris  of  the  Provincial]  Assem- 
blies shall  be  tryit  and  censurit  by  the  Generall  Assemblie  ;  and  if 
he  be  found  ethir  to  be  remiss  in  the  office  of  his  Moderatioun,  or 
to  haif  usurpit  any  further  power  nor  the  simple  place  of  a  Mode- 
rator, he  salbe  depryvit  of  the  said  office  of  Moderatioun  by  the  Ge- 
nerall Assemblie. 

"  7.  That  the  Moderatioun  of  ilk  Presbytrie  or  Provinciall  As- 
semblie, with  the  Scrybe,  being  chosine,  faithfull,  wyse,  and  formall 
men,  be  astrictit  to  be  present  at  all  Generall  Assemblies,  as  Mcm- 
beres  thairof,  and  to  haif  the  Register  of  the  actis  and  proceidingis 
of  the  Presbytries  and  Provincialls  thair  present  with  thame,  that 
thair  fidelitie  and  diligence  may  be  sein  by  the  Generall  Assembly, 
and  the  estait  of  the  countrie  thairby  knawin. 

"8.  That  it  salbe  leisume  to  ilk  Presbytrie  to  send  Commis- 
siouneres  to  the  Generall  Assembly,  beside  and  attour  the  Modera- 
tor and  the  Scrybe,  tuo  or  thrie,  according  to  the  actis  of  our  As- 
semblies anncnt  the  Commissioun  from  Presbytries,  if  they  sail 
think  it  expedient. 

' '  9.  Further,  it  is  hereby  declairit,  that  notwithstanding  of  any 
thing  done  at  this  tyme,  the  Sessiounes,  Presbytries,  Provincial! 
and  Generall  Assemblies,  arc  to  be  observit,  kcipit,  and  obey  it,  as 
they  haif  bcin  hcirtofuir. 

"  10.  That  the  Moderator  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  be  chosine 
be  voit  of  the  said  Assemblie,  certaine  leitis  being  first  nominat  and 
propounit  friely,  as  hes  bein  in  tymes  bipast. 

"  11.  That  in  every  Provinciall  Assemblie  quhair  (hair  is  do 
Bischope  making  residence,  actuallie  and  lawl'ullie,  and  hailing  the 
Moderatioun  ofane  of  the  Presbytries)  the  Moderatoris  of  the  said 


728  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

Presbytries  within  the  said  Province  being  propounit  on  leit,  the 
meittest  of  thame  salbe  chosine  be  the  said  Assemblie  Moderator 
thairof,  his  Majestie's  Commissiouneres  consent  being  had  thairto. 

"  12.  And  further,  the  Conferrence  haiffand  examinit  the  Rollis 
of  all  Presbytries,  to  sie  iff  ony  wer  meitter  to  use  the  said  office  of 
Moderatioun  then  thais  quho  befoir  lies  bein  nominat,  to  haif  the 
delatioun  of  Papistis  and  Non-communicantis,  they  fand,  in  thair 
awin  judgement,  that  the  same  persounes  wer  of  all  uthiris,  in  every 
Presbytrie,  neirest  and  meitest,  alswel  to  moderat  as  to  haif  cair  of 
delatioun  foirsaid  :  Reservand  allwayis  to  the  Ministerie  of  everie 
Presbytrie  heir  conveinand  thair  awin  priviledge  and  power  to  no- 
minat unto  the  Assemblie  a  meitter,  if  any  thair  be  in  thair  Pres- 
bytrie, for  Moderatioune :  And,  thairfoir,  the  said  Conferrence  found 
it  expedient  that  the  persounes  foirsaidis  accept  in  and  upoun 
thame,  presentlie,  the  said  office  of  Moderatioune,  and  that  within 
the  saidis  Presbytries  respective;  and  that  the  Presbytries  allow, 
awne,  and  imbrace  thame  :  And,  for  this  effect,  that  the  saidis  Mo- 
deratoris  and  Presbytries  be  requistit  thairunto  earnestely  be  this 
Assembly  ;  and  iff  neid  beis,  lykwayis  chairgit  that  the  Kirk  of 
God  be  not  long  frustrat  of  the  confortabill  effectis  of  the  foirsaid 
ordour,  quhilk  it  is  abill  shortly,  be  the  grace  of  God,  to  produce. 

"  This  Overture  being  propounit  and  declairit  at  lenth,  in  presens 
of  the  full  Assemblie,  everie  article  and  heid  thairoff  wes  with  anc 
uniformc  consent  and  assent  and  allowance  of  all  approvit,  without 
any  contradictioun,  except  only  sua  far  as  concernes  the  Modera- 
tors in  Presbytries,  and  thair  continowance  in  thair  office  of  Mo- 
deratioun beyond  the  accustomit  tyme  ;  quhairannent  certain  doutis 
being  propounit  and  satisfieit,  and  the  Bisschopis  haifeing  givin 
1  hair  awin  declaratioun  out  of  thair  awin  mouthis  annent  thair  in- 
tent ioun  and  purposes,  to  be  subject  to  the  Actis  and  Caveatis  of 
the  Gencrall  Assemblie,  and  to  mak  residence  within  such  a  space 
as  sould  be  limitit  to  thame  and  evirilk  ane  of  thame  be  the  present 
\  emblie  ;  and  if  it  sould  be  thought  expedient  for  the  weillof  the 
Kirk,  that  uthir  meitter  and  moir  worthie  than  they  sould  possess 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  729 

and  occupy  thair  places,  to  dimitt  thair  benefices  at  the  will  and 
plesoure  of  the  Assembly,  his  Majestie's  consent  and  approbatioune 
being  had  heirto ;  quhairin  they  promiseit,  if  need  beis,  to  be  ear- 
nest suiteris  at  his  Majestie's  handis,  lykas  sume  of  thame  declairit 
that  they  had  already  craveit  the  same  of  his  Majestic,  for  the  re- 
spect they  had  to  tak  away  all  offenses  from  the  Brither :  Provyde- 
ing  alwayes,  if,  ather  upoun  his  Majestie's  advyse  and  propositioun 
to  the  Assemblie,  or  upoun  thair  awin  Supplicatioun  to  the  Assem- 
blie,  be  movit  heireftir  to  grant  thame  any  relaxatioun  of  any  of  the 
Caveats,  the  Generall  Assembly  be  moved  hereafter  to  grant  them 
any  relaxation  of  any  of  the  saids  Caveatis,  quhilk,   upoun  guid 
reassoun  to  the  said  Assemblie,  mycht  appear  to  be  over  strait,  that 
this  thair  promise  sail  inak  no  derogatioun  to  the  libertie  quhilk 
the  Assemblie  heirefter  salbe  movit  to  grant  unto  thame.     Item, 
it  wes  voitit,  and  be  pluralitie  of  voitis  concludit,  to  witt,  his  Ma- 
jestie's Commissiouneris,  haill  Nobilitie,  Erlis,  and  Barrounes,  to 
the  number  of  thirty-five, l  togider  with  the  number  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six  Ministeres  voiting  affirmative,  that  the  said 
Overture  annent  the  continowance  of  Moderatoris,  quhill  the  pre- 
sent divisioun  of  the  Kirk  be  removit,  and  that  the  haill  Brither  be 
brought  to  that  unitie  of  mynd  and  afFectioun  quhilk  is  aggrieabill 
with  thair  calling  and  service  best  to  the  furtherance  of  the  caus  of 
God,  and  overthrow  of  all  contrair  caussis,  and  the  Papistis  fully 
repressit  and  brought  to  the  obedience  of  the  Gospel,  sould  pass 
and  be  inactit  as  ane  of  the  conclusiounes  of  this  Assemblie  ;  the 
foirsaidis  Caveatis  being  allwayis  keipeit  be  everie  ane  of  the  saidis 
Moderatoris,  and  the  contraveineres  censurit  and  punisehit,  as  is 
befoir  expressit ;  four  only  of  the  haill  Assemblie  be  thair  voitis 
dissassenting  thairfra,  and  uthir  four  refuissing,  to  witt,  for  want- 
ing commissioun  from  thair  Prcsbytric,  and  two  being  non  liquet. 
Extractit  furth  of  the  buikes  of  the  actis  of  the  said  Assemblie  at 
Lithgow,  and  subscrivit  by  the  Moderator  and  Scrybc  thairof. 
(Sic  subseribitur)        "James  Nicolsoun,  Moderator. 
"  Henry  Philipf,  Scrybe." 

1  Left  blank  in  Ailv    MSS. 


730  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 


Now,  to  proccid  to  the  Gcncrall  Asscmblie  :  It  wes  solemncly 
promissit,  as  we  hard  at  Lithgow,  to  be  keipit  at  Edinbruche  the 
last  Tuysday  of  July  in  the  yeir  1607,  [but]  wes  by  proclamatioun 
as  oftentymes  befoir  prorogat  to  the  same  day  and  moneth  in  the 
yeir  of  God  following,  1608,  to  hold  in  Dundie,  becaus  boith  the 
plotter  and  the  plott  wes  deid  and  expyrit,  and  they  wer  not  as  yit 
provydit  of  ane  new  ane.  But  the  Bisschopis,  keipeing  diverse 
meittingis,  and  boith  sending  and  ressaiveing  consultatiounes  from 
Court,  resolvit  to  mak  a  way,  and  prepair  for  perfyting  of  the  pur- 
pose at  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie  be  three  principall  meines  : 
First,  By  a  pretext  of  a  Conferrence  :  2dly,  By  modificatioune  of  the 
Ministeres  stipendis  :  odly,  By  the  Visitatioun  of  the  Presbytries. 
So  the  Commissioun  of  modificatioun  of  that  yeir  wes  wholly  givin 
to  the  Bisschoppes,  quho,  be  augmentatioun,  wanne  and  allurit  by 
diminutioun,  waikinit  and  bure  doun,  and  by  deprivatioun  waikinit 
the  heartis  and  terrifieit  a  great  number  of  the  Ministerie,  and  that 
sua  closely  and  sua  covertly  as  that  ane  caus  pretendit  in  publict, 
ane  uthir  wes  assurit  thame  in  secreit. 

The  Visitatioun  of  the  Presbytries,  by  auctoritie  of  the  Generall 
Assemblie,  quhair  they  coidd  findc  any  grand  of  the  Commissioun, 
but  specially  borne  out  by  the  Kingis  auctoritie,  the  drifte  quhairof 
wes  to  lead  and  mak  a  number  of  Commissiounercs  to  voit  with 
thame  out  of  eveiy  Presbytrie,  tuo  or  thrie  at  the  least,  according 
to  the  fore-provydit  act  of  Assembly,  quhairby  they  mycht  be  sure 
againes  the  nixt  Generall  Assembly  appoyntit  at  Dundie.  Quhilk 
wes  cspyit  and  weill  prcventit  be  many,  pairtly  by  conforming  all 
thair  membcres,  and  pairtly  by  refuissing  thair  visitatioun  :  of  the 
guid  rcasoun  quhairof,  ane  cxampill  sail  suffice. 

The  Presbytrie  of  Jcdburcht  refuissit  the  visitatioun  of  Bisschop 
Law  of  Orknay,  for  tliais  Reassounee  : 


1607.  ME   JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  Till 


REASSOUNES  QUHAIRFOIR  THE  RRITIIEEIN  OF  THE  PEESBTTBIE  OF 
JEDBRUCHE  DECLYNIT  THE  JUDGMENT  OF  MR  JAMES  LAW. 
BISSCHOPFE  OF  ORKNAT. 

"The  act  maid  in  the  Generall  Assemblie  at  Halirudhous,  anno 
1 602,  concerncing  the  Visitatioun  of  Provinces,  contcinit  ane  blank 
for  inserting  the  tennour  of  the  edict  qnhilk  sould  be  servit  at 
paroch-kirkis  ;  the  qnhilk  edict  sould  be  formit  by  thrie  or  four  Bri- 
therin  deput  be  the  Generall  Assemblie.  But  thais  Brither  ncvir 
mett  yit  for  that  purpose,  and  sua  the  blank  wes  ncvir  fillit  up  : 
How,  then,  can  the  act  be  put  in  executioun,  wanting  the  edict,  evir 
a  principall  pairt  ?  Evin  to  this  houre  we  servit  the  edict  sent  to  us, 
expecting  a  law  full  Commissioun,  [quhilk  wes  not  as  yit  hard  be  us 
to  be  discussit :  Satis  est  dclegato  asserere  se  esse  delcgatum,  si  non  sit 
servicio  persoria,  to  cans  any  compeir,  if  the  compeirance  be  turn 
levissimo.  But  quhen  we  compeirit,  we  saw  the  imperious  edict 
qnhilk  we  servit  to  be  forgit,  and  not  in  the  Commissioun *]  it  selflf, 
quhair  thair  wes  nothing  but  a  blank  ;  the  said  Visitor  would  judge 
himselff  alone,  and  that  without  John  Clappertoune,  a  collegue, 
quhom  his  Majestie  had  designit  in  his  Lettre  sent  to  him. 

"  Nixt,  without  the  Presbytrie  professing  plainely  that  he  would 
not  follow  the  most  pairt  of  the  voitis  of  the  Presbytrie,  qulien  it 
came  to  the  censure  of  any  particular  member  thairof.  Iff  he  haiff 
offerit  great  courtessie  to  others,  that  appcircth  evidently  he  lies 
cum  to  us  cum  cupiditate  nocendi  without  his  collegue,  deput  be  the 
Generall  Assemblie,  without  quhom  he  hes  no  power  to  visite  ex- 
cept his  collegue  wer  seik ;  and  seiknee  wes  not  alledgit,  neither 
think  avc  that  the  caus  of  seiknes  cxprcssit  in  the  act  can  be  ex- 
tendit  to  causses  not  expressit,  be  reassoun  that  all  delegat  juriadio- 
tioun  est  strieti  juris,  and  in  all  odious  matteres  odia  sunt  constrin- 
(jenda  ;  for  sure  we  ar  that  it  is  not  agricabill  to  Godia  Word,  that 
the  haill  power  of  ane  National  Assembly  Bould  be  devolvil  over 

1  Not  in  A.dv,  MS  3 


732  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

upoun  the  back  of  a  "simple  Presbyter;  by  the  quhilk  he  has  not 
only  cognitioun,  bot  also  definitioun  and  executioun,  in  ane  univer- 
sitie  of  caussis,  ovir  ane  haill  Province  of  Ministeres :  We  would 
notwithstanding  haifftollerat  this  great  absurditie,  sua  far  dissonant 
from  the  Word,  if  the  Generall  Assemblie  had  appoyntit  him  alone. 
We  sie,  then,  in  it  selff,  it  is  res  plena  odii,  et  ambitionis ;  and,  thair- 
foir,  the  caus  of  seiknes  sould  not  be  extendit :  But  howbeit  the 
cans  of  seiknes,  expressit  in  the  act,  mycht  be  expressit  be  ane 
equivalent  word  not  expressit,  yit  his  collegue's  Lettre,  dytit  the 
seventh  day  of  March,  conteinit  no  such  lat,1  in  it  selff,  for  it  must 
be  a  long-lasting  seiknes  and  infirmitie  would  imped  the  executioun 
of  the  office  befoir  the  nixt  insewing  Assemblie,  that  must  be  the 
reul  and  missour  of  the  equivalent  impediment  for  the  Visitor  to 
say  to  his  fellow  Visitor,  quhen  he  hes  a  diseise  that  will  schortly 
ceis,  that  he  will  goe  to  visite  without  him,  wer  but  to  ludificat  the 
act  of  the  Assemblie  ;  the  ministratioune  of  the  Lordis  Supper, 
catechcising  of  the  people,  unwillingnes  to  wander  about,  mention- 
it  in  his  collegue's  Lettre,  as  impedimentis,  the  seventh  of  March, 
ar  not  ane  impediment  equivalent  to  longsume  seiknes ;  nor  yit  had 
we  ony  warrand  of  impedimentis  the  2d  of  May,  quhilk  wes  the 
tyme  of  Visitatioun :  As  for  confyneing,  howbeit  it  wes  alledgit 
and  provin,  yit  it  had  not  bein  equivalent  to  the  long-lasting  seik- 
nes and  infirmitie  of  bodie.  But  the  truth  is,  confyneing  wes  not 
so  much  as  alledgit  in  our  presens,  far  les  proven ;  yea,  the  con- 
trare  evidentlie  collectit  out  of  his  colleguis  Lettre.  This  much  for 
the  second  reassoun,  takin  from  his  singular  and  solid  judgment, 
without  the  collogue  appoyntit  be  his  Majestic,  and  without  the 
collogue  appoyntit  be  the  Generall  Assemblie,  as  also  without  the 
conjunct  judgment  of  the  Prcsbytrie. 

"Thridly,  Wc  say  that  the  office  itselff  is  expyrit,  howbeit  it  mycht 
haill  bcin  put  in  executioun  since  the  vcritie2  of  his  commissioun, 
and  continuall  custom  of  the  Kirk,  it  sould  haiff  indured  only  to  the 
nixt  insewing  Generall  Assemblie,  and  he  himsclff,  with  the  rest  of  the 
Visiloris,  did  hould  up  his  hand  publictlie,  promisseing  to  put  it  in 

'  Let,  hiu.lra.H-.  .  A<lv.  MS*,  "bo  vcrtcw." 


1G07.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  733 

exccutioun  befor  the  nixt  Assembiie.  Now,  it  is  most  evident, 
that  fyve  yeires  thairefter  fell  out  that  inciting  houldin  last  at 
Lithgow,  quhilk  he  himself  avowcit  [to  be]  ane  Gcncrall  Assem- 
biie ;  yit  he  could  not  let  us  sic  ane  act  of  prorogatioun  from  the 
samyne,  howbeit  he  craveit  it ;  and  the  not  executioun  of  his  office 
befoir  that  tyme  niakith  him  not  to  continow  in  the  office,  but  to 
be  culpabill  of  negligence,  for  the  space  of  five  yeiris,  nam  nemo 
delict  lucrari  ex  sua  negligentia  ;  the  discharge  not  expressit  makes 
him  only  to  rest  culpabill,1  but  the  power  and  rigour  of  the  office 
itselff  did  at  the  sett  tyme  expyre,  ane  Moderator,  or  any  such 
lyke  office  man,  howbeit  the  sett  tyme  rune  out,  continows  still 
till  ane  uthir  Moderatour  be  designit,  becaus  it  is  ane  constant 
office,  and  thair  must  not  be  interrupt  a  scries  of  Moderatouris  suc- 
ceidin  to  Moderatouris  ;  but  the  office  of  Visitatioun  is  pro  re  nata, 
arbitrarie,  as  the  Assembiie  thinkis  guid  to  send  out  Visitoris,  or 
not  send ;  the  tyme  being  then  not  sett  downe  by  the  Assembiie, 
the  office  does  expyre  at  the  same  tyme  and  day.  And,  on  the 
other  syde,  to  reassoun  if  the  Assembly  hauldin  at  Lithgow  be  ac- 
counts ane  lawfull  Assembiie,  thair  his  office  of  Visitatioun  ceissit, 
unles  it  wer  renewit  be  the  same  again  ;  and  if  that  Assembiie  be 
not  esteimit  ane  lawfull  Assembly,  yit  the  day  appoyntit  by  the 
Generall  Assembiie  concerneing  his  office  of  Visitatioun  expyres, 
or  at  least  be  prorogatioun,  as  the  Assembiie  rines  in  nonentrie,  so 
dois  his  Visitatioun. 

"  Fourthly,  Since  that  act  of  Halyrudhous,  thair  is  a  new  emer- 
gent2 reassoun  to  refuisse  him,  for  if  ane  delegat  suspect  may  be  re- 
fuissit,  haiff  we  not  just  caus  to  refuisse  him  quho  is  becum  a  Biss- 
chop,  seing  that  act  for  schisme  is  sua  great  at  this  tyme  betuixt  the 
Bisschopis  and  the  better  sort,  that  every  ane  reputeth  the  utheres 
adversaris  ?  Could  we,  then,  without  hazard  underly  the  hazard  of 
our  adversarie  cleimeing  to  the  power  of  a  deputie  of  the  Generall 
Assembiie,  that  meinit  nothing  les  then  to  arme  his  adversar  with 
a  power  againes  his  own  childrein  ? 

Adv.  MSS.  "comptabill."  '  »•  "  iMTgn^" 


734  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

"  Lastly,  Had  we  not  just  caus  to  declyne  him  quho  spak  with 
the  voyce  of  the  Antichryst?  The  Bisschop  of  Orknay,  speiking 
lyk  the  Bisschop  of  Roome,  quho  said  in  his  Lettre  that  he  sent  to 
us,  that  he  would  not  stand  to  proceid  againes  us  cum  jure  et  potes- 
tate  utriusquc  gladii!  Bonifacius  the  Eight,  Pope  of  Roome,  of 
quhom  it  is  said,  Intravit  lit  Vulpes,  regnavit  ut  Leo,  mortuus  est  ut 
Cards!  at  the  grit  Jubile,  quhilk  he  institutit  in  anno  1613,  sat 
one  day  with  the  Pontificall  robe  and  keyis ;  and  the  nixt  day  with 
the  Imperiall  sword  befoir  him,  crying,  '  Ecce  hie  duo  gladii  F  One 
quho  had  commissioun  from  the  Kirk  aught  not  to  imploy  the  se- 
cular Sword ;  bot  the  judge  quho  sent  him  out,  finding  the  persoim 
disobedient,  sould  tak  order  thairwith :  Delegatus  enim  Judex  non 
kabet  Jurisdictionem  naturalem,  scd  alieno  ex  benejicio.  We  can  not 
be  countit  rebellis,  quho,  according  to  order  and  forme,  declyne. 
Nemo  enim  rebellis  est  qui  petit  quod  de  jure  permittitur  ;  and  how  can 
the  Secular  Magistrat  know  utrum  bene  vel  male  Judicium,  befoir 
the  Generall  Assemblie,  that,  be  the  la  wis  of  the  realme,  is  the 
competent  Judge,  haiff  judgit  our  declinatoure  ?  and  how  sould  we 
haiff  personam  standi  injudicio,  quhen  the  Assembly  sail  hauld  that 
we  may  seik  remeid  againes  the  pretendit  Visitoris,  if  we  be  with- 
hauldin  with  registratioun  at  the  home,  or  any  lyk  impediment  ? 
for  by  that  mein  all  outgait l  is  stoppit  to  us  for  evir,  howbeit  we  be 
innocent ;  but  this  our  Visitor  cumes  neirer  his  awin  wordis,  for 
non  tantum  ad  ejus  initum  sed  ejus  motum,  is  the  prince's  sword  wailit2 
againes  us.  In  his  awin  persoun,  he  had  the  Commissioun  to  put 
the  Britherin  to  the  home,  and  accordingly  waireit3  expensses,  di- 
rcctit  officiaris  to  denunce  and  registrat  upoun  the  principall  lettrcs  : 
Intending  further,  haiffing  tuo  swordis,  he  maid  chuse  of  the  Tem- 
porall,  and  excercisit  the  force  thairoff,  imitating  Pope  Juhus  the 
Third,  quho  did  cast  Saint  Petercs  Keyis  into  Tiber,  and  tuik  unto 
him  the  Sword  of  Paid:  He  wiH  not  punische  us  Ecclesiastically, 
but  will  delait  us  to  the  Magistrat  to  be  schcrpcr  handlcit,  saying, 
he  would  haiff  his  handis  frie  of  all  evil  done  unto  us !    So,  Pilat 

1  Retreat.  '  Wielded.  Incurred. 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  735 

wes  guiltic  of  Chrystis  death,  notwithstanding  he  did  waseh  his 
handis,  and  said,  I  am  innocent !  Jam  plectandi  sumus,  non  ad  ejus 
nutum  solum,  etiam  licitum"  &c. 

And  so,  indeid,  it  cam  to  pas,  for  notwithstanding  of  all  thais 
Reassounes,  sume  of  the  Britherin  wer  summond  befoir  the  Coun- 
sel, sume  horneit,  and  sume  wairdit :  Lykas  thais  of  the  Synod  of 
Duns  wer  so  usit,  quhen  Mr  Tobias  Ramsay,  Moderatour,  and  Mr 
Johne  Smyth,  Clark  thairoff,  wer  commandit  to  the  Blaknes,  only 
for  undertaking  upon  them  thais  offices,  at  the  comand  and  calling 
of  the  Assembly,  and  for  thair  standing  be  the  lawfulnes  thairof 
befoir  the  Counsel. 

But  now  to  the  Conferrence.  They  tuik  occasioun  thairof,  by  a 
challange,  quhilk  certain  upright  zealous  Brither  had  maid,  whereof 
the  tennour  folio  wis : 

THE  MINISTERES'  OFFER  OF  CONFERRENCE. 

"  We,  the  Ministeres  of  Jesus  Chryst,  defenderes  and  favour- 
eres  of  the  Discipline  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  professis  and  de- 
clams,  that  the  said  Discipline  and  Governement,  as  it  is  appoyntit 
be  the  Kirk,  and  ratified  in  Parliament,  confirmit  of  auctoritie,  sub- 
scryvit  and  sworne  be  the  Pastoris  and  professoris  of  the  Kirk 
within  this  kingdome,  and  accordingly  ressavit  and  practisit  these 
fiftie  yciris  within  the  same,  as  most  agriabill  to  the  Word  of  God, 
and  most  convenient  to  concurre  and  stand  with  the  Civill  Go- 
vernement of  the  kingdome,  and  for  defence  heirof,  in  the  fcir  of 
God,  Christian  modestie,  and  brotherlie  love,  offeres  to  our  Brither, 
Commissiouneres,  voiteres  in  parliament,  be  evidentis  of  reassoun, 
and  warrandis  of  Scripture,  to  mantein  and  defend  the  somen 
againes  quhatsumevir  they  can  object  in  the  contraire ;  [and  for 
that  effect  earncstlie  desyris  a  frie  Conferrence  to  be  appoyntit  and '] 
keipit  in  the  Conditiounes  following : 

1  Omitted  in  Adv.  MSS. 


t.w)  the  continuation  of  1g07. 

[conditions.] 

"  1.  That  the  defencleres  of  the  said  Discipline  may  haiff  ane 
publict  warrand  and  protectioun  from  his  Majestic  and  Counsel, 
for  performance  of  that  Conferrence. 

"  2.  That  they  mycht  haiff  a  frie  choyce  of  the  persounes  quhom 
to  they  may  committ  the  manteinence  of  that  caus  lawfully  in  the 
said  Conferrence. 

"  3.  That  the  partie  appoyntit  oppounent  propoune  and  sett 
doun,  in  schort  and  cleire  Articles,  the  poyntis  quhairin  they  diss- 
assent  from  us  in  the  said  Discipline,  and  deliver  the  same  in  wryt 
to  the  Presbytries,  a  reassounabill  tyme  befoir  the  Conferrence, 
on  the  first  day. 

"  4.  That  for  rememberance  caus,  for  eschewing  of  confosioun, 
ydill  discoursse,  [takin  and  callumneis  that  may  fall  forth  on  ather 
syde,  all  questiounes,  argumentis,  answeris,  replyes  and  conten- 
tiounes,  and1]  mistaking  the  conclusiounes  that  shall  be  treattit  of 
in  the  said  Conferrence,  may  pas  by  wryt,  and  be  subscryvit  be 
boith  the  oppounentis  and  defenderes. 

"  5.  That  it  salbe  lesume  to  thame  that  salbe  chosine  to  reassoun 
for  boith  the  pairties,  to  tak  counsell  and  advyce  of  ony  of  thair 
Blither,  in  ony  perplexitie,  or  in  ony  particular  or  incident  difficulties. 

"  6.  That  quhatsoevir  salbe  treattit  or  agrieit  upoun  in  that  Con- 
ferrence be  delivcrit  to  the  Presbytries,  and  eftir  they  haiff  advysit 
the  same,  to  the  Provincialis,  and  syne  to  the  Generall  Assemblie, 
ane  or  moe,  thair  to  be  fullic  trcatit  and  finalie  concludit. 

"  The  great  considcratiounes  and  just  reassouncs  moving  the  de- 
fenderes to  mak  this  Offer  to  thair  Blither  foirsaid  are  thais  : 

"  First,  Becaus  they  arc  certainely  perswadit  and  informit  that 
sume  of  thair  Brither  quho  ar  opposit  hes  not  obscurely  professit  to 
all  honourabill  professouris  of  all  estaitis,  that  howevir  they  haif  bein 
of  ane  judgment  and  practise  with  us  in  tyme  bypast,  now  by  a 
cleir  lycht  quliilk  hes  schynit  to  thame  in  thair  gryt  studie,  thay 
haif  found  out  thair  former  errouris,  and  are  perswadit  that  the 

1  Not  in  Adv.  MSS. 


1G07,  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  737 

Episcopall  Government  and  Jurisdictioun  over  thair  Britherin, 
quhilk  hes  bein  and  is  condemned  by  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  is  the 
ordinance  of  God;  quhilk,  if  they  can  cleirly  demonstrat  be  prooff 
of  Scripture,  in  this  desyrit  Conferrence,  they  sin  againes  God,  thair 
awin  sanll,  and  the  salvatioun  of  thair  Brither,  except  they  communi- 
cat  than-  lycht  to  thame  that  they  may  walk  in  it ;  utherwayes,  it 
wer  againes  all  honnestie  and  conscience  to  thame  to  depairt  from 
the  present  Discipline,  quhairunto  they  ar  bund  under  the  greit  oath 
of  the  Lord;  the  reassounes  quhairof  they  ar  not  aschamit  to  avow 
and  expresse 1  befoir  the  world. 

"2.  In  the  heat  of  thais  contentiounes,  the  heartis,  tongues,  and 
pennis2  of  Jerusaleme  Watchemen  ar  turnit  from  the  enemies  of 
the  truth,  and  are  lyk  razoris  scharpit  and  sett  ane  againes  ane  uthir, 
and  neithir  ordinar  nor  frie  EcclesiasticaU  meitting,  nor  wyse  men 
to  be  found  amongis  us,  to  put  us  in  rememberance  that  we  ar 
Brither,  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  the  lycht  of  the  world ;  but  over 
many  of  all  sortis  are  readie  to  add  fresch  fewall  to  the  flameing 
fyre  of  our  distractioun ;  quhairby  we  and  our  professioun  ar  hurt, 
to  the  great  joye  and  incouragement  of  our  enimies.  Quhilk  evilis,' 
and  uthiris  quhilk  may  faU  out  in  cais  of  continowance,  by  the' 
mercie  of  God,  in  this  Conferrence,  may  possiblie  be  preventit  and 
remeidit. 

"  3.  Faithfull  and  unblameabill  Ministeres  ar  presently  pressit 
doun  by  the  burdein  of  so  many  great  reproches,  as  if  they  wer  the 
only  trubilleris  of  Issrael,  and  traducit  to  hauld  and  mantain  Ana- 
baptisticall  opiniounes,  and  presentlie  hes  thair  persounes  wairdit 
and  thair  livingis  restrainit,  againes  quhom  no  occasioun  can  be 
found,  except  concerneing  the  cans  of  Discipline  and  Governement 
if  the  Kirk ;  and  it  wer  ridiculous  that  the  Ministeres  of  God,  in 
sic  caisses,  should,  lyk  bairnes,  lay  thair  handis  upoun  thair  heartis 
and  hurt  places,  and  cry '  Alace  !'  and  in  the  meintyme  seiknot  the 
lawfull  remedies. 

"  4.  It  becumes  no  wayes  the  Ministeriall  calling  to  keipe  secreit 

1  Adv.  MSS.  «  profess."  ?  //,   „  hands  ., 

3  A 


738  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G07. 

the  truth,  quhairof  they  ar  perswadit,  and  quhen  thair  professioun, 
or  any  pairt  thairoff,  is  brought  under  suspitioun,  or  impugnit  by  a 
cowardlie  kind  of  silence,  to  betray  the  caus  quhilk  they  belive  sail 
stand  suir1  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

"  5.  The  order  and  proceidingis  of  our  Kirk  ar  try  it  an'd  carpit 
within  and  without  the  contrie  by  unfriendis  and  enimies  of  the 
governement  of  the  same  ;  and  by  present  distractiounes  we  ar  so 
keipit  at  under,  after  this  manner,  that  nethir  we  dar  half  occasioun, 
nor  dar  we  saiffeiy  answere  ealumniatouris  and  oppositiounes. 

"  6.  Protestand,  that  iff  the  saidis  Commissiouneres  and  Voitteres 
in  Parliament  (now  commonly  callit  Bischopis)  sail  happin  to  re- 
fuisse  thir  modest  Offeres  and  most  reassounabill  Conditiounes 
thairoff,  nochtwithstanding  of  the  important  reassounes  propounit 
thairin  be  the  said  Ministeres,  defenderes  of  the  said  Discipline  and 
Governement  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  that  then,  and  in  that  cais, 
the  said  Discipline  and  Governement  be  reput  and  holdin  wyse, 
godlie,  and  peiceabill,  and  stand  unquarrelit  quhill2  they  be  law- 
fullie  and  orderly  hard ;  and  that  thair  Brither,  according  to  thair 
credite,  use  the  same  as  they  will  answer  to  God  and  to  his  Kirk, 
for  the  restoring  the  Ministeres  to  thair  libertie  and  livingis ;  to  the 
effect  that  all,  in  ane  brotherly  concord,  may  serve  God  and  honour 
the  King,  and  with  a  particular3  cair  and  endeavour  to  procure  the 
weill  of  Chrystis  Kirk  within  this  realme." 

This  Conferrencc,  craifit  on  baith  the  sydis,  but  in  far  diverse  re- 
spectis  and  endis,  the  Bischope  of  Glasgow  returning  from  Court 
the  twelth  day  of  Junij,4  the  Conferrencc  wes  very  cuuingly  callit 
and  dressit  to  hauld  at  Falkland,  the  15  of  Junij  ;5  quhilk,  to  the 
intent  it  mycht  be  thought  the  more  frie,  diverse  of  the  Brither 
quho  wer  confynit  wer  delt  with,  and  licenceit  to  be  thair  :  to 
quhom,  be  the  rest  on  that  syde,  thair  wer  tuo  Lettres  sent,  worthie 
of  rememberance,  [by  Mr  .lames  Melvill6]  : — 


1  Sure       Adv.  MSS.  "ffood."  *  Until.  s  Adv.  MSS.  "  Pastorall." 

•  Th.  "  May."  b  lb.  "  July."  «  Not  in  Univ.  MS. 


1607.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  739 

[LETTER  BY  MR  JAMES  MELVILL  TO  THE  BRETHREN  ASSEMBLED 
AT  THE  CONFERENCE  OF  FALKLAND.] 

"  The  Spirit  of  grace  be  with  yow,  and  of  wisdom,  and  of  up- 
rycht  judgment  be  present  with  yow,  at  this  tyme  and  for 
evir. 

"  Britherin,  Haiffing  understood,  be  the  beirer,  of  a  Confer- 
rence  inditit,  and  sume  little  of  the  purpose  thairoff,  I  haiff  thought 
guid  to  communicate  to  yow  my  rude  meditatiounes  thairannent ; 
trusting  ye  will  tak  thame  in  guid  seassoun,1  albeit,  I  knaw,  far  in- 
feriour  to  the  greatnes  of  the  matter  [and  your  cleir  insycht. 

"  Ye  ar  not  ignorant  quhat  lies  bein  the  event  of  diverse 
Conferrences  and  Colloquies,  in  matteres2]  of  Religioun,  leiveing 
thame  in  worse  estait ;  quhairupoun  lies  followit  alwayes  greitter 
disturbance,  with  greitter  iniquitie3  and  trouble,  as  witnesseth  Col- 
loquium Poissiaconum  in  Gallia,  anno  1561,  quhairin  Beza  andMar- 
tyr  Avere  colloquitoris  for  the  one4  pairt :  Item,  [Colloquium  Maul- 
bromense  in  Palati?iis,  anno  1568,  quhairin  Ursinus  and  Oliviannus 
were  colloquitoris  on  our  syde  againes  Jacobus  Andre  and  his  com- 
plices :  Itemf']  Colloquium  Monpelgardense,  anno  1564,  inter  Mini- 
stros  Hannonienses,  et  Jacobum  Andreas,  and  his  adherentis  :  We  re- 
member the  event  of  Colloquium  Fontrunense,  betwixt  Monsieur  Du 
Plessis  and  the  Bishop  of  Eurens  :  Sickly k  the  Conferrence  in 
Hampton  Court  betwixt  Doctor  Reynoldis  and  his  fellowis  and  the 
Enolish  Bischopis,  quhairupoun  followis  the  triumphe  of  Barlow. 
And  iff  I  remember  rycht,  Gregorius  Nazianzene  sayth,  Nunquam 
se  vidisse  bonum  eventum  ex  Colloquiis  durante  schismate  in  En  I 
the  rememberance  quhairof,  I  doubt  not,  but  the  mercie  of  God 
sail  mak  yow  moir  vigilant,  cairfull,  and  circumspect  in  this  siclyk 
caus,  especially  this  proceiding  from  ane  hie  power,  eujus  Jinis  est 
victoria  plus  quam  Veritas  ! 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "pairt."  2  Not  in  Adv.  MSS.  3  Adv.  MSS.  "  enmitie." 

*  lb.  "  our."  5  Not  in  Adv.  MSS. 


740  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G07. 

"  The  end  of  this  Conferrence  I  understand  to  be  tuofold  ;  Pa- 
pistrie,  and  for  Disciplinarie  controversies.  In  my  judgment,  we 
must  not  luik  sua  meikle  to  the  proponeris  of  baith  as  to  the  Hie 
Disposer  of  all,  quho  only  out  of  darknes  is  abill  to  bring  lycht ; 
quhill,  as  I  am  thinking,  quhat  sould  be  the  caus  that,  for  matteres 
of  Papistrie,  they  sould  seik  your  advyse  and  assistance,  they  haif- 
ing  in  thair  hand  the  manageing  of  all  thais  matteres  of  a  long  tyine, 
with  power  and  auctoritie,  secluding  yow,  sumtymes  also  crossing 
yow  in  thais  effairis.  I  conjecture  two  endis,  the  one,  ad  delendam 
ignominiam  Conventus  Litgoniensis,  quhairin  great  thingis  wer  pro- 
pounit,  nothing  prosecutit.  2dlg,  The  matter  being  of  greatest 
weight,  carieing  the  caus  without  hatreit,  of  hazard,  and  evill-will 
from  the  greattest  sort  within  this  land,  quhat  reickis  iff  they  get 
your  pairt '  of  the  burdein  herein  also,  as  haiffing  no  burdein  on 
yow  alreadie  ?  But  I  ceis  to  search  the  intentiounes,  quhatsoevir 
they  be.     I  trust,  in  that  pairt,  thir  salbe  found  no  Papistis. 

"  As  for  the  Ovirtouris  againes  thame,  they  are  plain  and  manifest 
to  all,  proceeding  only  of  the  former  tymes,  only  wanting  execution  ; 
quhilk  defect  man  be  urgit  and  laid  on  the  Bisschopis,  quho  hes 
the  power  in  thair  handis  amonges  the  Overtouris.  I  dout  not  but 
ye  remember  cheiffely  upon  The  Commoun  Band  of  Confessioun, 
anno  1592,2  quhilk  ye  knaw  was  a  foundamentall  ground  laid  againes 
Papistis.3  Let  this  now  be  renewit,4  and  cheifely  urgit  to  be  sub- 
scryvit  be  all ;  quhilk,  if  it  could  pass  throw  all  and  by  all,  as  it 
wes  first  devysit  and  commandit,  ye  knaw  the  guid  it  mycht  [haif] 
efFectuatit.  The  rest  of  the  Overtouris  I  dout  not  wilbe  reddie 
at  hand  to  yow,  the  executioun  quhairoff  non  urgit5  upoun  Bis- 
chopis  and  Commissiouneris,  and  I  wald  wish  that  they  wer  seri- 
ousely  stired  up  againes  the  commoun  enimies,  that  they  would  be- 
ginne  to  renew0  thair  chill  warris :  But  it  is  to  be  feirit,  that  ac- 
cording to  the  skilfull  airt,  lyk  fenseres,  they  mint  and  seik7  at  ane 
uthir  pairt. 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "strait  yow  in."  2  lb.  "  1562."  3  lb.  "Bischops." 

4  lb.  "  remembrcd."  '  lb.  "  might  be  used."  fi  lb.  "relent."        "  lb.  "move 

at  and  strick  ;"  i.  e.  they  soomingly  aim  at  one  part,  but  thrust  at  another. 


1607.  MR  JAMBS  MELVULL'S  DIABT.  741 

"  For  the  uthir,  annent  matteres  of  Discipline,  shortely  1  will 
tak  up  tuo  thingis  to  be  neidfull,  in  my  judgment ;  the  ane  for  pre- 
paratioun,  the  uthir  for  actioun  :  First,  for  preparatioun ;  let  it  be 
rememberit,  1st,  Quhatevir  lies  bein  forgotten  in  the  first  rowine, 
in  lyk  canssis,  to  witt,  in  humiliatioun  and  fasting  to  be  nrgit  in 
our  Conferrence  with  Bischop  Law,  that  it  being  intimat  to  him, 
he  may  travell  to  mak  it  publict  and  gencrall ;  quhilk  I  know  will 
not  work  on  thair  pairt,  yit  it  salbc  neidfull  that  they  dischairge 
your  conscience  in  sua  neidfull  a  poynt  to  him ;  but  let  it  be  urgit 
on  your  pairt,  in  all  Presbyteries,  of  the  purpose,  quhair  it  may  not 
be  had  publictly,  that  it  may  be  had  privatly  amongcs  the  favth- 
full  favoureres  of  discipline.  '2dli/,  To  give  advertisment  to  all 
Presbyteries  of  the  purpose,  pairtlie  to  remove  jealousic  that  may 
arryse  ;  pairtly,  for  craifing  thair  Overtouris,  advyse,  and  counsel, 
quhilk  may  be  done  with  signilicatiouu  of  the  fast,  odly,  Proposi- 
tiounes  to  be  propouned,  containeing  the  groundis  of  Discipline  of 
our  Kirk,  and  bakit  by  Scripture,  Constitutiounes  Ecclesiasticall, 
perpetuall  practise,  &c. ;  quhilk  propositiounes  aither  may  be  ex- 
tractit  out  of  the  Buik  of  Discipline,  or  then,  according  to  the  same 
groundis,  cleirit  by  new  diligence,  quhairin  standis  precipuum  mo- 
numerttum  causa. 

"  For  the  actioun  it  selfF,  thir  thingis  I  think  neidfull :  First, 
That  ye  haiff  amongis  your  selffis  your  privat  meitingis,  and  a  Mo- 
derator privatlie  to  be  chosinc  among  your  selffis  for  consent, 
harmonic,  and  guid  order.  2dlt/,  The  warrand  of  your  meitingis 
to  be  requirit  and  produceit  publictlie  for  the  securitie,  and  the 
authentik  copie  thairoff:  to  be  keipit  for  your  warrandis.  3<%, 
Being  at  publick  meeting  for  the  samene  cause,  Brethren  have 
been  summond,  as  lately  ye  remember  the  event  of  the  Con- 
vocatione  of  the  late  Conferrence  of  the  Brether  at  Hampton  Court, 
and,  lately  at  home,  be  the  example  of  Mr  Williame  Bowe,  and  Mr 
Ilenrie  Livingstoun,  and  the  example  of  Mr  John  Murray,  not  un- 
lyk  preiching  at   a   Generall1   Assemblie;  and  yit  wes  he  apprc- 

i  Adv.  AISS.  "  publick." 


742  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G07. 

hendit  as  a  malefactor  by  the  Guard,  and  put  in  prissoun,  quhair 
he  continowis  to  suffer  the  same  for  thais  causses.  I  think  it  wer 
neidfull  ye  sould  crave  securitie  for  your  selffis  in  that  poynt,  that 
the  Conferrence  brek  not  out  into  ane  new  quarreling,  and  trouble- 
ing  yow  for  your  former  meitting,  and  for  defence  of  the  caus. 
And  this  poynt  is  not  lychtlie  to  be  passit  over,  quhilk  I  recomend 
to  your  consideratioun  most  earnestly.  Stilly,  It  wer  maist  neid- 
full to  urge  that  this  Conferrence  wes  frie  and  fidl,  and  that  be 
calling  their  cheiffest  memberis  absent,  &c. ;  quhilk  earncstlie  and 
urgentlie  is  to  be  insisted  upoun,  I  mein  of  the  absentis,  and  speci- 
allie  of  him  that  is  at  Londoun;1  and  if  this  can  not  be  obteinit,  to 
urge  the  presens  of  Mr  James  Melvin,  quho  is  at  New  Castell ; 
the  necessitie  heirof  is  to  be  dilaited.  Siclyk,  it  is  requisit  that  the 
persounes  be  of  the  frie  choyse  on  your  syd  on  a  full  caus  concerne- 
ing  all ;  for  reassoun  craifHs,  and  daylie  practise  schawis,  that  everie 
pairtie  chuses  thair  awin  Colloquitouris.  htlrfy,  No  Conferrence 
to  be  yeildit  unto  but  by  wrytt,  under  the  handis  of  tuo  faythfull 
wry tteris ;  for  the  quhilk  I  think  [Mr  Johnne  Kenneir  and 2]  Mr 
Johnne  Row  were  the  meittest :  And  this  is  the  very  forinall 3  and 
cheiff  matter  to  stand  upon ;  quhilk  if  it  be  rcfussit,  I  think  the 
Conferrence  can  wirk  no  guid  effect;  examples  are  recent.  6th, 
Giff  it  Aver  grantit,  thir  thingis  wald  scime  to  be  most  neccssar : 
First,  To  mak  the  statum  quosstionis  clcir,  quhatevir  hes  bein  ob- 
scure4 and  disguised  in  tymes  by  past :  2d,  To  agrie  upoun  groundis 
of  reassouning ;  the  cheiff  ground  to  be  the  Word  of  God,  the  only 
ground  discernit  and  ressavit  againes  Papistis,  togidcr  with  the 
practise  of  the  Christiane  Appostolicall  and  Primitive  Kirk.  But 
this  I  neid  not  to  insist  upon ;  I  feir  it  sail  haiff  no  use  at  this 
tyme ;  but  in  cais  it  come  to  any  actioun,  verball  or  reall,  one  thing 
is  most  neidfull,  to  witt,  that  a  protestatioun  be  maid,  that  nothing- 
done  or  to  be  done  on  your  pairt  may  prejudge  the  publict  caus 
perteining  to  all,"  &c. 

1  Allusion  is  here  made  by  the  Author  to  his  uncle.    Mr  Andrew  Melvill,  who  was 
still  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower  of  London,  at  that  date.  -  Not  in  Adv.  MSS. 

3  lb.  "  principall."  *  !>'•  "  absurd." 


1<307.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  743 

The  uthir  Lettre  disswadit  from  disputatious  ;  as  follow  i- : 

[MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  8ECOND  LETTER.] 

"  BROTHER,  Your  lettre,  for  informatioun,  full  of  love  and  Bueil 
zeaJl,  lies  refresliit  me  verie  nicikle ;  and  the  moir,  becaus  I  wes 
carefull  [and]  thristie  :  As  for  a  challange  of  disputatioune,  I  lyk  it 
not,  neither  coming  <>n  your  pairt  nor  thairis,  if  it  can  be  eschewit ; 
for  thais  reassounes,  quhilk  I  beseik  vow  weill  to  wey  and  consi- 
der: — 

"  1.  They  challange  the  disputt,  as  seiking  the  vantage,  being 
out  of  possessioune,  and  not  haiheing  thair  rycht  publicity  de- 
clairit  and  approvit,  as  Ave  haif;  and  they  ar  seiking  first  to  undoe 
us,  and  thairfoir  movis  disputatioun,  quhairin  they  niein  to  be  sett 
in  the  brunt  of  the  battell  against  Romish  English  Doctoris,  that 
retireing  and  yeilding  Uriah  may  be  slaine.  So  did  the  Leslies  with 
the  Guid  Regent,  the  Erie  of  Murray,  at  the  Feild  of  Corrichie, 
and  would  haif  undone  him,  if  he,  with  a  fewer  nor  a  hundred,1  had 
not  ressavit  thame  on  the  poynt  of  thair  speiris.2 

"  2.  Disputatione  in  a  Kirk,  quhairintill  trew  Religioun  hes  bein 
once  plantit,  hes  never  edifieit,  bot,  on  the  contrair,  hes  evir  castin 
doun  and  destroyit  it ;  becaus  it  wes  movit  by  the  enemie  :  It  breid- 
eth  contentioun  et  studium  partium,  quhilk  pervertis  guid  ingynis, 
blindis  the  judgmentis  :  Nam  quid  est  quod  non  dicenda  fiat  probabile, 
quid  tarn  verumjirmumqiie  quod  non  labefactat  sophistica  oratio.  Also 
it  makis  the  will  obstinat  and  refractorie,  namely  of  thame  that  ar 
earriit  efter  error,  and  desyris  no  better  nor  to  hail'  any  schaw  or 
pretence  of  reassoun  for  that  quhilk  thair  heart  is  earriit  efter: 
Examples,  the  Disputatiouncs  in  Frame,  Germanic,  Helvetia,  and 
in  the  auld  contentious  Counsel  ofArrianis,  Novetiani  ,  [and]  Do- 
natistis;  quhair,  eftir  such  disputatiounes,  heresies  wer  concludit. 
Remember  latelie  the  Disputatioun  of  M<-':~i'-tu-  Duplessia  and  the 
Bischopa  of  Huruch,  as  also,  laitter  at  Hamptoun  Court. 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  and  five  gentlemen*"  ■  lb.  "  VuU  Hist.  Hugh." 


744  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1607. 

"  3.  Gift'  disputatioun  upon  the  Disciplin  with  Bischopis  or 
Inglish  Doctoris,  quhy  not  upoun  all  the  poyntis  of  Doctrin  Avith 
the  Papistis,  as  first  creaiffing  and  challenging  the  saniyne  as  they  ? 
and  thairby  casting  all  our  Religioun  in  questioun  and  doubt,  will 
find  a  guid  entres  and  preiss  foirwaird ;  for  boith  is  the  doctrin  of 
Chryst,  alseweill  the  one  as  the  uthir,  and  we  haif  the  lyke  war- 
randis  of  God  and  men  for  boith. 

"  4.  Let  them  schaw  reassounes  quhy  they  preis  to  alter  the  pre- 
sent Disciplin,  and  depairt  from  us,  is  reassounes,  I  say,  such  as  are 
weightie  and  relevant,  that  we  may  justlie  dout  thame  utherwayis 
to  be  estemit  Apostatis  at  the  leist. 

"  5.  Thair  juramentum  de  calumnia  vel  veritate  would  be  requirit, 
quhither  lyk  Balaam  lyk-myndit,  honour  and  wealth  oftirit,  makis 
thame  to  seik  new  consultatiounes  and  new  revocatiounes,  sieing 
guid  Josiah  lies  cleirly  manifestit  his  will  thairannent,  and  they 
haif  professit,  preachit,  sworne,  and  subscryvit,  as  the  undoubtit 
truth  of  Chryst ;  or,  rather,  let  tham  be  put  to  a  jurie  or  assyse  of 
all  the  guid,  wyse,  honnest,  and  godlie  of  the  land. x 

"  6.  Giff  equall  disputatioune,  quhy  is  the  Kirk  of  God  in  Scot- 
land usit  lyk  Sampsoun  by  the  Philistinis,  intysit  to  sleip  on  the 
knies  of  Dalila  till  the  sevin  lockis  of  his  hair,  quhairin  lay  his  great- 
test  strenth,  are  cuttit  aff,  and  then  waknit  with  a  great  shout,  that 
all  the  Philistinis  ar  upon  him,  to  combate  ?  Restore  Sampsoun  to 
his  place  again,  and  let  his  lockis  grow  again,  and  then  come  on  ! 

"  7.  Giff  [there  be]  a  disputatioune,  thair  must  be  a  judge  and  a 
pairtie  quho  wilbe  judge ;  but  the  King  or  moniest  voittes  of  a  Ge- 
nerall  Assemblie,  laid  and  dressit  for  the  purpose,  a  pairtie  of 
foraigneres,  quho  callit  thame^to  dispute  againes  the  Establischit 
order  of  our  Kirk,  moir  nor  againes  our  Kingdome  and  Commoun- 
weill ;  or,  quho  can  suffer  it  that  is  a  true  Christiane  Scottisman  ; 
or  quhat  haiff  we  moir  to  doe  with  these  now,  nor  thir  fiftie  yeiris 
bygain  ?  Iff  sume  of  our  awin  Ministerie  be  a  right,  and  trcw,  and 
just  pairtie  againes  us,  they  must  be  traitoris,  men-sworne  Apostatis, 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "just.,  godlie,  and  wysc  in  the  land.' 


1(507.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  745 

in  deid,  QuibusJ'tdmine  excommunicationis  potius  quam  disputationis 
opus  est. 

"  8.  Giff  disputatioun,  then,  it  must  be,  and  in  sua  manic  yeiris, 
and  in  the  same  forme  as  the  Disciplin  wes  concludit  and  estaiblis- 
chit,  viz.,  by  the  space  of  sex  or  sevin  yeiris,  and  nevir  anc  article 
or  conclusioun  thairof  passit,  but  be  the  commoun  voitis  and  uni- 
forme  consent  of  the  haill  Assemblie  be  fully  and  throughtlie  ga- 
therit  out  of  all  the  rcalme,  according  to  the  rewle  of  the  law,  Nihil 
magis  naturale  quam  unum  quodtjue  eodcm  modo  solvi  quofuit  ligatum. 

"  9.  Giff  the  matter  must  be  decydit  be  a  plaine  faught  in  a  sett 
battell,  let  us  mak  the  challange  againes  English  Bisschoppis,  and 
feght  it  in  the  middes  of  England  ;  yea,  evin  in  Lambeth,  gift'  they 
will  or  dar,  and  nawayes  in  Scotland,  becaus  that  ane  lies  bein 
throughly  subdueit  to  Chryst,  that  other  never  ;  so,  iff  we  be  vic- 
torious, Chryst  sail  fully  reigne  thair  also  ;  iff  repulsit,  it  salbe  easie 
to  ressaive  our  forces  with  better  incouragment ;  quhairas  ane  irre- 
parabill  overthraw  mycht  be  given  us  in  the  middes  of  our  awin 
countrie,  and  quhairon  such  a  Romishe1  revolt  mycht  ensew,  as 
again  nevir  can  be  suppressit. 

"  10.  Einallie,  Iff  our  disputatioune  wer  sought  and  undertakin, 
candide,  bona  fide,  sincere,  etveritatis  solummodo  indagandi  causa,  and, 
in  a  word,  simplie  for  edificatioune,  and  not  subtillie,  for  distrac- 
tioune,  then  such  as  doubtit  mycht,  in  all  love,  gentillnes,  and  long- 
sufferring,  be  travellit2  withall  for  thair  instructioun  and  resolu- 
tioun  ;  but  being  done  provyditlie,  polliticallie,  yea,  evin  deceitfully, 
quhairas  the  conclusioun  is  allready  laid  and  determinit,  and  the 
propositiounes,  meines,  and  middes 3  to  attein  thairunto,  are  dilli- 
gentlie  devysit  and  painefully  dressit  and  platit, '  it  wcr  a  foolishe 
and  rasche  cxpouneingof  the  cause  to  wrak,  to  yeild  a  disputt  and 
casting  off  a  suir  rycht  in  qucstioun,  as  for  any  new  law  or  consti- 
tutioun,  iff  equitably  and  orderlie  they  proceid.  I  am  not  aflhiid 
thairoff;  and  iff  subtillie,  and  by  force  of  auctoritir,  the  troth  is  evir 
the  stronger,  and  the  cause  the  mair  advantageil  ;  for,  aa  ever  be- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  anc  remisse."        '  lb.  u  fevonred."         :  Medium.         '  Plotted. 


74C>  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1  60S. 

fore,  so  now,  Chryst,  by  suffering  and  patience,  sail  prevaill,  and 
be  victorious  in  end.  These  reassounes,  and  uthiris  that  of  guid 
consideratioun  may  arryse  heiroff,  I  wische  and  dout  not  but  the 
guid  Brcither  will  expend." 

M.DC.VIII. 

The  15  of  June,1  the  Conferrcnce  sought  be  the  Bisschoppes, 
grantit  be  the  King,  and  yeildit  unto  by  the  Brither,  avcs  keipic  at 
Falkland.  The  Bisschoppes  and  Commissiouneres  conveinit  in  the 
Chappell  of  the  Palice,  and  the  Ministeres,  of  a  guid  number,  out 
of  all  pairtis,  conveinit  in  the  Kirk  of  the  towne,  quho  chusit  be 
thamselff  Mr  Patrick  Simpsoun,  Minister  at  Stirling,  thair  Modera- 
tor ;  and  so,  by  holie  and  powerfull  prayer  and  conferrence,  being  a 
little  trystit,  ex  longo  intrrvallo,  they  tell  of  the  sweitnes  and  con- 
fort  of  thair  auld  meittingis.  In  end,  they  resolvit  and  agrieit  all 
togider  upoun  Pour  Articles  to  be  givin  in  unto  the  Bisschoppis  and 
Commissiouneris,  for  concord  and  peice. 

[articles  given  in  to  the  bishops  and  commissioners 
at  the  conference  at  falkland.] 

"  1.  That  the  Cautiounes  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  haulden  in 
the  Kingis  presence,  at  Montrose,  sould  be  insert  in  the  bodie 
of  the  Actis  of  Parliament  maid  in  favour  of  the  Bisschopis,  and 
they  censurit  accordinglie  ;  as  was  cra\it  by  the  Commissiouneres 
of  the  Generall  Assemblie  at  Perth,  quhair  the  saidis  actis  wes 
maid. 

"  2.  That  the  Disciplin  and  Governement  of  the  Kirk,  practisit 
and  estabilischit,  sworne,  and  subscryvit,  sould  continow  and  stand 
incontrollabill. 2 

"3.  That  the  Generall  Assemblie  and  Provinciallis3  sould  be  re- 
storit  to  thair  auld  integritie,  as  the  most  effectuall  meines  to  beir 
doun  thair  enimics. 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "July.'  :  //>.  "  inviolable."  3  Synodal  Assemblies. 


10O8.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  747 

"  4.  That  the  banischit  and  confyneit  Brither,  Godis  faithfull 
servantis,  sould  be  restorit  to  thair  awin  places  and  liberties  they 
had  befoir." 

Thais  being  hollily,  weightily,  and  gravelie  propounit  be  the  said 
Moderator,  Mr  Patrick  Simpsoun,  in  name  of  the  hail,  to  the  l>is- 
schoppes  and  Commissiouneres,  they  seimft  to  lyk  weill  of  thanie, 
as  most  reassonabill ;  but  said  they  must  be  conferred  uponn, 
and  agriet  uponn  at  the  said  Assembly,  that  they  may  haiff  the 
greatter  weight  to  move  the  Kingis  Majestic  to  consent  thairto. 
The  quhilk  Assemblie,  that  it  may  be  permittit,  aucthorisit,  and 
peiceabilly  keipit,  be  the  Kingis  Majestic  his  licence  and  guid  will, 
eftir  long  deilling,  thir  Articles  eftir  following  wer  advysit,  reas- 
soneit,  and  agrieit  upon  by  all,  on  both  the  sydis  : 


ARTICLES    AGRIET    UPOUN  BE    THE    BRITHERLN    CONVEINIT    AT 

FALKLAND,    THE    15    OF  JUNE    1608,    AND    BE    THE    WAY    OF 

ADVYCE,   RECOMMENDIT  TO  ALL   THE    PRESBYTERIES  WITHIN 
THE  KINGDOME. 

"  That  the  Questionnes  presentlie  standing  in  controversie 
amonges  the  Ministeres.  annent  the  matter  of  Government,  be  un- 
tuiched  and  unhandlit  on  aither  syd,  till  the  nixt  General]  Assem- 
blie ;  and  no  occasioun  givin  in  by  privat  or  publict  speiches,  of 
any  further  distractioun  of  mynd ;  but  that  all,  by  guid  cbuntein- 
ance,  and  uthirwayis,1  kythe  thamselffis2  to  uthiris,  as  Britherin  and 
Ministeres  of  Chryst ;  setting  thamselfcs  with  thair  endeavour,  spe- 
cially in  doctrin,  againes  the  Papistis,  thair  superstitious  religioun, 
and  proud  pernicious  practises. 

"  2.  That  the  Generall  Assembly.be  haldin  at  the  tymc  appoyntit, 
the  last  Tuysday  of  July,3  and  that  his  Majestic  be  most  humbly 
intreatit  for  that  effect. 

"  3.  In  the  said  Assemblie,  the  connnoun  effairis  of  the  Kirk 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  on  aither  side.'  :  //'.  "  counsellors!  :  //-.  "  June.' 


748  THE  CONTINUATION  <>1  1G08. 

salbe  handlit,  and  ane  accompt  taken  of  the  Commissiouneris  givin 
in  the  Assembly  preceiding,  and  sume  solid  cours  advysit  npoun 
for  disapoynting  of  the  practise  of  the  enimies,  in  the  advanceing 
of  the  Gospell  of  Jesus  Chryst. 

"  4.  That  nothing  that  is  in  controversie,  and  makes  stryff  in  the 
Kirk,  be  treatit  in  the  said  Assemblie,  bot '  the  same  be  conferrit 
upoun  in  a  Privie  Conferrence,  be  sic  as  the  Assemblie  sail  appoynt 
to  prepair  a  way  for  thais  difficulties ;  and  the  Assemblie  to  appoynt 
a  meitting  of  the  Britherin,  at  sic  tymes,  place,  and  maner,  as  salbe 
found  fitt  for  that  effect. 

'*  5.  That  requeist  salbe  maid  to  his  Majestie  for  relaxing  of  the 
Britherin  that  ar  confynit,  and  specially  sic  of  them  as  haif  bein 
present  at  the  Conferrence,  that  they  may  keipe  the  said  Assem- 
blie." 

Now  the  thingis  that  movit  the  Ministeres  to  agrie  to  thais 
Articles  wes,  metus  majoris  mali,  or  feir  of  greatter  inconveniences, 
to  hauld  aff  evil  so  long  as  they  could ;  for  they  were  assureitly  in- 
formit  that  the  Erie  of  Dumbar,  with  the  English  Doctoris,  and  a 
great  number  of  new  Erles,  Lordis,  and  Knightis,  wer  come  doune, 
prepairit  to  overthrow  the  Discipline  Avith  one  blow.  And,  indeed, 
about  the  end  of  Junij,  the  Erie  of  Dumbar  come  doun  with  a 
magnific  Commissioune  of  Livetennantrie  for  all  the  North  pairtis, 
and  wes  ressavit  at  New  Castle  with  above  fourty  schottis  of  great 
ordinance,  and  other  ceremonies  apperteinand.  Thair  come,  sum 
dayes  befoir  him,  tuo  Englisch  Doctoris,  to  witt,  Doctor  Abbottis, 
Deane  of  Winchester,  and  Doctor  Luggie,2  Deane  of  Eipoune,  who 
stayit  upon  the  Erie  of  Dumbar  at  Berwike ;  and  so  went  in  with 
him  to  Scotland.  Thair  went  ane  uthir  Doctor  also  by  watter,  ane 
of  the  Kingis  Chaplaines,  Doctor  Major.3  Thair  message,  in  all 
outward  appeirance,  wes  to  perswad  the  Scottis  that  thair  wes  no 
diversitie  'of  Religioun,  in  substance,  betuix  the  realmcs  ;  only  sum 
difference  in  thingis  indifferent,  concerneing  the  Kirkis  Governe- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  unless."  2  Dr  BHggins.  8  Adv.  MSS.  "  Maxwell  ;"   Maxy. 


L608.  MB  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  749 

ment  and  Ceremonies.  So  thai  sould  liauld  fast  be  Chryst, 
quhither  under  the  governement  of  the  Presbyteries  or  Bisehoppis. 
They  utteritalso  that  it  wes  his  Majestie's  will,  that  Scotland  sould 
stand  as  his  Majestic  left  it,  and  England  as  he  fand  it ;  and,  indeed, 
they  never  uttirit  thair  oppinioun  plaincly,  but  once  in  St  Androis. 
eftir  that  they  had  heard  Mr  Robert  Howe,  out  of  Mr  Andro  Mel- 
vine's  chyrc,  speik  affrontitlie,  far  by !  than  and  all  mcnis  oppiniouncs 
and  cxpectatioune,  againcs  the  haill  Estabilisrhit  Discipline  of  the' 
Kirk  of  Scotland,  for  the  auctoritie  of  Bisschoppis  ;  for  the  quhilk  he 
wes  seveirlie  ccnsnrit  by  his  Presbytrie,  and  honncstlie  and  niychtilic 
refutit  publictlie  be  sume  of  Mr  Androis  scholleres.  It  wes  alsoe 
lairgelic  talkit  of,  that  no  small  soumes  of  money  com  doune  to  be 
distributit  amonires  the  Ministeres  and  uthiris.  To  meitt  this  with- 
all,  some  of  the  Blither  in  Fyfe  did  put  in  forme  ane  Commissioun, 
with  certaine  Instructiounes,  and  sent  the  same  throughout  all  the 
Presbytries,  that  all  thair  Commissiouneres  mycht  come  uniformally 
to  stand  to  the  Estabilischit  Disciplin  againes  all  assaultis:  the 
tennour  quhairof  followis : 


THE  COMMOUNE  COMMISSIOUNE. 

"  We,  the  Moderator  and  remanent  Blither  of  the  Presbytrie  of 
A.,  understanding  that  thair  is  a  Gencrall  Assemblic  to  be  haldin  at 
B.  the  .  .  .  day  of  C.  nixtocum,  in  the  yeir  of  God  1G08  ;  and,  eftir 
dew  advysement,  haifing  found  that  be  the  long  intcrmissioun  and 
want  of  a  Gencrall  Assemblie,  alsweill  ordinar  as  pro  re  nata,  the 
dischairgeingofsindrie  Provinciallis  [of  thair meittingis,  the  absence 
and  restraint  of  sindry  Ministeres  of  certain  Presbyteries  of  the 
principall  Provinces2]  within  the  kingdome,  the  taking  the  libertie 
from  sindrie  Presbytries  of  clectioun  of  Commissiouncn-  to  the 
Generall  Assemblies,  now  pushit  and  thrawin  contrair  to  the  order 
and  forme3  of  the  Kirk,  the  withhanlding  of  stipendia  from  Bum  of 

1  Against,  contrary  to.  ■  Not  in  Adv.  MSS.  :*  Adv.  MSS.  "custom,  . 


750  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1608. 

the  Ministeres,  and  schoiring '  of  utheris  with  the  lyk  censure,  ex- 
cept they  yeildit  to  the  intendit  alteratiounes  and  innovatiounes 
of  the  feirfull  distractiounes  of  the  Ministeres,  the  grouthe  ofPapis- 
trie,  and  the  pride  and  insolencie  of  Papistis,  all  orderles  persounes, 
the  great  number  of  appeallatiounes  undiscussit ;  and  by  the  danger- 
ous sequell  of  everie  ane  of  thais,  and  of  thame  all  conjunctly,  the 
unitie,  peace,  and  order,  and  edificatioune  of  the  Kirk  within  the 
"realme  is  dangerousely  woundit,  impairit,  and  hinderit ;  and  be  the 
doubtis,  difficulties,  questiounes,  and  dispautatiounes  dayely  aryse- 
ing  of  the  former  occasioun  farther  to  be  indangerit,  except  be  the 
mercie  of  God  sume  godlie  and  wyse  remedie  be  provydit  tyme- 
ousely  :  We  haif  thairfor  appoyntit,  and  be  thir  presentis  appoyntis, 
constitutes,  and  ordaines  A.  B.  C.  our  Commissiouneres  ;  giveing 
unto  thame  our  lawfull  power  and  commissioun  to  repair  to  the 
said  Generall  Assemblie  againes  the  first  day  thairoff,  and  thair  in 
our  names  to  treat,  reassoun,  voit,  and  conclude  concerneing  the 
repressing  of  Papistis,  Papistrie,  and  ordourles  persounes,  the  dis- 
cussing of  appellatiounes,  the  setting  doun  of  convenient  Orderis, 
Overtouris,  and  Articles,  annent  the  reformeing2  of  the  Generall 
Assemblie,  Provinciallis,  and  Presbytries,  to  the  frie  use  of  thair 
former  liberties  and  priviledgis,  ratifieit  and  approvin  be  law ;  the 
removeing  of  the  present  distractiounes  of  the  Ministrie,3  and  the 
caussis  thairof ;  and  the  searching  out  and  putting  in  forme  sic  con- 
ditiounes  off  peace  ;  as,  quhairin  the  great  God  may  haiff  his  dew 
honnour,  the  Kingis  Majestie  may  haif  his  contentment,  and  quhair- 
by  the  remanent  Ministeres  and  memberes  of  our  professioune  may 
be  in  a  godly  consent  and  concord  remitted,  with  express  command 
to  pas  from  the  said  Generall  Assemblie  to  the  Provinciallis  and 
Presbytries,  and  ilk  ane  of  them,  to  peruse  the  said  Overtouris  and 
Articles  ;  and  after  dew  reassouneing  and  deliberatioun  had  ther- 
upoun,  to  returne  the  same  rypelie  advyseit,  togidder  with  thair 
best  oppiniounes  annent  the  convenient  removall  of  thir  present 
evillis,  and  settling  of  solid  order  for  peice  and  concord  in  tymes 

1  Threatening.  '  Adv.  MSS.  "  rcstoreing."  3  lb.  "  Breither." 


1008.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  D1ABT.  751 

eomming  to  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie,  to  the  effect  that  they 
may  be  concludit  with  brotherlie  harmony  and  consent :  And  by 
reassoun  of  the  saidis  distractiounes  and  uthiris  evillis  above  writtin, 
expressely  prohibiting  the  saidis  A.  B.  C,  our  Commissiouneres, 
and  ilk  ane  of  thame,  under  the  pain  of  depositioun  from  thair  offices 
in  the  Ministerie,  and  excommumcatioun,  to  vote  or  any  wayes  to 
give  consent  to  any  innovatiounes  or  alter atiounes  of  the  Govern  e- 
ment  within  the  Kirke  of  Scotland,  and  Articles  or  clauses  thairoff 
quhatsoever,  haif  bein  intendit  to  haif  bein  alterit  or  innovat  since 
the  Generall  Assemblie,  haulden  atllalirudhous  in  November  1602,' 
or  sail  happin  to  be  intendit  in  this  present  Assemblie  for  advan- 
tageing  or  establishing  the  Episcopal!  Governement,  quhilk  is,  and 
hes  bein  evir  judgit  be  this  Kirk  contrair  to  the  Word  of  God,  or 
to  the  transferring  of  the  power  and  the  ordour  of  electing  Mode- 
ratoris  over  Provinciallis  or  Presbytries,  from  aither  of  thame  re- 
spective, and  conferring  thairof  to  any  uthir  persoune  or  persounes 
quhatsumevir  ;  or  to  the  continowance  of  any  Moderator  in  his  office 
of  moderatioun  longer  nor  from  ane  Provinciall  to  ane  uthir  respec- 
tive, as  the  Kirk,  for  verie  guid  causses,  hes  bein  accustomeit ;  and, 
generally,  to  doe  no  matter  that  in  any  wayes  may  breid,'noorishe, 
or  incres  distractiounes  within  the  Kirk  of  this  realme  :  Declairing 
that  quhatsoever  they  sail  doe  in  thais  causses  salbe  null  and  of  no 
effect,  and  thame  to  be  censurit  and  proceidit  againes  as  is  above 
provydit  be  this  our  Cominissioun.  Subscryvit  be  our  Clerk  at  our 
command,"  &c. 


INSTRUCTIOUNES  FOR  THE  COMMISSIOUNERES   1  O  BE  D1RECTIT 
TO  THE  ENSEWING  GENERALL  ASSEMBLIE. 

"  First,  That  at  the  productioun  of  the  present  Generall  Com- 
missioun,  and  before  any  matter  be  actit  in  the  Generall  Assem- 
blie to  be  houlden,  &c,  the  Commissiouneivs  emestlie  desyre  this 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  ]W4:' 


752  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1608. 

present  Commissioun  to  be  registrat  in  the  Buikis  of  the  Generall 
Assemblie,  at  leist  ane  act  maid  in  the  begining  of  the  Assemblie, 
cxpresselie  beiring  that  no  matter  salbe  handlit  thairin  but  accord- 
ing to  the  tennour  of  this  present  Commissioun  ;  and  in  cais  of  re- 
fussali  of  the  ane  or  the  uthir,  to  protest  tliat  they  produceit  ane 
Commissioun  of  sic  a  tennour,  and  thaireftir  desyrit  the  Protesta- 
tioun,  with  the  Commissioun,  to  be  ingrost  and  registrat  :  Quhilk 
being  done,  let  thame  adhere  to  the  Protestatioun,  and  publictlie 
dissassent  from  quhatsoever  salbe  done  uthirwayes  nor1  the  said 
Commissioun  beiris. 

"  2.  That  it  would  pleis  the  present  Assemblie,  for  farther  expla- 
natioun 2  of  the  Articles  of  the  Buik  of  Discipline,  annent  the  elec- 
tioun  of  Moderatoris  of  Assemblie,  to  declair  and  by  ordinance 
establishe,  that  all  the  Provinciallis,  Presby  tries,  and  utheris  law  full 
Assemblies  of  the  Kirk  within  this  kingdome,  and  ilk  ane  of  tham, 
lies  in  ilk  ane  of  tham  selffis,  respective,  lawfull  and  sufficient  power 
to  chuse,  censure,  input,  and  remove  thair  awin  Moderator ;  and 
that  the  lawfull  continowance  of  ilk  Moderator  in  his  office  of  Mo- 
deratioun,  alsweill  of  Provinciallis  as  of  Presbyteries,  in  the  lawfull 
Assemblie  of  the  Kirk,  and  salbe  from  ane  Provinciall  to  ane  uther  ; 
and  that  for  eschewing  of  iniquitie,  and  ambitioun,  and  tyrannie. 

"  3.  That  no  Minister  burdeinit,  or  that  in  any  tyme  heireftir 
sail  happin  to  be  burdeinit,  be  the  Generall  Assemblie  with  Com- 
missioun, in  weightie  matteres  of  the  Kirk,  mycht  be  in  tyme  cum- 
ming  dureing  his  Commissioun  over-burdeinit  with  the  Moderatioun, 
or  electit  Moderator  of  any  Presbytrie,  Provinciall  or  Generall 
Assemblie. 

"  4.  That  the  actis  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  alreadie  maid 
againes  dilapidatioun,  againes  non-residence,  cairlesnes,  and  uthir 
corruptiounes  in  the  persounes  and  callingis  of  the  Ministeres,  with 
sic  additiouncs  as  salbe  found  neidfull,  be  gravely  recommendit  to 
the  Provinciallis  and  Presbytrics  ;  Avith  express  command  to  thame, 
with  all  possibill  dilligence,  to  censure  thair  awin  memberes,  respec- 

1  Than.  -  Adv.  MSS.  "  oxplicatione." 


1608.  MR  JAMES  MELVILlAs  DIARY.  753 

five,  according  to  the  act  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  without  excep- 
tioun  of  persounes  or  excuse,  as  ye  will  answer  to  God,  and  that  in 
ane  larger  Assemblie. 

"  5.  In  cais  any  innovatioun  salbe  maid  prejudiciall  to  the  pre- 
sent disciplin,  or  any  wayes  tending  to  the  furtherance  of  Episco- 
pall  governement  in  any  degree,  ye  failyie  not  to  declare  to  the 
said  Assemblie  that  we  and  our  Britherin,  favoureris  of  the  Disci- 
plin and  Governement,  in  the  face  of  this  present  Assemblie,  doe 
offer  to  defend  the  same  Discipline  be  warrandis  of  the  Word  of 
God,  and  to  oppugne  quhat  can  be  opposit  againes  the  same,  or 
quhat  can  be  said  for  Episcopall  Governement ;  as  our  said  offer 
at  length  bears  :  Humbly  requeisting  the  said  Assemblie  to  consid- 
der  of  the  said  Offer,  and  to  insist,  mantein,  and  stand  for  the  guid 
caus. 

"  Finalie,  ye  sail  tak  heid  that  no  Nobillmeu,  Barrounes,  nor 
Burgessis,  be  admittit  to  vote  in  the  Generall  Assemblie,  namely  in 
matteres  of  weight,  concerneing  the  Governement  of  the  Kirk, 
but  sic  as  haifF  Commissioun  from  the  Presbytries,  and  thairof  so 
mony  only  as  the  order  and  custome  of  our  Kirk  allowis." 

The  samyne  yeir  also,  Doctor  Montague,  Deane  of  the  King-is 
Chappell,  wes  promoveit  to  be  Bisschop  of  Bath  and  Wailles,  at 
quhais  inaguratioun,  Doctor  Downame,  Dean  in  the  Chappell  of 
Lambeth,  maid  the  sermon e  for  the  mantinence  of  the  dignitie  and 
authoritie  of  the  office  of  Bisschoppis  above  Ministeres  ;  the  quhilk 
being  ane  abridgment  of  Doctor  Bilsounes  Perpetuall  GoveiTiement, 
wes  thought  of  sic  valour  for  the  caus,  that  it  was  pennit,  and  printit 
coppies  thairof  sent  to  Scotland  befoir  the  appoyntit  Assemblie  : 
But  it  wes  well  answered,  first  and  presentlie,  for  that  boith  thair 
Bisschoppis  and  Doctouris  wes  over  frank,  accomptit  strong  for  the 
Disciplin ;  and  all  the  world  saw  it  wes  the  world  that  blindit  and 
miscariit  thame.  I  say,  it  wes  well  answered,  first  and  presently, 
scharplie,  wyselie,  and  shortlie,  becaus  of  the  instant  tyme ;  and 
thaireftir,  at  great  lenth,  fnllie  for  the  posteritie.  So  that  sufficient 
remedies  and  counter  poysounes  wes  provydit  for  all,  save  lor  the. 

3  B 


754  HBE  CONTINUATION  OE  L608. 

mammbne  of  monic  ; l  againes  the  quhilk  only  prayer  to  Chryst,  to 
keip  his  awin  from  Balaames  wages  of  unrychteousnes,  wes  found 
profitabill ;  quhilk,  indeid,  avcs  pourit  out  by  all  the  myndfull  of  the 
caus.  And  so  the  Gencrall  Assemblie,  proclaimeit  to  be  haulden 
at  Halirudhous,2  wes  keipit  at  Lithgow  the  last  Tuysday  of  July 
1608.  The  proceidingis  quhairof  is  in  matter  and  maner,  as  it  wes 
in  schew  and  toakin  for  the  rest,  as  followis  : 

Maister  Patrick  Galloway,  Moderator  of  the  last  Generall  As- 
semblie hauldin  at  Halirudhous,  maid  the  exhortatioun,  poynting 
only  at  such  thingis  as  wes  controvertit  among  the  Brither,  and  yit 
to  the  joy  and  contentment  of  the  best.  The  sermone  endit,  the 
Assemblie  convenit  very  frequently,3  so  that  scairselie  the  halff  of 
the  Moderatoris  voyce  wes  heard.  The  number  of  Nobilhnen  and 
Gentillmen  quho  voitit  in  the  Assemblie,  be  his  Majestie's  direc- 
tioun,  wes  above  fourtie ;  quhilk  put  the  Brither  in  a  great  feir  that 
sume  mischevious  conclusioun  wes  to  pas  by  pluralitie  of  voitis. 
Diverse  of  the  Brither  schew  the  Moderator  that  that  wes  againes 
the  act  of  the  Generall  Assemblie,  quhilk  grantit  only  thrie  Com- 
missiouneres  to  the  King  ;  but  their  speich  prevailit  not,  for  it  wes 
answerit,  that  if  they  sould  cast  off  the  Nobillmen,  thair  conclusioun 
wauld  want  executioun  :  "  For  we,"  said  the  Moderator,  "  must 
pray  and  preich,  but  they  must  feight !"  And  so  it  went  to  the 
chuseing  of  a  new  Moderator  ;  and  the  persounes  on  the  leitis  wer, 
Masteris  Patrik  Simpsoun,  Jolme  Hall,  Patrik  Scharpe,  Johne 
Nicolsoun,  and  James  Law,  callit  Bisschop  of  Orknay.  The  great- 
est number  of  Ministeris  voitit  to  Mr  Patrik  Simpsoun,  a  number 
to  Mr  Jolme  Hall  and  Mr  Patrik  Scharpe,  feiring  Mr  Patrik  Simp- 
sounes  health,  (quho,  indeid,  hes  bein  deidlie  disseasit,  and  miracu- 
louslie  restorit  to  health  by  God,)  quhill  as  Mr  James  Nicolsoun, 
the  much  reposit  upon  Moderator  of  the  last  Assemblie,  wes  takin 
away  in  the  middes  of  his  dayes  marvelouslie,  so  that  none  of  the 
best  Ministeres  gave  voit  Id  the  Bisschop;  and  yit,  be  the  numberis 
of  Erlis,  Lordis,  Knychtis,  and  (icntilmcn,  sent  thair  of  purpose  be 

1  Money.  '  Adv.  MSS.  "  Dundie."  3  Numerously. 


1608.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  7.">."i 

the  King,  the  Bisschop  Law  wes  imposit  Moderator  rather  then 
chosin;  and  howbeit  all  the  Nobillmen  and  Gentillmen,  Bisschoppis, 
Commissiouneris,  and  thair  adherentis,  voitit  to  the  Bisschop  Law, 
yit  a  number  of  the  best  of  the  Ministerie  pingled  '  them  ;  so  that, 
iff  they  had  not  bein  dcvydit  beeaus  of  Mx  Patrick  Simpsoune's 
disseas  and  waiknes,  it  wes  thought  they  sould  haiff  prevaillit.  The 
quhilk  thing  being  raarkit,  no  less  feirit  the  Bisschopis  to  propoun 
any  thing  directlie  for  that  purpose,  nor  they  incourragit ;  the  guid 
Ministerie  persaving  such  a  guid  number  sett  in  a  way  of  uprycht- 
nes  as  wes  sufficient  ancught  to  resist  any  eonclusioun  prejudiciall 
to  the  guid  caus  of  the  Kirk. 

Bischop  Orknay  being  sett  doun  Moderator,  First,  the  Erie  of 
Dumbar,  his  Majestie's  Great  Coinmissiouner,  deliveris  to  him  a 
Lettre  from  the  Kingis  Majestie,  conteining  tuo  poyntis ;  ane,  his 
zealle  and  cair  to  resist  and  repress  Papistrie  ;  the  uthir,  his  love  to 
the  Kirk  of  Scotland  and  the  guid  estait  thairof ;  wisching  everie 
thing  that  mycht  hurt  the  same  mycht  be  removit,  as  namely  the 
present  distractioun  and  alienatioune  of  heartis  that  wer  among  the 
Brither  about  circumstances  and  matteris  indifferent,  quhilk  ethir 
mycht  be  or  not.  His  Hemes'  Lettre  wes  verie  kyndlie  and  reve- 
rently ressavit,  and  thankis  given  to  God  for  that  guid  aftectioun  ; 
persounes  to  be  upon  the  Privie  Conferrence  ar  chosine  :  Many  of 
all  the  Nobillmen  thair,  and  the  greattest  pairt  of  the  Ministerie, 
wer  of  sic  as  wes  on  the  Blakburd2  syd. 

First,  They  resolve  to  take  ordour  with  Papistis  ;  and  then,  eftir 
the  wysest  maner,  to  remove  the  causses  of  distractioun.  Papistis 
wer  divydit  in  thric  sortis,  Professit,  Suspectit,  and  Not-connnuni- 
cantis,  or  in  proces.  The  Professit  headis  wer  thrie,  in  special!, 
the  Marques  of  Huntly,  the  Erics  of  Angus  and  Arrell.3  Tuiching 
the  Marques,  they  demandit  the  Bischop  of  Abirdein,  "  Iff  In-  had 
excommunicat  him  according  to  tho  directioun  givin  at  Falkland?" 
Quho  answerit,  "No."  They  speirit,1  "If  the  proces  deducit  againes 
liim  wos  closed?"  lie  answerit,  wv  It  wes,  and  nothing  resting  but 

1  Reduced  them  t<>  Btraits.         •  Adv.  MSS.   •  Babell's."         ■  Errol.        *  Asked. 


75(i  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1608. 

the  pronunceing  of  the  sentence."  They  answerit,  "  Quhither  the 
sentence  mycht  presentlie  be  pronuncit  in  the  face  of  the  Assem- 
blie,  or  remittit  to  the  Presbytrie  of  Aberdein  ?"  All  with  ane  voyce 
condiscendit  that  it  sould  be  presentlie  pronuncit,  but '  any  forder 
delay.  Quhilk  the  Moderator,  eftir  a  solemne  maner,  did.  And  it 
being  endit,  his  Majestie's  Cominissiouner  condiscendit,  fourtie 
dayes  being  expyrit  eftir  the  pronunceing  of  the  said  sentence,  the 
Civill  Sword  sould  pas  againes  him,  but2  mercie  or  favour  to  him 
and  his,  yea,  thought  sume  of  his  freindis  sould  haif  cum  and  buy 
his  escheit,  it  sould  be  refuissit.  It  wes  further  ordainit,  that  everie 
Minister,  in  his  pulpit,  immediatlie  eftir  his  returneing  hame,  sould 
mak  publicatioun  thairoff  to  his  flocke,  that  quhosoever  sould  res- 
save  or  intertein  him  sould  incurr  the  same  sentence.  And  as  for 
Angus  and  Arrell,  the  Presbytries  of  Perth  and  Glasgow,  respective, 
are  ordainit,  how  soone  they  sould  sitt  doun,  to  urge  thame  to  the 
conformitie  of  heiring  of  the  Word,  useing  of  the  Sacramentis,  and 
Christiane  obedience  ;  and  failyeing  thairoff,  the  sentence  of  ex- 
communicatioun  [to  be  pronuncit  againes  thame  befoir  the  15  of 
August  nixtocum,  his  Majestie's  Commissiouner  promiseing  the 
execution  of  the  civil  lawis3]  to  pass  againes  thame,  in  lyk  maner, 
without  favour.  The  Lord  Maxwell,  for  the  filthie  murthering  of 
the  Laird  of  Johnstoune,  wes  ordainit  to  be  excommunicat  in  Edin- 
bruche. 

Concerneing  the  rest  of  the  Papistis,  this  Overtoure  wes  givin, 
that  every  Pi-ovinciall 4  sould  convein  by  thame  selff  in  the  place 
quhair  the  Bisschop  or  Moderator  of  the  Province  sould  appoynt, 
and  sould  give  up  the  names  of  the  Papistis  professit,  suspectit,  and 
not-communicantis,  and  that  without  feid5  or  favour,  or  conceiling 
from  the  Counsel  of  any  of  thair  names.  The  quhilk  to  doe  the 
aith6  wes  solcmnelie  takin  in  the  presens  of  God  and  haill  Assem- 
blic.  Forder,  that  the  Provinces  conveinit  soidd  try  the  causses  of 
the  incresse  of  Papistis,  and  devyse  remedies  for  taking  away  off 
the  same,  [and  the  rollis  of  the  Papistis'  names,  causseres  of  incres 

1  Without.  ■  Adv.  MSS.  "  without."  :!  Not  in  Adv.  MSS.  4  Every 

Synod,  or  Provincial  Assembly.  'Feud.  a  Oath. 


1608.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  757 

of  Papistrie,  and  remedies  for  the  same,1]  to  be  reportit  in  wry t  to 
the  haill  Assemblie.  A  great  number  of  the  Papistis,  in  all  places 
of  the  realme,  of  all  sortis,  were  givin  upe. 

The  causses,  in  lyk  maner,  of  Papistrie,  quhilk  wer  thought  to 
be  these  :  First,  Impunitie  of  the  cheiff  and  principal] ;  neither 
Spiritual!  nor  Civill  Sword  stryking  on  thame  ;  and  that  becaus  of 
the  want  of  a  Generall  Assemblie  thais  many  yeiris  bypast,  and 
the  oversy cht 2  of  sic  to  quhom  the  governement  of  the  kingdome 
wes  committit  by  his  Hienes,  suspectit  of  Papistrie  tham  selffis 
thais  many  yeiris  bypast,  and  thairfor  ovcrsieris  and  favoureris  of 
utheris  :  The  remeid  of  this  wes  a  Petitioun  to  be  prcsentit  to  his 
Majestie  concerueing  the  remedie,  and  craveing  the  libertie  of  a 
Generall  Assemblie  and  Provincialis,  according  and  conformc  to 
the  actis  of  Parliament ;  and  that  sic  Office-beireris  suspectit  of 
Papistrie  be  removeit,  and  sound3  Protestantis  put  in  thair  rowmes. 
2dly,  The  second  caus  of  Papistrie  and  incres  thairof  wes  found  to 
be  the  over  rasche  and  haistie  admissioun  of  Ministeres,  without 
exact  try  ell  of  thair  qualificatioun  and  abilitic  for  discharging  of 
such  a  hight  calling :  The  remeid  of  this  wes,  that  a  lairge  tyme 
sould  be  spent  in  tryell  befoir  impositioun  of  handis,  according  to 
the  reule  of  the  Appostle.  3dly,  The  third  caus  of  the  incres  of 
Papistrie  wes  the  present  distractiounes  among  the  Ministerie 
tham  selffis ;  quhilk  the  enimie  labouris  to  foster,  so  far  as  lay  in 
his  power;  and  the  restraint  of  so  many  faithful!  Brither,  banishit, 
imprissounit,  and  confynit  within  the  realme  and  without,  quho, 
quhen  they  were  present  in  thair  awin  places,  wer  feirfuil  and  ter- 
ribill  to  their  enimies  :  The  remeid  of  the  third  caus  wes,  that  aue 
Overtoure  sould  be  thought  upoun  for  removing  of  this  present4 
distractioun,  and  a  Petitioun  maid  to  the  Kingie  Majestie  for  re- 
live of  sic  Brither  as  wes  put  from  thair  places  and  callingis. 

Thir  thrie  poyntis,  Names  of  the  Papistis,  the  Causis  of  Papistrie, 
and  the  Kemeidis  thairof,  wes  presentit  by  the  Provinces  to  the 
Privie  Conferrence  :  In  the  quhilk  this  Overture  wes  thouchl  guid 

1  Omitted  in  Adv.  MSS.  2  Noglci-I,  culpably  overlooking  or  vriuking  a' 

3  Adv.  MSS.  "deposed,  ami  some."  '  J>>.  "healing  of  the  said." 


758  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1()08. 

to  be  proponit  to  the  haill  Assemblie,  that  a  little  buik  sould  be 
maid,  and  thairunto  the  names  of  the  haill  Papistis  sould  be  sett 
doun,  Professit,  Suspectit,  and  Non-communicantis,  and  be  certainc 
Commissiouneres  chosine  be  the  said  Assemblie,  the  said  buik  to 
be  presentit  to  the  Kingis  Majestie  for  order  taking  with  the  saids 
Papistis  and  excommunicatis,  eftir  the  danger  wes  apprehendit.  So 
the  Commissiouneres  Aver  chosin,  the  Earle  of  Wigtoun,  the  Bis- 
schop  of  Glasgow,  the  Laird  of  Kilsyth,  the  Lord  Little- Justice  ; 
for  the  Burgesses,  James  Nizebitt,  Baillie  of  Edinbruche  ;  and,  for 
the  Ministerie,  Maister  WiUiame  Couper,  Minister  at  Perthe.  And 
to  the  end  the  Brither  mycht  be  assurit  of  the  sinceritie  and  truth 
proceiding  againes  Papistis,  and  that  it  sould  vanish  in  the  air,  as 
did  the  last  meittingis  at  Lithgow,  and  especiallie  of  the  last  meit- 
ting.  Tuo  Ministeres  out  of  ilk  Province  wer  appoyntit  to  meit  at 
Edinbruche  the  13  day  of  November  nixtocum,  to  heir  his  Majes- 
tie's  answer  tuiching  thais  Papistis,  and  to  seik  the  executioun  t hair- 
off  without  partialitie.  The  Presbytrie,  in  the  meantyme,  com- 
mandit  to  intend  proces  againes  all  Papistis  quhois  names  are  con- 
teinit  in  that  buik,  that,  being  convictit,  the  sentence  of  excommu- 
nicatioun  mycht  be  pronunceit  againes  thame  without  delay. 
Thais  thingis,  without  long  advysement  or  consultatioun.  past 
againes  Papistis. 

The  second  thing  intreatit  upon  wes  the  Tryell  of  Visitatiounes, 
committit  by  the  Assembly  at  Halirudhous  to  certaine  Brither ;  of 
the  quhilk  number  sume  wer  present,  and  surae  Aver  absent.  Such 
as  Aver  present  gave  in  thair  diligence  in  Avrytt,  and  thais  wryttia 
committit  to  certaine  Brither  to  peruse  :  They  fend  many  kirkis 
Avanting  persones,  to  Avitt,  fitt  Pastoris,  togider  with  great  disorderis, 
especially  in  Caitnes  and  Sudderland,  in  the  Merse,  and  the  rest 
of  the  Daillis l  annexit  to  that  Synod  ;  for  remeiding  quhairoff,  the 
Bisschop  of  Glasgow  and  Mr  Jolme  Knox  Aver  appoyntit  Visitoris 
for  the  Merse  and  the  Daillis;  the  Bisschop  of  Caitnes  and  Mr 
George  Hay  for  Caitnes  and  Sutherland.      And  then  the  Connnis- 

1  This  refers  t<>  the  districts  "t   Teviotdalej  Tweeddale,  &c. 


1608.  MR   JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIABY.  759 

siouneres  of  the  last  General!  Assemblie  offerit  thame  seltHs  to  be 
try  it,  iff  thai  had  done  thair  office  faithfully  and  dilligently  or  not; 
qnho  went  all  out,  and  Mr  Williame  Conper  supplieit  the  rowme ' 
of  the  Moderator,  for  that  the  Moderator  wes  ane  of  thais  Connnis- 
siouneris.  The  Blither,  by  him,  being  required,  Quhither  they 
had  any  thing  to  lay  to  thair  charge  that  wes  Commissiouneres  ? 
No  man  answerit  any  thing  ;  so  that  silence  wes  tain'2  for  approba- 
tion^ sieing  thair  wes  nothing  laid  to  thair  chairge  :  Quhairupoun 
wes  made  ane  act  of  allowance  of  thame,  as  honnest  men  and  faith- 
full  Comniissiouneres,  and  thairfor  worthic  to  be  continowit  in  thair 
office,  namelie,  becaus  it  wes  his  Majestic's  will  that  thais  Comniis- 
siouneres sould  be  continowit  in  thair  offices,  uthirwayes  he  would 
heir  none  of  the  Kirk  matteris  by  ony  thair ;  and  that  the  rowmes 
of  thais  quho  had  depairtit  this  lyff  sould  be  fillit  to  his  lyking. 
The  Moderator  schew  that  the  continowancc  of  the  former,  and  the 
supplieing  of  the  places  vacant  as  his  Majestic  desyrit,  wes  best,  for 
diverse  causses:  First,  Becaus  of  thair  moyen3  and  riches,  qnhaii- 
by  they  mycht  travel  from  place  to  place,  as  the  matteris  off  the 
Kirk  sould  requyre  :  2<//y,  Becaus  of  the  credit  off  the  King,  quho 
would  heir  non  uthir :  'Ml;/,  Becaus  of  thair  experience  and  skille 
in  handling  of  matter  es,  haveing  had  great  and  long  practise.  4/ Id;/, 
and  last,  Becaus  thair  wes  none  of  that  Assemblie  titter  and  meitter 
nor  they  wer.  To  this  the  Brithcr  condescendit,  with  protesta- 
tioun  that  the  continowancc  of  thame,  for  this  yeir  following,  sould 
not  prejudge  the  libertic  of  the  Kirk  in  thair  liie  electiotm  ;  quhilk 
Protestatioun  wes  admittit,  and  actit  in  the  Buik  of  the  A&semblie. 
The  last  principall  thing  handlit  in  this  Ajssemblie  wea,  li<>w  the 
distractioun  among  the  Brithcr  m ycht  be  remmeit,  to  the  end  that 
in  unitie  of  ane  spirit,  all  mycht  joyne  tham  selff  feogider  againefl 
the  comoun  enimie.  The  devyseing  of  this  wea  oommendil  t<>  loui- 
of  the  best,  and  wv.-est  Blither,  togider  with  his  Majestie'a  Com- 
missiouner.  The  Overture  devysil  by  thame  wee  this,  that  sieing 
thair  wes  a  double  distractioun  amongis  thame, to  witt,  boith  in  al- 

1  Adv.  ^!SS.  "  placo."  '  Taken.  '  Influ 


7l><>  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L608. 

fectioun  and  judgment,  baith  of  thame  sould  be  takin  away,  efter 
this  manner :  The  distractioun  in  affectioun,  sieing  it  wes  eamall 
and  uncumclie  in  the  persounes  of  all  Christianis,  much  moir  in 
Preicheris,  sonld  be  takin  away  be  reconciliatioun,  testifieit  be  the 
.said  whole  Brither  efter  a  solemne  manner,  promiseing  befoir  God 
and  the  Assemblie  to  lay  asyd  all  rancour  and  malice,  iff  any  wer 
in  thair  heajtis  befoir ;  and  in  tyme  cumming  to  love  ane  another 
as  the  servantis  of  ane  Lord  and  Maister.  This  promise  wes  con- 
firmit  by  ane  aith  [by  lifteing  up  the  hand  befoir  God,  in  presens  of 
the  Assemblie.  Farther,  it  wes  ordainit  that  this  reconciliatioun 
past  by  ane  aith1]  amonges  the  Brither,  sould  be  reiterat  in  the 
Presby tries,  efter  thair  hame-cummeing,  and  thane  solemn elie  in- 
timat  in  thair  severall  pulpitis,  to  the  joye  of  Godis  childrein,  and 
terrour  of  thair  enimies. 

The  distractioune  of  judgement  to  be  tane  away  be  a  conferrence 
of  sic  persounes  as  the  Ministerie,  on  boith  the  sydis,  sic  as  are 
thought  to  be  best  lairnit,  disposit  to  peice,  and  sein 2  in  the  mat- 
teres  controvertit :  For  the  Ministers,  Maisteris  Patrick  Simsoun, 
Johne  Hall,  Williame  Scott,  Johne  Carmichael,  Johne  Knox,  with 
fyve  more, 3  etc. ;  upoun  the  uther  syd,  fyve  Bisschopis,  St  Androis, 
Glasgow,  Orknay,  Duncaldein, 4  etc.,  with  fyve  Ministeris  ;  twentie 
in  all,  to  meitt  befoir  his  Majestie  or  his  Commissiouneris,  reassoun 
and  consult  upon  matteres,  preisseing  thairby  to  find  out  a  guid 
Overtour  and  middis5  quhairunto  boith  mycht  agrie,  and  this 
Overtour  to  be  reportit  to  the  nixt  Gencrall  Assemblie,  thair  to  pass. 

In  conclusioun,  the  Moderator  preissit  to  ordain  the  Bisschoppis 
to  be  Visitoris  in  thair  a  win  diosie  ;  but  it  wes  resistit.  For  the 
quhilk  caus,  all  sort  of  visitatioun,  boith  in  the  persoun  of  the  Bis- 
schoppis and  uthiris,  wes  dischairgit.  The  billis  and  supplicatiounes 
wer  remittit  to  the  Commissiouneres  of  the  said  Assemblie,  save 

1  Omitted  in  Adv.  MS8.  -  Skilled,  experienced,  conversant  with. 

!  ••  Patrick  Galloway,  Ar<  hibald  Oswald,  Adam  Bannatyne,  John  Weems,  and  William 
Couper." — (Cold.  Hist.  fol.  -VJ8.)  '  "Caithness;  Mrs  Patrick  Sharpe, 

Robert  Howie,  John  MitchelsoD,  Henrie  Phillip,  and  George  Hay."  '  Medium, 

middle  course. 


1608.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'8  DIARY.  7l">l 

only  a  supplicatioun,  quhilk  the  Elderis  of  the  parochine '  of  Kilrvn- 
nie  gave  in  for  the  relciff'  and  hame-bringing  to  thame  of  thair  Mi- 
nister, Mr  James  Melvin ;  quhilk  wes  ressavit  and  publietlie  read  in 
the  face  of  the  Assemblie :  Qnhairunto  the  Erie  of  Diunbar  answerit, 
that  the  Commissiouneres  directit  with  the  Rollis  of  Papistis  sould 
interpone  a  requeist,  in  the  name  of  the  Assemblie,  for  the  releiff 
of  the  said  Mr  James,  quhom  he  wald  assist,  for  a  report  of  his  Ma- 
jestie's gracious  answer  thairannent ;  be  occasioun  quhairoff,  Mr 
Andro  Melvin,  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  Air  Williamc  Rowe,  and  Mr 
Johne  Murray,  the  banischit  honest  Brither,  and  all  the  confynit 
at  home,  wer  mentiounit :  And  the  Brither,  all  with  anc  crye,2  sol- 
licitate  the  Moderator  to  requeist  his  Majestie's  Commissiouner, 
with  the  rest  that  wer  sent  upe,  to  be  instant  with  the  Kingis  Ma- 
jestic, in  name  of  the  Assemblie,  for  thair  releiffe  and  libertie. 
They  grantit  to  do  for,  except  for  the  Brither  banischit,  quhois  re- 
lciff the  King  would  not  grant,  except  thai  would  confess  thair  fault, 
and  crave  his  Majestie's  pardoun.  The  Brithcrin  of  the  Ministerie, 
quhois  stipendis  wes  not  sufficient  to  sustein  thame  selffis  and  thair 
families,  ar  ordainit  to  be  in  Edinbruche  the  15  of  August,  that  they 
may  half  exceptioune  from  the  present  taxatioun,  and  exemptit 
thairfra,  and  in  all  tyme  to  cume  :  In  end,  the  nixt  Generall  Assem- 
blie wes  appoyntit  to  be  hauldin  at  Edinbruche,  the  last  Tuysday 
of  May  1609. 

This  Assemblie  had  a  fair  schaw,  but  the  pollicie  thairoff  wes  de- 
tcctit,  and  thus  wes  it  censurit  by  the  judicatoris,3  for  thairin  tiny 
land  thrie  or  four  dangerous  eyelistis4  that  they  could  not  digest: 
[1st,']  The  censure  of  the  Commissiouneres  of  the  Generall  Assem- 
blie at  Halirudhous,  and  thair  approbatioun  by  silence ;  quhilk,  iff 
the  conditiounes  at  Falkland  had  bcin  kcipit,  sould  not  haiff  bein 
tuichit,  in  respect  that  the  controversies  of  our  Kirk  did  cheifely 
strick  upon  their  proceedingis  :  2r//y,  The  casting  off  of  all  Vi>it;i- 
tioun  of  the  Kirkes,  becaue  they  could  not  be  had  in  the  persoune 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  Congregation."  2  Il>.  "  consent."  lb.  "jodioions.' 

*  Eyesores;    Adv.  MSS.  "  acts." 


762  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1608. 

of  Bisschoppis,  as  thought  Bischoppries  wer  so  necessar  in  our 
Kirk,  that  without  them  we  sould  haif  no  Visitatioun,  nor  doe  no 
guid.  Sdly,  Under  pretence  of  thair  reconeiliatioun,  and  abstinence 
from  all  controvertit  poyntis,  till  they  be  determinit  thairupoun, 
the  Bisschopis  thinkis  they  haif  closit  all  the  mouthis  of  the  adver- 
sar  Ministeris  from  speiking  in  the  defence  of  the  Estabilischit  Dis- 
ciplin, alsewel  as  in  oppouneing '  thairto,  and  sua  hes  brought  boith 
in  suspense  and  questione,  as  thought  boith  lay  over  amongst  us 
to  be  decydit2  quhat  Disciplin  wes  most  lawfull ;  and  in  this  advan- 
tage they  haiff  allreadie  kythit,  by  occasioun  of  suine  doctrine  dely- 
verit  in  excerceis  of  our  Disciplin,  quhilk  wes  censurit  as  done 
againes  the  trewis,3  as  they  call  it,  thinking  that  thair  sould  not  a 
word  be  spokin  in  disciplin  matteres,  to  or  fra4 — a  devilish  pollicie! 
This  is  the  poysoune  craftilie  convoyit  in  that  Assembly.  4M/y, 
That  all  the  greitter  deilling  againes  the  Papistis  is,  becaus  of  the 
buik  of  Tortus,  quhairin  the  King  is  challengit  of  favoris  and  pro- 
misses  maid  to  the  Pope  and  the  Papistis,  and  will  resolve  in  a  par- 
ticular casting  off  of  sume  courteouris  polliticallie,  Papishe  affeetit, 
quhairby  to  cloke  and  dissemble  in  matteres  the  better  for  a  quhylc  : 
yit  thair  wes  one  thing  much  to  be  rejoycit  into,  to  witt,  the  sound- 
nes  of  the  Ministeres  for  the  most  pairt ;  quhilk,  as  Ave  undirstand, 
hes  frayit5  thamc,  that  they  will  be  laith  to  hazard  sumtnam  ni 
upon  thair voitis  again  in  a  full0  Assemblie,  unles  thai  findethe  mat- 
teres surelicr  and  bettir  dressit. 

The  third,  and  deductioun  of  the  general]  storie  hes  stayit  the 
particular,  concerneing  Mr  Johne  Murray,  untill  now;  quhilk  till 
forth  in  the  same  yeir,  and  avcs  thus.  This  gentillman,  of  guid  ac- 
compt  as  for  his  birth,  and  marriage  of  a  most  godly  and  nobill  vir- 
gin in  the  world;  so,  for  his  singular  giftis,  and  faithfulnes  in  his 
miiiisterie,  Aves  ordainit  Pastor  in  the  Kirk  off  Leith,  quhair  the 
ncAV-maid  Bisschopis  had  thair  meittingifl,  consultationes,  danceing,7 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  oppugning."  "  lb.  "  debated."  :1  ///.  "  Truce."  '  To  and 
fro;  on  tlio  one  Bide  or  on  tin  other.  •'•  Affrighted,  "Adv.  MSS.  "  free." 

'  /h.  "  drinkincr." 


1608.  BIB  JAMES  melttll's  diaby.  763 

and  playing  at  cairtis,1  dyce,  and  worse  excerceisses ;  quhairwith 
Mr  Johne  mett  sickerly,  within  the  sermones  ;  also  if  any  of  tham 
had,  in  thair  doctrin,  (for  they  taught  ofttymes  in  Mr  David  Lind- 
sayis  place,)  glanccit  at  Episcopal!  auctoritie  and  govcrncment,  it 
wes  without  delay e  maid  oppin  and  manifest2  by  the  said  Mr  Johne. 
This  angerit  the  Bisschoppis  at  the  heart ;  and  thairfoir  thai  rcsol- 
vit  to  dilait  him  [to  mak  informatioun  of  him  to  the  Kingis  Majes- 
tie ;  quhilk  wes  done  sindrie  tymes  by  him,  quho]  postit  continow- 
allie  for  the  rest,  to  witt  Glasgow,  the  sonne-in-law  to  Rosse,3  quho 
then  Aver  nameit  Cajaphas  and  Annas !  And,  notwithstanding,  by 
the  favour  and  wyse  deilling  of  his  freindis,  quhairoft"  he  had  mony, 
both  at  Court  and  at  home,  he  continowit  on,  most  profitabillic  and 
most  confortabillie,  Pastom-,  with  great  paines  among  his  flocke, 
the  space  of  thrie  or  four  yeiris ;  for  they  could  find  nothing  againes 
him,  save  only  foranent  the  law  of  his  God,  and  faithfull  ducties 
done  to  Chryst  and  his  Kirk.  Among  the  rest,  being  Moderator 
in  the  Synod  of  Lothiane,  kcipit  in  Edinbruchc  in  winter,  he  maid 
ane  excellent  sermone  at  the  doun-laying  of  the  Moderatioun  ;  the 
coppie  quhereof,  (I  wott  not  how,)  dimming  in  sume  guid  Brotheris 
handis,  wes  put  to  the  press  beyond  the  seas,  and  so  come  in  the 
handis  of  money,  altogider  without  the  knawledge  of  Mr  Johne 
himself;  and  wes  alse  sufficient  as  Danielis  prayeres  to  bring  him 
to  the  den  of  lyounes !  He  wes  callit  befoir  the  Counsel,  quhilk 
would  faine,  at  his  desyre,  haiflf  remittit  him  to  his  Presby trie,  or 
Provinciall  Synod,  befoir  the  quhilk  the  sermone  wes  maid  ;4  but 
the  Bisschopis  insistit  malitiouslie,  and  said,  u  That  wes  as  much  as 
to  declyne  his  Majestie's  Judicatorie,  and  so  fall  under  the  crymc 
of  treassoun."  So,  the  Bisschop  of  Saint  Androis  accuseing,  and 
the  Bisschop  of  Glasgow  also,  he  must  neidie  answer:  They  gaif 
in  to  the  Counsell  the  four  Articles  following,  as  a  challenge  of 
him,  in  wry tt ;  quhilk  wer  cut t it  mit  of  the  Bmk  with  the  Kingia 
a  win  hand  : 


1  Adv.  MSS.  ••  cards.  '-'  //>■  "confuted.1  'Mr  David  Lindsaj  was  at 

that  time  Bishop  of  Ross.  '  Adv.  MSS.  "taught 


7(54  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1608. 


[ARTICLES  AGAINST  MR  JOHN  MURRAY,  MINISTER  OF  LEITH.] 

"  1.  The  auctour  of  the  Sernione,  page  28,  speiking  of  abuseing 
of  Christiane  libertie,  bringeth  for  an  example,  a  law  or  injunc- 
tioune  for  the  use  of  the  Surpleis1  in  Devyne  Service ;  of  the  ring- 
in  mariage,  quhich  is  ane  expres  taxing  of  the  Canons  of  the  Kirk 
of  England  maid  annent  thais  Ceremonies,  and  the  Kingis  Ratifica- 
tioun  thairoff. 

"  2.  He  sayis2  that  the  creiping  in  of  the  Antichristiane  yoke 
had  for  the  first  steppe,  quhilk  is  little  different  from  our  new  Mode- 
ratoris  ;  and  so  condemnit  the  act  of  Lithgowe,  ratifieit  be  his 
Majestic 

"  3.3  The  Kingis  Counsel  and  Nobillitie,  and  all  [subjects,]  haiff- 
ing  sworne  by  the  name  of  God  to  defend  the  Disciplin  of  the  Kirk 
all  the  dayis  of  thair  lyff,  under  the  paines  conteinit  in  the  law,  and 
danger  boith  of  bodie  and  saulle,  in  the  day  of  Godis  feirfull  judge- 
ment. And,  page  52,  he  sayis  that  paritie  in  power  and  auctoritie 
is  the  ordinance  of  God.  This  is  a  laying  of  perjurie  to  his  Majes- 
tie  and  Counsell,  sieing  hisMajestie  condemnes  paritie,  and  preisses 
the  abolitioune  thairof  out  of  the  Kirk. 

"  4.  Page  48,  he  sayes,  we  in  Scotland  are  baitting  doun  Chryst, 
patting  him  in  bandis,  and  covering  his  face,  and  [are]  off  purpose 
to  burie  him,  with  the  Jevvis.  This  strykis  upoun  the  Kingis  auc- 
toritie, that  he  sould  suffer  Chryst  to  be  so  intreattit  in  his  king- 
dome." 

MR  JOHNNES  ANSWER  FOLLOWIS. 

"  For  answer,  in  all  humilitie  and  reverence  to  your  Lordshippis  : 
The  Articles  quhairon  I  am  challengit  ar  not  the  wordis  of  my  ser- 
mone, but  consequentis  dm  win  out  of  thame,  cuineing  directlic 
againes  the  scope  of  the  sermone  it  selfF,  aymand '  only,  as  it  is  evi- 

*  Surplice.  -  Page  33.  :!  Page  44.  '  Aiming. 


1608.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  765 

dent,  at  our  selffis  of  the  Ministerie  at  that  present  conveinit ;  as  also, 
againes  the  expres  worclis  thairofF;  the  quhilk,  at  page  49,  ar  full 
of  reverence  and  duetiefulnes  towardis  his  Majestic 

"  Heirfore,  I  most  humblie  beseik  your  Lordschippis,  sieing  my 
challenge  is  not  the  expres  affirmatioun  of  my  wordis,  bot  the  illa- 
tioun ; '  that  as  thair  is  no  expres  matter  or  caus  of  accusatioun,  but 
rather  contrair,  so  thair  may  be  no  expres  accusatioun ;  and  that 
my  wordis  be  not  over  sair  wrung,  nor  my  meineing  wrestit,  but 
favourabillie  constructit.  Finallie,  that  your  Lordschippis,  accord- 
ing to  your  wontit  loveabill  custome,  wald  leive  the  judgment  and 
censure  of  the  sermoune  and  poyntis  thairof  tomy  Ordinar,  that  is, 
either  the  Presbyterie  or  Provinciall,  in  quhois  audience  it  wes  de- 
liverit." 

This  petitioun  all  the  Counsell,  except  the  Bisschoppis,  thought 
reassounabill ;  and  thairfor  resolvit  to  wrytt  to  the  Kingis  Majestic 
thairannent.  But  the  nixt  newis  wes  that  Mr  Johne  Murray  wes 
takin  the  13  of  Appryll  be  the  Livetennent  of  the  Guard,  and  with- 
out any  further  proces  committit  to  the  Castell  of  Edinbruche, 
quhair  he  remanit  till  ane  wes  put  in  his  rowme  at  Leith  by  the 
Bisschoppis,  and  he  transportit  to  New  Abbay  among  the  Papist 
Cheiffes.2 

This  same  yeir,  1608,  avcs  imprintit  ane  uthir  buik  over-sie,  and 
cum  abroad,  intitulat  "  Informatiounes  and  a  Proclamatioun,3  and 
a  Treatise  from  Scotland,  secundat  with  Doctor  Remolis'  Lettre  to 
Sir  Francis  Knollis,  and  Sir  Francis  Knollis  his  Speich  in  Parlia- 
ment, all  suggesting  the  usurpations  of  Papall  Bisschopis.  '  Everie 
plant  that  my  hevinlie  Father  hes  not  plantit  sail  my  Father  pluck 
out.'  "*  The  Protestatioun  wes  that  given  in  to  the  Parliament  at 
Perthe.  The  treatise  fullic  confirmit  the  Estabilischit  Diseiplin  in 
Scotland,  and  cleirly  discoverit  and  rcfutit  the  Episcopall  usurpa- 

tioune. 

The  year  prcceiding,  1607,  the  King,  considering  the  twa  Breivis 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "consequents."  -  Univ.  MS.  "theves."  '  A<lv.  MSS. 

"  or  protestationes."  '  Math.  xv.  13;   I  Cor.  ii.  12. 


766  THIS  CONTINUATION  OF  L6Q8« 

of  Pope  Paulus  V.,  and  the  Lettre  of  Cardinal!  Bellarmine  to  the 
Archpreist,  G.  Black  well,  had  hinderit  the  Papistis  much  from  his 
obedience,  thought  meitt  to  publishe  a  buik  againes  thame  ;  quhilk 
he  did,  beiring  this  title,  "  Triplici  Nodo  Triplex  Cioieus,  or  Ane 
Appollogie  for  the  Aith  of  Alledgeance  againes  the  Tua  Breivis  of 
Pope  Paulus  Quintus,  and  the  lait  Lettre  of  Cardinall  Bellarmine 
to  G.  Blackwell,  the  Archpreist,  Auctoritate  RegiaT  Againes  this 
buik,  -within  the  halff  a  yeir,  wes  publischit  by  the  Papistis,  ane 
answer  in  Latine,  off  this  inscriptioune  : — "  Mathei  Torti,  Presbiteri 
et  Theologi  Parisiensis,  Eesponsi  ad  librum  inscriptum,  Triplici 
Nodo,  &c. ;  quo  ostenditur  Juramentum  illud  ab  hostibus  Fidei, 
Catholica?  excogitatum  iniquissime  a  subditis  Catholicis,  sub  gravis- 
sima  bonorum  omnium  amissione,  perpetuorumque  carcerum  poena 
postulari  atque  exigi.     Editio  altera,  Collonia?.'' 

The  argument  of  the  haill  buik  is  in  the  sext  page :  "  Primum 
ostendimus  juramentum  Catholicis  propositum,  non  solum  civilem 
obedientiam,  sed  etiam  Catholics  Fidei  abncgationem  requirere. 
Haec  enim  est  principalis  questio,  qua?  inter  nos  hoc  tempore  dispu- 
tatur ;  deinde  singulas  partes  appologire  discutiamus." 

In  this  book,  Cardinallis  Chappellane  (for  so  the  printer,  in  his 
Epistle,  termes  him  Cardinalli  Bellarmino  a  Sacellis ')  is  verie  direct 
and  dispyttfull  againes  the  King,  calling  the  auctor  of  the  Appollo- 
gie, "  Calumniatorem  mendacem  impudentem."  He  gives  efter  a 
lvk  flatt  lye.  In  page  $2,  he  saith,  "  Xecessc  est  auctorem  Appol- 
logise  omnem  omnino  pudorem  et  conscientiam  exuisse  :"'  Page  97. 
"  Jacobo  Juliano  in  multis  adaequatur,"  lairgely  and  dispyttfully  : 
"  Jacobus,"  saith  he,  "  cum  Catholicis  non  sit,  neque  Christianus 
est :"  Page  98,  "  Jacobus  primum  Catholicis  deinde  etiam  Puri- 
tanos  opposuit :"  Page  130.  "  Qua1  turn  ita  sint  desinat  adversarius 
in  Scripturis  Sanctis  earumque  testimoniis  ad  eum  primatim  stabi- 
liendum  abuti,  quem  non  solum  Catholica  Ecclesia  est  detestata 
semper.  Sed  etiam  Calvinus  ipse  cum  schola?  Genevensi  appro- 
bavit,  nunquam  abhoruit,  et  quam  in  ipsa  Anglia  ut  a  Regia  cupi- 
ditate  exortum,  ipse  etiam  Puritani  molestissime  semper  tulerint." 
1  Adv.  MSS.  "PostelKs." 


1(308.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  7<>7 

Thais  thingis  trouble  the  King  at  the  heart ;  but  namely,  the  tuo 
passages  following  not  only  gallit  the  King,  but  movit  much  the 
Counsell  and  haillestaite.  "  Clemens  the  Eight,  (sayis  he,)  duo  Brevia 
anno  1600  tribus  annis  ante  obitum  Regina?  ad  Catholicos  misit 
unum  ad  Clerum,  alteram  ad  populum ;  quibus  Brevibus  non  ut 
iste  mentitur  Jacobum  tunc  Scotia?  Regem  exclusit,  sed  consilium 
dedit  quale  dare  docebat  Summum  Pontificem,  viz.  ut  Catholici 
opera  darent  quantum  a  ipsis  est  ut  Rex  ad  Religionem  Catholicam 
bene  affectus  eligeretur,  &c.  Quibus  verbis  non  solum  Jacobus 
Scotia?  Rex  non  excludebatur,  sed  includebatur  potius,  quoniam 
Ministri  ejus  maximam  spem  fecerunt  eum  non  abhorrere,  a  Fide 
Catholica  suscipienda,  pra?sertim  cum  Rex  ipse  ad  Pontificem  ipsum, 
necnon  ad  Cardinales  Hildebrandum  et  Bellanninum  literas  scripsit, 
plenas  humanitatis ;  quibus,  prefer  camera,  petebat  ut  aliquis  e  gente 
Scotorum  Cardinali  S.  R.  E.  crearetur,  ut  haberent  Roma;,  per 
quam  facilius  et  tutius  cum  Pontifice  sua  negotia  tractare,  ut  quare 
Pontifex,  non  perfidum,  accusari,  sed  ipse  sua  spe  frustratus  vite 
mente  potuit  et  alibi,  ut  vir  Catholicus  regno  illo  prope  diem  vaca- 
turo  properetur  :  Quo  consilio  nullum  aliud  a  Pontifice  Maximo 
(cui  Catholica?  Ecclesia?  cura  potissimum  incumbit)  magis  Christi- 
anum  magis  pium  et  utile  dari  potuit  quod  sit  hac  generali  admoni- 
tione  Jacobus  excluderetur,  ipse  erat  in  causa  qui  spem  non  obscure 
datam  Pontificem  fallere  volebat  certe  ejus  administri  reprehendi 
debeant ;  qui  magis  adhuc  aperte  Jacobum  tunc  Scotia?  Regem, 
adepto  Anglicano  regno,  Catholicum  futurum  promittebat." 

Upon  this,  it  wes  thought  necessar,  for  cleiring  the  King  of  sua 
odious  sclanderis,  the  Generali  Assemblie  sould  hauld  in  Scotland, 
and  the  proceidingis  thairin  to  be  againes  Papistis  ;  and  a  Supplica- 
tioun  thairfoir  to  be  maid  for  pacifieing  off  all  controversies  within 
the  Kirk,  and  restoring  againe  of  sic  of  the  Ministcrcs  as  Aver  banis- 
chit,  imprissounit,  and  confynit. 

In  the  moneth  of  September  1608,  Sir  James  Elphingstoun, 
Lord  Balmerinoch,  Principall  Secretar  of  Scotland,  and  President 
of  the  Colledge  of  Justice,  the  Kingis  special]  agent  againes  the 


7()8  THE  CONTINUATION  OK  1609- 

Ministeris,  did  tak  his  journay  to  the  Court,  for  his  further  imploy- 
ment ;  but  dimming  to  the  Court  and  the  King,  at  Iloystoun,  Aves 
aceusit  for  deilling  with  the  Pope,  and  wrytting  to  him  and  the 
Cardinallis  in  maner  conteinit  in  the  foirnamit  buik,  and  the  pass- 
ages thairoff;  fynaly,  for  being  the  caus  of  so  hynous  a  selander, 
and  all  divilish  attemptis  of  Papistis  since  syne  againes  the  King 
and  Estaitis,  and  the  Papistis  being  sua  desperatlie  inrageit  for 
finding  thame  selff  disapoyntit  of  the  great  expectatioun  they  had 
that  the  King  sould  becum  a  Catholick.  But,  leiveing  the  rest  of 
this  to  his  awin  confessioun,  depositioun,  and  proces,  quhilk  is  ex- 
tant,1 I  remember  only  the  effect — that  the  said  Sir  James,  eftir  he 
wes  degradit  and  deposit  from  all  honouris  he  had  in  Ingland, 
[namely,  from  the  number  and  tabill  of  the  most  honourabill  Privy 
Counsell  of  Ingland,2]  quhairof  he  wes  one,  he  wes  sent  backe 
prissouner  to  Scotland,  thair  to  be  adjudged  and  punischit  accord- 
ing to  his  demeritis. 

M.DC.IX. 

And,  in  the  moneth  of  March  following,  a  day  of  law,  or  Justice 
Court,  wes  most  solemnelie  and  frequentlie  keipit  at  Saint  Androis,  to 
the  quhilk  he  wes  brought  from  Falkland  ;  and  thair,  upon  his  awin 
confessioun,  being  convict  and  fyllit3  of  hie  treassoun  for  surreptioun, 
and  thivish  steilling  of  the  Kingis  hand  in  a  Lettre  to  the  Pope. 
Upon  his  humble  petitiounto  the  Judge  and  Counsell,  his  sentence 
and  dome  wes  delayit  till  the  Kingis  will  sould  be  knawin  thairan- 
nent.  So,  on  the  last  day  of  March  he  wes  brought  over  the  watter 
from  Falkland  to  Edinbruche,  and  thair  in  the  Tolbuith  ressavit  sen- 
tence to  be  execute  to  the  death,  and  damnit  as  a  tratour  and  male- 
factor ;  and  immediatlic  thaireftir  he  was  caryit  back  again  to  Leith, 
and  taken  over  the  Ferry  that  same  night,  and  put  in  his  prissoune 
at  Falkland,  to  expect  the  Kingis  further  will;  and  thus,  in  Grodia 
rychteous  judgment,  wes  he  schamefully  usit,  and  put  to  shame  ami 


1  See  Pitcairn's  Criminal  Trials,  II.  5G8-G01,  for  a  full  account  of  this  v.  i  \  re- 
markable and  mysterious  investigation.     '-'  Omitted  in  Adv.  MSS.     :I  Found  guilty • 


1609.  ftLR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIAEY.  709 

ignominie  by  thame  quho  imployit  his  pen  to  sua  mony  schamefull 
and  spytfull  proclamatiounea  againes  the  Ministercs  of  Jesus  Chryst, 
and  his  paines  for  imprissouneing  and  banisching  the  samyne. 

All  this  quhyll,  quhen  men  luikit  for  hott  persewing  of  Papistis, 
and  releiff  of  the  banischit,  imprissounit,  and  confynit  Brither, 
Ministercs  had  warse  ;  Papistis  wer  playit  withall,  and  the  purpose 
of  advanceing  Bischopis  bussilie  promoveit  for  ane  frequent  Con- 
ventioun  of  Ministercs  and  Nobillmcn  at  Edinbruche  in  the  moneth 
of  November.  The  four  Commissiounens  directit  from  the  Gene- 
rall  Assemblie  reportit  his  Majestic' s  answer  to  the  Petitiouncs  of 
the  said  Assembhe  againes  the  Papistis,  absolutely  quhatsoever  "\vcs 
cravit ;  yea,  that  he  had  sent  in  the  Erie  of  Dumbar,  armit  with 
all  auctoritie  to  put  in  executioun  quhatever  wes  cravit  concerneing 
the  Ministeris  under  his  displeasure,  conditiounallie,  if  thai  would 
confesse  thair  faultis  and  mak  humble  Supplicatioun.  So  gcntill 
and  clement  wes  the  Kingis  nature,  that  he  wald  be  more  readie  to 
give  thame  libertie  nor '  they  would  be  to  sute  the  same. 

In  end,  the  Bisschop  of  Glasgow,  invying 2  againes  the  Papistis  and 
thaia  that  said  that  the  offer  of  the  Conferrence  wes  but  for  the 
fashioun,  and  thah'foh*,  in  the  mem  tyme,  than-  wes  a  deilling  againes 
Papistis  to  hald  off:  "  Yit,"  sayis  he,  "  it  sail  not  be  driftit ;  for  the 
Earle  of  Dumbar  and  the  Kingis  Commiaaiouneria  for  the  Kirk  will 
instantly  appoynt  ane  day  to  be  keipit  in  Februar  nixt,  and  adver- 
tisment  maid  thairof  to  all  haiffand  interest."  Yit  not  only  passit 
thair  in  that  Conventioun  thrie  or  four  little  thingia  to  the  grateing3 
of  Bisschopis,  and  decrease  and  interest  of  Presbytries ;  as,  that 
thai  sould  be  examineris  of  Pedagogues  that  passit  with  nobilmenia 
and  gentilmenis  sones  out  of  the  countric,  and  give  teatimoniallis 
of  approbatioun  :  Item,  that  none  soidd  obtaine  entrie  to  thair 
landis,  and  be  servit  lawfull  hcrctoris,  without  the  Bisschopis  law  lull 
eertificat  to  the  inqueist  of  the  soundncs  of  hia  Religioun,  etc. 
But  also,inall  this,  they  had  a  main drift'bringing  about  to  restore 
the  Bisschopis  in  integrum  to  the  Commissariat  cottis4  ofFTeata- 

1  Than,         'Inveighing.         '  Ad?.  MSS.  "greatening."  l  Quots. 

3  i 


770  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1009. 

mentis,  and  all  utheris  Judicatoris  and  casualties  that  ever  the 
Popishc  Bisschopis  were  in  possession  off;  the  quhilk  great  fisch, 
to  the  intent  they  myclit  the  more  easilier  and  firmlie  fang1  at  the 
nixt  Parliament,  without  oppositioun  of  the  Ministerie,  conveinit 
with  the  Lordis  of  Sessioun,  and  haill  laweris  and  Commissaris,  the 
great  bussines  againes  Papistis  were  cassin  in,  and  the  fair  expec- 
tatioun  of  the  Conferrence  quhilk,  in  the  moneth  of  May,  wes  dressit 
and  convoyit,  in  maner  and  matter  as  heir  followis  : 


ANE  JUST  COPPIE  OF  THE  CONFERRENCE  AT  FALKLAND, 
4  MAY  1609. 

"  The  Earlis  of  Dumbar  and  Wigtoune,  the  Lordis  Scoone,  and 
Fentone-Barnes,  Collector,  Commissiouneris  to  his  Majestic  ; 
Maisteris  George  Glaidstaines,  Johne  SpottisAvood,  Alexander 
Lyndsay,  Alexander  Forbes,  Patrick  Scharp,  Robert  Howie,  Johne 
Nicolsoun,  Henrie  Philpe,  and  George  Hay,  for  the  Bisschopis  ; 
Maisteris  Patrick  Galloway,  Johne  Hall,  Williame  Scot,  Archibald 
Oswall,  Johne  Knox,  Johne  Carmichael,  Adam  Ballentyne,  Johne 
Wemis,  and  "Williame  Couper,  (Mr  Patrik  Simpsoun  being  absent,) 
mett  in  that  chalmer  quhilk  wes  his  Majestie's,  for  dischairgeing  ane 
Commissioun  directit  from  the  last  Generall  Assemblie  haulden  at 
Lithgow  the  29  of  July  1608.  In  the  quhilk  meitting  the  saidis 
Commissiouneres  proceidit  as  followis  : 

Sessione  prima. 

"  Efter  prayer,  ane  short  speich  utirit  be  Mr  James  Law,  Mode- 
rator, the  Commissioun  of  the  Generall  Assemblie  wes  red,  quhair- 
ofF  the  tennour  followis  : 

"At  Lithgow,  the  29  of  July  1608,  post  meridiem.  As  for  the 
second  caus  of  cylistis,'2  quhilk  wes  said  to  aryse  upoun  the  diver- 
sitie  of  oppiniouncs,  and  the  diversitie  of  oppiniounes  resultis  upon 

1  Seize  upon.  2  Grievances  ;  literally  eyesores. 


L609.  MR  JAMES  melvill's  diary.  771 

diverse  differences  of  judgment  amongis  the  Brither}  concerneing 
the  external!  Governement  and  Discipline  of  the  Kirk,  quhilk  can 
not  so  schortlie  be  discussit  and  advysit  upoun  as  the  brevitie  of 
this  Assemblie  permittis  :  Thairfoir,  it  wes  the  opinioun  of  the 
Brither  appoyntit  for  the  advyseing  of  the  best  Overtouris  to  be  had 
annent  the  distractioun  and  eyelistis  that  ar  entcrit  in  the  heart  is 
of  the  Ministerie,  that  the  same  sonld  be  delayit  to  a  tyme  moir 
convenient ;  and,  in  the  meintyme,  certaine  appoyntit  to  rcassoun, 
treat,  and  advyse  upon  the  same  :  Quliilk,  lykwayis,  the  Assemblie 
following  hes  thought  expedient ;  and,  thairfoir,  they  haiff  electit 
and  chosine  the  Brither  following,  viz.,  The  Bisschoppis  of  Saint 
Androis,  Glasgow,  Dunkell,  Orkney,  Caithncs ;  Maistcris  Patrick 
Scharpe,  Robert  Howie,  Johne  Nicolsoun,  Henrie  Philip,  Archi- 
bald OsAvall,  Johne  Carmichaell,  Johne  Knox,  George  Hay,  Patrick 
Galloway,  John  Hall,  Patrick  Simpsoun,  Williame  Scott,  Adam 
Ballantyne,  John  Weemis,  and  William  Couper,  thair  Commis- 
siouneris  in  that  pairt,  to  convein  with  his  Majestie,  and  sic  of  his 
Majestie's  Counsell  as  hisHines  sail  appoynt,  at  sic  place  and  tyme 
as  they  salbe  recjiiired  be  his  Majestie  ;  and  to  treat,  reassoun,  and 
consult  upon  all  matteris  standing  presentlie  in  controversie  among 
the  Britherin,  annent  the  Discipline  off  the  Kirk ;  and  quhatsoevir 
thai  agrie  upoun  to  report  to  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie  ;  and  in 
the  mem  tyme,  quhill  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie,  the  advyse  of 
the  Brither  conveinit  at  Falkland,  the  5  of  July1  last  bypast,  be 
observit  annent  the  Constant  Moderatoris.  Nota,  That  upon  the 
margine  this  [was]  nameit  a  Commissioun  annent  reformatioun  of 
Disciplin. 

"  Thair  wes  red  also  his  Majestie's  Missive  Lettre,  and  a  Lettre 
of  excuse  from  Mr  Patrick  Simpsoun,  and  thairefter  thair  wes  a 
motioun  maid  by  his  Majestie's  Commissiounciis,  and  propounit  by 
the  Moderator,  that  fyve  off  everie  syd  sould  be  put  apairt  to  sett 
doun  ane  ordour  of  proceidour.  Efter  sumc  rcassouneing  upon  the 
same  propositioun,  and  sume  objectioun  againes  the  same,  it  \w- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  10  of.lun, 


772  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1609. 

aclmittit  and  followit :  And  for  the  Bisschopis  syd  wes  nameit  Saint 
Androis,  Glasgow,  Maisteris  Patrick  Scharpe,  Robert  Howie,  and 
Henrie  Philpe;  for  the  Ministeris,  Maisteris  Patrick  Galloway,  Johne 
Hall,  Williame  Cowper,  Johne  Carmichael,  and  Williame  Scott. 
The  Erie  of  Dnmbar,  the  Lord  of  Fentoune-Barnis,  Collector,  and 
Mr  James  Law,  Moderator.  The  ten  quhilk  Aver  nominat  and 
chosine  removit,  and  went  into  his  Majestie's  Chalmer,  quhair  the 
Commissioun  wes  red  again  :  Quhilk  being  considerit,  wes  thought 
verie  generall  to  sume ;  and  for  limitatioun  thairoff,  the  particularis 
efter  following  wer  propounit  be  the  Ministers  : — 

"First,  That  the  Brither  among  quhom  they  controversies  alledgit, 
wordis  sould  be  nameit  particulai'lie,  or  at  leist  sume  way  designit, 
quhairby  the  ane  pairtie  may  be  knawin  by  the  uthir  :  2dly,  It  wes 
requirit  that  the  alledgit  controversies  sould  be  denominat  and  con- 
descendit  upoun,  for  cleiring  off  the  first  poynt.  Thais  for  the  pairt 
of  the  Ministerie  declairit,  that  they  wer  ane  in  judgment  with  the 
godly  Fatheris,  Reformeris  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  and  sic  as  had 
from  tyme  to  tyme,  in  the  Generall  Assembly,  appoyntit  the  Assem- 
blie  and  obteinit  the  reformatioun l  thairof ;  as  also,  that  they 
esteimit  the  Disciplin  appoyntit  be  the  Kirk,  and  ratifieit  be  the 
lawis  of  the  realme,  to  be  most  godly  and  meit  for  the  ruleing2  of 
Christis  Kirk  within  the  realme.  Thais  of  the  uther  oppinioun  com 
to  na  particular  nominatioun  or  designatioun,  quhairby  the  differ- 
ences from  sic  as  had  estabilishit  the  Disciplin  mycht  be  perceivit. 
"  For  better  understanding  of  the  second,  the  Ministeres  desyrit 
that  distinctioun  mycht  be  maid  betuixt  matteris  standing  in  con- 
troversie  among  the  Britherin,  and  matteris  extra  contraversiam 
within  the  Kirk ;  in  the  quhilk  causses  they  voite  to  be  all  matteris 
concludit  in  lawfull  Generall  Assemblies.  Item,  That  cleir  differ- 
rence  mycht  be  maid  betuixt  privat  Britheris  oppiniounes  and  con- 
ceitis,  (put  the  cais  thair  number  wer  great,)  and  matteris  in  con- 
traversie  in  the  Kirk,  but  that  quhilk  lies  bein  ressavit  as  ane  dout 
befoir  in  sume  Generall  Assemblies,  and  defendis  as  undefynit,  for 

1  Adv.  MSS.  M  ratifications. "  2  TTniv.  MS.  "grounding." 


1609.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL's  DIARY.  773 

thair  is  ane  order  concerneing  the  cause,  quhither  the  Brither  doutis 
and  craivis  reformatioun,  viz.,  that  such  matteris  sould  be  propounit 
to  the  Generall  Assemblie  ordine  decenter  aninio  edificandi,  non  ten- 
tandi  gratia,  in  respect  of  the  Generall  Assembly  ;  quhilk  order  is 
no  wayis  convenient  that  the  saidis  Ministeris  sould  participat  in 
a  Conferrence  with  thair  Britheris  oppiniounes,  different  from  the 
judgment  of  the  Kirk;  and  syne  report  the  samyne  to  a  Generall 
Assemblie. 

"  Lastlie,  Sieing  the  Generall  Assemblie  at  Lithgow  lies  directit 
Commissioun  annent  matteris  standing  prescntlie  in  controversie 
befoir  that  same,  it  wes  demandit  be  the  saidis  Ministeris,  Quhat 
particular  matteris  either  stuid  in  controversie,  or  wes  callit  and 
ressavit  in  and  to  the  controversie,  be  the  same  ?  The  intentioun  of 
this  thair  deilling  wes  to  schaw,  that  this  thair  Commissioun,  above 
writtin,  buir  no  warrand  to  the  saidis  Commissiouneris  ather  to  mak 
particular  controversies  or  questiounes  quhilk  had  not  bein  heard 
in  Generall  Assemblies  or  before,  or  yit  to  call  in  controversie  the 
actis,  conclusiounes,  allowit  practises,  or  estabilischit  order  in  the 
Kirk.  This  forme  of  deiling  wes  callit  be  the  uthir  sort,  '  tergiver- 
satione  of  pollicie,'  '  quarrelling  the  Generall  Assembly,'  '  for  frus- 
tratioun  of  thair  guid  intentioun,'  etc. 

"  Meikle  tyme  and  talk  wes  spendit  heirabout,  and  sume  schoar- 
ing  and  boasting,1  but  no  cleir  satisfactioun  returnit  to  the  demandis 
and  propositiounes  above  specifieit ;  and  sumquhat  abruptlie  it  wes 
said,  '  That  thai  mett  either  on  sumething  or  nothing ;  and  sume- 
thino-  confaissitlie  wes  castin  in,  that  sume  of  the  Brither  had  res- 
savit  the  Constant  Moderatione,  and  utheris  not ;  soe  that  thair 
wes  a  contraversie  of  the  Kirk,'  said  they,  '  quhither  the  Modera- 
tione should  be  constant  or  circular,'  as  they  tcrmeit  it.  Rem,  sume 
of  the  Brither  tham  selves  thinkis  that  the  Cautiounes  soidd  be 
keipit,  and  utheris  of  thame  thinkis  that  sume  of  tham  sould  be 
abolischit.  It  wes  a  questione  than,  forsuith,  Quhither  the  Cau- 
tiounes sould  be  keipit  or  not  ? 

1  Menacing  and  threatening. 


774  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1609. 

"  It  wes  answerit  to  the  first,  That  the  foirsaid  Assemblie  at  Lith- 
gow, quhairfrom  this  Commissioun  wes  directit,  had  expressely  pro- 
vydit  that  the  advyse  given  in  at  the  Conferrence  at  Falkland  sonld 
be  observit  to  the  nixt  Generall  Assemblie  ;  and  true  it  is,  that  in 
that  Conferrence  at  Falkland,  the  meitting  at  Lithgow,  quhairin 
the  intendit  innovatioun  of  the  Moderator  wes  begun,  wes  stayit : 
and  that  matter  to  be  further  intreitit  in  the  ensewing  Assemblie 
at  Lithgow  ;  quhilk  Assemblie,  quhen  it  conveinit,  acquiescit  to  the 
advyse  givin  in  at  Falkland ;  so  that  thair  is  no  warrand  given  at 
all  in  this  Commissioune  to  call  the  accustomeit  and  estabilischit 
order  of  Moderatioun  in  doubt.  Unto  the  second  it  wes  answered, 
That  the  Cautiounes,  efter  long  reassouneing  and  advyseing  had  in 
the  Presbytrie,  Provinciall  and  Generall  Assemblies,  thai  wer  so- 
lemnelie  concludit  in  tuo  Assemblies,  one  at  Dundie  and  another 
at  Montrose,  his  Majestie  being  present  at  the  one  and  at  the  uthir, 
and  as  yit  standis  in  full  force  unrepelled,  and  can  no  more  be  callit  in 
questioun  be  vertue  of  this  present  Commissioun  then  the  actis  an- 
nent  vote  in  parliament,  or  ony  uther  act  of  the  Generall  Assemblie. 

"  It  wes  thought  meit,  be  the  most  pairt,  that  thais  inatteres 
of  the  Moderatioun  and  Cautiounes  sould  be  put  in  questioun  ;  and 
so  they  pairtit,  and  presently  re-enterit  into  the  place  of  Confer- 
rence ;  and  all  being  present,  the  Moderator  cunneinglie  demandit, 
Quhither  iff  the  said  matter  sould  pas  in  questioun,  or  not  ?  It  wes 
answerit  be  the  most  pairt,  affirmative,  they  sould ;  and  so  the 
questiounes  wes  conceivit  as  followis.  1.  Quhither,  in  Synodis  or 
Presbytries,  the  Moderatioun  sould  be  constant,  or  not  ?  2dh/, 
Quhither  the  Cautiounes  sett  downe  in  the  Assembly  haulden  at 
Dundie  and  Montrose  for  restraining  the  power  of  Bisschopis  sould 
be  observit  and  sworne,  or  not?  Thaireftir,  the  Moderator  desyrit 
that  ane  on  aither  syd  sould  be  nameit  to  reassoun  thais  tuo  ques- 
tiounes ;  but,  being  lait,  no  nominatioun  wes  maid,  but  thankisgiv- 
ing,  and  so  that  sessioun  endit. 

"  Eftir  the  dissolveing  of  that  sessioun,  the  Ministcris  mett  among 
thamc  selffis,  and  haifeing  conferrit  a  little  annent  the  disadvan- 
tage and  danger,  by  suffering  thame  selves  to  be  separat  in  that 


1609.  MB  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  775 

former  sessioun ;  and  all  wes  dcsyrit  that  nycht  to  think  upoun  the 
fittest  remedic,  and  tymeonslie  to  meit  in  the  morneing ;  the  quhilk 
they  did  in  that  their  meitting  :  They  concludit,  first,  that  Mr 
Patrick  Galloway  sonld  be  speichman,  and  sume  utheres  to  assist 
him,  as  neid  reqnirit :  2dli/,  That  they  sonld  suffer  thame  selffis  no 
wayis  to  be  devydit,  but  quhatsoever  sonld  be  propounit,  (althonght 
of  les  importance,)  they  sould  tak  it  to  be  advysed  be  the  haill,  be- 
foir  that  any  answer  sould  be  returnit :  &dh/,  In  respect  of  the 
Conferrence,  and  of  the  qualitie  of  the  matteris  callit  in  doubt,  that 
they  would  nowayis  disput  but  by  wrytt. 

5  May,  Sess.  2da,  ante  meridiem,  hora  nana. 

"  The  Commissiouneris  foirsaid  conveinit  in  the  morneing,  at  the 
place  befoir  nameit ;  and,  efter  prayei",  the  Moderator  propounit 
that  ane  on  aither  syde  sould  be  nameit  and  appoyntit  to  reassoun 
the  first  questioun.  Mr  Patrick  Galloway,  being  desyrit  to  speik, 
answerit,  that  it  wes  most  convenient  to  reassoun  the  matter  be 
wrytt:  First,  For  eschewing  of  jealousie,  idle,  and  halt1  speiches, 
superfluous  digressiounes,  and  impertinent  discourses,  quhairby  Bri- 
ther  mycht  be  irritat,  and  tyme  unprofitabilly  spent :  2dly,  For 
avoyding  different  reportis  to  be  maid  be  the  Blither  of  different 
judgmentis  efter  the  Conferrence  endit:  And,  thairfoir,  he  desirit  the 
uthir  pairtie,  that  they  would  schortlie  and  cleirly  sett  downe  thair 
oppinioune  in  Articles,  tuiching  that  matter,  and  Ecassounes 
quhairby  they  would  confirme  the  same ;  promiseing  that  the  said 
Oppiniounes  and  Eeassounes  sould  be  plainelie  and  brotherlie  an- 
swerit,  so  succinctlie  as  wes  possibill  to  be  concivit  and  expressit 
be  thame  in  wrytt.  Maney  thingis  wer  objectit  againes  that  answer 
and  offer;  but  all  the  objectiounes  wer  answerit.  And  so,  the  Mi 
nisteres,  standing  constantlic  to  thair  resolutiounc,  the  uthir  partie 
desirit  that  they  mycht  advyse  among  thamselff  annent  the  premis- 
ses :  Unto  the  quhilk  desyre  the  Ministeres  aggrieit,  and  removit 
thame  selffis ;  and  the  uther  partie,  with  his  Majestic'*  Commis- 
siouner,  sat  still. 

1  Hot,  intemperate. 


776  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  16<>'J. 

"  Efter  thair  re-entrie,  the  Moderator  objectit  four  Reassounes 
againes  writting.  1 .  The  custom e  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  :  2.  The 
custome  of  the  Conferrence  in  uther  contries,  and  sume  Colloquies 
were  namit :  3.  His  Majestie's  prohibitioun  of  wrytt :  4.  Sundrie 
inconvenientis  that  mycht  follow  thairupoun,  as  narnelic,  that  the 
coppies  wald  passe  abroad,  and  come  in  the  handis  of  enimies, 
quhairby  it  could  not  faill,  but  sclander  and  skaith  woidd  come  to 
the  caus  of  Religioun. 

"  To  the  first  it  wes  answered,  That  quhilk  the  Kirk  of  Scot- 
land had  adoe  with  the  Counsell  thairoff,  annent  the  treating  and 
concluding  of  the  Heidis  of  the  Discipline,  they  gave  and  receaved 
in  write,  the  one  from  the  other :  To  the  second,  That  the  Collo- 
quies nameit  be  thame  had^verie  evill  eventis,  and  uthei-is  that 
treatit  be  thame  in  wrytt,  and  speciallie  be  the  Ministeris,  had  bet- 
ter success  and  maid  better  for  the  advantage  of  Religioun.  As  for 
the  custome  of  uther  contries  generally  alledgit,  wryttis  were  more 
usuall  nor  wordis ;  quhilk  may  be  sein  by  Ambassadoris  deillingis, 
lairnit  menis  epistles,  and  printit  Colloquies  and  Treaties  of  all  ages  : 
To  the  thrid,  It  is  evident,  by  his  Majestie's  Lettre,  that  his  Ma- 
jestie's intentioun  is  to  settle  all  matteris  peiceabilly,  and  besyd  the 
same  thair  is  nothing  produced.  Thairfoir,  wrytting  quhairby 
janglingis  of  wordis,  heat  speiches,  and  tedious  digressiounes  salbe 
avoydit,  is  the  most  fitt  and  saiff  way  to  come  to  his  Majestie's  pur- 
pose :  To  the  fourth,  In  caise  of  agriement,  interchanging  papcris, 
may  be  brunt  and  ravein,1  and  the  conclusiounes  agrieit  upon  only 
put  in  wrytt,  to  remaine.  Iff  thai  can  nowayis  agrie,  quhatsoevir 
sail  pass  in  writeing  may  be,  with  consent  of  all,  destroyit. 

"  And  after  these  reassouneingis,  the  Ministeris  concludit  that 
reassoune  be  wordis,  without  a  Judge,  could  not  readielie  be  had2 
without  tumult  in  the  mein  tyme  of  treatie,  and  difference  and  con- 
tradictorious  reportis  efter  breaking  upc  of  the  meittingis  :  quhairby 
the  present  distract  iounes  would  be  augmentit,  the  cause  of  Reli- 
gioun further  prejudgit,  Papistis  and  all  sortis  of  enimies,  wisching, 

1  Burnt  aud  torn  in  pieces.  ■  Adv.  MSS.  "  cannot  possiblie  be  heard." 


160CJ.  .UK  JAMES  MEI/vTLI,'s  DIABY.  77V 

wirking,  and  watching  for  divisiounes  among  the  Ministeres,  so  far 
as  tliey  may. 

"  The  matter  being  thus  stood  to  be  the  Ministeres  thair,  sume 
speiches  of  terrour  wer  given  out ;  and  thairefter  the  Moderator 
propounit  that  a  short  historic  mycht  be  sett  doun,  with  all  consentis, 
of  that  mcitting,  and  the  proceiding  thairin  to  sume  sic  effect  as 
followis :  That  the  Commissiouneres  mett,  thair  Commissioun  wes 
red,  tua  questiouncs  wer  agrieit  upon :  They  for  the  pairt  of  the 
Bischopis  offerit  to  disputt  thairon,  and  the  Ministcris  refuisit : 
The  Ministeris  desirit  the  last  poynt  to  be  mendit,  eftir  this  manor ; 
that  they  for  the  pairt  off  the  Bischopis  offerrit  to  reassoun  be  word, 
but  refuissit  be  wrytt ;  and  the  Ministeris  wer  readie  to  reassoun  be 
wrytt,  but  quhen  they  sould  come  befoir  anc  Generall  Assemblie, 
the  Judo-e  Ordinar  to  sic  matteres,  thai  soidd  be  readie  to  reasone  be 
word  or  wrytt,  as  it  sould  pleas  the  Assemblie  to  injoyne  ;  but  heir 
thai  could  not  reassoun  by  word,  for  the  reassounes  afoir  sett  doun. 
This  wes  refuissit,  and  so  no  historie  sett  doun  and  aggrieit  upoun ; 
and  the  Moderator  desyrit  that  his  Majestie's  Lettre,  and  the  Com- 
missioun laid  asyd,  either  of  the  pairties  wald  advyse  for  sume 
Overtouris  for  the  peace  of  the  Kirk ;  and  for  reporting  thairof,  the 
eftirnoone  wes  appoyntit  for  all  to  mcit  again.  Thus,  cfter  thankis- 
giving,  the  Commissiouneris  rais. 

"  Lnmediatlie  efter  dinner,  the  Commissiouneris  conveinit  by 
thame  selffis,  and  efter  consultatioun,  agrieit  upoun  four  Articles  as 
followis : 

"  That  a  declaratioun  sould  pas  from  this  Conferrence  to  be  pub- 
lischit  in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  proporting  that  the  Kirk  within  this 
realme  is  weill  constitut  in  Doctrin  and  Diseiplin,1  praissitbe  God; 
and  that  the  discordis  and  differrences  among  the  Ministerie  anncnt 
the  one  and  the  uthcr,  agreed  and  given  out  be  Papistis,  piophane 
Atheistis,  and  uthcr  enimies,  ar  but,  scandalous  and  Bclanderous  ca- 
lumnies, tending  to  seditioun,  and  to  deceive  the  people:-    2.  That 

1  Adv-  MSS.  "government."  2  lb.  "511)11110." 


778  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G09. 

the  handling1  of  the  discordis  and  differrenccs  among  the  Ministeres 
be  laid  asyd  and  spairit,  and  that  the  saidis  difFerrences  coverit  un- 
der the  skirtis  of  brothirelie  patience  and  Christiane  wisdome, 
quhill2  first  Papistis  and  Papistrie  be  proceidit  againes,  and  put  to 
ane  poynt :  3.  That  sieing  the  matter  of  Bischopis  and  Hierarchie 
can  not  be  handlit  at  this  tyme  but  with  advantage  to  Papistis 
and  Papistrie,  and  disadvantage  to  the  estabilischit  ordour  of  the 
Kirkc,  quhilk  haith  bein  a  speciall  meine,  quhairby  thai  and  thair 
kingdome  lies  bein  dissipat  and  ovirturnit,  that  purpose  was  to  be 
superceidit,  quhill  the  land  be  purgit  of  thame  and  thair  leaven :  4. 
That  ane  earnest  Supplicatioun  sould  pas  from  this  Conferrence  to 
his  Majestic,  for  grace  and  favour  to  the  Ministeris  that  haith  bein 
so  longc  banischit  and  keipeit  in  prissoune,  and  confynit ;  namelic, 
that  they  mycht  be  relaxit,  sett  at  libertie,  and  rcturne  to  thair 
awin  places. 

JEodem  die,  hord  tertid,  post  meridiem.      Sess.  dtia. 

"  The  haill  Commissiouneris  mett  togider  in  the  place  above  spe- 
cifieit ;  and,  efter  prayer,  the  Moderator  requirit  that  the  Ministeris 
sould  present  thair  advyse,  as  wes  appoyntit  befoir  noone.  And 
Mr  Patrick  Galloway  prcsentit  the  Articles  above  writtin,  quhilk 
wer  readie ;  and  efter  the  reading  thairof,  sume  pressit  to  spcik, 
but  authoritative  wer  hindcrit  be  the  Moderator ;  and  sume  utheris 
with  vehemencie  wes  keipit  at  under,  and  silence  commandit. 
Thairfor,  the  advyce  of  the  uther  pairtie  wes  red,  and  all  demandit 
quhat  they  thought  off  it?  Litle  was  said  for  it,  and  nothing 
againes  it.  The  Moderator  desyrit  the  Ministeres  to  tak  upc  thair 
Articles ;  the  quhilk  being  done,  the  conclusioun  following  wes 
agrieit  upoun  : 

At  Falkland,  theft/ft  of  Mai/  1G09. 

"The  Brither  convcinit,  haiffing  givin  thankis,  and  red  the  Com- 
missioun  of  the  Gencrall  Assemblic,  and  considering  the  generality 

1  Adv.  iUSS.  •'  alleadgi  -  Until. 


1609.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  7<(.> 

thairoff,  and  how  it  is  neidfull,  for  ending  of  all  controversies  stand- 
ing in  Disciplin  among  the  Ministeris,  that  the  particular  poyntis 
in  questioun  be  condiscendit  npoun,  haiff,  for  the  present,  aggrieil 
upon  tuo,  viz.,  Qnhitlicr  in  Synodis  or  Prcsbytrics  the  Moderator 
sould  be  Constant,  or  not?  And,  qnhither  the  Cautiounes  sett 
doun  in  the  Assemblie  haldin  at  Dundie  and  Montr ois  fur  restrain- 
ing the  power  of  Bischopis  sonld  be  observit,  and  sworne  unto,  or 
not  ?  Quhilk  tno  qncstionnes  being  proponnit ;  becans  neither  the 
brevitie  of  that  time  permittis,  nor  is  it,  for  diverse  canssis,  thought 
expedient  to  enter  in  reassonncing  thairof  at  the  present,  the  Brither 
continowis  all  treating  of  the  same  to  the  first  Tuesday  of  August 
nixtocum,  appoyntit  for  than  meitting  to  that  effect,  in  Stirling  : 
Willing  and  commanding  everie  ancof  the  saidis  Brither  to  advyae 
and  consider  gravelie  of  the  saidis  Questiounes,  and  all  poyntis 
thairof;  and  to  be  readie  at  the  said  inciting  to  propoune  thair 
myndis,  ather  by  word  or  wrytt,  as  they  sould  think  meittest ;  and 
further,  to  sett  doun  in  wrytt  all  the  differrences  quhilk  they  doc 
conceive  in  matteris  of  Disciplin,  that  snmc  solid  course  may  be 
takin,  with  commoun  consent,  for  removing  of  the  same. 

"  In  the  meintyme,  it  is  thought  expedient,  be  the  consent  of 
the  haill  number,  that  the  General!  Assemblie  be  prorogat  to  the 
first  Tuysday  of  May  nixtocum,  to  be  hauldin  in  Saint  Androis,  iff 
so  it  sail  pleas  his  Majestic  ;  that  thir  effairis  be  brought  to  snme 
poynt,  report  may  be  maid,  according  as  it  is  ordaineit  in  the  .-aid 
Commissiouu.  And  becaus  his  Majcstic's  maist  zealous  cair  for 
the  guid  and  peace  of  the  Kirk,  and  for  suppressing  of  Papist  is  and 
all  contrary  Ecligiouncs,  doith  sua  many  way  is  appeir,  that  Ave  haiff 
all  exceiding  great  mater  of  thankis  to  be  givin  to  the  Almychtie 
God  for  the  great  blissing  bestowit  upoun  the  Kirk,  in  his  Majes- 
tie's  persoun  :  It  is  thought  meit  that  a  Lettre  of  humble  thankis 
be  wryttin  from  this  Confcri'cncc  to  his  Majestie;  and  that  in  all 
the  Congregatiounes  of  this  his  kingdome  declaratiouu  he  maid  to 
everie  Minister  of  his  Majcstic's  guid  affectioun  and  resolvit  mynd 
to  settle  the  Kirk  in  peace  and  truth,  and  t<>  frcith1  the  same  from 

1  Free,  deliver. 


780  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G09. 

all  uthir  her  enimies,  and  tliair  pernitious  practises  ;  and  that  pub- 
lict  thankis  be  givin  to  God  for  his  present  niercie,  and  prayeris 
conceavit  for  the  happic  progresse  of  his  Majestie's  purpose.  As 
also,  the  Blither,  knawing  the  great  danger  that  the  Kirk  standis 
in,  throw  the  enimies  of  Religioun,  hes  thought  meitt  to  recommend 
it  to  all  the  Ministeris  and  Presbytries  within  the  realme  a  can-full 
proceiding  againes  Papistis,  and  such  as  remaine  suspect  in  Keli- 
gioune  ;  and  that  they  be  diligent  to  lairne  from  the  strangeris  that 
resortis  from  any  forraigne  pairtis,  and  to  make  intellegence  to 
his  Majestie's  Commissiouner,  the  Erie  of  Dumbar,  or  sic  utheris 
of  his  Majestie's  Counsel  as  thai  ar  best  accquantit  "with,  that  they 
knaw  the  zeal  of  Godis  truth,  and  [are]  faithfull  to  his  Majcstie  : 
And,  above  all  thingis,  that  they  and  everie  ane  of  thamc  intertcin 
peice,  freindschippe,  and  brotherlie  love  with  utheris  ;*  laying  asyd 
all  jealous  affectiounes,  and  uthir  prejudices;  and  that  thai  com- 
municat  thair  counsel  and  helpes  to  the  advanceing  of  Religioun, 
and  establishing  a  guid  and  solid  agriement  in  the  Kirk ;  quhilk 
the  Brither  present  for  thamselffis  lies  solcmnelie  promissit :  And 
lykwayis,  to  labour  with  utheris  to  doe  the  same,  so  far  as  thai  can, 
that  God  may  haif  glorie,  and  his  maist  excellent  Majestic  con- 
tentment and  satisfactioun  in  all  thingis.  This  conclusioun  and  his 
Majestie's  Lettre  being  wryttin  and  subscrivit,  the  Moderator  gave 
thankis  to  God,  in  the  place  quhair  we  wer  mett ;  and  Mr  TVilliame 
Couper,  being  requeistit  be  his  Majestie's  Commissiouner  and  sunie 
of  the  Brither,  went  to  the  Kirk  of  Falkland,  and  all  that  wer  with 
him,  thair  maid  ane  exhortatioun  and  thanJrisgiving  upon  the  last 2 
verse  of  the  74  Psalme  ;  and  thairefter  the  133  Psalme  wes  sung  ; 
and  thus  all  wer  dimissit." 

By  this  Conferrence,  thus  dressit  and  givin  furthe,  the  Bisschopis 
gained  this  muche,  that  no  oppositioun  wes  maid  againes  thaine  at 
the  Parliament  hauldin  at  Edinburgh  in  the  moncth  of  July  thair- 
efter ;  quhair  also  they  had,  for  the  purpose,  twolnglish  Doctouris, 

1  Each  other.  -  Adv.  MSS.  "3d." 


1609.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  7*1 

that  teichit  all  the  tyme  thairof,  Doctour  Goodwyne  and  Doctour 
Milburne,  quho  dyit  soonc  thaircfter.  At  that  Parliament  thai 
rayd1  royallie  and  Prelat-lyk.  Thair  they  had  the  Judicatonr, 
Commissariot  Coittis2  of  Testamcntis,  and  all  casualties  of  the 
Bisschopperikis  of  auld  rcstorit  again  to  tham  in  integrum  and 
confirmit ;  and,  finallie,  thai  became  honorabill  and  ryeh  Prelatis, 
quhair  befoir  they  wer  but  Bisschopis  of  Baine  !3  All  this  accquirU 
unto  thame,  upoun  the  Kingis  great  chairgis  for  the  erecting  of 
thais  Bisschoprickis  and  Bischoppis  of  new  againe,  wes  estimat  by 
the  wysest,  quho  wer  aetoris  in  it,  to  cost  the  King  above  thirty 
thousand  pounds  sterling. 

At  that  Parliament  also  a  statute  wes  maid,  quhat  forme  of  habit 
all  sic  as  buir  any  office  within  burghtis  sould  haiff ;  [that  each 
should  have]  thair  awin  particular  habitis  ;  and,  in  lyk  manor,  all 
Officeris  of  the  land,  as  also  the  Ministeris  of  the  Church,  such  as 
the  King,  with  advyse  of  certain  Commissiouneris,  sould  appoynt 
and  sett  doune,  under  the  pain  of  horneing.  Item,  that  all  oppin 
speikeris  againes  his  Majestic  or  Parliaments  proceedingis,  or 
againes  Inglishemenis,  or  spreideris  of  cokalandis4  sould  be  pun- 
ischit  by  banischment  or  utherwayis  at  the  Kingis  will.  Item,  ane 
act  for  dissolving  the  customis  from  the  Crown  for  ten  thousand 
pounds  be  yeir,  to  be  peyit  to  the  Lordis  of  Scssioun  in  recompence 
of  the  Coittis5  of  Testamcntis  takin  from  thame  and  givin  to  the 
Bisschopis.  Item,  dissolvit  from  the  Kirk,  and  ercctit6  to  the  Lord 
Burlic,  forhisbussie  deilling  for  the  Bisschopis,  the  Abbacie  of  Kil- 
wynning.  Item,  ane  act  for  estabilisching  of  the  Justice  of  the 
Pcice  in  all  schyris,  [efter  the  forme  of  England  ;  and  the  King  to 
haiff  the  nominatioune  thairoff  yeirlic.7] 


'  Rode.  2  Quots.  3  Tliis  alliulos  to  tho custom  then  observed,  (and  Mill  kept 
up  in  sport,  in  many  places  of  England,)  at  Twelfth-night,  where  a  King,  Queen, 
Bishops,  &c,  were  chosen  for  regulating  the  festivities,  in  each  dwelling.  'I  he  chief 
personage  was  called  the  King  i  Bean  or  Bane;  and  our  Author  jocularly  classes 
the  heretofore  unbeneficed  Bishops  of  Scotland  with  the  naoch  Prelates  of  the  Twelfth- 
night  King's  Court.  *  Pasquils,  lampoons,  or  libellous  satires.       I'r.  Coo,  l\ 

l'ane.  5  Quots.  B  Adv.  MSS.  "given."  '  Omitted  in  Adv.  MSS. 


't'62  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L609. 

At  that  tyme  ane  of  the  Blither  of  the  Conferrence  wrot  to  a 
Brother  in  exile,  desyreing  his  censuris  of  thair  proceidingis  ;  unto 
whom  he  wrett  again,  as  followis : — 


[LETTER  FROM  MR  JAMES  MELVILL,  ONE  OF  THE  MINISTERS  IN  EXILE, 
AS  TO  THE  PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  CONFERENCE  AT  FALKLAND.1] 

"  I  haiff  ressavit  your  schort,  but  verie  significative,  Lettre  of 
your  sound  and  ardent  affectioun,  boith  towardis  the  caus  and  us 
quho  sufferis  for  it.  You  would  be  censurit  and  spurrit  ;  but 
quhat  I  sould  censure  I  sie  not  weill,  and  to  spurr  ane  runneing 
horse  wer  verie  cvill  discretioun  !  And  yit,  it  is  true  that  thair  is 
great  neid  of  boith  to  us  all :  But  quhat  sail  we  doe  ? — sieing  God, 
in  his  rychteous  judgment  for  our  former  negligence,  contempt,  and 
ingratitude,  lies  pluckit  away  from  us  all  hart  and  hand,  affectioun, 
reassoun,  and  zeall,  knawledge,  spirit,  courage,  and  actioun  ;  so  that 
auctoritie,  money,  craft,  and  bussines  of  this  world,  caries  all  sin- 
ceritie,  truth,  wisdome,  and  friedome  away  ;  or  rather  overquhelmis, 
oppressis,  and  beiris  doun  the  force  and  strenth  thairof  to  the  ground : 
Grcatter  craft,  subtilitie,  pohcie,  and  catasophistrie  wes  nevir  usit 
by  the  Egyptiannis  againes  Godis  people  !  I  saw  the  craft  of  thais 
trewis2  takin  befoir  the  last  Generall  Assemblie,  in  all  thair  pro- 
ceidingis, thais  almost  ane  dussen  of  yeiris  bypast ;  and  maid  such 
advertisement  and  wairneing  as  I  could,  boith  publictlie  and  privat- 
lie,  to  Generall  Assemblies  and  to  particularis ;  but  as  [tales]  casus 
Cassandra  canebat,  hand  unquam  creditura  Teucris^  I  saw  the  poli- 
cie  of  the  Conferrence  befoir  the  Parliament,  only  to  mak  the 
Brither  secure  and  remiss,  that  they  mycht  without  impediment 
Avon  sum  further  ground,  and  further  poynt  and  starkinciug4  of  thair 
cstait. 

"  I  can  not  yit  be  throuchlie  informit  quhat  wes  don  at  the  Par- 

1  This  Letter  was  written  by  our  Author,  as  appears  from  Cald.  Hist,  folio  edit. 
p.  013.  2  Adv.  MSS.  "truces."  3  This  quotation  is  taken  from  Virg. 

Eneid,  iii.  257i  and  ii.  24".  '  Strengthening,  establishing,  consolidating. 


L609.  MR  JAMES  MELVILl/S  DIARY.  783 

liament ;  but  it  is  said  and  givin  out  heir,  that  quhatevir  the  King 
would  haif  bein  at  is  heir  cffcctuat  to  him,  and  bettir  service  done. 
Would  to  God  that  thair  had  bein  at  leist  but  sumc  such  advertise- 
ment and  protcstatioun  givin  in  and  sent  abroad,  as  wes  givin  in  at 
the  Parliament  of  Pcrthe  !  And  iff  thai  would  ncidis  bring  in  ques- 
tioun  the  Cautiounes,  I  wische  that  all  done  in  thais  Assemblies ; 
and  so  the  voitting  in  Parliament,  that  foundatioun  of  that  rebuiidit 
Babyloun,  to  haiff  bein  shakin,  and  brought  in  doubt  also,  and  con- 
troversie  ;  but  wischeris  and  walderis l  are  but  cvile  houssc-hadcris  ! 
And  so,  I  feir  that  the  hcus  of  God,  quhairoff  the  Stcwardries 2  con- 
creditit3to  us  be  brokin  upe,  and  a  long  tyme  of  vaeatioun  or1  it  be 
gatherit  and  takin  up  againe  ;  and  dureing  that  idle5  time6  (as  in  the 
Collegis)  mair  godlines  and  guid  lairneing  forget  in  anc  oulk,7  nor 
wes  taught  and  lairnit  in  a  moneth  befoir  !  Gift'  ye  say,  '  Men  and 
brether,  quhat  sail  we  doe  ?  Would  to  God  we  had  the  spirit  of 
compunctioun  first  to  move  us,  in  a  earnest,  zealous  manor,  to  aske 
tham  !  I  think  that  sum  thing  mycht  yit  be  answerit ;  as,  First,  to 
cry  and  complein  to  Chryst,  filling  heavin  and  earth  with  lamenta- 
tiounes  for  the  captivitie  and  desolatioun  of  Sion,  and  for  hir  saik 
not  to  keipe  silence  untill  the  Lord  have  pitie  on  her.8  2.  To  pub- 
lishe  to  all  Christianis  our  greivances  and  complaintis,  how  our  Kirk 
is  opprest  by  auctoritie  of  men,  corruptit  with  money,  circumveinit 
with  craft  and  pollicie,  and  hauldin  in  thraldome  againes  Godis 
Word;  quhat  former  constitutiounes  and  long  customes;  and  againes 
thais  actis,  lawis,  statutis,  and  priveledgis,  that  the  King,  Estaitis 
in  Parliament,  and  haill  bodie  of  this  realme,  hes  grauntit  and  givin 
unto  hir.  3.  I  wauld  haiff  thais  I3alaams,  with  honnour  and  welth 
of  this  world,  blinder  then  asses,  that  for  the  waigis  of  unrychteous- 
nes  hes  pervertit  the  wayis  and  prophetis9of  the  Lord;  thais  Judascs, 
sonnes  of  perditioun,  quho  for  money  hes  bctravit  Chryst  and  his 
kino-dome;  thais  Esawis,  most  prophain,  quho  hes  sold  thair  birth- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  and  aedderia."                  -  Stewardships.                      ;  Entrusted. 

4  Before,  ere.             5  Adv.  MSS.  "jollie."  f'  In  playful  allusion  t<>  the  holidays 

at  Colleges.                r  Forgot  in  m  week.  B  fcdv.  MSS.  "mercj  on  earth.' 
9  lb.  "  proffers." 


784  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1  609. 

rycht,  in  Chrystis  inheritance,  for1  a  meis  of  pottage,  that  some 
tyme  did  mightily  reigne  in  our  Kirk.  And,  finallie,  thais  Shimeas,2 
imprissouneris  and  tormenteris  of  thair  Britherin,  efter  dew  admo- 
nitionn  to  be  paintit  out  in  thair  awin  cullouris  and  proceidingis. 
And  last,  allace !  iff  that  spirit  of  actioun,  zeal,  and  courrage  that 
sumetyme  did  mychtiely  rigne3  in  this  Kirk  wes  buildit  up  againe, 
that  mycht  mak  a  few  from  everie  Presbytrie  to  convein'  togidder 
in  the  name  of  Chryst,  censure  sickerlie4  thais  corrupteris  of  the 
Kirk  to  the  uttermost. 

"  But  quhat  talk  I  of  thais  matteris  ?  sieing  your  last  Conferrence 
hes  prcoccupyit  all  sic  dealling,  and  cut  schort  the  occasiounes  and 
meines  thairof,  by  approving  the  Kingis  proceidingis,  with  thankis- 
giving  to  God  thairfoir,  and  promiseing  peace,  with  brotherlie  love, 
contentment,  and  concord !  So,  all  thais  are  but  wishes  and  wordis, 
venting,5  lyk  new  wyne,  from  the  inward  wirking  of  a  passionat 
heart.  Res  non  est  Integra  ;  the  caus  is  prejudgit,6  a  free  Assemblie 
cannot  doe,  and  a  competent  number  of  men  will  never  be  gottin. 
Be  getting  this,  thais  and  many  uther  thingis  may  eisily  be  answerit, 
and  all  houpe  is  lost  and  gone  till  the  avenger  of  the  caus  aryse  and 
mak  his  Ministeris,  and  sanctiiie  and  steir  up  to  him  waponis  of 
wraith,  and  men  of  mycht,  at  this  tyme.  It  is  time  !  O  Lord,  aryse, 
it  is  tyme!  for  thai  haif  maid  thy  Word  and  law  irrite7  and  of 
none  effect !  The  earth  is  defylit  with  hir  inhabitantis,  becaus  thai 
transgresse  thy  lawis,  thai  alter  and  change  the  decrie,  they  mak  of 
no  availl  the  perpetuall  covenant !  We  wer  wont  to  heir  Psalmes 
throw  the  endis  of  the  earth,  becaus  the  just  wes  cumely  and  held 
in  honour ;  but  now,  1  say,  My  bellie,  my  bellie,  my  leinnes,  my 
leinnes  !  Lcane  am  I,  for  wois  is  me  for  the  perfidious  mensworne 
does  lyk  mensworne  ;8  and  with  most  filthie  pcrfidie  thai  doe  most 
perfidiouslie,  thais  fals  forsworne  men  ;9  they  led  Jacob  in  captivitie, 
and  Judah  in  servitude.  The  heavenly  scepter  of  thy  kingdome,  (the 

'   Adv.  MSS.  road  "  hot,"  i.  e.  without.  2  lb.  "  Semajohes."  3  Reign. 

1  Sincerely,  heartily,  severely.  5  Fermenting,  working  over-  R  Adv-  MSS- 

"betrayed."         '  Lat.  irritus,  void,  invalid.  8  Adv.  MSS.  "  mcasar,  (measure,) 

does  lyke  measor."  [sa.xxiv.  10. 

5 


l(W9.  MR  JAMES  MELVILLS  DIARY. 


785 


frie  preicheing  of  thy  Word,)  thai  hahT  wrestit  out  of  the  hand  of 
Chryst,  thy  annoyntit  King,  and  subjectit  it  to  the  will  and  plca- 
soure  of  man ;  the  hedge  and  wall  of  thy  wyne-yard,  thy  holy  dis- 
ciplin,  thai  haiff  underniyndit,  cuttit,  brokin  doun,  and  dimolishit : 
We  sie  no  signis  of  remeid,  neither  is  thair  any  prophet  among  us 
to  tell  how  longe  I  And  yit,  my  deir  bairnis,1  and  maist  faithful! 
suffereris  and  laboureris  in  the  middis  of  this  caus  of  Chryst,  let.  us 
not  be  discouragit,  but  heir  the  comfortabill  voyce  of  oui"  Chryst 
and  King  :  '  Let  not  your  heartis  be  trublit ;  ye  belive  in  God,  be- 
live  also  in  me.     In  my  Fatheris  hous  ar  many  dwellingis.     I  goe 
to  prepair  a  place  for  yow.'     '  Iff  ye  suffer  with  him,  ye  sail  rigne 
with  him.'     *  This  is  a  faithfull  saying,'  etc.     Let  us  be  at  leist  lyk 
Jeremy,  carriit  to  Egypt  againes  his  will.     Ezekeill,  Daniel,  Mis- 
chaell,  Assryia2  to  Babiloun.     Let  us  ever  haiff  thair  exampill  be- 
foir  our  eyis,  and  preas  to  imitat  and  practeis  thair  patience,  pietie, 
wisdome,  and  courage,  and  uther  vertuis ;  standing  uprychtlie  and 
constantlie  for  the  glorie  of  our  God,  and  confort  of  his  captivit 
Kirk,  till  the  tyme  it  pleas  him  to  steir  up  a  wise   Zerubbabell, 
Josua,  and  Ezra,  for  bringing  againe  the  captivitie  thairof,  and  purge- 
ing  and  repairing  the  Temple  and  Sanctuarie  ;  and  a  Nehemias  for 
restoiring  of  the  citie,  and  building  up  againe  and  repairing  the  de- 
cayit  wallis  of  his  Jeruselem ;  the  houpe  quhairof  is  meikle  ineressit 
and  steirit  upe  amongis  all  the  true,  lairnit,  and  godly  in  Europ,  by 
a  voyce  sounding  mychtilie,  as  it  Avere  from  the  deid,  againes  that 
sacrielegious  and  accursit  Hierarchie,  I  mein  Mr  Brychtmannis 
Commentaries  on  the  Apocalepse,  quhilk  hes  moir  cleirnes,  force  of 
demonstratioun  for  the  truthe,  and  in  solid  and  lairnit  storie,  than 
all  the  hellishe 3  Jesuitis  and  warldling  formalistis  againes  the  same  : 
the  reiding  quhairof  and  recommending  to  yow  I  rest,  requiring  a 
greatter  inventioun  of  spirit  in  mutuall  prayer." 

The  Bischopis  now  being  fortifieit  with  honour  and  riches,  and 


1  Adv.  MSS.  "  Brethorin."  2  In  allusion  to  Shadrach,  Mosharh,  and  Abcd- 

ne°o   whose  names  were  Hananiab,  Michael,  and  Azariah.     -1  Adv.  .MSS.  '•  foolish. " 

3  i. 


786  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1610. 

perciving  that  thair  wes  no  honour  nor  profite  for  thair  purpose  of 
preferment  in  governeing  above  thair  Brither,  in  solid  and  absolut 
reuling  of  the  Kirk,  to  be  purchasit  be  Conferrence,  thai  desertit 
and  slippit '  the  dyet  appoyntit  to  be  keipit  at  Stirling  in  August ; 
and  making  thairwithall  ane  proclamatioun  to  pas  furth,  discharge- 
ing  the  appoyntit  Generall  Assembly,  and  all  ordinar  keipeing 
thairoff,  for  this  reassoun;  becaus,  forsuith,  the  Fatheris  of  the 
Kirk,  the  reverentis  Prelatis  and  Bischopis,  and  the  inferiour  Mini- 
steris,  could  not  sorte  and  agrie  weill  together,  so  that  thair  meitt- 
ingis  sould  serve  for  none  effect,  but  contentious,  skandellous  to  the 
godlie,  and  delytfull  to  the  Papistis  and  utheris  enimies. 

The  tuo  Archbisshoppis,  that  ane  with  some  certain  of  the  rest 
with  him  ;  in  lyk  maner  the  uthir  went  up  to  Court,  quhair  they 
postit  away  for  performance  of  thair  purpose  ;  to  wit,  1.  To  mak 
thame  awfull  and  redoubtit  of  all,  thai  maid  the  Hight  Commis- 
sioun  Court,  maist  tirannically  useit  be  the  Bischopis  in  England, 
to  be  proclaimeit  and  sett  upe  in  Scotland,  quhairby  the  two  Arch- 
bischoppis,  with  any  four,  mycht  judge  and  punische  many  at  thair 
pleasoure,  as  be  the  tennour  thairof,  heirefter  insert  in  the  storie, 
sail  appcir.  Nixt,  That  they  mycht  haiff  sume  pretext  and  schaw 
of  the  Kirkis  approbatioun,  thai  sould  by  such  meines  as  they 
thought  meittest,  and  mak  and  prepair  for  that  purpose  seven  or 
eight  scoir  of  the  bassest  of  the  Ministerie,  calling  out  of  everie  Pres- 
bytrie  the  weakest  thairofF;  quho,  by  the  Kingis  speciall  Missive 
Lettres  sent  to  the  Presbytries,  that  thais  only  sould  be  directit  in 
commissioun,  and  to  thame  selffis,  that  thai  sould  not  faill  to  keip  a 
certain  day  and  place,  as  thai  wer  assurit,  boith  of  thankis  and  re- 
waird ;  and  so  a  Generall  Assemblie  to  be  dressit  for  ending  of  the 
matter. 

M.DC.X. 

Thus,  in  the  moneth  of  March,  the  Hight  Commissioun  wes  pro- 
claimed at  Edinbrucht  and  utheris  pairtis  as  followis  : 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  deferred  and  stopped  ' 


1610.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  7*7 


THE  TENNOUR  OF  THE  IIIGIIT  OOMMISSIOUN. 

"James,  be  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  Great  Brittane,  Franco, 

and  Ireland,  Defender  of  the  Faith  :  To  our  lovites, 

messengeris  in  that  pairt,  conjunctli  e  and  scverallie 

speciallie  constitut,  greiting.  Forsuameikle  as  complaint  being  maid 
to  us  in  the  behalfe  of  the  Ministerie  of  this  our  kingdome,  that  the 
frequent  advocatiounes  purchessit  be  sic  as  wes  ether  erronious  in 
Religion  or  scandelous  in  lyff,  not  only  discouragit  the  Ministerie 
from  censureing  of  utheris,  but  imboldnit  the  offendcris  to  continow 
in  thair  wickitnes,  useing  thair  advocatiounis  as  a  mein  to  delay 
and  dissappoynt  boith  tryell  and  punischement :  We,  for  eschcAving 
this  inconvenient,  and  that  the  number  of  trew  professoris  may  be 
knawin  to  incres,  and  the  Antichristian  tyrannic  and  enemie,  and 
his  growth  suppressit,  and  all  sort  of  vyce  and  slanderous  life  pun- 
ischit ;  and  that  neither  seine  iniquitie,  nor  delay  of  tryellis  and 
punischement  of  offendouris,  the  least,  be  this  subterfuge  of  dis- 
courageing  of  Ecclesiasticall  censuris,  to  proceid  on  thingis  sua  meit 
and  propper  for  thame,  haiff,  out  of  our  aAvin  duetie  to  God  and  love 
to  his  Kirk,  being  the  heid  nurishe-father  of  the  same  on  earth, 
within  our  dominiounes,  givin  power  and  commissioun  to  the  Reve- 
rent Father  in  God,  our  trest  and  weill-belovit  couseing  and  coun- 
sellour,  George  Arehbisschoppe  of  Saint  Androis,  Primat  and  Me- 
tropollitane  of  our  kingdome  ;  and  unto  our  rycht  trest  couseing  and 
counsellour,  Alexander  Erie  of  Dumfermelling,  Lord  Hicht  Chan- 
cellour  of  this  our  kingdome  ;  George  Erie  of  Dumbar,  Thesaurcr: 
George  Erie  of  Marschell,  Johne  Erie  of  Mar,  Johne  Erie  of  Mon- 
trose, Patrick  Erie  of  Kinghorne;  to  the  Rycht  Reverent  Fatherie 
in  God,  Alexander  Bischop  of  Duncaldein,  Patrick  Bischop  of  Aber- 
dein,  Alexander  Bischop  of  Murray,  Andro  Bischop  of  Brichin,  David 
Bischop  of  Ross,  George  Bischop  of  Dumblain,  Alexander  Bischop 
of  Caitnes,  and  James  Bischop  of  Orknay  ;   to  our  t  rustic  cousinc 

and  councellour ,  Lord  Lindsay,  Simone  Lord   Fraser 

ofLovat,  David  Lord  Scoone  ;  and  to  our  trustie  and  welbelorit 
counsellouris,  Mr  Johne  Prestounc  of  Pennieeuick,  President  of  our 


788  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1610. 

Colledge  of  Justice  ;  Sir  Richart  Cockbume  of  Clerkmgtoun, 
knicht,  Lord  Privie  Seale  ;  Sir  Alexander  Hay,  knycht,  our  Secre- 
tar ;  Sir  James  Hay  of  Kingask,  our  Controller ;  Sir  Thomas  ' 
Hammiltoun  of  Binnie,  knycht,  our  Advocat ;  and  to  our  lovitis,  Sir 
David  Carnegie  of  Kinnard,  knycht,  David  Dundas  of  that'  Ilk, 
Alexander  Irving  of  Drum,  William  Ramsay  of  Balmaine,  Mr  Johne 
Arthure,  Mr  Thomas  Hendersoun,  Mr  Adam 2  King,  and  Mr  James 
Ballandein,  Commissaris  of  Edinbruche  ;  Mr  Johne  Weenies,  Com- 
missar of  Saint  Androis ;  Mr  James  Martine,  Rector  of  the  Uni- 
versitie  of  Saint  Androis ;  Mr  Robert  Howie,  Principal  of  the  New 
College  thair;  Mr  David  Moniepennie,  Deane  of  Facultie,  Mr 
Patrick  Galloway,  Mr  Johne  Hall,  Pettir  Edwart, 3  Mr  Johne  Ni- 
colsone,  Mr  Robert  Wilkie,  Mr  Johne  Strachane,  Mr  Andro  Leith, 
Mr  Henrie  Philip,  Mr  Andro  Futhie,  and  Mr  Patrick  Lindsay, 
Ministeres  ;  or  to  ony  fyve  of  thame,  the  said  Archbisschop  being 
allwayis  one  of  them,  within  the  haill  boundis  of  the  Province  of 
Saint  Androis  :  And  to  the  Right  Reverent  Father  in  God,  and 
our  trusty  and  welbelovit  cousigne  and  counsellor,  Johne  Archbis- 
schop of  Glasgow,  Alexander  Erie  of  Dumfermeling,  George  Erie 
of  Dumbarr,  Johne  Erie  of  Cassilis,  James  Erie  of  Glencairne, 
Johne  Erie  of  Wigtone,  James  Erie  of  Abncorne  :  And  to  the  Re- 
verent Father  in  God,  Williame  Bisschop  of  Galloway,  Johne  Bis- 
schope  of  Argyl,  Andro  Bisschop  of  the  Isles ;  and  to  our  trustie 
cousing  and  counsellour,  Walter  Lord  of  Blantyre ;  and  to  our 
lovitis,  Mr  Johne  Arthur,  Mr  Thomas  Hendirsoun,  Mr  Adame 
King,  [and]  Mr  James  Ballandyne,  Commissaris  of  Edinbruche, 
David  Forsyth,  Commissar  of  Glasgow  ;  James  Halliday,  Commis- 
sar of  Drumfreis ;  Mr  John4  Hammiltoun,  Commissar  of  Hammil- 
toun ;  Mr  James  Hammiltoun,  Commissar  of  Lanricke ;  Sir  George 
Elphinstoun  of  Blythswood,s  knight;  Mr  Patricke  Scharpe,  Prin- 
cipall  of  the  Colledge  of  Glasgow ;  Mr  Williame  Birnie,  Minister  at 
Lanericke  ;  Mr  Johne  Hay,  Parsoun  of  Ranthrow;G  Mr  James 

'  Adv.  MSS.  "James."     Thomas,  afterwards  President  of  the  College  of  Justice, 
Earl  of  Melrose  and  Karl  of  Haddington.     2  Univ.  MS.  "David."  3  Adv.  MSS. 

"  Mr  Patrick  Stewart."  '  Univ.  MS.-"  James."  ■'■  //,.  "  Sir  .lames  Hamilton 

of  Eistwood."  6  Renfrew. 


1610.  MK  JAMES  melvill's  diaey.  789 

Hammiltoun,  Deane  of  Glasgow  ;  Mr  David  Scharpe  and  Patrick 
Walkingschaw,  Subdeanes  of  Glasgow  ;  Mr  Thomas  Ramsay,  Mi- 
nister at  Drumfreis,  Mr  Johne  Bell,  Minister  at  Glasgow,  and  Mr 
Walter  Stewart,  Minister ;  or  ony  fyve  of  thame,  the  said  Arch- 
bisschop  being  allwayis  one,  within  the  haill  boundis  of  the  Pro- 
vince of  Glasgow  :  To  call  befoir  thame,  at  all  sic  tymes  and  places 
as  they  sail  think  meit,  any  persoun  or  persounes  dwelling  and  re- 
maining within  thir  Provinces  respective  above  writtin,  Saint 
Androis  or  Glasgow,  or  within  any  of  the  diosies  of  the  samyn, 
being  offenderis  either  in  lyff  or  religioun,  quhom  they  hald  any 
wayis  to  be  scandalous ;  and  that  they  tak  tryell  of  the  same  ;  and 
iff  they  find  thame  guilty  or  impenitent,  refuissing  to  give  thair  ac- 
knowledgment of  thair  offence,  thai  sail  give  command  to  the 
Preicheris  of  that  paroche  quhair  thai  dwell,  to  proceid  with  sen- 
tence of  executioun  or  excommunicatioun  againes  thame  ;  quhilk  iff 
it  be  protractit  or  delayit,  and  thair  command  be  that  Minister  be 
not  presently  obeyit,  they  sail  than  convein  any  sic  Ministeris  be- 
foir thame,  and  proceid  in  censureing  of  thame  for  thair  dissobc- 
dience  ether  by  suspensioun,  or  deprivatioun,  or  wairding,  accord- 
ing as  thai  by  thair  discretioun,  [haulding  him  obstinat  and  refuis- 
sing of  thair  discretioun  to  haiff  deservit ;  and  farder,  to  fyne  at 
thair  discretiounis,  *]  imprissoun  or  waird  any  sic  persoun,  qulio 
being  convenit  befoir  thame,  thai  sail  find  upoun  tryell  to  haiff  de- 
servit any  such  punischement ;  and  a  warrand  under  the  hand  of 
any  of  the  fyve  above  nameit,  out  of  everie  Province  above  writtin, 
[the  said  Archbisschope  of  the  Province  being  one,  sail  serve  for  a 
sufficient  command  to  our  Capitanis  and  Constabillis  of  warrdia  and 
castellis,  and  to  all  keiperis  of  jaylis  and  prissounes,  ether  in  burght 
or  land,  within  any  Province  respective  above  writtin, 2]  for  ressaive- 
ino-  and  deteineing  of  sic  persounes  as  salbe  directit  to  be  keipit  be 
thame,  in  sic  forme  as  by  the  said  warrand  salbe  prescry  vit,  as  thai 
will  answer  upon  the  contrair  at  thair  pcrrell,  and  upoun  all 
hazardis ;  and  of  all  sic  fynis  as  salbe  imposit  upon  any  sic  offender. 

i  Omitted  in  Adv.  MSB.  '  Omitted  in  Adv.  MSS. 


790  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1610. 

the  ane  halff  to  appertain  to  yourselfrj  and  the  uthir  halff  to  be  im- 
ployit  upoun  sic  necessar  chairgis  as  our  said  Commissiouneris  salbe 
sortit  unto,  be  chairgeing  of  pairties  and  witnessis  to  compeir  bc- 
foir  thame,  and  the  superplus  to  be  bestowit  at  the  sight  of  the 
saidis  Commissiouneris  by  distributioun  among  the  poore  :  Com- 
manding our  Lords  of  our  Privie  Counsel,  upon  sight  of  any  certi- 
ficat  subscryvit  be  any  fyve  of  the  saidis  Commissiouneris  within 
everie  Province,  as  said  is,  the  said  Archbisschop  of  the  Province 
being  ane,  aither  of  any  fyne  imposit  be  thame  upon  any  pairtie 
compeirand  and  found  guiltie,  or  the  contumacie  or  refusall  of  any 
to  compeir  befoir  thame,  that  the  saidis  Lordis  of  our  Privie  Coun- 
sel direct  ane  summar  chairge  of  horning  on  ten  dayis  onlie,  and 
that  no  suspensioun  nor  relaxatioun  be  grantit,  without  first  ane 
testimoniall  under  the  hand  of  the  Archbisschop  of  the  Province, 
conteineing  the  obedience  and  satisfactioun  of  the  pairtie  chairgit, 
be  produceit ;  and  in  cais  of  dissobedience  and  further  rebelling  of 
the  pairtie  quho  salbe  chairgit  for  his  fyne  and  not  compeirance, 
the  saidis  Lordis  of  our  Counsel  are  than  to  prosecut  the  maist 
strait  order,  for  any  uther  caus  quhatever  useit  againes  rebellis  : 
With  power  to  our  saidis  Commissiouneris  to  proceid  heirin,  as  also 
to  tak  try  ell  of  all  sic  persounes  that  hes  maid  defectioun  or  are 
suspect  in  Religioun  ;  and,  as  thai  find  any  just  caus  againes  thame, 
to  proceid  in  maner  foirsaid  ;  and  alsoe  quhatsoevcr  thai  shall  lairne 
or  understand  of  any  Ministeris,  Preicheris,  or  Teicheris  of  Scoolls 
or  Colledgis,  or  Universities,  or  of  Exhorteris  or  Lectureris  being 
Readeris  within  thais  boundis,  quliois  speiches  in  publict  had  bein 
impertinent,  and  againes  the  present  Estabilischit  order  of  the  Kirk 
againes  any  of  the  conclusiounes  of  the  bypast  Generall  Assembjie, 
or  in  favour  of  any  of  thais  quho  are  banischit,  wairdit,  or  confyuit, 
for  thair  contemptuous  offences,  quhilk  being  no  matter  of  doctrin, 
and  so  meikle  idill  time  spent  without  instructioun  of  thair  audi- 
touris  in  thair  salvatioun,  audit  so  meikle  the  moire  to  be  seveirlic 
punischit ;  and  in  regard  that  thai  are  Ministeris  quho  of  all  utheris 
sould  spend  least  idill '  talk,  and  specialise  in  the  Chyre  of  Yeritic  : a 
I  Adv.  MSS.  "  their  jollie.'  -  The  pulpit. 


1610.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  7(.H 

and,  thairfoir,  efter  the  calling  of  thame  befoir  the  saidis  Commis- 
siouneris, they  are  to  be  tryit  and  questiounit  upoun  the  poyntis  of 
that  quhilk  is  laid  againes  thame,  and  punischit  according  to  the 
qualitie  of  thair  offence :  And  quhairas  complaint  salbe    maid  to 
thame  be  any  pairtie  that  salbe  conveinit  befoir  any  Ecclesiasticall 
Judicator  for  any  such  crymes  as  he  salbe  thair  suspectit  of,  or  that 
the  pairtie  dois  alledge  allwayis  the  matter  it  selff  to  be  improper 
to  that  Judicator,  or  the  proceidingis  to  haif  bein  informall,  or  that 
the  Judicator  it  selff  lies  bein  too  partiall ;  and  quhen  the  Commis- 
siouneris  sail  sie  any  just  caus,  thai  ar  then  to  taktryall  and  cogni- 
tioun  thairoff  tham  selffis,  We  dischairge  the  said  Judicatorie  of  all 
further  proceidings  :  Giving  power  also  to  our  said  Commissiouneris 
to  mak  chuse  of  Clerk,  and  making  of  utheris  Membcris  of  Court, 
and  to  direct  out  preceptis  in  the  name  of  the  Archbisschop,  and 
his  associatis  within  his  Province,  for  citatioun  of  any  pairties  befoir 
thame,  within  the  boundis  of  the  saidis  Provinces,  in  any  of  the  said 
caussis  above  mentiounit ;  quhilk  preceptis  aught  to  be  seillit  with 
a  speciall  seall,  conteining  the  armes  of  the  saidis  Bischoprickis  ; 
giving  power  also  to  chairge  witnesses  to  compeir  befoir  thame, 
under  the  paine  of  fourtie  poundis  Scottis  money ;  and  upon  the 
certificatioun  of  the  saidis  Commissiouneris,  that  any  of  the  saidis 
penalties  are  incurrit  be  thame,  the  said  Lordis  of  our  Counsel  arc 
to  direct  the  lyk  chairge  for  payment  of  the  samen  as  is  appoyntit 
for  payment  of  the  fynis  of  the  saidis  Commissiouneris  past  our 
Great  Seale,  containeing  diverse  heidis,  articles,  and  clausses  and 
conditiounes,   and  beiring  daitt  at  our  Court  at  Roustoune,  the 
20  day  of  January  last,  as  at  lenth  is  conteinit :  Quhairoff  aecessai 
it  is  that  publicatioune  be  maid  to  all  our  leiges,  that  none  pretend 
ignorance  heirof.     Our  Will  is  heirfor,  and  we  chairge  yow  strait- 
lie,  and  commandis,  that  incontinent  thir  our  Letteris  sein,  ye  pas 
to  the  heid  burghtis  within  the  Provincis  above  writtin,  and  thai) 
by  oppin  proclamatioune  that  ye  mak  publicatioune  of  the  premissis, 
that  none  pretend  ignorance  :  As  also,  that  ye,  in  our  name  and  auc- 
toritie,  command  and  chairge  all  our  leigifl  and  Bubjectifl  to  ivu- 
rence  and  obey  our  saidis  Commissiouneris  in  all  and  every  thin- 


792  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1(510. 

tending  to  the  executiounc  of  this  our  Commissioune ;  and  to  doe 
nothing  to  thair  hinder  or  prejudice,  as  thai,  and  ilk  ane  of  thame, 
wilbe  answerabill  to  us  and  our  Counsell,  upon  thair  obedience,  at 
thair  hiest  paine,  chairge,  and  perrell  :  The  quhilk  to  doe,  &c. 
Givin  under  our  Signett  at  Edinbruche,  the  15  of  Februar,  and  of 
our  reigne  the  47  yeai*,  1610. 

"  Per  Actum  Secreti  ConciliV 

The  Commissioune  and  the  executioune  thairofF,  as  it  exaltit  the 
Bisschopis  far  above  any  Prelatt  that  ever  wes  in  Scotland,  so  it 
put  the  King  in  possessioune  of  that  quhilk  a  long  tyme  he  had 
desyrit  and  huntit  for,  to  witt,  of  The  Koyall  Prerogative,  and  abso- 
lut  powar  to  use  thair  bodies  and  guidis  of  thair  subjectis  at  pleasure, 
without  forme  or  proces  of  the  commoun  law,  even  than  quhen  the 
bodie  of  the  realme  of  England  wes  in  thair  Parliament  compleine- 
ing  of  the  justice  and  injurie  thairofF,  and  seiking  redresse,  so  that 
our  Bisschopis  wes  fittit  in  instruments  of  overthraw  of  the  fridome 
and  libertie,  boith  of  the  Kirk  and  realme  of  Scotland,  as  it  wes 
then,  be  all  that  had  tongues  and  Avittis  takin  up  and  talkit. 

About  the  end  of  the  moneth  of  May,  the  Erie  of  Dumbar  come 
from  England  with  auctoritie,  and  thrie  Englisch  Doctoris,  viz. 
Hamptoune,  Myritoun,  and  Hudistoune,  Then  the  Presbytries 
ressavit  thair  Lettres,  accompaneit  with  the  Lettres  and  seallis  of 
the  Bisschopis,  to  witt,  Archiebisschopis,  craveing  and  commanding 
such  and  such,  be  name,  to  be  sent  to  Glasgow  with  unlimitit  Com- 
missiouneris  ;  and  thai  nominat  and  dressit  long  befoir  be  the  Bis- 
schopis, and  callit  be  the  particular  the  Kingis  Missives,  wer  in  reddi- 
nes  to  goe,  either  with  the  Commissioune  or  without  Commissioune  : 
So,  at  one  instant,  the  word  went ;  and  within  ten  dayes  wes  ap- 
poyntit  a  Generall  Assembly  to  be  hauldin  at  Glasgow ;  but  no 
man  so  much  as  dreamit  of  sic  effect  as  at  ane  stollin  dint,  in  ane 
day,  to  overthraw  ane  work  seventie  yeiris  in  building,  and  above 
24  yeiris  spacious  and  most  profitabill  standing.  That  Asscmblie 
did  conclud  and  determine  as  folio  wis  : 


1610.  Mil  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  793 

[iSfess.  Stia,  H0710  Juiirj,  past  meridiemJ] 

THE  GENERALL  ASSEMBLIE  HAULDIN  AT  GLASGOW  THE  8  OF  JUNE 
1610,  CONCLUDIT  THAIS  HEID1S  AND  ARTICLES,  CONCEltNEING 
THE  DISCIPLIN  OF  THE  KIRK,  TO  BE  OBSERVIT  IN  ALL  TYMls 
COMEING  . 

"  In  the  first,  It  is  declarit,  that  the  alledgit  Assemblie,  hauldin 
at  Aberdein,  is  null l  in  it  selff,  specially  in  respect  it  had  not  his 
Majestie's  warrand,2  and  wes  dischairgit  by  his  Majcstie's  Commis- 
siouneris ;  and  becaus  that  the  necessitie  of  the  Kirk  craves,  that 
for  order  taking  with  the  commoun  enimies,  and  uthir  effairis  of  the 
Kirk,  that  thair  salbe  yeirly  ane  Generall  Assembly,  the  Judica- 
torie3  quhairof  the  Assemblie  acknawledgis  to  appertein  to  his 
Majestie  be  the  Prerogative  of  his  Royall  Croune ;  and,  thairfor, 
the  Generall  Assembly  most  humbly  requistis  that  Generall  As- 
semblies may  be  hauldin  once  in  the  yeir  ;  or  at  leist,  in  respect  of 
the  necessitie  foirsaid,  that  his  Majestie  would  appoynt  a  certaine 
tyme  at  the  quhilk  the  same  salbe  hauldin  in  all  tymes  cumming 
preceisely. 

"  Item,  It  is  thought  expedient  that  the  Bisschoppis  salbe  Modera- 
toris  in  every  Diocesian  Synod,  and  that  the  Synod  sail  hald  tuysc 
in  the  yeir  of  the  Kirk  of  everie  Diosie,  to  witt,  in  Aprylle  and 
October  ;  and  quhair  the  Diosie  is  lairge,  that  thair  be  tuo  or  thric 
Synodis  in  convenient  places,  for  cis  of  the  Ministeris. 

11  Item,  That  no  sentence  of  Excommunicatiouiie,  or  Absolutioun 
thairof,  be  pronunceit  againes  or  in  favouris  of  onie  pcrsounc, 
without  the  knawledge  and  approbatioune  of  the  Bisschope  of  the 
Diosie,  quho  must  be  answerabill  to  his  Majestie  for  all  formal]  and 
impartiall  proceiding  thairin ;  and  the  proces  being  found  fonnall, 
the  sentence  to  be  pronunceit  at  the  dircctiounc  of  the  Bisschopis 
be  the  Minister  of  the  paroche  quhair  the  offender  dwcllis,  and  the 
proces  begunne  ;  and  in  cais  the  Bisschop  salbe  found  to  haiff  Btayif 
the   pronunceing  of  the  sentence  againes  any   persoune  that  lies 

1  AdV'  MSS.  "  wes  unjust.''  -'  /&.  "  allowance.''  Xb-  "injnnctione." 


794  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1610. 

merit1  the  same,  and  quhen  the  proces  lies  bein  lawfullie  deduceit, 
the  same  being  tryit  and  convictit  in  the  Generall  Assemblie  ; 
thaireftir  that  advertisement  salbe  maid  to  his  Majestie,  to  the  effect 
that  anc  nthcr  may  be  placeit  in  his  rowme. 

11  Item,  That  all  presentatiounes  heirefter  be  dircctit  to  the  Bis- 
schop,  and  upon  a  prescntatioune  givin,  or  uthenvay  is  sute 2  maid  be 
any  to  be  admittit  to  the  Ministcrie,  the  Minister  is  to  require  the 
Ministcrie  of  that  boundes  quhair  he  is  to  serve,  to  certiefie  be 
thair  certificat  to  him,  the  pairtie  suitter  his  conversatioune  past, 
abilitie  and  qualificatioune  for  the  functioune  ;  and  upon  the  returne 
of  thair  testificatioune  the  Bisschope  is  to  tak  further  tryell ;  and, 
finding  him  qualifieit,  and  being  assistit  be  sume  of  the  Ministeris 
of  thais  boundis  quhair  he  is  to  serve,  as  he  will  assume  to  himself, 
and,  as  he  wilbe  answerabill,  to  perfyt  the  haill  act  of  ordinatioun. 

"  Item,  In  the  depositioun  of  Ministeris,  the  Bisschop  assosiating 
to  himself  the  Ministerie  of  the  boundis  quhair  the  delinquent 
servit,  he  is  then  to  tak  tryell  of  his  flock ;  and,  upoun  just  caus 
found,  to  deprive  him. 

"  Item,  That  everie  Minister  at  his  admissioune  sail  sweir  obedi- 
ence to  his  Majestie  and  Ordinal",  according  to  the  forme  sett 
doun  in  the  Conferrence,  keipit  in  the  yeir  of  God  1571,  quhairof 
the  tennour  followis  : 

k  HIE  FORME  OF  AITIIE3  TO  BE  GIVIN  BE  THE  PERSOUNE  PRO- 
VYDIT  TO  ANE  BENEFICE,  WITH  CURE,  THE  TYME  OF  HIS 
ADMISSIOUN  BE  THE  ORDINAR. 

" '  I,  A.  B.,  being  now  nominat  and  admittit  to  the  Church  of 
D.,  intirely  testiefies  and  declaircs,  in  my  conscience,  that  the  rycht 
hight,  excellent,  and  myelitic  Prince,  James,  be  the  grace  of  God, 
King  of  Seottis,  is  the  only  lawfull  Supreme  Governour  of  this 
realinc,  alsewcill  in  thingis  tcmporall  as  in  conservatioune  and  pre- 
scrvationc  of  lleligioun,  and  purgatioune  thairof;  and  that  no  for- 
raigne  Prince,  Prelat,  or  Pope,  State,  or  Potentat,  haiff  or  aught  to 
'  Merited  -'  Suit.  :'  Oath. 


1610.  MB  JAMES  .MELVILL's  DIARY.  795 

haiff  any  superioritic,  jurisdictioun,  power,  preheminencie,  or  auc- 
toritie,  Ecclcsiasticall  or  Spirituall,  within  this  realme  :  And,  thair- 
foir,  I  renunce  utterly  and  forsake  all  forraigne  jurisdictioun,  poweris, 
superiorities,  and  auctorities,  and  promisses  that  I  will,  from  this 
[time]  forth,  endeavour,  and  will  beir  faithfull  and  true  obedience 
to  his  Hines,  and  his  aires,  and  lawfull  successouris  ;  and  to  my 
power  sail  assist  and  defend  all  jurisdictiouncs,  privilcdges,  and  pre- 
heminencies,  accessories,  or  unitteit  and  annexit  to  his  Royal  Croun  : 
And  further,  I  acknawledge  and  confesse  to  haif  and  hauld  the  said 
C,  and  all  possessiouncs  of  the  same,  under  God,  only  of  his  Ma- 
jestie  and  Croun  Eoyall  of  this  realme  ;  and  for  the  saidis  posses- 
siounes  I  doe  homage  prescntlie  to  his  Hienes,  in  your  presens,  and 
to  his  Majestie's  aires  and  lawfull  successouris  salbe  true  :  So  helpe 
me  God.' 

"  Item,  The  Visitatioune  of  the  Diosie  is  to  be  done  be  the  Bis- 
schop  be  him  self;  and,  if  the  boundis  salbe  greater  nor  he  can 
overtake,  he  is  then  to  make  speciall  choysc,  and  to  appoynt  sumc 
worthie  man  to  be  Visitor  in  his  place ;  and  quhatever  Minister, 
without  just  caus  and  lawfull  excuis,  salbe  absent  from  the  Visita- 
tioune of  the  Diosesian  Assemblie,  he  salbe  suspendit  from  his 
office  and  benefice,  and,  if  he  amend  not,  he  salbe  deprivit. 

"  Item,  Excerceis  of  Doctrin  is  to  be  continowit  oukcly '  among 
Ministeres  at  the  tymes  of  thair  awin  accustomeit  mcittingis,  and 
to  be  moderatit  by  the  Bisschop  iff1  he  be  present,  or  then  be  any 
uther  that  salbe  appoyntit2  at  the  tymes  of  the  Synod. 

"  Item,  The  Bisschop  salbe  subject,  in  all  thingis  concerneing 
thair  lyff,  conversatiounc,  office,  and  benefice,  to  the  censur  of  the 
Generall  Assemblie;  and,  being  found  culpabill,  be  his  Majestie's 
advyse  and  consent  to  be  depryvit. 

"  Item,  That  no  Bisschop  be  electit  bot  qoho  lies  pari  t  he  aige  of 
fourtie  yeiris  compleit,  and  quho  hes  bein  anc  actual]  teaching  Mi- 
nister be  the  space  of  ten  yeiris  at  the  lcist. 

"  Quhilk  haill  Articles,  being  diverse  tymes  red  in  the  bee  o\ 
the  haill  Assemblie,  raiting  efter  the  same,  wet  ratiefieii  and  ap- 

'  Weekly.  '  A<1\ .  MSS.  "  he  shall  appoynt.' 


796  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  L610. 

provit,  and  concludit  be  the  haill  Assemblie,  and  ordainit  to  be 
obscrvit  in  all  tymcs  cuming. 

[Sess.  4ta,  undecimo  Junijy  ante  meridiem} 

"  The  said  day,  the  Earle  of  Dumbar,  one  of  his  Majestie's  Com- 
missioners, being  presently  of  intention,  to  have  caused  instantly 
discharge  all  Presbyteriall  meetings  by  open  Proclamation  at  the 
market  crosse  of  Glasgow ;  and  that  because  he  had  received  a  spe- 
cial warrant  and  command  from  his  Majcstie  to  that  effect,  which 
he  on  no  wayes  would  nor  durst  disobey ;  the  whole  Assembly 
most  earnestly  interceed  with  his  Lordship,  that  it  might  please  his 
Lordship  to  continue  the  making  of  the  said  Proclamation,  and  dis- 
charge of  the  Presbyteries  contained  in  the  said  Letter,  for  a  cer- 
tain space ;  that,  in  the  mean  time,  his  Majestie  might  be  certiorat 
of  the  proceedings  of  this  present  Assembly,  which  they  doubted 
not  would  give  his  Majestie  full  satisfaction  in  that  part :  Unto  the 
which  request,  these  of  the  Nobilitie,  being  presently  conveened  by 
his  Majestie's  direction  in  the  said  Assembly,  did  concurre,  and  In- 
terpol) their  request  to  that  same  effect.  Whereunto  the  said  Earle 
of  Dumbar  having  acquiesced  upon  special  offer  made  by  the  Noble- 
men conveened,  that  they  would  interceed  at  his  Majestie's  hands, 
that  he  should  be  blameless  for  the  said  delay ;  for  the  which,  the 
Assembly  did  give  his  Lordship  most  heartie  thanks ;  and  there- 
fore ordained  a  Letter  to  be  directed,  in  name  of  the  whole  As- 
sembly, containing  a  most  humble  Supplication,  that  it  might  please 
his  Majestie  of  his  gracious  favour  to  accept  of  the  proceedings  of 
this  present  Assembly,  in  the  matter  of  the  Discipline  of  the  Kirk, 
whereunto  they  had  condescended  for  satisfaction  of  his  Majestie's 
good  will,  contained  in  his  Highness'  Letter ;  and  in  respect  thereof, 
that  it  might  stand  with  his  Majestie's  good  pleasure  and  will  to 
superseed  all  further  discharge  of  the  said  Presbyteries. 

11  Anent  the  Supplication  given  in  name  of  George  Marquess  of 
Hunt  lie,  &C,  bearing  in  effect,  that  after  long  conference  and  rea- 

1  Tliis  portion  of  the  proceedings  (from  this  page  to  p.  799)  has  been  supplied  from 
Cold.  Ilixt  folio  olii.   It  is  omitted  in  all  the  MSS.  of  the  Supplement  to  Mel vill's  Diary 


1610.  MB  JAMES  MELYILl/S  DIARY.  797 

soning  had  in  the  controverted  heeds  of  Religion,  betwixt  his  Lord- 
ship and  certain  of  the  Ministery  deputed  to  that  effect,  he  was 
fully  resolved  in  all  doubts  and  difficulties  that  might  arise  therein, 
or  trouble  him  in  any  sort;  in  token  whereof,  he  hath  subscribed 
the  whole  Heeds  and  Articles  of  the  Religion  presently  professed 
within  this  realmc ;  which  were  presented  with  the  said  Supplica- 
tion :  And,  therefore,  desiring  that  a  commission  may  be  directed 
from  this  present  Assembly,  giving  power  to  such  Commissioners 
as  they  should  appoint  to  absolve  him  from  the  sentence  of  Excom- 
munication, in  respect  of  his  satisfaction  foresaid  ;  as  at  more  length 
is  contained  in  the  said  Supplication.  Therefore,  the  Earle  of  Dum- 
bar,  his  Majestie's  Commissioner,  having  declared,  in  his  Majestie's 
name,  his  Highness'  minde  anent  the  absolution  of  the  Marquess 
of  Huntlie  from  the  sentence  of  Excommunication  ;  and  in  special, 
that  it  should  be  tried  if  his  Lordship  was  fully,  in  heart  and  con- 
science, resolved  and  satisfied  in  the  heeds  of  Religion,  as  he  had 
subscribed  the  same  with  his  hand,  to  the  intent  that  thereafter  he 
might  be  absolved  from  the  said  sentence  of  Excommunication. 

"  The  General  Assembly,  being  ripely  advised  with  the  said  Sup- 
plication, and  his  Majestie's  minde  declared  by  his  Highness'  Com- 
missioner thereanent,  Giveth,  granteth,  and  committcth  their  full 
Commission  to  the  persons  after  specified,  the  Archbishops  of  St 
Andrews  and  Glasgow,  the  Bishops  of  Orknay,  Galloway,  Brcchcn, 
Mr  John  Hall,  Mr  Patrick  Simpsonc,  Mr  William  Couper,  Mr 
Patrick  Sharpe,  and  Mr  Andrew  Leitch ;  with  power  to  them  to 
passe  with  his  Majestie's  Commissioners,  and  the  Earles  of  Mon- 
trose, Glencarne,  Cathness,  Linlithgow,  Kinghorne.  "Wigtown,  and 
Lothian,  to  the  Castle  of  Stirline,  where  the  said  Marquess  is  pre- 
sently confined,  and  there  to  try  the  said  Marquess  his  intention 
and  resolution,  in  the  Heeds  and  Articles  of  the  Religion  :  and  if 
he  be  fully  satisfied  thereanent  in  his  heart  and  conscience,  as  he 
hath  outwardly  professed  the  same,  subscribed  with  his  hand;  and 
in  case  they  finde  him  fully  resolved,  and  of  inward  intention  to 
give  full  satisfaction  in  all  the  points  and  heeds  of  Religion  con- 
troverted, and   to  avow,  and   constantly  to  confesse   and   professe, 


798  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1610. 

the  true  Religion  that  is  presently  professed  publickly  within  this 
realme,  in  that  case,  they  give  full  poAver  and  commission  to  the 
said  Brethren,  with  Mr  John  Hay,  Mr  John  Mitchel,  Mr  Robert 
Cornwal,  and  Mr  Patrick  Lindsey,  or  any  nine  of  them,  (the  Arch- 
bishops of  St  Andrews  and  Glasgow  being  alwayes  two,)  to  absolve 
him  from  the  processe  and  sentence  of  Excommunication. 

"  Item,  It  was  humbly  regrated  in  the  Assembly,  that  notwith- 
standing of  many  lovable  acts  and  constitutions,  as  well  Ecclesi- 
asticall  as  Civil,  alreadie  made  and  enacted  for  repressing  the  dis- 
order and  insolence  of  professed  and  excommunicat  Papists ;  yet 
neverthelesse  they  do  still  remain  in  their  former  obstinacie  and 
disobedience  ;  proceeding  doubtlesse  upon  the  impunitie  winch  they 
do  enjoy,  and  oversight  whereby  they  are  suffered  to  have  free  pas- 
sage and  accesse  in  all  parts  of  the  countrey,  as  if  they  wer  not  ex- 
communicat :  For  remedie  whereof,  it  is  ordained,  that  every  one 
of  the  Commissioners  present  give  in  roll  to  the  Clerk  of  the  As- 
sembly all  the  persons  that  are  excommunicat  within  their  bounds, 
that  the  same  being  presented  by  him  to  my  Lord  Commissioner, 
his  Lordship  may  cause  the  Secret  Councel  take  order  with  them, 
according  to  the  lawes  of  the  countrey. 

"  And  because  it  is  not  unknown  to  the  King's  Majestie,  what 
manifold  treasonable  practices  and  attempts  are,  from  time  to  time, 
devised  against  his  Majestie  and  his  Royal  Estate  by  the  Papists, 
and  professed  enemies  to  the  truth,  therefore,  the  Assembly  hath 
thought  good  that  a  Supplication  should  be  directed  to  his  Majes- 
tie in  name  of  the  whole  Assembly,  to  put  his  Majestie  in  remem- 
brance of  his  own  estate  and  danger,  whereunto  his  Majestie  is  sub- 
ject through  the  cruel  and  craftie  treason  daily  forged  and  contrived 
against  his  state  and  person,  by  the  Papists,  Jesuits,  and  Seminarie 
Priests,  enemies  to  God  and  the  true  Religion,  and  to  his  Majestie, 
because  his  Highness  is  a  special  maintainer  of  the  same  against 
their  false  and  erroneous  doctrines ;  that,  therefore,  it  would  please 
his  Majestie  to  have  such  regard  to  his  own  estate,  and  preservation 
of  his  most  sacred  person  from  their  bloudie  devices,  that  by  de- 
barring of  them  and  their  favourers  from  his  Majestie's  presence. 


1010.  MR  JAMES  MELVlLL'S  DIARY.  7i»U 

his  Majestie,  by  the  grace  and  protection  of  God  Almighty,  may 
be  preserved  in  safety,  to  the  advancement  of  the  glorie  of  God, 
establishing  of  the  true  peace  of  his  Kirk  within  his  Majestie's  do- 
minions, and  comfort  and  tranqnillitie  of  his  Highness'  subjects, 
whose  wealth  and  prosperitie  in  this  earth,  under  God,  they  ac- 
knowledge to  consist  in  his  Majestie's  preservation."] 

[*Stes.s.  5ta,  Junii  11,  post  meridicm.~\ 

"  Forsuameikle  as  in  this  present  Gencrall  Assembly  it  wes  all- 
redie  statut  and  ordainit,  that  the  Excerceis  salbe  moderatit  be  the 
Bisschop  in  the  meittingis  of  the  Ministeris,  if  they  be  present,  or 
then  by  any  uther  quhom  he  sail  appoynt  at  the  tyme  of  the  Synod ; 
and  becaus  the  nixt  Synod  is  not  to  be  hauldin  befoir  the  moneth 
of  October  nixtocum,  heirfoir,  it  is  ordainit  that,  in  absence  of  the 
Bisschop,  the  Constant  Moderatoris  sail  remaine  in  thair  place  quhill 
the  nixt  Synod  to  be  hauldine  in  October  nixtocume. 

"  Item,  Becaus  it  is  uncivil!  that  lawis  and  constitutiounes,  either 
Civill  or  Ecclesiasticall,  being  once  estabhschit  and  in  force,  by  opin 
and  publict  consent,  sould  be  controllit  or  callit  in  question  be  any 
persoune  ;  thairfoir,  it  is  statut  and  ordainit,  be  uniforme  consent 
of  this  haill  Assemblie,  that  none  of  the  Ministerie  that  ethir  in 
pulpit  in  his  preicheing,  or  in  his  publict  excercises,  speik  or  reas- 
soune  againes  the  present  act  of  this  Assemblie,  or  dissobey  the 
same,  under  the  paine  of  deprivatioune,  being  tryit  and  convictit 
thairoff;  and  speciallie,  that  the  questiounc  of  equalitie  and  in- 
equalitie  in  the  Kirk  be  not  tryit  in  pulpit,  under  the  same  paine  : 
and  that  everie  one  of  the  Commissiouncris  present  intimat  the  act 
in  the  first  meitting  at  the  first  excercise. 

"  Extractit  furth  out  of  the  Buikis  of  the  Gencrall  Assemblie  be 
me, 

(Sic  siiliscrihitur)  "Mr  Thomas  Nicolsoun, 

u  Commis8iotmer  of  Abirdt  ine,  ( 'l<  /•/, .  A'<  /)» /-, 
1 1 nd  Extractor  he&rqff? 

It  i<  not  to  be  omittit  that  Mr  Petir  Prymrose,  with  the  haill 


800  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1G10. 

Presbytrie  of  Air,1  perceiving  befoir  hand  the  (lint  and  terribil 
straik  intendit,  came  "with  premeditat  and  resolvit  purpose  to  pro- 
test againes  it,  and  began  in  publict  to  doe  the  same,  but  wes  inter- 
ruptit,  and  referrit  to  the  Privie  Conferrence,  quhair,  pairtlie  be 
minassing  auctoritie,  and  pairtlie  be  cunning  pollicie,  they  wer 
brockin  and  abateit. 

The  maner  of  thair  proceiding  in  that  Assemblie  ye  sail  under- 
stand by  this  letter  following  : 

[LETTER  AS  TO  THE  PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY  AT  GLASGOW, 

8  MAY  1610.] 

"  I  doubt  not  bot  yow  ar  sufficientlie  informit  of  the  proceidingis 
at  Glasgow;  but  for  my  duetie,  in  a  word,  all  that  thai  haif  bein 
contending  for  and  suffering  thais  maney  yeiris,  in  that  ane  act  is  un- 
done. The  meitting  wes  frequent  of  Nobillmen,  Knychtis,  and 
Counselleris,  wryttin  for,  and  dressit  for  the  purpose,  and  quho  all 
voitit,  albeit  it  stood  not  upoun  thair  voitis  ;  for  thair  wes  only  fy  ve 
contrary  voitis  in  the  haill  Assemblie.  It  began  with  fasting  on 
Tuysday,2  quhairupoun  thair  wes  thrie  sermonis.  The  Bisschop  of 
Glasgow,  in  the  morneing,  upon  'I  wald  haiff  curit  Babell,'  &c. 
His  principall  discours  wes  againes  sacrielegious  persounes,  slanting 
at  the  late  Patrounages.  In  end,  he  had  his  speiche  :  *  Yow  look/ 
sayis  he,  '  that  I  sould  speik  sumething  of  the  purpose  that  this  As- 
semblie is  conveinit  for :  I  will  say  no  moir  but  this,  that  Ileligioune 
must  not  be  intertaineit  after  the  manner  it  wes  brought  into  the 
land.  It  wes  brought  in  be  confusioim — it  must  be  intertaineit  be 
order :  It  wes  brought  in  the  land  againes  auctoritie — it  must  be 
intertaineit  by  auctoritie !' 

"  Bischop  Law  followit  at  ten  houris,  quhois  discours  wes  upon 
peace ;  and  thairefter  schew  that  the  peace  behovit  to  be  with 
veritie,  or  else  better  no  peace  ;  and  upon  that  came  to  the  ques- 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  whole  Ministers  of  the  Prosbytries  in  the  West." 

2  lb.  "  Thursday." 


1610.  Mil  JAMES  MELYILL'S  DIARY.  801 

tiouue,  Quhither  the  Governement  of  the  Kirk  aught  to  be  by  Mi- 
nisteris  of  equall  power,  or  by  ane  sett  over  the  rest,  yea  or  not  ? 
He  passit  over  jus  divmum,  and  tuik  him  to  prove  thair  lawfullnes 
out  of  antiquitie,  of  the  ane  above  the  rest ;  and  all  com  to  thrie, 
antiquitie,  universalitie,  and  perpetuitie,  (Papisticall  argumentis  !) 
easting  in  thairwithall,  to  mak  it  the  moir  plausibill,  surac  wrestit 
sentences  out  of  Calvine  and  Junius  :  And  so  concludit  the  verity 
of  the  questioune  for  Episcopall  Governement  with  a  solcmne  oath 
and  protestatioun  of  his  conscience  in  that  matter ;  little  remem- 
bring  quhat  he  had  preicheit  solemnelie  at  Synodis  concerneing  that 
matter,  and  quhat  they  had  sworne  and  subscryvit  befoir  the  Bis- 
choprick  movit  his  conscience  !  Eftirnoone  came  the  litle  Inglish 
Chaplaine,  Hudstone,  all  upoun  the  same  groundis,  in  his  cunnit ' 
and  cuttit  maner. 

"  The  principal!  Articles  concludit  were,  First,  The  Generall  As- 
semblie  of  Aberdeine  condemnit :  2.  The  haill  power  of  Visitatioune 
of  Kirks,  of  Excommunicatioune,  of  Admitting  and  Deposeing  of 
Ministeres,  to  be  in  the  handis  of  Bischopis  ;  everie  ane  within  thair 
awin  Diosie,  and  sua  maney  as  thai  pleis  to  joyne  thame,  tuyse  in 
the  yeir  :  Diocesiane  meittingis  to  be  tuyse  in  the  yeir  :  Generall 
Assemblies  to  be  none,  except  as  the  King  sail  think  meitt  to  ap- 
poynt.  Iff  the  Bisschop  doe  amiss  in  the  power  committit  to  him, 
it  salbe  lawfull  to  the  Ministeris  to  complein  againes  him  to  the 
Generall  Assemblie,  quhilk  sail  tak  order  with  him  according  to  the 
Kingis  advyce,  as  salbe  qualiefieit  againes  him  :  No  Minister  to  be 
admittit  befoir  he  haiff  sworne  his  allcdgeance  to  the  King,  and  his 
obedience  to  the  Bisschopis,  as  thair  Ordinar,  in  omnibus  Ileitis  et 
Cannonicis:  No  Minister,  either  privatlie  or  publictlie,  to  speik  any 
thing  againes  the  conclusiounes  of  this  Assemblie,  namely,  of  the 
equalitie  or  inequalitie  of  the  Ministeris,  under  the  painc  of  deposi- 
tioune. 

"Thair  wes  meikle  adoe  ancnt  the  dischairge  of  the  Presbytries, 
for  the  quhilk  the  Eric  of  Dumbar  alledgit  he  had  a  Commissioun 

1  Conned. 

3  i. 


802  THE  CONTINUATION  OF  1610: 

expressely,  sic  as  lie  behovit  to  put  in  executioune  to  dischairge 
thame  simpliciter ;  yit  it  resolvit  verie  craftilie  in.  this,  that  the 
number  assemblit  soultl  wrytt  thair  proceidingis  to  bis  Majestic,  and 
subscryve  the  samen  ;  and  then  mak  suitis  to  his  Majestie,  that  the 
Presbytries  may  be  permittit  to  stand ;  howbeit,  in  effect,  thai  wer 
also  weill  away  as  to  stand  as  cipheris  only,  and  no  moir  to  be  ac- 
knawledgit  be  the  name  of  Presbytries,  but  to  be  called  '  The 
Meitting  of  the  Britherin  upoun  the  Excercise  ; '  and  so  it  pleissis 
the  Bisschopis  to  style  thame  in  thair  wryttingis  and  meittingis. 

u  Thir  wer  the  principall  heidis  concludit.  All  passit  efter  the 
maner  of  the  Privie  Conferrence,  and  that,  as  the  Moderator,  Glas- 
gow, alledgit  in  the  oppin  Assemblie,  without  any  contradictioun, 
except  tuo  Brither  quhom  he  would  not  name ;  quhilk  wer  thought 
to  be  Mr  Johne  Hall  and  Mr  WiUiame  Cowper.  Thair  wes  lairge 
money  distributit  to  the  Ministeris  that  did  the  turne,  under  pre- 
tence of  bciring  thair  chairges  ;  not  without  sume  malecontentmcnt 
and  contentioun  in  pairting  thair  pelfe-deilling.  Thus  ye  sie  how  our 
matteris  gois,  and  quhat  neid  we  haiff  of  wisdome,  constancie,  and 
courage  ;  quhilk  Chryst,  quhois  cans  it  is,  must  work  in  the  heartis 
of  his  faithfull  servantis.     Amen." 

As  the  Nobilitic,  Bischopis,  and  Ministeris,  returnit  from  this 
Assemblie,  in  a  great  and  solemne  audience,  at  Stirling,  Mr  Patrick 
Simpsoune  lay  it  thair  perjurie  and  defectioun  so  clearlie  and  fairlie 
to  thair  conscience,  in  his  sermone,  that  the  Bisschopis  wist  not 
quhat  to  doe,  quhithcr  to  accuse  or  comport ; l  their  patience  pre* 
vailit.  In  lyk  maner,  comeing  to  Edinbruche,  Mr  Walter  Balcan- 
qucll  did  the  same ;  quho  wes  thairfor  callit  befoir  the  Counsel], 
quhair,  coram?  he  convictit  Bissohop  Law  of  apostacie  and  perjurie, 
so  that  he  had  not  to  answer  ;  and  yet  escaipit  with  simple  admoni- 
tioun.  Mr  Patrick  (J  alio  way  glanceit  verie  neir  the  matter,  in  his 
first  sermone  maid  thaireftcr  at  Edinbruche,  but  ever  thairwith,  ac- 
cording to  his  fashioun,  flattering  the  King.     Also  a  merchant  in 

1  Atlv.  MSS.  ••  to  excuse  or  conceal  thai  to  doe."  -  In  presence  "f  tlie  whole 

Council. 


1630.  MR  JAMES  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  803 

Edinbruchc,  nameit  Mr  Williame  Kempe,  being,  for  his  privie 
speiehes  againcs  the  proceidingis  of  that  Assemblie,  avcs  callit  before 
the  Counsel!-  did  thair  speik  verie  plainclie,  saying,  "  Of  a  truth, 
thai  of  that  Assemblie  wer  unhonnest  and  pcrjurit :  Unhonnest,  for 
that  sending  Commissiouneris  from  thair  Presbytrie  to  keip  the 
Generall  Assemblie  at  Aberdeine,  they  had  first  sufferit  thais  Com- 
missiouneris to  be  maist  shamefully  usit  and  punischit ;  and  now- 
had  condemnit  that  Assemblie,  and  thair  Britherin's  proceidingis 
thairin,  they  never  being  tryit  nor  heard  befoir  any  Assemblie  or 
Judicatoric  of  the  Kirk  :  Perjurit,  for  that  quhilk  thai  had  sworne 
and  subseryvit  unto  solemnelie,  and  maid  even  all  thair  flockis 
solemnelie  to  subscryvc,  and  sweir  that  quhilk  they  had  preicliit 
and  professit  be  thame,  and  practisit  twentie  yeiris  bygaine  ;  haiff 
now,  sitting  downe  in  one  day  of  this  Assemblie  at  Glasgow,  over- 
turnit  and  condemnit  with  so  feirfull  a  sclander  and  stumbling-block 
to  all  the  people,  that  they  haiff  not  the  warrant  of  thair  faith, 
utherwayis  then  by  thair  preiching,  ar  casten  downe,  or  in  dout 
quhat  to  think  of  all  faith1  and  religioun,  preichit  and  professit  be 
thame,  since  thair  entrie  in  the  Ministerie !"  The  Counsell  would 
haiff  givin  out  a  rigourous  sentence  againes  him,  but  Glasgow  in- 
terceidit  for  him,  and  said  that  would  do  no  guid,  but  rather  hurt 
nor  forder2  the  Kingis  caus  and  purpose;  for  severitie,  in  that 
matter  so  fresche,  wald  concitat  and  stirr  up  more,  and  mak  thame 
too  much  adoe  :  And  so,  efter  a  few  dayis  imprissouncmcnt,  he  wcs 
admonischit  and  lett  goe.  And  thairon,  immcdiatly,  a  terribill  pro- 
cLunatioune  wes  maid,  that  none  sould  speik  againcs  the  proceid- 
ingis of  that  Assemblie. 

Soonc  thaircfter,  Glasgow  and  Brcchine  tuik  journay  to  Court, 
to  report  and  get  thankis,  and  Galloway  followit  efter  ;  quho  all 
thrie  wer  keipit  to  the  moncthc  of  November,  at  quhat  tymc 
the  Inglish  Parliament  satt  doun  at  Westminster;  and  thane,  be  a 
speciall  Commissioune  from  the  King  to  the  Bisschop  of  Loudoun 
for  that  effect,  the  Archbisschop  of  Glasgow  and  the  uther  too  wit 
solemnelie  inaugurat   and  consccrat  with   annonyting  of  oyle  and 

1  Adv.  MSS.  "  pietie."  -  Than  farther. 


804  THE  CONTINUATION'  OP  MELVILL'S  DIARY.  1G10. 

uther  ceremonies,  just  according  to  the  Inglisli  fascliioun  and  Pon- 
tificall  Papistis.  Quho,  thairefter,  returneing  to  Scotland  in  the 
moncth  of  December,  they  did  to  the  Archbisschop  of  Saint  An- 
drois,  at  Saint  Androis,  as  thai  wer  done  at  Lambeth,  all  as  neir  as 
thai  could  possibillie  imitat.1 

And  now,  in  conclusioune  of  this  Historie,  it  is  remarkabill  how 
soone  thairefter  the  great  Judge  of  this  world  callit  the  two  cheiff 
instrumentis  of  the  overthrow  of  Discipline  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland 
to  thair  accompt  and  judgment ;  for  Richard  Bancroft,  Archbis- 
schop of  Canterberrie,  quho,  att  the  funerall  sermoun  maid  by  Ab- 
botis,  Bisschop  of  Londoun,  had  the  commendatioune  of  the  over- 
throwing  of  the  Presbytries  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  wes  himselff 
feirfullie  overthrowin  by  feirfull  and  terribill  tormentis  and  desperat 
death  at  Lambeth,  in  that  same  moneth  of  November,  at  the  verie 
tyme  of  the  Scottis  Bisschopis  inauguratioun  :  And  in  the  moneth  of 
February  thaircftir  immediatlie  following,2  the  Erie  of  Dumbar  wes 
by  death  pluckit  from  the  height  of  his  honour  and  credit  at  Court, 
evin  quhen  he  wes  most  cairfull  to  haiff  had  a  great  building  com- 
pleitt  at  Berwick ;  for  he  had  promiseit  to  eclebrat  Saint  George 
day  thair,  and  quhen  he  wes  about  solemnizeing  his  daughter's 
marriage  most  magnificlic  with  the  Lord  Walden,  eldest  sonne 
to  the  Erie  of  Suffolk,  Lord  llight  Chambcrlane,  with  all  thair 
spectaclis,  honnouris,  and  merriementis,  that  the  favour  off  the  King, 
Court,  and  Nobillis  could  affoord,  he  wes  faine  to  tak  him  to  his 
deathis-bed,  and  forcit  to  give  up  the  ghost.  And  thus  was 
Jericho  b'uildit  u^  againe,  in  Scotland,  as  also  the  curs  executt 
upoun  the  builderis. 

'  The  rest  of  the  Scotish  Bishops  wore  afterwards  formally  re-inaugurated  and 
consecrated  at  St  Andrews,  as  appears  from  the  following  passage: — "  And  there- 
after the  two  Archhischops  consccrat  them  Bischops,  ay  as  they  wer  nominat  he  the 
King, and  agried  unto  be  the  rest;  first  quietlie,  but  afterward  verie  Bolemnlie,  as 
their  state  grew  and  wer  favoured  by  their  Prince." — How's  Historic,  Maitland  Club's 
Edit.  i.  98. 

7  Ho  died  at  Whitehall,  30th  Jan.  1611. — Calderwood's  Hist,  folio  edit   p.  till. 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 


Abbots,  106,  231. 

Dr,  Dean  of  Winchester,  748 ;  af- 
terwards Bishop  of  London,  preaches 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury's  (Ban- 
croft's) Funeral  Sermon,  804. 

Abercorn,  Earl  of,  one  of  the  High  Com- 
mission, 788. 

Abercrombie,  parish  of,  3  ;  Mr  Alexan- 
der Forsyth,  minister,  5. 

Gills,  38. 

Thomas,  burgess  of  Montrose,  38. 

Aberdeen,  K.  James  VI.  and  army  there 

when  Huntly  was  defeated,  318,  319; 
General  Assembly,  1G04,  held  there, 
560;  proceedings  of  the  Assembly, 
561 -.565;  Synod  of,  570;  Narration 
of  General  Assembly's  proceedings, 
July  1605,  570-582. 

Bishop  of,  David  Cuningham,  5G, 

57,  75  ;  his  miserable  end,  ib.,  58 ; 
Patrick  Blackburn,  489,  561,  724, 
755 ;  one  of  the  High  Commission, 
787. 

Abolition,  Act  of,  312. 

Absolution,  or  absolving  from  sentence  of 
excommunication,  793. 

Abstinence  and  humiliation,  182. 

Abuses  in  the  Kirk,  106,  186-193,  225. 

Achmoutie,  David,  ceeononier  of  St  An- 
drews College,  162. 

AdamsOB,  John,  burgess  of  Edinburgh, 
267,  268. 

(Constant  or  Constantino)  Patrick, 

Archbishop  of  St  Andrews,  3  ;  returns 
to  Scotland  when  a  preacher,  31  ;  his 
satirical  definition  of  "  Bishop,"  32 ; 
publishes  Calvin's  Catechism  in  heroic 
verse,  ib.  ;  minister  of  Paisley,  53  ; 
made  Archbishop  of  St  Andrews,  57  i 


his  dissimulation  with  the  Kirk,  59 ; 
publicly  called  a  "  knave"  by  Mr  An- 
drew Hay,  62,  63  ;  attends  Mr  Andrew 
Mel vill's  lectures,  85,  120;  approves  of 
the  Book  of  Policy,  121  ;  a  great  enemy 
to  the  Kirk,  127;  accused  of  consulting 
witches,  ib.,  137;  his  crafty  behaviour, 
128;  goes  to  London,  and  practises 
against  the  Kirk,  141  ;  writes  to  Ge- 
neva and  Tiguria,  ib. ;  gives  out  articles 
of  discipline  for  the  Kirk,  148  ;  returns 
to  Scotland,  166  ;  Bull  granted  to  him 
by  the  King  as  head  of  the  Kirk,  187, 
194,  235,  241  ;  is  excommunicated, 
247 ;  excommunicates  Andrew  and 
James  Melvill,  ib.  ;  his  appellation  to 
the  King,  ib.  ;  his  great  alarm,  ib., 
248  ;  popularly  supposed  to  have  con- 
sulted witches,  ib.  ;  composes  a  work 
entitled  Psi/l/us,  which  lie  dedicates  to 
the  King,  282  ,-  his  poverty,  285 ;  be- 
seeches the  Kirk  to  relax  his  excommu- 
nication, which  is  done,  290  ;  his  re- 
cantation, ib.  ;  Iris  death,  293. 

Admission  to  benefices,  106,  151,  194, 
409. 

Admonition,  private,  898  ;  from  the  mini- 
sters of  Edinburgh  to  the  King,  518- 
522. 

Advice  of  Commissioners  of  Provincial 
Synods  as  to  Union  with  England, 
557. 

Estimators  of  "  valor"  of  hinds,  338. 

Agnus  Detand  Popish reliques,  &c,  617. 

Aischrologie,  .">.'*<). 

Alie  (Elie)  in  Fife,  253. 

Almshouses,  191. 

Alnwick,  172,  887 

Altarages,  118,  180, 


808 


INDEX. 


Altar  Verse?,  Mr  Andrew  Melvill's,  682, 
G83. 

Ambitus,  Crimen,  348,  541. 

Anderson,  Richard,  23. 

. Mr  Thomas,  minister  at  Montrose, 

22,  38. 

Andrere,  Jacobus,  739. 

Andrews,  Dr,  Bishop  of  Exeter,  663. 

Anglical  Bishopries,  441,  471. 

Angus,  Archibald,  "  The  Guid"  Earl  of, 
put  in  ward  benorth  Tay,  116;  rises 
in  arms,  and  occuj>ies  Stirling,  165; 
flees  to  England,  166,  170;  in  New- 
castle, 171,  173;  his  character,  185; 
returns  to  Scotland,  223,  225,  267. 

William,  Earl  of,  sends  secret  dis- 
patches to  Spain,  for  which  he  is  im- 
prisoned, 306  ;  escapes,  307  ;  is  ex- 
communicated, 310,  755. 

and    Mernes,    Superintendent    of, 

14,  18. 

Synod  of,   accepts  of  a   Constant 

Moderator,  715. 

Animadversions  of  Offences  conceived  on 
Acts  of  Parliament  made  in  1584, 
229-238;  the  King's  Declaration  as 
to  these  Acts,  239-243 ;  the  Commis- 
sioners for  the  Kirk's  Supplication,  ib. 
244. 

Annexation,  Act  of,  260. 

Annexations,  332,  333. 

Annuals,  112,  190. 

Anstruther,  Captain  Robert,  uncle  to  the 
Laird  of,  recants  Popery,  81  ;  dies, 
leaving  2000  merks  to  the  parish  of 
Kilrenny,  ib. 

Burn,  331. 

John,  (reader  at  Kilrenny,)  9. 

Laird  of,  6,  8,  9,  264. 

parish  of,    3,  4,    11,    141  ;  vessel 

captured  by  English  pirate,  257  ;  ta- 
ken, 258  ;  pirates  hanged,  259,  276. 

Easter,  5,  8. 

Wester,  5,  260. 

Antedates  and  long  tacks,  339. 
Apocalypse,   King  James  VI.  writes  on, 

260  ;  profane  remark  of  James  VI. 
661 ;  Mr  Brightman's  Commentaries, 
785. 

Apology  for  the  ministers  of  Edinburgh, 
J  596,  leaving  their  flocks,  374-386  ; 
to  the  King,  518-522  ;  for  the  pri- 
soners in  Blackness,  593,  ct  scq. 

Apparel,  gorgeous,  350;  laws  relative 
to,  781. 


Appeal  to  Superior  Judicatories,  400. 

Aratus'  Astrology  taught  at  St  An- 
drews, 49. 

Arbroath,  Lord  of,  flees  to  England,  58  ; 
marries  the  Countess  of  Cassils,  ib. 

Arbrothe,  302. 

Arbuthnot,  Alexander,  (Principal  of  the 
University  of  Aberdeen,)  reforms  that 
college,  53,  55,  78,  121,  125;  his 
death,  139  ;  his  epitaph,  140. 

Archdeacons,  106. 

Archery  practised  and  encouraged,  17. 

Archesoune,  James,  707. 

Ardianus,  439. 

Argvle,  Bishop  of,  Andrew  Boyd,  one  of 
the  High  Commission,  788. 

. Earl   of,  70 ;  defeats   the   Earl  of 

Huntly  at  Glenrinnes,  318,  664. 

Aristotle's  Philosophy  taught,  25,  30, 
39,  49  ;  "  absurdum  est  dicere  errasse 
Aristotelem,"  67  ;  the  Regents  of  Phi- 
losophy at  St  Andrews  quarrel  with 
Mr  Andrew  Melvill  for  confuting  Aris- 
totle, 123. 

Arithmetic,  by  Ramus,  taught,  49,  54. 

Armada,  "The  Invincible"  Spanish,  260; 
wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Scotland,  &c, 
261  ;  Jan  Gomes  de  Medina,  the  Spa- 
nish Admiral,  arrives  in  a  miserable 
state  at  Anstruther,  262  ;  his  confer- 
ence with  Mr  James  Melvill,  ib.,  263, 
361. 

Arnot,  John,  commissary- clerk  of  St  An- 
drews, 1 27- 

Arran,  Countess  of,  222. 

Earl  of.      See  Stewart,  James. 

Arrol.      See  Errol. 

Arthour,  Jaques,  slain  in  a  tumult  at  St 
Andrews,  273. 

Mr  John,  275  ;  one  of  the  High 

Commission,  788. 

Articles  of  Perth,  1596,  and  Answers, 
406-409  ;  proponed  to  the  Synods  by 
the  King,  627  ;  to  be  answered  by  Mr 
Andrew  Melvill,  &c.  667,  668 ;  at 
Falkland,  778. 

Ashley,  Sir  Anthony,  689,  691,  692. 

Assembly,  the  General,  held  at  St  An- 
drews, 31  ;  in  August  1574,47  ;  meets 
at  Edinburgh,  52  ;  passes  resolutions 
against  the  bishops,  53  ;  again,  55,  56, 
59 ;  convenes  at  Edinburgh,  abolishes 
the  name  of  Bishop,  and  approves  .of 
the  Policy,  61  ;  at  Stirling,  63 ;  again, 
77  ;  manner  of  proceeding  therein,  79  ; 


INDEX. 


809 


hold  at  Dundee,  abolishes  Bishops,  80  ; 
convenes  at  Glasgow,  and  ratifies  the 
Book  of  Policy,   86;    at    Edinburgh, 

118;  at  St  Andrews  and  Edinburgh, 
128  ;  gives  forth  the"  Greiffes  of  the 
Kirk,*'  129;  at  Edinburgh,-  135;  again, 
after  the  Raid  of  Ruthven,  186;  power 
of  Assemblies,  150  ;  convenes  at  Edin- 
burgh, and  renews  the  Covenant,  353  ; 
held  at  Perth,  where  the  King's  Ar- 
ticles are  discussed  and  answered, 
40(5 ;  difference  between  the  Kirk's 
General  Assembly  and  the  King's, 
412  ;  meets  at  Dundee,  414  ;  its  pro- 
ceedings, 415  ;  again  at  Dundee,  439  ; 
prorogated,  443  ;  meets  at  Montrose, 


4G8;  its  proceedings  there,  469;   at 

Burntisland,  490. 
Assemblies,    nature    and    kinds    of,    97; 

who  may  vote  in  General,  390. 
Astrology  taught,  49. 
Astronomy  taught  at  St  Andrews,  28. 
Atlialia,  Mary  Queen  of  Scot  a  thus  named 

by  Andrew  Melvill,  &c.  161,  191. 
Athanasiua,  376. 
Atheists,  348. 

Athercape-wobbcs,  what,  188. 
Atholl,  Earl  of,  76. 

earthquake  felt  at,  420. 

Auehmoutie,  Mr  David,  245. 
August  inns,  Consul,  570. 
Azill,  what,  196. 


'  B. 


Bachelor  Art,  the  laureation  at  Univer- 
sities celebrated  by  banqueting,  plays, 
&c.  28. 

Baine,  Bishop  of,  what,  781. 

Baleanquall,  Mr  Walter,  minister  at 
Edinburgh,  52, 79,  1 19,  145;  protests, 
in  the  name  of  the  Kirk,  against  the 
acts  of  Parliament,  167;  withdraws 
to  England,  170,  218,  221  ;  returns  to 
Scotland,  223,  301;  again  flees  to 
England,  374,  385,  517,  553,  624, 
S02. 

Baldowy,  the  family  property  of  the  Mel- 
vills,  14,  23,  38,  45,  48,50. 

Balduinus,  Professor  of  Law,  39. 

Bah  lire.      See  Bonfire. 

Balfour,  Mr  James,  18,  19;  minister  of 
Edinburgh,  48  ;  minister  at  Guthrie, 
marries  Barbara  Melvill,  the  author's 
youngest  sister,  53,  78,  218,  221,  301, 
374,  385,  517;  is  invited  to  Parlia- 
ment, July  1606,  at  Perth,  637  ;  goes 
to  London,  644  ;  interview  with  King 
at  Hampton  Court,  653,  659  ;  to  be 
with  Bishop  of  Norwich,  678;  Bishop 
of  Orkney  sent  to  him,  688  ;  Bigns  sup- 
plication to  Council  of  England,  697  ; 
charged  to  ward  at  Cockburnspath, 
709. 

Laird  of,  259. 

. of  Montwhanie,  Michael,  304. 

William,     "  the    Mansemoungar," 

:'23. 

Ballads,  by  Sempill  the  poet,  22. 

Ballandein,    Mr   James,  Commissary  of 


Edinburgh,  one  of  the  High  Commis- 
sion, 788. 

Ballanden,  (Bannatyne,*)  Richard,  secre- 
tary to  John  Knox,  33. 

Ballantyne,  (Rannatyne,)  Mr  Adam,  7''<l; 
one  of  the  Conference  at  Falkland, 
770. 

Balmanno,  Laird  of,  701. 

Balmerino,  Lord.      See  Elphingstounc. 

Balmfurde,  Mr,  shows  kindness  to  the 
Scottish  ministers  in  London,  710. 

Balvaird,  Laird  of,  701. 

Bancroft,  Richard.     See  Canterbury, 

Band,  the  General,  300,  304. 

Banning  and  swearing,  fines  for,  183, 
349/ 

Barlo,  Dr,  Bishop  of  Rochester,  653, 
678,  679,  739. 

Bartas,  Guiliaum  Salust,  Seignior  du,  ar- 
rives in  Scotland,  253  ;  visits,  with  the 
King,  the  University  of  St  Andrews, 
ib. ;  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  lectures  <.' 
tempore,  ib. ;  the  Archbishop  follows, 
254  ;  then  the  King,  ib. ;  his  opinion, 
257.' 

Bartholomeus,  569. 

Bartholomew's  Eve,  Massacre  of,  44,  75, 
160. 

Banlicon  Doron,  written  by  King  James 
VI..  444. 

Basilius's  Epistle,  47- 

Bath  and  Wells,  Bishop  of,  (Dr  Monta- 
gue, )  75"!. 

Batons  for  fencing,  (broadsword  and  cud- 
gelling?; 17. 


MO 


INDEX. 


Battles,  fields,  fights,  &c.  Carberry,  17; 

"  Bourde"'  of  Brechin,  27  ;  Crabstane, 
28  ;  Pinkie,  38 ;  Corrichie,  743, 
&c. 

Beatie,  John,  Reader  at  Montrose,  22. 

Beaton,  Archibald,  Commissary  of  Glas- 
gow, 64. 

Beddels,  113. 

Beggars,  vagabond,  361. 

Belgians,  &c.  students  at  St  Andrews, 
42,  43,  47,  418. 

Bell,  Mr  John,  one  of  the  ministers  of 
■Glasgow,  one  of  the  High  Commis- 
sion, 789. 

Bellarmine,  Cardinal,  766,  767. 

Benefices,  151  ;  disposition  of,  332  ;  dis- 
solution of,  337  ;  dilapidation  of,  350. 

Bent-grass,  strewed  on  floors,  in  place  of 
carpets,  21. 

Berwick,  44,  218. 

■  Mr    Andrew    Melvill     escapes   to 

town  of,  144  ;  Mr  James  Melvill  also 
escapes  thither  in  an  open  boat,  169, 
170. 

Beza,  Theodore,  of  Geneva,  41 ;  procures 
Andrew  Melvill  the  professorship  of 
Latin  in  the  College  at  Geneva,  ib.  ; 
his  commendation  of  Melvill  to  Kirk  of 
Scotland,  42;  writes  to  Melvill,  51  ; 
Lord  Chancellor  Glammis  writes  to  Be- 
za, 55  ;  his  confession,  ib.  ;  sends  his 
Treatise  De  Triplici  Episcopate  to 
Scotland,  ib.  ;  writes  letter  of  thanks 
for  contribution  made  in  Scotland  for 
Geneva,  265;  letter  to  Knox,  481, 
739. 

Biggar,  Mr  Thomas,  minister  at  King- 
horn,  302,  303. 

Bigom,  Dr,  Bishop  of  Norwich,  678. 

Bilsoun,  Dr,  Bishop  of  Winchester,  678; 
his  Treatise  on  Perpetual  Government, 
753. 

Biotick,  what,  331. 

Birnie,  Mr  William,  minister  of  Lanark, 
one  of  the  High  Ccmmission,  788. 

Birth,  monstrous,  near  Falkland,  hl~). 

Bishops,  "  Tulchain,"  what,  31,  48  ;  the 
name  and  office  declared  by  the  Gene- 
ral Assembly  to  be  common  to  all  pas- 
tors, 55  ;  the  title  and  authority  abo- 
lished, 62  ;  withdraw  themselves  from 
the  General  Assemblies,  77  ;  the  office 
abolished,  80,  93-95,  107,  108,  212, 
434  ;  name,  if  to  be  permitted,  459  ; 


re-established,  489  ;  title  of  "  Lord'' 
given  to,  460  ;  discussion  as  to,  556  ; 
restored,  641;  protest  against,  ib. ; 
proposed  to  be  Constant  Moderators 
over  their  Synods,  &e.  687,  760 ;  liable 
to  be  deprived  with  consent  of  the 
King,  795 ;  not  eligible  under  forty 
years  of  age,  ib. 

Bishops,  English,  281. 

Black,  Mr  David,  minister  at  St  An- 
drews, 293,  308,  310;  accused  of  se- 
dition, 323  ;  declines  the  King's  judi- 
catory, 324,  328, 329,  353,  354,  358  ; 
released  from  ward,  387,  389,  414, 
417  ;  deposed,  419,  509  ;  his  declina- 
ture, 510,  516. 

Mr  George,  minister  at  St  An- 
drews, 126. 

Parliament,  the,  28  ;  Regent  Len- 
nox slain,  ib. 

Blackburn,  Mr  Archibald,  minister  of 
Aberdeen,  561,  573. 

— —  Patrick,  (Peter,)  professor  in  Glas- 
gow College,  48,  54,  63  ;  minister  at 
Aberdeen,  67,  302,  434  ;  made  Bishop 
of  Aberdeen,  469,  489,  561. 

Blackfriars,  London,  690. 

Blackness,  Castle  of,  71  ;  Mr  Andrew 
Melvill  ordered  to  ward  in,  143;  escapes 
to  England,  144,  215  ;  ministers  ward- 
ed there,  575 ;  Apology  for  the  Pri- 
soners there,  593,  et  seq.  ;  proceed- 
ings against  them,  612  ;  their  Suppli- 
cation, 613  ;  their  declinature  of  Privy 
Council,  615. 

Blackwell,  G.,  Popish  Archpriest,  766. 

Blakwhean,  Laird  of,  301. 

Blanks,  Spanish,  306,  et  seq- 

Blantyre,  Prior  of,  508. 

Lord,  Walter,    619,  685  ;  one    of 

the  High  Commission,  788. 

Blasphemy,  100,  349. 

Blythe,  Mr  David,  minister,  Kirkcud- 
bright, 302. 

Bodin's  Method  of  History,  46. 

Bodwarts,  what,  376. 

Bod}',  Gilbert,  "  a  drunken  Orkney  ass," 
440. 

Boid,  (Boyd,).  Alexander,  his  rebellious 
conduct  at  Glasgow  College,  69  ;  de- 
serts the  College,  70 ;  assaults  Mr 
James  Melvill,  ib.  ;  is  forced  to  apolo- 
gise,  72. 

Lord,  obtains  the  temporality   of 


INDEX. 


811 


the   bishoprick   of  Glasgow,    47 ;    his 
cousin's  misconduct,  69,  et  set/. 
Boid,  Master  of,  intromits  with  the  bi- 
shop-rents   of    Glasgow,    47.        See 
Boyd. 
Bonaventura,  Cornelius,  Professor  of  He- 
brew, &c.  in  Geneva.  42. 
Bonfire  (or  balefire)  on  the  birth  of  King 

James  VI.,  18. 
Boniface  VIII.,   Pope,  734 ;  saying  re- 
garding him,  ib. 
Bonitone,  37. 

Laird  of,  his  offers,  385. 

Book  of  Policy.      See  Policy. 
Border  theft,  190,  400. 
Borders,   East    and   West,   ravaged  by 
English  after  murder  of  Regent  Mo- 
ray, 27. 
Bothwell,  Francis,  Earl  of,  marches  with 
the  Confederated  Lords  to  St  Ninian's, 
223  ;  they  besiege   Stirling,  &c,  ib.  ; 
he  raises  men  to  proceed  to  the  Isles, 
276  ;  oppresses  the  people  on  the  East 
coast,  ib.  ;  makes  public  repentance  at 
Edinburgh,  277 ;  attempts  to  seize  the 
King,  294 ;  loses  the   King's  favour, 
ib. ;   appears  in  arms  at  Leith,  &c, 
314;  is  forfaulted  and  outlawed,   ib. ; 
joins  the  Papist  lords,  326. 
Bourde.of  Brechin,  27- 
Bourdeaux,  39, 
Bow,  near  London,  Mr  Andrew  Melvill 

resides  there,  706. 
and  arrows,  practice  with,  encou- 
raged, 17. 
Bowes,  Robert,  the  English  ambassador, 

60,  226,278,281,319. 
Boyd,    Mr  James,    Bishop  of  Glasgow, 
44,  47,  55. 

Andrew,   Bishop  of  Argyll,  788. 

See  Boid.  t 

Brahe,  Ticho,  569,  570. 
Braid,  Laird  of,  84. 
Bramhill,  Peter,  a  French  rope-dancer, 

487,  n. 
Breachin,  302- 

Breadalbane,  earthquake  at,  420,  525. 
Brechin  Castle,  besieged  and  taken  by  the 
Earl  of  Lennox  from  the  Earl  of  Hunt- 
ly,  27  ;  this  exploit  called  "  the  Bourde 
of  Breachine,"  ib. 

Bishop  of,  (Alexander  Campbell,) 

42,  43,  47  ;   Andrew  Lamb,  one  of  the 
High    Commission,    787,    788  . 


to  Court  after  the  Glasgow  Assembly, 

in  1610,  803. 
Bribery,  400. 
Bridges,    building    and    repairing,    115, 

342,  36 1 . 
Brieves,  the   King's,  to  Pope  Paulas  V. 

766. 
Briglitman,  Mr,  his  Commentaries  on  the 

Apocalypse,  785. 
Briumas,  Mestelenus,  570. 
Broome,  (Brown  V)  Mr  Gilbert,  Abbot  of 
New  Abbay,  66  ;  imprisoned  one  night 
at  Blackness,  as  a  Papist,616  ;  taken  to 
Edinburgh  Castle,  and  allowed  to  de- 
part with  his  mass-clothes,  &c,  017. 
765. 
Brown,  Thomas,   (Reader  at   Orwell  ?) 

553. 
Bruce  of  Arthe,  1 47  ;    his   second   son 
was  Mr  Robert  Bruce,  minister,  ib. 

Mr  Robert,  minister  of  Edinburgh, 

39,  n.  ;  accompanies  Mr  Andrew  Mel- 
vill when  cited  before  King  and  Coun- 
cil, 142;  his  birth  and  education,  147, 
165,  267,  268;  preaches  at  St  An- 
drews, 254  :  refuses  to  be  successor  to 
Mr  James  Lawson,  255  :  his  ministry, 
271  ;  appointed  one  of  the  Privy  Coun- 
cil in  the  absence  of  the  King  in  Den- 
mark, 277,  300,  301  ;  withdraws  to 
England,  374  ;  restored,  and  minister 
of  Edinburgh,  419:  his  banishment, 
489,517,  549  ;  confined  at  Inverness, 
640 ;  supplication  of  General  Assem- 
bly to  have  him  restored,  684,  761. 
Buchanan,  George,  17;  master  or  pre- 
ceptor to  James  VI.,  30,  45;  his 
Psalms,  46 ;  publishes  his  History  of 
Scotland,  120;  his  death,  121,  313. 

Thomas,  schoolmaster  at  Stirling, 

48,  1 20,  121;  provost   of  Kirkheuch, 
St  Andrews,  1 22 ;  minister  of  Ceres, 
ib. ;  marries    Mr    Robert    Hamilton's 
widow,   123,  267,  303,  386;  his  ad- 
dress  to   the  King,   409,  410,   415, 
4  19,  430,  44  2  ;  his  rudeness  to  An- 
drew Melvill,  436;    his   death,   438; 
rules  the  presbytery  of  Cupar,  441, 
528. 
Bull  given  to  Archbishop  of  St  Andrews 
by  the  King,  as  Head  of  the  Church, 
187,  194.  ' 
Bumbarts,  what,  1^. 
Burghs,  Scotbh,  Letter  from  King  James 


812 


INDEX. 


VI.  craving  aid  from  the  Army  of  the 
North,  321. 

Burley,  Laird  of,  oppresses  St  Andrews, 
313;  accuses  Mr  David  Black  of  sedi- 
tion, 3-25,  329. 

Burlie,  Lord,  781  ;  gets  Abbacy  of  Kil- 
winning, ib. 


Burntisland,  280  ;  Conference  of,  489  • 
General  Assembly  there,  490;  Synod 
of  Fife  held  at,  582,  592,  709. 

Bursars,  112. 

Butricht,  (Buchridge,)  Dr,  657- 

Butter,  Patrick,  553. 


C.E8AR  taught  at  St  Andrews,  &c,  40. 
Caithness,  Bishop  of,  Alexander  Forbes, 
489,  758  ;  one  of  Conference  at  Falk- 
land, 771  ;  one  of  the   High  Commis- 
sion, 787. 

Earl  of,  797. 

Presbytery  of,  758. 

Caldcleuch,  John,  (minister  of  Abdie,) 
master   in   St    Andrews    College,  de- 
posed, 123  ;  quarrels  Andrew  Melvill, 
ib.  ;  flees  to    England,  kl8  ;  presents 
Archbishop    Adamson's     recantation, 
290,  308,  314. 
Calderwoode,  Laird  of,  310. 
Calvin,  22  ;  his  Catechism,  ib.  ;  his  In- 
stitutions, 55,  G67,  706,  801. 
Cam  (Khan)  of  Tartary,  381. 
Cambuskinnell,  (Cambuskenneth,)  Abbot 
of,  with  the  Scotish  Lords  at  Berwick, 
197. 
Campbell,  Alexander,  Bishop  of  Brechin, 

42,  43,  47. 
Campvere,  Conservator  of  Scotish  Pri- 
vileges at,  717,  and  ?i. 
Canon  Law,  112. 

Canterbury,  Archbishop  of,  153  ;  (Rich- 
ard   Bancroft,)   645,  658,  672,  677, 
679,692;  his  interview  with  Mr  James 
Melvill,  698-700;  his  death,  804. 
Capringtoun,  Laird  of,  608. 
Car,    George,  seized,   with   secret    dis- 
patches  ("  the     Spanish    Blanks")   to 
Spain  from  the  Popish  Lords,  306,  ct 
scq. 
Carell.     See  Craill. 
Caridine,  Laird  of,  (Sir  James  Forrester, 

Knight,)  623. 
Carmen   Mosis,  by  Mr  Andrew   Melvill, 

63;  his  Carmina  SyhiUina  lost,  ib. 
Carmichaell,  James,  (minister  of  Cleish  ?) 
agent  for  the  Kirk,  301. 

, Mr  John,  minister,  489,  542;   is 

written    to   attend    Parliament,   July 
1606,  at  Perth,  637;  at  St  Andrews, 


642,  et  seq.  ;  at  Conference  at  Hamp- 
ton Court,  660,  674  ;  to  be  with  Arch- 
bishop of  York,  (Dr  Mathew,)  678  ;  is 
permitted  to  return  home,  709,  760  ; 
one  of  Conference  at  Falkland,  770. 
Carmury,  in  Fife,  253. 
Carnbee,  259. 
Carnegie  of  Kinnaird,  Sir  David,  one  of 

the  High  Commission,  788. 
Carnegy,  Mr  David,  508. 
Carpentarius,  Professor  of  Hebrew,  39. 
Carrs  and  Homes    attend    King  James 
VI.  at   Convention,  January  1596-7, 
383. 
Cassander's  Rhetoric,  25. 
Cassillis,  Countess  of,  marries  Lord  Ar- 
broath, 18. 
Earl  of,  John,  one  of  the  High  Com- 
mission, 788. 
Catche,  hand  and  racket,  game  of,  30. 
Catchpull,  (catche-peill  or  rackets,)  game 

of,  30. 
Cateehiser,  office  of,  95. 
Catechism,  by  Mr  James   Melvill,    12; 
published,  443  ;  Calvin's,  22,  32,  195. 
taught  in  the  schools,  16  ;  expound- 
ed, 182  ;  to  children  and  servants,  36 1- 
Cathedrals,  109. 
Catherine  de  Medicis,  Queen-Mother  of 

France,  dies,  264. 
Causes  of  the  Fast,  in  Fife,  585. 
Cautions  (caveats)  as    to  vote  in  Par- 
liament, 538-542  ;  broken,  639,  685, 
726,  773. 
Cawdoun.      See  Cowdon. 
Celibacy  of  Popish  Clergy,  451. 
Cellardykes,  in  Fife.      See  Silverdyk. 
Censure  of  ministers,  348. 
Censures,  Kirk,  399. 
(.'hacker,    Exchequer,    217,    305,    334, 

339,  345. 
Chair  of  Veritie,  (the  pulpit,)  790. 
Chaldaic,  taught  at  St  Andrews,  32,  49. 
Chaplainries,  335,  337- 


INDEX. 


813 


Chapters,  100,  107,  108,  109,  339. 
Charge  against  the  ministers,  513. 
Charles  IX.,  King  of  France,  massacre  of 

the  Protestants  by,  44  ;  his  death,  ib.  ; 

an  epigram  on,  ib. 
Charteris,  Henry,  burgess  of  Edinburgh, 

2G8. 

Robert,  King's  printer,  613. 

Chirography  taught  at  St  Andrews,  49. 
Chisholme,   Sir  James,  excommunicated, 

310. 

Christisone,  Mr  William,  minister  of  Dun- 
dee, 38,  55,  302. 

Chronology  taught,  49. 

Church  Government,  152. 

Cicero  taught,  17,  49. 

Civil  and  Ecclesiastical  Policy,  88,  &c. 

Clappertoun,  Mr  John,  minister,  Hutton, 
302,  528,  529,  731. 

Clark,  Robert,  burgess  of  Montrose, 
16. 

Mr    William,    minister    at    Aber- 

crombie,  &c,  3,  128;  dies,  139;  his 
epitaphs,  140. 

Clavhill,  Mr  Andrew,  minister  at  Jed- 
burgh, 302. 

Clement  VIII.,  Pope,  767. 

Clenard's  Greek  Grammar,  46. 

Clerks  of  Assemblies,  1 1 3. 

Club,  golf,  17- 

Clydesdale  devastated  by  English  after  the 
murder  of  Regent  Moray,  27. 

"  Coals  to  Newcastle,"  a  proverb,  163. 

Cockburn  of  Clerkingtoun,  Sir  Richard, 
one  of  the  High  Commission,  788. 

Cokalandis,  what,  781,  and  n. 

Coldingham  Bay.   170. 

Collace,  William,  professor  in  St  Leo- 
nard's College,  24,  25,  26;  his  death, 
51. 

Collation  of  benefices,  194. 

Collectors,  113. 

Colleges,  order  to  be  observed,  95.  See 
Universities. 

Colloquies,  celebrated,  cited  by  Mr 
James  Melvill,  739. 

Colt,  Mr  Adam,  invited  to  attend  Par- 
liament, J\dy  1606,  at  Perth,  <i37  ;  at 
Conference  at  Hampton  Court,  660; 
to  be  with  Bishop  of  Salisbury,  678; 
signs  supplication  to  Council  of  Eng- 
land, 697 ;  charged  to  confine  himself 
to  Musselburgh,  70!>. 

Colvin,  Mr  John,  minister,  (of  Culross  ?) 


26;   play  made  on  his  marriage,  per- 
formed in  presence  of  John  Knox,  &c. 
27  ;  his  apostacy,  65. 
Comet,  a  large,  appeared  for  two  months, 

58  ;   its  supposed  effects,  ib. 
Commendators,  106. 
Commission,  General,  528  ;  the  Common, 

749. 
Commissioners,  appointed  by  the  Gene- 
ral     ssembly,  to  frame  the  Policy  of 
the  Kirk,  55  ;  nominated  to  watch  the 
machinations  of  the  Papists,    268;  of 
the  General  Assembly  to  meet  at  Cu- 
par, 369;  and  at  Edinburgh,  372  ;   of 
the  Kirk  seek  to  vote  in   Parliament, 
435  ;  side  with  the  King,  439. 
Common  Prayer  used  in  schools,  16  ;    in 
Churches  every  morning,  27  ;  twice  a 
day,  183. 
Conclusions    and    Heads   of  the    Policy, 
87-1 16;  misrepresented  by  Archbishop 
Adamson,  148;   Mr  Andrew   Melvill  s 
letter  in  refutation,   154—164  ;  as  to 
vote  in  Parliament,  538-542. 
Confederate  Lords,  rise  in  arms  and  oc- 
cupy Stirling,  165;  dispersed  and  flee 
to  England,  166;  return  to  Scotland, 
and  besiege  the  King  in  Stirling  castle, 
who   capitulates,    223;    received  into 
the  King's  favour,  and  neglect  the  in- 
terest of  the  Kirk,  225. 
Conference  at  Burntisland,  489. 

at  Falkland,  ministers'  Offers,  7  •'!■">  ; 

conditions,  7;?,> ;  Mr  James  Melvill's 
letters  to  the  brethren,  739-7-1  6  ;  ar- 
ticles, 740-748;  copy  of  the  Conference 
at  Falkland,  770-7^0. 

at    Hampton  Court,   554  ;   a  tract 

by  Bishop  Barlow  so  called,  (>7!> 
at  Holyrood  betwixt  the  Kirk  and 

the   King,  44ii  ■,  its  proceedings,  ib., 

et  seq.  ;  broken  off  by  the  King.  461; 

at  the  General     Bsembly  in  Montrose, 

4<;S  ;  it-  proceedings  and  argument-, 

47<b  ct  Si 

of  Kirks  and  Brethren,  100. 

at   Keith.  31;  at    Holyroodhoose, 

446;   at  Falkland,   443,  et  stq. ;  at 

Montrose,  47<k 
l         tsion,   Augustan,   ratified  at 

deburg,  57 ;  commi  doners  -■  m  from 

Scotland,  ib. 

of  Faith,  268. 

the  Kin---,  87,  558,  606,  646. 


814 


INDEX. 


Conservator  of  Scotish  Privileges  in  the 

Low  Countries,  717. 
Consistories,  1 92. 
Conspiracy,  the  Popish,  of  the   Spanish 

Blanks,    306,   et  seq.       See    Gowrie, 

Gunpowder  Plot,  &c. 
Constant  Moderators.      See  Moderator. 

Plat.      See  Plat. 

or  Constantine,  Mr  Patrick,   31, 

32,  See.      See  Adamson. 

Continental  Churches,  Archb.  Adamson 
industriously  misrepresents  discipline, 
&c.  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  148;  Mr 
Andrew  Melvill's  letter  refuting  him, 
154-164. 

Contribution  for  the  exiled  members  of 
the  French  Church,  55. 

Contumacy,  what,  399. 

Convention  of  the  Estates,  held  at  Stir- 
ling, 59  ;  at  Perth,  at  which  the  Griefs 
of  the  Kirk  were  presented,  129;  at 
Edinburgh,  1 592,  proceedings  of,  299- 
306 ;  at  Falkland,  when  the  Papist 
Lords  were  recalled  from  banishment, 
368 ;  meet  at  Edinburgh,  and  enact 
severe  laws  against  the  Kirk,  383. 

Conventions.  See  Edinburgh,  Falkland, 
Linlithgow,  &c.  &c. 

Convents,  108. 

Cornwall,  Mr  Robert,  (minister  of  Lin- 
lithgow,) 798. 

Corrichie,  Field  of,  743. 

Corruptions  and  abuses  in  the  Kirk,  106, 
1S3— 193,  225  ;  enormities  and  cor- 
ruptions of  the  ministry,  347-351. 

Corsbey,  Mr,  shows  kindness  to  Scotish 
ministers  in  London,  710. 

Corse,  Laird  of.      See  Forbes. 

Couper,  (Cowper,)  Mr  William,  minister 
at  Perth,  528,  758,  759  ;  one  of  Con- 
ference at  Falkland,  770 ;  preaches 
before  its  dismissal,  780,  802. 

Covenant  of  the  Kirk  renewed  in  the  Ge- 
neral Assembly  at  Edinburgh,  340 ;  in 
the  Synod  of  Fife,  353 ;  in  the  Pres- 


bytery of  St  Andrews,  360 ;  heads  of 
the  Covenant,  362  ;  renewed  in  the 
General  Assembly  at  Burntisland,  494. 
Covenant,  Sum  of  the  Doctrine  of  the, 
362-367. 

Cowdon  or  Coldin,  Mr  John,  minister  of 
Kinross,  718,  720. 

Cowdounknows,  Laird  of,  made  Captain 
of  Edinburgh  Castle,  225. 

Cowy,  village  of,  Mr  James  Melvill's  ser- 
vant dies  of  fatigue  there,  319. 

Crabstean,  Battle  of,  28. 

Craig,  Mr  John,  King's  minister,  55,  80, 
198;  his  prophetic  judgment  on  the 
Earl  of  Arran,  ib.,  228,  229, 267,  608. 

Thomas,  advocate,  267,  268,  619. 

Craigiehall,  Laird  of,  (Henry  Stewart,) 

623. 
Craill  or  Carell,  141,  168,  276. 
Craiuby,  Mr  Andrew,  minister,  302. 
Cranstoun,  Mr  Michael,  517. 

Mr  William,  (minister  of  Falk- 
land?) 716;  Moderator  of  Synod  of 
Fife,  717  ;  his  firm  conduct,  ib.,  718. 

Crawford,  Earl  of,  223. 
Crimen  ambitus,  348,  541. 
Cromarty,  261. 

Firth,  earthquake  felt  at,  420,  525. 

Tutor  of,  373. 

Cross,  fiery,  sent  round,  376,  n. 

Crugorius,  Petrus,  569. 

Cuningham,  Alexander,  nephew  of  Lord 
Boyd,  assaults  James  Melvill,  70  ;  for 
which  he  is  tried,  ib.  ;  summoned  be- 
fore the  King  and  Council,  who  ratify 
the  decree  of  the  magistrates,  71  ; 
humbles  himself,  ib.,  72,  84. 

Mr    David,    subdean   of  Glasgow, 

55,  56  ;  made  Bishop  of  Aberdeen,  57  ; 
his  miserable  end,  ib.,  58,  75. 

Mr   David,  minister  at  Aberdeen, 

302. 

Mr  Samuel,  secretary  to  Arch- 
bishop Adamson,  292. 


]>. 


Daillis,  the,  Teviotdale,  &c,  758. 
Dalgleish,  Mr  Nicol,  minister  of  Pitten- 

weem,  5  ;  regent  at  St  Andrews,  26, 

76  ;  accused  of  treason,  and  acquitted, 

218,  267- 
Dalkeith,  Kiii'.;-  and  Council  there,  129. 

2(10;   Presbytery  of,  300,  686. 


Dancing,  100,  350. 

Danes,  &c,  Students  at  St  Andrews, 
42,  43,47,  418. 

Dangers  threatening  religion,  265. 

Daniel,  John  Knox  lectures  on  prophe- 
cies of,  in  St  Andrews,  26. 

Darnley,  Henry,  his  marriage  with  Queen 


INDEX. 


8 1 3 


Wary,  17;  his  murder  at  the  Kirk  of 
Field,  ib. 

Darroucbe,  Mr  Robert,  minister  at  Ha- 
milton, 302. 

Darsie,  Laird  of,  deprived  of  the  pro- 
vostship  of  St  Andrews,  for  which  he 
invades  the  town,  313;  re-eleeted, 
329. 

Davidson,  Mr  Duncan,  minister,  302. 

Mr  James,    minister  in   Wigtoun, 

302. 

Mr  John,   regent  in  St  Leonard's 

College,  26  ;  makes  a  play  on  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr  John  Colvin,  27  ;  writes  a 
satire  against  Regent  Morton,  for  which 
hn  is  banished,  28  ;  vision  seen  by  him, 
59 ;  attends  the  Regent  at  his  death, 
117;  pastor  to  the  Scots  nobles  at 
Newcastle,  172  ;  resigns  in  favour  of 
Mr  James  Melvill,  ib.,  242,  301 ;  renews 
the  Covenant,  352,  357,  437  ;  exhorts 
the  Synod  of  Fife  against  the  Bishops, 
353  ;  protests  against  the  conclusion 
of  the  Assembly  at  Dundee,  as  to  mi- 
nisters voting  in  Parliament,  440,  535. 

Mr  John,  minister  at  Hamilton,  his 

vision  regarding  the  castle  of  Hamil- 
ton, 59. 

Mr  William,  573. 

Davie,  "  Seingnour."      See  Riccio. 

Deacons,  or  Distributors,  office  of,  91, 
102,  106,  113,  151,  152,  183;  if  for 
life?  394. 

Dear,  (Deer,)  parish  of,  302 

Dearth  in  Scotland,  great,  367. 

Decatesserad,  verses  on  the  Trojan  horse, 
437. 

Declaration,  the  King's,  as  to  the  Acts 
of  Parliament  1584,  239-243;  the 
Kirk's  supplication,  243,  244,  292. 

Declinature  by  Mr  David  Black,  510; 
by  imprisoned  ministers,  of  Privy  Coun- 
cil's jurisdiction,  615. 

Demetrius,  decree  of,  120. 

Denmark,  14  ;  King  James  VI.  marries 
Queen  Anne  there,  277. 

King  of,  laws  in  civil  matters,  232. 

Deposition  or  Deprivation  of  ministers, 

101,  150,   187,   195,  348;  causes  of, 

350,  351,794. 
Deserters  of  their  flock,  94,  391. 
Dewgard,  what,  21    >• 
Diceing,  350. 
Dieppe,  39,  41,44. 


Dilapidation  of  benefices,  350. 

Dioclesian,  1 77- 

Diodorus  Siculus,  120. 

Discipline,  97  ;   heads  of,  misrepresented 

by  Archbishop  of  St  Andrews,   14*  ; 

Mr  Andrew  Mel vill's  refutation,  154- 

1 64  ;   Order  of,    for   Scots   Lords  at 

Newcastle,  181-184. 

Book  of,  288. 

Disposition  of  benefices,  332. 
Dissolution  of  benefices,  837* 
Distributors,  office  of.     See  Deacons. 
Dixain,    verses   by   Mr    James   Melvill, 

501. 
Dix-huitaine,  verses  on  the  earthquake, 

420. 
Doctor,  office  of,  91,  95;  his  duties,  ib., 

97,  1 10,  113,  149;  have  they  vote  in 

Presbyteries  ?  395. 
Doig,   Mr  John,  colleague  of  Mr  James 

Melvill  at  Kilrynnie,  7. 
Don,  Dr,  Bishop  of  Peterborough,  678. 
Dowglas,  Mr  Alexander,  528,  549. 

,  minister  of  Elgin,  302. 

Mr  Archibald,   minister,    Peebles, 

302. 

Sir  George,  314. 

of  Parkhead,  George,  with  Scotish 

Lords  at  Berwick,  197. 

of  Lochleven,  267. 

James,    slays   the    Earl  of  Arran, 

note,  199. 

Mr  John,  provost  of  the  New  Col- 
lege, St  Andrews,  26  ;  made  Arch- 
bishop of  St  Andrews,  31  ;  his  death, 
47. 

Mr  Thomas,   (minister  of  Balme- 

rino  ?)  386. 

Downane,  Dr,  Dean  of  Lambeth,  753. 

Dreams,  importance  attached  to,  50,51, 
64. 

Drumwhassill,  Laird  of,  executed,  198. 

Drunkenness,  349,  350. 

Drnry,  English  Ambassador,  incursion  by 
him  :  Clydesdale,  Hamilton,  &<•.,  de- 
stroyed fur  murder  of  Regent  Moray, 
27.' 

Dryburgh,  Abbot  of,  with  Scotish  Lords 
at  Berwick,  197. 

Dull",  Mr  James,  minister,  302. 

Dumbarton  Castle  taken,  and  Archbishop 
of  St  Andrews  ( [Jamil  I,  27. 

Dumblane,  302. 

Bishop  of,  Gem  g      7    7 


810 


INDEX. 


Dumfries,  302. 
Dunbar,  109. 

Earl  of,  570 ;  Letter  to,  ib. ;  an- 
other, 579  ;  sent  down  to  try  impri- 
soned ministers,  &c  ,  018,  033,  G?4, 
075,  709,  748,  755,  701,  709;  pre- 
sides over  Conference  at  Falkland, 
770,  et  seq. ;  787,  792, 790  ;  his  death, 
804. 

Duncan,  Mr  Andrew,  minister  at  Craill, 
124,  572;  warded  in  Blackness  Cas- 
tle, 575,  598,  010;  is  banished  from 
Scotland,  009. 

Duncanson,  Mr  John,  King's  minister, 
55,80,  198,  301,528. 

Dundas  of  that  Ilk,  David,  one  of  the 
High  Commissioners,  788. 

Dundee,  Mr  James  Melvill  invited  to  be 
minister,  0  ;  resides  there,  37  ;  Gene- 
ral Assembly,  1 580,  there,  80  ;  act  of, 
87 ;  Earl  of  Gowrie  taken  there,  and 
beheaded  at  Stirling,  100  ;  the  plague 
there,  222 ;  provost  of,  270  ;  Assem- 
bly, 1596,  there,  374;  again,  414; 
General  Assembly,  439,  526,  530. 

Dunfermline,  Parliament  at,  on  account  of 
plague,  226  ;  Provost  shuts  the  gates 
against  the  General  Assembly,  ib.  ;  his 
remarkable  death,  ib.  ;    Synod  at,  488. 

Abbot  and  Commendator  of,  (Ro- 
bert Pitcairn,)  35. 

Earl  of,  Alexander,  787. 

Dunibirsall,  murder  of  -'the  Bonny  Earl" 

of  Moray,  294,  313,  379,  407,  431. 
Dunipace,  Laird  of,  (John  Livingstone,) 

025,  628. 
Dunkeld,  302. 

Bishop  of,  James  Pat  on,  32  ;  James 


Nicolson,  702,  7G0 ;  one  of  the  Con-i 
ference  at  Falkland,  771.  See  Nicol- 
son. 

Dunn,  Laird  of.      See  Erskine. 

Dunse,  302. 

Synod  of,  735. 

Duretus,  Professor  of  Medicine,  39. 

Durham,  (Duresm,)  Dr  James,  Bishop  of, 
proposed  to  receive  Mr  James  Mel- 
vill, 078  ;  correspondence  as  to  this, 
089-694. 

Durie,  Mr  John,  minister  at  Leith,  visits 
John  Knox  at  St  Andrews,  32 ;  at- 
tends Laird  of  Grange  on  the  scaffold, 
30 ;  transported  to  Edinburgh,  52  ; 
his  character,  78,  84  ;  attends  Regent 
Morton  at  his  death,  117,  121,  128; 
accused,  129;  suspended,  130;  ba- 
nished Edinburgh,  ib. ;  restored,  134; 
again  banished,  1 38  ;  narrowly  escapes 
drowning,  139;  in  ward  at  Montrose, 
ib'.  ;  at  Brechin,  302  ;  his  death,  462  ; 
his  last  moments,  ib.,  463  ;  seven  epi- 
taphs, with  translations,  by  Mr  Andrew 
Melvill,  464-408. 

Mr    Robert,  minister    at   Anstru- 

ther,  4,5,  148,  227,251,  252,  253, 
386,  571,572;  warded  in  Blackness 
Castle,  575,  598,  6 1 6 ;  is  banished  from 
Scotland,  669,  670. 

Dykes,  Mr  John,  minister  at  Kilrenny, 
writes  against  the  King's  Basilicon 
Doron,  for  which  he  is  deposed,  444  ; 
restored,  488,  720. 

Dyonisius'  geography  taught,  49. 

Dysart,  salt  to,  a  proverb,  162;  Synod  of 
Fife  held  at,  714,  et  seq. ;  again,  716. 


Earthquake,  an,  frit  through  the  north- 
ern parts  of  Scotland,  420 ;  its  sup- 
posed coincidence  with  the  story  of 
Uzziah,  ib.  ;  lines  on  it,  525. 

Eclipse  of  the  sun,  438  ;  its  portents,  ib.  ; 
verses  on,  ib  ,  439,  525. 

Ecclesiastical  and  civil  policy,  83,  &c. 
Sir  Policy. 

Edgertoun,  Lord,  Lord  High  Chancellor 
of  England,  081. 

Edinburgh,  Mr  James  Melvill  invited  to 
be  minister  at,  0  ;  war  between  Leith 
and,  2"  :  ministers  relieved  after  Ar- 


ran's  disgrace,  134;  Mr  John  Durie 
brought  home  in  triumph,  ib.  ;  plague 
there,  222  ;  great  rains,  ib.  ;  Conven- 
tion of  1592,  proceedings  of,  299- 
300  ;  of  1593,  310  ;  King  James  VI. 
applies  for  aid  to  army  of  the  North, 
321  ;  Apology  for  ministers  leaving 
their  flocks,  374-383 ;  magistrates 
bound  not  to  receive  them  again  with- 
out the  King's  consent,  384  :  Court  of 
Session  removed  to  Perth,  &c,  385  : 
ministers  reponed  to  their  places,  .^S7  ; 
tumult,  517;   denounced  rebels,  522  ; 


INDEX. 


817 


ministers  restored,  543:  again  over- 
thrown, ib.  ;  plague  at,  575  ;  banished 
ministers  sail  from  Scotland,  609,  et  seq. 

Edinburgh  Castle,  a  play  performed  be- 
fore John  Knox,  &c.,  when  the  Castle 
was  besieged,  &e.,27;  Captain  of,  John 
Knox's  prophecies  against  him,  33— 
36 ;  English  army  at  siege  of,  35  ; 
surrenders,  ib.  ;  the  Captain  hanged, 
36  ;  Earl  of  Morton  put  in  ward,  116; 
beheaded,  117;  Earl  of  Angus  escapes 
from,  307- 

Ministers  of,  banished,  26  ;  their 

character,  78  ;  flee  to  England,  167  ; 
return  to  Scotland,  223  ;  withdraw 
from  Edinburgh,  374  ;  Declaration  of 
the  causes  of  their  flight,  ib.  ;  se- 
vere laws  passed  against  them,  383 ; 
restored,  415  ;  refuse  to  declare  from 
pulpit  the  King's  account  of  the  Gowrie 
Conspiracy,  486 ;  for  which  they  are 
deposed,  ib. 

Education,  system  of,  in  the  schools  of 
Montrose,  17,  21  ;  in  the  University 
of  St  Andrews,  26;  Greek  and  He- 
brew languages  not  publicly  taught  in 
Scotland,  30  ;  Greek  first  taught  in 
Scotland  at  Montrose,  39  ;  in  the  Col- 
lege of  Glasgow,  49. 

Edward,  Mr  Peter,  one  of  the  High 
Commission,  788. 

Effigy,  hanging  in,  27. 

Egberius,  439. 

F.glintoun,  Master  of,  feud  betwixt  him 
and  the  Earl  of  Glencairn,  301. 

Elders,  Seniores,  or  Governors  of  the 
Kirk,  91,  94,  96-101*111,  113,  130, 
149,  152,  183;  if  for  life  ?  394. 

Election  to  Ecclesiastical  offices,  92,  111, 
112,  150,  187,  391. 

Elgin,  302. 

Elie,  (Alie,)  a  sea-port  in  Fife,  253. 

Elistone,  David,  student  at  St  Andrews, 
25  ;   dies  insane,  86. 

Elizabeth,  Queen  of  England,  sends  let- 
ters to  Regent  Morton,  requesting  him 
to  send  Commissioners  from  the  Kirk 
of  Scotland  to  the  Convention  of  Mag- 
deburg, 57  ;  orders  the  Confederate 
Lords  back  to  Scotland,  222;  her 
saying  on  making  a  bishop,  449  ;  her 
death,  554. 

Elphingstoun  of  Blythswood,  Sir  George, 
one  of  the  High  Commission,  7 


Elphingstoun,  Mr  James,  Secretary  of 
State  and  President  of  College  of  Jus- 
tice, (Lord  Bahnerinoch,)  508  ;  sent 
down  to  Scotland  to  be  tried,  668  ; 
tried  for  the  alleged  forging  of  two 
Brieves  from  James  VI.  to  the  Pope, 
766-769. 

Elwod,  Martin,  a  Border  thief,  211. 

England,  Court  of,  226  ;  Bishops  of,  281  ; 
Scotsmen  study  there,  314,  &c. 

English  army,  under  Mr  Drury,  devas- 
tates Clydesdale,  and  the  dominions  of 
the  Hamiltons,  for  the  slaughter  of 
Regent  Moray,  27 ;  also  East  and 
West  Borders,  ib.  ;  besiege  and  cap- 
ture Edinburgh  Castle,  35  ;  part  of 
Spanish  Armada  wrecked  on  the  coasts 
of  England  and  Scotland,  264. 

Enormities  and  corruptions  of  the  mini- 
stry, 347-35 1 . 

Entrapelie,  350. 

Epigrams — on  King  Charles  IX.  of 
France,  44 ;  by  Mr  Andrew  Melvill, 
on  Lord  Chancellor  Glammis,  60,  63; 
on  dissoluteness  of  the  age,  161  ;  on 
King's  altar,  682,  683  ;  on  St  George's 
day,  706. 

Episcopacy,  arguments  against  ministers 
having  a  seat  in  Parliament,  447,  et 
"eq.  ;  attempts  to  restore,  540,  et 
seq. 

Episcopatas  abolished,  80. 

Episcopo-mastix,  a  name  given  Mr  An- 
drew Melvill,  52. 

Epitaphs— on  Mr  William  Clark,  140  ; 
on  the  author's  son,  Andrew,  270  ;  on 
his  daughter,  Margaret,  309  ;  seven  on 
Mr  John  Durie,  with  translations, 
464-468. 

Erasmus,  works  of,  taught  at  St  An- 
drews, 17. 

Erde,  Mr  William,  minister  of  St  Cuth- 
bert's,  218  ;  his  origin  and  remarkable 
history,  ib. 

Erections,  332,  344. 

Errol,  Francis  Earl  of,  223  ;  concerned 
in  conspiracy  of  "the  Spanish  Blanks,'' 
306,  et  seq.;  excommunicated,  810  j 
Huntly  and  his  forces  go  to  St  John- 
ston, 311,  755. 

Erskine,  James,  younger  of  Dun,  14  :  Mr 
Richard  Melvill.  his  tutor,  ib. 

of    Dun,   John,    Superintendent    of 

Angns  and  Mearns,  14,  is.  22  ■.  intro- 

3  v 


818 


INDEX. 


duces  the  Greek  language  at  Mon- 
trose, 39,  55. 

Erskine,  Mr  William,  5G 1 ,  564. 

Escrolles,  (escrouelles,  or  "  the  cruels,") 
touching  for  King's  evil,  657- 

Ethics  of  Aristotle  taught,  49. 

Ethiopic  History,  Heliodor's,  84. 

Etymology  taught,  17- 

Euclid  taught,  49. 

Eugenius,  Pope,  297- 

Even-sang,  297. 

Exchequer,  (Chacker,)  217- 


Excommunication,  (ecclesiastical,)  100, 
130,  150;  against  whom  can  it  be 
used?  400;  summary,  ib.,  408;  who 
have  vote?  401  ;  who  can  annul?  402, 
793. 

Exercise,  order  and  manner  of,  and 
Church  Discipline,  for  Scots  Lords  at 
Newcastle,  181-184  ;  weekly,  795. 

Exercises  taught  to  youth.      See  Games. 

Exese,  exies,  the  fever  and   ague,  137. 

Exeter,  Bishop  of,  (Dr  Andrews,)  663. 


F. 


Fabricius,  Paulus,  569. 

Fair  Isle,  part  of  Spanish  Armada  wreck- 
ed there,  262. 

Falay,  310. 

Falconer,  King's  master,  his  influence 
over  King  James  VI.,  250,  251. 

Faldonside,  Laird  of,  84. 

Falkirk,  Convocation  of  the  nobility,  60  ; 
English  ambassador,  Mr  Rob.  Bowes, 
conciliates  them,  ib. 

Falkland,  323  ;  interview  between  King 
James  VI.,  Mr  David  Black,  and  James 
and  Andrew  Melvill,  324-326  ;  Con- 
vention of  Estates  there,  368,  443  ; 
two  points  to  be  decided,  445  ;  Synod 
report  to  King  as  to  returning  thanks 
for  escape  from  Gowrie's  Conspiracy, 
488  ;  Conference  at,  739  ;  Mr  James 
Melvill's  letter,  ib.  ;  his  second  letter, 
743  ;  Articles  given  in  at  the  Confer- 
ence, 746-748  ;  copy  of  the  Confer- 
ence, 770-780 ;  Letter  from  James 
Melvill  as  to  these  proceedings,  782. 

Famine,  great,  in  Scotland,  367- 

Farce  and  "  gyse"  before  King  James 
VI.  at  St  Andrews,  81. 

Fast,  Causes  of,  in  Synod  of  Fife, 
585. 

appointed,  18  ;  general,  128,299  ; 

its  causes,  ib. ;  can  the  Prince  command 
one  ?  402. 

Fasting,  Buik  of,  and  Publict  Humilia- 
tion, 182,  346. 

Faux,  Guy,  Gunpowder  Plot,  017- 

Fearful,  (Fairfoul,)  Mr  John,  (first  of 
Dunfermline  ?)  minister,  386,  442. 

Fencing,  batons  for,  (practising  broad- 
sword and  cudgelling,)  17- 

Fentonbarns,  Lord,  Collector,  770. 


Ferguson,  Mr  David,  minister  of  Dun- 
fermline, 78,  302,  353,  357,  386,  417, 
437  ;  his  simile  of  the  Trojan  horse, 
ib.  ;  his  death,  438. 

Ferme,  Mr  Charles,  minister  at  Fraser- 
burgh, 573  ;  one  of  the  imprisoned  mi- 
nisters at  Blackness,  598,  616. 

Fernelius  taught,  49. 

Fever,  icteric,  what  ?  14  ;  the  exese,  or 
fever  and  ague,  137. 

Fewes,  342,  344. 

Fiery  cross  sent  round  the  country  to 
give  alarm,  376,  n. 

Fife,  Synod  of,  excommunicates  the  Pa- 
pist Lords,  309 ;  renews  the  Cove- 
nant, 353 ;  meets  at  Cupar,  and  ap- 
points commissioners  to  attend  the 
Convention  at  St  Andrews,  386 ;  its 
instructions,  388  ;  meets  at  St  An- 
drews, 436;  at  Dunfermline,  441; 
Synod  of,  at  Kinghorn,  545;  "  Greiffes," 
ib.,  549;  answered,  551;  at  Inver- 
keithing,  582  ;  letter  from  Mr  James 
Melvill,  627  ;  sacrilegious  conduct  of 
Lord  Scone,  701-705;  held  at  Dy- 
sart,  714,  et  seq.  ;  again,  716. 

Fifeness,  168. 

Fifth  penny,  332,  335. 

Fines  for  swearing,  &c,  184. 

Finheavin,  John,  "  travelling  stationer,' 
22. 

Fire  of  joy  (bonfire  or  balefire)  on  birth 
of  James  VI.,  18. 

First-fruits,  332. 

Fithie,  Mr  Arthur,  minister  at  Arbroath, 
302.     See  Futhie. 

Flanders,  fasting  and  humiliation  for  Pro- 
testant churches  there,  &c  ,  182. 

Floods  of  rain,  great,  222,  230. 


INDEX. 


819 


Foot-mantles,  velvet,  for  riding  in  Parlia- 
ment, 639. 

Forbes,  Mr  Alexander,  minister  of  But- 
tergask,  549 ;  Bishop  of  Caithness, 
568,  573  ;  at  Conference  at  Falkland, 
770,  et  seq. 

of  Fingask,  Alexander,  574. 

Mr   John,    (Minister   of   Alford,) 

549,  570;  chosen  Moderator  of  Ge- 
neral Assembly  at  Aberdeen,  57 1,  573, 
574  ;  warded  in  Blackness,  575,  616  ; 
his  trial,  620,  et  seq.  ;  banished, 
669. 

Patrick,  of  Corse,   1 8 ;   retires  to 

England  with  Melvill,  &c,  170;  mar- 
ries Lucres  Spence,  sister  to  the  Laird 
of  Wilmerston,  260. 

Thomas,  574. 

Mr  William,  one  of  the  imprisoned 

ministers,  616. 

Forbeses  defeated  at  the  Crabstane,  near 
Aberdeen,  27  ;  feud  between  them  and 
the  Earl  of  Huntly,  132. 

Forcatellus,  Professor  of  Mathematics, 
39. 

Foreigners  attracted  to  University  of  St 
Andrews  by  the  celebrity  of  its  pro- 
fessors, 42,  43,  47,418. 

Forestalling  and  regrating,  350. 

Form  of  process,  395. 

Forres,  302. 

Forrester,  Sir  James,  of  Carriden,  623. 

Forstar,  Mr  John,  minister  (of  Forres  ?) 
302. 


Forsythe,  Mr  Alexander,  minister  of 
Abercrombie,  5. 

David,  Commissary  of  Glasgow, 

one  of  the  High  Commission,  788. 

Foster,  Sir  John,  (Lord  Warden,)  his 
kindness  to  the  banished  ministers 
in  England,  227. 

Foullarton,  Mr  Hew,  minister  in  Dum- 
fries, 302. 

France,  Ambassadors  of,  157  ;  celebra- 
tion of  mass,  550. 

massacres    of  the    Protestants   in, 

27, 44,  75, 1 00,  264.    See  Protestants . 

Scotsmen    study    there,   314,    et 

passim. 

French  taught  at  St  Andrews,  &c,  17. 

Kirk  in  London,  153,  606. 

Protestant    Church,    contribution 

for,  55 ;  Archbishop  Adamson  writes 
to,  148;  his  Articles,  148-153;  Mi- 
Andrew  Melvill's  letter,  154-164; 
state  of,  182,  439. 

rope-dancer,  487,  n. 

Frenchmen,  &c,  students  at  St  Andrews, 

42,  43,  47  ;  a  collection  made  of 
10,000  merks  for  the  distressed  Pro- 
testants, 265,  418. 

Funambulus,  a  rope-dancer,  487,  «• 

Functions,  ordinary  and  extraordinary, 
91. 

Furisday,  (Thursday,)  183,  354,  &c. 

Futhey,  Mr  Arthur,  640. 

Futhie,  Mr  Andrew,  ODe  of  the  High 
Commission,  788.       See  Fithie. 


(i. 


Galliates,  (galleons,)  Spanish,  264. 

Galloway,  Bishop  of,  William  Coupar, 
one  of  the  High  Commission,  788,  797  ; 
goes  to  Court  after  General  Assembly, 
1610,  803. 

Mr  Patrick,  minister,  returns  from 

London,  196;  to  Edinburgh,  223, 
267,  301,  310,  321,  369;  addresses 
people  as  to  Gowrie's  Conspiracy,  486, 
528,549,  555,  568,  571,  591,  683, 
724,  754,  760  ;  his  speech  at  Confer- 
ence at  Falkland,  775  ;  presents  Arti- 
cles, 778  ;  one  of  the  High  Commis- 
sion, 788,  802. 

(James  used  in  Scotland,  16,  17,  29,  30. 
See  Bow,  Golf,  &c. 

Gaming,  350.      See  Cards,  Dice,  fee. 


Gardin,  Mr  Gilbert,  minister,  302. 

Garioch,  302. 

Garlies,  Laird  of,  301. 

General  Band,  The,  300,  304. 

Commission,  528. 

Geneva,  30,  41  ;  magistrates  and  Kirk 
allow  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  to  return  to 
Scotland,  42 ;  Archbishop  Adamson 
writes  to,  with  false  Articles,  141,  148, 
154;  his  Articles,  148-153;  Mr  An- 
drew Melvill's  letter,  154-164;  col- 
lections for  town  of,  265  ;  Beza  write-. 
letter  of  thanks,  ib.,  314. 

Geography  taught  at  St  Andrews,  49. 

Geometry,  by  Ramus,  taught,  19, 
54. 

Germany,  14:   Princes  of,  hold  Conren 


-S20 


INDEX. 


tion  at  Magdeburg,  57  ;  Scotsmen 
study  there,  314. 

Ghen,  what,  496. 

Gibson,  (Gipsone,)  Mr  James,  (minister 
of  Pencaitland,)  deposed  for  reviling 
the  King,  229,  253,  302. 

Girls,  school  for,  in  Montrose,  21. 

Girthe,  what,  1 96. 

Githorn  and  other  musical  instruments,  29. 

Gladsteanes,  Mr  George,  made  minister 
of  St  Andrews,  419;  chosen  Vice- 
chancellor  of  the  University  of  St  An- 
drews, 444  ;  made  Bishop  of  Caith- 
ness, 4S9,  528,  547,  643  ;  Archbishop 
of  St  Andrews,  is  charged  with  per- 
jury, 644  :  at  Conference  at  Hampton 
Court,  659,  718  :  at  Conference  at 
Falkland,  770-780,  797-  See  St 
Andrews, 

Glammis,  Lord,  (Chancellor  of  Scotland,) 
writes  to  Beza,  55  ;  his  sister,  Coun- 
tess of  Cassillis,  marries  Lord  Ar- 
broath, 58  ;  slain  in  a  tumult  at  Stir- 
ling, 60 ;  epigram  on,  ib.  ;  regretted 
by  General  Assembly,  62. 

Master  of,  appears  in  arms  against 

the  King  at  Stirling,  165;  flees  to 
England,  166  ;  returns  with  the  Con- 
federated Lords,  and  besieges  the  King 
in  Stirling  Castle,  223  ;  is  made  cap- 
tain of  the  guard,  225,  267. 

Glas,  Mr  William,  minister,  Dunkeld, 
302. 

Glasgow,  Archbishop  of,  Mr  James  Boyd, 
44,  47, 55  ;  Robert  Montgomery,  118; 
deposed  by  General  Assembly  and  ex- 
communicated, 128,  130,  131  :  annul- 
led by  Parliament,  237,  241,  639,  738, 
758,  760,  763,  769  ;  one  of  Conference 
at  Falkland,  770-780,  797,  800. 

College,     reformed     by    Andrew 

Melvill,  49  ;  system  of  education  there, 
ib.  :  in  great  repute  as  a  seminary  of 
learning,  ib.,  et  seq.  ;  new  erection  of, 
53. 

Minister  of,  pulled  out  of  pulpit  at 

communion  by  King's  guard,  131  ; 
professors  and  students  oppressed,  ib., 
132  ;  relieved  after  Arran's  disgrace. 
1 34  ;  proceedings  of  Assembly,  8th 
June  1610,  at,  793-802:  letter  as  to 
these  proceedings,  800. 

Synod  of,  65 ;   General  Assembly. 

1581,  held  there,  86. 


Glasgow  University,  Mr  Andrew  Melvill 
made  Principal,  48  ;  succeeded  by  Mi- 
Thomas  Smeton,  83 ;  professors  and 
students  oppressed,  131,  132;  Sme- 
ton's  death,  139  ;  goes  to  Court  to  re- 
port proceedings  of  General  Assem- 
bly. 1610,  at  Glasgow,  803;  is  solemn- 
ly inaugurated  at  Lambeth,  along  with 
the  Bishops  of  Brechin  and  Galloway, 
ib.,  804  ;  after  their  return,  they  or- 
dain the  other  Scotish  Bishops,  ib. 

Glaswel,  Laird  of,  14. 

Glencairn,  Earl  of,  countenances  the  re- 
bellious conduct  of  Alexander  Cun- 
ningham, and  comes  to  Glasgow  with 
his  friends,  71,  72;  at  taking  of  Stir- 
ling, 223  ;  feud  with  Master  of  Eglin- 
toun,  301  :  at  Conference  at  Hampton 
Court,  662,  663,  664  ;  James,  one  of 
the  High  Commission,  788,  797- 

Glenrinnes,  Battle  of,  Gordon  of  Auchin- 
doun  slain  at,  3 1 0,  318  ;  Earl  of  Hunt  - 
lv  defeated  at,  ib. 

Glub  (club)  and  balls  for  goff,  (golf,)  29. 

Godfather,  sponsor  or  "  gossip,"  254. 

Goff,  (golf,)  game  of,  17. 

Goodwin,  Francis,  a  godly  soldier,  220. 

Goodwyne,  Dr,  an  English  minister, 
781. 

Gordon  of  Pitlurg,  Sir  John,  373. 

of  Auchindoun,  Sir  Patrick,  ex- 
communicated, 310;  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Glenrinnes,  318. 

Mr  John,  Dean  of  Salisburv,  653. 

657,  662. 

Gossip,  sponsor,  or  godfather,  254. 
Govan,  or  Gitfen  Parsonage,  benefice  of, 

vacant,  53  :  annexed  to  the  College  of 

Glasgow,  54. 
Governors  of  the  Kirk,  91,  152. 
Gowrie,    Earl   of,   conspires  against  the 

King   at  Ruthven,    133,    161  ;    taken 

prisoner   at    Dundee,     and   beheaded, 

166. 

John,   Earl   of,   conspires    against 

the  Kin^,  444 ;  is  slain  at  Perth,  485, 
486,  487. 

Graham  of  Fentrie,  David,  executed  for 
treason,  276,  306.  n. 

Mr  George,  549. 

John,  (,f  my  Lord  Little  Jus- 
tice,' )  64  ;  sent  Commissioner  by  the 
King  to  the  General  Assembly,  166. 

Granton  Craigs,  near  Edinburgh,  814 


INDEX. 


821 


Gray,  Marjory,  schoolmistress  in  Mon- 
trose, (sister  of  Mr  William,)  21. 

Master  of,  251. 

Mr  Thomas,  advocate,  pleads  for 

the  ministers  at  their  trial,  621,  et  seq. 

Mr    William,    minister   at   Logic, 

1 6  ;  Mr  James  Melvill  gets  his  first 
education  from  him,  ib. 

Greek  and  Hebrew  introduced  into  Scot- 
land, 30  ;  Greek  first  taught  at  Mon- 
trose, 39,  46. 

grammar,  49,  63. 

Green,  Andrew,  writer  in  St  Andrews,  29. 

Greenwich,  636,  714. 

Gregg,  Mr  James,  one  of  the  imprisoned 
ministers,  616. 

Greiffes,  and  Articles  of  the  Kirk,  pre- 
sented to  the  Convention  of  Perth, 
129-132,  439  ;  of  the  Synod  of  Fife, 
545-549;  answered,  551  ;  of  the  Kirk 
presented  to  the  King,  676. 


Grievances.      See  Greifl'es. 

Grig,  Mr  James,  minister,  55. 

Guard,  the  King's  disbanded,  and  re- 
chosen,  and  the  Blaster  of  Glammis 
made  captain,  225  ;  escort  ministers 
from  Blackness  to  Linlithgow,  616, 
765. 

Guidman,  (Goodman,)  Mr  Christopher, 
124. 

Guise,  Duke  of,  stabbed  by  order  of  Hen- 
ry I II. of  France,  264  ;  the  King  assas- 
sinated, ib. 

House  of,  72,  76,  118,  159,   161, 

164,  191. 

Gunpowder  Plot,  617. 

Gurlay,  Robin,  1 1 6. 

Guthrie,  Janet,  (relict  of  Mr  James  Law- 
son.  '     See  Lawson. 

Gyse  and  farce  performed  before  King 
James  VI.  at  St  Andrews,  81. 


II. 


H.ABBOUN,  (Hepburn,)  Mr  Robert,  mi- 
nister at  Dunbar,  302. 

Haddington,  Justice-air  at,   28,  227. 

Hagatius,  Thaddeus,  569. 

Haistis,  Sir  P.,  673. 

Haliburton,  Colonel  James,  deals  with 
Mr  Andrew  Melvill  to  become  Regent 
Morton's  chaplain,  45. 

Halkerston,  Colonel,  oppresses  the  coun- 
try, 276,  553. 

Hall,  Mr  John,  588,  591,  685,  754;  one 
of  the  Conference  as  to  Episcopacy, 
760  ;  at  Conference  at  Falkland,  770  ; 
one  of  the  High  Commission,  788, 
797,  802. 

Halliday,  James,  Commissary  of  Dum- 
fries, one  of  the  High  Commission,  788. 

Halvrudehous,  Lord,  622,  701,  716, 
717. 

Abbot   of,  687.       See    Holyrood- 

house. 

Hamilton,  Archibald,  (regent  in  the  New- 
College  of  St  Andrews,)  36,  75. 

of  Mirritoun,  Arthur,  executed  at 

Stirling,  58. 

Dean  of  Glasgow,  one  of  the  High 

Commission,  789. 

Mr  Gavin,  549. 

Hendrie,  his  quarrel  with  Mr  Wil- 
liam Wallwood,  272. 


Hamilton,  James,  Commissary  of  Lanark, 
one  of  the  High  Commission,  788. 

John,    Commissary    of    Hamilton, 

one  of  the  High  Commission, 
788. 

John,  (Regent  in  the  New  Col- 
lege,) 26  ;  afterwards  Archbishop  of  St 
Andrews,  taken  in  Castle  of  Dunbar, 
ton  and  hanged,  27 ;  Earl  of  Morton 
gets  Archbishopriek,  and  presents  Mr 
John  Douglas,  31. 

Mr  John,  excommunicated,  489. 

Lord,  returns  with  the  Confede- 
rated Lords  from  Berwick,  223  ;  made 
captain  of  Dunbarton  Castle,  2 2 ."> . 

Palace,  castle,  and  town,  burnt  by 

the  English,  and  the  adjacent  coun- 
try laid  waste  for  murder  of  Regent 
Moray,  27;  castle  demolished  by  Re- 
gent Morton,  58. 

Robert,  (Regent  in  the  New  Col- 
lege,) 26,  33, 85, 86  ;  deposed  from  the 
Principality  of  the  College,  122;  his 
death,  ib.  ;  his  widow  married  to  Mi- 
Thomas  Buchanan,  123. 

Sir  Thomas,  (Lord  Advocate,  Pre- 
sident of  College  of  Justice,  afterwards 
Lord  Binning,  Earl  "I'  Melrose  and 
Haddington,)  509  ;  conducts  the  pro- 
secution against  the  ministers,  621,  <' 


822 


1NDKX. 


seq.,  061  ;  one  of  the  High  Commis- 
sion, 788. 

Hampton  Court,  Conference  at,  554 ; 
interview  between  the  Scotish  mini- 
sters and  the  King,  653  ;  Conference 
with  the  ministers,  657,  et  seq.  ;  Bishop 
Barlow's  Tract,  679. 

Hamptoune,  Dr,  an  English  minister, 
792. 

Hand  and  racket-catche,  game  of,  30. 

Hanging  in  effigy,  27- 

Harbert,  Mr,  Secretary,  692. 

Hastarchus,  569. 

Hawker,  King's  master  Falconer,  his  in- 
fluence with  King  James  VI.,  250, 251. 

Hay,  Alexander,  Clerk  Register,  45,  56, 
267,  268,  331. 

Sir  Alexander,  Scotish  Secretary, 

645,657,  661,  663,  664,  667,668, 
677,  678,  708  ;  one  of  the  High  Com- 
mission, 788. 

Andrew,  parson  of  Renfrew,  rec- 
tor of  Glasgow  College,  47,  48,  50, 
553  ;  put  in  ward  and  hardly  used, 
198,  302. 

Mr  Andrew,  267- 

Edmond,  a  father   in  the  Jesuits' 

College  at  Paris,  73,  74. 

Mr  George,  minister,  57,  302. 

Mr  George,  758,  760 ;  at  Confer- 
ence at  Falkland,  770. 

of  Kingask,  Sir  James,  comptrol- 
ler, one  of. the  High  Commission,  787- 

Mr  John,  parson  of  Renfrew,  724  ; 

one  of  High  Commission,  788,  798. 

Haymouth,  (Eyemouth,)  169. 

Heads  and  Conclusions  of  the  Policy,  87- 

116. 
.  of  Reformation  in  the  Kirk  craved, 

110. 
Headship,  Spiritual,  of  the  Church,  90, 

ISO,  176,    186,   194,  210,   230,243, 

397,  507,  508. 
Hebrew  early  taught   in  Scotland,   30, 

41,   47,49,55;   Mr  Andrew   Melvill 

throws  down    his    Hebrew    Bible   on 

the  Council  table,  142,  218. 
Heliodor's  Ethiopic  History,  84. 
Henderson,      Andrew,     examined    as   to 

his  share  in  Cowrie's  Conspiracy,  488. 

Mr  Thomas,  one  of  the  High  Com- 

mission,  788. 

Henry  III.,  King  of  France,  massacre  of 

Paris.  2(>4  :    causes   Duke  of   Guise  to 


be  stabbed,  ib.  ;  is  assassinated  by  a 
Jacobin  Friar,  ib. 

Henry,  King,  (Darnley,)  married  to  Mary 
Queen  of  Scots,  17;  murdered  at  the 
Kirk  of  Field,  ib. 

Heresy,  150. 

Heriot,  Andrew,  debauches  John  Max- 
well, 65 ;  attacks  Mr  Andrew  Mel- 
vill, ib.  ;   his  death,  66. 

Herris,  Lord,  65,  66. 

Hesiod  taught,  49,  53. 

Higgins,  ( Luggie  ?)  Dr,  Dean  of  Ripon, 
748. 

High  Commission  Court,  786  ;  the  Com- 
mission, 787,  et  seq. 

Highland  theft,  190. 

Highlands,  the  Spanish  Armada  are  partly 
wrecked  on  these  coasts,  262  ;  earth- 
quake there,  420  ;  state  of,  as  to  reli- 
gious knowledge,  434. 

Hildebrand,  Cardinal,  767. 

History,  Bodin's  method  of,  46 ;  history 
taught  in  the  Scotish  Universities,  49. 

Holieglass,  or  Howleglass,  what,  176. 

Holyroodhouse,  Sum  of  the  Conference 
at,  17th  November  1599,  446:  Ge- 
neral Assembly  at,  546  ;  act  of,  731, 
733. 

Holy  Tongues,  Hebrew,  Chaldaic,  Sy- 
riac,  and  Greek,  taught  in  Scotland, 
49. 

Home,  Mr  Alexander,  minister  of  Dun- 
bar,. 199. 

of  Manderston,  Alexander,  170. 

Mr    David,     minister,    78.       Sec 

Hume. 

Homer  taught,  49,  53. 

Homes  and  Carrs  attend  King  at  Con- 
vention, January,  1596-7,  383. 

Honstelius,  669. 

Hope,  Mr  Thomas,  advocate,  pleads  for 
the  imprisoned  ministers  at  their  trial, 
621,  et  seq. 

Horace  taught,  17,  46,  49. 

Hospitals,  113,  191,  195,  342. 

Hostillaries,  clergy  forbid  to  keep,  350. 

Houndsdean,  Lord,  Governor  of  Berwick, 
171. 

Household,  Royal,  who  are  ecclesiastical 
judges  to?  397.  398. 

Howie,  Mr  John,  724. 

Mr   Robert,   549  ;    at   Conference 

at  Hamilton  Court,  659,  684,  749, 
760;  at  Conference  at   Falkland,  770, 


INDIA. 


si>:i 


et  scq.  ;  Principal  of  the  New  College, 
St  Andrews,  788 ;  one  of  the  High 
Commission,  ib. 
Howison,  Mr  John,  minister,  is  vio- 
lently pulled  out  of  the  Moderator's 
chair  in  Presbytery  of  Glasgow,  131  ; 
197;  imprisoned  in  the  Spey  Tower 
of  Perth,.  198,  244,  549. 

Mr  Thomas,  minister,  302. 

Huddisdon,  (Hudstone,)  Dr,  an  English 

divine,  792,  801. 
Hugonots  in  France,  43. 
Hume,   Castle  of,  taken  by  the  English, 

27- 

of  Cowdounknows,  made  captain  of 

Edinburgh  Castle,  225. 

of  Manderstoun,  Sir  George,  576  ; 

his  son  created  Lord  Berwick  and  Earl 
of  Dunbar,  &c,  ib. 

Lord  John,  marches  with  the  Con- 
federated Lords  to  St  Ninian's,  223  ; 
excommunicated,  3)0;  absolved,  315. 

of  Polwart,  Sir  Patrick,  623. 

Humiliation  and  fasting,  299,  346. 
Huntly,  Earl  of,  Brechin  Castle  taken  by 

the  Regent  Lennox,  27  ;   George  was 


present  at  Convention  at  Perth,  1 32  ; 
feud  with  the  Forbeses,  ib.  ;  his  mar- 
riage, 291  ;  slays  the  Bonny  Earl  of 
Moray  at  Dunibirsle,  224  ;  concerned 
in  the  conspiracy  of  "  the  Spanish 
Blanks,"  30G,  el  seq. ;  is  excommuni- 
cated, 310  ;  Errol's  and  his  men  march 
to  St-  Johnstoun,  311;  rises  in  arms, 
and  is  defeated  at  Glenrinnes,  318; 
his  castle  of  Strathbogie  demolished, 
319  ;  his  offers  of  reconciliation  to  the 
Kirk,  372,  385  ;  promises  largely  to 
the  Kirk,  433  ;  his  obstinate  adherence 
to  Popery,  565,  755. 

Huntly,  Marquis  of,  George,  applies  t>>  be 
freed  from  sentence  of  excommunica- 
tion, 796,  797. 

Countess  of,  Henrietta,  373. 

Hunter,  Mr  Andrew,  minister,  259  ;  de- 
posed, 517- 

Hunter's  tables  taught,  49. 

Hutton,  302. 

Huttonhall,  a  refuge  to  the  oppressed 
Reformers,  219;  Mr  James  Melvill 
leaves  his  wife  there,  227.  " 


I. 


Icterick  fever,  14. 

Imposition  of  hands,  392. 

Inch  of  Perth,  404. 

Indling,  (eldning,  elduring,)  jealous,  jea- 
lousjT,  355. 

Inglishe,  (Inglis,)  Mr  Nathan,  one  of  the 
imprisoned  ministers,  616. 

Innes,  of  that  Ilk,  Robert,  373. 

Instructions  by  the  Synod  of  Fife,  388 ;  to 
Commissioners  to  General  Assembly, 
751-753. 

Invasion,  Spanish,  threatened.  See  Ar- 
mada. 

Inverkeithing,  Synod  of  Fife  held  at,  582. 


Ireland,  part  of  Spanish  Armada  wrecked 

on  coast  of,  264. 
Irving  of  Drum.  Alexander,  one  of  the 

High  Commission,  788. 

Mr  James,  minister  at  Touch,  573 ; 

one  of  the  imprisoned  ministers,  616. 

John,  (Yrewing,)  250. 

Isles,   Bishop  of,   Andrew  Knox,  one  of 

the  High  Commission,  788. 
laws  of  King  of  Denmark  observed 

there,  232. 
Isocrates  taught  at  St  Andrews,  49,  53. 
Italian  studied  at  St  Andrews,  125. 


Jak  on  bathe  the  sydes,  playing,  174. 

Jake,  jauk,  what,  435. 

James  VI.,  King  of  Scotland,  his  birth, 
18;  assumes  the  government,  61  ;  re- 
ceives Mon.  d'Obignie  into  favour,  76  : 
makes  a  royal  progress  through  the 
kingdom,  81  ;  gyse  and  farce  before 
the  King,  ib.  ;  his  mind  corrupted  and 


set  against  the  Kirk  and  ministry,  119; 
dismisses  Mon.  d'Obignie  and  his  tac- 
tion, 134  ;  disperses  tin-  <  onfederate 
Lords  at  Stirling,  166  :  holds  a  Par- 
liament, ami  restrains  the  Kirk,  ib.  ; 
his  bull  to  the  Archbishop  "f  St  An- 
drews, as  "  Supream  Goveroou  of  the 
Kirk,''  194;   capitulates  with  the  Con- 


824 


INDEX. 


federate  Lords  at  Stirling,  223,  224  ; 
receives  them  into  favour,  225 ;  the 
Kirk's  animadversions  against  his  acts 
of  Parliament,  1584,  229-238  ;  his  de- 
claration thereon,  239-243  ;  Kirk's 
Supplication,  ib.,  244  ;  influence  of  the 
Master  Falconer  over  him.  250,  251  ; 
he  and  Signior  du  Bartas  visit  St  An- 
drews, 255  ;  Mr  Andrew  Melvill 
lectures  extempore,  ib.  ;  Archbishop 
follows,  254  ;  then  the  King,  ib.  ;  ban- 
quet, ib.  ;  Petitions  to  the  King  and 
Council  as  to  state  of  religion,  205; 
holds  his  first  Parliament  after  his  ma- 
jority, and  ratines  the  Presbyterian 
religion,  259  ;  writes  on  the  Apoca- 
lypse, 200  ;  embarks  at  Leith  for  Den- 
mark, and  marries  Queen  Anne  there, 
277  ;  witchcraft  practised  to  procure 
his  destruction,  279  ;  returns  to  Scot- 
land, ib.  ;  his  Queen  crowned,  ib.  ; 
ambassadors  from  Germany  and  Flan- 
ders present,  ib.  ;  thanksgiving  pro- 
posed for  the  King's  safe  return,  28 1  ; 
meets  Papist  Lords  at  Fala,  310 ; 
passes  to  the  North  of  Scotland  against 
the  Papist  Earls,  316;  his  proceed- 
ings there,  317  ;  his  letter  to  ministers 
of  Edinburgh  as  to  his  proceedings 
against  the  Papists,  &c,  320  ;  his  let- 
ter of  credit  recommending  Mr  James 
Melvill  to  the  burghs,  &c,  321  ;  re- 
cals  the  Papist  Lords  from  banish- 
ment, 36S  ;  holds  a  conference  with 
the  Commissioners  of  the  Kirk  at  Falk- 
land, 309-371  ;  Mr  Andrew  Melvill's 
remarkably  bold  speech,  370;  passes 
severe  laws  against  the  Kirk,  385;  at- 
tempts to  overthrow  the  Kirk,  384  ; 
proposes  certain  Questions  to  the  mi- 
nistry, 390  ;  holds  a  Convention  of  the 
Kirk  and  Estates  at  Perth,  ib.  :  at 
which  he  gives  out  Articles,  which  are 
answered  by  the  Kirk,  400  ;  interrupts 
Mr  Robert  Wallace  in  the  pulpit,  418; 
is  rebuked  by  Mr  Andrew  Melvill,  ib.  ; 


attempts  to  re-establish  the  Bishops, 
436;  his  Basilicon  Doron,  444:  l»is 
opinion  on  the  government  of  the  Kirk 
of  Scotland,  445  ;  holds  a  Conference 
with  .the  Kirk  at  Holyrood,  446  ;  Gow- 
rie's  Conspiracy,  485,  486  ;  re- 
news the  Covenant  at  Burntisland, 
494  ;  falls  from  his  horse  at  the  hunt- 
ing, 544,  n. ;  succeeds  to  crow  n  of  Eng- 
land, 554  ;  makes  a  speech  in  Great 
Kirk  of  Edinburgh,  ib.  ;  his  letter  to 
ministers,  635  ;  Supplication  from  im- 
prisoned ministers,  648  ;  his  first  inter- 
view with  Mr  Andrew  Melvill,  &c.,  at 
Hampton  Court,  653. 

James,  Dr,  Bishop  of  Durham,  678. 

Jedburgh,  302,  310;  Presbytery  of,  re- 
fuse visitations  of  Bishop  Law,  730  ; 
their  reasons,  731. 

Jesuits'  College,  44,  73  ;  the  order  of, 
considered  the  most  learned  and  holy 
in  "the  Papistry,"  74;  great  enemies 
to  the  Kirk,  267- 

'Seminaries  of,  180,  266,  269,  305, 

555,  798. 

Johnstone  of  Elphistone,  John,  267. 

Laird  of,  murdered  by  Lord  Max- 
well, who  is  excommunicated,  756. 

Johnstoun,  Mr  Adam,  minister  of  Dal- 
keith, 302  ;  his  death,  438. 

Johnstoune,  Mr  John,  master  in  the  Col- 
lege of  St  Andrews,  314;  he  studies 
abroad,  ib. 

Judas  Episcopatus,  460. 

Julius  III.,  Pope,  734;  casts  keys  of  St 
Peter  into  the  Tiber,  and  takes  sword 
of  St  Paul,  736. 

Junius,  801. 

Jurisdiction  of  the  Kirk,  55  ;  civil  and 
spiritual  not  to  be  confounded,  101, 
130;  temporal,  108,  212,  239,  397; 
who  is  Ecclesiastical  Judge  to  King's 
Household  and  Council?  397,  398; 
appeal  to  superior  courts,  400. 

Jus  Divinum,  452. 

Justice  courts,  192. 


K. 


Keleutmannus,  569,  570. 

Kellie  Law,  great  rain  at,  330. 

Kempe,  Mr  William,  merchant  in  Edin- 
burgh, called  before  Privy  Council  for 
speaking  against  General  Assembly  at 
Glasgow,  1610,  803;  dismissed,  ib. 


Keys,  power  of  the,  89,  95,  105,  230. 

Kilrynnie,  parish  of,  Mr  James  Melvill, 
minister,  3,  0 ;  Mr  John  Doig  ap- 
pointed to  be  his  colleague,  7,  8,  1  1  : 
Captain  R.  Anstruther  leaves  2000 
merks  to  poor,   81  ;   Sum   of  the  doc- 


•NDFA. 


8  2i t 


trine  of  the  Covenant,  1596,  362-367; 
petition  for  the  return  of  Mr  James 
Melvill  from  banishment    in    England) 

761. 

Kilsyth,  Laird  of,  758. 

Lord,  664. 

Kilwinning,  Abbacy  of,  bestowed  on  Lord 
Bui-lie,  781. 

Kineraig-sands,  a  large  whale  driven 
ashore  on,  331. 

King,  Mr  Adam,  Commissary  of  Edin- 
burgh, one  of  the  High  Commission, 
788. 

Dr,  preaches  against  Presbytery, 

667. 

Kinghorn,  280,  302  ;  provincial  Synod  of 
Fife  held  there,  545,  070. 

• Earl  of,  Patrick,  one  of  the   High 

Commission,  787,  797. 

Kings  Confession,  87,  558,  600,  646. 

right  and  relief  as  to  teiuds,  345. 

Kingston  on  Thames,  053,  663. 

Kinmont,  Will  of,  212. 

Kinnaber,  Laird  of,  18. 

Kinneir,  Mr  John,  (minister  of  Leuch- 
ars  ?)  742. 

Kinnouchar,  (Kilconquhar,)  417. 

Kintaill,  earthquake  felt  at,  420,  525. 

Kirk  of  Scotland,  abuses  and  corruptions 
in  the  Kirk  and  Commonwealth,  106, 
186-193,  225  ;  neglected  by  the  Con- 
federate  Lords,  225 ;  animadversions 
against  the  Acts  of  Parliament,  229— 
23S  ;  the  King's  answer  thereto,  239- 
243 ;  Supplication  to  the  King,  lb.,  244  ; 
petitions  the  King  against  the  Papists, 
265  ;  Commissioners  appointed,  207  ; 
ratification   of  the   liberty  of  the  true 


Kirk,  &c,  294-298;  Convention!  at 
Edinburgh,  299-306  ;  at  St  Andrews, 
390 ;  Convention  of  the  Kirk  and 
Estates  at  Perth,  il>.,  403  ;  answer!  the 
King's  Articles,  406-4H9  ;  Conference 
between  the  King  and  the  Kirk  at  Ho- 
lyrood,  440 ;  proposals  for  an  Union 
with  England,  554,  557,  et  seq. 

Kirkaldy  of  Grange,  John  Knox's  prophe- 
cies against  him,  33—36  ;  liis  contemp- 
tuous message  to  John  Knox,  34 ; 
renders  the  castle  of  Edinburgh,  ami  is 
taken  prisoner,  35  ;  his  execution,  30. 

town  of,  270. 

Kirkcowbrie,  (Kirkcudbright.^  302. 

Kirk  masters,  1 13. 

Kirks,  common,  332  :  reparation  of,  1  1 3, 
342. 

Knollis,  Lord,  658. 

Sir  Francis,  765. 

Knox,  Mr  Andrew,  minister  at  Paisley, 
302,  306. 

Mr  And.  (Bishop  of  the  Isles,  after- 
wards Bishop  of  Raphoe,  in  Ireland,) 
549. 

Mr  John,   minister  of  Edinburgh, 

obliged  to  take  refuge  at  St  Andrews, 
26  ;  his  conduct  and  manner  of  preach- 
ing while  there,  ib.,  32,  33  ;  his  pro- 
phecies against  Kirkaldy  of  Grange, 
&c,  ib.,  30  ;  returns  to  Edinburgh,  and 
dies  there,  ib.  ;  his  character  by  Re- 
gent Morton,  60,313;  letter  to  him 
from  Beaa,  481. 

Mr  John,  minister  at  Melrose,  302, 

549,  758,700;  one  of  Conference  at 

Falkland,  770. 


L. 


LaMBE,  Mr  Andrew,  (minister  of  Brech- 
in,) 549  ;  at  Conference  at  Hampton 
Court,  659  ;  Bishop  of  Brechin,  one 
of  the  High  Commission,  787,  797; 
goes  to  Court  after  Glasgow  General 
Assembly,  1010,  803;  is  consecrated 
there,  ib. 

Lambes,  (Lammas,)  23,  37,  261. 

Lambeth,  745.     See  Canterbury. 

Dean  of,  753. 

Lamentation,  a,  for  sin,  on  the  thraldom 
of  the  Kirk,  and  the  murder  of  James 
Smith,  a  poem,  424. 


Lamentation   and    Verses    on    muni,  r  of 

Smith,  424-433. 
Lammermuir-edge,  169. 

Lanark.  302. 

Languages  taught  at  St  Andrews,  124, 
146,  &c       See  Hebrew,  8tO. 

Laureation  at  the  Universities  was 
brated   with    banqueting,    plays,   fcc. 
28 

Lauristoune,  Laird  of,  appointed  King's 

Commissioner  to  the  Kirk,  565 ;  at  By- 

nod  of  St  Andrews,  all  or  the  General 

Assembly,  July  1004,  at  Aberdeen,ib., 

3  Q 


826 


INDEX. 


570,  571  ;  dissolves  General  Assem- 
bly, July  1605,  at  Aberdeen,  57*2,574, 
591,  603;  prosecutes  the  imprisoned 
ministers,  616,  et  seq.  ;  at  Conference 
at  Hampton  Court,  659,  702,  n. 
Law,  Duncan,  553. 

Mr   James,   Bishop  of  Orkney,  at 

Conference  at  Hampton  Court,  659  ; 
at  General  Assembly  at  Linlithgow, 
683,  6*^7  ;  visits  the  ministers  in  Lon- 
don, 688  ;  result  of  his  interview,  ib., 
741  ;  Presbytery  of  Jedburgh  refuse 
his  visitation,  730  ;  Reasons  for  refu- 
sing, 731—735,  754;  Moderator  of 
General  Assembly  at  Linlithgow,  755, 
760 ;  Moderator  at  Conference  of  Falk- 
land, 770  ;  one  of  the  High  Commis- 
sion, 787,  797,  800;  charged  with 
apcstacy  and  perjury,  802. 

Lawder,  town  of,  709. 

Laws  of  the  Kirk,  how  to  be  enacted, 
391. 

Lawson,  Mr  James,  succeeds  John  Knox, 
as  minister  at  Edinburgh,  33,  52,  55, 
79 ;  Moderator  of  the  Assembly  at 
Dundee,  80,  84 ;  protects  Mr  Andrew 
Melvill,  144,  166;  flees  to  England, 
167,  170;  visits  Oxford,  219;  his 
death,  ib. 

Mrs,    (Janet   Guthrie,)    widow  of 

Mr  James,  on  his  death,  goes  to  Ber- 
wick, 219  ;  dies,  220  ;  reposes  at  Hut- 
tonhall,  with  Mr  James  Mevill's  wife, 
in  her  journey  to  Scotland,  227. 

Leaping,  exercise  of,  encouraged,  17- 

Leaws,  (Island  of  Lewis,)  126. 

Legend  of  Bishop  of  St  Andrews,  176, 
644. 

Legoretto,  Capitan  de,  one  of  the  wreck- 
ed Commanders  of  the  Spanish  Arma- 
da, 263. 

Leitch,  (Leith?)  Mr  Andrew,  797. 

Leith,  war  between  Edinburgh  and,  27  ; 
Conference  at  ;  plague  at ;  dead  body 
of  "  the  Bonny  Earl"  of  Murray  open- 
ly exposed  in  the  Kirk,  294  ;  Sheriff 
and  Commissary  Courts  there,  385. 

Mr  Andrew,  one  of  the  High  Com- 
mission, 788. 

Lekprivick,  Robert,  printer,  removes  his 
printing  press  from  Edinburgh  to  St 
Andrews,  32. 

Lennox,  Mathew,  Earl  of,  chosen  Re- 
gent, 2"  ;  takes  castle  of  Brechin,  il>.  ; 
slain  at  Stirling,  28. 


Lennox,  Duke  of,  Esme,  116,  118,  &c, 

692.      See  Stewart. 
Lermont  of  Balcomie,  James,  yovmger, 

publishes  a  placard  against    Andrew 

Melvill,  125;  his  death,  126. 
. William,   bailie   of    St    Andrews. 

127. 
Leslie,  Mr  Alexander,  (minister  of   An- 

struther  Wester?)  553. 

William,  553. 

Lesser  Kirk,  (Little  Kirk,  or  Mr  Robert 

Bruce's,  or  Haddo'sHold,)  Edinburgh, 

352. 
Lestarik,  (Restalrig,    near   Edinburgh,) 

228. 
Lethingtoun,  Chancellor,  Secretary.    See 

Maitland. 
Lewis.      See  Leaws. 
Libberton,  Kirk  of,  242. 
Liberty  of  the  true  Kirk,  ratification  of, 

295-298,  388. 
Life,  election  of  elders,  &c,  if  for,  394. 
Liferents,  332. 
Lilius,  syntax  by,  17- 
Linacer,  syntax  by,  17. 
Lindores,  Lord,  664. 
Lindsay,  Mr  Alexander,  (afterwards  Bi- 
shop of  Dunkeld?)   549,    684,   701, 

770. 

Mr   David,  minister  at    Leith,  32, 

55,61  ;  imprisoned  in  Blackness,  198, 
267,  268,  300,  307;  moderator  of 
General  Assembly,  315,  369,  410; 
made  Bishop  of  Ross,  489,  528,  555, 
718,  763  ;  one  of  the  High  Commis- 
sion, 787. 

Sir  David,  popularity  of  his  works 

alluded  to,  IS,  19,  136. 

. John,  (Parson  of  Menmuir,)  Lord 

of  Session,  268,  508. 

John,  Secretary  of  State,  his  Con- 
stant Plat  for  the  Kirk,  331  ;  suspect- 
ed of  framing  the  King's  "  Questions," 
390,  n  ,  417;  his  death,  438. 

Lord,  314,   319,   415,  717,  718: 

one  of  the  High  Commission.  787. 

Mr  Patrick,  (afterwards  Bishop  of 

Ross  and  Archbishop  of  Glasgow  ?) 
549  ;  one  of  the  High  Commission, 
788,  798. 

Mr   Robert,  minister  for  Lanark, 

302. 

Skipper,  a  lunatic,  warns  Regent 

Morton  of  a  plot  against  him,  82. 
Links  of  .Montrose,  21. 


INDEX. 


827 


Linlithgow,  Parliament  held  at,  225, 
228  ;  trial  of  the  imprisoned  ministers 
held  there,  619,  at  seq.  ;  verdict  of  the 
assize,  G2G  ;  General  Assembly  or  Con- 
vention at,  683  ;  proceedings  sent  to 
King,  687 ;  proceedings  of  the  Con- 
vention, 1606,  721-729  ;  General  As- 
sembly, July  1 608,  at,  754. 

Countess  of,  '*  ano  obstinate  Pa- 
pist," 619. 

Earl  of,  619,  797- 

Lions,  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  there,  43. 
Lipsios,  his   opinion  of    Andrew  Melvill, 

279. 
Little    Justice,   Lord,    (Justice-depute,) 

619,  75S,  &c. 
Li  vingstoune  of  Dunipace,  John,  625, 626. 

Mr  Henry,  741. 

Lochlevin,  Laird  of,  267. 

Logic,  Aristotle's,  taught  at  St  Andrews, 
54. 

Logy-Montrose,  Mr  James  Melvill  edu- 
cated with  minister  of,  16, 


Logy,  Over,  1  7- 

London,  Bishop  of,  153,  678,  803,  804. 

Lord,  title  of,  given  to  bishops,  460. 

Lorraine,  a  College  there,  74. 

Cardinal  of,  slain,  264. 

Lothian,  Earl  of,  797. 

Synod  of,  refuses  Constant  Moder- 
ators, 720,  763. 

Lovaine,  University  of,  147- 

Lovat,  Lord  Frascr  of,  Simon,  one  of  the 
High  Commission,  787. 

Lownan,  Water  of,  139. 

Luffera,  Capitan  de,  one  of  the  wrecked 
commanders  of  the  Spanish  Armada, 
263. 

Luggie,  (Higgins?)  Dr,  Dean  of  Ripon, 
748. 

Lundy,  Laird  of,  84,  248. 

Lvtle,  Clement,  advocate,  55. 

William,    provost   of    Edinburgh, 

268. 


M. 


Mac  a  be  us.  Doctor,  in  Denmark,  14. 

Macgill,  David,  advocate,  1 35. 

James,  eldest  son  to  the  Clerk  Re- 
gister, 31. 

Machiavel,  20,  156. 

Magdalene  Chapel,  the  General  Assem- 
bly, April  1578,  held  there,  61. 

Magdeburg,  Convention  of,  57. 

Magistrate,  civil,  89,  90. 

Christian,  office  of,  104. 

Maiden,  a  sort  of  guillotine,  215. 

Mains,  Laird  of,  executed,  198. 

Maitland,  Mr  John,  Chancellor  of  Scot- 
land, his  efforts  in  favour  of  Presby- 
tery, 271,  298,  312;  his  death  and 
character,  329. 

of  Lethingtnu,  Sir  Richard,  Secre- 
tary of  State,  34. 

Thomas,  in  Paris,  73. 

Major,  (Maxy?)  Dr,  King's  chaplain, 
748. 

Makin  Tosbie,  (M'lntosh  of  M'Intosh,) 
his  offers  to  the  Kirk,  434. 

Malcolm.  Mr  William,  549. 

Malcolme,  Mr  John,  minister  at  Perth, 
124,  302. 

Malcontent,  Mally,  "  Mother  of  the 
Greives,"  440. 

Manse  and  gleib,  335. 


Manse-moungar,  the,  323. 
Mar,  David,  notary,  565. 

Earl  of,  rises  in  arms  against  the 

King,  and  occupies  Stirling,  165  ;  flees 
to  England,  166;  returns  to  Scotland, 
223  ;  made  captain  of  Stirling  castle, 
225,  326 ;  John,  sent  by  King  to  try 
imprisoned  ministers,  618,  628,  709; 
one  of  the  High  Commission,  787. 

House  of,  57- 

Lady,  governess  to  James  VI  ,  48. 

Marischall,  Earl,  267  ;   George,  787. 
Maritoa,  (  Marie  Kirk,)  Kirk  of,  14  ;  Mr 

James   Melville   father,    Mr   Richard, 

minister  there,  ib.,  19,  20,  24,  37. 
Marriage,  who  entitled  to  solemnize,  95  ; 

use  of  the  ring  in,  objected  to,  764. 
Marolot,  37- 
Marsiliers,   Petrtifl  de,   teaches  Creek  at 

Montrose,  39. 
Martina,  Mr  James,  rector  of  University 

of  St  Andrews,  one  of  the  High  Com- 

nii-Moii,  788. 
Martinius's  Hebrew  Grammar,  47,  489. 
Martyr,  Peter,  789. 
Mart  of  Guise,  Qoeen  Regent,  159. 
Queen  of   Scots,   her  marriage  to 

Darnlev,  17  ;  made  prisoner  at  Carber- 

rv,  ib.  ;  held  of  Langside,  ib.  ;  named 


828 


INDEX. 


Athalia  by  Mr    Andrew  Melvill,  &c, 
161,  191. 

Masone  Dieus,  (Masons  Dieu,)  191. 

Mass,  hearers  of,  317,  550. 

Massacre  of  Protestants  in  France,  27, 
44,75,  160,264. 

Mathematics  taught,  49,  54. 

Mat  how,  Dr,  Archbishop  of  York,  678. 

Mauritio,  Capitan,  one  of  the  wrecked  of 
the  Spanish  Armada,  263. 

Maxwell,  Lord,  excommunicated  for  mur- 
dering the  Laird  of  Johnstoun.  756. 

John,   (son  of  Lord  Herris,)    65, 

66. 

Lord,  joins  the  Confederate  Lords, 

243. 

Maw,  (Major?)  Dr,  King's  chaplain, 
748. 

May,  Island  of,  169. 

Medicis,  Catherine  de,  Queen-Mother  of 
France,  dies,  264. 

Medina,  Jan  Gomes  de,  Admiral  of  the 
Spanish  Armada,  arrives  with  one  of 
his  ships  in  a  miserable  state  at  An- 
struther,  261;  his  kind  reception 
thei'e,  263  ;  shows  great  kindness  to  a 
ship  of  Anstruther  after  his  return 
home,  264. 

Meffan,  Mr  William,  minister,  Dunse, 
302. 

Meigle,  302. 

Melanctbon,  Philip,  Wittenberg,  14;  his 
works  taught,  49. 

Melrose,  302. 

Melvill,  Mr  Andrew,  minister,  in  Poic- 
tiers,  30;  at  Geneva,  ib.  ;  writes  home, 
il).  ;  his  relations  reply,  ib.  ;  arrives  in 
Edinburgh,  37;  his  birth  and  education, 
38  ;  goes  to  the  Continent,  and  studies 
at  Paris,  39  ;  teaches  at  Poictiers,  ib.  ; 
professes  Latin  at  Geneva,  41  ;  leaves 
Geneva,  42 ;  account  of  his  journey 
home  to  Scotland,  42-44  ;  refuses  to 
lie  domestic  teacher  to  Regent  Mor- 
ton, 45  ;  superintends  the  studies  of  his 
nephew  James  Melvill,  ib.  ;  made  Prin- 
cipal of  Glasgow  College,  where  he 
introduces  a  new  system  of  education, 
43—51  ;  receives  letters  from  Beza,  ib. : 
attends  the  General  Assembly,  and  op- 
poses Episcopacy,  52;  reforms  the 
College  of  Glasgow,  53,  54  ;  modera- 
tor of  the  General  Assembly,  01  :  pub- 
lishes his  "  Carmen  Moms,"  63  ;  his 
interpretation  of  dreams,  64:  his  pa- 


tience, 65;  his  intrepidity,  67,  68 
boldly  replies  to  the  Regent's  menaces, 
ib. ;  made  Principal  of  the  New  Col- 
lege, St  Andrews,  65,  75  ;  is  succeed- 
ed by  Mr  Thomas  Smeton,  83  ;  meets 
with  opposition  from  the  deposed 
teachers,  122—128;  moderator  of  the 
Assembly  at  St  Andrews,  128;  also 
at  Perth,  1 29  ;  accused  of  treason, 
141  ;  his  trial,  142  ;  his  intrepid  con- 
duct before  the  King  and  Council,  ib  ; 
declines  their  jurisdiction,  143;  order- 
ed to  ward  at  Blackness,  ib. ;  flees  to 
England,  144;  his  letter  to  the  Con- 
tinental Churches  against  Bishop 
Adamson,  154  ;  visits  Oxford  and  Cam- 
bridge, with  Mr  Jas.  Lawson,  219; 
returns  to  Scotland,  228:  remonstrates 
with  the  King  at  Linlithgow,  ib.,  229, 
235,  n.  :  in  Glasgow,  244  ;  is  excom- 
municated by  Archbishop  of  St  An- 
drews, 247  ;  commanded  toward,  249; 
preaches  at  St  Andrews,  254,  267  i 
pronounces  a  Latin  oration  at  the  co- 
ronation of  Queen  Ann,  279 ;  chosen 
Rector  of  the  University  of  St  An- 
drews, 290  ;  his  charity  to  Archbishop 
Adamson,  293,  303,  313;  moderator 
of  the  General  Assembly,  315:  ac- 
companies King  and  army  to  the  North, 
318  ;  writes  to  ministers  of  Edinburgh 
on  this  subject,  321  ;  charged  be- 
fore the  King,  323  ;  his  interview  with 
the  King  at  Falkland,  325  ;  at  Synod 
of  Fife,  359 ;  his  singular  conference 
with  the  King,  370  ;  publicly  rebukes 
the  King,  418  ;  deposed  from  his  rec- 
torship, ib.  ;  made  Dean  of  the  Facul- 
ty of  Theology,  443  :  interview  with 
the  King,  who  debars  him  from  attend- 
ing the  Assembly,  485  ;  again,  535  ; 
again,  when  he  offers  his  head,  rather 
than  lay  down  the  liberties  of  the  Kirk, 
542  ;  warded  in  his  College  at  St  An- 
drews, 545  ;  goes  to  Parliament,  July 
1606,  at  Perth,  637  ;  is  warned  to  re- 
tire, 638 ;  proceedings  of  Presbytery 
of  St  Andrews  before  he  went  to  Lon- 
don, 642,  et  seq.  ;  goes  to  London  to 
conference  with  the  King,  644  ;  Letter 
from  the  Imprisoned  ministers,  64(3  ; 
at  Hampton  Court,  653  ;  his  examina- 
tion, 659;  his  address,  661  ;  examined 
by  Priw  Council,  666  ;  to  be  with  Bi- 
shop of  Winchester,   678;  ordered  to 


INDEX. 


829 


appear  before  Council  of  England  for 
writing  Latin  verses,  ib  ,  680,  08 1  : 
placed  in  custody  with  Dean  of  St 
Paul's,  ib. ;  the  Verses  on  King's  altar, 
0S2,  683  ;  warrant  to  go  to  Bishop  of 
Winchester,  700;  goes  to  his  friends 
again,  ib. ;  his  Versos  on  St  George's 
Day,  706  ;  is  sent  for  by  Earl  of  Salis- 
bury, ib.  ;  sent  close  prisoner  to  Tower 
of  London,  708,  761. 

Melvill,  Andrew,  son  of  Mr  James,  author 
of  the  Diary,  born,  254  ;  dies,  269 ; 
curious  circumstance  attending  his 
death,  270;   his  epitaph,  ib. 

■ Barbara,  sister  of  Mr  James,  (the 

author,)  marries  James  Balfour,  mini- 
ster at  Guthrie,  53. 

David,  brother  of  Mr  Andrew.  39. 

David,    (son    of  Richard   of  Bal- 

dowie,  and  elder  brother  of  Mr  Junes,) 
16  ;  brought  up  to  husbandry,  20  ;  his 
marriage,  51. 

. Ephraim,  son  of  Mr  James,  author 

of  the  Diary,  his  birth,  220;  Lady 
Widdrington  takes  care  of  him,  221  : 
is  brought  home  by  his  father,  251  ; 
dangerous  passage,  ib.-253. 

. Isabel,  sister  to  Mr  James,  18  ;  her 

marriage,  28  ;  her  death,  ib. 

Mr   James,  introduction    to     his 

Diary,  3-12  -.  made  Professor  of  Theo- 
logy at  St  Andrews,  4 ;  minister  of 
Anstruther   and    Kilrvnnie,    &c,   ib.  ; 

•  confines  himself  to  Kilryunie,  5  ;  gets 
Pittenweem  bestowed  on  Mr  Nicol 
Dalgleishe,  ib.  ;  and  Anstruther  on  Mr 
Robert  Dury,  ib.  ;  and  Abercrombie 
on  Mr  Alexander  Forsythe,  ib.  ;  re- 
fuses invitations  to  be  minister  at  Dun- 
dee, Edinburgh.  St  Andrews,  and  Stir- 
ling, C> ;  Mr  John  Doig  becomes  his 
colleague,  7 ;  prints  his  Catechism, 
12  ;  he  loses  400  marks  by  the  pub- 
lication, ib.  ;  hia  birth,  13;  his  pa- 
rentage,* 14  ;  his  education,  16-23  ; 
enters  College  of  St  Andrews  under 
Mr  William  Collace,  24  ;  his  shinies 
t!iere,  25  ;  John  Knox  arrives  at  St 
Andrews,  26  ;  lectures  on  Daniel,  ib.  ; 
Mr  James  MelvilTs  second  year's 
course  there,  27  ;  his  third  and 
fourth  year,  28,  29  ;  learns  music,  ib  ; 
and  manly  exercises,  ib.,  30  ;  ends  his 
course  of  philosophy,  36  ;  goes  to  Dun- 
dee, 37  ;  his  uncle  Mr  Andrew  returns 


to  Scotland,  ib.  ;  sketch  of  his  uncle's 
parentage,  education,  ami  employment 
abroad,  ib.-45  ;  instructs  Mr  James 
in  the  languages,  philosophy,  and  Greek, 
46;  and  Hebrew,  47 1  Mr  James  goes  to 
Glasgow  with  his  uncle,  48  ;  begins  to 
preach  at  the  age  of  18,  50  ;  goes  to 
General  Assembly  at  Edinburgh,  52  ; 
becomes  a  regent  in  Glasgow  College, 
53  ;  assaulted  by  two  students,  70  ;  is 
contracted  to  the  daughter  of  Mr  John 
Durie,  minister  of  Edinburgh,  80 ; 
purposes  to  go  to  France,  83  ;  studies 
Hebrew,  84 ;  chosen  Professor  of 
Oriental  Languages  at  St  Andrews, 
ib.  ;  invited  to  be  minister  of  Stirling, 
135  ;  marries  a  daughter  of  Mr  John 
Durie,  136,  138  ;  teaches  for  Mr  An- 
drew Melvill,  De  Verbo  et  Ecclcsia, 
146  ;  is  attended  by  Mr  R.  Bruce, 
&c,  ib.  ;  is  denounced,  and  visits  An- 
gus and  Mearns  to  collect  college 
rents,  166 ;  his  house  and  papers 
searched,  107  ;  leaves  Scotland  in  the 
disguise  of  a  shipwrecked  mariner, 
168  ;  account  of  his  flight  to  Berwick, 
168—170;  goes  to  Newcastle,  and  re- 
mains with  the  banished  lords,  171  ; 
his  Letter  and  Order  of  Discipline  while 
there,  173-184;  his  Letter  on  the 
abuses  of  the  Kirk  and  Commonweal, 
186;  goes  to  Berwick  with  his  wife, 
197  ;  his  Letter  to  the  Subscribing 
Ministers,  200 ;  has  a  son,  Ephraim, 
born,  220  ;  returns  to  Scotland,  227  ; 
brings  home  his  wife  from  England, 
244  ;  leaves  her  in  Montrose,  and  re- 
turns to  Edinburgh,  ib.  ;  occupied  in 
reforming  the  college  affairs,  ib.,  24.5  ; 
he  and  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  excommu- 
nicated by  the  Archbishop  of  St  An- 
drews, 247  ;  ill  of  tertian  fever,  248  ; 
lectures  on  history  of  the  Bible,  &c, 

250  ;  troubles  in  the  college,  ib.  ;  Mr 
Robert  Durie  accompanies  him  to  bring 
home  his  son   Ephraim  from   Berwick, 

251  ;  his  narrow  escape  from  ship- 
wreck, 252  ;  appointed  minister  of  An- 
Btmther,  254  ;    his  son,   Andrew,  horn, 

ib. :  removes  to  Anstruther,  257  ■  sin- 
gular adventure  of  some  of  his  parish- 
ioners with  pirates,  ib.,  259  j  escapes 

from  the  fall  of  his  horse,  ib.  :  his  con- 
ference  with  the  Admiral  of  the  Spa- 
nish Armada,  261  ;  collects  500  merka 


830 


INDEX. 


in  his  district  for  exiled  French  Pro- 
testants, 265  ;  also  a  collection  for 
Geneva,  ib.  ;  consults  as  to  Popi&h 
earls,  &c  ,  267  ;  his  son,  Andrew,  dies, 
269  ;  his  epitaph,  270  ;  preaches  be- 
fore the  General  Assembly,  280 ; 
sketch  of  his  sermon,  ib.-'288  ;  Arch- 
bishop of  St  Andrews  beseeches  him 
to  forgive  him,  289;  publishes  a  book 
of  poems,  307  bis  infant  daughter 
Margaret  dies,  309 ;  commissioner 
from  the  Kirk  to  the  King,  316  ;  a  fa- 
vourite at  court,  317;  accompanies 
the  King  in  his  expedition  against  the 
Papist  Lords,  318;  his  commission 
from  the  King  while  there,  319  ;  his 
servant  dies  of  fatigue,  ib.  ;  King 
James  VI.  recommends  him  to  the 
Burghs,  &c,  as  his  special  commission- 
er, to  get  supplies  for  the  army  in  the 
North,  321 ;  has  another  son,  John,  323  ; 
interview  with  the  King  at  Falkland, 
324  ;  defends  Mr  David  Black,  ib.  ; 
Mr  Andrew's  boldness,  325 ;  sketch 
of  sermon  by  Mr  James,  at  St  Andrews, 
326-328  ;  conference  with  the  King 
at  Falkland,  369-371  ;  a  visitor  of 
the  Highland  churches,  433  ;  publishes 
his  Catechism,  443  ;  loses  above  400 
mcrks  by  it,  ib.  ;  procures  the  restora- 
tion of  John  Dykes.  488  ;  is  seized  with 
heavy  sickness,  489;  addresses  General 
Assembly  at  Burntisland,  490  ;  his 
memorial  '•'  Eucharistic  and  Euctic," 
after  his  sickness,  494-500  ;  his  speech 
at  General  Assembly  at  Holyrood- 
house,  546  ;  his  bold  conduct  at  Ge- 
neral Assembly  called  to  be  held  at 
Aberdeen,  July  1604,  561  ;  his  Letter 
to  Synod  of  Fife,  627  ;  is  written  for, 
to  wait  on  Parliament  at  Perth,  637  ; 
at  St  Andrews,  and  proceedings  there, 
642,  et  seq.  ;  goes  to  London,  644  ; 
Letter  from  Imprisoned  ministers,  646  ; 
interview  with  the  King  at  Hampton 
Court,  653  ;  King's  address  to  Mr 
James,  656 ;  goes  to  Chapel  Royal, 
657 ;  at  the  Conference,  659 :  his 
speech,  ib.,  660 ;  examined,  662 ;  again 
examined  by  Privy  Council,  665 ;  his 
answers  to  their  questions,  674,  675  ; 
proposed  to  be  placed  with  Bishop  of 
Durham,  678  ;  ordered  to  appear  be- 
fore Council  of  England,  ib..  <>7^;  ex- 
amined,   680;  is   visited  by  Law,  Bi- 


shop of  Orkney,  688  ;  writes  Sir  An- 
thony Ashley,  689  ;  his  reply,  declining 
to  reside  with  Bishop  of  Durham,  690  ; 
Privy  Council's  Letter  to  the  Bishop, 
691  :  conference  with  him,  692,  693  ; 
Supplication  of  ministers  detained  in 
London  to  Council  of  England,  694— 
697 ;  goes  to  Lambeth,  698  ;  inter- 
view, ib.— 700  :  is  charged  to  ward  ;it 
Newcastle.  7U9 ;  applies  for  leave  to 
remain  with  his  uncle,  710  ;  is  refused, 
ib.  ;  his  Letter  to  Conference  of  Falk- 
land, 739 ;  at  Newcastle,  742 ;  his 
second  Letter,  743  ;  the  elders  of  Kil- 
rennie  petition  for  his  return  home, 
761  ;  his  Letter  to  one  of  the  exiled 
ministers,  782. 
Melvill,  Mr  James,  minister  at  Arbroath, 
uncle  of  the  author,  15,  18,  19,24,  39, 
78. 

James,  cousin  of  Mr  James,  in  Eng- 
land, with  his  cousin,  &c,  171. 

Sir  James,  of  Hallhill,  133. 

Mr  John,  minister  at  Craill,  39. 

John,  of  Dysart,  brother  of  Rich- 
ard, senior,  of  Baldowy,  38. 

John,  son  of  Mr  James,  born,  323. 

Margaret,  daughter  of  Mr  James, 

born,  309  ;  dies,  ib. 

Marjory,  sister  to  Mr  James,  her 

marriage,  28. 

Patrick,  professor  in  Glasgow  Col- 
lege, 84. 

Richard,  of  Baldovvie,  grandfather 

of  Mr  James,  38;  killed  at  Pinkie, 
ib. 

Richard,  of  Baldowie,  minister  at 

Mariton,  or  Marie  Kirk,  father  of  Mr 
James,  1 4,  1 9,  20,  24. 

Robert,    brother   to  Mr    Andrew, 

39. 

Sir  Robert,  34  ;  his  advice  to  Mr 

Andrew  Melvill,  138. 

Roger,   burgess  of  Dundee,  uncle 

to  Mr  James,  38  ;  his  character,  ib., 
39,  n.,  84,  144 ;  advises  Mr  James  to 
withdraw  to  England,  167,  168. 

Thomas,  Secretary-depute  of  Scot- 
land, 38. 

Thomas,  of  Dysart,  surnamed  "the 

Merry  Man,"  his  death,  53. 

Walter,  bailie  of  Montrose,  38. 

Menarthes  taught,  49. 

Menmuir,  parson  of,  John  Lindsay,  (Lord 
of  Session,)  268. 


INDEX, 


831 


Mercerus,  (Mercier,)  John,  Professor  of 
Hebrew  at  Paris,  40. 

Merchandize,  ministers  forbidden  to  prac- 
tise, 350. 

Merchieston,  Laird  of,  310. 

Mercurius  Gallo-Belgicus,  600. 

Mernes,  Mearns,  (Kincardine,)  302. 

• Angus  and,    Superintendent  of,  14, 

18. 

Synod  of,  715. 

Mernse,  George,  bailie  of  St  Andrews, 
423. 

Merse,  Synod  of,  refuses  Constant  Mode- 
rators, 720,  758. 

Metellan.      See  Maitland. 

Meteor,  remarkable,  569. 

Milburne,  Dr,  an  English  minister,  781. 

Miln,  Mr  Andrew,  schoolmaster  at  Mon- 
trose, afterwards  minister  of  Fetter- 
esso,  21,267,  302. 

Walter,  the  martyr,  72. 

Minister  or  pastor,  office  of,  93—95,  &c. 
Ministers  of    Edinburgh   banished,  26 ; 

their  character,  78  ;  flee  to  England, 
1(37:  they  return  to  Scotland,  223; 
right  of  ministers  to  teinus,  336  ;  pro- 
vision for  their  widows,  34i  ;  censure  or 
trial  of  qualifications,  348:  corruptions 
in  their  office  and  lives,  347—35 1  ;  forbid 
to  game,  keep  hostellaries,  or  practise 
merchandise,  &c,  350 :  again  with- 
draw from  Edinburgh,  374  ;  Declara- 
tion of  the  causes  of  their  departure, 
ib.  ;  apology  for  their  leaving  their 
flocks,  ib.— 383  ;  severe  laws  passed 
against  them,  383  ;  how  to  be  elect- 
ed, 391  ;  they  are  restored,  41 5  ;  re- 
fuse to  declare  from  the  pulpit  the 
King's  account  of  Cowrie's  Conspiracy, 
486  ;  for  which  they  are  deposed,  ib.  ; 
charge  against,  513;  of  Edinburgh 
denounced,  522  ;  Cautions  as  to  vote 
in  Parliament,  539  ;  of  Edinburgh  re- 
possessed in  their  places,  543  ;  again 
overthrown,  ib. 

banished  and  imprisoned,  the  trial 

of  Imprisoned  Ministers  at  Linlithgow, 
619,  et  seq. ;  verdict  of  assize,  6^6; 
Supplication  from  them  to  the  King, 
648 ;  first  interview  with  the  King, 
653 ;  ministers  who  went  to  London 
invited  by  the  King.  (See  Hampton 
Court,  &c.)  Departure  of  the  banish- 
ed ministers  from  Scotland,  669  ;  Sup- 
plication   of   ministers    in    London    to 


Council  of  England,  694  ;  offer  of  con- 
ference, 735  ;  conditions,  736. 

Minotius.  .37"- 

Mirritoun,  Laird  of,  executed  at  Stirling, 
58. 

Mitchell,  Mr  Adam,  minister  at  Cupar, 
302. 

Mitchelson.  Mr  John,  (minister  of  Kirk- 
aldy  ?)  760. 

Mr  John,  798. 

Moderator,  office  of,  98,  394  ;  Constant, 
684,  et  seq. ;  Letter  from  Privy  Coun- 
cil to  Presbyteries,  to  receive,  686, 
715-720  ;  proceedings  of  Convention 
at  Linlithgow,  721-729;  at  Falkland, 
770-780,  793,  et  seq. 

Modification  of  stipends,  338,  344. 

Modifiers,  Lords,  of  stipends,  188,  344. 

Mombirneau,  Monsieur,  comes  to  Scotland 
in  the  suite  of  Monsieur  d'Obignie,  76. 

Moncn  iff.  Mr  Andrew,  minister  at  Craill, 
289;  death,  411. 

Archibald,  703. 

Gilbert,    physician  of  James  VI., 

48,  73. 

Monipennie,  James,  fiar  of  Pitmillie,  292. 
Monro,  .Mr  George,  302,  549. 
Monstrous  birth,  52.3. 
Montague,    Dr,  Dean  of  King's  Chapel, 

666,  753 ;   Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells, 

ib. 
Montgomerie,  Captain,  57- 

Mr  Robert,  made  Bishop  of  Glas- 
gow, 118  ;  deposed  by  the  General  As- 
sembly, and  excommunicated,  128,  130, 
131  ;  act  annulled  bv  Parliament,  237, 
241. 

Montrose,  14;  system  of  education  in 
the  schools  there,  1(3;  visited  by  the 
plague,  17  ;  bonfire  at  the  Steeple- 
head  on  birth  of  James  VI.,  18; 
school,  20-25;  the  Greek  language 
first  taught  there.  39  ;  Mr  John  Done 
in  ward,  139,  408  ;  General  Assembly 
at,  537:  Conclusions  and  Cautions  as 
to  vote  in  Parliament,  538-542  ;  Ge- 
neral Assembly  there.  577. 

Earl  of,  76,  223  :  made  Chancellor 

of  the  University  of  St  Andrews,  443; 
John,  one  of  the  High  Commission, 
787,  797. 

Monypenny,  Mr  David,  Dean  of  Faculty, 
St  Andrews,  one  of  the  High  Com- 
mission, 78B. 

Moral  Philosophy  taught,  -4H.  .34. 


s:\2 


INDEX. 


Moray,  Bishop  of,  George  Douglas,   32  ; 
Alexander,  787. 

Earl  of,  "  the  Guid  Regent,"  his 

murder,  23,  743. 

the  "  Bonny"  Earl  of,  slain  by  the 

Earl  of  Huntly  at  Dunibirsall,  294; 
commemorated  in  songs,  ib.  ;  his  body 
openly  exposed  in  the  Kirk  of  Leith, 
ib.,  313. 

■ Synod  of,  570.      See  Murray. 

Morology,  350. 

Mortimer,  Thomas,  553. 

Morton,  James  Douglas,  Earl  of,  made  Re- 
gent, 28  ;  acquires  the  temporality  of 
the  bishoprick  of  St  Andrews,  31,  32  ; 
he  presents  Mr  John  Douglas,  ib. ;  re- 
fuses to  pardon  Kirkaldy  of  Grange, 
35  ;  wishes  Mr  Andrew  Melvill  to  be 
his  chaplain,  4  > ;  his  policy  regarding 
the  Kirk,  ib. ;  resigns  the  regency,  60 ; 
his  character,  ib.,  76  ;  warned  by  Skip- 
per Lindsay  of  a  plot  against  him,  82 ; 
accused  of  treason,  116;  beheaded, 
117,  118,  161;  "guid  auld  Earle," 
in  Parliament  at  Perth,  560. 

Mountebanks,  487,  n. 
Mountro,  (Monro,)   Mr  John,  573  ;   one 
of  the  imprisoned  ministers  at  Black- 
ness, 598,  6 1 6. 


Mouse-wobbes,  what,  424. 

Murray,  David,  portioner  of  Ardet,  292. 

Sir  David.      See  Scone. 

Mr  John,  minister  of  Leith,  57 1 , 

761,  771;  proceedings  against  him, 
762  ;  articles  against  him,  and  his  an- 
swers, 764 ;  warded  at  New  Abbav, 
765. 

Sir  Patrick,  employed  by  the  King 

to  gain  over  ministers  to  the  Court, 
403  ;  his  diligence,  ib. ;  attempts  to 
intimidate  Andrew  Melvill,  415,  434; 
directed  by  the  King  to  the  Synod  of 
Fife,  to  use  influence  for  the  restora- 
tion of  Episcopacy,  436,  441. 

Mr   William,  minister  of  Dysart, 

293  ;  his  bold  conduct  at  General  As- 
sembly held  at  Aberdeen,  561,  664. 

Captain  William,   chosen  provost 

of  St  Andrews,  313 ;  resigns,  329. 
See  Moray. 

Musculus'  Commentaries,  37- 

Musselburgh,  709. 

Music,    and     musical     instruments,     29, 

79. 
Mylles,    servant    to    Laird    of    Burlev, 

313. 
Myritoun,  Dr,  an  English  divine.  792. 


N. 


Narration  of  proceedings  of  the  General 
Assembly,  July  1605,  at  Aberdeen, 
570,  et  seq. 

National  Assemblies,  98,  99,  111. 

Natural  Philosophy  taught,  49. 

Nazianzene,  Gregorius,  739. 

New  Abbey,  Abbot  of,  Mr  Gilbert  Brown, 
616.      See  Broome. 

Newbottle,  Lord,  619. 

Newcastle,  the  Scots  fugitive  Nobles 
there,  172;  Mr  John  Davidson,  made 
their  pastor,  ib.  ;  resigns  in  favour  of 
Mr  James  Melvill,  ib. ;  Mr  James 
Melvill's  Letter  to  the  Nobles,  See, 
173-181;  Order  and  Manner  of  Ex- 
ercise, as  to  Church  discipline,  &c.  to 
be  observed,  181-184;  Abuses  and 
Corruptions  in  the  Kirk,  &C  ,  186-1 93  ; 
a  fast  by  the  noblemen,  22 1  ;  James 
Melvill  is  warded  at,  709,  710. 

Nicolson,  George,  notary,  56 1 ,  624 ;  at 
Conference  at  Hampton  Court,  659. 

■ Mr  .1. uucs.  (Bishop  of  Dunkeld,) 


minister,  260,  302,  321,  369,  419, 
434,  528,  549  ;  is  made  a  bishop,  673, 
675  ;  is  chosen  Moderator  of  General 
Assembly  at  Linlithgow,  684,  685, 
701,  715;  dies,  716,>29. 
Nicolson,  Mr  John,  advocate,  267.  268. 

Mr  John,  754  ;  at  the  Conference 

at   Falkland,   770:  one  of  the    High 
Commission,  788. 

Mr  Thomas,  notary,  Commissary 

of  Aberdeen,  561,  564,  799. 

. Mr   Thomas,  chosen  clerk  of  the 

General  Assembly,  415,  571. 

Nizebitt,  James,  758. 

Non-residence  of  clergy  punished  by  de- 
position, 350. 

Northampton,  Earl  of,  65S,  680,  692. 

Northberwick,  ferry  of,  251. 

Northwitche,  (Norwich,)  Scotish  banish- 
ed Lords  visit,  221  ;  go  to  Lend  n. 
ib. 

Norwich,  Bishop  of,  (Dr  BigonO  678. 

Nottingham^,  Earl  of,  658. 


INPKX. 


833 


o. 


Oaths,  in  turj/i  causa,  402  ;  by  a  mini- 
ster at  presentation,  794  ;  form  of  the 
oath,  ib. 

Obignie,  Monsieur  D'.  See  Stewart, 
Esme. 

Ockar,  (usury,)  350. 

Oekarers,  (usurers,)  400. 

(Econonius,  or  CEconomer,  of  College  of 
St  Andrews,  165,  '245. 

Octavians  appointed,  330,  508. 

Offences  on  acts  of  Parliament,  1584,  ani- 
madversions on,  229-238  ;  King's  De- 
claration, 239-243 ;  comni'ssioners  for 
Kirk's  Supplication,  ib.,  244. 

Office-bearers  in  the  Kirk,  90,  et  seq. 

Ogilbie,  (Ogilvy,)  Lord,  42. 

of  Findlater,  Sir  Walter,  373. 

Oliphant,  Mr  William,  advocate,  619. 


Ordination  of  ministers,  93,  187,  &c. 
Oriental  languages  taught,   47,   49,  84, 

146. 
Origen,  216,  217. 
Orkney,  126. 

Bishop  of.     See  Law. 

Robert,    Earl  of,  304  ;    reconciles 

Mr  Andrew    Melvill  and  the   Laird  of 

Burley,  329,  664. 
Orleans,  43. 

Orphans  of  the  clergy,  188. 
Orphelings,  (orphans,) provision  for,  342. 
Oswald,  Mr  Archibald,  760  ;  one  of  tho 

Conference  at  Falkland,  770. 
Ottoman,  Francis,  Professor  of  Law  at 

Geneva,  42. 
Over  Logie,  17. 
Overtures  as  to  the  Constant  Plat,  547- 


Pace,  Pasche,  (Easter,)  28,  &c. ;  special 
licence  to  hold,  297. 

Paisley,  Abbot  of,  with  Scotish  Lords  at 
Berwick,  197- 

Lord  of,  flees  to  England,  58. 

Palingenius,  19. 

Papist  Lords  send  secret  dispatches  to 
Spain,  which  are  intercepted,  306,  309 ; 
are  excommunicated,  310;  rise  in 
arms  against  the  government,  312; 
are  attainted  of  high  treason,  317; 
flee  from  Scotland,  319;  are  recalled, 
369  ;  absolved  from  excommunication, 
374,  416  ;  are  restored,  435. 

Papists,  proceedings  against,  King  James 
VI. 's  letter  as  to,  320,  551.  See  Kr- 
rol,  Huntly,  &c. 

Paradoxes  of  Cicero  taught,  49,  53. 

Paris,  massacre  of,  264.     See  Massacre. 

city  of,  during  massacre,  44,  73. 

University  of,  39. 

Parliament,  "  the  Black,"  held  at  Stir- 
ling, 28;  Regent  Lennox  slain,  ib. ;  the 
Red,  64  I  :    why  so  called,  ib. 

held  at  Edinburgh,   166:   the  first 

after  the  King's  majority,  259 ;  at 
Edinburgh,  when  the  Papist  Lords 
were  forfaulted,  317;  enacts  severe 
laws  against  the  Kirk,  3S3,  435. 

vote  in,  1 18,  343,  &c.     See  Vote. 

Parsonages,  334,  338. 

Pascasius,  Professor  of  Mathematics,  39. 

Pasquills.      See  Verse. 


Pastor,  Minister  or,  office  of,  93-95,  97 
107,  HO,  113,  149,  150;  election  of. 
391. 

Paterson,  Mr  George,  for  Garioch,  802. 

Paton,  James,  Bishop  of  Dunkeld,  32. 

Patrimony  of  the  Kirk,  101,  102,  1 03, 
105,  112,  141,  334. 

Patronage,  106, 112,  151,  153,  195,332, 
337,  344,  350,391. 

Patrons,  laic,  298. 

Paulis,  Dean  of,  Mr  Andrew  Melvill 
committed  to  his  custody,  681  ;  the 
warrant,  ib  ,  682  ;   leaves  him,  700. 

PaulusV.,  Pope,  King's  two  brieves  to 
him,  766.      See  Balmerino. 

Pensions,  332,  335,  344. 

Perjury,  100,  361,  400. 

Pers,  (Persia,)  Sophie  of,  381. 

Perth,  42,  48,  68 ;  Grieffes  given  in  to 
James  VI.,  129;  Convention  at,  ib.- 
133;  plague  there,  222;  Court  of 
Session  removed  to,  385;  Assembly, 
1596,  403  ;  Articles,  406-409  :  earth- 
quake, 525 ;  Parliament  at,  560 ;  Sy- 
nod of,  after  the  General  Assembly  at 
Aberdeen,  in  October,  1604,  566  i 
their prooeedin  -.  ib.,  it  -"/•  .•  Parlia- 
ment, July,  1606,  si  Perth,  686,  et 
.  called  the  Red  Parliament,  64  I  ; 
proceedings  of  Svn.nl  in  April,  I6u7f 
701-705. 

Pest,  (pestilence  or  plague,)  in  Montrose, 
17:  rages  in   Scotland,  222;   Parlia- 
.1  ii 


834 


INDEX. 


mint  held  at  Dunfermline  on  account 

of,  220  ;  abates,  245  ;  in   Loith,  294  ; 

in  Edinburgh,  575  :   its  violence,  (349, 

650. 
Peterborough,  Bishop  of,  (DrDon,)  G78. 
Philip,  Mr  George,  (Henry,)  719. 

Mr  Henry,  729,  760  ;  at  Confer- 
ence of  Falkland,  770 ;  one  of  the 
High  Commission,  788. 

II.    King  of  Spain,  262. 

Philomelas,  Captain  of  the  Phocenses,  al- 
lusion to,  1 1 9. 

Philosophy   studied,    24,    25,    &c.      See 
Aristotle ;   Glasgow ;  St  Andrews,  &c. 
Phocilides  taught,  49,  53. 
Physics'taught,  49. 
Pinalds,  and  other  musical  instruments, 

used  in  Scotland,  29. 
Pindar  taught  at  St  Andrews,  49. 
Pinkie,  battle  of,  Richard  Melvill  of  Bal- 

dowy  killed  at,  38. 
Pirate,  an  English,  captures  a  vessel  be- 
longing to  Anstruther,  257  ;  pursued 
and  taken  by    a  Scotish  man-of-war, 
258  ;  hanged  at  Anstruther,  259. 
Pirates,  singular  expedition  against,  257- 

259. 
Pitcairn,  Robert,  cominendator  of  Dun- 
fermline, 35. 
Pitcur,  "  Tutor  of,"  provost  of  Dundee, 

276. 
Pitfirren,  Laird  of,  (provost  of  Dunferm- 
line,) refuses  admittance  to  the  General 
Assembly   warned  to   be  kept    there, 
226  ;  his  strange  death,  ih. 
Pitmillie-burn,  168. 

Laird  of,  168,  248  ;  fiar  of,  292. 

Pittenweem,  parish  of,  3  ;  the  church  gets 
a  separate  minister,  5  ;   Mr  Nicol  Dal- 
gleish  appointed,  il>.,  141,  257,  276. 
PirareaUj  College  of,  Poictiers,  40. 
Plague.     See  Pest. 

Plat,   the   Constant,   for  modification  of 

stipends,  &c,  5,    7,  331  ;  "  The  New 

and    Constant    Plat,"   332-345,    346, 

532,  547. 

Plato's  Dialogues  taught,  49  ;  his   Phae- 

don.  &c,  54. 
Play  on   marriage   of   Mr   John    Colvin, 
>rmed  before  John  Kno\,  &c.,  27; 
plays  at  laureation  at  Universities,  28. 
5,   Monsieur  du,  739. 
Plot,  Gunpowder,  017. 
Pluralities,  399. 

earty,  Prior  of,  508. 


Plutarch's  Lives  taught,  84,  1 20. 
Poetry.      See  Epigram,  Epitaph,  Verses. 
Poictiers,  in  France,  30  ;   College  of  St 
Marcean,  40 ;  of  Pivareau,  ib.  ;  siege 
of,  ib.,  41. 

Policy  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  55  ;  Heads 
of  approved  and  ratified,  59  ;  received 
favourablv  by  the  King,  63  ;  approved 
by  the  noblemen,  76,  87-116,  239, 
244. 

Book  of,  395. 

Polonians,  Danes,  Belgians,  and  French- 
men, students  at  the  University  of  St 
Andrews,  418. 

Polwart,  Mr  Andrew,  42,  43,  47  ;  mi- 
nister at  Paisley,  is  made  subdean  of 
Glasgow,  75. 

Laird  of,  (Sir  Fatrick  Home,  Knt.) 

623. 

Polybius  taught,  49. 

Pont,  Mr  Robert,  234,  267,  268,  300, 
301  ;  minister  of  Edinburgh,  55  ;  pro- 
tests against  the  acts  of  Parliament, 
and  flees  to  England,  167  ;  moderator 
of  the  General  Assembly,  410,  412, 
4 1 5,  528,  549,  588  ;  protests  against 
proceedings  as  to  Imprisoned  ministers, 
624. 

Poor,  104,  113,  115,  188,  189,  341, 
342,361. 

Popish  reliqucs,  (>  1  7- 

Porterfield,  Mr  John,  minister  of  Ayr, 
302. 

Portus,  (Greek  Professor  at  Geneva,) 
his  dispute  with  Mr  Andrew  Melvill, 
42. 

Potestas  jurisdictionis  et  ordinis,  88. 

btriusque  gladii,  89,  95,  105,  230, 

757. 

Prayer,  public,  160. 

Common,   taught  in  schools,    1 6  ; 

in  church  every  morning,  27  :  twice  a- 
dav,  182. 

Prebendaries,  190,  335,  337,  338. 

Prebends,  1 1 2. 

Precentor,  or  taker  up  of  the  Psalm,  104, 
113,  127. 

Prelacies,  provision  to,  333,  337- 

Prelate,  title  of,  108,  153.      See  Bishop. 

Prerogative,  Royal,  792. 

Presbyter,  office  of,  94. 

Presbyteries,  150,  152,  159,  296  hov 
many?   394  ;  jurisdiction  of,  il>. 

Presentations.  347.  794i 

Prester  John,  381. 


IM>K\. 


Preston,  Mr  John,  of  Pennicuick,  Collec- 
tor, 622  ;  President  of  College  of  Jus- 

tice,  one  of  the  High  Commission,  787. 
Primarius  (Principal)  of  St  Andrew  g,  2.'>, 
26,  &c. 

title   given   to   the    Principals    of 

Universities,  27,  29. 

Princes,  duties  of,  to  the  Church,  151, 
152. 

Printing,  art  of,  32  ;  in  St  Andrews  and 
Edinburgh,  ib. 

Priors  and  Prioresses,  106 ;  their  lauds, 
335. 

Private  admonitions,  398. 

Privy  Council,  192;  who  are  Ecclesias- 
tical Judges  to  ?  397,  398. 

Conference,  G85,  802. 

Profaneness,  340. 

Professors  of  Theology,  have  they  vote 

in  Presbyteries  ?  395. 
Progress,    King   James    VI.    makes    a, 

through  the  chief  burghs,  81. 
Promene.     See  Progress. 
Prophecies,  33-36. 


Propyne  (present)  of  a    Pastor   i"   his 

people,  12  ;  to  the  Kin-.  30,  Bus. 
Protestant   Convention  at    Magdeburg, 

57. 

Protestants  massacred  in  France,  -7. 
44,  75  ;  contribution  tor  them,  55  ; 
massacre  of  Paris,  264 ;  banished 
France,  and  take  refuge  in  Britain, 
ib.  ;  subscriptions  for  their  relief,  265. 

Protestation  by  Ministers  to  the  Kin-, 
526  ;  against  restoration  of  Bishops, 
641. 

Provincial  Assemblies,  98,  99,  100,  111. 
150,  296,  396,  555. 

Provision  for  widows  of  the  cl<  rg; 

Prymrose,  Mr  Peter,  799. 

Psalms,  singing,  taught  and  encouraged, 
22;  Buchanan's  Latin  version,  46  j 
daily  read  and  expounded,   I 

Psellus,  his  geometry  tan- lit,  49. 

Purse,  common,  to  defray  the  Kirk's  ex- 
penses, 304. 

Pythagoras  taught  at  St  Andrews,  49. 


Q. 


Quatorzain,  by  Mr  James  Melvill,  501. 

Queensferry,  276. 

Questions,  the  King's  Book  of,  385 ; 
printed  with  Answers,  390-403  ;  sus- 
pected to  be  written  by  Mr  John  Lind- 
say, 390,  n.  523. 


Quhittinghame,  Lord,  619. 

Quinquarborius,  Professor  of  Hebrew, 
39. 

Quots  of  Testaments  given  to  die  Bi- 
shops, 781. 


11. 


RaCKBT-CATCHE,  game  of,  30. 

Rain,    excessive     throughout      Scotland, 

2-22  ;  on  Kellie  Law,  which  deluged  the 

country,  230. 
Ramsay,  of  Balmaine,  William,  one  of  the 

High  Commission,  788. 
Thomas,  minister  of  Dumfrii 

of  the  High  Commission,  788. 
, Mr    Tobias,   Moderator  of  Synod 

of  DuDse,  735  ;  warded  in  Blackness, 

ib. 
Ramus,  Professor  of  Philosophy  at  Pai  is, 

40;   his  Dialectic,  49:   his  geometry, 

&c.,  ib.,53. 
Ratification    of  the   Liberty   of  the  true 

Kirk,  294-J''S. 
Ratifications  in  Parliament,  832. 
Ravenscraig,  714,  n. 
Ravisch,  Dr,  Bishop  oi  ,;7-s. 


Readers,  the  office  of,  in  the  Church,  abo- 
lished, 80,  199. 

Rebuking  of  minister  ,351. 

Red-eattins,  what,  160. 

Red  Parliament    of   Perth,  <>41  ;    wbj 
called,  ih. 

Reformation  in  the  Kirk,  special  I 
1  K). 

ities,  bailies  of,  1  19. 

Regratmg  ami  forestalling,  •  ■ 

En  ambitus,  348,  541. 

B    •!.  M    i; 

Reiraa,  Laird  of, 

Reliques,  Popish,  <;!7. 

Remolis,  Dr,  765. 

Renfrew,  parson  of,  Mr    Andrew   Hay, 

Rental  of  the  superplu  ,  ■'■  1 1 

i;,  p  ■;  nti  m  ol 


830 


INDEX. 


Reparation  of  Kirks,  I  13,  342. 

Restalrig,  (Lestarik,)  2-28. 

Reuelius,  47. 

Rewll,  Ringand,  (Ninian,)  127. 

Reynolds,  Dr,  7*9. 

Rhetoric  taught,  25. 

Riecio,    David,    his    slaughter,   17 ;    his 

burial,  121. 
Richie,  Mr  James,  clerk  of  the  General 

Assembly,  his  death,  411. 
Riding  in  Parliament  of  Perth,  636,  638; 

in  silk  and  velvet  foot-mantles,  639 ; 

of  Edinburgh,  781. 
Rind,  Mr  William,  minister,  55. 
Ring,  use  of,   in  marriage,  objected  to, 

764. 
Ripon,  Dean  of,  Dr  Higgins,  (Luggie?) 

748. 
Rivensheuch,  (Rivenfirth.)  near  Dysart, 

714. 
Robertson,  David,  573- 

Donald,  571. 

Mr  James,    minister    of  Dundee, 

flees  to  England,  218,  549. 

John,  Professor  in  the  New  College 

of  St  Andrews,  84,  245,  314. 

Walter,  notary,  564,  574. 

Rochell,  227,  n. 

Rochester,  Bishop  of,  Dr  Barlow, 
678. 

Rollock,  Mr  Robert,  studies  at  St  An- 
drews. 86,  300 ;  Principal  of  the  Col- 
lege of  Edinburgh,  chosen  Moderator 
of  Assembly,  415;  his  death,  438, 
528. 

Rope-dancer,  487,  n. 


Rose.  Mr  John,  minister  at  Dumbarton, 

302. 
Ross,  302  ;  earthquake  at,  420,  525. 

Bishop  of,  489.      See  Lindsay. 

Mr  James,   (John,)  561,573;  one 

of  Imprisoned  ministers  at  Blackness, 

598,  616. 
Rotanus,  439. 
Rought,  Mr  John,  561,573. 

(Roche,)    Mr    Robert,  642,    643, 

644. 

Row,  Mr  John,  (minister  of  Carnock  ?) 
742. 

Mr  John,  minister  of  Perth,  55  ; 

his  death,  83. 

Mr    William,  (minister  of  Ceres,) 

701  ;    one  of  the  banished   ministers, 
741,761. 

Royal  Household,  who  is  Ecclesiastical 
judge  to  ?  337,  398. 

prerogative,  792. 

Rudiments  of  Latin  Grammar,  17. 

Running,  exercise  of,  17- 

Russell,  David,  commissary  clerk  of  St  An- 
drews, deposed  for  falsehood,  127,  n. 

David,  bailie  of  St  Andrews,  293. 

Lord,  Warden  of  the  Borders,  slain, 

222. 
Rutherford,  John,  Dean  of  Faculty  in  the 

University  of  St  Andrews,  26,  27- 
Mr  John,  minister  of  Kinnouchar, 

(Kileonquhar,)  417,  530;  leaves  the 

ministry  and  becomes  a  physician,  ib- 
Ruth ven,  Raid  of,    133,    136,    137,  138, 

163;   Gowrie  beheaded,  166. 
Rye  in  England,  44. 


S. 


Sabbath,  profaning,  349. 

Sachars,   (Sanquhar,)  Lord,    his  offers, 

385. 
Salinacus,  Professor  of  Mathematics,  39. 
Salisbury,  Bishop  of.  Dr  Bavisch,  678. 

Dean  of,  (Mr  John  Gordon,)  653. 

Earl  of,  658,  692,  706,  708. 

Sallust  taught,  46. 
Sanderes,  William,  689. 
Saturday  vigils,  297. 
Scaliger,  Josephus,  178,  279. 

Julius,  307. 

Scharpe,  Mr  David,  subdean  of  Glasgow, 

one  of  the  High  Commission,  789. 

John,  advocate,  267,  268. 

Mr    John,    minister  at    Kilrennv, 


571,  572  ;  warded  in  Blackness  Castle, 
575,  598,  616;  banished  from  Scot- 
land, 669,  670. 

Scharpe,  Mr  Patrick,  Principal  of  College 
of  Glasgow,  at  Conference  at  Hampton 
Court,  659,  684,  724,  754,  760  ;  at. 
Conference  at  Falkland,  770  ;  one  of 
the  High  Commission,  788,  797- 

Patrick,  (schoolmaster  in  Glas- 
gow,) 50  ;  receives  the  instructions  of 
Andrew  Melvill.  ib. 

Scholars,  112.      See  Schools. 

Scone,  Lord,  (Sir  David  Murray.)  Lord 
Comptroller,  sent  clown  as  Lord  High 
Commissioner  to  General  Assembly, 
560,681,   664;   his   sacrilegious    con- 


iM)  i ;  x . 


847 


duct  at  Synod  of  Fife,  701-705  ;  again 
one  of  the  Commissioners,  717;  one  of 
the  High  Commission,  787.  See  Mur- 
ray. 

Schoolmasters,  199. 

Schools,  14  ;  common  praver  used  in,  16, 
17,  20-25,  39,  112,  113,  115,  188, 
189,  341,538. 

Scotiseing  Genevating  Discipline,  a  tract, 
679. 

Scott,  Mr  William,  (minister  of  Cou- 
par,)  386,  489  ;  invited  to  Parliament, 
July  1606,  at  Perth,  637;  at  Confer- 
ence at  Hampton  Court,  660  ;  sent  for 
by  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  672, 
674, 678  ;  accompanies  Mr  James  Mel- 
vill  to  Bishop  of  Durham,  692  ;  signs 
Supplication  to  Council  of  England, 
697,  707;  returns  to  Coupar,  709; 
goes  with  James  Mehill  to  Lambeth, 

698  ;  their  interview,  ib 700  ;  one  of 

the  Conference  as  to  Episcopacy,  700  ; 
one  of  the  Conference  at  Falkland,  770- 
780. 

Scrymgeour,  Mr  Alexander,  cousin  to  Mr 
James  Melvill,  minister,  170,  17', 
549. 

of  Glaswell,  14. 

of    Geneva,  Henry,  uncle   of   Mr 

James  Melvill,  30  ;  his  death,  42. 

Isabel,  wife   of   Richard  Melvill  of 

Baldowie,  mother  of  Mr  James,  her 
death,  15. 

Mr  John,  (minister  of  Kinghorn  ?) 

720. 

Sebastian,  grammar  of,  21. 
Secret  Council,  192. 
Seinzie-week,  what  ?  330. 
Seminaries  of  Jesuits,  100. 

for  Papists,  206. 

Seminar v  priests,  265,  267,  269,  300, 

305,  555,  798. 
Semple,  (Sempill,)  Robert,  (the  Scotish 

Poet,)  his  ballads,  22,  176. 
Serrano,  Seignour,  one   of  the  wrecked 

commanders  of  the  Spanish  Armada, 

263. 
Serranus,  439. 
Session,  Court  of,   192;   ordained   to  sit 

at  Perth,  3S5. 

Lords  of,  34 1 . 

Seton,    Alexander,    Prior  of    Pluscarty, 

or   Pluscardin,    (afterwards    Earl     of 

Dunfermline,)  President  of  the  Court 

of  Session,  368,  508. 


Sheriffs'  Courts,  192. 

Shrewsbury,  Earl  of,  692. 

Silver. duty,  332. 

Silverdyk,  (now  corrupted  into  Cellar. 
dykes,  in  the  parish  of  Kiln  in, _v,J  9. 

Sim,  Alexander,  advocate,  55. 

Simony,  100. 

Simsone,  Mr  Patrick,  minister  of  Stir- 
ling, 302,  358;  Moderator  at  Confer- 
ence  at  Falkland,  746,  747,  764  ; 
chosen  Moderator  of  General  A 
bly  at  Linlithgow,  ib. ;  but  Bishop  of 
Orkney  imposed,  755,  760  ;  not  at 
Conference  at  Falkland,  770 ;  sends 
excuse,  771  :   7!»7,  802. 

William,  a  wizard,  1  37. 

Sinking  taught  at  St  Andrews,  &c,  22, 

29,  79. 
Skein,  John,  advocate,  268. 

William,  commissary  of  St  An- 
drews, 26  ;  teaches  the  civil  law,  28, 
29. 

Slander,  who  judges  of.  399,  402. 

Sleidan,  a  text  book,  49. 

Smeton,  in  East- Lothian,  227,  228. 

Mr     Thomas,    his    book    against 

Hamiltoun  "  the  Apostat,"  33  ;  re- 
turns from  the  Continent  to  Scotland, 
6 1  ;  his  marriage,  69 ;  account  of  his 
conduct  abroad,  and  conversion  from 
Popery  to  Protestantism,  72-74;  made 
minister  of  Paisley,  75  ;  his  charac- 
ter, ib.,  76  ;  made  Principal  of  Glas- 
gow College,  83  ;  his  death,  1 39. 

Smitlie,  James,  burgess  of  St  Andrews, 
falsely  accused  of  slaving  Jacques  Ar- 
thour,  274  ;  banished  the  country,  ib., 
275;  returns  from  exile.  317;  is  as- 
sassinated, 421  ;  his  character,  423; 
a  Lamentation  and  Verses  on  his  death, 
by  James  Mehill,  424-488. 

Alexander,   teaches  James    Melvill 

music,  29. 

Smyth,   Mr  John,    (minister  of    Leslie?) 

warded  in  Blackness,  7 85, 
Snape,  Mr,  7H> 
Somers,  Mr,  706. 
Songs  l'.v  Wedderburn,  23. 
Spain,  Ambassador    of,    167  ;    Court   of, 

191. 

King  of,  202. 

Spaniards,  threaten,  d  mTasion  by.     See 

Armada. 
Spanish  blanks,  conspiracy  of  the,  306,  et 

seq. 


838 


INDEX. 


Spenco  of  Wilmerstone,  260  ;  his  daugh- 
ter Lucrece  married,  ib. 

Spcnse,  Mr  David,  minister  at  Kirkaldv, 
303. 

Spey  Tower,  near  Perth,  215. 

Spiritual  keys,  89,  95,  105. 

Sponsor,  "gossip,"  or  godfather,  254. 

Sports  of  youth.      See  Games. 

Spotswoode,  Mr  John,  minister,  Linlith- 
gow, 302,  549. 

Spottiswood,  Mr  John,  (Archbishop  of 
Glasgow,)  568,  639  ;  at  Conference 
at  Hampton  Court,  659  ;  at  Confer- 
ence at  Falkland,  770,  &c.  See  Glas- 
gow. 

Spuilzie  of  teinds,  340. 

St  Abb's-head,  169. 

St  Andrews,  a  great  tumult  in,  272  ; 
Laird  of  Dairsie  deposed  from  being 
provost,  and  Captain  YV.  Murray 
elected,  513  ;  greatly  oppressed  there- 
for, ib.  ;  its  ministers  deposed,  419. 

Archbishop  of,   640,   710;   to   be 

Constant  Moderator  of  Synod  of  Fife, 
715,  719,  763  ;  one  of  Conference 
at  Falkland,  771,  787,  et  seq. ;  re- 
ordained  at  St  Andrews,  804.  See 
Adamson. 

Archbishoprick  of,  given  to  Earl 

of  Morton,  3 1  ;  who  presents  Mr  John 
Douglas,  ib. 

city  of,    Mr  Janus  Melvill  invited 

to  be  minister  there,  6  ;  King  James 
VI.  visits  it  during  his  progress,  8 1  ; 
plague  there,  222  ;  uproar,  307,  et 
seq. .;  General  Assembly  there,  544  ; 
plague,  575. 

haven  of,   108;  Archbishop's  pier, 

ib. 

Prior  of,  126;  contest  with  Mi- 
Andrew  Melvill,  ib.,  127,  143,  569. 

Synod  of,  245 ;  Archbishop  ex- 
communicated, 247,  249  ;  Synod  after 
General  Assembly  at  Aberdeen,  565- 

University  of,  4,   24  ;    text-books 

used  there,  25  ;  foreign  students  at- 
tracted to  by  the  celebrity  of  its  pro- 
fessors, 31,  42,  43,  47,  77;  nar- 
rowly escapes  being  burnt,  85  ;  state 
of  learning  at,  124,  125;  threatened 
by  the  mob,  307  ;  visited  and  reform- 
ed by  James  VI.,  418. 

si    Cuthbert's,  or   West    Kirk  of  Edin- 
burgh, -'IS. 
St  George's  day  Kept.  705;   Mr  Andrew 


Melvill's  Verses,  ib.  ;  to  have  been 
magnificently  kept  at  Berwick,  but 
stopped  owing  to  death  of  Earl  of  Dun- 
bar, 804. 

St  Johnstoun,  48,  68  ;  plague  there, 
222.      See  Perth. 

St  Leonard's  College,  St  Andrews,  24, 
31,  293. 

St  Marcean,  College  of,  Poictiers,  40. 

St  Monans,  steeple  of,  276. 

St  Ninian's  Kirk,  Confederate  Lords  en- 
camp at,  223. 

Stades,  stadia,  420. 

Stanhope,  Lord,  692. 

Stationer,  travelling,  22. 

Stewart,  Esme,  Mon.  (d'Obignie,  Duke 
of  Lennox,)  arrives  in  Scotland,  and 
becomes  the  King's  favourite,  76 ; 
created  Duke  of  Lennox,  82,  116; 
presses  the  Assembly  to  restore  the 
bishops,  118;  loses  the  King's  favour, 
134  ;  leaves  Scotland,  ib.  ;  dies  a  Pa- 
pist at  Paris,  138,  289. 

of  Craigiehall,  Harie,  623. 

James.  (Earl  of  Arran,)  Captain  of 

the  King's  Guard,  accuses  Earl  of 
Morton  of  treason,  116;  his  violence, 
133,  142  ;  made  chancellor,  ib.,  143  ; 
Angus,  Mar,  &c,  rise  against  the  King 
at  Stirling,   165  ;    flees   to    England, 

166  ;  threatens  Mr  James  Lawsone, 

167  ;  his  tyrannical  proceedings  when 
Earl  of  Arran,  197,  198,222,  223; 
escapes  from  Stirling,  ib. 

Mr  Walter,  one  of  the  High  Com- 
mission, 789. 

Walter,    Trior   of  Blantyre,   508. 

See  Blantyre. 

Colonel  William,    (a    pensioner  of 

the  Prior  of  St  Andrews,)  receives  the 
soubriquet  of  "the  Accuser,"  for  accu- 
sing Andrew  Melvill  of  sedition,  143  ; 
taken  in  Stirling,  233. 

Stipends,  local,  335;  victual,  ib  ;  mo- 
dification of,  338,  344. 

Stirling,  Mr  James  Melvill  invited  to  be 
minister,  6;  and  again,  136;  General 
Assembly  there,  63 ;  Angus,  Mar,  &c, 
rise  against  the  King,  165  ;  flee  to 
England,  166;  Fail  of  Cowrie  taken 
at  Dundee,  and  beheaded  at  Stirling, 
ib.  :  Confederate  Lords  besiege  and 
take  Stirling,  223  j  terms  proposed  by 
King,  ill.  ;  Lords'  answers,  224  ;  lak- 
of    Stirling,    253  :     Marqui 


INDEX. 


839 


Huntly  confined  in  Castle,  previous  to 
K  his  being  loosed  from  excommunica- 
tion, 797. 

Stirling  Castle,  rendered  to  the  Confe- 
derate Lords,  225  ;  this  circumstance 
known  in  London  within  forty-eight 
hours  !  226. 

Mr    William,    minister,    Dunblane, 

302. 

Straiton  of  Lauristoun.   See  Lauristoune. 

Strangers,  provision  to,  342. 

Strathauchsone,  Mr, John,  minister,  302. 

Strathbogy,  302,  314;  house  of,  cast 
down  by  King  James  VI.,  319. 

Stratocles,  120,  193. 

Strauchane,  Mr  Alexander,  minister  at 
Uaith,  57-? ;  warded  in  Blackness  <  las- 
tie,  575,  598,  61G  ;  is  banished  from 
Scotland,  G69,  070. 

Mr  John,  7 '24  ;    one  of  the  High 

Commission,  788. 

Suffolk,  Earl  of,  658 ;  his  son  married  to 
Karl  of  Dunbar's  daughter,  804. 


Sumptuary  laws,  781. 

Superintendent,  office  of.  See  Woundrom, 

(  Windram,)  &c. 
Superplus,  332,  334,  335;   rental  of  the, 

341  ;  division  of  the,  342. 
Supplication  of  ministers  imprisoned  at 

Blackness  to      ing,  ti  1 3  ;  of  ministers 

detained  in  London  to  Privy  Council  of 

England,  694-697- 
Surplice,  use  of,  in  Divine  service,  764. 
Suspension  of  ministers,  150. 
Sutherland,  province  of,  758. 

William,  of  Duffus,  373. 

Swimming,  exercise  of,  taught  and  en- 

couraged,  17- 
Swinton,  Mark,  of  Invcrkeithing,  023. 
Sword,  power  of,  8!),  95  ;  civil.  106,  -'•!". 

7/;  7. 
Synodal  Assemblies,     111,    130,      150, 

153,  395  ;  Articles  proponed  by  King, 

627. 
Syntax  publicly  taught,  17. 
Syriac,  taught  at  St  Andrews,  42,  49. 


Tacks,  long,  332;  of  teinds,  339,  344. 

Taker  up  of  the  Psalm,  or  precentor, 
104,  113,  127. 

Taleus'  Rhetoric  taught  at  St  Andrews, 
49,  53. 

Tamtallon,  Castle  of,  170. 

Tartarie,  Cham  (Khan)  of,  381. 

Teind-sheaves,  335,  338. 

Teinds,  (tithes,)  151  ;  the  Kirk's  just 
right,  333,  334  ;  minister's  right  to, 
336  ;  valuators  of,  338  ;  tacks  of,  339  ; 
spuilzie  of,  340  ;  King's  right  and  re- 
lief, 345. 

Terence  taught,  21/46. 

Teviotdale,  757. 

Theft,  Border,  190,  400. 

Theocritus  taught  at  St  Andrews,  49. 

Theognides  taught  at  St  Andrews,  49. 

Theology  studied  at  St  Andrews,  &o.,  49  ; 
have  professors  of,  vote  in  Presby- 
teries? 395. 

College  of,  189. 

Thieves,  Highland  and  Border,  400. 

Thomson,  Richard,  571- 

Thrids  (thirds;  of  teinds.  334,  385. 

Tinemouth,  221. 


Tornebus,  Andreas,  Professor  of  Greek 
at  Paris,  40. 

Tortus,  Matheus,  his  work,  766. 

Touching  for  King's  evil,  or  eruels,  (es- 
croutlles,)  657- 

Toungland,  Lord  (Abbot)  of,  Commis- 
sioner from  the  King  to  the  Synod  of 
Fife,  441. 

Tower-stairs,  Mr  James  Melvill,  8tC.  em- 
bark at,  711. 

Tranent,  228. 

Travelling  station. T,  22. 

Trent,  Council  of,  .101. 

Trial  or  censure  "i  mini 

Tri/iliri  noilo  triplex  cun,  lis,  T * > « i 

Trojan  horse,  Mr  David   Ferguson's    i- 

mile,  and  Mr  Andrew  Meh  ill's  \ 
on.  487,  629. 

Trunslunan,    truth, ■man, )  an  interpreter, 

262. 
Tulcbain  bishops,  what,  31,  i 

Tumult  in  Edinburgh,  517- 

Turks,  191,201,  208. 

Tusculans  of  Cicero  taught  at  St  Am- 

dreus,  4'.). 

Tweeddale, 


84l> 


[NDEX. 


Twelfth  night,  781,  n. 
Tygurie,  Archbishop  Adamson  writes  to 
Reformed  Church  at,   141,  148,  154; 


his   Articles,    148-153 ;    Mr  Andrew 
Mel vill's  Letter,  154-164. 
Tyrie,  Father,  the  Jesuit,  44. 


U. 


Union  of  England  and  Scotland  propo- 
sed, 554,  555,  557,  et  seq. 

Universal  Kirk,  89,  101,  &c. 

Universities,  order  to  be  observed,  95, 
110;  lands  doted  to,  335,  336;  have 
regents  and  masters  votes  in  Presby- 
teries ?  395  ;  can  they  be  excommu- 
nicated? 402;  to  be  provided,  538. 


Upslaw,  in  Norway,  King  James  VI. 
lands  there,  277. 

Urened,  what,  270,  n. 

Urquhart  of  Tullo,  John,  373. 

Usury,  100;  forbidden,  356;  punish- 
ment of,  400. 

Uzziah,  story  of,  420. 


Vagabond  beggars,  361. 

Vaintham,  (Wathand,)  Dr,  Bishop  of 
London,  678. 

Valerius  pratensis,  570. 

Valuation  of  teinds,  338. 

Valuators, "  Estimators  of  the  valor  of" 
teinds,  338. 

Vaudemont,  Count,  brother  to  Duke  of 
Lorraine,  663,  664,  667. 

Velvet  foot-mantles  for  riding  in  Parlia- 
ment, 639. 

Verity,  chair  of,  (the  pulpit,)  790. 

Verses,  44,  60,  140,  161,  270,  309,  420, 
421,  424-433,  437,  438,  494-501, 
641,  682,  683,  706,707- 

Vicarages,  334,  338. 

Vicars'  lands,  335. 


Victual  modified  for  stipend,  335. 
Vigils,  Saturday  and  other,  297. 
Vilet,  the,  near  Geneva,  42. 
Virgil  taught  at  St  Andrews,  &c,  17, 

21,46,49. 
Virginals,  and  other  musical  instruments, 

29. 
Virtutibus,  Cicero  de,  taught,  49. 
Visitation  of  Kirks,  &c,  98,    107,  150, 

409;  758,  795. 

of  hospitals,  1 95. 

Vote  in  Parliament  for  the  Kirk,   118, 

343,  441;  whether   ad  vitam,   442; 

arguments  for  and  against,  447,  et  seq. ; 

number  to  be  admitted  to  vote,  457  5 

debated   at    Montrose,   470,    et  seq.  ; 

534,  537,  559. 


W. 


Waldegrave,  Robert,  printer,  306. 

Walden,  Lord,  married  to  Earl  of  Dun- 
bar's daughter,  804. 

Wales,  part  of  Spanish  Armada  wrecked 
on  coast  of,  262. 

Walkinschaw,  Mr  Patrick,  subdean  of 
Glasgow,  one  of  the  High  Commission, 
789. 

Wallace,  Mr  Robert,  minister  at  St  An- 
drews, 329,  417;  is  interrupted,  while 
preaching,  by  the  King,  418;  is  de- 
posed, 419;  at  Conference  at  Hamp- 
ton Court,  660,  678  ;  ordered  to  ap- 
pear before  Council  of  England,  ib., 
680;  signs  Supplication  to  English 
Council,  097,  707  ;  charged  to  confine 
himself  to  Lawder,  709. 


Walsingham,  Mr  Secretary,  (the  Eng- 
lish ambassador,)  protects  the  Pro- 
testants during  the  Massacre  of  Paris, 
75. 

Walwode,  John,  275  ;  returns  from  exile, 
318. 

Mr  William,  Professor  of  Law  in 

St  Andrews,  his  quarrel  with  Hendrie 
Hamilton,  272,  275. 

Wapinshawings,  305. 

Warden-raid,  Lord  Russell  slain,  222. 

Watertoune,  William,  700. 

Watson,  Mr  William,  minister  of  Edin- 
burgh, in  ward,  244 ;  flees  to  Fife, 
374,  517  ;  is  invited  to  Parliament  at 
Perth,  July  1606,  637;  sent  for  by 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  672,  678  ; 


INDIA. 


841 


signs  Supplication  to  English  Council, 
697  ;  to  confine  himself  to  Burntisland, 
709. 

Wedderburn's  Songs,  22. 

Weekly  exercise,  795. 

Weems,  Mr  John,  commissary  of  St  An- 
drews, 760  ;  at  Conference  at  Falk- 
land, 770;  one  of  the  High  Commis- 
sion, 788. 

Weir,  (  Vere  ?)  David,  rope-dancer,  487,  n. 

Welsche,  Mr  John,  minister  at  Air, 
warded  in  Blackness,  575,  616;  his 
trial  at  Linlithgow,  620,  et  seq.  ;  ver- 
dict of  assize,  626  ;  takes  leave  of  his 
friends  before  sailing  into  banishment, 
669,  670. 

Westminster,  222,  645,  804. 

Dean  of,  653. 

Whale,  a  large,  comes  ashore  on  Kin- 
crag  Sands,  331. 

Whitehall,  692,  706,  709. 

Widows  of  the  clergy,  189  :  provision 
for,  342. 

Widdringtoun,  Sir  Harrie,  (Governor  of 
Berwick,)  171  ;  his  lady's  kindness  to 
the  banished  ministers,  ib.,  197,  198, 
221  ;  takes  care  of  Mr  James  Mevill's 
infant,  ib. 

Wigton.  302. 

Earl  of,   664;  John,  758;    770; 

one   of    the    High   Commission,    788, 
797. 


Wilkie,  Sir  James,  Principal  of  St  Leo- 
nard's  College,  26  ;  his  death,  290. 

Robert,  Principal  of  St  Leonard's 

College,  293,  308,  386,  549,  643, 
724  ;  one  of  the  High  Commission, 
788. 

Mr    Robert,    minister   at    Irving, 

302. 

Winchester,  Bishop  of,  (Dr  Bilsoun.) 
678,  700. 

Dean  of,  Dr  Abbots,  748. 

Wishart,  John,  572,  573. 
Witchcraft,  300. 

Witches,  one  burnt  at  St  Andrews,  58  ; 
Bishop  Adamson  accused  of  consult- 
ing, 127,  137  ;  one  executed  at  Edin- 
burgh, 1 37  ;  practise  enchantments 
against  James  VI.  and  his  Q 
279. 

Wittenberg,  Philip  Mclancthnn,  14. 

Wolmistone,  Laird  of,  (Spence  of  Wor- 
miston  ?)  Regent  Lennox  slain  at  Stir- 
ling in  his  arms,  28.     See  Spence. 

Wood  of  Streavithie,  Andrew,  145,  292. 

Mr  Robert,  4. 

Worcester,  Earl  of,  658. 
Works,  common,  361. 

Woundrom,  (Windram,)  Mr  John,   Su- 
perintendent of  Fife,  55. 
Wrestling,  exercise  of,  practised,  17 
Wyshart,  Mr  George,  (the  martyr,)  14, 
72. 


Y 


York,  Archbishop  of,  (Dr  Mathow,)  645, 
678. 

Young,  Alexander,  returns  from  Gene- 
va, 30,  48. 

Mr  And.  minister  of  Dunblane,  33. 

Mr  (afterwards  Sir)  Peter,  of  Se- 

ton,  pedagogue,  or  tutor  to  James  VT., 
38,  48,  508,  664. 


Youngson,  Mr  Robert,  573 ,   one  of  the 

Imprisoned  ministers,  616. 
Yrewing,  (Irving?)  John,  250. 
Yuill,  Yule,  or  Christmas,  passim.  PrOT. 

"To    repay     a    Yuill    commoun     at 

Pasche,"  274  ;    special  licence  t>>  hold, 

297. 


Zerciah,  sons  of,  cited.  286 


/ 


Zetland,  James,  Lord    ;i'  I 


I  III.    1   M> 


EDINBURGH    PRINTING    COMJ-ANY,   SOUTH   ST   DAVID    STRKET. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  AND   DIARY 


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M.D.LVL— M.DC.X. 


VOL.   1. 


THE  WODROW  SOCIETY, 

INST1TUTKD  MAY,  1841, 

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WRITERS  OF  THE  REFORMED   CHURCH  OF  SCOTLAND. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  AND  DIARY 


MR  JAMES  MELY1LL 


M.D.LVL— M.DC.X. 


VOL    M 


THE  WODROW  SOCIETY, 

INSTITUTED  MAY,  1841, 

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY  AND  D1A1IY 


MR  JAMES  MELVILL, 

MINISTER  OF  K1ERENNY,   IN   FIFE,   AND  PROFESSOR  OF  THEOLOG? 

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OF  ADVOCATES  AND  UNIVERSITY  OF  EDINB1   RGH, 

HV 

ROBERT  PITCAIRN,  ESQ. 

F.S.A.    SCOT. 


VOLUME  SECOND 


EDINBURGH : 

PRINTED  FOR  THE   WODROTR    SOCIETY. 
M.IM  (  c.XLn. 


i  DIlfBDBOH  I'WNTiNfi  COMPANY,  BOUTB  B  i    DAVID  STREET. 


THE 


AUTO  B I OG  HA  PHY  A  N  D  1)  I A  I!  Y 


OF 


MR  JAMES  MELVILL, 

MINISTER  OF  K.ILRENNY,    IN   FIFE,    AM)  PROFESSOR   OF    rHEOLOQY 
IX  Till-:  UNIVERSITY  OF  sT   ANDREWS. 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  DIARY. 


EDITED  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  IX  THE  LIBRARIES  <>!    THE  FA<  I  LT1 
OF  ADVOCATE8  AND  UNTVEESITY  OF  EDINBURGH, 

BY 

ROBERT  PITCAIRN,  ESQ. 

I'.S.A.    SCOT. 


\  i)  1. 1  Ml.    FIRST 


EDINBURGH: 
PRINTED  FOB  THE   WODROW  SOCIETY. 

M.DCCC.XLII. 


ugh  pRnranro  oompats   boutb  bt  datid  strm  r. 


if  I  Ml  I  ImS'm'i'??!1   %.m""'V-  SP«'   Library 


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