By such means the south parts were kept in reasonable quietness, during the time that the troubles were in brewing in the north. And yet the Archbishop and the Abbot of Crossraguel did what in them lay to raise some trouble. Besides the fearful bruits that they sparsed abroad, sometimes that the Queen was taken; sometimes that the Earl of Moray and all his band were slain; and sometimes that the Queen had given herself to the Earl of Huntly,—besides such bruits, the Archbishop, to disturb the country of Kyle, where quietness was greatest, raised the Crawfords against the Reids for payment of the Archbishop's Pasch fines; but that was stayed by the labours of indifferent men, who favoured peace.
The Abbot of Crossraguel and John Knox.
The Abbot of Crossraguel requested an opportunity to dispute with John Knox as to the maintenance of the Mass. This was granted to him, and debate was held in Maybole during three days. The Abbot had the advantage that he required; to wit, he took upon him to prove that Melchisedec offered bread and wine to God, and this was the ground upon which was founded the argument that the Mass was a sacrifice, etc. But, in the travail of three days, no proof could be produced for Melchisedec's oblation, as in the disputation (which is to be had in print) may clearly appear. The Papists constantly looked for a wolter,[206] and therefore made some brag of reasoning. The Abbot further presented himself in the pulpit, but the voice of Master George Hay so affrighted him, that, after one attempt, he wearied of that exercise.
The Revolt of the Earl of Huntly.
After the Queen was somewhat satisfied of hunting and other pastime, she came to Aberdeen. There the Earl of Huntly and his Lady met her with no small train. He remained in Court, was supposed to have the greatest credit, departed with the Queen to Buchan, and met her again at Rothiemay, expecting that she would accompany him to Strathbogie. But, in the journey, certain word came to her that John Gordon[207] had broken promise in not re-entering into ward; for his father the Earl had promised that he should again enter within the Castle of Stirling, and there abide the Queen's pleasure. But, with or without his father's knowledge and consent, he refused to enter; and this so offended the Queen that she would not go to Strathbogie, but passed through Strathisla to Inverness, where the Castle was denied to her. The captain had command to keep it, and looked for relief which John of Gordon had promised; but, being frustrated in this, the Castle was surrendered. The captain, named Gordon, was executed; the rest were condemned, and the hands of some were bound, but these escaped. This was the beginning of further trouble; for the Earl of Huntly was offended, and began to assemble his folks, sparing not to say that he would be revenged.[208]...
Of the Earl of Huntly.
Upon the morrow after the discomfiture, the Lady Forbes, a woman both wise and fearing God, came amongst many others to visit the corpse of the said Earl; and seeing him lie upon the cold stones, having only upon him a doublet of canvas, a pair of Scottish grey hose, and a covering of arras-work, she said, "What stability shall we judge to be in this world: there lieth he that yesterday morning was holden the wisest, the richest, and a man of greatest power within Scotland." In very deed, she lied not; for, in man's opinion, under a prince, there was not such a one produced in this realm these three hundred years. But felicity and worldly wisdom so blinded him that in the end he perished in them, as shall all those that despise God and trust in themselves....
The Queen's Relations with the Earl of Moray.
The Earl of Moray sent word of the marvellous victory to the Queen, and humbly prayed her to show obedience to God and publicly to convene with them, to give thanks to God for His notable deliverance. She gloomed at the messenger and at the request, and scarcely would give a good word or blithe countenance to any that she knew to be earnest favourers of the Earl Moray, whose prosperity was, and yet is, to her boldened heart, a very venom against him for his godliness and upright plainness. For many days she bare no better countenance; and thereby it might have been evidently espied that she rejoiced not greatly in the success of that matter; and, albeit she caused John Gordon and divers others to be executed, it was the destruction of others that she sought.