In the end he said, "Madam, I speak in God's presence. I never delighted in the weeping of any of God's creatures; yea, I can scarcely well abide the tears of my own boys whom my own hand corrects, much less can I rejoice in your Majesty's weeping. Seeing, however, that I have offered you no just occasion to be offended, but have spoken the truth as my vocation craves of me, I must sustain your Majesty's tears, albeit unwillingly, rather than dare hurt my conscience, or betray my commonwealth through my silence."
Herewith was the Queen more offended, and commanded the said John to leave the cabinet, and to abide her pleasure in the chamber. The Laird of Dun tarried, and Lord John of Coldingham came into the cabinet, and there they both remained with her for nearly an hour. The said John stood in the chamber, as one whom men had never seen, so afraid were all, except that the Lord Ochiltree bare him company. Therefore began he to forge talk with the ladies who were sitting there in all their gorgeous apparel. This espied, he merrily said, "O fair Ladies, how pleasing were this life of yours if it should ever abide, and in the end we might pass to heaven with all this gay gear. Fie upon that knave Death, who will come whether we will or not! When he has laid on his arrest, the foul worms will be busy with this flesh, be it never so fair and so tender; and the silly soul shall, I fear, be so feeble that it can neither carry with it gold, garnishing, targetting, pearl, nor precious stones." By such means procured he the company of women; and so passed the time until the Laird of Dun desired him to depart to his house. The Queen would have sought the censement of the Lords of Articles as to whether such manner of speaking as that of the said John deserved not punishment; but she was counselled to desist: and so that storm quieted in appearance, but never in the heart.
Lethington's Return: His worldly Wisdom displayed.
Shortly after the Parliament, Lethington returned from his negotiation in England and France. In the February before, God had stricken that bloody tyrant the Duke of Guise, and this somewhat broke the fard[214] of our Queen for a season. But, shortly after the return of Lethington, pride and malice began to show themselves again. She set at liberty the Archbishop of St. Andrews, and the rest of the Papists, formerly put in prison for violating the laws. Lethington showed himself not a little offended that any bruit of the Queen's marriage with the son of the King of Spain should have risen; for he took upon him that such a thing never entered into her heart. How true that was, we shall afterwards hear. The object of all his acquaintance and complaint was to discredit John Knox, who had affirmed that such a marriage was both proponed and accepted by the Cardinal upon the part of our Queen. In his absence, Lethington had run into a very evil bruit among the Nobility for too much serving the Queen's affections against the commonwealth; and therefore, as one that lacketh no worldly wisdom, he had made provision both in England and in Scotland. In England he had travailed for the freedom of the Earl Bothwell, and by that means obtained promise of his favour. He had there also made arrangements for the home-coming of the Earl of Lennox. In Scotland, he joined with the Earl of Atholl: him he promoted and set forward in Court, and so the Earl of Moray began to be defaced. And yet Lethington at all times showed a fair countenance to the said Earl.
The Queen retains Observance of the Mass.
The Queen spent the rest of that summer in her progress throughout the West country, where in all towns and gentlemen's places she had her Mass. This coming to the ears of John Knox, he began that form of prayer which ordinarily he sayeth after thanksgiving at his table: "1. Deliver us, O Lord, from the bondage of idolatry. 2. Preserve and keep us from the tyranny of strangers. 3. Continue us in quietness and concord amongst ourselves, if Thy good pleasure be, O Lord, for a season," etc. Divers of the familiars of the said John asked him why he prayed for quietness to continue for a season, and not rather absolutely that we should continue in quietness. His answer was that he durst not pray but in faith; and faith in God's Word assured him that constant quietness could not continue in that realm where idolatry had been suppressed, and then been permitted to be erected again.
From the West country, the Queen passed to Argyll to the hunting, and afterwards returned to Stirling. The Earl of Moray, the Lord Robert of Holyroodhouse, and Lord John of Coldingham, passed to the Northland. Justice Courts were holden; thieves and murderers were punished; two witches were burned, the elder so blinded with the Devil that she affirmed that no judge had power over her.
The Death of Lord John of Coldingham.
At that same time, Lord John of Coldingham departed this life in Inverness. It was affirmed that he commanded such as were beside him to say to the Queen that, unless she left off her idolatry, God would not fail to plague her. He asked God's mercy that he had so far borne with her in her impiety, and had maintained her in the same. No one thing did he more regret than that he had flattered, fostered, and maintained her in her wickedness against God and His servants. And in very deed he had great cause to lament his wickedness; for, besides all his other infirmities, he, in the end, for the Queen's pleasure, became enemy to virtue and virtuous men, and a patron to impiety to the uttermost of his power. Yea, his venom was so kindled against God and his Word, that in his rage he burst forth with these words: "Before I see the Queen's Majesty so troubled with the railing of these knaves, I shall have the best of them sticked in the pulpit."