What further villainy came forth from the stinking throats and mouths of both, modesty will not suffer us to write. If Lord John had grace to repent unfeignedly thereof, it is no small document to God's mercies. Howsoever God wrought with him, the Queen regarded his words as wind, or else thought them to have been forged by others, and not to have proceeded from himself. She affirmed plainly that they were devised by the Laird of Pittarrow and Mr. John Wood, both of whom she hated, because they did not flatter her in her dancing and other doings. One thing in plain words she spake, "God always took from her those persons in whom she had greatest pleasure:" that she repented; but of further wickedness there was no mention.
Mass-mongers at Holyrood take Fright.
While the Queen lay at Stirling, with her idolatry in her chapel, certain dontibours and others of the French menyie were left in the Palace of Holyroodhouse. These raised up their Mass more publicly than they had done at any time before. Upon those same Sundays that the Church of Edinburgh had the ministration of the Lord's Table, the Papists, in great numbers, resorted to the Abbey, to their abomination. This understood, divers of the brethren, being sorely offended, consulted as to redress of that enormity. Certain of the most zealous and most upright in the religion, were appointed to watch the Abbey, and note the persons who resorted to the Mass. Perceiving a great number to enter the chapel, some of the brethren did also burst in. Thereat the priest and the French dames, being afraid, made the shout to be sent to the town; while Madame Raulet, mistress of the Queen's dontibours (for maids that court could not then bear) posted on with all diligence to the Comptroller, the Laird of Pittarrow, who was then in St. Giles's Kirk at the sermon, and cried for his assistance, to save her life and to save the Queen's Palace. He, with greater haste than need required, obeyed her desire, and took with him the Provost, the Bailies, and a great part of the faithful. But when they came to the place where the fear was bruited to have been, they found all things quiet, except the tumult they brought with themselves, and peaceable men looking to the Papists, and forbidding them to transgress the laws.
The Papists devise Mischief.
True it is that a zealous brother, named Patrick Cranston, passed into the chapel, and finding the altar covered, and the priest ready to go to that abomination, the Mass, said, "The Queen's Majesty is not here; how darest thou then be so malapert, as openly to do against the law?" No further was done or said, and yet the bruit was posted to the Queen, with such information as the Papists could give; and this found as much credit as their hearts could have wished for. Here was so heinous a crime in her eyes, that there was no satisfaction for that sin, without blood. Without delay, Andrew Armstrong and Patrick Cranston were summoned to find surety to underlie the law, for "forethought, felony, hamesucken,[215] violent invasion of the Queens Palace, and for spoliation of the same."
When those summonses were divulged, the extremity was feared, and the few brethren that were in town consulted as to the next remedy. In the end, it was concluded that John Knox (to whom the charge had been given to spread intelligence whenever danger should appear) should write to the brethren in all quarters, giving information as to how the matter stood, and requiring their assistance. This he did in tenor as here follows—
John Knox's Letter to the Brethren: 8th October 1563.
"'Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.'
"It is not unknown unto you, dear brethren, what comfort and tranquillity God gave to us, in most dangerous times, by our Christian assemblies, and godly conferences, as oft as any danger appeared to any member or members of our body: and that, since we have neglected, or at least not frequented our conventions and assemblies, the adversaries of the holy Evangel of Christ Jesus have enterprised, and boldened themselves, publicly and secretly, to do many things odious in God's presence, and most hurtful to the liberty of true religion, now granted unto us by God's great favour. The holy Sacraments are abused by profane Papists. Masses have been, and yet are, openly said and maintained. The blood of some of our dearest ministers has been shed, without fear of punishment or correction being craved by us.
"And now, are two of our dear brethren, Patrick Cranston and Andrew Armstrong, summoned to underlie the law, in the town of Edinburgh, the 24th of this instant October, 'for forethought, felony, pretended murder, and for invading the Queen's Majesty's Palace of Holyroodhouse, with unlawful convocation,' etc. This terrible summons is directed against our brethren, because they, with two or three more, passed to the Abbey upon Sunday, the 15th of August, to behold and note what persons repaired to the Mass. They did so, because on the Sunday before (the Queen's Grace being absent) there resorted to that idol a rascal multitude, the Papists having openly the least devilish ceremony,[216] yea, even the conjuring of their accursed water, that ever they had in the time of greatest blindness. Because, I say, our said brethren went, in most quiet manner, to note such abusers, these fearful summonses are directed against them; no doubt, to make preparation upon a few, that a door may be opened to execute cruelty upon a greater multitude. If it so come to pass, God, no doubt, has justly recompensed our former negligence and ingratitude towards Him and His benefits received in our own bosoms.