The General Assembly, held in June 1564, approaching, to this the great part of those of the Nobility that are called Protestants, convened; some for assistance of the ministers, and some to accuse them.... On the first day of the General Assembly, the Courtiers and the Lords that depended upon the Court, did not present themselves in session with their brethren. Many wondering thereat, an ancient and honourable man, the Laird of Lundie, said, "Nay, I wonder not of their present absence; but I wonder that, at our last Assembly, they drew themselves apart, and joined not with us, but drew from us some of our ministers, and willed them to conclude such things as were never proponed in the public Assembly. That appears to me to be very prejudicial to the liberty of the Kirk. My judgment is, therefore, that they be informed of this offence, which the whole brethren have conceived of their former fault; with humble request that, if they be brethren, they will assist their brethren with their presence and counsel, for we never had greater need. If they be minded to fall back from us, it were better we knew it now than afterwards." The whole Assembly agreed to this, and gave commission to certain brethren to signify the minds of the Assembly to the Lords: that was done on the same afternoon.
The Protestant Courtiers maintain an independent Position.
At first, the Courtiers seemed not a little offended that they should be suspected of defection: yet, upon the morrow, they joined with the Assembly, and came into it. But they drew themselves apart, as they had done before, and entered the Inner Council House. There were the Duke's Grace, the Earls Argyll, Moray, Morton, Glencairn, Marischall, and Rothes; the Master of Maxwell, Secretary Lethington, the Justice Clerk, the Clerk Register, and the Comptroller, the Laird of Pittarrow.
After a little consultation, they directed a messenger, Mr. George Hay, then called the Minister of the Court, requiring the Superintendents, and some of the learned ministers, to confer with them.
The Assembly answered that they had convened to deliberate upon the common affairs of the Kirk; and therefore, that they could not lack their superintendents and chief ministers, whose judgments were so necessary that, without them, the rest should sit as it were idle. They therefore, as before, willed them that, if they acknowledged themselves members of the Kirk, they would join with the brethren, and propone in public such things as they pleased; and so they should have the assistance of the whole in all things that might conform to God's commandment. Hurt and slander might arise, rather than any profit or comfort to the Kirk, were they to send from themselves a portion of their company. For they feared that all men should not stand content with the conclusion, where the conference and reasons were only heard by a few.
This answer was not given without cause; for no small travail was made to have drawn some ministers to the faction of the courtiers, and to have sustained their arguments and opinions. But when it was perceived by the most politic amongst them that they could not prevail by that means, they proponed the matter in other terms. Purging themselves first that they never meant to divide themselves from the society of their brethren, they said that they had certain heads to confer with certain ministers; and that, to prevent confusion, they thought it more expedient to have the conference before a few, rather than in the public audience. The Assembly did still reply, that they would not admit secret conference upon those heads that must be concluded by a general vote.
The Lords promised that no conclusion should be taken, or yet vote required, until their propositions and the reasons should both be heard and considered by the whole Assembly. Upon that condition, there were directed to them, with express charge to conclude nothing without the knowledge and advice of the Assembly, the Laird of Dun, Superintendent of Angus, the Superintendents of Lothian and Fife, Mr. John Row, Mr. John Craig, William Christison, and Mr. David Lindsay, ministers, with the Rector of St. Andrews, and Mr. George Hay. The Superintendent of Glasgow, Mr. John Willock, was moderator, and John Knox waited upon the scribe. And so they were appointed to sit with the brethren. Because the principal complaint touched John Knox, he was also called for.
Secretary Lethington defines the Attitude of the Lords of the Court.
Secretary Lethington began the harangue, which contained these heads: First, how much we were indebted unto God, by whose providence we had liberty of religion under the Queen's Majesty, albeit she was not persuaded in it herself: Secondly, how necessary a thing it was that the Queen's Majesty, by all good offices, so spake he, of the Kirk, and of the ministers principally, should be retained in the constant opinion that they unfeignedly favoured her advancement, and procured her subjects to have a good opinion of her: And, lastly, how dangerous a thing it was that ministers should be noted to disagree one from another, in form of prayer for Her Majesty, or in doctrine concerning obedience to Her Majesty's authority. "And in these two last heads," said he, "we desire you all to be circumspect; but especially we must crave of you, our brother, John Knox, to moderate yourself, as well in form of praying for the Queens Majesty, as in doctrine that ye propone touching her estate and obedience. Neither shall ye take this," said he, "as spoken to your reproach, quia nevus interdum in corpore pulchro, but because others by your example may imitate the like liberty, albeit not with the same modesty and foresight; and wise men do foresee the opinion that may engender in the people's heads."
The Disputation between John Knox and the Secretary.