The Earl of Argyll, and Lord James, perceiving in the Queen nothing but mere tyranny and falsehood, and mindful of their former promises to their brethren, secretly conveyed themselves and their companies from the town. With them departed the Lord Ruthven, the Earl of Menteith, and the Laird of Tullibardine.... The Queen, highly offended at the sudden departure of these persons, charged them to return, under the highest pain of her displeasure. But they answered that they could not, with safe conscience, be partakers in so manifest tyranny as that committed by her, and in the great iniquity which they perceived to be devised by her and her ungodly Council, the prelates. This answer was given to her on the first day of June, and immediately the Earl of Argyll and Lord James repaired toward St. Andrews, and in their journey intimated to the Laird of Dun, to the Laird of Pittarrow, to the Provost of Dundee, and to other professors in Angus, their desire that they should visit them in St. Andrews on the fourth of June, that Reformation might be made there. This they did, bringing John Knox in their company.
The Archbishop of St. Andrews interdicts Knox from preaching.
The Archbishop, hearing of Reformation to be made in his cathedral Church, thought it time to stir if ever he were to do so. He assembled his colleagues and confederate fellows, besides his other friends, and came to the town upon the Saturday night, accompanied by a hundred spears, desiring to have stopped John Knox from preaching. The two Lords and gentlemen foresaid were only accompanied by their quiet households, and the sudden coming of the Archbishop was the more fearful; for the Queen and her Frenchmen having departed from Perth, were then lying in Falkland, within twelve miles of St. Andrews. Besides, the town had not at that time given profession of Christ, and therefore the Lords could not be assured of their friendship. After consultation, many were of opinion that the preaching should be delayed for that day, and especially that John Knox should not preach; for the Archbishop had affirmed that he would not suffer this, seeing that the picture of the said John had formerly been burned by his commandment. He instructed an honest gentleman, Robert Colville of Cleish, to say to the Lords that did John Knox present himself at the preaching place in his town and principal church, he should "gar[135] him be saluted with a dozen culverins, whereof the most part should light upon his nose."
John Knox declines to obey the Dictates of the Archbishop.
After long deliberation, the said John was called, that his own judgment might be had. Many persuasions were used to induce him to delay for that time, and great terrors were threatened if he should enterprise such a thing, in seeming contempt of the Archbishop. But he answered, "God is witness that I never preached Christ Jesus in contempt of any man, nor am I disposed at any time to present myself at that place, from respect to my own private commodity, or to the worldly hurt of any creature; but I cannot conscientiously delay to preach to-morrow, unless my body be violently withholden. In this town and church, God first began to call me to the dignity of a preacher. From this I was reft by the tyranny of France, by procurement of the bishops, as ye all know well enough. How long I continued prisoner, what torment I sustained in the galleys, and what were the sobs of my heart, it is now no time to recite. This only I cannot conceal. More than one have heard me say, when the body was far absent from Scotland, that my assured hope was that I should preach in St. Andrews in open audience before I departed this life.
"Therefore," said John Knox, "my Lords, seeing that God hath, beyond the expectation of many, brought me in the body to the place where first I was called to the office of a preacher, and from the which most unjustly I was removed, I beseech your Honours not to stop me from presenting myself unto my brethren. As for the fear of danger that may come to me, let no man be solicitous. My life is in the custody of Him whose glory I seek; and therefore I cannot so fear their boast or tyranny as to cease from doing my duty, when of His mercy He offereth occasion. I desire the hand or weapon of no man to defend me; only do I crave audience. If this be denied here to me at this time, I must seek further where I may have it."
John Knox preaches at St. Andrews once more: the Monuments of Idolatry are cast down.
At these words, the Lords were fully content that John Knox should occupy the preaching place, which he did upon Sunday, the eleventh of June. In his sermon he treated of the ejection of the buyers and the sellers from the Temple of Jerusalem, as it is written in the Evangelists, Matthew and John. He applied the corruption that was there to the corruption that is in the Papistry; and Christ's act, to the duty of those to whom God giveth power and zeal thereto. The result was that the magistrates within the town, the provost and bailies, as well as the community for the most part, agreed to remove all monuments of idolatry, and this they did with expedition.
The Regent declares War: the Forces of the Congregation are called out.
The Archbishop, informed of this, departed that same day to the Queen, who lay in Falkland with her Frenchmen, as we have said. The hot fury of the Archbishop did so kindle her choler (and yet the love was very cold betwixt them) that, without any further delay, it was decided to invade St. Andrews.... When this was known, counsel was given to the Lords to march forward and get to Cupar before the Queen. This they did, giving notice to all brethren to repair towards them with possible expedition. This also was done with such diligence that in their assembling the wondrous work of God might have been espied. When the Lords came to Cupar at night, they were not a hundred horse, and a certain number of footmen, whom Lord James brought from the coast side; and yet, before the next day at twelve o'clock, which was Tuesday, the thirteenth of June, their number exceeded three thousand men.... Finally, God did so multiply our number that it appeared as if men had rained from the clouds. The enemy, understanding nothing of our force, assured themselves of victory.... Before midnight they sent forward their ordnance, themselves following before three o'clock in the morning.