Even in the beginning, the ministers, in their public sermons, opposed themselves to such corruption, for they foresaw the purpose of the Devil, and clearly understood the butt at which the Queen and her flatterers shot. In the stool[192] of Edinburgh, John Knox said, "Well, if the end of this order, pretended to be taken for sustentation of the ministers, be happy, my judgment faileth me; for I am assured that the Spirit of God is not the author of it. First I see two parts freely given to the Devil, and then the third must be divided betwixt God and the Devil. Bear witness to me that this day I say it—before long the Devil shall have three parts of the third; judge what God's portion shall then be." This was an unsavoury saying in the ears of many. Some were not ashamed to affirm, "The ministers being sustained, the Queen will not, at the year's end, have enough to buy her a pair of new shoes." And this was Secretary Lethington.
The Modification of Stipends.
There were appointed to modify[193] the ministers' stipends, the Earls Argyll, Moray, and Morton, Lethington, the Justice Clerk, and the Clerk of Register. The Laird of Pittarrow was appointed to pay the ministers' stipends, according to their modification. Who would have thought that, when Joseph ruled Egypt, his brethren should have travelled for victuals, and have returned to their families with empty sacks? Men would rather have thought that Pharaoh's poise, treasure, and girnells should have been diminished, before the household of Jacob should have stood in danger of starving for hunger.
So busy and circumspect were the modificators (because it was a new office, the term must also be new) to secure that the ministers should not be too wanton, a hundred marks was considered sufficient for a single man, being a common minister. Three hundred marks was the highest stipend appointed to any, except to the superintendents, and a few others. Shortly, whether it was from the niggardliness of their own hearts, or the care that they had to enrich the Queen, we know not; but the poor ministers, readers, and exhorters cried out to the heaven, as their complaints in all Assemblies do witness, that neither were they able to live upon the stipends appointed, nor could they get payment of that small thing that was appointed. The Comptroller would fain have played the good valet, and have satisfied the Queen, or else his own profit, in every point; and he got this saying and proverb, "The good Laird of Pittarrow was an earnest professor of Christ; but the big Devil receive the Comptroller, for he and his collectors are become greedy factors."[194]
We put an end to this unpleasing story. When the brethren complained of their poverty, it was disdainfully answered by some, "There are many Lords that have not so much to spend." Men did reason that the vocation of ministers craved books, quietness, study, and travel, to edify the Kirk of Jesus Christ, while many Lairds were waiting upon their worldly business. The stipends of ministers, who had no other industry, but had to live upon that which was appointed, ought therefore not to be modified according to the livings of common men, who might and did daily augment their rents by some other industry. But they gat no other answer than, "The Queen can spare no greater sums." Oft was it cried into their ears, "O happy servants of the Devil, and miserable servants of Jesus Christ; if after this life there were not hell and heaven." To the servants of the Devil, to your dumb dogs and horned bishops, to one of those idle bellies, I say, ten thousand was not enough; but to the servants of Christ that painfully preach His Evangel, a thousand pounds; how can that be defended?
Secretary Lethington gets his Answer.
One day, in reasoning of this matter, the Secretary burst out in a piece of his choler, and said, "The ministers have so much paid to them year by year, and who yet ever bade the Queen 'grand-mercies' for it? Was there ever a minister that gave thanks to God for her Majesty's liberality towards them?" One smiled and answered, "Assuredly, I think that such as receive anything gratis of the Queen, are unthankful if they acknowledge it not, both in heart and mouth. But whether the ministers be of that rank or not, I greatly doubt. Gratis, I am assured, they receive nothing; and whether they receive anything at all from the Queen, wise men may reason. I am assured that neither Third nor 'Two-part' ever appertained to any of her predecessors within this realm these thousand years by-past, nor yet has the Queen better title to that which she usurps, be it in giving to others or in taking to herself, than had such as crucified Jesus to divide His garments amongst them. If the truth may be spoken, she has not so good title as they had; for such spoil used to be the reward of such men. And these soldiers were more gentle than the Queen and her flatterers, for they parted not the garments of our Master until He Himself was hung upon the cross; but she and her flatterers do part the spoil while poor Christ is yet preaching amongst you. But the wisdom of our God makes trial of us by this means, knowing well enough what she and her faction have purposed to do. Let the Papists, who have some the Two-parts, some their Thirds free, and some abbacies and feu lands, thank the Queen, and sing, 'Placebo Dominæ.' The poor preachers will not yet flatter, for feeding of their belly." These words were judged proud and intolerable, and engendered no small displeasure to the speaker.
This we put in memory, that the posterities to come may know that God once made His truth to triumph; but, because some of ourselves delighted more in darkness than in light, He hath restrained our freedom, and put the whole body in bondage....
Lord James Stewart created Earl of Mar: his Marriage.
In the meantime, to wit, in February, the year of God 1561, Lord James Stewart was first made Earl of Mar,[195] and then married to Agnes Keith, daughter to the Earl Marischall. At the marriage, which was public in the church of Edinburgh, they both got an admonition to behave themselves moderately in all things; "For," said the preacher (John Knox) to him, "to this day the Kirk of God hath received comfort by you, and by your labours. If hereafter ye shall be found fainter in this than ye were before, it will be said that your wife hath changed your nature." The greatness of the banquet, and the vanity used thereat, offended many godly. There began the masking, which from year to year hath continued since.