The tennour of the Supplicatioun redd in oppen audience, and approved by the hoill Assemblye to be presented to the Quenis Majestie, was this:—
To the Quenis Majestie, and Hir Most Honorable Privey Counsall, the Superintendentis and Ministeris of the Evangell of Jesus Christ within this Realme, together with the Commissionaris of the hoill Churches,[803] desyre Grace and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Spreit of rychteouse judgement.
Having in mynd that fearfull sentence, pronunced by the Eternall God against the watchemen that see the sweard of Goddis punishement approche, and do not in plane wordis foirwarne the people, yea, the Princes and Reularis, that thei may repent, we can not but signify unto your Hienes, and unto your Counsall, that the estait of this Realme is sic for this present, that onless redress and remeady be schortlie provided, that Goddis hand can not long spayr in his anger, to stryck the head and the taill; the inobedient Prince and synfull people: For as God is unchangeable and trew, so must he punische in these our dayis, the grevouse synnes that befoir we read he hes punished in all aiges, after that he hes long called for reapentance, and none is schawin.
THIS[804] CAUSES THE QUENIS RELIGIOUN TO HAVE MANY FAVOURARIS.
And that your Grace and Counsall may understand what be the thingis we desyre to be reformed, we will begyn at that quhilk we assuredlie know to be the fontane and spring of all other evillis that now abound in this Realme, to wit, That idoll and bastard service of God, the Messe; the fontane, we call it, of all impietie, not only becaus that many tack boldnes to syn be reassone of the opinioun which thei have conceaved of that idoll, to wit, That by the vertew of it, thei get remissioun of thair synnes; but also becaus that under the cullour of the Messe, are hoores, adulteraris, drunkardis, blasphemaris of God, of His holy Word and Sacramentis, and such other manifest malcfactouris, manteaned and defended: for lett any Messesayare, or earnest manteanar thairof be deprehended in any of the foirnamed crymes, no executioun can be had, for all is done in haiterent of his religioun; and so are wicked men permitted to live wickedlie, clocked and defended by that odious idoll. But supposing that the Messe war occasioun of no such evillis, yit in the self it is so odiouse in Goddis presence, that we can not cease with all instance to desyre the removing of the same, alsweall frome your self as from all otheris within this Realme, tacking heavin and earth, yea, and your awin conscience to record, that the obstinat manteanance of that idoll shall in the end be to you destructioun of saule and body.
Yf your Majestie demand, why that now we ar more earnest then we have bein heirtofoir; We ansuer, (our formar silence no wiese excused,) becaus we fynd us frustrat of our hope and expectatioun; quhilk was, that in processe of tyme, your Grace's heart should have bein mollifyed, so far as that ye wold have heard the publict doctrin taught within this Realme; by the quhilk, our farther hope was, that Goddis Holy Spreit should so have moved your hearte, that ye should have suffered your religioun (quhilk befoir God is nothing but abominatioun and vanitie) to have been tryed by the trew tueich-stone, the writtin word of God; and that your Grace fynding it to have no ground nor fundatioun in the same, should have gevin that glorie unto God, that ye wold have preferred his treuth unto your awin preconceaved vane opinioun, of what antiquitie that ever it hes bene. Whairof we in a parte now discoraged[805] cane no longer keape silence, onless we wold mack our selfis criminall befoir God of your blood, perisheing in your awin iniquitie; for we plainlie admonishe you of the dangearis to come.
GRUDGEING OF THE NOBILITIE ONE AGAINST OTHER
The Secound that we requyre, is punishement of horrible vices, sic as ar adultery, fornicatioun, open hurdome, blasphemye, contempt of God, of his Word, and Sacramentis; quhilkis in this Realme, for lack of punishement, do evin now so abound, that syne is reputed to be no syne. And thairfoir, as that we see the present signes of Goddis wrath now manifestlie appear, so do we foirwarne, that he will stryck, or it be long, yf his law without punishement be permitted thus manifestlie to be contempned. Yf any object, that punishementis can nott be commanded to be executed without a Parliament; We answer that the eternall God in his Parliament has pronounced death to be the punishement for adulterye and for blasphemye; whose actis yf ye putt not to executioun, (seing that Kingis ar but his lieutennentis, having no power to geve lyefe, whair he commandis death,) as that he will reputt you, and all otheris that foster vice, patronis of impietie, so will he nott faill to punishe you for neglecting of his judgementis.
Our Third requeast concerneth the Poore, who be of thre sortis: the poore lauboraris of the ground; the poore desolat beggaris, orphelyns, wedoes, and strangaris; and the poore ministeris of Christ Jesus his holie evangell, quhilk ar all so crewallie entreated by this last pretended Ordour tacken for sustentatioun of Ministeris, that thair latter miserie far surmonteth the formar. For now the poore lauboraris of the ground ar so oppressed by the creualtie of those that pay thair Thrid, that they for the most parte advance upoun the poore, whatsoever they pay to the Quene, or to any other. As for the verray indigent and poore, to whome God commandis a sustentatioun to be provided of the Teyndis, they ar so dyspised, that it is a wonder that the sone geveth heat and lycht to the earth, whair Godis name is so frequentlie called upoun, and no mercy (according to his commandiment) schawin to his creaturis. And also for the Ministeris, thair lyvingis ar so appointed, that the most parte shall lyve but a beggaris lyef. And all cumeth of that impietie, that the idill bellies of Christis ennemyes mon be fedd in thair formare delicacie.