We, whais Names are underwrittin, do promesse, in the presence of God, and in the presence of his Sone our Lord Jesus Christ, that we, and everie ane of us, shall and will manteane and assist the preaching of his holy Evangell, now of his mear mercy, offered unto this Realme; and also will manteane the ministeris of the same against all personis, power, and authoritie, that will oppone the self to the doctrin proponed, and by us receaved. And farther, with the same solempnitie, we protest and promesse, that everie ane of us shall assist otheris; yea, and the hoill body of the Protestantis within this Realme, in all lauchfull and just actionis, against all personis; so that whosoever shall hurt, molest, or truble ony of our body, shalbe reaputed ennemye to the hoill, except that the offendar wilbe content to submit him self to the judgement of the Kirk, now establisshed amangis us. And this we do, as we desyre to be accepted and favored of the Lord Jesus, and reaccompted worthy of credyte and honestie in the presence of the godlie. At the Brough of Air, the ferd day of September, the year of God Jm Vc threscoir twa zeiris.
Subscrivit by all these with thair handis, as followis:—
Mr. Michaell Wallace, Provest of Air,[813]
James Lockart,[814]
Williame Montgomery,
Johnne Craufurd of Wolstoun,[815]
Glencarne,[816]
Ro. Boyd,[817]
R. Failfurd,[818]
Matthew Campbell of Lowden, knyght,
Allane Lord Caythcart,
Johnne Mure in Wole,
Hew Wallace of Carnell,
James Chalmer of Gathgirth,
Hew Montgomery of Hesheilhead,
Johnne Fullartoun of Dreghorne,
I Williame Cunyghame, with my hand,
Skeldoun,[819]
Fargushill,[820]
Mr. of Boyd,[821]
Johnne Lockart of Barr,
Williame Cunyghame of Capringtoun younger,
Robert Ker of Carsland,
Robert Crawfurd,
David Crawfurd,
Williame Cunyghame,
Charles Campbell, Burgess of Air,
James Dalrymple of Stayre,
Mungo Mure,
James Reid,
James Kennedy, Burgess of Air,
George Lockart, Burgess thair,
Johne Cunynghame of Capringtoun,
Cunynghamheid,[822]
Vchiltrie,[823]
George Craufurd of Lefnoreise,
Johne Mure of Rowallane,
Hew Cunyghame of Watterstoun,
Robert Cunyghame,
Akynharvye,[824]
Myddiltoun,[825]
Johne Wallace of Cragie,
Johne Boyd of Narstoun,
Robert Campbell of Kingzeanclewcht,
Gilbert Eccles,
Thomas Caythcarte, with my hand,
Allane Caithcart of Clawance,[826]
Adam Reyd of Barskymming,
Johnne Caithcart of Gibiszard,[827]
Johne Reid, with my hand,
Johne ...[828]
Robert Schaw, Burgess thair,
Johnne Dunbar of Blantyre,
Robert Chalmer of Martnem,[829]
Robert Huntar of Huntarstoun,
Robert Rankin,
Archibald Boyle,
Alexander Nysbett,
James Lockart,
Williame Stewart of Halrig,
Hectour Dunbar of Clousting,
James Campbell of Louchley,
Adam Caithcart of Bardarocht,
George Ryd of Chapellhouse,
Hew Wallace of the Meanfurd,
Robert Campbell of Cragdow,
Andro Neven of Monkredden,
Williame Caithcart,
David Craufurd of the Kerse,
Johnne Kennydye of Ternganoche,
Patrik Kennydie of Daljarocht,[830]
Allane Caithcart of Carlton,
Robert Boyd of Pemont,[831]
Williame Campbell of Horsclewcht,[832]
Williame Caithcart, brother to the Lord Caithcart,
Johnne Macquhidaill,
George Corry of Kelwod,
Williame Kennydie of Ternganocht,
Johnne Kennydie of Kirkmichaell,
Thomas MackAlexander of Corsclais.[833][834]
These thingis done at Ayr, the said Johne passed to Nethisdaill and Galloway, whair, in conference with the Maister of Maxwell,[835] a man of great judgment and experience, he communicat with him such thingis as he feared; who by his motioun wraytt to the Erle Bothwell, to behave himself as it became a faythfull subject, and to keape good quyetness in the partis committed to his charge, and so wold his cryme of the breaking of the ward be the more easelie pardoned. Johne Knox wrait unto the Dukis Grace, and earnestlie exhorted him neather to geve eare to the Bischope[836] his bastard brother, nor yit to the persuasionis of the Erle of Huntley; for yf he did, he assured him, that he and his House should come to a suddane ruyn.
By such meanis war the South partis keapte in reassonable quyetness, during the tyme that the trubles war in brewing in the North. And yit the Bischope and the Abbote of Corsraguell,[837] did what in thame lay to have rased some truble; for besydis the fearfull bruytes that thei sparsed abroad, (sometymes that the Quene was tacken; sometymes that the Erle of Murray and all his band war slane; and sometymes that the Quene had gevin her self unto the Erle of Huntley,—besydis such bruites) the Bischope, to brek the countrey of Kyle, whair quyetness was greatest, rased the Craufurdis against the Readis for the payment of the Bischopis Pasche fynes; but that was stayed by the laubouris of indifferent men, who favored peace.
DISPUTATIOUN.
CROSRAGUELL OFFFRED HIM ANES TO PREACH.
The Abbot of Crosraguell requyred disputatioun of Johne Knox for mantenance of the Messe, which was granted unto him, and whiche held in Mayboll thre dayis. The Abbot had the advantage that he requyred, to wit, He took upoun him to prove that Melchisedeck offered bread and wyne unto God, which was the ground that the Messe was builded upoun to be a Sacrifice, &c. But in the travaill of thre dayis thair could no prooff be produced for Melchisedeckis oblatioun, as in the same disputatioun (which is to be had in print[838]) clearlie may appear. The Papistis constantlie looked for a wolter, and thairfoir thei wold maid some bragg of reassonyng. The Abbote farther presented him self to the pulpit, but the voice of Maister George Hay[839] so effrayed him, that efter ones he wearyed of that exercise.
After that the Quene was somewhat satisfyed of hunting, and other pastyme,[840] sche cam to Abirdene, whair the Erle of Huntley met hir and his Lady, with no small tryne, remaned in Court, was supposed to have the greatest credyte, departed with the Quene to Buchquhane, met hir again at Rothymay, looking that sche should have passed with him to Strabogye. But in the jorney certane word cam to hir that Johne Gordoun had brocken promesse in not re-entering in ward; for his father the Erie had promessed that he should enter agane within the Castell of Stryveling, and thair abyd the Quenis pleasur. But whetther with his fatheris knowledge and consent, or without the same we know not, but he refused to enter; which so offended the Quene, that she wold not go to Strabogye, but passed through Straythyla to Innerness, whair the Castell thairof was denyed unto hir. The Capitane was commanded to keape it, and looked for releaf, for so had Johne of Gordoun promessed; but being thairof frustrat, the Castell was randered, and the Capitane named Gordoun was executed; the rest war damned, and the handis of some bound, but eschaiped.
SO WAS THE DUCK, THE ERLIS ERGYLE, MURRAY, AND GLENCARNE, WITH ALL THAIR COMPANIES AFTER SERVED.[841]
This was the begynning of farther truble; for the Erie of Huntley thairat offended, began to assemble his folkis, and spaired not to speak that he wold be revenged. But alwayes his Wyef bayre faire countenance to the Quene; and it is verrely supposed, that no other harme then the Quene hir self could easilie have stand content with, was ment unto hir awin persone. But the hoill malice lay upoun the Erie of Murray, Secreatarie Lethingtoun, and upoun the Lard of Pittarro. Yitt the Quene begane to be effrayed, and by proclamatioun caused warne Stryveling, Fyffe, Anguss, Mearness, and Straytherne, charge all substantiall men to be in Abirdene the fyfth day of October, thair to remane the space of twenty dayis. In hir returning from Innerness, sche required the Castell of Fynlater, which was lykewise denyed, and so was Auchendowne, which more inflammed the Quein. The Erie of Huntley was charged to caus deliver the said housses, under pane of treasson. To schaw some obedience, he caused the keyis of boyth to be presented by his servand, Mr. Thomas Keyr. But befoir had the Quene send young Capitane Stewarte, (sone to Capitane James,[842] who to this day hes neather bein stout, happye, nor trew,) with sex scoir of soldartis, to ly about the said place of Fynlater. They lodged in Culane, nott far distant from the said place. Upoun a nycht Johne Gordoun cam with a cumpany of horsemen, took the Capitane, slew certane of the soldiouris, and disarmed the rest. This fact, done (as the Quene alledged) under traist, so inflambed hir, that all hope of reconciliatioun was past; and so the said Erle of Huntley was charged, under pane of putting of him to the home, to present him self and the said Johne befoir the Quene and Counsall within sax dayis: whiche charge he disobeyed, and so was denunced rebell. Whitther it was law or not, we dispute litill thairintill; but it was a preparative to otheris that after war served with that same measure. He was sought at his place of Strathbogye, but eschaped.