"What is this?" said the Quene. "Me think ye tryfill with him. Quho gaif him authoritie to mak convocatioun of my leigis? Is nocht that tressoun?"
"Na, Madam," said the Lord Ruithven, "for he makis convocatioun of the pepill to heir prayer and sermoun almost daylie, and whatevir your Grace or utheris will think thereof, we think it no tressoun."
"Hald your peace," said the Quene, "and let him mak ansuer for him self."
"I began, [Madam]" said Johne Knox, "to ressoun with the Secratour, quhome I tak to be ane far better dialectician[943] then your Grace is, that all convocatiouns ar nocht unlauchfull: and now my Lord Ruithven hes gevin the instance, quhilk gif your Grace will deny, I sall addres me for the prufe."
"I will say nathing," said the Quene, "aganis your religioun, nor aganis your convenyng to your sermonis: But quhat authoritie haif ye to convocat my subjectis quhen ye will, without my commandiment?"
"I haif no plesour," said Johne Knox, "to declyne from the formar purpoise. And yit, Madam, to satisfie your Grace's two questiounis, I ansuer, that at my will I nevir convenit four persounis in Scotland; but at the ordour that the bretherin hes appoyntit, I haif gevin diverse adverteismentis, and grit multitudis haif assemblit thairupone. And gif your Grace complane that this wes done without your Graceis commandiment, I ansuer, sa hes all that God hes blissed within this Realme from the begyning of this actioun. And thairfoir, Madam, I maun be convyckit be ane just law, that I haif done aganis the deutie of Godis messinger in writting of this letter, befoir that either I be sorie, or yit repent for the doing of it, as my Lord Secretour wald perswaid me: For what I haif done, I haif done [at] the commandiment of the generall Kirk of this Realme; and thairfoir, I think, I haif done na wrang."
"Ye sall not eschaip so," said the Quene. "Is it nocht tressoun, my Lordis, to accuse ane Prince of creweltie? I think thair be Actis of Parliament aganis sick whisperaris." That wes grantit of monie.
"But whairintill," said Johne Knox, "can I be accusit?"
"Reid this pairt of your awin bill," said the Quene, quhilk began, "Thir feirfull summondis is direct aganis thame, (to wit, the bretherin foirsaid,) to make, no dout, preparatioun[944] upoun ane few, that ane dore may be opened till execute creweltie upoun ane grytter multitude." "Lo," said the Quene, "quhat say ye to that?"
Quhill monie doubtit quhan the said Johne sould ansuer, he said unto the Quene, "Is it lauchfull for me, Madam, to ansuer for my self? Or sall I be dampned befoir I be hard?"