KNOX FALSLIE REPOIRTIT OF.
Monie wonderit at the sylence of Johne Knox; for in all those quick ressonyngis he openit not his mouthe. The cause thairof he himself expressit in those wordis: "I haif travellit, rycht honorabill and belovit Bretherin, sen my last arryval within this Realme in ane uprycht conscience befoir my God, seiking no thing more, as he is [my] wytness, than the advancement of his glorie, and the stabillitie of his Kirk within this Realme; and yit of lait dayis I haif bene accuseit as ane sedytious man, and as ane that usurpes unto my self power that becumis me nocht. Trew it is, I haif gevin adverteismentis into the bretherin in dyveris quarteris, of the extremitie intendit aganis certane faythfull for luiking to ane Preist going to Mess, and for observing of those that transgressit juste lawis; bot [that] thairintill I haif usurped farther power than is gevin into me, till that be you I be dampned, I utterlie deny; for I say, that be you, that is be the chairge of the Generall Assemblie, I haif als just power to adverteise the bretherin from tyme to tyme of daingers appeiring, as that I haif to preche the worde of God in the pulpett of Edinbrough; for be you I wes appoyntit to the one and to the uther; and thairfoir, in the name of God, I craif your jugementis. The dainger that appeirit to me in my accusatioun wes nocht sua feirfull as the wordis that come to my earis wer dollorous to my hairt; for thir wordis wer planelie spokin, and that be sum Protestantis, 'What can the Pape do mair then send furth his Letteris, and requyreit thame to be obeyit.' Lat me haif your jugementis thairof, quhidder that I haif usurped onie power to my self, or gif I haif bot obeyit your commandiment."
The flatteraris of the Courte, amangis quhome Sir Johne Ballentyne, Justice Clerk,[958] wes then not the leist, began to storme, and said, "Sall we be compellit to justifie the rasch doingis of men?" "My Lorde," said Johne Knox, "ye sall speik your plesour for the present: of you I craif no thing; bot gif the Kirk that is heir present do not either absolve me, or ellis condampne me, nevir sall I in publict or in privat, as ane publict mynister, open my mouthe in doctrine or in ressonyng."
Efter lang contentioun, the said Johne being removed, the whole Kirk fand, that a chairg wes gevin unto him to adverteis the Bretherin in all quarteris as oft as evir dainger appeirit; and thairfoir avowit that fact not to be his onlie, bot to be the fact of all. Thairat wer the Quenis claw-backis mair inrageit than evir thai wer; for sum of thame had promissit to the Quene to get the said Johne convyct, baith be the Consall and be the Kirk;[959] and being frustrat of boith, sche and thai thocht thame selffis nocht 1563. HURDOME AND MURDOUR IN THE COURTE. SEMPILL AND LEVINGSTOUN. MARIES REGIMENT. In the verie tyme of the Generall Assemblie, thair cumis to publyct knawlege ane heinous murdour committed in the Courte, yea, not far from the Quenis awin lap; for ane Frenche woman, that servit in the Quenis chalmer had playit the hure with the Quenis awin hipoticary.[960] The woman conceveit and bare ane child, quhome with commoune consent the father and the mother murthered. Yit wer the cryis of ane new borne barne hard; searche wes maid, the chylde and mother wes baith deprehendit; and so wer baith the man and the woman dampned to be hangit upoun the publict streit of Edinburgh. The punischment wes notable, becaus the cryme wes heinous. Bot yit wes not the Courte purged of hureis and huredome, quhilk wes the fontane of sik enormiteis; for it wes weill knawin, that schame haistit mariage betwix Johne Sempill, callit the Danser, and Marie Levingstoune, surnameit the Lustie.[961] What bruit the Maries and the rest of the dansaris of the Courte had, the ballattis of that aige[962] did witnes, quhilk we for modesteis sake omit. Bot this wes the commoune complaint of all godlie and wyse men, that giff thai thocht that sick ane Courte soulde lang continew, and giff thai luikit for no uther lyffe to cum, thay wald haif wissit thair soneis and dochteris rather to have bene brought up with fydlaris and dansaris, and to have bene exerceit in flinging upone ane flure, and in the rest that thairof followis, than to haif bene nurisched in the companie of the godlie, and exerceissit in vertew, quhilk in that Courte wes haittit, and fylthines not onlie maintenit, bot also rewairded. Witnes the Lordschip[963] of Abercorne, the baronie of Authormortie,[964] and diverse utheris pertenyng to the patrimonie of the Crowne, gyffin in heritage to scouparis, dansaris, and dalliaris with damis. This wes the begyning of the regement of Marie Quene of Scottis, and thir wer the fructeis that sche brocht furth of France. "Lorde, luik upone our mysereis, and delyver us from the tyrannie[965] of that hure, for thy awin meir mercies saik." PRAYIT AND WRITTEN QUHEN SHE WES IN GRYTEST AUTHORITIE.[966]