"And what harm," said the uther, "soulde the Commounewelth ressaif, gif that the corrupt effectiounis off ignorant reuleris wer moderatit, and so brydillit be the wisdome and discretioun of godlie subjectis, that thai soulde do wrang nor violence to no man?"
"All this ressonyng," said Lethingtoun, "is nocht of the purpois; for we ressoune as gif the Quene soulde becum sik an ennemye to oure religioune, that sche soulde persecute it, and put innocent men to deith; whilk I am assureit sche nevir thocht, nor nevir will do. For gif I soulde see hir begin at that end, yea, gif I soulde suspect onie sik thing in hir, I soulde be also far fordwarte in that argument as ye or onie uther within this Realme: Bot thair is nocht sik ane thing. Oure questioune is, Whidder that we may and aucht to suppres the Quenis Messe? Or whidder hir Idolatrie salbe laid to our chairge?"
"What ye may," said the uther, "be force, I disput nocht; bot what ye may and aucht to do be Godis express commandiment, that I can tell. Idolatrie aucht nocht [only] to be suppressit, but the idolater aucht to dey the deith, unless that we will accuse God."
"I knaw," said Lethingtoun, "the idolater is commandit to dey the deith; but be whome?"
"Be the peopill of God," said the uther; "for the commandiment wes gevin to Israell, as ye may reid, 'Heir, Israell,' sayis the Lorde, 'the statutis and the ordinancis of the Lord thy God,' &c. Yea, ane [commandment] wes gevin, That gif it be heard that idolatrie is committit in onie ane cytie, inquisitioune salbe taikin; and gif it be founde trew, that than the whole bodie of the peopill sall aryse and destroy that cytie, spairing in it nether man, woman, nor chylde."
"But thair is no commandiment gevin to the peopill," said the Secretour, "to punisch thair King gif he be ane idoliter."
"I find no moir privilege grantit unto Kingis," said the uther, "be God, moir than unto the peopill, to offend Godis majestie."
"I grant," said Lethingtoun; "but yit the peopill may nocht be jugeis unto thair King to punisch him, albeit he be ane idolater."
"God," said the uther, "is the Universall Judge, alsweill unto the King as to the peopill; so that what his worde commandis to be punischit in the one, is nocht to be absolved in the uther."
"We agree in that," said Lethingtoun; "but the peopill may nocht execute Godis jugement, but man leif it unto him self, who will either punische it be deith, be war, be emprisounment, or be sum uther plaigis."[1024]