"Thay did that," said Lethingtoun, "efter that he wes espyit leaprous."
"Thay withstude him hefoir," said the other; "but yit thair last fact confermes my propositioune so evidentlie, that sik as will oppone thame unto it, moist neidis oppone thame unto God; for my assertioun is, that kingis haif no previlege moir than has the peopill to offend Godis majestie; and gif that so thay do, thay ar no moir exempted from the punischment of the law than is onie uther subject; yea, and that subjectis may nocht onlie lauchfullie oppone thame selfis to thair kingis, whensoevir thay do onie thing that expressedlie repugnes to Goddis commandiment, but also that thay may execute jugement upoun thame according to Goddis law; so that [if] the king be ane murtherar, adulterar, or idolater, he soulde suffer according to Godis law, nocht as ane king, but as ane offender, and that the peopill may put Godis lawis in executioune, this Historie cleirlie proveis: for how soon that the leprosie appeirit[1035] in his foirheid, he wes nocht onelie compellit to depairt oute of the sanctuarie, but also he was removeit frome all publick socyetie and administratioune of the kingdome, and wes compellit to dwell in ane house ane pairt, evin as the law commandit, and gat no grytter privilage in that cais than onie uther of the peopill soulde haif done; and this wes executit be the peopill; for it is no doute mo wer witnesses of his leprossie than the preistis allone. But we fynd none oppone thame selfis to the sentence of God pronounced in his law aganis the leprouse; and thairfoir, yit agane say I, that the peopill aucht to execute Goddis law evin aganis thair princes, when that thair oppin crymes be Godis law deserve deith, but especialie when thay ar sik as may infect the rest of the multitude. And now, my Lordis, (said he,) I will ressoune no langer, for I haif spokin moir than I intendit."
"And yit," said Lethingtoun, "I can nocht tell what can be concludit."
"Albeit ye can nocht," said the uther, "yit I am assureit what I haif provin, to wit:—
"1. That subjectis haif delyverit ane innocent frome the handis of thair King, and thairintill offendit nocht God.
"2. That subjectis haif refuseit to stryke innocentis whan ane King commandit, and in so doing denyit no just obedience.
"3. That sik as struck at the commandiment of the King befoir God wer reputed murtheraris.
"4. That God hes nocht onlie of ane subject maid ane King, but also hes airmit subjectis aganis thair naturall Kings, and commandit thame to tak vengence upoun thame according to his law.
"And, last, That Godis pepill hes executit Godis law aganis thair King, having no farther regaird to him in that behalf, than gif he had bene the moist simpill subject within this Realme.
"And thairfoir, albeit ye will not understand what sould be concludeit, yit I am[1036] assureit that nocht onlie Goddis pepill [may], but also, that thai ar bounde to do the same whair the lyke crymes ar committit, and when he gevis unto thame the lyke power."