Pleis your Majestie,
That with jugement, we have advysed your Majesteis letteris; and albeit the haill Estaittis culd not suddandlie be assemblit, yit we thocht expedient to signifie somquhat of oure myndis unto your Majestie. Far be it frome us, that eather we tak upone us, that infamye befoir the warld, or grudge of conscience befoir oure God, that we suld lychtlie esteme the observatioun of that peace laitlie contractit betwix these two Realmes. By quhat motives oure Soverane delayeth the ratificatioun thairof, we can nott tell: but of us, (of us, we say, Madame, that have in Goddis presence protested fidelitie in oure promeisses,) hir Grace hes none. Your Majestie can not be ignorant, that in this Realme thair ar mony ennemeis; and, farther, that oure Soverane hes Counsalouris, quhois jugementis scho in all suche cases preferreth to ouris. Oure allegeance bindeth us, nott onlie reverentlie to speik and write of oure Soverane, but also so to juge and think: and yit your Majestie may be weill assured, that in us salbe noted no blame, gif that peace be nott ratifiet to your Majesteis contentment: for God is witness, that oure cheiff cair in this earth, nyxt the glorie of oure God, is, that constant peace may remane betwix these two Realmes; quhairof your Majestie and realme sall have suyre experience sa lang as oure counsall or votes may stay the contrarie. The benefite that we haif receaved is so recent, that we can nott suddandlie bury it in forgetfulnes. We wald desyre your Majestie rather to be perswaded of us, that we to oure powaris will studye to leave it in remembrance to oure posteritie. And thus, with lauchfull and humble commendatioun of oure service, we committ youre Majestie to the protectioun of the Omnipotent.
Of Edinburgh, the 16 of Julij 1561.
Thair war some utheris that answered some of the ministeris of Ingland somequhat more scharplie, and willed thame nott to accuse nor threatten sa scharplie, till that thai war able to convict suche as haid promised fidelitie of some evident cryme; quhilk, althocht thai war able to lay to the charge of some, yit respect wald be haid to suche as long haid declared thame selfis constant procureris of quyetnes and peace.
The suddane arryvall of the Quene maid grite alteratioun evin in the Counsall, as efter we will heir. In this meantyme, the Papistis by surmising, trublit quhat thai mycht: thair postis, letteris, and complaintis wer from day to day direct, some to the Paipe, some to the Cardinall of Lorane, and some to oure Quene. The principall of these curriouris war, Maister Stevin Wilsoun,[363] Maister Johnne Leslie, called Nolumus and Volumus,[364] Maister James Thorntoun,[365] and utheris, suche as leved, and still leve, by the trafique of that Romane harlott.
The Preachearis vehementlie exhorted us to establische The Buke of Discipline, by ane Act and publict Law; affirmyng, that and gif thay suffered thingis to hing in suspence, quhen God haid gevin unto thame sufficient power in thair handis, thai suld efter sobb for it, bot suld nott get it.
And now,[366] because that diverse tymes heirtofoir we haif maid mentioun of the said Buke, we have thocht expedient to insert the haill in this parte of oure Historie,[367] to the end that the Posteriteis to come may juge alsweill quhat the warldlingis refused, as quhat Policie the godlie Ministeris requyred; that thai (gif God grant unto thame occasioun and libertie) may eather establishe a more perfite, or ellis imitat that quhilk avaritiousnes wald nott suffer this corrupt generatioun to approve.
THE PREFACE
TO THE BUKE OF DISCIPLINE.[368]
To the Great Counsall of Scotland now admitted to [the] Regiment, by the Providence of God, and by the commoun consent of the Estaittis thairof, your Honouris humble Servitouris and Ministeris of Christ Jesus within the same, wishe Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God the Father of oure Lord Jesus Christ, with the perpetuall encrease of the Holye Spirite.