"Madam," quod he, "I am assured that your Uncles ar enemyes to God, and unto his Sone Jesus Christ; and that for manteanance of thair awin pompe and worldlie glorie, that thei spair not to spill the bloode of many innocents; and thairfoir I am assured that thair interpryses shall have no better successe then otheris haif had that befoir thame have done that thei do now. But as to your awin personage, Madam, I wold be glade to do all that I could to your Graces contentment, provided that I exceed nott the boundis of my vocatioun. I am called, Madam, to ane publict functioun within the Kirk of God, and am appointed by God to rebuk the synnes and vices of all. I am not appointed to come to everie man in particular to schaw him his offense; for that laubour war infinite. Yf your Grace please to frequent the publict sermonis, then doubt I nott but that ye shall fullie understand boyth what I like and myslike, als weall in your Majestie as in all otheris. Or yf your Grace will assigne unto me a certane day and hour when it will please you to hear the forme and substance of doctrin whiche is proponed in publict to the Churches of this Realme, I will most gladlie await upoun your Grace's pleasur, tyme, and place. But to waitt[791] upoun your chalmer-doore, or ellis whair, and then to have no farther libertie but to whisper my mynd in your Grace's eare, or to tell to you what otheris think and speak of you, neather will my conscience nor the vocatioun whairto God hath called me suffer it. For albeit at your Grace's commandiment I am heare now, yitt can not I tell what other men shall judge of me, that at this tyme of day am absent from my book and wayting upoun the Courte."
"You will not alwayis," said sche, "be at your book," and so turned hir back. And the said Johne Knox departed with a reasonable meary countenance; whairat some Papistis offended said, "He is not effrayed." Which heard of him, he answered, "Why should the pleasing face of a gentill woman effray me? I have looked in the faces of many angrie men, and yit have nott bene effrayed above measure." And so left he the Quene and the Courte for that tyme.
In this meanetyme, the negotiatioun and credytte[792] was great betwix the Quene of England and our Soverane: letteris, curreouris, and postis ran verray frequent.[793] Great bruyt thair was of the interview and meating of the two Quenes at York, and some preparatioun was maid thairfoir in boyth the Realmes. But that failed upoun the parte of England, and that be occasioun of the trubles moved in France, (as was alledged,) which caused the Quene and hir Counsall attend upoun the Sowth partes[794] of England, for avoyding of inconvenientis.
That symmer, thair cam ane Ambassadour from the King of Swaden, requyring marriage of our Soverane to his Maister the King.[795] His intertenment was honorable; but his petitioun lyked our Quene nothing; for such a man was too base for hir estait; for had nott sche beyn great Queyn of France? Fye of Swaden! What is it? But happy was the man that of suche a one was forsaken. And yitt sche refuised nott one far inferiour to a vertouse King.[796]
The Erle of Levenax and his wyff[797] war committed to the Towre of London for trafiquin with Papistis. The young Lard of Barr[798] was a travaler in that busines, and was apprehended with some letteris, which war the cause of his and thair truble.
HAWICK RAIDE.
The Erle of Murray maid a privey raid to Hawick upoun the fayre-day thairof, and apprehended fyftie theaffis; of which nomber war sevintene drowned;[799] otheris war executed in Jedburght. The principallis war brought to Edinburgh, and thair suffered, according to thair merittis, upoun the Burrow Mure.[800] The Quene was nothing content of the prosperitie and gude successe that God gave to the Erle of Murray in all his interprysses, for sche hated his uprycht dealling, and the image of God which evidently did appear into him; but at that tyme sche could not weall have beyn served without him.
SCHARPE LEFT PREACHING AND TOOK HIM TO THE LAWES.
ANNO 1566 IN MAIJ.
The Assemblye of the Kyrk at Mydsymmer, the [29th] of Junij,[801] anno 1562, approached, in the which war many notable headis entreated concernying good ordour to be keapt in the Churche; for the Papistis and the idolatrie of the Queyn began to truble the formar good ordouris. Some ministeris, suche as Maister Johne Scharpe,[802] had left thair charges, and entered into other vocationis more profitable for the belly; against whom war actis maid, althought to this day thei have nott bene putt in executioun.