III. PART verùm ista vobis multò propiora sunt, quàm nos. Danus, et Suecus, cruentissimè inter se conflixerunt, et adhuc dicuntur esse in armis: uterq; affectus est maximis incommodis; nec adhuc uter sit superior, dici potest. Libri vestri (tuus, reverende pater, in Danielem, et tuus, doctissime Ludovice, in Josuam) incolumes ad me delati sunt: ego et Deo optimo maximo de vobis, et vobis de istis laboribus et studiis, deq; omni vestra humanitate, ago gratias. Misi in hoc tempore ad Julium nostrum, in annuum stipendium, viginti coronatos; et alteras totidem ad vos duos, ut eos vel in cœnam publicam pro more vestro, vel in quemvis alium usum pro vestro arbitrio consumatis. Deus vos, ecclesiam, rempublicam, scholamq; vestram conservet incolumes. Salutate D. Gualterum, D. Simlerum, D. Zuinglium, D. Ghesnerum, D. Wikium, D. Hallerum, D. D. Hen. et Rod. Bullingerum meo nomine. Sarisberiæ, 8 Februar. 1566. Vestri amans, et Jo. Juellus. Cotton lib. Number 89. The nobilitie, gentillmene, barons, with superintendants, ministers and others, professinge the evangell of Jesus Christ, within this realm: to the kings and quens majestie, and the Christian estat of yis realme presentlie met into parliament, wisheth the feare of God, with the spirit of righteous judgment. FORASMUCKILL as in the convention of the kirke, halden at Edenburghe the 25th day of June last past, certayn gentelmen then were directed to the queens majestie, with certaine articles concerning the religion, desiring her majesties answer therupon: to the whilks howbeit her majestie than gave sum particular answer, nocht the less her majestie remitted the ferder answer to this present parliament. And therfore wee, of our dewty, can doe noe lesse nor crave the full answer of the said articles in this present parliament, conforme to the queens grace own appointment. And alsua VI. in respect that the parliament, halden at Edinburghe the BOOK 10th of July 1560 years, it was determined and concludid, the masses, papistrie, and papis jurisdiction, to be simply abolyshit and put away out of this realme, and Christs religion to be reteined universally and approvit. And in like manor, in respect that the queens majestie, by many, divers, and sundry proclamations, hes ratefyt and approvyt Christs religion; quhilk she fand publickly resaved in this realme at her arrivall, and spetially upon the fiftene daye of September last at Dunde: the kinge and queens majestie, with the advyse of thair secreat counsaill, promiset as well be the act of secreat counsaile, as by divers and sundry proclamations mad therupon, publickly in the principall burghis of this realme, to establish in this present parliament the religion of Christ, quhilke thei fand publicklie and univarsally standing at the arivall in Scotland; and all acts, lawes, and constitutions, comon, civill, or municipiall, prejudiciall to the same, to be abolished and put away, as the said acts and proclamations mair fullelye proports. Desiringe thairfore the premisses to be considered, together with the said articles, and the queens majesties answers to the same, with the kirks replie thareupon as followis. THE ARTICLES. Theis are the articles which the nobilitie, barons, gentlemen, burgeosis, and other professors of Christs evangell, crave with all humilitie at the queens majestie, and her honorable consaile, within this realme of Scotlande. Imprimis, That the papistical and blasphemos mass, with all papistree, idolatry, and pope's jurisdiction, be universallie suppressed and abolished thorowgout this whole realme, not only in the subjects, but also in the queenes majestie owne person, with punishment against all persons that shall be deprehendet to transgresse and offend in the same: and that the sincere word off God, and Christs true religion, nowe presently received, might be established, approved, and ratified thougheout thole realme, aswel in the queenes III. PART majestie owne person, as in the subjects, without any impedyment: and that the people be astricted to resort, upon the Sondaies at least, to the praiers and preaching of Godes worde, like as they were astricted before to resort to the idolaters masse: and theis heads to be provided by act off parliament, with the consent of the estates, and ratifycacion of the queenes majestie. Secondlie, That seur provision be appoincted for sustentation of the mynistrye, aswel for the tyme present, as for the tyme to come; and that suche persons as are publickelie admytted in the mynistrye, may have there livings assigned unto them in the townes where they travell, or at the least next adjacent thereto : and that they have not occasion to crave the same at the hands of any others. And that the benyfices nowe vacant, or that have vaked sithence the monethe of Marche, anno 1558. or that hereafter shall happen to vake, be disponed to qualified and learned persons, able to preche Goddes worde, and to discharge the vocation concernynge the mynysterye, by tryall, and admission of the superintendents: and that no bishopricke, abbaty, priorye, deaconrye, provostrye, or enye other benyfyce having many churches annexed thereto, be disponed altogether at eny time to come, to eny one man: but at the least, the churches thereof be severallye disponed, and to several persons, so that every man having charge may serve at his owne church, according to his vocation. And to this effect, that the glebbis and manses be given to the mynistrye, that they may make residence at there churches, wherethrough they may discharge there conscyences, conform to there vocation, and also that the churches may be repaired accordinglie; and that a lawe be made and established hereupon by act of parliament, as said is. Thirdlie, That none be permytted to have charge of scoules, colledges, or universities, or yet privatly or publickly instruct the youth, but such as shall be tryed by the superintendents, or the visitors of the churche, found sound and able in doctrine, and admitted by them to there charges. VI. Fourthlie, For sustentacion of the poore, that all lands BOOK founded to hospitalitie of old be restored again to the same use and that all lands, anuell rents, or any other emoluments pertayninge any wayes somtyme to the friers of whatsoever ordre they had been of, or anuall rents, altarage, obits perteoninge to the priests, be applyit to the sustentacion of the poor, and uphold of scoles in the townes, and other places whear thaye lie. Fifthlie, That all sic horrible crymes, as now abounds in this realme, without any correction, to the great contempt of God and his holye worde, sic as ydolatry, blasphemy of Godes name, manifest brekinge of the sabath day, with wichcraft, sorcery, and inchantment, adultery, incest, manifest whordome, mentenance of bordells, murther, slaughter, reyfe and spulze, with many other detestable crymes, may be severely punished; and judges appointed in every province or dioces for execution therof, with power to doe the same, and that by act of parliament. Last, That som order be devysit and establishit, for the ease of the poore laborers of the ground, concerninge the reasonable payment of thair teynds, and settinge of thair teyndis to an over yair heads, without yaire own advyse and consent. The queen's majesties answer to the articles, presentit to her highnes by certaine gentlemen, in the name of the hall last assemblie of the kirke. To the first, desiringe the mass to be suppressed and abolyscht, as well in the head as members, with punyshment against the contradoenars; as also that religion now professed to be establisht be acte of parliament. It is answerit, first, for the part of her majestie selfe, that hir highnes is yet na wyse perswadit in the said religion, not yett that any impyetie is in the masse; and therefore beleves that her lovinge subjects will noe wayes presse her to receive any religion agaynst her conscience: quilke suld be to her continuall troble, be remorse of conscience, and ther through an parpetall inquietnes. And to deal plainly with her subjects, н h VOL. III. P. 3. III. PART her majestie neather will, nor may leave the religion, qucharin she hes ben noryscht and upbrought, and believes the same to be well grounded; knowinge besides the grudge of conscience, gyf she shold receve any change in her owne religion, that she shold leave the friendship of the king of France, the auncient allia of yis realme, and of other great princes hir frinds and confederats: quha wold take the same in evil part. And of quhom she may luke for thare great support in har necessities and havefand no other consederation that may contraven the same. She will be loth to put in hasard the losse of all her frinds in an instant; prayinge all her lovynge subjects, seing they had experience of hir goodnes, that she has neither in tymes by past, nor yet means hearafter to prease the conscience of any man, but that they may worshippe God in sick sort as they ar perswadit to be the best, that they will allwayes notht presse hir toffend hir awne conscience. As to the establishment in the body of the realme; these your selfis knawis as appears well by your articles, that the sam can nocht be done, be thonly consent of hir majestie, but requires necessarily the consent of the thre estates in parliament. And therfore soe sone as the parliament halds, that thing quhilke the thre estates agree upon amangst your selfes, hir majestie shall grant the same unto you. And alwais sall make you suer yat na man shall be troblit for using your selves in religion accordinge to your consciences: so that no man shall have cause to doubt that for religious causes mens lyves or heritags shall be in haserid. To the second article, that her majestie thinks it no resonable that she shuld defraud her selfe of sa greate wayes a parte of the patrimony of the crowne, as to put the patronages of the benifices furth of her owne hands. For her own necessity, in beringe of her, and comon charges, will requyre the retention of ane guide part in her own hands ; nochtyelles her majestie is well pleasit that consideracion being had of hir owne necessity, and quhat may be suffi cient for the resonable sustentation of the ministers, and speciall assignation be made to you in places maist como |