The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

The five and twentieth of December convened in Edinburgh the Commissioners of the Churches within this Realm for the general assembly, There assisted to them the Earls of Morton and Mar, the Lord Lindsay, and Secretary Lethington, with some Barons and Gentlemen. The principal things that were agreed and concluded, were, That forasmuch as the Mass, with such Idolatry, and Papistical Ceremonies, were still maintained, expressly against the Act of Parliament, and the Proclamations made at the Queens Arrival; And that the Queen had promised that she would hear Conference and Disputation; That the Church therefore offered to prove by the Word of God, That the Doctrine preached within this Realm was according to the Scriptures; and that the Mass, with all the Papistical Doctrine, was but the invention of men, and mere Idolatry.

The five and twentieth of December convened in Edinburgh the Commissioners of the Churches within this Realme for the generall assemblie, There assisted to them the Earles of Morton and Marre, the Lord Lindsay, and Secretary Lethington, with some Barons and Gentlemen. The principall things that were agreed and concluded, were, That forasmuch as the Masse, with such Idolatry, and Papisticall Ceremonies, were still maintained, expresly against the Act of Parliament, and the Proclamations made at the Queens Arrivall; And that the Queen had promised that she would hear Conference and Disputation; That the Church therefore offered to prove by the Word of God, That the Doctrine preached within this Realme was according to the Scriptures; and that the Masse, with all the Papisticall Doctrine, was but the invention of men, and meer Idolatry.

Secondly, That by reason of the change of the Comptroller, who had put in new Collectors, forbidding them to deliver any thing to the Ministry, and by these means the Ministry was like to decay and fail, contrary to the Ordinance made in the year of God 1562. in favour and support of the Ministry. During this time, as the Papists flocked to Edinburgh for making Court, some of them that had been Friars, as black Abercrommy and Roger, presented supplication to the Queens Majesty, desiring in effect, That they might be permitted to preach; which was easily granted. The noise was further, That they offered Disputation: For as the Court stood, they thought they had a great advantage already, by reason they knew the King to be of their Religion, as well as the Queen, with some part of the Nobility, who with the King after declared themselves openly: And especially the Queen was governed by the Earls of Lenox and Athole; but in matters most weighty, and of greatest importance, by David Rizio the Italian afore mentioned, who went under the name of the French Secretary; by whose means, all grave matters, of what weight soever, must pass; providing always, That his hands were anointed. In the mean time he was a manifest enemy to the Evangel, and therefore a greater enemy to the banished Lords. And at this time, the principal Lords that waited at Court were divided in opinions; For the Earle of Morton Chancellor, with the Earle of