The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

The Churches of Geneva, Berne and Basil, with other Reformed Churches of Germany and France, sent to the whole Church of Scotland, the sum of the Confession of their Faith, desiring to know if they agreed in Uniformity of Doctrine, alleging, That the Church of Scotland was dissonant in some Articles from them: Wherefore the Superintendents, with a great part of the other most qualified Ministers, convened in September in S. Andrews; and reading the said Letters, made answer, and sent word again, That they agreed in all points with those Churches, and differed in nothing from them: Albeit in the keeping of some Festival days our Church assented not; for only the Sabbath day was kept in Scotland.

The Churches of Geneva, Berne and Basill, with other Reformed Churches of Germany and France, sent to the whole Church of Scotland, the sum of the Confession of their Faith, desiring to know if they agreed in Uniformity of Doctrine, alleadging, That the Church of Scotland was dissonant in some Articles from them: Wherefore the Superintendents, with a great part of the other most qualified Ministers, convened in September in S. Andrews; and reading the said Letters, made answer, and sent word again, That they agreed in all points with those Churches, and differed in nothing from them: Albeit in the keeping of some Festivall days our Church assented not; for onely the Sabbath day was kept in Scotland.

In the end of this Month the Earl Bothwell riding in pursuit of the thieves in Liddisdale, was ill hurt, and worse terrified, by a thief; for he believed surely to have departed forth of this life, and sent word thereof to the Queens Majesty, who soon after past forth of Jedwart to the Hermitage, to visit him, and give him comfort: And within a few days ⟨p. 431⟩after she took sickness in a most extreme manner, for she lay two hours long, cold dead, as it were without breath, or any sign of life, at length she revived, by reason they had bound small Cords about her shackle bones, her knees and great toes, and speaking very softly, she desired the Lords to pray for her to God, she said the Creed in English, and desired my Lord of Murray, if she should chance to depart that he would not be over extreme such as was of her Religion; the Duke and he should have been Regents. The brute went from Jedwart in the month of October, 1565. that the Queen was departed this life, or at least she could not live any time, wherefore there was continually prayers publicly made at the Church of Edinburgh, and divers other places for her conversion towards God, and amendment. Many were of opinion, That she should come to the Preaching, and renounce Popery; But all in vain, for God had some other thing to do by her. The King being advertised, rid Post from Stirling to Jedburgh, where he found the Queen somewhat convalesced, but she would scarce speak to him, and hardly give him presence or a good word; wherefore he returned immediately to Stirling, where the Prince was, and after to Glasgow to his Father.