The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

The Queen, when Bothwell had obtained by the Archbishop a Letter of Divorce from his lawful wife, sent a Letter signed with her own hand, to M. Jo. Craig, Minister of Edinburgh, commanding him to publish the Band of Matrimony betwixt her and Bothwell. M. Jo. Craig, the next Sermon day thereafter, declared in full Congregation, That he had received such a Command, but in conscience he could not obey it; the Marriage was altogether unlawful; and of that he would declare the reasons to the parties, if he had audience of them, otherwise he would make known his just reasons in the hearing of the people. Immediately thereafter, Bothwell sends for Master Craig to the Council, where M. Craig told, first, That by an Act of the Assembly it was forbidden to allow the Marriage of any divorced for adultery: The Divorce of Bothwell from his lawful wife, was by collusion, witness the quick dispatch thereof; for it was sought and had within ten days, and his contracting with the Queen instantly thereafter; then his rapt of the Queen, and the guilt of the Kings death, which was confirmed by this Marriage: Withal, he desired the Lords to stop the Queen from that infamous Marriage. The Sunday after, he told publicly to the people, what he had said to the Council; and he took heaven and earth to witness, That he detested that scandalous and infamous Marriage; and that he discharged his conscience unto the Lords, who seemed unto him, as so many slaves, what by flattery▪ what by silence, to give way to that abomination. Upon this, he was called ⟨p. 444⟩to the Council again, and was reproved, as if he had exceeded the bounds of his Calling. Whereunto he answered, That the bounds of his Commission was the Word of God, right reason, and good Laws, against which he had said nothing; and by all these offered to prove this Marriage to be scandalous and infamous. At this he was stopped by Bothwell, and sent from the Council. Notwithstanding all this done and said by M. Craig, and the opposition of many that wished well to the Queen, and were jealous of her Honour, the Marriage went on, and they were married the 15 of May. This makes good the Latin Proverb, Mala nubunt mense Mayo; and a Bishop must bless the Marriage: The good Prelate was Bishop of Orkney: If there be a good work to be done, a Bishop must do it.¹

The Queen, when Bothwell had obtained by the Archbishop a Letter of Divorce from his lawfull wife, sent a Letter signed with her own hand, to M. Io. Craig, Minister of Edinburgh, commanding him to publish the Band of Matrimony betwixt her and Bothwell. M. Io. Craig, the next Sermon day thereafter, declared in full Congregation, That he had received such a Command, but in conscience he could not obey it; the Marriage was altogether unlawfull; and of that he would declare the reasons to the parties, if he had audience of them, otherwise he would make known his just reasons in the hearing of the people. Immediately thereafter, Bothwell sends for Master Craig to the Councell, where M. Craig told, first, That by an Act of the Assembly it was forbidden to allow the Marriage of any divorced for adultery: The Divorce of Bothwell from his lawfull wife, was by collusion, witnesse the quick dispatch thereof; for it was sought and had within ten dayes, and his contracting with the Queen instantly thereafter; then his rapt of the Queen, and the guilt of the Kings death, which was confirmed by this Marriage: Withall, he desired the Lords to stop the Queen from that infamous Marriage. The Sunday after, he told publikely to the people, what he had said to the Councell; and he took heaven and earth to witnesse, That he detested that scandalous and infamous Marriage; and that he discharged his conscience unto the Lords, who seemed unto him, as so many slaves, what by flattery what by silence, to give way to that abomination. Upon this, he was called