The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

And if that I convince them by the Law of God, and that they have nothing to lay to my charge, but the law of man, and their own inventions to uphold their own glory and prideful life, and daily scourging of thy poor subjects▪ I refer my self to thy Majesty as Judge, Whether he hath the victory that holds him at the Law of God, which cannot fail, or be false, or they that holds them at the Law of man, which is very oft plain contrary, and against the Law of God; and therefore of necessity false, and full of lies. For all things that is contrary to the verity (which is Christ and his Law) is of necessity a lie. And to witness that this comes of all my heart, I shall remain at Berwick while I get thy Majesties answer, and shall without fail return, having thy hand write, that I may have audience, & place to speak. No more I desire of thee, whereof if I had been sure, I should never ⟨p. 20⟩have departed; and that thou mayst know the truth thereof, if fear of the justness of my Cause, or dread of persecution for the same, had moved me to depart, I could not so pleasantly revert, only distrust was the cause of my departing. Pardon me to say that which lieth to thy Majesties charge. Thou art bound by the Law of God (suppose they falsely lie, saying it pertaineth not to thy Majesty to intermeddle with such matters) to cause every man in any case accused of his life, to have their just defence & their accusers produced conform to their own law. They blind thy Matie eyes, that knows nothing of thy law: but if I prove not this out of their own law, I offer me to the death. Thy Matie therefore by experience, may daily learn (seeing they neither fear the King of Heaven, as their lives testify, neither thee their Natural Prince, as their usurped power in their actions shows) why thy Highness should be no longer blinded. Thou mayest consider that they pretend nothing else, but only the maintenance and upholding of their barded mules, augmenting of their insatiable avarice, and continual overthrowing and swallowing up thy poor subjects; neither preaching nor teaching out of the Law of God (as they should) the rude ignorant people, but contend who may be most high, most rich, and nearest thy Majesty;

And if that I convince them by the Law of God, and that they have nothing to lay to my charge, but the law of man, and their own inventions to uphold their own glory and pridefull life, and daily scourging of thy poor subjects▪ I refer my self to thy Majestie as Judge, Whether he hath the victory that holds him at the Law of God, which cannot fail, or be false, or they that holds them at the Law of man, which is very oft plain contrary, and against the Law of God; and therefore of necessity false, and full of lies. For all things that is contrary to the veritie (which is Christ and his Law) is of necessity a lie. And to witnesse that this comes of all my heart, I shall remain at Berwike while I get thy Majesties answer, and shall without fail return, having thy hand write, that I may have audience, & place to speak. No more I desire of thee, whereof if I had been sure, I should never