THE FIRST ORATION AND PETITION Of the Protestants of SCOTLAND: To the Queen Regent.
Albeit we have of long time contained our selves in that modesty (most noble Princess) that neither the exile of body, loss of goods, nor perishing of this mortal life, was able to make us to ask at your Majesty Reformation, and redress of those wrongs, and of that sore grief patiently borne by us in bodies and minds of long time: Yet are we now by very conscience, and by the fear of our God compelled to crave at your Majesties feet, remedy against the most unjust tyranny, used against your Majesties most obedient Subjects, by those that be called the State Ecclesiastical. Your Majesty cannot be ignorant what controversy hath been, and yet is, concerning the true Religion, and right worshipping of God. And how the Clergy (as they will be termed) usurp to themselves such Empire above the consciences of men; That whatsoever they command, must be obeyed; and whatsoever they forbid, must be avoided; without further respect to Gods Pleasure, Commandment, or Will, revealed to us in his most holy Word; or else there abideth nothing for us but Fagot, Fire, and Sword.1 By the which many of our brethren most cruelly and most unjustly have been strucken of late years within this Realm, which now we find to trouble and wound our consciences. For we acknowledge it to have been our bounden duties before God, either to have defended our brethren from those cruel murderers (seeing we are a part of that power which God hath established in this Realm) or else to have given open testification of our Faith with them: Which now we offer our selves to ⟨p. 128⟩do, lest that by our continual silence we shall seem to justify the cruel tyranny of those men, which doth not only displease us: but your Majesties wisdom most prudently doth foresee, that for the quieting of this intestine dissension,2 a public Reformation, as well in the Religion, as in the temporal government were most necessary. And to the performance thereof, most gravely and most godly (as we are informed) ye have exhorted as well the Clergy as the Nobility, to employ their study, diligence, and care. We therefore, in conscience, dare not any longer dissemble in so weighty a matter, which concerneth the glory of God, and our salvation:
THE FIRST ORATION AND PETITION Of the Protestants of SCOTLAND: To the Queene Regent.
ALbeit we have of long time contained our selves in that modestie (most noble Princesse) that neither the exile of body, losse of goods, nor perishing of this mortall life, was able to make us to aske at your Majestie Reformation, and redresse of those wrongs, and of that sore griefe patiently borne by us in bodies and mindes of long time: Yet are we now by very conscience, and by the feare of our God compelled to crave at your Majesties feet, remedy against the most unjust tyrannie, used against your Majesties most obedient Subjects, by those that be called the State Ecclesiasticall. Your Majestie cannot be ignorant what controversie hath been, and yet is, concerning the true Religion, and right worshipping of God. And how the Clergie (as they will be termed) usurpe to themselves such Empire above the consciences of men; That whatsoever they command, must be obeyed; and whatsoever they forbid, must be avoided; without further respect to Gods Pleasure, Commandment, or Will, revealed to us in his most holy Word; or else there abideth nothing for us but Fagot, Fire, and Sword.1 By the which many of our brethren most cruelly and most unjustly have been strucken of late yeeres within this Realme, which now we finde to trouble and wound our consciences. For we acknowledge it to have been our bounden duties before God, either to have defended our brethren from those cruell murtherers (seeing we are a part of that power which God hath established in this Realme) or else to have given open testification of our Faith with them: Which now we offer our selves to ⟨p. 128⟩do, lest that by our continuall silence we shall seem to justifie the cruell tyrannie of those men, which doth not onely displease us: but your Majesties wisdome most prudently doth foresee, that for the quieting of this intestine dissention,2 a publike Reformation, as well in the Religion, as in the temporall government were most necessary. And to the performance thereof, most gravely and most godly (as we are informed) ye have exhorted as well the Clergie as the Nobility, to imploy their studie, diligence, and care. We therefore, in conscience, dare not any longer dissemble in so weighty a matter, which concerneth the glory of God, and our salvation:
- 1The tyranny of the ClergyThe tyrannie of the Clergy
- 2Note.
