The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

In this mean time did God send to us our dear Brother John Willock, ¹a man godly, learned, and grave, who after his short abode at Dundee, repaired to Edinburgh, and there (notwithstanding his long and dangerous sickness) did so encourage the Brethren by godly Exhortations, that we began to deliberate upon some public Reformation; For the corruption in Religion was such, that with safe conscience we could no longer sustain it: Yet because we would attempt nothing without the knowledge of the sacred Authority, with one consent, after the deliberation of many days, it was concluded, That by our public and common Supplication, ⟨p. 126⟩we should attempt the favour, support, and assistance of the Queen then Regent, to a godly Reformation: And for that purpose, with all diligence after we had drawn our Oration and Petition as followeth, we appointed from amongst us a man whose age and years deserved Reverence, whose honesty and worship might have craved audience of any Magistrate on the earth; and whose faithful Service to the Authority at all times hath been such, that in him could fall no suspicion of unlawful disobedience. This Orator was that ancient and honourable Father, Sir James Sandelandes of Calder, ²Knight; to whom we gave Commission and Power in all our names then present, before the Queen Regent to speak this:

In this meane time did God send to us our deare Brother Iohn Willock, ¹a man godly, learned, and grave, who after his short abode at Dundie, repaired to Edinburgh, and there (notwithstanding his long and dangerous sicknesse) did so encourage the Brethren by godly Exhortations, that we began to deliberate upon some publike Reformation; For the corruption in Religion was such, that with safe conscience we could no longer sustaine it: Yet because we would attempt nothing without the knowledge of the sacred Authority, with one consent, after the deliberation of many dayes, it was concluded, That by our publike and common Supplication, ⟨p. 126⟩we should attempt the favour, support, and assistance of the Queen then Regent, to a godly Reformation: And for that purpose, with all diligence after we had drawn our Oration and Petition as followeth, we appointed from amongst us a man whose age and yeers deserved Reverence, whose honesty and worship might have craved audience of any Magistrate on the earth; and whose faithfull Service to the Authority at all times hath been such, that in him could fall no suspition of unlawfull disobedience. This Orator was that ancient and honourable Father, Sir Iames Sandelandes of Calder,