The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

There stood beside, certain godly men, and amongst others, a young boy, who cried with a bold voice, This is intolerable, ¹that when God by his Word hath plainly condemned Idolatry, we shall stand and see it used in despite. The Priest hereat offended, gave the child a great blow; who in anger took up a stone, and casting at the Priest, hit the Tabernacle, and brake down an Image: And immediately, the whole multitude threw stones, and put hands on the said Tabernacle, and on all other Monuments of Idolatry; Which they dispatched before the tenth man in the Town were advertised (for the most part were gone to diner) which noised abroad, the whole multitude assembled, not of the Gentlemen, neither of them that were earnest Professors, but of the rascal multitude, who finding nothing to do in that Church, did run without deliberation to the Grey and Black-Friars, and notwithstanding that they had within them very strong guards kept for their defence, yet were their gates incontinent burst up. The first invasion was upon Idolatry, and thereafter the common people began to seek some spoil. And in very deed the Grey-Friars was a place so well provided, that unless honest men had seen the same, we would have feared to have reported what provision they had,² their sheets, blankets, beds, and coverlets were such, that no Earle in Scotland had better: Their napery was fine, they were but 8 persons in the Convent, and yet had they 8 puncheons of salt Beef (consider the time of the year, the eleventh of May) wine, beer, and ale, beside store of victuals belonging thereto. The like abundance was not in the Black-Friars, and yet there was more then became men professing poverty. The spoil was permitted to the poor: For so had the Preachers before threatened all men, That for covetousness sake, none should put their hand to such a Reformation, that no honest man was enriched thereby the value of a groat. Their conscience so moved them, that they ⟨p. 137⟩suffered those hypocrites to take away what they could, of that which was in their places. The Prior of the Charter-house was permitted to take with him even as much gold and silver as he was able to carry.³

There stood beside, certain godly men, and amongst others, a young boy, who cryed with a bold voice, This is intolerable,