The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Which understood, the Earle of Argyle and Lord James departed secretly in the night, and with great expedition preventing the French,¹ they took the Town (before whose coming the rascal multitude put hands on the thieves, I should say Friars places, and utterly destroyed them) whereat the Queen and her Faction not a little afraid, with all diligence departed from Edinburgh to Dumbar. And so we with reasonable diligence marched forward to Edinburgh, for Reformation to be made there; where we arrived the 29 of June. The Provest for that time, the Lord Seaton, ²a man without God, without honesty, and oftentimes without reason, had before greatly troubled and molested the brethren, for he had taken upon him the protection and defence of the Black and Grey Friars; and for that purpose did not only lie himself in one of the Colleges every night, but also constrained the most honest of the Town to watch those monsters, to their great grief and trouble. But hearing of our sudden coming,³ he abandoned his charge, and left the spoil to the poor, who had made havoc of all such things as was moveable in those places before our coming, and left nothing but bare walls; yea, not so much as door or window: whereby we were the lesser troubled in putting order to such places. After that we had deliberate certain days what was best to be done, and what order was to be taken for suppressing all Monuments of Idolatry within that Town, and the places next adjacent, determination was taken to send some Message to the Queen then Regent. For she had bruited (as her accustomed manner was, by advice of her counsel, ever to forge lies) that we sought nothing but her life, and a plain revoltment from the lawful obedience due to our Sovereign her Authority, as by the Tenor of these Letters may be seen.

Which understood, the Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames departed secretly in the night, and with great expedition preventing the French,¹ they took the Towne (before whose coming the rascall multitude put hands on the thieves, I should say Friers places, and utterly destroyed them) whereat the Queen and her Faction not a little afrayed, with all diligence departed from Edinburgh to Dumbar. And so we with reasonable diligence marched forward to Edinburgh, for Reformation to be made there; where we arrived the 29 of June. The Provest for that time, the Lord Seaton,