The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

To the Queens Majesty, Her secret Council, Her Highness faithful and obedient Subjects, The professors of Christ Jesus, his holy Evangel, wish the Spirit of righteous judgement. The fear of God conceived of his holy Word; the natural and unfeigned love we bear unto your Majesty; the duty which we owe to the quietness of our Country; and the terrible threatenings which our God pronounceth against every Realm, and City; in the which horrible Crimes are openly committed, and then by the Committers obstinately defended, compels us, a great part of our Subjects, humbly to crave of your Majesties, upright and true judgement against such persons as have done, what in them lye, to kindle Gods wrath against this whole Realm. The impiety by them committed, is so heinous, and so horrible, That as it is a fact most vile and rare to be heard of within the Realm, and principally within the Bowels of this City; So should we think our selves guilty of the same, if negligently, ⟨p. 328⟩or yet for worldly fear we put it over with silence; and therefore your Majesty may not think that we crave any thing, while that we crave open Malefactors condignly to be punished; But that God hath commanded us to crave,¹ and also hath commanded your Majesty to give to every one of your Subjects; for by this Link hath God knit together the Prince and people, that as he commands honour, fear and obedience to be given to the powers established by him; so doth he in express words command and declare what the Prince oweth unto the Subjects, to wit, That as he is the Minister of God, bearing the sword for vengeance to be taken on evil doers, and for the defence of peaceable and quiet men; so ought he to draw the sword without partiality, so oft as in Gods Name he is required thereto. Seeing so it is (Madame) that this crime so recently committed, and that in the eyes of the whole Realm now publicly assembled, is so heinous; for who heretofore hath heard within the bowels of Edinburgh, Gates and Doors under silence of night broken, Houses ripped or searched, and that with hostility, seeking a woman, as appeareth to oppress her. Seeing (we say) that this crime is so heinous, that all godly men fear not only Gods displeasure to fall upon you and your whole Realm;

To the Queens Majestie, Her secret Councell, Her Highnesse faithfull and obedient Subjects, The professors of Christ Iesus, his holy Evangell, wish the Spirit of righteous judgement. THe fear of God conceived of his holy Word; the naturall and unfained love we bear unto your Majestie; the duetie which we owe to the quietnesse of our Country; and the terrible threatnings which our God pronounceth against every Realm, and Citie; in the which horrible Crimes are openly committed, and then by the Committers obstinately defended, compells us, a great part of our Subjects, humbly to crave of your Majesties, upright and true judgement against such persons as have done, what in them lye, to kindle Gods wrath against this whole Realm. The impiety by them committed, is so haynous, and so horrible, That as it is a fact most vile and rare to be heard of within the Realm, and principally within the Bowels of this Citie; So should we thinke our selves guiltie of the same, if negligently,