The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Things ordered in Fife, the Queen returned to Edinburgh, and then began mirth to grow hot, for her friends began to triumph in France: The certainty hereof came to the ears of John Knox, for there were some that then told him from time to time the state of things, and amongst others he was assured, That the Queen had been merry, excessively dancing till after midnight, because that she had received Letters, that pacification was begun again in France, and that her Uncles were beginning to stir their tail, and to trouble the whole Realm of France, upon occasion ⟨p. 334⟩of this Text, And now understand O ye Kings, and be learned ye that judge the Earth; he began to tax the ignorance, the vanity and despite of Princes, against all virtue,¹ and against all those in whom hatred of vice and love of virtue appeared; the report hereof made unto the Queen, the said John Knox was sent for,² Master Alexander Cokburne, who before had been his Scholar, and was very familiar with him, was the messenger who gave him some knowledge, both of the report, and of the reporters. The Queen was in her Bed-Chamber, and with her (besides the Ladies and common servants) were the Lord James, the Earle Morton, Secretary Lethington, and some of the Guard that had made the report; he was accused as one that had irreverently spoken of the Queen, and that travelled to bring her into hatred and contempt of the people; and that he had exceeded the bounds of his Text; and upon these three heads made the Queen a long Oration; whereto the said John answered as followeth, Madame, this is oftentimes the just recompense which God gives the stubborn of the world;³ that because they will not hear God speaking to the comfort of the penitent, and for amendment of the wicked, they are oft compelled to hear the false report of others, to their great displeasure. I doubt not, but that it came to the Ears of Herod, that our Master Jesus Christ called him a Fox, but they told him not how odious a thing it was before God to murder an Innocent, as he had lately done before, causing to behead John the Baptist to reward the dancing of an Harlots daughter: Madame, if the reporters of my words had been honest men, they would have reported my words and the circumstances of the same;