The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Example we have of Nero, whom in the beginning of his Empire we find,¹ having some natural shame; but after that his flatterers had encouraged him in all impiety, alleging that nothing was either unhonest, or yet unlawful in his Person, who was Emperor above others: When he had drunken of this Cup (I say) to what enormities he fell, the Histories bear witness. And now, Madame, to speak plain, Papists have your Majesties ear patent at all times; assure your Majesty, they are dangerous Councillors, and that your Mother found. As this was said, Lethington singled, and ⟨p. 371⟩spake secretly to the Queen in her ear, What it was, that the Table heard not: But immediately she addressed her visage and speech to John Knox, and said, Well, you speak fair enough here, before my Lords, but the last time I spake with you secretly, you caused me to weep many tears, and said to me stubbornly, Ye cared not for my weeping. Madame, (said the other) because now the second time your Majesty hath burdened me with that crime, I must answer, lest for my silence I be holden guilty: If your Majesty be ripely remembered, the Laird of Dun, yet living to testify the truth, was present at that time, whereof your Majesty complaineth. Your Majesty accused me, That I had irreverently spoken of you in the Pulpit. That I denied. You said, What had I to do to speak of your Marriage? What was I, that I should meddle with such matters? I answered, As touching Nature, I was a worm of this earth; and yet a subject to this Common-wealth: But as touching the Office wherein it hath pleased God to place me,² I was a Watch-men both over the Realm, and over the Church of God gathered within the same; by reason whereof, I was bound in conscience to blow the Trumpet publicly, so oft as ever I saw any appearance of danger, either of the one, or of the other. But so it was, that a certain brute affirmed, That a Traffic of Marriage was betwixt your Majesty and the Spanish Allia. Whereunto I said, That if your Nobility and State did agree, unless that both you and your husband should be straitly bound, that neither of you might hurt the Common-wealth, nor yet the poor Church of God within the same; in that case I should pronounce, That the consenters were troublers of the Common-wealth, and enemies unto God, and unto his Truth planted within the same.