TO THE MAIST GODLIE, ANCIENT, AND WORTHIE Schir John Wischart of Pittarrow Knicht, M. John Dauidsone wissis the continual assistance of the Spreit of God, to the end, and in the end.
CONSIDDERING with myself (mayest worthy Knicht) the greit frailty and vnsurenes of all strent his
•
irthly whatsūever, whairin mā leising god, vsis to put his traist on the ane part, & the sure fortres and saifgaird of vprichtnes, howbeit destitute of all aide warldly on the other part: I culled not withhald my pen frō uttering of that praise and commendatioun of vprichtnes, whilk in my mind I had consauit of the same. Being chiefly mouit heirunto be the Miraculous (as I may well call it) and mayest wonderful preseruatioun of that mayest notabill seruand of God, and sinceir Preicheour of Christis Evangel, John Knox. Quha being bot of small estimatioun before the eyis of the world (yet greit before God) was hatit unto the death. And that euin be Kingis, Quenis, Princes, and greit men of the world, and finally be all the rabill of Sathanis suddartis, in Scotland, Ingland, and France. Ʒea, not only was he hatit, and raillit on, bot also persecutit mayest scharply, and huntit from place to place as ane unworthy of ony society with man. And althocht they wer michtie and potent, yea, and wantit na evil will, and he on the other side ane pure man, alane, and oft times without help, or assistance of ye world, yet was he michtely preseruit, and as in a mayest sure saifgaird (all the wickits attentis wha thristit nothing mair nor his blood being frustrate) conductit to ane mayest quiet, peaciabill and happy end, to the greit advancement of Goddis glory, and singular comfort of his Kirk, and to the confusioun of
•••
the
•
and discōfort of all his wickit Instrumētis. Therefore
〈…〉
dotabil & evident ane documēt of the loving cair
〈…〉
•
wardis his seruāds suld not with him be bury it
bot abide recent in memory till all the Inhabitantis of this Realm in all ages to cum. I have preissit schortly in this lytill paper to mak, as it wer, ane memorial of the same, & yat in that language whilk is mayest cōmoun to this hail Realm, to the intent that asweill vnleirnit as leirnit may be pertakeris of the same. Not that I think myself abill to handill sa worthy ane mater worthily in ony tongue, bot that partly I may show my gude will in this mater, and partly to gif occasioun to vtheris, that baith hes mair dexceritie in sic things, and greiter opportunity of time, to intreit the same at greiter lenth. That be calling to mind this notabill exēpill of Godis loving cair towardis us, we all in chir feirfull days (whairin he that seis not trial approaching neir is destitute of Judgment) may be strenthnit & incourageit to ga fordwart vprichtly, every ane in our a win vocatioun,
•
ithout declining outher to the richt hand or to the left. And principally that our watch men faint not, nor begin to look, or flatter with the world for feir of Tyrānis, bot that they may have brasin faces, & foirheidis of Iron aganis the threitnings of the wickit, cōdempning impiety of all persounis in plane termis, following the ensā
••
ll of this mayest zealous seruād of God, of whome heirtofoir we have maid mentioun, and that being assurit gif sa they walk vprichtly in dischargeing of their office, that they ar in ye protectioun of the Almichtie.
And this small fruit of my sober trauellis, I have thocht gude to offer and present to yow (mayest worthy Knicht) not same kill for that, that I thocht it worthy to be presentit til ony: as that I wald let my gude will and grate mind, be the same appeir towardis yow, throw whais procurement I obtenit the benefit of that godly and faithful (thocht mockit a
•••
lsly traducit of the world) society, whairof presently I a
•
participant. For the whilk I acknawledge me, and my humbill service alwayis addettit to your honor. And howbeit (as I mon confess) nothing can proceid of me that may in ony wayis correspond to your meritis towardis me: yet sal the thankfulness of mind at na time (God willing) be deficient. Quhilk is to be acceptit, where other things ar lacking, in place of greit rewaird. And the rather have I takin
•
auldnes to dedicat this lytill Treateis unto your honor, ba
•
th because I vnderstude, yow ever to have been sen your Chyldheid, ane vnfenyeit fauourar, and mantenar to your power of vprichtnes, whais praise in this lytill Volume is intreatit. And also, that this notabill seruand of God (whais michtie preseruatioun, notwithstanding the wickitis rage, to ane quiet end, chiefly mufit me to this business) was mayest belufit of yow while he leuit, and yat for yat greit vprichtnes whilk ye saw from time to time mayest viuely express the self in him. And finally, that your honor may be mufit heirby, as ye have begun and continewit to this day ane zealous professor of Goddis word, mantenar of the samin, and lufer of his seruandis: sa ye may perseueir to the end of your life, without sclander to your professioun, ever approving the truth, and haitting Impiety in all persounis, not leaning to warldly wisdom, nor louking for the pleasure of greit men in the world: Sen nane of thir things, bot only vprichtnes can outher mak ane plesand to God, or yet sure in this world. And sa traisting that your honor will accept this my sober offer (till God grant better occasioun of greter) intill gude part. I commit yow to the protectioun of the Almichtie, that when it sall pleis God to take yow forth of this misery, ye may end your life in the Sanctificatioun of his holy Name. To whom be praise and Glory, forever, Amen. From Sanctandroi
•
the XVIII. of Febr
•
ANE BREIF COMMENDATIOVN OF VPRICHTNES
SEN that we se men till have studyit ay.
Into this eirth sic strenthis to prepair
As micht be saifgaird to thame nicht and day,
When ony danger dang thame in dispair.
Wald thow gude Reider have ane strenth preclair,
Mayest strang and stark to rin to in distress
This lytill schedull schortly sall declare
How that the surest Tower is vprichtnes.
Quhilk vprichtnes we may descriue to be:
Ane traid of life conform to Godds command,
Without all poysoun of Hypocrisy
Or turning to or fra, from hand to hand.
Bot stoutly at the word of God to stand.
Eschewing alwayis it for to transgres
Not bowing back for thame that contramand.
This wayis we may descriue this vprichtnes.
For first their is na Castell, Tower, nor Toun,
Nor raturall strenth, as Alexander says,
Bot mannis Ingyne may vincous and ding down,
As that he had experience in his days,
Na strenth was sure to thame that was his fais:
The Craig in Asia did beir witness,
Howbeit in hicht unto the sky it rais,
It was ouercum for laik of vprichtnes.
Euin sa that bailfull Bour of Babilone,
Na saifgaird was to Darius we reid,
Suppois it was ane mayest strang Dongeone,
And money ma I micht declare in deed,
Bot sic exempillis Foreign nane we neid,
What surenes fand the Bischopis halynes,
Into Dunbartane where he pat his Creid.
It was not half sa sure as vprichtnes.
The force of men gif ony will obtend,
Kinred, or friends to be ane gaird mayest strang,
All is bot vane, they cannot man defend,
For wha mair surely into Royat rang,
Nor the greit Conqueror his freindis amang,
Ʒit was he poysonit as sum dost express,
Intill his Camp whilk he had led sa lang,
Than what is force of man till vprichtnes.
Riches and rent we ken dost not abide,
Bot flitts and fochis ever to and fra,
Than vane it is in thame for to confyde,
Sen that we se thame asweill cum as ga,
Therefore my freindis sen that the cace is sa,
That warldly strenth can have na sickernes,
Sum other saifgaird surely we mon ha,
Quhilk is nocht ellis bot only vprichtnes.
Bot sum perchance that winks mair wylelie,
Will say they wait ane wyle that I na wist,
With iouking they will Iangill craftelie,
And on their feit will ay licht when they list:
Thinking all surenes thairin to consist:
Hypocrisy is quent with quyetnes,
Bot all begylit they ar into the mist.
For nothing can be sure but vprichtnes.
For what become of falls Ahithophel,
For als far as he saw before his neis,
The Scripture schawis I neid not heir to tell.
The like of this in money Historeis,
I micht bring forth that to my purpois greis,
How Hypocrites into their craftynes,
Thame selfs hes trappit with greit misereis,
Becaus they did eschew all vprichtnes.
Bot wha sa ever on the other side.
Hes preissit peirtly to leif vprichtlie,
And be the truth bound bauldly till abide:
Hes ever had the mayest security.
For they had God their buckler for to be,
Quhome we mon grant to be ane strang fortres,
Of whom the Devil cannot get victory,
Nor all the enemeis of vprichtnes.
Think well my freindis this is na fenyeit fair,
For wha sa list of David for to reid,
May se what enemeis he had alwhair,
And yet how surely he did ay proceid.
Becaus he walkit vprichtly in deed.
He was mair sure from Saulis cruelnes,
Nor gif ten thousand men intill his neid,
Had with him been syne lackit vprichtnes.
Of sic exempills we micht bring anew,
Bot ane their is that preifis our purpois plane
Of Daniel that Propheit wise and true,
How oft was he in danger to be slane.
Into the Lyonis Den he fand na pane.
The three Children the fire did not oppres.
I think this only History micht gane,
To preif how sure ane Tower is vprichtnes.
Bot yet because exempills fetched far,
Mufis not so much as they things whilk we se,
I purpois schortly now for to cum nar,
Unto the but where chiefly I wald be:
That is to show the prufe before your Ee.
Of thir premissis, as all mon confess
That hes seen God wirking in this country,
How ane hes been preseruit in vprichtnes.
It is John Knox in deed whom of I mene,
That fervent faithful seruand of the Lord,
Quhome I dar bauldly bide at till have been,
Ane mayest true Preicheour of the Lordis word.
I rak nothing what Rebalds heir record,
Quha never culled speak gude of godliness.
This man I say eschaipit fire and sword,
And deit in peace, in praise of vprichtnes.
〈◊〉
that this may be maid ma
•
e manifest:
P
•
ll
〈…〉
thing in special,
Tuiching this Lamp, on life whill he did lest,
First he discendit bot of linage small.
As commounly God vsis for to call,
The sempill sort his summoundis til express.
Sa calling him, he gave him giftis with all
Mayest excellent beside his vprichtnes.
For well I wait that Scotland never bure,
In Scot
••
••
id ane man mair Eloquent.
Into pe
•••
adin
•
also I am sure,
Was nane in Europe that was mair potent.
In Greik and Hebrew he was excellent,
And als in Latin tongue his propernes,
Was tryit trym when scollers wer present.
Bot thir wer nothing till his vprichtnes.
For fra the time that God anis did him call,
To bring they joyful newis unto this land,
Quhilk hes illuminate baith greit and small,
He maid na stop bot passit to fra hand,
Idolatry mayest stoutly to ganestand:
And chiefly that greit Idol of the Mes.
Howbeit mayest michtie enemeis he fand,
Ʒit schrinkit he na whit from vprichtnes.
The grievous Galayis maid him not agast,
Althocht the Prelates gold in greit did geif,
Ouir schipburd in the sey him for to cast,
He fand sic grace they sufferit him to leif.
Ʒea, mairatour they did him not mischief,
As they did his Companyeounis mair and les,
With pynefull panis when they their pythis did preif,
God fa prouydit for his vprichtnes.
In Ingland syne he did eschaip the Ire,
Of Ies
•
bell, that Monstour of Mahoun.
In Scotland next with terror him to tire,
Thay brint his picture in Edinburgh Toun.
Bot son to Scotland
〈◊〉
•
e
••
id him bo
••
,
What ba
••
he h
••
bid di
•
to may go,
Send
〈…〉
and they Devils he good
••
ng down,
In spyte
〈…〉
ane that haitit
•
p
•••
h
•
nes.
Thay that hes been chief in Authority,
For the mayest part had him at deidly feid,
Ʒit he eschaipit all their cruelty,
Howbeit oftymes they did deuyse his deed,
Ʒea, sum
〈◊〉
been presitely be the heid,
Quha undertake his Di
•
igs for to dre
•
,
Ʒit bauldly be his baner he abaid,
And did not soul ane ioit from vprichtnes.
Bot chiefly anis he was put to ane preace,
When that the Queen of tressoun did accuse him
Befoir hir Lordis in holy Rudehous place.
Quhair clawbacks of the Court thocht till abuse him
Sa prude
•
lie this Propheit yair did use him,
Into refuting of their fulischenes.
That all the haill Nobility did ru
•
e him,
And praisit God for his greit vprichtnes.
When Queen & Court culled not get him convict,
Bot sa wer disapointit of their pray,
Thay fryit in fury that he schaipit quick,
Ʒit at the leist to get their wills sum way,
Thay wald have had him wardi
•
for ane day,
In Daueis Tower, yea, for ane hour or les,
It was denyit for ocht the Queen culled say.
Thair micht be seen how sure was vprichtnes.
Bot in what perrell trow ye he was last,
When Edinburgh he left with heart full fair,
Doutles na les nor ony that hes past,
In spyte they spak that him they suld not spair,
Thay suld him schuit into the Palpet their
Becaus he did rebuke their fylthenes,
And mischant murder that infects the air,
Ʒ
••
God preseruit him in Vpri
•
h
•
nes.
Money
〈◊〉
dangers nor I can declare,
Be sey and land thi
•
Propheit did sustens,
In France and Ingland, Scotland, heir and their,
Quhilk I refer to thame that mair hes h
••
e,
Intill his company and sic things seen.
Bot this far schortly I have maid progress,
To preif how God mayest surely dost mantene,
Sic as continue intill vprichtnes.
For this Excellent seruand of the Lord,
Unto the death was haitit as we knaw,
For sinceir preiching of the Lordis word
With Kingis, Princes, hie estait and law,
Ʒit in their Ire him micht they not ouirthraw,
He did depart in peace and plesandnes:
For all the troublis that he hard us show
That he sustenit for lufe of vprichtnes.
And this is merwell gif we will consider,
Ane sempill man but warldly force or aide,
Aganis whom Kings and Princes did confidder,
How he suld fend from fury and their fead,
Syne leave this life with list for all their plaid,
He had ane surer gaird we mon confer,
Nor ony warldly strenth that can be maid,
Quhilk was nothing bot only vprichtnes.
Bot sum may say whairto suld thow prefer
This vprichtnes whilk thow extolls sa hie
Until all warldly stre
•
this that ever wer?
Sen that the contrair daily we may se,
How vpricht men ar murtherit mischantlie,
As first was Abel with greit cruelnes,
Gude John the Baptist, and als Zechariah,
Ʒea, Christ himself for all his vprichtnes.
Peter and Paul with money ma sensyne.
And of lait yeiris in Ingland as we knaw,
How money piteously was put to pyne.
And now in France that schame is for to sch
•
w.
James our gude Regent rakkin in that
•
awe,
Quha had rung yet wer not his richteousnes.
Sa, I can se nothing sa sone ouirthraw,
Man in this eirth as dost this vprichtnes.
To this I answer into termis schott,
When warldly strenth is vincust and maid waist,
With it man tynis baith courage and comfort,
When it is tynt whairin he pat his traist:
Bot wha that death in vprichtnes dost taist,
Sall have the life that lests with joyfulness,
Sa they ar sure, because they ar imbraist
Be the Eternal for their vprichtnes.
Bot this sa lichtly we may not pas by:
I grant in deed wha preissis vprichtlie
To serve the Lord mon first thame selfs deny,
And na wayis dres to daut thame daintelie
Bot thame prepair for troublis Identlie,
For troublis ar the bage they mon posses,
Sen Satan ceisis not continually
To troubill thame that followis vprichtnes.
Q
•
hylis harling thame before Princes & Kings,
As raving Reb
•
lds rudelie to be rent,
Accusing thame of troubling of all things,
As cankerit Carlis that cannot be content,
Except all things be done be their consent:
Now scornit, now scurgeit,
now bād with bitterness
Imprisonit, and sindrie fassiounis schent,
And sum times dreuin to death for vprichtnes.
This is their lote oftymes I will not lane
Into this eirth that use to be vpricht,
Bot what of this my purpois yet is plane:
That is, that they ar surer day, and nicht,
For all this woe, not ony wardly wicht.
For in their conscience is mair quyetnes
In greitest troubl
•
s, not the man of micht
Hes in their Castells, without vprichtnes.
For qullen Belshazzar greit King of the
••
ist.
Ane thousand of his Princes had gart cal
•
,
Drinkand the wyne before thame at the Feist,
Intill his prydefull Pomp Imperial:
Euin in the middis of this his mirrie hall.
He saw ane sicht that sank him in sadness,
When he persauit the fingers on the wall,
Wryting his wrak for his vnvprichtnes.
What sall I say I neid not till insist,
To show how they to God that dost Rebell,
In their mayest micht cannot be haldin blist,
For in this world they do begin their hell,
As Cayin did that slew the just Abel,
Within their breist they beir sic bailfulnes,
That tongue of man cannot the teynd part tell,
Of inwart torments for vnvprichtnes.
Bot they that walks vprichtly with the Lord,
In greitest troublis wantis not inwart rest,
As the Apostillis dung for Godds word,
Reioysit that for Christ sa they wer dressed,
Peter in prison sleipit but molest.
Paul in the stocks and Silas with glaidnes,
Did sing ane Psalm at midnicht, sa the best
Surenes that man can have, is vprichtnes.
Sa be this surenes now I do not men
•
,
That Godds seruands ar never tane away,
Be cruel men, for the contrair is seen,
For God oftymes of his Judgments I say,
Letts thame so fall, as thocht before the day:
To plague the world for their unthankfulness,
Quhilk is not worthy of sic men as they.
Bot I mene this be strenth of vprichtnes.
That when it plesis God to let thame fall,
Thay have sic in wart comfort without cair,
That they depart with joy Angelical.
Of life assurit that lestis forever
••
it.
And yet sum time he doi
•
his seruands spair,
To let the Tyrannis se his michtenes,
In spyte of thame, that he can his alwhait.
Preserue mayest surely intill vprichtnes.
Quhilk we have seen as we cannot deny,
Into John Knoxis michtie preseruatioun,
Quhilk till our comfort we suld all apply,
I mene that ar the Faithful Congregatioun.
Sen he departit with sic consolatioun,
Euin as he leuit, he deit in Faithfulness,
Being assurit in Christ of his Saluatioun,
As in the end he schew with vprichtnes.
Sa is he past from pane to pleasure ay,
And till greit eis doutles until him sel
•
,
Bot for ane plague till us I dar well say,
As sair I feir we fall heir schortly tell,
Schir wink at vice beginnis to tune his bell.
Bot on this heid na mair I will digres,
That gude men hes mair rest in all perrell
Nor wickit in their wealth but vprichtnes.
Then sen alwayis we se that men ar sure
Throw vprichtnes whidder they live or die,
Let all gude Cristianes Imploy their cure,
In their vocatioun to leif vprichtlie,
And cheiflie let all preicheouris war
•
it be,
That this day God and the gude
•
aus profess,
Na way is to wink at sic Impiety
And chiefly do
•
, withstand all vprichtnes.
Taking exempill of this Propheit plane,
Quhome heir before we breuit in this bill,
Quha Godds reuelit will wald never lane,
When men begouth for to delight in ill,
He wald not wane ane wy for na mann is will
For to rebuke Earl, Barrone, or Burgess,
When in their wickit wayis they walkit still.
Follow this Lamp I say of vprichtnes.
Let nouther lufe of friend, nor feir of sais,
Muse yo
•
to mank your Message, or hald back
Ane jot of your Commissioun ony wayis
Call ay white, white, and blak, that whilk is blak,
Ane Gallimafray never of thame mak:
Bot ane gude cans distingue from wickitnes,
This kind of phrais sumtymes this Propheit spak
Q
•
hen he saw sum not using vprichtnes.
In general do not all things involve,
Thinking your selfs dischargeit than to be,
Thocht na mannis mind in maters ye resolve:
For (yet till use this same mannis Elogie)
To speak the truth, and speak the truth trewlie,
Is not a thing (said he) brethren doutles.
Therefore speak trewly but Hypocrisy,
G
•
f ye wald have the praise of vprichtnes.
Let vice ay in the awin cullouris be kend
But beiring with, or yet extenuatioun
Schawing how heichly God it dost offend,
Spairing na st
•
it that make preuaricatioun,
Let it be seen till all the Congregatioun,
That ye sic haiereo
•
have at wickitnes
That ye mon dampne their greit abhominatioun,
Quha plainly f
•
chtis aganis all vprichtnes.
Q
•
hilk
••
od of doctrine gif ye anis begin
I grant the Devil and world will be again yow
The feid of frem
•
it, and crai
•
ing of your kin
First ye
〈◊〉
•
he
•
yne terror to contstrain yow
To syle the suith, and sunye, I will plane yow.
The Ʒock is not sa licht as sum dost ges.
Bot yet have ye na dreid wha do disdane yow,
Sen that your fortres sure is vprichtnes.
For pleis it God yout life to lenthen heir,
Thocht all the world ag
•
nis yow wald conspyre,
Thay s
•
ll not have the power yow to deir,
Albeit they rage and rin wod in their Ire,
And gif that God thinks gude be sword or fire,
To let yow fell b
•
ay in reddynes:
Being assurit that heaven shall be your hire,
Becaus ye endit sa in vprichtnes.
Let not the luse of this life temporal,
Quhilk ye mon lose, but let when ye leist wene
Stay yow to cois with lyf
•
Celestial;
When ever that the choice cūmis thame between.
Christis sentence in your gardene keep ay grene,
Quha sauis his life sall lois it not the les,
Quhilk euin into this world he
•
oft been seen,
What gain is than to deny vprichtnes?
Than to conclude, sen in thir dangerous days
Sa money terrors Tyranis casts before yow
Call upon God to strenthen yow alwayis
That with his holy Spre
•
t he will decoir yow
As he hes done his seruands ay before yow
That ye may never wink at wickitnes
With Gun & Gainye thocht they boist to got yow
Sen that your Tower sa sure is vprichtnes.
FINIS.
ANE SCHORT DISCVRS OF THE ESTAITIS, wha hes caus to deploir the death of this Excellent seruand of God.
THOW pure contempnit Kirk of God,
In Scotland scatterit far abroad,
What leid may let the to lament:
Sen baith the Tiger and the Tod,
Mayest cruelly cummis the to rent.
Thow wants ane watcheman that tuke tent,
Baith nicht and day that nocht suld noy the,
Alas thow wants that Instrument,
That was thy Lantern to conuoy the.
Thy
〈◊〉
that fellow
••
licht,
Was gude John Knox, and
〈◊〉
up
•
icht,
〈◊〉
••
is death thow daily may deplo
•
,
His presence maid thy beauty bricht,
And all thy doings did docoir,
He did him h
•
illi
•
indeuoir,
Thy richteous action to manten
•
,
And liberty to the restoir,
Pleading thy caus with King and Queen.
He never hu
••
t benefice,
Nor catchit was with Co
••
tice,
Thocht he had offers
•
ony one:
And was als meit for sic Office
As outher gellie lok or John,
His mind was ay sa the upon.
Thy only weilfair was his wealth,
Therefore lamentsen he is gone,
That huik it nothing for thy health,
Lament Assemblie General,
At thy Con
•
ention in ane, and all,
For thow will mis ane Moderator,
Quhais presence mufit greit, and small,
And t
••
rifeit baith thief and tratour,
With all vn
•
e
•
he Ru
•
i
•
tour,
Th
•
i
•
ioukers durst not kyith their cure,
For feir of Fasting in the Fratour,
And tynsall of the charge they bure.
Bot now I feir that thow sall se,
Greit missing of that man to be,
When crafty heidis sall na mair hyde,
The hurde of their Hypocrisy,
Bot all sinceirne: set a side,
With policy will all things gyde,
Thir Balamis birds fair may thow fei
•
:
Therefore be Godds buke abide,
And to sic Bablers give na en.
Give
••
range opinio
•
nis
•
nteris in,
Tak tent wha sic things dost begin,
And with sic matoris mynts to mell,
For Satan coisis not fra fin,
The Kirk of Christ seiking to quell,
Sic folly faill not to refell:
For when the reik beginnis to ryfe,
The fire will follow as they tell,
Be it not quencheit be the wise.
Bot chiefly murne and mak thy mane,
Thow Kirk of Edinburgh allane,
For thow may re
•
by all the rest,
That this day thow wants sickin ane,
Thy special Pastor: and the best
That ony Kirk had Eist, of west.
He did comfort the in all cair,
And the foirwairnd of thy molest,
Quhanby thow micht thyself prepair.
Thair was na troubile come to the,
Bot he foirspak it oppinlie,
Thocht sum the mater than did mock,
Gif he spak suith now thow may se,
This day thy heid is in the yock,
God send the blyithnes of this block,
And freith the from thy falls above the,
For though
•
art the mayest fervent flock
That Scotland beiris, as deed dost prove the.
And give God sa h in dills the best,
Alas what sill cum of the rest,
Except repentance
••
n and red:
It is ane Mirrour manifest,
Of dule and dolour to be dred,
To fall on thame this barret bred.
Bot till our purpois to return,
Thocht of this feir thow shall be fred,
Ʒit hes thow mater for to murne.
Becaus that watchem
•
n
〈…〉
That the in purity did plant,
And comfortit thy Congregatioun:
Bot yet thocht he be gane
•
l grant
The Lord can send the consolatioun,
Gif thow give him dew adoratioun,
He will not leave the comfortless.
As alreddy thow he
•
, probatioun,
God grant thy Preicheours vprichtnes.
Ʒe Lord's also that doit frequent,
The Loft in Sanct Geills Kirk lament,
That Bogill their that ye hard blaw,
With whom whiles ye wer small content,
For the schai
•
p threitnings he did show:
Ʒit they maid yow sum what stand a
•
,
Thocht not so much as naid requyrit:
This day in grave he lyis full law,
Quhilk langtyme was of him, desyrit.
For seeing all things not go well,
He said their suld not mis ane reill.
That suld the chaifest walkin up.
Gif he said suith this day ye feill,
Luke gif God hes begun to whup,
Bot their byds yet ane fowrer Cup▪
Except your manere ye amend,
The dregs but dout als ye sall sup,
From whilk danger God yow defend.
Sanctandrois als not to leif out,
His death thow may deploir but dout,
Thow knaw is he lude the by the laue
For first in the he gave the rout,
Till Antichrist that Romische slave,
Preicheing that Christ did only save.
Bot last, of Edinburgh expressed.
When he was not far fra his grave,
He come to the by all the rest.
God grant that thow may thankful be,
For his greit graces schawin to the,
In sending the his feruands true,
Amen. Thow heiris na mair of me.
Bot Kyle, and Cuninghame may rew,
Als sair as ony that I schew,
To whom this darling was mayest d
•
ir.
And other gentill men anew,
Quhome I have not reheirsit heir.
Than last of all to turn to yow,
That wer our brethren, bot not now:
God grant again ye may cum ham
•
,
For we suld wis your well I vow,
As also did this man be Name,
Thocht sum said he did yow defame,
He prayit to God that ye micht turn,
That ye micht schaip Eternal schame,
Therefore your part is als to murne.
For doutles he was mair your friend,
Nor they that win kit, or manteind
Ʒour fulische factioun and vnfair.
In deed that ye suld not susteind,
He thunderit threitnings to the air,
To terrify yow mair and mair,
And rug yow back that ye micht rew:
For he knew perseueird ye their,
Ʒe wer bot schipwrak but reskew.
Than all this land thow may lament,
That thow lacks sic ane Instrument,
Till sum not plesand, yet, sa plane,
That all the godly was content.
Alas his like he left not ane,
Nor I feir fall not se again:
Bot yet let us nawayis dispair,
For why our God dost yet remane,
Quha can and will for his prepair.
For thocht his death we do deploi
•
,
Ʒit is he not our God thairfoir:
As wickit warldlings wald obtend,
Gone is your God whairin ye gloir.
The le
•
ing God we mak it kend,
Is he, on whom
•
e do depend,
Quha will not leave us in distress,
Bot will his seruands till us send,
Till gyde us throw this wilderness.
Thairfoit letting thir Bablers be,
Quhais chief Religioun is to lie,
And all Godds seruands to backbyte,
Traducing this man principally:
Let thame spow out in tha
•
dispyte,
All that they will be word or write.
Lyke as himself is into gloir,
Sa sall all ages ay recyit,
John Knoxis Name, with greit d
•
coir.
FINIS.