The Queen in a vehement fume began to cry out, that never Prince was
used as she was. "I have (said she) borne with you in all your rigorous
manner of speaking, both against myself and against my uncles; yea, I
have sought your favour by all possible means; I offered unto you
presence and audience, whensoever it pleased you to admonish me, and yet
I cannot be quit of you; I vow to God I shall be once revenged." And
with these words scarce could Marnoch, her secret chamber boy, get
napkins to hold her eyes dry, for the tears and the howling, besides
womanly weeping, stayed her speech. The said John did patiently abide
all the first fume, and at opportunity answered, "True it is, Madam,
your Grace and I have been at divers controversies, into the which I
never perceived your Grace to be offended at me; but when it shall
please God to deliver you from that bondage of darkness and error,
wherein ye have been nourished, for the lack of true Doctrine, your
Majesty will find the liberty of my tongue nothing offensive. Without
the Preaching-place (Madam) I think few have occasion to be offended at
me, and there (Madam) I am not master of myself, but must obey him who
commands me to speak plain, and to flatter no flesh upon the face of the
earth...." "But what have you to do (said she) with my marriage? Or,
what are you within the Commonwealth?"
_A MEEK AND GENTLE SPIRIT_
"A subject born within the same (said he) Madam; and albeit I be neither
Earl, Lord, nor Baron within it, yet hath God made me (how abject that
ever I be in your eyes) a profitable and useful member within the same;
yea, Madam, to me it appertaineth no less, to forewarn of such things as
may hurt it, if I foresee them, than it doth to any one of the nobility;
for both my vocation and conscience craveth plainness of me; and
therefore (Madam) to yourself I say, that which I spake in public,
whensoever the nobility of this realm shall be content, and consent,
that you be subject to an unlawful husband, they do as much as in them
lieth to renounce Christ, to banish the Truth, to betray the freedom of
this realm, and perchance shall in the end do small comfort to
yourself."
_INORDINATE PASSION_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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