But the Queen and our Court made merry. There was banqueting upon banqueting. The Queen banqueted all the Lords; and that was done upon policy, to remove the suspicion of her displeasure against them, because they would not, at her devotion, condemn John Knox. To remove, we say, that jealousy, she made the banquet to the whole Lords, and thereat she would have the Duke of Chatelherault amongst the rest. It behoved them to banquet her again; and so did banqueting continue till Fastern's-e'en[229] and after. But the poor ministers were mocked, and reputed as monsters; the guard, and the affairs of the kitchen were so griping,[230] that the ministers' stipends could not be paid. [229] Shrove Tuesday; the day before Lent. [230] Extortionate. [Sidenote: The Queen's broken Promises.] And yet at the Assembly preceding, solemn promise of redress had been made in the Queen's name, by the mouth of Secretary Lethington, in audience of many of the nobility and of the whole Assembly. He had affirmed that he had commandment of her Highness to promise them full contentation[231] of things bygone to all the ministers within the realm; and that, such order would be kept in all times to come, the whole body of the Protestants would have occasion to stand content. The Earl of Moray affirmed the same, and many other fair promises had been given in writing by Lethington himself, as may be seen from the register of the Acts done in the General Assembly. But the world can witness how far that, or any other promise by her, or in her name, to the Kirk of God, was observed. [231] Satisfaction. [Sidenote: Secretary Lethington defies the Servants of God.] The ministers perceiving all things tend to ruin, discharged their conscience in public and private; but they received for their labours hatred and indignation. Amongst others, that worthy servant of God, Mr. John Craig, speaking against the manifest corruption that then declared itself without shame or fear, said, "At one time, hypocrites were known by their disguised habits, and we had men as monks, and women as nuns; but now, all things are so changed that we cannot discern the earl from the abbot, or the nun from such as would be held noblewomen; so that we have got a new order of monks and nuns. But, seeing that ye are not ashamed of that unjust profit, would God that therewith ye had the cowl of the nun, the veil, yea, and the tail joined with all, that so ye might appear in your own colours." Their liberty did so provoke the choler of Lethington, that, in open audience, he gave himself to the Devil, if ever after that day he should regard what became of ministers. He should do what he could that his companions should have a skair[232] with him; "and let them bark and blow," said he, "as loud as they list." That was the second time that he had given his defiance to the servants of God. [232] Share (?). [Sidenote: The Courtiers and the Kirk.]