Church of Scotland; Knox, John, approximately 1514-1572; Reformation -- Scotland; Theology -- Early works to 1800
"Gyff it be seditious to speik the treuth in all sobrietie, and to
complayne quhan thay ar woundit, or to call for help against unjust
tyrannie befoir that thair throttis be cutt, than can we not deny,
bot we ar criminall and giltie of tumult and seditioun. For we have
said that our commun-wealth is oppressit, that we and our brethren
ar hurt be the tyrrannie of strangearis, and that we feir bondage
and slaverie, seing that multitudeis of cruell murtheraris ar
daylie brocht in our cuntrey, without our counsall, or knawlege and
consent. We dispuit not sa mekill quhidder the bringing in of ma
Frensche men be violating of the Appointment, (quhilk the Quene nor
hir factioun can not deny to be manifestlie brokin be thame, in ma
caisses than ane,) as that we wald knaw, gif the heipping of
strangearis upoun strangearis above us, without our counsall or
consent, be ane thing that may stand with the libertie of our
realme, and with the proffitt of our commun wealth. It is not
unknawin to all men of jugement, that the fruitis of our cuntrey,
in the maist commun yeiris, be na mair than sufficient reassonabill
to nureis the borne inhabitantis of the same. Bot now, seing that
we have bene vexit with weiris, taikin upoun us at the plesour of
France, by the quhilk the maist fruttfull portioun of our cuntrey
in corneis hes bene waistit; quhatt man is sa blynd bot that he may
see, that sic bandis of ungodlie and idill suldiouris can be na
thing ellis bot ane occatioun to fameis our pure brethren? and in
this poynt we refuise nott, (quhilk is the cheif,) the jugement of
all naturall Scottis men."
The Quene Regent allegeit, "That althocht thair war ane hundreith
Frensche men for ane in Scotland, yitt sche is not myndit to
trubill any in his just possessioun." Quhairto we answer, "That we
disput not quhat sche intendis, (quhilk nochttheless, be probabill
conjectouris, is to be suspectit;) bot alwayis we affirme, that
sick ane multitude of Frensche men is ane burding, not onlie
unproffitabill, bot alssua intollerabill to this pure realme,
especiallie being intreatit as thay ar be hir and Monsieur Dosell;
for gif thair waigeis be payit out of France, than ar thay baith
(the Quene, we say, and Monsieur Dosell,) traytouris to the Kyng
and Counsall; for the pure communis of this realme have sustenit
thame with the sweit of thair browis, sence the contracting of the
peace, and sumquhat befoir.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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