Church of Scotland; Knox, John, approximately 1514-1572; Reformation -- Scotland; Theology -- Early works to 1800
"Whair ar the rest of the playaris?" Maistir Audro Olephant,[89]
offended thairwyth, said, "It shalbe no play to yow, Sir, befoir that ye
depart." And so began to read his accusatioun. The first article whareof
was, That he dispyssed the Messe. His ansuer was, "I hear mo Messis in
awght dayis, then thre Bischoppis thair sitting sayis in a year."
Accused secoundarly, Of contemptioun of the sacramentis. "The preastis,
(said he,) war the maist commoun contempnaris of sacramentis, and
especiallie of matrimonye," and that he witnessed by any of the preastis
thare present, and named the menis wyffis with whome thei had medled,
and especiallie Sir Johnne Dignwaill, who had sevin yearis togitther
abused his awin wyff and consumed his substance; and said, "Becaus I
complayne of such injuries, I am hear summoned, and accused, as one that
is worthy to be brunt. For Goddis saik, (said he,) wil ye taick wyeffis
of your awin, that I and utheris, whose wyiffis ye have abused, may be
revenged upoun yow." Then Bisehope Gawin Dumbar,[90] named the Old
Bischop of Abirdein, thinking to justifye him self befoir the people,
said, "Carll, thow shalt not know my wyff." The said Alexander ansuered,
"My Lord, ye ar too old; bot, with the grace of God, I shall drynk with
your dochtter or I departe." And thareat was smylling of the best, and
lowd laughtter of some; for the Bisehop had a dowghter maryed with Andro
Balfour[91] in that same toune. Then the Bischoppis bad, "Away with the
earll." But he ansured, "Nay; I will not departe this houre; for I have
more to speak against the vices of preastis, then I cane expresse this
haill[92] day." And so, after diverse purposes, thei commanded him to
burne his bill. And he demanding the caus, thei said, "Becaus ye have
spoken these articles whairof ye ar accused." His ansuer was, "The
mekill devill bear thame away, that first and last said thame." And so
he tack the bill, and chowing it, hee after spatt it in Mr. Andro
Oliphantis face, saying, "Now burne it or drune it, whitther ye will: ye
heir na mair of me. Butt I man have somewhat of everie ane of yow to
begyn my pack agane, which a preast and my wyif, a preastis hoore, hes
spentt." And so everie prelate and riche preast, glaid to be qwyte of
his evill, gave him somwhat; and so departed hie, for he understood
nothing of religioun.
But so fearfull it was then to speak any thing against preastis, that
the least word spokin against thame, yea, albeit it was spokin in a
manes sleip, was judged heresye; and that was practised upoun Richart
Carmichaell, yet leving in Fyfe,[93] who being young, and ane singar in
the Chapell Royal of Striveling, happened in his sleepe to say, "The
devill tak away the preastis, for thei ar a gready pack." Hie,
thairfor, accused be Sir George Clappertoun, Deane[94] of the said
Chapell, was compelled tharefore to burne his bill.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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