Church of Scotland; Knox, John, approximately 1514-1572; Reformation -- Scotland; Theology -- Early works to 1800
One day, in reassoning of this mater, the Secretar burst out in a pece
of his cholere, and said, "The Ministeris have this much payed unto
thame by year, and who yitt ever bad the Queyn 'grand-mercies' for it?
Was thair ever a Minister that gave thankis to God for hir Majesties
liberalitie towards thame?" One smyled and ansuered, "Assuredlye, I
think, that such as receave any thing gratis of the Quene, are
unthankfull yf thei acknowledge it not, boyth in heart and mouth. But
whitther that the Ministeris be of that rank or not, I greatlie doubt.
Gratis, I am assured, thei receave nothing; and whitther thai receave
any thing at all fra the Quene, wyese men may reassone. I am assured
that neather Thrid nor Twa part ever apperteaned to any of hir
predecessouris within this Realme these thousand yearis bypast,
neather yitt hes the Quene bettir title to that whiche sche usurpes,
be it geving to otheris, or in tacken to hir self, then suche as
crucifyed Christ Jesus had to devide his garmentis amonges thame. And
yf the treuth may be spoken, sche hes nott so good titill as thai had;
for such spoyle use to be the reward of such men: And in that point
these soldiouris war more gentle than the Quene and hir flatteraris,
for thai parted not the garmentis of our Maister till that he him self
was hung upoun the croce; but sche and her flatteraris do part the
spoyle, whill as poore Christ is yet preaching amangis you. But the
wisdome of our God tackis tryall of us by this meane, knowing weall
yneuch what sche and hir factioun hes purposed to do. Lett the
Papistis, who have the Twa partis, some that have thair Thriddis free,
and some that have gotten Abbacies and few landis, thank the Quene,
and syng, _Placebo Dominæ_. The poore preachearis will not yit
flatter, for feading of thair bellye." These wordis war judged proud
and intollerable, and engendered no small displeasur to the speakar.
This we put in memorie, that the posteriteis to cum may know that God
ones maid his treuth to triumph; but becaus that some of oure selfis
delyted more in darknes than in lyght,[735] God hath restreaned our
fredome, and putt the hoill body in bondage. Yea, the greatest
flatteraris have not eschaiped so free as thai supposed; yea, the
latter plagues appear yit to be worse than the first. "Be mercyfull to
us, O Lord, and entreat us nott according to our deservingis; but look
thou to the equitie of the cause which thou hast put into our handis,
and suffer not iniquitie to oppresse thy treuth, for Thy awin nameis
saik, O Lord."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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