Church of Scotland; Knox, John, approximately 1514-1572; Reformation -- Scotland; Theology -- Early works to 1800
At the entrie of King Harie of France, in the towne of Orleance, the
matrones, virgenis, and menis wyiffis, war commanded to present thame
selfis in the Kingis palice at nycht, to daunse: and thei obeyed; for
commounlie the Frenche natioun is not hard to be entreated to vanitie.
After fidling and flyngyng, and when the Cardinall of Lorane[747] had
espyed his pray, he said to the King, "_Sire, la primiere est vostre,
et faut que je suis[748] le second_." That is to say, "Sire, the
first choise is youris, and I man be the secound." And so the King gat
the preeminence, that he had his first electioun. Bot becaus
Cardinallis ar companeonis to Kingis, the Cardinall of Lorane had the
nixt: And thairafter the torches war putt out, and everie man
commanded to provid for him self the best he myght. What cry was thair
of husbandis for thair wyeffis; of wyiffis, for thair husbandis; of
auncient matronis, for thair dochteris; and of virgenis for thair
freindis; or for some honest man to defend thair pudicitie, Orleance
will remember mo kingis dayis then one.
[747] The Cardinal Charles de Lorraine, Archbishop and Duke of Rheims,
was the second son of Claude Duke de Guise. He was born 17th February
1524. He obtained the See of Rheims in 1538, and was consecrated in
1545, when twenty-one years of age. We need not refer to Protestant
writers for his character, or to the work entitled the Legend of his
Life, as it is admitted that to avarice and inordinate pride, he
joined cruelty, want of faith, and licentiousness. Brantome admits
that the Cardinal was no ornament to the Church, when he says, "qui,
quoique mauvais Chrétien, etait, pour le temps, tres-bon Catholique."
He died 24th December 1574, aged 49.
In addition to note 4, page 267, it may be noticed that Calderwood
says, when the Queen was preparing to return to Scotland, "In the
meanetyme, Charles Cardinal of Lorraine, counselled her to leave
beside him her apparell and household stuffe, till it was seene what
was the successe of her voyage. She being acquainted with his nature,
answered, she could not see wherefore she should be more carefull of
her stuffe and apparell nor of her owne persone." (Hist. vol. ii. p.
131.)
[748] In MS. G, "que je soy."
[Sidenote: OURE QUENIS EDUCATION.]
This horrible vilanay, a fruet of the Cardinall of Lorane's religioun,
we shortlie tueche, to lett all the world understand, what subjectis
may looke of suche magistratis; for such pastyme to thame is but
joyousitie, whairin our Queyn was brocht up.[749] We call hir nott a
hoore, (albeit hir deame heard more then we will wrytt,) but sche was
brought up in the company of the wyldast hooremongaris, (yea, of such
as no more regarded incest, then honest men regard the company of
thair lauchfull wyeffis;) in the company of such men, (we say,) was
our Queyn brought up. What sche was and is, her self best knowis, and
God, (we doubt nott,) will farther declair.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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