The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland. John Armoy Knox
and words of devilish spite and malice, saying to the innocent Master George so many cruel and abominable words, and hitting him so spitefully with the Pope's thunder, that the ignorant people dreaded lest the earth then would have swallowed him up quick. Notwithstanding, he stood still with great patience hearing these sayings, not once moving or changing his countenance. When this fed sow had read throughout all his lying menaces, his face running down with sweat and he frothing at the mouth like a bear, he spat at Mr. George's face, saying "What answerest thou, thou runagate, traitor, and thief, to these sayings, which we have duly proved by sufficient witness against thee?" Master George, hearing this, sat down upon his knees in the pulpit, making his prayer to God. When he had ended his prayer, sweetly and Christianly he answered to them all in this manner.
His Oration in Reply to his Accusers.
"Many and horrible sayings, many words abominable to hear, ye have spoken here unto me a Christian man this day, words which, not only to teach but also to think, I thought it ever great abomination. Wherefore, I pray you quietly to hear me, that ye may know what were my sayings, and the manner of my doctrine. This my petition, my Lords, I desire to be heard for three causes. The first is that through preaching of the Word of God, His glory is made manifest. It is reasonable, therefore, for the advancement of the glory of God, that ye hear me preaching truly the pure and sincere Word of God, without any dissimulation. The second reason is that your health springeth of the Word of God, for He worketh all things by His Word. It were therefore an unrighteous thing, if ye should stop your ears when I am teaching truly the Word of God. The third reason is that your doctrine speaketh forth many pestilentious, blasphemous, and abominable words, coming by the inspiration not of God, but of the Devil, on no less peril than my life. It is just, therefore, and reasonable, that you should know what my words and doctrine are, and what I have ever taught in my time in this realm, so that I perish not unjustly, to the great peril of your souls. Wherefore, both for the glory and honour of God, your own health, and the safeguard of my life, I beseech your discretions to hear me, and in the meantime I shall recite my doctrine without any choler.
"First, and chiefly, since the time I came into this realm, I have taught nothing but the ten commandments of God, the twelve articles of the faith, and the prayer of the Lord, in the mother tongue. Moreover, in Dundee, I taught the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans; and I shall show faithfully what fashion and manner I used when I taught, without any human dread, so that your discretions give me your ears benevolent and attent."
Suddenly then, with a high voice, cried the accuser, the fed sow, "Thou heretic, runagate, traitor, and thief, it was not lawful for thee to preach. Thou hast taken the power at thine own hand, without any authority of the Church. We forethink[85] that thou hast been a preacher so long." Then said the whole congregation of the prelates, with their accomplices, "If we give him licence to preach, he is so crafty and in Holy Scripture so exercised that he will persuade the people to his opinion, and raise them against us."
Master George, seeing their malicious and wicked intent, appealed from the Lord Cardinal to the Lord Governor, as to an indifferent and equal judge. The accuser, John Lauder, with hoggish voice answered, "Is not my Lord Cardinal the second person within this realm, Chancellor of Scotland, Archbishop of St. Andrews, Bishop of Mirepoix, Commendator of Arbroath, Legatus Natus, Legatus a Latere?" And so reciting as many titles of his unworthy honours as would have laden a ship, much sooner an ass—"Is not he," quoth John Lauder, "an equal judge apparently to thee? Whom else desirest thou to be thy judge?"
This humble man answered, "I refuse not my Lord Cardinal, but I desire the Word of God to be my judge, and the Temporal Estate, with some of your Lordships, my auditors; because I am here my Lord Governor's prisoner." Whereupon the prideful and scornful people that stood by, mocked him, saying, "Such man, such judge!" speaking seditious and reproachful words against the Governor and other the nobles, meaning them also to be heretics. Incontinent, without delay, they would have given sentence upon Master George, and that without further process, had not certain men there counselled my Lord Cardinal to read again the articles, and to hear his answers thereupon, that the people might not complain of his wrongful condemnation.
Shortly declared, the following were the articles, with his answers, as far as they would give him leave to speak; for when he intended to mitigate their lesings[86] and show the manner of his doctrines, by and by they stopped his mouth with another article.
1. Thou, false heretic, runagate, traitor, and thief, deceiver of the people, despisest the holy Church, and in like case contemnest my Lord Governor's authority. And we know for surety that, when thou preachedst in Dundee, and wast charged by my Lord Governor's authority to desist, thou wouldest not obey, but persevered in the same. And therefore the Bishop of Brechin cursed thee, and delivered thee into the Devil's hand, and gave thee commandment that thou shouldest preach no more. Yet, notwithstanding, thou didst continue obstinately.—My Lords, I have read in the Acts of the Apostles, that it is not lawful, for the threats and menacings of men, to desist from the preaching of the Evangel. It is written, "We shall rather obey God than men." I have also read in the Prophet Malachi, "I shall curse your blessings, and bless your cursings, says the Lord:" believing firmly that He would turn your cursings into blessings.
2. Thou, false heretic, didst say that a priest standing at the altar saying Mass was like a fox wagging his tail in July.—My Lords, I said not so. These were my sayings. The moving of the body outward, without the inward moving of the heart, is nought else but the playing of an ape, and not the true serving of God; for God is a secret searcher of men's hearts. Therefore, who will truly adorn and honour God, he must in spirit and verity honour Him.
Then the accuser stopped his mouth with another article.
3. Thou, false heretic, preachest against the Sacraments, saying that there are not seven Sacraments.—My Lords, if it be your pleasure, I taught never of the number of the Sacraments, whether they were seven or eleven. So many as are instituted by Christ, and are shown to us by the Evangel, I profess openly. Except it be the Word of God, I dare affirm nothing.
4. Thou, false heretic, hast openly taught that auricular confession is not a blessed sacrament; and thou sayest that we should only confess to God, and to no priest.—My Lords, I say that auricular confession, seeing that it hath no promise of the Evangel, cannot be a sacrament. Of the confession to be made to God, there are many testimonies in Scripture; as when David saith, "I thought I would acknowledge my iniquity against myself unto the Lord; and He forgave the trespasses of my sins." Here, confession signifieth the secret knowledge of our sins before God. When I exhorted the people on this manner, I reproved no manner of confession. And further, St. James saith, "Acknowledge your sins one to another, and so let you to have peace amongst yourselves." Here the Apostle meaneth nothing of auricular confession, but that we should acknowledge and confess ourselves to be sinners before our brethren and before the world, and not esteem ourselves as the Grey Friars do, thinking themselves already purged.
When he had said these words, the horned bishops and their accomplices cried, and girned[87] with their teeth, saying, "See ye not what colours he hath in his speech, that he may beguile us, and seduce us to his opinion."
5. Thou, heretic, didst say openly, that it was necessary to every man to know and understand his baptism, and that it was contrary to general councils, and the estates of Holy Church.—My Lords, I believe there be none so unwise here that will make merchandise with a Frenchman, or any other unknown stranger, except he know and understand first the condition or promise made by the Frenchman or stranger. So, likewise, I would that we understood what things we promise in the name of the infant unto God in baptism. For this cause, I believe ye have confirmation.
Then said Master Bleiter, chaplain, that he had the devil within him, and the spirit of error. A child answered him, "The Devil cannot speak such words as yonder man doth speak."
6. Thou, false heretic, traitor, and thief, saidst that the Sacrament of the altar was but a piece of bread, baken upon the ashes, and nothing else; and all that is there done is but a superstitious rite against the commandment of God. … —O Lord God! So manifest lies and blasphemies the Scripture doth not teach you. As concerning the Sacrament of the altar, my Lords, I never taught anything against the Scripture, which I shall, by God's grace, make manifest this day,