Perth.
We cannot affirm whether it was on this journey, or at another date, that that bloody butcher executed his cruelty upon the innocent persons in Perth. Indeed, we do not study to be curious; we travail to express the actual facts, rather than scrupulously and exactly to record day and date, although we do not omit these when we are certain of them. The truth in regard to the cruel deed at Perth is this. On St. Paul's Day, before the first burning in Edinburgh, the Governor and Cardinal came to Perth, and there, upon envious delation, a great number of honest men and women were called before the Cardinal, and accused of heresy. Albeit they could be convicted of nothing more than suspicion that they had eaten a goose upon Friday, four men were adjudged to be hanged, and a woman to be drowned; and this cruel and most unjust sentence was unmercifully put into execution. The husband was hanged, and the wife, having a sucking babe upon her breast, was drowned. "O Lord, the land is not yet purged from such beastly cruelty; neither has Thy just vengeance yet stricken all that were criminal of their blood. But the day approaches when the punishment of that cruelty and of others will evidently appear."
The names of the men that were hanged were James Hunter, William Lamb, William Anderson, and James Ronaldson, burgesses of Perth. At that same time there were banished Sir Henry Elder, John Elder, Walter Pyper, Lawrence Pullar, and divers others whose names have not come to our knowledge. That sworn enemy to Christ Jesus, and unto all in whom any spunk of true knowledge appeared, had divers persons in prison about that same time. Amongst these was John Roger, a Black Friar—godly, learned, and one that had fruitfully preached Christ Jesus, to the comfort of many in Angus and Mearns. Him that bloody man caused to be murdered in the ground of the Sea-Tower of St. Andrews, thereafter causing his body to be cast over the crag, sparsing[58] a false bruit that the said John, seeking to flee, had broken his own craig.[59]
The English invade Scotland, and sack Edinburgh and Leith.
Thus Satan ceased not, by all means, to maintain his kingdom of darkness, and to suppress the light of Christ's Evangel. But potent is He against whom they fought; for, when the wicked were surest of their triumph, God began to show His anger. On the third day of May, in the year of God 1543, without knowledge of any of those in Scotland who should have had the care of the realm, there was seen a great fleet of ships approaching the Forth. Posts came to the Governor and Cardinal, who both were in Edinburgh, informing them of the multitude of ships seen, and of the course they took. This was upon the Saturday, before noon. Some said there was no doubt they were Englishmen and would land. The Cardinal scripped[60] and said, "It is but the Island fleet: they are come to make a show, and put us in fear. I shall lodge in my eye all the men-of-war that shall land in Scotland." The Cardinal sat still at his dinner, as if there had been no apparent danger. Men ran together to gaze upon the ships, some to the Castle Hill, some to the Crags and other eminent places. But no one asked what forces we had for resistance, if we should be invaded. Soon after six o'clock at night, more than two hundred sails were arrived and had cast anchor in the Road of Leith. Shortly thereafter, the Admiral shot a fleet boat, and this sounded the depth of water from Granton crags unto the east of Leith, and then returned to her ship. Men of judgment foresaw what this meant. But no credit was given to any that said, "They mind to land." And so everybody went to bed, as if these ships had been a guard for their defence.
Upon the point of day, upon Sunday, the fourth of May, the fleet made ready for landing, and arranged their ships so that a galley or two laid their snouts to the crags. The small ships, called pinnaces and light horsemen, approached as near as they could. The great ships discharged their soldiers into the smaller vessels, and these, by boats, set upon dry land, before ten o'clock, ten thousand men, as was judged, and more. The Governor and Cardinal, seeing then what they could not, or at least would not, believe before, after they had made a brag to fight, fled as fast as horse would carry them; nor did they afterwards approach within twenty miles of the danger. The Earl of Angus and George Douglas were that night freed of ward in Black Ness, and the said Sir George in merriness said, "I thank King Harry and my gentle masters of England."
The English army entered Leith betwixt twelve and one, found the tables covered, the dinners prepared, and abundance of wine and victuals, besides other substance. The like riches within the like bounds were not to be found, either in Scotland or England. Upon the Monday, the fifth of May, there came to them from Berwick and the Border, two thousand horsemen; and, after these had rested somewhat, the army, upon the Wednesday, marched towards the town of Edinburgh, spoiled and burnt the same, and also the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The horsemen took the House of Craigmillar, and got great spoil therein; for, it being judged the strongest house near the town, other than the Castle of Edinburgh, men sought to place their movables therein for safety. But the courageous Laird gave it over without shot of hackbut, and for his reward was caused to march upon foot to London. He is now captain of Dunbar and Provost of Edinburgh.
The Englishmen seeing no resistance, hurled[61] cannons up the causeway to the Butter-throne, or above, and hazarded a shot at the fore-entry of the Castle. But that was to their own discomfiture; for, without trench or gabion, they were exposed to the force of the whole ordnance of the said Castle. This opened fire, and not all in vain; for the wheel and axletree of one of the English cannons were broken, and some of their men were slain. So, with small honour, they left off that enterprise, which was taken in rashness rather than of any advised counsel. When for the most part of the day the English had spoiled and burned, they returned to Leith towards the night; upon the morrow returning to Edinburgh, and executing the rest of God's judgments for that time. When they had consumed both towns, they laded the ships with spoil thereof, and returned to Berwick by land, using the country for the most part at their own pleasure.
This was a part of the punishment which God laid upon the realm for the infidelity of the Governor, and for the violation of his solemn oath. But this was not the end; for the realm was divided into two factions: the one favoured France; the other the league lately contracted with England. In nothing did the one thoroughly trust the other. The country was in extreme calamity; for divers strongholds, such as Carlaverock, Lochmaben, and Langholm, were delivered to the English. And the most part of the borders were confederate with England. Albeit Sir Ralph Evers and many other Englishmen were slain at Ancrum Moor, in February, in the year of God 1544, and in the year after some of the said strongholds were recovered, this was not accomplished without great loss and detriment to the commonwealth.
France comes to the Aid of Cardinal Beaton.
In the month of June, in the year of God 1545, Monsieur de Lorge Montgomery, with bands of men of war, came from France for a further destruction to Scotland; and upon their brag was an army raised and pushed forward towards Wark, even in the midst of harvest. The Cardinal's banner was that day displayed, and all his dependents were charged to be under it. Many had promised to follow the standard, but in the issue it was left so bare that for shame it was shut up in the pock[62] again, and after a show the army returned, with more shame to the realm than scathe to their enemies. The black book of Hamilton makes mention of great vassalage[63] done at that time by the Governor and the French. But such as with their eyes saw the whole progress knew that to be a lie, and do repute it amongst the venial sins of that race, which is to speak the best of themselves they can.
The following winter so nurtured the French men that they learned to eat, yea to beg, cakes which at their entry they scorned. Without jesting, they were so miserably treated, that few returned to France again with their lives. The Cardinal had then almost fortified the Castle of St. Andrews, and he made this so strong, in his opinion, that he regarded neither England nor France. The Earl of Lennox, as we have said, disappointed of all things in Scotland, passed to England, where he received protection from King Harry, who gave him Lady Margaret Douglas to wife. Of her was born Harry,[64] umquhile[65] husband to our Jezebel mistress.
John Hamilton, Abbot of Paisley.
While the inconstant Governor was sometimes dejected and sometimes raised up again by the Abbot of Paisley, who before was called "chaster than any maiden," the latter began to show himself; for, after he had by craft taken the
