this realm, he was the head. Therefore, he so travailed with the said Master Patrick, that he got him to St. Andrews, where, after conference for divers days, he received his freedom and liberty. The said Archbishop and his bloody butchers, called Doctors, seemed to approve his doctrine, and to grant that many things craved reformation in the ecclesiastical regiment. Amongst the rest, there was one that secretly consented with Master Patrick almost in all things, Friar Alexander Campbell, a man of good wit and learning, but corrupted by the world, as after we will hear. When the bishops and the clergy had fully understood the mind and judgment of the said Master Patrick, fearing that by him their kingdom should be damaged, they travailed with the King, who then was young and altogether at their command, that he should pass in pilgrimage to St. Duthac in Ross, to the end that no intercession should be made for the life of the innocent servant of God. He, suspecting no such cruelty as in their hearts was concluded, remained still, a lamb among the wolves, until he was intercepted in his chamber one night, and by the Archbishop's band was carried to the Castle. There he was kept that night; and in the morning, produced in judgment, was condemned to die by fire for the testimony of God's truth. The Articles for which he suffered were but of pilgrimage, purgatory, prayer to saints and prayer for the dead, and such trifles; albeit matters of greater importance had been in question, as his Treatise may witness. That the condemnation should have greater authority, the Archbishop and his doctors caused the same to be subscribed by all those of any estimation that were present, and, to make their number great, they took the subscriptions of children, if they were of the nobility; for the Earl of Cassillis, being then but twelve or thirteen years of age, was compelled to subscribe to Master Patrick's death, as he himself did confess.
Martyrdom of Patrick Hamilton.
Immediately after dinner, the fire was prepared before the old College, and Master Patrick was led to the place of execution. Men supposed that all was done but to give him a fright, and to have caused him to have recanted and become recreant to those bloody beasts. But God, for His own glory, for the comfort of His servant, and for manifestation of their beastly tyranny, had otherwise decreed. He so strengthened His faithful witness that neither the love of life nor yet the fear of that cruel death could move him a jot to swerve from the truth once professed. At the place of execution he gave to his servant, who had been chamber-child[6] to him for a long time, his gown, coat, bonnet, and such like garments, saying, "These will not profit in the fire; they will profit thee. After this, thou canst receive no commodity from me, except the example of my death. That, I pray thee, bear in mind; for, albeit it be bitter to the flesh and fearful before men, it is the entrance unto eternal life, which none shall possess who deny Christ Jesus before this wicked generation."
The innocent servant of God being bound to the stake in the midst of some coals, some timber, and other matter appointed for the fire, a train of powder was made and set afire. This gave a glaise[7] to the blessed martyr of God, scrimpled[8] his left hand and that side of his face, but kindled neither the wood nor yet the coals. And so remained he in torment, until men ran to the Castle again for more powder, and for wood more able to take fire. When at last this was kindled, with loud voice he cried, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit! How long shall darkness overwhelm this realm? And how long wilt Thou suffer this tyranny of men?" The fire was slow, and therefore was his torment the more. But most of all was he grieved by certain wicked men, amongst whom Campbell the Black Friar (of whom we spoke before) was principal. These continually cried, "Convert, heretic; call upon our Lady: say Salve Regina," etc. To them he answered, "Depart, and trouble me not, ye messengers of Satan." But, while the foresaid Friar still roared one thing with great vehemency, he said unto him, "Wicked man, thou knowest the contrary, and the contrary to me thou hast confessed: I appeal thee before the tribunal seat of Jesus Christ!" After these words, and others that could not well be understood or marked, both for the tumult and the vehemence of the fire, the witness of Jesus Christ got victory, after long suffering, on the last day of February in the year of God 1527. The said Friar departed this life within few days after, in what estate we refer to the manifestation of the general day. But it was plainly known that he died, in Glasgow, in a frenzy, and as one in despair.
Questionings arise.
When these cruel wolves had, as they supposed, clean devoured the prey, they found themselves in worse case than they were before; for within St. Andrews, yea, almost within the whole realm, of those who heard of that deed, there was none found who began not to inquire, Wherefore was Master Patrick Hamilton burnt? When his Articles were rehearsed, it was questioned whether such Articles were necessarily believed under pain of damnation. And so, within short space, many began to call in doubt that which before they held for a certain truth, in so much that the University of St. Andrews, and St. Leonard's College principally, by the labours of Master Gavin Logie, and the novices of the Abbey, by those of the Sub-Prior, began to smell somewhat of the truth, and to espy the vanity of the received superstition. Within a few years, both Black and Grey Friars began publicly to preach against the pride and idle life of bishops, and against the abuses of the whole ecclesiastical estate.
Friar William Arth speaks out.
Friar William Arth, in a sermon preached in Dundee, spake somewhat more liberally against the licentious lives of the bishops than they could well bear. He spake further against the abuse of cursing and of miracles. The Bishop of Brechin, having his placeboes[9] and jackmen[10] in the town, buffeted the Friar, and called him heretic. The Friar, impatient of the injury received, passed to St. Andrews, and communicated the heads of his sermon to Master John Major, whose word then was held as an oracle in matters of religion. Being assured by him that such doctrine might well be defended, and that he would defend it, for it contained no heresy, there was a day appointed to the said Friar, to make repetition of the same sermon. Advertisement was given to all who were offended to be present. And so, in the parish kirk of St. Andrews, upon the day appointed, appeared the said Friar, and had amongst his auditors Master John Major, Master George Lockhart, the Abbot of Cambuskenneth, and Master Patrick Hepburn, Prior of St. Andrews, with all the Doctors and Masters of the Universities. The theme of his sermon was, "Truth is the strongest of all things."
The Abuse of God's Curse.
Concerning cursing, the Friar said that, if it were rightly used, it was the most fearful thing upon the face of the earth; for it was the very separation of man from God; but that it should not be used rashly, and for every light cause, but only against open and incorrigible sinners. "But now," said he, "the avarice of priests, and the ignorance of their office, has caused it altogether to be vilipended[11]; for the priest, whose duty and office it is to pray for the people, stands up on Sunday and cries, 'One has lost a spurtle.[12] There is a flail stolen from those beyond the burn.[13] The goodwife of the other side of the gate has lost a horn spoon. God's malison and mine I give to them that know of this gear, and restore it not.'" The people, he continued, mocked their cursing. After a sermon that he had made at Dunfermline, where gossips were drinking their Sunday penny, he, being dry, asked drink. "Yes, Father," said one of the gossips, "ye shall have drink; but ye must first resolve a doubt which has arisen amongst us, to wit, What servant will serve a man best on least expense?" "The good Angel," said I, "who is man's keeper, does great service without expense." "Tush," said the gossip, "we mean not such high matters. We mean, "What honest man will do greatest service for least expense?" "While I was musing," said the Friar, "what that should mean," he said, 'I see, Father, that the greatest clerks are not the wisest men. Know ye not how the bishops and their officials serve us husbandmen? Will they not give us a letter of cursing for a plack,[14] to last for a year, to curse all that look over our dyke[15]? That keeps our corn better than the sleeping boy, who demands three shillings of fee, a sark,[16] and a pair of shoes in the year. Therefore, if their cursing do anything, we hold that the bishops are the cheapest servants, in that behalf, that are within the realm.'"
False Miracles.
As concerning miracles, the Friar declared what diligence the ancients took to try true miracles from false. "But now," said he, "the greediness of priests not only receives false miracles, but they even cherish and fee knaves on purpose, that their chapels may be the better
