ANE BREIF COMMENDATIOVN OF VPRICHTNES
SEN that we se men till haue studyit ay.
Into this eirth sic strenthis to prepair
As micht be saifgaird to thame nicht and day,
Quhen ony danger dang thame in dispair.
Wald thow gude Reider haue ane strenth preclair,
Prouer. 10.12.13.18. Ecclesi. 9. Psal. 25.27.91.
Maist strang and stark to rin to in distres
This lytill schedull schortly sall declair
How that the surest Towre is vprichtnes.
Quhilk vprichtnes we may descriue to be:
Ane traid of lyfe conforme to Godds command,
Iob. 31.
Without all poysoun of Hypocrisie
Or turning to or fra, from hand to hand.
Prouer. 5.
Bot stoutly at the word of God to stand.
Eschewing alwayis it for to transgres
Not bowing back for thame that contramand.
Psalm. 18.
This wayis we may descriue this vprichtnes.
For first thair is na Castell, Towre, nor Toun,
Nor raturall strenth, as Alexander sayis,
Q. Curt. li. 7
Bot mānis Ingyne may vincous and ding doun,
As that he had experience in his dayis,
Na strenth was sure to thame that was his fais:
The Craig in Asia did beir witnes,
Q Curt. li. 7
Howbeit in hicht vnto the sky it rais,
It was ouercum for laik of vprichtnes.
Euin sa that bailfull Bour of Babilone,
Q. Curt. li. 5 Ieremi. 5 [...].
Na saifgaird was to Darius we reid,
Suppois it was ane maist strang Dongeone,
And mony ma I micht declair in deid,
Bot sic exempillis Foraine nane we neid,
Quhat surenes fand the Bischopis halynes,
Into Dunbartane quhair he pat his Creid.
It was not half sa sure as vprichtnes.
Psalm. 33.40.60. Esai. 31. Ieremi. 17
The force of men gif ony will obtend,
Kinred, or freinds to be ane gaird maist strang,
All is bot vane, thay can not man defend,
For quha mair surely into Royat rang,
Q. Curt. lib. 10.
Nor the greit Conquerour his freindis amang,
Ȝit was he poysonit as sum dois expres,
Intill his Camp quhilk he had led sa lang,
Than quhat is force of man till vprichtnes.
Riches and rent we ken dois not abyde,
Prouer. 11. Eccle. 5. Iob. 1. Psalm. 49. 1. Timot. 6. Zephan. 1. Ecclesi. 2. Nahum. 3.
Bot flitts and fochis euer to and fra,
Than vane it is in thame for to confyde,
Sen that we se thame asweill cum as ga,
Thairfoir my freindis sen that the cace is sa,
That warldly strenth can haue na sickernes,
Sum vther saifgaird surely we mon ha,
Quhilk is nocht ellis bot only vprichtnes.
Bot sum perchance that winks mair wylelie,
Will say thay wait ane wyle that I na wist,
With iouking thay will Iangill craftelie,
And on thair feit will ay licht quhen thay list:
Thinking all surenes thairin to consist:
Hypocrisie is quent with quyetnes,
Bot all begylit thay ar into the mist.
For nathing can be sure but vprichtnes.
For quhat become of fals Achitophell,
2. Sam. 17.
For als far as he saw befoir his neis,
The Scripture schawis I neid not heir to tell.
The lyke of this in mony Historeis,
Psalm. 7. Ester. 7.
I micht bring furth that to my purpois greis,
How Hypocrites into thair craftynes,
Thame selfis hes trappit with greit misereis,
Becaus thay did eschew all vprichtnes.
Bot quha sa euer on the vther syde.
Ester. 6.
Hes preissit peirtly to leif vprichtlie,
Da [...]i. 6.
And be the treuth bound bauldly till abyde:
Hes euer had the maist securitie.
For thay had God thair buckler for to be,
Quhome we mon grant to be ane strang fortres,
Psalm. 76. Psalm. 89.
Of quhome the Deuill can not get victorie,
Nor all the enemeis of vprichtnes.
Think weill my freindis this is na fenȝeit fair,
For quha sa list of Dauid for to reid,
1. Sam. 17.18.19.20.21.22 29.33. 2. Sam. 2.3.5 8.15.16.18.20. [...]. Sam. 23.
May se quhat enemeis he had alquhair,
And ȝit how surely he did ay proceid.
Becaus he walkit vprichtly in deid.
He was mair sure from Saulis cruelnes,
Nor gif ten thousand men intill his neid,
Had with him bene syne lackit vprichtnes.
Of sic exempills we micht bring anew,
Bot ane thair is that preifis our purpois plane
Of Daniell that Propheit wyse and trew,
Dani. [...].
How oft was he in danger to be slane.
Into the Lyonis Den he fand na pane.
Dani. 3.
The thre Children the fyre did not oppres.
I think this only Historie micht gane,
To preif how sure ane Towre is vprichtnes.
Bot ȝit becaus exempills fetchit far,
Mufis not so muche as thay thingis quhilk we se,
I purpois schortly now for to cum nar,
Vnto the but quhair cheifly I wald be:
That is to schaw the prufe befoir ȝour Ee.
Of thir premissis, as all mon confes
That hes sene God wirking in this countrie,
How ane hes bene preseruit in vprichtnes.
It is Iohne Knox in deid quhome of I mene,
That feruent faithfull seruand of the Lord,
Quhome I dar bauldly byde at till haue bene,
Ane maist trew Preicheour of the Lordis word.
I rak nathing quhat Rebalds heir record,
Quha neuer culd speik gude of godlynes.
This man I say eschaipit fyre and sword,
And deit in peace, in praise of vprichtnes.
[...] that this may be maid ma [...]e manifest:
P [...]ll [...] thing in speciall,
Tuiching this Lamp, on lyfe quhill he did lest,
First he discendit bot of linage small.
Amos. i. 7. Mark. 1.
As commounly God vsis for to call,
The sempill sort his summoundis til expres.
1. Cor. 1. Iaco. 2.
Sa calling him, he gaue him giftis with all
Maist excellent besyde his vprichtnes.
For weill I wait that Scotland neuer bure,
In Scot [...] [...]id ane man mair Eloquent.
Into pe [...] adin [...] also I am sure,
Was nane in Europe that was mair potent.
In Greik and Hebrew he was excellent,
And als in Latine toung his propernes,
Was tryit trym quhen scollers wer present.
Bot thir wer nathing till his vprichtnes.
For fra the tyme that God anis did him call,
To bring thay ioyfull newis vnto this land,
Quhilk hes illuminat baith greit and small,
He maid na stop bot passit to fra hand,
Idolatrie maist stoutly to ganestand:
And cheifly that greit Idoll of the Mes.
Howbeit maist michtie enemeis he fand,
Ȝit schrinkit he na quhit from vprichtnes.
The greuous Galayis maid him not agast,
Althocht the Prelats gold in greit did geif,
Ouir schipburd in the sey him for to cast,
He fand sic grace thay sufferit him to leif.
Ȝea, mairatour thay did him not mischeif,
As thay did his Companȝeounis mair and les,
With pynefull panis quhen thay thair pythis did preif,
God fa prouydit for his vprichtnes.
In Ingland syne he did eschaip the Ire,
Of Ies [...]bell, that Monstour of Mahoun.
In Scotland nixt with terrour him to tyre,
Thay brint his picture in Edinburgh Toun.
Bot son to Scotland [...] [...]e [...]id him bo [...],
Quhat ba [...] he h [...] bid di [...] to may goe,
Send [...] and they Deuills he good [...]ng doun,
In spyte [...] ane that haitit [...]p [...] h [...]nes.
Thay that hes bene cheif in Authoritie,
For the maist part had him at deidly feid,
Ȝit he eschaipit all thair crueltie,
Howbeit oftymes thay did deuyse his deid,
Ȝea, sum [...] bin presitely be the heid,
Quha vndertake his Di [...]igs for to dre [...],
Ȝit bauldly be his baner he abaid,
And did not soule ane ioit from vprichtnes.
Bot cheifly anis he was put to ane preace,
Quhen that the Quene of tressoun did accuse him
Befoir hir Lordis in haly Rudehous place.
Quhair clawbacks of the Court thocht till abuse him
Sa prude [...]ly this Propheit yair did vse him,
Into refuting of thair fulischenes.
That all the haill Nobilitie did ru [...]e him,
And praisit God for his greit vprichtnes.
Quhen Quene & Court culd not get him cōuict,
Bot sa wer disapointit of thair pray,
Thay fryit in furie that he schaipit quick,
Ȝit at the leist to get thair wills sum way,
Thay wald haue had him wardi [...] for ane day,
In Daueis Towre, ȝea, for ane hour or les,
It was denyit for ocht the Quene culd say.
Thair micht be sene how sure was vprichtnes.
Bot in quhat perrell trow ȝe he was last,
Quhen Edinburgh he left with hart full fair,
Doutles na les nor ony that hes past,
In spyte thay spak that him thay suld not spair,
Thay suld him schuit into the Palpet thair
Becaus he did rebuke thair fylthenes,
And mischant murther that infects the air,
Ȝ [...] God preseruit him in Vpri [...]h [...]nes.
Mony [...] dangers nor I can declair,
Be sey and land thi [...] Propheit did sustens,
In France and Ingland, Scotland, heir and thair,
Quhilk I refer to thame that mair hes h [...]e,
Intill his company and sic things sene.
Bot this far schortly I haue maid progres,
To preif how God maist surely dois mantene,
Sic as continew intill vprichtnes.
For this Excellent seruand of the Lord,
Vnto the deith was haitit as we knaw,
For sinceir preiching of the Lordis word
With Kingis, Princes, hie estait and law,
Ȝit in thair Ire him micht thay not ouirthraw,
He did depart in peace and plesandnes:
For all the troublis that he hard vs schaw
That he sustenit for lufe of vprichtnes.
And this is merwell gif we will considder,
Ane sempill man but warldly force or aide,
Aganis quhome Kings and Princes did confidder,
How he suld fend from furie and thair fead,
Syne leaue this lyfe with list for all thair plaid,
He had ane surer gaird we mon confer,
Nor ony warldly strenth that can be maid,
Quhilk was nathing bot only vprichtnes.
Bot sum may say quhairto suld thow prefer
This vprichtnes quhilk thow extolls sa hie
Vntill all warldly stre [...]this that euer wer?
Sen that the contrair daylie we may se,
How vpricht men ar murtherit mischantlie,
Gene. 4. Math. 14. 2. Chro. 24. Math. 27.
As first was Abell with greit cruelnes,
Gude Iohne the Baptist, and als Zacharie,
Ȝea, Christ him self for all his vprichtnes.
Euseb To. 4 fol. 7.
Peter and Paull with mony ma sensyne.
And of lait ȝeiris in Ingland as we knaw,
Vide Sleidanum.
How mony piteously was put to pyne.
And now in France that schame is for to sch [...]w.
Iames our gude Regent rakkin in that [...]aw,
Quha had rung ȝit wer not his richteousnes.
Sa, I can se nathing sa sone ouirthraw,
Man in this eirth as dois this vprichtnes.
To this I answer into termis schott,
Quhen warldly strenth is vincust and maid waist,
Prouer. 12.
With it man tynis baith courage and comfort,
Quhen it is tynt quhairin he pat his traist:
Bot quha that deith in vprichtnes dois taist,
Prouer. 11. Math. 16.
Sall haue the lyfe that lests with ioyfulnes,
Sa thay ar sure, becaus thay ar imbraist
Be the Eternall for thair vprichtnes.
Bot this sa lichtly we may not pas by:
I grant in deid quha preissis vprichtlie
To serue the Lord mon first thame selfis deny,
Math. [...].
And na wayis dres to daut thame daintelie
Bot thame prepair for troublis Identlie,
2. Timo. [...]. Psalm. 14. 1. Pet. 5. Iob. 1.
For troublis ar the bage thay mon posses,
Sen Sathan ceisis not continuallie
To troubill thame that followis vprichtnes.
Q
[...]hylis harling thame befoir Princes & Kings,
Luc. 11.
As rauing Reb [...]lds rudelie to be rent,
Accusing thame of troubling of all things,
1. Reg. 1 [...]. 1. Reg. 12.
As cankerit Carlis that can not be content,
Except all things be done be thair consent:
Now scornit, now scurgeit,
Math. [...]7. Ieremi. [...]8. A [...]. 12.
now bād with bitternes
Imprisonit, and sindrie fassiounis schent,
And sum tymes dreuin to deith for vprichtnes.
This is thair lote oftymes I will not lane
Into this eirth that vse to be vpricht,
Bot quhat of this my purpois ȝit is plane:
That is, that thay ar surer day, and nicht,
Psalm. 51. Psalm. 1 [...]8.
For all this wo, not ony wardly wicht.
For in thair conscience is mair quyetnes
In greitest troubl [...]s, not the man of micht
Hes in thair Castells, without vprichtnes.
For qullen Belshazzer greit King of the [...]ist.
Dani. 5.
Ane thousand of his Princes had gart cal
[...],
Drinkand the wyne befoir thame at the Feist,
Intill his prydefull Pomp Imperiall:
Euin in the middis of this his mirrie hall.
He saw ane sicht that sank him in sadnes,
Quhen he persauit the fingers on the wall,
Wryting his wrak for his vnvprichtnes.
Quhat sall I say I neid not till insist,
To schaw how thay to God that dois Rebell,
In thair maist micht can not be haldin blist,
For in this warld thay do begin thair hell,
Gene. 4. Esai. 66. Prouer. 15.
As Cayin did that slew the iust Abell,
Within thair breist thay beir sic bailfulnes,
That toung of man can not the teynd part tell,
Of inwart torments for vnvprichtnes.
Prouer. 14.
Bot thay that walks vprichtly with the Lord,
In greitest troublis wantis not inwart rest,
Act. 5.
As the Apostillis doung for Godds word,
Reioysit that for Christ sa thay wer drest,
Act. 13. Act. 16.
Peter in prisone sleipit but molest.
Paull in the stocks and Sylas with glaidnes,
Did sing ane Psalme at midnicht, sa the best
Surenes that man can haue, is vprichtnes.
Sa be this surenes now I do not men [...],
That Godds seruands ar neuer tane away,
Be cruell men, for the contrair is sene,
For God oftymes of his Iudgements I say,
Letts thame so fall, as thocht befoir the day:
To plague the warld for thair vnthankfulnes,
Esai. 3. Heb. 11.
Quhilk is not worthie of sic men as thay.
Bot I mene this be strenth of vprichtnes.
That quhen it plesis God to let thame fall,
Act. 7. 2. Timot. 4.
Thay haue sic in wart comfort without cair,
That thay depart with ioy Angelicall.
Of lyfe assurit that lestis for euer [...]it.
And ȝit sum tyme he doi [...] his seruands spair,
To let the Tyrannis se his michtenes,
Esai. 41. Ierem. 1.4 [...].
In spyte of thame, that he can his alquhait.
Preserue maist surely intill vprichtnes.
Quhilk we haue sene as we can not deny,
Into Iohne Knoxis michtie preseruatioun,
Quhilk till our comfort we suld all apply,
I mene that ar the Faithfull Congregatioun.
Sen he departit with sic consolatioun,
Euin as he leuit, he deit in Faithfulnes,
Being assurit in Christ of his Saluatioun,
As in the end he schew with vprichtnes.
Sa is he past from pane to plesure ay,
And till greit eis doutles vntill him sel [...],
Bot for ane plague till vs I dar weill say,
As sair I feir we fall heir schortly tell,
Schir wink at vice beginnis to tune his bell.
Bot on this heid na mair I will digres,
That gude men hes mair rest in all perrell
Nor wickit in thair welth but vprichtnes.
Then sen alwayis we se that men ar sure
Throw vprichtnes quhidder thay liue or die,
Psalm. 19.
Let all gude Cristianes Imploy thair cure,
In thair vocatioun to leif vprichtlie,
And cheiflie let all preicheouris war [...]it be,
That this day God and the gude
[...]aus profes,
Tit. 1.
Na way is to wink at sic Impietie
And cheifly do [...], withstand all vprichtnes.
Taking exempill of this Propheit plane,
Quhome heir befoir we breuit in this bill,
Quha Godds reuelit will wald neuer lane,
Quhen men begouth for to delyte in ill,
He wald not wane ane wy for na mān is will
For to rebuke Erle, Barrone, or Burges,
Quhen in thair wickit wayis thay walkit still.
Follow this Lamp I say of vprichtnes.
Let nouther lufe of freind, nor feir of sais,
Muse ȝo [...] to mank ȝour Message, or hald bak
Ane iot of ȝour Commissioun ony wayis
Psalm. 40. Esai. 5.
Call ay quhite, quhite, and blak, that quhilk is blak,
Ane Gallimafray neuer of thame mak:
2. Timoth. 2
Bot ane gude cans distingue from wickitnes,
This kynd of phrais sumtymes this Propheit spak
Q [...]hen he saw sum not vsing vprichtnes.
2. Timot. 2.
In generall do not all things inuolue,
Thinking ȝour selfis dischargeit than to be,
Thocht na mānis mynd in maters ȝe resolue:
For (ȝit till vse this same mānis Elogie)
Num. 2 [...].24
To speik the trouth, and speik the treuth trewlie,
Is not a thing (said he) brethren doutles.
Thairfoir speik trewly but Hypocrisie,
G [...]f ȝe wald haue the praise of vprichtnes.
2. Timot. 4.
Let vice ay in the awin cullouris be kend
But beiring with, or ȝit extenuatioun
Act. 17.
Schawing how heichly God it dois offend,
Esai. 52. 2. Timot. 5.
Spairing na st
[...]it that make preuaricatioun,
Let it be sene till all the Congregatioun,
That ȝe sic haiereo [...] haue at wickitnes
That ȝe mon dampne thair greit abhominatioun,
Quha planely f [...]chtis aganis all vprichtnes.
Psalm. 38. Psalm. 41.
Q
[...]hilk
[...]od of doctrine gif ȝe anis begin
I grant the Deuill and warld will be agane ȝow
The feid of frem [...]it, and crai [...]ing of ȝour kin
First ȝe [...] [...]he [...]yne terrour to constraine ȝow
To syle the suith, and sunȝe, I will plane ȝow.
Nehum. 1. Psalm 31. Psalm. 34.
The Ȝock is not sa licht as sum dois ges.
Bot ȝit haue ȝe na dreid quha do disdane ȝow,
Sen that ȝour fortres sure is vprichtnes.
For pleis it God ȝout lyfe to lenthen heir,
Thocht all the warld ag [...]nis ȝow wald conspyre,
Thay s [...]ll not haue the power ȝow to deir,
Albeit thay rage and rin wod in thair Ire,
And gif that God thinks gude be sword or fyre,
To let ȝow fell b [...]ay in reddynes:
Being assurit that heuin salbe ȝour hyre,
2. T [...]. [...].
Becaus ȝe endit sa in vprichtnes.
Let not the luse of this lyfe temporall,
Quhilk ȝe mon lose, but let quhen ȝe leist wene
Stay ȝow to cois with lyf [...] Celestiall;
Quhen euer that the chois cūmis thame betwene.
Christis sentence in ȝour gardene keip ay grene,
Quha sauis his lyfe sall lois it not the les,
Math. 14.
Quhilk euin into this warld he [...] oft bene sene,
Quhat gaine is than to deny vprichtnes?
Than to conclude, sen in thir dangerous dayis
Sa mony terrours Tyranis casts befoir ȝow
Call vpon God to strenthen ȝow alwayis
That with his haly Spre [...]t he will decoir ȝow
As he hes done his seruands ay befoir ȝow
That ȝe may neuer wink at wickitnes
With Gun & Gainȝe thocht thay boist to got ȝow
Esai. [...].
Sen that ȝour Towre sa sure is vprichtnes.
¶FINIS.
❧ ANE SCHORT DISCVRS OF THE ESTAITIS, quha hes caus to deploir the deith of this Excellent seruand of God.
THOW pure contempnit Kirk of God,
In Scotland scatterit far abrod,
Quhat leid may let the to lament:
Sen baith the Tyger and the Tod,
Maist cruellie cummis the to rent.
Thow wants ane watcheman that tuke tent,
Baith nicht and day that nocht suld noy the,
Allace thow wants that Instrument,
That was thy Lanterne to conuoy the.
Thy [...] that fellow [...]licht,
Was gude Iohne Knox, and [...] vp [...]icht,
[...] [...]is deith thow daylie may deplo [...],
His presence maid thy bewtie bricht,
And all thy doings did docoir,
He did him h [...]illi [...] indeuoir,
Thy richteous actioun to manten [...],
And libertie to the restoir,
Pleading thy caus with King and Quene.
He neuer hu [...]t benefice,
Nor catchit was with Co [...]tice,
Thocht he had offers [...]ony one:
And was als meit for sic Office
As outher gellie lok or Iohne,
His mynd was ay sa the vpon.
Thy only weilfair was his welth,
Thairfoir lamentsen he is gone,
That huik it nathing for thy helth,
Lament Assemblie Generall,
At thy Con [...]ention in ane, and all,
For thow will mis ane Moderatour,
Quhais presence mufit greit, and small,
And t [...]rifeit baith theif and tratour,
With all vn [...]e [...] he Ru [...]i [...]tour,
Th [...]i [...] ioukers durst not kyith thair cure,
For feir of Fasting in the Fratour,
And tynsall of the charge thay bure.
Bot now I feir that thow sall se,
Greit missing of that man to be,
Quhen craftie heidis sall na mair hyde,
The hurde of thair Hypocrisie,
Bot all sinceirne: set a syde,
With policie will all things gyde,
Thir Balamis birds fair may thow fei [...]:
Thairfoir be Godds buke abyde,
And to sic Bablers giue na en.
Giue [...]range opinio [...]nis [...]nteris in,
Tak tent quha sic things dois begin,
And with sic matoris mynts to mell,
For Sathan coisis not fra fin,
The Kirk of Christ seiking to quell,
Sic foly faill not to refell:
For quhen the reik beginnis to ryfe,
The fyre will follow as thay tell,
Be it not quencheit be the wyse.
Bot cheifly murne and mak thy mane,
Thow Kirk of Edinburgh allane,
For thow may re [...] by all the rest,
That this day thow wants sickin ane,
Thy speciall Pastour: and the best
That ony Kirk had Eist, of west.
He did comfort the in all cair,
And the foirwairnd of thy molest,
Quhanby thow micht thy self prepair.
Thair was na troubile come to the,
Bot he foirspak it oppinlie,
Thocht sum the mater than did mock,
Gif he spak suith now thow may se,
This day thy heid is in the ȝock,
God send the blyithnes of this block,
And freith the from thy fals aboue the,
For tho [...] art the maist feruent flock
That Scotland beiris, as deid dois proue the.
And giue God sa h in dills the best,
Allace quhat sill cum of the rest,
Except repentance [...]n and red:
It is ane Mirrour manifest,
Of dule and dolour to be dred,
To fall on thame this barret bred.
Bot till our purpois to returne,
Thocht of this feir thow salbe fred,
Ȝit hes thow mater for to murne.
Becaus that watchem [...]n [...]
That the in puritie did plant,
And comfortit thy Congregatioun:
Bot ȝit thocht he be gane [...]l grant
The Lord can send the consolatioun,
Gif thow giue him dew adoratioun,
He will not leaue the comfortles.
As alreddy thow he [...], probatioun,
God grant thy Preicheours vprichtnes.
¶Ȝe Lords also that doit frequent,
The Loft in Sanct Geills Kirk lament,
That Bogill thair that ȝe hard blaw,
With quhome quhyles ȝe wer small content,
For the schai [...]p threitnings he did schaw:
Ȝit thay maid ȝow sum quhat stand a [...],
Thocht not so muche as naid requyrit:
This day in graue he lyis full law,
Quhilk langtyme was of him, desyrit.
For seing all things not go weill,
He said thair suld not mis ane reill.
That suld the chaifest walkin vp.
Gif he said suith this day ȝe feill,
Luke gif God hes begun to quhup,
Bot thair byds ȝit ane fowrer Cup▪
Except ȝour manere ȝe amend,
The dreggs but dout als ȝe sall sup,
From quhilk danger God ȝow defend.
Sanctandrois als not to leif out,
His deith thow may deploir but dout,
Thow knaw is he lude the by the laue
For first in the he gaue the rout,
Till Antechrist that Romische slaue,
Preicheing that Christ did only saue.
Bot last, of Edinburgh exprest.
Quhen he was not far fra his graue,
He come to the by all the rest.
God grant that thow may thankfull be,
For his greit graces schawin to the,
In sending the his feruands trew,
Amen. Thow heiris na mair of me.
Bot Kyle, and Cuninghame may rew,
Als sair as ony that I schew,
To quhome this darling was maist d [...]ir.
And vther gentill men anew,
Quhome I haue not reheirsit heir.
Than last of all to turne to ȝow,
That wer our brethren, bot not now:
God grant agane ȝe may cum ham [...],
For we suld wis ȝour weill I vow,
As also did this man be Name,
Thocht sum said he did ȝow defame,
He prayit to God that ȝe micht turne,
That ȝe micht schaip Eternall schame,
Thairfoir ȝour part is als to murne.
For doutles he was mair ȝour freind,
Nor thay that win kit, or manteind
Ȝour fulische factioun and vnfair.
In deid that ȝe suld not susteind,
He thunderit threitnings to the air,
To terrifie ȝow mair and mair,
And rug ȝow back that ȝe micht rew:
For he knew perseueird ȝe thair,
Ȝe wer bot schipwrak but reskew.
Than all this land thow may lament,
That thow lacks sic ane Instrument,
Till sum not plesand, ȝit, sa plane,
That all the godly was content.
Allace his lyke he left not ane,
Nor I feir fall not se agane:
Bot ȝit let vs nawayis dispair,
For quhy our God dois ȝit remane,
Quha can and will for his prepair.
For thocht his deith we do deploi [...],
Ȝit is he not our God thairfoir:
As wickit warldlings wald obtend,
Gone is ȝour God quhairin ȝe gloir.
The le [...]ing God we mak it kend,
Is he, on quhome [...]e do depend,
Quha will not leaue vs in distres,
Bot will his seruands till vs send,
Till gyde vs throw this wildernes.
Thairfoit letting thir Bablers be,
Quhais cheif Religioun is to lie,
And all Godds seruands to backbyte,
Traducing this man principallie:
Let thame spow out in tha [...] dispyte,
All that thay will be word or wryte.
Lyke as him self is into gloir,
Sa sall all ages ay recyit,
Iohne Knoxis Name, with greit d [...]coir.
¶FINIS.