My Lord of Requests cravit of the Kirk, that the pronouncing of the said sentence sould be superseidit qwhill the King’s Majestie were advertised. The Kirk heirto continouit to giue answer qwhill thair meeting at afternoone.
The letter written to the King’s Majestie in name of the whole Kirk, being read, was thocht good to be delyverit to my Lord of Requests; whereof the tenor follows:--
We have receavit your Grace’s maist loving letter, direct to us by your Grace’s Commissioner, Mr Mark Ker, Mr of Requests, and are compellit to burst out most humble thanks to our God, qwho of his mercie hes gine us so godlie ane King, cairfull and weill willing that God be glorified, and his Kirk, within your Majestie’s realme, mentaint, as plainly be the articles be your Grace proponit: Qwhairunto, with all diligence, we begine to make answer, but in such shortness of tyme and great strait whereunto we are brought be certaine letters raisit at the instance of Mr Robert Montgomrie, we are altogether stayit in that and many uther godlie actiones: ffor upon the 27th of this instant, the Assembly being occupied in quyet and modest reasonyng of grave and weighty matters, he causit ane officer of armes irreverently to enter, and, under the paine of hornyng, commandit the haill Kirk from all proceiding against him, for whatsoever cause or enormitie committit in these his wicked attempts; a thing that was never heard nor seen since the world began; whairof we man lament unto your Majestie: And having no uther refuge under God, most humblie cravis, that be thir extraordinary chairges direct against the word of God and lawes of your Grace’s countrie, we be not constraint, either to betray the cause of God be beiring and winking at horrible crymes, manifest to all men in the persone of the said Mr Robert, or else to be reput and accountit disobedient to your Majestie, in whais service we have been, are, and shall be ready to sched our bloods and spend our lyfis; beseikand your Grace we may finde this grace and favour in your Majestie’s sicht, to keep our conscience clean before God, and reserve our saules to him who hes gine us care of the saules of his inheritance. This most reasonable request we doubt not to obtaine of your Majestie, our particular reasons being heard and considerit, qwhilk we mynde, by God’s grace, more largely to expone be certaine brether direct to your Majestie, both to this effect, and with a full answer to the forsaids articles. In the meane seasone, we beseik your Majestie, giue no credite to the sinister report and wrangous informatione of men, that, be such dealing, goes about to draw your Majestie’s heart from your trew and faithfull subjects, and be this unhappie schisme, to overthraw the Kirk of God within your Grace’s countrey, and, for their awne particular gaines, banische Christ and his word, (whilk God of his infinite mercy forbid,) and preserve your Grace, body and saul, for ever.--From St Androis, the 28th of Apryle, 1582.