Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Catholic tractates of the sixteenth century, 1573-1600

APPENDIX.
267
seem vnpleasant & distastfull to flesh & bloud, yet assuredly will the
houre come when it shall proue a most singular benefit, an eternall
blisse, glory & honour in your behalfe ; by reason that, You are 1 Thess. 1.
become such followers of Christ, and his Apostles, as receyuing the
5 word of God with ioy of the holy Ghost in great tribulation, you are
made an example or spectacle to all other faythfull people in Mace¬
donia and Achaia, by grace of your fayth, which is published euery
where throughout the world.
You are of the blessed number of those to whome as the Apostle
10 sayth, it is granted not only to belieue in God, but also to suffer for Philipp. 1.
God. Yea, I may say, to my great comfort and consolation, of you
as he sayd and gloryed of himselfe, and his fellowes : Vincula vestra
manifesta fiunt in Christo in omni Prcetorio: Your bands & suffer¬
ings for Christ are made notorious throughout all the tribunall seats
15 of Scotland, which God hath visited now of late extraordinarily, by
reason of the extraordinary and barbarous proceeding of your
enemyes in your behalfe (Et inimici vestri sunt Indices) as your very
enemies witnesse the same.
Your Countrey of Scotland hath been exceeding famous and re-
20 nowned in forraine nations, by reason of antiquity & constancy of the
Catholike religion, without any interruption, the space of fourteene
hundred yeares, without any marke of heresey or schisme, as (besides
many others history - writers) a famous forrayne writer witnesseth
saying thus : Nulla gens b Borealibus tamdiu perstitit in vnanimi Bozius, lib. 8
25 Religionis vnius consensu, vt Scotia; and by reason of this constancy de sig. Eccles.
in religion, Scotland was alwayes free from the yoake and dominion
of forraine Kings, saith the same writer: Nulla gens cujus res vel
greeds vel latinis scriptis illustratce, tanto tempore indigenas habuit
reges, vt Scotia. Your countrey was in such manner ennobled with
30 many holy, learned & famous Bishops, who by reason of their great
zeale & charity did preach the Catholike & Roman religion in diuers
forraine Nations, specially in Germany, where they were preferred
to Ecclesiasticall and politicall dignity by Charles the great, and
Emperour, before other nations, by reason of their Holinesse, Vertue,
35 and Fidelity sayth Paulus yEmilius : Honores magistratusque alieni- Degest. Franc,
genis, fir* imprimis Scotis, fna?idabat, quorum egregia fide virtuieque
vtebatur. Your Countrey is in like manner renowned for the great
number of holy Catholike Kings, Queenes, and Royall Posterity,
famous to this day in diuers Kingdomes of Europe, who all now
40 glorious in heauen receaue a particular consolation by your integrity,
and constancy in the selfe same Catholike religion, which many of
them sealed with their bloud, praying for your perseuerance in that
most honourable course & profession.