Spottiswoode Society > History of the affairs of the Church and State of Scotland from the beginning of the reformation to the year 1568 > Volume 1

1546.] OF CHURCH AND .STATE IN SCOTLAND. 109
that neither the hatred of thy person, the love of thy riches,
nor the fear of any trouble thou couldst have done to me
in particular, moved or moveth me to strike thee, but only
because thou hast been and remainest an obstinate enemy
against Christ Jesus and his holy gospel." This said, without
waiting an answer, or allowing him the smallest time for per-
forming of that to which he had fanatically exhorted him,
he stabbed him twice or thrice through the body, and so left
him weltering in his blood. Meantime the noise spread that
the castle was taken, whereupon such as favoured the Car-
dinal posted thither in all haste, and called out for ladders
to scale the walls ; but when it was told them that the Car-
dinal was dead, whom they sought to rescue, their hearts
cooled, and they dispersed at the sight of his dead body
being shewed to them from that place where before he had
beheld the execution of Mr Wishart, 1 as the story is now
related.
page 2, hath these words, viz. — " The Cardinal intended farder, if the
Lord had not stirred up some men of courage to cut him off in time."
And Sir Fox iu his Martyrology says, these men were stirred up by the
Lord. Were I by opinion a preelestinarian, I would not stick to affirm
that they had been stirred up to this heinous sin for their farther and more
certain condemnation ; but as I am not, I have as little scruple to say,
that they have been stirred up to it by some one else than the Lord.
1 Mr Dempster, in his " Historia Ecclesiastica," p. 598, printed at Bononia
1627, affirms that Mr Wishart was in the plot to take away the Cardinal's
life, and so might easily foretell his death ; and Dr Mackenzie, in his Life
of Mr Wishart, has given us a scrape of a letter that seems strongly to sup-
port the truth of that assertion. But because the letter is not among Mr
Sadler's Letters,nor can I find it in the Lawyers' [Advocates'] Library, after
a great deal of search made for it, though the Doctor says it is there to be
met with — I can determine nothing in the matter. However, I shall here
set down the letter as published by the Doctor. — Earl of Hertford's Letter to
King Henry, \"th April 1544 — " This day arrived from Scotland Mr Wish-
art, who brought me a letter from my Lord Brimston, which I send your
Highness herewith, and, according to his requests, I have taken order of
the repair of the said Mr Wishart to your Majesty, for the delivery of
such letters as he hath to your Majesty from the Lord Brimston, and also
for the said declaration of his credence, which, as I can perceive by him,
consisteth of two points, one in the Laird of Grange, late Treasurer of
Scotland, and the Master of Bothes, the Earl of Rothes his eldest son,
and John Charteris, who would attempt either to apprehend or slay the
Cardinal at some time when he should pass through the Fife-land, as he
doth sundry times to St Andrews ; and in case they can so apprehend him,
will deliver him up to your Majesty ; which attempt, he says, they would
enterprize, if they knew your Majesty's pleasure therein, and what sup-
portation and maintenance your Majesty will minister unto them after