Series 1 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (First volume)

AN APOLOGIE, 1598
51
pleade ignorance of her cosens execution, wch she would testifie
by th’ immediate imprisonm* and contynuall disgrace of her
Secretarie Davison. But tyme will trye all, and tyme will
reuenge that iniustice and abhomination, and tyme (I doubt
not) plainely will proue by way of deed, that the K. of Scot¬
land is free from parricide, wyse in patience, prudent in pol-
licie, iust and valiant in reuenge, And I hope that Mr C. shall
feele in his owne experience, that the same K. whom he would
thus iniure (yf his authoritie were authentique) hath some
feeling of iniuries. But go to, Mr C.; the more wrongs, the
better, the matter now is past ridding, you know you may say
what you please.
The King of Scotland was vnfaythfull to the Earle of
Angushe, the Lords of Fentry and Ladyland, promising that
they should not be molested for the religion, who notw^stand-
ing were afterwards taken, troubled and persecuted by death falth^khuT^
and bannishment—O, M.C., I did not thincke forsooth that your earls>
ingenious wytte would have comitted so ridiculous a Circle.
This is a playne caption wch commonly we call in the schooles
Petitio Principy, of no force to proue the dishonor of a young
Prince, and very unpropre to tente the wisdome of an ancient
K. Where is your Italian subtilitie ? where is your Cicilian
wisdome ? where is your english experience ? This argument
is already answeared, The Catholiques were not persecuted for
their faith, but for the causes aboue mentioned, And when you
alledge the K.’s promise and assurance, that these noble men
should not be molested for their religion you can proue no such
promise nor assurance, neither by witnes nor hand wryting;
although it be very probable that he mente, indeide, to haue
graunted libertie of conscience, as was suspected and feared by
th’ aduersaries, because he cheifly favoured and preferred his
Catholique nobles to offices of honor and iurisdiction in the
Countrie, And specially he made the Earle of Anguish his
lieutenant in the Northe. He preferred also diuers knowen
Catholiques to offices of Estate, and as appeared, was preparing
so the conuersion of his countrie, and would have performed
the same by wyse pollicie, if some Catholiques themselves being
impacient of tyme had not interrupted his course by precipita¬
tion of their owne cause, and offence of the lawes of the realme,