f all utheris of that sect. These thingis
understand by the said Alexander, alsweall by informatioun of his
freindis and familliaris, as by the strange contenance of the King unto
him, provydit the nixt way to avoid the fury of a blynded Prince: and
so, in his habite,[104] hie departed the realme,[105] and cuming to
Berwik, wraitt back agane to the Kingis grace his complaint and
admonitioun, the verray tennour and copy whareof followis, and is
this:--

MAIST GRATIOUS AND SOVERING LORD under the Lord and King of all, of
whome only thy Hienes and Majestie has power and authoritie to
exercise justice within this thy Realme, under God, who is King and
Lorde of all realmes, and thy Grace and all mortale Kingis ar bott
onlye servandis unto that onlie immortall Prince Christ Jesus, etc.
It is nott (I wate) unknawin to thy gratious[106] Hieness, how
that thy Grace's umquhill servand and Oratour, (and ever shalbe to
my lyves end,) is departed out of thy Realme unto the nixt adjacent
of Ingland. Nochtheless I beleve the causse of my departing is
unknawin to thy gratious[107] Majestie: quhilk only is, becaus the
Bischoppis and Kirkmen of thy Realme hes had heirtofoir sick
authoritie upoun thy subjectis, that appearandly thei war rather
King, and thow the subject, (quhilk injust regiment is of the selfe
false, and contrair to holy Scripture and law of God,) than thow
thair King and maistir, and thei thy subjectis, (quhilk is verray
trew, and testifiet expreasslie be the Word of God.) And also,
becaus thei will give no man of onye degree or staite (whome thei
oft falslie call Heretykis) audience, tyme, nor place to speak and
have defence; quhilk is aganist all law, boith the Ald law, called
the Law of Moses, and the New law of the Evangell. So that, gif I
mycht have had audience and place to speak, and have schawin my
just defence, conforme to the law of God, I should never have fled
to any uther realme, suppose it should haif cost me my lyiff. Bot
becaus I beleved that I should haif haid no audience nor place to
answer, (thei ar so great with thy Grace,) I departed, not
dowttand, bott moved of God, unto ane bettire tyme that God
illuminate thy Grace's eyn, to give everie man audience (as thow
should and may, and is bound of the law of God,) who ar accused to
the death. And to certifie thy