f prelattis commanded what thei pleased, and the
flatterie of courteouris fostered the insolent Prince in all impietie.

* * * * *

Frome the death of that constant witness of Jesus Christ, Maistir Patrik
Hammyltoun, God disclosing the wickednes of the wicked, as befoir we
have hearde, thare was one Forress of Lynlythqw[113] tacken, who, after
long empreasonment in the Sea toure[114] of Sanctandross, was adjudgeit
to the fyre by the said Bischop James Betoun, and his doctouris, for non
uther cryme but becaus he had ane New Testament in Engliss. Farther of
that history we have nott, except that he deid constantlie, and with
great patience, at Sanctandross. After whose death, the flame of
persecutioun ceassed, till the death of Maistir Normound Gowrlaw, the
space of ten yearis[115] or neyrby; not that thei bloody beastis ceassed
by all meanes to suppresse the light of God, and to truble such as in
any sorte war suspected to abhore thair corruptioun; but becaus the
realme was trubled with intestine and civile warres, in the which much
blood was sched; first, at Melrose, betuix the Dowglasse and Baleleweh,
in the yeir of God J^m. V^c. twenty sax, the xviiij day of Julij; nixt,
at Lynlythqw, betuix the Hammyltonis and the Erle of Levenax, whair the
said Erle, with many utheris, lost his lyif, the thretten day of
September, the year foirsaid; and last, betuix the King him self and the
said Dowglasses,[116] whome he banished the realme, and held thame in
exyle during his hole dayis. Be reassone of these, we say, and of other
trubles, the Bischoppis and thair bloody bandis cold not fynd the tyme
so favorable unto thame as thei requyred, to execut thair tyranny.

In this mydd tyme, so did the wisdome of God provide, that Hary the
Eyght, King of England, did abolishe frome his realme the name and
authoritie of the Pape of Rome; suppress the Abbayis, and uther places
of Idolatrie; which geve esperance to diverse realmes, that some godlye
reformatioun should thairof have ensewed. And thairfoir, frome this our
countrey, did diverse learned men, and utheris that leved in fear of
persecutioun, repayre to that realme; whair albeit thei fand not such
puritie as thei wished, (and thairfoir diverse of thame socht other
countreis,) yit thei eschaped the tyranny of merciless men, and war
reserved to better tymes, that thei mycht fructifie within His Church,
in diverse places and partis, and in diverse vocatio