d; and so by Act of
Parliament, it was maid free to all man and woman to reid the Scriptures
in thair awin toung, or in the Engliss toung:[265] and so war all Actes
maid in the contrair abolished.

This was no small victorie of Christ Jesus, feghting against the
conjured ennemyes of his veritie; not small conforte to such as befoir
war holdin in such bondage, that thei durst not have red the Lordis
Prayer, the Ten Commandimentis, nor Articules of thare fayth, in the
Engliss toung, but thei should have bene accused of heresye. Then mycht
have bene sein the Byble lying almaist upoun everie gentilmanis table.
The New Testament was borne about in many manis handes. We grant, that
some (alace!) prophaned that blessed wourd; for some that, perchance,
had never red ten sentenses in it, had it maist common in thare hand;
thei wold chope thare familiares on the cheak with it, and say, "This
hes lyne hyd under my bed-feitt these ten yearis." Otheris wold glorie,
"O! how oft have I bein in danger for this booke: How secreatlie have I
stollen fra my wyff at mydnyeht to reid upoun it." And this was done of
many to maik courte thairby; for all man esteamed the Governour to have
bein the most fervent Protestand that was in Europa. Albeit we say that
many abused that libertie granted of God miraculouslye, yitt thairby did
the knowledge of God wonderouslie increase, and God geve his Holy Spreit
to sempill men in great aboundance. Then ware sett furth werkis in our
awin toung, besydis those that came from England, that did disclose the
pryde, the craft, the tyranny, and abuses of that Romane Antichrist.

The fame of our Governour was spred in diverse cuntreis, and many
praised God for him. King Hary send unto him his Ambassadour, Mr.
Saidlar,[266] who lay in Edinburgh a great parte of the sommer. His
commissioun and negotiatioun was, to contract a perpetuall amitie betuix
England and Scotland: the occasion wharof God had so offerred, that to
many men it appeared that from heavin He had declared his good pleasur
in that behalf. For to King Hary, of Jane Somer,[267] (after the death
of Quene Katherin, and of all utheris that mycht haif maid his mariage
suspect,) was gevin a sone, Edwarte the Saxt of blessed memory, eldar
some yearis then our Maistress, and unto us was left a Quene, as befoir
we have heard. This wonderfull providence of God caused men of greatast
judgement to enter in disputatioun with thame self, whither that, with
good c