m self war parttakaris, his Lady, two of his sonnis, and certane of
his freindis; and so returned he to Calder, whare diverse frome
Edinburgh, and frome the countrey about, convened, asweall for the
doctrin, as for the rycht use of the Lordis Table, which befoir thei had
never practised. From thense he departed the secound tyme to the Lard of
Dun; and teiching then in grettar libertie, the gentilmen required that
he should ministrat lyikwiese unto thame the Table of the Lord Jesus,
whairof war partakaris the moist parte of the gentilmen of the Mernse;
who, God be praised, to this day constantlie do remane in the same
doctrin which then thei professed, to witt, that thei refuissed all
societie with idolatrie, and band thame selfis,[649] to the uttermost
of thare poweris, to manteane the trew preaching of the Evangell of
Jesus Christ, as God should offer unto thame preachearis and
oportunitie.

The bruyt heirof sparsed, (for the Freiris from all qwarteris flokked to
the Bischoppes,) the said Johne Knox was summond to compeir in the Kirk
of the Black Freiris in Edinburgh, the xv day of Maij [1556,] which day
the said Johne decread to keape; and for that purpose Johne Erskin of
Dun, with diverse otheris gentilmen, convened to the toune of Edinburgh.
Butt that dyet held nott; for whitther that the Bischoppis perceaved
informalitie in thare awin proceidyngis, or yf thei feared danger to
ensew upoun thare extremitie, it was unknown unto us. But the Setterday
befoir the day appointed, thei caist thare awin summondis; and the said
Johne, the same day of the summondis, tawght in Edinburgh in a greattar
audience then ever befoir he had done in that toune: The place was the
Bischope of Dunkellis his great loodgeing, whare he continewed in
doctrin ten dayis, boyth befoir and after nune. The Erle of Glencarne
allured the Erle Merschall,[650] who with Harye Drummound,[651] (his
counsallour for that tyme,) heard ane exhortation, (but it was upone
the nycht,) who war so weall contented with it, that thei boyth willed
the said Johne to wrait unto the Quein Regent somwhat that mycht move
hir to heir the word of God. He obeyed thare desyre, and wrait that
which after was imprinted, and is called "THE LETTER TO THE QUEIN
DOWAGER;"[652] which was delivered into hir awin handis by the said
Alexander Erle of Glencarne. Which letter, when sche had redd, within a
day or two, she delivered it to that proud Prelate, Betoun,[653]
Bischope of Glasgw