rist Jesus; in presence of whose throne judiciall, ye and all
other that hear in earth bear authoritie, shall geve accomptes of
your temporall regiment. The Spreit of the Lord Jesus move your
Grace's harte to justice and equitie. Amen.

* * * * *

[SN: THE PRACTISE OF SATHANE.]

These oure Petitionis being proponed, the Estate Ecclesiasticall began
to storme, and to devise all maner of leys to deface the equitie of our
caus. Thei bragged as that thei wald have publict disputatioun, which
also we most earnestlie requyred, two thingis being provided; the
formare, that the plane and writtin Scriptures of God shuld decyde all
contraversie; [SN: DISPUTATIOUN WITH CONDITIONIS.] Secoundlie, that our
brethrene, of whom some war then exiled, and by them injustlie dampned,
myght have free accesse to the said disputatioun, and salf conduct to
returne to thair duelling places, nochtwithstanding any processe whiche
befoir had bene led aganis thame in materis concernyng religioun. [SN:
THE OFFER OF THE PAPISTIS.] But these being by thame utterlie denyed,
(for no judge wold thei admitt bot thame selfis, thare Counsallis, and
Cannon law,) thei and thare factioun began to draw certane Articles of
reconciliation, promissing unto us, yf we wold admitt the Messe, to
stand in hir formare reverence and estimatioun, grant Purgatorie after
this lyiff, confesse Prayer to Sanctes and for the dead, and suffer
thame to enjoye thare accustomed renttis, possession, and honour, that
then thei wold grant unto us to pray and baptize in the vulgare toung,
so that it war done secreatlie, and nott in the open assemblie. But the
grosness of these Articles wes suche, that with ane voce we refused
thame; and constantlie craved justice of the Quein Regent, and a
reasonable answer of our formare Petitionis. [SN: THE GRANT OF THE QUEIN
REGENT.] The Quein, then Regent, ane woman crafty, dissimulate, and
fals, thinking to mak hir proffeit of both parteis, gave to us
permissioun to use our selfis godlye according to our desyres, providit
that we should not maik publict assembleis in Edinburgh nor Leyth; and
did promeise hir assistance to our Preacheouris, untill some uniforme
ordour myght be established by a Parliament. To thame, (we meane to the
Cleargy,) she quietlie gave significatioun of hir mynd, promissing that
how sone any oportunitie should serve, she should so putt ordour in
thare materis, that after thei sh