Lat everie man serve
his conscience. I will, by Goddis grace, see my bretherin in Sanct
Johnestoun: yea, albeit never man should accumpany me, I will go, and
gif it war bot with a pick upoun my shulder; for I had rather dye with
that cumpany, nor leve efter thame." These wordis so encoraged the rest,
that all decreed[785] to go fordward, as that thai did so stoutlie, that
when Lyoun Herault, in his coat armour, commanded all man under the pane
of treassone to returne to thair housses by publict sound of trumpett in
Glasgw, never man obeyed that charge, but all went fordward, as we will
efter hear. When it was clearlie understand that the Prelattis and thair
adherantis, suppressing our petitionis so far as in thame lay, did
kindill the furye of all men against us, it was thoght expedient to
writt unto thame sum declaratioun of our myndis, whiche we did in this
forme following:--

"TO THE GENERATIOUN OF ANTICHRIST, THE PESTILENT PRELATTIS AND
THARE SCHAVILLINGIS WITHIN SCOTLAND, THE CONGREGATIOUN OF CHRIST
JESUS WITHIN THE SAME, SAYETH,

"To the end that ye shall not be abused, thinking to eschaipe just
punishment, efter that ye in your blind fury have caused the bloode
of many to be sched, this we notifie and declair unto yow, that yf
ye proceid in this your malicious creweltie, ye shalbe entreated,
wharesoevir ye shalbe apprehended, as murtheraris and oppin
enimeis to God and unto mankind; and thairfoir, betymes cease from
this blind raige. Remove first from your selfis your bandis of
bloody men of warre, and reforme your selffis to a more quiet lyve;
and thairefter mitigat ye the authoritie whiche, without cryme
committed upoun our parte, ye have inflammit aganis us; or ellis be
ye assured, that with the same measure that ye have measured
against us, and yit intend to measure to utheris, it salbe measured
unto yow: That is, as ye by tyranny intend nocht onelie to destroy
our bodyis, bot also by the same to hold our sowllis in bondage of
the Devill, subject to idolatrie, so shall we with all force and
power, whiche God shall grant unto us, execut just vengeance and
punishment upoun yow. Yea, we shall begyn that same warre whiche
God commanded Israell to execut aganis the Cananites; that is,
contract of peace shall never be maid, till ye desist from your
oppin idolatrie and crewell persecutioun of Godis chi