presentlie the declaratioun of our intentioun, we desire to knaw
lykwayis quhat sall be your pairt to us, that we may understand
quhat to lippin for at your handis; quhairof we desire ane playne
declaratioun in writt, with this beirar, without excuise or delay.

"At Edinburgh, the twentie aucht of August 1559."

This proclamatioun sche send be hir messingeris throwch all the cuntrey,
and had hir solistaris in all pairtis, quha paynefullie travellit to
bring men to hir opinioun; amangis quham thir war the principallis, Sir
Johnne Bellenden, Justice Clerk; Maister James Balfour, Officiall of
Lowthiane, Maister Thomas and Maister Williame Scottis, sonnis to the
Laird of Balwerie,[922] Sir Robert Carnegy, and Maister Gawane
Hammiltoun; quha for faynting of the bretheris hairtis, and drawing many
to the Queneis factioun against thair natyve cuntrey, have declairit
thame selfis ennemeis to God, and traytouris to thair commune wealth.
Bot abuiff all utheris Maister James Balfour, Officiall for the tyme,
aucht to be abhoirrit; for he, of ane auld professoure, is becum ane new
denyare of Christ Jesus, and manifest blasphemar of his eternall
veritie, aganis his knawlege and conscience; seiking to betray his
brethren and natyve cuntrey in the handis of ane crewell and unfaithfull
natioun.

The answer to this former proclamatioun was maid in forme as followis:--

"TO THE NOBILITIE, BURGHIS, AND COMMUNITIE OF THIS REALME OF
SCOTLAND, THE LORDIS, BARONIS, AND UTHERIS, BRETHERIN OF THE
CHRISTIANE CONGREGATIOUN, WISCHIS ENCREASE OF WISDOME, WITH THE
ADVANCEMENT OF THE GLORIE OF GOD, AND OF THE COMMUNWEALTH, &C. &C.

"The love of oure natyve cuntrey craifis, the defence of oure
honouris requyreis, and the synceritie of oure conscienceis
compellis us, (derrest Brethren,) to answer sum pairt to the last
writtingis and proclamatiounis sett furth be the Queneis Grace
Regent, no less to mak us and oure caus odiouse, than to abuse your
simplicitie to youre finall destructioun, conspyreit of auld, and
now alreaddy put to wark. And first, quhair sche allegeis certane
seditious personeis have of malice inventit and blawin abrod
diverse rumouris, [tending] thairby (as sche allegeis) to steir up
the hartis of the pepill to seditioun, be reassone that the
Frensche men ar croppin in of lait in our cuntrey; trew it is,
(deir Brethren,) that a