dispite and defraud of Edinburgh. Quhilk rycht
and superioratie, quhan sche haid gottin, and quhan the money was
payit, the first fruittis of thair libertie thay now eitt with
bitternes, to wit, that strangearis sall possess thair town. This
is hir just tytle quhilk hir Dochter and sche may clame to that
Towne. And quhair sche allegeis that it was fortifeit befoir, we
ask, gif that [was] done without consent of the Nobilatie and
Estaitis of the realme, as sche now, and hir craftie Counsallouris
do in dispyte and contempt of us the lauchfull heidis[968] and
borne counsallouris of this realme.

"How far we have socht support of Ingland, or of ony uther Princes,
and how just cause we haid, and haif sa to do, we sall schortlie
mak manifest unto the warld, to the prayse of Godis haly name, and
to the confusioun of all thame that sclander us for sa doing. For
this we feir nott to confess, that as in this oure interpryse
against the Devill, idolatrie, and the mentenance of the same, we
cheiflie and onlie seik Godis glorie to be notifeit unto man, synne
to be puncisit, and vertew to be mentenit; sua quhair power faillis
of oure self, we will seik quhair soever God sall offer the same;
and yitt in sa doing, we ar assureit, nether till offend God,
nether yitt to do any thing repugnant to our dewiteis. We hartlie
prayse God, quha movit the hart of the Erle of Arrane to joyne him
selff with us, his persecuteit brethren; bot how maliciouse ane
ley it is, that we have promesit to sett him up in authoratie, the
ischew sall declair. God we tak to record, that na sick thing hes
to this day enterit in oure hartis. Nether yitt hes he, the said
Erie, nather any to him appertenyng, movit unto us ony sick mater;
quhilk, gif thay sould do, yitt ar we not sa sklender in jugement,
that inconsidderatlie we wald promeis that quhilk efter we mycht
repent. We speik and write to Goddis glorie:[969] The leist of us
knawis better quhat obedience is dew to ane lauchfull authoritie,
than sche or hir Counsall dois practise the office of sick as
worthelie may sitt upoun the sait of justice; for we offer, and we
performe, all obedience quhilk God hes commandit; for we nether
deny toll, tribute, honour, nor feir till hir, nor till hir
officiaris: We onlie brydill hir blynd raige, in the