NGREGATIOUN OF SCOTLAND.] Now, gif the
slauchter of ane Cardinall be ane syn irremissebill,[976] as thay
thair selffis affirme, and gif faith aucht not to be keipit to
heretykes, as thair awin law speikis, quhat promeise can sche that
is reullit be the counsall and commandyment of ane Cardinall, mak
to us, that can be sure?

"Quhair sche accusis us, that we usurp authoritie, to command and
charge free Browchis to cheise Provestis and officiaris of our
nameing, &c., we will that the haill Browchis of Scotland testifie
in that caise, quhydder that we have usit ony kynd of violence, bot
lovinglie exhortit sick as askit support, to cheise sick in office
as had the feir of God befoir thair eyis, luffitt equitie and
justice, and war nott notit with avarice and brybing. Bot wonder it
is, with quhatt face sche can accuse us of thatt quhairof we ar
innocent, and sche sua oppinlie criminall, that the haill realme
knawis hir iniquities. In that caise, hes sche nott compellit the
toun of Edinburgh to reteane ane man to be thair Provest,[977] [SN:
THE LORD SEYTOUN UNWORTHY OF REGIMENT.[978]] maist unworthy of ony
regiment in ane weill rewlit commun-wealth? Hes sche nott
enforceitt thame to tak Baillies of hir appoyntment, and sum of
thame sua meitt for thair office, in this trubilsum tyme, as ane
sowtar is to saill[979] ane schip in ane stormy day? [SN: _OPTIMA
COLLATIO._] Sche compleneis thatt we will nott suffer provisioun to
be maid for hir House. In verray deid we unfeinzeitlie repent, that
befoir this we tuik nott better ordour that thir murtheraris and
oppressouris, quham sche pretendis to nureise, for oure
destructioun, had not bene disapointit of that greit provisioun of
victuallis quhilk sche and thay have gadderit, to the greit hurt of
the haill cuntrey. Bot as God sall assist us in tymeis cuming, we
sall do diligence sum-quhatt to frustrat thair devillysche
purpoise. [SN: LETT THE PAPISTIS JUGE GIF GOD HES NOT GEVIN
JUGEMENT TO THE DISPLESOUR OF THAIR HARTIS.] Quhatt baith sche and
we[980] pretend, we dout not bot God, quha can not suffer the
abuse of his awin name lang to be unpunischeit, sall one day
declair; and unto him we feir nott to committ oure cause. Nether
yitt feir we in this presentt to say, that against us sche makis
ane maist malic