in the name of the eternall God, and of his Sone Chryst
Jesus, quhais caus we sustene, we requyre all oure brethren,
naturall Scottis men, prudentlie to considder oure requeistis, and
with judgment to decerne betuix us and the Quene Regent and hir
factioun, and not to suffer thame selfis to be abused by her craft
and deceat, that eather thei shall lift thair weaponis against us
thair brethren, who seik nothing butt Godis glorie, eyther yitt
that thei extract frome us thare just and detfull[981] supporte,
seing that we hasard our lyves for preservatioun of thame and us,
and of our posteritie to come: Assuring suche as shall declair
thame selves favoraris of her factioun, and ennemeis unto us, that
we shall repute thame, whensoever God shall putt the sword of
justice in our handis, worthie of such punishment, as is dew for
such as studie to betray thair countree in the handis of
strangearis." [SN: THIS PROMEISS WAS FORYETT,[982] AND THAIRFOIR
HES GOD PLAGUED. WHAT SPREIT COULD HAUE HOPED FOR VICTORIE IN SO
DISPERATE DANGEARIS.]

This our Answer was formed, and divulgat in some places, but not
universallie, be reassone of our day appointit to meitt at Striveling,
as befoir is declaired. In this meantyme, the Quene her postes ran with
all possible expeditioun to draw men to her devotioun; and in verray
deid, sche fand mo favoraris of her iniquitie then we suspected. For a
man that of long tyme had bene of our nomber in professioun, offered (as
himself did confesse) his service to the Quene Regent, to travaill
betuix hir Grace and the Congregatioun for concord. Sche refused nott
his offer; bott knowing his simplicitie, sche was glad to employ him for
her advantage. The man is Maister Robert Lockart,[983] a man of whome
many have had and still have good opinioun, as tweiching his religioun;
bott to enter in the dresse of suche affaris, nott so convenient, as
godlie and wyise men wold requyre. He travailled nocht the less
earnestlie in the Quene Regentis affares, and could nott be perswaded
bot that sche ment sincerlie, and that sche wold promote the religioun
to the uttermost of her power. He promissed in hir name, that sche wald
putt away hir Frensche men, and wald be reulled by the counsall of
naturall Scottismen. When it was reassoned in his contrary, "That yf
sche war so mynded to do, sche could have found mediatouris a great
deall more conve