Library · The History of the Reformation in Scotland (Works, vol. 1)
Part 98
The History of the Reformation in Scotland (Works, vol. 1) · John Knox
[1039] In MS. G. and Vautr. edit. "corner."
[1040] In MS. G, "neir."
[1041] The village of Restalrig is situated about half a mile to the north-east of Holyrood House. It was formerly a place of some importance, and contained a collegiate Church, founded by King James the Second, with a Dean, nine prebendaries, and two singing-boys. A portion of this Church has been restored, and fitted up as a place of worship in connexion with the Parish Church of South Leith. The myre was no doubt that low marshy ground, formerly covered with water, which extended to the precincts, or "the park-dyke," of the Palace and Abbey of Holyrood. In a lease of the Park of Holyroodhouse, to "John Huntar, burgess of the Cannogait," a special charge is included "for uphalding and repairing of our said Park dyke, and casteing and redding of the fowseis about the medowis," &c.; and also for "the keping of the said Park, the Abbotis medow, and groundless myre within the same." 20th March 1564-5.--(Register of Signatures, vol. i.)
Sadler and Crofts, in a letter written about the 7th of November 1559, (vol. i. p. 554,) have given an account of this skirmish, fought at Restalrig on the previous day, on which occasion the Protestant party, commanded by the Earl of Arran and Lord James Stewart, were surrounded in the marshy ground, and their retreat to Edinburgh only accomplished with a loss of thirty men slain, and forty taken prisoners.
[1042] In Vautr. edit. "parke dich."
[1043] MS. G. omits "awin;" in Vautr. edit. it is, "owne."
[1044] Captain Alexander Halyburton, at page 360, is mentioned by Knox as the brother of James Halyburton, Provost of Dundee, with whom he is by some modern writers confounded. He had previously been in the Queen's service, as in August 1555, he received L75, for his pension of the Whitsunday term.--(Treasurer's Accounts.) Bishop Lesley, in his account of this skirmish, which he places about the end of September, says, that the French troops were "not content to be sieged within the toun" of Leith; "at last, thay come fordwarte with their hoill forces, purposing to invayde the toune of Edinburgh; bot the Scottis men come furth of the toun, albeit out of ordour, and encontered the Frenche men apoun the croftis besyde the Abbay of Holieruidhous, betuix Leithe and Edinburgh; quhair the Scottis men war put to flyte, and Capitane Alexander Halieburton with mony utheris was slayne, and the Frenche men persewit the chase evin to the poirtis of Edinburgh, and had maid gret slauchter, war not thair was twa gret cannonis schot furth of the Castell at the Frenche army, quhilk stayed thame frome forder persuit; so they retered agane to Leithe."--(History, p. 279.)
[1045] This sentence in MS. G. reads, "And thus with dolour of many, he ended his dolour within two hours efter the defate, and enter, we doubt not, in that blissit immortality, quhilk abydes all that beleve in Christ Jesus trewly." All the later MSS. correspond verbatim with Vautrollier's edit., which is the same with the text above, except the latter words, "within two hours after our departure."
[1046] The persons here mentioned as having been taken prisoners, were probably David Monypenny of Pitmilly, or his son David; Andrew Fernie of Fernie, in the parish of Monimail, the property having afterwards come by marriage into the family of Arnot; James Stewart, Master of Buchan, second son of John third Earl of Buchan, (his elder brother John having been killed at Pinkie in 1547); and George Lovell, a burgess of Dundee. On the 4th November 1555, George Lovell, burgess of Dundee, and Margaret Rollok, his wife, had a charter under the Great Seal, of certain acres of land in the lordship of Dudhope, Forfarshire. On the previous month, he obtained a letter of legitimation for his bastard son Alexander. In May 1559, Lovell was fined L40, by the Justice Depute, as security for Paul Methven, in consequence of his non-appearance at trial.
[1047] In the MS. of 1566, a blank space is left here, and at the end of the next sentence, as if for the purpose of adding some farther details, which may explain the apparent want of connexion.
[1048] In MS. G, "schote." Vautr. edit. has "hurte."
[1049] All-hallow even, the last day of October, being the eve of Hallowmas, of All-Saints.
[1050] William Maitland, the eldest son of Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington, became Secretary to Queen Mary, in 1561.
[1051] In the orig. MS. "ceased."
[1052] MS. G. adds, "his Sister-son." Vautr. edit. omits these additional words.
[1053] In MS. G, "have stude;" in Vautr. edit. "wold have stood."
[1054] Wednesday was the 8th of November.
[1055] In the MS. of 1566, "this."
[1056] Verse 8, supplied from MS. G, is omitted in the MS. of 1566, and in Vautr. edit.
[1057] In MS. G, "forefathers;" in Vautr. edit. "auncient fathers."
[1058] In the MS. of 1566, "Duik" is often written "Duck."
[1059] In MS. G, "it be not so."
[1060] Vautr. edit. makes it, "passed to Comishall."
[1061] See Sadler's Letters and State Papers, vol. i. pp. 601-604, for the instructions and other matters connected with the mission of William Maitland of Lethington to London at this time.
[1062] In MS. G, "The End of the Secund Buik:" Vautr. edit. has "Endeth," &c.
[1063] The words in italics are usually those in the text, quoted for greater facility in shewing the connexion.--In Buchanan's editions there are numerous marginal notes. Many of these are literally copied from Vautrollier's suppressed edition; and of those which the Editor has added, only such as might be mistaken as Knox's, are here taken notice of.
[1064] "The godly zeal of M. Hamelton towardes his countrey."
[1065] "Articles out of the Registers."--(Marginal note.)
[1066] "His Articles otherwise more truely collected."--(Marginal note.)
[1067] "Condemned by councelles and Uniuersities, but here is no mention of the Scripture."--(Marginal note.)