Journal of the Transactions in Scotland, during the contest between the adherents of Queen Mary, and those of her son, 1570, 1571, 1572, 1573

Front matter

ILLUSTRATIONS OF SCOTISH HISTORY. JOURNAL OF the {transactions in gwtlanb, DURING the contest BETWEEN THE ADHERENTS OF QUEEN MARY, AND THOSE OF HER SON, 1570, 1571, 1572, 1573. BY RICHARD UBANNATYNE, SECRETARY TO 3[ofm ftnor. EDINBURGH : printed by j. ballantyne & CO. FOR A. CONSTABLE AND CO. EDIN BURGH, ANf> J. MURRAY, 32, FLEET-STREET, LONDON. 1806. CONTENTS. Page. I. Journal of the Transactions in Scotland, 1570, 1571, 1572, 1573, by Richard Bannatyne . . 1 II. Letters from Secretary Maitland and the Earl of Mortoun, 1572 ... . 474 III. An account of the Death of the Earl of Huntty, 1576.; .V- ••;• ■•'■,- •• • •••••••• 483 IV. Confession of the Eari of Mortoun, 1581 . 493 V. Mutual aggressions by the contending factions, 1570,

Preface

. In the course of various researches into the ancient history of Scotland, it has rather been my object to rescue the scanty materials, for illustrating our na tional antiquities, from oblivion, than to compose commentaries upon them myself : And chiefly, with this in view, the following pages have been prepared for public inspection. Two things, the most important, in my opinion, re specting BannatyneJs Journal, can admit of little dispute : First, that it is an original work; and, Second ly, that it has been written during the identical period to which it relates ; that the events recorded have

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. X frequently been engrossed on the very day when they occurred. Little is known of the author ; so little, that it is un worthy of repetition here : for I cannot descend to tri fling anecdote, a mode of conveying what is considered information, too prevalent at this day. In the course of the work it appears, that he was secretary to the famous reformer John Knox ; and most probably, through his influence, obtained much of the intelligence, to which we can hardly suppose he could otherwise have had access. In particular, it is not likely, that some of the following state-papers, which are wonderfully correct, had that degree of publicity, which would have enabled him to ascertain their contents, without resorting to the authority of the prevailing government. Soon after the death of Knox, the author made a proposal to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, to print certain memorials relative to the eccle siastical history of the country, subsequent to the year 1 564, which had partly been composed by Knox himself, i

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. XI and partly by the author according to his instructions. The General Assembly approved of the measure, and allowed a sum of money to carry it into execution. It is not known whether any steps were adopted to pro mote this undertaking, nor can it be ascertained whe ther the Journal formed any part of those memorials. If it did, perhaps it may be considered fortunate for the general interest of history, that the publication has been transferred from the sixteenth to the nine teenth century : because, what is now the most use less to us, the ecclesiastical part, would, in all pro bability, have chiefly been preserved. The author labours strenuously to enforce his po litical opinions. His peculiar situation rendered him hostile to those attached to Mary's interest, and a bitter enemy to all that professed the Catholic faith.

The support of his own party depended solely on the depression of the other ; therefore it is not surprising, that he seems, on the whole, to have had politics more in view than religion.

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. Notwithst»anding the numerous instances of intem perate malevolence, and the frequent intrusions of that disgusting vulgarity, which disfigures every work of the age, the author has evidently been a man of con siderable learning ; and the reader will even find some awkward attempts at wit. The general stile of the Journal, also, is much superior to the writings of the same period. If not meant for publication in the shape in which it now appears, this work has been intended for a foundation of some more regular history. Indeed, the desultory manner in which it is written, the repeated want of connection, and the insertion of extraneous subjects and dissertations, detracts infinitely from its value. The manuscript has lost the first nine leaves ; whence there is reason to believe, that the narrative commerced exactly at the death of Regent Murray.

Towards the latter part it becomes more irregular, and the termination is abrupt. Though we cannot trace the history of this manu script, it certainly was known to some of the older au-

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. XIII thors. Calderwood, a voluminous ecclesiastical his torian, whose chief work still remains unpublished, has founded the same period of his history almost solely upon it ; but he seems ignorant of the author's name. Spottiswoode, in like manner, follows it almost implicitly. And there is even a certain coincidence of narrative in some passages, which renders it pro bable, that the Historian of King James the Sext, who preceded the other two, has also seen the Journal. Early in the eighteenth century, Crawford, (the au thor of the peerage) refers to the manuscript, penes Ro bert Miln ; at whose death, in 1748, it most likely was transferred to the Advocates' Library in Edinburgh. Considering the defect of materials for illustrating the history of Scotland, during a period so interesting, it is singular, that this Journal should have been al most entirely overlooked by modern historians.

So far as I know, Goodall is the only one who quotes it for authority, and this is about half a century ago. It is true, the author's name has been mentioned twice since the year 1 800 ; but not by any means from ha-

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. ving seen his work. Goodall does not disclose where it was deposited : indeed the whole tenor of the work is so very adverse to the opinions he entertained re specting Queen Mary, that I cannot help suspect ing, he would have been well pleased that it never came to light. Mary's participation in the murder of her husband, is a matter of indifference to me ; ex cepting that, for the sake of terminating a controversy, where so much acrimony has been displayed, I could wish her guilt was satisfactorily ascertained j or, for the credit of human nature, that she might be pro ved innocent. Certain it is, however, that the unre mitting exertions of two centuries have been unable to fix the crime upon her. Six or seven years ago, when engaged in an ex amination of all the manuscripts in the Advocates' Li brary, I found Bannatyne's Journal among some papers quite unconnected with the subject.

It is entered in no catalogue of the Library, which further induces me to believe, that Goodall, who was many years li brarian there, was solicitous that it should remain in

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. XV concealment. These, however, are only simple con jectures, unsupported by evidence. Whether this manuscript is identically the original, written by Richard Bannatyne, I cannot determine. It is unquestionably of equal antiquity ; and some parts bear marks of originality, though in others there are indications of it being a transcript. If this is the case, it has undoubtedly been made immediately after the original was written. I know very well, that the labour requisite for pre serving such memorials from destruction, and adapt ing them for general use, will be infinitely undervalu ed ; many will even consider it entirely thrown away. I am not insensible of the numerous defects of this volume, nor am I so firmly wedded to antiquarian science, as to suppose, that every thing must be valu able, merely because it is old.

Very far from it. But the truth is, that the extreme scantiness of materials for illustrating Scotish history, has often forced us to stamp an imaginary value on what would otherwise be most thoroughly despised. Whence an unaccount-

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. able latitude has been taken of presenting scraps of histories to the public, without even the slightest evidence, that they are of genuine antiquity. The reader may rest assured, that it would have af forded me as much satisfaction to divest this volume of the trash "too frequently obtruded on his notice, as he must suffer anxiety to avoid it : But it was impossi ble ; for no one can tell where the line of distinction shall be drawn. Each has his favourite pursuit, his tory, biography, language, or the like. Even the de clamations of the popular clergy, and the methods they employed to excite resentment against the unfortunate Mary, may, by some, be considered interesting. Besides, several of the least important parts of the history are so interwoven with the general subject, that they could not possibly be suppressed.

As this Journal, in a manner, analyses its own con tents, perhaps there is less occasion for comm entary. A few notes are subjoined, though -vith a sparing hand. Nothing is easier than to overload a volume with ob servations ; and a strange and reprehensible custom o

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. XVII has insensibly been gaining ground, of perpetually dis* trading a reader's attention, by obtruding absolute dissertations upon him in the form of notes. But this is a liberty that should be used with uncommon mo deration. Indeed necessity alone can apologise for it. A small portion of the volume is not the work of Richard Bannatyne ; but it will not be deemed the less interesting on that account. The complaints of the contending factions clearly demonstrate the principal causes that contributed so materially to promote their mutual animosity, which was rather inflamed than abated by the umpire chosen to decide. The letters respecting Secretary Maitland throw considerable light on the politics of the times, as the correspondence of fallen statesmen must always do. Maitland became alarmed for his personal safety, and not without reason : for it has been insinuated by his torians, that he committed suicide, to escape the igno miny which he dreaded his enemies were preparing for him. b

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. The account of the earl of Huntly's death presents some illustrations of the manners and popular super stitions of the sixteenth century ; for which reason, it must be viewed with a degree of interest. This narrative has evidently been written under a strong propensity to the marvellous, which formerly so emi nently prevailed, and would most likely be still per petuated, were it not for the numberless checks upon it. The following declaration by the earl of Morton is not new ; but it is probably from an older and more authentic copy than any that has hitherto appeared. However, it should not have found a place here, had it not formed part of the manuscript volume containing the Journal ; and been in the same hand writing. The history of this unfortunate nobleman, which is well known, presents a striking picture of the insta bility of human greatness. After filling the highest offices which a subject can enjoy, he fell a victim, more, it is probable, from the jealousy of his enemies, than

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. XIX the evidence of his guilt. He was accused of con cealing his knowledge of Darnly's murder in 1567, and died in 1581 for not having disclosed it. But po pularity, if ever he enjoyed it, had then forsaken him ; so few were his friends, that his body lay neglected, until some compassionate spectator screened it from the gaze of the multitude. In the course of these pages, frequent allusions will be found to the infliction of punishment, immediately after trial. Such a custom was practised of old : a criminal was led to execution almost straight way from the presence of the judge. Morton, it appears, received the sentence of a traitor, which, by special favour, was changed to decapitation. Tradition says, that he died by an engine of his own invention, which is still extant, and he suffered on the day immediately subsequent to that of his trial. 5 A reader of modern times will be forcibly impres sed with the deplorable state of Scotland during the sixteenth century. Here he will behold a faithful picture of the miseries arising from a feeble administ XX

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. tration, the turbulence of powerful nobles, and the ferocity of religious zeal. He may justly congratu late himself, that his good fortune has introduced him so much later into existence ; and while he la ments the misfortunes that overwhelmed his ances tors, he should reflect, that they are the source from which the measures that constitute his own se curity have flowed. John Graham Dal yell.