mark, H. 34. d. 42. This copy is interesting from the fact that it was presented to the Library by Winzet's successor, Abbot Bernard Baillie, as the following inscription shows: "Hunc librum Bibliothecæ Facultatis Juridicæ Edinburgi dono dedit Reverendissimus Dominus Bernardus Baillie exempli ac celeberrimi Monasterii ad S. Jacobum Scotorum Ratisbonæ Abbas Ao Æ. C. MDCCXXXVII."

No copies of Winzet's works are to be found in the great libraries of Paris.

Of the other works which Winzet appears to have published, no one as yet can be found giving his name on the title-page.

REPRINTS.

Bishop Keith reprinted 'The Certane Tractatis' and 'The Buke of Four Scoir Thre Questions' in the Appendix to his 'History of the Affairs of Church and State in Scotland from the beginning of the Reformation in the Reign of King James V. to the Retreat of Queen Mary into England, anno 1568,' fol. Edin. 1734. Keith's reprint of the 'Tractatis' was taken from a copy in the Scots College, Paris (cf. ante, Introduction, p. lxxx), and Keith informs us that "there is not the least variation made here from the original; and the pages of it (being in all 38, on a small quarto, or large octavo) are carefully marked on the margin as they stand in the original.” 1

The Maitland Club reprinted 'The Certane Tractatis,' 'The Last Blast,' The Buke of Four Scoir Thre Questions,' and Vincentius Lirinensis,' &c., in one volume. The title runs thus: 'Certane Tractatis for Reformatioun of Doc

1 Keith, ‘Hist.,' Appendix, p. 413, vol. ii. Edin. 1850. Spott. Soc. ed.

tryne and Maneris in Scotland. By Niniane Winzet. M.D.LXII M.D.LXIII. Reprinted at Edinburgh M.DCCC.XXXV.' This work was 'Presented To The Maitland Club By John Black Gracie." It is a quarto, and is prefaced by a "Life of Ninian Winzet," embodied in thirteen pages. This biography, though meagre, is concise, and generally accurate, and has been useful in suggesting sources of information for this edition.

I.-CERTANE TRACTATIS, &c.

FIRST TRACTATE.

The First Tractate consists of "Ane exhortatioun to the Maist Excellent and gracius Souerane Marie Quene of Scottis, &c., To the Bischoipes and utheris Pastores and to al thaim of the Nobilitie within this hir Graces Realme for unfenzeit reformation of doctrine and maneris, and for obtening of license, to propone in wryt to the Precheours of the Protestantis, certane artyculis tweching doctrine, ordour, and maneris approuin be thame. . . . Delyuerit to the Quenes Grace the 15 of Februar 1561-2."

The First Tractate draws attention to the imminent peril of the State as regards religion, and compares the State to a ship in a storm, and the pastors to the perplexed mariners realising danger on every hand (vol. i. p. 3). With studied terms of praise, the author sarcastically rebukes the ecclesiastics for their unholy lives, impure doctrine, and their vices of ignorance, worldliness, and immorality (pp. 4, 5). Nor does he spare the nobles and laity generally for their greed, avarice, epicureanism, and godlessness (p. 7).

The tractate ends with the request that the author should

be exempted from the observance of the royal enactment forbidding disputations on religious subjects, and should be permitted to address his views in writing to the Protestant clergy, for the purpose of rectifying error and of spreading the truth (p. 10). The author gives two reasons for the request :

(1.) The impulse of conscientious convictions-the truth's sake (p. 10);

(2.) The negligence of the bishops in not executing this part of their duty (p. 11).

He illustrates the necessity for personal action by showing how his brother clergy had been avaricious, dumb, and false pastors (pp. 11, 12, 13). It concludes with a "Mirror for the Reformation of Estatis," taken from the 13th chapter of Ezekiel (p. 14).

SECOND TRACTATE.

The Second Tractate consists of three questions relating to the lawful vocation of John Knox and his fellow-presbyters, to which are appended three missive letters sent to Knox regarding these unanswered questions.

These three questions correspond with Questions 33, 34, and 35 of 'The Buke of the Four Scoir Thre Questions.'

The first question demanded from Knox his authority for acting as a minister (p. 15); the second wished to discover what authority and precedent existed for the appointment of superintendents (p. 16); the third asked why laymen, who were, like ministers, men of knowledge, should be debarred by the ministers from performing sacred duties (p. 16).

To the first question Knox in the pulpit, referring to Winzet, replied by declaring he was extraordinarily called,

f

like John the Baptist; to the second, he answered that he had ordained no superintendents nor ministers; to the third he gave an obscure and unintelligible reply, according to Winzet (p. 16).

Consequently, on the 3d of March 1562, Winzet, at the desire of his brethren, wrote the first missive letter complaining of having been misrepresented by the Reformer, and requesting a plain answer upon the subject of Vocation (p. 16).

Knox remained silent. A week afterwards, Winzet again, in the second missive, requested a show of his apostolical power (p. 18). Knox still kept silence. Two days afterwards, on the 12th of March, Winzet, persistent, despatched to Knox the third missive, urging him to give the requisite sign of apostolical power, or else to desist from the usurpation of priestly office, since Knox had renounced the validity of papal ordination (p. 20).

The eager disputant was unable to draw Knox into a formal printed declaration on the subject, and the Reformer's reply was simply a reference from the pulpit.

THIRD TRACTATE.

The Third Tractate, which is prefaced by a prologue to the reader, is a declamation or petition presented to the Magistrates of Edinburgh on the last day of 1561—24th March 1562.

It is a protest consequent upon the action of the magistrates, who, on "Pasch" Monday, 23d March, had caused the doors of certain Catholic citizens to be marked with chalk, and had stopped the Romish celebrations at Easter (p. 23).

The prologue contains an interesting sketch of Winzet's

career as a teacher, and of his views of the primary importance of the education of the young (pp. 23-25).

The appeal addressed to the provost, bailies, and council of Edinburgh, was an anonymous work, signeted only with the letter M (p. 34).

By reminding them of the sanction given by the Fathers to the feasts of Yule and Pasch, its aim is to controvert the views of the reform party on the subject of ceremonies (p. 27). While it demands an indication of authority for the abolition of festival days, it gives Scriptural authority for their observation, and shows how the divine wrath had fallen on the Romish Church for its neglect of festivals (pp. 29, 30). The author exhorts the magistrates not to persecute the innocent for their faithfulness to their own religious convictions, and appeals to them to cause Knox and Spotiswood to improve upon the argument of the Fathers sanctioning religious ceremonials (p. 33). These 'Tractatis' were printed and issued on the 21st of May 1562.

Referring to these Tractatis,' Bishop Keith wrote: "This piece is certainly one of the most valuable monuments of the ecclesiastical affairs in Scotland in the xvi age, so far as it contains and discovers the causes and manner of the eversion of the ancient form of religion in this kingdom, and treats the bishops and nobles of that time with a freedom which their unconcernedness for the religion they professed, and their vicious manner of living did justly deserve." 1

1 Keith, 'Hist.,' vol. iii. p. 413, Appendix. Spottiswoode Society, ed. 1850.