Oure purpose was to have maid the begynnyng of our Historie from the

REFORMATIOUN OF RELIGIOUN, BEGYNNYNG IN THE YEAR OF GOD J^M. V^C. FYFTY AUCHT.

thingis that war done from the year of God J^m. V^c. fyfty aucht yearis,

till the Reformatioun of Religioun, which of Goddis mercy we anes possessed; [736] and yitt, in doctrin and in the rycht use of administratioun of Sacramentis, do possesse. But becaus diverse of the godlie, (as befoir is said,) earnestlye requyred, that such Personis as God raised up in the myddis of darknes, to oppone thame selfis to the same, should nott be omitted; we obeyed thare requeast, and have maid a schorte rehersall of all such materis as concerne Religion, frome the death of that notable servand of God, Maister Patrik Hammyltoun, unto the foirsaid year, when that it pleased God to look upoun us more mercyfullie then we deserved, and to geve unto us greattar boldness and better (albeit not without hasard and truble) successe in all our interprises then we looked for, as the trew Narratioun of this Secound Book shall witness: The Preface whareof followis.