historical lectures and essays(查尔斯金斯利历史讲座)
Melville says； found fault with the style。 Buchanan replied that he could
do no more for thinking of another thing； which was to die。 They then
went to Arbuthnot’s printing… house； and inspected the history； as far as
that terrible passage concerning Rizzio’s burial； where Mary is represented
as 〃laying the miscreant almost in the arms of Maud de Valois； the late
queen。〃 Alarmed； and not without reason； at such plain speaking； they
stopped the press； and went back to Buchanan’s house。 Buchanan was in
bed。 〃He was going；〃 he said； 〃the way of welfare。〃 They asked him to
soften the passage； the king might prohibit the whole work。 〃Tell me；
man；〃 said Buchanan； 〃if I have told the truth。〃 They could not； or would
not； deny it。 〃Then I will abide his feud； and all his kin’s； pray； pray to
God for me； and let Him direct all。〃 〃So；〃 says Melville； 〃before the
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printing of his chronicle was ended； this most learned； wise； and godly
man ended his mortal life。〃
Camden has a hearsay storywritten； it must be remembered； in James
I。’s timethat Buchanan； on his death…bed； repented of his harsh words
against Queen Mary； and an old Lady Rosyth is said to have said that
when she was young a certain David Buchanan recollected hearing some
such words from George Buchanan’s own mouth。 Those who will； may
read what Ruddiman and Love have said； and oversaid； on both sides of
the question： whatever conclusion they e to； it will probably not be
that to which George Chalmers es in his life of Ruddiman： that
〃Buchanan； like other liars； who； by the repetition of falsehoods are
induced to consider the fiction as truth； had so often dwelt with
placency on the forgeries of his Detections； and the figments of his
History； that he at length regarded his fictions and his forgeries as most
authentic facts。〃
At all events his fictions and his forgeries had not paid him in that coin
which base men generally consider the only coin worth having； namely；
the good things of this life。 He left nothing behind himif at least Dr。
Irving has rightly construed the 〃Testament Dative〃 which he gives in his
appendixsave arrears to the sum of 100 pounds of his Crossraguel
pension。 We may believe as we choose the story in Mackenzie’s 〃Scotch
Writers〃 that when he felt himself dying； he asked his servant Young about
the state of his funds； and finding he had not enough to bury himself
withal； ordered what he had to be given to the poor； and said that if they
did not choose to bury him they might let him lie where he was； or cast
him in a ditch； the matter was very little to him。 He was buried； it seems；
at the expense of the city of Edinburgh； in the Greyfriars’ Churchyardone
says in a plain turf graveamong the marble monuments which covered
the bones of worse or meaner men； and whether or not the 〃Throughstone〃
which； 〃sunk under the ground in the Greyfriars；〃 was raised and cleaned
by the Council of Edinburgh in 1701； was really George Buchanan’s； the
reigning powers troubled themselves little for several generations where
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he lay。
For Buchanan’s politics were too advanced for his age。 Not only
Catholic Scotsmen； like Blackwood； Winzet； and Ninian； but Protestants；
like Sir Thomas Craig and Sir John Wemyss； could not stomach the 〃De
Jure Regni。〃 They may have had some reason on their side。 In the then
anarchic state of Scotland； organisation and unity under a mon head
may have been more important than the assertion of popular rights。 Be
that as it may； in 1584； only two years after his death； the Scots Parliament
condemned his Dialogue and History as untrue； and manded all
possessors of copies to deliver them up； that they might be purged of 〃the
offensive and extraordinary matters〃 which they contained。 The 〃De Jure
Regni〃 was again prohibited in Scotland； in 1664； even in manuscript； and
in 1683； the whole of Buchanan’s political works had the honour of being
burned by the University of Oxford； in pany with those of Milton；
Languet； and others； as 〃pernicious books； and damnable doctrines；
destructive to the sacred persons of Princes； their state and government；
and of all human society。〃 And thus the seed which Buchanan had sown；
and Milton had wateredfor the allegation that Milton borrowed from
Buchanan is probably true； and equally honourable to bothlay trampled
into the earth； and seemingly lifeless； till it tillered out； and blossomed；
and bore fruit to a good purpose； in the Revolution of 1688。
To Buchanan’s clear head and stout heart； Scotland owes； as England
owes likewise； much of her modern liberty。 But Scotland’s debt to him； it
seems to me； is even greater on the count of morality； public and private。
What the morality of the Scotch upper classes was like； in Buchanan’s
early days； is too notorious； and there remains proof enoughin the
writings； for instance； of Sir David Lindsaythat the morality of the
populace； which looked up to the nobles as its example and its guide； was
not a whit better。 As anarchy increased； immorality was likely to
increase likewise； and Scotland was in serious danger of falling into such a
state as that into which Poland fell； to its ruin； within a hundred and fifty
years after； in which the savagery of feudalism； without its order or its
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chivalry； would be varnished over by a thin coating of French
〃civilisation；〃 and； as in the case of Bothwell； the vices of the court of
Paris should be added to those of the Northern freebooter。 To deliver
Scotland from that ruin； it was needed that she should be united into one
people； strong； not in mere political； but in moral ideas； strong by the clear
sense of right and wrong； by the belief in the government and the
judgments of a living God。 And the tone which Buchanan； like Knox；
adopted concerning the great crimes of their day； helped notably that
national salvation。 It gathered together； organised； strengthened； the
scattered and wavering elements of public morality。 It assured the hearts
of all men who loved the right and hated the wrong； and taught a whole
nation to call acts by their just names； whoever might be the doers of them。
It appealed to the mon conscience of men。 It proclaimed a universal
and God…given morality； a bar at which all； from the lowest to the highest；
must alike be judged。
The tone was stern： but there was need of sternness。 Moral life
and death were in the balance。 If the Scots people were to be told that
the crimes which roused their indignation were excusable； or beyond
punishment； or to be hushed up and slipped over in any way； there was an
end of morality among them。 Every man； from the greatest to the least；
would go and do likewise； according to his powers of evil。 That method
was being tried in France； and in Spain likewise； during those very years。
Notorious crimes were hushed up under pretence of loyalty； excused as
political necessities； smiled away as natural and pardonable weaknesses。
The result was the utter demoralisation； both of France and Spain。 Knox
and Buchanan； the one from the standpoint of an old Hebrew prophet； the
other rather from that of a Juvenal or a Tacitus； tried the other method； and
called acts by their just names；