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In the same year, he was appointed chaplain, to K. Edward VI. and, the ensuing year, he had the grant of an annuity of forty pounds, payable quarterly out of the augmentation office, till some benefice in the church should be conferred on him. And from some of Mr Knox's original letters, in the hands of the reverend Mr Woodrow, minister of Eastwood, it appears, that he enjoyed this annuity of forty pounds till the beginning of Q. Mary's reign. In a letter to Mrs Bowes his motherin-law, dated 1553, he tells her, that he was obliged to abscond by reason of the fury of the Papists, and adds, "I will not make you privy how rich I am, but off Lon"don I departed with less money than ten groats: But "GOD hath since provided, and will, I doubt not, "abundantly for this life. Either the queen's majesty, "or some treasurer, will be forty pounds richer by me, "for so meikle lack I of duty of my patent; but that "little troubles me." The same year, viz. 1551, he came into some trouble, on account of a bold sermon preached at Newcastle on Christmas-day, against the obstinacy of the Papists. And about the latter end of the year, 1552-3, he returned to London; and being well esteemed by his majesty and some of the court, for his zealous preaching against the errors of the Romish church, he was appointed to preach before the king and council at Westminster, a little before his majesty's departure thence. In this sermon he had several piercing glances against some great ones, who were secretly well-wishers to the popish re

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*In the month of December, 1551, it was thought fit that the king fhould retain fix chaplains in ordinary, who fhould not only wait on him, but be itineraries, and preach the golpel all the nation over; two of these fix to be always prefent at court, and four abfent abroad in preaching; one year, two in Wales, two in Lancashire and Derby; next year, two in the Marches of Scotland, and two in Yorkshire; the third year, two in Devonshire, and two in Hampfhire; the fourth year, two in Norfolk and Effex, and two in Kent and Suffex; and thefe fix to be Bill, Harley, P'ern, Grindal, Bradford, the fixth was dafhed out of the king's journal, from whence this is taken, which probably was Knox; for he was one of the preachers of the North at Newcastle, and elsewhere, and had a falary paid him out of the exchequer. But the number was reduced to four, Bradford also being left out, who were ftyled, the king's ordinary chaplains. Strype's Memorials, Vol. II.

In this fermon he affirmed, that, whofoever in his heart was an enemy to Chrift's doctrine and gofpel, which was then preached within the realm, was an enemy to GOD, and fecret traitor alfo to the crown and commonwealth of England, and that, as fuch, thirsted after nothing more than the king's death, which their iniquities would procure. He faid they regarded not who fhould reign over them, fo that their idolatry might be erected again.

ligion, though they outwardly submitted to the then present establishment *. But notwithstanding it must have been about this time, that the council sent to Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, to bestow the living of Allhallows, Bread-Street, in London, upon him, which accordingly was offered him; but he refused it, not caring to conform to the English liturgy as it then stood f. How

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*Strype fays, particularly the earl of Northumberland and the marquis of Winchester were both prefent at the fermon, in character of Achitophel the counsellor, Judas the purfe-bearer, and Shebna the fcribe, comptroller, and treafurer.

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We have the following account of this matter by Strype, taken from a letter of Mr Knox. April 14, 1552-8, Knox was called before the council, who demanded of him three questions, 1. Why he refufed the benefice provided for him in London? To which he anfwered, that "his confcience did witness, that he might profit more in fome other place than in London, and therefore had no pleafure to accept any "office there." 2. Whether he thought, that no Chriftian might ferve in the ecclefiaftical miniftration, according to the rites and laws of the realm of England?' To which he faid, that "many things at that "time were worthy of reformation in the minifters of England, without the reformation whereof, no minifter did or could difcharge his con"science before GOD; for no minifters in England had authority to feparate the lepers from the heal," [that is, they have not the full power of excommunication,] which, he faid, was a chief point of his "office." 3. They asked him, If kneeling at the Lord's table was rot 'indifferent?' He answered, that "Chrifl's actions was most perfect, and "it was done without kneeling; and it was moft fure to follow his ex"ample, and that kneeling was man's addition and invention." About this question there was great contention between the lords of the council and him. There were then prefent the archbishop of Canterbury, Cranmer; the bishop of Ely, Goodrick; lord chancellor; lord treafurer; the earls of Bedford, Northampton, Shrewsbury; the lord chamberlain, and both the fecretaries. After long reafoning it was faid to him, that he was not called of any ill meaning, and that they were forry to know him of a contrary mind to the common order. He answered, he " was forry the common order was contrary to Chrift's inftitu"tion." He was difmiffed with fome gentle speeches, and they willed him to advise with himfelf, whether he would communicate according to that order.'

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It is affirmed by feveral writers of good authority, that, befides the living of Allhallows, Mr Knox had the offer of a bishopric made to him in Edward VIth's reign, and that he refufed it. Melchior Adam fays, At that time in England reigned Edward VI. who obferving Knox's piety, had 2 fingular kindness for the man, and he was offered a bishopric by the king's command; but he refufed it with indignation, vehemently condemning thofe titles, as savouring of the kingdom of antichrift.' Mr Calderwood confirms the above paffage, by faying, Mr Knox being then refident in 'St Andrew's, and preaching on the Lord's day, February 10, 1572, the earl of Mar being prefent, refufed to inaugurate the bifhop; yea, in open audience of many then prefent, he denounced anathema to the giver and anathema to the receiver, as I find in a certain manufcript.'

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ever, he still held his place as itinerary preacher; and in the discharge of that office, going to Buckinghamshire, was much pleased with his reception at some towns, particularly at Amersham, in that county; and he continued to preach there and at other places, some time after Q. Mary's accession to the throne. But that year, viz. in February 1553-4, he left England, as appears from two MS. papers in the hands of the Rev Mr Woodrow; one, addressed to Mrs Bowes, his mother-in-law, concludes thus, "upon the very point of my journey, the last of «January, 1553-4. Watch and pra. Your son with "sorrowful heart, J. K." The other bears this title,

John Knox, to the faithful in London, Newcastle, and "Berwick, &c." and thus ends: "From a sair troublit "hairt, upon my departure from Deipe, 1553-4, guhidder "God knawis, John Knox." Having crossed the sea to Dieppe in France, he went from thence to Geneva; where he had not been long, when he was called by the congregation of the English refugees, then established at Frankfort, to be preacher to them. This call he obeyed, (though unwillingly) at the instance of Calvin.

Mr Knox continued at Frankfort, till some of the principal persons of his congregation, (particularly Dr R. Cox, K. Edward VIth's preceptor) finding it impossible to persuade him to use the English liturgy, resolved to effect his removal from the place. In that view, they accused him to the magistrates of treason, committed both against their sovereign, the emperor of Germany, and also against their own sovereign in England, Q. Mary. Upon which, the magistrates not having it in their power to save him, if he should be required either by the emperor, or in his name by Q. Mary, gave him private notice of it; which he no sooner received, than he set out for Geneva; where he arrived March 26, 1555, but staid there only till August following; when, resolving after so long an absence, to make a visit to his native country, he went to Scotland. Upon his arrival there, which was in the end

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And the fame writer further obferves, that, when Mr John Rutherford, I provost of the Old College, alledged Mr Knox's repining proceeded ⚫ from male-contentment (because he was not made bishop himself,) Mr Knox purged himself the next Lord's day, faying, "I have refused a

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greater bishopric than ever it was, which I might have had with the "favour of greater men than he hath his; I did and do repine for the "difcharge of my confcience." Mr Petrie gives the fame account, with this addition, that Mr Knox faid, “I did and do repine for the difcharge of my confcience, that the church of Scotland be not subject to that order."

of harvest, finding the professors of the Reformed religion much increased in number, and formed into a society under the inspection of the following teachers; William Harlow, John Willock, Paul Maffy or Methuen, and John Erskine of Dun, he associated himself with them, and preached to them. Presently after this, he accompanied one of them, the laird of Dun, to his seat in the north; where he stayed a month, teaching and preaching daily to considerable numbers who resorted thither, among whom were the chief gentlemen in that country. From thence returning to Lothian, he resided for the most part in the house of Calder with Sir James Sandilands, a man of great prudence and worth, where he met with many persons of the first rank; viz. the master of Erskine, afterwards earl of Mar; the lord Lorn, afterwards earl of Argyle; lord James Stewart prior of St Andrews, afterwards earl of Murray, and regent of Scotland. With these noble personages he conversed familiarly, and confirmed them in the truth of the Protestant doctrine.

In the winter of 1555, he taught, for the most part, in Edinburgh; about Christmas 1556, he went to the West of Scotland at the desire of some Protestant gentlemen, as John Lockhart of Bar, Robert Campbell of Kinzeancleugh, and others, and preached in many places in Kyle, viz. the houses of Bar, Carnal, Uchiltree, Gathgirth, and the town of Air. In his sermons he insisted much upon the unlawfulness of being present at mass, which he maintained to be an idolatrous worship. In some of these places he celebrated the Lord's Supper after the manner of the Reformed churches. He visited likewise the earl of Glencairn, at Fynlaiston in the county of Renfrew, and administred the sacrament to his lordship's family. From these western parts he returned to the east, and resided some time in Calder, where many resorted to him both for doctrine and the benefit of the sacraments. From thence he went a second time to the laird of Dun's house, in the county of Mearns, where he preached more publicly than before, and administred the sacrament to many persons of note at their desire. The popish clergy being alarmed at this success of Mr Knox, in promoting the Protestant cause, summoned him to appear before them in the church of Blackfriars in Edinburgh, on the fifteenth of May, 1556. Several gentlemen of distinction, among whom the laird of Dun was none of the least considérable, resolving to stand by him, he determined to obey the summons. But the prosecution was dropped upon some informality of the summons, as

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was pretended, when the bishops perceived such a considerable party appearing in his behalf. However, he went to Edinburgh on the day to which he was cited, where he preached to a greater audience than ever he had done before; in the bishop of Dunkeld's great house he taught, both before and after noon, to a great number for ten days.

At this time the earl of Glencairn prevailed with the earl Marischal, and his trustee Henry Drummond, to hear one of Mr Knox's sermons. They were extremely well satisfied with his discourse, and proposed to him to write to the queen regent an earnest letter, to persuade her, if possible, to hear the Protestant doctrine. He complied with their desire, and wrote to her in May, 1556. The letter was delivered by the earl of Glencairn; the queen read it, and gave it to James Beaton, archbishop of Glasgow, with this sarcasm: Please you, my lord, to read

a pasquil. This gave occasion to Mr Knox to make some additions to his letter, which he printed afterwards with the additions at Geneva, in the year 1558.

While our Reformer was occupied in Scotland, he received letters from the English congregation at Geneva, earnestly intreating him to come thither: For after his expulsion from Frankfort, several of the congregation went to Geneva. Having seriously considered this invitation, he determined to return to that people, who had so great a regard for him. Accordingly, in July 1556, he left Scotland, and having first sent his mother-in-law Elizabeth Bowes, and her daughter Margery his wife, to Dieppe in France, he followed after, and from thence they went to Geneva. He had no sooner turned his back, than the bishops summoned him to appear before them; and, upon his non-appearance, they passed a sentence of death against him for heresy, and burnt him in effigy at the cross of Edinburgh. Against this sentence he formed, and afterwards printed at Geneva, in the year 1558, his " Appel lation from the cruel and most unjust Sentence pronounced against him by the false Bishops and Clergy of Scotland; with his Supplication to the Nobility, Estates, and Commonalty of the said Realm."

On the tenth of March, 1556-7, the earl of Glencairn, lord Lorn, John Erskine of Dun, (for lord Erskine had not yet joined himself to this party,) and James Stewart, afterwards earl of Murray, the chief promoters of the Reformation at that time in Scotland, judging their affairs to be in a pretty good posture, and being sensible of the usefulness

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