$REFORMATION IN SCOTLAND$.
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$INTRODUCTORY NOTICE TO THE HISTORY$.
In the long series of events recorded in the Annals of Scotland, there
is unquestionably none of greater importance than those which exhibit
the progress and establishment of the Reformed Religion in the year
1560. This subject has accordingly called forth in succession a variety
of writers of different sentiments and persuasions. Although in the
contemporary historians, Lesley, Buchanan, and their successors, we have
more or less copious illustrations of that period, yet a little
examination will show that we possess only one work which bears an
exclusive reference to this great event, and which has any claims to be
regarded as the production of an original historian. Fortunately the
writer of the work alluded to was of all persons the best qualified to
undertake such a task, not only from his access to the various sources
of information, and his singular power and skill in narrating events and
delineating characters, but also from the circumstance that he himself
had a personal and no unimportant share in most of the transactions of
those times, which have left the character of his own mind so indelibly
impressed on his country and its institutions. It is scarcely necessary
to subjoin the name of JOHN KNOX.
The doubts which were long entertained respecting Knox's share in the
"History of the Reformation," have been satisfactorily explained. Such
passages as were adduced to prove that he could not have been the
author, consist of palpable errors and interpolations. Without
adverting to these suspicions, we may therefore attend to the time when
the work was actually written.
* * * * *
The necessity of leaving upon record a correct account of their
proceedings suggested itself to the Reformers at an early period of
their career, and led to this History being commenced. Knox arrived in
Scotland in May 1559; and by his presence and counsels, he served to
animate and direct their measures, which were attended with so much
success. In a letter dated from Edinburgh 23d October that year, while
alluding to the events which had taken place during their contentions
with the Queen Regent and her French auxiliaries, he uses these words,
"Our most just requeastes, which ye shall, God willing, schortlie
hereafter onderstand, together with our whole proceeding from the
beginning of this matter, _which we ar to sett furth in maner of
Historie_." That he had commenced the work, further appears from a
letter, dated Edinburgh, 23d September 1560, and addressed to Secretary
Cecil by the English Ambassador, Randolph, in which he says, "I have
tawlked at large with MR. KNOX concerning his HYSTORIE. As mykle as ys
written thereof shall be sent to your Honour, at the comynge of the
Lords Embassadours, by Mr. John Woode. He hath wrytten only one Booke.
If yow lyke that, he shall continue the same, or adde onie more. He
sayethe, that he must have farther helpe then is to be had in thys
countrie, for more assured knowledge of thyngs passed than he hath
hymself, or can come bye here: yt is a work not to be neglected, and
greatly wyshed that yt sholde be well handled."
Whether this portion of the work was actually communicated to Cecil at
that time, is uncertain; as no such manuscript has been discovered among
his papers, either in the British Museum or the State Paper Office. It
could only have consisted of part of the Second Book; and this portion
remains very much in its original state, as may be inferred from these
two passages.--In July 1559, while exposing "the craftyness of the Queen
Regent," in desiring a private conference with the Earl of Argyle and
Lord James Stewart, with the hope that she might be able to withdraw
them from their confederates, we read, "And one of hir cheaf Counsale in
those dayis, (_and we fear but over inward with hir yit_,) said," &c.
See page 368 of this volume. This must necessarily have been written
during the Queen Regent's life, or previously to June 1560. During the
following month, after noticing the Earl of Arran's escape from France,
and the imprisonment of his younger brother, Lord David Hamilton, it is
stated, "For the same tyme, the said Frensche King, seing he could not
have the Erle him self, gart put his youngar brother ... in strait
prisoun, _quhair he yitt remaneis, to witt, in the moneth of October,
the yeir of God_ 1559." See page 383. In like manner, in a letter of
intelligence, dated at Hamilton, 12th October 1559, and addressed to
Cecil, Randolph says, "Since Nesbot went from hence, the Duke never
harde out of Fraunce, _nor newes of his son the Lord David_."--(Sadler's
State Papers, vol. i. p. 500.) We might have supposed that his restraint
was not of long duration, as he is named among the hostages left in
England, at the treaty of Berwick, 27th February 1559-60; a circumstance
of which Knox could not have been ignorant, as he gives a copy of the
confirmation of the treaty by the Duke of Chastelherault and the Lords
of the Congregation; but it appears from one of the articles in the
treaty of peace in July, that Lord David Hamilton, who was still a
prisoner at Bois de St. Vincent, in France, then obtained liberty to
return to Scotland; and he arrived at Edinburgh in October 1560. We are
therefore warranted to infer that this portion of the Second Book of his
History, must have been written towards the end of the year 1559.
Knox himself in his general Preface, says, the intention was to have
limited the period of the History from the year 1558, until the arrival
of Queen Mary from France to assume the government in this country, in
August 1561; thus extending the period originally prescribed beyond the
actual attainment of the great object at which the Reformers aimed, in
the overthrow of Popish superstition, and the establishment by civil
authority of the Protestant faith, which was actually secured by the
proceedings of the Parliament that met at Edinburgh on the 1st of August
1560. But he further informs us, that he was persuaded not only to add
the First Book as an Introduction, but to continue the Narrative to a
later period. This plan of extending the work he carried into effect in
the year 1566, when the First and Fourth Books were chiefly written, and
when there is reason to believe that he revised and enlarged the
intermediate portion, at least by dividing it into two parts, as Books
Second and Third. The Fourth Book extends to the year 1564; and he seems
to intimate that he himself had no intention to continue the History to
a later period; for alluding to the death of David Riccio, in March
1565-6, he says, "of whom we delay now farther to speik, becaus that his
end will requyre the descriptioun of the whole, _and referris it unto
suche as God sall rayse up to do the same_;" and a marginal note on this
passage, written probably by Richard Bannatyne in 1571, says "_This ves
never done be this Authour_."
Dr. M'Crie states, that "the First and Fourth Books were composed during
the years 1566, 1567, and 1568," and that "some additions were made to
the Fourth Book so late as 1571." The only evidence to support this
supposition, is founded upon the circumstance of some marginal notes
having been added in those years, and introduced by subsequent
transcribers, as belonging to the text. Whether the Fifth Book,
published by David Buchanan in 1644, was actually written by the
Reformer, will be considered in the preliminary notice to that Book.
Meanwhile it may be remarked, that the Author himself whilst
occasionally engaged in collecting materials for a continuation of his
History, felt the necessity of delaying the publication; and in a letter
addressed to Mr. John Wood, 14th February 1567-8, he expresses the
resolution he had formed of withholding the work from the public during
his own life.