sister, I thought good in these few words to signifie unto you that
our esperance is yet good in our God, that he for his great names sake
will give such success to this enterprise as nether shall these whom
he hath appointed to sigh in this be utterlie confounded, neither yet
that our enemies shall have occasion to blaspheme the verity, nor yet
triumph over us in the end. We trusted too much, dear sister, in our
owne strenth, and speciallie since the erle of Arran and his friends
were joyned to our number. Amongst us also were such as more sought
the purse than Christ’s glory. Wee by this overthrow are brought to
acknowledge, what is a multitude without the present help of God! and
the hollow hearts of many are now revealled. God make us humble in
his eyes, and then I fear not the furie of the adversaries, who, be
ye assured, doe sore rage, so as yet their crueltie must neids crave
vengeance from him whose members they persecute. Our dear brethren and
sisters in Edinburgh and Lothian who lay nearest these bloode thirsty
tyrants, are so troubled and vexed that it is a pity to remember their
estate. Our God comfort them. We stand universally in great fear,
and yet we hope deliverance. I wrote to you before to be suitor to
{391} some faithfull, that they would move such as have abundance to
consider our estate, and to make for us some provision of money to
keep soldiers and our company together. And herein yet again I cannot
cease to move you. I can not well write to any other, because the
action may seem to appertaine to my own country onlie. But because
I trust ye suspect me not of avarice, I am bold to say to you that
if we perish in this our enterprise, the limits of London will be
straiter than they are now within few years. Many things I have which
I would have required for myself, namely Calvin on Isaiah, and his
Institutions revised. But common troubles cause me to neglect all
private business. If ye can find the means to send me the books before
written, or any other that be new and profitable, I will provide that
ye shall receive the prices upon your advertisement. My wife saluteth
you. Salute all faithfull heartilie in my name, especiallie those of
familiar acquaintance, of whom I crave pardon that I write not, being
not so quiet as ye would wish. My onlie comfort is that our troubles
shall pass sooner, peradventure, than our enemies look. Grace be with
you. From St Andrews, in haste, the 18th November, 1559. Yours known,
John Knox.
Mr Gudeman is in the west country in Ayr, who willed me to salute you
in his name as oft as I wrote you.
* * * * *
Nº IX. [Cald. I. 524.]
To the same. (See vol. i. 315.)
We shall meet when death shall not dissever.
Two letters I have received from you, dear sister, both almost at
one time, the one is dated at London the 28th of November, the other
of the same place the 2d of December. The letter of the last date I
first read, which made mention of your trouble be reason of a suddan
fire in a lodging near to you; that you had sought all means for our
support, as well of those of high as of low degree; but that it was
not needfull that any thing should be sent unto us, because it was
supposed that the highest would support us; and {392} last, that ye
had not received the answer of your doubts. In your other letters,
after your most comfortable discourse of God’s providence for his
people in their greatest necessitie, ye godlie and trulie conclude
that neither could their unworthiness, neither yet their want of
things judged necessarie for their preservation, stop his majestie’s
mercie from them. Thereafter ye will me to avoid danger, and rather to
fight by prayer in some place removed from danger than expose my self
to the hazard of battell, and so ye conclude by praising God’s mercie
as did Jeremy in his greatest anguish, &c.
What support should come to us be consent of counsell and authoritie
I am uncertain. But suppose it shall be greater than yet is bruted,
that ought not to stay the liberall hands of the godlie to support
us privatelie. For the public support of an army shall not make such
as now be superexpended able to serve without private support. I will
make the matter more plain be one example. I know one man that since
the 10th of May hath spent in this action thirteen thousand crowns of
the summe [sonne], besydes his victuals and other fruits of the ground.
His treasure being now consumed, he cannot, without support, susteane
the number which before he brought to the field. If he and such
others that are in lyke condition with him shall be absent, or yet if
numbers shall decay, our enemies shall seem to prevail in the field,
and therfor desired I some collection to be made, to the end that the
present necessitie of some might have been relieved. If the matter
pertained not to my native country, I would be more vehement in
persuasion, but God shall support even how, when, and by whom it shall
please his blessed majestie. Sorry I am that ye have not received my
answer unto your doubts, not so much that I think that ye greatlie
need them, as that I would not put you in suspicion that I contemned
your requests. The rest of my wife hath been so unrestful since her
arrival here, that scarcelie could she tell upon the morrow what
she wrote at night. She cannot find my first extract. And therfor,
if any scruple remaine in your conscience, put pen again to paper,
and look for ane answer, as God shall give opportunitie. God make
yourself participant of the same comfort which you wrote unto me:
and in very deed, dear sister, I have no less {393} need of comfort,
notwithstanding that I am not altogether ignorant, than hath the bound
man to be fed, albeit in store he hath great substance. I have read
the cares and tentations of Moses, and sometymes I have supposed
myself to be well practised in such dangerous battells. But, alace!
I now perceive that all my practice before was but mere speculation,
for one day of troubles since my last arrival in Scotland hath more
pierced my heart than all the torments of the galleys did the space
of 19 months. For that torment, for the most part, did touch the
bodie, but this pierceth the soul and inward affections. Then was
I assuredlie persuaded that I should not die untill I had preached
Christ Jesus even where I now am, and yet having now my heart’s
desyre, I am nothing satisfied, neither yet rejoice. My God remove
my unthankfulness. From Sanct Andrews, the last of December 1559.
Yours known in Christ,
John Knox.
* * * * *
Nº X. [Cald. I. 533.]
To the same. (See vol. i. 317.)
The eternal our God shall shortly put an end to all our troubles.
Lest that sinister rumours should trouble you above measure, dear
sister, I can not but certify you of our estate as often as convenient
messengers occur. The French, as before I wrote unto you, have pursued
us with great furie, but God hath so bridled them, that since the 5th
day when they put to flight the men of Kinghorn, Kircaldy, and Dysart,
they have had of us (all praise be to our God) no advantage. They lost
in a morning a lieutenant, the boldest of their company, and fourty of
their bravest soldiers, diverse of them having been taken and diverse
slain in skirmishing. They have done greatest harm to such as did
best entertain them; for from them they have taken sheep, horse, and
plenishing. Our friends, and foes to them, did continually remove from
their way all moveables that to them appertained. They have casten to
the ground the laird of Grange’s principal house, called the Grange,
and {394} have spoiled his other places. God will recompense him,
I doubt not, for in this cause, and since the beginning of this last
trouble especially, he hath behaved himself so boldly as never man
of our realm hath deserved more praise. He hath been in many dangers,
and yet God hath delivered him above mens expectations. He was shot
at Lundie, right under the left pape, thorrow the jacket, doublet, and
shirt, and the bullet did stick in one of his ribs. Mr Whitelaw hath
gotten a fall, by which he is unable to bear arms. But God be praised
both their lives be saved. I remained all this time in St Andrews with
sorrowful heart, and yet as God did minister his spirit comforting
the afflicted, who, albeit they quaked for a time, yet do now praise
God who suddenly averted from them that terrible plague devised for
them by the ungodly. The French men approached, within 6 miles, yet
at the sight of certain of your ships, they retired more in one day
than they advanced in ten. We have had wonderful experience of God’s
merciful providence, and for my own part I were more than unthankful
if I should not confess that God hath heard the sobs of my wretched
heart, and hath not deceived me of that little spark of hope which
his holy spirit did kindle and foster in my heart. God give me grace
to acknowledge his benefit received, and to make such fruit of it as
becometh his servant. If ye can find a messenger, I heartily pray you
to send me the books for which I wrote before. I must be bold over
your liberality not only in that, but in greater things as I shall
need. Please you cause this other letter inclosed be surely conveyed
to Miles Coverdale. Salute all faithful acquaintance, Mr Hickman and
his bedfellow, your husband, Mr Michael and his spouse as unacquainted,
especially remembered. I know not what of our brethren at Geneva be
with you. But to such as be there, I beseech you to say, that I think
that I myself do now find the truth of that which oft I have said in
their audience, to wit, that after our departure from Geneva should
our dolour beginne. But my good hope is in God that it shall end to
his glory and our comfort. Rest in Christ Jesus. From Sanct Andrews,
the 4th of February 1559.
Your brother.
John Knox.
* * * * *
{395}
Nº XI. [Cald. II. 89.]
John Knox to Mr John Wood, Secretary to the Regent.
14th Feb. 1568.
My purpose, beloved in the Lord, concerning that which oft and now
last ye crave, I wrote to you before, from which I can not be moved,
and, therefore, of my friends I will ask pardon, howbeit on that one
head I play the churle, retaining to myself that which will rather
hurt me than profit them, during my days, which I hope in God shall
not be long, and then it shall be in the opinion of others whether it
shall be suppressed, or come to light.[358] God for his great mercies
sake put such end to the troubles of France, as the purity of his
evangell may have free passage within that realme; and idolatry,
with the maintainers of the same, may once be overthrown by order
of justice, or other ways as his godly wisdom hath appointed. In my
opinion England and Scotland have both no less cause to fear than the
faithful in France, for what they suffer in present action is laid
up in store, let us be assured, for both countries. The ground of my
assurance is not the determination of the council of Trent, for that
decree is but the utterance of their own malice; but the justice of
God is my assurance, for it cannot spare to punish all realmes and
nations that is or shall be like to Jerusalem, against whose iniquity
God long cried be his servants the prophets, but found no repentance.
The truth of God hath been now of some years manifested to both, but
what obedience, the words, works, and behaviour of men give sufficient
testimony. God grant Mr Gudman a prosperous and happy success in the
acceptation of his charge, and in all his other enterprises to God’s
glory and the comfort of his kirk; and so will I the more patiently
bear his absence, weaning myself from all comfort that I looked to
have received be his presence and familiarity. Because I have the
testimony of a good conscience, that in writing of that treatise,
against which so many worldly men have stormed, and yet storm, I
neither sought {396} myself nor worldly promotion, and because as
yet I have neither heard nor seen law nor scripture to overthrow my
ground,[359] I may appeal to a more indifferent judge than Dr Jewell.
I would most gladly pass through the course that God hath appointed to
my labours, in meditation with my God, and giving thanks to his holy
name, for that it hath pleased his mercy to make me not a lord bishop,
but a painful preacher of his blessed evangell, in the function
whereof it hath pleased his majesty for Christ his son’s sake to
deliver me from the contradiction of moe enemies than one or two,
which maketh me the more slow and less careful to revenge be word or
writ whatever injury hath been done against me in my own particular.
But if that men will not cease to impugne the truth, the faithfull
will pardon me if I offend such as for pleasure of flesh fear not
to offend God. The defence and maintenance of superstitious trifles
produced never better fruit in the end than I perceive is budding
amongst you, schisme, which no doubt is a forerunner of greater
desolation, unless there be speedy repentance.――[_Then follows what
has been already quoted in_ vol. ii. p. 162.]――The faithfull of your
acquaintance here salute you. The grace of the Lord rest with you.
* * * * *
Nº XII. [Cald. II. 107.]
The same to the same. (See above, p. 165.)
I thank you heartily, dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus, that ye had
such remembrance of me as to certify of that part which not a little
troubled and yet troubleth me. What I have done or am able to do in
that behalf I will not trouble you at this present, this only excepted,
that it will please you to travel as in the end of your letter ye
write ye would do, to wit, that my sons might be Denezans there. I
am informed both be letter and be tongue, besides conjectures that
probably may be gathered, that the Duke and his friends are inflamed
against me. Ofter than once I have called to mind your words to me
that day that I had been more {397} than vehement, as some men thought,
in the end of the ―――― chapter of John’s Evangell, concerning the
treasonable departure of Judas from Christ, and of the causes thereof.
Before that I came forth of the preaching place, ye said, Before my
God I think your eyes shal see performed that which your mouth hath
pronounced. My words were these, I fear that such as have entered
with us in professing of the Evangell, as Judas did with Christ, shall
depart and follow Judas, how soon the expectation of gain and worldly
promotion faileth them. Time will try farther, and we shall see
overmuch. We look daily for the arrival of the duke and his Frenchmen,
sent to restore Satan to his kingdome, in the person of his dearest
lieutenant, sent, I say, to repress religion, not from the king of
France, but from the Cardinall of Lorrane in favour of his dearest
nice. Lett England take heed, for surely their neighbours houses are
on fire. I would, dear brother, that ye should travell with zealous
men, that they may consider our estate. What I would say, ye may
easily conjecture. Without support we are not able to resist the force
of the domesticall enemies, (unless God work miraculously,) much less
are we able to stand against the puissance of France, the substance of
the Pope, and the malice of the house of Guise, unless we be comforted
be others than by ourselves. Ye know our estate, and therefore I will
not insist to deplore our poverty. The whole comfort of the enemies
is this, that be treason or other means they may cutt off the Regent,
and then cutt the throat of the innocent king. How narrowly hath
the regent escaped once, I suppose ye have heard. As their malice
is not quenched, so ceaseth not the practice of the wicked, to put
in execution the cruelty devised. I live as a man already dead from
all affairs civil, and therefore I praise my God; for so I have some
quietness in spirit, and time to meditate on death, and upon the
troubles I have long feared and foreseeth. The Lord assist you with
his holy spirit, and put an end to my travells, to his own glory, and
to the comfort of his kirk; for assuredly, brother, this miserable
life is bitter unto me. Salute your bedfellow in my name, and the rest
in Christ Jesus. The faithfull here salute you. The grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ rest with you for ever.
Of Edinburgh the 10 of September 1568.
* * * * *
{398}
Nº XIII. [Cald. MS. I. 380.]
Extract of a Letter from John Knox to Mrs Anne Locke,
dated 6th April, 1559. (See above, p. 253.)
―――― Your letters, dear sister, dated at Geneva the 17th of February,
received I in Deepe the 17th of March. Touching my negligence in
writing to you, at other times I fear it shall be little amended,
except that better occasions than yet I know be offered. For oft
to write when few messingers can be found is but foolishness. My
remembrance of you is not yet so dead, but I trust it shall be fresh
enough, albeit it be renewed be no outward tokin for one year. Of
nature I am churlish, and in conditions different from many. Yet
one thing I ashame not to affirme that familiarity once thoroughly
contracted was never yet broken be my default. The cause may be that
I have rather need of all than that any have need of me.――
* * * * *
Extract of a Letter from John Knox “To a friend in England.”
[Cald. II. 144.]
Of Edinburgh, 19th August, 1569.
―――― If from day to day thir seven years bypast, I had not looked for
an end of my travells, I could have no excuse of my obstinate fault
toward you, beloved in the Lord, be whom I have received, besides
commendations and letters, divers tokens of your unfained friendship,
yet have negligently pretermitted all office of humanity toward you,
whereinto I acknowledge my offence, for albeit I have been tossed with
many storms all the time before expressed, yet might I have gratified
you and others faithfull with some remembrance of my estate, if that
this my churlish nature, for the most part oppressed with melancholy,
had not stayed tongue and pen from doing of their duty. Yea, even now,
when that I could somewhat satisfy your desire, I find within myself
no small repugnance, for this I find objected to my wretched heart,
‘Foolish {399} man! what seeks thou in writing of missives in this
corruptible age? Hath thou not a full satiety of all the vanities
under the sun? Hath not thy eldest and stoutest acquaintance buried
thee in oblivion, and art not thou in that estate be age, that nature
itself calleth thee from the pleasures of things temporall? Is it
not then more than foolishness unto thee to hunt for acquaintance on
the earth, of what estate or condition whatsomever the person be?’
To these objections I could answer nothing, (much more I think than
is written,) but that I would write with what imperfections I little
regard.――――
* * * * *
Nº XIV. Letter to Sir William Douglas of Lochleven,
31 Mar. 1570.
[The original is among the papers of the family, at Dalmahoy.]
After harty commendatioun of my service unto you, rycht wyrshippfull,
I receaved your missive this last of March, perceaving tharby the
bruite that ye hear of the purpose of some to tak the castell of
Sanctandrois, quhilk bruite I easely beleve be not all togidder
vane, for men will not faill to hurt what thei can the quietnes of
this realme, and to reenter in thare usurped possessioun and injust
uplifting of the fruitis that never did justlie apperteane to sick
idill bellies. How sick trublaris may be stayed of thare interpryses
I remitt to God, to whose counsall I committ you in that and all other
cases worldly; for I have tacken my gude nycht of it, and therfor
bear with me gude S{r}, albeit I write not to the superintendent of
Fyff in the actioun that ye desyr as concernyng the excuse of the tua
ministeris, to our superintendent I shall do the best that I can when
I meitt with him; and thus with my harty commendatioun I committ you
to the protectioun of the omnipotent. Of Edinburghe the sam hour I
receaved yours this Friday att 5 afternone 1570.
Yours to power in God trubled in body,
Johne Knox.
(In dorso)
To the Rycht Worshepful
the Lard of Lochlevin.
* * * * *
{400}
Nº XV. [Cald. II. 269.]
John Knox to Sir John Wishart of Pittarrow.
(See above, p. 201.)
The end of all worldly trouble and pleasure both approacheth. Blessed
are they that patiently abide in the truth, not joining hands nor
heart with impiety, how that ever it triumph.
Right worshipfull, after hearty commendations, your letter, dated
at Pittarrow the 14th of July, received I in Sanct Andrews, the 15th
of the same. The brute and armour of Adam Gordon and his doings, and
preparations made to resist him was diverse, but nothing that I heard
moved me, for I perceive the cup of iniquity is not yet full. Of one
thing I am assured, that God of his mercy will not suffer his own to
be tempted above measure, neither will he suffer iniquity to be ever
unpunished. From me can come no other counsel than ye have heard
from the beginning of our acquaintance, to wit, that not only action
defileth and maketh guilty before God, but also consent of heart, and
all paction with the wicked. Out of bed, and from my book, I come not
but once in the week, and so few tidings come to me. What order God
shall put into the mind of the authority to take for staying of their
present troubles, I know not, but ever still my dull heart feareth the
worst, and that because no appearance of right conversion unto God,
but both the parties stands as it were fighting against God himself
in justification of their wickedness. The murderers assembled in the
castle of Edinburgh, and their assisters, justify all that they have
done to be well and rightly done; and the contrar party as little
repenteth the troubling and oppressing of the poor kirk of God as ever
they did; for if they can have the kirk‑lands to be annexed to their
houses, they appear to take no more care of the instruction of the
ignorant, and of the feeding of the flock of Jesus Christ, than ever
did the Papists, whom we have condemned, and yet are worse ourselves
in that behalf: for they according to their blind zeal spared nothing
that either might have maintained or holden up that which they took
for God’s service; but we, alace! in the midds of the light forgett
the heaven and draw to the earth. Dayly looking for an end of my {401}
battel, I have set forth ane answer to a Jesuit who long hath railed
against our religion, as the reading of this tractat will more plainly
let you understand. The letter in the end of it, if it serve not
for the estate of Scotland, yet it will serve a troubled conscience,
so long as the kirk of God remaineth in either realme. With my
hearty commendations to your bedfellow, and to my Lord Marshall, the
Master, and to the faithfull in your company. Deliver to them the book
according to their directions, and pray the faithfull in my name to
recommend me to God in their prayers, for my battel is strong, and yet
without great corporal pain. The Lord Jesus, who hath once redeemed
us, who hath also of his mercy given unto us the light of his blessed
countenance, continue us in that light that once we have received
externally, and at his good pleasure put an end to all the troubles
of his own spouse, the kirk, which now sobbeth and crieth, Come Lord
Jesus, come Lord Jesus; whose omnipotent Spirit conduct you to the
end. Amen.
At Sanct Andrews, 19th of July. [1572.]
* * * * *
Nº XVI. [Cald. II. 270.]
John Knox to Mr Goodman.
Written about the same time with the preceding.
Beloved brother, I can not praise God of your trouble; but that of his
mercie he hath made you one against whom Satan bendeth all his engines,
therof unfainedlie I praise my God, beseeching him to strengthen you
to fight your battell lawfully to the end. That we shall meet in this
life there is no hope; for to my bodie it is impossible to be carried
from countrie to countrie, and of your comfortable presence where
I am I have small, yea no esperance. The name of God be praised, who
of his mercie hath left me so great comfort of you in this life. That
ye may understand that my heart is pierced with the present troubles,
from the castle of Edinburgh hath sprung all the murthers first and
last committed in this realme, yea, and all the troubles and treasons
conspired in England, God confound the wicked devisers with their
wicked devises. So long as it pleased God to continue unto me any
strength, I ceased {402} not to forwarn these dayes publickly, as
Edinburgh can witness, and secretlie, as Mr Randolph and others of
that nation with whom I secretlie conferred, can testifie. Remedy
now on earth resteth none, but onlie that both England and Scotland
humbly submit themselves to the correcting hand of God, with humble
confession of their former inobedience, that blood was not punished,
when he be his servants publicly craved justice according to his law;
in which head your realme is no less guilty than we, who now drink the
bitter part of the cup, which God of his mercie avert from you. And
thus weary of the world, with my hearty commendations to all faithful
acquaintance, Mr Bodlih and his bedfellow especially remembered, I
commit you to the protection of the omnipotent. Off Sanct Andrews.
* * * * *
Nº XVII. [Calderwood’s MS. ad an. 1570.
Advocates’ Library.]
Prayer used by John Knox after the Regent’s death.