suspicious,” says a modern author, who was not addicted to
enthusiastic notions, “there remain predictions by dreams,
and by sudden impulses, upon persons who were not of the
fraternity of impostors; these were allowed to be sometimes
preternatural by many of the learned pagans, and cannot, I
think, be disproved, and should not be totally rejected.”
Dr Jortin’s Remarks on Ecclesiastical History, vol. i.
p. 93. See also p. 45, 77. Lond. 1805. The learned reader
may also consult the epicrisis of Witsius on this question:
the whole dissertation, intended chiefly to expose
the opposite extreme, is well entitled to a perusal.
Miscellanea Sacra, tom. i. p. 391.
331 – Newcourt’s Repert. Londin. ii. 154. Communications from
Mr Thomas Baker, apud Life of Knox, prefixed to Historie
of the Reformation, edit. 1732, p. xli. xlii.
332 – Melville’s MS. Diary, p. 39. See also Note CC.
333 – Douglas’s Peerage of Scotland, p. 522.
334 – The Testament of John Knox, in the Appendix.
335 – He was the grandfather of Mr Robert Fleming, minister in
London, and author of the well known Book, The Fulfilling
of the Scriptures. But Mr Robert’s father was of a
different marriage. Fleming’s Practical Discourse on
the Death of King William, preface, p. 14. Lond. 1702.
336 – See Note DD.
337 – Matthew Crawfurd’s History of the church of Scotland, MS.
vol. i. 258‒283. The Reformation of Religion in Scotland,
written by Mr John Forbes, MS. p. 131‒151. The copy of
this last work, which is in my possession, was transcribed
“ex Authoris autographo,” in the year 1726. The author
was one of the condemned ministers. His narrative properly
begins at the year 1580, but is chiefly occupied in
detailing the transactions which preceded and followed the
Assembly at Aberdeen.
338 – Row’s MS. Historie, p. 111, 122.
339 – “Very well; you shall be my minister.”
340 – History of Mr John Welch, p. 31‒33. Edinburgh, 1703.
Characteristics of Eminent Ministers, subjoined to
Livingston’s Life: Art. John Welch. Mr Livingston received
his account of the above transactions in France, from Lord
Kenmure, who resided in Mr Welch’s house. The author of the
History of Welch, says, that he received his information
from the personal acquaintances of that minister. That work
was drawn up by Mr James Kirkton, who married a descendant
of Knox, and consequently a relation of Mrs Welch. See the
article concerning Knox’s descendants in Additions. The
Life of Welch contains an account of an extraordinary
occurrence relating to the first Lord Castlestewart,
(ancestor of Lord Castlereagh,) who, when a young man,
lodged with Mr Welch in France.
341 – Asked.
342 – Enjoyed.
343 – Receive.
344 – I met with the account of this conversation in a MS.
written by Mr Robert Traill, minister in London, entitled,
“An Accompt of several passages in the lives of some
eminent men in the nation, not recorded in any history.”
It is inserted in the heart of a common‑place book,
containing notes of sermons, &c, written by him when a
student of divinity at St Andrews, between 1659 and 1663.
He received the account from aged persons, and says, that
the conference between King James and Mrs Welch “is current
to this day in the mouths of many.” I have since seen the
same story in Wodrow’s MS. Collections, vol. i. Life of
Welch, p. 27, Bibl. Coll. Glass. James stood in great
awe of Mr Welch, who often reproved him for his habit of
profane swearing. If he had, at any time, been swearing in
a public place, he would have turned round, and asked, if
Welch was near. Traill’s MS. ut supra.
345 – Obituary of Robert Boyd of Trochrig, in Wodrow’s MS.
Collections, vol. v. p. 145, 148. Bannatyne Miscellany,
vol. i. p. 291, 295. See Mrs Welch’s Testament, in the
Appendix.
346 – Preface to his Sermon, apud History, p. 113. Edin. 1644.
347 – Those who have not directed their attention to this point
cannot easily conceive to what extent the translation of
foreign theological books into our language was carried
at that time. There was scarcely a book of any celebrity
published in Latin by the continental reformers, that
did not appear in an English version. Bibliographers,
and the annalists of printing, are very defective in the
information which they communicate on this branch.
348 – It is to this that Ninian Winget refers in one of his
letters addressed to Knox. “Gif ye, throw curiositie of
novationis, hes forzet our auld plane Scottis, quhilk zour
mother lernit zow, in tymes coming I sall wrytt to zow
my mynd in Latin, for I am nocht acquyntit with _zour
Southeroun_.” Keith, Append. 254.
349 – Knox’s practical writings have been lately collected
and reprinted. This, so far as it may have arisen, even
indirectly, from what I have done in illustrating the
events of his life, I regard as one of the most pleasing
fruits of my labour; nor do I regret (though I did regret
it) that the work has issued from the press of London,
instead of Edinburgh.
350 – See Note EE.
351 – See Note FF. It may be proper to notice that our Reformer’s
writings had the honour of being marked in the Index
Expurgatorius of Rome. “Joannes Chnoxus Scotus” occurs
in Index Librorum Prohibitorum, p. 49. Rothomagi, 1625.
352 – In the page referred to, this is, by mistake, described as
Note L.
353 – It is probable that the words which puzzled Hay should be
read, _and condemn your awin doinges_.
354 – The Greek word is inserted with a pen.
355 – History of the Church and Parish of St Cuthbert, or West
Kirk of Edinburgh, p. 38. Edin. 1829.
356 – The first five Nos. are religious letters; the rest contain
historical matter.
357 – The following letters from Calderwood, have been corrected
by comparing different copies. The style has evidently been
modernized.
358 – He seems to refer here to his History of the Reformation.
359 – Referring, most probably, to his treatise against Female
Government.
360 – “They were summoned,” or some such words, must be supplied
here.
361 – There is a mistake here as to the date. Knox arrived on the
2d of May. See vol. i. p. 246, 256.
362 – Are we to infer from this that the protestant ministers had
desisted from preaching while they were outlawed? I do not,
indeed, recollect of an instance of any of them, except
Knox, preaching during that time.
363 – See vol. i. p. 37, 38.
364 – soldiers.
365 – pressed, endeavoured.
366 – shift.
367 – grateful.
368 – excellent.
369 – royalty.
370 – changes situation.
371 – know a trick.
372 – juggle.
373 – acquainted, or (perhaps) crafty.
374 – feigned affair.
375 – butt, or mark.
376 – I regard nothing what worthless fellows, &c.
377 – language.
378 – the devil.
379 – ready.
380 – press, difficulty.
381 – extol.
382 – wicked.
383 – without.
384 – confederate.
385 – defend.
386 – enmity.
387 – plea, controversy.
388 – reckon in that rank.
389 – cherish.
390 – diligently.
391 – dragging.
392 – maimed, or disgraced.
393 – conceal.
394 – beat, or scourged.
395 – Sir Wink‑at‑vice, an allegorical character.
396 – described in this work.
397 – probably, _waynd ane wee_, _i.e._ swerve a little.
398 – curtail.
399 – a hotch‑potch.
400 – one thing.
401 – the hostility of strangers, and anger of relations.
402 – conceal the truth.
403 – anxiety.
404 – plainly tell.
405 – injure.
406 – run mad.
407 – without hinderance, when ye least think.
408 – barter.
409 – _gainze_ signifies sometimes an engine for throwing weapons,
and sometimes the weapon thrown.
410 – lay or song.
411 – shining, blazing.
412 – good fellow, _bon vivant_.
413 – thought nothing too much.
414 – ragamuffin, vagabond.
415 – fraternity, alluding to the fastings of the friars.
416 – treasure.
417 – attempts to meddle.
418 – smoke.
419 – above.
420 – trouble, contention.
421 – bugle‑horn.
422 – Thou knowest he loved thee above the rest.
423 – pull.
424 – repent.
425 – but shipwrecked without rescue.
426 – See vol. i. p. 28.
427 – See vol. i. 357.
428 – See vol. i. 356.
429 – See vol. i. p. 51, 67.
430 – See vol. i. p. 40.
431 – See vol. i. p. 41.
432 – See vol. i. p. 362, 364.
433 – Dundee.
434 – The name of _Schir John Knox_ occurs as a witness to a
deed concerning Rannelton Law, dated 8th March, 1541, and
preserved in an old volume of Protocols, belonging to the
burgh of Haddington. There is good reason to think that
our Reformer is the person named in that deed, which, in
this view, confirms the statement in vol. i. p. 12, that
he was in priests’ orders before he left the church of
Rome.
435 – See vol. i. p. 171. Vol. ii. p. 178.
436 – See vol. ii. p. 328.
437 – See vol. i. p. 174.
438 – I have not met elsewhere with any notice of _Brebner_ or
_Bremner_.
439 – _i.e._ of Montrose.
440 – See vol. i. p. 31, 410.
441 – See vol. ii. p. 15.
442 – See vol. ii. p. 213.
443 – See vol. ii. p. 18.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES.
The following corrections have been made in the text:
Page 66:
Sentence starting: “Ye sal be assured,”....
– ‘add she’ replaced with ‘adds he’
(be assured,” adds he, “I sal)
Page 390:
Sentence starting: Lest that the rumours of....
– ‘Leat’ replaced with ‘Lest’
(Lest that the rumours of)
Page 471:
Item: _Davidson_, John.
– ‘anwers’ replaced with ‘answers’
(His answers to Bancroft, ii. 241.)
Page 482:
Item: _Protestant_ Preachers.
– ‘ii. 428’ replaced with ‘i. 277’
(Released, i. 277.)
Page 484:
Item: _Stewart_, Lord James,...
– ‘sermous’ replaced with ‘sermons’
(Attends Knox’s sermons, i. 177.)
Footnote 75:
– ‘Note L’ replaced with ‘Note M’
(See Note M.)