such a beginning. We shall gratify our readers with a few sen-' tences, which we are persuaded they will think quite enough, from the beginning of this letter.

• Deirlibelovit sister in the commoun faith of Jesus our saviour." The place of Johne forbidding ws to salut sic as bringeth not the hailsome doctrine, admonisseth ws what danger cumeth be fals teacheris, evin the destructioun of bodie and saule; whairfoir the spreit of God willeth ws to be sa cairfull to avoyd the company of all that teachis doctrine contrarie to the treuth of Chryst, that we communicat with thame in nathing that may appeir to manteane or defend thame in thair corrupt opinioun, for hie that bidis thame Godspeid, communicatis with thair syn, that is, hie that apeiris be keiping thame company, or assisting unto thame in thair proceidingis to savour thair doctrine is giltie befoir God of thair iniquitie, baith becaus hie doith confirme thame in thair error be his silence, and also confirmes utheris to credit thair doctrine becaus hie opponis not himself thairto and sa to bid thame Godspeid is not to speik unto thame commounlie as we for civill honestie to men unknawn, but it is efter we have hard of thair fals doctrine to be conversant with thame and sa intreat thame as thay had not offendit in thair doctrine. The place of Jamis teachis ws belovit sister that in Jesus Chryst all that unfeandlie profes him ar equall befoir him and that ryches nor wardlie honouris ar nathing regairdit in his syght, and thairfoir wald the spreit of God speiking in the apostill that sic as are trew christianis suld have mair respect to the spirituall giftis. whairwith God had doteth his messingeris nor to externall ryches whilk oftymes the wicket possessis."

In some of the other letters, though there is quite as little of earthly love or ornamental writing, there is more of the high spirit of the man, and a certain tone of deep and serious attachment, which is not without a certain pathetic effect when coming from such a temper. In one, which was written when his prospects for the great cause had again become gloomy, he concludes, Nevertheless rejoicie, sister-for the same word which forespeaketh terrible death, certifys us of the glory consequent.-As for myself, if the extremity should now apprehend me, it is not come unlooked for :-But I fear that yet I be not ripe to glorify Christ by my death;-but what lacketh now, God shall perform in his own time ;--and be sure I will not forget you and your company so long as mortal man may remember any earthly creature.

The death of Edward, and the accession of Mary, in 1553, struck despair into the hearts of almost all the friends of the Reformation. But Knox knew not either despair or despondency; and when it was no longer safe for him to remain in London, he made various preregrinations through the central Counties of England, preaching, and encouraging the trembling

congregations of the godly. In the end of this year he married Miss Bowes; and appears to have made a vain attempt to overcome the repugnance of her paternal relations to their union. -The letters in which he communicates to her mother the unsatis→ factory result of the conference, exhibit more personal feeling, and pride, and sensibility, than any thing else that he has allowed himself to write. We add a few extracts.

'Dear mother-So may and will I call you, not only for the tender affection I bear unto you in Christ, but also for the motherly kindness ye have shewn unto me at all times since our first acquaintance, albeit such things as I have desired (if it had pleased God), and others have long desired, are never like to come to pass, yet shall ye be sure that my love and care toward you shall never abate, so long as I can care for any earthly creature.

and ye

Ye shall un

derstand that this 6th of November, I spake with Sir Robert Bowes, on the matter ye know, according to your request, whose disdainful, yea despiteful words hath so pierced my heart, that my life is bitter unto me. I bear a good countenance with a sore troubled heart. -God be merciful unto him. Among other his most unpleasing words, while that I was about to have declared my part in the whole matter, he said, "Away with your rhetorical reasons, for I will "not be persuaded with them. " God knows I did use no rhetoric or coloured speech, but would have spoken the truth, and that in most simple manner. I am not a good oratour in my own cause.I regard not what country consume this my wicked carcase ;-and were it not that no man's unthankfulness shall move me (God supporting my infirmity) to cease to do profit unto Christ's congregation, those days should be few that England would give me bread. And I fear that, when all is done, I shall be driven to that end; for I cannot abide the disdainful hatred of those, of whom not only I thought I might have craved kindness, but also to whom God hath been by me more liberal than they be thankful. But so must men declare themselves. '.

It will be after the 12th day before I can be at Berwick; and almost I am determined not to come at all. Ye know the cause. God be more merciful unto some, than they are equitable unto me in judgment. The testimony of my conscience absolves me, before his face who looks not upon the presence of man.' p. 92, 93.

The persecutions of Mary becoming dangerous, he was induced, early in 1554, to join a troop of those who submitted to exile for the sake of conscience, and was landed at Dieppe in January of that year. From this place he afterwards proceeded to Geneva, where he contracted an intimate friendship with Calvin, and held perpetual conferences with the learned men of that country upon the points most interesting to him. Such, however, was his zeal and anxiety for his persecuted brethren in his native island, that in the course of that year he three

times performed a pilgrimage from Geneva to the shores of the Channel, in order to be within reach of their correspondence. The reformed and tolerant states of the Continent, were now filled with the Protestant refugees from England; and, in particular, a very considerable congregation was assembled at Frankfort on the Maine, who sent a deputation to Knox, entreating him to come and officiate as their pastor. He complied with some reluctance; as the deputation found him, at the age of fifty, engaged with all the ardour of youth in the study of He brew, and various branches of learning. He considered it, however, to be his duty not to withhold his ministry from his countrymen, and repaired to Frankfort, where he showed the greatest prudence and temper in healing the schisms that unfortunately arose among this congregation of exiles; but which grew at last to such a height, that he was forced to quit them in the year following, and return to his studies at Geneva. From this place, however, he again set out in August 1555, and rejoined his wife at Berwick; from which he proceeded to Edin. burgh, and preached many times every day to such small congregations as could be assembled in his private lodgings. He then resided for some time at Calder-house, now the seat of Lord Torphichen; and afterwards preached in a more public manner in the town of Ayr. This appearance was the topic of conversation, it seems, at the court of the Queen Regent, as Knox himself has recorded in the following characteristic sen

tences.

• Some affirmed that the preacher was an Englishman: A prelate, not of the least pride, said, Nay; no Englishman, but it is Knox, that knave. It was my Lord's pleasure so to baptize a poor man ; the reason whereof, if it should be required, his rochet and mitre must stand for authority. What further liberty he used in defining things alike uncertain to him, to wit, my learning and doctrine, at this present I omit. For what my life and conversation hath been, since it hath pleased God to call me from the puddle of papestrie let my very enemies speak; and what learning I have, they may prove when they please." p. 131.

Having now obtained the support of many noble and distinguished persons, he was urged by the Earl Marischal and the Earl of Glencairn, to address a letter to the Queen Regent, supplicating her protection for himself and his brethren, and her attention to the doctrines they taught. Such a letter he accordingly wrote; and in a style which unites the liberal and even polite tone of a man of the world, with the zeal and earnestness of an apostolical reformer. The Earl of Glencairn delivered the letter into the hands of the Regent; but that bigoted wo

man glanced over it with a careless eye, and handed it to the Archbishop of Glasgow, saying, with an accent of scorn,Does it please you, my Lord, to read a Pasquil?' (i. e. a Pasquin or Pasquinade.) This discouraging reception was duly reported to Knox, who afterwards published the letter, with some additions; in which, though the same good tone is maintained, and to a degree sufficient of itself to refute the common calumnies about his innate vulgarity and coarseness of manner-much greater severity is displayed than he had conceived to be called for on the former occasion. The following are the terms in which he replies to the Royal scoff we have mentioned.

"As charitie persuadeth me to interpret thinges doubtfully spoken in the best sence, so my dutie to God (who hath commanded me to flatter no prince in the earth) compelleth me to say, that if no more ye esteme the admonition of God, nor the Cardinalles do the scoffing of pasquilles, then he shall shortly send you messagers, with whome ye shall not be able on that maner to jest.-I did not speak unto you, madame, by my former lettre, nether yet do I now, as Pasquillus doth to the Pope, in behalf of such as dare not utter their names; but I come, in the name of Jesus Christ, affirming, that the religion which ye maintain is damnable idolatrie: the which I offre myselfe to prove by the most evident testimonies of Goddis scriptures. And, in this quarrelle, I present myself againste all the papistes within the realme, desiring none other armore but Goddis holie worde, and the libertie of my tonge."

These discouragements, and a pressing invitation from his former flock at Geneva, induced him again to repair to that city in July 1556; but early in the year following, he was so earnestly entreated by a large body of the Scottish nobility and gentry to return to his native country, that he instantly set out on his journey; but finding, on his arrival at Dieppe, that there was as yet no union nor resolution among his followers, he returned back to Geneva in the end of 1557, and in the following year, cooperated with his learned countrymen in that place in bringing out that translation of the Scriptures which is still known by the name of the Geneva Bible; and also gave to the world his extraordinary treatise, entitled, The first blast of the trumpet against the monstrous regiment (i. e, regimen or government) of women;' a work which was first suggested by the enormities of Queen Mary's persecutions, and afterwards brought him into great odium, both with Elizabeth and her unfortunate rival.

6

In the mean time, the cause of the reformation was silently making its way in Scotland: And the injudicious zeal of the Archbishop of St Andrews having led him, in the most atrocious

and illegal manner, to commit an eminent and inoffensive preacher to the flames; in April 1558, the protestant lords made a public application to the queen regent for her protection; which, having been favourably received, and the prospects of the party having been farther brightened by the death of Mary, and the accession of Elizabeth, Knox, in July 1559, took his final leave of Geneva, and arrived in Scotland in May thereaf ter. His presence at once revived the spirits, and renewed the efforts of his associates; and though the queen regent soon took open part with the catholic clergy, and invited a large body of French military into the country, the only effect of this was to drive the protestants to take up arms in their own defence, and to treat for their independence at the head of their troops. The successful intrepidity of Knox, in preaching openly at St Andrews, (for the fulfilment of his prediction when aboard the galleys), had no little effect in confirming the courage of his fol lowers, and intimidating the most active of his opponents.

As

for the fear of danger,' said he, when some of his friends dissuaded him from so perilous an experiment, let no man be solicitous; for my life is in the custody of him whose glory I ⚫seek. I desire not the hand nor the weapon of man to defend me. I only crave audience; which, if it be denied unto me here at this time, I must seek where I may have it.' He opened a negotiation with England, for assistance against the queen regent and her French auxiliaries; and devoted himself with such zeal to the great work in which he was engaged, that the day was spent in preaching and travelling, and the night in writing letters and consultations. A letter to his wife, which has been preserved, gives a striking picture of his situation at this critical period.

"In twenty-four hours, I have not four free to natural rest, and easce of this wicked carcass. Remember my last request for my mother, and say to Mr George that I have need of a good and an assured horse; for great watch is laid for my apprehension, and large money promissed till any that shall kyll me. And this part of my care now poured in your bosom, I cease farther to trouble you, being troubled myself in body and spirit, for the troubles that be present, and appear to grow.-At mydnicht.-I write with sleaping eies." p. 205.

The sage, though dilatory policy of Elizabeth, and the intestine dissensions which rendered France incapable of supporting her rival, at last decided the fortune of the Scotish reformation. The English commissioners concluded a treaty of alliance with the Protestant leaders in February 1560; and in April, the English army passed the Scotish border to their assistance. The French troops retired to the fortifications at