And yet, though sternly uttering in the highest places what he believed to be the word of God, there were not wanting in his character other traits of gentleness and geniality. As Carlyle has truly said, "Tumult was not his element, it was the tragic feature of his life that he was forced to dwell in that." He too, like the granite mountains of his native land, had in him fountains of tenderness, and valleys laughing with cheerfulness. He was not the heartless Stoic that many have ignorantly painted him, for have we not seen him weeping with those who were "sobbing unto God"? And though it may seem strange to those who have not made themselves acquainted with his history, there was in him a vein of humour, yea even, as Carlyle says, of "drollery," that makes him excellent company. This humour of his, as the writer just named has admirably diagnosed it, was "not mockery, scorn, bitterness, alone, though there is enough of that too, but a true, loving, illuminating laugh mounts up over the earnest visage; not a loud laugh; you would say a laugh in the eyes most of all."
But now our task is done. We have tried to show honestly the man as he was, and to describe dispassionately the work which he did. He is, if not pre-eminently the Scotchman of history,—though we think a good claim might be established for him as such,—yet certainly one of "the three mightiest," or of "the first three" of his nation; and like the vine whose branches spread over the wall, his influence has gone in blessing to other lands, for in his work we have the root of the English Revolution, and some of the seeds that were carried westward in the Mayflower, and sown in New England fields, had fallen from his hands. It is not inappropriate therefore that one whose labours in the ministry of the gospel have closely connected him alike with Scotland, England, and America, should pay this willing tribute to his name and work.
[1] "Catholic Presbyterian," vol. vi. p. 265.
INDEX.
Annand, Dean, Controversy of Knox with, 17.
Answers to some questions concerning Baptism, etc., by Knox, 17.
Arbuckle, Friar, Controversy of, with Knox, concerning the Mass, 18, 32.
Arran, Earl of, appointed Regent of Scotland, 4; character of, 5.
Argyle, Earl of, 108, 116, 125.
Balfour of Mount Quarry, 8.
Balnaves, Henry, 6, 15, 24, 29.
Band, or Bond, Godly, 107, 112, 116.
Beaton, Cardinal, executes George Wishart, 2; character of, 4; produces a forged will in order to obtain the Regency of Scotland, 4; murder of, 8; condemnation of Walter Mill by, 116.
Becon's Displaying of the Mass, 45.
Berwick on Tweed, Knox appointed to, 30; condition of, at that time, 31; practice of Knox at, in the matter of the Lord's Supper, 32, 36; preaching of Knox at, 33.
Blast, First, of the Trumpet against the monstrous Regiment of Women, by Knox, 108.
Book of Common Prayer (English), 31, 36, 46, 47.
Book of Common Order (Scottish), 105, 147.
Book of Discipline, First, 140-147, 153; not ratified, 154.
Bothwell, Earl of, apprehends George Wishart, 2; connection of, with the family of Knox, 10; part of, in Darnley's murder, 183; marriage of, to Queen Mary, 183.
Bowes, Marjory, betrothed to Knox, 40; marriage of, to Knox, 96; joins her husband in Scotland, 126; death of, 155; sons of, 151, 201.
Bowes, Elizabeth, mother-in-law of Knox, 40, 60, 66; character of, 71, 98, 100, 101; kindness of Knox to, 102.
Brandling, Sir Robert, 60, 68.
Bullinger, Henry, 48, 77; questions of Knox to, 77, 81, 108.
Burton's History of Scotland quoted from or referred to, 4, 122, 195, 203.
Cairns, John, appointed reader to Knox in Edinburgh, 155.
Calvin, John, 77, 82; opinion of, on English Prayer Book, 86; criticism of Knox's treatment at Frankfort by, 93, 106, 110.
Campbell, Robert, of Kingzeaucleuch, 98, 158, 198.
Carlyle, Thomas, Opinions of, on Knox's conduct at Frankfort, 92; on the First Blast, 110; on Knox's treatment of Queen Mary, 175; on the portraits of Knox, 200; on Knox's History of the Reformation, 203; on Knox's tenderness and humor, 210; description of the affair at Cupar Muir by, 124.
Cecil, Secretary, 49, 113, 130, 162.
Clergy of Scotland, General character of, before the Reformation, 6.
Confession of Faith, Scottish, 137; ratified by Parliament, 139.
Conversion of Knox to Protestantism, 13.
Coverdale, Miles, godfather to one of Knox's sons, 151.
Cox, Dr. Richard, Relation of, to the troubles at Frankfort, 88, 91.
Craig, John, colleague of Knox, 163, 188, 196.
Cranmer, Archbishop, on the Mass, 43; letter of, to English Council, 49; probable author of Declaration on Kneeling, 51; sufferings of, 82.
Crossraguel, Abbot of, Controversy with Knox, 166-168.
Cupar Muir, Affair of, 124.
Darnley, Lord Henry, Marriage of, to Queen Mary Stuart, 180; offended at sermon by Knox, 180; part of, in murder of Rizzio, 183; murder of, 183.
Deacons, Office of, in First Book of Discipline, 143.
Declaration of Prayer Book on Kneeling in the Lord's Supper, History of, 48-55.
Demolition of Roman Catholic edifices, Relation of Knox to, 121.
Dieppe, Knox in, 71-76, 79, 113.
Doctors, Office of, in Scottish Church, 145.
Douglas, John, Chaplain to Earl of Argyle, 116.
Edinburgh, Knox chosen minister of, 125; Knox's house in, 155; labors of Knox in, 163.
Education, Book of Discipline on, 146.
Edward VI., First Prayer Book of, 31, 36, 46, 47; Second Prayer Book of, 46, 47; order of Communion under, 46; death of, 62.
Elders, Office of, under First Book of Discipline, 142.
Elizabeth, Queen of England, accession to the throne, 112; refuses Knox's request for permission to travel through England, 113; relation of, to Mary Stuart, 158; deceitfulness of, 130.
England, Feelings of Knox in regard to, 70; influence of, on Knox, 62.
Erskine of Dun, 97, 98, 108, 120, 171.
Exposition of the Sixth Psalm by Knox, 71-74.
Faithful Admonition, by Knox, 79-82.
Fairley, Robert, of Braid, 198.
Francis I., of France, Death of, 20.
Francis II., Death of, 156.
Frankfort on the Maine, History of Knox's troubles at, 83-94; departure of Knox from, 91.
First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women, by Knox, 108, 113, 161; Carlyle on, 110.
Froude, J. A., History of England, 64, 127, 139, 185.
Galleys, French, Knox's experiences in, 23-25.
Geneva, Knox at, 83; pastor of English congregation in, 95; arrival of Knox and family at, 101; labors of Knox at, 105, 107; thanks of English refugees to the council of, 112.
Gilby, Arthur, colleague of Knox at Geneva, 95.
Glasgow University, Knox a student at, 11.
Godly Band or Bond, 107, 112, 116.
Godly Letter of Warning, by Knox, 74-76.
Guillaume, Thomas, Connection of Knox with, 13.
Haddington, George Wishart preaching at, 1; birthplace of Knox, 10.
Hamilton, Patrick, 5.
Henry VIII., Dispute of, with James V., 4; connection of, with conspirators against Beaton, 7; Death of, 20.
Hume, David, Letter of, to Dr. Robertson, on character of Mary Stuart, 177.
James V., Death of, 3; dispute with Henry VIII., 3.
James VI., Birth of, 183; coronation of, 184.
Kirkaldy of Grange, 9; makes terms for surrender of the castle of St. Andrews, 22; dissuaded by Knox from the shedding of blood to escape from prison, 26; controversy of with Knox, 187; message of Knox to, 198.
Kneeling in the Lord's Supper, Knox's opinions and practice in regard 10, 35, 37, 39; declaration of English Prayer Book on, 62.
Knox, John, First appearance of, as body-guard of Wishart, 2; enters the castle of St. Andrews, 9, 14; early history of, 10; conversion of, to Protestantism, 13; within the castle of St. Andrews, 14; called to the ministry, 15; controversy with Dean Annand, 17; sermon at St. Andrews, 17; controversy with Friar Arbuckle, 18, 32; made a galley slave, 22; feelings of, on sight of St. Andrews from the galley, 27; released from the galleys, 30; preaching of, at Berwick, 33; administration of Lord's Supper at Berwick, 36; opinions of, on Lord's Supper, 39; heroism of, 40; removal to Newcastle, 42; discourse on the Mass, 43; preaching of, at Newcastle, 45; practice in regard to the Lord's Supper at Newcastle, 45; appointed a Royal Chaplain, 46; preaches before Edward VI., 48, 61; influence of, on English Book of Common Prayer, 48-52; relation of, to Duke of Northumberland, 48, 56; offered a bishopric, 57; offered the vicarage of All Hallows, London, 58; before the English council, 58; in the county of Bucks, 65; sermon at Amersham, 65; Exposition of Sixth Psalm, 68, 72; leaves England for France, 69; love of, for England, 70; writes Godly Letter of Warning, 74; first visit of, to Switzerland, 77; returns to Dieppe, 79; writes "Faithful Admonition", 79; goes to Frankfort on the Maine, 83; history of troubles there, 84; leaves Frankfort, 91; pastor of English Church at Geneva, 95; brief visit of, to Scotland, 95; marriage of to Marjory Bowes, 96; work in Scotland at this time, 97-99; summoned to appear before the bishops, 100; writes to the Queen Regent, 100; returns to Geneva 102, labors at, 105; called to return to Scotland, 106; at Dieppe, 106; returns to Geneva, 107; leaves Geneva for Scotland, 112; arrives in Scotland, 114; preaches at Perth, 120; and at St. Andrews, 124; chosen minister of St. Giles, Edinburgh, 125; travels through Scotland, 126; negotiations with Sir James Croft, 129; views of, on civil government, 130; imperfect understanding of the relation of Church and State, 133; residence of, in Edinburgh, 155; first interview with Queen Mary Stuart, 159; second interview, 163; debate of, with Abbot of Crossraguel, 166; breach between, and Earl of Murray, 169; third interview with Queen Mary, 168; fourth interview with Mary, 170; accused falsely of immorality, 175; before the Scottish council, 175; marriage of, to Margaret Stewart, 179; preaches at coronation of James VI., 185; mourns over the death of Murray, 185; stricken with paralysis, 186; controversy with Kirkaldy of Grange, 187; danger of, in Edinburgh, 189; goes to St. Andrews, 190; Melville's description of, at this time, 191; publishes "Answer to the Letter of a Jesuit", 192; returns to Edinburgh, 195; last sermon of, 197; last illness of, 197; death of, 199; personal appearance of, 200; children of, 201; portraits of, 200; writings of, 202; preaching of, 204; effect of work on Scotland, 207; tenderness and humor of, 210.
Knox's History of the Reformation, 9, 22, 25, 27, 35, 98, 121, 124, 138, 156, 161, 170; described by Carlyle, 203.
Laing, David, LL.D., Edition of Knox's Works quoted from or referred to, 11, 12, 58, 65, 72, 74, 75, 77, 102, 110, 129, 130, 144, 148, 153, 182, 201.
Lawson, John, Induction of, as Knox's successor, 197.
Liturgy of Knox, 152.
Lollards of Kyle, 99.
Lorimer, Rev. Peter, D.D., Works on Knox quoted from or referred to, 8, 25, 28, 30, 31, 33, 36, 37, 41, 45, 46, 48, 49, 51, 52, 54, 55, 103.
Lorraine, Princes of, 113.
Lord's Supper, first administered after reformed fashion, 19; practice followed by Knox regarding at Berwick, 32-34, 36; kneeling in, opposed by Knox, 38; influence of Knox on English Prayer Book regarding, 46-52; declaration of Prayer Book on kneeling in, 52.
Lyons, Knox visits, 107.