Addressing himself to the lords who had invited his return, Mr Knox expostulates with them on their rash conduct, as having a tendency to cause both them and him to be evil spoken of.--“For either,” said he, “it shall appear that I was marvellous vain, being so solicited, where no necessity required, or else that such as were my movers thereto lacked the ripeness of judgment in their first vocation.” Along with this letter he sent one to the whole nobility, and others to particular gentlemen, advising them in what manner they ought to proceed. On their receipt a new consultation was held, and a bond subscribed at Edinburgh on the 13th December, 1557, whereby they agreed to “forsake and renounce the congregation of Satan, with all the superstitious abominations and idolatry thereof.” From this period those subscribing, and their adherents, were known by the title of the Congregation. Previous to this agreement, however, a number of letters were sent off to Mr Knox, and to John Calvin, that he might use his influence in persuading him to return. This year (1558,) the Queen Regent, through the concurrence of the Protestant party in Parliament, obtained an act to be passed, conferring the matrimonial crown on the Dauphin, the husband of her daughter, the unfortunate Mary. They had been induced to forward her views in this favourite scheme, that they might obtain from her an exemption from that tyranny with which the ancient laws armed the ecclesiastics against them, and enjoy the free exercise of their religion. No sooner, however, had she obtained the gratification of her wishes, than the accomplishment of a new scheme, the placing her daughter on the throne of England, and to which she had been prompted by the ambition of her brothers, the princes of the house of Lorraine, at that time in the plenitude of their power at the Court of France, rendered an union with the Catholics necessary. It was vain to expect the assistance of the Scots Protestants to dethrone Elizabeth, whom all Europe considered as the most powerful defender of the Reformed faith. She therefore began to treat them with coldness and contempt, and not only approved the decrees of a convocation of the Popish clergy, in which the principles of the Reformation were condemned, but at the same time issued a proclamation enjoining the observance of Easter according to the ritual of the Romish church.