Knox, John, approximately 1514-1572; Reformation -- Scotland
In Randolph's letter, recording the flight of these nobles, he mentions
eight of their accomplices, and another list is pinned to the letter,
giving names of men "all at the death of Davy and privy thereunto." This
applies to about a dozen men, being a marginal note opposite their names.
A line lower is added, "John Knox, John Craig, preachers." {252b} There
is no other evidence that Knox, who fled, or Craig, who stood to his
pulpit, were made privy to the plot. When idolaters thought it best not
to let the Pope into a scheme for slaying Elizabeth, it is hardly
probable that Protestants would apprise their leading preachers. On the
other hand, Calvin was consulted by the would-be assassins of the Duc de
Guise, in 1559-60, and he prevented the deed, as he assures the Duchesse
de Ferrare, the mother-in-law of the Duc, after that noble was murdered
in good earnest. {252c} Calvin, we have shown, knew beforehand of the
conspiracy of Amboise, which aimed at the death of "Antonius," obviously
Guise. He disapproved of but did not reveal the plot. Knox, whether
privy to the murder or not, did not, when he ran away, take the best
means of disarming suspicion. Neither his name nor that of Craig occurs
in two lists containing those of between seventy and eighty persons
"delated," and it is to be presumed that he fled because he did not feel
sure of protection against Mary's frequently expressed dislike.
In earlier days, with a strong backing, he had not feared "the pleasing
face of a gentlewoman," as he said, but now he did fear it. Kyle suited
him well, because the Earl of Cassilis, who had been an idolater, was
converted by a faithful bride, in August. Dr. M'Crie {253a} says that
Mary "wrote to a nobleman in the west country with whom Knox resided, to
banish him from his house." The evidence for this is a letter of
Parkhurst to Bullinger, in December 1567. Parkhurst tells Bullinger,
among other novelties, that Riccio was a necromancer, who happened to be
dirked; by whom he does not say. He adds that Mary commanded "a certain
pious earl" not to keep Knox in his house. {253b}
In Kyle Knox worked at his "History." On September 4 he signed a letter
sent from the General Assembly at St. Andrews to Beza, approving of a
Swiss confession of faith, except so far as the keeping of Christmas,
Easter, and other Christian festivals is concerned. Knox himself wrote
to Beza, about this time, an account of the condition of Scotland. It
would be invaluable, as the career of Mary was rushing to the falls, but
it is lost. {253c}
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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