Life of John Knox, Fifth Edition, Vol. 1 of 2: Containing Illustrations of the History of the Reformation in ScotlandM'Crie, Thomas
History
Life of John Knox, Fifth Edition, Vol. 1 of 2: Containing Illustrations of the History of the Reformation in Scotland
M'Crie, Thomas
Knox, John, approximately 1514-1572
“How boldlie thair synis wer rebukeit, even in thair faces, suche as
wer present can witnes with me. Almost thair wes none that occupyit
the place [pulpit] but he did prophesie, and planelie speake, the
plaguis that ar begun, and assuredlie sall end. Mr Grindal planelie
spak the deth of the kingis maieste, complayning on his houshald
servandis and officeris, who nether eschameit nor feirit to raill
aganis Godis trew word, and aganis the preacheris {411} of the
same. The godlie and fervent man, maister Lever, planelie spak the
desolatioun of the commoun weill, and the plaguis whilk suld follow
schortlie. Maister Bradfurde (whome God, for Chrystis his Sonis sake,
comfort to the end) spared not the proudest, but boldie declareit that
Godis vengence suld schortlie stryke thame that than wer in autoritie,
becaus thay abhorrit and lothed the trew word of the everlasting God.
And amangis many uther willit thame to tak exempill be the lait duck
of Somerset, who became so cald in hering Godis word, that the yeir
befoir his last apprehensioun, hie wald ga visit his masonis, and
wald not dingyie[487] himself to ga from his gallerie to his hall for
hering of a sermone. God punnissit him (said the godlie preacher), and
that suddanlie; and sall hie spair you that be dowbill mair wickit? No:
hie sall not.[488] Will ye, or will ye not, ye shall drink the cupe
of the Lordis wrath. Judicium domini! judicium domini! the judgment
of the Lord! the judgment of the Lord! lamentabillie cryit hie, with
weipping teiris. Maister Hadden most learnedlie opinit the causis
of the bypast plagis, affirmyng that the wors were to follow, unless
repentance suld schortlie be found. Thir things, and mekill mair I
hard planelie spokin, efter that the haill counsale had said, thay
wald heir no mo of thair sermonis; they wer but indifferent fellowis;
ye, and sum of thame eschameit not to call them pratting knaves. But
now will I not speik all that I knaw, for yf God continew my lyfe in
this trubill, I intend to prepair ane dische for suche as than led the
ring in the gospell: but now thay haif bene at the scule of Placebo,
and amangis laddis [ladies] hes learnit to dance, as the devill list
to pype!” P. 120, 121.
With Knox’s representation exactly agrees the affecting “Lamentation
for the change of religion in England,” composed in prison by bishop
Ridley, in which he names our countryman, along with Latimer, Lever,
and Bradford, as distinguishing themselves by the faithfulness and
boldness with which they censured the vices which reigned at court.
I would willingly make extracts from it, but must refer the reader to
the paper itself, which he will find inserted {412} at large, in the
account of the bishop’s trial and martyrdom, by Fox, p. 1614‒1620.
Edit. anno 1596.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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