Church of Scotland; Knox, John, approximately 1514-1572; Reformation -- Scotland; Theology -- Early works to 1800
conversatioun of a justifeid man: but how it is suppressed, we know
nott. These that war in the galayis war threatned with tormentis, yf
thei wold not geve reverence to the Messe, (for at certane tymes the
Messe was said in the galay, or ellis heard upoun the schoar, in[576]
presence of the forsaris;) butt thei could never mack the poorest of
that cumpanye to geve reverence to that idole. Yea, when upoun the
Setterday at nycht, thei song thare _Salve Regina_, the hole Scottishmen
putt on thare cappes, thare hoodis, or such thing as thei had to cover
thare headis; and when that otheris war compelled to kyss a paynted
brod, (which thei called "Nostre Dame,") thei war not preassed after
ones; for this was the chance. [SN: MEARY FACT.] Sone after the arrivall
at Nances,[577] thare great _Salve_ was song, and a glorious painted
Lady was brought in to be kissed, and, amongis otheris, was presented to
one of the Scotishmen then cheyned. He gentillye said, "Truble me nott;
such ane idole[578] is accurssed; and tharefoir I will not tuich it."
The Patron and the Arguesyn, with two officeris, having the cheaf charge
of all such materis, said, "Thow salt handill it;" and so thei
violentlie thrust it to his face, and putt it betuix his handis; who
seing the extremitie, tooke the idole, and advisitlie looking about, he
caist it in the rivare, and said, "Lett our Lady now saif hir self: sche
is lycht aneuch; lett hir learne to swyme." After that was no Scotish
man urged with that idolatrie.
These ar thingis that appear to be of no great importance; and yit yf we
do rychtlie considder, thei expresse the same obedience that God
requyred of his people Israell, when that thei should be caryed to
Babylon; for he gave charge unto thame, that when thei should see the
Babylonians wirschipe thare goddis of gold, silver, mettall, and woid,
that thei should say, [SN: JERE. 10.] "The goddis that have nott maid
the heavin and the earth shall perish frome the heavin, and out of the
earth." That confessioun gave that hole nomber, during the tyme of thare
bondage: in the which, wald God thei had continewed in thare fredome;
for then had nott Maister James Balfour bein Officiall,[579] neyther
yitt borne a cope[580] for pleasur of the Bischope. But to proceid. The
said Maister James and Johne Knox being intill one galay, and being
wounderous familiare with him, wold often tymes ask his judgement, "Yf
he thought that ever thei should be delivered?" Whose answer was ever,
fra the day that thei entered in the galayis, "That God wald deliver
thame from that bondage, to his glorie, evin in this lyef." [SN: _QUAEVIS
MULTA SINT JUSTORUM MALA._] And lyeing betuix Dundye and Sanctandrois,
the secound tyme[581] that the galayis returned to Scotland, the said
Johne being so extreamlye seak, that few hoped his lyeff, the said
Maister James willed him to look to the land, and asked yf he knew it?
Who answered, "Yes: I knaw it weall; for I see the stepill of that
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