[42] In MS. G, "the said water;" in Vautr. edit. "the same water." Evidently the Black Devon, a small river which rises in the western part of Fife, and falls into the Forth below the town of Clackmannan; and, therefore, to be distinguished from the Devon itself, which has its source on the northern declivity of the Ochil Hills, and after passing through Glen Devon, celebrated for its romantic scenery, falls into the Frith of Forth about two miles above Alloa. [43] In MS. 1566, "morrow." [44] Both MS. G, and Vautr. edit. have, "nor pitifull words." [45] In MS. 1566, "houyer:" MS. G has "quhidder;" and Vautr. "whither." * * * * * And now, because that frome this tyme forward, frequent mentioun will be maid of the comfortable support that we, in oure greattest extremetie receved, by Goddis providence, frome oure nychtbouris of Ingland, we think it expedient simply to declair by quhat instrumentis that mater was first moved, and by quhat meanis it come to passe, that the Quene and Counsell of Ingland schew thameselves sa favorable unto us. As Jhonne Knox had foirwairned us, by his letteris frome Geneva, of all dangeris that he foirsaw [to] ensew on our enterpryse; so quhen he come to Deip, myndfull of the same, and revolveing with himself quhat remedy God wald pleis to offere, he tuike the boldnes to wreit to Sir Williame Cycill, Secretarie of Ingland, with quhome the said Jhonne had bein befoire familiarlie acquented, intending thairby[46] to renew acquentence, and so to oppen farther of his mynd.[47] The tennour of his first Letter followis:-- "_The Spreit of Jugement, Wisdome, and Sanctificatioun, I wishe unto you, by Jesus Chryst._ [46] In MS. 1566, "in sending." [47] In Vautrollier's editions, and in the later MSS. (A., E., I., L 2, &c.) the whole of this paragraph is omitted, and also the following Letter from Knox to Cecil, written from Dieppe in April 1559. The free strain of the letter was not calculated to conciliate the favour of the English statesman; and we need not be surprised to find Cecil, in a letter dated "from the Court," on the last of October, saying to Sadler, "_Of all others Knoxees name_, if it be not Goodman's, _is most odious here_; and therefore I wish no mentioun of hym hither."--(State Papers, vol. i. p. 532.) [Sidenote: Jhone Knox first letter to Sir Williame Cecyll.]