[54] This desire of Knox, repeated so frequently in subsequent letters, to be allowed to visit England, was ungraciously refused, or allowed for many months to pass unnoticed. On the 9th of July, after Knox had reached Scotland, but still expressing the same anxious desire to see his brethren in the North of England, Cecil wrote to Sir Nicholas Throkmorton: "_Knoxe desireth to come hyther_: if he might come secretly, I wold allow it; otherwise not." On the 13th of June, Throkmorton, in a letter to Queen Elizabeth, had mentioned that Knox's wife and his mother-in-law were then in Paris, intending to return through England, and that he had promised letters in their favour to Secretary Cecil; and he entreated her Majesty to overlook "his former faultes." On the 19th of July, after stating "of what importance the successe of thinges touching religion in Scotland is for us," Throkmorton strongly urges upon Cecil the expediency "that Knokes have liberty to repair into England, how short soever his abode be there." (Forbes's State Papers, vol. i. pp. 129, 155, 167.) From Cecil's own letter, on the 28th of July, (see page 34,) it appears that he had requested Knox to meet him at Stamford; but the course of events, as related at page 32, prevented his travelling beyond Berwick. [55] In MS. G. "imprisonment." [56] In the MS. of 1566, "thei counsall." [57] In MS. G, "Lat no man." "This is the thrid tyme that I have beggit licence to visite the hungrie and thristie amangs you, whiche, yf now be denyed, as befoire God I have a testimonie, that so muche I seik nott myself, as the advancement of Chrystis Evangell, and the conforte of suche as quhome I knaw afflicted; so sall the godlie understand that England, in refuseing me, refuseth a friend, how small that ever the power be. The mychtie Spreit of the Lord Jesus muve youre hairte deaplie to consider youre dewtie unto God, and the estait of that Realme in whiche, by his appointement, ye now serve. From Deape, the [22d][58] of Aprile 1559. (_Sic subscribitur_,) "Youris to command in godlines, "JHONE KNOX." [58] This date is supplied from the original, in the Harl. MSS. (British Museum) No. 7004. In the MSS. of Knox's History, it is dated the 10th of April.