Knox to Sir James Croft
1559.
KNOX TO SIR JAMES CROFT.
cannot lacke freinds.
Advertise yee Mr. Wood of the same, that he may doe the like diligence.
If my brother^ be not with my wife (who is not yit come unto me), 1 feare he cannot come to me before I sail have more than need of him.
Now, to the complaint and prayer of your letter writtin, say yee, at midnight.
Be of comfort, Sister, knowing that yee fight not the battell alone.
Be content to enter under mercie, to forsake your self, and to drinke of His fulnesse, in whome onlie consisteth the justice acceptable to liis Father.
It may appeare to you that I speeke nothing to purpose ; hot when yee sail consider that the same pride remaineth in all flesh that deceaved
Peter, to witt, a trust in himself, yee sail understand that onlie experience cf our (»wne infirmitie can dantoun that beast.
Fight, and fruict sail succeid, albeit not such as we wold, yit such as sail witnesse that we are not voide of the spirit of the Lord Jesus, who onlie is our justice, sanctificatioun, and holines.
To Him be giorie for ever.
Salute all faithfull acquaintance.
Grace be with you.
Frome Sanct Andrewes, the 2d of September 1559.
XXXV.
Knox to Sir James Croft.
Eight Woorshipfull, These are to advertise you, that upon Monday the 17 of September, the Lords of the Congregacion departed from Sterling, where they had remayned certain dayes before, in consultacion upon tliies present affaires.
The Erie of Arrane being in their companye, they departed altogether, I saye, to Hamilton, to my lord Duke, for reconsiliacion to be made betwixt him and summe lords and other gentlemen, whome before he, and his
'^ freends having authoritie, had offended.
In that companye ^ Evidently meaning Goodman, who accompanied Mrs. Knox in her journey, and not his brother, William Knox.
LETTERS, ETC.
1559. departed botlie the men who last wer with you, togither with the Larde of Graimge.
God unite their harts in perfett love.
Before I wrote unto you and unto Mr.
Secretary, that onles summe supporte were made unto particuler men, and especiallie to those whom I did notefie in writing, that impossible it ware unto them to serve in this action.
For albeit that money, by the adversarie partie, largelie offred, coulde not corrupt them, yet shulde extreame povertie compell them to remayne at home for they are so superexpended alreadie, that they are not liable to beare oute their trayne, and the same thing I write unto you again, requyering you to signefie the same to suche as tendre the furtheraunce of this cause.
If any persuade you that they wooll or maye serve withoute supporte, they doo but deceyve you.
If I did not perfetlie understand their necessitie, I woolde not write so precislie ; for I nothing doubte to obteyne of them, by the authoritie of God's woord, what lyeth in their power
; yea, if they coulde have money uppou their lands, I shulde never so- ^ licitt for them ; but the knowledge of their povertie, and the desier which I have that the cause prosper, makith me bolde to speake my judgement.
If we lacke those. Sir, wdioine in my former lettres I expressed, our power will be weaker then men beleve.
Fraunce seakith all meanes to make them freends, and to diminish our nombre.
Ye are not ignorant what povertie on the one parte, and money largelie offred upon the other parte, is liable to persuade.
Be advertised, and advertise you others, as you favour tlie successe of the cause.
I have doon what in me lyeth, that corruption entre not amongst them ; and at my last departing from them, I verilie beleve that they were of one mynde to promote the cause enterprised, but the power of summe is suche as before I have expressed.
One thing must I suite of you, to witt, that either by yourselfe, or ells by Sir liafe Sadleyr, to whome I could not write, because no acquayntaunce hathe been betwixt us, you woolde procure a licence for my mother, Elizabeth Bowis, to visitt me.