Knox to Calvin
1561.
KNOX TO CALVIN.
LXII.
Knox to Calvin.
Peiyctumii 8. F. Incrcmentum.
Teanquillitatem rerum nostraruin interturbavit adventus Eeginse, nam, triduo postquam ilia appulerat, erectinn est rursus idolum illud missalicum.
Semetipsos opposuenmt viri, etsi pauci, graves et authoritate clari, ratiocinantes se non posse Sana conscientia permittere ut terra ilia, quam Dominus verbi sui efficatia ab externa idolatria piirgarat, rursus, ipsis aspicientibus, eisdem inquinamentis foedaretur.
Verum quia major pars etiam eorum qui nobiscum adhuc in doctrina consentiunt, diversum suasit, vicit tunc impietas qufe et hodie sibi vires acquirit.
Habent posteriores quod indulgentia^ sure prtetexanto affirmare, secundum Keginam, omnes Verbi ministros (et te quoque) in liac esse sententia quod nobis non licet prohibere quominus
LXII.^ Knox to Calvin.
The arrival of the Queen lias interrupted tlie tranquillity of our affairs.
For three days after hei' arrival, that idol the mass was again set up.
It was opposed by men of gravity and of eminent authority, although few in number, who considered that they could not, with a good conscience, suffer that land which God, by the power of His Word, had purified from outward idolatry, to be again in their very sight defiled by the same pollutions.
But as the majority even of those who still agree with us in doctrine advised a different course, ungodliness had the victory at the time, and to this day acquires more strength.
The latter have this to say in defence of their indulgence, that the Queen, namely, affirms that all the ministers of the Word (and yourself also) are of opinion that it is not lawful for us to prohibit her from openly professing her own
LETTERS, ETC.
1561. ilia suam religionem aperte profiteatur.
Quern riimorem, tametsi ego lit falsissimnm siibinde repreliendo, radices tamen in multorum cordibus sic egit ut ego revellere iion possum, nisi ex te sciam an liujus modi questio ad vestram ecclesiam proposita sit, et ad illam quoque quid responderint fratres ?
Tibi perpetuo molestus sum, et alium non liabeo in cujus sinum curas meas rejiciam.
Ingenue fateor, iQi Pater, nee uunquam antea sensisse quam grave et difficile fuerat adversus liipochrisim pietate fucatam pugnare ; apertos liostes nimquam sic timui, quum in mediis erumnis victoriam sperarem, at ita me nunc vulnerat htec perfida a Christo defectio (quie ab illis indulgentia tantum nominatur) ut in dies mibi vires deficiant.
Multa liic feruntur de Cranstone quodam nostrate quem mentiuntur papisttie argumentorum vebementia adigisse te ad multarum rerum palinodiam, quas prius in scriptis tuis affirm averas ; sed hsec tanquam ridicula prgetereo.
Scripsisset ad te religion ; and, tliougli I frequently denounce that rumour as utterly false, yet it has become so rooted in the hearts of many, that I cannot root it out, unless I learn from you whether this question has been proposed to your church, and what answer the brethren gave to it, I am a continual trouble to you, and I have no other to whom I can confide my anxieties.
I frankly confess, niy Father, that I never before felt how weighty and difficult a matter it is to contend against hypocrisy under the disguise of piety.
I never so feared open enemies when in the midst of troubles I could hope for victory.
But now this treacherous defection from Christ (which by them is styled merely an indulgence) so wounds me that my strength daily \l diminishes.
Many things are said here of one Cranston, a countryman of ours, who, the Papists say, compelled you, by the power of his argiiments, to recant many things that you had previously
\..^al^-— ?^ 1>U^ •^t^Lf -^trt-^tJ^CJi -C^-iT ^CJ)^ (h.^ ^je-t^ ^^oS^ c^-^-^Z? ^r^/2i:^ -^r, ..,^^
1561.
KNOX TO CALVIN.
comes Arrianus, sed aberat.
Salutat te Jacobus ille frater Reuiufe, maxime senex, qui solus inter illos qui Aulani frequentant impietati se opponit ; ille tamen inter reliquos fascinatur in hoc quod veretur idolum illud violenter deturbare.
Salutat te Ecclesia tota et tuarum precum subsidia flagitat.
Pominus Jesus te diu Ecclesiie su?e incolumem servet.
Amen.
Edinburgi, 24 Octobris 1561.
Tui observantissimus, Joannes Knox.
Servantissimo viro et domino suo colendissimo domino JoANNi Calvino Ecclesite Genevensis pastori vigilantissimo.
Dentur Geuevse.' affirmed in your writings ; but I pass by these as ridiculous.
The Earl of Arran would have written to you, but he is absent.
James, the Queen's eldest brother, who alone among those that frequent the Court, opposes himself to ungodliness, salutes you.
Yet he among others labours under this delusion, that he is afraid to overthrow that idol by violence.
The whole church salutes you, and entreats the help of your prayers.
The Lord Jesus long preserve you to His Church in safety.
Your most devoted, John Knox.
Edinburgh, 24 October 1561.
To a most faithful man, and his most worshipful master, John Calvin, the very vigilant pastor of the ChurclT^f Geneva.
To be delivered at Geneva.
I In M.
Teulet's " Papiers d'Etat," witli a most accurate facuiuile of the etc., tome ii., this letter is accompanied original.
LETTERS, ETC.
LXIII.
Maitland of Letiiington to Sir William Cecill.
Sir, I understand by your lettres sent to Mr. Eandolph, that the Duke of G\vyse hath broken with Sir Nicolas Throgmorton the mater uiocioned by me to the Queue's Majestie.
I wishe it may be so receaved by yow, as both realmes may enoy the frenshe, which shall proceade off so godly ane accord.
I wolde be glade to answer her Majestie's determinacion, sence she hath understand by Sir Peter Mewatas^ the Queue my Maistress dis
position to joyne with her in tender amety, if by the meanes off us two soche a conjunction maye be procured, we shalbe estemed happy instruments for our countreyes.
I know how unwilling yow be to enter in maters off so great consequence yet when yow shall consider what suerty, quietnes, and commodity this mocion importeth to the Queue your Soveraygne and your native countrey, I suppose yow will be bold to uter frankly your opinion in it.
God hathe by tymes oftred many meanes of a godly coniunction, by what providence it hath chansed that none hath taken offre as yet I can not tell, this hath most likelyhod to come to pas as grounded upon equity, and soche as neyther party can therby think hym seft gryefed.
Suerly, if this shalbe overthrowen, as other have bene heretofore, it may be juged that God is not pleased with us, and will that one off us shall ever be a plague to the other, let us doe our duety and commit the success to God.
I pray yow, in your next lettres, write amply your opinion unto me, the Queue my
Maistress doth so gently behave herselff in every behalff as reasonably we can require : if any thing be amiss the fait is rather in ourselffes.
You know the vehemence off Mr. Knox spriet, which cannot be brydled ; and that doth sometymes uter soche sentences as can not easaly be dygcsted by a weake
' See vol. ii. p. 294, footnote 1.
1561.
MAITLAND TO SIR WILLIAM CECILL.
stomach.
I wolde wishe he sholde deale with her more gently, being a yong Princess onpersuaded, for this am I accompted to be politik, but suerly in her comporting with him she doth declare a wisedome far exceading her age.
God gTant her the assistance off his Spriet.
Suerly I see in her a good towardnes, and think that the Queue your Soveraygne shalbe able to do moche with her in religion, if they ever enter in a good familiarity.
I pray yow have me hartely recommended to my Loril of Penbroke.
I must yet ones agayne recommend unto yow the poor marchands suyt, which this bearer doth sollicit, wherein I pray yow shew towardes him your accustomed favour and, Sir, I take my leave, after most harty commendacions.
From Edenburg, the xxv day of October 1561.
Your Honour at commandment, W. Maitland.
To the Right honorable Sir William Cecill, Kuyght, principall Secretary to the Queue's Majestic of Englande,
These.
LXIV.—ExTKACTS, Eandolph to Sik William Cecill.
.... To answer some poyntes of your Honour's lettre, wheare I will crave pardon how shorte so never I be, for that thys bearer hartlye haste to be upon his waye
; wheare your honor lyketh better the demenition of the bysshops and others livings then th'augmentation of the Crowne therwith, what cane I saye better then that I fynde written, Mcrx meritricis et ad meritrices reversa est—I fynde yt nether done for zeale to Chryste's religion, nor hatred to the viciusnes of theire lyves that had yt : yf she dyd that for neade, theie themselves to have injoyed the whole, offred mychc more.
I fynde not also that all other men besyde the kirkemen ar pleased with thys.
The Duke he begynnythe nowe to greve, he muste departe from vii partes of Arl^rothe, the Bysshope of St. Andrews from as myche
LETTERS, ETC.
1562. of his livingos, the Lord Claude, the Duke's sone in Englaude, futm'us successor to Parsolaye,^ also the viith ; the Abbot of Kilwynuynge as muche, bysydes divers others of that race, so / that niaynie a Hamilton shall shortelye be torned a beggynge.
And I assure your Honour I knowe not whether thys be hable to make tlie Duke a Papyste agayne, for nowe conferunt consilia the Bysshope and he.
The bysshopes are so iutollerable licencius of their lyves, that yt was no longer to be endured, and a better waye to plage them ther was none then to plucke at their lyvings, in speciall by her in whome their whole hope and truste was.
Ai Edinbourge, the 15th Januarie, at nyght, 1561-[62].
Your Honour bounden reddye at commande, Tho. Eandolphe.
.... One thynge ther is, which St. Colme is reported to be autour of, which I wyll not conceile from your Honour, thoughe yt be harde to believe, which is, that the Cardinall is content, and liathe persuaded thys Queue to imbrace the Eeligion of I Euglande.
Thys is nowe common in all men's mouthes; maynie . wyshe yt to be trewe.
Other thynke us so farre from the mark, that theie saye, as good never a whyte, as never the better.
By my nexte I shall have farther occasion to wryte unto your Honour hereof, by reason of some purposes that of late I have had with Mr. Knox and other mynesters, to be playne with your
Honour, as wylfuU as lerned, which hartely I lamente At Edinbourge, the xxx of Januarie 1561 -[2].
.... The Apologie is so well lyked, that there are dyvers wyshe that ther were maynie of them in thys countrie,^ or at the leaste one man that were hable to set forthe so proffitable ^ Or tlio Abbey of Paslcy, of which Jewel's celebrated work, which had just Lord Claude Hamilton became Comappeared, " Apologia Ecclesi^ Angliineiidator. canaj, Londiui, Anno Domini, M.D.i.xii."
- Randdlpli here refers to Fiishop small 8vo.
In the University Lilrary,
1562.
RANDOLPH TO SIR WILLIAISI CECILL.
and neadefiill a worke.
I have cawsed one to be given to the Bysshope of Eosse, and purpose to send one otlier to the / Bysshope of St. Andrewes, not to do them good, which I knowe is unpossible, but to heape mischief upon their heades.
At Edinbourge, the iiii of Februarie 15Gl-[2].
.... The state of thyngs here remayne in their wonted sorte.
Our Papystes mystruste greatlye the metinge.
Our Protestantes as greatlye desyr yt as th'other are agaynste yt.
Our preacher, to be playne with your honour, at one worde, more vehement then descryte or lerned, which I hartily lament.
The lyttle brute that hatlie byne here of late, that thys Queue is advised by the Cardinall to imbrace the religion of Englande, maketh them rone allmoste wyld, of the which theie both saye and preache that yt is lyttle better then when it was at the warste.
I have not so amplye conferred wdtli Mr. Knox in these matters as shortlye I muste, whoe, upon Sondaye laste, gave the Crosse and the Candle such a wype, that as wyse and lerned as hym selfe wyshed hyni to have hylde his peace.
He recompenced the same with a mervelous, vehemente, and persinge prayer, in th'ende of his sermond, for the contynuance of amytie and hartie love with Englande At Edinbourge, the xij of Februarie 1561 -[2].
.... The Papystes here rejoyce not a lyttle of their noble campyon, the Kynge of Navarre.
Theie hope nowe theie knowe not for what.
The daye is nowe past that theie looked for here.
Ther came latelye a booke, from the Abbot of Corserogell, the [sjlypperie Abbot, that made the booke-^ that the olde Byshoppe of Durham^ so greatlye delyghted in, sent unto jNIr. Knox, conEdinburgh, there is a copy of this first ^ See introductory notice to the Disedition, inscribed, " To the righfe honputation with the Abbot of Crossragorable the Lorde James Stewardc, from well, p. 154.
Tho. Kandolphe, Virtus pro divitiis.'"
^ Dr. Cuthbert Tonstall.