Knox to Sie William Cecill
lo5f).
KNOX TO SIR WILLIAM CECILL.
XIV.
Knox to Sie William Cecill.
The Spreit of wisdom re all your hart to the (jlorie of God, and to the confort of his aj^icted flock.
On[e] caus of my present writing is, Kyglit Honorabil, liumblie to requyr you to deliver this other letter encloseicl to the Quen's
Grace, quhilk conteineth in few and sempill wourdes my confessioun, what I think of hir Authoritie, how far it is just, and what may make it odius in Goddes presence.
I hear thare is a confutation sett furth in prent against ' tlie First Blast.'
God grant that the writar have no mor sought the favouris of the world, no less the gioiie of God, and the stable commoditie of his countrey, then did he who interprised in that 'Blast' to uter his conscience.
When I shall have tym (which now is dear and straitt unto me), to peruse that work, I will communicat my judgment with you concerning the sam.
The tym is now.
Sir, that all that eyther thrust Christ Jesus to ring in this yle, the liberte of the sam to be keapt to the inhabitantis therof, /^ and thare hartes to be joyned togetther in love unfeaned, ought rather to study how the sam may be brouglit to pass, then vainly to travail for the manteanance of that, wharof allreaddy we have sein the dauuger, and felt the smart.
Yf the most part of Wemen be such as willingly we wold not thei should reing over us ; and yf the most godlie, and such es have rare giftes and graces, be yitt mortall, we aught to tak head, least that we in establissing one judged godlie and profitable to hir countrey, mack enteress and titill to many, by whom not only shall the treutht be impugned, but also shall the countrey be brought to bondaige and slavery.
God geve unto you, and otheris favorars of your countrey, eis to forsee, and wisdom to avoid the dangeiis appearing.
By diverse letters, I have required licence to have veseted the Northt partes of England ; but as yit I have reseaved
4(5
LETTERS, ETC.
1559. no favorable ansiier.
The longer, Sir, that it be delayed, the less confort shall the faythfull in those quarteris receave, yea, the weaker shall the Quen's Grace be
; for yf I war not to hir Grace an assured and unfeaned frende, I wold not so instantlie begg such a libertie, in seaking wharof I suppose you be persuaded that I greatlie seak not my self.
The common estaitt of thingis heir, I dowbt not but ye know.
Some thingis il have (as oft I have written), which glaidly I wold communicat with you, but am not mynded to committ the sam to paper and ink.
Fynd therfor the meanes that I may speak such a one as • ye will creditt in all thingis.
The grace of the Lord Jesus rest with you.
I hartelie beseche you to have my service most humblie commended to the Quen's Grace ; and in my name say to hir Grace, that whosoever mackest me odius for my work yit written by me, seaketh somwhat besides the glory of God and her Grace's prosperitie ; and therfor cannot the sam man be to hir Grace so unfeaned freind as I have bein, and yit reman.
At Edinburgh, in great liaist, the 19th^of Julij 1559.
Youris to command in godlines, John Knox.
After the scribling of thes formar lynes, cam Mr. Whitlaw, of whom, after conference, I understood the materis in which I have laubored ever sence the deathe of King Edward, now to be opened unto you : God grant you and otheris wisdom with humilitie, etc.
Immediatlie after Mr. Whitlaw, cam a servand from Sir Hary Percy to Mr, Kyrcaldie, who, departing from us att Edinburgh to speak the said Sir Hary, brought newes, to the hartes of all joyfull whensoever tliei shalbe divulgat.
It wes thought expedient to communicat the mater onlie with those that ar stroungest, till farther knowledge of the Quens Majesties good mynd towardis this action.
We dowbt not the ' The original has it the 12th, but see vol. ii. p. 26,