edition of the History, was published in folio, under the following title: "The Historie of the Reformatioun of Religioun within the Realm of Scotland, conteining the Manner and be quhat Persons the Lycht of Chrystis Evangell has bein manifested unto this Realme, after that horribill and universal Defectioun from the Treuth, whiche has come by the Means of that Romane Antichryst. Together with the Life of Johne Knoxe the Author, and several curious pieces wrote by him; particularly that most rare and scarce one entitled, The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstruous Regiment of Women, and a large Index and Glossary. Taken from the Original Manuscript in the University Library of Glasgow, and compared with other ancient Copies. Edinburgh: Printed by Robert Fleming and Company, 1732." See the last Note. The Life was written by Mr Matthew Crawfurd. .. Besides the above publications, which were all undoubtedly composed by our Reformer, there are others ascribed to him upon more dubious grounds. Bale, in his Scrip. Maj. Brit. post. pars. art. Knoxus, and Verheiden and Melchior Adam, upon his au thority, appear, in several instances, to have given different names to the same tract. They mention among his printed works "In Genesin Conciones." We know that he preached sermons on Genesis at Franckfort, (See vol. i. 149.) and it is not unlikely that he continued to do so at Geneva. Perhaps Bale, hearing of these, might think that they were published. Bishop Tanner has enumerated among his works, "Exposition on Daniel, Malburg. M.D.XXIX. Svo." Bibliotheca, p. 460. As he mentions the place and year of printing, more credit is due to his account; but there is evidently a mistake in the year, for Knox had not at that time begun to write. It may however be an error of the press for a later year. We have seen (See vol. ii. p. 192.) that he preached on Daniel, at St Andrews. During the reign of Queen Mary of England, a book was pub lished entitled, "The Huntyng of the Romysh Vuolfe" &c. Of this tract a new edition was published in the beginning of Elizabeth's reign, under the title of "The Hunting of the Fox and the Wolfe, because they make hauocke of the sheepe of Christ Jesus." This edition is introduced with a preface by an anonymous author, "To al my faithful Brethren in Christ Jesu, and to all other that labour to weede out the weedes of poperie," &c. The writer of the preface is very severe against the relics of popery retained in the worship of the church of England by the Act of Uniformity, "My good fathers and deare Brethren who are first called to ye battel to strive for Gods glory and the edificatio of his people, againste the Romish reliques and rags of Antichriste, J. doubt not but that you will courageouslye and constatly in Christ, rap at these rages of Gods enemies, and that you will by this occasiō race vp many as great enormities, that we al know and labour to race out al the dregs and remnāts of transformed poperie, that are crept into England, by too much lenitie of the that wilbe named the Lords of the clergie," &c. This preface has been ascribed to our Reformer. "So far (says Her bert) as one may be allowed to guess at the author by the style, &c. i am inclined to believe this address was written by Joha Knox, who for magnanimity, courage and zeal for God's glory was at least equal to any of our reformers. This surmise is in some measure supported by the cut of Truth, &c, at the end of this tract; the same as prefixed to that author's “ Admonition or warning" &c. as p. 1576, except only the name of Sutleți being here given to the figure there inscribed Crueltye." Herbert's edition of Ames, p. 1605, 1606. I have not introduced into this catalogue the Form of Excommunication which was wholly, nor the Treatise of Fasting, which was chiefly composed by Knox, nor any other of the public papers in which he had a hand, but which were published in the name of the General Assembly. In an epistle to the Reader contained in his Answer to Tyrie, Knox mentions that he had beside him a collection of letters which he had written to Mrs Bowes, which the state of his health alone prevented him from publishing. It also appears from Field's Dedication prefixed to Knox's Exposition of the fourth of Matthew, (see p. 240.) that a number of our Reformer's manuscripts were in circulation both in England and Scotland. I have in my possession a manuscript volume, containing tracts and letters written by him between 1550 and 1558. This is unquestionably the identical volume which formerly belonged to the Rev. Mr Wodrow, (Author of the History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland), and described under the name of the Quarto volume of MSS. in Crawfurd's Life of Knox, p. 53, 54. prefixed to the edition of his Historie published in 1732. It consists of 518 pages, including the contents. On the leaf at the beginning of the volume, is this title: "The Epistles of Mr John Knox, worthy to be read because of the authority of the wryter, the solidity of the matter, and the comfortable Christian experience to be found therein. Edr. 22. feb. 1683. H. T. m. p." Below, in a hand considerably older, are these words: "This booke belong'd somtyme to Margaret Stewart, widow to Mr Knox, afterward married to the knight of fawdonesyde. Sister shee was to James Earl of Arran." Then follow the six tracts described by Mr Crawfurd, in the place above referred to. At the beginning of the Letters, in a hand older than the former, and the same with that in which the Letters themselves are written, is this title: "Certane epistillis and letters of ye servand of God, Johne Knox, send from dyvers places to his friendis and familiaris in Jesus Chryst." On the margin of the tracts. are several short notes by the transcriber, referring to his own. times, such as this, our case at this day in Scotland 1603." This ascertains the date of their transcriptions; and I think it highly probable that they were copied by Mr John Welsh, a sonin-law of the Reformer, one of whose letters is inserted on some blank leaves in the middle of the volume. The letters have evidently been written by the same person (although the hand appears older); and on the margin of a treatise at the end of them, "1603" occurs. Margaret Stewart, the Reformer's relict, was alive about the end of the 16th century; but whether the manuscript in my possession belonged to her, or be considered as a transcript from hers, there can be no doubt of its antiquity and genuineness. I have found, upon examination, that all the six tracts in the beginning of the volume have been published; bit 66 as the manuscript is more correct than any of the printed editions which I have seen, I have generally followed it in the extracts which I have given from these tracts. The letters are fortythree in number, besides the letter to the queen regent, the Discourse on the Temptation of Christ, and the Additions to the Apology of the Parisian Protestants, which are inserted among them. Three of the letters also have been published, and are noticed in Nos. 6 and 15 of this Catalogue: the remainder, as far as I can learn, never appeared in print. They consist chiefly of religious advices to the friends with whom he corresponded, but a number of facts, and allusions to his external circumstances, are interspersed. Mr Wodrow possessed another volume of Knox's MSS. in folio, which is described by Crawfurd, Life p. 53, ut supra. It contains nothing additional to what I have mentioned in this Note. APPENDIX, CONSISTING OF LETTERS WRITTEN BY KNOX, AND *No I. [From MS. Letters, p. 243.] The firste letter to his mothir in law, mestres Bowis. RYCHT deirlibelovit mother in oure saviour Jesus Chryst, when I call to mynd and revolve with myself the trubillis and afflictionis of Godis elect frome the begyning (in whiche I do not forget yow) thair is within my hart tuo extreme contrareis; a dolour almaist unspeakabill, and a joy and comfort whilk, be mannis sences, can not be comprehendit nor understand. The cheif caussis of dolour be two; the ane is the rememberance of syn, whilk I daylie feill remanyng in this corrupt nature, whilk was and is sa odius and detestabill in the presence of oure hevinlie father that by na uther sacrifice culd or myght the same be purgeit, except by the blude and deth of the onlie innocent sone of God. When I deiplie do considder the caus of Chrystis deth to haif bene syn, and syn yit to dwell in all flesche, with paule I am compellit to sob and grone as ane man under ane heavie burdene, ye, and sumtymes to cry, O wreachit and miserabill man that I am, wha sall delyver me fra this bodie 'of syn! The uther caus of my dolour is that sic as maist gladlie wald remane togidder for mutuall comfort ane of another can not be sufferit sa to do. Since the first day that it pleasit the providence of God to bring yow and me in familiaritie, I have alwayis delytit in your company, and when labours wald permit ye knaw I have not spairit houris • The first five Nos. are religious letters; the rest contain historical matter VOL. II. BB |