The Works of John Knox Volume I Part 50

[475] In Vautr. edit. "M. Iohne."

[476] In Vautr. edit. the name Annand having been omitted, he is spoken of as "Dean John."

[477] Dean John Annand was an ecclesiastic of some note. In a decreet arbitral, dated 16th Oct. 1518, as well as in the sentence p.r.o.nounced against Sir John Borthwick, in 1540, he is styled a Canon of the Metropolitan Church of St. Andrews. He became Princ.i.p.al of St. Leonard's College in 1544, and he held that office till 1550, when he was succeeded by John Law.

[478] In Vautr. edit. "preaching."

[479] In Vautr. edit. "briefly."

[480] In Vautr. edit. "other new names."

[481] In MS. G, "names."

[482] Or Major: (see note 74.) He was born in 1469, and consequently at this time was far advanced in years. At the Provincial Council held in 1549, "_M. Johannes Mayr_, deca.n.u.s facultatis theologicae Universitatis Sancti Andrete, et Martinus Balfour, Doctores in theologia, _annosi_, _grandaevi_, _et debiles_, comparuerunt per procuratores."--(Wilkins, Concil., vol. iv. p. 46.) He died in 1550.

[483] John Wynrame: see note 395.

[484] In Vautr. edit. "others hewed;" in MS. G, "utheris hued."

[485] In MS. G, "Nydre."--The person referred to was James Forsyth of Nydie, who had a charter of the salmon fis.h.i.+ngs pertaining to the King, in the water of Edyn, in Fyfe, 25th September 1541. The name of James Forsyth of Nydie in the regality of St. Andrews, between 1533 and 1552, occurs in an old Rental book belonging to the City of St. Andrews. One of his descendants was Alexander Forsyth, who was served heir of his father James Forsyth, in the lands of Nydie Easter, in the regality of St. Andrews, 16th April 1634.--(Retours, Fife, No. 142.)

[486] John Hamilton, Abbot of Paisley, as already stated, was appointed High Treasurer in 1543, when Kirkaldy of Grange was superseded. The Abbot's Accounts, under his designation of Bishop of Dunkeld, were rendered on the 1st October 1546, having commenced 13th August 1543. In the t.i.tle of his Accounts, commencing 1st October 1546, and rendered on the 16th of September 1550, he is styled Archbishop of St. Andrews. He may therefore have been promoted to the Primacy in October 1546; but he was not inducted until the year 1549. This date is fixed by the Archbishop himself, in a deed, 31st March 1558, as "the 12th year of our Consecration, and the 9th of our Translation to the Primacy."--(Lyons Hist. of St. Andrews, vol. ii. p. 262.) Keith has shown that Hamilton, who had been presented to the See of Dunkeld on the death of George Crichton, in January 1543-4, was not consecrated until 1545, or more probably the beginning of 1546. In like manner he continued to be styled John Bishop of Dunkeld, until the 14th June 1549; immediately after which date his translation to St. Andrews no doubt took place.--(Catal.

of Bishops, pp. 38, 96.)

[487] In MS. G, "unfaythfull."

[488] That is, as in MS. G, &c., "our youth;" Vautr. edit. has "your thoughtes."

[489] This Friar may probably be identified with Alexander Arbuckylle, whose name appears in the list of Determinants, in the fourth cla.s.s (4^tus actus) "in Pedagogio," at St. Andrews, in 1525. There was a Franciscan Monastery of Observantines at St. Andrews, to which he doubtless belonged.

[490] In MS. G, and in Vautr. edit., "abashed."

[491] In MS. G, "his fault."

[492] In Vautr. edit. "hinder."

[493] In Vautr. edit. "were merily skoft ower."

[494] The Treatise which Knox wrote on board the French galley, containing a Confession of his Faith, and which he sent to his friends in Scotland, is not known to be preserved. The substance of it was probably embodied in some of his subsequent writings. Knox might, however, have had some reference to the Epistle which he addressed to his brethren in Scotland, in 1548, in connexion with Balnaves's Confession, or treatise on Justification, (see note 575.)

[495] Mr. John Spittal, Official Princ.i.p.al of St. Andrews, held the office of Rector of the University, from 1547 to 1550. In the "Liber Officialis S. Andree Princ.i.p.alis," from which extracts were printed for the Abbotsford Club, Edinb. 1845, 4to, his name occasionally occurs: thus, "Joannes Spittal a Niuibus rector, in utroque Jure Licentiatus, Officialis Sancti Andree Princ.i.p.alis," &c., 24 Aprilis 1547; and on the 20th February 1548-9, he has the additional t.i.tle of Provost of the Collegiate Church of St. Mary in the Fields, near Edinburgh--"Prepositus Ecclesie Collegiate diui Virginis Marie de Campis prope Edinburgh," (pp.

97, 101, 112; Wilkins, Concilia, vol. iv. p. 46.)

[496] Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich, eldest son of Balfour of Montquhanie, (see before, p. 183,) is styled by Princ.i.p.al Robertson, and not unjustly, us "the most corrupt man of his age." Having joined the conspirators at St. Andrews, he was, when the Castle was surrendered to the French, sent on board the same galley with Knox. According to Spotiswood, he obtained his freedom before the other prisoners were released, by abjuring his profession; and upon his return to Scotland, he was appointed Official of Lothian, by the Archbishop of St.

Andrews.--(Hist. p. 90.) At a subsequent time, when raised to the bench, he took his seat under the t.i.tle of Parson of Flisk.

[497] That is, Martin Luther's.

[498] In MS. G, "lat the G.o.dlie bewar of that race and progeny." So in Vautr. edit., with this addition, "progenie by eschewing." The obvious meaning of the words is, "let the person of that race who lives G.o.dly be shown."

[499] Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich, eldest son of Balfour of Montquhanie, (see before, p. 183,) is styled by Princ.i.p.al Robertson, and not unjustly, us "the most corrupt man of his age." Having joined the conspirators at St. Andrews, he was, when the Castle was surrendered to the French, sent on board the same galley with Knox. According to Spotiswood, he obtained his freedom before the other prisoners were released, by abjuring his profession; and upon his return to Scotland, he was appointed Official of Lothian, by the Archbishop of St.

Andrews.--(Hist. p. 90.) At a subsequent time, when raised to the bench, he took his seat under the t.i.tle of Parson of Flisk.

[500] That is, Martin Luther's.

[501] In MS. G, "lat the G.o.dlie bewar of that race and progeny." So in Vautr. edit., with this addition, "progenie by eschewing." The obvious meaning of the words is, "let the person of that race who lives G.o.dly be shown."

[502] Langhope, a castle on the Borders, belonging to Lord Maxwell, which the English had obtained possession of.

[503] In Vautr. edit. "court."

[504] In Vautr. edit. "plague."

[505] In the MS. "age."

[506] In Vautr. edit. "The xxix of July."

[507] In Vautr. edit. "comming with the Priour," &c.

[508] Leon Strozzi, a Knight of Malta, Prior of Capua, and Captain-General of the galleys of France. His brother, Peter Strozzi, was Captain of the French galleys which came to Scotland in 1549.

[509] In MS. G, Vautr. edit., &c., "Felcam."--That is, the vessels arrived at Fecamp, a sea-port of Normandy, about half-way between Dieppe and Havre.

[510] The water of Sequane, or the river Seine, is one of the four great rivers of France. It rises in Burgundy, and pa.s.sing the cities of Paris and Rouen, (called by Knox, Rowane,) flows into the English Channel at Havre.

[511] This John Hamilton of Milburn is not mentioned by the Historian of the Hamiltons. The earliest of the family mentioned is Matthew, in 1549.

His name, however, is correctly given by Knox, as we find in the Treasurer's Accounts, these three payments:--

1545, January. "Item, be my Lord Governouris precept deliverit to my Lord Cardinale, quhilk he lent to Maister Jhonn Hammyltoun of Mylburne, to set furth the artailze at Birgen raid, 600."

1547, November. "Item, to Maister Jhonn Hammyltoun of Mylburn, Maister of Wark for the tyme to the Quenys Grace's bigingis, quhilk he debursit upoun hir Grace's warkis _befoir his departing towart France_, as his tiket of compt, heir present to schaw, beris, 1238, 17s. 6d."

"Item, to Maister Jhonn Hammyltoun of Mylburne, _direct to the Kingis Grace of France_, in the effaris of this Realme, 400."

That Knox is also correct in regard to the time of his death, may be inferred from the date of these payments, and from the circ.u.mstance that (his son, no doubt) Matthew Hamilton _of Mylburn_, had a charter under the Great Seal of the lands of Houston in Linlithgows.h.i.+re, dated in 1549. This Matthew had another charter of the same lands to himself, and to Agnes Livingstone his spouse, and to Henry Hamilton his son and heir apparent, 20th November 1553. His son predeceased him, and the property came to Robert, fratri quondam Mathaei Hamilton de Melburne. See Anderson's House of Hamilton, p. 323*.

[512] In Vautr. edit. "mountain." _Craig_, a _rock_, is in other pa.s.sages also erroneously made _mountain_.

[513] The city of Rouen, in Normandy.

[514] Nantes in Bartanze, or Britanny, the large commercial city in the west of France. It is situated in the department of the Loire Inferieure, about twenty-seven miles from the mouth of the river Loire.

[515] In MS. G, and Vautr. edit., "went."

[516] The Castle and Episcopal Palace of St. Andrews is now in ruins. It stands on a detached point of land to the north of the town, and is bounded on two sides by the sea. It entered from the south side by a drawbridge, across a deep fosse or ditch, which being now removed and filled up with rubbish, very much injures the picturesque appearance of the Castle. After its surrender, on the last of July 1547, the Castle was ordered by an Act of Council to be rased to the ground. The fortress and "block-houses" were no doubt partially demolished, but the building itself was speedily repaired and inhabited by Archbishop Hamilton, whose arms cut in stone still remain over one of the windows at the south-east corner. The north-west corner or keep was surmounted by a tower, and is the place mentioned by Knox at pages 53, 179, as "the Sea-tower." On entering it, after descending a few steps, the dungeon is shewn to visitors by letting down a light, till it nearly reaches the bottom, at about 20 feet. The diameter at the top may be 7 feet, and after a descent of 7 or 8 feet, it gradually widens to 18 or 20 feet diameter, cut out of the solid rock. There is no appearance of any similar excavation at the north-east corner. The Castle, when surrendered, was abundantly supplied with provisions, and it contained the Cardinal's money and furniture, to the value, it is said, of 100,000; and also the property of other persons, which had been brought hither as to a place of security.

[517] The Earl of Hertford, created Duke of Somerset, was Lord Protector of England. Of his Expedition into Scotland, there was published at the time a minute and interesting account. See note 535.