Page:Life of John Knox (2).pdf/7

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THE LIFE OF JOHN KNOX.
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sailing from that port, arrived in Scotland about the end of harvest. After remaining some time with his friends in Berwick, he secretly visited Edinburgh, and as soon as his arrival was known, the Protestants there immediately repaired to attend his instructions. Among these was John Erskine of Dun, who prevailed on Knox to accompany him to his family seat in Angus, where he preached every day for a month,-the principal persons in that neighbourhood attending his sermons.

The dangers to which Knox and his friends were accustomed, taught them to conduct matters with such secresy, that he preached for a considerable time in various places, before the clergy knew that he was in the kingdom. Concealment however was impracticable, for his audiences became so numerous that the friars flocked from all quarters to the bishops, instigating them to take speedy measures for cheeking the alarming effects of his preaching, and Knox was consequently summoned to appear before a convention of the clergy at Edinburgh, on the 15th of May. This diet he determined to keep, and came to Edinburgh before the day appointed, accompanied by Erskine of Dun, and several other gentlemen; but the clergy, who never thought he would have attended, were afraid to bring matters to extremity, and under pretence of some informality in the summons, deserted the diet against him. The day on which Knox should have appeared as a pannel, he preached to a larger andience than had ever attended him in Edinburgh.

About this time, the Earl Marischal, at the desire of the Earl of Glencairn, attended one of Knox's evening sermons, with which he was so much pleased, that he joined Glencairn in urging the preacher to address a letter to the Queen, which they thought might have the effect of inclining her to give a