Scotland/Scots > Life of John Knox ; and, The life of Alexander Henderson

PREPACK.
Vlll
Row, in composing the early part of his Historic of
the Kirk, had the assistance of Memoirs written by
David Ferguson, his father-in-law, who was admit¬
ted minister of Dunfermline at the establishment of
the Reformation. Copies of this History seem to
have been taken before the author had put the finish¬
ing hand to it, which may account for the additional
matter to be found in some of them. I have occa¬
sionally quoted the copy which belongs to the Divi¬
nity Library in Edinburgh, but more frequently one
transcribed in 1726, which is more full than any other
copy that I have had access to see.
The industrious 'YVodrow had amassed a valuable
collection of MSS. relating to the ecclesiastical history
of Scotland, the greater part of which is now deposit¬
ed in our public libraries. In the library of the uni¬
versity of Glasgow there are a number of volumes in
folio, containing collections which he had made for
illustrating the lives of the Scottish Reformers and
Divines of the sixteenth century. These have sup¬
plied me with some interesting facts.
For the transactions of the General Assembly I
have consulted the Register, commonly called the
Book of the Universal Kirk. There are several co¬
pies of this MS. in the country. That which is
followed in this work, and which is the oldest