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

LIFE
KNOX.
sion, he felt at first averse to a journey into Scotland,
notwithstanding some encouraging circumstances in the
intelligence which he had received from that quarter.
He had been so much tossed about of late, that he felt a
peculiar relish in the learned leisure which he at pre¬
sent enjoyed, and was desirous to prolong. His anxiety
to see his wife, after an absence of nearly two years, and
the importunity with which his mother-in-law, in her
letters, urged him to visit them, determined him at last to
undertake the journey. Setting out from Geneva in the
month of August 1565, he came to Dieppe, and, sailing
from that port, landed on the east coast, near the boun¬
daries between Scotland and England, about the end of
harvest. He repaired immediately to Berwick, where
he had the satisfaction of finding his wife and her mo¬
ther in comfortable circumstances, enjoying the happi¬
ness of religious society with several individuals in that
city, who, like themselves, had not “ bowed the knee”
to the established idolatry, nor submitted to “ receive the
mark” of Antichrist.
Having remained some time with them, he set out
secretly to visit the Protestants in Edinburgh, intend¬
ing, after a short stay, to return to Berwick. But he
found employment which detained him beyond his ex¬
pectation. In Edinburgh he lodged with James Syme,
a respectable and religious burgess, to whose house the
friends of the reformed doctrine repaired, to attend his
instructions, as soon as they were informed of his arrival.
Among these were John Erskine of Dun, and William
Maitland, younger of Lethington, afterwards Secretary
to Mary Queen of Scots. John Willock was also in
Edinburgh at this time. Those who heard him, being
exceedingly gratified with his doctrine, brought their
friends and acquaintances along with them, and his
audiences daily increased. Being confined to a private
house, he was obliged to preach to successive assemblies;
and was almost unremittingly employed, by night as
well as by day, in communicating instruction to persons