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

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OF JOHN KNOX.
“ Madam,” replied the Reformer fervently, “ would to
God that the learnedest Papist in Europe, and he whom
you would best believe, were present with your Grace to
sustain the argument, and that you would wait pa¬
tiently to hear the matter reasoned to the end! for then,
I doubt not, madam, but you would hear the vanity of
the Papistical religion, and how little ground it hath in
the word of God.” “ Well,” said she, “ you may per¬
chance get that sooner than you believe.” “ Assuredly,
if ever I get that in my life, I get it sooner than I be¬
lieve ; for the ignorant Papist cannot patiently reason,
and the learned and crafty Papist will never come, in
your audience, madam, to have the ground of their re¬
ligion searched out. When you shall let me see the con¬
trary, I shall grant myself to have been deceived in
that point.”
The hour after dinner afforded an occasion for break¬
ing off this singular conversation. At taking leave of
her majesty, the Reformer said, “ I pray God, madam,
that you may be as blessed within the commonwealth
of Scotland, as ever Deborah was in the commonwealth
of Israel.”
This interview excited great speculation, and different
conjectures were formed as to its probable consequences.
The Catholics, whose hopes now depended solely on the
queen, were alarmed, lest Knox’s rhetoric should have
shaken her constancy. The Protestants cherished the
expectation that she would be induced to attend the Pro¬
testant sermons, and that her religious prejudices would
gradually abate. Knox indulged no such flattering ex¬
pectations. He had made it his study during the late con¬
ference, to discover the real character of the queen; and he
formed, at that time, the opinion, which he never saw reason
afterwards to alter, that she was proud, crafty, obstinately
weddedto the Popish church, and averse to all meansofin-
struction. He resolved, therefore, vigilantly to watch her
proceedings, that he might give timely warning of any
danger which might result from them to the reformed