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

178
LIFE OF JOHN KNOX.
severitie I do fear that that which men terme lenitie
and dulcenes do bring upon thameselves and others mor
fearful destruction, than yit hath ensewed the vehe-
mency of any preacher within this realme.”
The abatement of zeal which he' dreaded from “the
holy water of the court,” soon began to appear among
the Protestant leaders. The General Assemblies of the
church were a great eye-sore to the queen, who was very
desirous to have them put down. At the first Assembly
after her arrival, the courtiers, through her influence,
absented themselves, and, when challenged for this, be¬
gan to dispute the propriety of such conventions with¬
out her majesty’s pleasure. On this point, there was
sharp reasoning between Knox and Maitland, who was
now made secretary of state. “ Take from us the liber¬
ty of assemblies, and take from us the gospel,” said the
Reformer. “ If the liberty of the church must depend
upon her allowance or disallowance, we shall want not
only assemblies, but also the preaching of the gospel.”
He was still more indignant at their management in
settling the provision for the ministers of the church.
Hitherto they had lived mostly on the benevolence of
their hearers, and many of them had scarcely the means
of subsistence ; hut repeated complaints having obliged
the privy council to take up the affair, they came at
last to a determination, that the ecclesiastical revenues
should be divided into three parts; that two of these
should be given to the ejected Popish clergy; and that
the other part should be divided between the court and
the Protestant ministry! The persons appointed to
modify the stipends were disposed to gratify the queen,
and the sums allotted to the ministers were as ill paid
as they were paltry and inadequate. “Weall!” ex¬
claimed Knox, when he heard of this disgraceful arrange¬
ment, “ if the end of this ordour, pretendit to be takin
for sustenatioun of the ministers, he happie, my judge¬
ment failes me. I sie twa pairtis freelie gevin to the
devill, and the thrid mon be devyded hetwix God and