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

218
LIFE OF JO
wherein she has been nourished, and brought np.” And
there was no more word of hearing either sermon or con¬
ference.
The friendship between the Earl of Murray and the
Reformer was renewed in the beginning of 1565. The
latter was placed in a very delicate predicament, by the
insurrection under Murray, and the other lords who op¬
posed the queen’s marriage. His father-in-law was one
of the number. They professed that the security of the
protestant religion was the principal ground of their tak¬
ing arms; and they came to Edinburgh, to collect men to
their standard. But whatever favour he might have for
them, he kept himself clear from any engagement. If
he had taken part in this unsuccessful revolt, we need
not doubt that her majesty would have embraced the
opportunity of punishing him for it, when his principal
friends had fled the kingdom.
We find, in fact, that she immediately proceeded
against him on a different, but far more slender pretext.
The young king, who could be either papist, or protest¬
ant as it suited, went sometimes to mass with the queen,
and sometimes attended the reformed sermons. To si¬
lence the suspicions of his alienation from the reformed
religion, circulated by the insurgent lords, he, on the
19th of August, made a solemn appearance in St. Giles’s
church, sitting on a throne, which had been prepared
for his reception. Knox preached that day on Isaiah
xxvi. 13, &c. and happened to prolong the service be¬
yond his usual time. In one part of the sermon, he
quoted these words of scripture : “ I will give children
to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them: child¬
ren are their oppressors, and women rule over them
and in another part of it, he mentioned that God punish¬
ed Ahab, because he did not correct his idolatrous wife
Jesabel. Though no particular application was made by
the preacher, the king applied these passages to himself
and the queen, and, returning to the palace in great