John Knox statue, Knox Place

Image: © kim traynor Taken: 13 Apr 2011

The character of Knox, his Protestant Reformation and the mindset of the later Covenanters can be understood from his own account of a dialogue with Queen Mary at Holyroodhouse. Queen: Bot yet ye have teachit the Pepill to receave ane uther Religioun, then thair Princes can allow: And how can that Doctrine be of God? Seing, that God comands Subjectis to obey thair Princes. Knox: Madame, as that rycht Religioun toke nether Originall nor Authority from wardly Princes, bot from the eternall God alone: So ar not Subjects bund to frame thair Religioun, according to the Appetyte of thair Princes; for oft it is, that Princes ar the most ignarant of all uthers in God's trew Religioun, as we may read als weill in the Histories before the Deith of Christ Jesus, as efter. If all the Seid [seed] of Abraham, sould have bene of the Religioun of Pharao, to quhom they were long Subjects, I pray yow, Madame, quhat Religioun sould thare have bene in the Warld? For, if all Men, in the Days of the Apostles, sould have bene of the Religioun of the Romane Emperours, quhat Religioun sould have bene on the Face of the Eirth? Daniell and his Fellowes wer Subjects to Nebuchadnezar, and unto Darius, and yit, Madame, they wald not be of thair Religioun, neyther of the ane or the uther. For the thre Children said, We mak it knawn unto the, O King, that we will not worschipe thy Gods. And Daniell did pray publictly unto his God, against the expres Comandement of the King. And so, Madame, ye may perceave, that Subjects ar not bund to the Religioun of thair Princes, albeit they ar comandit to give thame Obedience. Queen: Yea, nane of thois Men raysed the Sword against thair Princes. Knox: Yit, Madame, ye cannot deny bot that they resisted: For these that obey not the Comandemants that ar gevin, in sum Sort they resist. Queen: Bot yit, they resisted not be the Sword. Knox: God, Madam, had not given unto thame the Power and the Meanes. Queen: Think ye that Subjects having Power may resist thair Princes? Knox: If thair Princes excede thair Bundes, Madame, and do against that quharefore they suld be obeyed, it is no doubt, bot they may be resisted even by Power. For thare is nether gritter Honour, nor gritter Obedience to be given to Kings and Princes, then God hes comandit to be gevin to Father and Mother: Bot so it is, that the Father may be stricken with a Phrenesie [frenzy] in the quhilk he wald slay his awn Children. Now, Madame, if the Children aryse, joyne thameselfis togidder, apprehend the Father, tak the Sword and uther Weapons from him; and finally bind his Hands, and kepe him in Prisoun, till that his Frenesie be overpast; think ye, Madame, that the Children do ony Wrang? Or think ye, Madame, that God will be offendit with thame, that have stayed thair Father to comit Wickednes? It is even so, Madame, with Princes that wald murther the Children of God, that ar Subjects unto thame. Thair blind Zeall is nathing bot a very mad Phrenesie; and thairfor to tak the Sword from thame, to bind thair Hands, and to cast thame in Prisone, till that they be brocht to a more sober Mynd, is no Disobedience against Princes, bot just Obedience, becaus that it agreeth with the Will of God. At these Words, the Quene stude as it wer amased, more then a Quarter of ane Hour.

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