BIOGRAPHY TWO
John
Knox (1505-1572)
John Knox was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic
Church in Scotland at the time when John Calvin began the Reformation of
Geneva. The flames of the Reformation began to be kindled in Scotland in the
heart and mind of Knox's close friend George Wisheart. Being on familiar terms
with Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, Wisheart was chosen by King Henry the
Eighth for going to Scotland and interceding for the hand in marriage of Mary
Stuart, the infant "Queen of Scots," with Edward, the infant son of the King of
England. Wisheart was an unwilling tool of King Henry in this matter and his
action set Catholic Scotland against him. When Wisheart was burned at the stake
by Cardinal Beaton, the fires that consumed his body fired the heart of John
Knox. From that hour he was the enemy of the Roman Catholic Church. Two years
later, Beaton was assassinated by "parties unknown."
Shortly after the
death of Beaton, John Knox came to Edinburgh as a newly ordained priest, having
been accused of "hatching the plot" against the cardinal even though he did not
personally take a hand in executing it. Soon Knox had a growing group of
followers. He accused the Catholic clergy of Scotland of being "gluttons,
wantons and licentious revelers, but who yet regularly and meekly partook of
the sacrament." Knox traveled to Geneva three times to study under Calvin who
had a high regard for the young Scotsman. Knox returned to Scotland, was
married at age 38, and was widowed a few years afterward.
Then hell sent a
close call for the Reformer in the person of Mary Queen of Scots. Mary's mother
was Mary of Guise, a French woman married to King James of Scotland. Knox bore
a terrible hatred toward Mary of Guise. His book, The First Blast of the
Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women, had Mary Tudor, Mary of Guise,
and Mary Queen of Scots, in mind. As soon as Mary Queen of Scots had landed on
Scottish soil, Knox fled fearing for his life. Before long he returned to
Scotland and sought a personal interview with the queen, then 20-years-old,
"with intent to bring her heart to Jesus."
Mary then tried her hand at
converting Knox back to Roman Catholicism - or the "Mother Church" - with
bribes of political power. Stormy interviews followed, punctuated by
"covenantal lawsuits" served up by Knox and his followers.
In response to
Knox's imprecatory prayers, Mary Queen of Scots is reputed to have said: "I
fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe." In
response to the rising resistance of the Scottish Reformers, Mary fled Scotland
and was later put to death by a court of English who had accused her of
plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I. Knox was survived by the Scottish
Covenanters, who drew up a compact in 1638 asserting their right, under God, to
national sovereignty.