John Knox and the Reformation : Original Text

We now take up Knox where we left him: namely when Wishart was arrested inJanuary 1546.

He was then tutor to the sons of the lairds of Langniddrie andOrmiston, Protestants and of the English party.

Of his adventures we know nothing,till, on Beaton's murder (May 29, 1546), the Cardinal's successor, ArchbishopHamilton, drove him "from place to place," and, at Easter, 1547, he with his pupilsentered the Castle of St. Andrews, then held, with some English aid, against theRegent Arran, by the murderers of Beaton and their adherents. {22} Knox was notpresent, of course, at Beaton's murder, about which he writes so "merrily," in hismanner of mirth; nor at the events of Arran's siege of the castle, prior to April 1547.He probably, as regards these matters, writes from recollection of what Kirkcaldyof Grange, James Balfour, Balnaves, and the other murderers or associates of themurderers of the Cardinal told him in 1547, or later communicated to him as hewrote, about 1565-66.

With his unfortunate love of imputing personal motives, heattributes the attacks by the rulers on the murderers mainly to the revengefulnature of Mary of Guise; the Cardinal having been "the comfort to all gentlewomen,and especially to wanton widows.

His death must be revenged." {23a}Knox avers that the besiegers of St. Andrews Castle, despairing of their task, nearthe end of January 1547 made a fraudulent truce with the assassins, hoping for thebetrayal of the castle, or of some of the leaders. {23b} In his narrative we findpartisanship or very erroneous information.

The conditions were, he says, that (1)the murderers should hold the castle till Arran could obtain for them, from thePope, a sufficient absolution; (2) that they should give hostages, as soon as theabsolution was delivered to them; (3) that they and their friends should not beprosecuted, nor undergo any legal penalties for the murder of the Cardinal; (4) thatthey should meanwhile keep the eldest son of Arran as hostage, so long as theirown hostages were kept.

The Government, however, says Knox, "never minded tokeep word of them" (of these conditions), "as the issue did declare."There is no proof of this accusation of treachery on the part of Arran, or noneknown to me.

The constant aim of Knox, his fixed idea, as an historian, is to accusehis adversaries of the treachery which often marked the negotiations of his friends.