KNOX, JOHN, the great Scottish reformer, was b. in the year 1505, in a suburb of Haddington called Gifford Gate,. where a small field still goes by the uame of "Knox's Croft." The social position of his parents is not very clearly ascertained. His own statement is that "his great-grandfather, gndesehir, and father served under the earls of I of He is supposed to have come of an old and respectable family, the Knoxes of Ranfurly, in Renfrewshire. He received his early education at the grammar-school of Haddington, and iu the year 1521 went to the university of Glasgow. He was there a pupil under Major, and soon proved himself an apt and distinguished disputant iu the scholastic theology. He was considered as likely to rival his master in the subtle ties of the dialectic art. From the same teacher he no doubt derived his first impulse to that freedom of political opinion and independence of thought that afterwards char acterized him. He is said to have been ordained before the year 1530, about which time, or shortly afterwards, he went to St. Andrews and began to teach there. There is, however, at this stage of hisilife a gap of 12 years, or nearly so, which the most care ful research has hitherto failed to fill up. His attachment to the Romish church is supposed to have been shaken chiefly by the study of the fathers, about 1535; but he did not openly profess himself a Protestant till about 1543. He was degraded from his orders, and being even in danger of assassination, took refuge with Douglas of Long niddry, and there remained till the end of 1545.
Cardinal Beaton was at this time in the height of his power; after seizing George Wishart at Ormiston he had him brought to St. Andrews, and burned there, in front of his castle, Mar., 1546. Knox first clearly appears upon the scene of the reformation as the companion of While the latter prosecuted his career as a preacher in Lothian, Knox waited upon him, hearing before him, he tells us, a " twa-handed sword." He already coveted the post of danger, and, full of .enthusiasm, was ready to defend his zealous friend at the peril of his own life. After Wishart's seizure and death he
for awhile again into retirement. He would fain have clung to the martyr, and shared his fate, but the latter would not have it so. " Nay," he said; "return to your bairnes, and God bless you: ane is sufficient for a sacrifice." Knox's "bairnes" were his pupils, the suns of the lairds of Longniddry and Ormiston. He continued in charge of them for some years, till the great event which ere long followed the martyrdom of Wishart opened up a more prominent career for him. On the morning of May 29, 1546, cardinal Beaton was murdered in his castle, from the windows of which he had contem plated the sufferings of the martyr. Taken possession of by the band of nobles and others who had successfully accomplished so audacious a design, the castle at St. Andrews became the temporary stronghold of the reforming interest. Knox took refuge in it with his two pupils. Here his great gifts as a preacher were first discovered; and having found the secret of his influence the parish church of St. Andrews soon resounded with his indignant voice, denouncing the errors of popery. His career at this time, however, was soon cut short by the surrender of the fortress, and his impris onment in the French galleys.
For two years he remained a prisoner, and underwent, in the course of this time, many privations. He was then liberated and allowed to depart to England, where he resided for four years, from 1549 to the beginning of 1554, a time of great and fruitful activity to him. He was appointed one of Edwards VIA chaplains, and lived on terms of intimate intercourse with Cranmer and others of the English reformers. He is sup posed to have had considerable influence on the course of the English reformation, especially in regard to the liberal changes introduced into the service and prayer book of tlr^ church of England in the close of Edward's reign. He was much engaged in preaching, especially in the north;in Newcastle and Berwick; and at the latter place he fell in love and married.