Editing John Knox (section)

==Embracing the Protestant Reformation, 1546–1547==
[[File:William Fettes Douglas (1822-1891) - Wishart Preaching against Mariolatry - NG 1020 - National Galleries of Scotland.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|[[George Wishart|Wishart]] preaching against [[Mariolatry]], with Knox at his back (far right)]]
[[Image:Knoxbezaicones.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Portrait of Knox from [[Theodore Beza]]'s ''Icones''<ref>{{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|p=frontispiece}}. Portrait facing title page. According to Ridley, this portrait is usually thought to be painted from memory by the Flemish painter [[Adrian Vanson]] and sent by [[Peter Young (tutor)|Peter Young]], an assistant of [[George Buchanan]], to Beza.</ref>]]
Knox did not record when or how he was converted to the Protestant faith,<ref>{{Harvnb|Reid|1974|p=xiv}}</ref> but perhaps the key formative influences on Knox were [[Patrick Hamilton (martyr)|Patrick Hamilton]] and [[George Wishart]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Reid|1974|p=31}}; {{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|p=26}}</ref> Wishart was a reformer who had fled Scotland in 1538 to escape punishment for heresy. He first moved to England, where in [[Bristol]] he preached against the [[Marian devotions|veneration]] of the [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Virgin Mary]]. He was forced to make a public recantation and was burned in [[effigy]] at the [[St Nicholas, Bristol|Church of St Nicholas]] as a sign of his abjuration. He then took refuge in Germany and Switzerland. While on the [[Continental Europe|Continent]], he translated the [[First Helvetic Confession]] into English.<ref>{{Harvnb|Reid|1974|p=27}}; {{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|p=41}}</ref> He returned to Scotland in 1544, but the timing of his return was unfortunate. In December 1543, [[James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault]], the appointed regent for the infant [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], had decided with the Queen Mother, [[Mary of Guise]], and [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]] [[David Beaton]] to persecute the Protestant sect that had taken root in Scotland.<ref>{{Harvnb|Reid|1974|p=13}}; {{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|pp=33–34}}</ref> Wishart travelled throughout Scotland preaching in favour of the [[Scottish Reformation|Reformation]], and when he arrived in [[East Lothian]], Knox became one of his closest associates. Knox acted as his bodyguard, bearing a two-handed sword in order to defend him.<ref>{{Harvnb|Reid|1974|p=29}}; {{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|pp=39–40}}; {{Harvnb|MacGregor|1957|p=30}}</ref> In December 1545, Wishart was seized on Beaton's orders by the [[Patrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of Bothwell|Earl of Bothwell]] and taken to the [[St Andrews Castle|Castle of St Andrews]].<ref>{{Harvnb|MacGregor|1957|p=37}}</ref> Knox was present on the night of Wishart's arrest and was prepared to follow him into captivity, but Wishart persuaded him against this course saying, "Nay, return to your [[bairn]]s [children] and God bless you. One is sufficient for a sacrifice."<ref>{{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|p=43}}</ref> Wishart was subsequently prosecuted by Beaton's Public Accuser of Heretics, [[Archdeacon]] [[John Lauder]]. On 1 March 1546, he was burnt at the stake in the presence of Beaton.
{{Reformation}}

Knox had avoided being arrested by Lord Bothwell through Wishart's advice to return to tutoring. He took shelter with Douglas in [[Longniddry]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Reid|1974|p=34}}; {{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|p=44}}</ref> Several months later he was still in charge of the pupils, the sons of Douglas and Cockburn, who wearied of moving from place to place while being pursued. He toyed with the idea of fleeing to Germany and taking his pupils with him. While Knox remained a fugitive, Beaton was murdered on 29 May 1546, within his residence, the [[Castle of St Andrews]], by a gang of five persons in revenge for Wishart's execution. The assassins seized the castle and eventually their families and friends took refuge with them, about a hundred and fifty men in all. Among their friends was [[Henry Balnaves]], a former secretary of state in the government, who negotiated with England for the financial support of the rebels.<ref>{{Harvnb|Reid|1974|p=43}}; {{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|p=53}}</ref> Douglas and Cockburn suggested to Knox to take their sons to the relative safety of the castle to continue their instruction in reformed doctrine, and Knox arrived at the castle on 10 April 1547.<ref>{{Harvnb|Reid|1974|pp=44–45}}; {{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|p=52}}; {{Harvnb|MacGregor|1957|pp=40–42}}</ref>

Knox's powers as a preacher came to the attention of the chaplain of the garrison, [[John Rough]]. While Rough was preaching in the [[Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews|parish church]] on the Protestant principle of the popular election of a pastor, he proposed Knox to the congregation for that office. Knox did not relish the idea. According to his own account, he burst into tears and fled to his room. Within a week, however, he was giving his first sermon to a congregation that included his old teacher, [[John Major (philosopher)|John Major]].<ref>{{Harvnb|MacGregor|1957|p=43}}</ref> He expounded on the seventh chapter of the [[Book of Daniel]], comparing the [[Pope]] with the [[Antichrist]]. His sermon was marked by his consideration of the [[Bible]] as his sole authority and the doctrine of [[Sola fide|justification by faith alone]], two elements that would remain in his thoughts throughout the rest of his life. A few days later, a debate was staged that allowed him to lay down additional theses including the rejection of the [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]], [[Purgatory]], and [[prayers for the dead]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Reid|1974|pp=48–50}}; {{Harvnb|Ridley|1968|p=56}}</ref>