Editing William Whittingham (section)

==At Frankfort==

In the spring of 1554 [[Frankfurt am Main|Frankfort]] was the ecclesiastical centre for the English [[Marian exiles]] on the continent, and Whittingham was one of the first who reached the city on 27 June 1554; he sent out invitations to exiles in other cities to join them. Difficulties soon arose, however, between the party led by Whittingham and [[John Knox]] which sought to abolish all English liturgies and adopt the Genevan and Presbyterian mode of worship; and those who sought to retain the Anglican Prayerbooks, in particular [[Book of Common Prayer#Prayer Books of Edward VI|Edward VI's second prayer-book]]. Whittingham was one of those appointed to draw up a service-book. He procured a letter from [[John Calvin]], dated 18 January 1555, which prevailed; but the compromise adopted was disturbed by the arrival and public disruptions of [[Richard Cox (bishop)|Richard Cox]], an uncompromising champion of the 1552 ''Book of Common Prayer''. In the party with Cox was John Jewel, the famed later bishop of Salisbury, who resolutely opposed Whittingham and Knox in their program. In the ensuing [[Troubles at Frankfurt|struggle between the two parties]], Whittingham was Knox's chief supporter. However, he failed to prevent Knox's expulsion from Frankfort on 26 March; he gave his support to the form of church government established at Frankfort under Cox's influence. He was dissatisfied with the outcome, however. About 22 September 1555, he followed Knox to Geneva, a veritable beehive of growing scholarship and, in time, international influence. There, he was ordained in the Presbyterian manner.

There exists a nearly eye-witness narrative of the conflict, published in 1575, entitled ''<nowiki/>'A Brieff Discours off the Troubles begonne at Franckford in Germany, anno Domini 1554. Abowte the Booke off Common Prayer and Ceremonies, and continued by the Englishe men theyre to thende off Q. Maries Raigne,''' 1575.<ref>'A Brieff Discours off the Troubles begonne at Franckford in Germany, anno Domini 1554. Abowte the Booke off Common Prayer and Ceremonies, and continued by the Englishe men theyre to thende off Q. Maries Raigne,' 1575. It bears no place or printer's name, but was printed probably at Geneva, and in the same type as [[Thomas Cartwright (Puritan)|Thomas Cartwright]]'s tracts; one copy of the original edition is dated mdlxxiv. It was reprinted at London in 1642, in vol. ii. of 'The Phenix,' 1708; again in 1846 (ed. M'Crie), and in vol. iv. of 'Knox's Works' (Bannatyne Club).</ref> Recent scholars have argued that Whittingham is indeed the author of the narrative.<ref name=":0" />