It is unnecessary to give the title of David Buchanan’s edition, printed in 1644 at London, in folio, and reprinted the same year at Edinburgh in quarto.—The genuine and complete edition of the History was published in folio, under the following title:—

“The Historie of the Reformation of Religioun within the Realm of Scotland, conteining the manner and be quhat persons the lycht of Christis Evangell has bein manifested unto this realme, after that horribill and universal defection from the treuth, whiche has come by the means of that Romane Antichryst. Together with the Life of Johne Knoxe, the author, and several curious pieces wrote by him; particularly that most rare and scarce one entitled, The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstruous Regiment of Women, and a large Index and Glossary. Taken from the original manuscript in the University Library of Glasgow, and compared with other ancient copies. Edinburgh: Printed by Robert Fleming and Company, 1732.” The life was written by Mr Matthew Crawfurd. See last [Note].

Besides the above publications, which were all undoubtedly composed by our Reformer, there are others ascribed to him upon more dubious grounds. Bale, in his Scrip. Maj. Brit. post. pars. art. Knoxus, and Verheiden and Melchior Adam, upon his authority, appear, in several instances, to have given different names to the same tract. They mention among his printed works, “In Genesin Conciones.” We know that he preached sermons on Genesis at Franckfort, (see vol. i. [148],) and it is not unlikely that he continued to do so at Geneva. Perhaps Bale, hearing of these, might think that they were published. Bishop Tanner has enumerated among his works, “Exposition on Daniel, Malburg. M.D.XXIX. 8vo.” Bibliotheca, p. 460. As he mentions the place and year of printing, more credit is due to his account: but there is evidently a mistake in the year, for Knox had not at that time begun to write. It may however be an error of the press for alater year. We have seen (vol. ii. [p. 192]) that he preached on Daniel at St Andrews.

During the reign of queen Mary of England, a book was published, with this title, “The Huntyng of the Romysh Voulfe,” &c. Of this tract a new edition was printed in the beginning of Elizabeth’s reign, under the title of “The Hunting of the Fox and the Wolfe, because they make hauocke of the sheepe of Christ Jesus.” This edition is introduced with a preface by an anonymous author, “To al my faithful Brethren in Christ Jesu, and to all other that labour to weede out the weedes of poperie,” &c. The writer of the preface is very severe against the relics of popery retained in the worship of the church of England by the Act of Uniformity. “My good fathers and deare Brethren, who are first called to ye battel to strive for God’s glory and the edificatiō of his people, againste the Romish reliques, and rags of Antichriste, I doubt not but that you will courageouslye and constātly in Christ, rap at these rages of God’s enemies, and that you will by this occasiō race vp many as great enormities, that we al know and labour to race out al the dregs and remnāts of transformed poperie, that are crept into England, by too much lenitie of thē that will be named the Lords of the clergie,” &c. This preface has been ascribed to our Reformer. “So far,” says Herbert, “as one may be allowed to guess at the author by the style, &c. I am inclined to believe this address was written by John Knox, who for magnanimity, courage, and zeal for God’s glory, was at least equal to any of our reformers.” This surmise is in some measure supported by the cut of Truth, &c. at the end of this tract; the same as prefixed to that author’s Admonition or warning, &c, as p. 1576, except only the name of Sutleti being here given to the figure there inscribed Crueltye.” Herbert’s edition of Ames, p. 1605, 1606.

I have not introduced into this catalogue the Form of Excommunication, which was wholly, nor the Treatise of Fasting, which was chiefly, composed by Knox, nor any other of the public papers in which he had a hand, but which were published in the name of the General Assembly.

In an epistle to the reader, contained in his answer to Tyrie, Knox mentions that he had beside him a collection of letters whichhe had written to Mrs Bowes, and which the state of his health alone prevented him from publishing. It also appears from Field’s dedication prefixed to Knox’s Exposition of the fourth of Matthew, (see [p. 240],) that a number of our Reformer’s manuscripts were in circulation in England as well as Scotland. I have in my possession a manuscript volume, containing tracts and letters written by him between 1550 and 1558. This is unquestionably the identical volume which formerly belonged to the Rev. Mr Wodrow, (author of the History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland,) and described under the name of the Quarto volume of MSS. in Crawfurd’s Life of Knox, p. 53, 54, prefixed to the edition of his Historie published in 1732. It consists of 518 pages, including the contents. On the leaf at the beginning of the volume is this title: “The epistles of Mr John Knox, worthy to be read because of the authority of the wryter, the solidity of the matter, and the comfortable Christian experience to be found therein. Edr. 22 feb. 1683. H. T. m. p.” Below, in a hand considerably older, are these words: “This booke belong’d somtyme to Margaret Stewart, widow to Mr Knox, afterwards married to the knight of fawdonesyde. Sister shee was to James Earl of Arran.” Then follow the six tracts described by Mr Crawfurd, in the place above referred to. At the beginning of the Letters, in a hand older than the former, and the same with that in which the Letters themselves are written, is this title: “Certane epistillis and letters of ye servand of God, Johne Knox, send from dyvers places to his friendis and familiaris in Jesus Chryst.” On the margin of the tracts are several short notes by the transcriber, referring to his own times, such as this, “our case at this day in Scotland, 1603.” This ascertains the date of their transcription; and I think it highly probable that they were copied by Mr John Welsh, a son‑in‑law of the Reformer, one of whose letters is inserted on some blank leaves in the middle of the volume. The letters have evidently been written by the same person (although the hand appears older); and, on the margin of a treatise at the end of them, “1603” occurs. Margaret Stewart, the Reformer’s relict, was alive about the end of the 16th century; but whether the manuscript in my possession belonged to her, or be considered as a transcript from hers, there can be no doubt of its antiquity andgenuineness. I have found, upon examination, that all the six tracts in the beginning of the volume have been published; but as the manuscript is more correct than any of the printed editions which I have seen, I have generally followed it in the extracts which I have given from these tracts. The letters are forty‑three in number, besides the letter to the queen regent, the Discourse on the temptation of Christ, and the Additions to the Apology of the Parisian Protestants, which are inserted among them. Three of the letters also have been published, and are noticed in [Nos. 6] and [15] of this Catalogue; the remainder, as far as I can learn, never appeared in print. They consist chiefly of religious advices to the friends with whom he corresponded; but a number of facts and allusions to his external circumstances are interspersed. Mr Wodrow possessed another volume of Knox’s MSS., in folio, which is described by Crawfurd, Life, p. 53, ut supra. It contains nothing additional to what I have mentioned in this Note.—In a letter, addressed to Mr Robert Durie, from Sedan, 24th May, 1616, Andrew Melville says: “I left with my lufing and faithful gossep, your father‑in‑law, Mr Knox’s letters. I wish them to be furthcuming.”

APPENDIX,
CONSISTING OF LETTERS WRITTEN BY KNOX, AND OTHER PAPERS, HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED.

[356]No I. [From MS. Letters, p. 243.]