Extract of a Letter from John Knox to Mrs Anne Locke, dated 6th April, 1559. (See above, [p. 253].)
—— Your letters, dear sister, dated at Geneva the 17th of February, received I in Deepe the 17th of March. Touching my negligence in writing to you, at other times I fear it shall be little amended, except that better occasions than yet I know be offered. For oft to write when few messingers can be found is but foolishness. My remembrance of you is not yet so dead, but I trust it shall be fresh enough, albeit it be renewed be no outward tokin for one year. Of nature I am churlish, and in conditions different from many. Yet one thing I ashame not to affirme that familiarity once thoroughly contracted was never yet broken be my default. The cause may be that I have rather need of all than that any have need of me.—
Extract of a Letter from John Knox “To a friend in England.” [Cald. II. 144.]
Of Edinburgh, 19th August, 1569.
—— If from day to day thir seven years bypast, I had not looked for an end of my travells, I could have no excuse of my obstinate fault toward you, beloved in the Lord, be whom I have received, besides commendations and letters, divers tokens of your unfained friendship, yet have negligently pretermitted all office of humanity toward you, whereinto I acknowledge my offence, for albeit I have been tossed with many storms all the time before expressed, yet might I have gratified you and others faithfull with some remembrance of my estate, if that this my churlish nature, for the most part oppressed with melancholy, had not stayed tongue and pen from doing of their duty. Yea, even now, when that I could somewhat satisfy your desire, I find within myself no small repugnance, for this I find objected to my wretched heart, ‘Foolishman! what seeks thou in writing of missives in this corruptible age? Hath thou not a full satiety of all the vanities under the sun? Hath not thy eldest and stoutest acquaintance buried thee in oblivion, and art not thou in that estate be age, that nature itself calleth thee from the pleasures of things temporall? Is it not then more than foolishness unto thee to hunt for acquaintance on the earth, of what estate or condition whatsomever the person be?’ To these objections I could answer nothing, (much more I think than is written,) but that I would write with what imperfections I little regard.——
No XIV. Letter to Sir William Douglas of Lochleven, 31 Mar. 1570.
[The original is among the papers of the family, at Dalmahoy.]
After harty commendatioun of my service unto you, rycht wyrshippfull, I receaved your missive this last of March, perceaving tharby the bruite that ye hear of the purpose of some to tak the castell of Sanctandrois, quhilk bruite I easely beleve be not all togidder vane, for men will not faill to hurt what thei can the quietnes of this realme, and to reenter in thare usurped possessioun and injust uplifting of the fruitis that never did justlie apperteane to sick idill bellies. How sick trublaris may be stayed of thare interpryses I remitt to God, to whose counsall I committ you in that and all other cases worldly; for I have tacken my gude nycht of it, and therfor bear with me gude Sr, albeit I write not to the superintendent of Fyff in the actioun that ye desyr as concernyng the excuse of the tua ministeris, to our superintendent I shall do the best that I can when I meitt with him; and thus with my harty commendatioun I committ you to the protectioun of the omnipotent. Of Edinburghe the sam hour I receaved yours this Friday att 5 afternone 1570.