t in communion with the congregation
of that name at Francfort), in which they beseech him, in the name of
God, that as he was their chosen pastor, he would speedily come to them:
In obedience to this call, he sent his wife and mother-in-law before him
to Dieppe, but by the importunity of some gentlemen he was prevailed on
to stay some time behind them in Scotland, which he spent in going about
exhorting the several congregations in which he had preached, to be
fervent in prayer, frequent in reading the scriptures, and in mutual
conferences till God should give them greater liberty. The earl of
Argyle was solicited to press Mr. Knox's stay in this country, but he
could not succeed. Mr. Knox told them, That, if they continued earnest
in the profession of the faith, God would bless these small beginnings,
but that he must for once go and visit that little flock which the
wickedness of men had compelled him to leave; and being thus resolved,
he went immediately to Geneva. As soon as he was gone, the bishops
caused summon him to their tribunal, and for _non_-compearance they
burnt him _in effigy_ on the cross of Edinburgh; from which unjust
sentence, when he heard of it, he appealed to the nobility and commons
of Scotland.

Upon the receipt of a letter dated March 10, 1556, subscribed by the
earls of Glencairn, Erskine, Argyle, and Moray, Mr. Knox resolved to
return again into Scotland. Committing the care of his flock at Geneva
to Mr. John Calvin, and coming to Dieppe, he wrote from thence to Mrs.
Anna Locke, a declaration of his opinion of the English service-book,
expressing himself thus, "Our captain Christ Jesus and Satan his
adversary are now at open defiance, their banners are displayed, and the
trumpet is blown on both sides for assembling their armies: our master
calleth upon his own, and that with vehemency, that they may depart from
Babylon, yea he threateneth death and damnation to such as either in
their forehead or right-hand have the mark of the beast, and a portion
of this mark are all these dregs of papistry, which are left in your
great book of England (_viz._ crossing in baptism, kneeling at the
Lord's table, mumbling or singing of the litany, _&c. &c._) any one jot
of which diabolical inventions will I never counsel any man to use,
&c."

He was detained in this place much longer than expectation, which
obliged the Scots nobility to renew their solicitations; which he
complied with, and arrived in Scotl