airfoir, ane honest gentillman, Robert Colvile
of Cleishe,[819] to say to the Lordis, "That in case Johne Knox
presented him selff to the preaching place, in his town and principall
Churche, he should gar him be saluted with a dosane of culveringis,
quherof the most parte should lyght upoun his nose." After long
deliberatioun had, the said Johne was called, that his awin judgement
might be had. When many perswationis war maid that he should delay for
that tyme, and great terrouris gevin in caise he should interpryse suche
a thing, as it war in contempt of the Bischope. He ansuered, "God is
witnes that I never preached Christ Jesus in contempt of any man, nather
mynd I at any tyme to present my selff to that place, having ather
respect to my awin privat commoditie, eyther yit to the warldlie hurt of
any creature; but to delay to preache the morrow, (onless the bodie be
violentlie withholdin,) I can nocht of conscience: for in this Town and
Churche began God first to call me to the dignitie of a preacheour, from
the whiche I was reft by the tyrranny of France, by procurement of the
Bischopis, as ye all weall aneuch know: How long I continewed prisoneir,
what torment I susteaned in the galaies, and what war the sobbes of my
harte, is now no tyme to receat: This onelie I can nocht conceall,
whiche mo than one have hard me say, when the body was far absent from
Scotland, that my assured houp was, in oppin audience, to preache in
Sanctandrois befoir I depairtod this lyeff. And thairfoir (said he,) My
Lordis, seing that God, above the expectatioun of many, hath brocht the
body to the same place whair first I was called to the office of a
preacher, and from the whiche most injustlie I was removed, I beseak
your Honouris nocht to stop me to present my selff unto my bretherin.
And as for the fear of danger that may come to me, lett no man be
solist; for my lyef is in the custody of Him whose glorie I seak; and
thairfoir I can nocht so fear thair boast nor tyrranny, that I will
cease from doing my dewetie, when of his mercie[820] He offereth the
occasioun. I desyre the hand nor weapone of no man to defend me; onelie
do I crave audience; whiche, yf it be denyed heir unto me at this tyme,
I must seak farther whare I may haif it."

[SN: THE REFORMATIOUN OF SANCTANDROIS.]

At these his wordis,[821] the Lordis war fullie content that he should
occupie the place; which he did upoun Sounday, the 10 [11th] of Junij,
and did entreat of th