inburgh Knox writes to Mrs Bowes (still in
Northumberland), thanking her for being

'the instrument to draw me from the den of my own ease (you
alone did draw me from the rest of quiet study) to contemplate
and behold the fervent thirst of our brethren, night and day
sobbing and groaning for the bread of life. If I had not seen it
with my eyes in my own country, I could not have believed it.
Depart I cannot, unto such time as God quench their thirst a
little.' And accordingly later on he adds, 'The trumpet blew the
old sound three days together, till private houses of
indifferent largeness could not contain the voice of it. God for
Christ his Son's sake grant me to be mindful that the sobs of my
heart have not been in vain, nor neglected in the presence of
his Majesty. O sweet were the death that should follow such
forty days in Edinburgh as here I have had three!'[65]

It was in the midst of this glowing enthusiasm that Knox attended an
Edinburgh supper party in the house of Erskine, the Laird of Dun, where
the question was formally discussed whether those who believed the
Evangel could countenance by their presence the celebration of the Mass?
Knox maintained the negative, and as young Maitland of Lethington and
other acute doubters were there, all views were well represented. But in
the end the Reformer's zeal prevailed, and another step was taken to
making Protestantism a public if not a permitted thing in Scotland. From
Edinburgh he took journeys to Forfarshire, to West Lothian, to Ayrshire,
and to Renfrewshire; and after half a year spent in incessant preaching,
followed occasionally by administering the Sacraments, he was at last
cited to appear before the bishops in the Blackfriars Church, Edinburgh.
He went, but attended by so many friends that nothing was attempted
against him for the time. And now, at the suggestion of Glencairn and
Marischal, two of the lords who were favourable to the new doctrine,
Knox sat down to write a letter to the Queen Dowager, as Regent of
Scotland. It had hitherto been Mary of Lorraine's policy to play off the
Protestant party, which had leanings to England, against the Catholic
side, which was faithful to France. Knox accordingly blesses 'God, who
by the dew of his heavenly grace, hath so quenched the fire of
displeasure in your Grace's heart,' and with unprecedented courtesy
apologises 'that a man of base estate and condition d