iewed his ministry and took
leave of them all. But here too trouble from his past awaited him. He
had not long before accused from the pulpit Maitland of Lethington, now
in the Castle, of having said that 'Heaven and hell are things I devised
to fray bairns;' and Maitland's demand for evidence or apology was
brought to him. Knox had never been able to bear contradiction,
especially when he was somewhat in the wrong; and those who wish to
acquire new virtues must not postpone them to their last hours. His
defence was roundabout and ineffectual; and all were glad when he parted
from these details of his long life-struggle, so that his friends, with
tears, might take their last look of his worn and wearied face. The
effort had been too much for him, and henceforth he never spoke but with
great pain. Yet during the rest of the week he had many visitors. One
after another the nobles in Edinburgh, Lords Boyd, Drumlanrig, Lindsay,
Ruthven, Glencairn, and Morton (then about to be elected Regent) had
interviews with him. Of Morton he demanded whether he had been privy to
the murder of Darnley, and receiving an evasive assurance that he had
not, he charged him to use his wealth and high place 'better in time to
come than you have done in time past. If so ye do, God shall bless and
honour you; but if ye do it not, God shall spoil you of these benefits,
and your end shall be ignominy and shame.' When so many men pressed in,
women, devout and honourable, were of course also present. One lady
commenced to praise his works for God's cause: 'Tongue! tongue! lady,'
he broke in; 'flesh of itself is overproud, and needs no means to esteem
itself.' Gradually they all left, except his true friend Fairley of
Braid. Knox turned to him: 'Every one bids me good-night; but when will
you do it? I shall never be able to recompense you; but I commit you to
One that is able to do it--to the Eternal God.' During the days that
followed, his weakness reduced him to ejaculatory sentences of prayer.
'Come, Lord Jesus. Sweet Jesus, into Thy hands I commend my spirit' But
Scotland was still on his heart; and as Napoleon in his last hours was
heard to mutter _tete d'armee_, so Knox's attendants caught the words,
'Be merciful, O Lord, to Thy Church, which Thou hast redeemed. Give
peace to this afflicted commonwealth. Raise up faithful pastors who will
take charge of Thy Church. Grant us, Lord, the perfect hatred of sin,
both by the evidences of Thy wrath and m