all other Protestant
founders in his desire that the Catholics should be exterminated,
either by the state or by the self-help of all Christian men. His not
to speak the words of love and mercy from the gospel, but to curse and
{358} thunder against "those dumb dogs, the poisoned and pestilent
papists" in the style of the Old Testament prophet or psalmist. But
while the harshness of his character has repelled many, his fundamental
consistency and his courage have won admiration. As a great preacher,
"or he had done with his sermon he was so active and vigorous that he
was like to ding the pulpit in blads and fly out of it." His style was
direct, vigorous, plain, full of pungent wit and biting sarcasm.

Even the year of his birth is in dispute. The traditional date is
1505; but it has been shown with much reason that the more likely date
is 1513 or 1514. That he had a university education and that he was
ordained priest is all that is known of him until about 1540. During
the last months of Wishart's life Knox was his constant attendant. His
own preaching continued the work of the martyr until June, 1547, when
St. Andrews was captured by the French fleet and Knox was made a galley
slave for nineteen months. Under the lash and, what grieved him even
more, constantly plied with suggestions that he should "commit
idolatry" in praying to the image of Mary, his heart grew bitter
against the French and their religion.

Released, either through the influence of the English government,
[Sidenote: January 1549] or by an exchange of prisoners, Knox spent the
next five years in England. After filling positions as preacher at
Berwick and Newcastle, [Sidenote: 1551] he was appointed royal chaplain
and was offered the bishopric of Rochester, which he declined because
he foresaw the troubles under Mary. As the pioneer of Puritanism in
England he used his influence to make the Book of Common Prayer more
Protestant. Not long after Mary's accession Knox fled to the
Continent, spending a few years at Frankfort and Geneva. He was much
impressed by "that notable servant of {359} God, John Calvin" whose
system he adopted with political modifications of his own.

In the meantime things were not going well in Scotland. The country
had suffered another severe defeat [Sidenote: September 10, 1547] at
the hands of the English in the battle of Pinkie. The government was
largely in the hands of the Queen Dowager, Mary of Lorraine,