you who so
list your felicity shall be short. Interpret my rude words in the
best part as written by him who is no enemy to your Grace."

It must have been new to Queen Elizabeth to hear herself called "a weik
instrument," and it is doubtful whether the first offence would be much
softened by such an address. Neither was Elizabeth a person to be amused
by the incongruity or impressed by the uncompromising boldness of the
Reformer to whom the language of apology was so hard. Policy, however,
has little to do with personal offences, although to some readers, as we
confess to ourselves, it may be more interesting to see the prophet thus
arrested, hampered by his own trumpet-blast, and making amends as much
as he can permit himself to make, though so awkwardly and with so bold a
return upon the original offence, to the offended Queen. It was far more
easy for him to warn her of what would happen did she fail in her duty
than to soothe the affront with gentle words; and his attempt at the
latter is but halting and feeble. But when he promises with tongue and
pen to justify her if she does well, Knox is once more on his own
ground--that of a man whose office is superior to all the paltry
distinctions of kingship or lordship, a servant of God commissioned to
declare His divine will, endowed with an insight beyond that of ordinary
men, and declaring with boundless certainty and confidence the things
which are to be.

We may, however, pass very shortly over the coming struggle. The English
army marched into Scotland in April 1560, and addressed itself at once
to the siege of Leith, the headquarters of the French whom the Queen
Regent had brought into Scotland, and whom it was the chief aim of the
Congregation and of their allies to drive out of the country. The siege
went on for about six weeks, during which little effect seems to have
been made, though Knox bears testimony that "the patience and stout
courage of the Englishmen, but principally of the horsemen, was worthy
of all praise." These proceedings, however, were brought to a pause by
an event which changed the position of affairs. The Queen Regent, who,
for some time, had been in declining health, harassed and beaten down by
many cares, had left Leith and taken up her abode in Edinburgh Castle
while the Reformers were absent from the capital. In that fortress, held
neutral by its captain, in the small rooms where, some seven years
after, her daughter's child wa