ed kings of Israel; or of Jeremiah, who bade the Jews
pray for the prosperity of Nebuchadnezzar. As for the Queen's aid, there
is no harm in that: _quia_ (these are his own words) _quia omnia munda
mundis_: because to the pure all things are pure. One thing, in
conclusion, he "may not pretermit"; to give the lie in the throat to his
accuser, where he charges him with seeking support against his native
country. "What I have been to my country," said the old Reformer, "What
I have been to my country, albeit this unthankful age will not know, yet
the ages to come will be compelled to bear witness to the truth. And
thus I cease, requiring of all men that have anything to oppone against
me, that he may (they may) do it so plainly, as that I may make myself
and all my doings manifest to the world. For to me it seemeth a thing
unreasonable, that, in this my decrepit age, I shall be compelled to
fight against shadows, and howlets that dare not abide the light."[80]

Now, in this, which may be called his "Last Blast," there is as sharp
speaking as any in the "First Blast" itself. He is of the same opinion
to the end, you see, although he has been obliged to cloak and garble
that opinion for political ends. He has been tacking indeed, and he has
indeed been seeking the favour of a queen; but what man ever sought a
queen's favour with a more virtuous purpose, or with as little courtly
policy? The question of consistency is delicate, and must be made plain.
Knox never changed his opinion about female rule, but lived to regret
that he had published that opinion. Doubtless he had many thoughts so
far out of the range of public sympathy, that he could only keep them to
himself, and, in his own words, bear patiently with the errors and
imperfections that he could not amend. For example, I make no doubt
myself that, in his own heart, he did hold the shocking dogma attributed
to him by more than one calumniator; and that, had the time been ripe,
had there been aught to gain by it, instead of all to lose, he would
have been the first to assert that Scotland was elective instead of
hereditary--"elective as in the days of paganism," as one Thevet says in
holy horror.[81] And yet, because the time was not ripe, I find no hint
of such an idea in his collected works. Now, the regiment of women was
another matter that he should have kept to himself; right or wrong, his
opinion did not fit the moment; right or wrong, as Aylmer puts it, "the
'Blas