In Randolph’s letter, recording the flight of these nobles, he mentions eight of their accomplices, and another list is pinned to the letter, giving names of men “all at the death of Davy and privy thereunto.”  This applies to about a dozen men, being a marginal note opposite their names.  A line lower is added, “John Knox, John Craig, preachers.” {252b} There is no other evidence that Knox, who fled, or Craig, who stood to his pulpit, were made privy to the plot.  When idolaters thought it best not to let the Pope into a scheme for slaying Elizabeth, it is hardly probable that Protestants would apprise their leading preachers.  On the other hand, Calvin was consulted by the would-be assassins of the Duc de Guise, in 1559-60, and he prevented the deed, as he assures the Duchesse de Ferrare, the mother-in-law of the Duc, after that noble was murdered in good earnest. {252c} Calvin, we have shown, knew beforehand of the conspiracy of Amboise, which aimed at the death of “Antonius,” obviously Guise.  He disapproved of but did not reveal the plot.  Knox, whether privy to the murder or not, did not, when he ran away, take the best means of disarming suspicion.  Neither his name nor that of Craig occurs in two lists containing those of between seventy and eighty persons “delated,” and it is to be presumed that he fled because he did not feel sure of protection against Mary’s frequently expressed dislike.

In earlier days, with a strong backing, he had not feared “the pleasing face of a gentlewoman,” as he said, but now he did fear it.  Kyle suited him well, because the Earl of Cassilis, who had been an idolater, was converted by a faithful bride, in August.  Dr. M’Crie {253a} says that Mary “wrote to a nobleman in the west country with whom Knox resided, to banish him from his house.”  The evidence for this is a letter of Parkhurst to Bullinger, in December 1567.  Parkhurst tells Bullinger, among other novelties, that Riccio was a necromancer, who happened to be dirked; by whom he does not say.  He adds that Mary commanded “a certain pious earl” not to keep Knox in his house. {253b}

In Kyle Knox worked at his “History.”  On September 4 he signed a letter sent from the General Assembly at St. Andrews to Beza, approving of a Swiss confession of faith, except so far as the keeping of Christmas, Easter, and other Christian festivals is concerned.  Knox himself wrote to Beza, about this time, an account of the condition of Scotland.  It would be invaluable, as the career of Mary was rushing to the falls, but it is lost. {253c}

On December 24, Mary pardoned all the murderers of Riccio; and Knox appears to have been present, though it is not certain, at the Christmas General Assembly in Edinburgh.  He received permission to visit his sons in England, and he wrote two letters:  one to the Protestant nobles on Mary’s attempt to revive the consistorial jurisdiction of the Primate; the other to the brethren.  To England he carried a remonstrance from the Kirk against the treatment of Puritans who had conscientious objections to the apparel—­“Romish rags”—­of the Church Anglican.  Men ought to oppose themselves boldly to Authority; that is, to Queen Elizabeth, if urged further than their consciences can bear. {254a}