He had a tedious quarrel with Kirkcaldy in December 1570-January 1571.  A retainer of Kirkcaldy’s had helped to kill a man whom his master only wanted to be beaten.  The retainer was put into the Tolbooth; Kirkcaldy set him free, and Knox preached against Kirkcaldy.  Hearing that Knox had styled him a murderer, Kirkcaldy bade Craig read from the pulpit a note in which he denied the charge.  He prayed God to decide whether he or Knox “has been most desirous of innocent blood.”  Craig would not read the note:  Kirkcaldy appealed in a letter to the kirk-session.  He explained the origin of the trouble:  the slain man had beaten his brother; he bade his agents beat the insulter, who drew his sword, and got a stab.  On this Knox preached against him, he was told, as a cut-throat.

Next Sunday Knox reminded his hearers that he had not called Kirkcaldy a murderer (though in the case of the Cardinal, he was), but had said that the lawless proceedings shocked him more than if they had been done by common cut-throats.  Knox then wrote a letter to the kirk-session, saying that Kirkcaldy’s defence proved him “to be a murderer at heart,” for St. John says that “whoso loveth not his brother is a man-slayer”; and Kirkcaldy did not love the man who was killed.  All this was apart from the question:  had Knox called Kirkcaldy a common cut-throat?  Kirkcaldy then asked that Knox’s explanation of what he said in the pulpit might be given in writing, as his words had been misreported, and Knox, “creeping upon his club,” went personally to the kirk-session, and requested the Superintendent to admonish Kirkcaldy of his offences.  Next Sunday he preached about his eternal Ahab, and Kirkcaldy was offended by the historical parallel.  When he next was in church Knox went at him again; it was believed that Kirkcaldy would avenge himself, but the western brethren wrote to remind him of their “great care” for Knox’s person.  So the quarrel, which made sermons lively, died out. {266}

There was little goodwill to Knox in the Queen’s party, and as the conflict was plainly to be decided by the sword, Robert Melville, from the Castle, advised that the prophet should leave the town, in May 1571.  The “Castilian” chiefs wished him no harm, they would even shelter him in their hold, but they could not be responsible for his “safety from the multitude and rascal,” in the town, for the craftsmen preferred the party of Kirkcaldy.  Knox had a curious interview in the Castle with Lethington, now stricken by a mortal malady.  The two old foes met courteously, and parted even in merriment; Lethington did not mock, and Knox did not threaten.  They were never again to see each other’s faces, though the dying Knox was still to threaten, and the dying Lethington was still to mock.