Life of John Knox - M'Crie - IX - Period 6 commenced

Required reading
The life of John Knox by Thomas M'Crie (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Period 6 by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'This interview excited great speculation, and different conjectures were formed as to its probable consequences.'

My summary
Knox now continues reform in Scotland with the composition of some documents (a 'Protestant Confession of Faith', the 'First Book of Discipline') and attendance at the first General Assembly.  Although this period is also sadly marked with the death of his wife.

Then Roman Catholicism rears her head again through the preparation of a French army to invade Scotland and the arrival of the queen of Scotland back from her Catholic education in France.

We then see Knox meet the queen to defend Protestantism and we are actually given much of the dialogue.

What grabbed me
Great to hear Knox speaking with the queen; particularly his challenging her adherence to Roman Catholicism: 'But the queen, who was determined to avoid all discussion of the articles of her creed, interrupted him by saying, that she was unable to contend with him in argument, but if she had those present whom she had heard, they would answer him. '"Madam," replied the Reformer fervently, " would to God that the learnedest Papist in Europe, and he whom you would best believe, were present with your Grace to sustain the argument, and that you would wait patiently to hear the matter reasoned to the end I for then, I doubt not, madam, but you would hear the vanity of the Papistical religion, and how little ground it hath in the word of God." " Well," said she, " you may perchance get that sooner than you believe." " Assuredly, if ever I get that in my life, I get it sooner than I believe ; for the ignorant Papist cannot patiently reason, and the learned and crafty Papist will never come, in your audience, madam, to have the ground of their religion searched out. When you shall let me see the contrary, I shall grant mysef to have been deceived in that point."'

The man is afraid of no man!

Next week's reading
Continue Period 6 by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'In the month of May, the queen sent for Knox to Lochlevin.'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.