Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

St. Giles's, Knox poured out the sorrows that
almost overwhelmed him in a strain of lofty and
indignant, yet mournful eloquence. He reminded
the nobles who, with some thousand of the citizens,
were gathered before him, of the slavery of body,
and the yet viler slavery of soul, in which they had
been sunk; and now, when the merciful hand of
God had delivered them, where was their
gratitude? And then addressing himself in
particular to the nobility, he continued, "In your
most extreme dangers I have been with you; St.
Johnston, Cupar-Moor, the Craigs of Edinburgh"
(names that recalled past perils and terrors) "are yet
fresh in my heart; yea, that dark and dolorous night
wherein all ye, my lords, with shame and fear left
this town, is yet in my mind, and God forbid that
ever I forget it. What was, I say, my exhortation to
you, and what has fallen in vain of all that ever
God promised unto you by my mouth, ye
yourselves are yet alive to testify. There is not one
of you, against whom was death and destruction
threatened, perished; and how many of your
enemies has God plagued before your eyes! Shall
this be the thankfulness that ye shall render unto
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