Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

the Gospel. Thus the persecution did not slacken.
The cardinal's corpse flung upon a dung-hill,
the conspirators kept possession of his castle. It had
been recently and strongly repaired, and was well
mounted with arms; and although the regent
besieged it for months, he had to retire, leaving its
occupants in peace. Its holders were soon joined by
their friends, favorers of the Reformation, though
with a purer zeal, including among others Kirkaldy
of Grange, Melville of Raith, and Leslie of Rothes.
It had now become an asylum for the persecuted,
and at Easter, 1547, it opened its gates to receive
John Knox. Knox had now reached the mature age
of forty-two, and here it was that he entered on that
public career which he was to pursue without
pause, through labor and sorrow, through exile and
peril, till the grave should bring him repose.
That career opened affectingly and beautifully.
The company in the castle had now grown to
upwards of 150, and "perceiving the manner" of
Knox's teaching, they "began earnestly to travail
with him that he would take the preaching place
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