The Works of John Knox, Vol. 1 | Page 7

thus extending the period originally prescribed beyond
the actual attainment of the great object at which the Reformers aimed,
in the overthrow of Popish superstition, and the establishment by civil
authority of the Protestant faith, which was actually secured by the
proceedings of the Parliament that met at Edinburgh on the 1st of
August 1560. But he further informs us, that he was persuaded not only

to add the First Book as an Introduction, but to continue the Narrative
to a later period. This plan of extending the work he carried into effect
in the year 1566, when the First and Fourth Books were chiefly written,
and when there is reason to believe that he revised and enlarged the
intermediate portion, at least by dividing it into two parts, as Books
Second and Third. The Fourth Book extends to the year 1564; and he
seems to intimate that he himself had no intention to continue the
History to a later period; for alluding to the death of David Riccio, in
March 1565-6, he says, "of whom we delay now farther to speik,
becaus that his end will requyre the descriptioun of the whole, and
referris it unto suche as God sall rayse up to do the same;" and a
marginal note on this passage, written probably by Richard Bannatyne
in 1571, says "This ves never done be this Authour."
Dr. M'Crie states, that "the First and Fourth Books were composed
during the years 1566, 1567, and 1568," and that "some additions were
made to the Fourth Book so late as 1571." The only evidence to support
this supposition, is founded upon the circumstance of some marginal
notes having been added in those years, and introduced by subsequent
transcribers, as belonging to the text. Whether the Fifth Book,
published by David Buchanan in 1644, was actually written by the
Reformer, will be considered in the preliminary notice to that Book.
Meanwhile it may be remarked, that the Author himself whilst
occasionally engaged in collecting materials for a continuation of his
History, felt the necessity of delaying the publication; and in a letter
addressed to Mr. John Wood, 14th February 1567-8, he expresses the
resolution he had formed of withholding the work from the public
during his own life.

MANUSCRIPT COPIES OF THE HISTORY.
The Manuscript of the HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION which
has been followed in this edition, fully confirms the preceding
statements regarding the period of its composition. It also serves to
shew that no suppressions or alterations had been made by his friends,
after his death, in these Four Books. Such an intention is alluded to, in

a letter, dated from Stirling, 6th August 1572, and addressed to
Randolph, by George Buchanan:--"As to MAISTER KNOX, his
HISTORIE is in hys freindes handes, and thai ar in consultation to
mitigat sum part the acerbite of certain wordis, and sum taunts wherein
he has followit too muche sum of your Inglis writaris, as M. Hal. et
suppilatorem ejus Graftone, &c." The Manuscript contains Four Books,
transcribed by several hands, and at different intervals.
Notwithstanding this diversity of hand-writing, there is every reason to
believe that the most considerable part of the volume was written in the
year 1566, although it is not improbable that in the Second and Third
Books a portion of the original MS. of 1559 may have been retained.
The marginal notes, which specify particular dates, chiefly refer to the
years 1566, or 1567, and they leave no doubt in regard to the actual
period when the bulk of the MS. was written, as those bearing the date
1567 are clearly posterior to the transcription of the pages where they
occur. Some of these notes, as well as a number of minute corrections,
are evidently in Knox's own hand; but the latter part of Book Fourth
could not have been transcribed until the close of the year 1571. This is
proved by the circumstance that the words, "BOT WNTO THIS DAY,
THE 17. OF DECEMBER 1571," form an integral part of the text, near
the foot of fol. 359, in "The Ressonyng betuix the Maister of Maxwell
and John Knox." The whole of this section indeed is written somewhat
hastily, like a scroll-copy, probably by Richard Bannatyne, his
Secretary, from dictation; but whether it was merely rewritten in 1571,
or first added in that year to complete Book Fourth, must be left to
conjecture.
I.--MANUSCRIPT OF 1566.--IN THE EDITOR'S POSSESSION.
The accompanying leaf exhibits an accurate fac-simile of part of the
first page of the MS; and it is worthy of notice, that in the Wodrow
Miscellany, vol. i. p. 287, a fac-simile of a paper entitled "The Kirkis
Testimonial, &c.," dated 26th December 1565, is evidently by the same
hand.[4] It has the signatures of three of the