Page:Life of John Knox (4).pdf/9

9 Here he continued to teach his pupils in the - al manner, but his lectures were now attended by number of people belonging to the town, who earnestly intreated him to preach in public. This ask he at first defined, but afterwards accepted a all from the pulpit, and in his very first sermon discovered such zeal, learning, and intrepidity, as inced the prudence of their choice, and how em- ently qualified he was for the discharge of those duties. This success caused such alarm among the Popish clergy that a letter was sent to the sub- rior, by the abbot of Paisley, natural brother of the Regent, who ha been nominated to the archbish- pric reproving him for his negligence, in allowing uch doctrines to be taught without opposition. A meeting of the clergy was held in consequence, nd every scheme they could devise put in practice o hurts Mr Knox's usefulness; but, in a public disputation, he replied to all their arguments with o much acuteness as completely to silence them nd gained many proselytes, who made profession of faith by partaking of the communion openly. which he was the first to administer in the manner practised at presenting.

This success was not of long duration, for a body, of French troops was sent to besiege the castle, and t was compelled to surrender on the 23d July, when he, along with the garrison, was sent prisoner to France, and confined in the gallies till the year 1549. On obtaining his liberty he retired to England, where he perched sometime at Berwick, Afterwards at Newcastle and London, and was at ast chosen one of the itinerants, appointed by Edward VI, to preach the Protestant doctrine through England. Upon the death of that prince, on the 8th July, 1553, he went to Geneva, where he resided when he was chosen by the English church