May 15th, 2007

"A subject born within the same, Madam. And albeit I neither be earl, lord nor baron within it, yet has God made me (how abject that ever I be in your eyes) a profitable member within the same; yea, Madam, to me it appertains no less to forewarn of such things as may hurt it, if I forsee them, than it does to any of the nobility; for both my vocation and conscience crave plainness of me."
- John Knox's response to Mary, Queen of Scots' demand: "What have ye to do with my marriage? Or what are ye within this commonwealth?" Quoted in "John Knox" by Jasper Ridley (p 426).

"...the eyes of our God pierceth deeper than man's law can stretch. The law of man cannot convict the earl, the lord, the baron (laird) or gentleman for oppressing of the poor labourers of the ground; for his defence is ready, I may do with my own as best pleaseth me. The merchant is just enough in his own conceit, if before men he cannot be convict of theft and deceit. The artificer and craftsman thinketh himself free before God, albeit that he neither work sufficient stuff, nor yet sell for reasonable price; the world is evil, (saith he), and how can men live if they do not as other do? And thus doth every man lean upon the iniquity of another, and thinketh himself sufficiently excused when that he meeteth craft with craft, and repulseth back violence either with deceit or else with open injury."
- John Knox, quoted in "John Knox" by Jasper Ridley (p 445)