Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/109

1 563 .] THE ENGLISH AT HA VRE. 89 yet she could not be quit of him. ; ' she vowed to God she would be avenged/ Quiet, collected seeing through and through her, yet with a sound northern courtesy, the Reformer an- swered that when it pleased God to open her eyes she would see that he had done nothing to offend her ; in private he had been silent ; ' in the preaching place ' he must obey God Almighty. 'But what/ she asked, 'have you to do with my marriage ? ' He said his duty was to preach the Evangel : the nobility were so much addicted to her affections that! they had forgotten their duty, and he was therefore j bound to remind them of it. ' But what/ she repeated, ' have you to do with my marriage ? what are you within this commonwealth ? * ' A subject born within the same, madam/ he replied ; ' and one whose vocation and conscience demands plain- ness of speech ; and therefore, madam/ he went on, ' I say to yourself what I spake in yonder public place whenever the nobility shall consent that you be subject to an unfaithful husband, they renounce Christ and be- tray the realm.' The Queen again sobbed violently. Knox stood silent till she had collected herself. He then continued ' Madam, in God's presence I speak ; I never delighted in the weeping of any of God's creatures ; yea, T can scarcely abide the tears of my own boys whom my own hand corrects ; but seeing I have but spoken the truth as my vocation craves of me, I must sustain