222 THE PORTKAITS OF JOHN KNOX.

mended him to the care of ' Langudrius, a principal nobleman in Scotland/ by whom his precious life was preserved. This town of ' Hamestonum, sole refage of the pious/ and this protective ' Langudrius, a prin- cipal nobleman/ are extremely wonderful to the reader ; and only after a little study do you discover that 'Langudrius, a principal nobleman' is simply the Laird of Langniddry, and that ^ Hamestonum ' the city of refuge is Cockbum the Laird of Ormiston's ; both of whom had Sons in want of education ; three in all, two of Langniddry's and one of Ormiston's, who, especially the first, had been lucky enough to secure John Knox's services as tutor ! The rest of the narrative is almost equally absurd, or only saved from being so by its emptiness and vagueness ; and the one certain fact we come upon is that of Knox's taking leave of his congregation, and shortly after- wards ordaining in their presence his successor, chosen by them and him, followed by his death in fifteen days, dates all accurately given ; on which latter point, what is curious to consider, Beza must have had exact information, not mere rumour. From all this we might infer that Beza had never