This classic biography of the Scottish reformer John Knox is organized as
Preface I. From His Birth to His Embracing of the Reformed Religion (1505-1542) II. From His Embracing the Reformed Religion to His Release From the French Galleys (1542-1549) III. From His Release From the French Galleys to His Departure Out of England (1549-1554) IV. From His Departure Out of England to His Invitation Into Scotland, by the Protestant Nobility (1551-1557) V. From His Invitation Into Scotland, by the Protestant Nobility, to His Settlement as Minister of Edinburgh, Upon the Establishment of the Reformation (1557-1560) VI. From His Settlement as Minister of Edinburgh, at the Establishment of the Reformation to His Acquittal, From a Charge of Treason, by the Privy Council (1560-1563) VII. From His Acquittal, From a Charge of Treason, by the Privy Council to His Being Struck With Apoplexy (1563-1570) VIII. From His Being Struck With Apoplexy to His Death (1570-1572) Addenda
Rev. Dr. Thomas McCrie (sometimes known as Thomas M'Crie, McCree or Maccrae) (1772 – 1835) was a Scottish historian and writer. He was the father of Thomas McCrie (1797 - 1875).
Between 1802 and 1806, he contributed a series of biographical sketches to The Christian Magazine, including an Account of the concluding part of the Life and the Death of John Knox; a Memoir of Mr. John Murray, minister of Leith and Dunfermline at the beginning of the 17th century; a Sketch of the Progress of the Reformation in Spain; The Suppression of the Reformation in Spain; the Life of Dr. Andrew Rivet, the French Protestant minister; the Life of Patrick Hamilton; the Life of Francis Lambert of Avignon; and the Life of Alexander Henderson. He was subsequently the author of the Life of John Knox (1811) and the Life of Andrew Melville (1819).
In a series of papers published in the Edinburgh Religious Instructor McCrie criticised Walter Scott's representation of the Covenanting defenders of Scottish presbyterianism in his novel Old Mortality (1816).
At times I found this book to be a difficult read with dense language. Thomas M’Crie was a historian in the early 1800’s and so a good bit of the book is filled with language not often used.
That being said, this book is a must read for anyone that enjoys reformation history. The life of John Knox is remarkable. He was a man of great courage and love for the Gospel and the church. Despite the books age and newer accounts of Knox’ life, M’Crie’s biography continues to rank at the top of biographies on the Scottish Reformer.