Knox published his First Blast when the godly in England and Scotland were suffering intense persecution at the hands of ungodly queens. After the God-fearing Queen Elizabeth acceded to the throne of England late in 1558, Knox walked back from some of the First Blast‘s applications while continuing to stand for the work as a whole, as can be seen from the following exchanges. –DSM

12 July 1559. John Knox to Sir William Cecil.

The spirit of wisdom rule your heart to the glory of God and to the comfort of his afflicted flock.

One cause of my present writing is right honorable humbly to require you to deliver this other letter enclosed to the queen’s grace which containeth in few and simple words my confession what I think of her authority, how far it is just, and what may make it odious in God’s presence.

I hear there is a confutation set forth in print against the first blast. God grant that the writer have no more sought the favors of the world, no less the glory of God and the stable commodity of his country than did him who enterprised in that blast to utter his conscience. When I shall have time (which now is dear and strait unto me) to peruse that work I will communicate my judgment with you concerning the same. The time is now, sir, that all that either trust Christ Jesus to reign in this isle, the liberties of the same to be kept to the inhabitants thereof and their hearts to be joined together in love unfeigned, ought rather to study how the same may be brought to pass than vainly to travail for the maintenance of that whereof already we have seen the danger, and felt the smart…

State Papers, Scotland, Vol. 1 Art. 57 in Public Record office, London.^[1]

20 July 1559. John Knox’s Declaration to Queen Elizabeth.

To the virtuous and godly Elizabeth by the grace of God queen of England etc. John Knox desireth the perpetual increase of the Holy Spirit, etc.

As your grace’s displeasure against me most unjustly conceived, hath been and is to my wretched heart a burden grievous and almost intolerable, so is the testimony of a clean conscience to me a stay and uphold that in desperation I sink not, how vehement that ever the temptations appear, for in God’s presence my conscience beareth me record that maliciously nor of purpose I offended your grace, nor your realm. And therefore howsoever I be judged by man, I am assured to be absolved by him who only knoweth the secrets of hearts.

I cannot deny the writing of a book against the usurped authority and unjust regiment of women, neither yet am I minded to retract or to call any principal point or proposition of the same, till truth and verity do further appear, but why either your grace, either yet any such as unfeignedly favor the liberty of England should be offended at the author of such a work I can perceive no just occasion.

For first my book touched not your grace’s person in especial, neither yet is it prejudicial [to] any liberty of the realm, if the time and my writing be indifferently considered. How could I be enemy to your grace’s person? For deliverance whereof I did more study, and enterprise farther, than any of those that now accuse me. And as concerning your regiment how could or can I envy that which most I have trusted, and for which (as oblivion will suffer) I render thanks unfeignedly unto God; that is, that it hath pleased Him of His eternal goodness to exalt your head (which times was in danger) to the manifestation of his glory and extirpation of idolatry.

And as for any offense which I have committed against England, either in writing that or of any other work, I will not refuse that moderate and indifferent men judge and discern betwixt me and those that accuse me, to wit, whither of the parties do most hurt the liberty of England: I that affirm that no woman may be exalted above any realm to make the liberty of the same thrall to a strange, proud, and cruel nation, or they that approve whatsoever pleaseth princes for the time.

If I were were as well disposed to accuse, as some of them ([to] their own scheme) have declared themselves, I nothing doubt but that in few words I should let reasonable men understand that some that this day lowly crouch to your grace and labor to make me odious in your eyes, did in your adversity neither show themselves faithful friends to your grace, neither yet so loving and careful over their native country as now they would be esteemed.

But omitting the accusation of others for my own purgation and for your grace’s satisfaction, I say that nothing in my book conceived is or can be prejudicial to your grace’s just regiment, provided that ye be not found ungrateful unto God. Ungrateful ye shall be proved in presence of His throne (howsoever that flatterers justify your [deeds]) if ye transfer the glory of that honor in which ye now stand to any other thing than to the dispensation of His mercy which only maketh that lawful to your grace which nature and law denieth to all woman. Neither would I that your grace should fear that this your humiliation before God should in any case infirm or weaken your just and lawful authority before men. Nay madam, such unfeigned confession of God’s benefits received shall be the establishment of the same not only to yourself, but also to your seed and posterity, when contrariwise a proud conceit and elevation of yourself shall be the occasion that your reign shall be unstable, troublesome and short.

God is witness that unfeignedly I both love and reverence your grace: yea, I pray that your reign may be long, prosperous, and quiet. And that for the quietness which Christ’s members before persecuted have received under you; but yet if I should flatter your grace I were no friend, but a deceitful traitor. And therefore of conscience I am compelled to say that neither the consent of people, the process of time, nor multitude of men, can establish a law which God shall approve; but whatsoever He approveth (by his eternal word) that shall be approved, and whatsoever he damneth shall be condemned, though all men in earth would hazard the justification of the same. And therefore, madam, the only way to retain and to keap those benefits of God abundantly poured now of late days upon you and upon your realm is unfeignedly to render unto God, to His mercy and undeserved grace, the whole glory of this your exaltation; forget your birth and all title which thereupon doth hinge; and consider deeply how for fear of your life ye did decline from God and bow to idolatry. Let it not appear a small offense in your eyes that ye have declined from Christ Jesus in the Day of his battle, neither yet would I that ye should esteem that mercy to be vulgar and common which ye have received, to wit, that God hath covered your former offense, hath presented you when ye were most unthankful, and in the end hath exalted and raised you up not only from the dust, but also from the gates of death to rule above his people for the comfort of his church. It appertaineth to you, therefore, to ground the justice of your authority not upon that law which from year to year doth change, but upon the eternal providence of him who, contrary to nature and without your deserving, hath thus exalted your head. If thus in God’s presence ye humble yourself, as in my heart I glorify God for that rest granted to His afflicted flock within England under you a weak instrument, so will I with tongue and pen justify your authority and regiment as the Holy Ghost hath justified the same In Deborah, that blessed mother in Israel; but if, these premises (as God forbid) neglected, ye shall begin to brag of your birth and to build your authority upon your own law, flatter you who so will, your felicity shall be short. Interpret my rude words in the best part as written by him who is no enemy to your grace.

By diverse letters I have required license to visit your realm not to seek myself, neither yet my own ease or commodity; which if ye now refuse and deny I must remit my [cause] to God, adding this for conclusion, that commonly it is seen that such as love not the counsel of the faithful (appear it never so sharp) are compelled to follow the deceit of flatterers to their own perdition. The mighty Spirit of the Lord Jesus move your heart to understand what is said, give unto you the discretion of spirits, and so rule you in all your actions and enterprises that in you God may be glorified, His church edified, and ye yourself as a lively member of the same may be an example and mirror of virtue and of godly life to others.

So be it. Off Edinburgh the 20 Day of July 1559.

By your graces wholly to command in godliness.

[Endorsed] John Knox.

To the right mighty right high and right excellent princess Elizabeth queen of England, etc. Be these Delivered

State Papers, Scotland, Vol. 1 Art. 65.^[2]

5 Aug. 1561. John Knox’s second defense to Queen Elizabeth.

Grace from God the Father through our Lord Jesus, with perpetual increase of his Holy Spirit.

May it please your majesty that it is here certainly spoken that the Queen of Scotland [Mary Queen of Scots] travaileth earnestly to have a treatise entitled the first blast of the trumpet confuted by the answer of the learned in diverse realms, and farther that she laboreth to inflame the hearts of princes against the writer. And because it may appear that your majesty hath interest, that she mindeth to travail with your grace, your grace’s counsel, and learned men for judgment against such a common enemy to women and to their regiment. It were but foolishness to me to prescribe unto your majesty what is to be done in anything, but especially in such things as men suppose do touch myself. But of one thing I think myself assured and therefore I dare not conceal it, to wit, that neither doth our sovereign so greatly fear her own estate by reason of that book, neither yet doth she so unfeignedly favor the tranquility of your majesty’s reign and realm that she would take so great and earnest pains, unless her crafty counsel in so doing shot at a further mark.

Two years ago I wrote unto your majesty my full Declaration touching that work; experience since hath shown that I am not desirous of innovations [i.e. in Government], so that Christ Jesus be not in his members openly trodden under the feet of the ungodly. With further purgation I will not trouble your majesty for the present. Beseeching the Eternal so to assist your Highness in all affairs; that in his sight you may be found acceptable, your regiment profitable to your commonwealth, and your deeds to be such that justly they may be praised [by] all [the] godly unto the coming of the Lord Jesus, to whose mighty protection I unfeignedly commit your majesty.

From Edinburgh the 5 of August 1561

Your majesty’s servant to command in godliness

[Endorsed] John Knox.

To the mighty and excellent princess Elizabeth the Queen’s majesty of England be these delivered.

State Papers, Scotland, Vol. 6, Art 55.^[3]