acceptance of this present generation that all the bookes that were printed are bought up & many more would have bin bought if were to be had & also that it hath bin translated into Dutch & french.' In another place he notes, as a reason for not reprinting, that when he sold the 'Coppie of this Booke to Mr. Rich. Chiswell, Senr., I gave him my Bond that neither my selfe nor any for me should ever reprint the same.' The Autobiography is bound up with a copy of the · Historical Relation' in the Bodleian Library. This copy bears the signature of Knox Ward, Clarencieux King of Arms, who was Knox's nephew and bequeathed the volume to the Bodleian. It is contained in 127 folio pages, and there are also at the beginning of the volume six pages of manuscript, continued over on to the back of the printed fly-leaf. This is signed June 19th, 1696. In making this transcription the manuscript has been exactly followed, except that the contractions yt' for 'that,' 'ye' for 'the,' 'wth' for with,' and 'wch' for 'which' have been extended: the letters i, j, u, and ff for F have been used according to modern custom, and the punctuation, which in the manuscript is very irregular and sometimes altogether wanting, has been slightly modified. References to the folios of the original manuscript, and side notes, have been inserted in the margin, and where the numbering of the pages has been incorrectly made in the manuscript, both the incorrect and correct numberings are given. To the original illustrations in the Historical Relation there have been added the portrait of Knox, from the engraving inserted in the volume in the Bodleian, a facsimile specimen of Knox's writing and signature from the Autobiography, the Knox coat of arms, and a view of the tree, which is still standing at Cottiar, under which Knox and his companions were captured. I am indebted to Mr. H. W. Cave for permission to use this illustration, the original photograph having been taken by Captain John Stewart of the Black Watch. I have to thank the Hon. J. P. Lewis, C.M.G., and Mr. H. L. Codrington, C.C.S., for much invaluable help in the preparation of this edition, and it is a matter of deep regret to me that Mr. Donald Ferguson is not alive to witness the issue for the first time of the autobiography of Knox. I have also to thank his widow for a copy of Mr. Ferguson's Biography of Knox, with many valuable MS. notes. To Mr. Arthur Hayward I am indebted for much secretarial assistance. JAMES RYAN. The places thus marked are mentioned by Knox in the account of his escape. 2 This place is mentioned in his account, but not shown on the map. |