Andrew Knox (bishop)

He was the second son of John Knox of Ranfurly in Renfrewshire. He was educated at the University of Glasgow, where he graduated M.A. in 1579. In 1581 he was ordained minister of Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire, and in 1581 was translated to the abbey church of Paisley. On 6 March 1590 he was appointed on a commission of select clergymen to promote subscription to the confession of faith and covenant over the whole kingdom.

In December 1592 he was instrumental in arresting George Kerr on the Isle of Cumray as he was on the point of sailing for Spain, and was thereby the means of bringing to light and frustrating the conspiracy of the Earls of Huntly, Errol, and Angus. In 1597 he was appointed a commissioner with others to seek out and apprehend Catholics and others in touch with the King of Spain. He accidentally caused the death by drowning of Hew Barclay of Ladyland, who had intended to capture and fortify Ailsa Craig; he was exonerated and commended by parliament.

Knox was involved in disputes with his fellow-citizens, and during the course of one of them struck an adversary, George Stewart, burgess of Paisley, in public court. He was ordered to do public penance in his church. In 1606 Knox was created Bishop of the Isles, and having obtained leave from the presbytery he immediately proceeded to his diocese. On 31 July he was commissioned along with others to meet with David, Lord Scone and hear the offers made by the inhabitants of the Isles and the Highlands on the royal rents. In January 1607 he was appointed constant moderator of the presbytery of the Isles, and on 4 June he took the oath of allegiance. His absence from his charge at Paisley meant that on 12 November 1607 he was relieved of his charge.

In accordance with King James's intention to reform the Western Isles and Highlands, Bishop Knox was on 8 March 1608 joined in commission with Andrew Stuart, 3rd Lord Ochiltree, to take the matter in hand. In May he visited the King at Greenwich, and brought back instructions for a military expedition against the Isles, of which Lord Ochiltree was to be commander, assisted by a council, of which Knox was to be the head with a salary and bodyguard of his own. The expedition sailed early in August, and the castles of Dunivaig and Lochgorme in Islay having been surrendered by Angus Macdonald, Ochiltree opened a court at the castle of Aros in Mull on 15 August. The chieftains were reluctant to come to terms; Ochiltree, acting on the advice of Knox, had them visit him on board his vessel on pretence of a dinner and a sermon from the bishop. Having succeeded in kidnapping them, Ochiltree sailed to Glasgow. On his return Knox accompanied Ochiltree to London, and was commended by the King for his zeal.

Knox was in February 1609 appointed one of a commission to negotiate with the chieftains for the purpose of devising a scheme for the religious settlement of the Western Islands. In May he was the bearer of a confidential message from his colleagues to the king. He returned in June with instructions for a fresh expedition, of which he himself was to be the head, and he conducted the business with great credit to himself. Before the end of July he met the principal chieftains at Iona, and with their consent enacted the "Statutes of Icolmkill". He returned to Edinburgh in September, but immediately proceeded to London. He seems to have been detained at court till the following July, when he returned to Edinburgh, and made formal re-delivery of the Band and Statutes of Icolmkill before the council. On 15 February 1610 he was appointed a member of the court of ecclesiastical high commission for the province of Glasgow, and on 8 May steward of the whole Western Isles, with instructions to make the castle of Dunivaig his headquarters.