Digital John Knox

Not all of us are able to tour Scotland to visit John Knox's homeland or spend hours in libraries or archives reading up on his most important works. Fortunately, the great reformer is well-represented on the internet. As we commemorate Knox's 500th birthday in 2014, here are some resources to explore to find out more about his works, life, and ultimate resting place.

Writings by or about John Knox

A selection of books about John Knox in the Internet Archive

Writing by John Knox in the Internet Archive

Books by John Knox in the Gutenberg Project

John Knox 500: by the Presbyterian Mission Agency marking the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Knox.

John Knox House

Although John Knox only stayed in this house for a short time before his death in 1572, it was his association with the structure that saved it from demolition in the 1840s.

Today, the John Knox House is the only original medieval building left in Edinburgh.

John Knox's testament testamentar:

What is a 'testament testamentar'?
The document drawn up by the Commissary Court of Scotland sometime after a person's death. It included an inventory of the deceased's possessions and often a full copy of the will made by the deceased stating his or her wishes regarding the disposal of the estate. It also confirmed executor(s) he or she had nominated. (If a copy of the will was not included, reference was made to it having been recorded elsewhere, probably in the court's Registers of Deeds).

Transcription of John Knox's testament testamentar
[p. 527]
"1. John knox xiijth Jan[ua]rii 1573
2. The testament testamentare & Inventare of the guid[is] geir sowms
3. of money & dettis [per]teining to vmq[uhi]le Johnne knox mi[n]ister of the evangel
4. of christ Jesus the tyme of his deceis quha deceissit vpoun the xxiiij
5. day of november The yeir of god jaivc lxxij yeiris Faithfullie
6. maid & gevin vp be him self vpoun the xiij day of maij the yeir
7. of god foirsaid and [par]tlie be m[ar]garet stewart his relict Quhome
8. w[i]t[h] martha m[ar]garet & elizabeth knoxis his dochteris he vpoun
9. the xiij day of Maij in his Latterwill vnderwrittin no[min]at his executor[is]
10. testame[n]taris as the sami[n] of the dait foirsaid beiris. ..."
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/images/famousscots/fstranscript124.htm

You can also read a modern English summary of the testament testamentar. At the bottom you will find links to the original handwritten testament testamentar.

John Knox Grave @ St. Giles

Often regarded as the mother church of Presbyterianism, St. Giles Cathedral was the scene of many fiery sermons from the great reformation preacher. John Knox's statue can be seen within the church, and his grave lies in the former churchyard (now paved over and used as a parking lot) behind the building.

Comedian Andrew Heaton gives his irreverent take on how John Knox's grave ended up in a parking lot.