Page images
PDF
EPUB

knights, or gentlemen of estate, who are elected on the king's writ, by the freeholders of every county, to represent them in parliament. The qualification of the knight of the shire is, to be possessed of £600 per annum in a freehold estate. KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. (See Templars.) KNIPHAUSEN. (See Kniephausen.) KNIVES. (See Cutlery.)

KNOLLES, Richard, author of a History of the Turks, was entered at the university of Oxford about 1560, and became a fellow of Lincoln college, which he left to be master of the free school of Sandwich, in Kent. He composed his History of the Turks (folio, 1610), being the labor of 12 years. It has passed through several editions, and is executed in a manner which has transmitted his name with honor to posterity. Several continuations have appeared, the last of which is that of sir Paul Rycaut. Knolles is also author of the lives and conquests of the Ottoman kings and emperors until 1610, and a Brief Discourse on the Greatness of the Turkish Empire. He translated Bodin's Six Books of a Commonwealth.

KNOUT; the severest punishment in Russia. The criminal, standing erect, and bound to two stakes, receives the lashes, which are inflicted with a leather strap, in the point of which wire is interwoven, on the bare back. Almost every lash is followed by a stream of blood. From 100 to 120 lashes are the highest number inflicted, and are considered equal to the punishment of death. If the criminal survives, he is exiled for life into Siberia. Formerly, the nose was slit up, and the ears cut off, in addition, and a W (wor, rogue) cut in the skin of the forehead, and made indelible by rubbing in gunpowder. At present, the two former punishments, at least, are abolished. If the criminal is sentenced to a smaller number of lashes, the last part of the punishment is not inflicted, and he is sent to Siberia for a few years only.

KNOX, John, the chief promoter of the reformation in Scotland, was descended from an ancient family, and born at Gifford, in East Lothian, in 1505. He received his education at the university of St. Andrews, where he took the degree of master of arts much before the usual age. Having embraced the ecclesiastical profession, he began, as usual, with the study of scholastic divinity, in which he so much distinguished himself, that he was admitted into priest's orders before the time appointed by the canons. He soon became weary of the theology

of the schools, and resolved to apply himself to that which was more plain and practical. This alteration of opinion led him to attend the sermons of Thomas Guillaume, or Williams, a friar of eminence, who was so bold as to preach against the pope's authority; and he was still more impressed by the instructions of the celebrated George Wishart, so that he relinquished all thoughts of officiating in the church of Rome, and became tutor to the sons of the lairds of Long Niddrie and Ormistoun, who had embraced the reformed doctrines. Here he preached, not only to his pupils, but to the people of the neighborhood, until interrupted by cardinal Beaton, archbishop of St. Andrews, who obliged him to conceal himself; and he thought of retiring to Germany. The persuasion of the fathers of his pupils, and the assassination of Beaton by the Leslies, encouraged him to remain. He took shelter, under the protection of the latter, in the castle of St. Andrews, where, notwithstanding the opposition of the clergy of St. Andrews, he preached the principles of the reformation with extraordinary boldness, until the castle of St. Andrews surrendered to the French in July, 1547, when he was carried with the garrison into France, and remained a prisoner on board the galleys until the latter end of 1549. Being then set at liberty, he passed over to England, and, arriving in London, was licensed either by Cranmer or the protector Somerset, and appointed preacher, first at Berwick, and afterwards at Newcastle. In 1552, he was appointed chaplain to Edward VI, and preached before the king, at Westminster, who recommended Cranmer to give him the living of Allhallows, in London, which Knox declined, not choosing to conform to the English liturgy. It is said that he refused a bishopric, regarding all prelacy, as savoring of the kingdom of antichrist. He, however, continued his practice as an itinerary preacher, until the accession of Mary, in 1554, when he quitted England, and sought refuge at Geneva, where he had not long resided before he was invited, by the English congregation of refugees at Frankfort, to become their minister. He unwillingly accepted this invitation, at the request of John Calvin, and continued his services until embroiled in a dispute with doctor Cox, afterwards bishop of Ely, who strenuously contended for the liturgy of king Edward. Knox, in his usual style of bold vituperation, having, in a treatise published in England, called the

emperor of Germany as great an enemy to Christ as Nero, his opponents accused him to the senate of treason, both against the emperor and queen Mary; on which he received private notice of his danger, and again retired to Geneva, whence, after a residence of a few months, he ventured, in 1555, to pay a visit to his native country. Finding the professors of the Protestant religion greatly increased in number, and formed into a society under the inspection of regular teachers, he finally joined them, and produced so great an effect by his exertions, both in Edinburgh and other places, that the Roman Catholic clergy, alarmed at his progress, summoned him to appear before them in the church of the Blackfriars, in that metropolis, May 15, 1556. This summons he purposed to obey, resting on the support of a formidable party of nobles and gentry, which so alarmed his opponents, that they dropped the prosecution. Thus encouraged, he continued preaching with additional energy and boldness, and was even induced to write to the queen regent, Mary of Lorraine, a letter, in which he earnestly exhorted her to listen to the Protestant doctrines. While thus occupied, he was strongly urged to pay a visit to the English congregation at Geneva; and he accordingly departed for that place in July, 1556. He was no sooner gone, than the bishops summoned him to appear before them; and, as that was impossible, they passed sentence of death against him as a heretic, and burnt him in effigy at the cross at Edinburgh. Against this sentence he drew up an energetic appeal, which was printed at Geneva, in 1558, previously to which, he was invited to return to Scotland, and had actually reached Dieppe on his way, when he received other letters recommending delay; which epistles he answered by such strong remonstrances against timidity and backsliding, that those to whom he addressed them entered into a solemn bond or covenant, dated December 3, 1557, "that they would follow forth their purpose, and commit themselves, and whatever God had given them, into his hands, rather than suffer idolatry to reign, and the subjects to be defrauded of the only food of their souls." Knox, in the mean time, had returned to Geneva, where he published his treatise entitled the First Blast of the Trumpet against the monstrous Regimen of Women, chiefly aimed at the cruel government of queen Mary of England, and at the attempt of the queen regant of Scotland to rule

without a parliament. A Second Blast was to have followed; but the accession of queen Elizabeth to the throne of England, who was expected to be friendly to the Protestant cause, prevented it. In April, 1559, he would have visited England, but was prevented by the resentment felt by Elizabeth at his late treatise. He therefore proceeded directly to Scotland, where he found a persecution of the Protestants just ready to commence at Stirling. He hurried to the scene of action to share the danger, and, mounting a pulpit, inflamed the people by a vehement harangue against idolatry. The indiscretion of a priest, who, immediately on the conclusion of this discourse, was preparing to celebrate mass, precipitated his hearers into a general attack on the churches of the city, in which the altars were overturned, the pictures destroyed, the images broken, and the monasteries almost levelled to the ground. These proceedings were censured by the reformed preachers, and by the leaders of the party. From this time, Knox continued to promote the reformation by every means in his power, and, by his correspondence with the secretary Cecil, was chiefly instrumental in establishing the negotiation between the congregation and the English, which terminated in the march of an English army into Scotland. Being join. ed by almost all the chief men of the country, these forces soon obliged the French troops, who had been the principal support of the regent, to quit the kingdom; and the parliament was restored to its former independence. Of that body, the majority had embraced Protestant opinions, and no opportunity was omitted of assailing the ancient religion, until at length the Presbyterian plan, recommended by Knox and his brethren, was finally sanctioned, the old ecclesiastical courts being abolished, and the exercise of religious worship, according to the rites of the Roman church, prohibited. In August, 1561, the unfortunate Mary, then widow of Francis II, king of France, arrived in Scotland to reign in her own right. She immediately set up a mass in the royal chapel, which, being much frequented, excited the zeal of Knox, who was equally intolerant with the leaders of the conquered party; and, in the face of an order of privy council, allowing the private mass, he openly declared from the pulpit, "that one mass was more frightful to him than 10,000 armed enemies, landed in any part of the realm." This freedom gave great offence,

and the queen had long and angry conferences with him on that and other occasions, in which he never paid the slightest homage either to sex or rank. He preached with equal openness against the marriage of Mary with a Papist; and Darnley, after his union, being induced to hear him, he observed, in the course of his sermon, that "God set over them, for their offences and ingratitude, boys and women." In the year 1567, he preached a sermon at the coronation of James VI, when Mary had been dethroned, and Murray appointed regent. In 1572, he was greatly offended with a convention of ministers at Leith, for permitting the titles of archbishop and bishop to remain during the king's minority, although he approved of the regulations adopted in reference to their elections. At this time, his constitution was quite broken, and he received an additional shock by the news of the massacre of St. Bartholomew. He had, however, strength enough to preach against it, which he desired the French ambassador might be acquainted with, but soon after took to his bed, and died November 24, 1572. He was interred at Edinburgh, several lords attending, and particularly the earl of Morton, that day chosen regent, who, when he was laid in his grave, exclaimed, "There lies he who never feared the face of man, who hath been often threatened with dag and dagger, but yet hath ended his days in peace and honor; for he had God's providence watching over him in an especial manner when his life was sought." The character of this eminent reformer has been sketched by doctor Robertson, in his History of Scotland, who, in observing upon the severity of his deportment, impetuosity of temper, and zealous intolerance, observes, that the qualities which now render him less amiable, fitted him to advance the reformation among a fierce people, and enabled him to encounter dangers, and surmount opposition, to which a more gentle spirit would have yielded. John Knox was a man of exalted principles, great intellectual energy, undaunted intrepidity, and exemplary piety and morality. He was twice married, and had two sons by his first wife. His writings, in addition to those already mentioned, are, a Faithful Admonition to the Professors of the Gospel of Christ in the Kingdom of England (1554); a Letter to Queen Mary, Regent of Scotland; a Steady Exhortation to England for the speedy embracing of Christ's Gospel. After his death appeared his History of

the Reformation of Religion within the Realm of Scotland, to the fourth edition of which (Edinburgh, 1732, folio) are appended all his other works. (See M'Crie's Life of Knox.)

KNOX, Vicesimus, D. D.; an eminent divine, author of a variety of works, both in theology and polite literature. He was born December 8, 1752, and educated at Oxford. On the death of his father, he was chosen his successor in the headmastership of Tunbridge grammar school, over which he presided 33 years, till, retiring in 1812, he was himself, in turn, succeeded by his son, His works, many of which have been translated into various European languages, are, Essays, moral and literary (three volumes, 8vo. and 12mo.); Liberal Education (two volumes, 8vo. and 12mo.); Winter Evenings (three volumes, 8vo. and 12mo.); Personal Nobility, or Letters to a young Nobleman (one volume, 12mo.); Christian Philosophy (two volumes, 12mo.); Considerations on the Nature and Efficacy of the Lord's Supper (one volume, 8vo.), and a pamphlet On the national Importance of classical Education, with a variety of sermons on different occasions; expurgated editions of Horace and Juvenal, and a series of selections from the works of the best English authors, generally known as Elegant Extracts, and Elegant Epistles. Doctor Knox wrote the Latin language with great purity and elegance, both in prose and verse. He died September 6, 1821.

KNOX, Henry, a major-general in the army of the U. States, was born at Boston, July 25, 1750, and received the best education which the schools of his native town could afford. He commenced business, as a bookseller, when quite young, but relinquished it on the breaking out of the revolutionary war, in order to devote his energies to the cause of his country. He had previously, at the age of 18, been chosen one of the officers of a company of grenadiers, and evinced a fondness and ability for the military profession. At the battle of Bunker hill, he served as a volunteer, and was constantly exposed to danger in reconnoitring the movements of the enemy. He soon afterwards undertook the perilous and arduous task of procuring from the Canadian frontier some pieces of ordnance, the American army being entirely destitute of artilleryan enterprise which he successfully accomplished. He received the most flattering testimonials of approbation from the commander-in-chief and congress,

and was intrusted with the command of the artillery department, with the rank of brigadier-general, in which he remained until the termination of the war. Throughout the whole contest he was actively engaged, principally near the commanderin-chief, whose confidence he eminently enjoyed. In the battles of Trenton and Princeton, Germantown and Monmouth, he displayed peculiar skill and bravery, and subsequently contributed greatly to the capture of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Immediately after this event, he was created a major-general by congress, at the recommendation of Washington. The capture of that place having put a period to the war, he was named one of the commissioners to adjust the terms of peace-a duty which was satisfactorily performed. He was deputed to receive the surrender of the city of New York, and shortly afterwards was appointed to the command at West Point, where he had to execute the delicate and difficult task of disbanding the army, and inducing a soldiery, disposed to turbulence by their privations and sufferings, to resume quietly the character of citizens. In March, 1785, he was appointed by congress to succeed general Lincoln in the secretariship of war, and in this office he was continued by president Washington after the adoption of the present constitution of the U. States. His duties were subsequently much increased, when he received charge of the navy department; and America is greatly indebted to his efforts for the creation of our naval power. For 11 years, the functions of the war office were discharged by general Knox. At the end of that period, in 1794, he obtained a reluctant consent from Washington to retire, in order that he might adequately provide for his family, the salary attached to his office being insufficient for that purpose. He then settled in the District of Maine, where he possessed a large tract of land, in the right of his wife; but he did not abandon entirely public life, being repeatedly induced to become a member both of the house of representatives and of the council of the state. In 1798, when our relations with France wore a hostile aspect, he was called upon, amongst others, to command in our army; but the peaceful turn which affairs took allowed him soon to return to his retirement. He died Oct. 25, 1806, at his seat in Thomaston, Maine, at the age of 56. His death was caused by internal in flammation, the consequence of swallowing the bone of a chicken. General

Knox was as amiable in private as he was eminent in public life. His social and domestic qualities were of a kind to render him warmly beloved and admired by all who possessed his affection and friendship. His imagination was ardent, and his understanding sound, and he had improved his mind greatly by study. His integrity was unimpeachable, and his courage and perseverance were unsurpassed.

KOBOLD, in Germany; a spirit which differs from the spectre in never having been a living human creature. It corresponds to the English goblin. The kobold is connected with a house, or a family, and appears in bodily shape. Though inclined to mischievous teazing, they do, on the whole, more good than evil to men, except when irritated. the mines, they are thought to appear, sometimes in the shape of a blue flame, sometimes in that of a dwarfish child, and to indicate rich veins. They do the miners mischief when disturbed by them.

In

KocH, Christopher William, professor of law at Strasburg, and a writer well versed in the history of the middle ages, born 1737, at Buxweiler, in Alsace, conducted the school for teaching public law in Strasburg with such success, that scholars flocked thither from the most distant countries. In 1761, Koch published his Commentatio de Collatione Dignitatum et Beneficiorum ecclesiasticorum in Imperio Germanico, and, in 1789, his Commentary upon the Pragmatic Sanction. In Paris, he collected (1762) materials for the continuation of the Historia Zaeringo-Badensis, which appeared under the name of Schoepflin, who, however, had only composed the first volume. In 1780, Joseph II conferred upon Koch the rank of nobleman. He remained a professor in Strasburg, until the university was broken up. In 1789, he was sent as deputy to Paris, by the Protestants in Alsace, in order to obtain the acknowledgment of their civil and religious freedom, which was effected by the decree of the 17th August, 1790. After the breaking out of the revolution, he was sent, by the department of the Lower Rhine, as deputy to the legislative assembly, where he showed himself a friend to constitutional monarchy. The anarchists threw him into prison, from which he was not delivered till after 11 months' confinement, and the overthrow of Robespierre. In 1802, he was ap pointed a member of the tribunate, in which capacity he did much for the restoration of order in church affairs, and the

reëstablishment of the Protestant university in Strasburg. After the dissolution of the tribunate, Koch refused to fill any other office; but the government granted him, without any solicitation on his part, a salary of 3000 francs, and, in 1810, the title of rector in the university at Strasburg. He died Oct. 25, 1813. Besides the above-named works, he is the author of the following: Tables généalogiques des maisons souveraines de l'Europe (Strasburg, 1782-1784); Hist. abrégée des Traités de Paix depuis la Paix de Westphalie (Basil, 1791, 4 vols.; continued by Schöll, Paris, 1818, 15 vols.); Tableau des Révolutions de l'Europe depuis le Bouleversement de l'Empire Romain en Occident (Basil, 1802, Paris, 1814 et seq., 4 vols.); and Table des Traités entre la France et les Puissances étrangères depuis la Paix de Westphalie; with a new collection of diplomatic documents (Basil, 1802). Koch was a man of great acuteness, equanimity, patience, and nobleness of character.

KOENIG; German for king; prefixed to many geographical names, as, Königsberg (king's mountain).

KоH; an Indo-Germanic word, signifying mountain; e. g. Hindookoh (mountains of India).

KOLA; a seaport of Russia, the chief town in Russian Lapland (now called the circle of Kola), in Archangelskoe; 540 miles N. Petersburg; lon. 33° 0 E.; lat. 68° 32′ N.; houses, 50; churches, 2. It is situated near the North sea, on the river Kola, which forms a bay at its mouth, where is a considerable fishery for whales, sea-dogs, and other fish, which the inhabitants cure for sale. The circle, including the whole of Russian Lapland, is very dreary and thinly peopled, supposed to contain not more than 2000 inhabitants.

KOLBERG. (See Colberg.)
KOLIN. (See Colin.)

KOLLER, baron of; Austrian field-marshal-lieutenant; one of the commissioners who accompanied Napoleon, in 1814, to Elba, after his abdication. Koller had to protect Napoleon against a rabble infuriated by priests and ultras, and always preserved the great coat of Napoleon, who had put on his (Koller's) uniform, in order to be less exposed to danger. When Koller returned from Elba, he fulfilled Napoleon's wish to conclude a treaty of commerce between Genoa and Elba. The conduct of Koller is highly praiseworthy, if we consider how much the passions of men were excited against Napoleon, and how much a liberal treatment of him was misconstrued. General Koller afterwards

served with the Austrian army in Naples.
He died Aug. 23, 1826. He left an excel-
lent collection of antiques.

KOм, or COм, or Kooм (ancient Choa-
na); a town of Persia, in Irak; 150 miles
N. Ispahan; lon. 51° 14' E.; lat. 34° 20′
N.; population, about 15,000. It is said
to have contained, formerly, 15,000 houses,
but is now much reduced, and exhibits
extensive ruins. It is esteemed by the
Persians a holy city, and has a celebrated
mosque, and an asylum for debtors, who
are protected and supported. One of the
mosques is highly esteemed by the Per-
sians, because of the sepulchres of Shah
Sophy and his son Shah Abbas II, and
that of Sidy Fatima, grand-daughter of
Mohammed. These tombs are frequented
by pilgrims from all parts of Persia, who
resort hither once a year to pay their
devotions. Kom is celebrated for manu-
facturing the best sabres and poniards of
all Persia. The walls of the town are
lofty, and it has seven gates. The grand
bazar crosses the town from one gate to
the other; besides which, there are others
well furnished with coffee-houses, and
shops of various kinds. The country
round about is fertile in rice and fruit.

KOMORN, the capital of the county of Komorn, in Hungary, with 11,500 inhabitants, has a gymnasium, and carries on some commerce. On the island of Schütt, 2000 paces distant, between the Waag and Danube, is a fortress, recently erected, which is rendered almost impregnable by nature and art.

KÖNIGSBERG (that is, king's mountain); the capital of Prussia Proper, seat of many civil and military authorities, and superior judicial tribunals; 63,800 inhabitants; 4108 houses; lat. 54° 42′ 12′′ N.; lon. 20° 29 E. It is situated on the Pregel, not far from the influx of this river into the Frische Haff. Königsberg is an important seaport of the Baltic, and formerly belonged to the Hanseatic league. It has some considerable buildings, as, for instance, the cathedral, with the tombs of the grand masters of the Teutonic order and the dukes. The university of Kőnigsberg was founded in 1544, by the margrave Albert I, duke of Prussia, and has at present 300 students. It is largely endowed for poor students. The library contains 60,000 volumes. The astronomer Bessel is a professor of this university. Kant taught here a long time. Large vessels cannot sail up to the city, but they are obliged to remain at Pillau, the fortress and port of Königsberg. Its commerce has very much declined.

E

« EelmineJätka »