He received crown provision to the Deanery of the Isles on 4 August 1617[2] and started serving as a minister on Tiree in 1618. He is the first Dean of the Isles to be known by name (apart from the famous Dean Monro, a century earlier), though an unnamed cathedral dean was recorded in 1572, and the "dean and chapter of Iona" are attested again on 5 June 1576.[2]
On 24 February 1619 he was granted crown provision to succeed his father as Bishop of the Isles, his father later becoming Bishop of Raphoe in Ireland.[3] Thomas Knox's last historical appearance dates to 1 November 1627, a year later than the date given by Robert Keith.[4] He had died by 3 April 1628, meaning he almost certainly died earlier in that year or at most in 1627.[5]
Watt, D. E. R.; Murray, A. L., eds. (2003), Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae Medii Aevi ad annum 1638, The Scottish Record Society, New Series, Volume 25 (Revised ed.), Edinburgh: The Scottish Record Society, ISBN0-902054-19-8, ISSN0143-9448
