exercised by Elizabeth in ecclesiastical | Archbishop Parker did the same when matters, and imagines that the discre- the Articles were written out, to be pancies arose from the carelessness' of those who ought to have compared the entries in the records of the two houses of convocation: his conjecture then is as follows.

2 At the end of this edition is the following no- 4 We must either suppose that Archbishop Partice; "Quibus omnibus Articulis serenissima Prin-ker did this by inadvertency, or that he presumed ceps Elizabeth, Dei gratia Angliæ, Franciæ, et to oppose the wishes of the queen: the former Hiberniæ, regina, fidei defensor, &c., per seipsam supposition seems the least liable to objection, as diligenter prius lectis et examinatis regium suum the attention of the bishops would not be drawn assensum præbuit." to a question which had never been agitated. ' § 485,'. 6 Lamb, 36.

CHAPTER XI.

INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS.

491. Reformation in England and Scotland compared; gradual in England; 492, and carried on in connection with the government. 493. Rapid in Scotland, and resisted by the crown and the church; objects of Cardinal Beaton; his persecution of Wishart; and, 494, own death; siege of St. Andrew's; the French and English take part in the contest; the plans of each; the congregation established; the use of the Common Prayer enjoined. 495. Arrival of Knox; his character; estalishment of the Reformation; the power by which it was established marked the character of it; its political independence, and difference from the church of England in this respect. 496. The fault of his principles. 497. General view of the Reformation; opposition to government. 498. Preference to be given to the Reformation in England.

§ 491. It will hardly be possible to the whole system, the unsoundness of understand clearly the mutual bearings the very foundations on which the paof the two churches, which are now pal power was built, would have been amicably flourishing within the same discovered at very different periods by island, and which have contributed different individuals or different nations, much to the injury of each other, with- and have given rise to very different out taking a general view of the Refor- opinions as to the methods by which mation as it had been carried on in the change was to be effected. All Scotland.1 The events which there truths, and particularly moral truths, contributed to throw down the power are likely to be disseminated to the of the church of Rome, are so totally greatest advantage when the process is different from those which produced the slow, and when the several steps are same effect in England, that it was gradually communicated to those most scarcely to be expected that the two interested in their admission or rejecnations should regard their church in tion. In England, the class of reformthe same light; and, as the conduct of ers was numerous long before the time the mass of any people must in a great of Luther. It is not of consequence measure depend on the ideas prevalent to the argument whether any of the among them, we shall perhaps obtain light spread throughout Germany were the object which we have in view most borrowed from England; but most cereasily, by examining the more striking tainly the Bible was appealed to in features which distinguished the two England as the standard of opinion long Reformations. The limits of this work before the dawn of the Reformation in preclude the idea of entering into any Germany. The English reformers history of the Reformation in Scotland; had advanced but few steps in the probut a few pages may enable us to esti-gress of the Reformation; but these mate the causes which produced that points were to a certain degree estamarked dissimilarity between these two events; and to account, in a certain degree, for the existence of prejudices and opinions fundamentally different from each other.

The seeds of the Reformation must have been sown in every country where mankind had begun to reason for themselves, and where such abuses existed as could not fail to attract the notice of the most careless, and to excite the re

gret of all who wished well to religion. But the necessity of a total change in

1 The reader is referred to Cook's History of the Reformation in Scotland, and McCrie's Life of Knox; more particular reference is hardly required concerning remarks so general as those which are here made.

2

blished long before they were to be brought forward as the basis of a new system. Nor was the knowledge necessary for preparing the minds of the people for the Reformation confined to any small portion of society; it was generally diffused, and therefore partially admitted, by many who were not prepared to receive it entirely; and

2 Without referring to the time of Wiclif and been eradicated from England, it may be rememthe prevalence of his opinions, which had never bered, that Warham, in 1510 and 1511, compelled many persons to recant opinions which are now universally admitted among Protestants, and that several persons more were condemned to death. See Burnet. Instances of persons burnt before 1517 may be found in Fox, vol. ii.; e. g. Sweeting and Brewster in 1511.

persons so affected are much more when placed before them. Henry did likely to use moderation in their pro- not innovate so much as the reformers ceedings, than those on whom the force would have desired, but he outstepped of truth has suddenly broken in, and the wishes of the Roman Catholics. carried off perhaps some things which He could not be said to guide the opiare valuable, as well as the errors which nions of the country, but the acts of the had been before received. The worst government lay between the extremes of systems, which has been long esta- into which the parties which composed blished, must possess some advantages, it would have fallen; and therefore the which it would be unwise to destroy Reformation, as far as it proceeded durunpecessarily; and the most perfect ing the reign of Henry, tended not only may require such a perfection in those to remedy actual abuses, but to render who adopt it, as to render the use of it, the opinions of the people better preif suddenly imposed, dangerous in the pared for estimating or directing future extreme. Every system of human af- amendments. It left the sincere and fairs must require a constant change; enlightened Protestant exposed to perand that government in church or state secution; but it had paved the way for is best, which provides that the changes real reformation, by destroying the only shall be moderated by prudence, and power which could have effectually renot received till their necessity is appa- sisted it; and by showing the world, rent. A wise and good government not only that reformation was required, will endeavour to guide the opinions of but that it might be carried on benefiits subjects, a bad one will try to resist cially. It made the friends of reform them; but, in human affairs, that nation cautious, and the opponents of it more may be deemed fortunate in which moderate. the government gradually follows the progress of the opinions of its more enlightened subjects.

§ 493. The course of events which took place in Scotland were at total variance with these circumstances. Dr. § 492. In England, it was not any Cook begins his History of the Reformawisdom in his plans of government tion in Scotland (1528) with the martyrwhich induced Henry VIII. to destroy dom of Patrick Hamilton, who had the papal power; but the providence derived many of his opinions from Gerof God made the passions of the mo- many, and received them from men who narch take the same direction as the had already proceeded to extremities in wishes of the more enlightened of his rejecting the Roman authority. The subjects. The friend of the Reforma- greatest caution was necessary on the tion, the moderate Roman Catholic, and part of one whose heart was bent on inthe political patriot, who regarded not troducing the truths of the Reformation. the interests of religion, all wished that into his native country, in consequence the temporal authority of the pope of the violence which even the appearshould be discarded, and the prospect ance of favour towards the doctrines of of a divorce contributed to inspire the the reformers excited among the clergy: king with the same desire. The same but all his prudence and caution were parties beheld the excessive power and rendered useless through the treachery wealth of the clergy, and they wished with which he was assailed; and Camptherefore that this should be diminished; bell, who first insinuated himself into they had different objects in view, and the confidence of Hamilton, and then possessed, perhaps, different opinions betrayed him, not only disgusted the as to the method in which this alteration feelings of the community, but his own should take place; but their combined subsequent fate and that of Hamilton wishes coincided with the rapacity and formed a striking contrast, and tended avarice which made the king regard- to fix in the minds of the nation a dislike less of justice and of policy. The acts, to the persecuting, and a love for the therefore, of the government not only suffering portion into which the church agreed with the wishes of the more en- was divided. Campbell having witlightened members of society, but probably opened the eyes of many who were ready to observe these advantages

nessed the burning of Hamilton was so conscience struck, that he died in a state of insanity or despair. This may be

deemed the commencement of the Re- severities which as regent and primate formation, and the effects of such a per- they were together enabled to inflict, secution rendered further severities more united a much larger portion of the and more necessary, while the political nation in hostility to the legal authority circumstances of the country prevented of the kingdom, than almost any other the possibility of carrying them on. combination of circumstances could have They were renewed, however, after five effected. Many an enlightened and sinyears; and Forest, a Benedictine friar, cere Roman Catholic might have been was convicted of heresy by means pleased with the progress of events in equally disgraceful as those with which England, he might have hoped that his the condemnation of Hamilton had been own religion would have been estabconnected; his private confessions to a lished, while the political pretensions of priest formed the ground of his con- Rome were discarded. In Scotland he demnation. The persecution was by no could have expected nothing favourable means confined to this victim; but the to it, but from the suppression of the minds of the people were excited by whole power of the Reformers. In this combination of cruelty and treach- England, the man who wished to free ery; and in addition to the general his country from papal influence, would causes which contributed to spread the have joined himself to the king. In ScotReformation, the property of the church land, this man could have entertained disposed the nobility to favour opinions, no hope of success, but in destroying the which held out the hopes of converting Roman Catholic church and reducing this superfluous wealth into a means of the power of the crown. In England, enriching themselves. the higher members of the church were The crown, on the other hand, could divided between reformers and anti-renot help regarding the church as the formers, and their power was nearly baeasiest means by which it might hope to lanced. The changes, therefore, which control the aristocracy, and James V. did take place in England were effected supported the clergy with the view of by the councils of the government. In emancipating himself from that thraldom Scotland, the more exalted members of in which he was held by his barons; the church, whose opinions coincided and to conciliate the favour of the church, with those of the Reformation, could he suffered them to persecute the Re- only be safe by throwing their whole formers, and intrusted most of the offices influence into the hands of the party of the state to their administration. The which was opposed to the crown. (1546.) power of the crown was in England It was not wonderful that Cardinal Beaenormous during this same period, for ton should misunderstand the power the power of the nobility had been pre- which religion possessed in the country, viously reduced, and the king joined or that he should hope to suppress it by himself to the other branches of his sub-severity; but it was extraordinary that jects in attempting to destroy the exor- he should so act as to throw the whole bitant influence of the church; whereas in Scotland the king endeavoured to shelter his own weakness by calling in the aid of the clergy. This was the state of things when Cardinal Beaton became primate; and he entered on his office with the determination of rooting out heresy, and re-establishing the power of the pope; but his proceedings tended only to increase the number of those who became hostile in their feelings to the government. The death of the king and the intrigues of the cardinal had nearly thrown the whole authority of the kingdom into the hands of Beaton; but the manner in which Arran afterwards attached himself to him, and the

of the stigma on the church, and endanger a separation between that body and the authority of the crown; and the victim whom he selected, and his own dreadful fate, produced a very marked effect on the subsequent character of the Reformation in Scotland. George Wishart was possessed of those qualities which peculiarly rendered him an object of pity: he was well born, had received a good education, (he had resided in Cambridge, and travelled into Germany,) while his personal qualifications corresponded with his literary acquirements, and he had begun to preach the Gospel successfully at Dundee. His apprehension, too, was accompanied

with a certain degree of treachery; for individuals among the Scotch nation Bothwell, (the father,) when Wishart and the obvious advantage which would was surrendered into his hands, promised be derived to both countries from a closer to answer for his safety, and his execu- intercourse contributed to give the pretion was accompanied with many irri- ponderance to the side of the reformers. tating circumstances; it was carried on, In England, during the reign of Ednot only without the concurrence of the ward, the Reformation was carried on civil power, but in opposition to the chiefly by the government, which outwishes of the regent Arran; and the pre-stepped the opinions of the people. In lates who condemned him were themselves present when he died.'

Scotland, the feelings of the people were favourable to Reformation, and the only § 494. All these circumstances con- hope of its final establishment was contributed to create so strong a hatred nected in their minds with the prospect against Beaton, that in a short time he of success entertained by those who was treacherously murdered in his own must be viewed as rebels. The castle castle; and the conspirators, retaining of St. Andrew's had been reduced, but possession of the fortress, commenced the spirit and the feelings of the people that open resistance to the government could never be overcome, and from this with which the whole of the Scotch Re-time, to the establishment of the Reformation was accompanied. The con- formation in 1560, the mind of every spirators who defended St. Andrew's, reformer must have been more or less were the advocates of the Reformation, hostile to the government. The perseand engaged in open hostility against cutions of Mary in England, to a certain the government of the country; the degree, produced the same effect in Scotfavour which was shown them by Henry land as was caused by them in the VIII. excited a corresponding exertion southern part of our island; and while on the part of the friends of the papacy, they alarmed the fears, they united the and the castle was ultimately forced to efforts and the wishes of all who favoured surrender, in consequence of the assist- that cause which they were intended to ance afforded by the French to the be- overpower. The political circumstances siegers. in which the regent was placed prevented her from using persecution; but the danger and fear of it at length imbodied the reformers of Scotland in the Congre gation, and induced them to frame and subscribe a deed of union, or bond of mutual support, for resisting the tyranny which might be exercised against the professors of the true religion. (A. D. 1557, Dec. 3.) It is curious that one of the early resolutions of this body directs the use of the Common Prayer, probably that of England; so that the book which from mismanagement became the abomination of every true son of the church of Scotland, had been originally regarded in a very different light, and perhaps contributed to forward the Reformation among the ancestors of those who subsequently rejected it with so unnecessary indignity.

Here, then, was a new element of discord. The crown, the clergy, and the French, were arranged against the nobles, the reformers, and the English; and the connection formed by the royal family with France, which introduced many Frenchmen into places of emolument and trust in Scotland, prevented the people or the nobility from being pleased with that alliance. It was the policy of France to reduce Scotland to a province, and to connect the re-establishment of the Roman Catholic religion with this event. The policy of England was to marry Edward to Mary, and to form the whole island into one country; and notwithstanding the rough method of courtship which was exhibited at the battle of Pinkey, (1547,) the money which was brought from England maintained a strong hold over the interests of many

Wishart had tied bags of gunpowder about

him; and some persons are so sensitive concerning the honour of martyrs, as to question the Christian propriety of this. Surely it would be no imputation on the firmness of a man who was about to be beheaded, that he wished the axe to be sharpened.

§ 495. Notwithstanding the strength which the Protestant party had now acquired, the Roman Catholic clergy were not wise enough to discern their true policy; and the cruelty which

2 Spotswood, 117.