Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

have," says he, "a bishop consecrated by the Pope.
This bishop hath his subaltern officers of all kinds;
as vicars-general, arch-deans, rural-deans, etc.
Neither are these titular officers, but they all
execute their jurisdictions, and make their ordinary
visitations through the kingdom, keep courts, and
determine ecclesiastical causes; and, which is an
argument of more consequence, they keep ordinary
intelligence by their agents in Rome, and hold
correspondence with the nuncios and cardinals,
both in Brussels and in France. Neither are the
seculars alone grown to this height, but the regulars
are more active and dangerous, and have taken
deep root.
They have already planted their colleges and
societies of both sexes. They have settled revenues,
houses, libraries, vestments, and all other necessary
provisions to travel or stay at home. They intend to
hold a concurrent assembly with this Parliament."
This Parliament, like its predecessors, was speedily
dissolved, and a hint was dropped that, seeing
Parliaments understood so in the cardinal virtue of
obedience, no more assemblies of that kind would
274