Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

quarrel mainly which had been transferred into the
sister kingdom, and she felt called upon to
contribute what help she could, by mediation or by
arms, to bring the controversy between the king
and the Parliament to a right issue.
The poise of the conflict was in the hands of
the Scots; for, balanced as parties then were in
England, whichever side the Scots should espouse
would be almost certain of victory. Could they
hesitate to say whether Popery or Protestantism
should be established in England, when by the
triumph of the latter a bulwark would be raised
against the advancing tide of despotism which was
then threatening all Europe? A strange concurrence
of events had thrown the decision of that question
into the hands of the Scots; how they decided it, we
shall see immediately. In November, 1640, a
Parliament met at Westminster. It is known in
history as the Long Parliament. The grievances
under which the nation groaned were boldly
discussed in it. The laws were infringed; religion
was being changed, and evil counselors surrounded
the throne; such were the complaints loudly urged
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