Protestantism in Scotland - James Aitken Wylie

confessors, kneeled to receive their blessing.[16]
While armed force was being put forth to
extirpate the Protestant faith, Jesuitical craft was
busily exerted to propagate the Roman creed. The
city and the country were filled with catechisms
and manuals, in which the grosser errors of Popery
were glossed over with a masterly skill, and the
two faiths were made to wear so close a
resemblance that a vulgar eye could scarce discern
the difference between them. A Popish orphanage
was erected; noblemen were closeted with the king
and solicited to be converted; Father Petre was
designed for the See of York. At last, almost all
disguise being thrown off, the Papal Nuncio made
his entry into London in open day, passing through
the streets in great pomp, preceded by a crossbearer,
and followed by a crowd of priests and
monks in the habits of their orders.
To these signs was added another yet more
remarkable. The Jesuits had foretold that should
the king abolish the penal laws, a work so
acceptable to Heaven would not fail to be rewarded
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