vice of which he seems to
have been as free as Francis I. or the emperor Charles, both of whom,
as well as James, showed, in different periods of their lives, even an
inclination to the new doctrines. The extremities to which all these
princes were carried, proceeded entirely from the situation of affairs
during that age, which rendered it impossible for them to act with
greater temper or moderation, after they had embraced the resolution of
supporting the ancient establishments. So violent was the propensity
of the times towards innovation, that a bare toleration of the new
preachers was equivalent to a formed design of changing the national
religion.]

[Footnote 19: NOTE S, p. 331. Spotswood, p. 75. The same author (p. 92)
tells us a story which confirms this character of the Popish clergy in
Scotland. It became a great dispute in the university of St. Andrew's,
whether the pater should be said to God or the saints. The friars, who
knew in general that the reformers neglected the saints, were determined
to maintain their honor with great obstinacy; but they knew not upon
what topics to found their doctrine. Some held that the pater was
said to God formaliter, and to saints materialiter; others, to God
principaliter, and to saints minus principaliter; others would have
it ultimate and non ultimate: but the majority seemed to hold that the
pater was said to God capiendo stricte, and to saints capiendo large. A
simple fellow, who served the sub-prior, thinking there was some great
matter in hand that made the doctors hold so many conferences together,
asked him one day what the matter was: the sub-prior answering, "Tom,"
(that was the fellow's name,) "we cannot agree to whom the pater-noster
should be said." He suddenly replied, "To whom, sir, should it be said,
but unto God?" Then said the sub-prior, "What shall we do with the
saints?" He answered, "Give them aves and creeds enow, in the devil's
name; for that may suffice them." The answer going abroad, many said,
"that he had given a wiser decision than all the doctors had done, with
all their distinctions."]

[Footnote 20: NOTE T, p. 351. Another act, passed this session, takes
notice, in the preamble, that the city of York, formerly well inhabited,
was now much decayed; insomuch that many of the cures could not afford
a competent maintenance to the incumbents. To remedy this inconvenience,
the magistrates were empowered to unite as many parishes as they thought