▁England ▁was ▁in ▁decl ine ▁after ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁there ▁were ▁only ▁half ▁as ▁many ▁parish ▁cler gy ▁as ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁ ▁Scotland ▁ ▁Early ▁history ▁ ▁Scottish ▁Re formation ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century , ▁Scotland ▁under w ent ▁a ▁Protest ant ▁Re formation ▁that ▁created ▁a ▁Cal vin ist ▁national ▁Kirk , ▁which ▁became ▁Pres by ter ian ▁in ▁out look ▁and ▁sever ely ▁reduced ▁the ▁powers ▁of ▁b ish ops . ▁Rem n ants ▁of ▁Catholic ▁and ▁Epis cop al ▁religion ▁remained , ▁however . ▁In ▁the ▁earlier ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁century , ▁the ▁teach ings ▁of ▁first ▁Martin ▁Luther ▁and ▁then ▁John ▁Cal vin ▁began ▁to ▁influence ▁Scotland , ▁particularly ▁through ▁Scottish ▁sch ol ars , ▁often ▁training ▁for ▁the ▁priest hood , ▁who ▁had ▁visited ▁Cont inental ▁univers ities . ▁The ▁Luther an ▁pre acher ▁Patrick ▁Hamilton ▁was ▁executed ▁for ▁her es y ▁in ▁St . ▁Andrew s ▁in ▁ 1 5 2 8 . ▁The ▁execution ▁of ▁others , ▁especially ▁the ▁Zw ing li - infl uen ced ▁George ▁W ish art , ▁who ▁was ▁bur nt ▁at ▁the ▁st ake ▁on ▁the ▁orders ▁of ▁Card inal ▁Be aton ▁in ▁ 1 5 4 6 , ▁anger ed ▁Protest ants . ▁W ish art ' s ▁supp or ters ▁assass in ated ▁Be aton ▁soon ▁after ▁and ▁seized ▁St . ▁Andrew s ▁Castle , ▁which ▁they ▁held ▁for ▁a ▁year