more severe, as there were, soon after his

But there are not wanting other authorities, to render the charge of popery probable against Charles.--As early as in September 2, 1650, Mr. Whitlock tells us of 'letters that propositions and motives were presented tot he pope, on the behalf of king Charles the Second; shewing his good inclinations to the catholicks, by what he had done in Ireland for them, and in other instances; and desiring from his holiness considerable sums of money out of his treasury, and that he would send to all princes and states of the catholick religion in Europe, to contribute to the assistance of king Charles; with several other the like proposals, and a copy of them inclosed in the letters "." Mr. Thurloe, in a letter to Mountague, afterwards lord Sandwich, dated, Whitehall, Ap. 28, 1656, says, "the pretended kingputs himself and his cause into the hands of the king of Spain, to be managed by him; and hath declared himself in private to them to be a Roman catholick, as they call it "." Thurloe, we know, had the best intelligence. -Two or three paragraphs from Mr.Carte's History of the Duke of Ormonde, will, in the opinion of a few, add some farther force to the foregoing proofs.

"The duke," he tells us," had some suspicions of the kings change of religion, from the time that they removed from Cologne into Flanders; though he was not fully convinced, till about the time the treaty of the Pyrenees was going to be opened. The duke," continues this writer, " was always a very early riser; and being then at Brussels, used to amuse himself, at times others were in bed, in walking about the town, and seeing the churches. Going one morning very

Whitlock, p. 469.

b Ormonde's Letters, vol. II. p. 102.

death, copies of two letters in defence of

early by a church, where a great number of people were at their devotions, he stepped in; and, advancing near the altar, he saw the king on his knees at mass, He readily imagined his majesty would not be pleased that he should see him there; and therefore retired as cautiously as he could, went to a different part of the church near another altar where nobody was, kneeled down, and said his own prayers till the king was gone. Some days afterwards, Sir Henry Bennet came to him, and told his grace, that the kings obstinacy, in not declaring himself a Roman catholick, put them to great difficulties; that the kings of France and Spain pressed him mightily to do it, and their ambassadors sollicited it daily, with assurances, that if he would make that public declaration, they would both assist him, jointly, with all their powers, to put him on the throne of England like a king; that he and others had urged this, and endeavoured to persuade him to declare bimself, but all in vain; that it would ruin his affairs if he did not do it; and begged of the duke of Ormonde to join in perswading him to declare himself. The duke said, he could never attempt to perswade his ma jesty to act the hypocrite, and declare himself to be what he was not in reality. Sir Henry thereupon replied, That the king had certainly professed himself a Roman catholick, and was a real convert; only he stuck at the declaring himself so openly. The duke of Ormonde answered, He was very sorry for it; but he could not meddle in the matter: for the king having never made a confidence of it to him, would not be pleased with his knowledge of the change he had made; and for his own part, he was resolved never to take any notice of it to his majesty, till he himself first made him the dis

the authority of the Church of Rome, pub

covery. Sometime afterwards, George, earl of Bristol, came to the duke, complaining of the foily and madness of Bennet, and others about the king, who were labouring to perswade him to what would absolutely ruin his affairs. The duke asking what it was; the other replied, that it was to get the king to declare himself a Roman catholick; which if he once did, they should be all undone: and therefore desired his grace's assistance to prevent so fatal a step. The duke of Ormonde said, It was very strange, that any body should have the assurance to offer to perswade his majesty to declare himself what he was not; especially in a point of so great consequence. Bristol answered, That was not the case, for the king was really a Roman catholick but the declaring himself so would ruin his affairs in England. And as for the mighty promises of assistance from France and Spain, you, my lord, and I, know very well, that there is no dependance or stress to be laid on them, and that they would give more to get one frontier garrison into their hands, than to get the catholick religion established, not only in England but all over Europe; and then desired his grace to join in diverting the king from any thoughts of declaring himself in a point which would certainly destroy his interest in England for ever, and yet not do him the least service abroad. The duke allowed, that the earl of Bristol judged very rightly in the case; but excused himself from meddling in the matter, because the king had kept his conversion as a secret from him, and it was by no means proper for him to shew that he had made the discovery." After the Restoration, the king,

Carte's History of the Duke of Ormonde, vol. II, p. 254.

lished by the command of his brother and

as we have seen, professed himself a protestant: but at the time of his death he took off the mask, and openly appeared to be what he really was. In the paper, entitled, "A brief account of particulars occurring at the happy death of our late Sovereign Lord, King Charles II. in regard to religion; faithfully related by his then assistant, Mr. Jo. Huddleston ;" printed in the second volume of the State Tracts of this reign; we read, That "he [Huddleston] being called into the kings bed-chamber, the king declared, that he desired to die in the faith and communion of the holy Roman catholic church: that he was most heartily sorry for all the sins of his past life; and, particularly, for that he had deferred his reconciliation so long: that through the merits of Christ's passion, he hoped for salvation that he was in charity with all the world : that with all his heart he pardon'd his enemies; and desired pardon of all those whom he had any wise offended and that if it pleased God to spare him longer life, he would amend it; detesting all sin. I then advertiz'd his majesty," says the writer, " of the benefit and necessity of the Sacrament of Penance; which advertizement the king most willingly embracing, made an exact confession of his whole life, with exceeding compunction and tenderness of heart: which ended, I desired him in farther sign of repentance and true sorrow for his sins, to say, with me, a little short act of contrition. This he pronounced with a clear and audible voice: which done, and his sacramental penance admitted, I gave him absolution. After some time thus spent, I asked his majesty, if he did not also desire to have the other sacraments of the holy church administered unto him? He reply'd, By all means: I de

successor, and attested by him to be found

sire to be a partaker of all the helps and succours necessary and expedient for a catholic christian in my condition. I added, And doth not your majesty also desire to receive the pretious body and blood of our dear Saviour, Jesus Christ, in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist? his answer was this: If I am worthy, pray fail not to let me have it. I then told him, it would be brought to him very speedily, and desired his majesty, that in the interim he would give me leave to proceed to the sacrament of Extream Unction; he reply'd, With all my heart. I then anoyled him; which as soon as. performed, I was called to the door, whither the blessed sacrament was now brought and delivered to me. Then returning to the king, I entreated his majesty, that he would prepare and dispose himself to receive. At which the king, raising up himself, said, Let me meet my heavenly Lord in a better posture than in my bed. But I humbly begg'd his majesty to repose himself. God Almighty, who saw his heart, would accept of his good intention. The king then having recited the forementioned act of contrition with me, he receiv'd the most holy sacrament for his viaticum 2" &c. &c.

a

This account is confirmed by a letter from J. Aprice, Romish priest, to Mr. William Lynwood, in Deane, Northamptonshire, dated, Feb. 16, 1685" That God," says he, "who preserved our late king, of blessed memory, by so many wonderful miracles, all his lifetime, did also at his death call him to his mercy, by making him to be reconciled to his holy church; which he did in this manner: The day he fell ill, which was

State Tracts, vol. II. p. 28.