To colour over this, great zeal was seem preservation of the peace of the kingdom. And there had been lately scattered abroad some printed papers, written by some regular and secular clergy, with sober propositions to that purpose; and even the form of an oath and subscription, to be taken or made by all catholicks; in which there was an absolute renunciation, or declaration, against the temporal authority of the pope, which, in all common discourses amongst the protestants, all Roman catholicks made no scruple to renounce and disclaim. But it coming now to be the subject-matter of the debate in this committee, the jesuits declared, with much warmth, that they ought not, nor could they with a good conscience as catholicks, deprive the pope of his temporal authority, which he hath in all kingdoms granted to him by God. himself, with very much to that purpose; with which most of the temporal lords, and very many of the seculars and regulars, were so much scandalized, that the committee being broken up for that time, they. never attended it again; the wiser and the more conscientious men discerning, that there was a spirit in the rest that was raised and governed by a passion, of which they could not comprehend the ground. And the truth is, the jesuits, and they who adhered to them, had entertained great hopes from the king's too much grace to them, and from the great liberty they enjoyed; and promised themselves, and their friends, another kind of indulgence than they saw was intended them by the house of peers. And this was the reason that that committee was no more looked after, nor any publick address was any further prosecuted. And from this time there every day appeared so much insolence and indiscretion amongst the imprudent catho ingly shewn for the church of England, licks, that they brought so many scandals upon his majesty, and kindled so much jealousy in the parliament, that there grew a general aversion towards. them."-These transactions, in parliament, commenced June 10th, and ended July 16th, 1661 b.”— To go on. His majesty, as it is well known, was married to a Roman catholic by a Roman catholic, the lord Aubigny; for it was he who performed the ceremony, though, to blind the people, an English protestant bishop publickly pronounced them man and wife. The account given of the public marriage of the king with the infanta of Portugal, by lord Sandwich, who brought her over, is curious, and will probably excite some reflexions in the mind of the attentive, intelligent reader. May 21, 1662," says he," in the afternoon, the king and queen came into the presence-chamber [at Portsmouth] upon the throne, and the contract, formerly made with the Portugal ambassador, was read in English by Sir John Nicholas, in Portuguese by the Portugal secretary de Saire; after which the king took the queen by the hand, and (as I think) said the words of matrimony appointed in the common-prayer, the queen also declaring her consent. Then the bishop of London [Sheldon] stood forth, and made the declaration of matrimony in the commonprayer, and pronounced them man and wife, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost". The duke of York, brother to the king, was of the Romish communion also, who converted his first, and took to his second wife, a lady of the same profession. b See Kennet's Register, * Clarendon's Continuation, vol. II. p. 269. as it had been formerly by law established ; Bennet, earl of Arlington, first secretary of state, and afterwards lord chamberlain; Clifford, lord hightreasurer; and many others; were preferred by this monarch to posts of the greatest dignity, though they were well known to be averse to the protestant faith. This filled the people with dismal apprehensions; especially as many papists, officers and common men, were employed in the fleet and army. So that Mr. Powle, as we find, said openly, in the house of commons, "Their insolence is the complaint in every street. This has filled the minds of the people with apprehensions. They have abused the king's favour. There are some good and some bad among them. Would have the nation secured of our own religion, especially seeing that some of them have crept into commands and employments"." -Crofts, bishop of Hereford, publicly declared, that "it was then [1679] a year and a half since, in his cathedral, he told his sad apprehensions of popish designs to destroy both us and our religion. -For they [the papists] were then providing horse and arms, they posted about day and night, they threatned many that they must ere long turn or burn, and some told their friends that if it came to cutting of throats they should be saved; which made it evident, that not only they had some bloody design, but thought themselves also sure to effect it. But now--I hear my bloody enemies, the jesuitical priests, are resolved, as soon as they can find opportunity, to hasten my death"."The house of commons, moved by the consideration of * Anchitell Grey's Debates of the House of Commons, vol. II. p. 35. Svo. Lond. 1763. b Legacy to his Diocese; in the Dedication. the laws made in its disfavour, in the late these things, presented an address to his majesty, March 3, 1672: in the preamble to which it is said, "We, your majesty's most loyal subjects, the commons in this present parliament assembled, being very sensible of the great dangers and mischiefs that may arise within this your majesty's realm, by the increase of popish recusants amongst us; and considering the great resort of priests and jesuits into this kingdom, who daily endeavour to seduce your majesty's subjects from their religion and allegiance; and how much your loyal subjects are disheartened to see such popish recusants advanced into employments of great trust and profit, and especially into military commands over the forces now in your majesty's service; and having. a tender regard to the preservation of your majesty's person, and the peace and tranquillity of this kingdom: do, in all humility, desire, &c." In another address, presented by the house of commons, Nov. 29, 1680, they more strongly express themselves." It is not unknown to your majesty," say they, "how restless the endeavours, and how bold the attempts, of the popish party, for many years last past, have been, not only within this, but other your majesties kingdoms, to introduce the Romish and utterly to extirpate the true protestant religion.This bloody and restless party, not content with the great liberty they had a long time enjoyed to exercise their own religion privately amongst themselves, to partake of an equal freedom of their persons and estates with your majesties protestant subjects, and of an advantage, above them, in being excused from chargeable offices and employments, hath so far prevailed as to find countepance from an open and avowed practice of their superstition and idolatry, without controul, in several parts of this kingdom. Great swarms of priests and jesuits have resorted hither; and have here exercised their jurisdiction, and been daily tampering to pervert the consciences of your majesties subjects. Their opposers they have found means to disgrace; and if they were judges, justices of the peace, or other magistrates, to have them turned out of commission: and, in contempt of the known laws of the land, they have practised upon people of all ranks and qualities, and gained over divers to their religion; some openly to profess it, others secretly to espouse it, as most conduced to the service thereof. After some time, they became able to influence matters of state and government; and, thereby to destroy those they cannot corrupt. The continuance or prorogation of parliaments has been accommodated to serve the purposes of that party.Nor was this spoken at random. party. -Lord Stafford, before his condemnation, at the bar of the house of lords, said, "My lords, since his majesties happy restauration, I do conceive, and I think I may safely say it (for you all know it, he was gracious and good to all dissenters, particularly to them of the Romish church) they [the catholics] had connivance and indulgence in their private houses: and I declare to your lordships, I did then say to some that were too open in their worship, that they did play foul in taking more liberty upon them than was fitting for them too.". "--And Coleman, secretary to the duke of York, in a letter to the pope's internuncio, dated, Aug. 21, 1674, tells him, “We have in agitation great designs, worthy the consideration of your friends, and to be supported with all their power, wherein we |