broke's

ters on the

Vol. II. p. 181. 8vo.

Lond. 1752.

vantage. Though he was not a catholic in perfuafion, he favoured those that were, provided

have been taken of the divifions which religion oc"cafioned; and fupporting the proteftant party in France, would have kept that crown under restraints, "and under inabilities, in fome measure equal to those "which were occafioned anciently by the vaft aliena❝tions of its demefnes, and by the exorbitant power of

its vaffals. But James the first was incapable of (4) Boling-thinking with fenfe, or acting with fpirit." (k) And the writer of Tom Tell-Troath, addreffed to Audy and ufe James, and printed about the year 1622, has the folof history, lowing paffage. "They (the French proteftants) are indeed fo many hoftages which God almighty has put into your majefties hands to fecure you, and your "majefties dominions, from all danger of that coun66 try; and to lose them were no other (in my opi"nion) than wilfully to tempt God, to deliver us into "the hands of our enemies. As long as God hath any "children in France, we fhall be fure to have bre"thren there. But they once gone, your brother of "France will quickly fhew whose child he is, and how "incompatible the obedience he owes him (the pope) is "with any good-will he can bear your majeftie. Since "then the Tye you have upon that prince's friendship is "of fo loose a knot, what can your majefty do better "for yourself, and yours, than to keep his enmity ftill "clogged, by cherishing and maintaining fo good a (Harleian party in his country, as thofe of the religion." (1) What Mr. Kelly means by faying James made the intereft of the proteftants his own, on more than one occafion, I know not. He refers us indeed to the embafies of Sir Edward Herbert, and the earl of Carlisle iv's fupple into France, in order to intercede for the Hugonots, the latter of whom he obferves from Rapin, spent vaft fums, and confequently his mafter must be much in James I. P. earneft to do them service. (m) But what fervicè did James do them? what fuccefs had his applications?

Mifcel'any,

Vol. II. 512.

(m) See Kel

mental re

marks on

the life of

7. fol. Lond.

none

vided they would fwear allegiance unto him; and he not only relaxed [4 c] the rigour of the

none; and therefore we may be fure, he very little regarded them, Had this gentleman known the character of the earl of Carlisle as one of the molt expenfive, luxurious men then living, he would have interpreted the words of Rapin, as he ought. The vaft fums fpent by Carlisle, were not on the bufinefs of the Hugonots, or to promote their affairs; but in drefs, equipage and houfe keeping, in which he knew no bounds. But I afk pardon for taking fo much notice of the mistakes of a writer of fo little confequence, either as to knowledge or judgment.

[4 c] He not only relaxed the rigor of the laws in their favour, but confented to fuch terms for them in the marriage articles with Spain and France, as few of his proteftant's fubjects approved.] It appears from a letter of Matthew Hutton, archbishop of York, to Cecyll, lord Cranborne, dated December 18, 1604, that the papifts by" reafon of fome extraordinary favour were grown mightily in number, courage, and in"Auence." (a) They were in great hopes of a tolera- (a) Wintion, when they faw James fet against the puritans ; wood, Vol. II. p. 40. and it became fo much the general expectation among them, that in order to clear himself of having intentions of granting it to them, his majefty thought proper to declare that he never intended it, and would

fpend the last drop of his blood before he would do it, and uttered that imprecation on his pofterity, if they "should maintain any other religion, than what he "truly profeffed and maintained," of which I have before taken notice. (b)

(b). Id. p.

notę [II]

Not content herewith, he ordered the laws against 49. and them to be put in execution, and they underwent many of them great hardships. (c) Upon the discovery (c) See of the popish plot, there was a general profecution of born, p. all papifts fet on foot, as might well be expected:" but

481.

(d) Burnet, Vol. I. p.

II.

(c) See Wood's Athenæ Oxon. Vol.

1.col. 563. (f) Win

wood, Vol.

11. p. 54,

57. and

Birch's

view of the negotiation, P.227.

the laws in their favour, but confented to fuch

king James was very uneafy at it, fays Burnet, "which was much encreafed by what Sir Dudley Carl"ton told him upon his return from Spain, where he

had been ambaffador; (which I had from tord Hollis, "who faid to me, that Sir Dudley Carlton told it to "himfelf, and was much troubled when he faw it had "an effect contrary to what he had intended.) When " he came home, he found the king at Theobald's, "hunting in a very careless and unguarded manner : " and upon that, in order to the putting him on a "more careful looking to himself, he told the king he "muft either give over that way of hunting, or stop "another hunting he was engaged in, which was priest "hunting: For he had intelligence in Spain, that the "priests were comforting themfelves with this, that if "he went on against them, they would foon get rid of "him. The king fent for him in private to en

quire more particularly into this; and he faw it had "made a great impreffion on him, but wrought other"wife than he intended. For the king refolved to gra"tify his humour in hunting, and in a careless and ir"regular way of life, did immediately order all that "profecution to be let fall. I have the minutes of the "council books of the year 1606, which are full of or"ders to discharge and transport priefts, fometimes ten in a day." (d)-I was inclined at first to call this whole ftory of Burnet's into question, by reason that Carleton was never ambaffador into Spain: (e) but on further fearch find it probable enough.

For Carleton, in the year 1605, accompanied the lord Norris into Spain, and there might hear what he is faid to have spoken to fames. (f) So that there is only a fmall miftake in Burnet, and his account is very probable. For tho' laws were enacted against the catholics, and the judges commanded on occafion to put them in execution, yet James had a great affection for them, and conferred on them many marks of his favour.

Let

fuch terms for them, in the marriage articles

with

Let us hear an indifputable writer on this matter, even James himself. Not only, fays he, the papifts themfelves grew to that hight of pride, in confidence of my mildness, as they did directly expect, and "affuredly promife to themfelves libertie of confcience,

and equalitie with other of my fubjects in all things; "but even a number of the best and faithfullieft of my "faid subjects, were caft in great fear and amazement "of my courfe and proceedings, ever prognofticating "and justly fufpecting that fowre fruit to come of it, "which fhewed itself early in the powder-treafon. "How many did I honor with knighthood, of known "and open recufants? how indifferently did I give au"dience, and acceffe to both fides, beltowing equally

all favours and honors on both profeffions? How free "and continual acceffe had all ranks and degrees of papifts in my court and company? and above all, how frankly and freely did I free recufants of their ordi"nary paiments? Befides, it is evident what ftrait or"der was given out of my own mouth to the judges, to

fpare the execution of all pricfts (notwithstanding "their conviction) joining thereunto a gracious procla"mation, whereby all priests that were at liberty, and 66 not taken, might goe out of the country by iuch a "day my general pardon having been extended to all "convicted priests in prifon: whereupon they were set

2

at libertie as good subjects: and all priests that were "taken after, fent over, and fet at libertie there. But "time and paper will fail me, to make enumeration of "all the benefits and favours that I bestowed in general, "and particular upon papists." (g)—There is a (g) King James's great deal of truth in thefe lines. The Howards, most works, P of them catholics, were advanced to honors and power 253. by him; the families of Petre, and Arundel, of the fame perfuafion, were admitted into the peerage; and In the latter part of his reign, we find Villiers his mo`ther made a countess, and Calvert, fecretary of ftate,

created

(b) Record

of fome

worthy

nourable, wife, and faithful houfe of

in

commons, the late par

with Spain and France, as but very few of

66

his

created lord Baltimore, though they were openly of the Romish communion. In the year 1610, we find the commons complaining of the "non execution of the "laws against the priests, who, fay they, are the corદ rupters of the people in religion and loyalty;" and, continue they, in a petition to James, many recufants have already compounded, and (as it is to be feared) more and more (except your majefty, in your great wifdom, prevent the fame) will compound with "thofe that beg their penalties, which maketh the laws "altogether fruitlefs, or of little or none effect, and

the offenders to become bold, obdurate, and uncon"formable. Wherefore they entreat his majeftie to lay

his royal commands upon all his minifters of juftice "both ecclefiaftical and civil, to fee the laws made "against Jefuits, feminarie priests and recufants (of "what kind and feet foever) to be duly and exactly exe"cuted, without dread or delay. And that his maσε jeftie would be pleased likewife to take into his own "hands the penalties due for recufancie, and that the "fame be not converted to the private gain of fome, to "his majefties infinite lofs, the emboldening of the pa

pifts, and decay of true religion." (b)————But notwithstanding thefe complaints of the parliament; notproceedings withstanding James's own heart bled, when he heard of in the ho- the increase of fopery, by the marriage articles with Spain and France, many things were granted in their favour, and confequently the papifts were mightily encouraged. The Infanta was to be allowed a chapel in the palace, and a public church in London; all her fervants were liament, p. to be catholics, under the authority of a bishop, or his 19. printed vicar; they were not to be liable to the laws of England with regard to religion; though the children begot on her body fhould be catholics, they might not lofe the right of fucceeding to the kingdom and dominions of Great Britain; and they were to be brought up by her till the age of ten years. Befides these articles,

in 1611.

12010.