outside of it and dress only, but equally absolute, a blind obedience of the people upon the clergy, and of the clergy upon themselves; and have opposed papacy beyond the sea, that they might settle one beyond the water at Lambeth; nay common fame is more than ordinarily false, if none of them have found a way to reconcile the opinions of Rome to the preferments of England; and to be so absolutely, directly and cordially papists, that it is all 1,500 pounds per ann. can do to keep them from confessing it."-Rushw. Vol. IV. "Popish recusants were by King Charles not only tolerated, but moreover protected, countenanced and considered as the best subjects. They resorted publicly to mass at Somerset house, and returned from thence in great multitudes, as if their churches had been allowed by authority.". Rapin, Vol. x. p. 435. Let us hear Lord Clarendon's account of this matter-" The papists were, upon the matter, absolved from the severest parts of the law, and dispensed with for the gentlest. They were looked upon as good subjects at court, and as good neighbours in the country; all the restraints and reproaches of former times being forgotten. Their pomp and boldness increased to that degree that they entertained and urged conferences more avowedly than had before been known: they attempted and sometimes obtained proselytes of weak uninformed ladies, with such circumstances as provoked the rage and destroyed the charity of great and powerful families, which longed for their suppression. They grew not only secret contrivers, but public professed promoters of, and ministers in, the most odious and the most grievous projects. The priests. and such as were in orders (orders that in themselves were punishable with death) were departed from their former modesty and fear, and were as willing to be known as to be hearkened to. And for the most invidious protection and countenance of that whole party, a public agent from Rome, first Mr. Con a Scottish man, and after him the count of Rozetti an Italian, resided at London in great port; publicly visited the court; and was avowedly resorted to by the catholics of all conditions, over whom he assumed a particular jurisdiction, and was caressed and presented magnificently by the ladies of honour, who inclined to that profession."-Clarend Vol. 1. p. 148. "The queen had prevailed with the king to receive this agent as a sort of nuncio."-Rapin, Vol. x. p. 435. "Cardinal Barbarno was appointed by the pope protector of the English and Scottish nations, and Cardinal Ludovico of the Irish. These two cardinals erected a special society of four orders of jesuits in England, of whom the pope's legate residing in England for the time being was to be rector. Sir William Hamilton was also sent hence as envoy to Rome."-Hist Stu. p. 128. Smith, titular bishop of Chalcedon, exercised episcopal jurisdiction over the English catholics, by commission from the pope; appointed a popish vicar general and archdeacons over all England; conferred orders, and appeared in Lancashire with his mitre and crosier."--Neal Vol. 11. p. 164, 305.-Fuller, B. x1. p. 133. "In Ireland the king granted a toleration for the popish religion; it was there openly professed; and their ecclesiastical discipline avowed; monasteries, nunneries, and other religious houses re-edified and filled with men and women of several orders even in Dublin itself. Mass houscs, colleges and convents of friars were erected in the open view of the state: Lord Falkland complains they had their officials and vicars-ge neral for the ecclesiastical jurisdiction; and were so hardy as to excommunicate those who appear ed at the courts of the protestant bishops."Ibid. P. 184. Thus, under the protection and countenance of the court, popery was making great and dangerous advances of this the several parliaments summoned by the king made earnest complaints; and frequently and humbly prayed him to put the laws against recusants in vigorous execution. "In answer to their petition the king solemnly promised-That the laws against papists shall be put in execution.-That no popish recusant shall be admitted to come to court but upon special occasion according to the statute of the third of James. That no popish recusant shall be admitted into his service, or into that of his royal consort.-That all such persons shall be removed from all places of authority and government." -Rapin, Vol. x. p. 23. But see how these promises were performed." The king himself quick, ly after, by special warrant, released eleven Romish priests out of prison. And when the next parliament petitioned for a removal of papists from offices of trust, it appeared by a list annexed to their petition that there were no less than fiftynine of the nobility and gentry of that religion in the commission."-Neal, Vol. 11. p. 164. "The papists were in high reputation at court: the king counted them his best subjects, and relaxed the penal laws. Within the compass of four years, seventy-four letters of grace were signed by the king's own hand: sixty-four priests were dismissed from the Gate-House; and twenty nine by warrant from the secretary of state at the instance of the queen, &c. Protections were frequently granted to put a stop to the proceedings of the courts of justice against them. I have be fore me a list of popish recusants convicted in the twenty-nine English counties of the southern division, from the first of king Charles to the sixteenth, which amounts to no less than eleven thousand nine hundred and seventy (as the account was given in to the long parliament by Mr. John Pulford employed in their prosecution by the king himself) all of whom were released or pardoned. And if their number were so great in the south, how must they abound in the northern and Welch counties, where they are computed three to one! Popery was countenanced to that degree at York, that mass was said in every street, and the protestants so affronted, that they were almost afraid to go to church. At Westminster-Hall one James a papist, being summoned amongst many others by an order of parliament, and pressed by Mr. Hayward, a justice of peace, to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, he suddenly drew his knife and stabbed the justice, with some reproachful words for persecuting poor catholics. During the first fiftteen years of his reign the Roman catholics were not only screened from the rigour of the law, but even encouraged and countenanced to such a degree, that he trusted them with the most important offices, as of privycounsellors, secretaries of state, and lords-lieute nants of counties."--Neal, p. 304.-Ibid, p. 576.-Clarend, Vol. 1. p. 249.--Rapin, Vol. XII. p. 583. "Weston was lord high treasurer, Windbank secretary of state, Cottington chancellor of the exchequer, Porter of the bed-chamber: besides these were Lord Conway, Sir K. Digby, Sir T. Matthews, Mr. Montague jun. the duchess of Montague, the countess of Newport, and many others, all papists, and in high favour, who had the king and queen's ear whensoever they pleased."-Neal, Vol. 11. p. 305. As the king zealously protected and favoured the papists throughout his whole reign, which was one of the unhappy causes of the war which ensued; so these, in return, exerted themselves vigorously for the support of his majesty, in his arbitrary measures, and made a considerable part of the army which fought for him. "I have before me," says an historian, "a list, printed by the papists in the reign of Charles II. of the popish noblemen and gentlemen which lost their lives or estates in his father's service. Popish lords and gentlemen in king Clarles The Earl of Carnarvon. Sir John Smith, Baronet. Sir John Cansfield. Sir Henry Cage. Sir John Digby. Sir Peter Brown. Sir Nicholas Fostescue. Sir Troilus Tuberville, captain lieutenant of the king's life-guard. Sir John Preston. Besides 14 Colonels. 17 Lieutenant-Colonels. 14 Majors. 66 Captains. 18 Lieutenants and Cornets. 38 Gentlemen. Wounded and Sequestered. Major-General William Webb. Marquis of Winchester. Marquis of Worcester. |