in them. They diffembled, however, their dif truft for a while and the king went on filently applauding himself on the fuccefs of his fchemes.

But his measures were caution itself in England compared with those which were carried on in Scotland and Ireland. In Scotland, he ordered his parliament to grant a toleration to the catholics only, without ever attempting to intercede for the diffenters, who were much more numerous. In Ireland, the proteftants were totally expelled from all offices of truft and profit, and the catholics were put in their places. Tyrconnel, who was vefted with full authority there, carried over as chancellor one Fitton, a man who had been taken from a gaol; and who had been convicted of forgery and other crimes. This man, a zealous cathohc, was heard to fay from the bench, that all protestants were rogues; and that there was not one among forty thousand, that was not a traitor, a rebel, and a villain.

These measures had fufficiently difgufted every part of the British empire; but to complete his work, for James did nothing by halves, he publicly fent the earl of Caftlemaine, ambaffador extraordinary to Rome, in order to exprefs his obedience to the pope, and to reconcile his kingdoms to the catholic communion. Never was there fo much contempt thrown upon an embafly that was fo boldly undertaken. The court of Rome expected but little fuccefs from measures fo blindly conducted. They were fenfible that the king was openly friking at thofe laws and opinions, which it was his bufinefs to undermine in filence and security. The cardinals were even heard facetiously to declare that the king fhould be excommunica ted for thus endeavouring to overturn the fmall remains of popery that yet fubfifted in England. The only proof of complaifance which the king

received

received from his holiness was his fending a nuncio into England, in return for the embaffy that was fent to him.

This failed not to add to the general difcontent; and people fuppofed that he could never be fo rafh as, contrary to exprefs act of parliament, to admit of a communication with the pope. But what was their furprize when they faw the nuncio make his public and folemn entry into Windfor; and because the duke of Somerfet refused to attend the ceremony, he was difiniffed from his employment of one of the lords of the bed chamber.

But this was but the beginning of his attempts. The Jefuits foon after were permitted to erect co!leges in different parts of the kingdom; they exercifed the catholic worship in the moft public manner; and four catholic bishops, confecrated in the king's chapel, were fent through the kingdom to exercise their epifcopal functions, under the title of apoftolic vicars. Their pastoral letters were printed by the king's printer, and diftributed through all parts of the kingdom. The monks appeared at court in the habits of their orders, and a great number of priests and friars arrived in England. Every great office the crown had to beftow, was gradually transferred from the proteftants; Rochester and Clarendon, the king's brothers in law, though they had been ever faithful to his interefts, were, becaufe proteftants, difmiffed from their employments. Nothing now remained, but to open the door of the church and univerfities to the intrufion of the catholics, and this effort was foon after begun.

Father Francis, a Benedictine monk, was recommended by the king to the university of Cambridge, for the degree of mafter of arts. But his religion was a ftumbling block which the univerfity could not get over; and they presented a peti

tion, befeeching the king to recall his mandate. Their petition was difregarded, their deputies denied an hearing the vice-chancellor himself was fummoned to appear before the high commiffion court, and deprived of his office; yet the univerfity perfifted, and father Francis was refufed. The king thus foiled, thought proper at that time to drop his pretenfions, but he carried on his attempts upon the univerfity of Oxford with ftill greater vigour.

The place of prefident of Magdalen college, one of the richeff foundations in Europe, being vacant, the king fent a mandate in favour of one Farmer, a new convert, and a man of a bad character in other refpects. The fellows of the college, made very fubmiffive applications to the king for recalling his mandate; but before they received an answer, the day came on, which, by their ftatutes, they were required to proceed to an elec-, tion. They therefore chofe doctor Hough, a man of learning, integrity, and refolution. The king was incenfed at their prefumption; and, in order to punish them, an inferior ecclefiaftical court was fent down, who finding Farmer a man of scandalous character, iffued a mandate for a new election. The perfon now recommended by the king, was doctor Parker, lately created bifhop of Oxford, a man of prostitute character; but who atoned for all his vices, by his willingness to embrace the catholic religion. The fellows refused to comply with this injunction, which fo incenfed the king, that he repaired in perfon to Oxford, and ordered the fellows to be brought before him. He re

proached them with their infolence and difobedience in the most imperious terms; and commanded them to choose Parker without delay. Another refufal on their fide ferved ftill more to exasperate him; and finding them refolute in the defence of

their

their privileges, he ejected them all, except two, from their benefices, and Parker was put in poffeffion of the place. Upon this, the college was filled with catholics; and Charnock, who was one of the two that remained, was made vice-prefident.

The

Every invafion of the ecclefiaftical and civil privileges of the nation only feemed to increase the A. D king's ardour for more. A fecond declaration for liberty of conscience was pub1688. lifhed, almost in the fame terms with the former; but with this peculiar injunction, that all divines fhould read it after service in their churches. As he thus put it in the power of thousands to refufe, he armed against himself the whole body of the nation. The clergy were known univerfally to difapprove of the fufpending power; and they were now refolved to difobey an order dictated by the moft bigoted motives. They were. determined to trust their caufe to the favour of the people, and that univerfal jealousy which prevailed against the encroachments of the crown. first champions on this fervice of danger were Loyde, bishop of St. Afaph, Ken of Bath and Wells, Turner of Ely, Lake of Chichefter, White of Peterborough, and Trelawney, of Bristol; these together with Sancroft the primate, concerted an addrefs, in the form of a petition, to the king, which, with the warmest expreffions of zeal and fubmiflion, remonftrated that they could not read. his declaration confiftent with their confciences, or the respect they owed the proteftant religion. This modeft addrefs only ferved ftill more to inflame the king's refentment. Former oppofition only ferved to hurry him on in councils as precipitate as they were tyrannical. He was refolved not to let the flightest and most respectful contradiction pafs unpunished. He received their petition with

marks

marks of furprize and difpleasure. He faid, he did not expect such an address from the English church, particularly from fome among them, and perfifted in their obeying his mandate. The bishops left his prefence under fome apprehenfions from his fury; but fecure in the favour of the people, and the rectitude of their intentions.

The king's meafures were now become so odious to the people, that, although the bishops of Durham and Rochefter, who were members of the ecclefiaftical court, ordered the declaration to be read in the churches of their refpective districts, the audience could not hear them with any patience. One minifter told his congregation, that though he had pofitive orders to read the declaration, they had none to hear it, and therefore they might leave the church; an hint which the congregation quickly obeyed. It may eafily, therefore, be fuppofed that the petitioning bishops had little to dread from the utmost efforts of royal refentment.

As the petition was delivered in private, the king fummoned the bishops before the council, and there queftioned them whether they would acknowledge it? They declined for fome time giving an answer; but being urged by the chancellor, they at last owned the petition. On their refufal to give bail, an order was immediately drawn for their commitment to the Tower, and the crownlawyers received directions to profecute them for a feditious libel.

The king gave orders that they should be conveyed to the Tower by water, as the whole city was in commotion in their favour. The people were no fooner informed of their danger, than they ran to the river fide, which was lined with incredible multitudes. As the reverend prisoners paffed, the populace fell upon their knees; and

great