PART I. fures; and ftruck the name of Compton from the council 1685. From the Scotch parliament greater compliance was Similar pro- expected: James, in his letter, recommended to that afceedings in the Scottish fembly, "his innocent Roman Catholic fubjects, who parliament,lay under difcouragements hardly to be named;" and 1 defired, "they might not be suffered to lie under obliga"tions which their religion could not admit;" guarded words, but which marked, that he wanted the penal laws and the tests provided against Roman Catholics to be repealed. The Lord Commiffioner Murray, after promifing the Scotch an indemnity, together with a variety of 'other national favours, in point of commerce with England, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, and their own. country, informed the parliament, that the King wanted no fupply, and only defired, in return for fo many favours, "That they would give eafe and fecurity to fome of his good fubjects of the Roman Catholic religion.' Words which the parliament pretended not to understand. But, when two of the Bifhops, Rofs and Patterson, propofed a repeal of the teft against Roman Catholics, the parliament, which had been fo lukewarm the year before in the cafe of liberty, fired at the name of religion. Prefent pride, and a defire to wipe off ancient difhonour, ftimulated them ftill more. For they repeated to each other, "That by refufing to fell their God, they ought "to wipe off the reproach of having fold their King." All that could be obtained was leave to prepare a bill to indulge Papifts in the private exercife of their religion: And, when the bill was brought into the Houfe, Scottish par- the oppofition to it was fo violent, that Murray received rogued. orders to prorogue the parliament. It shared the fame fate with that of England, and met no more. After liament pro Books of Privy Council, December 23, 1685. the the prorogation, Paterfon was made Archbishop of Glaf- PARTI. gow; and fome of the oppofing Bishops were, in virtue Boox HI. of the King's power of fupremacy, removed from their 1685. fees. The degree to which the paffions of men were heated, by the King's asking favour for Roman Catholics, had made the proteftant diffenters overlook that he had asked none for them, although they likewife were fuffering as nonconformists. When this was recollected, their displeasure with their own inattention renewed, and increased their displeasure with the King. ment at After the prorogation of the parliaments of England Encampand Scotland, James was the only Prince who, from the Hounflowtime of William the Conqueror, took the only measure heath. which can put it in the power of a King of England to reign independent of parliaments. He eftablished and regulated a perpetual encampment of 12,000 men on Hounflow-heath, under the pretence, common to Princes, of difcipline and national defence; but, in reality, in hopes that the foldiers, from the view of their own numbers and frength, might acquire confidence in themfelves, and take it from the rest of their fellow-fubjects : A dangerous engine of government, which generally fubjects the people to the Prince, and the Prince to itself. He careffed the officers; he flattered the foldiers: In the plenitude of his joy, he could not refrain from carrying the Queen and the Princess frequently to dine in the camp, and from defcanting in his letters to the Prince of Orange upon the beauty of his troops, perhaps not without a fecret pleasure from the reflection, that his exultation could give no great pleasure to the Prince. PART I. 1686. Sunderland promoted. SUNDERLAND's Promotion. Cabal of Seven, and its Plans. Difpenfing Power afferted. Roman Catholics brought into Offices.Scotland new-modelled. And Ireland.Letters Mandatory.—Sharpe's Trial. Sunderland's Intrigues to remove Rochester and Clarendon. Sunderland's Ambition disappointed. Attempts upon the Poffeffions of the Church. Declaration of Indulgence. Attempt to divide the Church and Diffenters.The King deceived by Addreffes. His Ideas of Government. Attempt upon Magdalene College.-Bishops Petition, and Confequences of it. Difpofitions of the Army. People.Birth of the Prince of Wales. THE Of the HE prorogation of the English Parliament was fucceeded by the further promotion of Sunderland; a promotion which proved fatal to him who bestowed it. Having privately embraced his master's religion, he was appointed Prefident of the Council, continued Secretary of State, received the Garter, and became his first favourite: A man of clear views, of quick decision, of infinite infinuation; who was fucceffively the favourite of three Princes, though of the most oppofite characters. He Book IV. 1686 and 1687. adopted all the partiality of James in favour of Roman PART I, Catholics; upon the principles of toleration, of equality, and of the right which, by the law of nature, the Sovereign bas to the service of all his fubjects, supporting meafures upon the reasonings of political wisdom, which James adopted only from zeal for religion *; and forming into regular plans for execution thofe ideas which the other was not able to combine. By thofe means he hoped to continue an abfolute minifter of an abfolute monarch, if the nation fhould yield to the King; or to affume merit with the Prince of Orange, from having urged James to his ruin, if the nation should rife up against him. The difficulties too in which his expensive way of living continually involved him, made him hope to repair his fortunes in times of innovation and danger. There is good reason to believe, that he enjoyed penfions from the Prince of Orange, Louis the XIV th, and James, all at one time; pretending to each of those Princes, a feparate attention to his intereft +. Sunderland knew well the embarrassment he was to ex- Cabal of feven.-Its pect from Lord Rochefter. He therefore complained to plans, James, that Rochester's zeal for the church of England would difappoint all projects in favour of the Roman Ca tholic religion which were debated in council; and perfuaded him to appoint privately a felect council for concerting all measures to be taken which regarded the interefts of that religion. The cabal confifted of feven perfons: The King, Lord Sunderland, Father Petre, a Jefuit, Confeffor to the Queen, a man of noble birth, but puffed up with a vanity and ambition which gave Sunderland an easy hold of him, and the Lords Bellafis, There are feveral of his letters in the paper-office, to perfons abroad, concerning the interests of the Roman Catholic religion in England, After the revolution, Louis the XIVth told James, that Lord Sunderland had a penfion from him; and that Sunderland had made him believe that it was by his mafter's permiffion he took it. * I 2 2 Powis, BOOK IV. ! 1 PART I. 1686. Sunderland promoted. SUNDERLAND's Promotion.-Cabal of Seven, and its Plans. Difpenfing Power afferted. tholics brought into Offices. Roman Ca ·Scotland new-modelled. And Ireland.Letters Mandatory. Sharpe's Trial. Sunderland's Intrigues to remove Rochester and Clarendon. Sunderland's Ambition disappointed. -Attempts upon the Poffeffions of the Church. Declaration of Indulgence. Attempt to divide the Church and Diffenters.The King deceived by Addreffes. His Ideas of Government. ·Attempt upon Magdalene College. Bishops Petition, and Confe- TH Of the HE prorogation of the English Parliament was fucceeded by the further promotion of Sunderland; a promotion which proved fatal to him who bestowed it. Having privately embraced his master's religion, he was appointed Prefident of the Council, continued Secretary of State, received the Garter, and became his first favourite: A man of clear views, of quick decifion, of infinite infinuation; who was fucceffively the favourite of three Princes, though of the moft oppofite characters. He |