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objections made to some of the articles, particularly that of application to foreign powers, and "we would much rather owe, whatever favours we "receive, to your generous disposition, than to any "other solicitation whatsoever; and we cannot but "flatter ourselves, that when more of the parties "concerned are in town, you will retain the same "favourable intentions towards us you were so good

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as to own; and I am bold to say for my own "part, and I believe may answer not only for those

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I have spoken to, but even for numbers, that when"ever time gives us an opportunity to meet, and you leave to acquaint them, you will find so suit"able and unanimous a disposition in them to re"ceive the favourable and generous indulgence you "are pleased to offer: for my own part, I cannot "but conceive great hopes of success in this affair, "since it is undertaken by so generous a person as "yourself, for the relief of so many distressed "people, and which shall always be remembered "as the greatest obligation done to, sir,

"Your most obedient humble servant,

"The paper you gave me I left with Mr. Strickland."

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"My lord,

Whitehall, 7th July 1719.

I promised your lordship, in one of my private "letters of the 30th past, that whatever became of "the affair relating to roman-catholics, I would give

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you an account of it. It happened as I did then/ "imagine it would, that the duke of Norfolk and

"lord Walgrave were overswayed by Charles "Howard, who continued obstinate to the last, and "that from a mere spirit of opposition, for Strick"land says his intentions at bottom are otherwise

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good, but he is a wrong-headed fellow and spoiled "all. However, I afterwards met with lord Walgrave, who began to excuse himself upon what had passed, and would have proposed some other expedients to me upon the affair; but I showed an "indifference, and told him that if he had anything to say, he must consult Dr. Strickland, for I "would meddle no more in it. They had affected "to be reserved towards the doctor in all their "deliberations, but this answer made them alter "their course; they went to his house; where they gave their reasons of fear, conscience, honour, &c. "all which the doctor combated strenuously, and "at last convinced them of the necessity of signing "the two letters, which they agreed to, and desired "him to draw them up immediately and they would "come in the afternoon to sign them. The letters "being prepared, they came according to appoint"ment, but their resolutions changed. Charles "Howard and the duke withdrew several times "into the back room to consult, where no doubt the "former got the better again of the latter, for they "determined at last not to sign, and so left the "doctor. The duke went immediately afterwards "out of town, but first sent me a letter of which I "inclose a copy: that will best show your lordship "what he had to say for himself, and the copy of "mine, also inclosed, what answer I made him upon

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"it. The matter being thus broke off, I have deter"mined to put the thing in execution which I said "in my former letter I intended in that case, by tendering the oaths to Howard and seizing bishop "Gifford and Grey (the earl of Shrewsbury). But "because this proceeding is chiefly with a view to "make them squeak, I would contrive to do it in "such a manner as not to put them out of my power, by over acting it, into that of the law. For which "end I have desired Delafaye to pick out a couple "of discreet justices of peace of his acquaintance,. "that will, as of themselves, take up Howard and "Gifford, and afterwards do just what Delafaye "shall bid them, without carrying their zeal too far. "And as for Grey, I think some trusty and under"standing messenger must be sent to manage him, "for he is seventeen miles off. Strickland persuades "this method will have its effect, and make them 'ready to sign even stronger letters than those "already proposed to them; and as they know the "doctor intends very shortly for France, and that they are allowed no other conferant but him, it may be expected we shall quickly know what "they will do.

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"I take this occasion to send your lordship a "private letter from the duke of Bolton to me, which " was omitted in my last, and likewise another I "received last night, which will show your lordship "what temper Ireland is in upon the opening of "that parliament.—I am, my lord, your lordship's "most obedient and most humble servant,

"R. H. Earl Stanhope."

"J. Craggs."

THE CONDITION

CHAP. LXXI.

GEORGE II.

1727.

OF THE ENGLISH ROMAN

CATHOLICS DURING HIS REIGN.

OUR subject now leads us, I. To mention in a few words the state of the catholics at this period: II. We shall then notice the contests between the high church and the low church, and the consequences favourable to the catholics, with which they were attended : III. Some acts in favour of the protestant dissenters: IV. The dispute occasioned by the work of Dr. Courayer on the validity of the ordinations of the English protestant clergy: V. And the correspondence between archbishop Wake and Dr. Dupin, for the re-union of the roman-catholic and the English churches.

LXXI. 1.

General State of the English Catholics during this
reign.

THE reign of George the second is remarkable for its being the first, after the reformation, in which no new law was enacted against the romancatholics.

This circumstance does the monarch and his government the greater honour, as the rebellion in 1745, in which several roman-catholics were

engaged, furnished the enemies of their religion with a pretence for calling down upon them a severe execution of the existing code, and even an extension of its severities. Better councils prevailed the whole penal code was continued in force; but the instances, in which it was put into activity, were not very numerous. When they occurred, they were produced either by the mischievous activity or the selfish feeling of individuals; but were very seldom, if ever, countenanced by the government.--Some freedom was allowed to the catholics in the exercise of their religion: still, through the whole of this reign, the catholics were molested by informers, their lands were doubly taxed, their enjoyment of them was insecure, sometimes they were wrested from them by a protestant next of kin; and, (which was a dreadful calamity), they continued subject to the constructive recusancy mentioned in the preceding chapter, and to all its terrors.

In 1729, the second year of this reign, Matthew Atkinson, a missionary priest, died in Hurst castle, after an imprisonment in it during thirty years, for the exercise of his religious functions.

LXXI. 2.

Contest between the High Church and Low Church ;Progress of religious Toleration.

THE latitudinarian divines have been mentioned: the spirit of religious liberty, by which they were animated, was spread by their writings over the