they met to worship God in any other form than that which was practifed in the church of England; even though ten of that number fhould belong to the family in whofe houfe they might be affembled. Every individual was fined in five fhillings for the first offence, and ten for the fecond. The preacher was condemned in twenty pounds for the firft conviction, and in double that fum for the next; and a fine of twenty pounds were decreed against the perfon in whofe houfe they fhould be found affembled.

A. D. 1672.] A war breaking out this year with

the Dutch, the King thought it neceffar year wi

to the minds of his people, and fet them at eafe in matters of religion. To that end, and probably with a view to favour the Roman Catholics, his Majefty published a declaration in March, fufpending the penal laws against Non-conformists, indulging the Proteftant Diffenters with the public exercife of their religion, and allowing the Catholics to worship God after their own way in private.

A. D. 1673.] The court were mistaken in thinking by this declaration for liberty of confcience to fecure the Prefbyterian intereft, for that party fufpected that the drift was, under fhelter of them, to favour the Roman Catholics. Alderman Love, one of the chiefs of the Prefbyterian party, fpake in the house with great fpirit against the declaration; and his difinterefted behaviour upon this occafion made fuch impreffion on the Commons, that they brought in a bill for the relief of Proteftant Non-conformitts it paffed the lower houfe without oppofition; but the Lords propofed fome amendments, with which the Commons would not comply; and, before the could be affas compromifed, the King prorogued the parliament. · In the mean time the Lords and Commons addreffed the King against the Roman Catholics, defiring that the laws might be vigorously executed against Priefs and Jefuits: that all officers, and perfons in public employ

ments

ments in the army, fhould take the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy, and receive the communion according to the form of the church of England. His Majesty published a proclamation to that effect, and was at laft prevailed on, in order to appeafe them, to fend. for the declaration, and break the feal affixed to it, with his own hand. Soon after the parliament paffed the famous teft at, importing that every perfon in office or employment, fhould take the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy; receive the facraments in fome parith-church before competent witneffes, and fubfcribe a declaration, renouncing all belief of the real prefence in the eucharift.

A. D. 1675.] The late meafures of the court had raifed fuch a fpirit of oppofition in the Commons, that many members of the upper houfe, and efpecially the Bifhops, began to dread the revival of the republican fpirit. In order to prevent the mischiefs which might arife from fuch a flame, Robert Bertie, Earl of Lindfey, brought into the houfe of Lords a teft bill, for

mon all perfons, in ecclefiaftical, civil, or

military, employments, as well as upon privy counfellors and members of parliament, an oath renouncing the lawfulness of refifting the King, or thofe acting! under his commiffion, on any pretence whatsoever; but a difpute arifing between the Lords and Commons, on account of an appeal brought before the Lords by Dr. Shirley againft Sir John Tagg, a member of the houfe of Commons, the bill was dropped.

A. D. 1677. A bill paffed both houses, and received the royal affent, for taking away the writ de Heretico Comburendo. This year is remarkable for Oates's narrative of a plot, faid to be carried on by the Jefuits, and other Roman Catholics, against his Majefty's life, the Proteftant religion, and the government of the kingdom. As the evidences were all meni of profligate character, the truth of whofe depofitions in feveral respects were flatly diforoved by numbers of

S

creditable

creditable witneffes, it appears to have been only a villainous impofture, raised by a fet of abandoned mifcreants, for the most infamous purposes: however, fuch was the prejudice of the people, that it raised an univerfal ferment, and operated in defiance of common fenfe and demonftration. Numbers of persons were executed on the accufation of these wretches, all protesting folemnly, at their laft moments, their innocence of what they fuffered for.

A. D. 1683.] This period is remarkable for a con fpiracy to affaflinate the King in his way to NewMarket, at a place called the Rye boufe; which was discovered by Keiling, one of the confpirators. Several noblemen and gentlemen, that were concerned in this affair, fuffered death, amongst whom were the Lord Ruffel, and the famous Algernon Sidney.

A. D. 1685.] His Majefty was feized fuddenly with an apoplectic fit, and, after languishing Death of Charles II. a few days, died on February 6, in the fifty-fifth year of his age, and the twentyfifth of his actual reign, from the restoration. Nor withstanding the errors in this Prince's conduct, and the blemishes in his character, he was perfonally beloved by his people, who were overwhelmed with grief and astonishment at his death. This forrow and furprife co-operating with the terror of his fucceffor, and the deteftation of Popery, ingendered a fufpicion of his having been taken off by poifon; but this, upon enquiry, appeared without foundation. During his illness he received the facrament from the hands of a Catholic prieft, and died in that communion.

REIGN OF JAMES II.

A. D. 1685.] Charles dying without legitimate iffue, his brother James Duke of York was proclaimed King without any fhadow of oppofition. On the first day of his reign he affembled the council at White

hall,

hall. He difclaimed arbitrary principles, declared that
he would maintain the religion established by law, and
defend the liberties of the people. He and his Queen
were crowned on April 23; when fome people obfer-
ved that the royal diadem was too large for his head,
and fhook from fide to fide, a circumftance from
which they deduced a bad omen. The parliament
being affembled, the King in his fpeech confirmed his
affurances of maintaining the established religion, and
the liberties of the people. The two houfes made an
addrefs of thanks upon the occafion, and granted him
large fupplies for his prefent emergencies. This year
the Earl of Argyle raifed an infurrection in Scotland;
and the Duke of Monmouth landed in the Weft of
England, and foon after affumed the title of King:
but they were both fuppreffed, and beheaded, and a
great many of their adherents fuffered death. Nothing
could be more flourishing than the King's prefent
fituation. He had quelled two dangerous rébellions;
trampled faction under foot; and obtained a parlia-
ment that complied with his defires. He had a ftand-
ing army at his command; heard the doctrines of
paffive obedience and non-refiftance echoed from every
corner as articles of the English creed; and found
himself courted by foreign ftates. But he had no-
thing fo much at heart as the converfion of his
people to the Romish religion. His own zeal was
reinforced by the importunities of fome hot-brained
Jefuits, who had acquired the most abfolute influence
over his confcience.

A. D. 1686.] The King now admitted four Popish
Lords into his council, viz. the Lords Arundel of
Wardour, Bellafis, Dover, and the Earl of Tyrconnel.
The Roman worship was publickly performed, and the
Jefuits erected colleges in different parts of the king-
dom. Four Catholic Bishops, confecrated in the
King's chapel, were fent through the kingdom, to
exercise their epifcopal functions, under the title of
VOL. III. No. 30.
apofto-

Hh

apoftolic vicars. The monks appeared at court in the habits of their orders; and a great number of priefts and friers arrived in England. The whole administration was now managed by real or time-serving Catholics. The King fent a circular letter to the Bithops, ordering them to prohibit the inferior clergy from preaching on points of controverfy." But this injunction was very little regarded by the Proteftant divines, who, feeing their religion in fuch imminent danger, expofed the errors and abfurdities of the Romish communion, with fuch learning, energy, and candour, as operated powerfully on the conviction of the public, and redounded to their own immortal honour. The King and his council were fo dipleased with these endeavours, that they were refolved to establifh a new ecclefiaftical commiffion court, that should enforce obedience. This was accordingly inftituted, and composed of fecular as well as ecclefiaftical members, among whom were fome Catholics. They were empowered to exercife all forts of ecclefiaftical jurifdiction; to correct abufes in the fpiritual law, inquire into all offences, punith delinquents by cenfure, excommunication, fufpenfion and depofition; to examine ftatutes, rules, and charters of colleges, and other ecclefiaftical communities; and make fuch corrections and alterations as they fhould think proper. Henry Compton Bishop of London, being fummoned before the new ecclefiaftical court, declined their jurifdiction, affirming that, as a Bifhop, he was fubject to the metropolitan alone. His plea was over ruled; he was fufpended from all epifcopal functions, for having difobeyed the King's order, and Nathanael (afterwards Lord) Crew, Thomas Sprat, and Thomas White, Bishops of Durham, Rochester and Peterborough, were vefted with the adminiftration of his diocefe.

To crown all his endeavours in behalf of the Roman communion, James fent Roger Palmer Earl of Caftle