An address given in to the late King James by the titular Archbishop of Dublin

SIR,

As we are very sensible of Your Majesties Great Zeal to Establish the Roman Catholick Religion in this Your Kingdom of Ireland, and own our selves extremely thankful and beholding to Your Majesty for Your Gracious Declaration to us upon that Subject; So pursuant to Your Majesties Directions and Encouragement, we herein most humbly offer the means that to us seem most efficacious for the due Accomplishing thereof.

Here is a fair acknowledgment of a Design to establish the Roman-Catholick Religion in Ireland, which they expresly say, King James had declared to them, and had previous thereto given them Directions and Incouragement about it. One would think, The Titular Archbishop of Dublin, and the rest of the Gang, needed few Directions to go about so meritorious a Work as the Establishment of the Catholick Religion: But it seems King James his Zeal has outgone even theirs in this point. He has not only given them Directions about it, but incourag’d them in it. And we know the word Incouragement, is a very entensive one; as including not only promises to assist, but means and power to bring about. And we have no reason to doubt, but King James, though he thought not himself oblig’d to keep his word so often given to English Hereticks; yet He would not fail to merit Heaven, by keeping firm with those People He imagin’d had power to lock Heaven against him in case of a failure. And here by the by, I think it but just, His Confessor should absolve him from the obligation of his Promise to the Titular Archbishop of Dublin, and the rest of them, since the entire Ruine of his Affairs in Ireland, has put him out of capacity to keep his word to them.

Imprimis, The usual and right Method for to compass any End or Design, is first of all to remove the Chief Obstacles that offer thereunto; Wherefore, inasmuch as the Penal Laws, particularly the Statute of Uniformity, and other like, were originally devised and enacted to abolish the Roman-Catholick Religion, and will continue to be the main hindrance of its advancement; We humbly conceive that to re-establish the same Roman-Catholick Religion in this Kingdom, as Your Majesty graciously intends, it is in all Conscience and Justice an Act of indispensible necessity to repeat those aforesaid Penal Laws so thoroughly repugnant to the Honour and true Worship of God, and to the Salvation of Souls.

What a Barrier the Penal Laws are against Popery here, the Papists themselves do witness; And what an Eye-sore they are to them, they fairly enough insinuate by their earnestness with King James, in this Paragraph, to have them Repeal’d. Here it is we have reason to admire and praise the wise and happy Conduct of the Church of England in the late Reign, who would not be impos’d upon to take off these Laws, which the Papists as well as they, knew to be a firm barrier against Popery, and a sure fence for securing the Protestant Religion; Whatever other glosses were put upon them by some of that time. This does sufficiently free that Church from the imputation of wilfulness and moroseness thrown upon them by their Enemies upon the account of their Refusal in this matter: since the Papists themselves acknowledge in the above-mentioned Paragraph, That these Laws were originally enacted to abolish the Roman-Catholick Religion, and to be the main hinderance of its advancement. And indeed they must have been very blind, that did not see through the Designs of the late Reign, in their Intriegues of repealing these Laws: And it were a great Reflection upon the Wisdom of the Dissenters, to think they had any other thoughts of the Court-Designs at that time, or that they could be brought to imagine, there was any real kindness meant towards them, either in the Toleration granted them, or in the Insinuations made them to take off the Penal Laws. For there was no Party of men more odious to the Papists, than the Dissenters, notwithstanding of all the Caresses made them, merely to juggle them into their own Ruine, and the Ruine of the Church of England.

IIdly, whereas Almighty God of his Divine Providence has placed Bishops in his Church, bought and redeemed by the Price of his most Precious Blood, for to rule and govern the same, and for to enlighten the People into the true and only way of Salvation, as is apparent in Holy Writ; It followeth by an unavoidable consequence, that it is not only conducive, but also absolutely requisite for the establishment of this Roman-Catholick Church in its due lustre and decorum in this Kingdom; That the Prelates and other Clergy thereof, be restored to their Livings, Churches, and full exercise of their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, without which it is not to be expected that they can prevail to repress the Vices most swaying in this Age, and make the Christians improve themselves with more serious application in the observance of God’s Law, and in the wholsome practice of Piety and Virtue: For we find by Experience, that the People now-a-days, generally speaking, will not much heed or regard the Exhortations or Threatnings of their Ghostly Directors, when they see them reduced to so low an ebb of Indigence, as to depend of themselves for their spiritual Power and Authority.

In the last Reign we were industriously told over and over again, by the Late King’s Emissaries, That there was never any thing of a Design to invade the Livings or Revenues of the Church, or of applying of them to any body else, but those of the Church of England. Here the Mask is taken off, and the true Design of appropriating the Revenues of the Church, to the use of the Roman-Catholicks alone, is downright confest. This was really design’d long before: And we had Bishops consecrated by the Pope, for almost all the Bishopricks of England and Ireland: But the Affair was not ripe enough to install them in their Livings. These Bishops by the Canon-Law, and by the acknowledgment of all the Lawyers of Rome, Had an undoubted legal Right to the Revenues of their Titular Bishopricks, and that immediately upon their being nominated by the Pope: Likeas the Protestant Bishops were but Usurpers and illegal Possessors of those Revenues, if we believe Romish Casuists. Now they put King James in mind of his gracious Declaration to them upon that Subject; And they must have their Foot in, and the new Possessors (as they take the Protestants to be) must be set a packing for good and all. At the end of this Paragraph, our Irish Bishops and Provincials, do formally contradict their so much cry’d-up Vow of Poverty; And tell us plainly, That the People will not have regard to the Advices of their Ghostly Directors, when they see them reduced to so low an ebb of indigence, as to depend of themselves for their spiritual Power and Authority. Here they plainly insinuate, that Poverty is obstructive of the Peoples profiting by their directions; And thence it is, They must have the Livings of the Clergy restor’d to them, to give a greater lustre to their spiritual Power and Authority. At this rate, the Clergy of the first three Centuries, and the Mendicant Orders of their own Church of Rome, must have very little success in their Ministerial Functions, since they of old did absolutely depend, and these new Orders do yet, upon the sole Charity of the People.

IIIdly, Though it may, perhaps seem to some Politicks, that this Restoring the Roman-Catholick Religion and Clergy here to their Livings, Churches, Jurisdiction and Privileges, may be inconsistent at present with the Prospect of Your Majesty’s Affairs in England, and may alienate the Affections of the Protestants there, from giving a helping hand, as may be expected, towards Your Majesty’s Restauration; yet, with submission, we conceive that this Objection carries more seeming than solid Reason; for when did it ever prove successful to Your Majesty, or to any of Your Royal Predecessors, so far to humour the Protestants of England in Concerns of this nature relating to the Glory of God, and good of Souls? What return did they make in these latter times to Your Majesty’s manifold Condescentions and Indulgences to them? Did not they, even their Chief Clergy, bring in Foreign Power to invade Your Throne, without regarding the Loyalty and Allegiance they swore unto You? Moreover, if those Protestants, Laity and Clergy of England, or any of them, be now turn’d really Loyal, and well-affected to Your Majesty; surely they will not in any reason be displeased, or grudge, that in this Your Catholick Kingdom, always Loyal, Your Majesty should establish, as aforesaid, the Roman Religion, as also the Clergy thereof, who always preach and teach Loyalty and Obedience to their King, to be an essential Maxim of the Religion and Law of God. Neither will the said Protestants upon that consideration of Your Majesty’s Gracious Restoring the Roman-Catholick Religion and Clergy as desired, flinch off, or desist from co-operating to Your Majesty’s Restauration, no more than the Irish Roman-Catholicks have done, when deprived of their Estates, and brought under severe Laws against their Religion, yet always kept touch to their Loyalty and Allegiance in defending Your Majesties Cause. On the other side, if the said Protestants be not sincerely Loyal, but only Act for their own Temporal Interest under the pretext of Religion, in their usual manner, how can Your Majesty much rely upon their assistance, or after Your Restoration, (which God send soon and happy) expect that they will give You any way, but rather all imaginable hindrance to establish, as you purpose, the Roman-Catholick Religion and Clergy, in this Your Kingdom of Ireland, in that full manner aforesaid?

Here, in the beginning of this Paragraph, we have fairly insinuated, the true Reasons why King James did not restore, when upon the English Throne, the Roman Catholick Religion, and the Clergy, to their Livings, Churches, Jurisdictions, and Privileges, tho he design’d to do it when it was convenient: The Reason was, It was inconsistent with the good of King James’s Affairs at that time. But why was not this done, when King James came to Ireland, and was at the Head of an Irish Army? The Reason that induc’d him to delay it, is here plain; He was afraid it might alienate the affections of the Protestants in England, from giving a helping hand towards his Restoration. He did not delay it upon the account of the unjustness of the thing it self; it was from another Principle, even that of Politicks, lest the Protestants of England should be too much alarm’d with it. Thus King James and his Popish Clergy must have very low thoughts of the Wit and Sense of the Protestants of England, to think they could be so easily cheated with such silly baits, and could be hook’d in by so weak Pretences. No sure; they could not be so short-sighted, as not to see through these Cobwebs of Romish Politicks; and they had too many hints of their Designs, not to be ignorant what was really at the bottom of them.

But it seems at the giving in of this Memorial, the Romish Clergy was become of another Opinion. They thought it not worth their while to dissemble any longer, but that it was absolutely fit to fall to work without any further Ceremony. They tell King James positively, That it’s altogether needless to humour the Protestants in concerns of this nature; That all the return they made to his and his Predecessors Kindness and Indulgences to them, was to Invite a Foreign Power to Invade his Throne. Here we are expresly told, That all the late King’s Kindness to the Protestants, was only to humour them, that is, to lay them asleep with his Caresses, till it was time to give the Blow, by restoring the Roman-Catholick Religion, and the Roman-Catholick Clergy to their Churches, Livings, &c. But this is not all; These Gentlemen tell us by way of an Inuendo, That all the Privileges the Protestants enjoyed by the Laws of the Kingdom, were indeed no more, but King James’s and his Predecessor’s their manifold Condescentions and Indulgences to them: So that instead of Laws for the Security of our Religion, we were in the opinion of the Romish Clergy, obliged only to the Condescention of our Kings for our peaceable Enjoyment of it: And as all Favours may be revoked upon the ingratitude of them on whom they are bestowed; so consequently may all the Liberties and Privileges of the Protestants of England, be recall’d in the sense of this Memorial, because of the bad returns they made that King for them. I know no reason why they here take in King James’s Royal Predecessors, unless it be to insinuate something against the Memory of King Charles II. as if he and King James had been upon the same bottom, as to their Condescentions and Indulgences to the Protestants, and therein both of one Religion; which how true, we must refer to the Great Day, when all hidden things shall be laid open.

As in the former part of this Paragraph, the Givers in of this Memorial derogated from the Wisdom of the whole Protestants of England, in being cheated with their silly Baits; So in the last Words of the Period above mentioned, they fall foul upon the Honesty of those Protestants that are upon King James’s side, as if they would not be displeased, or grudg at the re-establishment of the Romish Religion and Clergy in Ireland; but that notwithstanding thereof, they would continue to co-operate to His Restoration. I am not concerned to answer for the Protestant Jacobites in England; here they have a Charge laid to their door by others engaged in the same Bottom with themselves; and how true the Charge is, they and their own Consciences know best: I shall only say, If it be so, as is here insinuated, then it’s no wonder they should be the Horror and Hatred of all Good Men.

Sir, Now is the true time for Your Majesty to accomplish that Glorious Work: It is not likely that hereafter any more easie or better opportunity will happen for it, than whilst we have the happy Enjoyment of Your Majesties Presence amongst us: For it is reasonably to be apprehended, that the Difficulties to be surmounted in so godly a Design, will rather be increased than diminished, by the continual Suggestions of our Adversaries against us to Your Majesty, when restored to Your Throne in England. Furthermore, the very Protestants themselves cannot in their hearts chuse but applaud, and judg it in the main to be a necessary effect of Royal Bounty and Justice, that those Livings, Churches, and Prerogatives, which were taken away from the Roman-Catholick Clergy by Protestant Kings and Parliaments, should now, after so many Years Sufferings, be restored back unto them by a Roman-Catholick King, with the Concurrence of a Roman-Catholick Parliament; were it for no other Motive, than to gratifie Your Roman-Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom, who have so eminently signalized their Loyalty, Allegiance, and constant good Zeal to assert with their Lives and Fortunes, Your Majesties Rights, in a time when Protestants and Sectaries, nay also the chief, and most part of the Protestant Clergy, did not stick to stir up and bring in an Invasion, and join hands with Your Enemies against You.

In the beginning of this Paragraph, they seem unwillingly to tax the Protestants that are on King James’s side, with what is indeed no Crime, but a Duty, viz. Their Suggestions to him in case of his Restoration, against so godly a work, as the restoring the Romish Religion and Clergy. I confess this is a Compliment some of them do scarce deserve; and which is expresly contradicted by what was said in the former part of this same Memorial, in that, That they would not be displeased, nor grudg at the re-establishment of the Romish Religion and Clergy in Ireland. And it’s a question which of the two Insinuations are most natural, and most consequential to the Principles and Practices of the Protestant Jacobites.

What a ridiculous piece of stuff is this! That the Protestants themselves will applaud in the main, that necessary effect of Royal Bounty in a Roman-Catholick King’s restoring back to the Roman Catholicks, what a Protestant King and Parliament had taken from them in Ireland. At the same rate, and by the same parity of Reason, what a Protestant King and Parliament has taken away from the Roman-Catholicks in England, should be now restored them by a Roman-Catholick King, when he comes back to the Throne of England. Indeed we have no reason to doubt, but as the Reason is the same, so the Manner of acting would be the same in both Kingdoms; which is fairly enough hinted in the Words themselves.

How eminently they have signaliz’d their Loyalty and Allegiance to King James in this Juncture, their Bravery and inimitable Courage have evidenced with a Witness. The truth is, it’s hard to say, Whether King James be less oblig’d to the Valour of the Irish, or they to his Conduct: I am of Opinion, They will not be willing to try their Fortune again, under such a General, nor He to try His, with such Soldiers; And so there’s nothing lost in point of Gratitude on either hand.

What greater Mischief or Villany than this can be apprehended from them! For not to speak here of the Malicious endeavours formerly used in their Parliament, to exclude You from Your Right of Inheriting the Crown, or of the Treacherous Plots and Designs contrived by some of them, for to take away Your Majesties Life, and that of Your Royal Brother the late King of Blessed Memory: And after all this, Is it reasonable to repose any Confidence in them, or to expect that ever they will prove real and true unto You upon occasion of helping You to regain Your Crown? Or certainly if they should chance to give any such Encouragement, it will not proceed from a real Love to Your Royal Person, but that they find it necessary for their Temporal Interests, which they now experience to be in great danger, and much prejudic’d by their late Rebellious Defection. Consequently, as far as Your Return may avail for the Preservation and Advantage of those their Interests, they may concur thereunto, without regarding any Establishment whatever, that You make in this Kingdom, in favour of the Roman-Catholick Religion and Clergy; for they do not doubt, but that Your Majesty being of the Roman-Catholick Religion, intends to establish the same, and to restore the Clergy to their Livings, Churches, and full Jurisdiction, in this Your Catholick Kingdom.

As to some of the Protestants Design of old to exclude King James from inheriting the Crown, as is here mentioned; The Bill of Exclusion, as it was the result of the Counsels of those who saw no other way at that time to save Us from Popery and Slavery; so it’s a question, Whether it had not been better for that Prince that that Bill had taken effect. For it seems to me, a far greater misfortune, to be once upon a Throne, and to put a necessity on the Nation to dethrone him, than never to have been suffer’d once to sit down upon it; And I believe that unhappy Prince thinks so himself, by this time. So that the Papists have no great reason to blame the Protestants upon that head.

As to the Treacherous Plots and Designs contriv’d by some of the Protestants to take away the life King James, and of his Royal Brother, Alas! We all know where this Plot was coyn’d; who they were that brought it upon the Stage; and to what end.

This Protestant Plot here hinted at, was thought upon by the Popish Party then at Court, as the only proper means to stifle for good and all the Popish one; And what Villanies, Perjuries, Subornations, Lyes and Murthers, were put in practice at that time, none in England can be ignorant. It could be wish’d, That for the honour of the Nation, and for the honour both of the Bar, and of the Bench, these things were buried in perpetual oblivion.

The Insinuation at the end of this Paragraph, That if those Protestants shall help King James to regain his Crowns, it will proceed only from a motive of temporal Interest; I believe may be very true in some sense. For certainly nothing but a false shew of temporal Interest can ever prevail with a Protestant to bring back King James; since he must make account to lose thereby all spiritual Interests, viz. those of his own Religion, Conscience and immortal Soul; And these he must necessarily resolve to part with at the very moment he brings back that Prince to the English Throne. But yet it’s but a false shew of temporal Interest at the best; For not only the Ruine of his Religion, but that of his Property and Liberty must attend King James his Return. It’s then we must submit our selves either to a French Yoak, or a Yoak after a French Model; And then farewell for ever the Liberties and Properties of the Subjects of England.

That these Protestants (who the Memorial confesses from a temporal Interest only would help King James to regain his Crown) should have no regard to any Establishment He should make in Ireland in favour of the Roman-Catholick Religion and Clergy: I hope it’s not true of them. And if it be so, They are the unhappiest and most hateful Wretches upon Earth, as being willing for their trifling Interests to sacrifice a whole Kingdom to Rome.

What worse Resentments can they receive of Your Majesty’s putting that Intention now absolutely in Effect, than they may of what other glorious things you have setled in this Kingdom as means thereunto, by making Catholick Corporations and Magistrates, and Judges, by rendering Roman-Catholicks capable of all manner of Offices and Employments, by putting the Government Civil and Military into the hands of the Roman-Catholicks, by breaking that unjust Act of Settlement, and restoring the Catholick Proprietors to their Ancient Estates.

Here the Romish Clergy tell the World plainly, That the Restoring the Romish Religion, and the Romish Clergy to their Churches and Livings, merits no greater Resentment from the Protestants, than the making Roman-Catholick Corporations and Magistrates and Judges, the rendring all Roman-Catholicks capable of Offices and Employments, by putting the Government Civil and Military in their hands. I confess we are oblig’d to them for telling us so; Especially considering that in the last Reign some People look’d upon these last Innovations to be no great business; and were willing to concur, or at least tamely to consent to them. We see what a sense the Papists themselves had of these Violations of our Law: It was all one in their Eyes, as a Re-establishment of the Romish Religion and Clergy, which some of the Protestants themselves would not believe: And indeed the wiser part of the Protestants thought the one was as just as the other. And that the Royal Prerogative might be wrested by Corrupt Judges and Lawyers then in pay, to infer a power to do both.

These are Changes of far greater difficulties, and more apt to exasperate the Protestants of England; and yet without regarding their Displeasure, Your Majesty, praised be God, was successfully prevail’d on to compass these Glorious Alterations. How then can it be thought reasonable that the Consideration of displeasing or exasperating the said Protestants of England, should influence upon Your Majesty to postpone or let slip this present Opportunity of Re-establishing Your Roman-Catholick Clergy of this Kingdom in the full manner aforementioned?

If the late Circumstances wherein King James was in Ireland, was so favourable an opportunity to Re-establish the Roman-Catholick Religion in that Kingdom, as the Memorial affirms, Then much more was the Circumstances he was in here in England, some two years ago, a favourable Opportunity to Re-establish the Romish-Catholick Religion in this Kingdom. In Ireland King James’s Power was only confined to that Island, and he was destitute of the Support and Assistance of the Two other Kingdoms that had been once His. He had, when in Ireland, a powerful Prince possest of these two other Kingdoms, and of a part of Ireland it self, who was ready to beat him out of the rest, at the Head of a brave well-disciplin’d Army, while King James had no reason to hope any great things from His, made up of Cowardly Ill-disciplin’d, and as ill-pay’d Irishes. King James’s Circumstances were far better two years ago, being Master of Three Kingdoms, and of a brave and numerous Army, and no body to oppose him. So that if his Will was the same as to the Re-establishment of the Romish Religion, (as no body doubts but it was) Then his Power was much greater two years ago, when in England, than two or three months ago when in Ireland, at the time of presenting him this Memorial. Thus that Unfortunate, Misguided Prince was in all his Conduct wise too late, though to the great happiness of these Three Kingdoms, as the Event has prov’d.

We must confess, that such an Intire Establishment of the Roman-Catholick Clergy in England, would perhaps prove very difficult, and provoke the Indignation of the Protestants in a high measure, because it is contrary to the Persuasion generally held by the People there, who though never so different amongst themselves in their Tenets, yet agree together in bearing so implacable an aversion to the Roman-Catholick Religion and Clergy, that it is not to be expected they would ever concur in their Parliaments thereunto: But the Case is quite otherways in this Your Majesty’s Kingdom of Ireland; for the People here being generally Roman-Catholicks, incomparably exceeding in number all Sectaries and Protestants, covet nothing more, than to have their own Roman-Catholick Clergy Re-established amongst them in those Churches and Livings that the Piety and Devotion of their Ancestors, time out of mind, conferr’d upon them for the Service and Honour of God, and for their decent Subsistence; and restor’d to the full Exercise of their Spiritual Jurisdiction, and enjoyment of their Privileges.

We find the Romish Clergy do here usher in the difficulty of Re-establishing the Romish Religion in England, with a perhaps; And they will not allow it to be impossible, but only that it would prove difficult. I make no doubt, but if things were at this day in England upon the same foot they were in two years ago, we should have heard of no difficulty in this matter: It was then, in their opinion, the easiest thing of a thousand to Re-establish the Roman-Catholick Religion in England: And by all their Actions and words they express so much. I will not determine, how far it was possible to bring England in the last Reign, to comply with, and embrace Popery. But this I may safely say, That the Debaucheries with which the Nation was poison’d in King Charles’s Reign, had laid them open to any Change in Religion. We all know Atheism is the fairest Introduction to Popery: And he that’s an Atheist to day, may easily be a Papist to morrow, especially if his Interest concur in the Change. We saw how much Popery gain’d every day, and how many men, and that of the first Rank, Interest, and the Smiles of a Court, prevail’d with to change their Religion they were brought up in, for a new one they had never taken the pains to examine further, than as to the favourableness of it with the King. Moreover, in France we had the example of a vast many Thousand Protestants, who had not the Courage nor Constancy to resist the Methods taken by the Romish Emissaries to bring them back to the Communion of Rome. And the French Protestants were at least as Zealous in their Religion, as we in ours, and seem’d to be willing to venture as much for it as we. So that I cannot either confute or consent to this last part of the Memorial; but must conclude with this; That we have reason to bless God, and pay our Thanks and Acknowledgment to the Glorious Instrument he made use of, by whom we are put out of fear of having our Constancy in the Protestant Religion tried, at the rate we had reason to expect not long ago.

And thus I take leave of the Memorial of the Romish Clergy, and leave them to the disappointments they have met with, both in that Kingdom and elsewhere, of all the hopes they have been so long a rearing up to themselves; and which now are vanisht into smoke, upon the appearing of our Victorious King in the Island, where they were to begin their thorough Work.

We live in an Age wherein some people have the Impudence to deny things of themselves as clear as the Sun in its Mid-day Light. Go and enquire of the Roman-Catholicks in France, and other Popish Countries, they will make no bones to confess freely, That two years ago, they had the greatest Grounds possible to have hop’d for the Establishment of the Catholick Religion, and the utter Extirpation of what they call Heresie, through the Three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland. But at the same time, go and enquire the opinion of some among our selves at home, that call themselves Protestants, in this point they will confidently tell you, There was never any such Change designed. These people must either be strangely stupid, or must from some one reason or other find themselves oblig’d to dissemble a thing that cannot, that will not be hid. The Memorial I have before given a particular Copy of, is a proof of such a Design, as to change Religion in Ireland; and such a proof, as there can be no clearer given for any thing in the world: But I have thought fit in this Postscript to give another evidence as clear as the former; but an Evidence that proves not only a design to overturn the Protestant Religion in Ireland alone, but likewise in the other Two Kingdoms of this Island: And that is, A Memorial given in by Monsieur the Duke of Chaulnes, Ambassador Extraordinary for the French King, to this present Pope, very soon after his coming to the Papacy. The Memorial it self is to be found in several of their Papers now printed at Rome and other places of Italy, on the occasion of the present Transactions betwixt the Court of France, and that of Rome; and the Copy whence I take it, is the Italian Mercury of Venice, Numb. 1012. The Memorial is there mentioned at full length, and refers to a great many other Heads, than what I need here to mention. I shall only copy from the Original, those parts of it that concern the Affairs of King James, or of the French King as his Ally and Confederate.

The Memorial is thus.

The Memorial and Representation made to our most Holy Father the Pope, by His Excellency Charles de Albert, Duke of Chaulnes, and Peer of France, Ambassador Extraordinary, and Plenipotentiary from His most Christian Majesty, to His Holiness, in Name and Behalf of His most Serene Majesty, His Master.

His Excellency does most unwillingly, and with the most inward Grief, put His Holiness in mind of the sad and unhappy Consequences that have arisen to the Catholick Church, by the unnecessary and ill-tim’d mistakes entertain’d by the late Pope Innocent II. of the most Serene King his Master. What dismal effects they have produc’d, all Europe feels at this day with regret.

The most Serene King his Master has done all in him lies to deserve the name of the Eldest Son of the Church. And by breaking into pieces that Hydra of Heresie, which had in his own Kingdom for above an Age, trampled upon all that was Sacred, he might have justly expected better Returns of his Zeal for the Catholick Religion, than he did meet with from the then Head of the Church. It was not only in his own Kingdom, that his most Serene Master did use his utmost Power and Interest to root out Heresie, and to establish the true Ancient, Catholick, and Apostolick Religion; but his Aims and Influence went farther; and unless the late Pope Innocent II. had wilfully obstructed his Designs by an untimous and needless Breach betwixt him and the Crown of France, the state of Christendom, and of the Catholick Church, had been far better than it is at this day. All this his Excellency does not represent to his Holiness out of any design to cast Dust on the Ashes of his Predecessor; for as the most Christian King his Master suffered as much as ever Prince in his Circumstances and Quality did, from the late Pope, and that without doing any action unbecoming a true Eldest Son of the Church towards the common Father and Head thereof; so he resolves for ever to banish from himself, and bury in oblivion the remembrance of these things.

Here the French Ambassadour does very fairly confess as a great Honour to his Master, That it was not in his own Kingdom only, that he us’d his Interest to root out Heresie; but that his Aims and Influence went further; and if the late Pope’s breach with him had not hindered, The state of the Catholick Church had been far better than it is now at this day. What can be more plain than this? And where could the French Designs and Influence to root out Heresie, be more effectual and more probable to lie, than in England, at that time under the Reign of a Prince as zealous a Romanist as himself, and in the nearest conjunction with him in all ties of Friendship and Alliance.

The rest of the Memorial contains a great many other particulars relating to the Pretensions of the French King, and Disputes between him and the late Court of Rome: And therefore it’s needless here to mention them. Only in the end He has this other Article relating to the Affairs of England, which runs thus.

His Excellency humbly intreats his Holiness to consider in his Fatherly Care and Zeal, the horrid and inexpressible prejudice the Catholick Church has received by the fatal disappointment all her Sons have met with in the misfortune of his Britannick Majesty; And that just at the very instant of time, we were to expect all good and great things for the Catholick Church from that King’s Zeal and Affections to it. So that unless speedy course be taken for that King’s Re-establishment, not only all the joint Designs for the suppression of Heresie will fall to the ground; but the Catholicks of those Kingdoms will be in the saddest condition possible. And the Holy Church depriv’d of those great Kingdoms, &c.

Here is as fair a Confession as ever was made of a disappointment the Romish Church met with in the late King’s Misfortune, and how great things that Party expected from King James his Zeal for the Romish Church: and in fine, of joint Designs for the suppression of Heresie. And after this, I would fain know who can doubt of our Intended Ruine, and that of our Religion, if the late happy Revolution had not fallen out?

FINIS.

BOOKS Printed for Richard Baldwin.