Title: An Address Given in to the Late King James by the Titular Archbishop of Dublin
Author: Patrick Russell, - To be updated
Language: English
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                                   AN
                                 ADDRESS
                             Given in to the
                            Late King James,
                                 BY THE
                           TITULAR ARCHBISHOP
                                   OF
                                 DUBLIN:

                                  FROM

             The General Meeting of the _Romish_ Bishops and
         Clergy of _Ireland_, held in _May_ last, by that King’s

         Wherein several Things relating to the _Popish_ Designs
               upon these Three Kingdoms, are discovered.

             The Original whereof was found in the late King
           _James_’s Closet, in the Castle of _Dublin_, at his
               leaving that City: And the Copy whereof was
               found in the Titular Archbishop’s Lodgings.

           _Now Publish’d with Reflections on each Paragraph._

                                _LONDON_:
           Printed for Ric. Baldwin, in the _Old Baily_, 1690.



    THE

    MEMORIAL

    GIVEN IN

    To the Late King _JAMES_,

    BY THE

    Titular Archbishop of _Dublin_, &c.


That the late King _James_ was induc’d by the _Emissaries_ of _Rome_,
to trample upon the Laws and Liberties of the Subjects of these Three
Kingdoms, there is no body who enjoys the use of their Reason, can
deny. But tho we felt every day new Invasions made upon our Religion
by the same Party of men under the Covert of the _Royal Power and
Prerogative_ (as they call’d it); yet there are to this very day, a
certain incredulous sort of men, who have the folly to tell us, _That
King ~James~ had never the least Design to alter the Religion of these
Kingdoms, or to introduce Popery_.

Among a Thousand Instances to prove that King _James_’s great Design was
_the utter extirpation of the Protestant Religion, and the Restitution_
(as the Papists call it) _of the Catholick one_, There has of late _one_
come to light, which sets the Affair in a Meridian light, beyond all
possibility of doubting; which Instance, and the occasion of its coming
to be known, is as follows.

       *       *       *       *       *

The Late King upon his arrival in _Ireland_ from _France_, did make as
considerable Steps to overturn the Protestant Religion and Interest
in that Kingdom, as the short time he was there, and the _Decorum_ he
was to carry towards the few Protestants who adher’d to him, could
possibly admit of. A great many Laws made for the safety of the _English_
Protestants, and for keeping out the _Irish_ from the possessions they
had by so many Rebellions justly forfaulted, were rescinded: And, which
was next to giving the final Blow to the Protestant Interest in that
Kingdom, King _James_, in his _Irish_ pretended Parliament, had formally
removed the Fundamental _Charter_, by which the Protestants possest their
Estates; I mean, the Act of Parliament of _Ireland_, called, _The Act of
Settlement_: So it seem’d, there wanted scarce any more to be done, to
restore Popery and Papists for good and all in _Ireland_.

But all this was not able to satisfie the _fiery Zealots_ of the Church
of _Rome_, whom nothing could please, but _a thorough work_, as they
named it. The _Irish Popish Bishops_ meet together in the _Titular
Archbishop of ~Dublin~’s Lodgings_; and with them, _The Provincials
of all the Religious Orders_: And having unanimously agreed to the
following _Address_ or _Memorial_ to be presented to the late King,
then in _Dublin_, they present it to him in a full Body. That King
_James_ received this _Address_ very kindly, was visible in his manner
of treating the Persons that presented it. He told them, _They had never
any reason to doubt of his Zeal for the Catholick Religion; and of his
willingness to sacrifice all that was dear to him upon that account_. And
that he would within a few days acquaint my _Lord Archbishop of Dublin_,
with his Resolutions and Answer to their Address.

What Answer King _James_ returned, we have not yet been able to learn.
But the _Memorial_ it self was found in that King’s _Closet_, after his
leaving _Dublin_; and another Copy of the same, in the _Archbishop_’s
_Lodgings_.

The _Memorial_ it self deserves to be here inserted word by word, as it
is in the _Original_ found in King _James_’s Closet: And it may not be
impertinent to make some short Reflections on each Paragraph, as they lye
in order.


The _Memorial_ runs thus.

    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.


REFLECTIONS.

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.


MEMORIAL.

~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.


REFLECTIONS.

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_.


MEMORIAL.

~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.


REFLECTIONS.

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.


MEMORIAL.

~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?


REFLECTIONS.

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.


MEMORIAL.

~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.


REFLECTIONS.

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.


MEMORIAL.

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.


REFLECTIONS.

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_.


MEMORIAL.

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.


REFLECTIONS.

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.


MEMORIAL.

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?


REFLECTIONS.

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.


MEMORIAL.

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.


REFLECTIONS.

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_.


POSTSCRIPT.

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~._

A True Relation of the Cruelties and Barbarities of the _French_, upon
the _English_ Prisoners of War. Being a Journal of their Travels from
_Dinan_ in _Britany_, to _Thoulon_ in _Provence_; and back again. With a
Description of the Situation, and Fortifications of all the Eminent Towns
upon the Road, and their Distance. Of their Prisons and Hospitals, and
the number of men that died under their Cruelty: With the Names of many
of them, and the Places of their Deaths and Burials: With an Account of
the great Charity and Sufferings of the Poor Protestants of _France_:
And other material Things that hapned upon the way. Faithfully and
Impartially Performed by _Richard Strutton_, being an Eye-witness, and
Fellow-sufferer.

The secret History of the Dutchess of _Portsmouth_: Giving an Account of
the Intreagues of the Court, during her Ministry. And of the Death of K.
C. II.

The Memoirs of Monsieur _Deagant_; containing the most secret
Transactions and Affairs of _France_, from the Death of _Henry_ IV. till
the beginning of the Ministry of the Cardinal _de Richlieu_. To which
is added, A Particular Relation of the Archbishoprick of _Embrun’s_
Voyage into _England_, and of his Negotiation for the Advancement of the
Roman-Catholick Religion here; together with the Duke of _Buckingham’s_
Letters to the said Archbishop, about the Progress of that Affair: Which
hapned the last Years of King _James_ I. his Reign. Faithfully Translated
out of the _French_ Original.

The Cabinet Open’d: or, The Secret History of the Amours of Madam _de
Maintenon_, with the _French_ King. Translated from the _French_ Copy.

The Character of a Trimmer. His Opinion of I. The Laws and Government.
II. Protestant Religion. III. The Papists. IV. Foreign Affairs. By the
Honourable Sir _W. Coventry_. The Third Edition carefully Corrected, and
cleared from the Errors of the First Impression.

An Impartial Relation of the Illegal Proceedings against St. _Mary
Magdalen_ Colledge in _Oxon_, in the Year of our Lord 1687. Containing
only Matters of Fact as they occurred. The Second Edition. To which is
added the most Remarkable Passages omitted in the former. Collected by a
Fellow of the said Colledge.





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