covery of the Palatinate, assured them that, though he had been suspected as to his religion, he would let the world see, that none should be more desirous to maintain the religion he professed than himself. The houses thanked the king for his most gracious speech; but before they entered upon other business, joined in a petition against popish recusants, which his majesty promised to examine, and give a satisfactory answer to the particulars. The petition sets forth the causes of the increase of popery, with the remedies: The causes are, The want of the due execution of the laws against them. The interposing of foreign powers by their ambassadors and agents in their favor. The great concourse of papists to the city, and their frequent conferences and conventicles there. Their open resort to the chapels of foreign ambassadors. The education of their children in foreign seminaries. The want of sufficient instruction in the protestant religion in several places of the country. The licentious printing of popish books. The employment of men illaffected to the protestant religion in places of government.* They therefore pray that the youth of the kingdom may be carefully educated under protestant school-masters; which his majesty, in his answer to their petition, promised: That the ancient discipline of the universities may be restored; which his majesty approved: That the preaching of the word of God may be enlarged; and that to this purpose the bishops be advised to make use of the labours of such able ministers as have been formerly silenced, advising and beseeching them to behave themselves peaceably; and that pluralities, non-residencies, and commendams, may be moderated. ANSWER, This his majesty approved, so far as the ministers would conform to church government. But he apprehends that pluralities, &c. are now so moderated, that there is no room for complaint; and recommends it to the parliament to take care that every parish allow a competent maintenance for an able minister. That provision might be made against transporting children to popish seminaries, and for recalling those that were there. ANSW. To this his majesty agreed. That no popish recusant be admitted to come to court, but upon special occasion, * Rushworth, p. 183-6. according to statute 3 Jac. ANSw. This also his majesty promised. That the laws against papists be put in execution, and that a day be fixed for the departure of all jesuits and seminary priests out of the kingdom, and that no natural-born subject, uor strange bishops, nor any other by authority from the see of Rome, confer any ecclesiastical orders, or exercise any ecclesiastical function, upon your majesty's subjects. ANSW. It shall be so published by proclamation. That your majesty's learned council may have orders to consider of all former grants of recusant lands, that such may be avoided as are avoidable by law. ANSW. It shall be done according as is desired. That your majesty give order to your judges and all officers of justice, to see the laws against popish recusants duly executed. ANSW. His majesty leaves the laws to their course. That your majesty will remove from places of authority and government all popish recusants. ANSW. His majesty will give order accordingly. That order be taken for disarming all popish recusants convict according to law, and that popish recusants be commanded to retire to their houses, and be confined within five miles of home. ANSW. The laws shall be put in execution. That none of your majesty's natural-born subjects go to hear mass at the houses or chapels of foreign ambassadors. ANsw. The king will give order accordingly. That the statute of 1 Eliz. for the payment of twelve-pence every Sunday by such as absent from divine service in the church without a lawful excuse, be put in execution. ANsw. The king promises the penalties shall not be dispensed with. That your majesty will extend your princely care to Ireland, that the like courses may be taken there for establishing the true religion. ANSW. His majesty will do all that a religious king can do in that affair.* The remark of Dr. Warner here is too pertinent and forcible, especially considering from whose peu it comes, to be omitted. "These gra'cious answers of his majesty," says he, "to the several articles of the 'petition presented to him by both houses of parliament, wanted nothing but the performance of the promises which he made, to gain him the love of all his protestant subjects. But if we may judge by the 'continual complaints of the parliament throughout this reign, about these very points on which the king had given this satisfaction. we 'shall find reason to think, that his promises were observed no better 'than James his father observed his." Warner's Eccles. Hist. vol. ii. p. 513. Ed. It is surprising that the king should make these promis es to his parliament within six months after he had signed his marriage articles, in which he had engaged to set all Roman-catholics at liberty, and to suffer no search or molestation of them for their religion, and had in consequence of it pardoned twenty Romish priests, and (in imitation of his royal father) given orders to his lord-keeper to direct the judges and justices of peace all over England, "-to for'bear all manner of proceedings against his Roman-catholic subjects, by information, indictment, or otherwise; it 'being his royal pleasure that there should be a cessation 'of all and singular pains and penalties whereunto they 'were liable by any laws, statutes, or ordinances of this 'realm." But, as a judicious writer observes, it seems to have been a maxim in this and the last reign, that no faith is to be kept with parliaments. The papists were apprized of the reasons of state that obliged the king to comply outwardly with what he did not really intend; and therefore, though his majesty directed a letter to his archbishop [Dec. 15, 1625,] to proceed against popish recusants, and a proclamation was published to recal the English youths from popish seminaries, little regard was paid to them. The king himself released eleven Romish priests out of prison, by special warrant the next day; the titular bishop of Chalcedon, by letters dated June 1, 1625, appointed a popish vicar-general and archdeacons all over England, whose names were published in the year 1643.‡ Rushworth, p. 173. § Rapin. + Fuller tells us, that this titular bishop of Chalcedon, whose name was Smith, appeared in his pontificalibus in Lancashire, with his mitre and erosier. This was an evident proof, that the catholics presumed on the indulgence and connivance, if not the protection of the court. To shew which, the fact is brought forward by Mr. Neal; whose candor in this matter Dr. Grey impeaches, because he does not inform his reader, that the king issued a proclamation for apprehending this Romish agent. But it seems to have escaped Dr. Grey's attention, that a proclamation not issued till the 11th of December, 1628, and not then, till drawn from him by a petition of both houses against recusants,can have little weight against the imputation on the king, which this fact is alledged to support. Rushworth's Collections, vol. i, p. 511. Ed. Rushworth, p. 158-9, and Fuller's Church History, b. xi, p. 132-8. VOL. II. 24 according to statute 3 Jac. ANSw. This also his majesty promised. That the laws against papists be put in execution, and that a day be fixed for the departure of all jesuits and seminary priests out of the kingdom, and that no natural-born subject, nor strange bishops, nor any other by authority from the see of Rome, confer any ecclesiastical orders, or exercise any ecclesiastical function, upon your majesty's subjects. ANsw. It shall be so published by proclamation. That your majesty's learned council may have orders to consider of all former grants of recusant lands, that such may be avoided as are avoidable by law.. ANSW. It shall be done according as is desired. That your majesty give order to your judges and all officers of justice, to see the laws against popish recusants duly executed. ANSW. His majesty leaves the laws to their course. That your majesty will remove from places of authority and government all popish recusants. ANSW. His majesty will give order accordingly. That order be taken for disarming all popish recusants convict according to law, and that popish recusants be commanded to retire to their houses, and be confined within five miles of home. ANSW. The laws shall be put in execution. That none of your majesty's natural-born subjects go to hear mass at the houses or chapels of foreign ambassadors. ANSW. The king will give order accordingly. That the statute of 1 Eliz. for the payment of twelve-pence every Sunday by such as absent from divine service in the church without a lawful excuse, be put in execution. ANsw. The king promises the penalties shall not be dispensed with. That your majesty will extend your princely care to Ireland, that the like courses may be taken there for establishing the true religion. Answ. His majesty will do all that a religious king can do in that affair.* The remark of Dr. Warner here is too pertinent and forcible, especially considering from whose pen it comes, to be omitted. "These gra'cious answers of his majesty," says he, "to the several articles of the 'petition presented to him by both houses of parliament, wanted nothing but the performance of the promises which he made, to gain him the love of all his protestant subjects. But if we may judge by the 'continual complaints of the parliament throughout this reign, about these very points on which the king had given this satisfaction. we shall find reason to think, that his promises were observed no better than James his father observed his." Warner's Eccles. Hist. vol. ii. p. 513. Ed. It is surprising that the king should make these promises to his parliament within six months after he had signed his marriage articles, in which he had engaged to set all Roman-catholics at liberty, and to suffer no search or molestation of them for their religion, and had in consequence of it pardoned twenty Romish priests, and (in imitation of his royal father) given orders to his lord-keeper to direct the judges and justices of peace all over England, "to forbear all manner of proceedings against his Roman-catholic subjects, by information, indictment, or otherwise; it 'being his royal pleasure that there should be a cessation ' of all and singular pains and penalties whereunto they were liable by any laws, statutes, or ordinances of this 'realm."* But, as a judicious writer observes, § it seems to have been a maxim in this and the last reign, that no faith is to be kept with parliaments. The papists were apprized of the reasons of state that obliged the king to comply outwardly with what he did not really intend; and therefore, though his majesty directed a letter to his archbishop [Dec. 15, 1625,] to proceed against popish recusants, and a proclamation was published to recal the English youths from popish seminaries, little regard was - paid to them. The king himself released eleven Romish priests out of prison, by special warrant the next day; the titular bishop of Chalcedon, by letters dated June 1, 1625, appointed a popish vicar-general and archdeacons all over England, whose names were published in the year 1643.‡ * Rushworth, p. 173. § Rapin. Fuller tells us, that this titular bishop of Chalcedon, whose name was Smith, appeared in his pontificalibus in Lancashire, with his mitre and erosier. This was an evident proof, that the catholics presumed on the indulgence and connivance, if not the protection of the court. To shew which, the fact is brought forward by Mr. Neal; whose candor in this matter Dr. Grey impeaches, because he does not inform his reader, that the king issued a proclamation for apprehending this Romish agent. But it seems to have escaped Dr. Grey's attention, that a proclamation not issued till the 11th of December, 1628, and not then, till drawn from him by a petition of both houses against recusants,can have little weight against the imputation on the king, which this fact is alledged to support. Rushworth's Collections, vol. i, p. 511. Ed. Rushworth, p. 158-9, and Fuller's Church History, b. xi, p. 132-3. 24 |