would not formally or publicly thank the king for it. The French refugees were in a similar dilemma, besides having the desire to give every expression of gratitude to the king of the hospitable island for the national hospitality asked, accepted, and enjoyed by them. In order to promote just and thoughtful sentiments among them, Dr. Wake translated and published “A Letter from several French Ministers, fled into Germany upon account of the Persecution in France, to such of their Brethren in England, as approved the King’s Declaration touching liberty of conscience.” I am indebted to old Anthony a Wood for this transcript of the title-page;[1] if my endeavours to find the pamphlet had been successful, I might have culled some interesting specimens of its contents.
The British people were tortured with apprehensions of impending religious tyranny and persecution during the three years and a half of King James’ regime. Their alarms were strengthened by their observation of events in France, consequent on the bloody fanaticism of Louis XIV., and viewed with evident satisfaction by James. Their thoughts found fit expression in the “Memorial from the English Protestants for their Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Orange.” I quote the paragraphs which exhibit a parallel between France and England as to evil designs upon the Protestant people:—
“We need not remember your Highnesses, that these attempts and endeavours to subvert our liberty, in our religion and government, is a part of that general design that was formed and concluded on, many years since, in the most secret councils of the Popish Princes, chiefly managed by the Jesuits, to root out of all Europe the profession of the Protestant Reformed Religion and the Peoples’ liberties. We will not mention the notorious actual prosecutions of that Popish Resolution in several kingdoms and dominions,[2] nor the treacherous falseness of those princes in their treaties, agreements, and oaths, nor the oppressions and bloodshed and all kinds of unrighteousness that have been practised by them in order to that general great design. The instance alone of the French King is enough to be named instead of all, because he hath owned and published to the whole world his part in that design, and by comparing the violences, banishments, and murders done upon the protestants at the same time by other Popish Princes (as they were able) with his public confessions of his long-laid design, we may make a true judgment of the whole.
“The French King by his Edict of 1685 hath declared that he entered into that design from his coming to his crown; and it appears by his Edict[3] then prepared and agreed by his council of conscience, that all his renewed Edicts in the Protestants’ favour, his acknowledging and registering in Parliament their great services for him, and his advancement of many of them to the highest dignities, military and civil, in his kingdom, were done to flatter and deceive them. He calls God to be witness of his designs and resolutions at that time to abolish their religion by degrees, and that he only attended his fit opportunity for that great work, as it’s called by our King and by that Edict.
“In that interim of his seeming kindness to the Protestants, and solemn professions to them and [to] some of the Protestant princes, for the observing faithfully the Law and Edict of Nantes, that was like the French Protestants’ great charter, — there were all possible secret contrivances and practices to prepare for that great work, especially in England that hath long been the head of the Reformed Religion and the chief terror of the French King and [of] the Popish world. He shewed his fear of the people of England when he barbarously banished his now Majesty and the late king in their distress rather than displease Cromwell. He therefore applied his principal councils and endeavours to distract and weaken the Protestants of England, and to persuade and assist the late king covertly to increase and strengthen the Popish party. . . .
“It hath also been manifest to the world, that all kinds of devices and artifices that the Jesuits’ councils could invent were, about the same years, used to pervert the faith and religion of the United Provinces, or to betray them into the French King’s power, or at least a dependance upon him.
“’Tis now notorious to the world, that an agreement was made, between the French King and his late Majesty of England, to subdue and divide those Provinces, that they might no more be either a support or refuge for the Protestants. . . .
“Our late King and his ministers and counsellors concurred in all the secret practices and contrivances to weaken the power of the Protestants, and to suffer the greatness, glory, and terror of the French King to be advanced; but he durst never openly and avowedly join with him in the great work against the Protestant religion, for fear of his Protestant . subjects, he having deluded them with so many solemn protestations of his faithfulness to their religion and their liberty. The French King found, by experience, that the Parliament had prevailed with our King to break all the measures they had taken together for the destruction of the- ↑ Athenae Oxonienses, vol. ii. 1060 (Art. William Wake).
- ↑ "That is, in France, the Dukedom of Savoy, the Kingdom of Poland, and many others."
- ↑ '"Tis fit to see in that Edict, prepared as it’s published, the opinion they have of Protestants, that they are deemed uncapable of having any right to claim the benefit of the treaties, promises, or oaths, made to them by Papists."
