The Sun.
London, England, 1819-02-01 00:00:00

LITERA WV REVIEW.

The LIFE of JAMES the SECOND, King of England, litc.;
collected out of Memoirs, writ of his Own Haled: together
with the King's Advice to his Sun, and tie Majesty's
Published from the Original Stuart Manuscript in Cann,'
Ilse, by the Rev. I. S. CLARKE, LL.B. F.K.S. Flisturiu-
papher to the King, &c. eolseato.
These curious Memoirs have been rescued from
Obscurity and probable destruction by the exer-
tions of the PRINCE REGENT; 811,1 it is in obedience
to the contrnaud of his Royal Highness that they
have: been prepared for the press. Considered
either in respect to their important contents, or to
the circutpstanCes in which they appear before the
At odd, they are altogether without a precedent in
lit era•ure—shey are the commentaries of a Sore-
veto) of England on the events of his own time;
and they are published under the auspices of the
Heir Apparent to that Crown which he forfeited.
In almost every circle where this singular piece
of biography is mentioned, the general question
is, what could have been the motive for its pub-
lication? The contents of the svotk itselt afford
satisfactory answer to this questi'db, and iotleed
it would be needless to divine a motive more ho-
nourable than that which is assigned by the learn-
ed Editor in his dedication, viz. that the public
may be enabled to form an opinion of the princi-
ples which influenced, in his own opinion at
least, the counsels and conduct of James the Se-
cond. Jr is evident that the manuscripts have
been carefully selected in reference to this abject,
and at the same time with due respect to the me-
mory of their unfortunate Ant for ; nor should it
escape notice, that the high sanction under which
they are promulgated is a virtue', though tacit
recognition of those constitutional priuciples on
which the House of Hanover accepted the sove-
reignty of these realms.
It is not only in a political view that these
Royal Memoirs are interesting ; they contain a
fond of anecdote and privild detail, of which
hi,toriaes have been long aware, anti which they
have coveted in vain. We might white., the dis-
elosmes respecting the commencement thesecret
negociations of Charles 11. with France ; the cir-
cumstances attending the &Tem.:it: of James 11.
Egon', England, and the enumeration of those vi-
gorous and politic msasures by which that ;Mo-
narch had contributed most effectually in laying
the foundation of the naval supremacy of Great
Miran'. Even to a wiiter of Romance the re-
ek:ll of a lite so chequered by misfortunes might
supply a more varied teted of adventure titan is
usually to be found in any single portion of au-
thentic biography, We are tempted to instance
the account of the battle of Meiston Moor, al-
ready commemorated in song as one of the last
conflicts, in the sunset, or rather the fading twi-
light of chivalry ; " The Lord Birou" here men-
*totted mast have been the first of the Millie, the
ancestor itf " Childs Harold."
" While these things passed where his Majesty
was in person, his armies in the north were un-
successfull ; for Yiek t_ina besieged by the forces
of the rebells in those parts, Prince Rupert drew
together all the troops tale() lie could make in
the neighbouring countries, with resolution to
relieve it ; and the enemy being advertised of his
march towaids them, raised the siege, and drew
off about tour or five miles distance trout the town.
At which time Prince Rupert received a positive
order front his Mejesty to fight them, in persu-
anee of which he sent to the Marquis of New-
castle for all the forces be could spare him out of
Yolk. Thus recruited, he followed the enemy,
anti preased him so very close, that he was
obliged to turn his lace and fight. The day, in
all probability, had been the King's, it the Lord
Biron had punctually obe
yet. his orders, for
Fri; ee Rupert had posted him very advanta-
geously behind a warren and a slough, with po-
sitive .command not to quitt his ground, but
in that posture only to expect' and to receive
there the charge of the -enemy, who, west
of necessity be much disordered in passing
over to him, as being to receive the fire of seven
hundred musketeers it) their advance to him,
which undoubtedly had been very dangerous, if
riot wholly ruinous to them. But instead of main•
teining his post, as he ought in duty to have done,
when the eoetn bad only drawn docee two or
three field-pieces, and with them played upon
him, he suffered himself to be persuaded by Colo-
nel Herrey to march over the mot ass and charge
them, by which inconsiderate action he gave
theta the same advantage which he bad formerly
over them ; for they charging him iu his passage
over the ground already mentioned, he was im-
mediately routed. • Whereupon, though the left
wing, cotnmanded by the Lord Goring, had ac-
tually beaten the eight wing of the Rebells' army,
yet their left, which was led by Cromwell and
David Lesley, after having routed the Lord Blum,
still keeping themselvei &me in a body, easily
forced the Lord Goring out of the field, and de-
stroyed a considerable number of the King's foot.
" Some few days after their victory, they sate
down again before the town, which was surren-
dered to them by the Marquis of Newcastle, who,
besides that he now despaired of relief, had lost
the greatest number of his foot in the late battell.
" lit this manner, that fatall order which was sent
to Piritice Rupert, and his obeying it too strictly,
occasioned not only the loss of the fight, and ratite
town, but drew after it a more unhappy conse-
quence, namely, the loss of the whole kingdom.
For after this battell, which was struck at Mars-
ton Moor, the affairee of his Majesty began visi-
bly to decline, and the rebells having reduced that
part of the country under their command (which
they easily performeA, and in a short time), those
troops which were under the Emir of Manchester
had leisure and opportunity to joyn them, and
with that reinforcement they were encouraged to
fight the second battell of Newberry against the
King, who lost it. And here it will not be amiss
to relate, what has since been averred by a per-
son of quality, who at that time wits in the Re-
bell army before York, that atter they had raised
their siege, their Generalls, who were the Earle
of Manchester, the Lortl Fairfax, and Old Lesley,
were under the greatest consternation imaginable,
as not knowing how to keep their army together;
so that, had they tint been pressed by Prince Rte.
eiert as they were, and compelled to come in a
battell, they must of necessity have separated
withie tone. days at furthest, and ctiii,etitieffily
have 1-:ft him in quiet possession of the country."

FOR THE SUN.

POPD7H CLAIMS.

MR. EDITOR,---I beg to commtmicate for in-
ser,ion in your valuable Journal the subsequent
remarks on the Catholic Question, should they
not ha.,e been anticipated by, and interfere with
the luminous and able discussions of your form&

Correspondents.
I believe, 11Ir. Editor, that the general plea for
Catholic Emaucipatiou is, that the disabilities
under which Papists now labour prevent them from
filling the higher and more important departments
it) the legislation, &c. of this realm. This, they
contend, is deptiving them of the privileges and
immunities which the rest of his Britannic Ma-
jesty's subjects enjoy.
In reply to this, it will only be necessary to no-
tice what the Test Act requires of such subjects ;
and then merely to put the question, will the Ca-
tholics comply with its requisitions ?
The design, purport, and provisions of this Act
ate to protect the Sovereigu, his Throne, and
Prerogatives from future aggressions, the Church
from future attacks, and the Country at large
front intestine broils, anarchy, and bloodshed.—
Fur this put pose it requires the Oath of Supre-
macy, &c. to be taken by every subject previous
to his admission into the higher departments of
the State, &c. Hence the question arises, will-
the Catholics comply with the revisitious of the
Act 3 if so, their present disabilities are at once
removed by their subscription ; it not, it would
be proving ourselves' nitfaithful to our Sovereign,
unjust to our Country and ourseive3, to accede to
their Claims. Here then a question arises as to
expetliency ; not expediency, Mr. Editor, as it
has been falsely asserted and maintained, for
ernaticipat.iig the Catholics from their present dis-
abilities ; but the absolute expediency of their
subscribing to the oaths required previous to
being admitted to a share in the Legislation.
To establish this position, it is only necessary to
take a transient view of the causes and occasion
of the Act. Was it not trom a melancholy re-
view of the black catalogue of crimes which will
for ever indelibly stain the historic page, that it
was it st suggested and arterwards inforced by
legislative authority ? Most decidedly so. Shall
we then unconditionally repeal this Act ? Certainly
not. Unirss they will taithtuny subscribe to the
condi; ions it enjoins ; anti thus evince their honour
as met), their sincerity as Christians, and their
loyalty as subjects. I say faithfully to subscribe,
because I am duly aware of the subterfuges which
their religion affords them.
Besides, Mr. Editor, is it not a pKeposterous
misapplication of terms for any one to style him-
self the subject of that Sovereign whose audio-
city he publicly disavows, and to the legitimacy of
which he . will not subscribe ? Let reason, let
truth, let justice, nay even common-sense answer
the question.
But it is objected by the advocates of Emanci-
pation—tl:at it is wishing and compelling them to
act against their conscience. Let us examine the
validity of this obj-ction. Is it either wish-
ing or compelling a man to act against his
conscience, to require him to comply with what
that conscience, as suggesting what is right, en-
joins ; what the laws, as the guardians of that
right, enforce ; and to which the rest of his Ma-
jesty's subjects, from !he convictions of that con-
science, subscribe ? Certainly not to the wens
conscia rerli Now, Mr Editor, the obvious de-
cisivos tram the preceding remarks are ; that it is
their duty as men, as Christians, and as subjects,
tto subscribe to the conditions proposed. ,
That it is a duty we owe to our King, our
Country, and ourselves, to oppose their claims
until they will so subscribe.

A BRITON.