The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-02-18
From Macaulay's History Of Eagidnd.
Titus Oates and Know N othingfsm In I67g
In England.


One Titus Oates, clergyman Of the Church
of Eneland, hal. BY bis disorderly life and
-hstszsdox- doessins, as@s=a- -h;sa ,hs ssa--
cure ei his spiriinal superiors, had been COM
PEELED 10 quit his benefice, and had ever
since led vagrant life. He had once pro-
fsssed himself Roman Catholic, and had
passed some time on the Continent 10 Eng
Iish colleges of The order of Jesus. In those
seminaues he had heard much wild talk
about the best means of bringing England
back to the.-true Church. From hints thus
furnished he constructed hi1eous romance,
resembling rather the dream of sick man
than any Transaction which ever took place
in the real world. The pope, he said, had
Entrusted The government of England to the
Jesuits. The Jesuiis had, by commissions
under the great seal of their society, appoint
ed Catholic ciergymen, noblemen, and gen.
tleman to ell the highest Offices in Church
and Stale. The papists had burned down
London once. They had tried 10 burn it
down again. They we're a. that momeut
planning q scheme for setting fire TO all The
shipping in the Thames. They were TO rise
al the riguai and massacre an their Proies-
tant neighbors. A French army was al the
same time 10 land in Ireland. All the lead
ing statesmen and divines Of England were
to be murdered. Three or four schemes had
been formed for assassinaling the king. He
was 10 be stabbed. He was 10 be poisoned
iu his medicine. He was to be shot with
silver bullets. The public mind was so sore
and excitabIe that these lies readily found
credit with the vulgar; and two events winch
speedily took place led even some reflecting 9
men 10 suspect that the tale, though evidertly
distorted and exaggerated, might have some
foundation.
Edward Coleman, very busy and moi
very honest Roman Catholic iniriguer, had
been among The persons- -aeeuzsd- Scarab
= vas made Tor bis papers. 1t was found that
he had just destroyed the greater part oil
them; but few which had escaped con-
tanned some passages which, 10 minds
strongly prepossessed, might seem TO confirm
the evidence Of Oates. Those passages in-
deed, when candidly construed, appear 10
express Etle more than the hopes which he
posture of affairs, the pfedilectioEs Of Charles,
The still stronger predictions of James, and
the relations existing between the French
and English courts, might naturally excite
iu the mind OF q Roman Catholic strongly
attached 10 the interests of his Church. But
the country was not then inclined TO consirue
the letters of pspis,s candidIy; and !. vas
Urged, with some show OF reason, that If pa
pers which had been passed over as unim-
porant were filled with matter so suspicious,
come great mystery OF iniquiiy mus, kave
been contained in those documents which
had been carefully committed 10 The flames.
A few DAYS later il was known thai Sir
Edmondsbury Godfrey, an eminent justice
Of the peace, who had tsksn The deposilious
Of Oates sgsinst Coleman, bad dissppeased.
Search was made, and Godfrey's corpse vas
found ia field neat London. ID was clear
that he had died ty violence IL was equally
clear thai be bad not been set upon By rob
bsrs. His fate is 10 this day secret. Some
thinkthzi be pesisbed By his own hand ;
some, that be was slain bS privste enemy.
The most improbable supposiilon is, that he