The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-15

The Papel Reaction under James II.
In the reign of James the Second,
awakening drought and half-won free
dom seemed about to yield again to the
Roman yoke for to the Papacy the
royal house was absolutely committed.
1t was believed by many, it was known
by a few, that King Charles H., before
the close of his profigate career, had
become formally reconciled with Rome;
and that on his death-bed February,
1885, Romish priest, surreptitiously
introduced, had administered to him
the last rites of his church. King
James the Second, brother and success
OF of Charles, although distinctly de-
claring, at the outset of his reign, that
he would not interfere with the Pro-
testant religion, made no secret of his
own faith. Chapels for the celebration
of mass were fitted up at Whitehall
and at st. James's; and through great
folding doors thrown open, all the
courtiers might see their monarch at
his devotions. 1t was forbidden to the
Anglican clergy to preach against
Popery; Sherlock, Master of the Tenn
pie, being suspended and his pension
stopped for disobedience to the iDjunc-
ton. The Kings own letters Of this
period show decisively that it was his
intention to establish Popery in Great
Britain, or, in the words Of Sir James
Macintosh, that James ''meditated no
less than to transfer to his own relig-
ion the privileges of the Established
church."
The friendship of the King with
Louis XIV. of France was another
source of anxiety to English Protest
tants. In 1885 the Edict of Nantes
had been revoked; and terrible perse-
cution of the Huguenots had ensued.
Many of these had found a refuge in
England, and the bishops had directed
a general collection on their behalf.
The King authorized the collection,
but stipulated that in announcing it
the clergy should forbear from enforc-
ing it by any argument or appeal
Happily, the expedient for paraly zing
the effort proved unsuccessful; and the
contribution was large beyond proceed
emit. That James and Louis understood
each other is very evident. Barillon,
the ambassador of the latter, wrote to
the French king: 1.-THE Earl of Sunder-
land" (James's chief minister) ''said to
me: i do not know if they see things
in France as they are here, but I defy
those who see them near, not to know
that the King, my master has nothing
so much at heart as to establish the
Catholic religion"
In 1857 the Papal Nuncio, Monsig-
nor d'Adda, was received by King
James with exaggerated and ostenta-
tious homage. Even the Spanish ann
hassador; cautioned the Eis-6S against
Assx.is iaiah.-l- James replied, SIS
it not the usage in Spain that kings
consult their confessors2" "Y es, sire"
replied the ambassador, land hence it
is that our affairs go SO badly" Nor
was the bold Spaniard alone in his
frankness. The young Duke Of Som
erset, groom Of the chamber, to whom
the commission had been given formal
ly to introduce the envoy to the King,
begged to be excused, lest he should
seem to break the law. do you not
know" said the King, "that 1 am
above the law?"-"Your majesty may
be-" replied the Duke, ''but am not"
The reply cost the nobleman his place.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE UNIVERSITIES.
In February, 1857, royal mandate
was sent to the University of Cam
bridge, directing that one AIban Fran
els, Benedictine monk, should be
admitted to the M. A. degree. The
Vice Chancellor, DR.. Pechell, Master
of Magdalen College, required the
Benedictine to take the customary
oaths. The monk refused, and appeal
ed to the King. 1t is piteous to read
the letter of the frightened Vice-Chan-
cellor to Samuel Pepys: worthy sir,
tits extraordinary distress and affection
to me, after so much endeavor and af-
lection to his royal person, crown and
succession, l should at last, by the
providence of God, in this my station
be exposed to his displeasure!" But
both parties were firm. The High
Commissioner, with Jeffreys at the
head, pronounced sentence of depriva-
ton on DIR. Pechell, while the other
members of the Senate, including Isaac
Newton, were dismissed by Lord Chan
cellor Jeffreys with the words:-'I
shall say to you what the Scriptures
say, and rather because most of you
are divines: Go, and sin no more, lest
a worse thing come unto you"
From Cambridge the King turned to
Oxford, with which university he
probably thought it easier to deal;
papist dean, as we have already said,
had already been installed at Christ
church, and now Obadiah Walker. |