Titular Archbishop of _Dublin_, &c.
That the late King _James_ was induc’d by the _Emissaries_ of _Rome_,
to trample upon the Laws and Liberties of the Subjects of these Three
Kingdoms, there is no body who enjoys the use of their Reason, can
deny. But tho we felt every day new Invasions made upon our Religion
by the same Party of men under the Covert of the _Royal Power and
Prerogative_ (as they call’d it); yet there are to this very day, a
certain incredulous sort of men, who have the folly to tell us, _That
King ~James~ had never the least Design to alter the Religion of these
Kingdoms, or to introduce Popery_.
Among a Thousand Instances to prove that King _James_’s great Design was
_the utter extirpation of the Protestant Religion, and the Restitution_
(as the Papists call it) _of the Catholick one_, There has of late _one_
come to light, which sets the Affair in a Meridian light, beyond all
possibility of doubting; which Instance, and the occasion of its coming
to be known, is as follows.
* * * * *
The Late King upon his arrival in _Ireland_ from _France_, did make as
considerable Steps to overturn the Protestant Religion and Interest
in that Kingdom, as the short time he was there, and the _Decorum_ he
was to carry towards the few Protestants who adher’d to him, could
possibly admit of. A great many Laws made for the safety of the _English_
Protestants, and for keeping out the _Irish_ from the possessions they
had by so many Rebellions justly forfaulted, were rescinded: And, which
was next to giving the final Blow to the Protestant Interest in that
Kingdom, King _James_, in his _Irish_ pretended Parliament, had formally
removed the Fundamental _Charter_, by which the Protestants possest their
Estates; I mean, the Act of Parliament of _Ireland_, called, _The Act of
Settlement_: So it seem’d, there wanted scarce any more to be done, to
restore Popery and Papists for good and all in _Ireland_.
But all this was not able to satisfie the _fiery Zealots_ of the Church
of _Rome_, whom nothing could please, but _a thorough work_, as they
named it. The _Irish Popish Bishops_ meet together in the _Titular
Archbishop of ~Dublin~’s Lodgings_; and with them, _The Provincials
of all the Religious Orders_: And having unanimously agreed to the
following _Address_ or _Memorial_ to be presented to the late King,
then in _Dublin_, they present it to him in a full Body. That King
_James_ received this _Address_ very kindly, was visible in his manner
of treating the Persons that presented it. He told them, _They had never
any reason to doubt of his Zeal for the Catholick Religion; and of his
willingness to sacrifice all that was dear to him upon that account_. And
that he would within a few days acquaint my _Lord Archbishop of Dublin_,
with his Resolutions and Answer to their Address.
What Answer King _James_ returned, we have not yet been able to learn.
But the _Memorial_ it self was found in that King’s _Closet_, after his
leaving _Dublin_; and another Copy of the same, in the _Archbishop_’s
_Lodgings_.
The _Memorial_ it self deserves to be here inserted word by word, as it
is in the _Original_ found in King _James_’s Closet: And it may not be
impertinent to make some short Reflections on each Paragraph, as they lye
in order.
The _Memorial_ runs thus.