We live in an Age wherein some people have the Impudence to deny things
of themselves as clear as the Sun in its Mid-day Light. Go and enquire
of the _Roman_-Catholicks in _France_, and other Popish Countries, they
will make no bones to confess freely, That two years ago, _they had the
greatest Grounds possible to have hop’d for the Establishment of the
Catholick Religion, and the utter Extirpation of what they call Heresie,
through the Three Kingdoms of ~England~, ~Scotland~, and ~Ireland~_. But
at the same time, go and enquire the opinion of some among our selves
at home, that call themselves Protestants, in this point they will
confidently tell you, _There was never any such Change designed_. These
people must either be strangely stupid, or must from some one reason or
other find themselves oblig’d to dissemble a thing that cannot, that will
not be hid. The _Memorial_ I have before given a particular Copy of, is a
proof of such a Design, as _to change Religion in ~Ireland~_; and such a
proof, as there can be no clearer given for any thing in the world: But
I have thought fit in this Postscript to give another evidence as clear
as the former; but an Evidence that proves not only a design to overturn
the Protestant Religion in _Ireland_ alone, but likewise in the other Two
Kingdoms of this Island: And that is, _A Memorial given in by ~Monsieur~
the Duke of ~Chaulnes~, Ambassador Extraordinary for the ~French~ King,
to this present Pope_, very soon after his coming to the Papacy. The
_Memorial_ it self is to be found in several of their Papers now printed
at _Rome_ and other places of _Italy_, on the occasion of the present
Transactions betwixt the Court of _France_, and that of _Rome_; and the
Copy whence I take it, is the _Italian Mercury of Venice, Numb. 1012_.
The _Memorial_ is there mentioned at full length, and refers to a great
many other Heads, than what I need here to mention. I shall only copy
from the Original, those parts of it that concern the Affairs of King
_James_, or of the _French_ King as his Ally and Confederate.
The Memorial is thus.
_The Memorial and Representation made to our most Holy Father
the Pope, by His Excellency ~Charles de Albert~, Duke of
~Chaulnes~, and Peer of ~France~, Ambassador Extraordinary,
and Plenipotentiary from His most Christian Majesty, to His
Holiness, in Name and Behalf of His most Serene Majesty, His
Master_.
_His Excellency does most unwillingly, and with the most inward Grief,
put His Holiness in mind of the sad and unhappy Consequences that have
arisen to the Catholick Church, by the unnecessary and ill-tim’d
mistakes entertain’d by the late Pope ~Innocent II.~ of the most Serene
King his Master. What dismal effects they have produc’d, all ~Europe~
feels at this day with regret_.
_The most Serene King his Master has done all in him lies to deserve
the name of the Eldest Son of the Church. And by breaking into pieces
that ~Hydra~ of Heresie, which had in his own Kingdom for above an Age,
trampled upon all that was Sacred, he might have justly expected better
Returns of his Zeal for the Catholick Religion, than he did meet with
from the then Head of the Church. It was not only in his own Kingdom,
that his most Serene Master did use his utmost Power and Interest to root
out Heresie, and to establish the true Ancient, Catholick, and Apostolick
Religion; but his Aims and Influence went farther; and unless the late
Pope ~Innocent II.~ had wilfully obstructed his Designs by an untimous
and needless Breach betwixt him and the Crown of ~France~, the state of
Christendom, and of the Catholick Church, had been far better than it is
at this day. All this his Excellency does not represent to his Holiness
out of any design to cast Dust on the Ashes of his Predecessor; for as
the most Christian King his Master suffered as much as ever Prince in his
Circumstances and Quality did, from the late Pope, and that without doing
any action unbecoming a true Eldest Son of the Church towards the common
Father and Head thereof; so he resolves for ever to banish from himself,
and bury in oblivion the remembrance of these things._
Here the _French_ Ambassadour does very fairly confess as a great Honour
to his Master, _That it was not in his own Kingdom only, that he us’d
his Interest to root out Heresie; but that his Aims and Influence went
further; and if the late Pope’s breach with him had not hindered, The
state of the Catholick Church had been far better than it is now at this
day_. What can be more plain than this? And where could the _French
Designs and Influence to root out Heresie_, be more effectual and more
probable to lie, than in _England_, at that time under the Reign of a
Prince as zealous a _Romanist_ as himself, and in the nearest conjunction
with him in all ties of _Friendship and Alliance_.
The rest of the _Memorial_ contains a great many other particulars
relating to the Pretensions of the _French_ King, and Disputes between
him and the late Court of _Rome_: And therefore it’s needless here to
mention them. Only in the end He has this other Article relating to the
Affairs of _England_, which runs thus.
_His Excellency humbly intreats his Holiness to consider in his Fatherly
Care and Zeal, the horrid and inexpressible prejudice the Catholick
Church has received by the fatal disappointment all her Sons have met
with in the misfortune of his Britannick Majesty; And that just at the
very instant of time, we were to expect all good and great things for
the Catholick Church from that King’s Zeal and Affections to it. So
that unless speedy course be taken for that King’s Re-establishment,
not only all the joint Designs for the suppression of Heresie will fall
to the ground; but the Catholicks of those Kingdoms will be in the
saddest condition possible. And the Holy Church depriv’d of those great
Kingdoms_, &c.
Here is as fair a Confession as ever was made _of a disappointment the
Romish Church met with in the late King’s Misfortune, and how great
things that Party expected from King ~James~ his Zeal for the ~Romish~
Church: and in fine, of joint Designs for the suppression of Heresie_.
And after this, I would fain know who can doubt of our Intended Ruine,
and that of our Religion, if the late happy Revolution had not fallen out?
_FINIS._
_BOOKS Printed for ~Richard Baldwin~._
A True Relation of the Cruelties and Barbarities of the _French_, upon
the _English_ Prisoners of War. Being a Journal of their Travels from
_Dinan_ in _Britany_, to _Thoulon_ in _Provence_; and back again. With a
Description of the Situation, and Fortifications of all the Eminent Towns
upon the Road, and their Distance. Of their Prisons and Hospitals, and
the number of men that died under their Cruelty: With the Names of many
of them, and the Places of their Deaths and Burials: With an Account of
the great Charity and Sufferings of the Poor Protestants of _France_:
And other material Things that hapned upon the way. Faithfully and
Impartially Performed by _Richard Strutton_, being an Eye-witness, and
Fellow-sufferer.
The secret History of the Dutchess of _Portsmouth_: Giving an Account of
the Intreagues of the Court, during her Ministry. And of the Death of K.
C. II.
The Memoirs of Monsieur _Deagant_; containing the most secret
Transactions and Affairs of _France_, from the Death of _Henry_ IV. till
the beginning of the Ministry of the Cardinal _de Richlieu_. To which
is added, A Particular Relation of the Archbishoprick of _Embrun’s_
Voyage into _England_, and of his Negotiation for the Advancement of the
Roman-Catholick Religion here; together with the Duke of _Buckingham’s_
Letters to the said Archbishop, about the Progress of that Affair: Which
hapned the last Years of King _James_ I. his Reign. Faithfully Translated
out of the _French_ Original.
The Cabinet Open’d: or, The Secret History of the Amours of Madam _de
Maintenon_, with the _French_ King. Translated from the _French_ Copy.
The Character of a Trimmer. His Opinion of I. The Laws and Government.
II. Protestant Religion. III. The Papists. IV. Foreign Affairs. By the
Honourable Sir _W. Coventry_. The Third Edition carefully Corrected, and
cleared from the Errors of the First Impression.
An Impartial Relation of the Illegal Proceedings against St. _Mary
Magdalen_ Colledge in _Oxon_, in the Year of our Lord 1687. Containing
only Matters of Fact as they occurred. The Second Edition. To which is
added the most Remarkable Passages omitted in the former. Collected by a
Fellow of the said Colledge.