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the granting of the Romanist Petitions. part of our empire as Kent or Yorkshire. If the great schism can be cured only by the ascendancy of the Romish Church, and by granting political power to its adherents, the grand schism must be continued. If it can be cured by religious toleration-a paternal governmentequal law-liberal principles of commerce-the gradual progress of knowledge-the prevention of absurd declamation by demagogues and political fanatics-if all these united can render Ireland happy, and heal the great schism, we are justified in anticipating the day when this great object will be accomplished, and Ireland be as peaceful and contented as every other province of the empire.

7th. The Spanish Armada. The Romanists of England, you remind us, armed in defence of the country against Philip, though his armada was blest by the Pope.

When the throne of George III. was endangered by the progress of jacobinical opinions, and the first revolutionary war broke out after the murder of Louis XVI., the gentlemen of England, who usually opposed the measures of the minister of the day, were as desirous to enrol themselves in the army and navy, and in volunteer, and militia, and yeomanry corps, as those who approved from the beginning of the

Many Romanists favoured the Spaniards. 237

principles upon which the war was declared. Would you, therefore, infer that the government and the nation were not endangered by the prevalence of jacobinical principles, when thousands of the people would have hailed the sanguinary Jacobins as their deliverers? So it was with the war with Spain in the reign of Elizabeth. The Romanist noblemen and gentlemen would not see their country ravaged by the Spaniards; and the address which they published at that time is one of the most beautiful, though neglected, compositions of the age. Yet there was still danger to the country, when thousands would have welcomed the Spaniards, with their thumb-screws, and instruments of torture.

You exclaim against the injustice of passing severer laws against the Romanists when the Armada was defeated. The parallel may continue. Our precautions against Jacobinism were redoubled after our success. The Romanists were not unanimous in opposing Philip. Many gentlemen, among whom were Catesby, and others of the fifth of November conspirators, were committed for safety to Wisbeach Castle. And others were required to give security for their good conduct. So, also, many who were known to approve of French

238 General Conclusion respecting Elizabeth.

principles at the beginning of the war, were arrested without trial, and others were vigilantly observed. In times of public danger, when the common safety is the great object, some discretionary power must be granted to a government, which may consequently oppress individuals while it preserves the state.

Thus have I concluded all I now think it necessary to observe on the reign of Elizabeth. It is the most important chapter in your book. It is written with more disingenuousness and sophistry than I should have anticipated, from your apparently manly way of generally meeting an argument. You have omitted to observe in it the state of England and of Europe, the convulsions between the two parties over all the world, and the danger of the Protestants. Your design seems to be to degrade the character, and disapprove the measures, of Elizabeth. You see only severe laws and oppressed Romanists. Your mode of reasoning reminds me of the manner in which our late venerable and amiable Sovereign was proved to have been an enemy to liberty. The Habeas Corpus Act, it was said, was necessary to the liberty of the subject; but George III. suspended the Habeas Corpus Act,-therefore, George III. was the enemy to liberty. So is Elizabeth

Review of the Reign of Elizabeth.

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proved to be a sanguinary persecutor. Restrictive laws concerning religion are contrary to toleration; but Elizabeth passed such laws; therefore Elizabeth was a bigot, and a persecutor. In the former instance, the character of the Jacobin-the union of Revolutionary France with the populace of all countries-the disaffection of the people at home-and all the dangers of the peaceful and well-disposed community are forgotten, for the sake of the suspected and disaffected Jacobins, who were arrested on suspicion, for the safety of the state. In the latter instance, the sanguinary character of the Romanist partisanthe union of the Romish party with the common people throughout Europe-the discontent of the lower classes, who had been supported by the monasteries-and all the terrors of the sober and conscientious Protestant, are forgotten for the sake of the suspected Jesuit, and the disaffected priests, who were arrested for the preservation of the public peace. George the Third and Queen Elizabeth, two of our best, greatest, wisest, and firmest sovereigns; two of the most deserving of the love and veneration of England since the days of Alfred; are degraded by the misrepresentations of two opposite factions, among the basest and worst.

Bedice for proceed to consider the Gunpowder Plc ya would palate the guilt để me rrasquales who were engaged in it, by reminding us if the fair words and pronises if James 1. Es Romanist subjects, on their repeated Sedarations of loyalty and alleglance.

Where are these fair words and promises to be found! After an attentive perusal of your narrative of the transactions to which you refer*, I am unable to discover any sufficient evidence, that one explicit promise was ever made. Your great authority, the Jesuit Father More, has given us assertions, instead of facts and references. When we remember that the King, on his way from Scotland to England, released all prisoners, but those confined for papistry and murder; and that the dislike of the people to the Romanists made them rejoice

* History of the Catholics of England, &c., &c., vol. iii.

228.