would look well at court, if he put his conversion 1685. upon these. He came up to complain of the duke of Queensborough. And his brother going to meet him at Ware, he discovered his design to him, who seemed at first much troubled at it but he plied him so, that he prevailed on him to join with him in his pretended conversion, which he did with great shews of devotion and zeal. But when his objections to the duke of Queensborough's administration were heard, they were so slight, that the king was ashamed of them; and all the court justified the duke of Queensborough. A repartee of the marquis of Halifax was much talked of on this occasion. The earl of Perth was taking pains to convince him, that he had just grounds of complaint, and seemed little concerned in the ill effect this might have on himself. The marquis answered him, he needed fear nothing, his faith would make him whole: and it proved so.

of Queens

disgraced.

Before he declared his change, the king seemed The duke so well satisfied with the duke of Queensborough, borough that he was resolved to bring the earl of Perth to a submission, otherwise to dismiss him. But such converts were to be encouraged. So the king, having declared himself too openly to recall that so soon, ordered them both to go back to Scotland; and said, he 'would signify his pleasure to them when they should be there. It followed them down very quickly. The duke of Queensborough was turned out of the treasury, and it was put in commission: and he, not to be too much irritated at once, was put first in the commission. And now it became soon very visible, that he had the secret no more; but that it was lodged between the two bro

1685. thers, the earls of Perth and Melfort. Soon after that, the duke of Queensborough was not only turned out of all his employments, but a design was laid to ruin him. All persons were encouraged to bring accusations against him, either with relation to the administration of the government, or of the treasury. And, if any colourable matter could have been found against him, it was resolved to have made him a sacrifice. This sudden hatred, after so entire a confidence, was imputed to the suggestions the earl of Perth had made of his zeal against popery, and of his having engaged all his friends to stick firm in opposition to it. It was said, there 654 was no need of making such promises, as he had engaged the king to make to the parliament of Scotland: nobody desired or expected them: he only drove that matter on his own account: so it was fit to let all about the king see what was to be looked for, if they pressed any thing too severely with relation to religion.

The king declared against the

tests.

But to leave Scotland, and return to England: the king, after he had declared that he would be served by none but those who would vote for the repeal of the tests, called for the marquis of Halifax, and asked him, how he would vote in that matter. He very frankly answered, he would never consent to it: he thought, the keeping up those laws was necessary, even for the king's service, since the nation trusted so much to them, that the public quiet was chiefly preserved by that means. Upon this the king told him, that though he would never forget past services, yet since he could not be prevailed on in that particular, he was resolved to have all of a piece. So he was turned out. And the earl of

Sunderland was made lord president, and continued 1685. still secretary of state. More were not questioned at that time, nor turned out for it was hoped, that, since all men saw what was to be expected if they should not comply with the king's intentions, this would have its full effect upon those who had no mind to part with their places.

in Ireland.

The king resolved also to model Ireland, so as to Proceedings make that kingdom a nursery for his army in England, and to be sure at least of an army there, while his designs were to go on more slowly in the isle of Britain. The Irish a bore an inveterate hatred to the duke of Ormond: so he was recalled. But, to dismiss him with some shew of respect, he was still continued lord steward of the household. The earl of Clarendon was declared lord lieutenant. But the army was put under the command of Talbot, who was made earl of Tirconnell. And he began very soon to model it anew. The archbishop of Armagh had continued lord chancellor of Ireland, and was in all points so compliant to the court, that even his religion came to be suspected on that account b. Yet, it seemed, he was not thought thoroughpaced. So sir Charles Porter, who was a zealous promoter of every thing that the king proposed, and was a man of ready wit, and being poor was thought a person fit to be made a tool of, was declared lord chancellor of Ireland. To these the king said, he was resolved to maintain the settlement of Ireland. 655 They had authority to promise this, and to act pursuant to it. But, as both the earl of Clarendon and Porter were poor, it was hoped, that they would

a Irish papists, I suppose he means. O.

b False. S.

c False and scandalous. S.

1685. understand the king's intentions, and see through those promises, that were made only to lay men asleep; and that therefore they would not insist too much on them, nor pursue them too far.

The persecution in

France.

But now, before I come to relate the short session of parliament that was abruptly broken off, I must mention one great transaction that went before it, and had no small influence on all men's minds. And since I saw that dismal tragedy, which was at this time acted in France, I must now change the scene, and give some account of my self. When I resolved to go beyond sea, there was no choice to be made. So many exiles and outlawed persons were scattered up and down the towns of Holland, and other provinces, that I saw the danger of going where I was sure many of them would come about me, and try to have involved me in guilt by coming into my company, that so they might engage me into their designs. So I resolved to go to France: and, if I found it not convenient to stay there, I intended to go on to Geneva or Switzerland. I asked the French ambassador, if I might be safe there. He after some days, I suppose after he had writ to the court upon it, assured me, I should be safe there; and that, if the king should ask after me, timely notice should be given me, that I might go out of the way. So I went to Paris. And, there being many there whom I had reason to look on as spies, I took a little house, and lived by my self as privately as I could. I continued there till the beginning of August, that I went to Italy. I found the earl of Mountagued at Paris, with whom I conversed much,

.

d Lord Mountague. O.

A

and got from him most of the secrets of the court, 1685. and of the negotiations he was engaged in. The king of France had been for many years weakening the whole protestant interest there, and was then upon the last resolution of recalling the edict of Nantes. And, as far as I could judge, the affairs of England gave the last stroke to that matter.

to the pro

This year, of which I am now writing, must ever A fatal year be remembered, as the most fatal to the protestant testant relireligion. In February, a king of England declared himself a papist. In June, Charles the elector palatine dying without issue, the electoral dignity went to the house of Newburgh, a most bigoted popish family. In October, the king of France recalled and vacated the edict of Nantes. And in December, the duke of Savoy being brought to it, not only by 656 the persuasions, but even by the threatenings of the court of France, recalled the edict that his father had granted to the Vaudois. So it must be confessed, that this was a very critical year. And I have ever reckoned this the fifth great crisis of the protestant religion.

For some years the priests were every where making conversions in France. The hopes of pensions and preferment wrought on many. The plausible colours that the bishop of Meaux, then bishop of Condom, put on all the errors of the church of Rome, furnished others with excuses for changing. Many thought, they must change at last, or be quite undone: for the king seemed to be engaged to go through with the matter, both in compliance with the shadow of conscience that he seemed to have, which was to follow implicitly the conduct of his confessor, and of the archbishop of