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A31237
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To all the Royalists that suffered for His Majesty, and to the rest of the good people of England the humble apology of the English Catholicks.
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Castlemaine, Roger Palmer, Earl of, 1634-1705.
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1666
(1666)
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Wing C1249; ESTC R1297
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10,627
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16
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To all the ROYALISTS that Suffered for His MAJESTY and to the rest of the Good People of England The Humble APOLOGY of the English CATHOLICKS My Lords and Gentlemen THe Armes which Christians can use against Lawful Powers in their Severitie are only Prayers and Teares Now since nothing can equal the infinitie of those we have shed but the Cause viz. â—spenâ— see our dearest friends forsake us we hope is will not offend you if after we have a little 〈◊〉 our eyes we sigh out our complaints to you Wee had spoke much sooner had we not been silent through consternation to see you inflam'd whom with reverence we honour and also to shew our submissive patience which used no slights or tricks to divert the debates of Parliament For no body can imagine where so many of the great Nobilitie and Gentry are concern'd but something might have been done when as in all ages we see things of publick advantage by the managers dexterity nipt in the bud even in the verie Houses themselves Farr be it from Catholicks to perplex Parliaments who have been the Founders of ther Priviledges and all Ancient Laws Nay Magna Charta it self had its rise from us Which we do the less boast of since it was not at first obtained in so submiss and humble a manner We sung our Nunc Demittis when we saw our Master in his Throne and you in your deserved Authority and Rule nor could any thing have ever grieved us more but to have our Loyaltie called into question by you even at the instigation of our greatest adversaries If we must suffer let it be by you alone for that 's a double death to men of Honour to have their Enemies not only accusers but for their insulting Judges also These are they that by beginning with us Murthered their Prince and wounded you and shall the same method continue by your approbation We are sure you mean well though their design be wicked But let it never be â—â—â—â—rded in Story that you forgot your often Vows to us in joyning with them that have been the cause of so great calamitie to the Nation Of all Calumnies against Catholicks we have admired at none so much as that their Principles are said to be inconsinent with Government and they themselves thought ever prone to Rebellion My Lords and Gentlemen Had this been a new Sect not known before something perchance might have been doubted but to lay this at their doors that have governd the Civilized World is the Miracle of Miracles to us Did Richard the first or Edward Longshands suspect his Catholicks that served in Palestine and made our Countries Fame big in the Chronicle of oll ages or did they mistrust in their dangerous absence their Subjects at home because they were of this profession Could Edward the 3 d. imagine those to be Traytorous in their Doctrine that had that care and duty for their prince as to make them by Statute guilty of death in the highest degree that had the least thought of ill against the King Be pleased that Henry the 5 th be remembred also who did those wonders of which the whole world doe still resound and certainly all History will agree in this that 't was Olâ—-Castle he feared and not those that believed the Bishop of Râ—me to be Head of the Church We will no longer trouble you with putting you in mind of any more of our mighty Kings who have been feared abroad and as safe at home as any since the Reformation of Religion We shall only add this that if Popery be the enslaving of Princes France still believes it selfe as absolute as Dâ—nmaâ—k or Sweden nor will ever the House of 〈◊〉 abjure the Pope to secure themselves of the fidelity of their Subject We shall alwaies acknowledge to the whole world that there have been as many brave English in this last Centurie as in any other place whatsoever Yet since the exclusion of the Catholick Faith there has been that committed by those who would be faine called Protestants that the wickedest Papist at no time dreamt of 'T was never heard of before that an absolute Queen was condemned by Subjects and those stiled her Peers or that a King was publiquely tried and executed by his own people and servants My Lords and Gentlemen We know who were the Authors of this last abomination and how generously you strove against the raging torrent nor have we any other ends to remember you of it but to show that all Religions may have a corrupted spawn and that God has been pleased to permit such a Rebellion which our Progenitors never saw to convince you perchance whom for ever may he prosper that Popery is not the only sourse of Treason Little did we think when your prayers and ours were offered up to beg a Blessing on the Kings Affairs ever to see that day in which Carlos Gâ—fford Whitgrave and the Pendress should be punished by your desires for that Religion which obliged them to save their forlorne Prince and a stigmatized man for his offences against King and Church a chief promoter of it Nay less did we imagine that by your Votes Huâ—leston might be hang'd who again secured our Soveraigne and others free in their fat possessions that sate as Judges and Sealed the Execution of that great Prince of Happy Memory We confess we are unfortunate and you just Judges whom with our lives we will ever maintain to be so nor are we ignorant the necessity of affairs made both the King and you do things which formerly you could not so much as fancy Yet give us leave to say we are still Loyal nay to desire you to believe so and to remember how synonimous under the late Rebellion was the word Papist and Cavaleer for there was never no Papist that was not deemed a Cavaleer nor no Cavaleer that was not called a Papist or at least judged to be Popishly affected We know though we differ something in Religion the truth of which let the last day judge yet none can agree with your Inclinations or are fitter for your converse then We for as we have as much birth amongst us as England can boast of so our breeding leanes your way both in Court and Camp And therefore had not our late sufferings united us in that firm tye yet our like humours must needs have joyn'd our hearts If we err pitty our condition and remember what your great Ancestors were and make some difference between us that have twice converted England from Paganism and those other Sects that can challenge nothing but intrusion for their imposed Authority But 't is generally said That Papists cannot live without persecuting all other Religions within their reach We confess where the name of Protestant is unknown the Catholick Magistrates believing it erroneous do use all caâ—e to keep it out Yet in those Countries where liberty is given they have far more Privileges then we under any reform'd
Government whatsoever To be short we will only instance France for all where they have publick Churches where they can make what Proselytes they please and where 't is not against Law to be in any charge or imployment Now Holland which permits every thing gives us 't is true our Lives and Estates but takes away all trust in Rule and leaves us also in danger of the Scout whensoever he pleases to molest our Meetings Because we have named France the Massacre will perchance be urged against us But the world must know that was a Cabinet Plot condemned as wicked by Catholick Writers there and of other Countries also Besides it cannot be thought they were murthered for being Protestants since 't was their powerful Rebellion let their faith have been what it would that drew them into thaâ— ill macâ—inated destruction May it not be as well said in the next Catholick Kings raign that the Duke of Guise and Cardinal Heads of the League were kill'd for their Religion also Now no body is ignorant but 't was their factious Authority which made that jealous Prince design their Deaths though by unwarrantable means If it were for Doctrine that Hugonots suffer'd in France this haughty Monarch would soon destroy them now having neither Force nor Town to resist his Might and Puissance They yet live free enough being even Members of Parliament and may convert the Kings Brother too if he thinks fit to be so Thus you see how well Protestants may live in a Popish Country under a Popish King Nor was Chaâ—lemaine more Catholick then this for though he contends sometimes with the Pope 't is not of Faith but about Gallicane Privileges which perchance he may very lawfully do Judge then worthy Patriots who are the best used and consider our hardship here in England where 't is not only a Fine for hearing Mass but death to the Master for having a Priest in his House and so far we are from Preserment that by Law we cannot come within 10. miles of London All which we know your great mercy will never permit you to exact It has been often urged that our Misdemeanours in Queen Elizabeths and King James his time was the cause of our punishment We earnestly wish that the Party had had more patience under that Princess But pray consider though we excuse not their faults whither it was not a question harder then that of York and Lancaster the cause of a War of such length and death of so many Princes who had most right Queen Elizabeth or Mary Stewart For since the whole Kingdom had Crown'd and sworn Allegiance to Queen Mary they had own'd her legitimate Daughter to Henry the Eighth and therefore 't was thought necessarily to follow by many that if Mary was the true Child Elizabeth was the Natural which must needs then give way to the thrice noble Queen of Scots 'T was for the Royal House of Scotland that they suffered in those days and 't is for the same Illustrious Family we are ready to hazard all on any occasion Nor can the consequence of the former proceedure be but ill if a Hen. 8. â—h whom Sir VV. Rawleigh and my Lord Cherbury two fâ—mous Protestants have so homely characterized should after twenty years co-habitation turn away his Wife and this out of scruple of Conscience as he said when as History declares that he never spared woman in his lust nor man in his fury Now for the Fifth of November with hands lifted up to Heaven we abominate and detest and from the bottom of our hearts say that may they fall into irrecoverable perdition who propagate that faith by the blood of Kings which is to be planted in truth and meekness only But let it not displease you Men Brethren and Fathers if we aâ—k whether Vlisses be no better known or who has forgot the Plots of Cromwell framed in his Closet not only to destroy many faithfull Cavileers but also to put a lustre upon his Intelligence as if nothing could be done without his knowledge Even so did the then gâ—eat Minister who dâ—ew some few Desâ—eâ—adâ—â—s into this conjuration and then discover'd it by a miracle This will easily appear viz. how little the Catholick party understood the design seeing there were not a score of guilty found though all imaginable industry was used by the Commons Lords and Privy Counsil too But suppose my Lords and Gentlemen which never can be granted that all the Papists of that age were consenting Will you be so severe then to still punish the Children for the Fathers faults nay such Children that so unanimously joyn'd with you in that glorious quarrel wherein you and we underwent such sufferings that needs we must have all sunk had not our mutual love assisted What have we done that we should now deserve your Anger Has the Indiscretion of some few Incenst you 'T is true that is the thing Objected Do not you know an Enemy may easily mistake a Mass-Bell for that which calls to Dinner or a Sequestrator glad to be affronted being Constable when 't was the hatred to his person and not present office which perchance egg'd a rash man to folly We dare with submission say let a publick invitation be put up against any party whatsoever nay against the Reverend Bishops themselves some malicious informer or other will alledge that which may be far better to conceal Yet all Mankind by a Manifesto on the House door are encouraged to accuse us Nor are they upon Oath though your Enemies and ours take all for granted and true It cannot be imagined where ther 's so many men of heat and youth overjoy'd with the happy Restauration at their Prince and remembring the Insolencies of the former Grandees that they should all at all times prudently carry themselves for this would be to be more then men And truly we esteem it as a particular blessing that God has not suffer'd many through vanity or frailty to fall into greater faults then are yet as we understand laid to our charge Can we choose but be dismay'd when all things fail that extravagant Crimes are fathered on us It is we that must be the Authors some say of Fireing the City even we that have lost so vastly by it Yet truly in this our ingenuity is great since we think it no Plot though our Enemy an Hâ—â—gâ—not Protestant acknowledged the fact and was justly executed for his vain Conâ—ession Again if a Merchant of the Church of England buy Knives for the business of his Trade this also presently is a Papist contrivance to destroy the well affected We must a little complain finding it by experience that by reason you discountenance us the People rage and again because they rage we are the more forsaken by you Assured we are that our Conversation is affable and our Houses so many hospitable receipts to our Neighbors Our acquaintance therefore we fear at no time but it is the stranger we dread