A LETTER Farther and more fully Evidencing the Kings stedfastnesse in THE Protestant Religion Written by Mounsier de l'Angle Minister of the Protestant Church at Roven in FRANCE to a Friend of his in LONDON London Printed by A.W. for Joshua Kirton at the Queens Arms in St. Pauls Church-Yard 1660. THe reverend Author judgeing it fit and to good purpose to publish this Letter of his in France both for the comforts and undeceiving of the Protestants of that Nation in that great scandal cast on the King of England as inclining to the Church of Rome which scandal though it be now fully cleared and made evident as our Author saith that it came from Hell so that it might seem to no purpose to publish any farther vindication of his Majesty herein Yet the same reasons mentioned before for publishing of the original together with the gravity of the Author who is one of the ancientest Preachers in France and the fulness of the Letter wherein are many things not commonly known were strong inducements for publishing this translation whereby all true English men and Protestants may also receive much comfort and all prejudice removed from their hearts who in the least doubt of the sincerity of the King concerning the Religion he professeth A Letter of M. de l'Angle Divine to a friend concerning the Religion of the Serene King of England SIR TOgether with all known good men I praysed God when I understood the proceedings in Engl. tended to the re-establishment of your King and again I glorify'd him for the evidence appears that he will have compassion on that miserable Kingdom long known to me and whereas you well know I did for some years preach the Gospel to a people that lov'd me and in whom I observ'd much of piety 'T is true the people whereof the state at present is compos'd make up a various coloured garment which God in his Law allows not of And this prodigious compound of Frogs and Grashoppers that is the Sectaries which cover allmost all England made me feare the wrath of God would not long forbear this desolate Nation But God who is rich in mercy who for the sake of ten righteous would have pardoned Sodom hath yet more inclination to pardon his Hierusalem for the pious multitude in the mid'st of it who sincerely love God and by whom his holy name is called on especially I had a confidence that first or last the Presbyterians those who at present make the strongest party in great Britain would by examples of loyalty when God should afford them opportunity clear themselves of the infamy they are blasted wiâ—h for being complices in the death of King Charles of blessed and glorious memory And that to those of our Religion would be restored the glory Cardinal Ossat in one of his Epistles ingeniously acknowledgeth our due that is never to have attempted the life of our Soveraignes how cruel so ever they have been to us and notwithstanding the massacres upon those of our Religion by their orders these or such like are the Cardinals own words Whereupon Sir I shall tell you that discoursing some dayes since with a person of Judgement and one fearing God of the state of your affairs and particularly of those affairs in this conjuncture so cross for the King that seem to obstruct his re-establishment we concluded that amongst others two grand Obstacles concurr'd to hinder it which would infallibly succeed could they be taken away The first is the apprehension that the Presbyterians who only are capable to bring this about in behalf of the Church and State may have that the King distastes them holding them guilty of the parricide of the King his Father as some have endeavoured to perswade him some out of malice to foment an irreconcilible misunderstanding betwixt the King and his best Subjects and so to order it that they may never hereafter have confidence in each other Others out of unadvisedness being misinform'd in the reality of that said story as the late Salmasius in his Apologie for the King of England where this great person exasperates himself with a false generosity when he declares he was not born for compliance whereof no man ever suspected him and that he spares neither brother nor best friend where he finds them deviated from their duty The other obstacle we judged to withstand the Kings re-establishment is a perswasion that the enemies of Protestant Religion and the King of England have sowed amongst many that the King is not of the Religion he professeth but that he concurs with Rome wherewith he hath private engagements in a word that he is a Papist To take away the first obstacle I shew'd this good man a letter I sometime wrote to Salmaslus of whom I spake concerning his Apologie which he did me the honour to send me In this letter where I shew'd him that as Jacob said to Reuben his first-born Gen 49. he was unstable as water and should not excel I have so evidently clear'd the Presbyterians of the injury he did them and with reasons so considerable that the person to whom I communicated them thought it fit the letter should be published whereto I willingly consented judging the Letter would come forth to purpose and in season But the posture wherein at present I view them and the affection they testifie to their Prince justifies them above all the reasons I alleadg'd and if their great and glorious designe succeeds as the reformed Churches in all parts of the Wrold evidently pray like Moses lifting up their hands till God makes this happy day shine from above their innocense will appear so manifest that Calumny it self will not dare to attempt it For what man of reason sees not that if their hearts condemn'd them and that they were conscious of this crying sin they would not be cautious of procuring the Kings return since they must needs have cause to fear he should retain an immortal resentment and though for a time finding their party as the sons of Zerviah too strong and potent for him he dissembles the indignation conceiv'd in his heart they must alwaies think he would make them feel the effects when time should favour him And this argument is confirmed by the example of the Sectaries who fearing their hands should be found stain'd with the blood that cries so loud apprehend the Kings re-establishment as a sad day for them when this Prince may treat them in such termes as he of whom the Scripture tells us did those who revolted from their obedience and that in his just resentments he saith not Bring me hither these my enemies which would not that I should raign over them Though to deale ingeniously I believe their fear will be their only punishment and I am confident he is a Prince who will do by his subjects as Joseph did by his bretheren and as he had respect to the desires of his dying father Jacob to pardon his bretheren and not
present at the divertisements of these two great Princes and in familiar conversations one may best discover a man and know his waies I know again with what indignation he receiv'd the Earle of Bristol not long after his revolt This Lord is a person of a great wit and high courage but I leave it to himself to decide if his conscience hath walk'd in as gracefull a posture as the other two faculties whether he finde it very tender in matters of Religion I will think the best I may and will not despair but God may recal him and grant him mercy but I should make a very sinister Judgement if he were such as he is character'd for I have been told he is a man can change Religion as his clothes not alwaies for the better but the more necessary and convenient Howsoever it is I understood when he went hence he address'd himself to the King after his usual manner but was much amaz'd when the King sharply reprehended him for the scandal he had given and gave him to understand he was not pleas'd to see him in his traine or family since he was not a domestick of the Faith I had almost forgotten one passage that may assure you the King is sensible of this Article of Religion and that he is not satisfied to believe to righteousnesse in his heart but he will have the world to know him for what he is and that he will make Confession with the mouth to Salvation You are not unacquainted with la Milletiere and the vanities of that person some yeares since he had the boldnesse to addresse one of his works to the King of England wherein he discours'd with this Prince as if there had been some great intelligence betwixt them and as if he had been upon the point to revolt But the King in indignation shew'd him the boldnesse of his enterprize the vanity of his hopes and the impertinency of his reasons by a learned Treatise he caused the Bishop of London-Derry to compose since translated into French by one of ours But Sir after the History of the Duke of Gloucester I suppose there can remain no suspicion of this Prince his Religion it may be you know the particulars as well as I but truely I had the relation from the mouth of Monsieur Durel who had it from the Governour of that little Prince Here then I shall deliver what I know The Jesuits had a designe to gain this Prince for which purpose they sound a way to have his Governour discharged In pursuance whereof they made many assaults upon his Religion they shew'd him a thousand glorious hopes they promised him the most important dignities of the Church should court him assured him the Abbey of S. Dennis the Archbishoprick of Rheims and a Cardinal's cap. Briefly these Gentlemen assured him he should be so rich he should be able to restore the King his brother to his throne but God assisted this Prince in an extraordinary manner and for the reproach of Christ whom he took for his portion he generously despis'd the treasures of Egypt Wherefore the Jesuits carried him from place to place as the Devil heretofore did our Lord to tempt him First to Pontoise to a seminary of Jesuites where God gave him grace to withstand strong assaults and by the strength of his spirit wherewith he ever assisted this excellent Prince who was not then above ten or twelve years of age he remained victorious over his potent enemies who now resolv'd to bring him back to Paris like Balaam that view'd the people of God on all sides to finde a prize for his charmes But all this succeeded not God every where protected this illustrious Infant and God gave him that wisdom from above which the World cannot resist and God that permits not his to be tempted beyond their strength delivered him from temptation for the King of England understanding by the banished Governour his brothers condition sent Marquiss Ormond speedily to his relief who took him out of this dangerous way by the Queens orders who had the goodness to give way to the pleasure of the King of England her son and caused the Duke of Glocester to be remitted into the hands of the Marquiss who brought him back to the King since which time he hath taken care for his education and confirm'd him in the knowledge of the truth Can there Sir be any thing more strong and evident to assure you the King is not only a Protestant by profession but that he professes it with zeale and that he beleeveth it the only way to salvation since he was so tenderly touch'd when he was inform'd they would pervert his brother And if the Religion of the King of England had been no more then formality and countenance the advantage he might have hop'd for in his brothers change might have brought him to consent since he might have pretended he had no hand in it and have say'd that being so many leagues distant though Kings have long armes he could not if he would stretch his so far to hinder his brothers fall But we are to make answer to what his enemies alleadg to prove the King of England of the Roman Religion 1. He was say they brought up with Charles the late King his father who gave him the first seasoning 2. While he was at Paris he never came to a Sermon at Charenton 3. He was seen in the Jesuits house at Antwerp At Paris and in other places he was seen at Vespers 4. Then they make a great noise of this that they of the Roman Church conceive great hopes in the reestablishment of this Prince and that the Jesuites and Monkes boast alowd they shall see the Popes authority flourish again and Masse in more credit in England then ever But Sir I suppose you beleive that none but the weak and malicious will give credit to such feeble reasons whereof some are altogether false and blasphemous others conclude nothing they undertake and the rest conclude contrary to the intention of the alleadgers The first of these wicked Arguments which is the education of this Prince in the Roman Religion by the late King his father is the most notorious calumny that ever was which to falshood couples Blasphemy against the Powers St. Jude and to falshood and blasphemy barbarousnesse and cruelty beyond example For was there ever greater cruelty then not to be satisfy'd to have made King Charles the most unfortunate Prince the earth ever bore having taken from him by wayes unheard of and such as good people cannot think on without trembling and horrour his Crown and life but more to traduce him as the most deprav'd and artificiall hypocrite that ever liv'd For they make him wear a vizard all his life to the houre of this death inclusively which is notwithstanding an hour when conscience makes the man speak truth in spight of himself nor is there paint which melts not when conscience approaches
and was assur'd the Church of God would ackowledge him and the time should come she would hold him her most precious Ornament 'T is true this Gentleman hath his soul transfixt with the love of his King but I am certain he hath a greater love to Truth and would not affirm a falshood so constantly with such affeveration for all the Crowns on earth I know likewise what he appear'd in this Town which was one of his first retreats after his defeat at Worcester and that all his discourse with those who had the honour to converse with him came from a heart sanctifi'd with the truth of the Gospel He spoke the very Language of Canaan he reprov'd such as murmur'd with David he conceal'd his deplorable condition Because 't was God that did it To some pious persons friends of mine he shew'd divers excellent prayers for his divine entertainments accommodated to the present estate he was reduc'd to All his discourses were season'd with nothing but faith humility patience and absolute resignation to the will of God who thrones and dethrones Kings as it pleases him who girds them with the sword but when he pleases to manifest his judgements cryes over their Crowne Subversion Subversion But by these discourses it appears that he gather'd great hopes of unexpected recovery in the mercies of God who when he will can raise with as great celerity as throw down and when he pleases changes our Desarts into Carmel In a word all that came near him observ'd a great soul not to be dejected by affliction who with a spirit perfectly noble Christian fustain'd himself in God to whom he resign'd his person and all his interests and who with the same devotion kiss'd the hand of God that came to take off his Crown with his Fathers head as hereafter he will kisse it again when he shall please to restore it Now Sir 't is not unknown to you that none but the true Religion gives this temper and none but the pure Gold stands the tryal of this teste And as in Daniel he who walked in the midst of the Furnace was known by his gate to be the sonne of God certainly he hath little skill in men that could not observe his carriage in these times of tryal to be the carriage of a true child of God and say of him Thou art a Galilean for thy language shews it Afterwards I am assur'd he testified great affection to such Pastors as had the honour to salute him in France and by the Lady Isabella daughter to the Earle of Holland when she took her leave of him at Amiens he sent to me to remember him in my prayers which must not be attributed to any converse I have had with this Prince for I protest before God I never had any that I never saw nor spake to him and that I have no engagement with him neither real nor verbal nor of personal hope and though I wish him all happenesse imaginable I neverthelesse expect not any thing from him But I believe some accidental occasion brought may name to his eare and hearing I was Pastor of a populous Church he was pleased to testifie by this obliging request he was of the same Communion with me Again I know him to be as you and I wish him out of the attests of his own Ministers Doctor Cosins amongst the rest a person venerable both for Doctrine and Piety And by the testimony of the Messieurs Breuins and Durel both eminent Pastours really native subjects of the King of England and who are honour'd with a share in his favours But I have so thorough a knowledge of them and so well know the candour and love they bear the Truth which they teach with such happy successe one with the Prince of Turenne the other with the Duke De la Force that I admire with as great acquiescence as a thing I had seen with my eyes or touch'd with my hands what they have oftentimes affirm'd to me that the King of England is a Protestant and of the best sort and that 't is not meerly secular interests engage him on this party but that he is so at the heart and that he makes the Religion he professes his Treasure of which they could not well be ignorant having attentively observed his wayes and carriage from his Infancy I suppose 't will not be amisse to tell you that of these two Gentlemen Breuins and Durel the King hath chosen the first for one of his Chaplains that is his Ministers in ordinary by reason this choyce confirmes the proof we endeavour to make of the Kings Religion and since he made election of one of the most zealous Professours of the Protestant Religion most capable to defend it and shew the beauty of it for one of the Directors of his conscience 't is an evident testimony he consents with him in Religion and will persevere under his example and conduct Which is likewise confirm'd by what I learn from all parts that he frequented oâ—r Sermons at Rochelie and other parts of France but particularly at this Town where with the Marquesse of Ormond who attended him without sitting down he heard the Sermon of Mounsieur Jansse my Colleague and told one to whom he discovered himself he had received greated fication And 't is observable he came incognito to these Assemblies and by consequence for no other reason then Devotion If he had been known to every one and had come in a publick way out of the violent inclination of his enemies to a sinister interpretation of this unfortunate Princes actions they would have said this was but a designe and he did it to regain credit with his people but since he was concealed 't is an assured testimony he had no other aime than his particular benefit Then the testimony of a Noble-man of note of the reformed Religion that is the Count of Suze is very considerable to me I saw him lately and intreated him seriously to tell me what he thought of the King of Englands Religion I address'd my self to him for satisfaction herein because he was diverse years at Bruxels with Monsieur the Prince whose cause he had espous'd and I knew moreover that the King of England was often with the Prince and that there was a great familiarity betwixt them The answer he made me was but what I knew before that the King of England while he was at Bruxels made high profession of our Religion and that every Sunday he diligently was very carefull to celebrate the duties thereof in his lodgings that to his knowledge his pulse had been often felt but he had made them understand he was not that way to be taken and that he knew in whom he believed and that his conscience was not like lands unknown at the mercy of the first comer I acknowledge I make great account of this testimony because I know he that gave it is a person of integrity that he was ever
the fire of the Almighties wrath All the world knows King Charles protested before that were present when he renderd his soul to God that he dyed of the Religion authoriz'd by the laws of England nor is there any one dares deny a truth so universally attested But such ridiculous miscreants there are who have impudence to say this protestation was but a fiction and suggested by the emissaries of the Pope That 't was done for policy and that the Popes Indulgencies allow so far But these impertinents tell not what was the politick end the Partizans of the Pope aym'd at nor what advantage could redound to their religion that the King of England even dying should openly and firmly protest he was a protestant But admit such an odde dissimulation was maintaind for some reasons to us unknown who is it these people can perswade that this Prince who during his life had ever given testimony of his singular piety should take pleasure to damne himself by counterfeiting before God man to favour the Interests of the Roman Religion I do not know that the Pope ever gave indulgence for sinnes to be committed Every one neverthelesse knowes the History of the great Bullisle Texel the first that publish'd such sophisticated stuff in Germany But I perswade my self there is no one can authorize future Hypocrisie and false Oathes when we stand so near the Throne of God before whom we go to appear And though Rome should grant things of this nature which I believe it do's not is it credible he would confide and rely more upon the Pope who calls Bad Good and justifies so prophane an hypocrisie than on God who assignes the portion of them who take his name in vain and of Lyars and Hypocrites to be in the lake of fire and Brimstone Sir 'T is then most evident the King of England lived and dyed a Protestant and by consequence the allegation is most impudent to say he imbu'd the King his sonne in the Roman Faith The second objection they make to the Religion of this Prince is that while he was at Paris he frequented not the Sermons If they could say while he was there he made no profession of his Religion the accusation were of force and considerable but that no man dares pretend for 't is well known the King of England had the exercises of his Religion which is ours in his Palace and there had the Word of God preached and the Sacraments administred after the manner of Charenton I should certainly have been glad he had been there and 't is to be wished those who were then about him had brought him thither So great an example had brought joy and consolation to our Churches and confusion to our enemies who thereby had been depriv'd of their most specious pretext to abuse the Religion of this Prince But there is no honest man excuses not this failing permit me so to call it for so in effect I judge it and I believe the edification might have been given to the Church of God ought to have carried him beyond all reasons could be alledged for doing as they did if they consider the many untoward conjunctures that hindered those who attended the Prince from giving him the advice I speak of which certainly was and the most sure and safe It proceeded Sir from this They who were next his person after his disasters were of different humours There were many who though they favoured the Hierarchy setled in England under the raigns of Edward Elizabeth and the two Kings who succeeded thought neverthelesse that this distinction of degrees in Ecclesiasticall functions was a government so necessary to the Church of England that it might not be omitted or chang'd into that they call the Presbyterian judging that this distinction of degrees in Ecclesiasticall functions is grounded onely upon a positive Law These are peaceable people that heartily joyne with forraign Churches who though they live not after the same discipline as they yet agree in all other doctrine and I know divers Bishops whom their books and repute testifie to be of this temper and they who were the more rationall and more knowing could have been content the King should have been at Charenton But there were others near him more passionate and rigid for the Hierarchicall Order who though they justify'd our Religion as to the Doctrine could not allow of the Order This sort of people are Antipodes to the Presbyterians both of England and Scotland Who hold they must absolutely break with the Churches that consent to Hierarchical Order and who are governed by Bishops and discover in this government something of pomp which they hold incompatible with the simplicity of the Christian Church The others on the contrary hold the Hierarchicall Order so necessary to the Church especially to that of England they can endure no government but that and have difficulty to communicate in our Churches though in matter of Doctrine they acknowledge them Orthodox Now of these was the greater number about the Prince who prevailed upon his spirit and hinder'd his coming to the preachings at Charenton to which I have been told he had a great inclination But you may observe if you please two occasions whereof these Hierarchicall Gentlemen made use to divert the intention of the King the one was that after this horrid revolution of the affairs in England both in Church and State and that Cromwell had invested himself in the Soveraign Authority whereof he had despoyl'd his Master the Agents of this Usurper possessed at Charenton the Seat of the Embassadours of the Kings of England And you will judge that since the King our Soveraign admitted them in the function of their Commission near his person 't was not for the Consistory or any Protestant to dispute with these people concerning the Seat they possessed at Charenton Now the party I speak of fayl'd not to take hold on this occasion and told the Prince 't were imprudence to go where he should have the grief to see his enemies in the place due to his Embassadours This reason touch'd the young King and he was easily perswaded I believe many others were guided by the same resentment But howsoever it appears the reason he came not to Charenton was not any aversion to the Doctrine preach'd there but because he could not resolve himself against an object so provoking and horrid and which he judged so injurious to his Majesty The other occasion these Hierarchical Gent made use of to divert the Kings inclination from his designe of giving testimony to our Churches of his spiritual communion with us was that the Pastours of the Church at Paris who assembled at Charenton went not to visit him whereupon they sayl'd not to intimate to this Prince that this was an evident proof of the aversion of those Churches both to him and his interests since those of Paris who make the most considerable part gave no testimony of any share in