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.