part with a religion that did so much gratify their depraved appetites, by allowing them as many men, though not husbands, as they have priests or confessors. And therefore many of the wise Popish laicks have been of opinion themselves, that no man ought to confess a wife but her husband, and that a daughter ought to be confessed by none but her father.

5. Another, and that none of the least reasons why they forbid marriage to their ecclesiasticks, is, that, if they had wives or families, they could not so easily be sent on missions, and encompass sea and land to make proselytes. They would not be so ready, nor so fit, to engage in assassinations, conspiracies, and rebellions, against princes and states, at the commands of their superior; nor could they, by their whoredoms, so much propagate the interest of the great harlot, for then their wives would be so many checks and spies upon them.

From all which it seems reasonable to infer, that the best way to rid this kingdom of Popish priests, and to prevent the growth of popery, is to make a law, that all of them who shall be discovered in England, except such as are thought fit to be allowed to foreign ambassadors, shall be gelded, as they are in Sweden; where, since the same was enacted into a law, and practised upon a few of them, that kingdom hath never been infested with Popish clergy, or plots, nor their women reproached with want of chastity.

This will appear the more reasonable, if we consider, that the havock, they are allowed to make of women's chastity, is one of the principal things that induces lustful fellows to take Romish orders upon them, and to engage in desperate designs, to promote the interest of that church. This any man may easily be convinced of, that will give himself leave to consider, what dangers other men of better principles, and who may have opportunities of satisfying nature by lawful marriage, do many times expose themselves to, for the satisfaction of their brutish passions; and how they frequently sacrifice honour, interest, and estate, with the peace of their families, and consciences, to their irregular appetites of that sort.

The case then being thus, let us consider what a deluge of uncleanness may be poured out upon this nation by one thousand, or two thousand, supposing there were no more of those Popis ecclesiasticks in England at a time; especially since they look upon it to be their interest to debauch the nation, as one of the best expedients to advance popery, as was evident from the practice of the late reigns; and, therefore, it seems to be the natural way of obviating the growth of popery, to make the Romish ecclesiasticks uncapable of promoting it by that method which they like best, and find most successful.

It will still appear to be more reasonable, because they have vowed chastity, and, by their own confession, have no occasion for those seminary vessels; therefore, if they resolved to live as they have sworn to do, they would willingly unman themselves, as Origen

did; so far would they be from having any reason to complain, if others should do it for them.

It can no ways be reckoned cruel, since it may be done without hazard of life, as common experience shews, both in man and beast, and, by consequence, less to be complained of, than those laws which condemn them to the gallows. There have been more priests put to death in England, than ever were gelded in Sweden; yet experience teaches us, it hath not had near so good an effect. This is demonstrable from the many conspiracies against our princes and nation, that the priests have formed since the enacting of these laws, and from the great progress their idolatry makes among us at this very day; whereas Sweden, since the enacting of that law, hath been liable to none of these misfortunes. This law of castration occasioned a pleasant raillery upon the Jesuits at Brussels, by Queen Christina of Sweden. When those fathers came to congratulate her there upon her conversion, they entertained her, among other things, with the wonderful effects of their missions in the Indies, and other remote parts: that princess applauded their zeal, but, at the same time, rebuked their indifference for her country of Sweden, where their endeavours were so much needed: she pleasantly told them, That, though the law of castration was a bar in their way, they ought not to prefer the keeping of those things, of which they stood not in need, and of which she hoped they made no use, to the advancement of the Catholick faith.' But this, though the severest proof in the world, has never been able to bring the Romish clergy to so much sense of their duty, as to renew their attempts of converting Sweden. This may serve to confirm the story told us of an old capuchin in the Menagiana, the works of the Abbot Menage, that he rejected the advice of his physicians to be cut for the stone, for fear it should make him impotent, though he was then eighty years of age.

Namque ad vivendum castrari valde recusat,

Et propter vitam vivendi perdere causam.

The Romish clergy have so much accustomed themselves to those impure pleasures, that they will be sure to avoid those countries where they must be rendered incapable of enjoying them.

If it be thought that the laws, already made, will be more effectual against them, there is no need of repealing them, though a new one of castration be added. Since that hath so good an effect in Sweden, we have no reason to despair of the like here. It is generally concluded, that our English women are as tempting as any in Europe, and are, therefore, as likely to prevail on a Romish priest to venture hanging, to enjoy their favours, as any others: but, if they be rendered incapable of it, the temptation will have no force; and so the priests will save their lives, our women will preserve their chastity, and our religion and liberty will be freed from their attacks.

The only objection of weight, that can be made against it, is,

that it may provoke our Popish allies, and other Popish princes, to treat Protestant ministers in the like manner. To which we answer, that, admitting it should be so, it is not half so bad, as to have them broke on the wheel, hanged, or sent to the gallies. In the next place, there is not the like reason for treating Protestant ministers in that manner, for they generally marry; or, if they be guilty of uncleanness, are thrust from the ministry. And, in the last place, there is no reason why we should have any more regard to our allies, or other popish princes, than they have to us. hear, every day, of the cruel persecution in France and Germany, notwithstanding our mildness to the Papists here; so that our enacting a law of castration cannot possibly make them persecute the Protestants more severely than they do, but may rather put a stop to it.

We

And, indeed, it is to be wondered at, that the Protestants should be so much wanting in their zeal, and so little sensible of their own interest, when we have so warlike and zealous a Protestant prince upon the throne of Great Britain, as not to agree on methods for obliging the Papists to forbear that barbarous persecution of their brethren. Endeavours, of that nature, were used in some of those reigns, when popery had so much interest at court, that it seemed to have a share of the throne; therefore, it is strange, if nothing should be attempted towards it in this reign. To effect this, would, humanly speaking, seem to be no difficult work, since the naval strength of Europe is in the hands of the Protestants; and that the strength of Great Britain, and Holland, is now under the command of one prince, who is the hero of his age.

This our own safety seems to require, and charity and compassion to our brethren beyond sea does loudly call for; but if for reasons of state, or otherwise, it be found impracticable for us to interpose in behalf of persecuted Protestants abroad, there is nothing can hinder us, if we be willing, to secure ourselves against popery at home, by putting the old laws in execution, or enacting

new ones.

This seems to be absolutely necessary, if we consider, either the state of the Protestants beyond sea, or our own condition at home. If we look abroad, we shall find the Protestant interest, which was once so considerable in France, quite ruined; and one of the chief causes of its being so, was the neglect of our English governments since Queen Elisabeth's time. We have done nothing effectual for them since then, which was a mighty oversight, both in respect of duty and interest. That it was our duty, will scarcely be denied by any man, that has any true impressions of the Protestant religion. That it was our interest, is demonstrable, because, had the Protestants of France been supported by our mediation and assistance, they would never have concurred in any ambitious design of their monarchs against the Protestant interest, or this. nation; and, perhaps, the fears of that court, that they might prove a curb upon their designs of that nature, was none of the least causes of their having ruined them by the most ungrate

ful, as well as the most barbarous persecution that ever was known. From all which it will naturally result, that it is the interest of England to save, if possible, the remnant of the Protestants in France, by some effectual interposition.

If we look a little farther into the state of the Protestants of the vallies of Piedmont, we shall find that antient church almost totally ruined and dispersed. If we turn our eyes towards Hungary, Transilvania, and Poland, the reformed interest is almost quite exterminated in those countries, as it is totally ruined in Bohemia. What danger it is liable to in the neighbouring country of Saxony, is known to every one, since that country, whose prince was the first that embraced the Reformation, is now under a popish government; and, if we come nearer home, to the Palatinate, there we shall also find a Protestant church, once the most flourishing, and best reformed in all Germany, under an unreasonable and cruel persecution. If we consider the treaty of Ryswick, by that we shall find the German Protestants despoiled of eight or nine hundred churches: the once famous Protestant city of Strasburgh delivered in prey to the church of Rome; and the Protestants in Alsace, and the neighbouring principalities on each side, as the duchy of Montbelliard, county of Veldents, &c. subject to popish incroachments. In a word, if we look throughout the whole empire, and take a view of the dyet at Ratisbon, we shall find the popish interest every where rampant, and incroaching upon the Reformation, contrary to the fundamental laws, and most solemn treaties of the empire. If we cast an eye upon Swisserland, the little republick of Geneva, and the principality of Neufchatel, there also we shall find the Protestant interest threatened and languishing.

If we look northward, there we find the Protestant kingdoms of Sweden and Denmark ready to engage in a war with one another, and that the quarrels betwixt them are fomented by those who carry on an interest, which is destructive both to the Protestant religion and the civil liberties of Europe. This is sufficient to discover the bad state of the Protestant interest abroad.

If we consider the posture of affairs at home, it is evident from a late printed letter, said to be wrote by a worthy bishop, and dedicated to a member of Parliament, that popery comes in upon us like a flood. It is not to be denied that there is a party in the three nations, who favour the title of an abdicated popish prince, and his pretended succession, against the present government, and the succession established by law. It is not to be forgot, that their interest was so strong as to advance a popish king to our throne; and though they could not keep him there, because he dismounted himself by a furious career, yet they have endangered us since by repeated plots against his present Majesty's life, and endeavouring to bring in a French invasion upon us. It is also known, that there are mighty discontents fomented and nourished in all the three nations, in relation to trade, parties, and different pretensions; and that this gives the popish clergy an opportunity of

adding fuel to our flames, which makes it likewise evident that the Protestant interest is in danger at home.

This is further demonstrable from the trouble the Papists have from time to time given, and continue to give our government and parliaments: what is the meaning else of those proclamations formerly and lately emitted, commanding Papists to retire from London? &c. What else is the meaning of those bills brought in to prevent their disinheriting their Protestant heirs, and to hinder their sending children abroad to foreign seminaries, to be bred up in idolatry, or made priests, monks, and nuns? This, besides the danger that accrues thereby to our religion and liberties, takes vast sums of money out of the kingdom yearly. They likewise give trouble to our parliaments, by bringing in bills for discovering estates and money given to superstitious uses, which is every way mighty prejudicial to the kingdom, and enables the Papists to breed vipers in our bowels, in order to rend us in pieces.

Then, since it is undeniable that we are in danger from the Papists, whether we consider the state of affairs at home or abroad, and that the laws hitherto enacted have not been able to prevent the recourse of Popish priests, &c. nor the growth of popery in this kingdom; what should hinder us from trying new methods, and particularly this law of castration?

It would certainly be a punishment very proper for them, and might make them read their sin in their judgment; since it is evident, that by their own personal villainy, and their loose doctrine of pardons, &c. which encourages people in licentiousness, they make more proselytes than by any other method.

Those, who perhaps would scruple to be any ways instrumental in taking these priests, when the penalty inflicted upon them by law is death, would not have reason to be so scrupulous to take and discover them, when the punishment is only castration, and therefore would be more diligent to put the laws in execution upon them.

It must also be reckoned a deserved punishment, since, under the seal of confession, they commit uncleanness with those they have the trust of as ghostly fathers, so that it is a sort of spiritual incest, and a destroying people with arms that make no report; both which crimes are capital in all well governed states, and therefore the punishment of castration, in such a case, must needs be accounted mild.

If it be objected, that, though some of the Romish clergy be guilty of incontinence, yet all of them are not so, and therefore such only are to be punished in that manner as are convicted of the crime: it is easy to answer, that it is equally true, that all of them are not guilty of conspiring against the government, nor is it possible to convict all of them of perverting the subjects; yet the 27th of Elisabeth makes it treason for any Popish priest, bred up beyond sea, to be here, or to return into England, without submitting to the government, and taking the oath of supremacy. And indeed it is but reasonable it should be so, for their being here