Consciences ; but many of the Hearers, provoked 1687. with Indignation, cry'd out against them, and said it was a knavish Trick. The Doctor likewise justly incens’d by their unfair Proceeding, told one Meredith, a new Convert, who had first rais'd the Accusation, that for his own part he thought his Loyalty to be more valuable than his, because as a Son of the Church of England he had profess'd he would not rebel against the King, notwithstanding he might be of another Religion ; whereas Meredith being of the same Religion, could not so well separate Loyalty from Interest. Thercupon the Jesuits abruptly broke up the Conference, muttering ensnaring Words about Persecution, the Queen of Scots, the Bill of Exclufion, and the Penal Lapos, to which laft Point the Doctor replied, That he picy'd People of differing Assemblies, but that for such as his Order *, who had taught excluding * Suarez, and deposing Doctrines, and brought in a foreign Mariana, Jurisdiction, it seem'd fit to keep up some Laws doc. against them. 'Twas not without Reason that the Doctor apprehended the old Trick of making a Conversion of one chang'd already, to turn upon a verbal Conference; for foon after, the before-menti. oned Boy being ask'd by a Romanist, If he was novo satisfied in the Religion he was brought up in? He answerd, Not: But it appear'd by his Carriage before Dr. Tennison, and Dr. Horneck, that he was already taught how to fence in this Matter ; which was further evidenc'd by a Letter he wrote to his Father Nine Days before the Conference, wherein he gives an Account of those Motives which oblig'd him in Conscience to betake himself to the Church of Rome. These Motives, or rather Suggestions of the crafty Jeluits, were these: That the Roman Catholick Church was allovi'd to have been once the true Church built upon the Rock, against which our Saviour promis'd Hell should never prevail ; whence, unless we will give our Sariour the Lie, she is still sp; Ibat the Church had Power, during the four first Centuries, to decide all Controversies about Religion, and they were reputed Hereticks who obey'd not ber Decision; which 'Power she mult ftill

G 3

1687. retsin; That those of that Church are all of one

Faith' in all countries : Whereas the Reformd
Churches all clash among themselves, and divide
and Cieb.drid without end; Ibat it is th: Catho-
ļick Chur h alone which is taught in all Countries,
an' that and was ficandid the Labour of her Mis-
on eri s noh maniflt Miracles : Ibat among them
abundance of noble and rich People follow the trange-
licai C.411.15, and Icare a!! for God's Luk'; and that
they built and founded all these Monuments of De-
: 01101?wid Churches we fee now extant ; whereas
the Reformd Religions lizre only seri'd in prill them
down, and were foun.i.d on the Leachury of Henry
Vill. the Ambition of the Tutor of King Edward VI.
and Violence of Queen Eliz.b-th, and only pilorid
by the Rigour of Pin ! Laws, und Spilling the Blood
of those who før a l housand liars had profiss’d the
Catholick Faith. Notwithstanding their Defeat,
The Jesuits had the Assurance to boatt, both in
private Conversations, and in their pulpits, that
the Advantage was on their fide; nay, fome of
their Emissaries (pread is all about the City, and
atterwards all England over, that One Jeluit had
dilencid Five Protestant Ministers, to wit, Dr. Ien-
nifon, the Deans of Peterborough and Windfor, Dr.
Horneck and Mr.Wakebut the firth of thefe Re-
verend Divines foon undeceiv'd the World, by
publilhing an Account of the Conference, of which
I have given the Reader the foregoing Abfiract,
to let him into the bold Designs and intinuating
Practices of the Jesuits, in order to subvert the
establish'd Religion of these Realous.
• At the same time that King James advanc'd Ro-

pery, it cannot be denied but that his Generosity French

extended, in a particular manner, to the distress Frotestants Protettants who had lately tied' from France uprelievito on account of Religion ; for he not only granted ons, upon an ill-grounded Suspicion that they 1687. were design’d by the Court for the Maintainance of French Papilts that were invited over to serve the King's Designs. Others endeavour'd to lessen King James's Bounty, by saying it was but a Piece of Policy, in order to curry Favour with his own Proteftant Subjects. All that an Hiftorian can say in this Matter is, that where the Benefit is real, tis a kind of Ingratitude too nicely to enquire into the Motive of it.

Some of the French Refugees had a better Sense of the King's Favours. For Monsieur Daillon, one of their Ministers, to compliment the Court upon their beloved Project of Liberty of Conscience, follicited a Patent for the erecting a Nonconforming and Independant French Church in Sohoe-Fields, which was readily granted: And from hence it is that the French call that Meeting-Houfe La Patente, to this very Day.

The Ministers of the French Church in the Sa. voy were not wanting in exprelling their Gratitude to His Majesty ; but yet they did it with more Reserve and Circumspection, as appear'd upon the following Occalion: The Fisuits ever fince their Settlement in the Savoy, had a Design upon the French Chappel there, and Mr. Pulton, their Rector or Principal, tamperd with Dr. Dua bourdieu, in order to engage him to resign that Church, promising him, as from the King, to build them another on any Ground they should think molt convenient bet ween Wbite-Hall and Temple-Bar, with a large Sum of Money into the Bargain. Montieur Dubourdieu made Answer, That being but one, he defird Time to communicate his Proposal to the other Ministers, and Church-Wardens of the Savoy. Thefe being met upon this critical Affair, it was agreed, That before they should give the Jesuits a politive Answer, they should confult with such Lords who were most conspicuous for their wisdom, and their Affection to the Proteftant Interest. Accordingly Mr. Dubourdieus waited upon the Lords ,

thers,

G4

1687. thers, who all, as it were by Conlent, advisd

’em after this inanner : Never hearken to any Terms with the Fesuits; let them pursue their violent Mea. Sures; suffer your selves to be thrust out of your Church; for by that Means you'll do your own Business and the Nation's.

The Thunderbolts of the Ecclefiaftical ComProceedings million fell next on both the Universities, and of the Eis first of all upon Dr. Peachel, the Vice-Chancellor clefiaftical of Cambridge, for refusing to admit one Alban FranCommiļi »n- cis, a Benedictine Monk, to the Degree of Master of ers against Arts, without taking the Oaths, according to the King's the ViceChancellor

Mandate, wherein His Majelty dispensd with Franof Cam

cis for not having that necessary Qualification. This bridge.

Mandate being read_in the Consistory, it was unanimously agreed, That they could not admit the Monk to a Degree, without taking the ufual Oaths, unless they broke their own; and thereupon appointed Two of their Body to wait upon His Majesty, and acquaint him how ready they were to obey all his Commands, where their Compliance did not clash with their Consciences ; humbly hoping His Majesty would not force them to Wilful Perjury; of which, by the Statutes of the university, they must be guilty, if they should admit Alban Francis thus unqualify'd to that D: gree. When the Two Fellows came to London, they first made their Application to the Duke of Albemarle, their Chancellor, who us'd his Interelt to serve them, thoto little Purpose ; for at length they receiv'd this Answer from the Secretary of State. That His Majesty had seen the Vice-Chancełlor's Letter, was offended at the Proceedings of the University, and would take Order (hortly to give them a further Answer. What this Answer was appear'd in a little time, for Atterbury the Messenger came to Cambridge, to summon the Vice-Chancellor to appear before the Ecclefiaftical Commiflioners, and answer to such things as should be objected 2gainst him, on His Majesties Behalf. The ViceChancellor, and Eight more of that Body, appear'd, and put in their Answer in writing in the Name of the Univerlity; alledging Three Acts of Parlia

ment in their Justification, with many unanswera- 1687.
ble Arguments against the. Illegality of this new
Court; which being read, the Court took some
time to consider on the Matter, and adjourn'd till
Saturday the 7th of May, 1687. That Day being
come, and the Vice-Chancellor and Delegates ap-
pearing, after some trifling Questions propounded
by Chancellor Jefferies, they were commanded to
withdraw; and being call'd in again, Jefferies
told the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge, That he
being guilty of great Disobedience to the King's
Commands, and other Crimes and Contempts,
the Court had sentenced him, To be deprived of his
Office of Vice-Chancellor, and suspended him ab Offi-
cío & Beneficio of his Headship of Magdalen-
Colledge, and that he should not presume to meddle
in any publick Business relating to the University.

The Storm which foon after broke out upon the Proceedings whole Colledge of St. Mary Magdalen in Oxford, against St. as it was a longer time a-gathering, so it proved

Mary Mag

dalen Col more furious and dismal in its Effects. And be

ledge in caule, the boldest Strokes of that Arbitrary Spirit, by which King James's Councils were animated, were seen in a particular manner through the Course of this Affair, a full Relation of the whole cannot be thought foreign to this History. St. Mary Magdalen Colledge is one of the noblett Foundations that, perhaps, was ever erected for Learning in the World, and therefore 'twas no wonder the Popish Clergy look'd with an envious and greedy Eye upon this rich Prize, and made their utmoft Efforts to snatch it from the Hands of those they calld Hereticks. This illustrious Society, from repeated Grants of Kings, confirm'd by several Acts of Parliament, and from their own Staa tutes, were in an uninterrupted, as well as uncontested, Possession of a Right to elect their own President. That Place being vacant, by the Death of Dr. Clark, the Vice-Prelident, Dr. Aldworth, gave notice to all the Fellows present in the* Chap- * March pel, to proceed to the Election of another on the 31. 1687. 13th of April following, to fill up, the Vacancy; But before the Day of Election, being inform'd