CI1ap. XI. The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANs. C H A P. XI. From the death of king CHARLES II. to king J AMES lid's declaration for liberty of confcience. 747 W H EN the news of king Cl:arles's deceafe was fpread over the King city, a penlive fadnefs was vilible in moll: countenances for the James H. fate of the kingdom. His brother James, who fucceeded him, told the ~ privy council at his firll: meeting them, that " as he would never depart State of th• "from any branch if the prerogative, jo he "<vould not invade any man's nation. " property, but ~voz;fd prefe.rve the. government as by law eflablijhed in ~~~~et, P· " church and }late. Which gratified the clergy fo much, that the pulpits throughout England refounded with thankfgivings; and a numerous fet of addreifes flattered his majelty in the ll:rongell: expreffi.ons, with aifurances of unlhaken loyalty and obedience, without limitation or referve. Among others was the humble addrefs of the univcrlity of Oxford; in " which, after expreiling their farrow for the death of the late king, they add, that they can never.fwerve from the principles qf their injlitution, andGazettee, tbeir religion by law ijlablijhed, which indijjmzfably binds tbem, to bear faith NQ. 2018• and true obedience to their fovereign, without any LIMITATION or RE– STRICTION, and that no co'?fideration wha~foever jhould flake their loyalty and allegiance. And the univerli ty of Cambridge add, that lo)'alty [or unlimited obedience J is a duty flowing from the very principle of their relt'gion, by which they have been mab/ed to breed up, as true and fleady Jubjefls as the world can jhew, as well in doflrine as praflice, from which they can never depart. The quakers addrefs was more fimple and honelt; " We are come (fay they), to teltify our farrow for the death ofSewel. " our good friend CHARLES, ' and our joy for thy being made our go--t 594· " vernor. \Ve are told tho u art not of the perfualion of the church of 'ac 1 hard, p. 051· " England, no more than we, therefore we hope thou wilt grant us " the fame liberty, which thou allowef!: thyfelf; which doing, we with " thee all m:~nner of happinefs." . _The king began his reign with _a frank _and open profeffi.on of his re- The king be· lJg10n, for the firH: Sunday after his acce!lJOn, he went publicly to mafs,gim his reign and obliged father Huddlijlon, who attended his brother in his !all hours, with arbi– to declare to the world that he died a roman catholic. His maJ'ell:y acted trary ant.dhfid.evcre me o s. the part of an abfolute fovereign from the very firll:, and though he ha? 5 C 2 declared
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