Chap. XII. T!Je HIS T 0 RY of the PuRITANS. 779 ably fixed in her religion, and that there was not the leafl: profpect of her ] Kingli f . ames , departing rom It, r688. At the fame time, his majefl:y attempted the prince of Orange, for t.. /"V"'--' which purpofe he employed one Mr. James Steward, a [cots lawyer, H.he attempts • 1'. J J h' r. R . / · h 1 'prznce. who wnt 1evera etters upon t IS argument to pen110nary age, 111 w om Burnet P the prince placed an entire confidence. The pe!?Jionary neglected his 73r, 7'32. letters for fome time, but at length it being indulhioufly reported, that the filence of the prince was a tacit confent, the penjionary laid all his letters before his highnefs, who commiOloned the penfionary ~o draw up fuch an anfwer,. as might difcover his true intentions and fenfe of things. The anfwer was dated from the Hague, Nov. 4, 1687, and begins His high– with alfurances of the prince and princefs's duty to the king; and lince nefi'r reply by Mr. Steward had given him to underfl:and, that his letters were written ~:n~~~ary with the king's knowledge and allowance, the penlionary aifures him W~l. Mem, in the name of their HIGHNESSES, that it was their opinion, that'' noP· 218. " cbrijlian ought to be perfecuted for his co'!Ji:ience, or be ill ifed becaz({e " be differs from the efiablijhed religion ; and therefore they agreed that cc the papifis in Scotland and Ireland, fbould have the free exercife of cc their religion in private, as they had in Holland; and as to prottjiant " di!Jentm, they heartily approved if their having an entire liberty of " their religion, without any trouble or hindrance; and their bighne!Jes " were ready to concur to the fettling it, and giving their guarentee to " protect and defend it. I/ bis majejty de/ired their concurrence in re- " pealing the penal laws, they were ready to gi~Je it, provided the laws " by which roman catbolics were excluded, from fetting in both boufes cc of parliament, and from all employmcnts eccleliafiical, tivil and mi- " litary, remained in force; and likewi(e thof:: other laws, which fecure " the protefl:ant religion againfl: all attempts of the roman catholics; but cc they could not confent to the repeal of tbofe laws, which tended only to " fecure the protefiant religion, fuch as the tefis, becaufe they import- " ed no more than a deprivation from public employments, which " could do them no great harm. If the number of the papifis were " inconfiderable, it was not reafonable to in !ill upon it; and if tbofe " few who pretend to public employments would do their party fo much " injury, as not to be content with the repeal of the penal laws, unlefs " they could get into offices of trufl:, their ambition only was to be " blamed -" This letter was carried by Mr. Steward to the king, Burnet, p. and read in the cabinet council, but it bad no effect, only the king or- 733· dereq Mr. Steward to write back, that he would haw all or nothing. However, the church party were fatisfied with the prince's refolution to maintain the tefl:s; the protejlant diffenters were pleafed with their highS G 2 nef!es
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