7he HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANs. VoL. II. King mjfes declaration for the repeal of the penal laws, fo jar as concerned themJames• 11. }' · d }· 1 d · fid · h · 1688 elves, an t Jey p ace an entire con ence 111 t e1r word. The la)-pa- ~ Pifts and .feculars, prelfed the ki ng to accept of the repeal of fo much of the penal laws as was offered, and blamed the ambition of the jefuits and courtiers, who rather than abate any thing, would leave them expofed to the ,reverity of the ~aw, when a freedom was offered. At length the penfionary s letter was pnnted, by allowance of the prince, and dif– perfed over England, which provoked the king to fuch a degree, that he fpoke indecently of his highnifs to all the foreign minifiers, and r<:fol vrd to lhew him the feverell: marks of his difpleafure. 'The quem The firfi project of gaining the prince having failed, his majefiy went decJ'href·f/ be upon another, which had it fucceeded, mufi effetl:ually have defeated the zurt ' 1 <' proteftant .fitcc'!.!Jion; and that was, providing the nation with an heir qf hs ou;n body by the prifent queen, though for many years lhe had been rec– koned incapable of having children. Tliis was firfiwhifpered among the Gazette, No 2309> 2316. courtiers, but was foon after confirmed by proclamation in the Gazette of Jan. 2d. and 26th. 1687-8, in words to this effetl:, "that it had plea– " fed almightyGod to give his majefiy apparent hopes, and good atTurance " of having itTue by his royal confort the queen, who through God's " great goodnefs, was now with child ; " wherefore his majefiy appoints, that on the I sth of January in the cities of London and Wejtminjter; and on the 29th in all other places of England; and on the 29th of January and 19th of February, in all places in Scotland, public thankfgiving and folemn prayer be ofrered up to God on this occafion, and a form of prayer was drawn up accordingly, by the bi– lhops of Durham, Rochefler, and Peterborough; in which were thefe exA puUic prefilons, " Bleifed be that good providence, that has vouchfafed us fre!h form of " hopes of royal itTne by our gracious queen Mary ; il:rengthen her, we pra:;erfl rher" befeech thee, and p( rfetl: what thou hail: begnn. Command thy holy c~~{ 382. " angels to watch over her continually, and defend her from all dangers " and evil accidents, that what !he bath conceived may be happily brou!!;ht " forth, to the joy of our fovereign lord the king, the fnrth'er efiablilh– " of his crown, the happinefs and welfare of the whole kingdom, and " the glory of thy great name, &c." This il:ruck all the protefiant part of the nation with confiernation , except a few ranting tories, wbo[e re– ligion was at the fervice of the king, whenfoever he lhould <:all for it. The conception was looked upon by the jefuits as miraculous, and as the effect of a vow the queen had made to the lady of L?retto: They pro– phefied it would certainly be a prince; while the protefl:ants fighed in fe– cret, and fufpeded a fraud; the grounds of which fufpicion> the hifiorians of thefe times have related at large. The
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