However the Catechift will fay, perhaps, That tho' Papists may be loyal to Princes of their own Religion, they are bound by their Principles to feek the Deftruction of Proteftants. But this vile Calumny is already answer'd in the Preface, where I took Notice that the Dutch, who are none of the leaft politick People in Europe, make no Difficulty to admit Roman Catholicks into their Troops, and employ them against any Catholick Prince, when the Service of the Common-wealth requires it. So well are they affured of their Loyalty, and that the very Principles of their Religion oblige them to it. Nay may we not confidently fay, that unless the Prince of Orange himself, whom all the World efteem'd a wife and Politick Prince, had been fully convinced of this Truth, he would never have made fuch an impolitick Step, as to bring Six thousand Papifts over with him to fight against a Popish Prince? What Pity therefore is it, that our Catechift was not of his Privy Council, to let him know that Popery is a traiterous Religion, and fo diffuade him from trusting himself in the Hands of fo confiderable a Body of Papists, who would certainly be tray him? For 'tis very certain, that not one either of his Dutch or English Counfellors, no not Bishop Bur-· net himfelf that fcourge of Papists, nor the Earl of Shrewsbury, who had been one himself and came over with him, knew any Thing of this important Secret.

§. 2.

Of the Loyalty of the English Roman Catho licks during the Civil Wars,

ELL, but are there no Domeftick Inftances of W Catholich Loyalty to Proteftant Princes? Yes, furely. For we need but look back upon the Tranfactions in this Kingdom, when it was the Theater of a bloody

་

Civil

Civil War, and we fhall find fuch memorable Inftances of it, that the Catechist muft have a Forehead doubly plated with Brafs to accufe us of having had a Hand in the Death of King Charles the First; as he does in his pretended Proof of Popery being a traiterous Religion, pag. 36. Nay he may as well accufe Papifts of the Murder of Julius Cæfar; and the one will be believed as much as the other by Men of Senfe and common Honesty.

But Proteftant Hiftorians have themselves taken fufficient Care to tranfmit to Pofterity both the Names and Religion of the Authors of that bloody Tragedy. In Effect, we need but have Recourfe to common Senfe to be convinced that they who took up Arms against the King, who feiz'd his Magazines and Towns, who charged him in the Field, and pursued him with Fire and Sword till they made him their Prifoner, were alone the Parricides that took away his Life: And nothing can be more ridiculously injurious, than to impute any Part of the Guilt of it to thofe who were ruin'd in their Fortunes, and loft their Lives in Defence of him.

I have a Catalogue by me of above 200 Catholicks, fome Men of Quality, moft Gentlemen of ancient Families, who died in the Bed of Honour for His Majefty, and feal'd their Loyalty with the last drop of their Blood: viz. 16. Colonels, 18. Lieutenants Colonels, IG. Majors, 72. Captains, 21. Lieutenants and Cornets, 43. Veluntiers, and 17. more, whereof there were 2. Lords, 11. Knights, and 4. private Gentlemen, whofe Pofts in the Army are not fpecified in the Lift. And if fo many Catholick Officers loft their Lives, it cannot be doubted but the Number of those that escaped was much greater, as likewife that of common Soldiers in Proportion. Whereas the Challenge has been often made to Prote stants to produce ten Papists, I may fay two, who in all that Confufion of Civil Wars ever drew their Sword against the King.

I fhall produce the Teftimony of fome Proteftant Writers, who are above all Exception. Firft, Dr Stanhope in his Book intitled The fureft Establishment of

the

1

the Royal Throne, pag. 30. writes thus. It is a Truth be yond all Queftion, that there were a great many noble, brave, and loyal Spirits of the Roman-Perfuafion, who did with the greatest Integrity, and without any other Design than fatisfying Confcience, adventure their Lives in the War for the King's Service. And that feveral, if not all of those were Men of fuch Souls, that the greatest Temptation in the World could not bave perverted, or made them defert the King in his greatest Miferies. How different is this from the Character the Catechift has given of us!

2dly, A Proteftant Bishop (for he was the reputed Author of the Book) in his State of Christianity in England, pag. 25. writes thus of us. The English Papift (fays he) for his Courage and Loyalty in the laft War deferves to be recorded in the Annals of Fame and Hiftory. And perhaps this may not be unworthy of Notice, that whenfoever the UJurper, or any of his Inftruments of Blood or Sycophancy reJolved to take away the Life or Eftate of a Papift, it was bis LOYALTY, not Religion, that exposed him to their Rapine and Butchery.

This agrees exactly with what is writ in the Hiftory of the Pyrenean Treaty printed in Holland, pag. 4. viz. that he Duke of Crequi, at the Requeft of the Queen-mother of France, interceding for a Mitigation of the Perfecution against Papifts, Cromwel made Answer, That they were his greateft Enemies.

3dly, The Author of the prefent State of England, printed Ann. 1692. writes thus. There are fome few Families in feveral Parts of England have perfifted in the Romish Religion, and are usually call'd Papists. Against these there are divers fevere Laws. But their Number being not» confiderable, NOR THEIR LOYALTY FOR MANY YEARS LAST PAST QUESTIONABLE, thefe Laws have been more: rarely put in Execution.

Thefe Proteftant Teftimonies are Authentick Proofe of the loyal Behaviour of Roman Catholicks during the Civil Wars. I fhall only add one Remark, That in thofe turbulent Times when Loyalty was put to the hardest Trials, and even fome bright Stars of the Church of England fell, tho' their main Body flood firm to the Crown; in thofe Times, I fay, the Loyal

ty

Appen. §. 3. ty of Roman Catholicks was fo confpicuous, and fo well known, that Papist and Cavalier were become Synony mous Terms. Because there was not a Papist but was efteem'd a Cavalier, nor a Cavalier but was nick-named a Papift.

§. 3.

King CHARLES II. preferv'd by Roman Catho Licks after the Defeat of his Army at Wor cefter.

N

OR did their Loyalty End with the Life of King Charles 1. but continued the fame to his Proteftant Succeffor, who after the fatal Defeat at Worcefter, ow'd his Prefervation next to God to the invio lable Fidelity of Roman Catholicks, whom neither the Promises of a confiderable Reward could corrupt, nor the Threats of certain Death deter from their Duty.

My Lord Clarendon, Part. 3. Book 13. pag. 321. is pleafed to fay, It is a great Pity that there was never a Journal made of that miraculous Deliverance. But what hinder'd his Lordship from making fuch a Journal, fince in the very fame Page he tells us in the Margins That he had all the Particulars of the King's Escape from his own Mouth? I can guefs at no other Reafon for it, than that his Lordship was afraid to foul his Paper with the Names of too many Papifts concern'd in it. Since therefore this noble Peer was pleafed to content himfelf with barely lamenting the Want of fuch a fournal; I hope it will not be unacceptable either to the Proteftant or Catholick Reader, if I prefent the Publick with a fhort Abftract of one printed many Years ago, and fubfcribed by Two of thofe worthy Patriots, who were themfelves principal Actors in the glorious Undertaking of the King's Deliverance. However the Journal I promife is only of the fix firft Days after

the

the Lofs of the Battle: When there was the strictest Search made after his Majefty's Perfon, and the Reward of a Thousand Pounds was promised to the Difcoverer, and the Penalty as in Cafes of High Treafon denounced against any one that fhould conceal him. For it was in thofe fix Days of the King's greatest Distress, that he was entirely in the Hands, and under the Protection, of Roman Catholicks: As will appear from the following Account.

:

Wednesday the 3d of September Ann. 1651. was the fatal Day, on which the King's Army was defeated at Worcester, and himfelf forced to fly attended on by feveral Lords and Gentlemen: Amongst whom was my Lord Wilmot and Colonel Giffard. The Darknefs of the Night favour'd their Flight; and Colonel Giffard (who was a Catholick Gentleman of Staffordfire, and well acquainted both with the Roads and Catholicks Families of that Country) ferved as Guide, and conducted the King to White-ladies, where he arrived on.

Thursday Morning. Here his Majefty changed his Cloaths, cut his Hair, colour'd his Face brown with Watnut-leaves, put on a patch'd Coat, a courfe Shirt, a pair of clouted Shoes, and every Thing elfe fuitable to the Drefs of a poor Country Peafant. Being thus difguised he difmifs'd all his Retinue, and committed his Perfon to the Fidelity of the Pendrels. Thefe were three Brothers; William, who was Tenant in a. Neighbouring house of the Fitzherbert's call'd Bofcobel. The other two call'd Richard and Jahn were poor la bouring Men at or about White-ladies. The King fpent the reft of this Day in a Neighbouring Wood, ac companied only by Richard Pendrel: For his Brother John was gone to conduct my Lord Wilmot, as fhall be feen more at large immediately. When it grew dark, his Majeftv attended only by the fame Richard fet forward towards Madely, a little Town or Village in Shropshire fituated near the Severn, with Intention to pafs that River into Wales. But coming near the Place, one Mr. Wolf a Catholick of Madely inform'd his Majefty, that all the Fords and Paffages were fo

strongly