JAMES THE SECOND.

119

On the road the royal train was joined by two courtierswho in temper and opinions differed widely from each other. -Penn was at Chester on a pastoral tour. His popularity andauthority among his brethren had greatly declined since hehad become a tool of the King and of the Jesuits. * He was,however, most graciously received by James, and, on theSunday, was permitted to harangue in the tennis court, whileCartwright preached in the Cathedral, and while the Kingheard mass at an altar which had been decked in the ShireHall. It is said, indeed, that His Majesty deigned to lookinto the tennis court and to listen with decency to his friend’smelodious eloquence.**

The furious Tyrconnel had crossed the sea from Dublinto give an account of his administration. All the most re-spectable English Catholics looked coldly on him as on anenemy of their race and a scandal to their religion. But hewas cordially welcomed by his master, and dismissed withassurances of undiminished confidence and steady support.James expressed his delight at learning that in a short timethe whole government of Ireland would be in Roman Catholichands. The English colonists had already been stripped of allpolitical power. Nothing remained but to strip them oftheir property; and this last outrage was deferred only tillthe cooperation of an Irish Parliament should have beensecured.***

* “Penn, chef des Quakers, qu'on saitdtre dans les intdrdts du Roid’Angleterre, est si fort ddcrid parmi ceux de son parti qu’ils n’ont plusaucune confiance en Iui.” — Bonrepaux to Seignelay, Sept. i?. 1687.The evidence of Gerard Croese is to the same effect. “ Etiam QuakeriPennum non amplius, ut ante, ita amabant ac magnifaciebant, quidamaversabantur ac fugiebant.” — Ilistoria Quakeriana, lib. ii. 1695.

** Cartwright’s Diary, August 30. 1687. Clarkson’s Life of WilliamPenn.

*** London Gazette, Sept. 5.; Sheridan MS.; Barillon, Sept. VI* 1687.“LeRoi son mailre,” says Barillon, “a tdmoignd une grande satisfactiondes mesures qu’il a prises, et a autorisd ce qu’il a fail en faveur desCatholiques. II les dtablit dans les emplois et les charges, en sorte quel’auloritd se trouvera bientdt entre leurs mains. II reste encore beau-coup de choses h faire en ce pays la pour retirer les biens injustement6l6s aux Catholiques. Mais cela ne peut s’exdculer qu’avec le terns etdans 1’assemblde d’un parlement en Irlande.”

CHAP.

VIII.

1687 .