244

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

VI.

1685 .

It is evident that, in such circumstances, the greatest■ service which an English Roman Catholic could render to hisbrethren in the faith was to convince the public that, what-ever some rash men might, in times of violent excitement,have written or done, his Church did not hold that any endcould sanctify means inconsistent with morality. And thisgreat service it was in the power of James to render. He wasKing. He was more powerful than any English King hadbeen within the memory of the oldest man. It depended onhim whether the reproach which lay on his religion should betaken away or should be made permanent.

Had he conformed to the laws, had lie fulfilled his pro-mises, had he abstained from employing any. unrighteousmethods for the propagation of his own theological tenets,had he suspended the operation of the penal statutes by alarge exercise of his unquestionable prerogative of mercy,but, at the same time, carefully abstained from violating thecivil or ecclesiastical constitution of the realm, the feeling ofhis people must have undergone a rapid change. So con-spicuous an example of good faith punctiliously observed by aPopish prince towards a Protestant nation would have quietedthe public apprehensions. Men who saw that a Roman Ca-tholic might safely be suffered to direct the whole executiveadministration, to command the army and navy, to convokeand dissolve the legislature, to appoint the Bishops and Deansof the Church of England, would soon have ceased to fearthat any great evil would arise from allowing aRoman Catholicto be captain of a company or alderman of a borough. It isprobable that, in a few years, the sect so long detested by thenation would, with general applause, have been admitted tooffice and to Parliament.

If, on the other hand, James should attempt to promotethe interest of his Church by violating the fundamental lawsof his kingdom and the solemn promises which he had re-