JAMES THE SECOND.

383

It was agreed en-

trained to polemics in the schools of Douay.that there should be a formal disputation between these —doctors and some Protestant clergymen. The King toldRochester to choose any ministers of the Established Church,with two exceptions. The proscribed persons were Tillotsonand Stillingfleet. Tillotson, the most popular preacher ofthat age, and in manners the most inoffensive of men, hadbeen much connected with some leading Whigs; and Stilling-fleet, who was renowned as a consummate master of all theweapons of controversy, had given still deeper offence by-publishing an answer to the papers which had been found in 'the strong box of Charles the Second. Rochester took thetwo royal chaplains who happened to be in waiting. One ofthem was Simon Patrick, whose commentaries on the Biblestill form a part of theological libraries; the other was Jane,a vehement Tory, who had assisted in drawing up that decreeby which the University of Oxford had solemnly adopted theworst follies of Filmer. The conference took place atWhitehall on the thirtieth of November. Rochester, whodid not wish it to be known that he had even consented to hearthe arguments of Popish priests, stipulated for secrecy. Noauditor was suffered to be present except the King. Thesubject discussed was the real presence. The Roman Ca-tholic divines took on themselves the burden of the proof.Patrick and Jane said little; nor was it necessary that theyshould say much; for the Earl himself undertook to defendthe doctrine of his Church, and, as was his habit, soonwarmed with conflict, lost his temper, and asked with greatvehemence whether it was expected that he should change hisreligion on such frivolous grounds. Then he rememberedhow much he was risking, began again to dissemble, com-plimented the disputants on their skill and learning, and askedtime to consider what had been said. *

* Carillon, Dec. 168G; Burnet, i. 684.; Clarke’s Life of James the

ill