"never be denied that some of their religion had a

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very great share in his majesty's preservation*,” when he is informed, that, during the six first days after that disaster, his majesty was wholly in the hands and under the protection of the catholics. Fifty-two of that religion were apprised of the secret; some of these were in low circumstances, but neither fear nor hope induced even one of them to swerve from his fidelity t. On the sixth day, his majesty reached the house of Mr. Lane; from this time, he was in the hands of protestants, who served him with equal fidelity. In their praise, the noble historian is minute and eloquent; but of the fifty-two loyal catholics, he mentions only father Huddlestone, a Benedictine monk. It should be added, that, "at this time, the Irish catholics were "the only compact body, throughout the extent "of the British empire, which had preserved, un"tainted and unshaken, their loyalty to the royal cause."

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LXII. 2.

Vol. 11.-c. 31. s. 2. p. 16.

New Disclaimer of the deposing Power condemned by the See of Rome.

Hist. book xiii.

+ See Dodd's Hist. vol. iii. part vii. book i. art. i.—From a manuscript, signed by father Huddlestone, and by Mr. Whitgrave of Moseley, at whose house the monarch was concealed two days and two nights, Mr. Dodd gives the particulars of the monarch's wanderings which followed the battle, and the names of the fifty-two catholics entrusted with the secret. Mr. Plowden's "Historical Memoirs," book i. p. 119.

CHAP. LXIII.

INTERNAL OCCURRENCES AMONG THE ENGLISH CATHOLICS DURING THE REIGN OF CHARLES I.

THE amicable intercourse between the monarch and the see of Rome has been mentioned; we have also noticed the retirement of bishop Smith to France, and his death in 1655: we have now to give, I. Some account of the proceedings of the chapter on that event. II. And of Blackloism,-a word, the import of which, very few if any of the readers of these pages understand, but in its time, a cry of war.

LXIII. 1.

Proceeding of the Chapter on the Death of
bishop Smith.

IN 1653, a general assembly of the secular clergy composed of deputies, fifteen in number, from all the districts of England and Wales, and presided by doctor Harrison, the vicar general of bishop Smith, was held, and continued sitting from the 11th to the 16th of July.

Foreseeing the approaching demise of the bishop, they deliberated on the line of conduct, which should be adopted on that event, and came to a resolution, that, "if their bishop should die before

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any change of government came upon them by "the coming in of one or more bishops or other

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wise, all the clergy should stand in a modest "defence of the dean and chapter, and yield due "obedience to them."

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Soon after the prelate's decease, the same assembly met and confirmed their former resolution. It was announced to the catholic public, by an encyclical letter, addressed to them in 1660, by the dean and chapter. By their agent at Rome," says Mr. Berington*, "they gave an account to "his holiness of the bishop's decease, and requested "to know his pleasure concerning the future go"vernment of the catholic church in England. "He replied: I will not disapprove of your "chapter; but will let you alone with your govern"mentt.' This was Alexander VII, who had "lately succeeded to Innocent.

"In the same year, 1655, the chapter despatched "Mr. Plantin, a new agent, to Rome, to supplicate "for a successor to bishop Smith. His holiness, "in compliance with their requisition, promised, "they should have a bishop within seven months." "And how,' observed the agent, shall our church

• Memoirs of Panzani, Supplement, p. 295.

+"An Abstract of the Transactions relating to the "English secular Clergy, by the reverend John Serjeant," p. 56. From the preface to this work it appears that the reverend John Ward, the secretary of the chapter, compiled a full history of the affairs of the body to be preserved in the archives of the chapter:-Mr. Serjeant's work seems to be an abstract of it.

"be governed in the interim ?'-' Have you not a "dean and chapter?' replied Alexander*.

"These answers of the pontiff were clearly an implied approbation of the chapter's jurisdiction.

Having occasion to write to Rome in the following year, the chapter, though the seven "months were expired and no successor appointed, "addressed a letter of thanks to his holiness for "his paternal care in promising them a superior "with ordinary powerst. He had made no such "promise; but it was wise to signify the extent of "their own wishes.

"In 1657, the chapter in a general assembly "nominated six persons as proper for a bishop, "and constituted Mr. Pendrick their agent to "Rome; to whom, some months after, with a per"severance that became them, they gave orders "forthwith to wait upon his holiness, and suppli"cate him in their names to make good his pro"mise. Letters likewise, to the same effect, were "sent to the protector Barberini. The instructions "to the agent were; first, to desire a bishop with "the power of a prelate in ordinary; secondly, "that they dare not accept of any extraordinary

authority, which would be against the laws of "their catholic ancestors, and the will of the state; thirdly, that the bishop be chosen out of the six "named by the chapter; fourthly, that, if any other person, or authority, contrary or inconsistent

"with this, be endeavoured to be imposed, he "should resolutely oppose it; and, in the name of "the chapter, protest against it; first, because the "ancient laws of England admit of no extraordinary power of the pope; secondly, because there is a "severe penalty, called a præmunire, against those, "that shall receive any such; thirdly, that, in the reign of Henry VIII, the clergy, by reason of this, "were compelled to renounce the pope's authority; "fourthly, that all the laity will fall under the "same præmunire; and therefore fifthly, that the chapter think themselves bound in conscience to

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acquaint the laity of the danger to which they "will be exposed, by accepting such an authority;

lastly, that the state is already too jealous of any "intrenchment from the power of the court of "Rome: the chapter, therefore, dares not receive any superior but an ordinary bishop.

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"These manly sentiments, thus forcibly expressed," says Mr. Berington, "tell us, what "then was the conviction of the clergy, and how "true they were to the firm conduct of their an"cestors. In what softer shades of colouring, the "resolutions were conveyed to his holiness, we do "not learn; but we learn, that no change was "made, and that the promise to be fulfilled in seven "months remained unexecuted. In 1659, doctor