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7 April 1687: James II’s declaration of freedom of conscience arrives in Yorkshire, but fails in its alleged underlying intention – to drive people into the arms of the Catholic church

John Reresby. 1875. The Memoirs of Sir John Reresby of Thrybergh, Bart., M.P. for York, etc., 1634-1689. Ed. James J. Cartwright. London: Longmans, Green, and Company. Get it:

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Excerpt

There came down the declaration for liberty of conscience, gilded over with tenderness to his majesty’s subjects, in general invitation to strangers of different opinions, improvement of trade, and promising all this time to protect the bishops and ministers of the Church of England in their functions, rights, and properties and free exercise of their religion in the churches. But the design was well understood, viz. to divide the Protestant churches, that the Papists might find less opposition. The Presbyterians or Calvinists, who most of them had begun to conform, continued to come to our churches. The Anabaptists, Quakers, and Independents made addresses of thanks to the king for this indulgence. Several gentlemen in addition to those before named had lost their employments for refusing to give their votes for taking away the penal and test laws, being all members of parliament. After which, the parliament being prorogued, the question how men inclined as to that matter was not so frequently put; nor did any number of Protestants, considerable either as to estates or quality, go over to the Roman church, as yet neither invited by great preferments that waited on them, nor frightened with the king’s frowns, and the loss of their employments. So far did honour help religion, that gentlemen were the more firm, lest the world might think that they changed their religious opinions for reward.

To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

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Original

There came down the declaration for liberty of conscience, gilded over with tenderness to his Majesty’s subjects, in general invitation to strangers of different opinions, improvement of trade, and promising all this time to protect the bishops and ministers of the Church of England in their functions, rights, and properties and free exercise of their religion in the churches. But the design was well understood, viz. to divide the Protestant churches, that the Papists might find less opposition. The Presbyterians or Calvinists, who most of them had begun to conform, continued to come to our churches. The Anabaptists, Quakers, and Independents made addresses of thanks to the King for this indulgence. Several gentlemen in addition to those before named had lost their employments for refusing to give their votes for taking away the penal and test laws, being all members of Parliament. After which, the Parliament being prorogued, the question how men inclined as to that matter was not so frequently put; nor did any number of Protestants, considerable either as to estates or quality, go over to the Roman Church, as yet neither invited by great preferments that waited on them, nor frightened with the King’s frowns, and the loss of their employments. So far did honour help religion, that gentlemen were the more firm, lest the world might think that they changed their religious opinions for reward.

233 words.

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