LETTER XV. QUEEN ELIZABETH. XV. 1. Mr. Townsend's assertion, that by the omission in "the Book of the Roman Catholic Church," of any notice of the state of Europe and England, at the accession of Queen Elizabeth," the Author of the book, almost seems "to have demonstrated, that he reserves his talents for "his own profession, and his sincerity for the courtesy " of private life" 87 Transcription of the statements of each from the Author's Historical Memoirs: it refutes both charges XV. 2. 88 Mr. Townsend's Eulogy of the Pacific Tendency of Elizabeth's first measures respecting Religion Controverted. 91 1.-Did morality and justice authorize Elizabeth to make Episcopalian Protestantism the religion of the 92 2.-Or to enact, that adherence to the ancient religion, was a crime against the state; and that non-conformity to the new ritual, should be heavily punishable 3.-Or to make the belief of the spiritual supremacy of the Pope, legal evidence of unsound allegiance 93 94 95 4. Observations on the excessive pretensions of some Popes 5.-If it follows from a subject's being a Catholic, that his allegiance to a Protestant king cannot be depended upon, it must equally follow, from a subject's being a Protestant, that his allegiance to a Catholic king cannot be depended on 96 Justice requires in each case, that criminality should be proved, before the guilt is considered to be established ib. XV. 3. Mr. Townsend's Eulogy of the Moderation of the Laws passed in the first year of Queen Elizabeth - 98 1.-As being generally defensible on account of the hostile proceedings of foreign powers ib. He omits to mention the hostility of many of Elizabeth's proceedings towards them. 2.-The English Catholics did not co-operate in the hostile proceedings of foreign powers against Elizabeth - ib. 3.-Mr. Townsend's assertion, that treason was discovered among the Catholics 99 They were guilty of no treason, under the antient law of the country ib. ib. 4.-If all treasons alleged against Catholic individuals were true, they would not inculpate the body, or, what may be called, a proportion of it 5.-Justice required of Mr. Townsend, that, when he mentioned treasons of Catholics, he should have explicitly informed his readers, whether he meant to charge them with that, which was treason by the ancient law of the land, or with that, which was made treason by Elizabeth's religious innovations 99 6.-Nature of the Queen's supremacy,-AS IT WAS CLAIMED BY HER, AND REFUSED BY THE CATHOLICS AND PURITANS, IT IS NOW DISBELIEVED by all EngLISH PROTESTANTS!!! . ib. 7.-Mr. Townsend's assertion of the comparative mildness of the penal law passed in the first year of Queen Elizabeth 101 Denied. It consigned two-thirds of her subjects, for adhering to the ancient and actual religion of the country, to degradation, vexation, want, beggary and inanition 102 XV. 4. 1. The Act of the Fifth year of Queen Elizabeth against the Roman Catholics 105 Caused by the Bull of Pius V.—which cannot be mentioned in too strong terms of condemnation ib. 2.-Mr. Townsend's assertion, that the refusal of Catholics to attend the Protestant service, was produced by Pope Pius's Bull The contrary shown. - 107 3.-Mr. Townsend's assimilation of the Jacobins in the time of George III. to the Catholics in the time of Elizabeth Does not hold 109 XV. 5. Mr. Townsend's justification of the Acts passed in the 13th, 23d and 27th years of Queen Elizabeth, against. the Catholics Answered:-That 1.-They were religious persecutions 110 ib. 2.-That if any Catholics asserted Elizabeth was not his lawful Sovereign, or arrayed against her the religious feelings of her people, or brought the Bull into the kingdom, or impeached her title to the Crown, they were really guilty of treason,—but nothing of this can be charged upon them 3.-Mr. Townsend's assertion, that "there would be again "men, who would be ready to disclaim every tie "and sacrifice, even life itself, in obedience to the 66 ib. supposed will of God, in submission to their priesthood, and their spiritual Lord the Pope - 111 If this imports that,―if, under any possible circumstance, a similar Bull should now be promulgated, and his Majesty's Catholic subjects required to obey it, their conduct would be such as Mr. Townsend suggests, it is a most groundless imputation ib. The charge is totally unfounded :—the Author has applied to the Bull several of the strongest expressions of reprobation in the English language:-and the word "illaudable," 6. His charge against Dr. Lingard, of " utmost unfair- 7. His imputing to the Author, "a deplorable attempt to "reconcile Father Campian's petition, and the dis- The Author has made no such attempt, and has sation ib. - ib. But does not mention the refusal of the Catholics 9. His assertion, that the persecutions by Protestants of - ib. QUEEN ELIZABETH-continued. 10. His entire approbation of the Act of the 27 Elizabeth; by which, on a discovery of a plot against her, by the Pope, the King of Spain and the Duke of Guise to invade England, she banished the Priests and Jesuits, upon pain of death 118 He brings no evidence of the plot,—and is required to prove that any priest in England ib. 12. He produces examples of persecutions by, and regicidal doctrine of, some Foreign Catholics ib. Is silent on Protestant persecutions and regicidal doctrines ib. 13. He cites Bishop Taylor's assertion, that the statute against the Priests was not passed, till after their own confessions, that many of them had come into England, to instigate the loyal to the execution of the Bull Not one such confession. ib. 14. The refusal of the Priests to profess their allegiance to the Queen, by a satisfactory answer to the six questions 123 Their answers lamented and blamed: - the refusal would have justified strong precautionary measures:—but did not justify Elizabeth's new creations of felonies, premunires, and treasons 15. His account of Campian's conduct and trial Shown to contain much misrepresentation 124 ib. 125 ib. ib. 16. His account of the views and objects of the Missionary Priests Unsupported by fact 17. His Vindication of Hume's charge against the Seminarists Replied to 127 128 |