The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

DIARY OF LONDON

ad March, 1687. Came out a proclamation for universal
liberty of conscience in Scotland, and depensation from
all tests and laws to the contrary, as also capacitating1
Papists to be chosen into all offices of trust. The mystery
operates.

3d March, 1687. Dr. Meggott, Dean of Winchester,
preached before the Princess of Denmark, on Matt,
xiv. 23. In the afternoon, I went out of town to meet
my Lord Clarendon, returning- from Ireland.

loth March, 1687. His Majesty sent for the Commis-
sioners of the Privy Seal this morning into his bedcham-
ber, and told us that though he had thought fit to dispose
of the Seal into a single hand, yet he would so provide
for us, as it should appear how well he accepted our
faithful and loyal service with many gracious expres-
sions to this effect; upon which we delivered the Seal
into his hands. It was by all the world both hoped and
expected, that he would have restored it to my Lord
Clarendon; but they were astonished to see it given to
Lord Arundel, of Wardouf, a zealous Roman Catholic.
Indeed it was very hard, and looked very unkindly, his
Majesty (as my Lord Clarendon protested to me, on my
going to visit him and long discoursing1 with him about
the affairs of Ireland) finding not the least failure of
duty in him during his government of that kingdom,
so that his recall plainly appeared to be from the stronger
influence of the Papists, who now got all the preferments.

Most of the great officers, both in the Court and coun-
try, Lords and others, were dismissed, as they would not
promise his Majesty their consent to the repeal of the
test and penal statutes against Popish Recusants. To
this end, most of the Parliament men were spoken to in
his Majesty's closet, and such as refused, if in anyplace
of office or trust, civil or military, were put out of their
employments. This was a time of great trial; but hardly
one of them assented, which put the Popish interest
much backward. The English clergy everywhere preached
boldly against their superstition and errors, and
were wonderfully followed by the people. Not one con-
siderable proselyte was made in all this time. The party
were exceedingly put to the worst by the preaching and
writing of the Protestants in many excellent treatises,
evincing the doctrine and discipline of the reformedans Sloane, and