登陆注册
5246300000340

第340章 CHAPTER VII(22)

For these reasons, even if it could be believed that the Court was sincere, a Dissenter might reasonably have determined to cast in his lot with the Church. But what guarantee was there for the sincerity of the Court? All men knew what the conduct of James had been tip to that very time. It was not impossible, indeed, that a persecutor might be convinced by argument and by experience of the advantages of toleration. But James did not pretend to have been recently convinced. On the contrary, he omitted no opportunity of protesting that he had, during many years, been, on principle, adverse to all intolerance. Yet, within a few months, he had persecuted men, women, young girls, to the death for their religion. Had he been acting against light and against the convictions of his conscience then? Or was he uttering a deliberate falsehood now? From this dilemma there was no escape; and either of the two suppositions was fatal to the King's character for honesty. It was notorious also that he had been completely subjugated by the Jesuits. Only a few days before the publication of the Indulgence, that Order had been honoured, in spite of the well known wishes of the Holy See, with a new mark of his confidence and approbation. His confessor, Father Mansuete, a Franciscan, whose mild temper and irreproachable life commanded general respect, but who had long been hated by Tyrconnel and Petre, had been discarded. The vacant place had been filled by an Englishman named Warner, who had apostatized from the religion of his country and had turned Jesuit. To the moderate Roman Catholics and to the Nuncio this change was far from agreeable. By every Protestant it was regarded as a proof that the dominion of the Jesuits over the royal mind was absolute.246 Whatever praises those fathers might justly claim, flattery itself could not ascribe to them either wide liberality or strict veracity. That they had never scrupled, when the interest of their Order was at stake, to call in the aid of the civil sword, or to violate the laws of truth and of good faith, had been proclaimed to the world, not only by Protestant accusers, but by men whose virtue and genius were the glory of the Church of Rome. It was incredible that a devoted disciple of the Jesuits should be on principle zealous for freedom of conscience: but it was neither incredible nor improbable that he might think himself justified in disguising his real sentiments, in order to render a service to his religion. It was certain that the King at heart preferred the Churchmen to the Puritans. It was certain that, while he had any hope of gaining the Churchmen, he had never shown the smallest kindness to the Puritans. Could it then be doubted that, if the Churchmen would even now comply with his wishes, he would willingly sacrifice the Puritans? His word, repeatedly pledged, had not restrained him from invading the legal rights of that clergy which had given such signal proofs of affection and fidelity to his house. What security then could his word afford to sects divided from him by the recollection of a thousand inexpiable wounds inflicted and endured?

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 心情·百味卷

    心情·百味卷

    本书收录的散文包括:“你是我梦中的期待”、“请把我的情感留下”、“将芳年写在心灵”、“珍视心中的爱”、“淡淡柳如烟”五个栏目。
  • 现果随录

    现果随录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 月河桥

    月河桥

    工作是嘉兴市中级法院的一名法官。已发表小说100万余字,散见于《小说选刊》、《中篇小说选刊》、《中国作家》、《江南》、《山花》、《百花洲》等期刊。
  • 韩信岭怀古

    韩信岭怀古

    晋中有文化,又缺少文化。说“有文化”,是说晋中有深厚的文化积淀,有许多可供挖掘和利用的历史文化,特别是人文资源;说缺少文化是说社会有关方面,对这种文化特别是人文资源的开发、利用还很不够。晋中在利用晋商文化,主要是在开发王家、乔家等若干个晋商大院作为旅游景点方面,在开发绵山等方面,做了卓有成效的工作,但在其他人文资源的开发、保护、利用方面则有明显的欠缺。这个结论或许武断了些,或许是“以偏概全”,但这是从我在晋中看韩信墓、祁黄羊墓、罗贯中故里以及王允衣冠冢时感到的。
  • 超级巨星之头条女王

    超级巨星之头条女王

    为钱出道,寻找真相阴谋阳谋,魑魅魍魉不惧,不恐,不退原以为一切背道而驰,却不料殊途同归走到星光前,势要搅她个天翻地覆。【片段一】这是什么?”叶柠接过一个信封问道。“叶柠,这是你的新任务。”“新任务?”“我不去。” “这是命令。”“今日凌晨,微博曝光了一张价目表,里面囊括了娱乐圈大多数明星的片酬,其中以秦阳8000万的片酬位居榜首……”“你不是需要钱吗?成为艺人,你想赚多少就有多少。”八千万,叶柠看了一眼电视。“好,”。【片段二】真人秀“啊啊啊啊,这里有蛇,”李诗诗看到树枝头缠绕着花花绿绿的蛇,花容失色的尖叫着。如果再给她一次选择的机会,她死也不参加这个节目。“啪,”一根干枯的树枝飞了过来,将枝头的蛇打落下来。“噗”。“看,我们的晚餐有了。”叶柠一手拿着匕首,一手捏着没有蛇头,不停挪动渗着血的蛇身,凑到李诗诗面前。开心的露出八颗牙笑道。“呵呵”,李诗诗脸色苍白的退后一步。
  • 画一个江湖

    画一个江湖

    一入道门,从此仙凡两别,逢人只说长生话,一肩挑明月,两袖挽清风,与天地共舞,哪管那世俗红尘。可,总有些人,注定与这些超然物外的神仙们,尿不到一个壶里去。他们在哪里,哪里就有酒有肉有女人,还有江湖。没有江湖?那便刀剑拳脚,画一个江湖!
  • 玉门少主

    玉门少主

    十年前,七岁的玉门少主被绑在祭天神台,血蛊之虫在她体内涌动,身上的血一滴滴打在冰冷的祭神台上,整整七天七夜,血流尽。“他死了,把他的尸骨扔到祭渊之底,祭天之人可震慑邪魔。”七大家族如是说。十年后,天空风云巨变,乱世之光乍现,七星连珠,血红之星大放光芒,星象预示:七大家族面临灭顶之灾。玉琉幻,十年修炼,蜕变归来,七大家族曾用她祭天,她就用七大家族祭自己!玉蜃楼,他是身份神秘神玉族尊主,具有诛魔力量的傲天之尊,眼看着“邪魔之主”四处作乱,所以出来维护正义。至爱和正义他怎么选?自然两者都要。---------------------------------------------本文是一个脑洞巨大的奇幻世界,倾力谱写一场旷世白首之恋,欢迎跳坑!
  • 长乐六里志

    长乐六里志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 创世纪:星际浩劫

    创世纪:星际浩劫

    公元2069年,千疮百孔的地球总算经受不住人类的摧残,以最狼狈的状态毁灭,走投无路的人类,最终决定将自己的基业建立在宇宙中,对于他们一无所知的世界,不知道最深处有着什么在等着他们,在无尽的宇宙中人类将何去何从,在真正的灾难来临之际,人类又将如何瓦解,这一切的一切,是否只是个梦……
  • 吻安,我的魔君大人

    吻安,我的魔君大人

    情不知所起,一往而深。她是九重天万人之上的神女,却对所谓神明嗤之以鼻,他是千年前天道镇压的魔君,却被某女磨成了妻奴。驭万兽,控紫雷,练神丹,杀伐天下,以解封魔君祸害神域为己任可还行?风云初动,当乱世遇上纨绔神女,当魔君撞上某戏精本精,又将摩擦出怎样的火花?“本小姐放你出来是为了祸害神界,不是给自己添堵!”“但你也是神界一员,不如嫁于本君,一起去你娘家玩玩可好?”