An Account of the present condition of the Protestants in the Palatinate in two letters to an English gentleman.

LETTER II.

SIR,

SInce my last the Elector Palatine has pub∣lished a Declaration for Liberty of Consci∣ence in the Palatinate, which is mightily cry∣ed up by the Papists, as an act of the great moderation of that Prince. The Title indeed is very specious, and may impose upon such who are not acquainted with our Constitution; but those who are not altogether strangers to it, must needs be convinced, that this very Declaration is a most manifest Infraction of the Treaties of Westphalia, and calculated for the extirpation of the Protestant Religion. This puts me in mind of the Declaration of your late King James, who, under the same specious Title, aim'd at the destruction both of your Liberty and Religion. Our Prince is as much a Bigot to Rome, as your abdicated King, and as much rul'd by his Father Peters,

and therefore we might reasonably suppose that he has the same designs in view, altho we should, nor have yet any Fact to convince us of his Intentions.

You know that by the Treaties of Westpha∣lia the Popish Religion could not be exercised in the Palatinate, unless it was by a toleration of the Government, to which the Protestant Princes seem but too much inclin'd. All the Churches, Schools, Church Lands, Tythes, and other Ecclesiastical Revenues were in the hands of Protestants, but by this Declaration the Churches are to serve equally for the use of Papists and Protestants; so that this is as much a violation of our Rights, as it would have been of yours, if the late King James had caus'd Mass to be sung in Westminster Abbey; for the Papists have no better title to our Churches than they have to yours

Had his Electoral Highness been contented to give the Papists leave to exercise openly their Religion, and even to build Churches for themselves, we might be silent, tho this would be against our Privileges; but to pre∣sume to give 'em our Churches and our Ec∣clesiastical

Incomes, under pretence of Liber∣ty of Conscience, is such an injustice, that I must return again to your late King, to find any parallel to match it.

I have told you in my former how they have taken away our Schools and Colledges, and given the same to Popish Priests, tho some of them were so lately founded and endowed, that they could not have impudence enough to pretend that they did formerly belong to the Papists; I must now give you some par∣ticulars to shew the effects of this Liberty of Conscience, and how it is observed.

The Elector has taken away all the Tythes and other Incomes for the maintenance of our Clergy, and bestowed the same upon Romish Priests; but to give some compensation to the Protestant Clergy, he is graciously pleased yearly to allow each Minister one hundred Guilders, which is hardly 15 l. sterling, 20 Sacks of Corn, and one Fudder of Wine. This subsistence being so small that it is impos∣sible for them to subsist upon it, no doubt but they expect that the said Ministers will quit their employment for want of a livelihood,

and that the Flock being left without a Shepherd will be either dispersed, or easily seduced. A rare and precious Liberty of Conscience, which deserveth our immortal thanks!

The very sound of the title of a Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, must needs deter∣mine any impartial man to believe, that there∣by his Electoral Highness intends that all his Subjects shall have an entire liberty to embrace and profess what Religion they please, at least of the three that are tolerated in the Empire, as it is therein verbatim expressed; but it is not to be wonder'd at, that such who pretend that we must not hearken to the evidence of our Senses and Reason, should pretend to change the genuine signification of words, as you may see in the following particulars.

A certain woman of Sekenheim, near La∣denburgh, married to a Papist Husband, hav∣ing however brought up in the Protestant Religion her Daughter, desired the Minister of the place to admit her to the participation of the Lords Supper, being in the age requi∣red by the discipline of our Churches, which the Minister did without any manner of scru∣ple.

This proceeding was doubtless very in∣nocent and justifiable by all divine and hu∣mane Laws, but it has seemed so great a crime to the Papists, that the poor Minister was ta∣ken up, committed close Prisoner, and fined 200 Florins. Would any man think after∣ward, that we enjoy a free Liberty of Con∣science.

An Inhabitant of Wiselock, a Papist by birth and profession, but a more honest man than the generality of his perswasion, marry'd some time time ago a Protestant Wife, and it was agreed and covenanted between them, that the Children should be Christned, and brought up in the Protestant Religion. His Wife be∣ing brought to be of a male child, he, ac∣cording to his promise, got him Christened by the Protestant Minister of his Parish; which so incens'd the Popish Clergy, that they got an order to carry him to Heidelbergh, where he has been kept close Prisoner, and very se∣verely used, and forc'd to pay a fine of 50 Florins to come out.

I could bring you a hundred instances more of the like nature, and of persons now in Pri∣sons

for having again embraced the Prote∣stant Religion, which they had been forc'd to feign to quit, by the violent Persecutions of the French; but I am afraid to tire your patience, and therefore I come now to the conclusion of my Letter, wherein I beg leave to examine in few words the pretence of these violent Persecutions, to shew that it is the most groundless and unjust that ever was.

The first pretence, and which was at first mightily insisted upon, is the fourth Article of the Treaty of Reswick, which was chiefly the work of the Baron de Zeiler, a famous Renegado, in conjunction with the Ministers of France. But notwithstanding what they may say, that Clause can never justifie the violent proceedings of his Electoral Highness; for, taking that Article in the largest sense that can possibly be given to it, it implys no more, but that the Roman Catholicks should remain in the possession of those Privileges they were possessed of at the conclusion of the Peace, in those Countries which were to be restor'd by the French to the Empire. Now the Palatinate, I mean that part which lies

on the Right side of the Rhine, being not then in the possession of the French and some part of it having never been in their hands, it is plain that the so much spoken of Clause cannot justifie any ways the innovations lately made in the Palatinate, which consequently are an infraction of the Treaty of Munster.

Neither is the Treaty of Reswick more re∣ligiously observed than the former, when it seems to favour us; for that very fourth Ar∣ticle, which serves to excuse their Persecution on this side the Rhine, is openly violated on the other side of the River, where the Pro∣testants would be contented to enjoy the same Liberty they had under the French, and which was secured to them by the fourth Article of the Peace. Sure this is the most unaccoun∣table thing I ever heard of, and which would put to the blush any man but a Papist. The Protestants must be deprived of their Liberty about Heidelbergh by virtue of a Clause in the Treaty of Peace, which ought to have no force in these parts, by the reasons aforesaid, and they cannot enjoy their Liberty on the other side of the Rhine, notwithstanding

that Article secures it unto them. Who wou'd have thought that the Jesuits of Dusseldorp cou'd exceed in Wit or Malice those of France?

The French King has not as yet openly vio∣lated the late Treaty of Peace in matters of Religion, for the Protestants in Strasburgh, and elsewhere in Alsace, have the same liberty that they had during the War; but our case is very different, as I have already told you, and it seems our Prince's Zeal is above that of the French King.

Having given you an account of their pro∣ceedings, and confuted the groundless justi∣fication thereof, I must acquaint you with the measures we have taken in this sad juncture.

We applied our selves first of all to his E∣lectoral Highness, as it was our duty, and humbly represented the violent proceedings of his Officers against us, praying the redress of these grievances Our representation was as submissive and respectful as could be, but however we could obtain no Justice, and our Deputies were so brow-beaten and threatned that they did not think safe to insist any lonegr,

for an answer, and returned home without any success. Seeing therefore that the ears of our Prince were shut up against our just com∣plaints, we applied ourselves to several German Princes of our perswasion, and desir'd that they would be pleased to intercede for us, and move at the Dyet of the Empire, that the Innovations made in the Palatinate might be considered. They granted our Request, and accordingly a Memorial was delivered at Ratisbonne to the Deputies of the Catholick Princes, containing that the proceedings of the Elector Palatinate were a manifest infracti∣on of the Treaty of Munster, and that they might prove so fatal to the tranquility of the Empire, that it was highly necessary to en∣quire into that affair, and put a stop to these innovations. This Memorial was communi∣cated to the Deputy of the Elector, who de∣sired time to send it to his Master, and pro∣mised to return an answer with all convenient speed.

It was sent accordingly to Dusseldorp, and examined by the Council of his Electoral Highness; wherein it was resolved, that the

Minister of the Elector should give no parti∣cular answer to that Memorial, but only tell the Dyet in general terms, that his Electoral Highness was surprized that his Subjects should presume to make such groundless com∣plaints; that they could proceed but from a Spirit of Rebellion, and that therefore he would watch more narrowly their actions, and punish them according to their demerits, praying the Dyet not to concern themselves in this affair.

Could you, Sir, have expected such an an∣swer from a Prince, who owes so much to the Protestants, and who would have been at this day a Titular Elector had not the Pro∣testant Princes restor'd him to his Electorate? This is a piece of gratitude not to be paral∣lel'd, which sheweth the true character of a Papist, and their hellish designs against our Religion. This I think sufficient, Sir, to give you a true Idea of our sad case, which may serve as a warning to all Protestants never to trust a Popish Prince, for impose upon 'em as many oaths as you please, bind them by their Interest, these precautions will serve for no∣thing

at all, the Pope will absolve them from their Oaths, and the Jesuits will so bewitch them, as to make them act quite contrary to their Honour and interest. Happy, and thrice happy England▪ to be free from such Biggotted Princes; and that you may be sensi∣ble of, and long enjoy your present felicity, will always be the prayers of

SIR,

Heidelbergh, Feb. 7. 1699.

Yours, &c.