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Handout #183 |
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The Glorious Revolution |
| The diarist John Evelyn (1620-1706 A.D.) was
a devout Anglican, whose record of events leading up to the Act of
Toleration reveals the sort of Anglican suspicions of Dissenters which
prevented any fuller reunion of the Church of England through the 'Bill of
Comprehension' which he mentions. It also shows how unhappy many Anglicans
were about the legality of James II's overthrow. The Archbishop of
Canterbury, William Sancroft, eventually refused to swear loyalty to the
new regime.
12 February 1689. I went with the Bishop of St. Asaph to visit my Lord of Canterbury at Lambeth, who had excused himself from officiating at the Coronation, which was performed by the Bishop of London, assisted by the Archbishop of York. We had much private and free discourse with his Grace concerning several things relating to the Church, there being now a bill of comprehension to be brought from the Lords to the Commons ... We discoursed likewise of the great disturbance and prejudice it might cause, should the new oath, now on the anvil, be imposed on any, save such as were in new office, without any retrospect to such as either had no office, or had been long in office, who it was likely would have some scruples about taking a new oath, having already sworn fidelity to the government as established by law. This we all knew to be the case of my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and some other persons who were not so fully satisfied with the Convention making it an abdication of King James, to whom he had sworn allegiance ... Scotland declares for King William and Queen Mary, with the reasons of their setting aside King James, not as abdicating, but forfeiting his right by mal-administration; they proceeded with much more caution and prudence than we did, who precipitated all things to the great reproach of the nation, all which had been managed by some crafty ill-principled men. The new Privy Council have a Republication spirit, manifestly undermining all future succession of the Crown and prosperity of the Church of England which yet I hope they will not be able to accomplish so soon as they expect, though they get into all places of trust and profit. The Diary of John Evely, Dent 1907, Vol. 2, 3 00- 1. |
