116 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

CHAP.

LXX.

16 S 6 .

The unhappy protestants now fjw all the civilauthority, as well as the military force, trans-ferred into the hands of their inveterate enemies;inflamed with hereditary hatred, and stimulatedby every motive, which the passion either forpower, property, or religion could inspire. Eventhe barbarous banditti were let loose to prey onthem in their present defenceless condition. Arenewal of the ancient massacres was appre-hended; and great multitudes, struck with thebest grounded terror, deserted the kingdom, andinfused into the English nation a dread of thoseviolences, to which, after some time, they mightjustly , from the prevalence of the catholics,think themselves exposed.

All judicious persons of the catholic commu-nion were disgusted with these violent measures,and could easily foresee the consequences. ButJames was entirely governed by the rash counselsof the queen and of his confessor, father Peters,a jesuit, whom he soon after created a privycounsellor. He thought too, that, as he was nowin the decline of-life, it was necessary for him,by hasty steps, to carry his designs into execu-tion ; lest the succession of the princess of Orangeshould overturn all his projects. In vain didArundel, Powis , and Beilasis remonstrate , andsuggest more moderate and cautious measures.These men had seen and felt, during the prosecu-tion of the popish plot, the extreme antipathy,which the nation bore to their religion; andthough some subsequent incidents had seemingly