CROMWELL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:] an article in the Spectator of Jane 22nd, Cromwell is depicted as a champion of "religious liberty." It is difficult, however, to see how this view can be reconciled with historical -facts. Certainly, if history is to be credited, Cromwell, in spite of fair words, extended scant toleration to Anglicanism, -and of Catholicism he was a most bitter and relentless persecutor. The writer of the article referred to quotes a document in which Cromwell professes his unwillingness to " meddle with any man's conscience." Now what is this -document ? It is the well-known reply of Cromwell to the declaration of the Irish Catholic Bishops at Clonmacnoise, and in this same document the following words occur:- " But if by liberty of conscience, you mean a liberty to exer- cise the Mass, I judge it best to use plain dealing, and let you know where the Parliament of England have power, that will not be allowed of." May I ask how it was that the writer of the article ignored these words which upset his theory, while 'quoting a previous sentence which appeared to support it P- I am, Sir, &c.,
[We have no wish, as we stated, to defend all Cromwell's acts in Ireland, but we contend that no one can honestly study Cromwell's career without coming to the conclusion that he was always at heart in favour of tolerance, and when he was Protector, and had full power to protect Roman Catholics, he did so. His letter to Mazarin shows this most -clearly. He states there how he has "plucked many [Catholics] out of the raging fire of persecution which did tyrannise over their consciences and encroached by an arbitrariness of power upon their estates." Mr. Church, Cromwell's most recent biographer, notices that Cromwell at the very time of his fatal illness was considering whether the time had not arrived for "complete toleration of the Catholic religion in England." In the passage quoted by our correspondent, 'Cromwell is speaking as the servant of the Long Parliament, and the Long Parliament no doubt tried to prevent the public -use of the Mass.—ED. Spectator.]
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