k received the communion
with the king; but he did not, to the amazement of everybody. This being
the second year he had forborn and put it off, and within a day of the
parliament sitting, who had lately made so severe an act against ye
increase of poperie, gave exceeding griefe and scandal to the whole
nation, that the heyre of it, and ye sonn of a martyr for ye Protestant
religion, should apostatize. What the consequence of this will be God
only knows, and wise men dread."

That the nation might no longer remain in uncertainty concerning the
change the duke was suspected to have made, a bill, commonly called the
"Test Act," was, at the instigation of Lord Shaftesbury, introduced into
the House of Commons, on its reassembling. In substance this set forth,
that all persons holding office, or place of trust, or profit, should
take the oaths of supremacy and allegiance in a public court; receive
the sacrament according to the Church of England in some parish church
on the Lord's Day; and deliver a certificate of having so received
communion, signed by the respective ministers and church-wardens, and
proved by two credible witnesses on oath. After prolonged debates upon
this singular bill, it was passed through both houses of parliament, and
received a reluctant consent from the king. [This act continued in force
until the reign of George IV.]

A great commotion followed the passing of this Act. Immediately the Duke
of York resigned his post of lord high admiral of England. Suspicion now
became certainty; he was truly a papist. His enemies were elated with
triumph, his friends dejected by regret. Before public feeling had time
to subside, it was thoroughly startled by the news that Lord Clifford,
who was supposed to be a staunch protestant, had delivered up his
staff of office as lord treasurer; and Lord Bellasis and Sir Thomas
Strickland, papists both, "though otherwise men of quality and ability,"
had relinquished their places at court. The king was perplexed, the
parliament divided into factions, the nation disturbed. No man knew
who might next proclaim himself a papist. As days passed, excitement
increased; for hundreds who held positions in the army, or under the
crown--many of whom had fought for the king and his father--by tendering
their resignations, now proved themselves slaves of what a vigorous
writer calls the "Romish yoke: such a thing," he adds, "as cannot, but
for want of a name to express it, be called a