Proposed Repeal of the Test and Penal Statutes 359 



though the storm left our village the picture of desolation and ruin, 

 we felt thaokful for the Providence which had so signally protected 

 us.» 



Conclusion. 

 Thus it will be seen that our little retired parish on the open 

 downs is not without its experiences of sunshine and storm, its rough 

 and smooth, its ups and downs in the battle of life. If its bairows 

 and its old Church had tongues, doubtless they could tell us naany 

 a stirring tale of British and Eoman, Saxon and Norman times : 

 but now nearly all is forgotten; and we can but trace an outline 

 stretching through the dim ages into the distant past, and regret 

 that so little remains to reward the search of the parish chronicler. 



% W^H 1^^^^ ^\^ c^eroitir, ill 1688; 



its ^iwsttans tottcl^ing i\z same, U t|e f^putg^f ieutenants 



anb iilagistrates in Sliltsljtre, m\ i\t\x %\\%[yim i\mU • 



iiulttbing Cunfibcntial Returns d \\t farUamcntarg 



iiiUrats at t^at ^txxal. 



[From the Original State Papers and Documents in the 



Bodleian Library.] 



By SiE Geoege Dtjckett, Bart. 



^i^HE subject of the present paper is entirely connected with 

 feiKra ^^ object which James II. had in view from the commence- 

 ment of his reign, viz., the restoration of the Roman Catholic faith 

 as the religion of the country, and the necessary but preliminary 



* See my accouut of this storm in Magazine, vol. vi., pp. 365 — .38&. 



