Proposed Repeal of the Test and Penal Statutes 



359 



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

 we felt thankful for the Providence which had so signally protected 

 us. 1 



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 dowus in the battle of life. If its barrows 

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

 a stirring tale of British and Roman, 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. 



Jwpttb of % fot anft fletml statutes 

 % l^S lames % ^croittr, iit 1688; 



fts ^mtwm touting tlje same, to t\t ieptg=f ientenants 

 mi Magistrates in ffltiltepr^ foitlj i\m %n^m tljcreto : 

 iuclxibittg Confidential Returns of i\t farttamflttarg 

 interests at tfeat pmab, 



[From the Original State Papers and Documents in the 

 Bodleian Library.] 

 By Sib G-eokge Dttckett, Bart. 



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

 $f||ll the 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 



1 See my account of this storm in Magazine, vol. vi., pp. 365—380. 



