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should perhaps find now on the banks of the Hudson what we find
on the banks of the St。 Lawrencevillages dominated by great
churches and convents； with inhabitants Catholic to a man；
speaking the language and preserving the traditions of France。
The strip of inviolate sea between Calais and Dover made
impossible； however； an assault on London。 Sea power kept secure
not only England but English effort in America and in the end
defeated France。
England had defenses other than her great strength on the sea。 In
spite of the docility towards France shown by the English King；
Charles II； himself half French in blood and at heart devoted to
the triumph of the Catholic faith； the English people would
tolerate no policies likely to make England subservient to
France。 This was forbidden by age…long tradition。 The struggle
had become one of religion as well as of race。 A fight for a
century and a half with the Roman Catholic Church had made
England sternly； fanatically Protestant。 In their suspicion of
the system which France accepted； Englishmen had sent a king to
the scaffold； had overthrown the monarchy； and had created a
military republic。 This republic； indeed； had fallen； but the
distrust of the aims of the Roman Catholic Church remained
intense and burst into passionate fury the moment an
understanding of the aims of France gained currency。
There are indeed few passages in English history less creditable
than the panic fear of Roman Catholic plots which swept the
country in the days when Frontenac at Quebec was working to
destroy English and Protestant influence in America。 In 1678；
Titus Oates； a clergyman of the Church of England who had turned
Roman Catholic； declared that； while in the secrets of his new
church； he had found on foot a plot to restore Roman Catholic
dominance in England by means of the murder of Charles II and of
any other crimes necessary for that purpose。 Oates said that he
had left the Church and returned to his former faith because of
the terrible character of the conspiracy which he had discovered。
His story was not even plausible； he was known to be a man of
vicious life； moreover； Catholic plotters would hardly murder a
king who was at heart devoted to Catholic policy。 England；
however； was in a nervous state of mind； Charles II was known to
be intriguing with France； and a cruel fury surged through the
nation。 For a share in the supposed plots； a score of people；
among them one of the great nobles of England； the venerable and
innocent Earl of Stafford； were condemned to death and executed。
Whatever Charles II himself might have thought； he was obliged
for his own safety to acquiesce in the policy of persecution。
Catholic France was not less malignant than Protestant England。
Though cruel severity had long been shown to Protestants； they
seemed to be secure under the law of France in certain limited
rights and in a restricted toleration。 In 1685； however； Louis
XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes by which Henry IV a century
earlier had guaranteed this toleration。 All over France there had
already burst out terrible persecution； and the act of Louis XIV
brought a fiery climax。 Unhappy heretics who would not accept
Roman Catholic doctrine found life intolerable。 Tens of thousands
escaped from France in spite of a law which； though it exiled the
Protestant ministers； forbade other Protestants to leave the
country。 Stories of plots were made the excuse to seize the
property of Protestants。 Regiments of soldiers； charged with the
task； could boast of many enforced 〃conversions。〃 Quartered on
Protestant households； they made the life of the inmates a burden
until they abandoned their religion。 Among the means used were
torture before a slow fire； the tearing off of the finger nails；
the driving of the whole families naked into the streets and the
forbidding of any one to give them shelter； the violation of
women； and the crowding of the heretics in loathsome prisons。 By
such means it took a regiment of soldiers in Rouen only a few
days to 〃convert〃 to the old faith some six hundred families。
Protestant ministers caught in France were sent to the galleys
for life。 The persecutions which followed the revocation of the
Edict of Nantes outdid even Titus Oates。
Charles II died in 1685 and the scene at his deathbed encouraged
in England suspicions of Catholic policy and in France hope that
this policy was near its climax of success。 Though indolent and
dissolute； Charles yet possessed striking mental capacity and
insight。 He knew well that to preserve his throne he must remain
outwardly a Protestant and must also respect the liberties of the
English nation。 He cherished； however； the Roman Catholic faith
and the despotic ideals of his Bourbon mother。 On his deathbed he
avowed his real belief。 With great precautions for secrecy； he
was received into the Roman Catholic Church and comforted with
the consolations which it offers to the dying。 While this secret
was suspected by the English people； one further fact was
perfectly clear。 Their new King； James II； was a zealous Roman
Catholic； who would use all his influence to bring England back
to the Roman communion。 Suspicion of the King's designs soon
became certainty and； after four years of bitter conflict with
James； the inevitable happened。 The Roman Catholic Stuart King
was driven from his throne and his daughter Mary and her
Protestant husband； William of Orange； became the sovereigns of
England by choice of the English Parliament。 Again had the
struggle between Roman Catholic and Protestant brought revolution
in England； and the politics of Europe dominated America。 The
revolution in London was followed by revolution in Boston and New
York。 The authority of James II was repudiated。 His chief agent
in New England； Sir Edmund Andros； was seized and imprisoned； and
William and Mary reigned over the English colonies in America as
they reigned over the motherland。
To the loyal Catholics of France the English； who had driven out
a Catholic king and dethroned an ancient line； were guilty of the
double sin of heresy and of treason。 To the Jesuit enthusiast in
Canada not only were they infidel devils in human shape upon
whose plans must rest the curse of God； they were also rebels；
republican successors of the accursed Cromwell； who had sent an
anointed king to the block。 It would be a holy thing to destroy
this lawless power which ruled from London。 The Puritans of
Boston were； in turn； not less convinced that theirs was the
cause of God； and that Satan； enthroned in the French dominance
at Quebec； must soon fall。 The smaller the pit the fiercer the
rats。 Passions raged in the petty colonial capitals more bitterly
than even in London and Paris。 This intensity of religious
differences embittered the struggle for the mastery of the new
continent。
The English colonies had twenty white men to one in Canada。 Yet
Canada was long