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Gloucester and Its Catholics During the Reign of James II

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Gloucester and Its Catholics During the Reign of James II Gloucester and its Catholics during the Reign of James II by Richard Barton and Brian Torode (1990) (Copyright rests with Richard Barton) During the year 1986 Brian Torode and I submitted a short article for publication in the Local History Bulletin, produced by the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council, bearing the same title as this essay. Further research has revealed flaws in the earlier article so I have compiled this essay as a fuller introduction to this fascinating subject for members of the Gloucestershire and North Avon Catholic History Society. Between the Accession of King James II in February 1685 and his departure, from England, into exile in January 1689, a group of Catholic laymen enjoyed important civic office and not only a Dominican priest but also a Benedictine monk were at work in the City. During that period the City hosted a royal visit and the King attended a celebration of Mass. Finally, members of the small Catholic community were to experience removal from office, destruction of property, imprisonment and heavy fines. This essay is the result of collating information from a variety of secondary printed sources, particularly City and County histories, volumes of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, volumes of Gloucestershire Notes and Queries and a thesis, by Ripley, entitled ‘Gloucester 1660-1740’ This reading has been supplemented by relevant Catholic histories and biographies. During the last few years two important books have been published which are relevant to this topic. ‘Shadow of a Crown’, by Meriol Trevor, is an extensive 1 biography of James II and, unlike many earlier works, portrays James as a potentially strong king, convinced of liberty of conscience in matters of religion for all. His desire for the removal of the Penal Laws and the Test Acts might have eased life for both Catholic and Protestant non-conformists. This view that James’s desire for liberality was actually genuine would be held in question by many other historians. Meriol Trevor’s James is far from the satirical coward, religious fanatic and unintelligent bigot we have so often read about in the past. A second important book for the study of this period is Suzanne Eward’s ‘No fine but a Glass of Wine – Cathedral Life at Gloucester in Stuart Times.’ This study contains a wealth of valuable material and provides a useful backcloth, covering the years 1603-1714, of life in the most important religious institution in the County. Further research could be undertaken in Corporation and other contemporary records. So as to provide an historical context in which to place events in Gloucester it is perhaps useful to include a brief timeline of the important dates for the reign: 6th February 1685: Accession of James II 23rd April 1685: Coronation of James II Summer 1685: Monmouth Rebellion 4th April 1687: First Declaration of Toleration and Liberty of Conscience Summer 1687: Canvassing for the repeal of the Penal Laws and Test Act 3rd May 1688: Consecration of the three Catholic Bishops 10th June 1688: Birth of the Prince of Wales June 1688: Second Declaration of Toleration and liberty of Conscience 29th June 1688: The Trial of the seven Anglican Bishops 5th November 1688: Arrival of William of Orange at Torbay 18th December 1688: Final Departure of King James II from London 13th February 1689: William and Mary accept the British Crown – ‘The Glorious Revolution’ 2 A CATHOLIC COMMUNITY The most prominent Catholic layman in Gloucester during this period was probably John Hill. He is very likely the same John Hill, described in 1674 as a gentleman in the Cathedral archives, who paid ‘No ffine but a glasse of wine’, for a little garden plot in trust for Mrs. Carpenter’s children. He is probably related to Robert Hill, another gentleman, who acquired a messuage at Sandhurst from the Cathedral authorities, during the same period. During the year 1681, John Hill was elected as one of the two City Sheriffs and, two years later, he became an Alderman of Gloucester. His Catholicism was probably not declared until 1686 when he became the Mayor and we know that he was dispensed, by the Crown, from all oaths under the Test Act. During the following year the King intervened in the appointment of the Mayor and nominated Hill, who was to serve a second term. His mayoralty ended in October 1688 but he continued as an Alderman until the following year. The record of his burial in the register of St. Michael’s Church, Gloucester, dated 20th December 1705, includes the remark – ‘who declared himself a Papist in James’ reign.’ Hill’s successor as Mayor of Gloucester was Anselm Fowler, a landowner, and, possibly, a member of the Fowler Family of Moorhall, Cashes Green. On 20th April 1687 he was made a Burgess and elected Alderman by command of the King. His exemption from oaths would seem to indicate that he was also a Catholic. His mayoralty was curtailed by William of Orange’s invasion and, probably as a direct result of this, he resigned as both Mayor and Alderman on 29th November 1688. His will, of 1696, states that he regretted that he could not now provide so handsomely for his wife and sons and he blamed, ‘a concurrence of misfortunes (that) happened to me by reason of my persuasion.’ Two other Corporation officials were possibly Catholics as, in 1687, William reeves and Isaac Lambard were appointed as the Sheriffs and neither was required to tender oaths under the Test Act. Ripley refers to both of them joining the Council after thirteen leading Tories, together with the Recorder, were purged on the 8th December 1687. They were replaced by what has been described as, ‘a motley group of dissenters and Catholics lead by the unpopular new Recorder, Charles Trinder.’ Lambard served as Sheriff for only one term but Reeves was re-elected in 1688 but resigned with his Mayor, Anselm Fowler, shortly afterwards, in the November of that year. One of the City’s parliamentary representatives is also believed to have been a Catholic. John Wagstaffe was an Alderman from 1663-1689, Mayor in 1669 and 1678 and parliamentary representative in 1686. He was replaced in 1690and died on 20th March 1696, aged seventy- eight years. A tablet was erected to his memory in the Cathedral. Two Catholic lawyers involved in civic affairs were Robert Brent and Charles Trinder; Brent was also a County Magistrate. Trinder, a sergeant-at-law, was appointed Recorder after 3 William Gregory had been deprived of office, with the thirteen Councilmen, in December 1687. Trinder served as Recorder until his own resignation in 1690. Unlike the persons mentioned above, Trinder and Brent are well-documented Catholic recusants. Trinder was the eldest son of Charles Trinder, a gentleman of Holwell, Oxfordshire. He was listed as a reputed Papist of Lyons Inn in 1679. Besides his estate at Holwell, he also owned property at Bourton-on-the-Water. Robert Brent was the nephew of William Brent, a Catholic lawyer of Larkstone, Warwickshire, which was then part of the County of Gloucester. He married Catherine Heywood and became the father of six daughters. The Brents had property in Banbury, Oxfordshire, and members of the family later lived in London. Sir William Compton of Hartpury was another prominent local Catholic. He represented the fourth generation of Comptons to live at Hartpury and he was created a baronet, by King James II, on 6th May 1686. Mary Habington, his mother, was a member of an ancient recusant family from Hindlip Hall, near Worcester. Catholic recusancy continued in the Compton Family for many years after the death of the first baronet, in the year 1698. THE KING AND THE CITY The rise in the number of Catholic representatives to civic office was directly the result of intervention by the Crown. Throughout his reign, James claimed that he wished to provide for his citizens’ freedom of religious conscience by repealing the Penal Laws and the Test Act. Much of his tampering with local government and parliamentary representation was done so as to find men who would carry forward these objectives. Certainly, he had also wanted to increase the influence of Catholics in national life but there is no evidence to suggest that he had any definite plan to destroy the Established Church. In April 1687 he issued his first Declaration of Toleration and Liberty of Conscience but this was only seen as a temporary measure until he could get the Penal Laws and Test Act repealed by Parliament. As a means of ascertaining the mind of Parliament, should it be called, and the opinion of the electorate, who would be selecting representatives, he instructed his Lord Lieutenants to question all Deputy Lord Lieutenants and Magistrates on their feelings regarding the matter. Three questions were posed and all three required answers: ‘If in case he should be chosen Knight of the Shire, or Burgesse of a Towne, when the King shall think fit to call a parliament, whether he will be for taking of the Penall Lawes and the Tests. Whether he will assist and contribute to the Election of such members as shall be for the taking of the Penall Lawes and Tests. Whether he will support the King’s Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, by living ffriendly with those of all perswasions, as subjects of the same Prince, as good Christians ought to doe.’ The results of this survey are given in the Transactions for 1939 of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society. Out of the sixty-two persons questioned in 4 Gloucestershire only forty-two replies are known, of which eleven are described as Catholic Magistrates and these were presumed to consent to all.
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