he was likely to succeed in his first design of writing."[1] Somewhat earlier, the same writer says the "Jacobites now drank to the Protestant succession, upon hopes the Pretender was to be converted by Mr. Leslie."[2] So that at one time all the Nonjurors were Papists; at another, they were labouring to convert the Pretender to Protestantism.
The case of a youth, Ambrose Bonwicke, son of a Nonjuror of the same name, may be adduced as an illustration of the force of those feelings, by which the Nonjurors were actuated. This youth was born in 1691: in 1702 he was sent to Merchant Taylor's School. In 1709, though captain of the school, he lost his election to St. John's College, Oxford, in consequence of his Nonjuring scruples. The head scholars were accustomed to read the prayers, which were daily used in the school, and which were taken from the Liturgy. The first Collect for the King in the Communion Service was one of the Prayers selected for daily use. This Collect young Bonwicke scrupled to read. Efforts were used in vain to terrify him out of his scruples: for he was resolved to make any sacrifice rather than violate his conscience. At the election, therefore, in 1710, he was told that his qualifications marked him out for election; but he was asked why he did not read the usual prayers.
- ↑ Wisdom of Looking Backward, 333, 334.
- ↑ Ibid. 225. It must strike persons as strange, yet such was the fact, that Leslie's "Method with the Deists" was actually charged as Popish. It was attacked in a work with the following title: "A Detection of the true Meaning and wicked Design of a book entitled 'A plain and easy Method with the Deists.' Wherein is proved that the Author's four marks are the marks of the Beast, and are calculated only for the cause and service of Popery," 8vo. London, 1710.
