Popish plots
| In a century periodically obsessed with the threat to England's
church and monarchy from the forces of international Catholicism,
the 'Popish Plot' to overthrow Charles II and replace him with his
Catholic brother, James, Duke of York, caused widespread panic, not
least in the press. It also provoked a political crisis, due to attempts
to exclude him from the succession to the throne. Like many such scares,
the plot proved to be a fictional exaggeration of genuine links between
English Catholics at the duke's court and co-religionists in France. Catalogue reference: SP 9/251/163, pp. 3 and 6-7 (10 March 1680, Old Style calendar; 1681, New Style) |
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