Existing  bishops  were  to  remain,  but  to
be  reconsecrated  by  three  legates  specially
appointed.  The  King  was  to  nominate  to
bishoprics,  and  the  existing  rights  over  former
Church  property  respected.  Protestants  were
to  enjoy  complete  toleration.  Communion
was  to  be  in  both  kinds  to  those  who  wished
it;  the  Eucharist  was  to  be  in  Latin,  but  with
English  hymns;  married  clergy  should  retain
their  wives;  celibacy  was  not  to  be  introduced
till  later ;  some  of  the  Religious  Orders  were
to  be  revived.  '  It  is  not  clear  how  far  the
King  was  privy  to  this  scheme  ...  it  agrees,
however,  both  with  his  views  and  with  his
position.  .  .  .  We  can  as  little  imagine
that  the  Anglican  episcopate  had  approved
these  projects '  (Ranke,  iii.  400).  The  so-
called  Popish  Plot  (q.v.),  1678,  fanned  into
flame  the  old  political  hatred  of  Roman
Catholics,  and  Charles  n.'s  reception  into
that  Church  on  his  death-bed,  and  the
attacks  of  James  n.  upon  the  English  Church,
roused  churchmen  to  controversy  and  to
emphasise  points  of  difference  rather  than
of  agreement  with  Rome.
In  1704  appeared  a  remarkable  Essay
towards  a  Proposal  for  Catholic  Communion
.  .  .  by  a  Minister  of  the  Church  of  England.
The  author  is  unknown,  but  was  possibly


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Dictionary  of  English  Church  History


[Reunion


W.  Bassett,  Rector  of  St.  Swithin's,  London.
It  is  an  appeal  by  a  man  of  '  moderate '
rather  than  extreme  views,  and  in  the  interest
of  general  reunion  endeavours  to  show  how
and  where  it  is  possible  with  Rome.
