Although the Sacramental Test had been for a considerable time in force in England, yet that law did not reach Ireland, where the Church was more oppressed by dissenters; and where her most sanguine friends were glad to compound, to preserve what legal security she had left, rather than to attempt any new, or even to recover what she had lost:  And in truth they had no reason to expect it, at a time when the dissenters had the interest to have a motion made and debated in parliament, that there might be a temporary repeal of all the penal laws against them, and when they were so flushed with the conquest they had made in some corporations, as to reject all overtures of a toleration; and to that end, had employed Mr. Boyse[2] to write against it with the utmost contempt, calling it “a stone instead of bread; a serpent instead of a fish.”

[Footnote 2:  In his note Scott calls him “Samuel” Boyse, but he is distinctly mentioned further on in the tract as “Jo:  Boyse.”  The Rev. Joseph Boyse was a native of Leeds, who had settled in Dublin in 1683 as joint-pastor with Dr. Daniel Williams.  He died in poverty in 1728; and in the same year his works were published in two folio volumes.  His son, Samuel Boyse, the poet, died in 1749. [T.S.]]

When the Church was in this situation, the clause of the Sacramental Test was happily sent over from England, tacked to the Popery Bill, which alarmed the whole body of the dissenters to that degree, that their managers began to ply with the greatest artifice, and industry, to prevent its passing into a law.  But (to the honour of that parliament be it spoken), the whole body of both Lords and Commons (some few excepted) passed the clause with great readiness, and defended it afterwards with as great resolution.

The immediate consequence of this law was the recovery of several corporations, which the conformists had given to the dissenters, and the preservation of others, to which the “enterprising people” had made very bold and quick approaches.

It was hoped that this signal defeat would have discouraged the dissenters from any further attempts against a law, which had so unanimously passed both houses:  But the contrary soon appeared.  For, upon meeting of the Parliament, held by the Earl of Pembroke,[3] they quickly reassumed their wonted courage and confidence, and made no doubt, but they should either procure an absolute repeal thereof, or get it so far relaxed, as that they might be admitted to offices of military trust:  To this, they apprehended themselves encouraged by a paragraph in his Excellency’s speech to both Houses (which they applied to themselves) which was, “That the Queen would be glad of any expedient, for strengthening the interests of her Protestant subjects of Ireland.”

[Footnote 3:  It will be remembered that the earl’s viceroyalty commenced April 7th, 1707.  It was in his train that Swift came to England in that year.[T.S.]]