‘A Popish priest is a certain seducer’:¹ Catholics and Anti-Catholicism

This chapter discusses the activities of Parliament in relation to Catholics during the first few months following the plot revelations. One section looks at the representations of Catholics and Catholicism in pamphlet discourse. Many tropes of anti-Catholicism during the late seventeenth century that impacted upon the credibility of Oates' Popish Plot are taken into account. The importance of the representation of Catholics and Catholicism and how this representation could work to stimulate and sustain belief in the Popish Plot are discussed.

This chapter discusses the activities of Parliament in relation to Catholics during the first few months following the plot revelations. One section looks at the representations of Catholics and Catholicism in pamphlet discourse. Many tropes of anti-Catholicism during the late seventeenth century that impacted upon the credibility of Oates' Popish Plot are taken into account. The importance of the representation of Catholics and Catholicism and how this representation could work to stimulate and sustain belief in the Popish Plot are discussed.